Andrea Beaumont's body lay in rest at Wayne Manor for three days. Tim,
Tracy, Tami, and Trini had come home from Centerville to help and support
Bruce. Dick had stayed in Gotham while Montoya took over the investigation
and finished pursuing the Valestras. Bruce spent most of his day in the
Great Hall either next to Andrea's casket or seeing to his family and
guests. Family and close friends came and went during the day. The
afternoons, which were open to anyone, found an overwhelming number of
Wayne enterprise employees, executive, and board members all sharing their
sympathy. Mary's coworkers also flowed through in the afternoons. Even
Superman had showed up one evening unannounced and stayed with Bruce for
hours.
The Vreelands had visited Bruce daily offering any help Bruce needed. He was grateful that they and Dick had coordinated security. The press was having a field day. They had laid bare the events of Andrea's life to the word and had also dug up every tragedy from Bruce's life for their audiences. Everything he had endured was revisited; his parents murder, his affair with Andrea, his connection to Terry, the official story of Tim's kidnapping were all brought out and gone over in detail. The press had also taken a second look at Bruce's public endeavors and found enormous anonymous charitable activities. Bruce in his public life had spent billions and devoted over a third of his time throughout his life to helping people he didn't know. They had dubbed Bruce Gotham's beloved benefactor and clamored at his gate to capture his pain. The people of Gotham at least seemed to feel for his lose, wearing black ribbons as a sign of their appreciation for his selflessness and caring.
The end of the week saw a small family ceremony at Bruce's request. The only exceptions were the presence of Barbara Gordon, Sam Young, Chelsea and Max. They had hovered at the house the entire week, foregoing anything else to help Terry, Mary, and Matt, as well as Bruce handled their pain. The funeral was short. Andrea was buried next to her mother just a few feet from Bruce's parents. Mary, Terry, and the others moved to their cars. Bruce stood quietly at Andrea's grave. He placed a white rose on the grave and said goodbye one last time. Bruce move to his parent's resting place. Matt had stopped and was looking at their headstone. Bruce put his had on Matt's shoulder and knelt placing two white roses at his parent's grave. "I hope you like your grandson." Matt looked at Bruce as he rose.
"Andie would have wanted you to be happy and live. I know its hard now, but it will get easier." Bruce smiled down at Matt and somehow he felt better. Matt moved to his mother and Terry came up the hill to where Bruce stood. A small smile slowly slid across Bruce's face, "At least we got to say goodbye."
Terry understood, this time there was closure for his grandfather. Bruce moved to him and quietly spoke. "So when are you going to give Dana that ring? Andie would have wanted you to be happy. Don't wait, take her Terry; be happy." Terry looked over and saw Dana waiting patiently for him. He knew that Bruce was right.
Bruce moved to the cars and opened doors thanking and offering his reassurances to his family. He stopped at Terry's car and prods Terry into pulling the ring that had lain in his pocket the entire week. Dana is shocked and Bruce smiles at her assuring her that life goes on and that their happiness means more to him than they will ever know. Once the cars left Bruce turned again to glace at the people he loves and misses. His eyes fell on a lone figure standing next to his parent's grave.
Max had moved back from the group overwhelmed by how they had come together for one another. Her family had moved apart with the stresses life had to offer. She envied Bruce and his family for coming together and felt sad and alone at the same time. Max realized that Bruce's toughness came from pain and caring and that he faced what came his way and survived. She shook her head. A loud voice startled her from her thoughts.
"Max" Bruce shouted at the top of his lungs. He was standing just ten feet from Max and it was clear that it wasn't the first time he had tried to get her attention. She looked around to find all the cars had left and they were alone. Bruce smiled at Max; "Come on I'll take you home." She followed him to his car and they drove away.
The Vreelands had visited Bruce daily offering any help Bruce needed. He was grateful that they and Dick had coordinated security. The press was having a field day. They had laid bare the events of Andrea's life to the word and had also dug up every tragedy from Bruce's life for their audiences. Everything he had endured was revisited; his parents murder, his affair with Andrea, his connection to Terry, the official story of Tim's kidnapping were all brought out and gone over in detail. The press had also taken a second look at Bruce's public endeavors and found enormous anonymous charitable activities. Bruce in his public life had spent billions and devoted over a third of his time throughout his life to helping people he didn't know. They had dubbed Bruce Gotham's beloved benefactor and clamored at his gate to capture his pain. The people of Gotham at least seemed to feel for his lose, wearing black ribbons as a sign of their appreciation for his selflessness and caring.
The end of the week saw a small family ceremony at Bruce's request. The only exceptions were the presence of Barbara Gordon, Sam Young, Chelsea and Max. They had hovered at the house the entire week, foregoing anything else to help Terry, Mary, and Matt, as well as Bruce handled their pain. The funeral was short. Andrea was buried next to her mother just a few feet from Bruce's parents. Mary, Terry, and the others moved to their cars. Bruce stood quietly at Andrea's grave. He placed a white rose on the grave and said goodbye one last time. Bruce move to his parent's resting place. Matt had stopped and was looking at their headstone. Bruce put his had on Matt's shoulder and knelt placing two white roses at his parent's grave. "I hope you like your grandson." Matt looked at Bruce as he rose.
"Andie would have wanted you to be happy and live. I know its hard now, but it will get easier." Bruce smiled down at Matt and somehow he felt better. Matt moved to his mother and Terry came up the hill to where Bruce stood. A small smile slowly slid across Bruce's face, "At least we got to say goodbye."
Terry understood, this time there was closure for his grandfather. Bruce moved to him and quietly spoke. "So when are you going to give Dana that ring? Andie would have wanted you to be happy. Don't wait, take her Terry; be happy." Terry looked over and saw Dana waiting patiently for him. He knew that Bruce was right.
Bruce moved to the cars and opened doors thanking and offering his reassurances to his family. He stopped at Terry's car and prods Terry into pulling the ring that had lain in his pocket the entire week. Dana is shocked and Bruce smiles at her assuring her that life goes on and that their happiness means more to him than they will ever know. Once the cars left Bruce turned again to glace at the people he loves and misses. His eyes fell on a lone figure standing next to his parent's grave.
Max had moved back from the group overwhelmed by how they had come together for one another. Her family had moved apart with the stresses life had to offer. She envied Bruce and his family for coming together and felt sad and alone at the same time. Max realized that Bruce's toughness came from pain and caring and that he faced what came his way and survived. She shook her head. A loud voice startled her from her thoughts.
"Max" Bruce shouted at the top of his lungs. He was standing just ten feet from Max and it was clear that it wasn't the first time he had tried to get her attention. She looked around to find all the cars had left and they were alone. Bruce smiled at Max; "Come on I'll take you home." She followed him to his car and they drove away.