No Heroes

A Fighting Chance

A Couple Days Later: Tabitha

Tabitha shivered as she walked through the Gotham City Police Department doors to talk to Selina. Not because she was cold, her leather jacket always kept her warm, but because she could tell something was coming. Something that even she wasn't prepared for.

"Woah woah woah!" Alfred Pennyworth held his arm out, as if to block her from the station.

"I suggest you move you arm before I move it for you." Tabitha sneered. "I don't have time for this. Where is Selina?"

He gave her the stink eye but answered her nonetheless. "Roof."

Of course. Tabitha thought. She ran up the stairs as fast as she could, and after busting through the doors that led to the roof, found Selina in a handstand on the edge. She was wearing a black tank top and grey sweatpants, and her hair was in to braids that would go down her back if she wasn't upside down. Very unlike the old Selina. Tabitha was still getting used to the new Selina.

She waited for Selina to get down and start drinking from a water bottle to say, "I need to tell you something. I was just talking to this man-"

"-Torturing?" Selina asked, then continuing to drink her water.

"Yes. Anyways, he said that Jeremiah was working with Lee Thompkins."

Selina spit out her water.

"WHAT?"

"Well, more like she was working for him. He said that she had a scar on her forehead.

"This is bad." Selina started pacing. "This is really bad."

"I don't think that bitch is strong enough to be THAT big of a deal. I thought you should tell Jim Gordon or something. So he's not blinded while in the field. I know he's your friend."

"He's not my friend. But that's not why this is bad. Jeremiah has Nygma too."

Tabitha's eyes widened.

"This is bad. This is really bad"

Selina started running down the stairs, and Tabitha followed at her heels. Selina went straight to Jim's room.

"Gordon!" she yelled.

Jim looked up and and immediately asked, "What the hell is she doing here?"

"We have a problem." Selina answered

"We always have a problem." Jim groaned. "What is this problem?"

"Your ex is working with Jeremiah." Tabitha stated.

"Tabs!" Selina scolded. Tabitha shrugged and looked indifferent.

Jim was devastated. He put rubbed his temples and sat down on his cot.

"Jim." Selina said softly. He looked up and she continued. "It's not her. He's controlling he like he's controlling Nygma."

This was the closest Tabitha had seen Jim Gordon to crying. She grabbed Selina's hand and pulled her away to let Jim go through what he needed to go through internally.

Thirty Minutes Later

Soon after, they met in the Captain's Office. Jim had composed himself, but Harvey stayed close to him, sensing that his friend needed to talk. Harvey knew Jim, and knew that he needed time to work through some of it first.

Jim cleared his throat. "These are the things we know about Jeremiah. He has the control of Edward Nygma. He has the control of Lee Thompkins." There was an awkward and silent pause, then he continued. "We know he has control of the group that we stopped, and most likely many others. We know he has control of the building that we tried to hijack. We know he has control of the Narrows." He has control of everything was what everyone was thinking.

"What we have," Jim stated, "is this department and it's weapons. What we have.... is nothing."

Alfred shook his head. "What we have, is each other."

"Pennyworth, it's not time for the inspirational speeches." Harvey solemnly said.

Another moment of silence, and then...

"No, he's right." Selina said. "We have each other. Jim, you and Harvey have been partners for years. You know each other like the back of the others hand. And the same with Bruce and Alfred. We have these bonds. Unbreakable ones. All Jeremiah has is some paid off goonies who will gladly stab each other in the back in any given moment. And Jim, we all know Lee, she's strong. Stronger than any of us ever gave her credit for. She will beat this and we will beat him."

Everyone was silent. That was probably the most anyone had ever heard her say. Tabitha though she saw Jim's eyebrows raise. She knew that Lucius' mouth dropped in awe. All she could do was smile with pride.

Selina put her hand out, face down. Alfred put his hand on top of hers, and Bruce followed shortly after. Lucius and Harvey came next. After Jim reluctantly added his hand to the pile, they all looked at Tabitha.

She rolled her eyes, "This is so stupid." But added her hand to the top.

So they stood there, touching hands, making a silent promise to each other that they would stick together. They would pick each other up. That they would get Lee back. That they would stop Jeremiah.

Later on, Harvey walked up to Selina and chuckled. "Spending six months with the old wise guy really did a number on you, didn't it?"

The Next Day

"Why not!" Tabitha shouted.

"Because it isn't worth the trouble." Barbara stated simply. This was how most of their conversations/arguments ended. At this point, they were the same thing.

"You mean it isn't worth the trouble of saving the city?" Tabitha wouldn't back down. She refused to.

"The city is already ruined." She shrugged.

"So you'd rather sit on your lazy ass and drink all day?" Tabitha growled.

Barbara looked at her as if there was something sour in her mouth and Tabitha squeezed her fists. She was going to kill her.

Then, an idea popped into her head. She sat down at the bar, pouring a drink of her own.

"In other news, did you hear about Penguin?"

Barbara perked up. Oswald was the worst enemy of her most prized possession, her ego.

"What about him?"

"He's working with Jeremiah. After they're done, Jeremiah plans to let him rule the new and improved city."

It was around noon, so Barbara was already shit-faced, as usual. Tabitha liked to think that it was the combination of her intricate scheme and the blurring-of-logic effect from the alcohol that made her agree to let the League of Shadows fight for them.

Now, they had a fighting chance.
Now, they could win the war.