A/N Thank you for the reviews and sorry for the delay...

Hope you enjoy...

Brent McKay mumbled to himself as he walked down the street, looking down at his notepad in hand and carrying his pricy camera bag on his shoulder. Once again, he had gotten a boring, interview assignment set for the new clinic that the Wayne Foundation had funded. He looked down at the notepad in his hand at the few questions that he had listed on it.

He sighed.

Brent had to remind himself of what the interview was about. He knew that he would be speaking to Dr. Tucker, and every reporter in the city knew exactly who she was. This would be the best opportunity to get further details on the new baby as well as Bruce Wayne.

As he rounded the corner across the road from the clinic, he began to unzip his bag and prepared to get his camera ready. Bringing the camera to his eye, he adjusted the lens and the light balance. He aimed it at a car and was surprised when he saw Emily Tucker inside. Brent quickly glanced over his camera before looking back through it and adjusted the lens to clear the image.

Dr. Tucker was smiling and she was speaking to the driver of the car whom Brent couldn't recognize. The driver wore a hoodie that blocked his view. Still, he snapped a few pictures for reference. He continued to watch the silent conversation just as he saw Emily lean in to kiss the driver. A little more intrigued, Brent clicked the shutter button numerous times.

He watched as Emily climbed out of the car and headed straight for the front door of the clinic. Brent quickly panned back to the driver and finally got a face shot as the car pulled away from the curb. He snapped the photos and had to look back at the photos on his camera to ensure he saw what he did.

"I'll be damned," he muttered astonishingly, before picking up his cell phone from his pocket and quickly turned back the way he came.

His pace was much faster this time as he waited almost impatiently for his editor to pick up the phone. The moment he heard the editors voice over the phone, he quickly got to the point.

"Sir, I think I have something better than a clinic interview."

If not for the seriousness of their situation, Emily would have laughed at Janie's suggestion as Bruce quickly agreed and pulled his hoodie over his head and handed it to her. Moments later, Emily and the hoodie wearing Janie walked out of the clinic just as the sound of people calling for Bruce Wayne. Emily hooked her arm around Janie's and together they rushed towards the car.

"Mr. Wayne! A word please!"

Emily automatically unlocked the car, before walking to the drivers side as reporters walked up to the person wearing the hoodie.

"Mr. Wayne!"

Janie turned and smiled. "I think you have me confused with someone else."

The reporters were obviously confused as the woman slipped into the passenger seat and slammed the door. They quickly turned to Emily as she opened her door.

"Dr. Tucker! We have photographic proof that Bruce Wayne is alive and you were seen sitting beside him in this car not too long ago. What do you have to say about that?"

"I have my daughter to take care of right now, so if you'll excuse me," she replied, as she slipped into the driver seat and shut the door.

They could hear the reporters continue to call out questions as Emily turned the engine on.

"You'd think that they'd wonder why Bruce Wayne shrunk down in height," she quipped as she pulled the hood from her head.

Without saying a word and with only two people on her mind, Emily pulled away from the curb and away from the reporters and camera crews that had swarmed the sidewalk. She quickly drove around towards the alleyway and backed down the tight passage to the back door of the clinic. Emily could see Bruce and Louise, waiting at the door. She slammed on the breaks and Janie quickly jumped out of the passenger seat. Janie pulled the hoodie off from over her head and tossed it to Bruce as he walked past her with Clara in his arms.

"Thank you, Janie," he said, looking back at the woman as she headed towards the open back door.

"No problem, Bruce," Janie told him, as he opened the back door and proceeded to snap Clara into her car seat. The baby began to squirm and complain at the confines of the seat and the haste at which Bruce was putting her in.

Emily rolled down the window and quickly called out her thanks to the women as Bruce got into the passenger seat. The moment the door closed, Emily pulled out from the alley. It wasn't until they got onto the street that a small group of reporters caught sight of the car and began pointing and flashing cameras at their direction.

Emily heard Bruce let out a sigh and she glanced over at him as she drove. He ran his hand over his face in frustration before looking out at the road ahead of them.

"What now?" Emily finally asked.

Alfred was about to tell Bruce what he had heard on the news, but thought it better when he noticed his facial expressions upon walking into Wayne Manor. It was obvious to him that some sort of heated argument had transpired moments prior. Emily carried a car seat into the house and Alfred carefully took it from her before placing it on the floor to remove Clara from the seat.

"Alfred, can you call the airport and arrange for the company jet to be prepared?" Bruce asked.

Although he was confused he replied. "Certainly sir."

"Alfred, don't," Emily quickly added, turning to Bruce. "Clara and I are not leaving Gotham."

"Emily, this is not up for discussion," Bruce stated.

"Like hell it isn't. This isn't just about you anymore. It involves your family."

Bruce visibly tensed knowing confrontation with the woman was inevitable. The sound of the phone ringing caught Alfred's attention and he walked out of the room, with Clara on his shoulder.

"I'm trying to protect my family," Bruce quickly retorted, watching as Alfred walked away. "You and I both know that the Joker is unpredictable. He'll know that I'm alive now."

"Which is why we're better off staying together," she stated, eyeing him intently. "Why wont you let me help you?"

"Because I wouldn't be able to live with myself if anything ever happened to you," he finally stated.

Emily took a step closer to Bruce.

"You told me that I've improved one hundred percent in what you have taught me over these months," she stated. "I even managed to get one up on Batman. Who does that?!"

Bruce sighed and shrugged. "I was distracted."

A smile appeared on Emily's face as she crossed her arms in front of her. "Sure you were."

She could see the playful smile disappear in his eyes as he continued to speak.

"If we're going to work together on this, I'll need you to follow my direction regardless of what is going on," he said. "It could come down to a matter of life or death and I need to know that you'll listen to me."

Emily looked down at Bruce's hand that he held out towards her. With a nod, she grasped it and shook his hand.

Alfred's soft clearing of his throat caught both of their attention and they turned to see the man standing by the hallway with Clara still on his shoulder.

"Sir, it would appear that with your apparent return from the dead, Gotham society is eager to see you, " Alfred said. "You two have been invited to the grand opening of the new casino downtown. Shall I RSVP?"

Bruce shook his head. "No, thank you Alfred."

The older man simply nodded and turned to walk away.

"Why not, Bruce?" Emily asked, a smile on her face. Her sudden, persuasive voice caused Alfred to pause.

"It could be fun," she added. "Just the other day we were complaining about not spending a lot of time together."

"When I think about spending time with you, it is not with the rest of Gotham society," he stated with a smirk.

"Come on, Bruce," Emily said, leaning in towards him. She reached up and put her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him. "An evening out may be just what we need."

"Why do I have a suspicion that that wouldn't be all that you would need?"

She shrugged.

"I could think of some other things," she said softly, and suggestively.

Bruce leaned in and rested his head against hers.

"We could go to that grand opening, make some sort of excuse and then spend the rest of the evening at the penthouse," Bruce added, as he began to calculate their possible events of the evening. This idea of spending time alone with Emily was becoming more enticing. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his hands on her lower back.

Emily smirked, purposefully weaving her fingers between the hair on the back of his head; a sensation that she knew he enjoyed.

"We could be home by midnight or one in the morning."

"My thoughts exactly," Bruce stated, leaning in to kiss her.

"We only have one problem."

"What's that?" he whispered, his lips just about to touch hers.

As though on cue, Clara let out a loud coo that echoed down from where she was on Alfred's shoulder.

Both Bruce and Emily let out an audible sigh as Alfred walked out into the room. Bruce walked over to the older man and gently took Clara from him before holding her along his forearm.

"You do realize that if there was ever a time that you and Emily would like to go out for an evening, I would be more than willing to look after Clara," Alfred said, not bothering to mention that he had just overheard their private conversation. It was obvious when Clara had made her presence known.

"Alfred, when was that grand opening at the casino?"

Alfred smiled. "Tomorrow night, sir."

"Reply back to them with an RSVP for myself and Emily."

"Clara will be fine," Bruce reminded her from the drivers seat of the Lamborghini. He glanced over at her, noting that she was silent as she stared out the window. He knew that leaving her at home with Alfred for the evening was hard for the woman.

Emily simply nodded.

"I know. It's just that she still wont take a bottle. I just hope that she doesn't wake up for Alfred before we get back," Emily said.

"She wont," Bruce assured her. "I think I tuckered her out good enough when we were playing on the floor earlier."

Emily smiled at the memory of walking into the study to find Bruce laying on his stomach on the floor, talking with Clara as she looked up at him intently. Clara would suddenly smile up at Bruce followed by squirming her small body on the floor beside him. It melted her heart when he told her that he got her to react to him in the way that she was.

"I'm sure that you did."

She looked up as the car pulled up in front of the entrance to the casino. The covered entryway was lit up like a Christmas tree and a trio of fountains danced in a pool of water on the front property by the main road.

Bruce smiled at Emily before climbing out of the car and passing the valet his car keys. Her door opened beside her and stepped out, taking Bruce's hand as he pulled her up onto the sidewalk alongside him. Flashes of lights from cameras and shouts of questions roared at them. Neither one bothered to stop to answer them and after a short pause for photo's, Emily and Bruce walked into the casino and onto the busy gambling floor. Cheers from winning blackjack tables and ringing bells from slot machines filled the air. Bruce dismissed a tray of champagne offered by a waiter as they passed by. He held onto Emily's hand as he guided her through the crowded casino.

"Mister Wayne," a woman drawled out as they passed by. "It's good to see you back in the land of the living."

Bruce turned to the woman, hearing his name being called. He smiled, although it was far from genuine.

He leaned forward and gently kissed the woman on her cheek as he took her hand.

"Mrs. Francis, you know me," Bruce said, putting on the mask of a playboy that he did so well. "I can't stay away from these sort of things."

The woman nodded knowingly, before turning to Emily beside him.

"Oh, and my dear Dr. Tucker," she gushed, taking Emily's hand. "I've known Brucie since his high school years, and I have to tell you something. You certainly aren't the prettiest thing that he's been with. There was this blond a few years back with legs that could have their own zip code, let me tell you!"

The woman let out a laugh as she reminisced. Bruce could see Emily about to open her mouth and he knew that it wouldn't be flattering. He quickly cleared his throat and excused them from Mrs. Francis, making the excuse that he was needing a drink and insisted that Emily come with him.

Emily shook her head in disbelief as they stood at the bar. She partially listened as Bruce ordered a drink for them from the bartender.

"I can't believe that woman," she stated, incredulously.

Bruce turned and leaned up against the bar and shrugged. "Most of what she said was true."

Emily turned and glared at him. Feeling the temperature suddenly go cold around him, he turned to Emily.

"Only about the blond with legs with their own zip code," he admitted. "The rest of what she said was hot air."

Bruce reached over and took her hand, pulling he closer to him and ignoring the casual glances in their direction.

"You are the most beautiful woman that I have ever met," he said, softly and huskily.

A smile crept onto Emily's lips. "Maybe we should head out of here sooner than later."

Bruce smirked and nodded before taking her hand and headed towards the door.

Emily smiled, as she trailed kisses down Bruce's neck and up to his jaw. The man made a feeble attempt at reaching out towards the door to the penthouse elevator but somehow couldn't reach it without getting out of Emily's grasp. With a smirk, she reached out with her foot and closed it before kicking off her heels, instantly lowering her height by two inches.

"Show off," Bruce murmured huskily into her ear, as he reached up behind Emily's head and gently pulled out the hair clip, dropping her hair onto her shoulders.

He dropped the Lamborghini keys onto the table by the door before taking Emily by the hand, leading her through the darkened penthouse. Bruce watched her gaze turn towards the large windows overlooking the city. The lights shone into the city, illuminating their path. Bruce had them pause by the window before turning to Emily.

"Close your eyes," he told her.

She tipped her head and smirked.

"Humour me and close your eyes," Bruce repeated. "I have a surprise for you."

With a sigh, she complied.

She could hear him make some sounds in the room around her.

"Are you going to give me any clues?"

"Nope," Bruce replied.

A few more seconds and Emily felt someone take her hand once again.

"Open your eyes."

Bruce held out a glass flute towards her. He could sense her hesitation at the champagne. She had been paranoid about everything she ate and drank while she had been nursing Clara.

"It's sparkling peach wine, non alcoholic of course," he told her, as she took the flute from him. "I had Alfred put it in the fridge for me earlier today."

He watched as she took a sip.

"I can also make supper for us tonight," he suggested.

Emily smirked, taking the flute from Bruce's hands. She put it down on the table beside her and reached up to Bruce's face. She reached up and placed her lips on his. Bruce felt the unspoken invite and brushes his tongue along her lip, eliciting a moan from Emily. After a few more moments, she broke the kiss.

"I'm..uh... I'm suddenly not very hungry," she told him.

Bruce simply nodded before taking a step towards her, crushing his lips and his body against hers. He took her hands in his and wrapped his arms around her back and down to her backside.

He leaned down towards her ear and whispered.

"I am," he said breathlessly, as his lips touched the soft skin of her neck.

Emily felt goosebumps run down her arms. She wasn't entirely certain if it was his voice when he spoke in her ear or the touch his lips on her neck. Either way, she didn't care.

Her hands found her way to his waist and she quickly untucked the dress shirt from his pants. Bruce smiled into her kiss, hearing her frustrated grunt as she pulled at his shirt. He broke the kiss and took her hand. Without saying a word, he led her down a dark hallway.

Emily's heart was pounding as they rounded a corner. Bruce led her into the large bedroom and pulled her hand towards him, this time landing a more passionate kiss on her lips. She slipped her hands beneath Bruce's shirt and pushed it up, momentarily breaking the kiss to pull it over his head. Emily reached down and pulled her own shirt over he head, and was soon met with Bruce's hands reaching behind her back for her bra clasp. Emily jumped up and put her arms around Bruce's neck, meeting his lips once again and nearly caught him off guard when her legs wrapped around his waist.

Bruce tugged at the straps on Emily's shoulder as he leaned over onto the bed, allowing their weight to fall onto it.

Minutes had passed and clothes were soon abandoned on the floor. It was silent once again in the room.

Bruce looked over at Emily, catching a glimpse of her face looking at him as she laid on her stomach on the bed, a single sheet covering her body. She trailed a finger over his chin and down his neck to his bare chest.

"What's on your mind?" he asked.

"You. You're amazing. What you do everyday is beyond what anyone has ever done to help the city. And no one will ever know."

"You do."

She shrugged.

Bruce rolled over onto his side to face her.

"You are the most important person in the world to me. It's amazing to think that I ever lived without you," he said, brushing her hair out of her face with his hand. "I don't think I could imagine what it would be like if you weren't a part of my life."

Bruce looked down at her hand, and brushed his hand over hers, feeling his mothers ring beneath his palm. He picked up her hand.

"And when everything with the Joker is over, we'll see about changing your name," he said, with a smirk.

Emily chuckled lightly as she leaned in and kissed his lips. The kiss lingered as Emily pushed Bruce from his side and onto his back before crawling back on top of him. She broke the kiss and gently trailed her lips down his neck to his ear. Bruce closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation.

"Rested enough?" she asked in his ear, with a hint of tease in her voice.

Bruce smiled and opened his eyes. His smile faded when he noticed a familiar light brightening the room. Emily sensed Bruce tense and she turned her head to look towards the window, instantly seeing the bright bat shape in the sky.

She looked down at Bruce below her and was met with an apologetic smile. Emily leaned down and gave him a quick kiss before rolling off of him.

"Go," she told him with a smile, as she pulled the sheet up.

Bruce smirked as he stood up, grabbing the clothes from the floor.

"Can I expect you to be here when I return?"

Emily shrugged in bed.

"Maybe I'll make that supper that you promised you'd make for me," she said. "How long will you be gone?"

Bruce pulled his shirt back over his head and glanced out the window at the night sky.

"An hour or so," he predicted. "If it's going to be longer than that, I'll give you a call. I'll take the car to the bunker and leave to meet Gordon from there."

Emily watched as Bruce sat down on the edge of the bed to pull on his pants. Smirking, she sat up and knelt behind him, kissing the back of his neck.

Bruce smiled, realizing what she was doing.

"You're not making this easy for me to go," he told her.

He heard Emily giggle behind him and he stood up, turning to see her sitting behind him on the bed, completely naked. He sighed and shook his head.

"I had better just leave before I wont want to," he told her, as Emily smiled.

He began to walk towards the door.

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I love you!" Emily called out. "Be careful."

"I love you too!"

Batman's mind raced as to what Gordon would have called him for. They hadn't met in weeks since there had been no development in any aspect of finding the Joker. The maniac had gone silent. There had been no homicides with a connection to the Joker nor were there any robberies involving him or his associates.

Batman swooped across the building and landed on top of the MCU. He waited in the shadow, looking for Gordon. Slowly he stepped forward and out of the light. It was then that he realized that he was alone. There wasn't anyone on the rooftop with him. He reached for the switch to turn off the giant floodlight when he heard it.

A deafening roar, that would most likely be heard across the city.

It didn't remind him of a crashing of cars, or the firing of a gun. He turned, when his eye caught a glimpse of the flash of light in the night sky.

A breath suddenly was sucked out of him.

The penthouse.

His penthouse of his building was on fire. Flames poured out of all of the windows.

Emily.

Without another hesitation, he raced to the side of the building and quickly jumped off, his body quickly falling to the ground beside the tumbler. A second later and he was inside, heading towards the penthouse. He raced down the Gotham streets and were met with a parade of sirens heading towards the building. Batman turned one block before the building as the firetrucks and emergency vehicles closed off roads.

He stopped the tumbler and quickly pressed the console for the phone to dial to Emily's cell, and prayed that she would answer.

"The number you have just dialed is unavailable. Please leave a message and..."

He hung up, feeling that pit in his stomach deepen. No one could survive that.

The flames that erupted from the penthouse were massive and there would be no way that he could reach that level.

Batman leaned forward against the wheel and pulled off the cowl, tossing it bitterly to the side. Tears lined Bruce's eyes as he turned on the tumbler and headed back to the bunker.

Pieces of equipment and armour were dropped to the floor, before he stoically climbed into the Lamborghini to head back home. He had to get back home. Clara was on his mind and he was certain that he would break down if he picked up the phone to call Alfred to tell him what had happened. He had a hard enough time trying to figure out the words he'd say.

As he pulled up in front of the house, he slowly stepped out of the car. Stoically, he walked towards the front door and climbed the stone steps. It wasn't until he was standing right in front of the door that he realized that it was already open. Taking a quick look at it, he realized that it was forced open.

Being more aware of his surroundings and that he may no longer be alone, he stepped into the dark house. It appeared as though the house had been ransacked. It was then that he noticed Alfred laying on the ground. Bruce ran over to him and began speaking his name. The older man's eyes fluttered upon hearing Bruce's voice. Alfred winced as he attempted to open his eyes.

"Don't move," Bruce told him. "What happened?"

Alfred pinched his eyes shut and only said one word - Clara.

Bruce glanced up the stairs and quickly raced up them, taking them two at a time. He ran towards Clara's room, praying to hear her cry. He pushed the partially open door and it hit the wall hard with the force that Bruce put on it.

He was hit with a cold blast of air coming from the broken windows. He stepped on shattered glass as Bruce carefully approached the crib, letting out a breath when he realized with his own eyes that it was empty. Bruce reached inside and his hand grabbed a fist full of Clara's purple crocheted blanket.

Bruce took an anxious step back from the crib and ran his hand through his hair, grief quickly taking over him as he futilely attempted to hold back a sob. He bent over, resting his hands on his knees as waves of nausea gripped him.

Everything was coming apart. First Emily and now Clara. It was almost too much for him. Even Rachel's death didn't affect him as much as this.

"Bruce?"

Eyes red with sadness, Bruce turned towards the voice speaking his name. Bill stood by the doorway, holding onto the frame. A trail of blood dripped from his forehead as he stood by the door.

"I'm so sorry," Bill said, tears coming to his own eyes. "I tried to stop them. There were too many of them."

The sadness within Bruce suddenly turned to anger. Anyone who would dare to take an innocent child from the safe confines of her room deserved his anger. Clara was all that he had left. In a moment of uncontrolled rage, he turned and punched the wall, leaving a cracked imprint in the drywall.

"Who was it?" Bruce growled.

Bill shook his head.

"I don't know," he replied, weakly. "They all had masks. I couldn't see any faces."

"Joker," Bruce spat.

He paused, hearing the sirens in the distance. He walked out of the room and down the stairs with Bill behind him. Alfred had sat up and held his hand to his head.

"I called 911," Alfred told him. "I confronted them but they must have hit me on the head because the last thing I remember is hearing Clara's cries."

Bill sat down on the bottom step of the stairs and watched as Bruce turned towards the open front door and simply stared out of it.

"He said he'd come after me and he did. But he crossed the line when he targeted Emily and Clara."

"Emily?" Bill asked.

Bruce let out a shaky sigh and lowered his head.

"Emily is gone," he simply said, his voice littered with deep sadness. Alfred recognized it and felt the pang in his chest upon hearing Bruce's words.

"Gone?" Alfred asked softly, his own voice weak.

"He took the most important things away from me," Bruce growled. His eyes watched as a series of flashing lights quickly came up the drive to the house.

Her face was red and was beginning to bruise.

It was not from crying but from the multiple slaps across the face for talking back. Apparently the masked man left to keep an eye on her wasn't impressed with her social skills.

Emily spat at the metallic flavour that filled her mouth. Her brown hair fell haphazardly around her face. The tight knot that wrapped around her wrists at her back burned her skin. Her bare arms shivered and she wished that she had changed into something warmer after Bruce had left. Emily had settled for a a tank top and jogging pants. She had no idea that when she heard the doorbell ring, that it wouldn't be Bruce returning early to surprise her. Emily had barely had a glimpse of the Joker in front of her before everything went black.

The sound of a ringing cell phone caught her attention and she raised her head as the masked man put the phone to his ear.

"Yeah?"

He eyed Emily carefully as he listened to the caller.

"Yeah, I can do that. I'm not sure if she'll be cooperative. I've had to give her a few lessons in politeness already."

The man laughed as he held the phone to his ear.

"Of course I'll make sure to keep her alive. I'll see you there in an hour."

He hung up the phone and stood up, walking over to Emily.

"Seems as though you're going on a ride," he told her, grabbing a canvas bag from the floor. "Cause any problems and I can't assure you it'll be a good ride."

He quickly placed the bag over Emily's head, hiding her face from the world.