Lost - D.G [ 1 ]

BONUS - INSIDE DICK'S NIGHTMARE

The air is thick and suffocating but I stand behind the guard, waiting for them to open the gate and allow me access to her. The loud buzzing noise is followed by the sound of electricity, and the man steps forward, making me follow him. With a nod, he stands next to the door, giving us as much privacy as they allowed in Blackgate.

I fight the guilt creeping up my throat and step closer to the big cage. There's a little rotten mattress for her to sleep and nothing more. On the top of the cage, the bed's sheets are tied, making them look like a swing. Nothing more on the whole room. She was kept in solitary, away from the rest of them.

Her eyes are closed as she stretches on the swing, and I allow myself to stare at her. Her hair was longer, dirtier and greasy. She had a few more scars since the last time I saw her. Some on her arms and legs, a bruise on the left side of her cheek and a busted lip. She got a beating, probably one of many on the last years. She was also sickly thinner.

It's when her eyes open, ice blue fix on mine that I stop breathing for a second. Kat's eyes were the first thing I knew about her. After years of only seeing them because of the mask she'd wear, I had learned how to read them. They were cold, but there always was a candor behind them. But not anymore. Those blue eyes looking at me were just blue. Ice, cold and lost blue.

"Well, well, well. Look what we have here. Is it my birthday already?" her voice is slightly deeper than usual and croaky. And it's not until she gracefully steps down the swing and into the light that I see blue hand marks around her neck. "Dick Grayson on the flesh."

"Hello Kat."

"It's Katherine." She snaps instantly, losing the smooth façade for a moment before turning back to it. "The world must be ending if you're here."

"It's been a while."

"Not long enough. Let me guess, you need something from me."

"I need to know if you were involved with Alfred's murder. The Joker killed him."

"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't. Why would I tell?" I clench my first and my jaw preventing me from doing anything stupid. She was taunting me and I knew she'd do it. But it's the careless giggle she lets out that brings me closer to snap. "Aw, are you mad?"

"He was an innocent man. A good man."

"But not a smart one. A smart man, would've left Gotham. A smarter one wouldn't have come back." She was right; a smart man would have left this behind. Let Bruce do whatever the fuck he wanted to, as always. I should help Jason adapt to his new way of life and  be home with John and Dawn. Not vising the woman I betrayed and locked into Blackgate Penitentiary for life.

"If you're connected to it. He'll kill you, Kat. I'm trying to help you."

"Liar." The blonde grunts at me and I struggle to keep my eyes on her. In a second, she was face to face with me. Now I could see the marks, fresh bruises and cuts on her face and figure well, and guilt hit me stronger than before. "The only thing you do is lie to me, Dick Grayson. It's always been like this. I'd tell you the truth and you'd tell a pretty lie I'd eat up. So listen to this truth carefully. I did not tell anyone about Alfred. But I am happy that the Batsy is suffering. He deserves it; he deserves to suffer like the rest of us do. Like you should do too."

"Fine. We're done then."

"I've dreamt of seeing you again, ya know?" I stop on my feet and I close my eyes, trying to fight the taunting and teasing on her voice. Fight it. Keep waking. Get out of Gotham. Go back to John, Dawn and your next child. Leave her behind. Again. Leave her behind again.

But I don't do it. I don't do any of the things I should. Instead, I turn round and walk back until I'm a foot away from the cage. And I see her smile, and I have to fight a smile. Because it had been nearly ten years since I last saw her. Because I regretted it. Because I had missed her.