The Role of the Gotham Socialite

Ruby Crownes & Legacies

The bat was gone long before the cops, leaving me to tend to everyone. I was thankful there were no serious injuries, and I was thankful the Joker was still out cold. I swore I'd never kill again when I got back, but Joker? I don't know how Batman does it, if I thought I could get away with it, I'd kill him right here, but my patients need me.

The police took forever to interview everyone when they got there, joker was first priority. Tony saw me talking to the Batman, he also saw me take out those men, but he wasn't saying anything to GCPD about it. They had questions, a lot of them, and I didn't have time for all the answers. I needed to get back to my lab, to get back to my patients.

"Detective can I please just leave? I don't have time for this, Joker bad, Batman less bad, I need to go." I was pointing to the door still swarming with cops as the detective I always found to be too gruff stood between me and it.

"Look Doc, I get it, no one wants to deal with paperwork but we gotta ask these things." He didn't even look up until someone put their hand on his shoulder. It was an older man, maybe fifties, early sixties, white hair and a mustache to match.

"Bullock, leave the poor woman alone. Dr. Harper right?" I nodded watching Bullock audibly gulp. We'd only met in passing but it was Commissioner Gordon. "I'll personally walk you back to your hospital, I wanted to check on a little girl we brought there anyways."

"Thank you sir, uh, commissioner." I smiled putting my head down as he motioned me to follow. The police were only in that first block, after that, it was quiet. I could see it on his face he had questions.

"I saw the tape, it looked like you took down a few men for him. It also looked like he gave you something off of the Joker." The commissioner wasn't being aggressive, he just seemed curious. "I know you have an impressive military career, and I know what you've done for Gotham since you've been home. Whatever deal you made with the Bat, just know that we're on the same side. If you need samples, let me know personally."

"Thank you sir, I might take you up on that. Treating children is hard enough, but now with Supervillains and everything else? It's a lot." I sighed as we walked into the hospital doors. Everyone had been staring at the little tv on the wall, it was clear they all knew I was there.

"Mind showing me to Andrea Carvers' room?" Gordon gestured as I nodded walking past everyone like nothing had happened, like I hadn't just gone face to face with the joker, or learned who Batman was.

"Did Bruce Wayne pay you to help me?" I couldn't help but blurt it out the second we were around the corner. I doubt the commissioner knows who he really is, but I'm curious if it was Bruce or the Bat who was responsible for his help.

"I can assure you, Mr. Wayne has offered me no bribes. This is of my own free will, as a cop, and a father. Is Bruce Wayne planning to bribe me?" He stopped me staring a moment as we waited for the elevator to the children's ward.

"I'm his new pet project, something to make him feel good about his corporate greed. He said his mother would've loved this place, so I was at the bank depositing a very large check from him. I mentioned needed samples of Joker Gas to find a cure for my kids, and he may have offered to try and bribe GCPD for one." I acted nervous hoping I hadn't just made an enemy of Bruce or that Bat if they weren't one in the same.

"You better call him and let him know you have your sample so he doesn't end up spending a night in Jail." Gordon kinda smiled already knowing that's why I was talking to the Bat on camera. "Bruce Wayne isn't a bad guy, I was just a beat cop the night his parents died. I was the one who sat with him, kid never got over it. But he's a good man, his charity is genuine Dr. Harper."