Summary: Takes place in late December, so almost a year after Auld Acquaintance.
Disclaimer: I don't own DC
It had been a while since Dick last visited his parents' graves. He knew he was overdue for a visit, but a small part of him just didn't want to go because he knew it would make him depressed all over again. Ever since he was put into a magical coma and had to choose between his parents and his new family, he had been trying his utter best to leave this trauma behind. However, he knew he couldn't just forget about them.
"Hey mom, dad. Uh...it's been a while. S-sorry I didn't visit sooner. I've just been...busy." Silence overtook the Boy Wonder as he just thought of what he could say. It's been so long. I've changed so much. Would they even recognize me?
"So, 6 years now, huh? Damn, pretty soon I'd have spent more time with Bruce than I did with you. That's...scary to think about. I-I mean, Bruce is great. Best adoptive dad ever. But...I don't know. I feel...conflicted. Like, I love Bruce, and Al, and everyone I have, but...I feel like I've been held back by this...burden for too long now." His voice started to shake a bit as he thought carefully of what to say. He had been keeping this in for a while, but it was time. He couldn't be split between two worlds forever.
"I love you both, I always will. But...I need to move on. I'm sorry, I really am, but I can't stay in that circus tent forever. I have to let go." Dick let a few tears fall, but quickly composed himself. This is for the best. This is the right thing to do. "I'll never forget what you meant to me, you both will always be with me in my heart, but it's time I let go of the pain, the guilt. I wanna live my life freely, not worried about any mistakes I made in the past or any losses I had to go through. I have this great new family, and they'll never replace you, but I'm done pretending like they're just the runner-ups."
"They've all been there for me for years now, some of them more recently, but they're great. And...if I was given the choice...I don't know if I would leave them to be with you now. D-don't get me wrong, you guys are fantastic! I couldn't forget you even if I tried. But...this new family I've got...they're not so bad either. And I don't wanna choose one over the other, but I'm not going to let myself be trapped in that moment when you died anymore. I'm moving on, and I hope you guys can forgive me for that. I'm sorry, but this is for the best." Dick let out a shaky breath as he laid down the bouquet of lilies he had brought with him, and he kneeled down in the snow so that he could be on equal footing with the two graves.
"Things are going...great. And I never thought things would go great for me, but these guys, my friends, they mean the world to me now. Especially Zatanna. Uh, I-I-I know we haven't really talked about her, so...she's my...girlfriend. Yeah. First ever." Dick rubbed the back of his neck and blushed. Even if his parents couldn't really see him, he felt awkward telling them about his love life.
"Zee's amazing. You guys would really love her. Uh, o-our one-year anniversary's coming up, so that's gonna be nice. I'm still thinking of what to get her." I don't wanna shower her with jewelry, but I honestly don't know what else to get. Gonna have to ask Al for advice.
"Uh, Robin's going well. I-it's nice. I saved a little girl the other day. She was sweet. Said her name's...Stephanie Brown, I think. It's nice being able to save people. Makes me feel useful for a change. Heh, the poor kid saw Bruce and got a bit scared, so she clung to me. Downsides of being dressed as a bat, I guess." Dick's phone vibrated, and he checked it to see Zatanna asking where he was. He smiled before messaging her back and standing up.
"I, uh, I gotta go now. But...just...I will never forget you, and I'll always love you. No matter what. But I can't be stuck in the past anymore. I gotta move forward. I gotta live my life." Dick smiled as he saw a red robin perch on the tree next to their graves, and he nodded to the creature, which almost seemed to be staring at him as it chirped. He sighed as he walked out of Gotham Cemetery to meet his girlfriend at a nearby pizza place, feeling lighter than he was when he arrived.
A bit on the shorter side, but what do you think? I know I don't ask this much, but I'd appreciate it if more of you could leave comments or reviews on chapters. I'm just kinda curious to hear what you all have to say about the book, so if more of you could review to just leave your thoughts or suggest chapters if you want, even just every now and then to tell me what you think of the book, it would really mean a lot. Reading some of my earlier chapters, my writing was pretty rushed in certain places and I definitely feel like I've improved a bit (not to say I'm a great writer or anything cuz I know my work can be somewhat shoddy at times), so I appreciate you all sticking with me this far in. Again, if you guys could leave thoughts every now and again, doesn't have to be too often or anything, I'd really appreciate it. I don't go out of my way to ask for it very often cuz I don't wanna pester you guys, but it really would mean a lot and reading some of your thoughts or suggestions seriously makes my day, so if more of you could do that, it would be amazing. Feel free to leave comments or suggestions for chapters you wanna see. Next chapter up soon.