Nightwing

Prologue...

DICK POV

I pack my bags with all the things I need, I put my last shirt on the top then take hold of the framed picture I have of Barbara and I when we were at senior prom.

I remove the picture from the frame and hide it in the small pocket of my suitcase.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

I turn to look at the door and I see Alfred with a briefcase in his hand.

"Hey Alfred..." I greet him.

"Hello master Dick..." He replies.

We stand awkwardly in front of each other, I should be recording this. This is the first time and probably the last time I'll see Alfred looking awkward.

"What's that?" I point at the briefcase.

"A parting gift master Dick..." Alfred walks towards me and places the case gently onto my bed.

"I'm going to miss you Alfred..." I tell him with complete honesty.

"As do I master Dick..."

I hug Alfred... He's been there for me the moment I got here, when Bruce gets rough, girl problems even... Then again a man of his age is supposed to have wisdom on life. Alfred returns the gesture.

I pull away,take the briefcase, and smile at Alfred before leaving my room... I leave Wayne manor, as I walk out the front door someone stands in the middle of the pathway to the manor gate... It's Barbara.

I stop at the bottom of the steps of the front porch. We stare at each other for what seems like forever, I then see tears slowly form in her eyes.

"Barbara..." I start.

She quickly turns around and runs away.

I glance at the front door, set my bags down and start running after her. We run into the garden.

Many  years ago...

I chase Barbara though the gardens of Wayne manor.

"Can't catch me Dick!" Barbara laughs.

Why is she so much faster than me? I was an acrobat for crying out loud!

Barbara makes a sharp left, she just ran into a dead end.

Present day...

Barbara runs the same path we took many years ago... She arrives at the dead end, she slowly turns around and looks at me. Tears already flowing down her face.

I slowly and cautiously approach her. Barbara backs away slowly until her back touches the hedge.

We stand close to each other, our faces merely inches apart. I slowly bring my hand up and wipe away a tear. Barbara slowly leans in and we kiss, I hold her face in my hands, her hands on my chest. We then pull away from each other, but she hugs me tight.

"I'm going to miss you..." She says on my chest.

"Me too..." I reply.

"Why leave?"

Two days ago...

"Dammit Bruce you don't get to decide what I'm going to do in my life!" I yell at him.

"I will and I'm going to say that you can't be Robin anymore!" Bruce yells back.

"Give me a good reason why?! Is it cause I got shot in the lung?! Lying on a hospital bed for a week?!"

"I don't want to risk losing anyone else Dick... You showed me what it was like to have a son..."

"You don't have to bring that father personality of yours down here... It stays up there, in the light of day... If you don't want me to be Robin, then I'll be something else-"

"Dick!"

"You're not stopping me... If you don't want me to fight for justice in your turf... I'll fight somewhere else..."

BARBARA POV

I stay in the shadows, watching the argument Bruce and Dick had.

Dick takes off his mask and places it on the keyboard of the batcomputer.

He's leaving...

Present day...

DICK POV

"You know why..." I tell Barbara.

She gives a confused look, nice try Babs.

"Did you really think that I wouldn't catch you eavesdropping in that corner of the batcave, your red hair is pretty hard to miss." I smirk.

Barbara smiles. "I don't want you to go... But if you really want to, I guess I'll have to be on board with it.

My face transitions from calm to shock.

"Just call me alright..." She smiles.

"I promise..." I kiss her again.

Few minutes later...

I walk to the front gate, a car waits for me. The window rolls down, Alfred is driving the car.

"At least allow me to drive you for one last time." Alfred says.

"Thank you Alfred." I smile.

I open the trunk and out my stuff inside. I walk to the passenger seat and open the door. Before I go inside, I turn to kiss Barbara one more time before I go.

"I'll visit..." Barbara tells me.

"So will I." I reply.

Barbara shakes her head. "Wherever you're going... They'll need you, I don't think they can survive one night without Dick Grayson."

"Thank you Babs... For everything."

Barbara simply smiles at me and pushes me into the car.

"I'll see you soon boy wonder..." She says, using my old nickname.

I smile at her. The window closes and Alfred drives off, I keep my eyes on Barbara until she's out of eye view.

"Where to master Dick?" Alfred ask.

I meet Alfred's eyes on the rear view mirror.

"Blüdhaven..."