Chapter 9 of A Silver Lining! I'm really excited about what's gonna come! :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing from Nolan's Dark Knight Universe.


"How the hell do two small kids disappear from an orphanage?" Carrie asked slowly, her voice rising in volume, and anger, with each word said.

When Blake had told her about the Franklin twins, a fire had risen from deep within her and had taken control of her mouth, to put it modestly. Carrie was frantic, angry, worried, nervous, angry, rude, and all other things when Dave took her aside into her office. The second his door closed she exploded. Angry, rhetorical questions were practically yelled and twice her fist had made contact with something solid...as her sister would say, she "lost it".

Dave shook his head and rubbed his tired face. "Carrie, I don't know. That's what we're trying to figure out. It's just...it's complicated. I don't know what else to say here."

She strode across the room and stood in front of her boss, looking him straight in the eye with a look that could make Batman himself cower. "What you need to say is that you're gonna call up everyone you know, tell them to come down here, and then help us look for Marissa and Tommy."

He sighed, "I can't do that, Carrie, you know I-"

She stepped back and threw her arms in the air. "The hell you can't! You called me!"

"That's because you have a right to know. You know them and can help."

"And the others can't? They work with them as much as I do- more than I do."

Dave went to his desk and sat down, placing his head in his hands as he let out a shaky breath. Now, more than ever, he looked like the man Carrie first thought he was: old, paranoid, stressed, and helpless. Then again, he had a right to be, given the circumstances.

"They won't let us help, you know," Dave said as he looked up at her. "I tried to tell them that we could help, but they said that they had in under control. That they're doing everything they can." Dave snorted. "Even I know that that's a lie."

"They won't let us out?" Carrie asked, dumbfounded.

He shook his head. "I tried- trust me I tried- but they won't give in. Told me that it could just complicate things, especially because it's getting dark out. If you ask me, that's all the more reason to let us out there."

Carrie paced a trail into the floor and ran her hands through her hair. "How long have they been...missing?"

"Nancy noticed that they weren't there to get a snack around 3:30. They looked for a while, but at four they called the police. Dylan said that he saw them at three in the backyard, so we know they left through the back gate."

"Isn't that gate locked?"

"One of the keys went missing this morning. They must've taken it when no one was looking."

Carrie fell into one of the chairs opposite of Dave's desk. This night was just so...complicated. And truth be told she didn't fully understand or believe what had all happened in the last three hours. Two kids don't just disappear from an orphanage; it doesn't happened. Even if they willingly left, that doesn't explain why no one noticed.

She copied him by putting her face in her hands. "I don't understand how they can just disappear."

He paused, "It's going to be alright, Carrie."

She lifted her face to his quickly, giving him a glare like earlier. "Don't. Don't tell me that it's going to be alright if you can't guarantee it."

"I know that I can't guarantee that the outcome of this situation will be a good one, but I know that in the end this will all work out." He spoke to her in a fatherly tone; strong, steady, and defiant.

Carrie slowly lowered her hands as her eyes grew wide. "How...how can you say that? You have no idea what's happening to those kids right now, but you're saying that it's going to be alright? If things were alright they'd be here right now instead of God knows where! Do you understand what you're saying, Dave?"

"Carrie, you need to stay calm. I understand that this is a lot to take in...but don't lose you're temper of it. Especially with me."

She stood up, suddenly feeling that she was being bound to the chair and forced to listen to Dave's words. But she didn't want to hear it, she couldn't. "Don't tell me to calm down. This is not a situation where we can be calm. There are two kids, Dave, that are out on the street and have no where to go. And that's if they're still there! Do you realize that they could be gone right now? They could have been taken and then what happens? Dave, listen to me, we cannot sit here and do nothing!"

"Carrie, you need to stop," Dave told her, also standing up. His voice was rising, too. "I understand that you're worried about these kids, so am I, but I am telling you that you need to get yourself under control. Freaking out won't help anyone."

"I'm not freaking out! I'm trying to tell you that we can't stay here! We need to go out there and find them!"

"Stop it, Carrie. If you don't calm down I will have you taken home."

She stared at him, wide eyed and mouth open. "How can you do that? I'm trying to help you and you're threatening to send me home? What the hell are you trying to do, Dave? You're the one who called me here-"

"Because I thought you could help. I see now that that was a mistake." Dave quickly walked over to the door and exited the office. Carrie was quick to follow.

"Dave," she called after him, "Dave, what are you doing? You can't do this, not when we need to focus on Marissa and Tommy."

He spun on his heel, now facing Carrie. Neither of them noticed the small audience in the room that was listening to every word said. "I'm sorry Carrie, but I need you to leave. All you're doing is complicating things and I can't have that right now. So please, leave."

Her temper rose even more. "Dave, I am not leaving. I can help, but I need to get out there. I can't stay here and do nothing."

"And you weren't going to!" Dave exploded in her face. "You could have helped, Carrie, but by the way you're acting you're showing me that you can't handle this. Now, you can either leave willingly, or I will have you removed."

Carrie's jaw was clenched as she slowly shook her head at him. "I can't believe you," she said quietly, "I hope you know that you're wasting every minute you spend arguing with me when you could be looking for those kids!" By the time she was done Carrie was yelling, her face red and hot.

"Then you need to leave, now. Officer-"

"Don't do this, Dave."

"Officer take her outside."

"Listen to me, Dave, you need to-"

"Now!"

"Dave!"

One of the officers had come from behind Carrie and placed a hand on her arm, which she quickly shook off. They tried again, this time pushing her forward and towards the door. She turned around and yelled, "Dave! Dave, please- get off me!" The officer, who she realized was, surprise, Blake was quickly pushing her back by grasping her arm. Shaking him off wasn't an option, this time.

Blake forced her through the doors and down the stairs with Carrie struggling, fighting, and yelling the whole way. He didn't say anything, only increasing the pressure of his grasp when she thrashed against him. As he dragged her through the front doors and stepped outside, she finally shook him off and stumbled away from him.

Her jaw was clenched and she was breathing heavily, but she never said anything. She only stared at him, as he did to her.

Blake was the one to break the silence. "We're doing what we can," he said calmly.

"I don't want to hear it," she spat back at him.

He breathed a sigh and took a step closer. "You know that what you did back there was out of line. Your boss was right."

"Of course you agree with him. Everyone does. So, you know what? Why don't you lecture me just like he did. Go on, I'm listening."

Blake looked around the street before returning to her. "I'm not gonna yell at you," he told her, everything about him reeking of honesty.

Carrie pursed her lips and gestured at him with her hand. "What are you gonna do then?"

He leaned back and looked at the multiple police cars that were parked in the front. When he glanced back at her, Blake said, "I'm gonna take you home."


Okay...so quick note. I'm not mad about this, but it does kinda confuse me. So, I've noticed that the reviews are decreasing as the story goes on. Any ideas why?

On another note...thoughts of the chapter? I didn't proof read it because I was exicted about getting it out. Sorry! Hope you all enjoyed!