A/N: Hey guys! I know it's been a really long time but this chapter gave me the most problems.
I want to thank you all for being patient with me during this long process of many years and your dedication to Tessie and Batman's story. But the next chapter will have everything you're looking for.
Hopefully it won't take me close to 10 more years to finish this story, lol.
Reunion
Everything had gone to hell and back. Joker's mind swam, watching the burnt wreckage of Batman's super fancy plane on the bashed into the Lady of Gotham's Cathedral steps.
Everything had gone according to plan. Wayne, looking as dopey as ever, stood on the Wayne Cake float and threw out the money just as Joker had demanded. True, he looked taller and cockier than Joker remembered but he did as he wanted.
Oh, how the little people of Gotham swarmed towards the float. The police had to hold them back to keep them from getting run over by the float and turned into pancakes. Or was it Johnnycakes?
Not that it mattered.
Joker's balloons, with their large smiley faces and filled with enough Smilex to turn Gotham green for months, released their toxin.
It made Joker laugh harder than anything else he had seen all his life. The laughter and the screams….Gothamites ran loose like an edema.
Then Batman had to come and ruin his fun. With that plane, he had cut the strings and took the pretty balloons away. But he couldn't escape the Joker's little surprise party favor.
Not even shooting Bob made things better. Not even trying to shoot Wayne and Vale as they darted into the alley by the Cathedral.
There were only two things that made Joker feel better.
One was that Batman was slumped against the joystick of his plane, still as a doll and his head bashed in like an overripe watermelon. Of course the blood did look like corn syrup mixed with red dye…but it was too funny to even care.
The other was Little Tessie.
Hopefully…the Joker thought as he pushed through the doors into the cobwebby and frumpy old church…she'd have a big smile on her face.
Heavy footsteps echoed in Tessie's ears. Her eyelids burned as she tried to open them. It was like heavy sandbags were sitting on them.
Tessie's body burned and throbbed, especially in her chest and her throat. Like that time she went swimming and was underwater for so long that Mom had to swim down and save her.
She wanted to breathe…but that funny little tickle in her throat scared her.
Tessie wanted to laugh…but Viki's warning was loud.
The footsteps stopped behind her. It wasn't Uncle Jay's footsteps. Uncle Jay was always dancing.
It wasn't Viki's high heels, walking with a firm confidence.
It…could be Bruce's….
No. Bruce was dead. She saw him die.
A knife flicked open with an ear shattering snap. Tessie moaned as a knife sliced through the ropes tying her to the chair.
Was this one of Uncle Jay's tricks? More fun?
Stiff fabric rustled as whoever cut her free knelt beside her. Alfred would starch Bruce's shirts so they'd rustle like that whenever he moved. "Tessie, this is going to sting but you're going to feel much better." A man whispered, his words gentle. "Just hold still."
It wasn't Uncle Jay, thank goodness…it could be Bruce.
If she was dying…let it be Bruce setting her free and taking her home with Mom and Dad.
A sharp prick hit her arm and a sharp cold ran up her arm.
The laughing feeling dissipated like a storm cloud on a rainy day.
A gloved hand grabbed the edge of the tape over her mouth. "This is going to sting. On three?" The man whispered. Tessie nodded and sat still. "One. Two. Three." and yanked. As he warned, the tape stung as it was removed. Something warm, wet and sticky was on her lips. Tessie licked her lips, tasting metal.
The cold air felt so good in her burning lungs. Tessie took deep gulps before she heard a cracking plastic bottle. Something touched her lips and a gloved hand touched her back.
Water. Cold, sweet water. Tessie swallowed, trying to soothe the burning in her throat.
"Sip it slow." The man ordered, moving the bottle away from Tessie's bleeding lips. Tessie reached for the bottle; her arms wobbled like Jell-O that had just been set.
She tumbled and fell towards the floorboards. The man grabbed her and held her close. His suit felt so familiar. Water spilled from the bottle onto her clothes. "Are you okay?" He asked her.
Tessie shook her head. "I want to go home. I want to be with Bruce, Mom and Dad." Fat tears rolled down her cheeks.
The man stroked her long brown hair, just missing the tangles.
"Bruce Wayne asked me to take you home." He said.
Tessie raised her head, trying to make her eyes open wider and see who it was.
Batman was looking at her, a faint smile on his face and his blue eyes shiny.
Batman rested his chin on top of Tessie's head, allowing her to hug him. He stroked her hair. Relief washed over him like a wave as he hugged her back.
"But…I saw Bruce…he got shot…" Tessie blubbered.
"He was wearing a piece of armor underneath his shirt." Batman said. "He's okay. Just worried about you." He rested one arm beneath her thighs. "Do you think you can wrap your legs around my waist? It'll help you keep a better hold."
Tessie did as asked. Her tears splashed onto Batman's shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "It's my fault. I should've run away when Bruce told me to."
Batman didn't tell her it wasn't her fault. He knew how useless those words really were. "He doesn't blame you. Not one bit. You were scared." Now to get back to the ledge where he had climbed up, use a grappling gun and go down.
The chaos below should've subsided and if all was according to plan, Vicki and Knox would be below with the car waiting to take Tessie back to Wayne Manor.
Somewhere a trapdoor sprung open, slamming shut against the floorboards. Batman darted closer to the shadows and found a nook. "Stay here and don't make a sound." He said, putting Tessie in the nook.
She nodded, her eyes wide and contorted her body so she fit inside.
Batman drew a batarang and crouched low.
If it was any of the goons, it'd be easy.
If it was the Joker…well it'd be really hard to keep from breaking his one rule tonight.