The Secret That Never Was
by Lloyd Hayes (nightwing205@yahoo.com)

***

I still couldn't believe I was hearing this.

"Dick, are you still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here.  I have to get some things together
and I'll be there as soon as possible", and I hung the
phone up without even saying good bye.

I called the manor asking if Bruce was there.  Alfred,
of course, was the one to answer the phone.  I
explained to him what was going on and needed to ask
Bruce to have someone cover the Haven for me.  Of
course he wasn't in but Alfred said he would relay the
message.  I called the department to let them know I
was going out of town for a death in the family.  It
wasn't 5 minutes and Amy, my partner, called me.

"Dick, you have told me you have no family.  What's
up?"

I then began to explain it to her.

"Oh God!  I remember that now...  that would mean your
father is..."

"My adoptive father and yes it does.  Please do me a
favor and not tell the others what is going on.  I
don't want any special treatment".

"Grayson, you should know me better than that but you
have my word.  Be careful and I'm sorry".

We hung up the phone and I got in touch with Oracle.

"Hey, Dick, Bruce called and he wanted me to tell you
to be at Bludhaven International in 1 hour.  He has
his private jet waiting for you".

Good old Alfred.  You can always count on him getting
messages through.

"Thanks, Babs.  I'll call when I get back"

"You better.  Be careful, boy wonder".

"I will and Babs... Thanks".

"No prob.  Bye"

I gathered clothes quickly, ran out the door, told
Clancy what was going on, and I was off.  Took only 20
minutes to get to the airport but I couldn't stay in
that apartment any longer.  I really wished I could've
thanked Bruce before I left but I know how he is.  we
have never used the "L" word before in our home but I
know he cares.  My thoughts are so scattered right now
that I almost jumped when a hand was placed on my
shoulder.

"Master Dick, are you ready?"

"Alfred, what will I ever do without you?"

"Hopefully, sir, it will be a long time until you find
out".

Of course he insisted on carrying my bags.  I don't
think I have ever seen him drop this "gentleman's
gentleman" role ever.  I know of his past and the
excitement he has lived.  I guess that is why it was,
well, not easy but understandable how he has been able
to help Bruce out.  When we walked on the plane, my
jaw dropped.  Sitting in the seats was Barbara, Tim,
and Bruce.

"I was on my lap top when you buzzed.  Bruce thought I
would want to go", answered Babs.

"Yeah, I'm out of school for the week and Dad gave me
permission to go", answered Tim.

Bruce walked up to me and I expected Batman to answer
me.  Don't ask me why I thought that.  I guess it was
the way he walked.  Even around the mansion when he
was Bruce and no one else was there but the three of
us his walk was different.  But he didn't answer as
Batman.  

Putting as hand on my shoulder, "I hope you don't
mind.  They...  that is we wanted to be there for you. 
You are our family to".

"Thanks.  I wouldn't want it any other way"

"How is he?"

"I don't know.  They just said he had a few hours
left".

"How are you?"

And in that instant when Bruce asked about me, all the
walls between Batman and Robin were down.  Bruce, not
Batman, was looking at a little boy who had just lost
his parents.  And my wall came crumbling down.

With tears, "I'm not doing to good, Bruce, not good at
all", and he actually held me until we took off.  Babs
and Tim were trying to help but it wasn't doing any
good.  Alfred was being... well, Alfred.  Trying to get
us to eat until he just put his foot down and made us.
 The trip to Florida was only about an hour.  The trip
from the airport to the fair grounds took about the
same.  We were met by other extended family members
and then led into his room.  

Bruce was being as supportive as possible and being
very... well, unlike Bruce.  He fired me from Robin not
because I couldn't make the grade but he didn't want
me to be hurt.  Wasn't the first time but I was too
old to be Robin anyway.  He just made realize it the
only way he knew how.  He distanced himself from me. 
It took me a few years to realize that it was because
of the parents he lost.  Maybe that was why he was
being so supporting so... dare I say it, loving?  When
Thomas and Martha died, Alfred was all he had.  There
will come a day when Alfred will not be around but it
is the only loss he will have to endure.

Me, well, I grew up with a whole family.  My mom and
Dad, all the performers, and of course Elinore the
elephant.  But there was one who was like a grand
father to all of us.  And now here he was hanging on
to life by a thread.  "pop" Haley was dying and there
was nothing we could do about it.  I walked over to
his bedside and Bruce was right behind me.  The others
stayed outside to give me privacy but my father was
coming in whether I wanted him to or not.  I sat down
on the bed and looked at him.  I was told he had has
cancer for a while but didn't want anyone else to
know.  "the show must go on" and all that.  He
wouldn't allow them to take him to the hospital.  He
wanted to die with his family around.  I was even his
partner and I didn't know about this.  Wasn't it just
yesterday I took Barbara up on the trapeze?  And it
was just last week I was a little brat flying in the
air with my parents?  I grabbed pop's hand and he
turned to look at me.

"Hello, little Dickey".

"Hey, Pop.  You know if you lay here much longer
you're gonna miss the performance", he managed a laugh
with that statement.

"Is that Mr. Wayne behind you?"

Bruce stepped up, "Yes and its Bruce".

"Thank you for taking care of our little Dickey, Mr.
Wayne.  I know how hard it must have been to raise a
young boy with you pretending to that whole playboy
act.  I'm thankful you gave Dick a release by letting
him fly from the roof tops with you".

I was stunned and if Bruce was he didn't show it.

"Now don't look at him that way, Dickey.  Do you think
you could have really hid that fact from me?  all of a
sudden there were rumors of a young boy flying along
side of the Batman.  Of course in all interviews the
Commissioner denied there even being a Batman.  But
there was that one night a few years later that a
security camera caught you on tape.  I forget the
villain at the time because I was only half paying
attention to the newscast.  But I did turn around just
in time to see this 'Robin' do a quadruple somersault.
 Son, I knew of only two people who that could have
been and unfortunately one of them was dead".

I actually had to smile at that.  He happened to catch
the same newscast that Tim did.  That's how Tim found
out who we were by seeing me do that.  Bruce had even
forbid me from doing it anymore.  That short clip only
appeared once as it mysteriously disappeared from the
news stations across the area.  Luckily it never made
it much farther than Metropolis.  I'm sure a certain
Superman helped him regards to that.  Clark usually
never helps cover things like that up but identities
were at stake here.  

"My only regret, Dick, is that I didn't give into
Zucco and give him his damn money.  And before you say
anything, I know I did the right thing but John and
Mary would still be here for you.  There is so much I
want to say to you.  Thank you for being my partner
and pulling this old circus out of the dumps. 
Everyone here loves you, Dick, especially me.  You are
the grand kid I never had.  I know you can't run this
thing yourself being a cop and still playing at night
but in my drawer is a list of a couple of good
replacements for me", and then all of a sudden the
breaths became shorter and his eyes became wide as
golf balls.  He looked at me and said with tears in
his eyes, "whatever... whatever you think know this... 
that your parents... your parents loved you... and ... and
they... and they would have been proud... Love you, son",
And with that "Pop" Haley breathed his last.

The funeral was three days after that.  Bruce left for
Gotham so Batman wouldn't have been missed.  And
besides, I know how he feels about funerals.  There
was only one he ever went to.  Babs, Tim, and Alfred
stayed with me.  It was kinda funny watching Alfred
waiting on everyone especially the animals.  He even
had a few words to give Elinore.  Babs was great.  She
let me cry on her shoulder and she held me all night. 
She was kinda pissed at Bruce for leaving but in the
same breath said she understood.  In her opinion
people have to be able to face the bad life hands you
to.  And Tim got a kick when I told him about Pop
seeing that same newscast he did.  

I put the new man in charge and flew back home.  I
gave him my number and the manor's number if he needed
anything.  I called Amy and Clancy to let them know I
was back but was going to spend the night with Bruce. 
I changed into Nightwing and met him on the roof tops.
 Of course he was the same old Batman again.  So cold
and calculating but I knew better.  No matter what
happens from here I'll always know him for who is.  He
will always be the one who took a ten year old boy in
his arms and made him a man.

"Have I ever said thank you, Batman?"

"Not that I can recall"

"Well, Thanks for being there for me.  Especially with
Pop dying"

"It was no choice.  It was my duty".

Well, I guess it was good to have Bruce around for a
little while

"It's quiet tonight", Bruce began, "would you join me
in going some where special?"

"Sure"

And it wasn't long before I knew where we were headed.
 Just out side of Gotham at the old Fair grounds.  The
grounds that haven't been used in over twenty years. 
The grounds where my parents were killed.  When we
arrived Bruce walked to a very particular spot. 
Knowing Bruce it was the exact place where my parents
fell.  He pulled two red roses out from behind his
cape and gave them to me.

Bruce began, "It's important to remember where you
came from"

I put the roses down and kneeled there for a minute
remembering.  When I stood up Bruce pulled 3 more
roses out of his cape and stood up.

I asked, "what were those for?"

Batman answered, "Your two were of course for your
parents.  Mine were also for your parents".

"And the third?"

"For your grand father, 'Pop'.  He kept your secret to
the grave and we owe this to him as well"

I made a pact to myself that I would be here every
year to deliver two roses to Mom and Dad and give one
rose to "Pop".  Thanks "Pop" for always being there
for me.  But there was one rose I didn't have to give
and that was to the man standing beside me.  I saw him
nod and realized he knew what I was thinking.  That
was all that had to be said between the two of us. 
And then we simply drove off into the night.