The Bird Catches The Cat Pt. 02

The thought of contacting Bruce flashed briefly through her mind and the sudden impact of guilt and anxiety nearly brought her to her knees. What would she tell him? How could she explain why she needed to be picked up from Cobblepot's private condo? He'd know. There was no way he wouldn't figure it out. He'd never forgive her. She didn't deserve to be forgiven.

She hugged her arms around her body and sat heavily back onto the bed, sending slight ripples through the waterbed. It was all she could do to keep from crying as a hurricane of dark thoughts flooded her head.

She was surprised when Cobblepot's large hand patted her on the head. She almost swore at him again, but that slight physical contact was also oddly comforting.

"There, there, my kitten. I have a gift for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out an expensive, but gaudy, looking leather collar shaped like a stylized animal collar. In place of a name tag was a platinum setting that held a massive, heart-shaped red jewel.

Selina's gaze was held by the glittering depths of the jewel. It was gorgeous and likely worth millions. Her roguish instincts stirred, a hungry desire she hadn't indulged in for months...not since Bruce had taken her in. For a moment, she didn't feel guilty or self-hating, merely fascinated by the glitter of the red gemstone.

"Well, I say a gift." Cobblepot's voice was slightly distant as her attention was captured by the gem. "This is merely returning something you unfortunately lost."

That voice in Selina's subconscious finally broke through the fascination of the gemstone and she looked up to see Cobblepot smiling at her. There was an odd hint of...tenderness on his face.

"My kitten, I think I've had enough of Gotham for a while. I've got good people in Gotham, like my man Marko, to keep things running without me. You might not know this but I do run a wonderful little penguin sanctuary down in Ecuador and I think a brief retirement would do me good. Do both of us good."

"Us? What are you talking about, Pen...Cobblepot."

"I think you know, my kitten. Surely some things are coming back to you, aren't they?"

"...I'm...I'm not sure..."

"Of course you are, my kitten. Take the collar and we can go away together. There's nothing worthwhile for you here. No need to fight it."

Selina looked down at the gem. The protective fog was growing thin and the megalithic shapes of disgust and shame were ready to fall on her, burying her beneath them.

"Take it. Please."

That voice in her head was shouting now. Telling her what garbage she was for even thinking about this. She was disgusting. She had no pride, no loyalty, no dignity.

Her memories were still vague but she knew that if she took the gem then she'd be under his control. He'd have complete control over her once again. She wouldn't be able to escape, wouldn't be able to think. She'd be nothing other than a piece of arm candy and a living fuck-doll for the Penguin.

But...if she took the gem, those great mountains of self-hatred would recede once again and she'd be able to sink into those soft clouds of cloying, pink fog once more.

She locked eyes with Cobblepot, her hand hovering over his palm, inches away from the glistening red diamond. That voice inside was screaming and her heart was being crushed with tight cords of guilt.

There really was no choice.

She reached out and took the collar. Letting the blankets fall away from her naked body she fastened the choker around her neck.

The soft fog rose once more.

The dark mountains receded.

She drowned the shrieking voice of shame in a deep, crimson sea.

No more guilt. No more worries. No more choices.