Allo! Im going to keep the intro short and sweet due to production on the next chapter...
Do not own anything besides my stories...seriously...na-da... -,-
Richard had looked at the woman standing before him, he knew that she would be thrown off by nightwing appearing in her window, so he decided to show up as himself. He wondered if Bruce had already come to see her, either way he cared enough to show up and see how she was doing. She had changed from the hospital. She was now wearing black leather pants, a red flannel shirt with a black crop-top and black and white converses. She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. He flashed a smile. She still looked at him strangely.
"hey?"
"Hey, I'm glad to see that you are doing well." She still had the same stance, yet she seemed more relaxed. His years of training with Bruce helped him identify easy body movements. He noticed her eyebrow was arched.
"...and you decided to come in through the window, because?"
"hey, at least I didn't try to bust in through the door."
"Good point"
"so...where are you going?"
"out"
"ok...where?"
"honestly, I don't know...I was thinking about going home and getting completely drunk"
"Whats wrong?"
"Bruce is mad at me..."
"how can you tell?"
"he gave me a glare...I know that's not much grounds to make an accusation, but the fact that he visited me and told me I have no right to judge him. I should've known there were cameras in that freakin' elevator"
"mind if I join you tonight?"
"only if you don't mind a drunk woman laughing at various objects"
"I think I can handle that"
Johnathon Crane was busy at work in his office when he heard someone knocking at his got up and looked through the peephole at the pale faced clown that was staring at him.
"Helllooooo...Crannneee I know you're in there! Why don't ya open the door for an old friend?"
"hold on a sec" Crane was not happy to let him in but he knew if he didn't do it voluntarily then he would get in anyway.
"Hello Doc. I heard that you have a small concoction that can give someone extra firepower." John's face went stiff, he knew that the potion wasn't ready due to the lack of finished testing. But if he refused knew that Joker would take it anyway, this could be a way to kill off the one man that made him more aggravated than the Batman. He smiled and turned around with the Serum.
"Why yes I do actually"
"Mind giving me a small fix my good man?"
"I..don't know...it hasn't finished the testing stages..." trying not to seem too suspicious. The Joker grabbed him by the collar
"I'll take my chances" the joker dropped him and injected himself with the serum. The whole room began to spin in the Jokers eyes. He began to levitate and form a fireball in his hand.
"wow...hmm...I must warn you-" The joker waved him off and flew out towards old Gotham.
Emeralds appartement overlooked Gotham square. It had high ceilings, and the walls were white. The hardwood floor complimented the black leather furniture that sat in the middle of the room. The kitchen was in the corner, all was a stainless steel finish. The balcony was in the farthest corner overlooking the deepest part of Gotham square. Dick was in shock at the beauty of the apartment. She smiled and turned to face him.
"Want a tour?"
"Uh...yea...Sure!"
She led him to a hallway where there were 5 doors.
"My room is at the very end, 1st door to the right is the bathroom, door next to it leads to the linen closet, the 1st one to your left is the guest room and the one next to that is an empty room. So you will be staying in the Guest room, I'm guessing?"
"huh?"
"I don't advocate drunk driving and I don't trust any of the taxi's" Emerald smiled and turned to continue down he hallway to the bathroom. Then scoffed at some dirt she found on her arm.
"ugh...I am covered in dirt...I'm going to take a quick shower, if you need anything don't be afraid to yell." She was out of his sight, he walked into the guest room, and was in awe. It was a cream color with a skylight and balcony overlooking the northwest corner of Gotham square. He dropped down on the queen sized bed and looked up to see a portrait of Emerald smiling at a woman with blonde hair. The woman looked vaguely familiar. He heard a sound from behind him and looked and saw Emerald looking at him smiling.
"Admiring my mom?"
"ah, she is very beautiful, I can see where you get your looks from"
"Thanks, smooth operator, but that is my adoptive mom. She took me in when my dad died and my mother disappeared. She was the only one that cared for me in this crazy city, sometimes I often wonder if we were in a different city would my life be the same, but...oh well."
"Do you still keep in contact with her?"
"Yea until recently, her boyfriend isn't too fond of me, and I must say the feeling is mutual"
"Ah, I see and this has stopped her from contacting you?"
"believe or not yes. You see she has been with this guy for over...15 or 20 years...he has made her who she is and I can't see her being someone else without him"
"hmm...maybe if you just go and visit"
"I can't"
"Why not?"
"Because you can't just stroll into the Joker's hideout after helping his enemy, and trying to turn his longtime girlfriend against him...life doesn't work that way"
The sound of the picture dropping on the floor echoed throughout the appartement.
Four months later...
The Joker hadn't been seen since the breakout from Gotham. Many began to wonder if he was still in the darkened city. Old Gotham was not as renovated and high class looking as Gotham square but it still held some of the city's greatest landmarks and a quarter of the city's population. The residential area was very rarely disturbed by the surrounding crime which was contrary to popular belief. A woman was walking her dog when a giant flash of light hit a building that she was adjacent to. She screamed and looked up at the source of light. A man with green hair and pale skin and a burnt purple suit. His maniacal laughter aided with the terror that the woman had felt. The man looked down.
"Don't be so scared toots! It's just a little fire power!"
One more building was added to the wreckage. He began firing fireballs at random buildings. He was stopped by an all too familiar Bat and a hard hit to the face. He turned and looked at the challenger and flared up his hands. He formed a fireball and directed it at the Bat, but missed because of the agile-ability of his opponent. He then was struck at the back of the head, which caused his light to flicker and he looked at the bat and gave him a look that would have killed the whole city of Gotham.
"I would be careful if I were you batsy, it would be a shame if I destroyed your little Dick of a friend..."
In a flash of an instance he turned and blew up an abandoned building that overlooked the city. The Bat didn't seem to flinch, not giving away his worried expression. He looked at the Joker and kicked him directly in the front of his skull which caused a complete shut down of the new power that he had acquired. He fell quickly to the ground and was taken away by his assistant whom mumbled a few things before getting the limp Joker into a car. The Bat ran towards the newly destroyed building. He looked through the rubble with the help of the young man standing next to him. There was a sound of a car pulling up. He was joined by a man in a Blue suit; this soothed the Bat's worries but began to flare up his curiosity. They retreated to their vehicles and drove towards the Batcave.
All was silent within the confines of the Bat cave, the three men were analyzing different particles from the scene that the joker had left behind. The man in the blue suit looked up and turned to Batman and adjusted his brain to ask him a question.
"Why didn't you signal me in?"
"I figured you needed some rest after taking the trip to Moscow with Ruby for the paperwork"
The air was thick and Both men knew that it would set the mood for the room. Dick recognized this emotion from the previous months. He would ask himself why was Bruce so adamant on having him and Ruby run on trips instead of himself. Either way he noticed it was bothering Bruce. Dick was getting annoyed.
"Honestly, I don't think that's why you didn't call me for backup...look there is nothing going on between us two, if you want us to stop communicating then we shall. But remind yourself of whom sent us on that trip"
"I didn't ask for anything like that"
"Then why are you mad at her?"
"She's judgmental"
"She cares.."
"That's none of your business"
"she is my friend...therefore it is my business"
"...I don't think it is"
"why even go back and forth Bruce...you know as well as I do that you're afraid that someone will cause you to see a light in your life. She's not like the others and you can't seem to calculate that in your brain. Which I find to be funny. The worlds greatest detective is dooped by love, and put down to the levels of jealousy..."
"You know nothing of my reasoning and how my mind and heart operates, if I were you I wouldn't be so quick to jump to conclusions about someone...before you wind up being the odd man out"
"Are you threatening me?"
"Is that a question?"
"I think you better check your priorities"
"I think you better leave"
At this point both men were at each others throats, bodies displaying hostility towards each other. Tim had stepped in between the two in order to take hold of the situation. Dick saw this and decided to turn and move towards the door. The man in the Batsuit turned towards the computer.
"Where are you going?"
"Anywhere but here"
"You don't have a home to go to"
The door slammed
It was times like this Bruce wondered if his own judgment was right, yet he felt that Dick needed to be taught a lesson about being involved in peoples personal lives. Still he felt bad, but chose not to display it. Dick had left the Batcave through the Back entrance that led to Wayne manor, he came out to see a woman standing in front of the fireplace. It was the same woman from the job that he worked at during the day. The woman that cared about Bruce and the woman that was about to be heartbroken by Bruce .He was careful because she didn't know who he truely was underneath the blue and black cowl and he still remembered what she had revealed to him 4 months , Bruce still trusted her and would not let just anyone into the cave that he did not trust, Hell it took forever for him to get in. He slowly approached her and looked at her outline he notice a few things that he never payed attention to before she seemed athletic, she had toned legs which went into her tight butt, he was thrown off by her just standing there mesmerized by the flame. She turned around to Dick. What a beautiful face among the dancing flames.
"I wasn't spying...I actually came to talk to Bruce" She panicked and said what she thought was appropriate
"How am I sure of this?"
"Well...if I was, I would be a horrible spy.."
"Good point..."
"Whats wrong um..."
"Nightwing, and just some stuff..."
"that stuff would be...?"
"...classified"
"You are no fun..."
"Fine...I confronted him about a problem he had emotionally. You see there is this girl that likes him a lot and he is too wrapped up in his world of work..."
"Ugh...maybe now wouldn't be the right time for me to go and talk to him"
"It's okay. He doesn't want anything to do with me, I can't be around someone that can't trust me" She felt bad for him, and decided he probably needed a break away from Wayne manor.
"Hmm...you wanna go out for a drink?" He smiled but then looked at her funny.
"Sure...as long as you're paying..."
"...fine"
After She found her backpack she slipped on a skirt and met Dick out in the hallway where he had changed into a pair of Jeans and a white button up shirt, but he still had his cowl on. She laughed and he looked confused.
"What's so funny?"
"You can't just go out with your mask on still...look I can promise you I am not going to reveal your identity to anyone...but if you keep that mask on, I cannot promise you someone else won't"
She made a valid pointhe took off the mask and she gasped. She wouldn't have thought that the very man that she was trapped in the elevator with, traveled to different continents with was the Nightwing. she didn't know what to expect at this face was frozen and he noticed this and decided to speak up.
"Whats wrong?" He was worried.
"Nothing really, I just wanted to freak you out...Let's go"She bluffed. He grew slightly intrigued with her need to downplay her recent discovery.
"Not shocked?"
"Not in the slightest..."
"not at all?"
"Nope...Lets be on our way for a relaxing night"
The night was beautiful and it was warm. They were inside of her convertible, he looked at the high tech car and looked at the driver, something seemed different about her but he couldn't put his hand on it. The inner leather of the car was sticking to her legs but she didn't care, she would notice him glancing at her from time to time and just smiled to herself. She parked in the parking lot of "Gotham's Best Burgers and Baked good's".
"We're here!"
"Really?"
"Something wrong with this place?"
"Nono that's not it...I haven't been to this place since Bruce first brought me here, when he first adopted me"
"Oh...I'm sorry we can leave if you want to.."
"No it's okay, lets go"
Dick never wanted to admit it out loud, but he missed being closer to Bruce, and he was slightly Jealous of the bond Tim and Bruce now share. He had a father figure in Bruce and he felt that he was going to be his one and only son. He didn't like being selfish or thinking selfishly but he couldn't help but to, He always thought that Bruce would be there for him to pick up the pieces, but as he grew older, it seemed that Bruce grew colder.
"Rich?"
"huh...oh lets go!" He smiled at her
They walked into the Restaurant and looked at the hostess whom looked like a high schooler who needed a attitude adjustment. She rolled her eyes and looked at the two patrons that came before her.
"Hey, welcome to Gothams Best Burgers and Baked goods, I will take you to your seat and leave you with Stephanie whom will be your server for the night"
They sat down in a booth and looked at the teen that came up to serve them, she smiled at Dick and Emerald and took their orders and slipped Dick her number. He blushed and watched as she left.
"Someone's popular"
"Jealous?"Smiling at her comment.
"No actually, I was going to ask if your girlfriend would approve of that behavior" She kept calm and this seemed to make Dick a tad bit upset, he didn't know why but he decided to play it smoothly and just smile and wink.
"Don't have one"He smiled and winked at her. Seemed to shrug it off after mumbling to herself. Her reply was calculating.
"Interesting"
"Is it?"
"Not really..." She smiled and he seemed taken aback.
Their food had arrived and there was a small amount of tension at the table. Dick had danced around the question that he had wanted to ask the woman whom he was sitting at the table with. He felt that somehow he would be stepping on Bruce's toes by asking her if he could move in while he found a place, yet on the other hand he felt that she was a trustworthy woman whom had a kind heart and this would be apparent to Bruce and he would not freak out. He went to open his mouth to talk only she opened it first.
"Not a hit with the ladies?"
"That's not it..."
"Oh?explain"
"Well...My last girlfriend was a tad bit needy...She constantly expected me to be by her side with everything, she knew who I was and still expected me to drop everything I was doing because someone in her family was having a birthday or a wedding...I would drop my job often for her...but...it just seemed she was taking up my time...so I broke it off..."
"...thats an asshole move"
"excuse me?"
"That was a pretty assholish' thing to do"
He wasn't going to be put off by some woman whom he just met and he was pretty sure was messing around with Bruce, thus making her an inadequate match to his previous disposition. he thought it was the right time to let her be aware of his feelings. He was mad that it seemed that she was causing a drift in his relationship with Bruce, even if it did sound illogical. He felt that she was the right target to take his anger out on.
`"Not like you had better relationships anyway, you're more interested in old saggy sack back there in his manor. Tell me why are you interested in the first place...is it the money? The attention? Or hell even the fact that he can "tickle your fancy"; it seems that someone like you enjoys causing some type of emotional trouble for other people, or just like taking someone away from them"
There was a Pause.
"Done, being a self-centered brat?" She shot him a cold look that would've caused all of Gotham to freeze over, including himself. He was shocked, and he cleared his throat.
"What did you call me?"Dick was now slightly angry, she looked calm and then her eyes were dancing flames in them.
"You heard me...I was trying to be nice because I heard everything you and Bruce had went through, honestly I was going to propose that you become my ally while I try to work out whatever type of father son relationship you have going on with Bruce, because I can sense that you miss him and his attention like a baby misses its moms boob when it is hungry. Either way I was trying to be nice, but I can see that you must like being on your own. What a shame-" Dick had time to think over this recent agreement that had came to the table. He realized that if he was to get back into Bruce's good graces she might be the key.
"WAIT! I am sorry.."
"For?"Her emotion shifted from serious to was now teasing him and stretching it out. She looked at him and smiled as the next few words escaped his mouth.
"Being a self centered brat"
"Glad you noticed the errors of your ways. Now, will you take my offer?" Dick was skeptical of this whole situation, he had just met her hours ago and now he is about to make a deal with her, this seemed like something out of a dream, he had to know why she wanted to help.
"Why do you want to help me?"
"I can see that you and Bruce will be happier if you were safe and honestly you seem like an ok guy" She smiled.
"how will you convince him?" Still skeptical
"Leave that up to me, work on finding a way of connecting with him for the time being. Deal?"
"Deal"
"So I heard you needed a place to stay?"
"How did you..."
"I can read, and I saw the Joker blow up the building you lived in"
"Yea...well I was looking..."
"You can stay with me..."
"Are you sure?"
"Yea, trust me its okay...as long as you don't mind me taking short showers and making breakfast..."
"huh?...oh no..thats not a problem"
"Well...Hey Roomie!"
Tim and Batman were on the streets when they had received the news that the Joker had been spotted again. Bruce released a sigh and looked at Tim.
"We're on our way"He hung up the bat communicator.
"Why take him back to Arkham?...Do You think they would put him in a area where no one could get to him...It seems unlikely"
"They did...She blew a hole in the wall and they walked right out...there was no way he would've have escaped without her help"
"She?"
"Harley-Quinn"
"Where do you think they are heading?"
"I honestly don't know, I shall look into the survivance tapes, I need you to interview everyone and get back to the batcave once you are done"
"On It!"
Emerald knocked on the door of the guest bedroom and smiled when the door opened. She was met with a bare chest that was rippled with muscles. The wall she was staring at began to move and she soon heard giggling sounds. She looked up and was met with a smiling Dick Greyson.
"Take a picture why don't ya"
"Hey it's not my fault your chest is in my face."
"Hey, now now, don't get mad at the good hardware"
"I came by to ask if you wanted some coffee"
"oh? Yes please!"
"Come with me then fool..." she led the way down the hall into the kitchen table which was underneath a giant chandelier. He felt the caffeine rush through his veins as he took each sip. She sat across from him.
"So the question I have for you how are we going to let him know where I am residing because I can't just walk up to him and tell him"
"Why not?"
"...Well telling him I am rooming with a woman that he probably has feelings for isn't the greatest news you can hear coming out of a younger mans mouth..."
"Just tell him..."
"Like that?"
"yup"
"wow.."
"what's up?"
"Well, You seem so cool about everything...aren't you worried...Bruce is going to get upset with me staying with you instead of him."
"If he does then he needs to be more confident in himself, but I think our biggest obstacle is not his confidence but his Stubbornness"
"Interesting...hey another question...are you worried about while developing your feelings for Bruce, I may be a block in the road?"
"If you are then let it be it..."
"You...seem so cool about everything.."
"Life is something where you need to be relaxed and know your position and let it take it's corse and if you don't get the outcome you wanted...work on something else..."
"Hm...interesting, have you ever had to fall onto plan b?"
"Many of times...but sometimes that is the better plan"
He stared at her noticing that she is now staring out the window looking intensely at the skyline. Dick noticed that she was morally bound to helping people, she had repayed Bruce through...sensual ways...but he began to wonder if he was mistaking her niceness for being interested in Bruce. He observed her face, she had to be around his age. She was in shape and seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. Yet, there was something dangerous about her. She turned to look at him and smiled.
"I think you can tell Bruce yourself that you are living here, I'll talk to him if he decides to go on one of his rants."
"Woah, are you sure about that? I mean you and the old man-"
"had a fling, if I was in a serious relationship with Bruce then I would not have taken you in...Hey so...Your name is...Richard Greyson?Ever thought about getting a name change?" She made a funny face at him
"Why?"
"Dick Greyson...thats why" Emerald stifled a laugh
"Hady har har" She busted out laughing leaving Dick to shake his head and look at the woman that was now rolling around on the floor laughing at the younger Vigilante.
"Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funny...so immature"
"Tis okay, one day we will measure the name up to the actual thing, now you should get going." Dick was shocked by the sudden flirt thrown his way but he noticed her getting serious and decided to leave on that note.
Bruce hopped into the batmobile and drove towards Wayne manor. He reached the Batcave and saw someone sitting at his desk, he quickly pulled out his batarang and threw it. It released a net and captured the person at the desk. He walked up and noticed it was Dick.
"Ow! Damn it!Hi to you too!" Batman retracted the batnet and helped Dick up.
"Sorry, what are you doing here?"
"I came to help you out...and to talk to you about somethings"
"No, for the "
"Fine, be stubborn. I'm leaving"
"Bye..."
"Why are you doing this?"
"You have to learn to be responsible, the last time you weren't."
"I understand, but I can promise you that I am trying to do the right thing...listen, I wanna make you proud. I wanna help, I wanna be there for you, I wanted to be your son, I wanted to take care of you. If you can't see that then you have too much pride..." Dick moved towards the door and stopped and turned to look at Bruce.
"I moved in with her by the way and she believes in me"
He left. It didn't take Bruce a second to think about whom he was talking was slightly stunned at what had just happened and what was going on. He noticed someone coming out of the darkness.
"He really cares about you..."
"I know"
"Why are you so cold to him?"
"He has to learn."
"Maybe he just needs you Bruce"
"He needs to get himself together, and you should not be babying him, he is a grown man whom needs to learn that the world is not going to reveal everything. So I would appreciate it if you get out of his business"
"Sorry I cannot do that Bruce, I'm going to stay in his life as long as he needs the support because clearly you are not giving him that. I thought you were better than this Bruce." She walked out and left the dark knight to sit there by himself in the dark cave. She had to find out where Nightwing went.
Emerald ran outside into the night, she ran towards her home near Robinson park. The blocks seemed long and distant. The shadows grew deeper and more intense. She could've sworn she heard someone following her, but she kept running. Then there was a sharp pain to her spine and she felt her weight drop to the cement. She looked up and saw a pair of cat ears and everything went black. Catwoman was happy that Ivy had recovered fully, but something bothered her about the woman that was on fire. She had followed her around town and noticed her talking to Bruce. Personally she still fancied the Bat and didn't appreciate someone moving in on her territory, but that wasn't it. Something that Ivy had told her, that upset her. She picked her up and ran out into the night.
where is Selina taking Emerald? Where did Richard go? What is the relationship between Bruce and Emerald? Why did Selina take Emerald? All those questions and more answered in Chapter 4: Selina