Writer's Note: Pumped out a new chapter faster than usual because I remembered something in the last chapter I forgot to add, or forgot about and was already established. Also, couldn't sleep last night.
Batman arrives at the Batcave, halfway between consciousness. Every now and then, he opens his eyes to see if he's at home yet. Batman gets up from the car, but ends up falling to the floor. He gets back up on his feet and can feel the striking pain in his hip when he tried to use the explosive gel detonator without having full control of his hand after being crushed. "Batcomputer. On." Batman demands, weakly.
The computer whirs to life, displaying news and tech. "Show me the recent surveillance feed. Codename: Batman." He demands again.
The recorded video starts up in the Batcave from earlier. "Fast forward." Bruce demands.
The surveillance feed fast forwards, and then Batman asks, "Rewind."
It rewinds to Bane vs Batman, and the brute saying Mr Wayne has haunted his thoughts ever since. Fear has since then been turned into anger. Anger that can only lead to something even more terrifying. "Replay." Batman demands, wanting to hear those words again to re-motivate himself. He listens to it again and again as his anger just grows stronger. He looks Bane dead in the eyes in the recording. Looking at the screen in disgust. In silence. He mutters to himself under his breath. "You're not finished with me, Bane."
The words loop over and over as Batman feels every nerve ending light on fire. Smoldering beneath his skin. "You're never finished with me."
Batman sees a man with death in his eyes, and perhaps that same feeling is in Bruce's eyes, too. But because of this terrible hatred, Batman had forgotten one of the things he had gone to the HQ for. Catwoman. He snaps out of his trance and stops the replay. He calls Dick, who is up in the Manor. "I need you to get Catwoman at my last location."
"Why?" Dick answers.
"I was so focused on Bane it slipped my mind."
"Bane, huh?"
"Just find her. It should be clear."
"You sound like hell."
Bruce hands up the phone and goes to the MedBay to patch himself up, but it's easier said than done. Feeling like his friendship with Alfred isn't the greatest right now, considering how distrustful he's been. And though he blames himself, he believes this is the only path as the Batman that'd make sense.
While Bruce is patching himself up, he really can't do much by himself. Alfred comes down and jokes, "Bats don't have hands to patch themselves up, Master Bruce."
"Thought you hated me." Bruce retorts.
"I still have a duty to keep you safe, even if that job requires me keeping you from bleeding all over the floor."\
Alfred does his magic on Bruce, and after a while, he decides to add, "Even if I strongly disagree with your methods."
"You keep changing your mind." Bruce remarks.
"Because I'm old, Bruce."
Bruce doesn't crack a smile this time. "So, who was this, madman, that was giving orders to Croc?"
"Bane."
Alfred finishes patching up Bruce, and then comments. "Fitting, at least."
"I rammed him with my car and he's still alive."
Alfred notices Bruce's change in tone. How he hasn't stopped talking in a deeper voice. Like something "Well, he sure did a number on you."
Alfred pretends not to notice. "Remember when it was just the mob? Just the regular criminals you had to deal with?"
"I remember."
"Now, we have men twice your size or people made out of clay."
"This life isn't simple. If it were, there wouldn't be a Batman."
"But you didn't come home looking like this."
Bruce grimaces as he still feels the pulsing of his nerves from the beatdown he had. Alfred comments, afraid. "Is this still a war on crime? Or is this just war?"
Bruce thinks back to Bane and doesn't say which one, but the answer is clear. " I just hope you don't forget why you put on that mask in the first place." Alfred adds.
Bruce nods back in approval, and Alfred tells Bruce to lie down for a while to heal from his wounds. Normally, Bruce would object, but this time, he agrees. Knowing that next time, he can be prepared, and end Bane before anyone else finds out his identity.
