Why Heroes Can't Sip Champagne and Apples Are a Girl's Best Friend –
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Chapter 9: Luck of the Not – So – Irish
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Haley was a delight to everyone in Dick's life and he'd let down his walls just a tad to expect no less of a proud papa that he was, well, a fur baby aside?
He was even more desirable with a dog on is arm than a kitten, but the whole bonding experince had proven one thing that actually made Jay, Tim and Babs worry.
He was coping, yet clinging to his blanket for dear life all over again if he lost his little pride and joy.
"We have to talk about…." Jay pointed to the ball on the floor and Dick as cuddled up in a swaddle on his evening off.
"With…"
"With, um…." Tim pulled at his shirt collar, and Babs finally groaned as her hand did the rest.
"Her! Haley, his obsession with this dog -who, in all honest did save your life, Dick…. but there is a problem here!"
"What is?" Dick smiled and cupped those cutie jowls as Haley's tail wagged, now big enough to his Tim and give him tiny bruises.
"She's a cute thing and she wanted to see me; I have plenty of –
"Patrol was on ten mins, ago."
"Yeah, Dick…. I…. think you are...well…"
"Later than usual?" Jay rose to elbow Tim from his seat on Dick's living room sofa.
"Something along those lines..." Winced the younger Red Robin back to his posse.
"More like jaw lines, but hey! Am I right?" Grinned Todd, who got no such applause from his peers.
"Tough crowd, but Dick's beast over here is…like…"
"His kid."
"He's a hero! Not a, a…." Babs tried to huff, to get rid of the negativity swirling around in her head.
"Batman said you need to set an earlier schedule for…"
"Done, is that all?" He got up, dog hair not clinging to his suit as Nightwing since he kept Haley at the groomer's ever other week.
"You can afford to be a cop in Blud." Todd counted off of his gloved fingers. "You have a sweet ride, a cool collection of weapons and gear hand picked for your vigilante mojo and' shit. And…you have time, for a dog –
"Puppy." Dick corrected his brother. "She's still not a year old yet." He ruffled Hale's fur as she let her tongue show how happy she was to be here and off the streets.
"You busted a dog smuggling ring right after you got her." Babs pursed her lips.
"Yeah. Like Batman did for me getting after Zucco, but they were taken in by the SWAT. You think any dog caretaker has the power to do that much?"
"Should it –
"I did it, and Haley's safe." Dick stopped Tim a moment, leash in hand as he made sure it was securely fastened to Haley's tiny collar. "She's a pitty, so pup instincts stated that she may never want to grow up. I thought she was a miniature blue, but that's yet to be decided on her next visit to the vet's. Aren't you just a petite little…"
" Awh! Make it stop!" Todd palm flattened his face with a low groan. "Dick…. face…. if you give that kid one more flippin' pet name, I swear to your mama that I won't let it slide…I will –
"Get a room, you two." Babs rolled her eyes and wheeled over to Dick as Haley bounded up to the red head. "I think, that we should have a back up sitter or walker so that in case you have to take a moment…we know that…she'll be ok."
"Oh, I…. guess..."
Haley cocked her head curiously and with a yip, ran over to Jay and nudged his leg with her paw.
"Oh… no…nonononno!" Todd backed away, but Haley was as bad as her papa bear.
"The queen hath spoken. She's reached a verdict, Jay." Dick grinned and picked up his peppy princess.
"You'll be in charge of walks if we have a crisis and have to slip out. Besides, you're the fastest shot on our team, and Hales?" He wickedly grinned to the rest. "She doesn't know how to miss the street corner."
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And to a doggie how – dee- doo to that episode, Todd was in charge of walkies with his half sibling.
His ridiculously slobbery, hairy….
"Damn it." Grumbled the trickster ex – Robin to the sniffing pup as she made her mark on the right place Dick had mentioned. "You are freakin' something, kid."
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A week later, the walks in the park proved to be a real pleasing scene for the off-duty cop and his new companion. She'd no only gotten tuff; Haley had been saluted as Batwing and Dick was beaming all over.
"Ah, what a wonderful day…" He leaned back into the park bench as Haley frolicked with her own kin in the dog park just a few feet away.
That was a good feeling, had it stayed so much of the time that way for him…
The tip toe of a green skinned woman had Dick open a lazy eye at the stretch of winding pavement.
~ Ivy…what could she be...~
"Oh no." Dick sat up and got his jacket, lifting himself into a dash of clovers so thick that he wanted to toss himself in…
"Crap!" He did fall, headfirst into the lush covering as she seemed to drip tears from her cheeks of a glowing green.
"Ivy! Stop!"
She looked from over her shoulder as her eyes watered, was..was she not having a –
"Clovers!"
She shouted, her smile getting bigger, but her body….
Shrinking, and getting…younger…
And younger.
A shriek sounded out as three others joined in.
Swamp thing in a more human guise than Dick had ever seen him.
John Constantine with his mouth ready to go.
And, of course, a blathering Harley. Of, course! They had a fight…he thought.
"IVE!! You needta' stop messin' up the park! We can talk about this stupid complex, later….But… You're no freakin' leprechaun! I'll gut that kid for makin' you cry! Just get back here!! IVY BEAR!!"
"Damned be it all…. Ah! Sir! You'll need to vacate the –
"That, you?" Quinn squinted and sure enough, Dick slouched and nodded. Damned crone.
" Aag!! You got soo big, little birdy! Aren't you a vigilante in Haven, now? Well, why the hell are you sitting on your ass!? Some smug ass little brats made fun of Ive's golden fucking glow an' now she's on a wild rampage –
"Why….is she ten years old, then??" Dick turned to John, who casually shrugged.
"My aim, mighty been a bit…"
"You de –aged my muffin – lady??" Shrieked the devil's advocate in red and black athletic wear. She huffed and lifted up her trusty bat.
Pumpkin!! I'm coming!! Hang on, IVE!" Such devotion made Dick's worries increase as he remembered Hal...
"I have to go! My dog is –
"You have a pet, like the Batman? Bugger." John shook his mop of blonde locks with a sigh. "We'll sort this debacle out, but you can't –
"Shove it, John." Dick threw down his guard and ran, staff in hand and a disc or two in case this excursion needed an exterminator to it.
Such a nice, day…. now Haley was…was…
" HALEY !!" He ran and for a moment, only Swamp thing and John were able to see than cloud of dust the bat's ward kicked up with his sneakers.
"Did he recently acquire super powers?" Swamp Thing asked.
John shook his head. "That puppy so far that I know of, is a passion which runs deep. A bond far greater than love, with slobber and drool as being…entirely, mandatory in Grayson's case…" Shuddered the magi as the two got back to saving the people and stopping a crying meta from destroying the park by making it into the amazon rainforest – which, was actually a good idea.
Minus the ticks and wild animals that could attack others while in their territory…
"Blast, I'm not getting off it that soon…My destiny was to die, but not in a bloody "Lavender fields" fiasco like this one! Bollocks!"
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