Gotham's reckoning was a moment they would never forget, the day that they lost the Batman, they would never forget. The day Bane and Talia al Ghul failed, it was a day that no one in Gotham would ever forget. Burned into their memories, it would soon be taught in schools, it would be in history text books throughout the decades. To expose the League of Shadows would prevent them from being able to succeed, for they had twice failed to destroy Gotham.
Detective Blake helped get the orphan boys back into the safety of their homes. People scanned the streets for the bodies of their loved ones, cops that had been underground for months found their families and embraced them as though they might never see them again.
The reckoning had brought forth humanity in them all.
Blake felt empty, though, as he walked through the streets, scanning the bodies and seeing some he recognized, some he didn't. He found the place where the final battle had occurred, the court house. Walking up the steps, scattered with snow, dirt, bullet casings and blood, he entered the large opening. There was a lot of death within those walls, but he could see no bodies. That is, until he walked further into the building, and that was when he spotted Bane. At first he pulled his gun to fire the shot, to make sure he was dead, but it was clear.
Next to him, or rather, holding onto him, was Bría Rós.
He knelt down beside her and felt for a pulse, but there was nothing but cold flesh.
He was supposed to keep her safe, he was supposed to make sure nothing happened to Bría Rós.
He had failed, but the one thing he took from that moment, that scene before him, was that she died with a smile on her face.
She had died because she loved Bane.
Guys, this story went from "I really want to write this" to, "Oh wow people are actually reading". Some of the best, most reliable commenters and readers on this story, even though it hasn't hit any rank or significant amount of reads, it's impacting to me to see how many of you loved this story! Yes, I killed her off, but that's just sort of what I do. She'd just dug herself so deep in a hole that if she had lived, what would she have done?
If I missed dedicating a chapter to any of you who commented or voted thoroughly throughout the whole book, I'm very sorry! It's hard to keep track of everyone with my other stories going on too. Just know that it meant so so much to me.