Chapter 29 Nightmares, Graves, and Blue

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice, or any plot ideas I borrow from DC Comics.

Dick woke up screaming for the fourth night in a row. A mix of sweat and tears were rolling down his face. He sat up in bed, and wiped his face. He brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, as the door swung open. Bruce rushed to his ward's side, wrapping the shivering child in his arms. He had started staying home the day after the nightmares started. Dick had nightmares ever since his family died, but as time passed they grew less and less. However, since the first anniversary of their death was tomorrow Dick was not faring well. It did not help that he was still not use to not being Robin, even though it had been about six weeks.

Bruce rocked the boy back and forth, muttering words of comfort. Bruce didn't have to ask what the nightmare was about, and Dick didn't want to talk about it anyway. The two understood each other that way like no one else could.

"Come on, Dickie. Grab your Batman plush, and come sleep with me," Bruce whispered.

Dick nodded, and reached out for his plushie. He grabbed his Batman one, and left the Superman laying beside his pillow. Bruce picked him up, and Dick eagerly wrapped his arms around Bruce's neck, the plushie hanging loosely against Bruce's back.

Bruce placed the boy down on his bed and pulled the blankets over him. Dick curled into a ball, as Bruce slide into bed next to him. Dick immediately pushed himself against Bruce, momentarily forgetting his anger at the man for taking Robin away from him.

The next morning Dick woke up exhausted and alone. He hugged his Batman plushie to him, and let the tears fall. It had been exactly a year. His parents, aunt, and cousin had died exactly a year ago today. Dick laid there crying for what felt like hours, but was really only a few minutes. He was so wrapped up in his misery, he didn't notice Bruce come in.

"Do you want to go see them?" Bruce asked, from the end of the bed.

Watery eyed and red faced, Dick nodded.

"Get dressed then," Bruce told him.

In a daze, Dick sat up and slide off the bed. Like a zombie, he walked to his room and opened his closet.

Wanting to look nice for his family, he picked a red polo shirt and khaki pants over his usual jeans and superhero t-shirt.

Remembering that his mother always like his hair combed back, he went to the bathroom to brush it. Then he brushed his teeth because his father hated it whenever his breath smelled.

He walked downstairs to find Bruce waiting for him at the door, holding his blue jacket.

"It's windy outside," Bruce explained, handing it to Dick.

Dick nodded, putting it on. Blue was Johnny's favorite color.

Bruce and Dick walked to the Wayne graveyard in silence, except for the soft sound of crunching grass beneath their shoes. Dick opened the gate surrounding the small family graveyard, and walked to the back where the newest ones were. The ones where his family was buried.

Dick looked behind him to see Bruce waiting patiently at the gate. Dick sighed, kneeling down in front of the graves.

"Bună Mamă, tată, mătușa Karla, Johnny. Nu pot să cred că a trecut un an de când te-"

"Hi Mom, Dad, Aunt Karla, Johnny. I can't believe it's been a year since you-"

Dick's voice broke, and quickly changed his wording. Knowing that they died, and saying it outloud was too different things.

"Ai fost plecat. Am o nouă familie acum, Bruce și Alfred, dar ele nu sunt tu," Dick said.

"You've been gone. I have a new family now, Bruce and Alfred, but they're not you."

Tears were freely falling down his face again.

"Eu încă dor de tine în fiecare zi, iar eu încă mai gândesc la tine în fiecare zi," Dick told them.

"I still miss you, and I still think of you everyday."

"Îmi pare rău că nu vin vizită de mult, dar eu nu sunt ca Bruce. Nu vreau să stau doar în jurul mizerie mea tot timpul. Mai am o viață de trăit, iar eu nu cred că ar vrea să se oprească viață pentru că ai făcut-o," Dick whispered. It was slowly getting harder and harder to talk.

"I'm sorry I don't come visit much, but I'm not like Bruce. I don't want to just sit around in my misery all the time. I still have a life to live, and I don't think you would want me to stop living because you did."

He stopped talking for a minute to get a hold of himself. Once his crying stopped enough to make sense he started again.

"Deci, despre viața mea. Mă duc la o școală privată acum. Nu-mi place mult, dar m-am întâlnit cel mai bun prieten al meu acolo, Barbara. E adevărat inteligent, frumos, și amuzant. Ea mă ajută să se ocupe de toți copiii medii. Am întâlnit, de asemenea, toți membrii Justice League, pentru că Bruce este Batman. Am fost partenerul lui, Robin pentru o vreme. Am luat jos Tony Zucco împreună. Mi-a spus că nu mai pot fi Robin, dar doar între noi am de gând să găsească o cale de a fi din nou Robin. El pur și simplu nu știe încă," Dick continued.

"So about my life. I go to a private school now. I don't like it much, but I met my best friend there, Barbara. She's really smart, nice, and funny. She helps me deal with all the mean kids. I've also met all the members of the Justice League, because Bruce is Batman. I was his partner, Robin for awhile. We took down Tony Zucco together. He told me I can't be Robin anymore, but just between us I'm going to find a way to be Robin again. He just doesn't know it yet."

Dick sighed, "Ce altceva se întâmplă?"

"What else is going on?"

"Da, m-am dus să văd unchiul Rick săptămâna trecută. E în stare să vorbim acum. Să sperăm, va fi suficient de bine o zi pentru a ieși facilitatea de reabilitare. Medicii spun că nu va fi capabil să meargă din nou, totuși."

"Oh yeah, I went to see Uncle Rick last week. He's able to talk now. Hopefully, he'll be well enough one day to get out the rehabilitation facility. The doctors say he'll never be able to walk again, though."

"Cred că e tot. Eu chiar vreau doar să merg înăuntru, și sper ca a doua zi să fie peste cu. Te iubesc," Dick whispered.

"I think that's everything. I really just want to go inside, and hope for the day to be over with. I love you."

Dick wiped his face with the sleeve of his jacket, before forcing himself to stand. He looked at the clear sky, which seemed to mock his pain.

Taking a last look at their graves, and letting out a deep breath. He walked away, holding more pain and grief than anyone ever should.

AN: I know this is short, but I kinda planned it that way. I also have never lost anyone really close to me, so I wasn't sure how to write that. I just hope it seems realistic. Thanks for the reviews, follows, and favorites.