Alright, final chapter of BB! I'm actually pretty proud of this chapter, as it's going to set the foundation for quite a bit in the future.

In the spirit of wrapping up the first movie: There are three hints throughout the first five chapters for Kristina's biological dad. Can you spot them? Can you guess who he is? I'll give you a hint: He's a DC character, and I'm pretty sure just about everybody knows him.

Once Mr. Al Ghul had led her back into the ballroom, Kristina spied Bruce, talking to Lucius. She started to step over to talk to him and ask if Rachel was ok, but the tight grip Ra's had on her hand stopped her.

"Just wait, little one, we're going to surprise Bruce." He told her, smiling. But the smile didn't look like the warm one from before; it looked darker, and a little meaner.

But there wasn't much she could do before he pulled her away, circling Bruce like a shark as a blonde woman pulled him over to a man with a beard just like Ra's. She looked up at her new friend in confusion, but he wasn't looking at her. He was staring at Bruce, eyes gleaming, his hand starting to get tighter on hers. As Bruce and the blonde woman greeted the man, Ra's pulled her forward, strolling casually up to Bruce and putting his cane over his shoulder.

"You're not Ra's Al Ghul." She heard her foster father say in an accusing tone. "I watched him die."

That one sentence sent confusion flooding through her, and a little bit of fear. She looked up at the real Ra's, the one holding her hand, but he was smirking at Bruce's back before he finally spoke.

"But is Ra's Al Ghul immortal?" He asked softly, "Are his methods supernatural?"

Bruce turned, his jaw tightening. He didn't seem to notice Kris yet, who was standing a little ways behind Ra's out of fear. What was going on? Jonathan would never send someone her way to hurt her, would he?

"Or are they cheap parlor tricks to conceal your true identity, Ra's?" Bruce accused lowly, his face darkening. The man in question only smirked, amusement coloring his face.

"Surely a man who spends his nights scrambling across Gotham's rooftops wouldn't judge me on dual identities." He mocked, and Kris took another step back as his fingers slipped through hers in distraction, freeing her. She could practically see the tension between the two, and while she wanted to run, a part of her stayed. What if Bruce needed help?

"I saved your life." Bruce told the man harshly, but Ra's face only dropped to something akin to irritation.

"I warned you about compassion, Bruce." He told his prior pupil, and Bruce looked around. That was when his gaze fell on Kristina, and his eyes widened. Turning to Ra's, his voice dropped to a whisper, almost pleading.

"Your quarrel is with me, and me alone. Let this people go, let Kris go."

Ra's Al Ghul only tilted his head mockingly. "You are welcome to explain the situation to them," he whispered back, taunting the man, before nodding back at Kris. The twelve-year-old turned to go find Alfred but found two large men dressed all in black blocking her way. One of them clamped a firm hand on her shoulder, and her voice caught in her throat, heart pounding in fear as Ra's spoke again. "And as for Kristina, it's very important to me that she witnesses this."

Bruce stared into the child's eyes, wide and terrified, as she looked back at him. His jaw tensed again, and he grabbed a glass of champagne off a waiter's tray as he turned, walking towards the center of the room. At first, Kris's heart dropped in confusion, but then her foster father began speaking.

"Everyone!" He exclaimed, his tone of voice now light, arrogant, and a bit slurred. "Everybody!" The music stopped as everyone turned to him. "I want to thank everyone for coming here tonight, and drinking all of my booze." The crowd laughed lightly, but Bruce wasn't smiling. He took a large gulp of his drink and looked around again. "See, that's the thing about being a Wayne is, you're never short a few freeloaders."

Even at twelve, Kris's stomach turned as she realized what was happening. Bruce was trying to evacuate the party. She turned to look at Ra's, a new sense of urgency over taking her. Who was this man? Ra's actually reached a hand out, gesturing at the man who was holding her shoulder. He let go, but right as she was about to start walking towards Bruce, he put a hand on her shoulders, holding her directly in front of him. She trembled as Bruce continued to speak, the feeling of Ra's leather gloves on her bare shoulders constantly reaffirming the danger she was now in.

"So, here's to you people." Bruce sneered, holding up his glass and then lifting it to his lips to take another swig. An older man stepped forward, putting a hand on his shoulder and whispering something, but the young billionaire shrugged him off, slurring something about not being finished.

"So, to all of you phonies, you two-faced friends, you sycophantic suck-ups," as he went on, the crowed was murmuring among themselves, looking confused and just a touch ashamed, "please, leave me in peace. Please go." The crowd looked at him in shock, but he only threw a hand towards the door, scowling. "It's not a joke, go." His voice took on a hard tone, and everyone started filing out, staring at both Bruce and each other as if to mentally ask, is this really happening? What's going on?

The crowd filed out, and several made passing comments to the billionaire, but Kris was too busy looking up at Ra's Al Ghul in horror. The man patted her head lightly, whispering, "It's alright, little one. Come." He said it gently, but his hand, tight on her shoulder, let her know that it wasn't a request. As they neared Bruce and the last party guest left the room, she slipped from Ra's hold and ran to Bruce, locking her arms around his waist again. Her foster father put a comforting arm around her shoulders, holding her tightly as he glared up at his former teacher.

"Amusing." Ra's observed dryly, "but pointless. None of these people are going to live, your actions at the asylum forced my hand."

"So, Crane was working for you." Bruce stated darkly, and Kris found herself wanting to ask why they kept mentioning her friend, but the words were caught in her throat. All she could think about was herself and Bruce getting away safely.

"Of course. His gas is derived from the organic compound found in our blue flowers; he was able to weaponize it." They all began walking down the hall towards the library, and Kris didn't dare let go of her foster father, clinging to him. She felt safe under his arm, he was Batman. Nothing could hurt him, and as long as nothing could hurt him, then nothing could hurt her.

"He's not a member of the League of Shadows." Bruce said. It wasn't a question, and Ra's scoffed slightly.

"Of course not. He thought our plan was to hold the city to ransom."

"Is that why Kris is here? You know about her connection to him?" The vigilante did not want this to happen here, he didn't want this to be how the new member of the Wayne family found out about her family ties. But he didn't really have the courtesy of being gentle about it, right now. He had to ensure she survived.

"No, actually." Ra's denied, a secretive smile taking hold of his face. "I requested to meet her when I arrived in Gotham." He looked warmly at the child. "Crane tells me of her intelligence, her superiority over other children. It's something I've been searching for."

The compliments did little to lessen the hostility in Kris's gaze as she glared at him from her safe place by her hero.

"But you're really going to release Crane's poison on the entire city." Bruce observed, trying to deflect the attention away from the young girl, and Kris felt horror seep into her bones.

Poison? Was Jonathan behind what happened to Bruce?

No, he couldn't be. He wasn't like most adults, she knew him.

Right?

"And watch Gotham tear itself apart thought fear." Ra's finished, a proud, sardonic smirk taking over his face.

"You're going to destroy millions of lives." Bruce growled lowly, slowing down as the tyrant continued walking ahead of him.

"Only a cynical man would call what these people have 'lives'." Ra's retorted, "Crime, despair; this is not how man was supposed to live." They stopped, facing each other. "The League of Shadows has been a check against human corruption for thousands of years. We sacked Rome, loaded trade ships with plague rats, burned London to the ground. Every time a civilization reaches it decadence, we return to restore the balance."

"Gotham isn't beyond saving." Bruce attempted to reason, "Give me more time. There are good people here."

As the two bantered, Kris honestly wondered who was right. She'd suffered firsthand at the problems in Gotham: hunger, abuse, and at times when she ran away from whatever foster home they'd attempted to place her in, homelessness. But she also knew that there would good people in the city, just like Bruce said.

Was Gotham really that bad? Had it gone too far?

"You were my greatest student," she tuned back into the conversation as Ra's tone took on a regretful shadow, "it should be you standing by my side as we save the world."

Bruce glared back at the man, and responded, his voice dark, yet soft. "I'll be standing where I belong. Between you, and the people of Gotham."

Both Kris and Bruce expected the man to get angry. But then, the dictator's gaze shifted to Kris, and he smiled.

"It's does not matter anymore. I've already rectified my mistake."

The vigilante's face shadowed in confusion, and then dropped. Realization and horror seemed to dawn on him, and his lips parted as he stared at the tyrant in front of him, his words solidifying in his head. He pushed Kris behind him, and the young girl let go of his waist, backing away in fear and uncertainty.

"You didn't want to meet Kristina because of Crane; you need an heir."

"The League of Shadows will always need a new leader." Ra's told him, eyes gleaming. "I am always very careful when it comes to choosing my new pupils."

"Did Crane know?"

Ra's scoffed. "Of course not. I simply told him there would be a better life for himself and the last member of his family, should he work for me. After that, it took very little persuading."

At the word 'family' Kris felt her head swim. She didn't have any family, Jonathan wasn't related to her! He was her friend, he would have told her! Tears started to well up in her eyes, but she blinked them away harshly. She would not cry, not in front of them.

Ra's took a step closer to Bruce, "No one can save Gotham."

As he nodded behind them, a loud crash caused Kris to jump and turn in fear. The black-suited men that had been following them were tipping over furniture, and pulling out large bottles. As they began splashing the liquid inside onto the broken furniture and the floors, the smell hit her nose and almost made her gag.

Gasoline.

"When a forest grows too wild, a purging fire is inevitable and natural." Ra's continued as the men threw sparks onto the gasoline, flames springing up and dancing across the fuel. Normally, Kris loved watching them, but now, all she felt was fear and disgust.

"Tomorrow the world will watch in horror as it's greatest city destroys itself. And this time, nothing will stand in our way."

"You've tried to sack Gotham before?" Bruce accused, and Ra's shrugged.

"Of course! Our weapons have grown more sophisticated over the years, but this time, we tried a new one: economics. However, we severely underestimated some of Gotham's citizens."

Kris felt herself stop dead as his words sunk in, and she turned to Bruce. The look on face told her that he understood what the mad man was getting at, as well.

"Your parents were gunned down by one of the very people they were trying to help." Ra's taunted as he strode past Bruce, and Kris pressed herself up against a wall beside them, not wanting to be close to the man anymore. He wasn't paying attention to her, though. "Create enough hunger, and everyone becomes a criminal. Their deaths galvanized the city into saving itself, and it has limped on ever since. We are back to finish the job."

The flames were growing, licking the ceiling, causing pieces of it to drop onto the ground. Kris gave a small yelp as she narrowly missed being hit by a small, burning piece of wood, and she turned back to the men in terror. "Bruce!"

But neither acknowledged her as they spoke, and she looked around frantically. As she did, her eyes fell upon one of the broken table legs from her little accident a few weeks ago. She looked back over at the pair as she slinked gracefully over to it, reaching out to curly her fingers around the heavy wooden blunt.

"When someone stands in the way of true justice," Ra's continued, his eyes glinting with wicked triumph, "you simply come up behind them, and stab them in the heart."

A man dropped behind Bruce, and Kris's heart jumped. "Bruce, look out!"

The billionaire turned, stopping the man's fist and slammed his own into his head, knocking him to the ground heavily. Ra's Al Ghul pulled the handle of his cane, revealing a long sword. The two began to dance, the dictator slashing at the vigilante, and Bruce barely managing to keep himself from being cut. Finally, he grabbed the sword between two flat hands and pulled it down, the two coming face-to-face.

"I am going to stop you." He snarled lowly, and for a split second, Kris forgot who was fighting, Batman, or Bruce Wayne.

"You never did learn to mind your surroundings!"

With that exclamation, Ra's shoved his former pupil away, and a large, burning beam fell on top of him, pinning him to the ground. A scream ripped its way out of Kris's throat, soaked in surprise, fear, but most of all, fury.

Running forward, she reached up, swinging the piece of wood at Al Ghul as hard as she could. He brought a hand up, stopping it effortlessly, and smirked at her.

"Don't worry, little one, you will learn." He proclaimed, and yanked the makeshift weapon from her hands, throwing it into the flames away from them. Before she could back away, he reached out, grabbing her arm in an iron grip.

"Justice is about balance." Ra's snarled at Bruce, who was groaning and still trapped under the burning log. "You burned my house and left me for dead. Consider us even."

"Bruce!" Kris screamed, kicking and bucking against the hold Ra's had on her arm, "Bruce! Get up! Please get up! You can beat him! Get up!"

But her foster father, the vigilante, the Batman, her hero, could not lift the weight of the flaming wood that pinned him down.

"Bruce! Bruce, please, don't let them take me!" Was the last thing he heard before they had pulled her from the burning home.

Kris struggled angrily against the hold on her arm, desperate to run back into the home. But as the exited the front door, Ra's turned towards her, stopping them.

"Let me go!" She cried, trying to kick him. But her blows did little to him, and he reached a hand behind him.

"I'm sorry, young one, but you must remain out of my way for this part. Don't worry." He smiled at her before he lunged, and then a rag was pressed over her mouth and nose.

Kris scrambled angrily as an intense smell nearly choked her, stinging her nose and throat. But as soon as it started, it stopped, and her limbs felt heavy. The world started to go dark around the edges, and when his hold was gone from her arm, she found herself pitching to the side. A pair of arms caught her, though, and scooped her up bridal style. She was being rocked slightly, like the person holding her was walking, and the chest she was pressed up against rumbled lowly as she heard the very last words from him before it all went black.

"You have nothing to fear from me."

Before she even opened her eyes, Kris knew things were bad. She could hear loud screams coming from outside, and a loud, low-pitched hum seemed to vibrate the air around her. She groaned softly, her limbs weighed a million pounds, and her head felt like a brick. She shifted, and felt her joints pressing into something hard.

"Ah, you're awake."

The voice trickled into her consciousness, and it nearly made her jump when her mind finally came into focus and she realized who was speaking. Gasping, she sat up.

She was laying on the floor of the train, next to a large, metal block with a glowing blue circle at the center. She realized it was the source of the loud humming, and she looked around in confusion until she found the one who had spoken.

Ra's Al Ghul was standing at the head of the train, working the controls. He pressed a button and the train lurched forward, nearly knocking her onto her back again. Glaring at him, she stood, stumbling slightly as her weak legs began to wake up again. Her flats had either fallen off or been taken off, but she was grateful.

She'd learned that fighting and running was easier barefoot.

"Where are we going?"

"We are spreading the legacy of the League of Shadows, Kristina." Ra's told her softly, holding onto the doorway to the conductor's pod as the train continued onward, rumbling down the tracks. It was then that Kris heard it.

Screaming. So loud, so horrifying and bloodcurdling, that it managed to rise above the sound of the machine humming in her ears, and the train thundering over the tracks. Looking at the window, her face dropped in terror as she saw white gas being spread as they whizzed by, the dark figures of people scrambling below them. She looked at the machine, then at Ra's Al Ghul.

"This doesn't look like a legacy." She accused harshly, but he only smiled at her tone, looking down and then back up at her again.

"I know you are too young to understand now, Kristina, but we will leave this wretched place together. As you grow, I will teach you the things I was taught, the things I taught many others."

"Like Bruce?"

"Yes, like him. And like my daughter."

Kris shook her head, taking several steps back. "No. I won't go with you, let me off now."

Ra's chuckled mirthlessly, gesturing around them, "I'm afraid there is no stopping this train, little one, but you are welcome to attempt to get off if you wish."

He was taunting her, he knew she wouldn't jump from the moving doors. And she wouldn't, that would be suicide.

So, she did the best thing she could do.

She questioned.

"How do you know Jonathan?"

"I was telling you the truth, Kristina. I've been in contact with him for several years, since right after he met you. I was not lying then, and I will not lie to you now: at first, I considered you to be a distraction. But then, he showed me your intelligence. Your natural skills for problem solving, for finding answers in places none bothered to look." A small smile gently softened his features. "As I said before as well, you remind me of my own daughter."

"Is it true? Am I related to Jonathan?"

Ra's sighed, pushing off the doorway and walking towards her. She didn't move, not wanting to appear intimidated. Folding his hands behind him, he nodded.

"Yes. Dr. Crane was your mothers twin brother; when he discovered you, he was shocked to realize that you were still alive and in the city. After that, he began keeping a closer eye on you."

Her throat tightened, and her eyes stung, but she held her tears at bay. She didn't cry in front of him before, and she refused to cry now. "Why did he leave me in the group home?"

Ra's only stared at her, searching her face, expression unreadable.

"I'm afraid that's a question you will have to ask him yourself, young one. Once this is all over."

Silence followed, and the screams and shouts outside made Kris's stomach curl. But as she looked out the window, a familiar shadow caught her eye. The hazel orbs widened in shock and joy at the figure hanging onto a rope, dangling beneath them and swaying side to side.

Batman was here! He hadn't left her, he was going to save her!

Kris looked back up at Ra's, and realized she had to think fast. Unfortunately, she opened her mouth without actually thinking.

"Did she die?"

At the confused look on the mans face, she continued. "You keep mentioning your daughter. Did she die? Why isn't she here?"

It may have been the wrong question to ask. For a split second, he looked sad, and then his face morphed into fury. "No. She's not dead. At least, I do not believe she is. When she grew to adulthood, she left. I had made a decision for her safety, and she could not accept it."

"What did you decide?"

He paused, as if wondering if he should really tell her the truth. Finally, he spoke again, voice low. "I chose to rid us of a monster, a plague to the League. I knew this man would be the death of many, the loss of unnecessary lives. I acted for her, but she could not accept that."

At the pain in his voice, Kris almost felt bad for him. He clearly missed his child. But then she remembered what he was doing, how many children were being separated from their parents, how many orphans there would be by morning. All for the stupid League of Shadows.

"What was her name?"

Another pause.

"Talia. Her name was Talia."

Right as he finished speaking, the window further down the train compartment shattered. Kris ducked in surprise, pressing herself up against one of the walls between the seats and looked over.

Only to smile in relief.

Batman was crouched on top of one of the railings, glaring at the man in front of him. Ra's turned to face him fully, lips twisting into a snarl.

"You will never learn."

With that, the two lunged at each other. Kris ducked and rolled out of the way of their clashing fists, Ra's pulling out his own sword and slashing at the hero with it. She managed to roll out of the way multiple times, leaping over chairs and climbing the polls like a monkey as she watched the two rip into each other.

"Familiar!" Ra's taunted, throwing one of Batman's punches out of the way, "Haven't you got anything new?!"

He swung his sword at the caped crusader, but the vigilante reached up, catching the blade in between he spikes on arm guards.

"How about this?!" He roared, pulling his arms apart and effectively snapping the steel blade. Then, they were fighting again, slamming each other into windows, into walls, as Kris watched in fear. At one point, Batman ran to stop the train, but Ra's came up behind him, throwing him behind him and snapping the lever, stabbing it into the main controls.

Kris felt her heart sink as she watched. She wasn't a train conductor, but she knew that whatever just happened probably wasn't good if they wanted to stop the train.

Finally, she saw what the problem was. They were heading straight for Wayne Tower. She turned to call for her foster father, but before any sound could leave her mouth, Ra's slammed him to the ground, pinning him. Fury rose in the girl's chest as she realized what was about to happen.

"Don't be afraid, Bruce." Ra's mocked as they continued speeding down the tracks, "you're just an ordinary man in a cape. That's why you couldn't stop injustice, and that's why you can't stop this train."

"Who said anything about stopping it?" Bruce rasped, and all three looked up right as a loud explosion shook them slightly. Kristina saw fire and collapsing pillars in front of her as the tracks caved in, and she turned around to see Bruce still incapacitated. Thinking fast, she jumped up, grabbing onto the overhead railings with both hands and swinging her feet, drawing her knees into her chest-

-and slamming them as hard as she could against Ra's face.

A sharp crack! emitted from the man's nose, and he tumbled off of Batman. The vigilante slammed his own fist against Ra's neck, flipping them around so that he now pinned Ra's against the floor, raising his fist, the sharp edges of something protruding from in between his fingers as he held it threateningly over the man beneath him. Her eyes widened as she watched, fearing what he might do.

"Have you finally learned to do what is necessary?" Ra's asked, and to Kris's shock, he did not look the least bit afraid. He was staring up at his former student, looking calm, and even a little proud, at the fate that awaited him.

Bruce looked up, meeting the bright, terrified hazel eyes of the young girl in front of him. Looking back down, he rasped, "I'm not going to kill you." He threw his hand behind him, and Kris brought her hands up to guard her face as the wall behind them exploded, separating the front compartment from the rest and opening them up to the world outside. Reaching over, her foster father brought her firmly and safely against his chest.

"But I don't have to save you."

And then, they were flying.

Kris watched, her arms clamped around Batman's neck and something hooked around her waist as two large, dark wings seemed to form out of nowhere. Up, up, up, they went, and right before the cape crusader began to bear off to the side, she watched the train run off the tracks, crashing into the ground below. A jaw-rattling BOOM! seemed to shake the entire Earth, and she watched the fiery explosion rise from the broken asphalt, lighting up the carnage and destruction around them, until it was quiet.

It was over.

The sound of the hammer pounding into nails filled the air as Bruce laid slats of wood over the top of the hole. Kristin watched him from her spot on the other side, observing the last sliver of darkness being covered. They were surrounded by the burnt, ashen remains of Wayne Manor. The fire had ravaged everything, the world around them was black and gray.

"Why are you covering it up?" She asked, confused, as Bruce was finishing the last board. He looked up at her, smirking in amusement.

"Well, I fell down this when I was only nine years old, I'm not sure I want you to follow in my footsteps."

Kris rolled her eyes. "I won't fall, Bruce, I'm smart about that stuff."

"I'm afraid some of the furniture in the library might disagree," he teased lightly, and she blushed, ducking her head as he continued, "you seem to have a habit of getting into things you're not supposed to."

"That's ironic, coming from you." A new voice teased, and the two looked over to see Rachel coming through a surviving doorway, clad in a white silk blouse and black skirt. Seeing the doe-eyed look Bruce was giving the brunette, Kris wandered away, looking for anything surviving the blast.

It had saddened her greatly when she had learned all her things had burned to the ground with the manor, including everything she had to her name. Including all her books and puzzles, the ones she had yet to finish. Bruce had sworn to her that he would get her all new ones, and that he would have a new little library in her room rebuilt, bigger and better than before.

Her sneakers crunched over the burnt ash of the remains around them as she bounded up to Alfred. The old man smiled warmly at her and reached his arm out, wrapping it around her shoulders in a gentle hug. Bruce was walking over towards them, Rachel beside him, and a little smirk came over the twelve-year-old's face when she saw their joined hands.

"Bruce and Rachel, sittin' in a tree…" she sang mockingly, and both adults went a little red in the face as Alfred lightly pinched her shoulder to quiet her. A quick look to the butlers face, though, showed him struggling to keep his own chuckles at bay.

"You proved me wrong, y'know," Rachel told him, stopping to face her friend. "Your father would be proud." Her lips tilted a gentle smile, "Just like me." And with that, she was gone, walking off the burnt grounds.

Kris approached her foster dad as he crouched down, opening up a long, leather case. Inside, she spied the remains of an old stethoscope, the kind doctors always used. She knew Thomas Wayne had been a doctor, but she'd never really thought about Bruce growing up with him. Was it something he used to play with as a kid, before they died?

"What now, Bruce?" She asked, and he looked up at her. "What are we going to do?"

"We'll rebuild, Kris." He told her earnestly, looking around. "Just the way it was, brick by brick."

"Just the way it was, sir?" Alfred questioned, stepping closer to the pair. Bruce raised his eyebrows as he stood.

"Yeah, why?"

"Well," they began to walk off, Kris walking between them, bundled up against the cold, "I thought this might be a good time to reaffirm the foundations."

Bruce slowed, smiling at Alfred in realization. "The south-east wing foundations?"

Alfred nodded, his own smile splitting his face. "Exactly, sir."

As they walked, Kris tugged on Bruce's hand, slowing him. He stopped, looking down at the brunette standing by him. Knowing the girls temper, volume, and attitude at times, the look of fear and vulnerability on her face shocked him, and he crouched down to look her in the eyes.

"Batman's staying, right?" She asked, voice trembling slightly. "You're not going to let anybody else get hurt?"

Bruce smiled softly, and reached up, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere, Kristina. I meant what I said, I want to adopt you. And no, Batman isn't going anywhere anytime soon, either."

Kris looked down at the ground, suddenly feeling ashamed, but unable to keep her thoughts to herself. "When Ra's Al Ghul had me on the train, I kept thinking about you, trapped in the manor. I thought you were dead, I thought I was alone again…" she trailed off, voice getting smaller, and then she looked back up at him, determination passing over her face. "But then you came back. You came back for me."

Bruce stood, placing his arm around her shoulders. The pair faced the setting sun, the chill in the air becoming more pronounced. Alfred watched the two, beaming, as they stood side-by-side.

"I'll always come back for you, Kris."

Up next: Kristina deals with the aftermath of Crane's betrayal, and we see some more father/daughter bonding between her and Bruce. I'm thinking there's gonna be about five chapters between this and The Dark Knight, trust me, they're important.