Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or any of its characters.

Chapter Summary: Bruce Wayne and Jim Gordon cross paths once again on a bloody and tragic night in Gotham. And, just like the first time they met, nothing will ever be the same.

...

Title: What's in a Growl?

"Damn it, Jim," Bruce muttered, heartfelt, and then dropped to his knees at the injured man's side. He forced his hands to remain steady as he worked the buttons open and pushed Gordon's clothes aside to examine the wound.

He couldn't let Bruce Wayne's panic and fear seize him. He needed to be Batman right now; cold and pragmatic.

Bruce ignored the bright red blood that quickly covered his hands and forced himself to focus on the task in hand. The bullet didn't seem to have hit anything vital as far as he could tell, and Gordon was conscious, which was a good sign as well.

It was a fundraiser like any other. And, like many before it, it was crashed by a large group of armed thugs attracted like the moth to the flame by the glittering glow of Gotham's elite gathered in one place. In a matter of seconds, there were at least twenty men with ski masks and semi-automatics all around the ballroom, every exit covered.

The fundraiser wasn't organized by him, so Bruce didn't have the luxury of the Manor's perimeter security or Alfred to warn him of the imminent arrival of the criminals before they were breaking in with shots and screams. The fact it took a couple of them less than one minute to recognize him didn't help either. It made him a clear target, which was bad by itself, but also made impossible any escape attempts.

All of which meant Batman wouldn't be coming to save the night anytime soon.

The only reason Gordon was singled too was that he stepped in when they tried to drag Bruce with them as they were leaving with bags full and guns in the ready. An idiotic yet admirable decision and exactly the kind of thing only Jim Gordon would do. Bruce would be annoyed, except that kind of selfless behavior was one of the reasons that made him choose the other man as Batman's contact in the GCPD in the first place.

'Batman's guy' one of them called him, and just like that they were taking him as well. He wasn't sure if they shot Gordon as soon as they pushed them into the room because he put himself between the gun and Bruce or if they would have shot him anyway, knowing the Police Commissioner would give them more trouble than a helpless billionaire playboy.

The feel of a hand touching his brought him back to the here and now, and he made an effort to smooth his expression as he met the man's concerned eyes. Only Jim Gordon would be worried about someone else while he was bleeding on the floor from a bullet wound and no means of receiving the medical attention he clearly needed.

"Mr. Wayne?" It was obvious from the tone this was not the first time the man called his name.

"Commissioner," He replied.

"Are you okay?"

"Well, it wasn't me those men shot at, so I'll say I'm alright." Bruce didn't quite reach the light tone he had been aiming for, but he didn't let himself dwell on that. "What about you? How do you feel?"

"I feel like I was shot," Gordon replied wryly.

Bruce looked at him, unsure of what the right answer was. He would know how to react if he were Batman right now, but he wasn't. Gordon was moving before he could come up with something worthy of Brucie Wayne's vapid personality, so the thoughts were pushed aside as he hurried to put his hands on the man's shoulders to keep him down.

"Don't," Bruce growled.

"Huh."

He ignored the strange inflection of that noise along with the weight of Gordon's gaze as he shrugged off his jacket. The wound may not be too serious, but the blood loss was still a concern and his bare hands weren't going to help with that. The jacket's fabric wasn't ideal either, but it was the best he could do at the moment.

His eyes flicked to Gordon's face and then moved away as the man's face twisted in pain when he applied pressure. Bruce was unable to ignore the pained gasp that filled the room, but there was nothing he could do but clench his jaw and mutter an apology.

"It's- ah. It's okay," Gordon panted. His eyes were glassy and slightly unfocused behind his glasses. "You're doing fine, son."

Bruce said nothing, simply kept applying pressure.

Gordon took a shaky breath before speaking softly. "I guess it was my turn to get shot, wasn't it?"

Bruce's head snapped to look down at Gordon, his heart beating hard and fast against his chest. He watched Gordon's familiar face, now pale and clammy, as well as marred by lines of pain. But then, there were his eyes, dark and sharp and knowing, and the small smile, almost a grimace pulling at the corner of his lips.

Gordon didn't say another word, and Bruce didn't need to ask. It was not the time or the place, but most importantly, it wasn't necessary.

He knew. They knew.

"No," He replied hoarsely after a long moment.

Gordon gave him an almost imperceptible nod. "Well, you can make it up to me by getting us out of here, then."

"I will," Bruce vowed. He allowed the corner of his mouth to curl upward after a beat.

He had no idea how he was going to accomplish that exactly, but he had no doubt he- they would think of something. They were partners, after all.

...

a/n: And that night Bruce learned he should never growl in the presence of someone who has heard Batman's growl. 😉 Let's just say all the clues were there and Jim just needed a little push in the form of a very familiar growl to put them all together.

English is not my native language, so any tips or corrections are welcome.