Thank you for the many reviews that I got!!!! =)

Lady Slone—Yeah, poor Al. She bounces back pretty well in this chapter, but it does come back to haunt her.

Hannah—Yeah, I think that I probably would have too, but I don't know. Yeah, that was one of the things I was trying to do with Alex's character was to make her strong and independent. Glad that you picked up on it. Lol There will be more Bruce/Batman and Alex interaction in this chapter. Just not romantically, but in TDK her realization of him as Bruce definitely comes out, and helps lots.

Nocturnal Rose—Sorry, it took so long, but here's more.

Sabre—Thank you!!!! I'm glad that it was good, and I'm sorry about your friend. Being sick with the flu sucks! In fact, I caught it, and that's how I got the idea for it. I thought that it would fit in really well.

Blpaul—Thank you! Yeah, lots of emotion, but I mean, wouldn't you be kinda feeling that way if it happened to you? Idk. This chapter won't have as much healing since I'm starting straight into TDK, but there will be some with a certain someone later on. ;) lol

Bmangaka—Yeah, I think that Gordon does get it, and he's being the dad that she needs: protector, comforter. That sorta thing. I'm glad that you liked it.

Haha21—You cried? Wow! I'm touched! I don't really know how to describe it, but it means a lot that my writing is that powerful. Here's the update.

Johanna—Yeah, lots of bad nightmares to come…. Eek!! You know, I didn't really think that one through all the way, but let's just say, Bruce has connections. It makes sense, and doesn't make me have to explain since I don't have an explanation. ;)

Rawemotion—Nice to meet you! =D I'm glad that you love it, and I'm also glad that it is well written. I always worry about that. Thank you for the shower of compliments! It means a lot.

I apologize that this has taken a while to get up, but I forgot that I was going to Union College when I posted up 18. So I've been gone for like five days, and I haven't honestly completely thought out how I'm gonna write this, so we'll see how it goes, and hope it's good. =D Wish me luck!

For about a month after I was taken, there was no sign of the Joker; no break ins or robberies, not even a glance on a security camera. He had just disappeared. Granted, it was a nice break, but it was beginning to worry everyone at MCU. For those four blessed weeks, we did paperwork on various things (i.e. drug busts, mob shootings etc.), but of course, there was the on-going investigation on who Batman really was. Nobody knew, except me. That night in the train would always come back to me when people began discussing the case. For me, on the other hand, I was forced to take a few days off for my well being or for counseling sessions Dad set up. I never went to them, but he never knew. I still had nightmares every night, so I didn't get much sleep. The only person that really knew what had happened was Dad. I only trusted him with this stuff. When I was at work, I was locked up in my office pouring over every lead that we had gotten on the Joker. I looked everywhere that I possibly could. I looked for things that we missed, but still we got nothing. No solid leads that could lead us to him… The only thing that we could hope for was to catch him in the act, which was going to be harder than it sounded.

Tonight, I had beaten my dad up to the roof. Since I had been taken, Dad had made it a habit to turn the bat-signal on every night, even if he didn't come. He stayed up there to watch it, and hopefully, get a chance to talk with Batman. I, frankly, found it relaxing, so most nights I would lay up there on one of the thicker concrete ledges and keep my dad company.

I laid in the darkness waiting for my dad to open the door and pull the lever to project the sign that most of Gotham knew as protection. Finally, he came and pulled the lever. My crossed legs were illuminated and he realized that I was here… again. "Alex, I thought I told you to go home," he scolded.

I folded my arms beneath my head and squinted to see stars. "I could say the same to you, Dad. You're up here every night too," I pointed out.

He shrugged as he crossed his arms across his chest and leaned up against the wall with his legs crossed. "So, anything interesting?"

"Nope," I sighed.

"Alex, how long has it been since you've actually been home?" he asked in a soft, fatherly voice. He hadn't really gotten over the fact that I had been taken; in fact, I thought that he might be taking it worse than I was.

I sighed heavily. "I don't know, Dad. It's not like it matters. I can't sleep anyway."

He glanced over at me. "I can tell," he acknowledged sadly. "I can see the circles forming around your eyes."

"You gottem too!" I snapped back.

Silence.

The door opened and Det. Ramirez walked out with two cups of coffee. She handed one to my dad, as she greeted him. "Ever planning on seeing your wife again, Lieutenant?" she joked, apparently not noticing me, which I was fine with.

I just closed my eyes and listened to them.

"I thought you had to go look after your mother, detective?" Dad shot back, slightly defensively.

"Checked her back into the hospital," she informed quietly.

"I'm sorry," Dad apologized genuinely.

There was a moment of silence before she spoke again. "He hasn't shown?" The 'he' was Batman.

I opened my eyes and sat up to see Dad staring into the circle in the sky. I decided to make myself known. "Often doesn't."

Ramirez jumped quite a bit at the appearance of me.

Dad and I chuckled. "But I like reminding everyone that he's out there," he explained.

"Why wouldn't he come?" Ramirez wondered.

"Hopefully," I began, walking over to them, "because he's busy." I smirked.

She shook her head and made herself comfortable.

I grabbed Dad's mug and took a long swallow of the warm liquid. I gave him the mug back and headed to the door. Just before I was going to go downstairs, my phone rang. I picked it up. "Gordon."

"Alex," a voice growled from the other end. It was Batman.

"You couldn't have just come down here," I remarked.

There was a faint laugh across the phone. "There are more pressing matters which you will know shortly."

I rolled my eyes. He knew everything before we did. "So what's up?"

"I have the Scarecrow, a few mobsters, and some more of my impersonators down at the parking garage by the theatre."

I glanced over to Ramirez. "We got the Scarecrow and others at the theatre parking garage," I announced proudly. "Somebody should go get them," I suggested to Ramirez.

She took the hint and headed back downstairs.

"Thank you," I breathed into the phone.

There was silence on the other line. He had hung up. He could never complete a conversation with us; he just told us what we needed to know and left.

I held my hand out for the mug, and it was given to me. I took another drink of the warm caffeinated beverage. I handed it back and rubbed my eyes. Dang, I was tired, but I couldn't go to sleep without having nightmares.

Dad set the white police mug on the concrete ledge, and did something that he hadn't done in a while. He came up behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders as he began to rub gently. "You're really tense," he commented.

I tilted my head as he rubbed my neck. "That's probably from lack of sleep," I sighed.

I could picture him nodding behind me as he continued to rub my shoulders and neck.

My phone rang again. I rolled my eyes as I answered it. I walked away from my dad, out of habit, nothing else. "Gordon."

Dad shook his head at me as he leaned back on the ledge with his coffee. He titled his head towards the bright light in the sky, listening to me.

"Sergeant," one of the newer officers started on the other line, "the Joker hit another bank."

Damn! Our month of break was finally over. "Where?" I demanded as I smoothed out my ponytail in frustration.

"Gotham National," he informed briskly.

"I'll be there," I sighed as I snapped my phone shut. I looked over at the questioning eyes of my dad. "Joker hit again."

Dad took another swallow of coffee. He didn't say anything; he just sighed. He wasn't very happy about this at all. He sort of tensed up. Generally, when the Joker hit, it wasn't just one place once; it was utter chaos. He went on a maniacal rampage.

I sighed and walked over to the door. This wasn't going to be fun, but it was my job, my case, and my promise to Martin. I pulled it open and looked at Dad. "Should probably get over there."

He nodded and followed me out of MCU.

When we finally got to Gotham National Bank, there were all ready hundreds of press people there with their flashing cameras. I let Dad handle them as I ducked inside the bank. There was a huge, gaping hole in the wall where something big had obviously gone through. There was shattered glass by the bank manager's office was; he was about twenty yards from there with what looked to be a pipe bomb in his mouth. The Joker's cronies were still lying on the floor where they had been shot. I gently pulled away the masks of one of them to see Billy's face. So much for him not knowing anything about the criminal world. I shook my head and went to the officer that had called me.

"When did this happen?" I asked calmly. It was a trick that I had developed early on: Stay calm at crime scenes no matter how gruesome. (A) It's easier to get the truth out of people if you're calm, and (B) you think better with a calm mind.

"About four this afternoon," he stated. "It happened at about the same time as school got out."

I tried to keep my calm, but no matter how hard I tried, I wasn't going to let this one slide. "Four?! Why the Hell am I just now finding out about this?!"

He tensed up. "Uh….I don't know, Sir… Ma'am! We were called to the scene only a while ago."

I was not happy about this. "How did nobody notice that?" I threw my hand at the hole in the wall. "What the Hell went through there?"

"A bus," he whispered sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Ma'am, but we really didn't know."

I sighed and placed my hands on my hips. "How does nobody notice a gaping hole in a bank?" I wondered.

He shrugged and handed me an envelope. Then, he left.

I pulled out the contents of the envelope: a few stills from the security camera. He didn't care about us seeing him. I looked around me and saw Dad coming in through the doors. I headed over. "Sorry 'bout that, but—"

He cut me off. "Don't worry about it. Whatdya got there?" he asked, gesturing to the envelope.

I pulled out a picture. "He just can't resist showing us his face."

Dad sighed and held the picture in his hand as we entered the bank safe, with hardly any money in it. "What's he hiding under that make up?" he wondered.

I shrugged. "It's not good what ever it is," I commented.

Dad put the picture on the metal table and looked up to see Batman standing in the doorway.

I walked to the doorway. "Hey, guys!" I yelled to the forensic workers. "Could you give us a minute?" They nodded and headed to a different spot of the bank.

I turned around to see Dad holding up the picture for him to see.

"Him again," Batman mused. "Who are the others?"

"Just a bunch of small timers," I informed. "I had dealt with one before. Believed that he really wasn't involved in the crime world." I lowered my head in shame.

Batman looked at me with his hard dark eyes. He glided across the room and placed his radiation detector over the bills, which tested positive.

"Detectives have been making drug busts with them for weeks," Dad said proudly.

"This bank was another drop for the mob. Makes five," I stated.

"We've found the bulk of their dirty cash," Dad added.

"Time to move in," Batman stated in a gravelly voice.

"We have to all the bank simultaneously. SWAT teams, backup."

"What about this Joker guy?" I asked.

"One man or the entire mob?" Batman countered. "He can wait."

"He's not good news for us," I muttered as I placed a finger on the scar that stretched half an inch across the left side of my face from the corner of my mouth.

He ignored me.

Dad took up the lead. "When the new DA gets wind of this, he'll want in."

"Don't tell him," I said smartly. I got a glare from Dad.

"Do you trust him?" Batman wondered.

"No," I stated honestly.

"Be hard to keep him out," Dad ducked the question. He stuffed the money in the evidence folder as I stared out into space. "I heard he's as stubborn…," Dad looked back up, "…as you are." It was too late; Batman was gone.

Okay, again, I'm really sorry that it took so long! I really am…. I haven't really had a huge epiphany with this chapter. It's a little harder to fit Alex in in TDK because Gordon has a bigger part in the movie. That equals less time for Alex, but it will all work out, trust me. There will be more nightmares and Alex/Bruce. I have surprises in store for all of you ;) I won't tell you though. Haha! Since I highly doubt I will get a chapter up before Valentine's Day; Happy Valentine's Day or Single Awareness Day. Remember, there's the little button down there that says review. Please click and tell me what you thought. =D