Author's Note: Hai…


Chapter 2.

I was tired. Emotionally drained. Life has been pretty hard for me, setting myself up to be on my own. New city. New job. New life.

It takes some getting used to, it really does.

Well, alright, I'm not really on my own. Robin helps out. So does Oracle. The Batfamily has always close. Batman won't come here out of respect for me but I also know he'll be there, if I ask.

Tim became Robin the third about two years after Jason died, against his own better judgment too. He's nineteen now, been Robin for five years. Lucky sod got to travel abroad with his family before 'the Event'. Batman organised him training with a lot of different masters under the guise of keeping him protected and giving him the skills to protect himself. Tim went along with that, he liked to be included in our lives, but he wasn't sure about stepping into Robin's shoes. He's pensive, liked to think things through and… he knew all about Jason. We had no secrets. No one wanted that to happen again.

Then 'the Event' happened. Tim was kidnapped, completely by random kidnapping, nothing relating to Batman or Bruce, or anything like that. Just… taken. Batman charged to his rescue, we all did but we were too late. His mother was killed. His father was crippled. Bruce arranged for Tim's dad to be brought back to Gotham for the finest medical treatment, while Tim went to live with Bruce until his dad was well enough to handle life. It was a sad day for all of us.

During his mourning period, Tim decided he didn't want anyone else to have to go through what he did. If he could protect someone else from losing their mother, he would. But then, that's really the reason why we all do this.

Tim donned the mantle of Robin. We all rallied around him for months after the transition, overprotective that we are, just so we could keep him safe.

It couldn't have gone to better hands.

Of course, none of us expected that Tim's dad would die a horrible death just two years later. Tim had been present, seen it happen and it nearly broke my brother. And, unfortunately, it made him just like the rest of us. Orphans, witness to the death of our parents. The curse lived on.

Bruce was quick on the adoption uptake this time at least. Tim still had family, even if we're not biologically related.

Babs, on the other hand, became Oracle not long after Jason's death. Not wanting to risk death and lamenting about her lack of superpowers, she decided to become a wealth of intelligence for us, an information broker. Batman (under duress) set her up with her own, and substantially more powerful, computer system in a well fortified area so she can conduct her work. She hacks, gathers information, is a re-router of communications for a score of heroes, from the Titans, to the Batfamily, Birds of Prey, even the Justice League. She claims its rewarding work. Even Batman relies on her more than he ever used to as Batgirl. She picks up a lot of the slack, allowing us to concentrate on catching the criminals. I don't know where we'd all be without her.

Babs and I pretty much talk every night. Tim too, he often just nips down from Gotham on a slow night to help me out. It's good having company, having backup, having family around.

All in all, I like my life.

"Diiiiiiiiiickie boy."

I grunted, and threw my arm over my face. I'd had a rough night, several shootings and a riot. Sleep. I needed it. It wasn't fair.

"Diiiiiiiiiiick."

"Five more minutes."

Something poked me in the ribs. "I'm hurt. I thought I was special."

I edged away from the pain, keeping my eyes shut. "Five more minutes, Candy."

She poked me again. "Now, say it like you mean it."

I waved my hand at her. "Go away."

"Where's the love?" her voice asked.

"Love has nothing to do with it."

"What am I to you then?"

"A piece of ass I like to frisk every now and then."

"Ooooh," she taunted, poking me again in the stomach. "Frisk me, Dickie."

I peeked out from under my arm and grinned. A mop of brown hair around a heart shaped face and an impish grin that always makes me smile in return. Can never allows anything get her down. "Can, shoo."

She winked and pushed me off the bench. "Make me."

"Can!" I complained, now face first on the floor. "That wasn't nice." Ohh. I hurt. "Ugg," I muttered, as I arched my back in pain and stretched. "Remind me never to sleep on a bench in the locker room again."

Can grinned. "I reminded you this time, but did you listen to me? Noooooooo."

I blinked at her and rolled my eyes. "Did you want something?"

"You mean beside your hot body?" she grinned.

"Yes, beside that."

"You fell asleep, Dickie boy. We have work to do."

"What?"

"Warrant came through."

Oh… did I forget to mention Can's my boss?

Can and I have an interesting relationship. She's like ten years my senior and she's senior detective, or lead investigator, I'm the junior. She's my training officer, so I'm supposed to be learning from her, but she knows I'm better at it than she is. She just hasn't figured out why. Not that I was going to enlighten her. Apparently, she was really pissed when the then Captain told her she was getting Dick Grayson as her new junior to train. She'd thought I was a whiny, overindulged, lazy rich kid. She wised up pretty quick. Started treating me like a person, an equal, rather than tolerating me.

Our team consists of four, mainly, although the juniors tend to be interchangeable. Hackle and Rogers are on our team too, but they're normal detectives. I was pretty lucky to get this job. Most detectives need at least two years in a uniform before they can apply. I had a year in Gotham's police force, after I completed my academy training, moonlighting as Nightwing in Bludhaven so I could set up that Dick and Nightwing came at different times. As Dick, I was requesting a transfer to Bludhaven when the position of detective came up. On a whim, I applied and was almost over qualified for the position, especially with all the cramming of degrees I did in college. I aced the detective exam so well, they thought I'd cheated and I was required to sit another, closely supervised one. Which I aced. I guess I was good enough to ignore my lack of street experience. They put me on probation for a couple of cases, kept me under close watch, even now the Captain still checks up on me, but I think I've proven myself.

Can's one of the incorruptible police officers too, for which I'm grateful for. I wasn't looking forward to having to turn in a partner so quick on the job if she had been. I cleaned out our station of corruption fairly early, making it look like random acts, rather than my doing. Started with the Captain, went from there down. Without the Captain, there was no one protecting the underlings. Random drug busts, failed test results, documentation leaks, those sorts of 'accidents' occurred. All perfectly legit too.

A new set of detectives and a new Captain, Captain Burke, and now we're doing things right. Pretty sure Can's figured out that was my doing, but she's never mentioned it. I think she likes being able to make a difference.

I'm still trying to gather enough evidence to get Police Chief Redhorn out of power. I'm getting close, but more often than not he's got his tracks too well covered, in the sense I can't make anything stick by law. I don't want to make a martyr out the man. So I'm going after his underlings. Like Judge Evans. Hopefully once I start knocking some of his lackeys off their seats, his tower'll crumble. Then maybe I can get Blockbuster and his 'empire' out of Bludhaven.

It's funny though, our names. The Candied Dick, we get called at times. Doesn't tend to stick long, mainly because Can's the one that makes them pay for the slight. Mostly it's just Detective Apple and Grayson. Yes. Her name is Candice Apple. Blame her husband. She does.

She's funny, quick witted and flirty, which she never is with anyone else, unless it's Jake, her husband. Took a while for her to open up enough to reveal her true nature, and if you think she's flirting with me, you should see the stuff she pulls around Jake. I've not seen anyone enjoy teasing each other as much as those two do. She's even once thrown herself on my lap at a barbeque at her place, while he's been watching and he just laughed and offered me another beer.

Can's also a kind of mother hen to the uniforms, once you've earned her trust, she'll do anything for you. But that trust, it's hard to come by.

I jerked to attention. "Green light?"

Can smirked. "All the goddamn way."

"You're shitting me."

Can's grin got wider. "Nope," she replied, popping the 'p' and held out a bunch of papers to me.

I leafed through to the signature first. "Fuck me… Judge Harris signed it?"

"Evidence can't be ignored apparently. I have the feeling Harris doesn't want to be looked too closely at either."

I flicked back to the assignments. "What? You're kidding me. We're hitting the warehouse?"

Can nodded. "Captain wants us to take it down all at once. Hackle and Rogers are taking the Judge, We get the gang."

"They better do it properly; Judge Evans has slipped us before."

"They've been briefed, Grayson," Can said sternly, falling back on her 'I've been doing this for years, you're the junior' tone. "Hurry up, uniforms are waiting."

I could look these papers over in the car on our way. I quickly went to my locker and grabbed my gun, tacked my badge onto my belt and collected my small emergency Nightwing pouch. I fired off a quick text to Oracle, using my bat communicator not my cell, letting her know what was happening as I hurried to the cars.

Can drove, she always does, while I looked through the paperwork.

We've been chasing Judge Evans for the last few months, trying to get enough evidence for one of his fellow judges to be confident enough to sign a warrant. I'd even enlisted Robin and Oracle to help me crack this case. Judge Evans had been instrumental in releasing all the members of the Scorpions, a low life gang which was continuing to create terror in three districts within Bludhaven. Every time we managed to get one of them with enough evidence to convict, somehow the Judge would overturn the case, or cause delays until the defence managed to concoct something to have the trial thrown out.

Evans was old money. Well liked within the community with ties to the Mayor's office and the Police Chief. We were going to ruffle a lot of feathers today. His fall would be very hard, but we finally had a DA who was willing get on board and go to trial and had the skills to win. I love it when Bruce pulls strings for me, makes life that little bit easier, even if he won't admit that he did.

I double checked all the paperwork while Can drove us to the warehouse district. I wanted no foul ups, not today. Too much at stake, but Can knew that too. "How's Jake?" I asked, making conversation.

"Looking forward to my holiday," Can replied. "First proper one in three years. Two weeks in the Caribbean. Beautiful."

I had to laugh. "Good for you. Sexy lingerie, swimsuits, palm leaf fans, rocking boats, frisking, you two will be relaxed in no time."

"I think he's looking forward to the bikini more than anything," she quipped with a grin.

"What guy wouldn't?" I said, casting her a sly glance. "Besides, I bet you're looking forward to seeing him with no shirt on."

She laughed as we turned a corner. "If I want a hot body, I'll just perv on you in the showers."

Like she ever would. I rolled my eyes at her, then my eyes landed on a piece of information from the papers. "Damn it. How'd we end up with Taylor?"

"Captain thought it would be better if he screwed up under our watch, rather than under Rogers and Hackle. This way, the Judge has nothing he can slip away on."

"True."

"So, what about you? Plans while I'm away?"

I shrugged. "Just work."

"Dick, you need a life outside the police."

"I have a life outside the police. You've met Wally."

"I'm not sure Wally classifies. Besides, I mean a girlfriend."

I sighed. "Can. Don't."

"Seriously, I have a couple of girlfriends that'd—"

"I'm happy like I am."

"I know a couple of guys if that's what floats your boat, unless that's what Wally is."

"Can," I said sternly. "I don't need you to set me up."

"You've been here a year and not once have I seen you with a girl or a guy."

"I want to focus on my career right now. A girl'd just slow me down."

"Have you ever had a girlfriend? Like ever? Do you know what you're missing out on?"

I sighed again, heartfelt this time. "Yes. I know."

Can gave me a look. "Oh. Real emotion from Mr Detached. What happened? She break your heart?"

"No. More of a mutual breaking." I cast a glare at her. "Can you stop now, please? My private life is not what's under scrutiny."

"Alright, fine. So what do you plan to do while I'm away?"

I sighed and put my papers on my lap as I looked out at the street. "Well, there's a bucks night I have to go to on Friday."

"Oooh, strippers?"

"Probably. You offering?"

"Not a chance, plane leaves Thursday."

"Ahh, well."

"Who's the buck?"

"An old friend," I replied. "Wedding's next week, so I'll be taking a couple of days off then."

"Gee, you're a wealth of information today, Grayson," Can said, tart. "Give me this chick's name at least. Or this friend that's getting married. Something."

I sighed again and looked out the window, trying to ignore the pang in my chest. "Her name's Kory. I came to Bludhaven, she didn't." Thankfully, my cell phone rang then so Can couldn't question me more. I glanced at the screen, then answered. "Hey, Tim. What's up?"

"Hi, Dick. Am I on speaker?"

"Nope."

"Birdy told me you were doing that raid on the Scorpions."

"Well, that was nice of her."

"Need some backup?"

I laughed. "Are you bored?"

"A little. More, I don't want to study." He put on a pleading, teasing tone. "Save me from the homework monster."

Still chuckling, I said, "Well, I'd have to check my schedule, but I'm sure we can catch-up while you're here. As long as you don't straggle."

Tim laughed. "I'll hack it and see the plan and detain the stragglers. On it."

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

"No worries. Good luck."

"You too."

I smiled and shook my head as I hung up.

"Your brother?" Can asked.

"Yup," I said, tucking my phone away. "He's coming down later, wanted to catch up. See? I have a life."

Can just rolled her eyes at me.

The problem with being a junior detective is I have to let Can call the shots. It's all about visual experience. I can't just say to the department on a resume, I led my own team of superheroes for ten years, you know them as the Titan Network. It just doesn't work. So, on paper, Dick Grayson's only been a detective for a year and a cop for year before that.

I can advise her, she'll take my advice pretty well, most of the time. She's deferred to my direction in combat a couple of times, but mostly she doesn't. She doesn't know who I am, what I can do. Sometimes I think if I just told her, it would make my life a little bit easier.

But she hasn't earned that yet. And it's not just my identity at stake too. There's Tim, Bruce, Babs, Alfred, they all have links to me. The other Titans too, they'd all be compromised, I couldn't have that. They all had good lives, I couldn't do that to them. Hell, the only ones in the Titans that knew my civilian identity were the original four, not including Tim. My most trusted friends. Or Bruce's trusted friends, like Clarke. Oh, and Roy… huh, there's a few more people than I expected. Well, Flash too, he's my best friend after all, but he's known forever because his mentor knew my mentor and had access to the cave and an uncanny ability just to drop in whenever the hell he felt like it… well… Flash's part of the Justice League now anyway.

So, I was forced to sit back and nod in the right places as Can issued orders to the uniformed police giving us the manpower to take down the Scorpions all at once. I made sure my Kevlar vest was on properly, uncomfortable, immobile thing that it was, checked my gun, god I hate these fucking things, and made sure my badge was visible.

In my peripheral vision, I was scanning the rooftops for Robin, he usually makes himself known to me, just a small flash of movement, he knows I'll see him. Sometimes it's a game, see how well he can hide from me. Ahh, there he is. Nice spot for him.

We were positioned around the corner from the target warehouse. It was a rundown building from the outside, but intelligence suggested that its tatty appearance was just a cover. There was an assortment of wooden crates stacked up one of the outside walls. There were several broken windows on the upper level, a large chuck missing from the roof. Hard to imagine this was their weapons cache.

But then, the high tech was a dead giveaway. Surveillance cameras on the roof above the main entrance, one on the opposite building, oh, nice one Robin, that one was already disabled. Still, they had to know we were coming.

Unfortunately for me, the police department have a requirement that you have your gun out for these sorts of things. There'd be disciplinary action if I didn't draw it. I'm happy to say it's never been fired, to kill at least, wounding is a bit different; I have much better ways of taking people down than guns. Bruce's only comfortable with it as long as I only use it as a defensive mechanism and only under duress. He knows how good my aim is, I'd never kill anyone on accident. I'm probably the only one on the force that actually aims for the other gun, instead of the chest for a kill shot.

I sighed and scratched my neck. Another thing I loathed about the department was procedure. Everything had to be done by the book. To the letter of the law. If we didn't, the criminal could get a walk. If it was the Titans raiding this warehouse, we'd be done already. If Nightwing was raiding, I'd be done already.

But this was okay. This was the way I'd wanted to help Bludhaven, the two fronts. This had been my choice, my decision.

"Ready, Dick?" Can asked, her hand on my shoulder.

I smiled. "Born ready."

It all happens rather quick from there. We all rush the warehouse, our gun waving, our badges out. There's a general chorus of, "Police, freeze!" as we bashed down the door and rushed into the building and saw members of the Scorpion gang.

Who, of course, yelped and scattered like roaches under a light, leaving all sorts of evidence all over the place. Drugs, smoke hazed room. Illegal gambling. Open weapon crates.

Seriously, guy. Guns. Point blank. We have superior numbers. You don't. What's the point of running?

Oh, did I mention, Robin's out there, lurking out of the way. Who would you rather take you out? The Bludhaven police force? Or a birdarang or a gas pellet to the chest and wake up in jail anyway.

The Scorpions have ranks, the more elaborate the scorpion tattoo on their arm, the higher rank they are. They always display it proudly, wearing sleeveless tanks and parading around as though they're god's gift to humanity, arrogant bastards. So, the instant I'm in the dank, damp and smoke filled warehouse, I'm scanning their arms for the leaders.

Five. Nice. We've managed to catch five of them in the same place, all at once. Goodie. And… oh... holy fuck.

I nudged Can. "Can, five high ranking here, and guess what? Red shirt, green Mohawk, up the back. He's the fucking ringleader."

Can swivelled her gun toward him, but the ringleader was already running. "Go," she told me and jerked her head. "Right behind you."

No need to tell me twice. I was off, hurrying after the ring leader, ducking and weaving between cops already arresting criminals and reading them their rights. I mentally marked the other leader targets, send a quick coded message through to Robin, so he'd catch them if they slipped out, and disappeared behind the boxes where the ringleader had gone.

Life as a cop is never easy. If I'd come as Nightwing, the idiot would probably never have thought he could take me with a crowbar. As Dick, I'd learnt the fine art of movements which appear accidental and somehow also manage to get me out of harm's way. So when the crowbar came arching toward my head as I rounded a crated corner after him, oh, look, shiny penny on the ground.

Drop and sweep his legs, point the gun at his face when he's lying on the ground. "Make a move, dirtbag."

It's no fun when they come easy, and this bastard's the kind of arrogant guy that will never submit unless I've worked for it. Or he's outnumbered.

I could see myself through his eyes. Scrawny looking cop, stupidly protected by his Kelvar and hiding behind his gun. I liked to wear sweaters to work, they hide the muscle I work so hard on. You can't really tell unless you know me.

Idiot kicked at my gun with his iron capped boot and I had to move out of the way. As I did so, he pulled his own piece on me. Bigger gun of course, they all have superiority complexes and size issues. I smirked. Compensating much?

Of course, I didn't expect him to fire it straight away. Most of the time, they like to banter and brag first, but this one, he just opened fire. I was in the way. I needed to be swatted.

Thank god for Kevlar. Thank god for prodigious reflexes and I was able to move so the fucking bullet hit me in the chest, rather than in the head where he was aiming. And because even with Kelvar, a bullet to the chest fucking hurts, I went down.

Not as far down as the asshole that shot me thought I was going to. He scrambled to his feet, raising his gun for another go at me. I kicked at him, catching his gun hand. I placed my hands up behind my head and curved my back, kicking at him again as I flipped back onto my feet, to lift the gun up again.

Can, having been alerted by the gunshot, poked her gun around the corner, her body protected by the crates. "Freeze! Dick, you okay?"

The gun twitched toward Can. "You really don't want to do that," I snapped, bringing the muzzle back toward me.

"Drop your weapon!" Can shouted, and I felt several more cops arrive as back up.

The corner of my vision flicked, bringing a new player into my awareness, but I could tell it was Robin on top of some crates, lurking in the back. He must have heard the shot, come to investigate.

The ringleader didn't drop his weapon. His eyes were calculating, cold. I could see the plan formulating in his mind. Suicide by police. Or at least, a court case in police brutality. We really needed this guy as cleanly as possible.

Around my wrist, tucked safely under the sleeve of my sweater, I always carried an emergency smoke bomb, and a fold out birdarang. Both my hands were on my gun, but a little adjustment and I'd have them free. A little flick of my fingers, a bang behind the ringleader and as he turned to look, an automatic movement for a character such as his, a birdarang was impaled in of the crates.

Just a little distraction, a small ruse, and I was able to dart in, disarm him, twist the man's hand up behind his back and have the gun pointed at his head. "You're under arrest."

He opened his hand in resignation and dropped the gun. Can came out from behind the crates and covered me while I holstered my gun and cuffed the guy.

She eyed the birdarang in the crate. "Is that Nightwing's?"

I shrugged. "I think the 'N' on it is pretty self explanatory."

"I didn't even see him around here."

"Maybe he didn't want to interfere."

I glanced up at where I'd seen Robin as I forced the ringleader into a walk so we could book him properly. Robin offered me a tiny wave, held up two fingers and pointed in the direction where there would be two leaders incapacitated. I winked in his direction.

Can bagged the birdarang as evidence. "I'll see if I can lift a print off this."

I smirked. Good luck with that, you'll never get anything you can use off it.


Author's Note: Candice Apple was created for the E'ara universe, she has a single line mention in Onset. But, since I had her character plan all mapped, it seemed a shame not to use her. I was going to use Amy, but since she was a uniformed cop, not a detective, I needed to create someone to fill that role. So, all the detectives you'll meet are mine.

Judge Evans is also a created character. Redhorn is not.

Yes, I fudged some details with the whole detective thing. They are supposed to have a minimum two years experience in America (whoops), however certain jurisdictions can change that at a whim, I discovered as I researched it. So, let's just assume, Bludhaven is one of those jurisdictions and Dick trained to be a detective within the academy too. It was either fudge the details… or something else which I can't tell you yet. Let's just say, I fudged. Also, since this is an 'Earth with Superheros', it might be safer to assume they have some different legalities.

Also, I seem to have misplaced Starfire somewhere. Need to go look for her.