This is just a little cliff-hanger that I thought of. It could possibly go somewhere further. Tell me what you like or didn't like, either way it is much appreciated! I do not own any of the characters.

The thick, cloying gas left tears in Batman's eyes. He reached out blindly, swiping out at the crazed inmates, trying to make his way out of the poisonous air. Cries and gagging filled his ears as he slumped on to his knees. A loud, rough cough racked his body and a bright red splatter appeared on the stone in front of him. Blood dribbled down from his chin and he shakily wiped his mouth with his gloved hand. He forced his body to move and he started to crawl over the dead inmates.

Weak, psychotic laughter came from somewhere around him and he turned in the direction of the sound. Squinting past the tears, he saw the telltale white skin, green hair, and red lips of the Joker. A feeling of rage and familiarity swept through him and he move faster towards the body. All of the sudden he was leaning over the Joker's body, his hand weakly gripping the front of his prison uniform, forcing his other hand into a fist. The Joker cackled and punctuated it with a sick, wet cough.

"Ha…ha..Haha.. Looks like we are going to die together. How cute." The Batman forced a weak growl from his throat and in return, the Joker giggled even more.

"Give it up Bats. You've been beaten."

"Never." He replied in a dry rasp.

"Hah…Ha..Haha. Never? Are you sure about that? Do you have a miracle in that belt of yours? Ha..Haha. Hah." Joker commented.

"Just admit it, this is the end, and you're afraid. You're afraid to die."

The Batman shook his head and his vision swam from the force. His emotions welled up in his throat, blocking his airways, and he felt his despair in his body. He felt how tired he was of fight, how tired he was of living. He could feel himself giving up, giving up on everything. For a moment, he thought of what it would be like to be free from everything. Free of the pain and emptiness that was his entire being. He felt nothing. His life had been so full of anger and hurt that he could not remember what it was like to be happy. The memories of his parents seemed like a faraway dream.

"Come cry on my shoulder Bats. I'm here for you." The Joker said with mock understanding. He busted out into a fit of coughs and blood splattered on to Batman's face.

"Hah..aha… Haha..Ha..hah. Opps." The Joker said weakly as his body started to shudder. The Joker's body started to convulse and bloody foam bubbled out of his mouth. A wet, choking sound came low from within the his throat and Batman watched as the Joker's life slipped away.

"No you son of a bitch!" Batman roared. He grabbed the front of the Joker's uniform and shook his entire body. "You won't die damn it. I won't let you!" Batman would not allow this criminal to get out so easily. At least that is what he told himself. Deep down the Batman knew that if the Joker dies and he survived, he would have no means to be the Batman. With the Clown Prince of Crime gone, Batman would have no need to protect Gotham. but Bruce couldn't let go of Batman. Batman had become Bruce's addiction, just like the Joker had become Batman's addiction.

A choking sound come from Batman's throat as he realized this. He couldn't go back to living an empty life as Bruce Wayne. He had to have a reason to live, and Batman was his reason to live. Somewhere far in the back of his mind, he knew that he had forgotten the true meaning of Batman. He had forgotten that he put away criminals to make Gotham the way his father would have wanted it. His father. A sob made its way out of his throat as he thought of his parents. He wished he could have them with him now. He could imagine his mother holding him close and his father telling him how proud he was. And that was all Bruce wanted. Was for his family to be proud of him.

"And we are." Bruce heard. He looked up over the Joker's dying body and saw his parents smiling down at him. Bruce knew they weren't real, but he couldn't help reaching out towards them. He was so broken and lost. Bruce didn't want to be Batman and deal with the pain anymore. He just wanted to go home.

"Then let go." His mother said and his father smiled at him. A round of hard coughs ran through his body as he vomited blood, but he smiled through the pain and the haze of poisonous smoke, and finally let go.