Here's the next chap of Knightfall hope its too your liking

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I'm laying on my bed, blankly staring up at the ceiling. Its dull, cream color doing nothing to distract me from my thoughts.

I went to bed around eleven las night. But I didnt fall asleep...I'm not sure if I'll ever sleep again after this...

I mean...its Bats...ya know? How the hell could he of all people have died?

Half the time I forgot he didnt even have powers. He was always so precise, so perfect in everything he did.

He never screwed up. Never missed a clue. Never let the team down.

Not like me...

I'm the let down, the kid, the dissapointment.

Thats what I allways saw in his features whenever he looked at me...

Dissapointment.

And that's twhy, his oppinion, more than anyone else's mattered to me the most.

Because somehow, if I could gain his aproval: His! Not Superman's, not GL's, his then that meant I was good enough...strong enough.

To me, his aproval, the approval of the lone, non meta in the original team, was the sole evidence I needed to tell me I was good enough to be a league member.

When Shayera told us he died over the Javelin Com. Channel...I...I just couldnt believe it. I truly thought that she was lying, or that someone was lying to her.

How could he of all people have....just....just died?

I was angry at the very notion. Angry at the thought that they were considering this for a moment. Buying into that load of crap. Angry at the thought...

that it could be true...

That he had died before I could gain the approval I coveted so much. That he had died before I could tell him just how much that oppinion of his mattered to me.

Thats the problem with death and those left behind....We realize just how much was left unsaid...how much left undone.

The blaring of the alarm clock startled me so much I nearly jumped; before I realized what it was.

Looking up to the bright red lights that made up the digits I saw it read 8 AM. My wake up call.

I hadnt slept a wink. I'm not even sure if I tried to close my eyes once last night.

For those who know me, they know I'm not an early riser, not in the least.

But today was different wasn't it...It was his funeral today.

I stood up from the bed, listening to the metal springs creak and groan with the shift in weight.

I stretched sore muscles listening to various bones pop from hours of lack of movement.

I could be ready in minutes, seconds even. But I didnt. I took my time. It didnt seem right: cheapening this preparation time, this...ritual. He deserved these hours of my time. More than that even. But this was all I could give of myself now. Offer to him before...before he is well and truly gone.

I shed the different articles of clothing, stepping into the shower once I did.

I turned on the water. Adjusting the temperature until it was hot, almost burning. I felt the rapid beats of water rain down on my back and shoulders, loosening tightly coiled muscles.

For several minutes I stood there, letting the watter beat down against my back and watching it trail down the drain.

How many times had I done this before? Only that the water was tinged with a dark trail of red as I washed off recent injuries and new scars.

He'd fought in those battles with me...he had fought and escaped without a scratch several times while I was thrown to the medical ward once I got back.

I could never compare to him...never measure up. He even towered over Supes sometimes.

And now...he was dead.

For a moment I felt worry...

No...not worry...fear.

I feared for the league.

What would happen without him? He financed us. He led us into battle. We often owed our victories to his brains and level headedness.

What would we do next time when an enemy needed a weakness to be found? Or a bomb to be difused? Or a killer to be tracked? Or a puzzle to be solved?

I didnt know.

And...Ironically...I realized that six of the worlds most powerful meta's relied the most on the single human amongst them.

Or was it just me? Was I the one that relied on him? That was failing to measure up again?

Another dissapointment eh? I could swear I feel the familiar burn of your glare on the back of my neck..

I can see your face too...all hardened lines etched into a marble carved scowl as you growl at me "Stop whining!"

I stepped out of the shower, drying myself with an old, clean towel before I marched out of the steam filled bathroom.

I made my way across my apartment, towards the closet where I reached for the plastic covering which shielded an old suit I hadn't worn in years

I took it from its place, before spreading it out on the bed and unzipping it, finding the black material inside.

I pulled it out, airing it for a moment before I began the process of putting on the entire ensemble.

I had always, whenever I was on a mission on my own, and found myself in a bind, I'd ask myself:

"What would bats do?"

But I think it would be hard to ask that here...now...

Even if I could, I don't think any answer would come.

But still...what would you do? I mean if one of us had died instead of you?

Heh, probably just go brood in that cave of yours right? Here I am getting ready to go to your funeral and you probably wouldn't even go to mine. Heh. Asshole.

I glance behind me almost on instinct to make sure you don't sneak up on me as you always do whenever I say or think something bad about you.

I regret the action almost immediately.

There wont be anymore surprise sneak ups anymore will there? No more bat glares. No more reprimands. No more unquestionable rules.

No more...

I throw the jacket onto the bed, march over to the nearby recliner and collapse, a hand pressing against my forehead and a shuddering breath escaped me.

Even though there was no one here I still tried to fight the tears that glistened my eyes. Maybe it was out of habit. Maybe it was because I know you'd be disappointed if I did cry.

Look at me...I've saved the world a dozen times over, taken hits that would keep me on the hospital bed for days. Broken bones, torn muscles, sprained joints.

And here I'm sitting in my apartment crying like a little kid.

You wouldn't be doing this would you? Nah...you wouldn't.

Here I am moping, instead of getting ready. The service was at ten. And here I am at nine and I'm not even fully dressed.

I stand up from the chair, wiping my eyes before I step forward to the jacket once again, donning it before I move to put on my socks and shoes.

I stand up, marching over to the mirror. I straighten my tie, press the cotton suit, tug it down.

I stare at myself in the mirror, seeing myself in this monkey suit was surreal. But the reason for it was even more surreal.

I sighed, walking over towards the watchtower communicator on my nightstand. He would have had a fit if he ever saw that there.

I turned on the com link, ready to tell whoever was on station to activate the teleporter and beam me up to beam me back down to Gotham's Wayne Manor.

As I pressed the button, and the crackle of static filtered through the room, I was about to speak when the whole building shook, toppling me over with a startled cry, and knocking the communicator out of my hand. A nearby lamp teetered and tottered before it finally toppled over, smacking me across the temple.

"Ow! Sonova..."

I paused mid sentence as I began to stand, looking up out the window to see a black plume of smoke rising from down the street.

I jerked to my feet, rushing to the window to see one of the nearby residential buildings completely aflame, the entire lower level consumed with quickly rising fires.

I moved with speed, rushing to get rid of the jacket and clothes, moving towards one of the many rings that concealed my suit.

As I tossed clothing onto my bed in a hurry my eyes soon darted to the clock and forze.

9:45

The service was in fifteen minutes. No way I could shut off a fire and save the civilians in fifteen minutes.

For the briefest of instants the thought to ignore the problem crossed my mind. To simply leave, and let the authorities handle it, maybe call in some other team.

But whatever the hell got into me I threw away with a ferocity and disgust that would have done Bats proud.

It didnt take another second, another instant, I donned my scarlet uniform and mask, the suit and its articles laying haphazardly across the bed.

If I skipped out on this, if I left, if 1 person died because I just didnt 'feel' like doing my duty. Then I would be a disappointment. Then I would never be worthy of being in the league. Then I would never be able to gain your approval.

I don't have to ask myself what you would do here. Because I know what you would do. What you'd expect others to do.

You'd get up and keep fighting, you'd live with the loss, fight through it. You'd push yourself harder, make yourself stronger faster, so that next time...next time you'll be there for your fellow league member. And a trip to the morgue would be instead a trip to the medical ward.

That's what you would do.

So that's what I'm gonna do.

I promise...I wont be the disappointment again. Never again.

I rush out from my window, zooming past the cars, people and buildings, rushing towards the screams and the flames.

This is what you would do Bats...so this is what I'm gonna do.

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Well flash was meant to be more like the little brother that just lost the elder. I hope I was able to portray it well enough. This chap was shorter than some of the others, but I hope it has just as much significance.

Either way, I hope you enjoyed it, read and review please, next up is Clark, his chapter should be up by next saturday the latest. Thanks