Chapter 2: The Kiss of Mistletoe

"You're what?!" Selina shouted as she pulled the covers over her chest and raised herself from the bed.

"I had a feeling you'd react this way..." he sighed.

"How should I be reacting?! Do you want me to be happy?! Yes, Bruce, I wholeheartedly support your decision to leave the country for a few years and travel the world to train in...what was it again? Martial arts? That sounds like a fantastic idea! By the way, it's perfectly fine that you neglected to tell me this until the night before you leave. I'm not mad whatsoever. I'm sure you waited this long to tell me so you could protect my feelings and make the most of our time together. You didn't mean to hurt me. What the hell is wrong with you?!"

She smacked his head with one of the throw pillows before storming into the adjoining bathroom.

"Selina, I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't figure out how," he said as he cautiously trailed behind her.

"So you decided that telling me on Christmas Eve right after we had sex was the best way to do it?! Real nice, Bruce!"

"'You're right, that was extremely low...but there was never going to be an easy way to tell you."

"You can make all the excuses you want, but it doesn't change anything! You left this until the last possible minute! This is a huge deal, Bruce! We're not talking about going on a two-week here. We're talking years! You're eighteen and still need your butler to look after you! Besides, you've never left the country for more than a few weeks before! How will you survive in poverty-stricken countries for years when you don't even do your own laundry?!"

"Look, I'll tell you everything...but please try to calm down," he implored as he reached for her hand.

"Don't you dare tell me to calm down! It's your fault I'm angry!"

Selina had no intention of backing off. She was infuriated that she was the last to know about his "grand plan" and that he couldn't confide in her as he had done so many times before.

Yet, oddly, she felt empty at the thought of him being gone for so long. She was usually aloof, independent, and more self-centered than she cared to admit. She cursed herself for letting her guard down, yet she was pleased that she had someone who loved her unconditionally, despite her faults. This was the internal battle that she fought whenever he was there. She could hardly live with him, but she could never live without him again.

Tired of scolding herself, she allowed him to take her hand and lead her to the sofa. Once they sat down, she removed her hand and scooted to the other end of the couch.

Bruce bit his lip as he searched his words. "You remember what I said years ago about wanting to catch the man who killed my parents?"

She nodded.

"I haven't given up yet. That man...destroyed my childhood and tore my family apart forever."

"I wish you wouldn't relive that nightmare," she breathed. "You blame yourself every time and it rips you apart even more. It wasn't your fault and you can't change what happened."

"But the fact remains that my parents were murdered in cold blood for no reason at all. They were good people. They spent their lives helping others, never taking anything for themselves...yet they were killed."

"Nothing ever happens to good people in this city, Bruce. You can play by the rules and give everything you have, but it gets you nothing. There will always be someone who wants to hurt you or take what's yours."

"That's why I'm going. I need to understand the psychology of a criminal and what it is that drives them. If I can't change them, I need to give them a reason to think twice. The first task will be to find the man who killed my parents, bring him to justice, and let him rot in a cell for the rest of his life. Then, I want to stop my fate from happening to others. I want to take down the criminal underworld that's plagued Gotham for years."

"That sounds like some silly thing you'd find in a hero comic, Bruce. There are millions of people in Gotham and you're just one man. I don't see how you can do it on your own."

"Well...to be honest...I've been looking into this for a while. Alfred and I both have. There are hidden facilities and secret organizations all across the globe where I can learn everything I want to know."

"Alfred thinks this is good for you?!"

"I wouldn't say he's thrilled about my decision, but it's out of his control. I'm old enough to figure things out on my own. Besides, he's a complete hypocrite! Do you remember that joke he used to tell us whenever we misbehaved about him being a former MI6 agent?"

"Yeah, but he's full of crap," Selina scoffed. "Don't tell me you actually believe him?"

"Not at first, but then I came across his old army trunk in the attic. I started going through some documents and...well...it's true. He even went to Paris at some point and befriended some men from special ops. There are pictures to prove it."

"You've got to be kidding me..."

Bruce shook his head. "I cornered him in the kitchen one night. It took a lot to get him to talk, and he only told me a little bit. He tried to use his past experience to dissuade me from my mission, but I won't change my mind. I can't live with myself until I find the man who killed my parents and he knows that. He finally gave in and said that if I'm going to do this, then I have to do it the right way. I'll need the best training, nothing like you'd find in a typical school. He gave me a list of contacts in the UK and France that I'm supposed to meet in a few days."

"Damn it, Bruce..." Selina exclaimed as she hit the leather armrest of the couch with her fist. "This has to be the most ridiculous plan I have ever heard! You take responsibility for everything and it's going to get you killed! Finding your parents' killer is one thing, but fighting corruption like a crazy vigilante is a suicide mission! I lived on the streets for most of my life, so I know the kind of people you'd be facing. If you get in their way, you might as well put a target on your back! Just leave it to the cops!"

"Really? You—an orphan made to steal for survival—are supporting the police? You know just as well as I do that half the GCPD is on the take! They're no better than the scum they put behind bars! Gotham needs someone who will protect its people, not because it involves a paycheck. I could be that person with enough training, passion, and diligence, don't you think?"

Selina sighed heavily and fell back against the cushions, her eyes staring up at the ceiling. As much as she hated the idea, he had a somewhat valid point. No one was protecting the city, not out of the goodness of their hearts anyway.

Bruce's desire to avenge his parents was strong. There would be no stopping him. In truth, she didn't blame him. His mission was to stop other people from being senselessly killed. If she had the same determination, she'd stop drunken abusers like her father from hurting their families.

"You're leaving tomorrow morning?" she asked, almost as if to convince herself it was real.

"Yes. My stuff is already packed. My plane takes off at 7:45."

"When would you get back?"

"By my calculations...four or five years."

Selina sighed and tucked her legs into her chest. It was the only thing she could do to "guard" herself. She hated the distress she was feeling.

"I'll be alright," he replied reassuringly as he rubbed her knee. "I'm obviously coming back. It won't be any different than when Oswald left for boarding school."

"But you remember how that worked, right? We barely spoke to him after the first year and now we've grown apart. Four years is a long time, B. What does that mean for us? I mean, I know we haven't really labeled...this," she said, gesturing between them. "But whatever it is, it's working for me. When you go away, that changes. There are tons of other women who would love to sink their claws into you. I won't be there to turn your little world upside-down and make you chase after me," she smirked.

He smiled fondly. "No, but that doesn't mean I'll forget. I told you five years ago— I don't know who I am without you. If you think that any woman on the planet will be able to fix me, you're mistaken."

She laughed wistfully, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I can't fix you either. I'm just as broken as you, and sometimes I think I make it worse."

"But you pick up the pieces and hold me together when I fall apart," he replied. "No one—other than maybe Alfred—has ever been able to do that. I love you, Selina. It doesn't matter how far apart we are or how far you run. I will always chase you. I'm drawn to you and that will never change."

She turned to him and brought her lips to his. She threw her arms around his neck and shifted herself into his lap. They kissed themselves breathlessly, reminding each other that what they had would always last.

"Hang on," Bruce said as he stood up and walked over to his dresser. He rummaged through a box in the bottom drawer and returned, holding something small between his fingers.

"I want you to have this," he said as he held her hands within his, lifting the item. "This belonged to my mother. It was a ring Dad gave to her on their first anniversary."

The jewel was dazzling. On a silver band encrusted with diamonds were two interlocked hearts, one gold, one silver, each with a diamond in the center. Written on the band were the words, "Always and forever our hearts are one."

"A little cheesy for us, don't you think?"

"A bit...but my mother said it should go to the girl I care about most. It belongs to you. If not a reflection of who we are, think of it as a promise."

Selina rubbed her thumb across the band and looked back at him.

"What kind of promise?" she asked.

Bruce paused a moment, thinking. "We'll promise that no matter where we are in the world or our lives, we'll never forget how much we need each other. We'll promise to remember what each of us gives to the other. If you stray from the path or find yourself in trouble, I will always be there in some capacity to keep you centered. When I lose sight of who I am or dwell on things I can't change, you'll remind me of what is important. We'll promise to accept each other for who we are or what we are. I'm sure we'll change over time as individuals, and I hope we'll ultimately change each other for the better, but we can promise to respect one another for who we are inside."

Selina smiled at this thought. "I think I can work with that," she remarked, giving him a quick kiss. She gazed around the room before sighing once again. "I guess we only have a few more hours."

"Then let's make them count."

Selina let out a small laugh as Bruce took her hand and led her back to his messy bed.

"I love you," he whispered as they lay down side by side.

She hesitated at first but realized that night was her last chance to say how she felt and the only chance she could say it without regret.

"I love you too," she replied as they indulged in their last night together.