"Dickie?"
"Go to sleep."
"But the thunder." Flick whispered.
"Can you turn around?"
"Why do you want me to turn around?" Dick asked, turning nonetheless. "You're not scared are you?"
"Of course not. But you know I don't like it when you face-" a crash of thunder sounded and Flick squeaked and buried her face into Dick's shoulder, who was chuckling at her.
"Definitely not scared huh?" He teased, as he wrapped his arms around her. There were three short bangs on the wall next to them to tell them to be quiet, which caused a round of quiet giggles.
"Not scared at all." Flick whispered, dozing off.
"Okey-dokey scaredy cat."
"You know, I could get used to living like this... Sleeping late, waking late, breakfast readily available" Flick said, hopping up on one of the stools that stood at the counters of the Wayne Manor kitchen. Pulling an assortment of cereals nearer to herself, she looked around to smile at Alfred and Bruce who were stood in the kitchen. "Where's Dick?"
"Training." Bruce answered after swallowing a mouthful of coffee. Flick gawked at him for a second before searching the walls for a clock and - after confirming the time was before 12PM - turned back to stare at him in disbelief. "But we only just got up!"
"You only just got up Miss Felicity," Alfred corrected, handing her the milk from the refrigerator.
"Dick's been up since eight," Bruce told her. "Which is usually a lie in."
"You're crazy." Flick mumbled through a mouth full of cereal. This made Bruce smile amusement. For Flick, sleep had been a luxury. Trying to balance a life of night time crime and that of a "normal" high school student simultaneously was near impossible, and giving that up had been a bonus of leaving Selina. Between keeping one eye open during down time and her nocturnal escapades she was very rarely fully rested. "So what's the plan Batman?"
Bruce raised his eyebrow at her. He wondered whether she truly understood her situation. It was unlikely she did, or at least she was good at hiding it; she was happily shovelling spoonful after spoonful of the mound of cereal she had created in her bowl straight into her mouth. Bruce wondered whether it was a circus thing, because Dickate exactly the same.
"I've got more work to do, Dick's going to keep an eye on you today," Bruce explained.
"Babysit me, check," Flick interrupted. Bruce ignored her and continued.
"You both need to be back at Mount Justice by 6 this evening. I suggest some training, as that may be useful," he paused to finish his coffee and place it near the sink. Alfred seemed to be regard the blonde as if he were devising a game plan of sorts. "I'll see you later."
It took Flick a few minutes to find her way down to the gym of Wayne Manorbut when she arrived she was not disappointed. There were the traditional treadmills, weights and other generic gym equipment, but then there were gymnastic hoops, countless crash mats, springboards and - the crowning glory of the gym - a high wire and trapeze facility.
Flick must have been stood staring at it for a good while before Dick noticed (or chose to let her know he'd noticed), because when he cleared his throat just behind her, she jumped and nearly hit him in the face.
"Oh geez Dick! Don't scare me like that!" Flick yelped, pushing him back gently when he simply laughed at her. She pulled her hand back to find it damp. "Ew you're all sweaty, that's gross."
"No worries, it's not like I've been training hard since 8:30 is it? C'mere, you want a hug?" Dick lifted his arms and advanced towards her, grinning wickedly, a mischevious glint in his eye. Flick shrieked and began running in the opposite direction (something else needs to be added to this sentence - it feels too short. How is Flick feeling in this moment?). They chased each other around the gym for a while, before Dick called a truce once they were both atop the two podiums for the trapeze swings.
"Hey, you fancy a flight?" he asked after they had caught their breaths.
"On here? I haven't been on a trapeze in forever Dick!" (that feels more like something Flick would say.)
"We have a net! Come on it'll be fun - just like the old days!" Dick laughed, pulling the trapeze swing towards him, holding his weight on it. When Flick makes no move to grab her trapeze, Dick implores her. "Come on, please?" With that last word Dick pulled his trademark puppy dog eyes. Flick sighed in defeat and hooked the bar to pull it towards her- obviously unable to resist Dick's charm.
Dick grinned and pulled up to his full height before swinging off.
After a great day spending time together, Dick and Flick were suited up and at the cave at just after six o'clock. They walked from the zeta entry to approach the rest of the team around the computers.
"You're late," Artemis quipped, her tone short and her eyes unamused.
"Where've you guys been?" Wally asked. Robin opened his mouth to explain, but Catgirl, feeling more confident, laughed and told them,
"Oh it's fine, Batsy isn't here yet is he?"
"He is," came a deep voice from behind her. She bristled at her slip up, but Batman continued, "and since we have business to be getting on with, I'll let this slip." The tall man moved so he was facing the group and brought up several pictures - a few of gang members and several of seedy looking locations.
"There has been word of a huge drug cartel using a disused dock just outside of Gotham to import illicit drugs. We've identified some key members, but it is likely that there is a larger power behind such a big delivery."
"Hey, I know that guy," Flick chimed up.
"I expected that, which is why you'll be on the beta squad with Artemis and Beast Boy. You'll be required to infiltrate the warehouse where the drugs are being held. Once you are in you will locate a safe entrance for alpha to use."
"She's beta?" Artemis asked. "Is that the best idea Batman? I mean, we don't know if we can even trust her yet," she cast a scathing look at Catgirl who puffed her chest out in a small act of defence.
"She's ideally suited for this mission Artemis, she knows these gang members and is in a good position to be able negotiate and stall should something go wrong."
"Yeah, plus," Robin added, "wouldn't it be a good way for her to gain trust?"
"At any rate, Robin, Kid Flash and Rocket will be on alpha and Aqualad, Miss Martian and Superboy will be outside serving as back up and watch. Any questions?" No one answered for a minute, and as Batman was about to dismiss them the silence was broken.
"Do you know who the link is?"
"What?"
"You said it was a "larger power", do you know who?" Catgirl asked.
"We have our suspicions, and we're hoping this mission will confirm them." Batman answered. The curly blonde looked down thoughtfully with a mix of curious and suspicious faces turning to her. "Anything else?" When no one replied he dismissed them with a wave.
"Why'd you want to know who the big guys were anyway?" Artemis whispered after maintaining a stony silence until they landed on the roof.
"Oh-ho! She speaks!" Catgirl's voice dripped with sarcasm, "well FYI miss perfect, it was just so I could tell whether they were working for the same guy they were before."
"Ah, ladies, shouldn't we be quieter? You know, super sneaky mission and all that?" Beast Boy asked nervously, immediately silencing when the two females gave him two very hard looks.
"Look, all I'm saying is one minute you're a crook and the next you're supposed to be trusted as if you've been a hero all your life," Artemis pulled out a crossbow and peered down into the skylight. "Trust isn't won so easy... If we're quiet and keep as close to the-"
"Are you kidding me? Of course I know that, I've had that lesson repeated all my god damn life! I would've thought Sportsmaster's daughter would've been one of the first to give me a break!"
"Hey! That isn't relevant here!"
"Of course it is! You know better than anyone else what it's like to come from a life of crime that you had very little chance of avoiding! You saw your chance to get out, and you took it. This is mine. Why won't you let me take it?!" Flick hadn't realised how loud her voice had become, and Artemis stared at her.
"Catgirl check your area, we could here you from the pier, make sure you haven't been spotted and stay quiet," Aqualad reprimanded through her ear piece.
"Crap," Catgirl swore, "you think they heard?"
"They don't seem to have," Beast Boy said peering into the skylight Artemis was crouched by.
"Anyway, this is way too obvious, they'll have guys waiting for anyone to come in here, it's like, a cliche sneaky entrance." Catgirl mused, returning her focus to the mission. Artemis regarded her for another moment before clearing her thoughts.
"Right. Okay, so, uh, what do you suggest? I guess you're the expert here," she said, then added, "no offence." Catgirl frowned at her words, momentarily confused, but suddenly jumped up, moved to hang off the side of the roof. "What are you doing?" Artemis asked.
"Seeing if there's a high, small window. We could get in there and- assuming we find some cover- hopefully remain undetected," She pulled herself back up and turned back to them. "And we're in luck, I just unlocked a window that is clear and protected from view of the guys. You can hold the applause." She did a mock curtsy before dropping from the edge of the roof.
Beast Boy and Artemis rushed over to see where she'd gone, and got there just in time to see her leg disappear inside the building.
"Catgirl has found a way in, Beast Boy and I will follow and alert Alpha when we've found an entrance for you."
"Thanks babe, check ya later," Came Wally's voice in reply.
A/N Ah wow okay look, I actually live. Sorry, summer has started, and so has my summer job, which is good, but, it's too sunny and too hot and I got sun burned which sucks and ugh idk this chapter is off, kinda episodic, and I felt like I should update already, and I know exactly where it's going but I deffo need to keep this moving, it was beginning to drag a bit I felt... But anyway, all the views and few reviews and favourites and follows has been so heart warming because tbh I wouldn't blame anyone if they gave up and forgot about this fic, but TADAA I've updated and ha, here we go. Okay, hope y'all enjoyed it! :)