Chapter five:

Author's Notes: Hi guys! Sorry it's been so long- *Dodges pitchfork thrown by Younustbeshittin* GAH! As I was saying, Sorry it's been so long since my last update! As you may know from my Author's notes in THE RENEGADE my computer broke and the IT branch in my school are less than desirable, my dog is a bit of a douche- BUT I LOVE HIM WITH ALL MAH HEART- yada, yada, yada, Long story short, life kinda got in the way….

Thank you to everyone for sticking it out and a special thanks to everyone who has reviewed, followed or faved!

Anyway, I hope you all can forgive me for my negligence and enjoy the chapter!

Disclaimer: Yeah, I still don't own Young Justice… L

Joker emptied a bucket of ice water onto Nightwing's restrained form, the hero still strapped to the metal table. "Wake up Wing Nut! It's so rude to just, pass out in the middle of a conversation!" The joker snapped, clearly irritated.

Nightwing didn't stir, causing Joker growl in frustration.

"Come on Bird Brain! I ain't got all day! I've got banks to rob, hostages to take, chaos to cause, mayhem to make! I said WAKE. UP!"

A playful grin made its way onto Joker's face when an idea popped into his head. The crazed clown turned the dial of the voltage machine up dangerously high and started giggling as Nightwing's eyes flung open and his body jerked.

The hero could only half suppress the scream that ripped itself from his throat. "There, much better. You need to learn some manners! Passing out mid-conversation is just plain rude."

Joker's voice was somehow crystal clear over the electric hiss of the generator and the half suppressed screams escaping Nightwing's mouth.

After two minutes Joker switched the generator off, leaving Nightwing gasping for air and sizzling slightly. Joker thought for a bit before he skipped over next to Nightwing and seemed to examine the hero.

"Now… where were we? Oh right! I was giving you one last chance to tell me everything! So, whatcha' say? Feel like sharing yet?"

Nightwing was still struggling for air, the hero shaking now. Every part of his body was on fire, yet at the same time he felt ice cold. Puffs of white fog appeared in front of him with every laboured breath, explaining the cold he was feeling.

The ebony glared at the clown, refusing to release the wanted information. If he was going down, he wasn't going to drag the others down with him.

"Look, Wing Nut, you and I? We're not so different~! We both love a good laugh. But, this isn't funny anymore. At all. So, here's what I'm thinkin'… How about, instead of wasting my time, we have a little fun? I'm going to sing you a nice song- a parting gift- and you're going to enjoy it, before I leave here laughing at your sizzling corpse~!"

Smiling broadly, the sadistic clown walked up to the hero and stuffed it into his mouth.

"We can't have you interrupting my song with your screaming!" Joker said cheerfully before skipping back over to the control panel. Fiddling with a few of the nobs, Joker began humming happily as he flipped the switch. Nightwing screamed out in agony, the cloth muffling most of the sound. With a smirk, Joker began his song.

"Say goodbye Nightwing,

Strapped on the table top.

When the lever's pulled,

You'll get quite the shock!

But when birdie breaks,

His friends will all fall

And down will come heroes

Leaguers and all~!"

Nightwing's screams tore themselves from his throat throughout the deranged villain's song, the pained sounds muffled by the gag in his mouth. His body jerked as he thrashed in his restraints, the electricity continuing to course through him.

Joker grinned, swiftly walking up to the hero's side before sighing.

"You know Bird Boy, I'm actually going to miss you. We've had a good run, you and I. But, as we both know, all good things must come to an end… The good thing being you. You were always a lot more fun then Batsy, even after you graduated to your big-boy tights. Anyway, say hi to the second Robbie for me~!"

With that the villain strolled towards the exit, whistling a tune as he smiled and waved over his shoulder to the still screaming hero.

Nightwing thrashed in his restraints, his back arching and pained cries ripping themselves from his throat. His mind was numb, unable to think straight through the pain.

Distantly, the hero though he heard someone scream, but with his senses overwhelmed by pain, he wasn't sure if it was real or not.

-Team's point of view—

The team burst through the doors to the warehouse just as the door slammed shut behind the Joker. Stopping dead in their tracks, the team were unable to mask their horror at the sight in front of them.

Nightwing was strapped to a metal table; his screams muffled by the gag shoved his mouth. His body jerked, sparks flying off the metal table, as a pool of blood that had formed next to the hero's heavily bleeding side sizzled and bubbled away thanks to the heat.

Snapping out of his shock as another scream tore itself from the ebony's throat, Superboy sprinted over to the control lever and pulled it, the electricity flow stopping. Nightwing's body stopped jerking before he went limp against his restraints. This seemed to send the rest of the team into action, the group of heroes joining Connor in the centre if the warehouse. The half-Kryptonian hastily undid the ebony's restraints and removed the gag from his mouth.

"Nightwing…?" He said, hoping to get a reaction out of the hero.

Nightwing didn't answer, strands of his hair hiding his eyes.

"I-Is he?" Garfield stuttered, bile rising in the challenging's throat, as he and the rest of the team stared at their former leader with horror in their eyes- even L'gann.

"I… I'm not feeling anything from him…" M'gann whispered, hanging her head.

The team all stared at Nightwing in defeat, hoping it was all a bad dream. Connor shook his in disbelief- unable to hear a heartbeat- while the rest of Young Justice didn't know how to react.

Nightwing was a founding member of the team.

He was the first Boy Wonder…

The first sidekick…

He couldn't be…. He couldn't.

The team turned when they heard a sudden gasp, their hearts breaking when they saw Robin in the entrance of the warehouse. The hero ran over to his brother, tears spilling from his domino mask.

"No, no, no, no, no ,no, no… No you can't die…. You promised me you wouldn't leave me…"

M'gann moved to hug the bird but Robin pushed her away. He was silent for a moment before he began performing CPR, counting out loud.

"One

Two

Three

Four

Five"

Robin's breath hitched as he began to remember moments he had shared with his brother.

"Hi, my name's Dick!"

"Dick?" Tim snickered.

"Well, yea… It's a nick name for Richard. What about you? What did you get stuck with?" Dick said with a grin before sticking his tongue out at the young boy.

"Timothy… My name's Timothy."

"Nice to meet you Tim! Welcome to the family!"

"Nineteen.

Twenty

Twenty-one

Twenty-two

Twenty-three."

"DICK" Tim's hair was neon green as he sprinted after his older brother through the mansion.

"Relax Tim! At least now we will be able to spot you in a crowed! Plus, It's only hair spray- wash it out!" Dick yelled back at his eleven year old brother, flipping out of his reach before sliding down the stair railings.

"Dick, I'm not a kid anymore. You don't have to take care of me when I have the flu!" Tim whined as he looked at his exhausted brother.

The male had been patrolling as both Nightwing AND Batman, while also managing the team.

Dick laughed. "One; yes Timmy, you are still a kid- you're only twelve! Two; I do because Bruce and Alfie both aren't in the country. So stop complaining and take the medicine."

"But it taste's awful! I'm not putting that anywhere near my mouth" replied the bed ridden bat.

"Will you take it if when Bruce gets back I'll tell him you went on patrol without him- or me- and got yourself sick?" sighed Dick as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

Tim sighed in defeat and took the medicine from his brother.

"Twenty-eight

Twenty-nine"

"Just don't die, okay?"

Nightwing suddenly gasped before coughing up blood. The team gaped at the two brothers, amazed at the sight before them.

The older hero went limp again, but the team all breathed a sigh of relief when they saw he was breathing- albeit in laboured and short breaths. The group of heroes sprang into action, M'gann gently levitating the injured hero so Wally could pick him up with minimal pain. (Whoops, forgot I put him in this… ) Robin and Batgirl were right behind Wally and M'gann as they left the building, the rest of the heroes following closely behind- L'gann at the back.

Wally carefully laid Nightwing down in the back of the ship- where M'gann had morphed one of the seats into a table- earning a pained grunt from the hero.

"He's going to be okay now, right?" Cassie said, watching as Batgirl and Robin began basic first aid (Putting pressure on the wound etc.) on the injured bird.

"We're not in the clear yet… Now we just have to keep him going til we reach the Cave, after that, there isn't much we can do." Wally said, tightening his grip on Artemis' hand.

"But don't worry! He'll pull through, he always does…" Artemis said with a sad smile, trying to convince herself more than the others.