Author's Note:

This chapter has been updated in my attempts to correct errors and make the story more cohesive. The rest of this author's note is the original text. Thanks to all of you for reading!

Author's Note:
Hello to all my lovely readers. I want to thank those of you that have been sticking with this story, and I especially want to thank those of you that have recently added me your follow list or your favorites. It really makes me happy when I receive those messages telling me that someone has added me. What makes me even happier is when I get messages that someone has reviewed this story, and I really want to thank those of you that have given me such wonderful reviews lately.

I'm sorry that this chapter has taken a while to get out, and I hope to have the next chapter out sooner, but I really need some help in the motivation department. So, if you like this story please let me know and leave me a review. Even one little word will help push me to get the next chapter out and will show me that people are still enjoying this story. Thanks!

OK, enough rambling... I bring to you Chapter Fourteen! Enjoy!

- I do not own any of the Nolan characters used in this story; I only own my original characters and ideas. I am not making any money from this story.

Chapter Fourteen - Apologize

I'd take another chance, Take a fall, take a shot for you. I need you like a heart needs a beat, But it's nothin' new, yeah! I loved you with a fire red, Now it's turnin' blue... And you say... Sorry, like an angel, Heaven let me think was you... But I'm afraid...

- OneRepublic

"No, no, no... that absolutely will not do. Are you even trying, Robin?" Tiana's jaw was gritted tightly and she firmly held the fist she had just caught in mid-blow. She had been working with the new Batman for over two weeks now and his cocky attitude hadn't improved, and unfortunately his fighting skills remained very primitive as well. At moments like this she felt like he was a lost cause and seriously debated the idea of leaving Gotham to find the original Batman.

She was certain Bruce was still alive, and just off hiding with his Cat. It wasn't as if he had done a very good job of hiding that fact, after all. Who else would have left the documentation about Bane on the Commissioner's desk, or fixed the Bat signal that Blake was so proud of. It had actually been harder to find who he had left to replace himself than to figure out he was alive. Tiana had figured he wouldn't leave his precious city unprotected, but had been completely unable to determine who he would want to fill his shoes. It was really only dumb luck that she had spotted Blake out one night skulking a few blocks from the warehouse that housed Bane and Joker. She had followed him with the intention of ensuring he didn't try to confront her friends. Instead of preventing what she feared would happen, she had witnessed his first apprehension of a criminal. She was able to see then that he was no where near prepared to save the city as his predecessor had intended. She immediately decided to step in and help him become ready to do his job. That process was proving to be far more difficult than she had originally expected however, and she couldn't help but wonder if old Bruce hadn't been hit in the head a few too many times. Of course, if that were true then he wouldn't be any better than the boy he had left to replace him, and regardless of his physical condition, he deserved a peaceful retirement if it was at all possible.

Her mind was elsewhere, and she was pleased when Robin took advantage of the opportunity it presented. He jerked back with the hand she held - trying to throw her off balance - and then threw a fierce punch at her nose. She was aware enough not to fall, and to perform a small dodge, but he still managed to graze her left cheekbone. She immediately pulled away from him and retaliated with a spin that ended in a swift kick to his head, which she stopped less than a quarter inch from its destination. He hadn't even tried to block it, but she smiled at him anyway. "Well, you did well with your attack, and your ability to notice that I wasn't really paying attention, but you really must start to learn how to block. How do you think you will fare if you are thrown into a fight with Bane? Hmmm?" She used Bane as an example because he was the most dangerous physical opponent in Gotham, but she had no intention of ever letting the two fight, there was no way it would end well. Regardless of who won.

Robin looked at her for a moment and then shrugged in that smug way of his. "I don't know, I'll figure it out when it happens I guess." He smiled wide at her and for the first time she noticed that his lip was quivering ever so slightly. She had figured that to some extent his bravado was a farce, but this was the first clear sign. She suddenly had hope; he wasn't so full of himself that he couldn't be taught, he had just never had any form of proper training and that made it significantly harder to teach him. She now understood that her method would have to change. If all he knew was street fighting, then she would have to use that to his advantage and simply strengthen his skills. She felt confident that it would take him years to learn any other style of fighting. He just wasn't designed to become a master of multiple disciplines.

"No you wouldn't, you would be dead before you ever got the chance to figure it out. Hell, you would be dead before you got that chance even with someone like Joker, and he's not even a very proficient fighter. He just chooses not to fight fair, which works very well for him... just in case you're interested." She watched his face to see his reaction, and wasn't surprised when he cringed at the mention of dirty fighting. This young man was good to the bone. How surprising... That little fact would make it even more difficult to teach him what he would need to succeed. Even Bruce had been willing to fight dirty, if the occasion called for it. "Alright, alright... no dirty fighting for you. I'm done trying to instruct you today, I just want you to come after me with everything you've got. Imagine I'm Bane and that if you don't beat me into the ground I'm going to blow Gotham sky high. Got it?"

He nodded his understanding, squaring up his stance and swiftly moving toward her with purpose, preparing to throw his fierce right hook. She dodged his first punch and his second, but when his foot flew up at her stomach she wasn't expecting it and it hit her squarely. She was quick to spot the hesitation in his attack once he made contact, and she gave her head a short jerk to tell him not to. Jabbing at his neck, she recollected her breath and circled around him ominously. He threw a couple more fast and strong punches, but she quickly blocked them, throwing her own swift and soft jabs at him. She made contact much more frequently than he did, but when she allowed him to do what he did best he was much more proficient in his fighting.

They went on like this for about five minutes and Tiana was feeling far more pleased and hopeful. Then she felt a slight shake under feet, and the shrieking of an alarm filled the dank cave. She knew that today was the day Bane and Joker had finally come out to play, and she was not ready for it...

Bane stood in front of a smoldering pile of rubble, it used to be the world famous Gotham City Library, but now it wasn't even a husk. This was the most prominent location they had blown that morning, though there were several other well known locations that were no more. Joker stood to his left and Nigma stood behind them, with a large handful of hired guns surrounding them. There was a news crew in front of them, and he could sense their terror at the sight of him standing there, especially with Joker at his side. They were the most feared criminals ever to grace the streets of Gotham and it showed on every face in front of him. He was grinning behind his mask, though he was careful to keep it from his eyes, instead giving the world a fearsome glare.

He took a deep breath and cleared his mind in preparation for the brief he speech he would be making. He and the clown had taken hours deciding who would do the talking during their first appearance in public after their several weeks of hiding. Finally they had decided it would be best if Bane spoke for this one, but that the next time would be Joker, because the next attack was more his style, whereas this first strike was very much Bane. They had written the speech together so it would contain the the points they both wanted to convey to Gotham. He was more and more surprised by how well their partnership was working out, though he still couldn't stand being around Nigma for more than a few minutes. The clown on the other hand was a surprisingly good companion, his only real glaring flaw was that he insisted on talking about the Little One all the time. He even had the gall to ask Bane why he hadn't gone out looking for her, like it was any of his business what Bane did regarding that annoyance.

Bane quietly growled when he realized that instead of clearing his mind he had gone off on a tangent that ended with her. Always her. It was a real problem and he knew it would have to be dealt with one way or another, and soon. He shook his head slightly and scanned the crowd once more, then he cleared his throat and pulled the mic to his mask. His deep, metallic voice blared over the residual sounds of a burning building and the weeping people in the background. "Gotham, it is lovely to be among you once again. Today we put together a little welcome home party, and we really appreciate the reception we have received. I wish to tell you all that we will finish what has been started. There is no escape. Those that attempt it will die. Go on with your pathetic little lives, draw meaning from your worthless and mundane existence, and wait. Wait for the end, for it is near." He paused, looking at the tear filled eyes of the reporters and the other men and women that were watching him. "That is all. You may go." He dropped the mic and released a satisfied grunt as he strode away from the terrified crowd and the flaming debris.

He had just opened the door on the grey SUV that was their current transport, when he heard the sound of sirens headed their way. It had been too easy to distract them and send them off to chase their tails while he made his little speech. He had simply sent a few of the lesser criminals that were still at large from Arkham to one of the other explosions within the city, and then someone had called in an anonymous tip. The GCPD hadn't even given a second thought to looking at the other locations, utterly predictable, and worthless. Still, they needed to move out, and quickly. Today was not the day for the confrontation that was bound to happen if they were still there when the police arrived. That day would come, but not until the end. He would have to distract the cops while the final charges were lit, when the last safe havens in Gotham went up in flames and the screams of the corrupt and unworthy were washed away in blood and fire.

Bane slipped into the drivers seat and Joker was beside him in the passenger seat in only a second. Nigma and a group of the hired guns piled into the back of the large vehicle, and he quickly pulled away from the scene of his latest coup. They would have to drive around Gotham for a while, just to ensure that no one was following them, then they would return to the warehouse. They would need to watch the video feed of the three possible exits from the city. They would follow through with the threat to kill anyone that tried to leave. They had the firepower to do so, and wouldn't even have to be on scene to use it. Another of the clown's wonderful ideas. He knew that tonight would be pleasantly bloody.

He was pulled from his thoughts when Joker spoke to him. "Hmmm, I want you to drop me about a block south of HQ. I have business to tend to." He cleared his throat in the strange way of his, then fell silent. Bane was curious about what he could possibly have to do, but knew it wasn't his business or else he would be aware of it. He figured Joker might be looking for a woman to celebrate with. God knew Bane wouldn't hold that against the man. He had been locked up for eight years and had not spoken a word about women since the escape. Bane did know that the area the clown wanted to be dropped off was known for its concentration of prostitutes though, so he figured it was just time. Bane didn't mind, he was no judge of a man's needs, though he had never given into his base needs like that.

He stopped at a corner that he noted had a cluster of decent looking streetwalkers, and Joker slipped from the vehicle. He didn't bother to watch where the clown went once he was out of the vehicle, he didn't figure it was his business.

Tiana had stayed at the Batcave and watched the news broadcast with Robin. She had mainly stayed to make sure he didn't do anything stupid, but she had also stayed to see what those two had to say. She didn't have a TV in her dilapidated old apartment, and so it had been necessary to watch on the large flat screen in the dank cave. Her breath had caught painfully in her chest at the sight of Bane. He looked good. He had gained back all the muscle he had lost while they starved him in Arkham, and his eyes lacked the feverish look she was so familiar with. They also lacked the warmth she had grown so fond of, instead they were filled with the cold fire she had seen on the television all those months before. It made her heart hurt to think he was completely lost in his need for revenge, that he had never cared for her at all, that she had been nothing more than a tool to him.

Joker looked good as well. She had noticed that he had looked much older when they had escaped, but now he practically looked like she remembered him. He was so full of life and his eyes danced with good humor. Or at least his idea of good humor; his sense of humor had always been a bit off... The only person that always seemed to get his jokes was Maddy, and as far as Tiana could tell, she had fallen of the face of the earth. There was no sign of her anywhere, and Tiana had looked everywhere. She still held onto hope though, she had to, it was the only chance she had.

After Bane's short speech the broadcast had come to an abrupt end. It seemed the rest of the city didn't have much to say on the subject. She had warned Robin that he was not to do anything without her. She feared he still might to try something stupid, but she was fairly sure he knew better. He didn't stand a chance alone, and it seemed he mostly understood that fact. She had drifted through the darkening Gotham streets until she reached the unsavory neighborhood she now lived in. The building was mainly abandoned, and the only other tenants seemed to be by the hour. No one ever came looking for rent money, that was for sure. And that was the main reason she had chosen the location. She had no money, and didn't much like stealing, so the less she had to do it in order to get by, the happier she was.

She knew the moment she opened the door to her apartment that she was not alone there. It was as much the lack of pure silence that made her aware of that fact, as the overwhelming scent of food. Chinese food always seemed to smell more strongly than any other type of food, and Tiana felt her mouth water slightly as her senses were flooded by the steaming food. She didn't let her hunger cause her to let her guard down an inch, however, and she entered the room cautiously. When she saw Joker sitting on her sad excuse of a bed, she felt her face split in a grin. "What the hell are you doing here, J?" She crossed the room and dropped down on the end of the bed, the brown paper bag full of food between them.

Joker's eyes sparkled slightly, but he didn't smile. "Well, hmmm, I'm here because that oaf you brought out with you is making me crazy. That and, um, I thought you might want a bite to eat." He lifted the bag a couple inches off the bed to indicate there was food in it, as if she could have missed that fact. He didn't wait for her to respond before he tore into the bag and started pulling the various containers out. "Broccoli Beef, right?" He handed her a large, red and white box that she knew contained her favorite chinese meal. How he had remembered that when she hardly even did, was a marvel to her, and she gladly grabbed it out of his hand. She ripped the lid open and began pulling large chunks of broccoli and meat out with her fingers, shoving them into her mouth with absolutely no sign of manners. Joker watched her for a moment and then let loose with a barking laugh.

Tiana looked up at him, a slight blush falling over her face. "Sorry." She mumbled, her mouth still half full of food. She slowed her chewing and then swallowed before she spoke again. "So, what do you mean he's driving you crazy? You looked pretty chummy on the news today." She noticed that her voice was rather snarky, but she couldn't really say she was sorry for it. She was mad at both of them, and she had no intention of happily forgiving either of them, even if Joker had just brought her a feast.

"I mean that he is driving me crazy. He's pining after you constantly, and it's starting to get in the way. He's going to be a danger to himself, and the rest of us if he doesn't get it under control. And I, ah, think the only way he's going to get it under control is if you're around." Joker didn't look at her much while he spoke, his eyes mostly focused on the ceiling, but he did look her in the eye at the end.

Tiana couldn't help it, she doubled over laughing, bits of green splattering on the filthy floor. When she got herself under control a few minutes later she waved her hand at Joker in a stop gesture. "You don't know what you're talking about. He could give a shit less about where I am. That I know. I've been watching, you know." Joker nodded his head to show that he had indeed known she was watching them. She had figured as much, but it was interesting to receive confirmation. Suddenly she felt entirely somber, "Where is she Joker, where is Maddy?"

The dark cloud that flooded his eyes told her that her worst fears were true. His voice was slightly shaky and full of gravel, "Gotham destroyed her, and now I will destroy Gotham." The storm in his eyes stayed there, but the rest of his countenance returned to normal and he continued to eat his shrimp fried rice. She watched him for a second, trying to determine if Maddy actually was dead, but she couldn't tell from his behaviour.

She took a few more small bites of her food, though her appetite seemed to have evaporated at Joker's words. Finally she took a deep breath, "Is she dead?" She held the air in her lungs, and she could feel it burning there, but didn't dare exhale before he spoke. His face contorted with grief and rage, and she doubted for a second the wisdom of her question, but she had to know.

"Yes." His voice was full of conviction, but Tiana saw a flash of something in his eyes. Something that wasn't completely convinced of her death, something that hesitated, and was full of pleading, but not hope. There was no hope left in Joker's heart. Tiana's heart, however, immediately filled with it. There was a chance the woman was still out there somewhere, and Tiana would find her if she was. Joker cleared his throat and shifted his face, all signs of the conversation leaving him in a flash. She could see how his slight madness of the past had morphed into a sinister insanity, but she could still see the brilliant man that had been there before. It was evident in every move he made and in the crimes he was pulling off. She could only hope the sinister side would leave when Maddy returned.

"You need to go to Bane." There was no request in Joker's voice, it was simply a statement. "You are both miserable without the other. It's really rather sick you know, Princess." His lips quirked up in an ironic smile, but it didn't spread to his eyes. He rose to his feet and headed toward the door, leaving the remaining food sitting on the bed.

"Joker," He paused at the door, but didn't turn toward her. "You know I hate it when you call me that."

He opened the door and was stepping out of it as he responded. "It's just your name, Princess..." She could hear him quietly chuckling as he walked away, and it irritated her to no end. She considered going after him and giving him what for, but she decided against it. She needed to consider everything he had told her instead.

Bane sat in an ugly, green arm chair, in what used to be one of the managerial offices of the warehouse they inhabited. He had made the space into his room, though there was very little to like about it. The only redeeming quality it had was a small, brick fireplace. He had lit a fire that night, even though the weather was beginning to warm with spring. He did it mostly for the comfort it provided his soul, and for some reason his soul was in need of comfort. He also found himself holding his old crochet needle and a length of grey yarn. He had only just started on his little project, but in his subconscious he saw it as a warm scarf. He could imagine it wrapped tightly around the Little One's neck, keeping the biting cold that Gotham offered at bay, her red hair shifting restlessly in the breeze.

He shook his head almost violently in order to clear it of the intruding and unwanted thoughts. He found the longer they were apart the more his mind rebelled against him and thought about her. It seemed it rebelled the most at night, both when he was awake and while he slept. His dreams were full of visions of her; glimpses of her hair shimmering in the sunlight, or her smile lighting up the darkness. He had to admit that in spite of how badly he wished the thoughts would leave him, he still savored every moment of those dreams. In a way he felt like it was the only thing that was keeping him moving forward. That and is overwhelming need for revenge...

His hands continued to move swiftly and he could feel the stitches beginning to take on the form in his mind. He stared at the fire for a few minutes, and then he felt his eyes drawn to shift to the shadows the flames were casting on the ugly grey walls. The shadows danced like a mirror to the flames, a counter to their warm waltz, a black dance of mourning instead. And then there was an unexpected shift to those shadows and he suddenly knew he was no longer alone.

She stood framed in the door of the office. Her hair flickered in the light of the flames, and it almost seemed like the fire had left the fireplace and moved to her head. Her eyes seemed hooded and nervous, and there wasn't even a hint of a smile on her face, but she was there. He felt the needle and yarn drop from his hands and could distantly hear them hit the floor as he rose to his feet. He crossed the room in two large strides, and was standing in front of her in less than a second. His hand moved to her face without his mind giving it permission, and he could feel that his touch was slightly rough. His anger with her and his feelings of lust and love were at war within him, and he couldn't seem to control how is body acted toward her.

Her eyes shifted up to his and he could see all the confusion he felt, mirrored in her deep green orbs. Her voice was warm and felt like velvet in his ears, "I want you." She had barely finished her sentence before she launched into the air and wrapped her legs around his waist, her mouth placing whisper light kisses on his mask. He could feel himself beginning to melt into her and he desperately wished there wasn't a hunk of metal between their lips.

His hand reached out and closed the door behind her, and then his mind completely gave up on the idea that it would have anything to do with this exchange.