Where are you? What have they done to you?
So many questions. So many concerns on the mind of one individual. One the mind of one woman that is blending in perfectly with the shadows around her not moving a single muscle.
Not moving despite the cold wind striking her bare skin causing her long black hair to flow freely with the wind.
A woman that many did not know. Well not personally anyways but they knew who she is at night. One of the finest heroines in the entire world.
A woman to be feared. A woman that has helped take down countless criminals. Take down the likes of some of the most vicious beings that have come out of Gotham City.
The superheroine known as The Huntress. A woman that was true to her name. She is a hunter. A hunter for justice.
A hunter that would turn any of those that choose to walk down a darker path into her prey. Prey that would scramble desperately away once her presence was felt.
But on this night. This night was different. She wasn't hunting any criminal. She wasn't looking to put anyone away behind bars.
No on this night she was here for him. A man that for the past couple of years could always be seen by her side.
A man that she desperately seeks out now hoping to prevent a grave mistake from happening. A mistake that could haunt him for the rest of his life.
The man known as Nightwing. The first Robin. A young teenager that she has watched grow into a man.
A teenager that she had met long ago. Met when an opportunity had presented itself to her. An opportunity she couldn't pass up.
He had left. The young man had left his mentor's side. A decision she would make his former mentor regret immediately when she had found the distraught young man offering him something she had never been given before.
A partnership. A true partnership in which he had never received before. The deadly duo. That is what the papers had started to call them anyways.
The deadly duo of Bludhaven. An small quiet city riddled with crime. The perfect place to start this new partnership.
A partnership that little did she know was only the start of something special happening between them. Having something she never thought she would ever experience in her life. True love. Love that had blossomed the moment they had met.
Love that had grown with every passing day they spent together. Spent training. Spent looking for the next criminal boss to take down.
A true relationship with no stones unturned. No secrets kept from another. And one had led her here. Led her here to stalk outside in the darkness just waiting for him to arrive.
An arrival that shouldn't even be happening to begin with as her eyes zone in through a window towards one individual.
One individual that she can't help but feel an intense anger for. One individual that shouldn't be free. Shouldn't be out in the open world once again.
A true injustice. A man that has been responsible for so much pain. So much turmoil in her man's life. So much so that she wanted nothing more than to drive an arrow straight through the man's heart.
Wanted nothing more than to beat this man to within an inch of his life. This pig of a man. A man that was only free because of the stupidity of the Gotham City police department.
An department that had made a deal with this man. This monster for information on another. A true mob boss of Gotham City.
A mob boss that should be in prison but money had a way of clearing up these types of problems. A notion that has made her sick to her stomach knowing it to be so true.
Knowing this was the way the world works and she hated it. She hated this idea of allowing this sort of man be free.
Even if he did have something one of the most powerful mob bosses in Gotham City. But was it worth it?
Was it really worth allowing this man to go free? A man that had killed two people in front of thousands of witness that could only watch in horror as they met their demise?
She didn't think so. She didn't think so and neither did he. The man of the hour. The man that she seeks out now not knowing what to expect.
Not knowing what to expect from her man that she had last seen extremely furious when he had found out the news of this man's release.
News that she had seen a shift in his eyes that told her of nothing good was to come of this. Nothing but anger masking his internal struggle to do one thing and one thing only.
Revenge. To avenge those that he had lost. A very dangerous path he was walking down. A path that has led her here to Atlanta,Georgia watching over his intended target.
A target that was being housed in a very quiet neighborhood. Being housed in some sort of safehouse of some sort.
Witness protection services she figured. But it wouldn't stop him. Wouldn't stop him from finding him. Vengeance would never allow him to stop looking. Vengeance that would look so perfect on this night.
A night of the full moon. A hunter's moon some would call it. Only the true hunters like herself.
But she could not let him do this. Could not let him fulfill his desire to end this man's life no matter how she felt on the subject.
No matter how much her heart wants for him to no longer be in any pain. No matter how much she wants to kill the man himself for the crimes he has committed.
She could not allow it. She could not allow the man that she loves to complete his mission. A mission that she now awaits for him to make the next move.
A move that she suddenly sees him making as movement out of the corner of her eye catches her attention.
Movement coming from the shadows of a nearby rooftop. Shadows that as though obey her wishes for a split moment brush away revealing a face.
Revealing his face. Nightwing. Her boyfriend looking down towards the safehouse. Looking down towards the house with so much anger filling his eyes.
Eyes that were promising one and one thing. Pain. He would cause so much pain to all those that stood in his way.
A look that she had seen once before when she had been injured on a mission at the hands of Clayface.
An injury that had drastic results. Had seen a change in him. Had seen a man become a hunter much like her.
A hunter that has stalked through the night for the criminal before terrifying stories were heard the next day.
Stories of how the criminal's screams could be heard for miles. Stories of how the criminal had no answer for the offensive onslaught coming from the young hero.
Stories with each word she heard about made her heart soar even more for this young hero. For this young hero making a simple declaration be silently told one night.
He would be her's. He would be her's for eternity. For she is the ultimate hunter. A hunter that had stalked her prey one night after a successful patrol before she had claimed him.
Had taken him to her bed. Had spent the night having passionate love with him. A night that she would never forget.
And unfortunately she had a feeling she wouldn't forget this night either as for a split second her eyes go wide slightly when she sees him retrieve something from his utility belt.
Something she never thought she would see him hold in his hands as a weapon. A gun. A simple handgun.
A small firearm that could do so much damage. Could bring so much pain. Could bring an end of an era if she didn't stop him.
If she didn't intervene like she is doing now as she emerges out of her hiding spot and quickly shots a line over towards him just as she sees him about to leap down towards the safehouse from the edge of the roof he is standing on with a look of vengeance in his eyes.
A line that hits it's mark before she feels herself gliding through the air at top speed and lands a short walk away from him with a clang causing his head to instantly snap tin her direction.
For his gaze to towards her showing her assumption was correct. He was angry. He was filled with nothing but rage.
Something she couldn't blame him for. Rage that she had only seen in his eyes once before. This fire in his eyes that she was unafraid of.
His fire that she knew she could extinguish. He would never hurt her. Not internally anyways. He would never hurt her and she wouldn't ever hurt him.
At least not yet. Not unless she wasn't able to get through to him. She would not lose him. She would not lost the man that she loves.
A man that she watches stare at her with so much anger before his eyes change. How a look of realization comes to his eyes as she holds his gaze.
This look that makes her slowly walk over towards him with only the sound of her heels clanging across the rooftop echoing through the air.
" Please stop. You don't want to do this."
Keeping her gaze on his own silently moving across the rooftop until she is by his side reaching out gently Huntress lays her hand down on Nightwing's cheek causing her to see his facial features soften slightly as his eyes close from her touch.
" Listen to me. Listen to only my voice."
Gently stroking his cheek with her thumb reaching out gently Huntress wraps her free arm around the back of his neck and tugs his head to rest down on her shoulder before she whispers into his ear.
" You don't want to do this. I can't imagine how you are feeling. I can't imagine the pain this man has put you through but killing him is not the answer.
Killing him won't bring them back."
A harsh truth she knew but a truth nonetheless. This deed would not bring them back. Bring back her love's parents that she could only hear stories about.
John and Mary Grayson. Two thirds of the famous Flying Graysons. Two wonderful people from everything she has ever read about or heard of them.
Parents that died way too young. Way before they time leaving behind a son. A son that she now holds in her arms just damning the man below for his crimes committed to this wonderful family.
" I hate him. I hate him so much."
Nodding her head silently very gently Huntress threads her fingers through his hair before her hand comes back down to rest against his cheek.
" I know but this isn't the answer. I know that what you think are about to do is justice but its not. Justice and revenge are never the same. Justice is about harmony. Revenge is about you making yourself feel better.
You know this better than most. What would your parents think if they saw you here now?"
Yet another painful harsh truth. She knew what they would think. They knew what they would think of their son.
They wouldn't ask him to do this. They would plead with him to walk away. A plea that she answers for them now being their voice.
A voice that she can see being received loud and clear as she sees his facial features softening by the second.
" Don't become him. Don't become the thing you despise. Give me the gun. Let me take you home where you belong….with me."
Words that she could only now just stand there and wait. Stand there and wait for his decision. A decision that she knew to be so big for him.
A decision that could change everything. Change the way she could look at him. Change his whole entire personality with the simple pull of a trigger.
A decision that she watches being made as she sees him extending the handgun out towards her grip first.
A grip that she grabs a hold of taking this burden from his hand before she pulls back away from him a few feet.
Pulls back away from him to release a hold of the clip causing it to clang against the cold surface beneath them before she cocks back the barrel causing the lone bullet to fly across the air emptying the chamber.
A chamber along with the rest of the gun is seen flying over her shoulder without her paying a second thought of the gesture before she makes her way back towards his side to wrap her arms gently around his neck not even bothering to hide the pleased smile that comes across her lips.
This smile that reaches his eyes before she closes the distance between them pressing her lips to his own.
" Let's go home."
Reaching her hand down silently to gently grasp his hand within her own with a gentle tug slowly Huntress leads Nightwing away from the edge of the roof and towards the other side before after a few steps as she feels a sudden resistance bringing herself to an halt she can't help but pay a glance over her shoulder to find his eyes glued back down towards the house with an almost haunted look.
A look that was starting to scare her. This look with an ounce of fear in his eyes. This look that makes her retreat a couple of steps back to his side and follow his eyes just hoping to catch a glimpse of what had caused this.
And it didn't take long. A young girl. A young girl no older than eight or nine. A young girl that she can see through a window being twirled around in the air laughing by her father.
The man that had caused all of this. A man that even she didn't know had a family of his own. A sudden shock to her but not as much as the one by the man by her side.
Shock that she couldn't imagine where his thoughts were going but she had a guess. A very good guess.
He was going back to a dark place. That is what he referred to it as anyways. His past. A past that he had told her would often haunt his dreams every single night.
Dreams of his parents. Dreams of his happiest moments with them. Dreams of their demise. So many memories.
Some good and some bad but memories she can see clearly he was remembering now if his eyes were telling her otherwise.
Eyes that are starting to get watery just watching this exchange. Just watching this criminal play with his daughter as his wife is seen in the open doorway smiling at the exchange.
This sudden pain in his eyes that was just tearing her apart. Tearing her apart from seeing so much pain in his eyes.
Hadn't he suffered enough? Hadn't he been allowed to be happy? A simple question she has often asked herself on most nights with the answer being the same.
No she didn't deserve to be happy. Her past would not allow her. An answer that had slowly started to change with him appearing in her life.
And now? Now she knew the answer and that answer was the same for the both of them. An answer that she would make sure he would know now as she quietly moves in front of him blocking his gaze from the scene down below and gently caresses his cheek tilting his head slightly to look into her eyes.
" One day. One day and that will be us down there."
Not even believing the words that have just escaped her lips as she sees his eyes widening from the declaration very gently Huntress wipes away at the silent tear that escapes his eye.
" Promise?"
Feeling her lips curling upward leaning forward gently Huntress presses her lips to his own before slowly she pulls back and rests her forehead gently against his own as their gazes lock.
" I promise."
A simple declaration that even she didn't know had caused so many emotions to run through him but she knew of one.
One that he had been lacking for a while. Happiness. True happiness as she feels herself suddenly being pulled towards him and his lips crashing to hers.
A simple gesture that makes her smile into the kiss as she returns it in tenfold wrapping her arms around the back of his neck as his arms snake around her waist pulling him even closer into his chest.
Pulling him even more into his arms. Her secret favorite place to be. A place that she can feel herself loosening up slightly before a sound coming from below causes her to crack open an eye.
A sound followed by another then another. The sound of a thud followed by a few more. This sudden sound that makes her break off the kiss and look over her shoulder before her eyes go wide at the scene below her.
Cars. Two cars parked across from the house. Cars that are now found to be empty as their occupants slowly approach the house.
Six men from her count with two wielding automatic rifles. Men that she instantly knew who they worked for.
The mob boss. A man that was looking to kill the snitch inside not caring if the man's family was caught in the crossfire.
Men that she can only watch make quick work kicking in the door before the sound of an automatic weapon going off fills the air.
Fire being directed towards the very few stationed cops at the scene. Casualties on this night. But no more.
There would be no more innocent lives being taken on this night. The same thought she can see on her man's mind as they lock eyes for a brief moment before they spring into action.
Spring into action firing off lines towards the house before each go crashing through windows a few rooms away from each other.
Crashing through the window only to land down hard and roll across the room retrieving her trusty crossbow from her belt cocking back and arrow without any delay as the sound of screams come flooding from the floor beneath her quickly crossing towards the end of the room that she is in rearing back Huntress kicks open the closed door causing it to shatter upon impact and makes her way around the corner as the sound of gunfire echoes through the air.
Gunfire that she pays no mind to in favor of stalking down her chosen path with her crossbow ready and willing to be fired.
A small hallway that suddenly she fires an bolt sending it soaring through the air hitting a thug that rounds the corner in the shoulder sending him down hard into the floorboards screaming.
Screams that she silences when she makes her way over and drives her heel down hard into the side of his head causing his world to go black.
A man that quickly follows another when with lighting fast speed she sends an bolt followed by another soaring through the air that land clean against two more thugs that had come to investigate their friend's screams.
A mistake they would regret. Regret when one bolt lands clean into one thug's hand causing him to drop down to his knees clutching his hand in pain as blood pours out of his open wound.
As for the other? Well the other thug wouldn't have such luck. No instead they are sent crashing through the wooden railings behind him until he disappears from her sight down to the floor beneath them with a loud crash.
A crash that she can hear in the distance. From her guess by her man letting out some of his pent up anger on some of the thugs inside if the sound of glass shattering was any indication.
But she couldn't think about this. No she had to make sure the family was okay. Well she could hope the mother and daughter were okay.
As for their respected husband and father well she hoped differently. A thought that makes her without any hesitation drop down the open that had been made for her curiosity of the last dispatched thug just mere moments after silencing the thug kneeling at the top of the stairs with a swift kick in the head.
Snapping back up to her feet as her count comes up to four assuming that her partner had only dealt with one so far leaving two thugs remaining as she silently stalks her way through the house just as she is about to round the corner instantly Huntress pulls back to lean herself up against a side of a wall when rounds coming from an open doorway come flooding towards her.
Rounds that she watches tear up the wall directly across from her. Rounds that she can't help but count before after a couple of seconds when she hears the clip run dry she springs into action.
Springs into action by emerging from her hiding spot and sends another bolt soaring through the air that lands against her intended mark sending a thug back first hard into the floorboards with a thud when the bolt hits him directly in the chest.
A man that she can't pay no mind to when the sound of a silent click coming from nearby causes her to snap to the sound with her crossbow ready only for her eyes to go slightly wide.
The remaining thug. A thug that looks at her coldly with almost a smirk across his face of superiority as he points a firearm at the young girl she had seen early that stands directly in front of him as though being used as a shield while her mother and father watched silently on with her faces masked in fear.
Masked in total shock from the scene before them. A mother whose cheeks are riddled with tears. A father that looks on with a terrified expression underneath the fresh cuts and bruises across his face.
A firearm that is dangerous close to the young girl's head making her freeze to the spot. Making her finger slowly brush away from her trigger knowing just one wrong move could lead to the end of the girl's life.
" Drop your weapon!"
Glancing over towards the young girl seeing tears trickling down her cheeks turning her eyes back towards the thug after a few seconds very slowly Huntress takes her hand away from the trigger and raises up her free hand in surrender.
" Good now be a good little girl and place your crossbow down."
Letting out a silent growl kneeling down gently Huntress places her crossbow down onto the ground before she straightens herself up to glare at the thug.
" That's a good girl now kick it away. Slowly."
Narrowing her eyes at the man only causing him to press end of the barrel into the young girl's head causing her to whimper rearing her leg back gently Huntress pushes her crossbow across the room to her side causing the thug to remove the barrel of the gun away from the girl.
" Now your cape…."
Instantly as she hears a very silent creak coming from behind her in a sudden move Huntress ducks down before the sound of an object whistling past her echoes through the air.
The object in form of one of Nightwing's escrima sticks that soars through the air landing against its intended mark hitting the thug across the face sending him backwards onto the ground with a loud thud as the gun in his hand goes flying a short distance away.
Glancing over her shoulder as she finds Nightwing a short distance away from her sending him a quick grateful smile rising up to her feet slowly Huntress crosses the room grabbing a hold of her crossbow from the floor before she makes her way back to his side finding him standing just inside of the open doorway.
Finding him staring daggers at the man across the room with hold on his remaining escrima stick tight.
So much so she can hear the leather of his glove stretching with every passing second before she reaches his side and gently places her hand down on his cheek causing him to turn his gaze upon her.
" Let's go home. I believe my hero deserves a proper reward. Don't you agree?"
For the briefest of moments as she wears to have seen a smile come across his face just as she leans forward to give him a kiss suddenly Huntress finds herself being pulled to the ground when a gunshot is heard.
A gunshot that echoes through the quiet room. A gunshot that she quickly turns towards the shooter and sends a bolt soaring through the air hitting the man directly into the hand causing the gun in his hand to drop down to the floorboards.
A man that she now had a good idea what the man by her side felt towards him. An uncontrolled anger. An uncontrolled fury to do so much damage to this man.
Tony Zucco. That was the name he had gone by back in Gotham City. a name that had been changed once he had been taken here.
You could change a name by not their face. You could improve yourself with the right motivation. But this man.
No he hadn't changed. Despite the years he had spent in prison. Despite the crimes that he had repented for his recent actions.
He was still the same. The same disgusting man that he had been many many years ago when the lives of the Grayson family had changed forever.
This man that she now watches cower in fear as Nightwing breaks free away from her grasp and stalks his way over towards the former mobster.
Stalks his way over with so much anger and rage. So much anger and rage that makes the man's family cower away in fear away from them.
This anger and rage that causes him to lash out and grab a hold of the older man's throat before he smashes him back first into a nearby wall causing the wall to shake from the power put into it while his hand remains wrapped around the former mobster's throat in a death grip causing the man's face to get purple.
" Daddy!?'
Instantly snapping his gaze away from the man that he has hated for so much of his life turning his head to his side suddenly as though a bucket of cold water had been poured on him slowly some of his anger disappears.
Disappears when he sees the sight of the man's wife and daughter huddled over in the corner crying looking terrified at him.
Looking so terrified with tears trickling down their cheeks while their eyes look towards him with nothing but fear.
Fear that they shouldn't be looking towards him with. Didn't they know he was the hero? Didn't they know he would never hurt them?
Hero?
That was the word that starts to echo in his mind as he keeps his gaze on them. He didn't feel like a hero.
No he felt like something else at the moment. Something he couldn't describe. He felt like a monster. A monster for causing their tears making his anger slowly disappear.
" I'm not the bad guy."
Instantly as he feels a hand resting down on his outstretched arm turning his head towards the owner as he finds Huntress looking towards him almost pleading with him to release his grip without any hesitation Nightwing releases his hold from around Tony's throat causing the older man to slouch down the wall and land with a thud.
Keeping her gaze upon his own reaching up gently Huntress lays her hand down on Nightwing's cheek.
" Your not the bad guy. Your a hero. Your my hero."
Blinking away the tears that want to fall without having a chance to react suddenly Nightwing feels Huntress's lips on his own for a split second before he feels his hand being taken within her own and feels himself being lead out of the room and through the house.