Hi. I'm back. I know I've posted this story before, but I recently found it shoved in my desk and I re-read it and hated it, so I decided to fix it and repost it. I hope you like the changes I have made.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Batman and related characters. They belong to Bob Kane, WB, DC Comics, etc.

One

Sweet Dreams

It was a cold, dark night; the kind of night that no one would want to spend alone. The full moon rose high and shined brightly upon the dark heart of Gotham City. The wind quietly pushed scattered clouds across the moon's piercing path, while chilling the October air.

Standing in solitude, Wayne Manor looked down from its hill in the Palisades. The world in which it was a part of was not a peaceful, happy and prosperous one. Although Wayne Manor had seen many hard times through it's six generations of existence, the present time was one for the records.

No matter how hard anyone tried Gotham City was still a dark place. It never seemed to fully recover from the loss of Thomas and Martha Wayne. But when help finally did come, local Gothamites cast him out and labeled him as a dangerous vigilante. Unfortunately, they could never see all the great things he was doing to fix the city he loves. People lived in fear for so long that they began to feel that good no longer existed in the world, and when Batman tried to change their minds, they turned their back on him. Sure he was doing his job and throwing all the bad guys into Arkham Asylum, but it was never enough. There was always someone else who needed rescuing.

Arkham Asylum is always worse than how someone describes it. If anyone is ever granted a one-way ticket to a padded cell, they must have done some pretty bad things. Inmates consisted of criminals, murderers, rapists, mob bosses, and anyone else who ever committed a crime. Thanks to Batman, Robin and Batgirl, many of these inmates are permanent residents. To ensure the protection of the innocent people, Arkham is located on it's own private island in the Narrows with hi-tech security systems and guards on twenty-four hour watches. Unfortunately, Gotham's modern day society had grown accustomed to Arkham's presence while trying to ignore the big, ugly eye sore.

The piercing cold managed to break through the giant bricks of Wayne Manor on this October night. As it entered the bedroom of Bruce Wayne, the wind forced chills down his spine as he slept. The unbearable cold only intensified the feelings his dream was giving him. Actually, it was more of a nightmare and less of a dream.

He had experienced it before. He knew that he had dreamt this before, but he couldn't remember when. He couldn't shake the uncomfortable sense of familiarity. It was nighttime and raining. He could clearly tell that he was standing in a cemetery and dressed in his Batman suit. Bruce's double life had really started to take a recognizable toll on him and he concluded that the dreams came as a package deal. There was a young woman, somewhere around the age of eighteen or so. She had been laying on the ground of the cemetery fifteen feet from where he was standing. Through the dense fog, he was able to see that she was bleeding, but when he tried to approach her, he was not able to move. The silence was broken by crying and murmuring of another person. A woman, Bruce realized, someone he knew. He couldn't place her face, but knew he had seen her before.

As he continued to struggle unsuccessfully against the invisble restraints that prohibited him from moving, a voice came from the distance. Bruce was unable to make out what it was saying, but it made the weeping woman cry harder than before, while the young girl's body remained unmoving.

"You did this!" she said to him. "It's your fault! How could you?!"

The next thing he knew, everything went black.

Bruce woke up with beads of sweat on his forehead and his sheets on the floor. The quickly glanced around his bedroom and was relieved it was morning. Glad to see the sun, he opened his curtains, inhaled deeply, and headed off towards the bathroom.

'It was just a dream', he kept telling himself. 'An incredibly vivid, disturbing dream.'

As he went through his morning routine, Bruce couldn't get the weeping woman's face out of his head. He knew her, that was for sure, but he didn't know who she was. He started calling her his 'mystery woman' who was apparently very angry at him for something he didn't remember doing. He would never hurt someone and leave them.

Shaking his head and trying to get his mind off it, Bruce swiped his suit jacket off of his bed and headed downstairs for breakfast.

When he reached the bottom of the grand staircase that morning, Bruce was greeted by his friends Dick and Alfred's niece, Barbara. Alfred Pennyworth was Bruce's butler and best friend and had been there for all of Bruce's life. He was appointed by Thomas, Bruce's father, to take care of what he treasured most in the world: his family.

Alfred reluctantly supported Bruce in his idea to save Gotham from itself disguised as Batman. After seeing how successful Batman was becoming, Alfred's opinion soon changed. He could not understand how Gotham could love Bruce Wayne, but not Batman. Alfred felt that the city simply had to give Batman a chance.

By chance, Dick Grayson and Bruce had met a few years ago. Dick was a part of the Flying Grayson's, a famous family of acrobats who starred in the Gotham Circus. Unfortunately, Dick's family was murdered by Harvey Dent, also known as Two-Face, during one of their performances. Being the good person he is, Bruce took Dick in and provided for him. In Bruce's eyes, Dick will always be the damaged, distraught, do-good little brother he always wanted. Once Dick figured out Bruce's secret, he begged Bruce to let him team up with him. After Dick vowed vengeance for his family's death, Bruce welcomed him to fight by his side.

Barbara came to Wayne Manor almost one year after Dick. When she heard that her uncle had fallen ill, she intended to take him away. She soon realized that Bruce and Dick's partnership was falling apart so she introduced herself as their new sidekick. After she proved herself useful during combat, the trio became the greatest partnership a needy city could never ask for.

"Good morning, Bruce," Barbara said with a yawn.

"Good morning," he replied without looking up from the losing fight with his tie. "How is everyone?"

"Fine," Dick answered as he got up from the couch. "You don't look so hot."

"Thanks," Bruce said as he walked aimlessly into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Master Wayne," Alfred greeted him with a smile.

"Mornin', Alfred," Bruce responded. He had given up all hope to ever form a decent knot in his tie. As he reluctantly picked up the sports section of the Gotham Globe, Alfred asked, "Are you feeling alright? You look very pale."

"Everyone has such nice things to say this morning," Bruce said, finally making eye contact with his three friends.

"Hey," Barbara said. "I didn't say anything critical. You know I love you, Bruce."

"Yeah," he said, "I know."

"Maybe you should stay home today," Alfred suggested.

"I'm fine," Bruce said, a little annoyed. "Don't worry about me." He hated when they fussed over him.

"Maybe last night was too much for your old body to handle," Dick joked as he poured himself another cup of coffee.

"No, Dick, I don't think so," Bruce defended. "I'm not as old as you think."

The night before, Bruce, Dick and Barbara were out until two in the morning on their usual after-dinner patrol. After sustaining the usual beating and mischevious civilians, Bruce had found it hard to keep up with his partners. He somehow managed to fight back anyway, when all he really wanted was to go home to his bed.

After they finished breakfast, Alfred started cleaning up the dishes, Dick and Barbara left the kitchen, leaving Bruce behind. He had to get something off his chest before he even thought about going into work.

"Hey Alfred," he asked quietly.

"Yes, Mast Wayne," he replied.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course. You know you can always confide in me," Alfred said with a small smile that Bruce returned.

"Well, I've been having some weird dreams lately," Bruce confessed, "and they have been bothering me. I don't know whether I should ignore them or not."

Alfred did not respond right away. Instead, he looked at Bruce long and hard, as if he was trying to read his mind. Finally, he asked, "what does your heart tell you?"

There was another pause. Bruce really had no idea what to say. Alfread really wasn't one who usually spoke in such a way, but then Bruce realized that he might have a point.

"I guess," he said, "that it's warning me. But it doesn't make any sense. I don't know any women who have teenage daughters or close relatives. I mean, yeah, there's Selena, Chase, Julie...But who knows." Bruce was starting to regret having brought up the subject.

"Vicky?" Alfred suggested. There was no way Bruce could have forgotten about Vicky. He loved her.

"She has a teenage daughter?" Bruce asked.

"I'm not sure," Alfred answered, "but you never know."

Shaking his head, Bruce said, "Well I doubt I am dreaming about Vicky. I haven't seen her in a long time. When we were together, things were different. I was different."

"Do you think she'd hate you for being different?", Alfred asked.

Bruce had no answer for him. As he got up and headed for the door, he juggled the possibility that Alfred had hit the nail on the head.

The rest of the day pressed on as normal. Bruce went to work, attended the necessary meetings, came home and decided to head down to the Bat Cave. Dick and Barbara were there too, but they did not bother him. It was as if they could sense that something was bothering him. They both knew that if Bruce needed their help, that he would ask for it.

Bruce sat in the large, comfortable chair in front of the Bat-computer. He found himself staring up at the huge, blank screen unable to keep his mind off Vicky. He'd spent his day trying to match her face with the woman from his dream, but to no prevail. It started to feel that the harder he tried to see her face, the less he could remember.

Bruce knew that his computer could access information about Vicky in a heartbeat, but he was still hesitant. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know where she was and maybe have to confront her about what he had dreamt about.

Vicky had learned about Bruce's life the hard way. She was one of the few who experienced it. When Vicky got too close to Bruce, their relationship almost cost them both their lives. It was difficult for Bruce to tell her the truth because deep down, he really loved her and wanted to protect her. Bruce's hesitance and fear caused her more pain than necessary, and he felt sorry for doing so.

It was an hour later when Bruce heard Dick calling him for dinner. He hadn't even realized that Dick and Barbara had left the BatCave and wondered how long he had been alone. They had been quiet while they tinkered with the equipment and left Bruce to think. Neither Dick nor Barbara would admit it, but they knew that something was bothering their friend.

Dinner went by quickly and quietly. The silence was deafening which made everyone feel awkward. The dinner table is usually full of laughter and interesting discussions. But tonight was different. Dick and Barbara knew that Bruce wouldn't say anything, and they weren't going to press the matter. While they exchanged concerned looks, Bruce kept his eyes down, pushing his food around his plate, clearly avoiding the subject.

The awkwardness of dinner finally passed and Bruce insisted to help Alfred clean up. It was usual for Barbara to help her uncle while Bruce and Dick attended the BatCave, but no one argued when Bruce started clearing off the table. Both Alfred and Bruce were in the kitchen when Dick turned to Barbara and said, "I dunno. He's starting to scare me."

"What do you mean?" Barbara pressed.

"I've never seen him act like this," Dick admitted. "It's like he's lost or something."

"Yeah, I've noticed it too," Barbara agreed. "Do you think maybe we should ask..."

"No, oh no," Dick put up a hand to stop her. "I don't think that's a good idea. If he wants to talk to us, he will."

Barbara nodded in agreement and followed Dick downstairs to the BatCave.

While in the kitchen, unable to hear what his friends are saying about him, Bruce asked Alfred about Vicky.

"Alfred," Bruce started, "I've been thinking a lot about what you said this morning about Vicky and my dream."

"I'm glad I could help you," Alfred replied with a smile.

"Yeah," Bruce said as he continued drying the plate in his hands. "I think you might be right."

"That's a relief," Alfred said as he handed Bruce another plate. "I hope that you will let me know how everything turns out."

Bruce returned the gentle smile and they finished their after-dinner chores in silence. Glancing at the microwave clock, Bruce let out a small yawn and couldn't believe how tired he was. It was only eight-thirty and all he wanted was his bed. He said goodnight to Alfred, never acknowledged Dick and Barbara in the BatCave, and headed upstairs for bed.

Bruce fell into another deep sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Within minutes, he was experiencing the same dream as the night before, with only minor details having been changed.

Through the thick fog and annoying rain, Bruce saw that he was standing at the foot of his parents' grave, dressed in a black dress suit. The annoying drizzle drenched him to his bones and sent an uneasy chill down his spine. Just like before, when he tried to move, he couldn't. It was like an invisible force was blocking his path.

Bruce was silent for a moment, and then the screaming started again. He realized that it was closer and louder than the night before and sounded an awful lot like Vicky's voice. He hesitated before trying to move again, and when he did, he took off running towards the screaming. Many years of crime fighting and watching from the shadows told Bruce to do only one thing: save the girl at all costs.

He ran through the lifting fog and spray of rain, in search of the screaming woman, but was unsuccessful. He arrived back at his parents' grave, slightly confused.

"Bruce, how could you?" came the woman's voice again through tears. "You did this! You are the only one to blame for it!"

The voice frightened him at first, but then he saw her. At first, Bruce noticed the young girl on the ground, unnaturally still and covered in blood. The woman on her knees beside her was surely the source of the screaming accusations. Bruce started to make his way towards the woman, who he clearly identified as Vicky, but he couldn't move. Whatever the cause of this dream was, it enjoyed messing around with Bruce's head.

In Bruce's perifial vision, he could see a figure approaching the three of them from the darkness. He was only able to see the figure's dark hood and gray eyes. Somehow, he was not able to look away, and forgot that Vicky and the girl were there with him. Bruce started to get the feeling that the figure was reading his mind and trying to uncover his deepest, darkest secrets.

The in said to him, "You were never meant to be happy! Broken souls never heal!"

You've read it, now review it...please? Open to any and all critiques.