One less love One more bat

Her time His lose

"Dad! Mom!" Dick yelled as his parents fell. Alice watched from the sidelines. She watched as Dick cried. She watched as Batman tried to comfort Dick and her. She watched as the Grayson's were buried. She watched as Bruce Wayne adopted them. All she did was watch. She didn't wanna cry but the tears fell. She didn't want to scream but her throat was sore from screaming out to them. She didn't want to worry Dick anymore than he already was but she did. She stopped speaking and that worried him. She didn't smile. She didn't laugh. Not when people were around. At the galas Bruce throw, Alice just stood by his side and did nothing. If someone asked her how she was coping with the death, she would just look at them so Dick would always answer. 

"Don't worry. My sister is still a little shaken. Glad Batman could put the murderers away though, right?" 

He would direct the conversation to Batman like Bruce said to do. He would avoid the questions of his parents. He would do anything to get his sister to smile like she use too. Like the day his parents said they would adopt her. But she didn't budge. She just stayed near Dick. Even when he became Robin she was there to become Crow. Even when the Joker got involved she was there by his side to protect him. Even after the Joker tried to kill her and called her a thorn she was standing in front of him. She was always there to protect him but he couldn't bring back her smile or laugh. He felt so useless.

"Dick? Are you okay?" 

He would hear Alice say. When Bruce and Alfred weren't around she would talk but as soon as they walk in, she stops.

"Why? Why won't you speak with anyone? You keep asking me if I'm okay when you're the one jumping in front of the bullet. You're the one pushing me out of harm's way. You won't even talk to anyone anymore. You keep asking me even though you're not okay." 

Dick would cry out to her. He couldn't take it anymore. He wanted to see her smile. To hear her laugh and talk to Bruce. To Alfred.

"Well, your right about one thing." 

Alice sigh in response. Dick looked at her through his tear-filled eyes. "I'm not okay. I'm scared. Your parents died the same day they were supposed to adopt me. I don't want Bruce to die. I don't want you to die. I don't want to be alone again." Alice cried. She didn't want to be alone. She wanted to be with someone. Anyone.

"Alice," they heard Bruce. "You're not going to be alone. You have me and Dick. Even Alfred is here so don't worry anymore. We won't leave you." Alice looked at Bruce then at Dick. They smiled at her with hopeful eyes.
"O-Okay," Alice whispered. "I'll try." She smiled. Bruce's smile grew.
"Your smile is much like Dick's. It could brighten anyone's day." Bruce sighed, a fond smile on his face as he shook his head.
"Yup!" Dick agreed. Alice laughed. She could try. She can try. Then she won't need to anymore because she'll be fixed. Her first step though was to try and they all knew that. No one pushed her or Dick unless to get them out of the way of dying. No one allowed them to be uncomfortable. Even Bruce decided to stick near them when there were galas and charity balls so when they were asked questions they didn't like they could tug on his hand or pant leg to tell him they couldn't do it anymore for the night and he would excuse them. No one went against that. The press, and anyone else really, accepted the fact that Alice and Dick weren't ready yet. That they were trying. That Alice was trying so they let them go and never ranged their questions around the topics the 2 would leave at. Weeks would start to pass and Alice didn't need to try anymore. She naturally smiles and laughs. She would talk to Bruce about anything and everything. She would help Alfred and inform him of what went down on last nights patrols even though she knew that he was at the cave watching and listening. She would even put on a smile for the press. But she was never too far from Dick and Dick was never too far from her. They stuck together until Alice was good. Until Dick was good. They needed each other as much as they needed air. To them, the only family left was each other so they stayed close by. Even close to Bruce when they felt the need for it. To them, it was a sense of peace. To know the other was alive and well. To know that their family wasn't dead. That it wouldn't disappear into thin air and it all wasn't just a dream. They were always in touch with each other if they went on solo missions. They even went to the measures of having something from the other as a sort of peace of mind. For Alice, it was her mask designed by Dick. For Dick, it was his gloves. Alice had given him the idea of them before he left.  She even made them so he didn't have too. Too them it helps cope with their new life of being separated and it worked. They were at peace. Alice never stopped talking and laughing. Dick never shut himself out and distanced himself from others too much when the memories or dreams happened. They were fine and happy. No matter what the Joker or other villains did. They were fine and getting through life. That's all that mattered. They had to get through life so they could help others do the same. That was their personal mission. That was what their job was. And that is what they will do.
"Hey, Dick." Alice would say when they were together.
"Yeah?" Dick replied.
"Missed ya twin wing." Alice laughed disappearing into the darkness like their father taught them.
"Hey! Get back here twin wing!" Dick laughed, following his sisters' mysterious nature. To say Bruce was happy and proud would be an understatement. To say they loved him wouldn't even fit. It was the start of something great and all 4 knew it and they couldn't wait. Alice got out of her shell with the help of Bruce and Alfred. Dick got his sister back. Bruce got a family. Alfred got to see Bruce happy. That's all that matters to them. Each other.