The air within Gotham had changed.

The once silent and dead city had become streets full of electricity that was just waiting to destroy anyone that dared to exit their homes.

There had been more gunfire than usual and the sounds of the crazed patients echoed through the empty streets. Cackles and groans of pain came from every corner of Gotham.

The rain poured down and mixed with the blood that pooled on the pavements. Bodies of Bane's mercenaries and Nix's Darlings littered the roads like pieces of garbage just waiting to be trashed. It didn't take long for the armed mercenaries to overpower the manic ex-patients and it soon became a game of hide and seek; Bane and his men doing the searching whilst Nix and Scorpion skipped happily in the shadows.

It was only a matter of time. Bane could feel the adrenaline within his veins for the final showdown between himself and the woman. After their previous meeting he had done some exploring and easily found her files within the redzone of Arkham.

NAME: RIANNA 'NIX' DALY

D.O.B.: 18TH AUGUST 1986

ADMITTED: 10TH JANUARY 2008

CAUSE OF ADMISSION: FOUND AMONGST THE BODIES OF HER HUSBAND, CRAIG (23) AND DAUGHTER, ABIGAIL (3). HAS NO RECOLLECTION OF WHAT HAPPENED.

ZONE: RED - SHOWS SIGNS OF BEING VOLATILE AND POTENTIALLY HARMFUL TO HERSELF AND OTHERS.

CURRENT DIAGN-

Bane had no desire to read further; no diagnosis would make his mission any different. He was either going to kill or consume Miss Daly. There was no way other way around it. The woman would either bend to his will or die by his hand. He had heard about Scorpion and found himself amused as to why a unique woman such as Nix would keep him around; possible entertainment, he mused.

"Sir!" His head snapped to left as Barsad caught up to him. "Bane, we've found signs of the girl down the alleyway." He pointed across the street. "It would appear that she's either playing with us or has been following us for a while."

"I'm sure that Miss Daly is enjoying her own naivety." Bane's eyes crinkled at the sides as he smiled in glee when a bloody Scorpion exited the alleyway. "Ah, Mr Abbot, I presume?"

"Scorpion, if you please…" He gave a low bow before raising his head with a smirk of his own. "I honestly can't understand why she is so infatuated with you."

"Do you not understand her at all? I have merely met her twice and flicked through her file once, yet I already know exactly how she works. Has your childish love clouded your mind from truly seeing how Miss Daly operates?"

"Do not speak to me like that. I know Nix better than anyone. I was there when she was nearly dying on the floor of Arkham Asylum after being attacked by some inmates. She completes me, and I her… even if she doesn't realise it yet."

"If you complete her, then why is she not standing with you now?"

"She's… busy." And she was; a mere 10 yards down an opposite alley, Nix was fighting her biggest demon.

Herself.

If anyone saw her right now, then they would understand why she had been placed inside the nuthouse.

"Shut up!" Her fist crashed into the puddle causing her reflection to distort with the raindrops.

"Poor little Rianna… losing her family and now her control… such a sad sight to witness."

"I said, be quiet!" Her foot went straight through the window opposite her; her image smashing to the ground. "Stop. It." She pulled at her hair and threw herself back into the wall.

"Does Patient 2250 need another dose of medicine?"

Nix fought away the imaginary cloud that encompassed her and sent a glare to the figure that she was sure stood in front of her. "I'm not scared anymore."

"It's a little bit stronger than before…"

She fell back to the ground and smacked her feet and hands against the dirty ground. "Scarecrow… scarecrow…" Her body shuddered as she relived her final dose of the Fear Toxin.

Blood everywhere…

Abigail mutilated in front of her bed…

Gripping the hand of her dying husband as he bled out onto the cream carpet…

Sitting in the middle of a bloodstain as the police brought down the front door….

"NO!" Bane clicked his neck as her scream echoed through his head. He was surprised when the once bouncing girl stumbled out of the alley with wide eyes. Scorpion made his way to her and grabbed her cheeks.

"You're free, little bird."

"Free?" She asked in disbelief.

"Reckless creatures, always want another find." A smile crept upon her crazed face as she joined in their duet.

"Stealing features, each a diamond to be mined."

"There are facets to snake-"

"And crooks in our necks."

"We're like moths to the flame-"

"Get ready and set."

"Now tarry no longer-"

"Let's burn one another."

"We're one and we're twain-"

"Now let's play a game."

"I'm free, Bane…" She unhooked herself from the man that stared at her in adoration and approached the looming figure. Scorpion glared at the masked villain and clenched his fists.

"Are you, Miss Daly?" He looked amused as her head clicked to the side at the mention of her previous name.

"Nix."

"Rianna Daly, born August 18th 1986."

"Nix, born January 10th 2008."

"A mere mask to hide behind."

"Don't all actresses have a mask that they use?"

"You are much more than that, Miss Daly… and haven't I won our little game?"

"No one wins the game, Bane. To win the game would mean that the game was finished. The game is not even close to being over." She looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"When the bomb destroys this city… all shall be over. All shall fall."

"You say that you understand her, yet you are doing a great job of upsetting her." Scorpion sneered and wiped away the one tear that fell from Nix's emotionless face. She didn't like the thought of her games being over.

"Then we shall just have to stop the bomb, won't we? NOW!" In a matter of seconds the street was covered in dust and flames as small explosions rocketed through the surrounding buildings. The mercenaries opened fire on the new foes that came out of the sewer drains. Bane was fairly shocked when he noticed that the patients were also armed. It was war.

Nix let out a delighted laugh as she saw her new Darlings take on the men dressed in black. Scorpion sent a smile down at her as she began to spin in a circle like a small child. She truly was broken, Bane thought to himself. There shall be no saving her. "Come on, Bane!" More giggles fell from her lips as she dropped to her knees and stared as Scorpion launched himself at the masked man. Bane caught him immediately and let out a robotic chuckle as he wrapped his thick hands around the slim man's throat. Nix did nothing as she watched her 'love' being thrown about like a ragdoll. She merely focused on the blood and rain that sprayed over her ripped clothes; a sadistic grin appeared on her face at the sight of people being torn apart by bullets, or in Scorpion's case, by Bane.

"Now, little Scorpion, don't tell me that you've given up so easily?"

"Ha ha ha! You don't get it do you?! You truly don't!" A bloody Scorpion shakily pushed himself back so that he could stare into the eyes of Gotham's Reckoning. "My life is inconsequential. Her life… means nothing. We're just here for the game!"

"Then let's finish this round!" Both men launched forward and grappled with the other. Scorpion was obviously outmatched, but he kept going when he noticed how Nix's attention as on solely on them now. The small number of crazies had been overcome and the mercenaries had turned to look down at the shivering young woman. Bane took advantage of the distraction and delivered a stiff kick to his opponent's ribs.

"Scorpion… oh, Scorpion…" Nix was like a cat as she crept forward on her hands and knees. "Don't be weak, little love. Fight. Fight! FIGHT!" She seemed crazed as she slapped her hands in the puddle in front of her one-time lover.

"Fight…" He heaved himself against the wall and turned to face his opponent; all the while keeping a tight hold on his now bruised and broken ribs. "I shall fight for you, darling." He never took notice of her angered expression when he said his last words. He didn't have chance; Bane was already upon him and grabbed his throat in a tight hold.

"I suppose we shall soon see whether you are truly soul mates…" There was no chance to give a retort as Bane crushed him hard against the brick wall. Blood made a dark red path down the stone as Scorpion's motionless body fell to the wet ground.

"Poor little Scorpion…" Nix knelt next to his shattered body and pouted; her expression reminded Bane of that of a child that hadn't received the present they wanted for Christmas. "Silly little Scorpion." She was almost careful as she closed his eyelids and dragged her hand through the back of his cracked skull. The blood smeared all over her face as she stroked her own cheek with a small smile. Her body rocked back and forth whilst her eyes stared up at the man that overshadowed her. Barsad cringed as she gave a toothy smile up at his leader. She truly was crazy, he mused.

"Bane, you won the game!" She sounded almost shocked as she put her hands together in a slow applause.

"Indeed, Miss Daly. Now the question is, what did I win? Your loyalty, was it?"

"Oh… the rules have changed." Her head lowered and she seemed to be somewhat embarrassed. "I don't want to be lead… I don't need someone to tell me what to do…"

"What if I told you that I didn't want to lead you?" Barsad shook his head in disbelief; surely he wasn't going to bring her with them?

"I'd say that you were lying…" Her grin never dropped as she stood. A glint of light came from behind her as she revealed a dull, rusty knife.

"Do you intend to kill me, Miss Daly?"

"No, no, no!" Nix felt insulted at his accusatory tone. Why would she kill the winner? She wasn't a sore loser… she played fair! She always played fair! Her foot made a splash in the puddle as she stomped in resentment. "I play fair."

"Then why do you need such a disgusting instrument?" Bane knew why. She was the definition of a child. Her mentality was that of a spoilt brat that threw its dummy out of the pram each time it was scolded or didn't get its own way. She was going to throw her final strop; the tantrum that would end her pitiful existence. It is probably best that she no longer has to live in such a state, he deliberated. The girl was unfixable. She was completely lost in her own madness… madness that was brought on through the loss of her family and experimentation done by the good Doctor Crane.

"I need to complete my task…"

"What task would that be?"

"The task… the task…" She couldn't remember. Why couldn't she remember? Once again her foot stomped against the ground as her hand went to pull at her hair. "I… No! It's done, it's all done!" Nix grabbed the lapels of his jacket and looked up at him breathless. "No one can save me, Bane. No one!" Oh, he knew that. He knew that very well, but made no effort to interrupt her.

"I shall tell you your final mission." He would grant her this one kindness. Someone needed to grant her some kindness and relief.

"You will?" Her eyes lit up as she nodded for him to continue. She couldn't remember, but oh was she glad that he could!

"You shall re-join your daughter and husband." It was lies; once you were dead then you were just dead. There was no Heaven and he'd already experienced Hell on Earth. She was going to lie cold on the ground and either be destroyed in the flames of Gotham or be kicked to the side by his mercenaries once morning came. He didn't tell her that; once again his need to try and save this poor broken soul overcame his senses. He compared the girl to Talia; would she have become like this had he not helped her leave the Pit? No, he wouldn't even think about that. That time of his life was over.

"I will?"

"Yes." She didn't notice as he pried the blade from her now limp grip. She didn't notice as he removed a sharp knife from his belt. She only had eyes for the man that was going to send her into the arms of her precious family.

"How?"

"Close your eyes and I shall take you to them." In a blink her eyes were shut and a small smile came upon her face as she waited in anticipation. Not even a gasp was heard as the knife swung at her throat; her own fresh blood fell down her chest as she re-opened her now watering eyes.

"Thank… you… Bane…" Her body flopped down beside Scorpion as her choked laughter exited from her blood-filled throat. She twitched for a few more moments before finally becoming still. Bane stared at her hard as he sheathed his now-stained steel.

"Game over." He sent one look to Barsad and nodded. "Back to the sewers. We must plan our next move." Even as he walked away from her corpse, he felt like he could feel her stare on his scarred back.

"Thank… you… Bane…"

AN: So was that the ending that you imagined or did I throw you all off with the Bane/OC in the summary?

I always knew that it would never be some kind of romance with Bane, but it was always going to be some kind of truce; whether it be through him putting her out of her misery or her joining his ranks as a mercenary. At first I imagined her as having some problems so it seemed plausible for her to be tutored by Bane as a new fighter, but then I became so dedicated to her story and making her as broken as I needed, that being his ally was no longer an option.

Therefore, I hope you're not too disappointed and like my little twist at the end.

Did I keep Bane true to character? I had this terrible feeling that I'd butchered him so would you tell me? ^.^

Anyways, don't forget to R&R and let me know whether you liked my writing!

Thanks to those who faved/followed/reviewed!

Mikki xx