A/N: Ok so I may be taking a few liberties here about certain events that transpired shortly after Barbara was shot. I honestly have no idea if Dick was really around or not. So if I've written something that doesn't quite mesh...oh well. ((Grins)) that's the fun of writing my own story! Please R&R all comments are welcome...okay good comments and constructive comments.
December 23
Sunset
New Gotham
Clock Tower
Goliath and Hudson broke from their stone slumber and took in the scent's of the city as they inhaled their first breath. Hudson paused for a moment and sniffed the air another couple of times. "Tis about to storm," he remarked quietly.
A soft chuckle greeted them and both gargoyles turned to welcome their human clan mate. "You should get a job with the Weather Channel Hudson," Elisa teased as she gave Goliath a hug and then shifted over to hug the elder gargoyle as well.
"Aye, but then I'd have more enemies than I do now lass!" he chortled.
Elisa laughed with him and nodded in agreement. "They say its gonna snow later tonight. Probably only a couple of inches- too bad it can't be a three day blizzard or something."
"Yes but then you would be pacing the floor endlessly, and second guessing our plans every ten minutes," Goliath said dead-panned.
Elisa balked and then shook her head grinning. "You know me too well."
"Och, the whole Clan knows tae keep out o' your path when your stewing over a problem," Hudson snickered.
"This from the male who nearly ripped Brooklyn's head off when he lost the TV remote last month," Elisa shot back with a wicked grin. "Well I know you guys aren't affected by this cold, but I'm freezing my butt off and the others are waiting inside."
Goliath nodded and reached out to hold the door open for Elisa who quickly scooted inside and climbed down the stairs to the Delphi control room. Barbara looked up from her typing, Jim Gordon and Dick were engaged in a chess game, while Reese sat and chatted with the girls. Everyone looked up and greeted the two gargoyles, and made room for them to get comfortable.
"So how did your meeting go today?" Goliath asked as Elisa settled on a chair in front of where he stood.
"Extremely well. Better than I had anticipated. There are sixteen metas with active powers that are going to help us out tomorrow night. Two of them have some combat or fighting experience and Helena said she could vouch for their skills. The rest will hold a perimeter for Alpha Team, and can also provide plenty of cover fire and distraction."
"Excellent," Goliath stated pleased. Once it had been determined that he, Hudson, and Dick were the three best suited to take on the train, he had been fretting about Elisa's safety.
"There's uh something else you guys should know about as well," Elisa spoke up, shifting a bit hesitantly.
Goliath sensed her sudden nervousness and looked down at her curiously. "Tony Dracon made bail two days ago, and he's here in New Gotham."
Gordon frowned, Dick groaned and Oracle sighed. "Could there be any more problems that we have to deal with?" Helena asked sarcastically.
"Actually.....he's here to help. Or so he said to Elisa," Reese added still some what skeptical. But he had been there, and after he had take some time to calm down and analyze the whole meeting, he was faced with the reality that the mob really was on their side.
There was a chorus of 'what?' throughout the room and Elisa had to smile a bit.
"The mob has as much to lose as we do guys," Elisa explained. "So they're gonna be a part of this whether we like it or not. Since we busted our butts trying to come up this plan, I sure as hell don't want to see it ruined because they decide to show up and just starting shooting the place up. So I made a deal with Hawke and Dracon. They can help us, but they do it our way."
Everyone with the exception of Reese, Hudson and Goliath were gawking at Elisa in disbelief. Reese snickered a bit, seeing the other's stunned expressions. "Yeah she told them as much too."
"And you lived?" Dinah asked in disbelief. There was some hurt on her expression though, and Elisa didn't miss it.
"I would have like nothing better than to slap some cuffs on him and throw him back in the slammer, but we need his help too badly right now. He can provide two resources that we don't have enough of right now, manpower and firepower. To be honest with you guys, even with the meta's helping us I doubted we could have pulled this mission off without serious casualties. But now, I think we just might stand a chance of stopping Quinn's plans without suffering too many losses."
No one really could respond to that and Oracle merely nodded her acknowledgement. "Well, I know it's been a little while since a few of us have had a chance to workout, so I thought it might be a good idea if we worked out a little stress and got some practice time in."
"Miss Barbara, if I may make a suggestion?" Alfred asked as he stepped forward.
"Sure."
"Seeing as how tomorrow night will be devoted this mission, I thought perhaps you might like to have Christmas dinner tonight instead?"
"And my guess is you've already had the turkey cooking all day," Barbara said as her eyes crinkled in mirth.
"Just in case," he nodded.
"I don't smell anything cooking," Helena stated as she sniffed the air tentatively.
"That's because I have it warming back at the Manor. I know, this is on short notice, and I am aware of your apprehensions Miss Helena, but the Manor is more suited for an occasion such as this. The facilities are much larger than here, there is ample rooms for you all to rest in, and the dinning room would be much more suitable for everyone."
There was a lengthy pause as everyone allowed Helena to decide. She cleared her throat finally and nodded once. "Yeah, I guess it's about time I at least took a look around the place. But don't think I'm going to move in there any time soon," she told the aging butler who was straining to contain his pleasure.
"I wouldn't dare dream of it Miss Helena," he told her with a happy glint in his blue eyes.
"Well I have a few things I need to finish up here then before I head over, Dad could you and Dinah stay and help me out?" Barbara asked giving Reese and Elisa a pointed look while Helena couldn't see her.
"Sure."
"I should head back to my apartment to grab some extra clothes and stuff. I'll meet up with you guys in a little bit," Reese added as he got Barbara's message and stood up.
"Detective Maza?" Alfred asked politely as he turned to Elisa.
"Actually if you don't mind, it's been awhile since Goliath's taken me out on a glide. I think I'll catch a ride with him and Hudson if you don't mind."
"Master Dick?"
"I guess someone's gotta show Helena around the joint," he said grinning over at the brunette. He watched as she tried to relax, and gave her a silent cheer for finally letting go of some of her hostility towards Bruce.
"Shall we depart then?"
"We'll be right behind you guys," Barbara called out as they headed towards the elevators.
"Sure you will," Helena muttered knowingly.
Dick just chuckled and stepped into the elevator without another word.
Wayne Manor
New Gotham
6 pm
Dick and Helena sat on one of the catwalks that crossed over a gap in the Batcave, their legs dangling carelessly over the edge.
"So this is where it all started huh?" Helena asked as she took in her surroundings with every sense available to her. Suddenly her nose wrinkled a bit and she tamped down on her sense of smell slightly. "It stinks a bit down here," she remarked, much to Dick's amusement.
"I heard you mother said the same thing," he laughed.
"Hey it does! I mean there's gotta be centuries of bat crap down there," she said nodding towards the darkness below.
"Probably. But Bruce had some heavy duty ventilators put in to help keep the stink down to a minimum. Guess I just got used to it after all these years. So what do you think?"
Helena's lips cocked upwards in her usual smirk. "It's everything I thought it would be and then some. But I guess that's typical of him isn't it?"
"Yeah, Bruce Wayne had a reputation to live up to- even if it wasn't his real style."
Helena nodded and looked around her one more time. "This feels like him though. It's weird, but up there, nothing hit me as really representing him for who he truly was. But down here..." she paused for a moment searching for the right words. "It's almost like I can feel his presence here."
Dick was quiet for a moment as he absorbed her statement and then nodded. "You know I never really thought of it like that, but you're right. He was at home down here. Some nights he would have a hard time sleeping, and Alfred or I would find him down here the next morning, crashed out on one of the catwalks or something. He found comfort in the darkness here," he explained as he watched Helena's response.
He saw the brief spark of understanding in her eyes and smiled privately to himself. 'Whether you like it or not little sis, you're a lot like him,' he thought to himself. But then she frowned, and he could see the silent battle in her eyes.
"Why did he leave Dick?" she asked quietly.
It was a question she had asked Barbara a hundred times even though she never had an answer. It seemed as if Dick didn't have one either. "It don't know Helena," he admitted softly.
She hung her head in disappointment, rebellious tears threatening to spill from her suddenly moist eyes. Dick put a comforting arm around her and she allowed the embrace. He was bursting with pride in the steps she was making, however difficult and painful it was to let go of her past.
"I've asked myself that same question every day since he left. I was away on a mission with the Titan's and didn't find out about Joker's attacks until three weeks later. By then, Bruce was gone, and I hated him for weeks after that. I was furious that he hadn't called me home immediately- that he had left Barbara when she needed him the most. Then I found out about you, and it made me even more angry. I searched for him for weeks," Dick sighed.
"How...how did you finally stop hating him?" she whispered.
Dick shrugged. "He's my father," he explained simply. "Next to Alfred, I guess I knew Bruce the best- however little that might be," he chuckled wryly. "Bruce is a very private man Helena. He is emotionally closed off from everyone, even family. I think that's why he ran from your mother all those years ago- she frightened him because some one had cracked the shell around his heart. The funny thing is, I think she understood that, and that's why she kept your existence hidden from him.
"Bruce adopted me when I had no where else to go," Dick said with a shrug. "He felt a kinship with me, and eventually he grew to think of me as his son. But you....you are the result of the one time he let his guard down enough to really love some one."
"You're saying he would have resented me?" Helena asked with a frown.
"No, he wouldn't resent you Helena. But I doubt he could have continued being the Bat if he knew he had a child of his own depending on him for love and nurturing. Selina knew that, and I guess she didn't want to take that away from him." Dick sighed as he shifted.
"He's a complex man Hel. If I were to take a stab at it, I would say he left because he finally broke. The one person he dared to love was killed, Barbara was crippled for life, and he wasn't there to stop it. I think in his mind, he feels responsible for everything that happened."
Helena looked down at her hands guiltily and swallowed. "For a long time, I blamed him too," she whispered, her voice suddenly hoarse. "I thought that maybe if he wouldn't have left her that they would have still been together and he would have been there that night. That he could have protected her."
"But we can't always be in the right place at the right time Hel," Dick reminded her gently.
She chuffed sadly. "Tell me about it," she muttered. "I guess that's why I don't blame him any more. Now that I've walked in his shoes, I know that we can only do so much. And we will let down even those we love," she admitted recalling last year's horror. "I don't blame him for her murder anymore Dick, but I'm still pissed at him. It's been nearly ten years, and not once has he tried to contact any of us! I realize he's only human, but damn it you don't build a business empire like he did without some sense of responsibility. Granted I only met him once, but Barbara deserved better than that."
"I agree with you totally there," Dick answered, his own voice low with suppressed anger. "And what frustrates me even more is I think old Al knows where he is and isn't saying anything. I can't believe he of all people would let Bruce get away with this."
Helena had no response for that, but she had her own suspicions about their butler as well. "Well the others are probably waiting around upstairs for us."
Dick rolled to his feet and nodded. "Yeah, besides Alfred whipped up a few extra suits for everyone, so you guys should try them out when we spar to get a feel for them."
Helena drew up short. "Oh hell no. I am NOT running around in spandex."
Dick chuckled. "Don't worry, the suits were created for each individual's style and needs. But with all the firepower that's gonna be floating around tomorrow night, not to mention the cold, we had all best be prepared."
Helena snorted. "Amazing what money can buy."
"Don't knock it sis. That money is about to help protect your ass."
She snorted in response, but said nothing more as they stepped into the elevator that whisked them upstairs.
Alfred led the group towards the armory, with only Dick and Helena aware of what he was about to reveal. Of course Barbara was beginning to show signs of having figured out Alfred's 'Christmas present', having been all too familiar with what was stored inside the heavily protected room.
The butler deftly opened the secured door and swung it open with only minor effort despite the size of the giant steel door. He stepped in first, gesturing every one else to follow him as he briskly walked ahead and began flipping light switches on. The group gathered inside, several jaws dropping having been granted access to the most sacred of places inside the Batcave for the first time.
"Wow," Elisa breathed as her eyes fell upon the wardrobe of the legendary owner of the very cave they were in. "That's really his costume?"
Alfred smiled proudly. "It is indeed Miss. Designed to instill fear into the hearts of even the hardest of criminals."
Reese snorted in agreement. "Definitely on the menacing looking side. It looks heavy."
"Considering how much body armor it provides while allowing for maximum mobility and agility, it is not as heavy as one may think. Master Bruce mostly complained of the heat factor- especially in the summer."
"Which is why I preferred lycra over latex any day," Barbara chuckled, remembering the few times she had given into donning the more protective material.
"And this costume?" Goliath asked nodding towards the brilliant colors stored reverently behind a separate glass case.
"This design was inspired by Master Dick when he was but a boy. He proudly wore the mantle of Robin before it passed to another." Sadness finally filled the older man's eyes, and a troubled look passed over the faces of those who knew Jason Todd. Alfred forced a smile, and sighed finally. "Perhaps one day, the Robin will fly once more."
"What's in those cases over there?" Dinah asked pointing to the still dark cases just beyond the reach of the lights.
"That, Miss Dinah, is my present to all of you," Alfred answered his smile growing more broadly as he moved forward once more to reveal the new costumes he had made for the small group of warriors.
There were stunned gasps, and Dick gave the older man a wink of approval as even Barbara blinked in surprise. "Good grief Alfred, where on earth did you find time to get these made up?"
"Trust me Miss Barbara, Mister Goliath and Mr. Hudson did more than just assist an aging butler with a few chores. Their invaluable help, allowed me enough time to program the needed specifications into the computer for the molds. I attempted to tailor each suit to each individual's needs- and styles," he added with a wink to Helena.
"Not bad Al," Helena grinned as she eyed what had to be her outfit. It was nearly identical to her current wardrobe, with just a few modifications. "And you let me keep my coat!"
"It is more than just a coat my dear. I won't bore you with the details, but needless to say it will provide sufficient protection for virtually any bullet fired at point blank range, as well as thermal attacks, and some protection against close range explosions. Unfortunately, I did not have enough sufficient data to redesign it to withstand a direct attack from one of the new weapons, so I would recommend you avoid any close range encounters."
"I'll keep that in mind- hey how come the kid's costume looks almost like mine?" Helena complained.
"Stop calling me that, and don't ruin the moment for me," Dinah said shoving Helena, though it was playful. Her eyes were bright with excitement as she eyed the costume. "This is so cool!"
Everyone echoed her sentiment with a chuckle. Alfred typed in a code on a nearby panel and the bulletproof glass on each case slid aside as the chambers extended outwards to allow each person access to their new wardrobe.
"I wouldn't even begin to know how to get into this thing," Reese laughed as he looked over the sturdy looking uniform that bore his name over an police shield insignia.
"Master Dick and Miss Barbara, perhaps you could accompany the detectives to the changing rooms and assist them with their new uniforms. I can assist Mister Goliath and Mister Hudson with the special armor I have provided for them."
"Sure thing Al," Dick answered as he clapped Reese on the shoulder and helped the detective remove the uniform and headed off to the men's changing area. Barbara nodded to the rest of the girls who did the same, leaving Goliath and Hudson behind with Alfred.
Both gargoyles were looking over the unfamiliar trappings with a mixed look of wonder and trepidation. "Ye think these contraptions will really work on us?"
"I have the utmost confidence that they will provide you with excellent protection without encumbering any of your abilities. While you were working down here, I had the sensors scan your anatomy and record your various movements in order to help calculate the design of the armor you see before you."
"You went to great lengths to help provide us with something so precious. Your generosity is...touching Alfred," Goliath told him sincerely. He was thinking more about Elisa than himself at the moment, though he knew Elisa was just as happy to see that he and Hudson would be provided extra protection against the myriad of weapons they were about to face tomorrow night.
"It is the least I can do, for those who are here to help protect my family. Besides, it's been ages since I've gotten the chance to stir up my creative juices. All this fancy equipment has just been sitting down here gathering dust. I love Miss Barbara like she was my own daughter, but she is rather insistent on doing things herself. Now, let me show you how to don the body armor."
Elisa stared at her reflection in the mirror and raised an eyebrow in surprise. Behind her Dinah and Helena let out appreciative whistles. Her gaze shifted past her own reflection towards where they were slipping on their long dusters and she smirked. "You gals don't look so bad either," she responded.
She had no idea exactly how Alfred had created the suit to fit her body so perfectly, but it hugged her curves like a second skin. True to Alfred's words, the dark latex wasn't nearly as heavy as she thought – she compared it to being decked out in her full riot gear. The suit was rather warm, as Barbara had warned, but it would help for tomorrow night's extended mission out in the cold weather.
What touched Elisa the most though, was the small symbol inscribed on her chest. Encircled in a deep lavender that was a perfect match for Goliath's skin color, was the shadow of a gargoyle. Her smile softened as her fingers reached up to trace the insignia.
Oracle watched the gesture with a soft smile of her own. Alfred had re-created her own Oracle symbol on the girls' uniforms, and her old friend's thoughtfulness had touched her as well. Dinah and Helena joined Elisa at the large full length mirror and all three turned and preened a couple of minutes more as they adjusted to their new digs, as Helena called them.
Suddenly Barbara giggled and everyone looked at her. "Sorry, but I was just watching what you were doing and I suddenly got this image of the three of you as Charlie's Angels."
As if on cue the three women struck the famous pose and all four women quickly dissolved into a bout of laughter before they finally exited the bathroom and headed towards the large gym.
Alfred looked over group with modest pride and smiled to himself. Yes he had done very well indeed. "Well, it appears you are all quite comfortable with your new costumes. If there is nothing else, I think I shall head upstairs to finish the dinner preparations."
"Thanks Al," Dick grinned. "What time will dinner be set?"
"Dinner will be ready at nine Master Dick."
"We'll be there."
"Please leave the suits in the locker rooms when you are finished. I will see to their cleaning and storage later on." With that, he gracefully moved to the elevator.
Elisa slid her glance sideways, and caught Goliath eyeing her body with more than an appreciative look. She turned her head towards him, and arched one eyebrow, smirking as he blushed a deeper color having been caught. Helena, who was standing next to him, snickered and whispered something to him that Elisa couldn't hear but made the gargoyle blush even deeper.
"Shall we hit the mat?" Dick said excitedly as he clapped his hands together in anticipation.
Helena smirked at him. "Looking forward to getting your ass kicked again?"
"I was going easy on you that night sis. Let's see how you handle the real Nightwing."
Helena snorted. "Obviously you didn't hear about my spar with G. I wouldn't be so confident if I were you Dick."
"And the betting begins," Barbara chuckled as she rolled over to the observation area as Dick and Helena claimed first match.
To his credit, Dick gave as good as he got. He had spent a lifetime learning from the best, and had more than a few tricks and moves up his sleeve that Helena had never been faced with before. But when he seemed to be getting the upper hand, Helena took things up a notch and hit Dick with a punch that would have broken ribs if he hadn't been wearing the body armor. As it was, he was slow to get up as he visibly forced himself to suck air back into his lungs. That's when Barbara called a halt to the fight.
"Told you I'd win."
"You know I had you until you decided to play dirty," Dick taunted.
Helena merely shrugged. "You never said it had to be clean."
"Whose next?" Dinah asked eager to hit the mat.
"How about you and......Detective Maza. No meta powers."
"What? But I thought-."
"Not this round Dinah. Dick has informed me that I've been a little neglectful in my training of you. I want to see how long you can hold your own against someone as well trained as Elisa without relying on your meta powers."
Dinah pouted a little, and Elisa chuckled as she stepped up onto the mat. "Don't worry Dinah. I don't think I'm quite as good as Barbara makes me out to be. Not after watching Dick and Helena fight."
Dinah snorted. "This from the woman who took Helena down in under a minute," she muttered as she rolled her eyes and stepped up onto the mat and took a ready stance.
The blonde managed to defend herself well, but as Elisa continued to press her, it became obvious that Dinah's skills in making effective attacks of her own were lacking. Within five minutes, Elisa had the young woman pinned to the ground in a position that left her completely open to a lethal blow. Dinah rolled to her feet, panting, and glowering at the dark-haired women who had barely broken a sweat.
"I'm not that good Dinah...don't worry...yeah right."
Elisa laughed. "Don't worry, I'm sure the tables will be turned the next time around."
Barbara chuckled, but deep down she cringed at what was an obvious reflection of her poor leadership this past year. She would definitely start to remedy that situation as soon as they were done with this mission. "Elisa feel like another round?"
"Come on Big Guy, it's been awhile since we've danced," Elisa grinned over at Goliath who was all too happy to comply.
Eyebrows went up all around at the obviously unequaled match. "Go easy on him this time lass1" Hudson snickered.
Goliath's eyebrows drew together in consternation at the ribbing, and he eyed his opponent seriously. "Yes, well this time I won't be as gentle."
Elisa smirked as she circled his massive mass warily. "Oh so you're saying you were going easy on me last time? Well bring it on Big Guy," she taunted.
"You should be careful for what you wish Elisa," he growled as his tail snaked out towards her feet as he leapt towards her small form.
Everyone cringed, waiting to see his massive body plowing into hers. But Elisa knew him too well, and spun and dropped just out of reach. She was in her feet before he had a chance to shift his bulk in her direction and delivered a swift kick to his heel, causing him to stagger. Then she was out of his tail's reach once more, dancing lightly away, a taunting grin spread across her face.
Goliath glowered for a moment, and then grinned back at her, baring his fangs in challenge. Off on the sidelines, Helena was hit with a sudden change in their scents and blinked rapidly as she forced herself to tune it out.
"You ok?" Barbara asked looking up at her protégé.
"Yeah but this match is gonna end up with them either killing each other or ripping their clothes off each other. Please stop it before it gets to that point," Helena chuckled shaking her head.
"So I guess that means I shouldn't let you spar with Reese then?"
"And let Elisa have the only fun here? You wouldn't be that cruel now would you?" Helena mock pouted.
Barbara let out a low throaty laugh, recalling a few 'sparring' matches she and Dick had shared years ago in this very room. Elisa flying across the room, immediately drew her attention back to the fight. Surprisingly, the detective landed in a controlled roll and was back on her feet and facing a perturbed looking gargoyle.
"Thought you weren't going to be gentle with me Goliath?"
Hudson nearly choked as Elisa's audacity, and the group had now broken into a cheering section, and it was basically men verses women. Barbara was fascinated by the fact that Elisa was holding her own against someone with Goliath's speed and power, and studied her moves with a critical and practiced eye.
The detective allowed her larger opponent to lead most of the attacks, and countered nearly every move with a defense and then a quick counter attack of her own before she would move out of range. Despite her earlier comments, Elisa was no slouch when it came to fighting. Her stance, speed, agility, and well placed blows spoke of years of hard and dedicated training. She knew her opponent well, and pressed every advantage and exploited every weakness at her disposal.
Finally, Goliath seemed to have caught her off-guard as his tail wrapped around her waist and threw her down to the mat with enough force to knock the breath from her lungs. Goliath pounced on her, his deadly talons pricking the flesh around her neck. Elisa forced air into her lungs, finding the task extremely difficult for more than one reason as his hot breath panted near her ear.
"Yield," he growled playfully at her.
A shiver went up her spine, and if the circumstances were any different, Elisa might have been inclined to press the issue a little further. But she relaxed her body, and chuckled. "The match is yours Big Guy."
Barbara's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched the two get back to their feet, and her eyes took in Elisa's expression. She quickly replayed the take-down in her mind and snorted to herself. Elisa had purposely let her guard down. Elisa laughed as the others clapped, and her eyes briefly caught Barbara's. The red head raised an eyebrow, Elisa shrugged, Barbara chuckled, and then Elisa winked.
There were several more pair-ups, though Barbara held Dinah back despite the teen's protests. After everyone had at least two matches on the mat, Barbara looked over at Dick who smiled and nodded. Barbara took a deep breath and held it for a second, her face flickering with some hesitation.
"Trust me," he whispered as he walked past her and tapped Dinah on the shoulder and pulled her off to the side.
Dinah looked over at the others who were taking a short break and then back up at Dick, frustration in her eyes. "It's not fair Dick. I may not be able to take them without my powers yet but-."
"That was my fault Dinah. After working with you this past week, I felt I had to say something to Babs. She's in charge of you girls Dinah, and it's her job to make sure you're trained enough to defend yourself completely. There are too many what-ifs in this job Dinah. What if your powers fail you one night? Before we let you loose in a couple of minutes, I had to show her that there are still some areas that she needs to work on with you."
Dinah frowned, puzzled. "Turn me loose?"
"You're up next kid," Dick grinned as he gestured towards the group.
Dinah's eyes widened. "Against all of you?"
"We weren't letting you sit out all those matches for nothing."
"You really think I can handle this many?"
"Just remember what we've been practicing this past week. Breathe and focus."
"Let my body become an extension of my mind," Dinah repeated softly as her heart began to race with the thrill of anticipation.
"Take a minute to center yourself, I'll go get the others geared up."
Dinah took a steadying breath and settled herself on the floor on her knees as she closed her eyes and began the breathing techniques Dick had taught her the past week. Dick strode over to the others and gestured to the wall of practice weapons they had displayed.
"Choose your weapons ladies and gentlemen."
"What's up with the kid?" Helena asked looking back at the blonde who was kneeling motionlessly in the corner of the room.
"She's getting ready to kick our collective butts."
Helena snorted. "You're kidding right? I mean I know you said she's gotten good, but all of us? Armed?"
"Yes," Dick answered nonchalantly as he perused the rack and hefted a sturdy quarterstaff and twirled it experimentally.
Goliath looked over at the girl and frowned as well. "Do you think it is wise to press her this hard before a critical battle?"
"Babs will halt the fight if need be, but I doubt that will happen. Dinah needs to have her mettle tested before tomorrow night, and the only way she will find out just how powerful she's gotten is by having us test her limits- no holds barred."
His gaze fixed on Helena, Goliath and Hudson. Helena eyes widened. "You want us to attack her at full strength?"
"I'll let you be the judge of whether or not it is safe to do so. But I think you'll find out quickly that full strength will be needed. Looks like she's ready, I'd arm yourselves if I were you."
Only Helena and Goliath refrained from choosing a weapon, the rest found something they were familiar with and formed a loose circle on the mat. Dinah walked up onto the mat and met Dick's eyes for a brief second. He smiled and nodded confidently to her and she felt herself relax and grinned back. Then she closed her eyes and bent her head forward as she expanded her mind beyond her body to feel the presence of the others.
Eyes still closed, she raised her head back up and gestured for them to attack. Dick raised his hand and in a silent signal they all surged forward at once. Dinah 'saw' them come at her and leapt straight upwards, somersaulted over Elisa and Reese, and knocked both of them to the mat with a tk shove as she landed behind them. The two detectives rolled away as the rest of the group shifted, and several weapons bore down on Dinah with blinding speed.
Dinah blocked Dick's staff with one arm grabbed it, and yanked it from his grip as she kick-blocked Hudson's sword. She dropped low, spun in one powerfully fluid movement and brought Helena and Dick to the ground before they could jump back. Goliath and Hudson charged her – one high, one low- but Dinah planted the staff onto the floor, held it in place as firmly as any pole and swung around it her body parallel with the ground in a gravity defying act. Her feet connected with both gargoyles, and the two were sent back a couple of steps surprised.
The group reformed it's circle around her, and this time she let them come. Off to the side, Barbara forgot to breathe as she watched the teenager fight with a ferocity and skill she had never seen before. It was glaringly obvious that Dinah had spent many hours honing her telekinetic skills, and with Dick's guidance, she had learned to harness that power to turn her body into a lethal fighting machine.
Dinah spun, ducked, kicked, and jabbed, with a speed, precision, and power that no one was able to match- even Helena and Goliath. The most striking thing to Barbara was that Dinah still had her eyes closed. She was relying completely on her meta abilities, and the girl was showing no signs of tiring yet.
Reese was the first to duck out of the fight and Elisa finally backed off both panting hard and exhausted. Dick and Hudson lasted several minutes longer, then left Goliath and Helena alone with Dinah. The fight stalled for a moment as the two remaining opponents looked at each other and nodded in silent consent.
Dinah took the moment to catch her breath, and knew she had purely wanton grin on her face. Adrenaline rushed through her veins, and power coursed through every fiber of her being. The battle rush climbed even higher when she felt both Helena and Goliath slip into their most primal modes and came at her with inhuman speed and strength.
"Jesus Dick, they'll kill her!" Barbara gasped as she watched Goliath's eyes flare white and Helena's slipped into Huntress mode as they charged the blonde.
Everyone else seemed to echo Barbara's concern, but Dick just smiled confidently. "Just watch Babs," he told her softly.
Dinah blasted both of her attackers back and then launched herself towards Huntress. The two women became locked in a battle of blows that were almost too fast to see. The only thing that was clear, even after Goliath joined the fray, was that Dinah had yet to be hit. Goliath and Huntress were taking a decent beating however and Barbara finally cleared her throat.
"I've seen enough," she told Dick in an abnormally shaky voice. Dick looked down at Barbara surprised to see that the redhead's face had gone pale.
"What's wrong Babs?"
"Later," Barbara whispered. "Have them stop."
Dick stepped up onto the mat and cleared his throat. "Alright guys, times up!" The fighting continued, as the combatants continued to be caught up in the heat of their battle rush.
Dick chuckled and looked back at the others. "You might want to put on your breathing masks. They're in the second compartment to the left on your belts," he told them as he tossed Barbara one of his spare ones as he took out a small smoke ball.
He threw the ball into the middle of the fight, and it blew with a small flash as smoke quickly obscured the three combatants from view. The sounds of the fight finally stopped as it was replaced with coughing and a few choice words from Helena. The cloud dissipated a minute later, and three weary looking individuals staggered towards to the edge of the mat.
"What the hell did you do that for?" Helena grumbled between coughs.
"You guys were way beyond hearing me telling you to stop and I sure as hell wasn't going to get in the middle of that meat grinder."
"Chicken."
"No just smart."
"What'd we stop for anyways? I was just getting ready to finish them," Dinah panted with a smug grin.
Goliath snorted, and Helena threw a 'you wish' at the teen. "Dinner is gonna be ready and Alfred will have my hide if we're late," Dick answered, interrupting the ensuing trash talking.
"Oh good, I'm starving!" Dinah declared, her smile brightening at the mention of food.
"When are you not starving?" Barbara chuckled, having regained her composure. "You guys get cleaned up and I'll let Alfred know you'll be up in a little bit."
Dick began peeling off his gloves as he lead the guys towards the locker room. "Man you guys are in for a treat tonight! Alfred goes all out on the holiday spreads. He makes the BEST cranberry sauce-."
Wayne Manor
New Gotham
Midnight
Dick padded barefoot throughout the Manor, searching for Barbara who had excused herself almost an hour ago from the group. He smiled a little to himself as the empty halls carried the faint sounds of their guests' currant activities. Not that he blamed them. It was obvious that the other two couples had finally taken the final steps over the past week, and who knew what tomorrow night would bring.
When Barbara was no where to be found in the manor, he ventured downstairs. As his feet hit the bottom of the stairwell, he heard Barbara's grunt, followed by the sounds of a punching bag being abused from the gym. Silently, he approached the entrance to the gym, and hid in the shadows as he took in the sight before him.
Barbara had shed her blouse, leaving her in a sweat soaked wife beater t-shirt. Her fiery hair was plastered around her face, as she attacked the heavy bag with her bare fists. Dick could she the bruises forming on her knuckles, and the bag was smeared red where she had split at least one of them open. Tears streamed down her face openly, and she began to attack the bag with what Dick could only imagine was uncontrolled rage and pain. She shoved the heavy bag, and as it swung back towards her she rammed her fist through the canvas material with a scream that made Dick jump.
Suddenly the room was quiet, only the soft sounds of sand spilling onto the floor and Barbara's harsh breathing echoed in the room. Her shoulders slumped, she withdrew her bleeding hand, and then she slid bonelessly to the floor with a sob.
Dick was by her side in an instant, cradling her to him as he let her vent her emotions. Her body wracking sobs finally dissolved into hiccups after awhile, but Dick said nothing as he continued to just hold and comfort her. Long minutes later, Barbara sniffled and then released a shaky sigh against his chest. "How can you do this for me after everything I put you through?" she asked in regret.
"Because I love you Barbara," he told her sincerely as he brushed some of her wet hair aside so that he could look into her green eyes. "We've been through so much together, and I knew you just needed time...we both did."
She looked away, but his thumb gently drew her chin back up so he could lean down and kiss her tenderly. "You've always been there for me Babs, and I will always be here for you. Never doubt that."
"I don't," she breathed.
They shared another few minutes of silence, and then he looked back down at her. "You want to tell me what this was all about?" he asked gently.
Barbara shrugged her shoulders, looking tired and beaten. "A little self pity and a lot of self chastisement."
Dick gave a dry chuckle. "We're always the hardest on ourselves. And when we revel in a little self pity that we richly deserve, it only makes the problem worse doesn't it?"
Barbara nodded and snorted. "Damn him, but that's his training coming back to haunt me once again."
"Barbara, trust me, it's okay to be angry with what happened."
"I just....after watching all of you spar tonight, and I couldn't join you....." Barbara sighed sadly. "I just miss it so damn much Dick," she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
"Hey, shhhhh, it's okay. Don't be ashamed Babs. I can't even begin to image how hard it's been for you. I mean the fact that you trained the girls and work night after night with them, not being able to be out there with them... God Barbara you are so much stronger than any of us," he told her, his own voice tightening with emotion as he squeezed her tightly.
"You have every right to be hurt and angry from time to time. But that's not all there was to this was it?"
She snorted. "You know me too damn well Dick Grayson. No, that's not everything. I feel like I've failed them this past year. God Bruce would have killed me if he knew I let his daughter and another trainee go out so unprepared. We were lucky this year Dick.....lucky that Helena's anger didn't blind her so much that she missed something. Lucky that Dinah was able to train herself when I failed to keep her training regular. I missed so much, and tonight was a hard dose of reality for me."
Dick smiled and chuckled. "Well if it's any consolation, Dinah wouldn't have been able to pull off what she did tonight two weeks ago."
"That only makes it worse," Barbara sighed. "That means she's had the power to accomplish this for a long time, she just needed a little guidance to help her learn how to focus it."
"Well you nearly broke your hand destroying my favorite punching bag, so why don't we forget about this past year and start fresh? New Year's is only a week away, so how about we start our resolutions."
"How about having a better year?"
"That's too broad. Why not make it a little more specific...like....I will not break any more of Dick's punching bags."
Barbara giggled, some of her anger and grief dissipating. "Last time I checked this was still His Manor and His gym."
"I think you'd rather it be my bag that you broke instead of his."
Barbara pondered it for a moment and then grinned. "True, you can't give me the 'glare of death'."
"So what other resolutions do you want to make?"
Barbara sobered as she pondered that question. "I resolve never to drive you away again," she told him sincerely.
He smiled broadly, his blue eyes twinkling. "I think that's a pretty good start to a new year."
"Do you now?" she chuckled, poking him.
"Sure, I mean I can cook, clean, torture Helena for you, defend your honor, and did I mention that I was loaded?"
"Since when can you cook and clean?"
"Ok so I have a butler for those things, but I can still torture Helena for you."
"That alone might be worth the trouble of keeping you around. It seems she has grown immune to me over the years."
"Oh now you're just 'keeping me around' like some plaything?"
"You bet Tight Buns," Barbara grinned as she pulled his head down for a deep kiss. When they surface for air several minutes later, Dick was grinning wickedly at her.
"Perhaps we should test this arrangement to make sure it's working well by the time the new year rolls around."
Barbara's answer was to fall backwards onto the mat, yanking him with her as her fingers dug into his scalp to close the distance between their lips.
Elisa lay on Goliath's massive chest, wrapped in the warmth of his arms and wings, as she listened to the steady beating of his heart. His talons ran idly through her long hair, and a contented purr rumbled his chest, causing her to smile in amusement. It was a sound she had never heard him make before the other night, and it was one that she was quickly finding adorable.
She moved her head so that she was looking up into his eyes and grinned when she saw his almost goofy expression. "Happy Big Guy?"
"More than you could ever know Elisa," he answered his palm cupping the side of her face. For the first time since I woke in this new world I truly feel at peace with myself. Thank you."
She smiled softly at him as she shifted her face so as to press a searing kiss into his palm. "I think I should be the one thanking you Big Guy," she whispered. "After all this time, you were still here for me when I was finally ready."
Elisa laid her head back on his chest as she wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes. "I know how exactly how you feel. It may sound corny, but I never knew what love was until I met you. I can't imagine what my life might have been like if I hadn't met you."
"Probably very boring," he grinned.
Elisa laughed. "We have had some pretty crazy adventures together haven't we?"
"Crazy does not even begin to describe some of the things we have seen these past few years."
"Yeah well like I said before, I wouldn't trade them for the world. They've made us into who we are today...what we've become despite all the odds against us," she told him sincerely as she placed a tender kiss on his sternum.
Goliath shivered under her touch, and his arms tightened around her unconsciously for a second. "Elisa," he growled softly, drawing her eyes up towards his glowing orbs. His expression softened, almost saddened for a moment as he forced out his next words. "Tomorrow night....I fear for all of our safety tomorrow night. You've been pushing yourself so hard this past year-."
"Shhhh," she interrupted quietly. "Trust me, Goliath. I'm scared to death about what is going to happen, but we've face down worse odds and tougher enemies together. I know you're worried about me, and I can't make any promises to you just as I know I can't ask you to promise me anything. All that matters to me is that you're here with me now, and the world has granted us this one quiet moment to share something that will never die - no matter what happens tomorrow night."
A single tear streaked down her cheek, and his talon quickly wiped it away. The love her felt at that moment made his heart feel like it was going to burst. He tried to form a response, to tell her how much a part of his soul she was, but words seemed too inadequate. So he simply showed her.
Castle Wyvern
Manhattan
Midnight
Owen Burnett sat up in bed the second he heard his door open. He reached for his glasses, and blinked away his sleep as a small form shuffled across the carpet, sniffling. "Alex?"
"I had the nightmare again Uncle Puck," Alex said in a tiny, frightened voice as he hugged his stuffed gargoyle to his shaking body.
Owen sighed and patted the bed, inviting the child to climb up next to him. Within seconds the child was clutching his mentor tightly. Owen shifted into his true form as the Puck, and brushed his hand soothingly through the child's red hair.
"Now, now..... I told you that not all visions of the future would be pleasant," Puck explained. "You know there's going to be a big battle tomorrow night, so there's bound to be lot's of scary things happening in your dreams."
The boy shook his head, eyes wide with horror. "No...this was much worse," he whispered. Puck frowned.
"Show me."
The images he was presented with were far worse than he had imagined. Especially the final ones. "We hafta do something Uncle Puck!" the boy cried after he showed Puck what he had Seen.
Puck cleared his throat, and shook his head. "I'm sorry Alex, but it is forbidden."
"But-."
"No!" Puck snapped. Alex jumped, and then whimpered. Puck sighed and softened his tone. "I'm sorry my boy. I wish there was some way around this one, but not even Oberon can change Fate's timeline. It is the single law that cannot be bent or broken.....I had hoped this lesson would have been farther off."
"Can't we say anything? Warn them?"
Puck shook his head. "You must never speak of this to any of them. If you say anything before, you could change their destiny and that could rip apart the very fabric of the universe. If you say anything afterwards, they will hate you because they cannot gasp why we held back the information."
"I'm scared," Alex whispered as he buried his head into Puck's chest.
"Shhhh, it'll be ok my boy. You'll see...everything will work out," he soothed as he pushed a mild sleeping spell over the child's tired mind. "They'll move on, just as they always do....." he whispered as the toddler relaxed in his arms and slipped into a dreamless sleep.