I could hear the guards outside my door mobilising.
"Hey! Hey, what's going on out there?" I shouted. I opened the door but it slammed shut again almost immediately.
"Do not leave that room!" Someone shouted from the other side. "Understand?"
"Uh, sure." I answered, and heard them run off. Obviously Batman had showed up.
"Belle, you need to leave now, before Strange blows up the tower." Batman's voice came through the ear piece. "Can you get out?"
"I think so."
"Good. Riddler, start hacking the elevator codes now, and send it up to the top level."
"Don't tell me what to do, Dark Knight." Riddler sneered. "Need I remind you that this whole brilliant plan was my idea? Without me, you wouldn't stand a chance."
"Hey! Do you think you could play nice for like, ten minutes?" I interrupted.
"She's right." Batman agreed. "There isn't time for this." Gunshots rang out loudly.
"Batman?"
"I'm fine. You need to leave."
"Elevator is ready and waiting." Riddler said smugly. I took a couple of deep breaths and opened the door just a crack, peering out. The coast was clear, so I snuck out, keeping to the shadows around the edge of the room.
I could see the TYGER guards patrolling around the room, guns in hand. I could see the elevator on the opposite wall, waiting. All I had to do was get over there. Easy. Probably.
I edged my way along the wall, ducking and hiding when anyone looked in my direction. I had almost made it when one of the guards got a little too close. I knew he was about to come around and see me, so I grabbed at the grate under my feet and pulled, planning on hiding under there. No dice. Those thing are so much heavier than you would think. So at the last minute I dived behind a curtain and held my breath, willing the guard to go away. Soon enough, I heard his footsteps moving away, and let out a quiet sigh of relief. I peeked out from behind the curtain and dashed over the last few meters to the elevator. I crouched down inside next to the door.
"I'm in. Now get me out of here!" I whispered. The doors slid closed and the elevator started to descend slowly.
I got out the way I got in, though there were considerably less guards around on my way out. Apparently Batman was keeping them all distracted. I walked back out into the freezing cold and spotted Riddler immediately.
"The whole deal with Strange and Ra's won't take long, so I'm thinking we move to a safe distance from the soon to be exploding tower?" I suggested, walking over to him.
"Wonderful idea. My presence is obviously rubbing off on you." He said. I rolled my eyes but said nothing as we moved away, and stood back, waiting. Minutes later, the explosion rocked the tower and the top burst into flames. I squinted and saw Batman and Ra's plummeting toward the ground. We saw Ra's stab himself and drop straight down, impaling himself on the Arkham sign. Batman landed more gracefully. The giant screen came to life and the video of Joker started to play.
"I have to go and save Talia." Batman said.
"I know. Go. Good luck." I replied, and watched him swoop away. "Well. That went better than I expected." I said conversationally to Riddler as we made our way to the Monarch Theatre.
"How so?"
"I totally expected Strange to catch me in a lie and lobotomize me or something." Riddler gave a half smile but said nothing. We were quiet for a while.
"Dude. I'm nervous." I admitted. "What if Batman walks out of there with the Joker and I'm still here? What if nothing happens? What if I'm stuck in here forever?"
"Then you'll have to find someone else to take pity on you. The Hotel Nygma is closing."
"Thanks for your concern." I said sardonically.
We walked in silence for a while longer, ducking into alley ways and hiding behind dumpsters when thugs came too close.
We scooted across the water to the Industrial District, jumping from one piece of flotsam to another.
Finally we made it, but only just in time. We hid in the shadows and could hear the thugs outside the theatre chanting.
"Joker! Joker! Joker! Joker…" They trailed off as Batman emerged carrying jokers body. He kept walking, and I knew he was walking out to hand Joker's body over to Gordon and the police.
"That's it." I whispered. "It's the end." I stood there, waiting for something to happen. Even Riddler looked kind of expectant. I waited and waited but nothing happened.
After a while Batman landed next to us.
"Anything happen?"
"Not a damn thing." I said. I slid down the wall of the building and sat on the ground with my head in my hands. "What the hell do I do now?" I asked, suddenly angry. I had been counting on going home, damn it!
"You said there was more to the game?" Batman suggested. "What else do I need to do?"
"What have you done so far?"
"Ra's Al Ghul's plan was stopped, Hugo Strange and Joker are dead, I've detained Zsasz, Penguin, and Deadshot. Freeze, Bane and Jervis Tetch have been been neutralized. The only one I haven't dealt with… Is Riddler." He said, nodding at him.
"Well," I said, shrugging. "Have at him. He's all yours."
"What?" Riddler spoke up at last. "That was not our agreement!"
"No." I agreed, standing up to face him. "Our agreement was that I wouldn't help Batman catch you if you helped me get home. Then you said that if finishing the game didn't send me home, I was on my own. And seeing as it didn't work, I guess you're not helping anymore. Which means our agreement is over, and I'm free to sick Batman on you."
"Actually, I believe the deal was you tell me who Batman really is, and I don't kill you." He said, pulling a gun out of nowhere and aiming it at my chest.
"Uh, now you mention it, that does ring a bell." I said, backing up into the wall.
"And if you want to keep that deal, I suggest you hold up your end of it, now."
I sputtered and panicked for about half a second before Batman gave Riddler a strong right hook to the jaw, dropping him to the ground and sending the gun flying away.
"Thanks." I said. "And don't worry. I wasn't really going to tell him who you were."
"I appreciate it. I'll take Riddler to Gordon, and let them deal with him. Wait here, I'll be right back." He grabbed Riddler and hauled him to his feet, but Riddler shook him off.
"Wait! You promised. You have to keep your end of the deal, tell me who Batman is! I have to know!" He shouted desperately.
"Not a chance." I replied.
"You. I'll get you for this! If it's the last thing I do, I'll find you!"
"Good luck with that!" I said, smiling sweetly.
"Hey!" I spun around and saw Harley Quinn marching up to me. Brilliant. I'd forgotten about the thugs outside the theatre. "This is your fault!" Harley shouted poking me. "Mistah J told me who you are. You told Batman all about his plans, didn't you! You told him how to kill him!" She accused. Her makeup was smudge and tear tracks ran down her cheeks.
"Walk away, Quinn." Batman warned.
I felt bad for Harley, I really did. She's not all bad, really. Just kind of… mixed with the wrong crowd.
"I'm sorry Harley. Really, but-" Suddenly a gunshot rang out. I was confused for a split second before I felt pain, white hot piercing pain, in my chest. I looked down and saw blood blossoming on my shirt. I leaned against the wall and slid down to the ground unsteadily. By the time I hit the ground Batman had the gun out of Harley's hands and in pieces.
My breath was coming out in quick, shallow gasps. The amount of blood was scary.
"Oracle, I need you to send in an ambulance or a medical team." He paused. "Nothing's happened to me. I don't have time to explain, just send someone in here now!"
"It'll do no good." Riddler said. "They won't get here in time."
"Jackass." I wheezed. The pain was starting to dim, and my vision was getting kind of blurry. In the back of my mind I knew it wasn't a good sign. I could hear Batman standing a few metres away, arguing with Oracle. Riddler walked over and knelt beside me.
"Tell me who he is." He hissed.
"Not gonna happen."
"Step back!" Batman barked, walking over and standing between Riddler and me. Riddler put his hands up in a mocking surrender gesture.
"No harm done." He said. My eyes fluttered shut and Batman turned on me.
"Keep your eyes open Belle. Stay awake, help will be here soon. I promise." I opened my eyes just in time to see Riddler slinking away into the shadows. He turned back at the last moment and held my gaze. We stared at each other for a moment before he disappeared, but I got the message. This isn't over.
There were spots dancing in front of my eyes, and the light was fading. I could hear Batman telling me to wake up, to hold on, and that I would be fine. I could hear Harley shouting over him that I deserved to die seeing as I told Batman how to kill Joker. I tried to tell her I hadn't helped at all, but no sound came out.
Then the light faded altogether, and I was gone.

I came back to consciousness and sat bolt upright. I looked around wildly. I was back. Holy crap, I was back! I looked around my small, messy room with a new appreciation. The clock on my bedside table read 7:00am. I flew out of bed and ran to my window, throwing open the curtains. My boring old street! I'd never been so glad to see it. I ran to my mirror and inspected my reflection. My hair was smooth and un-matted, my pyjamas were clean, and my skin wasn't covered in dirt. That was certainly a nice change. There was a whimpering and scratching at my bedroom door. I opened it and my Maltese puppy, Jake, came bounding into the room.
"Hey Jakey! Hey boy. I missed you, oh yes I did." I scooped him up and hugged him. "Time for a walk?" I put him down and got changed quickly into a pair of comfy jeans and tee shirt. I thundered down the stairs with Jake trailing after me. I grabbed his leash and put it on him and we started out.
We got to the end of the street when we were nearly hit by a van, the kind you use when you move house. I was planning on shouting a rude remark when it pulled into the drive way in front of me. I'm nosey, so I stopped and pretended to tie my shoe and watched them unpack some serious looking computers.
"No, you buffoons! Be careful with those! Trained monkeys could do a better job." I looked up, not bothering to hide the fact that I was staring. That voice… But that would be ridiculous. I shook my head to clear it and started to walk again. A flurry of movement at the front door of the house caught my attention. I looked, just in time to catch a glimpse of who must be the guy moving in. He was tall with short brown hair, but what I noticed the most was the blue eyes that looked startlingly familiar. Riddler.
But it couldn't be.

Right?

A/N: That's it guys! It's finished! (Or is it?) Thank you so much to every one who stuck with me and read this all the way to the end! You guys are brilliant. :)