PROLOGUE

"It's official, dude," Wally glanced over towards the driver. "You've turned into Batman."

The statement yanked Dick out of his thoughts and back into the present. He glanced away from the road long enough to send a questioning look at his best friend and passenger, Wally West.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Wally slurped his 44 oz. soda. "It means that you're brooding . . . Again."

Again? Dick sighed. He couldn't help it. Ever since he and Babs had broken up this last time, he just couldn't seem to shake the funk that had come over him. Always, there had been something holding them back, keeping their relationship from progressing onward. The last argument had been an ongoing one they had had throughout their stormy, on again/off again relationship: his constant need to seek Bruce's or Batman's approval.

"Sorry, Wally. I know what with all the changes in our lives we don't get the opportunity to just hang out together like we used to, and now I'm ruining it."

Wally turned concerned eyes toward his companion. There was a line creasing Dick's brow that hadn't been there the last time he had seen him. "I wouldn't go so far as to say you're ruining it, but you do seem to be down this time. What's up?"

"It's nothing, really. I promise to do better," he said, reaching over and turning on the radio. Music poured out of the speakers, loud enough to prevent easy conversation.

Wally reached over and turned it off.

Damn it! He sighed. He and Wally didn't get to see each other often enough, and Dick didn't want to screw up their time together up by talking about his problems.

"Dick, come on. It's me, here." Wally turned in his seat as far as his seat belt would allow. "We've always been able to talk about anything."

"It's . . . It's nothing."

"Spill it, hunk wonder," Wally teased.

"Don't call me that!" Dick snapped.

Wally blinked. It was an ongoing joke between them. Girls seemed to adore Dick and his alter ego, Robin; especially since he had gone through puberty. Wally had often teased his friend that it was those hot pants he used to wear with his Robin costume that made the girls swoon every time he swooped in to save them. Although, as Nightwing, he still managed to find more than his fair share of swooning damsels.

"Ah, woman troubles, eh?"

Dick's lips whitened as his mouth tightened. "Babs troubles."

"Wait, what? Did you two got back together again?" Wally knew that the couple had split up eight months ago. This last time had been particularly hard as Barbara had returned Dick's ring. Wally respected the woman who had been Batgirl, and was now making her mark against criminals as Oracle, a kind of all-purpose superhero information hotline, since losing her legs to one of Joker's bullets. Unfortunately, she also seemed to throw Dick's life upside down time and time again.

"No, we didn't." The statement was made flat and unemotional, but the tic was visible as Dick clenched and unclenched his jaw.

"Dick." Wally sighed. "Maybe you should just let her go this time. It's been eight months! If she were the right one for you, she wouldn't be putting you through hell every other year."

"We just have to work through a couple of issues . . ."

"Dude, look. There will always be issues. You don't give a guy back his ring every time a new one crops up."

"It's an old one this time," Dick offered. "My fault, really. Something that I need to fix. Once I can manage that, we'll get back together and everything will be perfect."

"Your fault? It's not that thing about Bruce again, is it?" Disgusted, Wally looked out the window, but the view was wasted on him when his friend was hurting.

"She has a point, Wally, and you know it. I need to grow up and start living my life without worrying about what Bruce, or Batman, might think of me. I'm a grown man, and yet I apparently still have 'daddy' issues."

Angry, Wally swung back around. "'Daddy' issues? Seriously? That's what she said? The man took you in when you were eight after seeing your own parents killed. He raised you, trained you, made you his partner and his heir, and finally adopted you as his own son! Not that you haven't been exactly that from day one . . . It isn't wrong of you to want Bruce's approval, or for you to want to make him proud! I still look for Uncle Barry's approval, too! I think Barbara has a problem with Bruce and with Batman, for whatever reason, and wants to come between the two of you as a result!"

Wally watched Dick's eyes widen and his jaw clenched once more. Shit! Did he really say that out loud? It's been something he had thought for a long time, but never had the nerve to say before. He knew Dick had been in love with Barbara since high school, and he also knew that criticizing a guy's girlfriend is a surefire way to destroy their own relationship. So for selfish reasons, Wally had always bitten his tongue on this particular issue. It was a no-win scenario for sure.

"That can't be it," Dick exclaimed. "She works with him too closely. This is all about me."

Now Wally's jaw was clenching. "Stop it! This isn't about you. Look, you and Bruce have had problems enough. You two are finally speaking to one another again. You've been happier than you have been in years since the two of you have come to terms. And then Barbara suddenly dumps you, claiming Bruce has too strong a hold on you, and you can't be your own man! No, Dick. She's the one who has the problem, not you."

"She still loves me, though," Dick whispered. "I can work this out. I know I can."

Seeing the shine in his friend's eyes, Wally took a breath and forced himself to calm down. "Look, maybe you're right. Maybe she still loves you, but I can't help but think that she hates Bruce more."

Shocked, Dick stared at him a moment. A car horn blared, and he was suddenly swerving back into his own lane. This was too dangerous, Dick thought, pulling over into a parking lot. He was going to get them both killed trying to talk about this while driving.

"She doesn't hate Bruce," he insisted, pulling to a stop.

"Fine! Maybe she doesn't hate him, but she definitely has a problem with him. And as long as she does, she's going to expect you to have one with him also." Wally reached over and grabbed Dick's hand. "I saw what those years of not talking to Bruce did to you. It also kept you away from Tim and Alfred. Now, there is Damian to consider as well. Is it right or fair of her to demand you put a barrier between you and the rest of your family for her sake alone? Is that really love when it is so selfish it cannot share you with the most important people in your life?"

One lone tear balanced precariously on the edge of his lash, finally falling when Dick blinked. Wally bit the inside of his cheek. It had been a long time since he had seen Dick cry. He wondered how long it had been since his friend had allowed himself to do so in front of another person. Wally didn't think it was possible for Dick to change so drastically from the sensitive, sweet kid he had been when the two of them had first met. And he hadn't changed really, just become more private over the last few years.

"What has Bruce said about all of this? I assumed you've talked with him about it, or maybe to Alfred . . ."

"I haven't talked with him about it other than to tell him that we broke up."

"What did he say to that?" Wally was curious. Being the other side of the issue, he wondered what Bruce had to say about Barbara.

Dick shrugged. "Nothing. You know Bruce. He just nodded and grunted, acknowledging the fact, and then continued on as if nothing had changed."

When it came to Dick, Wally knew that Bruce wasn't generally a hands-off kind of guy. The man had an opinion, but for some reason he was keeping it to himself. Perhaps, Wally thought, he felt the same fear that I have had; of saying something critical about Barbara, and losing Dick because of it.

"Alfred?"

"Alfred's been surprisingly mum about it as well."

"You can't just sit here and wait," Wally pleaded. "You'll stagnate. You have to move on whether you want to or not. It's been eight months since you and Babs broke up this last time. Have you been out with anyone since then?"

Dick gave a watery laugh. "No, but crime's been down in Bludhaven."

Wally laughed in spite of himself. He punched Dick in the arm lightly. "You know what you need?"

Dick looked at him suspiciously. "I'm almost afraid to ask."

"You need to get laid."

All the tension drained out of the car as both men burst out laughing.

"I know this girl . . ."

Dick held up his hand, still laughing. "Stop! I don't want to hear anything else. But . . . but maybe you're right."

Wally perked up at that, grinning. It wasn't often that he was right. "I am? Ah, about what, exactly?"

"I should start dating again," Dick admitted, hesitantly.

"Good for you! But promise me something first."

Dick frowned. "Yeah, okay. What's that?"

"No redheads!"