What a horrible day to be happy… well, I'll listen to some cold depressing songs and get into this. This'll be the longest memory, very depressing if I have my way. I'm aiming for five pages and some crying reviewers. I am referencing 'Matter of Family' for some of this, but I'm describing his mom and dad how I want. This is going to be a rather dark chapter. I'll make you all regret having parents! Er, maybe I'll make you frown… Gah, who am I kidding?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Not even my birth name because kids have no rights in my state.

Dick's Chapter!

It was the big show tonight. The circus tent was packed full to the top, not an open seat in sight. The opening acts were rolling through and the cheering and laughter was loud, giving all three Graysons high hopes. John stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the front of his leotard as Mary zipped up the back, making sure everything was perfect. John had his hair in the normal short and sturdy style, the brown so dark that it was almost a black. Mary had her light brown hair pulled down into a tight ponytail, her bangs pinned back with tight bobby pins. They wore matching green leotards with yellow G's imprinted on the front in a fancy cursive pattern with matching bandages wrapped around their forearms.

"Alright Dick, come on out now," Mary called lightly, only after she was sure that her husband's leotard was just right.

"No," Dick groaned, "I look like a loser."

John and Mary exchanged familiar glances, smiling softly. John slipped an arm around Mary, pulling her closer.

"Your mother put a lot of work into the new costume," John reminded his son with a knowing smirk at the green curtain that his son had been changing behind.

Dick stepped forward a little, but he stayed hidden in the shadows of the curtain.

"Well, are you just going to stand there?" John taunted, waiting eagerly.

Dick sighed roughly, stepping out of the shadows nervously. A light pink blush decorated his cheeks, averting his blue eyes nervously. He tugged at the collar of the leotard uncomfortably, squirming.

"Is there a reason this costume has to be so…" he stared at the strange costume he wore.

His wasn't green. It had a red torso with a yellow R stitched to the right side with Velcro yellow straps and green tights, much to his discomfort.

"Colorful?" he finished with a grimace.

His mom smiled softly, shrugging off John's arm and walking to her son, kneeling so they were eye level. Her blue eyes sparkled with care.

"Because when I see you up there Richard," she set a hand to the R on his chest, "You make me think of a little Robin."

Dick's blush worsened. He let out a cry of disgust.

"A robin?" he mocked, disapproval strong on his features, "Like the bird?"

John walked over slowly to join his family.

"You know, kids my age get beat up for nicknames like that," Dick reminded them.

John put an arm to Dick's shoulder.

"How about if we call you our… Flying Squirrel?" he offered. "Better?"

Dick grinned.

"You know dad, I'm not the only one who looks like a loser," the grin upgraded to a playful smirk.

"Loser?" John mocked, faking anger.

He wrapped Dick and Mary in a bone crushing hug, resting his forehead against Dick's.

"I'll teach you…" he growled teasingly.

His wife and son laughed at that.

"Oh John…" Mary sighed, resting her head lovingly on his shoulder.

When it was finally their turn to shine, Dick's stomach twisted and turned like taffy on a taffy puller, but he put on his best smile anyway as he heard the ring master's mighty cry announce their interest.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages! I present to you," he took off his hat and waved it up at the trapeze platform, "The fearless Flying Graysons!"

A loud and mighty cheer ran through the red and white tent as the spot light went on the platform opposite of Dick's, showing his mom and dad standing there with wide smiles in their yellow robes. John took Mary's hand in his and they raised their arms up, waving lightly.

"As always, they're performing their daring feats without the safety of the net!" the crowd let out a whistle of amazement at that.

Mary and John took that as their cue to shed their yellow robes, smiling lightly at Dick on the other platform. John reached up and grabbed the trapeze bar boldly in his hands, shooting Mary one last final smile before he jumped from the platform, letting the bar guide him down. Halfway across the tent, he let go of the bar, flipping twice in the air, only to grab tightly to the next bar, his confidence high. The crowd whooped and hollered in amusement. As John's first bar swung back, Mary took it in her own pale hands and leapt from the platform, gliding through the air as gracefully as a swan.

She flipped through the air just as her husband made his way back. He caught her outstretched hands in his own, holding her wrists in a deadlock, smiling proudly down at her as they swung back. The crowd went wild yet again.

"And now, for the youngest member of this amazing family!" the spotlight swung towards Dick who stood on his platform in his yellow robe, trying to look as big and important as he could, an excited grin on his face.

As the spotlight hit him, Dick waved proudly, his heart hammering in his chest. As he went to shed the robe, his heart stopped cold as he heard a creaking in the wires above his head. He looked up, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. The two wires that were holding his parents up were being held only by threads. His mouth opened in horror as his eyes flew to his parents. They must've flipped again because now John held his wife's ankles. They swung up until they were eyelevel with Dick. Mary had a smile on her face, her eyes strong and brave, completely oblivious to the faulty wire. When she noticed, her lips opened in a shaky gasp, her eyes wide with horror. Her outstretched hands shook as she locked eyes with her only son.

When John noticed, the same look of horror crossed over his features. But then- it happened. The wires snapped. Dick watched and a choky breath escaped his throat. He met eyes with his parents, his eyes way wider than what should've been humanly possible. Then they began to fall.

"Dick!" his mom screamed.

Dick lurched forward on the platform, reaching for them, tears flying to his eyes.

"No!" he sobbed.

He dropped to his knees as the crowd let out their own gasp of horror. Dick watched, frozen and helpless, as his parents' bodies struck the ground. The noise that sounded was one he wouldn't soon forget. It was a loud sickening crunch as their bones broke, blood spattering with them. Screams erupted from the crowd. Dick held to the side of the platform, bowing his head down in defeat. He let out a heartbroken and defeated cry that trembled ever so violently before he broke down and started sobbing. Hot, murderous tears poured from his eyes, staining his cheeks. Shaky gasps and choky breaths rose from his throat.

He let go of the platform and rested his head against the metal, setting his hands over his light brown hair. The sobs grew harder and harder as the tears picked up speed.

It wasn't fair. What had he done in his life to deserve this? Why did he deserve to lose the only people he had left in this world? They were gone… He'd never see them again. He'd never hold them again. He'd never get to tell them he loved them. They wouldn't be there to see him graduate. They wouldn't be able to see him grow up. He wouldn't get to secretly joke about mom's cooking behind her back with dad. He wouldn't be able to complain about how they were embarrassing him anymore and he wouldn't get to complain when they gave him kisses goodbye in front of his friends. He'd never be normal again. He was cursed to a broken life from now on. He was cursed to live a nightmare.

He dug his nails into his head, the gasps becoming strangled screams of anger. Why did the murders and serial killers of this world get to have parents when he didn't? Why did the terrorists and traitors and Nazis all have parents when he couldn't? His stomach felt like there was a drunken little midget hiding in it with a chainsaw; the rapid spinning blade dug everywhere throughout his overcramped stomach, seeing that it held a midget, and since the little guy was drunk, his aim couldn't ever sit still.

"Mom… Dad…" he choked out, forgetting how to breathe.

This was it. It was all over now. He was done for. He wanted to throw himself off the platform and join them, but he couldn't move. It was as if some external force was holding him to the platform, dooming him to a life of pain and misery. That was all he was destined for after all. He'd never smile again and mean it, every laugh would be forced, his cheeks would always be stained and his heart would always be broken. He'd be just a broken puppet to the world; they'd try to repair him to use him again, but he knew deep down that he'd only get broken again and it just wasn't worth the risk.

XxXxX

The second they all returned to Megan's mind, Wally didn't hesitate to wrap Robin in what had to be the world's tightest hug, burying his face in the ebony's hair, hiding his own tears. Robin shook violently in the ginger's arms, burying his own face in the flannel jacket in front of him, having just relived the worst memory of his life. Megan had to scrub at her eyes furiously. Even Kaldur and Megan had to blink quickly to regain clear vision.

"Robin…" Megan began to apologize.

"Shut up!" Robin roared, his voice muffled by Wally's chest.

The ginger raised his head up shakily, setting just his chin against the black hair. He softened his hug, but he never let go. He didn't care that the rest of the team could see his tears. This was his best friend. He could cry if he damn well pleased. Wally was surprised that the normally giggly, calm and collective bird had such a depressing story to him. He didn't care that he had just learned his best friend's name, past, met his parents and learned why he was called Robin. All he knew was that his best friend needed his hugs so he was going to keep hugging him until his heart was put back together again- or at least poorly stitched.

"I-I'm sorry," Megan managed to get in, but her words were useless.

When everyone got even the slightest glimpse of the boy who was practically nom-noming on Wally's best shirt, their hearts ached in sympathy. Wally didn't even care that tears now soaked through his jacket and his shirt. His best friend's happiness came before his in matters like these. He gently set a hand to the back of Robin's head, lightly petting him, or so it seemed.

"Robin," he said in a light whisper, "I'm so sorry."

Robin pulled away from the hug, red tinted blue eyes meeting emerald. Tears fell silently down his cheeks, his chin quivering.

"It's unfair," he choked out, looking so weak and vulnerable. "… I miss them…"

Wally's heart broke again and he lightly wiped the tears from the pale cheeks in front of him. He couldn't tell if the red tint to the ebony's face was a blush or stains from the tears. Then emerald eyes glared hard at Megan. It was probably the first time he had ever been mad at her. He didn't feel like yelling though. Instead, he just wrapped his arms stubbornly around Robin again.

"Just get my memory back to me so we can get today over with," he demanded sourly.

Megan faltered, not used to how out-of-character the two youngest of the team were being. She figured that seeing a memory would be better than seeing them cry.

Alright… I'm confident about the memory meaning it probably sucked some hairy plumber ass, but the last part was pretty questionable. Eh… hope you liked it… I know it wasn't what you expected but… Hey, if you don't like it, write it yourself! Or tell me the name of an awesome song. I need a new playlist on YouTube :{p

-F.J.