You don't deserve to get this letter. And I feel like a complete ass sending it to you. However, I also know us well enough that I could never say all this to your face, and then still remain faithful to the decision I have made.
I am not mad at you. In fact, many of the times I yelled and bitched at you, I wasn't mad, just terrified. Anyway, I found out about Batgirl. And I also found out who she is. And I know you guys sort of had a thing back in high school. I'm not mad, but it scares me to death.
I guess you logged in from my computer a week ago and did some "work" IM's. Terry, no matter how much I love you, I have to say that sometimes you're a real bonehead - you didn't close your communication, just minimized it. So that's how I know.
I spent the last week trying to convince myself that this is OK and my fears are totally groundless. Maybe if I had some people to talk to, like a support group for superheroes' spouses.... But as it is, I couldn't let it go.
And here's the thing. You never knew this about my parents, but when I was young, my dad had an affair with a coworker. At the time, he was trying to make partner in grandpa's firm, so Mom didn't think anything of his long hours and weekends at the office.
Well, somehow Mom found out. Dad begged her forgiveness and she threatened divorce. And you know what that would do to his chances of making partner - in his wife's father's firm. Well he sold his soul to Mom, and she had free reign over anything - she bought whatever clothes she wanted, jewelry she liked, and vacations to wherever she wanted to go. We thought she'd stop there, but she didn't. She became really evil towards Dad, saying things to him that you'd never say to your worst enemy, let alone your husband. Then she started having affairs of her own, even bringing these guys home. And she believed her actions were totally justified.
So from that moment on, I decided I'd never get married. I mean, I know how vengeful I get, even though I try so hard to resist. And then I met you, and decided, even though the possibility of opening my heart to extraordinary pain terrified me. And maybe if we had normal everyday lives - you weren't the Batman, she weren't Batgirl, your dad were alive and my dad never cheated - maybe we'd already be married. But the sad fact is, Fate didn't let that happen.
Terry, I don't want to suck the life out of you the way Mom did to Dad for the last 20 years. It's not that I think you are unfaithful by nature, it's because I am a suspicious and vengeful person. That, with your line of work, is enough to make me a very unhappy wife. And just as I cannot compromise myself on this, I will not ask you to quit being Batman. So, as pathetically wimpy as this is, I guess I have to let you go.
Terry, I will always love you. Please take care of yourself, and I hope you will still consider me a friend.
Always,
Dana
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"Yeah, that's how she did it," Max finished.
"Poor guy," Jared sighed and let his body relax heavily against Max's. Then he leaned over her to get a poppyseed muffin from the basket on her nightstand. Living above a bakery suits him well, Max smirked. "But still I think it's better that she was honest with herself now than five years and two kids later." He took a large bite of the muffin. Max had to agree, but still, it was sad. Jared got up and crossed his loft to the kitchen. He took out a carton of OJ and took a large gulp. "Does it make you question our relationship-thing?"
Max rolled onto her side seductively, pulling the sheet tight around her form. She wasn't quite as comfortable being naked in front of a wall of windows as Boy Wonder III apparently was. "'Relationship-thingy'? Is that a word?" She ducked the muffin remnant he hurled at her. "I don't scare so easy, Birdie." Jared took a running leap onto the bed.
"Good," he kissed her nose, "because I kinda like being Oracle's guy. And one day I'm gonna give her a key to the loft."
"Someday?" Max laughed. "You too scared to give it to me now?" She loved being so free with him, that she could say anything, tease him and not worry about bruising any feelings - not getting the silent scowl whenever she wisecracked." She screeched when he ripped the sheet away from her. He pinned her firmly, strong arms and legs immobilizing her despite her struggles.
"Oh I'll give it to you now, little girl," he threatened. "And after that I'll go get the key."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Terry drove around Lower Gotham aimlessly. Twenty minutes ago, he passed through the deserted roads around Arkham Asylum. Twenty minutes before that, he was crossing the bridge from Central City. There was no one to talk to, and he wasn't sure he really wanted to talk in the first place - which left him with his own miserable company. He pondered stopping at a bar, but knew that would be a horrible and cliched idea, so he thought about going to the Cave. No, that would be a worse idea, because you-know-who would be there, and it would be all too easy to fall into things with Melanie at this point. So this left Terry in his car, wandering around some forgotten streets from the No Man's Land days.
"Ter? You alive?" Max's voice interrupted the silence.
"I thought you were out with the Man," he responded, trying to be jovial. Actually, he was glad she called.
"I am," she said, "but we wanted to see if you wanted to meet us out here at the 'Haven, if you didn't have anything better to do. Jared was going to grill up some steaks."
"This isn't a pity barbecue, is it? I'm only coming if you say it's not," he was starting to feel a little better.
"No pity for you," Max snapped. "I'm sending you the map."
Grinning, Terry spun his car around on the deserted street and headed toward Bludhaven.