TITLE: Promises, Promises
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, so I
was writing this little thing that wouldn't get out of my head about Bruce
having and heart attack and that reuniting Barbara and Dick. But you know, my
little angst filled brain won't let it just end there. So this (originally)
short little fluff piece of a story has turned into a full blown trilogy. This
is the second part in the trilogy, which hopefully will be done sometime by the
end of the week. I hope you enjoy it.
THE STORY SO FAR: In
"Welcome Back," after Bruce Wayne suffered a heart attack, Tim Drake called
upon Barbara Gordon to watch Bruce in the hospital until he could get into the
city. After contemplating whether or not to go, considering she hadn't spoken
to him in four years, she finally decided to go as a favor to Tim. While there,
she encountered Dick Grayson, whom she also had made a point to not contact for
many a year. After venting their history of hostility upon each other, they
finally professed that they were still in love with each other, just as Bruce
suffered another heart attack. Tim arrived the next morning, leaving Dick to
drive Barbara home, where they continued their discussion. Barbara's main
concern was that he would leave her yet again, but after proving that his
intentions were to stay this time, she took him back.
TIME: 18 years before
Batman Beyond or roughly almost two years after "Welcome Back."
DISCLAIMER: Don't own…
don't sue. Have a good day.
Barbara Gordon stood at
the window to her apartment and looked at the new day. She smiled and turned
around to look back at her bed where Dick Grayson lay, still sleeping. She
looked at him in wonder. He really did it. I can't believe it but he did. He
said he would stay and he did. And when I asked him to give up being Nightwing,
he did that too, no fight, no going back. Why did I ever doubt it? She
walked out of the room and went to the kitchen, ready to make breakfast, but
was greeted by a large package on the table in the center of the room. A bow
tied around it said "Happy Anniversary."
She laughed. "He can't
even remember our anniversary."
Barbara shook her head
smiling as two arms wrapped around her. "No…. you're the one who can't remember
our anniversary."
She laughed and turned to
Dick. "I know when our anniversary is, buster. Today is one year,
seven months and 16 days since we started dating. So there." She gave him a
quick kiss on the lips. "But this is still sweet."
Dick unwrapped his arms
from around her and held her at arm's length. "That's just when we started
dating. This time around. In case you forgot, Ms. Gordon… today is
exactly 15 years from the first day that we met."
Barbara's jaw dropped. How
did he remember that? I didn't even know that. Dick laughed and smiled at
her. "Open your present."
She shook her head. "You
amaze me… you truly do sometimes," she remarked as she turned around to open
the present."
Dick smiled broadly. "I
know… that's what I'm here for."
She opened the box and
found in it a small appointment book, like the kind she used to carry around in
high school. "Okay, Dick… I know I didn't remember today, but you don't have to
rub it in."
He laughed and sat down
at the table. "No… open it up and look thorough it."
"Fine…" she sat down next
to him and looked through the book. There were all sorts of dates written all
throughout the book… their anniversary of this latest time they were dating…
the anniversary of the first time they went out on a date… of the day they
started going steady the first time… of the first time they met as Batgirl and
Robin… of the day they realized who each other was… everything was in there…
including that day… the first day they had met fifteen years ago. And on that
day, there was a dinner date written in for her at seven o'clock in her
favorite restaurant. She looked at him. "Wow… you put quite a lot of thought
into this, didn't you?"
"Yep… dinner tonight…
you'll be there right?"
"Yeah, I'll call in sick
at work. I don't think anyone will mind… I've got about a half a year of sick
days heading my way."
"Perfect," he said as he
leaned across the table to kiss her. "Now, I've got to get up and going… got to
make all the arrangements for tonight." He winked as he walked to the bathroom.
She watched him go with a
contented smile on her face. I really did luck out this time. I really did.
That night, she showed up
at Millian's at seven o'clock on the dot as instructed. Dick had been gone all
day, making "arrangements" for tonight. She had no idea what he was going to
do, but that was what she loved most about him. The matre'd showed her to a
table, where Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake were already sitting. She looked the two
of them over as she sat down.
"This is an anniversary
dinner… what are you two doing here?" she asked suspiciously.
Tim shrugged. "You know
better than we do. Dick just told me to show up here tonight… didn't tell me
why or anything."
"Same with me," Bruce
chimed in. Barbara looked at him. He had recovered well from his heart attacks.
Although he hadn't stopped patrolling as Batman completely, his three protégés
had convinced him to cut down on that, as well as his work at the offices. "And
as always," he finished. "He's the last
one to show."
Almost on cue, Dick
arrived at the table, and sat down in the last open chair, across from Barbara.
"Sorry, everyone… I had to pick up a package real quick before dinner."
Barbara reached across
the table and placed a hand on his. "Dick… I love Bruce and Tim, but I thought
this was an anniversary dinner for us."
He patted her hand with
his free one. "It is… but I wanted to share this night with family. And I
figured that really… Bruce and Tim are our family."
She nodded. "Yeah, I'm
not going to debate you on that one."
He swallowed. "And I
would have wanted to ask your dad this, but I just waited too long, so, Bruce
seemed like the best person to ask."
"Dick… what are you
talking about?"
Dick turned to Bruce and
swallowed again. "Mr. Wayne, sir."
Bruce laughed shortly.
"Yes, Richard?"
"You are the closest
person that my beautiful Barbara has to a father. So I ask you, with all the
respect in the world… may I have this lovely woman's hand in marriage?"
The silence at the table
was astonishing. Tim's jaw dropped and Barbara's face paled as tears welled up
in her eyes. Bruce's face did not change, but those who knew him best could
tell that on the inside, he was smiling broader than he ever had his entire
life.
"Yes, Richard… if she
will have you… I give you full permission to take her." He said aloud and the
leaned over and whispered into Dick's ear, "And I'm sure Jim would have, too."
Now the tears were
welling up his own eyes as he faced across the table and took her hands into
his. A tear rolled down her cheek as she said softly, "Dick…"
He shook his head. "No… I
have this all planned out and if I don't just say it all, I'm going to forget
it." He swallowed again and took a deep breath. "Barbara… I knew from the first
moment I met you that there could never be anyone else for me. As much as you
annoyed me… always being right about everything… you challenged me in so many
ways. I was a fool for ever letting you go, a fool who realized his mistake too
late and bungled up everything he tried to do to correct it. And I know that we
said the we would wait a couple of years before we even talked about marriage,
but it's been fifteen years, Barbara. And you know, in your heart of hearts,
that there is no way I am letting you go ever again." He paused, pulling
a box out of his pocket and opening it for her. "Please, will you do my the
honor of being my wife, Barbara Gordon?"
The tears rushed down her
face as she tried to choke out the words, but they wouldn't come. Sobbing, she
nodded and leaned across the table to kiss him… Dick… her fiancé.
TO BE CONTINUED