Omgosh, this is the last chapter! D= I feel like I've been working on this story forever, yet it feels like it ended so quickly! I hope it's been enjoyable for everyone, and that you like this chapter as much as the others. A big thanks to everyone who has reviewed and favorited this so far! I love you all!
Also, I'd like to give a huuuuuuge thank you to Awesometastical101 for creating the cover for this story! Isn't it perfect? Obviously this image is smaller, so please, if you'd like to see the full image (you dooooo!) go to my profile! I've provided a link to the full version, as well as a lovely picture she made me of Dick in his dress! =3
I'd also like to give a ginourmous thank you to my spendiforous beta, rachello344, who has seen me through this whole story. I'm so grateful for all she's done. This story would be a much less pleasant read without her.
Well folks, this is it. Prepare yourselves, cause it's a long one. Might want to pee beforehand. Maybe grab a snack or something. ;P

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice. If I did, Nightwing and KidFlash would be roomies and Tim, Conner, and Bart would be well into their bromance by now.

Cheshire hadn't lied.

Almost immediately after parting with the riddling feline, he noticed a slight thinning of trees in the area. After barely any time at all, the edge of the forest came into view and, elated, he sprinted toward his exit, eager to be back in the sun.

Bursting into the clearing, Dick quickly stretched, carefully massaging his shoulder while he looked around. The clearing wasn't normal, that was for certain. The grass was too well kept for that. In front of him was a hedge, not incredibly tall but just tall enough that he couldn't see over it, even on tiptoe. He walked along its perimeter for a bit, looking for an end, before growing impatient and pushing his way through it. After a good deal of struggling (it was a thick hedge), he emerged on the other side to find himself faced with another hedge. He raised an eyebrow.

He looked to the right. There was a path, then, in the distance, both hedges turned, making a corner.

He looked to the left. Same thing.

He was in a freaking maze.

"This is so not asterous..." he mumbled, stepping forward and feeling the hedge in front of him. They were way too flimsy too climb over...he'd just fall in. Sighing, he turned left and walked to the end, turning the corner. He walked the next path, taking a right turn, then, after a short walk, took another left turn. He met a dead end.

"Screw this," he grumbled, stepping into the hedge and pushing his way through the branches. It was slow work, but, hedge by hedge, he began pushing his way through the maze.

After going through several rows, he came to a small, square clearing and paused to pick the leaves out of his hair, figuring he had reached the center.

Glancing around cautiously (last time he was in a maze he got shot...somehow...so best to be safe), he crossed the tiny patch of grass. As he reached the exact center, he noticed something on the grass and bent down to examine it.

There was something red staining the grass. It was far too bright to be blood though. Reaching down, he ran a fingertip over the spot, leaving a faint red residue on his finger. Whatever it was, it was almost dry.

He brought his finger to his nose and sniffed it, raising an eyebrow. "Paint? Who brings paint through a maze...?"

He heard a noise to his right and glanced over. The sight before him left his mouth slightly agape.

Marching toward him, in a 2 of spades card...costume thing, was Alfred. Behind him was a 9 of diamonds worn by...Alfred? Dick leaned back a little, observing the rest of the line. There were about 20 Alfreds, all dressed like various playing cards, marching toward him in a single file line. They were each carrying a bucket of paint, and a brush.

The line stopped in front of him, the 2 of spades Alfred glancing down at him.

"Excuse me, sir, might I ask what you're doing here?"

Dick stood, taking in the older man's facial features with a sudden lurch of home sickness.

"I'm, uh...hey! You knew I was a boy?" he asked, elated. Alfred nodded stiffly.

"Indeed, sir. I'm an old card, and I've seen enough of the world to tell the difference between a girl and...a boy in a dress."

Dick colored slightly, smiling sheepishly. "I don't usually wear a dress."

"Of course you don't. Now, if you would kindly step aside, we really must be on our way."

Dick moved to Alfred's side, walking next to him as they entered the second half of the maze. He looked back at the other Alfreds, finding them looking at him just as curiously, before returning his attention to the first one. "You know the way through the maze?"

Alfred kept his head facing forward as he answered, "Of course, sir. This is the garden entrance. As gardeners, we must be able to get through the entrance."

Dick smiled, amused. "You're gardeners?"

"Part time."

They lapsed into silence as they traveled along the path, never once hitting a dead end. It was comfortable, walking with Alfred. For the first time since entering Wonderland, Dick felt like he could relax a little bit.

Eventually, they reached the exit and Dick found himself standing before a courtyard covered in large bushes. At first, Dick thought they were covered with yellow flowers, but as he got closer he realized there were actually several dozen yellow chested birds. Western Yellow Robins, by the look of it (Zoology 102, Alfred, downstairs library, second summer).

The Alfreds split up, dividing into groups of three and each group heading to a different tree. Dick stayed with the same Alfred he'd walked with as he went with his group to their own tree, setting their paint buckets on the ground and dipping their brushes in the cans. The brushes all came out red.

"What are you doing?" Dick asked. He made a startled noise as all three Alfreds plucked a bird out of the tree with their bare hands and began painting the poor creatures' chests red. The robins chirped frantically, but otherwise, didn't put up any struggle.

"We are painting the robins red, sir. You see, the Queen of Hearts is quite fond of robins, and ordered us to plant these robin trees in the main garden. However, the trees we ordered turned out to be yellow robins, and the Queen prefers red. So we're correcting the problem."

"Robin trees...?" he questioned, staring sympathetically at the bird as Alfred returned it to its perch. He reached up to stroke its head but, while it didn't budge from where it stood, it tucked its head down, cowering. Dick lowered his hand without touching it.

"Quite right, sir. Robin trees."

"Isn't this a little... I don't know. Cruel? To the robins?"

All three Alfreds paused in their work to glance at him, then wordlessly began painting once more.

Hesitantly, Dick walked away from the tree. The 2 of spades Alfred noticed his departure and paused in his work.

"Sir?"

Dick looked back. "Yes?"

"You never answered my initial question. What, may I ask, are you doing here?"

He was starting to wonder himself. What were the chances the King, Queen, or Jack could help him? It seemed unlikely, thinking about it. "I'm here to see the King and Queen. I was told they might be able to help me."

"I see..." Alfred answered, "You'll want to head that way then," he instructed, pointing across the garden, "About 800 paces."

"Uh, thank you," he said, nodding slightly as he headed in the given direction.

"No thanks necessary, sir," Alfred said behind him, returning to painting the birds.

Soon, Dick passed all the robin trees, leaving the Alfreds behind him.

Approximately 800 paces later, Dick found himself standing in front of a large, iron gate.

Through the gate, he could see the castle, which was previously hidden by the large hedges. He pressed his face against the bars, getting a closer look. There was a path leading to the castle...just a simple dirt path. But framing the path wasn't grass, it was...He squinted, trying to make it out. It was something shiny, in any case. It kind of looked like glass.

The gate was large so Dick had to use his entire body to move it, and the hinges creaked as it stubbornly swung open. He frowned judgmentally at it. Wonderland had several Alfreds, and they couldn't even keep their castle in as prime condition as his one Alfred could.

His Alfred was better.

Not bothering to close the gate behind him, Dick cautiously walked forward, glancing at the ground off the path. Getting on his hands and knees, he bent down to inspect it, eyebrows furrowed.

It was...Gotham. He put his hand out, placing his palm on the cool glass. There was a glass pane, and underneath it was a miniature Gotham, shown from above. Leaning back so he was sitting on his heels, he pivoted a little so he could see the other side. More Gotham. His eyes swept over the scene, picking out key places. There was his school, Wayne Manor, the Robert Kane Memorial Bridge...

He stood and walked forward a bit, moving slowly so he could observe the city below. He passed crime alley, Gotham Stadium, and then Arkham Asylum, transitioning out of upper Gotham and into the central area. There was the Wayne Botanical Garden and the Reservoir, followed by Robinson Park and City Hall (the sight of which meant he had found lower Gotham). After a short while, he managed to find the clock tower and Wayne tower. Stopping as he approached them, he leaned down a little to better look at the buildings. It was hard to judge, since it was a bird's eye view, but they looked like perfect replicas.

Curious, Dick placed a foot on the glass, pressing down to see if his weight would be supported. When he was more confident, he stepped out over the replica city. Immediately, he heard a series of loud, piercing shrieks. Covering his ears with a grimace, he whipped around, searching out the source of the sound. Seeing nothing in view, he glanced down, and found himself face to face with a sea of colorless, screaming faces.

It only took him an instant to recognize a handful of the bodies. There was Bane, Catwoman, Penguin, Riddler, Two-Face, and dozens more of Gotham's most wanted.

Dick turned to run just as a hand broke through the glass, grabbing his ankle. He pulled free, losing a shoe in the process, but more hands emerged, shattering the glass around him and groping for any part of him they could reach and tearing his clothes. Before the glass shattered entirely, he managed to struggle his way back to the path, kicking and crushing hands as he sunk his fingers into the dirt and pulled himself away from the deathly looking bodies. With a final lunge, he managed to get his whole body on the path, eyes closing as he smacked roughly into the dirt. Nothing followed him, but when he opened his eyes he found himself staring into the pit on the other side of the path, making perfect eye contact with Poison Ivy.

Around her, he could see Clayface, Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, Deadshot, and the Ventriloquist. Floating next to him in the sea of bodies was his dummy, Scarface.

Ivy's hand burst through the glass, grabbing the front of his dress.

"Raaaaaahhh," she hissed, wrapping her hand around his throat, "biiiiiiiin." She continued saying his name as she tightened her grip, the volume of her voice strengthening until she was screaming. The villains around her followed suit, breaking through the glass while issuing forth a shrieking chant of "Robin, Robin, Robin."

Ripping her hand off him, Dick bit it and, while she shrieked in pain, he hastily stood and stumbled forward, running along the path toward the castle.

Soon, the doors appeared, along with two Alfred cards who were guarding it. Dick ran as fast as he could, stopping only once he reached them.

"Alfred! Alfred, we have to get inside! Open the doors!" he yelled, panting heavily.

Both Alfreds raised an eyebrow. "You want to go inside, sir? What an odd request."

"Odd?" Dick asked incredulously. "Don't you see-" He turned around and found himself facing a dirt path, on each side of which was a plain of healthy, trimmed grass. He turned back around. "What...where...I don't..." He turned around once more, then looked back to the Alfreds. "There was..."

"I'm sure there was, sir. Now, if you'd kindly come with us," the two stepped forward and each grabbed one of his arms, "I'm afraid we have orders to place you under arrest."

"Arrest? What?" Dick asked as the doors before them opened, revealing four more Alfreds. The two holding him dragged him forward, leading him inside.

"Indeed, sir. Your trial awaits you," the one on the left said.

"Trial?" Dick asked, staring at the face of his beloved butler with wide, confused eyes.

Behind him, the doors slammed shut.

Alfred or not, Dick's first instinct when being forcibly held was to make it so he was not being held, and it took a total of seven Alfreds to drag him into the next room.

They brought him into a sort of courtroom. There was a small audience before them, but Dick ignored them for the moment, focusing on the front of the room, where there was a large platform. On it, three people sat side by side in matching gold thrones topped with a red crystal heart. All three of them were wearing long red robes and gold, ruby encrusted crowns, and had white, porcelain masks over the top half of their faces. Dick guessed they were the King, Queen, and Jack.

He stopped struggling and let the various Alfreds hold him in place as he observed the courtroom. To the right of the royal trio stood a figure wearing a hooded green robe, holding a large scythe. Dick couldn't see his face.

On the right side of the room there was a box filled with more Alfreds...the jury, Dick could only presume, even though a jury that was technically only one person large was hardly a jury at all, he thought. In the center of the room there were two slightly raised, boxed in platforms sitting parallel to one another.

The door he had come through opened and Dick did his best to look back at it. Cheshire entered the room, flanked by two Alfreds but, unlike Dick, he was not being restrained.

"Cheshire...? Cheshire, what's going on?"

"Please, sir, we must ask that you remain silent." An Alfred said, jostling him a bit.

Cheshire glanced his way, but then turned his attention to the front.

The door opened again, this time with a slam accompanied by a series of shouts.

"Uncle Blond Rabbit, let me go! I need to get back to Hatter! You don't understand!"

Dick whipped around so fast he actually tore free from one of the Alfreds, but his arms were immediately grabbed again, albeit a bit rougher this time.

"I'm sorry March, but rules are rules...look, maybe things will be okay..."

Wally kicked and struggled as he entered the room, held completely off the ground by his uncle as he was brought to the front. As they went past, Cheshire turned his head, looking away from the scene.

"Wally!"

Wally looked back, eyes widening when he spotted Dick. "Babe, what are you...? Woah, hey! You cards, get your hands off him! Just you wait til-ow, ow! Watch it, Uncle BR! What are you-"

His tirade was cut off as Barry hoisted him over the box and deposited him unceremoniously inside. A few people in the audience laughed.

"We've been waiting, Blond Rabbit," the Queen said, "You usually do not take this long."

Barry laughed sheepishly. "Heh, yeah sorry. March here's always with his friends, so I checked Hatter's uh...place first, but he had actually left, so I had to go find him in the woods. Plus he's a tough one to catch! Fast, just like his uncle!" Barry bragged, ruffling Wally's hair. Wally stared at him, wide eyed.

"Very well. We may now begin the trial," the King said, turning to look at Wally. Barry hopped out of the way, going to stand at the bottom of the royalty's stand. "March Hare," the King boomed, "You have been accused of first degree narcissism. How do you plead?"

Wally's ears flattened. "Uh, who's accusing me...?"

True enough, the box where the plaintiff should have been was empty.

"That is unimportant!" the Queen said, leaning forward, "How do you plead?"

Wally shifted uncomfortably. "Innocent?"

The audience murmured as Dick turned to Cheshire, scowling. "Cheshire! What's going on? What do they want with Wally? What do they want with me!"

Cheshire glanced at him, then looked down. "Stop talking, Dick. There's nothing either of us can do so just...stop talking."

"Tell us, March Hare, do you love yourself?"

Dick turned his attention back up front. "What kind of trial is this? This doesn't make any sense..."

"Uh, I..." Wally took a step back, bumping into the back of the box. He looked like he was trying to shrink into himself. "No? No, I don't. I don't love myself. I mean, I'm cool, I guess, but I don't-"

"March Hare," the Queen interrupted, "tell the jury, who do you love?"

Wally blushed slightly, rubbing his arm. "Who do I..? Heh. Oh, um. Well. I love..." He grew quiet, staring intently at the floor. "I love Che-"

Out of his peripherals, Dick saw Cheshire start, taking a small step forward.

Wally shook his head, then, standing up straighter, answered, "I love Me. I love Me and..."

Glancing to the side, Dick saw that Cheshire's hand was shaking.

"And...no, just Me. I love Me, and Me alone."

"Wally..." Dick breathed, pulling forward just as Cheshire took a step back. The Alfreds held him back.

"Very well then! Jury!" the King asked, turning to face the box of Alfreds. One Alfred stood.

"We the jury find the defendant, March Hare, guilty of first degree narcissism!"

"What?" Wally yelled, turning to face them.

"Off with his head!" the Queen ordered, standing. The audience started talking adamantly, excited by the order.

The green hooded figure came forward, pulling back his hood to reveal the face of Ra's Al Ghul. He approached Wally's box, scythe raised.

"No!" Dick yelled, all seven Alfreds having to restrain him as he tried to run forward. "You don't understand! Me is-"

He was cut off as Ra's swung his weapon, cutting off Wally's head before the boy could even scream. A hush fell over the room as his head fell away from his body, hitting the railing and dropping out of the box. His body slumped against the back wall, crumpling into a bloody heap.

Dick screamed, fighting off the Alfreds. More appeared from seemingly nowhere, holding him back as he began crying. To his left, Cheshire's shoulders were shaking, but otherwise he stayed quiet.

Three more Alfreds came through the door, marching to the defendant box. Together, two picked up Wally's body while the third scooped up his head. Wordlessly, they marched out.

Dick stopped struggling as they passed, watching silently. The Alfreds holding him tried to push him forward and he stumbled, having to be caught before he hit the ground. One picked him up, throwing him over his shoulder and marching him up front.

"Wally? Alfred...Alfred," he dug his hands into the card's back, trying to pull away. "Alfred, I don't...Wally is...I don't understand. Alfred. Alfred, Wally is..."

"My name is Four of Hearts, sir, if it's me you're referring too. Please watch your garment," he ordered, lifting Dick over the box walls and carefully depositing him inside. Dick watched the Alfreds march away then looked down at the puddle of blood he was standing it. He had put his hands on the railing when Alfred had let him go and, lifting them now, he realized his palms were smeared with Wally's blood. He took a step back and slipped in the fluid beneath him, smacking against the front wall and getting his stockings covered in blood. Turning to lean against the railing, Dick dry heaved, his whole body shaking violently.

Once he felt he was done, he looked up and his eyes landing on a pale faced Barry Allen. Barry looked away.

"Uncle B...Wally...how could you?" he wheezed, coughing, "He's your nephew!"

Barry glanced quickly toward him. "Look kid, I'm just doing my job..."

"He loves you! His dad is never...You're his everything! Barry would never betray him! You're not real! None of this is real!" he yelled, tears flowing down his cheeks. Angrily, he brought a hand up to wipe them away and accidentally smeared Wally's blood on his cheeks, forgetting the state of his palms.

"Order in the court! Order in the court!" the Queen yelled.

Cheshire had come forward of his own accord to stand in the box next to him, jumping over the wall without assistance.

The Queen had sat back down. "Defendant, please state your name for the court."

Dick swallowed, trying not to heave again. "It's Dick. I mean, Richard. Richard Grayson."

"Liar!" Cheshire spat, gripping his railing. Dick turned to look at him, eyes rimmed in red.

"What?" he asked wearily.

"Order in the court!" the King yelled, slamming a hand down on his armrest. The sound echoed through the room.

"Richard Grayson," the Queen said calmly, "the Cheshire Cat has accused you of identity theft. How do you plead?"

Dick furrowed his eyebrows, confused. "Innocent, your honor."

"He's guilty!" Cheshire snapped, "His name is Robin, and he stole my name and my identity! Just look!" he cried, ripping off his mask. Underneath the mask, Cheshire's face was carved off, leaving nothing but the raw, exposed meat beneath. His eyes were sharply exposed, and there were maggots crawling over the skinned area.

Dick leaned over the rail and dry heaved again, his feet sliding in the blood beneath him so that he had to support himself with his arms.

Cheshire pointed to him. "He stole my face. Go ahead and check. Take his face off."

Ra's Al Ghul took a step forward, brandishing his scythe, and Dick leaned away from the railing, wiping at his mouth. "No," he choked out, stumbling backwards, "No, I demand a fair trial."

"He's right," the Jack said, speaking up for the first time, "Justice must be served."

"The Jack of Hearts is right. We must be fair. The trial will proceed. To determine which of you is the real Richard Grayson, you both will be asked questions concerning your identity."

"First question," the Queen said, "who is your best friend?"

"Wally West," Dick answered without hesitation.

"Barbara Gordon," Cheshire answered, "Who I'd like to call to the stand."

"The defense has called Miss Barbara Gordon. Miss Gordon?" the King said, looking out at the audience.

From the center of the crowd, Babs stood. Her turtle shell was gone, and she was wearing her school uniform.

She walked forward and Barry helped her into a smaller box connected to the main platform.

"Miss Gordon," the Queen asked sweetly, "Are you Richard Grayson's best friend? Remember, if you lie, the penalty is death."

Babs nodded. "Yes, your highness. Dick Grayson is my very best friend. Wally is Dick's boyfriend. They haven't even been dating long though...definitely not long enough to be close."

"So, you're saying there's no way Wally West would be Dick Grayson's best friend, instead of you?"

She shook her head. "No possible way. I'm Dick's only best friend."

"Wait, that's not fair. Babs doesn't know-"

"Thank you, Miss Gordon," the King interrupted, "You may step down."

Barry helped her back to her seat. As she was walking between the platforms, she stopped and looked up at Cheshire, placing a hand on the railing. "I've missed you, Dick..."

Cheshire put a hand over hers. "I've missed you too, Babs..."

She continued walking and Dick watched her, leaning against the railing. "Babs! Babs, no..."

"Dick, Cheshire Cat," the Queen said, "Answer me, who is it that you love most?"

"Wally West," Dick answered again, hesitantly turning away from Babs.

"I love Wally West as well..." Cheshire answered, hanging his head, "But Wally only loves him!" he yelled, pointing to Dick, "Dick Grayson was supposed to have Wally West, and Robin was supposed to have Kid Flash...but Robin took them both. He left me no one...made it like I didn't even exist..."

Dick looked at him, surprised. "No. No, you're wrong. Wally loves Dick just as much as he loves Robin. They're the same person...they're both me."

"You can't be two people, Robin," Cheshire said, grief choking his voice, "I was Dick Grayson, and I had Bruce, and Alfred, and Roy, and Wally...you were supposed to have Batman and Speedy and Kid Flash...there was a distinction. But you stole everyone away! You took everyone who loved me for me, and kept them to yourself! You started hiding me. You became Robin 24/7, and left me to die."

"No, I never...Dick Grayson is fine. I'm both..."

"Is he fine? Tell me, you're friends with Superboy, Miss Martian, Aqualad...why haven't I met their counterparts? Why do you get to spend time with Conner, M'gann, and Kaldur?"

Dick shifted uncomfortably, "Batman said-"

"And what about Artemis? I go to school with her...I see her, and still! You keep us apart. When was the last time you actually spoke to Bruce? No masks."

"We played basketball-"

"Three months ago! You played basketball three months ago." Cheshire shook as tears came to his eyes. He started crying and the maggots scattered, trying to avoid the tears. "I'm alone, Robin. Soon, I won't even exist."

"I-"

"Enough!" the King yelled, slamming his fist again, "Wally West is no longer alive to testify, so we shall move on. Richard Grayson, have you any witnesses to testify?"

Dick stared brokenly at the King, his brain desperately trying to feed him the information he needed to stay alive. "I...Speedy." Speedy, who had always watched out for him. Speedy, his big brother, his friend. Speedy would always help him. "I call Speedy...Roy. Roy Harper."

"The accused has called the Roy Harper known as Speedy. Speedy, please rise and take the stand," the Queen ordered. No one moved.

"Speedy is dead, your honors," Cheshire said, grinning at Dick, his smile wide and lipless. "Roy Harper is Red Arrow now."

Dick looked away, shaking. If his own face was carved off...but then, wouldn't all carved faces look the same? There was no resemblance. Cheshire was lying. But still. He glanced up, cringing. His own face, without skin...

"I call Red Arrow then," Dick said, his voice cracking. From the audience, Roy stood, dressed in his uniform. He approached the stand.

"The Roy Harper known as Red Arrow," the King said, turning his gaze to the redhead, "Are you familiar with the name 'Richard Grayson?'"

"Yes, your honor," Roy said. Dick's heart lurched with hope. Of course Roy would save him. Roy always came through when he needed him.

"And is this boy," the King gestured to Dick, "Richard Grayson?"

Roy glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "I think so. I mean, I've only seen him on tv...in pants. But it looks like him."

Dick felt like each vein in his body had turned to ice.

"On tv? So, you're saying you've never actually met Richard Grayson?" the Queen questioned, leaning forward. Roy shook his head.

"No, your honor. I've never met him."

"Roy! Roy, come on!" Dick cried, digging his fingers into the wooden railing, "I'm one of your best friends! We've known each other for years! You know I'm Dick Grayson...it was always the three of us. You, me...Wally..."

But Roy only frowned. "My best friends are Wally and Robin. I don't know you."

"You swear to this?" the Queen asked. Roy nodded.

"Yes. I, Red Arrow, swear that I have never met Richard Grayson."

"You are dismissed," the King said, waving a hand. Without sparing Dick a glance, Roy returned to the audience.

Only half aware of himself, Dick turned to watch Roy walk away. Idly, he let his eyes roam over the audience members.

"M'gann?" he called weakly, spotting the green girl in the crowd. She was clothed now, and had normal legs.

She blinked widely at him, coloring. "Me? Oh, no, I'm sorry. We've never met."

Next to her was Conner. He scowled as their eyes met. "What are you looking at?"

"Kaldur?" he called, swiping his gaze across the rows until he landed on the Atlantean. His crab claw and shell were gone now.

Kaldur stood. "I will take the stand if you desire me to, your royal highnesses, but I can tell you now that I've never met this boy before."

"Kaldur, no. You're holding my place as leader, remember? Until I'm older? You look after me..."

Their eyes met, but Kaldur only shook his head. "I'm sorry. You're thinking of someone else. I know no Richard Grayson." That said, he sat back down.

Dick swallowed, nearly chocking on the dryness of his own throat. "Artemis," he said, scanning the crowd for her with no luck. He turned back around. "I call Artemis Crock to the stand."

A groan was heard and, slowly, Artemis elbowed her way to the front. As soon as she broke free of the crowd, she crossed her arms, scowling heavily at the royalty before her without taking the stand.

"Look here. I don't see why I should have to bother with any of this. This Dick or Richard or whatever," she pointed to him, "I've only met this kid once. Didn't say a word to him. He just ran up, took a picture of me, and ran off. It was stupid, it was annoying, I've never seen him since. This isn't my problem."

"Artemis, come on, listen to my voice. It's me. We're on a team together. Remember that time we were trapped in the mountain, just the two of us? The Red siblings had captured everyone...I told you to get traught, remember? Your hand was on my forehead, when I came to..."

Artemis sneered at him. "Like a little rich snob like you could ever make our team. So don't try to involve me with this. I refuse to testify." That said, Artemis turned her back on him and pushed her way back into the crowd. As he slowly turned around to face the front, Dick caught sight of his hands. Realizing they were shaking, he grabbed the railing, keeping his head down.

"Would either of you like to call anyone else to the stand?" the Queen asked, glancing at each of them.

"No," Cheshire answered coldly, his gaze piercing into the side of Dick's head. Without lifting his gaze, Dick shook his head.

"Then we'll move on," the King said, "Each of you, tell the jury, what do you feel your purpose in life is?"

Dick was quiet at first, lifting his head to watch Cheshire, before he turned back to the front. "My purpose in life is to protect the innocent," he answered, trying to put strength into his voice. His friends weren't going to help him, but that was okay. He could help himself. Batman had trained him to do just that.

Cheshire kept him gaze on Dick. "I can't remember," he admitted quietly, "I had to give it up when I was a kid, so he could pursue his dream." Dick refused to look at him.

"Each of you, tell the jury the name of your father," the Queen ordered.

"Bruce Wayne," Dick answered confidently. Seconds later, his heart plummeted into his stomach as Cheshire opened his mouth and answered, "John Grayson."

Dick felt like getting sick again. How could he forget about his father? Sure, Bruce was...Bruce was everything, but Dad. His dad was...and he just discarded him like that...

Slowly, the King and Queen stood. Together, they removed their masks to reveal the faces of John and Mary Grayson.

Both boys started, pressing themselves to the front of their respective boxes.

"Dad! Mom!" Dick yelled, trying his best not to start crying again and failing miserably. There they were, just as he remembered them. He hadn't seen their faces for five years...he had started to forget what they looked like...

John glanced at him. "I could tell in an instant that you weren't my son. Have his face removed."

Instantly, several Alfreds were reaching into the box, holding him still.

"What? Dad, no! Mom! Mom, it's me, Dick! Your son!"

Mary glanced down at Ra's and inclined her head toward Dick. "Go ahead. He's not our son."

Dick thrashed wildly as Ra's approached, bearing his scythe. Abandoning his training, Dick screamed for his mother as the blade sunk into his skin, slowly carving off his face. Once done, Ra's peeled the skin away and, released by the Alfreds, Dick sunk to his knees, drenching himself in Wally's still wet blood. Immediately, and against his better instincts, his hands clawed at his face, trying to access the damage.

Shakily, he stood, still rubbing the pads of his fingers across his face and feeling the smooth skin there. His face was fine. But Ra's had just cut it off...

He turned around just as he noticed a seam against his skin. The audience gasped and a whir of murmurs sounded through the room. Dick followed the seam with his finger, outlining his eyes.

"My mask...?"

He looked to the side and saw Ra's handing Cheshire his skinned face. The other boy put it on, muttering a small thank you, and suddenly Dick found himself gazing at his doppelganger.

Frantic, he picked at the edge of his mask, trying to peel it off, but the material wouldn't budge. There was a sharp pain along the edge and, when he brought back his hand, there was blood on his fingertip. The mask wouldn't come off.

"Robin."

He looked up and saw the Jack of Hearts stand. He removed his mask and Dick had to restrain himself from climbing out of the box and running to him, he was so relieved. "Bruce! Bruce, help me, please. I don't understand what's happening. Bruce!"

Bruce glanced down at him. "For the last time. Are you Dick Grayson?"

Dick nodded. "Yes."

"Are you Robin?"

Choking back a sob, Dick nodded again. "Yes."

"You can't be both, Robin," Cheshire sneered, earning a murmur of agreement from the crowd.

"Who are you, then?" Bruce asked.

"I don't...I don't know," he answered softly, "Does it matter? Bruce?"

Bruce stared at him, staying silent for a long time. Finally, he looked away and quietly said, "Off with his head."

And just like that, what was left of Dick's world shattered. "Bruce?" The Alfreds that had held him while his face had been skinned grabbed him again and Ra's lifted his scythe. Dick swung his lower body up and kicked the older man in the neck, sending him sprawling. His feet hit the railing and he ripped free from the hands holding him, elbowing an Alfred in the face. Once completely free, he balanced on the railing in a crouch. "Bruce!"

But Bruce had backed away, towards his throne. Beside him, Mary and John were also retreating. Their forms started to blue and Dick blinked, rubbing at his eyes. He stood up, balancing precariously on the thin rail. "Mom? Dad? Bruce?" Their forms were melding into one and, desperate, he leapt toward their podium. Right before his eyes, the stand disappeared and he found himself stumbling onto the ground.

"You'll never be enough, Robin," Cheshire said, free from his own box and walking toward him, leering at him with his own face.

"Robin?"

"Don't think for an instant that Wally could ever love us both. Dick and Robin are two different people."

"Rob...?"

"You're wrong," Dick said, stepping forward.

"Dick? Babe, please..."

"Am I? You don't even know who you are. How is anyone possibly supposed to love a mess like you?"

"Please, wake up..."

Cheshire's face was starting to distort too. Dick looked to the side, but the audience was a blur. Cheshire was the only remaining solid thing in the room with him and, angrily, he lunged forward to grab the other boy. He stumbled slightly as his body passed through the other, whirling around to gaze at him incredulously.

"Cheshire!"

But Cheshire was fading too. The room started to stretch, lengthening the space between the two boys.

The world around him swirled into color, but he could still make out the door. Realizing his means of escape could be disappearing, he turned his back on Cheshire and ran. The aisle stretched beneath him, getting longer and longer as he ran.

"You're alone, Robin! You always will be! So go ahead and run!" Cheshire called after him, laughing. His voice distorted, warping until it was completely unrecognizable.

Finally, Dick reached the door and wrenched it open. A blinding white light faced him, but it was too late to stop. Momentum pitched him forward, and he toppled head first into the white abyss.

Dick groaned, blinking his eyes open wearily. The first thing he saw was a smear of orange, tan, and green, which slowly came together to form Wally's face. He was grinning widely.

"March...?"

"Rob! You're awake!" the other cried, throwing his arms around his neck. Dick hissed and Wally immediately pulled away.

"Dick! I'm so sorry! I totally forgot, dude! I was just...I got really excited..."

Groaning again, Dick tried to sit up and Wally immediately reached to help him. "Wally?"

His boyfriend smiled. "The one and only, babe."

Wordlessly, Dick pulled Wally forward, forcing him into a hug. The movement brought a sharp pain to his shoulder, but he ignored it. He'd dealt with worse. Confused, Wally returned the gesture.

"Dick? You okay?" Wally brought a hand up and starting combing it through the other's hair. "You had me worried for a while, you know? I know you're sturdy and all, but still. You know I hate it when you get shot," he said, chuckling lightly.

Dick held onto him, pressing his nose into the crook of his neck. "So I was shot..."

Wally paused in his ministrations, pulling back slightly. Dick held on tighter, refusing to relinquish his hold. "You don't remember?" he asked, giving in and letting Dick have his hug. He started petting his hair again.

Against him, Dick shook him head. "No. My shoulder hurts though." He paused, thinking over the situation. "Is Artemis okay?"

Wally nodded. "Yeah, she's fine. Hostages too. Everyone's fine. Mad Hatter was still in the maze, and he managed to get the jump on you after we separated. Lucky for me, you're a quick thing, so he only got your shoulder," he said, pressing a kiss to Dick's temple. "Supey and I came running as soon as we heard the shot. Miss M wasn't able to maintain our link, so it took us a while to find you. Mad Hatter had knocked you out somehow, after he shot you. Bats guessed it was some sort of spray, cause he found these weird chemical particles on your face. He had you treated, but you've been asleep for almost two days, running a fever. Everyone's been really worried...I've been really worried."

"How's Roy?" Dick asked, breathing in Wally's scent, "And Batman? Did he fix the cave?"

"Roy? Dick," Wally struggled to remove Dick from him, but he managed and held the boy in front of him, so he could make eye contact, "Roy wasn't with us. And the cave's fine, as far as I know. Batman too. Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should lie back down..."

"What? No, I meant..." he shook his head, "I'm sorry, Wally. I just...had a weird dream..."

Wally smiled sympathetically. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No," Dick whispered, grabbing Wally's shirt and burying his face in his chest.

Wally started, surprised, and quickly wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, rubbing circles on his back. "Rob? Hey, come on. What's wrong? Are you...are you crying?"

Dick shook his head desperately trying to choke back a sob. He reached his hand up, still keeping close to Wally, and started pulling at his mask, ripping it off.

"Hey, dude, you might not want to...I mean, you're at the mountain. The others could walk in..." Wally said, glancing toward the door. Dick shook his head, dropping the mask on the bed.

"I don't care."

Wally was at a loss. He'd never had to deal with Dick like this before. "Babe. Babe, come on, tell me what's wrong. I wanna help."

Dick kept his head down, not wanting to be seen crying or even close to tears. "Wally...what do you think your purpose in life is?"

Wally's hands stopped, but he still held onto him. "Dude, that's kind of a deep question. Uh, my purpose in life...Well...I guess it would be to help people. That and make sure you're happy, of course," he said, pulling Dick slightly away so he could lift his chin and look at his eyes. He frowned upon seeing the tears glistening there. "Right now though, I don't think I'm doing such a good job..."

Dick smiled slightly and leaned up to kiss him briefly. "No, you are. A perfect job, actually. In my dream...something really bad happened to you."

Wally smiled fondly. "Dude, is that why you're so upset? Dick, nothing's going to happen to me! Especially with you watching my back," he paused to kiss the other's forehead, "We're a team. We'll tackle life together..."

Dick nodded. "I know. It's just...you know, when I was a kid, I thought my purpose in life was to try to become the greatest acrobat in the world. I wanted to be a famous circus performer, and make my parents and everyone at the circus proud."

Confused with the sudden change in topic, Wally just nodded, waiting for Dick to continue.

"When Bruce adopted me, everything changed. And I was okay with that, but...I'm starting to worry, Wally..."

"Worry about what?"

Dick lowered his gaze and idly fiddled with the front of Wally's shirt. "Everyone else seems to have such a clear distinction between their secret identities and their hero identities...but I feel like the line separating mine is blurring. Dick Grayson...he's hardly even me anymore. It's like my real face has become a mask. Of my friends, you're the only one who knows both sides of who I am...that's weird, right?"

Wally frowned, cupping Dick's cheek. "Dick, that's not your fault. Bats won't let you tell anyone. I mean, he'd freak if he found out you told me...and I'm your boyfriend!"

Dick leaned against his hand. "He'd freak if he found out you're my boyfriend too..."

"Don't remind me," he said, groaning, "But look, do you really think it matters? I mean, you're still you, mask or no mask."

Dick put a hand against Wally's, holding it to his face. "Maybe. Are you the same though? I mean, does Wally West love Dick Grayson as much as Kid Flash does? Or does Kid Flash only love Robin? Who are we? How is this supposed to work?"

Wally raised an eyebrow. "Rob...are you having an identity crisis?"

Dick pouted at him, releasing his hand and pulling away.

Wally laughed and kissed his nose to apologize. "Sorry dude, it's just, why can't you just be you? And me be me? I mean, I'm Wally West and Kid Flash. There's nothing wrong with that. No matter which name I'm going by, I'm still me. And you're still you. And me," he pointed to himself, "loves you," he said, poking Dick's chest. Dick smiled.

"Me, huh...? Is it really that simple?"

Wally grabbed Dick's hand and laced their fingers together. "Course it is. Love and junk like that is supposed to be simple. So just go with the flow."

"Maybe..." Dick said, humming thoughtfully. Wally rolled his eyes.

"Dick, I know exactly who you are, even if you don't. So, if you ever feel lost or anything, like you can't find yourself, that's cool," he grinned, "cause I'll find you. Look, if it'll help, we can start doing more stuff as our secret identities. Come out as a couple and all. I could pick you up from school! And all your classmates would be like, 'Woah dude, who's that super sexy redhead picking up Grayson?'" he said, lowering his voice, then raising it an octave as he added, "'I don't know, but man, he sure is fiiiiine.'"

Dick laughed and pushed Wally playfully. "You're such a dork. You do realize coming out as a couple would mean Bats finding out, don't you?"

The large grin plastered on Wally's face faded as he grew serious. "Yeah. Yeah, I realize. I'm okay with that though, if you are."

Dick thought about it. It would be...nice, being boyfriends with Wally in public. Sure, they'd probably end up on the cover of a few tabloids. Bruce Wayne's ward being gay was bound to be news on some level, but they could handle that, surely.

"The team will probably figure it out. News will get out you're dating Dick Grayson..."

Wally grimaced. "True. Well, let's talk to Bats about it, at least. No harm in that, right?"

Dick snorted. "Tell Bats we're dating? There's no harm for me, sure, but you..."

Wally lightly punched his good shoulder. "Gee, thanks for the confidence boost. I really needed that," he drawled sarcastically. Dick grinned.

"But of course. It's what I'm here for," he replied cheekily, "I have an idea though. Instead of telling Bats...how about we tell Bruce instead?"

Wally stared at him for a moment before slowly smiling. "Bruce does sound a little less scary, huh? That sounds like a good plan, boy wonder."

And Dick really thought it was. He was so absorbed in work...he barely ever spoke to Bruce, father to son. It was always Bat to Robin. Spending some maskless time with Bruce...coming out to Dick Grayson's world as Wally's boyfriend...it all sounded kind of nice.

Cheshire would be happy, in any case.

Right...?

Thanks for reading, everyone! I'm happy that you all stuck with me through this. While this is set in a different universe as Sleeping Beauty, I really wanted to make this as sort of a mirroring piece. Those of you who read Sleeping Beauty got to see my version of Wally's subconscious. And now, with Down the Rabbit Hole, we have Dick's subconscious. They're very different boys, aren't they? (of course, there's the ever constant theme of their LOOOOVE!)
I really hope you all review, and tell me what you thought! How many managed to guess who Cheshire was beforehand? How about the King, Queen, and Jack? Speak your mind to me, my loves! =P