HERE WE GO! We are back, and ready to kick some Bane butt. Well, almost. Thanks for encouraging me to go for this. It didn't feel right to just end it like that. Please, for God's sake let me know what you think!

9: We Will Watch

I wanted that all to happen. I wanted to be away, and a complete family once again. But I needed to repay a debt. I had killed people in this city, and even if they were criminals the scale will always be tilted against me if I didn't set things right. Helping take down Bane, that would be my redemption. There were a few problems I would have to trouble-shoot. First, the guy was a beast. If I did get close enough to land a punch chances are my hand would break into a billion little pieces. Knives would be my only option. I could remain at a relatively safe distance. But that was the endgame. I would work my way to that point.

The first step was to tail him. Surveillance. Good old-fashioned reconnaissance. What were his days like? What did he do? What did he care about? Who was he close to? I needed to know these things. I needed to know him better than even he did.

"Why don't we just kill the guy?" Jack was getting annoyed; anyone could tell.

I put the binoculars down and slid towards him, "Because it wouldn't be as fun?" I let the devilish grin spread across my face as he began to laugh. "Plus, you should enjoy this while it last. Once we get to Oregon no more killing, no more anarchy. You promised."

He pulled our faces together and kissed me, "You make a good point."

"Anyways, is it not fun to finally team up with me?" I faked a pout before laughing. Then again, lips on lips. Tongues. Happiness. The two weeks of tailing Bane had been an odd sort of honeymoon for us. Running from street to street, hiding and sneaking. It was all very fun. I turned my attention back to the job. "Where the fuck are you going now? Looks like a change in the schedule, we better get moving." We grabbed the few things we carried with us and made our way down the stairs and out the building. It was lucky that he hadn't left yet when we caught view of him again. He was talking to the man who threw the knife at me. He would definitely be on my list. Once their conversation was over Bane began his stroll north. It was a good three miles before he entered a building. We entered the one across the street and climbed. I sat and pulled out the binoculars, peering into various windows, hoping to glimpse the target. After twenty minutes there was movement in the top apartment. The building's large windows and the tenant's lack of window coverings were a blessing. A woman entered the room, then Bane. I furrowed my brow in confusion. Was he going to hurt her? Then they sat by each other, and I saw the tenderness in her actions. "You aren't going to believe this, Jack. He's got a girlfriend." He laughed and took the binoculars from me. All he did was nod. "She's the key right? The chink in his chainmail?"

"You know the answer to that. What do you want to do with her?"

"I want to get all the information I can from her about the big bad man. But first we should follow her for a bit, it wouldn't be very smart to just run into the place and take her, ya know?" He smiled at me. Of course he knew. He was the criminal mastermind. He knew exactly what he would do in my shoes. I checked the window again; they were still cuddling. If any woman in the world could relate to me, this was she. She too appeared to love a madman. Bane was her Jack. I would not kill her, how could I? How could I kill myself? "I won't kill her though," I turned to Jack. He raised his eyebrow in question. "She is me. I can't do that."

He laughed, "More of the 'we are all the same' bullshit? Haven't heard that in a while."

I rolled my eyes, "She loves a madman. I love a madman. I won't do that."

"Are you calling me mad?" I sensed the anger in him growing. The honeymoon was over.

"Oh, you know what I mean. He took over Gotham; you took over Gotham." I set the binoculars down and touched his face. His anger was slowly fading. "I love you," I kissed his cheek and returned to the watch.

Bane and the mystery woman sat together for three whole hours. Watching their interactions was strange; I felt for the first time that I was invading privacy. Then suddenly Bane was leaving. Jack started packing up. "Wait, she is who we want."

"But you aren't going to kill her?"

"She doesn't know that now, does she? Plus, she clearly knows him well." Jack sat back down. An hour later the woman grabbed a backpack and headed out the door. "She's moving, we have to go." We packed and were on the move. We were halfway across the city before she met up with someone who looked vaguely familiar. "Who is that guy? I know him from somewhere."

"Gordon."

"Who?"

"A cop. No doubt he'll be leading some sort of 'resistance.' He's almost as bad as the Bat."

"What the hell is she doing with him?" They began to move; so did we. They entered a building, and we did our normal routine; into and up the building on the other side of the street. There was much less wait to find them in the small windows. They were in an apartment on the third floor, and they were talking to someone. Bruce maybe? I kept watching, waiting for the other person to show himself. Then he did. "John." I spoke quietly.