A/N - Sorry for the huge delay. It was much longer than I anticipated. I intended to post this right after Christmas, but alas...seasonal flu hit our family...and everyone except for one of us. I was in bed for 3 days and even spent New Years Eve snuggled under a pile of blankets with a 102 F fever and a cough that hurt my ribs. Happy New Year to me. Blah! But now that I'm over that, I've got myself a nice sinus infection. I just can't get ahead! It is a new year and I'm putting that all behind me. So, if this chapter seems a little 'off', we can blame the flu and sinus infection. :)

That voice.

It was the voice that once plagued her nightmares. It was the same one that caused her to sleep with the lights on for months on end. Memories of being kidnapped from the hospital with her colleagues before being bound and gaged with duct tape flooded her mind as her stomach flipped and her heart began to pound. She could almost hear the sounds of choppers whirling around the building, the smell of the duct taped wrapped tightly over her mouth and the cold metal of the gun tapped firmly within her grasp. Everything felt so real.

The feeling of a gentle hand resting on her shoulder nearly caused her to jump and let out a gasp. She turned and saw Lucius' face, silently urging her to follow his lead off of the platform and back into the crowd of people.

Fox could see the panic on her face. The way that she stiffened and froze in fear the moment that Joker spoke. Even as the grotestqued faced man stalked further into the crowd, she stood nervously beside him.

"Don't stop the party just for me," Joker said aloud, as he sauntered up towards Commissioner Gordon.

Two of Jokers' men rushed towards him and grabbed ahold of Gordon, one on either side of him.

"What do you want?" Gordon spat, as Joker licked his lips, glancing around.

"You know what I want," Joker replied. "But he isn't here, at least not yet. And I'm sure that you know where I could find him."

"Who?"

Joker clenched his jaw, pulling a knife from his pocket before reaching forward and taking Gordon's head, placing the knife along his jaw.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about," Joker stated. "You and...uh, the Batman must have an unusual working relationship. I'm sure that you know where he is." Joker paused and leaned forward, lowering his voice. "You probably even know who he is."

Joker smiled as he pulled the knife away from Gordon and turned around, scanning the crowd.

"Unless he's already here," Joker added, as he walked through the crowd. He paused when he stood in front of the mayor.

"I'm sure the Mayor of this city must know where the Batman is," Joker said, as Garcia shook his head.

"If you think that we're going to sit back and let you toy with the city again, then you..."

To the utter shock and horror to Garcia and everyone in the room, Joker shoved his knife into Garcia's chest without any warning and twisted it. Women screamed. Men gasped as Garcia opened and closed his mouth to speak, but no words would come out. No one knew what to do either than to just look on in horror.

"Then I what, Mr. Mayor?" Joker mocked, with a shrug, before pulling the knife back.

Garcia fell to the floor in a slump and although he was still alive, the Mayor was loosing a lot of blood, and quickly.

"No one knows where the Batman is!" Gordon shouted from where he stood, with two of Joker's thugs by his side.

Emily watched as Joker walked back towards Gordon. She could feel the small weight of the gun on her hip but already felt the heaviness of guilt as she knew that she should have pulled it out already. Her hands continued to shake nervously as she felt for the slit in her dress and carefully reached beneath it when a hand suddenly covered hers and a cold metal feeling touched her neck.

She froze as the hand pulled the small revolver from her hip.

"Oh, someone knows," Joker said, once again grabbing Gordon by the neck. "And I'll just have to start killing more people until someone speaks up."

The man behind her urged her to walk forward until Joker noticed the break in the crowd. He scowled when he found himself being interrupted. The man held up the gun and tossed it to Joker's waiting hand when he gestured for him to give it to him.

The cold steel never left her neck as she came face to face with the source of her nightmares. A smile seemed to appear on his scarred face as he touched the weapon in his hand before glancing up at Emily.

"Now, why would someone as beautiful as yourself be carrying this, hm?"

Emily swallowed as his hand reached forward. But before he even had the chance to touch her face, she heard the man behind her yell as the gun fell from his hand. She suddenly saw Joker being physically pulled in the opposite direction before he fell to the floor.

Batman.

With a sudden surge of adrenaline, Emily quickly turned around and hit the man behind her in the face. Emily reached forward and grabbed his head before connecting it with her knee. The man stumbled slightly. Emily swung her fist at the man, hitting him square in the jaw before he fell back.

Emily turned back to see what was going on behind her and saw Batman in the midst of a battle between Joker and his thugs. The attacks were relentless but Batman never stopped.

Emily saw Mayor Garcia laying on the floor within a large pool of blood, but instead of going right towards him like she intended, she felt a hand pull her back towards the exit where a crowd was clamouring to flee.

"There's nothing you can do for him," Lucius told her, his hand grasping firmly to her arm. "The best thing for you to do right now for everyone here is to get out of here."

She knew very well to whom 'everyone' applied to when Lucius said it.

Together they rushed out of the building just as SWAT was pulling up to the building. Emily could hear the Commissioner calling out orders as more and more people were exiting the building.

"I want the entire building cleared!" Gordon exclaimed. "Joker is not getting out of here."

Emily looked ahead and noticed Alfred standing on the opposite side of the street. Carefully, they weaved between the SWAT van and police cruisers until they made their way to Alfred.

"You're all right?" he asked, visibly relieved to see Emily in front of him. She nodded as he quickly wrapped his overcoat around her bare shoulders.

Emily turned back towards the high rise building behind them. Lights and sirens filled the streets as armed men began to file into the hotel.

"Did either of you see Master Wayne?" Alfred asked, keenly aware of the crowds that grew around them and the words he chose.

"I believe he stepped out just prior to the speeches," Lucius replied. "My guess is that he was exited out another way from the building."

Emily listened as Lucius spoke but kept her eyes on the building. It wasn't until she felt Alfred's hands on her shoulders that she turned.

"I'm going to bring you back home," he suggested as Lucius nodded.

"Good idea," Lucius stated. "If I happen to see Mister Wayne, I'll inform him."

As much as Emily wanted to insist on staying, she realized that she should leave. She convinced herself as best as she could that Bruce would be all right as her and Alfred walked away from the building.

Emily barely spoke a word as she rode in the backseat of the Bentley. Alfred glanced up at the rearview mirror and saw a woman that he would have barely recognized. She no longer appeared to be the strong, determined woman that he had come to know. She seemed distraught and distracted. His concern increased when he had to ask her twice whether she was warm enough.

"Emily?"

Finally, she looked up in surprise.

"I'm sorry, Alfred," she said. "I didn't hear what you were saying."

Her voice sounded weak.

Once the car pulled up to a red light, the older man turned in his seat.

"Master Bruce will be fine," he told her.

A small smile appeared on her face. "I know."

"Then what is wrong?"

"I'm fine, Alfred," she replied, keeping the smile on her face.

Alfred wasn't convinced but he wasn't about to begin badgering the woman when she clearly wasn't interested in a conversation. He turned back around as the light turned green and the Bentley began moving again and moved onto the freeway towards the Palisades.

"I'll put on a pot of tea and fix a warm bath for you when we get home," he told her, looking back at her through the mirror.

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes and he could finally see a hint of a true smile in them.

"That sounds great," she admitted.

"I finally went to the market and picked up that tea that you once told me about," Alfred told her. "Needless to say, I came back with more than just a little."

Emily smiled and even chuckled slightly.

"I knew that you'd like it."

"I'll fix you up one of the new ones that the owner suggested," Alfred said.

Just as Alfred finished speaking, the car suddenly jolted forward with a loud crunch.

"What was that?!" Emily exclaimed, looking out the rear window and only seeing a pair of blinding headlights. Once again, the lights disappeared from view as the car behind them accelerated and bumped them again.

"Bloody hell!" Alfred cursed, as he swerved around a slower moving car in hopes that they could get away from the driver behind them.

"They're still following!"

Batman stood up straight after the last of Joker's henchmen fell to the floor and Gordon rushed in, holding his gun alongside a group of SWAT. They spilled into the room as EMT's rushed up to the lifeless body of the Mayor. Gordon lowered his gun as one of the EMT's looked up over his shoulder towards him and shook his head.

"Damn it," Gordon cursed as he noticed Batman near the blown out door. Slowly, he walked towards him.

"The Joker's gone," Batman simply said.

"I had a bunch of my officers here and he still managed to get in. Hopefully we get some decent answers from these guys," Gordon stated, glancing back at the ruined party hall which was full of guests just minutes prior. His eyes fell on the EMT's as they covered Garcia's body with a tarp.

Neither one say a word.

Batman turned and looked at the service door that had been blown off its hinges when he suddenly heard her voice again.

He put his hand to his ear, fighting to hear the words through the interference.

"Drive faster!"

"I can't go any faster than this without hitting someone."

Emily and Alfred.

Completely ignoring Gordon, Batman raised his arm and shot off his magnetic grappler gun into the air before it pulled him into the air. Once he reached the rooftop, he put his hand to his ear.

"Emily?"

"Hold on!"

Alfred fought to control the car as it was hit from the back and then from the side. Emily gasped as Alfred tried to keep the car from fish tailing whenever it hit the gravel edge.

"Emily?"

Emily froze when she heard his voice in her ear. "Bruce!"

Alfred quickly looked up in the mirror, catching her eyes.

"We're being followed and they're trying to run us off the road!"

"Where are you?"

Emily looked out the window as they continued down the road. She had no idea if they had passed the road to Wayne Manor or if it was still ahead.

"Uh...just off of highway 92 on Ridge road," she stammered.

"We're coming up to Foster's road," Alfred added aloud, realizing that Bruce could hear them.

Emily felt another bump, only this time it was harder. She held onto the door handle and onto the seat.

"How many cars?"

Emily looked over her shoulder at the lights behind her. "Just one, I think."

"I'm on my way!"

Emily suddenly looked forward again and screamed.

A scream.

It was the last thing that Batman heard before the audio disappeared once again. He raced towards the Tumbler and jumped in, instantly bringing the machine to life. The Tumbler tore down the street as Batman gripped the wheel tightly as he made his way to the location that Emily had told him.

Ridge road was usually only used by those who lived in the area and that was very few and at that time of night, it was barren.

His anger grew when the headlights of the tumbler revealed the familiar Bentley off to the side of the road and partially into the grassy ditch.

Batman was out of the Tumbler moments after it came to a complete stop. He raced towards the doors and pulled open the rear door. It was empty. Quickly, he pulled at the drivers side door and found it empty as well, except for the keys that were still in the ignition.

In anger, he slammed the doors shut before stalking back towards the Tumbler. He climbed in and pressed a few buttons as the doors completely closed. He waited.

"I wasn't expecting to hear from you tonight," Fox quipped once he answered the phone.

"Alfred and Emily are gone."

A pause.

"Oh..."

"I need your help. I need you to meet me at the bunker," Batman said as he started up the Tumbler.

"I'll get there as soon as I can."

Batman closed the connection and turned the Tumbler around on the narrow road before heading back into the city.

It was a rare moment when Lucius Fox would visit the bunker. Bruce attempted to keep as much of Batman away from Fox as he could but given the circumstances, he had no other options. He knew that Lucius would be able to help out in ways that he knew he couldn't.

Lucius leaned over the desk and pulled down his glasses to look at the computer screen. Batman, sans mask sat in the chair beside him, pulling up detailed information on the transmitter and receiver that Emily was wearing.

"I was able to speak with her for a short time before the audio dropped out," Bruce said as he stood up from the chair. He backed up as Lucius sat down. "I'd like to see if we can amplify the transmitter so that the computer can pin point where the signal would be coming from."

"You'd like to create a homing signal," he concluded.

"To the nearest meter, if possible."

Lucius winced at Bruce's last request.

"I'll see what I can do and let you know when I have coordinates."

He looked over his shoulder to see Bruce walking away, pulling his cowl back over his head.

"Where are you going?"

"Meeting with Gordon."

Alfred couldn't move.

He wasn't certain if it was the effects of the drugs that made his arms and legs feel so heavy or if he was actually being tied down. He turned his head to the side and willed his eyes to open in the dimmed room.

He laid on the damp floor of the small room and saw Emily laying on her side a few feet away from him, still dressed in the wine coloured dress and his overcoat.

Drowsily, he reached for her arm and nudged her slightly. When she didn't respond, he softly called her name and nudged her again.

He relaxed slightly when he heard her gasp and suddenly move. Alfred watched her roll over onto her back and touched her forehead as she winced.

"My head is pounding," she commented. Emily tried to focus on the room. "Where's Bruce?"

"He's not here," Alfred answered, as he sat up. He looked at her face, seeing the blood on her forehead. "You're bleeding."

She didn't appear to hear his comment or answer.

"Where's Bruce? We're going to be late for the party."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she knew they weren't right. She watched as Alfred sat up beside her. Emily ran her hand over her face, trying to make sense of what was going on as she sat up herself and looked down at her clothing. Her mind tried to figure out how she ended up wherever she was when she felt the necklace around her neck. She knew it was important but couldn't figure out why.

"I'm pregnant, right?" she asked aloud, running her hands over her stomach as though it was the first time she had realized it.

Alfred looked at her and nodded. He reached for her head and saw the dried blood against her forehead. He gently touched it.

"You must have hit your head against the window harder than I though," Alfred commented. "What do you remember?"

Emily ran her hand through her hair and thought.

"I remember the party," she began. "Joker was there. Batman. You and I in the car and then, nothing."

"The car went off the road, you hit your head against the window and then we were both shot with something; a sedative most likely," Alfred told her.

"That explains the headache," she stated. "Where are we?"

Alfred glanced up at the small window high above them, letting in the small amount of light. "Who knows."

He pushed up to stand and attempted to see if he could reach the window, only to find that it was out of his reach.

"Where the hell are we?"

Gordon waited on top of the MCU with the light of the signal shining high over the city. He waited. Tonight he found that he was waiting longer than usual. With an urgency as much as having the Joker on the loose once again in the city, he assumed that Batman would have been more prompt to arrive.

Finally, he turned as the sound of wind whipped in behind him.

"Joker's named his target you," Gordon stated. "This time we're going to have to be on guard..."

"Joker can wait," Batman said, interrupting Gordon. He pulled out a file and handed it to Gordon.

"Benjamin Thomas?"

"Benjamin Thomas is the security guard at Arkham who allowed the Joker out his cell," Batman said.

"I read the report. We have him on surveillance tape. He was found dead just a few blocks from Arkham."

Batman nodded. "A large amount of money was deposited into his account the day Joker escaped."

"He was paid off," Gordon concluded. "By whom?"

"Someone who was needing a distraction and by someone who is familiar with the inner workings of Arkham."

"Dr. Crane?

"Crane is planning something," Batman said.

"Crane's been quiet for the past few weeks. Right now, our biggest threat is Joker. He killed the mayor and we know what he's capable of. We need to take him down before he causes more problems!"

"I have a location for you," Lucius voice suddenly said in Batman's ear.

Batman turned from Gordon and put his hand to his ear.

"Send it to the tumbler."

He turned back to Gordon.

"Joker can wait," he restated before he jumped off the building, leaving Gordon alone with his frustration.

Emily tried the door once again, and once again, found it to be locked.

"I doubt that checking the handle every five minutes is going to change anything," Alfred commented.

She shrugged just as a loud shrill echoed into her ears. Emily winced and covered her ears with her hands as Alfred looked on in confusion.

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked urgently, grabbing ahold of her arms as he watched her facial features contort in pain.

"The receivers!" she exclaimed as she pulled the small devices from within her ears.

Once she managed to get them both out, she let out a sigh of relief as the sound disappeared and looked down at the small devices in her palm.

Staring at them, they couldn't hear anything.

"It sounded like horrible distortion," Emily explained. "A loud white noise."

Alfred took them into his hand. "What if, Batman is using them to find us? He would have to increase the power which would most likely cause a loud disturbance for anyone within range of the signal."

"He's coming," Emily stated, a smile beginning to grace her face. "Let's get out of here."

And so, they came up with a plan. They had admitted to themselves that it wasn't a unique idea but all they needed was for the door to be opened.

Alfred knocked loudly on the locked door, calling out for help over and over.

"We need a doctor in here! This woman is pregnant and needs help! Please!"

When they finally heard a series of locks being unlatched from the opposite side of the door, Alfred glanced back at Emily and nodded as she quickly turned around, and proceeded to moan.

The door opened and a pair of armed men walked into the room. Alfred approached them, acting relieved. Instinctively, they raised their guns and aimed at Alfred, who put up his hands.

"Please, she needs help," Alfred said, gesturing towards Emily as she leaned against the wall near the corner of the room. "The accident must have done something to her because she's in a lot of pain."

The two men looked at each other, trying to gauge what to do. To emphasize her pain, Emily let out a low growl and held onto her stomach.

"My god, it hurts!"

It was obvious to Alfred that her cries were affecting one of the two men. He watched his face soften at seeing the pregnant woman in pain. The man slung the gun over his shoulder and approached Emily while the other kept his gun aimed at Alfred.

"I'll bring you to the Doctor," the man said softly, holding out his hand towards her. "I'll get you some help."

Emily glanced over her shoulder, appearing visibly distraught to the man. Finally, she nodded and turned, grabbing the man's hand and pulling him forward. The distraction was enough that Alfred managed to take the gun from the man in front of him, and swung it, hitting him in the head.

Alfred turned towards the sensitive thug and Emily just as she swung back and elbowed him in the face, dropping him to the floor.

She let out a sigh, and bent over to pull the gun from the man's shoulder. Emily shrugged when she saw Alfred watching her.

"Bruce taught me that one just last week," she said with a smug smile, before the tentatively went out into the hallway.

Emily closed the door behind her and attached the heavy padlock.

"Now, which way?" Alfred asked, looking in either direction of the metal corridor. Conduits lined the low ceiling. It was just as warm and damp there as it was in the room they were in.

The pair looked in either direction. Upon hearing a sound coming from one way, Alfred silently gestured to move away from it. He glanced back as they went down the hallway.

They picked the wrong way.

Emily nearly ran into a man, but caught him enough off guard that she used her own rifle and hit him in the chin before slamming the end of it into his stomach.

"Adam? Everything all right over there, man?" a voice echoed from behind them.

Emily looked at Alfred who turned just as man came up around the corner. Alfred swung the gun and hit the man over the head, causing him to stumble. Alfred turned and pushed Emily further down the hall.

"Go! Now!"

The pair rushed down the hallway, still with no clue on which direction they were heading.

"Hold it!" a man's voice called out from behind them.

Alfred suddenly froze as did Emily. The man yelled at them to turn around just as another pair of thugs appeared behind them, each grabbing the gun out of their hands.

"Let's go," the man said, pushing Alfred and Emily ahead.

They were led through a maze of hallways, metal staircases and through a small doorway until they felt a blast of fresh, sea air hit their faces.

A ship.

Emily looked out towards the railing and could see Gotham's skyline illuminated in the night sky. She was pushed forward alongside Alfred and noticed that there were armed men standing from every vantage point around them.

Words were being exchanged around them, but neither Emily nor Alfred could hear what was being said. It wasn't until she heard a familiar voice that her head turned slightly.

"But I'm doing everything you have asked me to. You gave me your word that you wouldn't hurt her."

It was Bill. He walked onto the deck beside Crane.

"She isn't hurt," Crane stated, matter-of-fact as he glanced over at Emily. "Not yet anyways. Although with the commotion they've caused on the ship, that could drastically change. Besides, I personally chose her as your final test subject for the toxin. The old guy just happened to be there at the same time."

Bill was shocked.

"This is Bruce Wayne's future wife," Bill stammered. "There are going to be cops looking for her."

"Doubtful," Crane shrugged as he spoke. "Gotham City Police force have their hands full this evening. No one will be coming for them or us. You're free to finish your testing before we release the toxin."

"I can't ethically use her as a test subject," Bill told him. "She's pregnant."

Crane smiled. "I don't think you can talk to me about ethics, Doctor. How many people have you drugged and killed now?"

Bill sighed, shakily. "I wont test it on her."

Crane shrugged and looked over at his men.

"Then I guess we no longer have any use for her," Crane said, gesturing to his men as they grabbed ahold of her and brought her near the railing.

Emily began to struggle violently against them as they proceeded to wrap rope and chain around her ankles.

"What are you doing?!" Alfred exclaimed. "This is not necessary."

"On the contrary," Crane called out. "If the doctor isn't going to perform the tests, than Dr. Tucker is no longer required for our services. And neither are you. You'll be next. It's unfortunate that you'll be unable to see a new Gotham arise tonight."

Bill began to shift nervously when he saw them bring over a heavy anchor and began to tie the other end of the rope to it.

"This is murder!" Alfred exclaimed as he continued to squirm. "Let her go!"

Emily felt her heart race as she saw the anchor being hoisted towards the edge of the boat.

"Wait," Bill said softly at first but then spoke again, saying it louder. "Wait! I'll do the tests. Just let her go."

Crane smiled smugly as he nodded to the men beside Emily as they began to untie her ankles from the chain.

The men pushed her back towards Alfred. Emily watched as Crane looked over at Alfred.

"Your turn."

Crane's men went towards Alfred.

"No!" Emily screamed, forcibly putting herself in their way, attempting to stop them.

A pair of thugs grabbed onto her arms, pulling her away as Alfred looked at her.

"Take care of yourself and the child, and Master Bruce," he said, softly yet Emily could hear him.

She watched helplessly as the thugs wrapped the chain around Alfred's legs. To her surprise, the man never struggled. He kept his eyes on hers. She could see tears in his eyes as he watched her. Emily felt helpless as the heavy anchor was dropped into the water followed by Alfred.

"Son of a bitch!" she cursed at Crane, as the tears began to pour down her face. "You sick bastard! I will kill you for this! You're dead!"

The pair of thugs grabbed onto Emily and pulled her back towards the doorway into the ship, yet she continued to curse and spat verbal threats at Crane.

"Do you hear me!? You're dead, Crane!"

Crane simply sighed as he glanced over the edge of the boat down at the rippling of the waves against the hull.

"Shoot anything that comes up to the surface," Crane said to his men.