Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or settings used in this story
"You're back," she says without even turning away from the screen. He had come in through her open window without even a sound, yet she felt the air change and caught the subtle scent of his musk.
"Uhuh," he said as he began to make his approach with the same stealth he had been so accustomed to. He was behind her, inches away, yet she wouldn't even drop what she was doing. A smirk formed on his face and mischievous idea ran on his mind. With a single swift motion of his hand, he caught her face and kissed her. He held on to her strongly and demanded that she give him her full attention. Her eyes widened at first at the sudden contact, but she soon closed them and gave in to the pleasure he was giving her. His tongue was demanding she gave in to him easily. She felt a smile form on his lips before he released and certainly he saw it when he allowed some distance between them.
"Missed me, Babs?" he asked in a laughing tone that almost caused her to roll her eyes, but she was much to happy to see him again. So much, that she could not even deny it. She simply pulled his back onto her face and kissed him once again.
"I think you missed me more, Dick" she replied in triumph when an almost inaudible moan escaped him. She threw him of her and stood up from her chair. "C'mon, you owe me coffee." Babs then went to her closet to grab a jacket and her keys, and went out the door with Dick on tow, shaking his head at how breath taken he was. "You'll never change, Babs."
They went to their old coffee hangout down the street from her apartment. It had been a year since they were there, and Dick certainly missed a few favorites. They each got their usual cups and sat on the booth at the farthest corner so that they may have all the privacy they could get.
The two of them sat in silence for a good fifteen minutes enjoying the aroma and taste of their coffee whilst stealing glances and smiles at one another. Barbara was the first one to break the silence when Dick reached in for her hand. "How was your trip?" she asked as she let him make patterns on her idle palm.
"It was exactly what I needed," he couldn't be more vague, and she rolled her eyes at him. "I went to a list of places Bruce gave me. I met some of his old masters and I learned a lot about my self and about him." He looked up and smiled at his best friend to reassure her that he was really fine before continuing on. "Don't worry, he didn't send me anywhere near the league of shadows. But he did send me all around Tibet. I even got to climb the Himalayas! It was so awesome Babs, you should do it with me next time we get a chance." Babs loved how reverted to an excited child as he described to her the majesty of the great mountains and all the other places he went to.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it, but I'd want to know if you're fine now," she asked when it became obvious that he was veering away from the topic.
"I'm better. If you want me to tell you honestly, I know now what I am most afraid of and I know now what I must be. "
Barbara kept silent, but she steadied her stare at his blue eyes. They were strained, she noted, they weren't as bright as they used to be. Somewhere in his youthful look, an air of maturity seeped in. "I'll never be Batman." He said and he tightened his hold onto her hand. She looked up at him in surprise.
"What do you mean?" His statement baffled Barbara. It had been an unspoken thought amongst them, but they all knew that someday Dick was going to inherit the cowl. They knew Bruce well enough to know that deep down that was what he wanted. And she knew that it was an expectation that weighed so heavily on Dick that it drove him to rebel and seek out to be Nightwing.
"Bruce made so many choices in his life. And right now, I am in the crossroads of making one of those choices. But I'm done walking his path. I know where I want to go and how I want to live my life. Babs," he paused gave her a pleading look, "I don't want to be the guy who shuts everyone out. I want the people I love to be my strength. I need to protect all of you but I also need to be protected; from myself most of all." He kissed her hand and let her cup his face.
"Well, boy wonder, I was getting worried you turning out like the old man. But you have me; you have all of us. That makes the difference." Barbara leaned in to kiss his forehead and ruffled his hair. "Even if one day you do wear the cowl, you'll never be like him… as much as we all love the old man." They both laughed at the thought of Bruce and how he would be at an old age.
Having been through the worst part, they spent the rest of the night with Dick recounting more of his adventures during his hiatus. They returned to her apartment where they spent the night with each other in utter peace. Neither of them went on patrol that night; instead, she messaged Tim, asking the new boy wonder to make do for the night. Dick begged her not to tell his little brother he was back. 'He'll kill me that I didn't go by the manor first…' he reasoned and she laughed at his effort to not break his brother's heart.
"I'm sure Bruce knows you're back and that you're here though."
"Oh don't mind him. I'm sure he's really happy and tearing up for me that I finally got the girl of my dreams to be my girlfriend."
"Who said anything about me being your girlfriend?" she chided as she threw a towel at him. "Take a shower already, I don't want your smell in my bed."
"Oh, Babs, you never change."
"Well, I'm glad you did."