A/N: Thanks for those who reviewed! It reassured me that I still had readers and that is a very big comfort for me. Here is more! Enjoy and please R&R :)

"I think it best if we postpone this dinner Bruce." Marie said as she finished brushing her hair and watched Bruce put on a plain black T-shirt. He was getting ready to go out to his lair for his nightly rounds.

"Because of what happened with your Uncle or because of the incident with that photographer?" Bruce went into the bathroom as he waited for Marie's response. And he dreaded it. Maybe pushing for this marriage to happen sooner was just out of the question at the moment, but if he tells her that now, she would probably be despondent. And perhaps feel insecure about herself and Bruce certainly did not want that.

Marie bit her lip and set the brush down. "It's not just that, lately it has been a lot of things." Bruce's heart sank but he tried to conceal it.

"Well, can I know what is going on?" Bruce came out of the bathroom and went over to Marie.

"I just don't want you to be upset, especially when you're going out on your rounds." She looked at him and she could tell he was trying to read her.

"And you keeping things from me will not help the situation at all. Now, please tell me what is going on." Bruce placed his hand on her arm.

As she looked into his brown eyes, she weighed the pros and cons of the situation. If she did tell him everything she was feeling then he would most likely retract from his proposal and not marry her at all and that was something Marie didn't want. And if she did not tell him, he would surely grow irritated and uncertain. It would not be good if he was distracted, aside from this engagement, he had the pressure of being Batman. Bruce needed to focus and her uncertainty about their relationship would distract him.

She closed her eyes and breathed. "You know, I guess this is all just nerves." Marie had no choice but to lie because it was for his own good.

"Are you afraid that I might leave you?" Bruce had a feeling that this all led back to Harvey. No one can really get over a first love and he knew this because Rachel still lingered in the back of his mind, but not as much as she had before he met Marie.

"A little, but I know you won't do that. It's just nerves." Marie went over and threw herself on the bed. "I am sure they will go away, just give me some time."

Bruce looked over at her and decided to just not question her anymore. Maybe she was right; maybe all of this was just nerves. "Alright, if that is what you want."

Marie propped herself up against the large white pillows and eyed him. "It's not entirely what I want."

Bruce smirked and walked over to the bed were she was lying. "What is it that you completely want?"

"You know exactly what, but I see that you have a prior engagement to attend to, in which case I won't keep you from it any longer." Marie glanced to her side and saw that the signal was certainly calling out to him. That was completely out of the ordinary. "Why is there a signal? I thought Uncle Jim had destroyed it."

Bruce furrowed his brows and looked out the window to see a mock up signal. Nonetheless it was a signal and he should get there as quickly as possible. "It must be urgent." Bruce said. "Can we discuss this over a dinner tomorrow night?"

Marie smirked. "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"Actually, yes I am. I owe you one of many." Bruce bent down and kissed her. Marie felt her heart skip a beat as he deepened the kiss. But, in the back of her mind she still felt unsure about her relationship with Bruce.

Commissioner Jim Gordon paced the roof top as he waited for his estranged ally. It had been months since he had seen Batman and this mock up signal was his only strategy to talk to him. Right now, it was best to set aside taking Batman down and focus on the latest killing spree.

"Nice mock up." Jim turned as he heard the dark voice and threw his paper cup into the trash.

"Yeah, well it's the best I could do for now." Jim shut off the light and removed the rags he used as a bat symbol. "I haven't been up here in months, I forgot how relieving it is to stand up here and think."

Batman watched as Jim looked about the roof and tried to avoid his gaze. He sympathized that Jim had a lot on his plate. "Do you have any leads on what is going on?"

"I was hoping that you did. We have no leads whatsoever, it's as if they switch every other night." Jim pushed his glasses up. "This morning a homeless guy found two bodies by the sewers down by the river. He said that the bodies surely floated out of the tunnels." Jim handed the photos of the victims to Batman.

Batman took them and examined them. "Did your team find any fingerprints on them?"

"Nothing, they must have put on gloves before they threw the bodies in the tunnels." Jim said. "My hunch is that these guys are doing this to distract us, in order to get to you. After what happened a few months back, some are still looking for revenge as well as redemption."

"They are attacking me both ways because your people seem to think I have something to do with these killings." Batman handed Jim back the pictures.

Jim sighed and placed the pictures back in the folder. "I can stall the hunt against you if you are willing to lend a hand."

"Are you certain about that? This isn't just one; it could possibly be a dozen. Each has their own vendetta and I don't think they would form an alliance after what happened a few months back." Batman began to walk away. He wasn't too sure about going after these guys, because he was exhausted and this whole alter ego was taking a toll on his life. A life that Marie was now deeply involved in and risking her like he had risked Rachel was out of the question.

Jim sighed and tried to think of a way to get him to reconsider. "Look I already talked to the new DA, he has agreed to call off the investigation against you if you are willing to cooperate with us."

"It's not that I'm not willing to, it's other things."

For a moment Jim had forgotten that under that mask, Batman was a man, a human being who was probably married and maybe had children. Maybe this alter ego was now an intrusion.

"What about the people of Gotham? Not all have lost faith in you; some still want you to be out there."

Batman stopped and processed this. Gordon was right; there were still people out there who felt comfort to know he was still lurking and catching all the horrible criminals that plagued the city once more. Having Gotham turn back into a city of despair would be tragic and everything he stood for would be left to nothing.

"I will see what I can find." With that Batman dove into darkness that now consumed the city of Gotham.