Hello guys
It's been a while since I've done a Gotham fic but after in conversation with Stand with Ward and Queen, Bl4ckHunter and Aragorn II Elessar I've got an annoying plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone. Well, to be fair to my muse I've had it for some time but just now getting to it.
On background for this is Bruce, for reasons that will be revealed, didn't leave Gotham City following No Man's Land Selina and he moved away permanently wanting a new life somewhere else.
It's very sad on a series that is supposed to be a Batman prequel the more natural ending is Bruce deciding to not go off for training with becoming Batman, but rather stay with Selina for building a life either, in Gotham or elsewhere.
A major part of this due to the writer's utter refusal to allow Gotham to become focused on Bruce instead of Jim Gordon came back to bite the series hard. They wanted their cake of Gordon as the main hero and eat it too by having both Gordon/Batman prequel, only it became uneatable.
On with the show
Apartment building in Keystone City
Sitting on a couch in the living room Bruce watches as a TV news report details on an event yesterday in Gotham City where Jeremiah tried to blow up the new Wayne Enterprises building only for that bomb to have been disarmed. Along with framing Harvey Bullock for the murder of an Arkham security guard, with trying to kill Barbara Lee Gordon in person at Ace Chemicals. Only for Gordon kicked the insane monster in his legs to stop himself from getting stabbed while he pulled his daughter to safety. Also, Penguin is now out of Blackgate with being on the lose alongside the Riddler.
Well, Bruce knows some of that information didn't come from the news but rather from Jim as they keep in touch, alongside Lucius Fox who is now Wayne Enterprises CEO.
Briefly, Bruce reflects on the bomb vests that were attached to the criminals at the one warehouse Gordon and Harper tracked a lead to with the bombs being put there by Jeremiah, with Jim nearly setting one of the bombs off.
Maybe Bruce figures if he had gone through with his initial plan to go train for years and return to be a vigilante, he could have been there to warn them in person. Only to quickly push those thoughts aside.
When talking his plan over with Alfred his faithful friend and father figure decided to bluntly lay the truth out for Bruce in why go through all this, why destroy, possibly beyond repair, Selina and his relationship in order to save Gotham City when Gordon, Bullock and the GCPD can handle what goes on in just fine.
Reflecting over Alfred's speech Bruce realized Alfred was right of how Jim has managed to get the GCPD cleaned up of corruption, has faced various metahumans out of Hugo Strange's lab, even fought Nyssa al Ghul in hand to hand combat, and won. Mind you with Barbara Kean's help for stabbing Nyssa but even still held his own against Nyssa.
In a way that allowed him to start putting the guilt of everything Ras al Ghul, Nyssa and Jeremiah had done on a slow process behind him. Having Selina and Alfred helped do that for the guilt there because if he didn't have two of the most important people in his life Bruce is not sure he would have made it over the years. Not just the guilt of everything there but going back to even the night his parents left watching the Mark of Zorro, with being able to heal from the pain. To gain somewhat of a normal life. Plus, Alfred and he were able to help do the same for Selina with her own demons. Mind you neither will ever be healed like some magical fantasy land, but they are simply better.
Thinking back on the day he left the note for Harper to tell Selina to meet him at the airport, whereupon Cat arriving Bruce reflects on how he told Selina his plan for wanting to move away from Gotham City for good, but only if she was willing to come with him. Selina understanding how the city has been nothing but never-ending pain, losing pieces of their souls into something darker, even having blood on their hands, and everything else easily accepted. Like Selina told him the airport filled with joy at it didn't matter where they lived, she just wanted to be with him.
On the plane, he realized that Jim probably is Gotham's true Dark Knight, not him where Ras al Ghul had his visions, prophecy or whatever wrong. In a way that was a massive relief as a burden of being Gotham's protector forever left his shoulders, he has never really looked back or regretted it since.
Eventually once Alfred had seen the first few months of construction done for the new Wayne Enterprises with having waited until Selina and him finally found a place to live that they enjoyed, moved to be with them instead.
Despite the original plans for his mission the construction of a new Wayne Manor he remembers how once Selina agreed to come with him, he told Alfred to forget the plans of rebuilding the manor. He left the Wayne Manor that has been a home for the Wayne family for generations as a pile of burnt ruble, intending to never return. Of course, for Wayne Enterprises getting rebuilt is due to countless jobs it provides for people who live in Gotham City.
Speaking of jobs once moving here Selina started up a dojo of sorts training anybody how to fight, various gymnastics and even allowing it to be a community center for troubled kids to help get their lives on the straighter path. She wanted a chance to change people's lives as Alfred and he did for her.
For him, well Bruce reflects on starting up an orphanage for further helping kids into teenagers, even adults who are down on their luck and need a place to stay are welcome. The same reason for the apartment building he lives in is he owns all of it to allow for the free rent with the people who need a place to stay.
Which given to help keep all these people employed it's why he bought a decade's old factory, which has not seen work since the depression with getting it running again. Not to mention acquired a hotel, and a few other shops, a restaurant and other places of business if or when needed.
All of this is done through shell companies to, mind you very well set up shell companies given Alfred's former black ops pasts, and Selina's knowledge of how to run cons to make it further secure. Of course, he consulted with a lawyer, Harvey Dent to be precise, (who now over a decade ago followed Renee Montoya and Crispus Allen out hereafter Oswald Cobblepot took control over Gotham's underworld for the first time, and while Theo was beginning his early moves for revenge) to make sure that everything he did finically was legally accepted.
Turning the TV off Bruce hears footsteps with glancing over to see Selina, in one of his long dress shirts that reach the top of her bare thighs, walking over to him with leaning down to apply a kiss to his lips, which Bruce equally returns. Reaching up Bruce grabbing Selina's arms pulls her down onto of him who let's out a light laugh.
Selina decides to lay her head down onto Bruce's chest while her husband of a decade wraps his arms around her waist, as they are relaxed with one another. Casually reaching up Selina plays with one of the hairs on Bruce's head for a moment or so then lets it go.
"What were you thinking about heavily B?" Selina asks curiously.
"Just the past Cat… about the burden I was thinking of carrying as the Dark Knight and the one that I'm glad Alfred helped me realize I didn't have to" Bruce replies.
"Talked to Lee last night, Gordon decided to stick around instead of retiring. After everything with Jeremiah, Oswald still out there, made him realize he just couldn't quit" Selina says.
"Good for Jim, I can't see him being happy doing anything else. I'm just glad it's not me, I wouldn't trade this life with you and everything we've done here for anything" Bruce says warmly.
"Me neither" Selina replies grinning.
Hope you all enjoyed this and let me know what you think in a review if you want.
Right onto Jim Gordon, the Gotham writers made Gordon into the Batman of Gotham where the need for Bruce as Batman is pointless. In the series this version of Gordon, Bullock with the rest of the GCPD has to be the most effective versions of the GCPD in any Batman media ever.
While great if Gotham gone full Elseworld it shows how horrible they screwed up on being a Batman prequel because they failed completely to show why Gotham City needed a Batman.
Just some of the stuff Gordon did over the series to show Jim is in a Batman role.
He stopped the gang war in Season 1. He stopped Galavan. He took down Flask and cleaned up the Department. He took out every corrupt or nearly every individual in the city. Helped stop Hugo Strange. Stopped numerous monsters from terrorizing Gotham. Survived Deadly Hallucinations. Defeated The Executioner and Talon. Stopped Scarecrow. Defeated Professor Pyg. Stopped The Penguin who had an army at his side. Defeated Sofia Falcone. Defeated Victor Zsasz. Stopped the bank robberies. Escaped a bomb that only Batman could survive.
He also was the one who got the blueprints from Jeremiah's bunker and delayed the bridges from being blown up letting more people escape. Saved another few people on his own on the night the bridges blew. Protected hundreds of civilians in No Man's Land even though most of them died late on, he managed to keep them safe for over 3 months. He also did help a few people after the explosion. Went in and beat numerous gangs in The Dark Zone whilst saving at the very least 20 children and got them to safety.
Did what Batman would do and saved Zsasz from dying from the hands of Penguin. Stopped Eduardo Dorrance even though he'll come as Bane later but still beat him either way and got the news to the mainland. Stopped Gotham being flooded in Toxic Chemicals that could kill anyone.
And that's just some of the stuff over the five seasons. Like Gordon held his own against Nyssa al Ghul for crying out loud, which is more proof of how they screwed up.
Really to cap it all off even in the series finale Bruce as Batman no less was pushed aside in favor of Jim Gordon who did most of everything.
Seriously outside of Bruce showing up to throw a few batarangs at Jeremiah Gordon did everything else, and really, I think Gordon could have found a way to take down Jeremiah with saving his daughter in that episode to if Bruce didn't show up.
Like I get the series originally started off showing Jim Gordon becoming the Commissioner but as soon as they decided to turn it into a Batman prequel, they needed to refocus their priorities too.
The only positive Batman shown in the series was able to put fear into bad guys like Penguin and Riddler in a way that the GCPD never could, but that's it.
Onto this story for the name drops of Harvey Dent, Allen, and Montoya given how they completely vanished after the first season I wanted to explain what happened to them. Dent got a name drop in season 2 by Harvey at some point but that's it.
When writing this story yeah it really does feel more natural for Bruce and Selina to decide to just leave Gotham City or at least deciding to not put on the masks. Frankly, it was kind of nice to write a Bruce who does not have the burden of being the Batman and instead of getting to be happier without it, while still helping people.
Until next time