Adrenaline was pumping through their veins. Roy wrapped a hand around Hailey's waist and pulled her up to a rooftop across from his safe house. They both laughed at the absurdity of their predicament. No one was chasing them. They were running from nothing. A cat hissed at them from the corner of the rooftop. The sound startled Hailey who squeaked in surprise. Roy hugged her tighter, bringing their faces that much closer together. He froze at their proximity and let out a shaky breath that created goosebumps on Hailey's neck.

Seeing the look on Roy's face, with the adrenaline still coursing through her at an accelerated pace, and the warmth of Roy's body pressed to her, she felt emboldened. She moved that much closer so that her lips were almost touching his. Roy was still high from their recent escape and a sweet, rich, sensual scent assaulted his senses. Jasmine, his brain supplied. Before he realized it, he'd closed the gap between them. Without a thought to anything but desire, they both closed their eyes and threw themselves into a kiss.

Hailey was very aware of what she was doing. Every breath she took was deliberate. The positions of her hands had been mentally directed. She was in complete control. No one was forcing themselves on her. No one would ever force themselves on her again. She snaked her hands up Roy's torso and splayed her fingers across his pecks. A position that not only kept him close but gave her the advantage of pushing him away if necessary.

This wasn't her first kiss but she wanted more than what Roy was willing to give. She opened her mouth to allow Roy entry but quickly realized she needed to be more direct.

Roy froze upon feeling her tongue on his lips. Then he seemed to realize what was happening and his tongue met hers. He deepened the kiss even though he'd never done this before. He was loving every sensation. His pulse was racing and warmth was pooling in his lower body. He gripped Hailey's waist tighter to bring her body that much closer. Without conscious thought, he gyrated his hips. The friction made him moan. The sensation was incredible.

Hailey's breath hitched when she felt his hard-on against her thigh. Roy realized he'd gotten carried away when her body tensed and he pulled back. Hailey's mouth followed his not wanting to stop the kiss. Roy chuckled and raised a hand to hold her shoulder back.

"Hold on a moment," Roy told her, a smile audible in his voice. His voice sounded husky so he cleared his throat. He looked around and realized that it was not the time or place to be making out. "We need to get inside and lay low. We don't know if or when anyone will come looking for you."

Hailey nodded and took a step back feeling absolutely ridiculous. She hadn't meant to assault him the way she did. And worse, embarrass herself by wanting to continue when he clearly wanted to stop.

"You're right," Hailey said and ran a shaky hand through her hair.

"Come here," Roy told her and gestured for her to draw closer. He held his arm open.

"This is what got me all excited before," Hailey said hesitantly as she stood beside him. His arm wrapped around her middle.

"What, not my rugged good looks?" Roy said with mock hurt.

Hailey chuckled.

"Yeah, figured as much," Roy said and sighed. "Either way, we're here. One more jump."

They made their way over to the next building over. Roy held the roof access open for her and guided her down four levels. The safe house was an apartment that was sparsely furnished. Hailey followed Roy inside and felt a little confined.

"What happens now?" Hailey said. She hugged herself as she looked around. The place was a studio with a single bed, a sofa, and a workbench instead of a dining table.

"I don't know," Roy said with a shrug as he took off his mask. He ran a hand through his hair and gestured to a door in the far corner. "Bathroom." Then he gestured to the area nearest the front door. "Kitchen." Then he pointed at the bed. "You can have the bed."

"I don't mind sharing," Hailey said and went to sit on the sofa. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"You tired," Roy asked her.

"No," she said with a small shake of her head.

"Hungry?"

"No."

"Need anything?"

Roy made his way to the door and looked back at Hailey who seemed a little lost. He didn't want to leave her alone, not after seeing the state she was in before and during their escape. Though he wasn't exactly sure about who she was or why the league considered her trouble. Other than her getting a good hit on Batman which was something most people wanted to do at one point or another. He needed to talk to Bart again so that he could explain everything at a speed he could understand. For now, Bart owed him big.

"I have to get out there and do a patrol. I need to be seen. At the very least, if they suspect me of springing you, I'll have an alibi and Green Arrow will back me up. Get some sleep," he said and put on his mask before he opened the door. From the threshold without looking back he added, "whatever you do, stay inside. I'll be back in a few hours."

He didn't hear a response but he didn't care. If she did leave, then she was out of his hair and that'd be just fine with him. At least that was what he tried to convince himself. Truth was, he wasn't going to be able to get that girl off his mind all night.

When the door clicked shut, Hailey wrapped her arms around her torso. She suddenly felt very cold. And alone.

'Stay inside,' was what Roy had said. Wasn't that always the rule? Ever since she could remember, that was all she heard. It was either a rule she obeyed or it was forced upon her. She never had a say about where she was at any given moment. And she wanted to decide whether or not to go outside.

Hailey stared at the door. The thought of going outside alone scared her. She didn't like that feeling. Though she hadn't been happy in the last place she was, she didn't actually feel safe until she was locked up. Batman watching her didn't evoke the same feeling. It actually had her on edge until he left.

Ever since the hospital, she always felt dread looming. How long would she stay safe? When would she be taken again? If Lex hadn't placed her in that sanitarium, she may have gone insane. Sitting in the apartment alone was stirring up the old feelings. Perhaps it had to do with having escaped another prison.

Hailey couldn't just sit there feeling whatever she was feeling. All those feelings were going to overwhelm her. She forced her body to stand up. She looked around for something to do. Before she knew it, she'd tidied up the place. Not that many things were out of place. Or that she knew where anything went. But idle hands…

Hailey was wiping down the counters in the small kitchenette when she heard a knock on the door. She froze. Had Roy been expecting company? Deep down she knew he hadn't. He wouldn't have left if he was expecting company. But whoever was at the door, should leave if no one answered.

Hailey stood static. Her hand hovering over the counter. She held her breath and held back a gasp when she heard another knock. They weren't leaving. She looked around. No matter which way she went, she would cast a shadow. She crouched down and sat on the floor with her back to the counter. She tucked her legs up to her chest and held them. She had her face pressed to her knees. She told herself to breathe slowly. They had to leave if no one answered.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Three knocks this time, instead of two. And unless her imagination was on overdrive, the knock was louder and paced closer together. She started to count. The way her dad taught her when she was little whenever she saw lighting. The more seconds passed the further the lightning. Each second was one mile.

One, one hundred. Two, one hundred.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

One, one hundred.

Knock-knock!

One—

Knock-knock-knock!

They're not leaving!

The doorknob was jiggled. Then the door opened.

"Hey, Roy! You home, dude?"

Hailey recognized the voice. It was Wally. But not the Wally she knew. No one here was anyone she knew. Tears streamed down her face.

"Anyone home?"

Dick?!

It wasn't her brother. It was the Nightwing of this world.

Why are they here? Are they here to take me back?

"Wally."

"On it!"

Hailey felt a whoosh of air. Her hair fluttered about until there was a hand on her shoulder. She flinched hard and knocked her head on the back of the counter.

"Hey, whoa!" Wally released her shoulder and backed up. He lifted his hands up so that Hailey could see them. "It's okay. I'm a friend."

Hailey didn't trust him. She looked past him to Dick who was standing off to the side. He studied her for a beat then lifted a hand in greeting.

"Hi."

"Hi?!" Hailey said and chuckled wryly. "You give me a heart attack and you say fucking hi?!"

Dick's mouth twisted from a small smile to a grimace. "That wasn't our intention. We apologize."

"Yeah, very sorry."

"Shut up, Wally," Hailey said, still staring at Dick.

"Dude, how does this kid know my name?"

"I don't believe you. You don't knock the way you do and break into someone's house just to be sorry."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm not sorry that I found you after I tracked you down. But I wouldn't have had to do that if you hadn't escaped. "

"Escaped! Dude, you said you needed me to help you get a missing kid back home."

"Are you really that surprised that Dick lied to you, Wally? I mean, isn't that his greatest skill? Aside from holding people hostage in a secret base full of overpowered people?"

"Hostage? Dick, what is she talking about? And how does she know who I am?"

"You said I wasn't in a prison, right before I ended up in a cell."

"That wasn't my call."

"So, what? You just follow orders? Can't think for yourself? Daddy says jump you say how high?"

Dick tightened his jaw. But didn't reply.

"Dick, what the—?" Wally looked at Hailey then back to Dick. "Oh my god, she's one of you, isn't she? What did you get me into? I'm retired. Re-tired!"

"Not now, Wally."

"Yes now, Wally."

"I'm not one of them," Hailey told him but she was looking at Dick. "I fell through a portal into your dimension. Where I'm from, Dick took me in when Bruce bailed on me. So I know the alternate you, not the you here."

"Okay. That's one mystery solved," Wally said under his breath when Hailey paused.

"I woke up in some sort of underground base. Your boy here didn't let me out. Said I wasn't imprisoned. Before I was locked in a cell by Batman. I escaped. Now the two of you are here. To do what? Take me back? And lock me up again?"

"Dude. What the fuck?" Wally said, looking at Dick.

"I haven't committed any crimes," Hailey said standing up. "I'm not the fuckin Joker or any of those bozos you all fight in your stupid costumes calling yourselves heroes." Tears were rolling down her cheeks. And her voice was cracking. She held her hands in fists at her sides.

Wally's eyes were saucers. He didn't want to be here. He was enjoying his retirement and Dick had to pull him into some fucked up drama that should not have happened. Why would they imprison a girl at the cave? They were supposed to free people, not shackle them. He had to help her but how? What was he supposed to do? Take her to his uncle? What if he sided with the others?

Where could Wally hide her so that they wouldn't find her? And why should he need to hide her? Bart was technically from another dimension. A future one. He wasn't imprisoned. Or treated like a criminal. What was Dick thinking? Why'd he recruit Wally to help him if he was planning to take her back? He looked at his friend and saw him visibly swallow. He was in distress. He didn't like this either. So why not tell her? Why make the girl think they were going to take her back? He was such an idiot.

Wally had thought all that in the time it took to take a breath. The girl was still talking. He turned to look at her and let his brain slow down to real time.

"Why was I locked away by a lunatic that dresses like a Bat? And no one, not even the super powered alien questioned his sanity?! I have no powers! I'm just a 16 year old girl that the universe likes to dump all its shit on. Or spit out like some weed into a different one so that it can fuck with me too. And it's using a fucking group of heroes to do it! Heroes who wear the faces of the family I had where I came from! You think this is easy for me?! No one even wants me here?! Why didn't the universe just let me fucking die?!"

Dick moved faster than Wally had ever seen him move. He had the girl in his arms before Wally could stop him. But he wasn't hurting her. He was hugging her to his chest.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Dick said quickly and softly. "I didn't mean to scare you. And I'm not here to take you back. I tracked you down because I was worried. I thought someone had taken you. But when I realized you were in Roy's base, I came to help. I don't know why Roy helped you but I'm glad he did. And he actually beat me to the punch. I was getting ready to get you out myself. Just went through the League instead of breaking you out myself. And that took longer than it should have. When the decision was made against Batman's wishes, we found out you had escaped. So we need to leave before—"

A crash was heard behind them. Wally moved to stand in front of Dick and the girl.

Batman stood up. He'd just crashed in through the window. He was glowering at them. Wally swallowed. Batman was still as intimidating as he was when he was younger. But he was wrong. From what Dick had said, the league had ordered him to release the girl so why was he here?

"Give me the girl," Batman said. Wally noticed his hands were hidden inside his cape.

"No way, dude!" Wally told him.

"Now!"

Dick handed Hailey to Wally.

"You are going to have to fight me. I'm not in my suit. Are you willing—?"

A batarang whizzed by his head. Dick had to lean to the left to avoid it taking out his ear.

"I take that as a yes," Dick said. He made a sign at Wally behind his back so that he would take Hailey outside.

Dick rushed at Batman, after unclipping two black grips from his sides. By the time he was at arms reach of Batman, he had expanded his weapons into batons. He flipped over Batman as he whacked him on the head and shoulders. All the while Batman was chucking his Batarangs at Wally who kept dodging them. He ignored Dick completely. Dick had time to sheathe and reclip his weapons into his belt. He then grabbed Batman's cape and flipped it over his head with one hand and grabbed a smoke bomb with the other. Batman turned to swipe at Dicks legs at the same time that he reeled back his arm for a punch. But Dick jumped to flip over Batman.

"Now, Wally!" Dick called out as he dropped the smoke bomb. He landed into a roll and jumped up once he was in the hall. He moved to the side just as Roy shot a foam arrow at the entrance.

I have a bike downstairs and I called Green Arrow. Roy signed. Wally took Hailey to Will's place.

Good. Lead the way. Dick signed back.

Wally was long gone with Hailey. Hopefully, Dick and Roy could get to the bike before Batman stopped them.