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I'm sure he survived, but I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for him to learn how to relax.
[ Sorry, Bruce D; ]
It'll get easier. Just take it one step at a time.
It'll get easier. Just take it one step at a time.
Oh, don't worry about that. I know not to expect too much.
Good. I want you to be happy, Bruce. You deserve it.
Bruce... please. You don't have to do this.
[ She won't say it, but she does wonder what might have happened had Bruce stepped up when Harvey claimed to be the Batman.
But she isn't angry anymore.]
[ She won't say it, but she does wonder what might have happened had Bruce stepped up when Harvey claimed to be the Batman.
But she isn't angry anymore.]
You don't, because I already know. What happened wasn't your fault... and I'm not mad anymore.
[Real-life answer, I was reading a lot of fanfic and came across a one-shot that was based on that idea, and decided I wanted to run with it. Backstory answer, the Dursleys left baby Harry at Haley's Circus and the Graysons adopted him.]
Personally, I think it'd take an act of divine intervention, but considering he's my mentor my opinion on the whole thing is probably skewed.
Personally, I think it'd take an act of divine intervention, but considering he's my mentor my opinion on the whole thing is probably skewed.
[Harvey just freezes up. He has no idea what to do and no idea how to handle this.]
Rachel?
Rachel?
[ Rachel freezes too, her eyes widening at the sight of Harvey's face. ]
Harvey? Oh my god, what –– [ She stops herself, because she knows what happened. ] I'm so sorry.
Harvey? Oh my god, what –– [ She stops herself, because she knows what happened. ] I'm so sorry.
Don't do that to yourself, Bruce. It wasn't you. You were trying to fix things.
[He is the metaphorical deer in the headlights at the moment. It's only Rachel apologizing that he seems to notice.]
It's not your fault, Rachel. No need to apologize. It's not your fault: it's their fault.
It's not your fault, Rachel. No need to apologize. It's not your fault: it's their fault.
[ She makes herself step towards him until she's close enough to reach up and brush her fingers lightly against his uninjured cheek. When he says "their fault" she assumes he means the fault of those who put them in that situation, not the police or the Batman. ]
It'll be fine, Harvey; everything will be fine. They'll stop the Joker and find everyone he's corrupted. No one else will get hurt.
[ There's a tremor in her voice and tears shine in her eyes but she tries to force a reassuring smile. ]
It'll be fine, Harvey; everything will be fine. They'll stop the Joker and find everyone he's corrupted. No one else will get hurt.
[ There's a tremor in her voice and tears shine in her eyes but she tries to force a reassuring smile. ]
[He's frozen. Just seeing her alive, hearing her voice again, being near her is enough to make him pause. And he knows that everything won't be fine.]
Rachel...don't worry. Everything is fine-I've taken care of them. I've fixed everything.
[After all, now they didn't have to worry about the mob, they didn't have to worry about Maroni. They didn't have to worry about Gordon's corrupt cops. He was doing the right thing.]
Rachel...don't worry. Everything is fine-I've taken care of them. I've fixed everything.
[After all, now they didn't have to worry about the mob, they didn't have to worry about Maroni. They didn't have to worry about Gordon's corrupt cops. He was doing the right thing.]
[ Something about the way he says he's "fixed everything" worries her. Harvey is a good man, there's no doubt about that, but Rachel wonders what he could be capable of if pushed to his limits. ]
What did you do?
What did you do?
[Harvey smiles. But it's a broken, slightly crazed smile. It's obvious he's trying to comfort Rachel, but it's not working.]
It's okay. Maroni's not going to bother us anymore.
It's okay. Maroni's not going to bother us anymore.
You couldn't have known what would happen. The Joker was manipulating too many people.
Oh, Harvey... [ She's unnerved as hell but refuses to back away from him. She even reaches out to take his hand. ] You're not thinking clearly right now. You should be in the hospital.
I'm fine. This is the clearest I've been thinking in months. I couldn't keep doing things the way I wanted to do them, the way Gotham wanted me to do them. Nothing got done! This way got results.
[He tenses up with Rachel takes his hand. Why doesn't she understand? The streets are close to clean now! He's finally got the mob out of their hair, out of Gotham. Isn't that a good thing?]
[He tenses up with Rachel takes his hand. Why doesn't she understand? The streets are close to clean now! He's finally got the mob out of their hair, out of Gotham. Isn't that a good thing?]
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