Chapter Eight

Gordon met Batman up on the roof of the police building, where the signal had been kept for so long. Now only the shattered pieces remained, but Gordon refused to get rid of them. There was still the hope that someday they could use that signal again. Batman thought it was a silly notion. After all, the only way to exonerate Batman would be to condemn Harvey Dent, and he wouldn't allow Gordon to do that. Despite everything, he kinda liked the guy. He would have liked him even more if he hadn't have been dating Rachel, but he quickly shook that thought away. Thoughts of Rachel still hurt. He looked at Gordon, who was leaning against the signal. "I have something for you." he said finally. Gordon's eyes snapped from the glass-strewn ground to Batman, his interest clearly captured.

"You have my attention." the Commissioner said.

Batman almost shook his head. Gordon, for whatever reason, was playing a role. He probably suspected they were being watched. He cast a look around, using his training to detect movement in the shadows. Not many people could stay still for very long. They had to shift, to keep blood circulating. Not even Intelligence could quite pull off the stillness needed to truly hide in the shadows. "Relax, Gordon." he said. "There's no one watching."

Gordon visibly relaxed. "Thankfully." he muttered, suddenly falling back into the slightly hassled, oddly trusting cop Batman knew. "I was being followed earlier today. I was afraid they would come up here, but I couldn't figure out a way to warn you."

"If I had seen someone, I wouldn't have shown myself." Batman stated. "I have an idea who your traitor is, but I need your help to track them."

"Name it."

"One of Dent's friends from Intelligence followed him here and became a part of your unit. Who?"

Gordon hesitated, unsure. As he ran over a mental list of his unit, Batman could see the uncertainty and slowly dawning horror that had crossed Batman's mind when the Joker had given him that particular hint. There was only one way Joker could know that this particular officer was a friend of Dent's, and that was if Dent had been there with him. Finally, slowly, Gordon spoke. "Officer Adrian Kent and Officer Damien Rono. They're the only two I can think of right now." He was breathing hard. "There's something you should know. When Harvey Dent died, someone claimed the body before an autopsy could be performed. There is the possibility that Dent hit the ground just right to knock him cold, but not kill him." Gordon shook his head. "I don't know how - I mean, I checked him myself, but maybe, just maybe, he managed to survive."

"That would be Dent." Batman mused. "Can you tell me where Kent and Rono have been today?"

"Kent has been in the bullpen with the others." Gordon said immediately. "I don't know about Rono. He took the day off."

Batman considered this. He may have been the one following Gordon. He doubted it could have been anyone else. After all, it wasn't like Harvey would go unnoticed. "I want you to be careful." he said. "Rono could have plans for you as well."

"Hey, I'm indestructible." Gordon smiled. "I'll keep an eye out tomorrow for Kaitlyn. There's not much you can do in broad daylight."

Batman nodded. "No argument there. I appreciate it."

Gordon gave a short nod as Batman took off into the night once again. With a sigh, he headed back inside. Life had certainly gotten more interesting when Batman first showed up. At times, like now, it was tiring. At others it was exhilarating. Gordon would be happy when the exhilaration came back, so he wouldn't have to keep reminding himself why he hadn't retired yet.

/--/

Kaitlyn sat on the swing, watching the other first-graders run about on the playground. She should be out there with them, running around with the few friends she had made, but for right now, she didn't want to. They respected that. They had asked her to join them, she politely declined, and they politely said they'd miss her. Kaitlyn couldn't tell how much of that was sincere, but at the moment, she chose not to question it. It felt good that they had simply asked, even if they were hoping she'd say no. She started to hum tunelessly. Odd, but it had gotten easier to make noises and such as time wore on. She didn't care for talking. In her opinion, people did too much of that as it was. Besides, the psychopath that was her father always smacked her around if she spoke. She learned how to express her wishes without speaking. Joker understood her. Batman understood her. No one else did.

It looked like it was time she learned how to speak.

For now, humming would do.

Soon school would be out and Bruce would come pick her up. She would go to her sign language class and they would both learn a few new words to add to her vocabulary. It had surprised her at first, when she realized that the baby-faced man was the same as the one who saved her. She had assumed Batman would simply become her hero. Instead he became her father. A smile lit her face. There was hope for her yet. That was a good thing. She wanted that hope, wanted that no one knew her true father's name, or what he had done to her. She wanted to simply be Kaitlyn Wayne, untouched by that world that Batman would protect her from.

Even as young as she was, she doubted it would ever happen. She was Joker's daughter, after all. It was only a matter of time before he took her back and hurt her again. For now, she had the dark satisfaction that came with knowing any harm he brought to her would be avenged. She had someone who actually cared about her now.

Gunshots rang out on the street behind her. Slowly, she turned to look. There was no fence blocking the playground from the road. The cop was behind her, reaching out to take her hand. When he spoke, his voice was deep and strange to Kaitlyn. He was unfamiliar.

"It's time to go."

/--/

AN: Dun dun dun! The end is near! Review, and I'll update that much faster.