A world without the Justice Lords seems like the thing to do as Bruce Wayne finally locks away his costume with the others. He was tired, so very tired, his eyes were bloodshot from all the nights he had not slept, and of course it was the anniversary of Flash's death and Luthor's demise. He could invent a time machine, go back and undo this, but somehow he felt he didn't deserve to fix things because would he have learned in the process. It might erase this timeline and replaced with one more like the Justice League reality, but then again it might also make things worse. It was time to retire, go back to do something more in line with what could be done just with his money, but of course that was when she arrived, someone he really did not want to see today of all days.

"You can't hide forever in there Wayne!"

He didn't answer the door, not immediately anyway, and when he does open it, she is in tears. As much as she and the absent Superman fought, he couldn't be this cold to her, so he lets her inside before closing the front door. He pours her some tea, he felt surprised he could remember how to do that, but after barely cooking his own meals for the longest time, having company for the day might not be so bad after all.

"What happen to him… to the others?"

"Another reality like ours, but not quite, they haven't been down this road though they still have problems of their own. Your less than likable Kryptonian led the charge after luring them here and I was their warden, for all the 'good' that did, their Flash made a fool of me making me think he died from heart failure in his detainment area."

"You mean cell?"

"Right, well they weren't bad cells; they were designed to compensate for certain abilities. Then there was the other me, he pushed my buttons, but on some level I let him because I was so damn tired of just stringing along because I felt powerless to stop him."

"You have a kryptonite sliver."

"I couldn't just keep using it on him and not expect him to want to kill me. I thought I could convince him to stop despite all the rationalizations I made over the past two years or so. I don't know exactly what the League did to them once they got back to their reality. I can only guess that they were beaten, maybe even de-powered if the League had Luthor's power disruptor."

"How would that affect them or him?"

"To him it would be like kryptonite without the killing him death bit. As for others like him, it would also be like that except its powers specific, so what your ability, it doesn't work anymore, maybe not ever again."

"This is certainly news…"

"A World Without The Justice Lords… but all in all, it is your call Lois."

"I miss that most of all though I'm not sure I'm not alone on that… what happen to?"

"They left one at a time, Alfred was the last, need only see Arkham to know why."

"I'm sorry Bruce."

"No, it is not you that owes anyone apologies, and as for me, I am damned already."

"No one will ever need to know who any of you really are…"

"I think many will disagree with that so I am planning to give myself up eventually."

"You don't have to do that…"

"One of us has to own up to this thing."

"Then I guess you will have to do that if you believe you must."

"That'll be them now so long Lois."

She watches him being led away by the police into a patrol car, the entire mansion is being sold, as for the contents of the Batcave, he had already permanently found a place to store it away should someone ever find some need for it. Of course if the time ever came, most of it would be out of date, but it did not matter, he thought it important to preserve the memory of what it had been before the Lords took global control. Lois did not hate Bruce at that moment, in the end; he still thought he had to the right thing, even though it did not strike her as really smart especially when not all of Batman's enemies were lobotomized Arkham inmates.

She did however have stories to write again just as criminals might again become bold enough to take it to the streets, but not just yet, of course her articles in the following weeks finally made them act again. Dick goes into law, Barbara enters the police academy, and Tim enters a tech school with some help from them. Alfred settles into a countryside life in a rural area of England. The world moves on without the Justice Lords, but of course criminality persists anyway so just maybe without super villains, it would not be so bad, but of course everyone begins to realize that's a hollow hope.

Thorne after going underground for the past few years reorganizes Gotham's underworld and so the cops now led by Commissioner Renee Montoya have to deal with old familiar foes, but many including Gotham City's Mayor Hamilton Hill is content to be rid of the past madness. Bruce Wayne remains a fugitive in custody until his trial; he is put away in the super prison that replaces Stonegate called Graystone. All of Stonegate's old inmates join him there and of course he spends nearly all his time in his cell though when he goes out some dare to fight him and others still retain their memories of Batman.

He occasionally does have to fight them off and occasionally the guards will put him away in solitary. He hardly minds the silence, it is actually comforting as he remembers those years he spent wandering the world before he had come back to Gotham to become Batman. His generally good behavior eventually awards him with a parole opportunity, and they are willing to grant it so long as he no longer engages in any police or crime related work. He agrees so they let him out and in the car there to pick him up is recently promoted Detective Barbara Gordon.

"Welcome home Bruce."

"How is our daring D.A. Richard Grayson?"

"Court cases keep him busy though I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

"What about Tim?"

"He's still busy with tech schools."

"Glad to see you all managed to find other ways to contribute out of costume."

"What will you do now?"

"For the first time in my life, I'm actually glad to not know."

"Plenty of things to check out and I'm sure with all your experience you could find something."

"For now I just want to be back with my family."

"Then let's head back to the loft hmm."

They drive over to the cemetery where the Waynes are buried and he bids them farewell for now because Gotham is in good hands that are not his, but he is sure they do not mind as he paid his time though the conditions of parole forbid certain kinds of work. Wayne Enterprises were entrusted to Lucius Fox after the trial and he is content to leave it with Fox because Lucius is a good man, someone his parents would believe a man of character in business. They leave Gotham behind for Bludhaven, which looks like it is a good state too, but Barbara confesses looks are still deceiving as Thorne has expanded his underworld to Bludhaven.

"I'm sure you, Dick, the police, the law can handle it though of course Thorne probably still has some competitors, but like I already agreed no more late nights on the streets. I guess you all read Lois' articles about the Lords."

"Yes we saw, I can't say I was that surprised, but in the end you did what you thought was right, that's what matters to me, to Dick, to Tim, even Alfred. He has been enjoying the rural English life since he left Gotham."

"Good for him, if I ever see him again though I'm not sure if that would be for the best. I would say I am sorry to him too."

"He had eventually come to forgive what happen because Dick reminded him of all the times when you were quite despairing about your purpose, I guess even the most faithful among us need someone to remind them of that too."

They enter the loft and oddly for a moment she could swear he still casts a slightly Bat shaped shadow. She shakes her head then follows him recalling the night where he told her his secret about being Batman and Dick being Robin. It was a life altering night, but so was that nightmare courtesy of Scarecrow's toxins. However this was another life, another time, and she was happily engaged to Dick Grayson, her daring D.A. man.

"I took the liberty of a preparing supper since I had no idea when you would…"

"I thought you said he was still in England…"

"My surprise, this is a world without you know what…"

"Sneaky Miss Gordon… or should I say future Mrs. Grayson?" quips Alfred.

"You and Dick patched things up hmm?" chuckles Bruce.

"Yes we did Bruce; it took a long time though."

Another figure emerges from the shadows and the way her hair fell over one eye immediately gives her away. It is Talia Al-Ghul, which means Ra's Al-Ghul maybe active again after going dark following his attempt to sap some of Superman's vitality. The four all glare at her and she only manages a slight smile from recognition.

"Why are you here? I already had my troubles, now leave at once."

"Father would be disappointed Beloved."

"Would not be the first or the last, I am sure of that."

"His plans for 'utopia' are not at an end."

"Someone else will have to stop him."

"None know him as you do."

"That's the point besides I gave my word to quit this business."

"If you say so… though… how long can you deny what you are?"

She slips away before they can stop her and so trying to put the whole thing out of mind, they have dinner together for the first time in years. If he ever had to break his word, he would only do it for them and only if they were going to consent to it otherwise he would most certainly not violate his purported parole. However he had also not forgotten where he left all the gear after sealing the Batcave.

It better never become necessary to go there, to do that, but somehow I am afraid it will…

A/N: Minor edits made, sets up the rest of the story. Bruce does jail time in accordance with the verdict regarding his part in the Justice Lords interim takeover.