PROLOGUE:
It was a rainy night in Gotham City as Nightwing ran across the wet building ledge, moving swiftly yet keeping his balance. He glanced behind him to see if Robin and Batgirl were keeping up, which they were. Satisfied, Nightwing turned his view back infront of him. Across the building was Catwoman and another female he recognized as her protégé, Black Cat. Him and Batman were chasing them for a while now, but the two women were always able to slip from their grasp.
'Not this time,' Nightwing thought to himself. He pulled out his grappling hook and shot it, allowing the young adult crime fighter to swing across onto the other side and down into the alley, Robin and Batgirl hot on his heels.
"You go after Catwomen. I've got Black Cat," Nightwing called out to his teammates when he noticed the two females had split up and went into different directions. He slid down the ladder of a fire escape and quickly headed after Black Cat.
Eventually, his eyesight became blurred as the drizzle turned into heavy downpour. But that didn't stop him as he followed the female villain. Nightwing slid into a back alley after her, skidding to a stop when he saw she had hit a dead end. He relaxed his stance and took in a few breaths before speaking to her.
"Why?" He asked her, his voice ringing out through the thick rain. Of all the things he should have asked her, he asked 'why?'
"Go away."
"You know that I can't."
"Yes, you can. You can always tell Batman something."
''It doesn't have to be this way, Adrianne. Please, surrender."
"NO! I can't go back there Dick. You know why I can't. They won't accept me."
"Yes they will. Just give them a chance Adrianne," Nightwing said as he approached her. Her long brown hair clung to her wet face. Water slid and dripped down the curves of her black, leather suit.
"Stay back," Black Cat said and got into a defensive stance.
"Let me help you, please Adrianne," He said softly.
"No."
He walked up to her and pulled her into his embrace, ignoring her harsh words. Nightwing took no mind to her stance because he knew that being in his arms was exactly where she wanted to be. Her arms wrapped around him after a minute, her body racked with sobs and apologies.
He would protect her, never harm her.
"You'll never forgive me, Dick," Black Cat cried.
"Yes, yes I will. I do, Adrianne," Nightwing responded.
"No, you won't," She said softly before plunging the knife into his back, "not after this."