Chapter Thirteen - The Galla
His phone vibrated in the pocket of his jacket, he pulled it out - 'Vic'
'Are you okay?'
Dick was pulled away from his thoughts as Raven's voice invaded them. He quickly declined the call and looked over at her, she was seated next to him in the limo. They were on their way to the GCPD's Galla. Bruce had offered to host it at Wayne Tower this year. It used to be held at the Manor but after the incident a few years back of someone drunkenly crashing into the grandfather clock, Bruce made Wayne Tower the Galla's permanent home.
Dick realized he had never answered her, 'Just thinking, Beautiful.' he said with a smile.
They chose not to talk out loud, Bruce and Lucius Fox were both in the elongated vehicle with them. Dick admired Raven and the dress that he'd convinced her to wear for the event. It made her look absolutely stunning - It was dark purple, the only color she was willing to wear, sleeveless and skin-tight with a single strap covering her left shoulder. The way the cloth hugged her body drove Dick crazy - showing off her wide hips and down further was her long smooth legs, Dick's mind wandered.
Raven furrowed her brow, suddenly feeling naked, 'Dick. I can hear your thoughts'
Dick smirked, 'Funny enough, I wasn't trying to hide them'
'We're in the car with your father!'
Dick rolled his eyes, 'You're a square.' he began eyeing the nape of her neck. He raised a brow, she avoided eye contact with Dick or his father, 'Is that make-up? Why's there so much right there?' Dick began to question.
Raven didn't answer, but Dick figured it out once her face turned a deep shade of red.
Dick smiled, pleased with himself, 'Good times'
'I will kill you, Dick Grayson.'
Dick looked over at her with those big blue puppy dog eyes of his, 'I'm too pretty to kill, Rae-Rae.'
She narrowed her eyes into a deathly stare, 'I'm immune to your charms.'
'Really? Since when?'
She didn't answer, crossing her arms and looking out the window.
'That's what I thought.' He smiled, pleased with himself.
Bruce shifted in his seat next to Lucius, across from the two teens, "We're almost there." he began, "I want both of you on your best behavior."
Raven nodded, but Dick just rolled his eyes, "Yes Batman - whatever you say Batman."
Bruce narrowed his eyes at him, "I'm serious. This is for the GCPD, not the fact that Dick Grayson is back in town. Avoid any unnecessary attention."
"And answer any questions like an asshole, drink water in a champagne glass, and always keep an eye out." Dick finished, "This isn't my first rodeo." he remarked.
Bruce nodded, "Good. See you inside." he opened the door to a bombardment of flashing camera. Lucius followed after Bruce, though they were significantly less interested in him.
Raven rose a brow, "What was all that about?"
Dick chuckled nervously, "Bruce is the biggest bachelor in Gotham City. The second? That'd be me." he smiled nervously, grabbing her hand, "C'mon - just follow my lead."
The two stepped out of the limo to be met with a barrage of flashes from dozens of cameras, all surrounding them. Raven struggled to see and hear over all the yelling.
"Dick! Dick! Welcome back to Gotham!"
"Mr. Grayson how's college been?"
"Dick what's it like being back?"
"Dick, who is she?"
Dick smiled, although it was different than any smile Raven had ever seen him have. Sleazy, almost. Dick didn't answer any of their questions, he just put his arm around her - his hand inching down to her bum. She leaned over to him, "What are you doing."
"Just play along. Give them what they want." he said through the same smile.
Raven took a breath and put on her best smile, nodding toward the camera. There were a few questions thrown at her that she ignored and a few names they called her that would've set her off if Dick's arm hadn't been wrapped around her waist - guiding her through the front doors of the Tower.
The cold air was sucked out of the room as they entered the ground floor of Wayne Tower. It was nice - marble floors, a receptionist behind a milky white desk, a few chandeliers, and a big sign reading 'Wayne'.
The receptionist stood up from her chair and gave Dick a big smile, "Mr. Wayne - it's good to see you again. Your father just went up to the Galla." she explained, biting her lip as she waited for Dick's response. Raven narrowed her eyes, staring daggers into the cheerleaders heart, but Raven doubted she noticed.
Dick's smile hadn't faded, "Thanks Gracie and it's Grayson, not Wayne."
She nodded, "Yes sir, Mr. Grayson."
Dick winked as he pulled Raven into the golden elevator.
"Fucking vultures." Raven grumbled as the doors shut behind them.
Dick chuckled, "That's just how Gotham is, Beautiful." he slid his hands into his pockets as he watched the number of the floors tick up above him, "You get used to it." he shrugged.
She tilted her head slightly to the side, studying his facial expression, "Ever wonder what Gotham would be like without the Batman?"
He didn't look over at her, just kept watching the numbers - 26, 27, 28. He shook his head, "No. It wouldn't ever happen."
"Bruce could retire."
"That's not what you asked." 34, 35, "Bruce will retire and leave this life behind, but Batman is forever. Batman is proof that we can all do good - that us lowly humans can stand level with gods like Superman and Wonder Woman. He's a symbol of hope for all of us and a symbol of fear for all of those who appose him." 47, 48, 49.
Raven looked strangely at Dick. Something was wrong, something was off. She'd been his friend for years and he was the man that she'd fallen in love with. Something was off and he wouldn't keep it from her, "Dick, wha-"
The doors ticked open at the fifty-second floor opening to a massive ballroom, filled to the brim with people in tuxedos and long dresses that slid against the sparkling tile floor. A giant Christmas tree was sat to the far side of the room, littered with sparkling lights, ornaments of every color spread across every branch, and a bright white star at the very top. Raven was in awe, the team had decorated for the holidays in years past and there was a tree in Wayne Manor, but all this was something completely different all together.
Dick's smile morphed back onto his face as he slipped his arm around Raven's waist, "Showtime." he whispered. They exited the elevator as Dick guided Raven through the crowd, gracefully slipping and weaving through the crowd, bringing them to a table off to the side with a reserved sign along with the name 'Wayne' next to it. Dick pulled out her seat before sitting down next to her, taking a deep breath in and letting it out through his nose.
Raven slide her hand over his own, he looked over at her with a smile, but strangely it looked... sad. She frowned, "Dick?"
He looked away from her, avoiding eye contact, "This city takes a lot out of you, Rae." he sighed, "It takes a lot from you."
She nodded, but said nothing - she was intent on listening.
He leaned over, pressing his head against her shoulder, "This city is like a cancer or an addiction," his voice was deep and heavy, "And I'm gonna relapse."
She kissed the top of his soft, messy black hair, "You don't have to." she was unable to hide the urgency in her voice, "We could leave. We could go right now and you wouldn't ever have to look back. Just me and you."
He chuckled, picking his head up - his bright blue orbs staring into her, piercing into her, breaking her down like nothing else in this world or any other could. "This is my home, Raven." He reached up, his hand gently grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her into a gentle and most passionate kiss she could ever ask for, she lost herself as the entire world around them began to fade away, her body was once again under his spell, just like the rest of her. He pulled away, looking into her eyes once more, "And I'll die here."
Her heart broke, hearing these words, "Then I'll be by your side." She didn't care where it was, she was all in. She wanted this, she wanted it bad, she wanted him, and everything that came along with it.
"I can't ask you to do that."
"You aren't." her voice was firm despite her heart jumping up into her throat, "And neither am I. I'm telling you."
Dick smiled, for real this time, and time resumed ticking on and the world and all it's cruelties were upon them once more. A piano began a slow tune on stage and the chattering throughout the room quieted down. Although, the two birds stayed locked in their intense eye contact - Dick grinned, "My favorite..." he grabbed both of Raven's hands, pulling her onto the crowded dance floor.
"What is this?" she questioned, a bit upset that he'd ended the discussion.
"I promised you, didn't I?" he smiled, his left hand on her waist and their right still intertwined, "I'll show you how good us Graysons can dance."
"Have yourself... a Merry little Christmas... let your heart be light." Frank Sinatra's soothing deep melodic voice began playing through the speakers. The pair swayed throughout the dance floor. Raven was upset at first, but something about everything it's just... perfect. She leaned against his chest, the two of them moving to the music.
Dick's communicator buzzed in his back pocket, he sighed against Raven's hair. He really wished that Cy and Beast Boy wouldn't drink while everyone was away, but it was the holidays so Dick would let them have their fun. He slipped his hand in and turned it off. Raven looked up at him, "Who was it?"
"Doesn't matter." he pecked her on the lips, "Nothing else does."
"Mind if I steal her away for a moment?" Bruce's deep voice broke the two of them out of their trance. He was engaged with his own dance with Vicki Vale. A reporter, short blonde hair and pretty green eyes, she was smiling at Dick, "Long time no see."
Dick nodded, "Sure." the two men switched dance partners and shimmed off in opposite directions, although Dick's eyes flickered up to meet Raven's every so often.
Bruce took Raven by the hand, the two of them began their dance, "Don't worry about her - she'll just bug him with questions."
Raven gave him a blank expression, "I not."
"Don't worry about Barbra either."
She repeated, "I'm not."
"Of course not." he snorted which was followed by a silence that went on for just a bit too long, "You're very important to Dick." he pointed out. His facial expressions and smile were of Bruce Wayne, but she could tell she was speaking to the Batman.
"The feelings mutual."
"That's more than evident. I just want you to know... Relationships with members of my family, they don't end well."
Raven rose a brow, "You and Wonder Woman?"
Bruce furrowed his brow, "It's different," he paused, "She's given up a lot to be with me. More than anyone should have to."
"Then I'll do the same."
Bruce sighed in frustration, "No. You're not understanding me." his voice lowered an octave, "Me and him? We're not like you or Wonder Woman." he explained, "One well placed shot, one concentrated strike, and we'll drop to the ground. Dead."
She narrowed her eyes at him, "You think I'm going to get him killed."
"No." he stated plainly, "I think one day this life is going to kill him, just like it's going to kill me, and you'll be left with nothing." he explained, "Watching the ones you love die will break you like you can't imagine. I don't want that for either of you."
"So you want me to leave him?" she barked quietly, "Yeah, so he can go right back to you? No thanks."
Bruce chuckled, it was a little unsettling to he. The Batman doesn't laugh, "I can see why he likes you so much." the two of them swayed through the crowd, back toward Vicki and Dick, "Be careful, Raven." Bruce's voice sounded much softer this time, "Love makes you desperate and sloppy. Love gets people killed." they were only a few feet away, "Also, when you're hiding a hickey - Use water-proof. Sweat makes it visible."
Raven widened her eyes as he smiled, Bruce moving back over to Vicki and Dick slipped both his arms around her back.
"Good Lord, she wouldn't stop talking." Dick groaned, "What'd he want to talk to you about."
Raven looked up at him and yanked him down into a hard pressed kiss. He was hers and no one was about to take him away from her, damn what Bruce said. She shoved her tongue into his mouth. He was caught by surprise at first, but didn't question the blessing as he pulled her closer to him and explored her mouth. The two of them locked lips for what felt like an eternity before they had to part to catch a breath.
Dick panted as he asked, his arms still around her, "What was that for?"
She paused for a long moment, looking up into those beautiful blue eyes of his, remembering the moment when he first pulled off his glasses, her heart swelled just as it had then, "I love-"
Boom
All Hell broke loose.
She wasn't a child - the dark didn't frighten her, not much of anything did anymore. But right now? The darkness terrified her. She opened her eyes, her cheek against the cold marble flooring, the slow distorted voice of Frank Sinatra played over the speakers in the building. It was hard to breathe, why was it so hard to breathe. The ringing in her ears had begun to subside and the screaming set in.
Dozens of people's terrified voices and shrieks filled the air, she couldn't much move anything. She couldn't think and she could barely breathe. She felt the end drawing near, she wasn't in a lot of pain, it all kind of blended together.
She wished she could see Dick one last time or at least know that he'd made it out safely. She wondered if he would miss her, because she would miss him.
"Miss Rachel?" a voice called out, she knew that voice from any other in the world. She let out a pathetic whimper, but it was the only thing she could manage that would be loud enough for the voice to hear. She heard a sharp gasp and the tapping of black dress shoes against the bloody marble flooring. What a shame, it had looked so clean.
"Good heavens. Stay with me Miss Rachel." she felt a pair of gloved arms gently pull her out from whatever she was under, "Please stay with me. Please." the voice began to slowly trail away, she didn't want him to go. The darkness began to consume her once more, she was terrified. Not of the dark. Of being alone.
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