Raven screamed with pain as Dick reset her ankle. The lights in the room flickered and the cabinet doors in the kitchen swung open from her outburst and glasses shattered on the counter. Dick looked almost squeamish as he felt the ankle snap back into place even though he had reset bones all the time on himself. In truth, he regretted that Rachel was the one who was hurt. Rachel took a deep sigh and opened her eyes to see that Dick was no longer kneeling in front of her. Rachel pulled the gauntlet out of her mouth and looked it over. It was strange, in all the years she had known him not once had he given a piece of his gear to anyone, not once. He guarded his gear like they were weapons of mass destruction. Raven once touched his mask as he was Robin and Dick didn't talk to her for a week because of it. Of course that was before he told her his name.

Dick was standing getting an ice pack for Rachel's ankle so it wouldn't swell. Raven was still looking over the gauntlet like she had never seen it before.

"Did you know that I have never actually held any of your gear before? Even when you were Robin, you never let anyone touch it."

"That's because for a long time I didn't know who I was. Robin was the only identity I had."

Rachel sat the gauntlet down next to her as a huge grin crept across her face.

"Well, Robin and that trademark spiked hair you used to have that all those girls in Jump City High would fantasize over. The Boy Wonder. Girls would dream about you."

Dick rolled his eyes under his mask, Rachel couldn't see it but she knew. He walked over and put the ice on her ankle.

"Dick I'm fine."

"I know. You're tough. Always were. It's more for the swelling though, and the fact that it is going to be sore for a few days."

Dick sat next to her on the couch still in full gear. The city was quiet now that there was a huge bust on the streets, everyone was lying low. There were still sirens off in the distance, the cleanup crew had just finished and were leaving the scene. They could see the lights from the cruisers dying out as officers got off duty. Neither of them said a word, they didn't need too. Dick looked at the time; 2:27.

"Well, I have to be at the station in four hours so I'm going to turn in."

"Yeah I should probably go to bed too."

Rachel stood up and put pressure on her ankle and winced with pain, she quickly sat down again.

"Don't worry Rae, I got it."

Before she knew what was happening Dick had picked her up and was carrying her down the hallway to her room. She could have just levitated and wondered if Dick had forgotten.

"Uh Dick, I can levitate."

Richard just smirked

"You want me to put you down?"

Rachel didn't answer. She didn't want to admit she liked being this close to him. Something about his touch that made her feel comfortable. She blushed and smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Richard had his answer.

"Didn't think so."

He carried her to the room and placed her on the bed. As she was being lowered, she reached up and placed a hand on his mask. He put his hand over hers but then pulled it away. Rachel slowly put her nails under the edge and popped it off. When he didn't resist she knew it was okay and pulled the mask completely off. Rachel smiled.

"I've always wanted to do that."

Rachel was a little stunned to see that his eyes were closed. He opened them and stared at her, his blue eyes lit up the room. For the first time since she reunited with him she finally got to see him stare at her with a longing. His look quickly faded.

"Get some sleep Rae, I need to get the suit off and get some sleep before my shift starts."

Dick walked out of the room and turned the light off. Rachel heard the door to the armory slide open before she fell asleep.

9:13 A.M.

When Rachel woke the sun was shining brightly through her window. For some reason she had slept later than she was used too. Rachel was always the second Titan to wake, Cyborg was on a set amount of sleep, Koriand'r woke when she heard the other Titans and Beast Boy was a late sleeper while Dick hardly ever slept, he would spend hours poring over cases in the middle of the night or train into the early hours of the morning. Rachel walked down the hall to the kitchen to see if Dick had left a note. She didn't see anything but noticed that there was still some of his breakfast on the table that he had left for her, along with cold coffee. Rachel warmed up breakfast and made herbal tea instead of drinking the coffee. While Rachel ate at the table she turned on the news channel; the report was about how Bludhaven Police intercepted Black Mask's gang and confiscated all samples of the drug he was selling. Everyone still under its effects should go to the station for the antidote. By the time Rachel got done eating it was almost ten.

Rachel washed her dishes and put them away. Her ankle was still sore and it hurt when she put pressure on it but like Richard said, she was tough. Always was. Rachel cleaned up the glass that shattered when she screamed in pain. Raven levitated over to in front of the window to meditate, she could feel the warmth of the sun on her skin.

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos"

Rachel began to meditate but her thoughts were distracted, at first she was tranquil and centered but her thoughts began to wander. She saw her home; Azarath and her mother's face. Then she saw it burnt to the ground by her father Trigon. Rachel saw the Titans, she had formed the team to help her stop Trigon from invading Jump City. She saw the leadership of Robin, how he took charge of the group who had just met and for some reason they all followed him without question. The death of Donna at Deathstroke's hand and Terra's betrayal. Then her abduction by Slade and then she saw Richard Grayson as Robin come for her. He had been through hell trying to find her and when he did he fought through Slade's robots. He charged through the street and defeated Slade, the ruins collapsed and they thought Slade dead. That night was the end of the Titan's usefulness; nobody dared mess with them or Jump City. The last image Rachel saw were the Titans going their separate ways, ending with Robin turning his back and leaving without a word.

The phone rang and Rachel snapped out of her meditation to answer it; she picked up the phone on the table in front of the couch.

"Hello"

There was no answer. All Rachel heard was the dial tone; it wasn't the apartment's landline. She remembered the phone Dick gave to her the first morning she stayed over and ran to answer it. The phone was still in the book bag that was still lying behind the couch where she had left it. Rachel pulled the phone out from the side pocket and looked at the screen; the caller ID showed that it was Richard.

"Hey Dick, what's up?"

When Dick answered he sounded a little distracted.

"Staring at reports, you called?"

Rachel was startled, she never called.

"What do you mean? I never called you."

"I felt your presence inside my head through the psylink. I tried to answer but there was nothing so I figured I'd call."

She was thinking about him and it must have travelled through the psylink. Rachel was embarrassed when she answered.

"Oh I was just meditating; I must have unconsciously projected my thoughts through the bond."

Rachel could almost hear the smirk that was on Richard's face. She knew that he knew the truth of what Rachel was thinking about him but he never said anything.

"All right. How's the ankle?"

"It's still sore. It hurts when I put pressure on it but not quite as bad as when we got home."

"That's good. I think there is still an ice pack in the freezer if you need it, may keep the swelling down."

"I'll do that Dick. What time are you going to be home?"

There was a hesitation on the other end of the line, like he was distracted.

"I have no idea Rae, I was hoping to sneak out of here and go to Ibano's and get a Cuban sandwich for lunch but with this paper work there's no way that's gonna happen. I'll see you later Rachel."

The line went dead and Rachel suddenly got a wonderful and devious idea. Rachel logged into Richard's computer and pulled up a map of the city and found Ibano's and plotted the course. Rachel then changed into street clothes grabbed the book bag and was about to leave the apartment when she remembered she couldn't just fly around the city; and her ankle was still too sore for the long walk to Ibano's then to the department. Rachel decided there was no other way and grabbed the keys to the bike Richard took from Wayne Manor and headed out of the apartment.

Bludhaven Police Department

11:53

Dick was sitting in his office reading police files when the phone in his office rang. It was Tanna the department secretary that managed the phone lines.

"This is Grayson."

"Sorry to bother you Mr. Grayson but there's a woman here asking to see you. Shall I send her up?"

"Yeah tell her to come on up. Thanks Tanna."

"Detective Grayson said you can head on up. Just put on this visitor pass and head up to the third floor. His office is against the far wall on the left hand side."

"Thanks Tanna."

Raven got in the elevator and took it up to the third floor. The door opened and everything looked familiar. She had seen this floor when Firefly attacked. There were still char marks and burnt tile remaining from the attack. Some of the officers were using makeshift desks since most of them had burned in the fire. Phones were ringing left and right, computer keys were clicking nonstop and officers were glued to the screens. Rachel walked across the room and saw a door marked with "Detective Richard Grayson", she knocked and heard a voice from within.

"It's open."

Rachel opened the door and walked in; Dick was staring at a report on the computer and never made eye contact when she entered the room.

"Let me finish this report and I'll be right with you. Have a seat."

Rachel waited a few seconds for Dick to say something but he just stared at the computer. Finally she broke the silence.

"Uh, Dick it's me."

Dick looked away from the computer and saw Rachel sitting in the chair.

"Rachel what are you doing here?"

"I got bored sitting around so I figured I'd stop by. Oh and I come bearing gifts!"

Rachel reached into the bag and pulled out a sandwich rolled up in foil and handed it to Richard. Richard took it and opened it up as a huge grin crept onto his face.

"You stopped at Ibano's and got lunch. You didn't have to do that."

Rachel shrugged her shoulders.

"You took care of my ankle last night; consider this my way of saying thanks."

"You don't have to say thanks; you took charge when I got hurt."

Rachel and Dick sat in the office eating lunch in silence. Rachel was just happy to be there with him, hell they both were but neither of them would admit it. Dick broke the silence.

"How did you get here? I know you're tough but if you tell me you walked here on that ankle I'm going to be disappointed."

Rachel smiled.

"Relax Grayson, I didn't walk."

Dick got a concerned look on his face.

"Did you fly here? Please tell me you didn't. If anyone saw you…"

"No Dick, I'm not going to risk your identity. Or mine while I'm staying here. Here, look familiar?"

Rachel reached into her pocket and pulled out the keys to the bike and placed them on the table. Dick's eyes got wide and he started laughing.

"You took my bike. You sneaky little demon."

Rachel glared at him with little fires burning in her eyes. She hated when somebody called her a demon, in theory she was one but to her she was human like everyone else. Richard understood and stopped laughing.

"Easy Rae, just a joke. I know you don't like being called that."

"I saw the bust on the news, there was no mention of Nightwing or…"

Dick stood up and crossed the room and closed the door faster than Rachel could finish her question.

"Quiet Rae! The door was open."

Richard walked back to his desk and sat down. He closed his computer and pushed it aside. Grayson looked back at Rachel ready to explain.

"Nightwing is a sensitive topic around here. Most here think he has proved himself and would like to cooperate openly with him, but the ones who are corrupt and profit from drug dealers or prostitution rings aren't getting their usual cut because of him and would like nothing more than to be the officer that brings him in or takes him down."

Rachel could feel his thoughts, they were not only distracted but he was hiding something from her. He was reciting his taskmaster code over and over again using different words each time like back when they were Titans and he was hiding his many secrets from them.

"Dick you're hiding your thoughts again, what's wrong?"

Richard exhaled loudly. Rachel knew he hated it when she read his thoughts, he felt that it was a serious invasion of privacy but he also knew she couldn't just stop doing it.

"You're reciting your damn taskmaster code using different words each time, it's blocking me from finding out what's really bothering you."

Dick looked up at her gave her the truth; she would have pried it from him anyway so he might as well get it over with.

"Yeah, I was hoping you wouldn't figure that out. I guess I taught you too well. Bruce is having a funeral for Damian. All friends and family are expected to be there including me, I really don't think we should have one, just a private showing but it's not my call."

"When is the funeral?"

"A few days from now, I was planning on leaving for Gotham tonight and stay at the Manor until the funeral. Then afterwards depending on how Bruce is holding up either head back to Bludhaven or stay in Gotham a few more days."

Dick was packing up his equipment and putting them in the bag he brought with him. Then he shuffled the reports he was looking at and put them in a file for the archives. Rachel broke the silence using the same words Dick used when she was about to leave the Titans because of a mistake she made on a botched mission against the .E.

"Were you just going to leave without saying goodbye?"

Rachel was glaring at him; she was upset that he was just going to leave without a word to her, again. She was hurt that he was just going to leave without her. Dick closed the file and passed it to the corner of the desk and looked back at her glaring eyes that were still burning.

"Actually Rae, I was hoping you would come with me, I'd appreciate the company. You don't have to go, you are more than welcome to stay at the apartment or head in your own direction if you want but I'd prefer you come with me."

Raven thought of a sarcastic response and couldn't keep it to herself.

"Are you asking me out Grayson? To a funeral? It's a wonder that your track record with women is so good if that's how you come on to them."

Dick gave her his famous smirk.

"Yeah Rae, I guess I am."

That answer shocked her. She wasn't expecting that kind of answer; Rachel was expecting a shrug or a "whatever" not actually admitting to asking her out.

"I'd be more than happy to go with you Dick."

Dick stood up and slung the bag over his shoulder and grabbed the file.

"Great, I'll drop this off at the archives and we'll head back to the apartment so I can grab a few things and we'll head into Gotham."

Dick and Rachel walked to the elevator and headed to the archives before heading out. Dick dropped off the file and on their way out they ran into Officer Malloy.

"Grayson, it's been awhile. Hope all that deskwork isn't making your uniform tight."

Dick and Malloy shook hands and talked in the hallway while Rachel stuck close to Grayson. She knew if Malloy got a good look at her he would recognize her as Nightwing's partner the night before.

"Oh I think I manage to keep in shape."

"I'm sure you do Richard. Who's your friend?"

Malloy looked at Rachel, he was a cop so he was analyzing her and putting the clues together. Malloy was one of the few good uncorrupted cops in Bludhaven, he wanted to make things better for everyone. Rachel didn't say anything; she followed Dick's lead, he was always good at situations like this.

"This is Rachel, she's my…"

Rachel sensed his thoughts and still couldn't believe the words that were going to come out of his mouth.

"She's my girlfriend. She brought me a Cuban sandwich from Ibano's. Now we're on our way back to the apartment then heading over to Gotham."

"Damn Grayson, I need to hang out with you sometime. Where do you meet all these pretty girls?"

"That Malloy is for me to know and no one to ever find out."

"Well Grayson I won't keep you two any longer, I'll see ya round Dick. Nice to meet you Rachel"

Dick and Raven walked to the elevator when Dick heard Rachel's voice in his head to prevent wandering ears from hearing their conversation.

"Girlfriend huh?"

"Figured you might like that. But don't get any ideas, it was a bluff and he bought it nothing more."

The two of them walked outside to where the bike that Rachel drove was parked in front of the department. Rachel dug into Dick's back pocket and grabbed the keys to the bike laughing the whole time.

"Hey! What are you…?!"

Rachel grabbed the keys and ran to the bike then climbed on and started the engine.

"I'm driving."

Dick couldn't help but smirk as he climbed on the back of the bike and wrapped his arms around Rachel's abdomen. Rachel had a massive grin on her face as she spun the tires and took off towards the apartment.