WARNING: Attempted Rape
Part 11
Gotham isn't the safest place at night. I knew that, but I still decided to walk home instead of accepting a ride from my friend's mom. I sent a text to Dick though and in hindsight that's what saved me.
It wasn't a long walk home, so honestly I didn't think about it. It wasn't like here was anything ominous about that night either. It was warm and the almost constant smell of cigarette smoke was faint.
I was walking along with my ear buds in, not really paying attention to anything around me. The music pounded in my ears and I loved it.
Imagine my surprise when someone clamped their hand over my mouth and pressed and knife to my neck. I tried to struggle, but his grip was too strong. He pulled me down the alley and pushed me against the wall.
It was at that moment that I realized how stupid I was. I knew how dangerous Gotham was at night. I knew what kind of people lurked in the alleys. Why had I gone alone when Dick had told me countless times the kind of things that happened on these very streets?
I didn't want to look at my attacker, but I opened my eyes anyway. For a second I relaxed. I knew those eyes; I knew those eyes hidden behind square rimmed glasses. I knew those long eyelashes brushing against the lenses he wore and strong jaw line dusted with stubble. I knew that mouth that curved into a smirk that I certainly didn't know. I wanted to be relived, but instead I became even more panicked as Ryan pressed the knife harder into my neck.
"Ryan, what are you doing?" I gasped out. The unfamiliar smirked carved deeper into his face.
"Poor little Lana, so naive. You would think she would know when she's about to be raped. You know if you dished out this wouldn't be happening. You're a damn prude, but I'm going to make you scream like the slut we all know you are." He leaned forward and bit at my jaw in a way that would have been very hot if there wasn't a knife against my throat, and we weren't in a dark alley.
I squeezed my eyes shut as Ryan ran his hand down my body, immediately making its way to my belt. I wished with all my heart that this would go away, that this was a dream.
He undid my belt and began to pull down my zipper. In that next moment I didn't feel him at all I cracked my eyes open and dared to look out at the guy I thought I had fallen in love with. He wasn't there.
I opened my eyes all the way and looked around cautiously. Seeing no one, I started to make my way to the street, but something dropped in front of me. I screamed.
"Lana, it's me," it said. I looked closer and saw it was Dick in his Robin uniform. I immediately relaxed. I felt dizzy all of a sudden and fell, not quite passing out. Dick caught me and picked me up so I didn't fall again, much like that day so long ago in the school gym. "Come on Lana, let's get you home."
Dick carried me the remaining block home, my head resting on his shoulder. Setting me down, but still keeping a hold on me, he took my keys from around my neck and helped me into the house.
"Go get ready for bed, I'll be here when you're done," he said gently. I nodded and made my way upstairs.
After changing, taking out my contacts, and having a mini anxiety attack, I went back downstairs. Dick was at the stove making hot chocolate from scratch. He had taken off his mask and cape, both on the chair in my kitchen. He looked over to me and opened his arms. I wrapped my arms around his torso and he encased me in his embrace, stoking my hair lightly.
"So this is where you go." W both jumped apart and turned to see Batman in my kitchen looking at us while fingering Dick's mask in his hand.
"I can explain," Dick started.
"You had better," Batman interrupted. "There had better be a really good reason as to why she knows your real name." He narrowed his eyes at me.
"I figured it out." I stepped in front of Dick, and tried to look brave, even though my hands were shaking violently. "I took a wild guess and I was right. It's not his fault so don't blame him." I could feel Dick's fingers on my back, our sign of comfort. Simply touching each other in some way put us both at ease, even after these last few weeks of ignoring me.
"I don't like this," Batman began, but I interrupted.
"You don't have to like it, you just have to put up with it, because I'm not going anywhere and you can't make me." I crossed my arms and stood my ground.
"What makes you say that?" he countered.
"Gut intuition and deductive reasoning, Bruce." I said forcefully. He froze. "I'll keep your secret, just leave me alone" Batman's lip curled into a sneer.
"Fine, but Robin no longer has a secret to keep. Dick, you have three days to get your stuff out of my house." Then he turned and left my home.
"Dick sit down, you need this hot chocolate more than I do." He shook his head and continued to stir the hot liquid. I pressed my hand to his side, just like he touched my back.
"Honestly, I had a feeling something like this would happen soon. I just didn't know how it would happen." He poured the hot chocolate into two large mugs he had set out. He took them both and handed me one. We sat at the table.
"You could stay here. My mom gave me the place so she could run away with what's-his-name she met in Milan." He sent me a silent thank you with his eyes.
"Is it wrong that I prepared for this?" He asked me. He held his hot chocolate in both hands, staring like it held all the answers.
"Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. This is in no way your fault. If anything it's mine, I should've used my brain and gotten a ride home. If I had, none of this would've happened." I looked down at my hands, not having the courage to look Dick in the eye. My hands were shaking slightly, and I wasn't sure if it was from the trauma of almost being raped, or having my house broken into by Batman, or the fact that I was such a lousy friend to Dick.
"How would you have known that you were going to be raped? This is in no way your fault." Dick lifted my chin and made me look at him. His eyes were pleading with me to believe him.
"It is my fault. Ryan wanted to have sex last week and I said no. When he pinned me he said I was being a prude. I should've just slept with him, and then none of this would have happened." I got up from my seat and leaned my arms on the counter. Maybe I am a prude. Maybe I should just have sex and get it over and done with.
Dick got up and spun my around so I was looking at him. "Don't you dare say that. What you have to give is special, it should be given to someone you trust and love. Ryan doesn't deserve it. A man should be honored you even considered him. You are not a prude. Anyone who says anything different is either lying to trying to get in your pants." He pulled me into his arms again and held me close. I could feel his heartbeat. I wasn't sure if I fully believed him yet, but I was starting to.
"What are we going to do about you? You know the team won't give you up without a fight," I said smirking slightly.
"Batman basically fired me as Robin; I can still be my own hero. High school is over so I don't have to worry about that. Bruce gave me a weekly allowance, which I've been saving for the past six years. I just have to figure out what to call myself." He tried to play the whole thing off as no big deal, but I could tell that this was going to take a big toll on him.
"How about Nightwing?" I blurted out the first thing I thought of. I think I heard it in a poem somewhere. He looked up at me with a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Nightwing it is." So maybe we were both broken, broken and a little crazy, but maybe crazy wasn't so bad after all.
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Author's Note: So this chapter was a bit heavier then others. I had this written and then later decided to make Ryan the attacker. this chapter is dedicated to piggythelaw since we had similar ideas. As I have said before, please send in ideas for chapters since this is supposed to be a collection of one-shots but I think it actually turned into a story. Ummmm yeah. Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I love you all.
Question of the day: (there are two today) 1. What should Lana and Dick's ship name be? 2. Did you have any New Years' resolutions and if so did you break them yet? I personally decided to forgo the resolutions and just try to think about how I could change this year, rather than put a label on it. I hope to finish a few of my original stories as well as (hopefully) Not Really Boring.
I LOVE YOU ALL! bye
P.S. I don't actually know how Robin became Nightwing, so I just made it up.
