CW's Nightwing

by The 3rd dragneel

He was an acrobat. He was Robin. But most importantly...he was the son of the Bat. But now, in order to protect the city of Bludhaven, he must be someone else. He must be...something else. There will be changes in the Arrowverse. M for any sex and swearing. Elements mixed from the comics and Teen Titans TV show.

2. Chapter 2: Cheshire

How's it going everyone? The 3rd Dragneel, coming back with the second chapter of Nightwing. I'm sorry it took a while for this chapter to come out, but I've been too busy with school, as well as coming up with something original for this story. I want to build this story up like a tv show: having the Hero deal with criminals and their own personal lives while also building up to the main baddie of the 'season.' I might fail at it, I might be able to actually make it good. No idea how you guys think, but I'll give it a shot.

With Arrow ending next year and Batwoman taking its place, I think, like Endgame, the Arrowverse will feel rather empty without the man who started it all. When I reach a certain point, I will have Oliver and Dick meet since I can actually see the dynamic between those two.

EndlessGalaxies97: Well, you never know what gems you can find on this website. Plus I don't know if this story will pick up at all. Never really saw Jane the Virgin, and the only reason I referenced it is because it was in the CW. As for Zoo…...I love that book. James Patterson is such a good author.

Kival737101: Thanks pal.

Michn: Nah, I'll try to come up with a good cast for all of you to see since…...Titans is too dark, figuratively and quite literally.

Spnfandom8: I think you'll like this chapter since I'm introducing a certain female villain.

To recap: Richard 'Dick' Grayson struck yet another arms deal in the harbor, with some of the police discussing what to do with him. He, along with his partner Andre Williams, begin to investigate the murder of a drug store owner. Finding the location, Dick donned his Nightwing outfit and struck before any police could. In a flashback, young Richard and his family, known as the Flying Graysons, were performing their first ever stunt without the use of a safety net. Unfortunately, the entire stunt was a trap and young Richard was forced to watch both of his parents fall to their deaths.

What will happen with the Nightwing this time? Will the police capture him? Let's find out…..

'STAGG Enterprises building, Bludhaven. 9:33 PM'

"Yes, I just got off work….no, I didn't forget Ashley's birthday. I have her present right here." Exiting a large building, with the words 'STAGG Enterprises' in the front, a simple business man, mid 30s, blonde hair, boyish charm, was currently walking through the rather dirty streets of North Bludhaven, briefcase in one hand and his phone pressed against his right ear. The man winced a bit at the loud voice speaking from his phone. "Look, I'm sorry for missing the cake and the party, but Mr. Stagg wanted this project finished and if I didn't meet the deadline, he would've fired me. I'll make it up to her, and to you. This weekend, we can go away. He said I was getting a raise tomorrow." The man turned the corner, watching several homeless men warming their hands from a fire inside of a trash can. "Maybe I should get another job, one that doesn't keep me away from my ladies." He lightly smiled as the voice on the other end spoke up with a softer tone."Okay, well give her a kiss from me and I'll see you in a bit…...I love you too, bye." With that, the man hung up, a satisfied expression on his face. He eventually reached his 2003 Honda Civic. Reaching into his pockets, the man pulled out his keys before inserting their in the lock. However, as he opened the door, he felt….something watching him. Looking over his shoulder, he found no one. With a shrug, he entered his car, putting his keys in the ignition.

But as he turned the key…..and car remained still. "The hell?" Confused, the man turned the key again, yet the engine still didn't start up. "No, no, no. You have to be kidding me." He let out a frustrated sigh, looking up at his rearview mirror.

However, the moment he did…..he saw a figure standing behind his car, the shadows of the night sky shielded their identity. The man jumped in surprise as the figure continued to look at him with a small head tilt. 'Who the hell?' The man exited his car, looking at the mysterious figure. "Can I help you?"

"..."

"Hello?" The man asked with a raised brow. All the figure did was reach into their pocket. "Hey, hey. Let's not do this. You want money? My car? You got-"

*Stab*

"GUAH!" Faster than he could see, the man was suddenly impaled in the stomach by some sharp object. Coughing out some blood, the man looked down, only to see a silver Sai lodged in his chest. Before he could even attempt to pull it out, another Sai was thrown, stabbing his heart. With what little life he had, the man attempted to get a better look at his assailant, but the pain from the weapons caused him to fall backwards, his blood slowly pouring through the gutters.

"Sorry for this love. It wasn't personal." The assailant said, though due to blood loss, the man could barely hear it. They walked up to the car, opening the passenger's side and taking the man's briefcase. "Just business."

"Ash….leeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyy…." Was all the man was able to muster, tears running down his eyes before his life ended just like that.

On the dashboard of his car….was a picture of him, a brown haired woman and a young 8-year-old girl with chin length blonde hair.

But in Bludhaven, one death didn't matter.

'The next morning'

*Punch*Punch*Punch*

'I need to be faster.'

*Punch*Punch*

'More training, more gear. I need to keep up with the crime.'

*Punch*Punch*Punch*Punch*

'Maybe I should call Lucius, have him upgrade the suit. Then again, he might be busy trying to keep Wayne Enterprise from being left behind. And if I asked him…..he might call Bruce.'

*PUNCH*PUNCH*PUNCH*

"WOAH, WOAH, WOAH! Easy Grayson, you win."

"Huh?" Dick Grayson was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of his partner. The first thing he saw was the exhausted face of Andre Williams, wearing a grey tank top, black shorts and a set of blue boxing gloves. 'That's right, we were sparring.'

Currently, Dick and Andre were inside Carlton's Gym, their usual hotspot whenever they wanted to train. The two decided to have a little boxing match to improve their reflexes, though it looked like Dick's mind was someplace else. He was currently wearing a simple white tank top, grey pants and red boxing gloves.

"Sorry about that. Guess my mind was in the clouds again." Dick said with an apologetic smile.

"Mind in the clouds? Dick, you looked like you were trying to beat the crap out of something." Andre said while walking up to his gym bag, pulling out his towel and water bottle. He took a swig of it before cleaning his face. "What's up? Too much stress?"

"Yeah, you could say that." Dick said while taking out his own water bottle, gulping down the cool liquid before pouring some of it on his scalp. "Sorry if I left a bruise on your pretty face."

"Oh sure, one black eye and all the ladies stay clear. Funny Dick." Andre said with a roll of his eyes as he and Dick exited the boxing ring. "Just cause I haven't had a date in a month doesn't mean I'm not trying. You get more numbers than I do. Mind sharing?" Dick simply chuckled at his friend's words, cleaning his face from the sweat he produced.

"Sure. Hey, maybe if we get lucky, we can double date." Dick suggested, getting a smirk from Andre.

"That'd be something."

*Vrrrrr*

Both males perked up as their phones began to vibrate. Curious, Dick and Andre turned on their phones, only to frown at the text message they received. With a silent agreement, the two males grabbed their things before heading towards the changing rooms.

'Halyard St, sometime later'

The moment Dick and Andre arrived, they were greeted with the flashing lights of the other police cruisers. Several police were interviewing the local citizens who were attempting to see what had happened. "The chief said the vic was a STAGG Enterprises employee, which means it must be big." Andre said as he and Dick exited his Police Cruiser. As they approached the Caution tape, one of the officers pulled it up just enough for them to enter. "They say he wasn't killed by a gun."

"Whatever happened will get the attention of Simon Stagg, so we should expect a visit from him." Dick said with an even tone. He had studied Simon Stagg when he was younger and to say he wasn't a fan would be a big understatement. The rumors of how Stagg stole ideas from his workers and fire them not long after was disgusting. So many good people were put out of work because of him, which is a reason why he would never enter the Business Industry. The two detectives arrived at the Honda Civic, where Chief Hunter and a few other detectives were gathered. The vigilante looked at the lifeless body of the victim with a serious expression. "Who is he?"

"Justin Michaels, age 35, STAGG Enterprise employee for 4 years." Hunter said while taking out a cigarette, lighting it with a match. He took a small puff, staring at the car. "Looks like a robbery, except he's only missing one item."

"One?" Andre asked while kneeling down to the body. He narrowed his eyes at the two stab marks located on Justin's stomach and heart. "One clean stab to the heart, and one in the stomach. It isn't the typical MO of a criminal who's desperate for money."

"No kidding." Another detective said before pulling out a small evidence bag, which contained Justin's bloody wallet. "If it was, then why would they leave the wallet?"

"You said there was one thing missing. What is it?" Dick asked the Chief.

"We called STAGG Enterprise. Some of Michaels' coworkers say that he left work with a briefcase that contains plans for some invention. I can never get into that robotic bullshit." Hunter said while dragging out some of his cigarette. "Stagg said he would come by tomorrow from Central City, but he wouldn't say anything about what Michaels was holding."

"Yeah, that sounds like something Stagg would say." Dick said as he looked through the window of the car. "Mind if I see what's on the inside of the car?" Though he raised a brow, Hunter simply gave him a nod. Reaching into his pockets, Dick pulled out a pair of plastic gloves, putting them on each hand before he opened the door. If his hunch was correct, then this whole case could be turned upside down. Running his hands through the surface, Dick's blue eyes looked at the side of the car wheel. He pulled the side of it off, revealing the wires that help the car function. A smile crept on his face as he noticed a wire that was cut. "Chief, this was planned."

"Planned? Just what the hell are you talking about, Grayson?" Hunter asked as he leaned in towards Dick, who pulled out the cut wire.

"This wire was cut, which would stop the car from starting up. If nothing else was taken, then it's obvious that the briefcase was the main target. They had to have known that he had the plans, as well as what car he would drive, so they would need to break in, cut the wire and lock the door to draw no suspicion." Dick pretends to try and start the car before looking at his rearview mirror. "He would try to start the car, and when it doesn't start, the killer would stand behind their car to bring them out. When he sees them, he might've opened the door to see who it is, which would give them the chance to stab him twice. The rest speaks for itself." Hunter looked at Dick for a moment before nodding.

"You might slack off on your cases, but damn is your mind sharp Grayson. Good work." Hunter said while taking another puff out of his cigarette. "We'll call his family to let them know of his death, maybe they know something about what's in the briefcase. Ask around for any clues on who killed Michaels. That's all." And with that, the Chief walked away. Two officers walked up to the body before covering it with a white sheet.

'No one could've killed him that fast. They would need to know where to stab.' Dick thought with a serious tone. 'I'll need the coroner's report to find a possible suspect.' He rubbed his face a bit before looking around. 'Just another day in Bludhaven I guess.'

However, little did Dick know….the killer was watching from the crowd, a tiny smile on their face before they walked away, almost as if they weren't even there in the first place.

'Flashback, fourteen years ago'

Haley's Circus was known for its amazing performances, and whenever they traveled to a new country, hundreds upon hundreds of citizens would come to watch.

That being said, the last thing anyone would expect to happen inside the red and white tent…...was a double homicide.

"Alright everyone, please move along. We have work to do." A man in his 40s with auburn hair with grey on the sides of his head, a bushy mustache and blue eyes, wearing a brown coat, a fedora and matching pants said to several bystanders. This was James 'Jim' Gordon, a police commissioner from Gotham, and he was currently working with the local police to solve the murder of John and Mary Grayson. Several of his fellow officers were either speaking with the circus performers or searching for any clue as to what caused their death.

"Jim." An all too familiar voice called out from the right. Jim turned his head, only to see Bruce Wayne walking up to the caution tape with a serious expression. "Have you found any evidence connected to the murder?" Bruce asked, which felt off, given his playboy status.

"I can't say, but from the looks of it, it was clear that the rope was cut just before the Flying Graysons went on." Jim said as he looked at the body bags which held the corpses of the two adult Graysons. The Commissioner let out a sigh before looking at Bruce. "It's a little too familiar, isn't it?" The black haired male couldn't deny what Gordon was saying. He looked around and found the youngest of the Graysons sitting on a nearby bench, a blanket covering his small body as he looked down. If one were to look closer, they could see some tears running down his cheeks.

"Does he have any family?" Bruce asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"No, he doesn't." Jim said with a sympathetic look on his face. "Far as we know, his parents were the only ones he had. No one else in the circus is related to him. We'll need to send him to foster care." Bruce clenched his jaw at Jim's words. He was never a fan of foster care, though he himself hadn't been put in it due to his Family's wealth. "Alright, I need to talk to him about who he thinks might've done this. I'll see you later, Mr. Wayne." And with that, James Gordon walked towards the young Grayson. Bruce took the chance to look at the broken rope swing with narrowed eyes.

'Polypropylene. It's strong enough to hold for years. Someone must have cut it just enough so that it would break the next time someone would use it. But why target Acrobats?' Bruce thought while putting his hands in his pockets. 'I'll need to investigate more closely later.'

Richard Grayson was distraught, to say the least. It had taken some time to pull him away from his deceased parents, what with him attempting to scream at anyone who would even come close to touching them. It was only thanks to Mr. Haley that young Richard had calmed down, though he still allowed himself to cry. Being so caught up in his own world, Richard simply ignored the footsteps coming towards him.

"Richard, is it?" Gordon asked softly, only to get no response. "Can I sit down?" Again, Gordon got no answer, though he sat down regardless. "I'm sorry son. No one deserves to lose their parents like that."

"It…...it shouldn't have happened." Richard said quietly.

"What was that?" Gordon asked while leaning closer.

"That guy, the one who was threatening Mr. Haley….it had to be him." Richard said, holding his hands close, biting his lip out of frustration. Gordon placed a hand on his back in an attempt to calm him down.

"Start from the top, son. Anything you know can help us." Gordon said with a parental tone, getting Richard to look at him with tear filled eyes. He wiped the would be tears away before nodding.

"T-There was….there was this guy that came to the Circus yesterday. I was feeding the elephants when I heard that man yelling at Mr. Haley. I saw him before we went on, and I tried to tell my mom and dad, but….they said I should tell them later." Richard gritted his teeth as more tears began to burn in his eyes. "I w-wanted to tell someone, but Mr. Haley said he would f-figure something out. If I told someone, my parents wouldn't….." Hearing enough, Gordon pulled the young acrobat into a one arm hug, allowing him to cry fully. Being a parent himself, Gordon had a soft spot for children, and seeing one who suffered something like this was tragic. However, there was one thing he needed to tell the boy.

"I know you feel like it's your fault, but it isn't. You wanted to keep your family and Haley alive." Gordon said before pulling away from the young man. "But right now, we need to put you in Foster Care."

"W-What?" Richard asked with wide eyes. "N-No, the circus is my home. Mr. Haley's like an uncle."

"I understand, but if the man you described saw your face, then he'd want to make sure you…..stay quiet." Gordon said in a way that wouldn't scare the boy. "We'll make sure you find a good home, one where you can live a good life." Heartbroken, Richard put his hands on his head, hanging it in shame. How could one thing change his whole world? He grew up in Haley Circus, made friends with everyone here, and now he was expected to leave? It was too much for his young mind.

"I think I can help." Both Jim and Richard raised their heads as Bruce walked up to the two, a small smile on his face. He kneeled down to reach Richard's level. "Hi, my name's Bruce. You're Richard, right?" The young man nodded shyly. Wouldn't you if you were meeting such a famous person like Bruce Wayne. "I'm…...sorry for what happened. Trust me, I know exactly what you're going through, and I want to help."

"Mr. Wayne, with all due respect, how would you be helping?" Gordon asked with a raised brow. Bruce looked at Richard straight in the eye and saw…...himself as a young boy, crying out in the sky as blood poured out of the bodies of his parents. He knew exactly what Richard was feeling: hopelessness, anger, regret….bloodlust. He was lucky to have Alfred pull him out of his depression, but Richard would be alone until he finds a new family, and who knows how long that would take. His inner darkness could take over by the time he finds a family….and there was no way in hell Bruce Wayne would allow that to happen.

So with a small smile, Bruce Wayne say something that would change Richard Grayson's life forever.

"I'll adopt him."

'Flashback end'

Dick Grayson was hard at work, typing at his work computer. He would occassionally take a sip of his coffee to keep himself awake as he tried to search through the Police Database. '100 cases come in every month, yet none relate to this murder.' Dick thought while wiping his face. While he never regretted working with the Bludhaven Police Department, but even he had bad days, and this was one of them. 'There has to be a case like this one.'

"Hey." Dick pulled away from his computer to look at Sofia, who had a small frown on her face.

"Hey, someone have a bad cup of joe?" Dick couldn't help but joke with a smile.

"I heard about the case today. Is the wife here?" Sofia asked while sitting on the edge of Dick's desk.

"Maybe, I don't know. The case has been a hassle to solve." Dick said while turning his computer screen to show Sofia. "Zero matches for any murders that involve certain points in the body. Whoever did this was a professional."

"And I thought Gotham was the place for these kinds of people." Sofia said with a sigh. "You were raised there, right?"

"Yeah, and let me tell you: Bludhaven's a little cleaner." Dick said with a smile. "Then again, things do get hectic with all the crime going around."

"E-Excuse me?" A new female voice called out from behind the two. Turning their heads, the two saw a woman in her 30s, with chin length brown hair and brown eyes. Next to her was a young 8-year-old girl with blond hair, big brown eyes and was wearing a green schoolgirl's outfit.

"Yes, can we help you?" Dick asked, turning his computer back in place.

"W-We would…...we would like to k-know where the morgue is." The woman said with a small stutter, clearly upset about something.

"Sure, but can I ask why?" Dick said, even though the answer felt self explanatory.

"Momma?" The little girl asked, holding her mother's hand. The woman wrapped a hand around hers before looking at the detective and officer.

"M-My husband was…..murdered recently." The woman finally said while swallowing a lump in her throat. "T-They said I should come…..to see the body. I just…...I don't-"

"I understand." Dick said while standing up. "Come with me, Mrs…..."

"Ruby Michaels, and this is my daughter, Ashley." The woman now known as 'Ruby' said while gesturing towards her daughter.

"Detective Dick Grayson. This is my colleague, Sofia Flores." Dick said while extending a hand, which Ruby shook.

"Wait." Sofia called out while looking at Dick. "We can't let a kid see this." Dick couldn't help but agree with his colleague. Having a child see the body of their father in a morgue would scar them for life. "I can take her to the daycare room if you want." Ruby tightened her grip on her daughter's hand before giving Sofia a nod.

"Ashley, sweetie." Kneeling down to her daughter's level, Ruby gave her daughter a tiny smile. "Can you go with the nice police woman while mommy….finsihes what she has to do?"

"But what about daddy?" Ashley asked with a sad look on her face. Ruby bit her lower lip before she found her voice.

"Mommy needs to…...make sure they have daddy. When I'm done, I'll pick you up and we can…..go wherever you want, okay?" The young girl pondered a bit at her mother's request before she nodded sadly. Seeing this, Sofia kneeled next to Ruby, giving Ashely a smile.

"Hey." Sofia asked, getting Ashley's attention. "You know, I know about a room that can show all the cartoons you want and a vending machine with some tasty candy. You wanna come with me?" The way Sofia talked was….rather soft, given how she would usually tease Dick and the others. Still, it looked to be enough to motivate Ashley as she grabbed Sofia's hand before the two walked away.

"She's in safe hands, Mrs. Michaels. Don't worry." Dick said with a reassuring tone, getting her to nod before the two began to walk towards the morgue. "If you don't mind me asking, what was your husband working on?"

"Oh, Justin doesn't talk about his work at home. He's…..secretive about what he does." Ruby said with a reluctant tone, something Dick was able to pick up.

"And what does he do?" Dick asked, trying his best not to sound too forward.

"He helps with the designs for STAGG Industries that could…...benefit from helping certain people." Ruby said, rubbing her wedding ring as Dick opened the doors to the morgue. "I'm sorry, but can we….talk about this later?"

"No, I understand. Sorry." Dick apologized as the two reached the Morgue window, where another officer was currently stationed in, reading a newspaper. "Excuse me." The officer lowered his newspaper to look at Dick and Ruby.

"Can I help you?" The officer asked while putting the newspaper down.

"I was…...called to see the body of…." Ruby swallowed hard, trying her best not to cry. "M-My husband, Justin Michaels."

"Michaels, huh? Case number 1355…." The officer began to type on his computer before nodding. "Okay, he's in there. You're clear to go in."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Dick asked Ruby, who shook her need.

"No, I…..need to see this alone. But thank you, Detective." Ruby said with a small smile, which Dick returned before she entered the morgue. Thanks to the small windows on the door, he was able to see everything transpire. One of the doctors inside pulled a gurney with a bodybag on top. He frowned at the look of fear on Ruby's face before the doctor opened the body bag. It was at that moment her expression changed from fear to sadness as she began to cry heavily, cupping her hands on her face.

"Never gets easy to see a widow crying for her dead husband." The officer in the window said to Dick, a frown on his face. "Especially with the kind of case this is."

"What do you mean?" Dick asked with his arms crossed.

"Well…" Opening his file cabinet, the officer rummaged through it before pulling out a file with the initials J.M on the tab, handing it to Dick. "The puncture wounds aren't your street weapons. Stab wounds match the pattern with japanese Sais."

"Sais…." Dick opened the file, reading every note the coroner had written about the victim. "It says here the weapons weren't stabbed through the vic's chest and stomach all the way."

"And the way the blood splattered on the scene suggests that the Sais were thrown, which means our 'ninja'was standing behind the car prior to the murder." The officer said before sighing itredly. "God, why the hell do people need to use this 'special' weapons when guns are still on the table? Makes our job even harder." Dick closed the file before handing it over to the officer, walking away. "Hey, what about the widow?"

"Tell her I'll look into her husband's case." Dick said without turning around, exiting the morgue. The officer just stared at him before shrugging and returning to his newspaper, trying to see who won last night's game.

'Elsewhere'

*Squeak*

The sound of a shower handle turning echoed through the room of a rather luxurious hotel room. The occupant in the bathroom opened the shower door, allowing steam to escape. They wrapped a red towel around their slim body before exiting the bathroom. Once the steam cleared up, the occupant of the room was revealed to be a female of asian descent, with white skin, long black hair that reached her back and green eyes. She let out a satisfied sigh, stretching her aching muscles before lying down on her queen sized bed. "Ahh, there's nothing more satisfying than a warm shower." The woman said to herself, staring at the ceiling. Perhaps she'll go out later and shop, though Bludhaven didn't have much in the way of fashion. Then again, it was a rough city, and she liked it.

*Vroom*Vroom*

The woman was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of her phone vibrating. She picked it up before looking at the caller I.D, letting out a sigh before she answered it. "Yes?"

"Do you have it?" A male voice called out from the phone.

"Of course I do. But I am curious about what it has." The woman said, examining her nails.

"I'm not paying you to snoop around. I paid you to steal Michael's briefcase." The speaker said with an annoyed tone.

"Which only has half of the plans inside." The woman said, getting the speaker's attention.

"...what?" The woman pulled the briefcase from under her bed, opening it.

"Some of the notes are missing, which means the man I killed hid the other half." The woman answered before closing the briefcase. She could hear the speaker grumbling to himself before he spoke up.

"The only other person I know who might have it…...is his wife." The speaker said, getting a raised brow from the woman. "You need to break into his house and find the rest of the notes."

"I suppose I could….for a price." The woman said with a knowing tone.

"You want MORE money?! I'm already paying you a fortune for this! Why would I pay more money for one job?" The speaker shouted in anger, though the woman had a calm smile.

"How do you think the Bludhaven police department would react to finding your…...secret experiments, Mr. Stagg?" The woman said, her smile growing as she heard the man, now identified as Mr. Stagg, took a deep breath.

"FINE. There'll be a five thousand dollar bonus for getting the other half of the notes. If you get it and bring it to me, you'll get the rest of the money, is that clear?" Stagg said, doing his best to control his anger. A light laugh escaped the woman's mouth before she responded.

"Very well. Send me the address and I'll find the other half. A pleasure working with you." And with that, the woman hung up her phone. It was so satisfying to make a man act the way Stagg did, and now she was going to get an extra five thousand dollars just to break into a house. It was rather early to break in, so she would need to wait until night to finish the job. "Oh well, I suppose I have some time to myself." Standing up from the bed, the woman walked up to the drawer before opening it. Inside were a variety of clothes…..

…...and a white cheshire mask with red markings.

Jade Nguyen, also known as the Cheshire Cat, will strike tonight.

'Interrogation room, Bludhaven Police Department, late afternoon'

It had taken some time to calm Ruby Michaels down after discovering that her husband was indeed the murder victim of case number 1355, though no one could blame her. Sofia had taken the responsibility of taking care of Ashley, keeping her company until her mother comes to pick her up. After wiping away her tears, Ruby had agreed to be interviewed by the police in order to provide any information needed to solve her husband's murder.

Currently, Ruby was sitting in one of the interrogation rooms, a box of tissues next to her as she waited for her interview to commence. The door to the room opened, revealing Andre Simmons, who had a file under his armpit while his hands held two cups of coffee. "Ms. Michaels, thank you for waiting." Andre said as he sat across from the brown haired female, sliding her a cup of coffee. "How're you feeling?"

"Better…...in a way." Ruby said while picking up the coffee, sipping it a bit before she made a face.

"Sorry. I guess I should've told you the coffee here isn't the best." Andre joked, earning a small smile from the woman. He then placed the file on the table before opening it, revealing a small picture of Justin Michaels, along with a work form with the STAGG Industries label on it. "You said you had some information regarding your husband's death. Do you think you can tell me?" Ruby stayed silent, looking at the liquid in her cup while trying to find her voice. "Take your time. I know it's difficult to talk about him know."

"Thank you." Ruby said with a genuinely appreciative tone. "I….I can't tell you much other than Justin….working long hours in STAFF Enterprises. He and Mr. Stagg…..work closely with one another." Thanks to his years of experience, Andre was able to see that Ruby was hiding something, and from the looks of things, it involved Simon Stagg.

"Were there…...problems between your husband and his boss?" Andre asked with a calm tone. He hit the nail on the head as Ruby flinched at the question. "Ruby….."

"Justin….had issues with the things Mr. Stagg…..demanded of him." Ruby admitted with a sigh. She knew she couldn't point fingers, but from what Justin said, this might at least help the police narrow their search.

However, Ruby's confession wasn't heard by Andre. Behind the one way mirror in the interrogation room were Chief Hunter, Dick Grayson and several other detectives. They all listened in closely, though none more than Grayson.

"What kind of issues?" Andre asked.

"You've heard of the controversy behind STAGG Enterprise, right?" Ruby asked Andre, who nodded. "Well…..one night, Justin came home. I made dinner for him, and when I saw him….he looked like he saw a dead body. I asked him what was wrong, and he told me…"

"What did he tell you?" Andre pressed on. Ruby swallowed a lump of saliva for her dry throat before she spoke up.

"He said "I thought we were working on saving humanity, but…...we've had to kill to get any results." I tried to calm him down, but he just kept saying that he was a murderer. When I asked if he could transfer to a new project, he said that Mr. Stagg chose him for his expertise and that if he chose to leave, he would be out of a job." Ruby cupped her hands together while squeezing them tightly. "Ever since that day, he's been having trouble sleeping. I told him he should find another line of work, but he said that he might have…..found a way to expose the truth."

"Which is why he had the briefcase." Chief Hunter said while drinking his own cup of coffee. "Stagg must've figured Michaels was about to expose him, so he had him killed and stole the case so no one would ever find the truth. Not bad, Stagg."

"Chief, should we arrest Stagg when he gets here?" One of the detectives asked, only for the Chief to shake his head.

"We need more evidence if we're gonna arrest that bastard. I want all of you to trace any calls Stagg might've made. Maybe we'll find a clue in his phone records." Chief Hunter said before he looked at his watch. "I need to go speak with the Mayor about something now, so get to work." Nodding in understanding, the detectives began to disperse, though Dick remained in place, watching Andre console Ruby. "Grayson?"

"I hear you, Chief." Dick said, not taking his eyes off the woman. "I've heard about the protests on STAGG Enterprise to know that Simon Stagg isn't above muder." He then turned to the Chief with a serious expression. "He might not have killed Justim Michaels, but there's a chance he might've hired the person who did, which makes him just as guilty."

"I admire the courage Grayson, but don't get yourself killed out there. You're not a one man army." With that, the Chief walked away, leaving Grayson alone.

'You have no idea Chief.' Dick thought before he turned away from the window, ready to don his other uniform.

Tonight, he was going to find the person who killed Justin Michaels and prove Simon Stagg guilty, whatever it takes.

'Flashback'

"Are you sure I should do this, Mr. Haley? I don't wanna leave you guys." Richard said to the owner of Haley Circus, a sad frown on his face. It had been a full day since Bruce Wayne offered to adopt the only child of the Grayson family and to say the circus was surprised would be an understatement. Some of them offered to take the young man in, though the police were rather skeptical about that due to the investigation. Still, the fact that Bruce Wayne of all people was going to be the adoptive father of Richard Grayson was a hard pill to swallow, but it wasn't like he was the worst choice.

Mr. Haley wouldn't help but smile at the boy he saw as a nephew, his ringleader attire discarded as he placed both hands on Richard's shoulders. "You are leaving us, Richard." Haley said in a soft tone. "You're leaving us to find a better life. One where you won't have to worry about men like Zucco." He squeezed his shoulders a bit, his smile faltering slightly. "I know your parents would want that for you." At the mention of his parents, Richard looked down sadly, clenching his fists. "I'm sorry Richard, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be Mr. Haley. I know you wouldn't have done something to hurt anyone." Sucking in some air, Richard looked at the round man with a big grin. "If anything, I'm sure they'd want you to keep the circus open!"

'Even after everything…..he can still forgive me. You've raised a fine boy John, Mary.' A lone tear ran down Haley's eye as he embraced the young boy as tight as he could, making Richard smile as he returned the embrace. The other performers couldn't help but smile at the touching moment between the two. They were sad that Richard was leaving, but like Haley said, it was for the best.

It wasn't until the trunk from a certain elephant tapped the young man on the shoulder. Richard pulled away from Mr. Haley's embrace to smile at the elephant of the circus troupe, a saddened expression on its face. "I'm gonna miss you too, Sidca." Richard confessed while hugging the elephant, which wrapped its trunk around his body.

Not too far from the group was none other than Commissioner Gordon, who watched their interaction from the side of his car with a sad frown. He didn't want to separate the boy from the people who acted like his family, but Wayne signed the paperwork, and at least Richard could grow up to be something he wanted. 'Don't worry kid, we'll find Zucco.' Jim thought with a serious expression before he began to walk to pick up Richard.

"And remember son, you're always welcomed in this family." Haley reminded the young boy, getting him to nod. Jim Gordon walked up to everyone and motioned Richard to follow him. Frowning sadly, the last member of the Grayson family looked at the circus troupe before he moved towards Jim, who wrapped an arm around him while moving him towards his car. Unable to keep his tears at bay, Mr. Haley pulled out a handkerchief to wipe them away. The Commissioner opened the back door, beckoning Richard to enter. With his bags in the trunk, Richard sat in the soft brown seat, looking back at his circus troupe with a sad frown. He heard the Commissioner enter the driver's seat, turning the car on. Seeing the young boy look at them, the circus performers all began to wave goodbye, with some attempting to hold back their sad tears.

'Goodbye Mr Haley, Sidca…..everyone.' Richard thought with tears coming down his eyes as Commissioner Gordon began to drive the two of them away from the circus he had called home, the family he had made slowly shrinking from view until they were nothing but dots.

Today…...Richard Grayson was a Haley's Circus performer no more.

'Flashback end'

"We're almost home, sweetie." Ruby said while looking at the rear view mirror of her Tesla to look at her daughter, who was looking at her window. The mother/daughter duo had left the Bludhaven police department some time ago and now they were en route home to rest after the tragedy that was today. "Was the police woman nice to you?"

"Yes mama." Ashley responded, not even looking back at her mother, making her frown. Officer Flores had told her that Ashley was worried about her, and that she barely did any of the homework she brought. It was rather concerning to say the least.

"Do you want macaroni and cheese for dinner?" Ruby asked while making a left turn.

"No thank you. I'm not hungry." Ashley repiled, devoid of any energy, much to her mother's concern.

"You need to eat, sweetie. What about meatloaf?"

"Daddy liked meatloaf." Ashley answered, causing Ruby's eyes to widen. "He isn't coming back, is he?" A raspy breath escaped Ruby's lips as she looked at the rearview mirror, only to see her daughter looking at her with small tears in her eyes. "Why can't he come back, Mama? Does he not like me anymore?"

"N-N-No honey, he doesn't hate you." Ruby swallowed a lump in her throat, trying to find the right words to say to her daughter. "He's…...in a better place, somewhere he won't be hurt. I know he's watching us."

"Like grandpa and grandma?" Ashley asked, wiping her tears away. A sad smile appeared on Ruby's face as she nodded.

"Yeah, just like grandma and grandpa. Don't worry, I'm sure he's happy, but if we're always sad, then he's sad. Can you try to be happy?" Ruby asked(though it sounded like she was pleading). Fortunately, her daughter didn't pick it up and smiled.

"Okay mama, I'll do it. For daddy."

"Right….for daddy." It would be some time until she could tell the truth about Justin, but Ruby would have to worry about that later. She could only hope that Ashely would understand the idea of death. Reaching their home address, Ruby parked the car in the driveway, turning off the vehicle. She exited the car before opening the door to allow her daughter to walk beside her. "Now do you want macaroni or meatloaf?"

"Can we have both?" Ashely asked innocently, getting a smile from her mother as she patted her head.

"Of course."

Little did the two of them know….a certain vigilante was currently watching them not too far away. Nightwing was perched on top of a nearby house, a pair of binoculars in hand as he observed the mother and daughter. To anyone else, it would've appeared as though he was stalking the two of them in an attempt to rob them…...but that wasn't the kind of person Dick was. 'They made it home alright, but why do I get the feeling it isn't that easy?' Dick thought to himself, putting his binoculars away. 'If Michaels had only half of the plans, then he must've hid the other half here. There wasn't any records of him owning a storage unit or anything. If what his wife said was true, then it has to be in his house. I just hope none of Stagg's people figured it out.' With a smile, Nightwing drew out his grapple gun. "Oh well, back to work." With that, he fired a line towards the house.

'Inside the Michaels' house'

The sound of keys shaking behind the closed door could be heard throughout the seemingly empty house. Ruby turned the doorknob before pushing the door open, allowing herself and her daughter to enter the dark house. "Okay, sweetie. Why don't you go wash up while I get your dinner ready?" Ruby said to Ashely, who nodded.

"Yes, mama. Can you put the macaroni with the meatloaf?" Ashely asked innocently, getting a chuckle from her mother.

"I wouldn't do that, little one."

Ruby and Ashely suddenly froze in place. The third voice….came from the shadows of the house. No one was with them by the time they opened the door…...so who the hell was that?

*Click*

The light to the room suddenly came to life, allowing Ruby and Ashely to see who exactly was talking to them. Sitting in the brown recliner that was previously owned by the late Justin Michaels was a female, wearing a tight, dark green kimono, a light green sash, green gauntlets with black gloves, black boots, twin sais attached to her waist…..and a chilling white with red markings on the sides.

"W-W-Who are you, and h-how did you get in my house?" Ruby was barely able to say those words. The way this intruder looked….scared her. Not only did they break into her house, but now they were just relaxing like they owned it? Her and her husband worked hard to pay for this house, dammit! "I'm calling the police." Ruby reached into her leather purse-

*Stab*

Only…...for a star shaped shuriken to strike the bag, impaling the screen of her phone, causing her to gasp while dropping it. "Mama!" Ashely grabbed onto her mother's arm, looking at the masked woman in fear.

"Having the authorities come would be rather inconvenient." The woman said in a cool tone, which sent a shiver down Ruby's spine. She crossed her legs, folding her hands together while looking at them with calm eyes. The next words she spoke caused Ruby's very soul to freeze.

"I'd like to talk…..about your husband."

So….I feel like an ass for keeping you guys away from the next chapter, considering it was almost six months ago since the first chapter. But it was hard to think of how to introduce Cheshire, as well as how characters from DC like Simon Stagg. I was kinda disappointed how Stagg was killed off after the second episode of the Flash, so I thought I should include him in this little storyline. For those who might not recognize it, this Jade Nguyen is a reference to her counterpart from Young Justice. As I have said before, I will use some of the material from various media. Don't worry, the next chapter will definitely have more action than since one since I wanted to add some emotional weight.

There are a few things I do plan on having happen in this 'season' of Nightwing: some of the Bat Family introduce, an Arrow vs Nightwing mini arc, and a hint at the Titans. If you guys have any ideas on some subjects you want me to write about, let me know.

This year will mark the end of Arrow since its 10 episode final season. First we have Endgame, now Crisis on Infinite Earths? God what a generation to be born in. I hope they write off Oliver's character the way it fits him. If not, I'm gonna be SO pissed. Don't know about Batwoman, but I might give it a shot.

Follow, Fav, Review and PM for anything.

Next time: Cat and Mouse.