(Sam Tinnesz ft. Zayde Wolf - Man or a Monster)
Less than five days ago his biggest concern had been where to plan the bachelor party when Logan finally popped the question to Veronica but the more Dick thought about it, the more he turned everything Parker had yelled at him, and how Mac had run from him after discovering that engagement ring.
"Richard please… I love you."
"Try being a little less hateful to the girl who loves you."
"I am on your side, but sometimes you have to get out of your own way."
The more his suspicions about her motives and the baby seemed… wrong. Something had gone dim inside of him at the thought of her betrayal, so he'd done the only plausible thing he could do; he pushed her away.. at least until he unwrapped some of the screwed up wiring in his head. Logan might have been able to carry on life as a beautifully tortured soul, but Dick couldn't lose himself to the pain, anger and bitterness following the recent tragedies.
Life was rough and you had to choose a path because no one could show you the way. He knew pain in tenfold so he shut that emotion down.
Joy was a choice.
Caught in a town the size of Neptune, pasts were bound to collide. We just rarely knew how important a moment was until the chance to act on them had already passed. His dead brothers sweet, but gutsy ex-girlfriend should have been the last girl he ever considered, not when she constantly scowled at him with sheer anger in his eyes, slammed a door in his face, but she had quickly become the one thing he couldn't resist, that and some seriously hot and steamy sexy times. Dick admired her strength and resilience in surviving an awful experience.
He'd hoped they would be an anchor of hope and new beginnings for each other, then the universe had thrown him a curveball.
"Then let me take the bad away. Let me take care of you. Please, Richard, let me take care of you." She'd whispered to him that first night.
Dick ran his hand through his longer than usual blonde hair, the bitter truth finally sinking in. He'd fucked up.
He'd taken a wrong step when he'd acted like a monster, like someone his father would have been proud of. He knew he was a bit of an ass most of the time. He sarcastic, with the temper of a Tasmanian Devil if someone pushed him too far. He'd been righteously furious after finding out about the pregnancy determined to preserve his rights with regard to the baby and bent on revenge, so he'd thrown his weight around.
He'd accused her like he was about to be used and abandoned by a brainy, baby-mad schemer.
It wasn't often he admitted he was on the wrong side of the fence with his "Nobody's baby but mine" plan of attack.
Parker had looked like she wanted to slap some sense into him.
He should have taken care of her not listening dad's influence whispering in his ear, like the devil on his left shoulder. Cindy Mackenzie and their baby were the most important things in the world to him.
Fuck... he'd unleashed the family lawyers on her and threatened her entire future...
Joy is a choice. I'm not afraid to admit how much I need you. I was afraid before, but I'm not now. I won't hurt you again. Ever.
"You're mine, Cindy. No matter what happens, you're mine," he promised quietly to nothing but the night air.
