Spoiler: Bat out of Hell Epilogue

It’s the longest elevator ride of Kate’s life. She clenches her fists as the carriage descends.

The doors open and the cold, damp air of the cave floods in. She rushes out onto the platform overlooking the Cave and grips the cold railing. She can’t believe her eyes.

The animatronic dinosaur towers over the row of display cases containing costumes like Jason’s tattered, bloody one, and Barbara’s old gray one-piece. The lights from the laboratory and the training area gleam on the polished surface of the giant penny.

On the center platform, beside the Car, Bruce Wayne shares an embrace with Alfred and Nightwing. Bruce looks rough, but he’s on his feet. Something’s off about him, but can’t think, she can only stare.

She’s not especially interested in Catwoman and Steph in costume, and John Constantine, puffing away at the edge of the platform and gazing into the abyss.

Finally, Kate lets her breath out and leans, head spinning.

Everything is different now. Usually when everything changes, it isn’t this quiet. All Kate can hear is faint sniffling from Steph, and she can see a tear roll down Dick’s cheek. She’s dizzy. Bruce is still alive. She’s done so much to adapt to a world without Batman in it. Leaving Batwoman behind and devoting herself to GCPD is part of that.

She laughs, a little hysterically, and then smiles, leaning on her hand. Time to start adapting again.

SBAT

Steph goes over to Constantine, and they both nearly fall over the edge as a sonic boom slams through the cavernous space. They whirl to see a flash of blue and red.

That’s what it finally takes for Bruce to let go of Dick and Alfred. He looks up at the man hovering in front of them.

“Where’ve you been?” Superman asks.

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Bruce replies. Superman lands and hugs him before he can say anything else.

Constantine sidles up to an Alfred who is dazed and more than a little emotional.

“Right, chum. I need a favor,” he says quietly.

Alfred clears his throat. “Anything.”

“Send a little money to my mate at this address.” Constantine hands him a scrap of paper.

“A Mr. Chandler? Shall I inform him that it’s from you?”

“Nah.” Constantine flicks his cigarette off the platform, and the glow spins away into the dark. “Make it look like he’s won a drawing or something.”

“Very good, Mr. Constantine.”

“And one more thing.”

“Of course.”

“Who’s the most rotten, sleazy bookie in Gotham?”

“That would be a Mister Mario Maroni.”

“Where do I find him?”

“The Ronaldo Bar and Grill.”

“Cheers.” Constantine shakes Alfred’s hand, then yawns and shuffles off toward the stairs.

Superman lets go of Bruce. “What do you need?”

There’s a long pause. “I don’t know,” Bruce replies.

“I’m glad you’re all right.”

“How long was I gone?”

“Too long,” Superman says.

Bruce looks around, spotting Kate. He tentatively raises a hand in greeting. She waves tearfully. No one seems to know what to say.

Bruce’s gaze lands on Steph. “You’ve been running things?”

“Uh, not exactly.”

“But you came to get me?” he says.

Panicked, Steph looks to Constantine for help, but he’s waiting for the elevator with his back turned. He will not rescue her. “Well, uh, Zatanna sent me to Mr. Constantine, and he’s the one who helped us find you. And of course Selina came along.” Steph grabs Selina’s hand.

He looks so miserable as he gazes at her. “I’m sorry,” he says.

“No, we’re sorry.” Dick steps forward and puts his hand on Bruce’s shoulder. “I should’ve found you. Long ago.”

“No. None of you ever should’ve been in this position.” Bruce shakes his hand and looks around at the cave. “Any of it. I’m so sorry.”

Steph is uneasy. This doesn’t seem like Bruce. What did they do to him? And does he know who sent him there or took him? He hasn’t said anything.

“Master Bruce, we really must examine you medically. I have Dr. Thomkins on her way,” Alfred says, touching his other shoulder.

“All right,” Bruce replies. “Stephanie.”

“Yeah?” she squeaks.

He shakes his head. “I don’t know what to say.”

She musters her pride, which isn’t easy. Her mind is a chaotic place. “You don’t have to say anything, Bruce. You’d do the same for me. That’s all there is to it.”

He doesn’t look convinced, but he nods and lets Alfred lead him away.

Selina squeezes her hand. “Not bad, kid.”

“I’m not a kid.” Steph lowers her voice. “Are you gonna tell him we had sex?”

Superman looks over sharply, although he’s thirty feet away.

Selina glares at Steph, then at Superman. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She glowers at Steph a moment later, then gives her a brief, stiff hug. “But thank you. You did good.”

“Yeah. Steph. I don’t know what to say. We all owe you.” Dick comes in to hug her.

She’s surrounded, bathed in gratitude and approval. It’s dizzying.

Steph forces a smile and looks past them at Constantine. He’s in the elevator now, gazing at her sadly as the doors close.

[ We’ll be back in 2026 with readers helping Mayor Barbara Gordon try to make Gotham a better place! Keep an eye on the blog for the latest and this year's Christmas Special will begin pretty soon. ]