It all happened so quickly. Dick was standing on the pedestal, ready to leap off and grab his mother's hands and begin their routine as Graysons. His muscles tensed preparing to jump when his mother didn't reach far enough. They didn't even come close.
Then they were falling. Falling and falling where no net was waiting to catch them. Down they went. Further and further down to where gravity would finally punish them for defying it for so long. Why won't they stop falling?
Dick felt the tears flooding down his eyes before they even reached the ground. Before he heard the gut wrenching crunch of all their bones breaking at once. He fell to his knees, unable to scream as he saw the lifeless forms of his mother and father lying on the ground in an unnatural position. Why won't they get up?
Richard was staring around in the Cave, waiting for everyone to arrive. Because of the occasion, Wally had invited all the members of the old Team, including M'gann, Superboy, and Kaldur. Richard was nervous, having to remeet old friends who he could not remember and have to explain why he did not hug them back. Wally had mentioned that perhaps M'gann could bring them back, but he politely declined, saying he would think about it.
Richard tugged at the collar of his old uniform, mostly black with a midnight blue bird symbol on his chest, which fit surprisingly well considering it hadn't been worn in several years. It was awkward for him to be wearing it again, but it did bring back some memories, or rather, feelings of the joy and exhilaration he had when wearing the uniform. He suddenly missed his old job. It was much better than being a mysterious unknown "uneducated" construction worker. Man, he hated that job, though it would tire himself at the end of the day.
The reunion was not what Richard had expected. they came in through the zeta tube, and while they stared at Richard incredulously, they remained cordial, perhaps not daring to believe that he was real. Or did Wally explain his situation and they did not want to attach themselves to something that might not be able to return the goodwill?
"Nightwing, it's great to see you again!" M'gann broke the ice of the tension in the room while Wally was catching up Kaldur. Everyone unconsciously slowed and stopped, curious and eager for his reply.
"Likewise, Miss M," Richard said, unsure if he should show emotion or not. Regardless though, the answer seemed to please M'gann and the others and soon the stress of the atmosphere loosened. Wally turned around to do the mission briefing.
"Okay, as we all know, the League of Shadows trains many assassins and those try to leave, never do."
"Didn't Artemis though?" Kaldur asked.
"Barely. And she was technically being trained by her father Sportsmaster. Dick's wife, Cassandra, was under their direct tutelage. As to why she has been left alone for so long and they are coming after her now, I cannot say. As of now, they pose a direct threat to Dick's wife and two children. He has asked us for his help."
"You really think we can take down all of the Shadows?" Superboy asked who still looked as young as ever.
"We don't need to." Richard broke in. "Cassandra says that all we need is Ghul's word. He is honor bound and will respect it."
"How do you expect to get it?" Kaldur's calm voice of reason came through and Richard almost hated him for it. He thought on the fly.
"A challenge.
It was blindingly white in the room. His eyelids, feeling glued together as they always had in the past, had suddenly opened. He was surprised to see a girl's face. She looked like she was on the later end of her teen but hadn't quite filled into her adult body yet. Her eyes were a dark warm brown, comforting him in his confusion as to why his eyes could open now. Her smile was white, but not as white as the room, not so stiff and unnatural, more subdued. Her hair was a light foresty brown with dark blue dyed into the last couple of into her wavy hair. She called someone over, a voice that sounded like silk though it was painfully loud to his ears.
Another man came over to him in a white coat. He had platinum blond hair and icy blue eyes. He decided immediately that he didn't like the man.
"My name is Dr. Shile. Can you tell me yours?"
He thought for a minute, wanting to close his eyes but scared of being trapped again in his own mind with only an inconsistent voice to keep him sane. He searched for something, something in his mind that was him. What did he call himself? Did he have a name? Who was he?
Eventually, something came to him. He was unsure if it was a name, but it was the only thing he could have. He spoke hesitantly, wondering if he still even had a voice. "R... Richard...?" Was that his name? Was that who he was?"
"Nice to meet you, Richard," the girl said. She was rather pretty he thought. He wanted to know her name now. He wanted to know who she was, what she called herself. Was she Richard too?
"This is Miss Cassandra Gray. She's the one who found you. Do you know what happened?"
Richard looked at the doctor. What did he mean, what happened to him?
"Call me Cassy. Do you remember anything?"
Remember? What was remembering? Did he remember? Could he remember? All he was certain of was a giant darkness and void in his mind, a fog that wouldn't leave even though Cassy shone like the sun in the room.
"I...I... What's going on?" he asked.
Richard looked at the city below him. They were on the top of a roof somewhere in Europe, looking for one of Ghul's men. Wally seemed to know one, though Richard didn't ask how. To be honest with himself, he didn't want to know what had happened to his friend.
His mind filled with bits and pieces and parts of memories that would leak into his mind though they made no sense. He would occasionally have enough pieces to finish a memory. In his mind, there was a man. He was tall, strong, brave, and never showed his face. He was always walking in the shadows, never showing his true feelings. Though he was ominous, inspiring fear towards others, he was familiar. Even more so than Wally. A name came to him. He realized who this man was. It was Batman, his daughter's hero, his adopted father.
"What happened to Batman?" Richard asked. He could tell from the way the others looked at one another that the story was not a good one.
"He tried to find you for you for over a year. While I don't think he ever gave up hope, he couldn't spend every moment looking for you when you might be dead when Gotham needed him. Eventually to ease his loss, he took on a boy called Tim Drake. He was the new Robin. He went crazy though after a few years because of Joker. After that Jason's death, your disappearance, and Drake's insanity, he decided to only work alone from then on. He hasn't taken another Robin on since. He's a bit of a recluse now, only coming to League meetings when absolutely necessary, but he still fights crime and still a hero."
"I meant, have you told him I'm alive yet?"
"Oh, that." Wally looked a little sheepish. "I haven't gotten around to it yet. Plus, there's no point in getting his hopes up and have him disappointed that you aren't who you used to be."
It was Richard's turn to turn red and look away. He saw the same feelings in Wally's eyes reflected through everyone else's. Richard felt a sense of failing them though he didn't think he had a reason to. It wasn't his fault that he couldn't remember anything from before his coma. Couldn't they also understand how much pain and hurt he's been through trying to remember?
Dick looked up at the giant house where Bruce Wayne had taken him. He was told that Bruce had adopted him, and knowing this, wondered what the man was like and what life he had in store for Dick. Some part of Dick wanted this man to simply leave him alone, but another wanted him to be his father, albeit a very small part of him.
As he walked through the doors into a grand hall, he was met by an old man with a gentle smile and weary old eyes. He said in an English accent, "Welcome, Master Grayson. My name is Alfred Pennyworth. May I show you to your room?"
Dick shook his head. He couldn't speak right now. He hadn't spoken since he had seen his parent's fall that late night show. He had become mute.
"Why don't you come to the kitchen with me, then. I believe chocolate chip cookies are in order."
Dick smiled, suddenly affection was growing in his heart towards this old man. Since his parents fall, he had felt some form of comfort that no one had been able to give to him. Still smiling, Dick followed the old man to the kitchen to feast on chocolate chip cookies.
Cassandra looked at the picture frame by her bed stand. It was of her and Richard when they had first started dating. He was standing behind her, holding her carefully around the waist. She was laughing and he was smiling widely. There were at the beach and it was a particularly windy day. Her hair was flying into her face and nothing could keep her hair looking nice. Richard had laughed at her after the photo was taken by a mutual friend and she had pushed him. He had fallen down, dragging her into the sea foam behind them which only caused more laughter. Cassy smiled, wishing things could so simple again when she didn't have to worry about her children or the League of Shadows trying to take everything she had ever loved.
She thought about what Richard was doing for her and their children. She felt a tear fall down her cheek thinking about everything the Shadows had taught her before she left. Love was a weakness they said. Most had families, but they were trivial in their own eyes, keeping themselves from loving them. They did not want an enemy to beat them merely because they had chosen to become attached to a person. Love was a weakness. Love made you weak.
Cassandra thought about what she was putting her husband through, the man she had fallen in love with. If he perished while on that mission, she could never forgive herself. Then she would be the last protector of her children. While she would fight to the death to save them, she knew the Shadows would most likely make her watch her children suffer and die before her own eyes before killing her or drafting her back. She hated the idea.
Did love really make you weak?
Ra's watched the man he sent out to meet the old Team over video. He smirked at the Flash's willingness to walk straight into his trap. He looked over to his assistant, asked for a coffee and went back to watching, almost giggling with glee. He was especially fond of watching the older Richard Grayson follow, still unaware of his lost memories that were stolen from him seven years ago. He smiled wickedly, thinking of how he would taunt the man.
"I believe Cassandra is playing her part well, don't you think so, sir?"
Ghul turned towards an old friend of his as he walked into the room. "Yes, indeed. She is quite is a wonderful player in the game. I will glad when she is officially on our side once more. Send her a message telling her we require her presence here now."
"Understood, sir." The man left.
Ghul continued to watch the young Grayson man walking into what would be his downfall.