Gotham City has always been a dark place. One where no one was safe, but everyone was protected. You had learned that there was no such thing as black and white in the world. Police worked hard to protect lives, but also took them. Criminals hurt others for a profit, but to provide for their own families. The good and the bad merged into a single blur. It was your job to see through it.

As Batman, you learned that you had to make sacrifices. It was just as Dick said. In order to be Batman, you had to give some things up. You think back on the odd days that seemed so long ago. You led a team of young rebels when the government wanted to hide you all away. You captured several hearts, and broke just as many. You laughed, cried, fought, and cheered.

Now, you just fought.

You were thankful that you weren't alone in any of this. You still had your family. Cassandra, Hel, Tim, Stephanie, Jason, Damien. Everyone was still there for you. Even the Justice Leauge had your back.

After the fear monster attacked you all, the JL had kept a low profile. Hardly anyone communicated unless it had to do with an invasion or a possible threat. Seems that everything was already falling apart before it began. It wasn't like you all hated each other. It was just that none of you felt like you were ready. Not yet.

In the back of your mind, you wondered if Dick was right. If you really weren't ready to be Batman.

You dropped the melted lock to the floor and pulled open the heavy door.

Gotham City Shipyard. Almost midnight. You had one minute and thirty seconds left. After that...no. There was no after. You were going to do this. Because you're Batman.

You entered the warehouse and moved quickly but quietly. The FBI and DEO cut the power. That was going to make your job easier or harder. You would find out in the next few seconds.

Nails Nathan. Former CIA. OP. Right handed. The poison in the tip of your batarangs will paralyze his hand, arm, then will go back to his head.

Tommy Harper. Gun runner for the IRA. Has a metal plate in his skull making him sustainable to vertigo when hit in the right spot with anything magnetic like a magnet. You always kept a few on you.

Carlos Valdez. Chilean mercenary. Likes to fight in close since his size makes him slow. You were fast.

Spider Hancock. Gotham City muscle. Broke two of his ribs three nights ago. They won't be healing anytime soon.

You had to make it clear to Hancock, who was currently upside down and hanging from the roof, that you didn't have time for a long discussion.

Y/N: Where's the boy?

Handcock: I swear...I don't know...

Y/N: You're lying.

You began to step towards him while he began to thrash around frantically to get away. Fear is an excellent motivator. Someone had to pay a lot of money for this crew. Ever since you had become the new step in for Bruce Wayne, you had learned a very simple lesson. You have to spend money to make money.

You pulled open the vault Hancock told you about. Inside, was the scared little boy you were looking for. The nerdy looking kid looked at you with tears in his eye while you reached out a hand.

Y/N: Come on. I'm getting you home tonight.

Thirty seconds left. The boy is trembling. He was only about 10. 12 at the oldest. He's probably just as terrified of you as he is of everything going on. You wondered what Bruce would do in this situation. Maybe he would tell the child some comforting words.

This wasn't the child's fault. None of this was. He didn't ask to be born Edward Lamont IV. Heir to the Lamont chemical fortune. The same company that was being hired to create RC-60. The same defoliate that made Napalm look like lipstick.

Two days ago, Edward got off the bus from school. A large man in a trench coat pushed the boy off the street where they vanished. That man, was Bane. The vanishing act involved the Gotham sewer system. Within six hours, they demanded a ransome of 6 million dollars. Everyone wanted to pay it, but not you.

Bane: Ahhhh!

The large man leaped out if the hatch below you and Edward. You pushed Edward to avoid him getting hit as Bane swung at you.

While Bane sent the GCPD and the FBI on a wild goose chase, he picked up the money. That gave you the window you needed to find and save the boy. You figured you had two minutes before he got back.

You were off by eleven seconds.

Bane: I need this money, Batman!

He swung his fist at you but you used your arm as a kind of shield while you ducked under his arm. You then swung upwards and slammed your fist into the man's chest.

This plan was flawless. Well executed. Timed. So, why? Kidnapping just wasn't Bane's M.O. Too many variables, moving parts. Bane wasn't a genius. At least, not enough to do a job like this. Alone, that is.

He slammed you against a wall and held you in place as he slammed his head down. You moved to the side and his head slammed right into the metal pipes behind you. You kicked his leg and broke free before you punched his side. Now out of his field of vision, you kicked his head which caused him to drop the case.

Bane: I'm going to break you! Feed you to the fish!

Bane lunged at you but you dodged to the left. You delivered a three punches to his should and rib before he swung again. You ducked under him and delivered a punch to his arm pit.

Bane lifted his arms to slam you to the ground but you were faster than the muscle head. You shot out your grapple hook and swung out of the way. You threw three batarangs at the exposed veins that connected his mask to the venom that was running through his system.

The green liquid spilled to the floor and Bane cried out as he became weaker. You landed behind him and kicked his back which sent him tumbling into a large pipe. You grabbed the chain that caught him and pulled on it. You leaped up and over higher pipe and pulled down on it. Bane went flying into the air. His head hit the pipe, and he was out.

You landed where Edward was standing.

Edward: That. Was. AWESOME!

You looked at the boy who suddenly froze in fear. You smiled.

Y/N: Yeah. That was pretty cool, huh?

Agent: FBI! Stay where you are!

A spotlight shined down on the scene as FBI moved in. Agents moved to Edward to make sure he was alright while others headed to Bane. The lead agent walked over to you, looking a bit star struck, with a smile. She was quite an attractive woman who looked too young to be doing this. Like you were one to talk.

Agent: We could've handled this.

Y/N: My city.

Agent: Let me finish. You got us results. The boy is safe. Maybe the government was wrong to outlaw you guys after all. Now, as for the money, where is it?

You looked around before you spotted a figure swinging away.

Y/N: Someone else took it.

Agent: That's impossible. No one could've gotten through the perimeter.

Y/N: I did.

You shot out a line.

Y/N: So could she.

You swung up and landed on the rooftop where you began to give chase. Who was the theif? Take a wild guess.

Y/N: Catwoman!

Catwoman: What took you do long?

You both leaped into the air as you tried to catch up with her. Katie Kyle. The Catwoman of the time you had came from. 2050. She won't be born in another 12 years. She ran with a three person gang known as the Sirens. This included Dee, Debra's twin sister, and Ten, Melanie Walker. Your apparent ex.

As of late, the Sirens had kept a low profile. They did small jobs. Simple robberies. Kidnapping was way above them. Something was wrong with all of this.

Y/N: You're back to crime?

Catwoman: And <jump> you're as <jump> observant <jump> as ever.

She leaped off the edge of the building and threw her grapple hook out. You followed and the two of you swung through the city. Katie smiled as she looked back at you.

Catwoman: You like the view? It's about the only thing you're going to catch tonight.

Y/N: Don't be so sure.

You reached your arm out and your fingers brushed against her ankle, then it happened.

The line you were holding onto. It had snapped. Someone cut the line! You were falling. Falling again like back at the old Wayne Tower.

Katie landed with a smirk.

Katie: You were saying? Batman?

She turned around to see that you were no longer following her.

As you fell, you spotted a gargoyle on the side of the building. It was the only thing you had at the moment. One chance. You can't miss it.

You reached out and caught it. There was a snap. Your shoulder breaks. It was hard to hold yourself up. Then, the city gave up on you. The gargoyles cracked and broke, sending it and you to the ground below.

You crashed through a set of wooden crates before the gargoyle fell ontop of you. Blood poured from your mouth and nose as you laid there. Seems that your injuries had finally caught up to you.

As you laid there, you thought about the last year. The pain and heartache, along with the laughter and triumph. You were 19 now. A whole year has passed since you took up the mantle. Since the Court of Owls. Since Lincoln March's death. Since you reunited the Justice Leauge.

Maybe Dick was right. Maybe you weren't ready to be Batman. Not that you would ever know that now.

Man: Well well well. Look what dropped in our alley, boys.

Men with bats and knives began to approach your broken body as you laid there helpless.

Man: Welcome to Hell.
-------
Across Gotham.

Katie landed on the balcony before she pushed open the double door. Leaves crunched under her feet.

???: Any problems?

Katie pulled off her mask and frowned.

Katie: Batman.

???: And?

Katie lifted up the case toward the mysterious person.

Katie: Couldn't keep up.

???: You sound disappointed.

Katie opened the case and looked into the briefcase filled with money.

Katie: Why would it matter? Not like you care for him. Not anymore, or so you claim.

???: It doesn't matter. As long as you have the money. How would you say? Purrrrfect? Now, bring me the money.

Katie obeyed with no objection.

???: Yes. That's it. No man, or woman, can resist me now.

Katie handed the case to her former friend turned leader. Melanie smiled as she looked at the 6 million dollars in the silver case. Plants grew out of control around her as Katie looked at her green lips.

Melanie: To hell with Batman.
---------
You stared up into the sky as the men surrounded you.

Barbara: Can you hear me?

Can't respond. Can't respond to Barbara's pleas on the secure line. Can't move your body.

Barbara: Batman? Y/N?!

The men all grinned as they looked down at you.

Barbara: We need immediate help. Batman is down. I repeat. Batman is down. Over at Park Row. Is anyone in the area?!

One of the men reached down to lift up your mask, but your mask released a green gas which blinded the man. He cried out while another clenched his teeth and held up a metal bat.

???: I'm in the area.

Barbara: O-kay. Anyone else in the area?

???: Thanks for the vote of confidence.

The man brought the bat down, but the suit shot out an electric taser which stopped the man in his tracks. The man fell over and another pulled out his gun. He held the barrel to you head. You could smell the Gunsmoke. The oil. You couldn't move.

Barbara: I only meant it if you needed backup.

???: Oh, shut up. I know what you meant.

That one didn't come from the line. It came from the figure riding on the motorcycle who stopped behind the men. They jumped off the bike and slammed their foot right into the man's face which sent the gun sliding away.

Hel: Step away while you still can.

Helena Wayne. Your daughter from the future. Huntress.

Thug: Batgirl!

Hel: Okay! You're seriously ticking me off!

She pulled out her staff and got to work with beating down the men surrounding you. She swung the staff into one man's face while she kicked backwards into another.

Hel: Tell everyone that Huntress did this to you.

Man: Witch! Come on our turf, die on our turf!

The man pulled out a pair of brass knuckles and cracked her across the face with them. Hel dropped to her hands and knees and gritted her teeth. You could only make out her outline and the colors of her costume.

Hel: Damn you. I'm not going down. Not in front of him.

The man picked up her staff and grinned.

Man: Gonna take this pole of yours and shove it up your...

Hel reached into her belt and pulled out a pair of brass knuckles of her own. She then cracked the man across the face.

Hel: Screw you!

The man fell but Hel caught the staff. She was really like you in the way she fought. She fought hard, fast, with purpose and focus. She was well trained. You always wondered if it was you or Cassandra who taught her.

Hel: Now, bring it on.

Oh. It was you.

Hel gripped her staff and jumped into the air. She spun her body and stuck the tip of the staff into the ground before she spun herself around in a circle to deliver hard kicks to any man still standing.

Okay. Who taught her that?

Hel: Dad!

She rushed over to your broken body and dropped her staff as she kneeled down.

Hel: Batgirl, we need immediate assistance! Send the batmobile or something! Hurry!

She reached down and looked at your wounds.

Hel: Daddy...

The sounds of brakes interrupted her thoughts as the batmobile drove up to the two of you. Hel picked you up and placed you into the passenger seat while she got into the driver's seat.

Hel: Hang in there.

She hit the gass and the car sped away.

Unknown to anyone, another figure watched the entire thing from the nearby rooftop. Rifle in hand. He smiled as he spoke to himself.

???: Without friends, no one would chose to live. Though he had all other goods.