Title: What Best Friends Are For (A.K.A. How the scene in Nightwing #13 SHOULD'VE Gone)
Summary: Even when they weren't 'together', though, they never abandoned the other. No matter what, they were best friends & would always be there. When it came down to it, they would rather take on the world than turn on each other. Barbara had to know that nothing would change that. Set during/fixing Nightwing #13. DickxBabs.
Characters: Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Batgirl/Barbara Gordon.
Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Romance
A/N: The scene between Dick and Babs bothered me so much. DX Especially the fact that Dick just let her go without trying to go after her! So I decided to rewrite/expand on the scene to make it how it should've been (at least how I think it should've gone). Hope you enjoy!

"How's it going?" Nightwing said in a light tone, swinging over next to Batgirl. He was careful to word it the way he did, knowing she definitely wasn't okay.

Apparently, he wasn't careful enough, according to her glare. "Like you have to ask?" she said sharply. He didn't take offense at her tone; it was because she was scared. "He's back, Nightwing. Joker's back!" Batgirl's voice grew softer with each sentence, fear overtaking anger. "I always knew he'd return someday. I just prayed I'd be ready. I…I don't think I am."

Nightwing recognized the look in her eyes all too well. Craving—needing vengeance before someone else was hurt that way by him. Crippled, killed…the look was terrifyingly similar. "Hey," he said softly, concerned, "you can't let this—"

"Don't!" Fury sparked in Batgirl's eyes. Bad move, Grayson! "I'm not like you. I can't keep looking forward all the time." Fear slipped into her voice again. "H-ll, I can't even bear the sound of his name." Worried, Nightwing tried to catch up, but Batgirl stayed ahead. "He crippled me. Can you even imagine what it was like to go from this to needing a handrail to get into the shower?" she demanded, landing on the next rooftop. Nightwing skidded to a stop ahead of her, turning instantly. "I'm going to hunt him down," Batgirl said, exactly what Nightwing was terrified of hearing from her. "Make him pay." She met his eyes, and for just a second, it was actually her talking, not just the need for vengeance. "You with me?"

In that instant, Nightwing wished more than anything that he'd been the one hurt. He had to believe that he could've come back from it without the painful need for vengeance—that he still would've had that clarity. Vengeance was only going to hurt you in the end. It wasn't the first time he wanted to take all of the pain from her, but now it actually did ache—seeing Batgirl like this tore him apart. Going over closer to her, Nightwing started to reach for her hand. "I'd like to help, but—"

"Of course!" Batgirl jerked her hand away, accusation filling her voice and a venom that felt like acid in her eyes. "Not surprised. You've already moved on to another case. Just as well." Before Nightwing could protest the emphasis and double meaning behind 'moved on', Batgirl was next to the Plexiglas around the roof. "I need someone I can count on. Someone who won't flake out on me when the going gets rough."

This was going too far and getting way out of line. But it was true about their relationship, wasn't it? He cut out when everything collapsed. Now was definitely not the time for couple's counseling, though. "Batgirl—wait!"

"Why bother?" Batgirl flipped over the Plexiglas, fired her grapnel, and said, "We both know how this ends." She swung off, leaving Nightwing staring, half in shock.

Okay. Yes. That was true of their romantic relationship half the time. He knew he had a long way to go to be the man she deserved, and a lot of hills and pitfalls would come on the road to that. Chaos went hand in hand with them as a couple.

Even when they weren't 'together', though, they never abandoned the other. No matter what, they were best friends & would always be there. When it came down to it, they would rather take on the world than turn on each other. Barbara had to know that nothing would change that.

"Batgirl—dang it, Batgirl, wait!" Nightwing fired his grapnel and went after her. He came in from the side, knowing that there was no other way to make her listen and hating it anyway. Grabbing her around the waist, he cut her line, ignored her yell, and landed both of them on the nearest roof.

"Let go, Nightwing!"

"No." Nightwing wrapped his other arm around her, pulling/dragging her into a hug. Batgirl squirmed and tried to make him let go, but he wouldn't. "Barbara, listen to me, please. I know you're furious and scared and probably a million other things. I understand why."

"Understand?!" Batgirl's voice shook. "No you don't."

"I understand that he hurt you in a way that none of us can get." Nightwing gently tightened his grip, trembling. If he had learned anything from Jason, it was this. "I know that even if you tell us, we don't really understand. That's impossible, because we aren't the ones who lost everything." He stroked her hair, speaking softly. "But I swear, I will get on my knees and beg for you to listen if that's what I have to do to make you understand that you're not alone. I'll follow you everywhere, even after your dad puts a restraining order on me, to make sure you know I will never abandon you. Any issues we've had, since when have we ditched each other to deal with stuff like this? Please, Babs, don't you dare believe that you have to get vengeance against him alone…"

"You have your own case to deal with, of course."

"There are other criminals out there. That doesn't mean I can't be there for you." Nightwing held her close, relieved that she wasn't struggling to pull away anymore. "I would never abandon you, especially to him. I promise." Tilting her chin up to make her look him in the eye, he smiled a little. "Okay?"

"…All right." Batgirl laid her head against his shoulder, finally wrapping her arms around him. Stroking her hair, Nightwing lightly kissed her forehead.

"Feeling a little better now that you got to yell at someone?"

"Shut up." Batgirl swatted his arm, but she had a small smile now. Nightwing laughed.

"Well, I do unfortunately have an appointment at the docks with a group of gunmen that they don't know about yet." He held out a hand to her. "Care to join me?"

"Can't." Batgirl's green eyes hardened. "He's still out there."

Nightwing knew she had to do this. That didn't stop him from hating it, though. "All right," he said softly. "Just as long as you know you're not alone, okay? You've got Batman and R.R. and Robin and the Birds of Prey and Red Hood, even if he probably won't admit it." He squeezed her hand gently. "And you've got me."

Batgirl smiled and nodded. "Thanks, Dick," she said quietly.

With a grin, Nightwing said, "Hey, what are best friends for?"

A/N: Nightwing definitely should've gone after her. :) Let me know what you think!