Chapter Text
The Iceberg Lounge was buzzing that night.
More than usual. The main room was packed with dealers, politicians and businessmen, the usual crowd. The music was loud, and the lights were low. The air was thick with smoke.
The meeting had been going on for hours. Countless transactions and deals. And above all that talk? The Joker was a part of the topic.
Everyone was on edge. You could feel it in the air, the tension that came from not knowing what would happen next. Chen was at the table, calm and controlled as always. Oswald was there too. Marcus was beside you.
Something was wrong.
You watched the room. How the people moved, the way they avoided eye contact.
You could feel it. Not in a way you could explain, just a sense. A shift in the air. People were looking at each other, like they all knew something was going to happen, but it never did.
You caught glimpses of it. Oswald's eyes flicked to the door. Marcus's jaw tightened when he looked at his uncle. Chen's hand rested on his waist, where you knew he kept his gun.
"Chen," you said quietly.
He looked at you.
"Something's wrong."
"I know."
"What is it?"
He was quiet for a moment. "I don't know yet. But trust your instincts. If something happens, get down. Stay low. Don't try to be a hero."
At one point, Marcus leaned in. His hand found yours under the table. His thumb traced small circles on your skin.
"Y/N," he said quietly. "Are you okay?"
You nodded. "I'm fine."
"You seem distracted."
"Just tired. Extremely…"
He squeezed your hand. "Okay, you should rest more."
You nodded and stood up to get a drink
You looked around, and right now, people were scared.
You caught glimpses of it. Oswald's eyes flicked to the door. Marcus's jaw tightened when he looked at his uncle. Chen's hand rested on his waist, where you knew he kept his gun.
You should go. You need to leave now.
You were about to lean over and ask Chen to leave.
The explosion came out of nowhere.
One moment, everything was normal. The music, the lights, the low murmur of conversation. The next moment, the world was shaking. Glass shattered. Screams filled the air. The lights flickered and died.
You hit the ground. Your ears started ringing. Your head pounded like crazy. You couldn't see or breathe. Smoke filled the room. Dust and debris rained down from the ceiling. The floor was shaking beneath you.
"Y/N!"
Marcus's voice came through, distant and desperate.
You tried to stand, but you couldn't. Something was pressing down on you debris, maybe. Or someone. It was warm, and you didn't dare to look.
"Y/N!"
He was pulling things off you with shaky hands, his voice cracking.
"Marcus—" you started.
"Don't move. Don't move. Stay still. I've got you."
He pulled you free, and his arms quickly wrapped around you. His grip was desperate and shaking, he was afraid you'd disappear if he let go.
"Y/N, Y/N, please tell me you're okay," he said.
"Marcus, I'm okay. I'm okay."
He pulled back, his eyes scanning your face, your arms, your body. He was searching for injuries, for wounds, for anything that would confirm his worst fear.
"Marcus—"
"I thought I lost you. I thought—" He stopped. His hands were shaking against your arms. I couldn't find you. I couldn't see you. And then the explosion—"
"I'm okay." You reached up and touched his face. "I'm right here."
He exhaled. It was a sound of pure relief. He pulled you into another hug, his face buried in your hair.
"Thank God," he said. "Thank God."
You looked around. The Iceberg Lounge was destroyed. Smoke filled the air. Fires flickered in the corners. Bodies were everywhere; some were moving, some not.
"What happened?" you asked. Your voice was barely a whisper.
Marcus was beside you, his hand gripping your arm. "I don't know. I don't know. But we have to get out of here."
You couldn't. Your legs wouldn't respond.
"Y/N!" Marcus shook you. "We have to go. Now."
You blinked and the world came back into focus.
"Chen—" you started.
"I'll find him. But we need to move."
You nodded. You let him pull you forward. The crowd surged, people pushing and shoving as they tried to escape. You lost your grip on Marcus's hand. He called out, but the chaos swallowed his voice.
Everything was chaos.
People ran and screamed, trying to escape. Oswald was shouting, his face red with rage, his monocle gone, his suit torn. He was barking orders at his men, trying to restore order.
You spun around, looking for Marcus. For Chen. For anyone you recognised. The smoke made it impossible to see. The noise made it impossible to hear.
"Marcus!" you screamed. "Marcus!"
You couldn't hear him or see him. You were alone in the chaos.
Then you saw him.
Chen.
He was standing near the bar, partially hidden by smoke. He was shouting at someone. Oswald, maybe. His face was hard and tense.
You started moving toward him.
"Chen!"
He turned and his eyes found you. He looked relieved
But then he looked past you. His eyes widened and he moved past
You turned to check what he was looking at. A tall and slim figure, they were holding a gun, aiming it at someone.
At you.
Time slowed down.
You saw the gun before you heard the shot. You saw the flash. You saw the bullet leave the barrel. You felt the impact, but you weren't hit.
Chen was.
He had stepped in front of you. The bullet hit him in the chest. He stumbled back; his eyes met yours.
"Chen!"
You caught him as he fell. His weight was heavy. His blood was warm against your hands.
"No. No. No."
You lowered him to the floor. Your vision was blurry. Your hands were shaking.
"Chen. Chen, look at me."
His eyes were open. He was trying to speak, but nothing came out. He was lying on his side, blood spreading across his chest, dark and fast.
"Chen," you said. "Chen—"
He opened his eyes. They were unfocused. Pale. "Y/N..."
"I'm here. I'm here." You grabbed his hand. It was cold. So cold. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here."
He tried to speak, but his eyes fluttered shut.
"No. No, no, no." You pressed your hands against his chest. The wound was deep. Too deep. "Chen, wake up. Please. Wake up."
"Someone help me! Please! Someone help me!"
The world was still chaos. People were still screaming. The flames were still spreading.
But all you could see was Chen.
The smoke was getting thicker. The screams were getting louder. You could hear gunfire now, somewhere in the main room.
You couldn't stay here. You had to get him out.
You grabbed his arms. He was heavy. So heavy. But you pulled. You dragged him across the floor. Your muscles were doing the impossible.
"Just hold on," you said. "Just hold on."
You found a storage room. You pulled him inside and closed the door.
You ripped your skirt. Pressed it against his chest.
"Stay with me," you said. "Stay with me, Chen. Please."
He opened his eyes again. His voice was barely a whisper. "Y/N..."
"I'm here. You're going to be okay. I'm going to fix this.I promise ill fix this"
"Don't..." he coughed. Blood bubbled at the corner of his mouth. "Don't blame yourself."
"Don't talk like that. You're going to be fine. You're going to be fine."
He shook his head. Just slightly. "Y/N... listen to me."
"No." Tears were streaming down your face. You couldn't stop them. "No, you're not doing this. You're not saying goodbye. I won't let you."
"Kid..." He reached up. His hand found yours. It was cold. So cold. "I need you to hear this."
"Chen—"
"I'm not going to make it."
"Don't say that."
"I can feel it." His voice was way too calm. Like he'd already accepted it. "I've been in this city long enough to know when it's my time."
"No." You shook your head violently. "No, you're not. I won't let you. I can fix this. I can—" You sobbed
"You already saved me." He squeezed your hand weakly. "You gave me more than I ever deserved. You gave me a second chance and a reason to keep going."
"Please don't—"
"I never told you this," he said. "But you're the daughter I never had. The one I didn't deserve; I was too afraid to claim."
Your heart cracked open.
"Chen—"
"When I lost my daughter..." His eyes were distant now. "I thought I'd never feel that again. That I'd never have someone to protect. Someone to teach and to love."
He coughed again. More blood. His grip loosened.
"But then you showed up. In that alley. Drenched and broken and too stubborn to ask for help." His smile was fading. "You reminded me what it felt like to care about someone." He took a sharp inhale.
"You've become so much," he continued, his voice fading with each word. "When I found you in that alley, I was ready to end it. I didn't see a purpose. Not without her. But then you—" He coughed. "You needed me. And that—that was enough."
"No. No, shut up. Please shut up. Please don't leave me."
"I'm not leaving you." His voice was barely a whisper. "I'm just... going somewhere you can't follow. Not yet."
"Chen—"
"You're going to be okay," he said. "You're stronger than you know. Smarter than you think. You're going to build something incredible. I've always known that."
"I don't want to build anything without you."
"Yes, you do." He squeezed her hand one last time. "You're going to survive this. You're going to thrive. And you're going to make sure this city knows your name."
"I can't do it without you."
"Yes, you can." He looked at her. His eyes were soft. "You've been doing it without me for a long time. I was just... along for the ride."
"Chen—"
"Take care of yourself, kid." His voice was fading. "Take care of the people you love. And don't... don't give up. You're too good for that."
"I'm not—"
"Promise me."
You felt something break in your chest. Tears were streaming down your face you couldn't stop them.
"I promise," you said. "I promise."
"Good girl."
His eyes closed.
"Chen?" Your voice cracked. "Chen, no. Please. Please don't. Wake up. Please—"
You pressed harder against the wound. You didn't know if it was helping. You didn't care. You couldn't stop.
"I'm not going to lose you," you sobbed. "I can't lose you. You're all I have. You're really all I've ever had."
"Chen, please wake up. Please."
You held him. His blood on your hands, your clothes, your skin. The world outside was still chaos, still violence, still screaming. But in here, it was just the two of you. One last moment.
"Please, Dad. Please don't leave me again. I need you. Please..."