A/N - Thank you so much for the reviews and alerts. I've been on vacation for the last few weeks and so this was written in two different sittings. I hope it doesn't reflect that.

Enjoy!

She had never seen so much fear in Bruce's eyes than she did then. She had caught a glimpse of it when he realized that he would have to deliver Clara himself, but it was so brief that she barely noticed. This time, she did.

"Come on. Hurry," he quickly said, holding the door open with his back as he held tight onto Clara in his arms.

"What's going on?" Emily asked, as she pulled a sweater over her arms. She walked towards him, her curiosity and anxiety increasing upon seeing the seriousness in his facial expression.

"I'll explain on the way," he said, as she walked out into the hallway. With Bruce beside her and Clara in his arms, they made their way down the hallway and stopped when they met Gordon walking out from the waiting area. He said nothing as their attention was suddenly brought to the television screen behind them where a giant photo of Bruce Wayne with the headline 'Batman?' below it. The television was muted but the ticker flying above the screen told them everything they needed to know.

Emily swore under her breath.

Concern was etched on Gordon's face.

"So far it looks like no one knows that you're here," he told them. "But that wont last for long. Every mob boss and criminal in the city who has a grudge against Batman are going to come after you. I need to get the three of you to a safe place."

"We can't go home," Bruce said. "Wayne Manor is probably the least safest place to be right now."

Emily felt a pang in her stomach. "Alfred."

Bruce nodded, feeling her fear. "I'll get him but I need to get you to a safe place."

"The penthouse is gone," Emily reminded him, running out of options.

"Get to the bunker," Bruce told her. "I'll meet you there."

Gordon began to take off his jacket and held it out to Bruce.

"Put it on and pull the collar up," he told him, as Bruce handed Clara to Emily before taking the jacket.

Gordon looked down the hallway, and saw Officer Blake standing by the elevator doors.

"Blake!" he called out, walking towards him. "I need your hat."

"Sir?" Blake asked, walking towards the Commissioner.

Without saying another word, Gordon took the hat from Blake and handed it to Bruce.

"I'll return it," Bruce assured the young officer.

Gordon watched as Bruce put the hat over his head and pulled it low to obsure his face.

"Where are you parked?" Gordon asked.

"ER entrance parking lot."

Gordon looked back to Blake.

"Escort Mr. Wayne back to his car," he told him. "Don't make it obvious."

Blake nodded.

Bruce turned to Emily and gently touched her face. He looked down at Clara and smiled before looking back at Emily.

"I'll meet you at the bunker in an hour," he told her.

"Be safe."

"You too."

He quickly kissed her before walking down the hallway towards the elevator with Blake at his side.

Once they disappeared into the elevator, Gordon turned to Emily.

"A bunker?"

Getting out of the hospital was easier than he presumed. He and Blake walked right up to the Lamborghini before he climbed in. He gave the young officer back his hat and Bruce was soon gone.

After driving through the city for a few minutes, he dialed his cell to call Wayne Manor. When there was no answer, he pushed his foot harder on the gas. He weaved in and around traffic, making his was into the Palisades. Making a quick judgement call, he veered off the paved road onto a dirt road and into the darkness of the forest. If he hadn't known the path and the twists and turns that were on it, he wouldn't have been driving as quickly. Batman had driven this path many times.

When he reached the waterfalls, he pulled the Lamborghini off to the side away from the entrance and climbed out of the car. The roar of the water pouring over the cliff was all that he could hear. He grabbed the flashlight from the car and locked the Lamborghini before making his way towards the waterfall.

Bruce gasped as the water fell on him like a sheet. It was cold. He quickly made his way into the cave, and turned off the flashlight upon seeing that the lights in the cave were on. No one was there.

Quickly, he ran towards the elevator and rode it up to Wayne Manor.

It didn't take long for the media to announce that Bruce Wayne had been seen at the hospital earlier that night. A crowd had gathered outside of the building and the Gotham PD were doing their best to keep the rowdiness in check.

Gordon glanced back at Emily just around the corner after taking in the crowd that they'd have to make their way through. He watched his car as it was driven up in front of the ER door. Officer Blake stepped out and caught Gordon's eye. The young man nodded to the Commissioner.

Gordon turned back to Emily.

"Are you ready?"

She looked down at Clara as the baby slept quietly in her arms and nodded. Gordon put his arm around her and together they walked out of the building. Cameras flashed and people hollered as Emily and Gordon stepped out of the hospital building. Blake opened the passenger side door for Emily to climb in as Gordon quickly made his way around to the drivers side. He could hear the insults and questions in regards to Emily being called out.

Just as he slipped into the car, the loud popping sound of a gun echoed in the crowd. The back window of the car shattered. Gordon slammed the door closed as people screamed. Blake reached for his gun as Gordon yelled to Emily.

"Get down!" he cried out, quickly starting up the car and slamming his foot on the gas.

Emily didn't need to be told.

She was already ducking low in the seat, blocking Clara with her body. The poor baby screamed at the sudden awakening. Gordon could hear Emily trying to soothe the baby with a soft voice.

Gordon reached for his radio and brought it to his mouth as he drove away from the hospital.

"I need available units to close the road up to Wayne Manor. Arrest anyone who attempts to trespass. And arrest the bastard who had the nerve to fire a gun at the hospital within range of a child!"

The radio squawked back at him in acknowledgement. He looked over at Emily as she slowly sat up.

"So, where is this bunker?"

Emily gave him the directions. He was confused as they headed towards the shipping wharf. When they reached the chain link fencing with the Wayne Industries sign above it, he stopped.

"Is this it?"

Emily nodded and directed him towards the particular shipping container. He pulled the car up to it and shone his headlights at it. Emily climbed out of the car with Clara in her arms as Gordon rolled down his window.

"Thank you Commissioner, for everything," she said.

He nodded and looked towards the shipping container in front of them.

"You're welcome to come inside, if you'd like. I doubt Bruce would mind, all things considered."

Gordon actually considered it before finally shaking his head.

"As much as I'd like to say yes, the less that I know right now, the better," he said. "Besides, I have an interrogation to get to."

Emily smiled and nodded.

"I understand."

Gordon walked down the hallway towards the interrogation room. The file in his hand seemed heavier than it was. As he passed a television he heard the newscasters voice.

"Wayne Enterprises stocks have plummeted with allegations that the owner, Bruce Wayne is the Batman," the newscaster said. "All attempts to reach Wayne Enterprises for a comment have been unsuccessful. Numerous death threats have been made against the billionaire and not surprising, he hasn't been seen."

With a sigh, Gordon continued on down the hallway and stopped at the large door before walking in. The room was dark with the only light shinning in from the bright lights of the interrogation room.

There he sat with his grotesque painted face. His fingers tapped on the table as he glanced idly around and occasionally fidgeted with the chains that held him in place.

"Has he said anything?" Gordon asked one of the detectives in the room.

"Nothing," the detective replied.

Gordon nodded silently before walking over towards the door that would take him into that room. He pushed it open and was greeted with those two eyes that would always haunt him.

Joker smiled up at him.

"What does it take to get some water around here?"

Gordon glanced at the one way mirror and nodded before he sat down opposite of Joker.

He said nothing but simply stared at him. Joker finally leaned in.

"Aren't we going to talk about our mutual friend?"

Gordon shook his head.

"We're not here to discuss him," he told him. "I'm here to explain the crimes that are against you."

Gordon proceeded to open the file and began to read them off.

"Assault, kidnapping, robbery, homicide, forced entry..."

"Uh, in my defence, the old man opened the door when I knocked," Joker explained, as he interrupted Gordon. "And the kidnapping was only because I needed some insurance."

Gordon bit his tongue and ignored the crazy man's remarks.

"Do you understand the charges against you?"

Joker paused before leaning forward.

"So, did you seriously not know who he was?"

Gordon let out a breath. He was getting angry. "Answer the question."

"You must really trust a crazy guy who dresses as a bat to not tell you who he really is," Joker stated, verbally prodding the Commissioner more and more. "I have to give Wayne some credit though. He has to be crazy in order to live with that woman."

"Bruce Wayne is not Batman," Gordon told him, looking down at the file in front of him.

Joker let out a loud laugh. He finally got the conversation to head in the direction he was wanting.

"Don't you find it unusual for Batman to go after Wayne's woman and his baby only to have that woman jump into freezing cold water and risk her life to save a strange man who dresses up like a bat. Why else would she do that?" Joker paused and leaned forward. "Perhaps the company she's keeping is rubbing off on her."

"She's a doctor," Gordon told him. "It's in her nature to want to help someone, regardless of who they would be."

Joker smirked and leaned forward, lowering his voice.

"Say what you will. She certainly is loyal to him. And you're certainly being loyal to a man who has never verbally told you who he really is until you accidentally discovered it for yourself."

Gordon sighed as he picked up his file folder.

"We're done here," he said as he walked towards the door.

"Hey Commissioner," Joker called out. "You better check on the hydro out in the Palisades. They may have a few hiccups in the power out there."

Gordon paused and left the room.

Bruce silently slipped into Wayne manor. If it wasn't for his shoes squishing in the water that was in them, he wouldn't have made a sound.

The house was dark. There were no lights on.

Something seemed off.

He reached for a light switch and flipped it on. Nothing.

Bruce ran his hand over his face and wiped the water that had dripped off his head. His senses picked up on everything that was around him. He could hear the soft ticking of the pendulum clock against the wall. The moonlight shone in enough that it made shadows against the walls.

As he made his way further into Wayne Manor, he became concerned. He had yet to find Alfred or Bill. As he passed a front window, he could see the blue and red flashing lights of a police cruiser sitting at the locked front gates.

He was about to turn to make his way up the steps when something caused him to stop. He turned around just as a stunned Alfred walked into the room, carrying a rifle in his arms. The poor man jumped, as Bruce reached out instinctively and took the firearm from him, disarming it.

"Hold it!" Bill called out, aiming his own rifle at Bruce as he stood behind him.

Bruce recognized the voice. Knowing how dangerous the situation was, he instantly dropped the parts of Alfred's rifle and put up his hands.

"It's me!" Bruce exclaimed. "It's just me!"

Alfred's eyes widened as he heard Bruce's voice in the darkness.

"Put that gun down Mr. Dravis!" Alfred stated. "It's Mister Wayne."

Upon realizing how close he was to shooting Bruce, he quickly lowered the rifle and placed it on the table beside him.

"Damn it Bruce! I could have shot you! What are you doing lurking around in the dark?"

"I was coming for you two. We need to get out of here," he told them. "I'm guessing that you heard the news."

Alfred shook his head. "The power went out about an hour ago and the police just showed up at the end of the driveway."

"An hour ago?"

Bill nodded. "We haven't seen anything. What's going on?"

Bruce glanced out the front window again, seeing the flashing police lights.

"Everyone knows who Batman is," Bruce simply said. "It's all over the news."

Alfred's breath caught in his throat upon hearing Bruce's words.

"Oh my word," he said softly, as the words sunk in. "Where is Dr. Tucker and Clara?"

"On their way to the bunker with the Commissioner," he told them, as he bent over to pick up the pieces of the rifle. "And that's where I'm taking you two as well. It's not safe here."

He quickly put it back together as Bill looked out the window.

"How do you suppose we're going to get out of here? We can't just walk out the front door."

"The same way that I came in," Bruce told him as the front window suddenly shattered with the sound of a gun shot. Bruce heard Alfred cry out as the man collapsed to the ground.

Bruce felt a pit grow in his stomach as he saw the older man fall to the ground. Without hesitating, he wrapped his arm around Alfred's waist and pulled him up to stand, while trying to ignore his cries.

He saw Bill about to come to his aid when another flurry of gunshots fired into Wayne Manor. Bill jumped to the floor until the gun stopped firing. He glanced back at Bruce.

"Go!" Bruce called out to Bill, telling him to run towards the hidden passage as he quickly pulled at Alfred to help the man move faster.

The gunshots followed from the outside of Wayne Manor as they raced towards the study. Bill was already pressing the keys on the piano to open the bookshelf as Bruce and Alfred made it into the room.

Bill waited at the entrance as Bruce and Alfred passed by him before allowing the passage to close.

"Where is he shot?" Bill asked worrisome, watching the colour drain from Alfred's face in the dim cave.

Bruce shook his head nervously as they stepped into the lift. "I don't know. His side I believe."

"My leg," Alfred gasped, as Bill was inspect his side while the lift slowly lowered them to the cave ground.

Bruce was thankful that the cave worked on a separate electrical circuit than Wayne Manor in order to keep the power usage unnoticed. It also meant that they could see what was wrong with Alfred.

Bill glanced down at the older man's left leg and saw a faint blood stain just above his knee. He looked up at Bruce.

"He was shot twice," he told Bruce. "We need to get him to a hospital."

Bruce winced and shook his head. "I can't bring him there. With every mob boss having me on their radar, Alfred would be in just as much danger. I'm going to bring him to the bunker. There are more medical supplies there."

The lift came to rest on the cave floor.

Together, the two men helped Alfred on either side of him as he slowly walked through the cave, groaning with the movement.

"Bring him to the tumbler," Bruce said, as they slowly made their way towards it.

After more than a few times of Alfred crying out in pain, they finally got him into the tumbler. Bruce climbed into the front seat as Bill raced back towards one of the storage lockers. He quickly came back with a handful of towels. He passed them to Bruce.

"Put these over the wounds," he told him, as Bruce moved Alfred's protective hand over his side and put them on. "You need to stop the bleeding. Tell Emily that the bullets might not have gone through."

Bruce turned to Bill, somewhat surprised.

"You're not coming along? There's room."

Bill shook his head. "Someone has to stay and make sure that no one comes down here. Besides, I can be your eyes and ears on the city."

Bruce smiled weakly, surprised at how far Bill had come. "Thanks. I appreciate that."

He extended his hand to Bill who promptly shook it.

"Let me know if you need anything out there," Bill told him, just as the tumbler started up. Bruce nodded over the roar of the engine and quickly disappeared within the armoured car.

Bruce looked over at Alfred as he rested his head against the back of the seat, willing him to not die on him before he had the chance to get help.

Emily thought she'd never be so happy to see the Tumbler come roaring into the bunker. Except knowing the condition of one of its occupants gave her cause for concern. Bruce had called on his way back to tell her what to expect when they arrived.

She watched as the tumbler came to a stop before rushing up to the passenger side. The rooftop opened as she neared it and she saw Bruce's head as he turned to Alfred beside him.

"How is he?" Emily asked.

Bruce put his arm under one side of Alfred's arms and pulled him up.

"He nearly passed out on the way here," he told her, as she climbed up onto the tumbler to help.

Alfred opened his eyes slightly, at the bright lights around them.

"You need to call Leslie," Emily said, as she helped Bruce to bring Alfred down to the floor.

"I can't," Bruce simply replied. "The less people involved in this, the better."

"Leslie?" Alfred suddenly said upon hearing the name. He looked at Emily and reached out to gently touch her face. "You look more beautiful than the last time I last saw you."

Emily looked up at Bruce, concerned.

"Bring him to the cot," he told her, as they slowly made their way over to where the small living space was set up.

Once he was laying down, Emily knelt down on the ground and began to lift the side of his shirt, examining it. As she did, Bruce turned upon hearing Clara's soft cooing from the ground behind him. It was then he noticed her laying on a blanket with toys laying around her. The baby arched her back in order to see what was going on. He walked over to her and smiled when he caught her eye. Without saying a word, Bruce picked her up and kissed her cheek before walking back with her to where Emily was examining Alfred.

"So, how is he?" he asked, concerned.

Emily carefully lifted Alfred's leg, hearing him groan with the touch.

"Good news is that it appears that the bullet when right through his leg," she told him as she stood up and went to the medical cabinet along the wall. "Bad news is that the other one is still in his side. It doesn't appear to have hit anything vital, but that bullet has to come out."

She came back with a roll of gauze and peroxide.

"Then you need to take it out," he told her. Emily looked up at Bruce as he held onto Clara.

"Bruce, I can't do that in these settings," she said. "He's loosing blood. More than if it was just a flesh wound. He is seriously hurt, Bruce."

He looked down at Alfred who appeared to be going into shock.

"What do you need?"

"Things that we don't have here."

"Like?"

"Antibiotics, local anesthetic, general anesthetic, some analgesia, numerous surgical supplies like scissors, tweezers..."

"I'll get them," he interrupted as he knew her list would continue.

"No, you can't," she argued forcefully.

"Where's Freddie?" Alfred suddenly mumbled. "Bloody cat was clawing up the Victorian couch in the reading room."

Bruce and Emily looked at Alfred as he continued his delirious rant.

"He's not going to last long like this," Emily told Bruce, reaching for his hand. "I know that you're concerned for him. I'll go to the clinic, get what we need and come right back."

Bruce shook his head as he squeezed her hand.

"I can't let you go out there," he told her. "You're in as much trouble as I am."

"But I wont be as easily recognized as someone who has graced the cover of magazines for years."

Bruce sighed before looking down at Emily. He didn't like it, but what other choice did they have.