Last little bit! Had to put a nice bow on it for you guys! You deserve it! Enjoy!

WAIT! I'm posting this at the same time as Chapter 9! If you haven't read Chapter 9... GO BACK!

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Did you read Chapter 9? Okay! Now... enjoy! :)

Epilogue

That night, Terry stayed at Max's until she fell asleep. Once he realized she was out for the night, he placed her on her bed and pulled a blanket over her. He kissed his new girlfriend on the cheek and started for home… to pick up the Batsuit.

He decided he had one more trip to make.

It was nearly 2 AM when Batman went to Gotham Police headquarters. He had his cloaking device activated as he went to the holding cell that contained Tai Ji, who was awaiting transport to a super-maximum prison facility. He went to the bar covered opening and looked in on the killer. He was sitting cross legged on the bench with his eyes closed and head bowed.

"I know you're not asleep," Batman said.

Tai Ji looked up, surprised. He looked around the cell, confused.

"Up here."

Tai Ji looked at the window as Batman deactivated his cloak.

"Batman!" Tai Ji said, astonished. He smiled and stood up. He stopped at the bottom of the window. "You are impressive, indeed."

The hero smiled. "I take it you heard?"

He knew Batman meant that board members were arrested and charged. "That justice has come at last? Yes." He paused. He stared at the Dark Knight. "And thank you."

"What for?"

He smirked, knowingly. "I know you must've had something to do with that."

Batman smiled. "I had a little help. But I figured it was worth it to get justice for your family."

Tai Ji nodded. He paused and looked at left hand. "I have committed many sins. Done so much wrong. All of which I will gladly pay for. But…" he looked back at the hero, "you were right… not everyone becomes those monsters. Or even can. Zhang never would've turned out like that and Robert never was. I had forgotten that somewhere along the way."

Batman nodded. "Pain makes us do weird things." In that sentence, he wasn't sure if he was talking to Tai Ji or himself. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you another way, Tai Ji."

"No need for you to be. I am sorry… that I ever made it necessary for us to war against one another. Go in peace, Batman."

"Right back at ya." Batman flew off into the night.

Tai Ji smiled and sat back down. He knew whatever fate he received would be deserved… but he was grateful… that he wasn't the only one getting what was coming to him.

That alone… made him smile.

Two weeks later.

After the Black Tiger killings were stopped, life in Gotham had gone back to normal. Meaning: it was back to being as abnormal as usual.

Still… while some things were normal, at least, one couple was glad things were different.

Terry and Max were sitting next to each other at lunch, messing with one another as usual while also being very affectionate, when Chelsea sat down with them.

"Ya know?" Chelsea moved her food around. "No matter how many times I see you two, I can't help but think…"

They both stared at her.

She grinned. "It finally happened."

The newly formed couple looked at each other confused then back at the blonde haired girl.

"What do you mean 'finally happened'?" Max asked.

"Oh, please!" Chelsea pointed at them with her fork, accusingly. "Late night study sessions, always hanging out together, and the pure fact that ANYTIME you two are within a mile of each other… you're right next to each other. And just to remind you, I'm talking about BEFORE you two starting dating. It was soooooo gonna happen, sooner or later."

They looked other then shrugged.

"She's got a point," Max admitted.

"Yep." Terry smiled. "Lucky us."

"Oh, yeah."

Chelsea just shook her head.

Max looked up to see Dana enter the lunch room with some other friends of hers. Terry stopped and looked at her as well, causing Chelsea to turn around stare, too. They all looked at Dana as she stared at them. Her look wasn't immediately discernible which left all three of them worried.

But slowly… Dana smiled. And nodded at the couple. She walked on to catch up with her other friends.

The trio all looked back at each other.

"Wow…" Chelsea said.

"You can say that again," Max agreed.

"Think things will ever be normal with all three of you again?"

Max looked at her boyfriend, wanting to answer… and curious as to how he would.

Terry shrugged. "Pleasant, sure. Normal… when was any of this ever normal?"

Max smiled while Chelsea conceded, "Good point."

After school, Terry and Max went to the latter's apartment to do some studying.

They were supposed to be studying, anyway.

They weren't supposed to be making out.

Things just tended to happen. Besides, it doesn't help when the making out is that intense and feels that good.

Terry's phone rang. Everyone else who would be looking for them already knew where they both were. It could only be one person. Both of them groaned as they broke apart.

"Why is this so much more annoying now?" Max asked, out of breath from the kissing.

"We weren't making out whenever he called before," Terry answered.

She shrugged. "True."

Terry answered the phone. "Yeah?"

"At Max's again?" Bruce asked.

"Where else would I be?"

Bruce faked a groan. Quite frankly, he didn't mind the two dating. Terry's focused hadn't wavered in the slightest and this relationship had actually made Max less irritating with the "joining the team" business. But there was no way he could let the kid off the hook. If Terry knew Bruce approved, who knows where that would lead. Better, Wayne thought, to keep up appearances. He is something of an expert in that category. "If you can tear yourself away from her for longer than an hour, there's a little matter of a city that needs you."

"You call just to annoy me, don't you?"

Bruce ignored his question. "Get to work." He hung up.

Terry hung the phone up and looked at his girlfriend, "Boss is calling."

Max nodded. "No problem. See you tonight?"

"You bet."

They kissed. That always made it harder for him to go on patrol but there was the promise of it happening afterward. And that was always worth it.

While they were kissing, Max started lightly hitting his shoulders. They broke the kiss and she breathed out, "Go, go. Or you'll never leave and someone might get melted or something."

He nodded. "See you tonight."

"I better…"

McGinnis went off but… with a smile on his face. He loved hearing her talk like that.

He changed in her bathroom, exited out her window, and took off into the city.

It was funny… his nights as Batman always left him with a lot of uncertainty about other aspects in his life, such as relationships. Of course he had his mother and brother, Max when they were just friends, even Bruce if neither of them ever said it, but his love life was always a shambles. But when it came to Max… he knew she was the one person he would always have.

Terry realized Tai Ji and Bruce both had a point: follow his own path. And he did.

And he liked it.

Between his girlfriend, his family, his mentor, and his mission, Terry McGinnis had all he needed… and wanted.

And that meant the world to him.

End of story.

And there you have it, folks!

Seriously, I hope you guys enjoyed this tale from my mind. I really enjoyed writing it and it was joy to have you guys read it and review it and follow it and favorite it.

Now... first, to all my haters, thank you for... well, doing your job, which is to hate. :)

But FAR MORE IMPORTANTLY, to all my APPRECIATORS, THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! First of all, Kyoko Kasshu Minamino, thank you for inspiring me to write this in the first place. You work definitely has me inspired in this genre. Now, to loyal reviewers like shejams (especially with 'bat time bat channel' bit lol), chocolate1, Watership's Nightwish Rat, Dragon77, and sooo many others, thank you sooo much! To all those who favorited and followed, thank you so much! All of you kept me going!

I'll tell you guys this, I'm taking a slight hiatus from chapter stories, but not from one-shots so much, to focus on a novel I'm working on. But, my hiatus may not be as long as I thought for two reasons: one, I have a story already mostly written, non-Batman Beyond, that I might post; two, someone mentioned a sequel to this story... and the wheels in my head are still turning about that. Could be soon? Could not be! Who knows? Be on the lookout! :)

Thank you all again! You all kept me going and I will never be able to say thank you enough! Take care and God bless, everyone!

Yours truly,

T2 Angel