The next chapter of The Tapes.


"Need a little help here." Nightwing informs, as he limps into the Cathedral. He is clutching his wounded abdomen, exhausted from the strain the journey had put on his body. A few surgeons come to his aid and help escort him to a surgical bed.

"What happened to him?" Cash questions, confused as he keeps Penguin seated on the ground.

"Stab wound." Robin answers.

"Is that all?" Cash replies, raising an eyebrow, "Hell, I thought you vigilantes had real problems."

"Sorry to disappoint." Robin says, "We'll try to bring something a little more serious next time." He then takes notices of Penguin. "Oh good, your conscious again." he says, "...Kinda wished you were earlier, would've been a lot easier than dragging around close to 300lb of dead weight."

"Eat me, Bird Boy!" Penguin growls.

"Sorry, too much blubber for my taste." Robin replies.

"Piss off!" Penguin yells.

"What did I tell you?" Cash says, giving Penguin a threatening glare. Penguin remains silent, as he continues to glare at Robin.

"Anythings eventful happen while I was gone?" Robin questions.

"Besides some lunatic shooting up the joint, not really." Cash answers, "Which reminds me, the Bat ever get that taken care of?"

"To be frank, haven't kept tabs on Batman since I last saw him." Robin explains, "But I'll look into it. Is everyone safe?"

"For now." Cash informs.

Dr. Parkins is stilling sitting next to a silent April, whose eyes are glued on Nightwing.

"April, are you alright?" Dr. Parkins questions, concerned by April's silence. April doesn't respond, nor does she look away from Nightwing for an instant as he is being worked on. Dr. Parkins notices where her gaze is and is a bit confused, then suddenly puts the pieces together. She also realizes that April's body is becoming tense. "April, I need you to take a deep breath and try to relax." she says, trying to calm the young girl down. April simply continues to stare at Nightwing, as a mix of emotions brew inside of her.

"Ah!" Nightwing grunts, as the surgeons work on stitching him up, "What... no anesthetics?" An exhausted looking Catwoman laying in a bed next to him snickers.

"Now, now, Boy Wonder, don't fuss." Catwoman says, in a mocking tone, "If you be a good little boy and let the doctors make you all better, you'll get a lollipop."

"Don't you have somewhere better to be?" Nightwing questions, glaring at her.

"And here I thought you enjoyed my company." Catwoman replies, giving a fake pout.

"About as much as having seven inches of steel in the abdomen." Nightwing replies, as he winces at bit from the pain.

"That hurts me, Tweety Bird." Catwoman says, still pretending to take offence, "I remember a time when you couldn't take your eyes off of me. What happened?"

"I found someone better to look at." Nightwing states.

"That reminds me, whatever did happen to Batgirl?" Catwoman questions, a bit curious. Nightwing is silent for a moment.

"...Joker happened." Nightwing answers.

"You mean he killed her?" Catwoman replies, a bit shocked.

"No." Nightwing murmurs, narrowing his eyes, "...Just assigned her a permanent desk job." It is silent between the two of them.

"...So, what are you doing here anyway?" Catwoman questions, trying her best to change the subject.

"You don't watch the news much, do you?" Nightwing replies.

"No, I got that." Catwoman informs, "I mean who gave you that nasty little booboo?"

"Gee, I wonder, who's the one guy around here with a vendetta against me?" Nightwing questions.

"...Is this a trick question?" Catwoman replies, a bit confused, "If not, you'll have to be a little more specific."

"Kane, the answer is Kane." Nightwing states.

"Ssshh, quiet!" Catwoman hushes him, "That's still a touchy subject."

"What are you talking about?" Nightwing says.

"Ozzy just let it slip to April about her father." Catwoman informs, trying to keep her voice down.

"April." Nightwing says, remembering the young girl's name. He looked over and saw a young girl staring at him from across the Cathedral, as he begins to recognize her.

"Dickie!" a little girl cheers, as Dick Grayson enters a small one bedroom apartment. The very young girl has long black hair tied in pigtails, pale skin, and big bright green eyes, and is wearing a pink flowery dress. The girl runs excitedly up to Dick, who scoops her up into his arms.

"Hey, kiddo!" Dick greets, giving the child a warm smile, "Where's your parents?"

"Mommy, Daddy, Dickie's here!" the girl announces, turning her head to yell down the hall.

"That works." Dick says.

"Whatcha bring me?" the girl questions, smiling widely.

"I'm starting to think that you only love me for my gifts." Dick states, raising an eyebrow.

"Nah uh, I love you this much!" the girl informs, spreading her arms out wide.

"How much?" Dick questions, smirking.

"This much!" the girl repeats, trying to spread her arms out wider. Just then, Dick tickles her, causing the girl to screech and squirm with laughter.

"I'm starting to wonder who you're really friends with, Grayson." Jason Cain says, as he makes his way down the hall to them, "Me or my four year old?" He takes the girl from Dick and puts her back down. "Go play, April." he says. April turns to go, but Dick stops her and kneels down. He reaches back behind him, then presents April with a new rolled up coloring book and a box of crayons. April's face lights up with excitement as she takes her gifts and prances off. Jason shakes his head at Dick. "Why do you spoil her?" he questions.

"Don't act like you don't." Dick replies, smirking.

"I'm her father." Jason reminds.

"And I'm pretty much her "cool" uncle." Dick replies, "Therefore, I'll continue to spoil her."

"Con't you two ever find somethin' else to fight about?" they hear a feminine voice questions in a thick Irish accent. A young, attractive blonde haired woman with green eyes joins the two of them.

"Lisa, you're looking as wonderful as ever." Jason says.

"I know you're only try'na flatter me ta take me man away, Richard Grayson." Lisa informs with a smile, then gives Jason a confused look, "Jay, you said you had to work tanight."

"Ah, they changed my schedule, they didn't call me till the last minute." Jason explains, "Me and Dick decided to go play cards with the boys." Lisa is silent for a moment.

"...Okay, but please, no gamblin'." Lisa begs.

"I promise." Jason replies, crossing his heart, planting a kiss on Lisa's cheek, "Love you."

"I love you too." Lisa says, returning the kiss on his lips before Jason heads out the door, "Dickie, please, make sure he doesn't gamble."

"That's something I can't promise you." Dick informs, as he reaches into his jacket pocket, "Buuut, I can reimburse you." He pulls out a bundle of hundred dollar bills.

"Dick, no." Lisa replies, her eyes immediately lighting up at the sight of the cash.

"It's just something to help you guys get by." Dick explains, as he put the money in Lisa's hand.

"There's no way we con pay you back anytime soon." Lisa states, reluctant to take the money.

"You don't have to, just think of this as an early Christmas present." Dick says.

"You've already given us enough presents." Lisa informs, then is silent for a moment, "...He's really tryin', Dickie."

"I know-" Dick tries to say.

"No, he really is, Richard." Lisa states, giving him a serious look, "...It's really hard for him."

"I understand." Dick replies, "I just wanted to help you guys. ...You're like family to me." It was then that Dick notices that April is spying on them from around the corner.

Nightwing stares blankly at April from across the room.

"Yeah, April, Kane's kid." Catwoman says. Nightwing suddenly snaps out of his trance, then advert his gaze from the young girl, feeling a bit guilty.


I hope you enjoyed this chapter. What will happen next? Please Review. Thanks.