Chpt.9

Deathstroke researched as best as he could on the girl he was supposed to kidnap. She was an author, but to what book, he didn't know and couldn't find out, even with all his contactd. He knew he would have to look for some clues if he was to find her in Gotham. This girl was known for evading people and she was already proving difficult to find.

The assassin let out a long sigh of agitation.

"So much work to try and find one girl." He groaned. However he envisioned his pay and used that as his motivation to keep going. Delivering this girl would be the same price of him killing at least thirty people of importance. This was a good job. All he had to do, was find his target.

He knew that she couldn't elude him for long.

~*~*~*~Elsewhere~*~*~*~

"Lastly, we have the library, which houses several entertaining and factual books." Damian stated showing Ruari the last room on their tour of the Manor.

"Wow. It's amazing." The girl beamed, almost breathless as she saw all the books sitting on the shelves. The room had a cozy atmosphere with burgundy drapes and a cream colored wall. Every corner of the room was filled with books and there were several soft looking burgundy chairs.

"Do you like reading? I was made aware that you are an author, but I don't know if all authors love reading as much as they write." Damian stated and Ruari grinned.

"I love reading. However, I'm very particular about the book. If I get disinterested, I stop reading and that unfortunately tends to happen a lot. I guess you could say that I'm a picky reader." She chuckled at her joke while Damian remained unfazed.

"I see. Well, these books are all available for you to read if you wish." He shrugged disinterestedly. "We might even have some of your books in this library. What is it that you write?" Damian inquired and Ruari sighed heavily.

"I'd prefer not to say. I told Tim and he apparently is a fan." Ruari explained, but Damian rolled his eyes.

"Tt. I don't read such childish books that Drake reads." He scoffed.

"Well, my pen name is Olivia Franklin."

Damian seemed to tense in his place as he locked his jaw.

"Oh god, you read my books too?"

Damian made a grunting sound in the back of his throat.

"I… skimmed some of them." he informed, his voice tight. "They were fairly well written and I admire you for being able to craft such stories at your young age." He then let out a long breath.

"I shall leave you here, unless you want me to bring you back to your room?"

"No. Here is good, thanks." Ruari smiled and the boy sharply nodded his head. However, instead of leaving the room, Damian plucked a book out of the shelf and grabbed a pen from a pencil holder in the room.

"If it wouldn't be too much, I was wondering if you would sign your name." Damian informed professionally, but Ruari could see the small blush on the young boys' cheeks. In his hand was a copy of one of her books.

"Sure thing." Ruari grinned, signing her name along with her pen name, and handing the book back to Damian.

"Thank you." With that, Damian took back the book and headed out of the room.

Rough kid, but nice. I wonder why he feels the need to act like an adult all the time though. He acts more mature than Dick and Jason combined. Ruari thought, but then turned her attention back to the books on the shelves around her.

"I wonder if they have a fairy tale book." She murmured to herself. Ruari thoroughly enjoyed reading fairy tales from all over. She just found them fascinating and fun. She also enjoyed the art work if it was provided.

Eyes scanning through the titles, Ruari walked side to side, reading the different titles until she laid her eyes on a Celtic Tales book making Ruari smile triumphantly and she poured over it.

The book was alright. She wasn't necessarily thrilled by how the paragraphs were structured, but good all the same. She would have rather the book to be less descriptive and have more dialogue.

Yes, Ruari did understand the importance of description, but too much of it made her uneasy. She preferred dialogue since it kept moving things forward.

"There you are." Sighed a voice, making Ruari jump, startled since she was so engrossed in the book.

Looking up, Ruari saw Jason standing in the doorway with a small smile on his face.

"I looked everywhere for you." He stated.

"Sorry for eluding you." Ruari chuckled, feeling a bit guilty that she didn't leave behind a note to tell Jason that she was exploring the manor.

"It's fine. Just made me worry some is all. God forbid I let Dick kidnap you for donuts." He smirked, causing Ruari to laugh.

"Yes, god forbid." Just as the words left her mouth, her stomach grumbled. "I guess the talk of donuts made me hungry." She chuckled a bit and Jason grinned at her.

"I haven't eaten yet either." He informed, patting his stomach. "D'you want an eating partner?" he inquired and Ruari couldn't help but laugh at the weird phrasing.

"Yeah, I could always use an eating partner."

Jason wrapped an arm around Ruari's shoulder as the two headed downstairs.

"So, did anyone give you the tour or were you just meandering around?" Jason questioned as they made their way to the kitchen, and Ruari grinned,

"Actually Damian gave me the tour."

"Damian? Huh of all people." Jason murmured to himself.

Alfred was elsewhere in the manner which made Ruari a bit relieved. She felt bad if Alfred had felt obligated to make her lunch. She was content with making herself lunch and so was Jason.

They both made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Jason quickly looked into a cabinet and handed Ruari a bag of Doritos.

"If I remember correctly, you add this to your PB and J." he smirked and Ruari chuckled as she placed the cheesy Doritos into her sandwich.

"Thanks Jay, you clearly know me too well." Ruari smirked as the two sat down and started to eat.

Ruari welcomed this peacefulness. This slice of normalcy in a life full of crazy. To just sit down and eat with a person she fully trusted.

However, the feeling of happiness slowly melted to one of empty sadness as memories of her eating with Sam. Sam who supported her and listened to her and loved her. The Sam who wanted to start a family with her. It all just hit like a wave again.

Ruari grimaced, her food suddenly tasted sour and she wasn't hungry anymore.

"Ruari?" all the memories of the young woman swimming in Ruari's mind quickly snapped away due to Jason's voice dragging her back to the present.

She looked up at Jason and noted how he looked at her with concern. After several seconds she then realized how her cheeks felt damp. Ruari didn't even realize that she was crying.

"Oh… sorry. I'm fine." Ruari whispered, wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her shirt. "I just started thinking about Sam. Sorry."

Jason frowned, but got up and wrapped his arms around Ruari in a hug.

"Don't apologize for thinking about her, Ruari. You loved her. But it'll get better." Jason stated, then gently kissed Ruari on the head.

"Thanks Jay. Thank you."

"Hey- oh, am I interrupting something?" Dick inquired as he froze in the doorway.

"It's alright, Dickie Bird." Jason nodded and Ruari grinned at the other man.

"Hey Officer. How are you doing?"

"I'm good, how about you?" Dick questioned, concern apparent on his face.

"I'll be fine." Ruari said with a small smile.

"You know what would probably make you feel better?" Dick inquired, jumping excitedly from one foot to the other. Sometime Dick truly reminded Ruari of a small child.

"What?"

"Alcohol!" Dick exclaimed. "I know a really good bar we should go to tonight."

"I don't think Alcohol will solve my problems." Ruari stated, but Dick shook his head.

"Ruari, Ruari, Ruari." He tutted. "Alcohol is not supposed to solve your problems. It is to help temporarily forget about them. And when with friends it's even more of a blast!" Dick beamed.

"If you two are going out drinking tonight, I'll come with. I know Ruari can hold her liquor fairly well, but you're a lightweight Dickie Bird."

"Words hurt, Jay." Dick pouted, but then looked at Ruari.

"So what do you say? You in?" he inquired with excitement and Ruari hummed.

"As long as I go in disguise. I don't want to take much of a chance getting recognized and caught."

"Well of course. Jay and I are masters of disguises! We can put a wig and some makeup on you in no time!" Dick beamed and Ruari laughed.

This was something she could look forward to and get her mind off of Sam. She really didn't know what she would do without these friends of hers.