Again. It was an interesting word to just use like that, and immediately it had Jim wondering what he meant by it. 'Again'. Was it Harvey? Was it just the whole act of fighting and winning, but losing far more in the process? The Harvey here had the same face, so whatever had happened to him could count as 'again', couldn't it?
He tried not to think about it too much, and shook off the words with his shoulder.
"No point reassuring me of that. The story's not over yet, and even if it was, Batman, there's not much you can do for my guilt. That's something I have to live with. It makes it real. The moment I give it up, or forget, is the moment I let this place win."
He picked up his badge now, folding it closed and dropping it into his breast pocket where it belonged. It must have wandered during the commotion with the TV studio. Was that all today?
"The Joker's free still, and some guy comes forward to say he knows who Batman is. Joker puts a price on his head, and while we're busy he pays a little visit to Dent in hospital, gives him an idea. Harvey went after the corrupt cops with his coin, and he went after me. Indirectly, of course. You were busy with the Joker, and my family was in danger. So I went, even though I knew it was a trap."
He'd expected to die. But it was Harvey. Harvey who had been District Attorney for Gotham City and still been bright, still been untouchable. Harvey who was above hurting innocents. "I thought I could reason with him. He was a good man."
"Instead he puts his gun to my son's head, and tells me to tell him that it's going to be alright, even though I know it isn't. Just like he did for Dawes. That's when you sweep in--I don't even know how you found us, I just know what happened next. That you couldn't catch both of them. You couldn't even stop yourself falling.
"Damn it... I thought you were dead. Dent was. And there had to be an explanation. Someone had to take the fall."
Words unspoken. His look said it all: it said 'Forgive me'.
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He tried not to think about it too much, and shook off the words with his shoulder.
"No point reassuring me of that. The story's not over yet, and even if it was, Batman, there's not much you can do for my guilt. That's something I have to live with. It makes it real. The moment I give it up, or forget, is the moment I let this place win."
He picked up his badge now, folding it closed and dropping it into his breast pocket where it belonged. It must have wandered during the commotion with the TV studio. Was that all today?
"The Joker's free still, and some guy comes forward to say he knows who Batman is. Joker puts a price on his head, and while we're busy he pays a little visit to Dent in hospital, gives him an idea. Harvey went after the corrupt cops with his coin, and he went after me. Indirectly, of course. You were busy with the Joker, and my family was in danger. So I went, even though I knew it was a trap."
He'd expected to die. But it was Harvey. Harvey who had been District Attorney for Gotham City and still been bright, still been untouchable. Harvey who was above hurting innocents. "I thought I could reason with him. He was a good man."
"Instead he puts his gun to my son's head, and tells me to tell him that it's going to be alright, even though I know it isn't. Just like he did for Dawes. That's when you sweep in--I don't even know how you found us, I just know what happened next. That you couldn't catch both of them. You couldn't even stop yourself falling.
"Damn it... I thought you were dead. Dent was. And there had to be an explanation. Someone had to take the fall."
Words unspoken. His look said it all: it said 'Forgive me'.