Rouge The Bat: Happily Married

Rouge the Bat and Thomas Adriani have been married for one year
and six months as of this chapter.

-----------------------------------------

Thomas Adriani peeked upward to see his wife sitting on the mansion
roof, looking down with binoculars. He would have called to her, but
even with her hearing, he still wouldn't be audible. Waiting, he
sat on the old stone bench. Finally, Rouge flew back down to earth,
humming gently as she checked notes she'd scribbled out. "Hi, cutie!
You saw me up there?" she asked, resting beside him.

"Yeah, what were you doing?"

She replied, "I was thinking we should have a swimming pool dug up
in the back yard. Nothing big, just a nice summer resting spot."

"Let me guess," he responded, "you want an excuse to lay around in a
bikini without going to a crowded beach?"

"I have the bikini, Tom," Rouge replied, "but... it'd be nice to go
for a swim. Without someone watching." He caught on fast that she
meant without the bikini on. Tucking the notes away neatly, she took
to her feet. "Come on, we've got to go to the casino."


Tom signed papers and placed envelopes into the 'out' pile on the
desk. Casino business. A knock at the office door took his attention.
"Come in."

The door opened, one of the floor employees stepping foot inside. A
human woman, blonde ponytail, perhaps taller than he was greeted him.
"Um, hi. Listen, can I ask about a... well, a raise?" she asked,
very shy.

"Okay... what's your name?"

"Veronica Lance," she responded, giving Tom info to pull her
employee file.

"Hmm... been here six months. Okay, so, any idea how much you want
more per hour?" he asked without taking his eyes off the file.

"Oh, I was thinking... an extra thousand per week!"

"Absolutely not!" he shouted. "Get out of here before my wife finds
out! She'd fire you for this!"

"Oh? Look, buddy, either you give me what I want or I go tell that
ugly little bat that you've been banging me behind her back!" the
woman offered, teeth gritted in anger.

He said, "go ahead. And just for calling her that, you ARE fired!"
Veronica huffed, spinning and walking off. Angry, Tom followed.

On the floor, Rouge watched the customer flow. The tap on her shoulder
spun her around, a young blonde woman stooping down. "Umm, boss?
Yeah... listen, your husband and I have been... well... he loves me
more than he loves you. Said so several times, in fact! While we
were doing it! Have been for months! You're history, lady!"

Tom stood nearby. Rouge turned a sour expression. "Really... figures,
he'd probably desire a woman of his own species eventually... so
you know all his intimate thoughts...."

"Yes, I do!" Veronica replied.

"And his secrets?" Rouge asked.

"You bet, bat girlie!"

Finally, Rouge asked, "and... you saw his special tattoo... the one
he got for me..."

The woman nodded. "Damn right!"

"Lady..." Rouge smiled, a very evil grin as her eyes closed to small
slits. "...my husband doesn't have a tattoo!" Rouge's fist cocked back
and sprang forward in a blur, sending its target spiraling back in
a horrendous crack, the impact alone heard across the room. Pulling
herself up, the woman spat out, a bloody tooth hitting the carpet.
Yet more blood dripped from her nose, which was crooked, likely
broken. Customers and employees alike dropped their activities to
stare.

Rouge walked over to the woman. "Tom?"

"She asked for money," he explained.

"Listen, honey," she spat out, "my husband wouldn't cheat on me. I
wouldn't cheat on him. You tried to take away what we had because
you got GREEDY? I could kill you for that!"

Tom bent down. "She called you ugly, too!"

"She WHAT?" the bat shouted, a swift kick to the woman's gut. The
cry of pain echoed through the room as blood sprayed from her mouth.
he struggled for breath, pain firing through her nose, jaw and
kidney.

"I'll see you prosecuted for this! You... you have no right!" the
woman screamed. "No right to all this money! No right to a HUMAN!
Disgusting... someone find me a cop! NOW!"

"You've found one," a voice said, the dark figure stepping forward.
"Vivian James... you're coming with me."

"Shadow?" Rouge was surprised.

The black hedgehog restrained his target's arms with handcuffs. "I
was on my way to arrest her. Looks like you found out first."

"You mean she's done this crap before?" Tom asked, barely surprised.

"Yes," Shadow replied, "she's been wanted for identity theft, fraud,
blackmail and murder."

Thinking, Tom asked, "did you say her last name was JAMES?" The
hedgehog nodded. Lowering to look her in the eyes, Tom gathered a
large wad of spit in his mouth, hocking it into her face. "That's
for your sister!"

Rouge was somewhat surprised, but let it slide. "I'd ask you to
stay, Shadow," she said, "but I want this piece of trash OUT OF MY
CASINO!" The couple watched Shadow lead the woman away, a sad look
of defeat on her face.

Tom sat on the roulette table. His wife jumped up beside him. "What
was that for?" she asked, curious.

"That," he replied. "Leela James, that dumb greedy stuck-up cow my
parents fixed me up with..."

She realized the answer. "Her sister... think she came after you on
purpose? Hmph! Serves her right!"

"She's probably safer with Shadow right now than with us,"
Thomas commented. "You didn't..." He appeared nervous.

She laughed. "Not for a second! Please, if you were cheating on me,
you wouldn't give it to me as hard and as often as you do!" Rouge
smiled at him, inviting a kiss. He looked to the side, turning her
attention to the crowd. "What?" she asked, "fine, Tom, the people
want a show, so let's give them a show!"

With that, the two embraced, kissing long and hard as the gathered
crowd cheered. Satisfied, they broke the kiss, proceeding to walk
away and allow the casino to resume normal business. Before they
could reach the stairway to the apartment above, Victoria, the floor
manager, stopped them. "Nice job, boss! One thing though... Thomas,
I've seen you with your shirt untucked around here a few times and
your tie missing!" Looking over, the fox glared at Rouge. "And YOU
following him, with your top button undone!"

The couple looked at each other sheepishly. Busted. "You two can't
even keep it in your pants long enough to get upstairs!" Vic scolded.
"Hey, it's your casino. Still, boss... I have a confession."

"Yes? What is it?" Rouge asked, interested in the secret.

"I've been dating the janitor lately and... well, with my son at
home, I've... well, we sometimes go back to the janitorial closet
and.... you get the idea. You don't mind, do you?"

Grinning, Rouge simply said, "no. Not one bit. Just... don't get
caught, okay?"

Vic looked at Tom. "Me? NO... I don't mind. As she said, don't get
caught and... well, I don't need to know the details."

"Good," Vic said, turning. "By the way, boss, you kicked ass!"
Suddenly proud of herself again, the bat led her husband up to the
apartment.


The freezer door shut, two bowls of strawberry ice cream carried into
the living room. Taking his, Tom let his wife cuddle up. "That was
unusual, even for you," he remarked.

"It had to happen eventually," she said, "someone would try to leech
somehow. And no, I didn't believe her, not for a second! Don't get
whiny about it!"

"I wouldn't cheat on you. Three reasons I can sum it up with," he
said, catching her curiosity like a fish on a hook.

She said, "go on."

"First reason, you're incredibly beautiful, and anyone who says
you're not is either blind or an idiot. Second, I doubt anyone could
match you in bed. Third... you gave me my life. You didn't just help
save it, you gave me a life to live." Without a word, she nuzzled him,
moaning softly.

"There is a fourth reason, too, but it's not important."

"Tell me anyway," she said, not quite an order but pushing it.

"I..." He hesitated. "I like having my bones intact."

Laughing gently, Rouge kissed him. "So, about that swimming pool...."

"You've earned an amusement park in the back yard if you want it,"
he responded.

Licking her lips, Rouge said, "as much as I'd like a private
merry-go-round, I'll stick with the pool."

"I'll make the calls in the morning. Wanna look at this?" he said,
grabbing a large folder.

"Our wedding pictures! Romantic!" Rouge felt warm inside.

Tom opened the album. Memories on plastic in small frames forever.
And no one would take that away from either of them.