A/N: Thanks to all those who favored this story, and hope you find this satisfactory.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

I Am Man-Bat

"I must ask this."

"What?"

"Was it really necessary to have to blindfold me?"

I stood blindfolded with the scarf that I usually wear, which at the moment was tarred up in the hope to stop my bleeding from the wound that I received not too long ago.

That's going to need stitching.

Bruce stopped his walking, and made me stop as well. "Well, seeing as were about to enter one of my secret rooms, I suggest you get use to having to wear a blindfold when I bring you to my secret room."

He moved in front of me, and grabbed my forearm, and he began leading me. "Is this routine going to happen every time you feel the need to bring me to this 'secret room' of yours?"

We stopped once again as I could hear Bruce shuffle some things around. "Yes, but I'll only bring you down here in emergencies. Also, I don't really know what your reaction will be to this." Whispering the last part; thus making it quite difficult to hear. But I was still able to catch it.

"My reaction to what?"

"You'll see, just follow me closely, and don't stray away."

Where is he taking me?

I stayed closed to him as he was leading me, and then I felt the floor beneath me slippery, which was really odd, considering that we were in a mansion. But the more we kept walking, the more I could feel the floor get rockier. I heard a weird noise come from above me; it almost sounded like… bats?

Bats? In the mansion? Now I know where not in Wayne Manor anymore. Where is he taking me!

"Okay, stop."

I stopped my walking, and waited for him to do something.

I could hear Bruce move behind me. "I'm going to take the blindfold off, so try not to overreact to what you see."

Bruce unknotted the scarf around my eyes, and I finally was able to open my eyes. I wish I hadn't. The moment the scarf came off my eyes, I could see a swarm of bats fly out of the darkness of the… cave? I tried to take everything in, as I looked around my surroundings. I ran my hand through my hair, and kept looking around like a scared animal who was just introduced to a new torture chamber.

I looked over to Bruce who has moved over to a large computer in the room. This is how he's able to work in the night; this is where he's able to become the Batman. I slowly walk over to where he is, and look on as he's going through his huge computer.

Bruce looked over to me, and got up his chair. Gesturing for me to sit on it, I carefully made my way to it, as he stood on the side of the chair.

"I need you to come up with an antidote to Langstrom's transformation. I didn't get time to look over your notes, so you'll just have to make one with this."

I frowned. "And how does this work? I don't recall you needing a technician I-"

"I know that, but all you have to do is type up a formula, and leave the rest to me, and try to hurry, who knows what Langstrom has gotten himself into."

I didn't want to actually help him with the antidote, but I was curious to see how he comes up with his type of antidotes. Then after deciding that I was only doing this for my curiosity, I started typing up the formula that I knew would work, I have never been wrong when it comes to chemical compounds, and I won't start now.

Bruce just stood beside me, as I was working on the chemical, but he kept his gaze on the screen. I wonder how he was able to come up with an antidote that was able to counter my toxin if he needed me to type one up. Could it be possible that he wasn't the one who made the counteract toxin or is he just trying to see if I'm capable of making something more than the fear toxin I worked on? I have no need for these childish chemicals, I only need to worry about my own work, then, and only then, would I be capable of putting an end to this night flyer.

"It's done."

Bruce looked like he just came out of a daze, and placed his attention on the screen. He looked over everything I typed, and then he placed the tarred up scarf over my eyes once more, securing it on, so it wouldn't come off as easily.

I know he doesn't trust me from the start, but it's really starting to get annoying.

I heard some typing being done, and some other weird noises. Since I had my eyes covered up, I only looked to where I could hear the noise. I placed my hands on the arms of the chair, and waited for something to happen.

I heard some footsteps coming closer to me, and I felt an arm reach out to inspect my wounded arm.

I heard Bruce talk from a far distance away. "Alfred, when you're done fixing his wound, take him back upstairs."

Then I heard an engine roar.

I stood still as the butler was trying to stitch up my wound, only flinching when it began to sting. I closed my eyes, and tried to calm down.

Well, what do we have here? How much more do you need to fall before you realize that the Bat is only trying to use you, Jonathan? Even going as far as to keep you all bandaged up, so he can use you later on.

I clenched the armchair, but not because of the sting in my arm, but because I felt insulted, and some shame.

I thought… that you were done insulting my motives. How many times do I have to tell you, I-

I know; I heard it a thousand times. I just can't stand that damn Bat using you. I don't care what happens to him, I only care what happens to you.

"Dr. Crane, I am finished with fixing your injury."

"Huh? Oh, thank you. It really wasn't necessary though."

The butler took me by my arm, and began leading me away from the chair, and away from this place.

"Nonsense, Master Wayne wouldn't have asked me if it wasn't important. I don't think you would want my opinion, but any other man would have ignored your injury."

After a couple minutes went by in silence, I replied to his so called opinion. "You're right, I don't want it."

We walked in silence after that.

How hard can it be to find a giant flying bat?

I was perched above an eagle statue as I looked over the city. It was completely dark, and everyone would probably be asleep by now. All but one.

Where are you Langstrom?

I looked over where an old construction site was, and could see something hanging down from a large steel beam.

Found him.

I quickly made my way over to the construction site, and noticed that Langstrom was asleep. I hurried to reach where he was so I could give him an antidote to return him back to normal. But out of nowhere he opened his eyes, and started to go wild again.

"KYAH!"

He raised his wings, and was flying towards me with full speed. I quickly jumped to another beam, but he only turned his attention back to me, narrowing his eyes. He screamed as he plunged right back to me.

I jumped from one of the beams that were hanging by some cords only for it to swing around uncontrollably. Langstrom came down to stand at the other end of the beam, making it swing around some more. He charged me once again, and the only thing I could do was move to the side of the beam, and hang from it. I tried with all my strength not to let go of the beam. But Langstrom had other plans in mind, as he flew into the sky, and started to cut the cords.

I looked up, and saw Langstrom finally on the last cord; he had already cut off the right one, which made the beam turn sideways. It made it more impossible to be able to hold on to the beam, I decided that I should jump onto the roof of the construction site. But I was too late, as the beam came down, I ran up the beam as it fell, and quickly latched onto the roof.

Once I made it up to stand on the roof of the constructed building, Langstrom came charging at me. Knocking me down from the building, and I landed on top of pipes that were settled down on the floor.

I tried to move my arms. "Agh, he's really fast, his senses are also more enhanced due to him taking the form of a bat."

I pushed a steel pipe from on top of my leg, and I tried to stand up, cringing as the pain from my leg came into contact with the floor. I kneeled to the floor as I waited for Langstrom to show up. He didn't take long as he stood in front of me, shining those red eyes at me. I quickly made a plan in my head, and waited for him to come at me.

Releasing another one of his cries, he charged me with full force. At the last second, I moved out of the way, and moved behind him to grab his head in a headlock, ignoring the pain I was feeling, as he thrashed around trying to make me let go. After deciding that thrashing around wasn't enough, he flapped his wings and began descending into the air, along with me.

I held as tight as I could while Langstrom was in the air still thrashing around crazily but this time we were from what I could tell, twenty feet in the air. I didn't let up on my hold of Langstrom, but if I tried to change him back, we would both plumage to the ground. He turned around, and flew straight into an alley. I felt myself loosening my grip on him, as he began to fly through the alley and into trash bins.

He started to take flight into the air once again; I strengthened my hold which made him crash us into an abandoned building. I finally let go of his head, as the ruble and debris started to pile up. I looked up, and saw Langstrom knocked out on the floor.

I made my way to the knocked out bat, and took out the syringe that held the antidote. I placed it on his forearm, and began to inject him with it. I stood up, and tried not to use my right leg so much. Langstrom transformed back to his human self, but remain unconscious.

I pressed a button on my glove, and waited for my Bat-Pod. Carefully, I leaned on the wall, as the Bat-Pod crashed down the wall. I grabbed Langstrom's body, once again trying to ignore the pain in my right leg, moving him to the Bat-Pod, and settling him on the two wheeled vehicle. I moved to the front, and started the Bat-Pod. Making my way back to the bat cave.

I was back in the bat cave; I pressed another button on my glove, and fell unconscious.

"Master Wayne."

I heard Alfred calling out to me. I opened my eyes, and could see that I was on a table in the bat cave. "Ugh, Alfred?"

"Don't try to move much, Master Wayne."

I looked around the room. "Where's Langstrom?"

Alfred was finishing bandaging up my damaged leg. "He was unconscious as well, and took the liberty to settle him on some bed comforters that I have brought down."

"Thank you, Alfred." I closed my eyes, and quickly remembered someone, sitting up faster than I thought possible making me open up some of my wounds on my chest. "What about Crane?" Grunting out the words, as the pain started to rise once again.

Alfred placed his hands on my chest trying to push me back down on the table. "He's asleep. It's still quite dark Master Wayne, but do try to stay still. I don't want these wounds to open up once again."

I lay back down, and closed my eyes, placing my forearm over my forehead. Still dark outside, then what time is it? Does it really matter what time it is? All that matters is that no one got hurt, but why did Langstrom do such a thing? Why would he go to all the trouble just to turn himself to a man-bat? There's more than he's leading on, but that will have to wait.

I heard some rustling, and slowly opened my eyes. I saw Alfred moving around some of my clothing around in the closet. I guess its laundry day? Wait, what about…

"Alfred-"

He didn't turn around as he kept folding up my clothes. "Do not worry Master Wayne, I simply moved you back to your room. As for Mr. Langstrom, I moved him into a vacant room, and locked the door."

Wow, he did all that.

Then I looked over to the clock in the room, and saw that it was six in the morning. "Where is Crane?"

Alfred took the empty basket, and made his way to the front door, turning around to face me. "He has already awakened, to be precise; he awoke around five-thirty. I don't know why, but I would guess he is in the living room watching the news. Excuse me, Master Wayne."

He left, and I was in my room all alone. I wonder why Crane wakes up so early. I guess I could ask him; that is if he would answer my question with a straight answer.

I sat up on the bed, and leaned on the headboard, I looked down at my exposed chest to see some cuts, and bruises. Didn't Crane injure his arm? I have to get up; I wonder if anyone noticed a giant bat flying around last night.

I edged myself to the side of the bed, and cringed to the pain that was rising from my right leg. I ignored it, and grabbed a buttoned up night shirt that was in the front of my bed, placing my arms through the clothing, and buttoning it up. I stepped into my slippers, and began heading to the living room.

It hurt to walk, but I really didn't want to stay in bed all day. Also, I really need to know if anything was on the news about a bat flying around. I slowly paced myself into the living room only to see something very strange.

Jonathan was on the coach, with a saucer in his hand while the other I would assume held some tea. He also had his legs crossed, and just sat there; almost looking as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Usually, I always see him either fidgeting around or always lost in a weird daze, but seeing him like this; it almost looks like he… belongs there. Belongs here.

"Are you going to keep staring Mr. Wayne? You really shouldn't make a habit of it; it could turn into some strange obsession."

But of course, when he opens his mouth, it really changes my outlook on him.

I move into the room and sat at the other end of the couch, leaving a huge space between us. "What's been going on in the news?"

He took a sip of his tea, and then responded as he placed it back down. "Oh, the usual, nothing to out of the ordinary, except maybe this."

He changed the channel. I stood up as a news caster was replaying a film which looks like has been shoot with a camera phone. It replayed the moment of when me, and Langstrom where on the construction site. It was blurry but it showed enough for the people to be able to decipher that there was a giant bat, and Batman going at it on top of a construction site.

"I was careless."

Jonathan quickly agreed. "Yes, you really are a reckless person, Mr. Wayne."

The news caster started talking.

"Is this what the Batman has brought upon Gotham? More insane beast! Starting with ex-psychiatrist Jonathan Crane, to a psychopathic Joker, and now a flying bat? When will this vigilante learn that he only brings chaos to Gotham?"

I quickly grab the remote that was left on the coach and turn it off.

"I find it quite amusing."

I turn my head to Jonathan as he carefully takes a sip of his tea, and frown at him. "What could be amusing about this whole situation? The part that I have an unconscious ex-employee that turns into a huge bat locked in a room like a caged animal, or the part where Gotham feels like the Batman only brings chaos to Gotham?"

He placed his tea on the saucer, and placed it in his lap, but he kept his gaze on the black screened television. "Surprisingly neither, what I really found amusing was that these people actually think that it was your fault that I am the person that I am today. Oh, by the way, you just talked about yourself in third person."

I frowned. "Isn't my fault, I did poison you?" I replied without thinking it through.

Jonathan then frowned at what I just said. "Yes, you did, and I don't forgive you for it, I just don't like how these people assume that you were the one who caused it. Now, the Joker, well, he was born insane. That bat freak, well, that's all he is, a bat freak."

I sat back down hoping that I could get some information out of Jonathan. Anything at the moment would be good enough, just something that could take my mind out off what's happening.

"I'm sorry."

That must have caught him off guard, by seeing his bewildered face.

"Sorry? What do you have to sorry about? I told you, I don't need your sympathy so ju-"

I shook my head. "Not because of that, because of that wound." I pointed to his arm.

He looked down at his arm almost like he was just now realizing that he had it injured. "Oh, this was nothing more than a cut. I didn't even feel anything while your butler was stitching it up."

After that we stood in an awkward silent moment.

I broke the silence as I asked him something that has been bothering me for some time. "Do you think that the Batman is a vigilante?"

He adjusted his glasses. "I think that you need to stop talking about yourself in third person. We both know that you're the Bat-Man, and why should you care what I think about that particular question."

I looked down as I thought about this. Why do I care? Maybe all this is just getting to me. I might just need a break from all this, being the Batman takes allot of my time, then being Bruce Wayne takes more of my time. I think I'm going insane.

"How's your leg?"

I looked up and over to Jonathan. Did he just ask about my injury, maybe I am going insane.

"You don't have to tell me."

He moved to stand up, and I finally realized that I wasn't just making things up. I grabbed at his uninjured arm, making him sit back down.

"You asked a question so I should answer it."

He looked away from me, and just let out a small sigh. "That would be a proper way to go."

I just stared at him for a while, until I finally answered. "It feels better than from last night. But who told you?"

He shrugged my arm off. "No one, I merely just saw it in the news. Quite a fall you took Mr. Wayne."

I just nodded, and once again we were in complete silence.

That is until we heard a loud roar coming from Langstrom's room. I stood up, and as quickly as my leg could take me, I started making my way to the room. I unlocked the door with the spare keys I had in my pocket. Only to see the room completely destroyed.

I looked around, and made my way towards the window. It was completely shattered; it looked like he somehow was able to turn himself back into a bat, giving him the chance to escape. I decided that I was going after him. Only to be surprisingly stopped by Jonathan's voice as I made it to the hallway.

"You really are reckless Mr. Wayne. Why don't you think for a moment and observe your surroundings."

I turned around, and saw that Jonathan was looking at the floor. I made my way back into the room, and found a note lying on the floor. I picked it up, and began to read it out loud.

"I'm the Man-Bat, and no one will stop me from completing my goal."

I frowned at the note. "He can turn into that damn bat anytime he sees fit, and then return back to normal whenever he sees fit."

Jonathan moved a couple of strands of hair from his face. "Finally using that head of yours, that would be a first."

He's right. I'm usually cautious and try to take in all the information that's given to me. Lately I've been doing nothing but doing things out of pure recklessness. I can't believe that it would take this man to make me realize my mistake.

"I'll act like I didn't hear that. But what does he mean when he speaks of this 'goal' of his?"

Jonathan looked over to me as if expecting me to answer the question myself. "Well, aren't you some kind of snoop when it comes to these task? I would have already imagined that you would have come up with some weird plan. But seeing as you don't have much to work from, I would say that this 'Man-Bat' has played you quite well. It doesn't take a genius to know that this 'goal' of his is nothing more than a way to make more bat serum. At least that's what I would do." Mumbling the last part to himself.

It doesn't surprise me that he was able to come up with that theory so quickly. If only you could have used that intellect for the good of Gotham. Then maybe you wouldn't be the most hated man here. Still, I wonder if what he's saying true, is Langstrom really trying to make more bat serum? There could only be one place he could go if he is looking for more of that.

I made my decision. "Stay here, and try not to cause trouble."

I left the room before he could say something else.

"Master Wayne, please reconsider, you're still not completely recovered from your last encounter with Mr. Langstrom."

I placed my mask over my head. "Sorry Alfred, but I can't let Langstrom run wild in Gotham, especially since I don't know what he's planning to do."

I got in the Tumbler, and headed out into Gotham.

I don't know what Langstrom is hoping to accomplish, but I do have a clue in where I could find him.

I stopped the Tumbler, and took a look around. I was standing in an abandoned dock which held many abandoned warehouses. This area was supposedly restricted for people to come by, but knowing Langstrom, he'll walk right in here.

As I looked to a red warehouse, I could hear a high pitch noise. I got into the roof of the warehouse, and looked through a small crack that was on there.

Langstrom was holding his head in his hands slowly changing back into human. "Kyah! Ahhh! Huff, I can't stay long as Man-Bat, the longer I stay in that form, the more I lose my intelligence. I am only able to retain it for a slight moment, until I cannot make out friend from foe."

The warehouse is filled with chemicals on the table, and one picture frame on a desk. He looks up, and takes a breather, once he is calmed back down; he makes his way over to the picture frame. Picking it up and staring at it with a loving stare.

"Oh, Francine I hope you would be able to forgive me someday." He places it back down.

I take this chance, and take out a batarang from my belt, aiming it to his hand as he's about to pick up the bat serum he had stored.

He drops the serum, and it shatters as it makes contact with the floor. "Agh! What-"

I break through the roof, and land on the floor, looking at Langstrom as he looks on to the shattered serum on the floor. He frowns, and looks completely enraged with the fact that it was destroyed.

He turns around, holding his hand in pain. "So, you're the so called Bat-Man, huh. Well, let me start of by saying that I'm not impressed," he smirks, "and it's all thanks to my sheer genius of being able to turn myself into a real life bat, not just dress up like some sort of fiend."

I frown, and use my deep voice. "You think by turning yourself into a bat makes you superior in some way."

He shakes his hand. "Oh, please, I don't expect you to understand what I'm trying to accomplish. All I'm doing is for the good of-"

"Who? You're wife? Do you think she would be happy at what you've been doing?"

He furrowed his brows, and began shouting. "You have no right to talk about my wife! Keep her name from your filthy lips, like I said you can never come to understand why I do this!"

I took out another batarang from my belt. "You're right, I won't." I throw my batarang towards his stored vials in a counter, causing every single one of them to shatter.

He turns around, and sees as his serum is destroyed right before his eyes. "My serum! How dare you!"

Before I can react, he takes out a syringe from his pocket, and quickly injects himself with it. Turning him back into Man-Bat, as his height once again grew, and his eyes turn to those bloody red color. Letting out a screech, he charges at me.

I moved to the side from the impact, and pulled out my Bat-lasso that I have stored for this occasion. I quickly throw it to his legs, catching him all tied up. Then I pull out another one, as he tries to cut out from that one, and waited for him to stand up. Once he stands, I toss my other Bat-lasso to his torso, tying up his complete body. He struggles, and thrashes within the ropes of my Bat-lasso. As I was about to push a button on my glove to shock him, I hear a woman screaming.

"Kirk!"

I turn around, and see a woman running towards the bat tied up. She quickly makes it across the room, and drops to her knees to the bat. Langstrom has also seems to have calm down, his thrashing around has stopped; all he's doing is looking at the woman, as he's never seen a one before. The woman I assume would be his wife is carefully placing her hand on top of his head, as she has tears streaming down from her eyes. Langstrom leans into her hand, and gently nudges it with his head.

She turns her head towards me. "Please cut these ropes! I beg you, he meant no harm. He's just trying to help," she bows her head down making her hair fall to cover her face, she begins trembling, and raises her head once more to see her red puffy eyes caused by her tears. "Please!"

I frown, and take out one of my batarangs, kneeling down, and cutting off the composite-nylon cords. First starting with his legs, and then being cautious on the cords that have his arms tied up. I look over to the woman, and see her eyes show love, and care, as she pets her husband's head softly. I throw all caution into the wind, and cut off the last piece of cord, setting him free.

Instead of Langstrom standing up like I thought he would, he instead falls unconscious. His wife goes over to her bag that she dropped when she first arrived at the front door, and grabs out a syringe from it. Running back to kneel to her husband's knocked out form, and injecting him with it. He quickly changes back into a human, and breathes out slowly as he remains unconscious on the floor.

The woman placed his head to rest on her lap. "He didn't mean any harm. All he was trying to do was test the serum; he didn't want to test it on any humans knowing the consequences of what the serum was capable of."

At least he was smart enough not to risk anyone's life. Unlike other people I know.

I used my deep voice as I spoke to the woman. "Why would he want to test such a dangerous serum knowing the consequences?"

She placed her hand over his forehead. "Because he wanted to find a cure for our young son Aaron, you see because of the effects the serum had on his DNA, he was born with a deadly illness."

I frowned. "What do you mean the 'effects the serum had on his DNA'? Are you saying that Langstrom has done this before?"

She looked up to me with pleading eyes. "Yes, but only once, after that I told him to get rid of it, and he did, I watched him burn all his notes in the fire, and promised that he would never try to do such a thing if it meant my tears, and fear showing upon my face as I look at him in the eyes. We never thought that he would need to make another serum. So he started from scratch, keeping it a secret, but I always knew that he would try anything for a cure for our young boy. Please search it in your heart to forgive him; he would never try to harm anyone willingly."

Here this woman stands next to a man who was not only a human but was able to transform himself into a giant bat, and still be able to accept him for what he is. If that's not love, I don't know what is. But why is she able to accept him after going in a rampage around the city? He is a threat, could she really love this man that much to be able to accept him for not just who is but for what he is? I don't think that R-

I come out of my thoughts, and look at the unconscious man on the ground. "Just this once, I'll let him go. If he tries to threaten this city again, I won't be so forgiving."

She smiled as she looked at me. "Thank you, I promise he won't do such a thing anymore," she then looked over to her husband, and stroke his cheek, "right honey, you'll never try such a thing anymore. And I don't care if you are the way you are, I love you, and that's all that matters."

I left her with her husband, and made my way back to the Tumbler. I got inside of the car, and started it up. I began making my way back to the bat cave. But as I was driving I felt myself get lost in my thoughts. That woman… every time I stared at her eyes I could see pure love for her husband. I don't understand why she would stay by her husband even though he's… different. Could it be possible for someone to accept you for who you are? No matter what defines you but being able to look pass that. Is that what love means? I'll… never know.

"Damn."

Jonathan…

I rub my temple. "I know, I know."

I stare down at the empty pill capsule that I tossed onto the bed.

A/N: Sorry for the late update. This was a little lengthier than I first thought, and I had work come down on me. So, here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy it.

Review, and tell me what you think so far.