Batman and the Justice League

The Captain and the Bat

He grimaced. A long bell was ringing all around as grime coated his eyes. His hands groveled around for a hold but there was only heat. All senses were essentially cut off including memory.... what was happening?
Through the bells he heard...a whimper.... crying? They were faint but he could now hear small sobs coming from his left. Wiping whatever was on his eyes he could faintly make out bleary lights. Well, that made a lot of sense why it was so hot. James Gordon was surrounded by flames; the only protection was a metal beam blockading debris from collapsing on him. He slowly shuffled onto his elbows trying to get a better idea of his bearings. It was coming back now...there was another psycho in Gotham who had a child as a hostage. James was the only one who went into the warehouse, well, the only one he trusted in the whole precinct. Protocol would never let a captain go in, but who knows how they would handle the situation.... well, not like he did any better.

James heard another sob. The child! He hobbled to his feet coughing on the newfound smoke.
"kid?!" James covered his face into his coat. The flames didn't seem to be dissipating anytime soon and there was barely a way through. Barely.

"Kid! I'm coming!" James shuffled forward ducking under a beam towards the sobs. It was a miracle that they were alive. James had jumped behind a metal crate in the nick of time and by what lay in front of him it took the brunt of the damage. The kid though...what saved her? She was right next to the bomb...

"h-hello?" A weak voice echoed, more muffled than the sobs. James sped up his pace. She was alive, that's all that matters, not the how...oh...
that's how...

The entire ground was scorched black. No fire could burn, and it was so dark that it took a moment for him to notice the black ball.
"Katie? Kate, where are you?" James yelled racing towards the black...whatever. He had a hunch that she was in there. He clawed at the thing and it felt like fabric? "Katie, sweetie, do you know what this is? Do you think you can come out?"
"H-he did it with his hand..." The trembling voice spoke from the blanket. He? James scratched his head. Who was this he? If it was that maniac...
"Katie, is there anyone with you? Are you okay?" A chill ran through him as he clawed at the material but there was no give. What was this thing made of? "are you hurt at all?" He heard movement and then shuffling.
"he's hurt...it smells weird and it's wet...y-you're not...not" Katie's voiced trembled.
"I'm not the bad guy, no" James softened his voice "My name is captain James Gordon, a police officer" he meant that as a steadfast remark, but with Gotham...she would think him no safer. "I'm here to get you out. Do you see a way around...this black fabric?"
"He used his hand..." Katie whispered as he heard more shuffling from inside. "I found it, maybe if he touches it again..."
Suddenly the fabric closed in and swayed to the floor. It draped around two figures and a pool of blood. Katie sat in the middle; red splattered across her left side as she looked up to Gordon with brown blood shot eyes. An arm lay across her as she held another, both clad in black and tangled in her dark hair. They belonged to the second figure who was slumped awkwardly over what looked like a chair. The black fabric roamed up and around a clasp on his collar which was attached to a bat cowl...the Bat-Man. Gordon hissed.
A plumet of fire and ceiling came down next to Gordon as he jumped away. The flames were getting higher, and he needed to get out fast. He turned back to Katie draping off his coat.
"Katie, sweetie, are you hurt? Is that your blood?" He asked, cladding her with his torn trench coat. She shook her head hesitant to move despite his arm around her. She held the Bat-Man's arm tighter.
"We need to help him..." Katie choaked. James glanced at the fallen man. What he could see beyond the scorch marks was a LOT of blood. He followed the puddle towards the man's abdominal and he hissed again. The metal chair, Katie was presumably tied up in, had caved and split into shrapnel lodging itself into the unfortunate Bat. Gordon's stomached churned as he noticed the other side poking out. This man was most likely, if not soon, dead. Shaking his head, James turned back to Katie with a little more force.
"Sweetie, it's going to be all right, but we need to go" he began removing the Bat's arm from her, but she held on tighter.
"No!" Katie yelled before coughing violently. The smoke was rising, and the air was growing thinner. Their eyes began to sting and swell. They really needed to leave. Katie turned into the black clad arm and made no indication of letting go anytime soon. Gordon huffed. He had to take the Bat or risk losing all of them. He kneeled down towards the girl reaching behind himself for his gun.
"Okay, Katie. You are a very brave and compassionate girl. We'll take him with us but I'm going to need your help, you understand?" the girl in question nodded her head vigorously. "good" he smiled getting up and revealing his gun. Katie had a flash of worry in her eyes that dissipated when she realized what he was doing. Gordon raised the barrel towards the entrance wound of the Bat, yet slightly lower by the metal. He turned to Katie.
"Cover your ears" she did as she was told before there was a loud bang. The Bat's body slumped to the ground, now free of the chair, before Gordon caught him.
"Katie, sweetie, I'm going to need you to crawl on the ground and look for a way out" he huffed, throwing the limp body over his shoulder "I'll be right behind you". He smiled as she nodded turning to the rising fumes.
"l...ft..." Gordon heard the slight whisper "p...ck...." He turned to see the Bat's lips moving slightly.
"What?" Gordon leaned in closer.
"Leffft...po...ck..t.." the man slurred before his head fell. Left pocket? On what? Gordon felt for the man's belt, hoping that's what he meant and hoping it wasn't a trick of sorts. He fingers fumbled around a bit before he stumbled upon something smooth. He pulled away two masks, specifically for breathing. Gordon's free shoulder slumped in relief as he promptly gave one to Katie. She immediately began breathing deep and fresh as he followed suite not realizing how little air he had. Now with an air supply he ushered the girl on for their escape.
Air masks, who on earth just carried those around...Gordon paused and looked at the Bat. He had only seen this thing in passing, mainly as he was shooting at him. The Bat-Man was only an urban myth half a year ago and yet here he was, dying.
Gordon slid under another beam as Katie lead the way. She was still alive, all because of the Bat...they were both breathing because of the Bat. Gordon took one last large gulp of air before shoving his mask around the wounded man.
"Jury is still out on you freak...but I don't think you're a bad guy" James whispered.

Having made it outside and seeing that Katie was safe with the paramedics, Gordon turned back to the Bat. He hid them both by the dumpster next building over. The vigilante was slumped against the bricks with shallow wet breathing. His face had gone stark pale and despite Gordon's efforts, the blood wasn't stopping. He refused to take out the metal shrapnel in fear of even more blood loss, but this man clearly needed help, and fast. Gordon scuffed his shoes turning between his patient and the paramedics just down the street. They would save his life, but what the Bat had done to the mayor and other officers...that may as well be a death sentence.
"Jim, what are you doing?" he muttered leaning down. He gingerly slinked an arm over his shoulder and slowly stood. The Bat groaned. His jaw clenched as his head began to sway. He was coming to, at least that was a good sign, maybe.
"w-wo...A...frd..." he dully turned towards Gordon before coughing violently. James quickly took the breathing mask away before he was drowning in his own spit and blood.
"Alright, that's it" Gordon huffed gaining a better grip "I'm getting you somewhere safe".
"n-no...the girl..." The Bat slurred as they trudged awkwardly down the alley. "I-is she safe..." Gordon paused for a moment. Here he was bleeding out in a total stranger's arms and he still cared about Katie. He gave a small chuckle.
"You're changing my mind every minute, Bat. Yes, Katie is safe. You saved her" at that the Bat gave a small smile before his head fell again. "hey, hey, hey! Don't you die on me yet" Gordon shook him. "Dangit...I'm going to have to take you there" .