Gotham: Burned Bridges (Final Season Revision)

The Sewers

Eliza looked left, then right and began to walk down the street. "Hey." A familiar voice called out in a calm tone. She stopped. Crooking her jaw to the left then turning around to her right she straightened her jaw and faced Bruce Wayne. "Where are you off to?" He asked her. She slightly tilted her head. "Listen kid, I know you and your Butler wanna be heroes and save me. But I'll tell you the same thing I told him. I don't need saving." She said. "I know." He replied, confidently. She straightened her head and became amused. "You think you know me, Bruce?" She asked, walking towards him on a mission stroll. He was unwavered by her intimidation. She stopped, inches in front of him. They looked to each other eye to eye. "I know you're tired. You haven't slept in a few nights. Join me. You'll be safe and can get some rest." He told her, then turned around. He began to head to the hospital. She slowly rolled her eyes and exhaled. Then began to follow him. "There's a good pussycat." He charmed. She stared at the back of his head with her eyebrows crinkled. "Call me that again, Bruce." She warned. He continued walking. They entered the hospital and he asked for Alfred's room. She slipped past him and continued on. He followed her as she lead him into the room. She walked past the end of Alfred's bed. He looked to her, then Bruce. She watched out the window. "Master Bruce! You're here! Thank goodness." Alfred said. "I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere. I need you with me. Now, more than ever." Bruce told him. Eliza turned around and looked at them both, looking at each other. She got the, father son vibe they were sending to each other. Alfred broke his gaze from Bruce and looked to her. "And you. You're still here too. I'm glad." He told her. "Sure." She responded coldly then sat in a chair and tucked herself on it. "She needs rest. I brought her here to be safe and finally close her eyes." Bruce told him. "Good." Alfred responded.

When she woke, she was on the hospital bed and Alfred was standing, looking out the window. She sat up. "Why am I...? How did you....?" She asked. "We all have our secrets. Don't we?" He asked and turned around with a slight limp. "You need to be on here." She said, rolling off then standing on the floor. "I'd rather stretch my legs a bit." He told. Bruce entered the room with a cup in his hand. "You're awake! Good." He said, then handed her the cup. "What is it?" She asked. "Coffee." He responded. She took the cup. "Whatever your plan is..." She warned them. "No plan. Just keeping you awake now." He told her. She looked to Alfred. "Okay. I grew up an orphan. Left the place when I was old enough. Found jobs on my own and made a living. But at one job I got, my old boss was very mean to me. Zsasz killed him and...well you know the rest. He trained me and now I'm this." She told him, making her long story short. "Ah. Well. That can be reversible." He told her. She looked at him and Bruce. "You really want me to join you." She told them. "I see good in you. So does Alfred." Bruce told her. She inhaled deep then let it out slow. She knew what she was feeling. Submission. A connection. They were the only two people in Gotham she hadn't harmed and wouldn't. She slowly sat down on the hospital bed. "Are you alright, miss?" Alfred asked her. "You two make me sappy. I don't like it, but...fine. But if I see Zsasz?" She said and looked to them. "We'll meet that road when we get there." Bruce told her. She drank her coffee and stayed in the hospital with them for a week. Alfred healed enough with his wound and had stitches removed. Bruce came back into the room. "I just got word about a woman who came from the sewers. Her husband is missing and others have been killed. Come on!" He told them. Alfred and Eliza followed him and they went to the woman's room. She spoke to Bruce and Alfred about what happened. Eliza kept her back to the wall while listening in.

She told them everything and they began to leave. Eliza joining them. "The toxins must have some kind of effect happening. We have to see what's going on down there." Bruce said. "Alright. But we're going to need flashlights." Alfred added. "On it. Stay here." Bruce told them and headed to the hospital basement. "Are you ready for this?" Alfred asked her. "Okay. I'm not all soft." She told him. Bruce came back with three flashlights. "I'm using my hands for my guns." She told him. He set the third flashlight down and the three of them left the hospital. Making their way down the street, Alfred remembered the thugs he and Eliza ran into before. "I hope that..." was all he spoke when they began to walk out again. "Come at us!" Eliza shouted, angrily. They stopped and began to back away. She stared at them with a wolfish gaze. As her eyes scanned them past Bruce while they walked on, he shivered. They walked past the thugs and kept on. "Thank you, Eliza. Again." Alfred said. She gave a nod and kept walking with them. They made it to the sewers and began wandering the tunnels. They were dry but smelled within the walls. "I'm gonna have to change again..." She complained. They turned on their flashlights and walked through the dark tunnels. She followed from behind. They wandered into an opening, Alfred in front. A low crocodile sounding growl bellowed from deep within, echoing swiftly in the tunnel. Alfred immediately armed his pistol by his flashlight. Eliza whipped out both guns and rested her elbows on Bruce's shoulders. Aiming down the dark tunnel ahead of him. Alfred began to cautiously move ahead. Bruce's flashlight switched off. He looked down and gave it a couple hits and it turned back on. Showing the tunnel with nothing ahead. It shut off again. "Heads clear! My flashlight is dying!" He called out for Alfred to hear. "I've got you." She told Bruce. "I see that. Thank you." He told her as he was looking down. "Something's coming." She said. He lifted his head and someone came into view she fired off a shot and was knocked down with Bruce over her. A man rolled off of Bruce with him to the left and she rolled to the right. Rising to her feet she aimed both guns. Left arm directly out and right elbow bent. Bruce was over the man, the man was trembling. It was the husband they were looking for!

He was saying something was in there. And coming for him. "What?" Bruce asked and began to stand, to help the man up. He got his legs to the side and leaned up, offering his hand. Then something came out quickly and grabbed the man's ankles. Eliza aimed and fired a shot but it ricocheted off the tunnel wall then zipped past Alfred and hit that wall. The man was being dragged and they ran after him. Calling out his name as they ran. The creature took him to a large open area and let go of his ankles. Bruce and Alfred began to attack the creature who was a man! But, deformed. Eliza got the husband to the wall and tucked her guns back into their holsters. Bruce cried out in pain then was tossed away to another wall. Eliza watched him then looked to Alfred fighting this creature man alone. Bruce stood and Eliza breathed in deep through her nose. She began to run towards the creature man as Bruce threw two things at him. Causing him to stumble back two steps from Alfred. Eliza ran her body into him, and hooked his ankle with hers, causing him to fall onto his back. She got over him and began punching him as hard as she could. He started begging her to stop. She put her left hand at her hip and pulled a knife out then felt her arm restrained. "Stop!" Bruce said. She kept her arm back as the man was weakly begging them to stop. She stood and moved back with Bruce. She tucked the knife back into the holder. They got the husband and the creature man out of the sewer tunnels and the creature man was arrested. They reunited the husband with his wife and they were happy to see each other, alive and well. The toxins were responsible for the creature man,they figured. Eliza walked on down the hallway with Bruce and Alfred. "I can't help but feel responsible for what happened." Alfred said. They all stopped in the hallway. Bruce and Alfred facing each other. Eliza turned around to face them both. "I should have been stronger. Strong enough to...fight against Jervis Tetch and that bastard, Jeremiah. I blame myself. And I must never let myself be that weak again." He told Bruce. "It's okay Alfred." Bruce told him. "Part of being a family, is that we can be strong for each other." He told him. He looked to Eliza. "And to protect each other." He added. Noting her protection in the tunnel earlier. "When did you get so smart?" Alfred asked him. Bruce looked to Alfred again. "I had a good teacher." He told him.