Gotham cemetery was a dark lonely place no matter what time of the day it was visited. The gloomy clouds of sorrow hung over it permanently and the tombstones gave a haunting impression of death lurking in the shadows.

The rays of the sun were almost faded, hiding behind the dark clouds that swam above and a deathly silence gripped the place, with ravens occasionally breaking it with their cawing.

Barbara hugged her jacket closer to herself because a chilly breeze was blowing, the cold almost seeping into her bones. Her face was pale white and her hands clutched the arm rests of the wheelchair tightly, bracing herself for the sight that was going to come in front of her very soon. 

Richard pushed her wheelchair and came to a halt in front of a newly erected tombstone on which an epitaph was inscribed:

In Loving Memory of

Neal Hastings

1981-2009

Gone But Never Forgotten

Her forest green irises took in the grey stone erected in front of her and though her eyes were welling up, the cold breeze seemed to have frozen the tears upon her lashes. Richard was standing right beside her, silence engulfing both of them.

She clearly recalled the first day she had met Neal, as a suspect held in the GCPD's interrogation cell. And back then if she were told she would within an year end up in front of his grave with her heart aching for him terribly, she would have never believed it.

The second time she had seen him was beaten up and bruised in the lockup and he had given her his first advice; to not waste time on a lost cause like him because life was short and each second was precious. Back then it had seemed unnerving to her how his words were laced with experience but now knowing the truth about the scarcity of his life, his words struck her hard, the underlying meaning behind them churning up her heart.

It made perfect sense why he kept warning her from the very start because he had always known what lay ahead of him. Yet she had paid no heed to his warnings and the worst had come to pass, just like he feared it would.

And the last time he had talked to her in person was at the hospital, right before he had to record his statement regarding Dianne's death. As the scene flashed in front of her eyes, she shuddered because it was the first time she had seen him truly terrified; ocher eyes frantic and his hands shaking slightly almost as if the control was slipping from his very fingers. 

"Who wrote this epitaph?" Barbara spoke up at last for she feared that if she didn't, the overwhelming memories would eat her up from the inside. Her voice was a bit unsteady but as there was no other source of sound in the graveyard, Richard heard her instantly.

"Jason suggested it. Said Neal would have liked that."

A wreath of flowers was placed at the foot of the tombstone, fresh roses that had dewdrops gleaming on the soft white petals. Roses just like those he had brought for her the last time he had come to see her.

A tear streaked down her cheek and she took in a deep breath, trying to make herself come to terms with reality. She knew nothing could bring Neal back and she knew he would not want to see her in pain due to him so she was trying her best to accept the truth.

Still it was difficult because even thinking about a man as vivacious as Neal succumbing to such an early and tragic death seemed impossible. But then he was already dying slowly by every passing day, like he had told her in those audios he had sent. 

The only little consolation she had was that he had gotten his wish of not dying from cancer. And even though it was just a little consolation, at that moment she had to hold on to it because no other thought could be comforting to her in such a state.

"Richard, what did you say to Neal when you had last met him?"

He thought for a while recalling their conversation in the car when he had dropped him off to his place, "we had talked about you. I had told him I knew he loved you a lot and pushing you away was hard from him as well. I had asked him to tell you the truth on why he was doing that. He had said he would do so right then but I don't know whether he kept his word or not."

She nodded, staring ahead of her at the tombstone, "he did, he told me everything. I just got too late in finding it out."

"You saw those messages yesterday, I suppose?"

"Yes," she mumbled in a low tone, her voice that had been unsteady before was gradually returning to normal, "he had sent audio messages that morning but I hadn't gotten the time to listen to them. And then when he came, he..."

Her voice trailed off yet again and another tear streaked down her cheek but she composed herself. Richard glanced at her briefly, blue eyes softening in awe of the strength it took from her to stay calm even then. But it seemed as if she had decided that she would not break down because it would cause Neal pain if she did so.

In his last recordings he had made it very clear that he did not want people to mourn after him so the least she could do for him was to respect his wish.

However, there was a lot she had decided to do for him. She wanted to do something to honor his sacrifice for her so she had lain awake the whole night thinking about Neal and by morning she had taken a few decisions. Such that when she finally gestured Richard that they could leave, her brain was going on a clear track of decisions she had to follow.

And the sooner she was able to get done with everything on her mind, the easier it would be for her to reach peace.

"You said Rose had also come to the funeral?" She asked as they were leaving the graveyard.

"Yes," he remarked, "she lives in Metropolis now but she hasn't left yet."

"I want to meet her, can you arrange that?"

"Of course," he nodded though he didn't ask the reason to her sudden desire of meeting the woman, "I'll ask Jason. He would know where she's staying."

She kept silent for a while but then remarked, "thank you, Richard."

He halted so she turned her head to look back at him, green meeting blue as he gazed down at her. "You're my best friend, Babs. You don't have to thank me for anything. All I want from you in return is your happiness. I know it will take time but... I am going to be with you every step of the way."

A soft smile broke out on her face at last; Richard was always extremely caring such that at times his intense sincerity seemed undeserved to her. But she was glad to have a sincere friend like him and knew she wouldn't give him up for anything. She had already lost too much such that she did not want to even think of losing anyone ever, and especially not anyone from those who were close to her.

***