To Stand Alone
He was alone now, alone as he had never been not since he first took in a child whose parents were murdered in front of him. Just like his own had been, all those long and bloody years ago. He was alone now; they'd all gone, left, disappeared, or walked out. Forgotten old connections and old lives apparently with great ease and no remorse. He blamed them once for a lack of commitment to the mission. Now though now that he was old, alone, and very, very, tired he instead blamed himself.
Diana of course had gone back to her own people some time before, she had finally gotten tired of his intransigence where it concerned their burgeoning relationship. His wanting her in his life but never being being willing to admit it to himself or to her. His never being willing to make time for them, to put anything before the mission no matter what it entailed or who. She had returned for a short time, just before Alfred got sick the last time. Apparently summoned by the old Englishman in the hope that he could finally find a way to engineer a breakthrough in the relationship that once seemed destined to occur between them so many years ago. In the end he had failed at his efforts and after he had died Diana had left once more never to return sad, tired, weary of their constant struggle of wills and words and restrained or denied emotions.
Never again would she set foot beyond her own people's shores, she had ample proof after all of the indignities and evil men could commit upon other men and upon women. Enough it seemed to close their embassy several years later and apparently with their goddesses will remove their island from the world once more, this time forever. They would not come back again they were done with the world and with men both in general and specific men in particular.
Barbara had gone after the whole incident with Richard, ever since then she had cut all ties with the bat family and with those few other friends or people that she still knew in Gotham. She like the others would never return, except possibly to celebrate his death. Richard himself Bruce hadn't heard from since his aborted attempt to marry Barbara. When the Tamaranian princess arrived carrying a half human, half Tamaranian child claiming that Richard was the father and she was the mother. Telling everyone among the wedding guests that her people's customs demanded he marry her and support their child.
The fact that Batman later on had easily proven the child was neither the Princess's nor Richards had not mattered. It had in fact happened too late, the damage in trust and feelings between all those involved had been done. Nothing would ever be the same again. Not between Richard and Barbara whose once bright love was now snuffed out like a candle in a hurricane replaced by feelings of anger, hurt, betrayal, jealousy, and pain. Nor between Richard and Starfire; who were once close friends, lovers even, also almost married once, now they would never be anything but a painful memory to each other ever again.
Barbara had left hurt and angry at what she considered a betrayal since Richard had temporarily considered setting their love aside for another woman no matter what the cost. Richard hurt because of her refusal to understand his point of view and angry with himself for ever thinking of giving up the great love of his life for a liar he once considered a friend and fellow Titan. He hated Starfire for attempted manipulation of his life and his feelings had rejected both her feelings and her actions in the end. He had forever and always rejected her as friend, as lover, as a woman, and as a person. Never again would he help her no matter what the circumstances.
He had driven Starfire away with such strong words of rage, and hate that she had never again been seen by anyone on earth but had instead retreated to her own people never to speak with her former friends again. Richard had disappeared from the house that night and had secretly left Gotham some time later never to be seen again by those he once called his fellow Titans. Nor since that time had he contacted anyone among the bat family or any of the friends he left behind in either Gotham or Bludhaven. In fact he had only been seen once more, when he attended the funeral for one of the greatest men he had never known.
Alfred Pennyworth, actor, guardian, physician (by necessity), counselor, and friend. Long time butler to Bruce Wayne the billionaire playboy who was in fact in secret Gotham's most famed and feared defender, The Batman. Not since he walked out of the graveyard in Gotham on that so appropriately rain soaked and dreary afternoon has anyone heard from him. For more than seven years he has remained silent and hidden both to his family and everybody else who once knew him in any capacity. If he is still alive which is a true unknown then he does not intend to return ever again.
Tim had left shortly after he turned eighteen when he decided that Bruce could not be reasoned with and was treating him like a little kid. He returned to Gotham when he was twenty to try and patch things up between himself and Bruce when Alfred got sick. He then left once more when he was twenty-one angry at Bruce inflexibility and stubborn belief that he was always right. He returned returned reluctantly when he was twenty-two at Alfred's request to try one final time to make things better between him and the man he called his second father. Failing once again he then left a final time shortly after Alfred's death never to return when he was twenty-three.
Cassandra had left eight years before without a word to anyone about why she was leaving. She left behind only her costume, mask, and other bat-gear in effect ending the existence of the Batgirl as a costumed crime fighter in Gotham once and for all. She returned for a short while to consider possibly returning to the cause only to leave again with the death of Alfred shortly after Diana returned permanently to Themyscira. Diana had offered Cassandra a place among the Amazons and indeed she might have taken it especially since nobody had ever again seen her anywhere that the Batman could find nor had she sent any message to anyone since her second disappearance.
Now more than a dozen years later he was very, very tired. Very, very harried and very very angry with himself for his blind arrogance and his idiotic belief that he was always right and the even more foolish belief that only by withholding his affections and his emotions could he possibly do the job he needed to do. Forever sacrificing his position in the sunlight for the shadows of the darkest night.
He was seated at the great console the access point for all of the knowledge a lifetime of crime fighting had allowed him to gather. The cavern was silent and dark except for the light from the screen all the lights were off. He only came here to reflect upon his mistakes and to mourn the loss of his friends, family, love, and the purpose in his life. He sighed and put his head into his hands and softly began to sob each sob growing stronger until he was weeping unashamedly over things that it was far, far too late to change. Lessons that a lifetime of loneliness and pain had taught him lessons that he would have given almost anything to be able to unlearn those lessons but like his chances at happiness or joy the chances to prevent such pain in his own life was gone long years ago nothing remained but bitterness and regret absolutely nothing else.
The sounds of a lone child crying in the night echoed through the cavern until absolutely nothing could be heard not the fall of water from the underground stream and not the keening of the bats disturbed by the sound. Nothing could overcome that sound and it grew stronger with every echo that something was very wrong here, very, very wrong indeed. In fact it had all gone wrong and nothing could fix it now it was all wrong. . .
Suddenly the cavern seemed to shake as what appeared to be a massive earthquake struck the area shaking the entire cavern back and forth like a dog with a rat in its teeth. His only thought was that hopefully the falling rocks would kill him and thus end his torment however he instinctively knew that such a pleasant end to his existence was not going to occur he was after all the batman he would survive even now when he had absolutely no reason and no wish to he would still live on and on and on and on. . .