DICK:

After a few tears are shed, the three of us make our way up to the mansion. As of right now, we're sitting by the fire waiting for Clark, Barry, and some of the others to come by. Bruce wants to make sure that what's happening to me isn't just some fluke.

Bruce and Alfred both look up suddenly and rush out of the room. I –as I've been told to do- stay seated and wait until the civilian dressed heroes walk in through the door. Barry's talking worriedly, far too quickly for me to read his lips and Clark is screaming at Bruce angrily. I can make out a few sentences, I catch his 'Are you crazy' and 'He could have been killed!' and 'he shouldn't have even been out tonight' and lastly the 'you should have left him at happy harbor Bruce! This is your fault!' at this I spring up from my spot in a recliner and march my way to Clark.

I take a deep breath and scream, grabbing everyone's attention.

"This is not Bruce's fault! I chose I go out tonight and I chose to go ahead and try to catch Joker even though Bruce told me to stay by his side! So don't go yelling at the wrong person. If there's anyone to blame it's me." I say and pray that it sounded angry and stern.

They all exchange a glance before Barry steps forward.

"Dick…come here." Barry says slowly and I obey reluctantly.

Barry lifts away my hair form where the bullet had hit me and runs a finger over the stitches.

I feel the vibrations in the air as they all start talking at once and Barry hugs me to his chest tightly.

Finally after a few seconds, Barry lets me go and I look up to see half of the heroes nodding sadly.

"What's wrong?" I ask and Barry sighs.

"I'm so sorry Dick…there's nothing anyone can do." Barry says slowly and closes his eyes tightly.

I feel as if something inside me snaps and tears start to pour out of my eyes.

"It's not your fault." I whisper and run out of the room, not wanting any of the people I actually looked up to, seeing me cry.

I really don't know how long I stayed up there. I just know that after locking my door and shutting the curtains, I don't come out.

While locked in my too big room, I looked up a sign language site and work on my alphabet. I mean If I can't hear, might as well learn how to communicate in some other way right?

One week later

"Futile." I say and watch Bruce sigh before Barry gently presses into my cheeks until I drop my jaw slightly. "Futile." I repeat, aggravated by the way only vibrations make their way to my senses.

Barry nods and shows me another index card.

"Perpendicular." I say. Again, bary adjusts my jaw and I repeat the word.

Apparently my speech has been becoming sloppy over the past week. Barry, Clark and the others have been visiting me often and they've all decided that YJ should know about what's been going on. But according to Bruce, I have to act as if this wasn't a big deal therefore everything I do or say has to seem normal. That's why Clark, Barry, John, Bruce, and Ollie are surrounding me, trying to help me say thing correctly.

" Cranium." I enunciate and smile slightly when Barry smiles widely and switches the card. "…um…philosophical." I say slowly. Ollie frowns and says something quickly before clark punshes his arm lightly.

Barry positions my mouth and lips before nodding. Again I say the word and everyone frowns in confusion.

"I can't!" I shout and stand up after the fourth try.

"Dick." Barry calmly whispers.

"No! Why can't they just learn sign language?" I scream.

" Dick." Clark stands up and places a hand on my shoulder.

I look up when I feel a new set of vibrations radiating from the front door.

Bruce and Clark look up in shock and when I turn I find Roy standing there, looking like a wet cat.

"Where is he?" he growls, not noticing me.

Bruce stalks forward and angrily shouts something. Barry blushes a bright red at the words before quickly running over to cover my ears.

Clark screams at Barry and the blond blushes again before stepping away from me.

"sorry…forgot." Barry says and shrugs.

"what do you mean…he can't hear?" Roy asks suddenly. Keeping my eyes on his lips, I step forward. "Dick!" he smiles and pulls me into a hug. He keeps talking and in frustration and shove him away in attempts to look at him mouth in order to understand.

"What?" I ask. He frowns and tilts his head.

"why are you tlkaing like that?" he asks.

"like what?"

"Like that!" he exclaims. "what happened Dicky?"

"…Joker…he shot me and…I can't hear anymore." I whisper.

Someone speaks and Roy's eyes gloss over in sadness.

"he's deaf?" he asks in bewilderment.

"yes…" I respond.