Zucco left. The Batman stopped him, taking down one of his men in the process. They're gone, and now it's time for the show.
"Come out of the curtains, you baby." Reyna laughs, and Dick steps out.
"Is there a reason why this costume has to be so colorful?" he moans, and Reyna's mouth twitches up into a smile. She's smiled a lot since she came to the circus.
"Yeah. So you look more like a wimp." She answers.
"It's because when I see you up there, Dick, you make me think of a little Robin." His mom answers, and Dick makes a face.
"Like the bird? Eugh." He sticks out his tongue. "You know, most boys my age get beat up for those kinds of nicknames."
"Wake up, Dick." Reyna rolls her eyes. She's dressed in a button-up red shirt and black slacks.
"Easy for you to say." Dick grumbles. "You're dressed comfortably in less colorful clothes."
"Still colorful." She points to her red shirt. Reyna would have preferred something less colorful, but the Graysons insisted on her wearing at least one pair of colorful, bright clothing, saying that 'this was a circus, not a funeral'.
"Plus," she adds, "I'm the electronics girl. I don't have to do dumb stuff like swing on ropes without a net."
"You're calling us dumb?" John Grayson looks at her accusingly. "I'll teach you dumb."
They hug each other tightly, and she yelps as the Graysons smother her in a big hug.
"You're family too, no matter what." They say.
"Aaaannnd…... the flying Graysons!" Haly the ringmaster shouts, and they all turn to go.
"Good luck, everyone!" Mary Grayson shouts, and she heads towards the lightings.
"Just in time, M'girl!" the man says. She could never remember his name.
"Hey." She greets him, and looks through the large gap in the curtains, at the still hidden Graysons. She walks over the the lighting and turns on the dials right on cue.
The lights shine on Mary and John Grayson, and they smile and wave, letting their robes fall to the floor. They grab the railbars and swing. A magnificent show. Then Reyna looks at the show. They seem impressed enough, but a few of them aren't. She sees an almost-bald man with a scar, a dumb face and a yellow shirt, a tiny man, and…. Zucco.
She should have known he'd come for revenge. And he came. Every muscle in her body tenses, like two years ago in her dad's hideout. Her feet feel unusually light, and the shadows twist and curl. Control, she thinks. She should have meditated, instead of going to admire her reflection for so long. The shadows grow agitated if she doesn't meditate. She looks up and shines the spotlight on Dick. He smiles and waves, and catches her eye, just a glimpse. Then it flickers- straight up. His smile fades. She looks up and squints. Reyna can't see that far. Then she looks at the lines dancing- threatening to fall. She sees Mary Grayson's expression turn from all smiles to fright, and she sees them fall. Reyna sinks to her knees, then pushes herself back up again. She can't cry. Dick needs her. But she lost another family. A better one.
Brace yourself, the voice in her says. And that's what she does. A numbness, a hole, a red-hot ball of anger, all inside of her, keeps her going.
She looks up at Dick, and he's climbing down as fast as he can, tears streaming down his cheeks. He sits down hastily next to his parents- his parents that are now dead. He looks frightened, because he probably never saw a dead body before, never mind his parents'. She struggles towards him and wraps her arms around him. A single tear escapes from her eye.
"Este bine." She whispers in his ear. "It's okay, little Robin." Behind her, a man's looking at her and Dick. A famous face, Bruce Wayne. He puts a comforting hand on Dick's shoulder, and hers. She doesn't pull away.