The Way We Fall | Bruce Wayne

CHAPTER 27 - Raindrops

The Murciélago was still parked out front. Sara gazed up at the sky, noting the impending clouds in the distance. There'd be enough time for a walk, just until she could set her mind straight. She hastily followed a pathway around the side of the manor, striding between pristinely trimmed hedges. The path led to a stone terrace that served as the entrance to a rock garden.

With a small stream down the center, the garden was adorned with a variety of perennial flowers and shrubs. Expertly pruned trees were now beginning to grow bare. Dead, fallen leaves had been scattered by the wind, covering the walkway. Her steps crunched as she tread over the dull leaves. Of course, the garden wasn't small. The path branched in several directions, at which point Sara chose to follow the stream.

The early autumn sky began to fade into night. A bright orange glow of a sunset was the sun's parting gift. Brilliant colors of orange, pink, and purple stretching across the sky signaled the return of darkness. She treasured it as the ball of light sank below the horizon, taking its warmth with it. As a cold breeze nipped at her skin, the oncoming chill reached her bones. Gotham always grew cool after dark, even more so in the later seasons. It often made her long to again feel the sun's warm rays on her face.

Sara continued up the stream, listening to the gentle swish of water navigating around small stones. At one point she reached a taller hedge, marking the garden boundaries. So she followed alongside, stepping up on several stones as the garden followed a small hill.

There was still a faint light in the sky when the small garden lights automatically illuminated, lighting the path. She continued on, even as her nose became cold and red. The crisp leaves beneath her feet still satisfyingly bristling and crunching.

She'd have to face him eventually.

Crunch crunch.

What was there left to say?

Crunch crunch.

Maybe he would come to his senses. Realize that she wasn't what he needed after all.

Crunch crunch.

She didn't want to entertain the thought, but she did think it all through rationally. Given their professional positions, it'd never work out, of course. That's all she needed now, an additional complication to her already challenging career. To consider anything beyond a professional relationship was ridiculous and absurd. She reminded herself of such each time her mind tried to find a possibility. No. She had too much to lose.

And she'd been wounded enough.

Sara came to a stop beside the stream as she relied more and more on the dim landscaping lights to illuminate her path. The watercolor sky was now a gloomy shade of blue-ish gray. A single cool raindrop splashed on her cheek, courtesy of the approaching clouds above. As more fell, she heard a distinct sound amongst the splash of raindrops and the peaceful stream.

Soft little clicks. At first she thought she had only been hearing things. But then she heard them again. Her body tensed. She squinted and peered at the hedges, then around the surrounding garden. Something was out there.

The pounding of her heart echoed in her ears, muffling the repeated clicks that followed. Defenseless, the only option she had was to run. But she knew from unfortunate experience that it would all depend on who or what she was up against.

Had the arsonist discovered her here? Impossible.

A sudden screech and loud flap of wings could be heard overhead simultaneously as another crunch in the leaves. Startled, Sara let out a scream and whirled around, colliding straight into something - no, someone.

Balling her hand into a fist, she instinctively punched straight into the person's stomach. She heard a male grunt and without pausing to observe his identity in the darkness, she began to bolt through the garden.

She had avoided capture many times before while on the job. But no amount of experience could take away the sheer fright that shuddered through her core. Perhaps her courage was misplaced in the suit and mask.

Sara blindly ran as fast as her legs could take her. Dodging boulders and trampling flowers, she used the small lights as her only guide through the trees and hedges. Rain pelted her face. As she rounded a corner, her foot got caught on a stone and she came crashing to her knees and palms.

Then a strained familiar voice cut through the air. "Sara!"

Panting, she stood again, looking back across the distance she'd already crossed.

"Bruce?"

Holding an arm around his abdomen, the shadowed figure began walking toward her. The garden lights dimly revealed the handsome features of his face.

Still catching her breath, she gasped, "You- I thought-"

"As much as I'd like to say that punch was deserving, you should know that I just spent the past half hour trying to find where you'd gone off to." Still nursing the pain with a hand, he straightened his posture. His rain-dampened hair now stuck to his forehead. His expression became grave as he spoke more seriously, "You scared the hell out of me."

Though relieved, Sara couldn't think past the knots in her stomach."Then I guess we're even." She wiped her bloodied scraped palms on her clothes, then paused in realizing she just stained one of the new shirts.

He stepped closer still, but minded the gap between them. "Alfred went to call you for dinner and found your door was left open," he said. "Seeing that you were gone past dusk, we almost called Sergeant Gordon."

Her knees stung as she stiffened and began walking toward the manor. "As much as I value your 'protection,' Mr. Wayne, I'm not a child. Or a lost pet."

Bruce quickened his pace to match hers, undoubtedly debating on whether to mention her quick return to a last name basis but deciding against it.

Their footsteps continued through the fallen leaves. "I went for a walk through your beautiful garden," she continued. "It just got late."

He worked at shrugging off his jacket. "And you didn't see the dark, ominous clouds?" He inquired sarcastically, placing the jacket around her shoulders.

She accepted it, breathing in the cedar and cinnamon scent of his cologne.

Sara didn't entertain his remark with an answer, instead choosing to continue walking in silence. That was until she heard the screech again and briefly saw something fly through the air. Stopping, she could faintly make it out now against the moonlight sky. A bat.

"There's a nest of them somewhere on the grounds," Bruce said, as if he were in her thoughts. Or, more likely, he'd seen her startled expression.

She continued her pace warily, watching as the silhouette passed by once more.

The look of relief on Alfred's face was evident when the pair entered the manor, practically dripping wet. "It's good to see you're alright, Ms. Carter." He hurried to retrieve towels and blankets."You'd both better go get changed before you catch a cold," he said, leaving to light the main fireplace.

Shivering now, Sara followed Bruce up the staircase. They parted ways into their rooms, re-emerging with dry clothes.

They remained silent, sitting together yet a good distance apart in front of the crackling fire, wrapped in soft blankets. Sara's gaze remained fix on the dancing flames, memories flashing through her mind. Images of her burning apartment and of the masked vigilante.

Alfred returned with hot tea, placing the tray down on the coffee table. He looked between the two of them, a sad smile appearing on the wise butler's face.