Chapter thirteen: identity

Chapter thirteen: identity


BRUCES POV:


I met with Fox in the kitchen, where small snacks were being prepared and delivered out to the dance floor. Fox was standing behind a metal table no one was using and signaled me to come over.


"Fox, this isn't the best time."


"It couldn't wait, this information is sensative, your lucky Alfred was on call," he told me with all seriousness.


"This better be important, I ditched my date for this."


"If you don't here what I have to say you want have a date to get back to, you won't have anything becuase you'll be dead."


"The hitman, you know who hired them?"


Fox shook his head "I don't know who hired the guy, but I've been informed that a mercenary named Slade Wilson, codename Deathstroke, has been hired to kill Batman."


"What do you know about this guy?" I pressed.


"He's a military experiment, by fault the procedure went wrong, leaving him with strength and resistance abilities, while also snapping a few twigs inside the brain area."


"So he's crazy?" I simplified.


"On a short note, nothing like you know who, but undeniably, yes he's crazy."


"Fantastic, does he know about Bruce Wayne?" I asked warily.


"Not that I know of."


"And what will Batman be expecting if he ran into this guy?"


Fox walked halfway around the table "Slade is approximately 6'4", with an eyepatch, and a black and orange colored armor, formerly used by the swat."


"So crazy, halloween, pirate. I think I got it."


"Don't underestimate him Bruce, not many have crossed him and lived to tell the tale," Fox warned.


"I won't, don't you think your overselling the pirate thing a bit?"


As Fox shook his head in dissapointment I quickly left the kitchen to go find Harmony. Undoubtly the guests at the party were threatened and curious to why Harmony was dating me, so I expected they would ignore her, or maybe lash out. Any way it was still rude of me to leave her alone.


It didn't take long for me to find her sneaking back into the room through a back door.


"What were you doing out there, it's freezing?" I asked her. Before she answered me I picked up the smell of smoke from her breath. I'd followed her enough to know she didn't smoke regularly, that's not something I'm proud to admit, but it is true.


"I was talking to this guy, he wanted to smoke so I joined him outside, seeing as besides you he's the only guy who will talk to me at this place."


"I told you most of the people here are lame, who was he?"


"He said his name was Edward Nigma, you should have heard how good he is at poetry, it's like nothing to him, I have to be honest though he was a little weird."


I tend to remember a lot of people, especially the ones attending my parties, and I most definantly did not know this man. Still it was highly possible that he was someone's plus one or I just didn't remember intiving him and Alfred had done so for me.


"What was weird?" I humored myself.


"He said not to go to the Christmas carol play tonight, at the big theater down town, you know it."


I looked around nervously, what was this Edward guy talking about? Had the mercenary already found me?


"Bruce, you look like you've seen a ghost?" Harmony held my forearm comfortingly.


"Did the guy you talked with have an eyepatch, or glass eye?"


"No he had glasses, pretty pointless don't you think?"


Maybe I was just being paranoid, that didn't mean the theater was safe. I had a duty, and my personal life was going to have to suffer.


"Is something wrong?" Harmony continued to worry.


"No, no it's just I remembered that I have something to do, and I have to leave. I'm sorry, I'll have Alfred drive you home."


"What it is?"


"Important buisness stuff, it could cost my company billions, I have to go. I am truely sorry."


"It's fine, I wouldn't mind leaving this place anyway, I'd just wish it was with you."


I gave Harmony a quick peck on the cheek before rushing off to get Alfred, and the spare bat suit upstairs in my office.



Harmony's POV:



I watched as Bruce bounded away, tapping the same old man who'd stolen him away before, and pointing at me. I figured this old man was his butler, Alfred, the same one who I'd told about the news scandal and he withheld the information.


"Harmony Jackson?" He clarified in a British accent.


"Alfred."


"Master Wayne has instructed me to drive you home."


"You don't have to, I can take a cab," I secretly wished he would agree to.


"No worries Miss Jackson, I assure you that it would be no trouble."


I figured he'd take my deal since he clearly doesn't like me, but since he was such a supposed gentleman, he obeyed Bruce's instructions. I had to give credit to the guy, I would never be able to drive Don or be anywhere near him after what he did.


Alfred lead me to his shining black Bentley parked a block away from the building. Still keeping up the act, he opened the passenger door for me, and stood aside. I smiled at him and got in the car, he quickly wandered around to the other side.


"Do you need my adress?"


"I took it upon myself to know where you live, seeing as Bruce would most likely want to spend time there."


It was awkward in the car with Alfred, the entire time I was wondering whether or not I should speak up for myself. Daisy would have, and she probably would have convinced me to speak up as well.


"Do you hate me?" I blurted out, nearly holding a hand over my mouth in shock. I can't believe I just said that. Appearantly Alfred felt the same way.


"I beg your pardon?"


"It's just, you didn't tell Bruce about my visit to his house, I thought you must not like me?"


Alfred sighed "I don't hate you, rather I care for master Wayne's best intrests."


"So I'm not in his best intrest then?"


"No," he replied honestly.


"Can I ask why?"


Alfred sighed again "he'd fallen in love before, but not as quickly as he did with you, he has his heart torn to shreds by her and then she was killed by the Joker. It really beat him up, and I'm afraid that another blow like that could destroy him, and all he's worked for. Besides at the rate he's falling for you, the pain will be much greater."


I thought over Alfred's words, I knew the story of his ex who was killed, everyone knew it. I'd never really thought of it like that, at least we had something in common, people we formerly loved were killed by the joker.


"I don't want to hurt him, but I can't let him go either."


"I'm not expecting anything from you Miss Jackson, I just hope we can get off on the right foot this time, it seems no matter my opinion, I will be dealing with you."


"I think that would be nice."


Upon agreeing with him we arrived at my apartment building, where Alfred insisted he open the door for me.


"Would you like me to walk you inside Miss Jackson?"


"No thank you, and call me Harmony."


"Will do Miss Jackson," he immeadiantly disobeyed. I had to admit, I kind of liked the guy, even if he didn't like me.


I stumbled back upstairs, tiredly. I'd been at the party for a little under an hour, yet I it was very emotionally draining. Basically it was a waste of my time. I was hoping to make friends with some of these people and 'spend the night' with Mr I'm so buisy Wayne, who hardly had the time to enjoy his own party.


To mention it Bruce was acting a little jumpy after he came back. It was probably nothing, but I couldn't help but think there was something wrong. Was it me?


I got up and wandered into my kitchen for food. My decrease in money was really effecting me now. The only thing I could put together was a sandwich with mayo and lettus inside. Thank god I still had a bit of wine left over from my cooler.


A knock inturrupted my attempt at watching private practice, which I had a whole season to catch up on.


I opened the door to Ruth who had an eyebrow raised at me.


"What?" I said confused.


"So you leave looking all fancy and what not, and then you come home watchin' some damn tv, and, I was wonderin' why I ain't hearin' any violent thumping."


"The guy above me moved out, finally."


Ruth shook her head "girl you've got me trippin', I ain't talkin' bout that man hoe, I'm talking bout the pocket book of a man you call Bruce Wayne."


"He's buisy, it's nothing really."


"He's too buisy to hang out with the foxiest girl in the damn city, I don't think so, you'd better tell that boy to make some QUAL-IT-Y time for you, or mama Ruth is gonna tear him a new one."


"I'll keep it in mind Ruth, but I'm pretty sure I like him with just the two holes."


Ruth snapped her fingers "don't let this slip out ya hands, work for him, this is the happiest I've seen you in 3 years."


It's been longer than three years since I'd been happy. The problem is, I don't think I'll be able to handle it, if I lose it all again.


"Your a good mentor Ruth."


"Honey I already know that."


Before I could respond my phone went off in my purse and I dashed over to answer it, hoping it was Bruce.


"Hello?"


"Is this Harmony Jackson?" Not Bruce answered.


"Yes, and this is?"


"This is commissioner Gordon, from the police department, we met a little while ago."


"Yes I remember, why are you calling? Has it something to do with Harold?"


"We've just recently lost our crime scene photographer, and Bruce mentioned to me that you'd just left your job at the news station."


A job offer? From the police? What would I even do as a crime scene photographer, I'm not exactly the most strong stomached person. Besides I know nothing about taking pictures as evidence.


"Miss Jackson?"


"Uh, I don't know if I should take it, I don't know anything about crime scenes."


"I'm not asking you to build me a rocket, just take pictures of the things your told to, isn't that what you did at the news station. Look, if I wasn't as desperate as I was then I wouldn't have called you."


"I'll think about it commissioner."


"That's all I'm asking, but I'm going to need a final answer after Christmas Day."


"That's do-able."


"Thanks for your time, I hope you reconsider," Gordon hung up.


I looked back at Ruth who was standing in the doorway silently.


"I think I just got a job."

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