Chapter 10:Baddies and Bullets

Hidden in the shadows of the buildings opposite the target warehouse, Niamh fidgeted in her suit. It was hot and stuffy, but she couldn't remove any part of it without endangering herself and potentially revealing her identity. She watched as the police began to arrive around the corner from the location and decided it was time to climb. Nimbly she darted up the fire escape to the fourth floor window and carefully peered through looking at the empty section of the building. There were holes in the floor boards and others looked very fragile, through gaps in the ancient flooring she could see that the rest of the property was in a similar condition. Niamh crouched down and quickly sent a message to Jim Gordon warning him about the poor state of the structure, the more information they had about the raid the better.

Niamh waited until she heard the signal and both the front and back doors to the building being forced open, using that as a distraction she flung the window open and jumped through; almost losing her balance as part of the flooring shifted under her weight. She ran around the edge of the large room, her cape billowing out behind her as she went, the adrenaline coursing through her system, ears open for the sounds coming from the lower floors. Niamh had just descended a ladder to the floor below when she heard heavy footsteps thundering up the staircase at the other end of the floor; her instinct told her it wasn't a member of the task force that had been sent into the building and she had learnt to trust her instinct implicitly, so she melted into the shadows.

The man known as both Leon Aguillon and Andre Bayard, amongst other names, appeared breathlessly at the top of the stair case, eyes searching frantically for another way out. Niamh waited until he had passed her before stepping out of the darkness and speaking, with voice distorter in its uncomfortable position.

"Looks like it's just you and me" She said quietly, Andre wheeled around, breathing quickly. Gunshots sounded from somewhere below them "Sounds like police weapons discharging, maybe you are permanently on your own now." Panic rose in Andre's chest as he reached for his gun and fired off shots in Niamh's general direction, trying to turn and run. But Niamh was quicker and managed to get in front of him cape swishing, they struggled together. Andre managed to hit her throat with his hand dislodging the vocal apparatus; she would just have to avoid speaking or at least disguise her voice well if she did to avoid recognition. They fought on the floor, rolling around in the dust as both tried to gain the upper hand.

"I was with you when you were trained remember Bruce. I know you never learnt to mind your surroundings" Andre grinned edging Niamh towards a trapped door, which he intended to use to his advantage. Niamh managed a breathless grin, using her own voice was going to be of benefit.

"But I'm not Bruce and I was taught to always be aware of my surroundings" It was one lesson Bruce had been particularly insistent on and now Niamh knew why – it had caused him problems in the past. Andre couldn't hide his shock as he heard the female voice that spoke and realised that he wasn't fighting Bruce Wayne. Using the momentary surprise to her advantage Niamh freed one of her hands and flicked her wrist to throw one of her bat shaped missiles at a rope that was securing a beam above her assailants head. It cut straight through the rope and the beam fell, as planned hitting Andre square on the head, knocking him out. Rolling his heavy body off her, Niamh rolled to her knees, to secure his hands behind his back throwing his gun to one side after emptying the ammunition. She stood up, dusting some of the dirt from her clothing out of habit and puffing out some deep breaths as she surveyed her work. Niamh was exhausted and desperately needed to sleep. She heard Gordon's voice shout as he led a team up the staircase Andre had used, Niamh scurried back up the ladder and perched by the open window she had used a few moments earlier making sure Andre was discovered by the right people. She heard Jim order some of the other officers to drag him out and make sure his rights were read as soon as he regained consciousness.

"Batman saved us again eh lads!" Gordon half sang "I told you it was nothing to do with Wayne – I'll call the prison now and have him released right away" He made the last comment in a voice that was louder than necessary for Niamh's benefit. A grin spread across her face, Bruce was coming home.

Police officers were swarming around the building and the streets surrounding it, so Niamh couldn't leave straight away and return to the tumbler without being seen. She had to wait half an hour until the distraction of the forensic unit arrived and she could dash from her hiding place to a roof opposite and then down to the dimly lit streets. As she drove the long route home, so that she could enter the cave via the waterfall, Niamh was surprised at how tired she felt and how cold she was. It was a warm spring evening and she was wearing a ridiculous amount of clothing and equipment, she really shouldn't have been feeling the chill. She parked at an odd angle, running out of energy to halt the vehicle properly; she saw Bruce and Alfred standing at one of the large tables covered with maps. She pulled her mask from her face as she ran through the pool of water to them. Bruce lifted her up in an embrace and twirled her around, before kissing her lips softly. He had returned to his jeans and a t-shirt, neither were a garish shade of orange.

"Oh it's good to see you" Niamh buried her head in his shoulder as her feet touched the ground.

"It's good to be home. I hear you've been doing a good job in my absence" Bruce grinned.

"What can I say? I was taught by the best. I could sleep for a month now though" Niamh tried to joke, but Bruce wanted to discuss some serious issues.

"I would rather that you hadn't taken my place though – it's dangerous out there!" He admonished; Niamh's eyes widened slightly and she looked past Bruce to Alfred, who rolled his eyes at the irony of the situation.

"I know its dangerous Bruce, but you trained me to deal with any threats and someone had to do something. How the hell do you think I've felt for the last eighteen months or so knowing that you go out there and do that every night?" Niamh retorted "Now you know how hard it is, knowing that someone you love is at risk and you can't do anything to change that. I may not be in prison but I couldn't have stopped you from doing what you do anyway, not that I would have tried. It's hard and just you remember that, when I hang up my cape and mask and you put yours back on!" She bit out the last sentence. She had discovered for herself why Bruce was unable to give Batman up for long.

"I'm used to taking risks!" Bruce tried to counter

"Are you two really going to fight right at this moment? I've served some champagne in the drawing room, but if you think arsenic would be more appropriate it can be arranged!" Alfred chimed in looking from one to the other in mild amusement. Niamh and Bruce both turned to look at him and started laughing despite themselves "Give me strength" Alfred muttered as he began heading towards the steps up to the steel elevator.

"Look how about we agree to forget about it all now? Tonight was my last outing in Batman's place, we got away with it. And the most important thing is that you are back here where you belong." Niamh suggested, as Bruce placed his hands around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

"With you?"

"Yes with me!" She agreed

"I think we could both do with some of that champagne and a decent night's sleep" He winked at Niamh who was still smiling at him

"Agreed, let me just get this ridiculousness off, I'm absolutely exhausted – maybe it's hitting me because I know that it's all over now and I can sleep." Niamh suggested moving away slightly, starting to undo the suit. Bruce turned to say something to her as she cried out in pain. His brow creased with concern and he rushed forward to help as Niamh's legs collapsed underneath her.

"What is it Niamh what's wrong? Alfred wait!" Bruce yelled at the man who turned and hurried back. Niamh couldn't speak through the unbearable pain; she held her shoulder where the pain was the most intense. Bruce lifted her hand and pushed her cape aside as gently as possible to reveal a bullet wound that was bleeding profusely in her shoulder. The bullet had entered where the Kevlar sections of the suit joined and it was weakest. Niamh's eyes rolled back in her head as another wave of pain hit her.