We sat atop one of the highest buildings in Blüdhaven, the only true safe zone from other heroes.

Most had been avoiding Dick like the plague while others had taken it upon themselves to reinforce the idea that it was all Dick's fault, that he was the reason his friends were dead, the League had taken sides, the whole thing was spiraling so fast I couldn't keep up.

Blüdhaven, like Gotham, was an anti superpower city, but it wasn't the vigilante that set this rule in place this time, no it was the citizens themselves.

They liked Nightwing and only Nightwing. Superman had to learn that lesson the hard way, most of the time the other Bats were allowed but the city was quite insistent.

"I just don't understand. Why are they being so cruel?" Dick was leaned back against the roof, his legs swinging over the edge. "These are people I used to view as my aunts and uncles, my family."

"Grief makes people do things, makes them desperate and angry." I was curled into his side, watching what little I could see of the night's sky. "Barry and Megan didn't mean what they said at the mountain, and neither did Hal or Oliver. None of them can understand why we brought Wintergreen to the mountain and they never will unless we tell them."

Dick played with my hair. "Telling them would only make the situation worse. They can't know what I've done and all I'd be doing is giving them more ammo to tear me down." He then thought for a moment. "And that's at best, at worse I'd be demasked and sent to jail"

"There's no way. You were being manipulated and were under duress the entire time you were there"

"They're just so angry, and who would stop them, not Bruce, after all I've done."

"I'm sorry, I thought we were done with this like three weeks ago." I sighed.

"What I'd like to know" Dick seemed to snap out of it. "Is if you've been hearing your father or mean me?"

Yes. "No, they've been quiet since I fainted" They'd been talking my ear off. Enforcing how evil I truly was and that I didn't deserve Dick.

"Alright, well if you do, just say the word and I'll scare 'em off." His grip tightened on me protectively.

"Roger that" I gave him a sarcastic salute. "We should probably get back to your apartment" Tim was still there, hacking away. We were close to getting what we wanted, all we had left now was being patient.

Dick's smile slipped off his face. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing? Not telling them why their kids are dead?"

"I think you're afraid they'll look at you differently. That giving them that information will ruin any relationship you have left with these people."

"Yeah" He responded quietly.

"What child wants to tell their parent that they've done something wrong? Especially if they think there'll be backlash for it"

"Won't they though, look at me differently? They already do now because of my secrecy with you." Dick looked up at the night sky. "Barry and Oliver will never forgive me"

"They will, especially when they see reason" I assured.

"I don't know how Batman does it, the secrets and the lies." He frowned. "I can barely keep it together long enough to keep our secret"

"Guys" Tim's voice crackled over Dick's comm, loud enough that I could hear it too. "You need to get back here now."

Dick immediately stood helping me up before grabbing hold of my waist and jumping off the roof. I barely had time to wrap my arms around him and we were free falling. Dick shot a grappling hook out at the last second, sending us toward Dick's apartment at a speed I wasn't fully comfortable with.

I hid my face in his neck as we swung, petrified of falling.

Dick shifted the both of us, darting through his open window in a feat that was only possible because of his circus days. He took the brunt of the fall, rolling so neither of us broke anything.

When we came to a stop, Tim had a look of alarm written on his face. "Do that often?"

"No" I got off, making to stand as well as help Dick up. "Why did we have to get here so fast?"

"It's Hal"

My stomach dropped and I froze. Hal Jordan, the Leaguer I betrayed. "What?"

"He's dead"

Dick swore, running a hand through his hair. "It was Slade"

"How do you know?" Tim's brow furrowed.

"It was the one name he managed to torture out of me." I began pacing. This was all my fault. "I thought he'd be off world and that he'd be safe, but the invasion of the mountain brought him back"

"Slade was looking for the opportunity" Dick looked like he might hit something. "Obviously he found it"

"Wait, what do you mean? You willingly gave Slade an identity?" Tim surged forward but Dick intercepted him.

"She knows, alright. Any lecture you're about to dole out, she already knows" Dick pushed his little brother as far away from me and as gently as he could.

"She murdered Hal. He's dead because of her. This is different than the mountain, she gave up a name"

"It was either him or one of you" I replied quietly, hugging my stomach. That got both boys' attention. "If I didn't give up someone, he would have made me give him your names. Hal hadn't been on earth for over five years, at least that's what reports told me. I thought he'd be safe because not even Slade Wilson could go after him in space. I just wanted it to stop."

"He was the safest option she had" Dick shot his brother a dirty look. "She's been keeping everyone's identities a secret. Maddie could have told her father everything to make the torture end, but she didn't."

"I should be so grateful" Tim crossed his arms. "Because she decided to keep my identity"

"Yes, you should. You don't realize that Maddie holds the power of completely destroying all of us, yet she chooses not to. She is good. Maddie could've easily gone dark and exposed us all."

"Tim, I didn't mean for this to happen, I know Hal was a hero, I thought he might be best equipped to handle Slade but I was wrong." I ran a hand over my face.

He sighed. "The funeral is going to be in Coast City tomorrow. I'd head to Gotham if I were the two of you." Tim warned. "I'm almost through the firewall and I've got a system in place that'll continue until it's burned through it."

We weren't going to be welcome at the funeral.

"I'm not going either" Tim continued talking at our silence. "Clark is wearing a camera for all of us to watch from the Batcave. Bruce got into a fight with Barry at the mountain and tensions are running high right now."

"What would stop any angry supers from coming into Gotham any more than Blüdhaven?" I asked.

"Have you met the Joker?" Tim raised a brow before clearing his throat. "The combination of the Rogues' possessiveness and Batman's anger is a pretty steep deterrent."

"Thanks Tim" Dick nodded at him, even though the air between them could be cut with a knife. "We'll meet you outside."

Tim, noticing the hint, left.

"Are you okay?" Dick walked over to me, putting his hands on my arms.

"Mostly"

"You don't deserve to be treated like that."

"But I can see where he's coming from" I moved out of his grip, grabbing the nearby sunglasses. "I just hate that they jump down my throat the second something bad happens."