Gotham General was where they brought my mother. After Tony Zucco sabotaged their act, my parents fell from the high wire and hit the ground without a safety net. Having read the medical report some years later, it seems my father hit the ground head first and died on impact. My mother by some miracle was actually still alive after the fall, they brought her to Gotham General, and I sat by her bedside with a police officer until she succumbed to her injuries and died.
That was the day that I was formally introduced to Bruce Wayne, he saw something in me that day which I guess reminded him of himself - and after what seemed like an eternity of legal proceedings, he adopted me. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if she'd made it... If she'd managed to pull through - what would our lives have been like?
Emily was waiting for me at the entrance to the hospital, looking really worse for wear, her hair was tied up in a messy bun, and her eyes were raw with her lack of sleep. The second I stepped out of the cab she ran towards me and broke into a flood of tears, tightly wrapping her arms around me. I hugged her back, and she looked up at me, "It's bad," she sniffled, "I heard a nurse saying they don't know if..." Before she could finish the sentence, she broke into a fit of tears.
Not knowing what to say I pulled her in closer and kissed her on the top of the head reassuringly.
"I'm sorry," I finally said, "I should have got here sooner."
She looked up at me and smiled, shaking her head sympathetically - I knew she didn't blame me, but I did... I was at Arkham when Nate was shot, I could have done more to keep everyone safe.
"Come on, let's go inside and see if we can find out what's going on," I suggested.
"They won't tell us anything," Emily replied, defeatedly, "We're not family."
"Is his mom not here?" I asked.
"She's the one that called me, she's out of town with her sister - she should be on the next flight back from Metropolis."
"How was she?"
"She's in pieces, all she could talk about was Nate's brother and how history was repeating itself. Her sister is coming with her to make sure she's OK on the flight."
"God, I never even thought about that," Nate's brother died in a gangland shooting, I could only imagine what his mother must have been going through, "Nate's strong though Em, if anyone could get through this..."
"I know dude, let's go inside," She said, smiling weakly.
I kept my arm around her as we walked through the main reception, Emily signalled which was to go. The two of us took a seat in the waiting area which wasn't far from where Nate was being operated on. "Will you be OK here for a few minutes?" I asked.
"What, why?" Emily responded.
"I know a doctor, she might be able to get us some more information," I explained, Emily's face lit up at the thought.
"Really? Hell yeah, go!" She exclaimed, the idea of having any information at all seemed to be a great comfort to her, having been kept in the dark for so many hours.
"Alright, and I'll get you a coffee too - you look like you could use one," I said.
"Thanks," Emily said, "Don't be too long, OK?"
"I won't."
After using a few interrogation techniques on one of the receptionists, I managed to locate Leslie Thompkins. I was told she would be on one of the emergency wards looking after the drunks and the none life-threateningly injured.
The hospital was a bit of a maze but eventually, I found her tending to a girl with an injured head. The girl had long wavy hair that was a sandy blonde colour, her T-shirt was blue with a Superman logo on it, perfectly complementing her denim hipster shorts and fishnet tights. It wasn't until Leslie stopped dabbing the graze on the girl's forehead and I saw her nose piercing that I realised it was the girl who Emily and I had seen fighting at college.
"Can I help you?" The girl asked, looking me up and down with a frown, her piercing emerald eyes looked like they could cut glass.
"I'm actually here to see Dr Thompkins," I said, smiling at Leslie who had turned to face me.
"Well, she's a little busy right now" The girl explained with a sarcastic smile. Something about her mannerisms was strangely familiar, but I couldn't quite figure out why.
"Stephanie, this won't take a minute," Leslie interjected, dabbing cotton wool on the girl's forehead. Stephanie flinched as the antiseptic touched the wound, "So you say you walked into a door?"
"Yep," The girl lied, blatantly without even really trying.
"You know, I get a lot of patients who walk into doors," The doctor told her "I know some people that you could talk to."
"Thanks, lady," Stephanie said, jumping to her feet, "But it ain't anything like that."
"Stephanie, wait..." Leslie called after Stephanie as she grabbed her jacket and stormed away, barging past me as she did.
"What a charming young woman," I joked.
"Yes, very strange, it's not the first time she's been in here either. I think she might be having trouble at home," Leslie said, scowling into the distance where Steph had disappeared. Turning to me she said: "How can I help you anyway, Richard? I'd have thought you'd be tucked up in bed after tonight's events."
"That's actually why I'm here," I told her "One of my friends was injured."
"Oh, the commissioner? He's doing quite well..." Leslie said, assuming I was referring to Gordon.
"No, another friend - Nate Duggan, he was an officer at the scene, he's still in surgery, but no one will tell us what's happening" I explained.
"Come, I'll see what I can find out for you," She said with a compassionate smile.
I returned to Emily about ten minutes later with a warm cup of coffee.
"Thanks," She said wearily as I handed her the steaming styrofoam cup. The first sip caused her to flinch sharply, it had been much hotter than she expected. I took the seat next to her and put my hand on hers. Emily's dark eyes glazed over as I looked at her, trying to keep my face as neutral as possible.
"So, I found out a few things," I began, "According to someone who was on the scene, Nate and his partner were part of a group that was ambushed by escaped inmates. They managed to fight them off and subdue them, which is why they were caught off guard. One of the patients had gotten hold of a pistol, which he used to kill two of the officers and injure Nate's partner. Nate took a shot to the leg and chest..."
"His chest!" Emily cried, her head dropping into her free hand, tears leaking out between her fingers.
"But," I continued, lifting up her head and wiping away the tears from her eye with my thumb, "Nate was wearing a vest and managed to shoot down the inmate."
Emily's face softened a little, "Thank god, does that mean he's gonna be alright? That nurse said he might not make it and..."
"His partner was hit four times, and Nate tried to patch him up and get him to an ambulance - but Nate..." I felt myself welling up, "Nate didn't see to his own wounds... And by the time he got to the ambulance he'd lost a lot of blood... They're doing everything they can, that's all I know"
"And what about his partner?" Emily asked, resolutely trying not to cry again.
I shook my head, I didn't have the heart to say the words out loud. Nate's partner was dead by the time they got to the ambulance.
Being Nightwing, I'd been faced with things like this on an almost weekly basis - but I'd always managed to keep my school-friends well away from it. They were two separate worlds that coexisted without even the remotest sign that they might cross over, and then suddenly they had collided... And I was helpless to stop it.
Time trudged on painfully slowly, by the time there was any news I had fallen asleep on the chair with Emily in my arms, I awoke to see Leslie standing above me wearing a large parka coat. "You should both go and get some rest," she said. I sat up and woke Emily with a careful nudge.
"Everything is fine with your friend, but he's going to be in surgery for a while," Leslie explained, "I'm driving home now so I can drop you both off."
"Thanks, Leslie but..." I started.
Leslie cut me off and said: "You won't be allowed to see him until his mother gets here, so why don't you rest up?"
I looked at Emily, and she nodded before asking: "Can I stay at your place?"
"Sure," I smiled, if she hadn't asked then I would have certainly offered - this wasn't a time when either of us was fit to be left alone.
"Thanks, dude," She said, wiping her eyes on her makeup stained sleeve as she had countless times that night.
"Well come on you two, I've asked to be kept in the loop with Nathan's condition, so I will keep you both informed," Leslie said, signalling for us to follow her.
Leslie drove us back to the apartment and did everything in her power to keep us as reassured as possible on the journey, it didn't work, but I appreciated the effort.
Waving goodbye to Leslie, I led Emily up to the apartment and opened the door. It might have just been the mood or the events of the evening, but the place felt much colder than usual. I turned on the lights and went over to the storage closet to get some blankets. My friend entered behind me and began to frown.
"What are you doing?" Emily asked.
"I was gonna crash on the couch and let you have the bed," I explained with a sympathetic smile.
"Dude, you can't leave me," Emily said with a sniff.
"I'll be right here, like three feet from the bedroom," I said, gesturing to the distance between the sofa and the bedroom door.
"Nuh uh, come on," She grabbed me by the hand and took me to the bedroom, "You're sleeping in sweatpants though - don't get any ideas."
"Ew, don't flatter yourself" I joked, taking off my shirt.
"Holy shit, what happened to your back!" She exclaimed, pointing at the enormous bruise that I'd completely forgotten about.
"Oh nothing, I fell down," I said weakly, I couldn't exactly tell her I'd been shot.
"You fell down? Whatever you say," She laughed, "I guess Melissa Daggett likes it rough."
I'd forgotten all about Melissa and how I'd just left her at the restaurant all alone.
"She'll be playing rough next time she sees me that's for sure," I sighed.
"Why's that?" Emily asked, sitting down at the end of the bed.
"I kinda wigged out on her tonight, we were on a date but I just sort of left her."
"Dude, your friend is hurt, I'm sure she'll understand."
"No, it was before that I..." I wasn't really sure what I'd intended to use as an excuse, but luckily Emily stopped me in my tracks.
"Look, we got bigger things to worry about - like I said, I'm sure she'll understand. I could talk to her for you?"
"I don't think that would be a great idea, she got pretty jealous the other day," I said.
"Of me?"
"Well, she thought we were an item or something."
"Ew, gross," She said, "No offence."
"Aren't you getting ready for bed?" I asked with an eye roll.
"Not with the light on you perv."
"Oh right" I got up and turned out the light. I could see Emily's silhouette standing up and undressing.
"Stop looking!" She shouted, throwing one of her shoes at me. It narrowly missed and hit the floor in front of me, prompting me to laugh mockingly.
"I was looking at the bed!" I insisted.
"Sure... Creeper," Emily snarled, jokingly.
I crawled under the sheets and got comfortable while Emily fiddled around taking off her jeans. She walked over to my closet "Is it cool if I borrow a Tee to sleep in?"
"Knock yourself out," I yawned.
She slipped on the T-shirt and climbed into my bed, I was facing away from her, but I felt her arm slide over me as she snuggled close. She sighed and said, "Thank you."
"For what?" I said, turning my head slightly in her direction.
"Being there tonight."
I turned over fully to face her, "Well where else would I be?"
"I know, and I know you love Nate as much as I do it's just..." She gulped, "I don't know if I'd have held it together if I didn't have you there."
"You going soft on me?" I joked.
She punched me lightly on the arm, "I'm serious, you're the flakiest guy in the world but... You're a good friend, and I guess with everything that's happening I just want you to know I appreciate you."
"Thanks, Em, I appreciate you too," I laughed.
"I'm trying to have a tender moment dude, don't laugh!" She snapped.
"Sorry, I know," I put my arm around her and kissed her on the forehead "Come on then, let's go to sleep - we'll see Nate before you know it."
Strangely, and in spite of everything that had gone on, for the first time in a while I drifted off right away without having to fight my thoughts.
Bang, bang, bang. Was I under attack? I sat up in bed sharply, awoken by the loud noise. As my eyes and ears adjusted, I realised it was a persistent knock at the door. Emily looked up at me, puzzled. The fractured light from the not-so-closed blinds was a good sign, it was morning at least.
"Are you gonna get that?" Emily yawned, rolling back over and demonstrating an amazing ability to fall back to sleep instantly. I jumped up out of bed and made my way to the door. The knocking continued as I drew closer, I was reasonably sure I wasn't going to like what was waiting for me when I opened it.
I was right, on the other side of the door stood my disgruntled date, Melissa. Her face was screwed up and harsh-looking as it had been when we'd first spoken in Crane's lesson, only much more ferocious.
Over the years, being a crime fighter, I had honed my senses to be ready for anything - but Melissa Daggett had apparently been trained to slap by the League of Assassins, because I didn't have time to react to the almighty strike she laid across my cheek, "Morning asshole," She spat venomously, barging in to my apartment.
"I can explain," I said, rubbing my cheek and frowning at how cliche I had just managed to sound.
"I don't get you, Grayson, you made all that effort to see me at the ball and tell me how you felt and then you take me to this amazing restaurant. Then you just ditch me without a word?" She shouted, "Do you understand how humiliating it is being told by a waiter that you ran out of the place? They felt so sorry for me I didn't even have to pay!"
"Something..."
"Came up?" She snarled, I didn't know what to say, "I thought so. Well thanks, Dick," Maybe I ought to start referring to myself as Richard...
"Uhm, sorry to interrupt but..." Emily said as she emerged from the bedroom dressed in my T-shirt which she'd clearly slept in, increasing the tension in the room by about a hundred and fifty percent.
"You have got to be kidding me," Melissa laughed, her eyes darting back and forth aggressively between myself and Emily.
"I..." I had literally never been as lost for words as I was in that moment. Melissa flicked her hair with the appropriate level of sass you'd expect for someone believing they'd just caught their partner cheating on them and stomped toward the apartment door.
"Wait!" Emily shouted.
"What!?" Melissa snapped, spinning back around.
"Look, this isn't what you think," Emily began "Dick left your date because of me."
"I gathered that much," She said, turning to me and snarling, "And you told me there was nothing to worry about with you two."
"No, I called him and made him leave because..." Emily paused for a second, "One of our best friends was shot at Arkham Asylum. If you don't believe me, his name is Nathan, and he'll be all over the news today."
Melissa's face dropped, and after a few seconds of contemplation, the tension that had filled the air began to disperse. Although not totally, I still felt like she might flip out and throw something at me.
"And..." Emily continued, "Dick let me stay here because I didn't want to be alone."
"I shouldn't have walked out like that," I stepped in "Emily called me while I was in the bathroom, and the siege was on TV when I came to tell you, and I guess it made me panic. I'm sorry; honestly, I am."
I caught a fleeting glance from Emily in my peripheral vision, she looked shocked about something.
"No... Well... Yeah, you should have probably said something but..." Melissa said, "Look, I... I'm just going to go, you guys obviously need your space."
"No, stay... Please," I said, half-heartedly.
"My dad is waiting outside, I need to tell him what's happened - he wanted to hurt you... A lot. He was lecturing me about how much of an obnoxious worm you are all the way here."
"Oh..."
"Look, I'll go and speak to him... But we need to talk, Grayson. Call me when... When it's more appropriate," She smiled weakly and looked at Emily, "I'm... Sorry about your friend."
And with that, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the apartment. Melissa was obviously still incredibly angry, but Emily had seriously saved my ass. Turning to thank her I was greeted with an expression of disapproval, "Dude, that was freaky," she said.
"I know, right, she scares me too sometimes," I said.
"No, not that. You..." She explained.
Surprised, I replied, "What?"
"That story about me calling you, it just rolled off your tongue, you ever considered being a lawyer?"
"I kind of always saw myself as more of a detective to be honest," I started.
Her voice suddenly shifting to match that of a teacher scolding an unruly child, Emily said, "I'm sure you had your reasons for ditching Melissa, but not even telling her you had to go is pretty messed up. I won't be helping you lie to her again, assuming she forgives you. Which BTW, I'm sure she will."
I nodded shamefully and said nothing. It's not as if I could tell her the truth.
The hospital looked much more inviting that afternoon when Emily and I arrived to meet Nate's mother. I held Emily's hand as we approached the front desk to see if we were allowed to visit our friend. Leslie hadn't called so we could only assume that nothing had gone wrong during the night. The receptionist confirmed my assumptions and explained that Nate was now in stable condition and we were allowed to visit him.
Entering the room we were greeted warmly by a short woman with dark hair that was greying at the roots, who looked as though she hadn't slept in several days. It was Nate's mother. Her eyes weakly gleamed at me through her large glasses that made her eyes appear much larger than they actually were. The attempt at cheerfulness did nothing to hide the thick glaze of tears that hung over her eyes, "Richard Grayson, it has been a while. C'mere boy and gimme a hug." she said, wrapping her arms around me.
"Hey, Mrs D," I said, returning the hug with a sympathetic smile.
"And Emily," Mrs D said, turning to Emily and hugging her tightly, "It's so good to see you both."
"Good to see you too," Emily replied.
"It's a shame it couldn't be under better circumstances," Nate's mother said with a sniff, turning to look at Nate on the bed beside her. It seemed that all of her bravado and false happiness shattered when she looked at Nate's still body, it took a hard stare to even see that he was breathing, the portly woman fell back into the chair at his bedside and burst into tears.
Emily bolted to her side, kneeling down and holding her hand. "I'm sorry, you two, I know the Lord has a plan," She sniffed, "It's just... He's my baby... My baby boy, I can't lose him, I just can't!"
"You won't," Emily said, rushing to her side, "Remember what the doctors said, he's way past the real danger now. He just needs to rest up, and he'll be OK."
There were spare seats piled up in the corner of the room, I figured I'd be helpful and bring one over for Emily.
We sat with Nate and his mother for the rest of the day, swapping stories and reminiscing about the good old days. Mrs D regaled us with tales of Nate and his brother as children, often pausing to hold back her tears, it seemed that Emily and I being by her side was very comforting.
Finally, at seven o'clock that evening, the old woman fell asleep in the armchair at Nate's bedside. I pulled a blanket over her shoulders and placed her spectacles on the bedside table, she groaned, but it didn't wake her.
"Will you be OK here for a while?" I asked Emily in a whisper.
"Sure dude" She replied.
"I shouldn't be too long," I said. Emily nodded approvingly, and I tiptoed out of the room so as not to disturb Mrs D's slumber.
Jim Gordon's hospital room was a little trickier to infiltrate than Nate's. The door was guarded by two SWAT officers each with their own assault rifle. Nevertheless, I approached them trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. I planned to stroll past and try to get a glimpse inside, as Barbara hadn't returned any of my calls I only had Leslie's word that Gordon was doing OK.
It wasn't that I didn't believe Leslie, but after going through a trauma like he had, there was no telling how Gordon would react mentally. And the best way to tell would be to speak to his daughter. Of course, that's what I told myself. Really I just needed to see how Barbara was doing.
I peered casually over my shoulder while passing the guarded door, sure enough, I could just see Barbara at the foot of her father's hospital bed. Much to my relief she had a wide smile on her face and was talking to her father who was responding animatedly. That was all I needed to see.
Coffee was my crutch that day, I often found myself drained after a night of combat, but there was something so much more energy-sapping about waiting around in the hospital. Maybe it was the place, or more likely it was the anxiety and uncertainty surrounding the whole situation, but I couldn't remember a time where I'd felt as reliant on caffeine to get me through.
The coffee machine on our floor was out of order, which meant I had to trek to the ground floor. I stood at the machine and poured myself, Emily and Mrs D a cup as I had several times already that day; placing them one-by-one into the cupholder. Mrs D probably wouldn't drink hers, but it seemed impolite not to get her one.
Nate's room was exactly how I'd left it, he and his mother hadn't moved an inch, she was still sleeping at his side with her hand clutched tightly around his. Emily, on the other hand, had slumped back in her chair, head tilted back with her mouth wide open. Before moving any further into the room, I took out my phone and snapped a shot to show Nate when he finally came round. After seeing Barbara's smiling face, I'd been given a welcome shot of optimism.
Emily snorted as I wafted her coffee under her nose. "Huh?" she murmured, opening her eyes slightly. I beamed down at her, holding out the steaming cup.
"Your low-fat crappucino with extra foam," I grinned.
"Thanks, dude," She said, yawning.
"Did I miss anything?" I asked in a low voice so as not to wake Mrs D.
"Don't think so, Mrs D has been asleep since you left, I wasn't awake for long after either," She said, putting her hand to her face and suppressing a yawn.
"Right."
"Oh, a nurse did come by and check Nate's vitals - he said Nate was still in a stable condition."
"Well that's good," I said, now standing over Nate "He'd better come back to us soon."