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Chapter 4

"No one is here, there's nothing left for you to do," Dick stated simply, standing with his back almost against the floor to ceiling panel of glass that had once been used to admire the view but was now just a window into a disaster. Fever cursed as he tried to get the ropes from his ankles, his super heated hands only melting the fibres together and making it worse, Dick's head snapped sideward to look at him, one of Batman's old batarangs leaving his hand and knocking the thug unconscious. Shade was still unconscious in the middle of the room.
"WHY ISN'T HE HERE YET?!" She cried, "PEOPLE ARE DEAD FOR CHRIST SAKE!" Her face twitched and Dick watched the anger boil behind her eyes. "You!" She glared at him, "this is YOUR fault, he knows you're here, doesn't he?! That's why he hasn't come!" Realisation crossed her features, "but you let people die, you're a useless hero, you're supposed to be his prodigy," she began walking towards him, a cackle growing in her throat as her pace picked up, "but you let people die!" She threw her head back and laughed maniacally, "now, NIGHTWING... Let's see if you can fly.." She grinned menacingly and hurled herself at him, her momentum sending him backward into the window. It shattered, sending shards of glass pouring over the pair. Dick's heal caught the panel and he fell, backward into the street from nearly 80 stories up, taking the girl with him. Her hooded cloak billowed up around her as she fell and he saw no fear in her eyes. Bits of glass still clung to the frame like solid droplets of rain before falling themselves, most of it cascading in a hauntingly beautiful manner down the side of the building and surrounding the hero and villain on their descent. Dick couldn't think quick enough, the wind ripped the sound of her insane laughter from her mouth, spreading it into the sky and he flailed as he fell. She looked straight at him, a psychotic grin breaking across her face, then her eyes faded past him and widened. He turned, noticing, finally, the speed at which they approached the ground and his brain snapped into function mode. The small grappling gun he always carried revealed itself in his hand, the girl noticed. He pointed it past her and pressed the trigger, but nothing happened. Dick's panic grew as he turned again, the cars growing uncomfortably quickly in size as the pair fell. "Goddammit you piece of shit, work!" He pulled the trigger again. Nothing. "Work!" Again, nothing. "FUCK!" He beat the side with his palm and the rope flew out of the gun. The antagonising wait for the hook to catch could have killed him before he reached the ground, seconds past and still nothing until finally it snagged, on what, he had no idea but suddenly it pulled tight, tearing at his shoulder. There was a sharp click and he groaned in agony but his other arm flew from his side and caught the falling girl. Her body slammed into his, sending him flying backwards, leaving the grapple and what felt like his arm behind as they crashed into the pavement. They'd been feet away from hitting it when the hook finally caught. Dick stood slowly, trying to get his bearings but before he could focus he felt something collide with his face. He whined and stepped backward, blinking to bring her into view in front of him, another knife in her hand. Where does she keep all these blades? He thought. "I'll ask you one last time, where is Batman?"
Dick looked around him at more squealing police cars and paramedics rushing over, "checkmate sweetheart, you're caught," he grinned spitefully
She glowered at him before her eyes brightened with an idea and she tore two guns from behind her. On impulse, she opened fire, hitting cars and some people and disappeared in the pandemonium of the aftermath. "Goddammit," Dick cursed. He looked around for Bruce or anyone but they were no where to be found. He brushed past people, clutching his shoulder, which ached beneath his suit. His tux was in a bag in the bathroom, but he'd worry about that later, right now he needed something to eat.. And some sleep.

In the fire escape stairs, Diana had stopped, sitting down to sob while the last few people they'd assisted disappeared around the corner. "how much further, till we reach the bottom?" Damian asked in a whisper, eying the weeping woman over his shoulder, he didn't know how to act. Tim shrugged, "I'm not sure Damian.." The boys leant against the wall while Bruce sat beside Di, rubbing his hand across her back, "Di, we have to get you down, to bed.." He started
"Who are they?" She turned to face him, her eyes red. Even WonderWoman cries sometimes. "I don't know Di, I really don't,"
"They wanted Batman,"
"I heard.." His heart sank, "boys, you can keep going, wait for me down there.. Tim watch Damian for me,"
"I don't need an escort, Bruce," Damian scowled, tearing himself away from Tim and down the stairs. Bruce frowned, this is exactly why he didn't try.. "Where is Dick?" Diana sniffed
"Still up there I guess, he's trying, I don't think he was expecting that.. It seems like something someone more aware or experienced would do.."
"Their leader, the hooded girl, she looked so young.."
"Harley Quinn was young too..." Bruce trailed off, "maybe they're all Joker related.. Sick enough,"
"I can't believe it, it happened right in front of me and I didn't do a single thing and what hurts me most is I could have.."
"No you couldn't of, just like I couldn't of and like Tim couldn't of.. It would've ended far worse if Dick wasn't there.."
"You're right, you're right," Di wiped her nose on her sleeve
"Let's get you up," Bruce suggested, the two of them returning to their descent to ground floor, "Di..?"
"Mm?" She replied, with a hiccup
"Why did you throw the party here, in Gotham, I warned you, I said this place is full of crazy, harmful people, but you didn't listen?"
"If I didn't have it here, the boys... You, would never have made it." Bruce swallowed, she wasn't wrong. The rest of the walk down was in silence, beside Diana's occasional sobs that she attempted, in futility, to hide. Bruce heard them all and his heart broke a little with every one.

Dick stayed in the shadows, cautious to avoid drawing attention to himself on his walk back to his apartment in the city. It was longer than he anticipated and despite it being April the air was still cold at night. He'd lost track of himself, the images of death replaying themselves in his head the entire journey. His apartment building was quiet, which was unusual for a weekend, so he kept his wits about him, entering through the fire escape. The door squeaked as he opened it, his apartment dark, his unmade bed visible in the corner of the loft style room. The time on his alarm clock glowed 1:23 and he peeled his suit off pulling on an old band tee and grey sweats. Habitually, he checked the fridge, empty bar two beers and a mouldy sandwich as usual. Dick shoved his wallet in his pocket, reconsidered going commando in public and eventually he left for the 24 hour mart on his street corner.

As he walked a dull ache took over his body. He lost interest in the city lights and the late night Gotham traffic and instead had to focus on walking, one foot in front of the other. The pavement blurred and he shook his head to rid it from the spinning but that only made it worse and he had to stop and hold his head. Eventually he felt okay to start again, and, walking through the dim lit Gotham street, he collapsed. His body crumpled in a heap, in front of an alleyway where a blue bin was spewing rubbish into the street. A blonde woman getting out of a taxi across the street tripped on the curb in a rush to get to Dick. No other cars stopped and people strolled past him pretending not to notice. A car nearly hit the woman as she skittered across the road, touching the bonnet and apologising continuously until she reached the pavement. "Sir?" She asked, her heels clicking over to him, "sir?" She crouched next to him, touching his shoulder. A man brushed past her, bumping her in the back with a briefcase. She put her arms out to steady herself and retrieved her phone after scrounging through her bag. Cars continued to drift past and for the second time that evening the rain came down. The woman dialled 911 while taking cover beneath her handbag, it didn't take long for the ambulance to arrive. Dick was in a thermal blanket and oxygen mask within minutes of their arrival. The Good Samaritan standing back helplessly as the paramedics did their work. "Do you know this man?" One of them asked
She shook her head, "no I found him like this, I saw him collapse when my taxi pulled up," she peered into the back of the ambulance, fronds of her once neat blonde hair falling out around her face. "Well thank you for calling ma'am, not many people would've done so," he remarked, closing the van doors.
"No, no, just.." She paused, digging through her bag again, "here is my business card, I'd like to know how he progresses?" She offers the paramedic a smile. He takes the card, returning the gesture before getting in behind the wheel, "thanks again ma'am, I'll be sure to have someone contact you," he said, closing the door and driving off. The woman watched the ambulance disappear into the dark as she answered her phone, only making her way back to her own apartment once the vehicle was out of site.