"What was all that back there, Bruce?" asked Robin, as they drove back to Wayne Manor.
"I just got sick of the noise," muttered Batman. "Constant noise, constant chaos, constant fighting…"
He trailed off, focusing back on the road. "Is there anything you wanna talk about?" asked Robin, gently. "Did something go wrong with Selina last night?"
Batman sighed. "No, dinner was…fine. We were gonna have a drink afterward but then…then I got the call-out to chase down those lunatics and…well…Selina isn't as understanding as she could be. I can't say I blame her. Most women wouldn't like their dates to be constantly cut short by murdering maniacs."
"I probably could have handled them," said Robin. "You know I've been asking you to give me a chance to prove myself, Bruce. Then maybe you could take some time off, y'know, maybe try to scratch out some form of a personal life. I think I'm ready. Why won't you trust me?"
"It's not about trust, Dick," sighed Batman. "It's about…"
How could he explain it to Dick? He was still a kid in a lotta ways, and Bruce didn't really understand what he was going through himself. He thought he was falling in love with Selina. On the one hand, he was delighted to be feeling this way about her. On the other, he was worried that it would make him apathetic towards Batman. And he was also worried about the opposite – what if he didn't really think Selina was worth sacrificing Batman for? Or what if, without Batman, he wouldn't feel truly needed? Could Selina replace the need for Batman within him? And did he want her to? If only there was some way to compromise, some way to stop needing to be Batman. If only they would stop, Joker and Ivy and everyone else. If only they would leave him alone, leave him in peace, free to live and make his own choices, like every other man. If only he wasn't needed by a city anymore, so he could be needed by a woman. But it seemed like it had to be one or the other. And he didn't feel like he had a choice now, much as he wanted one.
Unless he let Dick try going solo for a bit. But that could be incredibly dangerous, both for Dick and for Gotham. Dick could fail. But it was almost worse for him to think about the opposite. What if Dick was a success? What if he could replace him as Batman? What if Bruce Wayne wasn't needed to be Batman anymore? Could he truly move on from it and find happiness? And did he really want to?
He shook his head slowly. "It's not about trust," he repeated. "It's about too many risks. Too many questions I don't want to deal with right now."
"C'mon, Bruce, talk to me," said Robin, softly. "Tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing, Dick," murmured Batman. "Nothing important."
"Successful night, sir?" asked Alfred, as they pulled up in the Batcave.
"Yes," retorted Batman. "Joker, Harley Quinn, and Poison Ivy are all locked up in Arkham again."
"Yeah. We might have at least 24 hours before they break out again," laughed Robin.
He had meant it to be a joke, but the look Batman gave him made him instantly regret it. Batman said nothing, but turned and walked away, up the stairs into the manor.
"Is he quite well?" asked Alfred.
Robin shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine," he sighed. "But hey, he's Batman. He's always ok, right?"
"He is also Bruce Wayne," murmured Alfred, gazing after him. "I hope he still remembers that."