A/N: Oh My God!!!!!!! I'm so sorry i haven't updated for soooooooo long! But i'm back!!!(: Well. This chapter is not particularly long. But its very important(: So i hope it makes up for my absence. If you all really wanted to know. I am taken AP classes this year and because of them my grades fell DRAMATICALLY lol so iv been working my but off forever trying to raise them. Luckily, i made honor roll!!!(: Yay anyway. Now that i have developed a very nice work ethic, i can manage my time much more wisely and am ready to wrote! Woohoo! Please enjoy this chapter and review!!!!

Thanks to Sunny btw for your review. I know im super suckish with the whole grammar thing and the switching tenses, and i think i did a better job in this chapter. At least i hope i did. And i hope you continue reading and reviewing, as with the rest of all you out there(:

Disclaimer: If i owned Batman, i'd be the happiest girl around(:

Well, I've been afraid of changing'
Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Even children get older and I'm getting older too

- Landslide

The car sat idle for a few minutes before I finally turned the key, shutting the engine off. And even after that, I never made a move to exit. The entrance to the park was a few feet away, and inside, I was sure Bruce was waiting.

With an exaggerated sigh, I slowly slipped off my seat belt and stepped out of the car. The cool air fanned across my face soothingly as I made my cautious steps to the entrance. My insides were all twisted up, a feeling of nausea creeping it's way into my stomach out of nervousness. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to stop, to run back to my car and leave. Because I knew I couldn't do this. I wasn't strong enough.

But I also knew I had no choice.

With every ounce of will power I had left, I pushed myself into the park, looking around for the figure of my best friend. Over near the swings, a silhouette became apparent. With quiet steps, I walked over, careful to keep quiet as I did so. Though as always, Bruce knew I was there. Turning around, he smiled at me, pulling me tightly against him in a hug.

" You came." He whispered into my hair, and I let out a breathy laugh. " Of course I did Bruce, you're my best friend." I said as I pulled away, stuffing my hands into the pockets of my dreams. It was quiet for a moment before Bruce's expression changed. He looked almost distraught, unsure.

" Annabelle-"

" No Bruce. Please don't apologize. I've had it coming for months now. I'm being irresponsible and all that blah blah blah." I stopped with a chuckle, looking up to see a similar smile on my best friend's face. " … and I think, maybe, its time for me to change. After all, that is what I came to Gotham to do.. Right? I guess what I'm trying to say is this: I'm so sorry about these last months, about everything. You're my best friend and I've been pushing you away… I-I don't want to do that anymore."

Tears sprang up into my eyes as my emotions ran wild. I guess deep down, I did want to change, or at least make my best friend happy. And maybe by doing this, I'd find the inner peace I had been looking for all along.

Bruce's hand came out to meet mine as he wiped a stray tear from my eyes.

" I don't want to change who you are, Annabelle." His voice was soft and comforting. I liked it.

" I don't want to be this person anymore. But I'm afraid its too late." More tears flowed as I said those last words, and his face came closer, his vanilla scented breath blowing across my face.

" It's never too late."

His lips were centimeters from mine before I closed the distance, pressing my lips against his. The collision was shocking at first, to both him and myself, but we both instantly began working together. And the way our lips meshed felt comfortable. Familiar. Like this moment had always been sure to happen, and now that it had, everything was complete.

For a moment, I got lost in our embrace, like I always had with him. The thought sent shivers down my spine. Before long, the kiss broke apart, our breaths coming in short bursts.

" That was.. Different." I said laughing, and Bruce joined in, clasping hands with mine and walking us throughout the park.

" I love you, B."

" Love you too Bruce."

That moment felt perfect, felt like It was meant to be. And I almost wished it could have lasted forever. But this is Gotham City we're talking about, not wonderland. The air got thick, and both Bruce and could feel it. Not even super hero's can have fairytale moments.

" Hold on." Bruce said, his face twisting into a serious mask, holding out his arm to stop me.

He stepped forward, pushing past bushes before disappearing into the darkness. And I couldn't possibly stay. Even if it was what he wanted. I've never been much for a damsel in distress.

I caught up to him almost instantly, my advancing footsteps alarming him.

" Annabelle. I told you to stay." His tone was full of concern and I couldn't help but feel bad. But nothing can stop me when I set my mind to it.

" I know." I said with a smirk, placing my hands on my hips. He rolled his eyes playfully as he turned away, but I saw it first.

With a loud gasp, I ran forward, towards the lifeless body beneath the leaves. Falling to my knees, I went about unearthing it from the ground it had been haphazardly put into. The face is what killed me.

It was the face of a boy. A child. No older than twelve. His lips a pale blue and his skin starch white. There was almost no sign of struggle, of his death, besides his absent pulse. A wave of sadness washed over me as I looked at the boy. He was just a child. He didn't deserve this fate.

that's a bit hypocritically though if you think about it. I mean, adults, they deserve to die, at least they do in my mind. We see it on the news everyday, someone gunned down, killed. But when it's a kid, everything changes.

But I he didn't deserve this, why should anyone else?

Bruce was at my side before I knew what was happening, checking the young boy for a pulse. With a grief expression on his face, he confirmed it, flipping open his phone to call the police.

I just sat in the dirt, the boy in my arms. Not moving, not thinking, just there.

" They're on their way."

That phrase broke me out of my reverie, and caused the body to slip off my lap back onto the ground. Wordlessly, I got up and walked to Bruce's side, burying myself in his side. Rubbing my arm, he tried to comfort me, to soothe me. But nothing worked. Because comfort wasn't what I needed.

I needed something else.

After a while, I found my voice.

"It's strange. People die in Gotham all the time. I've never seen anything like this."

The police had arrived by now, their bright blue flashing lights blurring my vision with color. The only thing I was sure of at the time was Bruce at my side, his jacket hanging over my shoulders.

"They were children. Innocent. It makes a difference." He replied, scanning the surroundings for anything out of the ordinary. No doubt a subconscious act he achieved from becoming his alter ego, Batman.

" And Mr. Sanderson from the bank had it coming? You know, someone once said to me that defining right and wrong was fruitless. No fruit for Annabelle…" I trailed, wrapping my arms around myself for warmth.

" They're wrong."

" Are they? I mean, is Gotham any better than when you first came here? Okay, so you battle evil. But you don't really win. The bad just keeps coming back... and getting stronger. Like the kid in the story, the boy that stuck his finger in the duck."

Bruce laughed at my side.

" Dike. It's another word for damn."

"Oh" I said, " that story makes a lot more sense now."

" Annabelle, you know there's still things I'm trying to figure out. There's a lot I don't understand. But I do know it's important to keep fighting. I learned that from you."

" But we never-"

" We never win."

" Not completely." I said solemnly, looking towards the police carrying the body bag into the coroners truck.

" Never will. That's not why we fight. We do it because there's things worth fighting for."

And for once, I understood why Bruce did what he did, why he risked his life night after night. Because Batman has a purpose. It's a symbol. A symbol for a better future. Like a light at the end of the tunnel. Bruce gave people hope, he didn't tear it down. And maybe, just maybe, its better on that side of the line.

We can't help ourselves. We see a line, we want to cross it. Maybe it's the thrill of trading the familiar for the unfamiliar. A sort of personal dare. Only problem is, once you've crossed it's almost impossible to go back. But if you do manage to make it back across that line, you find safety in numbers.

PLOT TWIST!!! hahaha. Anyway, hope you enjoyed that chapter. Definitely changes things huh. Don't worry, Joker WILL be in the next chapter. He was almost in this chapter but i really liked how this ended(: Anyway, review please(:

Adieu.
TheJoker'sGotMyHeart