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!

Well hello again, darlings. I am so glad that I was able to get this chapter up as quickly as I had hoped. First off, I want to thank you all for sticking with me all this time, and again I want to apologize for the slow updates that preceded this chapter. I hope you can forgive me.

So, we have finally reached the conclusion of this story. Sort of... I will be posting an epilogue of sorts in a few days, and then I will be reworking the entire story. i will most likely add a few additional chapters and also work on bringing a better flow to those that are already here. But, all of that is in the future, and right now is what matters. Right now we have the apex that I have been striving for since the beginning. I hope that you enjoy it and that you will be so kind as to share your thoughts with me. Your reviews are what make me want to write and they simply make my day. Really, even two words from a fan will have me walking on air for the rest of the day. Thank you all so much for all of your kind words and support.

And now, without further ado. The End.

Chapter 19 - Beautiful Goodbye

I count the ways I let you down, On my fingers and toes but I'm running out, Clever words can't help me now, I grip you tight but you're slipping out

And I remember your eyes were so bright, When I first met you, so in love that night, And now I'm kissing your tears goodnight, And I can't take it, you're even perfect when you cry

Beautiful goodbye (bye-bye, bye-bye), It's dripping from your eyes (bye-bye, bye-bye), Your beautiful goodbye (bye-bye, bye-bye), It's dripping from your eyes (bye-bye, bye-bye), Oh yeah

- Maroon 5

Tiana stood in the lengthening shadows of the courthouse columns watching the tense scene unfold before her. Though she had arrived after Blake and the multitude of officers that surrounded Bane and his few men, she was able to piece together the situation. It was obvious to her that Bane had placed hostages around himself to slow the police attack, though she knew that he didn't intend for it to stop them. He planned for it to be their fault that the city was destroyed. He wanted their last thoughts to be the realization that they had been the ones to kill themselves and the millions of people in Gotham, not him. It was sadistic to be sure, but she could also see a sort of beauty to it. It was a plan that would have appealed to her as well, if she had wanted to destroy Gotham.

Most of the police had their guns trained on Bane, though there were quite a few trained on his men as well. Blake, Gordon and a few other uniformed men were clustered together, deep in conversation. She knew they were trying to figure out a way to get around Bane, but she saw that it was as futile as they most likely did. There were no back entrances to the courthouse, and he would clearly see if they tried to sneak behind him via the sides of the columns. Bane had not chosen this location simply to make a statement, he had also chosen it because he would be able to hold it even with the few men he had. Their cause was lost, but she knew that as the clock moved forward someone would grow tired of waiting to die, and they would do something stupid. Any false move would most likely spell death for them all.

Though she had little hope that she would be able to reason with Bane, she knew it was the only move she could make. If it didn't work she would be forced to fight him, and that was not something she wanted to do. Not because she was afraid she would lose, but because she knew it would only lead to them both paying the ultimate price, and that wasn't something she wanted for him. She knew the GCPD would never willingly let Bane walk away, but she had left her car on the side of the building and only hoped that he would make it that far if she distracted the police for him. If she could get the detonator out of his hand, then she would instantly become the center of attention, especially when she acted like an even more threatening figure to them. It would be hard to do, but she thought Blake would be an aid in that scenario. He for one knew just how dangerous she could be. She had also learned - thanks to Joker - that he was no fan hers at the moment, which would only be helpful now.

She had watched Maddy as she stood in front of the old diner she had worked at when she and Joker first met; back when Joker was just Jack. Tiana had been afraid that Maddy wouldn't remember - she had been clueless about Tiana - but her fear had been unfounded. As soon as Joker's face came into view all of the years had melted off the woman's face and her smile said everything that Tiana needed to know. She had turned away and slipped through the shadows toward her hidden car, but somehow Joker had seen her and called after her. Though she had considered just walking away, something told her that she needed to talk to them. One last time.

It had been a good decision to talk to him, because he told her exactly how their plan would unfold. Now she knew that Joker had placed his own charges throughout the city, and they would trigger Bane's charges when they went off. Regardless of whether or not Bane detonated his charges, Joker's bombs would start going off exactly at sunset, triggering a domino effect that would destroy Gotham and everyone in it. They had decided that sunset on the summer solstice was perfect; it would be the endless night after the long day of Gotham's life. That had been Bane's idea, and she could see his poetic mind coming up with it while he sat in the dank warehouse.

Tiana had been slowly moving toward Bane while she thought about her last talk with Joker, and she was no more than ten feet away from him when she saw movement from the officers to her left. She turned her attention to the men for only an instant, but it was long enough to see that they had reached their breaking point and it would be only seconds before the shooting started. She looked back at Bane and found that instead of seeing the danger that the officers posed to him, he was looking straight at her. There was murder in his eyes, but there was also something else. Something softer.

It was that softer look in his eyes that first propelled her toward him without looking out for the men intent on firing at that moment. However, when she heard Gordon shout "No!" that was what made her fly at Bane with enough speed and force to knock him to the ground.

She heard the guns firing, but she didn't feel anything except Bane beneath her, and she didn't see anything except his incredible eyes. They were filled with shock and fear , but she couldn't understand what would make him so afraid.

Bane was looking out at the officers that surrounded him and his men. They had been in this pathetic standoff for over an hour now, and he knew they were beginning to get desperate. The new Batman had shouted a few taunts up to him, trying to get him to come down and fight, and Gordon had tried to reason with him, but both had only received a stony silence in response. He had said all that he was going to, and now he was just waiting for the end.

He expected that one of the younger men would do something rash, but if they didn't he would have his men hurry them along. Though he was willing to wait for sunset, he also wanted to force some action from the weak creatures that circled him. He had just noticed movement among a group of youthful officers on his left when a shift in the shadows caught his attention. He turned his head so he could clearly see what had caused the shift, hoping with all his heart that it wasn't what he knew it to be. It was.

His Little One stood cloaked in darkness, dressed much as she had been the last time he had seen her, though her flaming hair was concealed this time. In that second he saw that her eyes were filled with sorrow and pain, which somehow tampered his rage. Though he still knew he would be forced to kill her, he didn't want to. His mind briefly flicked back to the pretty little girl in the park, and his stomach clenched in anger and sorrow over the way life had cheated them both. Though he had always known that life was far from fair, this was the first time in his adult life he wished it somehow was.

He had barely completed the thought when he heard a desperate cry from Gordon, and then his Little One was flying at him faster than he had ever seen her move. He heard the sound of gunfire ringing through the air, and felt her slam into him with more force than should have been possible. Somehow he managed to hold onto the detonator and not push down on the final switch, but that was about all he was able to do as the air left him in a great whoosh when he hit the hard ground. He could hear the sounds of guns firing - both from the officers and his own men - people yelling orders and screams of pain, but all he could see was his Little One's face above him. The blood seeping from between her lips, turning them a gaudy shade of red. She seemed completely unaware of her obvious injury until a drop of her blood fell on his mask.

"Oh." Her eyes widened with surprise, but there was no fear in them. "Darn." Her voice was already weak and whispery.

Bane completely forgot about his plans and the battle ensuing around him when he realized that Tiana had just jumped in front of the bullets to save him. The detonator slipped from his fingers as he carefully wrapped his arm around her, using his other hand to push them both over so that he was above her. He pulled himself away from her small body to access her injuries, and found that she had shielded him from three bullets. They had made it completely through her and were firmly planted in his vest, but they hadn't been able to penetrate it thanks to her body slowing them down. It was obvious that she had saved his life, and also the people of Gotham.

He cautiously lifted her black shirt and saw that though there was no damage done to him, the injuries that she had received were grievous. She was bleeding profusely from two gaping holes in her stomach, and a third just below her right breast. He figured that the one in her chest must have gone through her lung, which explained the blood that was slowly falling from her mouth and running down her pallid cheek. She tried to move up toward him, and an inhuman wail of pain spilled out of her before she fell back to the ground panting.

He saw her red lips part, but couldn't hear what she was saying so he leaned in closer to her. Her words came faintly between hisses of pain, "You have to… go. My… car… is around the…. corner. Go… Please."

He shook his head and reached to the back of his mask, releasing the latch on it with a soft click that only he heard. "No." He pulled the mask from his face, and for once he hardly felt the pain that instantly seized him. He gently placed the mask over her small face, knowing that without the seal it would only give her a small dose of his magical drug, but he hoped it would be enough to give her some release from her agony.

She took two deep breaths and he could see her eyes soften slightly, though they were still deeply clouded with pain. "Yes" she whispered, her voice sounding strange through his mask. Her hand slid up his arm and lightly caressed his bare face, lingering on his lips for a moment before she gently turned his head so that he was forced to look back out at the street.

He realized that his men were gone - whether they had fled or died he did not know - and the police had begun to close in on them. That was all nearly to be expected, but the Bat's flying machine descending onto the steps below them was not. It was only another second before the nearly deafening sound reached the ears of the officers and they dropped back to allow it to land. It had barely touched the ground when the ominous shadow stepped out of it and ran toward them. Bane had only a second to feel shocked by the fact that this was the real Bat, before he came to his senses and pulled himself to his feet to crouch defensively over his Little One, a menacing snarl tearing from his chest. "Back off!" He shouted, drawing the pistol from his hip and pointing it at the approaching shadow.

"No. He… he'll help." A weak, blood soaked hand gripped the arm that held the gun and tried to tug it down, but he wouldn't let it budge. "Bruce?"

Bane was shocked to see Wayne's eyes soften at the sound of Tiana's whispery voice calling out to him, and he was even more shocked when he didn't pull the trigger as the man dropped to his knees on the other side of the small woman Bane protected. He meant to, but something stopped him and made him watch.

"Oh Tiana…. What have you done?" Wayne's voice lacked almost all of its characteristic gravel and in fact, sounded soft when he spoke to her. His hand repeating what Bane had already done to look at the extent of the damage that had been done to her. When he got the shirt up Bane was able to see the look of horror on the other man's face, in spite of the mask intended to hide such emotions.

He chanced a glance at his Little One's face and saw that she had pulled his mask away a bit so that she could speak more clearly. "I… I… saved him. Now you… you have to… save… Gotham." She placed the mask back over her mouth for a moment, breathing deeply. He could tell that she was already starting to fade out, though she fought to maintain consciousness, and he knew she would continue fighting for as long as she could. After another long moment she pulled the mask away from her mouth and gave it back to Bane, giving his face a final caress with her free hand before placing it firmly over his face and head. "Bane… help him… tell him… how to stop it."

She was no longer in pain. In fact, she felt almost as though she was floating on a big fluffy cloud, or maybe it was more like flying. The thought that she was finally flying like a bird, high in the sky and free, made a small smile twitch at her lips. She knew that she wasn't really flying, just feeling high on the extraordinary drugs from Bane's mask and blood loss, but at that moment it hardly seemed to matter. She knew that soon enough she would soaring high like the hawk on her hip.

She had closed her eyes for a moment, just savoring the feeling of calm and upcoming freedom, but she knew she had more to do before she could spread her wings and fly away. When she pried her eyes open she realized that it had been more than a moment that they were closed. Gordon and Blake had made their way to her side as well, and were speaking with Bruce in hushed tones. Gordon's gun was firmly trained on Bane though his eyes were focused on Bruce. Blake's face was strained and seemed to be an odd shade of green under his mask, but Tiana wasn't sure if it was just her eyes playing tricks on her or not. Bane had lowered his gun and seemed to have stopped paying attention to the men around him, his focus on her completely. His eyes were deeply troubled and she could feel his hand trembling around her own.

She tried to smile for him, but based on the the way his eyes constricted with pain, she knew that it must have made for a gruesome sight. She squeezed his hand and tried to rally her strength so she could say what she needed to. "Did you tell them how to stop it?"

He nodded his head, "They don't know if they should believe me." She noted the exhaustion and defeat that showed clearly in his stance and expression. "They have no reason to."

She nodded slightly as well, noting that when she did it felt as though something began traveling up her spine. It was almost akin to the feeling of morphine flowing through a vein, only this was moving more slowly and was icy cold instead of hot. She tore her eyes from Bane's concern filled face and looked up and up before her eyes finally reached Bruce's face.

"Bruce," she said with more strength than she would have expected. He immediately turned back to her, breaking off in mid sentence, and crouching back at her side. "Yes." he said.

"You have to let him go. He's telling the truth. Let him go for… me. You owe me that."

Bruce considered for a moment before he shook his head. "No, Tiana I can't. He's just too great a danger. Not just to Gotham, but the world."

Tiana struggled to take a deep breath, the ice having moved up her spine to rest between her shoulders, making it difficult to breath. "No he won't, Bruce. He'll go back to the League, and bring the balance this world needs. He'll do it the right way this time, not like my father."

Bane spoke up with a rough, and choked nature. "I'm done Wayne. Kill me if you will, but help her."

"You didn't give us a code. You just told us where the bomb is. Give me the disarming code and I will try to get her help." Gordon's voice was strong and sure, but lacked the emotion that was so thick in the other men's voices. He had no attachment to her and it was obvious that he saw her as the enemy as much as he did Bane. She had not won any points with the man by saving Bane's life.

"It's her birthday, but I don't know it." Bane said with defeat.

She was surprised by the information. Not that Bane didn't know her birthday - for how would he, she hardly did anymore - but because Joker had chosen it for the code he used. She could see in that moment that Joker had always known it would come to this. That the fate of the city would end in her hands, and so he had given her the power to save millions of lives, or end them. The power to save the man she loved. Part of her could kiss Joker, but another part wanted to slap that painted smile right off his face.

The ice was now at the base of her neck, making her feel like she was choking on a glacier. "Let him go, and I'll tell you what it is. You… better hurry though… I don't think I'll be able to talk much longer."

Gordon started to speak, but Bruce cut him off, his conflicted eyes on Bane. "Take my bat." He jerked his head back to indicate the flying machine he had arrived in. Gordon's face turned an ugly shade of red, but he said nothing. Blake's mouth fluttered open and closed a few times, but no words came out. Somehow the visual reminded her of a goldfish, and she would have laughed if she had been able.

She felt Bane's strong arms lifting her and the ice flew up her spine, almost reaching her skull before she could whisper, "The code is 0320. Go."

She could feel unconsciousness tugging at her as Bane carried her down the wide steps toward the hulking flying machine. The ice was slowly filling her head, making it painful to think, and she knew it would be impossible to speak, but somehow she willed her hand up to Bane's face one last time. Her fingers found the exposed skin of his cheek above the mask, and her thumb caressed it lightly. Then unconsciousness took her, and for once her dreams were filled with light and joy.