Titans - Rising Robin & Invasion! Crossover Fanfic (Flash x Arrow x LoT)

Chapter XXVIII: Destiny

Richard stood outside of the apartment & stared at the front door. His palms were sweaty & his fingers were slightly trembling. He knew he needed to get a grip on his anxiety, but there were moments when he just couldn't calm himself. He only knew of one person that ever calmed his nerves, but he wasn't sure if he should see her. After all that had happened, it probably wasn't the best time to talk to her. Richard sighed, glancing down both ends of the hall. He could leave before anyone knew he stopped by Barbara's home.

Richard was about to turn from the front door to leave when he heard the door crack open. Richard glanced back to find Barbara peeking from around the edge of the door. "Dick?" she said softly. "What...what are you doing here?"

Richard bit his lip. "I...was in the neighborhood."

Barbara arched her eyebrow at Richard. "Dick, I heard you pace back & forth outside my door for, like, fifteen minutes now," she said. "Is everything alright?"

Richard stared down at Barbara, whose large blue eyes gazed up at Richard with a sort of concern, but yet, a sense of hostility as well. Part of Richard knew that Barbara didn't want to see him, but...so much had happened in that week. Richard needed a familiar face. He needed Barbara. "Can I come in?"

Barbara eyed Richard for a moment, then sighed. "Of course," she said. She wheeled herself away from the doorway, allowing Richard to walk inside. "I'm sorry. I should've let you in as soon as I heard you."

Richard shrugged off the remark, then glanced around the apartment as Barbara shut the front door. It had been a long time since he had been in Barbara's apartment. Everything was neat & organized, almost to the point of borderline OCD. Richard was never really bothered by it when they were together. Barbara was always like that; meticulous in certain aspects of her life, & very punctual. She was a smart girl, raised by a good man, & she never stooped below pure efficiency. She was the best in school. She even offered to tutor Richard when she first met him. Her intelligence was something that made Barbara stand out to him.

Richard reached for a framed photograph hanging on her wall near the living room. It was a photograph of her father & her mother on their wedding day. Richard could help but think back to his short-lived marriage with Barbara in the alternate reality. "I like this picture," he said.

Barbara rolled beside Richard & glanced at him, then up at the photograph. "Yeah, my dad wanted me to keep something to remember her by. I decided to take the one photo that would let me remember them both." Barbara sighed. "After what happened to me, I realized that he's being put in the same risk every night, stopping crime in Gotham. The only difference is he's got the boys in blue behind his back."

Richard nodded, agreeing with what she was saying. The both of them knew the dangers of doing what they do first hand. It was just as Harper had told Richard. They may not get out of the game alive.

Barbara sighed with a smile, continuing to photograph. "That photo isn't just a reminder, though. It's...also a goal for me."

Richard laughed softly. "A goal?" he said. "What, for you on YOUR wedding day?"

Barbara eyed Richard for a moment, shrugging. "Is that so crazy?" she said. "I mean...it'd suck to not walk down the aisle, but, hell, I'd get to roll down to the altar looking fine as hell." Richard bursted out into a stifled laugh. Barbara scoffed at this outburst, then crossed her arms over her chest. "What's so funny about that, Grayson?"

Richard shook his head, finally calming down. "I'm sorry, that came off more rude than I meant." Richard let out a deep breath, laughing softly for a moment, then turned to Barbara. "It's just that...your dad's mustache is NOT goals."