Turn off your mind, relax and float down stream. It is not dying.

It's the strangest sensation, feeling nothing...

There was wind at his back. Still flying? Cricket's eyes fluttered open. No, he was standing, in a small stone room with a rusted bell fallen on the ground. It seemed familiar. But it couldn't be in Luna...beyond the tower there was nothing but white. And there was a strange ticking noise that pecked the back of his mind...He habitually felt over his scar, but in its place was smooth skin. He wasn't sure whether to be glad or disturbed. "Perfect..."

"You, too, Cricket?" A voice said. He turned to see a girl peeking at him from behind the old bell, eyes wide and shadowed by a hat. A watch dangled on a chain around her neck. Cricket's stomach turned over. He'd never taken mind to it, but he'd heard that ticking before...before he'd died, in that same spot. Or was it the same, and was this death?

"You're dead," Cricket said, cautiously walking around to see her. "Aren't you?"

"No, I just miraculously survived th' fall and decided t' stop by for a visit. Yes, I think I'm dead. Are...you?" She asked tentatively.

"I...think--"

She suddenly threw her arms around him, not holding back the tears that were gathering in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, you shouldn't be here. It wasn't worth it, Cricket, really it wasn't...I-I'm sorry. It's hell here. No one can see me. It made perfect sense at the time, but it was never worth it, please say you didn't do the same! As much as I want you to stay, just...please go, now."

Cricket hugged her back, but then pushed her away. "I didn't...I don't...think I did..." Did he? He could remember all the pain and bloodshed there'd been, back wherever it was. Did he even want to go back, if he could?

"Just go. Please?"

"Go? To what? It's hell 'ere or hell there!" But the scene was fading against his will. The girl realised this and had a thought. She quickly pecked him on the cheek.

"And tell Finn that was for him," she said, everything fading to white to black. She flitted away, down the tower stairs.

Cricket watched after her. His words seemed to fade into oblivion: "Until next time, Tickety."

...and out.

Name: Robyn
Age (that you want them to be, not age they died at): 19
Appearance: I don't know. She's someone's mom and it just contributed to the story.
Bio: She committed suicide because she went crazy from being a psychologist.
Cause of death: Suicide by wrist slitting.

(Do characters meet each other at all?)

Name: Nightwing/Dick Grayson
Age: 24
Appearance: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs48/f/2009/163/0/7/nightwing_by_89g.png
Bio: yeah...too much...bleh.

Nightwing
Feeling slowly return. I blink awake, my body not so sore, my limbs not so heavy. Where was I? Last thing I remember...
I sit up and glance around. Where... Last place was...that lab.
The gun. The bang. I couldn't be...dead?

Robyn: I should be dead...but I wasn't. I looked around for a second, confused. This wasn't my living room. Where was I? I slowly got to my feet and started looking around.

Spades
I wasn't sure how long I had been here, it could have been days, weeks, years... time didn't seem to have the same meaning it used to. When I had 'woken up' here at the circus, it had taken me a while to accept I was dead, I remember. But once I did... I felt... strangely at peace. Lonely though, the last person I had seen was my killer.
I sat on the circus stage, my legs dangling over the edge as I shuffled a deck of cards. Not my old razor cards though, these were just... regular cards that I had found laying around. I was dressed in a long white dress, but I had no shoes. My curly hair spilled over my shoulders.
Then I heard a noise. Felt a presence. Looking up, I saw Nightwing. My breath hitched, and I dropped my deck of cards, sliding off the stage and running over to where he was laying.

Nightwing
The old circus...back to its glory days. A sound makes me turn and I freeze. "Beth," i breathe. She's beautiful. Just as i remember her.
Carefully, still unsure if that pain is gone, i sit up. My eyes never leaving her emerald eyes though, never leaving her face. Is she...really here or...

Andrew Johnson
Age: 16
Bio: ...ill fill it in later
Cause of Death: Hypothermia

(Should i add tommy?)

(sure? Robyn needs people to talk to if you wanna talk to her.)

((Ooh, having them pop in and out from DDS seems like a good idea...that's what I'll do.

Also...pretend that's why he's here, lol. It just makes more sense that way ))

Peter
I continued to walk through the strange woods. I wasn't really sure where I was going, but I didn't think that it mattered. I didn't particularly think that I could get tired or hungry or anything, either.
Suddenly, a voice.
"And just who the hell are you?" the voice asked gruffly. I spun around, looking at the person.
"I-I'm..." I stammered, trailing off. I knew this person...but from where? Who was...? "Oh...my...gods..."
"Gods? The hell?" the guy asked, squinting at me. "What, you Pagan or something?"
"N-no, it's--"
"I know you," he cut me off. "Who're you? Wait a second..."
I felt sick to my stomach. Somehow.
"I'm...I'm...I'm so sorry," I managed, numb.
"...You!" he shouted. "You're that kid! You were the kid that killed me!"
"I swear to the gods, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean--!"
"Just GET OUT! GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!"
I backed up, the forest beginning to fall away. The trees and the man vanished, leaving nothing but white.
And then blackness.

((...and out. Heh...he really doesn't have anyone close to him who died that would send him away, so that had to do xD))

(Tommy's ten)

Spades
"Richie!" A slow smile spread across my face as I came to a halt beside him, then knelt down to his level.
I wanted to hug him, to kiss him, to never let go... but if he's here... the realization hit me, and my smile faded a bit, then dissapeared as I studied his eyes "What did you do?"
I made Cissie promise me she'd make sure he didn't do anything reckless... maybe more time then I realized had passed since my death? I silently begged that he didn't get himself killed doing something stupid on my account.

Nightwing
I'm still studying her face. Exactly the same. Every detail. I reach over and caress her cheek in my hand, letting out a breath and smile. "You're okay?" I say quietly. "After Cissie's call...and Rae... But you're...okay?"

Spades
"Richie..." I took a deep breath, a shiver going up my spine from his touch. "We're dead" How else can you word that? Beating around the bush would make it harder for both of us.

(Doesn't matter. Robyn's supposed to be in her forties but she looks like she's 19.)

Nightwing
I feel my smile faulter just a little, study her face for a hint of anything but the truth. "Dead," I repeat. The memories come back slowly. That lab...the scientists...the gun...and my final breath. And then I woke up here. "Spades -" What was there to say? Gently, i pull her into a hug. Does it matter, even? Nothing we do will change it. It's something I had learned the hard way when I was younger.

Spades
I buried my head in his chest, breathing in his familiar scent, which had been untouched by death. Memories of years ago in the mall parking lot came back to me... when Richard had been kissed by death, just briefly... I took another deep breath, wrapping my arms around him "How did you...?" I couldn't bring myself to say it

Nightwing
I run a light hand down her back gently. She wouldn't like it....just like I had suspected. "I looked for you, Spades. Even after Cissie's call.... You had been gone for so long...but I didn't want to believe it. I couldn't...couldn't say goodbye. I didn't know what to do if I accepted you gone..." My voice fades to nothing and I hug her tighter. "I...I needed you, Spades."

Spades
Tears sprung to my eyes "R-Richie, you didn't..." My voice was wavering, my throat tightening. "You didn't do anything too reckless, did you?" I whispered. I imagined him going to 51, trying to see if I was really dead... I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the images

Nightwing
"You'll be upset if I answer that, Beth," i murmur. "And we know I can't lie..." Too honest. As always. I pull away slightly, kissing her forehead lightly. Like I used to do when we were younger.

Spades
A crystal tear fell down my face as I opened my eyes. The thought of him throwing his /life/ away because of /me/... "You could have gone on living, Boy Wonder. You could have kept on fighting crime and being noble, and saving lives... and living. Why... why did you?"

Nightwing
I whip the tear away, feeling pain flash over my face. I was hurting her again. "I needed you, Spades," i repeat quietly. "Seven years with you...I couldn't imagine the life without you by my side." I meet her eyes concerned. "I promised forever, didn't I? Forever yours. And now....we really do have forever...."

Spades
I touched the side of his face before kissing him gently "Forever" I breathed. But I couldn't help thinking how if it weren't for me... he'd still be alive. Guess in an extremely sick way, past me finally got her wish. I got Boy Wonder killed. Several more tears trekked down my face at the thought

Nightwing
I see the guilt in her eyes. "It's not your fault, Beth. I didn't have to follow. I knew you wouldn't like it but I chose to go on and find you. It was my choice." I hug her close again. "Don't blame yourself. It was me."

Spades
"If it weren't for me, Richie... you'd still be /alive/, /happy/, you could have a /future/" My breathing hitched again. "If you just hadn't fallen for... for the death card..."