Through all of the time Bruce knew her, Rachel Dawes had dedicated her career to eliminating crime in Gotham City. Some said that she was more obsessed than the Batman himself, even Bruce had taken an eerie notice of this. Though one thing Rachel was not and never would be, was a fan of masked superheroes. She was hardly a supporter of the Justice League.

Rachel was a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne. At one point they had even considered each other best friends. Rachel's mother had worked for Thomas Wayne as a physician's assistant and the two would often play together on the grounds of Wayne Manor. After the murder of Bruce's parents by Joe Chill, Rachel's mother sought out employment elsewhere and the two had left Gotham City. She and Bruce had drifted apart considerably during that time and their friendship was never truly the same.

Rachel later enrolled in Gotham University for law and subsequently had landed herself an internship at the Gotham City District Attorney's office during her freshman year. She and Bruce had reconnected but not long after Chill had been murdered for testifying against Carmine Falcone. Bruce had then revealed to Rachel that he had, at one point in his early teenage years, fantasized on killing Chill himself. Rachel berated Bruce, telling him that his late parents would have been ashamed of him. This in turn lead into an argument where Rachel left Wayne manor in angry and she had yet to ever go back. Not long after their fight, Rachel heard word that Bruce had left Gotham and the United States. For what, she didn't really care. She had determinedly continued her studies in law school. Years later, she became a ruthless assistant district attorney.

After threatening the notorious crime boss Carmine "The Roman" Falcone with a hefty jail sentence and a bombardment of evidence that would easily win her the case, a hit had placed on her. When two assailants attempted to murder her, Rachel was rescued by Gotham's new and mysterious vigilante, Batman. The Dark Knight had also supplied her with incriminating photographs relating to other crime bosses so that they too could be sent to jail when the time came. Around the same time, she had found out that Bruce Wayne had returned to Gotham about a year before. Rachel was at first surprised that he didn't bother to even tell her that he had returned but soon was vastly disappointed that he had apparently became a selfish playboy during his time away.

Months later, after a riot incited by the inmates caused a jailbreak, the city was soon overrun by Stonegate Penitentiary's most dangerous inmates. Rachel had found herself surrounded by the very criminals she had helped put away, ready to kill her in retaliation. Batman ended up saving her at the last minute and gave Rachel a rather blatant hint as to his secret identity. Just when Rachel had realized that her masked savior was none other than her childhood friend, Bruce Wayne himself, he left to save the remaining innocent, nearby civilians and round up the rest of the loose convicts.

Days after the riot, Rachel had confronted Bruce. She told Bruce that when the day came that Gotham no longer needed Batman, she would be there waiting for him. After years of waiting and various failed relationship attempts between the two, she would eventually tell him that while Gotham may not need Batman one day, Bruce Wayne would always need the Batman. In turn their relationship was shattered and still was to this very day. Though Bruce still trusted her with his secret and, if it ever came to it, his own life.

"Why am I here Bruce?" The petite, brown haired woman impatiently asked as she sat in a booth across from the playboy billionaire himself. "And you better give me a good reason. I don't want to hear any of your bullshit."

Bruce suddenly felt a case of déjà vu sweep around him. "Because I need you to do me a favor," he said giving her a dazzling smile. "Besides, you owe me anyway Rachel. Well technically you owe the other guy."

"Who in this city doesn't?" The woman blew some stray hairs out of her face as she rolled her eyes. "Give me a good reason why I should help you. And just who am I helping? Because I know you don't need a lawyer. Vicki Vale would make sure that it would be on the front page of Gotham Daily."

He lightly rolled his eyes at the mere mention of Vale. She had been the worst of his ex-girlfriends he still had to deal with, "You can say it's for a friend, a close friend."

"What kind of friend?" She dryly asked. "Because we were best friends and you would never help me like this."

"Of course I would but she-"

She rolled her eyes as she sighed, "Must be the new woman of the week, or day, that needs help. Let me guess a European supermodel this time? Don't tell me it's Selina Kyle again because I'm not helping that flea-ridden dirtbag again. I was the laughing-stock of the office for a year. You made me look like a goddamn idiot Bruce!"

"She's from my other job, the bigger job," he said in a hushed tone. "The one out in space."

Her eyes widen in realization, "Oh right, that line of work, your heroic endeavors. I don't care much for your little hero's convention club. So one of your superhero friends got herself into trouble?"

"She's not in legal trouble," Bruce then rolled his eyes as he then muttered, "At least, I hope she won't get herself into any."

"Come on Bruce, who is it? Just lay it on me."

Bruce looked around to make sure no one was near as he leaned over the table and quietly replied, "Shayera Hol."

Rachel almost spit her coffee onto Bruce. Instead she began to choke on it. It took her a few moments to recompose herself. Bruce could tell that she was clearly not happy by what he just told her.

"Her!? You want me to help her? Come on Bruce!" Rachel groaned in exasperation as she threw her hands in the air. "My damn reputation is going to be destroyed at this rate. I know we were friends and all but this doesn't seem hardly worth it. It had to be Hawkgirl of all people. Catwoman sounds like a godsend right now."

"Your reputation is hardly important here Rachel. She needs your help," Rachel sighed as she gestured for him to continue. "She's filing for citizenship so that she can get married. Though she has a particular...issue that has been discovered and we need this over with quickly and quietly. You know people; you know judges. You can get things done and get them done fast."

Rachel inhaled as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "Can't she wait a few months? My caseload is huge right now. I'd probably have more time to handle this in like five or six months."

"She can't wait that long. That's too long."

Rachel raised an eyebrow, "Why not? This isn't an emergency. It's not like the US is going to kick her off of the planet or something. Getting married isn't that urgent either."

"It's not my place to say anything about why. All I can say is that she can't wait that long," Bruce then placed his hand over hers. "Rachel just help me this one last time and I won't bother you again."

She sighed and shook her head, "That's what you said the last three times and they all involved-"

"Catwoman and you became the laughing stock of Gotham's bar association," he frowned. "I know, you tell me that story every time we see each other."

"Yet it hasn't sunk in. You're going to owe me bigtime Bruce. You and the other guy both owe me now. ADAs don't even usually do cases like this," she got up and was about to leave. "I'll see if I can pull some strings. Your friend might not have to stand a trial, just maybe some formal hearings if I can't keep her out of a courtroom if at all possible."

"Rachel," he began as he gave her a light smile. "Thank you."

She gave him a curt nod, "I'll see what I can do but I'm not promising anything just yet."