The last of the Harlequin titles are by Mary Lyons and Penny Jordan, in that order ("Love is the Key" and "An Unbroken Marriage"), and the rest of the next to final chapter of "The Natural Conclusion", and in the comments section of the twenty-first chapter, a convo thread between EastfitHadia and asphyxia778 inspired near the end. :D I also recently read "Red Hood's justice" by Bl4ckHunter.
The final fight is more verbal and emotional than physical, since the fight scenes are generally not my cup of tea, except I would expand for epic scales once in a blue moon like in a past Kim Possible fic, "The Monkey King Takes His Queen". Red Hood and Spoiler vs. Batman - use your imagination for the moves, whatever suits you.
Review as soon as you finish this beautiful finale I'm unashamed of.
Chapter Fourteen
Love's the Key to an Unbroken Marriage
"You killed him."
Those were the first words Jason said to her as soon as he came for her after she answered all procedural questions, arriving in the very same truck they loved. He was breathless and breathing heavily at the same time. "I did," Stephanie answered without a beat. "More volts than he could have taken, and nobody called me out on it, but some were worried the cops would take me in. Imagine my surprise when the commish cried his thanks and Babs couldn't even say a word."
He busted out guffawing, throwing his head back. She could see the tears in the shining of his eyeballs. How could he not? She'd killed the Joker, did everyone a public service...
...except a certain someone would not see it that way.
"Couldn't even say she loved you for it, just like I'm going to next?"
You - you just -! "What? What did you say?" Stephanie gasped, inching back a bit in her seat, stunned and wondering if she heard it right.
Jason leaned in closer to her, his head and upper body doing the action. "Exactly that, Steph, and it's all true. I've been in love with you since...since I woke up and you were there with the others, after that night. I agreed to Talia's proposal because of that, but wanted longer than that. I was proud of you when you finally ended both of your nightmares and now when you did the same to mine. I should have done that a long time ago, but I wanted someone else to do it for me because I mattered to them." And I did that for you. "You're not just ideal for Gotham's future, but for me."
Then he reached for both of her hands. She didn't even notice, but he had something in his pocket, and she gasped again.
"I wanted to wait until August for our first anniversary, but after today, I couldn't wait anymore."
He placed the new ring on her finger to join the two she had already - gold with an ombre of pink diamonds, rubies, tanzanites, alexandrites fused between red and purple, and amethysts, and at the center a peridot for both of them. An anniversary gift, and once - had - their four-year contract expired, he would have allowed her to keep it as a token of everlasting friendship. That was no longer the case.
Their child would come in July, so the presence of the ruby came as a happy accident, aside from its symbolism of fiery passion.
Jason brought that hand up and kissed the back, sending the little surge of electricity through her. "My wife and the mother of my child," he finished huskily.
And just like that, the moment was interrupted by a call from Tim. "This a bad time, guys?" he asked after Steph did the honors of irritably pushing the green button.
"Not at all, Timmers," Jason answered, huffing and starting the car for them. "What's up?"
"It's done, guys. You should watch it now."
~o~
BATMAN IS "BRUCE WAYNE"
They hurried home as soon as they got the news. No doubt this was the official triggering point aside from the Joker's death at the hands of Stephanie al Ghul. Outcries included new riots in the streets before Wayne Enterprises, baying for the blood of the man who held them all hostage amidst his decades-long games with the enemies just like him.
"Rich bitch protects himself and the other shitheads like him!"
"I lost my little boy to Two-Face's coin toss and Bruce - Bats - just shrugged it off and told me he was sorry for my loss, and that was it!"
"I always knew Wayne was a fraud, and this proved it! He was in for himself all the time. His parents would have been ashamed of him."
"Why am I not surprised he wastes the family wealth on himself and just tosses for show like the other scum-suckers?"
"Became Batman for himself and not the rest of us, huh? Since his mama and daddy died? He and that butler of his."
"So, he wasted all that money on himself when he could have helped all of us?!"
AND they were showing footage on GNN: a massive gathering of roaring Gotham citizens and reporters looking for the object of their wrath and obsession. The drive to get answers that would never be forced, the lust for blood after decades of being playthings and caught in the middle. GCPD helicopters were also circling, calling for the arrest of Bruce Wayne. This was the stroke of Tim's genius: the clean slate wiping solid evidence of THEIR real identities since hard evidence was also crucial aside from words alone, which meant no way in hell they'd be brought in or suspected. Aside from that, the people loved them more than Batman nowadays.
Vicki Vale was having a helluva field day with this one, reporting every single detail of this, but there were no reports of Bruce Wayne or Batman ever going in the direction of the manor.
He'd completely vanished off the map since his dramatic unmasking at the hands of his former sidekicks before he reached the hospital. This meant that he'd left the face of the earth as Batman, and Bruce Wayne was disguising himself real good to exact "justice" his way...which meant one thing, and her husband decided this, his actions speaking in the form of calling Talia who had waited for this with everything she had.
"My son...what do you wish to do?"
Stephanie looked at Jason's face, holding her breath and covering her stomach with both hands, waiting...
"Time for Red Hood to finally come back, this one time."
~o~
Bruce Wayne evaded everyone as soon as they descended on him. The Batkids knew him by now based on all of this:
He'd lined himself with lead that even Superman and Superboy couldn't get a grasp on him.
Wayne Manor had been blown up from below, taking everything with it and not just the Batcave below it. "The Knightfall Protocol," Tim said bitterly over their communications channel, "for when the time came, and not if. I came across it after I was settled in. I'm not surprised at all. Now that the truth's out, he's got nowhere to hide. But thankfully, we're not alone."
Stephanie had considered standing back for the sake of the baby, but then it was brought up to her that she could go out there with her husband and everyone, not fight but only come in when it was dire, and she was given a hell of an upgrade to her old suit for just this night. The kevlar would do its job for the entire body, but namely for her abdomen she and Jason were concerned about. She looked forward to making the statement, along with the additional protection to her head, which was attached to the suit and covered her hair, the hood and cape remaining as they were, and bearing no symbol.
Jason...oh, God, Jason was a sight to behold.
The Red Hood was back as sworn.
Honest to all that was holy, this was a god in human form. The suit was back, helmet modified to also attach to the suit and repair itself upon inflicted damage. Courtesy of the League of Assassins. It was full-on gray-black Kevlar and also bore no symbol, for personal reasons because Jason believed symbols only tied you down, based on one of his past missions with the Outlaws. They had to draw Batman out, and there definitely was one way to do it, with little time to talk.
"He's gonna hide, and since he's disabled everything we know, there's one way to do it," Jason said, "and that's why Steph and I will make our presence known on live TV, and he tracks our movements that way."
"I don't like this, Jason," Barbara said worriedly. "But it's the best we can do, right? And the rest is on you if the rest of us can't keep him down like before."
Tim chimed in. "Yeah, we deserve to finish him, but you should do the last resort, and we all know what that is."
Cass piped up. "Ric and Damian listening, not involved." They weren't gonna have anything to do with the man who caused one of them pain for the longest time, and the other he barely ever spent time with as a father. But at least Tim managed to pass on a recorded message during the rooftop fight that the world knew nothing about:
"It's a good thing I don't remember any of it, but Robin belonged to ME and MY FAMILY, never you to begin with. The others might have done good with it in their own way, but it was always mine to give away. You took the childhood of the old me away, and continued to take from all of us without giving in return, and don't say money and resources, because that's what anyone can do. I never want you to see my face again, or Dami's. Die alone for all I care."
Damian had nothing to say, which was fine. He had Ric, the Kents, and the lot of them anyway.
Babs hacked into the channel she still had access to, miraculously as they would have expected otherwise from him, and let Steph and Jay speak while the others listened. "Listening in on us, old man?" Jason taunted.
"I'm bringing you both in and dealing with you MY way, and then the rest of you once I've regained everything," Batman growled. "You're both to blame, and I'll make the world see it once again."
"Um, did you forget the whole world knows your face and now they want your blood on the earth and your head on a spike?" Stephanie sang, excited to her core now. Despite being in this game for a long time, all of them, it seemed as if the tables turned and they were now in the roles of those in the movies they'd loved: they were gonna kill the bad guy, either literally or figuratively, depending on how everything would go.
Jason had the honor of ending the nightmare for all of them, whether the people asked or not, which was why he mocked the man he once called father before Barbara ended the line: "Meet Spoiler and me in the center of Park Row...where all can watch the show."
~o~
The people of Park Row, Vicki Vale and her cameraman, as well as Commissioner Gordon and his squads, all got to watch it unfold like the greatest film of the entire century that was never heard of.
No one was going to get in the way of the showdown between Batman and two of his former pupils, who he'd exiled as though he were a damned king. They now knew Gotham's favored son was no longer favored because it wasn't like he ever lived among them as Jason and Stephanie had, so no way he really got what they were going through.
If anyone remotely suspected the real identities of the rest of the Batkids, except herself and Jason for obvious reasons - there was talk Bruce entered their grand opening party uninvited out of jealousy that the population was gravitating towards them now - then no one wanted to out them since they weren't vilified.
There was no word on Jason and Stephanie al Ghul, but it was speculated they hunkered down based on the advice of those in their inner circle and entrusted it to the reemerged Red Hood and Spoiler. Some called it cowardly, but others said if it meant being safely away from the infamous Batman, then they couldn't help everyone if something happened to them. However, Stephanie was worried he could out them all verbally, intending to drag all of them down with him since he wouldn't want to go alone; that was another great fear of his.
Dying alone.
"Spoiler. Hood."
"In the flesh," Jason answered, modulator bringing out the roaring applause of their audience, signaling his one-time return, and hers, too. "Just this one night...the end of it all."
"And don't delude yourself and say you're bringing us in," Steph snarled, her gut bouncing because of her nerves and the baby.
And with that, they drew forth their weapons gifted to them by Lady Shiva and Deathstroke. Seeing this, Batman sneered at them, drawing out his fists and his expected arsenal waiting in his belt. He'd lost his mind so much that he failed to prepare for upgrades from his former soldiers. Nothing the others did was enough to make him see it.
"I'm so SICK and tired of everything," Jason growled, flourishing both of his new pistols which was a major surprise courtesy of Slade Wilson. "I'm tired of your dictatorial ways of life, such as when you kicked me out when the people of Crime Alley needed me the most, all because I took out one of the worst who made my life a merry-go-round, along with the other families." He got a collective, roaring affirmative from the residents watching. "I never intended to kill him, but thankfully someone who worked for him did the job instead. You having the balls to throw HER out -" He nodded at Steph. "- for coming to be with me while I was coming out of a coma? No wonder people hate you for all the known reasons. You hate real hard workers and prefer people flocking to you because of your family name attached.
"First my birth father, then Penguin, then Joker, and now YOU. And when you got me back? You saw the child I was before and not who I am now. A stranger walking around with my face, so to speak. You abused me in all four categories and just called your brand of 'help' as you thought it was, dishing out ultimatums and calling out every little thing I'd do, no matter if it was small. No matter if my friends and colleagues -" And brothers. "- believed in me. They accept me for who I am and not what they want me to be, unlike you." And he cocked both his pistols into its true form.
Seeing it made Batman roar and dive towards them, flinging smoke bombs and batarangs, all being dodged with the barrel and butt of the heavily modded rifle with AP rounds, and in between, punches and kicks that were expected, with one thing Bruce never would have anticipated.
Every shot Red Hood made towards him would, bit by bit, break through the Kevlar and slow his movements. The former hero in black slowly came to realize this and tried to find a new trick only to realize he was running out of toys - and then turned his attention to the other cape he had forgotten about in his vengeful rage.
"Say hello to the courtesy of Lady Shiva."
High-carbon, single-edged silver gleamed in the light of the setting sun, the scabbard emblazoned with sunlit gold scrolls for beauty and skill. Two of them, one in each of Spoiler's hands. A collective "ooh" and "ahh" came as if this was a show for young people, but close enough; the forgotten people were seeing their exiled protectors take on the true menace behind the likes of the Joker and the worst of the worst.
The one who had innocent blood on his hands by saving monsters' lives more than their victims, because he was just as deranged as they were, and yet tried to make himself different.
The battle picked up as the purple-caped heroine formed an X with her blades crossed over her breast and lashing out as she leaped into action.
~o~
Vicki Vale had covered everything professionally, but now she'd broken out of her shell with a vengeance, having had enough of Bruce Wayne's bullshit, and acting as the voice for the people, not caring if she would get fired or suspended for personal views:
"People of Gotham, the eternal 'victim' of the world is here at our feet. He's been out of touch with you all for the longest time, tried to squash his new competition because he could see his end was near, but even now refuses to admit he's wrong on anything. His defeat today won't open his eyes. His narcissism continues to believe he's doing good for Gotham just because it was his parents' legacy, but we all know they would be ashamed of him. Any psychologist would agree narcissists think they're what they're really not, and no good deeds change that. They NEVER change, either.
"His donations and so-called goodwill, his taking in of all these kids only to destroy their childhoods because he'd rather have crutches instead of do the work of parenting, the way people think about him personally, his limitless control, abusing his family legacy and resources to keep Arkham going like an addict getting fixes...it's all about control. It's all about him and neverending victimhood. His Robins are all just fodder compared to him. They were victims directly and indirectly of his, and still are.
"The leaking of the reason he would save the likes of the Joker and the worst - he thinks he's keeping his hands and conscience clean because he's not God. But how many of you lost someone you loved or survived and were left irreparably damaged internally? It's safe to say it's no longer just the ones who directly do this to us. Who was he to always make the call of having us all live in fear for our lives every day, waiting for a Rogue to break out and cause more harm, claiming to be saving Gotham from itself when it's his status quo?
"We don't have solid evidence of the Robins' identities, though many speculate, except they all continue to be our saviors even now, so the GCPD has stated they are willing to compromise with them until the day comes when the vigilantes are no longer needed, but that hasn't stopped the ongoing debates.
"Bruce Wayne became Batman more for himself than everyone else, whether he admits it or not. He endangered citizens more than keeping them safe. Gotham has always been corrupted for as long as we can remember, but it seems in our time and the future to come, as long as Batman is around, things will only get worse than they've been. We've been his hostages long enough in his god-complex crusade.
"...oh, God, viewers. If you are watching this, then make sure to turn little ones' eyes are turned away, or get them out of the room at once."
And when a great reporter like Miss Vale said those words, you knew shit was going to hit the fan explosively.
~o~
"Wayne." Jim Gordon approached the scene, giving the order to all units to stand back until he called it in, though, in reality, everyone was here for the one-night event, as it was called in every mind.
"Jim."
The man was kneeling on the ground, suit's mechanisms and everything disabled thanks to Red Hood's body-infused electroshocks and Spoiler's stabbing of the blade into one knee where the plates separated. And now the cowl was removed for all to see. Beaten. Defeated. And awaiting his final fate. The child who never grew up and whose life was defined by one single moment of tragedy and despair, who nearly squandered his family legacy and resources mostly for himself, didn't bother monitoring where his donations would go other than where they were supposed to, who used children in a war he was doomed to lose from the start, and whose existence led to more death and trauma for everyone.
The commissioner who once regarded him as a friend and ally, same with Bruce's part, now glared vengefully and coldly, uncocking his gun and laying it on his side, pointing the barrel to the ground. He'd gotten the mayor's approval to shoot and kill on sight, since super prisons he would escape from and having played a part in building in the past, and the GCPD and Blackgate were out of the question for obvious reasons. "I wanted to kill him for what he did to me and my daughter, who is still in a wheelchair because of him, but you said we should be better - your definition of better being leading to the deaths of people we were supposed to protect. And us continuing to be in his way. I never should have listened to you and put him down like the rabid dog he was long ago. I thank Stephanie al Ghul for that. You and your moral code - at least a lot of us know when a dangerous wild animal has to be put down, them or us. But you think you have an obligation to save those who never deserved it.
"Your no-killing rule is simplistic and childish in itself, and the reason you don't go that route? Obviously, you're as unhinged as the rest we put away together. Those of us with guns and advanced armory have more common sense than you do. We've all known that long before you debuted the show in the cape and cowl. I've never had innocent blood on my hands, and neither have these two; you do. At least Red Hood never called himself a hero. He does what's necessary and knows how to compromise, as much as I do. You and Harvey Dent fell from where you once were, and he was never on that pedestal to begin with."
If only Stephanie could see her husband's tear-filled eyes beneath his helmet, but she could only imagine. Gordon defending him made her heart swell, and cheers from Crime Alley roared deafeningly, perhaps enough to reach the rest of the city.
Bruce bared his teeth, snarling like the cornered animal he was. "You...you..." He didn't get to finish his sentence before Jason whacked him on the back of his head with the back of his rifle, safety on.
"I'm glad I never sucked up and drank your Kool-Aid," he said to the man who once took him off the streets, fed and clothed him, gave him an education, but never truly trusted him because he was nothing like Dick. The one who let his murderer live and cut his throat at the same time, made him a cautionary tale and slandered his name. "I'm glad I have people who love me and accept me for who I am, not who they want me to be, and while I never asked for it, the people of Gotham love me and will thank me and this woman for years to come." He looked at her through the lens, and she pictured his smile. It seemed as if she could telepathically hear his message that he wished he could tell Bruce aloud, but then...
"Because of you, I never have to change again for requirements. You are delighted to be gifted with the likes of me as I am with you. What we have is unconditional - something Bruce Wayne never grasped." I'm gonna be the mother of his children; we love each other with every fiber of our beings, and to think it began on a convenient deal of all things. We're both Crime Alley kids and gave and got more love of Gotham than the prince ever has and ever would have.
They always fought for what they loved and would keep doing it, even when they got old, gray, and smelly.
"What's the verdict for this real criminal who started it all with the Rogues?" Stephanie asked, raising her voice and turning around to the people who wasted no time bellowing, but she could make out a handful of voices that would have mortified them in another life, but vindictively, it was exactly what was needed.
~o~
"We're going now, people of Gotham. The age of vigilantes will someday be over, but there are two new heroes who are waiting to come out, and you know who they are."
That was still showing once in a while when those fierce vigilantism debates were still going on, even today, half a year later. Spoken by Red Hood himself.
Batman was never meant to be a long-term solution, yet its owner intended to make it that way subconsciously, using it to channel his inner violence and rage, revolving his entire life on it; his childhood mindset and his temper tantrums through the cape and cowl would be the subject of psychology for generations to come. Never got the help he should have, and Alfred Pennyworth was to blame for enabling that. As a consequence, he accepted punishment and took a plea bargain to be sent back to England, never to return, but no one said he could lose touch with the rest of the kids.
Batman and his Rogues gallery were a tumor that was cut out. Some of the worst got their cases reopened for the death penalty, others transferred out of Arkham for better treatment, while the asylum itself would be demolished.
In other news what remained of the family, by a miracle, Ric Grayson slowly regained memories of his old life, being the same and yet different. And they said once parts of you returned, the rest would never return. All the same, the Batfamily welcomed him back but would not make him go back into crime fighting. He was also in a new relationship with his dear friend, the bartender Bea, and everyone approved of her immensely. Damian was the one to threaten her if she so much as emotionally harmed his brother; she just laughed.
Tim got with Tam Fox. "Goddamn, I'm so happy for him," Stephanie said upon seeing the post, sitting up from the corner of the bed, jewelry box in hand so she could take care of her business in the bathroom. Behind her on the bed, the one-month-old little girl with her daddy's green eyes and mama's soft gold hair in tufts - wearing a stunning onesie from her grandmother Talia, bright and bold with dark and hot pink peonies and soft pastel roses with a blue and green peacock - cooed and pumped her little fists and feet in the air for attention. Stephanie laughed and set her phone and box down, picking up her daughter underneath the arms. "Alright, Caty, don't make a fuss. Mama's about to finish getting ready, and then we can all go celebrate with everyone." For Tim and Tam after their relationship was shared by them all over social media.
Just last month, Steph went into labor and out popped this beautiful little one she would never, EVER let go like she did her sister before her. She and Jay named him after his mom but called her Caty for short.
And on cue, the bathroom door opened so her husband walked out with a silver silk collared shirt and ripped dark jeans, hair combed down the middle with the fringes framing his forehead. Her mouth watered and the other parts tingled along with a mildly painful clench between her legs. Been a month and her body was still recovering from childbirth.
He whistled at the sight of her in her plum purple chiffon dress with its bodice of threaded rose-gold flowers and leaves, the skirt three-tiered and softly ruffled like petals, and her hair in a high ponytail with the tail curled lushly. "Too bad I can't get any right now," Jason said with a glum pout.
"Shush, innocent ears," Stephanie scolded him, laughing and handing him their baby girl. "But then again, she doesn't understand yet."
Jason took Caty into his arms, resting her little head against his shoulder, whistling a tune, and leaning to peck his wife on the cheek. His ride or die like Roy, who was in town with Oliver, Dinah, and Lian for the fun. And speaking of which, Steph had to finish getting ready so they could go. Talia, Crystal, Dick, Bea, Damian, the Kents, Cass, and the couple themselves were already at the restaurant or on the way.
Stephanie admired this new set she got from her mother-in-law who still loved indulging them and her new granddaughter, just like Crystal spoiled her with new toys every now and then. The earrings now in her lobes were opened gold roses centered with a cabochon ruby, and the cuff bracelet similar to one Edward VIII gave Wallis Simpson at one point, with both ends bearing luscious square rubies framed with diamonds, the latter jewels going around the cuff and sectioned into black onyx hexagonal outlines. That and the amber necklace with her initial from her man the past Christmas.
Almost a year of this, and look how far Gotham was coming in small ways. Not just what they did for their neighborhood and onward to the Narrows, but the political system was slowly losing its career-long, corrupt politicians thanks to voters tuning out and new leaders inspired by Jason and Stephanie. And unlike Bruce Wayne, they stayed to monitor where their donations would go, and secretly, League assassins got involved to dispatch them. That was the only time they'd ever be used.
Because of all that, it looked like the vigilantes of Gotham would decrease activities, and other states and countries would one day follow suit.
In the midst of the hard work, the Todd family wound up becoming what their old families failed to be. In the end, Jason told Stephanie she was a rare woman that he never thought he'd have, and he's sure his mother would have LOVED her.