Title: Far From The Tree Ch. 3/?
By: Gates mavencree@hotmail.com
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Any characters previously mentioned in a DC comic, I do not own. DC does. I'm not making money off of this.
Warnings: Angst and tension.
©March 2001
***********************************************************************************************
She hated bad news.
Not that anyone actually *liked* bad news, but many would say that in her twenty-something years on Earth, Barbara Gordon had received more than her fair share.
And she feared that amount was about to increase.
He hadn't said anything. Nothing negative, nothing out of the way… But she knew him.
He hadn't smiled.
Dick Grayson had been in her apartment for over a half hour, and he had yet to flash her that 1000-Watt smile that always sent tingles down to ends of her fingertips. He had tried, but it was a fake. The *shine* wasn't there.
Bad news was coming. And on a Friday. She hated that.
Barbara twisted a strand around her finger and cast a glance at the young vigilante as he took a steady sip from his can of pop. She could see from his eyes that his mind wasn't on the cheesy barbarian movie that was flickering across her television screen.
She knew that Dick and Bruce hadn't been talking. Again, he hadn't said anything, but she could tell. While he was patrolling three night's earlier, she'd asked him what was up. He'd asked her not to ask… or rather to be patient with him, he'd tell her in time.
Perhaps they hadn't healed as well as she thought they had.
After the hell that was No Man's Land, Dick and Barbara's relationship had… progressed… some. For the first time they had finally acknowledged a relations. To be honest, *she* had finally acknowledged a relationship. Dick had been trying for years and she had continuously pushed him away. She didn't feel it was fair for him to be tied down to a wheelchair. She still didn't. But she decided to give it a try.
It didn't work.
At least, she didn't think it had. He kept wanting to go places. But Barbara wasn't a big fan of pity. She hated the looks that others gave her. She knew what they were thinking. Dick just couldn't understand that. He said she was wrong and even if she wasn't, who cared? She cared. She didn't want help. She didn't want pity. She didn't want to go out!
He just didn't… couldn't understand…
So she had told him it wasn't working out. She wanted to go back to *just* being friends.
Dick agreed, and didn't appear to be too broken up over it. She'd taken that to mean he hadn't been as *involved* as he claimed to have been.
She wasn't Superman. She couldn't see his heart breaking. But as always, Dick had hope. As long as they were friends, the future was wide-open… right?
Bad news.
"I'm gonna make some more popcorn." She said placing the empty bowl in her lap. She wheeled herself away, not waiting for his answer.
She had just closed the microwave door when she heard him enter the kitchen behind her. Dick pulled out a kitchen chair and sat down, rubbing his hands along his face. Barbara turned, the popcorn forgotten, and drew herself up to her space at the table.
She waited.
Elbows on the table, Dick rested his eyes against his fists. Barbara folded her hands in her lap. He looks so tired, she thought.
When he finally spoke it seemed as though he were either unwilling… or *unable* to meet her gaze.
"…Huntress… Helena… is pregnant."
Huntress, pregnant? Wow. I guess that means no more vigilan—
…
…
Oh…
…
God…
*******
Helena rubbed her eyes and moved Lindsay Taylor's paper to the "marked" pile on her desk.
She sighed and leaned back in her chair.
Dick Grayson. Officer Dick Grayson. She chuckled slightly to herself. "I was impregnated by a guy named Dick. Mama would've loved that one."
She knew she had heard that name before. It had been two days since the Bat's revelation. It had been tempting for her to rush down to Bludhaven the following morning and knock on his door. His home wasn't that hard to find; he was in the book. But *knew* that name. And something inside her said it would be better to find out *who* he was before going to see him.
The answer came to her on the way to work that morning. She had stopped at the newsstand on the corner to purchase a paper, when there he was on the cover of Gothamscape Magazine.
Not Dick Grayson.
Bruce Wayne.
Suddenly, the pieces started falling into place.
Dick Grayson, prince of Gotham. Heir apparent to the Wayne Enterprises fortune. He was Bruce Wayne's son! Biologically…? No. Not likely. They were too close in age. He'd been adopted or something… What was the story again? She couldn't remember. She hadn't been that old herself when it--
…
Bruce… Wayne…
The largest piece fell into place.
A kind passer-by helped her to a bus bench when the city began to spin. Whether it was the baby or the realization, or both, she wasn't sure. She only knew that the ability to stand on her own had temporarily left her.
Bruce Wayne was… he was… he…
She was a little bit late for work.
Blinking, Helena brought herself back to her task at hand. Marking her English Lit reports.
"Okay. Alex Conrad… How'd you do…?"
She let her eyes run down seventeen year old's paper, which was *supposed* to be about King Lear.
It wasn't.
"…love to run my hands up and down your silky thighs…? *What* in the *hell*?"
******
"…Congratulations."
"What?" Dick raised his head.
Barbara stretched her face into a smile. Her eyes didn't match it.
"Congratulations. I—I know you're going to be a great father."
"I'm not."
Her eyes widened. "You—Your not the father?"
"I am. I mean, biologically I am, but—"
"But? What 'but', Dick? You're the father!"
"I'm not involved! I'm—stepping aside. I won't be helping to raise the baby. I won't be the father."
"…"
Barbara shook her head in disbelief. She didn't know what was more upsetting. Her boyfr-- her *friend* getting the Huntress pregnant, or the one of the most honourable people she knew not taking responsibility for his actions.
"How could you be so irresponsible?! This is *your* baby! You're just going to leave them high and dry?! Just wash your hands of the whole thing?!"
"Of course not! I'll be giving them money and--"
"*Money*? I can't believe you--"
"Look, you think I want it this way?!" He said jumping up from the table. He couldn't believe the conversation they were having. Dick had expected to trumped on the pregnancy itself. That he had gone back to Helena after he'd told Barbara that she was the only one for him. But here she was berating him over why he *wasn't* with this other woman.
"I *want* to be the baby's father! I *want* to be there! But I can't! There's… too much at stake."
Barbara closed her mouth, which had been hanging open in stunned silence. She was beginning to understand. She shook her head.
"I can't believe you are letting Bruce decide--"
"This isn't about Bruce! Why does everyone always say that?! I *am* capable of making *some* decisions on my own, you know!"
Barbara stiffly placed her hands on her knees, before continuing in a calmer voice.
"I know. I know it was your decision. But the reasoning behind it… that wasn't yours. It couldn't be."
"Babs…"
"Do you trust her?"
"…"
"You do. I know you, Dick. You couldn't… you couldn't *be* with somebody you didn't trust."
"…Doesn't matter now anyway." He said quietly, his back to her.
"It's never too late."
He knelt down beside her chair. The two were speaking just barely above whispers now.
"Why are you… I mean, I thought you'd be--"
"Mad." She nodded. "I am. I don't think I've ever been more angry or upset… or disappointed in you." She shook her head. "And although there'll probably be a few broken lamps in here before morning, this decision you've made… it's more important. It's not too late, Dick."
Barbara closed her eyes.
"All I ever wanted for you in life was to be happy." She said quietly.
"You make me happy."
She shook her head again. "No. I think *both* now know that's not true. This… this proves it."
"Babs…"
"Dick," Barbara backed her chair away from him and turned it around. "could… could you go now? I'm feeling kind of tired."
"…Yeah. I've got an early shift tomorrow anyway." He said standing.
Dick watched her for a moment then left without saying another word.
*****
Robin descended onto the rooftop across from the Clocktower. He was about to shoot a jumpline across when he felt a hand drop onto his shoulder. He spun around in a defensive stance only to be faced with a gloved open-handed palm.
"Batgirl?"
The open hand pointed to the Clocktower. Robin's eyes followed. He saw quick movement in one of the windows followed by the knowing sound of something ceramic smashing to pieces.
"Mad."
"Understatement." Robin breathed. "What caused it?"
Batgirl raised her shoulders in a shrug.
"…Did… Did Nightwing stop by here tonight?"
A nod.
"Oh. …Guess he told her then."
Batgirl stared at him silently. He suddenly found himself remembering how frustrated he had been when he'd first met this young girl. Back then she didn't speak at all. Even now, her words were few and carefully selected. At first it had creeped him out. Now, her silence seemed as natural to him as a conversation with Nightwing. He understood her perfectly… most of the time. Right now he guessed he was asking him to elaborate.
Robin shrugged. "Well… I guess you'll find out soon enough. Not like it can be kept a secret." He gave a smirk. "And I'm guessing you're not gonna blab it all over town."
Batgirl playfully tapped him on the top of his head.
"Okay, okay," he sighed. "It's the Huntress… She's pregnant. Nightwing's the father."
Even behind the full mask, Robin could tell the girl's eyes had widened considerably. She turned he face away and covered her mouth (or where he approximated her mouth to be) with her hand. She was thinking.
"He's… He's really, sorry about the whole situation, but he wants to be a father. But I don't think he's gonna…"
Batgirl gave him a questioning look.
Robin threw his hands up exasperation. "I don't know what's going on. He talked to me a week ago and I've been picking up little bits here and there since then."
She seemed to be thinking again, then pulled out her retracting line. Robin began to mimic her but she held up her hand.
"No." She said. "Patrol."
Then she took off for the Clocktower.
Robin sighed, shook his head and decided to go see if the 'big boss' could use him for anything.
*****
Oracle dropped her face into her hands. She wasn't crying. She was too angry to cry. But part of her really wanted to.
"Loves you."
Her head spun around at the soft-spoken voice behind her. Batgirl stood there, sans cowl and holding the stuffed Nightwing doll out at arms length.
Barbara closed her eyes.
"Cassandra…"
"Loves you!" She said more forcefully, rocking the doll back and forth.
"He doesn't."
"Does."
"Cassandra…"
"He loves. You love. He tries. You push. You hurt. He hurts. Stop pushing."
"He slept with another woman!"
"You push."
"So this is my fault?!"
"No."
Barbara shook her head. "Cass, you're just a kid. You don't know—"
"I know. Read people. Nightwing… needs love. Always. Wants you." She sat the doll down on the table. "You lie. He still comes back. Love."
"*He* lied to *me*."
"No. Told you the truth. You lie."
"I've *never* lied to him."
"To him. To yourself. To world. You need people."
"I don't *need* anyone. I can take care of myself." Barbara snapped dryly.
"I am strong. I fight. I take care of… myself." She pointed to her own chest. "*I* need people. You… Batman… Robin… Nightwing… Love. Makes me stronger… than alone. I know this. *You* need people. Makes *you* stronger. But you push… Now… alone."
Batgirl walked to the window. She paused on the sill.
"Together is stronger." She said replacing the cowl.
"Alone is… alone."
She then disappeared leaving the On-Line-Wonder to deal with her own thoughts.
*****
Officer Richard Grayson leaned rested his head on his hand and read over the report he had just typed. He really wasn't in the mood to ranged out by his partner Amy Rohrbach, for a missed cross or dot. He really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone this morning. He'd been tempted to call in sick, but that would have accomplished would've been him sitting in his apartment all day, alone with his thoughts.
Not at all a desirable situation.
Satisfied it was clean, Grayson pulled the report free, dropped it into a folder slapping it shut with his hand.
"Grayson, do you have that—"
He handed her the folder before she finished her sentence. She flipped it open, examining its contents.
After a moment she nodded and sat down at her desk, which was backed against her partners, so the two were facing each other.
"Good work, Grayson." She said closing the file. She paused.
"Girlfriend trouble?"
Dick looked at her oddly. She had never expressed any interest whatsoever in anything to do with his personal life. He must be radiating more than he thought.
"Not my girlfriend." He said flatly.
"Boyfriend troubles?"
He raised an eyebrow. Amy shrugged.
"Hey, it's the millennium. Doesn't matter to me either way."
"I'm straight."
"Hm. So what's the trouble? You haven't been your usual sparkling self this week."
"Family stuff." He said looking at his watch. "Shift's up." He began locking up his desk.
"Officer Grayson?" Came a voice from behind him.
Dick turned around and suddenly was no longer sure that his heart was still beating.
"H—Helena?"
Helena smiled and stepped to the side of his desk.
"Hi, Dick." She said pleasantly.
It was a few moments more before Dick found the ability to speak again.
"Wha—Wha—What…? H-How?"
"Your… uh, *father*… paid me a visit the other night…"
Dick's jaw dropped.
"He… He… He *did*…?"
She nodded slowly.
Had he not already been sitting, Dick would have hit the floor.
There was the distinct clearing of the throat. Dick shook himself out of his revelry.
"Uh, sorry. Helena, Amy Rohrbach, my partner. Amy, this is Helena Bertanelli, my… uh, friend."
The ladies extended pleasantries. Amy stood up and slipped on her coat. "See you tomorrow Rookie." She said and excused herself.
Helena looked down at Dick who had yet to stand up.
"I think we need to talk." She said.
#######
End Of Part Three
