Tim Drake; Robin (thethirdrobin) wrote in newalliance, @ 2012-06-14 00:57:00 |
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Entry tags: | batgirl ii, red robin |
Who: Tim Drake and OPEN
Where: Gotham City
When: June 13th, 2012
What: Memorial service for Jack Drake
Rating: PG-13
A memorial service. Distinguished from what would have been a funeral service, had Tim been ready to say goodbye to his father sooner. Even now after two weeks of mourning, he felt no respite from the pain. The only real difference between now and when he had held his dying father in his arms, was that he had no more tears to shed. Part of him felt guilty for that. But the rest of him just felt empty, and within that vast emptiness he could not bring himself to care so much about that feeling, or any other. He felt hollow.
And so very much like his mentor.
At least, he imagined that what he was going through was very similar to what Bruce had one gone through so many years ago in Crime Alley. A bitter taste of history repeating itself. It was impossible not to wonder, especially in thinking of Dick and his own family tragedy, if everyone who followed the Bat was destined for great loss such as this. Bruce, Dick, Jason... Tim had been the only one with a surviving parent, and now he was just as much an orphan. Even Stephanie, who was at best a mere aspirant to the Bat family had suffered similar loss.
Was there a curse?
Tim couldn't say. And he could no more think upon it, as he stood resolutely and made his way around those gathered to honor the memory of his father. It was time for him to speak.
"My father used to always say, that the only thing you can really predict is human nature. It was his motto. His creed. Those were the words that he lived by to stay on top of the archaeology world, and that he later took with him on his various business ventures throughout Gotham."
Tim paused. But his face was so hard that it was impossible to tell whether he was choked up, or merely taking a breather. His eyes betrayed nothing.
"He also said that justice is sweeter than revenge." Those words, he let hang in the air. For they had been what had stayed his hand when he had hunted down his fathers killers. "My father will rest easier, knowing that the men responsible for his death are behind bars, unable to hurt anyone else."
"But what I really wanted to talk about, was how he lived. Always working. Always planning. Meticulous in detail, restless in his labors, and stoic in the face of any challenge that fell before him. My dad was not a perfect man, but he stuck to his ideals."
"I can't say that I was as close as a son should be to his father growing up. He had his ventures, I had my studies. Somewhere in between we would find time for one another. I would go with him across the world to his digs, and he would make certain he committed to whatever activity I wanted to do upon our or his return home."
"More recently we only had one another, and I wish I could say that we grew closer. We tried. And I don't fault him for the distance. We each bore the loss of my late mother in our own way, and though we tried to collaborate as often as we could nothing had really been the same since her passing. But we had one another, and that... that had been enough."
As Tim had trailed off, he showed his first real sign of emotion, but otherwise held onto his composure.
"After my graduation, he and I were going to go on a big dig. Just the two of us, and all the history that would have laid at our fingertips to discover. He had talked about it for years."
Tim gripped the podium he was standing behind hard, until his knuckles turned white.
"...But it seems that life had another venture for my father. One that I cannot go with him upon." He drew a deep breath, and exhaled it slowly. "But at least at the end of it, I know he will finally be with my mother again."
Tim swallowed hard, but retained his resolve still.
"...Someday, I hope to see both of them again." Turning, he looked side long at an urn that was set up beside a picture of Jack Drake. To those remains, he said quietly, "I love you Dad." And to everyone else in attendance, he turned and added, "Thank you for being here today for him."
OOC: Feel free to make tags below, or just hit the guest list so Tim knows your character made an appearance. My thought was that the memorial service would draw to a close after Tim spoke.