Ode to Nightwing

Chapter 20: Bludhaven

        Dick frowned as he woke up, his head pounding slightly. Tim was beside his bed, watching the news on the television in front of Dick's bed. He saw a building crumbling on the screen. "Turn it up." Dick muttered, struggling to sit up in bed and strain to hear the news. "What is happening?"

        "Superman has another enemy, someone from Superman's home planet, and he came to Earth. They were battling and then..." Tim trails off as the news camera focuses on the building that was being cut into pieces by lasers. The sign with a 'W' on it gave it away. 

        Dick sat up further, not caring if he split open his stitches. That was where Cal and Bruce had been. "Get me the phone." Dick ordered, on the verge of shouting. "Tim, give me the phone." Tim quickly handed it over and Dick quickly dialed, holding it up to his ear, his blood pounding in his ears. It rang, and rang, and rang. That was when Cal's voice started, her voicemail greeting him instead of her actually speaking. He had helped her set up the greeting since he had gotten her the new phone, and he had even taken a part in the greeting, threatening anyone that was interested in Callie to back off, since they were dating. 

        "Dick..." Tim whispered as Dick redialed, determined to get a hold of her. It didn't work, so he called Bruce instead. "Dick." No answer. Dick cursed under his breath before redialing again. Tim grabbed Dick's wrist, yanking the phone away. "Dick!" 

        "What!" Dick shouted, and Tim pointed at the T.V. Dick turned to see the camera focusing on Superman, who was floating over where Wayne Tower had been. Dick dropped the phone as he spotted Superman carrying Cal, who was in her Nightglider outfit. His breath caught in his chest as the camera tried to stay focused on Superman as he moved, setting Cal down near the ground. The cameraman ran to see where, and soon Bruce was on the screen also, Cal next to him, unconscious. 

        "That isn't live." Alfred suddenly comes into the infirmary. 

        "How do you know?" Dick growled. 

        Bruce suddenly enters in also, Callie in his arms. Dick gasps as he sees her helmet cracked, her body still limp. As soon as Bruce laid her down on the next bed over, he yanked the helmet off, throwing it to the ground, where it bounced and rolled, thudding against the wall. Her breathing was shallow, but her chest was still moving up and down. 

        "What happened?" Dick asked, pissed at himself for not being able to help. 

        "General Zod came to fight Superman. He took the fight too far. Callie was in the building when they entered. Superman tried to help her, to get her out of the way, but he couldn't help her and fight Zod at the same time." Bruce explained as Alfred began to search for any broken bones. 

        "Why was she in the building? Where were you?!" Dick yelled and Bruce stopped moving. 

        "I was heading over there...."

        "You were supposed to protect her!"

        "She was safe! No one can predict that happening!" Bruce yelled, his voice echoing throughout the Batcave. 

        "You knew that something was happening with Superman!" Dick shouted back, standing up even though it pained him to do so. "You knew that something could happen!"

        "Stop...." The voice was soft, but it halted everyone, especially Dick. "It wasn't Bruce's fault." Callie opened her eyes, staring at the people around her. "It was an accident. I'm fine." She sits up, cringing as she does so, gripping her stomach. 

        "That's it." Dick turns his attention back to Bruce. "Callie and I are going to Bludhaven. She is just getting injured here in Gotham." 

        Callie looks up, standing up, also. "But Gotham-"

        Dick interrupts her. "Is in the hands of Batman."

A Few Days Later~ First P.O.V:

        "So, this is your apartment... with the landlady that considers herself your girlfriend." I whisper as Dick locks the door behind us. It was spacious for an apartment. 

        "You don't have to worry about her." Dick murmurs into my ear as he wraps his arms around my waist, hugging me from the back. "Do you want to meet some of my coworkers?" Dick mumbled, and he kissed the side of my neck. 

        "Coworkers?" I was puzzled by this news. "Where do you work?"

        "I actually work at the police department here in Bludhaven. They think I've been gone because I've been working with the GCPD." Dick informs and I nod. 

        "It allows you to keep on what is going wrong in Bludhaven." I infer and he nods.

        "Precisely. Nightwing needs to keep informed. And now he has a partner in Bludhaven."

        "Oh?" I turn in his arms. "You actually called me your partner." 

        Dick frowned, probably cursing his mouth. "You know what I meant-"

        I interrupt him. "You think of me as your partner! Nightwing and Nightglider fighting crime together!" I giggle, making us dance a little. "Let me take a shower and change, and then we can go visit your work. Maybe I can pretend to be a stay at home girlfriend while you work at the police department, or maybe I can work with you..." I give him a huge grin and he shakes his head at my goofiness. "Maybe you can join me while I get ready..." I giggle as he blushes madly. "And by that I mean pick out my outfit." His face falls and I peck him on the lips before dashing off, finding the bedroom on my own. 

That Night

        After he introduced me to his coworkers, we left and had some dinner at a restaurant Dick liked, and I kept glaring at all of the women that seemed to know Dick and welcomed him back, barely any of them seeing me next to him until he introduced me. That was when the girls would glare back at me. 

        He unlocked his door and ushered me in. He locked it back up before turning around, picking me up in his arms and carrying me to the bedroom. I had no time to protest before I was put onto the bed. 

        "Shouldn't we change? So that we can go out and protect the city?" I whisper, my stomach getting butterflies. 

        "We could, but we could also take the night off... To do... other things..." Dick whispered and I smiled, but my gut twisted.

        "Other things....?" I mumble, watching him closely, even though it was dark in the room. "What did you have in mind?" 

        "I've been wanting to ask.... If you have wanted to..." Dick murmurs, sliding onto the bed next to me.

        "I have."