Here it is - the final chapter of the Battle of Gotham, and the penultimate chapter of the story!

The final chapter will be uploaded soonish, so keep reading! :)

Battle of Gotham - Part 8

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

On the rooftop of the Lounge, Batman dived to avoid the bullets from Joker's guns. He landed behind a turbine as the bullets clanged on impact.

"What's wrong, Batsy? You're not scared of a few bullets, are you?"

As the bullets clanged against metal, Batman braced himself. Mere moments later, he could hear the empty clicks as Joker's cartridges emptied, and leapt out, throwing a Batarang towards Joker. The clown groaned in agony as the weapon skimmed his right hand, forcing him to drop his handgun.

This was the distraction Batman needed, as he ran towards Joker, and forced him to the ground. Joker's second gun slipped from his hand, before he kicked Batman in the stomach. As he fell backwards onto his knees, Joker rose to his feet and attempted to throw a punch. However, Batman caught his fist, and proceeded to punch Joker in the stomach. Joker keeled over, before being pushed back onto the ground by Batman's uppercut.

"It's over, Joker."

Joker groaned as Batman rose to his feet. He then began to chuckle.

"Oh, it's just like old times, ain't it, Bats? You and me, on a rooftop, in a climatic final battle?"

He continued to chuckle as he rose unsteadily to his feet.

"You don't even grasp the importance of this, do you, Batman? That, out of all the nasty bad guys gathered here tonight, I'm the one who's up here with you?"

Joker began to pace around Batman, who watched him carefully.

"You see, Batman, old Craney boy was right – I did go through all this to get to you. Breaking into Lexcorp, freeing Mr Freeze, stealing leadership from Sionis – all of it, just to get to this moment. And why? Oh, just one reason – destiny."

"Destiny?"

"That's right," said Joker, "It was fate that brought us together all those years ago, fate that plunged me into that vat of chemicals, fate that pits us together time and time again … don't you see, Batman? We're the perfect pair!"

"We are nothing alike!" stated Batman.

"Exactly! We are nothing alike – in fact, we're polar opposites! Think about it – good and evil, order and chaos, depressingly broody and psychotically happy … not even Superman and Lexy had that kind of rivalry!"

Joker began to pace away from Batman, who made sure to keep the clown in his line of vision.

"That's why I came here tonight – no-one, and I mean no-one, can match up to the relationship that we have, especially not any of those fools down below!"

Joker turned to face Batman, a large grin across his face.

"That's why everyone considers me your archenemy, Batman … and that's why the only person worthy of the honour of killing you … is me!"

"There will be no death here tonight, Joker," insisted Batman.

"Oh, that's where you're wrong, Bats! You see, one way or the other … this ends tonight!"

Suddenly, a pocket knife slipped out of Joker's sleeve into his open hand. He then charged towards Batman, who pounced, pinning Joker to the ground. He then groaned in pain, as the knife was driven into his arm.

As Batman fell back, Joker sprung to his feet, and roared as he ran forward for another attack. Acting quickly, Batman swung his leg, and knocked Joker off his feet. The knife slid across the rooftop, and Joker scrambled after it, as Batman rose to his feet.

As Joker picked up the knife, Batman reached for his belt. The Batarang flew from his hand, just as Joker turned to face him. On impact, the knife flew out of Joker's hand, and over the edge of the rooftop into the streets below.

"NO!"

Joker looked over the rooftop, and watched his knife fall farther and farther down. He turned, to see Batman walked towards him.

"You're out of tricks," he said, "Make things easy on yourself, and give up."

As Joker looked from Batman to the edge of the rooftop behind him, inspiration suddenly struck. A sinister grin stretched across his face as he looked at Batman.

"Oh, I have one trick left …"

Sniggering, he jumped onto the thin beam behind him, looking down at the streets, a hundred miles below.

"Joker, what are you doing?"

Joker turned to Batman, and laughed at the evident fear on his face.

"Ending things … once and for all …"

Meanwhile, within the Iceberg Lounge, the Justice League was busy rounding up the members of the Gathering, as they waited for the police to arrive.

"I knew I should have taken charge!" growled Two-Face, as John restrained him along with the other villains, "I would have done a much better job than Sionis or Joker!"

"Sure, just keep telling yourself that …" said John, smirking. He then looked up, and sighed as he saw Shayera, knelt beside the frozen head of Mr Freeze.

"Hey, you OK?"

Shayera looked up to see Flash standing beside her.

"Yeah, I'm ok …" she said softly, "It's just … I feel sorry for him …"

Flash placed a sympathetic hand upon her shoulder, which Shayera placed her ahnd upon in appreciation.

At the back of the hall, Superman was putting the finishing touches on an iron-grid cage to contain Killer Croc.

"Are you certain that will hold him?" asked J'onn, as he joined Superman.

"Should do," replied Superman, "Besides, I don't think Croc will be willing to go another round with me again, at least not without Kryptonite …"

The two smirked at each other, as Diana placed the final villain, Harley Quinn, along with the others.

"Oh … I let my Mistah J down …"

"Oh, Harley, will you give it a rest?" said Poison Ivy, a bit louder than necessary, "Joker didn't even care enough to stay with us for the battle, so who cares what he thinks?"

"He's still my puddin', Red …"

"Oy vey …" said Ivy, exasperated.

As Diana shook her head, smirking, the other Leaguers joined her.

"Well, I think that takes care of everyone," said Flash.

"Yeah, great teamwork, everyone," said Superman, "I couldn't be more proud of us!"

"I'm just glad it's over," said Diana softly.

"It's not over! Not yet!"

The heroes turned, to see Black Mask rise unsteadily to his feet, one of the blasters in his hands.

"Oh, Sionis, give it up already!" demanded Two-Face, "It's over, we lost!"

"No, I won't accept it!" rambled Black Mask, pointing his gun at each Leaguer in turn, "Weeks of planning I put into this plan! I was going to bring us all to glory! And then, that … that clown comes here, and takes the glory from me? And, and then we lose? After everything I've been through? It's not fair, I tell ya! It's NOT FAIR!"

John raised his hand, to point his ring at Sionis. However, before he could use it …

"AAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH!"

Sionis roared in agony as electricity soared through his body. Everyone watched in shock, as the electricity faded, and Sionis groaned as steam rose from his body. He then fell to his kness, before finally collapsing unconscious on the ground.

"Well, what do you know, Sionis? I wasn't bluffing!"

Cobblepot smirked proudly, smoke rising from the tip of the umbrella he held in his hands.

"Woah, nicely done!"

"Your sentiments are most appreciated, Flash," said Cobblepot, "as are you and your teammates' dealing with these ruffians."

"Not at all, Mr Cobblepot," said Superman, "We're always happy to help those in need."

"Speaking of which, where, pray tell, is Batman?"

"He must have went after Joker," said Shayera.

"Should we go help him?" asked John.

"No," said J'onn, "This is a battle that Batman must fight alone."

"Agreed," said Diana, "Besides, we can't have all the fun …"

Back on the rooftop, Batman edged slowly towards Joker, who was still standing at the rooftop's edge.

"Joker, get down from there!"

"No can do, Bats," insisted Joker, "You see, there really is only one way this little feud of ours can end … and seeing as you don't have it in you to kill me, and I find you way too much fun … this becomes the only option!"

He stretched his arms out wide, as a gust of wind blew into his back.

"Don't do this!" yelled Batman. Joker looked at him, grinning manically.

"It's been fun, Batsy boy! See ya around! He he he he he he, HA HA HA HA HA!"

"NOOOOO!"

Batman leapt forward as Joker leaned backwards, off the edge of the roof. Failing to catch him in time, Batman jumped of the rooftop after him, taking the grapple from his belt as he did.

He could hear Joker's manical laughter as they both fell through the air. Batman straightened his obdy, so as to dive faster through the air towards him.

Eventually, Batman was able to grab Joker by the waist. As he did, he shot his grapple towards the roof. It clung onto the side of the building, and the two bodies swung around the building.

"UNGH!"

Batman groaned as he made contact with the side of the building. Joker groaned softly, as Batman looked for an opening in the outer wall. He then noticed the gaping hole that J'onn had created earlier just below him, and using his grapple, lowered himself to that level.

Soon, he had managed to lower himself and Joker into the room. Releasing Joker, Batman fell to his knees, and remained still to recuperate his energy.

"He he he he he …"

Batman slowly turned to Joker, and he could see Joker's body shaking slightly.

"Ha ha ha ha ha …"

As Batman moved closer to him, he could see the Joker laughing softly, grasping his side.

"Ha ha ha ha ha … he hoo hoo ha ha ha ha ha …."

"What can you have to laugh about now …?" said Batman softly, more to himself than Joker.

The clown looked up into Batman's eyes, and smiled.

"I knew it …"

Joker pointed at Batman, and chuckled softly again.

"I … he he he … I, I knew … you'd save me …"

Batman's eyes grew wide in realisation.

"You … you just can't let me die, can you, Batman? He he ha ha ha …."

"No …"

"Admit it, Bats – you love what we have as much as I do …"

"No, no that's not true …" said Batman, shaking his head frantically.

"Yes …" whispered Joker, "Yes, it is true, admit it! You don't want this to end … this is never going to end …"

"I will stop you, Joker …"

"You can't, Batman!" insisted Joker, shaking his head, "You see, you wouldn't be able to go on without me … I give you purpose! When I fell … you saw your whole meaning for putting that mask on going with me …"

Batman fell back into a sitting position, shocked at the revelation. What was even more shocking, however, was that deep down, he had always known this …

"Face it, Bats …" continued Joker, "we're destined to keep on doing this … forever …"

As the Joker began to laugh manically again, Batman, shaking with rage and fear, grabbed him and turned him over. As he placed Bat-cuffs around Joker's wrists, the clown continued to laugh.

"Batman and Joker … forever and ever and ever … He he he he he …. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha …. HYAH HAH HA HA HA HAH HA HA HAAA!"