Wheels and Wings [Barbara]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

The guilt was starting to really ride his mind lately. He couldn't keep his head clear since he heard about the accident. Though after hearing about her even fighting off the help from her own father, Dick knew to keep his distance.

Maybe he had kept it for too long. All the business on the streets and with the Outsiders had kept him more than occupied. There was always an excuse for Dick being out of the picture when it came to the Bat-family. Though this....he was actually quite apprehensive. Possibly he had waited too long to check in on her.

Though when Babs needed her space, you'd be better off on the other side of the country til the redhead calmed down.

Well, tonight would be the night. He was going to visit with her. No more delays. No better time than a late night drop by with the possible excuse to see if she'd be willing to at a look at a program he had recently been working on.

Nightwing had finished with his patrol for the night's shift of with the Outsiders and on his own town. He'd check back in with them later.

Coming near the clock tower, he knew the window would be the best decision verses being near the gears of the old town clock.

Dick approached the far side window to the living quarters. He had seem dim lighting in the place, she was still up.

Climbing through the window....it hadn't been locked. He could possibly wonder why, not much of a point in doing so knowing that Batman probably dropped in on her every now and then.

She was still apart of the family.

[Deleted]

It hadn't had a good day today. Not for Barbara Gordon. Though most days weren't really days at all, as she sat all by herself in front of a computer for the last few weeks on end and kept sun light to a minimum; her pasty white skin got lighter--if it was possible. She could easily be mistaken for a vampire, had it not been for her lack of movement, or according to some, sparkling razzle dazzle… apparently. Living purely off of energy drinks, protein bars, and any delivery that would bring it all the way to the top of Gotham Central's Clock Tower, Barbara spent what hours the day had to offer in front of her monitors. Monitors that she was rather proud of, not because of the expense or the display, but if only for the way they were suspended and mounted to the walls, it'd be hard to guess a cripple did the setup by herself.

So far it was the usual night, thwart a bad guy here, send in an anonymous tip there, it felt like data entry. Everything being boiled down to ones and zeroes. Punch in a code and enter an algorithm, and you get a result. Though one thing she wasn't prepared for was the window that opened up across the living room.

She turned her body as best she could and checked the surveillance cameras, but whoever he was, he was too quick for her to catch. Barbara knew she had made some enemies without them knowing who she was, but she was careful! If it was Batman, he would have told her. Panic began to set in then, confidence as she grabbed a hard cover book on her desktop and wheeled out of her computer room. She knew she could hold her own, she was trained by Richard Dragon--martial arts hobo extraordinaire--but Barbara had no escrima sticks. Not on her. She would have to fix that later, for now it was just her and her book, entitled "VIGILANTISM: Complete 20th Century." A title which she saw no irony in.

When she reached the window, Barbara's heart skipped a beat and she gasped for air, sense needed to be made for the appearance of Nightwing, standing before her.
"D-… Dick?" She asked in astonishment; which then rolled into anger. Barbara's eyes flared with white hot rage, and she lifted the book over her head and threw it at the boy in blue as hard as she could.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

A bit caught off guard as his name was stuttered, Nightwing turned to see the figure in the wheelchair just barely, his face almost met up with a hardback book first.

Dick quickly ducked out of the way. And by the thump of it hitting the wall, it was a nice sized on and had had a lot of forced put into the throw.

"Is that any way to say hello to a friend? Either that or you really hate that book," Dick said half jokingly.

Though he knew she had known it was him, considering she had said his name before the book had been hurled in his general direction. Correction....at him.

His eyes fell upon the shine of a the wheelchair of which Barbara know sat in. It pained him to see her in this condition. All those years together and now this. Their passes had caught up with one of them so far.

All that mattered was that she was still alive and well throwing things at people she knew.

Dick started to walk towards her. "Still working in the dark," he questioned.

That was Dick for you, trying to make light of the situation.

[Deleted]

The sight of Dick made her heart melt, just the way he said some things made her feel like he actually meant it, but she knew him all too well. Barbara had to guard herself from getting hurt again. Friend? Friend?! You didn't even come see me you… you idiot! That's what friends do?!" She backed off in her wheelchair, insecure, and scared; she didn't have any other insults in her head she could whip out. All she wanted to do was to hug him. Around the neck. Just squeeze all the air out of him. Even Bruce came to visit me. Bruce! The most phlegmatic and unemotionally available person you know, he came to visit me in the hospital."

Barbara's hands squeezed on the handles along her wheels so tightly out of rage that her knuckles grew white. Her eyes watered, she wasn't sure of why, but she felt it coming on. She convinced herself it was anger, and then fueled her flames.

"Why are you coming here now? Needed a pick me up, need to feel better about yourself? You feeling guilty for not seeing me sooner? Feeling guilty that after you cheated on me, I was shot and crippled?" She was blunt, she was rude, she was Barbara Gordon. That's right, show him where her fiery red hair comes from.

Barbara reached for another book on the counter--a cook book which meant nothing to her--and held it in defense if he decided to come any closer.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick at least moved away from the window toward the source that provided the dim lighting in the room. Catching the movement of the wheelchair, she had backed away from him after her comment.

Ok, so the first part of this he deserved for not visiting. He wasn't exactly sure how to deflect that comment over not visiting. The excuses he would come up with would not add up to the point that he hadn't even said hello.

Though the part about Bruce...she had her point.

"Wow, just a bit more proof for us to see that his heart might not actually be as cold as stone," he comment, trying to defuse the fiery redhead.

It was his usual way of trying to bring the tension down between himself and others if he had caused it.

Barbara's last comment...Ouch. That was hitting below the belt bring up the past and the guilt he felt already for not visiting sooner. Cheap shot on the pick me up comment though.

Nightwing took a few steps closer toward Barbara at first. "Babs, isn't it enough that I've stopped by now?" Dick noticed her grab something off the counter top and stopped. "I came here to see you. I heard what had happened...I wasn't sure how to approach." Right there he was being brutally honest.

[Deleted]

Barbara lowered the cook book as she could feel her heart rate return to normal. He was right, it was better he stopped by now rather than not at all; and there was always a part of her that always wanted to forgive Dick in the deepest darkest recesses of her conscious. Maybe it was his charm that he could take everything so lightly, considering what had happened to him and who he was raised by. Still, she tossed the book at his face while his defenses were down. Just so she could get the satisfaction of hitting him.

"I missed you, Grayson. I don't mean that I miss us, but just you." Whatever was making Barbara's eyes glassy began to submerge and her feelings were getting the best of her, "It's just really secluded up here. I know you're too busy to deal with a lonely cripple right now… but you should have at least called." With that she wiped her cheek preemptively before a tear could be seen rolling down.

If there was anything more that Barbara hated, it was excuses, and she didn't want to hear any of it. "Yeah, I still work in the dark... I work best when I can't tell if it's light outside." She said taking a sigh and a step back from her initial rage. "Psychological thing, I'm sure you know."

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick was relieved when he saw her lower the defensive position with the book in hand. Ok, maybe he had slightly gotten through to her.

Before he got the chance to use his lightning fast reflexes, Barbara took advantage of the situation. The book nailing him on the forehead. "Ow!" After the hit, he caught the book in one hand. "What did the book on cooking ever do to you?" Dick set the book on the far side of the room away from Barbara.

Dick walked up closer to Barbara as she spoke. Her words kept his attention. And the guilt of not visiting or calling seemed to weight on her mind as much as it had his. Though she was being hard on herself.

Kneeling down along side her wheelchair, Dick removed his eye mask. "Babs, that's not it at all! I mean sure your secluded up here, but this situation has nothing to do with me not visiting. Yes, maybe I should have called. I'm sorry," Dick said as he looked at her.

He wasn't about to make any excuses though he could on his defense. Yet there were plenty of times he hand wanted to, but manage to avoid the situation. It was hard to see a long time friend in this condition. Especially with what he had heard from Alfred. He had felt horrible avoiding Barbara.

"Psychological, I understand that. Try growing up that way," Dick joked regarding have grown up in Wayne Manor under the care of Bruce.

He glanced around the room. "How about we move to another location where there are less books to talk some more," Dick suggested.

[Deleted]

As Dick looked into Barbara's eyes, she remembered why she even let herself fall for him in the first place. She had to look away; she didn't mind that he gave that look to someone else, but she didn't want him to look at her that way. Not anymore, the thought of him still stung. Barbara put her hand to her mouth, with her head looked away and mumbled "That cook book makes me feel normal." She said leaning over and wrapping her arms around Dick's broad shoulders and resting her head next to his, "It deserved worse."

Barbara was quick to break off the hug, she was still mad at him, but it was good to see him. She tried to force that notion onto herself. Barbara took into account that he didn't want to get hit anymore, so she wheeled around and over to the computer room. "What's this about?" The crippled asked, not turning her head, but instead focused on getting back to her work. "Tell me what the situation is, former Boy Wonder." Barbara sounded honestly interested, it wasn't too often she saw a ghost from her past sprout up at her window. Everything was coming back. The pet names, the feeling in her chest as he walked behind her, Barbara had to keep herself in check before trying or saying anything stupid.

"You've been avoiding me for a reason?"

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick was a bit surprised by the sudden hug from her. His automatic response was to hug her back. He was there to comfort her. No more, no less.

He broke it off as soon as she had. "Are we still talking about a cook book or are you using that as a metaphor," Dick questioned her, smiling a bit over the matter.

If it was, he understood loud and clear. She was mad at him, otherwise she wouldn't have thrown a book at him. Two in that case.

Dick followed her back toward the computer room. Looking around the room, he was quite impressed with the set up of the computers. He could tell there were a few projectile type screens that would be a hologram with the abilities of a touch screen. This was the type of equipment money could buy. A lot of money in that case. He wouldn't be surprised if she had managed to put this stuff together herself. Though some of the systems looked familiar to that of the Bat-cave.

"Actually I have this new system I programed to my main frame with the Outsiders and my headquarters. There is this one glitch I can't seem to work out. Or at least I haven't had the time. It's solid enough that no one can hack into it even with the glitch," Dick explained to Barbara.

Dick stood off the the left of Barbara. A smile came to the corner of his mouth at her calling him the old nickname. Maybe things were settling back to old times. Though there was always going to be their history together. And no one could take that memory away from them. What had happened happened. Good or bad, it was done and they had to move one.

"No reason," Dick replied.

[Deleted]

The Redhead stopped in the dark room, she figured she was going to let Dick figure that out for himself. "I do what I do, you do what you do, Grayson." She said, with the only thing really being on her mind is how to stay normal and seem like she was in control of her own emotions. "On." Barbara said bringing the room to life, a flicker of blue and green lights surrounded the two. A logo that simply read "Birds of Prey" filled the screens. She didn't need to hang onto the past any longer, there was business to be taken care of.

She typed in what seemed to be a large password which brought up several screens. Footage surveillance, power-grids, criminal records, Task Force X, CIA, FBI, NSA, Interpol, and even text message conversations and audio surveillance. By the looks of it, none of the parties knew she was even there which is considered to be more than highly illegal, and it just popped up on Barbara's screen. "No one can hack into it, huh? We'll see about that. I just need your IP address and I can work on your glitches remotely; and if there are any other kinks in the system I can polish your software." Barbara felt like she was showing off, and if she was being honest, she was.

It wasn't until it left her mouth that Barbara realized that Dick might have a problem with this. While Bruce has been morally ambiguous, when it came to the great good, Dick usually had problems with his "moral high ground" of thought which Barbara was slowly subscribing to. It could have also been because no one else had ever visited her in the Clock Tower other than Batman that she was so clumsy on letting all of her voyeurism and spying slip. Maybe he wouldn't say anything, if he did, she wasn't sure if she had an answer prepared. Still, Barbara decided it was best to remain quiet. A strict "don't ask, don't tell" policy; despite that she wanted to address how his nonchalant answer to why he hasn't contacted her was only "No reason."

That was the only thing that made Barbara want to get the use of her legs back, so she could kick herself. 

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

"I'm going to go with that cook book deserved it," Dick responded in regards to them doing their own thing.

Dick watched as all the lights and computers came on at her voice command. Similar to the Bat-cave. The Bat-family seemed right at home in whomever's head quarters they were located when it came to the computers. Past work came up on the screens. Birds of Prey, other people's phone conversations/texts, criminal records.

Deciding he was already in hot enough water with Barbara, he would keep quiet on what he saw. He could start off an all out war when it comes to these things. Though the fight wouldn't be worth it.

At her words over the work he had done and her saying she could go over all of it. He raised an eyebrow at her over that. "What, you don't think my work is adequate enough?" He pulled out his cell with the IP number on the screen for her to look at. "Do your worst! Try to hack it," Dick commented.

He was a bit surprised she didn't jump on his case about his answer. He out give a sigh of relief, though that would show he thought he was pass the worst of the conversation that he slightly feared having to discuss with her.

[Deleted]

Usually, when it came to situations like these, there were only two options: to get angry or to keep it bottled in. It wasn’t until just now that Barbara realized that there was a third option, and that was to let it go. Despite that she wanted to address his half-assed response, he didn’t bring up her more than questionable dabbles in top secret agencies. “That cook book did deserve it.” She smiled and plucked Dick’s phone out of his hand to get to work. She typed in the IP address and up showed a computer generated image of the building that the address belonged to.

“Oh c’mon, Grayson. I do this for a living. I haven’t encountered a system which I can’t hack. I can do more as a hacker than I ever could as Batgirl.” Barbara smiled and began typing furiously. It stuck with her though, her last statement, the more she thought about it the more it ate at her. She briefly looked at Dick through the corner of her eye. “Y’know…” she started, “A lot of the time it’s like you Batguys want me to hold on to the past because you can’t get over it. Especially Bruce. Understand that I have. I have a new life now--one that fulfills me. It’s not the same one I had before, but it’s good. Maybe even better.” He was being unusually quiet, “I’ve moved on. That’s the important thing.” Barbara finished. She was happier that she could finally say that out loud to someone that mattered to her. Barbara typed a bit longer and a ping audibly sounded, “Oh!” The redhead squealed, and scooted in closer to her desk. “I’m in. Not bad, Former Boy Wonder, you did that by yourself?” she asked.

She was genuinely impressed; it seemed like when he turned in those Pixie Boots, he really did do some more growing in more ways than one. Yet, he still kept his same cheerful persona. Barbara was never sure how Dick did it, dead parents and all.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick watched as Barbara's fingers flew across the keyboard. Not even a glance down at the letters and numbers she would have to type in. Everything came so quickly to her. Just one glance at the screen and she would know that IP for life. Photogenic memory. Dick remembered that strongly about Barbara. The codes all came so easily to her because of how her mind worked, not just from using them all the time. Well, maybe.

After Barbara's confession over the family holding onto the past, Dick looked over at her. He was glad she was finding another calling. He was starting to get an idea of what it might be. The Birds of Prey that had popped up earlier was a helpful sign as a hint towards her current work. Not to mention the hundreds of files that seemed to pop up at her finger tips.

"Bruce tents to have a hard time letting things go," Dick responded. Maybe even part of him as well within what he was saying. "Myself being a prime example of being shunned for my actions. Though I'm sure your own work is more corresponding with his work than my own ways have been in the start of this new career."

Dick was referring to the time that he had left the mantle of Robin to become Nightwing. The rift between Bruce and Dick still remained, though things here and there were being patched up. He knew he still had Batman's trust, it was just they ran on to different wavelength when it came to their ways now a days.

Nightwing still held to many of the ways Batman had instilled on him, though he had a different routine on how he liked to get things down. And so far it was proving successful in his own town.

Though what happen to Barbara could not compare. Dick had a feeling that Bruce was in some way blaming himself over the Joker doing this to Barbara. Just as he had over Jason's hot headedness to run out and face the Joker on his own in a blind rage.

"You're not the only one who knows how to design and interface program for this kind of work," Dick retorted over the subject of computers. "You know, you could call me by the name I've been going by for the past few years now. Does the name Nightwing ring a bell?" Dick teased her over using former boy wonder as a title for him.

[Deleted]

Barbara knew if it weren’t for Dick, Bruce wouldn’t be who he is today. The knowledge that he helped Bruce escape the abyss was enough to know that Batman needed a Robin. She knew how hard it must be though, to constantly be under his watch, she knew the moment she met the two of them.

Bruce was strict, and someone like Dick Grayson needed to spread his wings. He couldn’t be kept under the Batman’s wing forever; just like she couldn’t be the Batgirl for as long as she wanted to.

“Yeah, Grayson. I know.” The redhead said as she continued her typing and clicking, “If he was any good at letting things go, do you really think that he’d be Batman right now? I don’t think he’s gotten over his parent’s death. I don’t think he ever will.” She sighed almost pausing to take her eyes away from the screen to look at him. “The thing is, you’re not to blame for leaving. Didn’t he fire you when Two-Face nearly killed you? I mean, what did he think was going to happen when he brought a pre-teen on the field? Look at what happened to Jason. Yet, Tim is out there with him right now. He’s always going to have people who follow him who get hurt. Maybe not now, but it’s a risk he takes.”

If Bruce ever heard her say that, she knew they’d have a long talk. “My point is, yes, while I am subscribing to his way of thinking every single day I’m in this wheelchair, you’re always going to be apart of the family—well… the Bat-Family—and we’re not leaving you. No matter how far apart, we grow.”

It wasn’t until she realized how unusually quiet he was that she was aware how verbose she was. “I’m sorry.” She said, turning a shade of red, “I don’t mean to talk so much. I don’t usually get the chance to.”

Ugh, the more she talked, the more she felt like a victim, and she hated that. She hated the feeling of powerlessness, and seeking help, but it seemed to just come spilling out. All the insecurity just came out right in front of her ex-boyfriend. Barbara kept typing in the hopes that he wouldn’t notice. A part of her wished that this wasn’t the only reason he came here. She had to ask.

“I’m not surprised that I’m not the only one working with computers, I’m more surprised that you did this by yourself. You sure Cyborg didn’t help you? You’re not cheating, are you?” She asked, working the glitches out of the system. “And, only if you call me by the name I’ve decided to go by for the past few years.” Barbara coyly smiled at him.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

"Uh....maybe it's best we don't bring up that part of the whole 'going out on my own' history." Dick commented, bringing his right hand up to rub the back of his head. A sign he was a bit uncomfortable with the new topic then seemed to find themselves on.

Letting her go on with, Dick wasn't sure how to approach this. He appreciated that she still considered him a part of the 'family'. He was perfectly fine letting her rant. She probably needed someone to listen for once. Usually it could be the other way around at time. Though, Dick was always the talkative one of the Bat-family.

At her apologizing over her what she thought was talking too much, Dick smiled and gave the slightest hint of a laugh toward her apology.

"You're fine. I'm all ears. It's when I start acting like Bruce that I'd be worry over all this. I think I still have my personality in tact," Dick joked.

They both knew how Bruce only spoke when he felt it was necessary. He didn't like to waste his time or words. Dick could remember a time when he was told of a hold quote. Something along the lines of a wise man spoke few words and the foolish man spoke many.

That wouldn't surprise anyone in the bat-family if Bruce would say such a thing.

"What? I can't put something so technical together myself? I'm insulted," Dick pretended to sound hurt. He couldn't keep a straight face that night.

"What name would that be now," Dick asked.