Nightwing: Heartache

Part 67: Rubble

April 17, 2:02am
The Swiss Alps

The first thing Willa did when she realized she was still alive was roll over and throw up.

She felt like she left her stomach back by the Lazarus Pit. Aside from nauseous, she felt cold. When she could open her eyes, she scanned where she was. Snow surrounded her, freezing her bare hands, and wind whipped through her hair. She was outside. How was she outside?

Behind her, a gigantic crash resounded through the air. She turned to see a mountain just... collapse in on itself. She watched it happen, slack jawed, because she couldn't see Dick. He wasn't beside her. Neither was Tim, Jason, or Bruce, so... where were they???

The answer was obvious, but it twisted her stomach again, and she almost threw up again, swaying against the waves of nausea, terror, and desperate hope. Denial that they could be crushed under all that rubble. That Dick could be stuck, hurt, and Willa couldn't get to him.

"It would really suck for you to die right now."

The voice came from behind her. It was barely a croak, barely louder than the wind around her, and it most definitely wasn't Dick, Tim, or Jason's voice.

The answer to how she got out of there before dying sat before her, panting on their hands and knees. They smirked,breathing heavily, "I have a... knack... for leaving babes... speechless."

Willa blinked, trying to discern whether her head injury was so bad she was hallucinating, but a beat later and he was still there. Willa sucked in a breath, like she suddenly remembered how to breathe. "Wally?"

He tried to smile before falling forward, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. Willa caught him, hissing as his weight hit her. She slowly leaned him against a nearby rock, going slowly as not to jostle him, but even if she had wanted to go fast, the pounding in her head and slight dizziness of the world would have prevented it.

Wally blinked. His skin was deathly white, his lips colorless, and sweat dripped down the side of his face. He trembled. She pulled his mask off as gently as she could.

From the rubble of the mountain, a small boom sounded, and a metal sphere flew up from the debris, through the snow, careening up and over, landing with a hard thud and sliding several hundred yards until it settled about half a football field away.

The metal fell away, and Willa couldn't help the small cry that escaped her lips as Dick stumbled out, clutching his side. Behind him, the rest of the bats fell out. They were alive.

"Dick!" She yelled. She didn't care that it hurt her head to yell. "Dick!"

She saw him look up, look around, but he couldn't hear her.

Wally touched her hand, "go. I'll be... here..." She had to get him help. She would not let him die again.

Willa pushed herself to her feet, "Dick!" She screamed.

He finally saw her. Willa used the rock to prop herself up, the world slightly tilting at her sudden movement, but she could see Dick's gaze land on her. She waved her arm and then he was coming for her. Half limping, half running right towards her.

She started running too, but only made it a couple of steps before falling to her knees in the snow, another wave of nausea hitting her. God, she had the worst concussion right now. But she got back up.

She felt his arms circle her, pick her up, hug her close to him. The cold froze the tears on her cheeks. "You're alive," she gasped out, clutching his face. His eyes shone too. She sniffed, putting her feelings in a box for now. "Wally's here, Dick, he needs help. He's back-"

Dick moved his hand from the back of her head, coming away with blood. "Will, you're bl-

"-Dick, you have to listen to me. Wal-"

But he wasn't looking at her anymore. His eyes were above her, behind her. Willa turned around and saw Wally, barely standing, practically using the rock she had leaned him against to keep himself upright. "Hey, bro."

Dick didn't move a muscle.

Willa took his face, forcing him to look at her again, "you're not hallucinating."

It broke the spell. Dick stepped away from Willa and ran to Wally. Willa watched the tears fall down Wally's face as he practically fell into Dick's arms, letting his best friend support him. Dick lowered him back to the ground. She couldn't hear them, but she saw Wally's mouth moving. She saw them hug again.

Above the destroyed mountain, the Javelin descended. Help was here. While it descended, a hold opened in its belly and Kaldur dropped down onto the snow beside Tim, Jason, and an unconscious Batman. Once the jet was on the ground, a red blur zoomed out, stopping by Willa.

The fast motion of the Flash made Willa groan, and she lowered herself to the ground. "You okay, kid?" The Flash asked.

Willa held her hands to her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "I'm fine. You need to help Wally."

She felt Flash freeze. "What?" He whispered.

And then she felt his presence disappear, stand back up, as he no doubt saw a familiar head of red hair. "Hey, Barry," she heard. And then someone, she guessed Flash, hiccuped a sob, blurring from beside her to be byWally.

A gust of wind blew by her, and then Dick's hand touched her shoulder. "You're bleeding," he whispered. His voice shook. "You have a head injury."

"Agreed."

He slid one arm around her back and the other underneath her legs, picking her up and starting the walk back to the ship. Willa heard his sharp intake of breath at the motion. She remembered his visible wounds. "Dick, you're hurt-"

"I'm fine."

"Let me help you, friend." Kaldur gently took Willa from Dick and the Flash ran back out, giving Dick an arm to lean on.