Face the Fact [Batgirl]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Many thoughts were running through Dick's mind at that moment, as he sat on his motorcycle on the side of the street. What was left of the light of the setting sun, cast long shadows that seemed to consume the street. Shielding as much as it could from the setting sun. The sleek black sports motorcycle glistened in the bit of sunlight that hit it. Sure, it was freezing out, but Dick felt the ride over on the motorcycle would help to clear him mind. Some help that was. If his mind hadn't been cluttered earlier, it sure was now.

The motorcycle was resting on its kickstand as Dick sat looking off into the distance. Almost as if he was expecting to fine his answers down the road, facing the sun. His face was hidden by the visor of his black helmet. Hiding his expression of concern and worry toward what he was about to face. But he knew if he didn't face up to it now, things were only going to get harder.

His gaze shifted to see the house that he was in front of. It was the home of the Gordon's. There was only one person he was here to see, and that was Barbara. His head dropped down, his view now on the control panel of the motorcycle. He closed his eyes and squeezed the handlebars for only a moment as he shook his head. Just get up and go up to the door. How hard can it be, Dick criticized himself. This was a lot harder than it seemed for him. Dick wasn't good at bringing up things like this with others. Yet, this wasn't just someone, this was Babs. One of his best friends. Someone he wanted to consider more than just a friend. He had felt this way for a few years now.

At first, it had been off and on, but now he knew it was almost as if it was set in stone within him at that moment. Why was it so hard to tell someone that you loved them? Maybe it was just him, but it seemed a lot harder than what it really was. It was fear holding Dick back at that moment. The fear that if things changed, he would never be able to get back what he might lose in the future. Then again, this new situation was already changing it and challenging him. He knew he had to try to solve this and take a chance, but it wasn't going to be easy.

Dick finally let go of the handlebars and shifted his weight to his right leg to allow himself to swing his left leg over the motorcycle. He stood there for a second as he removed his helmet and gloves, and set them on the seat of the bike. Dick ruffled his hair slightly with his right hand as he turned. He was dressed casually as usual, wearing a pair of old wore blue jeans. It was still cold out, so he was wearing a hunter green hoodie over top of a grey t-shirt, all underneath his black leather jacket he wore when he drove his motorcycle. He wore a pair of work boot to protect his feet as he had been driving.

Finally, he brought himself to walk down the short side walk to the front door of Barbara's house. So many times he had driven by it, but had not stopped. Dreading this moment for the last few days. He had buried himself in his case studies just to avoid this it seemed. Though he had made a little progress on the case in that time.

With ever step he took, his heart seemed to race and beat louder than before when he had been standing on the edge of the street. He focused his view on the door ahead of him. Dick made it to the steps in no time and then raised his right hand up. He withheld the action of knocking for a second or so before he laid three firm knocks on the door. He let his hand fall to his side as he stood back. Maybe she wouldn't be home. Maybe she was at class. Dick could hear the sound of foot steps coming from within the house after the thoughts had passed through his mind. The hope of not having to face it today quickly vanished. Why was this so hard?

[k]

[/i] life - was a lot harder than a vigilante life, especially when bits of them blended in together.

Babs eventually got home, pulling her coat off and putting on the hook by the door. She knew her father would be out, but she checked his room regardless. She wasn't surprised to find it empty. The house was surprisingly quiet, and Babs found she didn't really like it. She dropped her bag down onto the couch and contemplated her options - it seemed like a good idea to grab something to eat before she went out again. Babs headed upstairs, trying to decide a story in her head. Her dad would come home and find the house empty, no Babs at all. Maybe she could say she'd gone to a party? She stood in the bathroom, pulling her grey tank top up so she could observe the damage to her ribs. They were still badly bruised, but it didn't seem to be worsening. In fact, she could see the slight tinge of yellow in the bruise, a sign it was on it's way to healing. Babs let her top fall back down, and peered into the mirror. She looked tired, that was obvious. She headed down the corridor to her room, switching the light on and collapsing down on her bed. Her unslept in bed, at that. She'd been on patrol last night too, and had come in and fallen asleep on the couch. Her dad was none the wiser, and if he suspected anything, he did well to keep it hidden.

Babs stared up at her ceiling, her mind wandering back to Dick. She remembered meeting him as Robin for the first time, the way they'd constantly argue and seemed to find one another in their way. However, their conflicts had slowly but surely smoothed themselves over, allowing the pair to work impeccably well together. It was a worrying and nagging concern in her mind that anything else between them would drive a cold wedge between their work as Batgirl and Robin. Both of them were old enough to accept responsibility, and the ability to seperate their lives from one another, but their argument in public - well, in Lucky 7's Casino, which was as public as it could get - served as proof neither of them were quite mature enough to handle this. They had to talk it out. Babs didn't want to lose Dick in any capacity, but she certainly didn't want to sit around and consider the "what ifs" for the rest of her life because she let an opportunity slip by. She certainly didn't want to see Dick Grayson with another girl, that was for sure.

Babs was shaken from her thoughts when she heard the knocks at the door. She frowned and sat up on her bed, swinging her legs around and standing up, perhaps a little too fast. She moved to the window and peered out, wondering who was calling around at this time. A few irrational thoughts filtered through her mind, but she gave a silent sigh of relief when she clocked the bike parked outside. She couldn't see who was at her door, but she would recognise that bike anywhere. It had to be Dick. Babs wasn't entirely sure if she was ready to see him, but she didn't have much of a choice. She couldn't very well turn him away. It was now or never, she thought.

She headed down the stairs, and she found herself excited to find Dick at her door. Sure, this was going to be a hard talk for the both of them, but it had been too long since she'd opened her front door and found him standing there. She liked this Dick - the initiative Dick, the one who was proactive and not reactive. Babs was glad he'd come around to see her, because for the longest time she'd been thinking he didn't care for her anymore. That was, she thought, that he was here for a talk, and not to talk to her about something droll. Babs opened the front door, pausing for a second to collect herself. Keep calm, Babs, she thought,

"Hey," she said, a warm smile in her face. She decided now was not the time to make a joke about his arrival, and instead she stood back so he could come in. "Come on in," she said. Babs stepped away from the door, assuming Dick would shut it behind him. She walked into her living room, where her bag was dumped unceremoniously on the couch. She moved it so he could sit down if he wanted. She made a small face to herself, mentally cursing at the way she'd handled his arrival. Was it too casual? Should they be more formal? Babs was beating herself up about how to act around Dick right now, but being assertive had served her well since... since as long as she could remember. She turned around, arms crossed. This was it, she thought. Unless he'd come to spring something else on her, they were about to face something they'd been batting around for months now. This was way overdue, she thought. Now or never, Babs reminded herself, and she wasn't going to settle for never.[/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

As soon as the door opened, there he saw Babs standing, welcoming him into her home. Almost like old times, when he had visited in the pass. It had been awhile, but Dick still remembered the place. His alert blue eyes quickly looked over Barbara for a moment. She must had been working all night again, either on the case or on her studies. He could image how hard it was to go through a regular day with an injury. And he knew her ribs were probably really bothering her. He felt the same way about his arm at times, but knew injuries to the ribs were the most annoy to deal with. It was easy for Dick to read her at times. Now when it came to what she might think of next, that could be a bit harder. As he took in her warm smile, he started to feel something within him settle down a bit. It was that smile that made him feel calm around Babs. But he still had a hint of nerves to him as he seemed to try and relax a bit.

"Hey," he replied back to her greeting, seeing that she was suggesting for him to come in. "Thanks." His eyes followed her as she made her way to the living room. The temperature in the house was an improvement from the weather outside that he had driven in. He turned his gaze away from only a moment as he shut the door behind him. Dick headed toward the living room in pursuit of Babs. Was it him, or were things getting hotter in the house? Dick's nerves were starting up again at the thought of the conversation he had to start. After all, he was the one that came over and it wasn't that often that he ever did any more. Dick slid his leather jacket off, and held it folded over his left arm. When he made it to the living room, he caught a glimpse of Babs trying to clear off the couch in a rush. A light smile came to his face for a moment, it was always like Babs to have her work still sitting out. She was a lot like the Commissioner in her ways at times.

The small smile quickly faded when Dick decided he better get right to the point. It had been kill him to sit back and not explain things to Babs, but it was just so hard to find the words express what he wanted to say. The words were all jumbled up in his mind and he felt like his tongue was tied. There was an awkward silents for a moment between the two from the time between the door to the living room. Usually Dick would have been joking around with Babs, but this was serious.

Dick leaned up against the door way for a moment now that Babs attention was back on him. It was very kind of her to clear a spot on the couch for him to sit if he had wanted to, but right now Dick felt like that would only encourage him to back off the reason he had come in the first place. He could feel her eyes focusing on him now as looked up to see her standing before him with her arms crossed. Dick tried to pull himself together and keep calm. He had to nip it here and now while he had the chance. His eyes were now on Babs. An almost timid look was reflecting in his eyes. He was trying so hard to fight it back to try and bring himself to issue.

"Babs. We need to talk...," he started. His eyes shifted away from her for a moment. He really didn't feel like himself right now. Dick was never one to venture into explaining his feeling for someone. But this was important to him. And it wasn't only to clear his mind, it was also in hopes to up Babs's at ease on his subject. "About the other night. There was a lot said, that I had rather not have been said out loud. But you know how it is," he hoped she picked up on his hint of how he felt about talking these kind of things out. This wasn't easy...He was really hoping his words were making the situation any worse. He really did not want this to turn into a full out argument like before. And figured to leave out anything about Bruce over hearing everything they had said. They were both young adults and could talk things out calmly. Right?

"But I do care about you," Dick said. He stopped for a second and looked Babs directly in the eyes. He was hoping what he was somewhat trying to say was making a little sense. To him, it was a bit of a puzzle. Dick wasn't about to lose control again in this situation. Last time his anger had gotten the best of him and he had exposed more than he had wanted to about the things that were really bothering. Those problems, had nothing to do with Babs, at least to him they didn't. Those were things he would have to go through on his own.

[k]

[/i] a teenage girl, but she often forgot that in the midst of everything around them. She didn't like feeling her own age, and this talk about their lives and emotions did just that. If the situation wasn't so serious right now she'd probably be laughing at the pair of them. They were being so honest and open and it felt suddenly so strange between them. It was a headway, Babs thought, they were actually talking about something that wasn't a case, or about a rogue or anything at all related to vigilante life. This was so removed, and Babs had almost forgotten what it was like to experience real life. Not just heading to college and getting through the day and doing her studies, but actually talking to someone with some real intent, and not just mindless chatter to pass herself off as a normal teenage girl. This was so real, and so scary for her.

Babs was silent as Dick spoke, allowing him the time to say whatever it was he wanted. She knew very well that things had been said in the Batcave that Dick didn't want to mention. They were the things Babs had been shocked to hear outloud, but had assumed regardless. Dick was outgrowing his place, that was undeniable. For what it was worth, she knew Bruce would probably have figured that too - or maybe he hadn't. The man was a sleuth and a detective, but sometimes the most obvious of human nature could pass by him. It was the same with anyone. They were, at the heart of it all, just human. Dick's feelings were to be expected, and she knew it was a matter of time before he acted upon them. Things could boil and brew within Dick, but that moment, the moment they were experiencing in her living room, that was proof they eventually culminated in action rather than bottling it up forever. Some things were just too great to ignore.

Babs looked up when Dick said he cared about her, glancing straight into his eyes. Eye contact between them had been something Babs had been evading for a long while. Somehow her eyes settled directly on his, and she took a deep breath. That was an odd sentence to her, a sort of strange finality within it. It certainly didn't sound like the precedent to asking her out for dinner or for announcing that he wanted to be with her in any sort of capacity beyond friendship. For Babs, it sounded like a nail in a coffin. Her arms were still folded protectively across her chest, and she drew her eyes away from his own. Somehow Babs thought she already knew where this talk was going.

"Yeah," she muttered aimlessly. She tried to feign nonchalance for what was about to come. "I get it Dick," she assured him with a smile. Babs paused for a second, looking toward the couch with a blank stare. There was a lot between the pair of them, a lot of history that nobody would ever be able to touch, a completely unique relationship, something that they'd have no matter what. "I think it'd be stupid to not give this a shot," Babs said finally. It wouldn't be easy on either of them to try and keep it going, but then relationships weren't supposed to be easy all the time. In Babs' mind it was better for them to be together than let themselves be apart. No matter what happened to them within the relationship, they'd always be untouchable, unbreakable. Babs couldn't imagine her life without Dick in it, not anymore, and she didn't want to try.

She was feeling more like her normal self now, more like normal Babs. Arms crossed, arguing out a point and stubbornly fighting for something she wanted to happen. She wanted to be with Dick, that was what it came down to. The pros of being together vastly outwayed the cons. Looking back now Babs couldn't deny her immediate attraction to him - she adored everything about him, down to even the little ways he annoyed her. However, if he'd made a decision in his mind about whether they ought to be together or not, Babs would probably find it difficult to argue against. Though she usually got her own way with Dick, she was well aware of just how stubborn he could be. She wasn't up to forcing him into being with her by shouting across the room with him.

Babs was constantly in Batgirl mindset, she found it damn near impossible to tune it out. She imagined Dick thought along the same roots, where they were so invested in what they did that it was their lives. They worked together because of that - they were aware of each other's lives and everything that went on in it. They were able to discuss it, where as with someone else they'd have to hide it and lie. Someone who didn't know - and couldn't know - about who they were really. Babs didn't want to give someone half of who she was, and with Dick she didn't need to worry about that. They'd shared too much history to allow someone else to come between them.

"We make sense," Babs said finally. "I don't have to lie to you about where I am, and you don't have to lie to me," she said. She emphasised her last sentence, not to open up an older argument, but simply to remind him that whatever it was he'd been away doing wouldn't anger her. "Maybe we have a difference of opinion, Dick, but I think we're worth taking a risk for," she told him, her arms were still crossed, and she was now looking directly at him. This was normal Babs, she thought, standing up for what she wanted and believed in, and yet this was a strange experience too, because Babs had forgotten what it was to be a teenager, but she wanted to remember it. If there was anyone she wanted to remember it with, it was Dick. They were on the same level of things, she would never have to make up some story to him, never weave a lie. It was hard enough to lie to her father, it killed her and hurt her, and she didn't want to have to do it all again to someone else. Dick was someone she could be open and honest with, someone she could spend just as much time hanging out with and going places with as she did patrolling and investigating. She wanted to take a chance with Dick - she was more than willing to do so - but she was worried the feeling wasn't mutual.[/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick listened to every word that Barbara was saying. His eyes directly on her's as he took in everything. Even when she lost eye contact with him, he still kept his eyes on her. Through her words he knew she had taken it the wrong way. At least that's what it sounded like to him. He wasn't trying to make it sound like he didn't want to be with her. That's exactly what he was trying not to go for, yet he had presented it like he wasn't interested in her. Dick wouldn't be acting the way he was if he had come to just tell her he did not want to give it a shot.

As she continued, Dick could tell she was going to put up a fight to try and say what she wanted to say. She was arguing of the points of why they should be together. Babs seemed like she was coming back to her normal self. The tension between them was dropping slowly. Their defenses were lowering to allow themselves to try and relax to explain. Dick was starting to see that this chance was as important to Babs as it was to him.

Usually Dick was really protective of his feeling on anything. Or to a lot of emotions he would express. He had been so tense and worried about how Babs was going to react to this. Yet, now he saw she was on the same page. Dick started to loosen up a bit down. His eyes were no longer showing the signs of his past nervousness. He allowed his shoulders to slack down as he leaned against the door way, listening to her.

As she continued, Dick wanted to chuckle at the thoughts that Babs thought he was against the idea of going out with her. Though, he couldn't blame her for the way he had been acting. He hadn't tried to push her away at times, it was just who he was. He just wasn't good at these kinds of things. Yet, Babs brought that out of him, the side he hid from others. Around Babs, it was easy for Dick to be himself. He didn't have to hide anything from her. She knew who he was, and what he was like. Babs knew most of his protected secrets that no one else would know about, not even Dick's best friends. At times, Dick had a feeling Babs was starting to understand him more than what he ever wanted to let on to. Even with him being gone for some time, Babs seemed to be able to pick up on the small things about Dick that had changed.

Dick let her words sit for a moment, a he knew what she was getting at. He looked away, his view now toward the window and slightly down. The whole point she was trying to make was pointless. Not because he didn't feel the same, but because that was exactly how he felt about them. Babs was worth the risk. It was just the consequences that might follow that Dick feared the most. The last thing Dick would every thing he was afraid of was facing an issue like with with Babs.

Dick finally decided he would break the silents that had come between them for the last few moments. "I don't disagree with you," he spoke up. He let the words of what he had said sit for another moment before he was going to continue. He looked back up at her, making eye contact once again. The smallest of a smile came to his face at the fact that Babs had really thought that he had been talking about them not being together. Though it was his fault for leading it that way. He was trying to hold back his relief over the fact that Babs and him were getting some where with this talk. Even though much has not been said. Dick felt stupid that he had made it should like at first that he was trying to call it quits on the subject. His nervous had gotten the best of him. He hadn't been about to explain his thoughts clearly was all.

"I want you to stay in my life," he started to admit. "And I don't mean just as Batgirl." He was speaking more of a calm tone now with hardly a hint of nerves. Dick was opening up how he truly felt about her and was doing little to hold back his thoughts. They were coming out more clearly now than they had been before. "I want what you want. More than just this." He stepped forward, no longer leaning against the doorway. "You're worth the risk."

[k]

[/b] Babs said, moving toward him now. She had to admit to herself, she hadn't emotionally prepared for this eventuality. Somewhere during their conversation she'd convinced herself they were going to be leaving either with nothing resolved or her feeling upset. This, she thought, was a turn of events she hadn't foreseen. Dick's specific wording had initially thrown her off earlier, and she'd managed to talk herself into thinking she was going to have to fight her case a little more. She'd been willing to fight for them, and, as it turned out, so was Dick.

Nobody else in the world mattered when it was her and Dick, they were removed from their vigilante counterparts. Not as much as they could be, because it was their lives and what they did. They were both fiercely and passionately devoted to it, for different reasons, but with the same ultimate goal. Both of them were driven, and determined. Babs would have never thought their initial meetings - and ultimate dislike of one another would have lead to this moment right now. She felt like they'd said so much and yet so little. She was sure they were going to have to struggle with this, no relationship was easy, least of all when you had other issues mixed in. Theirs was going to be particularly strained, but she knew they could work through if they were willing to do so.

Babs stepped forward, eyeing Dick with an almost cautious approach.
"Really?" She asked. She was still unsure of how to react to his words, but he'd made his intentions very clear. Babs was still fighting to regain her usual composure, this sort of emotional talk didn't sit well with her, but she was much enjoying the outcome of it right now. Dick's words were still hanging around her, and was taking them in and processing them as fast as she could. They deserved to give this a go, they owed themselves that much at least.

She hadn't waited for a reply, and Babs found herself walking toward Dick, closing the gap between them that had previously been quite large. She was a lot closer to him now, enough so that she ended perhaps a mere two feet away from him. She paused, as if she was almost unsure, and then she continued forward. She was going to throw caution to the wind right now. There was a renewed sense of confidence in Babs movement as she did so, and without rationalising or thought, she completely closed the gap between Dick and herself and leaned in toward him...[/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

In the short words that he had spoken, he watched her every movement. He could tell that he had caught her off guard with his response. The expression on her face and her body language said it all. The expression she gave when she raised her eyebrows as if to as if he was serious, he knew her all too well. After years of working with her, he had always picked up on the little things about Babs. The things that others did not seem to take the time and notice. And that was one of the reasons, he cared for her.

Dick was never one to open up like this. It takes a lot to ever get anything like this out of him, but at that moment with Babs, it didn't matter. At times, it seemed like Babs could read him like a book. Babs was the type to keep prying to get the information she wanted. It was probably one of the first things he had notice about Babs when they had first met. After all that is how she managed to get what she wanted, in joining the Bat-family. Babs was beautiful, charming, brilliant, and sometimes just down right stubborn. The stubbornness he could do without sometimes, but other than that...things just seemed to make sense between them.

They had supported each other for all these years, growing closer with time. Sure they had their fall outs, but in the end things usually seemed to sort out one way or another. They were both taking a huge step. Dick just felt that with every step they would be taking, it was going to be all the more difficult to turn back. But at that moment, nothing mattered...Dick wasn't thinking of the past or their future. All he could think about was the moment that was before them. They had both torn down the walls between them and were now defenseless to each other.

In other occasions, Dick would have done anything to protect himself from stuff like this, but with Babs it didn't matter at that moment in time. They were both now on the same page for the first time in a long time. The feelings were mutual between the two, both willing to give up everything for the other.

Her words just seemed to trail off, without finishing her thoughts. Watching her closely, Dick hadn't expected her to start coming toward him. She had asked him a question, but did not allow him a chance to respond to her. He stood there as she moved closer. He remained silent as she got closer and closer until she was within two feet of him. As she paused, he sensed the hesitation she had when she had gotten closer. His eyes were just honest and accepting of her actions. He stayed quiet and just allowed her to make the first move. As she moved closer, Dick looked into her deep green eyes. He couldn't think of anything else but her at the moment. He allowed himself to stay defenseless as the gap closed between them.

They were now face to face. Dick leaned in towards her as well, closing his eyes as he kissed her. It just felt right between them. Nothing else matter, but them. All they had gone through, their argument from earlier, the acquired moment that had been between them minutes ago, seemed to vanish at that moment. All that matter to him was Babs. They had finally sorted through what had been troubling them and that had been following them through the years.

[k]

[/b] she growled. This sounded more like normal Babs. The kind of girl who always had something to say about something, always spoke her mind and was forceful and strong. She wasn't the quivering mess she'd allowed herself to wander into a minute ago. Somehow, and rather surprisingly, Dick had managed to reduce her to nothing but a teenage girl with a fluttering heart.

Despite her scolding of Dick, she leaned in again and kissed him a second time, as if to show to him there were no hard feelings for him initially leading her awry with his intentions when he arrived at her house. She thought of her dad walking through the door and seeing her pressed up against Dick Grayson, and she smirked to herself as she kissed Dick again. To anyone else, Dick and Babs sudden affection for one another was going to appear strange - sure, her dad knew she was friends with Dick, but he would probably underestimate just how close they were. Certainly no one else was going to expect Babs to be found with Dick.[/ul]

[Deleted]

What a day it had been, working from 5:30 am in the morning until now. James Gordon was finally able to leave his desk and head home early like he had planned. It's not too often he got to leave on time being the Commissioner and it seems that Gotham draws out all the weirdos to the streets. He had told Barbara that he was definite he would make it home by his schedule office hours today. Coming home early was going to give him the chance to relax and work at home and perhaps getting to sleep a bit early tonight since he had been running on four hours of sleep a night for the last week. Though, he would never admit that he was feeling a bit worn down with all the paper work he has been working. As Commissioner, he never liked to leave a unopened case at least looked through thoroughly. Sometimes Jim wondered if he was a bad influence on his daughter. Barbara is such a bright young lady, and she's growing up. Jim knows she makes the choices that were right for her, but he'll always be there to help guide her. He still couldn't believe she was already in college, but that is what the progress of working hard has to offer.

As he sat in his car, finally able to drive home, he couldn't help to think that for once the press did not actually bug him that day. Usually some journalist managed to get by the front office and make it up to some of his investigators. Sometimes he wondered if some of his employees did it as a joke, others he knew liked to watch him under the pressure. Though Jim's actions never satisfied those that tried to work on his nerves, Jim was usually able to turn it back onto the people that had started it in the first place. That's what made him so successfully with keeping the police at peace with the Batman and the rest of those vigilantes.

Finally turning down the road to his home, Jim relaxed as knowing he was away from the pressure of the office for now, until he buried his nose into the cases he had waiting for him at home. As he got closer to his house, something caught his eye. He slowed down a bit to get a better look at this new vehicle parked out front of his property. Recognizing the black motorcycle, he gave a half smile remembering who it belonged to. It had been a long time since he had seen this bike come around. Richard Grayson was the ward of Bruce Wayne and it wasn't often that he came out this wait for any business. Jim could recall a few times that he had seen the motorcycle about, but often it was just a short visit and then Richard Grayson was off again. For being the ward of Bruce Wayne, that kid didn't seem to like the public's eye watching him.

Jim pulled into the small driveway in his property and turned the engine off. He knew Barbara would be around, she usually seemed to finish with her classes before the evenings. Jim would often come home to Barbara either working hard on her studies or passed out on the couch from over studying. Getting out of the car, Jim grabbed his briefcase before he shut the car door easily and headed toward the front door.

Once at the door, Jim managed to quickly find the house key and unlocked the door. "I'm home Barbara," he announced as he walked in through the door and removed his hat.

"I just wanted to give you a heads up in case you weren't expecting me," Jim said as he walked toward the living room to discover his daughter was not entertaining a guest, but was also being entertained. Well this was a surprise, he crossed his arms has he had walked in on his daughter mouth to mouth with a boy. It's not that he did approve of this or anything, he was her father. He knew sooner or later she would start dating.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything," he spoke half sarcastically. "I didn't know you were expecting company," he raised an eyebrow. He was more or less just making the situation difficult almost as a joke to himself. He knew what it had been like to be young and in love. Though he was a bit surprised to Richard Grayson with his daughter. Since when had they hung out so much?

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Reacting to Babs putting her arms on him, Dick embraced her in his arms as well, letting his jacket fall to the ground. There was just so much between them, that words could not describe it. He was lost in the moment, lost in Babs. He wouldn't have carried if this moment had lasted forever. They had both been longing for this and now here they were. Together with each other.

As she drew away, Dick wasn't expecting her to hit him in any way. It almost seemed to be more for play than any intention of harming him. A questioning look came to his face, before she gave a reason for her last action. Dick could tell Babs was feeling more confident now. Before, it had been award for the both of them. Especially for Dick, he didn't take well to the conversation they had gone through. Trying to come up with an explanation, Dick fumbled around in his mind a bit trying to find the right words. His mind was just recovering what had just happened between them.

"Did I make it sound that way," he said jokingly. He knew he had come off the wrong foot before, the moment the word had just been come out of his mouth. He hadn't been able to place his 'feelings' into words. Dick knew he would never get good at that. Though, it didn't matter any more, Babs seemed to be back to her old self again. The only difference now was that they were together, and more than just friends at this point.

Dick accepted Babs next approach, he pulled her in closer to him. This time, it didn't feel so awkward for him to put his hands on her again to bring her in. One hand rested on her mind back and the other behind her neck. The rest of the world didn't seem to exist. Once again, lost in the moment with Babs, Dick had not even notice the sound of Commissioner Gordon's car pulling in the drive-way. Let alone, the man walking in and announcing himself. But with the mention of Gordon saying he interrupted, Dick's mind was brought back to reality. He stopped and let his grip on Babs loosen a bit, his arms still resting around her for a moment. He didn't want to let go of her, but at that moment, he felt like a deer caught in the headlights of a car.

Looking at Babs, he had a feeling she had known her father had been on his way home. Sure this new moment was probably a game to her, but for Dick, he was a little embarrassed the Commissioner had come home to find his daughter making out with some guy. After all, the Commissioner was the one responsible for being able to place Dick in the home of Bruce Wayne. And had been there the day of his parents' murder. Even if the Commissioner wasn't around much beside business of social parties, Dick knew that Bruce considered him family and so did he.

His face showed a hint of red of embarrassment for getting him and Babs caught like this. It was one think to come in when someone is holding hands, but walking in when two people are kissing are always the kinds of things Dick knew others tried to avoid. Babs would probably figure him out that it was just a bit awkward for him to be caught in a moment like that. He let his arm drop to his sides as he turned to at least say something to the Commissioner. Dick couldn't tell if the man was truly being serious of just pulling their legs. Dick's mind was still mixed up with all that had been going on. "Go-od even-ing, Commissioner," a hit of nerves in his voice as he acknowledged the Commissioner's entrance. He raised his right hand and was rubbing the back of his neck - just a nervous habit of his.

[k]

[/b] she said meekly, continuing to stare blindly forward as opposed to looking at her father. The moment was filled with an awkward tension, and Babs was surprised to have found her father coming home on time. She still didn't turn to look Jim in the face, almost as if she couldn't bring herself too. Not only that, but there was a smile tugging at the end of her mouth right now, and she could barely contain it. She didn't want to run the risk of looking Jim in the face and bursting into a fit of awkward giggles. If Dick had made her feel small, and like the actual teenager she was, her dad was doing a damn good job of it now.

Babs wanted to bury her head in Dick's chest to quell her embarrassed smirks - she couldn't help but laugh a little to herself. The situation was too classic - father comes home and catches his beloved daughter in the arms of a guy he'd known since said man was a child, seen grow up through the years. Babs imagined her father never figured he'd come home one day and find Babs kissing the man he'd previously placed in the care of Bruce Wayne, who was, on the surface, a notorious womaniser. That was, of course, nothing of the real Bruce persona, something only Dick and Babs were privy to. To her father, what he'd just walked into was his daughter entertaining the ward of a man who was well known for his liasons with women. For all Jim knew, Dick could be precisely the same.

Babs glanced toward the sofa, where she'd dumped her bag. She was suddenly glad she hadn't taken the time to remove it and take it upstairs. She didn't want to face this awkward moment anymore, so she did what any teenager would do given the circumstances where her father ran into her very, very newly acquired boyfriend. She ran.

"Dick and I were just going out," she bluffed, and picked up her bag and Dick's jacket too, and she swung her bag over her shoulder with a curt nod, as if to finalise her own belief that this was the case. "I'll ring later, dinner's in the fridge or you can cook up something else, glad you're home, don't work too late, see you later," she said, speaking clearly and coherently but rushing her sentences as she headed toward the door, ushering that Dick followed her. She knew her father wasn't too serious about the situation he'd just discovered, but she didn't want to give him the time to process just what he was seeing. That could lead to a weird, awkward moment. Not that the air between them wasn't tense as it already was.

Babs stuffed Dick's jacket into his arms as she pulled her own coat off the hook by the door, holding it one arm. She knew her dad would ask her about this ordeal later, probably lightly quiz her on how serious it was between the two and how long it'd been going on. That, however, was something she could face later and when she was alone with her father, not something she wished to partake in with Dick still in the room with them.[/ul]

[Deleted]

Jim was slightly amused by the reaction he had gotten for walking in on his daughter. He had noticed the books scattered on the couch and on the coffee table. So, figured Barbara have been study at one point that night. It seems Richard Grayson had walked in and distracted her from her studies. To any other father, one might think it was a bad distraction, but to Jim, he understood that life runs its course and you choose the life you want to lead. Though you can always try and change it, others could never do that for you. Look at him, he's been with the Gotham police for many years now, and had worked his way up the ranks to become Commissioner. He had more power in over seeing how the department was run. And he sure was glad he did. Back in his day of being on the police force, he had seen so many corrupt officers and people in charge. At least Jim was making a differences in the best way he knew how, by working hard.

Jim noticed how he had caught the two off guard and tried to hold back a smirk on his face. It was rather funny, if you weren't the one being caught. After a long days work, at least he didn't have to come home to a daughter falling in with the wrong crowd. Barbara knew better. Even though the guy she was with was the ward of Bruce Wayne, some thoughts had passed through his mind, but Bruce was a respectable business man.

Before he got the chance to say anything further that might make the situation more awkward for the two, Barbara had spoken up that 'they were just on there way out'. He knew she was bluffing. He wasn't about to stop her though, she had her own life to live. He'd always be there for guidance.

"All right, be careful," he said as Babara headed toward the door with Richard. "Don't be out too late though," he added. He turned and started to head toward his study. He had a few cases he wanted to look over before he work call it a night. As he walked away as the two were leaving, a half smile came to his face, he wasn't about to chuckle out loud with the two still in the house. He knew he had made the situation awkward, but it was rather funny.

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick was more than pleased that Babs had come up with a good escape. Not exactly well planned for trickery, but the best that would work on a last minute's notice. He held onto his jacked that Babs had shoved at him. He followed her lead as they headed for the door. Dick wasn't what to make of the situation, all he knew was he wanted to get out of there before the Commissioner would have the chance to interrogate him or anything along those lines. The Commissioner was good at his job, and had years of experience in that line. Dick has seen the Commissioner mad before, and knows you do not want to be the one getting your head bitten off by the Gordon.

Dick could say the same about Babs sometimes. He'd already gone through some what of an interrogate not too long ago. Babs had been successful in getting him to crack just a little. She had broken him down a little, but there was still a long ways to go before Dick would ever be caught dead pouring out his feelings about any issues that have come up.

His first reaction was that as soon as they got to the door, was to try and make a quick exit. The sooner the better for the two of them. Even though it seemed the Commissioner was headed off to do his own work. Doesn't that guy ever take a break? Seems he was working around the clock anytime Dick saw him as himself or as Robin. Then again, Dick could relate, Bruce was the same way. Dick was a little more laid back, but if something was really bugging him on a mission, he'd stop at nothing to try and solve it.

Opening the door, Dick stepped out onto the front step and waited for Babs. He slid his leather jacket back on as he stood there. "Might as well go for a ride," he said, seeing has he did come here by motorcycle and it would be a lot faster than walking back to the main part of the city. Looking around a bit outside, Dick hadn't realized how long he had actually been at there. The sun was just about down, and the streets were becoming even darker with the on coming f night. Dick mused at the thought of what if they ended up running into Batman on their way out. Just a few days ago, Dick and Babs had been arguing to no end and now they were together. Like everything was right as rain, but with just a slight change with them actually being together together this time. Not just friends any more.

[k]

[/b] Babs muttered to herself, but still within the hearing range of Dick. "Spends all night at the office and then the one day he decides he'll come home early..." Her voice trailed off as she wandered down toward the street, away from her house. She still had her arms crossed, the obvious twinge of annoyance at her father coming through. It wasn't simply that he'd managed to walk in on her and Dick, that wasn't the case at all. It was more about the fact that the one day she had the chance to spend her evening with him because he was home early she was with Dick. She wasn't sure who to blame, beside cursing rather angrily at whatever chance she got. She didn't see her dad often, both of them too wrapped up in work, or studying, or patrolling. They both did their own thing and the other didn't see fit to get involved. Babs could barely remember the last time she'd actually spent time with her dad.

Trying not to let this small factor bring her down too much, she glanced at Dick's bike and a smile broke out on her face.
"Might as well," she repeated, as if it was a horrible chore to go on the bike and she despised it. That wasn't the case at all, Babs loved going on the bikes, and Dick knew this as well as anyone else did. Babs immediately regretted not having tied her hair up, but she would work around that. She slipped her coat on to keep her warm and glanced up at the night sky. It was a cool night, unusually calm for Gotham. She felt ever so slightly unnerved, but tried to push this too from her mind. All that mattered right now was Dick and her, until the moment called for it, she need not worry about whether either of them were needed somewhere in the city right now.

"Maybe we could go see a movie... or get something to eat?" Babs said, realising she hadn't yet eaten dinner or made any food for herself. Dick's arrival had distracted her from that. She thought she looked a mess - tired and overworked, but apparently that didn't matter to Dick. He'd still kissed her despite this, right? With a resound smile, deciding to ignore every aspect that was going to concern her tonight, Babs decided she was going to enjoy her night out. To focus too much on the negative would only cause problems - tonight would be all about the positive.[/ul]

[Dick Grayson - Nightwing]

Dick followed Babs as he listened to her muttering about something. He hear a bit of what she had said, but decided against stepping in on this one. He decided it was best to leave matters between her and the Commissioner to them. If Babs wanted to talk about it, she'd let him know. But if she was going to continue on like that, he would at least see if there was anything he could do to help.

Smiling in response to Babs giving into to driving instead of walking, Dick walked up to his motorcycle and grabbed the helmet. He held it out to Babs. "Here, you probably should wear this while we ride," Dick said. He hadn't brought any extra along with him that night. How was he to know that he would have been going out with Babs that night. Dick hadn't even figured on bringing himself to talk to her about everything else that night. But he sure was glad that he had, and not that was over with. He could now get on with enjoying his time with Babs and not worry about anything else that was to go on. If something came up, what happened happens. They would take on the challenges as they came.

"Dinner sounds like a good idea," he replied. "I haven't had anything to eat since this morning." He looked at her, he figured they could go to a movie after. Dick's mind had been so cluttered with his thoughts from the past few days that he had forgotten all about eating much of anything that day. Dick climbed onto the motorcycle and sat there for a second. "Climb on," he said to Babs.

He was going to wait to start the engine up until he knew Babs was holding on tight. Dick couldn't remember the last time he had actually taken Babs out for a ride around the city. All he knew was, it was going to feel good to have her with him. He figured he'd be fine without a helmet just for that night, it hasn't stopped him before. Beside, Babs could use it a lot more than he could. Especially with how fast he tends to drive at night. The one thing though was that he was going to have to take it easy tonight, he wasn't Robin at the moment racing around the streets on a patrol or chasing down a criminal. That was one of the good things about working as a vigilante, he didn't often follow the speed limits when he was hot on someone's trail.

Tonight wants about that though. It was about being with Babs and just getting away from the embarrassing moment they had just gone through with the Commissioner back there. He knew that by later, they probably would have forgotten all about it.