Batmans feet pounded the steps as he ran up into ths Manor.
His heart raced, fear driving him forward.
When he got into his study he found it ransacked and saw Alfred lying on the floor.
"Alfred!" He gritted out, gently turning the older man over to find a slash wound to Alfreds neck.
"No." Batman moaned, taking a breath he got up praying the rest of his family hadnt been home.
Batman found Cass and his boys in the family room, each of them caught in awkward angles in their deaths likely as they had been turning to defend themselves.
Each of them killed with various knife wounds.
Only Connar looked as though he had been fully standing when he had been killed, a kryptonite knife had peirced his boys heart.
"Why." He breathed stumbling from the room. He ran shakily up the stairs to the master bedroom.
He could hear the shower running and frowned.
Batman hesitated his hand, that he was dimly aware was covered in the blood of his family members shook.
Batman opened the door to the master bedroom the sound of the shower getting louder.
"Please, if there is a god please let at least one member of my family still live."
Batman muttered as he went to the bathroom, he knew there was very little chance that Ari was alive.
Batmans knees buckled and he crawled the last few feet toward Ari's body.
Her face was a rictus of pain and terror.
Batman didnt notice the freezing cold water rushing over him as he cradled her lifeless form.
His Ari, his best friend, his partner, his lover, his wife, and the supposed to be mother of his unborn child was gone along with the rest of his family.
Wait, his unborn child Batman lowered Ari a bit and that was when he noticed how mutilated her abdomen was.
Another wave of horror spread through him as he stared dumbly at the ruined waist that should have been the nine month mound of their child.
Batman carefully lowered Ari to the wet cold tiles and was about to stand when he heard a soft almost snuffling noise from the nursery.
Images fluttered through his mind as he catiously walked to the nursery, Ari her hands gently rubbing her barely there belly as she hummed softly.
Dick laughing and spinning his sister at the news of her pregnancy.
Conner pressing his ear to Aris belly as she laughed, trying to hear the babys still non existant heart beat.
Alfred a smile twitching the corners of his mouth as he began to prepare treats for Ari and the "Little Master or Miss".
Jason Tim Damian and Cass, vowing to protect their mother and baby sister or brother as they snuggled Ari.
Ari her eyes filled with love as she looked up at him and he pressed kisses into her hair as they looked at the sonogram of their perfect baby girl.
Batman threw open the door of the nursery his breathing laboured as though he had run a marathon.
Sitting in what was Ari's rocking chair, in thier baby's room was Diana holding a wrapped bundle
She cooed down at his baby who whimpered softly, his baby turned her head to open icy blue and golden eyes that were too old and distressed to be a newborns.
His baby stared at her horror struck father, those eyes a perfect blending of his and Ari's seemed to plead with him, begging him to get her away from this woman who was not her mother.
"What...what have you done." Batman had finally found his voice.
Diana raised her head her brown eyes filled with a mad feverish light.
"Shh, you'll scare our baby Bruce." Diana saif her voice soft and thin.
"She isnt yours, give her to me." Batman demanded his voice settling into the register that even gave Joker pause.
"No!" Diana leapt to her feet carelessly cradleing his baby her eyes becoming more crazed.
"Give her to me Diana." Batman hissed talking a slight step forward.
His baby suddenly wailed the high reedy sound peircing the air.
"Shut up, you useless little brat shut up or I'll make you!" Diana growled and Batman saw her reach for a bloodstained knife.
Diana drove the knife down and Batman surged forward catching his baby in his arms.
"No, no please Sweetheart please!" Batman pleaded but could already see the life leaving his daughters eyes.
Above him Diana laughed the sound grating and mad.
"Well, thats the last now no one can stop us from being together Batman!" Her voice was breathless and pleased.
Diana was so lost in her fantasies she took no notice of Batman.
She didnt seem to notice Batman pulling his cape off to swaddle his daughter nor did she seem to notice him stand and walk over to the crib and with infinate gentleness place her inside.
He took a moment to stare down at his baby, a little angel swathed in the wings of a demon.
Funny how people had once feared him for what he hadnt been.
He turned and allowed himself to descend into the darkness.
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YOU DIDNT THINK I'D END THERE DID YOU?
"Bruce!" Batman froze his hands around Dianas neck.
"Bruce wake up, please!" Ari? She was dead this was a trick.
"Bruce please youre having a nightmare wake up!"
Bruce Wayne sat up gasping he looked to see Ari, blessedly alive Ari leaning over him dressed in her scrubs.
"Ari?" She leaned over and turned on the light, and Bruce realized they were at her home.
"That was one hell of a nightmare, I heard you shouting as i walked into the door."
She was alive, granted she looked exhausted but she was alive.
Bruce pulled Ari into a hug making her squek.
"Bruce, I'm..." Ari trailed off the laughter dying in her face.
"Come on lets get you into a shower ill change the sheets" Bruce had been covered in sweat.
He tightened his arms around her lightly.
"No please lets just...lets just stay here please."
Ari was worried at the sound of distress in Bruces voice and nodded laying back she twitched her fingers and exchanged her scrubs for bedclothes.
"Could you... could you open to everyone please? I...I need..." Bruce trailed off unsure of how to verbalize his request.
Ari sensed what he needed and pulled his conciousness into her mind surrounding him with protective warmth, then she opened the channels to their family.
At this hour they were sleeping, but she could keep the channels open without disturbing them.
"Thank you." Bruce whispered exhaustedly.
One more flick of her fingers had the sheets and Bruces clothes changed with fresh ones
"Youre welcome, rest now I've got you."
Ari turned out the light as they fell asleep.