A/N: OH MY GOD I HAVEN'T POSTED A CHAPTER SINCE LAST YEAR! ;) Seriously, sorry I haven't been posting much. I was out of town and didn't have much computer time. And, unfortunately, I can't guarantee when the next chapter will be out since I'll be starting school again soon and third quarter is one of my busiest and most stressful but I will do my best. Anyway, enjoy the chapter and please review!

Gotham Falls and Batgirl Begins

A few days later, Jenna entered Gotham General, her morning hot chocolate in hand, to visit Gordon on her day off. The past few days hadn't been easy and she felt that both she and Gordon could use some cheering up.

"Hey Gordon," Jenna said entering his room and sitting down in a seat next to the bed.

"Hey Jenna. How are you?" Gordon asked.

"I've been worse." Gordon raised an eyebrow. Jenna sighed and continued. "But I've also been better." Gordon nodded. The commissioner and assistant DA heard the sound of a door opening and closing and looked up to see John Blake enter the room.

"Excuse me, can I talk to you Commissioner?" John asked. Gordon nodded. Jenna simply sat there, refusing to move.

"Jenna–" Gordon started but Blake interrupted him.

"No it's alright Commissioner. This involves her too." Jenna looked at him, confused.

"Well, what is it son?" the Commissioner asked. Blake took a deep breath.

"I've just arrested Selina Kyle. She says Bane and the Batman fought… and the Batman lost."

Falling. Jenna was falling again. No matter what, it didn't matter how hard she fought, how much she prayed, how much she tried to change what happened to the people she cared about, she always got that bit of news that led to her feeling as though the ground underneath her feet had just given away.

"Is he–" Jenna whispered.

"She doesn't know. But I think he's out of the game. For now at least." Jenna nodded, and just sunk back in her seat, breathing heavily. Gordon and Blake continued to talk for a while until Jenna was snapped out of her reverie by the sound of the door opening and Foley storming in.

"You were right, commissioner," he admitted, as he headed over to them.

"What happened?" Gordon asked.

"Your masked man kidnapped the Wayne Enterprises board. He let most of them go, but he took three of them into the sewers."

"Who? Who did he take?" Jenna inquired urgently.

"Lucius Fox, Miranda Tate, and Douglas Fredericks," Foley answered, looking as though he wanted to ask why she was still here.

"They're the most influential and have the most authority. Whatever Bane wants, its something from Wayne Enterprises and he needs them to get it," Jenna explained.

"No more patrols. No more hide and seek. Get every available cop down there and smoke him out!" Jim ordered.

"The mayor won't want panic," Foley pointed out.

"So it's a training exercise," Blake suggested. Foley, Gordon, and Jenna nodded, slightly impressed.

"I'm sorry I didn't take you seriously," Foley apologized. He left and Blake went to follow him but was stopped by Gordon.

"Not you. You're telling me the Batman's gone so you chase up the Daggett leads any way you can."

"Yes sir." And he left. Gordon and Jenna settled down, trying to relax, but finding it difficult, knowing that there was a terrorist working under their feet. Eventually, Jim's cell phone rang and Jenna put it on speaker.

"What've you got?" she asked.

"I've been to half of Daggett's cement plants and locations they poured underground," Blake reported.

"Anything strange about the pourings?" Gordon questioned.

"Honestly, commissioner, I don't know anything about civil engineering."

"But you know about patterns. Keep looking." The phone hung up. Jenna, tried of just sitting and waiting in anticipation, got up and turned on the TV.

"Come on. We need a distraction. The game should be coming on." She sat back down on the bed. She and Gordon listened to the commentators joke and banter, before the cameras turned to a young boy. He made his way onto the field and sung the national anthem, making Jenna smile, though somewhat sadly, thinking of her good friend in New York who loved to sing and she wondered if she'd ever speak to her, much less see her again. The crowd and Jenna applauded and the game began. The players ran across the field and suddenly, the sound of explosions echoed outside. Jenna raced over to the window to see the air thick with dust and debris. She turned back to the TV just in time to see the stadium completely collapse, taking almost every player with it. The crowd screamed and armed mercenaries made their way into the array, preventing the people from leaving. A monster of a man made his way onto a small section of what remained of the field and picked up a headset.

"Gotham… take control… take control of your city," Bane said, holding the headset to where his mouth should've been. Jenna immediately turned the TV off and started untangling Gordon from the wires and machines he was hooked up to.

"Jenna, what are you doing?" Jim asked, though he was almost positive he already knew.

"If Bane's making his move, it's more than likely that he's going to send someone to take you out. We have to get you out of here," Jenna recommended. Jim nodded and began too unhook himself too. However, it was slow work and as time went on Jenna's pulse quickened. She wasn't afraid of death but it would be somewhat pathetic for her to survive Scarecrow and the Joker twice only to die at the hands of a few common mercenaries. Once Jim was sitting up in bed, Jenna headed for the hallway to get a wheelchair when she heard the sound of gunshots nearby. "They're getting closer."

"Forget about escaping, we'll have to face them head on," Jim instructed. Jenna nodded and picked Jim's gun out of his coat pocket, before tossing it to him and going to stand behind the door. Jim hid on the other side of the door, and not a moment too soon. A second later, two heavily armed and armored mercenaries burst into the room and Gordon quickly disposed of them. A moment later, Blake burst through the door, a rifle in his grip and Gordon put his gun on the back of the young detective's head.

"Clear the corners rookie," Jenna told him, emerging from her own hiding spot.

"Like you would've known any better," Blake scoffed.

"Actually, I would've. You learn a lot playing laser tag with him," Jenna commented, nodding at Jim.

"Stop flirting you two." Jenna rolled her eyes at Jim, muttering something about not flirting, and he put his gun away. "Get my coat son." Blake did so and the trio left. They got into the car, and after sitting insolence for a while, Jenna asked Blake, "What happened? Did you find out what was going on?"

"Yeah. I tried calling, but you didn't answer." Jenna grimaced and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"That might be my fault. I turned on the game, hoping to find a distraction."

"Either way, I'm glad you did. At least you got Gordon up in time."

"So, where we headed? MCU?"

"No way, that'd be the first place they'd look."

"Point taken. Foley's?"

"Don't want to put his family in danger unnecessarily. We're headed back to my place."

"What about the rest of the cops? What happened to them?"

"Well, I found out Bane was pouring concrete laced with explosives. Those explosions you heard when the game started, those are from the cement going off around the city."

"So, how does this relate to the cops?"

"The cement went off at the entrances to the sewers and underground areas of the city."

"So thousands of the city's cops are trapped underground during the biggest crisis this city's seen in years."

"That's not all. All but one of the city's bridges had concrete poured by Daggett in the past few months."

"So, we're marooned." Blake nodded.

"Looks like we need to find out what's going on outside," Gordon noted. He turned on the radio, trying to find out what exactly Bane had revealed to the world.

"Gotham… take control… take control of your city," Bane stated. He paused as there was the sound of machinery being moved. "This… this is the instrument of your liberation. Identify yourself to the world."

"Dr. Leonid Pavel, nuclear physicist," Doctor Pavel declared into the microphone.

"And what? What is this?" Bane inquired, referring to the piece of machinery he'd brought out.

"It's a fully primed neutron bomb, with a blast radius of six miles," the Doctor informed the world.

"And who is capable of disarming this device?"

"Only me."

"Only… you. Thank you, good doctor." With that the microphone screeched and the crowd screamed. Jenna didn't need to see to know what had happened to Dr. Pavel. "Now this bomb is armed. And this bomb is mobile. And the identity of the triggerman is a mystery. For one of you holds the detonator. Now, we come here not as conquerors, but as liberators, to return control of this city to the people. And at the first sign of interference from the outside world, or from those people attempting to flee, this anonymous Gothamite, this unsung hero, will trigger the bomb." Jenna frowned, her brain already going at twelve million miles per hour. "For now, martial law is in effect. Return to your homes. Hold your families close. And wait. Tomorrow, you will claim what is rightfully yours." The microphone screeched as Bane dropped it and the announcer's voice came back up. Jim turned the volume down.

"Jenna can you look up a picture of–" he started.

"Already on it," Jenna replied, searching for one on her phone. She brought up a picture and paled. "Oh no."

"What?" Jim asked.

"I know what this thing is."

"What do you mean? How?" Blake asked.

"It was built by Wayne Enterprises."

"They built a nuclear bomb!" Gordon exclaimed.

"It was a fusion reactor, an attempt to find clean alternative energy. But Bruce shut it down when he found out it could be turned into a bomb," Jenna explained.

"Since when has Bruce Wayne been careful and responsible?" Jim asked. Jenna chuckled darkly.

"You'd be surprised Gordon." Jenna looked back at the picture of the bomb and sighed. "That's not the worst part though."

"How could it possibly be worse?"

"Don't. Don't say that, that's always when things get worse. And from what I'm about to tell you, it's going to."

"So what's worse than a mobile nuclear bomb being used by a masked maniac to hold a city hostage?"

"The fact that the bomb deteriorates and becomes more and more unstable as time goes on to the point of detonation in a matter of months makes it worse."

"Jesus Christ," Blake cursed.

"I doubt Father Ellis would appreciate your language, Blake," Jenna joked.

"I guess not. I remember he was always telling me off for cursing." Jenna laughed.

"Me too and I didn't even live there."

"Again, I'd appreciate it if you two stopped flirting." Jenna glared at Gordon and was about to reply when she was cut off. "The president's about to come on and we need to know what he and the outside world are going to do." Jenna sat back in her seat and shut her mouth reluctantly. She wanted to tell Gordon that she didn't flirt with anyone, but she wanted to hear that help was coming even more. The sound of many voices was heard over the radio.

"Mr. President, what do you plan to do about this terrorist threat?"

"How are you planning on freeing Gotham?"

"The President will not be taking questions ma'am," another man said, likely a security guard or something similar. Jenna leaned forward in her seat, hoping for one bit of good news today.

"The people of our greatest city are resilient. They have proven this before, and they will prove it again," the president stated. "We do not negotiate with terrorists… but we do recognize realities. As this situation develops, one thing must be understood above all others. People of Gotham, we have not abandoned you." Jenna leaned back in her seat, somewhat defeated, and groaned. This is why she never put her faith in anything outside of Gotham City; the people outside of Gotham City never really seemed to care. Gordon turned off the radio, disgusted.

"What does that mean?" Blake questioned.

"It means they've abandoned us," Jenna clarified. Gordon nodded.

"It means we're on our own," he added. "I have to get in front of a camera."

"Sir, they will kill you the second you show your face," Blake said.

"Bane says he's giving Gotham back to the people. They need to know I can lead."

"Bane's not gonna let that happen."

"Then he'll show his true colors."

"And you'll be dead." There was silence for a while until it was broken by Jenna.

"Let me talk instead." Gordon turned in his seat and looked at her.

"No. Jenna, no!"

"Gotham needs you more than it needs me right now Jim. I can stand up to Bane, I can be the martyr this city needs."

"Jenna, don't you dare. I promised your mother and aunt that I would protect you and I haven't." Jenna's gut twisted painfully, thinking of Alfred's words to Bruce, but she pushed it down and continued.

"I'm twenty-four Gordon! I don't need to be protected!" Jenna exclaimed.

"I understand that! But I'm not letting you risk your life when you don't need to!" Jenna shook her head and sighed.

"Fine. But if I can't go in public, neither can you. I promised Jimmy and Babs that I'd keep you alive, and I intend to keep that promise."

The next day, Bane and his mercenaries were gathered outside of Blackgate Penitentiary, a move that made Jenna and Gordon extremely nervous. Dealing with Bane and his army was hard enough; adding the Blackgate Prisoners to the mix would escalate this mess even higher. Tumblers rolled up in front of the prison and Bane stood on top of one, clearly visible for the news crews and the world to see.

"Behind you stands a symbol of oppression; Blackgate Prison, where a thousand men have languished under the name of this man: Harvey Dent, who has been held up to you as the shining example of justice," Bane lectured, holding up Harvey's picture. Jenna had a foreboding feeling in her stomach that told her Bane wasn't bringing up Harvey to praise him.

"We're just going to keep moving you until we can get you in front of a camera," Blake said, cooking something in the kitchen behind Jenna and Gordon. They didn't answer, their eyes glued to the television screen.

"You have been supplied with a false idol to stop you from tearing down this corrupt city," Bane said, tearing Harvey's picture to pieces, before he took some sheets of paper from his coat. "Let me tell you the truth about Harvey Dent from the words of Gotham's police commissioner, James Gordon." Blake turned to Jenna and Gordon, confusion apparent. "'The Batman didn't murder Harvey Dent, he saved my boy then took the blame for Harvey's appalling crimes so that I could, to my shame, build a lie around this fallen idol. I praised the mad man who tried to murder my own child but I can no longer live with my lie. It is time to trust the people of Gotham with the truth and it is time for me to resign,'" Bane read from Gordon's speech, before he turned back to the cameras. "And do you accept this man's resignation? Do you accept the resignation of all these liars? Of all the corrupt?"

"Those men locked up for eight years in Blackgate, and denied parole under the Dent Act, based on a lie?" Blake asked. "Gotham needed a hero..." Gordon maintained.

"It needs it now more than ever. You betrayed everything you stood for," Blake berated.

Gordon turned to him, looking as though he'd aged twenty years in two seconds and began. "There's a point, far out there when the structures fail you, and the rules aren't weapons anymore, they're... shackles letting the bad guy get ahead. One day... you may face such a moment of crisis. And in that moment, I hope you have a friend like I did!" Gordon spat. "To plunge their hands into the filth, so that you can keep yours clean!"

"Your hands look plenty filthy to me, Commissioner," Blake replied. Jenna turned to him, her eyes burning with pure fury.

"And what about my hands Detective Blake? Hm? Because they feel pretty filthy to me," she snapped. John looked at her, stunned, before he looked away, unsure of what to say. Jenna turned back to the TV, witnessing the fall of freedom, bravery, peace, and prosperity in Gotham.

"We take Gotham from the corrupt!" Bane bellowed, as the Tumblers turned their cannons on Blackgate. The camera crews ran back a ways, but kept their cameras trained on the masked man, which Jenna was thankful for. The only way to fight him was to know what he was planning. "The rich! The oppressors of generations who have kept you down with myths of opportunity, and we give it back to you... the people. Gotham is yours. None shall interfere. Do as you please. But start by storming Blackgate, and freeing the oppressed! Step forwards those who would serve. For an army will be raised. The powerful will be ripped from their decadent nests, and cast out into the cold world that we know and endure. Courts will be convened. Spoils will be enjoyed. Blood will be shed. The police will survive, as they learn to serve true justice. This great city... it will endure. Gotham will survive!" And in that one sentence, Jenna knew the horrible truth. Bane wanted to give the people false hope, make them think that they could simply forget about responsibility and morality, and that the bomb was simply insurance to make sure the people of the outside world didn't interfere. But Bane didn't truly want that; his goal was the ultimate destruction of Gotham.

"I need to go," Jenna decided as she stood and headed for the door. Blake was up in an instant.

"You can't go out there, it's not safe!" he said, following her. She turned to him just before the door.

"I'm just stepping outside. I need some air and make sure my friends are safe. Or are you going to reprimand me for that too?" she spat.

"Jenna–"

"Please. I just need to be alone." And with that she left, feeling as sorrowful and empty as she had the night she left Bruce. She walked down the street, before she eventually collapsed in a bench and held herself, trying to keep her tears inside. She hadn't cried since the night she'd killed the Joker and she couldn't afford to break, not now. Once she was in control again, she whipped out her cell phone and called Miranda.

"Hello?" came Miranda Tate's accented voice.

"Miranda, it's me," Jenna replied.

"Jenna! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. How about you?"

"I'm fine. A little shaken, but alive and unharmed."

"Good. Is Fox there?"

"Yes and he's fine too."

"Thank God. Now, listen carefully. I don't know where you are and for now, it's probably better that you don't tell me, but I need you to go into hiding. Tell as many Upper Class Gothamites as you can to do the same. Bane talked about tearing down the rich and I'm not positive as to what it means, but it can't be good. I'd suggest disguising yourself too, if you can. Just try and keep out of sight."

"What about you?"

"Someone's gotta fight Bane."

"You can't seriously be thinking of it!"

"Miranda, I knew that Harvey turned rogue, and I lied to try and keep Gotham's hope alive. It's my fault, however partially, and I need to fix it at all costs."

"Alright. Hopefully I'll see you soon."

"Same. Good luck."

"Hello?"

"Bette, it's Jenna."

"OH MY GOD JENNA ARE YOU ALRIGHT!" Jenna jumped and held the phone at an arms length.

"Other than having just lost half my hearing I'm alright. How about you?"

"I'm fine. But listen, is it true? What Bane said about Harvey Dent? Did Gordon really lie?"

"Yes. Yes, he did Bette and I knew too. I understand if you hate me now."

"Hate you? I don't hate you, and I doubt I ever could."

"Thanks."

"No problem. Have you called Helena?"

"No, not yet."

"Hang on, I'll set up a three way call."

"Hello?" came Helena's voice.

"Helena, it's Bette, Jenna's on the other line."

"Jenna! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. But I need you two to listen to me for a second." The other two agreed and Jenna quickly repeated the advice she'd given Miranda. Jenna then gave them a hurried goodbye and hung up her phone,before taking a deep breath. She considered heading back to Blake's but she wasn't quite ready yet. She sighed, hating the feeling of helplessness that was manifesting inside her. Suddenly, she had an epiphany. She knew a way she could stand up to Bane publicly, and, hopefully, still not die. She whipped open her phone again and quickly dialed a number she'd doubted she'd ever call. Once the line answered Jenna said, "Vicki Vale? Jack Ryder? Boy, do I have a story for you."

A crowd of new crews gathered before City Hall. A podium and a microphone were set up and Jenna made her way up to the stage, clutching her black suit jacket over her white button up blouse. As she prepared to speak, several military camouflaged Tumblers rolled up, followed by Bane and his men.

"State your name and purpose," Bane's voice called out clearly through the crowd, standing on top of one of the Tumblers.

"My name is Jennifer Dawes and I will be speaking on behalf of Commissioner Gordon."

"Care to enlighten me as to why would the esteemed commissioner choose not to show his face himself?"

"Simple, I made a promise to his children that I would keep him alive, and I intend to do so."

"And give me one good reason why I shouldn't have my men shoot you right now?"

"An order in which people are murdered for speaking against it sounds an awful lot like a tyranny. If you don't want me to speak then shoot me now, and prove that you're no liberator." Jenna simply stood there and stared Bane and his men down. Bane looked her over for a minute, before he held up his hand.

"Stand down." The mercenaries put down their guns with no questions whatsoever. Jenna smiled triumphantly.

"Thank you. Now, to begin, I understand the people feel betrayed and resentful of the Commissioner and I keeping the truth from the people."

"So, Bane was telling the truth about the Commissioner lying to the people?" one reporter called out. Jenna sighed.

"Unfortunately, yes that was the case. However, what was done cannot be changed and while it was a terrible crime, it was done not out of selfish purpose but to insure Gotham's bright and hopeful future." The reporters looked at each other, clearly confused. "Imagine what would've happened if the truth about Harvey Dent had come out eight years ago. Every single criminal that had been arrested due to Mr. Lau's confessions would've been released and, even worse, Gotham's hope for a bright further would've died, possibly forever. Had Gordon told the truth about Harvey Dent, this city would've slipped back into the scum sucking filth it had been trying to crawl out of for decades." Jenna took a deep breath. "I understand that the people are angry, hurt, maybe even a little confused and scared, but the people of Gotham are better than this! What happened to the people who refused to choose between killing civilians and convicts when the Joker held the trigger to kill hundreds? Now that we are faced with a similar choice, the people choose to join the Mob instead of to stand up and say 'No. This is wrong.' If peace and prosperity has weakened the people's morals to this point, then perhaps we were better off eight years ago." Jenna took another deep breath. "Now, I'm not asking you to take up arms and fight this…" Jenna looked Bane over. "Man, but by joining his cause or even standing by and allow him to do as he pleases, you condemn yourselves as well as the rich and powerful." There was silence as Jenna's words rang in their ears, and hopefully their heads and hearts.

"At least Bane's never lied to us!" someone called out and there was a slight murmur of agreement. Jenna looked over the crowd; she'd have to pull out all the stops now.

"Oh has he?" Jenna wondered. "You see, Bane isn't telling the whole truth about the bomb. This bomb he's using as insurance is not just a bomb, it's also a–"

BANG!

A gunshot rang out, cutting Jenna off. She fell to the ground, clutching her chest, and the crowd screamed and scattered. Jenna picked the bullet out of Gordon's bulletproof vest she'd… borrowed, for the occasion, thanking whatever God was listening for the invention of Kevlar. She immediately got up and ran; no point in sticking around now that the cameras and audience were gone. She quickly headed to the park, putting on a blonde wig, a hat, trench coat, and sunglasses as she went, and got on the black motorcycle she'd hidden at the park, before taking off. She made sure to take several detours through alleyways, parking garages, and even a few buildings as she went, before she ditched the bike and continued back to John's on foot. She arrived at the rookie's house, to find John waiting outside, arms crossed, leaning on one leg, an eyebrow raised, and Jenna was immediately reminded of an irate Bruce.

"I can explain."

"I'm not the one you're going to have to explain anything to," he said, nodding toward the inside. Jenna grimaced and walked past him to find Jim standing there in barely contained fury. Jenna smiled sheepishly.

"Hi." Gordon said nothing. "Listen I know what you're thinking–"

"Really, because it seems like you weren't."

"I had everything under control. And I'm alive aren't I?"

"That's not the point Jenna! Do you realize how dangerous that was? You almost got yourself killed"

"Of course I realize the danger and that's why I did it! Someone has to take that risk and you're needed more than I am."

"Don't you dare, Jenna, don't you dare undermine yourself."

"It's true and you know it. If I die, I'm collateral damage, just another casualty, but if you die… you're the leader. With the Batman gone, you're the only person capable of leading a rebellion against Bane. And you have more people who need you too."

"What about Bruce?"

"We fought a few nights ago. And I don't think we'll be making up anytime soon, since I doubt he's on the island."

"Bette, Helena, and Danny?"

"Bette's a friend but not a close one. She'd get over it without too much trouble. And things between Helena, Danny, and I haven't been the same since the Joker last…" Jenna trailed off but shook herself and continued. "The point is Barbara, Jimmy, Babs, and I need you more than anything!"

"Barbara's gone, she's never coming back, and Jimmy, Babs, and you have grown up, you don't need me."

"Don't need you? I'll always need you Jim. And I've lost practically all of my family, do you think I could cope with losing you?"

"WELL I CAN'T LOSE YOU TOO!" Jim shouted. "I failed to save Jeannie, Rachel, and Harvey. You're all that's left of them in this world. I can't fail you too." Jim collapsed on the couch, leaving Jenna frozen. She knew that he felt guilty about their deaths but… she never though that much. She sat down next to him and took his hand.

"Jim. I'm sorry. I guess, I never really…" She trailed off. Jim looked up and put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a one armed hug.

"It's alright Jenna." They sat there in silence for while. "I'm pretty sure I almost had a heart attack when you got shot. I thought you'd died." Jenna grimaced.

"Sorry. I'd say I wouldn't do that again, but truthfully, I've done enough lying for a while and I'd like to try telling the truth for a change and unfortunately, the truth is than I'm probably going to be getting shot at a lot more."

"Understandable, seeing as how I'm pretty sure we all are." He got up and grabbed his coat. "I'm going to go to MCU. There are a few things there that might help us."

"Need any help?" she questioned, jumping up from her seat.

"No. I can handle it. I'll be back later, think you can manage dinner?"

"Jim you know I can't cook," Jenna called but her was already out of the door.

"I can handle cooking," came Blake's voice. Jenna sighed and turned to him.

"How much did you hear?"

"As much as you wanted me to." Jenna smiled and nodded in appreciation. Blake made his way over to the kitchen and started working. Jenna went over and tried to help him but after knocking over three bottles and almost setting something on fire, settled in a chair and watched John cook. However, after just sitting there and watching John cook, she sighed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry. I can't just stand here and do nothing," Jenna explained. She got up, got her coat, and headed for the door.

"So what are you going to do?" Blake inquired. Jenna turned back to him.

"People need drastic examples to inspire them to make change and I can't do that as Jenna Dawes." She smiled. "But I know who I can do it as."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! AAAAAHHHHHH SOMEONE PLEASE, HELP, HELP!" a young brunette woman screamed, as she backed up against the dead end wall of the dark alleyway, trying desperately to get away from the three men surrounding her. She screamed at the top of her lungs, her cries echoing throughout the night, but she had sickening feeling that it wouldn't do any good. With thousands of cops imprisoned underground and ninety four percent of the city scared out of their wits by the masked murderer who now held a bomb over their heads, this was no time or place for heroes. No one would come.

"Aw, come on sweetie, we just want a little fun," said one thug, leering at her.

"Please! Don't!" she tried begging but upon realizing that they wouldn't stop she tried to call out for help again.

"No one's going to come sweetheart, no ones going to save you." Suddenly, a hooded figure dropped from the sky and landed on top of one man, knocking him out cold. The other men quickly turned to the figure, and upon recognizing the cowl with bat ears they backed away. "It's the Bat!" The figure looked up to reveal the masked face of a woman, wearing black lipstick with dark eyes covered with black and fiery red hair under the hood.

"Not quite," the woman said. The men quickly recovered from their shock and one charged at the woman. She simply ducked the punch and kneed him, before kicking him in the face, knocking him out. The final goon took out what seemed to be a large gun of some sort and aimed it at her. He fired some kind of glutinous net at her and she somersaulted out of the way he fired again and she dodged again, pushing off of the wall and propelling herself at the assailant, before landing on him and slamming his head against the ground, finishing him off. The woman rose and dusted herself off and looked the unconscious men over. She recognized the man with the oversized encasing cannon to be Drury Walker, known by the criminal underworld as Killer Moth. The rest were common, but still very dangerous, thugs. The masked vigilante turned to the woman she'd just aided.

"Listen closely as I am only going to say this once," the masked woman told the shaken victim, her voice deep, grim, and terrifying. "Do not go out at night anymore. When you have to go out, travel in groups, it'd probably be wise to move in with friends or family if you can. And get a weapon, I don't care if it's a shotgun or a steak knife, get a weapon and learn how to use it. You're probably going to need to at some point." The young woman nodded, breathing deeply

"Who the hell are you?" she gasped.

"I'm Batgirl." The victim's eyes lit up in recognition and understand and she looked the unconscious goons over.

"Well… thank you," she said, turning back to the Batgirl to find she was once again alone. After looking around and seeing no sign of her savior, she quickly ran off, repeating the vigilante's advice in her head.

The Batgirl stood at the top of Wayne Tower, observing the darkened city below that was illuminated only by the light of the full moon. The Batman may be missing, but as long as Gotham was in need of a caped crusader, the Batgirl would be there to defend it.