Hi guy's, sorry about the delay, I've been a little caught up with uni, work, and the ability to give this chapter an ending. For some reason, the final few sentences haven't been working, but now they have, so I can update!

I hope you all enjoy!

-xXx-

Chapter Four: The Nightmare begins

Rachel awoke feeling refreshed but by no means calmer. Her dreams had been constantly interrupted by images of Harvey, each one different. She couldn't begin to imagine what he looked like. Initially, his appearances had been just half his face inflamed, but each subsequent time he became worse until she was imagining a skeleton walking around with skin and muscle hanging from each bone.

Sitting up in the bed she found the room empty. Feeling the chill, she saw a bathrobe hanging over one of the chairs. Getting up, she shrugged into it, surprised at how coarse it was.

The last image she'd had of Harvey returned to her mind. The thought brought a chill to her bones, causing her to sit down.

"Ah, glad to see you're awake, Miss Dawes." Looking up, she saw Alfred enter the room, a tray in his hands.

She looked up at him and smiled lightly. "Where's Bruce?" She asked as Alfred placed the tray down beside her.

"Downstairs, working on some paperwork for Wayne Enterprises." Alfred responded.

Rachel nodded; a little surprised Bruce Wayne actually paid attention to Wayne Enterprises business. Reaching over to the tray Alfred placed beside her she, Rachel attempted to eat a slice of the fruit, but found the image of Harvey too much.

"Are you alright Miss Dawes?" Alfred was looking at her oddly. "You look pale."

Rachel looked at him sadly. "Its just, Bruce told me what happened to Harvey, and ever since, my mind's been unable to stop thinking about what he must look like."

Alfred, in response, walked over to her and sat down on the bed beside her. "I can imagine you see him as a horrific figure; someone barely human." He spoke quietly, whilst she stared at the tray.

"I don't know what I see. It's an ever changing image. I can't think of him as anything other than the Harvey Dent I know." She replied sadly.

"Given the circumstances, no matter what happens, I think he would prefer all those whom he loves, and all those who love him, to remember him as the person he is. Don't try and think about what he looks like now, just remember what he looked like when you last saw him." Alfred responded.

Wisdom of age; it was something Rachel always hated because it was so simple and easy to do. She looked up at Alfred, who now had a small smile on his face, and returned it weakly. "The last time I saw him he was being put in a van, taking the blame for Bruce." She looked away from him, speaking sadly. "I don't want that to be the last memory I have of him."

Alfred's smile grew to resemble amusement. "Ah, but that's the key. He wasn't taking the blame; he was being incredibly bold in telling Bruce something that I couldn't; that Batman is a lot more than a man in a mask." He smiled at her, standing and moving to leave the room.

Rachel followed him go, thinking about what he said, and forced to concede that he was right. Without Bruce, without Batman, Harvey would definitely be dead. "Alfred." She spoke just as he reached the doorway. "Thank you."

He turned to look at her, and smiled. "You're welcome Miss Dawes."

He left her in piece, and after several moments, Rachel found the ability to reach for the food on the tray. Before she could control it, she was attacking the food with a fury.

"Hungry?" She jumped, looking up to see Bruce in the doorway, a small amused smile on his face.

Swallowing the mouthful, she was able to speak. "The last time I ate was yesterday before I left." She replied.

Bruce walked into the room and took a seat beside her on the bed, taking one of the last grapes. "Still tired? You didn't appear to sleep well."

"I couldn't shake the image of what Harvey must now look like. Every image just seemed to get worse." She responded sadly.

She looked at him sadly, allowing him to kiss her lightly and wrap an arm around her shoulders pulling her close to him. "What he looks like, is what he looked like the last time you saw him." He said quietly.

Rachel looked up at him, her eyes slightly wider than normal. "What?" He asked her slightly perplexed at her reaction.

"That's what Alfred told me." She whispered.

Bruce smiled. But before he had a chance to respond Alfred spoke from the doorway; "Sir, you need to see this." He strode into the room, turned on the TV and flicked to the necessary channel where Coleman Reese was shown, and the newsreader offering the exclusive story of the real batman.

Rachel felt Bruce tighten beside her as he watched. The three of them watched the screen in silence as the news anchor questioned Reese, and received telephone questions from Gotham citizens. Bruce stood up and was about to turn off the TV when the Joker's raspy voice sounded through the sound system.

Rachel stared at the television, listening to the Joker's threat. She missed Bruce going even more rigid; missed Alfred pale. When the screen went black her eyes darted to Bruce who was halfway out the door. She missed most of what he was saying, catching the last part referring to police relatives in hospitals.

"Will you be taking the Batpod, Sir?" Alfred asked calmly.

Rachel stared at Alfred utterly perplexed. The Joker had just threatened to blow up a hospital unless someone killed Coleman Reese within an hour. It was utterly bemusing how he could joke about such a thing as which vehicle Bruce would be taking.

"Middle of the day Alfred? Not very subtle." Bruce responded calmly from the doorway.

"The Lamborghini then." Alfred said simply, turning away before muttering incoherently.

Despite being utterly perplexed at how they conversed between one another, Rachel recognized the banter, and realized it was simply how Bruce and Alfred conversed. Shaking her head, and realizing that Bruce was leaving, she rushed out of the room, catching him just as he was getting in the elevator. But opening her mouth to speak she had no idea what she was going to say.

"Go with Alfred." He instructed. "You'll be a lot safer with him at the bunker than here on your own." He pressed the button that closed the door.

She watched as the shiny doors closed before her. In the reflection she saw Alfred standing behind her. "What's he doing? Where's he going?" She asked, slightly confused at what was going on.

Alfred stepped up to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Batman can not appear during the day, we both know that. The only way he can is for Bruce Wayne to be Bruce Wayne."

Rachel was confused. Alfred could see her confusion and chuckled. "Expect him to return with minor bruises and probably a highly damaged car."

Rachel continued to look confused, but Alfred continued to smile at her, leading her into the now empty elevator. "Bruce Wayne in public is someone we both admit we hardly know. He'll be rescuing people without them even knowing they're being rexcued."

Rachel was still confused, but found herself understanding what he meant. As the elevator doors closed, and the elevator began its descent, she found herself understanding what Alfred meant. However she couldn't shake the feeling that this day was going to end a lot worse than it began.

-xXx-

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