Nightmare in Arkham
Chapter 21: "Rematch"
-"You mind telling me where we are?" Catwoman asked Robin as he rose to his feet.
-"We have to run, now!" He said frantically.
-"Whoa, hold on, run from-" before Catwoman could finish, she heard an evil voice behind her.
-"Well, well, well…" Freddy said as he emerged from the shadows extending his claws, "Look what the cat dragged in."
-"You!" Catwoman grabbed her whip but was startled by the sight of something falling from the sky and landing beside Freddy with a loud thud.
-When the figure started to move, Catwoman gasped having realized it was a person who had fallen from the rooftop. As she looked on, the Bridesmaid rose to her feet beside Freddy. Catwoman's eyes widened with horror as she stared at the monstrosity. The Bridesmaid looked around unfazed.
-"Um, boss, did I just fly?"
-Freddy turned his head to her and replied with a grin, "More or less."
-In one quick motion Catwoman flicked all 10 of her claws out and prepared to strike.
-"This time I'm going to make sure I send you straight back to Hell." She spat angrily. Then she lunged at Freddy and took a violent swipe at him but Freddy was able to gracefully dodge the blow as Catwoman flew past him, landing on her hands and feet.
-"I wouldn't count on it, Pussycat," Freddy said as he flicked out his own blades, "Last time I went to Hell, it spat me right back up. Said I was just 'too frightening'."
-Catwoman was facing away from Freddy and she managed to catch him by surprise when she spun around and lashed her whip at him. The cord wrapped around his gloved arm and she pulled him forward with a mighty tug. Freddy went flying toward Catwoman, who violently kneed him in the chest before knocking him to the ground with powerful swipe from her cat-claws.
-Freddy then bent his knees and back flipped into the air where he landed directly behind Catwoman. Then he thrust his claw at her aiming for the back of her ribcage.
-Just as quickly, Catwoman spun around and caught Freddy's hand, her fingers wedged between the webbings of his gloved hand. With all of her might, Catwoman raised Freddy's gloved hand as high in the air as it would extend and then violently jerked in down with so much speed and strength that Freddy's arm was dislocated from the shoulder with a loud "pop". Freddy screamed in agony.
-"Boss?" The Bridesmaid called out hearing Freddy's agonized screams. She blindly ran in the direction of the screams to her master's aide but was halted when a pair of bolas wrapped around her legs, causing her to trip. Robin rushed past her.
-Catwoman was getting ready to strike Freddy again when Robin sprung on him and pinned him against a wall. He then started striking Freddy in the stomach with his fists over and over again.
-"Where is she?! Where is she?!" He then bashed his fist into Freddy's crotch and held it in place. Freddy weakly lifted his head up but said nothing. "Talk!" Robin demanded pushing his fist harder onto Freddy's balls.
-Freddy smiled at Robin and said, "Sorry, your princess is in another castle."
-Robin growled in frustration. Then he felt a hand on his shoulder.
-"Kid, take five. Let me handle this," Catwoman said casually. Robin stared at her with his teeth bared but then he loosened up and stepped aside.
-"This outta be fun," Freddy said enthusiastically.
-"Oh, you have no idea…" Catwoman said back. She then buried her fingers in Freddy's ribcage causing him to groan in pain. Freddy opened his eyes and he was starring at Catwoman's open cleavage.
-"See something you like?" She asked.
-Freddy chuckled and nodded, "Yes: I see fresh meat."
-"Well I don't," Catwoman said irritably as she sunk her claws deeper inside of Freddy's flesh. "I don't like seeing people who pick on children, I don't like seeing pathetic losers attack the ones who can't defend themselves, and I especially don't like seeing corny, unoriginal nut-jobs going around pretending they're such a big shot when they're really just sad little misfits who don't know the first thing about what it takes to be a creature of the night."
-"Look who's talkin," Freddy sneered.
-Catwoman removed one of her hands and placed it over the top half of Freddy's face, the bottom of her palm resting just above Freddy's mouth. Catwoman anchored her claws into the sides of Freddy's face and the top of his forehead.
-"Decisions, decisions," Catwoman said allowed, "Maybe, I should rip off your entire face. But then, that might actually improve your look," Catwoman raked two of her fingers that rested on Freddy's forehead downward until they were just above his eyes, "So maybe I'll claw your eyes out. No, I want you to see me tear into you."
-"Hey, be careful," Robin said, "He's-"
-"Cool it Rubin!" Catwoman responded.
-"It's 'Robin'," he said irritably under his breath
-Freddy chuckled, "You should listen to him." Then he ran the tip of his tongue along Catwoman's wrist. She grabbed his tongue and the spikes pierced through it.
-"You use that mouth of yours' way to much. So unless you tell us where his friend is, it won't be so tragic if you lose this," Catwoman said yanking Freddy's tongue father out of his mouth.
-"What's wrong…cat go your-" Freddy bit down on his tongue and severed it, taking Catwoman by surprise. She gasped as she looked at the bloody, severed muscle that clung to her fingertips. She shook her hand violently and the tongue flew off her claw and landed straight on the ground beside her feet with a "splat". Catwoman looked back up at Freddy, who stuck his fully restored tongue out and licked his lips as he smiled menacingly. Catwoman looked back on the ground and saw that the tongue hand turned into a giant, dirty rat. The rat scurried up Catwoman's leg and she screamed in shock as she violently thrashed her leg trying to shake the rodent. The rat flew from Catwoman's leg and landed right in front of the Bridesmaid's face. When it turned and gazed at her, it shrieked and scurried away.
-Catwoman turned back to Freddy, still puzzled by what she had just seen.
-"Tell ya what, missy," Freddy said, "I'll tell you where to find Barbara if…you take off your mask."
-Catwoman raised an eyebrow.
-"Seems fair enough, don't ya think? You share your secret, I'll share mine."
-"Don't do it!" Robin protested, "It's a trick!"
-Freddy laughed amusingly. "Oh silly boy, tricks are for kids…" then he turned his attention back to Catwoman,"you're not a kid, are ya?"
-Catwoman slowly walked toward Freddy. When she reached him, she knelt down beside him and slowly raised her hands to her face like she was getting ready to remove her mask. When her fingers were just about to touch the black-leather hood that concealed Catwoman's face, she abruptly shot her hands away from her head and slammed her fingernails into Freddy's chest causing him to scream in agony. Then she delivered a powerful swipe to the side of Freddy's face that broke his jaw and sent him to the ground.
-Catwoman rose to her feet casually and said, "No, I'm not a kid. I don't fall for childish lies."
-Freddy tried to crawl away but Catwoman stomped down on his left hand. "I don't know who you, I don't know what you are, but I swear to God: if we don't find Barbara alive, I will put you under the asylum myself."
-Catwoman heard Freddy chuckling as he lay facedown on his stomach. Then the laughter started to grow louder. Catwoman leaned down on Freddy and grabbed his head in her right hand, the spikes once again embedding themselves in Freddy's flesh.
-"What the hell is so funny?" Catwoman asked starting to grow agitated.
-"Oh nothing, I was just thinking," Catwoman heard a low "clinking" noise and saw that Freddy was feebly moving some of the fingers on his dislocated arm, "After I cut you up into itty-bitty pieces…" Freddy's head rotated 180-degrees and he said in the voice of Harley Quinn, "you'll be feeding hundreds of hungry cats!"
-Catwoman's eyes and mouth shot open in surprise, not only from Freddy twisting his head around, but also because he had just spat a line that Harley had used on her once before and he said it in her voice. Before Catwoman had a chance to react, Freddy raised his gloved hand, the knives "shinked", and he slashed Catwoman across her bare chest.
-Catwoman screamed in agony and covered her chest. Then, with his head still rotated, Freddy's body spun around like an alligator's death roll, sending Catwoman to the ground. She rose to her feet and removed her hand from her chest, gazing at the scarlet liquid that now caked her gloves.
-Freddy shot to his feet and stared at Catwoman with an evil grin. He looked down and noticed his minion still lying restrained on the ground. He cut the bolas with one of his knives and the Bridesmaid rose to her feet beside her master.
-Catwoman focused her attention on the Bridesmaid. Then her long red and black hair, her black and red outfit that left very little to the imagination, and the innocent, child-like voice she heard earlier became all too familiar to the feline female. Catwoman's jaw dropped and shook with terror.
-"Oh my God," Catwoman said covering her mouth in shock, "Harley."
-"Huh?" The Bridesmaid said looking up confused.
-Then, as Robin looked upon the monstrous maiden, he now recognized her as well.
-"Jesus!" Robin said unable to believe what he was seeing, "It is her!"
-Catwoman looked upon Freddy in pure anger. "What did you do to her?"
-"I set her free," Freddy responded, "Without Harleen Quinzel's soul to maintain her human side, Harley Quinn is no longer restrained from being what she really is: A terrifying, but clueless, little girl who can't see anything for what it is, who is completely resilient to pain, whose strongest senses are touch, taste, and smell, and no matter how much abuse she takes, she always maintains the cutest of smiles. Isn't that right sweetie?"
-Freddy ran his claws through the Bridesmaid's hair causing her to let out a childlike giggle as she held a hand to her mouth.
-Catwoman was speechless; as she tried to talk the words wouldn't form. When she was finally able to talk she asked, "Why did you kill her?"
-"Me? She killed herself a long time ago!" Freddy retorted. "And what's it matter to you anyway? It's not like you actually cared about her."
-Catwoman froze after hearing Freddy's remark. Then suddenly, Catwoman's words seemed to buzz in her ears like unrelenting mosquitoes, "You don't belong in the underworld, kid. Get out before you hurt yourself." Catwoman never thought it would end up like this. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, her mind filled with both rage and regret.
-"Wait a second," Robin blurted out having come to a realization; "Scarecrow…Mad Hatter…You-" Freddy lifted his sweater and revealed three faces sticking out of his chest and abdomen. "Oh my God!" Robin said backing away in shock.
-"I guess you could say…I'm a 'collector' of sorts," Freddy explained, "I collect the souls of the living as they sleep. But something interesting I found out here in Gotham is that a lot the freaks that take up the population live as their own reflection. Ya see, a reflection is the embodiment of everything a person keeps within themselves, but it seems most of the ones around here don't have any problems allowing their reflections to run free. However, the soul is what keeps them from winding up like me."
-"You mean pure evil?" Robin asked uneasily.
-"You flatter me. But I was going to say unrestrained, unstoppable. And so now, all of the monsters you and your Big Daddy fight on a regular basis have unknowingly entered into a mutual partnership with me: they hand over their souls, and I unlock their true selves."
-"You psychotic bastard," Robin exclaimed, "Why are you doing this? Is this all some kind of sick game to you? What do you gain from stealing souls?"
-"Life's always been a game, kid," Freddy said with a smile, "I've just been given control over the rulebook. And as for the souls…," Freddy turned his head toward Catwoman, who was still focusing her thoughts on Harley, "They allow me to do this!"
-Freddy leaped into the air and cartwheeled in a style exactly like that of Harley Quinn toward Catwoman, who looked up just in time to see Freddy's foot plow into her face sending her staggering back as she struggled to keep her balance. Freddy landed on his feet and met Catwoman's gaze. He then brought his hand up and urged her forward. "Here kitty kitty."
-Catwoman ran full speed at Freddy and tried to strike him but he ducked and she hurtled past him. Catwoman turned and Freddy struck her in the face multiple times with his left hand before back handing her with his gloved hand. Freddy then brought his gloved hand forward ready to slash Catwoman but she moved back. After the blade past her, Catwoman sprung forward, grabbed Freddy, and body slammed him on the ground. She tried to stomp her foot onto Freddy's throat but he quickly shot to his feet and slashed Catwoman across her stomach. The excruciating pain caused Catwoman to lose focus on her opponent, allowing Freddy grab her by the back of her neck. He then whispered in "shhh" into her ear before leaping and twisting around Catwoman's body like Harley would have done, all the while mercilously slashing her all over her body and laughing with delight.
-By the time he was finished, Freddy had struck Catwoman nine times along her stomach, back, arms, legs, shoulders, hips, buttocks, and ribs (not including the first blow to her chest). Catwoman had a total of 44 deep cuts running along her body that oozed blood. Yet, through her agony, she continued to try and fight Freddy, blindly swiping the air with no luck of landing any blows.
-Robin rushed to her aide but was halted by the Bridesmaid as she tackled him to the ground. "Don't you dare hurt my new Puddin!" She screamed at the frightened hero. Robin was helpless as he watched Catwoman's bloody struggle.
-Eventually, Catwoman became exhausted and fell to her knees. As Catwoman bent over, Freddy punched her in the stomach and then grabbed Catwoman's throat in his left hand. When he raised her head, Freddy grazed his knives over Catwoman's face, tracing four more cuts across her cheeks, lips, nose, chin, and forehead. These cuts where not as deep as the ones covering her body but where nonetheless severe.
-Freddy leered at his fallen adversary. He raised his glove and said, "What was that you said before about needing two claws to catch my prey?"
-In response, Catwoman spit in Freddy's face. Freddy just chuckled and licked the saliva off, swallowing it as he stared into Catwoman's eyes.
-"Before you die, let's see what the cat's been hiding in the bag," Freddy said as he grabbed a hold of Catwoman's mask. Suddenly, Freddy was halted by the sound of a horse "neighing".
-He looked up and saw Barbara riding the nightmare horse directly toward him at full speed. He let go of Catwoman and allowed her to fall limply to the ground.
-Freddy stood puzzled. "What the he-" Barbara leapt from the horse and plowed her foot into Freddy's stomach sending him flying several feet back.
-Robin looked up in surprise. "Barbara?" he exclaimed. He broke from the Bridesmaid's hold and ran toward her. When he reached her, he grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Is..Is it really you?!" Barbara wrapped her arms around Robin's neck and upper back and kissed him deeply.
-After they broke the kiss, Barbara smiled at Robin; but the happy reunion was suddenly broken when Barbara noticed the injured Catwoman lying beside them. She was still awake and fully conscious but was bleeding profusely.
-"Oh God!" Barbara exclaimed as she dropped to her knees.
- Catwoman looked at Robin and smiled. "We found your girlfriend."
-"Can you walk?" Barbara asked.
-Catwoman tried to stand but the pain caused her to fall back down, groaning in agony.
-"Jesus!" Barbara whispered as she looked upon Catwoman's scars. Then she turned to Dick. "We have to wake her up, now."
-"What are you talking about?" Dick asked confused.
-"God dammit this is no time for questions, okay?! Just listen to me!"
-Robin was silent.
-"Right now, we're all asleep. We're in some kind of nightmare and the only way out is to wake up. Do you have any adrenaline shots?"
-Robin looked inside of his belt. "Just two."
-A scraping noise caught Robin and Barbara's attention. They turned and saw Freddy walking toward them dragging his claws along the wall.
-Barbara turned to Robin, her expression serious and urgent. "Take her and get out of here."
-"No, I won't leave you alone with that thing!"
-"Do as I say!" Barbara demanded. Then her eyes softened and she kissed Robin on the cheek, "You won't lose me, I promise. Now please, get yourself and Catwoman to safety before it's too late. I'll handle Freddy."
-Catwoman started to chuckle and Barbara turned to her. Catwoman smiled at her and said, "Oh Batgirl, you may be a tiny child but you definitely got the hero's spirit."
-Barbara just looked at Catwoman stunned. "Oh come on, you really thought you were fooling people, letting that red mane stick out?" Barbara rolled her eyes. "Hey kid," Barbara looked back at Catwoman, "please be careful. I have so much fun playing with you and I'd hate for our game to end." Barbara smiled at Catwoman and gave her hand a loving squeeze. Catwoman noticed the worry inside Barbara's eyes. "Don't worry about me. It's not the first time someone's gotten the better of me," then she grimaced in pain, "Although, Batman never was this rough on me."
-Robin gave Barbara a final solemn glance before saying, "Please, stay alive."
-Barbara smiled and nodded. Then Robin plunged the two syringes into Catwoman and himself and they both vanished almost instantly. Barbara turned and was startled to see Freddy standing almost within arm's reach of her. She took a few steps back and then glared at her former captor.
-"How many people have you killed?" She asked angrily.
-"That depends: do you mean since I came to this city, since I was reborn, or just in general?"
-Barbara was dumbfounded. "What the hell kind of monster are you?"
-Freddy raised his glove, "Tell ya what: Why don't I just add you to my collection? That way you'll get to know everything there is to know about me."
-"I thought you were going to kill me last."
-"I lied."
-Freddy growled angrily and lunged for Barbara, swiping his claw with tremendous force but Barbara bent her back the same way she did when she dodged the Horseman's scythe. Then she snapped her body straight again and slammed a fist into Freddy's side, cracking one of his ribs. Freddy staggered with his hand clutching his ribcage when Barbara kicked him in the back of his leg causing him to fall to his knees. Barbara then folded her hands together into one fist and smashed her fist down on the back of Freddy's head. Freddy fell to the ground. When he extended his gloved hand to get back up Barbara stomped her foot down on his gloved hand and pinned Freddy to the ground with her other foot pressed on his back. She then grabbed Freddy's left hand and twisted his arm.
-"How the hell did you escape?!" Freddy demanded.
-"Secret of fear: the smaller it is the smaller you are," Barbara responded with triumph, "I figured out your little game. This little nightmare you've built, it's all just a bunch of mind tricks."
-"You think so, huh?" Freddy responded.
-"I know so."
-"Well then, why don't you tell that to her," Freddy said motioning Barbara toward the Bridesmaid, who now stood a few feet in front of Barbara.
-"Puddin? Are you hurt?"
-"Get this bitch off of me, now!" Freddy barked.
-The Bridesmaid leapt on top of Barbara and knocked her off of her "Puddin". Barbara landed on her knees with the Bridesmaid's body causing her own to bend backward. The monsters hands squeezed tightly on her throat.
-"You little slut!" She spat viciously at the young heroine, "Your love life wasn't good enough for you! So now you have to go and spoil everyone else's to make them as miserable as you!"
-Strangely enough, Barbara overpowered the monster with little effort. She grabbed a hold of both of the Bridesmaid's arms, rolled onto her back, and sprung herself off the ground casting the monster several feet into the air where she landed inside of an open dumpster. The door closed once the monster hand fallen inside leaving Barbara and Freddy alone to have their rematch.
-Barbara had jumped so high up into the air that she landed on a rooftop giving her a broad view of her surroundings. In all her years she had spent watching Gotham fall apart, she never pictured it winding up this ruined.
-As she stared out at the bright, barren city Freddy sprung out of the ground behind Barbara and took a swing at her. Barbara jumped out of the way and Freddy's claw struck a ventilation pipe causing cold air to pour into the wind. Barbara then kicked Freddy in the stomach and proceeded to repeatedly strike him until he grabbed onto her leg. Barbara twisted the upper half of her body like a dishrag being rung out and when she rotated her body in the opposite direction it caused her leg to slip out of Freddy's grasp.
-Barbara landed in a crouching position and leapt between Freddy's legs, bending her waist at the last second and striking Freddy in the crotch with both of her feet.
-Freddy groaned in pain as he backed up. Barbara rose to her feet. "What happened to your 'secret of pain'? It's doing wonders for me."
-Frustrated, Freddy hurled his claw at Barbara but she managed to catch his arm and she sunk her teeth deep inside of it.
-Freddy screamed. "Why you little bitch!" He grabbed Barbara's hair and lifted her up off the ground. He raised his glove and began to swing it toward Barbara's head but she kicked him in the hip and the claw shifted direction in midair. Instead of tearing into Barbara's skull, the blades went high and cut right through her hair, shortening it to the point where it rested just above the base of her neck.
-Barbara back flipped out of Freddy's reach and stood starring victoriously at her enemy. Freddy stared back with anger but then a smile slowly started to form on his face. His left hand still contained Barbara's severed locks and he brought them to his nose and sniffed them like a bouquet of flowers while Barbara looked on in disgust.
-You sick, perverted son-of-a-bitch! She thought to herself.
-Freddy looked up at Barbara with a giant grin plastered on his face. "Missed you by a hair," as Freddy held the locks in his hand they suddenly caught fire and spilled onto the ground in a pile of ash, "I won't make that mistake twice." Then suddenly, a bolt of lightening came down from the sky and struck Freddy, causing him to vanish from sight.
-Barbara looked around to see where he had gone, constantly looking over her shoulder in case he decided to attack her while her back was turned again. A second bolt of lightening touched down in the distance and Barbara turned just in time to see that it had struck the top of a large, dark building that looked like a cross between a fortress, a castle, and prison. As Barbara looked at it closer, she realized it had almost the exact same concept design as Arkham Asylum. There was a massive tower that rose to the heaven's like a skyscraper and Barbara soon recognized the building as the one she had awoken in, for she could see the balcony from which she descended hanging a few feet blow the top of the tower.
-Perched on the highest point of his castle, Freddy peered down on his kingdom spotting Barbara less than a mile away. Thunder erupted in the clouds illuminating Freddy's image to Barbara as she gazed at the nightmare king in the distance.
-Freddy smiled wickedly.
-"Tonight's forecast…" he slowly lifted his glove into the air, "…raining blood."
-Four bolts of lightening cracked simultaneously above Freddy and they snaked their way toward him and attached themselves to the knives on his fingers. Freddy now wielded four, 20-foot long electric whips.
-"DUCK AND COVER BITCH!" With a loud cackle, Freddy extended his index finger toward Barbara and the lightening shot toward her at nearly the speed of light.
-Barbara reacted quickly and bolted, leaping off of the building and onto another as the lightening struck in the very spot she was just standing, causing the entire roof of the building to explode in a loud, shattering flash of light. Rubble, glass, steel, iron, and fire went flying in all directions.
-Freddy extended a second finger and sent another bolt at his prey. Barbara once again eluded the blast but this time, instead of leaping onto another building she made her way to the streets. She knew she would be an easy target on the roofs but on the street she could use the buildings for cover…or so she thought.
-Freddy sent out another lightening bolt but this time it did not strike the ground. It twisted its form until it took on Freddy's shape and flew straight toward Barbara, pursing her through the streets. The electric current moved equally as fast as when it was fired off by Freddy and Barbara had to rely on her quick reflexes and agility rather than her speed to avoid it.
-As Barbara fought to elude the living electricity on the ground, Freddy noticed it was backing Barbara toward a building that sported a massive water containment on top. As Barbara drew closer, Freddy fired a lightening bolt at the containment and it exploded sending a wave of water pouring down toward Barbara that would soon turn her into a walking lightening rod. What Freddy failed to notice was the angled roof cover that extended out over the base of the roof. Barbara leapt under the roof cover as the water rained down. Freddy's living electricity made a quick lunge for Barbara but the water acted as a barrier, trapping the electricity within its liquid bonds and saving Barbara's life.
-"Oh give me a break," Freddy muttered in annoyance. But then he saw his opening.
-While Barbara stood under the overhanging roof contemplating her next move, the building was struck and it collapsed, trapping Barbara within the debris.
-A thick sheet of rubble covered Barbara's entire right leg, preventing her from moving. She strained herself trying to lift her prison off her but it was too heavy. And then she froze. Freddy was slowly walking through the debris making his way toward her. Now without any place to run or any means to fight back, Barbara felt vulnerable. She was scared.
-Freddy approached from Barbara's left side, stepping over a patch of fire that still burned in the debris. He kept an evil smile on Barbara at all times as he circled to her right side where she was completely unable to defend herself. He stopped right beside her, stepping on her hand to make sure she was totally helpless. When he did this, Barbara suddenly felt something else, besides fear, start to return to her: pain.
-"I guess lightening can strike twice in the same place. It certainly struck you more than once," Freddy said as he looked upon Barbara as she lay in the same position from when she faced Freddy the first time. Barbara was terrified. She began to struggle against her bonds trying to shake herself loose.
-Freddy extended the fingers on is glove and raised it in the air. "Don't worry Barbara, you'll see your boyfriend again. In fact, before long you two will spend an eternity together." Freddy gave Barbara one last smile before he started to bring his blades down upon her.
-Barbara's struggling became more frantic and, in her rush, she inadvertently placed her foot inside of the fire patch. Barbara released a loud, agonized scream as the flames danced around her foot. And then a white flash appeared before her eyes just as Freddy's knives were about make their impact.
-Barbara screamed as her body became drenched with sweat. She knew she was dead. She frantically turned in every direction. She could hear a heavy beeping noise close by, her abdomen felt like it was being constricted, and her arms felt like they were being poked by something. However, she could not feel anything from her waist down and when she tried to move her legs would not respond.
-She grabbed at her chest expecting to find four gaping holes inside of her heart; she felt nothing. She looked down at her chest and saw that it was completely unharmed.
-Barbara's breathing began to calm and so did the beeping noise. Barbara slowly turned her head and saw the heart monitor that lay beside her. It was then that she realized she was in a hospital bed. She lifted her covers and saw the brace that was wrapped around her torso and the wires that were tapped onto her arms and in her nasal cavities.
-I'm alive. Barbara's head was spinning. So many emotions were playing all at once. She was glad to not be dead, sad that it seemed she really was paralyzed after all, and frightened by the nightmare she had endured for so long. But what really scared her was not knowing whether or not this was just another part of her nightmare. This may have been Freddy's last attempt to torture her before he finished her. Part of her mind was preparing for him to emerge out of the darkness and rip her to pieces. Then another unpleasant thought occurred to her: what if he never intended to kill her? What if he planned to keep on torturing her with one nightmare after another.
-Then, a light flickered on inside of Barbara's room. She gasped and shot her head toward her door. Standing in the doorway with a ceramic coffee cup in hand, signs of neglected sleep for over a week in his eyes, and a look of pure, dumbfounded shock on his face, was Barbara's father.
-Barbara's mouth hung open and her eyes began to widen. She slowly lifted her head off of her mattress, which sat at a 45-degree incline. "Daddy?"
-Gordon dropped the coffee cup and it shattered on the floor beside his feet as the brown beverage expanded into a tiny puddle. Tears started to build in Jim's eyes and his lips began trembling.
-This was real. Barbara's eyes began to well up, her lips began to tremble, and a huge smile cracked over her face.
-Jim darted from the doorway and wrapped his arms tightly around his daughter. "OH MY BABY GIRL!" He shouted with tears pouring from his eyes.
-"I missed you daddy!" Barbara exclaimed as she sobbed on her father's shoulder.
-"I missed you too, baby!" Jim started kissing Barbara all over her face and head. "But it's over now. The nightmare's over."
-Barbara didn't know how much of that statement was true, but what she did know as she felt her father's loving embrace was her nightmare was over.
LATER THAT NIGHT...
-Alfred strolled into his employer's office and found Bruce Wayne standing with his hand trembling as he held the phone to his ear. His mouth hung open and his eyes were wide and he seemed to be on the verge of tears. The phone fell from his hand.
-"Master Bruce? What on Earth is it?"
-Bruce slowly turned to Alfred and replied, "Selina…"