Disclaimer: I do not own and am not, in any way, affiliated with the Dark Knight franchise.

"How miserably hypocritical, you might say, but no sooner am I offered a chance to flee Hell than I yearn to stay."

- Chuck Palahniuk, Damned

Chapter Eighteen

When things around her began moving again, they did so at double time. Bodies pummeled into her, buffeting her around, and shouts filled her ears.

Audrey only had eyes for Barsad.

A fist, from where she did not know, landed a bruising blow on her shoulder. She barely felt it as she pushed her way through to where the fighting had thinned out significantly. Bodies from both parties lay unmoving while the snow continued to flurry down over their open, unseeing eyes. Audrey, who'd had no idea what the fighting was about, was shocked to find that some of the bodies were wearing Gotham Police Department uniforms. So, they had managed to get out of the tunnels. She had a feeling that John Blake had some hand in that.

It felt like an eternity before her knees hit the gravel next to him. A pool of blood had begun to form under his left side. Audrey's eyes flitted over every part of his body, trying to determine where he had been shot. She let out a frustrated cry. Think, stupid. Calm down and think.

Her arm went across his chest so she could press her fingers to his neck and was relieved to find a pulse. Barsad stirred and a wave of relief, so huge she was glad she was sitting, swept through her. Hot tears sprang from her eyes which she made no effort to brush away. His hand closed around her fingers as he tried to sit up, cursing under his breath.

"Don't move."

"You daft cow, I told you to stay put," he croaked. He laid his head back on the ground. "That arsehole shot me."

"Yeah, well, you had it coming," she chastised in a thick voice. "I thought you were dead."

His eyelashes fluttered and when his eyes opened, they locked on hers, taking in her appearance. "It's going to take a lot more than a bullet to the shoulder to kill me. I promised you I'd come back, didn't I?" He snorted. "Are you crying?"

There was the sound of cloth being ripped as Audrey dug furiously under her coat and began tearing at the bottom of her t-shirt. "What can I say?" she asked, unzipping his jacket and pulling down his left sleeve to get a better look at the damage. A through and through. It would be painful, but he wouldn't die. "You've grown on me, I guess."

She tore off more of the shirt to act as a gauze on either side and then tied the longer strip tightly around it. He did not so much as wince, though his face was devoid of more color than usual. When she was done, he pushed himself up into a sitting position. They stared at each other for what felt like a long time before Audrey threw her arms around his neck. With his good arm, he gripped her back just as tightly. The moment didn't last long, the sound of gunfire bringing them back to the situation at hand.

She looked around, desperate to find some place outside of the chaos to take him. "We've got to get out of here." In the middle of searching, her eyes landed on him. Jack. He was locked in hand-to-hand combat.

The full force of Beth's words hit her then. As melodramatic as it had sounded, it was true. She did want someone to hurt like she was hurting. Wanted them to feel the same sharp pain of having their heart ripped out of their chest, thrown on the ground, and stomped into oblivion.

She grabbed Barsad's discarded rifle and pressed it to her shoulder, closing one eye and lining it up. Her index finger ran along the outer edge of the trigger before wrapping it around the middle.

"What are you-" Barsad followed her line of vision, his jaw tightened. "Are you sure?" She gave a slight nod. "Both eyes open then," he directed.

Audrey obeyed.

"Breathe in and out. Squeeze on the exhale."

The kickback was unexpected, but the bullet found its mark.

Jack dropped on the pavement, much to his own surprise and that of the confused officer he was fighting. He did not get up again. What did you do? The gun suddenly felt hot and heavy in her hands. Barsad gently pulled it away from her, slinging it around his good shoulder. "Audrey?"

There was no time to process; she would think about it later. She stood and helped Barsad to his feet. An idea was slowly forming in her mind, but they had to move quickly. She led them back through the bedlam, up the steps, and through the now ruined building. It looked like someone had taken, well, a bomb to it. She didn't remember hearing any explosion, but she had been so hyper focused that everything else had fallen by the wayside.

As they made their way through the ruins, his hand slipped out of hers. Audrey glanced beside her to see if he was still there and came to a halt, her sneakers squeaking on the slick floor.

Bane, who Audrey assumed had been buried under the rubble, was lying on the floor. Somehow he had been tossed clear of the wreckage. The way he was spread made Audrey think of a rag doll. Barsad was squatting beside the man, slapping at his face to try and rouse him.

"Barsad, what the hell?" she demanded. "We don't have time for this- we've got to go! Now!"

He spoke over his shoulder, still attempting to wake the giant. "I'm not leaving without him."

Audrey rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "Oh, for fuck's sake!" She knelt next to him, pushing him out of the way. "Watch my six."

"Do you even know what that means?"

"It means you guard us while I fix this stupid mess before we all get killed or arrested. Anymore questions?"

A labored mechanical wheeze informed her that Bane was still breathing, at least. His mask, which had been fixed earlier, was now askew again. She tried to remember what she could from her time in India, when she had seen the mockup, and what she could sneak in during her time in the clinic. With a deft hand, she made a couple of readjustments. A hiss and the sound of steadier breathing made her pump her fist in the air. When he still didn't wake up, she looked at Barsad. "Hit him with your gun."

"Are you mad?"

"With the butt of your gun." She looked at him, lips pursed together. "We don't have a lot of time here! Slapping him isn't going to work. Hit. Him."

Reluctantly, Barsad did so. It sounded like he was hitting a fleshy wall. It did the trick, however. Bane's eyes opened, his hands reaching forward out of instinct or anger, she couldn't tell which. Audrey pulled away, falling backward on her rear, but remained out of his range until he realized what was happening.

"Where is Talia?"

"I don't know." Barsad's back was to them. "She took off in the truck, but- the bomb never went off."

Bane seemed to know what he meant by that and he briefly closed his eyes again. Audrey almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"I've got a plan," she said slowly. "I'll help you… but I want something in return. I want you to give me a position in the League."

"What?" Barsad spun around. "No. Absolutely not."

They ignored him.

"Is this what you really want?"

"Yes." Bane nodded. Audrey hopped up, turning to Barsad. "Help me with him." He froze, looking too incensed to say or do anything. Realizing the timeliness of the situation, however, he sprang to action.

They managed to get him up and walking. Whatever had blasted him, Audrey considered, would have definitely killed a normal man.

The threesome had not made it very far when they heard the sound of a massive explosion in the distance. Both men looked up to the sky for some kind of confirmation. Surrounded by buildings, they could see nothing, but a kind of relief came over Audrey and she knew: it was over.

"Eleven minutes," Barsad whispered in a voice close to awe. "He did it."

Though she was thoroughly impressed that only eleven minutes had passed and they had not all died in a fiery blast, Audrey knew they could not afford to stand there and marvel at it. "They think you're both dead," she urged. "It's going to buy us some time, but probably not much. We have to keep moving."

They kept walking, each buried deep in their own thoughts. All the bad things that had happened in the last twelve hours fought to push their way to the forefront of Audrey's thoughts, but she kept them at bay by focusing on the things around her. The city had not blown up. Barsad was still alive and that was good. Bane was still alive and that was… well, it was something. Had she really asked to join the League of Shadows? Am I really that desperate? The answer, of course, was yes.

When they were close to their destination, Barsad spoke up. "You know, you never did say what this grand scheme of yours was."

"Ah," said Audrey. "I guess now's as good a time as any to ask… do either of you know how to fly a helicopter?"

"That's the plan? How in the hell did you come up- you know, I don't think I want to know." Barsad laughed and Bane joined in with a low chuckle. It was, she felt, a good sound. "I think one of us can manage it." Bane said nothing, but gazed at her with approval. She reddened with pride, feeling more normal than she had in hours.

The hospital, as luck would have it, was still intact. She hoped that same luck was still on their side. If she had misinterpreted anything that had happened or was said on that first day of the takeover, they were all majorly screwed. She did not have a backup plan.

Worry began to nag at her. What if the helicopter wasn't there? What if there was no fuel? What if it wouldn't start? What if they got shot out of the sky?

What if? What if? What if?

The backup generators had stopped working some time ago forcing them to take the stairs which was easier said than done. Somehow they managed and found themselves on the roof, overlooking most of the city.

The helicopter sat there as though it had been waiting for them.

Audrey helped Barsad load Bane in first. Once he was settled comfortably they walked around to the other side. She raised an eyebrow at him. "I didn't know you could pilot a helicopter."

"I'm full of surprises."

"Undoubtedly."

They knew what came next and neither was sure who should break the quiet.

"So, you're not coming along?"

She shook her head. "I have some things I need to do here. But… when you get to wherever you're going, I'll meet you."

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

No. "Yes. Promise me you won't do anything too stupid while I'm gone?"

"Only if you do the same."

"Ha!" In spite of the sadness welling up inside her chest, she smiled. "I don't make promises I can't keep. Unlike some people."

The jab was received. He put a hand over his heart like she'd wounded him. She reached out, delicately touching his face. He leaned into it, stubble scratching her palm. Then he stepped forward, taking her face between his hands, and kissed her. "I love you."

In her head, she'd always imagined she would be the first one to say it. She opened her eyes, taking in those blue eagle eyes one more time. Not the last time, she reminded herself. "I love you too. Now go, before I change my mind and turn you in."

He chuckled, climbed inside with minor difficulty, and started it up. Audrey stepped back, well out of the range of the rotors, and sat near the edge of the roof. She watched them take off, wondering what would happen next.

She sat like that for a long time.

A/N: I could have held out, but it's done now. Expect the Epilogue shortly.