[IN THE END] - DICK GRAYSON - YOUNG JUSTICE

CHAPTER 20

Posting this as a whole because it's a day late and it's kind of short.  Anyway, this is sadish but I find it touching.  Let me know if you do too!  Comment and keep reading!  Thanks!

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A tear ran down his face as the last word slipped out of his mouth.  "I never feared oblivion Bruce... I always knew you would come to help me.  You were my hero.  But today, I fear you can't be.  Because this time it's inevitable... There is no saving me."

Soon he wasn't the only one tearing up.   Bruce pulled up a chair and sat beside his protégé.  It was silent for a few minutes, as both of them were trying to calm down.  With the room so quiet Richard managed fall asleep.  When Bruce turned to see him sleeping he feared that he had just watched him close his eyes for the last time.  He wouldn't be able to accept it if that was the case.  But when Richard woke up a half an hour later Bruce exhaled in relief.  

Then Richard spoke openly.  "Remember how I once told you that in life you play with the cards you're dealt?"  He questioned.  Bruce thought back to that night, which only caused him to get more upset.  "Well I don't have a full deck anymore, so let me use some of my last cards."  Bruce looked at the boy right in the eyes.  "Please don't talk that that.  You're going to get out of here."  He knew this couldn't be the end.  Richard just shook his head, letting more tears slip down his face.  He continued anyway, knowing that Bruce would of wanted to know when he was gone.  "It was a card I wish I was never dealt, but I got it.  Being affiliated with the Joker was terrible.  And I'm going to come clean."  He took a deep breath, through the foggy tubes.  "When Uncle Clark came to get me I was already abused from all the torturous activities he performed on my body.  But that was just the beginning of what I thought was my end.  Moments later I heard a time bomb going off, and that's when Clark bolted in.  We thought the Joker was gone.  But as we were exiting he shot me."  Richard pulled up his shirt to reveal the bullet wound.  "And then when we flew away, the building burst into pieces... That's how I got all these burns.  I'm sorry I never told you.  I'm at constant war of remembering and forgetting."  Bruce nodded knowing it was hard for him to say.  He turned away for a second, so the teen couldn't see his face.  Then Richard became very unstable, and began to gasp for air.  He grabbed his head tightly, just wishing the whole process could be over.  The headache had been non-stop since he arrived.  "Help me Bruce."  He whined.  Even though he was aware nothing could be done.   He already bled out more than a pint, and that was just the beginning.  Bruce couldn't watch the boy like this, it was too intense for his viewing. 

He quickly ran out of the room searching for a nurse.  She rushed to the door, looking at the patient.  "Sir, there's not much we can do."  She said eyeing his practically lifeless body.  "So what he said was..."  She looked at him, putting a hand on his shoulder.  "Less than 12 hours."  She said softly.  He looked over at Richard who stared into space, still wheezing.  This time Bruce sat on the bed next to him, and put a hand on the young boys face, wiping away his tears.  "Everything is going to be okay.  Its goanna be alright."  He whispered.  At this point they both knew that was a lie. 

Richard's tears stopped, as he glared into Bruce's eyes.  He didn't look away for a few minutes.  A weary look was plastered across his face.  "I used to think it was that I was tired Bruce."  Richard began.  There was still more he needed to get off his chest.  "What do you mean?"  Bruce asked gently.  "I thought I was tired, but I couldn't sleep.  So I sat for hours thinking what was wrong with me.  Then I came to the conclusion that I was tired, just not the kind of tired that allows you to just close your eyes and drift from reality."  His voice was soft, and raspy.  "Richard, I don't understand what your trying to tell me."  Bruce admitted.  "I thought I was tired of everything.  Tired of pulling the same stunts, tired of school, tired of Robin... even tired of life!  I honestly didn't care when my ending was coming."  Bruce could tell he was frustrated.  "Richard..."  Bruce tried.  "But Bruce, now I understand.  I'm wide awake!  I've stared death in the face so many times and I've never blinked.  Death was always the one to lose before I even had the chance.  I have been so close to crossing that line but I'm still here, and truthfully I thought the fact that I'm still alive scared me more!  Knowing how much my body can handle suffering before it wants to give out.  That counts two years in hell, and the number of scars from all the cuts, burns even the gun shot I have received.  And for all that time I've wondered why am I not dead yet?  All my anger from Wally's death made me want to seek vengeance.  I had to end the Joker Bruce... I couldn't let him live in peace when he killed my best friend.  Especially because Wally didn't deserve it.  If anyone was going to die it should of been me.  But when I went to try and fix the problem it only got worse.  I took my dirt bike and went to go pay the Joker a visit.  I was speeding down the road as the rain poured from the sky and that's when I flipped the front wheel.  It just all happened so fast.  But it seemed way to real."  He squinted hard, thinking back to the crash.  Bruce grabbed his hand, which caused Richard to look up at the man.  A smile formed on his face.  It only made his speech that much harder for him to finish.  But he continued anyway.  "Every day I'm out there dancing on the fine line of life and death and I have never flinched... But for the first time in my life, I feared dying..."  There was a long pause before he continued.  "I was bleeding so much I could just feel it pouring out of me.  I was honestly positive that I was going to die right then and there.  And then I thought about the task I was trying to accomplish, and that's when I realized what I was living for, and it hit me.  Everything came to me in the last few seconds before it all went black.  Coming here I was so confused because I thought I took my last few breaths of air.  But here I am, still alive, for the moment.  Today I realized something very important.  Life is an hour glass that's plastered to a table... You never know when your time will expire."  He glanced over at the clock, as his speech began to slow down.  "It can happen at any second on any given day, and for the first time it is completely clear that the time you get is the time you have and that's the end of it."  He looked away from the clock and back at Bruce.  "I disobeyed one rule, and was about to disobey another.  I thought that it didn't matter because those rules were set for Robin.  But now I understand why your two biggest rules are to not seek vengeance and to not kill.  So you can stay sane!  But this whole situation has made me makes me aware of the fact that I've lost my mind.  I don't even know who I am anymore..."  Bruce looked at him, tears in his eyes as another realization stuck.  "I'm going to die not knowing who I am..." 

Bruce shook his head.  "I'll tell you who you are.  You're Richard Grayson.  The coolest and bravest kid I've ever met.  You're very strong.  Much stronger than I am... Much stronger than I'll ever be."  Richard gave him a weary smile, though it washed away in a matter of moments.  Richard knew that in the long run, he disobeyed Bruce.  And that wasn't okay.  And now, he wouldn't have the time to make up for it.  All he could do was apologize, though he knew it wouldn't be good enough.  "I'm sorry that I failed you."  He said ashamed while sniffling.  More tears slid down his check.  Breathing became harder.  His tube stopped feeding him air, and he begin to rest his eyes.  "Not now... Please not now."  Bruce looked away as he too began to ball.  There was so much more Richard had to tell.  Bruce looked back over to the young boy, whose eyes were shut.  "You didn't fail me.   I have suffered a life time of darkness, to gain you.  An ounce of light.  Which is all I need to find my way through the obscurity of this world I live in."  Lying there, that was the last thing Richard heard.   He opened wide to look at Bruce one last time, though the older man had his face in his palms.  He tried to say one last thing, but he couldn't even manage to thank him.  His tearing eyes stared at the man for a second, but the shadows soon began to tiptoe across his hazy vision, making it all the way to the edge in a matter of moments.  He was engulfed into the darkness, and he wasn't fighting it anymore. 

Bruce was in shock as he sat in horror trying to process.  The monitor that sat across from him started to produce an unpleasant sound as it displayed a never ending line and he rushed out of the room to fetch one of the nurses. 

She ran into the room surprised to see the screen filled with zig -zags.  "I swear to god he..."  Bruce was out of words.  The nurse was now by Richards side.  She turned to face Bruce, whose face was filled with several different emotions.  "I have good news and bad news..."  She started. 

Bruce put up a hand signaling for her to give him a second.  He made his way over to the chair and sat down.  He gave her a uneasy nod.  "Richard is still alive."  She gave him a moment to process.  "But he is in a coma." 

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I'll try to update soon but there are no promises.  I would say Thursday by the latest.

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