Always Look Forward

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Red Eye or Batman Begins!

Chapter Twenty-nine

The monorail had slowed due to the arrival of the Batman. He had burst through the windshield in order to fight Ra's al Ghul. Ra's and the Batman were fighting in the front of the car, whilst Batman tried to sabotage the monorail and stop it from reaching Wayne Tower and the central water mains.

Jackson was farther back in the car, fighting with the Scarecrow. He had found his knife upon the floor and picked it up. Jackson expertly twirled the blade, trying to keep Jonathan at bay. He was no longer a killer and despite what Jonathan had done; Jackson did not want to kill his brother. He would be giving the psychiatrist the easy way out if he did not hand him over to the cop known as Gordon.

"You can't stop it now," muttered the Scarecrow. "It's too late. Fear will reign…"

"Not if I can stop you," hissed Jackson, his brilliant blue eyes flashing. He alone was responsible for his brother. "I will stop you."

Scarecrow laughed and released a puff of gas. Jackson coughed. The fear tried to grip him. Lisa had not managed to get him the antidote. Crane had found the antidote when he had captured her and destroyed it.

"Get off the monorail!" warned the Batman, as Ra's pinned him to the floor of the car during their battle.

Jackson seized the moment to head-butt the Scarecrow. He yanked his limp brother to the end of the monorail car and jumped down onto the tracks below. The fall rattled them both, but there was no doubt in Jackson's mind that there was a good reason why he had just jumped off the speeding monorail.

"You will never learn," Ra's said, unsheathing his sword after the Batman came through the windshield of the train.

Batman avoided his blows, leaning back, ducking, and blocking, as he tried to fiddle with controls. He managed to slow the monorail for a short amount of time. Hopefully, that would be enough time for Jackson to get his family off the monorail.

Ra's continued to attack him. The Batman kicked him, and then tackled him over the microwave emitter. The monorail sped up again. Every so often, he could catch a glimpse of Jackson and Crane fighting further along in the car. There was no sign of Lisa Rippner, or their children.

Now Ra's was trying to crash him into windows, hoping to throw him from the speeding monorail. If he had not been wearing the improved cowl, his head would have been hurt rather badly. Good thing this one was still holding up and protecting his head.

The end of the line was drawing near. Soon, they would reach Wayne Tower and he was banking on Gordon managing to destroy the track. There was no way that he would be able to stop the monorail.

Batman retaliated; punching, kicking, and pretty much beating the crap out of his former teacher. To think that he had once saved this man's life…

Ra's was drawing even. He managed to land a few blows, knocking the exhausted Batman to the ground. But he jumped back up and continued sparring with Ra's. They each got a few punches in before Ra's turned the tables on him again. Ra's kicked him until he fell back onto the dirty floor of the monorail.

"Don't be afraid, Bruce," Ra's told him as he gasped for air. Ra's was trying to kill him. "You were just an ordinary man…a man in a cape. That's why you couldn't fight injustice and that's why you can't stop this train."

"Who said anything about stopping it?" Batman said, and Ra's looked up, giving him the distraction that he needed to beat Ra's.

"Get off the monorail!" the Batman shouted back to Jackson.

The monorail track was disappeared ahead, clattering uselessly to the concrete. Gordon had prevailed over the track with help from the Tumbler's weapons.The Batman pinned Ra's down and said, "You never learned to mind your surroundings."

He was poised, with a batarang in hand, over Ra's, prepared to kill him."Have you finally learned to do what is necessary?" Ra's questioned him.

"I won't kill you," the Batman said, tossing the batarang away. "…but I don't have to save you."

He released Ra's al Ghul and flew out of the monorail as it crashed downwards, thanks to Gordon's help via the Tumbler. The monorail car, carrying the microwave transmitter, sped into a parking garage and exploded.

"You okay?" Batman asked, after he landed beside Jackson and the unconscious Jonathan.

"Yeah, we're alive," Jackson nodded, looking at Jonathan's limp body. He carefully removed the Scarecrow mask and the fear gas canister from Crane's arm. He handed the canister to the Batman. No one else should have access to Crane's madness.

"Want me to take Crane to Gordon?" the Batman offered.

"Yeah," Jackson said wearily. He was far too exhausted to carry his brother down to the waiting cop. Gordon was probably the last 'good' cop left on Gotham's police force.

"You going to be okay?"

"I'm just going to get back to Lisa…and tell her what happened," Jackson said sadly. He still had to break the news of Joe's death to her.

"I understand," nodded the Batman. "Go to your family. They need you."

"Thank you," Jackson said gratefully, as he began to walk along the tracks, back towards where Lisa had exited. "Thank you for everything."

But the Batman was already gone when he turned around.

"Jackson! Jackson!" cried Lisa racing down the tracks towards him, Henrietta and JR shuffling along behind her.

Jackson's face broke into a wide smile as she reached him. He wrapped his arms around his wife, and lifted her off the ground and twirled her in a circle as he kissed her. Lisa clung to him desperately, and he knew that she had missed him just as much as he had missed her.

"I love you, Leese," he declared after their kiss ended and Henrietta and JR caught up to them.

"I always loved you, Jackson," she smiled. "And I always will."

"Daddy!" cried JR, flinging himself at his parents. Jackson laughed as he hugged his son. Henrietta hung back a little ways, staying close to Lisa at all times.

"Hey," Jackson said quietly, bending down to be closer to Henrietta. "'Etta, I'm sorry I scared you. I never meant to hurt mommy. I promise that I'll never hurt her again, or scare you."

"You do?" Henrietta questioned, her blue eyes wide. "You promise?"

"I promise," Jackson agreed, nodding his head.

Henrietta smiled and gave him a hug. She knew very well that Jackson never broke his promises. Everyone who knew him slightly well knew that he was incapable of lying, unless he had a good reason or what he believed was the truth was really a lie.

Jackson was so happy to be with his family again. At the moment there was no one after him, but he still had a score to settle with the company. The League of Shadows was not a threat, even though they had sent his own brother after him. Ra's al Ghul was dead—the Batman had seen to that.

"Jackson, where's my dad?" Lisa asked him, green eyes questioning.

Jackson felt his face pale. How could he tell her what he had witnessed? How could he explain to her…?

"He's dead, isn't he?" cried Lisa, tears filling her eyes. "My dad's dead?"

"I'm so sorry, Leese. I tried to save him," Jackson whispered, pulling her close to him. Her fists gripped his suit jacket tightly as she sobbed on him.

"No…no…" Harsh sobs wracked her body, making her tremble. Jackson tried to soothe her, but there was not much he could do. Lisa had been under enormous emotion stress and trauma these last few weeks. She had been dealing with more than any one person ever should have to deal with.

"I'm so sorry…"

Author's Notes:

Only one more chapter and an epilogue to go. It should all be up tomorrow. Enjoy! (Edit: (2/9/06) I added the fight scene between Ra's and Batman.)