Again, another depressing story... I think its because my birthday is almost here... I always get depressed around this time... Anyway character death again because that's all I seem to be able to write this week. I most likely didn't help I listened to Last Kiss by Pearl Jam during part of this...
Disclaimer~Young Justice is not mine
Last Breath
Dick's POV
"You're off the Team!"
"How could you?!"
"Destroyed the Team!"
"Didn't you trust us?"
"Why?!"
"Never even met you!"
"All your fault"
"Killed Artemis!"
"Broke my heart!"
"Never see you again... too soon"
"I hate you!"
There words come back to me as I trudge through a Bludhaven alleyway as they had everyday since I had been kicked off the Team. It had been nearly a year since I disappeared from their lives after the invasion. At least that's what I think, its hard to tell when living on the streets, only knowing from discarded newspapers the approximate date. I slump up against a wall, strength leaving me. I don't think I would be able to handle this much longer. A cough shakes my once fit body, sending tremors through me. I had caught this cough sometime in January and had yet to shake it, the cough getting progressively worse as time went on. I glance over to the entrance of the alleyway spotting some walking by with a newspaper in hand. The man's face wrinkles in disgust and he throws it to the side, into the alleyway where I sat without a second look. I look at it and force myself to my feet so I could read the date. March 21. I let out a hallow laugh, how ironic for it to be my birthday. Maybe today would also be my death day. Another cough shakes me and I slump against the wall again, struggling to breath. I finally control the cough and take shuddering breaths, shivering as a cool wind cut through the rags I now called clothes. How different it was from my days as Bruce's ward. I look at what used to be jeans and a tee- shirt now tattered remnants of the clothes, it was a wonder I had survived the winter. A shadow appears at the dark end of the alleyway and suddenly a man appears in front of me, holding a metal baseball bat. I force myself to look up at him.
"Well what do we have here?" he asks slapping the metal against the palm of his hand. There was a rasp in his voice indicating he was a smoker and his eyes were red and dilated, I assumed he was a drug addict too. He gets closer to me, his rancid breath filling my nostrils, a long time ago I would have easily taken this man down but now I could hardly stand let alone fight. "Give me all your money and I'll leave you alone" he growls suddenly closing in on my face, so his face was just inches from my own.
"Do-don't got none" I manage my voice sore from disuse, I couldn't remember the last time I had actually spoken. He growls and grabs my hair, slamming my head back on the wall.
"Wrong answer" he growls and suddenly there is a flaring pain in my chest as he slams the bat into me. I curl into a ball as hit after hit slams into me, flashbacks back to my first year as Robin when Two- Face beat me in a similar way. The bat comes down again on my chest and I can feel a rib crack and let out a hoarse scream of pain. He then slams the cold metal onto my head and I feel the warm trickle of blood dripping down my face. The rest was kinda of a blur, but eventually he stops and walks away leaving me broken and bleeding. I cough again, this one longer and I'm unable to stop as blood drips from my mouth and forehead, running down my face and onto the ground. As if to complete my torture it begins to rain and I see scarlet streams washing off me thanks to the rain. I knew then and there I was going to die. I look up at the sky, wishing I could see the stars but clouds covered them and the smog of this destitute city would have blocked them anyway. I force myself into a sitting position and lean back on the wall, seeing today's newspaper, now covered in crimson drops, still clutched in my hand. March 21st.
"H-happy Birth-day to me, ha-ppy bi-rth-day t-to me" I whisper watching the scarlet colored water surrounded me. I wonder if the Team even remembered who I was. "H-ap-py B-irt-hday de-dear pa-săre mi-mică" I whisper using the Romani name my mother called me. Tears begin to fall from my eyes,I was only 20 I didn't want to die, I wasn't ready. But Fate was cruel. "Ha-happy bi-birth-day t-to m-me" I whisper my eyes my hands laying limply at my sides, the paper rolling from my hand. I hear a loud yell but I'm unable to make out the words, already fading away. I see a glowing white light, my parents arms stretched out before me and I take in a last shuddering breath before its over and I breath no more.
Bruce's POV
It was his birthday. When me and the other League members had returned from space we had been met with a frantic team, angry and scared. They told me what had happened and how afterwards Nightwing, Dick had disappeared. They apologized over and over again saying they didn't mean the words they had said but it was already too late, my son was gone. Ever since I had searched non-stop for him, resigning from the League desperate to find the missing boy, no young man, to no avail. Today he turned 20. I was preparing to go out and search when the old Team, having disbanded soon after the disappearance either joining the League, retiring, or going solo, showed up on my doorstep begging to help. I had grudgingly accepted. We zetaed to Bludhaven and began to search, sticking close together all in civvies, this city didn't accept capes since the fall of their hero. It begins to rain but we press on, I had a feeling in my gut today would be the day we found him. I knew he had to be in this city having checked Gotham tenfold and knowing he wouldn't go anywhere else. The darkness now inside him forbade it. I hear a faint sound coming from ahead and I turn the corner and look down the lonely alleyway. I see a red tinted river coming from the shadows and see a bloodied newspaper fall from a hand. I follow the limb seeing the familiar black hair and dark blue eyes along with a blood soaked body. I hear someone from the team scream but I had already dashed forward and kneel in the scarlet puddle surrounding him.
"Dick" I whisper seeing his once vibrant eyes staring upward and sightless. I would recognize them anywhere. I see blood soaking the tattered remains of clothes he wore, showing signs of a beating, and how skinny his body was, sickness showing in his features. Tears begin to fall from my eyes and I carefully shut his eyes, never to see the light again. I gently kiss his forehead, shivering with the chill from it. The light in my life, the thing that kept me going in the worst of circumstances,on Rimbor, since I got back, and countless other times, was gone. It was all gone.
I'm sorry that this was so depressing...
~Lakeshine