Gotham City
Gotham Mall; Food Court
7:30 P.M.
Rachel was sitting at a table across from Dick, she was eating sushi they had gotten from the Japanese place in the food court. She was watching all the people around them as she ate. Not watching for threats or anything just people watching. It was always strange to her the way some people acted. The way families would all spend time together as they walked through all the stores, the way couples would gush about each other as they walked holding hands. All the people she watched were having a normal life, she wasn't sure she knew what that was. Rachel looked around more; her mind began to wander reading the emotions of everyone around her, she saw a girl sitting on a bench softly crying; she had just been dumped by her boyfriend. A little boy screaming because he didn't get the toy he wanted, being dragged through the mall by his mom. A young couple walking hand in hand, the girl was almost skipping. Two girls sitting at a bench in the corner kissing. Rachel grabbed another piece of sushi with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth, Dick noticed her staring at all the people.
"Their emotions too much to handle Rae?"
Rachel came out of her trance.
"Hm."
Dick smirked.
"The emotions you sense from everyone around us. They too much to handle?"
"No. it's not that."
"Don't like the sushi?"
"No the sushi is great. Best I've had since Jump City."
"Yeah. That little Japanese place by the water had the best Sushi I've ever had. But this is a close second."
Rachel smiled a little. She had almost forgot about the place he was talking about, Rachel or Dick usually had to order for the rest of the team since they were the only ones that spoke Japanese. Beast Boy usually just ate tofu he had brought with him. Rachel looked around again, she saw a mom tying her daughter's shoes while the dad talked away on his cell phone.
"What's the matter Rae?"
Rachel ate another piece and looked up at Dick.
"Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if we were normal?"
"You mean if my parents were never killed and The Batman never adopted me? Or what your life would be like if your mom was alive and your father wasn't a demon lord?"
"Yeah."
"I used to. I used to imagine that I was part of 'The Amazing Flying Grayson's' again. I'd travel from city to city with my parents as the greatest acrobat family in the world. Then reality would hit me; usually in the form of Bruce lecturing me to pay attention."
"But not anymore? Don't you miss your parents?"
"Of course I do. I loved my parents, I still do. But there's nothing anyone can say or do to bring them back. I am who I am because of the past and so are you."
"But what if we WERE normal? What if we had families and-"
"I do have a family. I may have lost one, but because of the actions of one unselfish person, someone who saw more than a crying little boy. I have the Bat-Family, so do you."
"I've been in the family for three days. I hardly call that a 'real family'"
"Give it time. What about the Tit-"
Dick stopped his sentence. They weren't Teen Titans anymore, they didn't count. Not anymore anyway.
"Do me a favor, look around you."
"I already-"
Dick reached out and put his hand on top of Rachel's, she looked at him. His blue eyes staring back into hers, she felt her cheeks turn red.
"Trust me Rae."
Rachel looked around, as she did she heard Dick talking.
"Look at all the people surrounding us. The families, the couples, the newly married, the seniors. All of them look normal but they aren't. The family on the left-"
Rachel looked over at them; they were the ones she saw before, the dad on his phone while the mother tied their daughters' shoes. Dick continued.
"He's a member of the Falcone crime family, probably ordering a hit right now. The two girls on the bench in the corner?"
Rachel looked.
"Both go to Gotham Academy. One a straight A cheerleader with a conservative father who would disown her if he knew she was dating another girl, the other a goth with parents who couldn't care less if she was alive who contemplates suicide everyday but doesn't do it because of the cheerleader."
Dick pointed his head to his 11 o'clock.
"The mom dragging her screaming son through the mall? She would love nothing more than to buy her son that toy but can't due to financial reasons. She's a single mom, husband left her for another woman."
Rachel dropped her head.
"There is no such thing as normal, only illusions of normalcy."
Rachel looked back to Dick, she was impressed. The way he noticed everything going on around him without turning his head, the way he found people's darkest sides and life stories with just a few seconds of observation.
"How did you know all that just from a single glance?"
"Bruce's training, people build walls to hide who they really are. Look at the way they carry themselves. The guy from the Falcone crime family I recognized his face and slight limp. Batman shattered his tibia a while back. The two girls on the bench in the corner? Look at the way they carry themselves. The blonde cheerleader is confident; loving and accepting mother but conservative father. The Goth is depressed but at the moment as happy as she could be since she's in lo-"
He stopped before he said the word.
"Since she found the L word. The blonde keeps scanning the room, worried about their relationship being discovered by someone they know. As for the single mom…"
Rachel looked towards them.
"No wedding ring, bags under her eyes. Hasn't slept for days. Yet she is dressed up nice trying to look and feel confident."
Rachel knew what he meant and she understood it. Batman taught him well, he may be emotionally cold and distant at times, but he was wise from Alfred's lessons.
"I don't think we were ever meant to be normal Rae. Whatever or whoever there is out there that manipulated events and turned us into who we are, this is what we are. No sense in imagining what if?"
Rachel couldn't help but smirk.
"Whoever or whatever is out there? That almost sounded religious Richard Grayson."
Dick picked his head up.
"My mother was a gypsy who ran away to join the circus, so I guess she was kinda religious. My father never spoke of his so I don't know. Bruce is Atheist."
"So what do you believe?"
"Same as you. I don't know."
Dick stood up and grabbed the empty tray from the table.
"I don't know about you but all this soul searching is not really my thing. Let's get a move on shall we?"
Rachel snapped out of it and grabbed her bag she had brought with her from the back of her chair. She swung it over her shoulder and waited for Dick to come back to the table after putting the tray away. Dick walked back over to Rachel and they started back the way they had come. Dick was the first to talk as they started walking.
"Want anything while we're here? New clothes, shoes, accessories. That kind of thing."
"Uh maybe. The clothes you gave me aren't really my taste."
"Yeah I know. But they were all I had. Honestly I'm surprised you lasted this long."
"I haven't had time to go shopping. Or transportation. It's been a weird a month…"
"You can say that again. And anytime you want to use my bike the keys are yours."
Dick looked at his phone to check the time; 7:45.
"All right, we'll meet at the fountain at twenty one hundred hours."
Rachel got sarcastic this time.
"Not going to help me try on clothes?"
"No way. Last time I agreed to help a woman try on clothes I was in a mall for six hours."
"Where will you be?"
"Video game store, comic book place, tech store. The fun places."
Dick walked off with that usual smirk on his face, Rachel turned and walked the other way.
Gotham City
Gotham Mall; Outside Comic Book Store
8:53 P.M.
Rachel was walking towards the fountain when she felt Dick's presence close by. She looked around and saw him in the comic book store so she decided to go in and meet him. He felt her presence through the psy-link and nodded to her as she walked in.
"Hey Rae, find stuff that's your style?"
"Yeah."
Rachel looked around, she saw comics of heroes she was on a first name basis with. She whispered to Dick who was flipping through the pages of one.
"You dress up as a vigilante and fight crime and yet you're here looking at comic books. Don't you think that's a little cliché?"
Dick never answered just gave a quick laugh. Rachel noticed Dick was carrying two bags with him.
"What'd you buy?"
"New video game and some new Wayne Tech. I'm Bruce's adopted son so I get a discount."
Rachel looked around the store some more, on the shelf behind her she saw a comic titled "Team Titans" she picked it up and flipped through it. Rachel raised an eyebrow.
"You have GOT to be kidding!"
Dick looked over with a smirk.
"Yeah. They made a comic based off the old team. They actually used our likeness without our actual names."
Rachel flipped through the pages, a disgusted look appeared on her face.
"So they put the character they based you off of, in a relationship with the character Kori was based off of?"
"Yeah."
Rachel flipped the next page then tilted her head.
"You are aware there is a full on sex scene of basically you and Kori in this right?"
Dick turned his head to see what Rachel was looking at, he smirked wider.
"It's not me. Hair is wrong."
"Yeah, yours was spikier. This kid looked like he used only as half as much hair gel as you did."
"Ha. Ha. Ha."
Rachel kept looking through the comic, she started saying the names of the characters.
"Beast Kid? Android? CROW?!"
Dick laughed.
"How am I CROW!?"
"Put it down Rae."
Just as she was about to put it down an early twenty something overweight guy with asthma and glasses chimed in from behind her. His voice was nasally and his s's were slurred.
"Uh, excuse me ma'am is that issue number thirteen?"
Rachel turned around to talk to him.
"Yes are you missing this one?"
He couldn't muster any words except for two constants.
"Uh huh."
"It's all yours."
"Uh, thanks."
The guy turned and ran to his group of friends, she could see that they were whispering but couldn't hear them from the other side of the store. She listened in to hear what they were saying by reading their minds.
"DUDES SHE LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE THE CROW!"
Rachel muttered under her breath.
"I don't look exactly like her, my hair grew out…"
Rachel looked to Dick who was pretending not to notice, he was also trying very hard not to bust out laughing.
"Just buy your stupid comic so we can get out of here."
"Good idea. I don't want to be seen with the crow."
Rachel punched him as he walked to the counter. Dick paid for the comic and a Batman action figure then turned to walk out with Rachel. Rachel noticed the action figure and had to comment.
"A Batman doll? Batman trained and raised you and you get a Batman Doll?"
"It's an action figure not a doll. It's also not for me."
"Fanboy."
"Now let's go before those guys have an asthma attack because there's a hot girl in the comic book store who just happens to be the basis of a superhero."
As they were walking out the group of guys were huddled together looking at the comic book, Rachel heard them whispering.
"Oh man, Sunfire is sooooo hot."
Rachel looked over her shoulder as she passed to see them staring at the sex scene. She smirked then whispered to Dick on the way out.
"You're right. It's not you, your ass is better."
Rachel looked at Dick's backside as they walked.
"Much better."
"Did you just check me out?"
Rachel gave the same answer Dick gave her.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Dick just smiled as the two started walking down the long hallway to the exit. Rachel looked around again as they walked, she saw all the couples holding hands. For some reason she almost felt jealous of all the other girls, holding hands with their boyfriends. She could feel their emotions; most of them felt crush's, the others thought they felt the L word. Only one or two truly did feel the L word. As they were walking Rachel swung her hand back and hit Dick's she recoiled and took a step away afraid he would notice. Then as she kept walking her mind had an idea, an idea she hated but at the same time wanted. Rachel kept staring at Dick's left hand as they walked, Rachel forgot about the psy-link projecting her thoughts and feelings into Dick's head. Dick reached out and grabbed Rachel's hand and took it in his. Rachel stared at her hand in disbelief then looked at Dick who was staring straight ahead with a smirk on his face.
"You were thinking about it. Psy-link projected your thoughts and feelings."
He looked at her.
"Jealousy, really? I didn't think you were the jealous type."
His smirk went to a wide grin.
"Sorry, I wanted too but I didn't want you to be uncomfortable."
"If I knew it wouldn't have made you uncomfortable I would have done it earlier."
They walked together down the hall, hand in hand. Neither of them knew what it meant, but right now neither of them cared. They got back to the food court, halfway out of the mall when all the lights in the mall went out. For six seconds everyone was in complete and utter darkness. The emergency lights came on, a dim red glow filled the mall and all the stores. Instinct took over and Dick and Rachel got low and kneeled on the ground.
"Oh what now?!"
Dick was looking around him, trying to find the source of the power going out. They heard the P.A. chime on and a female voice came through, Dick thought he recognized the voice but he couldn't place it.
"Attention sweethearts, families, and shoppers. In a minute, this mall will be in lockdown, all exits will be sealed. I have a crew of handsome, yet hardened men with me who will not be afraid to kill you or your little children. So please cooperate with them and nobody will be hurt. Oh and I'm currently jamming all communications outside this mall, so don't even try."
When the P.A. went off everyone was screaming and running in a panic trying to get to an exit before lockdown, Dick and Rachel ran trying to get out just like everyone else. Some people who were close to an exit got out in time, everyone else was trapped. The P.A. came on again.
"So some people just escaped, they were the lucky ones. The rest of you, lay on the floor face down, and don't move. Cooperate and everyone will get out of here, don't and things get fun."
Dick and Rachel laid on their stomachs, Dick was still looking around trying to figure out his options. Six men walked into their part of the mall and watched everyone, made sure nobody was moving. Rachel used the psylink.
"Dick, inside my bag hidden zipper. Has your suit and mask."
"We need a distraction."
Two little kids a brother and sister approached a man with a gun and tugged on his leg, he turned moving his gaze from Dick and Rachel. Dick nodded as Rachel slid her bag to him, Dick grabbed the bag and made his way into one of the food court store fronts to change. The little kids looked at the hired thug.
"We lost our mommy."
"Beat it kids. Get down on the ground before I have a reason to shoot."
"Please you have to help us we can't-"
The man raised his assault rifle at one of the kids, Rachel saw him flex his finger, she cried out to him.
"Hey! Leave those kids alone, their only looking for their mom you fu-"
"How about I shoot you bitch?! Then the kids? Better idea, I shoot them so you watch, then I shoot you."
Rachel was about to blow her cover when Nightwing leapt from behind a store front to the man with the gun knocking him to the ground. Nightwing hit the ground with a roll then as the guy tried to stand, Nightwing charged him and planted a knee to his jaw knocking him cold. Nightwing kneeled down to the two children's height.
"See that girl over there? The one who distracted that guard? The one in a purple hoodie and black hair?"
The little boy looked to his sister then back to Nightwing.
"The pretty one with the tattoo of a birdy?"
Rachel saw that her hoodie wasn't covering her entire back, just most of it. A patch of skin was showing on her lower back above her jeans that revealed the tattoo. Rachel shyly lowered her hoodie so the tattoo was covered again and blushed; embarrassed that the kid saw it.
"Yes, the pretty one with the tattoo. Stay with her until its safe, then we'll find your mom."
The two siblings started walking towards Rachel as Nightwing went into a store front to find anything he could use to his advantage. He didn't have smoke pellets or wing dings or his escrima so anything he could use to his advantage would work. He found some rope he could use along with a bottle of mineral oil and duct tape. He walked out from the store and used the duct tape to tape the mouth of the guard along with his hands and feet. He then grabbed the assault rifle, he pulled the magazine, emptied the chamber and tossed the rounds into a trash can. He walked over to Rachel who was covering the two kids. Nightwing looked around at all the people laying on their stomachs and yelled out to all of them.
"All right everyone, you see this girl? She's in charge. Do what she says and she'll keep you all safe."
Nightwing turned and left to take down the next guy and make his way to the mall bank where everyone was probably trying to get the access codes to open the vault. That's when Rachel contacted him through the link.
"You need help? I have my suit too."
"No, stay put. Protect the kids, and don't break cover. I can handle this."
"Got it. Any idea who's behind this?"
"No, but that voice. The one that came on the loud speaker, I recognize the voice and the way she talks but I can't place it."
"Ivy? Harley? Catwoman?"
"No, definitely no, and absolutely no. That guard didn't have Ivy's pheromones, I would know if it was Harley, and this isn't Selina's style. She wouldn't kill kids or go after cash. She goes after things you fence. I'll let you know when I figure it out."
Nightwing moved through the mall in predator mode, taking down anyone that was a threat without making himself known. It only got easier as guards stopped reporting in, and the thugs started to spread out to find out why. Nightwing came around the corner and found a group of two guards in the middle of the hall with civilians scattered around them, he couldn't risk collateral damage so he set up a trap. He tied the rope around two food stands as a tripwire, then spilled the mineral oil on the ground. He walked out into the open and whistled loudly.
"Hey! You missed one!"
The two guards turned and saw him duck around the corner, they charged after him around the corner. As they turned, there feet caught on the rope and they both fell. Then as they hit the ground they slid ten feet due to the floor being slippery from Nightwing's trap. Nightwing walked out from a supply closet and knocked both guards cold with a kick. He taped them up and moved towards the bank. Nightwing took cover in a storefront as he scouted the bank; four armed men gathered in a group waiting for patrols to report in. He watched, trying to find the mastermind of the group. A black haired woman in a short green gi and thigh high boots came walking out from behind the group of men, Nightwing recognized her instantly. He used the psy-link.
"Rachel, its Cheshire."
"Jade?! I thought she disappeared."
"She must have come out of hiding. Why would Jade be robbing a bank? She's a mercenary."
"Maybe Deadshot put her out of business."
"Doubt it, Deadshot's tough Cheshire could take him."
"How's it look?"
"Four guards, one shotgun the rest are rifles. Cheshire seems to be on guard, she knows someone is taking out patrols."
"How many did you take out?"
"Enough to know you guys should be safe, you can start getting everyone off the ground and calmed down. Start looking for kids' mom."
"All right, how are you going to handle this?"
"Isolate the guards from Jade, move Cheshire away from the vault and engage her."
"Won't be easy, she's as good a fighter as you are."
"Yeah… Just as fast too. Take care of everyone on your end."
Nightwing jumped from the store front and into a ready stance.
"Hey Cheshire! I think I'm the one you're looking for."
Cheshire turned to see Nightwang standing in the open, she never knew Robin became Nightwing so she didn't know who he used to be. Cheshire ordered her men to attack.
"Don't just stand there and look pretty, kill him!"
The four men fired their weapons forgetting about the bullet proof glass in the room they were in. Their bullets never penetrated through. The four gunmen came out of the room they were in and sighted down their weapons at Nightwing. Rachel was doing crowd control at the other end of the mall; she was making sure all civilians were unhurt and looking for the mother of the children, the girl looked at Rachel.
"Can I hold your hand?"
Rachel was surprised, this was the first time the girl spoke.
"I would rather you not."
"Why not?"
"I don't like being touched or my personal space being invaded."
"But your boyfriend was holding your hand earlier."
"My boyfriend? What? What are you talking about?"
"Your boyfriend. I saw you two walking together before the lights went out."
"He's not my…"
Rachel heard a volley of gunfire in the distance, she knew it wasn't from around her; it sounded like more than one gun. Rachel used the link.
"I heard a volley of fire, you okay."
"Talk later."
Rachel kept walking with the kids.
"What does your mom like?"
The boy answered.
"She has blonde hair and brown eyes. Oh and she's wearing a black shirt and red skirt."
Rachel started scanning the room for someone who matched the description but didn't see anyone.
"Where did you lose her?"
"By the food carts. She told us to run when the lady came over the speakers."
"The food carts? Damn it… That's by the bank."
"That's where we saw her."
"All right, stay close and don't wander off."
Rachel started walking towards the food carts while keeping her guard up, she heard the sound of a shotgun as they got closer and knew they shot at Nightwing. Rachel used the link again.
"You don't have to answer this is just an update. Everyone is accounted for and uninjured, the two kids' mom is by the bank I'm on my way with them, and we'll keep our heads down."
Rachel peeked her head around the corner to see Nightwing engaged in a battle with Cheshire. She was holding her own and both were at a stalemate. Nightwing was fighting at a disadvantage; Jade had her steel claws and Nightwing was fighting with just his hands since he didn't have his escrima. Nightwing landed a flurry of strikes, Jade hit the ground and rolled then got into a low stance.
"You certainly are more than a pretty face I'll give you that. I've only seen that kind of speed from one other person."
Nightwing readied for another attack, he heard a woman from behind him.
"Tommy! Ashley!"
The two kids Rachel was escorting yelled in unison.
"Mommy!"
Nightwing looked left to see the kids start running to their mom, he cried out to Rachel.
"Keep them back!"
Rachel reached out and grabbed them by their shirts and pulled them back. Nightwing never took his eyes off Cheshire.
"Wait for my signal."
Cheshire charged at Nightwing and swiped with her claws, he flowed around them grabbing her shoulder and flipping her to the ground trapping her wrist while avoiding the claws.
"NOW! GO!"
Rachel grabbed the kids' hands and ran with them to their mom. They got low to the ground and Rachel turned to watch Nightwing and Cheshire. Cheshire threw her legs around Nightwing's neck and put him in a head scissor, Cheshire twisted and Nightwing was thrown to the ground releasing her wrist. Cheshire stood and stabbed at the ground, Nightwing rolled to avoid her claw and kicked her in the face at the same time knocking Cheshire's white mask off. He stood and got ready to rush her. Nightwing saw movement behind him; three of the guards from earlier had woken up and recovered their weapons. Jade laid flat on the ground, and yelled at the guards.
"Now!"
"NIGHTWING!"
Rachel stood up, grabbed her hood and pulled it over her head covering half her down to her nose. She encased her hands in magic and put a force field around Nightwing as he hit the ground. Raven then encased the guns in magic then shattered them and dropped the force field. Cheshire stood stunned. Nightwing crossed the room and knocked the guards out again in a matter of seconds then looked to Raven as he walked towards Cheshire.
"Nice save Raven, thanks."
Cheshire looked in a panic at the two of them.
"Wait a minute… Raven!? And your speed, the way you move. I knew I recognized it from somewhere. The little bird finally grew up. And to think, I called you cute."
"A lot's changed Jade. And by the way… It's Nightwing."
"So… You two finally started dating. A shame… I was going to ask your boyfriend here out after I subdued him."
Rachel heard the little girl next to her mom in a triumphant hushed yell.
"I knew it!"
Cheshire looked over to Raven who still had her hood up and hands encased in magic.
"I think I'm going to 'play with' your boyfriend a little more."
She winked when she said it, trying to get under Raven's skin."
Nightwing engaged Cheshire again.
"She's not my…"
Cheshire swiped with her claws again; Nightwing barely able to get out of the way. Her claws ripped the front of Nightwing's suit causing four scratch marks, but not scratching his skin. Raven called from behind Nightwing.
"Watch it! Her claws have lethal toxin on them, if you get scratched…"
"I know!"
Cheshire lunged at Nightwing again, the same move as last time. He saw an opening. He two quick kicks with his right leg then jumped a hundred and eighty degrees and landed another with his left. Jade stumbled back dazed, Nightwing jumped and twisted landing a kick with his right leg. The sole of his foot connected with the side of Cheshire's face as she crumbled to the ground, still conscious but barely.
Nightwing tied Jade to a support column and started to remove Jade's weapons. He pulled the claws off of her hands then moved to her waist, he started pulling the kunai off her belt. Jade looked almost entertained.
"Feel anything you like?"
Nightwing ignored her. He moved to the straps on her legs and pulled out the rest of the kunai. Cheshire still looked entertained.
"Hey Raven, I think your boyfriend is making a move."
Raven just rolled her eyes and moved to the main office of the mall to make an announcement that the threat had been eliminated.
"People of Gotham mall, Nightwing has subdued the threat and I am cancelling the security lockdown. You are all safe, repeat, you are all safe."
Raven started to walk back to Cheshire as she got close she heard the sound of flesh connecting with flesh. She saw Jade's lip bleeding and heard Nightwing.
"One more time Nguyen, where is the jamming sequencer?"
"You'll never find it dumb-ass."
Nightwing smirked.
"Really?"
He reached down the front of Jade's gi.
"Hey! Watch what you're grabbing!"
Nightwing pulled out a small electronic device from between Jade's breasts. He put it on the ground and stomped on it shattering it and unjamming all internal communications. Jade looked back over to Raven with a smile and a laugh.
"Hey Raven! I think you need to treat your boyfriend more, I don't think he's getting enough action. He couldn't reach down my shirt fast enough!"
Raven had enough of Cheshire's mouth.
"For the love of Azarath! Shut. The. Hell. UP!"
Raven walked over and delivered a knee to Jade's temple knocking her out. Nightwing looked over at her.
"Sorry Nightwing, but she was asking for it."
"Don't apologize. You beat me to it. I was going to so the same thing."
Rachel went to check on the mom and kids as Nightwing called GCPD to pick up Jade and the others. Rachel stood in front of the mom who stood up from hugging her kids.
"You three okay?"
"We are now. Thank God for you and Nightwing."
"I'd hold off on thanking God. He's not the one who saved you."
The little boy tugged on Raven's jeans, she looked down at him.
"You're boyfriend's a bad-ass!"
The mom slapped the boy on the back of the head.
"Tommy! Language!"
Raven looked at the boy, she was about to remind him that Nightwing wasn't her boyfriend but stopped herself.
"He's not my…"
Raven looked over to see Nightwing walking toward her twirling one of the kunai through his fingers. Rachel kept watching him as she answered the boy.
"Yeah… He is."
Nightwing approached all of them.
"GCPD will be here in ten minutes. Everyone okay here?"
The mom answered.
"Yeah. I was just thanking your friend for protecting my kids. And thank you for stopping that woman."
Nightwing smirked and looked at Raven then back at the mom.
"It's what we do."
Nightwing and Raven turned and walked away to meet GCPD when they arrived.
"Rae, take my shirt from your bag and change into it. We don't want people recognizing you after that display of magic. I'll meet you in the bathroom after I talk to the officer in charge so I can walk out in street clothes."
"You're going to meet me in the girl's bathroom?"
"Yeah. Give me ten minutes."
Rachel walked into the bathroom and did what Nightwing said; she changed out of her hoodie and began to change into his shirt when she heard Dick through the psy-link.
"All clear?"
"Yeah, you're good."
Nightwing walked in behind her.
"Now give me your hoodie, and stand guard."
Rachel tossed him her hoodie and watched as he pulled his mask off, she walked to the entrance and stood guard as he changed. He put everything back into Rachel's bag and walked out to meet her.
"How's the hoodie?"
"A little tight but it works. Also smells like you do. Now let's get out of here."
Dick and Rachel stopped to retrieve the bags they had bought and began to walk out of the mall without anyone suspecting who they were. On the way out Dick spotted the single mom and her son, he wasn't screaming anymore but he looked visibly upset. Rachel took Dick's hand as he walked towards them, Dick pulled the Batman action figure from his bag. He approached them, Rachel still holding his hand.
"Excuse me, Miss?"
She turned to face them.
"I saw your son looking at this in the store earlier and noticed you couldn't afford it so I figured I'd pick it up for him."
Dick kneeled down and gave the action figure to the kid.
"Here you go buddy."
"Wow! Cool! Thanks mister! Hey, did you know Batman trained that Nightwing guy who saved us? He was the first Robin."
"Yeah kid, I know."
He stood back up.
"I wish I could have seen him… I hear he's faster than Batman."
Rachel kneeled down this time.
"Oh believe me, he is."
"I also heard, he was with his girlfriend. Apparently she was part of the Teen Titans with him when he was Robin."
Rachel looked up to Dick, he was pretending to not be paying attention; he was.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Hey! Do you think the Teen Titans will ever get back together? I'd love to see that"
"I don't think so. That part of their life is over, they've all gone their own way."
"Oh…"
"Well, we've gotta go kid."
Rachel stood up and the two started walking towards the bike. Dick knew what she was thinking.
"Not a word Rae, Not. A. Word."
"Only if I get to drive home."
"Again?"
"Want me to mention the toy?"
Dick dug in his pocket and passed the keys to her.