A/N: Happy Day After Valentine's Day, everyone. As I call Vally Day, Single Awareness Day. I hope you guys had a great one. But, whether you did or did not, I hope this makes your day a little bit brighter!

Chapter 9: City in Crisis

The screen was still static. The usual programming hadn't returned yet.

Terry just stared at the screen. He couldn't believe it. He knew the two villains had a grudge but he didn't imagine anything like this. If anything, he thought they would hold the city for ransom; their price being Batman, just like before. But this. This was something was way beyond that.

They were going to destroy Gotham. They meant it. He could already hear it starting outside: the fear. The city was already freaking out. Panic had already taken over. Only comparable to the panic going inside the mind of his girlfriend.

He looked at Max.

She slowly shook her head, "No…"

His phone rang. He knew it was Bruce. He hit the ignore button. He pretty much knew what his mentor had to say. He looked at his girlfriend. "Max…"

"No. No! Alright? No!" She ran to the front door and stood in front of it in protest. "You're not going anywhere! Not like this! We're going to figure something else out! We need a plan here!"

He looked at her and knew that he had to keep calm. If he got upset or emotional, she would get worse. He kept his composure. "I have to go."

"No, you don't! Not like this!"

He walked up to her, "I have to, Max."

"Terry, don't! You need some back-up on this!"

"There isn't any back-up. Besides…" Instantly, Tai Ji entered the hero's mind. "I already tried that. I'm not gonna do it again. This is my fight."

"They just want to kill you! That's it!"

He lightly gripped her shoulders and led her over to the couch, she protested all the while.

"You know they do! That's all this is about!"

He sat her down, kneeling in front of her. "It's about Gotham, too, Max. They'll level the whole city if I don't try to stop them. That's millions of people."

Max fell quiet. The gravity of it all was coming to her. But she couldn't ignore the biggest heartache. "But… if you go… I'll lose you…"

"I have to stop them."

"But… you can't! They already killed Tai Ji! They'll…"

"Max." He looked her in the eyes, "You know better."

"But…" she stopped. She did know better. If anyone did, she did. In a lot of ways, that's why they worked as a couple. She knew all he had to do and understood it; that's why they worked. Deep down, she always knew a day like this would come. And she said she'd be ready for it. She didn't lie; she thought she would be. But she isn't. With the day finally here, she can confidently say that she isn't ready for this. Not to lose him. She bowed her head in sorrow.

He hated it that this was happening. But he always imagined a situation would come up where everything would be on the line and he could possibly lose his life in an attempt to save it all. And it was no truer than this time that it could possibly happen. But that wasn't going to stop him, either. He had a job to do. "I have to. This is why I'm here. This is why I do this."

She didn't look up at him.

"I have to do this, Max. I gotta stop them. I'm sorry." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, stood up, and started to walk away. He had to go after those villains and save Gotham. Where they even were was going to be hard enough to figure…

"I love you."

As quiet as Max spoke those words, they echoed like a cannon going off not an inch from them. Time stopped in that room. They'd been together for four months and any fears that their relationship was just a reaction to their teenage hormones and the circumstances surrounding their getting together in the first place disappeared after the first month. Terry knew he was feeling that way for Max but, out of fear, he couldn't say it first, especially if she didn't feel that way about him.

But there it was.

He turned and looked at her.

She looked up and stared straight into his eyes, tears falling from hers. "I love you, Terry."

He went back over to her, knelt down in front of her, and hugged her. She hugged him back, her face buried against his shoulder.

With what was coming, he was able to speak these words, boldly and truthfully. "I love you, too," he whispered.

She gasped.

He said it back.

He was able to say it back. Easily. She gripped him harder, hugging him like she'd never see him again.

She was scared that was the case.

Terry had never said those words to any girl, not even Dana. But Max definitely was not like any girl. And he does love her… totally and completely.

Just one more reason Shriek and King had to be stopped. Perhaps the most important.

Not wanting to but knowing he had to, he broke the embrace. He looked her in the eyes, "I love you, Max. I don't care what happens next… I need you to always know and remember that."

She couldn't speak. She knew, the second she would, she would burst into tears. Her lips were quivering already.

He kissed her. They both took a deep breath during the embrace.

Terry stood up, their eyes were locked on to one another the entire time. "I need you to go Wayne's. I still have time before 2 but go there, just in case. Chances are… the manor is far enough of the way that it won't get hit by the attack. Okay?"

Max nodded.

He sighed. Using every bit of willpower he had, he turned and headed out the door.

Once he closed the door, he heard Max weeping. He'd never heard her cry so hard before… not even when Curare almost killed her. It brought tears to his eyes. He wanted to go back. So badly, he wanted to go back. He wanted to comfort her, tell her everything was going to be okay.

But he couldn't.

If his enemies succeeded, then nothing would be okay: all of Gotham would be destroyed, millions would die… including Max, his mother, and his brother. He couldn't let that happen and he wasn't going to allow that to happen.

Steeling himself, he walked away from Max's front door.

He got to his bike, put on his helmet, and sped off to the Batmobile and change into his uniform.

He called Bruce. When he picked up, Terry said, "I'm gonna call my mom and I'm telling her and Matty to go to the mansion. Max is going there, too. Keep it unlocked."

"Fine."

"Do you have a location?"

"Almost."

"Send it to me."

"Got it." Bruce paused. "Be careful."

"Right…" Terry hung up and sighed. This was incredibly hard for him; it was first Shriek city scare all over again. But he had to do what he had to do. He wanted to go get his family and Max to Wayne Manor but he had to go. If he put forth his effort into getting to them, he would waste valuable time he could use saving the city. As harsh as it sounded, he really couldn't spare the time to get everyone else. All he could do was make sure they were in the safest place he could think of while he faced the dangers they were facing. Like he told Max, this is why he did this and he had to do this.

He shook his head. He had to stop thinking about this and get his head in the game.

It was time to stop being Terry and start being Batman.

He had a mission.

King and Shriek were waiting and they had to be stopped.

After the call, Bruce sat back and rubbed his forehead. This was too much. He knew that this was coming. All this just seemed different from the beginning and their declaration now had confirmed that. Shriek and King had gone completely mad and they had to be stopped. But, if they were this focused on their goal and everything they had done so far screamed that they were, they wouldn't hold back against Terry.

He would need help.

Bruce looked through the cave and saw something he knew, good and well, he should never use again. But he was going to. A part of him believed Terry could do this alone but another part of him didn't want the kid to go through this by himself, not when these two maniacs went further than they ever had before. He wouldn't always be around for Terry; Bruce knew that all too well. But he was here now and he could do something to make a difference.

At Gotham Police headquarters, Gordon did her best to coordinate all of her officers but there was panic spreading through the streets. And, unlike before, there was no option to stop Shriek this time. He meant it. She managed to get a moment in her office alone. The phone rang. She answered it, knowing who it was.

"It took you longer to call than I thought," she said to Bruce.

"How are you holding up?" Bruce asked.

"Well as can be expected. Has the kid left already?"

"Yes. He's sending his family and girlfriend here."

"I wish I could send the whole city there. It's the safest place in Gotham right now. Does he know how to find them?"

"I've almost got them locked down. He'll find them before they destroy anything."

"He's going after them alone. It'll be dangerous."

"He can handle it."

"It's different this time and you know it."

"True enough. But he can handle it."

"I know he took Tai Ji's death hard. He's lot like you in that way."

"Yes, he is."

"And I mean a caring man."

He paused for a few seconds. "That's a matter of opinion."

If it wasn't for the fact that she'd known Bruce for years, even loved him once, she wouldn't be able to detect that he sounded different… but he did. "Bruce? What's wrong?"

"You have always and will always be one of the best, Barbara. You are the best. Thank you for that."

"Bruce?"

"And… for anything I got wrong… to you… Tim… Dick… or Selena… even Clark and Diana… I'm sorry."

He was apologizing. Even complimented her. Nothing about this was good.

"Tell them all that for me. They'll believe it coming from you."

"What?! Bruce!"

"Goodbye." He hung up.

"WAIT! Bruce!" Barbara looked at the phone in dread. What could Bruce be planning? Did he think he could help Terry in this? That was impossible! He had no way to…

No. There was one way.

"Oh, God… no…" She just sat back down. There was nothing she could do. Unless a miracle took place, she would lose Terry, Bruce, or Gotham tonight… maybe all of the above.

What pained her was what she could do about it… nothing.

All she could really do was wait. And, for one of the few time in her life she could remember, pray.

Max was still crying on her sofa, her hand pressed to her forehead. She knew she had to get going and go to Wayne Manor but she couldn't focus on anything. She could count the number of times she'd ever cried in her whole life on one hand… and never this hard. And never over a boy.

But Terry wasn't just a boy. He wasn't a boy at all; no time more than this proved that. He is a man. Her man. The man she loves. And, in all likelihood, he was going to die tonight. It was that thought that kept her in tears.

Her phone rang. She figured it was her family calling to tell her to get out of Gotham. Maybe it was Terry wondering if she actually listened to him. She decided to pick up; the night couldn't get any worse, anyway. She answered the phone, doing her best to stop crying. "Hello?"

"Hello, Maxine."

"Mr. Wayne?"

There was something he wasn't used to from her. That was a tall tell sign to him she was greatly hurt. "You always call me 'Bruce.' Don't start attempting to be formal now."

She tried to giggle through the tears. "Sorry. Just not used to you calling."

He wasn't fooled. He could tell she was still crying and that she was going to continue the second they got off the phone. "Are you alright?"

She paused. "Can I be honest?"

"Of course."

"I'm terrified, Bruce. I'm scared to death that I'm gonna lose him tonight. Shriek and King… they don't just want him out of the way… they hate him… they want him dead… even if he saves the city… they'll do whatever it takes just to… just to kill him… and… I can't take that… I can't bear the thought of losing him because…" She paused. She didn't know why she was admitting this, probably the emotion of the situation. She didn't even think Bruce would care but she couldn't stop it from coming out either. She hated this feeling but she couldn't stop it, either. "I know you don't like me… don't approve me… but… I love Terry… I don't want to see him hurt. Or… or…" She couldn't say it. Not again. That would've made it far too real.

"Max, listen to me: in no way, do I not like you or approve of you. It's just not true. My not wanting you in this life has nothing to do with you as a person. I don't want you in this life because it takes more from you than you realize."

She sniffed. After hearing Terry's stories and more about his father, she realized that there was far more to it for him and Bruce that just the cowl and the action. It had to do with one's soul and the pain of the person who took on the responsibility. "I… I get that now."

"I know you do."

She paused. "Do you think he'll be okay?"

"Yes. With that in mind, can you do me a favor and give him a message for me?"

That left her confused. "Umm, sure?"

"Tell him I have always been proud of him and always will be."

As cryptic as that was, Max knew that meant something bad. "Bruce what do…"

"Take care of him, Max. I don't know if he said it or if I should even be telling you this… but he loves you, as well. I can tell. That's why he's going after them… and that's why I am, too."

She was shocked. "WHAT?! Bruce?!"

"Goodbye, Max." He hung up.

"WAIT! BRUCE!"

She hung her phone up and just sat confused. She stood up and started pacing. She knew Bruce was about to go do something stupid, which was usually what she did. She couldn't let him do whatever he was about to do on his own, though. Of course, what could she do? She didn't know. But she couldn't just stand by to watch the man she loved and his mentor walk into war and do nothing about it. She had to find them and try and do something.

Batman was steering the Batmobile through the city and could see all the havoc destroying the streets of Gotham. People were panicking trying to get out of the city or loot it, for whatever reason. There was a lot that would require his attention if he wasn't so busy trying to track his enemies. He just had to trust the police could handle it without him.

He suddenly saw a blip on his map. A location from Wayne. Right at the center of downtown. That must be where Shriek and King are.

He steered the Batmobile toward downtown and opened the throttle to full speed. It was time to finish this.

A/N: It's on.

We are almost to the end of our story, my friends. I hope you are enjoying it so far.

Next Chapter: The Battle For Gotham City

Batman goes up against Shriek and King to save the city. What he doesn't know that he is not alone in defending his home.