A/N - This is the last chapter. I have to say that I'm a little torn - I'd love to continue this (since I've left it at a point where I seriously could) but I've also got this thought in my head to do a sequel to my other story, 'Unexpected'. I'm not certain if I could handle doing both at the same time. Give me your opinions on what I should do...

"Bruce," she began, her voice small. "Are you proposing?"

He actually had to think back for a moment to what he had just said.

Was he proposing without even knowing it? Was that even possible?

Bruce wasn't about to take back all that he had said as he had meant every word. A smile came to his face.

"If I was, what would your answer be?"

Charlotte smiled, a twinkle in her eye before she spoke. She wasn't about to let him get off too easy.

"See, there's a problem here," she began. "There's a general principle when it comes to proposing. You have to ask."

"I did ask!"

Bruce put his hands on his hips and laughed. He quickly stopped and looked at her, his eyes surprised. "Wait, does that mean you'd say yes?"

Charlotte chuckled and shrugged. "You still need to ask properly. Your version of asking can be compared to asking me if I want a cup of tea."

Bruce let out a burst of laughter.

"Tea? You're comparing me asking to marry you to a cup of tea?!"

Charlotte smiled and shrugged as Bruce let out a sigh.

"All right," he began, before looking at Charlotte. "But as a warning, this wont be romantic as we are standing in the middle of a damp, dark cave amongst thousands of bats."

Charlotte smirked. "It doesn't have to be."

She could feel Bruce's hands squeeze her own before he spoke again.

"Charlotte, will you marry..."

He didn't get the chance to even finish speaking before Charlotte cut him off with a kiss to his lips. Bruce closed his eyes, realizing Charlotte was indeed answering him without so many words. When she finally broke the kiss, they stood with their faces inches from each other.

"I have to ask just to be clear. Was that's a yes?" Bruce asked softly.

Charlotte nodded. "Yes."

Bruce wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms around Charlotte, but he was mindful of her sore back. Instead, he kissed her once again, bringing his hands to her neck. After a few seconds, he broke it, noting how Charlotte was smiling at him. He must have had the same smile on his face. He couldn't hide it. He had never felt like this before.

Bruce took her hand and wrapped it over his arm. Together they walked back to the lift and up to Wayne Manor.

5 weeks later...

"Ah, Mister Wayne," Lucius said to the younger man as Bruce stepped off the elevator and onto the 83rd floor of Wayne Tower. "I'm glad that you finally arrived."

"Are they all here?"

"They are," Lucius said as he began to walk in stride beside Bruce down the hall towards the conference room. "In fact, they're getting a little concerned with your apparent lack of interest in the company since you are nearly an hour late."

"We're doing them a favour," Bruce countered. "They should realize that."

"Well, their owner and CEO recognizes that but the board may need further convincing." Lucius paused for a moment as they turned a corner.

"And I hear that there are other causes for celebration."

Bruce smirked and rolled his eyes. "Alright, who told you? Was it Alfred? That man has been eager to say something for weeks."

"Actually, it was the future Mrs. Wayne and she didn't actually tell me," Lucius said. "I simply happened to spot a familiar ring on her hand that once belonged to your mother. She was in the process of removing it for the purposes of this meeting I believe."

Bruce smiled and nodded his head.

"Sorry for not letting you in on it. We've been wanting to keep it quiet until after this deal went through," he explained. "We figured it would be better to bring Porter Investments under the Wayne Industries umbrella prior to our engagement being public knowledge."

"I see," Lucius said. "You both have done an excellent job at keeping it quiet."

Bruce sighed. "It's been hard, especially keeping public appearances together to a minimum."

Bruce's memory went back to a party at a Gotham socialites where both he and Charlotte had been invited to, separately. They both met there and casually spoke to each other as professionally as they could. It was obvious that they were old friends so to see them together was nothing out of the ordinary. The displays of affection were reserved for quick elevator rides and back hallways and of course, late night meeting at Wayne Manor. It wasn't unusual for Batman to sneak into the Porter Estate on occasion. They weren't about to cause the boards on both sides any reservation about this deal between the companies.

"Well, your secret is safe with me," Lucius assured him with a wink. "And I am happy for you, Bruce."

Bruce paused at the door to the conference room.

"Thanks Lucius."

He pushed open the door to the conference room and walked in with Lucius behind him. The board room was filled with people; some from the Wayne Enterprises board and the ones he didn't recognize he assumed were from Porter Investments. At the end of the table, he spotted Charlotte as she stood up. He couldn't help but glance at her legs as she walked to greet him. The pencil skirt around her hips fit snuggly as did the light blue, short sleeved blouse. The business world looked good on her, but he knew well enough that it wasn't her passion. It was one of the reasons for this deal. It just helped that the stocks at Porter Investments weren't doing their best since Madelyn's death and the deal with Wayne Industries would help save it and give him and Lucius some control of the company with Charlotte's assistance. She could then go back to doing what she loved knowing that her family's company was in good hands.

Charlotte extended her hand towards Bruce as he approached.

"Good to see you again, Bruce," she said, smiling.

Bruce smiled in return and shook her hand. "It's always a pleasure, Charlotte."

He couldn't help but see a small lock of her hair had fallen from its place on her head and hung beside the frame of her face. His instinct was to reach out and brush it behind her ear, but he didn't and instead put his hands into his pocket. He stepped back to allow Lucius to greet Charlotte before they all sat back down at the conference table surrounded by nearly two dozen board members.

Bruce took his spot at the table directly across from Charlotte as Lucius spoke at the head, greeting the members of the Porter Investments board to Wayne Industries and apologizing for the delay in the negotiations. Bruce watched as Charlotte dutifully opened her file in front of her and listened to Lucius speak.

Charlotte avoided Bruce's eyes, knowing that he was watching her and tried her best to concentrate on what Lucius reading off of the proposal. She knew exactly what it had said. She had drafted it with Bruce two weeks prior and went over it with Lucius a few days later. Charlotte simply couldn't look at Bruce in fear that her smile would give something away.

The meeting went on with questions being asked and opinions given. In the end, it came down to a vote to which the majority of Porter Investment board members were in favour of. It made perfect sense in the end for the company to join with Wayne Industries. It saved their jobs and the ones that filtered down throughout the company branches.

Charlotte watched as Lucius signed the legal document before passing it to her. She quickly signed her name as owner and CEO of Porter Investments before passing it across to Bruce. With a quick smirk, he signed it as well. After a few handshakes between the CEO's and owners, the board members rose to leave. A few mingled with each other in the conference room. More than one spoke with Charlotte when Bruce approached her. Gently, he touched her arm, getting her attention.

"Excuse me, Charlotte," he began. "Could I speak with you in my office?"

Not willing to refuse as she had yet to see him alone that day, she politely excused herself from the conversation and followed Bruce out of the conference room. Together, they walked side by side further down the hall towards his office. Neither said a word as they passed Michelle, Bruce and Lucius' secretary. Charlotte was familiar with the woman as she had met her and seen her many times during their meetings.

Bruce paused for a moment and took a step towards Michelle's desk.

"Could you please hold my calls for the next fifteen minutes?"

"Certainly sir," Michelle replied, dutifully.

"And we wish not to be disturbed as we discuss business matters."

"Of course."

Charlotte waited at the door to his office door, forcing herself not to roll her eyes. Bruce walked up to Charlotte and with his back to Michelle, he winked at Charlotte as he pushed the door open and held it for her to enter.

The moment the door was closed and locked, Bruce encircled an arm around Charlotte's waist and pulled her close.

"Business matters, huh?" she whispered into his ear before kissing that spot just behind his ear that she knew he enjoyed.

"The most important business of all," Bruce replied, his voice equally soft, yet it almost sounded like a moan. He was enjoying what she was doing to him. He led her away from the door and pulled off his coat jacket, dropping it on the floor as he walked. Charlotte reached and held onto the collar of his shirt before bringing her lips to his in one feverish and passionate kiss. There was nothing slow about it. It was demanding and hot and bothered.

Charlotte barely noticed that Bruce was in the process of undoing the buttons on her blouse when she broke the kiss and rested her head against his forehead.

"Bruce," she said, his name coming out in a breath. "We can't do this right now. We have board members right down the hall."

"I don't care. The deal is done and I miss you," Bruce told her, leaning into her neck creating a trail of kisses from her jaw down to her shoulder. Charlotte closed her eyes, smelling the soft scent of sandalwood coming from Bruce's hair.

"I waited for you last night," Charlotte mumbled, causing Bruce to pause and look back up into her eyes. He winced.

"I was busy," he replied. "I didn't get in until almost sunrise and Alfred had to wake me in order for me to get to this meeting."

"Which you were still late for."

Bruce smirked. "I've got to keep up that reputation."

Charlotte smiled at him and put her arms around his neck. "I love you."

"I love you too," Bruce whispered to her, his eyes smiling. "In celebration of our companies partnership, would you be willing to go out with me tonight?"

"A date?" Charlotte asked mockingly. "How scandalous of you, Mister Wayne, to be asking an engaged woman out on a date!"

Bruce chuckled into her neck. "Would it be even more scandalous if I took that engaged woman to bed with me afterwards?"

Charlotte scoffed and playfully slapped Bruce against his chest.

"As long as you behave yourself."

And Bruce did.

Although more than once he had to remind himself that there were photographers out on the street that they walked on and more than one pair of interested eyes in their direction as they ate dinner at the fancy restaurant. As time went on, and the media became interested with the fact that Bruce and Charlotte were seen together more and more, they began holding hands and exchange brief displays of affection for the photographers who were glad to snap the photo. Both of them were happy that they no longer had to distance themselves from each other. So when the news came a month later that a photo had caught a glimpse of a ring on Charlotte's finger, many were surprised at how fast it happened while others were simply happy to see the billionaire was putting his wild bachelor days behind him.

But that didn't stop the media from making wild accusations that either her or Bruce were cheating on each other. There were days where Charlotte would force herself not to watch the news. It was exhausting.

On Bruce's suggestion, he requested that Charlotte meet him at the penthouse downtown to spend a night together after he finished his rounds. He had warned her that he could be late, but Charlotte simply smiled and told him that she'd wait up for him. He was eager to surprise her by coming in just before midnight.

Batman had to put the image of Charlotte out of his mind as he did every night until he was making his way downtown to the penthouse. He parked the tumbler a good distance away and made his way through the city by way of the grappler until he pulled himself over the balcony's edge of the penthouse. Batman made his way to the side door leading into the living room and opened it, knowing that she'd leave it unlocked for him. He wasn't surprised to find that she wasn't there. All the lights were out and the only light in the penthouse was from the night sky. He gently closed the door and locked it behind him, closing off the sirens of Gotham to the outside. Batman slowly walked through the penthouse, knowing that Charlotte may have fallen asleep although she had said she'd wait up for him. He made his way down the hallway and turned into the bedroom.

A soft glow from the television on the wall gave some illumination into the room. He could see Charlotte laying in the bed, fast asleep. Not wanting to startle her, he pulled the cowl from his head as he approached the bed. She had the blankets up to her shoulders. He sat down beside her and gently touched her bare shoulder and kissed her cheek as he spoke her name. It didn't take long for her to wake. A few seconds, a smile on her face and her eyes were open.

"Bruce, you're back," she mumbled groggily as she stretched, stifling a yawn. Her eyes opened further when she realized that she had fallen asleep. "What time is it?"

Bruce turned to look at the clock on the television. "Just a few minutes before midnight."

A smile appeared on Charlotte's sleepy face. "You're early. I had the alarm set to wake me around 4, since that's usually when you get home."

"I wanted to surprise you," he said, brushing his gloved hand over her forehead. "I'm done for the night."

Charlotte pushed herself up to sit in the bed before putting her arms around Bruce's neck and pulled him down with herself. The gesture caught him off guard and he put his elbows down onto the mattress to prevent himself from falling right onto her. He didn't get the chance to say anything as Charlotte's lips suddenly crashed onto his own. Bruce gave into it and pulled Charlotte onto her side so he knew that his armoured body wouldn't crush her. He could feel the weight of her leg as she wrapped it around his own and her body press into his but it frustrated him that he couldn't actually feel her. Then he remembered where he had gone that evening. Quickly, he broke the kiss and gently pushed Charlotte's leg off of him.

"I'm sorry, Char," he said, sitting up in the bed and swinging his legs over the edge to stand up. "The suit is very dirty tonight. You don't want to know where I've been."

He turned around to see that Charlotte had gotten up as well and was kneeling on the bed, biting her bottom lip with a suggestive smile on her face. He hadn't noticed that she was only wearing the purple bra and matching underwear that he told her once that he loved.

"Then take it off."

Bruce didn't need to be told twice. Just watching Charlotte waiting for him caused his blood to start pumping harder. Charlotte found it amusing to see him swear over being unable to remove a piece of armour fast enough. He seemed so uncoordinated for someone so strong. Just as he was trying to get his boots off, leaving only the pair of boxer shorts and a t-shirt, Charlotte glanced over at the television, preparing to turn it off when her smile faded as she read the headline. Bruce saw her mood suddenly change and he turned.

The headline said it all.

The Scarecrow had woken from his coma.

"Damn it," Charlotte cursed as she turned off the television and tossed the remote to the floor. "I was really hoping that he would never recover."

Bruce sighed as he crawled into the bed. He was frustrated and it was not just because the revelation of Scarecrow's recovery had altered Charlotte's mood.

"I know," Bruce said, as he pulled the blankets up over himself. He pulled them back on the opposite side and invited Charlotte in beside him. She tucked her legs beneath the blankets and laid down as Bruce pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it onto the floor beside the bed.

"I sometimes wish that I had shot him in a fatal spot," Charlotte admitted as Bruce turned on his side towards her. "But then I remember how I felt when I realized that I nearly killed him the first time. The next best thing would've been him never waking up from that coma."

Charlotte felt Bruce pepper her bare shoulder with kisses before he gently pulled on the bra strap, tugging it down her arm.

"Don't worry about Crane anymore," Bruce said, into her ear. "He'll be locked away for the rest of his life."

Charlotte forced a smile despite her reservations and nodded, determined to agree with Bruce regardless. Besides, the sensation that he was causing to go up and down her spine was convincing her. "You're right. I'm sorry."

She turned on her side to face Bruce and pushed him back onto his back. Charlotte knew that she had broken the mood and she was determined to quickly make it up to him. To Bruce's surprise, he found Charlotte had crawled on top of him to straddle him before leaning down to kiss him. This certainly did make up for it.

Bruce reached around Charlotte's back, his fingers going down over her tattoo before feeling the healed variations in her skin where the scars resided that Crane had given her. Bruce's fingers dug into her back before he unlatched the clasp of her purple bra. Charlotte quickly abandoned it not even stopping to break the kiss.

The medical wing of Arkham was usually filled with those inmates who were unfortunate enough to get involved in a fight within the asylum. It was also the area where Crane was recovering from his month long coma. Over the net few days since he had woken, he was granted time to watch television for an hour a day and was given reading material as his healing progressed. He found not much had changed in the time where he had slipped into a coma and then woken. Dr. Crane found his experience fascinating from a psychological point of view. Although he wasn't granted his medical records, he knew that he had been shot in the hip and something must have occurred during the surgery. Crane had limited mobility in his right leg. He had been told that there was a chance that he'd be confined to a wheel chair or have to use a cane in the very least.

It wasn't until he was reading the paper one day that he became even more determined to live his life outside of a wheel chair. The article caused him to clench his jaw and tear the paper in half before tossing it to the floor. He knew it would be a while before he'd be able to get that horrible image out of his head.

His Charlotte, and the billionaire Wayne, holding hands and smiling as they waved to photographers across a road.

What increased his aggravation was the tagline beneath their photo.

The rumoured nuptials of Bruce Wayne and Charlotte Porter are stated to be happening within the month as news that the new Wayne Industries and Porter Investments amalgamation has turned a record profit this quarter. It seems that consumer confidence has increased knowing that the billionaire will now be settling down.

Crane wanted to scream but instead, he simply smiled.

This would be fun.