Hello lovely readers ^^ This is just a little something that popped into my head after watching YJ 203. So yeah, be warned that there's a slight spoiler in there... And the rest is just my insane imagination. Let me know if you all want a continuation or if I should just let you all imagine what would happen next. Btw, I'm aware that I haven't updated 'Hero's come back' in a while... But I'm in the process of moving so my story guide is somewhere stashed in luggage... So yeah, I'll only be able to get to that once I have my own laptop :p

Summary ~ Tim discovers why Dick is so gloomy sometimes. Apparently losing someone he loves dearly is the hardest thing in the world to get over. But what if that someone had the strength to survive almost anything? Can Tim help Dick find his way to where his heart belongs?

In His Heart

Nightwing ordered everyone to retreat. Robin obviously noticed his leader's slight getaway and decided to follow. He assured Bat Girl he'd be safe. Robin slowly stopped behind a large pile of rocks and did his best to listen.
"It's because of you that Tula is now dead!"
Robin's eyes were wide. Their enemy was the person he knew to be Aqualad. At least, it was what he had learned through the never ending files on Dick's computer back at the mansion.
"We both lost someone we loved on that mission but I don't see myself turning against my friends because of it."
Robin was now even more confused. He knew that nothing ever bothered Nightwing, but something always seemed to bother the 19 year old Dick Grayson behind that mask. And at that point Dick's expression was beginning to seem hard to hide.
"You can either take me down or get out of here. I am told this bomb will go out with quite a hell of an explosion."
Robin immediately took that phrase as his queue to leave. Nightwing had given him an order and the least he could do was follow it.

Everyone had made it back safely to the bioship. Superman was slightly knocked out but he regained himself rather quickly.
"Dick… Do you need to talk?" Batman whispered to the young raven, who was sitting isolated from everyone.
"No. I'm fine."

x.x

The next day was filled with questions and theories about how and why Aqualad had turned against them. Garf immediately ran towards Tim when he saw him arrive.
"Everyone's been asking about you!" The little green boy said, almost jumping on the shortest of raven's. Dick smiled and walked straight towards the kitchen.
"Why is everyone needing me?"
"Because they want to know what you know about Aqualad… And why Nightwing looks just as gloomy as Batman." Garf grinned.
Tim sighed. He didn't really know what went down on that mission exactly, but he was suddenly very anxious, or curious, to find out.

Tim soon found Superboy lounging around the gym, apparently wanting to be alone. Connor was someone that was there during the overhead conversation. Maybe he'd be able to explain things a little better.

"If you're looking for Nightwing, I haven't seen him." Connor mumbled, picking up some weights.
"No… I'm looking for you actually." Tim said shyly.
Tim wasn't usually shy, but he didn't feel too comfortable around Connor. He was sure he'd get punched if he said the wrong thing.
"Me? Why me?"
"There's something I need to know… And I'm certain you know it."
"Shoot."
Tim sighed and began replaying his words in his mind, three times, before saying anything out loud.
"The mission, where someone Aqualad and Nightwing knew died, what happened? Who died? Why does it bother D-Nightwing so much?" He couldn't help but let the preoccupied tone escape him. Bruce would've given him quite the lecture for it. Not to mention having almost revealed Dick's name.
"Oh… That. Well, we had an important mission that had to be done in two parts. The first in Atlantis and the second in Greenland. Thing is… That mission went from wrong from the beginning. Aqualad wasn't himself the whole time and wasn't playing a decent part as a leader. Nightwing, who was still Robin at the time 'cause you were still in training, stepped in and tried his best to correct our many mistakes. The first part was a total disaster, causing the death of Tula, the girl Aqualad loved and the second…"

"Make sure all the passwords are correct. We need to detonate these machines without causing much of a havoc." Robin stated.
Zatanna and Superboy both readied the microbombs Robin and Batman had created. Aqualad stood at a far corner mourning his sudden loss. Zatanna, who couldn't see him like this anymore, decided to attempt a mood lifter on him.
"Reehc pu Dalauqa." She whispered softly.
"Stop it Zatanna." Aqualad said coldly.
Robin looked up from what he was doing. He sighed, almost silently.
"Maybe we should take five. We're ahead anyway." He said.
"Of course we are. We ran off without even trying to save Tula." Aqualad hissed.
"Khaldur" Zatanna said quietly, her voice had a comforting tone to it. "We had no choice… We-"
"We made the choice of leaving her behind!" He yelled. "It's not like any of you understand of course."
"How can you say that? I lost my father to that stupid helmet remember?"
Robin hugged Zatanna as soon as he saw the tears falling. He felt the need to comfort her when things took a turn towards the situation with her father.
"I'd like to see you lose Robin just to see how it feels. Or maybe vice versa." He said coldly.
"Enough." Robin said angrily. Zatanna sobbed on Robin's shoulder. "You're acting as if this was her fault. We made mistakes from the very start. It was no one's fault what happened down there. I'm not whelmed by this situation either, but we're going to have to deal with it for now, in order to get this mission done."

x.x

It was a simple task. Destroy the source that might be helping The Light to gain energy for whatever chaotic reunion they're planning. But the task was proving to be anything but simple. At some point, Aqualad gave up all together and sat in the Bioship waiting for their departure. He didn't even go outside to help the other three fight off the Joker when he attacked. Robin had managed to set the microbombs to deactivate everything during the fight. He was almost beaming in delight that all they had to do now was go home. Of course, Joker must've noticed his sudden happiness and had to end it.
"I'll be leaving you all now… But I must say… Someone's going to regret messing with The Light." He chuckled.
He left with a loud bang. Superboy soon noticed the Joker bombs falling from the sky.
"Robin! We have to go! Now!" He shouted.
Robin picked up Zatanna, who had injured her leg, and began running towards the ship.
"We won't take off in time. M'gaan said the ship would need my assistance for take off after over-use." Zatanna said quietly.
"We'll manage. Let me focus on getting us out and-"
"Listen to me!" She yelled, making him drop her. "Get on the ship. I'll activate everything from here and jump in. I'll be fine… I promise."
Superboy ran past them, advising it was getting closer. Aqualad was already in position for take off. Robin hesitated but agreed. He kissed her quickly but passionately before running inside.
"I'll be right above you." He said. "You'll just need to fly up."
Zatanna nodded.
"Tectorp Pihs morf bmobs." She said, forming a small force field around her friends. "Ekam Pihs ylf." The bioship was soon off the ground. Robin leaned anxiously against the window, waiting to see his girl jump up to them. He waited and waited. The last thing he saw was a tear fall from her eyes and ashes everywhere.

Tim ran quickly across the cave, looking for Dick. He started to get worried once he realized he was nowhere to be seen.
"He's down at the beach." M'gaan whispered.
Tim smiled at the martian girl and ran off.

Dick sat on a rock with his head buried in his knees. Tim could see his body shaking. Was he crying? Tim had never seen Dick cry before. He was certain he held it in all the time.
"Dick?" He said quietly.
Dick slightly jumped at the sound of his voice but soon motioned for him to come closer.
"You ever tell anyone about this and you'll be cleaning all our vehicles for the rest of your life." He laughed.
"I wouldn't. I'm worried about you, Dick. I didn't know about… About Zatanna."
Dick held his sunglasses tighter than before. Tim also noticed the tears forming once again.
"She promised me she'd be safe. That she'd jump. If I had known…"
"If you had known, you'd all be dead." Tim stated. "I'm sure she did what she did in order to protect you."
"I know she did… I'm not mad at her for doing the right thing as a hero. I'm mad at myself for making mistakes as a leader."
Silence became their friend at that moment.
"I'd give anything just to see her smile again." Dick said quietly.

x.x

Zatanna's POV

Where am I? Why is everything so dark in here? I hear voices… Have I finally lost it? Why can't I remember what I was doing?
"You're awake! You're finally awake! Oh… It's about time… Three and half years with you just lying there. I was beginning to lose hope."
Lying here? Lying where? Who's voice is that? Where's Robin? Robin! That's right… The mission. The bombs… Did that voice just say three years? Have I missed out on three whole years of my life? Robin must've found someone else by now, I'm sure of it. Maybe he'll come get me though… If only I could find that damn SOS button.
"Please tell me you can speak already." The voice spoke again.
"Yes…" Wow… Three years without my voice has made it quite rusty. "Where's Robin and the team? I need to get home."
"I don't know who you're referring to dear. I found you in the lying in the water."
"Did I have anything on me?"
"Yes… I'll go get it."
I sighed to myself, slowly opening my eyes to reveal a white room. Was this a hospital?
"Here… This is all you had."
My clothes… My phone, which is now quite useless and.. ah ha! SOS signal. I pressed it down joyfully. All I have to do now is wait.

I'm guessing it's kind of impossible to leave this as a one-shot... Like I said before, I'll let you all be the judge of that. I beg forgiveness for the possible errors I may have made... It's past midnight, I'm sleepy, using a computer with a keyboard that dislikes me completely... I think you all get the point :p please review? *-* XOXO