Second Chances: Batwoman - Rough Draft

Chapter 1

Just to be clear, this will be centered around Kate as Batwoman, if only because that's the only way this works the current theme I'm going with, since Ryan did not become Batwoman until after Crisis. But I promise that Ryan will be a character and she will find her way to the bat team eventually. And like usual, this story will have a few new twists. Most significantly, Bruce Wayne will appear in it and have a significant role to play in it.

Also, is anyone else curious if there actually is a Talia al Ghul Batman trophy, since we know that they were enemies back in the day.

To say Kate was confused when she woke up after blacking out at the dawn of time was an understatement. Mainly because when she woke up, the first thing she found was that she was not at the dawn of time. The second thing she realized was that she was not alone in whatever bed she was in and finally, she realized that both she and the person she was in bed with were naked.

"Well, at least she's good looking and no hangover, so that's a plus that I didn't get drunk and sleep with a random woman, though I would like to know how I got here and I'd like to remember sleeping with her." Kate said to herself softly, since while she was not opposed to waking up in bed with a beautiful woman, she usually liked to know who she'd slept with and how she'd gotten to where she was. So, she decided to get some air and quickly got out of bed and grabbed a robe, since while she wasn't exactly shy, she had no desire to streak in a place that she had no idea how she'd gotten there.

Once she'd left the bedroom, Kate walked through the halls until she heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Having fun Ms. Kane?" Novu asked as Kate turned around to see him.

"And why am I not surprised to find that you have something to do with this?" Kate asked.

"I am not the one responsible for this, you are. You and the other paragons." Novu said.

"This is the world we helped Oliver create." Kate realized.

"Yes. Though I must warn you that this new world is quite different from the old one in numerous ways." Novu said.

"What else is new?" Kate asked.

"I'm also here to give you the memories of your counterpart, who you've replaced in this reality, so that you can blend in." Novu said.

"Good, because I just woke up in bed with a beautiful woman and I'd like to know who she is." Kate said and Novu chuckled.

"Very well. However, there is something else you should know. It is now 2012, the exact day that Oliver Queen is rescued from Lian Yu." Novu said.

"And the day a lot of people say the age of heroes began." Kate said, since even though Bruce had been active as Batman for decades, Oliver Queen had been the world's first publicly recognized hero.

"Correct. Now, as I promised." Novu said as he gave Kate her counterpart's memories.

"Well, that hurt." Kate said.

"Never said it would be pleasant. Now go and enjoy the new life you have." Novu said as he vanished.

"With pleasure." Kate said as she now knew the name of the person she'd slept with and she'd enjoyed it.

"And here I thought you were the kind of woman to take off before I woke up." Safiyah said to Kate as she entered the room.

"I just needed some air, especially after the night we had last night." Kate said and Safiyah smiled.

"Of course. I'm glad it was memorable for you." Safiyah said.

"I think you went all out last night, since that was way better than any of the other times we've slept together. It was almost like you were trying to convince not to go home." Kate said with a smile as she sat down on the bed.

"More like I was trying to convince you that Coryana is your true home." Safiyah said.

"I wish I could stay Safiyah, but it wouldn't be fair to you. Knowing that you love with all your heart, but also knowing that there's someone out there I love more." Kate said.

"Even though she hurt you in a way that I never would." Safiyah said as Kate smiled at her.

"I can't help who I love. Believe me, I'd rather hate her for breaking my heart, but I can't help who I love. Plus, my family, they need to know I'm okay. That I'm alive." Kate said, while also thinking that her city needed her. Safiyah sighed, but nodded.

"It was worth a shot. But know that should you come to your senses, you will have a place here by my side." Safiyah said and Kate smiled.

"I'll keep that in mind. But now I need to get ready to get to the boat that will take me back to civilization." Kate said and Safiyah nodded.

As Kate sat on the boat back to the mainland, where she would make contact with her family and get a ride back home to Gotham, where she would be taking back her mantle as Batwoman, she thought about all the things that had changed according to her memories. Sadly, that car crash had still happened, but now she was suspicious since they'd never actually found her mother's body in this reality, just like Beth. That gave Kate hope that her mom might still be alive. But anyways, aside from that, her life was pretty much the same. Her dad still made the mistake of marrying Catherine Hamilton, though she and Mary were much closer in this reality, she still met Sophie at Point Rock, they had their affair and Sophie still broke her heart, which Kate guessed was fate's way of telling her she couldn't get everything she wanted, since she loved a woman who'd never have the courage to be with her in public. Anyways, after she'd been kicked out of Point Rock, Kate had been on a plane heading to Europe to do some backpacking to clear her head before she figured out her future plans when her flight had been shot down and she'd washed up on Coryana, where she'd spent the past five years training and having sex with the Queen, Safiyah. Honestly, if it weren't for the fact that Gotham needed her, she might have considered staying.

But that's besides the point now. She was going home to see her father not in prison and her sister. Mary she meant, not Alice, though she would be seeing her again. But any compassion Kate had for her twin was gone. When she found Alice, she was going to dump her ass in Arkham. After that, then they'd focus on trying to bring Beth out of Alice. And she was also planning on trying to figure out what the hell happened to Bruce. But she had no idea what she was in for when she got back to Gotham.