MAILBAG

Anon, Chapter 50 (judging by your guest tag, you didn't want your name to be mentioned)

Thank you. I lost my brother recently, and this story has made me realize some things. I'm trying to stop cutting, which I have been doing for about a year. I went into a major depression, and lost all will to live. It was like a rain cloud came over my very soul, and I stopped talking. I didn't leave my dorm room, I skipped my classes, I almost dropped out of college. I lost a lot of friends. But about a week after my brothers funeral I was prowling around the internet, looking for something I could read to touch and feel and share my emotions with, and I found this.

Scarlet's character really is touching. I felt everything she did, mostly because I still have the same feelings. The feeling of it being entirely her fault, feeling lost, and feeling.. silent. :{

I still don't talk.. But I have returned to my classes, and am majoring in Engineering. Hopefully I will be ok. Please make sure Dick is ok.. I can't bear to see a brother die..

Once again thank you. Thank you so much. I'm pulling myself back together, thread by thread. :'}

Wow. I'm really sorry to hear about your brother. I can't even imagine what that's like- I can't put anything into words that would adequately describe the emotions.

But what you've managed to do is so fucking inspirational. I have loved ones who suffer from depression- it's not joke, and it's such an incredibly hard thing to deal with and treat successfully. You're waiting weeks and weeks for the meds to work, feeling like shit the whole time.

I'm very proud of what you've become, even just reading this is touching. Stay strong- take care of yourself, and know that if you ever need to talk, you can feel free to PM me. I apologize for responding to this in the mailbag- I could tell from your guest tag that you wanted to remain anonymous, and since you weren't logged in I couldn't PM you.

I'm really glad my story has given you something to at least keep you entertained through tough times. You're incredibly strong, and I'm privileged to be able to provide a small amount of help in your darkest hour.

Take care of yourself. Take it one day at a time- please don't hurt yourself. I know its a struggle, when the darkness of your own mind threatens to overtake you, but your brother wouldn't want you to hurt yourself, and he wouldn't want you to give up. Keep pushing through- even the deepest hell has to end at some point, my friend. I can;t say much right now ab out the story, for the sake of the plot, but hang in there- what becomes of Dick will be revealed soon.

Blacktarget, Chapter 50

I honestly agree with Nightwing in this chapter. I understand that it's "her choice", or whatever, but at the same time I can see the wisdom in concerned peers taking the choice out of her hands. Lets be real, I like scarlet, but she's never been a very emotionally sound character, so any decision she made, especially one concerning Wally would have been foolish. Jericho was right in holding her back, she could not have added anything to the mission that nightwing did not already bring to the table, and just needlessly risked another hero's life.

Ah, an interesting opinion. You have good reasons to back it up, as well, but did Dick and Jericho really have the right to make the choice? I'm just playing devil's advocate here, because I think I've done a pretty good job of splitting my readers right down the middle. While Nightwing may have made the logical choice, did he fundamentally have the right to REMOVE Scarlet's autonomy like he did? And, just the fundamental bit aside, he lied to her- he led her into believing she;d be allowed to go with him before betraying her trust, while enlisting one of her closest friends in helping him with it. That has to carry some emotional damage, even if you do consider his original decision right. Your review adresses some very important philosophical questions as to what our characters did.

Major Cartooniac, Chapter 51

CALLED IT! Batman got a Batkid, and a few others. Aww, Scarlet, I think I would have broken if Gar came to visit me too. He's so sweet, and innocent, and just so hug-invoking. Anyways. YOSH SHE WILL OUT-STUBBORN EVERYONE! Except for maybe Batman, because HELLO, he's BATMAN.

Honestly Jericho... I think you should give Scarlet some space because staring at her like a stalker while she 'sleeps' won't really help. You messed up bro, big time. I hope you realize your mistake and violation of basic human rights and crumble under the guilt.

Speaking of basic human rights... OMG BATMAN SERIOUSLY LET HER OUT I KNOW YOU CAN GO INTO SUPER-DADDYBATS MODE BUT YOU CANNOT KEEP HER THERE! AHH FOR THE SMARTEST DUDE ON THE PLANET YOUR SUPER THICK WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR KIDS! YOU DON'T TAKE THEIR WANTS INTO ACCOUNT WITH WHAT YOU THINK IS 'BEST' FOR THEM! Can't you see why they rebel against you? UGH JUST, SOMEONE SMACK SOME SENSE INTO HIM. PLEASE.

Ahem. Sorry about that. I seem to rant in my reviews. I can't wait for your next chapter!

"See" you next time,

-MajorCartooniac

Your review is both interesting to read and thoughtful, as always! :)

In these past few chapters, we have to ask ourselves, is Batman violating her human rights or intervening to protect her. On one hand, she's just committed a criminal act in what appears to be a suicide attempt, and she appears to be unstable, so he has every right to detain her. But due to the state of mind she;s in, detaining her is detrimental to her health, and Batman is walking the fine line of being a hero and a father here. He needs to know what happened to his son, he needs to know why Scarlet broke into STAR Labs and what her purpose was, and at the same time, he needs to look out for Scarlet's well-being. Bear in mind, all of this is occurring while it appears his eldest son has committed suicide, and that his youngest is traumatized and is clearly deteriorating. {It's a delicate balance of things, really, and Bruce is struggling to juggle them all. In this chapter we see him put aside his need for answers and begin to focus more on Scarlet's needs, since it;s clear that's all he can really do at the moment, since Scarlet refuses to talk.

As for Jericho... that's a tough one. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, my friend. Jericho is an empath, as well, so he's able to sense Scarlet's turmoil and pain. That's partially why he's drawn to her room at night- he;s trying to make sure she's okay. While it may come off as creepy, we have to remember, Jericho still cares deeply for her.

Blue Moon Solstice, Chapter 51

I really hope that Scarlet escapes it must feel like hell in there. Especially with Batman sending in her friends and teammates coming in to visit her. I sort of just want her to tell them what is happening. Why can't Tim be smart enough to figure out the real reason that Scarlet is in there! It's not like she's in the medbay. Bells should be going off in his head. But apparently not, so yeah I think Batman is taking the a very good angle for getting the truth from Scarlet, one thing I wonder is if he's thinking about the repercussions of his actions. I mean what about Scarlet she's probably very disturbed right now so why is he deliberately putting her through this? Scarlet is being very rational with her anger towards Jericho it was never his decision, even though we all know Nightwing told him to pull her out, so really I understand Scarlet there. I do think that she at least should listen to Jerichos part of the story.

Remember- Tim is being kept in the dark about everything by Batman. Only the Justice League, Rose, and Jericho know about what happened in STAR Labs, and it;s going to take them a bit to connect Scarlet's observance to Nightwing's 'leave of absence'.

Batman is struggling to walk the line between hero and father. He needs answers about her action at STAR Labs- and as a father, he also needs to know what;s happened to Dick, while making sure his daughter is still in an okay state herself. He's trying to balance everything- and failing. Which is why in this chapter we jsut see him focus on Scarlet.

There's a bit of reconciling with Jericho as well.

Thanks for the thoughtful review- please enjoy! :)


The first thing she noticed was the absence of sound. There was nothing- the dingy grey sky, the dull green grass, the muddy ground. A slight mist swirled around her ankles, and judging by the trees in the distance, she knew exactly where she was. The Wayne Family Cemetery.

She shuddered slightly, chills crawling up her spine. It was cold- she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her sweat pants, striding morosely forward into the mist. Maybe she'd visit her parents' graves.

The total absence of sound annoyed her. There was absolutely nothing- she couldn't hear the slight sound of her sneakers on the grass, or the whistle of the wind, though she could feel it on her skin, smooth and cold. She couldn't hear her own breath or heart beat- it was annoying, and she continued onward, irritated. Since when had she become deaf?

She stopped short of the entrance to the cemetery, frowning. Through the wrought iron gates stood the familiar shape of tomb stones- some of different shape and sizes, dating back to the 1800s. So-me bulky, some modestly small, some weathered with age but still well-cared for.

Only they were devoid of all writing.

She stepped forward, quickening her pace, jogging through the gate. There was nothing- where had all the writing on the stones gone? She trotted past the stones that memorialized Bruce's parents, only to see in the passing glance that they, too, were bare. The place was devoid of flowers, and she stumbled over a fallen urn, only to come face to face with her parent's own headstones... there was nothing. Nothing but cracked stone. No words memorializing the parents that'd raised her, the incredible people who'd given her life as a child...

And she wasn't even sad. Her own emptiness haunted her. Shouldn't she be upset, angry, even? Someone had stolen the writing off all the tombstones and destroyed her parent's gravestones- but as much as she knew she should feel something, there was only a void.

She sat back for a moment, only to catch sight of something in the distance. Writing.

Her curiosity overrode her nagging guilt at not feeling any remorse, and she stood, carefully picking her way over to the stone. It was freshly dug, she could tell by the bare earth that had yet to have grass grow over it. She knelt down in front of it, knees touching the dirt and leaving imprints, as she leaned forward to read the engraving...

Richard "Dick" John Grayson

March 21, 1994-March 5, 2016

"Forever defying gravity."

She simply stared at the stone for a moment, seeing but not comprehending it. For a brief moment she was completely, utterly numb, reaching out to trace the engraved letters with her hand, before all the emotions she;d been deprived of feeling came crashing down on her.

She couldn't breathe. She could only gasp raggedly as ears streamed down her face, unable to get a full breath. She was unable to lift her head and instead she sank to the ground, cheek in the dirt.

The cold that lived in the dirt began to creep into her, making her shiver instinctively, but she hardly noticed it over her own gasping, convulsive sobs. Dick was truly dead...

A hand shot out from the soil beneath her and grabbed her throat, startling her. she struggled, trying to twist away, but the rough, charred fingers pulled her down with surprising strength, crushing her throat. She couldn't even cry out as she was being choked, her face forced into the dirt. She was inhaling debris and pebbles, not what little precious air she could gasp in, and adrenaline and panic flooded her for a brief moment as she thrashed wildly, unable to break free.

She knew that hand. Charred, burned, she'd seen it and felt it before. It was Dick's.

Grey started to creep into the edges of her vision, and her struggles became for feeble, though her fear didn't dull any. She clawed at her throat, desperate to make the hand release, but it was no good- she was running out of oxygen.

As the hand jerked her downward painfully by the throat, her ear made contact with the ground. She heard a muffled voice- one that was painfully familiar- calling her name from below ground. Dick's voice hoarsely shouting her name was the last thing she heard before the blackness consumed her.


She woke up screaming, in a cold sweat. She sat bolt-upright, all too aware of something she was tangled in and the warmth on her neck...

Dick was dead. He was really, truly dead, and it was all her fault.. She held onto her raw throat, struggling to breath as her chest constricted painfully with the knowledge and she began to hyperventilate.

She was alone, alone, alone, Dick was dead and haunting her dreams and she could tell no one...

She caught sight of a shock of blonde curls and looked up, shocked, to see Jericho standing at the foot of her bed. He was dressed in a too-big grey t-shirt and boxers, and his hands were extended, eyes concerned, as though he was unsure whether or not to reach out and touch her, calm her down.

His hesitance didn't matter, though, because as soon as she saw him she was launching herself forward, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in the crook between his neck and shoulder and sobbing long and hard, crying for all she was worth, screaming between the sobs. All her hatred for him had vanished in the face of pure, unadulterated terror.

Jericho tensed for a brief moment, before his arms were around her- one hand clapped over her raven hair, holding her head stead ass he sobbed, the other rubbing slow circles on her back as she shuddered from the force of her sobs, trying to steady her...

Jericho hadn't meant to end up like this. He'd only woken up because he'd felt immense fear, immense pain, like he'd been feeling for the past several nights, from Scarlet.

He'd come to check on her through the observation window, only to find her clawing at her own throat, thrashing as though she were possessed, so he'd opened the door to her room and run in, torn between reaching out and trying to calm her and calling for help straight away.

She made the decision for him, though, when she woke up and lunged forward, clinging to him as though she were drowning and he was salvation in a hellish sea. it alarmed him, how violently she was reacting- whatever she'd felt must've been truly disturbing, to make her cry like this...

He rubbed her back firmly, his fingers weaving through her hair to hold her head still as she sobbed convulsively in his grasp, her whole body shaking. He was alarmed by the pure force of her emotion, the way she gasped raggedly for breath between bouts of sobbing- if she kept this up, she was going to pass out...

Gloved hands peeled Scarlet off him, and Jericho looked up, surprised and a bit relieved, to see Batman in the room. Once she was out of his hands, he noticed the deep scratches in her throat that wept blood, but it was nothing compared to how hard she was sobbing...

He was frozen for a brief moment, before he was crossing the room in a few brisk strides, grabbing a paper cup and filing it with water from the sink, hesitantly padding back over.

Her sobs had lessened in intensity slightly, as her body found the need to breath more pressing than the need to cry. She took ragged breaths, chest heaving from where she was curled against Batman.

Jericho hesitantly held the cup out to the dark knight, who quickly took it, bringing it to her lips. She managed a small swallow or two before she choked on it, and she was back to simply taking shuddering breaths and trying to stop shaking. Batman's chest rumbled as he spoke, voice too low for Jericho to hear, but whatever he said seemed to have some effect at calming her down, as she soon laid her head on his shoulder and was still, looking exhausted and drained.

Jericho craned his neck to try and get a look at her eyes, to see if they were open and alert of dull with pain and fear. He didn't get to see them, though, and Batman turned to him. "I'm taking her home. You'll be expected to file an incident report in the morning."

Jericho nodded, eyes never leaving Scarlet's face. he had the urge to brush a stray lock of raven hair from her face and to peer at her expression, but he restrained himself, and just as soon as Batman had appeared, he was gone, leaving Jericho alone in the room, wondering if what had happened was even real.


Batman carried her into the medbay of the Batcave, clipping the heart rate monitor to her finger and arranging her on the bed, tucking the white sheet over her.

Alfred entered the room, expression concerned. "Did she divulge what you wished to know as to the whereabouts of Master Dick?"

Bruce sighed, shaking his head and pulling own the cowl. "No. She won't say anything, and she's been deteriorating. She can't be kept at the mountain anymore."

Alfred frowned, looking concerned. "If she's in no shape to be kept there, then you surely can't expect her to be in any shape to discuss the incident..."

"I don't, Alfred. Even expecting her to was a mistake." Bruce sighed, running a nervous hand through his hair as he eyed the limp form on the cot beside him.

Alfred cleared his throat. "What do you expect of her then, Master Bruce?"

Bruce sighed again, looking frustrated. "Improvement. I need to know where Dick is, Alfred. If he's gone, I need to know. I need closure. But for now- she needs to recover. She's to be monitored at all times, I'm to be informed if there's any change. Hopefully she'll recover better in familiar surroundings."

Alfred nodded his silent approval before he was gone, leaving Bruce alone to look at his sixteen year old, who had fallen into a fitful sleep.

The Computer Monitor across the cave flickered to life, however- he was receiving an incoming transmission from Mount Justice. He crossed the cave in a few quick strides, pulling up his cowl as he went, before opening the request, only to come face to face with a green-eyed blond.

Jericho Wilson. The boy looked nervous- his green eyes were wide, and he shifted awkwardly. The scar clearly visible on his throat and what he'd read in the boy's file reminded him that the boy was mute. He simply stared for a moment, wondering what had possessed the mute blond to contact him, before he noticed the boy craning his neck, trying to see around him. Suddenly the anxious look in his eyes made sense- he was looking for Scarlet.

"Nighthawk is fine. She's been secured in our medbay."

Jericho nodded hesitantly, and ceased trying to look around Batman. His eyes didn't leave the dark knight's cowl as he seemed to implore for more information.

"She's stable. I need you to page Black Canary and inform her of the situation. Understood?"

Jericho nodded, though the transmission went on for a few more seconds, as Jericho shifted nervously, clearly hoping to hear more on Nighthawk's condition. When he realized there would be nothing more, he ended the transmission and went to do as he was told.


She blinked sluggishly, trying to figure out where she was. The air was slightly damp, and she knew she wasn't in that room in the cave anymore….

Bruce sat beside her bed, looking absolutely exhausted. She twitched slightly, struggling to sit up. Any memories she had of last night were just a haze- she'd panicked, absolutely lost it, and then fallen right back into an exhausted, dreamless sleep.

"How're you doing?"

She looked over at Bruce hesitantly, before giving him a shrug. Sjhe waited for the impending questions as to Dick's whereabouts and what exactly it was she'd done in STAR labs…. Only he didn't question her.

Instead he sighed. "Alfred's upstairs making breakfast. Tim and Damian will be glad to see you, and you're to sleep down here tonight so I can monitor you in case a repeat of last night happens. Understood?"

She nodded quietly, forcing herself to keep the surprise from her features. Had he finally accdepted that she wasn't going to talk?

She slowly got to her feet, stretching for a moment, before she was headed upstairs, surprised and a little bit relieved he hadn't demanded she talk about what she didn't understand.

Maybe things were getting back to normal.


What happened to Scarlet? She's not in the room…. Rose scrutinized her brother nervously, eyes locked on his own in telepathic communication.

Nightmares. Batman took her home.

Rose winced. That bad, huh? Maybe it's for the best, it might mean they ease up on her more….

I've never seen Scarlet cry like that. Jericho was frowning, looking concerned.

Rose raised her eyebrows, surprised. She- she let you near her? I thought after STAR Labs, you two weren't talking….

I doubt she even knew it was me. She was so scared, she just clung to the closest thing.

Rose nodded, sighing. That explains it, then.

When will she be back?

Your guess is as good as mine, 'Rico.'


She'd been wrong. Things weren't the same at home. Tim was walking on eggshells whenever he saw her- he didn't know about her mission to STAR Labs, but he'd been able to put together that her recent confinement in observation had something to do with Nightwing's 'leave of absence' following Wally's death.

Damian was more upfront about it.

"Glad to have you back. Where's Grayson?"

She froze for a brief moment, before she shrugged, spooning yogurt into her mouth and staring at the table in front of her.

Damian frowned, brows furrowing. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know where he is." She hissed, eyes igniting in a glare that she only used for criminals.

Damian's eyes widened slightly, and Tim quickly whispered something in his ear before Damian settled down, eyeing her warily.

They continued eating breakfast in a tense silence.

She was back, but things were far from normal.


Please Review! I love to know your thoughts and/or favorite parts of each chapter! :)