Nightwing: Heartless

Part 64: Nightwing & Deathstroke

Seeing Willa had messed with Dick's head. Being away from her had almost made him forget how it felt to be near her. The calming presence she gave him, the pure panic that stirred in him when she was in trouble. Seeing her like that... choking out... Dick closed his mind against the memory. They couldn't go five minutes without Willa getting hurt.

She had been different. He couldn't put his finger on what exactly, but she was definitely different. More agitated, quieter, and it looked like she broke her wrist. It twisted him that he didn't know; that he wasn't the one she called.

"Earth to Nightwing."

Nightwing snapped out of his reverie and focused on the screens in front of him. Mission reports, all completed, all with members safe and sound. "Sorry," Nightwing said to Batgirl, "these look good, Batgirl, nice job running the ops."

"Where's your head tonight?"

"Just thinking."

Batgirl obviously knew it more than that. She had probably heard about Willa and Nightwing didn't blame her for being suspicious. They weren't dating, Dick still wasn't ready for that, and last night had proven it, but they were friends, very close friends, who occasionally hung out. Nightwing sighed, it wasn't fair to Barbara to hold her at arm's length.

"Barbara-"

"Save it," she raised a hand, "everyone saw how you acted around her. You told me she wasn't out of your head and I reasoned with myself..."

"I convinced myself too," Dick admitted, turning to face her, "but seeing her brought it all back. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Boy Wonder." Batgirl pressed a quick kiss on his cheek and went off to a training room.

An alert caught Nightwing's attention. An arson, building on fire, but this building was uninhabited. Nightwing brought the report up. Fire was started with some kind of explosive, no bodies found. Building was owned by a Mr. Wilson Sword. Nightwing clenched his fist: Deathstroke.
**
The site was empty, just ash and burned wood around Nightwing. No footprints or fingerprints, no hint at why Deathstroke wanted this building gone.

"I know you're here," Nightwing called into the dark and heard the rustling of footsteps behind him.

"I've been waiting." Deathstroke stepped into the light, sword in hand, "longer than you can imagine."

Nightwing smirked and brought out his escrima sticks, "this sounds personal, Slade."

Deathstroke snarled, as annoyed as ever that Nightwing knew his name but he didn't know Nightwing's. "It is."

The two circled each other, stride for stride, eyes locked on the other. "I know you blame me," Nightwing tried to reason, "but son died-"

"My son died because you didn't save him, hero."

Then he acted, swinging his sword with so much strength the blow reverberated through Nightwing's arms when he met the blade with his own weapons. They broke apart, Nightwing flipping out of the way and striking as many pressure points as possible. Deathstroke blocked every one. To his credit, Nightwing blocked all of Deathstroke's blows too.

The two spun and flipped, never slowing down. Nightwing kicked at his jaw but Deathstroke caught his ankle and threw him at the burned building. Nightwing crashed through the wood, sitting up but feeling Deathstroke's knee hit him in the chin, sending him back down. Then a sword at his throat and breath in his face.

"You'll suffer before I kill you," he hissed.

Nightwing smirked, "that's optimistic," then wrapped his legs around Slade's neck and threw him off him.

Nightwing popped up to his feet and swung himself around Deathstroke's neck, grappling in a move that usually took his opponents down. Usually. Deathstroke stood his ground headbutted Nightwing in the nose, stunning him long enough to catch him around the throat. Deathstroke brought Nightwing closer and practically lifted him off the ground.

"I should thank you for making it so easy to get even." Now he smirked, his eyes glinting with sick pleasure.

Nightwing pushed both legs off of Deathstroke's chest, flipping away and breaking the hold on his neck. Nightwing rubbed the spot where Slade's hand was, confused at his taunts but not letting it show. Nightwing jumped and twisted in the air to dodge a volley of daggers Deathstroke threw but flew back as the last one exploded near his chest.

Nightwing coughed from the smoke and got back to his feet, bringing his escrima sticks up to protect himself just in time. They battled with ferocity, Deathstroke slowly backing Nightwing up with the pure strength of his blows until Nightwing felt his back meet stone. He caught the sword between his sticks and strained with the effort of keeping them away from his neck.

Deathstroke grinned down at him, "you should have heard how she screamed."

Nightwing snapped his head up at the comment. Deathstroke crashed his head into Nightwing's, sending Nightwing to his knees, dazed. Deathstroke kicked him in the jaw and pinned him to the ground with a foot on his chest.

"She begged for me to stop," Deathstroke continued, "cried for help, but you didn't hear her, did you?"

"You're lying!" Nightwing snapped but Deathstroke just laughed.

"No, but she sure did. Broke quite a few bones as punishment. You should have heard the snap of her wrist-"

Nightwing tossed a small explosive up, hearing Deathstroke grunt in pain and stumble back. Nightwing jumped up and landed a blow to his windpipe and a kick to his chest, pushing him back. But the damage was done. Deathstroke just kept grinning, even when Nightwing pinned him against the opposite wall.

"Tell her I miss her," he said, then pressing the hilt of his sword, sending a wave of electricity through the blade and to Nightwing.

Nightwing grunted and stepped back. When he looked, Deathstroke was already gone.