A/N: Aaaaaand I'm done! This one's a little fluffy, but I think you're going to like the end!

Chapter 4

Alex growled loudly as she slammed her door to her shared apartment shut. She winced when she saw the glowing light coming from their bedroom. Her frustration with her father had caused her to wake her ever-snoring boyfriend. She sighed when his voice drifted from the room,

"You home, babe?" Alex nodded, even though he couldn't see her before she slowly tracked to the bedroom. Tonight had been a nightmare. She had gotten into a massive fight with her father about her patrolling and Dick and had almost gotten shot in the process! All Alex wanted to do now was curl up behind Aiden's back and sleep. She tried rubbing away the headache,

"Yeah, I'm home." She called just when she entered the room. She froze at the sight in front of her. The room was littered with candles and a single blood red rose lay at the base of the queen sized bed. Alex gaped when Aiden stood up. He was in his favourite T-shirt and his boxers. A blush covered his cheeks as he held a different rose, a purple one, Alex's favourite colour.

"Welcome home." Alex narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she dropped her duffle bag and crossed her arms over her chest. Aiden wasn't the typical romantic you saw in the movies. He was straight-forward and blunt. His direct personality and quick temper was usually the reason for their many fights. Aiden only ever did something really sweet when he had done something wrong or wanted something from his very resourceful girlfriend. Aiden grinned at her,

"What do you want?" She asked icily. Aiden's eyes narrowed at her cold demeanour.

"Nothing." He said. His left pinkie twitched. Alex smirked, Aiden couldn't lie to her. Lying would always make his finger twitch, a nasty little habit he had picked up when he was a kid, another reason for his blunt personality. Aiden scowled and balled his hand into a fist. He took a deep breath.

"I didn't do anything wrong if that is something else you're thinking, which I know you are, but there is something I want to know." Alex sighed in exasperation and looked at the clock that hung above their bed,

"Aiden, it's two in the morning. Can't we talk about this tomorrow?" She asked pleadingly. Aiden pursed his lips and really looked at her for the first time since she walked in. Exhaustion danced in her eyes and her body was pleading for sleep. The tension in her shoulders was higher than it usually was and Aiden just knew she had had a falling out with her family, again. The thought of letting her sleep and asking her tomorrow crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. He needed to tell her. It was important. He shook his head and started walking towards her. Alex sighed and let him lead her to the bed,

"I'm not going to like this, am I?" She asked rhetorically. Aiden answered her anyway,

"Not really. There's good news and bad...ish news." Alex snorted and dropped down next to him. Badish news was never good.

"I got a raise." Alex eyes widened, she grinned and jumped into his arms,

"That's brilliant!" She laughed and gripped him tight. He had been working really hard lately and had been helping the vigilantes and Gordon in solving crimes. His detective skills were good enough to match hers. She was so happy for him, he had been really struggling in paying for his sister's new collage funds while she attended Stanford university, refusing to put himself in depth with the Wayne family.

"But I got transferred too." He breathed out in a rush. He could feel Alex go rigid in his arms. She pulled away swiftly and held him by the shoulders at arm's length. She studied his features to find any source of false pretence, but only honesty and seriousness graced his handsome face. She felt her stomach drop and a lump form in her throat.

"How… how are we going to work our relationship?" She asked. She hated long term relationships. Since Alex had been little, trusting people didn't come easy and as much as she trusted Aiden, she wasn't sure if her insecurities were going to allow him to just move and live in a different city. Aiden took a deep breath and exhaled slowly,

"That's what I thought too. War was one thing, I knew I was gonna come back if I fought hard enough, but after living with you for the past year, I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep without knowing you're save from your patrol." He murmured as he reached for her hand. Alex just pulled away and turned her back to him. Her brain was working on overdrive, but she couldn't form a complete thought.

"I know, you're wondering what I was wondering when they offered me the job in California." A sob escaped her lips. Alex berated herself immediately and worked to rein in her emotions. She took a deep breath. Focus Alexandra! A voice yelled in her head, a strong and feminine voice, a voice she despised. Alex shook her head and pulled away from her thoughts to focus on what Aiden was saying,

"- be hard, but they placed me in Cali because they read my file and found that Cassie's at Stanford. I thought of you though, I asked them for a city closer to home and the closest they came was Starling City." Alex's breath hitched, Aiden didn't stop,

"I thought it was much better, since you basically grew up there, and said yes. Alex I want you to move with me. I won't make you go, but with or without you I'm moving to Starling, I need the job." Alex bit her lip as Aiden fell silent to give her time to digest everything. Alex's mind slowed down as her heart beat did the same. Her mind blasted to the possibilities. She wouldn't stop being Tigra - that much was obvious. She thought on how she could finally have the right reason to leave Gotham, get away from under her father's protective eyes and stubborn rules. She would be pulling a complete Dick move, but if reaching out and trying to find out if she really was a hero, then the move was totally worth it.

Alex's forehead rumpled up though, she couldn't move to Starling with Aiden if that was her only reason. She thought back on everything Aiden's done for her: keeping her secret when he found out in high school (even though they hated each other) giving up his dream (so she wouldn't be afraid of losing him) dropping everything when she had ended up in the hospital (because of a mission gone wrong). Aiden had shown time and time again how much he loved her and Alex knew she loved him too.

"I know it's a tough decision, Alex." Aiden spoke softly behind her, he hadn't budged while she went through her mental rant,

"I want to reach detective in the next few years. If I don't accept this transfer, I'm not sure I'll survive in the police world. I love you and really want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm not going to ask you to marry me again but hmff-" Alex had cut him off mid-rant with a deep kiss. She curled her hands into his wavy hair.

"Yes," She breathed against his lips. A wide grin spread on his own as he lowered her down on the bed,

"You're sure?" He asked her breathlessly when they broke apart for air. Alex nodded and moved his lips down to hers again.

"Why?" He asked as he kissed down her throat. Alex rolled her eyes and tugged on his hair to bring him up to look at her,

"Aiden I love you. And for once, I'll stand by you as you achieve your dream." Aiden smiled and attacked her neck again. The rest of the night was spent in bliss.

Aiden was chewing on his bottom lip when Alfred led them through the house to the dining room. Alex scowled and squeezed the right nerves in his hand just enough for him to flinch.

"Would you stop acting nervous?" She whispered furiously. Aiden had the courtesy to look sheepish. Alex shot him a threatening look when they entered the grand dining room. She almost coughed when she saw Dick sitting next to Tim. She hadn't known he'd be at the family dinner. Dick smirked when his eyes landed on her,

"Hey sis." Alex couldn't decide if she was still mad at him or not after their last fight. She decided, for her father's sake, she wouldn't be. Barbra walked in a few minutes later and took her seat next to Bruce, across from Alex. She and Dick had switched places. The dinner had gone much better than Alex had expected it to go. Pleasantries were exchanged and questions asked about how life goes. No one mentioned the hero business, until dad brought up Talia. Alex cringed at the name and looked down to her duck on the plate. Talia had been in Gotham lately and Bruce commented that he'd have to skip dessert to find out why. Of course this led to Dick commenting about how family didn't really mean anything to the Dark Knight, apparently. Alex stood up before another fight could break out and she blurted the first thing that came to mind,

"I'm moving to Starling City with Aiden." She could mentally picture Aiden face palm. Everyone's eyes sharply flicked to her and Alex almost wished she allowed the fight to rage on, almost.

"You're what?" Barbra asked with a slightly agape jaw. Alex nodded awkwardly and sat down again,

"He got transferred… and asked me to move with him." A snort escaped Dick's lips,

"Yeah and I left to become a comedian…" which wasn't his reason at all. Alex sent him a murderous glare and gripped her butter knife. It might not have been sharp, but she was pretty sure she could think of ten different ways to harm her brother with it. She heard Tim clear his throat and Alex's vision shifted to him, only to realise that her father wasn't at the table anymore. Alex rounded on Dick,

"Would you stop acting like your namesake for once?! You act all angry and arrogant and confident, but you're lonely in that stupid city of yours!" Alex had finally figured out that weird emotion in his eyes every time they fought.

"You don't get how much it hurts him to believe that you don't care! And frankly I'm not sure you do anymore. So shut up and leave since you barely deserve to sit at this table." Alex snarled. Dick's blue orbs were wide and the next thing he knew the butter knife was imbedded next to his head as she stormed out of the room. She was furious and she had finally had enough of the two of them. In the past few years Bruce had basically lost two children and now he probably thought he'd lost another, but this time, his own flesh and blood.

Alex walked to her father's office and found him staring at the portrait of his parents, Alex's grandparents. Alex bit her lip and leaned against the doorframe.

"They were great parents, you know." He spoke softly, knowing she was there. Alex eyes flickered to Martha Wayne and then to Tomas Wayne. They both had brilliant blue eyes, eyes that had been passed down to Bruce and then to Alex. He sighed deeply,

"When I first found that you existed, I was terrified at the kind of parent I would be." Alex blinked in surprise, when her father had raised her, he had never shown the fear.

"And then Dick moved in, it got easier, because you two kept each other busy… I often wonder if he left because I'm a bad father." He whispered thoughtfully. Alex was quick to shake her head and walk farther into the room,

"You're not a bad father, Dad. Just sometimes, you're more Batman than Bruce. And for a long time I guess that was enough for him, but everyone wants a little more as they grow old enough to understand." She murmured as she stood in front of his desk. Bruce smiled softly,

"I guess you've decided you've had enough too?" Alex could hear the flatness in his tone as he tried to keep his emotions hidden.

"No, I love Aiden. I want to move with him, but I'll still be Tigra." She sighed and stared into the flames of the fireplace. "A part of me wants to prove that I'm more than people say I am. I'm not moving to get away from you, Dad. I'm moving to find myself. I'm moving to follow him for once." Bruce nodded and turned to her,

"Where are you going to live?" Alex was quick to answer.

"The penthouse on Maier, I haven't been there in years, but the massive place is still in my name." Bruce's eyes twinkled in amusement,

"What are you going to do?" A thoughtful expression nestled on Alex's face. Bruce smirked,

"How about that restaurant you've always wanted to open?" He offered. Alex's grin was bright as she looked at him.

"That's a great idea… I'll need the money though." She said with a raised questioning eyebrow. Bruce nodded and turned back to the fire,

"I'll make you a deal, have a steady job for a year and then I'll allow you to access your accounts for the restaurant." A pout crossed Alex's lips. She understood his reasoning though, she'd need to get accustomed to living in Starling and work in the night. She mentally put finding a hide-out on the top of her list.

"So you don't mind?" She asked him cautiously. He turned to face her again, a soft smile gracing his lips,

"Follow your heart… Just visit from time to time." Alex grinned and walked around the desk to hug him. They didn't do it often, but when they did, it was a special memory Alex stored in the back of her mind.

Alex held a flashlight between her teeth as she connected the wires. She growled when she almost dropped her plyers. Gods she hated working the wires. When she finally crawled out from under the train she smiled at the sight of light in the subway car. Aiden helped her out of the hole and welded the steel plate in place.

"Finally." She breathed as she turned on the computer. It flickered to life in five seconds and Alex sent thanks to her brother's brilliant technical mind. They had found an abandoned subway at the edge of the Glades. The three cars from an old train were still visible from the subway's rundown platform. Alex and Aiden had worked day in and day out to install all the technology that was needed for the three cars to pull away and reveal three other cars, brand new and tricked out. In the car to the right was Alex's gear. In the middle one was all the computers and equipment used for blood samples, finger print scanners, an entire chemistry set and a work bench for Alex to build new weapons. The last cart was empty except for a large shoot with glass standing in the middle and motorbike. The shoot worked as an elevator for Alex to reach a small cavern filled with training equipment and a sparring mat underneath the subway. Another secret tunnel offered a quick escape for if the hide out was ever compromised.

Alex and Aiden stepped out of the middle car and the door automatically shut and locked behind them. Alex stepped to one of the slot machines where money used to be placed to ride the subway. Alex shifted a plate of steel to reveal a handprint scanner. Using her left hand she placed her palm and three fingers to the surface to be scanned. Instantly the cars shifted, the lights on the platform dimmed and Alex and Aiden were left in an old abandoned subway.

"What if someone finds out about this place and gets your fingerprints?" Aiden asked curiously as they walked up the steps. Alex showed him the unique tiger face tattooed into her palm, its body painted to curl around her wrist and arm and its tail ending in the middle of her fore-arm. Aiden blinked,

"You programmed the machine to scan the mark in the tattoo?" Alex nodded,

"And I programmed the ink's texture into it too." Aiden smiled and took her hand,

"Have I ever told you you're amazing?" Alex smirked and shrugged,

"I don't know. I can't seem to remember." She stated cheekily.

Tigra watched as a large man backed a small little girl into the corner of an alley. His grin was crooked and the lust glinting in his eyes made her sick to her stomach. Tigra could see the fear written across the girl's face and her eyes shooting to the pistol her attacker held in his hand.

"You wanna have some fun, girly?" The thug sneered. Tigra narrowed her eyes and stood to her full height on the rooftop.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" She called out. The man spun around looking for the origin of her voice, his beady eyes found her and glared. Seeing her in her uniform caused a teasing smirk to cross his lips,

"Get lost, this ain't no Halloween party." Tigra scowled as the man turned back to the little girl. The girl's eyes hadn't lost the fear as she stared at the masked woman on the roof. Tigra bent down and pulled a blunt knife from her boot, with a quick and sharp movement the blade flew down to the alley and hit the man in the back of his head. He spun around and shot two rounds in her direction. Using her skills, Tigra flipped onto the fire escape and down the three flights of stairs before landing in a crouch in front of the thug. His eyes widened. His hand started shaking, "I'm warnin' yah! Stay away!" Tigra snorted and slowly started towards him,

"You couldn't hit me the first time. What makes you think you'll be able to a second?" Another gun shot rang out in the night and again Tigra shifted her stance and the bullet whizzed past her. The scowl deepened. Five rounds left. Tigra reached up to grip her sword. The panic in the man's eyes was emphasized when he shot four more rounds. The blade of her trustworthy katana blocked three perfectly and the last one just missed Tigra's abdomen. Her eyes narrowed,

"One bullet left. What are you going to do with it?" She asked him curiously as she stopped five feet in front of him. The man was shaking all over, afraid of what this strange woman could do. How did she dodge seven bullets? It wasn't possible. Tigra smirked and placed her sword back into its sheath. Tigra slowly walked to him,

"Children aren't meant to be tormented in the middle of the night." She whispered softly.

"I'm warning you!" The man cried out. The tiger cladded woman pressed her forehead to the barrel of the gun,

"Go ahead. Use it." She smirked when his eyes widened, before he could fully understand what she was saying, Tigra lashed out and jabbed his jugular. The man gasped and coughed for breath, his revolver clattering to the ground. Tigra kicked the gun and it slid across the ground into the dark. She waited for him to stand, when he did, the vigilante kicked the back of his knees and sent him to the ground again,

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She demanded as she pulled him up by his hair and held him eye to eye,

"Big guy who thinks he can attack little girls?" She asked, the man frantically shook his head,

"N-no, I was jus' playin' around." Tigra narrowed her eyes and slammed her knee into his stomach, he dropped to the floor again as she walked around him.

"Well this is how I play." She whispered dangerously in his ear. She grabbed his hair and roughly snatched his head backward, exposing his throat. The cold touch of a blade grazed the vulnerable skin,

"Now you listen to me you son of a…" She took a deep breath and remembered the little girl in the corner,

"You low life scum. The name's Tigra. This city is under my protection and by the looks of that tattoo on your wrist, you belong to some very important bad guys in this hell hole." She jumped over him, the knife still poised at his throat,

"A message, every jackass, thief, mob-boss, every gang member you know? Warn them... I'm only letting you live to tell the tale of a tiger stalking the night." Her eyes bored into his, she could tell he was ready to try and take her. To try and surprise her, hoping his strength and weight could get him out of here alive. Tigra smirked deviously and shook her head, with the flick of her wrist a thin line of blood was drawn across the man's face. He cried out and Tigra let go of his hair, shoving him to the floor,

"That's your warning." She shoved him roughly with her foot. He barely got to roll on his hands and feet. He turned around, blood dripping down his face and into one of his eyes. The thug's gaze flickered to the gun next to a trash can. Tigra glared and threw her knife, it imbedded itself into the revolver's bus. The man's eyes flickered to her in fear.

The moonlight caught her purple stripes perfectly and highlighted the murderous look in her eyes,

"Run." She mouthed. The man didn't have to be told twice, he spun around and high tailed out of the alleyway. Tigra envisioned a tail between his legs.

The glock of a gun caught her attention. Tigra turned around to find the little girl, standing and aiming the gun at her. Tigra slowly turned around and held her hands in the air, a sign of surrender. She cautiously walked towards the little girl. She was shaking violently and Tigra could see the determination in her eyes, this little girl wasn't going to be pushed around anymore,

"It's okay. I'm a friend." She said softly, all traces of murderous intent gone.

"You got the right idea," She murmured as she wrapped her hand around the little girl's shaking hands,

"But shooting me won't do you any good." Tigra's fingers lightly prised the tiny digits away from the gun,

"You're save and I'm not going to hurt you." The gun effortlessly slipped from the little girl's hands and she collapsed against Tigra. The vigilante's fingers quickly moved to remove the bullet and slip the revolver in her boot. Tigra picked the girl up and turned towards the fire escape: next stop, the police station. Tigra smirked before she took to the climb.

A/N: So was I right? Did you like the end? I really do hope you liked this one... Please drop me a review and let me know.