[IN THE END] - DICK GRAYSON - YOUNG JUSTICE

CHAPTER 23B

So sorry for the lack of updates, it's been such a hectic week at school... Anyway, here is part B to Chapter 23.  I will have part C up tomorrow.  Mark my words.  Comment and keep reading!  Thanks!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A while later Bruce came back carrying a bag into the hospital room.  "What's this about master Bruce?"  Alfred questioned.  "Just following some advice."  He said with a smile.  He sat down on the bed beside Richard, watching as the teen's brows furrowed in confusion.   "Still don't remember me?"  He didn't even answer.  Bruce grabbed the bag off the floor, unzipping it as his smile grew.  He pulled out a tie and held it up in front of Richard.  "Do you mind?"  Bruce asked kindly.  Richard, unaware of what was happening turned to Alfred, who gave him a slight nod.  Then the ebony haired teen lifted his head as Bruce began to fix it for him.  Bruce finished and looked at him waiting.

Richard looked down to his chest, the tie resting upon it.  He closed his eyes for a second, his eyebrows squishing together as he thought.  His eyes then opened, barely any sort of reaction on his face.  Bruce took a deep breath in frustration.  "Wow... you really don't remember me."  Richard shook his head scooting up in the bed.  "No I do.  You're Bruce."   He smiled at the older man, as Bruce reciprocated, pulling him in for a hug.  "I thought I had lost you forever."  Bruce whispered.  He released him and looked to Alfred mouthing thank you, the older man nodding as he stood up to fetch a nurse.

After hours of signing papers to discharge Richard, they finally made it home.  Bruce couldn't contain his laughter watching the boy's reaction after pulling into the manor. "I live here?"  He asked.  Bruce shook his head still chuckling.  "Indeed you do."  His heart was aching.  He was scared for the day that Richard would remember their falling out.  He wished that Richard could just forget that part completely, but he knew it wouldn't happen, and that it wasn't fair. 

They walked into the manor, Richard still amazed that this was his home.  "Want me to take you to your room?"  Bruce asked.  Richard nodded slowly, still taking everything in.  The two of them marched up the stairs, Alfred calling up to them as they reached the top.  "I'll make more cookies!"  He said staring at the empty plate Richard had handed back to him earlier.  "Yes!"  Richard said under his breath.  Bruce led him down the hall, twisting the door knob of Richard's room, allowing him to enter first. 

"This is your room."  Bruce said walking in after him.  "Really?"  Richard double checked.  "Yes Richard, it really is."  He watched as the teen observed everything in the area.  And suddenly he stopped when he reached his nightstand.  He picked the frame up to get a closer look, squinting his eyes deep in thought.  "It's Wally."  Richard said quietly, pointing to him in the picture.  "How'd you know that?"  Bruce was very confused.  What he didn't understand was that the photo had been Richard and Wally's reoccurring memory.  "He's my best friend.  How could I forget about him?"  Bruce closed his eyes, that one hurt.  "Can we go visit him?"  Richard said turning to face him, his voice filled with pure innocence.  Bruce looked around the room unaware of what to say.  "I'm afraid not..." 

Richard turned his head to the side, as he didn't understand what Bruce meant.  "Why not?"  Bruce swallowed the guilt that had been building up since he asked.  "Where is he?"  Richard grew impatient.  Bruce took a deep breath.  "Richard..."  He stared at the teen, who obviously wanted the final answer.  "Come on Bruce, where is he?"  He repeated waking closer to the older man.  Bruce knew he wasn't getting out of this.  "He's gone."  Richard just looked at him.  "I don't understand."  Richard replied slowly.  And almost out of anger, Bruce suddenly snapped.  "Wally died!" 

Richard dropped the frame to the floor.  And that was when Bruce he realized what he had said.  "I'm sorry Richard I didn't mean..."  But it was too late.  Richard wasn't listening anymore.   His mind took him back somewhere else, everything in reality fading away as he entered a flashback.  His mind searched for the familiar words.  He had had heard them once before.  In the same tone, the same amount of anger.  He kept replaying the words in his mind.  Wally died.  Wally died.  And suddenly he remembered. 

"No you're not!  WALLY DIED!  You just left me here!" 

The reality of the flashback nearly brought him to the floor.  He became weak for a second, as he took everything in.  His expression pointblank confused.  But in an instant, his whole body composition changed.  His breathing became heavier as he looked up from the floor, anger now evident on his face.  He began to stand up straighter, fists now clenching at his sides.  Bruce knew he was more than infuriated, yet something was off.  Physically Richard looked ready to kill someone.  But his eyes, they told a different story.  Clear and blue yet somehow, they were foggy and gray.  His eyes were filled with emotion, specifically disappointment.  And they hopelessly stared at Bruce.

 "YOU LEFT ME!  HOW COULD YOU JUST LEAVE ME?"  Richard's physical emotion took over as he began to punch Bruce in despair.  Nothing too violent.  In fact his punches gradually got weaker as his mental emotion began to take over.  Bruce watched as his eyes filled with a few tears, becoming even darker as he punched the older man.

Bruce just stood there, taking every single punch that came his way, no matter what the force.  As the power in each hit decreased he almost became frustrated.  He knew he made a huge mistake.  And he also knew that he deserved more than this.  But as he watched Richard begin to lose control as his mind and body said two different things he wanted to sit him down and fix the problem.  Was it selfish of him to explain when there was no good enough explanation?  What it selfish of him to want things back to normal when he was the one who had altered the daily basis to begin with?  And was it selfish of him to think that this would be his one chance?

He stared into Richard's eyes.  They told a different story.  Clear and blue, yet somehow they were foggy and gray. His eyes were filled with emotion, specifically disappointment.  And they stared hopelessly at Bruce.     

But the older man didn't understand.  Richard's eyes might have been getting foggier, but only because his mind was becoming clearer.  Clear enough to comprehend what he was doing.  The emotion in his eyes, the disappointment, it was there.  But not because he was disappointed in Bruce...  Because he was disappointed in himself. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For some odd reason I love this part.  Mainly because it's very emotional:)  As is the next part so be ready for that! 

Until tomorrow...

Thanks again!