My alarm went off, again with that slow song. I smiled sadly and got up. I read the note that sat next to my clock. "Hey, Babs. He must've really worked you hard tonight; you were fast asleep by the time I got there to pick you up. I have your dress at my room. You can come pick it up whenever—I'll be there anytime from two until five. Have a good day. Love, Me." My heart fluttered when I read how he closed. I got ready and put the letter in the lockbox, feeling a bit of déjà vu. I started and finished on my ten page paper, knowing the subject material well enough it took me no time at all. After I was done, I left to go to my first class.
Classes seemed to drag on and on. Campus was full of talk of the Charity Ball tonight—apparently, anyone worth while had been invited. The event was specifically targeted toward a re-vamp of the current exercise facility, so many student athletes were going and extremely excited. No one had really spoken to me since all the buzz with me being captured had died down, so I merely listened in on other people's conversations. Rather unexpectedly, however, my last class was over and I found myself walking to my dorm. I didn't have any pressing homework, so I planned to drop off my bag and go over to Dick's. For some reason, I was intensely afraid of going there—quite the opposite feeling of when I went there before. But, sure enough, I stood outside of his dorm and walked inside and into the elevator, pressing in the security code he had shown me when I first visited. As the elevator slowly climbed up to the number five, my heart beat faster and faster.
The doors slid open with a quiet ding and I stepped out. "Dick?" I called, almost silent. I shook my head and cleared my throat. "Dick?" I said, stronger. He materialized by the bathroom door, opening it to release a waft of steam. He was standing there in baggy sweatpants with a towel around his neck, wiping his face. He wasn't wearing a shirt and my ears burned.
"Sorry," he said, smiling. "I just got out of the shower. I didn't expect you to come right away." He walked right by me and toward his room. "C'mon. Wanna see your dress?" I followed him, my ears returning to their usual pigmentation.
I went into his room, my eyes deliberately avoiding the couch where we had spent that night, what seemed like weeks ago. Dick walked over to his closet and opened it, revealing a hanger with a large white bag covering the contents. He pulled it out of the closet and took the covering off. I gasped.
The dress was absolutely gorgeous. It was strapless and long; I could tell it would gracefully trail on the ground if I was wearing it. The dress—or, more appropriately called, gown—was made completely of glitter. I could tell, however, that it was the expensive type of glitter that wouldn't come off and get on everything. But what I loved most about the dress was the color. It was a deep, but bright blue that matched Dick's eyes perfectly. I stood in awe of the gown and came toward it. He smiled and handed it to me. I felt the material and could tell I wouldn't be uncomfortable in it. I looked up at him with huge eyes and he just smiled wider. "I take it you like it," he said.
"Of course! It's stunning!" I said.
"I'm glad," he whispered. "Hey, what size shoe do you wear?" I looked at him suspiciously.
"Eight and a half. Why?" I asked.
Dick looked away from me and went back to the closet. "No reason…." He came back with a shoe box. "I bought eights, eight and a halves, and nines, just to be sure." My eyes bulged even more. When he pulled the lid off the box, he revealed three inch heels that matched the dress color perfectly and were designed with many straps that stretched haphazardly around the shoe. I picked them up and stared at them.
"I can't believe you," I said. "These must have cost a ridiculous amount. And you bought three pairs!" I shook my head. "Is this all?" I added, jokingly.
"Nope," he said, and my jaw dropped, causing him to laugh. "It got fun after that. I had to get you one more thing. –Well, it's actually three more things." He left and came back quickly with three boxes wrapped in blue paper. I tore into them, wondering what he had gotten me next.
The first box I opened was the largest. It was the boxiest one, and when I opened it, I saw that it was a diamond bracelet. I gasped and stumbled, falling onto Dick's bare chest. My ears burned and he chuckled. "What?" he asked.
"This is a diamond bracelet. I've never had anything this nice in my life, Dick." My voice was barely audible.
"Well, if you like that, you'll love the other two." I opened both and saw that the long one was what I expected: a diamond necklace. The smallest box was a pair of diamond earrings. "If you don't want them, I can take them back. Bruce won't care that I bought them, but he'd encourage me to return them if you don't want them."
Again I fell into his open arms. "It's not that I don't want them," I said. "I just wasn't expecting anything like this." I dropped the gifts on his bed and hugged him, burying my face in his chest. "Everything is so beautiful; I don't know what to do."
We pulled apart and he looked at me endearingly. "I know what you can do to thank me…" he said before bending down and finding my lips. At once, I parted my lips to allow his tongue full entry. His arms around my waist, mine wrapped around his neck; the feeling was bliss. All the feelings I had been thinking about melted away. I knew that I had been foolish to feel sad and weird about the message in his letters. I felt the same, I just hadn't verbalized it. I planned to change that at the Charity Ball tonight.
After a few minutes, Dick began kissing down my chin to my neck. I held him there, but eventually he came up and kissed my nose, looking warmly down at me. "We should start getting ready," he said and let me go.
Dick told me he had picked up a hair straightener, curling iron, and make-up kit. Again, I was in wonder of what lengths he had gone to for me. I went to the bathroom, then, where he had put all of my things so he could get dressed. I decided to curl my hair and plugged in the high quality iron. I had just put on base when the gadget beeped, letting me know it had heated up. I started curling my hair and found some hair spray to keep the curls voluminous and bouncy.
After finishing my hair, I set to the task of doing my make-up. I put on eye liner, mascara, and the brown eye shadow Dick had bought for me. I did my lips and when I finished, I was quite satisfied. I left the bathroom and saw that Dick was lying on his bed, fully dressed and waiting for me. I had taken about an hour and a half to get ready, and I felt bad for making him wait. "Sorry," I said.
"That's fine. Now, let me get out of your way." He smiled as he left. "I'll be in the dining room." Dick left.
I walked over to his closet and pulled out the gown. I stared at it in awe before putting it on. However, as I went to zip it up, I found that my hands couldn't reach the back to close the dress completely. I rolled my eyes at how cliché it was. Deciding to just get over it, I headed for the door.
Just as he said, Dick was sitting in the dining room, playing with his tie. "Help," I said, turning around. He chuckled and came towards me. Gently he zipped it up and then wrapped his arms around my neck, resting his chin of my shoulder. I gripped his wrists and held him there. He sighed contentedly and then let go.
"Do you need help getting you necklace and bracelet on?" he asked.
"Probably," I said. I went and got them. He put on my bracelet and as he was doing my necklace I put my earrings in. I had brought out my shoes as well and put those on. "How do I look?" I asked.
He let out a low whistle. I smiled and walked towards him, forming my body to fit his better as we hugged. Suddenly, though, he looked at his watch. "It's past five o'clock. We better get going!"
Dick grabbed my hand and we went to his car. There were a few people dressed up and heading for the parking lot, but thankfully no one seemed to notice that it was Barbara Gordon walking hand in hand with Richard Grayson. He drove to Wayne Manor; but this time, he took the normal way, not turning off on a dirt road. He pulled slickly up the drive and stopped in front of the door. A valet came and Dick handed him the keys along with a twenty dollar bill. I slid my arm through his and we walked to the front door together. "Have you ever been in the Manor?" he asked.
"Nope," I replied.
He chuckled. "Prepare to be blown away." As we entered the entrance hall, a decked out security guard simply nodded us through. "He knows it's me; and since you're with me, you must be invited. There're perks to having lived here." We walked into the main hall—which was also serving as the ballroom—and I gasped.
The ceiling was three stories tall, sporting an extensive chandelier. The room was brightly lit by lights on the wall. The walls themselves were covered in large portraits and paintings. The floor was granite, a light tan color. The hall was filled with people, rich philanthropists, college students, influential people; even a few children would occasionally be seen running through the mob of finely dressed cohorts, wearing mini dresses or suits. There was table upon table that held champagne, punch, water, any drink you could imagine, coupled with thousands of mini hors-d'oeuvres. There were two grand staircases that lead to a loft where I could see most of the wealthy people were concentrated. In the thick of it all, I could make out Bruce Wayne surrounded by false smiles and fake friends. Dick pulled on my arm since I was just standing in the way of the throngs of guests still arriving. "C'mon," he said. "I want you to meet Alfred."
"You mean Mister Pennyworth?" I asked. I had heard of the famed butler, but I had never actually met him.
Dick chuckled. "He'll love that you call him that." After a few minutes of searching, we came upon the older man who was waiting patiently by the table that had alcohol on it. "Hey, Alfred!" Dick called.
"Master Richard. What a pleasure to see you again! And who is this lovely lady?" Mister Pennyworth was a surprisingly tall man with a balding head. He didn't seem to be over sixty, but I knew that wasn't so. His blue eyes were piercing, staring straight into mine, analyzing me.
"This is Barbara Gordon," Dick said, gesturing toward me.
Mister Pennyworth bowed deeply at me. I smiled and said, "It's nice to meet you, Mister Pennyworth."
He chuckled. "Thank you, Miss Gordon; but please, call me Alfred. And may I say, it is quite delightful to see the real you. I can understand why Master Richard speaks so highly of you." I glanced sideways at Dick, whose face had promptly flushed a deep rose. "Yes, ever since his first day of attending the University, he's been raving about the 'wonderful, intelligent, and stunning' Barbara Gordon. Did he ever tell you about how he used to watch you sleep all during your sophomore year? Some may think it to be a little breach of privacy, but I find it charming, myself—" Dick's face was getting progressively darker, and a small smile played on my lips. I could never get him to be embarrassed, so it was refreshing to see someone put him in his place; and I could tell that Mister Pennyworth had been planning on mortifying Dick ever since he heard I was coming.
"Thank you, Alfred, for that lovely reminiscing time," Dick cut in. "But Barbara and I really should go talk to Bruce."
Alfred beamed. "Anytime, young Master Richard. Have a pleasant evening!" Alfred bustled off to go get more snacks.
"I like him," I said. Dick was silent. I laughed and then said, in a whisper, "You watched me? That's kind of sketchy…" He didn't answer, preoccupied with keeping his face from growing any redder. As he had said, Dick led me up one of the staircases and through the mob surrounding Bruce. We finally got within earshot of the man of the evening.
"Bruce!" Dick called. "Bruce!" Bruce's head swung around to look at the boy shouting for him, and upon seeing Dick's face, his smile widened to a grin.
"Dick!" He pushed through the crowd to get to us. "I'm so glad you could make it." He grabbed Dick in a large bear hug. After they got done with some small talk, Bruce turned to look at me. "And who's your beauty of a lady friend?"
Dick looped his arm with mine. "This is Barbara Gordon, daughter of our wonderful police commissioner. Isn't she something?" Bruce took my free hand and kissed it lightly.
"It's my deepest pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Gordon." My ears burned slightly, and I was glad my hair covered them.
"The pleasure is all mine, Mister Wayne," I replied. We would've stayed, but we could see Bruce was busy and didn't want to keep him—at least that's what Dick told him. Dick led me to a balcony area and I welcomed the cold December air to the hot, humidness of the Manor.
"What do you think of Bruce? He's different, huh?" I nodded.
"He's like a totally different person. I almost forgot for a moment that this was the same guy who could knock me out with one punch. He's good at what he does."
"He has to be," Dick said, leaning against the edge. I stood facing him awkwardly for a time. I was about to say something when Dick suddenly spoke. "Is everything alright? You've been acting funny lately." I cast my eyes downward.
"No, I'm not alright." I said this with a sigh and avoided looking at Dick's big, blue, pleading eyes.
"What's wrong?" he asked affectionately. "I can help. Just tell me what's going on. Is it Bette? Don't let her bother you, Babs."
I looked up at him. "It's nothing like that… Actually… It's… You…" I said the last word so quietly, I could barely hear myself. But I knew that he had heard it—his face was crestfallen and he looked incredibly hurt.
"What?" he asked, disbelief and pain flooding his voice. "Me? What… What did I do? Just tell me and I'll fix it, I promise. I'll do anything, Babs—"
My eyes went wide. I walked closer to him, placing my hands on his wrists. "Dick, look at me." He sorrowfully met my gaze. "You haven't hurt me or done anything wrong." His countenance got much more hopeful. "It's just that what you've done makes me feel awful." Dick's face was filled with confusion.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
I hesitated, my breath catching in my throat as I pictured the little four letter word, written so beautifully in his hand. "It's those letters…" He looked as if he was going to say something, so I put my hand up to his lips. "Just those last two—I like the letters, don't get me wrong. It just makes me feel inadequate. I mean, I've never said that to anyone, and you've written it twice. I guess I just feel guilty that I haven't ever said it to you…" Dick's eyes widened in realization. He grabbed my hands and looked at me warmly.
"That's why you're acting like this?" I gave him a small nod, feeling even more foolish. He pulled me into a hug. "It's okay. I know you care about me. If you don't feel ready to say it, then don't." We broke apart and he kissed my forehead. "It's just that I've loved you since I first saw you, freshman year." My eyes widened.
"Really?" I asked.
"Yeah…" He looked into my eyes.
"Tell me about it."
"About what?" he questioned.
I smiled. "About how you feel in love with me and stuff. I want to hear the whole thing." Dick sighed heavily.
"Alright. We should probably go somewhere a bit more private, though." He grabbed my hand and we ran back into the Manor. He went up another set of stairs that led to a massive hallway and ran all the way down it, turning left suddenly and going into a huge room. "This is my room here." I gaped at it. It was laid out exactly like his dorm room, only more expensive looking and extravagant. He undid his tie and took off his sports jacket. I kicked my shoes off and joined him on the bed, where he had sat down.
"Begin!" I said and he rolled his eyes.
"Now, you must understand one thing," he started. "My cover as Dick Grayson is to be a playboy like Bruce—only the type that's going out with about five girls at one time and generally breaking it off after a week. I was constantly 'falling in love'; and, I had done this all of my high school years. Not only that, I had mastered all the pickup lines and could get practically any girl I wanted. It was fun at first. But I started to realize I was actually hurting people. I talked to Bruce about it, but he said that I had to keep it up. If I became too close to someone, and one of our villains found out, they could use that person against us—and possibly hurt that person. Bruce's logic was sound. But still, as I went to college on the first day, I wanted to start real relationship." We had both laid down on the bed and our fingers were laced together. I smiled as I listened.
"The very first day, I talked to girl after girl. I didn't know who, exactly, I was looking for, but I didn't want a dumb blond, a jock, or some super smart girl—she might figure out who I was. I just aimlessly walked around campus, hoping to find at least one girl worth changing for. I was about to go back to my room when I saw you." Dick went quiet for a moment. "I know you didn't see me, but can you remember when you were unloading all of your stuff with your dad to take to your room?" I nodded. "That's when I first saw you. You were carrying a box and your dad dropped one on his foot. You helped him and began laughing, your hair falling beautifully around your shoulders, your eyes sparkling." His face suddenly darkened.
"Anyway, my heart almost beat out of my chest. I knew, at once, that you were the one I would change for. I didn't want to approach you just yet, though. I was afraid you had heard about me and would think I was just trying to hook up with you. So, instead, I went to the office and showed them a picture I had taken of you. I found out your name and at once went back to the Cave. I looked you up and read about your family, where you went to school, where your dorm was… Now that I think about it, I was kind of stalking you. Only not with malicious intent, mind you.
"I memorized your schedule and would watch you go to your classes, trying to figure out how best to approach you. Data and files couldn't tell me how you would react to me asking you out—someone who was a known player. Finally, though, I got fed up with waiting. I decided to just try it; after all, you could only reject me, right? How wrong I was… Do you remember what you said to me?"
I thought, calling to mind that cold January morning. "Well, you came up to me and said, "Hey." I just stared at you, I think. Then you asked me if I wanted to go out with you. I gave you this skeptical look and said, "I don't even know who the hell you are." Sorry about that. Anyway, then you looked at me cockily and said, "I'm only Dick Grayson, the hottest, richest, and most available guy at GSU." That pissed me off. I hate pompous rich jerks like that. I think I said something like I'd rather rot in hell and then left."
"More or less," he said, a smile in his voice. "I was distraught after that. It hadn't gone as I had planned at all. I thought you were just going to fall for me, right there, like all the others had. I was naïve in that aspect. But that didn't make me give up; I knew, then, that you must really be worth it. So, as you remember, I asked you out every day that week, being rejected more viciously every time. At one point I think you told me to, "Back the hell off, ass-hole." After that, I knew that it wouldn't work to be so direct. So, I figured I could be close to you if I just dated someone that came into contact with you often and always hang around with that girl.
"That didn't work, though, because, no offense, you're pretty antisocial and don't have a ton of friends. So I went for your roommate." I laughed as I recalled my first roommate, an extremely dumb and self-centered girl name Stephanie. "That didn't last long. And before I knew it, freshman year was over. I was set on you, though. I thought of you all the time; I couldn't get you out of my head. All during the summer I planned on how I could win you over.
"Once sophomore year started, I had a pretty good plan of how to get your attention. I wouldn't date a bunch of people, I would keep to myself; all for you to notice that I wasn't a rich, self-centered player. Unfortunately, when I tried to ask you out after the first quarter, you had remembered my pestering you the previous year. Crestfallen, I decided I would just watch you from afar. That's when I began watching you sleep. It was calming, peaceful even, for me to get to watch the one I cared about so desperately lie there with a smile on her lips that was never there when she saw me." My eyes clouded with tears when I remembered how mean and cruel I had been to him. "So, before I knew it, sophomore year was over, and I still hadn't won your approval.
"And now, junior year. I knew I had no chance of dating you, so I tried through your roommate again. Bette wasn't that bad—just interested in everything about me except for the me part. I finally got into your guys' room and when I saw your posters… A spark of hope lit in me. And then, when I saw you getting attacked, I was so excited; I know it sounds awful, but you know what I mean. Then, when you kissed me that first time…. Hmm…." Dick paused, and I, too, recalled our first kiss. "It was amazing. I finally had you. You were mine. And then I remembered that you only loved Robin." He chuckled darkly.
"Needless to say, it was more difficult than I thought it would be. I wanted to just tell you so badly. When I drove you to the mall the day after, it took all I had not to tell you, right there in the car. I didn't, though; I was afraid you wouldn't believe me, or wouldn't like me. So, when I had the chance to see you again that night, I took it." He went quiet as we both remembered that night. "If only Bette hadn't ruined it. But when I saw you rescue that girl, I had all I needed to tell you. I just had to convince Batman it would be alright. I begged him to let you join so I could tell you; I didn't say that, but he knew what I meant. And after you had stood up to Harley like that, I had all the firepower I needed. He couldn't bring the argument forward that you would be targeted—you had already been a target, and could be one later with your relation to the commissioner. He said he would let you join if, and only if, you could figure out who I was. That's when I asked for him to throw the party. He was suspicious, of course, but I managed to convince him. The rest is history." I sighed and scooted closer to him. "What about you? When did you fall for the Boy Wonder?"
I thought. "Sophomore year, mostly. That was when you started appearing in the news more often. I just noticed that you were everything I wanted in a guy—kind, courageous, handsome, real. You weren't concerned with 'getting the girl' and were always focused on helping people in need. I had never met anyone like that and I find it highly attractive." We both were lying on our sides so that we could look at each other. "But now that I see that you were just pretending as Dick, I kinda like him too. I might even go as far as to say that I love him." We both smiled and he reached for me.
It began slowly, as we always did. But it stayed slow. Dick reached behind my neck and his tongue danced with mine, but leisurely, opposed to the tangling it usually did. Eventually, though, we got faster, and Dick leaned over me, kissing me fuller. He went down my chin and neck, like he had back at his room, leaving me to simply enjoy the kiss from there. He came back, though, and he continued to play with my tongue. After a time we broke apart. "Do you want to go back out there?" he asked.
"Not really," I said. He smiled.
"Let's change into something a bit more comfortable, then." Dick got up and went to his closet. He pulled out a two pairs of sweatpants and two shirts. He threw one set of clothes at me. "I'm going to change first. Look away… if you want." My ears burned and he undid the buttons of his dress shirt. I was staring at his exposed chest and shook my head when I realized it. "Maybe I should keep this off," he chuckled, throwing the shirt he had brought out to the ground. He went to undo his pants and I closed my eyes. He laughed loudly and announced he was done. "Your turn."
I stood up and looked at him expectantly. I couldn't reach the zipper to my dress, and was waiting for Dick to realize that. It was easy to tell when he did. His face blossomed to a deep red and I smiled as he came towards me. I turned around and grabbed my hair, holding it out of his way. His warm hands grabbed the zipper and he pulled it all the way down. Fortunately, I had donned a bra that still had its straps and I pulled them over my shoulders. I kicked the dress off to reveal my spandex, and I put on the pants and loose fitting T-shirt. Finally, I took off the diamond jewelry I had received that same day. "I'm decent," I said and Dick turned to face me.
"Took you long enough," he said, kissing me. I fell on the bed and smiled as my lips were forced apart by his increasingly needy tongue. This time, he went fast and I was falling behind. I was glad he had left off his shirt, for it would have just gotten in the way. Usually he left an amount of space between our hips, but I pulled them down, leaving no space between us. Breath came harder and harder to me, and Dick began kissing my neck, allowing me to pant and recover my lungs. To kiss my neck better, Dick had pulled his hips back up; in retaliation, I wrapped my legs around his hips, eliminating all space once again.
Eventually I became hot and we stopped. He rolled off of me and we were both breathing heavily. I pulled off the shirt and was just in my bra top. Dick noticed and jumped on me, kissing my neck and chest. I wrenched him back up to my lips, though, and we kissed there. After a long while he rolled off of me again and we lied there, tired. "I should probably get you back to your dorm," he said, getting up and putting his shirt on. I sat up, huffing.
"No…" He turned and looked at me. "Can't I stay with you?"
"Sorry, Babs," he said, smiling sadly. "You'll have to stay at your place. But once you move on Saturday… That's another story." He winked and took me to his car, out through a back door of the Manor where no one would see us. We got in his Corvette and he drove me back to the campus swiftly.
Dick walked me back to my dorm and stood awkwardly outside the entrance. "Can't you just come up?" I asked.
"No… I would but Bette might be there, and lately we've been getting… louder." My ears burned, but I knew he was telling the truth.
"Well…" I sighed, walking over to him and looping my arms around his neck. "Good night," I whispered in his ear. He went to kiss me, but I pulled away. "Not until I get my apartment." Dick glared, but it was gone in an instant. Instead, he kissed my hand and I went up to my room and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.