So Not Feeling the Aster

by ladymiyah

Richard Grayosn is a person who has lost everything once before. It was because of this he grew a strong sense for Justice, and his adoptive father, Bruce Wayne, The Batman, gave him that chance to serve it. He became Robin, The Boy Wonder, and then Nightwing. Dick would do anything to keep his new loved ones safe, even give up himself to something he knows will be torture.

2. Chapter 2:Clipped Wings

So Not Feeling the Aster

Clipped Wings

Cadmus 2

October 13th l 00:01

They stood shocked, M'gann's forceshield an instinct to protect them all, as the building collapsed on top of them. They were on sub-level 23 and had been given no warning; to the explosion or loosing Wing, not really. If anyone had watched them as they slowly dug themselves out of the rubble, M'gann's instinctual power mainly doing the work, they would have said the team, consisting of Wally, M'gann, Artemis, Robin and Blue Beetle, were in a pained daze.

Their eyes appeared vacant as a continuous show of that flash of Nightwing circled in all of their minds. He was gone, he wasn't unbreakable, he had cried, and now he was gone, and he wasn't coming back. If the team had the energy they may have noticed that their hearts hurt, in the way a heart hurts when someone loses a precious family member.

For everyone on the team that image was heartbreaking, soul shattering.

For the younger ones that sad smile and lonely tear destroyed the image of a fearless and unbreakable big brother who would always be there to protect them, who they could always count on to be strong. If he, their strength and pillar, was breaking what did that mean for everyone else?

For the older heroes on the team it caused them to want to hit themselves in anger and cry out in frustration and shout, scream at everything. Because they had failed. Failed in protecting their precious younger brother, he who was the most fragile and yet still the strongest on the original team, he who they had promised they would always protect, because it's the older siblings job to protect and sacrifice, not the younger's. They had failed. And if they couldn't even protect their loved little brother, then what right did they have to call themselves heroes?

Artemis's head snapped up, falling out of her dazed state as a bright green light shone in the face of her and the rest of the team; the league had arrived.

When had they dug so much they'd managed to dig themselves out? How much time had passed? Artemis found she didn't really care.

But now she was paying more attention she noticed the little details. Like how the entire time M'gann had moved the rubble with barely a thought silent tears had gushed down her blank face. Like how Robin seemed on the verge of breaking down and collapsing-of course he'd take it the hardest. Like how Wally was clenching his hands and gritting his teeth. Like how Beetle was breathing faster than normal and every time there was a slight noise he flinched. How was it that such a simple and seemingly insignificant thing such as loosing Nightwing could cause each and every one of them to break so quickly?

But then, she already knew the answer to that. It wasn't insignificant, Wing had never been insignificant; he was the heart of Young Justice after all.

The heart and Soul.

"Where is Nightwing?" Batman's voice was steely, but Artemis could hear the underlying fear of a parent behind it.

Would Batman break as easily as the team at their terrible news? Or was it just the flashing image that caused such a strong and immediate reaction from them?

No. The reaction was because Wing was family to them, and Batman wouldn't break, he'd ignore the pain in favour of going to whatever means necessary to get his little bird back.

Artemis acknowledged that that was the frame of mind they should all be in; but the pain was still too raw.

And so it was with hollow eyes that she looked up at Batman, noticing in her peripherals the way Wally's head had turned to the side and his eyes had shut tightly as if it were too painful to answer the Bat, and how the League stood before them with worry plastered on their faces, and how Robin barely held himself back from throwing himself at Batman and crying in his father's arms.

And her voice was just as hollow and broken as she replied, the rest in the team appearing incapable of words without breaking down in sobs, and she could feel that lump in her own throat, trying to choke her so she knew that feeling, "Not now," her hoarse voice said. She looked behind her at the destroyed building they had vacated, "Not here."

Artemis said no more, merely turned to her team, locked eyes with M'gann and Wally, and helped them silently usher the younger members of their team onto the Bioship.

They each sat in their chairs stiffly, unable to relax at the dreadful events that weighed down on their young shoulders. No words were spoken in that trip home (though could it really be a home when they were missing the one person who gave it the warmth of a home with his smile alone?), and no comfort offered. How could it be when each of them blamed themselves for leaving him alone?

The rest of the team waited for them as they landed, the Justice League arriving just before them.

Nobody said anything as they made their way out of the ship and silently trudged their way to the debriefing room, an atmosphere of pain following almost lazily after them. With just one look at them, and the fact that there was no Nightwing, the rest of Young Justice new this was a disastrous mission, emphasis on the dis. Pained, heartbroken looks began to descend on them as well as the absence of Nightwing clearly stated the reason for the broken eyes of the team who had gone on the mission.

This was a routine mission, what had gone wrong?

Wally leant himself against the wall by the door, the absence of his usually bright smile painfully obvious. Jaime sat heavily on a chair, his blue armour still on, as if it was trying to protect him from the pain of the situation. M'gann stood off to the side, unconsciously trying to get closer to Conner, as if he could make everything better. Robin stood in the middle of the room, arms clutched around himself and as Artemis took her place beside him, unafraid to look in Batman's face, she placed her hand on his shoulder, silently offering comfort that would do little to ease the pain but let him know her was not alone.

Artemis had mourned on the Bioship, but she had also come to the conclusion that Nightwing would have been furious to see them giving up. He was taken, not dead, they still had a chance.

And Artemis would be damned if they didn't take it.

So she had taken a deep breath on that ride, thought everything through and decided right now the team needed a rock, and she would be that rock. They would save their brother, because that's what he was to her, to all of them, and they would be whole again.

Nightwing wouldn't give up on them, they weren't giving up on him!

The league had all taken positions in the room, some pacing worriedly such as the Flash, but none seemed more fearful of the story about to be told than the Bat, who really was nothing more than a strong willed man, stood before her. And with that thought came the realisation that the Bat wasn't that scary, not if you weren't threatening his family, because he was only human too.

And all the Justice were his family, including this team.

Artemis raised her chin, looking straight into the eyes of Batman's cowl and began the story, voice firm and no longer wavering, "We separated, Wing was hacking from a panel outside and he sent us in to rescue those who had been kidnapped. It was only just before he contacted us that we came to the realisation that we had walked straight into a trap; we were on sub-level 23. His voice sounded so sad and regretful as he told us to stay where we were until you arrived, and Wally asked him why. He told us it was nothing, that we'd all be fine, that he promised that. But there was something in his voice, something unnameable that we all picked up on. Wally screamed what did he mean? Why only us? What about him? All we received in reply was a flash of an image of him, the kind you only receive when the emotions are too strong to hide, and a whispered 'I'm sorry'. In that flash his face was sad but determined, protective, and a lonely tear ran down his face. He was afraid as well. He made the building collapse on us, knowing M'gann could protect us, and when we got out we already knew he was gone." Artemis's eyes had lowered and saddened as she recalled the events, but she raised them to again meet Batman's, "He was taken by Cadmus. Nightwing is gone."

Her tone was blank and the words echoed in the eerie silence that had fallen on the occupants of the room. Batman's form had stiffened, shoulders tense, his son was gone.

But he was reminded that only one of them was gone as his other broke down and flung himself at his father, needing to be held by the only person left who could make him calm down, make him believe everything would turn out right.

The only other person with this ability had been Nightwing.

"Tim's voice shook as he spoke into his father's chest, tears waterfall's on his cheeks, "He was downloading the information though, so you received it right? You know why he protected us, why he was taken, what they are planning, right?" His tone was hopeful and perhaps a bit desperate.

Batman's tone was worse as it sounded almost defeated in its reply, "No, Tim, it was downloading, yes, but then it was abruptly wiped from all databases before anyone got a look at it. Your brother deleted it before we could get ourselves hurt trying to find him."

There was a sudden bang as the occupants of the room turned to look at Wally who had punched the wall, leaving an indent from the power behind it. His voice was harsh as he spoke, glaring at the wall with his pained emerald eyes, "Damn it! Of course he erased it! He's a sacrificial idiot!" everyone could tell the anger was really aimed at himself, despite his harsh words, "He wanted to protect us from whatever they will do to him, he didn't want us finding him encase we got captured and put through what he will be. He once told me 'whatever it takes' to protect his loved ones. Of course he blocked us of our only lead. Sacrificial idiot" The last two words were spoken softly, voice cracking as he bent his arm to lay on the wall and then lay his head on that arm, finally letting the tears that had been building up fall.

Artemis glanced at everyone in the room, downcast expressions on their faces. Her eyes lingered on Batman who tightly clutched a sobbing Robin to his chest, arms tightening at every thought that passed through his head.

Were they really all so broken without Nightwing?

She made her way over to Wally, footsteps soft and had eve softer as he laid it on his shaking shoulder. But her voice was firm, "He gave you a task to do Wally, I think it best that you do it now."

He looked up at her through wet eyelashes, looking oh so very broken, before his face tightened in resolve and his shoulders straightened noticeably, "Right," his voice was hoarse and blunt but did not crack again as he went to retrieve what he needed form Wing's room.

Everyone looked up as he re-entered, clutching tightly to a small object, no doubt the communicator. There were tear tracks on his freckled cheeks, but his eye's has hardened.

He too had found his resolve; they would get Nightwing back, whatever it took.

Wally pressed a button on the side of the device and a small holo-screen appeared above, Kaldur's face on it.

"Yes Nightw-" Kaldur's voice cut off abruptly as he saw who was calling him, and the entire Justice family stood behind that caller. "Wally?" his voice was questioning, uncertain.

Wally's tone was hard, unwavering in reply, "Nightwing has ordered you home immediately, he says your mission is aborted."

Kaldur's eyes shone with confusion, "What, why? I'm just about to infiltrate the Light, why pull me out now? It seems stupid; I'm in the perfect position to get any information needed? Why-"

Wally cut him off, "Nightwing has been compromised." The sentence was blunt, cold, but had the desired effect.

Kaldur's manor and facial expression changed abruptly, eyes narrowing and lips drawing tight, "I'm on my way." And the transmission was shut off.

Twenty minutes later when Kaldur arrived, Wally was slumped against the wall, knees up, elbows on knees, and face in hands. Robin was still in Batman's arms and Conner had placed an arm around M'gann; but the atmosphere had changed, it was now full of quiet determination.

Kaldur was told what happened and Batman began trying to recover the information or find anything on Nightwing's whereabouts using the base's computer systems. They were not having much luck when M'gann piped up, voice hesitant as if only just understanding something.

"Two years ago, Nightwing came into the cave with waves of guilt rolling off him. This was back before I could completely control my powers and so when someone's emotions were really strong I caught glimpses into their thoughts. The thoughts were broken, well guarded and confusing, but now, they make more sense. From what I understand, he was never one to let important information just go, he liked to keep it encase it was useful later. But Batman didn't agree, he wanted to get rid of some information Wing considered important and in order to please Batman he deleted it, or so Batman thought. In actuality he created his own account somewhere only he knew of and only he could access and transferred the information to there. It became a safe place he stored any information he thought might come in handy in the future. Nightwing didn't like getting rid of information of the liked he likely found at Cadmus, there is a huge chance he stored it in this account. If you can find it and crack whatever protection he has on it, then we can find him." Her voice had grown stronger, more determined and she stared directly at Batman as she said it.

Barely a second passed and Batman, Batgirl and Robin were at the computers hacking away, searching, fighting their way through firewalls for a lead.

M'gann had given them a clue, they had a chance now and they would take it.

And they would find their precious bird.

---

Cadmus Project Weapon Facility

October 14th l 08.36

He had fought against them at first, with everything he had, every skill he knew.

But they stripped him of his mask and weapons and injected a serum into his blood.

The pain was incredible and he blacked out before they had even finished tying him to the medical table in the experimentation room.

When he came too, he was strapped tightly to a white table in a white room, surrounded by sharp equipment.

He was also six.

It appeared the serum had worked just as it had said in the file; it had de-aged him ten years. And if he didn't get out before two months was up then they would be able to inject him with another serum that erased his memories without killing him through a reaction of the serums that would occur if they were mixed before two months. And it was all in order to then bring him up as their own personal weapon.

That's why they wanted the team, to create an army of super powered beings who only did what they said. An unstoppable army.

And Nightwing knew what came next, dreaded it and watched in fear as scientists with cruel expressions entered the entirely too white room and surrounded his table. They had to wait two months before they could begin to make him truly theirs and so they would spend those two months toughening his six year old body through every form of torture they could dream up.

Metal probes were attached to his bare and pale skin and Nightwing's voice echoed over the laughs of the cruel scientists as he screamed in agony at the volts of electricity dancing through his skin. Nightwing's scream was heart-wrenching and blood-boiling and uncontrollable, but his strapped hands weren't as he clenched his small fists tight in bitter anger at his own helplessness.

His wings were clipped; and without its wings, a bird cannot fly.

---

Just to be clear October 14th is when he woke up. Wow, I've only had this up for a day and I've had loads of readers, thanks guys :)

Oh, and ages, they're:

Nightwing-16

Artemis-18

Wally-18

Conner-well he can't age so his body is 16

M'gann-18

Kaldur-19

Zatanna-16

Robin-12

Beetle-14

Batgirl-16

Well there all around these ages and the team knewly has members such as Beetle, with Robin having only just joined and Richard newly Nightwing. Wally and Artemis don't quit in my story.

Um, I think thats everything, any quereies than ask.

R&R