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Re: After.
"I'm sorry...Giselle." Tim says sleepily, holding tight the pillow that he believes is the woman he once loved. For five years, he's been trying to find a way to let go of the hurt, the pain and above all, the soul-shredding guilt that accompanied her death.

He remembers, with perfect clarity, the last night of her life. He can never forget, because he dreams about it every night. The angle of the door that told him something was off right away. The disarray of their loft, because she hated things out of place. He remembers the scent of her perfume mixed with her blood and the scrawling of a madman on the wall.

"I should have...should have told you everything. I should have told you about...Gotham. About Robin. About Batman..." he whispers.

It wasn't your fault, Alvin. You were trying to help.

"But I didn't help. I didn't do anything until it was too late...for you." he says.

You can't save everyone, Alvin. You couldn't save me, but you can still save yourself. And I need you to do that now, for me. You pushed Marissa away, and you're keeping Zoey at arm's length. And you're ignoring what J'anna has been trying to tell you since she saw you.

"But...what if I lose them like I lost you?"

You /may/ lose them if you open your heart. You /will/ lose them if you don't. You can't wait for me to come back, because I won't. But I'll be waiting for you.

Tim can feel his heart breaking all over again. A part of him knows that, after tonight, he won't have these dreams anymore. He won't hear Giselle's voice in his dreams, encouraging him to live. He shifts restlessly in his bed, feeling consciousness creep in close on his heels and trying to stave it off, for just a few more seconds.

"Goodbye, Giselle. I love you." he says.

I love you, Timothy Drake. I knew the moment you got on the plane, but I wanted you to trust me enough to tell me yourself. Maybe...maybe you'll give her a chance. She's always been alone, but she will love you, if you let her. And you'll love her, if you let yourself.

"Which one?" Tim asks, needing just one more bit of information to go on.

You're supposed to be the heir to the World's Greatest Detective. You figure it out.

He can hear the smile in her voice and finally, his eyes open.

Giselle always did love to tease him.