digi-gal-rox: yea! finally another chapter! like before italics are present time.

Chapter 3 - The truth is I never left you (all through my wild days my mad existance)

This was just what he needed. Time on his own. He had to clear his head before he got there. He stared out the endless dark ocean. He couldn't help but feel responsible for his death. Like the death of his parents. They didn't deserve to die. Niether did he. No one did. He already knew there was no point of getting revenge. He learnt that the hard way. He might as well just leave it to them. The League that is. He had other plans. Right now he had to be there for his family. For Alfred. For Leslie. For Tim. For Barbara. Barbara... he already knew she was doing what ever power she could to protect the city. Maybe that was why he was going back. To help clean out the city. Gotham definately needed more help than Bludhaven right now. And any, Huntress new how to take care of herself. Afterall, she had The Question to help her out.

"Where are you going?!" he demanded, as the angry Dick Grayson stormed out of the manor.
"None of your business!" he retorted, "It's not like you care!"
"You have a job!"
"I HAVE A LIFE!" slamming the large doors, he made his way to his car, angrilly slamming the door open and closed. He couldn't take it. He had to get away. His thoughts strayed to a particular red-head. He closed his eyes for a moment, calming down a bit. Quickly whipping out his cell phone, he dialed a number.
"Hello?"
"Hey Babs, it's me."
"Dick? What is it?"
"I was thinking that we could y'know go somewhere together..."
"I thought that you'd be with Mr. Wayne. Especially at this time..." he noticed the bat-signal was out.
"Yeah well, I decided to have the night off."
"I dunno..."
"Oh, come on," he said teasingly. "Just you, me... a night alone..."
"Promise me you won't bail?"
"I promise."
"O.K." she paused, "Where are you doing to take me?"
"It's a surprise..."

"What are we going to do?" Etrigan asked quietly, hunching over the edge. Zatanna shrugged, waving her wand carelessly.
"I don't know." she paused, "Will Nightwing be joining us here?"
"He comes when he needs to come," Batgirl responded, "Right now he needs time on his own. Afterall, the man he once thought as a father... ish is dead." her eyes fell. "They really never got to work things out," the Creeper watched her intently, later joining Etrigan at the edge.
"Batgirl?" Zatanna placed a supportive hand on her shoulder.
"Have you realised, the only time they ever had a decent talk was out on the field..." Zatanna smiled slightly.
"That's true... like the time you got you guys to help find... Wonder Woman." Batgirl smiled slightly. "Nightwing sure was furious." she added.
"You got that right," Batgirl nodded. "I miss him so much, despite his coldness towards new people... he was someone that undertood what people went through..."
"What are we going to do?" Etrigan repeated.
"I don't know," Batgirl admitted, "I don't know..."

"Forget about it, Batman," Nightwing clenched his fist, glaring at his one time mentor, "There is no way I'm going to follow your plan and lead. In case you've forgotten, I work alone now." Narrowing his eyes slightly, Batman turned around and left. "That's right! Just walk away! Like you always do!" Robin starred at him, surprised. "What?" he asked sharply.
"Nightwing... we really could use your help," the teenager said softly, "Gotham needs us..."
"I don't live here anymore." Nightwing retorted. Seconds later, Batgirl's body came flying towards the two. Nightwing quickly caught her before she hit the ground. "You O.K?" he asked the seething Batgirl, who was glarring a head of her.
"Peachy," she said tightly, "Once I get back at her."
"Her?" Robin looked at her excitedly.
"No, follow Dick. Apparently Joker and Harlee are heading towards the tower to spray his laughing gas,"
"Right," Nightwing nodded, as Batgirl charged off. "Let's go, kid."
"I'm not a kid!" Robin bellowed, running after Nightwing who had already taken off to pursue with Joker and Harlee.

"You always wanted a quite thing, didn't you." he said softly, "Guess that never happened. You just had to..." tears fell from his eyes. "Always have to be the wild one, don't you." he chuckled softly. "Always..." he observed the large stone that sat in the middle of his 'home town'. "Even if you protested, there was nothing we could have done to stop them. I know that they'll do what ever it takes to give you a heros burial..." he looked to the side stubbornly, "I keep wondering why I continue to do this." he paused, "Is it to continue to fight for my parents? To stop other kids from loosing their parents? To protect her? To protect the city? I honestly don't know... Maybe it was just to get on your nerves..." He felt someone approach him from behind.
"Dick?" he spun around, quickly wiping his eyes.
"Hey Babs."
"What are you..."
"I had to see him." he cut her off, facing the large stone again. He paused, "Where's the kid?"
"I sent him to the Titans. I didn't want him to see this." she motioned to the darkned city. "This is no place for a kid to grow up in now."
"No, it isn't." Dick nodded, hanging his head in defeat. "I regret saying all those things..."
"Dick..."
"I should've seen this coming..." he turned away from Barbara, allowing the tears to fall from his face again. She looked at him softly, forcing him to face her. There was a gentle smile on her face. "There are still many things I wish I could say to him. Then. Now..."
"You can tell him now," she motioned to the stone, "No matter how big it is, he still is a small person. Just like the rest of us." He hugged her tightly. "God Bruce, why did you have to die?!"

"Master Dick!" Alfred exclaimed, heartily as Dick entered the manor, overnight bag over his shoulder.
"Hey, Al." Dick smiled uncertainly. "How you doin'?"
"Certainly well," the butler huffed. Dick smiled at Alfred's attempt to 'survive' the loss of Bruce.
"We're all still hurting, Al. You don't have to hide it." Barbara said, following Dick.
"Ms. Gordon!" Alfred exclaimed, "The Commissioner let you out?"
"You know me, ever since I joined the family, I haven't been following daddy's rule." she grinned. "Anyway, dad's been busy trying to put them away, they've been working days straight now."
"It looks like we should give them a break," Dick said, "Let's get to work."

"What are you doing here?" Batgirl asked surprised as the Justice League appeared in front of them.
"We came to help." Wonder Woman said stepping foward. Superman groaned slightly.
"Way to be subtle, Diana." Flash muttered.
"We don't need help," Nightwing responded coldly, "I already told you that we can handle it."
"Are you sure about this, Batgirl?" Superman asked seriously. Batgirl nodded. "He wouldn't want you to do this. He would want you to protect your own city." Superman smiled slightly.
"I guess he would,"
"Call us if you need anything." The Flash said, gripping Nightwing's shoulders tightly. He nodded.
"I will." he paused, "We will." They both watched as the League members dissappeared in a swirl of light. Batgirl noticed that Nightwing's eyes had fallen.
"Dick?"
"The thing is, no matter how much I resent him, I actually miss him."

"What's this?" he murmured, removing his mask. She followed, removing her cowl. "Have you seen this before?"
"No," she shook her head. "I haven't been down here since it happened." Cautiously, he opened the file.
"An audio file?" she murmured. He gripped her hand tightly, a small smile on his face.
"I guess he was always with us." he said softly.
"I guess so."

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