There was a sudden halt as Batman and Elizabeth landed on a roof top, Elizabeth let go quickly and ran over to the edge of the building her stomach threatening to spill its contents for the third time that night. Fortunately she did not throw up. Elizabeth stood up and faced Batman who was watching her, glowering.

"So, you took me from a very lovely dinner with my sister. Why?"

"You were being held captive by Salvatore Maroni."

"Just a little bit."

"This isn't a joke. You're in over your head."

"I haven't done anything."

"Don't play games with me." Batman's voice was full of fury and Elizabeth could now see why the Rogues feared him as much as they did, he was terrifying.

"Fine, then tell me what you want."

"I know what you've been doing Miss Howard. The pit-fight and going to the apartments last night. You're trying to find Cuvier."

"Unlike you."

"I am looking for him."

"Well then he obviously isn't a priority while he's working on his serum and killing people in the Narrows who has you're attention? Joker? He hasn't done anything yet. The other Rogues? The only one I'll give you is Zsasz but they just broke out you had a month before that. The mobs? You only busted the Falcones once in a month. Gangs? Violence has been down since March. It must be petty thieves and muggers then." Elizabeth was ranting now, her emotions bubbling to the surface, all the ill-will she felt towards the world coming out at Batman. "You could've stopped Cuvier the first time he took me, gone after him, but no. You rescued me and ran. I had injured him and we could have taken on anymore thugs that showed up; and now I'm just trying to right your wrong and get justice."

"You mean revenge."

"Same thing! He did wrong and I'm going to make sure he's punished."

"He needs to be punished by the law not you."

"And who says I'm not going to turn him in!? Or did you just assume that I was out to kill him!? Just like you assume the Rogues are monsters, insane psychopathic killers. Like you assumed Edward stole that puzzle box and choked him for it. Well guess what!? It was Jonathan! He hired Query and Echo to steal it so no one would guess it was his plot. I guess you're not as good as they say if you couldn't figure that out."

"You're calling Nygma and Crane by their first names."

"Is that what you got out of that!?"

"Jonathan Crane and Edward Nygma are dangerous Miss Howard; you need to cut ties with them. Crane attacked you in Arkham, he will attack you again."

"And it will be his funeral if he tries to gas me."

"Has he been contacting you? Where is he?"

"And now this about him?"

"I just want to protect you Miss Howard."

"Protect me!? I'm not your responsibility!"

"Yes you are, you wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for me."

"So, you admit you should've gone after Cuvier."

"No, I should've gotten you out of the building first four years ago and then went back in."

"So you're going all the way back then? Well then let's blame me for drawing the shortest stick, no, no; even better, it's all the intern's fault for mistaking fortnight for tonight! But who even uses fortnight nowadays? Maybe it is Wayne Industries' fault for calling!?" Batman let Elizabeth rage but his silence ticked her off even more. Trying to vent her anger she hit the roof's air duct several times each hit denting the metal slightly.

"Done?"

Elizabeth took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, "yes."

"Good."

"What do you want Batman?"

"I want to help you."

"Then help me find Cuvier."

"I can't, I won't help you get revenge."

"Then you can't help me." Batman reached around his waist and pulled something from his utility belt.

"I arrived at the apartments before the police did. This is all the evidence putting you at the scene. Gordon suspects it was you who was there and killed those men but he can't convict you without this. Let go of your revenge and I'll make sure he never sees this, continue down this path and I'll have no choice but to hand it over."

"So you're resorting to blackmail?"

"You'll be caught one way or another if you continue down this path. Stop now before you kill anyone else or you end up in Gotham Bay." Elizabeth didn't say anything she just stared at Batman with a numb expression. "Miss Howard, look at what you've done, think about what you've done. You've killed seven people in the past three months, you've been to Arkham, you've enter an illegal pit fight, what else? What have I missed? What more are you going to do?"

Elizabeth's face hardened. "And what have you done? How many people have you maimed, disabled them for life? How many people have you let die because you let the Joker live? Mad Hatter has raped and killed how many women because you couldn't let him have just one? Scarecrow is kidnapping and torturing people because you have stopped the police from taking him out permanently. Riddler continues to steal because you challenge him he would have stopped long ago if you didn't continue to test him. Your list of crimes is far longer than mine. You try and erase it but you're no better than me. Guess what though I'll stop, as soon as I have Cuvier and Giuseppe I'll stop; but you, you won't will you? You're even more psychopathic than the Rogues. You don't care who gets harmed in your chil—" Elizabeth was cut short by Batman slamming her against the air duct denting it even more.

"I know the costs of not letting the Rogues die," he growled staring Elizabeth down. "I know. Not killing is what separates what I do from scum like them. I know when to stop, I know the consequences of killing."

"So do I," Elizabeth said grabbing Batman's wrists trying to make him let go of her shirt. "And I am prepared to face them."

The Riddler wasn't the only one that couldn't predict what Elizabeth would do next and it was that which gave Elizabeth advantage. With the greatest force she could muster she kneed Batman in the crotch. He released her instantly and back away in pain. Knowing she had a quickly closing window of opportunity Elizabeth pounced on Batman. Hitting and kicking him as hard and quickly as she could Elizabeth was able to bring Batman to the ground but he didn't stay there for long, Batman was too good for that, he rolled out of Elizabeth's path and was soon on his feet putting Elizabeth on the defensive.

Elizabeth could feel her pulse racing and her thoughts becoming simpler with every blow she dodged. All Elizabeth could do was keep dodging and ducking if Batman ever landed a blow she would lose. Just as she was realizing this Batman's fist connected with her jaw and sent her reeling backwards and slamming into the thin railing that ran around the roof's edge. Elizabeth slid down the pipes pain was course throughout her body making it hard to think. No, it is wasn't the pain making it hard think…

Batman dragged Elizabeth up by her arm as he reached for his handcuffs. Elizabeth's head flopped forward and a low growl issued from her lips. He paused and went to left up Elizabeth's head but with impressive speed Elizabeth nailed Batman in the gut. He released her with a grunt while he was collecting himself Elizabeth ripped one of the pipes from the railing. With weapon in hand Elizabeth laughed.

"Animals are much more dangerous when you back them into a corner."

"Elizabeth stop this," Batman said. Elizabeth stopped laughing and looked at Batman, he took a step back in surprise. Elizabeth's eyes were wide and crazed he had seen that look on her before at Wayne Industries. She took a few steps forward but Batman held his ground.

"Elizabeth, Elizabeth." She said as though testing out the words.

"Elizabeth, please, think about what you're doing."

"There it is again!" Wildly Elizabeth swung the pipe at Batman she connected several times. "I know that voice! I know it!" A lucky swing hit Batman in the face throwing him off balance. Using this to her advantage she hit again and again on the head until blood dribbled from under his cowl and he fell to the ground. Elizabeth jumped on him and held him down by sitting on his chest her knees on his shoulders so he couldn't pull her off. She pressed her hands against his throat and leaned in sniffing deeply.

"And I know that smell." Elizabeth pressed down hard cutting off blood flow to Batman's brain. "All that charity makes so much more sense now, there is so much more behind your guilt than just a warehouse. Don't worry Mr. Wayne, I won't tell anyone…yet." Batman stopped struggling and his face relaxed, Elizabeth held her hands there for a second more and then released him. It wasn't her place to kill Batman she had no quarrel with him as long as he stayed out of her way.

Standing Elizabeth looked across the city the last rays of sun glinting off the glass buildings it was so serene Elizabeth didn't know if she was awake or dreaming. She seemed to be in complete control of herself yet she knew she was doing things that she would never do, she just felt so much freer like this was a dream. It was like when she got hurt during the pit-fight. Elizabeth was awake but she wasn't, was in control but she couldn't stop herself.

She glanced back down at Batman then to the evidence bag that he had dropped during their fight. Elizabeth scooped it up, though she doubted that it was the real evidence it couldn't hurt to throw it down the drain anyways. Looking around Elizabeth spotted the fire escape, with one last glance back as Batman she left.

It took Elizabeth twenty minutes to reach her apartment she had run the entire way having not yet come out of her dream-like state. It seemed that state increased her endurance as she only felt a little bit tired. Opening her door, which had been kept unlocked by the Maroni boys, Elizabeth stepped inside half expecting to see an angry Batman waiting for her but when nothing happened took a second to breathe. She couldn't stay here.

Quickly Elizabeth walked over to her purse and withdrew her cellphone then pulled Batman's bug from underneath the coffee table and crushed it with a glass until the electric whine ceased. She flipped through the address book on her phone.

"Hey diddle, diddle."

"Edward."

"Elizabeth my, my thi—"

"Shut up, I don't have much time. Is that offer to hide with you still open?"

"Of course, wh—"

"I'll explain everything when I get there. Bye." Elizabeth hung up and threw the phone back into her bag. Then went into her bedroom, she changed into better clothes and dugout the duty-bag she had gotten when she was younger from her closet. She began throwing clothes into the large bag everything else could stay, it wasn't important, except for her gun she needed that and ammo. Elizabeth pulled the gun's ammo from under her bed and tossed it into the bag. The bag was only half full. She checked her watch, she shouldn't stay here much longer. Throwing a few more things from her closet into her bag Elizabeth closed the bag, the rest of the stuff could stay.

"Toothbrush." Elizabeth ran into the bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush, toothpaste and a few other toiletries. She re-opened the duty bag and shoved them inside. There that was enough, if she needed anything else she'd find a way to get it later. Elizabeth pulled the bag into the main room and then spotted the bat-bug on the table.

"I still have the bat-phone." Elizabeth went back into her bedroom and pulled the bat-phone Batman had given her a month ago from her bedside drawer. She placed it on the table along with the bug. Elizabeth had never used it and she never would now. Grabbing her purse and picking up the duty-bag Elizabeth took one last look around the apartment.

"Nope, not gonna miss you."

Elizabeth's chest heaved and a stich was starting to form in her side. She peeked around the corner of the trash bin and saw the squad car drive past. She didn't know whether or not Batman had already informed the police of what she had done but she'd rather not risk it. So when two police men started following her, as they did anyone person with a large bag, she began to panic and ran hoping to lose them. She did but they must have alerted a squad nearby as they kept driving up and down the streets meaning Elizabeth had to run and duck in and out of alleys to avoid them; but Elizabeth was almost there.

Five seconds passed and Elizabeth cautiously peered out around the corner of the alley. The police car was nowhere in sight and the street was clear. Elizabeth ran across the road and down the alley two blocks down. She stopped outside the door that led out into the alley and sighed, finally she had made it. After a half minute of fiddling with the puzzle-lock Elizabeth opened the door, stepped inside, and dropped her bag with a loud thud. Edward, who was sitting in one of the kitchen chairs doing a crossword, scrambled up.

"Elizabeth, what happened?"

Elizabeth held up a hand to silence him and went over to the kitchen sink. She turned the tap on full blast and gulped down several glasses with a dirty coffee mug. Turning off the tap she faced Edward who was staring at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I just choked out Batman."

Edward blinked, "Come again?"

"I just fought and beat Batman."

"Begin at the beginning and end at the end." Elizabeth smirked and began regaling Edward with the tale of the last 24 hours. When she had finished he was sitting back in his chair his head down, very still.

Elizabeth chuckled, "Uh-oh, I think I broke the Riddler…" She leaned over him. "Edward are you al—"

Elizabeth was cut off by Edward pressing his lips to hers in a hungry kiss. The chair scraped against the floor as Edward stood, never breaking contact. Elizabeth clutched at Edward's shirt sleeve trying not to fall over with the awkward position she was in but not wanting to break contact to readjust. Edward's hands ran up her sides and wrapped around her pulling her forward into a better position. Releasing her grip on his shirt she slid her hand up and across his shoulder to hold onto the back of neck. Edward teeth nipped her bottom lip causing Elizabeth to moan. Spurred on by her receptiveness Edward pushed Elizabeth backwards until she bumped against the counter. When her back hit the edge Elizabeth broke their kiss. They stared at each other, both of them breathing heavily.

"Edward." A question, a plea, a command all in one.