Growing forever closer

Prologue

Dick's POV

"Babs," I said, sitting down besides her on the small fire-escape balcony, as so many times before, "I, um, I just wanted to tell you… that I'm leaving."
My best friend/ long time crush stared at me in incredulity.
"What?! Why?"
I sighed, "Well, you know that Bruce and I haven't exactly been seeing eye-to-eye recently, and tonight was just the last of it."
She looked at me with sympathy, knowing what Bruce was like, "What happened?"
"We were on patrol, as usual," I explained, "when I saw a goon coming for him while he was distracted with another. He had a knife."
I paused for a moment before continuing,"I couldn't let him get injured, so I jumped in the goon's way, deflecting the knife so that neither Bruce nor I got a scratch. I did beat the guy up a bit afterwards though."
Babs chuckled slightly.
"Anyway," I said, "once we had finished patrol, we headed back to the cave, Bruce not speaking a word to me throughout, which I thought was a bit strange. I mean, you know better than anyone that after patrol, on the way back, he always goes over it, analysing any mistakes and going over any info gained. But he was completely and utterly silent. He only grunted when I tried to ask questions!"
Babs looked at me with interest, egging me on.
"And then," I continued," we arrived back at the cave, and he has the nerve to tell me that I was being irresponsible! I saved him from being stabbed! How is that "irresponsible"?"
I took a deep breath, steeling myself up for the next bit, "We had a huge argument," I sighed, "and then, then he fired me."
"He what?!" Babs cried, "Surely not?"
"Oh he did, Babs," I said, trying to contain the fury I had towards my now ex-mentor, "and he really meant it. You know the look he gets in his eyes when he's not going to budge from an opinion? He gave me that look"
Babs stared at me in disbelief and resignation.
"Where are you going to go?" she asked, sadly.
"I'm not sure," I sighed. It seemed like I'd been doing a lot of that recently.
"The good thing is that Bruce bought me a car for my birthday, as soon as I got my licence, so I was thinking about Bludhaven. It's not too far if I need to come back, and the crime situation there is almost as bad as Gotham. They need someone to look out for it."
Babs gave me a watery smile.
"What about the team? It would be strange for one of their founding members to disappear without a trace."
I smiled, "I do actually have a solution for that," I replied, "The last thing Bruce and I agreed on."
"Oh?" Babs asked, intrigued, "What is it?"
I smiled proudly at her, "That Batgirl shall be joining the team in my place."
Babs stared at me in surprise, "Are you serious?"
"Deadly," I replied.
"Oh, Dick," she cried, slinging her arms around my neck, "Thank you! I just wish it was under better circumstances and that we were on the team together."
"I know," I replied, "So do I. But I need you to do me a favour."
"What is it?"
"Tell the team the truth," I replied, firmly, "about why I left. Bruce will probably come up with some lie as a reason, that will most likely cast me in a bad light. I need you to tell the true tale of what happened. I also need you to tell the team that my leaving has nothing to do with them and is most certainly not their fault, and the same goes for you. None of this is your fault, alright?"
"Yes," she replied, sadly, before giving me a small smile and a salute, "I'll do my best, Captain."
I grinned before saluting her back, "I wouldn't expect anything less, Lieutenant."
I began to head towards the ladder to leave, but paused for a moment before I did, turning back and walking straight up to Miss Barbra Gordon
"And, just one last thing."
"Yes?" she queried, slightly perplexed at my behaviour.
"I've been meaning to say this for a long time," I told her, looking straight into her emerald green eyes as I took her face in my hands, "I love you, Babs."
With that, I kissed her, before escaping down the ladder into the night, so that by the time she came out of her daze, I was gone.

769 words

Yes, I know I'm beginning another one when there are a billion others that I haven't finished, but I find I can only write well when I have a passion to write down the particular idea, and this is my passion at the moment. Anyway, I won't be able to update much right now as I have a stackload of tests coming up, but I will try to do something whenever I can. But, until then, stay whelmed and I hope you're feeling the aster 😉