An: REVIEWS!! Thank you thank you thank you - (proceeds to hug everyone who reviewed) In honor of so many reviews, I'm going to update twice in one day! Here you go.

Chapter Eleven

It was silent. Even Batman looked up, still pinning Rono to the ground. The cop was cursing violently, but somehow the sound was muffled. Batman's eyes were locked onto Dent, the smoking gun still pointed at Kaitlyn's small form. She was doubled over, holding on to her midsection and trying hard not to cry. Her eyes locked onto his, and he could feel the pain in that stare. She was asking him to take the pain away, and he couldn't. Batman had never quite mastered the pain of a gunshot, because there was nothing quite like it. It was worse than being stabbed, worse than watching someone you care for die. Worse because you were completely helpless once that gun was pointed at you, and that was probably the part that hurt the most. The helplessness.

All these thoughts crashed through his mind, exploding into nothing as he watched the blood trickle out from between her fingers. It stabbed at his heart. He was too late.

Joker stepped forward, an odd look on his face. Gordon wasn't sure if it was anger or amusement. He inched forward, coming to a stop right beside Kaitlyn so he could examine her wounds. She shied away from his touch, whimpering a little. Joker paid them no attention.

"You did that on purpose." he accused lightly. "You shot her in the stomach so we could watch her bleed out." He pulled a switchblade from his pocket and gestured with it. "What have I told you about scheming? It never works. You have to go with the flow."

Dent pulled out his coin. "Good side - you live. Bad side - you die."

Joker smiled. "Now you're talking."

Dent flipped the coin and caught it. Batman watched the whole exchange, securing Rono to an exposed framework pole. The man was cursing the entire time. It seemed this was familiar, Batman realized, the flipping of the coin to determine Joker's fate the actual birth of Two-Face. He wondered if Joker realized that the coin was now seared on both sides, that there was no good side. Dent must have taken a lighter to it before Joker arrived. Two-Face slapped the coin on his hand and examined it. Bad side. He moved to fire his gun, but Batman was slightly faster. A throwing star in the shape of a bat whirled past Dent's head, getting his attention before slowly standing up.

"Leave the clown alone, Dent." he said quietly. "He's just a chained dog barking at cars."

"Now that's not nice, Bats." Joker protested lightly. Batman ignored him and continued.

"I'm your opponent. Leave the others out of it."

"Are you that willing to die for them?" Dent demanded. "I know you won't kill me. Even when you killed me the first time, it was an accident. It's not in your nature."

Batman's eyes hardened. "I will not die, and I won't leave them at your mercy."

I won't kill you, but I don't have to save you.

Dent smiled. "Catch me if you can, Batman." He fired off two shots at Joker and Gordon, but didn't stick around to check the damage. In a flash Batman was after him, following Dent into the deeper parts of the half-constructed building. This time, he vowed darkly, the man would not get away.

/--/

Gordon stared at the Joker. Blood dripped down his shoulder where the bullet had grazed him, and yet he didn't flinch. For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Then the Joker cackled.

"Boy, Bats must really trust you." he observed. "Leaving little Kaitlyn alone with me in the same room? Either that or he really is insane." Abruptly he shifted to completely serious. "Did you see her wound?"

"No." Gordon answered cautiously. He turned his focus back to Kaitlyn, trying to get her to uncurl long enough so he could see the severity of the wound. She was turning pale with the loss of blood. "Come on, Kaitlyn, I need you to work with me." he murmured. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." Kaitlyn simply glared at him and shifted away. "Please, Kaitlyn. I just want to help you."

"No." Kaitlyn said quietly. A look of surprise crossed Joker's face.

"You've gotten bold, haven't you?" he mused. Kaitlyn shot him a filthy look.

"Not afraid." she hissed. Joker snorted in amusement.

"You can't string together a proper sentence and you're not afraid?" he challenged.

Kaitlyn reached up over her head and grasped the thrower that was now poking out of the wall. With a grunt, she pulled it out and held it pointed at Joker. "Not afraid."

Joker watched her silently for a moment. Gordon hesitated. Something was going on here, something private between the two of them that he couldn't hope to understand. Joker was her father. He had obviously abused her to the point of forced silence, but he was still her father. Either his protective instincts were finally kicking in or he was about to change his mind and do something that would get all of them killed, and Gordon would be hanged if he could figure out what. He watched as Joker simply shook his head.

"Come on. Do you really think Bats will like it if you bleed out because you wouldn't let the cop touch you?" he pointed out dryly. "Here, I'll even stand on the other side of the room." He moved to stand beside Rono, occupying himself with kicking the bound man in the ribs almost absentmindedly. "Does that suit you?"

Kaitlyn looked at both of them, then at the thrower. Slowly, she laid down on her back, holding the thrower in front of her face. Her voice was so small when she finally spoke, and Gordon figured it was the strain of blood loss finally getting to her.

"Okay."

/--/

AN: Ok, not exactly how I'd like it, but oh well. Next chapter has lots of Batman/Two-Face action, and is the second to the last chapter. Maybe the third to the last, I'm not sure. The end is nigh!