Dick was alone. He'd been alone ever since the Invasion ended, and was alone for good. Wally was gone. No one wanted him. He was never invited on missions. No one came to check up on him. He couldn't blame them. Who'd want to be associated with a murdered?
Dick woke up every day to an empty bed. He ate breakfast in an empty apartment. He worked in a department where the people just didn't notice him. He was a rookie, and no one really seemed to like him anyway. He patrolled a city that might as well be empty.
Dick hadn't talked to a person in a month. He hadn't seen anyone he knew in three months, besides on television. All he had was Maximus, and even then he didn't provide good conversations. Dick felt like he was trying to talk to Bruce all over again.
Dick didn't go to the watchtower anymore. He didn't go to what was left of the Mountain, either. They was just reminders that Dick was alone. They were reminders that no matter what Dick tried, Wally was gone.
There were days Dick couldn't leave his bed. He was so tired of being alone. He wanted to go out and find his family, but he could never bring himself to. He didn't want to face the rejection, to make it final that he truly was alone.
As the months went on, it became harder to get out of bed. It became harder to eat anything. Maximus was the only reason he could get out of bed at all, and even then it took all of his strength to not collapse and just wither away. He was getting weaker, and he knew it.
He stopped patrolling. It was just too hard. It was hard to swing through the city, saving lives. It was hard to keep standing, when he just wanted to collapse and cry until he couldn't cry anymore. It was hard when he didn't have Wally with him.
Dick figured the League would just ignore him again. Who wanted this failure of a hero? Who wanted to be associated with a person who could only get out of bed because his dog was the last thing he had of his husband? As far as Dick could see, nobody wanted that. So he figured they'd leave him alone.
Dick had been in bed when he'd gotten a call, his phone ringing against the nightstand. Dick let it go to voicemail, thinking it was a telemarketer. They were there only people who called anymore. Besides, Dick really didn't want to get out of bed.
His phone rang again. Another telemarketer. Dick covered his head with the blanket, trying to hide from the ringing phone that demanded his attention. He didn't have the will to answer it.
The phone went silent. Dick sighed, pulling the blanket down to his shoulders. At least he was alone again. Sometimes alone felt better than surrounded by people who just want your money.
Someone knocked on his door. Dick ignored them again, looking outside the window. The sky was a bleak gray, rain drizzling down his window. It made Dick want to go back to sleep, so he did. It was better than answering the door. If it was a robber, or a murderer, maybe they'd do Dick a favor and let him see Wally again. He liked that idea.
Bruce stepped into the apartment, noticing the lack of a certain acrobat. Dick was usually up by now, but hadn't answered their calls or his knock. He'd hoped Dick would've come back by now, but he hadn't. The watchtower was bleak without his eldest there.
"This was their apartment? I'm surprised Wally didn't go crazy in here." Hal muttered. "He had a whole city to run in. He was happy here." Diana said, looking around. She could see dust on some of the furniture. "It doesn't look like he's been here in a while. Could he have moved out?" Clark asked.
"Not likely. This is the last home Wally had. Dick would want to stay here. Besides, Maximus is still here." Said dog ran around excitedly, happy to have new people. "Could he be on patrol?" "Nightwing's been MIA for a few weeks, but Maximus's bowl is full. He's been here recently."
Barry peeked into Dick's room. He was asleep, bundled up in the blankets like it was a cocoon. "He's here, all right. Question of the day: did he ignore us, or did he sleep through our calls?" Barry asked, motioning Bruce over. "We won't know unless he tells us."
"Could it be the rain? Wally always said rain made him tired." Barry asked again. "Maybe, but not likely. Dick has never slept in this late, even with the rain." Bruce was frowning. Was something wrong with Dick?
Dick wished he was alone. The League was here. They had come to tell him he wasn't allowed around them anymore. He curled up when someone put a hand on his shoulder, trying to hide.
Maximus leapt up onto the bed, sniffing at Dick's face. Bruce sat on the edge of Dick's bed, worried at the heat radiating off of Dick. Was he sick? That might explain why he's been out. It would also explain why he was still asleep.
"It he alright?" "He's too warm. I think he might be sick." "How long are we thinking?" "It could be weeks, considering how long he's been out. We need to get him to Leslie." Bruce carefully peeled the blankets away, grimacing at Dick's thin body.
Dick groaned as he was picked up, feeling as if he was in a forge. He panted, stomach twisting violently. What was happening to him? He didn't feel like this a few minutes ago.
"B, he looks like he's going to throw up." "I know. I'm going to see if I can wake him up, but I need you to be ready to take him to Leslie." Bruce carried Dick to the bathroom, leaning him against the wall.
Dick groaned as Bruce shook his shoulder, not wanting to pry his eyes open. "Dick, wake up. Answer me, Dick." Bruce was getting worried. "…'Ruce?" Dick slurred, cracking one eye. "It's me, Dick. How are you feeling?" "Hot. Nauseous. Headache." Bruce frowned.
"I can take him now." Barry said. "Do it. We've got some time." Barry picked the ebony up, shocked at how light he was. He raced off, holding Dick tightly. "Hang on, Dickie. We're almost to Leslie, she can help you. I lost Wally, I can't lose you too." He begged, a lump forming in his throat at the thought of Wally.
Barry gently laid Dick on the gurney, feeling his forehead. He was burning up. "Barry." Dick slurred, barely able to open his eyes. "I'm here, Dickie. I've got you." "M'sorry." "For what? You didn't do anything. Just relax, Leslie should be here soon." "Is my fault." "You didn't do anything, Dick. Nothing's your fault."
Leslie came in, shocked to see Dick. He hadn't been here in months. "What happened?" "I'm not sure. All I know is that right now he's really sick. I've tried getting him to calm down, but he's babbling." "Keep him still. I'll need a few samples, and heaven knows Dick hates doing them."
Dick's condition only got worse the longer they went. He no longer acknowledged their attempts to figure out what was wrong with him, and he got paler by the minute. He no longer babbled, but now it was too quiet. Barry preferred babbling to silence.
Leslie finally stepped back, sitting on the gurney. "A very high fever. A few days on an IV drip, and he should start feeling better. Where's he been?" "Blüdhaven. His apartment. He's been there the whole time." "You're kidding." "I wish I was."
Dick slept for six hours. Bruce and Barry sat in the medbay with him, watching him. Maximus was laying in Bruce's lap, whining softly. Everyone else in the hero community was waiting in the watchtower, worried for Dick. When he dropped off the news, everyone had been worried.
Dick didn't know where he was. He'd forgotten where Barry had brought him. All he knew was that there was something very high pitched beeping in the background, and people were holding his hands. Where was Maximus?
Dick tried to sit up, but was pushed down. "Easy, Dick. You're at the watchtower. You're safe." Bruce's gentle voice said, prompting Dick to open his eyes. Bruce and Barry were on either side of him, looking as worried as he'd ever seen them. "Maximus. Where's…where's Maximus?"
Bruce reached behind him and set Maximus on the gurney. "He's right here. We wouldn't leave him." Maximus laid down, pressed to Dick's side. Dick wrapped his arm around Maximus. One of his last ties to Wally was safe.
His eyes drifted closed again, and he fell asleep. He could hear quiet whispering, and could feel Maximus pressed against his side. He also felt someone run their fingers through his hair. He didn't feel alone anymore.
His family took care of him over the next few days. Every time he woke up, someone new was sitting next to him. Bruce, Barry, and Maximus were always with him, but others were there as well. Needless to say, he received plenty of hugs. Maybe it was time he stopped ignoring them.
