I'm backa! I am going to make this chapter longer for all ya cause the last chapter was kinda short.
Oh, and I feel like this chapter has more depth to it. I think it's because while writing it, I was listening to inspirational music.
I don't own Young Justice. If I did Robin would get more screen time, all the time. AND I WOULDN'T HAVE ENDED THE SHOW GODDAMNIT.
As they flew in the bioship towards their sector of Gotham, they could feel how tense things were since Artemis had called Wally out on knowing Robin's identity.
They sat in silence the whole way there, no one asking what they were going to do once they had arrived in Gotham, no one talking at all in general. But when they did reach their destination, Kaldur was now forced to speak because of his position as leader.
"Seeing as how we, as a team, were given a whole sector of Gotham to search, I have decided that it would be best if we split up into groups." They all nodded, "Miss Martian, Superboy, and I will take the east half of this section of Gotham, while Kid Flash and Artemis, will take the west. Understood?" A muffled 'Yes sir' was heard from Kid Flash, while the others just said 'Understood'.
Miss Martian lower the bio-ship onto the top of a low sitting building, and kept it in camouflage mode. The team rose from their seats and headed out. Miss Martian, Superboy, and Aqualad headed to begin the search of their half (which was larger, which was also why Kaldur had made it so the three of them had to search it, also because of the uneven number). This left Kid Flash and Artemis alone to begin their search of the rest of their section.
"We should... get searching, I guess..." Kid Flash mumbled to Artemis, she grunted in response. They then began to walk through the shadows of the streets, heading in and out of buildings, looking for any sign whatsoever of Robin. So far, nothing.
Things continued this way for longer than hoped, until Artemis spoke to Kid Flash after the seemingly forever silence.
"I'm, uh... sorry, about what I said earlier... I guess I'm just so used to our bickering that it never even occurred to me that sometimes things really do have to be set aside..." Artemis heard Kid Flash's sigh from where she was standing.
"Yeah... well... Ya know..." Kid trailed off quietly. Artemis could hear the growing concern and utter depression in his voice. She knew, even before she had called Wally out on knowing Robin's ID, that he and Robin had a much deeper relationship than anyone else. She could feel that he blamed himself, even though in reality, it was the whole team's fault that Robin was takes, they had all held back on his during training. She could also tell that Robin meant a lot more to him than anyone else he knew, this made her think of how she would feel if anything happened to her mom ever. She would feel like it was her fault, no matter how stupid that may be, and that she would never be able to stop worrying until her mother was back up and running again (metaphorically speaking of course).
"Really though. I get it. I really do..." Artemis continued.
"Get what?" Kid- no, Wally -snapped at her. "You think that you get how this feels? You think that you could ever understand how much it hurts to know that one of the most important people to you in the world, is gone, or being tortured, and you may never see them again? Or even worse, when you do, they'll never be the same? You don't 'get it'!" Artemis seemed a bit taken back by this.
"No, you're right. I have never had to be in a situation exactly like your's before. But I do know what it feels like to lose the one person closest to you, not knowing whether you'll see them again, or even if they'll care if they do see you." Wally looked at her slightly confused, so she continued. "When my sister left me to stay with my dad, she was the only person that mattered, so... seeing her leave... thinking I may never see her again... that she didn't care... it ate at me every single day. And you know what? I still don't know if she cares. But I keep going and hoping that maybe someday she'll come to my doorstep telling me that she does love me, and that she's sorry she ever left. So, yeah, I don't know exactly how you're feeling right now. But, don't ever say I don't get it." Wally felt like those words had just punched him in the face. He looked at Artemis, and saw the sorrow mixed with determination in her eyes. He sighed.
"I... I'm sorry, too, then... you're right... really. I guess I- I guess I just don't know what to do, or how to deal with all of this. I've... I've just never felt like this before..." Artemis nodded slowly, in understanding. She walked up to him and put her hand on his shoulder.
"I know. but that doesn't mean you give up, or take it out on anyone. Including yourself." Wally looked at her, he tilted his head slightly, in wondering how she knew he was blaming himself. Then again, how wouldn't she know.
"There was nothing that you could have done to change anything that happened to Robin. I know that I blame myself too. I bet that everyone on the team does. We all can't help wonder if things would have gone differently if we had just trusted his abilities, and not judged him by his age, then maybe he wouldn't have left... But, there is one thing I know for certain. It's that, you're his best friend, and I know that Robin knows you are doing everything you can to find him. Which, you are." Wally gave her a small smile, and nodded his head.
"Thanks Arty... I guess I just can't stop thinking that he thinks I doubt him or something, and that I don't care or..." Wally trailed off, looking at Artemis, her hands resting softly at her sides.
"I know. But, he knows too." Wally felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Like those very words just beat away the biggest burden he's ever barred.
"Well, let's not fail Rob then. Let's keep on searching." Wally then began to start searching everything again. But just as he turned away, he almost missed the small smile on Artemis's lips, and he smirked to himself. I guess no one really knows anyone until they share a little heart...
Batman sat stiffly in front of the huge monitors in the batcave. He was still trying to see if he could uncover any leads towards Robin's where abouts. He was also waiting for anything from those out searching Gotham. He just hoped that sending the team out was a good decision and that maybe they would find something he, or the other heros, overlooked.
Alfred frequently came to check on him, but Bruce turned Batman, just waved him off in a rather rude manner. But he couldn't find it in him to be polite anymore, he just wanted to find Batman's partner, and Bruce Wayne's ward.
Time seemed to tick by. But not at an even pace. Sometimes, he would look at the clock and it felt like no time passed at all, even though he'd been sitting for hours. And other times, he'd look at the clock, and a seemingly forever amount of time was barely a minute. This continued throughout the night. It was like a plague.
"Green Lantern to Batman." Batman shot up out of his daze, and clicked his comlink.
"Batman," he said gruffly, trying to chase the fatigue out of his voice.
"Seems like me and Flash found some guys workin' for Scarecrow." Batman didn't even bother to correct Hal's poor grammar, and replied.
"I'm on my way." Batman then got up and headed toward the batmobile.
"Master Bruce?" Batman spun around to see Alfred standing tall. "I wish to remind you not to raise your hopes too high, for I do not wish for you to return home worse than when you leave." Batman nodded and went back to get into the batmobile, he was then stopped one last time.
"Oh, and Master Bruce?" He looked over, and waited. "We will find him."
"Thank you," was Batman's simple response, and he was off.
Riding towards the location Hal had sent him, he couldn't help think about what Alfred had said. 'don't raise your hopes too high' he was right, or course. Because if this was another dead end, he couldn't help think that he would feel much worse about the situation. 'What if everything I find lead me no where?' he tried to push that thought away, but he found he couldn't. For that was a huge possibility. Finding nothing, getting nowhere. But upon arriving at the location, he found his hopes getting higher of their own accord.
He saw Green Lantern and Flash standing over to bound thugs. Both thugs had masks on like that of Scarecrow's. 'But that's too obvious...' .
Batman pulled up in the batmobile, sending it to a halt. He then stepped out of the vehicle and headed towards the other heros.
"See what I mean?" Hal motioned to the criminal's masks. Batman just grunted before standing over the two. He removed their masks to reveal terrified faces. They both stared at the Dark Knight in utter defeat. Batman just growled again, making both thugs curl in on themselves a bit.
"You're working for Scarecrow?" Batman questioned. Flash and Hal looked confused at Batman for asking a kind of stupid question considering their masks. The thugs just looked away not giving an answer. So, Batman just lifted one by his collar and growled the question again.
"F-fine! Ye-yeah, we are!" The thug shouted in defeat. Batman just narrowed his eyes at them, almost in disbelief.
"See?" Hal said again. Batman just dropped the thug and glared at Hal, he backed off.
"If you're working for Scarecrow, why the masks? Those are the most obvious things in the world leading directly to him," Batman growled out. The thugs looked semi-shocked and the one Batman had dropped looked up at him.
"H-he said we had to 'cause of s-some upcoming a-attack or somethin'..."Batman narrowed his eyes even further if possible, and he grabbed the man again.
"Attack." Batman looked the man dead in the eyes.
"Y-yeah. He said for us to wear the m-masks 'cause of an a-attack." Batman dropped the man again and pressed a button on his belt to alert the police to come to this location. He then began walking away, and Flash ran in front of him.
"Woah woah woah. That's it!? Aren't you gonna integrate them "Batman style" or something?" The speedster questioned. Batman just glared at him and spoke again.
"Scarecrow's not in Gotham," he stated plainly. Both Flash and Hal looked very confused now. So, Batman continued. "If he were in Gotham he would never have anyone working for him look so obvious as to wear one of his masks. He did this to make us think he is in Gotham. Which means, he isn't." Flash and Hal stared in disbelief at him, wondering why they hadn't come up with that conclusion. Batman just brushed Flash aside and went back to the batmobile.
"Wait!" Flash shouted at him, Batman stopped to listen, but didn't turn. "What does this mean for Robin?" Batman turned to face him now.
"It means that we will have to search for him outside of Gotham, which is a whole lot more tedious, and that we have no where to start looking." Batman then left swiftly and sped away in the batmobile.
Batman could see only the downside in this. 'This means I have no idea where to search for him...' while Batman could only see that side of this, Flash couldn't help but think 'At least we know he's not in Gotham, so that might make things a little easier...' but in all reality, now no one knew how to proceed, Robin could be anywhere...
BOOM! There you all go! I hope you enjoyed the tender moment between Artemis and Wally, and the little realization from Batman.
I hope that this chapter satisfys you guy's needs for a chapter!
REVIEW PLEASE!