Gotham City
Wayne Manor (Guest Room)
8:57 A.M.
Raven awoke in her bed. She rolled over and saw Dick lying next to her. She smiled, then realized what had happened.
"Hey, you."
He opened his eyes.
"Good morning."
She laid on her back and looked at the ceiling.
"So… Did we…?"
Dick smirked.
"Yeah."
Rachel's heart rate increased.
"And we both wanted-?"
"Yeah."
She felt embarrassed. Not about what had happened, but about giving in to her emotions. About losing her self-control. She knew she should have been stronger than that.
"Shit… That complicates things…"
Dick smiled.
"Just a bit."
He began to stand up. Rachel called from behind him.
"So about us...?"
Dick fully stood and rolled his shoulders.
"What about us?"
Rachel sat up. The blankets falling from her body.
"Well… Are we…?"
Dick smiled and looked back at her.
"That depends. What do you want?"
Rachel began to stand. She began to fix her hair.
"Why does it matter what I want?"
He looked at her.
"Shouldn't it matter what YOU want?"
She stood up.
"I don't…"
She didn't know how to answer his question. She tried anyway.
"Look… All I know is how I feel when I look at you. I know I want to feel your touch, I feel happy when you're close…"
Then her tone changed.
"And I know I will destroy anyone who tries to take you from me…"
Dick smiled.
"It sounds to me like you know what you want."
Rachel dropped her head. She still had doubts that the two of them could work.
"Love is ultimately selfish. It demands that one be devoted to a single person, who may fully occupy one's mind and heart, to the exclusion of all else."
Dick turned and stared at her.
"Do you really believe that? Or are you just making excuses?"
She stared back at him.
"Both, I guess… What about you? What do YOU want?"
He smiled.
"I don't want to influence you. Only you can answer that question."
Rachel stared at the floor.
"If we do this… What guarantee is there that I won't ruin what we have? I mean, how many relationships built upon in a hail of gunfire actually work out?"
Dick turned around and put his back to her.
"There are no guarantees Rae. No guarantees that one of us won't ruin this. No guarantees that one of us won't put on the mask, only to catch a bullet and not come home."
Rachel looked up at him, she watched as he turned and faced her again.
"For so long, I have kept feelings inside, and I was happy not knowing what it was like to let them out. I built my walls, and they were unbreakable. I watched as everyone around me got cheated and deceived like Garfield and Terra. I decided that I wasn't going to bother with love. It's been like that all my life and that was fine, it's what I wanted. But then you came back into my life that night in Bludhaven, and at first, I refused to give in. You forced it out of me, forced me to love you. And I don't think I can bury it anymore…"
Dick smirked.
"Then don't bury it."
Rachel stood and walked towards him.
"I guess it's official then… Together."
She put her forehead against his and closed her eyes.
"My life, for yours."
Dick looked confused.
"You said that earlier…"
Rachel looked embarrassed.
"Oh right… You don't know. You're not Azarathian."
Rachel stared at the floor, still embarrassed.
"In Azarath, there is no marriage… Not like here anyway… Azarathians bond for life. They're called bond mates, or life mates if you prefer. When they are bonded there's a ceremony where they sit in meditation for a week. The priests sit around them in a deep meditative state, when they awake, they are deemed bond mates and they are… connected to one another."
Rachel took another step back.
"Azarathian bond mates don't say "I love you". Here, on Earth, every language uses this phrase to express affection to not only their significant others but to friends, family, food, even music. I mean, you use the same phrase to voice affection for a significant other, that you use to voice your fondness for music or food! It's confusing!"
She smiled and looked into Dick's blue eyes.
"Azarathians say "My life, for yours" to their bond mates. It's more than a literal translation…"
Her cheeks got hot again; she was embarrassed to explain it. She never thought she would say that phrase to someone herself.
"When I say "My life, for yours" I'm telling you that you are my life. When you fall, my life is over. And if I can give my life to save yours… I will. Without hesitation. It's a statement of total devotion, to a single person."
She smiled. Dick looked unsettled.
"That's concerning… I've never asked for your devotion Rachel…"
"No. You haven't… Which is why you deserve it even more. You've never asked me for anything other than to be myself."
She stopped herself. The emotion was streaming off her. Dick could feel it through the psy-link. Rachel took his hands and stared into his blue eyes for the second time.
"I will follow you Richard Grayson, forever. From the land of the Duat, to Valhalla…"
"I can't ask that from you Rachel…"
She smiled and stared back with her violet eyes. Emotion still streaming off her.
"You think I follow you because you ask me to? You think the Titans followed you because you asked us to? I follow you because I love you. The Titans followed you because they saw what I saw, you are a born leader. Intelligent beyond measure, charismatic, and selfless. I have chosen you Richard Grayson. And I will follow you to the end… My life, for yours…"
Dick put a hand on her cheek.
"I love you."
Rachel pressed her cheek farther into his hand and closed her eyes. She felt his touch, the psy-link that bonded the two of them allowed them to feel each other's thoughts and emotions. Dick pulled his hand away and did one of his famous smirks. He was changing the mood.
"You uh… You aren't going to propose marriage, now are you?"
Rachel grinned.
"No. I don't think either of us are the marriage type…"
Dick moved his hand and took a step back. He rolled his neck and Rachel could hear it cracking with each roll.
"I'm going to go hit the shower. Then head to the kitchen. I haven't eaten since lunch yesterday."
Rachel agreed.
"Good idea. I could use a refuel after using so much magic…"
She looked to Dick.
"And a shower does sound good…"
Dick nodded.
"We'll meet later then."
Gotham City
Wayne Manor (Kitchen)
9:30 A.M.
Rachel walked into the kitchen. Her hair was still wet, and she was running her fingers through it. She saw Dick standing at the counter in front of the blender. She approached him as he poured a thick green liquid into a clear glass and set it on the counter next to him. He heard her approach and turned his head in her direction.
"Feel better?"
She nodded.
"Mhm. It's amazing what hot water can do to relax the body."
"Or cold water…"
Rachel smirked.
"Cold water? After all these years you still take cold showers?"
"Of course. They help you recover faster."
"I know, but cold water? Seriously?!"
Dick smiled.
"Maybe one of these days I'll prove it to you."
Raven walked to beside Dick and folded her arms. She turned around and put her butt against the counter and leaned back, she looked to him.
"Oh, is that right? If we're ever in the shower together and the water temperature is the first thing on our minds, both of us are doing something wrong."
Dick smirked.
"Whoa, down girl…"
She smiled.
"You're no fun…"
Rachel stood and turned around. She started rummaging through the cupboard and pulled out a mug. Rachel began making some of her herbal tea when she heard Dick running the blender. She looked over her shoulder and saw more thick green liquid inside being swirled around. Rachel finished making her tea and looked over to see Dick pouring another glass of the green liquid. Dick looked over to her and handed her a glass.
"Here, before your tea is finished."
Rachel set her mug down and took the glass. She looked at the thick green liquid, then looked back to Dick.
"What is it?"
"One of Alfred's green shakes. He makes them for Bruce every morning. And for me when I was a teenager still living here. They help you recover faster and heal quicker."
Rachel put the glass to her lips and took a sip. She watched as Dick did the same. Except instead of taking a sip, he downed it in one gulp. Dick shook his head after finishing the glass and forcefully put the glass back on the counter. Rachel swallowed the liquid and then quickly pulled the glass away from her lips. She gagged. Her face curled into a disgusted grimace. She snapped her eyes shut.
"Ohhhh that is VILE!"
Dick laughed at her reaction.
"Sorry. I should have warned you. It's better to down it in one than drink it slowly…"
She glared.
"You could have led with that."
Rachel took the glass and put it to her lips again. She downed the liquid quickly and set the glass back on the counter. She shook her head and exhaled deeply.
"That was almost worse the second time. Knowing how bad it tasted."
Dick smiled.
"I've become accustomed to the taste over the years."
Rachel turned and saw that her tea was ready. She poured a glass of it then sat down at the table to drink it. She watched as Dick washed the blender out and put it in the sink. He spun on heels and walked towards the fridge. He stuck his head inside and began scanning it.
"You hungry? I can make something."
"Definitely. I feel like I'm running on fumes after last night."
"Give me a few minutes then."
Rachel watched as Dick began pulling ingredients from the fridge. Rachel stood up and walked to the coffee maker. She looked over her shoulder and saw Dick turn on the stove.
"You want coffee."
"Yeah, sounds good."
"You still take it the same way?"
"Yeah."
She nodded. She started looking for the things to make it.
"Now where does Alfred keep the…?"
She was thinking to herself. Before she could finish the thought, Dick answered her question out loud.
"Third drawer on the right."
She found the drawer.
"Got it!"
She began to make coffee for Dick when she heard the T.V. on the far wall turn on. She spun around startled and saw Dick with the remote in his hand. He had turned to GCN, he turned up the volume. Rachel could hear the report. Once again it was Vicky Vale reporting on the previous night's events.
"-there are still many questions left unanswered after last night's incident at Arkham Island. The unconfirmed reports that Batman had been killed can officially be denied. According to Commissioner Gordon, Batman, with the help of Nightwing was able to restore order to Gotham. All so called 'super-criminals' are accounted for. Even Joker is confirmed to be once again housed within the walls of Arkham. The attempted island takeover happened after Batman was attempting to return Joker to the Island. Joker made his return to Gotham after a little over a year- ".
Rachel finished making coffee and poured it into a mug. She set it on the table behind Dick so he could grab it. She sat back down and started watching the news report again.
"Once again the Warden of Arkham Asylum; Quincy Sharp is being investigated for corruption. Apparently, he was the one behind the transfer of Blackgate inmates to Arkham Asylum and subjected them to inhumane treatments to cure their 'psychopathic and violent tendencies' even if they themselves did not suffer from any sort of disorder. Sharp claimed he has not done anything Batman has not done and believed himself to be the 'true savior' of Gotham. How this will affect his mayoral campaign is still unknown…"
Rachel heard Dick swear under his breath.
"Damn pompous supercilious egotist. He thinks he's the savior of Gotham. He's not even worthy of cleaning the muck from Batman's suit…"
She smiled as she imagined seeing Sharp trying to clean off the Bat-suit. Dick turned around and took a sip of the coffee Rachel had made for him. He sat the mug back down and moved to the other side of the kitchen. Again, Rachel smiled.
"I forgot how well you know your way around a kitchen."
He shrugged.
"Alfred insisted that I train in things other than punching bad guys. Alfred taught me most of the skills he learned during his career as a spy. Acting, espionage, counterintelligence, even cooking. Not the most exciting lesson."
"Hey, at least you don't cook as bad as Kori. Whenever it was her turn to cook, we all went for takeout!"
He smirked and moved back in front of the stove. Rachel turned back to the news report.
"The official casualty reports thirty-seven fatalities during the night's events. This brings Joker's total death count to over eight hundred- "
Rachel put her mug down in shock.
"Joker's killed over eight hundred people?!"
Dick turned his head.
"My last count was eight hundred and eleven that he has personally killed. Total fatalities that he is responsible for is closer to two thousand."
"That's…"
Dick turned around and changed the channel.
"I think that's enough about Arkham…"
The two of them heard a door open and then a familiar voice. It was Bruce.
"When did our shareholders become so concerned with immediate turn around that they can't see the long-term plan- "
Bruce and Alfred walked into the kitchen. Alfred greeted the two of them.
"Ah good morning Master Dick. And Miss Roth."
Rachel smiled to Alfred.
"Morning Alfred."
Dick just nodded in their direction. Bruce greeted them as he walked to the table.
"Morning Rachel. Morning Dick."
She smiled to Bruce.
"Hey Bruce."
Alfred looked to Dick.
"Master Dick? Cooking breakfast? I must be getting old…"
Dick smiled.
"I can take care of myself Alfred. You and Bruce made sure of that."
Alfred smiled.
"Good to see some of my lessons paid off."
Bruce pulled out a chair and sat at the end of the table. Alfred sat on the opposite side of Bruce. Rachel stood up and looked to Bruce.
"Coffee?"
He nodded.
"Sure, I'll take some."
Rachel stood and walked over and began making coffee for Bruce. She turned around and leaned against the counter while she waited for the coffee.
"So, where have you two been?"
Bruce spoke up.
"Alfred drove me to the shareholders meeting this morning. For all the good it did…"
Rachel frowned.
"That bad?"
"Not bad… Just, pointless. Like trying to push a brick wall."
Dick's voice rang across the room.
"I've been telling you that for years Bruce. That's why I never go to them. Every shareholder or board member is either to political, or to concerned with the bottom line."
"I know Dick. But what can I do?"
Rachel turned around and got Bruce's coffee. She walked over and sat it in front of him.
"You're the owner and President, don't you have the final say?"
Bruce took a sip of his coffee and shook his head.
"It's not that easy Rachel. They can overrule me."
"Why? What's the point of being chairman then?'
Bruce took another sip of his coffee.
"That's how it works Rachel. Like it or not, if the majority vote…"
Dick turned his head.
"Let me guess… This is about the apartment complex in West Village?"
"Yeah. The board shut the idea down almost instantly. And no amount of prodding or convincing could make them change their minds."
Rachel was confused.
"Wait, what apartment complex?"
Bruce took another sip and looked up at her.
"Oh, right. You don't know. You were brought in after I informed Dick of my plans."
He took another sip of coffee.
"Basically, I had this idea to cut down on the homeless population. Wayne Enterprises would fund construction on an apartment complex for the homeless population. They could move in and live there rent free. Groceries, utilities, clothing, and other essentials would be provided for them free of charge. Along with education and helping them find jobs. All they would have to do is volunteer a few hours a week to help clean up the trash and litter around the city."
"Seriously? That sounds too good to be true…"
Bruce looked up at her.
"It's doable. The Martha Wayne Foundation could fund everything and still have enough left over to carry into the next year. But the shareholders are too concerned about putting more money into the Foundation fearing a hit to the bottom line."
Dick turned around and slid a plate across the table to Rachel. There was a breakfast burrito on it. She nodded to him.
"Thanks Dick."
"Sure."
He looked around the room.
"Anyone else? I'm up."
Alfred smiled.
"Sure. It's so rare to have someone else cook for me."
"Sure thing. How about you Bruce?"
"Since your offering, sure."
Dick nodded and turned back around. Rachel took a sip of her tea and looked back to Bruce.
"How much would something like that cost? It can't all be covered by the foundation."
"Actually, it can. The Martha Wayne Foundation is a charity that is backed by all the subsidiaries of Wayne Enterprises. Every division is required to pay into it every year."
"Put like that it does sound doable."
Dick turned and slid another plate across the table to Bruce. Bruce nodded.
"Thanks Dick."
Rachel took another sip of tea then looked to Bruce.
"So, how much would it cost Wayne Enterprises?"
Bruce took a bite of food then answered.
"In the long run? Nothing. Sales and contracts from all subsidiaries would only impact the bottom line by three percent. Five if we encounter problems during construction. But shareholders and board members aside from Lucius, myself and a few others were outvoted by the majority."
Dick turned and passed a plate to Alfred. He looked at what was on the plate and smiled, then quipped.
"My dear Dick, points for presentation."
Alfred took a bite.
"And taste."
Dick rolled his eyes.
"It's food Alfred. You eat it. Not judge it by the aesthetics."
"Well, I see you have no future in the culinary arts with that attitude."
Dick smiled.
"Somehow I think I'll manage."
Raven turned back to Bruce.
"Can't you change their minds? Convince them somehow?"
"Only way I see that happening is if we report a higher income for the year."
Dick chimed in again.
"You could always take money out of my budget Bruce. I don't need all of it."
"Not going to happen Dick. The project you're working on is far too important. I And I've already took funding away once, you need what's left."
Rachel looked to Dick.
"Wait, what project?"
Bruce started explaining.
"I asked Dick and his R&D division to develop an Augmented Reality training program for the Bat-Family. If it's successful we can shift the focus towards law enforcement and military."
"Training for what?"
Dick turned around and put his plate at the table and sat down.
"For new equipment, keeping skills sharp. That kind of thing. Think about it, Batman goes out one night and for some reason feels he needs practice. So he loads an AR training program into the cowl, and through the cowl's optics there is a gliding course he can follow. Or throw batarangs at an AR target that will score his points."
Bruce came back into the conversation.
"Or use it to test or stealth skills by clearing a building of holographic targets and programming it to record when you are spotted."
Rachel was impressed.
"That sounds great, but what do you two need practice for? Bruce is always on the top of his game, and Dick trains every chance he gets."
"There is always room for improvement Rachel. Always."
Dick started to tear into his food. Alfred looked over at him.
"Master Dick, I do remember teaching you manners."
Dick just shrugged.
"What can I say? I'm hungry."
Bruce finished his coffee and set the cup down.
"Enough about business."
He looked to Rachel.
"How are you feeling after last night? Any lingering effects after being shot? Numbness? Signs of tissue or muscle damage? Shortness of breath?"
"No, nothing. You don't need to fuss over me Bruce. There isn't even a scar."
Dick glanced to Bruce and smirked.
"And believe me Bruce, I checked. Thoroughly."
Rachel subtly kicked him from under the table and glared. Dick smiled. Bruce looked back to Rachel.
"You're one of us Rachel. I can't stop worrying about you. But since you assure me, you're fine, I'll drop it."
He looked to Dick who was still eating.
"How about you Dick? Any injuries from last night?"
Dick looked to Bruce.
"Took a few hits. Nothing to be concerned about."
"And the exposure to Scarecrow's gas? Barbara said you took in a major amount."
"Aside from all the hallucinations and lungs that felt like they were on fire no. I'm pretty sure I got it out of my system."
Bruce looked back to Dick.
"This new strain of Fear Gas… What can you tell me about it?"
"Even a small amount is more potent than a single dose of his old strain. In large doses the lungs burn, makes it harder to breathe. Which only makes the hallucinations more intense. That's the other thing, the hallucinations are strong. Very strong. Brought up things I buried years ago."
"Hmmm, I should add this to my report… Figures Scarecrow would test his new Fear Toxin on you."
"Yeah. Still hasn't gotten over the damage I did to his ego all those years ago. You'd think he'd let that go instead of obsessing over it."
Rachel looked to the two of them.
"Wait, I'm confused. Why does Scarecrow have such a hard on for Grayson."
Dick smiled and shook his head.
"Now there's an image…"
He looked at Rachel.
"Crane was the first big name villain I ever took down alone. I was twelve, thirteen? Batman was working a lead on the far side of Gotham. Said it was too dangerous, didn't want me getting hurt."
Bruce cut in.
"Two face doesn't play games Dick."
"I knew that Bruce. Anyway, while Bruce was busy with Two Face, there were reports of civilians randomly assaulting other civvies on the street. Most of them had never shown any sort of violent behavior. So instead of watching comms and providing overwatch for Batman, I went out to investigate."
Dick finished eating.
"Turned out that Scarecrow had been drugging the city via the water supply to test the effectiveness of civilians as a nearly limitless expendable cannon fodder. He could throw wave after wave of civilians at the GCPD while he strolled into the bank and stole everything."
Rachel looked at the ground.
"Bastard."
"Scarecrow used his gas on me way back then, but… My greatest fear had already happened. I lost my parents. At the time I didn't fear anything. And that terrified Scarecrow. Since then, he's had an obsession… Or as you elegantly put it, a 'hard on' for me."
She smiled.
"So, you pissed a super villain off? What else is new? You should have heard the way Riddler talked about you last night. Wasn't sure if he wanted to kill you or sleep with you…"
Dick looked at her with wide eyes.
"YOU took down Nigma?"
She nodded.
"Yeah. Had a bomb in a collar that he forced me to wear. Took a bunch of hostages you had rescued earlier in the night and made me play a game of riddles to escape. He was… Obsessed with winning so much that he decided to change the rules."
"Sounds familiar… Probably still angry about Bludhaven. I told him it was my turf. He shouldn't have tried to take over the city network."
He met her eyes.
"Nigma give you any trouble?"
"Well after he lost, he kept everyone hostage. When I confronted him, Riddler decided that I was cheating and because of it he had won. And because of the frustration from Riddler and Arkham's dark energy… SHE… decided to come out."
Dick looked concerned. His voice came out cold.
"How much did SHE come out?"
Rachel looked down. Embarrassed to be having this discussion in front of Bruce.
"Full control…"
He sighed.
"How bad?"
"Remember Arthur Light? What happened after he- "
He stopped her.
"You took control, right? Before you could do the same thing that happened to Arthur?"
"Yeah…"
Dick changed the mood with a smile and a quip.
"Don't worry about it too much Rae. Riddler's an ass."
She smiled.
"Thanks… What is his deal anyway? I've never seen anyone lose so poorly before."
Dick looked to her.
"Officially? Fanatic narcissism, egocentrism and megalomania crossed with severe obsessive compulsion."
She laughed.
"Leave it to the two of you to have his exact diagnosis. I should have known better than ask."
Dick smiled. He stood up and took both of their plates.
"Nice job with Nigma. Knew you had it in you."
Rachel shyly smiled. Bruce stared her down.
"It wasn't just Nigma. She also took down Zsasz, Hatter, and a few dozen inmates. All by herself. Not to mention her brush with Joker. That's an impressive resume for one night."
Dick turned around with a grin and looked at her.
"You took down three of Gotham's supervillains in one night? Alone? Damn."
He looked to Bruce.
"Told you she was good Bruce."
Bruce smiled.
"That you did."
Dick looked back to Rachel.
"Still didn't beat my record of seven. But it's still pretty impressive."
She l
ooked to Dick.
"And you? Where did you get off to last night? When I fully regained consciousness, I was in the Bat-Mobile. When I asked after you Bruce just said you went out for air."
He turned to her. His voice was low, cold. He didn't want her to know what he had done to Joker.
"You mean after what I did to Jo – "
Bruce cut in.
"Rachel wasn't really in a position to know what was going on. She didn't fully regain consciousness until we were halfway home. I only told her what she needed to know."
That was Bruce's way of telling Dick that she didn't need to know what happened. What he did to Joker. He was trying to find the words when he heard Rachel.
"So? What happened?"
He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms.
"After what happened at Arkham I needed air, needed to unwind. Cobblepot was the one who smuggled those jammers that I took out onto the island. I went to the Iceberg Lounge to confront Penguin. Took him out, along with his entire crew and Gordon sent a team to secure the place."
"His whole crew? Jason always said that place was a fortress!"
Dick leaned back in his chair.
"I have my ways."
Rachel smirked.
"I've noticed."
Bruce looked to Dick.
"Your plan still to head back to Bludhaven?"
"It is yeah. I've been gone too long. Makes me feel uneasy. Need to remind everyone that it's still MY city."
"You two leaving soon?"
"Tonight. We need to get our gear together and I have a call to make to Lucius."
Bruce looked from Dick to Rachel and held his eyes on her for a for a moment before looking back to Dick.
"This about what I think it is?"
"Probably. Nothing gets passed you Bruce."
"You need any help?"
"No Bruce. I can handle it."
Rachel looked at the two of them. She knew they were keeping something from her but knew better than to confront them.
"Sounds good Dick. You ever need my help; you know I'm here."
"You always were Bruce."
Alfred stood up and looked at everyone at the table.
"This has been nice. We should do it more often."
Dick looked up at Alfred.
"Now Alfie, there's no need to be all sentimental."
Alfred smiled.
"Well Master Bruce, I should get on with my duties. I trust I'll see you all later."
Bruce looked up to him.
"Very well Alfred."
Alfred turned toward the entrance and began walking out of the room. He got to the doorway and turned to Dick.
"I expect you to come say goodbye in person when you leave Master Dick. No sneaking out like you did when you were younger."
Dick nodded.
"Of course, Alfie."
Alfred went around the corner and out of sight. Dick stood up looked to Rachel.
"I'm going to start getting our gear packed up and make a few calls. I'll see you later Rae."
"You too Dick."
Dick stood and walked out of the room leaving Bruce and Rachel in the room together. Before Rachel could say anything, Bruce stood up.
"I want to show you something. Come with me."
His voice was back to commanding, like he was still wearing the cowl. Rachel knew not to question him and follow. She stood up and began following him. They walked down one of the long hallways of the Manor that led to the study. Bruce was the first to speak.
"You two seem happy."
She didn't realize but she smiled after Bruce's comment.
"Yeah, I guess we are."
Bruce just eyed her.
"After he got home, we…"
She had to stop herself.
"Talked… Decided that we couldn't keep burying and ignoring how we feel. So, we decided to give this… us… A shot."
Bruce kept staring straight ahead as they walked.
"You know he's been blaming himself ever since Amy died. And for Blockbuster."
"Yeah… I know. There's a darkness there that I haven't felt in a long time…"
Bruce glanced at her and smiled.
"But with your being here, pulling him back when he goes to that dark place… It's good to see the Dick Grayson I know, instead of the one that existed before you showed up all those months ago. You gave me back my son… And for that, I owe you more than you can imagine."
Rachel didn't know how to respond. Bruce stopped walking, he turned and glared at Rachel.
"The way I see it, you're as much a Wayne as Dick, Jason, or Tim. You'll always be welcome here. You are Family."
Rachel was speechless.
"Bruce… I don't…"
The two of them got to the study and walked towards the elevator that leads to the Cave. Bruce hit the button and the doors opened. They both stepped into the elevator and it lurched into motion.
Gotham City
Wayne Manor (Dick's old room)
10:17 A.M.
Dick was in his room sitting on his bed with his computer in his lap. Lucius' voice came through the speakers.
"Mr. Grayson, always a pleasure. What can I do for you?"
"I need a favor."
"Of course. That's what I'm here for. So how can I help?"
Dick reached next to him and grabbed Rachel's suit from last night, he held it in front of the camera for Lucius to see. The bullet hole was clearly visible in the chest.
"I think you can see the problem."
Lucius was quiet for a moment and then answered.
"Indeed, I do. Center of the chest… Small caliber… .45 if I had to guess… Ms. Roth… How is she?"
"Alive. And fully recovered. Thanks for asking."
"So… A new suit then?"
Dick put the suit next to him and looked back to Lucius on the screen.
"A new suit. It's the same suit she's had since the Titans. Its outdated. Needs an upgrade. Or ten."
Lucius smiled.
"I see… I assume you have some ideas on this yourself?"
Dick smiled.
"Of course. I've got some ideas in my head now…"
He typed onto the keyboard.
"Forwarding my ideas now."
Dick sent the plans to Lucius. Fox studied the designs in front of him.
"Received Dick. Let's see what we've got."
Lucius' mind was working. He was already planning what he would do and how he would do things."
"I must say, your attention to detail would rival even Mr. Wayne himself."
Dick smirked.
"Well, HE did make me get an engineering degree…"
Lucius smiled.
"And it's good to see that it occasionally has its use. And that it hasn't been wasted."
Dick grinned.
"That's mildly insulting you know. Oh, my wounded pride. How will I ever recover?"
"Somehow, I think you shall manage. Now, about these designs…"
Lucius was quiet for half a minute as he examined and absorbed the plans in front of him. He started thinking out loud.
"Darken the color for stealth ops… Add sleeves and greaves for added protection… Combat boots that come up to the thighs… Photosensitive material that traps light."
He stopped for a moment.
"Are you sure that Ms. Roth will wear something like this?"
"Believe me Fox, this is just her style. She'll wear it."
Fox eyes the screen.
"I shall take your word for it, Mr. Grayson."
Dick looked back at Fox.
"So, what do think Fox? Is it doable?"
"Very doable Grayson. Just a few questions on my end."
"Go ahead Fox."
"For starters, the material. What are we talking about?"
"Same as my suit. Light, agile, balanced. I want her to be able to move freely without any hinderance and max protection."
"Shall I add extra protection in the chest area? I can reinforce it with impact dampeners, so she won't feel the majority of the impact. It will sacrifice flexibility and be slightly heavier."
"No. She can take the impact. Keep it light."
"Will do. As for the cloak, what are we looking at?"
"Same as Batman's cape, only lighter and more flexible."
"That may be problematic but I'm sure R&D will be up to the task."
"Thanks Fox."
"Of course. Anything else for Ms. Roth's suit?"
"Think you can incorporate the same modifications of my suit? Insulated, invisible to thermal, telemetry based vital monitoring, on board computer that syncs to the bat computer and holographic display, and GPS to Wayne satellites?"
Lucius just smiled.
"I thought those were all implied… I'll get it done Dick. It will take a few days to get a prototype out. Once I do, I'll send it your way and we can make modifications from there."
"Sounds good Lucius. Thanks."
"Anytime Mr. Grayson. Now, anything else I can do for you?"
Dick looked away and then back to the screen.
"You know what, there is… My suit needs updated as well. Think you can handle it?"
Lucius smiled.
"I've been waiting for you to ask me that for a while now… I've got some ideas already penned out; shall I send them to you?"
Dick smiled.
"No Lucius, I trust you. You know what I like."
"Sounds good Mr. Grayson. I will send everything your way the moment they are finished."
"Thank you, Lucius."
"No worries Mr. Grayson. Now, I'll take these to R&D myself. Please give Mr. Wayne and Ms. Roth my best when you see them."
"Of course, Lucius. Take care of yourself."
Lucius smiled.
"You should take your own advice."
Dick just smiled.
"Now why would I do that when Rachel does it for me?"
Gotham City
Bat Cave
10:31 A.M.
Rachel was standing next to Bruce in front of the Bat-Computer.
"No offence Bruce but what are we doing here? I thought you wanted to show me something."
"I am."
Bruce stepped forward and pressed a key on the keyboard. The screens came alive and Rachel saw what was on them. She saw Nightwing standing in the visitation wing at Arkham. Bruce looked to Rachel.
"This is security footage from last night at Arkham. I want you to see what happened after you had lost consciousness."
Rachel looked back to the screen and the security footage began playing. She saw Nightwing cradling her body after she had been shot. She put a hand over where the round hat struck her chest. Bruce looked over to her.
"Keep watching."
She turned back to the screen. Nightwing had joker pinned to the ground and was raining down right hands to him. Nightwing climbed off and shook his hand, trying to get the feeling back into it. When Joker tried to stand, he turned and knocked him to the ground again. She heard Nightwing as his rage bled out.
"All the deaths! All the pain! When does it end Joker?!"
Rachel looked down and muttered under her breath.
"Dick…"
She looked back to the screen. Nightwing was still enraged.
"Ignoring what he's done in the past… Blindly, stupidly ignoring the entire graveyards he's filled. The thousands who have suffered, the loved ones he's crippled… And here I thought she would be the last person you would let him hurt. If it had been you he killed, I would have done nothing but search the planet for him, and SEND HIM OFF TO HELL!"
Rachel looked to the floor again.
"Oh Dick…"
She watched as Dick turned and landed a right hand to Batman's jaw. She glanced over to see the small bruise on Bruce's cheek. Then turned back to the screen. She watched Nightwing systematically beat Joker and break his limbs. She turned her head away, not wanting to see what Nightwing was doing. She whispered to herself
"By Azar… Dick… I told you when we were kids that your anger would kill you…"
Bruce looked at her then back to the screen. Rachel watched as Nightwing began strangling Joker. Trying to end his reign of terror on Gotham. Rachel saw the moment Nightwing loosened his shoulders, he turned to see Rachel stir. Bruce closed the security footage and turned to Rachel.
"You deserved to know what happened last night. What you mean to him."
Rachel was still staring at the screen.
"I've seen him like that before you know… In Jump City… He was stressed. We all were but Dick… He was obsessed."
She looked away, remembering.
"By Azar… The things Deathstroke did to us… To Dick… H.I.V.E., Fearsome Five, trying to turn him against us… That whole mess with Terra and Donna…"
Rachel had to calm herself down. The anger was bubbling to the surface.
"Every hit we took, every time one of us was targeted specifically, Dick took it personally. We were his team, his family. He felt responsible for all of us. And Slade… Fucking Slade Wilson… He knew that and used it against him… Getting into his head. Making him doubt himself, whether or not he could lead us…"
She shuddered.
"When Slade abducted me… Dick lost it. Got enraged, obsessed. Turned into the same person you showed me from that video. I thought he was going to kill Slade in that last fight… He had Slade's sword to his throat, then he turned and stabbed it through his shoulder."
Rachel looked away. Remembering all the times Dick had that obsessed drive, all the times she forced him out of his room and took him into the city to take his mind off things, all the sparring matches and bruises she endured as he was taking out his frustrations. And yet somehow, she smiled. Bruce looked at her with a serious look.
"That's what has always amazed me about Dick. All the lessons, all the training I gave him, I could have never anticipated his leadership skills. He took a group of teenagers who were still trying to figure not only themselves out, but their place in the world. And somehow, without question, they followed him through hell, and never lost their trust in him…"
Rachel smiled.
"He was our leader… He kept us together… All the arguments, the lost battles… Every time, he kept us together… There were close calls. We were his team once… A long time ago. But not anymore… We aren't Titans any longer."
Bruce looked to her with a slight grin.
"Dick is a natural born leader. I could have never taught him that. I am many things… But I know I am no leader. Dick has surpassed my ability of leadership long ago…"
Bruce kept staring at Rachel.
"He's going to lead the Justice League one day… It needs younger blood. I can no longer lead them."
Rachel's heart was heavy in her chest.
"He's… WHAT?! Why can't you do it?"
"I told you; I am no leader."
"What about Superman? Or Wonder Woman?"
"Superman is to set in his convictions that it can affect his Judgement. And Wonder Woman? She's… Too passionate. Too quick to anger. If she sees something she disagrees with, she will do whatever she can to resolve the conflict regardless of the politics involved. The League is not political. We can't involve ourselves in wars or skirmishes between countries. Dick is the perfect balance between emotion and logic. Plus, his ability to lead, to inspire those around him. Something I could never hope to match."
Rachel felt her anger rising. Not at what Bruce was saying, but at the fact that she knew Dick wanted nothing to do with the League. She knew Dick hated the idea.
"You do realize he wants nothing to do with the Justice League, right? He wants to stay as far away from them as possible."
"I know… But the League needs new blood. The League needs a new leader. They need to see someone other than the big three calling the shots."
Rachel glared at Bruce.
"Just make sure, it's his decision. Not yours."
Bruce nodded.
"I can promise you that."
Rachel could feel her emotions swirling around her. Bruce turned to leave but then stopped.
"You're wrong about one thing Rachel…"
She turned to Bruce, his back turned to her.
"What's that?"
"The Titans… They… You all, weren't his team… The Titans ARE his team. And you are all STILL Titans. And always will be…"
Gotham City
Wayne Manor (Dick's old room)
7:43 A.M.
Dick was ready to head back to Bludhaven. He packed the last of his gear into his bag and threw it over his shoulder. He checked his pocket for the keys to his bike and headed for the door. Before he could reach it, he saw Barbara wheel into the doorway.
"Dick! There you are! Don't you check your phone I've been trying to reach you!"
"Its on silent and I was packing. Did you come to say goodbye again?"
"You don't know?!"
"Don't know what? What's going on?"
Barbara turned herself around and started wheeling herself down the hall.
"It… Would be easier to show you… Come on! Double time!"
Barbara rolled faster down the hall. Dick had to jog to keep pace with her.
"Can't you just tell me? Bruce? He okay?"
Barbara kept wheeling herself down the hall.
"Bruce is fine, he's on patrol working a lead. You just have to see this for yourself."
She continued down the hall heading toward the living room. Dick was still jogging from behind.
"I don't understand, just tell me!"
Barbara wheeled into the living room and grabbed the remote, Alfred was standing in the room next to Barbara. She turned the volume up. Dick turned to the T.V. and watched what was on it. Vicky Vale was on screen. She saw her standing in downtown Bludhaven which was strange because it wasn't her area to report on. Then he noticed something wrong, fire. There were flames from behind her. He listened in.
"Thirty minutes ago, a massive bomb detonated in downtown Bludhaven. Emergency personnel are scrambling, trying to get a hold of the situation. Civilians are in a panic and rescue operations are in progress. The city, however, is in flames. Damage to infrastructure and foundations is severe. Gas mains ruptured causing flames to burn all over the city. Water mains and sewer lines rupturing have caused the ground to split open and collapse buildings along with civilians falling into these crevices. With Nightwing away in Gotham, one question remains, where is Bludhaven's sworn crusader? Who will protect the city now? And why was Nightwing not here to prevent this attack? This is Vicky Vale, signing off."
Dick stood in front of the T.V. in a terror. He couldn't feel his heartbeat. He couldn't feel anything.
"No… NO!"
He screamed down the hall.
"RAVEN! GRAB YOUR GEAR! WE NEED TO GO NOW!"
Not a second later Rachel appeared in the doorway holding her phone in her hand and showed the screen to Dick. She had been watching the news report on her phone.
"I know. I saw the news report. Let's get over there."