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Cats and Bats
CHAPTER SEVEN

Author: Rei and Chris
Rating: R for now, violence, language. Knowing us, it'll probably be NC-17 later.
Feedback: Please leave feedback on the Cats and Bats thread on the Kitten Board.
Disclaimer: We don't own Batman, Catwoman, or Buffy characters. Blah blah.


Willow had danced with a few of her friends for the remaining half hour, while she would have preferred that Tara stayed, she seemed like a girl that took her job pretty seriously, stressful as Willow's was, she knew that it was just to keep her parents company going, for someone who needs the job, Willow supposed that they would have to get into the habit of working hard come what may.

After giving a little speech thanking all of the remaining dancers for coming and that they had made well over five hundred-thousand dollars and that she would up the total to a round million to distribute throughout the charities of Gotham, she had soon headed towards the front door.

She walked up to Xander near the door, "Hey Xan, I'm just heading outside for some air, you take your time finishing off here, ok?"

Xander nodded while still talking to some of the younger, female, members of Gotham and trying to avoid the board who were quite verbose while inebriated.


Warren had glared moodily out at the whole scene from a dark corner. While he had plenty enough money himself, he was the kind of man that would always want that little bit more, it wasn't just about the money, but about the power, power over competitors and power over the general population. And by throwing this whole party and not making a jot of profit from it, Willow had not given a very powerful image, 'not to mention spending practically the entire night with a skiv.' But Warren was not worried about all this right now, Willow would soon be gone.


"She is unharmed, her equipment, including the key to her handcuffs, are behind her, just out of her reach but there none the less." Joyce had frowned when she had heard this and turned to an officer to her right, "Kendra, send half of your squad to the roof, it is not wise to trust that there is no kind of trap there."

"Ohk, Commissioner, I shall send my best up there."

"I know that they shall bring her down one way or the other Kendra, but I swear, if that woman has hurt one hair on Buffy's head, I shall bring her bang to rights myself."


Angel waited in the shadows. He had kept an eye on the door, waiting for a flash of red, 'the same colour as blood, poetic.' He did not have to wait long to see the woman, slowly walking as she talked to people who had gained her attention.

As soon as Willow had reached the door, Angel jumped out, snaring Willow by the throat. He called out in a clear voice, "One move, and Gotham loses its oh so precious dyke right here." Angel relished the power that he had over all of these people right here, like any evil doer, a kill alone was not much of a thrill, the real victory comes with the power. Some cop walked out in front of him, "Do you value this woman's life so little that you would risk it? Hell, even Bats aint here yet, maybe he sees how serious I am."

Joyce calmly addressed Angel, knowing that she better damn well do something quick, she had failed Willow once, trying to talk Angel down as he had her parents at gunpoint. She would not let him take Willow's life if she could help it. But Angel's eyes were sharp, he would sense movement from anyone in front of him, but if Kendra's troops were quick in releasing Buffy from the situation that Catwoman had left her in... 'maybe that woman has done some good tonight after all.' "When Batman does catch up with you, I am sure that you will be able to find out just what he does think of you, but there is no need for any bloodshed here tonight, Angel."

Angel smiled as he tightened his arm around the neck of Willow and moved her towards the centre of the street, "You think that Bats scares me? Ha, if he were here, I would spit in his face before mopping the floor with him."

"If you believe so, Angel, what is it that you want, anyway?"

"What I want, Commissioner? What I want? I want you to watch as you lose the final member of the oh so precious Rosenberg family as you can once again do nothing about it."

Angel had smirked as he lowered his teeth towards Willow's neck...suddenly, there was a BANG and his body jolted as a bullet entered the back of his left shoulder. While this would never kill him, it did give Willow the time she needed to sharply kick Angel's shin with her heel and break free of his grip. With this space between them, there had been a whoosh in the air and a leather-clad body soon filled the space, staring into the eyes of Angel.

The cops half raised their guns at this newcomer but Buffy's voice rang out clearly, "Hold your fire." Upon hearing this confirmation that Buffy was indeed alive, Joyce breathed a sigh of relief. At a gesture, a group of officers stepped in front of Willow, cutting either of the two wanted criminals in front of them off from her.

Meanwhile, Angel spoke angrily out at Catwoman, "Why do you get in the way? I made you, you ungrateful bitch!"

Catwoman's voice was quiet barely audible to those around them, but equally as angry, "You knew that I would not cross the line into murder, so you tried to force an innocent woman into doing your dirty work, that is low Angel."

Angel snarled out at her, "You think your morals will do you any good when I tell the police who you are?"

"That is a risk that I shall have to take. The sun is about to come up, Angel, what are you going to do?"

Angel half turned, "This isn't over." Angel fully turned his back on Catwoman and he took one step before jumping over the crowd and into a side alley, disappearing before anyone could react.

Catwoman turned to Joyce and Willow, giving a mock bow before uncoiling her whip and using that to wrap around a beam, looking to make her escape. An officer raised his gun to shoot at her, the rest standing still none plussed. Joyce, put a hand on his arm, lowering his gun. "Tonight was all about charity, so maybe we will be 'charitable' and give her one night's amnesty for her help."


Half an hour later, Warren had stormed into his home and kicked the door shut forcefully behind him, he punched the wall with a scream and looked for all the world as if he were about to go into a tantrum. After a moment, he calmed down, "If you want a job done right, then do it yourself."


"And the top story, Catwoman saves Billionaire, Willow Rosenberg from death at the hands of convicted murderer, Angel. One has to wonder though, where was Batman in Willow's time of need?" Tara clicked the TV off and turned to Faith, "I need you to pack this morning, Angel will not let this go. We need to move to a new apartment before he is able to walk the street."

Faith looked at Tara, fairly nervous, "Where will we stay?"

"I'll look into it after work."


Tara's phone bleeped when she was about halfway to Rosenberg Enterprises, she entered her inbox and read a message left by a certain redhead "Fancy that mocha?" Tara shrugged, she still had an hour till she needed to be at work and a coffee did sound good, so she took a left instead of a right, pulled up for a moment to reply to the text and headed towards the coffee shop. Ten minutes later, she stepped out of her car and walked into the store, seeing Willow at a table, two steaming mugs in front of her already, Tara smirked as she looked at her bleary eyed boss, "I know why I'm out so early, but rich as you are I wouldn't have thought you'd be up before noon."

Willow shrugged, "Police just let me go after what happened last night with Angel."

Tara's heart melted as she looked into Willow's eyes, it wasn't too long ago after all that Angel had slaughtered her parents. "W-well, if they c-catch him, at least they'll be more careful than when he got out last time."

Willow sighed, "It's not like they weren't careful last time, he's just hard to keep in one place, maybe I ought to suggest ultraviolet lighting outsider his cell." Willow shrugged, "Catwoman saving me was a shocker though."

"I c-can imagine, must have shocked Bats some, too."

Willow quirked an eyebrow at that, not many people had called Batman 'Bats', the only people she had heard in fact were those that he would be after. "I have to wonder, she doesn't seem the usual career criminal, I mean not many Buffy has talked about have any sort of morals, yet she risked her own skin there, what would make a woman like that become a criminal?"

Tara shrugged, she of course knew exactly what made 'a woman like that' resort to stealing, she took her time over a sip of coffee.

Willow thought over the question some more, "Buffy told me that she looked into something that Catwoman said to her, seems that she can't have kept more than half of what she's stolen, anyway, I guess you find this boring, I...I take an interest in the police after..."

Willow trailed off and Tara could not help but placing a hand on top of Willow's, "It must be hard, I l-lost my m-mother also, but I at least got to say g-goodbye." Tara caught sight of the time as her watch slid from under her coat, "I need to get to work, we c-cleaners have to work earlier than you."

This had been said in light jest and Willow laughed a little, "what are you doing after work?"

Tara could hear the need for company in Willow's voice, but there was nothing she could do about that at present, "I need to f-find a new apartment." Tara saw the next question coming and gave the most honest answer she could think of, "r-rodent p-problem."

Willow nodded, "Ok, I know a few vacancies near Rosenberg Industries, fairly cheap, good condition, I should be in before you set off, I'll get you a list of some sort."

Tara stood, "Ok, sure. I'll see you later."

Willow watched her leave, there were two conflicting trains of thought that ran through Willow's mind, Willow Rosenberg thought that maybe she was falling in love...Batman thought that he may have just found a possible suspect for Catwoman.


Continue to Cats and Bats Chapter Eight


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