Alter-Ego (Batman fanfic)

Chapter sixteen: replaced

Chapter sixteen: replaced

Bruce's POV:

It was late now, nearly ten o'clock at night and I couldn't help but worry why Harmony hadn't come home. I was ashamed to say I'd broken into her apartment, and was patiently waiting for her in a chair. There was no doubt in my mind that I would startle her, but I came to suprise her with a gift. I remembered what she said earlier about buying her something but when I saw it I couldn't help myself.

I was invited to an auction on the outskirts of the city and the famous photograph struck me, a well known photographer was selling his most prized photo, it was a shame that it was so easily within my price range.

My worry came to an end as the door turned open and her sweet light hair flowed first through the door. She didn't see me until she had turned back around from locking the door. I was now on my two feet, holding the gift behind my back legs.
"You weren't suprised?" I looked at her questioningly as she seemed so unafraid.
"I am in an empowering mood, besides I expected you to be here, if I knew you well enough by now that is."
"I didn't know my defense training was so helpful, maybe I should start classes?"
She eyed the Christmas themed gift behind my legs and raised her brow "didn't I tell you that I wanted nothing for Christmas Mr. Wayne."
"I seem to have misplaced that conversation," I handed her the frame.

Before she opened it, she set it down beside her and pulled out something from her purse. It was a paper bag. She handed it to me with a giddy smile, unlike I'd ever seen.
"Oh you shouldn't have," I exaggerated.
"Oh yes I should, seeing as you were so kind to buy me a gift yourself."

I opened the bag and pulled a smaller frame from the one I'd bought from the tissue paper. It was a smooth black frame that in the middle had a picture of me and Harmony together, the first picture we'd taken at the fundraiser. Her gift was much more sentimental than mine, something money could not buy.

What I saw in her was compassion, a deepness that the eyes could simply not comprehend. Beyond her beauty lay something rare, a kind and innocent heart only filled with pain and death at every corner. All I ever wanted to do was to hold her in my arms and let her troubles sink into me.

"I'm not sure what to say," I spoke with pure honesty.
She immeadiantly looked dissapointed "don't tell me you don't like it?"
"No, it's just that I could never get you a gift so wonderful, with my money and power I feel as if I've become iron to people's emotions."

She tore the paper off her own gift and looked in awe as she saw the photo.
"Where did you get this!"
"An auction earlier today, I thought you'd might like it."
"Like it! I'd never dream that I'd get this close to a Clover, let alone own one."

Her happiness made me smile inside, she deserved every last million that I spent on it.
"Don't ever tell me how much it cost, do we have a deal?"
"Only if you'd do me the pleasure of coming to my home tonight for dinner, and finding a nice place for this," I held up the picture.
"I can think of a few, more calorie burning activities," she kissed me. As soon as her lips brushed mine it was like a fire starting in my soul. A last that never filled until I was near her.

She set the photo on the floor and wrapped her arms around my neck, as I around her waist. We melted together like the warm of two candle's wax mixing and morphing, until we were impossible to pull apart.   

"Is that a deal then," I pulled away breathless.
"It most certainly is."

I grabbed her wrist and guided her down to my Maserati.
"Alfred didn't drive you?"
"I can drive you know," I was slightly insulted by her lack of thought in my ability.
"To think I was better than you in some way," she laughed. Before she got in the passenger seat I slid in front of her.
"What are doing, aren't we supposed to be going to your house?"
"Why don't you drive, seeing as I'm so incapable, do you know how to work a manual."
"I might."
"Well then by all means get in the seat and give me a heart attack."