Dick tore the sheets off his bed, frantically shaking them to see if there was any flash of silver falling out. He let the sheets fall back into a pile on the bed and dropped to the floor for the third time that day. There was nothing. Nothing under the bed, nothing under the dresser, NOTHING everywhere he looked. It was just gone.

They were sitting on the grass in a park, looking out over Central City. The park was long closed, gates locked and "do not enter" signs up. It didn't stop them for a second. Dick laid his head on his boyfriend's shoulder and looked over the lights of the city.

"This is nice. This is really nice." Dick offered.

"Isn't it? It's my favorite place to be alone. And now it's my favorite place to be with you." He couldn't see him, but Dick knew Wally was smiling when he rested his chin on his boyfriend's head.

Dick grabbed his cell phone off the counter and dialed a number he had long since memorized. While the rings sounded in his ear, he started pulling out his drawers and tossing out the clothes. Just like with the bed sheets, all he was doing was making a mess. No silver, no flash, no metal clink.

A woman's voice sounded after the third ring. Barbara.

"Hey, Dickie. What's up?"

"Is it now? Well I can see why. It was a fantastic choice." Dick replied, letting his eyes shut. He felt Wally shift around, but he adamantly refused to open his eyes. He was relaxing, goddamnit, and Wally could fidget on his own time.

"Yesterday, when we went to the movies, was I wearing my ring?" Dick blurted out, without taking a breath. He ran to the bathroom, picking up all the shampoos and soaps to make sure nothing fell behind them. There was no reason it would have fallen out behind the bottles, but he was desperate. He'd tear the whole house apart if it meant finding the ring an hour earlier, and he still might.

"What? Your- you mean the ring you got from…?" Barbara trailed off, not sure what to say. He usually took the time to appreciate her speechless, but right now he couldn't think of anything else but finding the ring. He had finished with the shower and started tearing apart the vanity. Toothpaste and toothbrushes (one that hadn't been used in months) were displaced with shaky hands. Nothing was hidden beneath them.

"My ring. Was I wearing it, Barbara this is important!" Dick snapped, slamming his hand down on the marble countertop and possibly breaking his hand. It hurt a little, but he could barely feel it.

"Ye-yeah, I think. I mean, I don't remember you not having it. Are you ok?" Barbara asked worriedly, picking up on his tone. "Should I come over?"

"No, no, that's alright" Dick pressed his back to the bathroom wall and sunk down, right hand cradled in his left as he held the phone in place with a shoulder. "I'm… fine."

"Dick, it's just a ring."

There was a bit of time were Dick considered hanging up on her right then and there. He just couldn't bring himself to cut his only lifeline.

"Hey, Dickie. Happy one year."

Dick smiled, eyes still closed. "Happy one year, Wally." Wally kissed the top of his head and pressed a little box into his hand.

Dick opened his eyes to see that the little box was black with a small bow on the top. It was also open.

"Barbara… That was- he-… It's not just any old ring" Tears began to prick at his eyes.

"I know! I'm just saying that… he gave it to you because he loved you. Just because it's not there anymore, doesn't mean that that love is gone, Dickie. The ring was just a symbol, a placeholder."

Tear rolled slowly down his cheek now, but he made sure to keep it out of his voice. It was a skill he had acquired long ago.

"It's… It's not just that, Babs. It was always there, I've worn it every day for years. It's been there, and I felt it, and now… it's gone. And-" a small sob escaped. He knew she heard it, but she wouldn't say anything. "I miss it."

"I know, honey. I know." Dick jumped up and glanced around his bathroom, his bedroom. Tears still fell down his face as he scanned the area, looking at first for any place he could look. Anywhere he may have missed. Two toothbrushes, two alarm clocks, two towels, two shampoos, two sides in the closet. Half of the things in his house were useless, sitting there listlessly. Such a big house.

"It's a promise ring" Wally said with a blush. "I didn't make up the name, but it means that I'll stay with you. You know, forever." He smiled at Dick "I promise."

He hadn't touched anything since that day in Antarctica, the day he'd watched Wally disappear before his eyes. It had been months, and he still slept only on his side of the bed.

"It's gone" He spoke, more to himself than into the phone, "Oh my God he's really gone."