[IN THE END] - DICK GRAYSON - YOUNG JUSTICE

CHAPTER 13A

So I was going to post this tomorrow, but I was really happy when I hit 500 views so I decided why not?  Anway here is the next part!  Make sure to enjoy!  Comment and keep reading!  Oh and vote too if you want:)  Thanks! 

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It had been two weeks since Richard had visited mount justice and he desperately wanted leave Gotham and forget about all of his problems.  He wished he could run away, but the city needed him.  And he needed to be there so he didn't feel guilt.  The Joker was trying to stick to his word, running around Gotham going after parents and their young children to anger Richard.  Which worked considering the young boys past.  And as much as Richard wanted to end the Joker for everything he has done to him, it was against Bruce's rules.  Richard also knew that despite the fact the Joker would be at a loss because he would be dead, it didn't matter.  The fact that the Joker enabled Richard to seek vengeance would put him in the winning slot dead or alive.  So for now, Richard patrolled the streets constantly, making sure everyone was safe, no matter what the cost.

Richard entered the bat cave around twelve, after a long patrol.  Luckily, he was off the hook for the night, though he still felt anxious that something would happen.  But he knew that if the Joker struck in the next three hours, Bruce would be there to take him down.  Now that Richard was older, the duo split the patrols so they could attempt to get more sleep.  Which for Richard didn't make a difference, but he listened to his mentor.  Like he always had, despite how he felt.  And what he was feeling lately was that he constantly had to be there.  He knew Batman would do a great job cleaning up the streets on his own, and saving whatever people were there, but Richard felt like he had to be the hero for anyone that was held in the hands of the Joker.  Like it was his responsibility.  It was as if he became possessed with the thought that it was his fault.  Everything the Joker said to him while he was held prisoner, was crazy and cruel but Richard knew the reality of what he said was true.  Like the fact that he failed the people.  Due to that comment, he was constantly trying to save the souls of others without caring about his own.  And though that's what heroes do, everyone was aware that he was placing himself in situations that were practically impossible to get out of.  People hoped his luck wouldn't run out, because so far he'd made it.  Then there was the part where the Joker brought up the mantle of Batman.  And ever since Richard heard those words, he couldn't get them out of his head.  There wasn't an hour let alone day that he didn't think about the subject.  The idea of not becoming Batman grew in his head like a tumor, and soon it took over. 

Richard grabbed a pair of shorts out of his dresser in the cave and returned to the manor shirtless.  He ran through the halls so he could get to his room, where he would crawl into bed and lay for hours on end.  "Alfred I'm home...but going to my room to sleep. Night!"  The younger boy yelled running up the stairs.  The butler who was in the kitchen walked into the main room so he could yell to the acrobat.  "Wait!  Master Richard!  He tried.  But by the time he finished the boy had already shut the door to his room.  "I guess he will find out on his own."  Alfred whispered to himself.

"What are you doing here?"  Richard screamed shocked to see someone in his room.  "Surprise!"  He yelled.  "Well yea... you barley come  here anymore."  Richard noted.  "Which was one reason why I came..."  Richard rolled his eyes laughing.  "Which means the other would be..."  Richard asked.  "I didn't want to wait a full month!"  Wally spilled.  "Yea, but I have school."  Richard argued, not that he didn't want Wally there.  "Well today is Friday for starters, and you only have like what a week or two?  Gotham gets out in the middle of May."  Wally reminded him.  "You always have good points."  Richard noted.  "So how is the academy anyway."  Wally said lifting his eyebrow.  "Loaded with fun!"  Richard teased.  "Are you still up till three each morning working?"  Richard glanced over at his work.  "Not really.  I mean there's more work, and sure it's harder but I'm used to getting it done really fast now."  He admitted.  "Only a dick could finish like twenty pages of math in a few minutes."  Wally teased.  "Well I wouldn't want to lie and say I'm not a dick..."  Richard shrugged his shoulders.  "But yea, it's pretty easy actually."  Wally looked at him.  "Because math is certainly easy when you take a course that's two years above your grade."  Richard gave him a big nod.  "Indeed it is."  Richard sat down on his bed, to now be opposite Wally who was sitting in his desk chair.  "Wanna tell me how you got here?"  Richard said sarcastically.  "And you take twelfth grade math...?  I'm sixteen aren't I?"  Richard gave him a serious look.  "Alright cool so you drove.  What's next to discuss."  Richard asked.  "Hey I wasn't done proving my point!"   Wally said.  "Yea but we all knew where that was going so there was no point in proving your point."  Wally's face drained.  "You have an applicable point."  Richard laughed and let out a yawn.  "Is it someone's bed time?"  Wally questioned.  "I think we all know the answer to that question."  Wally looked over to the clock which read twelve eighteen.  "Okay by my calculations, we will go to bed now, wake up in about three hours because you can't breathe and then we will end up playing battleship for two hours like we did last time."  Richard thought about the proposition and immediately agreed.  "Sounds about right." 

"Hold up I am goanna run downstairs to grab some sleeping bags."  Wally nodded as the other boy exited.  He spun in the desk chair as it landed to face the actual desk itself.  His eyes grazed over the wood surface, laughing at what he had found resting upon it.  And then his eyes reached a frame.  Wally picked up the photo as a smile surfaced.  The picture that sat behind the protective glass is what started their friendship.  Richard walked into find the other boy staring at the frame and let out a chuckle before he spoke.  "Okay so here's the deal I will sleep over there by that window, and you will sleep here near the bathroom."  He then threw the sleeping bags to their rightful places and made his way to his.  "I will see you in three hours."  Wally teased.   He walked towards his sleeping bag and threw his pillow down on the floor.  The two finally settled, and laid there for a while in silence.  Minutes turned into hours and Richard was still awake changing positions in his sleeping bag making so much noise.  Richard wasn't aware that Wally was still awake and watching him as he struggled to fall asleep.  The silent air was suddenly filled.  "You alright over there?"  Wally asked quietly.  "Yea... I just can't fall asleep.  I haven't been able to lately."  Wally got out of his sleeping bag and dragged it over to the other side of the room where Richard was.  He placed it a couple feet away, so they could be at a whispering distance.  "Let's can't sleep together."  Wally said quietly.  "I don't want you to stay up because of me..."  Richard commented while sitting up.  He brushed the hair out of his eyes and looked at his best friend.  "Give me a reason as to why it would be a problem..."  Richard chuckled and then answered.  "Well I don't want you to be really tired tomorrow, I wanted us to join forces and go on patrol together."  Richard rubbed the back of his neck.  "And we will... but I'm not goanna sleep until your eyes are shut and I'm one hundred percent sure that you're getting rest."