Protégé of, Nightwing?

Take a Break

It had been a week, a week since they got out of the Med Bat. In that time, Dick had finally finished his little secret project. A new headquarters for the team, it had living spaces for them, and it was a secret project.

Well, secret from the team, not the JLA. They all had been working to rebuild Mt Justice, they had a partnership with Happy Harbor. To fix their beloved landmark, the mountain with snow.

It looked exactly the same on the outside, but the inside was where the secrets where. Dick did something different. He extended he cave along the interior of the underground area, just in case this cave also got exploded, there still would be a base of operations for the team.

He also added a few things to the design as well, he added two living rooms. To avoid television conflicts, and to appease Connor. There is also more living spaces, and a bigger kitchen. Due to the new size of the team, they need more space.

He also updated the type of training equipment they had, and systems the cave used. There was better security, and cuz there were older members, a Den Mother wasn't really necessary.

"Ok, if you'd follow me." Dick said, in his Batman voice. He had the team with him, and he just led them through the Zeta. When they reappeared, he heard gasps.

"Where are we?" Asked Artemis, and Dick mentally smirked.

"This is the new Cave, we rebuilt the mountain. You all still have access to the Watchtower, but we had to solve the living arrangement issues. Also, you all have complained about missing the cave." He said, and the newbies rushed off to explore, while the only original members stayed behind.

"Tell us, why did you really rebuild the cave?" Connor said, and Dick mentally screamed.

"Yes, and why are you acting so strange." Artemis added, and Dick sighed.

"I've already told you, now, I've got business to attend to in Gotham." Then he Zeta our to Wayne Manor, changing back to himself, Dick sighed.

He honestly looked like shit, he knew that. Just looking at his reflection, you'd be shocked to see how old he looked. He looked like a 40 year old man, not a twenty year old. His eyes held exhaustion, his body screamed over exertion, and his face looked worn.

Putting his mask back up, he exited the Batcave, and headed up to Bruce's room. Opening the door, he made his way to his usual spot by the bed. Sitting down in the chair, Dick let his mask and facade drop completely.

"Hey Bruce, I'm back. I know you might not be able to hear me, that I might just be wasting my very nonexistent time, but I just can't help it. How'd you do it? How where you able to be Batman, and Bruce Wayne?" He started, as he slumped over in the chair. Finally able to pour his heart and soul into his father figure, after two years of keeping it bottled up.

"I can't do it Bruce, I can't keep this up. It's too much for me to handle alone, I know I have the others, and the founding members, but I still feel alone. I was blindsided by all these responsibilities, by all these expectations. That I don't know what to do with, I don't know how to handle them." He said, and tears began to well up in his eyes.

"I'm not you Bruce, I'm not. I'm not as strong as you are, I'm not as good as you, Hell, I'm not even as scary as you. I feel like I'm a disappointment to you, like I've failed you. You've trained me to be Batman since I was nine, yet here I am as Batman, and I just don't know what to do." He said, as he pulled his knees to his chest.

"Everyone has noticed Batman acting differently, everyone has noticed Nightwing dropping off the face of the planet, and everyone has noticed that the Bat fam is hiding something.

I just don't know what to do Bruce, I'm so lost right now. I feel like I'm ruining your legacy as Batman, like I'm failing Damien. That I'm not training him good enough, or being a good enough mentor. I feel like I'm failing the JLA, that I'm not leading them the way you would or the way they want to be.

I feel like I've failed myself, no, I know I've been a disappointment and a failure. I couldn't keep up Nightwing and Batman, so I stopped being Nightwing. I have ruined your legacy, ruined Batman. I don't know anymore, I know I need to tell more people what happened, but I just can't." Dick said, as he finally spoke what he has been hiding from everyone.

"I'm scared Bruce, scared about a lot of things. Like you not ever waking up again, of destroying your legacy as Batman, of destroying the JLA, of my choice to take up your mantle while you've been out of commission, and of my choice to train Damien as Robin." Dick said, as he finally spoke his fears, with tears streaming down his face.

"I need you still Bruce, I'm not ready to do any of this. Wally May be the flash now, but he can talk to Barry for advice. I can't do that, and I desperately need it. I need you Bruce, now more than ever. I feel like that little nine year old boy you took in all those years ago again, lost and scared.

Please, please. Just don't leave us, we all still need you. Damien wants to know his father, Jason wants to rebuild your relationship, Tim, he just wants you back. Alfred, He is happier now that you are back, but still is sad. Please Bruce, we all need you." Dick said, as he stood up. Wiping away his tears, he puts his mask back on. Then leaves his mentors room, and heads back to the Batcave.

Dick grabbed his Nightwing suit, and then went to Bludhaven. He knows Jason Said he'd cover Bludhaven, but he seriously needed to be himself for a bit. However, he didn't even remember that he had an important business at the Watchtower that day.

-0-0-0-

"Has anyone seen Batman?" Asked Wally, now Flash, as they sat around their table in the Watchtower.

"No, and now that I think about it, has anyone even seen Nightwing?" Asked Green Arrow, at this the founders grew a bit nervous.

"Why don't we call him, see if he just got held up in Gotham?" Asked Superman, and thankfully everyone agreed.

"Batman, where are you?" He Asked into his com.

'Busy, Call back later.' That's all they got, and it didn't settle anyone's questions.

"Ok, something is going on with the Bats. Anyone else notice this?" Asked Zatana, and others agreed.

"Yeah, he's acting totally different than he usually does." Added Rocket, and the founding seven grew very nervous.

"Well, Batman could just be messing with us." Said Wally, and some people looked at him strangely. He sighed, and the founders knew what he was coming at.

"Flash is right, when we started, Batman and Robin liked to keep us on our toes. He could just be doing that again." Said Wonder Woman, the others accepted this answer. However, they all knew this wasn't over.