Shine a Light on Me

Julian sneezed.
Bruce gasped as he looked at Julian from his swing “…aww, bless you.” He said, wiping the snot away from his nose with a Kleenex.
Julian stared at Bruce with his blue eyes while Jackie sat on the couch next to Julian’s swing, watching the news quietly.
“He looks a lot like his father,” Bruce said softly, turning to Jackie.
Jackie sighed, wrapping herself tighter in her gray sweater “That’s what happened when you share DNA with somebody.” She muttered.
Bruce sat next to Jackie and patted her thigh “…you can’t beat yourself up over this…even if it is my fault.” Bruce told her.
Jackie looked at Bruce for a moment, her eyes quickly shifted back to the news while Bruce sat there; waiting for a reply that he would never get.
“…it’s going to be hilarious if and when Jonathan realizes that Bruce and Batman are the same guy.” Jackie muttered to herself out loud; Bruce turned to her and laughed.
Bruce shook his head as he sat back on the couch “He might actually check himself into Arkham for that one.” He said.
Jackie turned to Bruce and smiled softly “That’ll be the day.” She said.
Bruce nodded “Yeah, I’m surprised he hasn’t knocked on our door to fight for his love towards you. It’s been what, two weeks since you dumped him?” he asked.
“Three.” Jackie said, reflecting the time passed; she turned to Julian who had changed so much in those three weeks; almost four months now.
Bruce thought for a moment “What if he did find out, about Bruce Wayne and Batman being the same guy?” he thought out loud to himself.
Jackie shrugged her shoulders “It would be nice if Jonathan Crane and Bruce Wayne were civil…and Batman and Scarecrow hated each others guts—you’d both come home for dinner and gripe about it to Alfred and I.”
Bruce sighed, the reality check had settled in for Jackie as another post-partum depression tear shed from her face “That’s what my life is becoming!” she said as she began to sob.
“Oh, no it’s not!” Bruce assured her, holding her close as she sobbed on the living room couch.
Bruce held her tightly as he rocked her “It’s not even close to that. You and Jonathan were-are-will be nothing like that.” He told her.
“If we even get back together this time!” Jackie said.
Bruce turned to Jackie “Knowing how you two are—you’re worse than Harley and The Joker.” He said, patting her thigh once again.
Jackie wiped away the last tear and looked down at her watch; 8:30 P.M.
“I need to give Julian a bath.” Jackie said softly, standing up from the couch and softly taking Julian out of his swing.

Jackie held Julian’s head firmly as he poured warm water down his head to wash the shampoo off.
Julian attempted to smile but failed with another sneeze; Jackie giggled as she rubbed noses with her son before looking at him “…we’re gonna be fine, aren’t we?” she asked him.
The baby simply looked at his mother, blinking for a moment.
Jackie smiled “Yeah, we’re gonna be just fine.” She told him softly, reassuring herself.

Jackie washed off the rest of Julian’s body and was about to pull him out of the sink when a hand came up and grabbed Jackie from behind.
She screamed, Julian cried and Crane pulled his mask away from his face “I’m sorry!” he told her.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, pulling Julian out of the sink and towards the towel that was ready for the naked baby.
Crane pushed Jackie’s hands away as he tried his son and held him close “We don’t have a lot of time…I need you to pack yours and Julian’s stuff and I need you in my car downstairs in less than two minutes!” he told her.
Jackie looked at him confused “I don’t understand.” She said.
“Just…do it! I’ll explain in the car, leaving the bathroom with Julian in his hands.

The gray BMW outside the Wayne Manor was humming, with a driver waiting for them as Crane swiftly carried Julian in his car seat.
“Jonathan, what’s going on?” Jackie asked, walking down the stairs; she turned to Alfred who had held the door open for them “Bye…” she yelled before walking over to the car.
Crane opened the backseat and hurried along with getting Julian buckled in; he threw in Jackie and Julian’s suitcases in the trunk and slightly pushed Jackie in the backseat.
“Buckle in.” he said softly before slamming the door, getting into the front passenger seat and telling the driver to go.
Jackie buckled in, watching Julian as he relaxed in his car seat before looking up to see Jonathan Crane and Edward Nigma in the front.
“Jon?” Jackie asked softly.
Edward turned to the backseat and smiled at Jackie “Hey, Ballerina…” he said in a joking manner.
“I don’t go by that anymore…” Jackie said sternly.
Edward chuckled, turning back to the street and looking at her through the rear view mirror “Well that’s what The Joker still calls you.” He said.
It began to click in Jackie’s mind as she glared at Crane, who didn’t bother look at her “…Jonathan, what did you do?” she asked sternly.
Jonathan didn’t say anything, he looked at Edward aka The Riddler “How far away is the hideout from here?” he asked.
“…just 30 minutes.” Edward assured Crane, speeding through the city of Gotham.
Jackie was getting furious “WHAT DID YOU DO, JONATHAN CRANE!?” she yelled, waking up Julian.
Jonathan turned to her “Nothing, I did nothing!!” he told her.
“You must’ve done something, otherwise we wouldn’t be hiding out from I’m guessing The Joker.” Jackie hissed at him.
The Riddler sighed “…it wasn’t him, it was The Joker…wants your head for ‘ruining’ his operation with Batman.” He said.
Jackie turned to Crane and sighed “What?” she asked.
Crane sighed, combing his hand through his hair “We’re going to war, Jackie…” he said.
Jackie sat back in her head, she relaxed Julian enough to get him to stop crying; she thought about everything; if Joker was going to war with Crane and her; what about Bruce and Alfred?
“Bruce and Alfred?” she asked.
Crane sighed “…I doubt he’ll hurt them. It’s a personal matter—and I’m pretty sure they can take care of themselves.” He said.
Jackie scuffed, their reunion wasn’t romantic; in face she wanted to punt his head across the city of Gotham.