Chapter 32
The whole team gathered in the grotto, not a dry eye in sight. Karen clung to Mal wiping away her tears as they came, Garth pulled Tula into a warm embrace, M'gann and Garfield hugged comforting each other. She looked up glancing at Conner he gave her a look of resentment.
"This has never happened before NEPTUNE'S BEARD!" La'gaan held back tears instead choosing to react in anger, Kaldur placed a hand on his fellow atlantean's back. La'gaan instantly calmed down and let the tears fall. Artemis hugged Barbara tightly not wanting even a single tear to fall.
"I can't believe this is happening" She tensed up trying hard to breath through the pain.
"I'm so sorry" She walked stared at the hologram of Robin.
"Robin the boy wonder, he came to this team lost and confused he was so different than his predecessor in many ways that was a good thing it was a breath of fresh air he brought a kind of passion to the team that I haven't seen in a long time. Robin was tortured by his past, in the end he couldn't escape I hope he has found peace" Kaldur sighed lowering his head.
COMMON AREA
Wally entered the main room of mount justice to see Dick sitting on the couch. He was staring off into nothing black sunglasses shielding his eyes from the world.
"Everyone's wondering where you went" Wally crossed his arms, his eyes were red and puffy.
"I can't do it again today" Dick choked out. It has been a hectic week, Bruce came home blood stains on his uniform. He was covered in dirt and rubble and the metallic smell coming off him was heinous. Before Bruce could even say a word Dick knew, he knew his little brother was gone taken from this world by the Joker
"Ya know me and Jason sat in the batcave last week, he told me after his parents died he never thought he would love or be loved again. He never expected to find a home and he was mad at us because we gave him all of that and made him soft. He said he never had any idea how awesome it would be having a big brother" Wally listened trying hard not to burst out in tears.
"Than he goes off to find his birth mother and she hands him over to the goddamn Joker…..I'm glad that bitch is dead" Dick said through clenched teeth.
"Don't just don't go down that path" Wally tried to stop him.
"MY BROTHER IS LYING IN A CASKET 6 FEET UNDER WALL, BEATEN AND BLOWN UP BY A FUCKING CLOWN!" Dick snapped screaming at his boyfriend this caused Wally to visibly flinch.
"I know" Wally took a deep breath.
"Joker killed a 15 year old boy in cold blood, murder is not a punchline" Dick walked towards the transporters.
"Dick, where are you going" Wally called out.
"RECOGNIZE NIGHTWING B01" The computer announced his departure.
CEMETERY
Bruce stood over a grave Alfred by his side not far from the graves of Martha and Thomas Wayne.
"Here lies Jason Peter Todd" Alfred sighed, his eyes having noticeable bags.
"It won't be the same without you" Bruce kneeled down placing a flower on the grave.
MOUNT JUSTICE ONE MONTH LATER
Dick is typing away at a laptop, Wally entered the room.
"Hey" Wally nervously stared at his distant boyfriend.
"Hey" Dick said coldly.
"So you've been really busy I think you could use a break there's this new restaurant and" Dick glanced at Wally slightly irritated.
"I have too much work to do, sorry with Wondergirl leaving the team and no activity from the Light we must be focused" Dick turned back to his screen.
"Dick a long time ago you asked me to stop you if you're becoming Batman" Wally placed a hand on Dick's shoulder. He shook it off standing up to face Wally.
"Maybe he has the right idea, if I was more like Batman we'd be done with missions alot faster, nobody would get hurt and and…." Dick started to trail off.
"And Jason would still be alive go on say it that's what you wanted to say" Wally glared at his boyfriend.
"Maybe he would be" Dick crossed his arms.
"Shut up already, if you were as bad as Batman emotionally Jason would've died so much sooner hell when you try to act like him you forget your friends, neglect your boyfriend and mess up on missions" Wally pushed him slightly.
"You done? Because I have work to do" Dick turned back to his screen.
"WHY DO I EVEN TRY WITH YOU!? you're never going to change" Wally began to walk off.
"Than let me make it easier for you, we're done" Dick said in the coldest tone he could muster. Wally stared at Dick flabbergasted at the statement.
"You're serious after four years of being together everything we shared you're just going to throw that all away?" Wally grinded his teeth.
"You know where the door is" before Dick could sit back down a hard punch slammed into his face knocking him down. Dick rolled and threw a smoke pellet.
"I'm so tired of your shit" Wally gasped as the pellet exploded into a screen of smoke. He sped over to Dick pinning him against the far wall.
"Tell me one thing I want you to say it Grayson, say you don't love me anymore look into my eyes and say you don't want this anymore" Wally captured Dick's lips in an aggressive kissed. He kissed back grinding into Wally a moan escaping both of their lips.
They both pulled back, Dick taking this opportunity to grab Wally's shirt and headbutt him hard in the face. Wally pulled back holding his nose searing pain surging through his face.
"Goodbye Wally" Dick glared at him.
"Goodbye" Wally turned and walked away. He cried the whole way to Artemis's apartment. He knocked on the door shaking slightly from the rage.
"Wally?" She asked opening the door seeing her shooken friend.
"We broke up" he sobbed, she pulled him into a hug as she guided him inside. Conner sat on the couch an empty look in his eye, Wally sat down next to him. Artemis took her seat in the middle of the two.
"Break ups suck" Conner grunted
"You said it" Artemis passed Wally a jug of ice cream.
MOUNT JUSTICE
Dick stared at a photo of himself and Wally on one of their dates. Wally had an arm wrapped around him and planted a kiss firmly on his cheek. Dick was holding a stuffed bat that Wally won for him. He scowled punching a hole through the screen.
[TIME SKIP GROTTO 2015]
Nightwing and Aqualad shook hands right next to Aquagirl's hologram.
"Good luck my friend I know you will do well as leader" Kaldur exited the room. Dick looked around at the fallen heros memorials.
Robin Jason Todd, Aquagirl Tula, Blue Beetle Ted Kord. Dick made his way towards the computer room to review files.
CODENAME- ROBIN
DESIGNATION-B13
IDENTITY- CLASSIFIED
STATUS- DECEASED
COD- Homicide battered and blown up by the Joker
CODENAME- WONDERGIRL
DESIGNATION-B12
IDENTITY- DONNA TROY
STATUS- RESIGNED
CODENAME- AQUAGIRL
DESIGNATION- B11
IDENTITY- TULA
STATUS- DECEASED
COD- Homicide by Tiamat in an act of self sacrifice.
CODENAME- TEMPEST
DESIGNATION- B10
IDENTITY- GARTH
STATUS- RESIGNED
CODENAME- ZATANNA
DESIGNATION- 25
IDENTITY- ZATANNA ZATARA
STATUS- JUSTICE LEAGUE
CODENAME- ROCKET
DESIGNATION-26
IDENTITY- RAQUEL ERVIN
STATUS- JUSTICE LEAGUE
CODENAME- ARTEMIS
DESIGNATION- B07
IDENTITY- ARTEMIS LIAN CROCK
STATUS- RESIGNED
CODENAME- KID FLASH
DESIGNATION- B03
IDENTITY- WALLACE "WALLY" RUDOLPH WEST
STATUS- RESIGNED
CODENAME- AQUALAD
DESIGNATION- B02
IDENTITY- KALDUR'AHM
STATUS- RESIGNED
CODENAME- ROBIN
DESIGNATION- B20
IDENTITY- CLASSIFIED
STATUS- ACTIVE
CODENAME- WONDERGIRL
DESIGNATION- B21
IDENTITY- CASSANDRA SANDSMARK
STATUS- ACTIVE
CODENAME- BLUE BEETLE
DESIGNATION- B22
IDENTITY- JAIME REYES
STATUS- ACTIVE
"Alright team let's do this" Dick said looking at a picture of the original team. M'gann hugging Conner, Artemis smirking and giving Wally bunny ears. Wally teasingly poking Dick (as Robin) face. Kaldur smiling fondly at their antics.
"We'll laugh about this someday" Dick took the image off screen.