He hated his childhood.
Well, he didn't hate all of it, he loved his mother but he hated his father. His father was abusive and often came home drunk. His mother was usually the one who received the end of the retched man's fury but occasionally, it was Harvey who took it. They couldn't do much about it; his father was a cop and had many buddies in the force so even if they did accuse him nothing was going to be done.
That why Harvey strove hard in school. He finished high school with honors and received a scholarship in Yale. The moment he received his law degree he went back to Gotham and charged his father for abuse. He won.
That sense of justice pushed him to strive harder and harder. He truly did want to make Gotham a better place. While he was thankful for the Batman but he believed in true justice, not some vigilante. He knew the one day someone was to take over, someone had to take over. He knew that Gotham needed a man with a face to protect them, not a shadow to scare them. He would gladly take over that role.
Though his father was an abusive alcoholic low-life, there was one thing the old man did that Harvey was thankful for. The man gave him a coin that had two heads on both sides. Harvey considered this coin as his 'lucky coin' which was ironic to what his motto was: 'make your own luck'.
So all his life, he relied on himself. He became ambitious, he worked hard, and he always got what he wanted. When he heard that Gotham had a spot open for a DA, he quit his job at a firm and took the DA's job. He never regretted it, even when he had the Joker chasing after him in a road chase, because that's where he met the love of his life.
Rachel Dawes was everything he wanted. They had the same goals, the same plans, the same ideals, and they were also the exact opposite. She liked playing it safe, he liked challenges, she liked basketball, he liked football, she liked the rain, he liked the sun, she liked the right side of the bed, and he liked the left side. Despite the fact that Gotham's richest man was a potential rival for her affection, he took that challenge. He loved Rachel and was willing to jump through hoops to keep her safe. So when he found out that she was one of the missing people in the hospital bombing, he could not just sit and do nothing.
That is why he had a gun pointed at Officer Sharton, one of Maroni's paid cops.
"You will tell me where she is," Harvey hissed.
"I swear Dent, I don't know," he pleaded.
"You have kids right, Sharton?" Harvey took out his coin when the officer nodded. "Heads, I'll let you live, tails, I kill you," Harvey flipped the coin.
He hadn't even caught it when the officer sobbed. "Ok, ok, I'll tell. She's in the place where you were supposed to die. That abandoned building that exploded,"
Harvey punched the offending man before moving out. It disgusted him how low the police force had sunk; he had never really liked police in the first place. His father was one and he vowed never to be one.
The building was burnt to a crisp. He shuddered to think that it could have been either him or Rachel in there. He was reluctantly thankful that Charlie Wayne did what she did, even if her way was rather unethical, not to mention unsafe. He saw suspiciously locked gate, why would there be a gate in a burnt building? There didn't seem to be any guards. He shot the lock open.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
He rushed forward with all his strength, he needed to save her. He needed to.
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Here they were, face to face once more. They're previous encounter struck a nerve more than he would let on. Were they truly the same? The Joker taunts him, he pushes his buttons. He needs to save those people on the ferry, he needs to save Charlie. Is she one of the hostages below? Is she safe? All he wants is to go there and check, but he know she won't be safe, not if the Joker was still out there.
So he fights the Joker. They punch, they kick, and they hurt each other. It's like a dance, a beautiful dangerous dance a top a high tower. The two of them are in what seems to be an unending battle. It's just them, fighting for what they think is right, fighting for the city. In that moment, they are two forces battling.
"If we don't stop fighting, we're going to miss the fireworks," the Joker said, like a mother telling her child to stop.
"There won't be any fireworks," Batman replied. They both paused, like two children waiting to see who's right. It was like a game, who got the right answer?
Nothing happened. Batman was right. "What were you trying to prove? That deep down, we're all as ugly as you? You're alone," It was like a joke that had gone too far. Joker's smile faltered. His eyes showed disappointment, like a kid not getting what he wanted for his birthday.
"Can't rely on anyone these days." He pulled out the detonator. "Have to do everything yourself. I always have- and it's not always easy." He looks up at Batman, and smiles again. "You know how I got these scars?"
"No, but I know how you got these," They fight once more, and amidst the fight the Joker falls. He wants to leave him, to let him die, but he can't, because he just can't. He pulls the Joker up again with his grapple. The Joker looked disappointed. Batman knew what the Joker wanted; to make him break his one rule.
"Just couldn't let me go, could you?" Even as he hanged upside-down on the edge of a high building, the Joker still taunted him. "I guess this is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible, aren't you? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self- righteousness and I won't kill you because you're too much fun. We're going to do this forever." They probably were. Nobody understood the Joker like Batman did, and nobody understood Batman like Joker did.
"You'll be in a padded cell forever," Batman threatened.
"Maybe we can share it. They'll need to double up, the rate this city's inhabitants are losing their minds." The Joker laughs.
"This city just showed you it's full of people ready to believe in good." Batman replied. He looks at the Batman like the vigilante just gave him a wonderful gift.
"Till their spirit breaks completely. Until they find out what I did with the best of them. Until they get a good look at their heroes and see what they've done. Then those criminals will be straight back onto the streets and Gotham will understand the true nature of heroism. You didn't think I'd risk losing the battle for the soul of Gotham in a fist fight with you? You've got to have an ace in the hole." The Joker laughs loudly.
"What did you do?" Batman doesn't know what to do; he doesn't know what the Joker was talking about.
"I will bring Gotham's three musketeers down to my level. By tonight, I will make at least one of you like me; I'm hoping it's you Batman. By the way," the Joker paused, he smiled. It was a different smile though; it was truly a mad smile. "Do you know where your little girl is?"
Snap.
Batman cut the rope that kept Joker from falling. The SWAT team was behind him but he didn't care. He dangled Joker by the collar, bellow him was more than a hundred feet to the ground. "Where is she?" he could barely whisper as he tried controlling his anger.
The Joker's smile didn't falter, in fact, it grew bigger. "There's the Batman I'm looking for. Are you going to kill me?"
"Yes, but not until you tell me where she is." And he was truly willing to kill him.
"You know for a moment I was confused on why my people told me that you didn't save her or at least try to. I almost figured that you knew I failed in capturing your little damsel in distress, but then they said that you were half way there when you went back. I wondered for the longest time why but then I noticed it was the same time Gordon's wayward puppies were raiding another place. Were they the one who cut her?" the Joker mocked. He liked his scars. "By the way, I like the taste of her blood,"
Batman growled and punched the Joker in the face, barely controlling his anger since he knew that he needed the Joker to be able to talk.
"Commissioner Gordon and Dent's other halves are in 250 52nd Boulevard," the Joker gasped laughing like a man being tickled instead of tortured. Batman couldn't think straight, he had to tell both men that information, but he needed to know where Charlie was first. "Whoa, not even a reaction," the Joker laughed. "I thought you'd at least move, but no, you did absolutely nothing. You're not even planning on warning Gordon that his wife and children may be on their death beds? You won't tell Dent that his little bride to be is hanging between life and death?" Batman shook him violently. The Joker laughed. "I guess I truly did find out who you are," He grinned manically. "She's on avenue X at Cicero. Or they might be dead,"
Batman pulled the Joker close to him, their faces only millimeters apart. "You win," Batman whispered.
The Joker smiled. It wasn't a mocking smile, or a disdainful smile, or a sarcastic smile, nor was it the smile of someone crazy. No, it was the smile of someone who was truly happy, someone who achieved something. In that one second, Batman understood the Joker more than anyone else did. And even as the Joker fell to his death, he had won. He made Batman break his one rule.
The Joker won.
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He was dead. The man I was just talking to earlier was on the floor dead. It's so strange; I was just so willing to kill him mere moments ago. Though, now that he's dead all I feel for him is pity. I didn't even care that he was willing to give me information about my mother's true killer; all I cared was that he wouldn't get to see his kid again. How messed up was that?
The one who shot him? Not who I expected, or hoped for. I expected the Joker, I hoped for the Batman, but what I got was Detective Anna Ramirez.
"Detective, what are you doing here?" Jimmy asked faintly. He looked exhausted and frail.
She looked at him in shock. "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here,"
"It wasn't exactly my choice," he said, cracking a faint smile before turning solemn again. "you see, the Joker took me and ma and Barbs, I dunno where he put them,"
I felt my heart stop beating. How could I have been so self-centered? His family could be out there in danger and I was being so selfish. What have I done? "Jimmy, I'm so sorry. I didn't know they were-,"
He cut me off "It's ok Charlie," He tried acting like he was fine but I knew he was hurting. "I don't even know where he placed them. I know they're not in this building because they used a different car and went the other way," he turned to Detective Ramirez, "but you can help us right?"
Ramirez didn't answer, she slowly pointed a gun at me, "I- I can't Jimmy," she stuttered.
"Why?" I asked as Jimmy stared.
"They'll kill my mother," she answered. I stared at the barrel, even though it's pointed at me, I knew what she was feeling. "If I don't kill you, they'll kill my mother. You of all people should know what I'm going through Charlie Wayne."
"Just wondering, why do you hate me?" I know it wasn't exactly the best time in the world to ask the question, but hey at least I would probably buy time. Besides, if I was going to die, might as well find out more about my killer.
"You have everything," It was simple; short and simple.
"You have the one thing I don't," I retorted, referring to her mother.
"Which is why I have to do this. I know you think I'm horrible, for this,"
"Truthfully, I understand, I do."
I closed my eyes.
A loud noise echoed around the area.
A scream was heard.
I opened my eyes.
Batman stood in between me and Ramirez. He had jumped from the roof from the looks of it. He glared at her as Ramirez dropped the gun on the floor. Batman looked furious; I can see his hand was shaking. He was close to breaking.
"Don't hurt her," I begged him. He didn't turn around.
"Jim Gordon's outside with the rest of the force. Dent has your mother and sister, and Rachel" he told us. Jimmy looked at me for a second and I gave him a nod. He ran outside calling for his father who came mere seconds later.
This was my first time seeing Jim Gordon since I thought he was dead. I was glad I saw him. I was glad to see Jimmy reunited with his father. I was glad that his whole family was alright. I was happy that nothing happened to Rachel. I was happy. The happiness inside me was wrapping up the coldness I was feeling. I had my hand on my stomach to stop the bleeding but it wasn't enough. I felt weaker and weaker every second. Batman had his back on me, shielding me from Ramirez. I grabbed his cloak for support.
He turned when he felt the extra weight, "Are you alright?" I fell in his arms the moment his sentence finished.
I saw fear in his eyes. These were not the eyes of the hero Batman; these were the eyes of a worried father. "Dad," I whispered before passing out.
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A message from TemperedRose:
Ok, that's the end. Thank you for reading… hehehehe joke! I'm not that mean.
Thanks for your reviews once again and yes I'm aware that I just updated yesterday but I have an inkling that none of you are really complaining about that. But yeah, I'll be updating more so I could concentrate on the other fics I'm writing. Hope you enjoyed it! If you have any questions, feel free to ask…. And again don't forget to review