A Room with a View [Dick]

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[/b] Babs pointed out, strolling past the estate agent. Might as well get on with her second viewing of the apartment she was looking to buy. The estate agent pulled the keys from her pocket, unlocking the main door as Babs walked into the lobby. It had all the indications of an apartment built to house a large deal of people in a busy urban environment, and, once enjoyable and modern in the seventies, it seemed to be very different now. It was almost like all of Gotham had been built around this tall, antiquated building. The rest of the world kept moving into the twenty first century, and the tall tower of apartments had been stuck in the seventies. Still, it was cheap and within Babs' tight budget, so it would do. She was looking forward to having her own place, with everything that had been happening recently in her life, all Babs wanted to do was push forward and not be left behind by everyone as they grew up and changed and adapted. Dick moving out and severing ties with Bruce had made it awkward for all involved, but had reminded Babs that she couldn't stay at home forever.

Babs narrowed her eyes as they headed into the elevator, and made her mental decision that she would walk the stairs without fail every time she needed to leave. Babs could face up to criminals and supervillians - hell, she could even face up to Batman when he was in a bad mood, but the creaky old elevator scared her a little bit. The elevator stopped at the seventh floor and she stepped out into the corridor, glancing around at the wooden doors. She remembered walking the hallway on her first viewing of the apartment, noticing the little things like how a few of her potential neighbors placed plants outside their doors, and they were now rapidly dying through lack of water. Inviting, Babs thought as she headed to apartment 140, which was to be hers. The estate agent opened the door and a musty smell hit Babs as she stepped into the empty apartment. It wasn't really spacious, but it was about adaquate for one person. It seemed dark, and could use a new coat of paint, but Babs was certain she'd be able to change the place up quite nicely once she got down to it all. She pulled her phone out to check the time - Dick should be downstairs any minute now.[/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Driving his motorcycle through West Gotham, Dick looking around at the building lining the streets through the tinted visor of his helmet. Compared to North Gotham, it was quite different. Most of the building had be restored to just be able to keep them running, compared to North Gotham's building that weren't only restored but had often gone through extreme renovations to get the building to look the way they did to that day. Almost as if the city had build over top of it's original town. No, it had just been the matter of money greatly invested into that part of the city. Money greatly spend to assure the long lasting and thriving business of the city.

West Gotham was more of the old classic style of the city, less of the flashy ways of Gotham life it seemed. It was more simple. And as Dick drove farther into the surrounding area, he started to wonder just what kind of place Babs had been able to find in these part of town.

Dick was having trouble getting through the slow traffic that surrounded him. As he sat in the crawling traffic, he managed to locate the high rise building Babs had told him to meet her at. Looking down at his watch on his wrist, he sighed and muttered under his breath an annoyed town at the time of day he had come out here and the route he had taken. When a small gap opened up in the traffic, Dick took his chance and revved his engine and sped toward for it. Speeding through the gap he barely made it through before a cab pulled up and had almost rear ended his motorcycle. Cursing under his breath, Dick would have hated for that to have been an accident on his part.

Gaining this free space, Dick raced on down the road toward the building he now had his sights set upon to meet up with Babs. Not long, Dick pulled up just out front of the building and parked his motorcycle in small available spot. Dick set the kick stand and shut the motorcycle off and hopped off, removing his helmet as he did so. He set some kind of homemade alarm system he made for is anyone tried to hot-wire his bike.

Pulling off his backpack from his back, he set it on the ground and removed the leather jacket he had been wearing. Boy did it seem hotter out now than when he had started out earlier to get there. Removing his jacket, he revealed a plain navy blue t-shirt he had been wearing underneath it. He was never one to dress up to go out place, not even for just going on personal calls, like that of Bruce Wayne. He had one of of his favor pairs of old jeans that he wore as well as a pair of boots, that he wore when out on his motorcycle.

Dick attached the helmet to a strap on the back of his backpack and left it hanging there as he slung the backpack back onto his back. He looked at the building before it. The sight of it looked like something that had been trapped in time. Dick only hoped the building was more than the outside gave off to be. He entered the lobby and looked around for the familiar sight of the fiery red hair of the girl he had been looking forward to meeting that afternoon. But no such luck, he came into an almost empty lobby beside someone sitting at the front desk. Was he that late?

Looking around he looked at the buttons on the next set of doors he would have to get through to be able to get to where he was suppose to be. The only thing was that he couldn't remember the apartment number Babs had told him. Dick would kick himself for not remembering it. It had only been the night before that Babs had told him, but he had a lot on his mind lately.

Looking around, Dick really wished there was a way he could get away without call her, but he wasn't willing to talk with the woman sitting at the desk. He looked at the buttons before him that sit off to the side of the door. Looking them over, he wondered if they even worked. They looked like they had been sitting there since the seventies.

Dick sighed in slight frustration as he ruffled his short black hair with his right hand. He would have to give in and let Babs know that he had actually forgotten the room number. Pulling his cell phone out on his left back pocket, he blindly touched the screen of it to the contacts list and touched the speed dial he had set on it for Babs.

Holding the cell to his left ear, he leaned up against the wall and continued to ruffle his hair a bit as he waited for Babs to pick up. It didn't take long before he got an answer. He waited a second enough to have given her a chance to answer and then started in about what was going on. "Hey, I'm down in the lobby now. Uh, I was wondering if you could buzz me in," he asked leaving out the obvious fact that he had forgotten the apartment number. Babs would figure that out just by him calling her.

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[/b] Babs grinned. "Can you remember how to use an elevator?" she teased lightly. She'd told Dick several times what the number was, but she hadn't fully expected him to remember anyway, so the call wasn't a surprirse. She just liked teasing Dick, that was all. Babs turned and crossed the room so she could buzz Dick in. "It's number 140, on the seventh floor," she informed Dick. "Try not to get lost," she muttered as a goodbye and put the phone down, leaning against the wall so she could wait for him to arrive. Sure, her apartment wasn't much to look at - and she was pretty sure there was evidence of a rat infestation in her kitchen - but she could make it work. It would be home to her, and she could enjoy proper freedom for the first time. Babs could hardly wait.[/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

"Ha ha, very funny," Dick replied to her teasing. He listened to her a bit more as he opened the door as she had buzzed it for him. As he walked into the lobby he listened a bit longer until Babs started to wrap it up. "Thanks, and I'll be up shortly," he said. And before he hung up the cell, he had made it to the elevator and mumbled,"If the elevator still works." He had said it as he pulled the cell from is ear. He hoped Babs hadn't heard that part.

Though it was what he thought when he first saw the elevator open up for him. He stepped into the old cage and pressed the button for the seventh floor. The elevator slowly crept its way up the shot. The gears creaking and squealing as the old box made it's way up to the floor. Boy, was that thing a death trap it seemed. Nothing against the place, but Dick was starting to wonder just how much the landlords did to keep these places running, or just to get by.

After a few moments or so, the elevator finally stopped and slowly open to the seventh floor. Dick walked of the elevator quickly to make sure he wouldn't get trapped in it. He walked down the hall, watching as the numbers on the doors got higher up in the count. It didn't take long for him to spot the number 140 on one of the doors.

The door was slightly ajar and Dick walked up to it. He gave a light knock on it at first as he opened the door up more. "Hello," he said into the empty space of the apartment room. He looked around a bit as he stepped in a few feet into the first room. The place sure did look like a fixer upper. From the looks of the first room, Dick was kind of concerned what the rest of the place would turn out to look like. But he was going to keep his comments to himself. Babs has worked long and hard on this search. Though he had a feeling this was definitely not her idea of a dream home.

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[/b] Babs teased, before her eyes fell upon the expression on his face. "I know, I know - it's not much right now, Dick, but I can work with it," she said quickly, She crossed the room quickly to reach him and wrapped her arms around him, enveloping him in a hug. She felt like she hadn't seen him for ages, and she didn't really count their brief encounters as Batgirl and Nightwing.

She pulled back from the hug and stood beside him, smiling as she looked around at the gloomy apartment.
"Shall I give you a tour?" Babs asked, although to be fair there wasn't that much to show Dick. Here's the kitchen, here's the bedroom, here's the bathroom... that pretty much covered the whole of it. However, Babs was still enthuasiastic to show Dick where she'd be living. She was looking forward to getting her stuff moved in and setting up her computers. She'd still visit Wayne Manor as her main base - unlike Dick she hadn't severed any ties in her move out of her house. [/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

"No, it's not that...," he started to cover his tracks a bit. He stopped realizing Babs would see right through his words. Dick gave a light sigh or defeat over trying to hide anything. "I'm sure you will, but it seems like so much to do with how your schedule is," he said as he glanced around the room once more as he returned the hug back to Babs.

As he released her, he notice the strange woman standing not too far away from them, talking away on her cell phone. The first thought that came to his mind was about how rude it was of that woman to be talking away on her cell phone when Babs had probably been waiting for hear some type of detail on this place. The woman might as well had to cell phone glued to her ear. Dick didn't say anything out loud though. It was just his opinion and first impressions were always important when it came to dealing with business.

"Uh, sure. Lead the way," Dick said to her. He withheld a comment on how it would probably only take a few steps to get from one side of the apartment to the other. He wasn't trying to be mean or anything, but was Babs really going to allow herself to live in a place like this.

Dick was used to seeing places like this after all the work he has done as a vigilante. But for Babs to be in a place like this, he wasn't to happy about the thought. She deserved better. She worked so hard and had such little time to relax, she at least deserved the chance to not have to worry about the possible problems this place gave off by the looks of it.

He had taken notice of how nicely Babs had dressed for going out to look at this place. He really hoped he wasn't dampening her mood. She looked to excited to be looking over these places. He knew she couldn't wait to move out and be in a place of her own. He really didn't want to bring her down. Dick was just concern about her safety and well being.

"Are you sure you're going to have enough time for everything along with the computer work you have been working on," Dick said. "Seems like it's going to take a lot of time and money." He gave a glance over at the small kitchen. Almost wanting to cringe state the kitchen seemed to have been left in. He wondered just what kind of things the agent wasn't telling Babs about this place.

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[/b] Babs pointed out, her voice strained slightly, like she was working to try and convince herself everything was possible. "I can do this, you know me," she pointed out. Babs worked hard, and if she set her mind to something she could follow it through. It would be easy to give the place a lick of paint whilst working or something, she was sure she would be able to find the time to do everything. Or, at least, she hoped. The last thing Babs wanted was to move into the apartment and never find the time to fix it all up, and as a result be stuck living in a dark, musty old apartment forever.

They headed to the kitchen, a smile on Babs face as she walked in. It was small, sure, but it was big enough. There was enough space for the essentials.
"Well, I mean, I'm sure I can figure out a way to do it fairly cheap," Babs pointed out. "I'll take a few more shifts at the library," Babs said, with determination in her voice. She could use the extra money, and after she was done with the work on the apartment she could easily just drop the extra shifts, or carry on doing them if it was feasible. "I'll graduate soon, Dick, it'll be fine, I'll have more free time," she smiled.

She glanced around the dismal kitchen, a half-smile on her face. It would be easy once she started.
"C'mon, I'll show you the bedroom," Babs told him, and then turned around, heading back into the hallway and down toward the next room. It wasn't big either, but not too much of a difference from her current bedroom. She figured Dick would look upon it with the kind of disdain he'd been observing the whole apartment with. He was just too used to the manor and his penthouse, Babs thought. He'd moved into places where everything had been built before, Babs just had to start at the bottom with her apartment and work from there. It would just take some commitment and some work.

Babs walked into the bedroom, which was devoid of furniture right now. The wallpaper was peeling, but most of it was fairly intact, a floral pattern spreading across the walls. From the looks of it, Babs assumed the last owner had been fairly elderly. She couldn't imagine a young couple choosing that kind of wallpaper. She turned around to look at the door to see if Dick had followed her.
"I've got it for a great price," she added, as it trying to reinforce what kind of bargain she was getting for the bare minimum. Her eyes trailed up, seeing damp had soaked through the floorboards and she took a deep breath. She certainly hadn't noticed that before. She really would have her work cut out for her.[/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick listened to Babs go on about trying to sort things out. He was starting to wonder if Babs wasn't just trying to convince herself. He knew she was more than capably of working things out one way or another. But Dick didn't like to see her stress herself out so much over these kinds of things. Sometimes it seemed she took on more than she could and she'll find away to make everything work just to prove it.

"Shuffle what around? With your schedule you barely seem to have the time to fit in anything else. Unless you're planning on cutting out sleep," he said a bit jokingly. He wasn't about to start a fight or anything and he figured she'd pick up that he wasn't trying to. He just didn't want to see her push herself over the edge just to get everything to work out. "Yeah, I know you a little too well," he said. "I know you can do it." He left it at that for the moment he didn't want to upset her.

Dick followed her into the small kitchen of the apartment. "Any more shifts at the library and you might as well set up camp there," he replied. He knew how hard she was working. He had hardly any time to get to hang out with her besides on the occasional run ins on patrols. "It must be a great feeling to be able to get out soon," he commented on her being able to graduate soon. She had started earlier than he had in college. He knew it was because she was so smart she had gotten out of high school when she was 16 years old. He still could remember the time she had seemed to boost about it a couple of years back.

He gave a light smile to her as she looked at the place and then led the way back to the bedroom. Dick followed her through the short hall way to what would probably be her future bedroom. Glancing around the small room as they entered, he took notice of the wallpaper pealing and then saw ceiling. "How great of a price are you getting it for," he said looking up a bit and paused between what he said next. "I think you should ask to lower it."

Looking around at this place, sure it seemed nice for how much she was getting and where it was located. But with how much she would be spending on the place, it would probably cost her double that in repairs and fixing the place up. He really couldn't stand to think of seeing Babs run herself ragged. He'd seen too many people do that. And he knew what it felt like. Dick wasn't sure himself of what to do. What ever he said, Babs just seemed to try and turn it around. He understood she wanted to be out on her own, but in these living conditions, she might just be setting herself up for more work than she bargained for. He was starting to wonder if there was any way of talking her out of this place.

"I know this might seem like a great place to start out, but I'm worried you might be in for more than you're bargaining for," he said out loud. His mind was rushing to think of what he could do to help her. There was only so much he could say and do. Even if he offered to help pay for something a bit nicer, Babs would never take it. He knew her well enough to know not to go down that road. "I'm not trying to discourage you from getting your own place. I just don't want to see you bury yourself in work like this," he started up again. "You'd be better off living with me," the words just slipped out. Dick's mind had been going so fast trying to think of away to help her that he just realized what he had said before he had gotten the chance to really think out what he wanted to say.

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[/b] Babs said softly, when he told her to ask to lower the price and whether she was getting more than she bargained for. She didn't want to argue with him right now. However, the next words that tumbled out of his mouth shocked her. Dick was all about saying before he thought, and Babs turned to face him properly.

"What?" Babs asked, looking astounded. Her arms, previous crossed as she tried to talk Dick out of making this an argument, fell to her sides. "Live with you?" She looked over Dick's shoulder at the estate agent, who was now off the phone after this comment. Was she about to lose a sale? Babs' eyes searched Dick's face, and she frowned slightly. "Really?" she asked, looking up at the damp that had been falling through the floorboards. "You want me to live with you?" Babs asked. Something in her face changed, less confusion - replaced with the smallest of smiles.[/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick wasn't sure what all he just got himself into. He could see Babs living in a place like this. She deserved better. Looking down now at Babs, he saw how stunned she seemed to be over this new topic. At the moment, it seemed like the right decision. If she needed a place to live, it seemed more reasonable for her to just move in with him. After all this time they had been going out together and all he had put her through with the issues and changes...

"I mean yeah. I guess," Dick said has he rubbed his head with his right hand. "I mean the place is big enough, not even the stuff I own fills it up." He just seemed to be rambling at this point. He was wondering if he was now trying to convince himself it was a good idea. But he hid that from Babs, she didn't need to worry about the things that were going on.

"What I mean is, there is that spare room, it's not getting any use just with me living in that place," he said truthfully. The only reason he had taken the place was because it was a good location for him to continue his work. Though, that and it was a pretty nice set up to be able to have a full training gym, nothing in comparison as much so to the one back at the Manor.

Dick was just trying to make sense of it himself. Why should Babs have to live in a crummy place like this when her boyfriend had a place of his own? She wouldn't have to pay and it would be a better place for her to work from location wise. It was almost near the center of town and had easy access to many of the places she worked at or spend most of her time. It was within walking distance of just about any place you could want to go in that part of town.

"That's if you want to," Dick asked. He didn't know whether he was digging himself into a deeper hole or what with what all he was saying. He wasn't used to a situation like this. It wasn't everyday you asked someone to move in with you.

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[/i] cheaper. Babs looked around the room, her arms crossed again. Dick had seemed to adament she shouldn't live there, and had offered her an alternative, but Babs wanted to be sure that they should do it.

She bit her bottom lip, her estate agent was eyeing the pair of them now. Babs felt a surge of anger regarding how she'd been treated with the apartment and the woman's lack of a professional attitude. How she ever made a sale was beyond Babs. She glanced back at Dick, and then down at the bare floors of the apartment and tried to imagine herself, tired and overworked trying her best to paint the walls knowing she had to be up in less than four hours to get to work at the library. It wouldn't work, she thought, Dick's apartment was closer to the library where she worked and would allow her to get more sleep as well.

"Okay," Babs said after a while, nodding as she looked up at Dick again. The estate agent seemed angry, but Babs didn't care. She didn't deserve a sale if she treated people like that. The apartment wasn't worth the time Babs had convinced herself that it would be. Everything Dick had been saying to her was making sense, and she knew, deep down, that she'd never been sold on the apartment anyway. She'd had concerns, from showing Dick what it looked like right down to trying to convince herself she could shuffle her time around so she could make the apartment presentable. She wouldn't be able to handle the stress of it all. But moving in with Dick? That was big for them, she thought. For as long she'd known Dick he was the type to shy away from things like that, he was often closed off, even if Babs could see through him. She didn't see him as much as she'd like to, and by moving in with him she'd be able to. They'd still spend a great deal of time apart - she'd be working, and patrolling, as would he. She hoped this wouldn't cause anymore problems between her and Bruce, because living with his ex-partner when she was still working alongside Batman could prove to be tense, but she was sure they could all work through it.

"I'll... I'll come live with you," Babs said, a smile spreading across her face as her arms fell to her side again.
She just hoped Dick knew what he'd been saying. Surely he wouldn't say something so big, and then back it up with further reinforcement if he didn't mean what he'd just said? Babs moved across the room to Dick, one hand on the side of his cheek as she gave him a long kiss. [/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick watched her as she seemed tense at the moment. He some what wondered exactly what thoughts were running through her head. He wondered if she was thinking about what could go wrong with living together. She could be a bi hard to read sometimes. But he understood her hesitation over this decision. It was a big move. Not just the move it's self, but for the two of them as well.

Out loud he would never admit it, he did have his concerns over this new change. It was starting to feel like he had done something that would rush things in their relationship. But Dick did not allow that thoughts to register in his body language. He didn't really regret the sudden decision, but there was a lingering feeling about the decision. He dismissed it the best he could from his thoughts. He wasn't just doing it for their relationship, he was doing it for Babs. She deserved a place to stay and a nice one at that. And Dick could provide it and was more than willing to. At least they would be able to spend a bit more time together.

He had notice Babs looking around a bit and back at the agent. And when she said ok, he saw her seem to set her mind on the thought. He allowed for this to set in on the two of them. Until she spoke up again saying she would move in with him. He could see how happy and relax she now was.

Dick smiled back at her. "Guess it's settled," he said. He was glad he was able to save her from the run down lot this woman had been trying to sell her. He couldn't stand to see Babs become so stressed over things. And with her being able to move in, he might be able to help keep her from pushing herself over the limits. He knew she could handle things, but there were just some times when he worried about her.

As she moved toward him, he hadn't really been expecting her next action until she moved in closer. As soon has he hand was on his cheek, he accepted her actions to kiss him. He placed his hands on her arms, pulling her closer to him as it continued.

After a few moments, he realized again that they were not alone in the place. He pulled away slowly and regrettably. Though, it felt kind of weird of that agent being in the place. Besides, he felt like she was probably annoyed that he had stolen away a sale she could have made. Dick didn't care about that, but he didn't really care to seem like he was rubbing it in.

"Well, do you care to head out," he asked Babs. He glanced over slightly at the agent. "I have a feeling I'm no longer welcome here," he whispered and a slight grin came to his face that he knew what he just caused.

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[/b] she said after a while, turning back to Dick, looking up at him and then across to her estate agent with an apologetic smile. "Sorry," she said. "So sorry," she added, and gestured toward the door so that Dick and her could make an exit before she said anything back to them. Babs pursed her lips, realizing how awkward and tense the atmosphere in the apartment had just fallen, and she hurried to get out, not wanting to spend any extra time in the place. She straightened out her skirt as she got outside of the apartment and looked across at Dick. "If looks could kill..." she stated, with a smile.[/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick followed after Babs, not wanting to be around in that old place any longer. Especially with having that agent at their heels if she had wanted to. He kept close to her as they left the building. He was glad he was able to talk Babs out of it. He had probably just saved her from over loading herself with work and losing money on fixing up the place if anything every went wrong.

He heard her comment. "That's for sure," Dick replied. "I really hope she isn't someone who shows up at any of the social parties Bruce throws. It might not be the greatest conversation starter to hear of how the ward of Bruce Wayne stole a sale from her." He thought about it for a short moment. "Actually, it would be kind of funny," he said.

He looked around at the surrounding parked cars. "I really hope she wasn't your ride here. That would be pretty weird after what just went down," he was just checking since she wondered if she had driven herself or not. "I'd offer you a ride back to your place," he said knowing it probably wouldn't work with the way she was dressed.

There was still plenty of light outside, so he had plenty of time before he would be hitting the streets as Nightwing. He wasn't exactly sure what Babs plans were, but he figure with not going for the place, she probably had more free time. "So did you want to head out," he started. "Did you want to talk about the new arrangements," he asked, questioning more toward the new idea of her moving in with him.