Batman needs Batgirl to hang up the mask. After the events of Joker War, everything has changed for the Bat-Family, including Barbara Gordon taking off the Batgirl suit. In Batman #102, Bruce wants her temporary job change to last, and she knows the real reason for it that he won't admit.
After 1988's The Killing Joke, when the Joker shot Barbara Gordon and paralyzed her, the original Batgirl went to work as a digital hero named Oracle. As Oracle, Barbara used her detective skills and computer mastery to coordinate between heroes in the field, gain information online, and save the day without leaving her desk. In 2011, the wheelchair-using heroine used a cybernetic spinal implant to regain full mobility and the Batgirl title. Then, in 2020's Batman #100, Joker's all-out war in the Gotham streets led her to retake the Oracle role and bring order to the chaos behind the scenes.
In the opening of Batman #102, Batman is dealing with the aftermath of The Joker War with Oracle in his earpiece, feeding him info about his enemy. Batman, ever the perfect detective, subtly lets Barbara know that he already memorized everything she has to tell him. Oracle asks why he even brought her into the mission, and he replies that he needs "eyes on the inside", an answer that doesn't satisfy her question.
Barbara admits that she's conflicted about whether to stay on as Oracle or wear the Bat-symbol again. The polymath hero has been replaced as Batgirl by Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain, formerly Spoiler and Orphan, but the heroes are inspiring her to do more fieldwork as much as they're covering for her. She tosses a sly remark to the reticent Bruce: "Lucius told you he won't keep repairing your suits, and you don't want to do it yourself, do you?"
Barbara knows the real reason Bruce wants her around: because Batman's lonely. After the death of Alfred, the disappearance of Robin, and Lucius Fox disowning Batman, the Dark Knight has nobody to work with. Nightwing and Red Robin are independent and even Catwoman has taken off. Even though Batman acts like a loner who works alone in the darkness, he's nothing without his support system.
Despite asking her to stick around, Batman tells her to disconnect the moment he realizes he's up against Ghost-Maker, a decades-old rival whose goal is to be a better Batman than Batman. Bruce considers the fight "personal" and cuts Oracle out of the loop, a stubborn call that's likely going to cost him as the battle to prowl Gotham breaks out. If Batman's going to win against an enemy who can plan and fight as well as he does, he's going to need to turn to his allies, especially Barbara, before she abandons the back seat to take up the cowl again.
Batman #102 is written by James Tynion IV with art by Carlo Pagulayan, Danny Miki, and Carlos D'Anda, and lettering by Clayton Cowles, and is available now from DC Comics and Comixology.