Mother Nature's Affair

Chapter 10: Nature Always Wins

A little while later, as Ivy was napping with Rose, Derrick and Mark were getting some snacks.

Derrick said, "so, how have you and Harley been?"

Mark replied, "well, things have been going great. But…. We've got something big coming up."

Derrick, "what is it?"

Mark, "she's pregnant."

Derrick, "... oh. Is it, uh...?"

Mark nodded, "it's that monster's."

Derrick, "are you okay with this?"

Mark, "I know about Harley's past. I know the Joker was a monster. But I'm not gonna hold it against her, or the baby. I'm gonna treat them as if they were my own."

Derrick, "is that why Harley's been wearing loose clothing?"

Mark nodded, "the baby should be due in about a month or two. The pregnancy is slow due to the chemicals that Joker and Harley both fell in."

Derrick nodded, "well, I hope things work out for you guys."

Mark, "thanks man. So, another topic; Harley mentioned someone trying, 'pick up her work.'"

Derrick, "what do you mean?"

Mark, "some chick that calls herself, 'PunchLine.' Another girl the Joker must've messed up, given how she started leading the Joker gang after Harley left it."

Derrick, "eh, we can only hope she doesn't cause too much trouble."

That's when their gaze drifted over to the TV.

ScareCrow was broadcasting Batman breaking down at the safe house Ivy had been taken to. An empty wheelchair was in the room before him.

Mark, "what's going on with Batman?"

Derrick, "I think I know what Crane's doing. He must be using the fear toxin to make him see something."

Mark, "and what's that?"

Derrick, "based on the wheelchair…. The death of Barbara Gordon."

….

It was later, when Batman returned to the GCPD.

Derrick sat in the back with Ivy, Rose and Clover, when he noticed Batman talking to Cash. He quickly made his way over, and heard Cash say, "no, don't say it. Not her."

Derrick, "what? What happened?"

Batman, "Barbara is dead."

Derrick looked at Cash and Batman before he said, "no she isn't."

Batman, "what?"

Derrick, "that broadcast that Crane showed. There was no-one in that room. He tricked you."

Batman had an unreadable look as Cash said, "oh, thank God. If she was…. I don't know what I'd do. Or Hell, what Jim would do."

Batman looked relieved as he said, "I need to speak with Ivy."

Derrick nodded as he and Batman approached the now awake Ivy.

Batman looked to Ivy and said, "I need your help."

Ivy, "why? What's going on?"

Batman, "ScareCrow is planning on using a weapon known as the CloudBurst. I need your help to stop it, or else everything in Gotham will die. That includes all of the plants."

Ivy was silent for a moment before saying, "there's an ancient plant that may be able to undo the effects of the fear gas."

Batman, "can you lead me there?"

Ivy, "not unless Derrick, Rose and Clover come with. I'm not letting any of them out of my sight until this night is over."

Batman nodded as he had the family follow him. They made their way through the GCPD and into the Batmobile. Ivy and Derrick sat next to one another as Derrick held Rose, and Ivy held Clover.

Eventually they made it to an ancient plant, under the bridges.

Ivy explained how the plant was kept from growing because of all of the construction.

And so Batman ran off to find a way to help the plant, while Ivy entered the plant itself in order to help it grow.

Derrick found a nearby room for him to watch over Rose and Clover, with a small bridge leading to the plant.

As the hours went on, everything got hectic!

ScareCrow's tanks had tried to attack the plant, but Batman was able to deal with them. A few thugs had attacked, but Derrick and Clover had made short work of them.

And then, chaos flourished!

The fear gas was unleashed. It was thanks to Derricks position above it that kept him safe. But it pained him to hear Ivy groan in pain from trying to deal with the gas.

Batman had been able to find some more plants to help.

But it was during a major fight with the Knight that had made the building Derrick was in begin to shake, debris falling on top of him as he covered Rose in protection.

….

Derrick woke up to see Ivy collapsing outside of the plant into Batman's arms, looking very sick. She had managed to stop the fear gas, but it took a great deal out of her.

Derrick ran over as she said, "nature always wins."

Derrick, "Ivy, please, no!"

Batman put Ivy into Derrick's arms as her skin looked like it was ready to fade away.

Ivy, "I'm s-sorry, m-my love. I g-gave all I c-could to s-save this city."

Derrick sobbed, "please no! No! I can't lose you too!"

But what they weren't expecting, was that Rose touched her hands to Ivy's.

Ivy, "I'm s-sorry m-my little Rose. I g-guess this is g-goodbye."

But then, to everyone's astonishment, Rose started to babble, as if trying to say something, and suddenly, her hands began glowing, and Ivy's completion began to grow healthy!

Derrick and the Batman gasped as they watched Ivy return to perfect health, with Rose falling onto her butt, and then laying down, exhausted.

Derrick, "IVY!"

Derrick and Ivy embraced as Batman took a step back, actually smiling at the two of them.

Derrick, "I thought I lost you."

Ivy pulled Rose to them with a vine, hitting her daughter as she said, "I thought so too. I had no idea Rose had so much power like that!"

Derrick, "I'm just glad you're both alright. I don't know what I'd do if I lost either of you."

Ivy, "same here."

Batman said, "I'll send a squad car to pick you all up. All of you deserve some rest and relaxation after tonight. Thank you for everything you've done."

Derrick nodded, "you're welcome. And thank you Batman."

Batman nodded before swinging off.

….

About an hour later, we see Derrick and his family back at the GCPD, taking comfort in one another.

Rose was napping the entire time, saving her mom tiring her out.

Harley and Mark had questioned them about everything that had happened involving the fear gas and the giant plants.

As the night went on, Cash kept them informed about what Batman had been up to, as well as running into him whenever he brought in a villain.

He had managed to apprehend the various rogues around the city, including a Man-Bat creature of some kind, who was really a man named Kirk Langstrom, Two-Face, the Penguin, (Ivy had kicked him in the balls for what he did), Fire-Fly, a man named Simon Stagg, a fire chief who had been working with Fire-Fly, a serial killer who called himself Pyg, a heavily mutated Killer Croc, the magically resurrected Ra's Al Guul and the Mad Hatter.

Batman had also run into Mr. Freeze that night, but he had let the man and his wife, Nora, sail off, to spend whatever time they had left with one another.

At one point, Mark and Halrey had gone with Batman to deal with Punchline and the Joker gang after they took over the movie studios.

PunchLine was gonna be kept there until the night ended.

Hours later, Batman had managed to bring in DeathStroke after finding Barbara, and discovering the identity of the Arkham Knight/ Red Hood.

Jason Todd.

A man who was thought long dead, had been captured and tortured by the Joker for an entire year before escaping and becoming the Arkham Knight/ the Red Hood.

Everyone had welcomed Barbara back happily, glad yo see her alive and well after everything that had been going on that night.

And as they waited for Batman to come back, CatWoman burst into the GCPD!

Derrick, "Selina?!"

Ivy, "what are you doing here!?"

Selina, "Batman has been taken by Crane. I need your help to save him, Gordon and Robin."

Ivy, "I can't help. I'm too weak after everything that's happened tonight."

Derrick got up, "I'll go."

Mark got up too, "me too."

Harley and Ivy shared a look as they watched their men run after Selina.

When they got outside, they found the old Batmobile sitting there.

And a more peculiar sight.

The Red Hood, now wearing a white coat over his completely red circular helmet.

Derrick, "what're you doing here?!"

Jason, "I may have my problems with the Bat, but after tonight, I ain't letting Crane get the last laugh."

The others nodded as they all piled into the car and drove off.

Derrick, "where did he take Batman and the others?"

Jason, "where else? The place that started this whole thing."

….

Later, we see the car arrive outside of the old and rundown Arkham Asylum.

The four of them snuck into the building, and found Crane holding a gun to Robin, forcing Jim to show the world who Batman was!

But before he could, Derrick shot at Crane's feet!

Crane glared at them all.

Derrick, "I don't think so John!"

Crane, "it's a shame Knight, that you did not have the nerve to finish this!"

RH, "I am the Red Hood. And I don't work for you!"

Crane, "... if I cannot show the world who the Batman is, I will break his mind!"

Crane pushed Jim away over to Robin.

Crane suddenly plunged his toxin into Batman!

Gordon tackled Crane as the others all got down!

Red Hood and Catwoman began freeing Batman as he twitched about, fighting something within his mind!

Derrick and the others were all thrown away from Crane as he grabbed his gun and ran to Batman.

But to everyone's shock, Batman suddenly grabbed Crane and said, "I'm not afraid Crane."

Crane, "impossible! Without fear, life is meaningless!"

Batman forced the toxin into Crane, making him step back in fear as Batman said, "what's the matter? Scared?"

To Crane, Batman looked like a demonic creature with bats swarming all around him!

Crane screamed in horror as Gordon stepped up and punched him to the ground.

Everyone turned to Batman as he said, "thank you. All of you."

The Red Hood, Jason, simply nodded as he used a grappling hook to swing off.

Gordon picked Robin off of the ground and said, "let's all get back to the GCPD."

Batman turned to Selina and said, "you all go ahead. Me and Selina have some things to catch up on."

The others nodded as Derrick, Mark, Gordon and Robin made their way to the classic Batmobile, and drove back to the GCPD.

….

Things seemed to grow peaceful after all of that.

People began moving back into the city.

The criminals were being kept on high alert until they could be given a proper place of containment.

And Derrick went back home.

With Ivy, Rose and Clover.

With their help, Batman had been able to save Gotham once again.

And things were only going to get better in the near future….

….

Reviews:

Nathaniel Card: I was referring to when Ivy dies in Arkham Knight, saving the city from the fear toxin.

Amanny: glad you liked these ideas.

Shakespeare1994: I'm glad you've been enjoying the story.

….

The ending was changed, since I wanted to continue to use Batman in this story.

Also, I always thought it was strange how Crane seemed to broadcast what happened to Barbara, but only Batman would've seen her shoot herself. So how come no one said, "uh, I saw the TV. She wasn't even there!"

So I had Derrick be the one to tell Batman.

I forgot to mention Harley being pregnant in earlier chapters, so I had Mark mention it.

And thus, Ivy lives! Because of Rose having abilities like her mom, she was able to give Ivy the blast she needed to stop the fear toxin without dying.

And I mentioned Punchline, since she seemed like a good option to replace Harley when Batman fights the Joker at the movie studios.

I have a poll going on.

For my Hobbit story.

It's to choose whether Kili lives or dies at the end.