Talk That Talk

Nightwing stared at the phone and dialed a number before deleting it. He sighed before doing it again. And again. And again.

He threw up his hands. "Ugh!" Why was this so hard?! He only had to dial ten numbers then press talk. How hard was that?

He knew why. Because he didn't want to place the call.

He sighed before typing in the ten digits and punched send. The line rang and he almost pushed end but a woman picked up. "Hello?"

Nightwing cleared his throat. "Selina?"

Selina Kyle (Catwoman) was obviously surprised. "Nightwing? You're calling me on the phone?"

"We must talk." Nightwing swallowed.

"Humph. So which one are you? You can't be Tim because he's too young and he's still Robin. So are you Jason Todd or Dick Grayson?"

"Why would I tell you that?"

"I could guess." She said flippantly. "Let's see. You've been going by Nightwing for two years and you've been in California for six. That means you've got to be older than eighteen."

"How do you know all that?"

"I've kept up with you. I always felt you needed a mother figure." She purred.

"That's the hormones talking. I had a mother."

"You don't want me for a mommy?" There was a pout to her voice.

Nightwing looked at the phone. "I wanted to talk to you about your baby."

"He's going to be your little brother. But you already have two. Don't you, Dick?"

Nightwing growled. "Look, this isn't what I want to do anyway-"

"What exactly are you doing?"

He blew out a breath. "I'm trying to ask you to give him a chance."

It was quiet for a while. "Why? Why should I give him a chance?"

"He says he's changed."

"You don't believe him." It wasn't a question.

"It's not up to me to believe him."

"If you can't stand to be around him, why should I? I've done some bad things in my life but I'm still a good person and I want to give those traits to my son. What traits will Batman give my baby?"

"He's hardworking. Smart. Innovative. Creative. Strong. Independent. Self reliant to a fault. Proud. He would never let anything hurt you."

"He hurt me."

"I'm sure he's sorry for that." That slipped out of Nightwing's mouth and it caught both of them by surprise.

"You really think so?" Selina sniffled.

"You love him." That wasn't a question either.

"I tried not to but he has a way of making you give all of yourself to him."

"All while making you feel you have none of him?"

"It's so hard being his girlfriend but he seemed so much more open as Bruce. He told me things that I cherished. But they were all lies."

Nightwing licked his lips. "It might not have been. He's a really complicated person and he's not all bad. He probably told you everything about that part of his life. I think he trusts you."

She sniffled again. "You really think so?"

"I do. Women have tempted him a lot over the years but only you have gotten under his skin. He used to agonize over your encounters and stare at your photos. He even brightened when your name was brought up. I think he approached you as Bruce because he couldn't live without you."

Selina started bawling.

Nightwing jumped. "Please don't cry! I don't mean that in a stalkerish way!"

"No. It was beautiful. You have a bit of a poet in you."

He grimaced. "I doubt that."

"I don't. You know him the best. You'll know if he's really changed. If you can give him a chance, so can I."

"Me?" Nightwing frowned.

"You're giving him a second chance, aren't you?"

Nightwing closed his eyes and blew out a breath like he was going into a yoga pose. He cleared his mind and the answer came to him. He opened his eyes. "Yes."

Selina sniffed. "Will you be back here to visit?"

"No. No, no, no."

"How can you give him a chance if you don't see him? I'd like to have a family dinner. Just me, him, you, Tim, your lovely fiancée and your son I've heard so much about but have never seen. Maybe Jason if anyone knows where he is."

Nightwing's head spun. "Whoa. I'm not sure."

"I am. C'mon, Dick. You know I'll win. I'm pregnant. Are you really going to deny me?"

He sighed. "No." Pregnant women always got to him.

"Good." She said brightly. "I'll expect you by the end of the month."

He glared at the computer before him. "So you're not going to tell he's who he is?"

"No. Even if I were still mad at him, I wouldn't tell."

"You're nicer than I am."

"Well, you know..."

"You know he's probably listening in."

"I'd expect nothing less."

"Goodbye, Selina."

"Goodbye, Dick."

"Nightwing."

She giggled. "Okay."

He rolled his eyes and hung up. Now he was going to have to tell Starfire and Christopher they were going to Gotham. Great.