Nightwing: Heartless

Part 14: Moving On

Lagoon Boy slammed onto the ground as Alpha squad came back through the zeta tube. "Neptune's Beard!" Lag'ann slammed his fist on the ground. "I don't care how many years you trained as Robin then as Nightwing. One of these days, you're mine, chum."

"I don't doubt it, Lag'ann," Nightwing said as he helped him up. "Angel fish!" He exclaimed and picked M'gann up in a hug.

Superboy stood beside Nightwing, watching the display of PDA. "How are you doing with that?" Nightwing asked his friend, who just looked away. "It'll be okay."

"Why are you in such a good mood?" Connor growled before stomping off to the showers.

"I am not," Nightwing mumbled to himself and brought up a screen and keyboard.

"You are, actually," M'gann said from beside him, "in a good mood."

Nightwing sorted through police reports, "I'm always in a good mood. I'm a happy person."

M'gann laughed under her breath and watched Dick skim files and sort them into folders on the screen. "So who was that girl last week?"

"Well she's no angel fish..."

M'gann punched his arm. "Very funny. Seriously, though, I hope you're happy."

"She's just a friend. I'm allowed to have friends outside the Team, right?" M'gann just laughed. "What?"

I haven't seen you this happy since last year, she said into his mind as she went to the kitchen with La'gann. That stopped his typing. Now that he thought about it, could M'gann be right? He hadn't noticed the shift.

"25: Zatanna" The zeta tube announced as Zatanna materialized.

"Hey, Z," Nightwing greeted as he  went back to reading a report. She came up to stand beside him, reading along. "Things slow with the League?"

"I just thought I'd stop by my old team. Why are you reading about missing kids?"

"It's the fourth teenager in three weeks in this 50-mile radius," Nightwing explained, "I'm trying to figure out if there's a link between them.

Zatanna pointed to the second screen, "and this one?"

"Dr. Crane, a.k.a. Scarecrow is safely in Arkham in a padded cell to himself, but his formula for his Fear Toxin was stolen from the Pentagon."

Zatanna crossed her arms, "that's not good."

"No, it is not."

"That girl was cute," she said after a pause. Nightwing's hands paused over the keys. He wondered if it was a coordinated effort for everyone to ask him about Willa today or if it was a coincidence. "Super nice."

"Yeah..." He didn't exactly know how to navigate this one.

"Does Batman know?"

"There's nothing to know." Batman had been fine with him and Z dating, for a little bit. Some 'harmless fun' he called it, as long as it didn't interfere with the mission. But he knew Bruce would never approve of a relationship
outside of this world. It was just too big a risk. So, no, there was nothing Batman needed to know.

"She really does seem nice," Zatanna said again, but softer. Nightwing relaxed and nodded, a peace passing between them. "Didn't you bust Harley transporting Joker Venom last month?"

"That's what has me concerned."