Part 1
"Just a little further," Batgirl gasped, clinging desperately to Nightwing's arm, slung across her shoulders. The other hero coughed, pushing his legs to their limit, and the two of them managed to just make it into the warehouse as lights washed over the street.
Collapsing to the ground, neither bothered to move as the Thanagarian patrol swept by, unaware of the prizes they'd just missed. Eventually, though, Batgirl rolled over to check on her friend. That last push had torn loose the bandage on his side, allowing blood to start spilling forth again. Nightwing had his right arm pressing against the wound, but as weak as he was getting, it was a pointless gesture.
Batgirl ignored her own sprained wrist and bloody shoulder, pulling out another roll of gauze from her belt. She managed to nudge her partner into a sitting position, where he remained as she secured the bandage into place once again.
"Thanks," He muttered, before flopping over with a groan. "I don't think we can keep this up much longer."
"You heard Robin's message." Putting away the extra gauze, Batgirl fixed him with a level glare. "Batman and the League are trying to deal with the bigger situation, but the Hawks have declared open season on all masked heroes. Especially those of us with ties to the Justice League. If we hide, they'll eventually find us, and then you and I can look forward to spending this occupation in cages."
"A situation which might not change if we can't find some way of forcing them to leave Earth, I know." Nightwing sighed. "I just wish the civilians would stop trying to protest on their own. I can't count the number of people we've had to save from laser blasts."
Batgirl couldn't help the snort of annoyance as she gingerly rubbed her sore arm. "You're telling me - I started this night trying to convince the police force to focus on protecting people rather than warring with the aliens."
"I can just see your dad leading a cavalry charge into downtown."
"Oh, he'd love that - like a scene out of one of the western books he likes to read." The two then lapsed into relaxed silence, at least until the engine of another Thanagarian ship passed by, lighting up the windows set high in the walls of the warehouse.
"Any new word from the kid?" Nightwing grunted, rolling over to look at her better. Hand automatically moving towards the communicator in her utility belt, Batgirl was still able to shake her head even before checking for a new message.
"Nothing in the last hour." Ignoring the quiet curse from her partner, the hero hauled herself to her feet and shuffled back towards the crumbling doorway. "The street's clear - think you're up for another run?"
"Can I have five more minutes?" Even as he said it, though, Nightwing was slowly getting up as well. He joined her, both young adults watching the road and skies for a few minutes. After a few moments, they slipped out into the shadows, hurrying down the street, ready to duck into the nearest doorway at a moment's notice. For a while now, the two heroes had been trying to reach Nightwing's loft building to restock on supplies, maybe use the League communications network console there to check on Batman's status.
Unfortunately, as they reached the final warehouse of the row, three Thanagarian patrol ships and four free flying soldiers converged at the intersection as well. Ducking into the service entrance of the building, Batgirl had to bite her tongue to refrain from the swarm of cuss words as Nightwing struggled to silently pick the lock.
It was just their luck that a guard glanced around right as the two heroes ducked into the finally open door.
"Halt!" Laser fire struck the walls around the doorway, prompting the sudden release of several crude words from both heroes. They ran for the far end of the building, dodging dusty machinery and enemy fire. Batgirl was the first to reach the rolling doors, slamming her uninjured fist on the button to open all of them at once. She turned back to call encouragement to Nightwing, but a sudden yell had her heart leaping up into her throat.
Her friend was down, a Thanagarian with wings still extended crouching over him.
"Don't sto- nng!" He tried to yell, before the blunt end of the weapon slammed against his skull.
"Silence, human." The alien growled, lifting his axe again and turning a glare onto Batgirl. "You! Surrender now - there is nowhere to go."
She refused to tremble as the other three soldiers landed around her, guns held ready, and one of the patrol ships hovered outside the open doors. If this was her last fight, Batgirl was determined to take as many of the enemy down with her as she could.
Then a familiar hum thrummed through the air.
The ship outside the warehouse was knocked aside by a dark shape, long and sleek, and Batgirl heard another pair of small explosions as the other ships were taken down as well.
"What the-?" The Thanagarian was unable to finished her sentence, as Batgirl's grappling line wrapped around her and threw the alien to the floor. A batarang left her other hand, knocking away the weapon held by the Hawk standing over Nightwing.
Standing closer together now, the remaining aliens prepared to fire at her, their eyes unaware of the figure running towards them.
"Yah!" Robin yelled, causing the pair to jerk in surprise. His high kick knocked one to side, her helmet falling off, while the other barely had time to react to the boy's sudden arrival. He was dispatched with a sleeping gas pellet thrown against his face.
"Are you guys okay?" Robin asked, rolling away from his opponent's falling body.
"Just peachy," Nightwing snarled in a strained voice, twisting and launching both feet into the Thanagarian behind him. The alien was knocked away with a huff, crashing to the floor and not moving.
"Why do you have the plane?" Batgirl asked as she moved to start securing the beaten foes.
"Batman and the other League members were meeting at the Cave - he told me to come find the two of you and stay out of the way until they stop the invasion."
Scoffing as he slowly stood up, Nightwing had to shake his head in disbelief. "Six heroes are gonna stop an entire alien fleet all by themselves?"
Frowning, Robin looked over at him. "Seven. They're acting on intel Hawkgirl provided."
"They're trusting her?!" Batgirl choked. "He's trusting her?!"
"Yeah."
"But she's one of the enemy now!"
"Not from what I overheard." Robin relayed the strained conversation he'd listened in on while hidden in the shadows of the Cave. Hearing about the wormhole generator, and the League's plans to destroy it, Batgirl and Nightwing exchanged concerned glances.
"Nothing for us to worry about at this point." The latter finally sighed. "Let's restock from the Batplane's arsenal, and then figure out what to do next for ourselves." Nodding, the others agreed, and then went to where the jet's autopilot had parked it over the roof of the warehouse. As more Thanagarian ships converged on the building, the trio were seated aboard their own vehicle and safely vanishing behind cloud cover. While Tim set the plane to standby, Barbara and Dick set about properly bandaging their injuries in the lower hold.
Once the preteen joined them, the three heroes began discussing their options. On one hand, they could continue doing as the elder two had been all night: protecting citizens who harassed the Hawks, while adding in their own sabotage efforts here and there. Robin wanted to call the League to see if they could help with the bigger efforts, but before either of his companions could veto that idea, a League member called them.
"Batman?!" Robin said excitedly, answering his comlink. "I found Batgirl and Nightwing, do you want us to-"
"Tim..." His mentor's voice came over scratchy, overtop the sounds of warning alarms and worrying rumbles. "Just listen for a minute. I- I'm not going to be coming back from this mission."
"WHAT?!" All three of the younger heroes yelped.
"I'm piloting the Watchtower through Earth's orbit to drop it on top of the wormhole generator. If there was another way to make sure this worked, I'd do it, but... I'm sorry. I know Gotham will be kept safe in your hands - all of your hands." His words began to cut out, increasing the panic of the heroes trying desperately to listen. "Keep the League- *kssht* -ing idiots, and kn- *bzztz* -ike my own- *krrsht* -ildren. Goodbye."
And with that, we was gone. None of them moved at first, still in shock over what they'd heard. Then Nightwing growled, turning and slamming a fist into the hull. Batgirl had started to cry softly, while Robin was shaking his head in denial.
"No. No, we can still go get him- we aren't- he isn't going to- no!" Jumping to his feet, the boy tried to return to the cockpit, not entirely sure where he was going to fly them to, only that it would be away from this madness and back to Bruce's reassuring presence. Nightwing caught him around the waist before he could make it that far, holding Robin close as the kid continued to protest and struggle.
Eventually, though, Tim broke down into sobs as well, as silent tears leaked from underneath Dick's mask as well. Barbara wrapped an arm around both of them, and the three ended up huddled together on the hold floor, mourning the loss of their mentor.