Disclaimer

The characters used in the story are the property of DC Comics and Warner Bros. I have used them in the story which is a product of my own imagination

Author's note

I just want to set the stage for this. This can be seen as a continuation to 'Superman – Batman Public enemies' (although it isn't), only assuming that the ending wasn't happy and also that Bruce and Diana were married before. This is actually an epilogue to the series I planned, but did not pen down yet. But I think this setting works pretty well too.

Who 'WAS' Batman

"Please Superman, tell us who he was"

"Yes, we must know who he was. We have the right to know who our saviour really was."

"Come on Superman! You cannot hide it from the public now. Who was Batman?"

"Who was Batman?" "Who 'was' Batman?" 'Was'? When did he become a 'was'? When did he become a 'saviour' from a vigilante, the caped crusader? Everything is still a blur to me. Here I am, in the biggest church in America. I'm just done with my funeral speech about a greatest and the finest man who ever lived. Sadly, the world never knew about him when he was there. And now, the world is craving to know about him. Ironic, isn't it?

"Superman, can you hear us? Tell us about him, please!" I felt like a story teller, surrounded by anxious kids who wanted to know more about the most fearless warrior who saved the earth from its darkest nights. I turned my eyes around and caught a glimpse of Lois. I knew she wanted to say something. She had clenched fists and was biting her lips in agony. He was her friend too, may be more than just a friend, for some time. I believe she had and she still has feelings for him. I won't blame her, because under his mask, he was the Gotham city's most eligible bachelor, someone, as I must quote, the chicks would die for. Lois knew a little more about him, and I'm sure she always respected him like I did. Her eyes met mine, and I felt a sudden burst of emotion.

I have lost my best friend!

"Superman!"

I cleared my throat and suddenly, the crowd fell silent, gripped with anticipation.

"Batman was..." I had trouble getting along. The fact that it was 'was' is something I'm still not able to get over. Well it's only been a day! The rest of the league, I mean the other four members are behind me. Yes, you heard me right, its 4 not 5. Diana isn't here, because she needs to be somewhere else. She has got responsibilities, as a wife, a mother and the mistress of the Wayne Manor. And it is she who has to give strength to the broken family – Dick, Tim, Junior and most importantly Alfred, in addition herself. I hope she's doing that well, because when I saw her this morning, she seemed pretty alright. Well it's only that Mr. Wayne hasn't been home for 2 days, how else do you expect her to be? I'm sure Mr. Wayne will have a good scolding from her once he returns. My eyes filled up at this thought, what if he comes back again, as he always does and takes us by surprise?
"Batman was..." I continued, unaware of the tears rolling down my cheeks in a stream, still anticipating that he'd show up from nowhere and shout, "Cut the crap man, I'm still here! And I thought I asked you not to reveal my true identity to anyone under any circumstances! What the hell do you think you're doing?" "Batman was B..." almost there, and,...

I can't do it. I can't reveal his true identity. It's too big for them to take. I can't do it...

"Bruce Wayne!" a shout from the crowd. Everyone turn around to see where that came from. "Batman was Bruce Wayne, the billionaire philanthropist, the owner of Wayne Tech Enterprises, the second richest man in America, the most eligible bachelor of Gotham city, and to some people a playboy, self righteous, a man who doesn't give a moment of thought about anyone else but himself, a face and nothing else of Wayne Tech, rich and spoilt. Well whatever you called him, he was the greatest man who ever lived, the man, who, I tell you, 'is' the Batman. Yes, Bruce Wayne 'is' the Batman and I am Night wing, the first robin, his ward, Dick Grayson.

Silence and silence everywhere. No one uttered a word. I looked at Dick, the frustrated Dick Grayson, the broken Dick Grayson, the Dick Grayson who owed his life to his guardian, his master, his God, Bruce Wayne, but wasn't able to return him for his love. His eyes met mine, and he said "I thought this was the least Bruce should get from the people he died for, an ounce of respect!" He ran to me and hugged me, crying like a child "I am sorry Bruce! Please forgive me! I am sorry!"

Bruce, are you watching?