A/N: I'm on a role! 5th chapter I've written in 2 days! Wooo!

P.S. Whenever the characters text each other, it's italicized. To differentiate the people texting, I have one-person bolded and the other not.

Thx!

AMM


I walk out the south entrance and find the batmobile-changed-red Ferrari waiting for me. I get in and find my suit jacket already in the passenger seat. I slip it on then speed off towards the outskirts of Gotham where the press conference is being held for the new mental institution. I pull up moments later and see Harvey already on stage and a crowd of reporters waiting for the press conference to begin. I step out of the car and people immediately turn and begin to take videos and shout for my attention. I put on a small grin and begin to walk through the throng of people. They all thankfully part for me so I can reach the stage easier.

"Good morning, everyone," I greet. "Morning, Mr. Dent," I say as I walk up the stairs to the makeshift stage.

"Hey, Bruce. Mind if we swap cars? I mean, my isn't fast and the paint's rusting off….but boy, does she have charm." He gestures to the car at the back of the lot. A few of the reporter's chuckle. "We didn't bring you all out here to discuss cars, honestly." Harvey says as he walks towards the edge of the stage and I walk to stand behind the podium.

"We're here about Arkham Asylum. Ever since it's opened its doors, Arkham has been a breeding ground for the criminally insane." My phone vibrates in my pocket.

Need to talk.

"It's methods for rehabilitation: crude, its security: lacking."

What's up?

"Worse still, those who do get out-or God-forbid escape-are even more dangerous than before they went in."

At press conference.

Call me ASAP.

Got it. Will do.

"Arkham Asylum is a cancer on Gotham." Harvey comes over and pats my shoulder and I quickly slide my phone in my pocket. "But today, with a stable contribution from this man here we break ground on a state-of-the-art mental health care facility. One that will improve the well being of Gotham, and its citizens, for years to come. Mr. Wayne has a few words he'd like to say." Harvey removes his hand. "Bruce?"

"My parents loved Gotham. They invested their blood, sweat, and tears in this city." I take a deep breath and tell myself to not feel. Shut out any emotions and say this. I need to say it to make them understand why this facility is so important to me. "You know, when I was eight years old, my parents took me to see a movie about a hero in a mask. It was a hero who stood up to oppression and defended the people from injustice, no matter the cost.

"That night…." Deep breaths, "my parents paid the ultimate cost defending me from a man…." You can do this. Don't think of how it tore you apart. Drown the part of your heart that remembers the feeling of anger, sadness, confusion. Push through the pain and finish this, then you can go lock yourself in the cave for a while and take out some training dummies. "Who needed the kind of help this new facility will provide. Let us honor their memory with this new facility in the hope that a night like that….that it never happens again." Harvey steps forward.

"Today, on the anniversary of that fateful night, we dedicate this facility to Thomas and Martha Wayne, and usher in a new era of healing for Gotham." The crowd applauds.

"I'm, uh, sure you all have plenty of questions about the new hospital, so let's open it up." Many reporters raise their hand and I recognize Vicki Vale at the front. "You first, Ms. Vale,"

"Thank you," she stands up. "With the opening of this new hospital, what does this mean for Arkham Asylum? What happens to the old building?"

"I think Arkham has only done harm to Gotham." I state. "It's made criminals more unstable, put our citizens in jeopardy. We can do better." I insist as Ms. Vale sits back down. "Alright, who's up next?" I look at the reporter then pick on someone. "Uh, you there."

"Mr. Wayne, Julia Ramarque of the Tribune. My sources say that you welcomed alleged mob-boss Carmine Falcone into your home." I cast a side-glance at Harvey who just crosses his arms.

"I don't make friends with gangsters." I tell her. "He was an unwelcome guest-that's all. Next question please," Julia sits down and Harvey speaks up.

"Please keep your questions on topic, people. We're here about the hospital, remember?" My phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out quickly.

Urgent! GCPD is here. My eyes widen. What's the GCPD doing at the manor?

A man stands up to the side as I put the phone away. "But Mr. Wayne! This morning, the Globe received evidence of an off-shore bank account managed by Carmine Falcone and your father, Thomas Wayne."

"What exactly are you implying?" I ask.

"Transactions connected to organized crime, going back years….and continuing to this day. The paper trail ties your family directly to the mob." People gasp and begin to whisper. I'm not doing business with Carmine Falcone. Something's off here. "Care to comment?"

"And did anyone else receive this 'evidence?'" I ask.

"The Globe, the Gazette, we all did!" It escalates quickly to chaos as reporters begin shouting their questions.

"I think you should check your source." I have to raise my voice. "It sounds to me like an intern is finally putting their creative writing minor to good use." The chaos continues to grow as the reporters begin standing and coming closer towards the stage. I can hear my phone ringing and feel it vibrating in my pocket.

"I'm sorry about this, Bruce," Harvey whispers. "I dunno where the hell it's coming from. Damage control's my territory. We'll talk later." I walk off the stage as Harvey addresses the crowd. I pull my phone out of my pocket.

"Bruce, I've been trying to reach you!" Alfred says frantically over the phone. "The police are inside the manor!" I hang up and quickly dash for my car, ignoring the reporters still trying to ask me questions. Just add this to my pile of things to worry about.

I pull up in front of the manor and rush towards the main doors, opening them wide and nearly running straight into an officer. They're everywhere. I see some idiot cop coming down the stairs and nearly dropping a box full of things.

"Hey! Hey, careful! Put it back," I order.

"I'm afraid we can't, Mr. Wayne," I hear a familiar voice say. I look up and see Lieutenant Gordon standing at the top of the main stairs. I fold my arms across my chest.

"Says who?"

Gordon unfortunately holds up a piece up paper that I know says he can go through and even take my things. "This warrant," he shows it to me and I see Alfred come walking down the stairs to the side, looking worried and nervous. "It's not personal. I had the boys turn their lights off and keep a low profile." Gordon tells me. I take the warrant and check it over.

"There's gotta be a mistake." I tell him.

"That's what we're here to find out. Maybe we made a mistake. Maybe you did." I look up at him, squinting my eyes at him. Then I look past him to Alfred.

"Alfred, keep an eye on them. Make sure they only take what they have to."

"Of course, sir," Alfred says before turning around and heading back up the stairs. I turn on my heel and walk away but I hear Jim following me.

"I meant what I said about 'not personal.'" He tells me. "We only want files related to Wayne Enterprises." He says as I walk into the parlor. Cops are swarming every inch of it. "The warrant covers your place, pardon me, place of residence and any companies you own. Your holdings are….extensive."

"Who authorized this?" I ask as I turn to face him.

"I know you and the DA are buddy-buddy, but this one came from the top. It's a valid warrant. I gotta serve it." Jim nods to me, his eyes begging for me to understand he's just doing his job. "Mayor Hill signed off on this himself. As long as he's Mayor, he calls the shots." I can't help but be upset.

I sardonically chuckle before replying. "So you just do whatever Mayor Hill says?" I cross my arms over my chest.

"Hill and I…." Jim trails off for a second. "We have a vested interest to keep things professional for Gotham's sake. Doesn't mean I like the words whistling through his windpipes. I don't know how your neck ended up on Mayor Hill's chopping block, but here we are."

"Hill knows that if I go down, Harvey's campaign goes down too." I tell Gordon and I can tell that he knows it too. I uncross my arms.

"That'd be a real shame. Mr. Dent's the only DA I ever trusted to make a conviction stick. As Mayor, I think he can finally turn things around for us. For all our sakes, I pray you've got nothing to hide." And with that, Jim turns and walks away. I know that I've nothing of what they're searching for to hide so I'm not worried. What I am worried about is them finding an entrance to the Batcave or finding something to trigger an opening. I hear something shatter behind me and I tense before turning around.

An officer walks past me with an almost smug look on his face and I see the picture frame lying frame down on the ground and I already know what picture it is. I slowly walk over to it and crouch down, picking it up gently. Within the cracked glass lies a picture of my parents and me. My parents dressed up with my dad holding me. I couldn't have been three or four in that picture. As I concentrate on the picture, on my father's intelligent eyes and my mother's kind smile and me in the middle, looking so happy, the world fades away around me and all I can hear are the voices.

"Bruce! Stay back!" My Father orders.

"Take whatever you want," My Mother offers.

"Y-you don't have to do this!" Father says before two gunshots ring out and the sound of my parents bodies hitting the ground re-embeds itself in my memory.

"Bruce?" My Mother gasps out as she fights to remain alive. "Bruce?" she asks one more time before her heart stops and her breathing slows before her whole being slackens and life seems to leave the alley in which they died.

The sound of shoes clicking on the floor begins to bring me out of my recollection of that night.

"Bruce?" a woman asks. I look over my shoulder and see Vicki Vale standing in the doorway to the parlor. "I….I didn't mean to interrupt but I…." she trails off as I stand back up and place the picture frame on the mantle of the fireplace.

"It's not a problem, really." I keep my back to her as she begins to talk.

She sighs. "Oh Bruce, first the Mayor's office, now Wayne manor. Gotham continues its streak of break-ins." I finally turn around and act unaffected.

"Really going for the record, huh?" I joke though she can tell I'm not feeling it.

"Look, Bruce, a scandal, surrounding a beloved family like yours, captures the public's attention." Of course she's here about that. I guess it could be worse. It could be the guy that got everyone wound up at the press conference. "I can help you get the right kind of attention. Through my connections at the Gazette, I have all kinds of access. I can dig up whatever you need to fight this."

"I appreciate the offer, Ms. Vale," I fold my arms back over my chest. "Trying to say, 'I'm the good guy here-'" she cuts me off.

"Yeah, instantly makes you look bad. I get it. So let me say it for you. The Gazette received this supposed 'evidence' like every other media outlet." I uncross my arms and walk away, feeling rather fidgety and antsy, which has never been a problem before. "And it's all hearsay, flimsy sources. There isn't a shred of hard proof."

"Still, allegations like this, they don't magically appear," I turn back to her. "Someone is going after my family, after me."

"Obviously, the sender didn't identify themselves. We have no idea who it could be. I mean, no one's even done their due diligence on this yet. The press saw the fumble, they grabbed the ball, and ran."

"Hill wants me out of the picture because with my backing, Harvey wins in a landslide. All signs point to hill," I tell her.

"You're a kingmaker, Mr. Wayne, and Harvey Dent is Gotham's knight in shining armor just waiting for the crown. You're the first target on Hill's list. By tonight, this scandal will be broadcast to every screen in Gotham. Everyone will be talking about it." Vicki tells me as I walk past her and stare out into the main hall.

"This isn't my first pass through the rumor mill-I know the damage it can do." I tell Vicki as she comes to stand next to me.

"Then go on the record-right here, right now-and stop it." She pulls out her recorder. "You need to get out ahead of this. Your side is what matters, not wild speculation." She tells me.

"On the record then," her thumb presses the record button.

"Whenever you're ready."

"The Wayne family has always been a cornerstone of Gotham. We have never had, and never will have, connections to organized crime."

She stops recording. "That's exactly what the people of Gotham need to here!" She says almost excitedly. I walk her out to the front door and Alfred opens it as she turns back to face me before leaving. "You're going to beat this, Bruce. The Wayne's always come out on top."

"Goodbye, Ms. Vale." I tell her and she walks out the door, which Alfred closes behind her.

"I hate to admit it…." Alfred starts, "but everyone smells smoke. A fire is heading this way."

"Batman has made plenty of enemies, but my family? We've done nothing but support Gotham, even in its darkest days." I say aloud, completely confused by all that's come up in the past hour.

"All this….on the anniversary of you parent's-" I cut him off.

"It's not a coincidence. Harvey's the District Attorney. He should've told me this was coming." I tell Alfred, trying to understand as Alfred steps forward, his eyebrows knitted in anger.

"Then find out why he didn't," he practically demands. I nod in agreement.


A/N: Personally, I say this is where things start to get dramatic, hectic, exciting, interesting. I won't say I wasn't entertained up until now but this, this part here is where things start to spiral out of control in a fun water slide with water getting in your eyes and your suit ripping on something it gets caught on. Here we go! Hope you brought an extra swimsuit!

P.S. Well, I think I should probably go to bed now. Yeah, especially since I just ended the chapter talking about ripping swimsuits. Oh well, 5 in 2 days! Woo!

Thx!

AMM