I do not own Young Justice.

One would imagine that after six months, the Young Justice team would move past their loss and go forth to prosper.

That is, if one was completely heartless.

Though the team was hurting, and it was unsure if the hurt would ever go away, they all were starting to be their normal selves again. While it is true that sadness could be seen in their eyes if one looked past the smiles and laughter, they were getting better.

Each one did their best to honor the fallen hero. They remembered what he valued, what he had hated, and what he had always told them. They took these messages to heart, and tried to apply them to their lives.

Kaldur started to stop doubting himself as often. Robin had thought him a good leader, despite his own beliefs. Using the boy's trust as encouragement, the Alantian began to be more confident in his decisions. While he still second-guessed a few choices that ended in injury, he started to trust himself. If Robin would not be there to take the place as the team's true leader eventually, Kaldur would have to be the best leader he could be. The team needed someone strong to lead, and he would have to be that person.

Conner started to control his anger. While he would still occasionally feel pure fury at some of the villains they faced, he did his best to keep the embers of hatred as such. The clone knew that Robin would be proud that he was working so hard to stay 'traught'. Soon he realized it made him feel much better also.

However, he could not stop the anger when a criminal even mentioned the lost bird. Wally even usually managed to not pound the scums, but Conner just couldn't. He wasn't that good yet.

Megan became completely honest with Conner. As she showed her true form to her beloved, she expected complete rejection. That had been her fear all along, which was why she had hid it from anyone. The only reason she was showing Conner was to honor their lost team mate.

When her "normal" form had melted away to reveal what she truly was, Megan listened to hear the cry of disgust she was convinced would come from the boy she loved so dearly, her head bowed. When she didn't hear anything, she lifted her eyes to see Conner was smiling at her.

"I'm happy you are ready to tell me this. It doesn't change anything."

Full of glee, Megan turned back into the form the team was used to in order to hug her boyfriend. Tears of joy began to run down her cheeks.

These were the first tears in nearly half a year that was not for the fallen hero, yet she was sure he would be glad to see them.

Wally decided to do something Dick had badgered him endlessly to do. At first he had ignored the boy, saying the suggestion was both ridiculous and inaccurate. However, Dick was never one to give up easily, and had continued to nag the speedster to preform this action. In the boy's life, Wally had never gotten the guts to do this. Now that his best friend was gone, he would finally be brave in remembrance of Dick.

Wally had finally told Artemis how he felt about her.

The first expression he saw on her face was disbelief. The red head almost apologized for wasting her time then, convinced she would starting laughing in his face.

However, the archer's face soon broke into a huge smile. This was quickly followed by her lips crashing into his, a deep kiss melding the two together.

Wally could almost hear Dick whooping in success, and bragging later about how right he had been. However, these thoughts soon left with the pure emotion that radiated off of Artemis, making their kiss even more passionate.

Dick would have been very, very happy.

Artemis had a very hard time following through with her own improvement. She had worked so hard to keep this under the covers from the team, and to just tell them may make her loose everything she had worked so hard for; friends, love, and a true family...

When she finally was ready to tell them, she imagined the boy wonder in her head cheering her on. As the archer gathered the team, her heart rate accelerated in slight fear. After closing her eyes, the truth poured from her lips and washed over the team.

She was certain her heritage would make the whole team hate her. When she saw the shocked faces upon opening her eyes, she was only more sure of this.

That is, until Wally stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug.

The teenagers were indeed healing, albeit slowly. However, something was about to happen that would rip the bandage off the still fresh wound of their friend's death, causing pain almost as bad when the injury was first forged.

It was supposed to be a normal mission. There was a break-in at the the museum in Bludhaven, and the item stolen was rather valuable. Since it was so close to Gotham, and the town had no hero of its own, Batman would usually have investigated himself. However, there had been yet another Arkham breakout, and he had his hands full recapturing the escaped psychos. Also, the team had not had a mission in nearly a month; they were frankly getting bored. So the teens were sent to check out the museum to see if there was anything suspicious going on about.

They were expecting a quick in and out; seeing as the town was nearly as crime-ridden as Gotham, if not more, it was unlikely anything particularly unusual was going on.

However, when they got there, a crash could be heard from around a corner near the team. Nodding quietly to each member, Kaldur lead the teen heroes around the corner.

Only for them to be stunned by what was on the other side.

Upon seeing the two beings who had broken in, every member felt their breath hitch. Eyes could be seen widening in horror, and their heartbeats nearly stopped.

Standing before them was the Joker, with Harley Quinn gripping his arm. When they saw the teens , the villainous couple stepped forward slightly.

"Well Harley, what do we have here? Some little kiddies too far away from home?"

The female clown nodded happily.

"Yep, Mr J!"

Though the rest of his teammates could not move, and not even Superboy thrashed out, anger boiled inside Kid Flash. Standing in front of him was the man who had murdered his best friend, his brother. However, the speedster was still slightly controlling the hatred inside him.

"I would think the brats would know better than to even come near Gotham after what happened to Bird Boy. I taught that kiddy a lesson all right."

As the maniac burst into insane laughter, Wally ignored his sanity trying to stop him. The monster that had taken Dick, then dared to even speak about him? Before he knew it, his legs were forcing him forward-

Only for a hand to suddenly be on his arm, stopping him in his tracks. Looking to his left, he saw Artemis was looking at him worriedly, her hand keeping him in place. The hand may have barely been touching him, but the emotion coming from the gesture calmed him slightly.

Unfortunately, the Joker had still noticed the original movement, and laughed again cruelly.

"Did I make you sad, Baby Flash? Do you miss your little friend?"

After taking something out of his pocket, the clown's wrist flicked to reveal the object to be a knife, making the stillness of the team even more tense. The maniac moved towards Kid Flash, a tight, wicked grin plastered on his face.

Once near the speedster, he raised the knife to the teen's face, gently tracing the boy's cheekbone.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, kid, but the Birdy isn't coming back."

Moving the hand holding the knife sharply, the clown made a slight knick on Kid Flash's face. Seeming to be satisfied by the small stream of blood now going down the teenager's face, the Joker walked back to where Harley stood waiting.

The team had no idea what to do. Facing the Joker was dangerous, and could result in great injury, even possibly...

All ignoring what else could possibly occur, they had no idea what to do next.

"What are you brats doing here, anyway?"

Kaldur, acting as the leader he was, stepped forward slightly before answering the maniac.

"There was a robbery here, and we were sent to investigate the crime scene."

A single eyebrow rose on the Joker's face.

"You mean those diamond earrings I got for Harley? Isn't a guy allowed to get a gift for his girlfriend around here?"

The knife was still in the clown's gloved hand, drawing Kaldur's eyes and causing him to swallow slightly. The Alantian could feel the team's eyes on his back, but he just did not know what to do...

It was then that the glass roof broke into thousands of pieces as a caped figure crashed through. As the teens shielded themselves from the onslaught of glass, they heard the entity thud onto the floor. Upon being able to see, the team saw the form of Batman standing in-between them and the clowns.

"Stay away from them, Joker."

The villain's grin grew even larger upon seeing his usual enemy.

"Batsy! What's wrong? Are you afraid of failing even more children?"

The five teenagers that were now nearly huddled together saw the hatred leaking from the furious glare sent from the stoic Dark Knight towards the Clown Prince of Crime.

"You two are going back to Arkham where you belong."

The Joker went in a sudden mood swing, his grin vanishing and his eyes narrowing.

"I don't think so."

The psychopath rushed forward the hero, knife in hand. However, as soon as he even neared Batman, the hero's gloved fist soon knocked him out.

The team watched the now-unconscious form of the Joker hit the ground. Harley Quinn, who was standing off slightly, rushed towards the fallen villain.

"Mr. J! You big mean bat, you hurt him!"

As police sirens could be heard outside the building, handcuffs were suddenly secured over the woman's wrist.

"That was slightly the point."

Turning away from the criminals, Batman faced the team.

"I did not know it was him that was the culprit. If I had, you would not have been on this mission."

The Dark Knight turned to talk to the police officers, but not before speaking a few more words to the team.

"Go back to the cave. Kid Flash, I'll need to talk to you there."

The team returned to the cave, and once there they scattered. All except for Wally, who waited for Batman to return, nervously pacing while doing so.

As soon as the zeta beams announced the arrival of the Dark Knight, the speedster stopped his movement, standing straight in anticipation of what the elder hero had to say to him.

Upon approaching Wally, a sigh escaped Batman's lips.

"I know you were close to Dick... This must have been a hard mission."

Of all the things Kid Flash expected, this was not one of them.

"If I had known the Joker was even in Bludhaven, I wouldn't have sent the team there. I was thinking... Have you visited his grave since the funeral?"

Though mentions of his friend being dead made his breathing shallow, he still managed to shake his head no.

"Your uncle asked me to take you to it sometime soon, since it is a bit hard for you to go to Gotham. Due to the mission, I was thinking now would be a good time."

A mere fifteen minutes later, Wally stood in front of where his best friend lay buried under feet of cold soil, his body completely still...

The speedster swallowed, pushing back the tears threatening to spill from his green eyes.

Batman-Bruce- was waiting inside the car. The man had said to take as long as he wanted. Sitting down next to the grave, he decided to do just that.

Suddenly remembering Bruce saying it helped to talk right before he lift the car, the speedster took a deep breath before speaking.

"Hey Dick... Sorry I haven't come to see you yet... Its been busy. There's been missions, and school, and other stuff..."

Tears slowly dripped down Wally's face as he spoke, leaving a trail.

"Its been kind of boring without you. No one gets my jokes like you... Kaldur always says to be more serious, Conner looks at me like I'm crazy, and Megan just laughs awkwardly. Artemis smirks at them, but I think she finds them funny... Turns out you were right, she likes me also. We've been dating for a few weeks now... Its really been great. I should have listened to you earlier..."

The tears started to stream quicker, and a hand rose to desperately wipe them away.

"I-I miss you a lot, Dick. You're my best friend... You'll always be my best friend. Kaldur and Conner and Roy are great, but none of them even compares to you. To know you're gone, and are never coming back... It is almost too much to handle."

A deep breath was taken to get his raging emotions under control.

"I know you would want me to move on, and be happy... Its just really, really hard... I'm working on it, though. I hope its better wherever you are. I usually wouldn't even consider heaven existing, but I really hope it does right now, because you deserve it. I guess you're with your parents now, wherever you are... I bet they're telling you how proud they are of you... They really should be proud.."

Wally stood, and backed away from the gravestone.

"Bye, Dick. I'll be back, sooner next time. I promise."

The speedster than walked, surprisingly slowly, back to the limo where Bruce was waiting.

Dick Grayson may be gone, but he would never be forgotten. His friends and family would make sure of that.

This story is not quite done yet! Still a couple chapters left, though I will admit they are for the sole purpose of setting up for the sequel.

Until next time... (Which should be soon!)

Please review!