Amidst All the Strife

by Jenn1

After learning about the truth of the Commissioner's deception, John Blake is furious. While Gotham is on the brink of chaos, John knows he can't abandon his boss, or the city.

Disclaimer (Lengthy):

"The Batman" and its principal protagonist, Batman/Bruce Wayne, and the other cast of characters were originally created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. The first appearance was in Detective Comics #27 (May 1939)

"The Dark Knight Rises" and its principal protagonists, Bruce Wayne/Batman, and the other cast of characters were originally created by Bob Kane and any other characters in the movie were Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer the movie was directed by Christopher Nolan (July 16, 2012) – Novel was written by Greg Cox (July 2012)

This work is not intended for commercial use, and no permission is granted for reproduction of the text of this fiction on any other website without the express permission of the author. This is a fan work made by fans, for fans for entertainment reward only, and no money was made through the production and distribution of this work. Immediate removal of this work will occur upon presentation of a reasonable and legal request from the above named parties and their representatives, or the action of a DMCA notice.

Disclaimer (Short):

I don't own any of the characters or places, I merely have them on unauthorized loan - but I promise to return them if and when anyone from the above list (or one of their legal representatives) asks me to.

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Title: Amidst All the Strife

Summary: After learning about the truth of the Commissioner's deception, John Blake is furious. While Gotham is on the brink of chaos, John knows he can't abandon his boss, or the city.

Category: General, Friendship, and Missing Scene

Spoilers: The Dark Knight Rises, and the other two as well.

Timeframe: Shortly after Bane tells Gotham about Gordon's deception, and the truth about Harvey Dent.

~o~o~o~o~

Gotham City, New Jersey

October 15th

Day 2 (of the occupation)

~o~o~o~o~

"Those men locked up for eight years in Blackgate and denied parole under the Dent Act, it was based on a lie." John Blake's tone held disbelief.

"Gotham needed a hero." James Gordon tried to explain his reasoning.

Well, it needs one now more than ever, but you betrayed everything you stood for."

Gordon turned to face the young detective and looked him right in the eye. "There's a point far out there, when the structures fail you... when the rules aren't weapons anymore, they're shackles, letting the bad guy get ahead. One day, you may face such a moment of crisis. And in that moment, I hope you have a friend like I did, to plunge their hands into the filth, so you can keep yours clean!"

"Your hands look plenty filthy to me, Commissioner."

~o~o~o~o~

There had been something in Gordon's expression when he had been speaking, but Blake was too upset with all the information he had just been told to really wonder on what the older was thinking.

John turned back to continue packing up their supplies; something he had been doing before Bane's televised speech in front of Blackgate Prison had started. Thoughts were going through young detective's mind, information that he just heard in the last five minutes that was almost too much to take in. He could still hear Bane on the television, he wanted to block out the mercenary's meaningless words to the people of Gotham. Unfortunately that was impossible to do.

Blake heard a low hiss of breath, but when he turned around, Gordon was not seated on the sofa like John thought he would be. Scanning the room quickly, he saw that the older man was near the front door. The noise John heard had been the Commissioner trying to get his coat over his injured arm.

"What are you doing?" his tone was snappier than it was normally.

"It's obvious with what you've just learned that you're angry; I understand you wouldn't want me here. So my being here is now a problem," Gordon replied. He grimaced as he got his arm through the coat sleeve.

I'm angry, but I can't admit. If he leaves, no matter the reason, whether I tell him to go or he goes because he thinks I want him to leave, if he gets caught, that's my fault. What was the risk in saving him yesterday; if my attempt fails? It would mean nothing if Bane or one of his men were to catch him again.

"Don't be ridiculous," John told him. Asking more out of frustration than curiosity he questioned the other man. "Where do you expect to go in your condition?"

Gordon let out a weary breath. "There are a few places."

"That may be true, but Bane and his men are still out looking for you, sir. Listen, I think we both know it would be best for you to just stay here for now."

Blake hoped Gordon would not bring up his idea about getting in front of a camera again. Even though John himself thought it had been a good idea a few minutes ago, John knew it wouldn't help their cause now. Last night, Gordon had to convince him that it was the only way; that it was the quickest way to gain control from Bane. The people of Gotham did look for someone to lead them. But neither one of them had known that Bane had that letter. With it, the truth of Harvey Dent's death came out. With that news out, how many people were going to look Gordon for leadership?

I would, John thought. Despite everything he would still stand beside the man.

Gordon only nodded in acknowledgment to the young man's statement. "There are a few places that we could go. There still is some law enforcement in Gotham since not every cop went down into the sewers."

Blake knew that too. One cop that was trapped down in the sewers was his former partner, Tyler Ross, as well as several men and women the young detective knew.

"We'll just keep moving, if we do that, then Bane shouldn't find us," John replied. He did say the next thought that crossed his mind. Hopefully.

"We have to get a hold of Foley and find a place to meet soon as possible."

The young detective nodded in agreement. The Deputy Commissioner was not one of the easiest people to get along with. Blake knew Peter Foley was a good cop despite that, but their views on things were different. Like the Batman. Although, he could understand Foley's view better now, not that Blake agreed with it.

Gordon took off his jacket, not an easy task. He shook his head when John stepped in his direction to help him out.

John looked back at the television; the news channel was following up with replays of Bane's revelation about the truth of Harvey Dent. That was the main topic, as well as Gotham being held hostage. Blake knew the mercenary was lying to Gotham. He knew that letting the prisoners out of Blackgate was only the beginning of something atrocious.

"Bane now knows he has complete control over Gotham," Gordon came back to stand next to the younger man.

"But we both know Bane's not going to keep his word. He says his giving Gotham back to the people, but there's got to be a catch."

The Commissioner looked over at Blake for a second before turning his attention back to the television. "Even though we both know better, Bane knows that the best way to stay in charge is to make the citizens think they have control of the city."

"The city of Gotham and its people may cause pandemonium before long."

"No, Bane has too much control to let that happen," Gordon answered right away. "Although it's not like that hasn't happened before," he added more to himself as he focused on the news report on the television. "I'm not sure what you remember."

"What do you mean?" John wanted to know.

"More like when, years ago when the Batman was first around, the city had been in complete chaos."

What had been going on at the time the Batman made his debut than? John wondered. It had to be something major; though he knew already there had been whispers and rumors about masked vigilante. He remembered.

"Sir, are you referring to Jonathan Crane and the other intimates that were let out of prison and into Gotham and raised havoc years ago?" Blake asked as he thought of the time over eight and half years ago. When the event happened, he had been a boy of fifteen.

"No," answered Gordon, but he did not elaborate. "Something else."

On the television they watched as Blackgate's inmates walking through the crumbled wall of the outer courtyard, they could not see a blue nor a tan uniform anywhere. No one was safe, not just the wealthy, but regular civilians were too.

"So now all of Gotham's criminals are out on the streets," Blake stated.

"All but one," Gordon's voice was quiet but John still heard him.

"But everyone-" the young detective started to protest, but he stopped as he thought who the Commissioner could mean. "But there isn't anyone left in Arkham either." After a pause, he asked, "There is someone, isn't there?"

"Yes," Gordon faced the younger man. "Since every criminal has been in Blackgate for the last eight years because of the Dent Act, at the request of the mayor, made an exception. The Joker made a name for himself when he was controlling the mob, and he still is mentioned from time to time, I know" sighing the Commissioner went on. "We felt it was too dangerous, to leave the Joker at Blackgate. Not to mention, it would be safer for the other Blackgate inmates if he were not there. So for the last eight years he has been the sole inmate of Arkham."

John saw something pass over Gordon's face. It might be pain or guilt, he wasn't sure. Whatever demons the Commissioner had, were his own burdens. The young detective wanted to ask, but he didn't.

"Even if he is the sole resident of Arkham, what sort of security is it under?" Blake wanted to know. "It's not going to matter if Bane-"

Gordon interrupted. "Yes, it's not going to matter if Bane decides to free him. For now Arkham has the highest security. The only other person there is Joker's doctor."

Eight years ago, the Joker was put in Arkham. Before that, the madman gleefully controlled Gotham through terror for a short time. Because he thought it was fun. Blake did not know anything of dealings with the mobsters and their gangs Joker had made. Though he had learned about that through old newspapers as well as confidential police records. John did have some memory of the near pandemonium that the Joker had caused at that time. One of them being that the Batman had to unmask before all of the people of Gotham. John also knew as soon as Harvey Dent had claimed to be the vigilante, he knew that was a lie. Months before Bruce Wayne had visited St. Swithin's, John had learned who he really was that day. Then months later, on the night Dent death, how could he forget that? St. Swithin's had been under lock down. If it hadn't been for the Batman, even before Blake learned about Gordon's letter, who knew what would have happened years ago?

Did Bane realize that freeing the Joker would cause worse chaos in Gotham than there was already? Blake could not answer that, though he wondered about it. The coming days were an unknown to John. Anything could happen, and undoubtedly would happen.

Where was Bruce Wayne? That question had been rolling around in John's mind for the last few days. 'The Batman' as Gotham knew him could be dead. As sobering as that thought was, the young detective's instants were telling him that if Bane wanted Wayne dead, then he would have done it. The mercenary would have done some kind of public display; unmasking Batman and revealing Wayne's identity, John was sure, before killing him out right.

But now with Batman gone... we're truly on our own. Blake didn't even let the idea that the man could be dead enter his mind. He had to be somewhere.

A memory came to mind with Batman being unmasked and then hung. Inwardly shuddering at the memory from eight years ago, John let out a breath. Even though it hadn't been the real Batman, it still had been some poor soul that had been at the wrong place at the wrong time. The Joker had laughed and tormented the man before he had killed him. The madman only did it because he wanted the real Batman to reveal his true identity. The news later come out with shots of the man hanging from one of Gotham's tall skyscrapers with a sign that read: Batman's Dead.

Blake knew he had to look at this logically. He did not know if Wayne was even dead or alive. His belief that Wayne was alive didn't matter much since he didn't have any proof. He wished he knew where to find Wayne. They could use his help right about now.

When he had asked Selina Kyle his questions about Wayne's whereabouts and if he was alive, her vague answers weren't reassuring. She hadn't even known if he still was alive,how could she possibly know where they had taken him? Even if she knew, John was not sure she would have told him; she was terrified of the masked mercenary's vengeance.

All he knew was that Bane couldn't have killed Wayne. He could think it, if he chose to believe what Selina Kyle told him. So Blake didn't believe Wayne, or Batman for that matter, was dead. He now wondered, where was he?

"My main worry is the people of Gotham are going to turn on each other," Gordon broke into John's thoughts. "Out of fear than anything else, the people might just do as Bane says and take over the city." He walked around the couch and sat down tiredly. He took the remote and turned off the television. "I should have done something last night. Perhaps had I done something before he-"

"I know you wanted to get in front of a camera so you could lead the people of Gotham," Blake interrupted. He really had not meant to, but he did not want the Commissioner to turn to 'what ifs'. "But sir, I don't know how much faith people are going to have in you, let alone anyone in a higher authority after what Bane did."

Gordon turned to look at the younger man. "I know that all too well. It still doesn't mean I can't wish I could. Now there's not much I can do."

What could he say to that? The detective wished he could do something too. As of now it didn't look like they could do much of anything.

Looking at Gordon closer, Blake could see how haggard he was. John knew the older man was exhausted; he must have slept fretfully. With the escape from the hospital, as well as driving around the city to stay unnoticed had not been easy. Before going to Blake's place, they had to sneak into the Commissioner's apartment to get him some things. Driving around Gotham had been like driving through a ghost town.

As his forearm brushed the badge on his belt, John slipped it off, brushing his thumb over the metal. He knew that in the coming days being a law-biding citizen might get you injured or even killed. What was left of the police could easily be hunted down. If he was caught with his badge, the detective knew he might as well put his own to gun to his head and pull the trigger.

Blake glanced down at Gordon who was watching him with a slight frown. "I guess you're not the only one out of the job, Commissioner," he admitted.

Comprehension dawned on Gordon's face with young man's words. "That may be, but I didn't mean we can't do nothing. It means that I have to, that we have to, help Gotham in a different way, than I thought originally. There has to be a way. We still have some of our people above ground who would still want to do their jobs even if we to hide to do it. But first we need to gather everyone we can find."

John nodded in agreement. "We should find out where the bomb is, and figure out where they're keeping it. For all we know, Bane may be or may not have been lying about a trigger man."

"I agree, though, I don't think Bane was lying about that. But first we are going to have wait."

"Wait?"

"Yes we wait and see how Bane let's this play out."

The last time we waited; thousands of Gotham's finest ended up down in the sewers like trapped rats. Blake bit his tongue forcing himself to remain silent. It wasn't solely Gordon's fault, since he was partly to blame for that incident. They both walked into Bane's trap. Gordon had only done what he thought was right with the knowledge he had at the time.

"So Gotham is at the mercy of a revolutionist dictator."

"I'm afraid so, son." Gordon told him gravely. Using the remote, he turned the television back on.

John only tightened his hands into fists. He felt the metal of his badge digging into the flesh of his palm. He welcomed the pain it brought to his hand, until he had to loosen his grip on his badge. It did nothing to help the anger and hopeless he was feeling at that moment.

Hide these feelings, John told himself. The Commissioner has enough deal with. He can't see how angry I am.

As he looked at the television, it showed a shot of Bane, but it was one from the day before. Bane had Gotham in the palm of his hand. Blake hated that.

John wished there was something he could do right now. Right now, he only felt helpless. Since there was nothing they could do for Gotham at the moment, the Commissioner and John would have to wait until they could.

~o~o~o~o~

A/N: I thought of this idea when the movie came out on DVD, but I had planned on a longer fic originally. That has not happened so far, so unless I start writing it; this is going to be very short oneshot.

Thanks for reading and please review. Thanks, Jenn.