Nightwing: Heartless

Part 36: One Week Later

"This is bad," Wally paced back and forth, "this is bad. Very bad." His jaw was clenched, fists balled at his sides.

Dick watched, leaning on the desk behind him, and let Wally get as much anger and frustration out. M'gann stood beside him, arms clasped in front of her, head down. It didn't take a genius to see she blamed herself. "Wally," Dick started, for M'gann's benefit, it wasn't good for her to see Wally like this.

"What Dick?!" Wally spun on him, "Aqualad's been brain blasted into a million pieces, which means Artemis is alone, in the middle of the Light and Black Manta."

Dick sighed, acutely aware of the current situation, "I know. It's not great, but-"

"No buts!" Wally stomped towards his best friend, "where were you when M'gann needed you to stop her? When your Team faced this- this Black Beetle? Where were you to protect my girlfriend?!"

Dick looked down, unable to look his friend in the eye. How could he tell him he sent Barbara ahead so he could slow dance with Willa? Wally had every right to be furious. Dick had really screwed up.

"It's my fault," M'gann said, eyes downcast, hood up.

"No, M'gann," Nightwing placed a hand on her shoulder, "you thought Aqualad killed Artemis. Wally is right. I should have been there. I'm sorry." Wally started pacing again. "We're going to get her back, Wally."

"And how are we going to do that, Nightwing?'

"I don't know. Yet."

Wally scoffed and stormed out of the room. Nightwing gave M'gann one more squeeze on the shoulder then walked out, in the opposite direction, to where Impulse, Barbara, and Blue Beetle were waiting. Impulse and Blue were laying on the couches, Barbara was sitting on an armrest, but all three snapped to attention.

"Alright, who is this Black Beetle?" Nightwing asked.

"He's like me, well, not like me," Blue started, "he's got a scarab like me, except he works for the Reach, which is apparently what the scarabs are supposed to do."

Nightwing raised an eyebrow.
"The scarabs are supposed to enslave whoever connects with them to the Reach," Impulse explained, "for some reason, Blue's short circuited or something."

"But the other Beetle is stronger than me," Blue continued.

"He was stronger than all of us," Batgirl added, "wiped the floor with us actually. Blue was the only one to give him a real fight."

Nightwing sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. This just kept getting better. But his Team needed him to lead right now. "You did good, all of you, especially you, Blue. I'll watch whatever footage made it back and try to come up with some new strategies. Get some rest." All three nodded and headed to the zeta tube.

"You should take your own advice," Robin said from behind Nightwing, spurring him out of his own thoughts, "you look like shit."

Nightwing cracked a smile, "I've had a long week." That was an understatement. He had the whole opera fiasco, then dealing with this clusterfuck of a mission, a new Beetle, the Reach, Aqualad, M'gann, which he had no idea what he was going to do about, plus Willa hadn't talked to him in a week. He had taken heat from the Justice League about the mission, from Batman about letting Ivy and Harley get away, plus patrolling every night to cover for Batgirl and Robin to let them rest since going up against Beetle. There hadn't been a lot of sleep.

"You went one on two with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn the night of our mission, right?" Nightwing nodded as Robin whistled, "I know you're blaming yourself for not fighting with us, but you had your hands full."

"Maybe." Robin didn't know how long Dick had taken with Willa instead of getting back to the WatchTower. "I am going to go home for a bit, get some shut eye. I'll review the fight footage again when I get back. Hold down the fort, will ya?" Robin gave a mock salute and Nightwing mussed up his hair as he passed.

**
Dick pulled his keys out of his jacket pocket but almost dropped them when he saw Willa sitting on the front steps to his building. She heard him approach and looked up from her phone, offering a small smile. "Hi."

He had to fight the urge to run and hug her, instead opting to smile back. She laughed, probably at how happy he looked to see her. "Hi."

"You haven't been at school much."

"Some girl's been giving me a hard time."

"Sounds like quite the girl."

"She is." Willa laughed and looked away, blushing. She looked so pretty, Dick thought. He walked up the steps, "would you like to come in?" Willa nodded and followed him in. "I'm glad to see you," Dick said once they were in his apartment. His voice almost caught he was so relieved to see her face.

"Me too," Willa said and shifted her weight. Dick leaned back against the kitchen counter, waiting for her to make the next move. "I..." she started, "I just needed some time. I'm not angry, I don't know if I ever was, I just-"

"Felt betrayed?"

"And I don't know why. I knew you were hiding something from me, even before I knew it was you being... a hero, and I don't blame you for not telling me, it was smart not to. I would have done the same thing in your position."

"Will, you don't have to explain yourself to me."

She wrung her hands, "what I'm trying to say is I've had time to process it now." She smiled up at him sheepishly, "so you can stop giving me space."

Dick closed his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. It would have been the nail in the coffin to lose her this week. But he had to be smart about this. "Are you sure?"

He caught her in his arms, almost making her gasp at the speed, and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He picked her up and spun them around to set her on the kitchen counter. He broke away, breathless, trying to keep a clear head. "Wait," he said against every nerve in his body, "it's not that simple anymore, Will. Being around me, let alone with me, it's dangerous. And now that you know..." he touched her cheek gingerly, "the risk..."

"Is mine to take," she kissed his palm, "I'm not asking to be a hero with you, I would actually prefer to never run around at night in spandex. I'm just asking for you to let me in."

"Do you know where Artemis is right now?" Willa shook her head. "She's undercover with Black Manta, one of the most dangerous men on the planet, because I asked her to go. She's had years of training, I would put my life in her hands without a moment's thought, but I am terrified for her, Willa, even knowing how skilled she is." Willa didn't say anything but she cocked her head slightly, not sure where he was going with this. "Being with you makes me so happy, but the thought of you ever getting hurt, or being put in danger, because of me..." his voice caught again at the thought. He had no idea how Wally was coping with Artemis being gone like this. "Will, it would break me."

She ran a hand through his hair, "no, it wouldn't. You're too strong for that. Plus, I'm not too keen on being in danger, so our interests align when it comes to my safety."

"I won't hold it against you if you walk out my door right now. It would be the smart option, actually."

In response, Willa gently kissed him again, "you've always protected me, even when you were just Dick Grayson, nothing is changing."

"I'll always protect you."

"That goes for my heart too, Grayson. Don't break it."

"As long as you don't break mine."

He stepped forward and kissed her again, never wanting to stop. He didn't need air, or space, he just needed to keep holding her, kissing her. She giggled and pulled away, arms still around him. "The way I see it," she started, "is now you have to show me some fight moves."

"Oh yeah?" He picked her up and swung her around, dumping her on the couch softly, laughing as she squealed.

"Hey, not fair! You have the advantage Mr. Ninja!"