GOTHAM CEMETERY

Bruce Wayne had decided to attend the funeral of Harvey and Grace Dent after learning of their murder on the news. He stood amidst the crowd, hovered around the two caskets.

He had hoped to go unrecognized when he decided to attend the funeral but that had been a lost cause. From the moment he had stepped out of his gray mustang, people had pointed and whispered in his direction. Even his thick moustache, black suit, and sunglasses couldn't hide his identity from the people who hadn't seen him out in public for the past several years.

This was a day to remember Harvey and his wife and to mourn them but he knew that his attendance at the funeral would make the news. He had strongly considered not coming but in the end decided that he owed it to his friend to come to his funeral. It weighed heavily on him that Harvey had been murdered on the same day he had visited him and had asked for his help.

As the priest spoke of the many things Harvey had accomplished through the years, Bruce took a moment to observe his surroundings. He could see news reporters in the distance, providing coverage of the funeral.

Amongst the reporters he recognized a certain blonde haired lady from his past: Vicki Vale. She was speaking into the camera and indicating toward the funeral. He hadn't realized she'd returned to Gotham. She'd been a reporter in Central City for many years. He couldn't help but notice that she still looked beautiful. She had aged well, unlike him.

He then noticed he was being stared at. He glanced toward the line of Police Officer's dressed in their Class A best and saw a young man staring at him. It may have been more prudent to say the officer was glaring at him. He observed the officer's badge and saw that it read: Kyle. He didn't know who this Officer Kyle was but it was apparent that he had no love for Bruce Wayne.

Bruce brought his attention back to the funeral when he noticed Harvey Dent, Jr approach the podium where the priest had previously been. The young man's eyes were red from crying and he spoke quietly:

"I know that my mother and father would not want us all out here being melancholy and mournful. They'd want us to celebrate and to remember the good times we shared together."

He cleared his throat and then his somber countenance changed into someone barely containing their rage. He rummaged inside his pocket and brought out a half dollar coin. He flicked it in the air and then caught it. He glanced down at it before nodding and addressing the crowd again.

"It's hard to celebrate their memory right now when you know that they were prematurely taken from you." His voice had slightly changed in pitch and he was slightly shaking in rage. "They were murdered in their own home! Brutally!"

He slammed his fist against the podium, "I know who has done this and so do all of you! Carmine Falcone! He wanted to be mayor and knew he didn't stand a chance running against my father!" Harvey, Jr closed his eyes tight and clenched his fist around the half dollar coin. After a brief pause, he regained his composure and quietly stated, "That's why he murdered my parents."

Bruce watched the younger Dent closely. He'd met him only a few times at charity events since he'd ascended to adulthood and had never seen this side of him before. He always seemed to have a peaceful personality and a polite smile that never seemed to leave his face. The man he now stared at looked to be on the verge of losing his sanity.

Harvey, Jr continued speaking as tears escaped his bloodshot eyes. "Falcone's days as a free man are numbered. I promise all of you. He will pay for the things he has done. "

Vicki Vale had made her way over closer to the funeral with her cameraman in tow.

"Wasn't it the Mutant gang that murdered your parents, Mr. Dent?" She asked.

The officer named Kyle approached Vicki and announced. "This is a funeral, lady. No press are allowed this close."

Harvey, Jr stopped him. "No, Officer. It's okay." He spoke directly to Vicki, "The Mutant gang terrorise the streets of Gotham. They'd never go to the home of the Mayor unless directed to do so. Who else would want my father dead more than Falcone?"

"But it wasn't just your father who was victimised," Vicki stated.

Harvey, Jr glared down at her. "Collateral damage. That's what my mother was. Her and my father's bodyguard were not the intended targets."

"Those are bold claims, Mr. D.A.," Vicki said. "Do you have any proof to back it up?"

"No, he does not."

Bruce turned to see Carmine Falcone and his entourage enter amongst the throng of mourners. "Mr. Dent is grief stricken over the loss of his parent's and he's looking for vengeance. That is understandable. Unfortunately he is focusing his vengeance in the wrong direction."

Harvey, Jr yelled in rage and rushed toward Carmine. One of Falcone's bodyguards reached into his coat pocket, to grab a gun, no doubt. Bruce didn't hesitate as he stepped between the two and grabbed a hold of Harvey, Jr.

"How dare you come here!" Harvey, Jr shouted at Falcone. "I oughta kill you right here and now for what you've done!"

Bruce struggled to hold Harvey, Jr back. He spoke quietly in his ear. "Don't do this here, Harvey. It's not good for your public image."

Harvey, Jr glared at him and shoved him away. "Who the hell asked you, old man!? Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be secluded safe and sound in your castle while the rest of us peons suffer down here in the real world!"

"Your father was a good friend of mine," Bruce said. "I'm here to pay my respects."

Harvey, Jr blinked several times and then came back to his senses. He nodded. "Of course you did. I'm sorry, Mr. Wayne. That was uncalled for."

Bruce shook his head. "You don't have to apologize. I understand what you're going through."

Falcone chuckled. "That was almost a Doozey, Mr. D.A. Is that why your father had you admitted in secret at Arkham Asylum when you were a child? Because of that uncontrollable temper of yours?"

The crowd gasped in awe at Falcone's words. Carmine pulled out a file. "That's right, ladies and gentlemen. Your beloved District Attorney spent several months at Arkham Asylum due to having developed a split personality. He called himself Bad Harvey. Bad Harvey nearly killed a kid but the now former Mayor had it cleaned up, spick and span."

Harvey, Jr fell to his knees in defeat and quietly said, "That's what you were blackmailing my father with. That's what he tried to protect me against."

Falcone handed the file to Vicki. "You can look through that and confirm the validity of detailed documents pertaining to the treatment of Junior's other personality. I can have a copy sent to anyone he wants it."

Carmine started to walk away when Bruce stepped in and roughly spun him back around. "You just had to do this on the day he's burying his parent's, didn't you?"

One of the bodyguards grabbed his shoulder. Bruce broke the bodyguard's hand and elbowed him in the jaw. He fell out cold.

Falcone smiled. "Mr. Wayne, it's good to see you out in the sunlight again. It's amazing how tragedy tends to bring us all together like this."

Bruce clenched his fists, fighting the urge to snap the old crime boss' spine. He spoke quietly. "Why don't you do everyone here a favor and get the hell out of here."

Falcone chuckled. "Until our next meeting, Mr. Wayne. Good day, ladies and gentlemen."

With that, he and his entourage, minus the still unconscious one, left the cemetery.

Bruce helped Harvey, Jr. to his feet and as he led him back to the funeral procession he caught Vicki's eye. He knew that their was a conversation to be had between them soon.

The cemetery was eerily quiet, more so than usual. Everyone was staring at Harvey, Jr. He clenched the half dollar coin in his hand and stared at the group with a determined expression.

"Everything Falcone just said is true," he began. "As a child I had an illness. I developed a split personality and did almost kill a kid. That was in the past and I have been cleared of that illness for well over twenty years now. The only illness I suffer from now is a broken heart. A broken heart due to the loss of my family.

"Right here and right now in front of all of you I have decided to carry on my father's legacy. I ask all of you, the fine people of Gotham City, to continue putting your trust in me as you have done so for all these years as your District Attorney."

He paused for a moment before speaking. "I am going to run for Mayor of Gotham City in my father's stead."