Chapter Text
The sun hangs low on the horizon, casting a golden glow over the rippling blue of the ocean. In the distance, echo the soft waves lapping against the shore, accompanied by the gentle breeze that swept across the sand. The air smells of saltwater and warm earth, fresh and exhilarating. A scattering of white rose petals lay on the sand, leading to a simple, elegant altar made of wood, draped with white lace and the soft blush of purple-colored fabric.
Richard takes his gaze away from the shore, focusing on the woman in front of him. She is wearing a white dress, makeup over her eyes, a few flowers attached to her red cascading hair, and the brightest smile he had ever seen. God, she is so beautiful, not that she needed all that to be. He himself is wearing a black suit, giving him a very handsome look. In between them stands the officiant. He smiles back at Kory.
He then turns to the side to the few present guests, seated in rows of white chairs, the sandy ground beneath their feet softened by woven straw mats. He makes eye contact with some of them: Bruce with Alfred by his side, a redhead in a wheelchair, and a teenage boy next to her. On the other side of the aisle are Gar, Donna, Wally and a few more heroes dressed as civilians.
He turns back to Kory.
"I…" he starts with doubt. "I've... been thinking about my parents lately. Especially the stories they would tell me late at night at the circus. The great stories where the protagonist had to face evil…" he pauses.
"They were so full of danger and darkness…"
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The TV shows a news channel with the title Millions evacuated because of close nuclear explosion. In it is shown a mass people abandoning Jump City by foot carrying huge suitcases with their stuff. The image then cuts to the highways flooded with cars, all moving away from the city.
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Richard turns back to the guests, where there are two empty seats with notes attached over each. Victor and Raven written in black marker. "And sometimes you didn't want to know the end, because how could the end be happy?"
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Richard and Kory stand in front of a stone at the cemetery, their fingers intertwined, as Kory has a few tears rolling through his face, while Richard remains with a serious gaze looking at it. The stone reads RAVEN with no date of birth or death. A REAL HERO, A REAL TITAN, KNOWN BY FEW, LOVED BY ALL, it reads below. A few bouquets of flowers next to it. The words cannot even describe what he is feeling right now, she was so young, so innocent.
They turn to the side to see three more stones standing together. SILAS STONE, ELIONORE BEATTY, and VICTOR STONE. All three of them reunited again as a family. Richard can't help but let out a sad smile.
He turns to Kory and motions for them to leave. She nods and pecks him on the lips. They turn around leaving the cemetery.
They don't notice as a crow descends and stands right over Ravens stone, letting out a loud squawk.
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"How could you remain hopeful?"
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Richard, wearing shades and a cap covering his face, watches as Mayor Ohara's portrait is being removed from the City Hall in a press act, followed by multiple flashes from the paparazzies.
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"How could the world go back to where it once was after so much death and destruction?"
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A vote is going on at the capitol in Washington.
"Those who vote in favor of the superheroes registration law raise their hands." Most of the auditorium does.
Lex Luthor looks around the auditorium, a smile over his face as his law is approved.
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Theres a knock at the door of a residential apartment. Clark Kent opens the door. In front of him stand four FBI agents. One of them takes his identification.
"FBI, Mr. Kent I will need you to come with us."
Clark nods, he was expecting them. He turns inside the apartment. "Lois, don't wait for me for dinner."
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Richard pauses again. He looks at Kory before a light smile forms on his lips.
"But in the end, it's only a passing thing, the shadows, even darkness must pass."
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A middle-aged couple descends from a car. In front of them stands Richard.
"Hi, I'm Steve Dayton." Richard shakes his hand.
"Rita Farr" the woman salutes, as she is wearing a red dress. Richards nods and salutes her too. "We came to see Gar."
Both Steve and Rita sign Gar's adoption papers. Sitting in front of them, Gar smiles.
A couple of minutes later, Gar is about to get in the car with the couple when he stops. He notices Kory and Richard a few feet from him. He runs up to Kory, embracing her in a tight hug.
"I will you miss you, Kory."
"Oh, I will miss you as well, Gar" Kory says without breaking the hug. "Please do not hesitate to call us."
"Take care, Gar" Richard adds.
Gar turns to him and nods. He hugs him too before walking back to Steve and Rita. Richard and Kory watch as the car drives away.
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"A new day will come, and when the sun shines again, and it will shine brighter…"
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Two huge new statues are unveiled inside the Justice Hall: Aqualad and Arsenal, immortalized in granite. The people around clap respectfully.
"For our fallen heroes…" the voice of a P.A. speaker says.
Facing the statue stand Donna and Wally, using crutches, as they clap honoring their friends.
"...and for our new members of the Justice League: Troia and Flash."
Donna and Wally turn to the people and bow.
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Richard pauses again and looks down as he reflects on his past. "I often think back to those stories... I think back to the darkness that has filled my whole life. To the moments where I thought there not coming out of this." He makes eye contact with Kory and takes her hands. "Kory, you were the light that brightened my life, the light that made the shadows pass away. Kory, I want to be with you, spend the rest of my life with you, for you to brighten the dark moments, to see your smile every day of my life. I want to be with you in the good and the bad ones, when we smile and we fight…" Kory can't help the tears that threaten to come out of her eyes. "I love you and forever will." He grabs the ring and puts it on her finger.
All the guests stand up and clap.
"You may now kiss the bride" the officiant says.
Kory and Richard make eye contact. Blue meeting green. Slowly they reach forward until their lips connect in a sweet kiss, sealing their marriage.
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"So, you're leaving the Nightwing identity behind?" Bruce asks as he and Richard descend through the elevator leading them into the Batcave.
Richard nods. "Yeah, at least for now, I think it's for the best. Jump City no longer exists, I have Kory... I want to leave it in the past. Now, I have my whole life in front of me."
Bruce thinks about his answer. "You know, you were right about me making the same mistakes again." The elevator finishes descending and they get out as they advance through the Batcave. "I'm not the same as I once was, neither are my legs, my fight against you proved it."
Richard stops and turns to him. "But I only beat you with Kory's help."
"You outsmart me, I'm usually no stronger than the foes I go up against. I have to come up with a way of defeating them, and you did." He pauses. "You manage to grow away from the darkness and find actual happiness, that's something I never could."
"I don't understand. What are you getting at?" He asks confused.
Bruce smiles. "Come on, walk with me, there's something I want to show you." He motions for them to continue walking.
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Kory is nervously seated over the toilet with her pants down. The seconds feeling like hours for her. She reaches down and looks at the pregnancy test in her hands. Upon seeing the result she instantly covers her mouth. She didn't even think that it was possible. She removes her hand and can't help the smile that forms on her lips, her eyes becoming watery.
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Bruce hands Richard the Batman mask. Richard looks at it and then at Bruce.
"You're not the successor I deserve, but the one I need, the one Gotham needs."
Richard looks down again at the black mask between his hands. The mask looking back at him, like calling him.