The Circuit

Chapter 5: Never the Same

Wally's POV

The atmosphere was the same as it always was this time of year.

Sad and depressing.

There was no other way to describe it. No one could even attempt to form a fake smile. The mood of the entire super community seemed tense and sorrowful, but none more so than Batman himself.

Even after five years he was still mourning his loss. In truth, we all were.

Batman lost his son. The league lost their nephew. The team lost their youngest member.

The world lost a hero.

Robin's funeral was one of the worst days of my life. It was held on the one year anniversary of his disappearance.

---

Four Years Ago

Every hero in the league was gathered in Gotham cemetery. An intimidatingly large shrine was built in dedication to the Boy Wonder. It had everything from pictures, to flowers, to trinkets.

In front of the shrine stood Batman. Behind him stood the justice league, followed by the Team. Behind the Team stood people from all over. Men, women, and children from anywhere from Gotham to Metropolis.

Each person held a candle that burned dimly underneath the film of smog that enveloped Gotham. All aside from the ones hidden in the shadows.

The people masked by darkness were there to pay their respects to someone who had indeed earned them. They, like the others, had come from all over.

As heros and civilians stood in silent mourning, the physical world began to shift around them.

From the ground sprang beautiful flowers of red, yellow, and black. Small flurries of snow swirled above head in the form of small birds, disturbing the warm summer air. Tiny projectiles exploded in bright fireworks up above the unnatural cold.

Flash came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder, tears sliding out from under his cowl. I know that I'm crying too. I haven't stopped since he disappeared.

I don't think the guilt will ever leave me. The last thing that Robin- the last thing that my brother did was take a bullet for me.

That bullet might as well have hit me anyway. A piece of me died with Robin. I'm viewing the world through broken lenses and my vision will never be the same.

---

The Present

I'm currently sitting in the grotto gazing upon the hologram of the boy who died too soon.

Richard "Dick" Grayson.

The entire Team knew his identity now. Soon after the Boy Wonder's funeral, the famous ward was also declared dead. The heros put it together rather quickly.

"Hey," I turn to face an archer in red and black. He sits down next to me and pulls me into a hug. This time I hadn't realized I'd been crying.

Roy had joined the team soon after the funeral. He made it clear it wasn't to fill an empty space, but to honor his little brother.

"Roy?"

"Yes, Wally."

"Why did it have to be him?"

I feel Roy hold me tighter. I feel his shakey intakes of breath. I guess I'm not the only one crying.

Finally, after what seems like hours of silence, Roy releases me and looks me in the eye. "It shouldn't have been him, but there's nothing you can do or could have done about it," he says in a low and stern tone.

"I can't let it go. I can't let him go. It feels like I'm betraying him if I do."

"Wally, you don't have to forget him, but I can't stand to watch you waste your life looking at a hologram."

"But if you told me to stop then you'd be a hypocrite."

"I know," he smiled at me sadly and stands up, "I think we could both use some help."

"And where would we get it?"

Roy responds by helping me off the floor and turning me around. A final tear slips down my cheek as a small smile graces my lips.

Standing behind us is the rest of the Team: Artemis, Kaldur, Conner, M'gann, Zatanna, and Rocket.

And right now, they were my life line.