SHIELD [Book 1 of Alex & Allie Save The World]

Chapter 26 Worth Every Risk

"You don't have to tell me everything, I trust you," he murmurs and Allie nods.

"When I turned eighteen, I wanted to do something crazy, flex my new freedoms, and step outside the rigid box I had created for myself," Allie starts, a nostalgic glint hidden under all the splotches over her skin. "I wanted to go to a club and actually party. Alex thought it was stupid and that I was being reckless. In hindsight she was right but at the time I wanted to rebel and so I did... against Alex." Allie inhales and shakes her head half regretful and half pleasantly reminiscent. "I went out by myself, got a little lost, realized I was being stupid, and tried to walk home. It was really late but I didn't want to call Alex and admit she was right."

Bruce is listening intently as Allie unravels the story. This is the first time she's ever recounted any of this to anyone.

"I was angry, frustrated, and sad so I was stalking my way down the sidewalk half blinded by tears. I walked into a street and was nearly hit by an oncoming car but this guy ran, grabbed my hand, and yanked me back onto the sidewalk," Allie pauses for a long minute before breathing out his name, "It was Slade; he saved my life."

Bruce tries to remain stoic but this tiny detail puts a crack in his solid sympathetic face. He cannot seem to wrap his mind around this, he has only known Slade as a coldhearted mercenary but he saved Allie.

"I still pulled my rusty boxcutter on him," Allie deadpans and huffs a laugh, allowing Bruce to grin too. "He chuckled and backed up once I was steady on my own feet. He called me a cab and stayed with me till it arrived. I went home not knowing his name or anything about him but I remained curious so I had the cab driver give me his number. The next day I called him and invited him for coffee as a way of saying thanks and later he showed up at my job with flowers."

Bruce internally damns her generous spirit but he holds his tongue. Allie can tell this is tormenting him though he is trying to hide it and decides to skip the details.

"I fell in love with him despite Alex's warnings and her hatred of him. Slade was charming and respectful and he always treated me with such kindness so I couldn't see what Alex hated about him. I was blinded," Allie divulges before ending that thought and getting to the end. "Alex was shot and I had no idea it was him. I didn't find out till almost a year later and when I did, I tried to stab him but that failed miserably. I ran and he let me." Allie wipes her eyes and finally locks eyes with Bruce. "I didn't know what to do so I ran to a hero, Green Arrow."

"You turned him in even though you loved him?" Bruce asks and Allie nods.

"I loved him and I trusted him but he killed Alex and a lot of other people; my love for him couldn't undo any of that... Anyway Green Arrow caught him and it was all over and I came to Gotham," Allie finishes and exhales. Her entire body is shuddering and shaking still but part of the weight has lifted off her chest. "And I cannot undo loving him"

The hardest part about all of this is that Allie genuinely loved him and a piece of her always will and she can't erase that. Not to mention there is more she is hiding but the rest would make Alex hate her even more and push Bruce further away. No, she has to take the secret tattoo on her finger and the secret legal document to her grave.

Bruce Wayne reaches out and holds her face, gingerly wiping away her tears, and holding her gaze.

"Do you hate me now too?" Allie whimpers and he shakes his head.

"I could never hate you and neither could Alex," he vows and kisses her forehead. "She just needs time."

"I didn't know, I promise I didn't know," Allie cries, shaking her head frantically. "She knows that right? She has to!"

"She does, she does," he assures and pulls her into his arms softly shushing her and rubbing her back in comforting circles. Allie is quaking and flinching, her face twisting in pain along with unbearable sadness.

"Allie are you hurt?"

Allie nods mutely into his chest and he sighs. All the sobbing and quavering is making her old injuries ache but she doesn't care, she deserves the pain.

Bruce gently untangles himself from her and goes to his jacket where he has kept motrin in the pockets since he started getting close to Allie because it's the only pain medication that works for her. Bruce grabs three and fetches a glass of water for her.

"Here take these, this will make the pain go away," he instructs gently and pushes the pill sinto her hand."

"But it won't make her stay," Allie whispers.

"Please, Allie." Allie still feels she deserves this punishment but Bruce is asking her to take the pills so she swallows down the medication and chases it with a gulp of water.

Bruce Wayne opens his arms back up and cradles Allison Gray close.

"You can come stay at Wayne Manor if you'd like," he offers.

"No, no I really can't." Bruce can tell she won't be changing her mind so he doesn't press the issue; Allie is in a state of terror and she needs to rely on herself right now.

"Can you explain why you rejected my request for us to go public at the gala on Friday?" Bruce inquires and Allie winces.

"I am sorry about that," she mutters. "I was trying to protect you."

"From him?"

"He killed Alex because I loved her more than him; I have no idea what he'd do if he saw that we were an official couple on some newspaper. I couldn't save Alex so I have to save you..." Allie trails off for a few moments. "I guess I did; I couldn't imagine that you would ever want to go public with me now."

"I still do." Allie sits up suddenly to gape at the man, searching for some inkling of a lie but there is none, Bruce is dead serious. "I want to scream from the rooftops in the streets that you are my girlfriend but I am happy to settle for an official announcement and then debut at a gala."

"Even with the accompanied risk of getting on Deathstroke's hitlist?"

Bruce Wayne cups her cheeks and gazes upon her with such surety and affection that Allie almost feels as if this is a dream.

"Allison Gray you are worth every risk."