Broken Wings
By
Angelina
Chapter 3: Final Goodbyes
The entire Justice League attended the small and intimate funeral. They had helped to raise the little bird, they had comforted him through his nightmares, they had tucked him in at night, they had laughed and played with him, they had watched him triumph, and they had been his family. Now they watched him die.
They had watched him grow up, they had thought of the wonderful gentleman he would become. He was the youngest of all of them and he was the first to die. Life wasn't fair. Life was cruel that it should take the youngest in years; it was cruel to cut the flower before it had even finished blooming.
Black Canary sniffled into Green Arrow's broad shoulder while Red Arrow sat beside the two with a faraway expression on his face. Superman was comforting Wonder Woman while silent tears spilled down his face. Aquaman and Aqualad were dressed in traditional Atlantean mourning clothes; both hung their heads in deep sorrow. Martian Manhunter was holding his niece as she cried her eyes out for the fourth time that day. Conner was sitting by himself looking lost, his expression neither here nor there. Artemis was sitting by herself as well, shaking from silent sobs. Flash was lending his shoulder to Kid Flash as the two bawled into tissues. Bruce Wayne sat up front with bloodshot eyes and his head held high. Alfred sat next to him with tears leaving two wet tracks down his cheeks.
One by one they got up and shared their favourite memories of the little bird. But no one really registered what was being said, they all seemed to be operating on auto pilot. After the last person had finished speaking Bruce and Superman approached the coffin. Bruce pulled the two rubber birds out of his pocket and slipped them into Dick's clasped hands, allowing his hand to linger on Dick's cold one. But before he pulled away, however, he changed his mind and put the rubber robin back in his pocket leaving Dick clutching the bat. Bruce then shut the lid of the coffin and watched through hazy vision as Superman picked the coffin up and then lowered it into a prepared grave.
Slowly the small funeral party shuffled by the grave and threw flowers onto the coffin. Then M'gann moved the dirt with her mind to cover her friend's grave. The little bird had been laid to his last rest.
One by one the heroes left until it was just Bruce and Alfred that stood by the small grave. "I'll go start the car, Master Bruce." With that the englishman turned away and left Bruce alone with his son.
Bruce knelt down next to the headstone. Damn(1), Dick looked so young on stone, so young. Bruce opened his mouth to try and say something but after several minutes of opening and closing his mouth like a fish Bruce gave up. Finally he rose to his feet. He looked down at the grave stone once again. "I love you, son." He turned his back on the small grave and walked away, forever leaving a piece of him behind.
Robin would never fly again.
The thought brought fresh tears to Bruce's eyes.
His baby bird's wings were broken.
And so were Batman's.
(1) Please pardon my language but I couldn't find a more apporpiate word for that sentence.
A/N I did not care for this chapter as much… I don't write funerals very well… I think I may add a fourth chapter with an alternate ending, what do you guys think?
A/N Not to beg or anything but I have never gotten over 8 reviews on a story before, so it would be nice if I could get over that. 9 would be nice :) But do not feel obligated to review, only do so if you have the desire.
