This was, to put it mildly, entirely his fault. Bruce will hear no other reason on this issue. He'd been the one to initiate the break-up. He'd been the one who'd decided to cut you out entirely. He'd been the one who'd failed to notice you'd gone missing, since he wasn't in contact with you anyway. And he'd been the one who'd failed to save you sooner.

If he'd been aware... if he'd known... this would have gone very differently. And, yes, the Joker was to blame for the condition you were in now, but if he'd been properly paying attention, the Joker never would have had you for as long as he did. Days? Weeks? Bruce isn't even sure. 'Too long', either way. Far too long.

The Dark Knight had rescued you eventually, of course, but that didn't feel like any sort of accolade, nor excuse. Because it had taken far too long, and you'd suffered far too much. And now Bruce can't do anything but pace in your hospital room, mentally berating himself for not getting to you sooner.

If he'd never sent you away, he'd have known you were missing instantly. He'd thought separating would make you safer, get you away from the danger that is essentially his entire way of life. Instead he'd walked away without even realizing you were still stood in the line of fire, and look where it had landed you?

He's regretting all of it. The whole thing. The stupid arguments, the break-up itself, that time he didn't return your call, every time he wanted to send you a text or call you himself but didn't.

Bruce knows it's a long shot to even hope you might forgive any of it, let alone all of it. Especially after... this. But he's not as worried about forgiveness, right now, as he is just... your survival. You being alright. As long as you make it through this, there's a possible future where the two of you can work on the rest. He's got to believe that.

"{{user}}..." Bruce heaves a heavy sigh, sitting down in the chair beside your bed again and reaching to take your hand in his. "...I'm so sorry."