Disclaimer: I do not own the characters to The Batman. They are owned by DC comics and WB and I apologize for the long lapse since the last chapter. I have moved and therefore it took time to organize and work on this. Enjoy.

Crime was down in Gotham, the criminals feared the shadow of the Batman. The most infamous criminals have gone into seclusion less be cut down by the bat's hands. Robin, back from a sabbatical, was eager to take on the mess once again. The exhilaration of flight, to clobber his foe, and the satisfaction of seeing them hauled off to jail, yet inside he kept it in the insane ones, jail was not enough. Hearing the Joker's cry as his acid spitting gun was discharged into his body made him cringe every night.

Dick Grayson was always at Bruce Wayne's side in the public eye and went back to school. Barbara was in her freshman year of college at Gotham University and yet the two kept up on each other with text messaging. Bruce knew all about it, he paid for Dick's phone but did not mind it until he noticed the long texts during class and sent him a warning; "Stay focused or I will block your phone during school."

Putting away his phone in the middle of science class Dick sighed to himself, "Yes, Master."

It was not the same as before. Bruce was overbearing and though he allowed Dick to take on his role as Robin once again the boy could not shake the unrelenting leer on his every move.

One night, in the cave, Wayne sat in front of the towering monitors, fingers carefully going over the keys, a few of the screens had the local news and others had tapped into the cameras on the street to monitor people at intersections and outside buildings. It was a very boring night but Batgirl was there peeking from behind his seat.

"Anything going on?" she asked. For three straight days there was nothing, just petty crimes, no Harley Quinn, Riddler, or even Mr. Freeze.

"They've gone underground," Batman said, his eyes never leaving the screens. "They won't go far, but I fear that they are waiting for something big."

Perhaps a plot of revenge on Batman for taking the Joker, however, it was the same speech he gave for the same three days, never changing not even in tone.

Since that time even Harley Quinn was not the same. She was evolving back to her original appearance. With Joker gone, his hold on her had vanished and thus the 'love hate' relationship no longer mattered. Still a convicted criminal she could not go back to her profession of a psychologist yet she would still attempt to correct everything she had done in her life.

Batgirl could not seem to get a fix on it. It seemed that Batman was hooked, paranoid perhaps, that the criminal masterminds were still waiting for something. He could not bask in the light that crime was down, not even a murder for such a long time, but she said nothing about it less having Bruce admonish her like he did to Robin.

"There!" the man suddenly snapped rising up from his seat, hands lifting his cowl over his eyes and spinning about to make the rush to the Batmobile.

"What? What is it?" Barbara asked quickly following suit.

"Alfred, let Dick know to meet us at the Gotham National Bank" Batman said into a microphone hidden inside his cowl that was linked to his butler and friend Alfred Pennysworth.

"Yes, sir, right away."

Jumping inside the Batmolbile together they sped out of the cave and made all possible speed into Gotham with Barbara asking what was happening. She knew that something was happening at Gotham National. Was it a robbery? Alright! She thought a robbery was it a whole gang or just one angry man? Plots were formulating in her mind about what was going to happen and when they reached the outside of the bank and jumped out the whole face of the bank was smashed in.

"Whoa!" Batgirl gasped.

The oThere was no ice, plants, flames around the destruction thus that ruled out Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy and Firefly in that order and when they stepped , their feet crushing shards of broken glass. Here and there were prone bodies, security and folks enough to almost cover up the soft felt carpet. In the back they were shouting and advanced and saw a hulking figure moving towards the city vault.

"Bane?" Batgirl said rather surprised, "Alright, finally some action!"

"Stay forcus!" Batman ordered reaching into his belt and pulling out a Batarang, his aim was to severe the large diameter hose attached to the back of Bane's head that fueled venom that gave him his incredible strength, there were hoses running to the back of his hands as well. It worked before in the past however when he hurled the razor sharp blade, hearing it sing flying through the cool air Bane turned about, as if sensing he was being followed, and had just enough time to lift up his right forearm and bat the toy aside, pulling back his lips and showing a beaming smile.

"Ah, the Batman," Bane said, "I am delighted to finally see you after such a long time. I thought such a public place would be a great way to draw you to me. I know how you think of yourself as the protector of the people. The very same people that call you a danger and yet cannot seem to fend for themselves and cry out." His voice was somewhat sarcastic saying this and finished he laughed stomping his right boot onto one of the prone people.

SMASH!

No one was moving. They were dead. The vault was still closed. "What are you after, Bane?" Batman demanded.

"This is my path, Batman," Bane called out, "You have chosen yours I have chosen mine. Now they have crossed and only one of us will make it out of this alive." Turning his head towards Batgirl he insisted when saying "One of us."

With his back turned away, a security guard reached into his holster and produced his side arm, aiming for the back of the monster's head and fired. A single shot struck but the solid flesh full of adrenalin and chemical could not be beat. Alarmed Bane turned about and saw the guard, eyes were wide in terror as he tried to scamper away but Bane was right on him, hand raised. Like a hand smashing a fly on a table surface Bane slammed his behemoth palm onto the guard. SMASH!

"Oh, jeez" Batgirl gasped. He was much more brazen and powerful than before. He was going for broke and wanted to take everything and everyone with him. "Come on, kid," Batgirl muttered under her breath, "Where are you?"