Kid Flash has disappeared, Wally is dead. His best friend, the guy he considered as an older brother is dead.
A thud echoed around the room as Richard Grayson punched the living room wall of his apartment in Blüdhaven. Dick couldn't believe that his best friend of countless years is gone. He couldn't help but feel that it was his entire fault. He brought his fist back and was about to punch the wall once more when a knock on the door stopped him.
Dick glared at the door. He was not in the mood to see anybody much less hearing empty words of comfort and sympathy. He was about to walk out of the room when a soft and gentle voice rang out from outside the door.
"I know you're in there, Dick. It's me, Barbara. Please open up…" Dick sighed as he walked back towards the door and opened it.
Barbara looked at him and he could see sadness and uncertainty swirling around in her blue orbs. She was biting her lip nervously. Dick stepped aside as he asked softly "Want to come in?"
Barbara was still biting her lip as she walked in and she stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed the hole in the wall where he punched it. She turned back towards him and saw his bloody knuckles. She met his gaze with a worried and sad expression "Oh Dick…"
Dick replied with a shaky "I'm fine, Barbara."
"No you're not, Richard!" Dick was startled by her sudden exclamation. He opened his mouth to reply but Barbara held up a hand to silence him. A humorless laugh escaped her before she spoke:
"I didn't really think this through…I rushed over here without thinking about what I was going to say to you. I can't ask how you're doing because I know you're not okay and I can't say it'll be okay because I know it won't be until days even months later. All I guess I can say is. I'm sorry…God Dick, I'm so, so sorry!"
Barbara let out a strangled cry as Dick wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace. "Thanks Babs…Just hearing you say that is enough."
Barbara returned the embrace for a few moments before pulling back and wiping her eyes. She gave him a small smile as she walked past him towards his bathroom. Dick sighed as he flopped down on his couch. A ghost of a smile formed on his features. He wasn't lying to Barbara, hearing those words from her meant everything to him. He felt better, knowing he had her full support.
Dick felt the couch dip as Barbara sat down next to him and frowned at the red-head when he saw her digging around in his First Aid Kit. "Come on, Babs. It's really not that bad."
She ignored him and griped his injured hand, cleaning it with Alcohol Wipes. He watched as she bandaged his hand "Have you heard anything from Artemis?"
Dick looked startled at her sudden question. He held his bandaged hand and rotated his wrist as he answered "No. She must be taking Wally's death harder than any of us. She even took on the task of telling Wally's parents herself about the incident. Have you heard anything?"
Barbara bit her lip as she stared at the opposite wall "I heard from M'gann that she wants to move back to Gotham and that she wants to rejoin the team…as Tigress."
Dick's eyes widened then he looked down at his hands that rested on his lap. Barbara frowned as she noticed his clenched fists.
"Dick…"
"This is my entire fault."
The red-head's eyes widened as she gaped at the young ebony-haired man in shock at his outburst. "Dick, No! That's not true!"
Dick jumped up and yelled "Yes, it is! I made Artemis come out of retirement. I gave her that undercover mission. If I only just let them be…they would still be living in Palo Alto together and continue their studies in Stanford, but no! I had to interrupt their happiness and lives for some , damn stupid mission!
"You're wrong!" A slapping sound followed that exclamation.
Dick's eyes were wide in surprise as he realized that his childhood friend, Barbara Gordon, just slapped him. He could his right cheek sting and knew that there was enough force behind that slap to leave a bruise. He stared at the red-head as she clutched the hand she had used to slap him tightly to her chest, her eyes were closed and her breathing ragged.
"Barbara…I – ""You're wrong…" She whispered catching Dick off guard.
"What?"
Her eyes slowly opened and although anger was the dominant emotion in blue eyes, tears were welling as well.
"I said: You're wrong Richard Grayson. What happened to Wallace West isn't your fault nor is it Artemis's. Hell, it isn't even Kid Flash's fault. Yes, you asked Artemis to come back and take the mission but it was her choice to accept it. No one forced her to do anything. Dick, Wally died a hero's death…he died doing what he loved. He knew what he was getting into when he put the suit back on, we all did. We signed up for being vigilantes fully knowing all the risks it entails. We put our lives on the line to save the lives of thousands of innocents, that's our purpose."
Hot tears of anger and sadness were flowing down her cheeks as Dick gaped at her. Tears formed in his sky blue eyes and he sat down on the couch burying his head in his hands. Silence surrounded the two friends for a few minutes until Dick lifted his head and stared at the opposite wall.
"You're right Barbara. Wally did die being a hero. It's just…I can't do this anymore Babs. First my parents, then Jason and now Wally…I keep on thinking 'who's going to be taken from me next?' It could be Alfred, Bruce, Tim, you…if anything happened to either of you, I'd lose it. I'm not like Batman, Babs. I can't shut down all my emotions in every given situation like he can."
The red-head's gaze softened as she watched her childhood friend cry tears of remorse, sadness and anger. Barbara put a hand on his cheek and gently turned his face towards hers. Her voice was soft and gentle as she spoke her next sentence.
"No one is expecting you to be Batman, Dick, especially not Bruce. Just know that you're not alone, okay? You have your friends, me and Bruce…I'm sure he would appreciate it if you spoke to him about Wally's death. He is really worried about you, we all are."
A small smile graced Dick's features as he pulled Barbara into a hug and buried his face in her hair as he allowed himself to cry over his best friend's death. Barbara returned Dick's tight embrace. Dick held onto her like he never wanted to let her go. It was like he was afraid that if he let her go, his whole world would crumble.
Barbara gasped as she felt Dick tightened his arms around her more securely without suffocating her. Barbara rested her head on Dick's chest and making herself more comfortable in his arms as she had a feeling that he wasn't going to release her from his hold anytime soon.
Dick's tears had subsided and he feeling a bit better and looked down as he felt Barbara's head resting on his chest and her grip on him loosening and saw that she had fallen asleep. He smiled softly as her actions proved to him that she was willing to stay with for as long as it takes for him to realize that his not alone in this situation.
After dropping a kiss on her soft, red hair he carefully shifted them both into a laying position on his couch. Barbara moved and a small moan of protest escaped her but she didn't wake up. Once situated, Dick closed his eyes and with a small, contented smile gracing his features, he allowed himself to fall asleep.
A/N: I wrote this in a book after I saw the 'Endgame' episode. I kinda took my time typing it on the computer and it was like six writing pages long. So here is my take on how Dick took Wally's death and Barbara coming over to comfort him. I might make on later on about Artemis, I'm still thinking about it. Well, Read and Review. Sorry, if I made the characters OOC in this story.