Vigilante Struggles

Chapter 19

14:00
Gatie Beach, Gotham

"Dick?"...a sigh..."Dick!"
Grayson jumps in surprise earning him a confused glance from Barbara. Richard Grayson A.K.A. the Nightwing, was not an easy person to catch off guard.
"We.." Lorna pointed between Jacob and herself " are going in the water do..you...want..tooooo....comeee" she drawls out her words as if she was talking to someone who couldn't speak any English. Dick let's out a sigh, before smiling brightly.
"Nah...I'll stay here on the nice warm sand, keep Barbara some company"
Lorna gives him a questioning look, though she doesn't pry. She nods her head at Jacob and they retreat down to the water.

Barbara could read that something was wrong with Dick. She could see the tension in his body as he shifts around trying to get comfortable. She doesn't bother to hide the fact she's staring at him, because she doesn't need to. He's oblivious of her, totally concentrated on something else. She can see his eyes darting, observing the area, even glancing behind him every once in a while. Most importantly, however, is that Barbara noticed the hard glare and concentration on the two people in the water. Barbara had every right to see this behaviour as strange, possibly even interpreting it as jealousy, not well placed concern.

"Alright Grayson, I'll bite, what's wrong with you...and don't even try say nothing's wrong"
There was silence for a bit. Now Barbara knew it was something more than jealousy. He would have just out right said it or awkwardly brush it off.

"Someone is watching us... I  have confirmed two men, but they're good, hid before Lorna could spot them as she turned"

The fact he answered her honestly was both unsurprising and surprising. Barbara had noticed how Dick would insist on doing things solo, unless he knew he was in over his head. Barbara was sure that Dick would have been more secretive, considering how he was left 'out of the loop' a few months ago. She had to admire his maturity. Perhaps she couldn't be mad for his sudden departure a couple years back, when he left the mantle of Robin, or rather stripped of it...not that she knew.

"Well....do you think we should leave, play it safe?" She asks. Both choices of staying or leaving had consequences. Leaving could be as bad as an idea as staying.

"I think we should ignore them visibly, but stay cautious. If they were going to act, they would have by now. They are here as a message, I'd say." Dick says, his gaze secure on the two figures messing in the waist-height water.

Barbara soon becomes restless from the unusual silence that followed their brief conversation. She wanted..no needed to know the fixation on Jacob and Lorna.
"Why do you watch them so intensely. You would easily notice an attack because of the open space...I mean...you said it yourself. Those guys, they're a message."

Dick sighs. Was he about to tell the fiery redhead that he didn't trust her newest love interest. He didn't want to think it himself, the idea that this stranger could possibly know the Bat secret was giving him a headache. Then again, Bruce had taught him that taking the easy way out didn't mean it was the 'easy way'. More times than none, things turned out worse.....but he isn't Bruce and this isn't a life-threatening situation soooo....lying it is.

"Ahh....it's nothing, just thinking about things." " Nice one Grayson, you actually sound pretty convincing" He looks at her a gives her a reassuring Grayson smile.
"Yeah" she sighs " I understand, completely"

The silence picks up again. A mistake Grayson hadn't realised he made. By allowing it, Dick provided Barbara time to think and question. In those short minutes Barbara questioned how Dick phrased his worries. Ignore but be cautious? However, Dick had his back to the dense coverage of marram grass, with a vantage point that clearly favoured the enemy. Plus they were the ' only' ones there, yet Grayson locks his attention onto the water and the two individuals there?