digi-gal-rox: yea! final chapter! pls remember to review!

Chapter 13 - Final Battle Part 2

"Barbara? Barbara? Barbara?" Raven gently shook the paralysed red-head worriedly."Oh my..." Alfred murmured. "Maybe we should call Nightwing.""No," Raven shook her head. "That'll just make him worry. And we don't need that right now. Looks like I have no choice, but to go in."
"Go in?"
"Watch the computer, will you?"
"Ms. Raven..."
"Right now, the only way I can talk to her, is if I go inside her head."

'Me?'
'In a matter of speaking.'
'No! I should be helping-'
'The only way you can help him, is if you can help yourself. Can you do that?'
'...I don't have any other choice, do I?'
'You always have a choice. You just have to start believing in yourself.'
'Who are you, really?'
'You don't believe me?'
'I have my doubts.'
'Here's a question. Why did you give up?'
'What do you mean?'
'Why did you give up being her?'
'I grew up.'
'Or was it to forget about him?'
'...'
'None of this is your fault. Once you forgive yourself, and trust yourself again...'
'I do. I do trust myself.'
"Barbara!" Raven's voice echoed.
'Raven?'
'It's time.'
'Wait! Who are you?'
'I'm you. I'm Batgirl.'

"Batgirl?" Oracle groaned slightly opening her eyes.
"She coming too!" Raven sighed relieved. "Barbara? You O.K?" Oracle looked around, adjusting her vision, before nodding, a slightly smile, and a familiar glint in her eyes.
"I am now."
"What happened to you?"
"Honestly, I don't know. But I have a feeling that I had a talk with my inner self." Raven nodded, slightly confused. "Let's get to work."
"Batgirl..."
"Hm?"
"You said Batgirl before you woke up." Raven paused. "Your inner self?"
"You could say that."

Wiping the blood that sipped out of his mouth, he angrily spat it aside, changing positions. His fighting styles had definately changed the last time he fought him.
"What's the matter, Nightwing? You're slowing down," Slade taunted. Nightwing could feel his breathing becoming heavier and his movements becoming sluggish. Slade had definately improved, or was it he himself that lost his touch? He couldn't tell anymore. "I'm sure when I'm done with you, your family, especially that Orcale will be some fun." Nightwing grinded his teeth. "Did I make the poor Nightwing angry?" throwing his smoke pellets, Nightwing charged at his enemy.
"That does it," he growled, "You're going down."

"This is getting old." Robin grunted.
"No need to tell me twice." Flash retorted. "We have to keep this up till he's done."
"And when will that be?" Huntress asked sharply.
"Look!" Supergirl exclaimed, pointing to the sky.
"The batwing?!" Robin's eyes widened. "SCATTER!" the group quickly split, as a large gust of smoke emerged from the vehicle freezing all the robots. Breathing heavily, Robin couldn't help but smile.
"Well, that takes care of that."
"Not for long," Batgirl's voice chimed in. "We have some trouble down here."
"What is it?" Robin demanded.
"More guys here." was her responce, followed by a heavy grunt. "And they are huge!"
"We're on our way." Speedy responded. "You copy that Oracle?"
"Sending another ice bomb there now."

"This is it." Cyborg murmured, breathing heavily. "The last unit of my battery..."
"We can do this," Beast Boy responded, "Afterall, we have been through 'the end'."
"Enough talk," Red X growled, "These guys are going down!" before he could attack, Starfire came flying into the room, throwing starbolts at her sister.
"You will pay for that, little sister!" Blackfire bellowed. Nodding at each other, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Red X attacked their opponents. Despite the fact that they had gotten stronger, one thing they did know, was that they were not going to give up. Smirking to himself, Red X, let out his 'X' tape and gew, sticking all the villians together.
"And you couldn't have done it earlier?!" Cyborg cried out.
"We had to slow them down, other wise they'd be strong enough to break free," Red X responded coldly. "You should be more worried about your leader."
"Nightwing!" theY cried out, running ahead. Red X remained behind smiling to himself. He knew that Nightwing could take care of himself.
"Looks like my work is done here," he muttered, turning around to leave, leaving the grumbling minions of Slade.

"Tick, tock, tick, tock, your time is running out, Nightwing." Slade yawned. "Do you really want your friends and family in danger?"
"That's it, I've had enough of your-" Nightwing growled, throwing a punch as hard as he could at his nemisis. His eyes widened, as it was revealed only to be another of his robots.
"Nightwing!" he heard his friends call out in desperation. Narrowing his eyes, he tossed the lifeless robot aside. All this time, he had been fighting with another one of Slade's robots. Where in the world was he? Panting heavily, he sank to the floor, defeated. The team pulled to a stop, seeing the robotic version of Slade.
"He got away, huh?" Cyborg asked, after a moment of silence.
"It seems that way," Nightwing responded quietly. "But in a way I'm glad." that had surprised his team. "No one got hurt. And if he were really here. I would've done something I would've regretted."
"Let's go," Cyborg said, helping his leader, his team-mate, his friend to his feet. "Barbara is probaly worried sick about you." the half-man half-machine paused, "And man are you going to get a yelling." he indicated to the wounds present on Nightwing.
"Aw man," he groaned.

Breathing heavily, Batgirl sank to the floor, as the robots one by one fell like dominos. Robin, Flash, Supergirl, Speedy, Huntress, Wonder Woman and Batman had arrived, only minutes later to find the robots lifeless.
"What happened?" Wonder Woman asked.
"I have a feeling that Nightwing just destroyed the main control." Speedy informed. Flash nodded in agreement.
"And Slade?"
"He got away," Nightwing's slurred responce came through the communicator. Hanging his head slightly, Batman looked up at the sky, as the batsignal shone brightly.
"Get some rest, Nightwing. Robin. Batgirl, follow me. We've got work to do." Batman sighed.

Red X found himself smiling. Something he had not done since he had first worn the suit. Even though Slade did manage to get away, things was at ease. At least for now. He stared at the tired group as they made their way back. Who knew where. Turning around and left. For now, he'd hide. Afterall, they would come out after him soon enough. And than, only than would he make this appearance. He found himself humming. A song, he never even heard off. A song of a possible past he could not remember.

He awoke at the sound of chatter. Groaning slightly, he pulled himself out of bed, and quickly got dressed. Laughter was heard, not after. He was slightly disorientated. He winced slightly, as he touched his wounds. He barely remembered his talk with Alfred and Barbara last night. All he could remember was Barbara. And tears. Dick Grayson slowly made his way down stairs, following the loud chatter of... his friends and family? Entering the library, he saw that everyone seemed to be getting along.
"Richard!" Kory Anders exclaimed happily. The group turned around, smiles on their faces.
"Morning, Dick." Bruce said, with a hint of a smile on his face. Dick could only stare with his mouth hanging open. Never in his life, had he seen both groups together, and actually get along. Barbara was an exception with Raven but other than that...
"Where's Rae and Babs?"
"I think they're having some 'bonding time'." Cassandra Cain said slowly. Dick frowned slightly.
"Bonding?" Cassandra could only smile, as Raven entered the room, Alfred behind her. Dick turned around, muttering something.
"Cassie," he said warningly.
"She's outside," Tim Drake said, "By the cliffs I think."

She closed her eyes, breathing in the morning fresh air. She remembered the talk she had with her 'inner self'. Lost in her own world, she allowed the wind to carry her thoughts away. Trust... Is that all she had to do? No, she knew she also had to believe in herself. But everything was over now. At least for now, Slade was gone. She smiled to herself, at the sound of the waves, crashing into the land below. This was home.
'You're ready,' She opened her eyes, and grinned.
"Thank-you," she murmured.
'Thank-you who?" she turned around surprised, to see a familiar boyish grin on Dick's face.
"Certainly not to you," she teased. He pouted. "You O.K?"
"I've been through worse," he shrugged, joining her at the edge. She smiled softly at him, as he stared out to sea. They stood together, absorbing the peace and quiet.
"Dick?"
"Hm?"
"What happens now?" he looked at her surprised. "I mean, will you go back to the Titans or head back to Bludhaven?"
"I haven't really thought about it," he said quietly.
"Oh..."
"But I do know one thing," he stated. She looked at him curiously.
"And what would that be?" He grinned, as he pulled her into a deep kiss. She felt herself melting in his arms, all over again, like when they were younger. She found herself smiling as they broke apart.
"Come on, let's head back in, shall we?" he chuckled, placing an arm over her shoulder. She nodded, as they headed back to the manor, where the group had now moved outside, frantically chasing after each other, with Bruce and Alfred at the side lines.
"Things are definately going to be interesting," Barbara stated.
"You got that right," Dick smiled, as they watched Tim chase after Cyborg with a wrench, and Cassandra with a net gun, after Beast Boy. Cocking his head to the side, Dick couldn't help but let out a laugh, as Cassandra had decided to change her target to Bruce, catching him off guard. Smiling softly, Barbara rested her head on Dick's shoulder absorbing the scene. This was home.

digi-gal-rox: yea!! look out for the epilogue! it should be out soon! ;)