And now to focus on the main man himself Damien Wayne!
"Damien."
Damien Wayne looked away from the florescent screen of the giant Batcave computer to see a haggard looking Alfred standing next to the Batcave entrance.
"Master Bruce has requested your presence." The butler sighed, "It's time."
Damien looked down at his gloved hands resting on the edge of the computer keyboard. With the last few sleepless nights weighing down on his shoulders everything was beginning to feel like a dream. He had envisioned this moment multiple times in his head and now it actually was happening.
Damien remembered the joy he felt when he discovered his father's destroyed body among the black hand's helicopter wreckage. Bringing him home to Alfred and believing that Bruce could survive his extensive injuries.
But Bruce's biological clock was ticking and with only a few days left to live Bruce had made sure everything was set up so Damien could take over the family business. Everything from forged birth certificates to Damien being introduced to the board of directors at Wayne enterprises and paperwork, lots of paperwork.
And now Bruce was on his last moments and Damien was holed up in the Batcave, Like a dedicated son he thought to himself bitterly.
Letting out a deep breath Damien pushed away from the computer and turned to follow Alfred out of the cave and into the manor. He passed by the Bat family's set of uniforms and his eyes drifted over the Batman and Robin costumes placed side by side in the glass closets. Reaching out to touch the cool glass for a moment his mind flashed back to when he was a child and met his father for the first time. Forcing down an amused smile Damien left the Batcave.
Damien followed Alfred into the Master bedroom of the Wayne Manor where a frail looking Bruce was lying in the large bed attached to several different pieces of medical equipment. Tubes and IV's were the only thing keeping the dark knight alive now that his will to live was gone. Damien forced back the tears that were welling up and forcing his throat shut.
Dick was already there, standing to Bruce's left, holding his hand between his. Damien examined him for a second. He was still in his Nightwing uniform and had deep bags forming under his eyes and was hunched over so much that his head almost touched Bruce's hand.
Alfred walked around the bed to stand next to Dick and place his hand on the man's shoulder to comfort him. Damien looked away from the pair and focuses on his father's face.
Barely in his 40's his father was already dying. His hair had just begun to develop silver streaks along his temples and his face looked peaceful as he laid with his eyes closed.
Moving to claim his father's free hand Damien watched as his father's blue eyes opened and settle on his equally as blue eyes.
Bruce shifted himself painfully so he could view the rest of the bedside manor around him. in a bleak tone he chuckled, "And I thought I was depressing,"
The comment only seemed to darken the mood though. Damiean could see Dick tighten his hold on Bruce's hand, the veins on his forearm bulging, willing himself not to cry.
Bruce turned look at Alfred.
"Thank you my old friend," he said with a strained smile on his face.
Bruce pulled his head back to Damien and locked eyes with him. Damien felt a shiver run down his spine as he imagined this really being the end.
"Damiean," Bruce wheezed, "You know what you need to do to help Gotham now that I no longer can."
"But you wont die!" Damien insisted, "You've survived worse, besides you only need to hold on long enough for me to find another Lazurus pit."
"Not this time kid," he smiled weakly, "My time is up. But I want you to promise me something."
"Anything;" Damien replied almost desperately.
Bruce furrowed his brow and looked intently at Damien.
"I want you to promise me that you wont kill anyone anymore. No matter if they are the lowest scum to ever walk the earth you wont pass the judgment to kill them."
Damien's eyes widened as he listened "But Bruce-!"
"Damien," Bruce stopped him, "Compassion is what separates us from those we fight against. Promise me."
Damien held his father's gaze intently as he let out another breath of air through his nose, giving up he replied "I promise father."
A strange look passed over Bruce's face as relief swept over his features, he smiled again at Damien and said "No one is more proud of you than I am. Damien Wayne I am proud, and always have been, to call you my son."
Bruce turned his head away from Damien and looked back up at the ceiling with a misty eyed expression on his face, like he was seeing beyond the paint and drywall covering the slanted roof. Slowly he began to recite:
"If people bring so much courage to this world, the world has to kill them to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially."
Reciting the last line Bruce closed his eyes for the last time. Damien watched in pain as his father's heartbeat grew fainter and fainter until there was no pulse at all. The medical equipment keeping Bruce alive began to beep wildly drawing attention to the exact moment of passing for the Dark Knight.
Neither Damien, Alfred or Dick made any move to disrupt the continuous noise of the machines distress. To shocked at the passing of their friend, father, and mentor to dispel the moment.
After about five minutes Alfred finally moved to unplug the expensive equipment and led Dick out of the room who was now full-fledged sobbing into his hands. Alfred made no attempt though to pull Damien from his father's side and left him alone in the master bedroom of Wayne manor.
Damien never felt so alone in his live than at that moment clenching the cold hand of his father.
Yup, I just killed Batman. I'm not entirely sure if I gave him poetic justice but his death was necessary. Thoughts so far?