his precious Queen

2

I forced my body to relax as the car drove down the street. My eyes stayed shut, despite the sun's glare on my eye lids.

"I know Jim." Bruce rasped. "But she refuses to speak to anyone else but me. She says she has seen officers from the department in a room with a ring. They watched her fight bigger men, she's pretty fucked up."

A beat of silence before Bruce hums and agreement. "I know. I'm going to bring her to my place. The joker won't go there. He'll expect her to go to the GCPD." Bruce said. "And." He paused. "The joker doesn't know me and her have a connection. It's the smartest move."

I needed to get up, to stretch my aching legs. My muscles seemed tight but I ignored it. I couldn't let him know I was awake. That I didn't actually fall asleep.

My chest rose and fell in a steady movement. So steady I almost fell asleep. Until the next turn - where the gravel echoed around the small space.

Just like J, Bruce had good taste. His seat was pure leather, the feeling was almost like butter underneath my fingertips. The wind whipped against the window, against the metal of the doors.

"Where at My mansion." He informed, braking the comforting silence as the car came to a smooth stop.

His mansion was big, and had almost depressed. Empty feeling to it.

"Can you walk, or do you need me to lift you in?" He raised a brow, turning the key. Shutting off the engine. I hissed, opening my own door. "I can walk."

The very thought of someone other than j turns my stomach. Itches at the very pit as I limped over the gravelled drive. A man opens the door as he looks over my form. "Good evening master Bruce." He greeted.

"Alfred this is Melody, she will be staying with us for a while." Bruce says, walking slowly beside me as I limped. "Melody, this is Alfred, he looks after the place while I'm gone."

Alfred nods his head, eyeing me almost as if he can read right through me. As if he sees the girl I'm so desperately attempting to play.

"Breakfast is at 8am sharp." His British accent is sharp as he. Fixes his waist coat. "Any moment later and you will wait until tea to eat."

I licked my lips, nodding along as I attempted to walk up the step. My legs became weak, for a moment I thought I was going to fall to the ground. Injuring myself further, only Bruce had his arm circled around my waist. Holding my body weight as he carried me into the mansion.

Everything was old - like it was here for generations as he walked in through the opened double doors. It was nice, it held a certain feeling that I didn't expect. Perhaps it was the photo frames that held pictures of a younger Bruce Wayne with friends. Showing behind the image everyone built up of him. It felt as if the walls were painted with love, care and knowledge throughout the years.

Bruce sat me down on a sofa, the cushions supported my back, soothing my muscles as he disappeared for a moment. And then - returned with some stuff in his hands.

"The joker will not get you here." Bruce said as he worked on my ribs. "And if he somehow does, Alfred can protect you long enough for the GCPD to show up." Bruce paused as he looked me in the eye. "Or…batman."

I laughed, wincing as I shifted in my seat. "What?" Bruce questioned.

"I know most people in Gotham like batman. And, I can understand why. He brings low life criminals off the street, attempting to clean up Gotham." I hissed, feeling his fingers dance over a particular sensitive spot. "But he still allows the big boys to run around. Like Crane, penguin. The joker. Harley, Ivy." I rhymed off. "If the Joker was locked up, his men were gone. I wouldn't have to deal with worrying if I'm going to be taken in my sleep." I forced my voice to crack as my eyes glossed over.

"And I assure you, this time it won't be fun and games. I escaped not once, but twice. No one does that and gets away with it."

"Maybe Batman is trying to clean up Gotham." Bruce commented. "He could be trying to get the joker but…it could be….difficult."

I snorted. "There has been more than one occasion where Batman could have taken him." I pointed out. "I know this because he bragged, bragged about how stupid the bat was."

Bruce furrowed his brows. Like he wanted to defend batman. And maybe he did, maybe there was more to the story then I knew. After all - I am not able to witness any of the action first hand.

****

The sun began to set, casting the pink and orange hue against the sky. Even the water fountain out front glistened - looking even more beautiful than before.

"I know you said no one from the GCPD." Bruce said.

"Which is why I'm not I'm uniform - or working." Jim's voice rang through the room. And I flinched, squeezing my eyes shut.

"I know you may not want to talk and that's okay. The last time we talked you were taken back. But this is important. You may help us get him." He paused. "Before he can take another innocent girl."

I swallowed, turning around slowly as a tear fell from my eye. "Fine." I sighed.

Jim walked us to a chair, sitting forward with his hands intertwined together. "I know it will be hard so take your time."

I nodded my head, running my hands down the sweatpants Bruce had given me. "When I was brought into the jokers new safe house." I whispered. "He had been furious. Wrecked all around him. He even killed a few of his men. Claiming everyone was disposable, that for every life killed a new is born so what did it matter?"

Jim nodded encouragingly. "He grabbed me by my hair and dragged me down to a dark room. I didn't see the light of day, not properly until I left." A tear rolled down my face as I forced my hand to shake. Gripping tightly on the fabric beneath my finger tips. "I know I should have gone to the GCPD but I refuse to. I refuse to go back to that station when he has so many of them working for him."

I ran my tongue against the roof of my mouth. "He knew where I was the second I stepped foot over the foot of your police department's doors."

Jim sighed. Almost as if he knew that there were dirty cops in the department. As if he had felt it every breathing moment he walked into that station. As if he isn't proud to be one of them anymore.