The sun was well into the clear sky when Harley made her way through Arkham City once again. Her time with Nightwing had felt like a dream; like she'd stepped out of reality and into his arms, and as she walked through the soiled streets lined with broken windows and crumbling buildings, she had suddenly snapped back to reality. Looking back on the dream she couldn't help but feel giddy, yet separated from it somehow, like it had been just that- a fiction in her head and nothing more, nothing tangible, even if she could still feel his kiss on her lips and his hands on her skin.
It's not really cheatin' on Mistah J, she tried to convince herself. It's just friendship… an' sex. She winced. That was exactly cheating, but she she still wanted to do it again. She promised herself that Joker would still come first as the Warden Tower came into view. If he continued to be distracted on Nightwing's patrol days, then it would be okay to go. She'd told him she was going to go out and try and get intel from the Bats. She'd just gotten a little sidetracked.
She hurried up to the front door and had a momentary panic that he'd realize she was still wearing the same clothes before she remembered that he'd been locked in his office when she'd gotten ready and left. Your guilty conscience is making you paranoid, Harls, she scolded herself as she got into the elevator. She gnawed on the inside of her cheek as it started its clattering ascent to the top. She fidgeted her thumbs together before clasping her arms behind her back then she quickly let them fall to her side. It jerked to a stop, and she lifted the cage door up, peering out.
"Harley!?" Joker shouted immediately, whirling around the corner from his office. The tails of his coat whipped around his knees, and he advanced on her, stopping nose to nose, his emerald eyes wide with fury and rimmed in dark shadows. "Where the hell have you been all night?!" he snapped, his usually ghoulishly cheery face distorted in anger. She flinched back into the elevator.
"I-um I went to Red's," she stuttered. "I just- I decided to stay there for the night."
He'd stepped forward when she'd stepped back, and he grabbed her face to make her look at him, his nostrils flaring as he grinned, his teeth grit together. "Don't lie to me," he snapped, shaking her face. "Where were you!?"
"I'm not!" she cried. "Where else would I go?!"
"Liar!" he cried, releasing her- but only long enough to backhand her across the face. Her head had barely snapped to the side before he'd grabbed her by her cheeks again, slamming her against the wall of the elevator. "Where were you?!" Joker demanded, his green hair falling around his equally green eyes in a wild mess.
"I was in Uptown!" she wailed, pinching her eyes closed. "In one of the abandoned apartment buildings."
"And why were you there?" he asked, still not releasing her. His fingers dug into her jaw, her head pressed against the cold metal of the elevator. She whimpered, her body flinching.
"I was bored," she breathed, "so I kept getting in your way. I just went ta entertain myself, and let ya work in peace. I'm sorry, Puddin. I feel asleep. I didn't mean to. I swear," she pleaded.
He rolled his eyes, his face falling into an irritated frown. "Don't call me Puddin'," Joker sighed, dropping her as he turned around and walked back out of the elevator, listlessly smoothing his hair back. "You shouldn't go out there. It's dangerous. You don't know what sorts of nasty creatures or people you'll come up against, and what would I have done if you had never come back? You had me worried sick," he hissed through his teeth, his back still to her. Harley took a few shuddering breaths.
"I'm sorry Mistah J. I really am." She stepped hesitantly away from the wall. "It won't happen again."
"You should be. I couldn't focus. I didn't know where you'd gone, or when you'd come back-" he whirled on her again, grabbing one of her pigtails. "Do you have any idea what that put me through?!" he shouted, suddenly angry again.
"I'm sorry," she whimpered as he pulled at her hair. "I won't do it again. I'm sorry," she repeated. His jaw tightened and he yanked her hair to make her look at him.
"You're not sorry. You don't even care, do you?" he mocked. "I lost hours of time wandering around Arkham City looking for you- it was humiliating-" Joker shouted, hitting her across the face again. "You had me worried sick!" he repeated, his voice shrill and furious.
"I'm sorry!" she cried, tears starting to run down her face. "I didn't mean to. I'm so, so sorry." The elevator doors opened behind them, and Jonathan Crane stepped into the room, raising his eyebrows when he saw them. Harley tried to turn her head away from the Joker to look at Scarecrow, but he wouldn't let her. Crane's lips pressed together tightly as he looked away. Joker didn't take his eyes off of Harley; the hand not holding her pigtail came up to wipe the tears away from her cheek.
"Good," he breathed, forcing her to look at him before he violently released her hair, grabbing her arm and hauling her towards the bedroom. "I have to feed Nygma, since you so helpfully abandoned us for a day, and then I'm going to talk to the good doctor for a moment-" he threw her into the bedroom where she stumbled and fell against the bed. When Harley looked back, he was silhouetted in the light outside of the room, shadows cast over his angry features. "I'll be back for you. Think about what you've done," he said quietly, before slamming the door closed.
Harley sank onto the bed and started sobbing. She covered her face with her hands, her cheeks stinging at the touch. It's my fault. I shouldn'ta gone. She whimpered and wrapped her arms around her knees as she rocked back and forth. He'd been worried about her, and she'd been with another man. And she still wanted to go see him. He has every right ta be mad at me. I deserve it. She tried to wipe her tears away as she waited for him to come back. Minutes passed, turning into an hour and continuing to tick on. The longer she sat, the guiltier she felt. The doorknob turned in the dark and Harley looked up hopefully, and when the Joker poked his head around the door, he immediately looked down at his shoes. The door creaked as he closed it behind him after stepping into the room.
"I'm sorry, Harley," he said quietly.
"No I'm sorry." She jumped up. "I'm so sorry I did that to ya."
"It's okay," he assured her, still not looking up. His hands were behind his back, and he shifted from foot to foot. "I shouldn't have… I mean, I didn't want to…" He suddenly looked at her, his eyes wide like that of a scolded child. Walking towards her quickly, he took a dirty freezer pack- the kind a school nurse might prescribe- from behind his back and pushed it against her cheek, watching her hopefully. "Is that better? Does it still hurt?" Joker asked hesitantly. The bag was taped closed and room temperature; they didn't have a freezer to chill it in. She couldn't even imagine where he'd gotten it.
"No, it's okay," she sniffled, putting her hand over his. "I'm fine, thank you." She looked down. "And ya should be mad at me. It's all my fault, an' I'm really sorry."
"Even so," he whispered. "I was just…" he hesitated, trying to decide on the best choice of words. "Scared. You were gone and I didn't know where or how you'd left or…" The Joker rested his forehead against hers, sighing quietly. "I'm sorry too." She put her hands on either side of his face, rubbing her thumbs gently along his cheeks.
"And that's all my fault," she whispered. "I wasn't thinkin', an' I hurt you. I will never be able ta express how sorry I am."
"You don't have to," he smiled, sinking slowly down onto the bed. "Just continue to be the one thing keeping me smiling."
"Okay, I can try." She sat down beside him. "I am still so sorry. Can ya forgive me?" she pleaded. Joker sighed slowly, again putting the lukewarm ice pack against her face.
"In time… yes," he assured her, pursing his lips. Harley gave him a watery smile before throwing her arms around him.
"Thanks. I don't deserve ya."
"Yet I need you nonetheless," he laughed, a wiry arm wrapping around her back. Harley gratefully held him close. She lifted her head up to look at him.
"Did ya have a nice chat with Scarecrow?"
"A lovely one, yes," he said calmly, looking down at her. "He, too, encouraged me to be a little less harsh with you, claiming that you didn't deserve it."
"It was my fault," she shook her head, "and you had the right to be mad."
"Well that's what I told him!" Joker laughed, cocking his head a bit in the darkness of the room. There were no windows to let the sunlight in. "But he urged that I shouldn't have hit you. Maybe I agree."
"It's okay." She grabbed his hand and kissed it. "It doesn't hurt."
"I can tell when you're lying," he chuckled, tracing a thumb over her cheek. She tried not to wince at the pressure.
"Well, I'll get better," she brushed it off.
"No you won't," he laughed, leaning forward and kissing her suddenly. Harley gasped. She held onto his shoulder, the other hand bunching in his shirt. He kissed her again, breaking it off too soon as his lips fell away from hers. Joker rubbed his face tiredly.
"Oh, Harley, I should work," he sighed and glanced at her. When he finally smiled, her heart soared. Joker shrugged. "But I suppose I could use something to help me relax."
"Well then, lemme help." Harley beamed and pulled him back to her, kissing him hungrily. Joker's thin lips moved against hers, his hands on her arms. He suddenly shoved her down against the bed, pain shooting from the back of her head where it'd hit the elevator wall when she landed. A low, ominous laugh rose in his throat, and he pulled his lips away from hers. The Joker grinned down at her.
"Now Harley, don't get too overeager. You could jump and miss, and you can't be sure anyone will catch you." He kissed her harshly, pinning her down.
Harley's eyes went wide, and her breath caught in her throat. He knows, she panicked. Her hand tightened nervously in his shirt.
"It's a good thing I'll be there to see you fall, right? To catch you?" he whispered against her lip, staring into her eyes.
"Yes," she gasped.
He smiled- genuinely smiled this time- the gesture still painted with cruelty. "Then as long as you're mine, I'll be there," he assured her. Her argument with Dick flashed through her mind and she swallowed hard.
"I love you, Puddin," she said meekly. His grin widened.
"Now be quiet. Or will I have to get the tape again? Hold still." He kissed her lips lightly, tauntingly, before pulling her shorts down as he held her against the bed.
It had been brutal.
City Patrol was difficult enough, but with Poison Ivy and Red Hood stirring up trouble, Downtown Gotham had been a wreck with panicked and angry citizens all flooding the streets. Dick had worked hard to calm everyone down, and by the end of his shift, he just wanted it to be his break day already. He immediately transferred to his Supply run shift the next day, which had been much better; he was separated from the group of scavengers for most of the day and quite a bit of the night before he rejoined them at the truck, already filled with food pulled from convenience stores and shops along the way.
"Okay, is there anything special we were supposed to get?" Dick asked as he returned to Jason, the night vision in his mask painting the world green.
"Um," Jason shone his flashlight over the list, "nope. But did you get Batgirl her Kit-Kats?"
"Apology Kit-Kats, yes," Dick patted a pocket on his utility belt. "We may as well head in. We'll have a couple of hours to catch a bit of rest before our next shift, then."
"Oh thank God," Jason sighed. "I'm exhausted."
"Yeah, you and me both," Dick yawned, swinging up to the passenger seat of the truck. He pressed his comm. "Alright, everyone, we're heading in," he ordered to the police officers accompanying them. Jason tossed the list onto Dick's lap and started the truck.
"That's the best thing I've heard all day." He shifted the truck into gear. Dick dropped his head back against the seat.
"So how was your day off with Ivy, Bueller?" he asked, taking his mask off to rub his eyes.
"I had plans to sleep all day, and suddenly I was on city patrol," he muttered. "How do you think it was?" Dick laughed.
"So that's a no? I think she likes you. Despite her supposedly saying you're a complete asshole," he mused, tapping his fingers on the dashboard. They rolled back down the empty road towards Gotham.
"Yeah it was practically a date," Jason said with mock enthusiasm. "A kid died and everything."
"I'm sorry about that, by the way," Dick said quietly.
"It happens, I guess. Not to normal people, but it does happen." He shrugged. "So how was your date?"
"Pretty… um… eventful," he laughed, biting his lip. Jason glanced at him before returning his attention to the road.
"Should I be proud or concerned? Or both?"
"Maybe both. I think…" I think I'm falling for her. "I think I may actually be able to separate her and the Joker," he confessed.
"Okay so proud. I can only assume you two kids had fun so proud again." He smirked. "Now the reason for concern?" he pried.
"There's just something about her," he sighed.
"Shit, Dick." He glared over at him. "What did I say?"
"I know what you said, but she just… I've never met anyone like her."
"Anyone what? Crazy like a fox?"
"No, I don't know. Something about her is different. In a really, really good way. I don't think she's as bad as we always thought." Dick stared out the window at the stars, smiling. He glanced at Dick and did a double take.
"Sonofa bitch. Stop it. You stop it right now."
"What?" Dick laughed. "I'm sorry. I can't help it, it's like… I don't know. But I'll come up with a comparison," he muttered, thinking to himself.
"No, I don't care. Stop falling in love with the Joker's right hand girl right now. I mean it," he warned. "Don't cross that line."
"I'm not 'falling in love with her,' Jason," he assured his brother. "I just like her. And she's so damn cute, you wouldn't believe." Dick sighed. "And she has these blue eyes, they're just-"
"-Do you even hear yourself?!" he demanded. "Not falling in love my ass."
"I'm not!" He insisted.
"Uh huh, because you wax on about platonic friends eyes all the time," Jason said drily. "Your sonnet on Tim's hair last week made me cry."
"Oh shut up, Jason, why can't you just let me be... happy..." He trailed off when he realized what he was saying. Dick shook his head. "Either way, I don't think-"
Dick cut off again as the truck lurched over something huge, and Jason nearly lost control of the wheel. They skidded to a stop on the side of the road and Dick looked back in the mirror before glaring at Jason.
"What have I said about hitting zombies for the hell of it?! This isn't Grand Theft Auto, Jason, you can't just-"
"-I didn't mean to okay? I was distracted by your idiotic rambling so calm down, mother hen." He put the truck into park. "Should we go check?" Dick looked uneasily out at the dark.
"Probably. Come on, let's make this quick." He yanked on the door handle, jumping out of the vehicle.
"That nap is starting to look less and less likely," Jason muttered as he reluctantly followed. Dick switched on his night vision in the lenses of his mask as he rounded the front of the van.
"Shit," he sighed, blood splattered over the front bumper. "That's a lot of blood..." Dick knelt to look at it. "And it's human. Tell everyone why we've stopped," Dick ordered, standing again and walking to the back, where a dark heap lay in the middle of the road.
"Possible civilian casualty," Jason updated over comm. "Stand by while we investigate." He turned his mic off. "Please tell me I didn't run over someone who was still alive."
Dick had frozen where he stood above the body, staring down at it. Jason hesitated.
"Do I want to go over there?" he asked. "On a scale of eating the last piece of pizza to slavery, how bad am I going to feel?"
"She was definitely dead before you hit her," Dick called back. "But I don't know if you want to come over here." He knelt slowly by Jessica's head, her police uniform covered in her own blood as well as the thick paste of zombie blood as she turned. Dick pulled out his gun and switched to live rounds, turning away as he shot her in the head. She must have gotten bit while she was out. Dick stared at her and then closed her eyes gently, picking up the body. "She had a partner," Dick stated as he walked back to Jason. "Tell everyone to fan out, find him. We're bringing them both back, and if he's still alive, he can be saved." This is all my fault. I should have made certain that everyone was back on the truck or in their cars to head back… Jason looked at him.
"We have an officer down and another missing," he updated, turning away. "Keep your guns ready and eyes open. There's a large group of us, and we're the only humans for miles so be careful. No more casualties."
Dick gently laid Jessica's body in the backseat of the truck before turning back to the darkness around them. They were caught between Gotham and the city they'd raided, just behind them a few hundred feet away, for food and supplies. They'd reached the city's outskirts, an empty expanse of land, overgrown with weeds. It was dangerous.
"Careful, Jason. She must have come from the North. Take a group and head that way, I'll walk back to the city-" a couple of other officers joined him- "let's get this done."
"Okay." Jason took his gun out and flicked the safety off. "Be careful." He turned away to the waiting group of officers. "Anyone who doesn't want to die, stay behind me!" he called, leading them to the North.
Dick started towards the city, his gun unholstered and in his hands. Two officers trailed behind him, another two with Jason; yet another set of partners remained behind at the truck to guard the scavenged food.
"See anything?" Dick asked, pressing his comm.
"Not yet- wait- I think we found him," Jason sighed.
"Attacked?"
There was a gunshot as Jason killed the man before he could turn. "Yeah."
"Alright, grab him and let's go-"
Dick abruptly cut off as gunfire erupted a few hundred yards away, the flashing of the pistols like beacons in the dark. A man screamed and Dick pressed his comm, adrenaline already seeping into his veins.
"Red Hood!?" he cried, and no one answered. "Stay together," he commanded his group, and the two officers shifted nervously as they ran towards the gunfire. An Infected lurched around the corner of a building, tackling Dick. He cried out and shot it in the face, blood splattering on his mask. Dick shoved the body off as four more crept around the corner. "Shit," he swore, taking a step back. "Red Hood, answer me, damn it. We've got four here-" Dick nodded at the officers to open fire- "and more coming. Red Hood, report," he breathed.
Not Jason, too, Dick pleaded silently.
"Aw gross!" Jason complained. "It drooled on my mask. I just washed this!" There was another gunshot somewhere to Dick's right.
"Thank God," Dick laughed. "Answer me first next time, you jackass," he snapped, and then turned to the officers behind him. "Watch each other's backs. I'm going to get above to see what we're up against," he called, firing a grappling hook into the roof of the building, shooting two of the zombies as he rocketed to the top. He tumbled as he landed, skidding to a stop on the gravel roof. From here, he could see Jason and his group fighting off five or six zombies. The two officers below him took out the other two Infected, and he glanced down the street. Three more coming for Red Hood. Dick pressed his comm, connecting to the police radios. "Rendezvous with Red Hood and his group- they're taking heavy action-"
The two officers below him rushed away and Dick sprinted along the rooftops, watching their backs as they moved to join Jason and his group.
"Forget a nap," Jason muttered as blood splattered on his jacket as he shot another zombie dead center between the eyes. "I'm taking a shower when we get back."
"It's not them, it's your sloppy fighting style," Nightwing mocked, dropping down from the rooftop and landing on a zombie behind Red Hood. "You're welcome," he grinned as the other three Infected reached them.
"Maybe you should try flirting with them," Jason suggested, kicking a zombie away from him before shooting it in the head. "Isn't that what you do with dangerous things now?" Dick rolled his eyes.
"I told you, It's nothing. I think I can handle a purely physical relationship, Jason," he fired a gun at the zombie to their left. Another one rushed towards them, grabbing Jason's jacket as it growled. Dick yanked it back and shot it in the face.
Jason turned to him, his Red Hood helmet staring him down.
"Look at me and tell me you aren't getting feelings for her. Tell me you don't know where this is headed. Convince me that you're not a little concerned," he demanded. "Come one. Lie to me."
"You're completely competent and know what you're talking about," Dick lied, smirking. "That looks like all of them, now let's get out of here." A couple of the other officers had picked up Jessica's partner's body, and they carried it back out of the city outskirts towards the truck in the dark.
"Fine." Jason did a quick weapons check before sliding the gun back in its holster. "But I hope you've at least admitted it to yourself because if you keep this up and keep going to see her," he shrugged, "it's going to end badly."
"Yeah, you're probably right," Dick shook his head. "But I-" Two gunshots rang out ahead of them, the silhouettes of the officers by the trucks dropping to the pavement. "No!" Dick cried, breaking into a run.
"What the hell?" Jason muttered, already pulling his gun back out as he followed. His breath was dragged from his lungs when another two gunshots rang out and Dick was thrown backwards, falling back on the pavement. The truck roared to life. The headlights blinding Jason momentarily before it began tearing down the road towards them.
Dick managed to roll out of the way at the last moment, the other officers scrambling away as Jason stepped back. The van raced past him and there was a flash of red- a bullet ricocheting off of his mask, knocking him back. He stood in shock, watching the brake lights recede back towards Gotham.
"No really, what the hell?!" Jason moved over to check on Dick. "Are you hit?"
Dick groaned, pressing on his shoulder where blood seeped through his fingers. "Just clipped me," he hissed through his teeth. "But that far away- whoever it was- could've clipped me, could've shot me. It was a damn good shot-" he cried out as he stood, staring after the van. "That was all our food for today, Jay…"
"That was also half our men, so how about you sit your ass down before you keel over too?" Jason ordered. "There's Infected blood everywhere. We need to get your wound cleaned and covered."
"We're going to have to call this in- Batman will have to come get us- this is a mess," he spoke through his teeth; his face pale. "We can't stay here." As he looked around at the few officers still standing, disgruntled and forlorn, Dick's jaw tightened. "Did you see the driver?"
"I saw a glint of red," Jason said simply. "Like a glowing red scope, or eyepiece even," he suggested. "Maybe even helps with impeccable aiming."
"Well great, he's still alive," Dick muttered, pressing his comm. He winced and returned his hand to his shoulder to stop the bleeding again. "Batman. We'll need immediate pick up. We're still about ten miles out, and we were attacked. Deadshot stole the van and headed back towards the city- notify the bridge guard and send someone for us."
"Dispatching immediately," Bruce said. "Are there injuries? Do you have enough ammo to last until we can get to you?"
"We're fine, just don't take your time about it," Dick responded, turning the comm off. He pulled his jacket away from his shoulder, reaching into his belt for the antiseptic. "How many casualties?" Dick asked quietly as he cleaned the bullet wound in his shoulder. It was just a graze wound, but it was deep.
"The two original casualties, one of my group didn't make it, and then the two Deadshot took out," Jason relayed. Dick sighed slowly.
Add that to the body count; the blood on my hands. He winced as he carefully bandaged his wound, double checking to make sure none of the Infected blood contaminated it. He pulled his jacket back on and looked at the group; three officers and Jason.
"I'm sorry." His voice was quiet, his jaw set. The shorter officer shrugged, his hands tight on his shotgun.
"We all knew the risks in this job," he said. Dick smiled a little.
"Yet you continue to fight. I couldn't be more humbled to be in the presence of heroes," he answered, nodding respectfully to the three officers still standing.
"Ew, is this about to turn feel good?" Jason asked. "Because with five of us just standing here with our thumbs up our asses, we're about to attract some serious zombies, so can we save the motivational crap until we're back in Gotham?"
Dick sighed in frustration, rolling his eyes. "Let's just start walking. And don't breathe a word of my injury to Batman," he told Jason, walking down the road towards Gotham. The other officers fell into step behind him.
"I don't know. I'm keeping a lot of secrets for you," he yawned. "I'm going to be in serious trouble if he finds out."
"You always kept secrets for me, Hood, that's why I liked you best," he elbowed him, wincing as pain shot from his shoulder.
"And yet you never listen to my advice," Jason sighed.
"When was the last time you listened to mine?" Dick countered.
"Um, when you told me that the whole teeth in the helmet thing was a little disturbing," he scoffed. "I thought the mouth was endearing, but I guess not. Now we just have this boring expressionless piece of junk." He tapped his knuckles on his Red Hood helmet.
"It makes you look mysterious," Dick laughed, squinting his eyes at the headlights in the distance. "That was fast."
"This trip has made me suspicious of anything that moves," Jason muttered, watching the headlights warily. "And I'm not getting a nap."
"You'll be fine," Dick assured him.
"You spend your day off on city patrol then get back to me, okay."
"Where are you going next?" he asked, the truck slowing as it neared them and they cleared off to the edge of the road.
"Some patrol or other," he groaned. "I think it's Arkham patrol, but does it really matter?"
"I'll trade you," Dick said quickly. Jason glared at him.
"No. In fact, I'll offer to take all of your Arkham patrols."
"Come on, you don't want to go an entire week without a break, do you? You know I'm the only one who will trade you! I'm supposed to go on break at sunrise, just trade me," Dick pleaded as the truck stopped beside them. The officers all got in the back, and Dick and Jason got into the cab. Commissioner Gordon smiled at them.
"Long time no see, boys," he pushed his glasses up his nose, turning the truck around and heading back towards Gotham. Jason glanced back to do a quick head check.
"God, you've gotten old," he told Gordon. Dick chuckled.
"So are you trading me or not, Hood?" he asked, glancing out the window. He again smiled when he saw the stars, and then he closed his eyes and leaned his head against the headrest.
"No I am not giving you a chance to make a complete ass of yourself," he snapped. "Besides, isn't that a set slot for you? So she wouldn't even know you were there. I mean, maybe I'll let you wander around alone while I take a nap."
"She never seems to have any trouble finding me," Dick shrugged, wiping at the zombie blood on his jacket distastefully. "Ugh we have to get this stuff off. Too bad you're going on patrol. I'll just throw my laundry in the washer and go to bed," he smirked at Jason, the dark skyline of Gotham coming into view. He could tell Jason was glaring at him from behind his mask.
"You think you're so clever don't you?"
"I kinda do, yeah," he grinned.
"Well… you're not. Do you even patrol anymore? Or do you just make googoo eyes at anything with long legs and a gun?"
Gordon cleared his throat awkwardly, and Dick laughed. "Sorry, Commissioner. He's just kidding…"
"You two seem rather chipper for a near death experience," he commented.
"Yeah, you dick," Jason smacked Dick in the chest, "you could at least try to take things seriously."
"Well that's just the times, isn't it," Dick countered, sighing. They went over the bridge, passing the guards as Gordon drove them to Wayne Tower. The massive glass structure seemed to give off its own light in the dark. They got out of the van, and Dick waved to Gordon as he bid them goodbye and drove off with the other officers. "Last chance," he looked at Jason as they walked in the front doors. "You can nap for two hours, or twenty-four. Your choice."
"Do you really want Batsy wondering why you're so keen to go back to Arkham? Or to report to Commander Kate?" He mock saluted. "I'm obviously not going to be able to convince you that seeing her is a bad idea, but that doesn't mean I have to encourage it. Or let you get caught. I'm going to take a wild guess and say you haven't been being very careful about not getting caught."
"I… hadn't really thought about it, no," Dick said hesitantly, biting his lip. "I mean, we haven't- we- I don't know." He was frustrated, more with himself than with Jason pointing out his neglect.
"Some advice." He put his hand on Dick's shoulder. "Stay away from the security cameras, or you're going to have a lot of explaining to do. Check in regularly, even if you're… not exactly patrolling. Don't let her take your weapons off you without first taking her weapons off. And finally, don't see her anymore."
"Jason, I'll be fine," Dick smiled. "I don't know if it will even continue, she was pretty… hesitant last time too. It will probably just fade without ever being a problem. Don't worry."
"And yet you sound so sad, and I still worry," Jason sighed. "Now go get that shoulder bandaged. I'm going to get as much sleep as I can."
Dick nodded, walking to the elevators. "Alright. Just remember that 'having a little fun' was your idea. What's the worst that could happen?" he asked, smiling as the elevator doors closed; Jason could already tell that Dick was sealing his own demise, whether he chose to see it or not. Dick waited patiently, tapping his foot as the elevator fell to the basement levels where the labs were. He stepped off and punched his code in the door. The lab was empty save for a lone lamp in the dark across the room, the light illuminating Barbara's red hair falling down her back. She spun around when the alert popped up on her computer that Dick had entered the lab, and she gasped.
"Oh my God- what- Dick?" Barbara stood and rushed towards him. She was wearing her Batgirl cowl, but there was an oversized hoodie draped over her shoulders and comfy pajama pants on her legs. He smiled when she touched his cheek.
"I brought you some more samples," he grinned, holding his arms out to show her the zombie blood all over his coat.
"Jesus, Dick, what happened?" she breathed, helping him take his jacket off. Barbara let out a slow breath when she saw the wound in his shoulder.
"Deadshot distracted us with zombies, and then stole our food and shot me."
"He's alive? Dick, what did I tell you about using that word…" Barbara sighed. "Here, sit down, let me fix this so you don't end up needing a complete transfusion," she dragged a chair across the floor and pushed him down in it, examining his shoulder before her eyes trailed over the rest of his body. "God, it's everywhere, Dick, that's gross…."
He laughed. "And yet you work with the stuff daily."
Barbara shot him a glare, turning to the desk to prepare samples. "Take your shirt off, and make sure none of that gets on your skin. You're on break next, right?"
"Yeah," he answered, carefully pulling the top of his Nightwing suit over his head.
Barbara glanced at him and then let out her breath in a short huff, working on scraping some of the blood away from his jacket. Dick looked up at her. He crossed his arms over his chest, and she continued her work as he watched, his eyes locked onto her face.
"Babs," he finally said, but she stopped him.
"Just don't. Please. Don't call me that, I'm still mad at you."
Dick smiled a little and put his hand over hers.
"Barbara, look at me."
There was a pause as she looked up at the wall in front of her. She didn't want to look at him. She wanted to hate him, for being so stupid and selfish and… she froze as his hand tightened around hers, pulling her closer to him. She reluctantly turned, glaring down at Dick from where she stood in front of his chair.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I know it's been a while since we've talked, but I wanted to tell you in person. I'm sorry." He smiled a little, holding her hands. Barbara took them away, shaking her head slowly.
"What are you sorry for, Dick?"
He looked taken aback. "I'm sorry that we fought. That I didn't give you the chance to talk, that… that I hurt your feelings."
"Nope. Sorry, Boy Wonder, but you're wrong." Barbara smiled a little, walking across the room to retrieve some first aid supplies. "I wasn't mad at you for that fight, or even for- as you put it- 'moving on.'" She knelt beside him, pulling the soiled bandages off of his shoulder and lightly spraying an antiseptic over it. He winced a bit. "I was mad that for a whole year we've had these… nights. It doesn't matter if we'd have sex, or talk, or lay in silence, or just sleep in the same bed- it's nice. I mean, I've always thought so. I don't know if we'd sleep together to relieve stress or for some kind of comfort in this godforsaken world- but I was a little bit shocked to find out that we've been doing that, and all the while you're still in love with me. I mean, I guess it's to be expected and maybe I even…" She trailed off, smoothing the bandage over his shoulder. Dick listened to her, his face rigid as he stared forward. Barbara watched his profile. "You just dropped it on me suddenly and all at once, and didn't give me time to process it. Once I had, and I tried to talk to you in the elevator, you told me that you'd moved on; again not giving me any chance to explain myself or even think about it. And then you said it's…" Barbara couldn't even bring herself to say the name. Harley Quinn. "Dick, what the hell are you doing?" she whispered, looking up at him.
"It's nothing. Really, it isn't of any concern. We just talk," he lied. Barbara shook her head slowly and stood. Her body was turned away from him, her arms crossed as she bit her thumbnail.
"Just… be careful, Dick. Play it smart, play it safe, and for the love of God, don't get yourself killed." Barbara wrapped her arms around her waist, her worry masked by a calm expression on her face. Dick stood up slowly, putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Promise," he smiled a little, and she looked over her shoulder at him.
"And tell her if she tries anything or gets you hurt, she'll have me and all of the Batfamily to answer to," Barbara smiled a little, flicking the bandage on his shoulder. Dick winced and laughed.
"You're not going to tell anyone, are you?" he asked hesitantly. Barbara rolled her eyes.
"Your secret's safe with me."
"Good. Thank you, Babs," he smiled, stroking her cheek.
"Hey, it's what I'm here for. And I am still frustrated with you, stop calling me that."
"Sorry, Babs," Dick grinned broader. "Tell you what. Peace offering?" holding out his hand, Barbara beamed when she saw the Kit-Kats in his palm.
"Damn it, Nightwing, I'm not some crazy pigtailed girl that can be bought with your candy and that pretty smile," she giggled, taking the Kit-Kats. Dick's thumb traced over her cheekbones.
"No offense, but that crazy pigtailed girl isn't the one I'm thinking of right now," he whispered, grinning as he leaned closer. She could taste him in the air between them, his lips brushing hers. Barbara's heart beat a little faster.
"...you should sleep, Boy Wonder. Maybe next time," she laughed, turning away from him and switching her lamp off. "And I'm not joining you, I know that look. You need some actual sleep. And you need to wash these," she held out his clothes, dumping them into his arms. Dick suddenly felt the weight of how tired he really was, and Barbara took his hand to guide him out of the labs. They rode the elevator in silence and she left him at the door, whispering a quiet 'good night, Dick' before kissing his cheek and disappearing into her own room. He could still feel her lips on his cheek as he went into his bedroom and flopped down on the bed, asleep almost instantly; a smile on his face.