The years would progress swiftly and Bruce would continue to pour himself into Terry. My heart wrenched each time Terry and Dana would fight, break up then make up only to start the dance again. Bruce's health was deteriorating and I knew my trip back to Gotham was at hand.

Terry and Bruce's arguments were causing me to remember Dick and Bruce's arguments. Bruce was trying to convince someone that his way was the only way. My poor Bruce, even after all these years he had still never recognized that it was acceptable to be loved and allow another the share your burdens.

Terry was starting to pick up some of Bruce's bad habits. But my hope was renewed when I saw the engagement ring Terry had picked out for Dana. Now was the time. While Amanda Waller was taking Terry down memory lane it was my turn to take an old friend down memory lane as well.

At first he couldn't believe what he was seeing. "I'm not a hallucination." I approached him slowly letting his eyes and brain process what he was seeing. "I've been watching you for years. You've done very well. Though for one of the most intelligent men in the world you still not very smart."

"It was my burden. My pain to bare, no one else's," Bruce replied.

"Not even being part of the Justice League and all the people who wanted to be there for you seemed to be enough. I think you had become so used to being Batman you actually became content in not being anything else."

"Look I didn't come here to fight or take sides. Terry is learning the truth about himself tonight. It's time to make peace with him. He and Dana are going to be just fine. She's known who he is for a while now and much as I think she'd come to love you, you don't need to be here when they say 'I do.'"

That seemed to wake him from is shocked state. "Terry's going to propose?"

"Yes," I answer softly.

"So now what?"

"Would you like to blow this popsicle stand and go away with me?" I proceeded to tell him about what my new world had to offer and all he would be allowed to do.

He seemed to contemplate this for a moment. Ever the analytical mind, working every angle. Even now in his advanced age he was still impressive to watch.

"This is nothing like Ra's Al Ghul offer some years ago. No insanity and definitely no sacrificing another's life so you can continue to exist."

"I'd be able to check in on Terry from time to time?" Was his first question.

"Yes and his son and his son's son, etc." Did I really want to spend all eternity with Batman? I did something I had always wished I had done when I had first been entrusted with his secret. I used his real name.

"Batman, do you trust me?"

He raised his eyes to my level and the sincerity and trust that his eyes gave me caused my heart to increase in speed. I had almost forgotten what is was like to be human.

"Never in all our years did you call me Batman. Now I…"

"Just say yes." I was now holding his hand. We'll say good bye to Barbara and Tim together. I've watched Terry develop into a wonderful young man. I'll leave him to you tonight and I'll be back tomorrow so we can plan our get-away."

"You make it sound like a vacation," he says wryly.

I smiled. I knew I had him. Of course I had peaked into the future but there was no reason to tell him that. Terry would be back at any minute. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to meet him tomorrow after he and Bruce had talked and buried a few of the hatchets that were still laying around.

"So I will pick you tomorrow?"

I tried to ignore his smirk as he thought he had me. Batman was still just a man after all. An exceptional man but still a man.

"Yes, tomorrow." I vanished just as Terry came down the staircase. J'onn J'onzz met me at the Fortress of Solitude and it was nice to relive a few the good old days.

I arrived in the early afternoon with Barbara and Tim and it was a bittersweet reunion. I was overjoyed to meet Terry and Dana and they seemed to take all that we were planning to do rather well.

Bruce Wayne's memorial service was beautiful. All the contributions he had provided over the years had touched so many lives. Too bad we couldn't disclose that he was Batman, that would have meant at one time or another he had touched the entire world.

I allowed him to watch as he acclimated to his new state of being.

"You've been existing this way since you left the Watchtower?" he asked.

"I haven't just been floating about. I've been putting my talents to good use. You aren't the only one that has saved a world a time or two."

Bruce actually laughed. Oh how I wish that all the people that had ever loved him could have heard it. Alfred always said Bruce had a laugh in him somewhere. It seems it only took immortality to bring it out.

Even though I had looked ahead to what Bruce's decision would be I hadn't gone beyond that. I had feared that we would have hovered over Terry and Dana for all eternity but Bruce would prove me wrong. He was there when Terry and Dana welcomed their first child and we were there when Terry would pass the mantle on to his son.

Bruce didn't want to return after that. He felt satisfied that all he had worked for, all he had sacrificed for, all he had promised had finally been fulfilled. I think he would have cried if he had been able to.

I could feel his peace. I gave him a moment to adjust to this new feeling.

"All my life I had wanted this. I…" he began.

"I know. So many times before you were ready I wanted to bring you here, give this gift to you. You sometimes suffered, what I thought was needlessly. How many times I wished I could take some of your pain for you. Help you with your relationships with Dick, Barbara and Tim."

He made a sound that resembled a snort, "Don't sell short what you did do for me, for all of us. I shall forever be grateful for all you and Leslie did for us. You handled all our medical needs and then some. Leslie would have been proud of you and I know Alfred loved you like a daughter. I don't regret any of my decisions. None."

As usual he had the last word and if it was possible for an immortal to feel humble, his words were causing that reaction in me.

"So Mrs. Wayne, you ready to get to work?" He had rendered me speechless again with the title.

"Lead the way Mr. Wayne. Let's see what that wonderful mind of yours can achieve out here." And he did. Amanda Waller had been right about one thing, there would always been a need for Batman.