Author' Notes: This is where it all has been leading. This is why she was here. This is why the Impossible Girl was with the Ninth Doctor in Gotham City during Batman's first days. Also, if you can, really try to imagine Christopher Eccelston's acting here in the important parts. I don't need to tell you what they are, you'll know them. Really try to hear his voice and the emotions in it, because that was what I loved about his Doctor and what I was trying to bring out here.
And this seems to be the longest chapter I have written so far. Give me back as much criticism
…And Remember Me.
''A little bit of hickory pockery and… we have a vaccine,'' the Doctor said as he had completed the antidote to the fear-toxin. I wasn't much nor did it probably even work as it should, but it was the best he could have done with what he had.
''Is that the antidote?'' Gordon asked coming back.
''Can't tell for sure without testing it,'' the Doctor answered handing the vaccine to Gordon. ''Keep on yourself, just in case.''
Gordon took the vaccine and put it in his pocket as the Doctor turned back to make more.
''Aren't you gonna-''
''No, I assume if you have already been poisoned with it and have beaten it like I have, you'll develop a resistance to the toxin,'' the Doctor said. ''Also if you have the anti-toxin in your system, you'll be automatically immune.''
''Good to hear,'' Gordon said.
''Did you get any information out of Crane?''
''No, the man has lost it,'' Gordon answered shaking his head. ''He doesn't answer to any questions or even respond, keeps on rabbling about scarecrows.''
The Doctor chuckled amused.
''Crane has become his own diagnosis.''
BOOOOM!
''What the hell was that!?'' the Doctor said as the explosion was heard and felt throughout the asylum. Gordon drew out his service gun and nodded his head for the Doctor as an expression to follow him. Both men ran outside where the explosion had originated and found a huge hole in the perimeter wall.
''How many got out?'' Gordon asked the present officer, who turned out to be Flass.
''Everyone,'' Flass said like it wasn't a big deal. ''Serial killers, rapists…''
''You need to raise the bridges,'' the Doctor said looking at Gordon, worried of escapees to-be-victims. ''None of those psychos can be let off the island.''
''Oh, yeah, we'll raise the bridges,'' Flass said, mockingly and sarcastically. ''When we get every available police officers, to catch the homicidal maniacs.''
''Fantastic,'' the Doctor said slamming his hand against his forehead.
Meanwhile, at the stately Wayne Manor, the guests were leaving early. Apparently Wayne had, in a drunken outburst, badmouthed everyone there and the told them to hit the road. Which they gladly did.
''Amusing, but pointless,'' a guest who Bruce Wayne had once known as Henri Ducard said. ''None of these people have long to live. Your antics at the asylum have forced my hand.''
''So Crane was working for you,'' Bruce said walking away with his former teacher.
''His toxin is derived from the organic compound found in our blue flowers,'' Ducard answered. ''He was able to weaponize it.''
''And created Nightmare Child,'' Bruce assumed. ''But he's not a member of the League of Shadows?''
''Of course not,'' Ducard said. ''He thought our plan was to hold the city to ransom.''
''But really, you are going to release Nightmare Child on the entire city,'' Bruce said understanding Ducard's plan.
''Then watch Gotham tear itself apart through fear.''
''You're going to destroy millions of lives.''
''Only a cynical man would call what these people have "lives," Wayne,'' Ducard said firmly and bitterly. ''Crime, despair, this was not how man was supposed to live. The League of Shadows has been a check against human corruption for thousands of years. We sacked Rome, loaded trade ships with plague rats, burnt London to the ground. Every time a civilization reaches the pinnacle of its decadence, we return to restore the balance.''
''Gotham isn't beyond saving,'' Bruce told Ducard. ''Give me more time. There are good people here.''
''You are defending a city so corrupt, we have infiltrated every level of its infrastructure,'' Ducard said, with his voice sounding disappointed. ''When I found you in that jail, you were lost. But I believed in you. I took away your fear, and showed you a path. You were my greatest student. It should be you standing by my side, saving the world.''
Bruce stood up straight as he said: ''I'll be standing where I belong: between you, and the people of Gotham.''
''No one can save Gotham,'' Ducard said and nodded to his henchmen, who began vandalizing the house and set it on fire. ''When a forest grows too wild, 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 flinched to this. ''You've attacked Gotham before?''
''Of course,'' Ducard said proudly. ''Over time, our weapons have grown more sophisticated. With Gotham, we tried a new one - economics. But, we underestimated certain of Gotham's citizens. Such as your parents.''
This came as a shocking surprise to Bruce, as his gaze was briefly turned to a framed picture of Thomas and Martha Wayne. Joe Chill, the man who had killed them, had been brought down to the level of a mugger because of the falling economy of that time. The falling economy, that the League of Shadows had caused, and so, indirectly, caused his parents deaths. Seeing their picture on fire brought him back to reality and Bruce focused his attention back on Ducard.
''Gunned down by one of the very people they were trying to help,'' Ducard continued speaking like a philosophic. ''Create enough hunger and everyone becomes a criminal. Their deaths galvanized the city into saving itself and Gotham has limped on ever since. We are back to finish the job. And this time, no misguided idealists will stand 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.''
Remembering his training with the League, Bruce took this a warning and was fast enough to disarm and knockout the attacking ninja, in just enough time to parry Ducard's attack.
''I am gonna stop you!'' Bruce growled at Ducard, using the raspy voice of his alter ego.
''You never learned to mind your surroundings,'' Ducard shot back and pushed Bruce under a falling ceiling structure. ''Justice is balance. You burnt my house and left me for dead. Consider us even.''
''This isn't over, Ducard!'' Bruce growled angrily under the burning log.
''My name is Ra's Al Ghul,'' Ducard said walking away from the burning house. ''And for you, it is very much over. Goodbye, Wayne.''
At an apartment building in Diamond District, two women woke up from their slumber (and before someone's dirty imagination starts to make stuff up, Rachel woke up in her bed and Clara was on the sofa).
''Batman's antidote!'' Rachel said as she saw it on her nightstand. ''We need to get this to Doctor Smith. Clarissa, are you in a- Clarissa?''
Rachel looked at the other woman regaining consciousness on her sofa and saw that she was not that well. The happy, smiling young lab assistant of as gleeful Doctor Smith looked like she was sick and nauseated.
''The Doctor… have to save… the Doctor,'' Clarissa muttered silently with her gaze at her feet. ''Great Intelligence is… trying to kill… the Doctor…''
''Clarissa are alright?'' Rachel said approaching her.
''NO!'' she screamed, before speaking again in deep breaths. ''My name is… Clara… Clara Oswald… and I… I have to save the Doctor!''
''Is Doctor Smith in danger?'' Rachel asked, trying to understand what Clarissa was saying.
''The Great Intelligence… is in the Narrows!'' Clarissa said rising to her feet. ''He attempts to kill the Doctor again. I have to save the Doctor.''
''Might as well ask him what you're talking about,'' Rachel said taking Clarissa's arm and began to escort her out.
At the burning Wayne Manor, one lone ninja in a tuxedo was guarding the burning house. He had been given a mission to make sure no one came out of the manor. Maybe because of all the heat and the noise the flames were making as the devoured the house, the ninja failed to hear the elderly butler sneaking up on him and hitting him unconscious with a golf club.
''I hope you're not a member of the fire brigade,'' Alfred said going past the beaten ninja and entered the burning manor to look for his master. ''Master Wayne, MASTER WAYNE!''
Alfred found his young master at the hallway taking away from the Salon, lying under a burning ceiling structure that had fallen on him. Both en attempted to lift it off with little prevail.
''What's the point of all those push-ups, if you can't even lift a bloody log?!''
That remark gave Master Bruce, arrogant strength to lift the burning log off him and Alfred helped him up. Together, the master and the butler sought their way to the Study. There Alfred pushed the right pedals on the piano and opened the secret door in the bookcase. They both went in and got themselves to the elevator and down as the flames spread to the corridor.
''What have I done, Alfred?'' Bruce asked devastated, looking up to the blaze destroying his home. ''Everything my father… my family built…''
''The Wayne's legacy, is much more than bricks and cement,'' Alfred said, pointing out the wound Bruce had gotten from the fallen ceiling structure and the symbolism in the blood.
''I thought I could save Gotham,'' Bruce said, ''I failed.''
''And why do we fall, Master Wayne?''
Bruce looked at his wound and back at his servant.
''So we can learn, to pick ourselves up.''
''You still haven't given up on me?'' Bruce asked from Alfred.
''Never!'' Alfred said lifting his master up. ''Now let's patch that wound, so you can go and save Gotham.''
The whole Narrows was at panic. All the GCPD had been called to handle the Arkham Breakout and they made a lot of arrests, but got much opposition from the people for using too much force. Gordon and the Doctor were doing the best they could to make sure to keep as many as possible alive, but they had some trouble with one particular cop.
''Harassment!'' yelled a civilian. ''Police Harassment!''
''You wanna see some excessive use of force!?'' Flass barked back pointing his gun at the civilian.
''A stupid ape with gun than a police officer,'' the Doctor said sonicing the ammo clip off Flass' gun and walked to the civilian. ''Get off the Island before the bridges get raised.''
''Hey, Gordon!'' officer Bullock yelled to Gordon. ''Some people here to see you.''
The Doctor looked where Bullock was yelling and saw Rachel and Clarissa coming. Thought Clarissa looked like she was not well.
''What are you doing here?'' Gordon asked as Rachel showed him a syringe.
''Our mutual friend asked me to bring this to Doctor Smith,'' Rachel said giving Batman's antidote to the Doctor, who scanned it with the sonic.
''It is the same thing I managed to come up with,'' the Doctor said quickly reviewing the results of the sonic screwdriver. ''What's wrong with her?''
''I don't know, but she wouldn't stay at apartment to sleep it off,'' Rachel told the Doctor, holding the bare conscious Clarissa on her feet. ''She kept saying that you were in danger and that someone was out to kill you.''
''Intelligence… wants to kill…'' Clarissa muttered, ''the Doctor… I have to save…''
''In that case you need to get out of the Narrows,'' Gordon ordered seeing the girls condition. ''All three of you, get out of the island. Go make more of this antidote and get her back to some rest!''
''Will do,'' the Doctor said taking Clarissa to carry and nodded his head to Rachel. ''Come on.''
The Doctor and Rachel ran through the crowd of escaping people towards the bridge. It was horrible seeing people leaving their homes so the police could catch all the Arkham escapees. On their way, Rachel caught a glimpse of a young boy trying to ask help finding his mother from riot-cops, who just pushed him away.
''HEY!'' Rachel yelled to the police officers while walking to them. The Doctor shook his head and followed her. ''What the Hell, do you think you're doing?!''
''Gentlemen, time to spread the word,'' said a man stepping out of the police wagon, wearing a dark and expensive suit. Clearly he, nor the riot-cops with him, was not genuine police officers. Then the Doctor understood what was really going on.
''And the word is;'' the suited man said activating a machine inside the wagon, ''PANIC!''
As the machine was turned on, the Doctor's assumptions were confirmed. The suited man was the Demon's Head Crane had mentioned. And as every available police officer of GCPD was now in the Narrows, every egg had been put into the basket. All around them white steam, the whole water supply of Gotham City was now vaporized and Nightmare Child turned in aerosol form. By activating the machine, the Demon's Head had blown up that basket.
''RUN!'' The Doctor told to Rachel, who took the little boy to carry with her and they ran away from them.
It was all worse now. The panic in the Narrows had escalated to the point where there was no escaping, but luckily all three of them were now, two temporarily, immunes to Nightmare Child. Rachel had torn a handkerchief and tied to cover the little boy's mouth to cover him from the toxin. But really there was nowhere to run. As the got to the right distance, the Doctor could see that all the bridges were now up. And the TARDIS was parked to the other side of the river. They were all trapped in the Narrows with non-immune people and the Arkham escapees, who were probably more dangerous while under the effect of Nightmare Child.
''It's okay, it's okay,'' Rachel tried to calm down the little boy. ''No one is going to hurt you.''
''OF COURSE THERE ARE!'' was barked, by a white clad scarecrow riding a horse stolen from a riot-cop.
''Crane?'' the Doctor said turning his body to cover Clarissa and point the sonic screwdriver at the threat.
''NO! SCARECROW!''
''You are under the effect of your own toxin!'' The Doctor spoke while scanning and reviewing the results he got from Crane with the sonic. ''You are a doctor! You can use your of psychological thinking to overcome it. There is nothing to fear from it!''
''THERE'S NOTHING TO FEAR!'' Crane barked back. ''BUT FEAR ITSELF! I'm here to help-''
Crane couldn't finish his sentence, as Rachel shot him with her tazer. Crane fell off his horse and was left hanging as the horse rode away to the mists.
''Doctor…'' Clarissa said gaining consciousness, but still seemed tired.
''How are you feeling?'' the Doctor asked Clarissa as he helped her on her feet.
''Doctor… I have to save you…''
''Batman will save us,'' the little boy said looking into the mists, which had now began to spawn the Arkham inmates.
''Zsasz,'' Rachel said frightened recognizing one of the inmates and raised a gun she had picked up from a deceased police officer lying on the ground.
''Don't peak,'' she told to the little boy while the Doctor also rose to cover Clarissa.
The Great Intelligence observed the events unfolding before its host body. It had well taken its place in this part of the Doctor's timestream and had perfectly manipulated itself to get here with the Doctor. Thought the Great Intelligence was forced to be an inmate at Arkham Asylum, it had managed to manipulate Victor Zsasz into an ally by proving not to be a 'zombie'. It had been the only friend this murdering psychopath had had during his life he hadn't wished to 'liberate'.
All that friendship was now paying off, as the Great Intelligence managed to use Zsasz to kill the Doctor here in Gotham City, during the fall of Narrows. Pointing at the four people ahead of them, the Great Intelligence asked Zsasz to start with the one wearing the leather jacket. The psycho lunged at them and stabbed his first victim with his knife. And again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again…
''DOCTOR!''
Batman lunged at the people in orange jumpsuits and pulled the first attacker off its victim. He needed to neutralize all hostiles while protecting the civilians. If there would have been less people than the four there were now, maybe he could have just reached and pulled them to the rooftop of the buildings. But Batman couldn't do that now and he was already late. There was already a casualty.
''Clarissa?'' the Doctor cried desperately holding his companion in arms. ''Clara, why did you do it!?''
Batman saw it, Rachel saw it, and even the little boy had unfortunately seen it. In the midst of Zsasz's attack, Clarissa had jumped in between the Doctor and Zsasz, and had gotten at least nine stab wounds in her chest and stomach. Her intervention had saved the Doctor's life just before Batman had arrived to the rescue too late and now she was laying in the Doctor's arms, bleeding to death.
''I had to… save you,'' Clarissa tried to speak, ''that was why… I came to you…''
''I can get you all up there to safety,'' Batman said pointing at the observation control room for the monorail. ''I can get you up there two at the time.''
Batman got Rachel and the little boy up easily, but for Clarissa he had to use is cape as a lift to get her to the control room. For last he brought the Doctor. In the control room there was a small sofa where Clarissa was laid. The Doctor refused to let her die there and tried to use his sonic screwdriver to cauterize her wounds, but Clarissa's skin was already getting colder and the life inside her was leaving.
''Doctor Smith,'' Rachel said kneeling down next to Clarissa, ''she said she needed to save you-''
''I DIDN'T NEED SAVING!'' the Doctor yelled at her. ''She shouldn't have… where did Batman go?''
''They are using the monorail to spread Nightmare Child to all of Gotham,'' Rachel said scared of the Doctor's outburst. ''It follows the monorail to the central hub beneath Wayne Tower. Batman went to try and stop the train.''
The Doctor scanned Clarissa with the sonic. She was stable for now, so he moved to see the controls. If possibly he could use them to stop the train from moving altogether, the Doctor could stop the Nightmare Child from been spread.
''I could make the train stop before it gets out of the Narrows,'' the Doctor said bitterly and got even more crossed when he saw for how long. ''But only for nine seconds.''
''Then run…''
The Doctor and Rachel turned around to Clarissa's voice and saw her looking at him. She was conscious again and he beamed right back to her.
''What did you say?'' the Doctor asked hopefully.
''Run, you clever boy…'' Clara whispered looking at the Doctor as her eyes were closing, ''and remember me…''
The Doctor looked at her devastated and got more sorrowful as he no longer felt her pulse. Clarissa was dead. As tears run down his cheeks, he stroke down her hair and cheek, before getting back up. Then he looked at Rachel and the little boy and saw the monorail coming behind them. The Doctor moved to the controls, did something to them and headed out.
''What are you doing!?'' Rachel asked as the Doctor locked the door with the sonic screwdriver.
''What she asked me to do,'' the Doctor answered. ''I am going to run that train down and remember her while stopping it!''
Author's notes: The Great Intelligence was here as it was also in the first chapter. That TSA agent, did you imagine him being played by Richard E. Grant? Because he was also here playing one of the Arkham inmates with Tim Booth's Victor Zsasz.
Now be expecting for what comes next: The Demon's Head VS the Oncoming Storm. Might not be the actual title, but I'm giving it to you as a teaser. NOW REVIEW THIS CHAPTER TO ME! POUR OUT YOUR EMOTIONS OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED!
