A/N: WELP... Let's see. It's June 5th now and I last updated this November 28th... In other words, it's been 189 days since I last updated. OOPS. o3o

Oh well. School and life got in the way. As well as a complete lack of interest to update this, lol. And I kind of forgot about it too until recently when my friend started playing Batman: Arkham Asylum. So I started to work on it as much as I could in between work and commissions. Never got around to working on that Bane fic though. I guess it's just dead forever.

BUT YEAH AS FOR THIS ONE... Well, just don't ever expect any regular or frequent updates. I will update whenever I bloody well feel like it, lol. If I didn't burn out on things so easily (and get new ideas all the time), I would try to make myself a monthly update schedule, but that's just never going to happen with me... Sorry. e3e

P.S - the more "graphic" stuff is going arriving, but due to rules, I'm afraid you lot will not get read any fully written out sex. BUT, if you are interested in that, Lunar Asylum is also on AO3 and that version is completely uncensored.

Anyway, hope you people enjoy this chapter though, even if it was a long wait. ^w^;

Croc was frustrated. For the past four days, he had been searching everywhere in Gotham for Kelsey, but he couldn't pick up her scent. He had gone by her apartment, but it was clear to him that she wasn't there and probably wouldn't be for a while… She hadn't gone back to work either.

Was she hiding from him? The thought was pissing him off… But no. He knew it wasn't so much her as it was the police. Witness protection and all that bullshit. Maybe they shipped her off somewhere else. Maybe her hometown? Damn it, she had told him the name of it once, but he didn't bother to remember it at the time. He was seriously regretting that choice now, since he could have tried to track her down to the city she lived in.

Of course, his search was getting hinder because of the fucking Bat. He had to avoid him, but the bastard was persistent. Though, he was a little lucky, considering Two-Face was now doing a little operation of his own apparently. That was keeping the other busy, allowing him to search for Kelsey within Gotham.

Where was she hiding? Maybe she was just good at evading him… Croc had to stop himself from such a thought, laughing at himself. No, Kelsey was smart, he would give her that, but she wasn't a genius. She didn't even realize he had been stalking her until he had kidnapped her the first time. He wished it were as easy as the first time; he would have had her with him in his safe house already so he could…

He stopped walking. Why? Why was he doing this? What could he get out of this? Well, no… No, the Bat would come for her; he certainly did last time. And when he did, he would kill the fucker and devour him whole. But that still left Kelsey… And Croc had no plans to let her go, but he didn't want to eat her…

"Never would'a thought you'd get so defensive over some little human woman… Got feelings for your doctor, Croc?"

Croc frantically shook his head of such thoughts. No! No, it wasn't fucking like that! He didn't have any feelings toward that woman! That bitch was just… just someone… he could use. Nothing more. Kelsey was just a stupid woman he could use for his own personal gain, to kill the Bat. Kelsey…

Her name. Again, he was referring to her by her name. Why?! Why?! She… She didn't fucking matter!

But if she didn't matter, he wouldn't be wasting his time with her. He would have been finding other ways to carry out his owns plans, to kill the Bat…

His hands balled into fists. Was Penguin… right? Did he… actually have… feelings for her? For Kelsey? It was impossible though. He had never been loved, never knew what it was, and still didn't to this day. How could he have feelings for anyone, especially his own damn therapist?! But she… Kelsey, she was the only person who had ever treated him as anything but a monster. She treated him like another human being; she saw them the same. They weren't, she was crazy to think that they were, but she didn't treat him differently, even though he looked like this and she was some pretty face.

His only knowledge of feelings and love was of the shit he read in the books they made him read in junior high and high school before he dropped out. And Harley's delusional spots of how much she loved the Joker, but that was hardly anything of use to go off of. Still, it was all he had. His chest was tight at the thought of her getting hurt. He had no urge or desire to kill her, for whatever reason. He had wanted to… protect her from both the Penguin and those bastard men who had come into her room to try and rape her. And everything she did, just her person… It drove him insane.

Did that mean that he actually… loved her? No, not love, fuck that, but… at least some sort of… romantic feeling like that. He actually felt… something for that woman. She was… important to him. He didn't want her to get away from him… Again.

Croc growled to himself, storming forward to begin looking for her. Fuck it. Love, desire, special, important – he didn't care what his feelings for that woman was at the moment. He just wanted to get her back, draw Batman in and finally rip the flesh from his bones. And once the Bat was taken care of, Kelsey would be his. Forever.

He would never have to be concerned about her disappearing from his sights again.

"A-choo!"

"Kelsey? Are you catching a cold?"

"Oh, oh no… Just a random sneeze, that's all."

"Oh. You sure?"

"Don't worry, Bruce, I'm perfectly fine and healthy, I promise."

Bruce nodded. Since it wasn't safe for her to go back home just yet, Bruce had insisted Kelsey stay at Wayne Manor until Croc had finally been caught and put back into Arkham. She had protested at first, but when she checked her answering machine at home and found out she wouldn't have to come back into work for another two weeks to allow herself to recover, she decided that it couldn't hurt to stick around.

Besides, it was nice spending some time with Bruce. And Barbara, whenever she came around. The manor was big enough for her to explore so that she wouldn't grow bored while being made to camp out here until it was deemed safe. Not to mention that the meals were way better here than anything she could make at home, though that was mainly because she wasn't a very skilled chef. Nothing like Bruce or Alfred, even though Bruce could only make simple dishes. Still, certainly more impressive than anything she could do.

Currently, she was in the study with Bruce, who was looking over some paperwork while she was just reading some book she had found in his library. Nothing of great interest, but it was enough to keep her engaged and entertained for the past hour while Bruce worked. Still, she wished he could rest or something… He had been out all night working with Gordon to find out what Two-Face was doing.

She could tell that he looked tired. Knowing him, he was probably still stressing out about Croc… But she seriously doubted that he needed to worry too much about him. If he hadn't shown up yet, then he was probably just hiding somewhere in order to evade getting arrested again. She knew how much he, like many of the other inmates, hated that place.

Giving a small sigh, she closed her book and set it down on the side table, standing up to walk over to the man. He glanced up at her when he heard footsteps, blinking when he saw Kelsey coming towards him.

"Kelsey?"

She didn't say anything at first, gently grabbing his arm and pulling him out of his chair.

"Kelsey, what-?"

"Come on," she insisted, forcing him to stand up. "You haven't slept all day; there are bags under your eyes – you need some sleep. At least a small nap."

Oh. That was what she had been worried about. He shouldn't have been surprised though, since she had always been like that, even when they had been dating way back when. It reminded him of Alfred sometimes, as well as Barbara, who had no issues expressing their concerns about his health. They needed to give him more credit sometimes – he had much more stamina than they thought.

He gently pulled away from her. "Really, Kelsey, I'm fine. I just need some coffee and something to eat–"

She wasn't having it though and held onto his arm. "-And a nice long nap so you don't pass out. You're not a robot, Bruce; you're a man. You still need to sleep just like everyone else. It's bad for your health otherwise."

Bruce gave a heavy huff. All right, he was pretty tired… But it was late in the afternoon. It wouldn't be much sleep for him. Besides, he had to work. Then again, Alfred would just get on him about rest. He had already mentioned it a few times prior to Kelsey showing her own concern. Oh well, looks like they won this time. A little sleep was better than no sleep at all.

Kelsey smiled when she saw him rise to his feet, stepping away from him and releasing his arm. Good, he was actually going to listen to her.

"All right, you take a nap. I'll make you something to eat."

"Just leave it to-"

"Bruce," she said sternly, resting her hands on his hips. "I know Alfred is more than capable of making dishes I've never even heard of, but that doesn't mean I can't cook. Let me borrow your kitchen and I'll make you something to eat before you get up. Okay?"

Bruce had to give a soft chuckle to that. He knew how stubborn she could be at times… Oh well. He had had her cooking before, though it had been so long ago. He certainly wouldn't mind having a taste of it again. Besides, he was curious to see if her skills had improved at all. The last time he ate her food, it was good. Truthfully, nothing especially amazing compared to the standards of high profile chefs, but delicious, nonetheless.

"Try not to make a mess."

Kelsey frowned, making him laugh softly again. Seeing him head out to retire to his bedroom, she made her way down to the kitchen. Thankfully, Alfred wasn't there. Maybe he was down in the Batcave? She knew Bruce needed help from time to time down there… A part of her wished that she could help him, but she knew she would just get in the way. When it came to the sort of technology Bruce was working it, she was completely useless. Her expertise was psychology, so she knew she should stick to that.

Still, she thought as she entered the kitchen. She could help out a little by making him something to eat. Flipping on the television in the kitchen, she saw that it was the news. She left it on the channel as she started to make chicken parmigiana. As she suspected, the pantry was filled with the necessary ingredients to make it from scratch and that should take about an hour.

Of course, since she kept getting distracted by the news, it would probably take an hour and a half.

She couldn't help it though. Croc was in the news again since he was still on the run… and apparently finding food during the night. Another person, this time a young man, was reported missing this afternoon and he was last seen leaving a bar late at night. Kelsey knew better than be optimistic. She knew what had happened to him if Croc was prowling around.

She had to wonder just what he was doing. He wasn't the type to run away and hide; it was obvious from the news that he wasn't laying low. It was almost as if he were trying to draw attention to himself. Maybe he wanted to fight Batman? Get revenge on him for ruining Penguin's plans and cheating him out of his pay?

That didn't make sense either though. It had been four days and Bruce hadn't come across Croc once. He had been able to follow trails and find places where Croc had been hiding, but he never actually found the man himself. Kelsey couldn't figure out just what the criminal was trying to do… Maybe she should call Gretchen or Sarah about him; they had both been his doctor before, so perhaps they could give some insight on this. It would certainly help Bruce out with trying to locate him.

He needed to be caught. Croc was dangerous and innocent people were getting killed just so he could have a meal. The man was sick and needed medical attention, something he could only get in Arkham. Not to mention that once he was in Arkham, he couldn't hurt anyone. At least not for a while.

She shook her head of such thoughts when the news cut to another story, allowing her to focus on making Bruce dinner. She also made portions for herself and Alfred; the butler was probably hungry too. Bruce had been napping, but a part of her had a feeling that he was doing work. She wanted to get angry, but she knew that was just who he was. He put Gotham before himself ever since he took on this Batman mask…

Still, while she understood, she couldn't let him lose track of his health. Alfred would never let that happen, of course, but Bruce was stubborn. Way too stubborn.

She gave a heavy sigh and shook her head again. Well, if he was awake, she would scold him later. Nothing could be done about it now.

Kelsey had been surprised to find that Bruce had actually listened to her and took a nap. He was apparently more tired than he realized. And hungrier too, practically devouring the food she had made. She was glad that she had made enough for him to have seconds, since he had ate that too. At least he was satisfied with the meal.

Alfred was still attempting to convince him that he needed to take a night off: there was no immediate crime or danger in Gotham. He was dead set on finding Croc though, so expectedly, he argued. Kelsey tried to help make Alfred's case, but Bruce didn't seem to want to listen. He wanted Croc back in Arkham. He was almost obsessed with this goal that she was a little concerned about it.

So after dinner while Alfred went to wash up the dishes, Kelsey followed Bruce into his study. She didn't want to bother him, but she had to get him to listen. At least once.

"Bruce, please, just one night. You only had a nap and that's not enough to–"

"Croc's still out there, Kelsey."

"Yes, but-!"

"I have to find him."

"And you will, but you need rest. You can't just–"

"I'll be fine. I have no important business to attend to tomorrow; I can rest then."

Kelsey bit her lip. While, yes, he had a point, she worried the man would collapse from exhaustion. There was trying to keep the city safe and then there was overworking yourself needlessly. He was doing the latter as opposed to the former. She knew Alfred was worried too; as the man said before, Bruce was a man, not an island. He couldn't do it all and disregard his own health.

Gotham needed Batman, but Bruce needed to take care of himself first.

Just as he turned away from her, Kelsey wrapped her arms tightly around his middle and pressed her face into his back. She felt him stiffen up, obviously not expecting her to that. It only made her hug him more. Even though she knew it was wrong, she knew Bruce would listen to her like this. If she pleaded for him, maybe he would stay.

"Please…" She tightened her grip around his waist. "Don't go tonight. Stay… Stay here with me, Bruce."

The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He wanted to stay with her too. But he had to find Croc. He was ripping innocent people apart. The streets weren't safe for anyone right now. Not when that animal was lurking about, looking for victims… And looking for Kelsey.

Bruce was not a mind reader, but he had a strong and unsettling feeling that was what Croc was doing. Normally the criminal would be up for any sort of fight with him; it was Croc's goal to rip him apart. And yet, he was actively avoiding him. Running in circles to throw Bruce off, but still coming to the surface. And Bruce wasn't sure if Kelsey knew; the places Croc had taken his victims were from neighborhood.

He was hanging around the area on purpose. He was looking for Kelsey. Why? Bruce had no idea, but he could assume. And he would be damned before he let that happen to her. He still needed a way to convince Kelsey to quit her job at Arkham and move. That would be much more difficult to pull off than to arrest Croc. He understood how much she loved her job, but it was too dangerous. She would be killed.

The thought made him grip her arms tightly before releasing them again. He didn't want to lose her. She had given him another chance, one he would not ruin this time around. He had sworn to protect her and he would be damned before he broke such a promise.

He stepped out of her grip and turned to face her. She was surprised when he gently seized her face and titled it up, the man gently pressing his lips on hers. But she quickly returned the kiss, relaxing a bit when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him harder.

Maybe she could seduce him into staying. It might be enough to tire him out, if only a little…

She pulled back from the kiss, panting a little as she leaned up to place her lips to his ear. "Bruce, come on… Let's relax."

"Wait, Kelsey-"

She pressed herself closer to his body, feeling him stiffen again. "Bruce, please… I want you."

When he didn't do anything, Kelsey wondered if she had said too much. When she had said that when they were younger, it worked… But that was a long time ago. They had both matured since then and Bruce had changed a lot. Maybe she should have done a more tactical approach. Perhaps she should have lured him up the bedroom-?

Her thoughts were cut off when she was suddenly pushed down onto the desk, the man kissing her hard. Oh, she supposed it had actually worked. Surprised but glad it had, Kelsey quickly hugged and kissed him back. This was much more heated and aggressive, demanding and passionate… He was definitely in the mood now.

But that was fine, since she was getting into it too.

Bruce slowly got out of bed, putting on the buttoned up shirt that had ended up on the floor. He glanced back at Kelsey, was completely asleep on the bed they had gotten to once they had left the study. He reached back and gently placed a hand to her head, stroking through her hair absent-mindedly.

The door opened, but he didn't move.

"Going out, Master Bruce?"

"I have to," he said quietly, still not taking his eyes off of the sleeping woman.

"Miss Kelsey probably won't be happy to know you snuck out in the middle of the night."

"I know."

Even though he knew, Bruce stood up reluctantly with a heavy huff and finished fixing himself up, running his hand through his hair. He felt slightly guilty, leaving like this. He knew that she had done this with him in an attempt to get him to stay the night and he had wanted to turn her down at first. He really did.

And when he found himself kissing her and the next thing he knew, they were… And he couldn't stop, not with her holding onto him like that.

"Shall I prepare for your departure, sir?"

"Yeah, I'll be down in a minute."

"Of course."

Then Alfred left, leaving Bruce to run his hand through his hair. He glanced back at Kelsey, who had turned in her sleep. He wanted to stay. He wanted to wake up to see her smiling face at him in the morning. Just like when they were younger. Before he had become Batman and sworn to protect Gotham.

But that was before. He could no longer do that now, not when he was needed. He had to find Croc and bring him back to Arkham. For not only the city's safety, but for Kelsey's as well. He was out there, looking for her… He would never let that animal find her. Not when he had promised to protect her. So even though he didn't want to leave her there alone, he had no choice; he had to go.

Still… Leaving her like this was hard. So much harder than he had thought it would be. But he forced himself to go, only stopping to give her once last peck to the cheek. And when he pulled back to see a small smile on her face, he at least could be assured that she would dream peacefully.

"Good night, Kelsey."