Innocent (A Treacherous Novel)

18

Gotham City, New Jersey

February 25, 2007

Dick and Ashley were strolling through Gotham Centennial, happily eating their ice cream together while strolling through the park. "So I told Roy to pick his pants up off the floor and the girl he was with looked so embarrassed and was yelling about his little sister catching them" Ashley laughed as she recounted walking in on Roy with his first girlfriend as he tried to go all the way. "He kept talking about how embarrassing it is to have me walk in on them after she left and how, and I quote, little sisters shouldn't be nosey" Ashley shrugged. "I had to remind him that in order to be his sister he would've had to come from either Mom or Dad, and there would've been no way in hell that could happen because when I was born they were already like sixteen" She smiled before looking down at her stomach. "Guess I followed in their footsteps" She sighed.

"Could be worse" Dick said. "You could've had the baby with Roy" He emphasized.

"As much as I love Roy, he's a hard pass for me" Ashley shrugged. "I never even envisioned Wally, but I guess these things happen for a reason" Ashley said pursing her lips and touched her stomach without thinking.

"Who would you have wanted to have a baby with, anyway?" Dick asked, looking genuinely perplexed. Ashley looked panicked for a moment as she thought of her answer.

"I dunno" She said. "Wally is definitely one of my best friends, Roy is basically my brother from another mother so having a kid with him would just be fucking weird, and having a baby with Garth is a hard pass with how obsessed he is with Donna" She said, running through her options before remembering the only other male in her life that could be a candidate for a metaphorical child after the one she was having would be Dick. "I mean, you'd probably be a good dad but" Ashley shrugged. "I don't really talk to many people anyway so it never really occurred to me, I guess" Ashley said. She was lying through her teeth though because for the last few weeks all she could think about since returning home was how much she wished Dick was the father of her child.

"I'll take it as a compliment" Dick said, throwing his empty cup away.

"Well, it's been a while since I've seen you" A voice said from behind the pair.

"Oh my god!" Ashley said, looking obviously startled. "Jade?" Ashley questioned and narrowed her eyes as she stared in disbelief.

"So you do remember the park delinquent after all" She smiled before looking over to Dick. "I'm surprised your brother isn't chasing after you" She commented.

"Who-" Ashley began before realization hit her. "Ah yeah, he's a bit much on a good day. Gotta love him though" Ashley smiled softly.

"So then you must be the boyfriend" Jade said turning to face Dick, and Ashley almost choked on the ice cream she had just taken the last bite of. Jade gave her a curious look and Ashley threw away her trash to play it off. Dick looked toward Ashley and their eyes met and Jade smirked. "How cute, obviously like each other and you can't even take the next step. And here I was thinking you were one of the ballsy ones" Jade commented, having deduced that they weren't together by Ashley's reaction.

"Your an ass" Ashley said and shook her head.

"I'm a bitch, get it right" Jade said, walking off.

"That was-" Dick began when she was out of earshot.

"Interesting? Yeah, she's definitely interesting" Ashley shrugged.

"How do you two-" Dick began to ask.

"I hid in this very park to get some quiet time a few years ago and then I met Jade" Ashley said and shrugged. "We should probably get back, I'd rather be safe than sorry at this point" Ashley said.