"So, that's why you… do what you do." Dick said solemnly once Bruce had finished his story. It had been sad, but Bruce had been able to do so much despite that! Or maybe even because of it! He had traveled the world and become a superhero and saved so many people- heck, he hadn't even gotten to the part with the justice league, and how they had saved the world three years ago. But there was something in it all, Dick thought, in using something bad to bring about so much goodness. Something in it that made him want to join more than anything.

"Yes." The older man agreed. "That's why I do it."

"I want to help." Dick said before he thought.

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "It's too dangerous out there, Dick. We've talked about it. My final answer is n-"

"Not out there!" Dick quickly interrupted. "I just want to… help you." It was kind of true. Did Dick want to go back out there, swing from rooftop to rooftop, help Batman? Oh yeah. But was Bruce going to let him? Apparently not. So, Dick would help in any way he could- then worm his way into being out there with Bruce. He'd come up with a plan.

Somehow.

Or maybe he would just sneak out again. But he would try to come up with a plan first.

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked slowly.

"Well, Alfred helps you without being in the action." He pointed out. And, to be fair, dick would probably do much better in the field than the butler, being younger and more flexible.

Alfred caught the boy's eyes, and Dick took back his last thought.

"True…" Bruce frowned. "But Alfred has extensive medical and strategic training."

Dick sighed heavily. "Then train me too." Was that not the obvious next step to anyone over the age of- how old was Bruce? He decided to go with anyone over the age of 20.

Bruce hesitated. Dick wondered if he had ever seen him do that before. "I- we'll see. Let me think about it."

The boy couldn't keep himself from grinning. "Thank you Bruce!" he threw his arms around the man's middle. The man stiffly patted his back.

"I said I'll think about it." Bruce repeated awkwardly. He stood up slowly. "I have to get back to work, I'll see you both tonight."

Selina needed a break from planning her fundraising gala. She stretched, closing an email about venues. It was getting late, and the summer sky was fading from dark haze to a night-black. She stood and moved to the window. It was getting late, and she was itching to go out again. There wasn't anything cat themed currently in any of the museums, she kept tabs on those, but perhaps something else. After a few searches, she found a beautiful antique ring and would at the very least get her a nice amount on the black market. Or maybe she would keep it. She could decide when she saw if it fit. She pulled out her black leather suit, and began to change.

The ring did fit, Selina thought happily as she tried it on the roof.

"Meow." She muttered, holding it up to the light. It could catch a pretty penny, or she could keep it. She would have to reset it thou, so it wasn't obvious she was wearing a stolen heirloom. That would also make it look less like an engagement ring. She tucked it in her pouch to decide later, along with a few necklaces and a bracelet that had caught her eye.

Looking out from the building, she decided to head eastward, to her setter and agent when she heard something behind her. Peeking over her shoulder, she froze.

Fricken' Batman was behind her, dropping to the roof next to the one she was on. Ok, this probably wasn't about her. Just in case though, she swung down onto the lower roof, and ran half a block of rooftops, eventually ducking behind a stack of crates.

She looked behind her, checking to see if- oh, really? Surely batman was not actually chasing her down.

He was.

Fabulous. She couldn't go forward, there would be too many higher buildings that she couldn't get over fast enough. And she could get too easily trapped to the right. She began a running start for the building on her left. Toward the docks then.

Checking behind her, she saw Batman was still chasing her. Despite herself, she grinned. This was new, but quite fun.

Dick's eyes were wide as he and Alfred watched batman's location on a large computer screen. On another, the camera on his cowl broadcast a video of what he could see. On yet another, smaller one Alfred was coming through files of criminals in order to identify the cat burglar batman was chasing.

"There are a few reports of a cat burglar in the last few months." Alfred reported into his microphone. "I'm searching them for pictures- two could be her. In both, she steals cat themed jewels and artifacts, so she probably did a few of these others… hmm, she didn't seem to target this one for that reason though."

Batman grunted, thinking.

Dick slowly rolled his seat over to an unused screen, looking at the other cat based robberies. In all but one, additional things had been stolen. She was partial to cats, but liked other things. He looked at the non-cat thefts. Two had been solved and one had a picture that clearly wasn't the woman Bru- Batman was chasing. But one had a picture she definitely was in. He showed it to Alfred, who nodded at him.

"While drawn to cat artifacts, it seems she just cares about profitable items." Alfred told Batman. "Many of the things she stole we have recovered elsewhere- except the cat things." He looked at Dick's list.

"Cats are her passion, but the other stuff is her job." Dick. "Maybe it funds her cat hobbies."

Alfred relayed that as well. Batman still only grunted. He was at the docks now, surveying ships. The cat burglar seemed to have hidden in one.

"The one with the yellow stripe." Dick muttered. Batman couldn't hear him, but hid behind a crate opposite it. Dick grinned.

Selina held her breath as she hid between the crates on the cargo ship. A she watched batman come closer to her ship, then disappeared from view. She turned a bit, pursing her lips. He didn't walk pass the ship, and he wasn't coming closer to it. She leaned out a bit from the box, seeing if she could see if he was leaving. Still, nothing. Well, she couldn't very well run from someone if she didn't know where they were!

She decided it was probably safe to creep further back through the crates. She only made it past a few stacks before a flicker of shadow behind her caught her attention. She leapt to the side, and heard batman step in. she crept around the closest stack, watching carefully. once she figured she was a bit behind him, she sprinted toward the end of the ship- port? Aft? She didn't know anything about ships- near the docks. When she got far enough, she leapt onto the shortest stack of crates at the end, pulling herself on top, the standing very carefully. Batman walked- how was he so fast? - to the bottom of the stack, looking up at her.

"Hello, Batman." She called down, deliberately calm. "Slow night, I take it? If you're after little old me?"

He didn't answer- Selina knew he was trying to figure out how to reach her without toppling the tower of creates. Keeping eye contact, she carefully began to clime up the stack next to her. One more stack and she would be at the height the rest of the boxes were stacked too. She would have enough room to run across them. Of course, batman would have the room to come after her if she did leave the first stack. Well, she could stay there all night. Suddenly hurrying, she climbed the last boxes and began running over the boxes- all the way across the ship. Then, steeling herself, she jumped and leapt to the next boat over.

Batman's eyes widened- he had used his grapple gun a moment after she sprinted over the boxes. But he hadn't expected her to jump ship. From his highly precarious position, he could see that she hadn't quite made it across the gap, but had caught the edge and was now pulling herself over. All right then, at least this would be easier than fishing her out of the water. He grappled over the gap, landing on the deck several yards in front of her.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." She purred at him, but her body was tense, ready to bolt. He stepped closer, but she didn't move away. Yet.

"Nothing? Did I accidentally grab your tongue? You can have that back."

Closer.

"Hmm, you're the strong, silent type, then?"

Closer, then he grabbed her arms, looping a pair of his special handcuffs around them. She looked down at them, then back up at him. Her eyes were hidden behind the thick green lenses, but he had the distinct impression she was rolling her eyes.

Then she threw herself onto him.

Batman readjusted quickly, attempting to shove her off, but her arms around his neck where tight and her lips were very persistent. He broke the kiss, but she still stood up against him, staring.

"You should probably do that before you cuff the next girl you see. Oh, and maybe ask for her name." She smirked, pushing his chest with one hand.

Wait, one hand?

He grabbed it, but the other hand had apparently snagged a smoke pellet from his belt- or maybe hers?- and snapped it in his face. He was temporarily stunned, reeling bac from the dark powder.

A few steps and some waving cleared the air. He looked around, and saw that she was running down the gangplank. He hurried to catch up.

Off the ship.

Onto the docks.

Around the warehouse-

A small sack went flying at his face, he caught it instinctively.

Opening it slightly, he realized the jewels the cat burglar had stolen were inside. Frown deepening, Batman looked around, trying to follow her.

"Any visual, Penny 1?" he asked quietly, without moving his mouth.

"No." was the level answer. "Will you pursue or return the jewels?"

He didn't answer verbally, but after grappling up the ware house yielded no clue to where she had gone, he decided to return the jewels to the shop. Besides, he knew she would turn up again, and it wasn't like she was the most dangerous criminal in Gotham.

Funny, how he would turn out to be very, very wrong.

AN: IM NOT DEAD! Sorry for the longs time between updates guys. life has been... a lot. lets just say between school, doctor appts, work, more school, and more doctors appointments, finding the time to write is touguh, esp bc I average out to being a pretty slow writer.

On that note though, I'd like to thank foxchick1 for asking me about this fic earlier this week, which motivated me to have it up by last night. then ffnet wouldn't let me upload, buts its here now! also would like to thank JaggerK and BlueReno16 for reviewing the last chapter.

updates might still be a bit eratic guys. I'm hoping to have one more chapter up before my surgery in about a week and a half, but I also want to post one more chapter on my sw fic. (of course, it is now wildly non canon compliant but eh I never really cared.) And I have no idea how my surgery will affect my schedule. might have a lot more time to write, might be too in pain or high on pain meds to write anything coherent.

eh. itle be fine. thanks again for reading!