Night Rider

34: If You Ever Need Me

Time Since Discovery: 1 Year, 2 weeks, and three days

Skill Set:
~ See Previous Entry~

Additional Notes:
- Broken ribs and other injuries seem to have no affect upon her desire to ride. Proper supervision is advised during healing periods

Status: Active

Codename: Nightrider

...

"You're looking better," Red Hood commented. "Surprised you're out though."

I nearly fell out of my saddle. Tuffy shifted to keep me on.
"Good horse," I muttered and turned my head to the figure leaning against the brick of the alleyway. "My friends went home weeks ago and, well, you know, easier to let me tag along and do nothing..."

"Than get into more trouble?"

I grinned at him. "Precisely."

...
We found ourselves staking out a warehouse Red Hood suspected of drug dealers. It wasn't an exciting stakeout, nothing Bats would blow a gasket over my joining in on- or Robin would give the silent treatment for- and so we found ourselves talking.

"The only reason we left the d*** horse with you was because she kept getting inside somehow," Jason pointed out.

Yeah... maybe training the horses how to open doors and get into buildings wasn't the best use of a Saturday morning, but hey, no complaint on my end. "Oh come now, I'm pretty sure she's what woke me up. If anything it's good that she was inside-"

Red Hood's head cocked to one side sharply. "So you were aware of that."

"Uh," and I remembered, a little foggily, what I had said upon finding Tuffy and Jason in my room. "Yeah?"

He grinned at me and I didn't like his tone. "So I do smell nice?"

"... I was still pretty out of it," I hedged.

"I think you were pretty conscious if you remember saying it."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine, yes, I thought you did at the time. Can we change the subject?" Preferably before my cheeks went as red as his helmet?

The only response I got to that was a laugh and the feeling that this conversation wasn't over, but at least it wasn't going to continue right this moment. We changed topics.

My friend wanted to know what I planned on doing now that Cadmus was mostly done screwing with my life.

"I guess I'll go back to school," I shrugged. "At this point I think the boss man would pay for it, if it meant I agreed to stay out of this mess. But I don't know..."

He handed his scope to me wordlessly and I peered at our target but saw nothing. I counted my breaths to make sure I looked long enough, but only felt the familiar ache of my still healing ribs. Nothing going on, just a lazy night for crime.

"You should. Get out and go back, I mean." Jason said. "No one should live this life."

I handed him back his scope. He'd be the one to know, and I knew it, but there was something else too. My masked gaze found his.
"There was so much more information on those drives we stole, so many people still where I was... Cadmus is out there, Jay. If I can change the world, I want to. And to be honest with you," I smiled softly, "I don't think going back was ever really an option, was it? Not after everything that happened... but I think that's okay."

"You're going to hunt the rest of Cadmus down then," he concluded.

I nodded. "But this time, I'm not alone."

Jason gave a faint grin at my tone. "Can't stay out of trouble. If you ever need me," he said softly and my faint smile turned warm.

"I'll know just where to find you- and send word by fruit basket."

He laughed, and we watched the night together, watched until dawn chased the shadows from the city and home called us to rest.