Despite the efforts of his best lawyers, Martha Wayne was committed to Arkham. Once there she was put under the highest security as she was deemed a threat to others as well as herself. She wasn't even granted a day pass to attend Bruce's funeral. Thomas was disappointed by the result of his efforts, but understood this decision was made without pride or prejudice. Martha's mind had snapped, as she had gone completely mental. Right now she wasn't safe to be around, and Thomas was sad about that as he wanted to give her a chance to say goodbye to her son.
Because of the legal jousting, Bruce's funeral was delayed a few weeks but eventually moved ahead almost a full month after he was shot. Thomas didn't mind the delay as it allowed him a chance to get his head straight so he could be cold as ice and not show emotion at the services. There were a lot of people attending the service as Bruce was put to ground at the small cemetery that was beside Wayne Manor. Thomas had considered burying him with Martha's family in town, but chose to keep him close so he could visit as often as he wanted. Many of the people there didn't even know Bruce, but where there to support Thomas in his darkest days. Thomas hadn't been back to work a single day, and that had people in the city as well on Wall Street talking about the stability of Wayne Enterprises.
It was a quick service, and when it was all over, people walked over to toss flowers into the plot or give their condolences to Thomas himself. There was only one other child at the funeral, a young girl that was Bruce's age. She walked over and took Thomas' hand and smiled up at him.
"I'm very sorry, Dr. Wayne." She said to him, "I liked Bruce very much."
"Thank you, Rachel." Thomas said, as that was the only time he was close to tears as he held the little girl's hand. "I liked him too."
Her mother quickly walked up because she thought the girl was bugging him.
"It's fine," Thomas said, as he actually appreciate the girl's support. "I wanted to speak with you anyway, Ms. Dawes."
"What is it, Dr. Wayne?" Rachel's mother asked.
"I have a trust fund that I started the day Bruce was born," Thomas explained, "I have been donating to it every month since then. I considered donating it to charity, but with your permission I'd like to give it to Rachel."
"Dr. Wayne!" her mother said, shocked. "Why do you want to do this?"
"I was saving it for Bruce's education," Thomas said, "I would still like it to be spent on higher learning, so I'd like to give it to Rachel. That way she doesn't have to worry about paying for her post-secondary education. She could go anywhere she wants if she puts the work in and that's what it was meant for."
"Thank you Dr. Wayne!" her mother said, giving him a hug.
"It's my pleasure," Thomas said as he then spotted someone else he wanted to speak with. "If you'll excuse me."
Thomas walked away from the Rachel and her mother, over to a blonde haired man that was around his age and wearing glasses.
"Thomas," the man said, as they shook hands. "My deepest condolences."
"Thank you, Earle." Thomas replied, "Thanks for covering my work over at the company in my absence. Your support and understanding is greatly appreciated. How are things going with our company?"
"I didn't come here to talk shop," Earle answered, trying to be respectful. "I don't think that would be appropriate."
"Probably not," Thomas agreed, "But I'm asking you, and I'm doing it now to save me the trip into town later to check in myself."
"Things are well," Earle informed him, "The initial shock from the incident is subsiding, and the counseling we brought in has helped a great deal. Is there anything specific you wanted to discuss?"
"Yes, there is." Thomas said as he took Earle's arm and walked him aside for a little privacy. "Do you remember that talk we had a few months ago. The one where I almost fired you for suggesting we take the company public on the stock market?"
"Yes, I do." Earle recalled, "You threw a chair at me."
"Well, I've had a change of heart." Thomas confessed.
"You have?" Earle asked, as he could hardly believe it.
"My priorities are changing," Thomas informed him, "So not only do I want you to take over as CEO in a more permanent basis, I want you take the company public like you had proposed months ago."
"What percent of the company would you like to open to the public?" Earle asked as Thomas now has his full attention.
"All of it," Thomas answered, "With share holders to answer to instead of me, the company will be in better hands and everyone's job will be more secure, don't you think?"
"Yes," Earle concurred, "Don't you want to keep a bit for yourself?"
"Not really," Thomas answered, "But I do have one request."
"Name it," Earle said, curious to what it might be.
"I want the employees of Wayne Enterprises to get first crack at the shares." Thomas informed him, "Give them a chance to invest in their own future if they want to, and then let the public consume what's left."
"Does that include the employees in the front office?" Earle asked.
Thomas smiled as he knew what Earle meant. "You've been a good friend, so yes you deserve a crack at it as much as anyone else does."
"You're going to make billions," Earle reminded him, "Tens, maybe hundreds of billions if the shares go for the right price. The fact that you're doing this might even drive them higher because you're putting the company above yourself. That in itself is an act of brilliance, and is a hell of a way to go out."
"I honestly don't care what you think about it," Thomas chided back, "All I want to know is can you do it, and how soon can it happen?"
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Earle asked, "I get this was my idea, but are you sure you want to let go of your legacy like this?"
"My legacy?" Thomas said, his tone becoming a tad harsher. "What the hell do you know about my legacy? Wait, I'll tell you what you know about my legacy: Jack and shit, and Jack left town. Everything I've done, every penny I scraped away was all for one person, and we just put him in the fucking ground! Without him, there is no legacy! No reason for me to keep running this company, because its sole purpose was for it to be handed down to him! Without Bruce, this company has no value to me. No meaning and no inspiration to carry on. So take it public and sell it all off! I want nothing to do with this company anymore! Understood?"
"Understood," Earle replied, not wanting to anger him anymore. "I can have it set up and done within a month. Will that be acceptable?"
"It will be," Thomas said, calming down a bit with a deep breath. "Thanks for coming Earle, but don't you dare set a single foot inside my damn house. Get your ass back to Wayne Tower, and start the paper work right now."
"Yes, Mr. Wayne." Earle said without hesitation, and he immediately shuffled off.
Thomas watched as Earle left the small cemetery and went back to his car instead of inside the manor like everyone else. As he watched the car drive away, Thomas took a deep breath and started to walk into the house himself. Things were changing, so he would have to change as well. With one less enterprise to worry about and more money than God, Thomas had the ability to select what kind of change he wanted to be and had all the time in the world to think about it.