A/N - Once again, thank you for the kind words and reviews. My goal is to have this story done by September and if I keep going at the pace that I'm moving now, I should be. I know how I'm going to wrap it up and it's just simply getting to that point which may take another couple chapters or so. For me, it's bittersweet knowing that it's coming to an end. I'm happy to have completed something that I've been working on for over a year and at the same time, I'm going to miss the characters that I've created.

Recently, my mind has been toying with ideas for an Iron Man/Avengers storyline. I've already hashed out the first few chapters and I'm liking where it's going. But, I have told myself that I wont get any further with that one until this is complete. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter...

With Clara in his arms, Bruce turned on the computer monitor and picked up the headset from the desk. He awkwardly managed to get it on with one hand before turning it on as well.

"Can you hear me?" Bruce asked into the headset.

"Loud and clear," Emily's voice came into his ear.

He could distinctly hear the sound of the motorbike engine in the background. He waited for the computer to boot up.

"Where are you?"

"Stuck at a red light at the corner of 13th and Parkway," she replied.

Bruce quickly brought up the GPS tracking system on the computer screen and relaxed a little more when he saw her location come up as exactly what she told him. He watched as the icon on the screen began to move and turn in the opposite direction of the clinic.

"You're heading in the wrong direction," he told her.

"I know," Emily stated. "The road is closed around Wayne Tower."

Bruce sighed, knowing that it would take her longer to get to the clinic and then also to return. He quickly typed on the computer, instantly zooming in on her area.

"Turn at the next light," he told her. "That should be Brock."

"Brock is a deadend road."

Bruce nodded. "There is a parking garage at the end of the road. It has access to Main on the other side if you go through it."

Emily smirked at the suggestion and followed the direction.

Bruce watched on the screen as the icon turned and made its way towards the end of Brock road.

Emily slowed down as she approached the lift bar and waited for it to raise itself up before entering the garage. A small number of cars were parked inside the garage. She slowly made her way through it, the engine echoing loudly within the space. Graffiti coloured the walls and reminded her of the area of the city she was trespassing through.

She turned around a support pillar and spotted the exit at the end of the next aisle. Emily came to a stop when she reached the bar and chuckled when it required a $2 fee for parking.

"It's a good thing that I had some change on me when you suggested this route," Emily commented into her helmet, knowing Bruce could hear her. She straddled the bike and reached into her pocket.

"Yeah, I suppose I should have considered that," Bruce told her. She could hear the man smiling with his words.

When she finally found the money, she turned her head and found that a man stood beside where she was to put the coins to make the bar raise.

"There's gonna be an extra fee for using the garage as a drive-thru," the man told her.

Emily didn't say anything at first. She knew that Bruce would also hear it.

"Who is there?" she heard him ask.

"I don't have any more money," she told the man.

Emily watched him as he eyed the bike beneath her.

"Emily, what's going on?" Bruce asked, his voice growing increasingly agitated with her lack of response to him.

"I'm fine," she quickly replied, which gained a reaction from the man beside her.

A smile appeared on his face.

"You most certainly are," he told her. "Tell you what. Give me your bike and we'll call ourselves even."

Emily shook her head.

"I can't do that. The bike doesn't even belong to me," she told the man.

"Emily!" Bruce exclaimed in her ear.

Without warning, she felt something grab at her neck and pull her backwards, off of the bike. Emily landed flat on her back, and was grateful that she still had the helmet on her head. She was certain that she would have hit her head off the pavement with the force of which she was pulled off.

"You have no choice, honey," the man said, as Emily rolled onto her side. She now saw three other man standing beside her bike, admiring it.

Bruce could hear Emily groan.

"Em, what's happening? Answer me!"

"I just...I just ran into a little speed bump," she told him softly, as she pushed herself up to stand. "Give me a moment."

Emily pulled the helmet off her head, and ensured that the earpiece remained in her ear as she did so.

"Sorry guys, but I have to return the bike," she told them. They turned, somewhat surprised to see her even considering confronting them. They began to laugh and a few gave her a few catcalls.

One of them walked towards her.

"I'm starting to think that we should change our agreement," he said, lustfully eyeing her from her head down to her feet.

Emily's heart began to race and she took a step back from the man. When he reached out to grab her, Emily took him by the arm and pulled him down to connect his head with her knee. The man cried out and grabbed his nose as blood began to pour out of it. She elbowed him at the back of his neck and he fell to the ground.

Emily quickly turned and saw the other three men approaching her. One man reached for something behind his back. Emily felt for the small metal items that Bruce had armed her with and pulled them off before throwing them at two of the men. The two men paused and reached for where they were hit before passing out on the ground.

"What the hell?" the last man standing said, glancing around in shock at his buddies out cold on the pavement.

He grunted and charged at Emily. He swung to punch at her and she quickly ducked and deflected it. To her surprise, he was swift to react and grabbed her wrist, tightening his grip to hold her still.

Up until this point, Emily had blocked out Bruce's voice but at that moment, she could hear his frantic words, begging her to answer him.

The man reached and grabbed ahold of her neck, threatening to choke her. Emily took her only free hand, her bandaged one and weakly attempted to pull his hand from her throat.

She could feel her head suddenly get light headed but with the outside world starting to fade, she found that she could hear Bruce clearly in her head.

"Emily! Please answer me! If you don't, I'm coming after you!"

His words were pleading, almost spoken painfully.

Closing her eyes for a brief second, she quickly raised her knee, connecting it to the man's groin. He let her go as he doubled over, cursing as he went to his knees.

Emily coughed and stumbled towards her helmet before making her way to the motorbike. She shoved the money from her pocket into the machine and the bar raised. Even though she was still coughing, she pulled the helmet over her head, determined to get out of that parking garage as soon as she could. She started the engine and made her way onto Main.

"I'm here," she gasped, almost breathlessly. "I'm here."

She could hear Bruce let out a sigh of relief and could imagine him running his hand through his hair as his stress level dropped.

"Good," he finally said. "What happened? Are you all right?"

Emily took a deep breath. "I'll be all right."

Her voice sounded rough from the deep coughing. She was certain that her back was bruised with the way she felt pain with certain movements. They were all things that would heal in time. Her concern was Alfred.

"How is he doing?" Emily asked.

Bruce paused. "No fever and bleeding hasn't resumed."

"Good," Emily said. "If he can stay that way for a little longer, I'll be happy."

Janie was working the night shift again. The girl enjoyed the extra hours. It had been a busy night and after a late night brawl between two rival gangs erupted outside of the building, she was ready for a break. The police had arrived to break it up and arrested the instigators. Thankfully, a squad car remained on the scene and intended on staying for the rest of the night.

Janie walked into the lounge, ready for a break before heading back out onto the floor. The woman whistled to herself as she bent over to open the small refrigerator to pull out her lunch. She reached inside and pulled out an apple.

When she stood up, she nearly screamed in surprised to see Emily in front of her. Emily quickly covered her mouth as Janie dropped the apple to the floor. After a moment, she let go.

"Holy crap, Em!" Janie exclaimed softly. "You really know how to make someone pee their pants!"

"Sorry," Emily said, softly. She jumped right to the point. "I need your help."

Janie's expression of excitement at seeing her friend, suddenly turned to concern.

"I heard about the Joker's allegations on the news," she said. "Are Clara, you and Bruce all right?"

"We're fine, but I'm needing some things," Emily said. She pulled a small piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Janie.

She watched Janie as the woman read over the list that included surgical tools, antibiotics and other medications.

"Em, this isn't just a simple grocery list," she told her, in all seriousness. "Is someone needing this stuff?"

Emily paused.

"Please, just trust me," Emily told her softly. "I need these things."

The woman pursed her lips and glanced down at the list once again.

"Stay here," Janie said. "I'll be right back."

Emily watched as Janie left the room with the list. Not wanting her presence to become known in the building, Emily waited silently in the lounge until Janie finally returned with a bag.

"I wasn't able to find you all the medication on the list and we don't have any general anesthetics right now," Janie told her, handing her back the piece of paper.

Emily looked into the bag.

"Thank you."

"I wish you would tell me what's going on," Janie said. "I want to help."

"You've helped me out so much, you have no idea," Emily stated. "And I'm sorry that I can't say more. The less you know about where we are, the better. It isn't safe for Bruce or I to be out."

Janie nodded in understanding. She watched as Emily walked towards the back door.

"Regardless of whether Bruce is Batman or not, I want you both to take care of yourselves," Janie told her.

Emily smiled, as she looked back at Janie.

"Thanks Janie," she said as she disappeared out the door.

Bruce turned, hearing the gears shift as the platform began to lower. He saw Emily remove the helmet on her head as she straddled the bike. Once the platform reached the floor level, Emily walked off of it towards Bruce at the computer while carrying the bag.

"Where's Clara?" she asked, glancing around.

"Asleep," Bruce simply replied, turning to look back at the monitors.

Emily placed the bag on the table and began to pull out the items inside.

"Janie got us everything we need," she told him happily. "As soon as I clean myself up, we can take care of Alfred."

As she laid out the medication and read the names of them, she felt Bruce put his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to sit down on a stool that he put behind her.

"Bruce? What are you doing?"

"Checking to make sure that you're all right," he told her as he literally pried the jacket off of her back.

Emily shook her head and chuckled.

"I told you, I'm fine," she said.

Bruce reached forward and grabbed a mirror from a drawer and handed it to her. It was then she noticed the bruising on the sides of her neck begin to appear. Emily turned her head to her side, seeing the exact shape of the man's hand that had wrapped itself around her neck. She felt Bruce pull up her shirt on her back.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Bruce touch a tender spot on her back.

"Oh my Lord!" she exclaimed, as she instantly tensed up and straightened her back.

"You have some bad bruising on your shoulders and lower back," Bruce told her. "You're not fine."

She could hear his anger in his words as he spoke from behind her.

"I'm alive," she told him. "And I'd like to think that I handled myself well out there. You taught me well."

"I was planning on leaving in a minute if I hadn't heard from you."

"You couldn't have left anyways with Alfred and Clara here alone," she told him. "And what would you have been able to do if you did come? It's a good fifteen minute trip and that might as well be an eternity."

"I shouldn't have put you into this position in the first place," he said softly.

Emily stood up and turned around. She took his face between her hands.

"This isn't your fault. We had no other choice."

Bruce reached up and took her hands.

"We're in this position because of me," Bruce told her. "Alfred is hurt because of me. Clara may never get the chance to grow up as a normal child and play on the grass at Wayne Manor because of me. Everything that has happened is because I made a choice years ago to take the criminals of Gotham on, on my own as Batman."

Emily smiled weakly.

"But I believe that it was Alfred's choice to stand by you when you made that decision," Emily argued. "And I fell in love with you, knowing full well of the life you lead. None of that was your fault. And as for Clara, well...it is somewhat because of you that she's here."

Bruce finally smiled at her comment. He raised her hands to his lips and kissed them. His eyes fell on his mothers ring adorning her finger.

Emily caught his eye lingering on the ring.

"I'm still wanting to marry you," she reminded him. "Even if that means having a life where we're forever on the run. I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else."

Bruce smiled at her attempt at humour, although the possibility had occurred to him numerous times. So many times, that he was actually considering it, but had never voiced it to her.

"And right now, I'm needing you to help me with Alfred," she added, as he nodded.

Three hours had passed since Emily had finished pulling out both bullets from Alfred and closed up the wounds. They raised the man's leg with a bunch of pillows and taped them to him to keep it secure. He was out cold the entire time, which was a relief for Emily as they didn't have any proper sedation but his unconsciousness concerned her. She had no idea why he was unconscious. It could have been because of the stress on his system or the shock of the situation. Either way, it concerned her.

She watched from the couch as Bruce crouched down beside Alfred and carefully lifted the gauze that rested on his abdomen. The man stirred slightly before he replaced it. Bruce reached up and touched his forehead, feeling the coolness of his skin beneath his fingers. With a sigh, he stood back up and walked over to the couch where Emily rested.

"No fever?" she asked, softly.

"No fever."

Bruce sat down beside her, and once again moved his arm around her. He smiled when he watched her cover her yawn with her hand.

"Get some sleep," he told her. "I'll keep an eye on him."

Emily shook her head. "Clara will be waking up soon."

"I'll wake you when she does."

Bruce shifted and turned, lifting his feet up and spread out on the couch. Emily followed suit, laying on her side between him and the couch cushions behind her. She rested her head against his chest and he lowered his arm onto her back. She could feel him trace his finger on the bare skin of her back.

"He'll be all right," she told him.

"That's good."

Emily turned her head to see Bruce's face.

"What's on your mind?"

He looked at her and shook his head. "Nothing."

"I know that something is bugging you," she told him. "I can see it in your eyes."

Bruce smirked and sighed.

"I've been doing some thinking," he said.

"About what?"

Bruce paused, knowing the suggestion may be a sensitive topic.

"Leaving Gotham."

It was.

"Leave Gotham?"

"We're not safe here," Bruce replied. "As much as Joker's accusation can be argued and debunked, there are going to be a few that will believe him."

"Where would even go?"

He shrugged.

"I don't know," Bruce said. "I disappeared once, I can do it again."

Emily nodded. "I'm coming with you."

A smirk appeared on Bruce's lips. "I was hoping you would. It's too bad that we wont be able to get married in Gotham."

Emily shrugged and put her head back down.

"That's no big deal," she told him, as she looked out at Alfred sleeping on the cot. "But what about Alfred?"

Bruce turned his head and looked at his long-time guardian, mentor and friend.

"I don't know," he replied. "I suppose we'd wait until he's feeling better and give him the choice of what he'd want to do."

"I told your father once that I would protect you," a soft, yet rough voice suddenly said. "And I will honour that agreement until my dying breath."

Emily sat up, pushing herself off of Bruce. Bruce turned at the voice. Emily was off of Bruce less than a second later and at Alfred's side. She touched his forehead and saw his eyes open. A smile appeared on the old man's face when he saw her.

"How do you feel?" Bruce asked as he came up behind Emily.

"Horrible," Alfred replied.

Emily smirked at the older man's frankness.

"Give yourself a few days and you'll feel better," Emily told him. "You've been through a lot."

Alfred nodded. He looked up at Bruce and took the man's hand.

"I meant it when I told your father that I would always protect you," Alfred said. "If that means helping you to escape the city and knowing that I'll never see you, Emily or your precious Clara again, I'll do it."

A tear escaped Alfred's eye as he spoke.

"Thank you Alfred."