For a second it seemed like nothing was going to happen. Then the machine activated.

Doctor Destiny had dropped Batman in a desperate attempt to flee. When the machine activated Batman went flying into it. He almost was totally caught off by how strong the force pulling him was.

He was about to enter the vortex to his doom when he managed to get a good grip on one of the bars to the doors.

Batman felt like his arms were about to pop out of his sockets but he ignored the pain. He wasn't going to let go yet. Not until he had assurance that Destiny went with him.

Destiny had managed to shoot some black smoke out of his fingers and dig into one of the floor panels. Batman could tell though that they were straining under the sheer force of the machine. It would only be a matter of time before it broke and he would be imprisoned in the emotional plane where he belonged.

The question was would Batman be able to hold longer than Destiny?

Probably not.

Batman's strength was no match for the machine's force. He felt is grip slowly slacking. He wasn't even bothering to look at the League. He didn't want to be looking in their shocked faces before he died.

"UNGGH!" Destiny cried as he tried to claw forward but had no luck. Just a few more minutes and his strength would fail. Unfortunately Batman wasn't going to be around to see it. His grip was failing. He sighed.

At least he would die knowing he did all he could to stop Destiny. Closing his eyes, he let go of the bar, waiting to fall into the emotional plane where he would be shredded into pieces.

0000000

When the machine started Diana had frantically rotated and strained her wrist to break it free. Finally her efforts were rewarded. She broke her hand free.

Shayera was next to her. With her free hand, covered in blood, Diana pounded on Shayera's mold on Shayera's wrist adjacent to her.

It cracked under the pure impact of Diana's strength.

Shayera then grabbed her mace in her belt and hit the bond on her right foot and Diana's left foot were free.

Shayera then quickly went to work freeing herself, John, Wally, and Dick.

Diana meanwhile managed to free herself and quickly busted J'onn and Superman free.

"We need to hurry!" Dick shouted pointing to the lower level.

The group looked at the scene below them. In their haste to try to get free they didn't see what had transpired in the past two minutes.

Doctor Destiny was desperately trying to use his powers to hold onto dear life on the floor panels. At the machine, Batman was almost in it. He was holding on to a bar by the door of the transconscious articulator.

The hungry orange vortex of the emotional plane was trying to pull him in.

"Bruce!" Diana shouted and made to jump after him.

J'onn held her back.

"Even you or Superman at full strength wouldn't be able to fight against the field!"

"Well we got to do something!" Superman shot back.

John was trying to see if he could get his ring to work but it was no use. It was out of power.

"Come on…"

Diana bit her lip. Batman looked like he couldn't hold on anymore. But then something glowing at her hip caught her attention. Diana looked down and saw the lasso, glowing brightly as if signaling her to use it.

"I'm going after him!" she shouted as she took the lasso off her hip and tied it around her waist. She placed the free end into Superman's hands forcibly.

"Wait but you might get sucked in too!" Superman protested.

"Then don't let go!" Diana shot back and flew down.

0000000

Batman closed his eyes when he let go. Dying wouldn't be too bad this time. He was ready for it…

"BRUCE!" a fierce voice shouted.

Batman opened his eyes to see Diana speeding at him just as he had let go of the bar. Before he knew it she had grabbed on to his wrist.

Together, both Diana and Batman fell deeper into the machine before coming to an unstable halt.

Diana groaned as the lasso tightened on her waist.

She could tell Clark and whoever was helping him was using all their strength to prevent her and Bruce from falling in.

"Diana?" Batman shouted over the roaring of the machine.

"It's alright Bruce! I got you!" she shouted. "Give me your other hand!"

"What are you doing? Save yourself!"

"Don't be ridiculous! Give me your hand!"

Batman hesistated.

"Bruce, please!"

00000

The minute Diana had gotten into the path of the machine; she had been sucked in so fast, the lasso almost slipped through Superman's hands.

He grabbed onto it but the force of the machine and the added weight of Batman was so much, Superman was dragged over to the edge of the balcony. Most of his super strength had been sapped from Destiny's attack.

Superman probably would have fallen over if J'onn hadn't managed to get an arm around him.

"Come on Bruce…" Superman muttered through clenched teeth.

"Hold on Batman!" J'onn shouted. Like Superman his strength had been weakened greatly from the mission and fight with Destiny. He and Superman were dragged along the balcony to the edge until a strong hand had grabbed J'onn.

"We got you!" John shouted as he grabbed onto the Martian. He may have been powerless, but he wasn't going to stand by and forsake Batman. Not this time.

"Don't you dare give up!" Shayera shrieked as she grabbed her husband, continuing the chain.

Wally soon grabbed her under the wings and Dick brought up the rear.

Together their combined might was just enough to stop Diana and Batman from getting pulled further into the vortex.

"Come on Bruce! We need you," Dick whispered in the rear.

"This is just like last time we fought Brainiac" muttered Wally to Dick through pained breaths. "Except the order's reverse and you're here."

Wally was also tempted to say that last time they were able to pull him free. He wasn't sure if they would be able to pull Batman out. It was costing their entire strength just to stop him from moving. It would take a lot more to pull him back.

000000

"Don't you dare let go!" Diana shouted at Batman. He wasn't going to play hero this time. This time he would be getting saved.

"Diana please! Let me go!" he begged. He didn't want her to go with him too.

"I can't Bruce!" she shouted. "I won't leave you this time!"

From the distance and over the roar of the machine, they could hear the faint cries of encouragement from Dick, Superman and the others.

"And neither will the rest! Please Bruce, give me your other hand!"

"Why?" Batman asked. "Why risk your life to save me? I don't deserve it!"

"Because you are a good man! We saw your heart and saw who you really are! Beneath the cowl and the battarangs, you are nothing more than a good man Bruce! An honorable man trying to do the right thing! A man who deserves another chance at life!"

Diana could feel the lasso glowing around her. It was making her speak the truth.

"And because…" Diana's eyes widened. No not now. This wasn't the best time.

"Because…" damn that lasso.

"And because I love you!" she said with finality.

"What?" Batman asked. The lenses in his cowl widened in shock. He didn't believe what she just said.

For a second the two just stared deep into each other's eyes as the truth was revealed.

"Bruce…" Diana said. "Take my hand."

Batman paused. He then slowly reached his other hand to Diana's free hand so she could grab it. He was inches away when a screaming was heard.

"AAARRRHH!"

Batman looked and Diana turned around in time to see Doctor Destiny's powers had failed him and he was pulled into the machine. It looked like he was going to get sucked into the vortex but with sudden speed he managed to grab onto Batman's leg as he passed by.

Batman screamed in pain and Diana grunted as they were carried deeper into the machine with the added weight.

"I'm not going alone!" Doctor Destiny shouted half crazed and defiant.

0000000

When the League, while using their entire strength to prevent Diana and Batman from falling into the emotional plane, saw Doctor Destiny get sucked into the machine, they thought it was over.

How wrong they were.

Not long after they witnessed him get pulled into the vortex they felt an even greater tug.

Superman was practically over the balcony and about to fall over into the path of the pull before they managed to catch their bearing. They were already using their max strength to prevent Diana and Batman falling in. With the added weight of Destiny and his attempt to shake Batman off, that was forcing them to rely on pure will.

"Come on, come on!" John shouted frustrated as he could feel the rope burning.

Superman was sweating. Something he rarely did. If only he had his powers at full strength.

"Come on Bruce…" he whispered to himself. "Fight him!"

000000

Destiny attempted to climb over Batman who was squirming trying to kick him off.

"Diana! Let me go!" Batman ordered. "You can't let him escape!"

"Hush you! They are too guilty to let you go! And this will be the means to my escape!"

Diana delivered a good punch to Destiny's face as he attempted to climb on her. That sent him flying. But he still managed to get another tight hold on Batman's leg.

"Fine! If I am going to spend an eternity trapped here. I at least will be comforted that I was the one who killed Batman! I will enjoy as I watch you be torn to shreds when we are trapped into the emotional plane!"

"You basutrd!" Diana shouted.

"Diana it's alright! Have the others pull you up…"

"Like Hades I'm going to leave you!" she shouted back.

Destiny extended his free hand. Black smoke appeared out of it again. Much weaker and thinner than usual but still effective. The black smoke fighting against the force of the vortex managed to make its way up to Batman's face and swirl around the wrist that Diana gripped.

Destiny was trying to suffocate Batman and pull him free from Diana's grip.

"Isn't that sweet. Maybe I can take her too…" Destiny threatened as some of the black smoke made its way up Diana's arm.

Batman kicked as hard as he could but he couldn't shake Destiny off. He did manage to distract his concentration long enough for the black smoke to retreat from Diana's wrist. However, there was plenty more of it slowly overcoming Batman.

"You…won't…touch…her!" Batman spat.

Destiny just grinned.

"Very well, but you're coming with me my Dark Knight. Say goodbye to your friends!"

The smoke began to swirl around Batman tighter. Diana could feel Batman slipping through her fingers.

"No Hera, please," she begged to herself.

Meanwhile the League and Dick were using all they could to try to hold onto the lasso but their strength was failing. It would only be a matter of time that either Batman, Diana, or they would lose their grip. But still, they weren't going to give up yet.

Batman stared sadly into Diana's eyes as more blackness began to overcome him. He could faintly hear Destiny's laughter.

He looked in her eyes to try to tell her what he wanted to say. What he should have said long ago. Not only that but let her know that he knew this wasn't her fault and he was grateful she tried. He was sort of glad the last face he would see would be hers.

He couldn't speak due to slowly losing his breath as the smoke strangled him so he tried to communicate to her eyes which were pleading and filled with tears.

Those blue orbs would be the last thing he remembered alive…

"HEY SKULL GEEK!" a loud voice was heard in the distance.

The tension and stress at that moment had frozen. Destiny's smoke had ceased strangling Batman as he looked at the source. His eyes bulged wide.

Batman looked to see what Destiny was looking at. Diana turned her head as well to see.

Even the League, who were pretty much having their arms pulled out of the sockets trying to hold Batman and Diana back, couldn't help but turn to look at the source of the voice.

What they saw made their mouths open in shock.

Standing on his space bike precariously was Lobo. He had returned.

He was just out of the range of the field of the machine. He had the biggest rifle they ever see him carried. Lobo had one eye in the eyepiece and was aiming the rifle at Destiny.

After everyone got over the shock over Lobo's surprise return, no one dared to say anything. Everyone just paused to stare at the Czarnian to see what he would do next.

"Nobody…insults…my…BIKE!" Lobo said menacingly until screaming on the last word. With that he shot his rifle.

The League watched as if it was in slow motion. The energy blast from the rifle seemed to take forever to reach its target. It was a near impossible shot. There was no way Lobo could hit Destiny without hitting Batman.

But yet Lobo's aim, despite being barely balanced on his Hog and shooting into a vortex at a squirming target was true.

The energy blast hit Destiny square in the face, missing Batman by inches.

"AAARGGH!" Destiny roared in pain and couldn't help but let go for a second.

That was all the time he needed to doom himself.

The minute he let go he was sucked to the center of the vortex, into the emotional plane where he would be trapped forever.

"NNNNOOOO!" Destiny roared as he was pulled deeper into the vortex while reaching in vain at his foes. He kept going and going until he was out of sight.

Lobo spit to the side before grinning.

"Gotcha," he muttered satisfied.

The League sighed with relief. It was over. Destiny was imprisoned once and for all.

"Lobo!" J'onn shouted. "Shoot the machine!"

"What?" Lobo asked confused and reluctant.

"Now Lobo!" Superman ordered. "Don't worry about the money!"

"It's not that, it's just ya guys are pulling with so much strength and all, ya do realize when that thin' shuts down and stops pulling on all ya, ya all goin' to go flyin' back…"

"LOBO!" everyone shouted. They didn't care if they were going to go flying back. Whatever it took to save Batman.

"Alright sheesh, hold on ya losers! This is gonna hurt!"

Lobo loaded another bullet into his rifle and aimed it at the power pack to the side of the transconcious articulator.

Diana looked at Batman.

"Do you trust me?"

Batman paused before responding.

"Yes…"

"Then take my hand."

After much hesitation. Batman took Diana's other hand. He wasn't going to let go.

"Hold on," she warned before turning her head back to the group.

"We're ready!" she shouted to signal Lobo to shoot the machine.

The League and Dick took a deep breath. This was going to hurt a little. Especially on Dick because he was in the back. But a little pain to save Batman was worth it.

"Alright, on the count of three! One…two…five…three!"

And with that Lobo shot the power pack.

Immediately when the energy blast made contact with the pack the League was thrown backwards across the balcony due to the force from the machine instantaneously being shut off.

Dick was slammed right into the wall before being crushed by Wally and Shayera.

John almost cracked his head open by falling on the floor.

J'onn was able to shape shift into something soft to help break Superman's violent blow back.

Meanwhile Diana and Batman were tugged out of the machine violently. They were swinging on the lasso with so much force that Diana had swung into a wall, with Batman pushing into her.

They both groaned as they fell to the floor.

"Uh-oh…" they heard Lobo remarked.

The transconscious articulator was sizzling. The vortex was slowly disappearing, returning the inside of the machine to its usual small cylindrical hollow self. However the machine began to hum wildly as electricity was being shot everywhere.

"Get down!" J'onn warned as everyone was sorely getting to their feet.

Everyone followed.

Diana made to get up so she could fly Batman to safety but instead she was tackled to the ground.

Batman had forced himself on top to cover her.

Diana was about to protest but the machine had exploded.

Fire and shrapnel went everywhere.

Diana's hearing popped from the explosion. All she could hear was a ringing. But she could feel the fire and see it along with the shrapnel that was flying just above Batman's head.

And then it was over as soon as it began. Diana's hearing returned and there was dead silence.

She sighed and then she realized Batman wasn't moving.

"Batman?" she asked worried. The rest of the League had heard her and immediately were getting to their feet.

"Bruce!" she said louder as she gently pushed him off her and held him in her arms. There seemed to be no life in him.

Superman sprinted down followed by the rest. No, there was no way.

"Please Bruce no…"

But at that moment Batman began to cough, showing signs that he was alive.

"We got him…" Batman whispered and attempted to get to his feet.

However he was nearly tackled by different colors. The six founders and Dick had jumped him and pulled him in a big embrace.

"Welcome back Bruce!" Clark beamed as he pulled a clearly uncomfortable Batman into a hug with Diana.

Shayera was kissing him on the cheek.

The Martian and John were patting him on the back. Dick and Wally were crying.

Diana had tears in her eyes as well but she didn't care. She was glad he was back.

"The ole' gang's back together!" Lobo boomed as he got of his bike and pulled the other eight into one tight embrace. No one resisted.

Batman was tempted to say something but let it go. The bounty hunter did save his life.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity the group separated to let Batman have some air.

Superman looked at Batman.

"I have some things to say…"

"I'm sorry" they both said at the same time.

The group just beamed as the two proud men seemed unsure what to do next. They both had apologized each other.

"Don't apologize Bruce, I gave up on you…"

"I brought it on myself…"

The two went back and forth for awhile before they pulled each other in one more embrace.

Batman then looked at Dick who was looking sheepishly.

"What time is it?" Batman said with sudden seriousness that made them all jump with alarm.

"Uh…almost seven at night here…" Dick said checking the clock in the atrium.

Batman immediately turned and sprinted out.

"Hey!" John shouted. "Where are you going?"

"Gotham!" Batman explained without slowing his pace.

The group looked at each other in shock. After everything Batman was going to go out on patrol first?

Finally Diana gave an understanding smile.

"He's Batman. He still has his mission."

Dick however took off after Batman.

00000

Batman sprinted out of the Metro Tower while pushing a button on his belt. It beeped. Good. The bat plane was still hidden where he parked it outside of Metropolis. It would be coming to get him in a few moments.

Batman ran through the front entrance of the Metro Tower. To his surprise there was a police barricade and a large crowd of curious onlookers. The noise from their fight had attracted attention.

The sight of Batman emerging from the Tower was causing many people to gasp.

"He's alive!"

"Batman's back!" people shouted or whispered among themselves.

Batman just kept sprinting to where the batplane would pick him up.

"Batman wait!" Nightwing shouted as he ran out of the Metro Tower after his mentor. The remaining members of the League soon reached the entrance but chose to remain standing as they watch Batman grapple onto a building across with Nightwing chasing after him.

"What are you doing?" Dick asked after Batman stopped on the roof to wait.

"Gotham needs me. Don't want Barbara doing all the work by herself…" he explained calmly.

"Wait what?" Dick asked confused.

"I'll explain later…" Batman said as the plane appeared. He turned to Dick.

"You want to come?"

"What?" Dick asked unsure.

"I'm going to need all the help I can get from the best. What do you say?"

Dick was speechless. Did Batman just say he needed help? Did he just say he was the best?

"Uh okay…"

"Then get in!" Batman barked as he got in the plane, waiting for Dick to follow him.

Dick chuckled. Some things never change, but some things do, for the better.

He jumped in after his mentor.

The canopy slid shut and Batman looked to the six founders and Lobo who were watching him take off from the entrance of the Metro.

Superman gave an understanding nod meaning they would talk later. Batman had work to do. Batman made eye contact with Diana for a second before giving a small thank you nod to her.

And with that he turned ahead and piloted the batplane into the sunset of Metropolis before turning around to head to Gotham.

The onlookers and police were cheering when they saw the batplane leave. Word had reached Gotham before the Dynamic Duo had even had reached the halfway point.

Batman was coming back.

Only two chapters left. Will Bruce heed Gordon's advice or revert to his old self?