Scarlet Justice: Identity - Young Justice Fanfiction

Scarlet Justice: Bonus #1

Dick's POV

"For the last time, you are not coming on this trip!"

I pushed myself off the counter top and paced to the other side of the living room.

"Richard Grayson," Kristen scolded, making me freeze in my spot. Slowly, I turned to face her with my hands held above my head. "We are not done."

I sighed and placed my hands on my hips. We stood apart from each other, a couch and coffee table thankfully separating the two of us as Kris glared at me. The tv on my left still played the news cycle with the volume on low. I tried not to get distracted.

"You can't come with me, Kris," I repeated myself, quieter this time. She opened her mouth to protest but I didn't let her. "Recon is never recon. You know that better than anyone."

"You're down a whole Team. You need all the help you can get," She argued back. 

Despite my every effort to keep her here in Gotham, she was right. We were short staffed given our current political problems. With the team facing discontinuation, Bruce had no choice but to take matters into his own hands. We were his last resort and that meant big risks.

"For old times sake," Kris continued. "Just us Bat kids. We can handle it."

I didn't respond. Kristen crossed the living room and reach out for me, slowly pulling apart my crossed arms. It's been years since her last mission and we all know how well that went. But I've seen her in action, she can handle herself. If I knew any better, she was in her prime right now.

But it has been years. Years of therapy and PTSD and nightmares.

"Just this one mission," I whispered, circling my arms around her as she stared back at me. She pulled back the strands of hair hanging down in front of my face.

"Exactly, I'm a spare back up," She agreed. "Besides, what kind of fiancee would I be if I let you do this one alone?"

I grabbed her wrist to inspect the diamond ring I had placed on her finger merely months ago. The memory made me smile and I leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips. 

Kris placed her arms around my neck and pulled me down closer. She giggled as I peppered her mouth with kisses. The two of us swayed together, enjoying the company as it poured just outside our apartment window. 

Kris turned to face the skyline and I stood behind her, wrapping an arm around her waist and holding her close to me.

"What did Artemis say?" She whispered.

"Kaldur's hands are tied," I sighed. "After the Hive debacle, the UN has been on the move about kids suiting up. And although I understand their concerns-"

"It's bigger than them," She finished for me.

"The thing is, Garfield and the Team, they aren't exactly kids anymore, not legally anyways," I continued. In my mind, I flashed back to the large argument between the League and the Team that went down just two weeks ago. "He's doing everything he can for all our new members, but at the end of the day, we can't keep them."

"And Damien?" Kris turned to face me. "I'm assuming he's not on this mission."

"Trust me," I groaned. "Damien would kill the entire UN Defense Committee if he could. Bruce will keep him busy here while we're gone."

"I will never understand how Bruce managed to produce such a-"

"Violent 9 year old?" I finished for her. Kristen looked up at me with a teasing smile spread across her face.

"I was going to say creative," Her suggestive tone made me laugh. For a second there the joke seemed to blanket all our problems. It was sweet.

While it lasted.