[IN THE END] - DICK GRAYSON - YOUNG JUSTICE

CHAPTER 24A

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Richard returned back home shortly, rushing up the stairs.  He shut the door behind him bringing his hands to his skull.  He gripped it tightly in frustration, aggravated that he couldn't remember.  "Come on Richard think!"  He yelled at himself. He began to run throughout his room throwing things all over the place, searching.  He sat before his desk, ripping open the drawers, looking through the papers hastily.  Suddenly, he came across a file folder.  He shoved the other papers to the side, placing it before him.  He closed his eyes trying to remember, before opening the folder. 

After reading through the several documents that were stored in the file, he shook his head in anger.  "I can't believe you were going to do this..."  He sounded ashamed.  He shut the folder, to soon through it across the room.  His body fell back, as his palms pressed on his eyes.  "I can't believe I was going to betray him.  He's my best friend.  He would never betray me..."  He was angry with himself.  Very angry. 

A while later he sat up, taking a deep breath.  "Just let it go.  Let everything go."  He said to himself.  He walked over to the folder, picking it up.  He quickly went downstairs, in search for Alfred.  He stopped once he reached the butler.  "Can you do me a favor Alf?"  He wondered.  "Anything for you master Richard."  The teen handed him the file.  "I would like you to burn this."  He answered.  A puzzled look smeared across Alfred's face.  "I can't look at it any longer.  It was a bad idea to begin with.  I just never want to see it again.  Matter of fact I don't want anyone to see it."  Richard said carefully.  "Very well master Richard."  Alfred replied walking off.   

The butler had retreated back to the kitchen.  He was in the process of making dinner.  He set the file on the counter wandering back to the stove.  A few minutes later he made his way to the bathroom, leaving the room unoccupied.  Until Bruce walked in.  He drifted to the pot boiling on the stove, peaking over the rim to see what was inside.  'Mmm.'  He thought.  He continued to walk until something else caught his eye.  He leaned against the counter, picking up the file in curiosity.  "I wonder what this is..."  He said to himself.  He opened it, a plethora of papers inside.  His brows furrowed in confusion.  "Nightwing?"  He read aloud.  His eyes scanned the first page to soon drop the whole file on the floor.  "Shit."  He whispered.  He quickly picked up the papers shoving them back into the folder, leaving it exactly as he found it. 

Bruce marched up to Richard's room, a million questions creeping around his mind.  He opened the door, to find Richard at his desk studying.  "What are you up to?"  His voice was slightly sarcastic.  "Homework.  I have an extreme amount to catch up on."  Bruce nodded his head in agreement.  "Can we talk for a quick second."  Bruce pondered.  "Sure."  Richard replied while spinning around in his chair.  He stuck his feet out to stop himself, as he was now facing Bruce.  "What's the problem?"  Concern had dominated Bruce's face.  "Well it's about the coma, sort of."  He began.  "Do you remember any of our past conversations... about well I don't even know if you remember that."  Bruce scratched his head.  "Just tell me."  Richard said looking back at his work.  "Do you remember fighting-"  Richard finished the sentence for him.  "Crime?"  Bruce gave him a stiff nod.  Richard just laughed.  And then depression washed his previous expression away.  "Yes.  I actually just remembered about an hour ago."  Bruce took in an unnecessary amount of air.  "Do you remember that one conversation we had regarding that topic?"  Richard closed his eyes and tilted his head.  "No."  Bruce bowed his head in frustration.  "Well I told you that if anything bad were to ever happen to you that I would have to take that part of you away."  Richard squinted his eyes.  It took him a few minutes, but he finally remembered.  "Yea... okay."  He responded.  "Well your coma... you do realize it counts right?"  Richard gave him a look filled with confusion.  Bruce thought it was a ploy.   "You can't-"  Richard stopped him.  "I told you already.  I have to move on.  Robin was Wally's partner anyway..."  He stopped, though he was about to continue.  But that was all Bruce needed to hear.  He stormed out of the room, entering his own.  He quickly pulled out his cell phone and began to dial.

"We have an issue."  Bruce started.  "Did he die?  Bruce I can't do this anymore.  Let me leave."  Bruce took a deep breath.  "No he did not die.  And no you cannot come home."  Bruce rolled his eyes.  "Now do you want to know what the issue is?"  There was silence on the other end.  "He has moved on..."  Bruce started.  "What do you mean?"   The voice questioned.  "I mean, he is done grieving and is apparently deciding that he wants to fight crime again."  There was a gasp in return.  "Bruce you told me it wouldn't be for another ten years!  You told me that he wouldn't be doing this again until you gave him the permission to become Batman."  Bruce just shook his head.  "That's how I wanted it to go.  He would be older by then, a bit more capable of handling himself, but I guess he is anxious to go back out there."  Bruce could hear a deep exhale.  "How do you know?"  Bruce began to pace around the room as he told the story.  "I was walking into the kitchen.  No one was there.  I spotted this file sitting on the counter.  As curious as I am, I went to it, and opened it.  I was confused at first.  All I had read at that point was Nightwing.  So I kept skimming along, and then I came across the part about how he will fight for Gotham.  Right there.  Not even in the fine print."  He raised his eye brows waiting for a response.  "And did you talk to him about this or..."   Bruce was quick to answer. "Despite the fact he can barely remember anything-"  Bruce was interrupted.  "He woke up with amnesia?  Bruce are you kidding?  How many details can you manage to forget..."  A realization struck.  "Does he remember me?"  Bruce dodged the question.  "Anyway... When I went in to talk to him, I had to remind him of a talk the two of us had, prior to this whole encounter.  It took him a while but once he had a total recall, we were on the same page."  The voice just laughed.  "And would you like to tell me what that page was?"  Bruce sat down on his bed.  "That if he ever got severely injured, well I wouldn't allow him to become Robin again."  Bruce finished.  "Okay...?  And his response was..."  Bruce stood up again, beginning to pace like he had before.  "And I quote: I told you already.  I have to move on.  Robin was Wally's partner anyway."  All Bruce could hear in return was coughing.  "You okay...?"  Bruce questioned.  "It's just so much to take in you know?"   Bruce nodded in agreement.  "Yup.  After he said that, he confirmed everything.  He is going to fight crime.  Just not as Robin.  As Nightwing, apparently."  The voice on the other end was muffled.  "That's not the only thing hard to believe."  Bruce began to understand.  "I'm sorry."  He stated.  "You said in ten years this would happen.  It hasn't even been two.  I can't believe I agreed to be a part of this.  Bruce what have you gotten me into?"  The voice was weak.  Bruce didn't know what to say in return.  "Just... stay put.  I will figure something out.  I'm sorry.  I really am.  But please just stay where you are."  Bruce hung up so fast, he didn't even have the chance to hear the 'no' that he got in response.

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Oh dear... Bruce is just filled with angst.  

Part B will be out in a few days...

Thanks again!