Disclaimer: I don't own any characters in this story or YJ.

| 2010 October 16,

| Smallville

They were running as fast as they could. Their heartbeats racing. Just knowing time was not on their side was enough to have them running for their lives. They were the last, the last heroes of the world. Almost everyone was gone. They had fallen in battle. Some may still be alive. Roy, he was never seen. Could he be gone too?

The numbers were ticking down, showing seconds left for their final moment. In seconds, it would blow, and most likely take them down with it. Kid Flash was running in front, his speed rushing him faster than the other. Robin felt hope that Wally may get out.

Wally was using his brain to the maximum as he thought about all the possibilities for their escape. His fears beginning to cloud his mind and making him thin more irrational than normal. Nothing looked like a way out yet at the same time it did.

Robin remembered he at least had got the Martians out. Miss Martian had been crestfallen as they had shifted through the wall. Robin knew his chances of getting out was low. He was only human, yet, here he is, one of the last standing heroes. Superboy had fallen, and he was the clone of Superman!

The hall was coming to an end. The door was closing, and Robin knew at once he wouldn't make it. Wally must also have seen the door closing and realizing Robin's fear because suddenly he took Dick's hand and ran as fast as he could for the door.

Wally was not letting his best friend die here. Not when he knew Dick had so much left in his life to do. He knew what he had to do as he watched the opening become smaller and smaller. Wally looked back at his friend for a moment and what he saw almost made him stop. Dick was so defeated, he hoped this wouldn't break his friend completely.

Dick felt his legs try to move as fast as Wally, but they only skipped the floor and the only thing stopping Dick from falling was Wally's hold on his hand. Dick noticed the small opening left and his stomach got sick with fear.

They wouldn't make it, or Wally wouldn't if he continued to drag Dick with him. As if Wally had read his mind, he did something that shocked Dick to his core for now and forever. He threw Dick through the small opening with all his power and momentum from his run. The younger boy was thrown through the opening, and could only watch as the door closed between him and his best friend. Leaving them split forever.

Robin didn't have time to cry or grieve. He had to continue before the ship exploded and ended his life too. And with a heavy heart, he ran. He ran away from his friend, brother, and partner in crime.

Wally ran into the closed door and felt his back ached after the hit. He looked at the door and knew Dick had continued. Continued to run, to live his life.

Wally always saw Dick as his little brother, his to protect and shield from the world's dangers and daddy bat's bad decisions.

Kid Flash looked up as aliens approached him. Their guns ready to shoot him and end his life. His uncompleted but satisfied life.

He had saved his brother from this fate and Wally could die with a smile. Knowing uncle Barry and Artemis was there to greet him along with the rest of the League and team.

Running through the last halls towards the exit, tears were threating to fall in the corners of his eyes. Eyes, still hidden by the mask, the mask which sometimes was only a burden, which split him from the rest of his friends.

Wally, his best friend, his brother in everything but blood had given up his life for him. He would never be able to repay the speedster for his sacrifice and heroics.

Dick's mind went back to the seconds the door was closing behind him and Wally. Wally's green eyes reflecting a hope, sadness, and acceptance. His red head was wild as ever and his smile didn't reach his eyes as normal. The words the speedster said was forever written into his heart.

"Sorry, Dick. They need you more than me."

Robin felt his breath leave him for a second before he took a deep breath again. He ran faster, fighting for the life Wally sacrificed himself for. Seeing the exit and almost throwing himself through it. Rolling over the crisped grass he quickly got to his feet again and continued his run away from the ship and to safety.

His feet pounded the ground as the distance between him the ship lengthened. Seconds had passed, and the timer hit zero. The mothership went up in flames and the wave of heat hit Robin in the back and sent him flying. He hit the ground hard and felt the wave go over him and dragging him over the ground. The boom that had shaken the ground still rung in his ears as the wind slowed down.

He slowly rose from the ground and let out a groan of pain as he felt the bruises begin to form after being thrown around like a doll. His ears were still ringing. It was almost that he didn't hear the terrified scream coming from somewhere not far from him. Robin started to run again but fell to the ground as he put pressure on his left foot. He rose again and quickly limped to where he was sure the scream had come from.

He stopped short as he got a sight of why Megan had screamed. She was lying on the ground and Martian Manhunter stood protectively in front of her. That's how they disappeared as the alien ship used his last energy to take them down with it. They disappeared in a bright red light and the alien ship fell to the ground.

It was over. The invasion was over. But at a major cost. All their heroes were dead. The Justice League dead. The team dead. His adoptive aunts and uncles. His guardian and father. His brother and friends. All of them were gone. Like his parents.

Looking around at his surroundings he could only see fire and destruction. The fire roamed around what was left of the mothership. Where his friends had fallen. What everyone had given their lives to stop. His imagination brought up terrible pictures of Wally burned to a crisp after screaming in pain. His hope was Wally had been zapped before the explosion.

Robin let his hand reach up to his mask and slowly peeled it off. He felt that Dick was to grieve over them and not Robin. The mask fell from his hand and to the ground forgotten.

His blue eyes gleamed with a sadness which had only been in those eyes one other time. The trauma still was there but now it had grown bigger. Seeing your parents fall to their deaths were traumatic enough, now his second family was dead too. Dick knew then and there that he didn't deserve happiness.

His knees finally gave out on him as he had stood there staring at the burning wreck. Dick felt his eyes hurt from the crying but tears still fell, his emotions wild and unpredictable. His screams of anger and grief echoed in the air. He hit the ground again and again until his fists were bleeding out on the ground. His anger had slowly left him and only defeat was left in the young teen. His breathing was evening out and he looked up at the night sky. The stars mocking him with their glow.

Looking down on the mask lying beside him, he realized what he had to do. He plastered the mask on again, to hide his emotions, his grief, his anger. He was Robin the boy wonder. He was strong, and he would rise from this but not as the same person he had been with them.

The com was still in his ear and he could only hope there would be someone to answer him. he connected it to the Batcave before taking a deep breath.

"Agent A, are you still there?" He called, and seconds passed with only static. He almost threw the gadget away before he heard the voice of the strict and British butler.

"Master Robin! Good to hear you're still alive. May I ask how the mission went?" Alfred was alive. He had survived the chaos that had roamed the Earth. Robin let out a happy breath before answering the butler.

"The mission has succeeded, but at a great cost." Robin said with sorrow and regret deep in his voice.

"I'm sorry to hear master Robin. Please hurry back home so I can inspect your injuries. I also believe I have some cookies left from this morning." Alfred answered with sadness alike his own. The man had lost a person that was practically his son. But thank the heavens, his grandson was still alive.

Robin smiled, but it didn't fully reach his eyes. "Thanks, Alfred." He said, his tone letting the butler know of the defeat he felt after this.

"It is nothing master Richard." Alfred said as he tried to console the young teen over the com. Robin sighed before hanging up. He had to get out of here. Return to Gotham and see the destruction done to the planet.

He remembered M'gann had parked the bioship not far from here. She would be alone now as the Martians were gone. He didn't know what would happen to her, but he will make sure she stays safe.

Robin rose from the ground and limped to where the ship was. It opened to him and he got into the cockpit. He stared at the seat where M'gann usually sat to steer the ship. He sat down and somehow, he felt the ship's emotions. She was sad and grieving. She needed him maybe as much as he needed her.

M'gann was dead and nothing would change that. He could only take care of the Martian's ship as it was all he could do for the girl. Setting course for Gotham he felt a bond of understanding form between him and the ship. She needed someone, someone to be connected to, and he was the last one her former master was strongest connected to. They were bonded now, and he would care for her just like M'gann had.

Robin stared out through the windows and watched the cities he passed. Smoke came from burning buildings and some had fallen, many must have lost their lives there. People were still trying to dig up the people who were buried. Trying to find survivors.

The aliens may have failed at invading us, but they hurt us. They killed so many, children, adults, pets. Most dead and the world continued to spin its course as if its habitats hadn't just been slaughtered. Finally coming to his home, he had to hold back a gasp as he saw the state the city was in.

It was worse than normal, people were out on the streets trying to grab things to survive. Some were going around killing the poor. Robin had to look away and turned instead his gaze to the manor.

Robin knew something. He was dying today. He was dying together with the rest of the heroes. There could not be a Robin without Batman, or the team. He would not give up being a hero/vigilante, but he was giving up Robin. He was not Robin anymore as all innocence and happiness had left him.

He was changing. Changing into what? He didn't know. But from today on, he was going to bring a new hope to this fallen Earth, and maybe, he wasn't going to do it alone.

Hello readers. This is my second YJ story. I have most of the chapters done and only some scenes in different chapters to finish. This story will hold a lot of different heroes (Marvel too). I wrote this story for fun, nothing more.

Next chapter is going to be after a time skip and is called: A Return.

Please review if you have any comments or just want me to update quicker. I'm not going to set a specific date to post my chapters. It's going to be more like "I'll post when I'm finished and sure of the two next chapters."

Hope you'll like the story. See you guys next time.