Richard shivered from where he stood outside with his parents, the cool evening breeze mixed with the anticipation of the show causing him to have chills and butterflies at the same time. He could hear Haly announcing the next act from the ring, standing atop his stool with a megaphone clutched in his hand as the crowd cheered. This wasn't his first time performing but something wasn't right about tonight. For starters Richard had overheard Haly arguing with another man earlier today, someone that didn't belong to the circus. Richard had been returning to his family's trailer in preparation for that night's show and had paid no attention, that is until he had seen the same man tampering with the lines to be used by his parents that night.<br/><br/>So while the act before them ended to a roar from the audience and Haly began to introduce the next Richard nervously bit his lip and wondered if he should tell someone what he saw. It was too late though as his parents ushered him into the big top. His legs shook as he climbed the ladder up to the platform, following his mother with his father close behind.<br/>"Now for the act you've all been waiting for...Haly's Circus is proud to be home to the Flying Graysons!" As the last syllables echoed through the tent the lights all went down except for a spotlight trained on the three bodies soaring through the air above the heads of the people below.<br/><br/>It was times like this were Richard felt truly alive, when he was flying. He didn't even have to think as his body when through the motions and he performed his signature move of a quadruple somersault alongside his parent's triple.<br/>"You've seen it here folks! The quadruple somersault performed by our very own Richard Grayson!" Haly shouted from somewhere below as he landed on the platform. They had practiced this hundreds of times before so Richard knew that he had only moments before he would have to grab his mother's hands and be flipped to his father's, but he never got the chance. Just as he was about to grab her outstretched hands they both heard a snap. What happened next seemed to move in slow motion.<br/><br/>Richard watched helplessly as his parents ropes snapped and they fell to the packed earth ground, the sickening sounds on their bones snapping reaching his ears as he watched, screaming for his mom and dad.<br/>"No! Mamă! Tată!" The crowd was shrieking along with him while crew members tried unsuccessfully to clear the area. Richard practically threw himself down the ladder and next to his parents bodies.<br/>"No, wake up!" He shook his father's shoulder as tears rolled down his cheeks.<br/>"Richard! Get back you oafs! Give the kid some room!" Haly elbowed a reporter out of his way in an effort to reach the kid but was soon overwhelmed by the number of cameramen, reporters, and other press members.