Hey guys I'm back! And guess what? This is by far the LONGEST chapter I've ever written! While all of the other chapters were around 4.5k-5k words, this one has maxed out at over 6.1k words! Wooohooo!

Thank you guys for all your support with this story so far. I think it's the best and most thought out thing I've ever written, so thank you. Announcement though concerning the update after this one. I will be on a family vacation all of next week so I won't be able to write a lot or at all while I'm there, so expect the next update in about two weeks. :/ but hey, at least this chapter is extra extra long for you guys!

UPDATE: I had to fix a couple things when it came to how the time works by adding in more information, so this is the updated version of this chapter! It has a few added things. ;)

I don't own Young Justice.

Lying next to Wally on a floor of pillows and blankets was by far Dick's favorite thing as of forever.

"Do you think that we should go to sleep soon?" Wally asked him. Dick just turned his head a bit to make eye contact with his boyfriend and he smiled.

"Nah, it's only like..." he trailed off. Wally propped himself up on his elbows in order to get a look at the digital alarm clock on Dick's bedside table.

"Three thirty seven. In the morning," Wally told him with raised eyebrows.

Dick let out laughter that was filled with a giddiness one could only have when they were extremely tired. "Asterous."

Wally collapsed into giggles. "Well I'm going to sleep," he said to the boy beside him. Dick just groaned.

Dick smiled lazily. "That's 'cause you're not as cool as me." Wally just shook his head with fondness at that.

"While that may be true-" Dick let out a small 'hell yeah it is' when Wally said this, "I still think that we should go to bed soon. Since even though we don't necessarily have to do anything tomorrow, who knows whether bats will drop a random mission on us. Or whether something will come up in Gotham and you'll have to Robin with him, or if something happens in Central City and I have to help Barry?" Wally pointed out. Dick hummed before sluggishly sitting up and turning to him.

Because of everything that had happened the night before- Dick coming out to Bruce, telling him that he and Wally were dating, Bruce giving them his blessing- Dick was feeling like he was on top of the world. Even though it was only one of many problems solved and confessions made, it was still awesome.

"I'll go to sleep," Dick told Wally.

Wally nodded. "Good, so where-"

"Only if you tell me something," Dick cut him off. Wally rolled his eyes at the younger boy's antics and he laughed.

"Sure. What do you want to know?"

Dick bit his lower lip in hesitation and he shifted his position slightly. "When did you first know that you liked me?" he asked. Wally's eyes widened at the question, but then he smiled.

"Well I think that I've always liked you, Dick," Wally began, and Dick blushed a bit, "But as for the first time I identified what I was feeling? I'd say around the time that I was fourteen and you were twelve I think. I was just starting to come to terms with the fact that I liked boys as well as girls, you came over to my house to hang out. We were eating Ben and Jerry's and talking about school and superheroing and just stuff about each other in general, remember?"

Dick nodded. "Yeah, I remember," he smiled. They had just gone on a duo mission with Batman and Flash the day before to fight both Mr. Freeze and Captain Cold who had teamed up together. Wally and Dick decided to have a sleepover after that because Batman and Flash both said that after the mission they could both 'use a break'.

So obviously they'd found themselves on the floor of Wally's room scooping black raspberry and peanut butter ice cream out of separate colorful pint containers with spoons that were given to Wally's parents by some distant (and now dead) relative.

"We were talking about people at school at one point," Wally stated, "and you were telling me about some girl named Karen..."

Wally was just finishing licking the sides of his Peanut Butter Cup ice cream container when Dick spoke.

"Hey, so you remember that girl Karen I was telling you about last week?" he asked.

Wally nodded. "Mhmm. She's the blonde one with the red streaks in her hair, right?"

"Yep, that's her," Dick told him. "Well she came up to me after school today and asked me if I wanted to hang out sometime, like a date kind of hang out."

Wally's eyebrows shot to his hairline and he swallowed heavily. "Oh, yeah?" he started off hesitantly. "Good for you bro! Go get 'em." Wally smiled as brightly as he could get himself to for his friend, since this was a good thing. Or at least, that's what he was trying to tell himself.

"Yeah," Dick laughed slightly. "The only problem is I'm not sure that I really like her like that." Wally found himself letting out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding when relief flooded over his body. He didn't know why the fact that his friend didn't actually like this girl was a relief.

"Oh, well..." Wally didn't know what to say to him.

"What do you think I should do?" Dick asked him with pure anxiety. Anxiety caused by concern for a girl that he didn't even know too well. Wally felt a warmth that he didn't really understand fill up his chest.

"I guess just try and figure out a way to one, let her down easy, and two, still be her friend," Wally suggested. Dick nodded slowly in consideration before brightening.

"That sounds like a good idea, thanks Walls," Dick said with a smile just before taking a spoon full of black raspberry iced cream and shoving it into his mouth. Wally smiled back, but with something akin to consideration. It was then that he had to turn away from his friend's smile.

Later that night while Wally lay awake, there was only one thought running through his head.

"I was finally thinking, 'Is that what this is? Do I like him like that?'" Wally explained. "After that I kept thinking on it more and more, until eventually it just became a part of me. A fact that I couldn't deny or avoid."

Dick was smiling so much that his cheeks hurt. "That's really sweet, Wally," he said. Wally just shrugged his shoulders.

"Well you know me," Wally laughed, not being able to contain his smile either. "So... when did you first know?" he asked.

Dick frowned a little bit suddenly being jolted into thought. "This definitely won't be as much of a story as yours, but I think that the first time I really knew knew was on my eleventh birthday when you and Barry came to the manor and you gave me that model circus that caught my eye in Central a month earlier," Dick told him. Wally nodded and let out a breathy laugh at his words, remembering seeing just how ecstatic Dick was when he unwrapped that particular gift.

It's base was about the size of a dinner plate. It had a red and gold lined tent in the center, a small gaming area and concession stand, a place where the animals were that prominently featured two elephants in the center, and it even had a gate at the head of the model that said "Welcome!" on a sign at the top. It was entirely hand painted and it looked like it came right out of the nineteenth century. The color palette was one of carmine red, shiny gold, royal purple, and royal blue. It would even play music if you took the small key that came with it, slide it into the entrance on the side of the base, and wound it up. Even now Dick and Wally had yet to identify exactly what piece of music it played, but they knew that it was beautiful.

"I couldn't believe that you had remembered. That thought just triggered something in my head that said 'wow, and I didn't think it was possible for me to like Wally any more than I did'. Then it all just tumbled into place like 'wait'." Wally broke down into a fit of laughter at that, and Dick followed with him.

After the laughter died down they found themselves nose to nose with each other, cheeks flushed and eyes tired. Wally could feel his boyfriend's small breaths brush against his skin and he couldn't take it anymore.

Leaning forward he pressed his lips to Dick's, and Dick responded in kind.

Kissing wasn't exactly something that Dick had a lot of experience in but Wally lead him along. Eventually they were both comfortably in each other's arms, experiencing the moment in bliss and warmth.

They both felt themselves fall into an unwavering sleep that could only be broken by hours of daylight. So the next day when they woke up in each other's arms, Wally's digital clock brightly reading that it was far past noon time, all they could do was laugh.

Robin could feel his legs moving, his feet hitting the ground with a force. His chest was heaving in and out. Expanding and contracting. He could see his breath a foot in front of his face, fogging up the air. Everything in his peripheral vision was a blur of trees and darkness all smudged together.

He didn't know why he was running or where he was running to, but he knew that if he stopped running something very bad would happen.

He was dressed in his Robin suit; but he didn't have his belt, his mask, his gloves, or his shoes. His feet were a mix of red and blue because of the cold, and so were his hands.

"Robin!" he heard someone shout in the distance behind him.

"Robin!"

There it was again. Closer this time.

"ROBIN!"

He flinched at the volume. Right next to his ear is what it sounded like. But it couldn't have been, he would have known if it were. Surely if there were someone yelling into his ear he would know it.

"Robin."

Soft this time. Almost delicate. Again, right next to his ear. He could feel their breath, cold as winter wind.

He slowed down. He had to slow down. There was no way around it.

Robin's legs and feet went from running to walking. The trees turned from smudges into shapes. The steam of his breath billowed around his mouth while he took in his surroundings.

Trees, maple and oak. Darkness. Fog. Silence.

"Hello?" he shouted into the distance, his voice echoing briefly into the black. His muscles tensed as a chill ran up his entire body. Goosebumps freckled his arms and legs, and stars began spotting his vision.

He turned abruptly at the sound of movement behind him, the crunch of leaves and the huff of breath. But there was no one that he could see. No one standing in the dark.

"KF? Batman? Anyone?" he called out, hoping, nearly praying, that someone would respond to his voice. It seemed improbable however. All he could think was that even if there was someone out there, that they would get swallowed up by the darkness.

Suddenly his own breathing became much louder in his ears as he realized he was running once more. Running to where, though?

Before he could get much deeper into these unfamiliar woods, he felt his bare foot painfully catch something on his trail. Soon after he found himself face down on the forest floor, inhaling in the dirt.

He flopped over onto his back then pushed himself up at an angle on his elbows.

"Robin."

He knew the voice this time. It was no longer just some distant echo of a being, but something- no, someone -that he actually did recognize. Why they were only calling him 'Robin', he did not know.

This time he asked, "Reggy?" into the dark.

There was a pregnant pause.

For a moment he swore there was perfect silence, not even his own heartbeat could break it.

Then it was shattered. "Dick?" Reggy said hesitantly, almost fearful. Robin smiled in something that resembled relief but was not its twin.

"Yeah, it's me. Are you alright?" Robin asked, voice filled with concern. He could feel Reggy's consideration, even though all he could see was his figure in the blackness in front of him.

"I'm not too sure," Reggy told him. "Something's happened."

Robin's eyebrows furrowed in slight confusion, but also in thought. "You're right. Something has happened. I don't know what, though. Do you?"

Reggy's figure shook its head. Slowly, carefully he said, "It was dark, and cold. It flooded over me and suffocated me. It was like being buried alive in something you can't see or touch." Robin bit his bottom lip in contemplation of the new information. He somehow remembered the feeling that Reggy was describing, but he didn't know how or from where.

"Do you have any idea what 'it' was?" Robin asked. Reggy's form shifted uncomfortably at first, then stilled.

"I remember being about to go into the light, like you told me to do, but before I could it disappeared and was replaced by the darkness," Reggy explained. Robin's eyes widened in fear and uneasiness. The corners of his mouth being dragged into a frown, while something cold and solid took root in the pit of his stomach. He could taste metal shoot up the sides of his tongue.

"Before it took me in," Reggy continued, "I remember that it-"

Then he was gone. Ripped away from the flesh of the world like a bloody scab.

Robin only had about a second to take in the events before him before he was being cruelly ripped from the world as well.

He woke up screaming.

It was an early morning for that of Bruce Wayne. 5:25 bright and glowing on his digital watch.

With everything that was going on in the world, his world included, it seemed reasonable enough.

It had been four days since Dick had come out to him about his sexuality and his relationship with Wally. He was glad that Dick finally told him, and that he didn't have to drop hints that he knew all along.

Because of course he knew. He was Batman, after all. World's Greatest Detective. And he didn't get that title just for show.

So of course he would see that his ward did not show interest in girls as much as other boys his age would. As well as the fact that he, very obviously, had taken a more than friendly liking to the young speedster. Bruce didn't have a problem with it then and he didn't have a problem with it now.

Which is also probably why he didn't have a problem letting Dick stay over at the speedster's house the day after they came out. Like he said when they told him, for some strange reason he trusted Wally. He could only assume that it was because the boy looked at Dick like he had hung the moon and stars.

When Dick had come home after that sleepover, he was practically beaming with joy. Bruce asked if he had fun, but he hoped that they took his warning seriously and didn't have too much fun. But again, he trusted Dick to make the right decisions.

Although that was one problem in his world that he didn't have to worry about, there was still the matter of what Zatara had explained to him as well as a few other trusted League members. The matter of his concern.

Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkguy and Hawkwoman, Black Canary, Flash, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter, and Aquaman were all in the meeting hall sitting around the table, while Zatara stood at the front of the room. He told them that he already explained the matter to Superman (though he was present for this second spiel) given him being the top member of the League, which they all understood. He went on to summarizing the matter at hand, as well as giving them a thorough explanation of spirits and the spirit world along with those who can perceive them.

"I know that for some people the reality of the 'spirit world', as well as 'ghosts' of the dead on Earth, may contradict some of what they believe. While what they believe still may not be wrong, it merely may have to fit around this truth of our particular universe," Zatara explained. The members present nodded their heads in understanding, prompting Zatara to continue.

"Now, I've explained to Superman a little bit about mediums and magic users when it comes to spirits, but I've not given all the information needed," Zatara continued. "While I am not an expert on what goes on in the spirit world, I do know about the different types of mediums. As well as how the way mediums perceive spirits is different than the way that any typical magic user does. Allow me to explain.

"While there are many types of mediums some are more common than others. The most common type of medium is the one that you see on reality television: a Sensible. This type of medium can feel a ghost's presence, figure out what they're feeling, and sometimes even learn information about a ghost just from the energy forces they can tap into. This is not unlike the way that magic users understand ghosts. The difference being that mediums are more finely tuned in their craft, as well as the fact that mediums typically cannot use magic. Though it is not unheard of for a medium to also be able to use magic along with their other abilities.

"The second most common type of medium is called a Listener. These mediums can hear ghosts as well as sense their presence and emotion. Sometimes these types of mediums will even be able to hear the voices of the spirits attached to objects. Along with being able to listen to the past be replayed with certain types of spirits."

"So there are different types of 'spirits' as well?" Green Arrow asked, interrupting Zatara.

Zatara just nodded. "Yes, and I will explain that in more depth later."

"Anyway, as I was saying," he started up again, "Next we have the third most common type of medium. This is the type that both sees and hears ghosts, along with feeling their energy. These mediums are called either Seers or just plain Mediums. This is because it became a common misconception that all mediums could both see and hear ghosts, even though this was not true, and this type is only the thirdmost common. Also a reason people tend to shy away from the term 'Seer' when describing these mediums is because there is another type of medium who can only see ghosts, and not hear them.

"Anyway, after these three most common types the percentages of what is the next most common become so close that they are not even ranked," Zatara finished. There was a lot of head nodding and consideration of the information given to them going around the room. The Flash seemed most skeptical but since he trusted Zatara he would take his word for it.

"Even though they're not ranked, what are the other types of mediums?" asked Black Canary.

Zatara took a moment to think, then said, "Really the other types are anything you can think of involving the senses. I already told you about the mediums who can only see ghosts, so what others might there be?"

"Mediums who can only, what, smell ghosts?" Flash commented jokingly. There was a slight wave of laughter that went through the group before Zatara responded.

"Yes, actually."

To say that they were all a bit stunned at this was an understatement.

"Wait, what do ghosts even smell like?" Green Arrow asked with disgust. Zatara chuckled a bit.

"Sulfur, mostly," Zatara informed them. Green Arrow made a face like he was imaging the smell himself. "But sometimes I've heard that they can smell like rotting flesh and/or blood."

"That, is repulsive," Hawkwoman commented.

"Indeed," Martian Manhunter agreed.

"Yes, it's true, anything involving the senses can be attributed to mediums in how they can perceive spirits. These things can be mixed and matched as well."

"Wait wait wait," Flash began with laughter in his chest, "does that mean that there are mediums who can taste ghosts too?"

"I don't know. Do you go around trying to taste ghosts everyday?" Zatara asked sarcastically. This time the wave of laughter was heavier even though the Flash didn't join in.

"But can there be?" Black Canary asked. "You know, a medium who tastes ghosts."

Zatara scrunched up his face for a moment before answering. "In theory, yes. I wouldn't be surprised if I got word that there was a medium out there who doesn't know it and is wondering why sometimes their food tastes so funny." More laughter.

But as the laughter died down Superman's eyebrows knitted together in consideration. Then he spoke, "If any of the five senses can be used to sense ghosts, then... does that mean that there are people who can feel ghosts?"

"All mediums can feel ghosts," Zatara told him, but Superman just shook his head.

"No, not feel ghosts like sense their energy, but feel ghosts like touch them," he explained his thought process.

Zatara made a face like he had tasted something sour. He sighed, looked down at his shoes for a moment before flicking his head back up to gaze over the other League members. "I have heard of mediums that have more abilities than most," Zatara began. "Ones that can move between the plains of life and death. They're called Spiritwalkers."

An unsettling feeling filled up the room to its brim.

"They can see, hear, smell, taste I'd assume, and touch spirits. All of the senses one uses to perceive reality. They experience the spirit world in its physical form, as if they were there themselves," Zatara furthered. Some of the members shifted uncomfortable were they sat, picking up Zatara's uneasiness.

"While I'm not saying that if someone is a Spiritwalker they are inherently of ill will, I am saying that with this ability it tends to corrupt. Not many strong souls can or could bear the full immersion of death that is required in walking between the worlds.

"Mediums have their abilities because they are either born with it, passed down from a family member they are blood related to, or they gain it. Becoming a medium in this case can only happen when a person has had a brush with death," Zatara explained.

"Like a near death experience?" Flash questioned, and Zatara nodded.

"Exactly like a near death experience."

Zatara took in a shaky breath through his nose before he continued, not easing any tension. "During a near death experience a person comes back to this side with a touch of the other. That touch sometimes gives people the abilities of a medium, making them one themselves. What abilities a person gains depends on the severity of the experience."

"Severity?" Green Arrow asked.

"How long the person stayed dead," Zatara stated. Green Arrow's eyes widened and he let out a small realizing "oh" underneath his breath. "But anyway, when it comes to Spiritwalkers the ability is typically only passed down. So it's contained within certain families."

"So what does this all mean," Batman finally asked gruffly, but he said it like a statement. Zatara's eyes shifted to him after a short pause.

He sighed again. "It means that there are people who can be physically present within the spirit world, as well as being able to choose to take the form of a spirit even though they are not one. It's a very powerful and ominous ability to be able to manipulate life and death like that."

Batman didn't move. "Is this the type of person you think is responsible for the 'darkness' you spoke of before?" this time he really did ask in a questioning way. His words were unmistakably shrouded in knowing and uncertainty. A disturbing contradiction, with anything but irony.

"Yes, I believe it is," Zatara stated, his voice firm and unwavering. Batman's shoulders relaxed, but not with relief. "I believe that the person responsible for the disappearances of spirits I've told you about, along with the darkness, is a Spiritwalker. Someone, somehow, is changing what we know about the spirit world. I also believe that this person may be thinning the veil between our world and the next."

Zatara allowed the League members to soak in this new information, letting it stain their minds until they could no longer sit still. One by one, each hero looked to Zatara once again for something, anything. What should they do? How would they find this person? How would they stop them? What would happen if they didn't?

"What now?" Wonder Woman voiced what they were all thinking. Zatara's shoulders tensed.

"Superman asked me a very similar question yesterday, and I told him that I did not know. I still do not know what we should do. All I can say is that I shall be putting up red flags in the magic community, asking around, doing something I've heard is called 'classic detective work'.

"I will be keeping an eye out for any activity, and I've already contacted all of the mediums I know for information. They've all told me that they'll be asking around as well, and looking to see if they can find any Spiritwalkers. Since, like I said before, spirit-walking is typically kept within a family finding who we're looking for should not be too difficult assuming they're open about their abilities," Zatara explained to them. They nodded and though it seemed like the meeting should be concluded, Batman stopped them with his voice.

"Two final questions," he said to Zatara. "One, what is the immediate threat if we do not address this problem?" It was a reasonable question. One that the other members were surprised the had not asked as of yet, but they supposed that that was because they trusted Zatara and if he was concerned then so were they. But Batman was more objective about these things though.

"The immediate threat," Zatara began, "is unknown to me at this time. I do not know what this person is planning on doing with these spirits, but I can tell that it is not good. Especially since this isn't bound to a controlled area. It's happening all over the world, spirits being taken. So whatever this is, it's going to affect everyone."

"Do you have any idea what this could be?" Hawkwoman asked. "Even just some possibilities would be nice to know."

Zatara thought on it for a moment before replying. "It's possible that whoever this is is planning on using the spirits he's 'collecting' for a controlling purpose," he suggested.

"Like a ghost army?" Flash asked, and Zatara couldn't help but roll his eyes.

"I know that it sounds ludicrous but it's a possibility," he told them.

"Any other possibilities?" Green Arrow asked, not taking "ghost army" for an answer.

Zatara sighed. "I suppose that it's possible, in theory, that 'whoever' is taking these spirits so that he can absorb their energy for 'whoever's' own use."

"In theory?" Black Canary questioned.

"Yes, in theory. And I say that because it would take an enormous amount power and ability to do that. Because Spiritwalkers experience the spirit world in a physical way, being able to take the energy from a spirit would be like a non magic user being able to suck the life out of someone on sheer will alone," Zatara explained. They all raised their eyebrows at that.

"Well that seems unlikely," Green Arrow said.

"And frightening," Flash commented.

"Exactly," Zatara said in point. He then looked to Batman for the second question.

"Alright," he began. "And secondly, if we do find whoever is doing this, how are we going to stop them if they can travel from our world to the spirit one?"

Zatara just shook his head. "Again, I'm not sure as of yet. Allow me to do more investigating and once I come up with a plan I shall brief you all of its nature," he told them. They all agreed and the meeting was adjourned.

With the memory still fresh in his mind, the problem ever forefront, Bruce finished his morning coffee and began heading towards the main entrance so that he could leave for the meeting he had in about forty five minutes.

But before he could get too far, he heard a bloodcurdling scream echo throughout the manor. Throughout all of Gotham he guessed. And the worst part? It came from the direction of Dick's room.

While the boy had had nightmares before, ones that had left him screaming for his parents, for help, for anyone or anything, those screams were nothing like this one. This scream was filled with the sound of physical pain, anguish, and unadulterated terror.

Bruce's feet couldn't move fast enough.

He tore up the stairs so quickly it felt like no more than a second had passed before he was throwing Dick's bedroom door open against the wall and rushing in. The first thing he noticed before anything else was the state of disarray the room was in.

Dick always kept everything in order, in its proper place. Yet, as he gave the room a quick glance, he saw items cast on the floor, clothing scattered everywhere, the closet doors wide open with the closet contents tossed out. There were a few broken things as well, glass items that had shattered on their journeys to meet the gray carpeted floor. It would've taken a lot of force to accomplish that.

The second thing he noticed was the sounds of the screaming he had heard before. It was still echoing into his ears, being projected out of Dick's throat. It sounded painful.

The third thing was Dick himself. Sitting straight up on his bed, eyes wide and pupils dilated into nonexistence, he screamed.

Seeing and assessing all of these things all but took about two seconds before Bruce was practically hurling himself towards his ward. Bruce grasped Dick's shoulders and upper arms, pulling Dick's back to lie flat against Bruce's chest. He held him as he thrashed against arms that held him, he was still screaming. With Bruce's arms wrapped around the boy, keeping him held tight, he eventually stopped thrashing as hard. As this occurred, the boy's screaming also began turning into nothing but gasping shouts.

"Dick, please, Dick, calm down. It's okay, I'm here," Bruce comforted, adding light shushes in between each bout of words. After about five minutes of calming down, Dick finally took one deep shaking breath in and he let it out slowly. He swallowed dryly, his throat sore from all of the screaming. His body was just beginning to relax after being so strenuously tense. He was quaking and shivering, as if he were cold.

And he was cold. Bruce didn't know why or how, but his skin was freezing to the touch. It felt as though he had been soaking in an ice bath all night long. None of the windows in his room were open, so that wasn't it. But there were no other logical explanations Bruce could think of at that moment, so he pushed it aside as a question for later.

Feeling his ward's more relaxed and leveled breathing, he finally felt compelled to speak. "Dick?" he asked with a touch of hesitation. Whatever had just happened scared him, and he wasn't supposed to get scared. Not like this.

"B-Bruce?" Dick's teeth were chattering as he said this, his voice scratchy and raw. He sounded afraid and confused.

It was then that Bruce noticed that Dick's lips were a dark purple color, more evidence to how cold he was. "Dick?" he said again. "Are you-" he cleared his throat, "are you alright?"

"I don't-" he tried to sputter something out, but he stopped. Bruce couldn't take waiting like this anymore.

"I'm going to take you to the med-bay, in the cave. Is that alright?" Dick nodded his head. It was only just then as Bruce looked up from Dick that he saw Alfred standing in the doorway. He looked just about as frightened as Bruce was.

"Okay, good."

Bruce then scooped him up into his arms. He felt Dick hang his arms around his shoulders, and he could feel his ward's trembles. Bruce attempted to warm the boy up a bit by holding him even tighter to his chest, but he didn't think anything but medical attention would help him at that moment.

"Master Bruce?" Alfred said shakily, questioning as to the events that had just occurred. Bruce shook his head.

"We need to get him to the med-bay," Bruce told him encase he hadn't heard over the past commotion. Alfred nodded vigorously and helped lead the way down into the cave.

Once they were there Bruce laid Dick down on one of the beds and he began hooking him up to some monitors while Alfred went to get a few heat preserving blankets.

"Alfred," Bruce called out, "call Leslie." Alfred nodded one more and went on his way again.

Bruce looked down at the boy he considered his son, sitting underneath the blankets of the bed while he was propped up against the pillows. His eyes flickered from his own hands resting in his lap to different places around the med-bay. He was picking at his fingernails and Bruce couldn't help but watch, seeing that his fingertips were blue like the irises of his wide and frightened eyes.

Bruce reached out his own hand to lay it on top of Dick's. The warmth of his skin seeped into his ward's. Dick finally looked up at him, making hesitant eye contact. Bruce could see the tracks of tears streaked down the sides of his face, his pupils were less dilated than they were before but still filled with dread.

Bruce stayed still, trying to somehow give Dick some of his most calming energy. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. Dick just swallowed heavily, not breaking eye contact, and he kept breathing very slowly. Almost carefully. Like he was afraid that if he breathed too quickly something would jump down his throat. Bruce wouldn't've been surprised if that's exactly what he feared.

"I don't know," Dick confessed. Bruce nodded, seeing his confusion and weariness. It was almost like when Bruce had first brought him home, except this was much much worse.

"If not now," Bruce began, "then later. But eventually." Their unwavering eye contact was broken when both Alfred and Leslie came into the room. Both of them carrying blankets, and Leslie looking very concerned.

"What happened?" she asked as they approached. Alfred immediately began layering blanket upon blanket on top of Dick's body. Dick gave Alfred a forced shaky smile in thanks, and Alfred returned the favor.

"We don't know," Bruce simply stated. He looked to Dick when he said this, but Dick just looked away.

"Okay, not very helpful. Where's your thermometer again?" she asked. Alfred handed it to her, already at the ready. She had Dick stick it under his tongue and they waited.

Once the beep sounded, Dick opened his mouth to let the device out and Leslie looked at it with a puzzled expression.

"He has a temperature of ninety three degrees Fahrenheit, Bruce. That's into hypothermia," she told them, confusion written all over her face. "Alfred, go make him some warm tea. Nothing with caffeine in it," she instructed Alfred. He nodded and rushed off to complete his new task, a welcome momentary distraction.

"We'll have to keep warming him with these blankets around his trunk, after he's warmed to at least ninety six degrees can we begin worrying about his hands and feet." Bruce nodded, knowing full and well the crash treatment for hypothermia. But he wanted Leslie here to do it, to make him feel more secure that everything that could be done was being done.

"Thank you, Leslie," he told her. She just nodded and looked to him for something like an explanation as to what had happened here. It wasn't nearly cold enough outside for Dick to have gotten hypothermia, even if he was out all night. Bruce knew this, and Bruce knew that she knew this. But there wasn't much to say. None of it made sense and he couldn't give her what she wanted.

So he just shook his head at her, queuing her to realize the he had just about as much of a clue as she did.

Dick just sat and looked between the two of them, reading their expressions and picking up their silent conversation. But he couldn't focus on them any longer. His head slumped and his hands went up to catch it. Bruce saw this and his hand once again moved to grasp Dick's upper arm, hoping to bring some kind of comfort to him.

"Dick, tell me what happened," Bruce pleaded. Bruce never pleaded. Dick let his eyes once again float up to meet Bruce's, then he shot a glance at Leslie and she took the hint.

"I'm gonna go, uh, help Alfred with the tea," she fibbed. Dick sighed a bit in relief and let his hands fall from his face.

Dick tilted his head into an upright position once more, and he let out a shaky sigh. "I don't know what to tell you," he breathed out. Bruce looked at him with understanding.

"Just tell me what's going on," Bruce said. Dick knew that he was not only referring to him waking up screaming but also to everything that had been going on in the past week. Bruce knew that the stress of coming out to him was not the reason for any of this. While it may have been the reason for something, it was not this.

"Honestly?" Dick asked.

Bruce nodded. "Yes, honestly."

Dick swallowed dryly. "Well, honestly, I have no clue."

AHHHH CLIFFHANGERS. I am a horrible person, can't you tell?

I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, and if you did please review!

Thank you! ;)