Second Chances: Batwoman - Rough Draft

Chapter 5

There will be some titans references in this story, but like I've said before, I am not going to be doing a story for them, just because I could never get into the show and I did try. However, characters from it may make cameos as time goes by.

After she'd gotten home, Kate knew that she'd have a few hours before the official welcome home party her dad was insisting they have tonight, so she thought she'd take advantage and talk to Bruce at Wayne Enterprises, mainly so she could convince him to hand off the batsuit to her, since honestly she felt like part of the reason he'd left is because he'd become so overwhelmed by living that double life, especially since Kate was pretty sure he'd been doing that for his entire life. She knew that no hero, not even Superman, could walk the line between these two worlds forever and honestly, she felt like Bruce needed to be able to finally just be Bruce again.

Besides, if Kara had proven anything, it was that a woman could do anything a man could and do it better. Anyways, that was why she was currently in the elevator, heading up to the CEO's office and she was a bit surprised to find Bruce waiting for her.

"Welcome home Kate." Bruce said with a smile, which Kate returned as she hugged her cousin.

"Thanks Bruce." Kate said, deciding not to bring up Batman quite yet.

"I actually have something I want to show you." Bruce said.

"And that would be?" Kate asked and she was very surprised when she saw Bruce go to the case that contained his mother's pearl necklace and turned it, revealing the elevator to the Batcave.

"Wait, Bruce?" Kate asked.

"I got a visit from a friend of Superman a few hours ago and so did Luke and now we both remember the old world and I know that I can finally retire as Batman without worrying about Gotham going to hell." Bruce said.

"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask you, why did you leave Gotham?" Kate asked him.

"Because I broke my code." Bruce said.

"Wait, you killed someone?" Kate asked, stunned as Bruce nodded.

"Yeah, I'm surprised Luke didn't tell you the reason why you hadn't heard anything out of the Joker since you became Batwoman." Bruce said.

"You killed him." Kate said.

"He finally pushed me to the breaking point. In both realities, I've been fighting him for as long as I can remember. Every time I locked him up, he'd escape. Countless people are dead because of him, including your mom and my parents." Bruce said.

"Wait, what?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, I found out that the thug who killed my parents was a part of a riot Napier caused." Bruce said.

"Wow, if I didn't hate him before I do now." Kate said.

"Yeah, tell me about it. I guess I could only take so much before he finally pushed me past the edge." Bruce said.

"Including turning my sister into someone like him." Kate said.

"Yeah, Luke told me about Beth resurfacing as Alice." Bruce said.

"It's not your fault. You tried to save her and my mom and you did save me." Kate said.

"I still can't help but think that maybe I could've found a way to save that car. If I'd used another grappling hook to help secure it." Bruce said.

"Wallowing in the past and what ifs isn't going to do anyone any good." Kate said and Bruce nodded.

"Anyways, after I killed Napier, I felt like a fraud, like if I was going to kill, then I was no better than the criminals I swore to protect Gotham from." Bruce said.

"But you haven't done that yet, though honestly, I think we both know that the only way things were ever going to end between you and the Joker permanently was when one of you were killed by the other. Especially since while you took it seriously, I don't think the Joker ever saw this whole thing as more than just a game." Kate said.

"One that I guess you're going to have to play now." Bruce said.

"So you're really handing off the cowl?" Kate asked as they stepped into the elevator.

"As much as I hate to admit it, I'm not as young as I used to be. I'm not in my prime anymore, no matter how much I look like the contrary." Bruce said.

"So you're retiring?" Kate asked.

"I can't keep this up forever and the only reason I never handed it off before was because I didn't have anyone I could trust to take over for me." Bruce said.

"What about Dick?" Kate asked, referring to Bruce's old partner/sidekick, Dick Grayson.

"He and I parted ways a few years ago and he's living out in San Francisco now. He's got his own thing going on." Bruce said and Kate nodded, since she'd heard a few rumors about that.

"What about Luke?" Kate asked and Bruce sighed.

"He's not ready for that yet. But he will be. Soon." Bruce said.

"So what aren't you telling me?" Kate asked.

"I promised Lucious I would keep his family safe. I feel bad enough that I drew him and Luke into this life at all." Bruce said.

"And they chose to stay in it. But Bruce, if you remember the old reality, then you also know about the killer of Luke's father." Kate said.

"You mean how the guy who's sitting in prison for Lucious's murder was convicted by a corrupt trinity. Yeah, I'm well aware." Bruce said as the elevator opened to reveal Luke Fox waiting for them by the batsuit, which had already been modified for her.

"Welcome back Batwoman." Luke said.

"Thanks. Any luck finding Beth yet?" Kate asked.

"None yet. You forget, she knows how to keep her head down. We're not gonna find her until she pops up for the first time." Luke said.

"And when she does, we'll be ready." Kate said as she looked at the suit.

"What?" Bruce asked.

"Just thinking about how much easier it would be if that suit was portable." Kate said, since she knew that both Kara and Barry had suits that they could carry around with them.

"That's not a bad idea and I know you wouldn't have said something if you didn't know it was possible." Luke said to her.

"Supergirl and the Flash both have suits that they can keep with them at all times. Couldn't hurt to give this thing an upgrade to do the same." Kate said and Bruce nodded.

"Trust me, I've been thinking about that for years, but it was a bit too tricky to find a way to ask my R&D team to find a way to make the Batsuit portable without it looking suspicious." Bruce said.

"I'll reach out to my friends, see if they can provide any information that could help." Kate said and Luke nodded.

"Anyways, Bruce, Mary got my dad to agree to invite you to my welcome home party tonight, so we better get going." Kate said and Bruce nodded in agreement as they headed out.

"Then I guess I will keep working on finding Alice." Luke said to himself as he sat back down at the computer.