I've never written Dick/Babs before so this is kind of a new approach for me 
and this idea has just bugged me for *days*. I'm still fairly new to this 
list, so I hope I haven't broken any list rules:)

After reading NW#46, I couldn't escape the idea that what if Barbara had
accidentally sent those emails she was working on as her last will and
testament? She would *surely* have sent Dick a private message?

Apologies if I mess up any canon, but I still haven't caught up with all the
Bat family goings on over the years (do you ever 'catch up'?)

I'm assuming some things since the end of 'The Hunt For Oracle' isn't out
until later this week, but the new NW was out last week and everything
seemed okay in that:)

Disclaimer: These characters belong to DC comics, I make no profit out of
them.

Note: Not beta-ed, just spellchecked, all mistakes are mine own!

***

Last Will And Testament?
By K9 (lyrade@cableinet.co.uk)

***

Dick Grayson dropped wearily into the chair, his adrenaline was still
pumping, heart still pounding and the cold sweat of fear still clung to his
back, but at least Barbara was okay and the hunt for Oracle was over.

So many things had happened in the past few days that it all seemed so
dreamlike, so unreal now that it was finally finished.

There was still a lot to do, other messes to clean up, like the fact that
Tad was still roaming free even after killing Cisco Blane.

That was *his* mess to clean up, Dick thought, Tad was his fault.

In fact, Tad's mistake in killing Blane and his subsequent escape from
justice had probably angered Dick more than any other occurrence in the past
few days. He'd trusted Tad, put time and effort into his training, wanted
him to be so much more than just some street thug turn half-ass vigilante
and this is how it had ended.

Yes, Tad was hot headed and a little reckless, but he too had once been a
hot headed youth until Batman had helped him channel his anger and pain and
make something good come from it.

'But you're no Batman, Grayson,' he thought with a rapidly deflating sense
of pride, 'Face it, you never will be.'

So much of the anger Dick felt about Tad was more to do with a sense of hurt
and betrayal than any overwhelming sadness at the death of an innocent man
and this only added to the guilt Dick felt over the whole affair.

Glancing up at the computer sitting idly on the desk, he noticed a light
blinking hypnotically in the corner.

Engaging the power button, he watched the machine whirr into life. A number
of messages flashed into view, but one, with Oracles telltale signature, was
still encrypted. Typing in the code to unlock the message, he waited for it
to clear before reading:

'Dick Grayson

By now you'll have read my last message to you all, but I couldn't go
without a final word for you alone.

We've been friends a long time, Dick, and it's only now as I watch my death 
approaching that I truly realize how much you mean to me.

Over the years I saw you grow from a gangling youth into the beautiful man I
know today. I saw the pain when you argued and fought with Bruce, when your 
relationship with Kory failed and through all the sadness that life dealt 
you, yet still, despite all of that, you are possible the most decent human 
being I know.

You're kind and generous and have a sense of honor that I no longer thought
existed, well... not outside of a man in a bat costume and his cute little
sidekick.

Don't get cocky, Grayson, you're not perfect, but your flaws are what make
you special and your weaknesses give you an insight into the weakness of
others.

I've never told you how your strength has helped me through the pain of
being in this chair have I? Well, it has.

Having you as my friend is the most important thing in my life, because you
alone never doubt me for a moment, never treat me like a fragile invalid and
never see me as anything but Barbara.

My father fusses and worries, Bruce takes the guilt of my injury and lays it
squarely on his own shoulders, but you just stand at my side and help me
heal.

I never really said thank you for that, so consider this a time payment.

Over the years I know we've fooled around and flirted, but our friendship
was always more important than the off chance that a closer relationship
might not work. That doesn't mean I never thought about it, because I
did...all of the time. 

I never told you that I loved you because it would have changed things, it
*had* to change things and I didn't want to risk it all. I guess now we'll 
never find out what those changes would have been, huh?

So in these last moments of life, I need to tell you that I love you Dick
Grayson, more than any man I've ever known and I'm sorry that I was never
strong enough to tell you to your face, I just hope that somehow you knew.

Still, no regrets former boy wonder, life's too short.

Watch your back, Grayson. Just remember that I won't be there to watch it
for you from now on.

Take care of Bruce, Dick; he needs you more than he's willing to admit.

Gotta go, grim reaper's calling.

All my love forever

Babs

<<transmission interrupted>>

Dick wiped away the tear that slid unashamedly down his face. He smiled as
he noted that she'd tried to stop the transmission but failed.

The clock ticked on into the night, still Dick Grayson stared at a computer
screen and smiled.

***

Two Days Later

The Oracle symbol blinked and Dick punched up the screen. 

"Hey, nice to have you back!" he smiled as Barbara's face flickered into
life.

She wiggled her fingers at the monitor playfully and smiled, "You thought
you'd gotten rid of me, didn't you Grayson?"

"Nah," Dick sighed, "Bad pennies always turn up!"

She suddenly regarded him with a mildly disconcerted look, "Say, did you get
any junk mail from the old system of mine when I closed it down in a hurry
the other day?"

Dick studied her face for a moment, "Junk mail?"

"Yes, you know, files, encrypted messages? It was spewing out all kinds of
stuff..."

He had a decision to make; should he admit that he'd read her innermost
thoughts as she faced death; admit that the thoughts behind those words had
curled around his soul like a warm blanket on a cold night, or give her the
choice to tell him herself someday.

"No, no 'junk mail', but I haven't cleared out my inbox yet, so there might
still be some there."

"Oh, right," the relief in her voice almost made him smile, "If you come 
across anything, just delete it, okay?"

"Sure Babs, whatever you say."

"Always obedient, that's my boy!" she laughed.

"Say, how about we head out for a picnic on Sunday?" Dick suggested, "I
think we've both earned a day off."

"Sure, why not. Just get Alfred to make up the hamper, right?"

Dick affected a hurt expression, "I can cook!"

"Yeah, about as well as I can ice skate," she retorted with a derisive
snort. 

"I'm hurt!"

"You will be, Grayson, if I get there and find a hamper full of peanut
butter sandwiches and soda," She warned with a grin. "Better go, lots to
do."

"Oh Babs, about Sunday?" Dick bit his lips and tried to look innocent.

"Yeah?"

"We'll have to use your car, mine's kinda wrecked," he shrugged and smiled
as she pulled a face and grumbled 'men!'

"Just be ready on time, Oracle out."

Dick watched as the screen faded to a dot. Leaning back in his chair he
smiled a calculated, knowing smile, "Oh, I'm ready, Babs. I'm ready."

The End