Grief is an emotion that is born of grave loss, and loss is the unfortunate side effect of the most predominate disease found – living. Loss is a usual in the business of heroism. It's normal to loss a friend, an ally, perhaps even a time or two a villain that maybe didn't deserve to die. It was however, never expected, to lose someone you love. That was the hypocrisy of it all; no one expects to lose someone that they dearly need. That was unfortunately the circumstance that unfolded on this day, and a day that Riley Grayson would never in all her years forget.

She had been attending school on the day of the accident, her classes rolling in and out she barely noticed the hours slip by. Riley Grayson had been attending Gotham University for a month, and already one of the most capable students. Her laughter was like wedding bells as she strolled through the hall, happy for once to be having a normal day. However normalcy was never permitted in a family that ran and breathed on danger. As she made her way to the last class of the day she heard the usual rumble of her mobile.

A sigh tore from her lips as she knew that more than likely it was either her brother or father calling her to complain about some madness. She quickly pulled it from her purse, rolling her eyes at the area code of the mansion. Within a second her fingers ignored the call and throw it back into her bag, Bruce for once could deal with whatever idiot that had escaped Ark ham that day. Riley deserved one moment of peace after all. The class was a breeze and she couldn't help but feel at peace, her bag tucked away on the floor she didn't notice the influx of call after call that came through.

It wasn't until she exited the room, taking out her phone to finally call her father back that she says the hoard of messages gathered. Her brow rose and suddenly she felt sick to her stomach, if they had needed her that badly what on Earth could have happened. She quickly began dialing away, swinging her bag over her shoulder as she ran down the steps of the hall heading toward her car. Within a ring she received an answer and sighed into the receiver. "Look I'm sorry, I was in class and I didn't want to take out my phone. I'll be home in a bit; do you think you can hold off until then?" She murmured expecting it to be her father. A small grumble echoed over the line as the other cleared their throat and she realized it was Alfred.

"Alfred what's going on, where's my father?" She called out as she finally made it to her car. "-Miss Grayson I think it best if you hurry home." He replied quickly. Riley's stomach dropped as she began to quiver into her seat. Was Bruce hurt? Had she missed her father calling for backup? "I'm on my way." She replied before hanging up the phone. Speeding was never something Riley relied on, even more so since the entire of Gotham police department knew who she was, but that day Riley didn't care. From the University to Wayne Manor it was a thirty minute drive, but the girl made it in fifteen.

As she turned in she saw the house abandoned, her brow furrowing as she quickly threw her things to the parlor and ran down to the elevator to the Bat cave. Her heart racing all she could think of was her father. What if he was hurt? What if they were in danger? She ran down before smashing the buttons the elevator taking the short thirty second trip the bottom level.

As the doors opened wide she noticed Alfred standing across the room out of view, but Bruce standing right in front of her. In her head she knew that he must have seen her on the security cameras and came to meet her. Her raven brow furrowed as she looked at him. "Tati? What's wrong, are you okay?" She asked carefully moving towards him. His eyes met hers in a solemn look and for a moment she felt a quiver of fear brush through her. Bruce was standing there, Bruce was fine, yet it took all of two moments to realize who she hadn't considered. The one person in her mind that would never think to be hurt. Her gut bottomed out, eyes widened before looking at him.

"Where-" She whispered, wanting to know where she had to go to be with her brother. If Jason was hurt or in the hospital she needed to be with him. Riley better than anyone knew how to comfort him, knew how to ease his pain. Her little brother wasn't that much older than she was when she started and yet all she could do was think of him. However Bruce's stance changed as Alfred came into better view, he was almost blocking her and she flickered her gaze around him.

At once the man stood tall in front of her, hands grabbing her shoulders in a sigh trying to gather words. "Where's Jason..." She gritted between her teeth as she yanked away from him. Her eyes finally making it around him to see Alfred standing by a table. On the table was a glimmer of skin and redness and Riley all at once felt her breathe leaving her body.

Her eyes widened as a choking force slammed into her chest, her body unmoving and yet jumping forward only to be caught by Bruce. She screamed, she screamed so loud and so painfully that it would shatter the heart of millions. No matter how hard she fought she couldn't manage to break loose from her father who held onto her tight. Her brother wasn't...no it wasn't possible. All those calls, all those messages...god no. She couldn't have done this? She couldn't have been responsible for this.

The screams didn't die, she thrashed and cursed and beat at her father until he pressed her tightly against his chest. Her choking breath in sobs rang out against him. It was horrific, and it was madness. Bruce's arms wrapped tight around her as she settled into his grasp, her sobbing form never wavering as he tried to move her away.

Alfred's gaze never wavered, to broken to see Riley suffer so and yet, no one knew how broken she felt. It was like someone ripped her heart from her chest and boiled it. Her breathe gone, she felt so faint she had to lean into her father for support. She was shaking, and she was choking.

Riley wasn't sure how long Bruce toggled her there, she wasn't sure how long she had remained standing there until Alfred moved over to them. "Miss Riley..." He murmured softly, and Riley only seemed to flinch. If no one spoke it wasn't real, if no one acknowledged her...it wasn't real. She shook her head, her face turning into her fathers soaked and bloodied chest as he moved to pat her on the shoulder.

It didn't take long for Bruce to release her, pushing her further and further back, trying to spare her the vision of Jason's mangled body, but Riley was his sister. Riley would be with him no matter what. She broke away from her father, stumbling to pull herself over to him before witnessing the tragedy herself. It was like looking into hell, she thought, looking into utter darkness. Bruce stood behind her in silence as she held herself up by the edge of the table. His form turned away from her she choked as she reached out to touch him. She could hear Bruce behind her, moving out almost to stop her from torturing herself.

Her fingers brushed against his cheek as she choked back her tears, looking down at him for a moment and praying that it was just another dream. There lie the single most precious thing in her life and she didn't know what to do. Jason her rescue. Jason her brother. The boy she had saved and held. All those nightmares, all those bad memories. She had pulled him through each one. He was the secret keeper, he partner in crime, he was her best friend. Her eyes squeezing tight in agony she clenched her fist leaning over to bury her face against his chest.

She cried, oh she cried. Her arms around him she cried for what felt like hours. There were no words that could be said that didn't already flow from her mouth. 'I'm sorry.' 'Don't hate me.' 'I love you.' 'Come back...'. There was only so much pain worth watching, and Bruce could watch his daughter suffer no more. He placed his hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze before moving to give her peace.

Once Riley was alone she pulled herself up from her brother, her face hovering over his own as she brushed her lips over his brow. "Noapte buna dragostea mea... voi sta cu tine pentru toldeauna. Pentru totdeauna dragostea mea...ca am merge in soare." She sings softly beneath her tears, fingers brushing down his cheek as she pulled herself closer to him. Her hair falling around her face she could help but cradle him closer, her tears falling into the bloodied sing she choked back her breathe. "-tu si cu mine, sa creasca vechi impreuna, dulce meu, dragostea mea... pentru totdeauna mai mult..." The song long since lost in the stone inlay of the cave.

The girls crying form never leaving her brother, she didn't know her father standing across the room listening to her. Bruce had never heard his daughter use her native tongue; he had never known she had used it even more so with Jason. Yet the song, the song meant something; it was a cry for love. Bruce's heart may have already been shattered, but no more so when his daughtered tried to sing her brother back to life. That was the moment he lost everything, that was the moment he lost both his children. Riley's song echoed throughout the house, and all anyone could do was turn their gaze away. It was too intimate, too personal...too painful. It was loss, terrible loss, and it was Riley who had to suffer it alone in the darkness.