A/N: You could consider this Spitfire, but it's really a Chalant story. Don't know what that means? Just read. You'll figure it out.
This is my first YJ story, so forgive me if I screw up to badly.
Finally, note that this is a sonfic (yeah I know I didn't post the lyrics. Get over it) based off of Blink-182's Ghost on the Dance Floor. It kinda differs from the story occurring within the song, but the general idea is the same, if you exclude the ending.
The tears sprung to his eyes as that song came up; the one he had resolved to never listen to again.
Damn the DJ's desire to "bring them back".
It had been he and Wally's favorite song. The one that reminded them of their friendship, their battles, their losses, their discoveries, their happiness for each other as they discovered that the other had found the love of their life.
And then it had become the song of their relationship. Wally and Artemis. Memories rushed past Dick's eyes, causing the tears to fall freely, streaming down his face, as sobs wracked his body.
He couldn't believe that a song could do this to him; especially considering that he was out on a dance floor, waiting for Zee. The love of his life. Zatanna Zatara. But it was as if the song had brought them back, and then taken them away all over again. His shoulders shook from the force of his cries.
Now that the song had started, he didn't want it to end. Despite the pain it brought back, despite that it sort of took them away from him all over again, it simultaneously brought them back. It was as if he never left the dance floor, he could keep them forever.
If he stayed forever, he could finally heal.
The aches.
The pains.
The sorrow.
The torture.
He imagined them dancing together. It was a slow song, and he could see them rocking back and forth awkwardly, still appearing to be their insecure 17 year-old-selves. Even if they would now be 21.
21.
Wally's birthday was yesterday. They had brought flowers and placed it around the shrine in what had once been his room.
The pain of knowing that yesterday, Dick would have gotten Bruce to buy Wally his first beer was almost too much. Luckily, the music that caused that pain was also soothing it.
As he continued to watch the two lovers dance, he thought about what could have happened between them. About the marriage that Wally had shyly talked to Dick about. About the kids that Artemis had grudgingly admitted to Zatanna she wanted. And especially about the love that he knew would still be despite their constant bickering. In fact, if the sounds coming from the bedrooms post-argument were any indication, the bickering was actually good for that particular relationship.
He couldn't remember the last time he had thought this much about them. Yes, he contemplated and remembered every day, but it was more of a ritual, a rite to ensure that he never forgot. But now, the contemplation fucking hurt like hell.
Dick began to think about the new teammates that could never replace the old ones. It wasn't that he didn't love the covert Team under his command; it just wasn't the same without everyone there. A pang of guilt hit him as he realized that he had been weeping uncontrollably over the two lovers, and had totally forgotten about Aqualad.
Aqualad.
The tears now renewed themselves, falling from his face, splattering against the worn floor.
These ghosts on the dance floor were causing him to die inside.
Aqualad's image joined Artemis and Wally's, standing there in his confident pose, ready to lead the team through a world crisis. The lights streaming from the ceiling mixed with his fresh bout of tears were causing their bodies to blur. He furiously wiped them away, wanting to be able to see his lost friends clearly, wanting to be able to preserve the image of them dancing forever.
He just wanted them back.
Wanted them by his side again.
Wanted them fighting tooth and nail for their lives again.
But he couldn't have that.
He would live forever with this gaping hole in his heart, one that could never be filled by any number of new teammates, missions, or villains.
And then, with the pain aching in his heart, with the waterfall of salty drops cascading down his face, he wondered how he had ever gotten over them.
And his answer walked up to him, her laugh cut short when she noticed his state, her confusion evident on her beautiful face.
Zatanna realized what song was on, what it meant to him, and her expression softened, her hand reaching up to stroke his face.
"Dick," she breathed out, only loud enough for him to hear, "are you alright?"
He merely smiled, not being totally sure of his answer.
She moved her hands to the back of his head, leaned forward, and pressed her lips softly against his.
It wasn't filled with lust, with the fire they usually had; it was filled with love, compassion, kindness, and sorrow.
She pulled away after a few moments. "Aster," using the nickname she had developed for him after years of putting up with his ridiculousness, "please, please don't do this. You know that it wasn't your fault. You know that there was nothing you could have done. And you especially know that they would be angry at your for feeling-"
He interrupted her with another kiss, this one lasting slightly longer than the previous one.
"Zee, it's not the guilt that's making me like this. I accepted that a long time ago. It's just… I miss them. So much."
She smiled softly, but her eyes betrayed her concern, the helplessness she felt.
And then he realized just how he had survived those years without his best friends.
"'Tanna, I may miss them, but… but no matter how much I miss them, I love you so much more. The happiness seeing your face gives me does more than fill the gap they left; it swells my heart to new capacities, making it nearly burst," he murmured.
Tears glistened in his girlfriend's eyes, pure love practically erupting from every orifice on her body.
As the last chord struck from that song, the two lovers crashed their lips together, and Richard Grayson realized that his ghosts were better left on the dance floor.
A/N: You know what would be totally embarrassing, like, bad enough to make me totally take this story down and never speak its name again?
IF WALLY AND ARTEMIS DIDN'T ACTUALLY DISAPPEAR/DIE/WHATEVER THE HELL HAPPENED THAT TOOK THEM OUT OF THE STORY!
Which, trust me, I wouldn't mind at all. It would be awesome if the creators of YJ revealed that they had just been away on some secret mission or some shiznit like that.
A stupid story, but awesome, since I hate the fact that they did that to Spitfire.
Don't worry. I want Aqualad back too, just not as bad as Artemis and Wally!
Anyways, R&R!