Archangel {A Robin Love Story}

You've Got To Be Kidding Me

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Scarlett's POV

I had a strange dream that night. At first it was normal, I was back at my grandparents ranch, in a field with my horse Windy. I would walk around and she'd follow me, whinnying. I'd trained her to follow me without a lead rope so it was normal for her to prance around behind me the way she was. I pivoted on my heel, grabbing her bright purple halter, stroking her neck. The sun had almost set, sending deep orange rays across the pastures of horses and on the barn, when the figure of a man appeared in the sun. For some reason I was able to stare into the burning sphere without being blinded. The light around the man began to change shape, gracefully morphing into two huge wings.

The man was wearing a gold armoured chest plate, with white bottoms and sandals. He strode towards Windy and I. His wings were beautiful, and massive, easily his arm span once on either side, angular and sharp feathers. Suddenly, he erupted in a ball of pure, blinding white, and then I woke up, my eyes snapping open.

I laid in bed for a few minutes, gasping for breath, my eyes adjusting to the cold, pale light coming in through the windows of my room. I checked the time. It was eleven thirty. Then I remembered. Batman, how annoying Robin is, healing the woman from eclampsia, the party. I sighed, sitting up and rubbing my face. After I went to the bathroom and splashed my face with cold water, I checked my phone. Two new texts.

Bethany Tanner: Call me as soon as you get this.

Dick Grayson: I had nothing to do with it...

I dismissed the second text as odd and dialled Bethany's number, bringing the phone to my ear.

"Scarlett, you're not gonna believe this." Bethany said the second she picked up.

"What? What's wrong?"

"Do you subscribe to the Gotham Gazette?" She asked, sounding worried.

"I think so, why?"

"I want to tell you not to read it, but I think you need to." I swallowed, my heartbeat picking up. I left my room and and opened the door to the apartment, stepping out. I ran down the stairs to our mailbox and unlocked it, yanking out its contents, including the magazine in a clear plastic bag. I ripped it open, gasping at the cover.

There was a picture of Bruce and Vicki, arm in arm, and Dick with his arm around me, my cheeks red. The headline read 'All the Details- Inside Bruce Wayne's Charity Dinner! The Guests, the Scoop on Richard Grayson's Lover, Bruce Wayne and Vicki Vale's Fling'.

"You've got to be kidding me." I was pretty sure that my blood was boiling.

"Scarlett...?" I heard Bethany murmur. I flipped to the pages to the start of the article.

"Yep. I see it. I'm gonna fucking kill him." I tried to reserve swearing for when I really was angry... Didn't work that well. One of the Ten Commandments was 'do not use the Lord's name in vain", and cursing counted. I was still completely committed to God, but I had a bad habit of swearing.

The article read; Richard Grayson, (seventeen) brought his sweetheart Scarlett Donovan (seventeen) to his guardian, Bruce Wayne (thirty five) 's charity dinner last night. Looks like fun! An inside source said Wayne didn't approve of his ward's girl. The evening quickly heated up when Grayson entered the venue with Donovan by his side. She looked stunning dressed in her black satin dress by Alvina Valenta, with a corset, complete with a pair of strappy black pumps by Fresh Trends.

They knew where I got my outfit?! That's creepy. There were pictures of Dick and I everywhere, along with a few of Bruce and Vicki.

"Scarlett, don't be mad at him. I seriously doubt it was his fault." Bethany said.

"I- I gotta go." I said before I hung up. I slammed the mailbox shut and stomped up the stairs, the magazine in hand. When I got back into the apartment, I threw the rest of the mail on the kitchen counter and sat down on the couch, continuing to read.

"'They looked so good together' commented Vicki Vale, Bruce's date. 'I could tell Dick likes her.' Another friend of Grayson's said 'they've been seeing each other for a while'."

"What the hell?!" I asked aloud. I skimmed the rest of the article, as it was complete bullshit. It included heavy detail on the dance, and said- afterwards, Dick and Scarlett retreated to his bedroom for some "alone time".

I ripped the magazine to shreds after I read that part. I picked up my phone and speed-dialled his number cellphone number, because I didn't want to risk being rude to Alfred if he picked up the home phone.

"Hey Scarlett."

"Yeah, hey. Have you seen the Gotham Gazette for this week?"

"Scarlett, I swear, I had nothing to do with it. I woke up and Bruce told me about it. He didn't say anything to the reporters either. It says some bull about him and Vicki in there too."

There was a long pause. "It pisses me off just as much as it pisses you off." There was another long pause, and I was starting to feel bad for snapping at him.

"Dick- I'm sorry." I murmured, trying to apologize for being snippy.

"It's fine. This happens to me a lot. Crap stories in magazines and whatnot. I have something that really helps."

"What's that?"

"It's a surprise." He replied, leaving me intrigued. "Come over, and I'll show you. Bring the magazine."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I can get Alfred to come get you."

"No, I'm okay. I'll be over in a little while. I gotta get dressed and stuff."

"Alright. How're ya gonna get over here?"

"How does anyone get around this city? Catch a cab."

"Alright, see you in a bit."

"Kay, bye." We hung up, and then I retreated back to my room. Clove was on my bed again. I chuckled and got a pair of light skinny jeans out of my dresser drawer, and a red racer back tank top. I took Clove out, heading to the convenience store not too far from the apartment. I wanted to pick up another copy of the Gazette because the first copy I had was now a shredded pile of paper in my recycling bin. I tethered Clove to the metal bike rack outside the store and walked in, frequently looking over my shoulder to make sure she was okay.

I didn't like leaving her outside like that but I couldn't bring her in. I grabbed a copy of the magazine and brought it to the counter to purchase it. The sales clerk looked down at it, then back at me. He scoffed.

"Fun night?" I blinked slowly, annoyed.

"Sure." I said sarcastically, my eyes narrow. I plunked down the money in exact change and stormed out. I untied Clove and we headed back. I put the magazine in my satchel and pulled on my black raincoat. I called a cab a few minutes before I left the apartment. It was there when I stepped out of the building. I got in and the driver asked me-

"Where to?"