Title: ...The Shadow Knows!

Author/pseudonym: kirasmommy (kirarose)

Fandom: The Titans (DC comics)

Paring: Nightwing/Arsenal

Rating: PG-13

Status: One of Two

Archive: WWOMB, KB's misc. fanfiction, The Lair, anywhere else ask! I will most likely
say yes.

Disclaimers: Disclaimer: No I don't own them. And No I don't make money off of them.

Notes: This chapter takes place two years after the original two!

Warnings: This series has violence, bad language, slashy tones, and drug making, using, dealing in it.

...The Shadow knows!
By kirasmommy

Nightwing glared at the report in his hand. He was sitting in the informal dining room of the new Titan's headquarters. He read through the report one more time just to be sure that he had read it right. He had been sent the report not more than an hour ago.

He slapped it down on the table with enough force to make the two youngest members of the team jump slightly. Argent and Damage exchanged looks as Nightwing tapped his fingers on the table. The muttered "Damn" carried more weight than if he had yelled it.

(He's getting out that bastard is getting out!) Nightwing thought as his memory turned to that night 2 years ago when he had caught the two men that had ambushed Arsenal and shot him up with heroin.

He had almost killed one of the men, the one that was in charge of shooting Arsenal up. To this day he wasn't sure if he would have done it or not. Afterwards Donna had told him she knew of his "infatuation" with Arsenal. She had asked him what he was planning on doing about it and he answered truthfully. He had pushed the emotion down as far as he could. He threw himself into his relationship with Starfire and almost married her. He was still secretly glad Raven had interrupted the wedding.

Since her return the guilt he felt toward her was his main motivation for not only letting her stay at his apartment for a while but for having the Titans ask her back into the group.

He hadn't wanted to really join himself. Or rather he wanted to but was torn. When Wally West made the bet it felt like a cop out to accept the bet but he did so.

Donna Troy no longer remembered any of the conversation that night two years ago. She was now the product of all of Wally's memories of her and since he wasn't there that night, she herself no longer remembered.

He had been watching Donna and Roy get closer and closer to one another and he was wanting to escape the pain of watching it play out in front of him.

This would be the perfect distraction. A new case if you will.

%

Wally jumped slightly when Nightwing seemed to appear out of nowhere holding a ten-dollar bill. "You win."

The words were soft and held no emotion as he left as silently as he came. He was so stunned at the suddenness of the action that by the time he stood up to look in the hallway the other man was gone. He raced down one hall and then down the other but gave up as he came to stand where he had started.

"This isn't good." He said to the air.

From the shadows Nightwing shrugged at the thought unseen by his friend. As Wally raced to the informal dining room to tell the others Nightwing came out of the shadows and left quietly.
______

"He's GONE?" Starfire exclaimed.

"Did he say anything?" Roy asked.

"He said you win and left." Wally said as he held up the money. "Has anyone talked to him recently?"

"Not really, He's been kinda moody recently. You know how he gets. All quiet." Cyborg said.

"Starfire?" Donna asked.

"I haven't talked to him much, he's started to avoid me again." She pouted.

"Jesse?" Wally asked.

"Why would he talk to me?"

"I don't know you two seemed to have a lot in common." Wally said evasively, (And I kind of thought that maybe you two were getting something going.)

"No I haven't talked to him. I've been rather busy." She said as she flipped through her meeting book.

"Do you think Batman would know?" Donna asked.

"Are you going to ask him?" Wally asked. Batman gave him the heebie jeebies.

"There's got to be a reason for him to leave." Garth said suddenly. "Maybe one of us should go to Bludhaven?"

%

The apartment had seen better days to be sure. It looked like a whirlwind had hit it by the time Roy and Donna got there. Most of Dick's stuff still was there and it looked like there had only been a couple of things taken.

"He left in a hurry." Roy said as he leaned down to pick up some papers off the floor. "He's coming back where ever he's gone...he left most of his stuff here."

Donna rubbed at her arms, "Either that or he has given up..."

"Hey don't say stuff like that. Our fearless leader wouldn't do anything stupid like that!" Roy said as he started going through a bunch of files.

"People get depressed..." Donna started. "And you've heard him he says he isn't the leader."

Roy shrugged, "Hey look at this!"

Under some files they found a picture from when they were kids. It looked like the picture was from about ten years ago when the Titans had gotten together to fight a JL of A, that had been under mind control.

"Roy your picture has been cut out!" Donna held up the picture higher to catch the light.

Speedy had been standing next to Robin in the picture and while the others remained in the picture Speedy had been cut out.

"Why would he cut my picture out? Was he that mad at me?" Roy was confused as he pawed through more files.

Donna shook her head. "I don't get it."

%

From the rooftop across the street Nightwing watched them search his apartment. He frowned as he held the picture in his hands. As he put it away a shadow appeared next to him.

"What?" Nightwing said without looking up.

"How long are you going to sulk there?"

".........."

"They will find you. They may not be detectives but you are leaving a sloppy trail that even a blind man could find."

Nightwing still refused to look up and concentrated on the rustle of the other man's cape. "Why are you here?"

"Wally finally got the nerve to call me."

Nightwing chuckled despite himself. "You scare the hell out of him."

"You are starting to scare the hell out of me." The other man said in all seriousness.

"Don't worry about me...I just have something to finish is all."

"Don't do this." The shadow came closer.

"Don't worry about it." Nightwing stood up as the two across the street left with a picture.

As the other man reached out Nightwing was already moving...flying through the air on his line.

"I worry." Batman said as he turned away and left the rooftop.

%

Dick Grayson stood in line next to the man at the grocery store. His eyes flicked to the other man's purchases. Carefully cataloging the items. Decongestants. Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine.

More than some one with a stuffy nose would need and lots of baking soda.

(Oh my, someone is going to be cheating some customers.) He thought as the other man paid for his purchases.

In his own arms he held a jar of tomato sauce and a bag of pasta. He didn't really want them but he needed something to take to the checkout so he could get close enough to the other man.

Richard S. Waldrop. Recently released from prison. He had played the parole board like a violin and won early release. By his purchases Dick didn't hold much hope that he had went straight. As the man turned away Dick could smell a whiff of chemicals. And as he looked harder at the shirt cuffs of the other man he could see little singe marks. As the man walked out of the building he turned back to the smiling cashier who batted her big blue eyes at him and tried to engage him in conversation. He smiled politely and said thank you as he took his receipt.

As he passed the barrel for food for the homeless refugees of Gotham he dumped the can and pasta into the barrel. He continued to follow far behind the other man.

When he climbed in his car Dick continued to walk. He passed the car with an air of a man who was thinking of other things. Richard S. Waldrop watched him pass by and as soon as Dick was around the corner of the building he promptly forgot him.

Dick on the other hand had not forgotten HIM. He slipped his working clothes on quietly and took to the rooftops.

(He must be paranoid,) Nightwing thought as he jumped to the same building again as Waldrop once again drove down a particular street. (Of course just because you are paranoid don't mean no one is following you.)

It was in the early hours of the morning before the other man finally pulled into an all night storage shed. Nightwing blended into the shadows as he watched the other man.

He watched the nervous man look over his shoulder over and over again as he fumbled with the key in the lock. As the door raised up Nightwing quietly took out his night-vision binoculars and looked inside the shed.

(Well well what do we have here? Sodium Hydroxide, Hydriodic Acid, Hydrogen chloride gas, Freon cans and Red Phosphorous. My my looks like someone is cooking some Crystal Meth to me.) Nightwing thought as he unconsciously backed up from the highly flammable ingredients. (Now someone must be helping you my good man...but who could that be?)

As he watched the other man grabbed the ingredients and put them in the trunk of his car.

Nightwing put the binoculars up and hugged the side of the building as the man with the same first name as his own pulled out and headed toward the road.

Dawn was coming. No rest for the wicked or the weary.

%

Nightwing sat across from Titans tower. (The hologram is perfect it looks just like the old one.)

In reality the Titans home base was below ground, the hologram of the old Titans tower was only to fool any would be attackers. He sat in the park and feed the pidgins. No longer in his working clothes he contented himself with watching for activity while doing a meaningless task. Meaningless to him not the birds which were becoming rather fond of what they were beginning to think of as a feeding machine. He sat quietly tearing the bits of bread methodically while scanning the park and watching the ferry across the island. If Arsenal left he would know about it. If Waldrop showed up he would know about it. As the afternoon wore on he ran out of bread and eventually the pidgins left to find another food source.

(No one's come out. Must be a quiet day.) Dick thought to himself as he stretched to relieve a kink in his shoulder.

As the shadows began to stretch and grow on the ground he found himself wanting to nod off but quickly snapped himself to attention and looked around.

He cursed himself for a fool as he noticed Richard Waldrop standing by a water fountain looking toward the tower. He wasn't doing anything overt. Just watching the Tower and the Ferry much how Dick himself had been watching all day.

Dick lowered his head and watched the other man through lowered lashes. (Make a move I dare you!)

But the other man just quietly lit a cigarette and smoked it as he watched the water and the tower. After finishing it he flicked it on the ground nodded to himself and walked away.

After about ten minutes Dick followed.

(He has to have a partner! He can't be doing this alone and Timmy is still in jail. I could send him back to prison now. I have enough on him but then that would leave an unknown somewhere.) Dick Grayson walked at a slow pace pausing to look at store windows when the other man slowed himself. He used the reflection to watch his prey.

(I'm going to need help on this and Batman has gone back to Gotham.) Dick thought to himself as he began to work out the problem of tracking the dealer and keeping an eye on Arsenal at the same time.

%

"How come he gets a beeper?" Impulse pouted slightly as he and the rest of Young Justice watched Robin on the phone talking on a secure line.

Arrowette shrugged and went back to playing cards with Wonder Girl.

"He's not going to be happy if he finds out I'm following him," Robin said.

"Follow who?" Impulse asked as he popped up beside Robin.

Robin studiously ignored him as he listened to the other end of the phone. "What about the little girl?"

"What little girl?" Impulse asked as he popped up on the other side of Robin. Robin moved the phone to his other ear in order to hear well.

"Can I come to?" Impulse asked popping up on the other side. Robin patiently moved the phone back to his other ear.

"Who are we going to follow?" Impulse asked running to get a drink before popping back on the other side.

Almost calmly Robin raised his hand in the air. Superboy smothered a laugh as he used tactile telekinesis to easily pick up Impulse and carry him back to the table. Robin momentarily placed the phone on his chest and said "Thanks Kid"

Superboy tipped a small salute as he went back to leaning over Arrowette in an effort to not only teach her the game but to also look down her cleavage. Robin rolled his eyes. (If he only knew...)

Superboy as always remained oblivious to Arrowette's smiles directed at Wonder Girl as Wonder Girl drooled over Superboy. Robin shook his head slightly as he turned back to the phone. "Sorry you were saying?"

"uh huh...okay what about the baby-sitter? Fired? Why? Oh I see, I guess I'd fire her too."

Impulse squirmed in his seat as Superboy put a hand on his shoulder to hold him in place.

"What service does he use? I think I could arrange something. Someone owes me a favor. No problem. But I still say he's going to be pissed if he finds out. Watch my mouth huh?" Robin smiled as he talked. "I'll see what I can do."

He started to tap on the computer and the others finally gave up on all semblance of playing a game as the boy wonder hacked into another computer and wrote files quickly and efficiently. When he was done he turned to the others and smiled. "Cissy? How would you like another stint as a baby-sitter? Preferably one that don't end up with you holding a knife on a toddler."

"Me?" She smiled slightly confused.

"Yeah let's talk."

%

"Arrowette? What are you doing here?"

"Summer job. Your name came up and I told them I would do it!" Arrowette (aka Cissy) smiled her best shy sweet smile.

"Well that's great! Lian is in here." Roy ushered the young girl in as he grabbed his wallet. "Donna and I should be back by ten o'clock at the latest. And if you get hungry...or anything there is plenty of food downstairs in the fridge. Numbers are by the phone. I'm sure you know the whole rote. Damage and Argent are here is you need anything else."

He was talking as he moved rapidly from one end of the room to the other looking for something.

Cissy spied some keys lying by a vase and grabbed them and threw them to him.

"Hey thanks just what I was looking for." He rushed out.

Lian looked up at the blond shyly and Cissy kneeled down. "Hey kiddo what do you want to watch?"

"Barney!" Lian smiled.

Cissy sighed with relief. (I never thought I would be happy to watch Barney! After that Thugee ordeal...I only want the old tried and true purple
monstrosity.)

"I'll put it in."

"YAYYYYYYYY...I love you you love me we are one big family!"

"In more ways than you think kid." Cissy whispered to herself with a smile as the child ran off into the other room. In the other room she could hear the child grabbing some toys to sit with.

%

Nightwing felt himself begin to nod off and forced himself to pay attention. The man he was watching showed no signs of tiredness despite the fact that he had less sleep than Nightwing. Nightwing tried not to move too much yet stay awake. Too much movement would give away his position and alert the man he was watching.

(He must be using too.) Nightwing thought, as the world seemed to lose focus for a second. He shook his head hard and shifted his position.

His legs felt like they were about to go to sleep as he watched the man move around the garage.

He finally sat down and stretched his legs sighing in relief as he felt the blood return to his legs. (That's better.)

He drank his coffee slowly. Shaking his free hand he tried to occupy himself in an effort to stay awake. The tree he was in felt strangely comfortable in his tiredness.

%

Roy looked over his shoulder for the third time in as many minutes.

"Roy what is it?" Donna asked. All through dinner Roy had seemed distracted. And she didn't think it was because she had told them that for now they needed to stay just friends. Though she was sure it didn't help. She had begun their relationship again only to find that she had changed too much to make it work. And she still did not trust him enough to entrust her heart to him. And now they were ending their date hours earlier than what would be normal. The sun hadn't even set yet.

"We are being followed." He said quietly. "Whoever it is has been following us since we left."

Donna looked in the window reflection trying to see who it could be. Their footsteps echoed against the pavement as they walked.

Roy shook his head shortly. They turned into an alley each taking a position. Reading each other as they had from years before almost instinctively.

After about five minutes...

"Gotcha!" Roy called out triumphantly as he grabbed the one following them.

"What the hell?" Roy said as he set the kid back on his feet.

Robin the newest boy wonder stood before them looking peeved. "And here I thought I was doing a good job!"

"Oh you were...You just happen to be following someone that knows all the tricks." Roy smiled then frowned; "Now how about telling me just why you ARE following us."

"Aw man! You aren't going to like the answer." Robin hedged.

"Spill it!"

A half-hour later Arsenal was in full gear heading to Nightwing's location.

%

Meanwhile Cissy and Lian were on their way inland to get some ice cream courtesy of Argent and Damage.

"Having fun this summer?" Argent asked the young girl.

"Oh it's okay. A little boring sometimes but not too bad." Cissy answered as Lian smiled up at her. She wished that Cassie could be there. She always found that she enjoyed life more with her best friend by her side and it somehow made her sad that Cassie was wasting her time with Superboy.

"I want vanilla!" Lian giggled.

"So do I!" Cissy laughed.

In another part of town Nightwing lost his battle with sleep. And as he drifted off the man he had followed so relentlessly climbed into his car. In Nightwing's dreams he continued to keep watch.

%

In the car Richie Waldrop's hands shook with tremors as his eyes scanned the area. He had a fevered look, and he coughed softly in his hand. The persistent cough was ignored as he continued to look. He smiled to himself as he saw one of his friends. A young woman in a skirt that was much too short, she had dark hair and appeared to be of oriental descent. So thin that she seemed more skeleton than woman.

Trica found him and half-jogged to the car. The black haired woman smiled as she climbed in. "Got it?"

"Tell me first." He coughed into his hand that was marked with small scars from burns.

"They are getting ice cream." Trica nodded nervously. "Hey man I don't really want to get too involved in this shit 'kay man?"

"Too late babe. You are way involved." Richie leaned over and pulled at her shirt bringing her face up to his.

"And if you want any of this shit? You will do as I tell you." He breathed into her face and she felt a sharp prick by her neck. "What's one more dead 'Ho?"

She nodded nervously, "Okay Richie."

He pulled her in for a deep kiss before releasing her. He placed the knife he had been holding to her neck back into his boot and allowed his hand to crawl up what little skirt she had. "We'll party later babe."

She chuckled nervously as he leered at her.

"Now go be a good girl and go get what I want." He pushed her back toward the door.

She fumbled for the door handle as she left the car. In the distance the little girl was happily eating ice cream with her young guardians.

Trica looked around unsure of how to proceed. She couldn't very well just walk up to them and take the child. And there was little hope of luring the child away from the group. She half-heartedly tugged at her skirt as she moved nearer the group.

The sun was setting on the horizon and the warmth of the day and the cool of the approaching evening made for a perfect balance. The sound of Trica's heels sounded loud around her as she tried to approach them quietly. As she got closer she stopped short. The laughter of the four in front of her seemed to echo around her. Her own hands twitched as for a second she covered her ears. (Just get the girl and he'll give me the stuff. That's all I have to do and I'll feel good again.)

She haltingly came closer to the group that was slowly walking back the way they came. She looked hesitantly back at Richie in the car and while she could no longer see him she could still see his car and knew that he could in turn see her. She jumped as she heard the voice of the little girl squeal in delight as she was swung up onto the shoulders of the man. He looked familiar perhaps she had seen him in the newspaper?

She knew nothing about these people she only knew that Richie wanted the little girl. She quietly walked faster as she followed them to catch up. (Is that the girl's father?) She half wondered as she tried to stay close to the group.

She finally looked closer to the two girls with him. One was extremely pale and the other looked like a normal young girl. (I was that young once.) Trica thought with a grimace.

The man turned around with the girl still on his shoulders and looked directly at her. In his own head he wondered, (Is she following us?)

Trica looked up at the little girl getting a clear look at her for the first time and felt tears spring to her eyes. Her legs felt weak as she found a bench to sit down on. (Alicia? She looks just like my little Alicia.)

Damage looked confused as he saw the woman collapse on the bench in tears.

Trica sunk down into the pit of depression that heralded the full-blown crash she was now experiencing. (Fuck it, what's one more dead 'Ho? Let him kill me.)

She cried to herself at the injustice of it all. (I don't deserve to live, my little girl can't even bare to see me and I can't change. My brother has adopted her anyway. I'll never see her again. Maybe I should just save Richie the trouble and off myself.)

She shook as she found herself lying on the bench. (Man I hate crashing...why couldn't Richie just give me a little before doing this?)

"Miss? Are you okay?"

Trica wondered briefly who he was talking to until she felt him lifting her into a sitting position. She opened her eyes and saw that the little girl that looked like Alicia was standing with wide eyes looking at her from the safety of the other girls. She felt like crawling away as she imagined Alicia there and heard her own mother's voice intoning "Worthless"

Trica stared at him as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Miss? What is wrong? Do you need help?"

Then Trica remembered it was in a newspaper that she had glanced at that ...The Titans were back. Damage. She felt her heart sink further.

She started to shake her head but he shook his own and called out, "Argent? Take Lian and Cissy back home...I'll be back in a while, 'kay?"

Argent rolled her eyes and muttered "Boy Scout will be giving Supes a run for his money soon."

As they continued to head back to the Titans headquarters behind them they could hear Damage talking softly to one more lost soul. A minute later they heard the squealing tires of a car.

As Richie spun his wheels as he left the area Damage looked back at the car. "Someone must be mad."

Trica nodded weakly as he helped her stand up and started walking.

"Now why don't you tell me what this is all about." Damage said in a friendly voice as he headed her toward the nearest hospital just a few minutes away.

After depositing her in the hands of professionals he found himself on his communication device calling Argent for a lift and calling Donna to find out where Arsenal was. Lian was safe at home with Cissy and Donna.

*

Arsenal at that point was standing in front of Nightwing in utter amazement. (ASLEEP?)

Nightwing snored softly in the tree he was inhabiting while Arsenal balanced on a large branch nearby. (How can he be asleep?)

Arsenal crept forward slowly making as little noise as possible before reaching out and grabbing the dark clad hero's arm. Nightwing jumped and would have fallen out of the tree if not for the hand holding him. Nightwing looked around confused and unsure of where exactly he was for a minute.

"You know I always said you hung out with Batman too much. Since when do you sleep in trees though? And shouldn't you be upside down or something?" Arsenal gave him a half grin.

Nightwing centered on Arsenal's face and felt his familiar mask slide into place. "Very funny bowboy."

"What gives? And what the hell was the deal with having batboy junior following me around all night?" Arsenal's grin faded as he narrowed his eyes at Nightwing.

Nightwing suddenly remembered his task at hand and looked to the house he was supposed to be watching. "DAMN IT! He's gone!"

"Exactly WHO is gone? Robin wasn't exactly too clear on that." Arsenal asked with his arms crossed against his chest. The tattoo on his arm was seen clearly in the light of the moon that was coming out as the last of the pink left from the sun faded into a deep purple. The tattoo reminded Nightwing just how much had changed since they were kids.

"Don't worry about it I can take care of this." Nightwing replied in a voice that reminded Arsenal of an imitation of Batman's.

(I bet he don't even realize it either.) Arsenal sighed inside. "Oh yeah you are taking great care of it...you were asleep in a tree." Arsenal said in a slightly sarcastic voice. "Look this obviously involves me...or why have boy wonder follow me on a date."

"Date?" Nightwing asked vaguely in a distracted manner. "Did you have a nice time?"

Arsenal growled a little, "I've had better. Now what is the deal?"

Nightwing clamped a hand over Arsenal's mouth suddenly "Shhhhh"

Around the corner a car familiar by now to Nightwing flew around the corner at such a high speed that it at one point lifted onto two wheels. It pulled into the driveway of the house facing the tree leaving black marks behind it as it screeched to a stop in front of the garage door.

The man flung the door open as a string of vile curses echoed on the otherwise quiet street. As he stormed into his house Nightwing removed his hand from Arsenal's mouth.

Nightwing felt Arsenal tense beside him. "That bastard is out of jail?"

Nightwing nodded.

"When did he get out." Arsenal asked his voice tight.

Nightwing shrugged with one shoulder. "I found out the same day I left."

"What the hell did you think you were doing? Protecting me? I don't need protection! Is that how little you think of me?" Arsenal glared at Nightwing.

Nightwing carefully kept his face blank but inside he was screaming back at him (NO! That's how MUCH I think of you!) But on the outside Nightwing only said, "It isn't like that."

"I get my ass kicked a couple of years ago and you don't think I can pass muster now? That maybe this guy has my fucking number and I need you to take care of it for me? I'm not a little kid anymore!" Arsenal's voice was beginning to carry in the still night and Nightwing was forced to grab him again.

"Lower your damn voice!" He hissed. "You want him to get away?"

Arsenal continued to glare death at Nightwing.

"Fine you want in on the bust you are in on the bust. I just didn't want to bother you with it. I didn't think it would mean this much to you." Nightwing held his hands up a little (and I didn't want this to hurt you in anyway whether you need protection or not. Memories can hurt too you jerk!)

Arsenal gave a short nod. "Fine"

"Fine" Nightwing agreed in a bark.

"Fine!" Arsenal barked back.

Nightwing sighed and bit back his on response that was sure to be a repeat of the exchange they just had. Nightwing kneeled on the branch and looked through his goggles.

"What's the deal exactly?" Arsenal finally asked.

"Crystal Meth, cooking and dealing, and possible revenge." Nightwing told him quietly. "This will be a simple detain and assist police venture. I have enough on him now without the need for further evidence of his ploy for revenge."

Arsenal made a disgusted sound before asking "Revenge on who?"

Nightwing turned to him and looked him in the eye. "You. He knows your name...not mine."

"Makes sense." Arsenal conceded as Nightwing swung out of the tree silently but then it occurred to him, "Why would he want revenge against you?"

Nightwing didn't answer as he approached the house.

After a few minutes Arsenal jogged after him.

Inside they could hear Richie venting his rage.

*

They hadn't had a chance to enter when Damage and Argent appeared. Nightwing felt his stomach drop. (Not now!)

Damage busted through the door with Argent on his heels. "What have you done with them?"

Richie looked up at them after having thrown a chair against the wall. "What the fuck?"

Nightwing sighed as he grabbed Arsenal by the arm and rounded the side of the house stepping through the splintered door. "What are you two doing here?"

Damage turned around and looked relieved as he turned around and saw Arsenal and Nightwing. "There you two are...I was worried about you!"

Richie sneered as he saw them. "Son of a Bitch what do you know..."

"What are you doing here?" Nightwing asked again watching Richie for signs of flight but the man stood nearby waiting.

"He tried to get a woman to kidnap Lian. I was worried he had gotten you two!" Damage smiled in his relief.

"Well isn't this all cozy?" Richie asked sarcastically. "And here I was wondering how to get you here."

He looked straight at Nightwing as he pulled out his gun. Nightwing tensed as he looked at the gun in his hand. "Damage, Argent...go outside now and wait for the police...now."

"Oh big bad Nightwing don't want to have an audience as I blow his mother fucking brains out?" Richie grinned maniacally.

Nightwing said nothing as he noted the garlic smell in the air. "Richie you don't want to fire that in here."

"Oh I don't?" Richie smiled.

"Damage, Argent get out of here NOW!" Nightwing said louder and tenser. "Arsenal get out too. He doesn't want you after all. Let me handle this."

"Oh but I do...I want to fuck your little boyfriend up too but you first. Pay you back you son of a bitch!" Richie growled.

Nightwing glared at him but didn't move. Damage and Argent were clearly torn between obeying the order and staying while Arsenal just looked confused. "What the hell is going on here?" he asked finally.

"Didn't your little boyfriend tell you?" Richie ground out.

Nightwing shook his head slightly while Richie laughed.

"You are nuts!" Arsenal said in amazement as he stepped forward only to be stopped by Nightwing.

"Get them out of here. If he pulls that trigger everyone in here is dead."

Arsenal started to talk back until a whiff of the garlic smell came under his nose. "Oh damn." He muttered.

Arsenal turned to the two young heroes and told them, "We will be alright do as he says."

Slowly they backed out to wait for the police to arrive. Richie smiled, "Now isn't this nice? Just the three of us, You know you made this a lot easier. Here I thought I needed to get the girl to lure him to lure you...and you all show up on my doorstep."

He laughed, "I've been planning this for a very long time. First I'm going to kill your little boyfriend then I'm going to kill you. I just decided that would be more painful for you."

He aimed the gun at Arsenal's head.

"Don't shoot, if you do it might set off an explosion." Nightwing called out.

Richie shrugged, "So what? You think I'm walking out here alive anyway? Like you care if I personally live or die remember? If the cops hadn't showed up that night when they did you were gonna kill me yourself."

Arsenal glanced at Nightwing. Nightwing neither confirmed nor denied it and Arsenal began to wonder what exactly did happen back then.

"You know I always wondered why you were so hot to kill me and Tim that night until if finally hit me one night while I was listening to all the grunting going on in the cell block. You were mad because I hurt your butt buddy."

Arsenal snorted, "You are totally insane."

Richie looked back at Arsenal and studied him then laughed, "I get it! I get it! You never told him you had the hots for him did you?"

"Well guess what? Too late now!" Richie leveled the gun and started to pull the trigger.

What happened next was a blur of motion as Nightwing jumped forward and knocked his arm into the air. Arsenal ducked as it went off. Argent and Damage rushed into the house at the sound.

"GET OUT!" Nightwing screamed as he pushed Richie backwards and turned around with arms out stretched pushing Arsenal into Argent with the words "GO!"

She moved herself and Arsenal out of the door as Richie retrieved his gun and leveled it at Damage.

Nightwing pulled Damage behind him as he pulled himself forward. He felt the bullet graze his scalp. The next bullet sent a spark as at the same time Damage started to glow. He pushed Damage out the door as the air around them began to feel charged.

The resulting explosion sent Nightwing flying through the air landing him in nothingness.

*

When he opened his eyes he was looking into the starry sky and heard a roaring in the background. As he reached up to touch his aching head he felt someone grab his hand and force it to his side.

"Don't touch that!" Arsenal told him, "And don't sit up."

Nightwing pushed himself up anyway and groaned as his ribs protested his movement.

"Told ya so!" Arsenal smirked.

"What happened?" Nightwing asked gingerly touching his head.

"Well we aren't quite sure yet...either that last bullet caused an explosion or Damage did. Regardless there was enough gas in there that it was only a matter of time before one happened."

Nightwing watched as police and EMT's milled around the scene in the eerie glow of the fire. "Richie?"

"Dead." Arsenal told him, "What a lunatic! They get delusional like that after a while. He must have been using and using hard for a while now."

Nightwing felt the soft bandage covering his wound, "Where is Damage right now?"

"Argent took him home...boy was pretty upset. He thinks it is his fault the guy is dead." Arsenal said sadly.

Nightwing shook his head; "Richie was right there was no way he was going to leave the house alive."

Slowly Nightwing stood up as Arsenal supported his arm. "What was that he was talking about earlier? About you trying to kill him and his partner?"

Nightwing slowly pulled away as he started to walk off.

"HEY! I'm talking to you!" Arsenal called after him.

"It's not important." Nightwing called back softly.

*

Nightwing sat by the water as the sun began to rise. He felt him approach. "How did you know?"

"Wally got the nerve to call me again. I got to give him credit...he's growing some balls."

Nightwing chuckled in spite of himself. "It never fails to surprise me when you talk like that. You act so damn proper all the time then suddenly..."

Batman shrugged with one shoulder. "How is your head?"

"Fine." Nightwing said shortly.

"I heard about everything that happened. Arsenal told me. After I asked him properly."

"You mean you scared the shit out of him and he told you everything."

"Eh whatever works." Batman agreed reasonably. "You know you really need to talk to him. He thinks that you did everything you did because you hate him. That you don't trust him."

Nightwing skipped a rock over the water. "I think he's better off believing that."

He picked up another rock.

"Don't do that. Aquaman gets pissy if he thinks that we are messing with the fish."

Nightwing let out another startled chuckle.

"Go talk to him, tell him the truth. You may never get another opportunity." Batman told him bluntly.

"You don't understand..."

"Don't I?" Batman pulled Nightwing up and reached into his belt pulling out the dog-eared photo of Speedy.

Then he reached into his own belt and pulled out an older photo and handed it to Nightwing.

"I'll never get another chance. Don't screw up like I did." Batman told him.

Nightwing looked hard at the fading picture. A man dressed up very much like Robin Hood. "Ollie?"

"Don't wait until he's dead." Batman said sadly.

He handed the photo back to Nightwing. "He is in his room."

Batman melted back into the last of the shadows escaping the day reminding Nightwing of the vampire stories he loved as a teen. He tucked the photo away and started walking back.

*

At first he wasn't sure if he heard knocking at all, the sound was so faint. But finally he opened the door. He was surprised to see Nightwing standing before him looking at the ground still dressed in the torn uniform from hours earlier. The clean white bandage stood out in start contrast to the black and blue of his costume.

"Umm come in I guess. What's up?" Roy was a little confused. He hadn't really thought that he would see Dick again for a while.

"I hear you talked to Batman earlier." Dick said quietly.

Roy almost had to strain to hear him, "Like I had a choice. He used scary voice version 2.0 on me."

Dick smiled slightly. "Um he suggested I talk to you about stuff."

"What he use scary voice on you? Which version?" Roy smirked.

Dick shook his head shyly. "None, he don't have to with me."

Dick after a few minutes bit his lip and removed his mask. Then he did something he hadn't done in a long time. He relaxed the mask he wore all the time and for the first time Roy saw what none had ever seen. Weariness, stress, and sadness cross his face.

Roy sat down on the couch taken back. He didn't know what was going on but deep down he knew that it would never be the same again.

"Roy I don't hate you." Dick sat down beside him.

"Well I didn't really think you did. I mean hate me I mean." Roy said uncomfortable right away.

Dick leaned back and looked at the ceiling, "How do you think I feel about you?"

Roy didn't answer for the longest time and just when Dick was about to give up he finally answered, "I don't think that you trust me yet. I think you think I'm a liability to the team."

Dick sat up and stared at him, "What? Why?"

"Look at what you pulled on me tonight? Hiding things from me trying to keep me out of it. You've never trusted me! Hell you even cut my damn picture out of the group photos!" Roy looked hurt.

"That is NOT what happened." Dick told him grabbing his arm. "That isn't what happened."

"Yeah? Then what did?" Roy challenged him.

Dick took a deep breath. "You are right I was trying to protect you but not in the way you think. I wasn't trying to protect you because I thought you were incompetent. I just didn't want you to have to go through any pain if it wasn't necessary. Yes I admit that I went to far but I did it because I care about you."

"You care? About me? Since when? What about the pictures hmm?" Roy was not convinced.

Dick bit his lip as he pulled out his favorite. "You mean like this one?"

He handed to Roy. Roy started to speak several times but each time he closed his mouth and looked up then looked down confused.

"I carry it on me. I don't have any pictures of just you." Dick whispered. "So I just cut you out of the pictures I have."

"Oh MY God!" Roy finally breathed. "Um this is getting weird."

Dick placed his head in his hands. "Try living with it for about ten years."

Roy stared at him as his eyes widened. "TEN YEARS?"

"Give or take." Dick answered from his hands.

"OH my GOD!" Roy said suddenly standing up to pace.

"See now you are upset. You didn't really want to know." Dick said bitterly.

"What about...what about two years ago? What was the deal with that?" Roy asked suddenly.

Dick pressed his fingers into his eyes. "You were hurt, you could have died. I didn't...handle it well."

"Oh my GOD!" Roy picked up the pace of his pacing.

"You've said that." Dick said dryly. "Look maybe I should just leave."

Roy didn't seem to hear him as he stood staring at the old picture. Dick sighed, stood up and left. Roy didn't hear the door close.

*

A few days passed in which neither saw the other but that didn't mean that they didn't think about what had passed.

Damage continued to be very upset at what had happened and even though he was cleared in the police reports, the spark caused by Richard Waldrop was blamed for the explosion. He still blamed himself.

"I didn't mean to kill him." Damage said quietly.

Nightwing sighed. "You didn't kill him. He never intended to leave that house alive and he knew damn well that gas was in there. He also knew how explosive it was. We have no proof that you caused that explosion with your little...exploding tendency."

"It couldn't have helped." Damage muttered.

"Well no it didn't help but you didn't start it, maybe helped it along but you didn't cause it." Nightwing came to stand by Damage.

They were in the room they had come to view as the TV room, out of the corner of his eye he saw Arsenal enter the room. He stood across the room as far away as he could get. Donna and Argent were watching the TV after having spent the last half-hour trying to cheer Damage up.

"I should have realized, I should have had faith that you knew what you were talking about I mean you and Roy have lead the group before. You are the leader. You gave me a direct order and I should have obeyed right off. I shouldn't have even showed up." Damage said bitterly.

Arsenal shifted his feet where he stood and Nightwing tried to ignore him.

"That's not true. We could have been in trouble you never know. And in that case we would have needed a quick save." Nightwing smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Besides it was sweet of you to come to the rescue."

Arsenal moved to his side, "Sweet?"

Nightwing blinked as he looked up. "Well nice of him anyway."

Arsenal crossed his arms over his chest. "You said sweet."

Nightwing mirrored his posture. "Do you have a problem with the word sweet?"

"Yeah when you are directing it at him I do." Arsenal took off his shades and Damage sank deeper into the chair.

"Umm guys look I don't want to start anymore trouble between you two." Damage wasn't sure what was going on except that he was now the focus of their ongoing arguing.

Donna raised her head to watch them while Argent leaned over and asked, "Do they fight about everything?"

"I don't think this can be considered a fight." Donna said in disbelief.

"You know it sounds more like a lover spat to me." Argent said suddenly.

"What is wrong with calling someone sweet. He was trying to help us!" Nightwing persisted.

"I've thought about it and I have decided that you aren't allowed to call anyone sweet." Roy said in a voice that sounded suddenly like he was being humorous.

It took Nightwing a couple of seconds to realize the change. "Oh I can't? And why not?"

"You are only allowed to call me sweet no one else." Roy declared in a King of the World voice.

"Oh I see." Nightwing smiled.

Donna, Argent, and Damage watched in amazement.

"Really?" Nightwing asked.

"Really I decree it." Roy said with a smile.

"You decree it?" Nightwing laughed.

Roy nodded with a smug look.

"Now is this decree just for me or is it for everyone?" Nightwing asked carefully.

"Just you." Roy smiled.

"Are you sure?" Nightwing asked.

"Of course I'm sure, I've thought about it for a few days now and you are not allowed to call anyone else sweet anymore." Roy declared.

Nightwing smiled. "And what if I call Damage sweet again?"

Damage scrambled out of the chair and crossed over to the couch. "I'm not sweet, I won't be sweet to no one again I promise."

He sat down and then whispered, "Is this happening or am I having a screwed up dream."

"If you are we are." Argent told him.

Roy pulled Nightwing to him. "Then I will have to punish you."

"You promise?" Nightwing asked wrapping his arms around Roy.

"Oh yeah. I promise. In fact I think you and I need to outline some other rules." Roy pulled Nightwing into a fireman's carry and carried him out of the room over his shoulder.

Damage blinked, "Well that was strange."

Argent shrugged, "Nah...a shame we can't watch."

Donna nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

Damage stared at them.

"Oh don't look surprised...I saw the tapes you have of Blondes on Blondes...the concept isn't entirely foreign to you!" Argent told him with her own smirk.

Donna giggled while Damage blushed.

"Now? Who is going to tell Kory and Jessie?" Argent asked.

Donna and Damage both managed to look panicked.

"Maybe we should let them do that." They finally agreed.

"Is the Titan's Headquarters insured?" Damage asked suddenly.