My first Young Justice fanfiction! Don't worry, people, I'm still keeping up with my Star Wars fics - which I know I'm REALLY behind on! Please be patient! But I also love Young Justice (don't judge) and I've finally gotten the guts to post this story. Don't hate me! Only constructive reviews please! Please no hate ones!

Homecoming: Part One

"I'm not retiring! Just…taking a leave of absence. I need a break, Kaldur. You, me, Wally…we founded this team. And without him, it's just…"

"I understand."

"I'll be back, don't worry. When I'm ready, I'll be back."

Those had been the last words he had spoken to his friend, Kaldur'Ahm, before walking away. Walking away from the Watchtower, from the Justice League, from the Young Justice Team. Taking his 'leave of absence'. He had spoken the truth a half hour ago – he desperately needed a break. A chance to sort stuff out on his own.

So now, here he was. He'd been standing in the same position ever since he returned to his tiny apartment in Bludhaven.

What do I do now? Feeling drained and tired, Nightwing looked around, trying to make up his mind. Finally, he settled for the restroom, deciding cleaning himself up a bit wouldn't hurt. But as he walked into his bathroom and clicked on the light, he jumped, and sucked in a sharp breath, realizing it was only a mirror.

That's right. The Bird of the Night scared himself. Not in the terror sort of way, though; more like…surprise. Shock. Because when he looked into the reflective glass, he didn't recognize himself. It took him a few minutes to remember the person in the mirror was himself. Nightwing. Richard Grayson. Former Boy Wonder. Former Robin.

Former. He hated that word. Absolutely loathed it. Former Boy Wonder. Former Robin. Former ward of Bruce Wayne. Former partner of Batman. Former member of the former Young Justice Team. Former Gotham Academy student. Former boyfriend to both Zatanna Zatara and Barbara Gordon. Former best friend of Wally West…

Wally.

The name nearly knocked the breath out of him as it hit his mind like a stone.

Wally.

Moaning wearily, Richard brought a hand to his face, and slowly rubbed his temples. Wally's death had only been three hours ago. Three hours since his best friend had been disintegrated in front of his very eyes. He hadn't grieved at all; but that was because he was choosing not to. He didn't want to feel the heaviness on his heart he knew was bound to come. He knew for a fact that Artemis was at Wally's parent's house, probably trying to console them while being consoled at the same time. Aqualad and the Young Justice Team had set Wally's hologram up in the park, so that the former Kid Flash's image was among the rest of the deceased heroes. The Justice League had held a memorial service for the speedster.

Him? He had watched in horror as Wally simply ceased to exist. Then, he had quit on his team, made his way back here, and scared himself with his own reflection.

He scowled at the mirror, letting his image sink into his brain so that it wouldn't happen again. He couldn't help but compare himself to how he had looked five years ago, when he had still been Robin, the Boy Wonder. He had grown much taller, and broader too. His face was filled out more but still angular. His hair, instead of being cut at the top of his neck, now curled neatly around his collar. His flesh was tanner, he was more muscular, looked more…more what? Menacing? Powerful? Or just simply older?

After staring at himself for several minutes, one of his still-gloved hands slowly made its way to his face, and carefully, slowly, he peeled the domino mask away from his face, and he looked back into the mirror to find himself staring at pair of bright blue eyes. His eyes. Those were the only parts of him that hadn't changed over the years. They were still bright and as blue as ever. He usually took comfort in that fact – that whenever he had trouble accepting he was changing, he could always look at his eyes and see the azure irises of his youth. With the mask off, he seemed a bit younger. With the mask off, he wasn't the stoic, tense hero Nightwing. With it off, he was back to being Richard Grayson – an eighteen-year-old who had just lost his best friend.

There it was. It hit him suddenly. The grief. The overwhelming sensation of loss. Quickly, however, he buried those feelings into the darkest corners of his mind, taking a deep breath and squeezing those bright blue eyes shut tight. He wouldn't give into his emotions, wouldn't collapse like he wanted to or sob like body kept threatening to do. Because Nightwing didn't grieve. Nightwing didn't cry. Nightwing didn't fall to pieces, or show any weakness.

Nightwing was supposed to be the powerful leader of Young Justice. Nightwing was supposed to be fearless. After all, he lived in Bludhaven. Nightwing was supposed to be able to deal with anything and everything.

Supposed to.

But for the first time in a long time, he didn't want to be Nightwing. Didn't want to be leader of the Team, didn't want to be the lone savior of Bludhaven.

He wanted to be Robin again.

His mind began buzzing as memories assaulted him. He heard his own voice, five years younger, laughing and giving that signature cackle. "Totally feeling the aster!" he heard himself say in his mind. Images of a group of six teens, all of them joined together by fate, all fighting side-by-side against the odds. The original Young Justice. The original Team. Robin, Artemis, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian, and Aqualad.

The six of us…we did the impossible, he thought grimly, taking a deep, shaky breath as more memories flowed through his vision. He remembered covert missions around the world, and friendly training sessions in the heart of Mt. Justice. The first time he was introduced to Artemis, M'gann, and Superboy – well, to be more specific, they found Superboy… He couldn't help but smile at that one particular memory. Their first mission as a Team. Sure, it had been against the Justice League's wishes, and it had only been him, Wally, and Kaldur; but it had brought them all together.

The smile faded soon enough. It always did. He scowled as he realized he didn't smile much anymore. And it had been forever since he had laughed. He certainly was nothing like his thirteen-year-old self. He had given up the bantering, the fun with the English language, the signature cackle, a long time ago. Left them behind when he had moved to Bludhaven. When he left the identity Robin behind, he had given up a part of himself as well. He wasn't the same. I don't think I ever will be me again.

He missed Wally. He missed being Robin. He missed the original Team. He missed being funny and witty and cocky and…

He missed being himself.

He looked down at his chest, at the blue bird that was sewn to his new suit. Nightwing. That's who he was now. A fraud. Nightwing was nothing like the real Richard Grayson… But do I really remember who the real me is anymore? Now that he thought about it, he was more like the Batman – somber, gruff, efficient but cold. He had adopted that personality when he had decided to work in Bludhaven. It was worse than Gotham.

Gotham. He missed Gotham too.

That's when he made up his mind. Quickly leaving the bathroom, he walked over to his bedroom, and changed out of his Nightwing suit, thrusting it into the closet. He slipped into a pair of black pants and a black, leather jacket. He looked into the full-length mirror and sighed at his reflection. Even in civilian clothes he didn't recognize himself. All he remembered was a short, cocky boy who always wore skinny jeans, a colored hoodie, and a thin jacket. The tall man in the mirror was not him.

He wanted to be himself. He just didn't know how.

Maybe he did.

He grabbed the keys for his motorcycle and strode out of the apartment. That was Nightwing's apartment. He just wanted to be Richard Grayson at the moment. And he could think of only one place where he could find that person…himself.

As he climbed onto his bike, he was greeted with a flashback of the Team again, and his own R-Cycle. His mouth twitched upwards a bit, but it quickly melted into a frown. He started up the engine, and steered the bike East. Towards the shoreline. Towards Gotham. Towards Wayne Manor.

He wanted to go home.

Ugh, I know it kind of sucks, bear with me! So, part I of three (this is more of a drama fic, though I may be posting one with the Joker in it). Please review! PLEASE!

Robin: Review for Skygirl cause she loves 'em.

Me: See! Boy Wonder says so!