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Even Bats Fall	By : BlueBastard Category: DC Verse Movies > The Dark Knight Views: 6333 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 3
Disclaimer: I do not own The Dark Knight or Batman Begins and I do not make a profit from writing this piece of fiction

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
- 7
Joker was still angry.
The Bat had slipped his grasp once more. The scene at the hospital, delicious as it had been, had left him more than lacking in the plan to keep the Bats in his sights.
No matter.
It seemed Gordon had forced his Bat out to play.
And Joker would be ever patient. Waiting, for when he did.
-o-o-o-
"How did you know I would come?" Batman stepped out of the shadows, but Gordon still found it difficult to pinpoint him in the darkness of the Major Crime Unit's police headquarters rooftop.
Batman had been surveilling the meeting place for over an hour. Couldn't be too careful, what with his head wanted by the scum as well as the police force of Gotham.
"I didn't." Gordon replied with a smirk, taking off his spectacles to rub them clean with his shirt. It was a habit he often used to calm his nerves. When he put them back on, he was relieved to see the vigilante still there. Closer, actually. But Gordon knew better than to be afraid. He smiled, "You know there's this funny thing called hope..."
"And it is *my* hope that your men won't come up here at any moment to drag me off in cuffs." A smile wasn't present on that stoic face, but it was heard in that familiar growl.
"The men and women in my department know the truth, Batman. You have nothing to fear here." Gordon went over to the ledge, turning his back on the Dark Knight as he shoved cold hands in his pockets, shrugging.
Batman stalked silently to his side, observing the streets below, as the Commissioner did.
Gordon cast him a sidelong glance, "But you already knew that, didn't you?"
At the man's silence, Gordon chuckled, "Of course you did, otherwise you wouldn't have set foot anywhere near this rooftop."
A companionable silence fell once more. Cars sped by. A street lamp flickered, barely holding on. Gasping for its last breaths before finally dying out.
"I *could* ask you why my men almost apprehended Joker at Gotham East-"
"But you won't." Batman cut him off, tensing.
"No, no I won't. But it at least explains a few things. Like the mess that was the Lucas lackey back in Reese's building. What... Uh.... What is it with you two?" Gordon knew he was treading on thin ice. But it had to be said. It couldn't be coincidence that the Dark Knight disappeared the night after he shared a cell with the psychotic clown.
The Bat was silent so long, Gordon was sure he had finally managed to push the vigilante over the edge.
Then some words were uttered, and it took Gordon a moment to process it.
"I wish I knew..."
-o-o-o-
Batman couldn't shake the ominous feeling that clung to the tail end of his cloak, the memory fiber buzzing as though already zapped through with the electric current that activated it. He made a mental note to have Fox check on it as he ran through the rooftops, silent with the grace that could turn lethal in an instant. He still needed to put in that special order for the cape, falling from buildings with extra weight an unplanned event that could get him killed one day.
Gordon's intel had him skulking around in the docks, attempting to nab the Falcone syndicate's top drug dealer. A high profile mobster by the name of Fredrico Maroni. Salvatore Maroni's nephew, in fact. They had seriously hit 'em where it hurt, their deep pockets. With the savings all gone, Maroni's men had been scrambling to scrounge a profit once more. If the syndicate still hadn't held some fear on the streets, their tabs probably wouldn't have been enough to keep 'em all fed.
If they cut off their trickling inflow of cash, the limping mobsters would be effectively crippled.
At least, that was the plan.
He just needed the nephew alive so he could interrogate him. Needed the names of the smugglers. Get them out of the picture and the mobsters' days were numbered.
The men were laughingly easy to find. Out in front of the dock warehouse, the lights washing their guarded stances in a yellow glow. He counted seven.
Taking a moment to aim, he took a breath.
The next instant metallic Batarangs were chucked, the lights going out in quick succession. While the men shouted frantically, not having figured to fish out their flashlights yet, Batman swooped in. There was a difference between moving in shadows, and being one with the night. It was a step Bruce mastered during his League training.
Everyone fears the unknown, and being unseen was a major factor in that. Batman utilized fear like a double edged blade, swiping through the panicked men even as he performed his own moves to take down the relatively large crowd. It was a mix of jujitsu among other fighting forms, the Dark Knight gliding easily from one to the other as he countered and pressed his attack. When two were left standing, one finally had the idea to use the gun in his hands.
Batman growled, dodging the blind shots even as he ducked and swept forward, knocking the weapon out of the mobster's hands and knocking him harshly over the head with it. He promptly dismantled it before the poor man even hit the ground in unconsciousness, the pieces clattering alongside his body.
There was one man left.
Or rather, one set of hasty footsteps beating it down an alley.
Adrenaline pumping, Batman rappelled swiftly to the rooftops, leaping from the grating and hopping on the rooftops in close pursuit. He would catch him, of course. The only one who ever gave him trouble during the chase was Joker. Batman cursed as he stumbled at the thought of the mad man, righting his footing quickly.
He gave a grim smirk as he noted the man was heading towards a dead end. He hadn't noticed yet.
He leaped down with deadly grace, absorbing the shock of his fall on the balls of his feet, crouching to avoid broken knees before standing at his full, terrifying height.
And it worked.
The man was scared shitless, legs quaking.
"G-get away from me, man!" The goon shouted, terrified.
"Not until you tell me what I need to know." Batman growled, stalking forward.
This was the first time the mobster had seen their attacker, and his eyes glazed in fear. He whipped out his gun.
Shit.
Batman paused.
He was too far to disarm, too close to dodge. He had gotten sloppy. And the separated plates of his new suit wasn't as hardy against bullets as the old Kevlar, much less against straight shots. He readied himself for the hit, though gunshot wounds were never pretty. And they hurt like hell. If they didn't kill you first.
A loud snarl had both Batman and the lone gunman looked up. Wordless, a flash of purple and green fell on the mobster, kicking and punching and tearing at the man. The Dark Knight was too stunned to move.
When he was finished, Joker straightened his jacket and ran a hand through his hair, combing out a little of the crazy before kicking the unconscious man one more time -for good measure- as he snarled, "*NO ONE* shoots my Bats but ME."
Batman's insides were churning. Bruce Wayne was yelling to run. But he couldn't move. A gush of air blew stiffly through the alley, whipping the Dark Knight's cape. And Joker's blue eyes locked onto him, refusing to let the vigilante melt into the shadows.
"Bats! How, er, niiiiice to see you here. Where have you been?" Joker attempted to small talk, taking a step forward, "You know, it's been hard waiting. I knew Gordy had asked you out to play, but *he* likes oh-so-much to, heh eheh, *follow* the rules that it can get, well, *kinda* boring, if you get my drift."
Batman took a step back.
It made nervous tick pull at Joker's head and he quickly stated, "Atatatat ta ta, if you leave early I MAY just have to pay a visit to Gordy's family. Or that lovely playmate of yours, Brucy."
Batman froze, then snarled.
Joker cackled, dancing forward as he asked, "Oh ho ho ho ho, have I made the Bats mad? I've made you mad, haven't I? Don't you know that, er, there's really only one person I wanna spend time with?"
Batman couldn't help the flinch as the maniac prowled around him, his muscles twitching with the memory of beating the man senseless. But what was the point? The Joker would only enjoy it.
"I have things to do." Batman snapped, turning his head slightly so his burning gaze could follow the green haired menace.
"Ooh what fun!" Joker clapped his hands together, coming to a halt in front of the armored figure, the Bat exuding barely checked fury from his very pores, "Can I join you?"
"NO."
"Please?"
"*NO*."
"Oh, c'mon, Batsy-"
"Joker-"
"Oh, I know, I know. 'NO'. But you see, *you* need help. Now I'm not expecting any thanks for saving your life. No no no no no, that's not what you're about. Goin' for that whole, er, lone brooding vigilante facade, blah blah blah." Joker paused in his hand gesturing to lean in, black rimmed eyes arching with his brow as he added, "You're welcome, by the way." before he straightened, walking a little bit away as he continued, "*I* just figured you could use the help. I WON'T kill anyone, er, too badly anyways, 'cause I know how that just eats away at you. Not healthy, really. But I won't. For you. And we'll both sleep better at night. You, knowing I haven't killed anyone. And me, knowing you haven't died."
The Joker twirled to face the Bat with a widening smile, wiggling his brows as he asked, "Whaddaya say?"
Batman hesitated. It sounded too... well. Too logical. What was the Joker after?
Could he really trust the maniac?
Did he really want Joker near him?
Sensing his indecision, Joker added, "Another thing. If I'm with *you*... well, at least you'll know I'm not out THERE causing some sort of dastardly mischief or whatever."
Batman growled. Smug bastard had him. With great reluctance, the Dark Knight turned and said, ".....FINE."
He shot his grappling hook upwards, hand grasping the rope as he prepared to surge upwards. Only to stop, facing a gleeful Joker with an expectant look on his face.
Warily, Batman demanded, "...What?"
Joker grinned, arms held out, "Room for one more?"
Batman let out an exasperated sigh, not even gracing the clown with an answer as he zipped upwards, too angry for words.
"Spoil sport!" Joker chided after him with a laugh. It was almost too EASY to rattle the Bat's cage.
-o-o-o-
"....you're mad again, aren't you? Heh heh, yea, you are. You, uuuuhh, should really learn to lighten up. Don't wanna have those frown lines become permanent by the time you're a wrinkled old bag, do you?" Joker was a little nervous. Sure, he liked getting a rise out of his nemesis, but pushing TOO far at this critical stage might have some... unwanted consequences. The Bat had really and truly disappeared last time. If he played his cards right, he may just have a chance next time of finding him, should the Bats do the disappearing act once more. Heck, maybe the Bats won't even WANT to leave.
But that was wishful thinking.
Batman's frown deepened, still staring at the entrance to the EMPTY warehouse. They had gotten away.
While Batman had been busy chasing that sentry, then promptly *not* beating up the Joker as the crazy clown rambled away at him, the nephew had gotten away. Quick. Clean.
Traceless.
His fist on the ledge clenched audibly, the Kevlar creaking under the strain.
"I... can see you're gonna need some space..." Joker mentioned slowly, taking a few steps back. Not paying attention, the jester accidentally stumbled over a chip in the roof tiles.
Batman cracked.
With a snarl, he whirled and punched the Joker across the face. But the Joker was no light weight. Sure, he was slightly smaller in the muscle department, but he more than made up for it in his speed and agility. He dodged the next swing, throwing in two of his own.
And the tussle began.
It lasted all of ten minutes, before they broke apart, chests heaving, both more bloody than moments ago.
Joker's aching body was singing. He hadn't had such a good fight in so long. It was satisfying. But completely contradictory to his true goal. Wiping the trail of blood from his mouth with his sleeve, Joker snarked, "You REALLY need to get a hold of your anger issues, Batsy. Tell me you at least *feel* better."
As much as Bruce hated to admit it, the crazed clown was right. It DID feel good to take it all out. And Joker had taken his rage, his frustrations, and threw it right back at him. As scary as it was, it seemed the Joker really could read him. See what was beneath the mask. What the darker sides of him desired. And it shook him to his core.
Wordless, Batman merely grunted with a brisk nod, turning to get his disordered thoughts in check. The Joker was really throwing him off with his questionable actions. *Everything* the man did made absolutely no sense to Batman. And it was fraying the ends of his mind, pushing him farther from sanity. He was the Dark Knight, the darker side of the light. The protector of order and good in Gotham. Joker was the Agent of Chaos. The Clown Prince of Crime. What was he doing there?
WHY hadn't Batman thrown him in jail yet?
A small thought inside whispered, bitter.
The Joker would just escape again.
If he didn't want to stay, no place could hold him. Which begged the question, since the Joker WAS out free, why did he choose to spend his time bugging Batman rather than doing his usual form of special mayhem?
The next words out of Batman's hardened lips surprised both of them equally, the tone hushed in its truth, "Your past sins won't be absolved just because you help me out, Joker..."
That drew a muted blank from the other, before Joker quickly recovered to reply, equally low, "I know that, Batsy..."
Batman quickly turned to look at the Prince of Crime, never having heard such a somber and serious tone come out of those painted lips. He caught the tail end of a strangle of emotions on that scrunched face, before the Joker was back to his normal, witty self.
"I got a *surprise* for you..." The clown cackled, before leaping over the side of the roof.
Batman rushed over, hand outstretched as though he wanted to SAVE to maniac, before his knees knocked to the edge of the ledge. Realizing as the booted sound of feet clanging on a fire escape platform shook him to his senses. His fingers flexed.
What was happening to him?
Did he actually CARE about the Joker's safety?
Joker's face lit up as he hooted in a burst of laughter at the Bat's quick appearance on the rooftop.
"Concerned, are we?" He smirked, before clambering quickly down the ladder.
Giving a muttered sound of frustration, Bat took a moment to gather himself, before stepping over the ledge. Arms spread wide automatically, hands splayed wide as he activated the electric current, the memory fibers of the cape hardening and allowing him to glide smoothly to the ground. He landed with a thud, armor absorbing most of it, before straightening.
Alfred had told him a horror story once, of a friend in Burma that had dropped from four times his height to avoid gunfire. Except during all the adrenaline, he forgot to bend his knees. Locked his legs instead. And when he hit the dirt, he screamed bloody murder. He could see the whites of his bones in his legs. Broke straight through the joints. Alfred had to fireman carry the man all the way back to camp. Barely made it with the shock and blood loss.
It was a mistake Bruce Wayne made sure never to repeat. And Batman followed suit.
Still irked by his own reactions earlier, he merely stood still, cape draped around him, watching as the clown made his own way down.
"You see Bats, while I had to scuttle after you on the ground, since you so ungraciously declined bringing me to the rooftops with you, I had a thought. Maybe, heheh heh, just *maybe* it would be useful to bring THIS along."
Joker hopped the last few feet to the ground, pointing to the corner of the street. Bat's gaze followed, frowning as he saw the unconscious gunman on the ground. He wasn't dead. The shallow rise and fall of his chest proved that theory false. But then why...? He looked at the Joker curiously, "Souvenir?"
"Nah, an interrogation sucker... I call dibs!!! I got this handy new chainsaw-"
"No." The words were out of the Bat's mouth before Joker could even finish, the vigilante striding to stand over the body with his arms crossed, glaring at the Joker with a stern look.
"But I got some shiny new toys-"
"NO."
"But *I* brought him." Joker whined, clearly disgruntled that he was limited in his artistic endeavors.
Batman was silent a moment in thought, "...If you let me lead... I...will *allow* you to follow."
"Ooh hoo hoo hoo, this day just keeps getting better and BETTER!" Joker cackled, clapping his hands and beaming. HIS Bats was actually inviting him to come along! Without any incentives whatsoever. They *must* be making progress.
"Don't make me regret this..." Batman trailed darkly, gripping the poor unconscious lackey by the nape of his jacket, dragging the body behind him on the ground as he stalked towards the warehouse.
Humming happily, Joker trailed behind the Bats, admiring the raw strength in the dark form. He wasn't even breaking a sweat! The goon had to be two, three hundred pounds, tops. Hell, probably four. Heh heh, all that power coiled in the vigilante's muscled form. The things the caped crusader would be able to endure...
The wonderful sounds he would make...
Joker wondered if he could convince the crusader for a roll in the hay.
Hmmm, no. No, probably not the best time. While his Bats wasn't too angry at him for the moment, he wasn't entirely pleased exactly, either. Gotta play his cards right.
He needed to divert his attention *away* from the Kevlar covered ass.
Quick.
"Is this a field trip?" Joker spoke without thinking, chuckling to himself at the brilliantly devised diversionary tactic. Not that the Bats would appreciate it. He rarely did.
"Joker."
"Yes?"
"Stop talking."
See.
-o-o-o-
The interrogation didn't last long. When the crony saw the Bat he was already shaking the chains that bound him to the chair. When he saw the *Joker* saunter up behind the vigilante, the poor man started sobbing. He had heard horror stories of what happened to Gambol, one of the big dogs in the syndicate. One mobster that had bit too deep, placing a bounty on the crazed clown's head. Alive OR dead. Joker had showed him. Sliced his mouth wide open, except little Gambol never survived the operation. And his men, well, they were forced to kill each other with pool sticks to live. They all bled out. It wasn't pretty.
"I'm tellin' ya, it ain't normal." Joker frowned as though he couldn't figure it out, striding alongside Batman down the hallway, "Big old Nancy back there cryin' so darn much. I mean, honestly. I was JUST standing there *staring* at him. YOU were doing all the work. YOU'RE the one that had all the fun. Let me just stick it to him, for good measure."
Joker turned, about to head back to the abandoned warehouse office.
Batman grabbed at the purple suited shoulder, effectively stopping the man mid stride as he growled, "No, he told us what we needed to know."
"What, names? Bo-ring. There wasn't nearly enough blood." Joker snarked, wondering if he should shrug off the warmth of that hand or just linger, let it rest there a moment longer.
It didn't last nearly long enough. The Bat releasing him to continue down the hall.
Joker looked out the window and could see the predawn lightening the sky. He frowned sulkily. He knew what this meant. The Bats was going into hibernation. And sure enough, when he looked back down the hall, the Bats was gone.
-o-o-o-
"These naps during board meetings have always been a frequent thing. Until lately. I believe this is the first time in weeks that you've lapsed back into it." Lucius Fox smiled that knowing smile, hands in his pockets as he strode up to the zombie-like billionaire.
He didn't ask questions. Never did. Somehow the perceptive man just *knew*. Bruce could see why his father had kept him around.
"Yeah my, uh, old hobby popped back up." Bruce smiled in return, glancing at him from his view of Gotham from the top floor of Wayne Tower. He couldn't help but wonder where the Joker was now. What he was up to. He hadn't killed the crony, which Bruce honestly thought he would. Gotham PD had picked him up early this morning. Shaken, but alive. But Bruce Wayne had other matters to deal with. He cleared his throat, always feeling like a schoolboy when he approached Lucius with special requests, "You, uh, think you can reconfigure my gear? My base jumping seems to have quite a few irregularities. Seagulls usually run into me when I do. Nearly brought me down on numerous occasions."
The dark skinned man looked down at the schematics and diagrams the young billionaire had slipped into his folder earlier. Made him smile as he remembered it nearly threw off his presentation, when he stumbled across it. Of course, Wayne was busy silently snoring away across the table, the picture of innocence with his mouth parted slightly, hair mussed as he leaned back into his chair, slouched.
"Those must be some pre-tty heavy Seagulls, Mr. Wayne, but I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks Lucius." Bruce tried and failed horribly to cover up his yawn.
"If you wanna thank me, get some rest, son." Fox couldn't help but grin, patting the younger man on the back. As long as the Batman made time for the city, he would always have time to help any way he could.
-o-o-o-
"You think it's true what they're sayin'?"
"What? The Boss workin' with the Bat?"
"Nah, it can't be. He *hates* the guy. We all do."
"But then why-"
"Shhh! Shh! He's-"
The door clanged open, a weary Joker slumping through. He gazed around the room, his cronies all still. Silent. He just cast them a sparing glare, stumbling up the stairs, "Keep it down. Don't. Disturb. Me."
They knew better than to question it.
But when Joker threw himself down on his ratty mattress, the last thing that would come to him was sleep.
He knew what they were saying. ALL of them. That he had gone soft. That he was scared of the Bats. Gone soft on the Bats. All true, in their own way.
But he wasn't scared of the Bats.
Oh no.
He was terrified that the man would leave again.
And if that meant good behavior.
No killing people or blowing things up... well...
The least he could do was try.
For Batsy, he found he was almost willing to do anything.
The fact that he had overdosed on chaos in the Bat's absence, the thrill of it all sapped away by the continued inattention, had absolutely NO say in the matter. He had wanted to KILL the man that had almost shot his Bats so bad.
Had contemplated it.
Was standing there, *staring* at the man right up until the police sirens had sounded outside the building. He was sure the terrified man had peed himself, but what did it matter? This was between himself and the Dark Knight.
Grumbling, he shifted in the uncomfortable bed, hand stretched out to the other side. The empty side. His fingers curled, then clenched.
A soft name sounded in the room, those scarred lips whispering, "Bats..."
-o-o-o-
"You *really* didn't have to do this, Gordon." Bruce grimaced, feeling stuffy in his suit, looking around the Galla at the large amount of people milling about.
"I had to thank you somehow. And a ball, well, it seemed fitting after the generous amount you donated. Though, truthfully, it wasn't *my* idea. A lot of charitable committees pushed me to it." Gordon admitted, straightening his own, strangling tie. He wasn't sure who hated this more. Himself, or the man standing across from him.
Bruce shuffled, feeling awkward in this black tie affair. What he was *really* itching to do was track down those names. The sooner he could wrap the syndicate up, the sooner he could get this whole mess in order.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, he glanced down at the caller ID and grimaced. He had been avoiding the man for two days. He really should tell him something.
Excusing himself, Wayne walked out of the gallant ballroom to take the call.
He didn't even know where to begin.
- 5
- 6
- 7
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Even Bats Fall