Inflorescence • Poison Ivy's Daughter

chapter twenty eight ~ reunions

Dick woke with a start. A headache greeted him with the sombre memories of the morning. He looked to the window and saw no light outside, and no one in the room. Shit

He lurched from the bed, the quilt still had him tangled and he fell on the scratched carpet with a thud. He scrambled across it to the bathroom door, flinging it open with a desperate fist. A sigh of relief followed as he saw the doctor still unconscious in the bath, safely tangled in a number of vines.

Behind him, he heard the room door click open. 'Jesus, are you trying to kill me Be...' He started.

Dick craned his neck enough to see the figure at the door was clearly not a pretty, young girl, but in fact a threatening, middle-aged man, with glaring blue eyes.

'Bruce.' Dick gasped, scrambling to his feet. 'Why...how?'

'How do you think,' Bruce growled, scanning the room, his eyes stopping on Dick. 'Did she hurt you?' His eyes were daggers.

'N-no.' Dick blurted, his eyes caught on his spoilt shirt. 'Its... not my blood.'

Bruce exhaled softly before glancing past dick into the bathroom, 'And who is that?'

'Dr Woodrue., he's-'

'I know the name, he's a highly wanted eco-terrorist.' Bruce stated in even annoyance, 'Whats he doing tied up in the bathroom?'

Dick sucked in air through his teeth as Bruce stalked past him into the bathroom. 'Thats a little bit of a messy story...'

'And you're telling me the full one. Now. Not a single detail missing. You can start by telling me where Belladonna fits in all this mess, what is her aim?'

Dick shifted his blue eyes to meet Bruce's, 'I have absolutely no idea.'

It was the last honest thing he told Bruce that afternoon.

✿ ✿ ✿

Bella thought she would pass out before she managed to reach her apartments level. The sun had long since gone, turns out hitchhiking across the country is harder than it seems. Serial killers probably played a big part in that.

With her bones aching and her muscles a fire, she hauled herself up the last final steps of the fire-escape and slid open the window. She clambered in through the gap with less grace then shed hoped for, snagging her foot on the ledge and falling to the floor. With a groan, she propped herself up on her elbows and looked around the room. It was dimmer than usual, she could scarcely make out her surroundings, her plant's health had dimmed in her absences, she'll have to pay them more care in the morning but for now, she just needed her rest.

She staggered to her feet just moments before a heavy boot landed on her back. Bella instinctively fell into a roll crouching on the floor to face her attacker. Two figures stood at the window, indistinguishable in the darkness. One of the figures began to charge for her. Bella called for her vines but she didn't have the energy, she bared her teeth and closed her fists and charged back.

The two collided in a mass of limbs, twisting and striking each other. The second figure by the window stood out of the way,

'Go get 'em kitty!' they cheered in encouragement.

Harley? 'Wait!' Bella shouted, halting her fighting. But the other couldn't pull back fast enough and their foot slammed across her cheek.

'Jesus, Bella.' Selina hissed, rushing to her side to access the damage. Her breath caught when she got sight of Bella's appearance. Bloody hospital wear, yellow-tinted skin, purple bags under her eyes. 'What the-'

'It's nothing,' Bella shrugged off her hand, and pulled herself to her feet, 'Just got myself into some trouble as usual.'

'There is nothing usual about that.' Seline gestured to Bella entire person.

Harley skipped next to her and prodded her ribs with a sharpened nail, 'You look like death, pulled through a meat grinder, run over and then stopped on for good measure. Girly, if your mother saw you like this she'd gauge out her own eyes I'd say.'

'Gee, thanks for the confidence boost,' Bella grumbled stalking over to her bed.

Seline grabbed her by the shoulder. 'Hey, you're not getting away with a light kick to the face! Where have you been?'

'Like I said, in trouble.'

'Trouble ain't cuttin' it, sweety.' Harley chimed, 'We need the deets.'

'Or say goodbye to any extracurriculars.' Selina stressed her final word.

Bella moved her shoulder away with a sigh, 'Hows 'family reunion' for you?' She fell down on top of her mattress with a thud, the soft blankets almost swallowing her.

'Family- what are you.... Oh.' Seline gulped, 'B-but he's dead... Right?'

'Not so much,' Bella tilted her head so her voice wasn't muffled, 'Turns out I'm not the expert assassin I thought I was.'

Seline walked over to where she was, her weight causing the mattress to squeak as she took a spot next to her. 'I'm sorry' she whispered, 'I'm sorry we weren't there for you.'

Bella scoffed rolling over cross her legs, 'Who said I needed you oldies.'

'Oi, you brat.' Harley squawked taking a leap at her, Bella dodged her body but her arms wrapped around her neck. Bella laughed out in shock and Harley flipped her over onto the bed. "Without us, you wouldn't have a plan in getting your mommsie back, would ya?'

Bella's laugh died on her lips, 'You've got one?' she looked to Selina who shrugged.

'It's rough but it's the best we've got. Cancel your plans for next weekend girl.'

'Next weekend... but that's-'

Selina grinned with feline menace and Harley smiled with manic energy. 'We're crashing the Wanye Gala, sweetie.'

Dread filled the pit of Bella's stomach, 'I've got to get a dress.'