THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
v. GOT A SECRET? CAN YOU KEEP IT?
❝THINGS ARE GOING TO GET A LOT WORSE.❞

AFTER ONE LOOK AT HER, Harvey had decided it would be best if he had taken Anastasia to his apartment rather than risk being in public where they would be followed by reporters. The attention on them was getting worse as the days went by, especially more now with the news of the Waynes being involved with crime. His apartment was an average size, decorated with all things Harvey Dent. His campaign posters were scattered on the dining room table, along with projected vote reports. It seemed that Harvey was tied with Hill at the moment. Hopefully, the debate would change that and tilt the scale in Harvey's direction. The man seemed to be a big fan of football and basketball, Anastasia noticed the signed cards and footballs that were displayed on the cabinets that held the TV. Lastly, she noticed files from the D.A.'s office on his coffee table and it made her realize that Harvey never truly took a break from working. It was one thing they shared in common.

"Nice apartment," she complimented, shrugging off her coat and purse to hang it on the coat rack.

Harvey scoffed playfully, giving her a pointed look. "I know it's no manor, but it is home."

"No, no, I like it," Anastasia reassured, giving him a warm smile as she continued to look around the living room. It was the first time she had been invited into Harvey's house. It gave her a chance to see what made the man tick. "Sometimes, the manor can feel too big."

"I suppose it would," Harvey pointed out, leaning against the back of the couch. "Since it's only you and Bruce... and the butler, of course."

"Alfred is great. He's more like a father to Bruce than anything else, actually," Anastasia said, crossing her arms as she let out a small sigh. She wasn't sure where Bruce would be without Alfred, considering the man had raised him after his parents had been murdered. Anastasia remembered the first time she had met Alfred; the man was weary of her as he was with every newcomer into Bruce's life. "You know, I don't think Alfred liked me at first. Probably thought I was another person after Bruce's money."

"Didn't your father leave you millions of dollars when he died anyways?" Harvey commented, making Anastasia frown as looked down at the wooden flooring. "And, how about the Lovejoy hotels? I swear, you can't escape your or Bruce's name anywhere in Gotham."

"Everyone thinks Bruce owns them," Anastasia shrugged, realizing that it didn't bother her much. She didn't care about the public's opinion. It only made her angry when her decisions about her own company were ignored during board meetings if Bruce was there.

"People don't like seeing a woman in power," he said, making his way into the kitchen. She watched him open the refrigerator, taking out two bottles of beer before setting them down on the island. He opened them using the edge of the island, making her chuckle as she watched it fizz. Anastasia approached, taking one of the bottles.

She took a sip of the beer, immediately tasting the difference between it and the liquor that Bruce kept in the parlor. Though, the cheap beer reminded her of the rebellious years of her childhood.

"Do you want something to eat?" Harvey asked softly, watching her closely. He was leaned down against the island, appearing to be the same height as Anastasia. "I make a mean spaghetti and meatballs."

Anastasia chuckled, tilting her head at him. "Oh, yeah? How mean?"

Harvey thought about it for a moment. "Like a middle school bully."

"Alright, I'm down. Kids are ruthless," Anastasia agreed, deciding that dinner with Harvey sounded like a good idea. Especially when she hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning, making her realize how hungry she actually was. She watched Harvey shuffle around the kitchen. "Do you need any help?"

"Do you even know how to cook, Ana?"

She scoffed, hitting his shoulder. "You're such a jerk, Dent. Of course I know how to cook!"

"Hey, I'm just saying it since you have someone else cook all your meals," Harvey teased, shooting her a wink as he got a pot out from the cabinet. He filled it up with cold water before placing it on the stove to boil. "Pasta is in the pantry. Wanna grab it?"

Anastasia nodded, heading toward the thin door in the kitchen. Opening it, she found a pantry full of supplies. She found the spaghetti noodles on the third shelf. She brought them back to Harvey, giving them to him with a small smile.

"Wanna tell me what happened today?" Harvey asked slowly, taking the box from her before putting the noodles into the boiling water. "You seemed... distraught... when I picked you up."

A sigh left the blonde's lips as she shrugged her shoulders, avoiding Harvey's gaze. "I was invited to the Skyline Club today by Falcone himself," she started, crossing her arms as she tapped her foot against the floor. "I didn't want to go, but it wasn't as if I had a choice. He sent his men to threaten me, terrorizing my assistants and flashing their guns."

"Oh, my God," Harvey muttered, shaking his head. His eyes narrowed as his hands tightened into fists. "I... I'm sorry for bringing this mess into our lives."

Anastasia shook her head, shrugging her shoulders. "No, Harv, it isn't your fault," she said. After all, Falcone had always been a menace in the streets of Gotham and Anastasia had known about his crimes for years. Men like Falcone didn't appear out of nowhere. "He would have eventually found us, anyways. Like you said, it's hard to avoid us in Gotham. And, I suppose, Falcone wanted some of that power. He wanted to broker some kind of business deal."

Harvey listened carefully, occasionally stirring the pot to make sure none of the spaghetti stuck to each other. However, his brown eyes never left her.

"Then, Batman showed up..." Anastasia mumbled, still feeling her heart race at the thought of the vigilante. It was easily the most terrifying situation she had ever been in. "And, of course, Falcone, like the psychopath he is, immediately starts a gunfight and tries to kill him."

"Jesus," Harvey breathed out, reaching out to place a gentle hand against her shoulder. "Are you okay? You weren't hurt? I noticed the blood on your coat."

"No, really, I'm fine. Batman... He saved my life," Anastasia said softly, smiling to herself as remembered how heroic Batman had been. If it hadn't been for him, she would have been riddled with bullets by Falcone's guns. She sighed, facing Harvey. "Falcone was arrested. Batman made sure of it."

"I heard," Harvey said, removing his hand from her shoulder. "I got the call."

"Batman said there's a lot of evidence against him. They'll put him behind bars for good," Anastasia pointed out, noticing the frown on Harvey's face. With Falcone gone, Gotham would be a better place. Right?

"That's for the court to decide," Harvey sighed, stirring the pasta once more as he made sure they were mostly cooked. He gave Anastasia a smile, the same one he reserved for the crowds. But, she saw straight through it. "I'm sure they'll find him guilty."

"Yeah..." she mumbled, nodding her head. "I hope so."

"I'm only glad you weren't hurt in that whole mess," Harvey said, shaking his head. His tone was gentle, but stern. It felt as if she was having a conversation with her father again. Or Alfred. "You could have been killed, Ana."

She nodded, understanding. Perhaps, she should consider how lucky she had been in that situation. She had seen too many people gunned down in that fight, making her feel sick to her stomach. Falcone had murdered his own men as if it had meant nothing. Anastasia tried not to focus on it, knowing it would push her over the edge again. Instead, she focused on Harvey. He pulled out a jar of pasta sauce and frozen meatballs from the fridge. Dinner with Harvey reminded her of afternoons with parents, remembering their cooking sessions. There would be music playing with all of them singing along, terribly of course. They all pitched in with the cooking. And, somehow, despite most of it being canned and boxed, the food always tasted incredible.

Anastasia watched him bend down completely to get the saucepan from the cabinet underneath the oven, making her chuckle. "Harvey, you're huge," she teased, watching as he stood to his true height. Harvey had always towered from Bruce. But, next to her? She felt like a chihuahua. "Maybe you should have considered a career in football."

"You know, that's not the first time I've heard that."

It was quiet between the two of them as she watched Harvey make the sauce for the spaghetti. Though, it was only him throwing the pre-made sauce into the pan and adding the frozen meatballs. The silence was comfortable, but Anastasia couldn't help but miss Bruce. She wished she could be making a homemade meal with her husband, wanting nothing more than to spend more time with him. But, Bruce was rarely around and unreachable by phone. It made Anastasia feel sad.

"So," Anastasia began, forcing a smile to her face. "How are things going between you and Selina?"

"We're going steady," Harvey shrugged, sparing her a glance. "Though... I don't think I'm the only man Selina is seeing."

"Oh?" She was surprised by the news, considering Harvey and Selina seemed all cuddled up at the café. "I'm really sorry to hear that, Harv."

"No, it's okay, really," he said, tapping the spoon on the side of the pan. He mixed the spaghetti in, making sure every noodle was covered in sauce. "I suppose... I suppose Selina was only a distraction. There's someone else... and I... I really like this girl."

Anastasia gasped, grinning at him as she clapped her hands. "Oh, my Gosh! Who is it?!"

Harvey sighed, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter. She's already taken."

"Oh, I see," Anastasia mumbled, feeling her excitement diminish as she smiled sadly at him. If she had to guess who it was, she would say it was the pretty gal that worked in his office. Her name was Clarice and she was someone who made quite an impression on Anastasia. They had met her a few times here and there. She was a smart and determined woman, definitely destined for great things in her future. "It is... Clarice?"

"Clarice..." Harvey sighed softly, a small smile appearing upon his face. "Yeah, she's... she's really something alright. I swear, she's not scared of anything. To be honest, she's the greatest at her job. I've never met a woman like Clarice Abbott."

"I'm really sorry, Harvey," Anastasia mumbled, nodding her head. He was so in love. "It must be hard to love someone you can't have."

"You have no idea," Harvey said softly. "How are you and Bruce?"

Anastasia twirled the ring on her finger, shrugging her shoulders. "We're doing... good."

Harvey chuckled at her answer, raising a brow as he grabbed two plates from the cabinet. "That does not sound good to me."

"Well..." Anastasia sighed, wondering if she should indulge in Harvey. But, it wasn't as if she had a group of friends she could talk to. The only friend she truly had was Harvey and... perhaps, her assistants. She felt as if Laura was her friend. But, her assistants were paid to be there for her so they could hardly be regarded as friends when they were employees. As for Harvey, he had been Bruce's friend first and she had quickly taken a liking to him too. He was a good friend and Anastasia trusted him. "Do you want me to be honest?"

Harvey nodded.

"I feel as if we're going through a rough patch," Anastasia confessed, biting her lip as she looked away from Harvey. She took a sip of her beer, noticing that it was almost empty. Her love for Bruce never faltered, but it felt as if his love for her was fading. "I don't know how to explain it, but I feel it. Maybe I'm crazy or overthinking it... but... Bruce is slipping through my fingers."

"Is that an ABBA reference?"

"I'm over here opening my heart to you and you're cracking jokes?" Anastasia scoffed playfully, shaking her head as she watched Harvey fix up two plates for the two of them.

"Look, Bruce is my friend," Harvey sighed, tapping his fingers on the counter. "I don't know why he's acting like this. Do you... Do you think there's someone else?"

"I... I don't know," Anastasia confessed, shrugging her shoulders. It was the same nagging thought she had in the morning. Bruce hadn't shown any signs of cheating, other than disappearing out of the blue and coming home late. Other than that, he never hid his phone from her or did anything that drew too much attention. Unless... Anastasia pushed the thoughts away, not wanting to consider the possibility. Alfred had told her that Bruce wasn't cheating, so she opted to trust him. "I want to believe he isn't cheating. There must be another explanation."

"I would keep an eye on him," Harvey shrugged his shoulders, making Anastasia frown. "If all else fails, you could always divorce him. He didn't sign a prenup, so you can steal all his money while you're at it too."

"I love Bruce more than anything," Anastasia whispered, shaking her head.

Harvey watched her demeanor change, making him sigh. "He's a lucky man then. He should learn to appreciate you more."

They stayed quiet after that, taking a seat at the couch in front of the television. Harvey had gotten them more beers, something Anastasia was grateful for. She took a bite of the pasta, realizing it wasn't half-bad. She had expected something inedible, but she enjoyed the flavor of the pasta sauce.

"So, what's your favorite movie?" Harvey asked, finding the remote to the TV amidst all the documents on the coffee table.

"Phantom of the Opera," Anastasia replied, smiling sheepishly when Harvey gave her a look. She wasn't sure what it was about the musical, but she truly enjoyed it and could rewatch it for the rest of eternity.

Harvey chuckled, noticing the redness that spread across her nose and cheeks. "You got a thing for masked figures?"

"What can I say? The mask is so mysterious," Anastasia laughed, shaking her head at him. A part of her wondered what kind of movies that Harvey liked since she didn't want him to sit through something he didn't like. "You know, a few birthdays ago, Bruce rented out a whole opera for us and we watched Phantom of the Opera front row. It was... It was incredible, honestly."

"No one can beat Bruce and his endless piles of money," Harvey shrugged, turning on the television. It was tuned to a news channel, showing the face of the notorious Jack Ryder. Someone Anastasia only knew because of the multiple news articles that came from his office on her and Bruce. "Sorry," Harvey mumbled, seeing a picture of a younger Bruce with his parents displayed behind Ryder. "I'll change it."

"No," Anastasia said, shaking her head as she began to listen to what the man was saying. If she was seeing this, she had a feeling that Bruce somewhere was watching too. "I want to see what they're saying, just in case. We'll all be forced to address it, I'm sure."

Harvey nodded, letting the news report play. Anastasia wasn't sure if she was ready, but it was something she needed to see. It would, no doubt, be the subject of debate tomorrow.

Fire and smoke could reportedly be seen from street level. Tonight, the Skyline Club, a high-rise mafia hang-out in downtown Gotham, was the arena for the clash between the notorious Batman and the alleged mob boss Carmine Falcone who was found dangling from a fifty-story drop. I bet Falcone loved that view. Though, I'd say the crime boss getting his is well overdue. Falcone has slipped through the law's grasp for years. And, after this dramatic arrest and evidence released by the GCPD's Lieutenant Gordon. Falcone is going away for a long time.

And, speaking of newly uncovered criminal dealings, this brings me to the story everyone is talking about ━━ the Wayne family. For generations, the big W on the Wayne Enterprises Tower was a reassuring sight. You knew there was something pure at the heart of Gotham. That this city, despite all its faults, was built by good people. But with Martha and Thomas' shining reputation pulled into question, we no longer have such reassurances. William Lovejoy, long time friend of Falcone, has been involved with both parties, having his legacy brought into question as well. For how long have these people run Gotham in the shadows? What damage have they truly done to our city?

And, even worse, it seems the apple hasn't fallen far from the tree. Gotham's greatest son, Bruce Wayne, is seen here shaking hands with Carmine Falcone, maybe just as crooked as his parents. And, with his wife, Anastasia Lovejoy, placed at the scene of the Skyline Club tonight, it seems as if they are following in the footsteps laid out by Martha and Thomas.

Wayne, when asked to defend his family's legacy, had nothing but contradictions to provide. In a world, where the Waynes, our golden family, are corrupt. Who are we left with? Who can Gothamites look up to? The supposed 'hero' Batman? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, we'll keep digging for the truth, but the prominent feeling throughout Gotham is that the Waynes' time in the sun... is ending.

"This is a disaster," Anastasia muttered, rubbing her temples as she looked away from the television. She felt sick as if something was clawing away underneath her skin, scratching to get out. Harvey turned the TV off, engulfing the room into silence. "I need to call Bruce. I can't even imagine what he's going through. Finding out the truth about his parents' in this way? It can't be easy."

"Though," Harvey began, shaking his head, "can you be surprised the Waynes were hiding something this big?"

"Excuse me?"

"No one amasses that kind of wealth through good deeds," Harvey pointed out, making Anastasia frown.

There were still ways to become wealthy without resorting to crime. She didn't want to believe that it was in their blood. Her father had been named as a friend of Falcone. It flickered memories into her mind, making her remember what Falcone had mentioned to her at the club. Was her father in league with Falcone? She wanted to know the answers to the questions that the past brought out.

"I don't know about his parents, but I know that Bruce is a good man," Anastasia said, not caring what the media was saying about her husband. It was important to stand stronger together than it has ever been before. There couldn't be any cracks in their foundation. There was a way to fix this, Anastasia was sure of it.

"This can't be good for the campaign," Harvey commented, huffing as he gulped down more of his beer. He pulled out his lucky coin from his pocket, with one side completely defaced. "Heads, everything works out. Tails, this will all go terribly wrong."

"Harvey━━"

He flipped the coin, covering the result with his hand as he watched Anastasia closely. She frowned, waiting for him to reveal the result. Harvey lifted his head, showing the tail of the coin.

"This isn't funny," Anastasia snapped, standing to her feet as she crossed her arms. Her and Bruce's lives were about to take a turn for the worst and Harvey was cracking jokes. Perhaps, the beer was making them both unfiltered. Anastasia didn't have a short fuse, having more patience than the average person. But, she could feel the anger seeping through her veins.

"Hey, come on," Harvey said softly, noticing that Anastasia wasn't in the mood to play along. "Ana, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to make you angry, truly. Everything will work out, I'm sure. The media will forget sooner or later. Scandals happen to everyone."

"Can I borrow your phone?" Anastasia asked, holding out her hand. She needed to be there for Bruce, whether he wanted her to be or not. It was an attack on their family and wasn't about to let him go into the battle alone. "Please, Harvey, I want to go home."

"Yeah, of course," Harvey said, reaching into his pocket to take out his phone. He handed his phone to Anastasia, frowning when he noticed the tension that forced itself into her expression. "What happened to yours?"

"Batman threw an EMP at us," she said quickly, dialing Bruce's number. She tapped her foot against the ground, frowning when he didn't pick up. But, she didn't give up. She called, again. And, again until she finally heard his voice on the other end.

"Harvey, what is it?"

She ignored his sharp tone, knowing it wasn't directed at her. Bruce was angry, no doubt he had seen the news. "Bruce?" she said softly, hearing the exhale of his breath. "It's me, Ana."

"Ana," Bruce sighed a breath of relief, immediately changing his tone when he realized who he was talking to. "I've been trying to reach you. I went to the office but you weren't there."

"I'm at Harvey's," Anastasia informed, sparing a glance in the man's direction. He was cleaning up, putting away their dirty dishes.

"I heard what happened at the Skyline Club," he said softly, making Anastasia sigh. She wasn't sure how she was going to explain everything to Bruce, but she needed to tell him. It wasn't an event she could forget, considering it haunted her mind still. "I'm glad you're safe. I'm coming to pick you up, ten minutes at most."

"Yes, thank you. I'll see you soon," Anastasia said, nodding her head even if Bruce couldn't see it. "I love you, Bruce, so much. I'm sure you've seen the news, but we'll get through this. We always do."

Bruce was quiet for a moment, making her frown. It was as if she could feel his frustration and pain through the phone, knowing how badly the news had affected him. He had always doted on his parents, seeing them as his heroes. "I'll see you in a little bit, Ana. Love you, too."

She hung up, placing the phone on the counter for Harvey. A sigh left her lips as she gulped down the rest of her second beer, knowing she was going to need it for the long night ahead.

It was exactly six minutes later that the doorbell rang, causing Anastasia to bolt to the door as she opened it to reveal her husband. She sighed softly, reaching forward to embrace him. Bruce didn't hesitate to hug her back, holding her tight as he rubbed her back. "Bruce," she said his name softly, pulling away to look at him. She placed a gentle hand against his cheek. "Are you okay?"

He took her hand off his cheek, bringing it to his lips before placing a gentle kiss on the tips of her fingers. "I'm okay," he said, entering the apartment. His gaze snapped to Harvey, placing a hand into the pocket of his coat jacket as he watched the man. "Darling, I need to speak to him alone. Is that alright?"

"Yeah, of course," Anastasia said, nodding her head as she took a step back from Bruce. She watched as the two of them headed into the bedroom for some privacy, making her wonder exactly what the conversation was about. And, why Bruce didn't want her included.

From her spot, she could hear their muffled voices as they argued with one another. She could hear Falcone's name brought up a few times, even hearing her own name in the mix. Bruce's anger seeped through the walls, making the whole apartment rattle. It was a few minutes after when they emerged, making her notice both of their bitter expressions.

"Let's go, Ana," Bruce said, making his way to where she was still standing. She tried to read the emotion on his face, but the man was a stone wall. He grabbed her coat and purse, pausing to look at the blood that stained the sleeve. He helped her put it on, shielding her from the cold outside. Bruce took her hand, staring back at Harvey who wore a frown. "Make it happen, Harvey. You owe me that much."

Harvey sighed, nodding his head. He avoided Anastasia's gaze, making her frown. "I'll let you know if GCPD agrees. See you tomorrow, Bruce."

Anastasia was led out of the apartment by Bruce, barely giving her a chance to wave goodbye to Harvey. She looked up at her husband, walking beside him as she held his hand. "What was all that about?"

"Nothing," Bruce lied, meeting her concerned gaze. His eyes flickered down to her clothing, making her sigh. She didn't want him to worry about things that didn't matter, especially when they had bigger problems on the horizon. "Are you okay? There's blood on your coat."

"I'm fine, really," she replied, squeezing his hand as she shrugged off his concern. "I... I had a nosebleed. It's nothing to worry about, Bruce."

"That's a lot of blood, Ana," Bruce said softly as the two of them walked into the underground parking lot of Harvey's apartment complex. Truly, she felt fine. "Are you sure you don't want to go to a doctor?"

"No, I'm fine," Anastasia said, shaking her head.

It was quiet as Bruce unlocked the doors to his car. She got in the passenger seat, leaning back in the seat as she let out a heavy sigh. The familiar purr of the car provided some comfort as she watched Bruce get into the driver's seat.

"How are you?" Her voice was quiet as she kept her eyes on him as he began to drive out of the parking lot. He stole a glance in her direction and she could tell he was about to say fine. "Be honest with me, please."

His lips pressed into a thin line. He didn't speak, making her sigh.

"I'm so sorry, Bruce," she whispered, reaching out to place a gentle hand on his arm. His expression was illuminated by the dashboard and the lights of Gotham. She remembered what Falcone had revealed too, wondering if she should tell Bruce or not. "It couldn't have been easy to learn such a dark truth about your parents."

Bruce spared her a glance, making her heart clench at the sadness and anger that lingered in his expression. "You don't know how much this hurts, Ana," he said softly, returning his gaze back to the road. "Everything I've done... For this city... For the people of Gotham. It all feels like... It feels like it was all for nothing."

Anastasia frowned, lowering her hand as continued to face him. She wanted to take his pain away, wanting everything that troubled him to disappear. The past two years had not been kind to Bruce, something she had easily noticed despite how distant he had become.

"Everything I've sacrificed, only for my father to be the true monster," Bruce muttered darkly, tightening his grip on the steering wheel.

"You are not your father, Bruce," Anastasia reminded, turning her attention out the window to see the buildings pass them by. It would only take them about twenty minutes to get home, especially since the traffic wasn't so bad at night. His sadness and anger was overwhelming in the car, but he did his best to keep his composure.

"What happened today?" Bruce asked, changing the subject as he took a deep breath to release his emotions. He watched her from the corner of her eye. "The news said you were at the Skyline Club when Falcone was arrested."

"Okay, but please, don't be mad," Anastasia said, turning to face him again. She had never done something so dangerous before or gotten herself almost killed.

Bruce faced her, staring at her for a moment with soft eyes. It was rare to see his steel eyes so soft. "I could never be angry with you, Ana."

Anastasia sighed heavily, shaking her head. She felt so stupid, wishing she had gone to Bruce instead of acting on her own and meeting Falcone. They could have avoided all of this trouble if she had only gone to him sooner. "Yesterday, I had to head back to the office because Falcone's men were there waiting for me," she started, keeping her gaze out the window. "He wanted a meeting with me... I guess he wanted to talk without you there."

She spared him a glance, wanting to know what he was thinking. But, she couldn't see an emotion on his face. "What did he want?"

Anastasia tried to remember, but her mind was coming up blank. Her nails dug into her thigh as she stared out the window. It felt as if there was a fog over her mind as she tried to remember. It made her angry, not knowing what Falcone wanted with her. But, she knew he had mentioned it. "I... I don't know, Bruce," she confessed. "I really don't remember."

"You don't remember?" Bruce asked, stealing a glance at her perplexed expression. His question didn't hold any malice, Anastasia noticed. No, it was a genuine question as if he was trying to figure her out.

"I think he wanted to be partners, something about using the hotels and... I think my father was somehow involved," Anastasia mumbled, clasping her hands together. "We didn't get far into the conversation because then, the Batman showed up!"

Bruce kept his eyes on the road, watching as the skyscrapers faded into the background and the plains came into view. In the distance, Wayne Manor welcomed them home.

"You should have seen that man in action, Bruce," Anastasia mumbled, remembering how the whole event had gone down. If there was anything she remembered, it was Batman. "I wish Falcone had just turned himself in from the start. He killed so many of his own men by accident... I've never seen anything like that..."

"I'm grateful you weren't hurt, Ana," Bruce said grimly, shaking his head as he let out a shaky breath. He didn't seem pleased, neither was Anastasia. But, no one had control over fate. "You could have been killed."

"But, I wasn't," Anastasia sighed, knowing that Bruce meant well. She was aware how drastic the situation had been and she could have been gunned down. But, Batman had saved her. She was still alive. Falcone was in jail. Things worked out in the end all thanks to the vigilante that watched over Gotham.

Bruce parked the car in front of the manor, turning the car off. He looked at Anastasia, taking her hand in his own as he gave it a light squeeze. "Please, don't ever do anything that dangerous or reckless again. Come to me if anything is wrong, even if you think it's not important," he said sternly, meeting her eyes. He brushed his hand against her cheek, letting out a sigh. "Ana, I could have lost you today."

Anastasia nodded. "I know, I'm sorry, Bruce."

"Ana..."

"I didn't want to get you involved," she confessed, biting her lip as she looked away. "I thought I could protect you from Falcone, but I was in over my head,"

"I don't need protecting," Bruce responded, pulling away from Anastasia. She missed the warmth he provided.

He was quiet for a moment, thinking. She could see how his brows furrowed and the frown that appeared. He seemed to be debating within himself, but eventually he came to a decision as he stepped out of the car. He walked around to open the door for her, but she was faster as she opened it herself and stepped out. He still held the door open, looking down at her.

"I feel as if things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better for us," she confessed, taking Bruce's hand as they began to walk toward the manor. The warm hues from the lights provided comfort as the manor welcomed them home.

Bruce squeezed her hand, forcing a smile to his lips. "We'll get through it together."

♡

IT'S BEEN LIKE TWO WEEKS SINCE I UPDATED THIS BOOK and I was stressing out because I was being consistent for once before it died down, but I was able to finish this chapter! Technically, it isn't really finished because I split the chapter in two. I still have more scenes to write with Bruce, but I'm dedicating the next chapter for them! I didn't want to shorten them for this chapter because we need some fluff with Bruce and I want more time to explore more of Ana's past and the secrets. So, this chapter was more Harvey-centric and oh my gosh, I love him. But, I do love Bruce more! Though, I know in the vast multiverse, there is a universe where Ana and Harvey are a criminal duo.

But, in this one, we'll have Ana and Bruce, crime-fighting duo. Of course, not yet. ;) I have been playing season two and ahh, I have so many plans to include Ana! It'll be a lot of fun and it might come sooner than later because these episodes are getting quick to write! I believe this chapter is the end of episode one of season one. 5 chapters to each episode seems like a good bet! But, who knows? These chapters are becoming super long, so I definitely want to cut them down and keep them around 5000 words.

And, since I want to spend more time exploring Ana's past, it might make the book longer! Which I am okay with because it has become my new obsession! I do need to work on my other Bruce Wayne fics because they are vastly different from this one! Since each book has a different Bruce, they're both to act differently. But, I am excited for them all!

I plan on releasing more of my DC books too! I have a few books for the Batboys and I can't wait to release them! But, I also want to bring back my Wonder Woman and Aquaman fics too! Hopefully soon! Work has been keeping me so busy that I feel like I am drowning. But, slow progress is still progress!

ALSO !!! CLARICE ABBOTT ??? Please go check out ptolomeae and all their fics! Clarice is a character you'll find in their DC fics and I love her so much! Their writing is so beautiful, definitely go check them out!!

AMARA.
[ PUBLISH DATE ━━ 05.18.2022 ]