Together

                                    

                                          
“Evening, Master Dick.”
                          
Dick Grayson walked out of the hidden slot behind the fireplace and sighed. “Evening, Alfred.” Dick hadn't bothered to remove his gear in the Batcave, and his blue Nightwing symbol felt like an additional weight on his already heavily-loaded chest. 
                          
The manor’s grand staircase felt too large and too welcoming to Dick. Usually the familiarity of the manor put Dick's troubled mind at ease, but not today. Especially not today. 
                          
The stairs creaked as he walked up and Dick remembered how when he was younger, he memorized where not to step on all the staircases in the manor so he could sneak into either the kitchen or the cave without disturbing Alfred or Bruce, when he was home at least. He got caught every time though, no matter how stealthy he tried to be. The last time he remembered doing that was when he was eleven. Just before—
                          
Dick couldn't bear thinking about him now. It hurt too much. Tears stung Dick's eyes and he was grateful that his mask was hiding the tears that were already leaking out. Dick stumbled into his room and shut the door, his vision clouding. He sat down on his bed, and pulled off his gear, leaving only the mask on his face. Nightwing doesn't cry, he thought. He took off the mask and looked at himself in the mirror, his blue eyes rimmed with red. But Dick Grayson does.
                          
Dick laid down onto his bed and cried. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he pressed his face into his pillow to muffle his gasping sobs. Dead, dead, dead. Wally was dead. Dick curled up into a ball, whimpering and letting the tears stain his pillowcase and bedsheets. He was acting like a little kid again, but he didn't care. His best friend was dead. Gone. Forever. Dick felt like his weeping should be excused for the tragedy that has befallen him. His eyes emptied after several long minutes, and he was left lying on his bed, with red eyes and cheeks and a raging hurricane of thoughts inside his head.
                          
“Dick?”
                          
“Babs,” Dick said hurriedly, and he quickly sat up and rubbed at his eyes. “Hey.”
                          
“I wanted to talk but I assumed-”
                          
“Come in,” Dick said, trying to steady his shaky voice. When she hesitated, Dick looked up at her and sniffed. “Please,” he said, barely audible. Barbra came in and sat on the foot of Dick's bed, her expression worried. Dick rubbed his eyes again and leaned on his hand. “What do you need, Bab?” 
                          
“WeI- we wanted to know how you were doing,” she said, her voice soft. Dick felt Babs’ hand slip into his and he squeezed it tight. 
                          
“I'm fine.”
                          
Babs frowned and put her hand on Dick’s thigh. “Dick, you don't mean that.”
                          
Dick shook his head at her. “I'm fine, I promise. Just another casualty. We get through it. Just like with Tula, and...” Dick swallowed, “Jason.” 
                          
“Dick, you know you're allowed to be sad.” Babs gently turned Dick’s face towards hers. “You're allowed to cry.” 
                          
Dick looked into Babs’ eyes and saw caring in her eyes. Dick decided to take this opportunity to be comforted, as when things did get rough he never was provided with that care from Bruce or anyone else. 
                          
Dick wrapped his arms around Bab’s small frame. Babs relaxed into the embrace, and wrapped her arms around Dick’s chest, resting her head on his shoulder. 
                          
“You really miss Wally, don't you?” Babs said softly.
                          
Dick tensed, but he nodded. “He was my best friend. I…” Dick paused, unsure if he trusted her enough with this information. “I loved him,” he said quietly. Babs nodded and tightened her grip around Dick’s chest. 
                          
She didn't understand. He really loved Wally. It had started out as some schoolboy crush, but as the years progressed, it became this wild mess that people call love. Of course, Dick had been with other people through the years - Zatanna, Barbara - but the feelings for Wally stayed, as aggravating as they were. But it had always been Artemis for Wally. Nothing else. 
                          
Dick felt tears rising again, and pressed his face into Babs’ shoulder. She pulled him as close as she could. Dick began to cry again. This time, he was hushed with his sobs and felt more relief as the tears flowed from his eyes. Babs held onto him tight and he held on just as strongly. 
                          
Someone sat on the other side of Dick and leaned against him. Dick looked up and saw Tim’s head resting against his chest. Dick wrapped his free arm around Tim’s body. “I'm here,” Tim said, comfort projected in those two words. 
                          
The three of them held each other together, and made sure none of them fell apart. Dick felt his heart piecing back together. It wasn't going to be fixed all today, but it was a crucial start to his healing. 
                          
Dick only wished that Jason was here with them.


                          
Bruce Wayne entered the Batcave grumpier then usual. Nightwing hadn't answered his com, and when he asked Alfred of his whereabouts, the butler only said that he was “preoccupied with previous business.” Bruce decided to let it slide once, as he supposed after Kid Flash’s death, Nightwing would be tired. Bruce understood grief better than anyone, so letting Dick rest tonight was most likely a good choice. 
                          
Bruce quickly de-suited and entered the manor, greeting Alfred on his way to Dick’s room. Maybe he was still awake and they could talk. Maybe he could make up for being a bad father along the way. 
                          
Bruce pushed the door open and saw his three batchildren lying on the bed, all tangled limbs and with Dick holding onto his siblings for dear life. Bruce saw the red, puffy eyes and dark spots on the pillows. His heart felt a pang of love for those poor little kids lying together. They looked so relaxed and calm. Bruce had seen his protégée's harrowed and grim so often that he was horrified when he realized it seemed somewhat normal for them. Because of that, he dared not disturb their peaceful slumber. He instead hugged them each individually and left, but not before looking back and smiling at their small bodies huddled into a pile of sibling love. 
                          
Dick smiled as Bruce closed the door. A single tear rolled down his cheek, and the eldest Robin felt a wave of calmness pass over him. 
                          
Maybe everything was really going to be okay, he thought, as he drifted into a dreamless, but tranquil, sleep.