FicWad

As Batman's mysterious new Jet soared through the sky, all was quiet within it's cockpit as the Vigilante sat in the pilot's seat with Jimmy on his lap, while Barbara sat in the Co-Pilot's seat behind with her youngest on hers. The Mother did not know where to look as she stared straight ahead, a dumbstruck expression on her face while her kids looked around with looks of wonder instead.

"Mummy, look. We are amongst the clouds." little Barbara said with a gleeful tone, which only gained a nod back as the older Woman gently brushed her hand over her Daughter's hair.

"I know, Honey, I know." was all she said back, before the vehicle tilted a little to the left as it altered course. Though up front, Batman's focus was on his piloting, which was made a little more difficult due to the fact that he wasn't alone in his seat.

'When I passed the test for my piloting-License, they really should have had an 11-Year old kid sitting on your lap as well. That certainly would have upped the difficulty of the test, though thankfully James Jr. is behaving himself.' the Vigilante thought with a sigh of relief, while the Child in question just sat there in silence and continued to look outside of the cockpit's canopy.

"Mr. Wayne, Lucius here..." a familiar voice then spoke out from Batman's Com-link.

"I read you…'Technician', loud and clear." the Vigilante then replied, making Jimmy glance over his shoulder at the Pilot with a curious expression.

"...I beg your pardon, Mr. Wayne." the CEO said back with a bemused tone, just beating the Boy as he spoke as well.

"Who are you talking too?"

This made the Dark Knight glance at him while placing a gloved finger to his own mouth, gesturing for the young passenger to remain quiet.

"Technician, I have three passengers and need a safe place for them to stay."

"Oh, I see...of course, the Prototype's sensors have picked up the three other life-signs in it's cockpit. You do realize that the Craft was designed for only two pilots, right?" Fox then replied with a curious and knowing tone, which brought an ever so subtle smirk to the younger Man's cowl-covered face.

"That has occurred to me, yeah..." he started to say back, while his passengers listened intently to his half of the conversation.

"...but anyway, about that thing I just asked about?"

"Of course, Mr. Wayne, I have just sent the coordinates for the same facility that the Prototype you're sitting in to your Nav-Com. You can bring your guests here." Lucius replied, making Batman nod back as a map and flight plan appeared on the screen in front of him and Jimmy.

"Thanks, Technician, Batman out." the Vigilante replied before ending the conversation and turning the Jet around, heading back towards Gotham.

Meanwhile, Two-Face and his Mercs were busy putting some distance between themselves and the burning heap outside of the Gordon Residence, using the second fake SWAT-Van that they had in their possession.

"I can't believe you idiots let them get away, it was just a Mother and her kids!" Wintergreen blasted with a furious tone as he kept his attention on his Men, while the scarred-Man simply watched their Prisoner, who was still gagged, deafened and blindfolded.

"Give us a break, Billy, since we were up against 'The Batman' after all." the guy driving the armoured vehicle replied, gaining nods from those that were with him.

"Yeah, I mean 'he' managed to kick your asses too." another added, gesturing to the Team-Leader and those who were with him.

"I bet if we were being led by your old pal, 'Slade', then this wouldn't have happened." the same guy then spoke again, making Wintergreen's eyes widen as in the blink of an eye, he had pulled out his pistol and aimed directly at the other's face before he had a chance to react.

"Say that again, I dare you." the Merc spat while slowly tightening his grip around the weapon's handle.

"That's enough..!" Harvey then exclaimed, making them all stare back as he played around with that half charred coin in his right hand.

"...if anyone gets to shoot somebody around here, then it will be me!" he added with a snarl before flicking the metal piece into the air and catching it.

"Anybody want to test their luck?"

"No, Boss."

"Nah, I'm good." were just some of the almost grovelling words that were said around him, before Wintergreen re-holstered his weapon and turned to their Benefactor.

"What do we do now, Boss? I mean I thought you wanted him and his Family?" he added with a curious tone, gesturing to the oblivious Police Commissioner as a thoughtful expression appeared on Dent's face.

"Give me a second..." he then replied, before tossing the silver dollar and catching it. He then looked down and saw that it was lying Tails side up, making him smile.

"...I have a better idea."

The former District Attorney then leaned over towards heir prisoner and removed his sound-cancelling headphones and gag.

"Harvey...? Where is my Family?" the older-Man quickly asked with a worried and uneasy tone, one that made the Harvey's smile widen.

"I am not sorry to tell you this, Jim, but your Family is dead..." he began to say, not even disguising the joy in his tone as he saw his former friend start to panic in his restraints.

"What...no, you're lying...you must be."

"Oh, but I am not, Jim. I mean, I did promise you that this would happen, but I was hoping to do so with you all together, just like last time..." the disfigured Man continued, only to stop an give Wintergreen and his Men a disapproving look.

"...but my men had itchy trigger fingers."

This made the Mercs stare back with disbelieving expressions, until their Boss gestured for them to play along.

...no." Jim replied with an almost whisper, hanging bagged head in return.

"Yes, Jim, they are and you will be joining them soon enough." Two-Face said back in a definitive tone, before having the headphones and gag put back on their prisoner, who did not even attempt to resist this time.

'Oh, Jim, have I actually broken you this time?' the former DA thought with a gleeful feeling, before his attention was caught by the sound of his phone ringing, making him turn away from the his traumatized prisoner and answer it.

"I hope everything is ready, Bird, for your sake?"

"Almost, Two-Face, since I contacted my own people and they are carrying out your orders alongside the rest of your Mercs and with the materials you requested, so everything should be in place before the end of the day." the Weapons Dealer replied with a slither of fear to his voice, which made Harvey's smile weaken somewhat.

"Is there any way you can speed this up?"

"With all due respect, what you have asked for would normally be almost impossible to implement in the time you have given me, but since I already have a system in place in Gotham, as what you want to do involves the entire City. So to get it done the time we have is nothing short of a miracle, and should be seen as one." the other guy replied with an annoyed tone, earning a reluctant nod from the scarred-Man in return.

"Just get it done, since I would like to have this all set up before a certain Bat appears to mess things up, wouldn't you agree?"

"...of course." the Bird replied hesitantly, before Two-Face then ended the call and turned to Wintergreen, who looked back with a confused expression.

"I am guessing our resident Weapons-dealer is feeling a little pressured right about now?"

"I don't care what his feelings are, so long as he delivers on everything that I want.

"And what will you do with him then?" the lead-Merc then asked, the tone of his voice changing to on of curiosity as his Benefactor looked at him.

"That's not for me to decide." the former DA said while showing the coin in the palm of his hand, earning a nod back from his subordinate in return.

"Very good, Sir." Bill replied, while their Van continued it's way back to the docks.

BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED

Elsewhere outside Gotham's City-limits, the black-Jet hovered over what looked like a large abandoned Warehouse, only for it's roof to suddenly open up and the Craft to descend into it and land.

"Where are we?" Barbara then asked as she got out, as the Vigilante helped her kids exit the vehicle.

"Some place safe, at least until the situation with Harvey Dent is brought to an end." he replied before gesturing for the family to follow him as they looked at their surroundings.

"Wow this place is big...and clean..." Jimmy observed as he looked around at the empty white room, a look of curiosity on his face as he did so.

"...from outside, this place looked like a piece of junk." he added, gaining a horrified expression from his Mother.

"Jimmy!" she exclaimed, only for Batman to smirk slightly as he kindly gestured to her.

"It's okay...he's right." he said back before turning his attention back to the 11 year old, while noticing that his little Sister was staring at him as well.

"The reason for this place's appearance is to trick others into thinking that it is not what it really is, understand?"

"Yeah, I get it..." Jimmy began to reply with a nod, before his expression changed to one of curiosity once more.

"...can we have a look around?"

"I am afraid not, but you can follow me." the Vigilante said back as he started to walk to a door just aways from them, with the small group following behind.

Batman then allowed Barbara and her kids to enter another more smaller room, joining the Family as they looked at their new surroundings, which included a two couches, a chair, a small kitchen area, a Television and a door at the far end labelled 'Toilets'. To Barbara, the area looked like an Employee Lounge.

"Everything you need is here in this room, so please do not leave it,.." the Dark Knight then said, before looking at the children.

"...until I have returned with your Father, understood?"

This gained a simultaneous nod from the pair who both had hopeful smiles on their faces, before he then looked back at Barbara.

"Thank you, for all that you have done for 'us'." she said, making Batman nod back as he started to head for the door, only to stop when he felt his cape being tugged. This made the masked-Man look down and see the youngest member of their family looking up at him with a innocent and curious expression.

"Why do you do what you do?"

This caught the Vigilante off guard as he looked down at her with a dumbstruck expression, but only for a split-second before he knelt down in front of her.

'Okay, if anyone was going to ask that question, I would have thought it to be either the Mother or her Son.' he thought, while the little girl continued to stare at him.

"I do what I do, because I made a promise..." he began to say, only for the little Girl to cut him off.

"A promise..? To who?" she asked back with an innocence that only someone of her age would still have, an innocence that he himself had lost when his Parents were ripped from him all those years ago.

"It was to my family and to myself..." he began to explain, while little Barbara and her family listened intently.

"...I promised that I would fight injustice in Gotham, protecting it's people from those that would harm them." he added, making Jimmy's little Sister's smile widen in response.

"I think you are a Hero." she said back, which brought a slight smile to Batman's face and the others.

"...thank you." he replied a little hesitantly, before standing back up and heading towards the door.

"Good luck, Batman." Jimmy then added with a hopeful tone, making the Vigilante pause for a moment as he sighed, only to then disappear through it and leave the Family alone in there.

The Dark Knight re-entered the large white room that housed his new ride and looked at the ground as a thoughtful look befell his face, before a familiar voice spoke up from just aways from him.

"Over here."

This made Batman look in it's direction and see Lucius Fox standing in an open door on the other side of the black-Jet, before walking over to join his CEO in the other room.

"Fox, you're here." he replied with a hint of surprise in his voice, gaining a knowing smile from his friend in return.

"Of course I am. Where else would I be able to remote-pilot 'The Bat-Wing' for you." he replied while gesturing to the large computer system that sat at the other side of the room, which made the costumed-Man look back with a smirk.

"The Bat-Wing?"

"You did come up to me a few days ago, wanting to implement a Bat-motif to all future vehicles and equipment. So I thought I would go ahead and name the first one to come of the assembly line." the older Man answered.

"I like it." was all Batman could say as he looked back at the Jet-fighter, making Fox's smile widen.

"I thought you would…" he started to reply as the Vigilante removed his Cowl, only to look over at what looked like the same Armoury Case that he had back at the Cave. But this one contained a suit that looked similar to the one he was wearing, but still quite different.

"…oh, I see you have noticed that." the CEO then noted, while Bruce walked over to the Case and admired it's contents.

"You have already started working on the new Bat-suit?" he asked with a curious tone to his voice, gaining a nod from Fox as he joined his side.

"And nearly finished, though I still need another day with it at least before it's yours, I'm afraid."

"…sweet…" was all the younger Man could say as he stared at the new costume, his smirk slowly widening before he suddenly turned back to Lucius with a confused look.

"...oh, I forgot to ask, but...where are we?"

This brought a guilty smile to the older Man's face, which only made Bruce all the more curious.

"It appears that great minds do think alike, Bruce, because when you came to me with the idea of a separate entity that would supply you with all your unusual requests, I had already had that idea and had secretly purchased this site a few months back..." Fox started to explain, while Bruce simply stood there and listened intently.

"...so that we could have it ready...for your next Birthday."

"My Birthday?" the costumed-Billionaire repeated with a surprised tone, earning a warm nod and smile from his CEO in response.

"Yes, Bruce. It was meant to be both a surprise and a thank you, because even though the City itself cannot, or in this case, will not show it's appreciation for everything you have done as both yourself and as the Batman in the past few years, 'we' can." he continued, making the younger Man's eye-brows rise as how curiosity spiked.

"We?"

"Well, how would you expect a facility like this to function, Bruce? You didn't think it was just me in here, building everything...did you?" Fox answered with a slightly teasing tone, which earned an embarrassed look from Bruce.

"No, of course not. But who..?" he started to say back, only for his friend and confidante to quickly reply and cut him off.

"I did a background check on a number of the people who have been saved by Batman over the past few years, and a few of them turned out to have certain skills or trades that would benefit your operation. So I contacted them through anonymous sources and they were very happy and eager to help, as a way to 'thank you' I believe."

This made the Billionaire sigh, looking at the ground for a moment.

"I don't do this to be thanked." he said back, gaining a knowing smile and nod from Fox as he placed a hand on his armoured shoulder.

"I know, but you have it anyway." he replied, before the costumed Man looked back to him with an appreciative smile.

"Thank you, Lucius."

"You deserve it, Bruce." the CEO replied, before Bruce then looked around at his surroundings.

"So when do I get to meet the staff?"

"We are currently in the process of setting things up, plus there are also one or two Wayne Enterprises Employees that I know would work well in this environment, and I know they are to be trusted. So until that is all completed, I am the only one who will be here most of the time." he explained, which brought another curious look to the Billionaire's face.

"And I take it that this facility will mainly be underground?"

"Yes, Mr. Wayne, since this place is on top of an abandoned WWII missile silo, which can be re-purposed to our needs."

"Okay, can you make sure that Gordon's Family stays in the room that I have left them in, because I should be getting back to the cave?" Bruce then asked, gaining a nod from Lucius in return.

"Of course, Mr. Wayne, I have already locked their door automatically." he assured the costumed-Billionaire, who then walked out of the room and back towards the Batwing while refitting his Cowl, only to stop and look back at Fox with a confused expression.

"It's just occurred to me, that the Batwing's wing-span may be to wide for the Cave's entrance..." he started to say with a little uncertainty, which made the CEO roll his eyes as he picked up a book from the table beside him and handed it to Bruce as he joined him by the vehicle.

"Here, Mr. Wayne, you will have to read these instructions at some point..." he began to say, only for a smirk to appear on his face.

"...but in the meantime, try the button at the lower left of the your cockpit controls."

"Thanks and if you could also help me with my search for where Harvey Dent's hiding..." he began to reply, only for Fox to cut him off.

"I will have one of our Wayne Enterprises Satellites change it's orbit so we can scan the City, oh and one last thing…" he started to say, while the younger Man stood there and listened.

"If you are going to give me a code-name, then please let me come up with one myself."

"Okay…" the Billionaire began to say with a chuckle as he put his cowl back on.

"….though it was the first thing that sprang to mind when you called."

"Really, Mr. Wayne, 'Technician' was the best you could come up with?" the CEO said back with a surprised tone, one that made Batman smirk back in return.

"Okay, let's see if you can come up with a better one."

"In time, Mr. Wayne, in time. Anyway, good luck." Lucius replied with a smile, before the Vigilante nodded back and climbed back into the Batwing's cockpit, with only a second or so passing before it's engines fired, which lifted the vehicle into the air. In reaction to this action, the facility's roof opened up and allowed the Jet to leave and launch itself back up into the sky.

BATMAN: THE SCARRED AND THE DAMNED

10 minutes later and the Batwing burst through the waterfall that covered the entrance to the Cave, sending water in all directions as it landed in the enclosed area of rock, almost making Alfred jump out of his ski as he sat at the Bat-Computer.

'Boys and their toys.' he thought with a smirk while looking at the jet-black prototype, which had it's wings in a folded up position as it touched down on the damp rocky floor.

"I see Fox has given you another flashy mode of transportation, Sir." the Butler observed, while Batman climbed out and walked up to him.

"Since the Bat-pod is out of commission, I needed something else that can get me from here to the City and back." the Vigilante replied as he handed the Butler the Batwing's instruction book and carried on to the Bat-computer and sat down, removing his Cowl and placed it next to him on the table next to him.

"And I take it that you will want me to read this book, Sir…" Pennyworth said back as he joined his Master's side, before placing the book on the table of the Bat-Computer.

"… as you never read such things." he added, making the Bruce stop working and glance over his shoulder at him.

"I do read instructions, Alfred…" he started to say in a slightly defending tone, which made the older Gentleman cut him off.

"…yes, but usually only after you have already used the devices or vehicles that the instructions were meant for."

"What can I say, I'm a quick study…" the younger Man replied as he began to work, bringing to life the large main screen and the several smaller ones of the Bat-Computer.

"…but what is important right now, is finding Harvey." he added, earning a nod from his friend and confidante in response.

"You mean before he does anything to the Commissioner?"

"I am not sure, Alfred, but Gordon is definitely part of whatever he has planned." Bruce said back, only for the Butler to notice the thoughtful expression that appeared on his face.

"Master Bruce, what is it?" he asked, making the Billionaire sit back in his chair and stared at the screen.

"I've encountered Harvey twice now since his 'return', but he is not acting the same as he did 'that night' a year ago. He appears more focused, executing plans and working with others."

"Perhaps that is so, Sir. But he is still using that Coin of his to help him make decisions, right?" Alfred asked, gaining a nod from Bruce.

"Yes he is, which makes that his Achilles Heel still. But like I said, he isn't working alone and yet I cannot find anything on who those highly trained Mercenaries are, since they have no special markings or symbols on their uniforms..." he started to explain, before typing away at the Computer's keyboard and ringing up several data feeds onto the screen in front of them.

"They cannot be that 'highly trained, since you have defeated them twice already, Sir." the older Man replied with a cynical tone, making Bruce shake his head in return.

"They are well organized and heavily armed, Alfred, and if I had not caught them off guard with my own specialized tactics, then things might have turned out differently. So I certainly am not going to take their threat lightly." Bruce said back, gaining a nod from the Butler as he looked away with a thoughtful stare towards the Cave's Waterfall-covered entrance.

"What's wrong, Alfred?" the younger Man then asked, having noticed his Confidante's behavior.

"I was just thinking, Master Bruce, that Mr. Dent may just have another Achilles Heel for you to exploit or at least reach him via."

This brought a confused look to the Billionaire's face as he turned his chair around to fully face his friend, who returned his own attention back to him.

"Alfred, what are you talking about?"

"Many years ago, when I was a young Man working in the British Military…" Alfred then started to say, while looking into the distance as Bruce just sat there at listened, noting how his former-legal Guardian looked as though he was picturing what he was remembering, right there in front of him.

"…I was friends with a one 'Thomas James' who served in the same Regiment as myself. He was a good soldier and friend, but one day he received news that his dearest Sister had been killed in a terrible accident back in England and this shook the Thomas to his core, making him unfit to operate alongside the rest of us in our unit. But he continued to work, as though he was trying to use his job as a way to fill the void that was now there in his heart. But he was never fully focused on what needed to be done, always making mistakes and more than once, nearly cost the lives of a number of our Men. He of course would deny that anything was wrong, even to our Commanders who he argued with daily, until they finally put him in a Military Prison for his insubordinate behavior towards them. No one could get through to him, Master Bruce…" Alfred continued, with the younger Wayne just watching him intently.

"…but one day, I thought that I would try, so I visited Thomas and we talked. I spoke about my experience with how I lost my Father, as I felt that I had been through a similar ordeal as he was going through now. And it was in our talk, that I got through to him, that I saw the Thomas that I had known before."

"And what happened to this Thomas James, Alfred?" Bruce then asked with a curious tone.

"He served his time and then took extended leave from the Army, before rejoining the rest of us with a clearer Mind. You see, Master Bruce, even when up against somebody that appears to be unapproachable, if you can find 'common ground' with them, then anything is possible." the Butler then said with a knowing expression, which only made his Master stare back with a more confused look.

"So how would I find 'common ground' with Harvey?"

"By reminding Mr. Dent of what you both have lost, Sir,…..Rachel." the older Man then replied, making the Billionaire's eyes widen in response.

"Rachel….?" he said back with a slightly disbelieving tone, looking at the ground as he remembered her warm smile and beautiful blue eyes.

"Both of you loved Ms. Dawes very much, right, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked, gaining a nod from Wayne as the younger Man looked back up at his Confidante with a mixture of confusion and guilt.

"But, Alfred, even if I was to in some way do that. It would only drive Harvey even more over the edge…" he began to explain, earning a puzzled look from the Butler.

"And why is that, Master Wayne?"

"Because Rachel was going to leave Harvey for me, remember? She was going to wait for me, for when Gotham no longer needed me as the Batman. How can I tell the Man who thought she loved him, that she actually loved me?" Bruce replied with a guilt ridden tone as he continued to look at the ground out of shame, not noticing the worried look that was creeping it's way onto Alfred's face as he remembered their previous talk on that matter, as well as his actions after it.

"….what if that was…not the case?" he then started to say, his words underlined with a note of guilt, which brought the Billionaire's attention back as he looked up at him.

"What?"

"What if Rachel had chosen Harvey Dent over you, explaining so in a letter that was meant for you…" the older Man began to explain with a heavy heart, which made the former remember back to when he was besieged with grief over Rachel's death as the latter brought Breakfast to him in the Penthouse, before taking a small envelope from the tray.

"What's that?" the young Man asked, while the older gentleman whisked it out of sight.

"It can wait."

This memory brought a look of realization to the young Man's face, while Alfred continued his confession.

"…and what if to spare you that pain and grief, I then burned that letter, so to keep you focused on what needed to be done at that dark time." he added, making Bruce look back at him with a confused and almost hurt expression, as though those words were completely alien to him.

"What? I don't understand….Rachel told me, she said that she would wait for me, that when this was all over, that we could finally be together." he replied in a confused and disbelieving tone as he stood up and walked past Alfred, only to stop and look over at the area where the Batwing stood, while the Butler turned and faced with him.

"Ms. Dawes wrote that she meant every word of that, Master Bruce. But deep down, she knew that you would never be able to stop being the Batman, which is why she was going to marry Harvey Dent." he said back in an honest and pained tone, which made the younger Man look back at him as his eyes began to well up.

"I'm sorry…but I can't hear this." the Billionaire then said back, before brushing past the older Man and heading to the elevator.

"Master Bruce, wait…" Alfred began to call back, only to stand there and watch as the Man who had been like a Son to him for just over 30 years left him in the Cave.

"…Bruce…I'm sorry."

Meanwhile back at the Docks, Harvey and his men entered their base with the Police Commissioner in tow as he was still strained and cut off from sight and sound.

"Bird, please tell me that I won't have to wait much longer?" the scarred-Man asked with a slight frustration to his voice, which made the bald Weapons Dealer a little uncomfortable as he stood before a large screen with a map of the City on it.

"As I said to you over the phone, Two-Face, this work can only be rushed so much, especially with the devices and the chemicals involved…" he began to explain before gesturing to the map.

"My men and the devices you asked for are now at the positions you pointed out to on the map, all over the City. By this evening, everything will be in place and ready for whatever it is you have planned. But in the meantime, I am sure there is something you can do to keep yourself occupied. He added with a slither of annoyance, which made the former DA grit his teeth as he tightened his grip around his coin.

"Very well…" he replied reluctantly before turning to Wintergreen, who had just ordered his Men to put their prisoner into one of the back-rooms.

"So what now, Boss?" the lead-merc asked as his Benefactor stared at Gordon, a slight smile appearing on his disfigured Face.

"There is something else I need for you to do for me, Billy….can I call you that?" he said back with a curious tone, gaining a nod from the other man in return.

"Of course, Boss. My old friend Slade used to call me by that, back when we served together in the Special Forces, at least before he disappeared a number of years ago." he replied, before noticing the disinterest growing on the former's face.

"…but, anyway, what do you want me to do?" he then asked, quickly changing the subject as Two-Face's smile began to widen once more as he continued to stare at the Police Commissioner, who was then pushed into the other room.

"I'll tell you…" he then began to reply with a sinister tone.