Author’s Note: I’m sappy. So shut up.

Legalities: *grumbles* They got ‘em first. *points at the WB and DC Comics*

Rating: I dunno.

Continuity: Batman Beyond, post-ROTJ

Reflection of a Legacy

By: Carmen Wayne

Bruce doesn’t tell me a lot of things.

I often ask why. Doesn’t he trust me? I don’t know. I’ve certainly stuck my neck out for him and his friends enough times. And without knowing anything about it to boot! It’s like… you know when that guy in the Bible was told to leave his city ‘cause God was gonna slag it, and he basically told the man, “Don’t question, just DO it”? And he did it? That’s how I feel. But I also feel like the way his wife did, ‘fore she turned to look back. Difference being…

I’m allowed to look back.

Bruce gives me plenty of options. He won’t be mad if I give it up. He won’t even be disappointed. Everyone he’s ever cared for was lost due to this job, save his parents… who were the reason that he ever took this in the first place. I don’t know much, besides what I’ve read, been vaguely told by Commissioner Gordon, and have been able to assume.

That’s why I’m headed on up to the manor. The old man’s doin’ something—don’t ask me—up at some old meeting place and doesn’t want me hanging around. That means I can fish around a little bit…

==========================

“WOOF! RWOOF!”

“Shaddup, fluppy.”

“Grrrrrrrrr…”

With a swat of his hand, Terry McGinnis shooed away Ace and headed over to the Batcave entrance. Ace traipsed behind him, still growling lowly. Terry turned and glared at him.

“I don’t know what old man Wayne told you, Snoopy, but I suggest you rotate on it,” he said.

He pulled the lever in the clock and headed down once it was open. Ace flattened his ears and walked down after him. Terry tossed his backpack to the side, onto a chair and walked for the trophy section of the cave.

“See?” Terry asked. “I’m just looking over his collection. Is that a crime?”

Ace walked over and snapped at his hand. Not to hurt him, just alarm him—which it did.

“Hey!” Terry swatted the dog away again and walked over to the Joker costume that was dark, sealed within a case. Terry stared at it a moment, deep in thought. “Amazing, isn’t it, Scooby? This man—this MONSTER killed and tortured and haunted, and even destroyed Robin’s teenhood. And yet, here he is. Being remembered because he was the… oh, what did they call him?”

“Rouff. Rrrrrrr…”

“Yeah, Clown Prince of Crime. Batman’s arch nemesis. Bull roar.” He turned and looked across to Harley Quinn’s suit. “I always thought the freak killed her. Guess he did, in some ways… I wonder what it was like to fight them both. Y’know, when it was still simple.” He began to cross the trophy area, down the center of the cases. “These guys were considered geniuses back in the day, Ace. Criminal masterminds. A woman who’s kiss was deadly and who could control plants. A man with a split personality, controlled by a mere coin. A pyromaniac, a daredevil, a obsessive super model Higher than them, a sleek kleptomaniac, a man with a genius entrepreneur mind trapped in a body like a penguin, a crocodile man, a man controlled by a puppet to perform horrible crimes...”

Ace laid down and set his head on his front paws, staring contently at Terry. Terry continued to look around at all the suits.

“What do I get? A psycho school councilor. A disgruntled employee. A screwed up assassin. A freak-job, blown out group of wanna-be thieves. A cult of people that just a little TOO keen on hanging around reptiles for sick, morbid reasons that I don’t wanna EVEN know. You know that the only times I’ve ever felt like Batman was when I was dealing with Blight, Inque, or trying to save the JLU? Not even fighting the Joker in Drake’s body. And you wanna know why?”

He looked over and saw Ace looking at him quizzically. Terry’s shoulders slumped in defeat and went over to sit down and lean against the Penguin’s memorial case.

“Because I… always feel they’re evaluating me. Not just Bruce, not just Gordon. Everyone. Drake, Richard Grayson-the guy I haven’t met-Superman, the entire JLU…”

Ace stood up and walked over to him. He sat beside him and put a paw on his arm. Terry sighed and patted his head.

“I dunno, pup. They say they’re thankful, but you know—YOU KNOW if I ever said, “I can’t do this anymore!” they’d be ALL schway with it. I haven’t made my “passage” into superheroism yet. Aquagirl has… you hear her on the news all the time. Jeez, her father’s Aquaman! Marina is SO nice, you know that? She’s the first one who just assumed I could. No watching needed, nope! He’s Batman, he’s cool.

“For God’s sake, how do you PROVE yourself a bunch of hardened, retired or NEARLY retired superheroes?” Terry stood and began to walk for the glass cases containing the hero suits. “These guys had it easy.” He walked over and touched the glass protecting the restored Robin suit. “He just had to steal the suit, show up in a battle with Two-Face and guess who was in the club? Betcha Bruce regrets ever saving his behind.” He walked to the front of Batgirl’s suit. “She just pretended to be Batman, was mistaken as Batgirl, and then later on accidentally dated Robin. Jeez!” He looked at Nightwing’s suit. “His parents died, Bruce took him in. He trained the kid a while and then made him Robin. Later on he’d throw a temper tantrum about Batgirl BEING Batgirl and would become Nightwing as a result. Talk about easy!”

He turned to Ace, who was still there, watching contently to Terry’s rant. Terry crossed over and pulled his Bat-suit from his backpack.

“I met Wayne. I lost my father. I stole the suit. Went out there on my own. Completed what my father started. No training, no one willing to let me put this on hold to train. It’s either I am or I’m not. I wish I could’ve fought the Joker, back in the day. When I fought him here, I was carrying a lot more than Batman. I was carrying revenge for something that took place before I was even THOUGHT of. To a man I can barely say I know. Oh, sure… I appreciate what he says—that I’m the best one for the mask… But…”

He turned and threw the suit onto the chair hard. Running a hand through his hair, he tried to contain himself.

“Let them ALL keep their remarks AND their comments, right?!” he yelled. “They don’t know! They went out there every night with training, and weapons, and money, and BACK-UP! I’ve got you, which is cool, Ace. They never had a bathound, but… it’s not the same as a Robin or a Batgirl.”

“Rrrrrrr…” Ace droned lowly.

“I *know*! I don’t want to endanger anyone—but there’re people out there, you know? People who can do this! Better than I can even! Why does Bruce keep me, anyway? Because I know his secret and he doesn’t want me to say anything?!”

Terry sighed as he threw his backpack and suit to the ground and plopped in the chair. He covered his eyes and slumped back.

“I know this job is gonna kill me, pup. I’ll last until Wayne goes. Maybe even until my ma dies. But the point is, I’m gonna die in the suit. I’m gonna die in it, and I’m gonna die alone. Curse of the Batman. NOT the Bat. But Bat*man*. I’ll lose Dana, all my friends… It’ll be just… me.”

Terry inhaled and focused ahead of him. Ace continued to watch Terry intently, his tail wagging from side to side in a soft arch.

“There’s Matty too. Poor kid. What happens if he loses mom AND me? He’ll have no one. He’ll be an orphan…. Do you think Bruce might take him? Nah, I wouldn’t subject even the King to such a torture.” He sighed. “If I prove to my mother and brother that I’m Batman……”

Silence followed as Terry continued to stare into space. Things began to swim in his thoughts as a realization began to take over. Something he hadn’t realized before.

“If… mom dies… because of me, or at all… she’s gonna go to a better place, Ace. A place where she can’t hurt anymore… And if I die as Batman, and Matt is all alone… then… I would have died reassuring that he WOULD be living one more day, safely and without fear. So… I shouldn’t… say anything, should I, pup?”

Ace let out a soft whine and continued to watch him as if agreeing.

“Yeah… the truth hurts… Guess Bruce realizes that with me…”

Terry slowly rose to his feet and began to gather his things from the floor. Once the suit was in the backpack and the backpack was over his shoulder, Terry looked to Ace.

“C’mon, Ace… I’ll buy you a snoopy snack.”

He began for the stairs. Ace trotted after him, growling a bit.

“Okay, okay. Hows’a ‘bout a burger?”

“Rwoof!”

“Heh… thought so. Hope Bruce won’t mind my taking you… I wonder where he is…”

“Rrrrrr…”

“Good point… I’ll just leave it. Happy?”

“Woof!”

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Bruce doesn’t tell me a lot of things.

I often ask why.

Now I know.

The End