Second Chances: Batwoman

Chapter 13

That night Kate, Luke, Bruce, Selina and Helena were standing in the batcave, holding glasses of champagne and holding a going away party for Bruce and Selina.

"You guys did not have to do this." Bruce said with a smile as he cracked open a bottle of champagne he'd been saving for this exact occasion. It was a bottle his old girlfriend Rachel Dawson had given him for the day he decided to stop being Batman so they could be together. However, the Joker had made that impossible when he'd killed her and had played a role in turning Harvey Dent into the madman he was today. However, he'd promised her that he would open this bottle when he retired as Batman and that was a promise he was going to keep.

"Bruce, you're family and this is the kind of thing family does for each other. Though I have to admit, it does kind of feel like the end of an era since all the original players are officially gone." Luke said.

"Speaking of which, we actually have a few more guests showing up." Kate said with a smile, right as a batarang flew past Bruce's head and landed in the wall and Bruce was shocked to see his oldest foster child and original sidekick, Dick Grayson walk into the Batcave and behind him rolled in another familiar face, the former Commissioner of Gotham PD and the daughter of his close friend Jim Gordon, along with the former Batgirl, Barbara Gordon.

"Dick, Barbara." Bruce said as he hugged his oldest son and then his old friend.

"You really think that we wouldn't come and see this in person? We honestly did not think this day would ever come." Dick said with a smile.

"I have to admit, I'm still having trouble believing it." Barbara said.

"Tell me about it." Helena said with a chuckle as she handed them champagne glasses before hugging her older brother.

"It's good to see you, Helena." Dick said.

"You too. How are things in San Francisco?" Helena asked.

"Pretty good. We're getting the Titans back together, though under a new leader and that is fine with me." Dick said.

"Preaching to the choir there." Kate said with a chuckle.

"I heard rumors that the Titans had been spotted. Apparently you got your old friends Garth and Donna back, along with a few new players." Helena said, since she'd worked with the Titans a few times before they'd disbanded.

"Yeah." Dick said.

"And Barbara, how are things going for you in Metropolis?" Bruce asked, since Barbara had been offered a job as the commissioner of the Metropolis PD and since Metropolis had even better medical care than Gotham, Barbara had taken the job in the hopes of them being able to do something to help her walk again, since she hadn't been born in a wheelchair, but she'd been forced into it after she'd been shot in the spine by the Joker. Yet another thing Bruce had yet to get justice for and Kate intended to.

"Well, I'm still in a wheelchair, but aside from that, things are going well, though since Superman kind of relocated, things have been getting a little hectic, but nothing we can't handle, especially with the new hero we've got flying around." Barbara said.

"Speaking of the wheelchair, I've got a friend in Star City who's pretty well up to date on Smoak Technologies and it sounds like they're developing a spinal implant to allow a person to walk again. If you want, I could make some calls, see if they'd be willing to let you be their beta tester." Kate said and Barbara smiled at her.

"I'd really appreciate that Kate, but tonight is not about me. It's about the man who's the reason we're all standing here right now." Dick said as he looked at Bruce.

"It's hard to believe that this day has finally come. It feels like the end of an era." Luke said.

"That's because it is. The days of Batman, Robin, Commissioner Gordon and Lucius Fox, they're officially done." Kate said, referring to the original Bat Team that had been formed back when Bruce first became Batman.

"Yeah, with my dad and Lucius deceased, Alfred retired in England, Dick in San Francisco, me in Metropolis and now Bruce leaving with Selina, it really is the end of an era." Barbara said.

"Your father would be proud of everything you've accomplished, Barb. Never doubt that. I just wish he was here now." Bruce said.

"I think I got that kind of drama covered with my dad, since I kind of blew up on him earlier today." Kate said.

"You finally let him have it?" Dick asked.

"And then some." Kate said.

"Anyways, the one regret I have right now is that this family is still missing someone." Bruce said as Helena placed a hand on her father's shoulder.

"Dad, you can't blame yourself for what happened with Jason. He made his choices and you tried to help him as best you could. Maybe someday he'll come back around, but don't let that stop you from having a real future. Especially since now you have a chance at a happy one." Helena said.

"I know. And you're right, this is not an occasion for sadness, it's a time for celebration." Bruce said.

"Speech." Kate said as the others joined her in the chant.

"Okay, I mean I have been working on something." Bruce said as he took a deep breath.

"I have to admit, like the rest of you, I never thought this day would actually come. I always thought that this would end with me taking one of my various enemies down with me." Bruce said.

"We all thought that." Kate said.

"Well, I have to admit, when I started this crusade, nearly three decades ago, I always thought that it would be solo. I never thought that I'd be recruiting anyone else into it or that my crusade would evolve into what it is, but I'm glad it did. And I'm also glad that I found someone to take up the mantle, since Helena's made it clear that she doesn't want to be the Bat, Dick has forged his own path in San Francisco and we all know about Jason. Kate, I'm sure you'll make an even better Bat than I did and if I have one last piece of advice to give you it's don't let things get too personal between you and any of your villains, that's a problem I had with the Joker. It got too personal the longer our fighting went on." Bruce said and those in the know knew that he was giving her advice about how to deal with Alice and Kate nodded at that.