Song of a Trickster

Chapter 22

Gordon's POV

I watch the fire as debris blows across the asphalt. Picking up two pieces: signed Joker cards. In place of the Joker's face is a Photo of Lau. A police sergeant approaches .

"Dent's alive, Jim. Just. But back at M.C.U.... the Joker's gone..."

"With Lau?"

The cop nods at me, I growl and kick the dirt,

"The Joker planned to be caught. He wanted me to lock him up in M.C.U..!!"I growl,

I spot Devyn crouched on the floor, crying. A solum look covers my face as I kneel beside her. Wrapping an arm around her,

"She didn't desverve this.."She cries,

"No she didn't.."

She looks up at me, her eyes so broken. Just in the past month shes changed from the happy and young woman I met when she was 19, but now the past events have made her grow up in 4 weeks, she's seen things and experienced things that have broken her. I pull her into a hug and she takes a deep breath and calms,

"Do you want me to drive you back in your car?"

"No thank you, I want to stay here for a little while."

I nod, leaning forward and kissing her forehead lightly,

"You're welcome at my house at any time, for however long, remember that"I smile,

"Thank you Jim"She smiles,

I nod and help her to stand,

"I'll send you a message when I'm back where I'm staying"

"Thank you Kid"

Devyn's POV

My throat burns from crying and my chest hurts. Walking into the ruins I watch a statue-like figure amidst the charred ruins. The Batman. I head for him. As I get closer he bends to the ground on one knee, his black glove

spread against the smoldering debris. As I approach him he turns to me showing me Dent's two-headed coin. Blackened and scarred. Batman turns it over. The other side is pristine.

"I'm so sorry"I say, voice wavering, I bite my bottom lip to stop it from wobbling,

He looks around, so do I. We are all alone in the shadows. Bruce removes his helmet and drops it on the floor. His eyes glassy and tinted red. Moving forward I pull him into a hug. In my ear I hear him take a shaky breath and hug me tighter. We stand there for a few minutes, not saying anything. Now she's gone it feels like someone has taken a piece of my heart and ripped it out. Bruce pulls away and smiles sadly at me,

"Go home Devyn, i'll meet you back there"

"Where are you going?"

"To give this back to Dent"He mentions to the coin,

I nod and rub his arm gently and walk back to my car. Getting in I don't want to go back just yet I drive back to my old apartment. The tape isn't there anymore but my apartment is empty now. Not long after I got home I'd put all my things into storage but the door was never put back. The carpet is ripped and stained. I walked over to the window and looked out onto the city. Usually I would see cars and night life, but now its mostly dark and I could see some smoke left in the sky. I wiped my eyes and looked down at myself. I'd rushed over to the MCU in the dress and coat that I had found at Bruce's since all my clothes were at Millie's place. It was covered in dirt and soot. My black boots now grey. Then I hear foot steps behind me. Grabbing my gun I turn around pointing it the intruder. It's a man in a black trench coat and suit, long curly hair slicked back. That's all I could see in the shadows.