Weeks had passed since their last encounter, though not that Jim was counting or anything. He had better things to do than worry about a masked man. Not to mention, the resident billionaire playboy had taken to pestering Gordon whenever he had the chance. It was really starting to grate on the new police commissioner's nerves. He had a city to protect and serve- a job that did not cater to the whims of Bruce Wayne.

Jim wasn't an ignorant man, much to the chagrin of some of his officers. He had heard the gossip at the water coolers. Rumors were spreading like wild fire around the precinct that Bruce Wayne was really trying to woo the recently divorced police commissioner.

Gordon sighed as he leaned back in his office chair. Piles of paper and other clutter filled his desk surface. He really should be organizing and cleaning off the desk, but it was futile. The moment it was all set and neat...BOOM! A crisis would hit and Jim would be back behind a chaotic mess. Besides, the commissioner really had more pressing work than the paperwork. Gotham was a mess. Even more so, now that Batman had 'gone rogue'.

Feeling that a break was in order, Jim picked up his coffee and headed towards the roof access. Thankfully, his officers knew the look he was currently wearing as the 'Back off, I need time alone with out interruptions' look and would leave him alone until he returned from the roof.

Many felt sorry for the man. They all knew the Batman was a great help to Gordon. They knew that it pained the commissioner that such a person had become someone they were duty bound to hunt down and lock up. None of them knew that the real pain was that Jim knew Batman wasn't the evil one. That it pained him more to be hunting down an innocent man than trying to stop a murderer. Gordon knew murderers. Batman was not one of them.

Gordon slowly climbed the stairs, wondering just what it was exactly he was looking for on that roof. It had been weeks since he had last had any sort of contact with Batman- the vigilante probably just checking in so Gordon knew he was still alive and quietly working on ridding Gotham of the evil she possessed- so why should he show up tonight of all nights?

The cool night breeze felt heavenly after being holed up for the better part of the day in his stuffy office. Jim sighed and rubbed his tired eyes as he leaned morosely against the broken beacon. It had broken his heart more than he would ever admit to be the one to brake the signal..a signal of hope. But Batman was the evil, and if the police commissioner didn't oppose the evil, who in the godforsaken city would?

"You should take better care of yourself, Gordon," came a gruff voice from the shadows, causing Jim to straighten up a little more. He'd deny that he was more startled than anything else since getting the roof without passing through the building was a pretty challenging task, unless that person happened to be Batman.

Gordon let out a nervous chuckle. "Give an old man like me a heart attack, why don't you," he quipped as he regained his composure and regular heart beat.

Steely blue eyes squinted into the shadows to try to make out the invisible man. A futile task, really. Batman wouldn't be seen unless he wanted to be seen. It was something that Jim Gordon had learned a long time ago during his early interactions with the vigilante.

His eyes narrowed slightly when he heard a rumbling echo against the stone. Batman was chuckling at him. If Jim were more of a child he might have pouted at being laughed at. "You're too young to be having heart attacks, Gordon. And, I happen to have it on good authority that your heart is healthier than those of men half your age."

Jim frowned at the explanation before scrunching up in thought. He hadn't been to the doctor's since- "You're on speaking terms with Bruce Wayne?" he inquired curiously.

The billionaire had forced, or rather coerced Jim into getting a physical by plainly stating that the police commissioner of Gotham needed to be in tip-top shape. Bruce Wayne even had the audacity to bring in a private physician (as if the local clinic wasn't adequate enough for his tastes). He claimed it was because Gordon needed his personal files and records (he meant all of them) to be private lest someone with less than pure intentions got hold of the files and gained some leverage over Gordon.

Jim put up with it only because he knew Wayne was right (damn kid). And, he had it on good authority (if Wayne's word could be trusted as authority) the information would remain confidential. Gordon should have known that Wayne would blabber something about the state of his health to someone.

"I have my ways," Batman mysteriously retorted. Gordon could practically feel the smirk roll off the other man, making him scowl. It just didn't seem right that the Batman knew so much about him and the workings of the Gotham police department whereas Jim little to nothing about Batman.

Tonight was one of the few nights Gordon decided to vocalize his dislike for the secrecy. "You know? I hate all the secrets you keep from me all in the name of keeping me safe or because you have the situation under control. I need more than shadow whispers of information and tips."

Jim regretted the venomous words even as they spilled from his lips. He didn't want Batman to think he was ungrateful for all the Batman did for Gotham, because Jim was more grateful than he was comfortable admitting. The commissioner sighing deeply, running a hand through his already ruffled locks.

"I didn't mean to snap like that," he started apologetically, "Things as you probably know have been chaotic to say the least." Jim blinked, slightly unnerved by the silence he met. Either he was alone yet again (and with such harsh words to leave on to boot- Jim never liked conversations to end with spite filled words since he never wanted the last words between and someone to have been full of anger or hate), or the Batman was mulling everything over.

Jim was just about to leave the roof when Batman finally spoke again. "You're right," Batman said which caused Gordon to raise an eyebrow. Batman rarely told Gordon he was right. But before Jim could comment or ask about it, the masked man continued on.

"There shouldn't be secrets between us. We are all we have after all," he said with a little less rasp than Gordon was used to hearing from him. This voice sounded vaguely familiar, but for the life of him, Jim couldn't quite place it.

Even so, Gordon saw movement in the shadows. Batman was stepping closer to him, but as he paused, the commissioner thought he was hesitating about something. What that something was, Jim could only hazard a guess. "Not only that, but I don't want to keep hiding from you of all people."

By this point, the rasp had completely disappeared which allowed Gordon to almost instantaneously recognize the voice that haunted his days. To further confirm it, Batman had completely stepped out of the shadows and into the light. Only, it wasn't Batman who stood stoically before Jim Gordon. It was Bruce Wayne.

"Well," stated Jim(who had secretly suspected that Batman was Bruce Wayne after researching how much money was needed for the kind of equipment Batman used- he was the only man in Gotham rich enough to get those items and not be questioned about it. Not only that but his playboy style and love for the night life aided in his other nightly pursuits) as he pushed up his glasses.

Bruce was smiling sheepishly, having expected more of a shock (but come on, this was James Gordon he was talking about. He probably had a hunch about Batman's true identity from the beginning), and waited for Gordon to finish his thought.

"This certainly changes a few things."

"Yes. Yes, it does."

Note: prompt from a friend, "the truth revealed"