Disclaimer: I do not own The Dark Knight Trilogy. Just writing for fun.

A/n: Thank you all for the recent follows, favorites, and reviews. They are welcomed and loved. And really mean a lot to me. Enjoy the new update!

Chapter 32: Safe and Sound

I went home to go to sleep. Knowing that they'd finally captured the clown had given me some peace of mind. I hated clowns, I really did. They were creepy and not at all happy and fun like they were made out to be. I shuttered even thinking about it. When I was little, I had slept over friend's houses in the Narrows and we'd watch scary movies that included clowns and it must've scarred me for life.

I told Alfred that we did it. We captured him. Finally. It was a big relief on everyone's shoulders. I saw a tiny sparkle of relief in Alfred's eyes, and he hardly ever showed his emotions. I'd mastered in not showing your emotions ever since I took the crummy job at that old restaurant where Judge Faden used to go to before his arrest. And then my acting helped doing them undone for scenes that made me cry, laugh, sad, happy.

I drove the fancy silver car home safe and sound, parked where it should be parked. I crawled up into bed and just plopped down on soft pillows and bedding. I was so tired.

I knew tomorrow night was going to be hard for Bruce. He was interrogating the Joker with Gordon, someone I have yet to meet. I've heard good things about him so it made me feel even better that Gotham was no longer going to be a scary place to live. I was saving up my money for a new apartment. And I wanted to pay Bruce back for all the things he's done for me in the recent year. He truly made me feel like a princess, living the most luxurious life possible, something I hadn't realized that I needed in my life. It gave me purpose again. It was more than I could ever ask for. I looked in the mirror at my scar from the wound that Ra's Al Ghul gave me and shook my head. It would be there forever. I hoped I wouldn't get any more scars. I was thankful for the cozy bed. I smiled at my final thought of the night, and snuggled up in my cozy bed. Tomorrow would be a good day.

~*TDK*~

I sat at the kitchen table, eating Reese's puff cereal the next morning when Bruce came into the room. "I gotta go."

"What? Why?"

"They took Dent," he said. "He never made it home."

I paled. "What?!" I dropped my spoon into the bowl, feeling my chest tighten.

"I have to find out where they took him."

"And Rachel," I added. "Make sure she's all right too."

Bruce nodded, seemingly trying not to be frazzled. I could tell he was trying to mask his fear of emotions. He did it quite well. Better than me. I'd be a nervous wreck and I was currently trying not to be one right now. "Yes….yes I have to make sure they're both all right."

"If you need me, I'm here for you," I said.

"Thank you," he nodded. "But you've done enough. I can't ask more from you than I already have."

I nodded and watched him leave without a word to Alfred who stopped by.

Chills went down my spine. That was never good. I looked at Alfred worriedly. I was wondering if there was even anything I could do to help.

"He needs to do this on his own," Alfred said. "Speaking of on your own," he continued, as I nodded at that. "Have you thought any more to your family matters?"

"Yes," I said. "I guess today's a good day to start looking."

"Might help keep your mind busy," he said.

I shook my head. "I hope so. I have faith in Harvey and Rachel they'll make it out. They've come this far, Alfred. I don't want anything bad to happen to her. I mean….I've grown feelings for Bruce, but I never want anyone to die," I wiped my tear.

"I know, my dear," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know."

~*TDK*~

Bruce walked in later that evening, tired, and awfully quiet. There was something in the air that didn't stick right. I turned toward him, manila folder open. I'd fallen asleep reading it.

"Bruce?" I asked softly.

"She didn't make it," he said, voice hoarse. I swallowed hard, and closed up my folder. I dropped it on the table and went to hug him tight. He just stood there, letting me hug him with my chin over his shoulder. He shook within my arms as I soothed him quietly until he finally sat down, still holding onto his batman mask. I felt the motions within him rise and fall. Darkness had cascaded around Gotham. And once more the clown was out of the box.

"He wanted to get caught, didn't he?" I asked.

Bruce nodded.

"Oh Bruce, I'm so sorry," I said with a shake of my head. "I truly am."

He nodded again.

Together we just sat in silence as the night ticked away. I wasn't going to leave his side, knowing he was a flight risk for doing something dangerous and positively stupid.

We sat there until morning. Alfred walked in with a silver tray.

There was a letter stuck in between the silver pitcher and plates. He set it down on the table between us.

"Prepared a little breakfast," Alfred said.

We didn't move a muscle. I tried to manage a small smile for Alfred's sake. Bruce didn't even move a muscle. He just sat there, staring into space.

"Very well then," he said, and turned around.

"Alfred," Bruce called out to him. The butler turned around.

"Yes, Master Wayne?"

"Did I bring this upon her?" he asked.

Oh my dear Bruce…. I thought. No. He didn't. It was that awful clown.

"You have inspired good," Alfred said. "But you spat in the faces of Gotham's criminals. Didn't you think there might be casualties? Things always get worse before they get better."

I secretly hated that saying, but Alfred was right.

"But Rachel, Alfred…." He said softly.

"Rachel believed in what you stood for," Alfred said. "What we stand for. Gotham needs you."

"No," Bruce said. "Gotham needs its true hero, and I let that murdering psychopath blow him half to hell."

"Not on purpose," I whispered. He looked at me in shock when I said that. I shrugged. It was true. He didn't do it on purpose.

"Which is why for now, they're going to have to make do with you," Alfred said.

I looked at Bruce's heartbreaking face. "She was going to wait for me, Alfred. Dent doesn't know. He can never know."

Alfred pulled out the envelope from the tray and I narrowed my eyes at that.

"What's that?"

"It can wait."

"The bandit, in the forest of Burma, did you catch him?" Bruce asked.

"Yes," Alfred replied.

"How?"

"We burned the forest down," Alfred replied and walked away from us.

I frowned, and got up from my seat, following after Alfred. "Alfred," I called after him down the hallway.

"What is that letter?" I asked.

He sighed, and turned it over to me. It wasn't sealed. I took it from him and opened it up to read it.

Dear Bruce,

I need to be honest and clear. I'm going to marry Harvey Dent. I love him, and I wanna spend the rest of my life with him. When I told you that if Gotham no longer needed Batman, we could be together, I meant it. But now I'm sure the day won't come when you no longer need Batman. I hope it does. And if it does, I will be there, but as your friend. I'm sorry to let you down. If you lose your faith in me, please keep your faith in people.

Love, now and always,

Rachel.

"He needs to know about this," I said, and pivoted on my heel, but Alfred grabbed my shoulder.

"If you love him at all, you'll spare him the pain," he said. "Let him finish this and then, perhaps after the timing will be right."

I gritted my teeth together. "Fine," I said softly, handing the letter to him.

"Thank you," he said.

"It's your funeral," I said with a small frown of my face. I didn't like that things were changing. I didn't like keeping secrets from my friends, and Bruce was more than a friend to me. I hated it but Alfred was right. I did love him. I loved him a lot.

~*TDK*~