Welcome to the wrong place bucko

Also, Conor McGregor blew out his knee in like nine seconds last night and Drake lost a million dollars betting on him.

-

Dick decides it's time to call for backup.

"Here is good," Dick yells to Starfire, who is bridal carrying him high over the city airspace, wind whipping through their hair. She nods and flies towards the tower he'd pointed to—Wayne Tower, the tallest in the city. Dick braces himself just in time for the duo to feel a sudden increase in air pressure, squeezing both of them together until—

In the next moment, Starfire has pushed through the invisible elastic bubble around the city of Gotham, arms empty as Dick instead bounced off it like a trampoline. It takes her a moment to shake off her confusion and zip away to catch her screaming friend-turned-projectile.

If that didn't work, transport by speedster was probably a bust. Dick's next genius plan is to have Garth swim him up from the harbour, and they managed to dodge the first line of humpbacks sent after them, but as they got closer to the docks they were chased away by some alarmingly large eels. Raven's solution involved trying to slip him in through some parallel magical plane, but something ancient starting possessing him halfway through the ritual and they smartly decided no more messing with Gotham's magic.

Victor stares at Dick after hearing his request. "Why can't you just drive into the city like a normal person, again?"

Loved.

Because Batman bleed out in that street.

And for the first time, Gotham was quiet.

One by one, people started to wake up, the feeling of wrongness, of misplacement. They turned to the sky, watching the smog and the lights fade out. They walked through their neighborhoods, the sirens, the dogs, the cars, the city noise, gone. Silence. They hugged each other, terrified. The pressure in the air made some of them gasp with strained lungs.

And alone, where nobody could watch him, Batman let his last breath.

The lights flickered and the earth trembled. The buildings shook, making horrifying noises so alike to human screeches. Nightly creatures scrambled through the streets, making people scream in horror.

The streets cracked under the earthquakes, lightposts hitting asphalt. Most of the gothamites had to crouch, sit, touch ground to avoid falling down.

They all felt the loss, unknowing of what they got taken away, but something called for them to mourn.

The birds knew. They felt it in their guts. Their chest pained in grief. His birds knew.

The oldest grabbed himself over his heart, bending over with a muted scream, the buzzing of the Watchtower and the worried voices of the heroes around him a noise on his ringing ears.

His girl felt it from the other side the world. She screeched, grabbing her hair and falling to her knees. Bystanders stopping to watch her with concern as she cried in the busy street.

The one that came back had to stop in the middle of his mission, lacking air and running away. Jungle trees hitting his face as his teammates screamed his name.

The boy that couldn't give up froze in front of the screen turning his head, with a face suddenly filled in tears, towards his direction. Slowly rising to his feet as if possessed.

His baby boy let the tray fall on to the floor of their shared home, nails digging on his throat at the scream that wouldn't leave his soul, feeling part of himself die somewhere not too far away.

Those who weren't truly his, but were still part of him, also felt the pain. The cut. Being in Gotham themselves allowed them to feel it all along with the city itself.

Lady Gotham called for them all.

And she allowed them to reach back.

While the city crumbled in otherworldly sounds, while the citizens cried for help in horror, while the heroes that the city recognized as her Knight's confidants entered to help with the devastation... Gotham allowed the birds one last goodbye.

She waited. And waited. Until all of them made it home. No matter how long it took. Not until every little bird was on his side. She didn't stop her tantrum.

And so they reached.

And when the last one made it, the city got quiet. Giving them time.

Trembling hands undoing the mask. Wet lips with tears kissing his eyes closed. Sobbing as they pressed their foreheads against his unmoving chest. The only ones that could feel it on the same level as Gotham was feeling it. She allowed it for them.

She gave them time. Enough for their words to be said. For their tears to be shed. And then she pushed them away, earth opening apart, buildings collapsing again, dust and ashes and pain and screams. They had to pull each other to safety. They had to. And when the city calmed down, her knight was no longer.

No matter how much they searched. How much they digged with raw hands and bloody fingers. How much they screamed and begged and cursed and cried...

She never gave him back.

Lady Gotham only allowed them to bury an empty casket out of pity.

Any blood or dna evidence they leave behind is messed with, dirt gets into it, it’s washed away by rain, it’s lit ablaze, someone else’s blood gets mixed in, the sample glass shatters, no matter what you can’t get dna of the bats.

All footage or videos of the bats without a mask on is corrupt and blurry, no one can make out shapes. Tim got his pictures only because Gotham already saw him as hers, and knew he wasn’t a threat

Anyone who could’ve seen their face just barely misses it, getting distracted by a loud noise or something covering their eyes just in time

The bats always catching themselves just before they fall, dancing on the rooftops without any care as they know they’ll be caught one way or another

Obviously there’s drawbacks, like there is to everything.

The bats start to get sick when they’re gone too long, physically or mentally, when Jason was in nada prabat, he kept getting ill as Gotham tried to claw him back, how when Stephanie and Tim quit the things keeping them away fell apart, how she lets the rouges out just enough she knows they’ll have to keep their guard up

She likes to make sure they have a reason to stay, they feel sick to their stomach when they think Gotham could possibly be in danger, it’s why they all overwork themselves, why they can’t stay down when they’re injured

Bruce knows about Gotham, how she keeps them close, he knew when he worked alone, and then he didn’t care, he wishes everyday she didn’t want his children, but he knew they were hers before they were his

Dick was taken just after his parent fell, babs the second she stepped foot into the dark alone, Jason when he needed to turn to crime to keep him and his mom afloat, cass when she first landed in America, Tim when he first snapped a picture of the bats, Steph as she waited for the bat to save her outside her window, duke as he sat next to his parents in the hospital, Damian at birth, she took them

It’s not that any of them are upset w Bruce, it’s just how things worked out over time. They lead busy lives, so their visits for non work related reasons are…scarce. Bruce isn’t upset about it, he’s happy his kids are living fulfilling lives. But he is…lonely. And maybe one day he begs softly into the night that he doesn’t want to be lonely anymore

Gotham grants him his wish, but in an unlikely way

Four weeks later, Bruce realizes something is…amiss. He feels more fatigued than usual, sick, and just not like himself. For a moment, that crosses his mind, but it’s genuinely impossible. He hasn’t had a partner in a long time. But…Bruce is thorough. He buys the tests and then stares blankly when it’s positive. And then he tries another. And another. And another. All the same. All positive

Bruce is pregnant. How is he pregnant? The answer to that comes in the form of a beautiful woman sitting beside him one night. She’s absolutely lovely, and despite Bruce’s bewilderment, her presence is comforting

“How do you feel, my love?” Her voice is soft, gentle, and Bruce lets out a slow breath

“Did you do this? To me?”

She tilts her head and then nods. “I did.”

“Why?” Suddenly, Bruce is angry. Seething. “Why did you do this to me?”

She doesn’t flinch at Bruce’s obvious aggression. Instead, she pulls him close and Bruce lets it happen. He rests his head against her shoulder and settles slightly. He’s still upset, but he respects her too much to stay angry. She’s his first love and his greatest pride

“It’s a gift, my love. You were lonely. I’ve made it so you won’t feel that way again.”

His voice is muffled against her dress. “Why like this?”

She laughs lightly. “Because it’s what you need. What you really want.”

Bruce accepts it. Not easily. Not immediately. But he knows she’s right

So, he’s pregnant. And he keeps it a secret. Why? He’s not entirely sure. Maybe because he fears judgement, or like his children will accuse him of replacing them. Damian would be particularly upset, Bruce thinks, but he…he really does want this. The baby. So he keeps quiet. Continues as Batman for as long as he can and takes appointments w Leslie after making her swear to secrecy. She’d given him a look, a sharp one, and then sighed before smiling

“Do you want to know the gender?” She’d asked, and Bruce shook his head

“No, I’ll wait for the surprise.”

Eight months later, after a long and arduous pregnancy that had only become harder and harder to hide, Bruce gives birth to his daughter. Luna Penelope Wayne

She’s a pretty little thing w hair as dark as Gotham’s skies at night and eyes as crystal blue as Bruce’s. He adores her

Bruce takes her home after a short stay in a secure hospital room, and when he walks in:

“Bruce? Wha- Who’s baby is that?”