Okay so now the real story begins and it will probably be mostly in third person just cuz it's easier to write than alternating between characters POV's. Plus then I can add the Teams POV and yeah...
Disclaimer: hahaa. nope.
Wally was hurting. Badly. He and Artemis drove in their old red truck, listening to the radio in silence as Wally drove towards Gotham. Memories playing through Wally's mind like an old movie, but he ignored them the best he could instead focusing on the road. He looked at Artemis. Her face was blank and she was staring out the window. He saw a tear roll down her cheek. She was holding some roses in her arms, black and red ones. Her hair was down and held back with a green head band. He liked her hair like that.
They pass by the 'Welcome To Gotham' sign. It's worn down and there's graffiti all over it. One of them's a bat symbol. A symbol Wally learned to hate over the past two years. Just ahead of them was the worst city on the planet. Well, half of it anyways. Apparently two years worth of repairs still wasn't enough to finish rebuilding. Parts of Gotham like the Narrows were still practically rubble. He sighed and drove through the streets, avoiding pedestrians and cops.
The cops are the worst part of Gotham. They used to be great, trusting and all about the people's safety. After March though, they went sour. Wally's theory was it's because commissioner Gordon died after the explosion taking all the good cops with him. Poor Gordon had left behind a daughter, Barbra, and apparently she and Dick had been good friends. She had even known his secret. Wally had to be the one to tell her that now both her dad and best friend are dead.
Wally had called her and she would be meeting them at the cemetary. Cemetary, Wally thought. Never thought I would only come to Gotham for a cemetary. Only reason I ever came here as a kid was to hang out with Dick. His vision got a little blurry and he wiped away the oncoming tear. Focus West. He looked at Artemis again, who was lost in her own mind.
She was thinking back to her highschool days, before she dropped out of Gotham Academy and moved to Star City to finish highschool. She just couldn't stand to be in the same school with Barbra. Not after Dick... She clung to the roses in her hands. Maybe we'll-
"Artemis. We're here." Wally said to her as they pulled up at the cemetary parking lot. The cemetary over looks most of Gotham, on a green hill with trees and flowers. It's one of the few nice places in Gotham. She got out of the car and Wally took her hand in his. He looked rather handsome in his blue jeans and red silk shirt and black loafers. She was wearing a black long skirt and a green blouse and black flats.
Wally sees the black Sudan pull up next to them and the two adults walk towards them. Roy wore a black tux jacket, white shirt and jeans with loafers. The woman on his arm, however wore a black dress that went to her knees and high heels and held a single rose. Both of them had wedding rings on their fingers.
"Jade!" Artemis said, surprised to see her sister. Jade hugged her sister.
"I figured it was time to pay my dues. I had to kick Roy's ass to get him here though."
Artemis and Wally laughed while Roy looked away blushing. Jade pecked him on the cheek. "Relax I'm only having fun."
Wally shook Roy's hand, "So how are you guys?"
"Fine. Jade had the baby a little over ten months ago."
Artemis squealed and looked at Jade, "What did you name her?"
"Lian. She's got red hair like her father but my eyes." Jade pulled out her phone and showed pictures to Artemis and Wally.
"Jade she's beautiful. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."
"Don't worry about it. It was kind of a private birthing anyways. Roy couldn't exactly walk into a hospital and say 'My ex-assassin wife is about to have a baby!'. Couldn't risk the Shadows finding out either."
Artemis nodded in understanding and the two of them continued to talk about babies while Roy pulled Wally to the side.
"Kaldur and Tula are coming. When did Conner say he and M'gann would be here?"
"Just after six. Did you want to come back to the apartment after? Hang out for a while?"
"Nah. We have to get back to Star. Left Lian with a babysitter but Jade starts getting anxious if she's not with her daughter for a long time."
"I wouldn't know what that feels like."
"Yeah I bet. So when are you and Arty thinking about making it official? I think Jades dying for a nice or nephew now that she's in this whole 'family and babies' phase."
Wally blushed. "We haven't really talked about it yet. Taking our time right? Besides we're not even twenty yet! I'm pretty sure there's a rule against under-aged marriage."
"No there isn't."
"Shut up."
Behind Wally another car pulled up and two young adults stepped out. Conner was wearing jeans, sneakers and a black t-shirt while M'gann wore a purple dress and black flats. Her skin was human coloured so she didn't freak out any passer-by. She held a yellow daffodil in her hand.
Artemis and Jade hugged them and Wally kissed M'gann's cheek in a 'hello' way.
"Who are we waiting on?" Conner asked.
"Just Kaldur and Tula now." Wally answered. "Oh and Barbra. But she should be here any-"
He was cut off as a motorcycle pulled to a stop beside the Sudan. A red-haired teenager got off the bike. Barbra was now eighteen years old and wore jeans and a black t-shirt with leather boots. She walked over to Wally and gave him a hug.
"Thanks for the call. I would have came anyways but now I don't have to be alone for this." She said quietly. Wally held her for a minute before introducing her.
"Guys this is Barbra Gordon, she's a friend of Dick. Barbra this is Roy and his lady Jade, Conner and M'gann, and you know Artemis."
Nobody missed the way Wally said 'she's a'. But they greeted her with smiles none the less. The group chatted about what they had each been up to lately when the last car stopped in the parking lot. Kaldur wore a black suit and Tula looked beautiful in her multi coloured dress and had a water lily in her hair.
"It is good to see you all again." Kaldur said as he and Roy shook hands.
"Like-wise. Hows the ocean been treating you?"
"Fairly well actually. Tual and I had just finished visiting Queen Mera. She sends her condolences and love. I am sorry for being so late."
"It's fine man. At least you got here."
Tula finished giving Jade a hug. "I'm sorry I wasn't here for the first time. But I intend to give my respects as best I can."
Jade smiled. "Me too sister."
When everyone was done they started walking up the hill to the place they dreaded most. The grave was near the top of the hill and was shaped in the customary tombstone way, with the exception of the stone robin on the top. Inscribed in the stone was: Richard John Grayson; 1997-2011; In loving remembrance of a boy wonder.
The girls layed down the flowers, Tula took the lily out of her hair, kissed it then set it on the stone and said a silent Atlantian prayer. Kaldur joined her while the others stayed silent. The grave, as each of them knew, was empty since they never found his body. When the League had told them to accept it they had to arrange for an empty coffin. They made up the story that Richard Grayson had died in the Gotham explosion with Alfred Pennyworth when Wayne Manor blew up. Wally held Artemis and tears fell down his face. Out of all of them he, Kaldur and Roy and Barbra were taking this the hardest.
Barbra was crying and Tula held her. She had known Dick ever since Bruce had taken him in. They grew up together. He had been her best friend. They had done everything together, she and Wally were the first ones Dick had told his identity to. He trusted them. And look where that got him. Barbra had been at home that night, hiding in her closet and crying as the explosions went off outside.
Wally was having the same thoughts. Where had the team been that night? They had been in Biyalia tracking a lead that turned out to be false. They didn't make it back in time. Wally had run over Gotham at least ten times that night, desperate to help civilians and search for his friend. He found nothing. Not even a shoe lace. Maybe if he had been a little faster- no. That wouldn't have made a difference.
Wally kneeled down to the grave, putting his hand on the tombstone. "We miss you buddy. I told you this last time but I'm sorry. So, so sorry. We weren't there for you like you were there for us. Hey, guess who came to see you? Jade aka Cheshire. Roy and her are married now and they've got a little girl. Her names Lian and she's really cute. Tula's here too. I don't know if you guys ever really met but she wanted to come and say hi to you." He motioned for Tula to talk.
"Hi Richard. It's Tula. Please forgive me for not coming sooner. I hope you like the flower I brought. I found it in a fresh water pool on an island in the south pacific. It was beautiful and I hope you like it."
Kaldur smiled and held her hand.
M'gann let her head rest on Conner's shoulder, until she felt a familiar presence. It wasn't one of her friends, not Zatanna or Rocket or even a League member. Suddenly there were more familiar presences, all of which she hadn't felt in three years.
M'gann turned around and gasped, making everyone else look too.
Standing behind them were six men wearing all too familiar costumes.
M'gann looked at uncle, "U-Uncle J'onn?"
Batman, Superman, Green Arrow, Flash, Aquaman and Martian Manhunter all stood before their apprentices feeling a mixture of happiness, surprise, anticipation, anxiousness. Until the young adults in front of them all narrowed their eyes and J'onn felt their emotions go sour.
Wally stood up and stared at his uncle, regret growing inside him. But Barry flashed him a smile, which only angered Wally and in less than a second Barry was on the ground with a new bruise on his cheek as Wally stood over him with a fist.
"Geez kid what the-"
"You stupid bastard! Where have you been!?"
The others stared at Wally, then glared at their respective elders. Barbra's eyes filled with hate as she looks at Batman. She ran at him with a punch but Bruce grabbed her wrist.
"Let us explain-"
"Explain! Explain! Where the hell were you Bruce! Do you know what's happened here? What happened to you guys?"
"Barbra-"
"Where were you?"
"Unconscious in a room underground west from here."
She stopped and everyone stared at Batman. "We aren't sure of the details but we woke up only hours ago from a three year long sleep in a bunker. We don;t know how we got there or what happened to us but we know what happened to you."
"Wh-What does that mean?" M'gann asked cautiously looking at her uncle.
J'onn looked at his niece, "We believe we were telepathically connected to you and experienced a series of visions explaining the events you have gone through in the past three years leading up to now."
"Why should we believe that?" Conner asked while glaring at Clark.
"Because it is true."
Wally looked at the fist he had used to punch his uncle. For so long he had wanted to beat the living crap out of each mentor, but now he just felt guilty. If what J'onn said was true than it wasn't their fault they went missing. He looked at Artemis who was looking wide-eyed at Oliver like Roy was. They all looked at each other and after silently agreeing to kick their butts later, turned to the heros.
"Fine. We'll settle this later but you have to leave." Roy said.
"Why? We just got back and-" Barry started.
"We don't want you anywhere near this grave. Especially you." Roy glared at Batman. Bruce looked at the grave markings and got the hint.
"Dick is alive."
TADA! I will update soon and I hope you guys feel special since instead of doing my project that's due monday I worked on this instead. Now it's late and I'm tired. Goodnight everybody! 3