Disclaimer: I do not own Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, or any of the DC characters mentioned in this story. This story was written for fun, not for profit.

The End of Nightwing


2013

Prologue

Dick looked around the table in the Cave, smiling. It had been a long time since the entire "family" had been together all at the same time without a psychotic criminal being the cause. His eyes stopped on each person, remembering the past.
Bruce Wayne, his adopted father.

Selina Kyle Wayne, his more recently acquired mother.

Barbara Gordon, his on and off girlfriend for too many years until they realized that the only thing they had was the past. Still good friends, family, and allies, but not what they once thought they would be.

Tim Drake, his "brother", and Stephanie Brown, also known as the Spoiler, the newest member of the family except for Selina. Looked like the kids might finally be serious about each other.

Cassandra Cain, his "sister", and the one that Dick had thought Tim might go for instead of Stephanie. Of course, that could be lingering feelings from his own Robin days when Babs was Batgirl. That costume… Dick grinned to himself, then chuckled as he continued around the table.

Father Jean Valley, formerly Azreal, now appearing much more content as a priest than he ever did as an avenging angel.

And of course, Alfred, standing off to the side, ever vigilant, ever steady, the rock of their lives.

"I know you've all got to be wondering why I called this little 'meeting'. I know that most of you had other plans and I kind of sprung this on you at the last minute." Dick commented as he sat down.

"What's going on, son?" Bruce asked, looking curiously at Dick. "You've been acting odd for the past week. You've not been out as Nightwing either. In fact, there's been a dearth of 'real' Nightwing sightings in the past year or so. I believe that the only times you've put on the costume was when the Titans, Robin, or I needed your help."

"Yeah, well…I'll be explaining all that in a minute", Dick replied. "In point of fact, the only times I've been out as Nightwing since Desmond was put away has either been stress relief or an emergency. I've had a lot of stuff on my plate since making detective three years ago, continuing the urban renewal projects, and working on that degree. Something had to give."
Bruce looked at Dick, thinking quietly, then leaning back in his chair, nodding for Dick to continue.

"We're finally making some headway on the police corruption with the election of the new Mayor a few months back. Former cop makes good; vowing to clean up corruption starting at the highest office is always fun to see. Mayor Haskell is putting in a new police commissioner and damn near everyone is being investigated. That's one reason I've been curtailing my Nightwing activities, they're getting good at spotting things," Dick commented with a grin.

"That explains those guys who were staking out your apartment, right Dick?" Tim asked.

"And the ones that came by the house. 'Routine investigation', my ass." Selina spoke up.

"Bingo, squirt and Selina. They had already discovered that I own the apartment building, some of the urban renewal projects that I've sponsored, AND they've even found out that I was the anonymous donator that allowed our new Mayor to match air-time with the crooks."

"Selina, why didn't you tell me they stopped by? Dick, how close are they to finding out about Nightwing?" Bruce asked, looking concerned.

"They stopped by during that week you and the rest of the JLA were trapped on the moon," Selina replied.

"Not very, considering I got Tim to help me out by posing as Nightwing at times when Dick Grayson was visibly somewhere else." Dick replied, then looked at each of the people around the table. "Anyway, what I called you here for was to let you know that, as of this coming Sunday evening, Nightwing is retired. PERMANENTLY."