Vulnerable; A Nightwing Fanfiction

Chapter 7

Dahlia sipped her green tea while shyly smiling up at Dick, the feelings of joy still vibrating throughout her body. The two had eventually made their way back up to the main floor and were sitting at the dining room table again. Dick drunk his mug full of coffee while smiling back at her. Dahlia was wearing one of his T-shirts, and he couldn't help but think how incredibly cute she looked in the oversize shirt, much like she had the first night they met.

"I did have intentions of going to the training room to punch things to help me think I swear, but I just couldn't hold back anymore," Dick said, addressing their time spent down there.

"Oh I was honestly starting to think you weren't into me...like that," Dahlia confessed, figuring that she had nothing to lose now.

"Absolutely not, trust me. I just wanted to keep things...professional. But I just felt too strongly drawn to you, and I caved. Unfortunately on the floor of the gym."

"Oh not unfortunately, it is much more exciting than on a bed," Dahlia replied while blushing. It had been a really good time.  

"Well my mind is definitely clear now," Dick finished. He wanted this moment to last a bit longer, but the gnawing mystery of powers and magical pills was also occupying his mind. After watching Dahlia take her final sips of tea, Dick changed the mood back to a serious one.

"Let's head down to the computer room, we have a lot of research to do, and I think I have an idea of where to start," Dick said as he whisked away the two mugs to the sink, and the two made their way down to the computer room once again. Dick immediately pulled up his chair to the computer and started typing away, while Dahlia decided to stand and watch him work.

"What hospital were you at?" Dick's voice finally cut the silence.

"Hope for Bludhaven Behavioral Hospital," Dahlia replied quietly, still a bit embarrassed about the whole situation. Dick then proceeded to bring up CCTV footage of the hospital on the night that she was admitted. He sped the video up as the two watched the video for a few minutes, not really much happening but the occasional bird flying by or person walking on the street. Dahlia watched stone-faced, not really expecting much, until she felt her body flush and her face turned red as an ambulance pulled up to the back door they were watching. Out of the ambulance the paramedics rolled out a petite young woman strapped down to a gurney. Dahlia felt her blood pressure rise as she realized that she was watching herself living the nightmare that took place. She continued to watch them roll her into the hospital while a nurse held the doors open and they disappeared inside. She was not only triggered by seeing a sliver of that night play out in front of her, but also appalled that her new romantic interest just watched her in such a state.

Dick realized her discomfort and paused the video for a moment before saying, "Sorry I know that must have been hard to watch, I'm hoping to find clues about where those pills might have come from. Are you ok to continue?" At the sound of these comforting words Dahlia took in a deep breath and tried to steady her heart beat. She closed her eyes for a second and as she started to feel her anxiety subside she nodded for him to continue, curious as to what they might find. Dick nodded back and started the video again. He played it on a sped up setting and the two watched the birds and people walking by for a few more minutes. The sun was starting to set in the video as the two watched, eyes glued to the screen. Just as the night sky was emerging on screen a black van suddenly backed up to the backdoor entrance of the hospital.

Dick quickly changed the video to play at normal speed. Two men exited from the front of the van and proceeded to make their way towards the rear of the van. They opened the back doors to the van and started unloading boxes out of it. A nurse had come to let them in and held the door open for them as they brought the boxes into the hospital. As one of the men started heading back towards the van, Dick noticed that the man was wearing a white collared shirt with blue words and an emblem on the front, almost like a uniform. He paused the video and zoomed in on the words embroidered on the man's shirt. Dahlia leaned in closer to the screen to see what it spelled, and she spoke the words out loud.