Shayera's eyes widened in shock when she saw Nightwing in a protective position in front of her.

What the hell was Dick doing there?

And why had he come between her and Hro?

Hro Talak turned his gaze toward the hero in black and blue, and he sneered. "And who might you be?"

"Nightwing, the one who is going to beat you so hard you won't be able to walk for a whole year!" growled Nightwing dangerously, and Shayera was stunned by the anger he was emanating.

"What the hell are you doing?" hissed Shayera.

"I'm not letting that asshole bring you back to Thanagar to sentence you to death!" growled the vigilante a second time catching her off guard.

Why should Dick care what would happen to her on Thanagar after what she did to them but especially to him?

She would be lying, however, if she said she was not pleased.

Hro stared first at Nightwing then at Shayera and then returned his gaze to the hero, his face taking on a tinge of disbelief and disgust. "Is it because of him that you are betraying your own people? For a garbage being like him?"

"You could only wish in your dreams to be even 1 percent of the person Nightwing is!" growled Shayera.

"Enough talk and let's get this over with!" growled the hero of Bludhaven impatiently, crossing his escrima sticks menacingly.

"This will lead to your death!" chuckled Hro before the two began to fight.

Shayera was completely surprised and shocked by the brutality and violence with which Nightwing was fighting. There was no sign of levity in him.

Only a frightening and brutal efficiency.

She had understood long ago that Nightwing was a fierce hero and not to be underestimated, yet she did not know that he also had such brutality in him.

Her respect for Dick could only increase.

And frankly said, it was more exciting than she would ever admit to see Nightwing fight like that and, although she could easily help Dick defeat Hro, she decided not to and leave him in Dick's hands.


Nightwing deflected the mace blow with his escrima and he hit hard on the stomach of Hro who grunted. The vigilante tried to hit him with a right hook but the General flew up dodging it and the villain came down from the dive toward him.

The first Robin made several backflips dodging him and ducked back under the Thanagarian's fist. Nightwing hit him with a vicious punch to the stomach followed by a violent uppercut that threw his opponent into the air.

Hro stopped the flight in midair and he spat blood, massaging his jaw in pain. With a snarl he flew at top speed toward the twenty year old, who with a huge leap found himself on the other side.

Nightwing turned sharply and narrowly dodged the punch but Hro managed to hit him with a kick to the chest that sent him backwards. The former Robin turned the fall into backflips and got perfectly back on his feet and he threw himself to the side dodging the Thanagarian's lunge but Hro reversed direction and managed to wrap a hand around Nightwing's ankle and he slammed the hero violently to the ground.

Nightwing groaned in pain as his back slammed hard against the ground but he managed to kick Hro's hand that held wrapped around his ankle and the Thanagarian suddenly withdrew his hand with a grunt.

The former Titans leader rolled under Hro's legs and, when the General turned sharply, the vigilante gave him a violent kick to the throat that forced him to fall to his knees making muffled noises, the mace falling to the ground with a loud clang.

Nightwing turned with a brutal 360-degree roundhouse kick that struck Hro violently in the jaw and the Thanagarian fell to the side spitting blood. With effort Hro shakily rose to his feet but when he looked in front of him there was no sign of Nightwing.

He jerked back with a punch but it was easily blocked and before Hro could blink Nightwing broke his right arm causing him to scream in pain, bone clatter echoing, and soon after the hero forced him to fall to his knees with his broken arm bent painfully behind his back before the vigilante knocked him face first to the ground.

As soon as he hit the ground the acrobat removed his helmet and he threw it away. Next Nightwing drove a knee hard into Hro's back right in the center between the wings and he increased the pressure on his broken arm causing him to grunt in pain.

"Make your army retreat and go away." growled Nightwing menacingly directly at the enemy's ear.

Hro clenched his teeth making them clatter noisily. "Never!" he shouted, attempting to free himself from the vigilante's potentially deadly grip.

His attempt only increased Dick's grip on him, and soon after Nightwing swung an escrima hard against his temple.

Hro's vision became blurrier and he felt his head explode in pain. He could barely remain conscious when suddenly the weight on his back disappeared. It took him a couple of seconds before he was able to get to his feet and he squinted his eyes to get a better look in front of him and he saw Nightwing waiting patiently and lazily for him, as if Hro was a one-cent enemy who was not worth his time.

Hro roared with anger and indignation and he flew toward the acrobat although his trajectory was less precise and straight.

The next second Hro found himself lying painfully with his back to the ground, the imposing figure of Nightwing looming over him.

"I will not ask you a third time. Make your troops withdraw and leave. Now."

"Not without Shayera! She must die for betraying us!" said Hro barely between several coughing fits that made him spit blood.

Nightwing growled, raised one leg and crushed Hro's right hand painfully breaking all his fingers, making him cry out in pain. "For you Shayera Hol no longer exists and you will not dare even think of harming her. Do I make myself clear?" hissed the hero of Bludhaven menacingly.

Hro nodded shakily.

He knew when a battle was lost.

"W-We'll g-go away from Earth!" he stammered fearfully.

"You will never set foot on Earth again."

Hro was about to protest but Nightwing's deadly stare changed his mind and he nodded several times. He stood up shakily and began to fly wobbly toward all his remaining soldiers who were still fighting. "Retreat! Mission failed! Transport your comrades and let's get off Earth!"

Within minutes the prison was free of the Thanagarians who left under the watchful eye of Superman and Martian Manhunter.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the mess, Nightwing approached Shayera who was staring at him surprised and confused. "Why did you do it after everything I did to you?"

"Because you don't deserve to die."

"But I betrayed your trust! How-"

"You do not deserve to die nor do I want you to be dead." Shayera fell silent at Dick's words and she let him continue. "You are a good person, Shayera. You were just confused and couldn't decide which side you were on. And it is not an easy choice to decide to betray your people.

"It is true that your betrayal hurt me more than any physical pain I have ever received, and I suffered greatly for it."

Shayera swallowed at his words but the acrobat was not yet finished.

"However, you still decided to come and free us at the risk of getting caught and allowed us to defend the Earth."

"You are too good and kind a person." Shayera said softly.

Nightwing smiled and took off his mask, revealing deep, beautiful blue eyes that she loved so much. "So are you, Shayera. I'm sure sooner or later you'll be able to see the same thing I see."

"And what do you see?"

Dick smiled and slowly stretched his hands over her helmet, and when she made no move to stop him he removed it and his smile grew sweeter and more loving at the sight of beautiful blue eyes and fantastic red hair.

"I see a fierce Thanagarian warrior who is not afraid of anything and she dedicates her heart and soul to save the innocent. I see a woman with a heart of gold who is strongly dedicated to justice and the collective good. I see a very good person, one of the best I have ever met."

Shayera's heartbeat increased and she felt her heart melt at Dick's soft words, a blush making its way to her face. "I-"

She interrupted when Dick gently placed a hand on her cheek, and unconsciously Shayera leaned into the touch, making the last Flying Grayson smile.

With his heart pounding in his throat Dick slowly brought his face closer to Shayera's, giving her time to pull away if she wanted it.

She did not.

As soon as their lips joined fireworks exploded in their chests. Dick put his hands on her hips, drawing her to him, and Shayera wrapped her arms around his neck without ever breaking the kiss.

Dick's tongue eagerly explored her mouth before their tongues gently intertwined and moans of pleasure rang out from both of them.

They continued kissing for a couple of minutes before they had to pull apart in need of oxygen. Their faces remained inches apart, however, and their noses brushed lightly against each other, two pairs of fantastic blue eyes trapped in each other.

"It was beautiful." murmured Shayera softly, who at that moment was experiencing the true meaning of happiness and joy.

"It was beautiful." confirmed Dick with a warm smile that made the woman's knees tremble slightly.

Shayera gently placed her hands on Dick's chest and she leaned in to claim a second kiss, which the twenty year old happily accepted.

The second kiss was as great as the first.

They pulled away slightly and exchanged sweet smiles. Suddenly Shayera frowned and she looked away.

"Hey." murmured Richard softly, gently taking her chin and turning her toward him. "What's going on?" he asked softly.

"I don't belong here." said the Thanagarian deeply saddened. "I do not belong here and I cannot stay on Earth. I am not like you and your friends. I-"

Dick put a finger to her soft lips (to which he was already becoming heavily addicted and it pleased him greatly) interrupting her gently, chuckling softly at her pouty look.

"Shayera, you have proven time and again that you belong to Earth and it is because of you that it is safe and secure." the hero stated with genuine sincerity in his voice. "Do you understand it?"

Shayera nodded slowly and the acrobat smiled as he removed his finger from his lips.

"I want you to stay on Earth." Dick took Shayera's hands and he squeezed them gently. "I want you to stay with me, Shayera.

"If there's one thing I've realized in this whole adventure, it's that I've fallen in love with you, Shayera. I have never felt so good, so happy as I have been with you with anyone else in my whole life."

Shayera had a big, bright smile on her lips: a smile that made Dick fall even more in love for her.

"I have realized something important too, and it is that... I love you, Dick. I love you much more than I could have ever imagined." Shayera confessed with a tender and loving smile wrapping her arms around his neck.

Her wings flapped gently between them confirming the joy and love she was feeling and Dick chuckled softly and then he kissed his fiancée one more time who happily returned the kiss.

"You are the only one who has seen good in me when no one else has. You are the only one who has seen good in me when i have not seen it either, and for that I will be forever grateful to you, Dick."


"They're cute, aren't they Batman?" asked Superman with a smile, giving Batman a gentle nudge who glowered at the Metropolis hero.

"How quickly children grow up." Green Lantern pretended to wipe away an imaginary tear.

"So give them a few years and you'll already be a grandfather." Wonder Woman smirked at the Dark Knight, and the Amazon laughed at her friend's deadly stare.

"Grandpa Bruce. Eh, that sounds good." the Flash lazily reflected aloud.

Batman let out a pained sigh.

I knew I shouldn't have joined the Justice League.