Dark Nights In Gotham City (Book 1)

Chapter 25: Life without Barbara.

I have to be strong specially for Tim... He's really depressed and I want to make him feel better.

I decide to call Dick....

Together we make a plan and go into Tim's room. We open the door slowly, fortunately, Tim is facing the other way so he doesn't see us coming.

Once we reach him, Dick grabs Tim and I start to make him laugh by tickling him.

To our surprise it worked!

Tim starts laughing.

"You guys are the best! I thank you guys" The three of us hug, with Tim is in the middle.

After that I help Alfred make lunch and clean the house.

"Miss Victoria, you do not have to help me"

"A little help doesn't hurt Alfred"

Alfred just gives me a half smile.

DICK'S P.O.V

I walk down the stairs looking for Victoria.

"Alfred"

"Yes master Grayson?"

"Have you seen Victoria?"

"She is in the laundry sir"

"Thank you Alfred"

I go to the laundry. Before going in I check if she is there. I look inside and see her, she is helping Alfred with the laundry. She might be fifteen but she looks older, in a good way.... I guess that's what happens when you join the Bat.

Bruce calls me... He wants to see me in the bat-cave so I go there to meet him.

"What's wrong Bruce?"

"We're going on a mission"

"What about Tim and Victoria?"

"There are not coming"

"Why?"

"We don't have time for this"

"Bruce they are not little kids anymore, they can handle things. Victoria is not the same nine year old girl you rescued, you have to understand that"

"Are you done?"

"If they are not coming I'm not coming either"

"Fine"

He turns on the Bat-mobile and leaves.

It's hard to admit but Tim and Victoria are not little kids anymore. They have been through a lot and they are strong.

I decide to call them.

"Hey guys, were on patrol, let's go"

"I'll see you there" Victoria tells me.

"Let's go Tim"

We both get on my motorcycle and follow the Bat-mobile.

We stop at an old factory that has being closed for years..... I wonder what villain is here....

We go in slowly.

"Glad you joined" I hear Batman's voice. "Where is Midnight?"

"She will join us shortly"

"Take your positions"

We each take a different place, I know Victoria is somewhere watching and making a plan....

Suddenly I hear footsteps.....it's show time.

Each of us goes out and attack but....

Woah....they are a lot of men. I'm not sure we can take them all......

These are the times when I wish Barbara was here with us. I get a punch in my jaw and then on my stomach. Ouch! That hurts! I fall on my knees and my vision gets blurry.....

TIM'S P.O.V

I see that Dick is lying on the floor. It's just Batman and me. I wish a Barbara was here with us, they are too many men! I fight as hard as I can but I'm getting tired.

Then I see a shadow near the window....

Can that be Batgirl? She normally makes a surprise entrance. I get distracted and I don't notice that a man has his gun pointed at me.

"Robin look out!"

This brings me out to reality, the man shot but Victoria jumps and pushes me against the floor.

"That was close, are you okay?" Victoria asks.

"Yeah I'm fine, thanks"

"No problem, just be careful, go help Nightwing I'll go look for Batman"

I nod and leave to help Dick.

"Nightwing talk to me!"

"I can't move"

I can hardly hear him but I think that's what he said.

"We need to get out of here, come on"

I help him up and we go towards the window.

VICTORIA'S P.O.V

I wonder why Tim was distracted and why Dick was lying on the floor...

"Hey Bats"

"Just in time Midnight, we need to stop them"

"I'll scare them away"

"You? But you're not scary"

"Wanna bet?"

"Prove me wrong"

I throw a batarang at the light switch leaving the room in darkness.... I start moving around the room making the men go nervous. I can feel Batman watching me.

I throw I throw smoke pellets and make my entrance falling on top of a man, I'm wearing my black hood.

"Look it's Midnight!" I hear a man scream. Then I hear footsteps towards the door but I get there on time and stop them...

"Going somewhere?" I ask and throw gas pellets leaving them unconscious.

Then the lights go on again. I take my hood off showing my face....

"Sooooo...." I tell Batman.

"Okay, maybe you are scary but not as scary as me"

"Okay old man"

He gives me a half smile.

"Let's go back to the cave"

I nod and get in the Bat-mobile...

We get to the Bat-cave... Dick is asleep and has several bandages...

"Okay, spill. What happened in the mission?" Says Bruce.

"I got distracted" says Tim.

"Why? What were you thinking of?"

"I saw a shadow and.....I....I...was thinking of Barbara." Tim looks at me with a tear running down his cheek.

"Tim you can't afford to do that, you need to focus...." Tim is distracted "Tim? Tim! What are you staring at!"

"She's bleeding"

"What?" He turns and looks at me....I got blood on my shirt. "Why didn't you say anything, how did you hide it from me?"

"Don't worry Bruce, it's just a scratch, I'll take care of it"

"Was that when you saved me?" Asks Tim.

I don't know how to answer.

He comes close to me and grabs my hand...

"Come on, let me help you"

I take off my costume and sit on the table. Tim gets a little piece of a bullet out...

"I think that's it" he says.

"You know, we should go visit Barbara"

"Bruce won't let us"

It has being two months since Barbara left and the truth us that we need her and we miss her..........