Got Your Back, Always

I.IV

Soon enough the trio arrived in Washington.

Rachel asked as they arrived at the door, "So, who are these guys?"

"Old friends. Truth is I haven't seen them in a long time." Dick knocks.

Dawn opens the door.

Dick replies gently, "Hey."

"Hi."

Rachel senses the tension and tries to break it, "Hi. I'm Rachel." She sticks out her hand for Dawn to shake.

"Dawn."

"Can we talk?" Dick asks. Cassie watches the two closely, knowing what happened and also not really sure if Dawn was angry at her for bringing him or not.

Dawn nods, "You're about four years too late, but sure."

She lets them in. Dawn smiles at Cassie and gives her a hug, which she gratefully returns.

Rachel looks around the room, "Wow. This place is huge."

The four of them head up to the roof to talk, Rachel goes over to the birdcage while the adults talk.

Dawn says, "She killed someone? She's just a kid."

"Whoever they are, they've got people in the department. We needed somewhere safe to regroup, think about what I'm gonna do." Dick responds.

Dawn counters, "What about Bruce?"

Dick nearly chokes on his coffee, "He's no good with kids."

"That's kind of an understatement," Cassie chuckles.

Dawn looks down nodding, "Cop, huh? That's one I never would've figured." She sits down on the bench. Dick sits down next to her and sets his coffee down. Cassie walks over to Rachel, knowing the two needed to talk.

Dick asks, watching Cassie walk towards Rachel, "How are you?"

"We're great. Hank's feeling the life a little. Age waits for no man and all that."

"How bad?"

"Two fractures, three concussions in the last year, and a herniated disk."

"Jesus, Dawn." Dick glances over to Cassie, subconsciously looking to see if she had any injuries, he knew she didn't but he still did it.

"We're still good out there, Dick. Really good. Not one slip-up."

"You should quit, you both should."

"That's the plan. Soon as we take out these gun suppliers he's obsessed with. One more chance to do some good and he's promised he's out. Cassie has done all she can, but you could help us out."

"I'm out of the life, Dawn."

Hank walks onto the roof, not noticing Cassie nor Rachel, "Hey. The hell are you doing here, Dick?"

Dick and Dawn stand up.

Dawn gently warns, "Hank."

"I had a situation," Dick puts his hands in his pockets.

"Nice little reunion you got going here."

Dick glances over to Cassie, who was now standing up watching the interaction, "You know it's not like that."

"Sure looks like it to me."

"Hank." Dawn nods her head over to Rachel and Cassie.