MemeLord257 requested this and I made it super sad teehee

EDIT: TW MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH//BLOOD

Nobody wanted the dreaded job of telling Young Justice of the fate that befell their previous leader. It just made it all so real. That was something they just couldn't face. This wasn't a faceless civilian amongst the hundreds they'd already been unable to save. This was one of their own. The boisterous young acrobat with a heart of gold grown into a bright young man. They'd been so excited to see him grow up and were so assured that he would carry on the legacy of staying true to justice. Someone cruelly took that away from them. They cut him up and left him to die in the snow. Whilst the other leaguers present when he drew his final breath went to beat the ever-loving shit out of those responsible, Tim and Bruce thought through what to do next. Well, Tim more so than Bruce. The Jet was on autopilot so they could stay with Dick's body. It was so surreal to see him without a smile on his face, tear stains on his near blue cheeks and clotted blood standing out like sore thumbs. "I should tell them," Tim stated. He'd kept hold of Dick's hand for so long he didn't know if he could ever let go but he felt something. Like the body in front of him was urging for the truth to come out as soon as possible. Maybe that was so they could all grieve together without the pain of having to retell the tale to everyone over and over again. Going through it together might even help. Bruce nodded. He hadn't spoken since they left and that couldn't be held against him. His son, his first protege, the boy he made so many mistakes with and so many successes with, was gone. Those laughs and talks at the end of the day that got him through it all were no more than memories now. Memories of yet another family member lost at the hands of some numbskull criminal who fancied himself a big shot killer. "They were family too so they have to know," he added, trying to convince himself further. "Would Dick want them to know? Would he want me to leave him?"

"He'd want what's best for everyone else. If you believe that telling the team is best, then do it. He wouldn't judge you either way," Bruce said, finally breaking his silence.

"What do I even say?"

"You say what they need to hear. Deal with the aftermath later."

It seemed like they'd been waiting for forever for something, anything, that would tell them about what was going down out there. M'gann was worried sick, still texting the Bat brothers at a race that would have Speedy Gonzalaz jealous. The younger ones were getting antsy. Had there been a fight? What was going on out there? Why was it taking so long? If their jobs taught them anything, the longer information took to find out the worse things were getting. Finally, news came in the form of Tim arriving at the Mountain. He wasn't followed by the announcement of Dick's name but if he'd been injured he was probably being kept on bed rest. They all ran to him and were met by the grim sight that made their stomach's twist. His skin was paler than usual with a green tinge. He looked like he could throw up any minute when given the right incentive. His eyes, no longer covered by his domino mask, were rubbed raw and it looked like he'd been sobbing. There was a slight tremble in his bottom lip that suggested he wasn't quite over crying yet. His posture was slumped and low. All these put together couldn't mean good news. He looked at them then opened his mouth before quickly snapping it shut. With a hitching breath, he let out a sigh and tried again. "I didn't get there in time," he said defeatedly. The weight of the world crashed onto his shoulders upon admitting it. Bart dashed towards him and caught him in a hug upon seeing his knees wobble. Tim leaned into the hug and began to sob into his shoulder. They didn't know what to think. Was Dick seriously hurt? Was he paralyzed? Did something need to be amputated? Did he damage his brain? The problem alluded them still. "He's gone," Tim wailed.

It took a few moments before the information landed but when it did, it hit them hard. First Wally, now him too? This couldn't be happening. This had to be some sort of sick nightmare some villain had them trapped in or some sort of simulation of a worst-case scenario. Artemis latched onto M'gann and began crying into her chest. The two people she cared about so much. The people that made it worth getting up in the morning. The people that made her feel so accepted and validated were snatched away from her. Did she do something to deserve this? All that karma from her family must've got passed onto her and she had to pay the price of it. She couldn't understand how this was now a reality. She wouldn't accept this. M'gann wasn't that much better. She was frozen. Everyone's emotions were so raw that when they collided with her own she couldn't process it all. Silent tears ran down her cheeks but she did nothing to stop it. Connor looked to the floor and bit his lip to keep anything from slipping out. Whoever did this was going to get many visits from him. Alone. He'd make sure the person knew just how much they were hurting because of them. Kaldur put his hand on the super's shoulder, unable to keep his owns tears from spilling over and running down his face. He'd expected Dick to come back and lead. He'd always wanted to do it ever since he was a kid. That look of excitement on his face when he first got to lead a mission. Their one on one chats that felt like mere minutes but went on for hours that always held a special place in his heart suddenly turned sour. Now they were the hallow remains of a man he once knew taken too early like his best friend. He hoped somewhere up there they found one another. They'd be a force to be reckoned with. Cassie had to sit down on the floor and Jaime sat beside her. They hadn't been that close but they couldn't help but weave their fingers together and squeeze lightly to comfort each other. They were joined by the final member of the team, who held Cassie's hand too. They'd been so dismissive. So sure that his last call was just another ramble of excuses. Had they known, they wouldn't have been so cold.

Tim recollected himself though he was being held together with string when he needed metal chains. He wiped at the tears leftover and got ready to answer any questions they had. "He died thinking that we hated him," Jaime stated, his eyes not really focussing on anything. He couldn't exert the energy to get them to concentrate. "We pushed him so far, he didn't even ask for help. Did he think we wouldn't give any?"

"This is our fault," Bart muttered.

"It's no one's fault other than the person behind this," Kaldur stated firmly. "This won't be another blame game. He wouldn't have wanted that." A blame game was what cause the distrust in the teammates. 

"I was just so mad, I didn't think," Bart began. His voice wavered as he ran his hand through his hair. He never thought ahead. He just knew that Wally was gone and Dick was still there. He thought if the plan Dick lead wasn't there then everything wouldn't be the way it was. The anger got the best of him. Everything he'd done now looked so fucked up, he couldn't see why he'd been so dedicated to being like that. Dick knew Wally for much longer and they'd been such good friends so why would he purposefully cause his death. It didn't make sense now but in the moment it did. "None of us thought! He cared so much about us and we didn't even think to forgive him," Cassie exclaimed.

"If it helps, he didn't hold a grudge. He-he wished us luck on our next-on our next mission," Tim assured them, unable to get through the last sentence without sucking in a shaky breath. It was so him. On his death bed yet still caring about others. He knew the meaning behind saying that and he took the time to say it. "I wish he was here to say it."

"We didn't get to say goodbye!" Artemis cried. She never got to say goodbye. That's all she wanted. Some sort of closure but they'd never get that now. From now on, the world was a lot darker.