The One They Know (Batman) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 28: Goodbyes are Not the End

He fell to the ground and lay motionless.
Rha pushed the button again and I started screaming. A few seconds later it stopped and I looked up at my shell-shocked inmates.
"You killed him." Eddie said.
I felt like screaming.
"Finally." I said.
I slumped to the ground. And tried to clear my thoughts. I was shaking. My entire body cramped and shuddered. I couldn't contain my sobs.
"He's dead." I hugged my knees. "He's dead. It's okay. It's fine. You're fine. He's dead."
I felt numb all over. I just wanted it to stop.
I could hear Joker whispering to Harley. Everyone else held their tongues. They were distant. Everything was far away.
"Calm down, Lily." Eddie said. He took a few hesitant steps towards me. Looking at Rha as he did so. "You're alright."
I looked up. My eyes were red. "But he's gone. I didn't want-" I took a deep breath. "I can't believe I killed him. I killed him."
I felt pins and needles. I needed to take another pill. I only had two left. I had a day to live if I was lucky.
It was more than I deserved.
Eddie rubbed my back awkwardly. "You did the right thing."
I covered my mouth with my hand and clung to him. He put an arm around my back and shushed me, rocking me back and forth slowly.
I wanted to throw up. I wanted to blow something up.
My head still ringing from the microchip, I looked up at the man staring at me.
"You killed him.... For me."
I wanted to yell at him. But I was too shaken up. I held my breath to slow my sobbing.
I pulled away from Eddie and closed my eyes for a moment, covering my face with my hands.
I can't believe I did it. Oh jesus, I wanted to die.
Eddie moved away and another set of footsteps came towards me. I couldn't look at him.
"Lily..." He breathed.
This is one of the only times he called me by my name. I opened my eyes slightly. I could see the gun laying on the floor and my hands. They should be covered in blood.
He grabbed my hands and tugged them away from my face.
"I'm sorry." Bane said.
I couldn't help it, I collapsed into him. He hugged me back. Both arms.
I looked over to Rha, where he lay crumpled on the floor. Ivy had been the one to pull the button from his grip. She nodded at me. We were even.
"I didn't mean to-" I started. I couldn't look him in the eye. "I couldn't let him hurt you."
He held me tight until I calmed down. I smiled despite myself. Kinda like how we were a few months ago. But I needed to leave now. I didn't have much time. I needed to wake up.
"Bane, you're the only one who can stop this. It needs to be your decision. They're dying out there. You need to help them." I gazed up at him. "Please."
His eyes softened. "How?"
I almost started crying again.
Geesh, living here had made me emotional.
"The marble. You need to go back, to where we met. You'll know what you're looking for when you find it."
Joker jumped in. "Wait, we can't stop this now. Not after everything we've worked for."
I looked at him then Harley, who was clutching his arm.
"Insane people are not as fun as you might think. You can't hurt people who don't care."
Eddie cocked his head to the side. "You knew it would make people insane." It wasn't a question.
I gave him a cocky smile. "Who do you think planted the idea in your head."
I swear he almost face palmed.
I turned back to Bane.
"You need to go now, before they're all too far gone. I'll meet up with you later."
I tried to break away from his but he grabbed my arm. "Where are you going, young one?"
I glanced at my feet and licked my lips.
"I'll meet up with you later." I repeated.
As I ran out, I let the sense of fulfillment overpower me. If Bane succeeded now, everything would work out. My plan would work. Gotham would be fixed.
For now.
I didn't know where I was running until I reached the outlining forests of Gotham. This is where I spent my first few months away from Rha, planning Gotham's destruction and then it's redemption. This is also where I saw my father for the first time since I was a baby.
He was drunk and angry. He didn't see me.
He went silent when he reached my mother's grave, placed roses down and drunk himself to sleep.
I didn't have a blanket so I put the coat I had over him.
I didn't know why. It was starting to snow. I needed the coat.
That's when my perception of everything changed.
He would find out that I'm his daughter, when the time was right. I just wouldn't be there to see it.
I found a big tree and sat beneath it.
Everything would be okay.
There was a slight breeze. It felt nice.
I just wouldn't be there to see it.
I closed my eyes. I knew if I slept now I wouldn't wake up.
My breathing slowed. I just needed to calm down enough to dream. It wouldn't be as painful as dying while awake. I wouldn't have to feel it.
I would just... Fade away.
The sound of snapping branch jolted me from my daze. Someone was running around. Breathing heavily.
Richard stopped when he saw me. A gas mask fitted on his face.
"Lily? What are you doing? There's this gas, in the city, it's making everyone go crazy."
I wanted to sleep. I felt like I was going to puke. Breathing became sore.
Richard ripped off the mask.
"Everything's fine." I rasped. "Don't worry."
"What's wrong?"
"It's fixed." Swallowing was difficult.
He took a few hesitant steps towards me. "What do you mean?"
I couldn't die in front of him. I gripped a pill between two shaking fingers. Dry swallowing burned me all the way down.
"What's that?"
One more pill.
"You need to go to my alley. Check the security footage labelled Open Eye."
"What are you talking about?"
"You need to trust me."
He was about to respond when Bane stumbled into view. He had gun. He pointed it at Richard when he saw his Nighhtwing outfit.
Richard tensed and reached for his belt. I used the tree to gain my footing.
"Stop. Don't."
They looked at me from the corner of their eyes but didn't back down.
"Bane, how did you find me?"
His eyes remained on Nightwing. "Riddler put a tracker on you."
I almost laughed until I thought about the situation. "And the marble?"
"Riddler's taking care of it."
"Put the gun down."
He didn't move. Dick wrapped his fingers around a baterang.
"Guys, stop it."
I moved between them and raised my arms.
"Bane, put the gun down."
He looked at me for a long time, then lowered the weapon. As soon as he did, a shot rang out  and Bane fell to the floor.
Rha stepped out of the treeline, Smith and Wesson in his hands. He sent a smirk my way.
"You need to improve your aim, lamb."
Blood trickled down his suit. I had got him right above the heart. I had missed.
I stared at Bane. He didn't move. He wasn't breathing.
I felt the world slow down.
"I managed to get some of your little friends before I followed this one." He motioned to Richard. "I got four of them. That annoying clown girl and her red-headed friend, that demented Wonderland fellow and finally this big hunk of steroids."
He nudged Bane with with his foot.
I gritted my teeth and surged forwards but was stopped by a warning shot.
"You had your chance." He said, moving towards me. I was frozen. His eyes were cold. He stroked my cheek who the gun and pressed into my skull where the microchip was.
"It seems a bit broken but we can fix that. I paid a lot of money for you, Lamb. You have potential, you just have to get it back."
I couldn't find my voice.
"Naw, don't look at me that way. We can go back to the way we used to be. All you have to do is get rid of the boy."
"You killed Bane."
"It was all for the best. You're just a little broken right now."
I smiled. "And you can't fix me."
He furrowed his brows. "What?"
"My microchip is malfunctioning. Those project X people who sold me to you? All those needles gave me a blood disease. You bought me broken. I'm dying and nothing you can do can fix it."
A trigger was pulled. A shot fired.
I went down.