Christmas Eve

Homes filled with joy as presents are unwrapped, candles being lit in front of the widow, as to share their warmth with the entire city.

Bruce Wayne was no different, his butler Alfred prepared stuffed turkey in the kitchen. The smell filled the entire manor. The maids, chefs, his butler. All were in a good mood thanks to the Christmas atmosphere.

Bruce turned on the TV and watched the news as usual, he did so every evening. Vicki Vale appeared, reporting about the severe winter storm that was about to hit Gotham City. The GCPD advised everyone to stay inside due to the weather. Bruce looked over his shoulder, glancing at the small table by the wall. On top of the table were pictures of his parents, who had passed away when Bruce was just a small boy.

Bruce went over to the table and grabbed up a particular picture, taken outside the Monarch theater, on it were both his parents, Martha Wayne and Thomas Wayne, and a young Bruce between them. The picture was taken by Alfred, who drove off to the manor after taking the picture. If only he hadn't… Bruce knew he couldn't blame Alfred for what happened to his parents, he couldn't blame himself, couldn't blame his father, in a way, Bruce couldn't even blame the guy who shot them.

''Vicki, is that Commissioner Gordon?''

Bruce glanced over at the TV, Vale was still reporting, a press conference was about to start

Bruce watched Commissioner Gordon as he approached the stage, lots of reporters immediately started shouting questions the moment Gordon appeared.

''If everybody would just calm down, thank you, thank you.

I'm holding this press conference for two reasons, one reason is public knowledge, we finally captured Julian Day. The other reason isn't. Two weeks ago, Ace Chemicals had a break in. We identified the culprit as 'The Red Hood'. Leader of the Wild hounds gang that has been located in Gotham for years. Due to an unfortunate turn of events, their leader tripped into a chemical vat. We had high hopes of recovering the body, but it was nowhere to be found.

We now believe, and have proof, that Red Hood somehow survived this incident. Which is why we, the GCPD, are reaching out to the public. The acid Red hood tripped in should've melted his signature Red hood to his head, meaning he can't get it off. If anyone sees, or even thinks he saw The Red Hood, we ask you immediately reach out to the GCPD.''

Bruce had vague flashbacks, he couldn't remember it all too well, but it was a chase gone wrong. He remembered trying to reach out to Red Hood, trying to pull him away from the chemicals ,but it had rained that day, and the steel they were standing on was slippery…

''Now, as for Julian Gregory Day, better known as the Calendar man, we are happy to say that mister Day got served the death penalty, and will no longer be with us in the next coming hour.''

They showed a small corridor in Blackgate penitentiary, where a group of security guards was carrying Day out of his cell.

''WAAAIIIIITTTT!''

The security guards where stopped in their tracks by a small, skinny young woman.

''Yeah? Whadda ya want?'' A security guard asked.

''I reevaluated Julian Day's profile, this man is criminally insane, and shouldn't be executed!''

''Master Wayne! Dinner is ready!'' Alfred shouted.

''Coming!'' Bruce answered. He was about to stand up when the security guard replied.

''What the? Harleen, you were the one that declared him sane in the first place, heck, Crane backed you up on that one, he's going down.''

The security guards walked past Harleen into the execution chamber.

The footage was stopped and the camera switched back to Gordon.

''Sorry for that misunderstanding, tends to happen a lot around new doctors, I can assure you Day will be executed. We of the GCPD see this as not only a victory for ourselves, but a victory against criminality as well. We wish all of you a merry Christmas, and a happy new year.''

Bruce turned the TV off and went to the dinner hall, where Alfred stood with in his hand a silver plate, with on top of that a delicious looking turkey.

Bruce ate in silence as Christmas music was played by a small group of piano players he had hired. He was thinking about what he just witnessed on TV, the odd woman standing up for a serial killer. But something else was off, Gordon's speech pattern was quite nervous, as if he wanted to tell himself Julian Day was going to be executed, but he knew it wouldn't happen.

After the delicious meal, Bruce expressed his gratitude to the piano players and turned back on the TV, Gordon was on screen once again, didn't he just end the press conference?

Reporters were bombarding the poor man with questions, what had happened?

''EVERYBODY CALM DOWN! Just because Day escaped won't mean that the GCPD will give up her hunt for him!''

Day had escaped, this was bad. Bruce hurried to his library and pulled the secret book out, to reveal a secret entrance into the Bat cave.

''Where are you going, Master Bruce?'' Alfred asked, he had just entered the library as well.

''Blackgate''.

''I see, I do hope you keep the cold weather in mind, it would be a shame to catch a cold during Christmas.''

''Will do Alfred''.

And with that, Bruce entered the Bat cave and suited up. He prepared the Batcopter to fly him to Blackgate.