digi-gal-rox: sorri pplz. updates will be slow from now on. mid year coming up. plz be patient. and plz review!

Chapter 5 - Trust and Changes

"O.K, so let me get this straight, you only want Robin and Batgirl's help?" Barbara repeated.
"Yes," Dick responded.
"And why not Batman?"
"Because he's a self-righteous, son of a-"
"Dick!" she said warningly.
"Sorry, sorry," he mumbled.
"Now, why don't you want his help?"
"Does he trust me?" he asked, watching Barbara sway too and fro on the bed.
"I can't answer that." she responded.
"Yes you can. You're just afraid of my reaction." Dick retorted.
"Do you trust him?" Barbara asked.
"I thought I did." he responded.
"Dick..."
"He lost my trust that night, Babs." he murmured, he looked at her sincerly.
"You can't blame him for that, Dick. It was our own fault for not saying anything." she said softly.
"He still could've said something," Dick muttered.
"He's always trusted you Dick," Barbara sighed, "He was respecful of your choice, when you travled the world. He was respectful of your choice by your new found identity."
"And?"
"He's your father, Dick." Barbara sighed, "He's always trusted you. You just never realised. He just doesn't want to show it."
"Why's that?" he wondered.
"You hurt him, when you suddenly left." she responded, "The argument you two were having... it hurt him so much, he supressed his trust for you." Dick watched her as she jumpped of the bed.
"Barb?"
"You think we've changed, but the thing is, you've changed Dick. You've changed a lot."

He stood at the edge of the cliff. The wind hit his face softly. He remembered always coming here when he was younger. Out of the whole Wayne estate, this was his favourite place. He starred at the clear blue ocean, as it roared against the rocks. He closed his eyes, for a moment. Before he learnt of Barbara being Batgirl, this was the very same spot he promised he'd always be with her. So much for that promise, he grimaced.
"Hey..." he turned around to see Tim heading towards him, "We've been looking all over for you."
"You have?"
"Bruce is out for the week, with the League." Tim informed, "Barbara mentioned that you needed our help."
"She has, has she?" Dick raised an eye brow.
"She even told me to check out here." Tim went on, "She sure as hell, knows you."
"So?"
"Oh... um, Batgirl will be following you guys. She ordered that I should go to, but I want to stay back and make sure she's alright."
"You always this worried about her?" Dick asked, curiously.
"You're not?" Tim looked at him surprised.
"I always am." Dick nodded. "It just seemed that no one else cared."
"People did care," Tim murmured, "It's just that most of them presumed with you back, you'd be there for her."
"People change," Dick shrugged, "Maybe if someone told me about her being Oracle earlier, I would've asumed the role earlier."
"I have a feeling that deep down you did."
"What makes you say that?"
"When you and Bee were going to head it off, Starfire arrived, to help. You pushed her aside when she threw her star bolts."
"Reflex," Dick sighed, "I began to suspect after the necklace. I can't believe she still wore it."
"It gives her luck," Tim smiled, "That's what she says."
"It did," Dick nodded, "Unaware of her being Batgirl, just when her life could be at mortal danger, I always came to her rescue." Tim turned around hesitantly. "Tim?"
"What?" he quickly asked.
"You have that look on your face,"
"What look?"
"The look of something you did," Dick frowned, "What did you do?"
"While on my way out here, I took something of Bees." he grinned.
"You what?"
"Hey, I haven't had any life since Uni started. I needed some fun." he said, hearing the back door slam open. He quickly thrust a small box at Dick and ran off.
"Tim!" he called after him. Before he could react, a very angry Barbara Gordon was making her way towards him.
"Where did he go?" she demanded.
"Forget about it," Dick frowned, handing her the box, "Get him when he get's back. What's so important about the box anyway?"
"Something that belonged to my mother," Barbara responded.
"O.K, let's go find him." Dick muttered, making his way back to the house. Surprised, Barbara quickly followed him.

"Are they coming?" Wally whispered.
"They're on their way," Cassandra nodded, "What did you do to make them so pissed?"
"I took someething that belonged to her mothers," Tim shrugged, "I know for sure that Dick, apart from myself, are the only ones who know who it use to belong to,"
"What is it?" Clark asked.
"Barbara's mother's wedding ring."
"You are so dead," Cassandra warned, "Barb wouldn't even let me touch it, when I became Batgirl! Even to this day!"
"I know for certain that Dick's the only one who's seen what's it like."
"Than how did you know it's a ring?"
"That's what he told me."
"Tim!" Dick bellowed slamming the door open. The room remain dark and silent.
"Get your ass out here, Drake!" Barbara growled. Dick stiffened, hearing a giggle.
"You too, Cassandra." he added, scanning the room.
"Surprise!" Wally exclaimed turning on the lights. The two dark knights were greeted with a brightly decorated room, with close friends spread everywhere.
"Sur...prise?" Dick repeated, he's eyes wide.
"What-"
"He's idea!" Wally quickly said, pointing at Tim.
"Hey!" he protested, "It was your idea as well!"
"All I did was-"
"Guys!" Dick exclaimed, "What is this about?"
"With what's going on and everything, the guys thought a surprise party would be fun," Cassandra grinned, "It's the day you guys met."
"The...day we... met?" Barbara repeated, "This was the day we met?"
"Technically, it's the day they met as Robin and Batgirl," Wally corrected, "But still, close enough."
"I don't recall the date we met," Dick muttered, turning around.
"Oh no you don't!" Victor exclaimed, patting Dick on the back, "We're gonna have a partay!" Dick looked at him sharply. "Or not."
"Don't worry about it, I lied, Dick. Bruce already approved of it."
"Approved?"
"O.K, so he has no idea, we're having it. He told us all to rest, so why not take advantage of it?" Tim asked.
"Because if he finds out, he'll kill us all."
"Better than having a gloomy day, though. I mean he already forbade Barbara for going out."
"Come on!" Cassandra exclaimed, dragging Barbara away.
"Cassie!"
"There's something I want you to see!"
"Cassie! I'm capable of walking there myself!"
"No, you're capable of disappearing," Cassandra frowned, as she continued dragging Barbara to the table, where Alfred lay a long table of food.
"This? This is what you wanted to show me? Food?"
"No, this!" she exclaimed, handing her a picture frame. "It's of us!" Barbara smiled.
"Of all pictures, you had to pick the one where we were celebrating what's his name's birthday."
"Lemme see," Wally exclaimed zipping past.
"Wally!" she exclaimed, attempting to snatch it back.
"You look so cute!" he cried out.
"Wally!" she cried out, diving at him.
"Hey!" Wally protested, as she grabbed the picture back.
"For your information, you're in here too." she added mischiously.
"Uh oh,"
"Now, this I gotta see." Dick said, appearing behind her, snatching the picture out off her hand.
"Hey!" she exclaimed, as Dick walked off. Cassandra beamed as the two red heads chased after Dick for the picture.
"Western," Dick laughed, "Nice, Wally. Realy nice."
"Come on man, give it to her!"
"And Barb... cute. Very-" before he could finish his sentence, Barbara had tackled him down.
"Go Red!" Wally cheered, grabbing the picture from Dick's grip. "I want to see what Tim got for Dickie boy here."
"Me too," Barbara added, getting up.
"After what I just did, it's more sencible." Tim smiled, "The family portrait, Alfred insisted on taking during his last Christmas here."
"That's nice," Barbara smiled, diving for the picture that dangled in Tim's hand. "Ha! And he's wearing that awful jumper Bruce got him as well!"
"Out of everything else, that was the best picture," Tim frowned.
"I know. Alfred sent me copies." Barbara laughed, throwing the frame at Dick.
"This picture!" Dick cried out, "I hate this picture!... Wait, Alfred sent you copies?"
"I asked for them," Barbara shrugged. Clark smiled, the room was warm again, as he relaxed in the sofa. The two were acting as if they were in Uni again. Always teasing each other, making smart arse jokes at each other... This was the life Bruce had always wanted to return. The familiar warmth the Bat clan had always had. The warmth that Bruce had missed so much.
"So, who's hungry?" Beast Boy asked.

Barbara watched the the Titan men fought over the video game control. It had never occured to her how happy Dick was with them, till now. Raven stood by shaking her head, before returning her gaze to the starry night. Starfire seemed more interesting in who was going to the the second control, shouting out who ever's name. Cassandra, bored had left
to go to bed early, and much to her surprise, without being forced to. Tim had disappeared to the library to finish of his last essay. Barbara sighed, sinking into the soft lumpy sofa. This was the life she had missed so much. The laughter, the fun.
"I take it you miss the life, huh?" Wally asked, joining Barbara.
"Yeah," she nodded, "I spent most of my life running away from this, but no matter how hard I try, I always find my self here, again."
"Maybe this life was meant for you," Wally suggested.
"Maybe," she said quietly getting up.
"Barbara?"
"I'm going out for air," she responded.

"So this is where you disappeared off to," Dick said, joining Barbara at the porch. Barbara simply waved a hand, in responce.
"So who won?" she asked, when he sat beside her.
"I gave up," he shrugged.
"Wow, Dick Grayson giving up!" she mused.
"Don't rub it in," he frowned, "Garfield got a bit carried away."
"So he won?" she asked.
"In technical terms, yes." he nodded, "So, watcha looking at."
"The stars." she murmured, "I've forgotten how clear they are from here." Dick followed her gaze.
"You're right," he nodded, "But they're much clearer at Jump City."
"I know, but I haven't been there since Batman's orders."
"And that was what? Ages ago." Dick laughed, leaning back, "You don't need Bruce's permission to go there, Babs."
"I know, but it just seemed like the perfect excuse to go there." she shrugged.
"SO what you're saying is you never intended on going there?"
"It never crossed my mind," she sighed. Dick studied her for a moment, before sitting up again.
"Maybe I should've invited you."
"You wanted to be with your team, I don't blame you. And you were also pissed of at Batman." he smiled at her. She was always understanding. Especially with his strained relationship with Bruce.
"Hey, do you remember that time Bruce made us go under cover at some private club?"
"That was horrible!" she exclaimed laughing, "You nearly blew our cover!"
"I blew our cover! You made me, cause you were still pissed of that I came late!"
"I had every right to be mad," Barbara laughed, tilting her head back, "But it reminded me of the time when you always came late when we were younger."
"I wasn't that late," Dick frowned, looking at her.
"Still," Barbara smiled warmly.
"Do you ever miss it?"
"Hm?"
"The old days I mean. When the four of us would roam around the city..."
"Yeah, but people change." Barbara murmured, "Like the fact that the awkward Dick Grayson who took me dancing suddenly tried to kick Freeze's ass." Dick laughed.
"I remember that. But was I that awkward?"
"You were so easy to tease!" she exclaimed, "Like the night before when you asked me, I turned the question around saying with who."
"God, I was such a nerd than." he laughed.
"Dad even said that you were practically sweating. He also found it easy to tease you, saying something about me having endless suitors..."
"He scared the hell out of me, that's why I was so awkward." their laughter died, as they stared up at the dark starry sky.
"Do you still want to know why I was at your place the other night?" she asked.
"I decided to give up on that," Dick frowned, "But if you want to tell, tell."
"Batman wanted to keep an eye on your villians, incase any of them snuk to Gotham. He wanted to know all the info you had on them." she said, "He didn't want you to know, but you found out anyway."
"Than all of this happened," Dick sighed.
"A storms coming," she murmured, noticing the dark clouds that had suddenly covered Gotham. She grinned, running out the the yard, as the rain fell. He smiled, watching her dance in the rain. After a long pause, he snuck up on her, gently pushing her into the mud. She scream.
"You are so dead, Grayson!" he grinned.
"Come and get me."

Tim poked his head out the window, noticing the mud that covered the two. He smiled. Everything was alright than.
"Get back here!" Barbara screamed, two handful of mud, one at each hand. Before she could react, Dick had thrown another small pile of mud at her again. He laughed at her. His laughter died when Barbara tackled him to the ground, face first, that is. Tim snorted. Dick still didn't learn. Wally joined him in the study.
"What's so funny?"
"Dick and Bee." Tim grinned, "In a mud fight."

Lying on her back, she allowed the rain to hit her face. She had given up on Dick, who was now hiding somewhere. She hadn't had this much fun in a long time. Moments later Dick returned, empty handed, and joined her on the ground.
"Decided to come out?" she asked.
"Funny," he smiled. He looked at her. Despite the mud that soaked into her hair, she was still a vision of beauty to him, and always would be. He looked up at the sky, as the rain fell.
"I remember the first time you kissed me," she said, "We were coming back from the movies, and it was raining." he looked at her. "We were just under the shelter where dad and I lived."
"I remember," he nodded, "You were a complete mess, running out to the rain."
"Dad poked his head out, and ordered you to bring me back inside." she giggled, "And I was completely clueless, when we were walking inside..." she trailed off. After a moment of silence she sat up.
"Babs?" he sat up, observing her.
"When I was younger, before mum's death, she would always tell me stories about the rain. She said for her, every thing happened when it rained. She met dad in the rain. They shared their first kiss in the rain. It rained on their wedding day as well." she smiled. Than it faded. "Than they got divorced... in the rain."
"And you believe it's the same thing for you?" he asked, curiously.
"Everytime it rains, I feel like she's with me." she murmured, "As if telling me everything would be alright." she smiled again, "That was how Cassie came to my life. It was raining when her life changed. And so did mine." Dick looked away. Maybe she did believe it. He remember the night he left Gotham after packing all his belongings at
Wayne Manor that evening. It had began to rain as well. He looked at her again, this time she was looking at him, her face all screwed up.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"You had that far away look on your face," she said. He smiled at her.
"We'd better go in before we catch a cold," he started, getting up.
"Dick?" she said. He looked down at her.
"Yeah?" she smiled at him.
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"I haven't had this much fun in a very long time." she said softly. He smiled back, helping her up.
"That's what I'm here for."

digi-gal-rox: that's all for now. i'll most likely update after my mid-year, if i'm lucky before mid-year. plz review!