Carry That Weight
"Welcome to Channel Six News. I'm your host, Jack Ryder and these are tonight's headlines. Weeks of terror have finally come to an end. Edward Nashton, a thirty-five-year-old man, has been taken into custody and has been positively identified as "The Riddler", a known alias for the mastermind of the Gotham Gala Attack and the Railway 95 Bombing. A spokesman for the Gotham City Police Department issued a statement earlier this morning, stating pointedly that they are "exploring every avenue of investigation possible". Among this turbulent news, Gotham's once-proud political leader has failed us. Mayor Hamilton Hill has been arrested after evidence has surfaced, connecting him to a money-laundering ring and several more, unspecified charges."
"The police department of this city has attributed the arrests of both Edward Nashton and Hamilton Hill to Detective James Gordon and Harvey Bullock of the Major Crimes Unit. Now, in others, the so-called "Batman" has not been spotted since the night of the Riddler's arrest. What might the reason for that be? Was he actually there, or is he just another cynical ploy on behalf of our fair city?"
There was a small chuckle from the reporter, illustrating his own sense of humor, as he had found his remarks to be somewhat funny. "In other news, Wayne Enterprises has stepped forward to begin repairs on City Hall after the chaotic battle that ensued just a few days earlier... Through a statement issued by Bruce Wayne, the company has promised to undergo a full-scale operation to better enrich the quality of Gotham's proudest beacon of democracy-"
Gordon watched the television screen as he shuffled himself up in his bed, his back was aching and his grip on his hospital bed was shaky. His leg had been bandaged up for the second time this day. All he could do was sit and wait. They said they would be visiting as soon as they could. Barbara-Eileen, James Jr and Barbara.
The thought of his family here made him feel some sense of relief. The bright light of the hospital room made him wince, it was a bright contrast to the green-lit corridors he remembered. He could still remember the rooms, truth be told it had been a living nightmare. It was hard not to think about it when he slept.
But it was over now, finally.
So far, he hadn't left the bed. Gordon was too eager to start moving, the doctors told him it would take a while for his leg to heal. Just when this was all over, he was now stuck in place, only able to look out that same glass window. The sound of collision drew attention, he turned his head and found Bullock awkwardly trying to wheel his way into the room, a grin on his stubble ridden face as he managed to stop himself just short of his hospital bed.
"How are you feeling, Jimbo?"'
"I'd be lying if I didn't want a cigarette right now," Gordon admitted as he looked back towards the window. "The doctors, well they'd disagree with that statement." The urge had been a longing one. Nearly three whole days without a cigarette. He could feel that itching in his throat. Gordon resisted it as he saw Bullock already staring at the same pane of glass.
"Shit, I wouldn't mind having a cigarette myself. Doctors told me though that they'd kill me and you know me, I love to wake up every day." Bullock chuckled, sarcasm seeping into his tone before he rubbed tired eyes. "I want to get out of here too, Jimmy. Evelyn's bringing Jackie up in a little bit. I figured having them see me in the wheelchair would give me more sympathy as if that's the most important thing in my life right now."
That earned a laugh from Gordon. It made his side ache a little from moving just the slightest. It was the least of the damage he managed to get from fighting Riddler. He had been shot at before, those times had been close calls from misfired rounds and mere grazes that sliced through a sleeve. Those were different times it seemed, ones where the most he had to put up with was a jewelry store robber or a couple of dealers trying to win it big in Gotham. Now he had seen so much death, destruction, depression even. Other cops, they might have done the right thing and saw this as the peak, where the line between retirement and getting yourself killed could be drawn.
Batman was part of that. He had picked away at the ugly underbelly of Gotham and now it was bleeding. Men like Falcone, Hill, The Riddler. They were beginning to spill onto the streets, leaving a bad taste in the GCPD's mouth was Batman. He had dealt with him in private and it had paid off. However, he still felt a pang of guilt about lying, about hiding the truth from the one man he'd consider to be his closest friend.
"About that stuff with Batman earlier….I-"
"I'm not happy about it, Jimbo." Bullock raised a brow as a frown started to form across his face. "I don't like the idea that you're working with some guy in a costume, some shmuck who likes to take his fists to strangers and pummel them. But, he saved our asses, I'll give the flying rodent that much credit. Hell, they should really have him be the one they're talking about and what they're gonna print tomorrow. You think I'm gonna be able to keep a straight face when Ryder praises my courage under fire? Fuck no. How long have you been working with him?"
At times, Gordon had forgotten how sharp Bullock could be. The detective's time known as being more brawn than brain was a dishonor. But it was no surprise that he had figured it out somehow. He hadn't exactly been too solid with how he had the sudden reason to look into Clayton Reed's banking history and find that dossier that Batman had already obtained.
"Just two weeks. He's helped me figure out things, especially when it came to Oswald Cobblepot's involvement in this mess.." Gordon admitted, able to at least look the man in the eye. "Are we still good, Harvey?"
"I have more experience getting shitfaced with you at the Little Mermaid or any other cop joint than that freak, so we're all squared away," Bullock replied in kind, the faintest hint of a smile evident on his face. "It was a small price to pay, Jim. We got out alive, albeit with a shot shoulder and a gimp leg. But, it's got me thinking. This can't be the end of it. There's gonna be more because of that bat freak, more weirdos and punks with guns. Maybe they'll be like Riddler or maybe not. If…Batman didn't change things already, then he has now."
He was right. The foreboding tone in his world made him remember before the deathtrap house, the explosion across City Hall that turned the place into a bloody battlefield. They had lost several officers that night, with half a dozen in the hospital too. There had been similar disturbances besides City Hall. Smaller-scale and not as successful. It was showing they had been brave enough to try at least. People were afraid now more than ever. The city had been plunged into chaos that night. Things might get better, but if there were more coming like Riddler or the self-described "Beast of Russia", then Gotham was due an impending storm of uncertainty.
Batman would still be around. He looked like shit that night, but as far as he could guess, the man behind the mask was recuperating somewhere. Riddler was already looking at a lifetime locked away in Arkham. He had been getting reports in from Montoya regarding what had been unearthed. The so-called "Mystery Mile" Riddler had called that death trap house was packed with a decade worth of evidence that could put nearly thirty or forty cold cases to bed.
"Things are going to change," Gordon agreed, nodding his head. "Hill's been arrested and he's flushed away whatever political support he could by trying to fight it from a hospital bed. Burke told me he's trying to build some blackmail angle, that Hill was using everyone's dirty secrets in exchange for political support, copying what Oswald Cobblepot was doing."
Cobblepot had narrowly avoided prosecution so far, explaining how he had been manipulated into obtaining the weapons and vehicles for Riddler under the threat of death. He had a good lawyer and had the ear of a lousy judge, one that had to be in his pocket. It didn't surprise him that he was getting away with it, not in the slightest. There just needed to be a bigger angle, somewhere they could find him and catch him.
"That slimeball will slip up again," Bullock reassured, scratching his stubble laden jaw. "Hell, the bastard can't even have his bartenders make a good Singapore Sling or a Mexican Standoff. Criminals tend to fuck up when they get too confident, think themselves above whatever law enforcement is on their trail. It happened with guys like Bundy, Son of Sam….even Riddler. My point is, when he fucks up, we'll be there to put those cuffs around his fat little wrists. I'm gonna get back to my bed, don't want to miss 'em. You need help with the leg, don't be afraid to get my ass to wheel down there."
Bullock raised his hand in a mock salute before he turned down the hallway, he disappeared with a slow reverse pushing of his wheelchair, leaving Gordon alone with his thoughts. It took maybe another ten minutes until that door was pushed open again, a nurse led Barbara-Eileen and Barbara in, along with James Jr. Each face was a relief to him as he sat himself up again. He kept himself composed, even if it did feel like he hadn't seen them in what felt like months.
"Hey," He managed with a smile. "It's good to see you all here. I would have decorated the place, but the doctors didn't seem too keen with that idea."
His ex-wife flashed a small smile, releasing James's hand so that he could take Barbara's instead and walk to the side of the hospital bed. He looped his arm around Barbara and hugged her tight, pulling back so that Gordon could look down at James. His son gave his best smile.
Part of him wondered if he even knew what was going on right now, that his dad had been shot trying to apprehend a man, a killer who would have taken his life. He was turning this year and he was a quiet child, more introspectively interested in the idea of video games and books. He had always been that way.
Gotham had made him neglect them all. Moments of happiness had always ended with the cell phone or pager going off, indicating a new case that needed to be solved. There was no surprise when the papers had been found on the coffee table in the living room.
Regardless, he was happy to see them all and he was especially happy to see his son. He resembled those old childhood photos of himself that he still had at home.
Barbara was already glassy-eyed when Gordon looked back at her. She managed her own composure. "How's your leg now, Dad?"
"It's a bit better since I called. The doctors said I have to do some therapy for it, maybe even have a cane to walk right. I'm already becoming an old man." There was a chuckle that came with his statement. "Other than that, I'm okay. Sure, my leg is a bit hurt and the hospital food tastes like weeks old Big Belly Burger, but I'll live. How was Chicago?"
"It wasn't too bad. Mom took us down to Navy Pier when I wasn't stuck inside doing the rest of my homework. There were a lot of good places to eat too. It's been a while since I've had a slice of Chicago pizza. I didn't miss Gotham that much, considering I don't have to get on the L train with my friends to go anywhere, minus the whole threats of being mugged. But, I missed you too, Dad."
"Things back here are hopefully getting back to normal," Gordon replied with a mere nod of his head, understanding clear in his voice. "But with everything that's been happening, I wouldn't be surprised if it's going to take longer. Have you, uh, seen much of the news?"
There was a tension in the air now. Barbara Eileen visibly tensed as well. He hadn't been thinking of what would happen if Barbara came home. Things were getting heated in Gotham. He didn't need his daughter to be endangered by that possibility.
"Enough to know you got him." There was a cheer in her voice. It carried the same level of congratulations as all those cops that had dropped by the past few days to wish him well. They hadn't spoken about the incident yet.
As far as Commissioner Grogan saw it as they had been the ones to apprehend Riddler. He had already denied Batman's existence to enough reporters, the newspapers wouldn't take that o it would be no good to tell anyone any different, even his family.
"Yeah, we caught him." Gordon rubbed his eyes before leaning his head back."It took us longer than we'd like to admit, but we caught him."
"I was wondering since you've caught that guy, could I come now?"
Gordon glanced past her, sharing the same concerned look that Barbara Eileen had. It was only going to get worse in Gotham. Maybe she would have a better life in Chicago, it was no Disney Land, but it was better than Gotham.
The crime rate, while mainly concentrated in areas such as the South Side, was safer than the main districts of Gotham, which seemed overrun with it all. "Barbara, I don't know if….it's safe yet."
"You're going to need help with things, Dad. Mom has to go back to work in Chicago and look after James. I can help around the house and just be there you. I'm already doing well enough in school that I can help you and manage that?"
She wasn't going to take no for an answer it seemed. It wasn't hard for him to see that.
"Well, I guess I could use some help while I recover. But, if anything else happens in Gotham, then I don't want any excuses if I have to send you back to stay with your mother."
Barbara answered with a tight hug. "Thank you, Dad. I won't let you down."
"I know, Barbara. I know you won't."
As they pulled away, Barbara-Eileen stepped forward to make her presence known to the rest of them. She gave Gordon the usual look when she needed to talk to him. "Barbara, could you take James and find a vending machine? Get something for you and your father too."
"I like Hershey's." Gordon quipped as he watched his two children walk towards the door. Once that door shut, Barbara Eileen took a seat beside his bed. She still looked just how he remembered her. It had been over a year now since the divorce. He couldn't blame her for it. Gotham took its toll on their marriage as easily as that.
"Are you okay, James?"
"You mean since the divorce or since the closure of the investigation?"
"Both," An earnest quality to her voice. "Everyone this side of the country is talking about this Riddler. It's going to make this city a media pile up and you're said to be the man behind stopping him. They're going to pester you."
"Bullock got him too. You know, I'd rather everyone believe this Batman was behind it. It would make our lives earlier."
"That too. He was there, wasn't he? No offense, James, but I don't know how they all bought it given your injury and well, Harvey being himself."
Gordon let out a small huff of laughter at her comment. She's wasn't wrong, he wasn't exactly in his prime anymore. "Because it's easier to deny he's there. No one on the force wants to admit that there's some guy out there in a costume, doing what they can't. It would insult them all, it has been."
"I just don't think I can understand this city, James." Barbara Eileen responded with a shake of her head. "It feels like it's getting worse and worse. Barbara isn't going to take no for an answer and I'm afraid of letting her come back here. You know, what if someone like that Riddler fellow decides to make her his next target? What then? It's just….terrifying to comprehend that reality."
"You don't need to settle in that reality, because it won't happen," Gordon said sternly, looking toward his ex-wife now. "You know how she is, set her in ways like the both of us. Set in her ways like the both of us. I always told you that she reminded me of you when you were angry. No, something like that won't happen again, I promise. The first of danger and I'm not going to hesitate in sending her back to you."
"Thank you, James. I know things didn't go the way we wanted them to, but I still care about you. The better we can get along, the better we can best build better relationships with our children."
"I agree," Gordon nodded his head. "It's going to be difficult, with the time difference and where we live. But, as long as we keep in touch often and we work on building a better relationship, then we'll be fine."
It was going to be hard, but it would be worth it. They needed to build a better and more positive relationship so that their children didn't remember the arguments and the realization that their childhood had been broken up.
Gordon was unable to avoid his gaze falling to her hand, noticing the vacant ring finger on her left hand. A reminder of once was. He tried not to think about it, the regrets that were brought out by the imminent fear of death
He turned his back to look out of the window, towards the city the news was now calling "The City of Fear."
It was mid-day in Wayne Manor, yet darkness cast by thick velvet curtains and an absence of light left Bruce to sit up in pitch black. Skin brushed against him as he leaned to the right and managed to find the nightstand lamp, flicking it on and seeing the bandage taut around aching knuckles.
A smaller arm curled around it and Bruce remembered it was Selina breathing against the side of his neck. The small movement of his neck turning to face her made him wince.
Every small movement was pain. It had just been like before, but somehow worse than being beaten by The Beast of Russia. That was a different kind of injury, exhaustion brought on by thinking his body could outlast the pain and fatigue.
It had brought him close to the edge than he had been before. The fact that he was still new to this, not even a year into his crusade, barely a veteran at that, and he was exhausted already.
Then part of him remembered his battleground was Gotham, it was always going to be an uphill fight against crime. Crime grew like weeds, take one out and another grew in its place. It extended to people like the mobsters, Maroni's men were now moving into territory that was going to be lost with Cobblepot's indictment. It was another case file that was going to need to be opened.
"Before you ask, I have no idea what time it is," Selina muttered, retreating from his back and laying down beside him.
His memory of the last few days had been hazy, each time he awoke he felt a little bit stronger, then that strength was sapped away by trying to move or even leave for the cave. Bruce was starting to believe Alfred had insisted Selina stay, purely so she could distract him from finding his way to his cowl. Managing to roll over, he could make out her shape in the dark.
Her breath was striking his face again. He, admittedly, wasn't used to just laying there. He should have been doing something until the pain surged and he felt forced back against the bed.
"I need to do something, Selina. I can't stay in here all day."
"You heard Alfred. You're injured." Selina reminded him, however, her tone shifting. "Well, at least you've stayed in bed for this long."
He did need to rest. It was a component necessary for his training regime. He didn't like to sleep as long as this. It made him hazy and unfocused. Maybe he was already losing his edge? "I can walk at least. I'm going down into the cave, I have to go through all the new case files that need to be opened."
"If you can manage it, sure. But I wouldn't be lying if I didn't like our little arrangement right here." A hand pressed against his chest when he tried to sit up again. She was persistent, Bruce would admit that. Despite it, he managed to grab her wrist and push himself upright, finding her lips in the dark once again.
He wasn't sure what this was. Bruce Wayne dated casually with fruitless ambition. It was a way to further distance himself from Batman, a loveless life would have to be the sacrifice he had to make until now it seemed.
Selina knew about him, she had her own mask too. Not quite as literal as his, but a mask regardless. Bruce supposed it was only natural such mutual interest would accumulate into this. Now he had someone who could understand in some ways that Alfred couldn't.
"I do too. I was thinking about how I can help you?" There was a heavy silence after as he watched her outline shift in the greater black around her. It hadn't been long since they were adversaries on other sides of the law. People could change. He wasn't sure how she felt beyond her decision to help him out of a sense of redemption.
"Oh?" A spark of interest came as she got out of bed. "How could you?"
"You have potential, Selina. As long as you're willing, I can train you. But it would require dedication and would suggest you move into the Manor." He had been going over the idea in his head during bouts of sleep. She was like him in many ways, a mutual pain they shared defined them.
She wanted to help people and while she had the talent, she lacked some of the finer disciplines. But that could be taught.
"Oh, so I am your sidekick then?" Selina chuckled, a sense of amusement evident in your voice. "So, what am I then? Batgirl? No, I'm not that young. Batwoman? No, that's too mediocre."
"No…you can remain a partner. We can help Gotham, together."
"That's a lot, Bruce. You sure have enough room in here for me." Her tone was airy and slightly bemused as he saw her shape move in the dark. "I have Holly to look out for. I can't focus on training if she's still here in Gotham…especially after everything that's happened with her."
"I can set her up somewhere safer. Metropolis, a job at the Wayne Enterprises division located there. If that's what she wants. I could even set her up with accommodation there."
"It's what I want for her. She thinks I can always be there, but after Hill got to her, it makes me feel horrible for going against what she wants. But, it's the right thing to do isn't it?"
"I don't judge your decision, Selina. If I were in your shoes, I would make sure nothing bad ever happened to her again. And if that meant she had to leave, then it would be for the best. Holly deserves a better life, better than what Gotham can give her." Bruce stated as he ran a hand through his hair. "It doesn't mean that you can't stop talking to her, you can even visit her. But, she needs to be out of this city if she wants to have a normal life."
Selina fell into his embrace again. The silence that escaped her answered for her. He found himself stroking her lightly, a comforting gesture he hoped she would understand.
A soft sigh answered back. "We can tell her later..right now, I'm starving. Do you feel any better?"
"Sore, but I can walk."
"Good, so long as you aren't thinking of getting back into that costume. Alfred already insisted a few more days of rest."
Alfred had been insistent on rest. He was the one with more medical knowledge, so it felt stupid to deny his prognosis. The only problem was that he could only rest for long before Gotham would call for him. Bruce managed to sit up as she climbed off of him and left the bed, the faint sound of fabric moving indicating she was getting dressed.
He managed to reach across the bed and find his clothes, pulling them on before leaning onto the bed for sure footing. Slowly, he made his way around it and found Selina's arm around his. Together, they made it toward the door.
The light made him wince as they paused for a moment. They both adjusted and carried along the corridor. They were slower getting down the stairs, but they made it. He could already imagine Alfred insisting he would only wear himself out trying to climb back up those stairs later. As his bare feet touched the polished floorboards, Bruce looked around. The peace was strange. He sometimes never looked around the manor and saw anything but memories that liked to haunt him in quieter moments.
"So, what are we now then?" Selina asked as they moved towards the kitchen. "Besides partners….I like you and you like me, right?"
They had discussed something similar last night. Except the words had been less focused, not any less meaningful, but rather spoken under the hazy influence of adrenaline and reaction.
There was a mutual attraction that they weren't sure how to outright address.
"I haven't done this kind of thing in a long time. When I went away to train, I locked away a part of myself. I suppose then I never thought about something else like this. But I can try, Selina."
"That's all I need to hear." She stroked the tender bruise under his chin.
It was all over. The Riddler would no doubt be found insane by what they unearthed from the Mystery Mile. It was a hollow victory in Bruce's eyes. He remembered the rhythm in that last card. Batman couldn't save them all. They were lost now, forever because the Riddler had decided he was going to play with their lives like that. Batman would have to be better, he would have to be faster and more aggressive.
He had been slow in dealing with Riddler. Bruce had already thought of how he would learn from this. The new armor that he and Lucius had discussed when they had last met, he would have to adjust to it when it arrived.
The new gadgets too. He felt as if he had been too disconnected from Gotham as he recovered. He needed to know what the criminals were doing now, how they were exploiting his absence, and how they were profiting in the aftermath of this chaos. He was becoming too distracted. As they reached the kitchen, Bruce glanced and saw Selina was already talking. He managed to focus back on reality, to hear the tail end of what she said.
"Where do you keep the good food then?"
"The fridge," Bruce remarked, leaning on the polished countertop in the center of the wide kitchen, alleviating the pain brewing in his ankle. "Alfred must be out in the gardens again."
"It means Holly must be out there too. She's recovering well. All she needed was a few days' rest is what your butler said, though I think he's just trying to be polite to me." Selina muttered as she moved toward the fridge, opening it carefully. She pulled ham, cheese, butter, lettuce out in her arms and managed to bring it over to the counter. "Part of me believes it's just an act, you know? That any moment Alfred will just drop the facade and be someone else. Kind of like you, in a way."
There was the familiar trace of a smile, but it seemed colder and distant. Bruce understood the magnitude of his choice when he set out into the life of a masked adventurer. He understood that it needed sleepless nights and the desire to change a city for the better.
In a way, he was standing up for a fallen city, one that had been abused off the backs of organized crime and corruption. It wasn't hard to think about what his parents had done for Gotham. The countless charity drives, the initiative to do better. It all ended with the same fate.
The sound of pearls scattering against the pavement with silvery screams, the sounds of abject terror he would never want to hear again in his lifetime. Everything they had done for Gotham, all reduced to a newspaper headline that marked their legacies forever.
They were good people, they were innocent people, killed by a coward with a gun. Only thinking about it made him angry, he could have done something, he should have done something.
"Alfred is genuine," Bruce stated then, looking towards her carefully. "He's about the most genuine man I have ever known. You can trust him, I promise."
"That's what I thought," Selina managed a faint smile, tone indicating confidence. "I have a real eye for people, you know? That's why I'm good at my job, whatever that is anyway. I get a mark and….boom, I can convince him to do anything I want. Have I told you the story about my first con?"
"No, you never did," Bruce answered in kind, letting out a small sigh as he shifted uncomfortably. "You grew up on the streets, I'm assuming you started out as a pick-pocket, but then your skills increased as you got older. Am I in the ballpark?
"You're close," She chuckled, looking toward him with a gleam in her eye. "I grew up in the East End, near The Bowery actually. After my mother died, I had fallen into a rough crew. You know how it goes, fall into foster homes, get beaten there and then they spit you out because you're not good to them anymore. I started pickpocketing, not because I wanted to, but because I needed to. I didn't get a rush out of it, it was more…desperation. I needed to survive, in any way I could. I did that for years and then…I ran into Stan."
Stan.
The name was an afterthought in his mind, yet he knew where it came from. Selina and Holly's pimp. They were beyond that life now, they were different people, he had to believe that. "I know about Stan. I ran across one of his associates in the East End when I was looking for you when you were nothing but an enigma to me. He was a cruel man, someone like that shouldn't have preyed on the innocent, on people who couldn't fight back."
"At first it was joyful," Selina's voice sounded different, almost wounded with recollection. "You know, someone comes into your life and makes you apart of something, they make you feel whole again. I felt…loved almost. But, it wasn't love. It was something worse entirely. That's how they get you, they make you feel something and then take it away, they replace it with evil and vile things. I never had a choice in what I did for those years when I was in Stan's palace, I'd try to run, and then they'd get me. It's not the life someone should live. One day, you just have and…."
"You killed him." Bruce nodded his head in affirmation, understanding the logical conclusion of the conversation. "I know what you did. It's a cold case file in a basement inside of a GCPD precinct now. Stan is just a number in the system now. When I started this mission, when I decided to be something else, I promised myself that I would never take a life. I can't kill, I will never kill. If I take a human life then I'm no better than the man who shot my parents. I can't wish a murderer dead, it goes against the rules of justice that I subscribe to. You may think it marks you for life, that what happened to you is what you are forever. It's not."
There was a mutual understanding between the two. They were both born out of circumstances beyond their control. Both of tragedy. One had to believe in redemption, it was a value that needed to be understood.
People could change, they could become better. As hard as it was for Bruce to believe it, he had to have faith that people were good, that they could beyond what they were and change. After they died, he believed that the world was full of darkness, that everyone was just as bad as the snarling man who appeared in the night to take them from him.
But he was wrong. He was looking at someone who wanted to change, who wanted to help people, instead of letting them suffer. Selina understood the magnitude of her words, her jaw was clenched shut. Bruce could identify it as a matter of restraining emotion.
She was a good person trapped in an unforgiving world, in a city that had hurt her, that had taken things from her. Selina was a survivor, that much he understood.
"I did what I had to do to make sure that Stan couldn't hurt anyone else." Selina rubbed at her eyes as she looked away. "I was never proud of it, Bruce. It made me sick to know that I had killed someone. I have to believe there's some way that I can take it back, but I can't. I've accepted that. The things I did for Riddler, I believed that if I did it, I could get out of Gotham and go somewhere else. Riddler is a vile man, worse than Stan, worse than anyone. I have blood on my hands, from the trai-"
"You don't," Bruce interrupted her quickly, his voice took on a hint of an authoritarian tone. "You didn't know what Riddler was doing. He lied to you, he made you believe in promises that he was never going to keep. The blood is on his hands. You never harmed an innocent person, Selina. We caught him together and he's leaving Arkham. Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't have done."
There was a pause as Selina merely smiled. Then, without so much of a warning, she moved towards him. She laid her hand over his heart, then she looked up towards him. There was an emotion in her eyes, happiness? Emptiness? He couldn't tell. "You're a good man, Bruce. Far better than what people make you out to be."
"I try my best, Selina. That's all anyone can do."
Once she found the bread, she occupied herself by making the sandwich for herself. Bruce took the moment of silence to hobble over to the sink to pour himself a glass of water. He eagerly cleared up a dried throat.
"I was thinking," Selina broke the momentary silence with a quiet tone to her voice. "I was thinking if I'm going to be trained by you….I'm going to need a suit like yours. Not exactly like yours, the last thing Gotham needs to think is that some Batwoman is running around. I figured Alfred would be flexible"?"
The changing of the topic was an opportune moment to discuss the future. Despite his dark mindset, it made Bruce crack a smile. Small victories, he told himself. Holly Robinson was safe now, but how many more others would he need to save until he could truly relax? He already knew that answer. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't. There would always be a crime in Gotham, always one more sick person about to ruin lives and by extension dozens more without ever realizing their true weight.
That was the promise, the vow that he made on his parent's grave. The oath was written in blood that seeped in concrete. No rest until Gotham was safe.
"When Lucius delivers the suit, you can talk to him about a replacement for yours. Did you have something in mind for it?"
"Purple. Something as durable as yours, but nothing that makes me move harder. And I don't want a tail. Maybe a backpack and a belt-like yours." Selina mused, half-serious as she began to take a bite of her sandwich.
"I'll see what I can do, Selina."
"Thank you, my dark knight.." Selina approached and pecked his cheek, leaving a buttery imprint on his cheek as she pulled back. "I'm going to find Holly…are you okay here?"
"I'll manage."
Selina finished her sandwich by the time she reached the end of the long hallway out of the kitchen. The place was gigantic, this was what the top of the food chain in Gotham looked like. She was glad there was someone like Bruce among them. She had already thanked him enough times for everything he had done. Now she was approaching the hard part.
It was time to make a decision that would ultimately benefit Holly, but send one of the people who she had loved without reserve away. Selina swallowed back that lump in her throat, rapid blinking canceled out the telltale beginnings of tears. No, this was for the best.
Holly was sat out in the garden, perched on a stone step as she sipped a glass of orange juice through a plastic straw. Turning her head, Selina was greeted by Holly's black-eyed smile. She looked better than the pale thing she had seen laid out on the same gurney as she had been.
If she hadn't known everything Holly had been through, she wouldn't be able to tell she had ever suffered like that.
"Hey, Selina. Alfred made me some orange juice, freshly squeezed too." The younger girl held the glass up to her.
Selina let out a small laugh and accepted it, taking a small sip of the citrus and handing it back to her. She watched as she eagerly drank more as she took a seat on the step beside her. Her entire mood seemed to have restored itself with ease. "How are you feeling now?"
"Like I'm in some kind of version of Home Alone, where the kid has everything, As for all the bruises and everything, they're getting there. I'm still a bit sore." Holly stopped drinking and glanced to her now, tone shifting. "Why are you asking? Did Batman ask us to leave?"
"No, no. Bruce wants to help us. And that's the problem. He and I both agree that it's best if you were to leave Gotham, Bruce suggested to me that you would do well at a division of Wayne Enterprises in Metropolis. It's much nice over there, I've heard. Better than here."
"Wait, what about you…you'd be coming with me too, right?"
Selina looked elsewhere, the tears were fogging her vision now. She hastily dug the tears aside with her fingertips. Selina held back further tears as she instead looked out across the garden ahead. It was a much easier sight to stomach than Holly's confused eyes.
She wanted to go desperately go with her. But, she knew deep down she could never leave Gotham until she knew what exactly happened between her mother and Falcone. Selina wouldn't like what she found, she already knew that. But, she needed to know regardless. She couldn't just quit the city as easy as that.
Holly was lucky she was young enough still to get out and put all of this behind her. Unfortunately, Gotham had a hold on her soul.
"I can't. I want to, but I can't. Not yet. This is a new start for you, a new life like we promised so long ago. But that's the cost. If I go with you, all I will do is bring this life with it. I can visit sometime once you're settled in, to make sure you're okay. I'll call every day and talk to you for as long as you want. But I can't leave, not yet. I have to figure out what happened to my mother."
"A new life together….that was what you promised me!" Holly exclaimed, putting her glass down as she looked at her, tears streaking down her face. "I can't go off to some big city alone…where will I live?"
Selina was interrupted by Holly pressing into her side, staining her black top with her tears now. Naturally, she embraced the younger girl back. She stayed there as both of them let out their emotion. A few moments passed before Selina pulled away. "I just want the best for you, Holly. I'm going to be any good for you in somewhere like Metropolis, not when I know the reason why my mother died is still out there. Do you understand?"
She could see the acceptance growing across Holly's face. A brave face putting on a smile now for her. Holly's face. Selina reached over and carefully wiped away a renegade tear off her cheek.
"I understand, but it's just not fair."
"I'll call every day, I'll visit for a long while when this done. You understand, right? This doesn't mean that I'm leaving you forever, I can't. You're my sister, Holly. Don't ever think you won't be. We'll fight and we'll yell, but I'll always be there for you."
"You too, Selina." Holly took Selina's hand and interlocked it with hers. She leaned on her shoulder quietly. "So…are and uh, Batman..?"
Selina broke through her tears with a laugh. Holly always knew how to break a sad moment like this with a joke. Her cheeks flushed at the sudden question. How did she pick up on that? "We're partners right now…well, sort of. It's complicated."
"You two are adorable," Holly teased, taking up her glass again. "At least it's better than whatever poor fool we'd play for money."
There was another moment of snickering between the two. Selina looked toward her. "How are you feeling now?"
Holly had been through a lot, as much as she had done in the Mystery Mile. HIll was some sick bastard and he would pay for that in Blackgate or whatever shit hole they threw him into. That brought a small relief to her. Holly was safe now, but even with her injuries healing, she could never know if her mind would. Being shot and kidnapped could break anyone, but from how she acted. Selina couldn't tell immediately.
"Better now that you're with me. I survived the crazy mayor's whole kidnapping. I've got a cool scar on my side now. Maybe a girl or something will fall in love with it. But, right now, it's definitely made me reconsider ever working with someone else like Riddler again." She muttered, low sarcasm lacing her words. "Whatever I end up doing in Metropolis, well it'll be for me and only me."
"I was worried something had happened to you. Knowing you're safe now…I believe you'll make something for yourself in Metropolis. I know it." Selina put her arm around her again, pulling her close as she looked out across the estate.
Maybe she had been wrong about the manor, her first impression of it had been near death in the caverns beneath it. The bed she slept in had been well made but belonged to an empty room. Too quiet and haunting.
It wasn't fair to judge it like that. The manor was just a place, once home to a family and now just home to Bruce and Alfred. Still a family in their way. The manor was just a shell, but that didn't matter.
Moving in here though, she wasn't sure what she would do with the world now open to her. She could do with another dress like the one she wore to the gala. It wouldn't be hard to sway Bruce's mind towards it.
"Thank you, Selina. I know these two weeks haven't been great, but you've always been there for me. I won't forget that you know?"
"I know, Holly. I know."
"So…Batman, huh?"
Selina nudged her shoulder playfully before shaking her head, forgetting she had even been crying now with how the tears stuck to her cheeks. "He offered me a place here, said he could train me too."
"So, you're on Batman's side now?"
"I realize what was enabling by working for Riddler. The best thing I can do is help Bruce with the aftermath of all of this, then maybe I can redeem myself as well."
While Bruce had slept, she had kept her constantly on the nearest television. Those cops being held hostage by Riddler had been credited as taking him down and she was, in some strange way, furious.
Of course, they were never going to credit Batman for the effort, but part of her wanted to be known for helping take that evil fuck down. Sleeping tonight would be hard, she still had dreams about the Mystery Mile.
Sometimes, the dreams ended alternatively to how she remembered. Sometimes, she never made out of the bag and sometimes, she simply fell asleep in the cold.
But she was alive now and that was what mattered.
"Bruce Wayne…still weird to think he's actually Batman. That should be a much bigger thing than it is. A whole cave underneath this place too? Before you ask, I already swore to Alfred that I wouldn't say anything about this whole thing. I think he believes me."
"I was as surprised as you are," Selina admitted, accepting the glass from Holly and taking a sip again. "This really is freshly squeezed….I think the whole public image is just to distract everyone from thinking he's really…you know."
"It could have fooled me. Or anyone really. So, are you a sidekick now then?"
"I'm not running around calling myself Batgirl if that's what you're thinking. He can help me with getting a suit like his, gadgets too maybe. Alfred said I could even keep the bike I drove you back on."
"Awesome. So, does this technically make you equally as rich or…?"
"I don't know, he trusts me so I'll have a roof over my head here. I'll make sure to tell you if I do suddenly get a load of money and desperately need help spending it." Selina teased.
"You know I would always help if you were caught in such a dilemma." Holly shot back with a bigger grin across her face. "You think Metropolis has a beach like Star City."
"I'm not sure. I just know there's a whole saying that the place is the City of Tomorrow."
Metropolis. What a dream. It wasn't the scorching hot sands of Star City and it wasn't Gotham's dreary rainfall nights. The crime rate was low, compared to Gotham. God, that was a giant steep difference she imagined would be on some comical late-night news graphic on television. It would be a much better place than Gotham for Holly.
"Why exactly do they call it that, can't be any better than a place like this?" Holly exclaimed, setting her glass down and resting her chin on her palm.
"Because many believe it is the future, due to the rather expensive transformation that is being funded by one of the city's biggest contributors, Lex Luthor." The wise British accent of Alfred Pennyworth cut through the brief silence and drew their attention to him as he climbed the stairs.
Green rubber gloves carried a recycling bag full of weeds. The butler looked exhausted as they got up and watched as he dumped the bag of weeds down nearby, pulling off his gloves with a satisfying elastic snap.
"Is Master Bruce already downstairs?" Alfred inquired, somehow graceful as he discarded the gloves and wiped his brow.
"I tried my best to keep him up there. He's in the kitchen, but I assume he's going to try and get down to the cave once he's eaten."
"Rest assure, I will make sure he does not attempt to go out patrolling tonight, Miss Kyle." Alfred nodded to the pair of them. "How are you feeling, Miss Robinson?"
"Same as before, Alfred. My eye is a bit sore, but I'm doing okay. And you can call me Holly, you know? Since you made me the orange juice and patched me up." Holly awkwardly mumbled.
"Ah, my apologies then, Holly. It is not often we have guests here for so long. I'm only used to knowing them briefly." He turned to Selina now. "I take it he was feeling better today?"
"Must have felt too cooped up in his room. He's still limping, so I don't think he's going to be running away too soon."
"If I do catch him trying to put on his costume, you shall be the first to know Miss Kyle," Alfred responded, a wittiness to his tone before he moved past them and back into the manor.
Holly looked at Selina with a mischievous glint in her. She picked up her glass of orange juice before she stepped towards the door. "You want to go watch some movies on the TV, Selina? We can finish those movies we weren't meant to watch at the Lady Beaumont?"
The mention of that hotel spiked old memories, she had missed just relaxing there and enjoying her time with Holly. Now, she would make the most of every single second she had with her today. Holly was many things to her, a sister and a best friend among them. She was the greatest person she had ever known in her life, that counted for something.
"I would love to, Holly."
The journey to the cave was a slow and tedious one, mainly bound through the feeling of disability.
Bruce winced through every single step. So far, he had managed to set the time on the grandfather clock and open up the passageway. Ahead of him laid the dark stairway down onto the cave.
Finally, he would be whole again.
With each careful step on those stairs, he got closer and closer. Bruce noticed how damaged the armor had become. It would serve as a reminder of his failure and his victory. The glint of Riddler's golden cane was reflected by the light from where it rested on the side of the workbench.
Another reminder.
He had been neglecting his duty for so long. At least while his body was healing, his mind was still sharp. He could, at least, strategize over the state of Gotham's underworld under his recovery was complete.
"Bruce!"
He turned and from the light at the top of the staircase, he saw Alfred stood there. Disapproval was etched into his face. IN many ways, Alfred could never understand. The crusade was his and his alone.
Maybe even Selina too wouldn't be able to grasp the meaning of his mission. The only other person to know the pain had died in an alleyway fifteen years ago; the victim of an unthinkable crime.
"I've rested long enough, Alfred. Crime will never sleep as we do. They don't have the same things we have."
"Have you come straight down here? Miss Kyle told me you were making something to eat. Did you at least eat something?"
The ache of an empty stomach soon hit him, reminding him of his mortality. He was unable to look Alfred in the eye now, a sense of shame washing over him now. "I don't feel hungry."
Alfred shook his head before stepping away from the passageway, gesturing for him to follow back up into the Manor. There was a brief hesitance that overtook him before he compiled and slowly limped up into the lounge again. He turned back and shut the grandfather clock entrance behind him. He didn't like it, being forced to leave the cave. It made him feel as if he was a child and nothing but. It wasn't fair.
"Do you really feel as if you have recovered, sir?" Concern racked the older man's voice now. "Please, be honest to me. I deserve that much and more."
"It won't be long before I'll be able to put the suit back on and get out there, Alfred," Bruce assured, walking alongside him now as they approached one of the glass doors that led to the gardens. "Gotham is a city that never sleeps. Without a figure like the Batman on the streets hunting for criminals, the natural order of how things were will come back into place. We can't have men like Falcone or Cobblepot gain any more power. They need to be fought and their empires need to fall."
"I was afraid you might suggest that. Bruce, you are still just a man and a man with extreme responsibility that you have placed upon yourself. The Riddler has been put away and he will never harm another person again. Don't you think that has given you enough reason to recuperate a little longer? You've at least earned that?"
Another day Batman wasn't there was another day that some family could go down an alleyway and have their lives ripped from them just like that. Just the thought of knowing that was all a possibility was enough to turn his stomach. It rippled into his mind and he was repulsed by the possibility. He hated it, more than he would ever know.
"If I rest, another could die on my watch. Tell me what you saw on the news wasn't fear seeping onto the streets, removing Riddler wasn't enough. He's still out there. He lives on in every single person he's managed to hurt…"
Even the fresh smell of cut grass could not change his mood. He felt even more distress as he saw Alfred's confused expression. "You can't save them all, Bruce. I know that that is the last thing you want to hear right now, but it's the reality in which we exist in."
Alfred's words stung, even if they were intended in good faith. His consciousness would not accept that belief. He had more to do for Gotham and he could do more. If he pushed himself hard enough, he could do it. He could save them all….but at what cost? He was only a man; flesh and blood that could bleed and bruise. "I can't accept that. I swore a vow on Mother and Father's graves that I would do what I could to rid the city of the evil that took their lives. They loved this city and now look at it, it's not gotten any better, even with me here."
Had Batman done any good for Gotham? That was the question now spiraling down in his mind.
"It's improving, Bruce. Falcone, Hill, and Riddler were all hurting Gotham and now that you've rid the city of them…they can begin to say. What makes you say that, sir?"
Bruce looked away. There were so many he had failed. So many victims he could have saved. So many more lives he could not stop from hurting. The victims of the train, Polly, every single one of Riddler's victims, every single one of Dini's victims at the orphanage. People without justice. "There are so many victims that I've failed, Alfred. I wanted to kill him for everything he's done…He was just gloating and gloating about his victims. He kept trophies in that building, kept recordings, and put bodies on display. He wanted me to kill him, I know it."
"And you didn't, Bruce. No matter how you felt, you didn't. You stayed true to your vow."
"But there will be more. Riddler has opened Gotham up for more people like him. If he has followers with just guns, how long is it until one of them puts on a mask like him?"
"Then we'll be ready, sir. You've only just begun. With these upgrades, Lucius will be providing something valuable, and having Miss Kyle helping you with the rate of crime means you can do more with your operation, beyond normal means. Your mother and father would be proud of what you have achieved so far, they would see their son stand tall and proud, trying to help this city. I know I am proud of you, my boy."
"Then why do I see so guilty, Alfred?"
Maybe that was the real burden. He would have to carry the weight of every soul. Gotham was a funeral that no one was attending, except for him.
"Because that is the unfortunate burden of caring, Bruce." There was hesitation in Alfred's voice as he placed a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "I blame myself for that night, even if there was nothing I could have done to prevent what happened to your parents, I still feel at fault."
Bruce lowered his head, feeling the same thought too. He had insisted Mother wear her best pearls, the very thing that the mugger had demanded from her. Now they were bloodstained and scattered across that damn alleyway still. "It's my fault, Alfred. I wanted to go. I should have seen it then. Gotham was already falling into chaos, Mother and Father's death was the linchpin holding it all back. Without them, I've seen Gotham's true face. The same kind Riddler has been trying to say has always been there."
Riddler was a plague, while Edward Nashton was a victim of Gotham. Timothy Dini had been allowed to do those things at his orphanage, with no one to stop him. Riddler was in many ways like him, even if Bruce didn't want to accept it. A vengeful child who spent his entire life planning his revenge.
His own crusade mirrored that of Nashton's, except his vengeance was selfish in his eyes. He had taken his revenge as best as he could, but he had failed. Was that the fate of his own….no it couldn't be, he was trying to save Gotham, not tear it apart.
"Riddler only saw the cruelty. His actions to the city were brutal and unkind." Alfred shook his head."There are still good people in Gotham, still struggling beneath it all. People like Captain Gordon believe you can do something for Gotham, as much as you may think you have failed, there are still others you can help. You must be the light that shines a way forward for the lost and broken-hearted."
They continued down the garden, pausing as they reached the edge. There were a series of law bushes that were entwined with bright roses and tulips. Alfred had long busied himself with gardening when he was away and must have continued it during the day when Bruce wasn't aware.
Across the estate marsh, Bruce could see them. Their tombstones had rested beneath that tree. Now, Bruce began to notice how cloudy the sky above had turned.
It was a somber moment of silence the pair of them both simply stood in.
"I'm afraid," Bruce admitted.
"It's okay to be afraid, sir," Alfred assured, a comforting hand resting on his shoulder. "I would be concerned if you were not. I am afraid too, Bruce. Seeing you go out every night, not sure if you would come back in one piece. Old men worry, sir. You walk on the edge of that abyss and yet you're still standing."
"I'm afraid that there will be more coming, more men like Hill and Riddler. Criminals in a new form that are going to get smarter."
Had Batman become an unwilling cog in the machine? His presence would generate fear and anger in the criminal mind; some would run from it and others would embrace it, use it to strike out thinking a criminal empire would be their legacy, rather than a life of poverty and unrealized potential.
He would have to do more patrol every night. Wayne Enterprises was already working on reconstructing City Hall, that was only a surface issue. He would have to buy up the property of Timothy Dini's orphanage and build something better, atop all that pain.
Once he was fit enough to return to Wayne Tower, he would ensure the survivors of the train explosion had their medical bills covered and reconstruction on the subway line would begin. Bruce Wayne would have to do more for Gotham. His public presence did little for the city, his place among the elite made him uncomfortable now.
How he could live among them? Aware of their power, corruption, and their lies? He would only make himself complicit if he was to remain how he was.
"And you are improving, sir. Despite how close you have walked the line, you refused to give in as Riddler has. And that makes you stronger than you realize."
"Would they be proud, Alfred? Would they understand that I do this for them?"
"Your parents saw the problems plaguing Gotham long before they took hold. They often had to fight against people to ensure the progress they wanted would happen. I can't tell you the amount of over the phone debates your mother had in her efforts to ensure the children of Gotham were not forgotten."
"And do you think they knew about Dini?"
That was the hardest truth to swallow. Had they lived so long in Gotham, alongside corruption that they had forgotten about the stench and unwillingly complicit in its expanse. That wasn't the same image he held in his head.
Thomas and Martha Wayne were the paragons of everything right in his eyes, in his youth maybe he had been blinded by that infallible image that his mother could save every child abandoned to the clutches of men like Dini and that his father could save every single person whoever became a victim of men like Falcone and Riddler.
"I cannot confirm nor deny that, so. I never knew myself about any interactions. What matters is that they fought for Gotham before and you continue that legacy in fighting for this city too."
Alfred was right in some way. He was continuing to fight and maybe it didn't matter what their knowledge of Dini's crimes were, unfortunately, they still happened regardless. He couldn't let that lingering fear decide what he did next, crime never stopped and so he would never stop either.
"I will honor what they stood. No matter how flat they might be in truth. Has there been any new developments regarding Riddler's followers?"
"Only small developments at this time, sir. There have been reports of protests around the odd social event or two and plenty around the GCPD precincts, as well as minor interference at the construction site around City Hall. They seem intent on sticking around, even with Riddler being placed inside Arkham Asylum. I imagine with Cobblepot insisting he was being manipulated into supplying him with weapons, he will be looking to expand into the territories that Kynazev once held. That is if none of the smaller gangs are not planning to attempt to seize them for themselves."
"Regardless of what happens, we'll have to be ready." Bruce looked out towards the hill where his parents had been laid to rest. Overhead in the gray clouds loomed chaos and uncertainty.
There was only one absolute truth visible.
A storm was coming.
Author's Note: ….And that's it!
From posting the chapter of Shadows of Gotham in April of 2020 to now posting the ending of the story now in late January of 2021, we would like to thank everybody who stuck along for the ride and read the story to its completion. It truly means a lot, as writers, to know that people read our work and found interest in it. Batman is a character that we have loved for a long time and we have a personal interest in telling stories with a character with rich lore and many excellent stories.
For us, being able to tell these stories is a gift and we are grateful to be able to do it. It may have been a long story, but we found that the sum of all its parts was a journey that we were entirely thrilled to undergo. But, that's not at all. We have more plans for this universe and we intend to build up. As of right now, the sequel to Shadows of Gotham is in development.
We can confirm that Batman: The Mad Few is in the works and will be published sometime soon. We will not reveal much about the plot, but we can promise that the arcs of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle will be further developed and more sides of Gotham City will be explored. We can't wait to take you on the journey that we are currently making, the wait will be worth it.
Until next time,
SVRFAN and CobaltComet (Earth 10: A DC Universe)
