Metropolis falls to pieces while the civilians helplessly look on.
Batman is on the scene before anyone else somehow and beelines from Wayne Tech down the road.
The masked hero begins searching through the debris.
A humvee screeches down the street and barely comes to a stop before Gypsy Sentinel is leaping out.
"Batman!" she calls as she dashes to him amidst the ruin.
"Gypsy!" he returns. The heroes are both frantic, horrified, and despairing. The female hero lowers her voice upon reaching Batman and grabs the front of his suit. She pulls him in close, her eyes nearly hopeless.
"Have you found her?"
"Before the building collapsed I called her and told her to get in one of the elevators. They're reinforced, she could have survived," he informs and Alex balks.
"She survived! Help me find the damn elevators," Alex snarls and releases him roughly.
In the ash and dust two volatile vigilantes scour the rubble for a single significant girl.
They work together lifting heavier pieces of walls and flooring, searching every inch of the site.
Time passes and the heroes grow frantic. If she's alive she won't be for much longer under all the detritus.
With each slab flipped over and revealing nothing Gypsy Sentinel huffs in frustration and Batman growls in vexation.
Finally Gypsy overturns a chunk of ceiling and finds a metal box underneath. It's an elevator! But the doors are dented partially open and the siding horribly deformed.
"Batman!" Gypsy cries out and he flies to her side. He bends down and starts prying the doors open but Alex is stalled in place, remembering Allie's voicemail.
"Could you lend a hand?" Batman grunts and Alex snaps back into focus. Gypsy crouches down and it's her hands besides his, yanking with all her strength.
The doors give and the first thing they see is a bloody curl of blonde hair.
Alexandra Aldridge is paralyzed at the sight, fear striking her down as she falls to her knees, groping the rock for her moon.
"Allie?" Her voice is broken and tiny as the body of Allison Gray is unearthed. The outfit she was so excited about this morning is ripped and stained black and red around her. Alex vividly remembers Allie picking the white long sleeved shirt and the constellation skirt as she flounced around their mansion.
Gypsy Sentinel reaches down and ever so gently lifts Allison Gray into her arms.
The image of Allison Gray draped in the arms of Gypsy Sentinel before Batman is a haunting one. Her entire body is limp; her arms and legs hang down and her head is dropped back. Blood and shreds of clothes fall from Allison as she is held in the heroes arms.
"Allie? Allie!" Alex repeats and gingerly shakes the girl. Batman pulls a glove off, steps up and places two fingers against Allie's throat.
"She has a pulse! We can save her!" he exclaims and hope delights in the both of them.
"The humvee, you drive!" Alex barks and the vigilantes scramble to get to the car.
Navigating the terrain of a collapsed building was difficult before but now, with precious cargo in hands, it is nearly impossible. Every bump and jostle creates quiet but sharp sounds from Allie.
A large obstacle comes up and Batman leaps over it and then holds his arms out to accept Allison. Gypsy Sentinel hesitates, Batman has been a crime fighting ally for awhile now but she isn't sure she can trust him with the most precious thing in her life.
"I won't let her fall, I promise."
Slowly Alex acquiesces and passes Allie into Bruce's awaiting arms. Without an injured one hundred and fifty puns weight in her arms Gypsy Sentinel can hop over the large metal support beam with ease. Once over she greedily takes Allison back from Batman.
They make it to the humvee and together they arrange Allison Gray in the backseat with her head securely in Alex's lap.
"Step on it Bruce," Alex hisses and he gives a tight nod.
The Batman is an excellent driver, of the Batmobile, and a halfway decent insanely reckless driver of a hummer.
The larger than necessary vehicle zips down the roads of Metropolis, dodging ambulances and fire trucks and various road blocks.
Alex keeps her fingers on her moons neck, assuring a pulse, and with her other hand brushes the limp girls hair.
"The hospital is going to be overrun," Bruce croaks.
"Fuck you're right, what do we do then?"
"Airlift her to Wayne Memorial from the Metropolis helipad," Bruce suggests and Alex nods.
"You call the hospital and I'll call my chopper." Bruce pulls out his phone but before he can dial Alex clears her throat. "Your voice modulator. I know Batman has friends at the hospital but Bruce Wayne has more." He nods and presses something on the side of his cowl before starting the call.
"Wayne Memorial Hospital, How may I direct your call?"
"Stephanie! Long time no see," he greets in that stupid charming socialite tone.
"Mr. Wayne, I assume you need something," Stephanie, a secretary and experienced nurse, deadpans.
"You're right this is my 'I need a favor' voice. It's urgent, Allison Gray was in the old Wayne Tech building during the attack and she's in bad shape. The hospital here is overcrowded so I'm airlifting her to you," Bruce explains quickly. Alex strains to hear the woman on the other line cry out in horror and then begin barking orders and commands.
"We'll be ready. I'm paging her hematologist, psychiatrist, therapist, cardiologist, and primary care doctor now," Stephanie informs. "You get here here as fast as possible Mr. Wayne and don't you let her bleed out on the way!"
"Thank you so much! I knew you'd agree with me. She'll be there as soon as possible. I promise." He hangs up and Alex raises an eyebrow at him.
"They know Allison there?"
"Allison Gray is only slightly less popular at the hospital than I am," Bruce responds and Alex chuckles.
"I suppose her squad of doctors all work there," Alex comments offhandedly and smiles down at her friend.
"Time for your call," Bruce reminds and Alex nods. She cautiously shifts to fish her phone from one of the many hidden pockets in her suit. Once she finds it she presses the emergency contact for Harold, their helicopter pilot.
"What can I do you for Ms. Aldridge?"
"I need you to get to the Metropolis General helipad now," Alex orders darkly and then flinches. Allie wouldn't appreciate her being short with Harold. "Please, we need Ms. Gray to be airlifted to Wayne Memorial."
"I'm on my way now! I'll be there lickety split!" he promises. He sounds just as worried as Alex is.
"Thank you." Alex hangs up after and returns her full attention to Allie. She seems so small and broken, Alex has never seen her this injured before. Allie wasn't even this hurt on that fateful day years ago in front of the Metropolis court house. "People adore you Allison Gray, you have to stay alive."
It takes an agonizing eternity to reach Metropolis General but when they finally do by some miracle Harold is already there with a paramedic in tow.
Harold goes pale when he spies Gypsy Sentinel carrying Allison and Batman by her side.
"Ms. Aldridge and Mr. Wayne sent us," Batman states gruffly as the heroes mount the chopper.
"Of course. I-I hope you don't mind the extra company back there," Harold replies shakily, referring to the paramedic.
"Not at all. I'm sure Ms. Aldridge will give you a raise for the fast thinking," Gypsy returns and the man flushes. Harold is quick to kick the helicopter into gear and take off.
Gypsy tilts her head at the star struck medic, inviting him to act.
"Oh yes! I'm John, I work in IT but I used to be a paramedic. Please lay her on this board, we need to keep her as still as possible," he guides and Alex begrudgingly surrenders Allie but continues to hold one of her hands tightly. The man kneels down and begins examining her. "She is definitely severely concussed, her right arm is broken as well as her left leg, there are definitely broken ribs, and a multitude of cuts and bruises."
Gypsy Sentinel is a superhero, she does not feel sick at the sight of blood and bodies but right about now she feels like she could pass out.
The thought of losing Allie to something akin to a tragic accident is utterly sickening, the thought of losing Allie period is worse enough in itself.
"She has definitely lost a lot of blood and she doesn't seem to be clotting at all," the medic mutters and furrows his eyebrows. Gypsy Sentinel lurches, suddenly remembering a crucial detail about Allison Gray's health.
"Ms. Aldridge informed me that Ms. Gray is on blood thinners!" Gypsy blurts out and John pales.
"Harold how far are we!?" John calls instead of saying anything to the now terrified vigilantes.
"Five minutes!"
John bends over, muttering to himself, and begins frantically tying tourniquets over Allison's worst open wounds.
Gypsy locks eyes with Batman and they swap mutually terrified expressions. What if they were too late? What if Alex sent Allie to Metropolis to die?
Helpless eyes observe as the paramedic frenetically works over Allison Gray. She is still, too still, and almost gone. Her hand is cold in Alex's as it always is. Gypsy Sentinel sucks her head down and clutches the hand of her unknowing partner, focusing on her many ingrained palm lines.
Harold comes in on Gotham Memorial and lands the chopper sloppily in favor of haste. The second it comes down a team of doctors are sprinting up with a gurney.
John assists them in lifting the spinal board and they begin pulling Allie away. It is clear Alex needs to let go of Allie but she still pauses.
She doesn't want Allie to feel alone.
Alex is forced to drop Allie's hand and it stings her heart.
Gypsy Sentinel moves to follow the gurney as it leaves but Batman stays her.
"What?" she snarls viciously and about to amputate the mans arm.
The nurses and doctors wheel Allison Gray into the hospital and out of sight.
"It is time for us to go," he says lowly. "It's time for Gypsy Sentinel and I to go." The message is clear, the vigilantes cannot linger. Alex grumbles and stomps away, heading for an alley or some other escape.
Batman and Gypsy Sentinel leave the hospital and disappear onto the streets.
III
Bruce Wayne and Alexandra Aldridge appear in a flurry of frantic motions and pleas.
"Where is she?! Where is she?! Where's Allison Gray?" Alex calls as she sprints to the front desk. She is playing the part of a business woman finally losing her composure over a dear friend, or in other words, finally allowing herself to express her true outward emotion.
"I called earlier! She should be here already! Is she here?" Bruce adds as he follows Alex. He is disgruntled himself but the reason for that shall remain a mystery to the media and Alex.
"Relax both of you!" Stephanie scolds and the moguls halt to pant through coughing breaths.
"Ms. Gray is here and she is in surgery right now."
"Were all her doctors informed? She's on blood thinners and antidepressants, they know that right? Does she need blood? Because I can get a donor," Alex rambles needlessly.
"Ms. Aldridge, all her doctors have been informed as they all work here and they are aware her medications," Stephanie responds patiently. "Dr. Shaw will be our momentarily to give you more details but for now I need you both to wait." The millionaires back away from the counter and turn to whisper together in an almost business-like congress.
"What do we do?" Alex hisses.
"I think we go and sit in the waiting room Aldridge," Bruce remarks and Alex gapes.
"What the fuck did you just say to me?"
"We need to wait in the waiting room," Bruce repeats and Alex splutters.
"Like a fucking civilian?"
"Yes, because we are in fact civilians and there is nothing we can do to help her now," Bruce deadpans and Alex's fearsome expression falls downcast.
"You're right, we're helpless." Bruce squeezes Alex's arm in a comforting manner and shakes his head.
"We are not helpless. We are going to wait in that lobby but we aren't going to do nothing. We can coordinate relief efforts and foundations for Metropolis, we can send for clothes and things Allison would want, and we can keep our wits about us Alexandra." Alex nods and shuffles towards a chair, flopping herself down and staring blankly.
"You're right."
"Thank you."
"But if you ever call me Alexandra ever again I will cut your dick off and feed it to you. You can cook it anyway you like and have all the condiments you want but you have to finish," Alex growls and Bruce Wayne gulps.
"Of course." Bruce sits beside her and they settle into silence. His suggestions for action are momentarily ignored as they try to overcome the shock of it.
"She would appreciate you being here," Alex admits sullenly.
"She would appreciate that you are not alone," Bruce amends and Alex shakes her head.
"That and she would appreciate you being here for her," Alex corrects sternly. "And she'd hate me for saying it to you."
"I told her that we would talk after she survived," Bruce confesses and half smiles.
"Such a stupid way of phrasing it."
"I'm surprised she didn't call you out for that."
"Well she was a bit distracted," Bruce allows and their smiles fade.
"Yeah."
It's quiet again and this time it stays that way until Dr. Shaw strolls up. The woman is as always calm and collected but there is a wild look in her eyes and wrinkles in her appearance.
"Ms. Aldridge?" Alex meets the gaze of the statuesque doctor and jumps to her feet.
"How is she? What's the status? Does she need blood? Wayne here is O Negative," Alex fires off and Bruce raises an eyebrow.
"How do you know my blood type?"
"Allison is stabilizing but yes, she will need more blood," Dr. Shaw responds. "And with the Metropolis crisis I'm not sure we can get more pints of her blood type."
"Then Bruce has O Negative!"
"I have O Negative!" Alex and Bruce exclaim in unison and the man gets to his feet.
"Mr. Wayne if you could come with me and Ms. Aldridge you're welcome to come too."
Dr. Shaw leads them from the waiting room towards a more private room intended for blood donations. Alex and Bruce have never power walked like suburban white woman so hard in their lives.
Bruce slams himself into a hair and rolls up his sleeve, freely offering his vein.
A flustered RN prods Bruce in the wrong spot twice before finally finding his vein.
"Bruce your overcompensating muscles are fucking us," Alex quips.
It takes a good half hour before Bruce is done donating two pints.
"Will he be groggy and maybe act like a stupid drunk because that would be the only thing to make this better," Alex inquires to the RN who nods.
"A little but the machine circulated his plasma back in so it won't be too bad but don't allow him to drive and keep an eye on him," the RN instructs and rushes off to deliver the blood.
"You're fine," Alex says, waving off Bruce's pale complexion.
"Completely," he agrees and stands. Bruce wobbles for a second and then passes right out onto the floor while Alex watches indifferently.
"Baby," she insults and bends down to scoop him up off the floor.
Alex carries him bridal style back to the waiting room and shoves him off onto a couch before sitting herself.
"I should call the Sentinel, they'll be wondering what happened," Alex murmurs and pulls out her phone. The second it turns on a million messages and assorted notifications pop up all at once. Alex sighs and unlocks the device, opening first the texts from her executive staff.
"Boss Lady, the meeting is still going, where are you" From Jason Carr, the print editor.
"Chief, we turned on the news and please tell me you didn't go to Metropolis to find her." From Janet Mett, the website editor.
"Ms. Aldridge! Gypsy Sentinel and Batman rescued Allison!" From Deana Trey, the design editor.
"Boss are you at the hospital with Allison? Is she gonna be alright?" From Jim Keller, the managing editor.
"Ms. Aldridge! I saw the news! I couldn't get to Metropolis fast enough. There was a disaster in Star City, but I'm on my way" From Barry, their shared protege. Alex shoots a response to Barry, indicating where they are so he can come see Allie too.
After pouring over more messages of concern and support Alex opens her email to find a slew of photographs from the attack, the most intriguing ones being of Gypsy Sentinel and Batman rescuing a single victim, Allison Gray.
Alex's google alert on Allie is alight with posts about her rescues, well wishes for her, theories as to why Gypsy Sentinel and Batman only saved her, and more pictures.
"Oh, we've got ourselves into a fine mess Wayne," Alex grumbles to him but he says nothing. She glances over to find him slowly coming too and blinking rapidly to clear his swimming vision.
There will be rumors to the identities of Gypsy Sentinel and Batman now along with speculations on their relationship to Allison Gray. Scrutiny will come with, criticizing the supposed heroes for solely helping one girl. People will think of the most outlandish things and some of them could hit the nose on the head if Alex and Bruce don't deflect as soon as possible.
"Look alive Brucie, our little excursion is fucking us." Alex kicks his leg and he goes rigid, finally looking attentive and awake. "We have damage control to do." She shows him the images and news on her phone and he frowns.
"Shit," he groans and holds his head.
"We should go to Metropolis and help with rescue and clean up," Alex suggest and he nods before sighing deeply.
"It has to be done doesn't it?"
"We'll lend a hand as long as we can," Alex decides and stands. Guilt stirs in her mind as she approaches Stephanie at the front desk.
"Ms. Aldridge is there anything I can help you with?" Stephanie inquires after noticing Alex there.
"How long will it be?"
"It could be quite some time until she's out of surgery and after that even more until she wakes up," Stephanie replies and Alex bites her lip.
"Mr. Wayne and I, we have to go and handle about a million emergencies so could you call me-and him actually-after the surgery?"
"Of course," Stephanie obliges and gives a sweet smile. "Don't feel guilty plenty of people need to keep busy to distract themselves at times like this."
"I don't want her to be alone," Alex admits and Stephanie gives a sympathetic smile.
At that second Barry comes tearing through the lobby and skitters to a stop at the desk.
"Allison Gray!" he exclaims while breathing heavily and his eyes jolting around. When he finally notices Alex standing there he zips closer to her. "Oh! Ms. Aldridge!" Alex grins at the boy and pulls him into a hug.
"Thank god you're here Barry," she sighs and then stops to whisper in his ear. "I have to go and do some heroing, will you stay here?"
"Of course," he agrees. Alex pulls away and nods to Stephanie.
"Anyway, can't stop moving," Alex remarks and heads for the door. "Saddle up Wayne!"