Chapter 19

Author: Ugh why did this next chapter take so long? Probably because it's sad and I didn't want to write it T_T Ugh! Talk about serious writer's block. Thanks to those of you who were patient while I finished this next chapter. Huge shout-out to Siennax3 for alerting me of the formatting errors coming up on this chapter; PHEW! As always, you rock :) I'd also like to give a huge shout-out to arkofsirius and Gaia and Crixus for their lovely LOVELY reviews (THANK YOU! You were both so motivating! I appreciate each of you soooo much.) Please don't forget to leave a quick review if you are still reading! It seriously does motivate me more than anything :) I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any of the characters within the franchise. I own the original characters of this story as well as the plot that are not directly tied to the movie.

Time to Neutron Bomb Explosion: 1 day

Myra awoke to the sound of water. Specifically, the sound of gentle ocean waves.

As Myra slowly opened her eyes, the brightness of the sun was unexpected. She could still feel the cold dark damp from the dusk that had just recently ended, giving way to a sunrise. She shied away from the light quickly, squinting, her nose making contact with something warm and soft. She began blinking to erase the sleepy dew from her vision so as to better determine what it was she was making contact with. As her vision cleared, her eyes took in the unmistakable broad muscular chest in front of her as it slowly rose and fell from the oxygen being pulled in and out of a very large set of lungs, accompanied by a faint wheeze extruded through a mask. Myra let her eyes travel upwards until they roamed over the mask, settling on a pair of eyes that were already peering down at her. Myra grinned.

"Good morning", Bane whispered with a hint of tease, his eyes sparkling and focused as if he had just uncovered a hidden treasure from under a rock.

Myra simply smiled back, stretching her body out along his like a feline before moving in closer. She brought a hand up to rest a finger against the tip of his mask while her eyes stayed focused on his eyes. She loved the way the light of the early sun filtered through his eyelashes, making his gaze seem soft, natural, and warm. The color of his eyelashes filtering in the light reminded her of the husks of wheatgrass in a bright Midwestern field. She grinned at the thought, finding the feeling of casual comfort, nostalgia, and belonging consuming her. That feeling transported her to when she first discovered his unabashed gentle tendencies, some of which included his soft looks, gentle voice, and feathery touches with his fingers. She recalled so clearly first witnessing these inclinations of his in stark contrast to what he was generally perceived to be: a monstrous, physically imposing man. The memory gave her goosebumps.

Bane brought a hand down to graze his thumb along her cheek, brushing fingers over the erupting goosebumps along her arm, before cupping her chin fully with his hand to get her full focused attention.

"May I ask you a question?" he asked softly, his voice sounding raw and unfiltered through his mask as he whispered.

Myra grazed her fingertip against the grill of his mask, taking in the tactile feel of it. She grinned at his polite verbal tendencies, her curiosity piqued.

"Of course," Myra whispered back at him, unsure of why they were whispering.

Bane didn't ask his question immediately, but instead moved his eyes to the top of her head as if he were inspecting her, smoothing his hand down along the top of her hairline and then down the side of her face. Myra felt like he was absorbing her directly through his fingertips based on the goosebumps that erupted in his path. He finally settled his hand against her cheek.

"If you had but one day left on this earth, how would you live it?" Bane asked in a casual, off-handed manner, his eyes shifting to focus on her lips.

Goosebumps suddenly erupted over Myra's body as a chill swept over her. She shifted, adjusting herself so she could focus on him a bit more directly. She felt a ringing in her ears, as if something very terrible was about to happen. She knew he was a man who harnessed other kinds of tendencies that involved a network of schemes and organizations outside her purview... She couldn't help but feel her heart skip in anxiousness. Not for her life...but for his.

"Is there a reason I would only have one day left to live?" Myra asked a bit more loudly than she had anticipated, the ringing in her ears intensifying. She started shifting herself up on her elbow, concern and severity riddled on her face as she stared at him.

Bane began running his hand along her arm in an attempt to physically smooth and alleviate her erupting goosebumps. In a show of rarity, he miscalculated where her concern seemed to be directed towards.

"My query is merely rhetorical. I have no reason to believe that you won't live a long happy life…particularly given the moderate lengths I have gone through to ensure just that," Bane clarified in a reassuring albeit cryptic and chiding tone, easing her back down. Myra did not find his sentiment as humorous as he did, of course. She eventually felt herself ease back into his chest, reflecting on the abundant affection and care that he had always treated her with. She couldn't help but concur with his statement; she did feel well-protected, adored, and periodically spoiled under his care. It is what helped cultivate the love and affection that she felt for him now.

"I suppose...I would spend it with those I love most, if I had but one day. I guess in my case….that would be you," Myra mumbled, her hands fidgeting against his chest.

Bane reached a hand up to engulf her fidgeting hand, using his large thumb to stroke idle circles in her palm. Silence existed between them save for the sound of his skin sliding over hers as he gently massaged her hand with his.

"What might some of your last actions be? Where would you go?" Bane whispered in a gentle hum as he squeezed her hand with his.

Myra gave a sigh, her eyes roaming around her immediate surroundings. She focused on the palm trees, the ocean, the sand, and finally the fire that was all but ash and embers. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, the smell of sea, salt, and palms overtaking her senses.

"I don't know...it would be nice to go someplace remote….Like this place. With just the two of us. I love warmth...and beaches…time alone. With you. Holding you….you holding me..." Myra mumbled groggily as she repositioned her arm lazily over his chest, imploring him to hold her tighter with gentle nudges of her chin while reaching out to scoop a handful of sand with her free hand, nonverbally imploring him to convince her that his question was indeed just rhetorical.

Bane remained silent, watching Myra as her hand made abstract shapes in the sand. He positioned his arm tightly around her and then gently began brushing his fingers through her hair, bringing his mouthpiece closer to her ear.

"Hmn, splendid thought indeed..." Bane whispered, so gently, as if he were speaking to himself.

Myra and Bane lay in silence save for the soft mechanical rasp of his mask that complimented the sound of the water on the beach. Bane's fingers periodically found themselves tracing Myra's ears, eyebrows, and chin. Myra's fingers continued to trace shapes in the sand, pacified by the dull throbbing beating of his heart amplified through the proximity of her ear over his chest. A smile began creeping onto her lips when Bane's fingers trailed down her back to settle below her tailbone, cupping her rump tenderly, all thoughts of his off-handed question clearly forgotten due to his affectionate handling.

Myra heard a faint buzzing sound, prompting her to tilt her head to the side to try and locate the noise. She held her breath for a moment, trying to figure out if a pesky bug was the culprit. After a handful of seconds, the unmistakable sound of a plane approaching started filling the air. Myra tilted her head back to make eye contact with Bane, about to open her lips to ask if he heard it too.

The soft, focused gaze of Bane on her stilled her questioning. He was utterly focused on her, as if he were attempting to take in the last bit of pure, happy, essence from their time here in this singular moment through his fingertips as he gently caressed her cheek. Myra searched his expression, finding it awkward for him to appear to be so willfully ignoring the impending, obvious approach of the plane. She took in a breath, opening her mouth to ask him if he heard it when Bane was suddenly in motion.

Bane stood up abruptly, grabbing hold of her arms as he did so and hoisting her up with him in one fluid motion.

"It's time to go", Bane said firmly in a voice that was a far cry from the gentle whispers he was prescribing just moments prior as if that plane was the herald that brought forth reality while simultaneously extinguishing their comfort and dreams. The feeling of discomfort she was feeling following his question suddenly came flooding back tenfold. She also felt as if she were a guest overstaying their welcome at a party. Myra watched as he expertly dressed and gathered up their supplies and belongings into a bag. He then threw some clothing at Myra. Myra hesitated for the briefest of moments before a stern look from Bane propelled her to obedience by quickly hopping into her clothing.

Bane made one last sweep of the campsite before directing his incredibly stern gaze to Myra, who wasn't quite finished getting dressed. Her pants were unzipped and she didn't get one arm properly through an armhole. Without a word, he took a large step towards her to close the gap and then grabbed hold of her hand. Myra was too startled to respond before Bane quickly began marching towards the direction of the airstrip, undoubtedly where the airplane had made its landing. Bane's pace was not leisurely nor was his grip lax; he was practically dragging Myra along, his hand a vice grip around hers. Myra had no time to even trip over a root; she felt as if Bane propelled her straight over any obstacles along the way, not giving her any opportunity to delay his trajectory. She managed to struggle into her clothes just as they made their way to the clearing where Steve the pilot stood next to the freshly-landed plane.

They boarded the plane without much fanfare. Bane and Steve exchanged quick pleasantries before Steve readied the plane for takeoff. Bane guided Myra to her seat and ensured she was strapped in before he took position in the cockpit next to Steve. Once in the air, he moved to the back of the plane to take position next to Myra. Very little was said between the two, Myra still drowsy and shaken from the whirlwind trip. She did lean in towards him to rest her chin against his bicep, the sound of the plane lulling her to passivity.

Myra felt herself go into autopilot, barely registering the time it took to get back to Gotham. She hardly even registered the fact that they had landed and were already back at the hidden tunnel that led back into Gotham, Bane hoisting a large duffel bag over his shoulder as he led the way. Myra almost ran into him when he suddenly stopped at the entrance, turning to look at her.

''This is where our paths must diverge, Ms. Bell'', Bane said with the sound of heaviness in his chest, as if he were unloading a great burden. He unhooked the duffel bag strap from his shoulder and rested it on the ground between them.

Myra looked at him, confused. Her initial assumption was that his statement was simply grandiose flourishment. The expression he bore, however, made her heart falter.

"What do you mean?" Myra asked.

Bane gave her a sad, heavy look before his expression took on a steely expression, purposefully ridding himself of residual emotion from his features.

"It means you are not to accompany me back into Gotham" Bane said.

Confusion continued to riddle Myra's face as she probed for further clarification. Bane's gaze faltered to the duffel bag.

"Oh...okay...then where am I to rendezvous with you, then? Are we going to a different city?" Myra asked, her eyes desperate to make eye contact with him. His attention seemed diverted to the duffel bag.

"No," was all Bane said, letting his answer settle in the air between them.

Myra leveled him with a stare.

"I don't understand," Myra finally relents, her shoulders sagging, clearly desperate for understanding and refusing to let her mind drift to insecurities.

Bane took a heavy seemingly apathetic sigh, expanding his chest as he took a deep breath before lifting his chin. He stood tall and large as his eyes met hers.

"It is not my fate to live past tomorrow. I have made a deal with the devil to ensure you, however, do" Bane said quietly, his voice sounding fatigued and irritated.

For once in her life, Myra was utterly speechless. She could only stare at him, shocked and wide-eyed as she processed what was happening. Bane's apathetic expression quickly transitioned into a soft look of understanding as he absorbed her physical reaction to his words and perceived actions. He took an instinctual step forward in an attempt to ensnare her in his pacifying arms, but she responded in kind by taking a mirroring step away from him. Bane observed her brows knotted together in either very deep thought or worry.

"How long...have you been planning this?" Myra forced herself to ask, her eyes shifting to the ground, finding it difficult to look at him at this moment. His answer very well could make or break her.

Bane didn't respond immediately, but just breathed evenly through his mask as he studied her. He then responded.

"If you are referring to my choice in staying with the city during its destruction...that knowledge has been with me for months if not years, I'm afraid," he whispered, continuing to study her.

Myra took another sudden step away from him, feeling her insides crumble. He knew he was going to die…? Yet...he still chose to be with me? Impregnate me? Leave me with his burden? Did he ever truly love me, or did he just love the idea of one last hurrah before he died…?

Bane must have detected the mental turmoil she was experiencing due to her pained expression and fidgeting hands. He stepped closer to her, bringing his free arm up to encircle her into a gentle embrace. Myra was too numb to pull away. He lowered his chin so that he could speak quietly into her ear.

"Please know that, despite what you may perceive...my actions are performed out of love. Promise me you'll remember and understand that," Bane continued whispering.

"Bane…" Myra breathed out, unsure of how she could possibly translate mass destruction and his death as an 'act of love'. The magnitude of sudden imminent loss overwhelmed her.

"I had every intention of dying here today to a cause greater than both of us. You changed me, however, my very dear Myra Bell. I was willing..nay, wanted with every fiber of my being...to run away from you. As my desires became more apparent to those with power, your safety came into question. It soon became a choice between my life or your safety. I chose the latter without hesitation," Bane said, his grip around her tightening.

Myra's mind was in chaos. She thought of what her life would be without him and how empty that thought made her feel. It made her sick with longing to reach out and touch him while he was still tangible. Suddenly, she realized how selfish she was that her mind could only think of losing him and no longer being with him, holding him….and not of the people within the city. She felt disgusted.

"NO!" she suddenly screamed, tearing away from him.

Bane let her go, letting his arms fall down to his sides as he watched her.

"There are children out there. Innocent children…" Myra's tears began to affect her vision, but she continued on. "All of those people in Gotham...they all could have been me, if you hadn't met me at the Gotham Exchange, it could have been any number of other individuals out there…." Myra said sadly. "You simply hadn't had the opportunity to...to know them yet," Myra gasps out, tears overwhelming her vision.

Bane dismissed her remark immediately, turning his head away from her in indifference.

"I am quite familiar with humanity. I also don't throw around my feelings carelessly. You also fail to realize that holding hostages and prisoners is not new to me. Do you think I hold feelings for every new person I take in as a prisoner or hostage? Simply being introduced to someone does not equate to me caring or sympathizing with that person. In fact, it's usually quite the opposite," Bane snarled.

Myra's reaction was simply to cry in silence. Bane let out an impatient sigh as he observed her.

"I'm selfish, Myra. Selfish to a fault. I won't deny it. I comprehend the destruction that is about to take place and the innocent lives that will be lost It is because of that destruction that I, too, deserve to die. It's also impossible for me to look beyond the immediate sphere of individuals I care about most in this world who drive my decisions. I don't care about the faceless Gothamites. Right now, I only care about you," Bane says.

"But...I was a faceless Gothamite" Myra mumbled out.

Bane was silent, unconvinced.

Myra's ears are ringing. She stared at him, processing his logic.

How could someone seem to care so much for her, yet seem so indifferent to the rest of the world? How could someone appear to have the capabilities to care so deeply, yet be so indifferent to everyone else? What if she wasn't taken hostage by him? Would he have cared that she was going to die with the rest of Gotham? He had made her feel so genuinely loved and cared for. He filled her void. Created a need she didn't even know she had. Was there anyone else in the world who was going to treat her the way he did?

Despite having to essentially leave her old life behind, he provided and nurtured her; he gave her opportunities that often left her speechless . Was she selfish for not leaving earlier, because she knew if she left, she knew she would live with a need that would gnaw at her unfulfilled until the day she died? She was hoping after Bane was done with his business and fascination with Gotham, then Bane would be satisfied with just settling down and lying low without the need to cause mass destruction. He did things that seemed so contradictory to the world's perception of him.

She also knew she couldn't be selfish anymore; it wasn't just herself that she had to take care of. There was someone else now, too, growing inside of her.

"These people don't deserve to die. Neither do you," Myra said with earnest, conviction.

Bane looked her over for several moments before bringing a hand up to tuck a strand of hair delicately behind her ear.

"All of the lives and souls of the people of Gotham will burn," Bane whispered with bitter sweetness, giving Myra chills at the blunt confession. "Including me….but you have a different fate," he emphasized, tilting his head to the side in his attempt for her to understand his distorted sense of morals.

Myra was clearly shaken. She turned her head away from him, her brows furrowed as she continued to absorb the magnitude of reality.

It was deeply unsettling for Bane to see her silently judging him in this manner, moments before his end on earth. He let out a wavering sigh.

"Contrary to what you may believe, the decision to destroy Gotham wasn't my choice. I am not attempting to deflect 'blame'. I'm simply educating you on how events transpired. The decision was made by an organization that is far more powerful than you or I, with far more moving parts and individuals than you can imagine, in reaction to a grievance borne from the leader's death. Revenge is a necessary law within the organization. This course of action was deemed to be the most appropriate path in delivering the most pain to that individual. I have no power to stop the bomb from going off; the lone individual who had the capabilities of disarming it is dead. I also do not hold the detonator. If the individual who holds the detonator got any indicator that there was a desire to either disarm or relocate the bomb to a safe distance from Gotham, then they would simply press the detonation button with both of us still inside the city. If they decided to simply spare the use of the detonator, and locate the individuals responsible for making attempts at disarming the bomb, do you not think that my body wouldn't also be strung up like those Special Forces officers on the bridge? I'd imagine you'd join me on that bridge too, simply due to our relationship. Mutiny and sabotage are not taken lightly. While I could care less about forfeiting my life, I will not risk your life in that futile effort. So you had better remove from your mind that there is even the slightest inkling of choice in this matter as if this isn't the only option," he said.

Myra didn't respond, but just shuffled her feet from his long-winded explanation that was said for her benefit. She chewed on her bottom lip briefly, keeping her eyes downcast.

After several moments in contemplation, Myra eventually trudged towards him slowly, shuffling her feet against the ground in the process. She didn't say a word, but simply wrapped her arms loosely around his middle and burrowed her head into his chest. It was obvious she was mentally drained from the concerns she carried with her in her mind regarding the matter, and just simply wanted to be held and comforted. Bane responded by bringing his arms up to wrap firmly around her shoulders and back in a soothing hug, his fingers trailing up and down her spine as he held her.

She felt longing engulf her, reminiscent of the first time Bane reached out to touch her with some measure of affection all those months ago. She let out a forced sigh that was on the brisk of turning into a sob. She wanted to hold onto the feel of his broad chest against her cheek. She wanted to remember the fragrance of tea, firewood, and gunpowder that always lingered on his body. She began clutching at him in desperation, unable to comprehend the prospect of him suddenly no longer being a constant presence in her life.

After what felt like hours, Bane disengaged himself from Myra. He bent down to grab hold of the strap of the duffle bag he brought with him from the plane. He knelt down to unzip it, revealing a bag full of cash. Myra simply stared at him.

"This is for you," Bane said simply.

Bane held the duffel bag full of bills and resources for her, undoubtedly left over from his ventures with John Daggett, and also undoubtedly held enough money for anyone to live comfortably for the rest of their life.

Myra simply stared. Then, she cringed, backing away from him.

"I don't want your money!", she screamed, retreating back against the wall and shoving the duffel bag away from her, sobbing. "If you knew you were going to die, why did you let me..-" Myra stopped herself before she could finish her sentence, turning her head away. Fall in love with you.

Myra kept her face turned away from him as she swallowed the words she was about to say, clearing her throat before turning to stare at him straight in the eyes.

"I don't want that...I want you," she said dismissively, further shoving the bag of cash away from her like it was a bag full of diseased rats. Bane stared at her. Then his eyebrows knitted together softly.

"That's...a very beautiful thing to say," he huffed out, clearly moved by her display that indicated she would much prefer him over a bag full of money; enough money to go do whatever she wanted with her life, be the person she wanted to be, go visit the places she wanted to go to. That didn't seem to matter to her at all; her eyes didn't even flicker back towards the bag. They just stayed focused with unwavering determination on him to scan his face like she was trying to capture as much of him as she could as if he were about to evaporate into the air like a puff of smoke.

Bane had to keep himself from thinking about Myra's reaction and how the consequences of his actions beyond his own death would affect her. He knew Myra would undoubtedly get caught up in a whirlwind of self-deprecating thoughts of self-worth and possibly feeling manipulated into the situation. He was hoping she would be able to find happiness with the money he provided her and would help her steer away from self-harm, but he also knew money couldn't necessarily buy happiness. He also hoped she would realize that he cared enough about her to make the necessary arrangements and precautions to ensure she was safely away from the blast radius when it happened; something that couldn't be said for the rest of Gotham.

Bane patiently dropped the duffel bag onto the ground instead, regarding her. Why did he allow this tryst to happen? What was he hoping to gain, if he knew it wasn't going to last? Perhaps a feeling of tenderness before he met his end?

Bane inched closer to her, reaching his arm out to grab hold of her hand. Myra tried to break free, making aggressive tugging gestures to free her grip. Bane continues to inch closer, Myra's attempts at freeing herself in vain. He yanked her closer with one final tug of her arm, taking his other arm to trap her by wrapping his arm around her shoulders, fully encapsulating her in a strong embrace. Myra continues to struggle from him, tears streaming down her face, but eventually settles to let her cheek rub against the rough fabric of his vest while making soft sniffling noises to prevent mucus from running down her nose. Bane moves his hand behind her head to gently stroke her hair in a calming gesture, leaning down to breath in her scent, softly rocking her. After several moments, he eventually lowered his hand to the back of her neck, massaging it gently.

"Please…please don't go…", Myra sobbed.

Bane brought his bare lips to brush against the skin of her ear, pausing as if he were about to divulge a secret that needed to be told as close to the source as possible without any type of filter like air, space, or distance threatening to transform the message into unrecognizable jargon.

"When tomorrow starts without me, and I'm not there to see…" Bane began, his tone reflective of someone directly quoting a source from memory. "If the sun should rise, and find your eyes, all filled with tears for me... I wish so much you wouldn't cry the way you did today. While thinking of the many things we didn't get to say. When tomorrow starts without me, please try to understand…"

Bane paused for several moments as if in reflection before continuing with Myra held tightly in his grip. He adjusted her so that her back was planted firmly against his chest, with his arm around her sternum.

"Do you understand...how dearly I love you, my dear Myra?" Bane whispered.

Myra startled, trying to turn herself around to face him. His head leaned down and forward against hers, his cheek abutting hers with his hand holding her firmly in place, preventing her from moving.

She then felt Bane encircling her neck quickly from behind and giving it a sudden squeeze. Myra had only a second to react, her arms darting up to grab hold of his forearm in an attempt to dislodge the object that was preventing air from going down her lungs. She began writhing, kicking, and grunting, shock and confusion overwhelming her at the apparent mortal betrayal.

Just as suddenly as it started, she was peacefully passed out.

Bane's hold on her neck immediately softened as he guided her limp body onto the ground, checking her breathing and her pulse to ensure her wellbeing. He positioned her head on the duffel bag to be used as a cushion. He gave her cheek one final stroke before he stood up and gave Steve the pilot a nod.

With one final glance to Myra, he turned to enter the chaos of Gotham city.

AN: UGGGHHHH don't worry there's more chapter(s). ;) Don't forget to leave a review :0