#temperance's temptations

[poison-basil]

Temperance Drake - A Day at the Office

[poison-basil]

Part 9: Baby Daddy

Prompt: 

Well this is my idea: You could make Temperance sick to the stomach or something, but since it has many things to do ignore its illness, for a few days other people only see it vomiting, with dizziness and fever, and automatically think that it is pregnant, all enter panic, then they get excited and then they are disappointed to know that she is not pregnant. by MaldicionDeLuna on AO3

Summary - this wasn't what she was expecting on her bi weekly visit to Manor.

Temperance felt like heaving when she got out of her car. The motion of the car turning her stomach, it had been a battle to get to the Manor, however she couldn't miss this weekend. She had already missed the last weekend she was supposed to come down, due to this illness (getting slashed in fights and trudging through sewers was never a good mix, for anyone) she had been confined to her apartment for the better part of two weeks. Heavy waves of nausea and dizziness accompanying the massive ache in her bones made it impossible for her to patrol, she didn't want to tempt herself so she kept her com muted (except for the emergency line, there was nothing stopping her is there was something big going down) so she hadn't really heard from anyone in a while.

Dick, Jason and Alfred had all made sure to text and call occasionally, to make sure she wasn't out and about (like she would ever do that) and resting properly, though the calls that she was getting seemed to be getting more cryptic and rushed. Damian had popped down in the earliest stages of her illness, when she was mostly lucid and scowled at her while she threw up her breakfast. He had quickly left with a strange look about it, she let it be thought, when wasn't Damian slightly strange?

Now here she was feeling much better and not as though she was two foot from an early grave. Only slight waves nausea washing over her when she moved to fast or suddenly. She planned to be out on patrol tonight, mostly for stake outs and Intel, there was no way she was going to risk throwing up on herself while grappling (gross).

Temperance hoped to make a silent entrance into the Manor and quickly go put her stuff away before facing everyone, get set up and comfortable for her stay (or as comfortable as she could in the Manor anymore). As soon as she entered the main entrance she was accosted by bright pink and blue decorations everywhere. There were streamers on the chandeliers that she just knows Dick must have had a hand in placing with the haphazard way they were thrown around (if it were Alfred it would’ve look nothing short of perfect) which begged the question as to why she didn't know about this if Dick did. She had called him this morning to confirm that she was still coming over and he hadn’t mentioned a thing.

There were numerous balloons strewn about the hall. All announcing a congratulations on the baby. Pink ones for a girl and blue ones for a boy (they either didn’t know the sex, or there were twins on the way). Temperance stood in the place looking at all the baby paraphernalia wracking her brains over who could be having a baby. She hadn't heard anything about someone being pregnant. Steph would definitely tell her if she was and as far as Temperance knew Cass was still in Hong Kong, so this couldn't be for her… Temperance was so lost in contemplation that she didn't notice someone entering the room.

“Temp!” Startled by the sudden shout of her name Temperance looked to see Dick quickly making his way over to her, stepping around wrapped boxes that must be presents. When Dick had got close enough he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closed and breathed her in. I felt so good to actually see Dick again, she hadn’t been able to feel him in a while, something loosened inside her she hadn’t even known was there.

She lifter her arms and put them around him giving him a squeeze, “Hey Dick.” God it really did feel like heaven getting her arms around him again and not be worried that she was going to infect him with what she had come down with (though her missing spleen didn’t help with how bad she got.)

Temperance felt him pull back slightly so she tilts her head up to see him smiling blindingly down at her. There was never going to be a time when that smile didn't send shivers and tingles down her spine (sometimes it was scary how much power he had over her with simple gestures like that). She couldn’t help but smile back in return.

His eyes crinkle at the edges, “You ok? Was the ride over ok? Sorry I couldn't come pick you up, I just had a few things that needed to get done…” She sees his eyes travel to the decorations surrounding them, “but I imagine you already figured that out.” His smile dampens slightly as though he thought this was going to go unnoticed by her somehow.

“I can totally see your handy work on the chandeliers,” She giggles nodding her head upwards, she paused for a second, creasing her brow slightly in thought, “Who’s it for?”

“Who’s it for?” He echoes.

Temperance quirks an eyebrow at him, tilting her head slightly at the look of confusion that had just crossed Dick’s face. His smile gone and replaced with a small frown. He unwraps his arms from her and takes a step back and stands slightly awkward. He brings a hand to the back of his neck and rubs it.

“Who's it for?” She watched as Dick’s brow creased further.  “Who… I'll be right back!” He exclaimed. Before she can get in another word Dick is sprinting off further into the Manor.

Maybe Dick, in all his excitement, forgot who the party was for? Temperance thought that was a long shot, but it didn't really make sense for Dick to decorate for a party for someone he would forget so easily. She’ll ask Bruce or Alfred later when he makes her official appearance. Temperance made her way up to her room and pushed the door open, her room was filled with colourfully wrapped boxes of varying sizes. Closing the door and shuffling in she put her bag down by the bed before sitting on it, why were these in her room? She was getting more and more befuddled by second.

Suddenly her bedroom door is slammed open and a breathless Jason Todd is standing there, looking at her with wild eyes, on instinct she tenses up (it’s hard not to with the lifestyle and past history between them), ready for a blow, then slowly relaxes the tense muscles upon Jason taking no further movements into the room. She looks at him a moment more before piping up, “Hiya Jay, you alright there?”

He blinks owlishly at her for a moment, “I-- Yeah, I’m good Tee just, wasn’t expecting you to come up here right away…” She watched as his eyes darted over the presents before coming back to her. “Dick said he saw you, but when you didn’t come to the main room I thought I would look for you.”

“Well, I was just about to put my feet up and relax a little before coming down to see everyone, though now that you’re here, there is a question I want to ask you…” She trails off as she sees Jason’s shoulders tense a little. What was up with Dick and Jason today?

Jason cocks his leg and crosses his arms, “Shoot Tee.” She feels his eyes linger on her.

Temperance gestures to the colourful boxes, “Who are they for?” Jason looks like he is about to run from her. She sees him straighten up a little. “I don’t mind that there in here or anything, I just want to know what the fuss is all about with the presents and decorations.” The frown that overcomes Jason’s face is strikingly similar to the one Dick had earlier. As though they were both confused as to how she didn’t know (and frankly it was starting to annoy her, why wasn’t anyone telling her who it was?).

“You really don’t know?” Jason looked completely bewildered about this. “At all?” He pressed. She shook her head no a small frown on her lips. “Ok, either, there has been a huge mistake, or your lying.”

Temperance’s face pinched at the accusation. Folding her arms in front of her defensively she glared at him. Jason winced, damn, he thought today was going to go smoothly.

“No, I don’t know Jason,” Temperance pinched her eyebrows further, getting up from the bed she made her way to the presents and dodged Jason’s outstretched as he tried to stop her, picking up the closest and smallest one she could see, she flipped the label and saw ‘Dick’ neatly scrawled. (What the hell?)

“Dick?”

“Well you see --”

She interrupted him by raising the hand that wasn’t holding the box. Her mind was reeling, screeching at her, what the fuck? Quickly she looked up to Jason, he knew something and she was going to find out!

“Jason, you tell me whats going on here or I’m going to get nasty, I know Dick helped out with decorating and it makes no sense for him to pretty up his own party, and all the baby stuff--” Suddenly her eyes widened, her stomach sunk and twisted, “Has Dick gotten someone pregnant?” Her eyes start to sting and she quickly closes her eyes, scrunching them tight, Dick was sleeping with someone else? Her throat tightened with a lump of remorse, fuck, this was a shitty way to find out, why didn’t Dick tell her before she came over?

“Tee! No!” Jason suddenly has his hands on her shoulders, shaking her slightly and she looks up at him, slowly coming out of her head, his teal eyes pleaded her to listen to him. “It’s nothing like that!” The hands on her shoulders tighten, “It’s you.”

“Me?”

“Yeah Tee, we heard from the Demon that you were suffering from morning sickness…”

Temperance just stares at him for a moment longer, the words filtering through, her stomach slowly untwists and the lump in her throat dissipates. Me? She sees the truth pouring from Jason, his earnestness in getting her to believe him. “Why would he think I was pregnant?”

She feels Jason let go, and bring his arms behind his head, “He said he saw you get sick and that you mentioned dizziness…” Jason looks away and back again, his face sheepish, “We all just took it at face value and ran with it in our excitement, Dick thought that maybe you were keeping quiet so you could surprise him, so he wanted to do it first, hence the decorations and stuff…”

“He knew I was just ill though..?”

“He told me you were just trying to make excuses for the morning sickness, it sounded good at the time Tee!” Jason looks a little disappointed, “We were all really excited about the baby,” Temperance raises a brow at him, “Don’t look at me like that, we don’t get much good news ‘round here and this Tee? This would of been so good.”

She softens her look, she knows how much Jason loves kids. “Sorry to tell you man, but there's no baby in here.” She points to her belly. “Though, now I know if there ever is to be, I will send out a mass e-mail, so everyone knows.” She grins at Jason and it widens when he smiles back at her.

“It’s not me you have to apologise to sweet cheeks, Alfred has put a lot of effort into this, who do you think bought and wrapped all these presents?” Jason smirks and she knows she looks as dumb as she feels.

“I’m going to kill Damian for this!” She hisses and she hears Jason chuckle and gives him an exasperated look.

Temperance watched Jason turn and head to the door, he opened it and swept an arm in the direction of the hall, “Come on m’lady, we need to go break the news to the rest of them.”

She sighs and makes her way with Jason in tow towards the living room. (God this was going to be hell.) Jason leans down to speak quietly into her ear, “Just… prepare yourself ok?” She gives him a nod and they make the rest of the way there in a comfortable silence, as they approach the door, she can hear muffled voices behind it. Taking in a steady breath and straightening her shoulders she grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.

Lights in the room were suddenly turned on, with party poppers going off and spreading on fetti all over her and the rest of the room along with a chorus of ‘Congratulations’ being shouted at her from the many people in the room.

“I’m not pregnant!” She blurts, and damn, she was supposed to let it out all easy, let them down slowly, but this was overwhelming, there was a big sign hanging over fireplace, congratulating her on the baby with a load more presents.

“What?” Temperance turns to the voice and sees a rather stunned Dick limply holding onto a used party popper. A part of her wishes she was pregnant so that she wouldn’t have to witness all this disappointment from so many people at once. She quickly surveys around the room, taking in the people there, Bruce, Alfred, Damian, Stephanie, Cass (she was supposed to be in Hong Kong right?), Barbara and Jason and Dick, Damn, everyone was here.

“I-- I’m not pregnant Dick,” Dick looks like he is about to say something but she presses on. “Jay told me that Damian thought I was,” She gently places her hand on his chest, ”But Dick, I’m not…”

He grabs her in a hug a squeezes her hard and utters words she isn’t expecting. “Oh thank god,” She squeaks and he just holds her tighter, “I love you Temp, I do, I’m just not ready for kids, you don’t know how freaked out I’ve been these past weeks.”

Temperance releases the tenseness in her muscles and melts into his arms. That was so good to hear, she didn’t know what she would do if Dick was upset about it other than hold him until he was ok again. Suddenly there is a bubble of joy in her chest and she lets out a giggle that grows into a laugh. Dick unravels her from his hold and looks at her face and grins, suddenly he is joining her in the laughter, across the room she hears Damian, “Why are they laughing Father?”

“I love you.” She manages, through her laugh and Dick’s answering smile is blinding. They did all this for her, because they heard that she was pregnant and with no proof what so ever. The fact that Dick had pulled himself together even though he was panicking, just to make this a good thing, it warmed her heart, what did she do to deserve these guys? She leaned up and kissed Dick, his hands coming to rest on her neck. Pulling away she smiled up at him, hoping to convey all the love she felt for this man.

“Love you too Tempie, love you too.”

[poison-basil]

Part 1: Not always what you want to hear

Summary:  Temperance just wanted to relax after patrol, why does something all ways get in the way?

Walking into the bedroom of her penthouse Temperance let her hair out of the braid that had been keeping it back.

Opening the laptop on the desk, she glanced at the data compiling from the recent case with Scarecrow. Seeing that nothing new had popped up, Temperance pushes the laptop lid down. There is a quiet thump outside the bedroom door, Temperance spins to face the door and starts heading towards it grabbing the bow staff by the door on the way out.

Pulling it open to see nothing on the other side, she looks down the hall and sees the bathroom door ajar and starts off in that direction.

“Hello?” Temperance calls out to the intruder currently residing in her bathroom.

She hears a quiet moan come back in answer, Temperance hurries forward and slams the door open. Bow slightly raised just in case, because Gotham, and sees the mess that is Dick Grayson in his Nightwing get up, currently bleeding all over her recently cleaned tiles.

“Dick, you ok there buddy?” Temperance takes a step closer and kneels down closer to Dick where he is slumped against the bathtub, collapses the staff and puts it on the floor..

Dick slowly lifts his head to look at her, his domino making it impossible for Temperance to see his eyes and gives her a weak, trembling smile. She stands swiftly pushing her hair back and opens the cupboard just above the sink, retrieving the first aid kit then going back to Dick’s side.

“Hey, think you can help me get your costume off?” Temperance asks softly. With a weak nod, Dick is pulling away from the bath and starts pulling the uniform away from his torso. Helping him by applying force, they get the uniform to his waist and Dick slumps back against the bath.

Taking in the damage to Dick’s side, mostly bruised however it's the gash of the side that grabs her attention and explains all the blood on the floor.

Temperance starts to pull things from the kit, rummaging through the gauze and plasters. Grabbing a needle from the packet and thread she starts to stitch together her brother, muttering sweet words to him, making sure he is concentrating on her. Dick hums and winces every now and again with the pull of skin. When he’s fully stitched up and bandaged Temperance cleans up the supplies and pushes the kit to the side.

Carefully leaning up on her knees she softly places her hands on his face, taking care not to touch scrapes and cuts, tilting Dick’s head up towards her, she applies pressure to the domino and starts to gently peel it from his face.

When Dick blinks open his eyes, squinting at the bathroom light, he smiles at her, showing his blooded teeth.

“Let’s get you out of here.” Temperance stands and holds out a hand for Dick to grab hold of and pulls him to his feet slowly as not to pull on the stitches. Making sure that Dick is leaning on her, she walks Dick to the kitchen carefully maneuvering around dirty piles of clothes and gently sets him down at the kitchen table.

Dick folds over the table and puts his head in his arms, watching Temperance shuffle about the kitchen. She grabs a coke from the fridge and places it in front of him.

“Temperance- you got any cereal?” Temperance rolls her eyes, because of course that is the first real thing he says to her.

As she walks by him she ruffles his hair, earning a content hum, Dick pushes himself up, cracks the can open and takes a swig from it.

Feeling a bit better, he properly looks at Temperance as she is reaching for the box of cereal that she keeps around purely for when Dick visits. He notices small things, her hair has gotten longer and she has her earrings in.

“How have you been?” He tries, as he shifts in his chair a little so he is facing her. He hasn’t seen her for a few months, now that he thinks about it, he didn’t even know she would be here now. He thought she was still with the Titans.

“Oh, you know, the usual, been keeping busy.” Making sure not to look at him, looking at Dick always made it difficult to deflect. She starts a pot of coffee putting a cup in front of it.

“Doing what? Come on, talk to me Temp, I haven’t seen you in awhile.” Dick leans forward getting the tiniest bit closer to her. Eager to learn anything new about her - just wanting to know what she has been up to!

Adding milk and cereal to a bowl she grabs a spoon from the draw and she puts it in front of Dick watching his eyes light up and start shoveling it into his mouth, nearly missing with the shake of his hands.

“You know, beating up bad guys, foiling plans, all that good stuff.” She turns to put away the cereal and pours herself a cup of coffee, coming to sit down next to Dick brushing knees under the table.

“You’re being careful right?” She winces at his tone, this is why she cannot be around him sometimes, he just thinks of her as a little sister, not matter how many hints she has thrown his way.

“Yes Mom .” Rolling her eyes. Dick looks over her, looking to see if there are any new scars or injuries. Not taking her at her word and wanting to judge for himself.

“I’m serious Temp, you have a habit of getting into trouble when I’m not there!” He drops the spoon into the now empty bowl and narrows his eyes at her.

“That's because you don’t let me do anything.” Temperance huffs a laugh and looks at Dick, seeing that he is not as pasty white as he was though there is a bit of blood coming through the bandage on his side, she makes a note to rebandage it in a bit.

Looking at him now, she has a rush of want going through her, she hasn’t seen him in a long time and definitely not shirtless. Sure she has been keeping tabs on him, but seeing him in person? Totally different. She looks away, quickly calming herself, and looks back to see Dick looking at her worriedly.

“It’s fine, I’m fine, nothing bad has happened lately Dick.” If you don’t count creepy messages from immortals. Dick’s still looking at her, like he doesn’t quite trust what he is hearing, not that she can blame him. When was the last time she was completely truthful with him?

“Why haven’t you been around though? You just seemed to up and leave after that last family get together…” He trails off, seeing a frown take place on Temperance’s face.

Temperance thinks back on the reason she left Gotham for a while and remembers the big smile on Dick’s face as he bragged to Jason about his new girlfriend and how pretty she is,the absolutely crushing feeling she had with each new detail that he shared, just wanting to be out of Gotham and as far away from Dick’s gushing as possible.

Quickly pulling out of those thoughts. Brushing her hair over her shoulder, she purses her lips and thinks about what to say.

“Something came up, at the Tower, you know, being leader and all, I had to head back and take care of it.” Temperance is looking at him, pleading with him not to ask anymore. Dick sighs and looks to the side. Maybe he can ask her again later, when he hasn’t just seen her for the first time in three months. Though that seems to be happening less and less lately.

“So, you remember Jessica right? The woman I was going out with?” Trying to change the conversation quickly. Temp inwardly winces at the subject. Of all the things he could've picked.

“Jess? I remember you mentioning her yeah…” Moving from the table, she pushes her chair back and goes to put her cup in the sink.

“Well, we broke up - Jason was elated at my misery, laughed in my face for a full 10 minutes, and kept making fun!” His arms flailing to the side. Looking for some sympathy from his little sister. Temperance grabs a nearby knife and starts twirling it between her fingers.

“Well, what did you expect from Jason? He basically thrives off people’s sadness.” Temperance gives a little smile to the thought of Jason’s shit eating grin as he laughs at his brother’s love life.

“I know, but you weren’t here, Dami’s too young and Bruce is hopeless, could you imagine Tee, the look on his face and what he would say?” Dick puts on his best serious face and the Bat voice.

“This is why I always say, justice, not love, you should've listened to me Richard.” The grimace on Dick’s face is priceless and makes Temp let out a small laugh, Dick’s face lights up with triumph at making her laugh.

“Seriously Dick, what could any of us have done? It was bound to happen, she wasn’t a redhead.” Temperance smirks at Dick’s put out face and he gives a little huff.

Moving so that he does not jar his side, he scrapes the chair back and makes to stand, stumbling a little bit, putting a hand on the table to balance, he slowly straightens and holds out his arms expectantly to her, and nods to the space in between his arms.

She swallows hard at the sight of Dick half dressed in her kitchen, but raising a brow she puts the knife on the side, and slowly makes her way towards him. “You want a hug Dicky?” He nods his head pathetically making grabby motions with his hands.

She moves into his arms and he slowly enfolds her within his embrace. Looking to get as much contact with her as possible he squeezes her tight, wrapping his arms around her and holding her, she brings up her hands on his back and feels his skin and scars beneath her fingers.

“God, it feels like ages since the last time I hugged you.” Dick sighs into her hair. Rubbing his hands all over her back, he doesn’t know when the next time he will get a hug from her will be, he has to make the most of it, he squeezes a little tighter.

She just leans into Dick’s embrace, her face on his bare chest, the unadulterated smell that is Richard Grayson filling her senses. Content to just stand there for a minute or two. Feeling him and knowing he is there.

“Couldn’t wish for a better little sister.” He brings his right hand up to her jaw and tilts her head back, looking into her eyes. Temperance silently wishes he had never come here tonight.

“Right, Dick, couldn’t ask for a better brother.” Temperance inwardly sighs, but smiles up at Dick, of all the first nights back in Gotham, this was not what she was looking to do. Console Dick over his latest girlfriend, while being reminded that she was only his little sister.

Notes: thanks for reading! this is the first fanfiction I have written I hope you enjoyed it! :3

[poison-basil]

Part 6: Intervention

Prompt -  I do not know if you accept suggestions, but you could do a chapter where many people (like Bruce, Jason, Conner, Ra's Al Ghul, Selina, Damian or someone else you want to add or remove) threaten Dick not to hurt Temperance they know that Dick is very flirtatious with the other girls already had many girlfriends, it would be fun to see.

Summary -  Five times Dick was warned not to hurt temperance and the one time Temperance was warned not to hurt Dick.

1.

Dick should've expected it, should of known this was going to happen, but they had lulled him into a false sense of security, leaving it weeks after they had got together. Dick had just finished his food shopping and was closing the door behind him, when a knife whistled past his head and embedded itself in the door. (guess who was going to be fixing that?)

Tensing his shoulders, Dick slowly looked in the direction the knife had come from. Sitting on the sofa was one Jason Todd, his booted feet kicked up onto the coffee table, twiddling another knife between his fingers. Jason looked ready for a fight, and that made Dick tense up, this hadn’t happened for years, maybe something was wrong, maybe the pit was resurfacing within him? But upon looking more at the relaxed nature Jason was sitting, the deep blueness of his eyes, Dick couldn’t see anything like the pit sickness. This was personal then.

Not sure on what to do or say, Dick started to wrack his brains about what he had done this past week that might lead him to knowing why Jason was here. He had just seen him two days ago though and nothing seemed to be wrong then and as far as Dick knew, he hadn’t done anything to warrant this type of welcome.

“Calm yourself Dicky, I’m not gonna hurt ya” Dick relaxed a little at this, moved into the room making his way to the kitchen so that he could put the food down. “Not today at least.” Dick gave him a sharp look and noticed the smirk unfolding on his face.

“What do you want Jason?” Sighed Dick, why was nothing simple with Jason?

“It’s not about wanting anything, more about letting you know a little something.”

“Alright, and what’s that little wing?”

“Just wanted you to know, that I will gut you, slowly and painfully, if you ever hurt Tee,” Jason made a low thrusting gesture with the knife in his hand, “Just thought I would be a good little brother and let you know.” He was back to spinning the knife in his hand.

“You know I would never hurt her Jason…” Dick gave Jason a wary looks why did he think he was going to hurt Temperance?

“Not intentionally, no… But on accident? That’s you all over Big Wing and I’m not letting you get away with it.” Jason's words stung. Giving Dick an ache in his chest.

Dick held his hands up in defence, wanting to make it clear to Jason. “I promise, I won’t hurt her, intentionally or otherwise”

“You better not or i will -- “

Dick cut him off, “Gut me, yeah, I got the memo, it was on really nice stationary.”

“You know it!” Jason was out off the sofa in an instant and making his way over to the door, grabbing the handle he looked back at Dick, “Now I gotta go, some asshats, doing stupid shit in my area,” he grabbed the knife from the door, pocketing it, just as he was closing the door behind him Dick heard him call, “Don't forget Dicky boy, I will come for you.”

---

2.

This was the strangest situation that Dick Grayson had ever been in, sure as Nightwing, thing’s got pretty weird. As Officer Grayson? Once in a blue moon did anything remotely strange happen.

But now, sitting in interrogation across from Ra’s al’Ghul takes the biscuit. He was dressed in fine, green silk robes, and looking like it pained him to be in here. All Dick knew about the situation was that Ra’s apparently had some information that he would tell to Officer Grayson. That’s how Dick ended up in here after his lunch break, but he has been sitting here for nearly ten minutes without a word leaving Ra’s mouth. Dick didn’t know what he was up to, but it couldn’t be good, Ra’s didn’t usually cause Dick problems directly.

Dick’s attention was brought back to Ra’s when he shifted slightly in the metal chair. Sneering at the uncomfortableness. “Richard,” hearing his name, coming from Ra’s was weird, was this how Tee felt, when Ra’s called her Temperance?  “I have come to understand that you and the young detective have entered relations.”

Dick raised an eyebrow at the statement, “Yeah? Like 3 Months ago?”

“Yes, yes, I know, I wanted to find the right opportunity to talk to you, without others interrupting.” Well, that wasn't worrying or anything.

Ra’s carried on, not taking notice of the  slight change in Dick's posture,“You see, I wanted to make it clear to you, that I should take action if I find you are not attending to Temperance. As one should.”

He was getting the 'you break her heart, I break your face’ talk from Ra's? What was his life coming to? “Even though you may have her for a short time, I shall allow this due to the innumerable years after your death we would live together.”

Oh damn, he was staking his claim! This fucking asshole! “Tee, doesn’t want to be with you! She would never do that!”

Ra’s was giving him a pitying look, like he was a small child. “Grief can be a terrible thing Richard, especially the passing of a loved one, I almost had her in my grasp once, you were the cause of that too, I won’t let her slip away again.”

That hurt, being told of his past failings towards Temperance, he would always regret it, but now he had plenty of opportunities to try and make up for it, even slightly. “That won’t happen, there are people that will stop you, make sure that never happens…”

Ra’s waved him off, as though what he said meant little. “I can bide my time till there is no one to interrupt… Bringing Temperance back would be no trouble...”

Dick slammed his hands so hard on the metal table in front of him it sent a sting right up his arm. “She would hate you! Detest you!”

“She already does, what more could she do? She will have no one but me, I shall keep her chained if need be…” The lear in Ra's eyes, and the reverence in his voice made Dick feel sick.

“No..” Someone would save her, if he couldn't. There was Jason and Bruce, and if they couldn't, Clark and Superboy could, they would live for a long time right?

“Never mind that Richard, my original purpose was to inform you that should you hurt Temperance, I would not hesitate to move plans forward, to give her a space at my side.” Dick was glad this was over, he wanted out of this room, away from that man. He was going to make contingency plans, there was no way Ra's was getting his creepy hands on her!

---

3.

Walking back to the plane after dropping Temperance off, Dick was stopped by Superboy, floating in front of him with a frown on his face, arms folded across his arm. Dick was still a little wary about the relationship between Temperance and Conner, even though she swore up and down there was nothing between them and there never has been. Just seeing them laughing and casually touching each other set a fire within him, he hated it, the irrational jealousy that would flare up. Staring at Conner now, seeing just how good looking he was, and thinking about how Temperance was about to spend the weekend here with him made him feel uncomfortable.

Conner softly landed in front of him and ran a hand through his hair. Dick remained silent, taking it that Conner had something he wanted to say, if he went to come find him.

“Look man, I know this sounds weird coming from me, but you gotta look after Temp, make sure you’re good to her.” Superboy looked uncomfortable. Like he wanted to be anywhere else.

Dick threw his hands up, groaning, “I know, I am, why does everyone think I’m going to fuck this up?”

Conner grabbed the back of his neck, and looked to the side, “Well, you don’t have the best track record right?”

“What?” Superboy was going more and more uncomfortable, Dick didn't care though, what was he talking about?

“Well i just heard that you are bit of a…” Dick could see him mulling over his next words. “Slut? I guess?”

“What!?”

Conner raised his hands in front of himself,as if to block a punch, “It’s just something I heard, that you’ve slept with and gone out with a lot of people, and I just wanted to warn you not to hurt Temp.”

Dick stared at Conner, was this real? “One, that's rude, I treat every person I’m with, with respect and love. Two, this is between me and Temperance, why are you butting in?”

Now it was Conner’s staring at him. “She’s my best friend dude, she has looked out for me, basically all my life, always been there for me, so i am being there for her too.”

Dick understood that, he had friends and family he would die for, protect. “Well, listen, this thing between me and Tee? It’s good and I love her, I’m going to look after her.”

“You better Grayson, or I’m coming for you, I don’t care how much kryptonite you might be packing, you have to sleep eventually man, and that’s when I will come for you.” Superboy started to levitate, hovering before Dick, making himself taller and more imposing.

“Alright, I get it, though hopefully it never comes to that.” Dick truly hopes it never come to that, because when it does, that means he's fucked up.

Superboy nodded, with a strong gust of wind he was gone.

--

4.

Sitting at the table in the Manor kitchen, Dick was helping himself to some of Alfred’s cookies and nursing a dark roast coffee. It was as close to peace Dick got without Temperance around. He hears the door to the kitchen open and sees Damian walking through.

“Ah, Grayson, I wanted to talk to you,” He stood by the kitchen counter, close to the plate of cookies Alfred had left out, “According to Todd, it is customary to warn the partners of people you feel close to, of bodily harm one will inflict should anything happen to them.”

Dick was at a loss for words, “Dami?”

“This is me warning you Grayson.”

Damian grabs a cookie from the plate and made his way out of the kitchen, leaving Dick to stare into his coffee, what was his life coming to?

--

5.

Temperance wasn’t expecting anything interesting to happen today, so when a bag is forced over her head, on her way out of Wayne Tower, about to go home, Temperance is appropriately surprised and angered. She’s roughly pushed into a car and pulled into a sitting sitting position by the person getting in behind her.

“Go…” She tries to place the voice, but is distracted by the car pulling out and onto the road.

A hand throughly comes up to her head and pulls the bag off, she is greeted by face of Deathstroke, scowling at her.

“Well this was unexpected, what can I do for you Slade?” She really didn't need this today, she had just got out of a stuffy board meeting with men talking down to her, she didn't want some mercenary rattling off their latest plan… wasn't this Dick's bad guy, she already had her, creepy, old bad guy slot filled, thank you Ra’s.

“I heard al’Ghul gave Dick a little talk, thought I would return the favour, villain for villain.” God, what was it with villains these days? Weren't they supposed to like, hate heroes?

“Right, well, you could've just made an appointment with my secretary, you know, instead of this…” She trailed off. The car windows were tinted black, she couldn't see where they were going, and was too distracted by deathstroke's spiel to think about the rout the car was taking. Stupid.

“Thought this would be better. So you understand, if anything happens, I’m coming for you.” Temperance nodded.

“Yes, I gathered that, I'm sure Dick will like to know you have his best interests at heart.” Slade smirked, he always like how sassy this Robin was.

“Well, as long as we understand each other it’s fine.” Sitting back she watched as Slade pulled out his phone and started tapping away.

“Noted.” Temperance moved, her hand reaching for the door handle, ready to just jump is Slade tried to keep her in the  car. “If you could be so kind I would appreciate it if you stopped the car, so I can do home?” She felt a tightening in her chest when he smirked at her. Something was wrong.

“We’re dropping you off outside your’s and Dick's apartment.” As he said this the car slowed to a halt, and Temperance pushed the door open, to see that they were in fact outside her apartment, she looked back to see Slade smirking and waving at her, as soon as the door on the car was closed it peeled off down the street.

Temperance has to say, that was the nicest kidnapping she has ever been apart of.

Now she just had to inform Dick that they were going to move.

--

6.

Dick was enjoying a casual spar with Temperance when they were interrupted by a cough from the side of the mats. Stopping mid position they both turned to Bruce, he was scowling down at them.

Worried, Dick moved to stand by Bruce, “What’s up B?”

“I don’t know how to say this...” They watched as Bruce paused, his brow furrowing more.

“However you want Burce, we can take it,” Temperance put her hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze, “It’s gotta be bad if you’re having trouble with it”

Bruce gave a frustrated sigh, “It's not that, it’s just, difficult, I see you both as my kids, both equally important. So I wanted to do this with you both here.”

Bruce kept going, so he didn’t lose courage, “I know that you, like each other, love each other even. I’m ok with that, but I don’t want it to affect the job, for everyone’s safety.” Bruce put a hand on each of their shoulders, “Also, I will never take a side, I’m letting you know this know, so that it doesn’t come as a surprise later. I could never turn against one of you on this.”

They look to each other before looking back to Bruce, “We know that B, we already discussed worst case, and you’re our Switzerland, someone who will, without a doubt be neutral.”

Temperance gave a gentle shake of her head, while smiling at him. “Bruce, we would never make you choose between us.”

Dick pats Bruce on the back, “Ok, well good talk B! Me and Temp are gonna go back to training.”

Temperance gave a quick kiss to Bruce’s cheek before moving back, “See you later.”

Bruce pat them both on the shoulder before turning and walking towards the batcomputer, effectively putting an end to the conversation. Dick and Temperance looked at each other and sniggered. Dick put his arm around her waist and dipped her, giving her a light kiss, before pulling her up again.

“We, now that conversation is out of the way, what do you say to more interesting training?” Dick wiggled his eyebrows.

--

Dick was in the middle of patrol when he got the anonymous text, his eyebrows furrowed reading it.

‘U hurt T, I will come for you’

It wasn’t the text that was the problem, he’s been getting threats all over the place about what people would do to him, should he hurt Temperance, it was that it was done on an unknown number. Who would warn him and not let him know who it was? This was just plain weird, Dick tried to call back the number, though all he got was a voice telling him the number had been disconnected. Strange.

Dick shrugged it off, with all the threats of death he got, he could just add another to the ever growing list.

**

Pru sat back in the hotel bed, pleased with the knowledge that she had successfully warned Dick Grayson.

[poison-basil]

Part 4: What’s on the menu?

Summary - Dick thought she was working the bar.

Dick was supposed to be in Blüdhaven this weekend. Though as he was about to make his way out of Gotham he got a text from Barbara mentioning that he was needed for a case that Temperance was currently on. Dick hadn't seen her since Monday due to her going undercover to work. Only going back and forth between the apartment and club.Something about drugs being forced onto the people working there.

It would be a good opportunity to see her again before he left for Blüdhaven and it was always exciting to see her in action no matter what she was doing. Dick started up his bike and gripped the handles in excitement. It was going to be so good seeing her again.

Though they were on better terms these days, Dick still felt as though there was something else he could do to make it better. Temperance smiled more as of late, but they're not the same as they used to be, when she was flying around as Robin. They seemed to get lost, along with her laughter and jokes. Lately though, she was becoming more like her old self, willingly hanging out with him, Damian and Jason.

She was still as beautiful as ever, Dick found it hard to not want to touch her every time he was near her. Dick liked to congratulate himself on not touching her in a way that could be thought inappropriate. Though that was getting harder and harder. The hugs he got now are way better than when she was younger, there was substance and muscle to hold onto, the temptation to make it something more was always lingering in the background, to turn the hug into a grope or a kiss. He had to distance himself, and that usually meant hugging Damian to calm the adrenaline rushing through him.

The ride over to the club that Temperance was investigating was one of invigoration. Thoughts of Temperance as she did her thing behind the bar, leaning over to wipe the counter and pulling the tap to pour a drink. Dick suddenly frowned. Wasn’t this a Dance club she was working at? How had he not thought about this before? Dick thought about all the sleazy men she would have to serve drinks to and whether they flirted with her, touched her. Dick squeezes the handles and tries to calm himself. She’s fine, she one of the most trained Vigilantes out there. She can handle herself!

Dick shakes himself and concentrates on the road. The quicker he got there the sooner he could see for himself. There was no point in worrying about it now, there’s nothing he could do sitting here on his bike. He rushed along the streets taking the corners sharply. It took him no time at all to get there with the speed that he was going.

Parking the bike and taking off the helmet Dick made his way over to the entrance he straightened out his jacket and tugged down the sleeves. He entered without trouble and made his way in.

It was dark and smokey in the room. Rich with deep reds and purples, everything was embroidered or painted with gold. The music within the room was loud and the main lights on the stage were bright. At the center of the room was a circle stage with a pole in the middle. There was no doubt as to what that was used for.

Dick made his way over to the bar and took a seat in one of the stools. Looking for Temperance, he checked to see who was manning the bar, but all he could see was a male bartender and a waitress collecting drinks. If Temperance wasn’t here where was she? Dick checked his phone just to make sure that this was the right place.

Well it was definitely the right place. Same name, same co-ordinates. Just as Dick was about to call Barbara to ask what was going on there was a sudden bright light in the back of the room that light up an entrance, there was a woman standing there and over the intercom came a tinny male voice. “Welcome to the stage, the one and only Girl Wonder.”

Dick couldn’t believe his ears, Girl Wonder? What was wrong with these people? Most of them had probably come across the bad side of the real one. The woman slowly made her way to the stage, swaying her hips and blowing kisses at the men sitting in the seats surrounding the stage.

The costume itself barely resembled anything like what Temperance had wore, there was no practicality or safety, just a dangerous amount of skin on show. Finally on stage, Dick could see all the little details of the suit. There was a small cape at her back, a red and yellow bra that firmly held the breasts in place, red bikini type bottoms, with green fishnet stockings and gloves, and to top it all off was the black domino and black platform stilettos that came up her calf.

Looking past the costume, Dick started looking at the person that was supposed to be dressed as Robin. Surprisingly he saw that the dancer's muscles were tight, which he supposed they got from dancing on the pole, and that the hair was striking a good match for the real Robin. Dick looked to the face and for a moment his mind went completely blank. Staring at the dancer in front of him, he made his way to the stage and stood there. He didn’t know what to do. That was not a Temperance impersonator, that was Temperance.

Dick could tell the moment that Temperance recognised him, the way her shoulders tightened and her mouth firmed at the corners. He watched as Temperance grabbed the pole and swung around it until she had loosened up. She flicked up the lenses of the Domino and made direct eye contact with him. Dick felt a sudden rush of heat that went straight to his groin. Thinking the smart thing to do would be to wait this out as quietly as possible, he took a seat facing the stage.

As he sat down he saw Temperance give him a small nod. Okay then, Dick was going to have to watch this play out. That wasn’t soo bad. He could do this. Temperance starts to use the pole to hold her weight as she leans back. Dick decides that he cannot handle thinking, if he cannot sit through a basic routine without having to shift to make himself comfortable, there was no way he was going to make it through the main dance.

Trying to calm his mind, he tried to think of this like training, when he helped her on the bars, or helped her with yoga. Though she never wore anything that revealing or suggestive. Though now he was thinking about her in these clothes while doing those things and that did not help at all. He did not need the image of her in a handstand while he held onto her legs, touching the nets on her calves.

Shaking his head, he looked back to the stage in time to see Temperance grip the pole and draw her legs up the bar. Slowly spinning her way down it. Some of the guys had made their way to the stage. Standing way too close for Dick’s liking, not that he could do anything without making a scene. He saw a man lean forward with a twenty and tuck it over the band on Temperance’s bottoms. Dick clenched his fist and grinded his teeth together.

Dick slowly took to seething in his chair as he watched the dance go on. He was just happy that it this wasn’t a strip club. He wouldn’t be able to stop himself from hurting the patrons, especially if they kept touching her like they were. It was getting harder to watch these men touch her in ways he has not allowed himself to.

Just as the routine was ending he saw one of the men lean in close to Temperance with a wad of cash in hand. Focusing in on them so he can hear what was being said to her “ -me, you wanna show this ol’ man jus’ ‘ow flexible yo’ are.” Dick quickly made his way over to the pair and just as he was about to interrupt when Temperance put a finger to the man’s mouth.

“S' sarry, sugar. Don't think ah rightly can t'night. Y' see, I got m'self another nice boy already paid up in advance. An' he jus' happens ta be right over ya'lls shoulder waitin'.” The southern accent stumped him for a second, the warm rich tones of the accent rolling over him. “Mebby some other time, sweets.”

The man turned angrily towards Dick, looking like he was about to hit him; he must of thought better of it, though, since it never came. He roughly pushed past Dick, and made his way over to the bar. He didn’t mind, though, this was his chance to talk to Temperance. Dick felt her fingers wrap around his wrist and tug slightly.

“C’mon, let's get somewhere mo’ comfortable.” Dick was lead to a booth at the side of the room, the chair was more plush and comfortable looking than the other chair he was sat in. Though it wasn’t private, if anyone were to look, they could see everything that was going on. Temperance pushed him down and swung her legs over his lap. His mind was short circuiting, was this really happening? Had he fallen asleep or something. This couldn’t be real. “Beautiful? Ya wit’ me honey?”

Temperance’s fingers felt like sweet kisses against his face. “I - I - Te - I just - What’s going on?” Temperance’s smile made up for how much of an idiot he felt.

“Ma names Amber, Sunshine, bu’ you can call me Robin.” Dick could see the twinkle in Temperance’s eyes and it made Dick want to shift in his seat. He couldn’t though with her on top on him, it would be obvious that he was adjusting himself.

“Robin,” It felt like butter on his tongue calling her that again, it had been years. “I don’t know what to do.” Dick floundered, he has never felt so out of his depth, he didn’t know how to handle this at all.

She was coming closer to him. He could do nothing but stare, and she was suddenly pressing her lips to his ear and her hands held onto his shoulders. “Dick, there are cameras all over this room, you have to make this look good, or they might think something's up.” She lifted her left hand to grab his and brought it to her back and returned her hand to his shoulder. “I won’t be here much longer, Jason is going to be coming through in ten minutes to turn this club upside down. I got all the evidence I need for the case, so this was the last night.” She started to run her hands up and down his chest, it felt so good, he wanted her to keep going. “Why are you here?”

Dick felt her lips skim his cheek as she moved back, her breath fanning his face. This was sweet torture. “O said that you needed me?” Dick was so confused. Jason was in on this case? If he was coming why did Barbara tell him to come. Dick felt an overwhelming sense of dread. Did Barbara know?

Temperance was frowning. “What? Why?”

Dick shrugged. “I don’t know, I thought that you were going to tell me.” Dick tilted his head, there was something he wanted to know though. “I thought you were supposed to be working the bar?” Dick ran his hands run up and down her back, he could feel the dips of scars, her skin felt like silk.

“I was, at the start of the week, but I had to work my way into the back. Since the case has to do with dead, drugged dancers.” Feeling the fabric of the glove work against his jaw was extremely nice. “The owner thought I looked a little like the third Robin and that it would draw more people in with a chance to touch the untouchable.”

Well that explained it, though he didn’t like it. “Well Robin,” He grinned at her small smile. “I am glad to see that you are ok.”

“Of course I am Dick, I can handle myself.”

Dick’s hands slid up her sides. “I know that, I just worry about you, that’s all.” Her smile is bright as she looks at him. It makes him warm in the pit of his stomach.

“You are a good brother Dick.” He felt a sting in his chest at that; he had to rectify this, make her see that he doesn’t see her like that anymore.

“Robin, I -” Just as he was about to talk it out with her Jason come in, literal guns blazing.

“A’ight you sleeze bags, put the women and drinks down and hand ya selves over. There’s no need for this to get worse.” Jason’s voice coming through the synths made him sound meaner.

Dick can tell when Jason sees them. His head tilts just slightly.

There is a sudden noise behind Jason that make him turn just as the man from earlier rushes at him with a glass bottle. Jason stands his ground and ducks below the bottle and cocks the man in the head with the butt of his gun, knocking him out instantly. With the man now on the floor Jason places a foot on him and looks at the others in the room.

“Now that wasn’t very nice. Anyone else want a go? I won’t be so nice to the nex’ one.” Jason points his guns at the men in the bar. “Now tell me where the owner is and we will get this lil show on the road.”

________________________________________

Dick was back in the cave pacing back and forth waiting for Temperance. As soon as Jason had dealt with the owner and the police had shown up, Dick could not afford to be there as Dick Grayson and Temperance had to stay behind to give her statement. Though she had given him her word that she was coming back to the cave as soon as she was able, it has been two hours since he had left the club. Maybe she wasn’t coming? Just told him she would so that he would leave her alone.

Damn, he should of waited for her, so she couldn’t run away. Dick pulled his phone out of his pocket to give her a call. There was no way that she was running away tonight. Just as he was about to call her, there was a roar of an engine coming into the cave. Dick felt his breath catch. She was here! She came! He could not hold the smile back as he saw her park the bike and take off the helmet, he watched as her black hair fell in waves.

Dick walked towards her, she turned towards him and smiled. He was glad she was dressed in skinny jeans, tank top and jacket, it allowed him to think, rather than be distracted by all the skin that was on show earlier.

“Temp!”

He grabbed her in a hug and took in a breath. She smelt different from the club. Better though, something intrinsically Temperance, rather than the sickly but also sweet smell that clung to her in the club.

“Dick! I can’t breath!” She pushed against him and laughed at the sad eyes he was giving her. Letting go Dick stood there and just looked at her. “What?” There was confusion written all over her face.

“Nothing! Nothing, I’m just really happy to see you!” Dick was grinning. It was so good to see her in the cave, it was natural and made Dick feel all warm.

“You saw me earlier?” Dick cannot help but think that her frown is cute. Everything about her was cute.

“I know, but this just feels… more like us, y’know?” Now she is scrunching her nose and Dick just cannot help himself, he taps her on the nose and watcher her blink rapidly. “Sorry, had to.” She just gives him a long suffering look and goes around Dick making her way over to the computer.

She sits down in the chair and rapidly starts entering data into files. Without stopping, she looks over to Dick for a second before turning back. “So what did you want to talk about?”

Crap, Dick had gotten so excited about her just being here he forgot there was a point to asking her to be here. “I, urm, well, the thing is, something has come to mind, that I thought we should sort out.”

“Like what Dick?” Temperance tilted her head, still typing.

“Us.”

The incredulous look Dick received gave him pause “Us?”

“Yeah, you and I.” Dick waffles his hands back and forth between them, even though he knows she cannot see it.

“What about us?”

“I think there is something I need to make clear about our relationship.” Dick pauses and thinks of how to carry on, he has to think carefully about what he's going to say.

Temperance has stopped typing and is looking at him with questioning eyes. “Relationship? What are you talking about Dick?”

“Our one, there’s something that needs to be cleared up.” Dick clears his throat and decides to just jump in, so he doesn’t lose his nerve and flounder. “I don’t see you the same way that I used to.” Dick was grasping for words now. “I just, had to figure out how I do see you, and tonight I made up my mind as to what I want to see you as” God, what was he saying? “Seeing those other guys touching you was the worst case of jealousy I have ever felt, even worse then when I thought you and Superboy had a thing going on!”

“Kon? You thought we had a thing? Why would you think that?” Temperance looks offended that Dick would even suggest the possibility that she and Superboy had a thing. “Dick, you have to start making sense. Nothing that you’re saying right now does!”

“I just, thinking about other people touching you and getting the right to be around you makes me mad. All I wanna do sometimes is take you back to Blüdhaven with me, and not let you leave the apartment for days, maybe even weeks if I could.” Dick hear the words coming out of his mouth and the only word he could think to describe them were petty. “I haven’t thought of you as a little sister for a while, thinking about how I could bring this up and not make you want to run in the other direction!”

“So you were jealous and that made you realise that you wanted me in ways that were not brotherly?” How was Temperance not getting this? She was supposed to be the smart Robin!

“No - Yes? I don’t know Temp, I found out a while ago that I thought of you in less than brotherly ways. The jealousy was always there, but I just thought it was because I wanted to protect you, make sure you were safe! Now I know it’s because I want to be the one you share your snacks with, smile at and tell all your problems with. To want to spend time with me in other places other than the Cave and when we are on patrol.” Dick smiled, hoping that he was getting through.

“Dick, I don’t know what you want me to say here, what is it that you want from this? Because to me this all sounds like stuff friends can do, and we’re already friends.” Dick supposes that she had a point, alright time to make the point more obvious to his apparently blind bird.

“I want you to tell me whether you think it’s possible for us to be more than what we are?”

“Like fuck buddies?” How did she come to that conclusion? Did she really think he would ask her something like that? What made her think he - no never mind that was his own fault. “You know that I don’t actually do relationships like that right?”

Dick shook his head. “No, no, no, not like that, not like that at all!” He had to make her see that that was not at all what he was thinking! “I mean as in, you and me, together, partners in more ways than one. Someone I can come to at night.”

“Together?” She sounded even more puzzled.

“Yes together! Why is this so hard? I like you Temperance! More than a sister! I want us to be together until we are both old and grey.” Dick did not think he could be making this clearer; he has never had so much trouble asking someone out, though Temperance wasn’t like other girls, so maybe that was the problem?

“You like me?” Her voice grew in pitch.

Dick tilted his head and frowned. “Why are you just repeating everything that I’m saying?”

Temperance is now holding up a hand.“Dick, you have got to give a girl a minute to process stuff like this.” Her frown was clearing and making way for one of the most beautiful smiles Dick had ever seen on her face. “I just found out the dude I have been crushing on since I was like three wants to go out with me. I think I’m allowed to freak out a little ok?”

“Oh…” Well then. Dick just stood there, mind blank. She liked him, for that long? How had he not noticed that?

“Yeah, oh.” Temperance was laughing at him now. “Don’t get me wrong Dick, this makes me super happy, but I think you broke my brain.” Suddenly her face is all business taking Dick by surprise. “You’re serious right, you want to give us a try?”

Dick could feel his cheeks hurting with the smile on his face. “Yes! Super serious!”

“Well, alright then, we’ll give this a shot.” Dick could see her thinking about something so he gave her a moment to collect her thoughts. “But you have to be a hundred percent sure that you want this.”

Closing the gap between them Dick grabbed Temperance’s arms and pulled her up. “Im am two hundred percent sure!” He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and breathed her in.

“Dick, that's not possible, though I understand your meaning. Just let me finish up here and I will meet you upstairs, ok?” He let her go and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“Sure, sure, I am so glad that you agreed to go out with me! This is going to be so fantastic!” Dick practically skipped to the steps with how happy he was right now.

Temperance was now sitting back at the computer and typing again. “Im sure, now be gone with you, the quicker you leave the faster I shall be finished.”

“Oh, by the way…” Dick said as he was making his way up the stairs, his face lighting up. “You still have the clothes from the club?” Knowing better than to stay Dick ran for the clock entrance.

“Dick!” He heard Temperance scream and he could imagine the blush that was certainly now on her face.

Dick laughed all the way back to his room, God, this was going to be so much fun!

Note: Sorry for any mistakes, I just really wanted to get this chapter out :)

[poison-basil]

Part 7: Fake it to make it...

Summary - Why you gotta be so cruel…

There was an ache in her chest that she just couldn’t shake because she has to do it tonight. It wasn’t fair if she just let it go on as it has been, ignoring Dick and the rest of the family, trying desperately to sort things out on her own. Temperance has been sitting in her apartment for the last two hours, in her Red Robin suit, staring blankly at her phone. There were calls and texts from Dick worrying about where she was, they were growing constant and more panicked, he had started leaving voicemails, demanding to know where she was.

It wouldn’t be long before Dick started looking for her, if he wasn’t already. She had to make her move soon, get herself together. She was, for once, immensely glad that she wore a cowl; it would hide most of her face, and it would be easier on them both if Dick couldn’t read her as well as usual.

Getting up from her sofa, pulling the mask over her head, trying to take on the calm mindset of the vigilante as easily as she pulled on the body suit, harness and utility belt. The effect was instant, she felt stronger, more sure of what she had to do, she headed towards the window, it would be like a bandage, the quicker you rip it off, the less pain. Slapping her cheeks, she stood, her thoughts running wild in her head, she hoped this went according to plan. Opening her window, she shot off the grapple to the building across and swung.

She was out now, running across roof tops, and swinging between buildings, taking out the odd crook, simple things, to settle her mind, trying to gain the confidence she would need to face the man she’s desperately in love with...and break his heart. It had been two weeks since she had last saw Dick, and this was not the reunion that she wanted with him, but it needed to be done. The backlash, the possibility he could get hurt, be found out, be exposed. If he got hurt because of her, she’d never be able to move again.

Three weeks ago, Temperance had received a number of cryptic, untraceable messages. Each came in various forms, some in texts on her phone, messages from random perps on the street she had busted. The ones that really got her the notes left on her bedside table while she slept because that meant they knew who she was, could find her, and be able to find those she cared about, putting everyone around her in danger. When she couldn’t hack the messages, when the cameras in her apartment were re-wired effortlessly, she knew she was dealing with someone far out of their usual criminal element. Someone that could circumvent her brain, her plans, her contingencies.

She has been trying to figure out what they were about when she had a breakthrough. By the time she’d decoded all of them, the message was very clear. They were a warning and growing more intense and specific as they went on. The fact that they had managed to find out who she was, in and out of costume, where she lived and get in and out leaving messages so close to her without her waking up worried her. They all hinted at danger and pain. It wasn’t until the last one of most recent ones that she realised they weren’t about harming her, they were about hurting Dick and other members of the Bat family if she’d didn’t do what the threats demanded: stop interfering in Gotham’s seedy underworld and leave..

She was thinking about what to do while researching and investigating who it was. She’s got some leads, but nothing solid enough to act and time is running out. If she didn’t leave Gotham tonight, the attacks on her family would start.  All of it forced her hand, and now as she stood on the top of Wayne Tower looking down on Gotham without a clue as to who as sending her these threats, her options were limited. One thing was clear though, if she cut ties and left the Bat family, left Gotham, they would be ok. She could carry on the investigation out of town, come back once she put the perpetrators in jail. Until she did, however, she had to make hard decisions when her whole body screamed against it.

She could do this, being alone was nothing compared to knowing that they were in danger because of her. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be for long and she would figure out who was behind this before anyone she cared about got hurt. Bruce, Jason, Dick, and even Damian were all in danger of being exposed, hunted down, and cutting ties completely while she worked the case is her only option. But Dick… with Dick, though, she didn’t think he would ever forgive her for this. But it had to be done because she had to protect them, at all costs.

Sitting on the edge of their usual meeting place high on top Wayne Tower, she waited. It wouldn’t be long before Dick found her, not with Oracle’s access to all the cameras in the city. Barbara had probably let him know her location the second she landed. All she had to do was pass the time until she would have to do everything necessary to keep him safe. She turned on the com, made sure it was muted on her end while listening to the usual back-and-forth banter between the Red Hood, Robin and B. It was so familiar, striking her in the chest with pangs of nostalgia. She would miss this, family nights in Gotham when they all got to be out.

She dearly hoped that she got this wrapped up quickly. Could come back into the fold as soon as possible (even if Dick never forgave her for it).

There was a thud behind her and the crunch of boots on asphalt. She would do this standing, she didn’t want to look as vulnerable as she felt.

“Red, where you been? I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.” His voice gentles, as if trying to coax a wild animal.

“I’ve been busy,” She brushes him off. There is no time for pleasantries, not right now. “There’s something we need to talk about.”

His head tilts in confusion, “What is it Red? You ok?” He starts towards her, bringing his hands up to put on her shoulder.

Temperance backs up a little out of his grip, tilts her chin up so he thinks she’s actually looking, “I’m fine, as I said, I’ve been busy.” She knows she won’t be able to do this if he’s touching her, knows she’s got to keep a straight face to pull this off without making the first Robin suspicious.

He cringes as she moves away, fisting his raised hands, “You usually still make time for us when you’re busy. Do you want to tell me what’s going on here?”

“I haven’t had the time,” Forcing herself to straighten up and take a deep breath, “But, that’s what I want to talk to you about,” It was now or never, she just had to do it fast and leave so he wouldn’t know how much this is going to kill her. “Things...aren’t working out. I feel like we should break up.”

It was Dick’s turn to take a step back, “What? Why?” She could see the frown on his face deepening. “Where is this coming from? Talk to me!”

“I don’t need to explain myself to you, Dick. I just don’t want to be together anymore.” I want to protect you. I’m in love with you and it’ll kill me if you get hurt.

“Don’t need to explain yourself? You are breaking up with me out of the blue! I sure as hell need an explanation!” Dick’s face had morphed into an angry scowl (not that she could blame him) as he threw his hands up in the air.

Oh God, this was killing her, the look on his face painful to stomach, “Nightwing, don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be…”

He flinched when she made it Nightwing instead of Dick, distancing herself, but still it isn’t helping. “Difficult? Oh I’m sorry, Red, is this difficult for you?” His movements were becoming more wild, he points to his chest and adds, “Well it sure isn’t easy for me! None of this even makes sense. I thought...I thought we’d finally agreed we were going to be together after all these years. I thought we were doing to well.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t want to be with you, Nightwing,” Damn, this was what she didn’t want to happen, hoping against hope that he would sulk off angrily and not look too deeply into the why behind it all, what a stupid thing to hope for, “I want to end this without all the drama. It’ll be easier for us both”

Suddenly he ripped off his domino, “Well, fuck me I guess, my girlfriend, who I’m in love with! Has just announced that we should break up.” He slumps to his knees, hands in his hair.

She slowly put her hands out, as though to give comfort, before quickly pulling them back, “Don’t do this.”

He looks up at her from his position, “Don’t, don’t tell me what I can and can’t do. You don’t have the right, if you’re really breaking up with me. After everything we’ve fought through to get to this point, to be what we are to each other, and you’re just going to throw it away? Throw me away? And I don’t even get to know why?” His voice is breaking.

Damn, he was going to cry, and she was slowly losing it, not able to give him some bullshit excuse that could make this easier for them both. “Please, just, calm down, please...”

His eyes are red and getting wetter by the second, “I  don’t understand Temp, we were good, we were great, what happened? What did I do to make you--?” He chokes and whatever he was ready to say makes her clench both fists, blink rapidly behind the cowl.

Nononono! “Nothing! Nothing, Dick, it’s nothing you did!” She rushed because she couldn’t hurt him that much, to think it was all because of him when it was her fault.

Dick looked more confused, “Then why? Why are you doing this, baby?”

“I need to,” She watched as tears started to run down his cheeks, “I-I don’t want to be with you anymore…” She is super glad that she’d worn the cowl, her eyes are starting to sting.

Dick smashed his fists on the roof, “I don’t believe it, I can’t believe it! Something happened! Something had to have happened--!”

Suddenly there is a crack of thunder, as though the heavens are also against her, wishing to make this more miserable than it already was, rain started to pour, she had to do it, it will keep him safe, “I don’t love you Dick, I can’t be with you!”

Dick’s crushed look was too much, but at least he seemed to believe. “You...Temp, you don’t love me?” At that, her tears spilled over freely, making it sticky under her mask.

She sucked in a breath, keeping her objective in the forefront of her mind. This was for Dick’s safety, to keep him from being exposed, and she could do this, She had to do this. “I don’t, not anymore…”

Dick’s face suddenly went blank and his eyes narrowed, that wasn’t good, “I don’t believe you…”

She moved slightly back, shoulders tensing, “What?”

“I don’t believe you,” Getting to his feet and taking a step forward, he places his hands on every side of her wet face, refuses to let her get even a step further away, “Even with the mask, I can tell that you aren’t looking me in the eye...”

“No… I don’t, I --” Her words were choked, she didn’t do anything that obvious, did she?

Temperance shivered at the touch of his thumb as it touched the ridge of her mask, “Take off the mask.”

“No…” She couldn’t, he would know.

“Come on, Temp,” is Dick cajoling her, because he knows something is most definitely up,  “one last request. Take off the mask, look me in the eye, and tell me you no longer love me, no longer care for me, like I care for you.” Temperance felt as he started to apply pressure and move the mask up slowly.

She didn’t know what to do, but caught at his wrists, trying to stop him. “I don’t --”

“It’s cruel, Temperance, not facing me fully,” He worked the mask up and over her head against her hold, “do this for me…” His voice his soft, nearly drained out from the rain.

“Dick I --” The words were stuck in her throat.

“Why are you crying, Temp?” His thumb brushing the tears and rain from her cheeks, “I thought this was what you wanted?”

“I- I--” She couldn’t think of anything to say, his blue eyes stunning her.

“You gonna tell me now? Look at me and tell me you don’t love me,” His voice broke, his mouth wobbled a bit, “I’ll leave, no more questions asked, if you can do that…”

“I- I don’t- I --” Just tell him, it was simple, should be easy, If it were anyone else other than Dick Grayson. “Dick, I --” The were just words, right? But why was this so hard? “I don’t love you” Her voice wavered through words she had managed to force out.

“Temp, baby, how can I believe that when it looks like you’re about to break into pieces?” His voice was sweet and soft with affection, his warm hands against her rain cooled skin.

“I don’t love you...” She tried again, her voice still breaking.

“Tell me whats going on,” He pleaded, tilting her face, already passing off the words to get to the motivation underneath. “Let me help you...” Dick whispered into skin.

“You can’t,” She had to do it alone, “I have to keep you safe.” She didn’t want to cause him any extra trouble. “I have to let you go…”

Ah-ha, Dick knew it. Knew something was off here, something terribly out of character. “Baby, look at me and tell me what’s happened…” He pushed stray hairs from her face.

“I --” Temperance is mortified at how much she is crying right now. Get yourself together!

“It’s ok Tempie, I’m here, I got you.” He let go of her for a moment, before slipping his arms around her waist. “Now tell me what this was all about.”

“Dick !--” It was hard to concentrate, his warmth distracting, “I just wanted to keep you safe,” She lets out a sniffle, “Just wanted everyone to be safe --”

He kisses her temple, “Shh, it’s going to be fine, we’re going to be alright, you just have to tell me. We can get this sorted out...” His arms tightened around her waist.

“Someone --” Another sniffle, “There were messages sent to me, warning me that --” She didn’t know how to explain, her argument sounded weaker and weaker every time she thought about it now, “That if I didn’t leave you guys and Gotham, they were going to--”

Temperance is cut off, “Temperance, we’ve had threats like that before--”

She could hear the panic in her voice, “Not like this! Usually we know who we’re dealing with!” She needed him to understand. “This someone got into my apartment Dick! He knows who I am, don’t you understand?”

Dick pulls back to look at her, “What!?”

She shrugs and brings her arms around Dick’s waist, squeezing him, “They left little clues, in different places, when I figured it out, this was the only thing I could think to do while I leave the city to try finding more clues on who is doing this!”

Temperance can feel the sigh that escapes Dick, “Temp, you could have come to us.”

She holds tighter, “I don’t know who they are Dick. It isn’t worth the risk! If they find out I haven’t done what they asked, they might hurt someone! I couldn’t live with that!” Her breathing was getting faster, and she could recognise the signs, she was working herself into a panic.

She felt his hands come to rub up and down her back, soothing and warm, “Shush, it’s ok Tee, we got this, we’ll figure it out --”

Tensing, temperance gripped his uniform, “No! I can’t involve you!”

She could feel Dick pause, “I’m already involved,” came the quiet reply, “I’m not going to let you hurt yourself for us...”

Temperance tried again, “But I--”

Temperance hears the groan from Dick, “No buts Temp, we’re gonna figure this out.”

“Dick --”

She feels Dick put his hands on her arms and gently push, she looks up at him, “Do you love me, Tee?” He asks softly.

“Yes, of course I --”

“Then that's all that matters. Everything else we can solve together.” He shushes her with a quick kiss, “Though, if you ever try breaking up with mo over something like this again, we are going to have a talk.” His voice deep and serious as he tells her.

“I just wanted to keep you safe, I--”

Dick tutted at her, and it kind of reminds her of Damian, “I get that, but it hurts, Temperance, how easy it was for you to try and cut things off between us.”

“Easy? It wasn’t easy!” She shouts, “I had to protect you, keep you safe! I could do this and keep you out of it, Dick! They’ll come for you, they’ll come to hurt you because of me, and I can’t--!”

His face softens, “I know that, but you could of come to me, instead you blindsided me.”

“I just wanted to keep you safe since I don’t even know who’s doing this or why…” Temperance murmurs.

“Temp, I get that, but I’m a big vigilante, I’ve been in the game longer than you, and I can look after myself. I just wish you had come to me first, instead of doing this.” She can hear the hurt, the tightness in her chest from earlier is back.

She wants to reassure him now, “Next time, I promise, I was just so scared Dick, they know who I am, where I live… I just didn’t know what to do, I panicked.”

His voice is understanding and it loosens the pain inside her, “Listen Temp, now that I know, I can help you, I love you baby, you know that right?”

“I know…”

“Then this is what’s going to happen,” He finally steps away from her, and pulls her mask back over her face for her,  “You’re gonna come with me, stay at my place and we will lock down the apartment and let Bruce know to be on alert.” He finally get’s his domino back on and turns to her, “if my place gets compromised, we have safe houses all over the city. Jay can disappear if we really need him to, but with all of us on the case, whoever is threatening you won’t stand stand a chance.  We’ll find this guy, ok?”

“Ok…” She wipes at her face, “I love you,Dick, I’m so sorry,” She doesn’t know how to make this better, “I’m sorry I did this to you! I wasn’t thinking clearly, and I’m already running out of time.”

Dick hugs her again, hums, and grips her tight, “It’s ok Temp, everything’s going to be fine.” His words made the tightness in her chest loosen completely. His warmth seeped through her wet suit, giving her comfort. His smell calming her in ways she hadn’t felt for weeks. Why did she always mess things up? It would follow her, the pain she had caused him, she would have to make it up to him, so he would always know, so there would never be any question as to who she’s always belonged.!

(And as the night closes in, settles over Gotham’s skyline, she has no idea the small, private army amassing against her or the other plans put in place to take her and the ones she cares about out of the vigilante game. Permanently.)

[poison-basil]

Part 8 - Temper Temper

Summary - it took a while…

This is set before Temperance and Dick get together

Around two months after his return Damian noticed that Drake had got a new piercing in her ear. It accompanied the three that were already there: one red stud and two gold hoops. It had irked him that his father allowed her to have them. Damian had brought it up when he had first come to the Wayne household, Drake sporting the Robin costume. His father had dismissed him, told him that he had made an allowance and that he wanted hear no more of it.

Damian doesn’t know if he’s ever encountered her not wearing them, but he knows she never wore them while out as Robin. In his early days he used to wish that she would slip up and leave them in, so that he could inform Grayson or Father that she was risking her identity, putting them in danger due to her carelessness. However from watching her and hoping she would leave them in by accident just once, he found that taking out the piercings was the first thing she did as though she was striiping out of Temperance Drake and stepping into Robin.

The new hoop had him confused. Todd had told him once that there was a reason behind them, that each of them meant something. Damian had spent time and effort trying to figure it out. Drake had alluded him once again, he couldn’t find out what it meant. Nothing had happened since his death that could warrant such a statement, he thought maybe he had overlooked it, that she had got it earlier, so he scoured the surveillance and to his frustration he saw that she only came around wearing the Red Robin uniform and never took off the cowl, he couldn’t see whether or not the piercings had changed.

Drake had stayed at the manor last night. Damian decided to stake out the kitchen, since that would be one of first places Drake would venture to. Formulating a plan Damian thought about what he might say, usually talks with her ended in arguments, though they had been getting on more as of late (less shouting and biting remarks). He tried his best not to antagonize her at every turn as he once had.

After he had come back Drake had promised him that it would never happen to him again, no one would die on her watch and that if he was in trouble all he had to do was call and she would be there.

He didn’t know what to make of it, so taking his usual stance he ignored her, though her words soon became a reality, since not long after promise, he was caught in the middle of a gang war. Father was away, Grayson was talking with Todd across town about local drug deals they were going to put a stop to. Damian was supposed to be doing a routine patrol of his usual area. However that night Harvey Dent was out for blood, Damian thought it would be simple to handle, easy, though nothing in Gotham is. Caught unaware by some thugs from behind, he was locked down, with no way out. They didn’t know where he had hidden himself but they were too close to call in backup.

Damian remembers the way his heart thundered in his chest as he thought about the possibility of dying again. The nothingness on the other side. He’d squeezed his eyes shut, images of his family flashing before him, Damian tried to give himself false hope that it might not happen, knowing that panic would only hinder him. Squirrelled away in a tight corner he tried to silence his breathing, make it shallow as people ran past, their boots thudding on the ground.

“He’s here somewhere!” Came a loud voice not far from him, “Find him!” Damian could hear people rushing around, he noticed when one of them stopped right beside his hiding spot. He held his breath, this was it, sliding a birdarang into his hand, Damian prepared himself, there was no way he was going out without a fight.

Just as the man was about to breach his sanctuary he heard a sharp thwack, groan and dull thump.

“You can come out now Robin.” Drake. Damian shuffled out and came face to face with Red Robin, bow out, her stance tight as she looked him up and down. She nodded to herself at the assessment she had taken apparently happy with the results, turning she swished her cape behind her.

Damian flushed at the dismissal, “I did not need nor want you help Red.” He hated that he was saved by her, he was supposed to be reaffirming his role and showing them he wasn’t a liability that he could still do this.

“Nothing personal Robin,” Her voice cool and solid. “Just doing as I promised.” Before he could even think to get another word in Red Robin had pulled out her grapple and shot it off. “Until next time Robin.” She had given him a little salute and took off.

It wasn’t until after Grayson had got in after his patrol that he found out that he was the only one that new Red Robin was in Gotham. She had got in and out without alerting Barbara and saved him.

There were a couple more incidents like that. Where he was backed into a corner and Drake would save him before quickly high tailing it back out of Gotham. Damian had yet to figure out how she kept finding him. He had heard through Grayson that Todd was having similar encounters, being saved by the skin of his teeth.

Though Grayson pretends to be unaffected by it, he was jealous that she was even willing to be in the same room as them, she had avoided Grayson as though he was the plague. Only near him in times of peril, but always wearing the suit, never as herself, not that Damian could say he had seen Drake, either.

Todd often liked to boast about his little ‘dates’ with Drake to make Grayson, who is usually full of insufferable smiles, scowl and fume. Though nothing Todd said made it seem more than two people hanging out, he suspected that Todd framed the get togethers with Drake in a particular way to get under his mentors skin.

Last night Todd and Drake had used the big TV in the rec room to watching movies. This was the second time she had come to the Manor in a long time for something other than a case. Grayson had joined them, putting himself between the two of them, settling back into the cushions and putting an arm behind both of them. Though they both grumbled they had stayed where they were for the rest of the movie.

Since he didn’t want to watch the Marvel films again, he removed himself from the situation and as such he doesn’t know how it ended. He’s going to believe it ended rather well, since there was no screaming and gunfire before he went to sleep.

Staring at his coffee, he hoped that Drake would make an appearance soon. He had been sat on this stool for two hours already. Frankly it was becoming absurd the amount of time he was wasting. Damian was entertaining the thought of barging into Drake room (he doesn’t care how inappropriate it was for a male to go into a female’s room uninvited) when the kitchen door opened to reveal a groggy Drake making her way in.

He watched as she shuffled along the tiled floor, shoulders slumped, hair messily tied up, clothes rumpled from sleep and eyes squinting in the bright light. It amazed him some days that this was the dreaded Red Robin that struck fear into people’s hearts by name alone.

Damian’s sure that she hasn’t noticed him yet. Drake usually made an effort to acknowledge him when he was in the room, even if it was as simple as looking in his direction. He decided to test it, he gave a small cough, hoping it wouldn’t startle her too much, as soon as he had made the sound her shoulders tensed and her head whipped in his direction.

“Oh, it’s you Damian,” He saw her shoulders relax, and a smile gracing her lips. “Good morning.”

“Tt.” She was continuing her journey to the coffee pot, pulling the coffee from the cupboard and setting it up, Damian contented himself with watching her slow sluggish movements and waited for her to have her first cup, she was practically useless to talk to before she was caffeinated.

Damian had come to the decision a little while ago that he no longer hated Drake. He had grown to respect her, learnt from her, his thoughts about her maturing, no longer detesting her for having a place at his Father’s side and his respect.

He didn’t however, know whether she knew this. That was something that he wanted to rectify. He will never be Grayson, full of smiles, hugs and childish humor, but he could let her know he no longer thought of her as a rival but as a respected predecessor of Robin mantle.

Drake was pouring her second cup when Damian caught her attention once again. “Drake, I was wondering if I could ask you something?”

Drake giggles quietly to herself, “You just did.” Damian furrows his brow bout to make a remark. “Lame joke, sorry,” Damian nods his acknowledgment. “Sure as long as it’s not too difficult, I’m only on my second coffee of the day.”

“I’m asure you, this won’t be too difficult,” He smirks, Damian liked her brand of humor, when it wasn’t the mimic of Grayson’s. “I was just wondering about your ear piercings.”

He see’s her brow raise, “What about them?” She finishes the drink and gets herself another. Coming away from the counter she takes a seat at the other end of the table, placing her elbows on the table and bringing the cup to her lips.

“I noticed one had been added,” Damian see’s her nose wrinkle in confusion at the topic, (not that he could blame her, he never really talked to her about anything personal) “Todd let slip that you had reasons for them, though he would not tell me what they are.” Damian remembers his frustration at Todd’s silence, he went to Grayson after, only to find that he didn’t know either and went off to brood in the corner of the cave about Todd and Drake once again.

“Ah, Jason and his big mouth,” Drake takes a sip from the cooling liquid. “Yeah, they mean something,” Damian sits slightly more forward, hands braced on the edge of the table. “They stand for some people in my life.”

Damian sits silently for a moment, gathering his thoughts. He hadn’t thought of people, that they could stand for individuals, rather than specific moments. There were a number of people Damian thought that they could stand for. Superboy, Kidflash, Father, Brown, those were but a few.

“Who?” Damian could tell that Drake was thinking over whether to tell him or not. “You don’t have to tell me, if you’d rather not.” Her eyes are blinking owlishly at him.

“It’s not a secret Damian,” She smiles at him, putting her cup to the table. “They are symbols for people that have taken on the Robin Mantle.” Damian feels himself pause. There were four piercings, Damian could feel a tightness start in his chest.

Drake had got a piercing meant to memorialize him. There was a sudden sting in his eye. He knew, logically, that she recognised him as Robin, but there was never any proof of it, no words said.

“When?” Damian flushes as voice wobbles.

“When I was looking for Bruce.” Damian grips the table a little harder. That long? Damian, for a split second felt like crying.

“I thought you hated me,” Damian vomits out. “You always argued with me!”

He watches as Drake takes a drink and swallows. “I don’t hate you Damian, for a while I disliked you and avoided you, what I hated was the situation, the constant belittling by you and others, how Robin was taken from me.” She shrugs, “And to be honest Damain, you were a little shit but you’ve done the Robin name proud.”

He can barely believe his ears. This woman that he had fought and rallied against, pushed away from her only home left and attempted to kill just because she was wearing the colours he wanted.

“I-” Damian doesn’t know what say, completely stumped by Drake.

She reached over the table, placed her hand on his and gave it a gentle squeeze. He looked at her and sucked in a breath and the warmth and kindness in her eyes. He had seen it before, directed at Todd when he was having a bad day, or in his early days living in the Manor and Drake as Robin would humor and comfort Grayson, to see it turned on him almost made him leap from his stool.

“Are you alright Damian?”

Damian will always scold himself for hurting this warm and loving creature, “I’m sorry Temperance,” her name on his tongue tasted like forgiveness. “For everything. For a long time I fought and ridiculed you, stripped you of everything, made people cast you aside when you had nothing left and took joy in it.” His voice cracks slightly, before he knows what’s happening Drake had her arms around him, having got to him in minimal time.

“Dami, you don’t have to be sorry anymore, I get it, but thank you for saying it, I forgive you.” He felt her words pass over his skin.

Drake tightened her hold before letting go and stepping back. Her fingers reach up to her ear, and she pulls on the bottom most ring, “This one, is for you.” Dropping her hand to her hip, she slightly juts it out, “And for what it’s worth Damian, I am sorry for things that I’ve done too.” Why was she apologising?

Damian nods, nothing he couldn’t think of anything to say back. He didn’t really understand why she was apologising to begin with, she only ever retaliated, never instigated and was often the one scolded because she was older. It was Damian that should be asking for forgiveness.

He watched as she made her way over to the coffee maker once again, pouring herself another cup. Drake was walking out of kitchen when she turns her head in his direction, “I’m proud of what you have done with the Robin name Damian and I’m proud to call you my little brother.” Before Damian can reply Drake is out the door and it swings shut behind her.

When he can no longer hear her footsteps Damian slumps down onto the table. His head resting on his arms, hands in his hair, tugging at it lightly, a hefty sigh escaping him.

Closing his eyes Damian thought back on the conversation. He had answers now, knew why she had a new piercing. His chest tightened again, she cared for him, looked out for him and had for a long time, it made him both happy and miserable: happy because she wanted him around, cared for him and was proud of his achievements as his stint as Robin. Miserable because he had been nothing but downright horrid to her, causing her strife whenever able and stripping her down to her bare bones.

It was going to be a mammoth job, getting her to trust him. He knew that she found it hard to trust them anymore by the way that she avoided them, only showing up when they were in trouble or needed information.

But as an al’Ghul and Wayne it wasn’t in his blood to be deterred by something being difficult, it just made him want to succeed all the more. He would have to talk to Todd and find out how he managed to gain Drake’s fragile trust. Maybe even get Grayson to help and find his own way in again.

[poison-basil]

Part 2: Not My Scene

Summary -  She hated these things, and she certainly hated the dresses.

Wayne Galas are the worst, there was no doubt about it. Temperance’s parents always made her speak to businessmen who talked down to her. She had to wear god awful frumpy dresses that made it hard to move. Why couldn’t she just stay home? That's where they left her most of the time anyway.

The only thing that made these parties bearable was when Dick was around to make lame jokes, and talk to her like she was an actual human being. Though he was coming back to Gotham less and less these days, so she usually had to suffer through this with alone, though now that Mr Wayne had a new ward, Jason Todd - Current Robin, there was at least something to do, even if it was just watching him being introduced to Gotham's high society

Watching as Jason grumpily folded his arms and grumble whenever anyone directed a question to him was the highlight to Temperance’s evening. Which is pretty sad honestly. She watched as he tried time and time again to leave Mr Wayne’s side, only to be pulled back in by a tug on his elbow.

She giggled quietly at the sigh of defeat that left Jason. Though she felt bad for him, Temperance was glad that she wasn’t the only one miserable with being here.

Her mother suddenly put a hand on her shoulder and pushed her forward while pulling Jack behind her, to her dread and joy, they were approaching Mr Wayne and his ward. Jason noticed their approach first and Temperance gave him a weak smile. Why did her parents do this to her?

“Bruce! How good to see you!” Her mother tittered over her head, bringing Mr Wayne’s attention to them. “I see you have brought Jason with you tonight, what a pleasant surprise!”

Looking up to her mother’s face, she could see Janet’s eyes looking straight at Jason. Whats mother planning? Turning back to Mr Wayne, Temperance could see a small frown on his face. “Good evening Mr Wayne, Jason.” She greeted, and got a nod from Jason, while Mr Wayne smiled down at her.

“Miss Drake! It’s so good to see you!” His smile seeming less strained now, than it has since she first caught sight of him entering the Gala. “You been well?”

Temperance smiles at him, he is the only adult in here who has shown genuine interest in her. “Yes sir.” Oh god, Batman is talking to me!

“Why don’t you and Jason go off, while I talk to your mom and dad.” Mr Wayne gestures to the tables of food, and smiles at her parents. “We have some business we need to talk about!” He laughs, Jack nods his head in agreement, joining Mr Wayne with his laughter.

Janet narrows her eyes at her “Be careful Temperance.” Do not embarrass me.Temperance nods to her mother, looks to Jason grabbing his arm and pulling. Anything to get away from her mother’s prying eyes.

“So you're the girl Dick gushes about whenever he comes back from these things…” Is the first thing Jason says to her. Her cheeks flush red knowing that Dick talks about her with other people. What does he say about me?

“So you’re the little brother Dick’s always calling a pain in his ass?” She sasses back, Temperance sees joy spread across his face, like he enjoys the fact that she just insulted him.

Jason’s grin grows. “Oh god, you’re a little smart ass aren’t you?” His eyes are glittering with mirth, and he brings up a hand to cover his mouth.

She narrows her eyes at him and lifts her chin, trying to make herself look a little taller, a mini Janet. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

They both look at each other, trying to keep straight faces, and burst out laughing, quickly quieting down so that they don’t grab any unwanted attention. Getting closer to the food, they both grab plates, and get some of the food on offer all the while jostling each other and jabbing elbows into sides.

Going over to an unoccupied corner of the room, they set themselves up, both of them leaning up against a wall. “Urgh, I hate this dress.” Temperance mutters to herself, as she tries to adjust the shoulder straps so it’s even slightly more comfortable. Impossible.

Jason looks her over and feel bad for her, she does not look comfortable in her dress at all, like a doll dressed against their will. “You look good though?” He tries and winces when the look he receives is nothing but detest.

“Was that a question?” She grumbles, pulling at the dress skirt. “I know it’s ugly, but what am I to say to fashion and my mother?” She shoves some food into her mouth and is surprised at just how good it tastes.

She sees Jason sigh and leans off the wall a little. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bite your head off… I just really hate dresses.” Temperance offers a smile to him. “One day Jason, I shall say no to my mother and her dresses.” She gives a little stomp with her shoe.

“It’s alright.” Jason says after taking a bite from his selection. “I mean, I don’t wanna be here either, these penguin suits make me feel all sorts of awkward.” He tugs at his collar. “So we have each other at least.” Jason checks looks to his watch and adds. “Dick should be here soon, so at least there will be someone else suffering with us.”

Temperance takes in the information. Tonight? He’s going to be here tonight? Jason sees the little smile on her face and Temperance starts looking towards the entrance. “Dick’s coming?” She tries for casual, but the smirk on Jason’s face says it was anything but.

“Yeah… why, you wanna see him?” He wiggles his eyebrows at her, her face flushes and she looks away. “Wait, seriously?” He looks a bit shocked that he hit the nail on the head. “You like him?” Jason just cannot help himself. “But he is such a tool.”

Putting the plate in her hand on the table next to them, folding her arms protectively across her chest. “You can’t help who you like…” Temperance mumbles, looking everywhere but Jason’s face.

Jason gently places his hand on her shoulder. “Temperance, you know…” Jason looks to the side and then quickly back at her. “You know that Dick’s got a girlfriend right?”

Temperance looks at Jason as though he is the dumbest person in the world. How could she not know? She smiles and pulls his hand off her shoulder. “One, don’t call me Temperance it reminds me of my mother, Two, of course I know that Dick has a girlfriend, it’s the commissioner's daughter right?”

He looks shocked that she knows, and Temperance just rolls her eyes. Did he not know? “Jason, it’s common knowledge to know who the Wayne wards are dating.”

Jason rears back. “Really?” Temperance thinks he looks repulsed by the idea, but she just nods, and looks down at her dress. Why is it so pink?

She leans towards him and whispers. “Why do you think I am dressed like this? It’s to impress you, though no one in there right mind would be, my Mother is trying to set us up.” Jason looks like he is about to throw up. Temperance does not take it to heart. The idea of someone trying to orchestrate his love life makes him feel uncomfortable.

Suddenly the noise level of the gala goes up, both Jason and Temperance look to see what's going on. At the entrance stood Dick Grayson in his perfectly pressed black three piece suit. His hair is pulled back into a low pony tail, and hanging off his arm was one Barbara Gordon, in a purple dress with a long slit down the side. She’s beautiful.

“They look good.” Temperance murmurs.Jason looks away from Dick and Barbra and down to Temperance.

“Yeah they do…” Jason pushes his hair out of his face. He doesn’t know what to do in this type of situation.

Suddenly Temperance pushes herself behind Jason’s back squeaking out “Oh crap, hide me.” Jason looks to see who she would be hiding from and sees Dick making a beeline for them from across the room. A giant smile on his face moving like water between all the people occupying the floor.

As soon as Dick is within range, he reaches out and grabs Jason in a hug, squeezing him tight and rubbing his cheek against his head. “Jay, so good to see you!” Dick lets go when Jason starts pushing at his chest.

“Good to see you too Dick.“ Jason straightens out his suit, pulling at the cuffs. Turning his head to look at Temperance, Jason sees the redness on her cheeks and moves so he can put his arm around her neck. “You already know Tee, right?”

Dick looks back and forth between them. “Tee?” Both Dick and Temperance ask. Dick looks bewildered and Temperance looks slightly disgusted by the name.

Jason has a smug look on his face when he looks to Dick. “Tee here told me not to call her Temperance, I think Tee fits, short and cute, just like her” Temperance jabs her elbow into his side sharply “Ouch! What the heck!?” Temperance’s face is nothing if not unforgiving, she sticks her tongue out at him.

“Hey Dick.” Temperance gives him a warm and welcoming smile. “Good to see you back in Gotham.” She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Dick looks her over and notices the dress that's wearing. So pink. “You look beautiful Temp and glad to be back.” Dick leans in to take her hand and kisses the back of her hand, she yanks it back quickly and puts it behind her back.

Jason moves slightly between them, creating a buffer. “Where’s your girlfriend Dick?” His sharp tone making Dick confused.

Just as Dick was about to answer, a hand is placed on his shoulder slightly turning him. He smiles brightly when he sees Barbara. “Speak of the devil.” Dick presses a kiss to her cheek and turns back to Jason and Temperance. “She’s right here.” He announces cheekily.

Barbara looks at the the two Dicks been talking with. “Jason, it’s good to see you, didn’t think I would see at one of these.” Jason just frowns and Barbara linking her arms with Dick she carries on. “Who’s this?” Barbara says looking between Jason and Temperance.

Dick jumps in before Jason can answer. “That’s Temp! I’ve told you about her. She’s the little girl I met at the circus, she’s like a little sister to me!” The proud look on his face does not help the crushing feeling in her chest. Fuck.

Temperance forces a smile onto her face, straightening up and pulling away from the group. “Yep, thats me. Good to see you again Dick.” She nods towards him. “Jason, Barbara, it was very nice you meet you both.” She gives a small wave as she turns from them the skirts of her dress ruffling about her legs.

Jason gives her a worried look. “Sure, see you Tee.” He smirks when Temperance looks back and frowns at the nickname. “It was real good to meet you.” He winks at her and laughs at the blush he created.

Barbra just waves and links her fingers with Dick’s making it impossible for him to move and stop Temperance from leaving. He’s staring at her back as she leaves, seeing the slump in her shoulders and wondering what went wrong.

Temperance hears Dick ask, “Is she ok?” She is too far away to hear what he says, but she just wants to get out of here.

Making her way back to her mother's side, any happiness she had towards meeting the new robin had quickly vanished. Not concentrating on where she is going Temperance nearly crashes into someone. Looking up to apologise, she sees Alfred Pennyworth. “Sorry.” She says quickly.

“Are you quite alright Miss Drake?” He asks, placing a kind, warm hand on her shoulder. He’s giving her a worried look.

She smiles at him. “Sorry Mr Pennyworth. I wasn’t looking where I was going, sorry.” Temperance pulls away and moves forward once again. Upon seeing her Mother and Father talking she silently takes her spot at their side.

She glances at the small group in the corner, seeing them laughing and smiling together and immediately just wants to leave this party as soon as possible. By the look on her mother's face it won't be long before they are out of here. There was only so much her mother could take being around people.

She still feels crushed,she squeezes her eyes shut. Introduced by the person you like as a little sister, she was an idiot, she always got her hopes up. She knew there was no way anything was going to happen. Dick’s nice to everyone, borderline flirty even. But to him she’s just the little girl who happens to live next door.

She thought that there was no helping it though, who didn’t want a part of Richard Grayson. Robin, now Nightwing, currently going out with Batgirl. It made sense that he would want to go out with someone from the caped crowd. Barbara was also older, more mature and beautiful. Why wouldn’t Dick fall for that?

Temperance is so absorbed by her thoughts she jumps when her father calls her name. He raises an eyebrow at her. “Come along Temperance, we are leaving, your Mother and I have an early flight tomorrow.” Jack starts walking with Janet’s hand on his arm.

She is following behind quietly as her parents are giving their goodbyes and make there way to the exit. Finally they were going to leave and she could get out of this ugly, uncomfortable dress.

That night as she was lying in bed, Temperance makes herself a promise to herself, no more dresses, ever again, no matter what her mother says. With nothing to do Temperance thought of the new Robin and how she thought they could be possible friends. How perfect Dick and Barbra looked together. God I am freaking hopeless. Closing her eyes, she tries to think of something different.

Temperance wakes up in the morning after having had a restless sleep. Blearily she heads downstairs and into the kitchen. She finds a note on the table from her mother. ‘Gone on the dig with your father, back in a few weeks, Mrs Mac will be there this evening.’

Though she felt a bit bad at not seeing her parents for a while. She excitedly plans for going out in the evening, and participating in her favourite hobby Bird Watching.