Are you still mine? (A Catwoman and Batman fanfiction)

Source : A page from the comic book "Heart of Hush".

"I don't know if we'll ever have more than we've already had. I don't know if, especially after this, you'd want more from me. Tonight I'm only sure of one thing. Whatever the future holds, wherever life takes me....I will love you. Always."

Bruce Wayne placed a tender kiss on the forehead of the woman who ruled his heart. Not knowing if he would ever be able to kiss her again. The love and pain he felt for her was unmatched by any other feeling on this plane of existence.
He was walking away when he heard her voice.

"I'm awake"

"How long?"

"Since "Selina"."

Bruce caressed her lovely face as Selina's eyes swam in her tears. He wiped them off gently before kissing her lips.

"I love you. I love you so much, Selina."

"I love you too, Bruce." Selina was sobbing now.

"Shhh... take it easy, Selina. Just take deep breaths." Bruce told her, caressing her hair. He didn't want her to exert herself in any way. Especially so soon after her heart surgery.

"Could you stay here with me tonight?"

"Of course. I'll just have them move another bed in here."

Bruce lay on the bed right next to hers and gently ran his finger through her soft, silky hair as she slept. He stayed up all night, just looking at her and letting the love he felt for her overwhelm him. He couldn't believe she was okay. A familiar fear and pain touched his heart as he though of what had been done to her. And how she had faught back and survived.

Selina's recovery was quicker than expected, but still took a few months. She was allowed to go home about two weeks after the surgery. But any kind of stress could be detrimental for her. Bruce insisted that Selina get some rest and wouldn't even let her do her own chores in her apartment. She did put on some resistance. That was to be expected from a woman who stole from the world's most powerful criminals.

However, Batman had a simple strategy to make sure she rested. Anytime she walked to the kitchen to fix a snack or felt the need to rearrange her bookshelves, he would simply pick her up and gently place back on the bed on the couch.

Selina would tell him to stop treating her like glass. Her threats such as "I'm gonna run off with your stupid grapple" were either met with "OK Kitten", or with a parody of the infamous Bat glare. The latter usually made her giggle. Bruce's heart would ache when he realised just how much he missed the sound of her laugh.

Not that Selina actually needed to go into the kitchen. Alfred Pennyworth knew of Selina's food preferences and every day he would prepare her favourite meals and snacks with an almost paternal affection and care, and Bruce would bring them to her. Anytime, he was otherwise occupied, either Dick, Jason, Tim or Stephanie would deliver her food to her. She was family. Whether they said it out loud or not, that was how they viewed her.
It was this familial affection that Barbara Gordon had started to feel for Selina Kyle that helped persuade her to help track down all of Thomas Elliot's assets so Catwoman could bleed him dry. That, and because Barbara herself wanted to see Hush get some comeuppance. And so with the Oracle's technological brilliance, combined with Holly, Ivy and Harley's more hands on approach, Catwoman made sure Hush knew just how foolish he had been to pull the lioness's tail.

Bruce knew exactly what Selina was doing. He also knew that a major chunk of what Selina had taken from Hush would be spent for noble causes. He felt absolutely no compassion for Hush. What worried him was the possibility of Selina making herself a target for the madman. Again.

He had never doubted her strength or her ferocity. Nor had his faith in her cunning and resourcefulness waned. But he still worried. After having nearly lost her, he had an overwhelming urge to never let her face any kind of danger again. To hide her underneath his cape where he would keep her safe from the world. But he would never do that. He respected her far too much to shield her when she would rather ride into battle. He had learned a long time ago that his Selina was a tigress and not a house cat. And yet, he worried.

Selina and Bruce continued to spend time together. They'd watch movies on her couch, read together as they cuddled under a blanket and played with the animals she fostered. And yet, neither of them had addressed the question that seemed to linger in the air - what did this mean for their relationship? Could they be together long term? Had they reached a stage in their lives where all things that kept them apart would cancel each other out?

It had been a couple of years since Selina had last visited the Wayne Manor. She noticed a few changes to the garden as Bruce drove over. It was Alfred's birthday and as Selina had gotten stronger in the last few weeks, she wanted to attend in person. The stately old butler greeted them at the door. Selina knew Alfred was struggling not to shed tears when he hugged her and told her how good it was to see her again. The next person to be brought to the verge of tears on seeing Selina was Barbara. They hadn't met face to face since Selina was attacked by Hush. For the first time since they had first met about fifteen years ago, the two women hugged. Selina was touched when she heard the genuine relief and joy in Barbara's voice on seeing that she was ok.

"Don't worry, little mouse. This Kitty doesn't go down that easily." Selina said to her impishly.

"Don't call me that!" Barbara exclaimed, punching her with feigned annoyance.

Soon, the family was gathered around Alfred as he blew the candles on the cake Barbara had prepared for him. Dinner was eaten in the midst of casual conversation, witty remarks and playful teasing that would become a staple of this family's get togethers. Bruce wasn't interested in chit chat, however. He kept glancing over at Selina and just watched her enjoy her dinner and laugh and talk with the others.

Once the table was cleared everyone was asked to gather in the living room. Alfred would be telling one of his many stories from his time in the MI6. Selina had suddenly made herself scarce, and Bruce knew exactly where she would be. One of her favourite spots in the Manor was the balcony of his bedroom, she loved the view of the lake and the sunset it offered. And that was precisely where he found her. His heart skipped a beat as she turned around to face him. The sunset in her backdrop served to enhance her already ethereal beauty. Bruce would gladly accept the vision before her as his last sight of the mortal realm.

"Sorry" she smiled a bit sheepishly, "I just missed seeing the sunset from here."

"I missed seeing you here." Bruce said as he walked over to her.

He took her hand in his and kissed it lovingly. Selina could tell what he had on his mind when he pulled her close and looking into her eyes. She anticipated it, but part of her was fearful.

"I love you Selina." He whispered as they foreheads rested against each other.

"I love you too Bruce. I love you so much."

"Then come back to me. Let me love you forever."

A single tear fell from Selina's eye. She could feel her heart pounding.

"Bruce, you have no idea how much I want that. I've missed you so much. The last time we parted ways I though it would kill me. And that's what I'm afraid of. That something will happen, that'll make you push me away. And if I lose us again, I'm not sure if I'll recover. Can you take my fear away, Bruce?"

Bruce knew what she meant. He understood her fears over trusting him with her heart again. But he wouldn't let anything come between them. Not after everything they had been through.

"Come with me." He said, talking her in the direction of the old grandfather's clock. Once they were in the Batcave, he took her to his Bat computer.
After gently nudging her to sit st the chair, he opened one of his secret files. The one named "Catwoman". It was in the folder labelled "Allies".

"Selina, I'm sure you know that I keep files on everyone I know. Everything you see on this one, it's a testament to how I feel about you. How I've always felt."

Selina silently read the document that contained in Bruce's own words, all the reasons he trusted and admired her. The latest update was from just over a month ago. Just before she was attacked. Batman had written in detail about how much she had done to stop the poaching cartel in the East End and how she was becoming a beacon of hope for the poor and the exploited.

To any other person, this may not seem like such a romantic gesture. It was cerebral and contained no sentimentality. But it was honest. This file was a peek into Batman's carefully guarded heart. It told Selina that he hadn't thought of her as being on the "opposite side" for well over a decade. That she entered his mind frequently.

"Don't you see, Kitten. You never left. You're always right here" he said placing her hand over his heart.

"You.... you never told me..." Selina said as a fresh stream of tears flowed from her eyes.

"I was a fool. I wasted so many years trying to keep you away. Trying not to show you how much you mean to me. I told myself I was protecting both of us. But I was wrong Selina. That's no way to live. Whatever wounds life has inflicted on us, we can't let them defeat us. And who else could have taught me that but you?"

Bruce got down on his knees before Selina.

"Years ago, I took a vow. To spend my life warring on criminals. To protect Gotham. Tonight, I'm taking another. That I won't let the past decide our future. I vow to fight for us, Selina. I vow to never be afraid to make sure you know exactly how much I love you. I vow to never be afraid of my own happiness."

Selina too got down on her knees, in front of him. She held his hand and said "And I vow to believe in us, Bruce. I promise I won't doubt your love and I'll always open my heart to you. We're always going to have problems. But that's ok. We can fight them. Together."

They were smiling through held back tears. This night had proven to be turning point in their relationship. It wouldn't take away their troubles, but now they had each other to lean on. They would build their future together on s foundation of unshakable trust. No longer would they second guess each other's feelings or their own.

Until Alfred came down there looking for them, the Bat and the Cat stayed locked in a loving embrace. Their tears of joy washing away their pain.