Title: Phone Calls Among Billionaire Superheroes VI.

Summary: Because sometimes you need to talk to your Gothamite buddy about the bat-thing roaming the gloomy streets of his city, or ask why in god's name is your friend flying around California's sunny sky in a red and gold tin can. Or, a collection of short phone calls/scenes set somewhere in the movies.

Warnings: None.

Notes: The Dark Knight - Part II. The last part of these series of phone calls.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Dark Knight Trilogy, Iron Man, any of its characters. Sadly.

OoOoO

"Well, well, well," Tony exclaimed as soon as the call finally connected, doing his best to keep the relief out of his tone. He had known Bruce was alive thanks to Alfred, but that was pretty much all he knew, and it was driving him insane. "Look who finally decided to answer the phone."

That was maybe a little unfair since Tony had been calling only for a couple of hours and it couldn't have been much longer than that since Bruce regained consciousness after taking whatever cocktail Alfred slipped him in to get him to sleep. Of course, with the news slowly coming out of Gotham as daylight came, that still felt like a damn long time without getting to speak to him.

The only reason Tony hadn't just gone back to Malibu, grabbed his suit, and flew to Gotham was the phone call he made to Alfred when he first learned what happened. Well, that, and he wasn't sure he was ready to see the wreck Bruce most likely was right now. It had been bad enough to see him at Rachel's funeral, and now that he didn't even have the hunt for that damn freak to focus all of his attention on, everything must be hitting him even harder.

It felt like a small eternity had passed since the funeral, but it had been only a few days. And yet, things just kept going to shit in a handbasket in that damned city Bruce loved so much.

Tony waited, but there was nothing but the soft sound of Bruce's breathing at the other end of the line. Right. He was going to have to do all the work here.

"Anyway," he said after clearing his throat. "I spoke with Alfie a few hours ago, but I didn't get much from him. Now that you finally answered the phone maybe you can explain to me what the hell is going on.

"I just spend I don't know how fucking long watching and reading all about Batman's little killing spree and hearing Gordon declaring the Bat Gotham's number one enemy and all but swearing they will do everything in their power to catch you and bring you to justice."

There was probably a more subtle and kinder way to ask that question, but well. Tony Stark didn't do subtle.

A thick silence was his only answer one more time, but this time Tony waited. He reached for his coffee mug while he watched the muted feed from the holographic screens around him, all showing news covers about Gotham and the Batman.

Bruce pushed away the untouched tray of food Alfred left the last time he came into the bedroom minutes or hours ago, a grimace of pain crossing his face at the movement. He didn't know what Tony had seen or heard exactly, but it was easy to imagine what was happening in the city right now, especially when only days ago people were clamoring for Batman's head on a plate.

He didn't feel ready to talk about any of it, not now, but he knew better than to think he could dissuade Tony.

"There's nothing to say." Even after clearing his throat, Bruce's voice was thin and hoarse. "Batman has to answer for his crimes,"

Tony leaned back on his chair with an eye roll. He hated it when Bruce talked about Batman in the third person. "Sure, if by crimes you mean risking his neck time and time again and saving from that damn fucking clown the same damn city that was all too willing to throw him to the wolves because that same freak asked for it."

"Batman killed six people," Bruce pointed out tiredly, voice devoid of all emotion.

"Bullshit. You don't kill. Besides, if the Bat didn't lose it and killed that fucking clown there's no fucking way he went out of his way to kill a few dirty cops," he argued without missing a beat. Tony made a face when he realized he talked about Batman the same way Bruce had.

"Those corrupt cops were partially responsible for Rachel's death."

Of fucking course they were, Tony thought, barely holding back a groan. Still, that didn't change the fact Bruce wouldn't have killed those bastards anyway.

"Maybe Batman didn't kill the Joker because he realized he was right," Bruce commented after a pause. "They're two sides of the same coin. He wouldn't exist without Batman."

"You know what's funny?" Tony asked almost casually. "In a totally fucked up way, of course. How you never take credit for any of the good things you do, no as Batman and no as Bruce Wayne, and then you go and say you turned someone into a murderous mad dog just by putting on a kevlar suit and going out every night to beat criminals."

Bruce said nothing in reply. He was too tired to argue.

"Now, here's what is going to happen, Brucie. You're going to tell me what happened- the truth, not whatever you and Gordon cooked up, or I'm going to call to one of my nice little press conferences and declare to the world I support Batman, and then proceeded to explain in detail how he didn't kill anyone and why.

"You know, get people thinking instead of just accepting whatever bullshit they're told."

"But I did. I killed someone."

"No, you didn't," was Tony's quick answer.

Bruce drew a deep breath, welcoming the pain it caused. "I killed Harvey."

"... no, you didn't."

"I did. I pushed him off the ledge of the construction and let him fall."

Tony sat up straight. He knew about Dent's unfortunate demise, of course, as well as the fact Gordon was openly blaming Batman for it, but he still didn't believe it. "'Let him?' Somehow I don't think it was your choice to let him fall."

"I didn't save him," Bruce stressed, ignoring Tony's words. "And none of this would have happened if I hadn't let Dent take responsibility for my actions."

"Funny, I don't remember him asking for your permission," Tony pointed out, still trying to regain his footing. He had no clue what the fuck was going on here, damn it. "Not to mention without Batman free to save the day -or night, actually- both of you would have been killed by that psycho clown along with a bunch of other people."

Bruce swallowed, hazel eyes fixed on the bedroom's ceiling. Being confined to the bed meant he had already spent countless hours memorizing every inch of it, yet he still found himself staring.

Tony didn't understand any of this, and he didn't think he could make him.

"What happened? Who killed all those people? And don't tell me it was you because I'm getting on a fucking plane and flying to Gotham to slap you over the head until you stop with that bullshit," Tony added threateningly. And he would do it, even if Pepper got mad at him. To hell with China and any business stuff he was supposed to be dealing with right now.

"It was Dent."

"Dent?! Harvey Dent, the city's white knight? 'I believe in Harvey Dent' Dent?"

"Yes," Bruce confirmed in a murmur. "He escaped when the hospital was evacuated after Joker's bomb threat. He- he tracked down the people involved in his kidnapping and Rachel's, and he killed them."

Tony swore under his breath. Gotham was really fucked up if the so-called 'White Knight' of the city snapped after only a few weeks in office and ended up on a fucking killing spread. Jesus fucking Christ. He felt almost wary to hear the rest of the story.

"Tell me what happened," Tony prompted with no hesitation.

After only a moment's pause, Bruce did. He talked about that night, from what happened with the ferries to Dent's death.

Tony listened to every word, not daring to interrupt or ask any questions. It was a little scary, the detached, almost mechanical way in which Bruce recited every detail, his voice breaking only a couple of times.

He didn't do feelings. Never had and proably never will, but Tony almost wished he was there to give Bruce a hug or something. The man fucking deserved it after all the shit he went through.

OoOoO

a/n: I guess this is the part where I remind you of what I said when I started posting this: This is one of my many unfinished projects and I decided to post it as such because it could be read without being finished. I worked on this fic on and off for years, and this was the last chapter I wrote, even if it was left half written until now.

So, I hope you enjoyed these short stories, and thank you for reading!