User:DCaddict

Hi! I might be editing around here every once in a while, but not a lot. I'm a staff member of the Green Arrow wiki and The Flash wiki. I'm a user and an active editor of the Smallville wiki, and the Teen Titans wiki.

~DCaddict♥

Here is a really good fan fiction story I found. Note: I DID NOT WRITE IT!

Synopsis: This is an alternate universe story and is in no way strictly to the comic. It will have imperfections, but I do not claim any accuracy to its folds. What is a Super hero was tired of saving the world? How far would he go to escape? To be… normal?

Rebirth

“I can remember it like it was yesterday. Over a year ago, I did something that I never thought I had in me. I’m Dick Grayson, loyal ward and companion to one playboy millionaire Bruce Wayne. My parents passed when I was very young and Mister Wayne took me in as he and I seemed to have a lot in common. But that is neither here nor there.”

“Growing up at Wayne Manor was very different from the life I knew in the circus. I never had any wants and finally had a permanent place to rest my weary head. I even became the sidekick to one of the greatest crime fighters in history; Batman. I became Robin, the Boy Wonder. Our adventures were revered by many and I grew up to be somewhat cocky and snobbish, but my heart was always in the right place. After years of being the sidekick, I wanted to venture out and become my own hero. I moved to Bludhaven and became Nightwing. At the time, my predecessor had been found in one Jason Todd; the Dick Grayson clone as he was sometimes called. Our pasts had much in common and I suppose that was why we resented each other. I resented him because he was my replacement and he resented me because the Bat expected him to be what I was. The rivalry was rather quiet however, but we always knew how the other felt.”

“Even in Bludhaven I was compared to Batman. How could I ever live up to what my hero was? No one but Bruce Wayne could ever truly be the Batman. As much as I ran from that terrible little fact, I always seemed to run face first into it. Batman always received the front page of the important papers in and around Gotham. I was on page C-15 right after the advertisements. Seems only Superman could share the Lime Light with the Dark Knight. And then it struck me… One lonely night as I sat in my apartment and read the paper.”

“I had struggled to be a hero for so long that I had never truly lived. (By this time, Jason was thought to be dead and was replaced by Tim Drake. But after investigation, I did find Jason.) I had been so caught up in being Robin and Nightwing that I had forgotten who Dick Grayson was. I never had a normal childhood and I was losing what little bit of normality I had left. Always playing dress up to save an unappreciative city. Only to be scoffed at and reprimanded for my good deeds. I did what Batman couldn’t. I decided to hang up the costume one last time. But who would take my place? If Nightwing just disappeared, the Bat would come looking for me and I wouldn’t be able to tell him that I had thrown in the towel. He would look at me with those coarse narrow ever judgmental blue eyes and tell me I was a failure. I couldn’t have Bruce telling me that. So, I had a plan.”

“One cold night, I called Jason and planned a meeting atop Wayne Tower. Something about that tower always gave me a feeling of safety. All those years of sharing the edge with the Caped Crusader made it seem as though everything was okay. Maybe as if Bruce would be watching over me like he did when I was little. A warm comforting feeling. Jason agreed with great reluctance in his voice, but he would show. He knew in his soul he couldn’t resist his curiosity. I arrived moments before him and stood, not as Nightwing, but as Dick Grayson upon the building of memories. I hadn’t been feeling very well all day. I had a high fever and my right side was killing me. I assumed it was just over exhilaration or a stitch like I used to get all the time. Maybe it was my nerves as I would be facing the one person whom I hated more than I had hated anyone in a long time. Upon my back was a backpack with the contents of my past in it. This would now be Jason’s burden to carry, not mine.”

“I can still feel the icy drops of Gotham rain on my face and I look up at the sky. It was that Gotham sky, so big and open, that always drew me back here. There was no sky like the one that hung over our… his… great city. A voice behind me caused my attention to sway toward Jason. He was still around my build, but something about that smirk on his lips sent an unease coursing through my blood. As Dick, I was nothing more than a scared, unsure young man. But when I put on the mask, I was a hero and all my insecurities vanished with my alter ego. He approached with caution and I could tell he was very suspicious of what I was thinking. Funny how that I was not the one to fear and yet… It happened none-the-less.”

“By now, I was feeling a tad better as the rain had seemed to bring the fever down. I took the backpack off and threw it at Jason’s feet. My eyes never left him though. He was like my dark side in many ways. My opposite yet just the same. He opened the pack, all the while his eyes were set on me. As if I was going to do something. I still remember the surprise on his face as he pulled out the costume. The black material glistening under the moonlight. The moon was so big that night; it lit both of us up. Two like silhouettes standing where they had stood with their hero on many a night. He asked me what the deal was as he circled me a bit. I explained that I was tired of being in Batman’s shadow and that I was passing the torch to a worthy adversary. He laughed. He laughed whole heartedly and it scared me. The laugh was not that of someone who was happy to be a hero. No, it was much darker than that. As if he was mocking my choice. He slipped the costume on with a little difficulty as the wet rain had made it stick to his tan flesh. What happened the next few moments are to go down in history as my greatest sin and savior.”

“He smirked once in full garb and ran his gloved hand through his stringy hair. He asked me if the real reason I was giving this over to him was because I couldn’t cut it as a hero anymore. If I couldn’t handle the challenge of being alone. That I needed Batman to be a hero and I would always be his sidekick. I felt an anger arise in the very depths of my being and I stepped closer stating that he was the one who would always be nothing more than a sidekick. I see his fist rear back and then the pain. My neck cracked to the force and I will never forget that noise. The taste of metal as my mouth filled with blood. The stars ran through my head like small electrodes. My whole face stung. I returned his action and soon we were in an all out brawl. The warm blood stinging my eyes and reminding me of how sick I was. Then… As we neared the edge of the building…He kicked me in the side. Right where I had been hurting all day. It was so hard that I threw up and he laughed. He laughed at my misfortune. So, I… pushed him…"

"Not that hard, but he must have slipped on the wet roof. I remember the look on his face… It twisted up and his eyes were so wide. I never noticed how bright they were. His arms flapped like a bird who has just hit the window of a store. It all happened in slow motion. I could have caught him. I could have saved him, but something inside told me to let him fall… to let him go in my place. Because Nightwing had to die so Dick Grayson could live. I looked over the side at his twitching body laying on the cold wet concrete at the bottom of Wayne Tower and I felt remorse, but it was over powered by… relief. But what I felt most was my pain. I held my side which now felt as though it was on fire. I could barely walk and eventually passed out on the sidewalk near the hospital. A Good Samaritan found me and took me the rest of the way. I had had appendicitis. My appendix burst on the table next to me. Jason almost killed me. But… I killed him first… Was that what fate had planned? Or did I overstep and escape death? ”

“The next morning, while in the hospital recovering, I read in the newspapers that Nightwing was dead. I ran my finger over the picture of a very saddened Bruce. My heart wanted to tell him I was okay… But my brain saw this as a chance to finally be free. To finally live how I wanted to. To be Dick Grayson permanently. So as to protect Nightwing’s identity, Bruce Wayne requested immediate burial and a closed coffin. Nightwing was to NOT be de-masked under any circumstances. I suppose Bruce thought that if even he didn’t see who was under that mask, he could continue with his life…”

“I recovered and was out by that afternoon. I stood at a safe distance at the funeral. Well, everyone wants to know who will show up at their funeral and I had that chance. Selina, Babs, Tim, Alfred and even a few villains came.. But I couldn’t take my eyes off Bruce. He looked so drained, so... empty. As if his very essence had been taken from his body. His eyes were red from crying and I saw the tears pouring down those flushed cheeks. My heart shattered. How could I have joined his parents? Why did I have to do this to him? Because it was time to live for me. To hang up the Boy Wonder and be a man. I turned my head away and walked slowly back to my cramped apartment in Gotham. Right under the nose of Bruce and our paths may never even cross.”

“I own a comic book shop now in downtown Gotham called “John’s Comics” I thought using my middle name would be the best bet. I sometimes see Bruce walk by the store and I just want to… But instead I set my hand on the glass and hope he feels the warmth of my being. To ease his pain just a little. I was so selfish that night. I have always been selfish. Pushing away my friends and loved ones. Barbara, Jason, Tim, Roy, and even Bruce. Was it worth it you ask? Giving up everything I knew to be free? Throwing away the only people who ever truly cared? My answer… sometimes…”

Broken Wings

This is the sequel to 'Rebirth'. At first I had thought I would NOT make said sequel as I liked the suspence, but after talking with some people and things, I thought I would give it a try. If you have not read Rebirth I suggest it as you will not understand the orgin of 'Broken Wings'. Here Dick thinking it is safe to wonder the streets of Gotham has what he thinks is merely a near miss with his former mentor.

“I knew in the depths of my soul, this day would finally come. The day that I would have to face the man who’s heart I had ripped out. But will ‘sorry’ be enough?”

“I was on my lunch break and my other employee Tiffany was watching the store while I was out. It felt great to be just a normal guy. To be able to sleep a full night and not have to worry about some bad guy stealing some artifact. It was the greatest feeling ever. But through all this jubilation, my sin still ate at me. The fact that I hurt so many people just out of selfishness. My headphones blared some happy song… I can’t even remember what it was anymore. It had almost been two years by this point and it seemed as things had become normal. I was about to turn 26 and the world was really looking... Nowhere.” “I still lived in a cramped apartment near Gotham Heights and money was still tight. I was so used to being able to buy whatever I wanted and now I had to scrounge to pay rent. What used to be a long black limo with Alfred behind the wheel was now a yellow cigarette reeking taxi with a driver that barely spoke English. This Robin had certainly fallen far from the safety of the nest and broken his wings on the way down.”

“I had long tossed away those sweater vests and khaki slacks. They were replaced with blue jeans and T-shirts. Following suit of a certain “Super”, I bought myself a pair of black rimmed plastic framed glasses. Sure my eyesight wasn’t horrible, but if it fooled people around Clark maybe I would be so lucky? But… Bruce is smarter than that isn’t he?”

“The sun was so bright and shiny that day. With a vanilla ice cream in hand I strolled down the sidewalk. Not one cloud in the sky and everything was looking up. Until… I seemed to be so lost within myself and the day that I ran right into someone… familiar… My eyes gazed up to whom I had just bumped and I felt as though every drop of blood had just left my body. Staring down at me with vanilla ice cream on his black suit shirt was the one thing I feared most… Bruce. My eyes cast back down to the concrete and I apologized trying to disguise my voice. I hear a slight gasp as I thought he may have known. But then, he walked away with a wave. Relief was felt greatly as I watched him go. Still I wanted to tell him, but I couldn’t. The newspapers all said Nightwing was dead… All but one. I had come across one paper from Bludhaven that blurted out that thanks to a nosey sneaky reporter the man behind the mask was none other than Jason Todd. Apparently Bruce never saw that particular paper. And maybe that was for the best.” “After work, I decided it was a nice night to walk home. It was only a few blocks and the air was so fresh. The smell of restaurants filling my nostrils with pleasant scents. Call it an old habit that dies hard, but I swear I could feel someone following me. Occasionally, I would stop and look around, but no one was there. I thought maybe it’s just paranoia. Just the after effects of my run in with Bruce earlier in the day. But something was eating at me… like two familiar eyes peering from behind that cowl. Bruce always had a way of putting me in my place. Sometimes all he had to do was look at me with that cold stare and I would stop whatever it was I was doing. He had a grip on me that no one could ever break. Even after my alleged death I could still feel Gotham’s eyes set upon me. Analyzing my movements.”

“The night was so quiet as I made it to my small building. My hand went up to rub my eyes beneath those stupid glasses as I used my free hand to unlock my apartment door. A chill came over me as I stepped inside. It seemed I must have left the window open when I left. The sheer drapes danced an eerie ballet in the cool Gotham breeze. My glasses and keys were tossed in a bowl I kept by the door and I walked to the window. I stared for a mere moment before my hands reached and pulled the pane down with a click. My place was so dark and almost creepy tonight and still... I felt those eyes. What was this?”

“I walked back to the door and shut it. Within a moment I felt a severe pain in my back and winced as I was slammed against the door repeatedly. When I looked up, I saw the Batman. Those empty white eyes glaring at me from beyond the cowl. My blue canvas hi-tops couldn’t even touch the floor anymore as he had pulled me up by my shirt. A scowl on his face told me he knew. He knew the moment I bumped into him. He knew that I was the one who lied and broke his heart in the process. What was he going to do now? Kill me? For real? I’d deserve it for what I put everyone through.”

“Batman slammed me against the door again and did the one thing that told me how angry he was… He called me Richard… He knew I hated that and every time I was in deep trouble he called me by my full first name. He kept saying it to with every slam and my back began to ache. But I couldn’t… I wouldn’t fight him… This was all my fault. I grunted a little and then he stopped. His spare hand balled up into a fist and he reared it back. Oh this was too familiar, but I was more afraid than angry. I knew Bruce’s strength and it would be an easy take down. But instead of hitting me, he punched next to my head right into the hard oak door. The force was so strong the wood cracked and the noise echoed down the hall. My head bounced a little from the force and then he put his forehead against mine and muttered. ‘Why?’ I was actually taken quite aback at this weak display. He released me and I slid down to the floor. His head met the door gently and he boxed at it a little more.”

“I was so heart broken. I slipped passed him and sat on my chair with my knees pulled up to my chest. ‘Because I can’t live up to you’ I turn my head and look out the window. It was so dark and empty out there. No moon this night. Maybe that was a sign of some sort? He seemed to calm just a bit and sat on the loveseat staring at me as if I were a ghost. I was a ghost. He only ever wanted me to be his Boy Wonder and once I had become a man, he wanted nothing to do with me. His Robin was gone. ‘Live up to… me’ he said weakly. His voice was hoarse now and I swear I could hear sadness in his words. With a sigh I looked back at him. ‘Look at yourself. You are bigger than me, Stronger than me, Smarter than me… How am I to live up to godlike status of the Batman?’ I could still see a flicker of anger in that face. He could never hide his emotions from me. I knew him too long.”

“Batman still peered beyond that cowl trying to hide from whatever he was feeling. ‘Who is buried as Nightwing Richard?’ Again with that name. I look down at my knees and sigh deeply. ‘Jason’ is all I mutter. The next thing I see is the ceiling as the chair is flipped back and Batman is on top of me pinning me to the floor. ‘Tell me everything’ I am terrified by this point. But whatever happens should happen. ‘I killed him.’ Those cold gloved hands around my neck bring back memories. Batman was not Bruce. Bruce was debonair and compassionate. Batman was ruthless and uncaring. My face feels so warm and I can’t breathe, his grip getting tighter. My fingers fumbled to pull his hands away and then… he stops. He sees himself in me I just know it. Again he asks why and I tell him. I tell him about that night and everything that happened and his eyes look toward me in horror as I explain. I fear he will send me to jail even if were an accident.”

“He stands and shakes his head looking down as if he is taking it all in. ‘I… thought it was you.’ He mutters and holds his head. To comfort him would be my greatest gift I could give. I apologize, but maybe sorry isn’t enough this time. I stand slowly and look at him with deep concern and before I can speak he did something I had never felt before… He… hugged…me.”

“My eyes widen as I feel his tight warm embrace. My own arms wrapping around him. He hadn’t hugged me since I was very small and it always seemed so forced. Like someone was holding a gun to his head. But this was sincere. This wasn’t the Bat this was Bruce. This was that little boy who lost his parents at the hands of a maniac. It had been so long since I felt love like this… It was almost overwhelming.”

“So, per his word, I packed my bags and ended back at the life I ran away from. (As I said in my previous exert, I seem to run right into my problems.) I still work at my comic book shop as it seems to be the small dose of reality I need. Bruce nearly demands me to be Nightwing… well, Robin on many a night, but Robin and Nightwing are going to stay dead no matter how much he begs. I won’t go back to that. I’m happy now… Aren’t I?”