Sad Beautiful Tragic | Dick Grayson [ON HOLD}

8

Gotham City, New Jersey

Ashley didn't know how long she, Connor, and Krypto were sitting on the floor, but she went from gut-splitting, heartwrenching pain to a numbness she had only experienced when she lost her children, Donna, and Garth Moreso with her children than anyone else, but Ashley could only stare in disbelief she had intended for the next and probably last child she would ever birth would be calling Hank their uncle as she imagined the two's children playing in the classic suburban, midwestern neighborhood that was away from all the superhero shit and world-ending foes. A place that could let her kids ride their bikes to school as she followed them there and home because she would be that annoying helicopter parent after everything she went through. But now she couldn't, plans that were as old as Hank and Ashley's friendship were just dust and debris and chunks of Hank that made Ashley sick as she thought about it more. Dick had come home with Dawn in tow much later and Kory nodded upstairs with a shake of her head. Dick looked at Connor, noticing he looked more downcast than usual. Dick reassuringly patted his shoulder and said "You tried, that's what matters." Connor looked at the woman that was staring heartbrokenly ahead of him and back to Dick who deflated at the sight. She was clutched tightly to her halfling Kryptonian and Krypto refused to move from her side, only staring up at Dick before he burrowed himself further into Ashley's lap.

"Where's Dawn?" Ashley asked Dick quietly, carding her fingers through Krypto's fur. 

"She's downstairs" Dick told her. "Come on, we'll go together" Dick said, helping her up. 

"Go ahead and clean up Connor" Ashley told him quietly. "Both of you baths" Ashley said, her voice wavering and Dick clutched her tighter. 

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to sleep alone tonight" Dick told her quietly as they walked down the stairs. 

"I don't even know if I'll be able to" Ashley said, exhausted from crying. "Connor was about to deactivate the bomb before it went off" Ashley said quietly as they started going down the stairs. 

"Do me a favor and don't tell Dawn" Dick sighed. "She fell for Jason's trick, and she's blaming herself. She'll only feel worse" Dick told her. Ashley nodded silently as she pondered everything. 

"I'm sorry" Ashley said abruptly as they reached the landing of the first-floor residential wing. 

"What for?" Dick asked her. 

"I've been a bitch lately" Ashley scoffed. "Top notch bitch if you can believe it" Ashley shook her head. 

"You know, I don't blame you" Dick said. "I did the one thing you asked me not to." 

"Yeah you played stupid games, you got a stupid prize" Ashley snorted. "I didn't have to be a bitch about it though."

"Ash, I don't care how long it takes for you to get it through your thick skull that I'm gonna be one hundred percent behind you" Dick shook his head. 

"Stop, you're sounding like Uncle Clark" Ashley sighed. "And if you're behind me like you say you are, you gotta stop being the flightiest fighter I've ever met" Ashley told him.

"I don't even know what that means" Dick said lightly, obviously joking, but Ashley's face hardened as she looked up at him. 

"It means I'll take you back when you prove you can stop leaving" Ashley said, just as lightly and Dick groaned. "Yeah, it's gonna take a while" Ashley patted the man's shoulder comfortingly. "Think about it, you could be spending years doing it" Ashley grinned, looking too much like Jade for comfort. 

"Stop it, you're doing Jade's crazy smile" Dick complained. "The one she does right before she guts somebody."

"We've been close for like a decade" Ashley shrugged. "Was bound to happen. I mean, Hank and I learned to synchronize our burps" Ashley laughed before her face fell again. "Is she in her room?" Ashley asked him. He nodded and watched the somber, sullen woman walk off towards Dawn's room. Ashley knocked on the door and walked in when she heard Dawn's voice. Ashley pursed her lips as she watched the woman crying on the bed and sat down beside her. Dawn hugged Ashley tightly as she continued to cry and Ashley rubbed her back lightly. "I'm sorry" Ashley whispered to her, and Dawn gripped the woman closer to her. Ashley and Dawn sat together in silence as Dawn clutched Ashley for dear life like she was nervous Ashley would disappear. Eventually, the New Jersey sunset on that horrid day, and Kory had brought up food, hiding the pity she felt for the two. After Kory had left, Ashley spent an hour coaxing Dawn to eat.