Nightwing: Heartache

Part 29: Romance

October 16th, 5:00am
Los Angeles

When Willa rushed out of her room Monday morning, Dick was just closing her front door. They both stopped and looked at each other before Willa laughed. "So we're both running late?" She asked.

"Don't tell Batman."

Willa laughed again then hurried to her kitchen, grabbing a banana and her protein green smoothie out of her fridge. She had her tote bag on her shoulder, her hair thrown up with a clip and a brush in her bag so the hair stylist didn't completely hate her. Now she just needed to find her sweatshirt.

"I thought you had to leave by 5," Dick called from the living room.

"I do," she called back. She had taken her sweatshirt off last night in the kitchen, but where?

"I thought you had an assistant."

"I did," she finally found her black sweatshirt on the seat of a chair and stuffed it in her bag, "but when all this started happening," she meant the extra security because of her ex-boyfriend's double life, "I got her a job at a studio." She checked her phone. Shit. 5:10. She ran back out to her living room, towards the front door. Dick jumped up to open the door for her.

She was almost out the door when she screeched to a halt, realization hitting her like a wall. She turned back to look at Dick. "No. Nope. You can't be here today."

"What?" He took a step back, giving her some space. He had been about to close the door behind him when she stopped suddenly, so suddenly Dick almost walked into her. If he didn't have those reflexes, she thought, he would have run into her.

"You can't go to set with me," she said firmly, "call someone else."

"Willa-"

"I promise you will thank me later." She could practically feel the seconds ticking by, but she kept picturing Dick on set with her today and the embarrassment was almost too much. "Another day, but not this one."

Dick ran a hand through his hair, "everyone is busy. I could get Artemis here at lunch-"

Willa groaned and turned around, hurrying to the waiting car.

Dick shut the door after he climbed in. "What's the big deal?"

She crossed her arms, "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"You haven't actually talked about anything. I thought we were friends again."

"We are."

"Then what's the big deal?"

Willa caught her driver's eye. He looked like he was trying not to smile. At least he was having a good time. She could feel Dick watching her, understably puzzled, but she didn't volunteer any more information. If he wouldn't take her word that he shouldn't be her security today, then so be it. He would regret it later.

"You know," Dick started a few minutes later, breaking the silence, "if you weren't doing movies, I think Bruce would hire you for PR." His eyes shone with amusement.

Willa tried but couldn't fight her smile. She was proud of her little publicity stunt, she couldn't deny that. Especially when the superheroes weren't sure a throwaway comment could actually hurt Lex Luthor, but they hadn't been in the public eye like Willa. They didn't see and experience the highs and lows of public opinion. They didn't know how to manipulate it. The abysmal Justice League press attention right now was proof enough of that. Their first thoughts were always of battle strategy, hacking, spying, and forgot how a prominent businessman and politician like Lex Luthor depended on good PR.  She shrugged, "call it my superpower."