Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

A Question for the Dark Knight

"What do you think about having kids?"

The question hung in the Gotham night air for a while without any reply. Selina Kyle, better known as the infamous Catwoman was leaning against a wall. She stepped away from the wall and walked towards her companion. Perched at the edge of the rooftop, always searching out any disturbance in his city, was the Batman. The Dark Knight had not moved from the spot for at least half an hour. Always ready; always prepared, he watched over Gotham City with patience. Tonight, however, the city had been at peace. Thus, without any crime or action, Bruce Wayne, the man behind the cowl, was subjected to his lover's curiosity.

The famous unsteady and strange relationship shared by the Batman and Catwoman had finally become a reality; solidified about a year ago, as had the official romance between former billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and the beautiful ex-thief Selina Kyle. Selina had now moved into Wayne Manor over a month ago and had become a major role within the Bat Family.

"Bruce?"

"Is this really something you want to talk about now?" Batman stood and turned to face Selina.

"Why not? Now is a good as time as any." He didn't respond, instead turned back to face the street below, and, without hesitation, dove off the building. Halfway down the side of the building, he activated an electrical current to run through the cape, hardening it to create a wing like glider.

"I really hate it when he does that."

Several blocks away, the Batman landed at another one of his patrol routes. He rose to his full height and made his way to his usual spot near the ledge, in between two gargoyles. To the people below, all they saw were gargoyles, not knowing their protector watching over them.

As he looked down towards the street and the neighboring building, he heard a gentle landing and footsteps. If not for his training and experience, the person's presence would have not been known until it would be too late. He knew what was coming and didn't react when he felt her arm encircle his neck.

"I'm starting to regret giving you a grapple gun."

Selina, still holding on to Bruce's neck, only shrugged at the comment. "How else am I supposed to keep up with you." She released her embrace and went a few feet away to stretch out. "Now, before you rudely left me back at Wayne Tower, I asked you a question."

The Batman didn't move at her statement, only let out a soft grunt, the Batman's equivalent to a sigh. "This is neither the time nor the place to be discussing this."

"And I say it's just as good as any other time."

The Batman rose, his cape surrounding his form, obscuring his body from view. "What brought this up?"

It was Selina's turn to give a sigh. "I'm just curious, that's all."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

Selina rolled her eyes underneath her goggles. "Oh, that's original." She scoffed.

"I think we have enough kids running around as is." She could see he was obviously referring to Tim, Cassandra and Dick. She had to admit they could be a handful.

"Bruce, I'm being serious."

"So am I." The Batman retorted, but as he said that, he could see that his words had hurt her. Bruce Wayne was never good with handling these kind of situations; in and out of the suit. Selina turned her back to him and embraced herself, as if to shield herself from anything that could hurt her.

He stopped when she began to talk. "I know it would be hard. I know it would give you another thing that could keep you from the mission. In this relationship, I never expected a white picket fence or a small house in the country." She turned back to face him. "But this is something that we could share, something that could bring joy into our lives. I just wanted to know how you felt about the subject."

The Batman removed his cowl, showing the man she loved; the man she had teased, flirted, played with, and unconsciously fell in love with. His eyes showed something she rarely saw. There wasn't one emotion, but several that showed within his eyes; Sadness, confusion, concentration, but most of all was fear. The Batman was afraid.

Any other man would have lost his will to live if he suffered through everything Bruce Wayne had. Everything that had happened in his life, every catastrophic incident that happened he blamed himself for. No matter how many times others told him it wasn't his fault, he still held the event as another mistake. His parent's murder, the creation of the Joker, Harvey Dent's fall into madness, the death of Jason Todd and becoming the Red Hood, Barbara's paralysis, the death of Vesper Fairchild, and Stephanie Brown's death. Each one was another link in the chain of guilt he wore everyday.

Selina was one of the few people he shared almost everything with. His emotions, hidden were behind a wall he created in his mind, came pouring out to her. She was one of the handful of people who truly knew him.

"This kind of life isn't fit for a child. This city..." Bruce looked across the skyline of Gotham. "is no place to raise a child. The risk is too great and..." He looked back at Selina. "I couldn't live with myself if something happened. It not that I don't want a child; it's that I can't have a child."

Selina was looking at the ground now. She had already removed her goggles and her hood, and now tears were running down her cheeks.

Bruce came closer and gently cupped her face in his hands. He brushed away the tears from her eyes with his thumbs. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Don't be. I understand." She leaned in and kissed him. It was quick and it was soft, but it said more than anything could at this point. He pulled back on his cowl once he heard the ring of his comm-link.

"Say again, Oracle."

"B, we have a gun shipment at Port Adams and it's a big one. Looks like Black Mask is starting up a new gun trade. Nightwing's heading there now. Thought you might like to join in on the fun."

"I'm on my way. Batman out."

Bruce looked back at Selina with a look of apology. She gave him a small smile. "It's OK. Go do what you have to. I'm going to stay here for a little while longer."

He nodded and pulled out his grapple gun. He gave one last look at Selina before shooting of a cable and swinging over across the city, leaving Selina there alone.

"Your know, your father may be the world's greatest detective, but he's sometimes too dumb to follow the clues I give him," Selina said, looking down at herself with a sad smile and started to gently rub her soon to be swollen tummy. "I just hope he can understand."

See my profile to learn about my Batman AU. Please R&R!