NOTES: This is a Batman: the Animated Series fic. Those of you that are reading this from the Roost will be very confused by this story. Who is this Linda Del Toro? Why is Dick marrying her, and so on. This is part of a series I call Nightwing: The Legendary Chronicles. According to Roost rules, Barbara has to appear or be mentioned somewhere in the story to be posted. Well the story I wrote (actually I haven't even finished it yet) doesn't mention Babs at all. Its called In Love With The Enemy and it introduces Linda as the villainess Cazadora. She turns good, she and Dick fall in love and become engaged. I hope to have it posted at the Better Batman Bureau (http://www.weld18.demon.co.uk/) once its done so look for it there. This is my first fic so please go easy on me! 'Till Death Do Us Part by Kristina (WarriorPrin717@aol.com) *** "What do you think of this one?" Linda DelToro asked Barbara Gordon modeling a wedding dress. Barbara looked up from the rack she was shifting through. "You look like an angel" she breathed. Linda positively glowed. The long white dress flowed about her ankles. Her silky raven hair tumbled elegantly down her shoulders, and a long veil floated down her back. Her dark eyes sparkled, and her bronzed skin shone. "But look at the price" Linda exclaimed, a grimace fleeting across her lovely features. "But didn't Dick tell you to pick out the dress you liked?" Barbara chided her friend. "I guess so" Linda shrugged uncertainly. Any further debate was cut off by the arrival of two gunmen, masks adorning their faces. "Nobody move" one demanded. One of the bridal store clerks rushed towards the gunmen, but stopped and fell down dead as a bullet ripped through his chest. "Quick, change into you're costume" Barbara hissed at Linda. She nodded and began backing slowly into the dressing room, whilst Barbara crept towards one of the gunmen. Removing a coin from her pocket, Barbara tossed it across the room, distracting one of the men. As he turned towards the sound, Barbara landed a strong kick to his chin, knocking him to the floor. The second gunman fired off several shots. "Look out!" Barbara screamed, pushing down a nearby woman. A small shriek omitted from the dressing room where Linda was. A second later, trembling on her feet, Linda emerged, blood adorning her chest. Barbara caught her as she collapsed. "Let's get out of here" the gunman said to his partner, grabbing the money from the cash register. He sneered at Linda before running from the store. Sirens could be heard in the distance as Barbara clung tightly to Linda. "Do you think its bad luck to die a week before your wedding?" Linda quipped lightly, biting back a gasp of pain. "You're not going to die" Barbara said firmly, eyes filling with tears. "Linda I'm so sorry" she choked out, cradling her friend. "Its not your fault Babs" she whispered. "I..." her words were caught in her throat as she began coughing up blood. "Dick?" "He'll be here" Barbara promised. "Everything’s going to be okay." She pressed her hand tighter up against the bloody wound. "You're my best friend Barbara, and I want to thank you for everything you've done for me. For us" Linda told her, eyelids fluttering. The sirens were right on top of them now. A second later Dick Grayson burst through the door. "What happened?" he demanded. "I picked up the robbery on my scanner..." his voice trailed off as he noticed the bloodied figure of his fiancée on the floor. "Linda!" he cried dropping to his knees beside her. "Oh my god, Linda!" "Mi Querido" she whispered. The bridal shop's door banged open again, as police and the rescue team poured in. Two EMT's quickly brought a stretcher over to Linda, while another one tried to stop the bleeding. "I'm here baby" Dick tried to comfort her as they lifted her onto the stretcher. "I won't leave you, I promise." As they wheeled her out to the ambulance, Dick called over his shoulder to Barbara, "please call Bruce. He and your dad are at the Manor." Barbara nodded. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked tearfully. Dick paused a minute as he watched Linda being loaded into the ambulance. "Pray" he told her before climbing into the ambulance to be with his lover. With screeching tires, the ambulance pulled out into the street, and raced towards the hospital. As Barbara watched Detective Harvey Bullock talking to the cashier, and glancing at her bloody clothes, for one of the first times in her life, she felt hopeless. *** "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you" Dick told his love tearfully. She shook her lovely head. "Don't blame yourself. Just as I don't blame Barbara. We couldn't stop it. Its just a part of life." Her voice was growing fainter. "Don't try to talk, baby" Dick leaned forward, brushing his lips against Linda's forehead. She smiled up at him weakly. Their tears mixing together. "Did you like the dress?" she whispered. "I loved it. I loved the dress" Dick told her, his voice catching in his throat. He was losing her. "I... I wa-want you to prom... promise me you'll fall in love again" Linda's voice was fading. Dick shook his head, tears streaming steadily from his eyes. "Don't say that" he told her fiercely. "You're going to be fine. I know you will." "Promise me. Please." "I...I promise. I promise." Dick whispered running his fingers through her silky raven hair. " I never... got to say I do" Linda whispered. Then closing her eyes, she died. "Linda? Linda? Baby don't go. Please don't go baby" Dick begged, shaking her lightly. "Oh god. Please don't take my baby. Please" he prayed lifting her dark head, trying to look into her eyes. "God. You're so beautiful. Don't leave me baby. My beautiful baby. I do. God, Linda I do" Dick whispered lying down next to her. "I do." Tentatively, he brushed back her long dark locks and bid her farewell. "Goodbye, my Angel of the Night." Then lifting his head, a tortured animal cry wrenched itself from Dick Grayson's lips, twisting in the hearts of all present. *** Walking with slow, steady steps, Barbara entered the library where Bruce, Tim, and Jim Gordon sat anxiously. "Barbara" Jim jumped up to hug his daughter. "She's gone" Barbara whispered, her voice catching. "Linda died on the way to the hospital." The others sat in shocked silence. "How's Dick?" Bruce spoke up. Barbara shook her head. "He's at the hospital. They say he refuses to leave her" Barbara's voice cracked, her eyes flooding with tears. "Maybe you should go home honey" Jim said laying a comforting hand on her shoulder. She jerked away from him. "Why?" she demanded. "So I can wash Linda's blood from my clothes so I can wear them again? So I can replay the scene over and over again in my mind wondering what I could have done different." "Barbara..." Bruce started "Don't Barbara me" she snapped. "I don't want your pity. I'm not the one who just lost the love of my life." Tears were running in rivers down her cheeks. "You just went through something horrible. And we all lost a friend" Bruce said. "But I had to see the look on her face. And I will see that for the rest of my life... she knew. She knew she was going to die." Her tone softened as she added, "he's you're son Bruce. Go to him. He needs you more than ever right now." Bruce nodded and rose from the chair he was sitting in. "Will you be alright?" he asked hesitantly. "Just go." A minute later he was gone with Tim on his heels. "I'll go make you some tea, Miss Barbara" Alfred said retreating to the kitchen. Barbara then turned to her father. Without saying a word, he embraced her tightly in his arms as she began to sob uncontrollably. "Oh Daddy..." she sobbed. "I'm so scared for him. This is going to kill him." "Shh" Jim comforted his daughter, lightly rocking her back and forth. "He'll get through this. Somehow. We'll all get through this." Leaning back into a chair, Jim Gordon tightly held his daughter in his lap, as she let go with all her tears the sadness and frustration she'd been holding back. *** Bruce Wayne walked down the hallway of the Gotham hospital with a slow, steady gait. Pausing before a room, he tentatively opened the door, unsure of what he would find. Pain filled his eyes as he took in the sight before him. There, huddled on the bed, clasping his dead love in his arms, sat his ward. The color had long ago left Linda's face, and her hands hung cold and lifeless beside him. Dick was slowly rocking back and forth, murmuring loving words to her. "Dick?" Bruce asked hesitantly. Dick didn't say a word, didn't move except for cradling Linda. Bruce took a few steps forward. "Dick?" he called again. Touching his ward on the shoulder, he finally made Dick look up at him. Bruce was shocked by his condition. His face was deathly pale and exhaustion lined his features. His eyes were dark and red rimmed and dried tears adorned his cheeks. Against his will, sobs rose again in Dick's throat. Bruce quickly engulfed Dick in his strong arms. "She's gone" Dick whispered leaning into Bruce's warm embrace. "She's gone. My Angel of the Night is gone." "Come with me, son" Bruce said gently attempting to pry Linda from Dick's grasp. "NO!" Dick thundered cradling Linda tighter in his arms. "I can't leave her! I WON'T leave her!" "Dick. Please" Bruce said more firmly detaching the dead woman from his grasp. "Oh querida" Dick reached for his love. "My love." Stepping out of the room, Bruce retrieved a tranquilizer from a nearby doctor. Returning, he quickly injected the syrum into his ward's arm. Dick jumped and tried to lash out. Bruce caught his arm, and cradled his son, whispering soothing words. The drug began to take effect and Dick let Linda's arm fall from his grasp. Effortlessly lifting Dick into his arms, Bruce made his way out of the small, dark room. A nurse entered behind him, drawing the blanket over Linda's still form. The last sight Dick saw before falling into unconsciousness, was the blanketed form of his fiancée. *** Leaving the hospital, Bruce was flanked by reporters. "Mr. Wayne! Mr. Wayne!" a reporter thrust a microphone into his face. "Sir, how does it feel knowing the murderer of you're son's fiancée is still at large?" "How do you think we feel?" Bruce snapped back angrily. The reporter shrank back from his glare. He ignored the other questions, pushing his way through the crowd to his car. Gently placing Dick in the backseat, Bruce then climbed into the driver's seat. Tim glanced at his adoptive brother with fascinated eyes. Putting the car into gear, Bruce sped off towards Wayne Manor. Reaching the Manor, Bruce cut the engine and lifted his son out of the car. Tim hurried ahead and threw open the door for him. Bruce nodded his thanks as he carried Dick inside. Jim and Barbara were still in the library, sipping tea and talking quietly. They both jumped up when they noticed Bruce. Barbara's blue eyes widened in shock as she took in the still form of Dick Grayson. She turned her head, unable to look at the pain that was clearly etched across his face even in sleep. Bruce ascended the marble stairs towards Dick's old room, and deposited his ward on the bed. Tucking the covers around him, Bruce then ran his fingers through Dick's dark hair. His heart ached at the pain his son was going through. Bruce was reluctant to leave him, but Alfred assured him that he would be fine. Besides Barbara would want to know what had espired at the hospital. "How's he doing?" Barbara asked quietly. Bruce sighed slumping into a chair. Alfred handed him a cup of tea. "Thanks Alfred" he told the butler. Then turning to Barbara he said, "he's sleeping now." He took a sip from his cup then placed it on the table. "I had to give him a tranquilizer just to pry Linda's body from him." Bruce shook his head sadly. "It was heartbreaking seeing him there. He just sat there, on the hospital bed, cradling her lifeless body in his arms telling her how much he loved her." Turning then to Jim, Bruce asked "did you find who did this yet?" Jim shook his head. "Nope. They got away from us. Bullock and Montoya have been searching all night. So far no obvious clues have been found." Turning his gaze to his daughter's tear streaked face, Jim's look softened. "Listen Bruce," he said. "Barbara and I've got to be getting home. This night has been terrible for all of us." He placed a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Call us if you need anything, and we'll be over in a second. We'll be keeping Dick and Linda in our prayers." "Good night Jim, Barbara" Bruce rose to shake his hand. He pulled Barbara into a hug. "Try to get some sleep. I know it will be tough, but try. Okay?" Barbara nodded and hugged him back. "Thank you Bruce. G'night Tim." Pulling on her coat, Barbara and Jim stepped out into the cold night air in time to feel the cold, harsh rain pouring down. *** Dick moaned in his drugged sleep, tossing and turning relentlessly. Eyes scrunching shut, he tried desperately to block the images. Try as he did, the sight of Linda's lifeless body remained, haunting his dreams. "NO!" Dick sat up with a jolt. Sweat poured off his forehead, and his eyes darted wildly around the room. Chest heaving, he desperately tried to piece together his surroundings. This is my old room he realized trying to calm his erratic breath. But if I'm here, that means... oh God no! Throwing back the covers, Dick stumbled out of bed. His shirt was neatly folded on his dresser, and his boots stood neatly on the floor beside it. After pulling on his clothes, Dick quickly ran his fingers through his long, dark hair, hoping to straighten it to some accord. Opening the French double doors to his balcony, Dick hopped up onto the banister. Taking one last look behind him, he whispered a quiet thanks then leapt out into the night. *** Kicking open the door, Dick stepped into his loft. It was just how he had left it that morning, the breakfast dishes still in the sink waiting to be washed. With long, confidant strides, Dick unlocked the secret door in his desk. Laying at the bottom of the oak drawer, sat a small hand revolver. A sinister smile crossed Dick's normally calm features. He quickly loaded the weapon, then shoved it deep into his waistband. As he turned to go, a lone picture on his desk caught his eye. Breath caught in his throat, Dick stared transfixed at the photograph. It was a picture of him and Linda taken at a family cookout a few months ago. They had their arms around each other, grinning at the camera, eyes twinkling as if they hadn't a care in the world. Now Dick stood alone in his loft, eyes hard and cold. With one fluid motion, he overturned the picture on his desk. Patting the gun at his waistband, he left to extract his revenge. *** Stars shone brightly overhead as Dick pulled his Harley up to the bridal shop. Police tape encircled the small shop, and bloodstains littered the pavement. Closing his eyes, Dick took a deep breath before ducking under the tape. The store was dark but that suited him fine. His eyes keen to the darkness, Dick fumbled behind the counter, looking for something. He quickly pocketed it once he found it. Removing a small penlight from his pocket, Dick shone the faint bulb on the floor, searching for clues. His keen senses alerted him to the presence behind him. "Dick" Commissioner Gordon acknowledged. "What are you doing here, son?" "What do you think?" Dick asked testily. "I know you're hurting son, but..." "No you don't know. I just lost the best thing in my life today. Those animals took her from me." "We will not sleep until we catch them" Gordon promised him. "And when do you think I'm going to sleep" Dick asked him with an edge in his voice. "I'll be up all night. And not just till we find these guys. But after. Because the moment I go to sleep, I'll have to wake up and start the rest of my life without her." "We'll find them. That I promise you" Jim laid a hand on his shoulder. "I didn't think anything would tear me apart as much as my parents death would, but I was wrong." He started to walk away. "Dick..." Dick ignored him and kept walking until he was well away from the store. He had found what he had wanted. I will get them Dick told himself as he closed his fist around the crumpled piece of paper in his pocket. The address of the guy on duty that morning. "I will find you" he swore at the darkened night. "And I will make you pay." *** Barbara lay curled up on her bed, her pillow clutched in her tight knuckled hands. She had long ago cried all her tears, and now she just lay there in stunned silence replaying the scene in her mind over and over again. "Maybe it is my fault" she admitted miserably. "I could have done something different; acted faster. And now a woman is dead. Linda is dead...because of me" she sobbed, fresh tears welling up in her eyes. An idea began dawning on her, and she hastily wiped her eyes. "It may be to late to save Linda, but I can at least bring those responsible to justice" she said leaping off her bed, adrenaline coursing through her body. After writing a quick note to her father, a minute later Batgirl stood where Barbara Gordon had minutes before. Powering up her batcycle, with squealing tires, Batgirl raced through the darkness to where the nightmare had all began. With the agility of a cat, Batgirl swung unnoticed into the small bridal shop. Adjusting her night vision goggles, she scoured for clues. After a minute, her highly trained equipment picked up something on the floor where the shooter had been standing. It was an eyelash. Carefully placing it into a sealed bag, Batgirl retreated back into the safety of the shadows. *** Bryan Jennings hummed an old Beatles tune as he patched a bullet hole in the wall. Yesterday wasn't exactly the best day in his life, with the robbery and all. Some chick was dead partially because of him, he mused sadly. Life sucks he thought wryly. You die a week before your wedding. He shook his head in remorse. He couldn't imagine anything that bad happening to him. I do feel kind of bad for the dude who was supposed ta marry that chick. A tap on his shoulder alerted him to the presence of someone behind him. "Can I help you?" Bryan asked. Dick grabbed him by the lapels and shoved him into a dressing room. "What the hell is this, huh?" Bryan demanded. "You one of Louie's guys?" "I'm the guy who's fiancée is dead because of whatever you're caught up in." "Hey man I am really sorry..." "I want to know who you pissed off. When your business started losing money last year. Who you borrowed from. Who you owed to. If you staged these robberies yourself to collect the insurance." "Look I already told the officers..." "I don't care what you told them. You're going to tell me." "Okay. Okay. I spent too much on inventory last year. I got this thing for silk. But I swear all I've done is jack up prices. You should see some of my new lines..." "Shut up. I swear if you lie to me..." "What? Huh?" "God help you." A minute later he was gone. Bryan leaned back against the wall, attempting to calm his rapid heartbeat. He hadn't bothered to tell Dick that the attack was personal. Oh well he thought. He'll find out soon enough. Besides, I'm already as good as dead. *** "I found this at the bridal shop" Batgirl held up the plastic sack for Batman to examine. He took it from her, and slid it under a microscope. Then running it through the Bat Computer, Batman waited patiently for the results. The computer narrowed it down to DNA belonging to one Frank Colvack. "Frank Colvack," Batman read off the screen. "Served a 10 year sentence for murder, also incarcerated for drug and arms dealing, selling weapons to minors, armed robbery and the list goes on." "And now he's a double murderer" Batgirl muttered, eyes narrowing beneath her cowl. Glancing up at the computer screen, she quickly skimmed it. "I have a feeling he's part of a bigger picture here" she told Batman. After pressing a few buttons, she waited impatiently for the results of her query. When they finally came up, she gasped in shock and Batman's eyes widened. "Frank Colvack, is the right hand man for Tony Zucco?" she whispered. "Zucco must've wanted revenge against Dick for helping put him behind bars" she realized. "God what are we going to tell Dick?" she asked. "I don't know" Batman answered coolly. "But I'm going after Colvack. You stay here" he ordered. "No!" Batgirl shouted. Then catching herself, she added "I have to go. I owe Linda that much. It was my fault she died in the first place." "Alright" Batman agreed reluctantly. "I'm going to pay a little visit to our friend Tony Zucco." Batgirl nodded and hurried to her batcycle. She just prayed she'd make it in time before Dick did something he'd regret later on. *** Dick Grayson sat in the ruins of his apartment, broken glass and overturned furniture littered the once clean floor. His eyes were glued to the television, its bluish glow illuminating the dark room. *** "Mi amor. Mi querido" Linda smiled at the camera. "In English" Tim yelled and everyone laughed. "Winning the lottery is one in a million. But meeting you is once in a lifetime. Even when I first saw you, I felt something that I've never felt before. Whatever the future brings, we'll face it together. I will always be there for you Dick. And nothing in this world can ever tear us apart. Mi querido." *** "Its time I've taken things into my own hands" Dick murmured switching off the TV. "I will not let Linda's death go unpunished" he swore. "Even if it takes me 'till the last breath in my body, I will make them pay." *** Dick stood waiting at the corner, leaning casually against the wall, hands shoved deep in pockets. Louie was strolling merrily along, unaware of his surroundings. As he was rounding the turn, Dick stepped directly in Louie's path, and grabbed him by the front of the shirt. "Hey man" he protested angrily reaching for his gun. Dick gave his arm a hard jerk, twisting it from his hand. "You killed my fiancée." Louie started running, making his way towards the docks. A quick glance over his shoulder told him Dick was gaining on him. Vaulting over the railing, Louie disappeared under the docks. He landed hard on his knees on the sand. The next thing he knew he was flat on his back, with Dick standing menacingly over him. "I didn't kill anybody" "The most beautiful woman in the world died because of you." "I swear I didn't do anything. I didn't shoot her!" "You robbed the store. She died." "Please man, please don't. I'm sorry" Louie's voice rose an octave. "I want your partner's name." "I don't know his name." "If you lie to me, I won't be responsible for what happens" Dick threatened. "C'mon man. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about your girlfriend. Frank lost it." "Frank who?" Dick demanded pressing his gun into Louie's chest. "I tell you, he'll kill me. Aw come on man" Louie was in hysterics by now. "The shooters name!" Dick cocked his gun. "I told you he'll kill me." Dick began dropping the bullets to the sand until one remained. "There's one left" he said icily. "Aw c'mon man. Please don't. I can't he's freakin nuts" Louie pleaded. "I just want to make things even." "Aw c'mon man please don't. I don’t want to die." Dick didn't say a word, just cocked the gun and pressed it tight up against Louie's ribcage. "Hail Mary full of grace, the lord is with thee" Louie began reciting. Dick pressed the gun further into his ribs. "Frank Colvack. I don't know where he lives. I know the area, but I don't know where he lives." Dick just looked at him with cold, unforgiving eyes. "Aw please don't kill me. I don't want to die. I don't want to die" Louie cowered on the sand, curled up in a fetal position, hands shaking. Dick raised the gun, and fired. The bullet echoed throughout the docks as it hit the concrete wall behind Louie. Then jumping over a concrete railing, he left Louie laying beneath the docks, quivering in fear. *** "I told you I don't know where Colvack is" Louie told Commissioner Gordon later that day in the interrogating room at the police headquarters. "But you think he has a loft over a restaurant near Market street?" Jim asked. "Yeah he says the piano bar keeps him up all night." "And you told Dick Grayson this?" Jim asked closing the file that was in his hand. "Yeah." Bullock came in and talked to Gordon for a minute. "Tell me about the robbery one more time" Jim asked Louie leaning over his chair. "I already told you everything. What more do you want to know?" "The smallest detail you haven't told me. Something new" "The day before we went to take down the store. It was deserted, no customers. It was like Frank was waiting for someone. Frank didn't want to do it, so we went back the next day and... we did it." "Alright" Jim said heading for the door. "There's one more thing I think you should know" Louie admitted, eyes gazing at the floor. "Its about Tony Zucco..." *** Frank closed the door to his trunk, and the next instant he found himself looking up into the icy blue eyes of Dick Grayson. Raising his fist, Dick landed several solid punches to Frank's ribcage and other parts of his anatomy. Roughly grabbing his jaw, Dick forced Frank to look deep into his eyes, to see the raw, burning hatred that was lodged there. "I don't know much about heaven or hell, but I know you won't be seeing my Linda." "What do you want?" Frank gasped, trying to ignore the pain in his ribs. "Justice" Dick spat, holding his gun between steady hands, aiming it at Frank. "Dick" Batgirl swung down next to him. "Batgirl go away." "We've got Louie under arrest." "Linda's still dead" Dick said flatly. "Yeah but killing him won't bring her back." "I don't care. It will make me feel better" Dick told her "Hey don't let him do it. Please. Please" Frank begged. "Aren't you going to try to talk me out of it? Not to sink down to his level? How she wouldn't want this?" he asked Batgirl. "No" she shook her head. "I'm behind you all the way Dick." "Because of you and Zucco, I lost everything that was important to me. My parents, my love, even my unborn child" Dick's voice wavered. "Hey c'mon don't let him shoot me please" he begged Batgirl. "Hey c'mon relax. C'mon please. Man. C'mon slow down. Relax. Relax. You don't want to do this man." "I'm going to make you a promise I fully intend to keep. My face will be the last one you'll see before they execute you" Dick swore. Then, throwing Frank to the ground, he let Batgirl cuff him. His face an unexpressive mask, Dick sat down at a nearby patio table, laying his gun down beside him. Then burying his face in his hands, let loose all the tears and frustrations he'd been holding back. *** Dick bent down, moving the couch back into position. Days later, he finally began to straighten up his apartment. It was hell being here again. Memories of Linda haunted him around every turn. Setting his mouth into a firm line, Dick reached under the sofa and pulled out the object wedged there. Is breath caught in his throat as he stared at the object in his hand. It was a videotape of him and Linda. After much debating for several minutes, Dick popped the cassette into the VCR. Resting his chin on his hand, Dick watched the home video of the two of them. *** The beach spread out before them, the last rays of the sun touching the sand as Dick and Linda lay in each others arms. "Dick?" Linda asked holding him close. "Hmm?" "Why do you love me so much? "Because you save me so much trouble" "I save you trouble?" "Yes because if you didn't exist, I'd have to invent you. I'd have to create a woman that was so beautiful, she'd hurt your eyes. A woman that was so passionate, she'd burn a hole in your heart. And so understanding, she melted your soul." "Hmm. Sounds good. But you know what? She'd never love you as much as I do." The two fell onto the sand in each other's embrace, laughing and kissing as the surf rolled over them. *** Dick closed his eyes, tears streaming from them. Behind him, wearing her wedding dress, Linda stood watching him with loving eyes. She smiled at him, then she slowly she dissolved in a bright flashing light. Lifting his eyes heavenward, he said "I'll never forget you Linda. My lady, my love...my life. Rest in peace, my Angel of the Night." The End