Disclaimer: I do not own Nightwing or any of the other characters in this story.
AN: This is the next phase in the End of Nightwing storyline. Feedback would be greatly appreciated! *grin*
AN2: This part is dedicated to all of those people who wanted to know what was up with Dick. This chapter reveals all!
End of Nightwing2
Chapter 2
2042
Dick pulled into the Gotham Warrior's parking lot, shaking his head as a person in one of the new "hover cars" skimmed right over the top of his car. "I hate those things." He smiled as a GPD issue flew overhead after the reckless driver. "Then again, looks like the boys are on the job."
He grabbed his cane, climbed out of his old faithful red muscle car, locked it, and looked at the front of Warriors. "Guy may have been a prickly hero, but he actually turned into a pretty good businessman. I still can't believe that Gardner left the business to the JLA when he died." Dick shook his, then walked into the restaurant / museum.
The young lady dressed in the Zatanna costume, with the nametag of "Michelle" smiled brightly as Dick walked into the waiting area. "Table for one, sir?"
Dick shook his head, "Dick Grayson, with the Troy party."
"Hold on a moment, please." She looked around and gestured for a waiter in a Nightwing costume, "Hey Jerry, could you take this gentleman back to the Titans Tower room?"
Dick mentally shook his head, trying not to laugh at the costume and able to guess why a pretty woman would want to avoid being back there with Roy "the Hands" Harper.
Jerry walked over, took the menu from Michelle and quietly asked, "Sure, but why?"
"I don't want to go back there again, I'm black and blue from that jerk back there pinching me!" Michelle answered.
"No problem, Michelle," Jerry said as he turned to Dick. "If you'd follow me, sir?"
"Thank you. Nice costume, by the way. Who is it?" Dick asked, looking at the costume as if he'd not seen it before.
Jerry answered as he led Dick back towards the private room, "It's a replica costume of a hero named Nightwing. He disappeared or retired a couple of decades ago."
"Ah, interesting." Dick commented as they passed a small scale replica of Titans Tower with a diorama of the various teams from the past 40 years.
The waiter opened the door to the private dining room, "Ms Troy, Mr. Harper, Mr. Grayson is here.
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"Roy! Keep your hands off of my french fries!" Donna said with a sharp slap on the hand.
"But, Donna, your fries look so luscious and delicious!" Roy replied with a gleam in his eye and leer on his face.
Both Roy and Donna looked up as the waiter opened the door the room, "Ms Troy, Mr. Harper, Mr. Grayson is here."
"Thanks, Jerry. We'll be ready to order in about ten minutes."
Jerry smiled, "I'll check back. If you need anything in the meantime, just hit the buzzer." He turned to Dick, "Would you like anything to drink, Mr. Grayson?"
"Spring water, if you would. And thanks."
The waiter nodded, then left the room.
"Hey Robbie! Welcome to the best food in town." Roy hollered with a grin on his face.
Donna shook her head and asked, "How'd the appointment go, Dick? You sounded worried about it."
Dick laughed as he sat down, "Roy, you've been pinching almost every woman that walks by. You're 66 years old. When are you going to grow up?"
Roy grinned at Dick, "What do you mean 'grow up'? Dude, my nickname is Peter Pan."
Donna giggled, shaking her head, and said with a smirk, "Yeah, but Peter Pan looks better in green tights than you do. But not as good as Dick did."
Both Roy and Dick laughed at that, Dick shook his head and Roy nodded, and added "Very true, Donna, very true."
Dick leaned back against the back of the seat and shook his head, "It's official, people. I'm retiring as police commissioner at the end of the month. Clancy can't keep fudging the physicals for me anymore. Someone's going to notice."
Donna rested her hand on Dick's, "Honey, thirty years running the Bludhaven PD isn't that bad of a time."
"What's up with the medical, Robbie? Anything the JLA can do to help?" Roy asked, trying to mask his concern.
"I know, Donna. I know. I just hate to quit because I HAVE to instead of deciding to on my own." Dick said to Donna, then looked at Roy, "Look at yourself, Roy. Or hadn't you noticed the fact that you look exactly like you did forty years ago?"
"I've noticed, man. And I'm thanking God for small favors. I'm better than I ever was." Roy answered.
"The original Titans, except for Wally, all exhibit a retarded aging process. It's …" Dick said, then stopped as Roy interrupted with a smirk.
"Nothing about me is retarded, batboy."
"Except your sense of humor, Roy." Donna said as she smacked him upside the head.
Dick shook his head, laughing. "Anyway, you two remember Klarion, the Witch Boy?"
Donna nodded as Roy rolled his eyes skyward, "That little pest? Yeah, haven't heard from him a few years though."
"I'm pretty sure that whatever is keeping us young dates back to when he and that weird gun from Myrg interacted and de-aged the JLA and JSA while YJ were turned into adults. The three of us and Garth were unaffected if you remember." Dick explained, then stopped as the waiter entered the room.
"Your spring water, Mr. Grayson. Would you like to order now?" he asked.
The three friends ordered quickly, "Your orders should be ready in about fifteen minutes. The buzzer is there if you need anything." Jerry then left the room, leaving them to talk.
"So you think we owe Klarion for our longevity, Dick?" Donna asked, toying with the fries on her plate.
"I'm not sure, Donna. Remember what STAR Labs discovered about why we weren't affected?" Dick asked.
Roy nodded, "That experimental gas. Wally was scouting around when you, Donna, Garth, and I were affected by it."
"Exactly, Roy. I think it's likely to be a combination of the three things. But none of my tests have shown anything." Dick explained as he sipped his water.
"So what are you going to do now, Robbie?" Roy asked. "Is Nightwing going to hit the skies of Bludhaven again?"
"I wasn't sure for a while. I never expected to be this old, honestly. Much less still be in the shape I was forty years ago." Dick answered.
"I know the feeling, Dick. Hell man, I look younger than my daughter!" Roy said, slamming his hand down on the table. "I look young enough to be HER son. Hell, I do look like Rich."
"Poor kid." Dick said with a laugh and ducked as Roy threw a french fry at him.
"Seriously though, I'm going to Haly's Circus and working with them for a while. A friend already set me up with an alternate identity," Dick answered.
Donna smiled, "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Dick."
Roy smirked as he looked at Dick and asked, "Dick, how are you going to keep a straight face when you tell the Mayor that you're running away to sign up with the circus?"
tbc
