This is AU, not my usual cup of tea, and the original character is completely mine.
This will be more than one chapter and will obviously be as raunchy as the rest of my stuff. Hang in there.
Yes, Ruby Rose is the basis of this version of Kate Kane. Cause she's awesome. And hot.
*****
Jacob Kane looks up as his daughter enters the room, "Kate?" He rises and opens his arms, "What brings you here unannounced?"
"I think it's time," she replies. There is no hug, no smile, no look of adoration.
His smile is tense and he walks around the desk pretending his heart rate didn't increase. Without giving anything away he hits a tiny button on his belt buckle. With a resigned sigh, he leans against his desk and gestures, "I don't suppose you're willing to sit and talk about this, hm?"
A single shake of her head accompanies her answer, "Nope."
"Well, I hope you won't think me rude if I ask you to indulge me with a few moments of banter."
"Knock yourself out."
~~~
When her phone vibrates, the other Miss Kane in Gotham gasps before gritting her teeth, "Shit." Turning on her heel and bracing herself, she exits her office throwing a few words to her secretary, "I'll be back."
The car she recently climbed out of is still sitting at the front of Wayne Industries and she speaks a single word to her driver, "Jake's."
As the door closes behind her, she sends a confirmation reply to Jacob while mumbling, "Stall as long as you can."
~~~
His jaw clenches as he silently begs his cohort to hurry, "Will you at least sit and give me some kind of false sense of control?"
Kate arches an eyebrow and smiles sweetly - too sweetly for it to be genuine, "Sure, father." She approaches the desk chair he vacated and makes a grand to-do about claiming it for herself, "I think this one fits nicely."
"Now, Kate," he smirks, "we both know you're not here to take my job. You never wanted to run a business. Even your cousin new that." He turns to face her and crosses his arms over his chest, "If you had shown any interest at all in being a CEO, Bruce would have given you the helm upon his..."
"Disappearance?" she challenges. No one can really say where Bruce Wayne is, least of all his cousin and uncle.
"Death."
That same eyebrow arches again, "So you believe he's really dead, then?"
"I can't imagine another scenario where he'd go this long without contacting one of us. Or anyone for that matter. Can you?"
"Don't try to distract me." She leans forward with her elbows on the desk, "For my life to truly be mine, I have to know the options. I didn't get myself as straight as possible to have my choices made for me. I know what I want to do with my life but I also know nothing happens in this family without planning in advance." She sits back in the chair and almost purrs, "Am I early, late, or on time for this conversation?"
He studies her face, almost a painful spitting image of her mother, and carefully words his answer, "Your mother and I never sat down and planned your life, Katherine."
"Oh, I know mom wouldn't have done it. I'm talking about the master plan you and Bruce concocted. Tell me," she smiles, "did you at least let Beth and I come out of the womb first?"
The mention of Kate's twin sister almost causes Jake to break his stare. The only thing that keeps him composed is the fact that this is not a conversation he's meant to have with his daughter, "Every parent has hopes and dreams for their children. There's nothing wrong with imagining what your child will grow up to become."
"Don't waste my time with platitudes about hopes and dreams, dad. You know damn well there was a plan and I'm here to finally get you to not only admit that, but to tell me what that plan is. I'm grown now. Tell me what I'm supposed to be."
His back straightens when he feels a pair of eyes on his back. Delivered at last, he sighs, "I can't, Kate."
"Why not?" she challenges, "Or are you not part of the plan, either?" She slams her hand down on the desk, "Why in the hell won't you tell me what my future is supposed to look like? Why is there so damn much secrecy about who and what I'm supposed to be?"
The voice, familiar but not easily identified, comes from the darkest corner of the room behind her father, "Because you're not ready yet."
She strains to make out the figure in the dark and stands in case that would help, "Who the hell is that?" Jake takes this as his cue to leave. It was never a conversation he was meant to partake in and now, with all the parties in place, he's no longer needed. He nods as the passes the woman in the dark.
Even when she steps into the light, her beanie rides so low on her head that her eyes remain concealed, "You know me, Katherine. Though I doubt you remember."
A quick, cold, but fiery chill slides down Kate's spine as the newcomer tips her head up. Any and all moisture disappears from her mouth rendering the woman silent for a moment. She can't help the stare. The eyes facing her seem to burn straight through her body as she can only whisper, "Hayley?"
