Bruce left in the Batmobile, but on the news report, a hand grabbed Vicki's mouth and abducted her.

In the dark and dangerous parts of Gotham, Slade Wilson was waiting for Batman on the street.

DEATHSTROKE:

Batman.

BRUCE:

Where's my father, Slade?

DEATHSTROKE:

Relax, he's just casually holding some hostages somewhere else.

Deathstroke took a knife out and threw it at Batman, who blocked it with his arm.

BRUCE:

Missed.

DEATHSTROKE:

Made you look.

The knife exploded, engulfing Batman in the flames. Batman then walked out of the flames, unharmed. Unsurprisingly, his armor was nonflammable. Deathstroke took out his sword.

BRUCE:

Explosive knife, that's new.

DEATHSTROKE:

Looks like you want to die the harder way then.

Deathstroke ran towards Batman and engaged in a fight with him. Punching and kicking, Batman still managed to block most of Slade's hits. Batman eventually grabbed the blade of the sword and kicked Slade back. Throwing the sword aside, Batman resumed his brawl with Slade. Slade grabbed one of Batman's punches.

DEATHSTROKE:

Soon, you'll perish with your city. Just like how you saw your parents perish in front of you.

That last sentence was enough for Batman to slash Slade in the face with his arm blade, cutting part of Slade's helmet.

SLADE:

Ugh!

Batman kicked Slade in the chest, knocking him to the ground. Slade got back up and removed his helmet. Throwing it to the ground, Slade's eye patch was revealed, with a cut over his other eye.

BRUCE:

You're gonna need another eyepatch.

Slade yelled in fury and fiercely attacked Batman, who fought back. After a short fight, Slade had enough and finally threw another grenade at Batman, who moved aside to avoid it. The grenade hit a building and blew part of it up. The debris collapsed on Batman. Slade picked up his sword and walked towards the debris.

SLADE:

Finally, after five years-

A bullet suddenly entered Slade's brain, killing him. Slade fell to the ground, dead. Batman rose out of the debris, parts of the building flying everywhere. Batman then realized a sniper was on a building. The same sniper that had killed Slade. That sniper happened to be Thomas. Thomas fired a shot at Batman, who jumped out of the way. Batman then threw a batarang at the Thomas's gun. The batarang exploded, destroying the gun. Thomas threw the gun aside and jumped to the ground.

THOMAS:

There's a reason I killed Slade. I wanted to be the one to kill you!

BRUCE:

Please, dad.

THOMAS:

I'm not your father.

STRANGE:

Indeed he isn't.

Batman turned around to see Hugo Strange standing there.

STRANGE:

This is his new life.

Before Batman could respond, Thomas ran towards the Dark Knight and punched him. Batman started to fight, not just in a brawl, but a brawl with his own beloved father.

BRUCE:

I'm holding back, we don't need to do this!

THOMAS:

I don't give a shit! Give me everything you got!

Thomas kicked Batman in the face. Batman wiped blood off his nose and took out two batarangs.

BRUCE:

If you say so.

Batman threw the batarangs at Thomas, who caught them. The batarangs exploded and sent smoke into his eyes, temporarily blinding him. Batman seized the opportunity to attack his dad, who swung hits, missing Batman each time. Batman continued beating his dad, and then slammed him to the ground.

BRUCE:

Father. I can help you.

THOMAS:

STOP CALLING ME THAT!

Thomas regained his vision and grabbed Batman by the neck, throwing him against a building. Thomas then ran into Batman, pushing him through multiple walls of the building. As Batman was pushed out of the other side of the building, he groaned in pain.

HELP! HELP! HELP US!

Batman started to hear cries for help coming from a specific building. He went inside to find various hostages tied up and gagged. One of them was Vicki. As Batman tried to enter the building, the hostages started panicking and shaking their heads.

BRUCE:

Huh?

THOMAS:

Classic little trick.

Batman turned around to see Thomas.

THOMAS:

Step another foot inside the building, and the whole place will blow up.

Thomas threw Batman out of the building and stepped inside.

THOMAS:

You have two choices: You can take off your mask and surrender, or I can step inside and kill myself and everyone else.

Coming to a decision, Batman unmasked himself. The hostages looked in shock, especially Vicki.

BRUCE:

Now let these people go.

Thomas laughed.

THOMAS:

You really thought it would be that easy.

Batman took out his grappling gun and shot a hook around Thomas's neck, pulling him out of the building.

BRUCE:

Actually, for a second there, yeah, I kind of did.

Thomas scoffed.

THOMAS:

Why didn't you just do that before removing your mask?

BRUCE:

Because, I need you to remember me.

Thomas stopped talking.

BRUCE:

You're in there somewhere, dad.

THOMAS:

What the hell are you talking about?

BRUCE:

Do you remember Martha? Alfred? Wayne Manor? Whenever you used to tell me stories and take me out for walks?

Thomas's confused and angry look started to turn into a smile. He put his hand on Bruce's shoulder.

BRUCE:

You remember?

Thomas's smile turned back into a sadistic glare.

THOMAS:

NO!

Thomas grabbed Batman's throat.

THOMAS:

You really thought I'd fall for that? For the World's Greatest Detective, you're more gullible than I thought.

Strange walked by.

STRANGE:

As Joker would say, joke's on you, Batman.

Thoams punched Batman and threw him to the ground. Batman dodged a bunch and kicked Thomas in the chest. He then punched him three times and threw him into another building.

Strange smirked.

STRANGE:

The only way to remove him from his brainwashing is to kill him.

BRUCE:

You son of a bitch.

STRANGE:

The only way to save your father will be to break your one rule. Looks like this'll be the day.

Thomas jumped out of the building, and claws emerged from his suit. He slashed Batman's now vulnerable face, giving him a cut across the cheek. Batman blocked the rest of the swipes and threw some punches. After a long and brutal fight across the city, Batman used his grappling gun to ascend to a building. Thomas used his claws to climb up the building. As they were both on the top, they stared at each other.

BRUCE:

We can stop him, Thomas.

THOMAS:

The only one I need to stop is you.

Father and son ran at each other, and clashed. After a while, Thomas tackled Batman through the skylight of the building, causing them to fall several stories down. Batman managed to grab part of a floor, but Thomas fell all the way to the first floor.

BRUCE:

THOMAS!

Batman used his grappling gun to descend to the first floor, where Thomas was lying on debris. He was also fatally impaled by huge shard of glass.

BRUCE:

Dad…

THOMAS:

Bruce?

BRUCE:

You remember me?

Thomas weakly nodded.

THOMAS:

Of course, and I'm very proud of you, son. I'm proud of what you've become. Your mother would be proud too.

Small tear formed in Bruce's eyes.

BRUCE:

I'm going good, dad. So is Alfred. I've made new friends and allies. Friends that I'll stand by for the rest of my life.

THOMAS:

That's good-

Thomas coughed up blood.

THOMAS:

Really good.

BRUCE:

I've been doing my part to bring justice to our city.

THOMAS:

It's your city now, Bruce. You're Gotham's legacy.

Thomas held his son's hand.

THOMAS:

A city is as good as its legacy.

Thomas started to cough up more blood.

BRUCE:

Dad, dad!

THOMAS:

I love you, Bruce.

Peacefully, Thomas died by his son's side. Bruce continued crying.

STRANGE:

Well, don't get all misty-eyed now!

Batman looked up to see Strange with a detonator.

STRANGE:

Like you, I always have a contingency plan. You're going to watch half of this city burn! Any last words?

A laser hit Strange's detonator, destroying it. Batman and Strange looked to see Superman, along with Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, a recovered Jim, and GCPD cops aiming their guns at Strange.

SUPERMAN:

He's not alone.

BRUCE:

I have friends and allies to stand by.

Batman's allies surrounded him.

BRUCE:

I have family to stand by.

Strange was being taken in by the police.

STRANGE:

You're all fools! I'll be-

Superman shut the police car door.

SUPERMAN:

You know, Strange, you talk too much.

A woman ran over to Batman with his mask.

WOMAN:

Batman, you dropped this!

BRUCE:

Oh, thank you! Wait, Vicki?

VICKI::

Or should I say, Bruce Wayne?

BRUCE:

Vicki, it's been about thirty years!

VICKI:

I know, but I never forgot you! Oh, not to make that sound creepy by the way-

BRUCE:

It's fine.

VICKI:

Thank you so much for saving my life.

Vicki put her hand on Batman's bat chestplate and hugged him, like she did in school.

DICK:

Not bad, Bruce!

TIM:

Classic Bruce, always getting the ladies!

Jim talked to the fellow police officers.

JIM:

So now that we know Bruce is Batman, we keep this private from the public.

A week later, Vicki walked up to Wayne Manor. After she rang the doorbell, she was greeted by Alfred.

ALFRED:

Hello, Miss Vale, just to let you know, Bruce might be a tad bit late.

Vicki chuckled.

VICKI:

I'm not a bit surprised.

Alfred let Vicki in.

Batman, Robin, and Batgirl stood on top of a building, watching his city. The bat signal started shining in the sky as a police radio was heard through Batman's earpiece.

POLICE RADIO:

Report, the Joker has broken criminal mastermind Lex Luthor out of prison. Reportedly, they're built more laughing gas bombs, and they're planning on unleashing them on Gotham in about thirty minutes.

TIM:

Let's do this.

BARBARA:

Bruce, what if we can't handle all those bombs?

BRUCE:

Oh, I know I can.

TIM:

Why?

Batman gave a smile.

BRUCE:

Because I'm Batman.

The trio jumped off the building, ready to defend Gotham City even more.

THE END.