Bride Of Batman

Chapter Two

Later, she's inside the local Y, waiting inside the door.  She is dressed in a black skirt and heels and a gray blouse. Her clothes fit her well. She looks good. She is carrying a small black purse. Her hair is up. At exactly 8:00 a Silver Cloud Rolls Royce pulls up and stops.  Some kids notice.

Kid1:  Dude!  Check this out!

Kid2: Man, what's he doing here?  Is he lost?

Kid3: ha! ha!  The President has come to learn karate!

They laugh.  In the meantime, Alfred has gotten out and has opened up the back door.  He stands there next to the door waiting for Sarina to come out.

Kid2: He's waiting for somebody.  Who -- hey, she's going outside!

Kid4:  What's she doing at the Y if she's got a daddy like that?

They keep chattering and laughing as she walks outside.  As someone who, for most of her life, has been taught to keep a low profile, she's embarrassed by all the attention.  She walks out to the car.

Alfred:  Good evening, Miss Sarina.  Master Bruce is waiting at the restaurant.

SW:(quietly) Thank you, Alfred.

She gets in and he closes the door.  They make some small talk as he drives to a better part of town.  A part of town that she hasn't seen.  There are theaters for plays or opera, jewelry stores, expensive clothing stores. He stops in front of a restaurant called "Savant."  She reaches for the door handle.

Alfred:  Ah!  Miss Sarina, please, that's my job.

SW:  Oh!  Sorry, I forgot.

He gets out and opens the door for her, and helps her out of the car.  The maitre d' comes rushing over, talking in a French accent.

M:  You are the young lady with Mr. Wayne, no?

SW:  Yes, I --

She's busy looking around at everything again.

M:  Please, please, this way. He is waiting for you inside. Come! Follow me, follow me.

The maitre d' is holding her arm as he leads her inside the restaurant. She looks back to say something to Alfred, but he's already gotten in the car and is driving it away. They walk through a bunch of people waiting in the lobby, then through a maze of tables.

BW:  Sarina!

She looks up ahead toward the voice and sees the table.  The maitre d' seats her when they arrive and hands her the menu.

M: Jacque will be here soon to attend to you.  I do hope you enjoy your stay with us here, Mr. Wayne. 

He leaves the table.  Sarina puts the menu down. 

BW:  Sarina!  Good to see you again.  I hope this meeting will not be as rushed as the last one, but I did have some other matters to attend to.

SW:  I understand.

BW:  Please, look over the menu, order whatever you want.  I can highly recommend anything on there.

She picks it back up and quickly looks it over. As she does, she says:

SW:  (smiling) You're going to have to, I can't read this, it's in French! 

She keeps looking it over. She looks on the back.

SW:  Strange menu, there are no prices!

BW:  Oh, the prices?  They're on mine, see? 

He shows her his menu. Sure enough, there they are.

SW: (jokingly)  Hey, isn't that sexist?  Assuming the man is going to pay?

BW:  (smiling) Well, you can have this one then, if you like.

She takes the menu from him and looks it over.  Her eyes are big when sees how much the entrees are.

SW: (laughing) Whoa!  Is this dollars or francs!?  ha! ha! (musing) I'd better give this back, I'd have to jump two thugs to cover this deal.

She hands him back the menu.

BW:  You'd have to what?

SW: Never mind. 

She resumes looking at the menu, even though she can't read it.

SW: (absentmindedly) Do you come here often?

BW:(looks right at her, pauses) I only come here when I have a beautiful, intelligent woman to accompany and converse with me. And I haven't been here in a long, long time.

She looks at him for a minute, not quite sure how to take that.

SW: (quietly) Thank you.

There's a pause.  He looks down at his own menu and back up at her.

BW: Well, Sarina...what are you in the mood for tonight?

She smiles at him.

After dinner, the conversation has turned a little more personal.

BW:  So I understand you're doing this work for your mom, is that it? 

SW:  (smiles) Yeah, kind of.

BW: Is she coming to town soon?  She'll be happy to see what you've accomplished so far.

SW:  (quietly, looks down) No, I don't think she is. 

BW: I'm sorry, am I going somewhere where I shouldn't be?  I mean, I thought she --

SW:   She's not -- she's not coming.  (pauses ) She's actually not my mom.  I just tell people that for the sake of convenience.

Bruce looks at her, but says nothing.

SW:  Anyway, it's getting late.  I'd better be going home.

Bruce gets the check, and they split.

Later, on the roof again, she's enjoying some night air.  Batman sees her as he's swinging by and decides to stop over.  He lands silently.  She's engrossed in conversation with her picture and doesn't hear him.He stays in the darkness.

SW:  -- then when I told him I don't have, you know, paperwork, he said for now to just stay here.  He's turning on the power and water, so I'll save a trip to the Y and the ice machine!  He'll get a fridge and send over stuff so I won't starve.  He says he'll think of a way to pay me that's not illegal so nobody gets in any trouble.  I said, that's okay.  Just room and board and resources. (smiles)  Well, how am I doing, Mom?  Are you impressed?

She stops in thought.

SW: Anyway, I had a great time!  What a place!  There were no prices on the girls' menus, ha ha!

She stops for a minute, thinking.

SW: Do you know what he said to me in the restaurant?  He only goes there with beautiful, intelligent women.  I almost died.  Nobody's ever said anything like that to me in my life.  

She hears a throat clear behind her.

Bman:  Am I interrupting?

Sarina's startled and looks over to the shadow.

SW:  Uh, I was just finishing up.  (to picture, whispered) Good night, Mom! 

She turned away from him and put the picture back in her bra.

Bman:  How did your meeting with Bruce Wayne go?

She spins back around.

SW:  Oh, fine.  Thanks for arranging it. 

He says nothing.  She continues.

SW: Everything has worked out very well.  He's sending some people over tomorrow to start converting this building into something a little more useful.I can't wait to get started.

A week or so later, in the Batcave, Batman is searching on his computer. Alfred has brought down a tray of sandwiches and milk, which he sets on the side of the computer. He stops and watches Batman for a brief moment.

Alfred: Any luck with your search, Master Bruce?

Bman:  Not yet. 

Alfred: Master Bruce, Miss Sarina's name is on the calendar for tonight. (pauses) I've noticed, sir,  you've been spending an unusually generous amount time with the lovely Miss Sarina.

Bman: (pretending not to hear)  Um-hmmm.

Alfred:  Although, I'm sure it's nothing more than a ruse to extract information for your search.

No answer.  Alfred pretends to start dusting.

Alfred: I'm sure she much prefers dinner as opposed to hanging her over the edge of a roof.

Bman: (annoyed)  Thank you, Alfred.  If I need anything, I'll call you.

Alfred: Yes, sir.  I'll bring the car around at 7:00.  (to himself, as he's walking away) I'm sure she'll love (the opera).  It's always been one of my favorites.

A couple of weeks later, Sarina and Bruce are getting out of Bruce's Porsche in front of this shelter.  They go inside.  Sarina goes to a desk and starts digging through a bunch of paperwork. He's still standing by  the door.

SW: It's here somewhere. 

BW: (looking around) Boy, it's really starting to shape up in here.

He starts walking into the room, until he is closer to her.

SW:  (still looking down )  Yeah, it's really looking good.

BW:  Sarina -- (pauses)  Why are you so interested in this?  Why do you do it?

SW: (smiling) It keeps me off the streets. (pauses) How about  you? Any particular reason?

BW: (smiling at her) Well, this project I've taken a special interest in, I'll admit.

Sarina smiles. 

BW:  (pauses, seriously)  I was hoping for a more serious answer from you, Sarina.

She stops looking through her papers and looks over at him.

SW: (quietly) I told you, I made a promise.

He walks over so he's next to her.

BW: (softly)   You made a promise to a mom who isn't your mom.  You've come out of nowhere from a notoriously dangerous coterie of internationally known criminals...

SW: (getting defensive)  You're wondering if you can trust me or something? (somewhat sarcastically)   I guess I can't blame you for that, I mean, after all, how would it look for the great Bruce Wayne to be  associating with someone rumored to be "notoriously dangerous"?

BW: (quietly) Sarina --

SW: I'm not proud of some of the things I did, but I did learn to take care of myself!

She's starting to walk towards the door, but Bruce grabs her arm and holds her. She doesn't resist him.

BW:  Sarina, I only meant that I don't know much about you -

She turns back towards him.

SW:  Ask your pal Batman, I'm sure he can find out what you want to know! Maybe he'll stop by later and hang me off the roof!  Isn’t that his usual method?

She gets quiet, trying to calm down.

SW: Bruce, my past shouldn't matter.  It's what I'm doing now that counts.

Bruce pauses for a minute.  He lets go of her arm and leans against a desk.

BW:  Sarina, we all have things that we don't want everybody to know.  I'm only asking that you not be quite so mysterious with me.  It's better to tell me now before the papers dig it up and cause a scandal, which I assure you they will do.

SW:  What do the papers care about me!

BW:  This involves both of us, Sarina.  When they get interested in this project and they see you with me, they're going to want to know everything about you. Who you are, where you came from. Either we think of a good story to tell them, or they'll find one, and it won't be pretty.

SW:  I don't care what they find out!

BW:  Well, I do.  Either be straight with me, or you *are* out.

She stops and thinks about it and decides he's not bluffing.

SW:  Okay.  Fine.  What is it you want to know?  The mysterious mother?  She's a  woman who was supposed to adopt me.  She didn't; I don't know why.

BW:  (surprised)  You're from --

SW:  Yeah, I was a ward of the State. My real parents were "negligent," so the story goes.

She softens a little.

BW:  Who was this woman?  Do you know her name?

SW:  Mrs. Wade.  I was just a little kid, they didn't tell me much. She gave me a picture and said she'd be back soon, that was the last I heard of her.

BW:  How did you get mixed up with Red Claw?

SW:  I ran away from the Home. I wanted to find something, I felt like I needed to get out into the world. Of course I ended up in the streets. (pauses)  One of  Red Claw's recruiters spotted me. I learned how to be "dangerous;"  that was fun for a while.  Something was still missing, so I came back.

BW:  You came back to find your mom?

SW:  I don't know. I knew it would be useless to find my real parents. I just - I always have this feeling like I want to go home, but I have no home to go "home" to, you know what I mean?

BW: (quietly)   I see. 

SW: I consider her my mom, even though she didn't come back. (pauses)  She wasn't a bad person.  I just - someday I'll have to find out what happened.

BW:  If there's anything I can do -

SW:  No, thanks Bruce.  And I don't blame Batman for telling you about me; it was your building we were breaking into.  I mean, you have a right to know about this stuff.

BW:  It wasn't like that, Sarina.  He just wondered if you're in some kind of trouble.

She smiles at him. 

SW:  Me?   (seriously) I think I'm out of the worst of it.  (kidding) Someday if I ever find my home, I'm going to lock myself inside.  Then no one can ask about my association with a "notoriously dangerous coterie."

BW:  (smiles) You'll let *me* in, won't you?

SW:  (off-hand) Maybe.

BW: Maybe? 

He stands up and kisses her.

SW: (pauses, smiles)  Okay.  You can come in.

There's silence for a while. 

SW:  Your story is worse than mine.  To have parents and lose them is way worse than never having anyone.

BW: (pauses) Sarina, thank you for being honest with me.  I hope you understand -

SW:  Look, it's okay.  I shouldn't have been so defensive.  There's just certain things I don't like to talk about.  You know?

He puts his arm around her.

BW:  Yeah, I know.

She turns towards him and he hugs her.

SW:  That feels good.

He keeps doing it. 

She finally breaks away from him, though they are still close together.

SW:  You'd better go get that car out of here before somebody steals it.

BW:  You sure you'll be all right here?

SW:  Yeah, I'll be fine. I can take care of myself. Anyway, I'm sure Batman will be out soon. (smiles) He'll probably stop by.

BW: (pretending he's jealous) Hey, there isn't anything going on between the two of you, is there?

SW:  Me and Batman?

BW: (pauses, looks right at her) Sarina, I've never met a woman like you before.   (pauses) I hope you won't  break my heart.

SW: (smiling) Break *your* heart? No, I wouldn't do that. You're supposed to be the playboy, remember?

BW: (touches her face)  Don't believe that, it's just a charade I have to act out.

She laughs.

BW:  Good night, 'Rina.

He kisses her again, turns and walks out the door. 

SW: (to herself)  If there were anything going on between Batman and me, B., I'm sure you'd be the first to know.

She goes back to looking through her papers and finds what she was looking for.

Later, back at Wayne Manor, Alfred walks down the stairs into the Batcave, carrying a tray with tea.  He sets it on the side of the bat-computer.

Alfred: Still searching, sir?

Bman:  I've searched every file I can think of, Alfred.  There is no Sarina Wade.  It's like until a few months ago she didn't exist.  I've looked under every spelling --

Alfred: Of course, she may have just given herself that first name.

BMan: There's no "Mrs. Wade" either.  At least none of the Wades in this town were ever going to adopt a child. Nothing matches what she's described.

Alfred:  I hope there's a simple explanation.  She seems such a nice girl.

Bman: Alfred, I know what you're thinking.  Forget it.

Alfred:  Forget that you've seen her 11 times in two months?  A new record for you, sir.

Bman:  It's business.  That's all, Alfred. 

Alfred starts back up the stairs and turns around.

Alfred: And that's not counting the meetings on the roof. 

Batman pretends he doesn't hear.

Chapter Three

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