A/N *hangs head in shame* Sorry for not updating; I've been pretty busy lately. Sadly, I still will be for the next little while; so I apologize again for the short chapter and the fact that you might have to wait a little bit for the next chapter.

By the way, this does actually take place after another one of my stories, "Fugitive". I was trying to get in the mood to write the sequal, so...yeah. You can still enjoy the brother fluff even if you haven't read it; just imagine some random traumatic kidnapping.

Disclaimer I still don't own Young Justice...

~Aiva

A scream ripped through the air, full of such raw terror it would send chills down any sane person's spine. Wally jerked away, heart racing as he glanced around his room. For a moment, the heavy shadows and occasional streak of dim moonlight disoriented the speedster. His confusion faded so quickly it was almost like it had never existed in the first place, concern and a feeling of protectiveness taking over instead. He moved over to his best friend's side at a speed that made his outline blur.

Dick was writhing, body twisting and turning as he fought off whatever imaginary demons were torturing him. A thin layer of cold sweat coated his face, lending his pale flesh a sickly gleam. His face was contorted into an expression of sheer, animal panic, eyes fluttering desperately behind closed eyelids. "NO!" he screamed, before lapsing into his native language. The slur of vowels and consonants was completely foreign to Wally's ears, and he silently promised himself to ask Dick to teach him Romani later. Wally winced as more screams punctuated the air, and he silently hoped Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris would have enough sense to stay away; their presence wouldn't help right now.

Wally bit his lip, anxiously prodding the thirteen-year-old's shoulder. "Dick, wake up," he urged, keeping his voice as calm and soothing as possible. Dick flinched away, another cry escaping his lips. Wally silently scolded himself for not thinking about this earlier; of course Dick would have nightmares! He always had them after a traumatizing event, and it had been mere days since their escape. "C'mon, Dickie," Wally repeated, a bit louder. "Wake up. It's just a dream, Dickie-bid. I'm right here."

The words did nothing to help, so Wally decided to take more drastic measures. The speedster ignored the struggles of his best friend, gathering Dick's small, trembling frame into his arms. The ebony's blue eyes shot open, and he momentarily fought to get away. Wally only tightened his grip, feeling his heart shatter further as he made out Dick's mumbled pleas to make it stop. "Shh, Dickie-bird," Wally hushed. "It's just me. I'm right here, I promise. You're safe; I won't let him get you ever again. You're safe." He was repeated himself, but he honestly didn't care; Dick needed something familiar to grasp too, and this was a routine they had both become accustomed to whenever Dick would spend the night.

Dick was sobbing, the harsh, broken gasps a clear sign of how badly he was hurting. He was still shaking, thin frame almost like a leaf caught in the wind. His skinny arms hesitantly reached up to hug Wally's neck, and the speedster responded by murmuring quiet words of comfort, rocking back and forth as he rubbed Dick's back. "Wally," the ebony cried out, grip tightening. "It w-was so real. I-I - "

"He's gone, Dick. I promise, it's all over now," Wally interrupted. "You're safe, Dickie-bird."

Dick didn't respond other than to take a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. Wally couldn't help but be impressed by how brave the kid was; Dick had just been through one of the most traumatizing events of his life, having to endure both physical and mental torture while believing his only hope at recue to be dead. He was only thirteen! If Wally had to go through that, he would be an absolute wreck; Hope dying had left him wounded enough. The fact that Dick was already forcing himself to calm down and recover…it was amazing. He really was a Boy Wonder.

…But even a Boy Wonder couldn't bounce back immediately. They would both need time to heal even partially, and it was clear the process was only just beginning. "But it's n-not over," Dick responded, the broken tone in his voice so empty and sad it would melt even the hardest of hearts. "E-every night I s-see it, a-and I just want to forget! I j-jump at every shadow, and I h-hate it!"

Wally hugged him tighter, pressing the lower half of his face into Dick's dark hair in a gesture that made them seem exactly like brothers. "I can't forget it either, Dick. I just keep thinking of…" A painful lump rose in his throat at the name, but he forced himself to swallow past it. He couldn't quite finish the name. He moved on, choosing not to dwell on the subject. "But we'll make it through this. If you can still smile after all you've been through, I know you can make it through this."

"How much more can I take?!" Dick asked, the sudden anger surprising Wally. "You think having to watch my parents die would be bad enough, but the universe seems determined to put me through as much pain as possible!" Anger had taken the trembling out of his voice, but the broken quality was still there.

Wally was sure he was going to strangle Dick, he was hugging the kid so hard. "Gosh, Dick," he muttered. "Listen, you're the strongest person I know. Yeah, you watched your parents die. You were beaten by Two-Face until you almost died. You watched your entire family and all of your friends die while having to act like Batman. You've had to face nearly every single psycho in Gotham and most of the other cities too. But you've always made it through alive. You've always recovered, you always bounce back with a smile on your face and some witty comment that makes you sound like an idiot but makes everyone laugh anyway. If you can make it through all of that, I know you can make it through this. And I'm right here for you, Dick. Don't forget that, ever."

Dick had flinched away at the first few memories, but had gradually become more relaxed as Wally went on. He took a deep, shuddering breath, feeling like he had gained a semblance of control again. "Thanks, Wally," he mumbled, letting out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. "I just wish I could forget this whole mess."

"I know, Dickie," Wally said, voice soft. "I do too. But we'll make it through this, like we always do, okay?"

Dick nodded. "Do…do you think they'll come back for us?" he asked hesitantly, fear lacing the words.

"Even if they do, they won't lay a hand on you. I won't let you go back to that place ever again, okay? You've got the Team, half the League, Daddy Bats, and me watching your back," Wally reminded. "They won't stand a chance."

Dick nodded again, stifling a yawn. He was exhausted physically from the late hour, and the emotional stress he had just been through only increased that. "Go to sleep, Dickie-bird," he prompted, adjusting his grip to make the ebony a bit more comfortable.

"Don't leave," Dick murmured.

"I'm not going anywhere," Wally assured, unable to help the small smile that stole across his face as Dick relaxed, drifting off to sleep at an impressive speed. Dick was forcing himself to be strong, but it was moments like these where it was painfully obvious he was still just a kid; a kid who had seen way too much in thirteen years, but a kid nonetheless. He needed to know he was safe, that someone would be there for him. Wally was going to take that job upon himself; he would go to the ends of the earth and back for his little brother if he had to.

"I'll protect you," he promised quietly.

A/N Yeah, again sorry for the short chapter. I'm thinking of doing some DaddyBats fluff next...it's about time I write some. Let me know what you guys think.

Reviews are greatly appreciated!