Treacherous | Dick Grayson

5

Ashley was actively avoiding Dick, now that Hank was patched up and home. She was wandering around the dark D.C. block that she had found herself on. She didn't particularly know where she was or where she was headed, she just knew she couldn't be in the apartment with both Dick and Hank. She didn't want the anger and the fights, she was honestly tired of thinking at all. Ashley sighed as she found a bar. It was as good a place as any to start. 

Ashley knew, by the third shot that she wasn't going to get anything good by being here so she scrunched her nose and paid her tab. She was running around, instead of facing her problem as an adult. She knew she should've left him in Detroit. She knew but she still made the same stupid decision even when she was advised against it. She knew he was her weakness and that she needed to stay far away from him if she was ever going to fully take over the mantle her father wore. If only Ashley wanted it. She sighed again and kicked trash toward a dumpster and hearing the loud crack against the metal made her let out a breathy laugh. 

Ashley began backtracking and heard the wailing of sirens. Her eyebrows shot up in and her feet picked up speed. A sinking feeling in Ashley's gut made the brunette sick. Something was wrong. Ashley's eyes began scanning the buildings for any sign of familiarity. When Ashley turned the corner onto Dawn's street, she saw a commotion in the alley and her heart sank. Ashley's eyes started darting around. "What the hell?" Ashley asked, tears beginning to well up as she saw her loaded into a stretcher. "Dick!" Ashley yelled. Ashley dodged first responders and looked for the blonde's longtime boyfriend. "What the hell?" Ashley asked him, sobbing. His hands were coated in blood. He brought Ashley into a hug and held her against his chest as her sobs wracked her body. "What happened?" She asked through sobs. Dick could only hold her tighter as her arms enveloped him, the two entangled together as they once were. Ashley could only cry harder as she got no response and everything spiraled out of control once again. 

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Ashley and Hank sat beside each other, no words coming out of either of their mouths. They had been in silence for hours, waiting for something to happen. In Ashley's case, she was even finding religion and praying for any gods that existed to give them Dawn back. "I don't know what I'll do if I lose her" Hank rasped out softly. 

"I'm going to off whoever the hell did this" She told him quietly, making sure no one else could hear.  He nodded but kept his eyes on Dawn. He knew she wouldn't stop until it was over. He knew what she would do for her family, and Hank felt lucky that he was her family. 

"I don't know if that will help" He admitted softly again. 

"Their karma will come in the form of a very angry Ashley Wayne" She told him. 

"Do me a favor Ash?" Hank asked. 

"Anything"

"Don't go off the deep end. You might have Bruce's name, but you're nothing like him" Hank told her.

"I'll do what I can" Ashley told him, thinking about just how similar she and her father was.

 'You're my little warrior' The words of her father kept repeating in her mind but she pushed them out as Dick knocked. Hank got up to go and talk to Dick. Ashley stayed with Dawn, chewing on her lip. She scooted her chair a little closer and whispered "They're not going to get away, you will get better. You guys will finally get to retire and have baby Hank's and Dawn's. You will get the chance I didn't. Do everyone a favor Dawn, and survive and wake up so you can see another day. Out of all of us, you deserve it the most." A stray tear slipped down Ashley's face, but Ashley steeled herself and sat back. 

The door opened again and Hank said "Ash, you should talk to him if you're serious." Ashley looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "He's going after them too" Hank explained. Ashley nodded and Hank sat down.