Disclaimer: I do not own any of the DC comic characters or locations and structures

Claimer: I own my OC characters and the story

-World's Finest-


A Hero's Admiration

Chapter One

The Call


"...more than anything, in all my time serving as Mayor, this is one of my greatest contributions to partake in with my term coming to a close," Mayor Hill spoke with a deal of emotion. He removed the glasses from the glasses and turned to face the structure.

"This building has served and been with Gotham City far longer than any mayor or public servant has. It is an honor that this project has fallen upon myself to achieve. With various others who have generously donated to the restoration of this magnificent institution from the many decades of decay and injury to its primal state. It is my great hope that once restored..."

There was no need to hear more to know how full of it Mayor Hill was. The emotional spectacle was a fine act, but the truth of the Mayor's actions was all to well known to him.

Bruce Wayne stood away from the gathered crowd with arms across his chest under the shade of a tree studying the soon to be decommissioned elected official. Being one of the few who contributed to the funding of the projects, the detective knew the mismanagement of funds already made for the Mayor's own gain. It wasn't hard to find.

Whether he'd confront the mayor with the suit and tie or under the mask really didn't matter at this point. One way or another the crime would be exposed and Mayor Hill would join the sadly long list of corrupted government officials in Gotham.

Here, on the grounds of Arkham Asylum the Batman under the facade of billionaire Bruce Wayne watched the declaration of restoration unfold. Part from Mayor Hill's ill doings, the day meant a great significance to Bruce. Helping to restore Arkham was something very much needed for his war on crime. Capturing the enemy and getting them off the streets was pointless if there was no place that could properly house them. Especially the hard cases ever so high in numbers in Gotham. Arkham was a festering wound in the war that allowed for many escapes because of its time taxed walls.

Today that would all change.

"...a gift as it were. A gift long overdue for unwrapping for the people of Gotham..."

A gift, Bruce agreed. A gift more or less for himself that could save more lives, locking the feigns of the city securely away.

"Mayor," a question rose up from the crowd. "What about the criminals housed here already? What will happen to them?"

The mayor smirked. "The inmates and staff have already relocated to a more higher security building until Arkham is back on its feet again."

The billionaire stared unimpressed with the clever acting the Mayor pulled in front of the people. Bruce could read him like a book, seeing the hidden nervousness and unseen sweat the man shed. He brooded in what darkness that could be found in midday until the presence of another caught Bruce's attention.

His walk was casual coming up. Hands in his trench coat pockets and neck covered under his popped up collar. A breeze overtook them just as Commissioner James Gordan stood beside him with a solid look on his face.

"Alone in the corners again, Mr. Wayne?"

Bruce smiled at that. "My date didn't like the idea of coming to a event where they housed the criminally insane. Not something that goes well with her feng shui."

"What about you? What brings someone like Bruce Wayne to such a serious event?"

He blinked. "Even I can take the time to see and appropriate what this means for Gotham." He wanted to be here, to see it. It didn't matter what being here mean for the reputation of Bruce Wayne, somethings just couldn't go missed.

His intent focus on the event finally eased when Bruce decided to glance over at the Batman's ally. It wasn't shown, but what Bruce saw startled him. "Dyed your hair?" he casually asked.

"Oh yes," Gordan stroked his newly made brown hair. "I'm not as old as my hair color would have suggested."

"Didn't peg you as someone who cared about those kind of things, commissioner," Bruce said in a tone meant more for use of the Batman.

"I don't," came a sharp reply. "Its the Mayor and his whole public image thing before he steps down. I got a speech to deliver right after him."

Bruce looked away, undecided if he should tell Gordan about Mayor Hill as Bruce Wayne. They weren't exactly friends. Batman was the only one to make use and exchange information with the Commissioner. The choice however was taken out of Bruce's hands with the arriving presence of another.

She embraced the older man dearly, nearly leaping at him with her arms. "Hi Dad."

"Barbra!" Gordan said slightly startled before returning the gesture. "When did you get here?"

"About ten minutes ago," the red head said pulling away to beam her smile towards the other man. "And Bruce, Bruce Wayne."

"Good evening, Barbra. Always a pleasure to see you again. Been a while hasn't it?"

"Ever since Dick left," she replied. "You two still talk, right?"

Bruce inwardly frowned at the question and remained silent. A silence picked up by Gordan who cleared his throat and moved to changed the topic of discussion.

"How's your leg doing?"

"Fine, Daddy."

The question caught Bruce's attention. "What happen to your leg if you don't mind me asking."

Barbra's mind went blank. She couldn't even think of a lie fast or convincing enough to tell the World's Greatest Detective or of the one she told her father.

"Oh, my little girl hurt herself practicing in the gymnasium a few days back. Had a little pain in her legs since then."

"Really?" Bruce's face turned to a soar look only Barbra could see and pick up. He was annoyed and it made her nervous seeing it, knowing what the extent of it meant. Bruce suspected that her encounter with Scarecrow had left more injuries than she had admitted to. His protective nature of others flared up. "Guess you'll need some practicing before going back up on those high bars again."

She weakly smiled. "Yeah, I guess so."

The two were locked in a stare only broken up by a ringing in Bruce's tux coat pocket. A ringing he knew meant trouble.

"If you two would excuse me," he turned and made his way out of hearing distance before answering the device's call.

Barbra bit her lower lip knowing exactly what Bruce had meant. She told him she was perfectly fine and fit for patrol. She would be stuck in hours of training in the cave's simulator before he would allow her back on streets again.

"What is it?" he asked with his gruff tone.

"Bruce, its me, Clark."

He frowned. "Again, what is it?" spoken with greater agitation.

A moment of silence before Superman spoke again.

"The Watchtower just received a call from Waller. Somethings happened at Cadmus."

Bruce looked up, mind already at work. Waller was a tough woman and a proud one. With the weapons Cadmus provided under her belt to have to call them meant the situation she was in had to be grim.

"I'll be the air in ten minutes." Bruce placed the device back in his jacket; with only a glance back at the Arkham proceedings before he made a discreet exit to an isolated area.

He found himself surrounded by trees with a clearing perfect for the batplane to settle in. With but a press of a button on his watch the black craft appeared from the skies and landed. Its twin wield engines and underbelly thrusters sent waves of air around around the area. Bruce stood at wait until the craft's cockpit opened for him. The removal of the jacket suit was all he did before the presence of another caught his attention.

Bruce turned with an annoyance to see the unexpected visitor approach, her red hair brushed all across her face from the jet's distortions.

"A call?" she asked eagerly.

Bruce nodded his reply before he turned and went to work on his cuff lings. Barbra followed suit which caught his attention immediately.

"Going somewhere?" he asked with a single raised brow.

"Didn't you get a call? A Justice League call?"

"I did."

"So what are we waiting for?" She continued to change. Only until the shadow of his towering figure overtake her did Barbra pay mind to Bruce's expression. A most displeased expression.

"What?" She asked lightly.

His stare beamed down at her. "Far as I am concerned, your still on the mend."

"I'm fine, Bruce, really. Just needed a little more time for my legs to rest up, that's all."

"And about a dozen hours worth of recovery training time in the simulator."

Barbra was shocked. "You're not serious?"

His expression didn't change.

"You're serious."

Bruce didn't bother with another word before he climbed into the craft and proceeded to dress in the attire of his alter ego.

"So what am I suppose to do until you get back? We are partners you know? I go where you go, you got my back, I got yours. Any of this ring a bell?"

"I've got plenty of backup for this." Batman place his final black gauntlet, followed by dawning on the mask. "Besides, Tim needs your help with the Titans."

"What?! I'm on babysitting duty now?"

He glared at her. "Robin's team has been on a case that may be a little more than they can handle alone. Something about a strange person roaming about in the city." The cockpit glass closed and the thrusters powered up. He of course noted the annoyed look on the young woman's face and the mocking tongue she stuck out at him.

Barbra eased away with one arm at her forehead with the batplane ascending into the sky and darted off. Always difficult, that's what Bruce excelled at whenever she was with him. She found the avoidance he was given her lately cute if not encouraging. Her smile carried with her the entire trip back to the Arkham gathering.


To be Continued...


A slightly less than exciting chapter, but will improve in action in later chapters. Who liked it? Who hated it?