The Natural Order

She came awake slowly. The fog lifting only to be replaced with a killer headache. Looking around she was forced to blink a few times before her eyes adjusted to the darkness.

Kidnapped again? Seriously?

This just wasn't her week. And how come no one kidnapped her to a 5 star hotel? Why did it always have to be some dank, dark, basement? Was it too much to ask to not need 6 showers when she got home?

Maybe she shouldn't jump ahead. It wasn't as if anyone knew she was missing.

Time to re access the situation.

Handcuffs? Check. Course instead of putting her hands behind her back they had cuffed her to a pipe. Amateurs. She almost laughed out loud. Bending forward she shook the hair pin into her hand and slipped it into the lock. It took all of 12 seconds to pop them loose.

Slipping free from the pipe she moved into the hallway stretching her legs a bit to make sure she didn't have any other injuries in case she was forced to run. Moving towards the sound of traffic she finally saw the guard.

One guard? She was insulted. Coming up behind him She knocked him to the ground before wrapping her arms around his neck. A few second later and he stopped struggling. Slipping into unconsciousness.

Walking out of the building she didn't bother to look back. She knew she was free and clear. Didn't mean she didn't hurry. Just meant when she heard the soft shuffle from behind her she didn't turn. Didn't panic.

"You're late." She put her hand on her hip and spun slowly.

"And you're not being held against your will." The dark gravel of his voice sent her pulse racing.

"I was but that was minutes ago." She rolled her eyes and couldn't control the smile that started to stretch her lips. "I hope I didn't pull you from anything important." Her eyes were bright. Her smile infectious.

Without another word he wrapped an arm around her waist and fired the pulley lifting them to the rooftop.

Instinctually it she had wrapped her arms around his neck. Pulling him down towards her, lips parted in anticipation. "You are so dam sexy when you get all protective."

"I am not sexy." She reached out and traced his lips with her thumb. "I am the night. I am danger and evil men fear me."

"Luckily I'm not evil then." She pressed her hips into the familiar hard Kevlar and thrilled at the way his arms tightened around her.

"You done for the night Mr. Tall dark and scary?"

"Can you be serious for one minute?" She heard the anger in his voice and pulled back slightly.

"We've been through this before. I get kidnapped. I escape. Occasionally I let you rescue me." She moved closer again. "It is the natural order of things."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." His voice was softer. The gravelly edge gone.

"Course not silly goose. I'm not a big fan of villains using you for target practice but I suck it up."

"I wear a bullet proof suit."

"And I have an alien rock encrusting my heart preventing me from dieing." She stretched onto her toes and pressed her lips against his again. "What do you say we call this argument a tie? You get to continue to patrol the streets and I get to continue to investigate any hot tip that comes my way?"

She felt his arms tighten around her before he leaned down and kissed her back. The gentle nudge of his tongue quickly elevating her pulse and setting her skin ablaze. From the moment she had met him he had affected her to her core. It was beyond anything she had ever experienced. A primal urge to touch him. To taste him. She had nearly embarrassed herself on their first meeting. She remembered it with a smile. He had been so thrown by her reaction he hadn't pulled away and she had kissed him. She said it was a thank you. He had saved her after all but it was so much more than that.

It was how she had figured out his secret identity. Or at least confirmed it. No way did she react like that with two different men. Dancing with Bruce at a fundraiser for the first time left her flushed and edgy. It was her subconscious that had put it together. Erotic dreams of billionaires and vigilantes wearing all black.

Funny how fate works sometimes. She had come to Gotham after her break up with Oliver. He had gotten so overprotective. He stopped seeing her as a capable woman and started seeing her as a liability. A way for his enemies to get to him. After that it was only a matter of time before she left. Unable to live with the restrictions he placed on her.

Now here she was. Standing on a roof top having the same argument only Bruce wasn't making any demands. Wasn't telling her to stay home. Sure that was what he wanted. Her safety was a top priority but he understood that there had to be a balance between keeping her safe and making her happy and sometimes the two were at odds with each other.

"I worry about you." His voice was barely above a whisper and Chloe shivered.

"I know. I'll try to stay out of trouble." She watched as his lips turned up in a smirk.

"If only that was possible." She slapped his arm and laughed. Yeah she was a bit of a danger magnet still. Some things never change.

"Can we go home now? I need someone to make sure I didn't sustain any injuries during my latest run in with some of Gotham's less that upstanding citizens."

With that he pulled her into his arms and leapt from the roof. Easily gliding them down into the alley and the awaiting tumbler. She laughed light and easy. "I might have to be very thorough with my examination."

Even with the cowl she knew he was smirking at her. "That's what I'm counting on."

He would spend the rest of the night worshipping her body, confirming to himself that she was truly okay. That she was once again safe and in his arms. He would whisper to her about his love and commitment, about how she was a gift. The light to his darkness and she would hold him tight and feel whole.

For a few hours there would be no games. No masks. Nothing but Chloe and Bruce.

In the morning they would start a new. The billionaire playboy, now reformed, and his journalist girlfriend with a knack for asking the hard questions. They would dodge questions about marriage and about a family and about Bruce's past infidelities all with a smile and a witty retort. They would fill the hours apart by playing their parts. Counting the minutes until the end of the day when once again they could slip out of their costumes and just be.

Just a quick one shot. I do so love a Chruce ficlet.

Reviews people. Seriously. Don't make me beg.