Author's note:  This fic takes place roughly in Frank Miller's Dark Knight and 
Dark Knight 2 future.  If you've never read either series, the main thing (as it 
affects this story) is that Dick Grayson appears in neither and no explanation 
is given for his nonappearance.  If you have read the series and any details 
don't fit precisely ... well, Frank hasn't appeared to worry too much about 
continuity either.  My thanks to Katie, Kim, and Sarah for their beta-work.  
Warning:  This is *not* a happy fic.  Major tissue warning.

***
 
Remembrance Day
By Sandra Miller (smiller@lonestarcomics.com)

***

The Dark Knight sat staring at the computer display, but he was not paying much 
attention to what it said.  Out of the corner of his eye he could see Catgirl 
performing her daily exercise routine.  Everything was as it should be, but he 
just felt ... *off* for some reason ever since he had noticed the date:  March 
20th. Watching her only intensified the feeling.  There was something about that 
date...

It wasn't anything to do with his parents - not an anniversary, or birthday.  
Birthday ... No, it wasn't Alfred's birthday or even Jason's.  Poor Jason.  The 
feeling of wrongness grew steadily as he glanced over at the Robin costume in 
the display case.  

"It was quite a kick for me to learn about the new Robin in the newspapers!" 
yelled a voice in his head suddenly.  

Jason?  No, not Jason.  

"I thought there was one guy who'd have *faith* in me.  But when it comes down 
to the test you picked somebody *else* to succeed you.  A stranger."

A vision appeared in his mind of a handsome young man wearing Batman's costume 
with the cowl pushed back.

"I'd *die* for you, Bruce!"

Dick?

Images began cascading through his memories in a flood:  a bright-eyed child 
sliding down the banisters; a serious-faced boy meeting the Justice League for 
the first time; Robin being shot by the Joker; a man wearing a strangely-
familiar looking costume of black and blue flying through the night alongside 
him; a wedding?

Barbara?

The flood subsided; the memories flowed to a trickle.  Of course, he remembered 
Dick Grayson!  How could he have forgotten the first Robin who later became 
Nightwing?  He remembered everything now!  Including...

Tommy.

Bruce felt his eyes suddenly fill with tears.  Thomas John Grayson - Dick's 
miracle baby.  Miracle, because Barbara had not even known she could conceive, 
and miracle, because that baby proved to be the final impetus that convinced 
Barbara to marry Dick.  For three years, Dick, Barbara, and Tommy were the 
perfect happy family.  The little boy captivated everyone, even Bruce.  

Then ... leukemia.  

All of Bruce's money, all of Barbara's research, all of their friends' knowledge 
and technology - nothing could save that dear little boy.  Tommy died at the age 
of five, the same way he had lived: cheerfully, courageously, and honestly.

The loss ripped Dick and Barbara apart.  Dick could not cope with what he saw as 
his failure to protect his son, and Barbara felt that she had failed since she 
could not find a solution to the problem.  They tried to help each other, but 
both were hurting too badly.  

He remembered Dick and Barbara were meeting with the Martian Manhunter, and ... 
that's all.  The memories stopped.  It didn't feel like the block from before - 
it was as if there was just nothing further.  How odd.  He turned back to the 
computer, and completely ignoring the research he had spent the better part of 
the morning collecting, he started a new search:  Richard John Grayson.  As soon 
as he entered the parameters, though, a document popped up on his screen.

"Hi, Bruce," it read.

** I never had quite the faith in J'onn's mental barriers that he did.  I 
figured at some point, you _would_ remember me, and the first thing you would do 
would be to attempt to find me.  Well, here I am. **

** Fathers should not outlive their sons, Bruce.  It's as simple as that.  
Especially fathers who fail their sons the way I failed Tommy.  Something in the 
part of me that became Tommy didn't work right, and he died.  It may not be 
logical, but it's true.  I know Babs blames herself the same illogical way.  
Attempting to save our marriage, J'onn brought us together mind-to-mind so we 
could no longer lie to ourselves and each other.  Babs knows I don't blame her, 
just as I know she doesn't blame me.  And that's the problem. **

** I survived the death of my parents because I found a new focus - Robin.  
Barbara survived being shot by the Joker because _she_ found a new focus - 
Oracle.  We can't find a new focus anymore, Bruce.  What's the point of being a 
crime fighter if you can't even save your own son?  What's the point of being an 
all-knowing Oracle if you can't find a solution to the disease that's killing 
your baby? **

** The funny thing is that while we were tearing at each other and sniping at 
each other, we each felt more of a reason to keep going than we do now that we 
know the truth.  In recovering our love for each other, we've reinforced our 
longing to be with our son. We've been strong for Tommy, for you, and for each 
other.  We're tired of being strong. J'onn blames himself, but it's not his 
fault.  I think we've finally convinced him this is what we truly want.**

** As I said, fathers should not outlive their sons, but I don't want _my_ death 
to cause you any more pain.  So I've asked J'onn to put a block on yours and 
Alfred's memories of us.  Babs has removed all mention of us from your system 
except for this note.  I've designated Roy Harper as my executor - he can tell 
you anything else you need to know.   Thank you for all you've meant in my life.  
I'm just sorry it had to come to this. **

** The dreaded "L" word, **

** Dick and Barbara Grayson **

"Bruce?"

The Dark Knight turned around to see that Green Arrow had come up behind him and 
was staring at him quizzically.

"Ollie, what's Harper up to these days?" Bruce rasped out.

The archer was startled but answered, "He's in Paris, at the moment.  Um, hang 
on ... Here's his number."  He searched through his wallet and handed a small 
slip of paper to Bruce.  Bruce pulled back the cowl and made the connection.

"Yo!" said the cheerful man with graying red hair who showed up on his screen.  
Then he saw who was calling and abruptly became serious.  "Hi, Bruce.  Dick said 
you'd be calling one of these days."

"You know what today is, don't you?"

"Yeah.  You want to know what happened?"

Bruce nodded.

"The details aren't important, but they died peacefully and together.  That's 
what they wanted."

"But how could you let them..."

"Kill themselves?" Roy filled in quietly.  "It was the hardest thing I've ever 
done.  All of us Titans talked until we were hoarse, and Dick and Barbara just 
sat there.  Finally Dick looked at me and asked me to imagine Lian's dying the 
way Tommy had.  I think he knew why we were talking so much.  To stall them as 
long as we could."  He took a deep, unsteady breath.  "Dick was the brother I 
always wanted.  I owe him for so many, many thing, including getting me custody 
of my daughter.  In all that time, he had never really asked anything of me, and 
now he was."  Roy sighed.  "Dick didn't ask us for help in dying; he asked us to 
let him and Barbara go."

"And to keep it a secret."

"And to keep their secret," Roy agreed.

"Their ... graves?"

Tears started falling down Roy's face.  "Check behind Jason's crypt.  That's 
where ... Tommy was buried, and that's where they insisted that we ... bury 
them.  They're in one mass grave."  His voice broke.

"Thank you, Roy," he said and cut the connection.

He leapt from his chair, ignoring the outbursts from Catgirl and the others and 
ran out onto the grounds.  In spite of all of the changes to the estate over the 
years, the family cemetery had remained a small island of tranquility.  He ran 
past the familiar crypt of his parents, the more recent grave of Alfred, and 
came to the elaborate crypt he had built for Jason.  That had always been his 
usual stopping place, but now he went farther.  Circling around behind the 
monument, he saw a simple gravestone that was placed in the ground:

Richard, Barbara, and Thomas Grayson
        ~~ Always Together ~~

He knelt down next to the stone.

"Happy birthday, son."

*** The End ***

Note:  I absolutely do not advocate suicide as a solution to problems, and I'm 
not quite sure why the story took this direction.  Right up until I actually 
started writing, I thought I could keep Dick alive somewhere, but the fictives 
just wouldn't cooperate.  By the way, the first quote is from Batman 416 and the 
last two are from Robin 13.