The One They Know (Batman) (COMPLETED)

Chapter 29: I Love You

When I broke out of my shock, I pulled Rha's limp body off of me.
His blood got all over my clothes. I stood up, shaking, then turned to see Bane. He was leaning on a tree. His gun fell to his feet.
"It seems your aim is off as well." He said before crumpling.
I rushed towards him and Dick helped me prop him against the tree. I didn't like how close his wound was to his heart. There was blood everywhere.
Dick looked at me sadly. Bane wasn't going to survive this.
I almost started crying again. Dick wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I felt so helpless. I tore off my jacket and pressed it against the hole on his chest. The bleeding slowed, but only slightly.
"No." I dug through my pockets and pulled out my last pill.
"I'm sorry I didn't trust you, young one." Bane said.
"No. It's fine. You're fine. Just- just take this."
I held the pill out to him.
"It helps control brain function. It should focus all your energy on healing the wound."
Dick eyed me. "Why do you have this?"
I ignored him and watched Bane take it. He slumped down and his head rolled back but the bleeding stopped.
"Call an ambulance."
Dick stared off into space before my words registered and he did as he was told.
"They're not picking up."
To must be because of the poison. I grabbed Dick's phone and called Eddie.
I spoke before he could.
"Eddie, it's Lily."
"Oh good, Lilian, how did you come up with this formula because I must say it-"
"Not now. Is Jonathan there with you?"
"Yes. Why? What's going on?"
"Bane was shot. Can you trace this call?"
"Already done. He's on his way."
I hung up.
I wiped my eyes. "You're going to be fine."
I grabbed Bane's large hand with both of mine. "Jonathan's on his way to help."
Dick frowned. "Crane? Scarecrow? We can't let him-"
"Shut up. He's a doctor and he's going to help and you better stop your prejudices about everyone because, sometimes, they're better than you."
Bane was almost asleep now. His eyes fluttered. His fatigue would wear off once the major damage was fixed.
My muscles ached. I didn't have much longer.
I could clearly remember the last time I felt like this. As a kid, in one of the beds in one of the labs that Project X had. There were dozens of other children around me. None of us had the energy to speak or move. We all just lay there, sore and exhausted from the surgery we had gone through a few hours before.
Only the sounds of low moaning gave me an idea as to how many other children there were.
We all had microchips in but we didn't know it. We were just sad and tired. We didn't understand what we were waiting for.
Until kids started dying.
We couldn't scream. Only cry violently or have silent panic attacks as we waited for our turn. I had never been so terrified in my life. I had clutched the blanket as if it was my lifeline. I tried to focus on anything else but what was going on.
My head stung. I was sure I was going to die.

I woke up a few hours later to silence. I used what little energy I had to look around. Nobody else was moving. There was no noise at all.
Then the doctors came.
They checked pulses and shook their heads. I was hoisted onto a gurney and carried away. But I still saw them set the room on fire.
I would later be told the statistics.
Seven hundred kids went through testing. Three hundred lived to have the microchip surgery.
Only I survived.
I didn't say anything when Jonathan came and patched Bane up. Nor did I speak when he told me Bane was going to be fine and my fingers were twitching.
When I did speak, my voice was hoarse, and I only spoke to comfort Bane. Dick tried to talk to me but I needed to spare my energy.
I couldn't walk by the time Eddie came to tell us that the antidote had been spread. Then he whispered in Bane's ear about the video he had found on his computer. I could barely use my arms when Eddie hugged me and kissed my forehead and told me that I was amazing.
Dick tried not to react to all the villans that had shown up but he was feeling restless. Eddie persuaded Dick to leave with him. He was tense when he left.
I was just me and Bane now. We had moved away from Rha's body.
"You are dying." Bane said.
"Yes."
"You didn't tell us."
"There was nothing you could do."
Bane sat up, obviously feeling much better. "You gave me your medicine."
"Yes."
I was crying again. Dammit.
"It was too late for me anyway."
He looked at me. Right now I was focusing on sitting up.
"You are brave, young one."
I shook my head slightly. "If I was I wouldn't be crying."
The hand I wasn't holding held my head. He wiped away a tear with his thumb.
"You are the bravest person I know."
I sniffed. "Bane, I-"
"No. Do not say your goodbyes. You won't be gone, not truly."
I nodded, not believing him at all. "But I'm sorry that I did this to you."
He smiled with his eyes. "You taught me how to see people. I will forever be indebted to you."
I took a deep breath. It hurt.
"You won't be. Just promise not to hurt them. Just promise."
His smile faded.
"I promise."
I couldn't tell if he was lying.
I winced.
"Does it hurt?"
I nodded. It felt as if my bones were cracking. I wish I would stop crying. It made my stomach burn.
His hand left my cheek and wrapped around the gun that lay beside him. I didn't break eye contact.
The tears fell faster.
"I'm very sorry, young one. I will never forget you."
I was shaking. I was afraid. Tears burned my eyes but I wouldn't close them. He raised the gun to my forehead. His hand was shaking.
"I love you, Bane."
He pulled the trigger.
Far above, a white dove soared into the air, startled by the sound of gunfire and the weeping of a large man as he held a dead girl in his arms.