Perfect Dark: Entre los Ángeles

[The_NewCatwoman]

Translation: Between the Angels

Disclaimers: Watson belongs to Sir Conan Doyle

Angel slowly opened his eyes, almost immediately regretting the decision. His eyes ached, and his head felt like it was going to explode. He looked around himself and realized he was hanging upside down. His entire suit had been stripped of him along with his underwear, leaving only his cross dangling from his neck and his mask in place. His hands were bound behind him with heavy leaded cuffs, and his legs the same way, the chain reaching into oblivion above him.

"Glad to see you're awake, you were out for quite awhile." came a voice from nowhere.

Angel looked about himself, searching for the voice. It had come from someplace off beyond his vision and the stretch of the light. He heard footsteps from the right of him and twisted his body in that direction. "Who are you?!" he asked angrily.

"Oh don't worry poor baby, you know very well who I am. And I know who you are. We all know each other." he said dreamily.

Angel felt his stomach twist, it was Caine.

"You're probably wondering where I've been for the last few days, or maybe why I'm not wrenching my guts out with guilt over Bianca."

Angel felt his face start burning at the mention of her name, "No I'm not. You're kind has no guilt."

The footsteps started again, this time quicker then before, and all at once Angel felt something cut into his abdomen. He felt blood begin to slide over his left breast. Caine had sliced into his side.

"Don't you ever say such a thing!" Caine said miserably. "It is you who has no regret, no such feelings. It is you who doesn't know the meaning of 'humanity'."

Angel's breathing had become labored with the sudden blow and his breath came harshly from his mouth. Other than the sounds of his chest rising and falling nothing came in response.

Caine at once calmed down. "I'd like to explain something to you Angel. I'd like you to understand what makes me different from all the other demon men you've met."

Caine paused as if waiting for Angel to say something, then continued. "Have you ever loved someone so completely Angel that all the time that you spent together and apart made absolutely no difference for by that time you felt they were an extension of yourself? They were while being outside of you, they were besides you and even so much as to say inside of you. They completed this part of you that had never existed before. They were you. Do you understand all that I am saying to you?"

Angel thought over it. "So you loved somebody."

Then Caine smiled, "I've done the one thing you won't allow yourself to. I've loved, and then I killed because I loved."

"You're Joseph." Angel said with finality

Caine nodded.

"Then you're looking for Dimanche."

Caine grimaced, "Please, her name... before I changed her, her name was Gaia."

"Why?" Angel asked.

"Why what?"

"Why everything."

"I thought I made it perfectly clear! I've done all this, every bit of it, because I've lost myself. I've lost her. I threw her away. There is NOTHING on this earth that can make up for that. So, I seek it through death."

"You've killed to make a punishment fit for yourself."

"Yes." Caine said bowing his head.

You're a fool."

"I'm the fool. I've done what I see fit. You have absolutely no reason to be the way you are. You have no love, not even enough for you're own mother! Yet I? I will die.. because... I have loved."

A long pause passed between them.

"How long have I been here?" Angel asked.

"God, I'd say about five hours. No one's even come looking for you."

"Do you have anything else to say to me."

"Yes. I want you to help me, help me find her and turn her back. Then I want you to slay me. I'm of no use in this world."

"You're going to hell you know." Angel said softly.

"I want to. I'm sure that I even need to. Now do you understand what makes me what I am. Why I send those poor girls to heaven?"

"Yes." Angel said. "Yes I do."

"You of course know that in order to do this right, you have to hate me don't you?"

Angel didn't respond.

"You do what you do under obligation, but this has to be under emotion. There is a stark difference."

Angel turned his head away from the figure and let the slowly ebbing blood run onto his face instead of onto the floor.

"What could you possibly do to make me hate you. I mean truly hate you?"

Caine smirked, "Why, it's elementary my dear Watson."

[Panther]

Uh oh.



Good God what is Caine going to do /now/????

A lot of relegious symbolism in this part. I feel like I'm looking at a Italien Renasiance painting and could spend hours disecting it.

The angels and demons are about to go forth into battle and I shudder at the thought of those caught in the crossfire.

Must go,

[The_NewCatwoman]

Slow bits of snow fell in swirls around their heads, catching in their hair and for those that wore anything, onto their clothing.

Three figures stood around each other in a circle staring at one another. One pulled out a cigarette, placed it between their pale lips and lit a match, the small flame casting shadows on their face.

The other two shorter figures, one nude except for his mask stood stationary, awaiting the first sign of conversation.

The only girl in the group kept casting uneasy glances at the naked one's reddish skin and ached to brush the snow and ice out of his beautiful black hair and eyebrows.

"Well let's get this show on the road shall we?" the tallest asked stamping out his barely smoked cigarette and smiling.

"Why was I supposed to invite her?" the naked figure asked, "She has nothing to do with this."

"She's going to torture you. She's going to bring out such a horrible feeling in you that you can't hope to express even in thought. And she's going to do it because I told her to."

The girl shrank back and pulled her brown peacoat and burberry scarf tightly around her neck and shoulders. She hadn't expected to rise out of bed at three in the morning to meet A.J. and some wierd guy in the park especially to take orders from someone she didn't know.

"Yes, I think that's the ticket. But I know that you my dear," he said looking to Mila, "won't willingly hurt him. Oh no, so I guess your demon will have to do it."

Mila shuddered, and her stomach erupted in vicious knots. "No." she whispered.

"Yes, all that's left is finding out who exactly is inside of her and bringing it to the surface, won't that be fun?"

"No!" Angel insisted stepping in front of her.

Caine frowned and began to whisper words in Latin.

Angel felt Mila's hand on his shoulder gripping him hard. He turned around and caught her as she fell forward. He let her to the ground and turned his head back to Caine, "Stop this now!"

"It's too late." a cold, calm voice said from below him.

Angel scrambled to his feet, and the demoness raised to her own.

"I'm so hungry." she said miserably. "It hurts. Do you know how much it hurts?!"

She dove for A.J.'s bare flesh but he ducked out of the way and pushed himself backwards.

"That's why you took my suit, you knew all along what I was going to say and you were going to do. That'd I'd call her out here."

"But you still don't hate me, you expected this much from me. Anf quite naturally you should have known better." Caine said in a small voice.

Then he turned to Mila's body, "Hello gorgeous, here take this."

He produced a small knife and tossed it to her.

Angel narrowed his eyes and concentrated on Mila. "You're still in there, I know you are, you've been strong enough to supress it this long, you can do it again."

He felt Caine's strong hands wrap around his and wrench him from the ground. "You're still young, you don't have all your reflexes I see, no wonder you put so much work in being the predator instead of the prey."

"Let me go." Angel said through gritted teeth.

"No, I said you had to hate me!" He dragged Angel to a nearby tree and pulled a small bit of rope out of his coat pocket, using it to tie Angel immobile.

"Come my dear!" he called to Mila.

"Oh Father." Angel said as he closed his eyes, resisting the urge to cry out when he felt the knife pierce his flesh in anticipation for the blood.

"Do you hate me yet Angel?" Caine asked from somewhere outside the fog Angel's mind had become. Angel found he couldn't answer, everything had become an extension of the pain.

[The_NewCatwoman]

Originally posted by Panther
Uh oh.



Good God what is Caine going to do /now/????

A lot of relegious symbolism in this part. I feel like I'm looking at a Italien Renasiance painting and could spend hours disecting it.

The angels and demons are about to go forth into battle and I shudder at the thought of those caught in the crossfire.

Must go,

Well I guess you just found out. And believe me when I say, A.J.'s got a lot to learn about tolerance.

Thanks for the fresh reply.

tNC

[The_NewCatwoman]

Mila awoke with a start.

Her stomach ached, along with other things...

She crawled to the edge of her bed and tried to catch her breath. Bits and scraps of the nightmare played through her head. Then her chest seized, what if it hadn't been a nightmare? What if she'd lost control and hurt A.J.? If she'd weakened and drank his blood he'd probably hate her.

She imagined him lying unconscious and naked in the snow, his blood flowing out of his shoulder wounds, cursing her name to the death.

She ran to the closet, slipped on her shoes, and grabbed her coat. She grimaced as she found it was the same brown peacoat she'd worn in the "dream". She ignored the harsh feeling and slipped it onto her frame. Going to the window, she pushed it open and climbed onto the nearest branch of the maple tree that grew outside her bedroom. Going as fast as possible, she climbed down to the ground and took off down the sidewalk in the direction of Wayne Manor.

**

Alfred had risen early as usual. He'd taken to the routine of the past sixteen years only to remember once he was done that Madame Selina wouldn't be enjoying her morning coffee, two creams, seven sugars. Or that Alexander James wouldn't be eating his eggs, soft with a bit of pepper and salt.

He stared at the place setting before him. Had it completely slipped his mind that the Madame of the house had left the day before upon findings that he had yet to become aware of? Or that she'd taken their, Bruce and Selina's, son with her?

He sighed and began the task of cleaning the table in preparation of lunch. Knowing very well that no one was going to eat that either.

"Alfred?" came the voice of his employer from somewhere behind him.

Alfred visibly jumped but quickly went back to his task as if nothing had happened.

"Leave it Alfred. I'll eat it." the tired voice said.

Alfred seemed surprised at first but left the meal where it sat.

Bruce folded himself tiredly into the chair and buried his face in his hands.

Alfred stared at the man before him, what was once an unshakable powerhouse of reason and cunning had been reduced, by the invincible power of a woman he loved no less, into a tired mass of weight. It seemed that all that was keeping the man from getting sucked to the floor by gravity was the very chair he occupied.

"Master Bruce if I might--" Alfred began before Bruce cut him off.

"I hurt her Alfred." Bruce said raising his face. "I don't think she's coming back."

Alfred gasped upon seeing Bruce's face. Not that seeing him in this condition was new, it was just that he didn't usually leave his skin swollen and still bleeding in some places.

"I walked around as Bruce Wayne for a few hours, out on the street I mean, after I left her apartment. People gave me strange looks, and whispered things to their friends. Some women even approached me. Said I looked 'down' and needed some 'cheering up'. I don't want them... I want Selina."

"You went to her apartment?" Alfred asked sitting across from his old friend.

Bruce nodded, "She was in the bathtub when I came. I heard her muttering to herself when she found me. She snapped I think, I'm sure it was strain that made her come at me."

"She did this?"

Bruce nodded again, "I wanted her to, shouldn't I want her to hurt me as well? I deserve what I get. 'Reap what I sow' as it were. I sowed the seeds of discord and lost my woman because of it."

Alfred's eyebrows shot up in fresh surprise. It was the first time he'd heard Bruce refer to Selina as anything other then 'Selina' or 'Catwoman'. 'Wife' would have been more expected, certainly not 'my woman'. Something had changed in the man who sat before him, and he wasn't sure just what yet.

"Do you want to know what I did Alfred? Why everything's such a mess? Why she doesn't hate me but I know she should?"

Alfred nodded distantly, unsure of how to react to Bruce placing his humanity on display for once. Something he hadn't done even as a precocious little boy.

"Helena. I f**ked her. I threw her into the wall and I took what I wanted. I was drunk. Selina and I... we'd fought... again. Something posessed me, I didn't resist. When it was all over, A.J. knew, Selina didn't, and I lied. For five years I lied to my wife, I told her I loved her and that I wanted only her. But I wanted Helena too. A.J. He said that-- that she --Dimanche-- had used Helena's feelings towards me to control me. Dimanche... She's a vampire, in Helena's body."

Alfred stayed silent, staring forward in a kind of shock useless of words or thoughts.

"Selina believes me, she believes A.J. She's always believed in me. Whatever I say, she doesn't doubt. Why can't she just say 'Screw you!' for once, and really mean it. Why can't she just let me burn in hell for God's sake?!"

Alfred thought through how he was going to approach the troubled man extensively before speaking. Deliberately slow he offered his veiw, "Possibly, because of Madame Selina's past, she's become an ultimately forgiving person. It might just be that she can't accept her past nor put up with it if she doesn't forgive it, because the hate and bitterness would swallow her. I imagine she's had to forgive her fair share of people if not God himself for giving her such grief to live with. I'm sure you'll agree."

Bruce looked up at the man who'd been like a father to him when he'd lost his own. The only one who understood the god-like idolation he'd projected onto his father and the distress of having lost that same person. "Thank you Alfred. I... I think I need to go see my father. I need to ask him something."

Alfred nodded and took the still uneaten eggs to the sink and began running water. When he returned to get the coffee he found Bruce was already gone.

[Panther]

God its awful to see Bruce on this downward spiral. On one hand, well, he's brought a lot of this on himslef, but on the other - well, you gotta pity the poor sob. It seems to me that Bruce and Selina love each other so much they can't stop, even when it hurts them.

And what did Mila /do/??????

later,

[The_NewCatwoman]

Originally posted by Panther
God its awful to see Bruce on this downward spiral. On one hand, well, he's brought a lot of this on himslef, but on the other - well, you gotta pity the poor sob. It seems to me that Bruce and Selina love each other so much they can't stop, even when it hurts them.

And what did Mila /do/??????

later,

Yes, although heartbreaking, one must acknowledge he brought it all on himself... or did he?

Bwa haha hahahah

Okay, I really gotta stop doing that. NEway, yes, i love that Selina and Bruce love each other even past self destruction. God, I hope it never comes to that.

tNC

[Panther]

Yes, you really have to stop doing that. And you sidestepped the question as neatly as several politicians I could name.

I love that Selina and Bruce love each other even past self destruction. God, I hope it never comes to that.

I /would/ point out that it's your story BUT I'm not surprized at all to see the charaeters taking on their own life. Its amazing how demanding fictional people can be when your writing their story.

Good luck

[The_NewCatwoman]

Originally posted by Panther
Yes, you really have to stop doing that. And you sidestepped the question as neatly as several politicians I could name.




I /would/ point out that it's your story BUT I'm not surprized at all to see the charaeters taking on their own life. Its amazing how demanding fictional people can be when your writing their story.

Good luck

Actually, I kinda forgot to answer. But then, if I did answer, that would be telling. And we can't have that can we?

tNC

[Daughterof_Evil]

Good god, that was fantastic! Now you've got me wondering what's happened to Mila...and Angel, and will they ever be together!? Please write more! This is incredible!!

[The_NewCatwoman]

Thanks so much for the gushing reply. I take it you read the end of the last part before this one. I do aim to please.

tNC

[The_NewCatwoman]

A.J. bolted upright instantly trying desperately to focus his eyes. As things came into veiw he tried to remember where he was, what had happened, and even who he was. He found himself dripping with sweat in his own bed. Somehow in his sleep he'd kicked the covers off onto the floor. He looked around, he wasn't at his mother's apartment, he was in his room at his father's house. He ran to the mirror and studied his torso. The only scars that showed were the one's he'd received days ago from Caine when he'd tried to stop him from taking Bianca. Not even the deep penatration cuts that came from Caine's knife into his side could be found.

Then it had all been a dream, his mother leaving his father, Mila turning into a demon and feeding from him. All of it was just a sick nightmare. He smiled in relief, something he rarely did anymore, and put on some clothing.

Going down to the kitchen he was surprised to find that his normal breakfast hadn't been prepared. Alfred was at the sink washing dishes, and his parents were nowhere to be found.

"Alfred?" he asked confusedly.

Alfred jumped, letting a dish slip from his hands but catching it before it hit the ground. He turned to face A.J. and froze upon sighting him with a look of horror on his face. "Merciful heavens." Alfred said in a low voice.

"What?" A.J. asked feeling panic form in his stomach, maybe he was wrong. Maybe it had all really happened...

"Forgive me for asking young master, but what are you doing here? Your mother left with you in tow yesterday afternoon."

A.J. immediately felt nausea rise in his throat and vomited onto the floor. "No...." he said, his eyes stinging tears.

Alfred dropped the dish into the sink no longer caring if it broke, and rushed to his charge's side. He watched as A.J. wiped his mouth with his sleeve and took a few frightened steps backward. "Young master A.J. you don't have to be alarmed, it was probably the shock of it all."

"No, it's worse." A.J. said knowing full well Alfred didn't know what he was referring to.

"Things like this happen all the time, knowing your mother and father I'm sure they will be back together in no time." Alfred tried with false hope.

"That's not it." A.J. said in a small voice while shaking his head disbelievingly. "Something happened last--"

He was cut off as both turned their heads to the sound of the doorbell. A.J. took off towards the front door feeling he already knew who it was. Wrenching it open as fast as he could he paused at the sight of one Mila Raleigh.

She looked a wreck, she was still in her pajamas, her hair hadn't been combed, and she looked like she was freezing in just her coat with no hat or gloves or anything...

"A.J.!" she sobbed throwing her arms around his shoulders and pressing him into her.

A.J. didn't resist but didn't urge her to go on either. Instead he stared stone ahead at the man coming up the driveway.

Mila sensed this and looked up at him, "A.J. what's wrong?"

Alfred joined A.J. at the door and made vocal what A.J. was already thinking. "I'll call your father."

"Mila!" the man yelled viciously having stopped several feet away.

Mila cringed with fear and turned to see the face of a very pissed of Caprio Raleigh.

**

Bruce had been staring at the words engraved into the granite face of his parent's tombstone for an hour now. His eyes had long since blurred from the strain and had began bleeding salty tears begging for the relief of a blink.

He stared until he couldn't hold them open anymore and flung himself down onto the grass, soggy from last night's first snow, and pressed his forehead into the smooth surface. Around him small flakes of snow fell as if he was trapped in some kind of strange hour glass that had been turned over on the table. He laughed bitterly, his life a few days ago had been right side up and his life now was the exact opposite, burying him in the ashen looking snow of betrayal.

He hadn't said anything to his parents yet, he wasn't sure of what he could say. So he stuck his bare hand, the one with the cuts from the glass in it, reddened from the cold, out to catch the snowflakes.

He looked at the foreign pile of snow in his hand, turned an unnatural color by the pollution. Nothing like when he had been a boy. He wondered if A.J. had ever even seen a real life white snowflake before. He remembered that they had been this way for a long while now and honestly couldn't recall if his son had made snow angels of purest white or goose down gray as a child. Both seemed plausible and yet remote at the same time, as if another color should be alloted that would fit into the memory.

He looked back at the enormous headstone. His mother and father's names in a bold black: Thomas Wayne, July 18th, 1925-November 9th, 1968; Martha Wayne, January 3rd, 1934-November 9th, 1968.

He dropped the snow and traced their names with his finger, mouth slightly agape. Finally pulling his hand back, he frowned and decided to speak:

"I know that by now you're probably very disappointed with me. Not only did I allow myself to go to another woman, but I lied to my wife about it. I didn't go to her and tell her what had happened. I didn't do anything but worry her, and make excuses. She probably feels I was doing it the whole time. I... I started this, this whole thing because I wanted to keep people from getting hurt... I never meant to hurt other's in the process. Now I'm going to lose my wife, A.J. will be gone forever, and Dick... Oh God, Dick. He believes in me, I'm the only one he trusted when he... He's going to hate me most of all Dad. I don't know what to do. Show me how I can fix this. Make everything better just like you used to. Maybe perform a little surgery." he allowed himself a small smile.

"And Selina... There's something wrong with her. Someone hurt her really badly. Sh-she tried to kill herself. I want to help her, I want her to trust me. I want her to tell me what's wrong. Please, maybe you can pull some strings up there and get God to help me or something. I'm running out of answers. I need you."

Bruce sat back on his haunches and bit the corner of his lip. A shrill sound filled the air. It was his cell phone. He pulled it out and looked at the caller ID with dread, finding himself strangely relieved that it was only Alfred.

"Yes." he said trying not to let his voice crack.

"Sir, we need you here right away. A.J.'s here, and so is that young girl Mila. Her father has paid us a visit and I'm afraid he's not very pleased."

"Say no more." Bruce commanded standing from his place and shutting off the phone.

"Goodbye Mother and Father, I love you." with that he turned and ran to his car.

**

Selina smiled as she spotted the loveable red head peeking above the crowd trying to find her. "Hey!" she waved trying to get his attention.

"Selina!" he said happily taking her into his arms and lifting her off the ground. "My God, you haven't gained a pound 'Lina."

"Yeah right." she said straightening her hat and punching him playfully on the shoulder.

Ted turned around and picked up his carry-ons with one hand and slipping his other arm discreetly around her waist. "Nah-uh." Selina said with a mischievious smile while slipping out of his grip.

"Oh come on." Ted said with a large smile.

"No way. I don't need the gossip mongers getting their claws on this thinking they've got the next big story."

"Awww, okay." Ted said with a devilish pout.

Selina paused staring at him, she'd forgotten how hot Ted was. Feeling her mouth fall open she shook her head. "No, can't do that. Can't go back there."

"Back where?" Ted asked.

Selina tilted her head and made a face, "You know exactly where. Now let's go get your sh*t and get out of here."

"Hey I don't call those goofy designer bags you like so much sh*t, so don't insult my stuff." he shot back with mock insult.

"Shut up." Selina responded playfully, using her hand to push his face back a few inches.

The two silently went to the luggage claim, got his bags, hailed a cab to a quiet little restaurant on the west side that guaranteed privacy and settled down.

"So why didn't you drive?" Ted asked from behind his menu.

"You know I hate downtown traffic, if you think I'm wrecking my Jag you've got another thing coming."

"You've got a Jag now?"

"Yeah... Bruce got it for me."

The two put their menus down and sat uncomfortably in the newly arrived silence. They both decided separately to drop the playful exterior, as this is what he came to talk about in the first place.

"So what happened?" Ted asked, his eyebrows raising slightly like they always did when he asked a question.

"He cheated. His son's wife seduced him and he went right on in."

Ted sat back in his chair, face frozen in shock. "A.J.'s married?"

"No!" Selina said impatiently, "No, his oldest son, Dick Grayson, remember?"

"Oh yeah, Nightwing. That sucks. See, I told you, I told you. That Bruce kid was just looking for another.."

"Will you shut up and listen for a second?!" Selina asked covering his mouth with her hand.

"I'm not sure how this is going to sound but... It wasn't his fault."

"Yeah right!"

"Teddy, I'm serious, listen to me."

Ted paused, this was the second time she called him 'Teddy'. He'd have to put his whole into holding his tongue until she was finished.

"Helena, Dick's wife, she's posessed... By a vampire. The vampiress inside of her used Helena's feelings for Bruce against him. I'm not sure how she did it, and I don't care, I just want her to stay the hell away from my husband."

Ted stayed silent for awhile. "Geez, you're not the type to lie about something so deeply creepy."

"So... Do you think Catwoman and Wildcat should take a look into it?"

Ted laughed, "Yeah, I think Wildcat would appreciate the activity."

[The_NewCatwoman]

Ring around the rosie, pockets full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all fall down...

She found herself face down before she even knew it. The-not-quite-pristine softness of snow-covered unconsciousness enveloping her. The sting that her father's strike had caused died away slowly into calming blackness. Sleep taking away the pain.

--#--

A.J. scrambled down to Mila's prone body, turning her over on her back. Blood dribbled from her eyebrow where the steel barbell had been ripped away from it's place nestled under her skin.

A.J. stood up and stared at Caprio's emotionless face, trying to discern whether the fight would even be worth it. He knew the urge to hit the man back was a direct result of emotion and irrationality.

"He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly." A.J. whispered to himself, quoting Proverbs.

Caprio sneered, "What?"

"I won't fight you, I never made trouble with you in the first place, your concern is with my father, not me."

"I gave explicit orders that Mila not go in your company. How is that not making trouble?!"

A.J. frowned, "So knocking her unconscious solves everything right?"

"I won't answer to you you sniveling little--!" Caprio lashed out and struck A.J. across the face.

A.J. stumbled backward slightly but didn't return the blow.

Caprio grabbed him by his collar, "You have the balls to ignore my orders yet you can't fight me. You're such a man, hit me! Hit me! HIT ME!"

He pulled his arm back in anticipation of beating A.J.'s lights out but was stopped short when a hand gripped his wrist. The grip tightened unmercilessly, causing his knees to weaken and moans to come uncontrollably from his mouth.

"I'll never see you raise a hand to my son ever again." came a voice riddled with anger and temperment.

Caprio turned his head to find Bruce Solomon Wayne staring down at him with eyes that could make the devil shudder. Caprio at once felt it would be foolish to reply in his usual tone, but also felt that there was only so much Wayne could do to him.

"And if I do... You gonna kill me?"

"No..." Bruce said bringing his face inches away, "I'll make you wish I did."

Caprio growled, pulling his hand out of Bruce's grip, "Who do you think you are?! No little p***ycat mama's boy is gonna talk to me like that. Especially not someone like you. Yeah, I know who you are, Mr. Bruce 'Dippin' his pinky in all the pretty ladies' sugar bowls' Wayne. The only threat you ever posed was screwin' all those girls brainless--"

Bruce watched without response as Caprio's lifeless body fell to the ground. Behind where he had stood was A.J., his hand still raised.

"I thought it was a good time to shut him up." he said before going over to Mila and lifting her up in his arms.

"Is it alright if I put her in my bed?"

Bruce nodded, looking down at Caprio, and wondering if he should get some ice for his head first or call the police. The vengeful person in him said do the latter first, but his more considerate side won out and he dragged the man into the house for treatment by Alfred.

**a few hours later**

Mila opened her eyes and whimpered as a sheet of pain spread through her head.

"Try to relax." she heard someone who sounded like A.J. say from besider her.

She turned her head as slow as she could to see if it was him, but had to stop as the vertigo kicked in. "A.J.? Is that you?" she asked through the fog.

She felt him smile, "Yes, don't worry, you're dad's in jail, and your mother and brother are downstairs."

"Why are you being so nice to me, after everything I've done?"

"You didn't do anything wrong except come here."

"Noooo." she resisted weakly, "Oh God, last night. I think it was a dream, you and I and this other guy were--"

"In a park." A.J. finished, his voice near silent.

Mila sobbed, the hot tears making her head pound, "I... I didn't mean too."

"I don't think you did it at all. When I woke up this morning, I didn't have any scars or anything. Besides, did you wake up with blood on you this morning?"

Mila felt some of the pressure in her head give way, "No. I didn't." she answered with a small smile.

"Good. I don't know why we both had the same dream, but that can wait for later, right now you need to--"

A.J. was cut off by Mila putting her finger to his mouth. "Please. No more talk about what I need to do. I just want to lay here for a little while. *yawn* and sleep a bit."

A.J. smiled and waited as she fell into the first natural sleep she'd had in days.

[Panther]

I *highly doubt* they both had the same dream. So... what on Earth happened???? Nice to see Mila's dad finally taken down. And it really said a LOT about Bruce /and/ AJ's charcters' when they did and /didn't/ hit him. I liked the touch of Bruce's middle name being Solomon. Perfect.

what now?

[The_NewCatwoman]

Originally posted by Panther
I *highly doubt* they both had the same dream. So... what on Earth happened???? Nice to see Mila's dad finally taken down. And it really said a LOT about Bruce /and/ AJ's charcters' when they did and /didn't/ hit him. I liked the touch of Bruce's middle name being Solomon. Perfect.

what now?

I'm not sure how to respond without giving something away. Yeah, I love Mila's character, but she can be a forceful nature all her own. I start off with one thing, and she goes in a whole different direction. Oh well.

And about Bruce and A.J., you'd almost think it would be the opposite. I've noticed on my own that he's kinda calmed down a bit since Mila forced herself into his life. Hmmm. And that Solomon thing comes from the episode of B:TAS Pretty Poison when they flashed Bruce's credit card while he was having dinner with Ivy and Harv. It said "Bruce S. Wayne". I always assumed that his middle name was after his grandfather. Apparently in the comics they were quite close, but this obviously doesn't happen on the show.

ta ta for now,

tNC

[Panther]

Oh come on, how 'bout just one little hint? No? All right. sigh.

NEway, I popped over to fanfiction.net and read BabyBat. How sad, yet how touching! It's funny, I always think of Catwoman as being so strong, but she really isn't. You always manage to bring out the fragility she's hiding under that tough exterior.

later,

[The_NewCatwoman]

**Panther, thanks for reading. It's not where I'd like it to be because it takes so long to do a story over there with the uploading, and the cataloging... ugh! It's much simpler here. And now I offer something that popped into my head and needed to be posted**

I remember my mother.

"Where's A.J.? I can't see him!" a voice called teasingly over the snowdrifts.

"I'm right here!" a rambunctious young voice answered, a flash of red and black as it disappeared down beneath the white.

"Ho ho ho, my little boy's disappeared, I don't know where to find him."

"Mommy, I'm right here!" came the voice again, this time materializing suddenly from under the first's very feet.

"There's my little one, now give me a hug."

The two embrace.

I remember her laugh, her smiles, her tickles, her hugs... I remember... how much she seemed to love me.

Of course, I was a little boy, I cried fitfully whenever I couldn't see her, convinced she wouldn't return. I believed that she lived to be mine alone, and no one else's.

So of course Caine, he was wrong. When he said I didn't have enough love for even my mother. When she's the one I love most of all.

I'm not sure what happened last night. I don't know how I got into my own room or how my scars vanished, or if everything that I remember was a dream. But I'm sure that I love my mother, and that real or unreal, Caine was wrong.

My father, I respect as my father, I respect as the Batman, but as a husband, he's suspect. I know he didn't have any control over what he did. But the lying...

Everytime he looked her in the eyes and acted as if they'd only shared each other. He ruined himself.

I feel like their marriage, it's a mirror that keeps getting scratched and cracked in places. Now it seems as if it's divided completely down the middle.

And I'm falling apart with it.

[The_NewCatwoman]

**later that afternoon in A.J.'s room**
*Playstation belongs to Sony, and Tony Hawk belongs to Eyeworld and I think Acclaim Sports. I'm not sure who Project Gotham Racing belongs to, so sorry .*

Mrs. Raleigh and Wes had since gone down to the police station to see about Caprio, leaving Mila in A.J.'s care until they returned.

Mila lay staring first at the ceiling and then at A.J.'s room as a whole. He had an old oak chiffonier that matched his full sized bed's head and footboards. Soft blue carpet with a few rugs that matched the bed linen. By the door was a television with a VCR and a Playstation with the first two Tony Hawk CD cases neatly on top. Beside it was a Playstation 2 with the newest installment of Tony Hawk and a copy of Project Gotham Racing not far away.

"So you like video games." Mila said breaking the silence.

A.J. who had moved up onto the bed beside her nodded.

"What else?" she said turning onto her side.

A.J. shrugged, "I've never really had time to figure that out. All my time goes to school and--"

"And Dark Angel." Mila interuppted. "How did you get into that?"

"You should say 'How did it get into me'."

"Wellll..."

"I've always had a connection of sorts to the spiritual world, I always thought that I'd be a priest or something.. certainly not this. I was chosen to fill the shoes of a man named Sir Ivan, he was the last to die. His mission came to me."

"What mission is that?"

"To serve the church, protect the world from vampires, save those who have been wrongly turned and slay those who chose that path."

"Oh."

"What do you mean, 'Oh." Don't tell me you don't believe in vampires..."

"How could I not? It's the 'church' part that gets me."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't believe in God. I don't understand how someone could."

A.J.'s body visibly stiffened making Mila doubt her choice of words immeadiately. "Well for the record," he started. "I don't understand how you couldn't."

"My parents are catholic, there's got to be something wrong with an organization that let's people like them in. I mean look at the world, all there is is evil. Nothing divine about that. And if there is a 'god', he's gotta be a pretty sick guy to let some of the people that live in this world live in the first place. I mean, this is the guy that created Adolf Hitler, Slobodan Milosevic, Flugencio Batista and Augusto Pinochet! Let alone my dad--!"

A.J. held up to fingers to silence her, looking not unlike his father. "I doubt very seriously that I can change your veiws about this and frankly I don't want to hear them. I've heard them all before from various athiests and such and really no longer give a damn. But if I take you to this church to have this demon 'exorcised', I won't have you disrespecting holy ground. Is that understood?"

Mila shook her head, a small frown showing but otherwise silent.

"Good." A.J. said with a nod, "Any questions?"

"Yeah, why do both Augusto Pinochet and Flugencio Batista have such pretty names. I mean they slide right off your tongue..."

A.J.'s brow crinkled confusedly.

Mila smiled and kissed him quickly on the cheek with a laugh.

"I'm going downstairs, try to get some sleep okay?"

Mila nodded again and laid back down onto the covers.

[The_NewCatwoman]

Bruce sat in the living room, lights out, staring at the ceiling. Beside him on the end table sat a glass of gin, for once untouched. Bruce found he had no appetite for alcohol for some reason.

A loud brrnnggg sound echoed throughout the room. Bruce snatched the black earpiece off of the receiver and listened as the cord knocked the glass off of the table.

Raising the earpiece to the side of his head he said a flat hello, noticing distantly that the gin was soaking into the carpet and under his bare feet.

He sighed and said the same thing again only louder.

"Bruce?" he heard Selina's voice question from the other end.

His head shot up as he held the phone closer. "Selina I'm here..."

Just then the doorbell rang. Bruce growled and stood taking the phone with him, the base making a low thud as it fell from the table and followed him across the room.

Reaching the door he wrenched it open angrily, then stood with his mouth hanging slightly at the sight of a Eastern Union telegram delivery boy. His scooter lay discarded in the snow not far from where Mila had fallen earlier. Somewhere far off he registered that Selina was still talking to him...

"Telegraph Mr. Wayne, from a Mr. Drake. Would you like that I read it?"

"No..." Bruce answered in a far off voice, "Just give it to me."

He signed the clipboard that the delivery boy offered to him and absently tipped him with a twenty dollar bill.

"Thanks Mr. Wayne." the boy said gratefully as he ran back to his scooter and sped off down the driveway.

"Bruce!!!" Selina called angrily into his ear.

"Hold on." he said in a small voice, "I've gotten a telegram."

She said something else that he didn't hear, and then the phone went silent.

Bruce:
Caprio Raleigh just issued a hit out for you STOP  
I really hope you take this seriously STOP  
With your mental state lately one might think you're suicidal STOP  
Again, take this seriously STOP

Tim

"Bruuuuce..." Selina called desperately from the phone.

"I'm sorry." he answered in that same childish voice he hadn't been able to stop himself from using lately.

"Bruce," Selina said in a teary voice, he really hoped she wasn't crying. "Bruce, Caprio has put a hit out on you. *sob* He wants you dead..."

Bruce longed to wrap his arms around her, he didn't want her crying, one time was enough. "Selina... Please don't cry."

*A long pause as she gets herself together*

"Bruce, I want you to know, I've called Ted. He's here at the apartment."

Bruce felt jealous anger immeadiately, "I don't want him there."

"Bruce, what's between he and I is outside of what's between the two of us. He's not here to steal me away."

"Then if everything is okay why don't you come back to the manor?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore Bruce. Did A.J. come there when he got out of school?"

"He didn't go to school today. He was here."

"What?!"

"That Mila girl is here too. That's why Caprio was arrested, he followed Mila here and knocked her unconscious. He tried to fight A.J. and then myself before A.J. took him down."

The line was silent, he assumed Selina was putting things together. "That's why he put the hit out on you."

Bruce nodded knowing full well she couldn't see him.

"I want to speak with A.J."

Bruce turned around and was surprised to see A.J. walking towards him. "Your mother wants to speak to you."

A.J. took the phone while simultaneously noting the spilled drink, bare feet and lack of good lighting in the room. "Mom?"

"Where exactly have you been?" Selina asked in a somewhat amused but in all actuallity ticked off voice.

"I couldn't even tell you. I think I was out some of the time. I woke up here."

"Mm-hmm. Tell me the one about the hippopotamus while you're at it."

"You don't believe me?"

"If you snuck out A.J. just tell me, you know I won't be mad at you."

"I'm telling the truth, ask Dad."

"I don't want to ask your father. Look, just come home now, I've got someone here I want you to meet."

A.J.'s mouth thinned wordlessly before he mumbled a goodbye and picked up the base to hang up the phone.

"What did she want?" asked Bruce who'd sat back down and was looking uncertainly at his son.

"She wants me to come home. So I guess that's where I'll go."

Bruce nodded averting his eyes to the glass. Thinking to himself that just a few weeks ago all he'd really had to worry about was the impending anniversary of his parents' deaths. No longer so.

[Coran]

Very interesting so far tNC. I'm enjoying your story and I can't wait to see where you take it next. A.J. is deffinately an interesting character to follow. Keep up the good work.