THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
xvi. A MOTHER'S LOVE
❝MOTHERS ARE THE DEAREST THING.❞

IT HAD BEEN A LONG DAY. Her eyes grew heavy as she leaned back in the passenger seat of Bruce's car, listening to the mindless droning of the news playing on the radio. Anastasia stifled a yawn, holding her cold hands up to the heaters. Bruce was deep in thought, listening to Jack Ryder report the latest Children of Arkham attack which had been thwarted by Batman. At least, Gotham had someone looking out for it. Anastasia's day had been nothing like Batman's, but it had been stressful in its own right. After lunch with Bruce (where she had barely been able to eat anything with how nervous she was), he had dropped her back off at the office where she and Laura had continued to look through the files. They had begun to chip away at Eric's personal files too, not finding much of consequence other than text messages between him and an Emmett Novak. They had relayed all the information to Erina and she said she would try her best to hunt down Novak with her connections. Anastasia was exhausted, feeling as if she might fall asleep at any moment. Her mind felt fried. She wanted to go straight to bed. Still, she kept herself awake as she turned to look at Bruce. She was curious how he had spent his day since he had left the office after dropping her off.

She yawned, keeping her eyes focused on him. His jaw clenched, staring out at the streets as he continued to drive them home. Every so often, the street lights would illuminate his tired features. "Bruce," Anastasia began softly, earning his attention. "How was your day, my love?"

"It was fine," Bruce said numbly, wincing as he leaned back in his seat. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he gulped, trying to roll his shoulder back. She frowned, wondering how he had hurt himself. From his movements, she assumed he had pulled a muscle in his back. He cleared his throat, sparing her a glance when he noticed her staring. "Lucius and I have been working on something. It's still a work-in-progress, but it's coming along."

Anastasia smiled, lazily nodding her head. His projects with Lucius always put him in a good mood, she noticed. A part of her wondered what they were planning this time, but she knew better than to ask since Bruce would only say it was a secret. "Great, I'm glad you've found something you're excited about," she mused. "You've been too stressed lately, Bruce. You need to find a way to relax."

He chuckled. "You say that like you know how to relax, darling."

"I know how to relax," Anastasia defended, scoffing as she hit Bruce's arm. It only caused another round of laughter to leave his lips, shaking his head at her.

"Says the woman who went to work immediately after leaving the hospital," Bruce reminded, causing Anastasia to pout as she looked out the window. Perhaps, he was right. She didn't know how to relax, but she found it difficult to stay home and do nothing. It made her overthink and that never led to anything good. She would rather her mind stay preoccupied at all times. "Hey," Bruce said, making her look at him again. "Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere, I'm right here," Anastasia said, facing him. His eyes were focused on her, watching her with a sad expression. As always, there was something hidden behind Bruce's eyes. She blinked, turning away from his intense gaze. "You should keep your eyes on the road, Bruce," she whispered, forcing a smile to her lips. "You're gonna crash the car."

Bruce frowned. But, he did as he was told.

They settled into a comfortable silence, listening to the radio as it continued to report the news. It made Anastasia think, wondering what the end goal for the Children of Arkham was. It was no secret they had plans to take down the Waynes, but they hadn't attempted anything else after the debate. Unless, Bruce was dealing with something she wasn't aware of. However, she trusted that Bruce would say something if they were all being attacked as a whole. After all, anything that happened to Wayne Enterprises happened to Lovejoy Corp. Whatever happened to Bruce Wayne, it happened to Anastasia Lovejoy. She would never let Bruce go through anything alone, no matter how hard he tried. Though, she felt as if she was contradicting herself. She wanted Bruce to be open with her, but she kept him locked outside. She didn't dare tell him what was going on with her and Laura. She didn't want to drag him into the mess, considering Eric had already been hurt. And, she feared something may happen to her or Laura.

She fiddled with the ring around her finger, twirling it around as she stole a glance at Bruce. Again, he seemed deep in thought. She wondered what he was thinking about, wishing she could hear his thoughts. "Hey, Bruce," Anastasia gained his attention again, making him spare a glance in her direction. "Weird question, but what do you know about your grandparents?"

"My grandparents?" Bruce asked, surprised at her question. He hummed, shrugging his shoulders. "Not much, if I'm being honest. Why do you ask?"

Anastasia shrugged her own shoulders, tapping her fingers against her thigh. "Just curious."

"Well, my grandparents on my mother's side, the Kanes, I never knew much of them except for the stories my mother told. They died before I was born. My dad's side... My grandmother died before I was born and then my grandfather, he died when I was still a baby. I don't remember them," Bruce informed. He was quiet for a moment, letting out a heavy sigh. "If it wasn't for their pictures all around the house, I might have forgotten what my own parents looked like if I'm being honest."

Anastasia nodded slowly, frowning. "I don't remember what my mom looked like," she confessed, trying to remember a face but the only one that came to mind was the photograph she had seen in the files. "Some days, I don't remember what my dad looked like either. I just see..." She trailed off, trying to remember her father as a blurred face appeared in front of her vision. She could tell that Bruce was waiting for her to continue, glancing in her direction every so often. Anastasia let out a shaky breath, feeling a migraine form. She shrugged it off, putting a smile on her face. "I didn't know my grandparents either. My parents were only children, so I didn't grow up with any family other than them. Kind of sad, really."

"The last living survivor of the Lovejoy legacy then," Bruce commented.

"For now," Anastasia shrugged her shoulders, giving him a cheeky grin as she placed a gentle hand against his arm. "We have a whole generation of Lovejoy-Waynes to raise, right? You want to have kids one day? With me?"

"Of course," Bruce reassured, taking her hand as he raised it to his lips to place a gentle kiss against her fingertips. He held her hand close, keeping his eyes on the road. "When things are safer, we can think about having kids."

She leaned close, moving into a more comfortable position. Her eyes focused on him, a blend of moonlight and streetlight hit his features. "How many kids do you want?"

Bruce smiled, shrugging his shoulders. "As many as you want."

"I'd like a big family," Anastasia confessed, remembering how lonely her childhood had been. She had always wanted the perfect family, wanting it to be as big as it could get. "Maybe ten."

Bruce laughed, shaking his head. "You want to have ten kids?"

"Well..." Anastasia laughed, shrugging her shoulders. "Reasonably speaking, we can have three. Maybe, four to balance it out. Or, five might work too. I don't know, we'll have to see."

Bruce smiled, sparing her another glance as he squeezed her hand. "Well, we have plenty of room at the manor."

"I have names picked out," Anastasia added, excited to tell Bruce the names she had been thinking about for years. It was strange that she had never brought it up to him before, but the two had always been too busy for kids. Perhaps, it was time to slow down and think about building a family. "I like the names Coraline and Evangeline if they're girls. Augustus if it's a boy, August for short. I haven't really focused on boy names, though. So, I might need to think of some in case we end up having only boys."

"I like those names," Bruce nodded, making Anastasia's smile brighter.

"I like the name Sterling too," Anastasia pointed out, nodding her head. Her smile was bright, unwavering. "Sterling Wayne, destined for greatness. I can already see it."

"It sounds... perfect," Bruce said softly, a hint of sadness lingered in his tone. His expression resembled one of guilt, making Anastasia frown.

"We've never had the kids talk before," Anastasia whispered, resting against the center console. "It's strange because we've been married for five years."

"Six," Bruce corrected.

Anastasia frowned, shaking her head as she took her hand back. She leaned back in her seat, staring at him as she tried to remember. But, their wedding day was fuzzy in her mind as she remembered only glimpses. "No, it's been five. We got married in 2010."

"No, Ana," Bruce said gently, keeping his eyes on the road. "We got married in 2009, remember? It was during spring, an outdoor wedding with your favorite pink flowers on every surface. May 19th, you remember right?"

"Y-Yes, of course," Anastasia stammered, frowning to herself as she tried to remember. She remembered the pink carnations and roses everywhere, the warm breeze against her skin, the beautiful ball gown dress she had worn. "I'm sorry, I must have gotten my dates mixed up."

"It's okay," Bruce immediately said, giving her a warm smile. Though, she could not bring herself to return it as her hands trembled slightly. She looked away, keeping her eyes focused on the streetlights and tall buildings. "Ana, really, it's okay," he reassured, brushing a gentle hand against her cheek to wipe away at the stray tear. "We just have to jog your memory sometimes. It's okay if you forget."

She didn't say another word.

The radio continued to speak in the background, talking about Harvey Dent's latest interview as mayor. He had said some extreme words about the Children of Arkham, branding himself as their number one enemy. He was determined to put a stop to them. She frowned, hoping Harvey knew what he was getting into.

"So, have you gone to see Harvey?" Bruce asked suddenly, making her look in his direction. His hands gripped the steering wheel, becoming a pale white. "You know, at the Mayor's office?"

She shook her head. "No," she mumbled. "Why would I go see Harvey?"

He shrugged, shoulders dropping at her reply. "No reason."

She hummed, letting out a heavy sigh. Harvey's voice came through the speakers, talking about how the Children of Arkham needed to be put down immediately before they caused any more harm. He was ordering a militia to Gotham with checkpoints set up on almost every block, hoping it would lessen the movements of the COA. His hatred for Batman came through the speakers too, calling him a menace who needed to stop meddling in GCPD's business. He was determined, but Anastasia didn't want to have an opinion until after they saw some results. After all, things tended to go wrong in Gotham more than anything else.

"Harvey's definitely been busy," Anastasia commented, shaking her head as she connected her phone to the car to play some music instead. She wanted a break from everything terrible happening in Gotham. She wished she hadn't finished the last of the bourbon in her flask, but she didn't dare to drink in front of Bruce. She'd have to refill it later when he was gone. She wanted to avoid a lecture. But, without a drink to numb her mind, Harvey's words echoed in her mind. She thought about the cruel words Harvey had to say about Batman. "He can't seriously hate Batman," Anastasia huffed, picking a slow song to play. "I mean, I get his anger, but Batman has only ever tried to help Gotham. He's... He's not a monster like they say he is."

Bruce spared a glance in Anastasia's direction, giving her a smile. "You're not... scared... of him?" Bruce mumbled, returning his gaze to the empty road. They had gotten off the streets of Gotham, heading toward the private road that led to Wayne Manor. "I thought Batman was supposed to strike fear in the hearts of everyone he came across."

Anastasia clicked her tongue, shaking her head. She smiled, keeping her eyes focused outside as Wayne Manor came into view. It was dark except for the outside lights that lined the driveway. The only person home should be Alfred and he always made sure to turn all the lights off. "I'm sure if Batman was running to punch me, maybe then," Anastasia chuckled, shrugging her shoulders. "But, I don't know. I get the feeling he's a good man. He only wants the best for Gotham."

Bruce hummed, listening.

"He saved my life," Anastasia added, letting out a heavy sigh. Her hand unconsciously rested upon her abdomen, feeling the bandages underneath her blouse.

"Sounds like you have a crush on him," Bruce teased, pressing a button on his dashboard which sent a signal to the gates. He pulled into the manor, pressing the button again to make the gates close behind them.

Anastasia playfully rolled her eyes, punching Bruce's arm. It only earned a laugh from Bruce, making him catch her hand before he gently placed a kiss against her knuckles again. Anastasia smiled, feeling her heart skip a beat as she watched him. She whispered, playing along with his joke. "Hey, don't stop me from living out my Phantom-Of-The-Opera dreams."

"I can put on a mask if that's what you're into, Ana," Bruce chuckled, earning another laugh from Anastasia as she felt her skin burn. She had no doubt her skin had turned red, but it was too dark in the car for him to see. He parked the car, facing her fully as he gave her his full attention. "I've looked through the books you read and... Wow, I never expected them to be so carnal."

"Stop it!" Anastasia laughed, covering her face as Bruce laughed. She took a deep breath, sending him a playful glare as she shook her head. "Okay, but the one I am reading right now, it's one of the slowest burns I have ever read," She began, grinning at him as she remembered the book at her bedside table. She had started it about a week ago and she was going through it so fast. "It's called No Time to Die and uh, it's written by this young author named Remy. But, listen, Bruce, it's about these two brothers and their best friend who hunt everything supernatural throughout the country. It's like a never-ending road trip and each chapter is a new hunt. The main character Birdie and one of the brothers, Sam, are so in love with one another and trust me, everyone knows. But, of course, the two are constantly avoiding their emotions and the most they've done so far is hold hands. The suspense is killing me! Like, please, just get together, you're perfect for one another."

Bruce wore a soft smile, watching her with a dazed expression. He hummed, nodding as he listened. "So, Birdie and Sam, huh?"

"Birdie and Sam, I am a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope," Anastasia smiled, holding her hands to her heart as thought about the book. She might have to read a few more chapters tonight, wanting to get further into the book.

"I thought you liked the enemies-to-lovers trope," Bruce teased, unbuckling his seat belt. He took his keys, pressing a button which caused the engine to quiet down to a silent whisper before turning off. "I still remember that one book you were reading, Long Way to Nowhere. It was two a.m. and you woke me up with how much you were crying. I thought you hurt yourself or something."

"I did get hurt ━━ my heart broke," Anastasia defended, laughing as she shook her head. She picked up her purse, making sure everything was in it. She didn't want to accidentally leave anything in Bruce's car since it tended to disappear.

Bruce gave her cheek a kiss before he got out of the car, walking around to open her door. He shot her another playful wink, causing another laugh to leave her lips. He helped get out her oxygen tank from the backseat, setting it down on the ground before he helped her out of the car. She took a deep breath, putting the tube back into her nose. She hated how reliant she had become on it, but she knew her lungs were still healing. She allowed Bruce to take her purse, dragging the oxygen tank instead. He locked the car, helping her toward the manor doors. She took his right hand, giving him a smile. He unlocked the front door with his keys, pushing the door open. He let her step inside first, locking the door behind them.

Voices flooded the main hall, coming from the parlor ━━ Alfred's and a woman's. Anastasia frowned, wondering who their visitor was since they rarely had any. She faced Bruce, waiting for him. He seemed confused, walking toward Anastasia as he took her hand. They headed toward the parlor, peeking inside. The tension in his hands disappeared when he spotted their visitor, making Anastasia look around him to see who it was. It was Alfred and... Clarice Abbott?

"Master Bruce, Lady Anastasia," Alfred greeted, giving the two of them a nod. He stood, gesturing to Clarice who was still sitting. "Miss Abbott has joined us tonight."

"Clarice," Bruce greeted warmly, earning a soft smile and a nod from the woman seated by the fireplace. She was dressed in jeans and a red top, wearing a black jacket over it. Alfred was seated across from her, donning a concerned expression. "I wasn't expecting to see you here?"

Anastasia didn't say anything, locking eyes with Alfred. She wondered what Detective Abbott was doing in their home, making her assume she may have some news about either the raid from the GCPD or about Falcone's murder. She stayed by Bruce's side, holding his hand.

"Is everything okay?" Bruce asked.

"Oh, yeah," Clarice said, waving off his concern. She tucked a piece of her black hair behind her ear, stealing a glance at Alfred. "I was only visiting. I suppose I missed Alfred's company."

Bruce hummed, keeping his eyes focused on Clarice for a few moments before he looked down at Anastasia. He offered her a warm smile, squeezing her hand. "Ana, I think it's time we told you the truth."

She frowned. "Okay?"

"You know Clarice, right," Bruce began slowly, causing Anastasia to nod. At the mention of her name, Clarice gave a wave. There wasn't much that Anastasia knew about the woman, but she had a few run-ins with her over the past few years. Detective Clarice Abbott was one of Gotham's finest. "She is..." Bruce trailed off, facing Alfred and Clarice for moral support. "Clarice is my sister."

"Oh..." Anastasia mumbled, raising a brow at the newfound information. She wasn't sure how she should react, considering she had always seen Bruce as an only child the whole time she had known him. "You have a sister?"

"Half-sister," Clarice corrected, giving Anastasia a smile when she noticed how confused the blonde was. "But, yeah, I guess I'm Bruce's older sister. We have the same dad."

"It's not a very known fact, considering it's been a family secret of sorts," Bruce explained, causing Anastasia's attention to return to him. If she was being honest, she was starting to see a lot of similarities between the two. Despite how their physical appearances matched, she could see the same mannerisms between the two of them. Still, it was strange to rewrite so much about a person when you thought you had them all figured out. It was as if Bruce could read her mind. "I should have told you sooner and it's not that I don't trust you, Ana. But, it was for Clarice's safety."

Anastasia nodded. It wasn't as if she didn't understand, considering she had no idea what Clarice had gone through with her life and involvement at the GCPD. She imagined it was dangerous being Lady Justice. So, she couldn't bring herself to be angry. But, perhaps, she was a little hurt that Bruce hadn't trusted her with a big part of his life. But, she reminded herself it was better late than never. She smiled at Bruce, trying to hide the hurt she felt. "Is this..." She trailed off, clearing her throat. "Is this the big secret that you were hiding from me, Bruce?"

Her question made the three of them share a look, something Anastasia immediately noticed as she watched them have a private conversation amongst one another. Again, she was left out. Though, it was something Alfred and Bruce had done for years on their own when she was in the room. It didn't affect her as much as it used to. Eventually, Bruce turned to face her as he gave her a warm smile. "Yeah, I really am sorry for all the lies and the secrets, Ana," Bruce whispered softly, giving her hand a squeeze. "We should have told you sooner, but it wasn't the right time yet."

"I'm glad you trusted me with the truth," Anastasia smiled, squeezing his hand back. She turned her attention to Clarice, letting go of Bruce's hand as she approached the woman. She slowly opened her arms, waiting a few seconds to give Clarice the chance to reject the embrace. When she did nothing, Anastasia gave her a warm hug. She pulled back, smiling at the seated woman. "I'm excited to get to know you, Clarice," she said, standing in front of the fire. The heat from the fire was a welcome change from the cold weather outside. "I always wanted a sister."

Clarice smiled softly, nodding at Anastasia. "It's also nice not to always have to lie to everyone."

"I bet," Anastasia whispered, nodding her head.

"Shall I prepare dinner?" Alfred asked, clasping his hands together. He wore the brightest smile, regarding his children. "It would be nice to have a family dinner, especially now that we're all united."

Anastasia forced a smile, nodding her head. "Uh, you guys start without me," she said, taking a step back as she pulled on her oxygen tank. "I'll join in a little bit. I just want to freshen up, okay?"

Bruce nodded at her words, giving the side of her head a quick kiss. He helped Clarice to her feet, leading her toward the dining room. Anastasia watched them go, seeing how much Bruce truly cared for his sister. Clarice fussed that she was alright, but he was determined. Anastasia stood quiet for a moment, sparing a glance in Alfred's direction who had stayed behind.

"Do be quick, my Lady," Alfred nodded, watching her with careful eyes. "I have prepared your favorite tonight. I know you've been having trouble with your appetite lately."

Anastasia shrugged off his concern, giving him a rehearsed smile. "I'm fine, really," she whispered, messing with the handle of the cart. "Everything still hurts, you know?"

"The medication hasn't been helping?" he asked softly, approaching her. He spoke in hushed tones, despite Bruce and Clarice being in the dining room across the main hall. Alfred had always been too observant for his own good. A gentle hand placed against her cheek, Alfred frowned as he noticed how bad her dark circles had become. "You're still having nightmares too?"

"I can't sleep. I can't eat. I can't stop thinking about that night. I can't stop thinking about everything wrong with my life," Anastasia confessed, sniffling as her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands. She couldn't face him, staring at the burning fire instead. She felt... embarrassed. It should be easy to forget what happened at the debate, considering she had survived with the least amount of injuries. But, the night haunted her. It never left her thoughts. She could still hear Penguin's words. She could still feel the impact of the bullets. She could still feel herself dying. She shook her head, letting out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry," She whispered, taking a step back. "You don't wanna hear this."

"Ana, I am here for you, always," Alfred reassured, giving her a sad smile.

"I'm fine," Anastasia reassured, blinking away the tears that had formed. She shook it off, pretending as if she had never confessed anything to Alfred as she began to make her way out of the parlor. But, she paused as a heavy sigh left her lips. She looked back at Alfred. "Please, don't tell Bruce. I can fix this on my own, okay?"

Alfred didn't say anything. He only nodded, moving past her to go take care of dinner. She trusted Alfred, but he had a tendency to tell Bruce everything. Yet, he never told her any of Bruce's secrets.

The bedroom was cold when she entered, flicking the light on to allow her to see where she was going. Her phone pinged, indicating she had gotten a text message. She pulled her phone out of her purse, seeing that Laura had texted her.

LAURA.
I managed to get us an interview with a senior doctor who had worked with Dr. Franklin at Arkham Asylum. It's next week. We should spend the next week looking through the files, so we know what questions to ask. And, if the interview goes sideways, we can always put my lockpicking skills to the test again.

ANASTASIA.
As always, Laura, you are the best.

A heavy sigh left Anastasia's lips, putting the phone down on the bedside table before she took a seat on the bed. She ripped off her heels, tossing them underneath her vanity table. Her feet ached, considering the shoes had caused blisters. Her mind wandered to the files again, remembering the Wayne name written over and over again over all the documents. They had funded the whole thing, along with the Arkhams. Deep underneath Arkham Asylum, there was, supposedly, a lab. Or, at least, that's what the blueprints suggested. It was where the experiments had taken place, but they still didn't know what was going on. All Anastasia knew was that her parents had been involved, especially her mother since their main focus was on her. If the Waynes had hurt her family, it felt like a betrayal to be standing in Wayne Manor.

She bit her lip, letting out a sigh as she stood to her feet. Stepping inside the closet, she headed to her cabinet all the way in the back. She took a seat on the floor, opening it to see her clothing folded together. It was mostly her summer blouses, ones she couldn't wear with how cold it was getting. Underneath them, she pulled out her bottle of bourbon. It was the same brand her father used to drink, his favorite. The first thing she did was refill her flask, tucking it away in the secret pocket sewed inside. She held the bottle in her hands, looking over it. She would pour herself a glass, but decided that drinking straight from the bottle was easier. She brought it to her lips, taking a few heavy gulps. It wasn't enough to get her drunk, but it was enough to numb the thoughts haunting her mind. Her hand trembled, hiding the bottle away as she neatly put the clothes back on top. Bruce never dug through her things anyways, so it wasn't likely he would find it even if she left the bottle out in the open.

For a few minutes, Anastasia stayed seated on the ground. She had closed the closet door and locked it, leaving her separated from the bedroom. Her head rested on top of her knees as she dozed in and out of sleep, listening to the slight whirring of the light bulb above her. Her stomach burned, but she ignored the pain.

It didn't matter, truly.

It was another problem to add to the long existing list Anastasia had.

Her life had become a mess. Or, it had always been a mess. She didn't know anymore. She didn't remember.

She couldn't trust her own mind, her own memories, or the people around her. It felt as if her reality was falling apart at the seams, making her wonder if she had lost her mind.

It doesn't matter, Ana. A voice told her, deep within the depths of her mind. It must be her consciousness, trying to keep her from overwhelming herself with how much she overthinked.

It didn't matter.

But, it did.

It did matter.

Anastasia sniffled, allowing a few tears to slip down her cheeks. They dripped off her jaw, landing somewhere on the hardwood floor. A part of her wished she had died at the debate, considering it would have made everyone's life so much easier. Eric would be safe. Laura wouldn't have been caught up in her mess. Bruce wouldn't have to keep track of his lies anymore. Alfred wouldn't need to spend all his time worrying and getting in trouble for her recklessness. And, she wouldn't be plagued by demons from her past.

She heard a knock on the closet door, making her flinch. Her heart beat echoed in her ears, making her back into the wall as she stayed away from the door. She still sat on the ground, unwilling to move. There was another knock at the door. "Ana?"

It was Bruce.

"Are you okay?"

She tried to find her voice, ignoring the painful lump that had grown in her throat. "I'm... I'm fine," Anastasia called out, trying to make her voice louder than a whisper. She moved closer to the door, leaning against it to make sure Bruce could hear her and leave her alone. "I'm changing. I can't... I can't figure out what I want to wear."

"Ana," Bruce said softly. "Open the door, please."

"No," Anastasia whimpered, shaking her head. She leaned her forehead against the door, unable to help the tears that freely streamed down her face. "I... I'm changing."

"Okay, that's fine. I'm right here if you need me," Bruce said. He wasn't going to leave, Anastasia could tell. It was as if she could feel his presence on the other side of the door, waiting for her to open the door. Knowing Bruce, he would wait all night outside the door if he needed to.

It must have been a few minutes that had been spent in complete silence, Anastasia softly crying while Bruce waited on the other side of the door. It wasn't the first time that the closet door had been a barrier between the two. She had taken a seat, leaning her back against the door. She wondered if Bruce was doing the same, being able to see his shadow underneath the door frame. She waited for him to leave. Eventually, he had to get tired of waiting. She hadn't spoken a word, nor did she look for something to change into. She felt too tired to change out of her clothing. She felt too exhausted to move.

"Ana, I'm sorry," Bruce said softly, speaking after what had felt like an eternity. She sniffled, listening as she faced the door. Why was Bruce sorry? If anything, she should be the one apologizing for creating such a scene. "I should have waited before telling you about Clarice. I know how hard things have been lately and I should have planned this out better. I didn't mean to overwhelm you."

She didn't even want to imagine what Clarice would think about her, considering she had disappeared into her bedroom like a little child. Bruce had come to fetch her and now, she refused to leave the closet. He didn't want to 'overwhelm' her. It made her realize how much she put Bruce through. She felt the guilt come back, making her feel bad that Bruce found the need to apologize to her. Another wave of tears came through, making her bury her face in her hands.

You have always been pathetic, Anastasia.

"I know..." Anastasia whispered, too quiet for even Bruce to have heard on the other side.

She leaned back, letting out a shaky breath as she tried to calm herself down. Bruce was waiting for a reply, listening carefully. She could almost feel his heat on the other side of the door, making a sigh leave her lips.

"I hope..." She began softly, hearing Bruce shuffle on the other side. "I hope there aren't any more secrets between us, Bruce."

He was quiet for a moment, mulling over her words. She couldn't handle the lies anymore, wanting the truth. It felt as if Bruce was a stranger, instead of her husband. She wanted to trust him. She wanted to be his partner. But, he kept a wall up that was stronger than any closet door. "Darling," Bruce started. "I swear to you, I am not hiding anything else. I have told you the truth, always."

"I don't believe you," Anastasia said, shaking her head.

"Ana..." Bruce sighed. "I know I should have told you about Clarice years ago, but it was not my secret to tell. It was all to protect her, I swear. I never wanted to hurt you."

"I understand that part, Bruce," she said. "I'm not upset about Clarice. I'm grateful you've told me and that she's safe now, I have nothing against her."

"Then, what is this about, Ana?" He asked softly.

"I feel... I feel as if we aren't as close as we used to be," Anastasia confessed, finding it easier to talk to Bruce with a door separating the two of them. She didn't want to see his reaction to her words, wanting to wait till he had his thoughts collected and ready to relay. "You're always gone. I never see you and you never tell me what's going on with you. I feel as if you're not here anymore. Not with me. You're... You're somewhere else, even when you're right beside me."

Bruce listened. He must not have anything to say. At least, not yet.

She sniffled, hugging her knees close to her chest. "It's... It's like I don't know who you are anymore, Bruce."

"What can I do to fix this, Ana?" Bruce asked quietly.

"Be honest," Anastasia muttered, shaking her head. If she was being honest, she wasn't upset about Bruce. She was upset with herself, considering there was too much going on. She only wanted Bruce's support and his trust. But, she couldn't tell him that. She knew he couldn't give her that. "You know what, Bruce, it doesn't even matter. I'm fine━━"

"I can be honest," Bruce interrupted, making her pause. "Ask me anything, Anastasia. I'll tell you the truth."

Anastasia sighed, twirling the ring on her finger as she tried to think of what she wanted to ask him. "I've been having doubts... About us," she confessed, letting out a heavy sigh. "You're always gone, Bruce. Sometimes, you're gone all night. Is there... Is there someone else?"

"Anastasia, no," He said, speaking as quiet as she was. She had to place her ear against the door, listening to him shuffle on the other side. "I swear, there isn't anyone else."

She bit her lip. "What about you and Selina?"

"There is nothing going on between me and Selina," Bruce reassured. His voice was clear and free of any indication of a lie, but it was still difficult to believe him with how suspicious he had been acting.

"But, she stayed here, Bruce," Anastasia muttered, frowning. It still bothered her that Selina had stayed in the manor, considering she hadn't heard from the woman since the debate. Though, she didn't blame Selina at the same time since her then boyfriend Harvey Dent confessed his love for herself. "Would you have ever told me if I hadn't seen the messages?"

For a moment, Bruce was quiet. She wondered if he was going to tell her another lie, but he kept true to his promise of being honest. "I don't think I would have," Bruce confessed, causing a heavy sigh to leave her lips. "But, not for the reasons you think, Ana."

"Then, why?"

"You've been through a lot these past few weeks, Ana," Bruce said softly. "From seeing a man stab himself━━"

"You know about that?" Anastasia immediately asked, feeling a sense of betrayal wash over her. She hadn't expected Bruce to know about Dr. Franklin, considering she hadn't told anyone. Well, she had told Harvey.

"Lieutenant Gordon told me," Bruce confessed, letting out a heavy sigh. She could hear him lean against the door, feeling the vibration of his breaths through the wood. "It was the same day we saw Falcone be murdered and then, you were shot at the debate," His voice was barely above a whisper, but Anastasia could hear him. "I... I thought I was going to lose you."

Anastasia stayed quiet, listening to him speak. It was rare to get Bruce talking, especially since he tended to bottle up all his emotions.

"I didn't tell you about Selina because I didn't want to add any more stress. I barely saw her, considering I was at the hospital all day," Bruce continued, sighing. "I swear, there isn't anyone else. I love only you, Ana."

"Then, where do you go all day?"

It took Bruce longer to answer this question. She wished she could see him, but she didn't want to open the door yet. He cleared his throat, catching her attention after the prolonged silence. "I'm trying to help Gotham, Ana," Bruce confessed, letting out a heavy sigh. "Not only with the new hospital that's replacing Arkham Asylum, Lucius and I have been developing tech that will make Gotham safer. With all these new threats, the Children of Arkham and the animal attacks, Gotham needs a savior now more than ever."

"You sound like Harvey," Anastasia mumbled, shaking her head. She frowned, remembering how Bruce had behaved toward Harvey at the hospital. She still remembered how quick to anger he had been. "You're angry with Harvey," she commented. "Why? What happened?"

"Harvey... He's done a lot to hurt this family," Bruce confessed, softly sighing. He took a moment to collect his thoughts, making Anastasia curious. "When I was in the hospital, I confronted Harvey about what he said at the debate. A part of me had always known he had feelings toward you, but another part of me didn't want to believe it. When I asked him about it, he had a lot of accusations to throw around."

Anastasia frowned. "What did he say?"

"Harvey told me the two of you have been sleeping together for months," Bruce said softly, causing a heavy weight to drop inside Anastasia's heart. She could feel a fresh wave of tears, feeling disgusted that Harvey ━━ someone who she considered a close friend ━━ would make up such lies. "He said that you started it, coming to him after we had a fight. He said that you threatened him when he wanted to end it. He said he was waiting for you to divorce me, so the two of you could run off into the sunset or something like that."

"Do you believe him?"

"No," Bruce immediately answered. There wasn't a hint of hesitation on his end.

A sigh left her lips. She reached up, unlocking the door before opening it a crack to see Bruce sitting on the other side. His back was leaned against the door, but he had straightened when he had heard the click of the lock. He looked back, giving her a sad smile.

"Hi, Bruce," she whispered, slowly opening the door more.

"Hi, Ana," he whispered back, turning around so he was facing her. He reached out slowly, pulling her into his lap as he held her close. His head rested on top of hers, keeping his arms wrapped around her. Gently, he rubbed her back as she tried not to cry again.

"Harvey is a liar," Anastasia whispered, wiping away the stray tears. She buried herself into Bruce, soaking in his warmth as he continued to rub her back. "He's angry because I rejected him and now, he's spreading lies to hurt us."

Bruce listened, placing gentle kisses against the side of her head as he held both of her hands in one of his. And for the first time, in a long time, Anastasia truly felt safe.

"It was a few hours before the debate. Selina called me at work, asking if I wanted to join them in coaching Harvey for the debate," Anastasia started softly, keeping her eyes focused on their interlocked hands. The silver wedding band on Bruce's finger stared back, having a few scratches on it. On the inside, their names were engraved along with the date they had gotten married. She gently messed around with it, pulling upward to see that it did say 2009. Bruce watched her carefully, waiting for her to continue. "Sorry, I'm distracted," Anastasia mumbled, facing him with blurred vision. "It was after Selina left. Harvey and I were alone and I helped him memorize his answers to potential questions Hill was going to ask and his speeches. Then, we were talking and... he kissed me."

Bruce didn't react. Still, he continued to rub her back as he listened. He held her close, giving her a safe space to speak.

"I didn't kiss him back, Bruce," Anastasia whispered, meeting his calm eyes. His thumb gently brushed away the stray tear, resting his hand against her cheek. "I immediately pushed him off. And, that's all that happened between us. I left after that. I promise."

"I believe you. I will always believe you," Bruce said softly, resting his forehead against hers. "Harvey should have never kissed you without your permission. It wasn't right. He should have never put you in that kind of situation, Ana."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Anastasia mumbled, letting out a shaky breath. "I didn't want to ruin your friendship with him and... Harvey said it would be best to pretend like nothing happened since the kiss was a mistake. He said it would only hurt you."

"The person he hurt was you, Ana," Bruce said softly, running a gentle hand through her hair. He sighed softly, shaking his head. He gave her hand a squeeze, placing a gentle kiss against the side of her head. "Please, always come to me if anything like that happens. I could never be angry with you."

Anastasia nodded, wishing she had told Bruce earlier to avoid this whole mess. It did feel like some weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Still, the tensions about the files and Eric remained at the forecenter of her mind. But, she refused to tell Bruce anything about that until she had it all figured out. But, she was grateful to be able to put the Harvey drama behind her. She didn't want to think about him anymore. But, she wasn't about to let Harvey get away with all the lies.

"I feel bad for keeping Alfred and Clarice waiting," Anastasia whispered, stealing a glance at the clock to see it had been almost forty minutes. She met Bruce's gaze, hoping she didn't have make-up streaming down her cheeks.

"It's okay," Bruce whispered, placing another kiss against her hairline. "There's no pressure. We can stay here till you're ready."

A soft sigh left Anastasia's lips. "This wasn't about Clarice, I hope you know that," she said, squeezing his hand. She hoped she didn't make a terrible first impression on Bruce's sister, wanting Clarice to like her. She would have to try her best next time, considering being forty minutes late to dinner in your own house was embarrassing. "I think she's great and I have followed Lady Justice for a while," Anastasia commented. "I already love her."

Bruce chuckled, nodding his head. "I know it wasn't about her," he said softly, continuing to rub her back. "It's been a long day, I know. Sometimes, it's too much and that's okay."

"Yeah," Anastasia nodded, giving him a smile. She would always be grateful that Bruce was so understanding and patient with her. "I'm okay now, I promise."

For a moment, he was quiet. His fingertips drew circles on her thigh as they sat in comfortable silence. Anastasia was quietly trying to muster up the courage to go downstairs and face Alfred and Clarice. She wanted to wash her face, knowing she must have mascara running down her cheeks. It wasn't a look she could pull off.

"Ana," Bruce mumbled softly, making her hum in acknowledgment. "Have you been drinking?"

She frowned, feeling the pit start to grow in her heart again. "No, I... I wasn't."

"Please, be honest with me."

A sigh escaped her lips. She couldn't tell Bruce the truth, knowing it would unravel the progress they had made. He wouldn't be angry, but she didn't want to see him disappointed. "I only had a sip, I swear."

"You shouldn't drink, Ana," he said calmly, giving her a smile. Still, she could hear the sternness hidden behind his words. "It's not good to mix alcohol with all the medication the doctors have you on."

"I won't," Anastasia said. "It was only a sip, Bruce. I've just had a really stressful day."

He nodded, believing her. "Let's have dinner and then, we can call it a day, yeah?"

Anastasia nodded. "Yeah."

━━ ━━ ━━

HER ANGER FOR HARVEY DENT HAD GROWN TENFOLD when a search and seizure warrant had been slapped across her desk, moments before the GCPD had come in and started to take everything in her office. To her surprise, the order had been signed by Mayor Harvey Dent only. It was similar to how Hill had ordered a similar warrant on their home without the district attorney's permission. It was hypocritical to see Harvey use the same tactics he berated Hill for. But, she and Laura had done their best to try and transfer the secret files onto a thumb drive. Fortunately, they had been successful and deleted everything off the computer. They couldn't let the GCPD get their hands on it. She had the thumb drive in her bag, not daring to leave it anywhere else. However, she wanted her computers back as soon as possible. She didn't miss how angry Regina had been as she watched the GCPD leave with almost everything. Anastasia had reassured she would fix everything.

She had sat outside City Hall for about thirty minutes before she found the courage to get out and head inside. Her hand gripped around the paperwork the GCPD had given her, glaring at Harvey's signature. She pushed the doors open, noticing the security guard that sat in the front. One of the elevators had police tape all around it, making her remember that City Hall was robbed less than three weeks ago. It seemed they hadn't gotten around to repairs yet.

"Here to see the Mayor, social call. We're friends," Anastasia smiled, placing her ID on the security guard's desk. He took the ID, looking over it before he scanned it in one of his small portable scanners.

"Gotta take the stairs," the security guard said, pointing to the staircase. He took a glance at the oxygen tank at her feet, giving her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, but they haven't repaired the elevator after what happened."

"What happened?" Anastasia asked softly, noticing the security guard's nervous expression. "I heard there was some kind of robbery?"

"Yeah, armed men came in. Killed the old security guard," the man said, letting out a heavy sigh as he seemed uncomfortable in the seat he was in. Her eyes glanced behind the guard, noticing the faint red that stained the ground. The old guard must have been shot in his seat, making her let out a small sigh. It was a life taken too soon. The man shook his head. "Batman stopped them from taking what they were looking for. Well, until Catwoman showed up and took it anyway."

"Sounds like City Hall isn't the place to be," Anastasia mumbled, taking the visitor pass from the security guard and her ID back. "Thank you. Appreciate it."

"You'll be okay heading up the stairs?" the security guard asked, standing to his feet. "Mayor's office is on the top floor."

"I'll manage," Anastasia reassured, waving off the stranger's concern. "Thank you. Have a good day."

Most of her energy had been exhausted heading up the stairs, letting out a sigh when she headed into the office that belonged to the mayor and his staff. There was another security guard outside, but he didn't bat an eye when he noticed the visitor's pass around her neck. She headed inside, sparing glances at the people who rushed around. No one noticed her, too absorbed in their work. She walked up to the secretary's desk, watching her type away at her computer. Her name plate said her name was Deborah.

"Good afternoon," Anastasia said, giving the woman a forced smile. She didn't try to hide the warrant in her hands. "I'm here to see Mayor Dent. He knows me."

Deborah nodded slowly. She picked up her phone, calling Harvey on the other side of the door. Occasionally, she would glance over at Anastasia as the phone rang. Eventually, he picked up. "Oh, Mr. Dent," Deborah sighed a breath of relief, keeping her eyes focused on the paperwork in Anastasia's hands. "I have Mrs. Wayne here to see you. Should I send her in?"

Anastasia waited, crossing her arms as she waited for Harvey's response. Deborah kept nodding, listening to Harvey's words. She could hear them over the phone's speakers, but it was difficult to make out what he was saying.

Finally, Deborah put down the phone. She smiled sweetly. "He's ready for you."

Anastasia nodded, heading toward the double doors that led into the Mayor's office. It belonged to Harvey Dent now, Gotham's supposedly White Knight. However, Anastasia was starting to see a sign of him she didn't like. She closed the doors behind her, noticing Harvey seated at his desk as he typed away at his computer. She walked up to his desk, slapping the papers on the table.

"What the hell is this, Harvey?" She snapped.

"Good afternoon to you too, Ana," he said, sparing her a glance before he looked down at the papers on the table. He brought them close, looking them over but he didn't seem surprised or guilty. He only shrugged his shoulders, facing her. "Or, have you lost your manners?"

She ignored his snide comment. Playing games was the last thing she wanted to do with Harvey Dent. "Why did you put out a search and seizure against Wayne Enterprises and Lovejoy Corp?"

"Haven't you been keeping up with the news?" Harvey scoffed, narrowing his eyes. His gaze was tense, uncaring. It was a vastly different Harvey than the one she used to call her friend. "The public wants action taken against the Waynes for the crimes they've committed. I am only giving them what they want. Justice."

"Bruce and I have done nothing to hurt Gotham, Harvey," Anastasia defended, crossing her arms. "We all saw the tapes. It was Thomas Wayne who committed those crimes. You can't charge a dead man."

"So, you think the Cobblepots and Gotham don't deserve justice for his crimes?" Harvey asked, tilting his head. His question made Anastasia feel guilty, knowing how much the Waynes before Bruce had harmed Gotham. "You think I should just let it go?"

"I... I'm not trying to say that they don't deserve justice," Anastasia sighed, taking a seat in the chair across from him. She covered her face for a moment, trying to collect her words. "Look, Harvey, you and I both know you're not trying to get justice for anyone. This is about payback and look, you've won. Just leave us out of it."

"Payback for what?"

"You know what, Harvey," Anastasia spat out, shaking her head. A humorless laugh left her lips as she chewed the inside of her cheek. "Why'd you tell Bruce we were sleeping together? Were you just trying to ruin my marriage for fun?"

"Ana━━"

"And, when that didn't work, you decided to come after our companies?" Anastasia scoffed, trying to control the anger that manifested deep within her. "After everything Bruce and I have done for you, how could you treat us like this?"

His cold eyes regarded her, lowering the mask he wore before setting it to the side. She winced, staring at the angry burns that had yet to heal. She tried to keep her composure, watching as he slowly stood to his feet. "You know, Ana," he began slowly, walking around the desk. For a moment, she thought he was going to approach her but he walked to the doors instead. She held her breath, listening to the click of the door as he locked the door. He walked back; his footsteps echoing in the quiet room. "It's the least you deserve after leading Harvey on."

Anastasia scoffed, looking up at him as he stopped beside her. "I have never led you on, Harvey," she muttered, unable to look at him for long. She cleared her throat. "I was nice to you because I thought we were friends."

"Friends?" Harvey scoffed. He turned her chair to force her to face him. His hands hit the armrests, trapping her in place as she stared at him with wide eyes. A chuckle left his lips as he leaned in close, leaving her no choice but to look at him. He was centimeters away, fanning his hot breath against her skin. "You speak to your friends like that, Ana? You look at your friends like that? You led Harvey on. You made him fall in love with you. Then, when he offers you his heart, you decide he isn't good enough?"

"H-Harvey, you're scaring me," Anastasia said, trying to lean back in the seat. But, he moved closer every time she tried to create space between them.

His hand gripped her jaw, forcing her to look at him. His scarred side stared back, narrowing his eyes into a glare. "Harvey isn't here anymore."

"Well, whoever I am talking to, get your hands off me," Anastasia gritted out, narrowing her eyes. She pushed his hand off, standing to her feet as she created distance between the two of them. Her eyes drifted back to the warrant on the desk. "You can't threaten me, Harvey. I want you to set things right. Now."

Harvey chuckled, shrugging his shoulders as he returned to his side of the desk. He looked over the paperwork again, humming as if he hadn't just put his hands on her. "The way I see it, Ana," Harvey cooed softly, eyes flickering in her direction. "We both want different things. I want to bash your face in and you want the warrant to disappear."

Anastasia's nose wrinkled, regarding him with wary eyes. She didn't trust him, holding the handle of her oxygen tank close. She knew the door was locked, but she was still faster than Harvey.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out his lucky coin. It was something he always carried. "Let's determine your outcome, shall we?" he asked, tilting his head as a dark chuckle left his lips. "Heads, I smash your face into this desk till there's nothing left. Tails, I'll make the warrant go away and the GCPD will return everything they took by tonight."

"You must be joking━━"

Harvey flipped the coin. It flew into the air, causing her to watch with bated breath as it started its descent. He caught it effortlessly, putting it against the top of his other hand. The result was hidden from them both. She watched quietly, seeing him look at the coin.

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Oh, looks like you got lucky this time, Ana," he mumbled, meeting his eyes. He showed her the coin. "It's tails."

"Harvey━━"

"I'll take the warrant back. Have the GCPD return the stuff they took," he said, shrugging his shoulders as he took a seat. His coin slipped back into his pocket. "A promise is a promise."

Anastasia stared at him for a moment, unsure what to make of the conversation. "You need help, Harvey."

"On the contrary," Harvey mumbled, not looking in her direction. "I have never felt better."

━━ ━━ ━━

LEAVING THE OFFICE had been an awkward ordeal, considering everyone outside had heard them shouting at one another. But, she had left without a word and held onto the promise Harvey had given her that he would make the warrant disappear. She had sat in her car for a while, trying to calm herself down as she watched people walk by. At one point, she had called Laura and let her know what had happened. She promised to relay the information back to Regina, considering the older woman had been constantly on them. Anastasia knew she needed to get back to the office, but she needed to make a stop before she did.

She had stopped at a flower shop, picking up two bouquets of flowers ━━ white lilies. The drive to the cemetery was something she had memorized, getting there within five minutes after leaving the flower shop. She parked her car, leaving most of her things inside. She took her purse, knowing better than to leave it in her car on the streets of Gotham. She left the oxygen tank, thinking she would be fine without it for a few minutes. She wasn't planning on staying long.

Her teeth clattered, shivering as she walked down the concrete path through the cemetery. The flowers that used to grow along the path had died, reminiscent of the cold weather. She could see her breath, making her wish for the warmer seasons. She had the path to their graves memorized. A while back, Bruce had offered to get their graves moved to Wayne Manor where his own parents had been buried. But, she had refused. Perhaps, it was a good thing she had declined since she wasn't sure what the Wayne family had done to her parents. She found their graves, side by side as they stood almost as tall as her. She placed the lilies on the ground in front of their graves, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Hi, Mama. Hi, Papa," Anastasia mumbled softly, taking a seat on the grass in front of the graves. "Family reunion, huh?"

They never replied, no matter how much Anastasia talked to them. A sigh left her lips, digging through her purse for her flask. She had promised Bruce she wouldn't drink, but it took the pain away. She unscrewed the top, taking a heavy sip. God, she hated Harvey. But, she knew he wasn't in the right state of mind after the debate. Something was wrong with him, but she wasn't going to allow herself and Bruce to be the brunt of his anger. After the warrant disappeared, she swore to never see Harvey again. It would ruin their reputation if word got out that Wayne Enterprises had been raided. But, she was sure people had seen the GCPD taking their things out of the building. She wondered if Bruce knew, but she hadn't seen him since the night before.

"It's kind of funny to have the two of you next to each other, considering Papa killed you, Mama. I would haunt everyone if I was buried next to my murderer," Anastasia said, staring at her mother's grave. Her mother had been killed in 1994 when Anastasia was seven years old. It was what the gravestone said. Her father had died in 2010, only five years ago. Bruce said they were married in 2009. William Lovejoy had been alive for her marriage with Bruce, but she didn't remember him being there. She couldn't trust her memories. But, why? It didn't make sense why her memories were so twisted. "It's strange how this past month has shattered my perspective on reality. I don't know what's real anymore. I don't know what or who I can trust. And, then I find out the two of you were part of some kind of human experimentation? It feels like my life has become some kind of sci-fi novel."

Sometimes, Anastasia would forget how much she missed her parents. She always tried to distract her mind, not wanting to wallow in grief. But, she felt as if she had never truly grieved the loss of her parents. Bringing them up around Bruce made her feel guilty, considering she had more time with, at least, one of them. He had been so young when he had lost both of his parents, seeing them be shot dead. Though, Bruce had told her it was healthy to mourn. Even if he never allowed himself the same luxury. He bottled up all his emotions. Anastasia had always been the opposite. Her emotions were too easy to read. It seemed as if everyone knew how she was feeling before she knew herself.

"I feel guilty being married to Bruce," Anastasia whispered, shaking her head as she stared at the ring around her finger. It felt too heavy, carrying all her burdens. "His family hurt the two of you, no doubt," She continued. "I don't know how yet, but the experiments couldn't have been innocent. Laura and I are heading to Arkham Asylum in a few days, interviewing one of the senior doctors."

Again, they stayed silent. But, the breeze had picked up and it caused Anastasia to shiver again. She took slow breaths, not wanting to overwhelm her lungs since she didn't want to crawl back to the car because she was on the verge of death.

"Hopefully, we can find some answers. Find out what really happened to the two of you," Anastasia mumbled, pulling out grass to keep her hands busy. "I know Bruce is nothing like his family, but to think that the Waynes might have hurt you two... It hurts. Yet, I don't feel safer anywhere else than with Bruce."

She sniffled.

"I wish things made sense, but I feel like I'm losing my mind," Anastasia said, placing her hands against her heart. Her mind wandered to Eric, remembering how vicious he had been. She wondered where he was now, still lost somewhere in Gotham. Unless Batman had found him. She didn't know if that was any better. "I feel as if what happened to Eric was my fault. I got him involved with my mess and now, he's... He's a monster. I need to help him first. His sister, Erina, is still looking for Emmett Novak. He was the last person to be in contact with Eric. He must know something."

Anastasia clasped her hands together, closing her eyes. She wasn't one to pray. She never had before. But, perhaps, it was what she needed to do.

"Please," she whispered to the graves, keeping her eyes closed. "Send me a miracle. Send me something or someone to help. Anything, please. I can't do this on my own."

"E-Excuse me?"

Anastasia paused, eyes snapping open. She didn't move, wondering for a moment if the graves were speaking to her. But then, she heard shuffling behind her. She looked back, noticing a young girl around ten years of age. Her brunette hair framed her face, but most of it was tied back by a pink ribbon that matched her dress. She wore a white expensive coat on top of her dress, along with white flats. She held a stuffed animal in her hands, shaped like a bunny. Her brown eyes watched Anastasia, sniffling as tears welled.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Anastasia asked softly, looking around the cemetery for the young girl's parents or guardian. The young girl didn't answer, holding her stuffed animal tighter in her hands. "Are you lost?"

"I can't find my mom," the young girl whimpered, moving a few steps closer. She looked oddly familiar, but Anastasia couldn't place it as she stood to her feet.

"Hey, it's okay. Don't cry," Anastasia reassured, giving the child a soft smile. She kneeled down, lowering herself to the girl's level. She could see how tearstained her cheeks had become, redness ringing around her brown pupils. "What's your name?"

"Leia."

"Hi, Leia," Anastasia said. "I'm Ana."

"Hello, Ana," Leia said softly, barely speaking louder than a whisper. She looked nervous, glancing around as her hands trembled. "Will you help me find my mom?"

"Of course," Anastasia agreed, nodding her head. She stood tall, hoping to see a sign of another person in close proximity. But, the graves were too tall and it was hard to see anyone else with the fog. She held her phone in her hands, looking back at Leia. "Do you know your mom's number?"

The young girl shook her head, sniffling. "No."

"That's okay," Anastasia said softly, taking the young girl's hand. Leia didn't hesitate, taking her hand as she looked up at Anastasia. She felt bad for the young girl, knowing how terrifying it was to lose a parent in public. She remembered how scared she had been every time she lost her dad, something that had creeped its way into adulthood. Now, it happened whenever she lost Bruce at a party with every rich person in Gotham. "We can walk around till we see your mom, okay? Does that sound okay to you?" Anastasia suggested. "Luckily, the cemetery isn't too big."

Leia nodded. "Yeah!"

They began to walk around, looking down the rows of graves. It was almost one o'clock during a weekday, giving a reason to why the cemetery was empty since most people would be at work or school. Her eyes scanned as far as she could see, but no one.

"So, how old are you, Leia?" Anastasia asked softly, keeping her eyes out for a woman. But, still nothing. Perhaps, Leia had accidentally wandered off since children tended to be curious. However, she hoped she could distract and calm Leia's nerves till she found her mom.

"I'm ten and half!" Leia exclaimed, skipping with each step that Anastasia took. Her mood had lightened, holding Anastasia's hand tight. Her smile was toothy, having one missing. "I started fifth grade two months ago, but my mom homeschools me. We travel a lot for my mom's work, so it's easier."

"Oh, how nice," Anastasia said, returning the young girl's smile. It made her think back to her conversation with Bruce the night before, the one about having kids. She could see herself being a mother, wondering if that was what she was missing from her life. But, perhaps Bruce was right. It wasn't the best time to have children with how messy their lives were.

"How old are you?" Leia asked.

"You know, you don't ask a woman her age," Anastasia chuckled, shaking her head. Leia seemed confused by her comment, tilting her head. For a moment, a face flashed in Anastasia's mind. But, it had come and gone too fast for her to make out any features. She shrugged it off, deciding to answer Leia's question. "I'm twenty-eight."

"You're so old," Leia hummed, holding onto the bunny.

"Hey, come on now," Anastasia chuckled, not having been called old yet. Perhaps, she was getting a lot older than she realized. She would hit thirty soon, making her wonder where the years had gone. "So, what's your bunny's name?"

"Annie," Leia said. She smiled again, meeting Anastasia's green eyes. "It's close to your name."

"Annie is a cute name," Anastasia nodded, looking at the bunny that was missing an eye. It looked to have seen better days, but the young girl was attached to it. She felt as if she had seen the bunny before, wondering if it was something she had seen in a store. "Who got it for you?"

"My mom," Leia replied, looking down at the bunny Annie. "I've had it since I was a baby."

"I used to have a stuffed bear that I named Lola," Anastasia mused, remembering glimpses of the bear that had inherited all of her baby clothes. She remembered holding tea parties with Lola all the time, but the tea parties stopped after her mother had died. And, she couldn't remember where she had lost the stuffed bear. She tried to keep her focus on Leia, not wanting to get lost in the past. "So, what's your mom's name, sweetheart?"

"Elide," Leia replied.

"Do you know where you saw her last?"

"Yeah, we were here to pay respects," Leia answered, looking up at Anastasia. Her brown eyes focused on Anastasia, surrounded by dark circles. She was too young to have them, but it seemed no one had a proper sleeping schedule in Gotham. "My mom used to have a daughter before I was born, but she died before she adopted me. It's been a long time, but we still come to drop off flowers."

"I'm so sorry," Anastasia whispered, noticing the sadness that lingered in the young girl's eyes. For eleven years old, she was a lot smarter than Anastasia would have thought. But, sadness had a way of aging someone. "It must have been hard for your mother. At least, she has you."

Leia smiled, nodding her head. "She does! She's the best mom in the whole world," she whispered, letting out a small sigh. It was clear how much the child loved her mother. "I'm happy to have her too."

"Leia!"

A woman's voice sounded in the distance, lighting up Leia's eyes. She grinned, running toward the voice as she dragged Anastasia with her. She tried to keep her breaths steady, ignoring the burning of her lungs as the young girl kept a tight grip on her hands. Eventually, they saw a tall older woman with dark hair come into view. Relief fell across her features as she rushed forward, hugging Leia tight. She peppered kisses against the young girl's face.

"Don't you ever run off like that again!" the woman, Elide, scolded, as she hugged the young girl tight. "You almost gave me a heart attack, baby."

Finally, Elide noticed Anastasia. She stood, giving her a kind smile. "Thank you," Elide said, immediately coming over to give her a hug. Anastasia slowly hugged back, returning the woman's smile. Elide seemed much older than herself. Perhaps, in her late forties or early fifties. Her hair was still black, but there were streaks of gray here and there. Heavy laugh lines, but youthful eyes. "For looking out for my little girl."

Anastasia shook her head, smiling. "No, it's fine," she said. "If anything, Leia was the one looking out for me."

"Elide Dean," the woman said, holding out her hand for Anastasia to shake.

"Anastasia Lovejoy-Wayne," Anastasia replied, shaking the woman's hand. The woman's eyes flickered with recognition, but she didn't react otherwise. It felt strange to introduce herself, considering her name felt like a mouthful to say sometimes. She cleared her throat, stealing a glance at the watch around her wrist. "Well, it was nice to meet the two of you. But, I need to get back to work."

"Oh, uh," Elide said, digging through her purse before she pulled out a card. She held it out for Anastasia. Her eyes were  soft, apologetic. "My agent said I should try to pass these out to everyone I get the chance to, considering we need as many people to attend the event as possible."

Anastasia smiled, taking the card. It was for one of Gotham's most prestigious museums (one the Waynes had donated to many times in the past) and it talked about a new art exhibit opening in about a month and half during December. "An art show?"

"Yeah, I'm one of the artists featured," Elide shrugged, keeping her bright smile. It was then that Anastasia noticed paint that stained the woman's jacket and jeans. Even Leia's pink dress and white coat had spots of blue paint. "And, I suppose having the Waynes there will be a big deal."

"Yeah, maybe," Anastasia shrugged, looking over the invitation. December was still a long time away and so much had been happening lately, she didn't want to make any promises. "The Waynes haven't had good press lately. Bad luck, I suppose."

Elide nodded her head, remembering the debate. It was something all of Gotham had seen, knowing that evil ran in the Waynes' blood. "The Waynes will always bring attention," Elide mused. "I don't think my agent cares whether it's good or bad. Just as long as people come to see the art."

"I'll have to see," Anastasia said, tucking the invitation into her purse. Her eyes drifted to Leia, giving the young girl a wave. Leia gave another toothy grin, waving back. Her attention drifted back to Elide, nodding at the woman. "See you around, Elide."

Elide smiled. "See you around, Anastasia."

♡

THIS CHAPTER IS MY LONGEST YET, OH MY GOSH. I think! But, it definitely is very long because it is over 12,000 words so I am sure it is filled with mistakes. But, three main scenes: the manor scene, the mayor scene, then the cemetary scene! I wanted to show some fluff between Bruce and Ana, especially show more of how much they love each other and it was time for them to talk about everything. Of course, Bruce isn't going to reveal he's Batman yet. It won't be until the end of this act, so that's something to look forward to! But, I needed them to talk about what happened with Harvey in the hospital because I forgot.

Then, we had the scene with Harvey and I wanted to show that Two Face has arrived and he has no plans on leaving. No one truly knows yet, but that was not Harvey that Ana was talking to. It was 100% Two Face because let's be honest, Harvey would never hurt Ana. But, writing that scene made me excited for my Harvey Dent Fic titled 'Fleeting Joy' and hopefully that will be out one day! I think I will post it around the time I post my last two remaining Bruce Wayne fics!

Lastly, we have the cemetery scene where we have met Elide and Leia! Elide Dean is played by Rachel Weisz and Leia is played by Milly Alcock! Elide is the main character in one of my upcoming Bruce Wayne fics titled "Masterpiece" (title pending because I can never make up my mind ) and it follows the Dark Knight trilogy! No idea when it will be out, but for now, we'll see her show up in this book! Similar to how Erina shows up in this book! One day, we might see Aditi ( the main character in my Bruce Wayne Arkham series ), but who knows! No promises!

I mentioned a book that Anastasia reads that is called No Time to Die and it is a real Supernatural fanfic written by the incredible Remy (samwnchesters)! So, definitely go check her out because I love her so so much! Her books are incredible hehe! And, you can read exactly what Ana does because she loves the slow burn books! And, maybe the smutty books too, but shhhh, we can keep a secret, Ana. But, jokes aside, go check out Remy!

We also saw Clarice again in this chapter! She belongs to another one of my favorite people Ripley (ptolomeae) and I have no words on how much I love Clarice and Ripley!! Clarice is Bruce's older half sister and her character is such a badass! Go check out Ripley's books and be on the lookout for their Harvey Dent fic / all their other fics hehe! Thank you again for allowing me to include Clarice because I have so much love in my heart for her. So excited to write more scenes between her and Ana!!

AMARA.
[ PUBLISH DATE ━━ 09.06.2022 ]