Wake Up and Live

by batmanbane

"It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever and ever sight."

― Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

Chapter 1 – Prologue

Gotham City – Five days before detonation

Juliet had never believed in destiny, until she laid eyes on the masked man.

On a late winter morning in Gotham City she found herself standing at City Hall, seat of the mercenary who held Gotham by the throat. Bane's five-month reign of terror had destroyed the livelihood of every citizen, along with her own catering business. Garbage piled up in the streets, food was rationed, and the police languished underground while he and his men spread anarchy throughout the city. He'd threatened Gotham with a neutron bomb, promising it would be detonated in the event of outside interference or attempted escape. But word on the street claimed the bomb was unstable and would detonate regardless. The Batman had mysteriously disappeared, and it seemed no one could save the city now.

Strangely enough, despite her own fears and uncertainty, Juliet had made the trip downtown in the hopes of witnessing one of Bane's mesmerizing speeches. From her position at the foot of the stairs, she had a perfect view of the Grand Avenue mob. Scores of homeless citizens lined the street, all eyes fixated beyond her as they eagerly awaited the handouts of food and water that the mercenary occasionally offered.

Briefly wondering why none of the onlookers joined her on the stairs, she rotated to her left, and her eyes travelled up to the main entrance of the public building. The reason for the crowd's curiosity was now blatantly obvious. The man in charge had just made his presence known on the colonnade, and the people rumbled in awestruck response.

She'd seen him on the news — the conceited tyrant who wore the intimidating mask, the loquacious mercenary in the high-collared shearling coat. On television he virtually bounced with attitude, like a smug celebrity. But seeing him on the news scarcely prepared Juliet for the sight of the real, live Bane.

A slow blush crept over her as she recognized him, and her heart jumped with anticipation. Would he speak today? She watched him scan the crowded avenue carefully as if he were looking for signs of unrest. When he appeared satisfied, his eyes settled on the base of the City Hall stairs. Something, or someone had aroused his interest.

And then the reality of the situation dawned on Juliet. Bane was looking directly at her with an intense, unwavering gaze.

Without a glance to his second-in-command, he handed over his rifle, and slowly began to descend the steps, thumbs looped through the straps of his bulletproof vest as he came straight for her.

Paralyzed, Juliet could practically hear her heart hammering in time with his footfalls, and she held her breath as step-by-step he closed the space between them. His eyes never left hers as he made his descent — fascination was mixed with regal distance.

She panicked, wanting desperately to look away so he would lose interest and pass her by. But his piercing stare was far too powerful, holding her hostage until she realized she had no desire to look away at all.

He was enormous — tall and broad-shouldered. And although he was undeniably masculine, he had features that any woman would covet — gorgeous eyes, a generous fringe of long lashes, and a healthy complexion. Bane carried himself with slow, deliberate steps, radiating self-confidence and ego…

Juliet blinked and swallowed hard. She had not expected him to be so charismatic…

Truth be told, she'd had an itch for him since the first moment she saw him on the flat screen television at Gotham News & Books — she just hadn't realized it.

There was no doubt in her mind that he was well aware of his attraction, and if he had meant to seduce her with his confident strut, he was doing a bang-up job. Her lower belly throbbed, fantasies flooded her mind, and she conjured an image of Bane dragging her off to the bedroom.

She was his chosen one. She was that one woman who could tame him. She would teach him how to give and accept love. And she would save him from his misguided ideals.

When he finally reached her level, she thought he might speak to her, but only his uneven, metallic respiration sounded as eyes the colour of coffee beans penetrated hers. Close up, the fearsome mask he wore only added to his magnetism. Its insect-like jaws were obviously intended to intimidate, but the mask also seemed to operate as a device to help him breathe. It was a potent reminder that he could be vulnerable.

He was living, breathing, flesh and blood. All man, and absolutely breathtaking.

Her mouth dropped open at the revelation, soft lips trembling. Juliet tried to speak but the words wouldn't come. Her body vibrated as though it had just awakened from a long hibernation, and when she was unable to hold her breath any longer she released a slow, shivering sigh.

Bane's brow quivered at her response, and it occurred to her that she'd offended him. Fearing punishment, she gripped her leather gloves tightly. She hadn't forgotten his cruel killing of Dr. Pavel.

Her heart sank into her stomach as Bane's right hand fell from his vest, freeing his agitated fingers. Now she was going to die…

But she didn't die. Instead, Bane's twitching digits eventually returned to his vest, and Juliet could have sworn that his chest heaved involuntarily. She nodded in a gesture of acknowledgment, and her heart lurched again. Surely this encounter was written in the stars…

His frown seemed to deepen at her response, and the mask murmured softly. Then, as quickly as it had begun, the spell was broken. Bane's military entourage approached from the rear, and it was time for him to move along. Releasing her eyes at last, he pushed forward across the sidewalk and into the street.

First to follow him was his bearded lieutenant, who lustfully looked Juliet up and down while his right eyebrow cocked in interest…

Bane strolled through the pillars on the colonnade at City Hall, stopping at the top of the stairs. Behind the mask, his lips curled in contempt as he surveyed the crowd on Grand Avenue. If the unwashed masses were looking for handouts again, they would be sorely disappointed. He would not offer hope today — not so close to the end.

He enjoyed their audience, but banned them from setting foot at City Hall, allowing them to proceed no further than the far side of the avenue. Although martial law was in effect, he cared little if the people took to the streets in the daytime, as long as they behaved themselves. Fear kept them in line.

All but for one individual, it seemed. Frowning, he spotted an interloper. A woman had defied him and dared to cross the invisible barrier to stand at the base of the City Hall stairs. And she was shamelessly staring at him!

Smirking again, Bane felt his manhood stiffen as he plotted his next move and passed his rifle to Barsad for safekeeping. He had a little game in mind as he moved forward. He would stare the woman down until she crumpled emotionally and begged for mercy. Then he would inform her that it was impolite to stare, before crushing her windpipe.

Gripping the straps of his vest, he advanced down the stairs, and the woman was further revealed to him. He detected no excessive use of cosmetics, disfiguring tattoos or piercings; and there was no unflattering hair colour or artificial scent. She was wrapped in a military-style winter coat.

He had noticed her hair first, which spilled in dark waves down her back. She was wide-eyed, clear-skinned, and pale. When it appeared that the woman understood his interest, her lips parted — soft, moist…and inviting.

His forehead trembled as a stirring in his core raised goose bumps beneath his shearling coat. He'd always considered lust to be beneath him, yet now his member hardened unapologetically with each step he took.

Closing in, he saw fear and obsession mingling in her dark green eyes, as delicate eyelashes fluttered nervously against porcelain skin.

Bane's legendary composure shook. He had not expected her to be so lovely…

His natural arrogance took hold, and he imagined himself a whole man, the magnificent lover she had chosen above all others. There was no mask, and there was no other man for her but him. He had won her.

Now he stood level with her, fully expecting her to swoon in his wake — until something electric passed between them — information, or an understanding…

And then a disturbing thought invaded his mind. In the absence of the Batman, Gotham had a new secret weapon. She had been sent to bewitch and weaken him so that the city could be taken back. His gaze narrowed suspiciously.

Impossible. Years of training with the League of Shadows had taken care of that. Now Bane returned to his original plan, but he could not remember what he'd planned to say. He freed his hand to crush her windpipe. It would be the end of her power over him.

And yet, he felt certain that their souls had communicated. She was no enchantress. She was beautiful and good, but for those reasons alone she could still hurt him…

Against his better judgment, he returned his hand to his vest, and she nodded as if to acknowledge whatever good remained in his mortal soul.

He wanted to speak to her, but could not find the words, cursing himself for his ignorance of the art of flirtation. All he could manage was a muffled stammer. Bruce would know what to say…

And suddenly the moment came to an end as Bane's men pushed from behind. Remembering his duty, he committed her to memory and reluctantly dropped his eyes as he moved forward to begin his day.

Having departed the steps of City Hall, Bane and his entourage began their walkabout of Grand Avenue, a daily ritual intended to affirm the mercenary's authority.

His man Barsad was visibly annoyed, and spoke out of the side of his mouth so that the rest of the entourage wouldn't hear.

"Another blown opportunity, Boss!" He criticized in a half-whisper. "You had that girl in the palm of your hand and you… you just walk away from her? I don't get it!"

"I have no interest in intimacy with these citizens." Bane croaked haughtily. He gave the appearance of being calm, but in the last few moments his internal temperature had elevated dramatically, a reality that deeply disturbed him.

"You need to get laid, Bane!" The lieutenant insisted. "Talia is turning you into a hermit! Don't look now, but spring is in the air, so enjoy yourself while you can still get an erection."

"That advice is predictable, coming from a man who has fornicated with a different female every night of our siege." Bane raised a hand to the crowd, returning the attentions of a group of children who enthusiastically waved from the sidelines.

"Let me go back. I'll have her dolled up into a pretty package and delivered to you tonight!"

Bane stopped in his tracks, his colour rising. "You will do no such thing, Brother!" He bellowed, outwardly offended at the suggestion. "Instead you will arrest her for trespassing, and the only person you will deliver her to is Judge Crane!"

"Oh stop bluffing!" Barsad scoffed. "I saw what happened back there. She put the whammy on you, and you liked it."

If there was one thing on which Bane could always count, it was Barsad's gift for plain speaking. He had observed correctly. For the first time in years Bane had been captivated by a woman — one who was unlike most of the females he'd encountered in the foul city of Gotham. He had enjoyed the experience, but at the same time loathed himself for a weakness that seemed to come out of thin air. And he was astounded that his lieutenant would want to have her 'dolled up'. To his eyes, she was already perfection.

Barsad could harass him all day on the subject of his disinterest in the women of Gotham, but Bane was no fool. He'd understood only too well what had happened between himself and the woman. Her come-hither mouth and his throbbing staff were evidence of their shared want.

Bane observed that she'd worn a diamond solitaire, the indication that she belonged to another man. But even if he were to pursue her, the ring's meaning was of no significance. He'd always taken exactly what he wanted, no matter whose property. It was a lesson he'd learned long ago in the Pit.

In another time, another place — he might have taken Barsad's advice and had her brought to his quarters. But this was Gotham, where years of planning and sacrifice were about to pay off. Most important was his duty to Talia. Any diversions could spell disaster for their plan.

The second in command's voice rudely broke into the mercenary's reverie.

"I mean, do you even remember the last time you slept with a woman, Bane?

The dictator ignored the sniper's intrusive question, his conflicted mind still wrestling with the woman's hold over him. He needed to calm himself and think rationally. In these final days in Gotham, perhaps he was being tested…

"Have you ever made love to a woman?"

"I am no stranger to the functioning of my male parts!" Bane growled. "And you are making far too much of the encounter!"

"Okay, then just answer me this…Do you know how to romance a woman?"

The masked mercenary stopped in his tracks again, casting an annoyed glance at Barsad.

"The man who indulges his baser appetites is doomed." Bane advised his second-in-command testily. "Intercourse is visceral, best applied as a means of control. This is how Talia took control of Bruce, is it not? When I take control, I prefer the applications of violence and fear. Further, romance is only for he who is weak in body and spirit. I am not that man..."

"Suit yourself!" Barsad chuckled. "But you're gonna be sorry. One day you'll be an old man — full of regrets because you never let yourself fall for someone other than she who dangles the carrot but never allows you to touch her. Me? I'll have lots of stories to tell. But you won't."

"I have no expectations of growing old, Barsad, and I have no interest in boasting about sexual conquests."

"Exactly!" Barsad hit back. "Because you don't have any!"

"This conversation has become quite tedious!" The agitated Bane snarled. He was just about ready to snap Barsad's neck. "We will return to City Hall."

"Now, you're talking, Brother!" Barsad enthused. "If you're lucky she might still be standing there, and you'll have another shot at her. Now listen carefully while I tell you exactly what to say…"

A heavy snowfall had just begun to cover the sidewalks as Juliet started her walk home. She hugged her body tightly as a silly grin erupted all over her face.

"I won!" She laughed, her voice echoing in the empty street. "I won!"

She had just played an impromptu game of 'chicken' with Bane, and won. The two of them had been engaged in a staring match as he descended the stairs, and he'd been forced to look away first, because he needed to pass her in order to get wherever he was going.

It was a small victory, but after months of Bane's occupation, it felt huge.

"Mmmmm…" she sighed aloud. She still tingled all over, an entirely new experience for her. She understood that the momentary encounter with Bane had been much more than just a game of chicken.

After all, she was a woman, and he was a man. They'd both been very aware of the appeal they held for one another during the brief moments of staring into one another's eyes. Of that, she was certain.

They'd had a moment that neither one of them would ever have to account for. She'd never have to confess the reason for her lustful shudder, nor would he have to explain the hungry ardor in his penetrating stare.

How was it possible that she could feel so intensely for the man who had triggered Gotham's probable demise? She felt positively exhilarated, electrified and alive. No man had ever, ever provoked a spontaneous reaction such as the one she experienced at that moment.

Up until then, the lessons of her grandmother had always been clear: All the best marriages are business arrangements. Love makes you weak, and poor.

Well, to hell with Grandma, whose theories had made Grandpa a very unhappy man.

Remembering where she was, Juliet was overcome by a profound sense of loss, and she scolded herself for obsessing about a man she could never have. The moment they shared was likely to be lost forever, swept away by a bomb with a six-mile blast radius.

And even if by some miracle the city survived, her future had already been decided.

She thoughtfully fingered her engagement ring, before shoving both hands into her pockets and forging a grim journey homeward through the snow.

Shit!" Barsad cursed. The woman he sought had disappeared from the City Hall stairs and was nowhere to be seen. "She couldn't have gotten far, Bane. He immediately offered to track her, and was surprised when Bane readily agreed.

"Brother…" Bane cautioned him quietly as he tapped his friend on the shoulder. "You will disregard my previous instructions. Follow her. I want to know everything there is to know about her. You are not to speak of this to anyone, or make her your latest conquest, do you understand me?"

The man with the big gun broke into a lascivious grin and smacked Bane against his armoured vest. "There's hope for you yet, big guy!" He beamed.

"Do not make so much of this, Barsad." Bane replied. "I am merely curious, that is all. The woman strikes me as being trustworthy."

"Right. Trust the crotch. I'll check in later, Boss."

In the days to come, the city was saved. The Batman returned at the eleventh hour, sacrificing his life to carry the bomb outside the blast's radius. The city dealt with its mourning by immediately addressing the needs of the people. Necessities poured into the city by plane and boat. Skilled workers from every discipline were brought in from all over the country to help repair damages. And the investigation into Commissioner James Gordon's role in the Harvey Dent cover-up was officially postponed, because the city needed his leadership more than ever.

It was soon revealed that the tyrant Bane had not been his own boss. He had a superior — a vengeful woman who had deceived Gotham in the disguise of beautiful philanthropist Miranda Tate. It was revealed that she was the daughter of the warlord Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of the Batman who had also failed to destroy Gotham, and lost his life in the process. His duplicitous daughter was killed while attempting to ensure the bomb's detonation. Witnesses claimed that both Bane and his lieutenant, Barsad, were killed during the battle of City Hall. Amongst the bodies it was difficult to tell who was who, since mercenaries carried no identification. Of the men taken alive, one of them gleefully informed the authorities that no matter what his fate, Bane had ordered this particular man to destroy his mask should the tide turn against them. He claimed to have done so, blasting the mask to pieces with an AK-47 and sinking them into the harbour. "You will never know for certain if he's out there...waiting to strike again." The mercenary taunted.

The police just assumed that Bane and Barsad were both dead.

Gotham City - Two months after liberation

Juliet charged through the back door of her red brick townhouse in Gotham's Corktown neighbourhood, having just spent three hours waiting in line at Eden Market. She told herself to be patient, that everyone in Gotham was in the same boat, but on some days she couldn't help but feel frustrated. Would the city ever return to normal?

Once inside, she threw the deadbolt on the back door and sighed dejectedly, taking off her shoes and entering the laundry room.

If she didn't find a job soon, she'd have to rent out the downstairs apartment, and she didn't relish becoming a landlord. The separate apartment was the reason why she originally purchased the house. It was completely finished, and in addition to a living area and a large bedroom, there was a full kitchen behind the bar.

Jeffrey called it 'the man-cave' and liked to have his friends down for beer, burgers and hockey, but for Juliet the apartment had been the best place from which to launch her catering company.

Switching on the stairwell lights in the laundry room, she opened the pocket door that lead to the apartment, and hauled six grocery bags down the stairs. Behind the bar, she stocked the refrigerator first, before rising up on her toes to push the boxed items into cupboards.

A curious sense of unease began to creep over her somewhere between a box of rice and a bag of oatmeal. Suddenly, she had the feeling that she wasn't alone, and there was an unfamiliar scent…

Stiffening, she slowly turned her head to the right, cautiously peering into the dark living space. And then she felt it — a blast of hot breath on the back of her neck.

"Mmmmhhh!

A hand reeking of tobacco covered her mouth, and she was aware of being forcibly bent over the sink.

"That's it. Just be quiet now." An ominous voice ordered quietly.

Terrorized, Juliet stopped struggling, and the hand fell away from her mouth. Cold metal pressed against the back of her neck.

The low voice sounded again in her ear. "It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Juliet Grace Marchand. The name is John — John Barsad."

Failing to register a name that had been in the newspapers every day for the last two months, Juliet gasped in panic.

"L-let me g-go!" She whispered, barely able to force the words through shallow breaths. "Wh-whatever you want… just t-take my p-purse and go!"

The man pressed his pistol even deeper. "We don't need your purse, darlin'. We need a safe place to chill for a while."

We. He wasn't alone.

"W-who are you?" Juliet pleaded. In her panic, she'd forgotten his name, and she was beginning to ache from the uncomfortable position forced upon her. "Please d-don't do this…" She whimpered.

The man with the hot breath grinned, turning to look at the silent figure waiting in the darkness at the far side of the room. "Please don't do this!" he mocked her in an affected, high-pitched, voice. "Oh help! Somebody please help me!" His cruel taunt brought tears of vulnerability to Juliet's eyes. What was happening now was more frightening than anything she had experienced during the revolution.

"We are going to do this, sweetheart." He continued smugly. "There are three snipers out there with rifles trained on Jeff Sorrento — your fiancé, if I'm not mistaken? These men are excellent shots — not as good as me, mind you. But one of them will get the job done if necessary. We have Sorrento's daily routine down cold, and we have people planted at City Hall and GCPD. If you try anything smart, one of my guys will put a bullet in his brain. So much for lover boy's political career!" He hissed.

"No!" She squealed, struggling vainly against the strong grip around her waist. "Don't hurt him! I won't say anything, only please, please — don't hurt Jeffrey! He's never done anything to hurt you…" she babbled tearfully.

Barsad consulted his companion once more, registering a silent affirmation from the shadows.

"Alright." Barsad nodded approvingly, leaning over Juliet again. "That's a good girl. Now, here's how it's all going to go down. We're going to pay our own way while we're here, but you'll have to get supplies for us, whenever necessary. If I ask you to go out for aspirin at 2:30 a.m., you go. Brother is recovering from injuries. He needs rest and privacy above all. You stay out of the basement, and we won't bother you upstairs. Simple. Are we cool on all that?"

"Y-yes, yes… anything you ask…b-but…where is y-your brother?" she asked absurdly.

"Oh man!" Barsad leered as he glanced over at his hidden companion again, gripping Juliet's waist even tighter. "She's a cutie! I wish you'd let me — "

"That is quite enough, Brother!" A hoarse, irritable voice boomed from the darkness — an artificially enhanced voice that Juliet recognized in an instant.

Him.

"Release your hold on Miss Marchand and allow her to breathe. You are not a python." He growled.

In response, the man with the tobacco habit shrugged. Shoving his pistol into his pocket, he allowed Juliet to slip free from his grip.

She raised herself cautiously from the sink, instantly recognizing Barsad as she turned to look at him.

Of course — he was the man with the huge rifle who stood next to Bane that day at City Hall. Her thumb massaged the tense muscle in her lower back as her eyes sensed movement across the room.

Barsad reached above the counter to switch on another set of lights, and the masked mercenary was revealed, rising from his seat on the pull-out couch against the opposite wall. He groaned softly as he stood, and it was obvious he was experiencing some discomfort. Despite his infirmity, Juliet didn't fail to note that he was handsomely dressed in an expensive Belstaff jacket.

Her heart leapt as she absorbed the reality of the massive man hovering before her. Experiencing him in a public place was far different than facing him framed by the low ceiling of her basement.

He was alive, but he was a fallen man. He was just a common thug now, and a fugitive from justice who intended to hold her hostage in her own home. There would be no fantasizing, no replay of the crazy moment they once shared, no thoughts of what was meant to be. She'd put all of that aside with the reports of his death…hadn't she?

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light...'" Barsad quoted a favourite passage from the Bible, something he often did to intimidate his victims.

Even in the low light, the woman was as beautiful as Bane remembered. Now he knew the sweet sound of her voice. Their moment at City Hall had been pure, but it had also been a moment of sheer folly on his part. He wasn't a romantic man. Even if he were, much had changed since Gotham. Failure, grief, and betrayal were his obsessions now…

"I regret my lieutenant's appalling behavior toward you, Miss Marchand." His words were gentlemanly and determined. "He has apparently forgotten his manners." Bane then projected a lethal stare in the direction of the over-zealous second-in-command.

"You have my word that it won't happen again."

A/N: Hello wonderful readers! I didn't originally plan to post the first chapter of this story until History is Made at Night was finished. That story will come to a close in a few chapters, but this new story has been nagging me to the point that I just had to get the first chapter off my chest. So here it is. I hope you enjoy, and please, please review. Thanks and hope you're all having a wonderful summer. The next chapter of HIMAN is imminent... :)