Book Two: Chaos

Chapter 21

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The taste of failure is bitter. When all you wanted to do was to help but all you've accomplished was to cause more harm than good. Although, the events that took place tonight were known to me. It doesn't change the fact that I have failed at changing this story. And I hate it. I hate that I have failed. I hate that Batman became to the villain. I hate that Harvey would still be the hero.

"How is he?" I asked Alfred as I stepped into Bruce's bedroom. Alfred was sitting on the edge of his bed.

"It was just a shallow wound." Alfred answered. He stood up and walked up to me. "I was able to retrieve the bullet and stitched the wound." He stood next to me. And we both looked at Bruce's sleeping form. "Other than that, he is faring well. Physically., at least."

"None of us will be fine after what happened tonight." I sighed and looked up at Alfred. "Harvey Dent is dead." Alfred turned to me, looking horrified. "And Batman disappears."

"Disappears?"

"He decided to take the blame for every crime Harvey committed tonight." I exhaled and turned my gaze back on Bruce. "The Joker is stopped but he won, nonetheless."

"He will be sleeping for the rest of the night You should go and get some rest." Alfred suggested.

"I will." I replied. "I just want to stay here a little longer. You go."

"Call me if you need anything." Alfred said patting my arm and then left.

I took off my jacket as I walked up to the armchair by the window. I took off my badge, holster and gun from my waistband. Placed them on the table by the armchair. And sat down.

Talia and Bane were far from my mind. Nothing really mattered in that moment. Nothing other than my failings. Or rather this world I was living in. This world and the story that didn't want to be changed. People that were meant die, survived. Others that were meant to survive, died. Paths that were probably never meant to cross, did. All because of me. I've disrupted the course of events.

Why was I in this world? What was my purpose? Was I supposed to change things for the better? Or was I just meant to be a bystander? What was I supposed to do? No matter what I did or try to change, people ended up dead. Commissioner Loeb. Harvey Dent. Sue…

Batman sacrificed himself. He put on his shoulders the weight of Harvey's crimes. I know it's for the best. For now. But in the long term, what will happen. In eight years when Bane and Talia would put their plan into motion, what would happen then? Batman would be back but would he succeed? Or worse would he end up dead?

I let out a deep breath. "Emma?"

My eyes focused on him as I'm brought back to reality. "Hey." I gave a small smile. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"You didn't." He answered with a sleepy voice. "Are you alright?"

"I should be asking this question." I leaned forward, my elbows resting on my thighs. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Many things." I stood up and walked up to the bed. "But we can talk about this later." I kicked off my shoes before slipping under the covers. I moved closer.

I curled up against his uninjured side; my head on his chest. My hand splayed on his stomach. His arm went around my shoulders., his fingers clenched on the fabric of my shirt. As if he feared I might slip away. I didn't.

The following days were not the easiest. After Harvey's funerals, we had to destroy the Bat-signal. All the members of the MCU were there. It was unbearable. It hurt to see this happen. Only Gordon and I knew what was the truth. Which made it all the more painful. All of my colleagues believed it to be true. After all, in the public eye, Batman had killed Harvey Dent. And there was no changing that, not at the moment It was for the best.

I watched Sue's funerals from a distance. Her closest friends, her parents and her fiancé came to say their goodbyes. I didn't get any closer I didn't deserve the privilege to say my goodbyes. Not after I turned my back on her. I did not talk to any members of her family or Liam. I left before any of them could see me.

"I knew you'd come." I heard Sue's fiancé said as I reached for my car door.

My eyes fell shut. "I had to say my goodbyes. I owe her that much." I turned around to face him. I took a deep breath. "You were right. I did this" He remained silent. "I ruined your life and I killed her." I paused. "I never meant for this to happen. I never meant for her—to die."

"I know." He simply said. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have blamed you." He said taking a step forward. "It wasn't your fault. You lost her too." And Liam hugged me tightly. While I sobbed into his shoulder.

Later that day, I was sitting in the dinner in which Gordon had brought the first time we met. A hot cup of coffee sat in front of me. I was mostly rethinking most of my decisions. Most of the choices I've made. Sharing my knowledge of future events, I've caused all of this All those deaths.

"I knew I'd find you here." Gordon said sitting across the table. He ordered a coffee. "You should have told me about the funerals, kid."

I leaned back into my seat. "I didn't want to bother with that. Especially, with everything that's going on." I looked up at him. "Have you ever felt like—giving up?"

"What would that accomplish?" He answered instead. "Give up and then what? Let all the innocent and good people of Gotham in the hands of the monsters like the Joker or the mob."

"The good people of Gotham." I shook my head at this. "All of them were quick to believe that Batman had turned rogue."

"It was what he wanted." Gordon reminded sourly.

"I know." I sighed. "It's just that…"

"Emma." Gordon rested his hand on mine. "We are making a difference. It's not huge. It's not visible. But it matters just the same. We do this job because it needs to be done. We do it to make our world better."

"Can it become better; though?" I asked him.

"We have to believe it can." He simply answered.

"You knew all this time, didn't you?" Rachel asked me as we met each other in Bruce's loft. "You knew who he really was."

"Yes." I simply answered. "And so, do you. But it doesn't matter anyway. He's no longer Batman."

"You don't approve of his choice?" Rachel asked me.

"Whether, I approve or not doesn't matter. What matters is that the streets of Gotham will be safer for it" I answered.

"You don't approve." Rachel said. "Neither do I. But I thank him for protecting Harvey's memory."

"You're very much welcome."

"He musts trust you a lot to tell you his secret." Rachel suggested.

"He musts, indeed." I retorted.

In spite of the many people who knew about Batman's sacrifice, I still felt bitter about it. I was still thinking about maybe quitting my job. Especially, knowing what was to come. Bane and Talia Al Gul. They would come and they would turn Gotham upside down. Initially, I had every intention to use and share my knowledge with Bruce, I finally decided against it. Not saying anything was for the best.

A few weeks later, I was down in the bunker with Bruce. He was putting away all of his gadgets. Each and every gadget that he had acquired since he first took a stand as the vigilante.

"What will you do now?" I asked him as he put the last piece in the Batsuit compartment.

"I will help Gotham still but as Bruce Wayne, this time." Bruce answered. "Gotham doesn't need the vigilante anymore. I don't need to hide behind a mask."

"And you, don't you still need the Batman?" I asked as he stepped towards me and sat on the chair next to mine.

"I don't need Batman." Bruce replied. "Batman was always meant to help Gotham. It was never for me."

"He did and yet the people hate him for it" I pointed out.

"We've already discussed about it, Emma." He reminded me. "You agreed that it was the right call."

"I never said it was fair." I exhaled as I stood up.

"Do you need Batman?" He asked standing up behind me.

"I don't know." I turned to face him. "I mean—it felt nice to know that a vigilante had my back." I shrugged. "But I'll get used to it."

"You, Gordon and Rachel are still out there." Bruce said. "Gotham will be safe in your hands."

Two months since the Dark Knight was last seen.

The time came for me to move back into my own apartment. Technically I didn't, I found myself another place in town. Away from the building Sue and I used to live together. There was an underground parking lot, where I could park my bike. It Was slightly bigger than the old one. Believe it or not, there was a clear view on the bridge. I could have passed the offer, chose another flat but didn't. In the years that followed, I would use the bridge as a constant reminder of what's to come. A storm that would ravage Gotham and leave an open wound. A wound that would fester in the hands of Bane and Talia.

Many things have changed since Harvey Dent's face. A new legislation had been passed by the congress. The Dent Act, in honor of Harvey's "uncompromising stand" against organized crime and his "sacrifice." This act made our job and the D. A's much easier. Any criminal connected to the Mob, regardless of their power and wealth, is imprisoned and denied parole and the right to file for an insanity plea. To my opinion, the only bright side to Batman taking the blame. Although, I knew that it would come back to bite us in the ass.

Bruce held true to his words. He was determined to help Gotham, still. Through his enterprise, just like his father did before him. I didn't know, if he was feeling bitter or not about giving up on Batman. But I knew, he needed purpose. And helping Gotham was that. Him finding purpose in his life. Harvey Dent was recognized as the hero who saved Gotham and Bruce Wayne touched by his sacrifice was helping the city in his turn.

And yes, the law enforcement was still actively working against the mob, the corruption and the filth that roamed in the streets of Gotham. I was still working with Stephens at the MCU. Commissioner Gordon was still working there too. Maybe, he didn't want to get away from the last piece, however broken it was, that tied him, us to the cape crusader. Sometimes, he would go up to the rooftop and just read his files there. Next to the damaged Bat-signal. He was, I guess, coping in his own way.

Rachel was now working with a new District Attorney. Joanna Pierce who moved from Chicago to Gotham. It would be a tough job for to follow up in the steps of Harvey Dent. Because in spite of how things turned out in the end. Harvey was good in his job. Even though he turned into the monster that we knew Two-Face to be. I've seen her a few times. She was five feet five-inch woman, of African American descent. Her hair was curly and black and her eyes were brown. According to Rachel, who had interacted with more than I did. She was determined to clean the streets of Gotham, just like Harvey was before her. She was highly intelligent and very much-loved working with Rachel. And it was mutual.

Life was following its course. As if nothing had happened two months prior.

I wore my grey sweatpants, my large red flannel shirt, a glass of wine was sitting on my coffee table. TV played in the background as I read police reports about a case I was working on. Reviewing the autopsy reports, the multiples evidences when a knock resonated on my door.

"Mr. Wayne." I smiled seeing that it was Bruce on the other side of the door. "I didn't know you were in the neighborhood."

He was wearing a pair of jeans and a simple shirt. It was all accessorized with a red hoodie. "Well, it's been a while since we've seen each other. I thought I should come and check up on you."

"We've seen each other last week." I said frowning at his back as he walked into the living room.

"No, we didn't." He argued. "You were there because of your obsession over that telenovela." He scrunched up his nose.

"It's a good show." He gave me a blank stare. "It is. There's drama, tragedy, crimes, passion, love." True A month ago, Alfred and I started watching a telenovela. At first, we were making of the dramatics. It was too much at times, too may things going on. But somehow, we got sucked in. "You should really watch." I said moving to the coffee table. "You never know you might even laugh."

"I think I can survive." He shook his head.

"Why are you really here?" I asked him closing the file I was reading few minutes ago. "You want to drink something?" I added quickly.

"I'll have what you're having." He said eyeing my glass of wine.

"Alright." I said grabbing the glass of wine and moving to the kitchen. Bruce followed me and sat at the small kitchen table. "So?"

I pulled a wine glass from the cabinet and poured some of the red wine for him. "Like I said, I wanted to check up on you." I set down the glass in front of him.

"As you can see, I'm alright." I answered.

I eyed him for a few minutes as he sipped his wine. He seemed hesitant, thinking. His eyes focused on me. We looked at each other for a few seconds. None of us said a word. The tension in the room shifted. Heavy with something I have been avoiding for quite some times.

"I thought you needed some times, after Harvey's death." I said as way of an explanation. "And the truth is I needed some times."

"Time for what?" Bruce asked softly. He didn't ask me to clarify, he just knew what I was talking about.

"Time to think. To heal. To reconsider, maybe?" I retorted leaning in, resting my forearms on the table. "Time to figure out where I stand. To figure out where we stand."

"And where do we stand?"

"I don't know." I shrugged. "I mean those make out sessions were kinda good. And the cuddling, tasteful." Bruce emitted a low laugh. "In all seriousness, it depends on both of us. If we're ready and willing to take the risk."

"I want to take the risk." Bruce said. I looked up at him as he reached out and rested his hand over mine. "I still want you in my life, Detective."

"I want you in my life too, Mr. Wayne."

Bruce leaned closer, his right hand brushed some strands away from my face, tucked them behind my ear. I leaned in, as his hand found its place in the back of my head. While he kissed me.