Black Dahlia || Dick Grayson [Titans] ✔️

SUBJECT INFORMATION

Present Day

Seeing that look on Dick's face again brought a sharp pain to my heart that made me gasp out sharply as I stared back. The expression slipped from his face and morphed into one of concern as he moved to cup my face between his hands. The feel of his skin on mine sent chills through my body but my heart and mind were too preoccupied to fully enjoy it. Too deep in the ever growing darkness to lean up and press my lips to his, the way I'd been imagining for what seemed like a lifetime.

"What is it?" Dick asked softly, eyes focused on mine. "Is it from the electricity? What hurts?"

I wanted to answer; wanted to tell him that everything hurt but not because I'd been electrocuted less than an hour ago. I wanted to tell him that it was a different pain, a worse pain that would haunt me for as long as I managed to keep living. I wanted to try and explain it to him, but I didn't want him to feel what I did.

Clearly I wasn't the only one in the universe who thought so as we were suddenly joined by others.

"Dick, we heard—Madalyn?"

Despite Dick refusing to let go, I managed to turn my head enough to see Dawn in all of her comfortable, pale white haired beauty staring at me in surprise. Beside her, a tall ebony toned woman with sleek red hair had her curious eyes on Dick.

"Hi Dawn," I replied. "Been awhile."

"Understatement," she said with a stiff laugh, looking between me and Dick. I felt a new kind of tension in his touch before his hands fell away and to his sides. He kept his eyes on me for a few seconds longer before looking over at the pair in the doorway.

"You guys are back," he said dumbly. "That's great. Um, Dawn, you already know Madalyn so...uh, Madalyn this is Kory, one of our newest Titans."

"Nice to meet you," I said neutrally, distantly assessing the scene playing out before me. Kory seemed to be doing the same as she looked between me and Dick with the same curious expression she had when she first entered the room. Dick avoided making direct eye contact with her, which told me all I needed to know and only added further to my pain.

"Likewise," Kory said with a small smile. "Were you a Titan before or...?"

I couldn't help the bitter laugh that came out of me at that. "Not in the slightest, no. I'm an old friend of Donna and Dick's. I ran into some trouble recently, as well as met Jason, and I sort of found myself back here looking for help."

"Trouble and Jason; usually synonymous," Dawn spoke up, trying to keep the mood light. I just looked at her and sighed.

"Well, if there's one thing I've learned since finding myself here, it's that old friends of one usually become friends of all," Kory said. "So, whatever you need help with, you can count me in. I can use a change in mission theme."

"Speaking of mission," Dawn said quickly, focusing solely on Dick. "We were looking for you to debrief, so..."

"Yeah, right," he nodded, throwing a glance at me. "I'm a little busy right now but—"