Diana stood at the door dreading what she had come to do. How could she give him the letter, what should she say? Was there anything to say? How do you tell the surrogate father, that his son had died to show how much he loved her? Died to show her a path, a path that she knew she must walk down alone.
In the midst of her thoughts the door opened, Alfred standing there looking as though he knew, as though he could read her.
With the tears threatening to return she slowly held out the letter for the kindly man.
"Your Majesty I must insist that you come in. If that letter is what I believe then I know there will be parts of it for you."
Diana hesitated, should she tell him about the drive; about how she had not even looked at it yet for fear of what it would show her? Slowly she nodded her acceptance and followed him inside.
Alfred led her to the small table in the kitchen, pulling out a chair for her, waiting for her to sit, before he sat himself. With deep forlorn he opened the letter and began to read.
Alfred, I am so sorry for what I have done to you. I know that there is nothing I can say to right the pain I have caused to you in these last months. Just know that I chose this path, chose it knowing that the greatest man I have ever known would have done no less. When I asked you what my parents would have thought of me, I asked the wrong question. I do not believe that either of them would be upset with me for asking what you thought of me. For while I am their son, it is you that made me into the man I am. You showed me that in the face of all adversity a man must always do what is right. I hope I have done that, and I hope I have made you proud.
I am sorry, but I must make two more requests of you. First, please do all that you can to insure that Dick and Tim do not follow me into living half of a life. Please help them to learn the lesson I only recently learned, there is so much more to life than vengeance. There is happiness and love, there are people that care, and if you let them will care about you forever.
I know that is how I failed my parents. I allowed the memory of their death to haunt me all of these years. I realize now that is not what they would have wanted. They would have wanted a son that would grow up and embrace live and love as they embraced it and each other.
The second thing I ask is that you take care of Diana. She will blame herself for this, and she will hate me. I wish I could do something to change that, but I cannot. You knew so long of my feelings for her, and you did everything you could to help me realize that I could have been happy with her. You are right, I would have been, and I have only myself to blame for failing. Please do not allow what I have done to cause her to follow my path in darkness. Her mother is right she is the sun and stars, and her light allowed me to realize happiness in the end.
Your loving son,
Bruce
Diana could barely look at Alfred as he finished, the tears that had threatened earlier were now freely streaming down both of their faces. In an agonizing moment they both stood from the table and embraced, each leaning on the other for support.