Disclaimer: Alas, not mine…
A/N: Okay, that last chapter was a little short, kinda filler, but I know where I'm going for this, now! I mapped out the next three chapters, so pending writer's block (or the stupid server being down…), they should be up relatively quickly. Again, thanks for all your support! This chapter is going to involve more OC's so be prepared…oh, and Editing Note: I've made a major booboo--Kyle Harper is the son of Lian and CONNOR. NOT Ollie. This is what happens when Ana doesn't read the comics for a looong time and neglects to ask the creator. A thousand pardons!
One last thing and I'll get on with it--I've decided to play up Dick's gypsy heritage. Thing is, I can't remember if both of his parents or just his Dad is Romany, so I'm just going with both of them for the moment. So bear with that, please. I am fully aware that I am yet a student to the DC Universe, even if this is an AU of sorts…
Also, I am a firm believer in Dick as a genuinely good guy. I just also know that humans aren't perfect and he's bound to be a busy man in his profession. He's made mistakes. I hope this restores faith in Dick and in me as a writer…
Chapter 11: Starting Over
"Natalie! You're here!"
Natalie barely had time to step out of the car before being set upon by her black haired younger sister, who launched herself at her waist and nearly bowled her over. "Are you really staying for the whole weekend?"
Natalie grinned and hugged her back; she couldn't help loving this girl when she had a way of making life better with a word and a toss of her soft curls. "Yes, I am, Dommy. Let me get my bag out of the back, here, and we'll see if we can't convince Dad to take the three of us someplace special, okay?" She replied, tugging her pack from the backseat as she mentioned their brother Kale.
"Hello, Dominique." Barbara smiled from the front seat. "How's school going?"
"Kinda boring." Dominique remarked candidly. "I mean, it's third grade. There's not much to do…"
"I see." Barbara replied. "Well, you take care of Natalie here, and say hello to your parents and your brother for me, okay?"
"Okay, Aunt Babs."
"Natalie, I want you to talk to your father about it tonight, all right? No putting it off until Sunday evening."
Wasn't that just what Natalie wanted to hear? Her stomach was knotted enough as it was. And in front of Dominique, no less. "Sure, Mom. Bye…" She waved her off, hoping Dominique wouldn't ask as they hauled her things into the massive house.
"Talk about what, Natalie?"
Well, damn. "It's just something between Dad and me. You know, Mom wants to make sure we try to get to know each other."
"Oh." Dominique nodded, opening the door. "Daddy, she's here!"
"I heard, princess." Dick smiled and walked over to get Natalie's bag. "Hello, Natalie." He took it from her and hugged her tightly. "How are you?"
"Fine! Why?" God, she did not want to tell him right off…this required evasive tactics. "Where are Kale and Kory?"
"At a soccer game." Dick replied, giving her a look that said, 'I know you're hiding something. What is it?'
"Oh."
"I was just getting lunch together. How do sandwiches sound?"
"That's fine."
"Dominique, would you take Natalie upstairs to her room while I finish up in the kitchen, please?"
"Sure, Dad! Come on!" Dominique grabbed her hand and, nearly yanking her arm out of the socket in the process, dragged her up the stairs. "It's right next to my room, too! It used to be one of the guest rooms, but Dad's been fixing it up for a couple of weeks so you can use it when you stay."
Natalie was taken aback. He'd been preparing a room, just for her, for two weeks? "You mean to tell me that I have my own room?"
"Yeah! Dad wasn't sure what you liked, as far as color went, so he just did blues and yellows."
Blue was her favorite color. "Kory must be livid."
"Well, she didn't like it at first," her sister confided solemnly, "but Daddy talked to her and now she likes it a lot."
Natalie only nodded absently as they walked into the room. It was a fairly large room, the same size as Dominique's. The walls were alternately painted a bright, energetic blue--not quite primary, but not electric, either--and a buttery yellow. The large window was draped in a rich yellow valance on a blonde wood dowel rod. Looking around, she noticed that the blonde wood ran along the floorboards and around the closet as well. The bed was a simple twin, with yellow sheets to match the walls, a midnight blue comforter with calligraphy screen printed in a brighter blue and a crimson border, and blue pillows. This had taken time.
Dick Grayson certainly had a way of surprising her, and her eyes stung as she realized just how much care he had put into it.
"Well? Do you like it?" Dominique prompted, a knowing smile on her face.
"I…It's wonderful…" She muttered. She set her bag on the bed and took in the other furniture. There was a bookshelf built around the bed, in place of the headboard, and a small drafting table with pencils and a few erasers. In the corner there was a little nightstand with a CD player and a rack for CD's. Looking closely, she saw that Dick had taken the liberty of selecting a few albums, mainly consisting of world music. There was Celtic, Asian, African, Carribbean, and…Gypsy music? She picked it up and looked at it. "Dominique, why did Dad put Gypsy music in here?"
"You'll see." Natalie could have sworn that the smile Dominique gave her was a replica of the one she'd seen that morning on Lian. Why did everyone always seem to know something she didn't?
Putting it back on the rack, she sighed. "Well, come on. Dad'll wonder what we're up to up here."
Giggling, Dominique nodded and jumped down the stairs, running straight into the kitchen, past Dick, who was setting plates on the dining room table.
"Do you like it?" He asked with a hopeful smile.
Natalie just walked quickly to Dick, holding back the tears that threatened to fall at this sudden affectionate gesture he had made, and hugged him. "Thank you. Thank you so much. It's wonderful, and you didn't have to do it."
Dick chuckled and hugged her back. "No, I didn't have to. I wanted to, because I love you. I'm glad you like it, but I have to admit selfish motives--I was hoping you'd consider spending at least a couple weekends here a month? Maybe a few weeks in the summer?"
"You really want me around?" She couldn't help being a little cynical.
"Of couse we do!" Dominique answered for him cheerily, coming in with a large pitcher of juice. "You're my sister! You're family!"
"Just consider this a fool's apology for the last eighteen years." Dick replied. "And a promise that I'm not letting you go again."
"Kory's okay with this?"
"She's not thrilled at the moment, but she's trying. Besides, we had a talk this morning and she had no idea that she was hurting you the way she did. Now let's eat, shall we? I made turkey and cheddar, peanut butter and jelly, and roast beef and swiss. I don't know what you wanted, but I'm partial to roast beef and Dommy here will only eat PB and J."
"Daddy!" Dominique whined. "I do not!"
Natalie smirked as she sat down and pulled a turkey sandwich onto her plate.
Just as Dominique was about to bite into her sandwich of choice, Dick held up a hand. "Let's say Grace."
Dominique dropped her food quickly and clasped her hands together, bowing her head. Natalie followed suit, chuckling at her little sister. How precious she was!
"Heavenly Father, we thank you for the wonderful food You've set before us. Please bless it to the nourishment of our bodies. And thank you for Natalie, Father. Please let her have a fun weekend with us. We ask these things in Christ's name, Amen."
"Amen." The pair echoed softly.
"Seriously, Dad…thanks a lot." Natalie said, taking a small bite of her sandwich. "I've never…how long did it take you to pull all that together?"
"A couple of weeks. I had Kyle help me pick out the comforter and decide on the colors. Roy, Wally, and Kyle helped me paint. Kory made sure we didn't go overboard making it too feminine or masculine, and picked out the valance and the wood for the floorboards."
"But, you've got work! How did you find the time?"
"I have my secrets." He winked at her and bit into his sandwich. "Oh, I hope you like the music I picked out. You're welcome to bring anything you like over here, but I was just thinking about some mood music for when you draw. The gypsy music is for you to dance to."
"But I don't know any gypsy dances."
"I know. But I'll teach you."
She swallowed and stared. "You know how to dance?"
"Of course! Where do you think your talent came from? Besides, any good Phral Rom knows how to dance." He flashed what could only be described as the Dick Grayson smile, charming and somewhat self-important.
"Rom?"
"A full-blooded gypsy man, of course!" Dick replied. "You're half Roma, you know."
She stared. "No, I didn't."
"My parents were Roma, commonly Gypsies, in Haley's Circus. Our family had an act together. We were called the Flying Graysons."
"I remember Mom mentioning the circus--she says that's where I get my reflexes--but I didn't know we were…what did you call them?"
"Roma. It's a word in Romany that indicates the gypsy people as a whole."
"Roma." She tested the word on her tongue. She liked it. "Cool." She looked across the table at Dominique. "Is this what you meant upstairs?"
Dominique giggled and nodded.
"Well, aren't you the image of a Roma?"
"Actually, you both would be called Chavi. Unmarried gypsy girls. And you actually take after my side more than Dominique." Dick replied.
"But I have red hair."
"That doesn't matter. And it's gotten darker over the years. You have Roma bone structure and skin tone."
"Dad, I'm pale."
"Do you really know that much about gypsies, or are you going off of stereotypes?" Dick asked, amused. She was silent. "I thought so. Like I said, you've got more yellow and brown in your skin than Dominique does. She takes after her mother in that department. But if you really want to know the clincher, it's your eyes."
"They're like yours."
"Exactly, ves'tacha Chikni." Dick smiled. "That means 'dear daughter.'"
"What's…father?"
"Dadro." Dick smiled. "Mother is Dai. 'Sister' is Phei and 'brother' is Prala."
"Dadro. Dai. Phei. Prala." Natalie tried each slowly.
"That's it!" Dominique smiled, her mouth full.
"So…how'd we wind up with the name Grayson?"
"Ellis Island, just like every other good name that gets assimilated. I believe our name before that was Falkonov. Falko means 'praise' in archaic Russian."
"Oh…"
"Natalie, I know this must be very strange for you right now, but by all rights it shouldn't be, and that's my fault. I want you to know that I love you and would do anything for you. I know it will take some time, but I'd like you to be able to trust me."
Natalie suddenly wasn't very hungry. She pushed the remainder of the sandwich away and took a long gulp of her juice. Whether she trusted him yet or not, she had to tell him. Her pulse picked up, and she was sure anyone within a fifteen mile radius could hear it pounding against her temple and in her chest.
"Are you all right? You look a little flushed."
"I…I'll be fine. But…we need to talk about something." She turned to Dominique. "Dommy, would you mind giving us a few minutes?"
"Oh, is this the thing?" She asked.
Natalie only nodded. Her throat had constricted. She wasn't sure she would be able to answer if she wanted to.
"Okay. I'll be upstairs." The eight-year-old--so mature for her age, Natalie thought---cleared her plate away and bounced up the steps.
Natalie let out the breath she had been holding, not taking her eyes from her plate. "This…isn't easy for me to talk about, and like I told Mom, it won't be easy for you to hear." Realizing that she could very well be scaring him more than she intended, she hastily added, "It's got nothing to do with you, don't worry."
Dick frowned. "I wasn't going to." He reached across the table to take her hand, but she pulled away, shaking her head.
"I'll be fine. Um…" How does one tell their father that someone raped them and destroyed their chances of having children of their own one day? Fuck it, she thought, pulling out the orange tube from her back pocket. It was about time to take one, anyway. She opened it and downed one in a gulp of juice, then set the vial in front of her father. "Do you know what that is?"
Dick eyed her carefully, then turned his attention to the tube. His eyebrow arched. "These are very powerful painkillers."
"Yeah…even after four years, it still hurts."
"Four years? What happened four years ago that I don't know about?"
"Don't feel too bad, Mom didn't know either. I only told Twitch, Rab and Lian."
"Natalie Elaine Grayson, what happened?" She was surprised. His tone wasn't angry, but very insistent.
She fixed her eyes on her plate, then softly mumbled, "I was raped."
Dick's face paled in a matter of seconds, and she was almost positive she saw tears in his eyes. "What?"
That knot in her throat wasn't helping things, and her own eyes stung. "I think you heard correctly."
"Natalie, why didn't you tell me?" He stopped himself and winced. "Well, why didn't you tell your mother?"
"I didn't want to disappoint her."
"Natalie, it wasn't your fault! Rape is about power, what bastards do to girls to assert their power! Your mother would never be disappointed in you, and neither would I!" She watched his countenance change drastically. His eyes went from crystalline blue to the darkest shade of blue imaginable. His face hardened, and his mouth was set into a grim line. Come to think of it, he looked quite a bit like Bruce Wayne, the man her mother said had been his guardian. She'd only met the man two or three times over the years, but this sudden change in her father scared her. She almost pitied Benz. Almost. "Who was it? If you know, his life is going to be hell, I swear to you."
"His name is Josh Newport. He goes by Benz around school."
"School? Do you mean to tell me he's a student? Why didn't you tell one of your teachers?"
"Because it's not that simple!" She yelled. God, she wanted this to be over. She pulled back into her cocoon of safety inside herself and braced herself for a scathing reprimand.
Nothing.
"What do you mean?" Dick's voice was soft, but no less dangerous.
"I mean that his parents are foreign internationals, nationals, something. He's got some kind of amnesty. The law can't touch him." She didn't want to tell him everything about Benz, not yet, especially after that first display.
"There are other ways of getting him, Natalie." Dick whispered. "But explain to me what these pills have to do with it."
Damn. She had hoped that the one bit of bad news would be enough to put him off. "Well…I…I…" Tears welled up in her eyes.
"May I touch you?" Dick asked gently. No one had ever really asked before, at least not for awhile. She nodded slowly and he took her hand gingerly. "You take your time."
"You're going to be so ashamed of me…"
"Natalie, I promise you that won't happen."
"I was a coward…" The tears started to spill down her cheeks, and she tasted the bitter salt of them on her lips in a few seconds. "He…he got me pregnant, and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't handle a baby. I was scared. And all I could think about was what Mom would say, if she knew that I had ended up like her." It all came gushing out, and she started sobbing. This was too much, she couldn't let her father see her sobbing! But somehow, she couldn't stop. "So I went to a clinic and had an abortion. My friend Diego helped me forge Mom's signature. Only, they botched the procedure and they had to perform an emergency hysterectomy, and even botched that…that's why I have that medication. But…I killed a baby…I killed it…I deserved it…"
She barely mustered the courage to look up, and what she saw made her want to bawl more. There were tears running down Dick's cheeks as well. "Dad, I'm sorry…"
He got up so quickly that his chair clattered to the floor. He pulled her up into his arms and just hugged her. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Abortion is wrong, but so were the circumstances of the conception." His voice shook with emotion, and he didn't let her go as she hugged him back. "You have done nothing wrong."
This man wasn't perfect. But he was an angel.
They stood like that for a long time, but Natalie finally pulled herself away, uttering a thank you and excusing herself to go upstairs and clean up. She needed a long, hot bath.
"So the law can't touch him?" Dick murmured to himself once she was gone. "Fine. Then the Titans will. And he will wish that the law had taken him. Where we will take him, nothing can protect him." After setting the chair back into place, he abandoned the messy table and went to make some very important phone calls.
A/N: Whew! Okay, I hope that was believable…Natalie may be rather accepting of his generosity, but she's being shell shocked, right now, so can you blame her? Thanks to all my reviewers! Arian, this is for you. Hope she was shaking enough, because that's not an easy thing to tell ANYONE much less your father (especially when your father has such dangerous resources…).
A/N: Okay, that last chapter was a little short, kinda filler, but I know where I'm going for this, now! I mapped out the next three chapters, so pending writer's block (or the stupid server being down…), they should be up relatively quickly. Again, thanks for all your support! This chapter is going to involve more OC's so be prepared…oh, and Editing Note: I've made a major booboo--Kyle Harper is the son of Lian and CONNOR. NOT Ollie. This is what happens when Ana doesn't read the comics for a looong time and neglects to ask the creator. A thousand pardons!
One last thing and I'll get on with it--I've decided to play up Dick's gypsy heritage. Thing is, I can't remember if both of his parents or just his Dad is Romany, so I'm just going with both of them for the moment. So bear with that, please. I am fully aware that I am yet a student to the DC Universe, even if this is an AU of sorts…
Also, I am a firm believer in Dick as a genuinely good guy. I just also know that humans aren't perfect and he's bound to be a busy man in his profession. He's made mistakes. I hope this restores faith in Dick and in me as a writer…
Chapter 11: Starting Over
"Natalie! You're here!"
Natalie barely had time to step out of the car before being set upon by her black haired younger sister, who launched herself at her waist and nearly bowled her over. "Are you really staying for the whole weekend?"
Natalie grinned and hugged her back; she couldn't help loving this girl when she had a way of making life better with a word and a toss of her soft curls. "Yes, I am, Dommy. Let me get my bag out of the back, here, and we'll see if we can't convince Dad to take the three of us someplace special, okay?" She replied, tugging her pack from the backseat as she mentioned their brother Kale.
"Hello, Dominique." Barbara smiled from the front seat. "How's school going?"
"Kinda boring." Dominique remarked candidly. "I mean, it's third grade. There's not much to do…"
"I see." Barbara replied. "Well, you take care of Natalie here, and say hello to your parents and your brother for me, okay?"
"Okay, Aunt Babs."
"Natalie, I want you to talk to your father about it tonight, all right? No putting it off until Sunday evening."
Wasn't that just what Natalie wanted to hear? Her stomach was knotted enough as it was. And in front of Dominique, no less. "Sure, Mom. Bye…" She waved her off, hoping Dominique wouldn't ask as they hauled her things into the massive house.
"Talk about what, Natalie?"
Well, damn. "It's just something between Dad and me. You know, Mom wants to make sure we try to get to know each other."
"Oh." Dominique nodded, opening the door. "Daddy, she's here!"
"I heard, princess." Dick smiled and walked over to get Natalie's bag. "Hello, Natalie." He took it from her and hugged her tightly. "How are you?"
"Fine! Why?" God, she did not want to tell him right off…this required evasive tactics. "Where are Kale and Kory?"
"At a soccer game." Dick replied, giving her a look that said, 'I know you're hiding something. What is it?'
"Oh."
"I was just getting lunch together. How do sandwiches sound?"
"That's fine."
"Dominique, would you take Natalie upstairs to her room while I finish up in the kitchen, please?"
"Sure, Dad! Come on!" Dominique grabbed her hand and, nearly yanking her arm out of the socket in the process, dragged her up the stairs. "It's right next to my room, too! It used to be one of the guest rooms, but Dad's been fixing it up for a couple of weeks so you can use it when you stay."
Natalie was taken aback. He'd been preparing a room, just for her, for two weeks? "You mean to tell me that I have my own room?"
"Yeah! Dad wasn't sure what you liked, as far as color went, so he just did blues and yellows."
Blue was her favorite color. "Kory must be livid."
"Well, she didn't like it at first," her sister confided solemnly, "but Daddy talked to her and now she likes it a lot."
Natalie only nodded absently as they walked into the room. It was a fairly large room, the same size as Dominique's. The walls were alternately painted a bright, energetic blue--not quite primary, but not electric, either--and a buttery yellow. The large window was draped in a rich yellow valance on a blonde wood dowel rod. Looking around, she noticed that the blonde wood ran along the floorboards and around the closet as well. The bed was a simple twin, with yellow sheets to match the walls, a midnight blue comforter with calligraphy screen printed in a brighter blue and a crimson border, and blue pillows. This had taken time.
Dick Grayson certainly had a way of surprising her, and her eyes stung as she realized just how much care he had put into it.
"Well? Do you like it?" Dominique prompted, a knowing smile on her face.
"I…It's wonderful…" She muttered. She set her bag on the bed and took in the other furniture. There was a bookshelf built around the bed, in place of the headboard, and a small drafting table with pencils and a few erasers. In the corner there was a little nightstand with a CD player and a rack for CD's. Looking closely, she saw that Dick had taken the liberty of selecting a few albums, mainly consisting of world music. There was Celtic, Asian, African, Carribbean, and…Gypsy music? She picked it up and looked at it. "Dominique, why did Dad put Gypsy music in here?"
"You'll see." Natalie could have sworn that the smile Dominique gave her was a replica of the one she'd seen that morning on Lian. Why did everyone always seem to know something she didn't?
Putting it back on the rack, she sighed. "Well, come on. Dad'll wonder what we're up to up here."
Giggling, Dominique nodded and jumped down the stairs, running straight into the kitchen, past Dick, who was setting plates on the dining room table.
"Do you like it?" He asked with a hopeful smile.
Natalie just walked quickly to Dick, holding back the tears that threatened to fall at this sudden affectionate gesture he had made, and hugged him. "Thank you. Thank you so much. It's wonderful, and you didn't have to do it."
Dick chuckled and hugged her back. "No, I didn't have to. I wanted to, because I love you. I'm glad you like it, but I have to admit selfish motives--I was hoping you'd consider spending at least a couple weekends here a month? Maybe a few weeks in the summer?"
"You really want me around?" She couldn't help being a little cynical.
"Of couse we do!" Dominique answered for him cheerily, coming in with a large pitcher of juice. "You're my sister! You're family!"
"Just consider this a fool's apology for the last eighteen years." Dick replied. "And a promise that I'm not letting you go again."
"Kory's okay with this?"
"She's not thrilled at the moment, but she's trying. Besides, we had a talk this morning and she had no idea that she was hurting you the way she did. Now let's eat, shall we? I made turkey and cheddar, peanut butter and jelly, and roast beef and swiss. I don't know what you wanted, but I'm partial to roast beef and Dommy here will only eat PB and J."
"Daddy!" Dominique whined. "I do not!"
Natalie smirked as she sat down and pulled a turkey sandwich onto her plate.
Just as Dominique was about to bite into her sandwich of choice, Dick held up a hand. "Let's say Grace."
Dominique dropped her food quickly and clasped her hands together, bowing her head. Natalie followed suit, chuckling at her little sister. How precious she was!
"Heavenly Father, we thank you for the wonderful food You've set before us. Please bless it to the nourishment of our bodies. And thank you for Natalie, Father. Please let her have a fun weekend with us. We ask these things in Christ's name, Amen."
"Amen." The pair echoed softly.
"Seriously, Dad…thanks a lot." Natalie said, taking a small bite of her sandwich. "I've never…how long did it take you to pull all that together?"
"A couple of weeks. I had Kyle help me pick out the comforter and decide on the colors. Roy, Wally, and Kyle helped me paint. Kory made sure we didn't go overboard making it too feminine or masculine, and picked out the valance and the wood for the floorboards."
"But, you've got work! How did you find the time?"
"I have my secrets." He winked at her and bit into his sandwich. "Oh, I hope you like the music I picked out. You're welcome to bring anything you like over here, but I was just thinking about some mood music for when you draw. The gypsy music is for you to dance to."
"But I don't know any gypsy dances."
"I know. But I'll teach you."
She swallowed and stared. "You know how to dance?"
"Of course! Where do you think your talent came from? Besides, any good Phral Rom knows how to dance." He flashed what could only be described as the Dick Grayson smile, charming and somewhat self-important.
"Rom?"
"A full-blooded gypsy man, of course!" Dick replied. "You're half Roma, you know."
She stared. "No, I didn't."
"My parents were Roma, commonly Gypsies, in Haley's Circus. Our family had an act together. We were called the Flying Graysons."
"I remember Mom mentioning the circus--she says that's where I get my reflexes--but I didn't know we were…what did you call them?"
"Roma. It's a word in Romany that indicates the gypsy people as a whole."
"Roma." She tested the word on her tongue. She liked it. "Cool." She looked across the table at Dominique. "Is this what you meant upstairs?"
Dominique giggled and nodded.
"Well, aren't you the image of a Roma?"
"Actually, you both would be called Chavi. Unmarried gypsy girls. And you actually take after my side more than Dominique." Dick replied.
"But I have red hair."
"That doesn't matter. And it's gotten darker over the years. You have Roma bone structure and skin tone."
"Dad, I'm pale."
"Do you really know that much about gypsies, or are you going off of stereotypes?" Dick asked, amused. She was silent. "I thought so. Like I said, you've got more yellow and brown in your skin than Dominique does. She takes after her mother in that department. But if you really want to know the clincher, it's your eyes."
"They're like yours."
"Exactly, ves'tacha Chikni." Dick smiled. "That means 'dear daughter.'"
"What's…father?"
"Dadro." Dick smiled. "Mother is Dai. 'Sister' is Phei and 'brother' is Prala."
"Dadro. Dai. Phei. Prala." Natalie tried each slowly.
"That's it!" Dominique smiled, her mouth full.
"So…how'd we wind up with the name Grayson?"
"Ellis Island, just like every other good name that gets assimilated. I believe our name before that was Falkonov. Falko means 'praise' in archaic Russian."
"Oh…"
"Natalie, I know this must be very strange for you right now, but by all rights it shouldn't be, and that's my fault. I want you to know that I love you and would do anything for you. I know it will take some time, but I'd like you to be able to trust me."
Natalie suddenly wasn't very hungry. She pushed the remainder of the sandwich away and took a long gulp of her juice. Whether she trusted him yet or not, she had to tell him. Her pulse picked up, and she was sure anyone within a fifteen mile radius could hear it pounding against her temple and in her chest.
"Are you all right? You look a little flushed."
"I…I'll be fine. But…we need to talk about something." She turned to Dominique. "Dommy, would you mind giving us a few minutes?"
"Oh, is this the thing?" She asked.
Natalie only nodded. Her throat had constricted. She wasn't sure she would be able to answer if she wanted to.
"Okay. I'll be upstairs." The eight-year-old--so mature for her age, Natalie thought---cleared her plate away and bounced up the steps.
Natalie let out the breath she had been holding, not taking her eyes from her plate. "This…isn't easy for me to talk about, and like I told Mom, it won't be easy for you to hear." Realizing that she could very well be scaring him more than she intended, she hastily added, "It's got nothing to do with you, don't worry."
Dick frowned. "I wasn't going to." He reached across the table to take her hand, but she pulled away, shaking her head.
"I'll be fine. Um…" How does one tell their father that someone raped them and destroyed their chances of having children of their own one day? Fuck it, she thought, pulling out the orange tube from her back pocket. It was about time to take one, anyway. She opened it and downed one in a gulp of juice, then set the vial in front of her father. "Do you know what that is?"
Dick eyed her carefully, then turned his attention to the tube. His eyebrow arched. "These are very powerful painkillers."
"Yeah…even after four years, it still hurts."
"Four years? What happened four years ago that I don't know about?"
"Don't feel too bad, Mom didn't know either. I only told Twitch, Rab and Lian."
"Natalie Elaine Grayson, what happened?" She was surprised. His tone wasn't angry, but very insistent.
She fixed her eyes on her plate, then softly mumbled, "I was raped."
Dick's face paled in a matter of seconds, and she was almost positive she saw tears in his eyes. "What?"
That knot in her throat wasn't helping things, and her own eyes stung. "I think you heard correctly."
"Natalie, why didn't you tell me?" He stopped himself and winced. "Well, why didn't you tell your mother?"
"I didn't want to disappoint her."
"Natalie, it wasn't your fault! Rape is about power, what bastards do to girls to assert their power! Your mother would never be disappointed in you, and neither would I!" She watched his countenance change drastically. His eyes went from crystalline blue to the darkest shade of blue imaginable. His face hardened, and his mouth was set into a grim line. Come to think of it, he looked quite a bit like Bruce Wayne, the man her mother said had been his guardian. She'd only met the man two or three times over the years, but this sudden change in her father scared her. She almost pitied Benz. Almost. "Who was it? If you know, his life is going to be hell, I swear to you."
"His name is Josh Newport. He goes by Benz around school."
"School? Do you mean to tell me he's a student? Why didn't you tell one of your teachers?"
"Because it's not that simple!" She yelled. God, she wanted this to be over. She pulled back into her cocoon of safety inside herself and braced herself for a scathing reprimand.
Nothing.
"What do you mean?" Dick's voice was soft, but no less dangerous.
"I mean that his parents are foreign internationals, nationals, something. He's got some kind of amnesty. The law can't touch him." She didn't want to tell him everything about Benz, not yet, especially after that first display.
"There are other ways of getting him, Natalie." Dick whispered. "But explain to me what these pills have to do with it."
Damn. She had hoped that the one bit of bad news would be enough to put him off. "Well…I…I…" Tears welled up in her eyes.
"May I touch you?" Dick asked gently. No one had ever really asked before, at least not for awhile. She nodded slowly and he took her hand gingerly. "You take your time."
"You're going to be so ashamed of me…"
"Natalie, I promise you that won't happen."
"I was a coward…" The tears started to spill down her cheeks, and she tasted the bitter salt of them on her lips in a few seconds. "He…he got me pregnant, and I didn't know what to do. I couldn't handle a baby. I was scared. And all I could think about was what Mom would say, if she knew that I had ended up like her." It all came gushing out, and she started sobbing. This was too much, she couldn't let her father see her sobbing! But somehow, she couldn't stop. "So I went to a clinic and had an abortion. My friend Diego helped me forge Mom's signature. Only, they botched the procedure and they had to perform an emergency hysterectomy, and even botched that…that's why I have that medication. But…I killed a baby…I killed it…I deserved it…"
She barely mustered the courage to look up, and what she saw made her want to bawl more. There were tears running down Dick's cheeks as well. "Dad, I'm sorry…"
He got up so quickly that his chair clattered to the floor. He pulled her up into his arms and just hugged her. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. Abortion is wrong, but so were the circumstances of the conception." His voice shook with emotion, and he didn't let her go as she hugged him back. "You have done nothing wrong."
This man wasn't perfect. But he was an angel.
They stood like that for a long time, but Natalie finally pulled herself away, uttering a thank you and excusing herself to go upstairs and clean up. She needed a long, hot bath.
"So the law can't touch him?" Dick murmured to himself once she was gone. "Fine. Then the Titans will. And he will wish that the law had taken him. Where we will take him, nothing can protect him." After setting the chair back into place, he abandoned the messy table and went to make some very important phone calls.
A/N: Whew! Okay, I hope that was believable…Natalie may be rather accepting of his generosity, but she's being shell shocked, right now, so can you blame her? Thanks to all my reviewers! Arian, this is for you. Hope she was shaking enough, because that's not an easy thing to tell ANYONE much less your father (especially when your father has such dangerous resources…).