Hey guys! Unfortunately, I may not have access to the internet for the next week, so I'm putting this up to hopefully hold you over. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Do not own Bane or any TDKR content, Kali Blake is mine.

The end had begun.

The city was isolated, cut off from the world. Citizens ran the streets, taking claim to the poisonous spoils of the rich. The prisons and asylums had been emptied, and death clung to the air. Winter had come.

Kali had laid claim to a small apartment building just outside the major districts of the city, a small four story one. She called it home. Her services for recruitment were over, and Talia had released her. She was free to do as she saw fit now. She knelt at the edge of the roof, watching the street below, as a patrol squad drove by. She enjoyed the games they played, trying to figure out which truck was carrying the bomb.

Kali had wondered, at first, if the explosion was going to hurt. Talia had said if Kali were anywhere near the site of the explosion, she would be vaporized before she knew it had happened. Gone, just like that. Kali decided she would ask Talia where the bomb would be when the day came, to make sure she was close. The cleansing fire, one that would overpower the monstrous rage inside her.

Talia said she would not tell Bane she was in Gotham. Kali was the one to make that choice. And though Kali spent most days on the streets of the city, she'd never seen him once. Sighing, she shuddered against a frigid breeze and went back into the building. She had secured it in every way possible, but no one bothered trying to get in. She'd made it clear that the building was hers, and anyone who tried to enter would die.

Bane was utterly bored. He had enjoyed weeks and weeks of watching the city crumble, watching the people turn on each other. He had loved every minute of it. But it was getting old. The same things happened every day; death, crime, people running about like rats. He prowled the streets, looking for something to do. He'd had fun, breaking the Bat, but part of him wished he had kept him around. Constant fights would have kept him preoccupied.

Bane decided to explore the more residential parts of the city, curious on what destruction he would find there.

Kali explored one of many gutted mansions, curious to see what remained of the luxuries of living in such a house. Furniture was tossed about, some smashed. Paintings and photos torn from walls and smashed. Such a shame. Kali heard a crunch under her feet, and looked down upon a shattered chandelier. She picked up a few pieces of the crystal, and walked over to the window to hold them up to the light.

As rainbows danced from the rare winter sun, Kali noticed someone had stopped on the street below and was looking up at her. With a start, she realized it was her father. Another person she had not seen since the beginning of the end. At first, she had half expected him to leave the city, before remembering they had blown the bridge.

Kali put the crystal in her pocket and went down to the street below, where he waited, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his signature purple coat. The Joker was back, makeup and all.

"I'd heard you were part of all this madness." He said lightly, looking about at the debris left on the road from things tossed out windows.

"Are you proud of me? I helped bring this city to its knees, just as you nearly did not so long ago." Kali teased.

She'd never really thought of that; continuing her father's plans.

He grunted in reply as they began walking down the streets, curiously looking about, not speaking, until they reached Kali's home.

"Where have you been hiding these past weeks?" Kali asked.

"Here, there, everywhere. I was looking for the Bat, but I found out your masked friend went and got rid of him. Very irritating. I had hoped to get out of this place, start havoc somewhere else. I didn't realize I'd be part of the body count." He rambled.

"We're all part of the body count. Even the ones that started this will fall... I live here. Come by and visit if you're not too busy causing as much havoc as you can while you can." Kali said, feeling awkward for the first time in a long time. What to say to her father, knowing the end was coming?

"Certainly." He said in his half growl, half laugh voice.

They did not say goodbye, only parted ways as Kali locked the door to the building behind her.

Bane had seen the Joker wandering about. Part of him did not like the man who had once claimed the city his playground, but he also respected him for what he had done in such little time. He had crippled the Bat for many years, left the city shuddering. The fact he was Kali's father may have been another reason he did not kill the clown. Kali...

Dead. Dead because you left her. You should have known someone might try to find you, try to get to you.

Bane had, eve with Barsad's assurance, exhausted every resource trying to find her. No bodies, no reports, no trail. The money he had left her had remained untouched. He wondered what happened to Harley, too. He had to accept it; Kali was gone. It left him feeling hollow, especially the nights he lay in bed unable to sleep. All that innocence and beauty, destroyed because of him.

Bane roamed the empty halls of a hotel, and found himself on the roof, looking down over a stretch two blocks over of apartment buildings. Many had smashed windows, others were boarded up. Bane was about to turn to observe the other side when something bright flashed.

Kali stretched onto tiptoe, having tied the crystal pieces at random together to form a sun catcher of sorts. She enjoyed the light it splashed onto the floor. As she finally secured it, she glanced out the window and froze. There he was, standing on the roof of the hotel she had once thought of claiming. He was not looking in her direction, turning to move away, when he stopped and glanced right at her. She realized the crystals had caught his attention, and remained completely still, wondering if he could see her.

Bane watched as something flashed and glittered in the window of one of the apartments. Some decoration, obviously. Just then, a slight cloud passed over the sun, removing the bright reflection from the window for just a moment. Every nerve in Bane's body screamed to life, sending ice and fire over him all at once. Green eyes, black hair...

"Kali." He breathed.

She stood completely still, looking right back at him, her mouth slightly open. How was she here? Why was she here? In a second he had turned, and was running.

"He's coming for me." Kali breathed.

She suddenly smiled wildly. So, he wanted to chase her? She'd play. In moments Kali had on her boots and coat and was out the back door, running full speed down the alleys. She was still amazed at how much stronger, faster, and swifter she was, after all the brutal training she went through. Even though she was already three blocks away, she heard the sound of Bane smashing in the front door of the apartment building. She wondered how long it would take him to find her.

She slowed to a walk, glancing back every few seconds, waiting. Then she saw him, at a back window, as he searched the many rooms. He saw her. She was running again.

Bane wondered if he was imagining seeing her. The room he had seen her in was full of the smell of peppermint, a scent that had caused him to pause for one second as it brought back every vivid memory. She was here. He moved to the next room, and saw someone far off down an alley, looking back at him. She'd gotten far. Bane didn't bother going down two floors. He smashed open the window and jumped, landing solidly on his feet.

In a flash of hair she was running again, and he could see something was different... something very wrong. Civilians didn't run like that. What the hell?

I'll do my best to try and update over the week, but if not, soon! Reviews please!