Bat-Family One Shots

Suicide Dick (Part 2)

Wally West was scared. One moment he was runnibg with Barry and Bart, the next he was surrounded by white. From what his uncle had described, Wally could guess he was in the speed force. He felt numb and tingly, yet at the same time tense and heavy. He wasn't tiered or hungry, just existing.

What scared him even more however, was the vision of his best friend approaching him out of the seemingly endless black space.
"Hello, Wally."
"Dick?"
"Is that who you see me as?"
"I don't understand. Why are you here?"
"I'm not Dick, Wally. I just needed a face you could trust."
"Uh... Okay?" There wasn't much point if trying to understand the complicated situation, he figured. So he tried his best to go along with it, he missed other people and the feeling of running.

"I am the speed force." Now that Wally knew it wasn't Dick, it seemed so obvious. His posture was wrong and the way his eyebrows moved when he talked was off. "I am sorry to have stolen you from your world but certain... Events... That had taken place meant it was vital to keep you here. Your uncle changed something in time a long time ago which meant that in this reality time was bent and he had run out of time and it was time-"
"You're saying time too much."
"I apologize. What I mean to say is, it's complicated but there was a reason for you to be here. In my opinion, I think that the author is just in denial about the ending of season two."
"What? What do you mean seas-"
"It doesn't matter. Just know that you have to leave. It's important and a life is in danger."

Wally was no longer surrounded by white speed force. He was in the middle of a table. The Justice League conference table, to be exact. Which in turn seated the Justice League.
"What the fuck?" Asks Green Arrow, breaking the awkward silence.
"Wally?!" The Flash leapt to his feet and joined his nephew on the table in a tight embrace. "You were gone! You were dead! For four months, Wally!" He was sobbing now, gripping his undead nephew as if he would disappear again at any moment. Then the barrage of questions came.

After trying to listen to them all and reply to as many as he could his frustration grew.
"STOP! JUST STOP FOR ONE MOMENT!" This made all the member silent very quickly, except Batman of course who had remained stoic the entire time, just processing and observing like usual. "I'm back and I'm fine okay? I was sent back."
"But from where?" Asks Wonder Woman a confused expression on her face.
"I honestly don't know, the speed force I think but it seems a little hazy. I just remember that I have to save someone who's life is in danger." This brought a deeper silence into the room.

Batman stood up and quickly walked to the computer, typing in several things. A large screen turned on and began to show graphs and statistics.
"This is the live data of everyone in the Justice League and Young Justice team. As far as I can tell, no one is in any immediate danger." Wally rushed to the screen and began checking each graph against every name. Batman was right, they all seemed normal.
"Perhaps you are meant to save a civilian?" Asks Superman, joining the two at the screen.
"That seems rather unlikely, don't you think?" Replied Flash from the table.
"Wait a second," Wally says double checking the list. "Where's Dicks? I can't see him." He turns to the Dark Knight expectantly, confusion and unease flowing through him as he feels everyone tense at the mention of his name.
"Nightwing is no longer on any of the JL databases."
"What?! Why!"
"His membership was terminated by the team and I after your apparent death."
"But it wasn't his fault!" The Dark Knight said nothing but his posture revealed he held some regret. "Did you have another fight? Wasn't it bad enough he was kicked out already?!" At this Diana let out a small gasp.
"Bruce, you didn't, did you?" After no reply just a deepening frown she stormed forward. "Call him. Now. He may be in danger! You told us he wanted space! The team hates him for no reason as it is!"

*****

Dick heard his phone before he felt it begin to vibrate from his bedside table. Who could be calling now, of all times? Can't he die in peace? That's all he wanted.

Dad (Bruce) was calling him.

The effort needed to sit up and answer was nearly painful, but he did it anyways.
"Dick." It took him a while to answer, the shock preventing him from even moving.
"Bruce?" The sound of his own voice made him cringe, shaky and cracking, small and unsure. Weak. Bruce seemed to pick up on this instantly, however, much to his disappointment.
"Dicky? You're on speaker phone, the JL is here." His voice was more quiet and softer now.

*****

Batman took off his cowl. Dick sounded bad.
"Dad?" Something was very wrong and the others seemed to sense it too.
"What's wrong Dick?"
"I'm just so happy you called. No one ever calls me any more. I've been so alone. But I'm glad you did." His words were becoming slightly slurred and he seemed to be not fully there as he replied.
"What are you talking about?"
"It's okay dad. I just want to say this isn't your fault. Its no ones fault but mine, okay? I can be happy now." This sent shivers down Bruce's spine as he quickly began to trace the call. Dick had only ever talked like this once before.
"Happy?"
"Yes, happy. I'm going to see Wally and my parents." Now everyone listening understood the worried look on Batman's face.
"What have you done Dicky? Tell me, please. I can help you!" His voice becoming panicked at the end. This was his fault. They wait for a reply anxiously, wishing the tracer to hurry.
"No, I don't want to be helped." At this point Superman had begun crying and the Flash was pacing. Wally snatched the phone away, the seriousness of the situation sinking in.
"Then tell me, Rob. You can be with me, right here and alive."

Silence.

"W-Wally?"
"Yeah dude I'm here. Let me help you."
"Oh God. Oh... God. I-I can't... I don't know, I thought-" He cuts himself off with a sob.
"Shh it's okay. What did you do Rob?"
"I cut myself." Alarmingly this seems to stop him crying so hard.
"How bad?"
"Bad." Now Wally was crying too. Was he too late?
"O-Okay Dicky. Anything else?"

Please, please no. Not my little bird.

"I took pills, too. So many. Oh God." At this point Wally's grip was so tight on the phone cobweb-like cracks snaked from the edges or the screen. Wally let out a sob, before turning his pleading eyes towards Bruce. Bruce wasn't doing much better, a look of pain and grief had plastered itself onto his face while he furiously typed, working relentlessly on the tracer.
"Dick, listen to me. It's going to be okay. It will!" Wally didn't know what he was saying, his voice broke and he had to wrench his fist into his mouth to silence the rising scream of fear and pain.
"Okay... I-I can't leave you. You can't leave me. Please, don't let me leave." Dick's voice began to grow weaker and strained. They were running out of time.
"Listen to me, Dick. I saved you last time. I will do it again. I will!" What the hell was taking Batman so long? Couldn't he hear his son dying?
"I have it!" Yelled Bruce running to the zeta tubes.
"Dick, I'm coming! I'm coming. While I get there, you need to do something for me. Please, Dicky. Dick?" There was no reply, only the sound of glass shattering and a muffled thump before the line went dead.