Disclaimer: I do not own and am not, in any way, affiliated with the Dark Knight franchise.

"I don't know where you're going, but do you got room for one more troubled soul?
I don't know where I'm going, but I don't think I'm coming home
And I said, I'll check in tomorrow if I don't wake up dead
This is the road to ruin and we're starting at the end"

― Fall Out Boy, "Alone Together"

Epilogue

Audrey stared out of the plane window, sighing resignedly at the lack of view: a wide expanse of blue on all sides. Normally this would have delighted her; today it left her feeling restless and uneasy.

A book lay open in her lap, but she couldn't concentrate with the butterflies flapping at warp speed in her belly. She slid her fingers down the slick surface of the postcard she'd been using as a bookmark. The corners of it were slightly bent and the front, proclaiming "Saudações de São Vicente!" above a rendering of the island where Mindelo was set apart from the other cities in bold black letters, had lost its glossy luster. There was only a brief message scrawled on the back: a date. That day's date, to be exact. There was no return address, nothing to identify the sender. Every time she reached the end, she flipped it and started over again. The repetition was soothing.

"First time travelling internationally?" a voice beside her asked.

"Hm?" She looked to her left, into the eyes of a man with blonde hair and an easy smile in his early to mid-thirties. Judging by the way he was dressed, khaki shorts and a Hawaiian button up, he was a business man on vacation.

"Sorry," he apologized. She offered a smile and his face visibly relaxed. "You just seem nervous is all."

She tucked the postcard safely between the pages. "Nope. Just… anxious to get there, I guess."

"Damn. I'm usually better at guessing that. Buy you a drink?" he asked, gesturing to the stewardess who was making her way over to them. Audrey studied the man carefully, noticed he was wearing a silver wedding band, and shrugged. "If you insist."

"Hi!" the stewardess greeted with a bright smile. "What can I get you?"

"Bloody Mary for me. And-?" He looked at Audrey and she felt color rise in her cheeks.

"Gin and tonic, please."

"My grandpa used to drink those," he commented as the stewardess walked away.

"Your grandpa had good taste."

He threw back his head and laughed. "That he did. So, what's bringing you to the beautiful island of Saint Vincent?" He took in her jeans, sneakers, and plain gray t-shirt. "Vacation related, maybe? I'm Adam, by the way." He extended his hand to her.

She shook it. It was a firm grip. A good grip. Another small smile crossed her lips. "Audrey. It's a temporary relocation. For work." Not exactly a lie, not exactly the truth.

"You meeting someone there, I take it?" He gestured to the postcard. "Sorry," he apologized again, looking at her sheepishly. "My wife says I'm really nosy and I think she might be on to something."

She laughed for the first time in what felt like a long time. It felt normal, good even. "I am, actually. What about you? Vacation?" He launched into a story of getting held up in Paris on business while his wife traveled ahead.

The gin, she discovered, helped take the edge off and she relaxed, finding it was easy to get lost in this casual, surface conversation. Adam didn't seem to mind doing most of the talking, either.

It was only as the plane descended that her heart beat sped up again. She gripped the arm rest tightly and tried holding on to the warm feeling that the alcohol had left her with even as she felt it sloshing around in her stomach. She looked over at her companion, the color had gone out of his face and his eyes were shut. When they touched down, they looked at each other and laughed.

"Hey," he said when they were finally free of the plane. "You tell that guy of yours to take care of you. He's got a good one."

She wanted to ask how he had known it was a guy, but thought better of it. Who else could she have been so mysterious about meeting? "I will." They shook hands again and as she watched his retreating back, she called, "And you'd better make sure you turn off your damn phone and spend time with your wife!" He flashed her a thumbs up and a grin.

The lobby was full of people waiting, patiently and otherwise, for their loved ones to get off the plane. She scanned them for a face and frowned when she didn't see it.

"Should I be jealous?" a voice whispered in her ear as a pair of arms circled her shoulders. The duffle bag fell to the floor with an audible thump as she turned on her heel and enveloped Barsad's middle. She inhaled deeply and, as she did, her stomach settled. "Oy! Easy. You were just chatting up some other bloke, you know," he teased.

She drew back and stared up at his face. He seemed rested, more relaxed, and she thought she spied the hint of a tan. His hair had been cut but he hadn't shaved. He smiled at her, those sleepy eyes crinkling at the corners. She flashed a smirk back at him, brown eyes twinkling playfully. "About that," she began in a conversational tone. "He did say that I was a catch and that if he were my-" Barsad cut her off with a swiftly delivered kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening it.

"You were saying?" he inquired dryly, shouldering her bag and lacing his fingers through hers.

She touched a finger to her lips, pretending to be deep in thought. "I forget."

It didn't take long for them to get her bag and get out of the airport. As he led her to the car, she drank in the warm morning air. If this is what February is like, I could get used to this. Gotham was starting to feel light years away.

"How's your Portuguese?" Barsad asked as he navigated the vehicle through the streets. Audrey watched the buildings roll by in a blur of bright colors and amazing architecture.

"Terrible," she admitted. She tore her eyes away from the views and turned her attention on him. "Why Cape Verde?"

"The League owns some of the major hotels here. Nothing dodgy," he added at the skeptical look she gave him. "Bane likes to make sure nothing is getting too cocked up when he can. The lack of an extradition treaty doesn't hurt either."

Audrey tried to imagine Bane relaxing on the beach, in swim trunks, with a fruity cocktail in hand under an umbrella that matched the one in his drink. Barsad shook his head at her when she snickered.

They came to a stop in a private parking lot behind a greying white washed building. It looked like a dump, but she was feeling too polite to say so. Small stone walls surrounded it, leading to stone steps. A breeze lifted her hair and she could smell the salty tang of the ocean.

"Come on." He dragged her away from her luggage and led her to the front of the building. What it lacked in outward appeal it made up for in landscape. Boats were floating sluggishly in the distance and all she could see was sand and sea.

"The path to paradise begins in hell. Dante," she added for Barsad's benefit.

For a few minutes they stood in silence. He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her close, pressing his lips to the top of her hair. "Tourist season's over so we have the run of the place."

"It's beautiful."

"Wait until you see the rest of it."

In the heart of the hotel they passed through a well-kept courtyard with hammocks and lounge chairs where Barsad had pointed out the library. "Whole thing is well stocked. You can't go in there now, though, or I'll never get you out."

Their room turned out to be a suite with a king sized bed and marble floor. Audrey stared in awe at the open floor plan with its gigantic bath tub, dual showerhead, and private balcony. She pressed her hand into the bed, marveling at the way the mattress seemed to mold around it. It was the nicest hotel room she'd ever been in. She kicked off her shoes and flounced on the bed, snuggling up on the absurdly white linens with closed eyes and dreaming of how comfortable it would be to sleep in it.

"There will be no napping, woman." Audrey turned away from him, smothering a laugh, and faked a snore. The bed sank under his weight as he joined her. He stroked her hair, wrapping the end of it around his hand and gently pulling it away from the back of her neck where he began to lay a series of slow, shiver inducing kisses. Unable to keep up the ruse, she turned to face him.

"Oh dear!" she exclaimed, looking at his bare torso. "You seem to have lost your shirt." She sat up and pretended to look around for it. With a wry grin he wrestled her blouse over her head.

He raised himself so that he was on his knees and gave her a light push backward into the mountain of pillows behind her. With one hand on his chin and the other arm crossed over his chest, he studied her and clicked his tongue. "This will never do. These trousers will have to go." It was with a deft hand that he unclothed her, tossing the jeans aside and running one hand up her thigh. She moaned as his whiskery face made contact with the sensitive skin of her hip.

It was a reunion she was not soon to forget.

(-)

"Audrey," Barsad said softly. "Audrey, wake up." She groaned and pulled the fluffy comforter over her face. He gave a firm yank and suddenly she was ripped out of her warm nest.

"Five more minutes?" she pleaded.

"And waste such a brilliant afternoon? Not on your life."

Groggy and slightly pouty, she shifted into a sitting position and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Barsad respectfully stifled a laugh at her hair which was frizzy and flying in every direction. He held out two pieces of black swimwear. Behind him she could see her suitcase which now lay open. "Did you go through my stuff while I was sleeping?" She hopped off the bed and snatched the bikini out of his hands. "Creep."

He seemed unaffected by her irritation and smacked her bottom as she retreated behind the wooden partition that separated bathroom and bedroom. She jumped and turned to glare at him. "Come on then! Haven't got all day!"

She reemerged in the swimsuit, her hair tamed into a high ponytail. He let out a low whistle. Hand in hand they walked to the beach. The water glittered in the afternoon sun and the sand was warm beneath their feet.

"You're a right bugger after a nap," he declared as they sought out the perfect spot. She snapped her towel at him in response.

They spent the rest of the day sunbathing and splashing around. As the sun sank low in the sky, Audrey threw herself, belly first, on her towel to soak up the last rays. Her muscles throbbed from swimming, but it was a pleasant ache. She felt alive. "I wish it could always be like this," she said as Barsad sat next to her, burying his feet in the sand and leaning back so that he was propped on his elbows.

One hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun, she studied him. His face, which had been a Cheshire grin only moments before, had gone serious.

"How was the funeral?" he asked.

She lowered her head so that her chin was resting on her crossed arms. It was the conversation she had spent all day dreading. "It was really nice. Father Reilly's service was beautiful. They buried him next to my Mom and there were a lot of people that had nice things to say. It's what he would have wanted." Barsad said nothing but she could feel him staring. "Beth thinks I'm being stupid," she continued, tracing shapes in the sand. "That I'm just running away from my problems." She snorted. "I mean, she's right, but she doesn't know the whole story. I couldn't tell her about you or any of this. I hate that I left on that note, but… I couldn't stay. There's nothing there for me anymore. Besides, I've never liked Gotham. Not really. It's not home for me."

"You've made your decision then? Once you agree to this, there's no backing out."

"Well, I didn't fly all the way out here just to take a vacation."

"Be serious, Audrey. This isn't something you should be taking lightly." She bristled at the stiffness in his tone.

"I'm aware, thank you," she replied curtly. Don't you dare start this again.

"Although," he said after a beat. "I am a bit put out that you're not here just to see me." He stood and scooped her up as he did so. "Oy you're heavy!"

Though she tried to fight it, she couldn't help laughing. "Ass!" She looked him directly in the eye. "I am taking it seriously and I haven't completely made up my mind yet. I want to talk to him first."

"You'll get your chance tomorrow." So soon? "In the meantime, what do you say to some nosh in the library and then I show you what paraíso is really about?"

"I could think of worse ways to spend the evening," she taunted even as a tingle of pleasure shot through her.

(-)

The next morning Audrey found herself in front of the mirror, frowning at her reflection. She spun around to face Barsad, who was watching her with a bemused expression, and threw her hands in the air. "Does this look okay?" She swept her hand down at her outfit which consisted of a pair of black slacks, sensible shoes, and a white blouse under a black blazer.

"Honestly, you could wear your bloody bikini and it wouldn't make a difference. Actually," he said in a thoughtful tone. "Might have a better chance that way."

"Uh, hi, remember yesterday when you told me to take this seriously? Here I am, taking it seriously. And you're. Making. Jokes." She took a deep breath in and exhaled. "Besides, I doubt there's anything appealing about me in a bikini to Bane."

Barsad chuckled as she turned back to the mirror to finish her inspection. "He's just a man, Audrey." Then, a little more seriously, "You'd do well to remember that."

"Duly noted," she replied, rolling her eyes and straightening her shirt.

The compound where the League had taken residence was set on a remote part of the island and looked like a castle out of a fairy tale. She rearranged her features to hide her begrudging admiration for the structure.

"Lot of security," she remarked. Two men guarded the wrought iron gate that swung open after Barsad had identified himself and there were more when they'd parked and reached the entrance.

They were led through a series of stunningly ornamented hallways before being shown to a set of closed doors and instructed to wait. "We threw a spanner in the works when we showed up unannounced." He lowered his voice so that only she could hear. "I think Bane's a little paranoid after all the attention we brought to ourselves."

A blonde figure passed in front of them that caused Audrey to do a double take. "Adam?" she spluttered. He froze and slowly rotated to face her. His eyes lit up with recognition. "Audrey?" He cast a furtive glance at Barsad who straightened up and looked down at him with trained indifference. "What are you-?"

The door creaked open and Bane stood before them. Adam nodded at all of them and took off down the hall.

Bane was not, she observed with mild disappointment, wearing swim trunks but he did seem more at ease than he ever had in Gotham. "Welcome, brother," he greeted, clapping Barsad on the shoulder before pulling him into a quick but firm embrace. Audrey's jaw clicked audibly shut when she realized it had fallen open from shock. Barsad nudged her forward and Bane's eyes fell on her.

"Miss Campbell. Come in." He stepped to the side and she managed to give Barsad a little wave before the door shut. The room was as elegantly decorated as the rest of the place. A cherry wood desk sat in front of a wide window with seemingly endless shelves of books lining the walls.

He lumbered to the chair nearest the window and gestured for her to take one of the plush chairs across from him. "Have a seat." Half in a daze, she did so. Does he actually read any of these? she wondered as she looked around the room in awe. Suddenly she remembered herself. "Thank you."

"I assume, correctly, I hope, that you are here to discuss the request you made a few months ago."

"I am."

"Before we begin, I wish to express my condolences at the loss of your father." Her eyes widened. "Barsad informed me of what happened. In no way does the League condone the acts committed. It would seem, however, the appropriate punishment was dealt to the guilty party." She thought she detected the hint of amusement in his eye.

"Thank you," she said slowly.

He nodded, leaning back in the chair and making a tent with his fingers. "Tell me: what changed your mind? It was not so long ago that you were opposed to all of this."

This she had been prepared for. "What you said to me, the night that… when that boy died. It stuck with me. And I think the reason I couldn't stop thinking about it is because you were right. I still don't necessarily agree with your methods in Gotham, but I heard about what happened to Talia, and- am I right in understanding the League is under your management now?"

"You are correct."

It felt stupid to tell him that she was here because something inside of her felt broken. That she didn't feel she could be around her old life any longer, that she was here because she believed maybe things could change. That the League could turn itself around and be a force for good in the world and that maybe it would fix her. That somehow Barsad was proof that they weren't all bad. Hope was naïve, she knew, but she clung to it anyway. "I think you're going to need a lot of help, then."

"The position is yours if you want it. I have heard enough of your praises to be convinced that you would be a good fit within our organization."

"I have some stipulations." An eyebrow raised in response. That's not a refusal. Encouraged by this, she continued, "I won't kill anybody and I want to help head your medical team." She held her breath, only releasing it when he stretched his arm across the desk, his hand engulfing hers.

"Welcome to the League of Shadows, Miss Campbell."

A/N: And that's it. Thank you all so much for reading this, for reviewing it, and for favoriting it. I will say that I'm toying around with the idea of a sequel that goes away from The Dark Knight series and takes all of our beloved characters on their own wild ride. I normally don't ask for this kind of feedback, but if I were to post it, would you all be interested in it? Let me know. Lots of love.