On an unoccupied road:

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

Kathy Duquesne, daughter of the crime lord Carleton Duquesne, speeds through the hairpin turns of the hills, going well over 60 miles per hour. For safety, the signs recommend going no faster than 35 in this area, but Kathy pays them no mind. The top of her convertable cherry-red Viper is down, and her hair blows freely, giving her a sense of flight and freedom. A wide smile is on her face, and as the momentum of the fast turns throws her from side to side, she lets out the occasional laugh.

She slows as she approaches her destination, finally pulling up in front of the massive Wayne Manor. For a moment, she regards the large, mostly-empty house.

Then she hops out of her car, and straightens her strapless evening dress wih her long-white-gloved hands. The white velvet clings to her every curve, and the skirt ends well above the knee, showing an ample amount of thigh. She brightly steps to the front door and uses the large brass knockers to delightedly rap out a playful greeting knock.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

No answer.

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

Kathy waits a moment, then rings the doorbell. It is, after all, a large house, and someone might not be within hearing distance of the door.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

Pause.

Pause.

Pause.

Finally the heavy oaken door opens. In the entrance, hair dishevelled, features unshaved and eyes squinting, the master of the manor, Bruce Wayne, now stands wearing a pair of cotton pajama pants and a t-shirt.

Must have been a rough night. But...it's almost sunset.

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

If she's put off by his disheveled appearance, she says nothing. She merely steps through the door with a smile.

"Hello, Bruce," she greets.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

"Uh, hey, Kath." Bruce closes the door behind her and watches her walk past him.

He's not that asleep.

"I guess Alfred's gone out. What're you doing here?"

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"I've managed to lose my shadows for a few hours," she grins, standing just a little close to him. "I was planning to paint the town red, and I thought I'd invite you to come along and... empty a few spray cans." She regards him a moment. "Thankfully, the schedule permits you to take some time to get ready."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

He tries in vain to straighten his hair, but he needs a shower and shave and...hygiene in general. "You look fantastic," he remarks honestly as he takes in the sight of her. "I'm...sort of the opposite."

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"Yes, well, a shower, a shave, and a nice enough suit, and any man can look good," she answers simply, a hint of a tease in her voice. "I can wait."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

A moment passes, one in which Bruce looks pensively at Kathy like he wants to say something or, more to the point, do something. Instead he cups her cheek for a few seconds, then nods to his right. "Feel free to hang out in the library. Give me ten minutes, then we can go."

He then bounds up the stairs, two at a time. Now he's awake.

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"Take whatever time you need," she calls after him, then adds quietly, "You're worth the wait." She smirks quietly to herself, watching him go up the stairs.

She steps through the room, looking for the library. She's not familiar with this house, not specifically, but she's gone through enough houses of this size that she can find it relatively easily. Once there, she finds a collection of early 20th century poetry and begins reading.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

Bruce does take ten minutes and no more. Speed dresser. His hair is still damp but combed, his jaw sports no nicks and no stubble, and his bow tie is dangling from the neck of his tuxedo shirt. "Hope that's not my collection of dirty limericks," he says as he enters, buttoning the sleeve to his shirt. The tuxedo's jacket is over one arm. "Did I mention you look fantastic?"

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

She smiles at him, clearly enjoying what she sees. "Of course I do. You look decent," she shrugs. "Well... last time you chose the locale. My turn this time. Are you ready?"

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

He comes closer, tossing the jacket on the sofa on the way, holds a hand down to her. "Almost."

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

She takes his hand and stands up, eyeing him carefully.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

The other arm goes about her waist to the small of her back, drawing her close. Wordlessly he bends down and kisses her thoroughly. Yep, definitely awake now.

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

She returns the kiss, then breaks it with a grin. "Well, come along," she commands, heading for the exit. "I've got reservations for a very nice place."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

"This is a pretty nice place," Bruce says petulantly, though his eyes twinkle as he snares his coat on the way toward the door. "Let me tie my tie and leave a note for Alfred and we can go.

"You know, Kath, you look fantastic tonight."

He's walking behind her this time, and he sounds more sincere than ever.

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"Well, that was the plan," she winks. Then she pauses, and for a moment, the mask dips. "Thank you," she replies honestly.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

Bruce's note to Alfred is printed and to the point:

Alfred -- taking Kathy to dinner. Don't wait up. Got my cell. -- Bruce

He knots his tie with the expertise of someone often in a tuxedo, then smiles down at Kathy with a warm that suggests his own mask is slipping a bit. "It's really good to see you," he murmurs before planting a lingering kiss on her lips. "Okay, if we have to go, I guess we can go."

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

She leads Bruce out to her Viper, and she hops into the driver's seat, letting Bruce get in on his own.

"Make yourself comfortable. Gin's in the glove box," she adds with a wink.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

"I'm more a vodka man," Bruce chuckles as he sits back in the comfortable leather of the passenger seat. After buckling up, he remarks, "Won't all this wind mess with my hair?"

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"Poor dear," she winks. "Thankfully, there's a comb in the glove box, too."

The engine roars, and she tears off down the road, going at least 15 miles over the speed limit.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

"Watch the hedges on the way out," Bruce cautions. "Alfred's really particular about them since I plowed one over a few years ago. Says it took months to grow it back to the right shape and size and stuff." He turns to watch her drive. "So any hints about where we're going? And will our night be interrupted by your friendly neighborhood goons?"

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"The best place to hide is in plain sight," she answers with a wink. "All I'll tell you is that it's a very nice nightclub, and it has great food."

She handles the car magnificently; she knows exactly what she's doing behind the wheel.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

To his credit, Bruce is far more interested in how she handles herself than the car; not easy for a man to be in a powerful sports car with someone unfamiliar behind the wheel, driving like a maniac, but he seems to trust her or not care. That or he likes looking at her. "Well, maybe sometime we can get some less public time."

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

She eyes him slyly. "Really?" she asks. "We're alone now... what would you like to say in private?"

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

He reaches into his pocket, pulls out sunglasses, grinning all the while. "What makes you think it's something I want to say?"

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"Because you still haven't offered to get me drunk," she replies simply. The car takes a hairpin turn.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

"I don't usually have to get a woman drunk," he responds without much humor.

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

She looks at him, hearing the lack of humor in his voice. She mock-pouts. "Aww." Then she winks, smiles, and laughs, taking another tight turn.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

"So does your father know I'm out with you, or you're out with me?" Bruce asks, watching the road ahead of them a little more attentively. She has good reflexes, he notes. "From the last time we saw each other, that is."

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"As far as my father knows, I'm in my studio, painting." She shrugs. "As far as last time, I doubt his goons told him anything. I can play anything off them, make them think there's nothing when there's something, or something when there's nothing." She grins. "They're not exactly drama critics."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

He keeps his tone casual. "How often do you slip away to 'paint'?"

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"I paint every day. But if you mean how often I sneak out like this?" She grins at him enigmatically. "A woman's gotta keep some secrets."

She turns her attention back to the road. "My father's not going to notice my absence tonight anyway. He's been busy with business lately."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

Batman never slumbers in Bruce's mind, and this news piques his interest. "Business been picking up for him? I wonder if that's a good thing," he chuckles.

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"It's not," she sighs. "But what can you do?" She shrugs. "It's going to be terrible for somebody, I'm sure. He's furious about something these days... I think someone's interfering. And when he gets his hands on the person..." Her voice drops off.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

"His business ethics are different from mine." Bruce keeps his tone breezy, but he's watching Kathy quite carefully for reactions. "But I don't have to worry about my interests being targeted the way he does. Mine are...what's the term? Above board?"

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

Despite her masks, Bruce is able to see that her father's work bothers her deeply.

"Well," she shrugs, trying to cover her discomfort, "you're also less likely to recieve midnight visits from cowled vigilantes."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

His brows raise. "Cowled vigilantes? Batman's just a legend, Kath."

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

"Right," she smirks. "Bruce, when you've met as many people as I have how have met him, earned black eyes from him, and been trussed up like a turkey for the police to find by him, you find it's more likely than not that he's very real." She shrugs. "I don't mind. He hasn't done too much against my father yet, but if he does, I'm sure my father will deserve whatever happens to him."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

"Not a lot of sympathy for your father," Bruce observes as the city comes into view. "Not that I can blame you. Anyways, doesn't really matter to us, does it? Not tonight. Just us tonight. You and me."

[kathy-duquesne.livejournal.com]

She smiles at him, then takes a side road down towards the waterfront.

A short time later, she pulls to a stop in front of a club and hands the keys to a valet.

"Come on," she prompts, waiting for him before heading for the door of the Iceberg Lounge.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_darkknight_/]

...the Iceberg Lounge? Really. Bruce puts an arm around Kathy as they walk inside, quite the glamourous couple. He's all smiles.