An alternate take on Batman: Shadow of the Bat #2 (1992) which is also part two of "The Last Arkham" storyline which is one of my favorite Batman stories next to "Knightfall" and "The Long Halloween".

This story takes place during Batman's flashback while imprisoned in the new Arkham Asylum (read the story and find out why) where he mentions meeting a little girl who is abused by her parents.

Originally, Batman found out that the girl's family was killed by Victor Zsasz (Fun Fact: This storyline is his first appearance). But what if Zsasz never killed the girl's family? What if Batman was able to do what he planned when he learned that the girl was being abused? Find out here:

The bright moonlight shines down upon the crime city of Gotham.

In the Gotham Graveyard, however, a girl sits on a stone with her dolls.

You may be asking why a little girl is playing in a graveyard of all places, especially at night. In Gotham City of all places, being out at night is incredibly dangerous. So why is she here?

"You're bad! You've been a wicked girl! You must be punished!" The girl screams angrily as she spanks one of her dolls.

But as the girl continues, she is unaware of the large black figure resembling a bat swinging from a rope to her location.

The large bat lands silently behind the small girl watching her curiously.

"Why is a little girl here?" The bat wonders as he continues to observe.

The girl isn't aware of the adult behind her nor of his dark shadow looking over.

The girl picks up another doll and holds it tight. With a look of pure anger on her face, she starts yelling.

"It's no use apologizing! You always say sorry but you always misbehave! This time you've gone too far! I warned warned you what would happen..." the girl says before throwing the doll down into the dirt.

"NOBODY WANTS YOU ANYMORE!" she cries.

The bat tilts his head.

He wonders why this girl is speaking like this as if she's been told this herself. He begins to suspect something foul but hopes that she just got it from TV.

The girl gets down on her knees, grabs a toy shovel and digs a small hole into the ground. She then grabs one of her dolls and tosses it into the hole and buries it with one of the doll's legs sticking out.

"That's what happens to bad girls!" The girl finishes.

The bat groans internally.

The girl stands up with her arms on her hips and a flare on her face as she looks down to her remaining dolls beside the stone she was sitting on.

"Are you all going to behave now? Or would you rather join Amanda? Because that's what-"

*Koff!*

The girl quickly spins around. The fierce look that was once on her face now switched with one of fear.

She gasps as she sees a tall figure with long pointy ears standing before her in front of the moon. His wings...no, cape flowed with the wind.

Even though she couldn't see his face, the girl could tell that the man was staring at her.

"OHH!" The girl exclaimed.

"Don't be afraid. I won't hurt you." The man said. His voice sounding deep.

The man walked closer to her.

The girl was surprised to see that the man is none other than The Batman.

She has heard multiple stories about him such as him taking down the criminals of Gotham to assisting the Justice League in protecting the Earth.

The girl sees him as a hero while everyone she knows has a different opinion of Batman.

Her parents believes that Batman is a lunatic who deserves to be thrown into Arkham along with the other nuts in there. Her older brother thinks that Batman is a total loser and a killjoy. He also said that when he's older, he wants to join Joker's crew and be the one who kills the bat.

Batman knelt in front of the girl.

"I don't think you should be out alone. Won't your mommy and daddy be worried?" Batman asked softly with a smile in hopes to not frighten the child.

But he noticed how the girl flinched when he mentioned her dad. He also saw the bruise on her right cheek in the pale moon light.

It all made sense now. Her father beats her and she beats the dolls while also repeating the same words she no doubt heard a thousand times.

There was a dark, bilious ball of fury in Batman's gut.

The one thing he hates more than a serial killer who enjoys what they do, is someone who hurts a child.

Batman has no biological kids of his own but he had adopted sons who he loved as if they were his own.

The first was Dick Grayson, Batman's first Robin who's now grown up with the new identity called Nightwing.

The second was Jason Todd who was also the second Robin. He...he died.

The third is named Tim Drake who is the current Robin.

But one thing was always the same for the three boys. If anybody laid a finger on them, Batman would've made their lives a living hell.

People... sometimes he hates them.

But Batman was quick to hide his frustration.

His expression softened as he began to speak.

"Come on. I'll take you home." said Batman.

"Bu-But..." The girl tried to protest in obvious fear.

"It'll be alright. No one will hurt you while I'm here. I promise." Batman assured the girl.

The girl nodded and walked away to pick up her dolls.

Batman looked aside to see the doll still buried in the dirt. He grabbed the small shovel with his blue glove and dug the doll out.

"And I don't think we should forget Amanda..." Batman added.

A few minutes later, the two walked out of the cemetery and onto the street.

Batman had his hand on the girl's shoulder whole she carried all of her dolls in her arms and the small shovel in her back pocket.

By what the girl said, her apartment is a few minutes away so he decided to get some information from her.

"What is your name?" Batman asked.

""K-Karen." The girl replied.

"You're a very brave girl, Karen. It's very dangerous to walk around at night in this city yet you went from the house to the cemetery all by yourself." Batman complimented.

"Thank you. My mommy said that God watches over me." Karen replied.

"And that's a good thing." Batman added.

"My daddy said that God is fake and how anyone who believes in him are a bunch of dolts. But he says God a lot when he's mad. But he always says the D word after it. Mommy tells Daddy to not say God's name in vain only for daddy to slap her after." Karen explained.

Batman gritted his teeth.

He's thankful that the street is empty tonight and hopes that any thug hiding in the dark alleyways is smart enough to stay there.

Not because he's afraid that the criminal will hurt the Karen. He just doesn't want the kid to witness him breaking the mugger's bones one by one.

"Mr. Batman?" Karen began.

"Yes?" Batman said, snapping out of his thought.

"Are you and Superman friends?" she asked.

"Yes, why?" Batman answered.

"Some kids at my school always gamble on who would win in a fight against you two. Most day that Superman will win easily." Karen explained.

Batman sighed.

"Let me rest assured that Superman and I have no grudge against each other and any that we might have are remains in the past. So we have no reason to fight." said Batman.

"Oh. Okay, where's Robin?" Karen asked.

Batman assumed that she was talking about Tim.

"He's with the Teen Titans at the moment." Batman answered.

"I heard of them! Starfire is my favorite." she smiled.

"starfire is also nightwing's favorite." Batman whispered under his breath.

"Batman? Do you have a mommy and daddy?" Karen asked with pure innocence.

Batman's breath hitched.

"Um...I did. They're in heaven now." Batman answered with discomfort.

"Do you think that they're watching over you?" Karen questioned.

Batman looked up into the night sky.

"I hope so." He said gloomily.

"Oh. And Batman? By brother says that he wants to be in Joker's gang when he gets bigger. Is that bad?" Karen asked with a tilt of her head.

Batman was surprised.

"Extremely. The Joker is a dangerous criminal and your brother would pretty much be throwing away his life of he were to join that madman." Batman explained.

"I agree " Karen agreed.

Batman shook his head.

The thought of kids wanting to becoming criminals made him feel ill.

A few minutes pass and Batman and Karen make it to her apartment complex.

Karen stopped in her tracks as she looked at the stairs and back at Batman.

"M-Maybe I better sneak back in-"

"Don't worry. I'll explain to your dad. I think he'll listen to me." Batman interrupted with a little edge with the last word.

Batman picked Karen up and held her in his right arm.

Karen led Batman up the stairs and towards the door with the name Spingler written on a sign.

Originally, Batman would've found the door slightly open. Inside, he would find Karen's family with their throats slashed and posed as if they were watching television. A common theme to Zsasz's murders. And Karen would've been orphaned.

But it's not the same here as the door is still closed and the family is very much still alive.

Batman knocked on the door with his left hand and waited.

He heard footsteps approach on the other side and heard the doorknob jiggling.

The door opened to reveal an adult woman wearing clothes with an apron and curlers in her hair.

"Who-?"

Karen's mother freezed as she saw her daughter with Batman.

"Hello, Mrs. Spengler. Is your husband home?" Batman asked.

"H-Hello, Mommy." Karen greeted sheepishly.

Mrs. Spengler's lips quivered.

"D-Dear?" she called.

Batman heard a loud groan resonating from inside the apartment.

"What is it?" Karen's father called in annoyance.

"S-Someone just brought Karen home. A-And they want to speak with you." Mrs. Spengler replied.

"WHAT THE #$& DID THAT GIRL DO NOW?" Mr. Spengler yelled as he got up from his chair.

Batman heard stomping approaching the door.

The door immediately swung open to reveal Karen's dad who looked older than his wife who was balding and had a large gut.

Mr. Spengler wore an expression of pure rage as he saw his daughter.

"Look here, Missy! I-"

Mr. Spengler stopped as he saw who was holding his daughter.

His face morphed into fear. Good.

Mr. Spengler stared at Batman's unamused face.

"Um..uh. I apologise f-for whatever my d-daughter did, B-Batman. I-I'll make s-sure she gets punished." Mr. Spengler spoke as if he was in the freezing cold.

"Your daughter did nothing wrong. But I would like a word with you." said Batman as he placed Karen on the ground.

Batman the grabbed the collar of Mr. Spengler's shirt and pulled him into the hall, the smell of cheap beer reached Batman's nose.

"He'll be back in a few minutes." said Batman as he closed the door in front of Mrs. Spengler and Karen.

Mrs. Spengler stared at the door with wide eyes.

She then looked down at her daughter who was staring up at her.

Mrs. Spengler then noticed how dirty her daughter was.

"L-Let's get you a bath running." said Mrs. Spengler.

"Y-You can't do this! I have rights!" Mr. Spengler yelled as Batman dragged him down the stairs.

"Shut up, slime." Batman growled.

Making it to the entrance of the apartment complex, Batman threw Mr. Spengler onto the sidewalk.

"OOF!" Mr. Spengler puffed.

Batman picked him up by the collar once more.

"In the alley, pork chop." said Batman while dragging Mr. Spengler behind him.

Finally in the alley, Batman tossed Mr. Spengler against the brick wall.

Mr. Spengler leaned against the wall, trying to get his footing.

"I-I'll call the police on you, freak!" Mr. Spengler threatened.

"Go ahead. Then I'll tell them about how you hit your kids." Batman fired back.

Mr. Spengler gulped.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about."

Batman grabbed Mr. Spengler by the throat and slammed him against the wall.

"Don't play dumb. The sweat rolling down your face is proof enough that you're lying!" said Batman.

"H-How do you even know that I did those things?" Mr. Spengler asked.

"I found your daughter torturing her dolls in the graveyard. She was saying things that she had to of heard before. Not only that, but I spotted a bruise on her cheek after she fliched when I mentioned you. Now this is what's going to happen. You are going to go up there and apologise to your family for all you've done. Then, you will promise to never lay a hand on any of them again and be a better father and husband." Batman demanded.

"S-Sure. Anything!" Mr. Spengler cried.

"You will also quit drinking beer. It's obvious that plays a factor in your abusiveness nature." Batman added.

"What? I'm not going to stop drinking!" Mr. Spengler protested.

Batman growled as he held up his fist.

Mr. Spengler panicked.

"Alright! Alright! I'll switch to soda!" he swore.

"And your daughter told me how your son wants to be a part of the Joker crew when he gets older. I advise that you talk to him. And I don't mean to yell and make threats. But talk to him as his father. Because I would hate to have to throw your son in prison in the future and it being your fault."

Mr. Spengler quickly nodded.

"I'll change! I'LL CHANGE!" he screamed.

Batman brought Mr. Spengler closer to the point where their noses almost touched.

"I will be watching you. I will make sure you live by your word. And don't stray away thinking that I won't know because I will find out. And if you slip up, you will be going to jail. And I will warm you, the prisoners in Blackgate really hate guys who hits kids." Batman said in a deep growl.

Mr. Spengler nodded quicky.

With that, Batman dropped the man onto the ground and walked off into the darkness.

Mr. Spengler did as he was told. He threw out every last drop of alcohol he had in the kitchen and tried to be a better father and husband.

Batman still keeps to his word and watches the families activities and is glad to see some progress.

But last of all, he's happy that Karen no longer has to live in fear.

The End.