Ode to Nightwing

Chapter 13: The Talk With Dick

        "Nightglider?" Bruce tests the word before shaking his head. "It sounds to tacky."

        I just stare at him for a couple of seconds, in awe. "Really? Nightglider sounds tacky but Nightwing doesn't?" I sigh and rack through my mind, trying to come up with a better name. 

        "I had no decision in the creation of that name."

        "You would've rather had him still be called Robin, wouldn't you?" 

        "In my opinion, yes. Now, we need to come up with another name for you so that everyone doesn't laugh at you when they hear it." Bruce flashed a little smile at his little joke and I didn't care even a wee little bit. 

        "Fine, then how about I go as Batgirl until we figure a name out for me, and then we'll change it up," I say, spinning in the chair until I stopped, "sound good?" I question and he thinks it over, his eyes going up to the computer monitor to view the case file again. "Or I could just take Dick's spot and he can become Batgirl." I suggested and mentally congratulated myself as I saw Bruce smile again. "Just an option."

        "I don't know if Dick would go for the second one." 

        "Awe, come on B-Man, don't you think Dick would look fantastic in a skin tight suit- never mind, he already wears one of those." I sigh and get up from the chair. "I should probably head up and check if Dick is awake. Have to give him the good news that he is the new Batgirl and all." Bruce chuckles and I wave, walking over to the staircase to get into the manor. 

A Few Minutes Later

        

        "No." Dick states, not even listening to the full conversation I had come up with in my head on my way up into the manor. We were still in the living room, but he was awake and pacing around instead of sleeping. 

        "You didn't even let me finish." I try to state my case and the good reasoning of me joining the little fighting crew. 

        "I don't have to. I have told you repeatedly that you are not to get involved into this whole thing." Dick rubbed his head as he sat down beside me. "You know that I care for you, so you know why I won't let you fight alongside us."

        I pout at him, running my fingers through my hair. "Then why can't I say that towards you? I care for you, and I don't want you out there risking your life every single night... and/or day. Depending. But that's not the point." 

        "What's going on?" Tim came downstairs then, entering the living room. 

        "Can you please explain to Callie why I am not letting her join the group?"

        "Tim, can you please explain to Dick that I am more than capable of handling myself on the field?" I mumble, trying to get another person's support besides everyone else in the house. I shake my head at the thought of having to gain his permission to try to save the city. 

        "You are a good fighter." Tim complimented, "And you have the brains."

        Dick sighed, rubbing his head again, he began to pace around before sitting in the chair opposite me. "Tim, you're supposed to be on my side."

        "I can't help if it's true. Why don't you want her by your side out fighting the bad guys? You and Barbara did it all the time before... yeah."

        "Barbara?" I whisper, thinking about the Commissioner's daughter, who had been shot in the back by the Joker and was now paralyzed from her waist down.  "What do you mean?" 

        Tim and Dick look over at me, before each other. Dick looked like he wanted to smack Tim. "Nice going, Tim."

        "What are you guys talking about? What does Barbara Gordon have to do with any of this?"

        "She was Batgirl. Until the incident." Tim explains as Dick sits down on the couch, hands over his ears. "Dick doesn't like to think about it since he believes it is his fault and that he could've stopped it some how."

        "So, he doesn't want the same to happen to me...." I mumble, gaining enough information. I turn my sights onto Dick, who even had his eyes closed. I grab the pillow behind me and hurl it at him, taking the small amount of time that he would have to react to it to roll backwards off the couch and hide behind it. 

        "What the h- Callie, where did you go?" I could hear Dick beginning to walk around, looking for me, but I crept along the ground, stuck close to the back of the couch. "We still need to talk about this." 

        "I don't think that she wants to talk dude. I think she just declared war on you." Tim suggests and I almost laugh. Almost.

        "I'm just trying to keep her safe."

        "Dick, listen. You know how well she fights. You know how strategic and resourceful she is. You taught her some of it. Why aren't you relying on what you taught her to know she'll kick butt out there?"

        "You don't get it." Dick whispers. 

        "I do. You probably don't think I know the first thing about seeing someone I love hurt. But I do."

        "Why are you taking her side? Shouldn't you be against her going out there also? You said she was like a sister to you."

        "And you're like a brother, but you don't see me telling you you can't go out there and protect this city. That's your decision. I cant make that for you."

        I sigh from the ground and kneel, peeking over the top of the couch. "Look, guys-" Before I can say anything else, a pillow smacks me in the face, making me fall back down. I'm stunned for a minute before removing the pillow from my face and sitting up, Dick leaning over the top to peer down at me. "I was gonna apologize and everything, but you just called for war." I smack him in the face with the pillow before dashing off, picking up pillows along my way. "Tim is on my team!"