Batman & Robin

The ground rumbles, and the waterfall parts, as the Batmobile slowly rolls into the Batcave. Alfred stands, watching, as Batman parks it.

He gets out of the vehicle, slamming the car door. He walks up the steps, toward the mannequins, and begins taking off his batsuit, piece by piece.

"Master Bruce." Alfred approaches Bruce while he takes off the cowl. "Even billionaire playboys like yourself aren't usually late to their own birthday party."

Bruce stays silent as he takes off his gloves.

"What will your excuse be this time?" Alfred wonders

"Late doctors appointment." Bruce grumbles under his breath

"You used that one last week."

"Out on a date."

"You used that one yesterday, sir."

"I was tired from last night's date and didn't wake up till just now."

Alfred sighs. "Master Bruce, your turning 28 tonight. Not only is it your birthday, but this also marks 7 years since you started this crusade."

"And nothing in this city has changed, Alfred. So I need to keep going." Bruce growls as he takes the last part of his suit off, placing it on the mannequin.

"Master Bruce, surely you can take a break for one night."

Bruce stops, silent, for just a second. "Harvey Dent is still at large. I need to find him."

"You don't have to be out every night to-"

"Alfred." Bruce cuts him off. "I do. I caused this, it's my fault. I made Harvey what he is today. I'm responsible for him. I have to stop him. I have to catch him."

Alfred sighs, but nods, understanding he can't change Bruce's mind. Bruce begins to walk towards the entrance to the mansion.

"Master Bruce" Alfred calls after him. "You don't have to do this alone."

Bruce stays silent as he exits the Batcave.

He pushes open the secret door, leading to his bedroom. The bedroom is incredibly clean. Too clean. Unused. Bruce doesn't remember the last time he actually slept in here, he usually just sleeps in the batcave.

He quickly brushes his hair and fixed his suit, making sure his fake smile looks perfect, before exiting his room.

The room erupts in cheers and applause as Bruce Wayne strolls down the staircase. "Thank you all for coming!" He announces over the noise.

He walks around and shakes a few a hands, before he spots someone standing in the corner, watching him- Selina Kyle.

"I'm surprised you made it, Selina." Bruce leans against the wall next to her, sipping his drink.

"I'm surprised you made it." Selina chuckles "last year every rich person in the city was at your party except for you."

"I was busy."

"Your always busy." Selina sighs. "You can't keep doing this "war against crime" thing alone."

"Alfred said the same thing." Bruce starss off into the distance, thinking….

"Hey there!" A redhead in a green skirt approaches the two "My name is Pamela Isley. Your Bruce Wayne right? And…..?"

"Selina Kyle." Selina rolls her eyes, and begins to walk off.

"Yes, I'm Bruce Wayne." Bruce smiles and nods.

"Well, Mister Wayne-

"Call me Bruce."

"Well, Bruce." Pamela smiles, but something's off about it…. Something is fake. "I just wanted to say happy birthday! Also, I run a conservation program for plants. I was wondering if you could think about funding it."

"Asking me on my birthday?" Bruce chuckles "most people would avoid that"

"I'm not most people"

Bruce nods and smiles "I'll think about it."

Pamela hands him a card, and walks off.

After finishing his drink, Bruce strolls back into the main party room. He notices Jim Gordon, standing near the front door, putting his coat on.

"Jim!" Bruce explains, arms wide. "Where are you going? You just got here!"

"Sorry, Bruce" Jim says as he puts his boots on. "But we're so close to getting all the Arkham escapees caught- Mr. Freeze is the last one, and hes just been spotted down by the docks."

Bruce's facade falters, for just a second, before he smiles and laughs. "Alright, well, good luck Jim! Hope you catch him!"

As soon as Jim is out the door, Bruce begins heading upstairs.

"Alfred, call off the party." He whispers in his butlers ear. "Fries has been spotted, I need to handle this."

Selina Kyle watches, intrigued, as Bruce heads into his room, and Alfred announces the party is over.

The docks.

Guards stand around, holding guns, watching for the police. It doesn't matter, they never get a chance to use the guns. The darkness swallows them too quickly, their screams muffled.

Victor Fries, now calling himself Mr. Freeze, stands, facing the water, holding his gun, waiting.

"What do you want, fries." A growl from behind him. He turns around. He can't see him- he can't see the bat. All he sees are two piercings white dots- his eyes.

"Finally." Freeze chuckles, his weird and robotic due to his suit. "I want revenge, Batman. I knew you'd get here before the police. And now, I'm going to take your life, just like you took everything away from me."

Before Batman can respond, a blast of ice so cold or freezes the moisture droplets in the air shoots forward.

It hits a lightpole.

"What? Mr. Freeze stands, his hands shaking, gun lowered. "Where did he-"

A foot slams into his back, hard, slamming him into the ground. He's flipped over, and Batman stands over him.

Before he can react, his gun is ripped from his hands.

*Splash*

Bubbles pierce the surface as the gun sinks into the water.

"Guess your gonna have to make a new one." Batman growls, and grabs Freeze by the throat, pulling him up.

"Wheres Dent, Fries?"

"I- I don't know-" Freeze struggles against his grasp

"Tell me where he is or I promise i will make you wish I was willing to kill you"

"H- he never t- told us-"

"HE FREED YOU" Batman throws freeze to the ground, hard. "You mean to tell me he broke you all out of Arkham for no reason? Just to let you live your lives? He hasn't contacted you since?"

"No- I'm telling the truth, i- I swear!"

The blare of police sirens pierced through the night noise.

"Cops." Batman mutters

He delivers a final blow to Mr. Freezes chest, knocking him out cold, before grappling to a building, disappearing from the scene just before the cops arrive.

"What are you going to do now?" Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, approaches Batman from behind, while he watches the police handle Freeze. "You've been chasing the escapees for almost a year now, and Freeze was the last one. None of them have any idea where Dent is. What are you going to do now?"

"Find a new lead." Batman growls, standing up and turning around to face Catwoman. "That's all I can do."

"Bruce…. Please." Selina takes a couple steps closer to him, her voice pleading "take a break. You can't spend every second of your life hunting him down.

Bruce stays quiet, and looks into Selina's eyes. She takes a couple steps closer, her hands resting on his chest, their faces inches apart.

"Dent was so close to being the man he wanted to be. I took that away. I don't get to have a life outside of Batman." Bruce steps back, and looks away.

Catwoman frowns, and sighs. "Fine. Whatever you say, Batman."

She disappears into the night, while Batman stares off into the distance.

***

Dick Grayson is a 13 year old boy- and a trapeze performer! The flying Grayson's, the most famous trapeze performers in Gotham, are rehearsing for their performance at Haley's circus later tonight.

Dick watches his parents flip and twirl, practicing for the opening act. A man watches through a window, and chuckles. He opens his flip phone and makes a call.

"Zucco- yeah, Haley refused to pay again. But don't worry- I got an idea. We're gonna show him why he needs to pay us for protection money".