A/N: I actually really like this chappie (for once in my life...:grin:) though you all may have mixed feelings about it.
Warning though, this has references to "The Killing Joke" though I modified it a bit to suit me.
:grin:
So for those who loved "The Killing Joke" and thought that I besmirched its image...don't flame me! I loved that comic...well..I can't help it...I love all comics written by Alan Moore...he is one cool dude.
Oh, and for those who haven't read it...the A/N at the bottom should explain it for you.
Also, I've just realised that I should've warned you from the beginning but though this story is TOTALLY a BBRae story, its not always going to be the main focus of some chappies...though there will always be a sense of BBRae-ness to the chappies.
Also, this is TOTALLY not a RobRae chappie even though I totally luveth this pairing also...though BBRae are my fav.
:huggles:
So read and enjoy, eh? And review! Don't forget to review!
Chapter 3
"So…Raven…the pink or the orange…or…the red?"
Garfield watched as Raven's face turned into a hard glare as Kori had literally flown into the Common Room while holding three tiny bottles of nail polish in her hands, causing him to chuckle, which in turn caused his girlfriend to transfer her glare from the glass bottles to him.
She coughed, "Kori, you have got to be kidding…what gave you the idea that I was going to allow you to paint my nails?"
He kept his concentration on the TV show that he was watching but it was kinda hard, he really liked listening to Raven and Kori speaking, it just reminded him that despite the fact that she was an empath with a demon—the Trigon—as a father, she was—underneath it all—just your normal, everyday girl…well…as normal as someone with the ability to move things with your mind was.
"Well…" Kori's tinkering voice travelled through his ears, "You did the earth saying of 'I owe you one' when I gave you one of the tampons last week when you did the finding out that your stash had been finished…this is, what I believe to be, the thing that you owe me…unless you intend to give me one in return…I do not see how it is to be use, however, seeing as though I am not experiencing the menstruation…as you terrans call it."
He almost choked when the Tamaranian had spouted all that out, but he wasn't too sure whether or not it was from laughter or disgust or just from the plain obliviousness that Kori displayed when she had stated that blatant remark. Almost instantly, he could feel the raw heat of embarrassment coming from Raven and the slight stench that came from her obvious annoyance at his obvious amusement; at times like these he completely forgot that she was an empath…but right now she was hella pissed off at her for laughing inwardly…he could actually feel her glare burning his back.
Raven cleared her throat, "Kori…you do realise that it isn't…um…polite…to talk about our periods in front of…others." At this sentence, he braved a glance at her, only to find a dark raised brow.
"Oh…yes…I do remember, you have told me not to mention the cycle prior to this conversation…" Kori giggled, her fingers still wrapped firmly around the bottles, "You did say that it made the people of the male gender…uncomfortable…though, truly, I do not understand why since it is only natural…is it not?"
"Natural…yes. A topic generally spoken within casual conversation…no. The term 'boys will be boys' come to mind…" She smiled, that soft smile always accompanied by a certain amusement in her eyes, which caused him to wonder what she was actually thinking about…was she still thinking about what had happened yesterday?
Realisation dawned in Kori's startlingly peridot-green eyes, her lips forming an 'o' shape in what seemed to be shock, "Is this the reason that Dick turned a bright shade of red when I mentioned it to him two weeks ago? He seemed to be in a hurry once I had spoken those words."
"Probably…even someone like the mighty Dick Grayson can get embarrassed at times."
Garfield decided to butt into the conversation at this point, "I still find him trying to give you the sex talk way funnier than what your conversation with him about your period must've been like." He grinned, a laugh escaping his lips once he remembered fondly about that time, "He couldn't look at a banana or a doughnut for days!" He laughed loudly at the memory.
Her brow remained in their place but this time he had turned away from him and was looking at Kori, a small frown tracing her lips, "On the other hand…I think I'd rather have an embarrassed boyfriend rather than an immature one." Her words sounded mean even to his ears but the playful scent that came to his nose told him a different story…well it was mostly playful…there was some seriousness to her scent but he ignored it.
"She did not mean to be offensive, friend Garfield." Kori's voice implored.
He grinned at her and winked at both girls, "I know…she loves me really."
He watched as Raven turned to look at him, her dark hair softly swaying with the movement of the turn, "You wish Garfield…on both accounts."
"No, seriously Kor…" his grinned grew even larger, if that was even possible, "she's a happy person really…down there…somewhere."
The gorgeous auburn-haired alien sat down in between the two, crossing her long legs enticingly—though she was completely unaware of this…he hoped—her fleshy lips pursed in thought and her fingers twirling an individual lock of hair. Dick was one lucky man…but just one glance at Raven and her beautiful eyes framed by the darkest lashes possible and with the palest—so pale that it was almost grey—softest skin, told him that he was lucky too…maybe in a different way…but still lucky.
"You two make the most glorious couple I have yet to witness!" Kori cooed, clapping her hands in delight, "you are even more adorable than what I had presumed before…you are like the yin and the yang! It is glorious to see the philosophy come to life in such an odd yet marvellous way!" Her full lips curled to form a child-like smile, "Love is glorious, is it not?"
"I think I preferred the conversation about the nail polishes." Raven stated bluntly, tucking in the bookmark gently in between the thin pages of her novel, "Why are you even painting my nails anyway? Are we going somewhere?"
He grinned—though he still faced the TV screen—as she pursed her thin—yet perfectly cupid bow shaped—lips in wonder; she probably had forgotten.
Kori gasped, "But…friend Raven…how could you have forgotten? It is the most important night of the week…it is…"
"KARAOKE NIGHT!" He crooned in unison with Kori and as they stopped, he found himself grinning stupidly, Kori's face mimicking his own.
"Is it just me or do we have an excess in weekly traditions?"
Garfield pouted at his girlfriend, "Don't make me do The Face." He threatened.
He almost laughed when she continued to roll her eyes; she was so predictable sometimes, "It doesn't work on me, didn't I tell you this just yesterday? Or was it two days ago?"
"Oh, how could you not fall under the enchanting spell of The Face, friend Raven? Is it not the epitome of the most adorable?" Kori asked, her eyes opened wide, making her Bambi eyes even bigger than before.
Raven sighed, "Fine, you can paint my nails and come with you guys to go to the karaoke place…but I am not singing." He watched as she breathed another sigh, her chest falling slowly as she exhaled, "Are Vic and Dick coming? I mean, as much as I do love you two's…singing…I would prefer it if I had at least someone to have an intelligent conversation with during the intervals."
Garfield was a bit put out at this comment but he let it pass; maybe she was still on her period? How long were periods anyway? He had heard that girls got grumpy when they were on their periods…was it because they craved so much chocolate and when they found out that there weren't any more chocolate in the house, they went on some sort of food rampage?
He glanced at her for a couple of seconds before shaking his head.
Why was he even thinking about period's anyway?
And what the hell were tampons?
OK…well…he knew what tampons were but how…
…OK…he wasn't even going to voice that question…not even in his head.
He grinned sheepishly as he found Raven looking at him questioningly; she didn't know what he was thinking right? She was an empath…not a mind reader and the only person that she was capable of exchanging thoughts with were the ones that she had formed with others and in this case it was Dick.
"Dick is coming…Vic isn't." He glanced at Kori, her expression that of confusion, "Vic is…busy tonight."
Raven nodded slowly, "Yes Kor…he's busy tonight."
"Oh…" Kori looked downcast, "That is sad…I was hoping to do the duet with him…we were to sing 'Don't go breakin' my heart' together…"
"He'll be back tomorrow morning though, don't worry 'bout it." He smiled and squeezed Kori's hand, "This just means that you have another week to practice your duet!" His smile grew bigger as her smile formed silently on her lips.
The Tamaranian tucked a stray flaming red hair behind her ears, "That is delightful!" A giggle escaped her lips, "This just means that I shall be even better at the karaoke singing!" Her grin grew child-like once more, "You do have a way with making people smile, friend Garfield."
At this remark, he poked leaned across to poke her on the shoulder and he was replied with a look that just screamed disdain.
He shrugged, "See!" He claimed proudly, puffing up his chest exaggeratedly and pointing at it, "Someone thinks I'm funny."
The scent that emanated from her was that of amusement—she seemed to find him amusing a lot—and exasperation but her brow arched at him as if questioning his sanity; despite the fact that they had been going out for a year and more, she still seemed to think that there was something wrong with his brain and also that since this was clearly the case, then there must've been something wrong with her own brain for fooling her into liking him. He hoped with all his might that she was joking.
"Well, I guess someone was bound to, Gar." A smirk danced on her lips but then they instantly turned into a frown, "So…since it's only going to be me, Gar, you and Dick…does that mean it's a double date?"
Kori's face instantly lit up; clearly, by the look on her face, she hadn't thought of that, "That is a marvellous idea, friend Raven! I did not think of it but…truly, you are—as they say here on Earth—a genius."
He laughed as she was then assaulted by Kori with a bone-crushing hug, thankful that he wasn't the one that was on the receiving end; Kori's hugs were strong and by the way she hugged Raven, she wasn't even using all the strength that she possessed.
That was kinda freaky.
Raven, on the other hand, was taking it all in quite calmly but her scent told him differently—and by the way she looked at him—she was doing it on purpose, urging him to somehow save her from her best friend's death grip. Her scent was all sorts, but the one that seemed to stand out most was the desperation that she felt; probably desperation to get out of Kori's arms and also discomfort. It was—admittedly—quite uncomfortable to find yourself in one of Kori's hugs…of course they were all in good intentions but that didn't mean that they still didn't…
He cleared his throat.
…hurt.
After what seemed to be five minutes or so, Kori released her embrace, and he suddenly found himself listening to her gushing her heart out to Raven about how earlier on in the day, she was at the mall and that a model agent had asked her to apply to their agency; it was surprising really since Kori had some random growth spurt last year and was now the tallest out of everyone there except for Vic—her being 6'4" and all, compared to Dick's 5'11" and Vic's 6'6"—what was more surprising was that she hadn't been picked up earlier because—did he already mention this before?—the woman was drop dead gorgeous.
"That's great Kor…have you told Dick yet?" Raven's haunting voice caused his ears to perk up.
Without realising it, he tuned out of all the sounds around him except for Raven's voice and though he heard it every single damn day, it was still the single most sexiest thing that he had ever heard; it was that…wonderful…to listen to.
She seemed to be pondering on something, but he wasn't sure what, "The main agency is in New York, huh? That's a bit far…"
It was throaty and low pitched, as if she was having her throat constantly scratched by someone. It wasn't just the way her voice sounded though, it was also the way she delivered her words; every single one of them being sticky with sarcasm, or devoid of tone and it all made her sound like she took herself very seriously…
"Well…I'm not one for prancing around in nothing but lingerie, but it sounds like a great opportunity." The eye rolling commenced.
…and girls who took themselves too seriously were kinda hot.
"No…no…I do think that it sounds good Kor…but I'm just saying that maybe wait until…" Her words faltered and suddenly things just changed.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he sensed the change in her scent, and the thing that made him wary was that he could read her scent and as the seconds went by, it remained unidentifiable for him. The scent wafting towards him was pungent, overpowering and had an edge to it that he didn't like, and if he didn't remind himself that this was Raven's scent that he was detecting, he would've probably snarled at the scent. It was so unfamiliar that for some odd reason, he couldn't help but think that it couldn't have belonged to her but of course it had to be hers…it came from her.
"Friend…Raven…?"
He pulled his eyes away from the TV screen and turned to look at Raven and found her expression extremely difficult to decipher; her dark brows contorted together so tightly that there was not an area on her forehead that was smooth, her lips pursed so firmly that they seemed to have disappeared, her pale complexion was beyond pale—it was deathly pale!—and the way her dark indigo eyes concentrated so hard on a small spot on the wall that it would've hurt to look at her directly and yet there was something…blank…about the look in her eyes…and that worried him.
What was wrong with her?
He stood up from his seat and knelt down in front of her, "Rae…baby doll…are you OK?" He took her hands and found the bound tightly in a fist, "Rae…Rae…what's wrong?" He tried to unclench her fists but the only response he got was two clammy fists still gripping themselves tightly, her knuckles white.
He and Kori exchanged a worried look, both still having no idea what the hell was wrong with her. Kori tried to coax Raven out of this state by speaking gently to her but Raven did not budge from her state.
"Rae…? Rae, c'mon baby doll…c'mon speak to me…" He whispered the last words out, growling in frustration.
Suddenly her expression stopped being so stagnant but it was still hard—really hard—though he was just relieved to find that she was actually moving. However, she didn't turn to look at him when she finally regained consciousness, but she looked at Kori straight away.
"Kori…where's Dick?" Her words were sharp.
Her bitter scent was now spiced with determination and it was also accompanied by what seemed to be—were his conclusions right?—sadness. Why was she sad? Or—he guessed—why was Dick sad? Was Dick sad?
"I…I do not know exactly, friend Raven but when I left him he was on the phone with his dear old butler Alfred and I did not want to disturb his privacy." Kori seemed to chew her lips in uncertainty, her green eyes exchanging helpless glances at Garfield.
Raven stood up from the couch staunchly, her shoulders stiff with determination as she stormed out of the Common Room on foot, probably too distracted by the bout of emotions that she received from Dick to remember that she was capable of phasing to wherever she wanted to go.
Him and his stupid bond with her!
Dick had probably sent his emotions to her unintentionally—if Dick had sent those emotions intentionally, he was gonna be very pissed off!—and whatever it was that the bond exchanged, Raven was clearly concerned about it…whatever it was…and he couldn't help but feel a little helpless whenever these things came about; she had always made it very clear that the bond that she had with Dick wasn't any of his business and though sometimes he was curious about it sometimes, he knew where the boundaries lay.
Garfield wanted to chase after Raven but his feet felt like they stuck to the ground and no matter how much will power her put into it, he felt like he was incapable of actually standing up and walking after her. Slowly, he turned his head towards the door and just gazed helplessly at the door, hoping that whatever it was that was happening, it would be sorted out soon.
She closed her eyes as her feet took her towards Dick's room.
"Joker…wings…clipped…"
Her eyes flickered open again suddenly as the surge of emotions came rushing towards her; anger came in huge black tides, enveloping most of the other emotions but that didn't mean that the other emotions were miniscule compared to the anger, no, it just meant that they were so mixed up with the anger that it was hard to differentiate which emotion was which but…there was deep, slow sadness at his realisation, shock and disbelief at the turn of events, utter fear for her and hatred for the one responsible—raw, dark hatred—but it was definitely the anger that affected Raven…and what scared her most wasn't the fact that it was just anger, it was cold, unfeeling anger…so cold that it made ice feel warm.
She shuddered.
Raven wasn't conscious of the way her feet stomped on the solid floor, wasn't conscious of the dull echoes that sounded like the voices in her mind, all she could think about was Dick…Dick and…this.
"Gordon…oh God…wings…"
The voice in her head—his voice—grew a little louder every time she got a little closer to his room; a little louder, a little more estranged, a little angrier, a little more heartbroken…but it was still his voice even though it had been so disfigured by the bursts of emotions that came out of him uncontrollably. She had to admit, she was a little scared of facing him physically; he had blocked her voice out of his mind but he had not bothered blocking his own and if he was so unwilling for her to reach out to him through the connection of the bond, would he even try to do it physically?
Probably not.
But she had to try…she owed him, as much as he owed her and though both parties were unwilling to admit it, they both knew that the debts would never be fully paid; not with what they had both witnessed and experienced due to being in each other's lives. The others may not have understood this little fact but they both knew it, and they both knew it too well to want to acknowledge it. This time, maybe some of that debt would be repaid, or maybe the debt would grow even larger…but she had to try…she owed him this.
"…wasn't there for her…cannot fly…"
She tried to reach out to him once more through the bond, "Dick…Are you there? Can you hear me?"
"Gun…shot…red hair…fly…" He didn't seem to hear her and continued to ramble on almost nonsensically.
The hairs on her arms stood as once again she was consumed by his emotions, they were so strong that it was hard to differentiate between his emotions and her own but the emotions were so raw that they felt like she was feeling these emotions, that she was the one ridden with guilt, anger, shame and sadness, that these emotions were rooted deep inside of her.
She was not her emotions—or his, for that matter—she was Raven.
Those words reminded her of Garfield and for a fleeting moment, she smiled.
Then it came back again.
"…where was Batman when this…?"
She figured that she could always force the emotion of happiness—or at least contentment or peace—into him, after all, she was capable of doing that…but in the end it always left her feeling immoral, like the act was too inhumane to even think about; it wasn't right to take out emotions—though she had done this many a times—and so it was only logical that forcing emotions into someone wouldn't be right either no matter how good her intentions were.
"Rooftop run…paralysed…hospital…"
Her shoulder stiffened uncomfortably as the words formed almost-sentences and instead of just words being transmitted to her mind, she saw flashes and flashes of images; a dark shadow pointing a gun at a female with flaming red hair, the woman cluttered on the floor like a rag doll with ribbons of blood coming out of her, maniacal laughter coming from the dark figure though it was sinister laughter—sinister and insane—and strangely the last image seemed to be thought of in a sad sentimental way; two figures flying across rooftops, ignoring the height and for a mere second they both looked like they were flying…really flying and not just doing acrobatic acts like she knew they were really doing.
It was heartbreakingly beautiful…and at that single moment, because of that single image, she realised what had happened and who it had happened to.
"Oh, Dick."
He still ignored her accidental outbreak but that was about to change. As she reached his door, she knew that he would have had it locked and he wouldn't open the door if it killed him to, and right now something was definitely killing him and it hurt.
The door was made from steel and as her fingers traced its texture, she found it quite fitting that such a material would be made into his door, the door that belonged to Nightwing, formerly known as Robin the Boy Wonder but forever belonging to Dick Grayson, or merely known as Dick. It was strange how such an inanimate object could describe a person in such precision; cold, hard, protected and yet it had its moments when it opened up to everyone and let them peer inside and those moments were what made him the team leader…not because he was the world's second greatest detective nor was it his acrobatic and martial art skills…no, it was that compassion that appeared sometimes, that compassion and everything else that came with it.
Raven closed her eyes for a moment, her hands pressing at the door, and she phased through, shuddering slightly as she felt the odd combination of the steel door and her powers before she finally entered his room.
"Babs…Babs…I should've…Oh, Barbara…why didn't you wait for me?"
The words struck her like she had been physically pushed and she stopped herself from staggering backwards at the sheer force of it. They were so desperate and so tragic that for a few moments, she couldn't look him in the face; for fear that the words would be etched into his features.
Dick didn't seem to notice that she had entered the room, or if he had, he was ignoring her as much as he possibly could with her so physically near him. She walked timidly towards him, afraid of what would happen if she broke his concentration.
"Never fly…never fly again…Babs…why didn't you…?"
Finally, she found herself standing face to face with him, and found that there were red marks on the fragile skin around his eyes and they seemed new…like he had ripped off his mask in the pent up frustration and anger that was brought about and it wasn't just that it was red…the skin around his eyes was pulsing strangely and his face so contorted that if she wasn't in his room, she probably wouldn't have recognised this person as Dick Grayson. That expression didn't belong to Nightwing, nor did it belong to Dick Grayson and yet—at a glance—it reminded her of another caped crusader, of the one who had taught him the many things he knew today, the skills needed to fill in the holes that metahumans did not need to fill in…it reminded her of the man that Dick Grayson had tried to break free from so many times and yet—she saw with some pity—it seemed to Raven that his past always caught up with him, no matter how hard he tried.
Finally, her throat released the grip on her words, "You're going to Gotham."
He frowned, not really seeing her, and nodded stoically.
"When?"
There was no hesitation in his words, "Tonight." When she gave him a raised brow, his mouth tightened, "Alfred has it all arranged."
She looked around the room for a moment as the uncomfortable silence crawled in slightly; his room was a mess to say the least…but it was an organised mess. Newspaper articles and bits of information were pinned on the dingy grey walls and pieces of thread connected each and every article to each other in some way or another. The computer's screen at the end of the room flickered slightly and next to it was his phone with the receiver hanging loosely over the table, neglected and a bit battered.
"I'm going to kill him."
The voice that she had just heard briefly was calm and collected with none of the heat that anger should generate.
"That's not your way."
He seemed surprised that she had heard him in her mind and momentarily the emotion of astonishment washed over his other emotions like a warm jolt of yellow but after a while, the other emotions took over again like the vines of a poison ivy plant.
"I'll be gone for a week."
"The fact that it is not Batman's way does not mean that it is not my way."
She shook her head, "You will be gone longer than that." Her words had a matter-of-fact air to them.
"No…it is not your way. Remember who you are…who that mask is…Nightwing does not kill." She forced these words into his mind, "Nightwing does not know who Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon are."
"Yes, I will be gone longer than that." He nodded, agreeing.
"But Nightwing knows Batgirl and Batgirl can…she can no longer fly."
She felt herself pulled into an emotional tug-of-war and for once, she did not feel like she was winning; she, the queen of emotion and control, was not winning the war in which involved these two elements…she was…she was losing.
"Did the Joker shoot Batgirl or did he shoot Barbara Gordon?" Her words were scathing and she meant for them to hurt so that he would realise what the consequence of his actions would be, "Who did he shoot…Dick Grayson? Who did he shoot, Nightwing?"
"Tell Vic that he's in charge for the time that I'm…gone."
"They are the same! The SAME!" He screamed at her in his mind…in her mind.
Raven touched her chakra momentarily before locking her gaze with his crystal blue ones, "He will be informed." He seemed to be challenging her to look away and because of this very reason, she did not, "What will you be doing down in Gotham?"
"I wasn't there…I should've been there to stop him!"
"Keeping up with appearances…helping out with Batman."
"The Bat clan is dying…first Jay then Babs…not Babs…not Babs…" His mind shook with denial, repeating her name over and over again until eventually they were etched in her brain.
"Dick Grayson has not appeared in Gotham for over a year, I think the tabloids would be suspicious if I stayed away for longer than that."
She nodded, agreeing with his superficial words, "Yes, they would be suspicious."
"I won't be gone for too long." She did not believe him, "I know that I have my duties here."
"Barbara will not die." She insisted, "She will live despite the consequences."
Sadness entered his words, "Yes…but she will never fly again…she will never know the freedom that Batgirl and Robin knew."
"No, she will never experience the flight of Batgirl and Robin ever again." She did not mean to be cruel this time, she merely tried to ease his guilt, "But she will live…isn't living enough?"
"Will you say goodbye to the others? To Kori?" She asked.
"Yes."
Raven scrutinised his face, "But you will not tell them your true reasons of your absence." It was not a question.
"No."
His words were flat in tone as he tried to regain his self control once more but she could see clearly through the shield of the steel doors. This was Dick Grayson but carved from cold, hard stone instead of flesh and blood…it was in his nature to be cool and collected and in control but it was not in his nature to deny his friends…his family. He had tried so hard to get away from the Bat Clan, to claim some type of independence over the shadow of his mentor, one of the most well-known caped crusaders that existed in the world that co-existed with meta-humans; the Dark Knight. But here he was now, rushing back to Gotham, to his childhood home, to Babs…to his first love and her broken body…to appease the guilt that he had always had welling up in him whenever he remembered that he had left his original team.
She knew it hurt for him to remember.
"Tell them that I'm away on a familial matter." He did not lie, she realised; Babs had been part of his family…once, "Or on a mission with the JLA…or something…just don't tell them about…"
"It will hurt Kori if she finds out that you have been lying to her."
Kori…he had probably forgotten about her throughout this whole ordeal and by the look on his face, he felt guilty about it. There, the guilt, it appeared on his face so many times that she did not know if this person…this man had ever been a child…she had felt guilty about things before, but she had always managed to pull through in one way or another and it was usually with his help. She did not know what it would have been like without Dick being there for her—and she did not want to know—and for that she was indebt towards him.
"I know."
She threw him a pitying look and he grunted; he hated pity, "She loves you, you know?"
It took him a while to answer her, "I know." He did not look at her when he spoke those words.
Two girls, she thought wryly to herself, two girls…both with flaming red hair, both taller than him, both superheroes and both loved by Dick Grayson and Nightwing, though in completely different ways. The love he had for Koriand'r was passionate, fulfilling, illogical, and protective…it was a lover's love, something undeniable and dangerously overwhelming. However the love he held for Barbara Gordon was friendly, kind-hearted, and sometimes frosty, sometimes warm…all in all it was a brother's love…or at least that's what Raven thought it was...she was his first love though, she noted.
"And you love her?"
She could feel the heat of anger at the confrontation that she presented to him; angry that she was slowing him down, angry that she was even here in his room and angry that she was even questioning his feelings towards the golden-skinned princess.
"Yes." The words pierced through her, sending a disgusted look towards her.
Raven closed her eyes, "You should try to remember that."
He did not reply her and she did not know if she was relieved or offended.
Raven opened her eyes once more and clenched her fists by her side firmly as she took a good look at the strained expression etched on his face. She knew it was a hard time for him, she knew, and she wasn't trying to make it harder for him but…but the emotions conflicting with each other disturbed her, confused her. He was one of those characters that you wanted to understand…and yet at the same time…refused to; he grew attached to the people surrounding him and didn't handle injuries or death very well, he did not like losing people…he could not lose anyone and for this reason, she understood him…not completely, but enough to let him venture on his own.
"You will take care of yourself?"
She watched as his face softened a little, "I will try."
"I'll see you in a little while then, I guess."
"I'll come back as soon as possible."
"I know."
He paused for a while, "Thanks."
"You're welcome." She smiled…or attempted to, "Goodbye it is then."
"Goodbye it is."
Carefully, she slipped out of his room, careful not to let her guard down just in case he noticed how her palms started to sweat and her heart began to thud cryptically. That was not Dick Grayson and she did not want to know who that person was…she just hoped that he would come back…sooner rather than later.
"No…it is not enough." The whispers were barely discernable to her but nonetheless, she heard them, "…living without flying is not enough…"
A/N: Wehey...this chappie is finitoed..so anyways here's a brief explanation for those who had NO idea what happened in the second part of the chappie...
- Well basically in short...the Joker shot Barbara Gordon because he wanted to make Comissioner Gordon go insane (though this plan totally got foiled by Batman) and he didnt know that Babs was Batgirl and I don't even want to imagine what would've happened if he knew.
:shudders:
- So basically, she got paralysed because she got shot in the spine and she can never walk again...ever. This is why NW kept sayin "She cannot fly"...because it meant that she could never do the rooftop run ever again (remember that I mentioned it in chappie 1)?
-Also, the "Jay" reference was of Jason Todd...the SECOND Robin...though no one really liked him so the writers killed him off...well, actually, I'm not sure why they killed him off...
And TADA! That is all for now! I am going to Bali tomorrow and so will not be updating anytime soon...well...I'm actually only going for 5 days but seriously...5 days is quite a lot to miss out on the whole creative juices thing.
Reviews, please?
Also...keep the songs coming! I'm currently loving the songs that you guys have suggested!
:squeeeee: