Bruce Wayne - October 23rd, 5:05 pm
"The Bat and the Cat. Has a nice ring, don't you think?"
Bruce would always remember the words that Selina had spoken to him when they were up on that balcony, the last time they had seen each other. He remembered everything about that day. His body was sore and bruised. His armor had taken the brunt of the buckshot, but his abdomen was covered in dark splotches of blue and grey. His ribs were mended and healing. The air stank of salt from the flooded streets of Gotham, and the grass in the graveyard was brighter than he had ever seen before. He remembered every little detail of that day.
Because it was the last day that he had seen Selina Kyle.
They had met only days ago. Yet he could not stop thinking about her. The first time she kissed him on that rooftop, with the golden sunlight cascading over their forms... it was electrifying. He felt something, it was new and unfamiliar. It was love, joy, happiness, and all the things that could make you smile. Then the next time they saw one another was when he was trying to stop Riddler's goons. That kiss brought him back from the brink and gave him the rage he needed to save her. That anger boiling inside reached a tipping point, and he had nearly broken his one rule.
And on the balcony... there was the kiss that never was. He could have kissed her, he should have kissed her to show how he cared for her. But he didn't. Bruce knew, he knew that he couldn't kiss her. He needed her to leave the city. Selina would be safe from harm, safe from the corruption that had been wrought by her father in Gotham.
He loved her, and he had to let her go. He needed to be something more than a vigilante who pummeled criminals into submission... he had to be a symbol of justice. Which meant she had to leave.
Bruce pulled the cowl over his face, the black kevlar forming like a second skin to the shape of his skull. It clung around his eyes, narrowing his peripheral vision... forcing him to only look forward. Batman was who he needed to be. There was no Bruce Wayne. His life was being the Batman. If he wasn't actively stopping crime, then who was he, really?
Bruce had found who he needed to be as Batman. But he hadn't yet been able to find who Bruce Wayne was.
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The Batman - October 23rd, 8:38 pm
The clouds above were thick with haze and billowing greys and blacks, just transparent enough to allow an azure shine of moonlight to filter through, peeking out at the cityscape below. Rays of blue light were cast across sections of the city, giving everything an eerie glow. It made the brightest of yellows burn brighter than ever before, and it acted as a stark contrast to the deep reds of the endless lines of traffic. Rain fell from above on the city below, serving as a reminder of the past... a past which all wish they could forget.
It had been almost an entire year since the incident with the Riddler, a night which was now remembered as "The Long Halloween." Streets had been cleared, buildings repaired, and lives rebuilt. The physical damage was repaired, though scars and wounds remained. While the city had healed, the damage from that time would take much longer to fix. In the wake of the Riddler's uprooting of corruption and killing of Carmine Falcone, the Penguin had taken control over vast swaths of the criminal underbelly of Gotham. He had snatched up and grabbed what he could from the remnants of Falcone's criminal empire. While Penguin had not been able to get the entire city, his charisma and threats helped him to wrest control over major portions of the city.
Cynic that he was, Batman had to admit that the city was better than it had been prior to the Riddler's sociopathic killings. In place of corrupt mayors, Gotham now had a well-meaning mayor who genuinely seemed interested in well-being of all citizens in Gotham. Whether it be through police or financial reform, to help businesses and people alike. Her plan of rebuilding helped to bring new jobs and opportunities to the city, and it gave the police greater power. The Gotham City Police Department and District Attorney's office, while still partially corrupt, were now filled with honest men and women.
It was a start.
Batman gave one last look through the water-covered windows in front of him. The bat signal shone high in the sky, acting as a warning to any criminals in Gotham: the Bat was out on the prowl, and he was hungry. He had plenty of work to do tonight, as he always did. It seemed to be never-ending, a constant struggle between justice and crime. That was how it always was. However, that work would have to be delayed for now. Bruce was looking into a string of robberies at high-profile estates and offices. The robber was a professional, and they were leaving no trace behind. So it was up to Batman to look for the clues and the next location.
The only place that had not been broken into yet was Wayne Tower. The only reason the thief hadn't hit the tower yet was due to the sophisticated security systems. From the intricate camera system to the constantly patrolling guards, there was no way for a thief to break-in, no matter how professional. However, Bruce chose to disable the security systems on the highest floor tonight. The guards were sent home early, security camera disabled. He needed to draw in this thief and capture them.
Thief. Robber. Catburglar. Could it be her? Could Selina be the thief? No, of course not. She was living in BlΓΌdhaven now. Why would she bother coming back to Gotham? Selina had experienced so much pain and anguish here. That Russian girl had been killed by Carmine Falcone, Selina's father. Her mother died here. Her father, too. And so much else. There was so much agony and heartbreak rooted into this city which was still filled to the brim with untold amounts of corruption. If she came back here... no, there was no "if". Selina would never come back here.
That was how it had to be.
She was safe in BlΓΌdhaven, after all. Away from Gotham City. And, away from him. He was dangerous, she had nearly been killed that night. Alfred had nearly been killed by the Riddler. Bruce didn't want anyone else to get hurt. He didn't want to feel that fear and anger again. He hated that part of himself.
He didn't want to lose anyone, again.