Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Zatanna backed away from the doorway. "Is that....?" She trailed of, choking on her words in shock.

The rest of the Team began to take notice and drew closer. They were given a clear view when Nightwing's feet unstuck from the floor and moved forward into the room. They too began to take on looks of confusion and surprise.

Nightwing, however, was now standing over the older-looking Wally. He drew to gloved fingers up to his neck, and let out a breath of relief when he found a strong pulse. He allowed the hidden lock pick to slide out of his uniform and began undoing the metal restraints holding his friend to the table. All the while, his free fingers absentmindedly rubbed slow, reassuring circles on the other's hand.

After undoing the restraints, Nightwing slipped his arms underneath Wally's body. He began to lift him up to his chest in a bridal style carry but stopped. One of his hands went up to Wally's reddened face and he frowned. "Just what I thought." He said aloud.

"What's....um....wrong?" M'gann asked hesitantly. She could probably sense his worry, and on top of it his other emotions, but was unsure whether to confront him or not.

"His particles are overcharged from pushing his speed too fast." Nightwing began to explain quickly. He scooped Wally up once more and swiftly walked out the door. "His body's trying to both adapt to it and to slow it, but it seems like neither are working. If we can't find a way to slow his particles, then it can lead to elevated temperatures, organ failure....it's basically cooking his insides into mush. The scientists here must have put him in cryonic-freeze to preserve him, before they started experimenting."

The Team, who'd been trying to keep up with him, showed equal looks of mortification. "Wait, what about the mission?" Artemis pointed out bluntly.

Nightwing opened the elevator doors and got in. "Abort it. We got the proof that we needed. If we don't get out of here soon, he'll die."

The others piled into the elevator, and hit the button to go back to the floor they originally came from. The elevator began to move, and before they knew it, the silence was broken with the ding of the elevator stopping. The doors slid open to meet a large shadow. A very large shadow.

The Team tensed and looked up. A giant, extremely bulky man stared down at them with a wicked, toothy grin. Nightwing narrowed his eyes. He carefully set Wally into an unsuspecting Superboy's arms and walked out of the elevator. "Blockbuster." He stated evenly.

The wicked smile got even wider. "Nightwing. So good to see you again." His voice was eerily deep and menacing, and it made many of the members of the Team shiver.

Nightwing, however, was unfazed. He crossed his arms over his chest, his mouth in a grim line. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same."

There was a moment of high tension, a moment of silence dragging on for what seemed like a long time, with the two squared up across from each other. The Blockbuster broke the tension. "I was sent here as a deal with Cadmus. They wanted me to come after the Baby Flash once they theorized that he was still alive, to help them with some sort of experiment. I refused at first, but I didn't have much say in it. They sent me anyway. Now I am looking for a way home, so I can beat their puny asses for sending me here without my consent."

"You and me both." Nightwing paused, as if contemplating something. "How about I cut you a deal? I'll find us a way home and even help you with Cadmus, if you let us pass, and if you can provide me with all the information you can on the experiment." He held his hand up towards the giant.

"Deal." Blockbuster took the hand with another menacing grin. With that, he stepped out of the way.

"Copy the information on a flash drive and I'll be here in two days, at around 02:00 hours. Come alone." Nightwing motioned for the others to follow, and they passed the giant cautiously. He took Wally from Superboy again. With one hand, he softly brushed the sweaty red locks from his heated face. His gaze lingered a moment too long, and he ignored the strange, suspecting looks from Robin and Artemis.

"You're friends with the enemy?" Superboy growled accusingly after they rounded the corner. His blue eyes sparkled with anger and distrust.

"No, not friends. I just wanted to avoid fighting. Blockbuster can leave particularly nasty wounds when he wants to. Besides, we have to get out of here as fast as possible, without attracting too much attention."

Superboy looked at the older Wally in Nightwing's arms. He'd begun breathing harder and more irregularly. His skin was also becoming increasingly sweaty and red. Nightwing was right; they had to get him medical help as soon as they could.

They'd still talk about this later, though.

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As soon as they exited the Cadmus building and took off in the Bioship, Kaldur called in for medical help. Black Canary said she'd set up the medical ward for treatment, but when she questioned him on who was hurt, Nightwing cut them off.

"We'll explain later." He told Black Canary brusquely. "Call Batman and Flash. Have them meet us there. Get Pieter Cross, too." He ended the call.

The rest of the way back to the mountain was spent in silence. The only sound was the harsh breaths from the unconscious speedster, and the soft purr of the Bioship.

M'gann had reconfigured the Bioship to have a sort of medical table. They'd settled older Wally on this, using Robin's cape as a pillow. Nightwing had settled next to him, and hadn't moved from his side since. If you had also been looking closely, you'd have seen that Nightwing's ungloved hand was entwined in the ginger's pale one. They failed to notice this little detail, though. All but Robin, that is.

They finally reached their destination within the next 5 minutes. The Team began to unstrap themselves from their seats. Nightwing swiftly undid his and stood, scooping Wally up into his arms. He didn't wait. He exited the Bioship to greet Black Canary, Pieter Cross, Flash, and Batman.

All of them showed looks of surprise when they caught sight of just who he was carrying. He could tell even Batman was intrigued, even if he didn't show it directly.

Black Canary, ever the most calm one in such a dire or confusing situation, was the first to take charge. "Flash, go get a stretcher." She ordered.

In a split second, Flash was gone, and then back again with a stretcher in tow. He was oddly quiet, his face still marred by his surprise.

Nightwing set Wally on the stretcher and hesitated before taking a step backward. Pieter Cross and Black Canary rushed forward to start assessing the situation. Meanwhile, Batman observed quietly, and Flash just stood by awkwardly.

Pieter Cross took out a small pen-light and shone it in each of Wally's green eyes. "Pupils are fully dilated and unresponsive." He put the pen-light back into his pocket. His fingers found their way to Wally's neck, his eyes fixed to a watch on the other hand. "Heartbeat is too quick, even for a speedster. We need to regulate it or he'll go into cardiac arrest." Pieter Cross, however, wasn't finished yet. His eyes travelled to Nightwing. "But first we need an idea of what we're dealing with."

Nightwing didn't miss a beat in answering. The sooner Wally got treated, the better. "He pushed himself to run too fast, and was overcharged with chrysalis energy from a Magnetic Field Disruptor. His particles are overexerted. He's got a high and still rising temperature, and he's been unconscious since we found him."

"Thank you, Nightwing." Black Canary said. She laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, but only for a split second. "Well take care of him from here."

Nightwing watched as Black Canary and Pieter left with Wally, Flash following closely behind. He couldn't help the different feelings and emotions that bubbled up in his chest. When his gaze finally tore away from the doorway they'd left through, he finally noticed Batman's cowled eyes boring into him. That can only mean one thing; a long talk was about to happen.

The rest of the Team began to timidly step off the Bioship. They approached slowly and cautiously, as if afraid that any talking might bring the subject of their newest addition up again.

Batman was the one to break the silence. "Team, dismissed. Go home."

They all looked shocked. "Wait, hold on a minute!" Artemis exclaimed in disbelief. "That's it? No debrief, no long mission report?"

"No. Now go." Batman's eyes met his young protégé's. They exchanged a short look, before Batman addressed him openly. "You too, Robin."

The Team slowly dispersed, albeit hesitantly. Wally, Artemis, and Robin all disappeared through the Zetas, while Megan, Connor, and Zatanna all made their way into the depths of the Cave.

Then it was just Batman and Nightwing again. There was an awkward silence, a sort of tension in the air. Then Batman spoke. "You love him."

Nightwing had a hard time meeting Batman's eyes. "I don't know."

"You do. I can see it. You're just afraid." Nightwing was silent, looking at some spot on the ground. Batman stepped forward, setting a gentle hand on his son's shoulder. "But what for? Rejection? From me? From him? Dick, I've known. You, the you of this time; you love him now, too. You think it's just brotherly love now, but I know it's deeper than that. Years later, you've figured it out. You know it's much more than that, too. He loves you too, Dick. Barry and I have talked about it before. Don't be afraid, Dick. Tell him."

"I just...I didn't realize it until after it was too late. He was gone, and then it finally hit me, and I couldn't do anything about it. I didn't think I'd ever get the chance to tell him, Bruce..."

"Love always works itself out in the end, Dick. If there's a will, there's a way."

"Then how come you haven't found anyone?" The change in mood was long welcome.

Batman scoffed, a small smirk coming to his lips. He affectionately ruffled Nightwing's hair. "You little brat. You really never change."

Nightwing giggled, smoothing his hair back down. "I'd be disappointed if I did."

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Nightwing sat waiting in the living room of the Cave for two hours. After half an hour, Black Canary had came in to tell him that they'd stabilized Wally, and that she'd let him know when he could visit. He'd thanked her quietly, and sat in silence, lost in his own mind.

An hour after Wally's arrival, M'gann, Connor, and Kaldur had joined him. Connor sat watching the static of the TV while Kaldur read a book, and M'gann attempted to bake. M'gann had tried to start a conversation with him, but gave up when all she got were short, curt replies.

Forty-five minutes after they joined him, they left again. Kaldur went back to Atlantis, and Connor and M'gann went to their rooms. Nightwing sat immersed in his thoughts for the remaining fifteen minutes.

Then, just after the two hour mark, Black Canary came back in. She sat next to him, placed her hands on his kneecap, and stared into his masked eyes. "Dick." She said softly. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Nightwing just shook his head.

"Then why don't we talk about something else." Black Canary suggested. "Tell me about one of the best memories of you two."

Nightwing felt the corners of his lips twitch up. His eyes closed as he reminisced. "There's a lot of them." He said finally. "One of the best was when we stole a cop car....."

When Black Canary's expression turned alarmed, Nightwing laughed. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. We didn't steal a cop car...."

Black Canary visibly relaxed. "Good, because-"

".....we borrowed it." Nightwing finished, cutting her off with a cheeky smile. At her sharp, reprimanding look, he just shrugged sheepishly. "Imagine people's surprise when they got pulled over by superheroes Kid Flash and Robin. The looks on their faces was priceless. One even begged us not to send him to jail, and proceeded to cry like a baby. A big, burly tough guy, too. We might've returned the cop car with a couple extra dents, and probably broke thirteen laws in one night, but it was well worth it." He shook his head thoughtfully. "Of course, Bruce found out about it. He grounded me from patrol for a month, and forced both of us to polish the Batmobile spotless for two and a half weeks."

Black Canary returned his bright smile. "You two always were the perfect troublesome pair."

Nightwing's eyebrows furrowed slightly in response. "Yeah...." He said quietly, his whole demeanor changing. He became more somber, almost saddened.

Black Canary was quiet for a moment. Her hand reached out to his, and she gently squeezed it. "Go see him." She told him. When Nightwing made eye contact with her, her expression was soft and knowing. She knew.

Nightwing gave her a thankful smile before leaving the room. His feet led him towards the medical bay, and he hesitated before opening the doors.

Wally lay covered chest-high by white sheets. His exposed arms were covered in wires. A breathing tube was exiting from his nasal canal. He was surrounded by various machines; a heart monitor, an IV, breath regulator, etc. A wet cloth lay on his forehead. His color was looking better, almost back to his usual pale skin tone than the former reddened tint.

Nightwing sighed and peeled his mask off. He rubbed his tired eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. It's been a long day....

He folded his arms on the edge of the bed and rested his chin on them. His eyes slid shut, and he was suspended in a state of half-sleep, but was conscious enough to know if Wally woke up.

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Nightwing had been waiting for Wally to wake up for three hours and fifteen minutes. The conscious part of his mind had been slowly counting the minutes, while the other half was blank as could be. When he suddenly felt the hairs on the back of his head prick up, and felt something on the bed make a slight movement, his eyes opened.....only to meet exhausted emerald green. His head shot up off the bed. "You're awake." To his own ears, his voice sounded breathless and confused.

Wally gave him a slight smile. "Mmm....yeah." He replied sluggishly.

"How're you feeling?"

"Fine, I guess. Just really tired." Wally lifted an arm up over his head, accidentally sliding the washcloth off of his forehead. His nose scrunched up a bit, and he stifled a cough. His other hand felt the breathing tube up his nose. Nightwing could tell that he was uncomfortable, so he helped him take it off. Wally lay there, just breathing for a moment. "What happened?" He asked, blinking slowly.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Nightwing chuckled softly.

Wally smiled in response. "Try me, bird boy." He scooted over to the far edge of the bed, and then lifted up the sheets in a sort of offer.

Nightwing scoffed affectionately before slipping underneath the bed covers. He pulled the blankets up to his chin. They laid on their sides facing each other, their faces barely inches away. Unmasked deep blue orbs bored into electric emerald green. "Well...." Nightwing began, his voice barely a murmur. "Should I mention that we're in the past?"

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Almost immediately after telling Wally the story of everything that happened from his vantage point, Wally fell asleep. Nightwing watched as his eyelids began to get heavy, then drift shut. The bright emeralds were hidden by gentle eyelashes. His breathing evened out and slowed, his mouth parting a bit as he inhaled and exhaled and inhaled and exhaled.

Nightwing couldn't help but think that he looked absolutely adorable. He looked at peace, so calm and without a single care.

It had been forever since he'd seen Wally like this. Or, rather, it'd been forever since he'd last seen Wally period.

He honestly missed these moments. How they'd have frequent sleepovers and fall asleep comfortably in the same bed. How they'd just take the time to talk, to talk about anything really. He missed how they used to be inseparable. How they used to know one another like the back of their hands. He really, truly missed his best friend. And, maybe, his best friend had been more than just that all along.

Without even fully realizing what he was doing, his mouth opened, and his voice whispered something out. It was real quiet, almost so that it was entirely inaudible. But he still felt what words his lips had formed. His sensitive ears had picked up on the whisper. I love you, Wally.

Nightwing placed a soft ghost of a kiss on the tip of Wally's nose. After pulling away, he let his finger trace its way down Wally's jawline. "Sleep well." He murmured, this time slightly louder. He drew his hand back towards himself and shifted so that he was comfortable enough. His own eyes drifted shut, and he felt his mind slip into a calming abyss.

If he'd kept his eyes open for just a second longer, he would've seen Wally's mouth close, then arch up into a dreamy smile.

Chapter Text

This is NOT an actual update, but I think it's very important you read it. I'll try to keep it short and simple.

Dont worry, the next chapter is coming. It's just going to take a while. In the couple months I've been working on it, I have about fifteen sentences total. I've got nothing. My writers block for this story is crippling me, but I'm determined to get the update through.

I have an idea of exactly what I want to write, it's just hard to form it into sentences. Maybe it's because I've temporarily wandered away from the Young Justice franchise (call it a break of interests), or maybe it's because I'm just a perfectionist who needs to calm her shit and learn to just accept things at an okay level instead of completely deleting her work and redoing it.

I can't exactly say when it'll get done. Hopefully within the next two months inspiration will strike. Until then, hang in there! Love you all! <3

-es. cri.