The Red Right Hand

No More, No Less

Dick opened the door to the apartment a little nervous, unsure how upset Raven was over the earlier incident. As understanding as she generally was, she could also dish out the hurt when she saw fit, and something told him she might not be so forgiving tonight.

"Well here goes nothing," he muttered to himself, pushing the door open.

He immediately noticed her sitting on the bed, a little zoned out as she looked down at something in her hand. He sighed and closed the door, waiting for the moment when she'd lay into him, but it never came.

"Hey," he said carefully, still at the door.

She looked at him and smiled weakly. "Hey—how'd it go?"

"I think it went well," Dick said ambiguously, not really sure how to appraise such a thing. "What you looking at?"

She shrugged and lifted the photo she was peering at, holding it out for him. "I found this at Roy's, I thought you might want it."

He took it, peering down and smiled, a fond memory quickly warming his stony face.

"I still can't believe you used to look like that," she said softly.

Dick laughed. "Yeah, this wasn't too long before we met, actually. You don't even look like the same person."

"Age will do that," Raven said taking the picture back a moment. "Speaking of which: Jason was a really cute kid..."

"Don't let Rose hear you say that," Dick laughed, "something tells me you'll have to fight her for him."

Raven smiled coyly. "I'll admit he's pretty attractive, and if I didn't know any better, I'd let him buy me a drink, but uh, that's not what I meant..." She handed Dick the photo again. "If you add red hair who does he look like to you?"

"You do realize he used to be a redhead, right?" Dick added and looked down at the photo, studying the boy closely, digging through faces in his mind until he finally fell on a shattering realization.

"Oh shit." He looked up at Raven, his mouth agape, his eyes dripping with concern. "Raven, you can't."

"I'm not," she reassured, "but, I might have to use it as leveraged. We can't let the League catch wind of what we're actually doing here. I just wanted to run it by you before I said anything."

"Do you really think it's necessary?"

"I don't know, Dick," Raven shrugged, "but I'm not willing to take the chance, and neither are you. If the League ever finds out... you're done." She paused and glanced down a moment. "I know she's one of your closest friends, it's probably best if I'm the bad guy."

Dick glanced away a moment, sifting through the smog. "Only if you have to," he said handing the photo back to her.

Dick honestly loved Donna, she was like the sister he never had, but he couldn't risk her throwing him under the bus because her moral compass didn't align with his cracked one.

"Raven, I'm sorry about today."

She looked up at him and shrugged. "Don't worry about it, it's over. No need to dwell on it."

Dick smiled at her. "And thank you, by the way," he said. "I don't know what would have happened to that girl if you hadn't stepped in."

He reached out for her hand, lacing his fingers in hers and sat down on the bed before her. She smiled at him, knowing that he genuinely appreciated her.

"You wouldn't have let anything bad happen to her," Raven replied, giving his hand a squeeze.

"I'd like to think that..."