Batman & Robin And Me .:rewritten:.

XI. Rooftops Lights & New Feelings

IT WAS GETTING DARK WHEN the squeak of the double doors on the south side of the living room heralded Dick's arrival from school. I looked up from the cozy sofa and book I had been immersed in and remembered just how long I'd been waiting to see the familiar black hair pop through the door.

"You're back!" I said, immensely pleased. He nodded, swinging his book-heavy backpack to the floor and stepping over to the couch, promptly collapsing next to me and burying his face in the pillows.

There was a long silence, and then, muffled by the couch, "I hate Mondays."

I patted him on the shoulder in a conciliatory gesture.

Though I wouldn't say it, the Boy Wonder had been a source of stability and normalcy in the past few days, and with his departure came the realization that I really wasn't as stable or normal as I had assumed. The ache of loss for my family had grown without my notice, and when he was gone, it had returned in full strength. Bruce went off into his study to work, Alfred went to tend to the gardens, and I spent most of that day alone in my room, staring out the window and trying not to burst into tears.

I sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Today's been--"

"--a long day." A startled laugh broke from Dick, and he sat up suddenly. "Let's go."

"What? Where?" I squeaked, too startled to stop him from grabbing my hand and pulling me off the couch.

"Roof."

We ran upstairs and across the landing. Dick's door was flung open, and we stood for a moment in the doorway, breathless.

"Why are we running?" I gasped.

Dick pulled off the sweater vest and flung it into his laundry with one neat movement, leaving him in the white button-down. "I dunno. I guess I'm just tired of sitting around all day."

Stepping over to his window, he yanked it open and jumped out.

I gaped and slapped a hand over my mouth, shoving down the instinct to cry out. With cautious steps, I made my way to the sill and looked down. Dick was sitting on an outcropping, unharmed. When he looked up and saw my expression he gave me a wicked grin. "Ladder's right over there."

I glanced to my right and eyed it. "Are you sure it's safe?"

"No," he admitted. "But I promise I'll catch you if you fall."

"Fine." I leaned out and gripped the rusted bars, cautiously hauling myself up inch by inch. Behind me, Dick patiently followed, though I knew he could have scaled it far quicker. We got higher and higher, and in the gathering dark it almost felt like we were going to head straight amongst the stars. The roof was hard and cold as we scrambled up off the ladder and onto it, heading for one of the many chimneys scattered around. I leaned against it and took a moment to breathe. That's when I saw the lights.

Gorgeous, glowing patterns of golden-white were scattered across the land outside of Wayne Manor. The streetlights of Gotham were unusually large and bright, arranged in twisted and unconventional pattens. The whole city was in front of us.

"Wow." I stated, glancing sideways at my companion. "I see why you like it up here."

He shrugged. "I've always loved heights; guess it comes with being a circus brat. Heck, I'd live in a treehouse if I could get away with it."

"Is that why you chose Robin?"

"Nah. It's s'posed to be in homage to Robin Hood. I thought about being Hood, but Batman and Hood just doesn't have the same ring to it."

I giggled, and focused my attention back on the lights. "And Charm? Why'd you pick that?"

There was a silence pause.

"There's something about you," he finally admitted. I looked back to him, confused. "You're not wily or conniving, but you have this sort of...magnetic pull that makes everyone around you want to bend over backwards to help you. That's why I chose Charm."

I scoffed, embarrassed, but he wasn't finished.

"I've seen it. Alfred loves you, and Bruce is warming up to you like I've never seen. He doesn't trust many people instantly, he really doesn't; but you come along and suddenly you're one of us. And me, I'm used to saving people and conversing with girls. I'm the ward of a billionaire. I can sweet-talk anyone I want, but you..."

Silence again.

"What?" I asked, softly. It was a long moment before he brought his eyes up to mine, and his voice was quiet and unguarded.

"I'm not used to feeling like I don't have to hide. Bruce and Alfred are the only people in the whole wide world who I can count on. Nobody else. But you make me want to open up, Harmony, and that terrifies me."

I leaned forward, putting a hand hesitantly on his arm. "You don't have to pull away."

"I've never known what it's like to do anything else."

"I can show you."

He wrapped an arm around my waist and sighed, a small smile crossing his face. "I believe you could, Charm. I really do."

Our hands entwined, and I leaned my head against his shoulder. For a moment, the world was quiet, except for the noise of cicadas and wind.

Then, a deep voice floated up from the widow below us. "Dick? You up there?"

He drew a shuddering breath and pulled away from me, leaving me with a sense of terrible loss. Our hands unhooked, his arm dropped away from my waist, and the warmth in his eyes faded, leaving them almost clinically detached. I felt cold.

"Coming, Bruce."

He turned away with a sharp movement and slid down the roof, leaving me sitting there, confused and hurt and lonely.

It felt like I had lost him, but I really couldn't say if I'd ever had him in the first place.