Help Me, Mr Batman

Chapter 22: One Step Closer to The End

A/n: Next Chapter will be up tomorrow

A gentle shaking woke Kayne up from her dreamless sleep. Her eyes crack open and blink to see Bruce. He smiles and says, “Hey sleepy head. It’s almost noon. Want to help me take down the tree?”

She smiles and pulls her blankets tighter around her. “Sure, why not?” She replies, closing her eyes against the sunlight.

“Alright. Then maybe we can buy you some curtains for your windows.” Bruce notes, looking up at the windows.

“That sounds nice.” She yawns, pushing the blankets off of her.

“You get dressed and I’ll start taking down ornaments.” Bruce offers, standing up from leaning over her bed.

“Mhmm, ok. Can I take down the star?” She questions with begging eyes, and a pouting lips.

“We’ll see.” Bruce tells her, turning to walk out of her room.

She groans, hoping he would’ve said yes.

Kayne scooches to the edge of the bed and jumps off before scampering over to her mirror. She peels off the white button up shirt Bruce managed to slip on to her when she was asleep so she wouldn't wrinkle her dress. Reaching into her purse she fiddles around looking for a tube of bright red lipstick.

She applies it before heading over to her closet. Opening her closet, she pulls out a white veil dress with a slip sewn under the skirt. The sleeves are lacy vines that encase her arms as she pulls the front on, leaving the back wide open.

She pulls her hair to the side to zip up the dress but the cold zipper brushes her back as someone zips it up for her. She greets Bruce, “Dad, I didn’t hear you come in. Did you change your mind about the- oh my god.” When she turns to face Bruce, it isn’t Bruce.

The Joker stands relaxed in front of her with a thicker coat then he previously wore but it was still him.

Kayne reaches for her bed to grab one of her knives but he grabs her wrist. “Calm down sweetheart. I’m not here to hurt…” He tries to reason, assuming she would listen but a fist to the face stopped him. He doesn't release her hand and his face doesn't turn at the force she punches him with.

His smile brightly.

"Reality isn't really your forte, now is it?" The Joker cackles, his hold disappearing like dust in the wind along with the rest of him right in front of Kayne.

It was a hallucination.

Kayne shakily walks into the bathroom and splashes ice water on her face. Her hand grasps for the brush trying to take her mind off of what just happened.

Her hair is tamed with a bit of work using her brush and a multitude of clips that pulled back her hair away from her face. She pulls on the white slip ons that could've been mistaken for socks.

Alfred's present lay on her dresser where Bruce must have put it while carrying her to bed last night. Kayne pulls the necklace in as a last thought. The silver coin lay solidly on her chest, matching beautifully with her dress. The purple band adds a color contrast that Kayne liked.

Kayne pads out the room, enjoying the temperature change from cold to warm once she leaves her room. The windows did very little in protecting against the cold. In fact, they helped bring the cold into her room.

Kayne walks down the hall and the stairs. She takes in the neat boxes, and the half stripped tree.

“Want to get the star?” Bruce questions, holding four boxes in his arms.