The Midnight Case

Chapter 9 : Scars revisited

Clock Tower

Locking the door of the room I peeled off my shirt I traded after a shower before the wound was treated and looked at the scar on my abdomen. The cat claws seemingly sneered at me as I sat down and looked. A small portion of the long scar was covered by my hair but the remaining portion are still dangerously exposed. Look at that, I will make more for you. The wounds sneered. My hair fell from my shoulders, covering my face as I glanced at the scars again. "Your scars..." Bruce suddenly appeared, holding a medicine tray. I whirled in response and grabbed my shirt to cover them but he held my arm firmly.

"No, I don't need you to see them." I said. "You don't have to. You shouldn't."

"But if I want to?" He asked. "Stop fighting yourself Isa, you know that I will see them someday." Giving up I sat down on the chair, refusing to say anything. "He told me who did it."

"No, he didn't."

"You're now lying in my face that Selina wasn't the one who hurt you?" He demanded. "I know the truth the moment I saw those scars this morning. Why are you so stubborn to not tell me?"

"What will you do if I told you?" I asked back. "Will that change your mind about us? They are reminders of my failure."

"... No, never." He said, his voice softened a little. "Let me see them." He padded closer, setting the tray on the table and dabbed antiseptic on the cotton bud. Brushing away strands of my hair he dabbed it on my left shoulder and I groaned in respond but his eyes wandered upon the scars on the abdomen. The claws gouged deep, an easy kill for the untrained. I barely survived the attack, nearly dying of blood lost. Dad didn't spare Bruce of the harsh truth and discreetly asked for a life sentence with no parole. Threading the needle he held my right shoulder to give me strength and stitched up the wound.

His gaze too focused on the long, brutal scar slicing down the lower half of my back. "I'm sorry." He said, looking at the scar. "If I knew I would've..."

"No, you're just getting started as Batman." I said, standing up after feeling slightly better. "There's no need for me to tell you."

"Why didn't the pit heal them?"

"The pit wasn't created to heal scars that were old. I've studied them before." Then he held me in his arms as I felt and saw the scars peeking through his unbuttoned shirt. A while later I laid beside him in bed as we shared gazes. Holding my face in his hands we shared a tender kiss but I couldn't help but to notice the scar across his chest and abdominal muscles.

"Brutal scars. I know." He whispered. "But seeing your scars... I felt a sense of powerlessness. You nearly died because of them."

"No, I just..." I sat up, trying to explain. "I was sloppy, I didn't know..."

"What she is capable of?" Bruce asked, his gaze unavoidable. Holding my hand and pulling me into his grasp we never let go of each other and kissing me on top of my hair.

"What would your father see?" I asked. "These scars."

"I don't know." He replied. "I wouldn't explain." Then we stared at each other, speechless but trying to open up a new conversation. "You... you don't look tired."

"Neither do you Bruce." I said, sitting up. "Maybe... maybe we should tell them."

"What?"

"Chris, all of them, they knew but your side? They aren't right?"

"But it's not the right time Isa." He said. "Maybe we should train."

"Good idea." I replied, slowly crawling out of the bed. Slipping on a sports crop top and yoga pants I withdrew my escrima sticks, lying them on the ground in front of me while I meditated in the training room floor. Hearing footsteps I jumped, throwing an escrima stick and throwing at the direction. Then Bruce stepped front and threw down a punch. Grabbing the blow I spun, kicking him in the abdomen and throwing the escrima stick towards the figure behind him. The figure nimbly moved and threw out a blade, causing us to dodge sideways. Chris was the one as he stepped out of the shadows and pounced onto me. Striking him in the abdomen he flung backwards, doing a 180 degree spin in midair and landing with a touchdown.

Chris dashed forward, carrying another blade but we clashed as I held up the stick to block the incoming blow. We exchanged fearsome glances but Bruce whirled, bringing down a long stick. Noticing the move we turned using our weapons to parry the attack. Nodding we pushed back the stick and I attacked, parrying with Bruce. Taking the chance Chris ambushed him, me stomping his foot and knocking his jaw. Blood trickled from Bruce's lips as we held off our attack, staying on equal footing. They always said that we're could be twins if not for the reason we're from different famillies. I have left traceable bread crumbs for Chris to follow as we shared a secret code.

"Who did you train with?" Bruce asked. "You both shared almost the same fighting skills."

"My grandmother did." Christian replied. "Her grandfather trained her, we all learned martial arts when we're ten." Bruce didn't reply but he accessed us from head to toe.

"How did you get here?"

"Isa did. Left a trail of bread crumbs, a secret code only we know."

"We all have secret codes but I didn't tell." I said. "I and Bruce shared one."

"Isa has multiple secret codes she remembered. MI6, S.H.I.E.L.D., F.B.I., C.I.A. and Wakanda just to name a few." Hearing this Bruce's brows crossed but he dropped the stick, padding closer.

"If you here now then good, we need you on this one." He merely said. Then he gestured me to go with him. "I'll meet you at the floor below." He said, his back facing him as he stopped at the door.