Disclaimer: I own nothing but Scarlett.

First off, let me just say how sorry I am. College life has been kicking my rear and I haven't had the time for anything except school. Things are finally calming down and I have it all under control. Now that I am able to balance school and life outside of it, I figured I would come out from my cave and update this story. I've pretty much finished it and I hope some of you are still around.

Without further adu from me, here's the next chapter.

"Where are we going?"

"New mode of transportation," Batman grumbled.

"What about the warehouse?

"Gordon can handle it."

Turning away from the destroyed warehouse behind them, Scarlett leaned her head back against the strong armor of Batman's suit. He had left the scene of the crime quickly and was taking Scarlett to the motorcycle around the corner to take her back to the penthouse. As he approached the bike, Batman shifted Scarlett in his arms so that she would be able to get on safely. Scarlett wasn't in the mood for joking or even talking so when he set her down on the bike, she didn't protest. He quickly climbed onto the seat in front of her and said, "Hold on."

Scarlett placed her arms around Batman's waist and rested her head against his back. Batman fired up the bike and without another thought, the bike took off, roaring away from the alley and onto the street, where it weaved in and out of traffic. Scarlett held on to him tightly and kept her eyes closed. She figured they must be quite a sight, considering she was still in Gordon's coat and her feet were all wrapped in gauze. The ride back to the penthouse was short and when they pulled up behind the building, Batman stopped in front of Emily and Alberto. Alfred had informed them of what had happened.

"Is she alright," Alberto said, lifting his sister from the bike.

"She'll be fine," the masked man replied, watching as Emily stroked her friend's hair.

"Rachel, is she…"

"Yes," Batman responded, looking up at Emily.

Alberto nodded before holding his sister closer to him. Turning to Emily, he said, "We better get her inside. When will you be…"

He had turned back to Batman but he had already left, the motorcycle leaving a trail of smoke behind him. Beside him, Emily bit the inside of her cheek before she said, "Let's get her up to the penthouse."

Alberto nodded and both turned towards the back door of the building and Emily opened the heavy glass door quickly. Alberto held the glass with his back as Emily went in first and he followed. Bruce had given the back door keys to Alberto and the couple was to take Scarlett up to the penthouse to make sure she stayed there. As they waited for the elevator, Emily whispered, "Do you think she's going to be ok?"

"I don't know," Alberto said, looking down at Scarlett's vacant face.

The elevator pinged, breaking the silence and the couple quickly boarded the elevator. The doors clamped shut and Alberto watched the numbers as they climbed to the top floor. Soon enough, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. As the penthouse was revealed to them, Alfred came walking towards them and said, "He wants her to put up in his bed. Anything she needs is to be given to her."

"I don't think she'll be needing much," Emily whispered.

"Sleep perhaps, Ms. Charles."

"I just want to take a shower. Wash the grime off and maybe get this stupid ring off," Scarlett murmured, getting down from her brother's arms.

She shuffled past the old butler and gave him a small smile as she flashed him the ring on her finger, before heading towards the stairs. As Scarlett began to walk up, she took Gordon's coat from her shoulders and hung it over the staircase. The three individuals watched her continue to climb the stairs before Emily said, "I'm going to go keep her company. Alfred, is it alright if we stay here tonight? I hope we are not intruding."

"Of course you both are welcome. Master Wayne would want Scarlett to have both of your company."

Emily nodded before she turned and headed towards the stairs, leaving the two men alone. Alberto glanced around the penthouse quietly before Alfred said, "Care for a drink?"

"You have no idea," Alberto said, breaking out into a grin.

Alfred smiled before leading the younger man to the kitchen.

Meanwhile, up in the bedroom, Emily had caught Scarlett in the midst of undressing and she said, "I'm sorry. I'll wait down stairs till you're ready."

"It's fine, Emily. Could you maybe find me some of his clothing. To sleep in?"

"Sure. I'll lay them out on the bed for when you get out."

"Thanks," Scarlett said, before she walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

Running a hand through her tussled red hair, Emily turned to Bruce's bureau and opened the top drawer. She searched through the drawer quickly before pulling out a pair of black sweatpants and a blue t-shirt. She held them up to one of the windows and said, "These are going to drown her."

Turning back towards the bed, Emily set the clothing down carefully before she turned on the bedside table light and noticed a letter sitting on the table. She reached towards it but pulled back like a hot poker had stung her. Emily knew she shouldn't open the letter that had Bruce's name scrawled on the front. However, curiosity got the best of her and looking between the bathroom and the staircase, Emily snatched up the letter and opened it quickly. She took the small piece of paper out and unfolded it, reading quietly to herself.

"Dear Bruce, I need to be honest and clear about something. For some time now, I've been wondering exactly what to say to you about our past relationship and the one that you and Scarlett had. I realized now that she can give you what I never could. She can give you hope that is still some good left in the world. I see more love in your eyes for her than when you ever snuck a glance at me. I know there was never a chance for us to be together. I'm going to tell you something I should have told you the night of the fundraiser. I'm going to marry Harvey Dent. I love him and want to spend the rest of my life with him. When Scarlett told you that if Gotham no longer needed Batman you both could be together, she meant it. She will wait for you and I want you both to be happy. I don't know if the day will come when you no longer need Batman but I hope it does. And if it does, Scarlett will be there, more than I ever could be. I'm sorry for whatever pain I may have caused you years ago. I just want you to remember: If you ever loose your faith in me, please keep your faith in people. Love, now and always, Rachel."

Swallowing down tears, Emily quickly put the note back inside the envelope and stood from the bed to run down to the kitchen. Taking the steps two at a time, Emily finally reached the main floor and quickly ran towards the kitchen. As quick as she could in a pair of high heeled boots. Pushing open the kitchen door, she laid eyes upon her boyfriend drinking whisky from a tumbler. Alberto quickly put his drink down and said, "Is she alright? Are you alright?"

Pursing her lips, Emily laid the letter down in front of Alberto. He reached forward and opened the letter quickly, skimming it with his eyes. As he read through it, Alberto stood from his seat and came to stand next to his girlfriend. As he put his arm around her, Emily said, "I found it on Bruce's bedside table. It's from Rachel."

Alberto nodded before setting the letter back down on the marble table and said, "Has Scarlett seen this?"

"No. I read it while she was in the shower. I assume that's where she still is."

"I'll give this to Alfred first thing. He'll know what to do with it."

Suddenly, a small voice echoed throughout the penthouse. Alberto's ears perked up and he said, "It's Scarlett."

Emily yanked her hand from Alberto's and turned to run back to Scarlett. "I'll take care of it," she yelped.

Running quickly back up the staircase, Emily managed to take her shoes off and throw them next to the closet at the top of the staircase, As she reached the top, she saw Scarlett sitting crossed legged on the bed, picking at a thread in the blue shirt. It was hanging off one of her shoulder's and her damp hair hung in her face. Emily quickly walked to the bed and kneeled down in front of Scarlett.

"Are you alright?"

"Could you stay with me. For a while."

"Of course. Until Bruce comes back," Emily said.

Scarlett nodded before laying down against one of the pillows and hugging her knees to her chest. Emily stood from the tile floor and sat on the bed behind Scarlett. Her friend reached over and grabbed Emily's hand tightly, almost as if she needed human contact. Leaning back against the headboard, Emily closed her eyes, only expecting to fall asleep for maybe twenty minutes. However, when her eyes opened, she was being lifted up off the bed by Alberto. As he made his way towards the stairs, he said, "Wayne is going to be here in ten minutes."

Emily yawned and replied, "Where are we going."

"Guest room. Alfred set it up for us already."

As Emily leaned her head back to Alberto's chest, he glanced back at his sleeping sister once more before descending the stairs.

As dawn broke over Gotham City, Bruce slipped back into the penthouse without being seen. The ride up in the private elevator was long and when the lift stopped, he watched as the doors slowly opened, revealing his home. Not bothering to change out of his suit, Bruce took the cowl from his head and dropped it on the floor. He then made his way towards the staircase and began to climb slowly, hoping that Scarlett was still there. When he reached the top of the staircase, he saw her still form, fast asleep on the bed and he walked closer to her. She was curled in a fetal position and her hair hung in her face. Bruce gently brushed the hair away before he turned and walked back towards the stairs.

He didn't see Scarlett's eyes pop open and her legs swing over the side of the bed to follow him, quietly. Picking up the waist band of the pants, Scarlett's bare feet silently descended the staircase in time to see Alfred walk by with a breakfast tray. A small white letter was sitting off to the side next to the orange juice and Scarlett wondered what it was for. Grimacing at her stomach rumbling louder than the Tumbler, she silently walked through the shadows and stopped behind the couch a few feet away. Bruce was sitting with his back to her, still dressed in the Bat suit. Alfred had stopped next to Bruce and set the tray down on the glass table.

"I prepared a little breakfast."

Bruce stayed silent and continued to stare straight ahead.

"Very well, then," Alfred muttered.

"Alfred…"

"Yes, Master Wayne? "

Bruce turned to look up at Alfred and said, "Did I bring this on them? I was meant to inspire good. Not...madness. Not...Death."

"You have inspired good. But you spat in the faces of Gotham's Criminals and you think there might be some casualties? Things were always gonna get worse before they got better," Alfred replied.

"But Rachel, Alfred...and Scarlett."

"Rachel believed in what you stood for. Scarlett will continue to believe in you and what we stand for. Gotham needs you."

"No, Gotham needs its true hero...and I let that murdering psychopath blow him half to hell," Bruce said, beginning to choke up.

"Which is why, for now, they're gonna have to make do with you.," Alfred said softly, handing the cowl back to Bruce.

"She told me that if I turned myself in, I would never be with Scarlett, Alfred. Dent doesn't know that Scarlett was saved. Part of me wants Dent to never know that she is alive and that she was in the same building as Rachel."

Scarlett watched as Alfred silently grabbed the small letter from the tray and put it behind his back. She had no idea what it was but Scarlett assumed it was from Rachel. She watched as the old man began to walk off but Bruce had noticed his butler take the letter from the tray.

"What's that?"

"It can wait," Alfred said, turning towards the kitchen.

"That bandit in the forest in Burma, did you catch him?"

"Yes."

"How?," Bruce pressed.

"We burned the forest down."

Alfred then silently continued his walk back to the kitchen, not bothering to see that Scarlett had been standing off to the side. She had heard the whole conversation. Turning back to Bruce, she watched as he looked down at the cowl before throwing it across the room, where it slid across the floor. He put his head into his hands and Scarlett quickly walked to his side, [utting her small hand on his shoulder. Bruce tensed up for a moment before he turned to look up at her. She glanced back down at him and followed his eyes as he stood from the chair. He reached his hand out to her and Scarlett took it as he pulled her into his arms. They stood silently for a few minutes before Scarlett pulled away and said, "Let's get you up to bed. You need to sleep."

As Bruce began to slowly walk towards the stairs, Scarlett turned to where he had thrown his cowl and quickly walked over to pick it up. She bent over and picked up the cowl before turning and following Bruce up the staircase. He was walking in silence and hadn't spoken to her yet but Scarlett had a feeling he wouldn't. As he walked into the spacious bedroom, Scarlett followed only to catch him in the midst of taking the suit off. Blushing, she turned her back and said, "I'll wait in the bathroom."

Before Bruce could protest, he saw her whiz by him, grab a bag that was sitting by the door and quickly enter the bathroom, shutting the door. Shaking his head, Bruce walked over to his bureau and grabbed out a pair of black sweatpants. He changed into them before falling back onto the bed and closing his eyes tightly. Sleep would have overtaken him but the bathroom door soon opened and Scarlett remerged, dressed in jeans, black heeled boots and a green top.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm hungry and I'm not tired anymore. Besides, you need to rest. Alone."

She then grabbed a leather jacket that was sitting across the bed but Bruce leaned forward and grabbed her wrist. Her eyes shot up and a frown was set upon her face. Bruce looked like he had been run over by a train. His eyes had bags underneath them and his face was weary. She knew what he had been through in the last 12 hours.

"What do you want from me," Scarlett muttered.

"Just stay."

"I can't."

"I'll stay at least 5 inches away from you," Bruce said.

Thinking it over and knowing it wouldn't hurt, Scarlett said, "Fine."

Bruce nodded before letting go of her wrist and moving over to the left side of the spacious bed. Scarlett shifted her body so that she could lie comfortably on the right side of the bed on her back. Bruce turned onto his right side so his back was facing her and she watched as he made himself comfortable. Rolling her eyes, Scarlett closed her eyelids tightly and attempted to sleep.

Thanks to everyone who favorited me while I was gone or to anyone who commented. Leave me a review if you would like to. No force, I just want to know if you like it.

:D