The Last Goodbye

I'll Follow You Into The Dark

Love of mine. Someday, you will die.

The wheels of Dick's Malibu crunched against the gravel road to the manner. The road was muddy from the recent bout of rain. When he reached the black gate connecting to the enormous stone wall he punched Alfred's key code in. As a teenager, when Bruce kicked him out of his home, Alfred had been the one to invite him back in and lend him a code that even the big bad bat would dare revoke.

His brothers would be there tonight before patrol. Alfred had declared tonight a family dinner. The secret laid heavy on his tongue caged behind his teeth. This would be their last family dinner. Or at least, the last time any of them would see Dick alive.

Before Dick went in he took a moment to reflect on what brought him to this moment.

~~~

The Titans were losing. 

Dick cursed.

He wasn't even supposed to be on this mission. He swore he was done with the Titans, done with teams in general. He was 27 and it felt like it was finally time to start living his life for him. No more waiting at Bruce's beck and call. No more being the family sponge responsible for defusing everyone's neuroticism. And no more being responsible for other heroes.

Then again, he was always the type of man to put himself aside for other people so maybe from the get go he should have known he was lying to himself and this resolution wouldn't last.

Donna knew it too. No matter how many times they swear, this time, for real, no actually, they were done. When someone needed help, they would always say how?

Plus, it was Raven who'd shown up at his door in Blüdhaven at 2 in the morning. What was he supposed to do, shut it in her face? Raven who'd never asked for his help like this before. Raven who'd drove all the way from Jump. No, he couldn't turn her away. Donna would understand, she would have done the same whether she admits it or not.

Raven explain that a fallen one, Aërial was trying to escape. Which is bad for humanity and what not. But lucky humanity, the Titans are assembling to fight it. Even luckier apparently Dick's mother Mary was descended from a long line of Saphia which happen to be predestined to fight fallen ones. Yeah, humanity. Whooo.

"Dick, there's a reason Saphias tend to go into hiding. They're blood can be used to trap the fallen ones but it should only be used as a plan Z. I can help you prepare for the ritual if it comes to that, but by Azerath I pray it doesn't."

"Then let's get started."

The battlefield was chaos. For many many reasons this was hell. Dick shortlist would be, the blood actually raining down from the sky, the crack in the Earth where the sky beam of fire was occurring, and the actual demons from hell that were attacking him and his teammates. It was time for plan Z and he knew it.

"Donna, Vic, I need you to help me get to the center. I can stop this." His voice called out to his friends over the wrech of the world around them.

"No!" Donna cried out desperately.

"There isn't another way. Look around the world is burning! Dick hoped he sounded brave, really he just wanted to turn tail and run.

"Then let the world burn! What has it ever done for us? It doesn't always have to be you!" Her voice was furious and cracked with pain.

"I'm sorry Troy. This time it does. You're an Amazon, remember that. This is your duty. Now stand and fight with me." Finally, his voice had success mastered the commanding tone he was going for out of the sticky fear coated place in his gut. He really really didn't want to die.