Part 18- The Truth Serum

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Miss Hannah Bennett, the heiress to Bennett Shipment Gotham, was desperately waiting for Bruce Wayne to make his move. She'd heard of him, of course, his billionaire playboy reputation proceeded him, but tonight, when she'd seen him at the fundraiser, she knew she wanted to add him to her list of conquests. Until now, he'd been a perfect gentleman. He'd brought her to his mansion, showed her around and now, he had led her to a conservatory and was making her a drink. In the ceiling to floor glass door leading to the patio, Hannah was readjusting her hair and dress when she eyed something in the pool. A tall, supple figure was emerging from the water. She heard Bruce say something to her but she paid no attention. She watched the woman take a towel from one of the chairs and wipe her body clad in a black bathing suit.

Selina Kyle had seen the woman staring at her from behind the window and she laughed to herself. Oh, she really was mean without planning to be. She didn't know Bruce was gonna bring somebody home and now the damage had been done. It's not like she could hide; so, she might as well make the most of it. She draped the towel loosely around her body and walked straight towards the pair of them.

"You should have told me you were busy, mister Wayne. I believe three is quite the crowd," Hannah Bennett said and stormed out of the room.

Bruce was completely taken aback by her actions. He was left in the middle of the room, holding two drinks and his mouth half-opened, ready to speak. Then he saw her, Selina, looking like a night goddess, walking towards him. She opened the doors smirking.

"Oops," she said, "did I interrupt the two of you?"

Bruce shook his head but laughed. He offered her the other drink she was holding. She took it, they clinked glasses. Selina took a sip of her drink and looked up at him from underneath sultry lashes.

"Well," she asked, "was she special?"

"No," Bruce replied with a lazy smile.

"So no grieving your loss?"

He laughed. "No."

"Good." She took another sip, moved past him and he turned around to follow her with his gaze. "Maybe we should sync our calendars, you know, so these awkward situations don't keep happening." 

At that, Bruce laughed copiously. "You are clearly enjoying this to an unhealthy extent," he remarked.

Selina bit her lip as a child caught redhanded. "I do," she admitted. "It's just their faces when they see you have another woman lying around. Precious."

Bruce finished his scotch. "Except I don't," he said.

"Hey, I can move in anytime."

"Really?"

She shrugged. "I practically live here already."

He laughed. "You're definitely here enough to ruin my date-life."

Selina let out a snort. "Those are not dates, they're women you sleep with. You know, Alfred's been telling me you haven't had a meaningful relationship in a while."

Bruce poured himself another drink. "Really? My butler's been talking to you about my love life?"

She nodded. "You know why because your butler is your only friend."

"You're my friend," he said.

Selina downed her drink and put the glass down. "I am not your friend, Bruce Wayne," she said moving closer.

"No?" he questioned. She was so close that he could see the small droplets of water that were still sticking to her shoulders. She shook her head, coming closer still. "No?" he asked again, this time a breath between the two of them.
Selina shook her head again and her lips brushed against his. Bruce felt the urge to push forward but didn't. He waited for her.

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"But neither am I," Selina whispered, "one of the girls on your long list of conquests. Mark my words, Batsy," she said then moved her lips to his ear, "if one of us will be toying with the other, it ain't gonna be me the one that's played." She bit his ear lightly then pulled away. "Come on, we have work tonight."

*

"Well, looks like the doctor is making us choose," Catwoman said as they reached a corridor in Arkham that led both ways.

Crane had been playing with them all night. Ever since they'd gotten into the hospital. They'd managed to evade his schemes every time but it looked like they would have to separate now.

"He has to be at the end of either one of these corridors," Batman said, "There's no other way out."

"Right, so do you want to choose or shall I?" Catwoman asked. He shrugged. "Left it is then," she said.

Batman paused to look at her. "You good to go by yourself?"

"He's one insane man. Nothing I haven't dealt with before."

"Crane is dangerous," he warned.

"I know," she said but had already started walking down the corridor, "but I'll be careful."

"I doubt that," Batman mumbled under his breath and started down his own corridor.

Selina was surprised by how much this place spooked her. There was something in the walls of the building itself that was terrifying. If she was honest, she did wish they could have both gone together down one road; but of course, she would never admit that to him.

"Catwoman!"Scarecrows' eerie voice exploded around the darkening corridor and she jumped. 
She took her whip out and spun around in a circle, trying to see in the dark.

"Oh, kitty, kitty," the voice sang creepily.

"Where are you, Crane?" Selina demanded of the darkness.

"Here, kitty, kitty, here!" the voice sang and a door opened to her right. Without thinking, Selina went through hoping she could capture Crane and end this nightmare. But as soon as she walked in, the door shut behind her enveloping her in darkness. "Here, kitty," the voice said now straight behind her and Selina felt a hard blow to her head before it all went dark.

*

Catwoman started waking up slowly. Her eyes felt tired and the bright fluorescent light was irritating them. Her arm started hurting and she looked down to see a man's hands pushing a blueish liquid in her veins through a syringe. She followed the line of his hands to his face and jumped when she saw his mask. "Scarecrow," she whispered groggily.

"Oh, she's awake," the distorted voice remarked.

Selina was waking up more fully now. She could feel she was tied to a chair. She pulled at her bonds but there was no use. "Let me go," she demanded.

"No, no, no, no, kitty, not before our experiment," Scarecrow said.

"What experiment?" she asked, fully awake now and angry and scared.

"Just a little game I call truth or truth. You see, the blue liquid that is running through your system as we speak is meant to make you more liable, to tell the truth. Now, let's start with something easy. Where are we?"

"Arkham," she replied before she could stop herself.

"Good. And who am I?"

"Scarecrow. A psychopath who-"

"No, that's quite enough. Now, who are you?"

"Catwoman."

"Yeah, but more precisely. Who is under that mask?"

"Selina Kyle," she heard herself say despite her better judgement and her wish to keep her identity concealed.

"Miss Selina Kyle! Marvellous. Now, tell me, do you work for the Batman?"

"No. We work together."

"Interesting, the truth serum doesn't seem to affect your own personal opinion. Do you know the identity of the Batman?"

"Yes."

"Tell me!"

Selina shook her head. She bit her lip until she drew blood, trying not to speak.

"Funny. Resistance. It won't help you. It will only delay the process and cause you pain. Now tell me, who is Batman!"

"No," she struggled, "I can't. I can't."

"You can! Just stop opposing-,"

But Scarecrow never finished his sentence because Batman knocked him out.

"Thank God!" Selina exclaimed.

Bruce rushed to her side to undo her bonds. "You ok?" he asked. She nodded and tried to stand up but fell. He caught her. "Easy, here, I got you," he said, putting his arm around her.

"I don't like it when you save me," she admitted voluntarily. "It makes me feel weak."

Bruce was taken aback by her words. He looked at her, studied her eyes. "What did Crane give you?" he asked.

"Truth serum."

"Oh."

"I hate it!"

He chuckled. "I bet you do. It's fine. I'll take you home and you can have a good night's sleep. It will probably be out of your system before you awake."

"I also hate it when you treat me like a child," she said.

"Yeah, I bet."

*

Bruce had finally made it to Selina's home. The way back had been filled with her truth filled declarations. Apparently, she thought he was very strong, that the Batmobile had a boy smell and that Alfred was not given enough credit for the work he did. Bruce kept nodding along, not questioning or stopping her once. She was getting drowsy as well, he could tell. The serum was relaxing her completely, not just the walls she'd put up. He landed the Batmobile on her roof and picked her up bridal style to carry her in.

"You are very strong," she whispered against his chest.

"Thank you," he chuckled.

Bruce made his way into her apartment and found her bedroom with ease. He helped her out of her mask and her leather jacket and took off his own cowl.

"You look friendlier like this," she said, struggling to get under the covers.

"So I've been told," Bruce said helping her.

She laid her head on the pillow and he tucked her in, sitting down on the side of her bed. Selina closed her eyes and his hand lingered on the covers for a moment too long before he pulled away. When he was about to get up and leave though, she started speaking.

"You are a very good man, Bruce Wayne," she murmured.

"I am?" he asked.

"Ihm. No wonder I keep you at arm's length," she said.

Despite himself and his better judgement, Bruce asked: "You do?"

Selina sighed and opened her eyes. "You are scary," she admitted as if she was a schoolgirl and he the monster under her bed, "you are powerful and kind and men don't usually come in this package." Bruce felt the urge to touch her cheek and he didn't resist it. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. "And I hate that you want to know things about me, that you care so much," she whispered painfully against the skin of his palm.

"Why?" came his strained question.

But she must have been already asleep for she did not answer his question. Bruce sighed. He removed his hand from her face painfully slow and restrained himself from kissing her forehead. He got up and from the corner of his eye, he noticed something on her dresser. He picked up the USB; Selina's ticket out of Gotham. He didn't think she'd kept it. To be completely honest, he hadn't thought about her leaving for a while, and now, he didn't like entertaining that thought. Bruce looked back at the sleeping woman in the bed and his heartbeat outrageously reminded him he still had a heart.

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