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A week from then it was all over.

Dr Freeze, Penguin, Riddler…they all seemed small…inconsiderable compared to what happened the next day.

The sky opened up and planets appeared in the heavens.

People called it Armageddon. I called that a load of shit.

But it still turned the underground world of heroes upside down.

Superman, Wonder Woman gone.

My father. Gone.

Along with Tim and Dick.

After turning over the controlling shares of Wayne Enterprises to me, and leaving Alfred to babysit me, he'd left, going on some soul searching mission.

I called it a load of shit. He didn't tell me when he would back, and three months later I hadn't had any communication from him to let me know they were all okay.

On top of all that, the press had taken to criticising my every move. As soon as the rumor started that I did away with Bruce, Tim and Dick in order to take over the company, the press had gone from calling me the Princess of Gotham to all kinds of thing not nearly half as nice.

But I soldiered on, with the help of Alfred at home, and Mr. Foxx at Wayne Enterprises.

Somehow, I think Alfred was happy for the break from dealing with Bruce's day job, and his night time activities. After all, he didn't have to stitch up any wounds with me.

It hurt though. No communication from Dad, nothing to tell me where he was, if he was okay, if he agreed with what I was doing with the company or not.

Roy had disappeared as well, not that anyone noticed his disappearance like they did my father, or Superman or Wonder Woman.

And I learnt he didn't leave for any soul searching. He was looking for Cheshire.

Lian's mother.

Oracle had told me after I had pestered her from the bat cave about it. Black Canary, the one time I'd seen her since my birthday, never should have let it slip to me that Roy was looking for someone named 'Cheshire.'

Of course I had been able to research who she was, but it took me asking Oracle to find out what she meant to Roy. She'd been unwilling, but I'd gotten it out of her.

I wish I hadn't. On top of everything Bruce was putting me through…it was just too much.

The one time he tried to contact me to explain himself (apparently Oracle had let it slip that I was pissed off), I'd hung up on him.

From then on in, I'd withdrawn mostly from public life, all my energy going in to running Bruce's company right. Not for him. Never for him. But I knew that if I didn't run it to the best of my ability, my life would be made even worse by the press. And that was stress I didn't need.

The turning point came late one night when security was walking me to the car Alfred was sitting in the car park of Wayne Enterprises.

We were halfway to the car when we were hit by two men, tackling me and Eric, the security guard, to the ground.

"Get her hands, tie 'em up!" I heard as I struggled to throw the large man off my back. In the background I heard the car door open and Alfred hurrying up.

"Let me go!" I screamed as I bucked, managing to score a hit between the legs of the thug on top of me. He gave a grunt, rolling off me and I sprung up, eager to get a few metres between me and them.

A shot gun cocking made me spin, ignoring the throbbing in my knees from hitting concrete floor. It was Alfred, and I'd never seen him look the way he did. the serious, altogether completely deadly look on his face made me shiver as the gun pointed at the men on the ground.

"Lay face down on the ground." Suddenly his British accent didn't seem nearly so polite. "Hands stretched out before you. Mr. Eric, please call back up security. Miss Elizabeth, might I suggest you go and wait in the car?"

I scurried to the car, my hands shaking from adrenaline as I huddled in the seat. It took me three attempts to get the seatbelt on, and when I did I clutched at it, breathing heavily. Freeze trying to kill me because it would be a good demoraliser, the Princess of Gotham being murdered was one thing. An attempt at being abducted again made me shake.

I sat there, eyes closed, trying to breathe in deep breaths so I wouldn't hyperventilate, until the back up security had arrived and taken the two men into custody. Alfred slid into the back besides me, slipping the shot gun onto the drivers seat before slipping an arm around me.

"Shh," he murmured quietly. "You're alright. My dear girl, you're safe."

I clung to him, taking what comfort he could give, but it wasn't the same.

It wasn't ever going to be the same.

I broke away gently, taking a deep breath before squaring my shoulders. I was the acting CEO of a multibillion dollar company. I handled press everyday that were waiting for me to slip up under pressure. I'd snarked at the Penguin for god's sake…

I could handle a failed abduction attempt. I needed to handle this.

"I'm alright." I said to Alfred, and he produced a handkerchief. I dashed the tears away with it quickly, before handing it back. "I'm alright." I repeated.

"The police have been alerted." He said. "But I think it might be prudent to contact our more secretive friends."

I nodded, before getting out of the car.

"You try to get through to her." I said. "I'll be facing my attackers."

I squared my shoulders, giving Eric a quick, thankful smile that I shot to the rest of the security guards as well.

"Who sent you?" I asked the men on the ground.

"We're not telling you anything, bitch!" the one I'd hit in the groin yelled.

The security guard holding him pinned to the ground dug in his knee a little more. "Be polite."

I couldn't help but smile a little at that.

"You know, the police will be here soon." I said. "I suppose it would be better for you if you were to cooperate with them rather then play dumb."

The spit that landed near my foot was answer enough, and I turned to one of the other security guards that was standing there at the ready.

"I think I'd like an escort back up to my office." I said. "When the police arrive, let them know where I am."

I turned to Eric. "You're in charge down here."

He flashed me a quick grin and I nodded at him, trying to keep my cool until I was at least in the safety of my office. Then I could look weak.

Not that that was preferable, but still, I had the option.

I left the security guard outside the office after he'd done his initial sweep of the office and I sat down at the big chair. I fished out my cell phone and dialled a number I'd memorised.

"Oracle?" I murmured quietly. I had no idea where the security guard was, and no idea if he could hear me or not.

"Elizabeth?"

"Someone just tried to abduct me." I said softly.

"Where are you now?" she asked.

"Wayne Enterprises." I said. "The police are already on their way."

"Any idea who it was behind it?" she asked.

"Nope." I sighed as I leaned back in the chair tiredly.

"I'll check it out when they get processed by the police." Oracle said. "That's all I can pretty much do from here, until I can access the information through the police main frame." She hesitated. "To be honest though, Elizabeth, I don't think there's much else I can offer to do."

I shook myself out of my slump. "That's not why I called, Oracle." I said.

"Oh?" she sounded confused.

"Alfred had to save me tonight." I said bluntly. "And he can't be with me all the time."

"You want the names of some good security companies?" Oracle asked, and I sighed noisily. Why couldn't she just get where I was going with it?

"I'm not living with some bodyguard looking over my shoulder the rest of my life." I said. "I don't want the names of security companies." I bit my lip. "I want the names of some people who can help me learn to defend myself."

She was silent for a very long time, and I couldn't help but speak again.

"Look, Oracle, he's not here to protect me." I said. "He's also not here to have any say in this decision. Now, I either get some names of people I can trust from you, or I go to someone who might be less then reputable, or not someone who's going to teach me what I want to know."

"Copy this address down." she said briskly, and I scrambled for a pen and paper. I copied down the address she quoted me.

"Come alone. Not even Alfred."

I gulped. "Gotcha."

"I mean it." Oracle warned. "We'll know if he's in a three mile radius."

I rolled my eyes. "I've seen you in action, remember?" I said. "I know when you say something like that, you mean it."

There was a knock on the door, and I sighed.

"Duty calls." I said. "I think the cops are here."

"As soon as you're done there, find your way here." She said.

"Will do." I hung up.

"Come in." I called, and sure enough, it was Commissioner Gordon with the man I'd learnt was Detective Bullock…he was big enough to be two men. How he chased after criminals I had no idea. but then again, maybe he didn't. Maybe he rolled.

Stop that. I scolded myself. I was just being a bitch because I'd had a shitty day.

"Miss Morgan." Commissioner Gordon said with a small smile. "Trouble yet again."

I let myself smile back at him. It was the truth. I'd certainly made the police work for their pay checks recently.

"You know me," I said drolly. "I'm not happy unless someone's attempted to kidnap me at least once a week."

"We've got them in custody now." Gordon said, finally reaching my desk, where I'd curled up, heels off, in the comfortable office chair. "You didn't recognise either of them?"

I shook my head. "Nope. And they didn't say who hired them. Or what they were going to do with me. I also don't recognise their car, or the van I assume is their vehicle, and I haven't noticed any strange cars or people following me recently." I couldn't help but want this over with already.

Gordon's lips twitched. "You're familiar with procedure."

"This is my second kidnapping attempt, and by no stretch one of the few times I've given statements to the police." I said frankly. "I'm probably more familiar with procedure then your Detective here."

Harvey bristled where he stood, but he didn't make a comment.

"All the same, Miss Morgan." Gordon said. "We need to go through it, although I'll try to make it quick. I understand you want to get home."

"Something like that." I muttered, but straightened. "First question?"

I told Alfred to go home, and didn't tell him anything other then that I had something I needed to do.

I hoped he wouldn't follow me. To make sure, I drove around in circles in the company car I'd borrowed, trying to spot any glimpse of the Rolls, until finally, I made my way to the address Oracle had given me.

I got out of the car, hurrying across the street to knock on the door quickly.

The door opened, and I couldn't help but sigh in relief. Dinah stood in front of me, arms crossed over her chest. I had the right place at least.

"I'm here to see Oracle." I said.

Dinah smirked.

"No." she said, and I blinked.

"No?" I asked stupidly.

"No." she repeated. "You're here to learn how to survive."

I nodded. "I am."

Her smirk widened. "First lesson starts now."

I frowned, and then a flash of movement to my left made me duck, tumbling forward by accident. Two hands pulled me up, then threw me into a wall.

I ducked the fist that came flying my way, and it only just stopped in time from impaling itself on the wall.

I paled at the woman who was looking at me like she wanted to tear off my head as she advanced slowly towards me.

What had I gotten myself into?

DONE!

Wowee, sorry to (sort of) leave you with another cliffhanger, but this felt like the right place to leave the story (sort of at the end of one chapter of Elizabeth's life and before the beginning of her new life….I'm sure most of you can guess where this is going!)

I'm hoping my Mummy duties won't keep me from the keyboard too long but right now my 6 month old bubba is sick so no telling how long this brief period of peace to write with will last for the night!

Thank you all once again for sticking with the story, it's been wonderful getting the reviews and notifications that the story has been favourited.

All the very best to you all,

Jennifer