Chapter 2

The doorbell rang; Alfred went to the door and opened it.

"Commissioner Gordon, come in," Alfred said.

"Alfred, how have you been?" Gordon asked as he went in and Alfred closed the door.

"Good. And you?"

"Good, working hard but good."

"Mr. Wayne is in here," Alfred said showing Gordon to the main room of the condo, where Bruce sat in front of the windows.

Bruce stood up and turned to them. "Commissioner Gordon."

"Bruce."

"If you need me, you know where to find me," Alfred smiled and left the room.

"Any news on Dent?" Gordon said as they both stood looking out over Gotham.

"He woke up this mourning."

"Finally, I was starting to wonder if he ever would."

"He's different Gordon."

"Different than he already was after the explosions?"

"Yes. I still see the old Harvey in him, but there's also part of him missing."

"You mean Rachel. Bruce you of all people should know, it takes a long time to heal from losing someone like that."

"I know. That's why I'm helping him."

"Does he know?"

"Know what?"

"About your night job."

"No, not yet."

"Wait to tell him. You don't want to risk upsetting him."

"You mean upsetting him more."

"Yeah."

"Now ,the other thing can't wait."

"What other thing."

"You know what other thing Bruce."

"It's to soon for that."

"To soon? How is it to soon? What are you going to do when he ask you when he can go home or go outside in general? Huh?"

"I'll figure out something."

"My god, Bruce. Everyone thinks he's dead. We had his funeral last week. We 'buried' him." Gordon pointed outside, "To them, he's gone."

"What am I supposed to do? How do you tell someone that in order to save them, you had to tell the world he died? That they can't go anywhere. That until we figure out what to do next, they have to stay in hiding?"

"You'll figure out something," Gordon began walking away.

"When do we tell him everything?"

Gordon stopped and turned around, "Didn't we just talk about that?"

"No. Everything, Gordon, all of it."

"In time, we'll know when," Gordon left the condo.

Bruce stood by the windows looking out over Gotham.

Alfred came in.

"It's not so easy is it," Alfred said.

"No," Bruce laughed, "It's not."

"Maybe you should take the day off."

"Bruce Wayne never takes a day off."

"Really? Then what do you call escaping to the Caribbean and Paris?"

Bruce laughed, "It was a joke. What I mean to say was that—"

"That Batman never takes a day off."

"…Yes… exactly."

"Well just because he doesn't take them doesn't mean he doesn't need them… Rest up, you may not admit it but tomorrow is going to be hard for you. And your going. Rather you like it or not."

"I know, Alfred. I know."

"Do you know what you're going to say?"

"I think I'll figure out something."

"Well figure it out fast. This is one thing that is hard for both Batman and Bruce Wayne."

"I loved her Alfred. She said she love me too—"

"I know."

"But Harvey said that before I showed up to the warehouse. She said that she loved him and wanted to be with him and marry him... Him, not me."

"Mr. Wayne, you don't understand. They knew one of them wasn't going to make it. They both thought that Rachel was going to be saved. She wanted Harvey to die knowing the truth."

"But she said she loved me."

"She loved both of you, okay. And near the end all three," Alfred left the room.

Bruce sat down, he thought back to the night he went to save Rachel but found Harvey instead. He thought to himself, I'll get revenge. I'll make sure the Joker pays for what he's done to Harvey and Rachel. He'll regret ever setting foot in Gotham….