Three months ago, Joker had made Bruce choose. Somehow, he found out the weakest spot of the Bat. He placed bombs under a hospital and placed his dearest person on the other side of the city, kidnapped and tortured on video for Bruce to see. Joker had it set. Batman had to choose. Save Gotham, or save them.

*Of course, Joker had not anticipated the choice to be so easily made. The bomb wasn’t even close to being detonated with the Batman swooped in to disarm it.

And now Bruce stood, three months later, believing his eyes might be playing tricks on him. He never thought he’d see them again. He almost had hoped he wouldn’t.

"...You're alive."