Disclaimer: I don't own "Batman Begins"

I turned the corner to my room, slammed the door behind me, and rushed t omy bathroom. Part of me still couldn't believe I poured punch all over Haley Kingston, but all of me enjoyed every sweet moment of it. I could still hear her ranting in my head as I looked in the mirror. My face was red and felt hot to the touch. Shutting the bathroom door and locking it, I turned in the cold and splashed water on my face. Nothing else felt so much more wonderful than tiny droplets of cold water on my cheeks and forehead. As I patted my face dry, I heard Ally through the door.

"I can NOT believe you just did that," she said.

She sounded like she was angry at me, but I could care less right now. Immedietly, I grabbed a brush from the marble counter and started putting my hair into a low ponytail.

"Do you know what you have done?" Ally asked, more ticked off. "You just ruined your chance to become somebody. You could've been the most popular girl in school. You just had to lose your cool back there,"

"...She deserved it," I seethed through my teeth as I got my clothes I wore earlier.

"So what?"

"Ally, she talked trash about my parents!" I took off my dress.

"She talked trash about you too!"

"No, she was talking about the Princess of Gotham and the Scum of the Narrows...And I'm neither of those things,"

I had now come to the belief that I was being pressured into being someone I didn't want to be. Now, more than ever, I wanted to be me. I put on my shirt and bloodied up pants as Ally talked again.

"Sarah," she said. "You have to apologize to Haley,"

"Even if I wanted to apologize to her," I started. "Haley won't accept an apology from me,"

"Who cares? You have a reputation now!"

"Reputation!"

After I tied my shoes, I unlocked the bathroom door, and opened it to find an angry Ally. If looks could kill, I'dbe dead right now. But I stared back with my own glare.

"The only reputations I've had since my parents died was either a pauper or a princess," I started. "And I hate being those things. I just want to be me!...I don't want to change. Everyone I've met wanted me to change. Bruce, Haley,...you..."

This seemed to hurt Ally's feelings. Tears were streaming down her face. Oh my gosh, I didn't mean to do that. I was so angry, I didn't know that I was taking it out on my best friend. Going past me, she grabbed my dress I borrowed out of my bathroom, and left me alone in my room. Closing the door, I slowly moved to m bed, and just laid there on it, my head landing on the matress with my upper body. Opening my locket, I stared at my parents picture.

"Mom, Dad," I sighed. "What am I gonna do now?"

As I stared at my locket, my bedroom door was opened, and my uncle waslked in. Quickly, I put my precious treasure under my shirt so that he wouldn't see it, and sat up on my bed. What was he doing here? He was looking all smug like it was Christmas or something. I glared at him, and kept it on my face as he talked to me.

"Marvelous performance," he said as he took a book from my nightstand, and flipping through its pages. "I'd ask for an encore, but that wouldn't seem right now would it?"

I snatched the book from my uncles hand, and set it on my bed. He wasn't allowed to touch anything in this room. And I mean anything. Not evn the carpet on the floor.

"Get out of my room," I ordered him.

My uncle didn't move anything but his creepy smile. It had widened to the corners of his mouth, and it was making me sick. Right in the bottom of the stomach. I thought I was gonna retch. Uncle Edgar looked at his watch.

"You have 30 minutes," he said turning to leave. "I'll be waiting,"

My eyes softened, as did my voice. 30 minutes of what? I followed him before he could take a step out of my room.

"30 minutes to do what?" I asked

When my uncle turned to me, he looked like he would enjoy what he had to say to me. I was growing scared. Oh please no. Please don't let it be what I think it's gonna be.

"From now on," he moved closer to me as I backed away. "You live under my rules, my roof...and under my watchful eye,"

I had backed up to the point where I had to sit on my bed. I shook my head. No. He can't take me. I can't go with him. He can't have custody over me! It'sNOT possible!

"You can't do this,"I said in a shaking voice. "You can not take me away from here. This is my home,"

"It wasn't your homefor 5 minutes now," Edgar replied. "Not after your little stunt you pulled on the Kingston girl,"

"You can't make me go with you. I'll run the first chance I get,"

"I will find you wherever you go. No matter where you hide, you will come with me,"

"...I know people. They'll take me away from you forever. I can live in the shadows, and not make a sound, and you won't find me,"

"You wouldn't live in the shadows because you're afraid of the dark,"

"NO I'M NOT! Not anymore!"

"Don't raise your voice at me!"

I shook my head.

"Bruce won't let me go," I reminded him with a loud voice. "He won't. He promised,"

"Shut your mouth," My Uncle spat.

"No. Not this time. I'm sick of taking orders from you! You have no power over me!"

"Sarah..."

I looked to the bedroom door, and Bruce was standing there with a sad look on his face. I rushed up to him, and wrapped my arms around his neck, hugging him.

"I won't go with him," I said in his ear. "I won't go with him. I want to stay here,"

Bruce held me tight, as if he didn't want to let me go. I didn't either. I wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

"Mr. Mason," he said over my shoulder. "Can you give us a few minutes?"

After a moments hesitaion, my uncle left my room, and Bruce had me sit on my bed, and sat with me. There was a brief silence, but it gave me enough time for me to finally take in what was happenening.

"...I'm sorry I let this happened," he said putting a hand on my shoulder.

I didn't say anything. I was a bit angry with him. He broke his promise.

"If there was anything I could do to stop it--"

"There is," I bursted. "Let me stay here,"

"It's not that simple. He had a warrent that was issued just this morning stating that he can take you into his custody if anything should happen,"

My eyes widened.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner!" I asked. "If I had known about it, I wouldn't have thrown punch all over Haley,"

"I didn't want you to be scared," Bruce explained.

I stared at him.

"Scared?" I repeated. "You automatically thought that I would be afraid of something that could've been prevented if you said a word to me?"

"Sarah," Bruce started. "You have every right to be upset. I would've said something, but I never thought thta you would pull a stunt like you did downstairs,"

"...And I never thought you would let me go,"

During another life-time filled silence, I unfastened my locket around my neck, took it off, and put it in Bruce's hand. He looked at me puzzled as I got out my duffle bag and put it on the bed.

"Sarah," he said softly. "I don't want your locket,"

"Keep it," I said stiffly. "I don't want it anymore,"

Bruce shook his head as I continued to pack for my unplanned departure.

"Sarah," he got up from his seat. "Your parents gave this to you,"

I stopped, and just stared at nothing. Of course. I had recieved that locket on my 8th birthday. Remembering that I wanted to be just like my mother, I kept that locket around my neck for as long as I can remember. But knowing that my parents were dead, and long gone, I shook my head and continued packing.

"My parents are dead," I said softly. "That locket means nothing to me, and it's brought nothing but bad memories,"

"Sarah, they're not dead," Bruce protested in a quietly.

"WHAT AND YOU THINK YOURS IS COMING BACK AS WELL AS MINE? GO AWAY!"

I didn't know, but this struck Bruce hard. He left my room quietly as I continued to pack. I thought about bringing my favorite books. No, I couldn't. I'm going to live with my uncle now. He wouldn't approve of childish stories, and dreams that comforted me when in doubt. I saw on my bed, and cried silently into my soft silk pillow until it was time for me to go.

Bruce mingled with his guests silently back down at the party. The Kingstons and Farris' left early with a furious Haley, a sleepy Nathan, and a quiet Ally. He knew that Sarah had a rough night, but he didn't know it would push her over the edge. She had lost her best friends, and her home all in one night. He knew he should've told her when he first saw her...Edgar wasn't going to get away with this. Moving through the crowd, he was forming a plan. He was going to tell his goddaughter to unpack, stay with him, and that Edgar had no right to take her away. Suddenly, a woman in her early 50's in a dark blue dress, stopped him.

"Bruce," she said. "There's somebody here you simply must meet,"

"No now, Mrs. Delaney," Bruce protested softly.

Despite his attempt to get away, Bruce was dragged to a man with his back turned to him and his guest. Quietly, he looked for an escape path as Mrs. Delaney spoke.

"Now," she started. "Am I pronouncing this right? Mr. Ra's Al Ghul?"

Bruce snapped his head with sharp eyes. She did NOT just say Ra's Al Ghul. His mind was no longer fixed on getting his goddaughter to stay here. It was focused on the supposed man who ran a secret society called the League of Shadows. But Bruce knew better.

"You're not Ra's Al Ghul," he said softly. "...I watched him die,"

"But," said a familiar voice behind him. "Is Ra's Al Ghul immortal?"

Slowly, Bruce turned around as Mrs. Delaney was led away to face another man. He was tall, looked youthful in his aging years, and had an asian-like goatee. Like the man who was called "Ra's Al Ghul" he had a strange blue flower pinned on his nice suit. This man was named Henri Ducard, Bruce's mentor for the League of Shadows. Yes, Bruce Wayne himself was almost a member of the League of Shadows...That is until he found out they were going to destroy Gotham, and burned down the monastery, and killed Ra's Al Ghul during the process. Now, he was regretting saving his teacher. He glared ar him while Ducard had a smug smile.

"Are his methods supernatural?" Ducard asked.

"...Or cheap parlor tricks to conceal your true identity? Ra's?" Bruce spat out his mentors true name

To this, Ducard gave off a nod.

"Surely," he said moving closer to his old student. "A man who spends his nights scrambling over the rooftops of Gotham wouldn't begrudge(sp?) me with dual identities,"

They knew. The knew he was the Dark Knight.

"I saved your life," Bruce said to him in a whisper.

"I warned you about compassion Bruce," Ducard seemed to be enjoying this

Bruce looked around and moved closer as realization hit him. Ducard was holding the party hostage.

"Your quarrel is with me," he said. "You let these people go,"

"You are welcome to explain the situation to them," Ducard persuaded.

Bruce stared at his old teacher. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his goddaughter approach the party slowly with a duffel bag full of clothes in one hand, her backpack over her shoulder, and all wrapped up in her jacket. He sighed as he moved toward the middle of the ballroom. Everyone had to go. And it wasn't going to be easy.

"Everyone?" I heard Bruce catch everyone's attention. "Everybody?"

I looked up from looking at the floor. My eyes were still red with tears of anger and sadness mixed into one. The musicians stopped playing as everyone was looking at Bruce, who looked like he was about to give a toast, given the champagne glass in his hand,"

"I,uh," I watched him make his speech. "I want to thank you all coming here tonight, and drinking all of my booze,"

There was a rumble of a light chuckle from everyone. Even Bruce laughed...although his face was serious.

"No really," he said. "...There's a thing about being a Wayne is that...you're never short of a few free loaders, like yourselves, to fill up your mansion with. So here's to you people. Thanks,"

I was suprised to as Bruce took a gulp from his champagne glass. What on earth was he doing? A man stepped a bit from the crowd to Bruce.

"That's enough Bruce," he said calmly.

"I'm not finished," Bruce slurred his words as he stopped the man. "Also to all of you--All you phonies. To you--" Bruce laughed a bit. "Two faced friends, you psyhcofantic suck-ups, who smile through your teeth at me. Please--Leave me in peace. Please go. Stop smiling. It's not a joke. Please leave. The party's over. Get out,"

By the time Bruce was finished, I had come to the bottom of the stairs looking confused. Why did he do that? I knew this wasn't him...Something's wrong. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone and just ruined his title to all the Fancy World of Gotham. As the crowd started to pull out, I was able to get to him at a slow pace. We both looked at each other. I couldn't bear to look at him, so I looked down.

"I'm--" I started to stay.

"Scummy," A hand grasped my arm firmly. "Let's go,"

I shook off my uncle's grip in one pull, and glared at him

"I have something to say," I gritted my teeth. "And I would appreciate it if you just let me say it,"

"There's nothing you can say," My uncle fought. "He's a drunkard, and you're an ill-mannered pile of scum. Let's go,"

Uncle Edgar grabbed my arm in a tight grip, and pulled me away from Bruce. He almost reached out to get me, but hesitated, and let his arm fall to his side. Tears fell on my cheeks as I was dragged away.

"I'm sorry," I choke a bit as I reached the front door.

Bruce tore his eyes away from the front door of the manor, where Edgar's limo was out on the driveway. He had not seen his goddaughter mouth her apology to him, but he knew what she wanted to say before she was silenced by Edgar. Angry at himself for letting Edgar take her away, he looked at the remaining guests, who were also members of the League of Shadows, around him. At least Saraj was safe from the clutches of them, and would be out of harm's way

"Amusing," Ducard said as he and Bruce walked down the hallway. "But pointless. None of these people have long to live. Your antics at the asylum have forced my hand,"

"So Crance was working for you," Bruce confirmed as he looked around.

Back at the asylum, after leaving Sarah to rest out her leg, Bruce as Batman fought Crance as the Scarecrow. After Batman had poisoned him with his own medicine, he quiestioned Crance fiercely about what he was doing and who he was working for. The only name Crane spat out of fear was this: Ra's Al Ghul.

"His toxin was derived from the organic compound found in our blue flowers," Ducard explained. "He was able to weaponize it,"

"He's not a member of the League of Shadows," Bruce confirmed.

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

"...But really, you are going to release Crane's poison on the entire city,"

"Then watch Gotham tear itself apart through fear,"

I sat in the limo with arms folded, and looking out the window with a blank face. My head was spinning, and my cheeks wre dryinf of previou tears. Glaring in my mind, I listened my uncle explain in so called "rules" to me.

"You are to get up on your own, and get ready for school by 7," he explained in a curtly manner. "Homework will also be checked by 8 at night,"

My head moved slowly to take one look at him. It turned away after one small moment.

"...And above all," he said darkly. "You are to stay in your room until I have some unquenchable need to speak to you..."

Like that will ever happen.

"...And you are to stay out of the attic, the room in the east wing, and my office,"

"...You can't tell me what to do," I said softly. "You are not my father...you're not my mother. And you're not Bruce or Alfred,"

"But I am your uncle...And blood, my dear niece, is thicker than water,"

"You're going to destroy millions of lives," Bruce declared as he and Ducard continued down the hall.

"Only a cynical man would call what these people have lives Wayne," Ducard spat. "Crime, despair...this is not how man was supposed to live,"

Ducard faced Bruce now, stopping. He wanted to explain more fully why he was destroying Gotham City.

"The League of Shadows has been a check against human corruption for thousands of years," he started. "We sacked Rome; Loaded trade ships with plague rats; Burned London to the ground. Everything a civilization reaches the pinacle of defense, we return to restore the balance,"

"Gotham isn't beyond saving," Bruce shook his head.

Ducard looked at his best student with a smug smile.

"Give me more time," Bruce pleaded. "There are good people here,"

"You are defending a city so corrupt," Ducard protested. "You have infiltrated every level of ot's infrastructure,"

The limo pulled to a soft halt. I looked ahead. It was the last traffic light before the road was split into two ways. One led to Edgar's mansion, and the other went into the city. I turned in my seat to look through the back window as if to see the Wayne Manor. My home.

"Can..." I dared to ask. "Can I visit Bruce sometimes?"

"No," My uncle said darkly.

"Can he visit me?"

"...You are never to see Bruce Wayne again,"

"When I found you in that jail, you were lost," Ducard still spoke to Bruce. "But I believed in you. I took away your fear, and I showed you a path,"

Bruce said nothing. That story was all too familiar. He had once met a little girl asleep on his private jet plane. She never spoke, and was afraid of everything...But he too had believed in her, and thus her path was set.

"You were my greatest student," Ducard continued. "It should be you standing by my side saving the world,"

...What this man did was no saving. It was destroying. And Bruce or Batman wouldn't llow it.

"I'll be standing where I belong," Bruce stood his ground. "...Between you and the people of Gotham,"

Ducard shook his head.

"No one can save Gotham," he declared.

This statement was not true, of course. With a nod, Ducard's men started throwing things to the ground. With almost a flick of their wrist, it was almost as if magic was the culprit that started the fires around. Dark magic. Bruce did nothing to stop them.

"When a forest grows too wild," Ducard used a strange analogy. "A purging fire is inevitable and natural. Tomorrow the world will watch in horror as its greatest city destroys itself...the movement back to harmony will be unstoppable this time,"

Bruce was suprised at this.

"You attacked Gotham before?" he asked.

"Of course," Ducard answered. "Over the ages our weapons have grown more sophisticated. With Gotham, we tried a new one: Economics. But we unerestimated certain of Gotham's citizens--Such as your parents,"

Bruce was frozen on the spot when Ducard had said this. So it was hi,. Ducard was the one who started the madness. He was the true murderer of Thomas and Martha Wayne. And possibly Luke and Jennifer. Scary part was...he only loaded the gun. Not pulled the trigger.

"Gunned down by one of the very people they were trying to help," Ducard continued crushing Bruce's spirit. "Create enough hunger and everyone becomes a criminal. Their deaths scalvenized the city into saving itself, and Gotham has limped on ever since. We are back to finis the job. And this time, no misguided idealists will get in the way. Like your father, you lack the courage to do all that is necessary. If someone stands in the way of true justice, you simply walk up behind them...and stab them in the heart,"

Bruce knew Ducard too well. Taking immediate action, he spun around. Finding a man behind him about to stab him, he smashed the champagne glass against his neck, bringing him down to the ground. When he turned back, Ducard was ready to fight The flames were growing fast as wild as their anger and their moves. Timing Ducard's every step, Bruce was able to block every move. When he got one of them held off, he glared at his old teacher, rage shaking in his voice.

"I am gonna stop you," Bruce said, growling.

"You never did learn to mind your surroundings!" Ducard retorted.

Before Bruce could react, he was pushed backward onto the ground. The last thing he saw before blacking out was a flaming limber coming down from the cieling.

Something was wrong. Something happened to Bruce. My heart was telling me all this. I grabbed my backpack as I started to panic.

"Turn the car around," I said as we started turning a corner.

My uncle jeered at me

"No," he said. "I told you. You are never to see Bruce Wayne again. You never listen to me, do you?"

I looked out my side window, peering at the road we drove on. It looked like the car was flying on it. And flying fast...Man, I can't believe I was doing this

"You're right," I said softly. "I don't,"

Taking my chance, I unlocked my car door, opened it wide, and jumped out of the moving limo with my backpack over my shoulder. The impact sent me rolling off the side of the road, and into a ditch. The second I was on my feet, I took off running in the woods, covering myself in darkness. From a distant, I could hear tires screeching, and my uncle yelling from afar. Running as fast as I could, I had myself caught in tangled branches every now and again, tearing at my jacket, and my cheeks. Trying to find the way back to Wayne Manor, I heard a loud bell ringing. Turning my head slowly to my left, I faced the way the sound was coming from. It was coming from the Narrows. I remembered Batman saying something about Crane's toxin in the water supply...It must've done something to make it so all the people would get sick at once. I took out my roller blades as I neared a deserted road, hearing screams from far away. After putting them on, I raced down the road to the bridge that went into the Narrows. I didn't care if I was a scared twelve-year-old. I had to help. Besides...Gotham Police was going to need all the help it could get.

"Master Wayne!" Bruce heard Alfred. "Master Wayne!"

Bruce opened his eyes slowly. His Manor was still in flames, and he was still stuck underneath the burning wooden plank that pinned him down. He tried to push it off him as Alfred helped, but he plank wouldn't budge. Not even the slightest bit.

"What is the point of all those push-ups," Alfred started, a bit frustrated. "If you can't even lift a bloody log?"

Bruce stopped a bit, took a deep breath, and pushed the log off of him with a loud grunt. When he was free, he rolled over a bit, holding his side. He was hurt pretty bad. Alfred helped him up, and together they raced through the inferno and into the fiery parlor. Using the musical password on the piano, the secret door opened, and Alfred was able to help his master onto the dumbwaiter. Not even bothering to tightly shut the doors, the old butler pulled the lever, and just as an explosion hit, they were going down into the dark refuge of which was called the Batcave. When they had reached safely, Bruce looked at the inferno above them with watery eyes,

"What have I done Alfred?" he gasped for breaths of clean air. "Everything my family, my father built..."

"The Wayne legacy is more than bricks and molder(sp?) sir," Alfred checked his masters injury.

"I wanted to save Gotham...I failed,"

"...Why do we fall sir?"

Bruce looked at his butler. Alfred had a sad smile on his face.

"So that we can learn to pick ourselves up,"

"...You still haven't given up on me?" Bruce was now smiling.

"Never,"

Bruce had never been so overwhelmed with comfort. Those words had always meant something to him. It was like that when his father said it to him, when he said it to his goddaughter, and now his butler was saying it to him. At the thought, Bruce dug into his pocket, and took out the golden heart-shaped locket. It wasn't damaged in any way. It was still perfect. Alfred noticed it.

"...What happened with Mis Sarah?" he asked.

"...She left with her uncle," Bruce said quietly. "I've lost custody...And I think it's good for her to stay with relatives,"

Alfred shook his head.

"That," he said. "Was the one thing she was afraid of,"

Bruce said nothing as he opened the locket, looking at Luke and Jennifer's picture.

"I'm sorry Jennifer," he said to himself. "I've sent her to her worst fear,"

(A/N: Hope you guys liked it. Please tell me in your review what you would like to happen in this story. Maybe I can get some more ideas, and add a bit more spark. Happy Easter!)