Hope opened her eyes. She immediately tensed up, as she tried figuring out where she was. It was a cave. He had listened to her, about the Hospital. She whimpered in pain, trying to sit up.

"Don't move too much. You have some internal damage. Try to relax.

Batman came into view.

"Batman." She rasped, reaching for him.

He hesitated for a moment, then took her hand into his. His other hand tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I'm right here." He told her.

Tears began falling from her eyes.

"Thank you." She said, a sob escaping from her.

He put his hand on her cheek, his thumb caressing her cheek bone.

"You'll be staying here for a few days, to start healing, and then you'll be moved to Wayne Manor." Batman told her.

"Bruce." She mumbled.

"Mr. Wayne is very worried about you. He would be very upset if anything were to happen to you." Batman said.

"Where is he, can I see him?" She asked.

"Calm down. Try to get some sleep, and I will make sure he is here when you wake up." Batman said.

"Okay. Thank you, Batman, for everything." She told him.

"Get some sleep." He told her.

Her eyes slid closed.

X*X*X

Hope felt a hand pressed into hers, as she came to. She squeezed gently, as she opened her eyes.

"Bruce." She rasped.

"Hope, I'm right here."

She turned her head to the right, and saw him. She smiled, as she touched his face.

"It's really you. Thank God." She gasped.

She pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around him.

"I was worried about you." He whispered to her, tucking her hair behind her ear.

She smiled and closed her eyes. A tear slid out of her eye, and slid down her cheek.

"Why are you crying? Am I hurting you?" He asked.

She opened her eyes again, still smiling. She put her hand to his cheek.

"I'm fine, now, you didn't hurt me at all. I'm just so happy that you're here, with me. I've missed you so much." She said.

He leaned down, pressing his lips to hers. Someone suddenly cleared their throat.

"I need to check your vitals. How are you feeling?"

It was Nightwing.

"Better, just being back home. It still hurts to move too much though. Where did Batman go?" She asked.

"He went to speak with Comissioner Gordon. He's asked me to keep an eye on you." Nightwing said.

He began checking her over. He did it quickly, and as painlessly, as he could. When he finished, he quietly made his way back into the shadows, leaving them alone, for the most part.

"Bruce, I'm so sorry." She told him.

His eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"It's my fault. If I hadn't left that night...Joker..." Her voice broke, and she couldn't continue.

"Hope, stop. Do not blame yourself. Joker is crazy, you know that as well as I do, if not more, you were his doctor. You didn't ask for any of it. You tried avoiding this." He told her.

"I should have listened to you." She said, shaking her head.

He cupped her face with his hands. His thumb caressed her cheek.

"Hope, please, don't do that to yourself. Let's just celebrate your return." He pleaded with her.

She gave a sad smile, and ran her fingers through his hair.

"I've missed you so much." She whispered.

"I was going crazy, trying to find you." He told her.

"I'm here now." She mumbled.

"Thank God." He muttered, burrying his face in her hair, and inhaling her scent.

"Thank Batman, and Nightwing. They're the ones that found me. They brought me back to you." She said.

Bruce smiled.

"I'll have to thank them for that." He said.

She nodded, and smiled.

"I'm just happy to be back home." She mumbled to him.

He pulled his face out of her hair, and looked at her. He ran his fingers through her hair, and smiled down at her.

"Why don't you try getting some more sleep?" He said.

Her eyes fell shut, as she nodded. Within moments, she was out. Nightwing stepped out of the shadows, and walked over to Bruce. Nightwing put his hand on Bruce's shoulder.

"It's not your fault. We were able to get to her in time. She will heal, and she will be fine. She's strong." Nightwing told him.

"I know that. He would have killed her. She said that she intentially pushed his buttons. They got into physical altercations, and it escalated." Bruce said.

Nightwing squeezed Bruce's shoulder gently.

"He didn't kill her Bruce. We got to her before he could. He's going away, and won't be able to get to her.. She's safe now." Nightwing said.

Bruce gave a nod.

"She's safe." Bruce muttered, running his fingers through her hair.

X*X*X

Hope woke multiple times, due to nightmares. Bruce was right there for her. He would calm her down, and get her back to sleep. A couple days later, Bruce transferred her to their bedroom, while she was sleeping, of course.

Bruce kept the media at bay, and only let Gordon speak with her. Even that was limited access. Bruce made sure she was comforteable. She appreciated it. She appreciated him.

Alfred doted on her. He brought her breakfast, lunch, and dinner, for her, and snacks all through out the day. He would show up at the most random times, just to check on her.

A couple days later, she was allowed to leave the bed. It was slow going, but she pushed through.

She called her boss, and formally quit her job. She tried, but she couldn't do it any longer. She wasn't returning for something like this to happen again.

Dr. Daniels told her that he understood. He wished her luck in her future endeavors. She thanked him, and then they hung up. He would be sending her forms to fill out, and return.

She stood by the window, looking out at the landscape. She felt hesitant hands gently touch her shoulders. She leaned back into him.

"How are you doing?" Bruce asked.

She exhaled loudly.

"I'll be fine, I will. I just have no job now." She muttered.

"You don't have to quit." He whispered in her ear.

She sighed.

"Yes, I do. Joker would go right back to stalking me. If not Joker, it would have been another patient. Oswald Cobblepot was starting to be worrisome, with his attention." She said, with a frown.

"What were you putting in the water?" Bruce asked.

She rolled her eyes.

"Hilarious." She said sarcastically.

He laughed.

"I thought so." He said.

She smiled.

She turned to face him. She smiled up at him.

"Thank you Bruce, for everything you've done for me." She told him.

He cupped her face, with his hand. His thumb rubbed her cheek bone gently.

"It was my pleasure. I'm happy to help you." He told her.

He leaned in, and pressed his lips to her.

X*X*X

Hope steadily got better, healthier. Bruce helped her start some easy work out routines. He slowly taught her how to protect herself.

She still had nightmares, but they were more manageable, and being a psycologist, she talked about what she was going through. Bruce tried keeping her busy.

She wanted to work. Bruce had Dick stop by a few times, and on the most recent visit, Dick offered her a job. It wouldn't be anything fancy, or as elite as a therapist. She would take a major pay cut. She didn't mind. It was something to do with herself. Bruce also thought that it would be good for her, and she eagerly accepted the job.

She would just be filing paperwork, making calls, running errands for him, among other things.

She slowly got back on her feet. She tried pushing Joker, and Arkham, out of her mind once and for all. She was moving foreward, and Bruce was right there next to her...

...THE END...