The Best of Times

Jamie slammed the door on the taxi and waved the driver on. As the car sped away, he looked up at the mansion and shook his head.

"Reagan!" Blake, in jeans and a t-shirt, came jogging down the steps. "They said they'd let you in the front gate. Didn't quite expect you this early."

Jamie shrugged. "My flight made good time." He said, shaking the other's hand. "How're you doing, John?"

"Good, good." Blake smiled. "And you? You look like you're peachy-keen."

"Eh, I've done pretty well." Jamie grinned.

Blake nodded. "Well, let's not talk about it up here." He said, slapping Jamie on the shoulder. "I've got some lemonade made and some lawn chairs set up where the kids won't bother us."

"Sounds great." Jamie followed his friend inside.

"Didn't think you'd come." Gordon said, gazing up at the statue. He was standing at the base, but it still rose a good foot or two above his head. "You're not exactly known for going to these sorts of things."

"I can brave a fund-raiser or two for the man who saved both my sons." Frank Reagan answered, standing beside the Gotham PC. "Though I'll admit I feel like a bit of a dodge… I couldn't do anything WHILE the city was torn to pieces, so instead I wear a black tie and clap at a statue."

"That's what statues are all about. Memorials we build to the men who did things that we couldn't." Gordon answered.

Frank smiled but changed the subject. "Is it anything like him?" He asked, following Gordon's eyes up to the statue.

"Not really." Gordon shrugged. "Of course, it's not like the artist had any pictures to work off of. If you ask me, I think the nose is too long and the chin is off. The eyes are wrong, too, but it's hard to convey his eyes, especially in a statue. He wasn't eight feet tall, either. Or quite as… blatantly muscular."

"That's a relief." Frank offered a light smile. "I was sitting there during the speech trying to figure out if that sort of build was physically possible."

Gordon chuckled a little. "They tell me it was this or a pile of black featureless blocks piled at weird angles."

Frank smiled. For a moment the two stood in silence.

"I hear you've got your old job back." Frank said at last.

"Lucky me." Gordon gave a wry grin.

Turning, Frank looked at the man. "Still having problems, then."

"Well, we've replaced nearly 60% of the officers we lost during No Man's Land." Gordon shoved his hands in his pockets and hummed a little. "But we're still getting cops turning in their badges... ones who thought they'd get over it and didn't, or ones who just can't take it anymore." A sigh. "But that's not so bad. The bad ones are the ones who snap on the job, taking whatever justice they think they've 'earned the right' to dish out."

"Sorry to hear that." Frank grunted.

"Well," coughed Gordon, giving a little laugh. "No one ever said the job would be easy."

"No. That they didn't." Frank agreed. "But I want you to know that I'm extending the Oak Leaves Program. Substantial bonuses offered to any NYPD officers volunteering for transfers to Gotham."

"Appreciate it." Gordon nodded. "Got to say," he chuckled, "I would fully understand if you cut off any transfers at all—I mean, look what happened with the last one you lent us."

Frank smiled. "He's alive, isn't he? Considering everything that happened, I'd say that was a... fairly impressive achievement."

"Don't know how much anyone had to do with that." Gordon dug around in his pocket for a cigarette, realized where he was, and thrust the pack back in with a grunt. "Foley, maybe." A shadow fell across his face. "He's the one who kept Jamie out of the tunnels. How's he doing, back in New York?"

"Oh, pretty well." Jamie shrugged, lying back in the chair, eyes closed, feeling the sun soak through his head. "Dad's made a few comments about how I'm a bit... grittier than I used to be. Ran off alone after a perp and nearly kicked him off a roof."

"See? Told you all those days jumping off rooftops would pay off." Blake grinned, looking over.

"My old partner got gunned down in the projects."

The smile fled from Blake's face. "Sorry to hear that."

"It's all right." Jamie shrugged. "We got the bastard responsible, and his boss, so I feel like we came out on top. Got a new partner now... pretty sharp girl, but green. Guess I'll have to see how things go with her." He opened his eyes. "How about you? Still off the force?"

"Don't start, Jamie." Blake smiled sadly. "Yeah, I'm still off it, and no, there's no way you can convince me to go back."

"Oh, c'mon." Jamie urged. "You gotta know the numbers, Gordon's way behind in manpower. He needs all the men he can get!"

"Of course he needs all the help he can get," answered Blake. "I get that. But Jamie..." he sighed. "...It's just... things suddenly became very clear for me on that bridge. To be shot at, and nearly killed, by another cop, just because he was following orders..."

"He was doing more than following orders." Jamie pointed out. "He thought he was saving the city from a single desperate man."

"Yeah... but that's part of it too. Looking at the big picture so much you forget about the little people that make up the details." Blake shook his head. "I dunno. Maybe if it'd been a soldier, I'd be able to shrug it off, but just the fact that it was a cop..."

"If it wasn't for my dad, it probably would've been a soldier. And he WOULD have shot you, first thing."

"I know." Blake nodded. "It's just... I feel like... that guy could've been me, y'know?"

Jamie looked over at his friend. "And what would you have done if you'd been him?"

"I don't know." Blake shrugged. "That's kind of the point."

The hill was green and smooth, sloping away to a beautiful view of the bright June sky, which shone merrily down on the hill and its rows of white crosses.

Danny supposed he should be wearing a long overcoat. In the movies, everybody wore a long overcoat when they went to Arlington. But Danny had been to Arlington more times than he cared to recall, and it was too hot for an overcoat.

He heard the step behind him. "What're you doing here?" He grunted.

"Payin' my respects, same as you." Nagel answered, stepping alongside the detective.

"What the hell for? Wasn't your CO. You barely knew him."

Nagel shrugged. "He died in Gotham. Guess I feel sorta responsible. Sides, I had some other friends in the area I was meaning to see anyway."

Danny had nothing to say against that, so he fell silent. For a moment the two ex-soldiers stood staring at the small white cross.

Cap. Waylon Jones, Special Forces.

"Heard he had a wife and kids." Nagel said at length.

"His daughter's sixteen." Danny answered. "Saw them a few weeks ago. They're handling it okay, though if I were the president, I wouldn't be counting on their vote next election."

"Heh." Nagel grinned.

There was another short silence.

Finally, Nagel stepped away from the cross. "Wish I'd have known him." He said apologetically. "He seemed like a real tough son-of-a-bitch."

"Well, ya don't get into the Green Berets for selling girl scout cookies." Danny smiled, looking over at Nagel for the first time. "Still. Thanks." He wasn't talking about the compliment, and they both knew it.

"My pleasure." Nagel grunted, holding out his hand. "Just... tell your brother to stay out of trouble. That's the sort of thing I'd rather not try again."

"Hey, I'd rather not try that again." Danny chuckled, shaking Nagel's hand. "So long, you crazy bastard."

"Right back at ya, Reagan."

And then he was gone. Danny stood by the grave for a few moments longer before someone slipped an arm around him.

"Hey babe." Danny turned slightly and gave his wife a kiss. "They changed the guard over at the Unknown Soldier memorial already?"

"About five minutes ago." Linda smiled at him. "The boys are waiting in the car."

"Right." Danny looked at the grave again.

"Hey." Linda gave his shoulder a little shake. "It wasn't your fault. That ambush had nothing to do with you."

"Yep." Danny nodded. "I know. But..." He shook his head. "Jones... he was a real stand-up guy, you know? Good to his family, good at his job, respectful to his superiors... always followed orders. And he's dead."

"Comes with the job," said Linda, knowing there was more.

"And then there's me." Danny continued. "A reckless, loose cannon of a cop who can barely stay between the lines on his good days and has a knack for leaving his family behind to go play hero in a warzone. And I'm alive, and back in New York..." He shook his head. "Even got my old job back."

"Not... quite your old job." Linda reminded him. "But it wasn't like the NYPD could refuse to reinstate one of the Gotham Guardians, especially after they managed to convict Hollander."

Danny sighed. "For a good man to die with no reward like that... It... just doesn't seem fair."

He wasn't entirely talking about Jones, and they both knew it.

Linda pressed closer against his side. "Sometimes, life isn't fair."

"Life hasn't been fair to a lot of these kids." Blake noted, gesturing at the kids playing out on the lawns. "You got orphans, you kids from the projects, you got the kids of ex-assassins running around..."

Jamie threw him a look of disbelief. "You're kidding me."

Blake chuckled. "Well, maybe not assassins. Hitmen, though. Kids whose parents didn't care whether they lived or died. Others who had abusive parents, or downright murderous ones." A shadow passed over Blake's face. "We've got a special wing down there for sex-abuse victims."

Jamie shook his head and downed his glass. "At least you got a pretty sweet facility."

"Oh, this place is the BOMB." Blake's face lit up again. "You should see kids when they first arrive here. Their eyes are like the size of saucers. And just oceans of room for classes, movie theaters, workshops... practically anything we want."

"You can pay for all that?"

Blake shrugged. "About 20 percent of our kids were orphaned during No Man's Land." He answered sombrely. "Which, by the way, is interesting... former trust fund kids being suddenly plunged into poverty. But it means we qualify for grants from a bunch of different relief organizations. And then there's Foxteca... you heard about Foxteca?"

Jamie thought a moment. "That the big new tech giant?"

"That's it." Blake nodded approvingly. "Our old friend Lucius Fox founded it with the money left over after Wayne Enterprises went under. They're climbing higher all the time, and they donate a pretty substantial amount to us each year." Blake sipped his glass. "Keeps the bills paid."

"How is Fox?" Jamie asked.

"Do I look like I spend my time around budding billionaires?" Blake shot him a look. At Jamie's expression he grinned and looked away. "Well... Fox may have given me a... part-time position in Applied Sciences as a sort of... thanks for saving his life. Mostly pretty boring stuff. Running tests on prototype spelunking equipment and such. But another thing that keeps the bills paid." Blake took another sip. "His daughter interns here, too."

"Nice." Jamie nodded approvingly. "Who runs this place, anyway?"

"Me, technically." Blake chuckled at Jamie's expression. "More or less a ceremonial position than anything. We got a couple priests... Father Mark and Father Dumas... they help out with stuff. And Rev. McCay and a bunch of Presbyterians from town. There's an old lady doctor puts in time, and a couple teachers..." Blake shrugged. "It all adds up. All I really have to do is organize who goes where, and Babs handles most of that for me."

"Babs?" A grin sprouted on Jamie's face. "That wouldn't be that cute red-head in the wheelchair I saw on the way in, would it?"

"Hey." Blake waved a finger at him in mock anger. "Hands off, buddy. I saw her first. Besides, there is no WAY I am letting you take her away from this place. She is the single most awesome thing here. Keeps our finances and classes and teachers in order..." Blake shook his head. "Her and that Drake kid run a MEAN computer seminar. It's like we're raising the next generation of super-hackers here."

"Would not have pegged you as the teacher sort."

"Administrator."

"Wouldn't have pegged you as that either." Jamie grinned.

Blake shrugged. "It's a new day, brother." He answered. "Lots of people stepping into roles they never thought they'd fill." A funny thought seemed to strike him and he smiled. "Everyone's got their part to play, right?"

"I should get going." Frank coughed. "My aide is making signals at me to get moving again and play the part of the jovial tech-savvy hip socialite."

"Heh." A weary smile twitched Gordon's lips. "Suppose I should too." He stuck out his hand and Frank shook it. "Be grateful for that aide of yours." He added. "It's hard to find someone who can work the politicians like that."

Frank gave a somber nod. "Have you found a new deputy commissioner yet?" He asked.

"Casting around." Gordon nodded. "A few promising leads. Got a new lady holding the position right now..." He shrugged. "...we'll see how long she lasts. Right now, any help's welcome."

Frank's gaze narrowed. "Like this new vigilante, eh?"

"No, Frank." Gordon held up his hand. "No. I know what you're thinking, but... no. I learned my lesson with the Batman."

Giving a slight shrug, Frank seemed to consider this. "Well," he said, contemplatively, "from where I'm standing, it seems like the Batman worked out pretty well."

"Maybe. But at a great cost." Gordon gave the statue a long look. "And... when it gets down to it..." He smiled ruefully. "He was the Batman. You just can't replace him."

"Heard there's a new vigilante out now, replacing Batman."

"Ugh, don't remind me." Blake rolled his eyes, staring out over the lawn. "He's all the kids talk about. 'Nightwing this' and 'Nightwing that.' I swear, I don't know who tells them these stories." He snorted. "As if anyone could even come close to Batman."

"True." Jamie agreed. It was hard to imagine anyone else as the black figure he'd seen on the courthouse steps, or even matching the look sent at him by the man on the cycle. "Still..." He said, glancing over at his friend. "...you gotta wonder. Any theories, detective?"

"Ex-detective." Blake reminded him. He took a contemplative sip. "Almost certainly someone from No-Man's Land." He said. "That place bred a special kind of crazy... I mean, you've must've seen the figures on the novelty crimes they're handling now."

"Mm." Jamie grunted in agreement.

"Probably an ex-cop of some kind, too." Blake continued. "They say he's better at digging up evidence and leaving stuff for the cops to work with... and dodges them pretty well too. Definitely knows the system."

"Ex-cop who was around during No-Man's Land." Jamie rolled his eyes a little. "Well, that narrows it down."

"I know, right?" Blake offered an easy smile. "Still," he added, continuing. "There's also the obvious fact that the guy has to have resources, with the equipment he's using."

"Or be connected to someone with resources." Jamie suggested.

Blake's eyebrows jumped. "Oho. That's an angle I hadn't considered. Some rich guy funding his own personal Batman... I could see it, considering what some of them went through. Fox is pretty understanding about the whole thing, but a lot of those fat cats can be awful vindictive."

"I've seen Cobblepot's posters." Jamie grinned

"Sheesh. Guy needs to learn to let things go." Blake groaned. "It's not him, of courfse, given that Nightwing jump-started that audit they're running on him, but someone like him, with his resources and attitude, who's just a bit more subtle..."

"One of his rivals." Jamie suggested.

"That'd make sense," agreed Blake after some thought. He sighed and swirled the ice around in his glass a little. "Here's hoping that people don't start to look up to this new vigilante, only to have him turn out to be a corporate patsy."

Jamie nodded and raised his glass. "Amen. And if he's not, may he prove to be the new hero for the new Gotham."

A snort broke loose from Blake. "You're a funny man, Reagan."

"Best of luck, Jim." Frank started to move away.

"Many thanks, Frank." Gordon nodded. "And again, glad you could come."

"Like I said," smiled Frank, "Least I could do for the man who saved my sons."

"I'm sure Batman would appreciate it," answered Gordon.

Frank's smile widened. "I wasn't talking about Batman."

He shook the speechless Gordon's hand once more, and moved off into the crowd.

"Well, I should get going." Jamie drained the last of his lemonade and stood up, stretching. "Got some business to take care of in town and need to pick up my dad before the flight leaves."

"You came all this way for a half-hour chat?" Blake looked amused.

Jamie shrugged. "Eh, Dad was coming here for a fundraiser anyway, I thought I'd look you up. Also my neice wanted me to put in a good word for her application."

"What, Nikki?" Blake chortled. "She's gold. Babs knows her from somewhere, apparently. She's as good as accepted."

"Good. Then I can take the credit." Jamie smiled. He looked up at the house, and over at the lawn where the kids were playing. "It looks like you've got a good thing going here, John."

Blake followed his gaze out to the lawn and slowly nodded. "Don't I know it." He answered. "I mean, I'm proud of all the work I did as a police officer, but this..." He nodded again. "This is far, far better than anything I've ever done."

Jamie stuck out his hand. Blake shook it.

"Best of luck, John."

And Jamie walked off into the most beautiful afternoon in the most wonderful place in the world.

fin

A/N: I'm terribly sorry about how this has taken so long to complete. There were distractions, legitimate and otherwise, and in some ways I don't feel that this chapter adds a whole lot, though I did like Blake's talk about what he's done with the boy's school. And all the familiar faces showing up. So much for my determination to avoid geek references in this story. Not sure why Babs is in a wheelchair, just know that she's much cooler as Oracle than as Batgirl.

"The Best of Times" was always going to be the last chapter, but I wasn't sure what it would look like. Initially it was just going to be the moment of reunion between Jamie and the Reagan clan. But people had questions about the larger implications of TDKR's conclusion and how things changed, so I felt I should address that. I toyed with adding in sections about Erin and Henry into this chapter, but I couldn't think of anything interesting for them to do, and Frank and Gordon were going already, so I just stuck with them.

Aside from that, not much to add. Many thanks to the devoted who followed this little tale to its laborious conclusion. It's been fun, but it does feel good, as it always does, to finally bring it to a conclusion.