Hey everyone. So I'm really sorry this took so long. This was probably the hardest thing I've ever written. It's not very long, and not very good, but I wanted to post it so that I could get to the next chapters (which will all be posted very, very, quickly.) Hopefully you will still enjoy this, even if it isn't quite up to what I wanted.

I wanted to explore a fight between the two of them a little bit more, and since most of the rest of the chapters are from Invasion, I figured that I might as well redo the same scene as hundreds of others. My focus was more on them unable to handle each other, rather than the shows focus of Artemis leaving. I used the circumstances of Artemis as a catalyst, bringing forth other tensions, rather than her being the tension itself. Hopefully I managed to capture what I wanted to.

Warnings: Some cruelty, large fight, minor violence, and symbolized swearing (about one word).

Disclaimer: They are mine, all mine! (my presscciousss) Kidding, the only thing Young Justice related I own is an awesome iPod case.

"Shut up!" Wally was seeing red. He didn't even know why he was so mad. He understood exactly where Dick was coming from, but he couldn't seem to shake the small feelings in the back of his mind. The ones that felt like betrayal. "It's always about you! Dick is having a breakdown, Dick needs to stop feeling so alone. I always have to comfort you, listen to you, help you understand what you're feeling because you are so out of touch with yourself. I've always supported you. I've been your number one fan for years. But suddenly, when I want something that doesn't coincide with your interests you do everything you can to make sure it doesn't happen. I'm sick of it! Sick of constantly supporting you, propping you up. You never return that support." Dick was staring at him with a dumb-founded look on his face, confusion shining through those blue eyes.

"What the &#^ are you talking about?" Dick asked, starting to get annoyed himself. "I've been there for you. When your parents divorced, when you got together with Artemis. Maybe it took a while for me to understand about you leaving, but that doesn't mean I don't support you. If it is something you want, dude, I'm all for it. I've stood up and defended you time and again, yet you say I haven't done anything for?"

"You haven't supported my decision to leave! You been trying to convince me otherwise every step of the way. Constantly trying to get me back in the game, back in the business. How is that helping?"

"Because I know you!" Dick shouted, exasperated. "Maybe you can't see that now, but I do. I know you better than you do. Wally West would never give up the hero gig. Not for anything. Why can't you admit it? Every time you visit I can see the boredom in your eyes domesticity has caused. You stare at the costumes, the training rooms, with jealousy. You are in denial. You don't want a normal life; it's been too long. No matter what you say, I know it's true. But for some reason you won't see it. We were not made for normalcy! And if you can't see that, you're blinder than I thought." Wally's fist came out of nowhere and plowed into Dick's jaw. The ebony fell back a step, reaching a hand to cup his jaw. His lip was busted, and there was already a bruise forming on his cheek. Wally instantly felt all the anger drain out of him, replacing itself with regret, but he refused to admit it. Dick straightened. Blood dribbled down his chin, but he didn't wipe it away. "I'm sorry you can't see past Artemis. Can't see the fact that you and her are not the only people in the world. I hate having to put her in danger. I hate having to sit back and watch as our brotherhood shatters into pieces at my feet because of something I did. But I don't have a choice." Wally stared at him.

"Why her though?" Wally asked. "Why did you have to ruin the life we had, the life we were enjoying?"

"Recognizing truth requires selflessness. You have to leave yourself out of it so you can find out the way things are in themselves, not the way they look to you or how you feel about them or how you would like them to be." Dick said, more to himself than Wally. He sounded like it was something he had repeated before. "That's a quote from Harry Frankfurt. I chose her because she was the best for the job! I can't put my own interests above millions of people. I'm sorry your girlfriend was the best choice; I'm sorry that this is destroying everything we had. But this is war Wally, and everyone has to make sacrifices."

"Why couldn't you have sacrificed someone else? Why did it have to be her?" Dick threw his hands up.

"Because she was the best choice for the job! Did I want to send her in? NO Wally. I knew it would hurt you, and I knew that it would destroy our friendship, both of which are the last things I want to do. But her going was the best choice. She had the right skill set, and she had the ability to. What else was I supposed to do?" Wally could subconsciously see what Dick meant, but the more prominent part could only see Artemis's face as she walked into the submarine.

"Why couldn't you have gone?" He asked, and Dick sighed exasperatedly.

"We've been over this. Me going would have destroyed the world, and gotten me killed. The plan would have failed."

"You and your stupid plan! You know where that is going to get you? Fired. There is no way that the team will allow you to stay on when they hear about you keeping secrets. They are going to kick you out, and then what? What will you do then? Because I sure won't be with you. I'm tired of supporting you Dick. I'm tired of putting up with your crap." Dick growled.

"My crap? I'm trying to save the world! I'm trying to keep billions of innocent lives from being ended, and you say that your putting up with my crap?! You're the one being a pain. You aren't helping, you aren't doing anything except complain! I've got enough problems without dealing with your stupidity." They glared at each other, best friends turned into bitter enemies. Dick looked away first. "I'm sorry that your girlfriend had to go. I'm more sorry than you can comprehend. And I'm sorry that this is destroying us. But I can't stop it now. I wish you could see that I'm doing the best I can Walls. I could use your help; I want you back in my corner Wally. I miss us, I miss you. But stopping now? That will doom the hold world, and I refuse to have that on my conscience. I miss you Wally, but I won't trade you for the world, no matter how much it breaks me." Wally could see the pain, the guilt in Dick's blue eyes. Deep down, he knew how much their separation was hurting Dick. He could see the evidence of abandonment in Dick's body, the way he held himself. The guilt causing insomnia, and the evidence of panic attacks from too much expectations. He knew firsthand how damaging leaving Dick alone was. But he wasn't about to turn back now.

"I don't want your apologies. I don't want your sentiment. I don't want you Dick." Wally said, coldly. "All I want is Artemis back, safe. And if your plan gets her killed? You won't live long enough to feel guilty about it." He turned to leave.

"Please Wally," Dick's voice broke, a small sob in it he was trying valiantly to hide. "Please don't do this. Don't leave me." Wally paused a hand on the doorknob. He was surprised to feel a tear trace its way down his face, and he bit his lip to keep in his own sobs. Memories flashed through his head, all the good times with Dick. He heard quiet crying behind him, and for a moment he considered turning back. Then Artemis flashed across his mind, and Wally resolved.

"Goodbye, Nightwing." Wally said, and walked through the door, leaving his brother crying on the floor.

So that hopefully wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Maybe if I'm lucky, I even made you cry (though I doubt it.)

The next chapter will probably be up very quickly, as I am really happy with it. I just pray it is actually as good as I think it will be.

Please comment! What you liked, what you hated, anything! I can handle it. And it's just so encouraging to hear what people have to say about my work, and know that they like it, or are trying to help me get better.

Dueces,

DarthLegolasHolmesIII