NightQuinn

He Felt Like He'd Done This A Thousand Times

Wayne Manor, outskirts of Gotham City, 11:27 PM

Dick stepped off his motorcycle outside of Bruce's manor and walked through the rain and to the large entrance doors. Dick could still feel the incessant rain as he walked through the heavy wooden doors, the noise of the downpour was masked as he shut them. He started to wipe his feet before Alfred, Bruce's butler, had noticed his arrival. "Master Grayson." He called out with a minor smile, Alfred enjoyed having Dick around, his more light-hearted personality was more bearable than the brooding from Bruce or Damian, his son. "It's a pleasure seeing you again, and I'm sure Master Bruce is happy that you've come so quickly on such short notice."

"Yeah, I'm kinda getting used to Bruce needing the help from me or the rest of the family." Dick replied.

"Actually, Master Bruce said he only needed your help," Alfred responded. "and to not involve the rest of the family. Anywho, We've both got a job to attend to, I've got to make sure Master Damian is asleep, so I'll let you be on your way to the cave." Alfred almost sighed that last part. "Okay, Al." Dick smiled. "I'll see you later." Alfred nodded and proceeded to the nearby staircase to check on Damian.

It felt as if every time Dick went back to the manor, he was reminded of a memory either from his days as Robin, or in the time surrounding it. He remembered all the Christmases, the Father's Days, the Thanksgivings and New Years' he had spent with his adopted family, or, as he insists on calling them, the Batfamily. He would remember as Himself, Tim and Barbara would each do their best to try to get Bruce to unironically smile, Dick being the only one to truly succeed, Bruce gave the other two far less genuine smiles. Jason and Damian would always sit alone in the corner, either hating the situation or making fun of the others.

Dick made his way through the corridors and to Bruce's grandfather clock. He looked at the clock before raising his hands to it and changing the time to read "10:47". Bruce had set this to be a way to access the Batcave as 10:47 was the time at which his parents were murdered y Joe Chill. In a way, it was fitting for Bruce to set this as a way to enter, as the deaths of his parents is what drove him to fight crime as the Batman. Several mechanical noises could be heard from the clock after this, then it slid swiftly to the right, revealing and entrance to the Batcave.

Dick walked through the pitch black entrance an descended into the cave, the clock sliding into place behind him. Walking down the staircase, he could already see the inevitable small swarm of bats as he entered, this happened almost every time anyone would enter. Making his way to the central platform, where Bruce was waiting by the Batcomputer. "Hey, Bruce," Dick called out. "you wanted to see me? Again?" He smiled. Bruce didn't.

"I need you to investigate something for me." Bruce swivelled around in his chair to face Dick. "I'd do it but I've got my hands full."

"Alright, then." Dick folded his arms. "I'd ask when you don't have your hands full, but I never get an answer to that kind thing." Bruce still remained unamused. "Anyway, yeah. What do you need?"

"Earlier tonight I caught some of Joker's men scouting out Mercy Bridge, they're planning on something." Bruce got out of his chair. "I'm gonna need you to keep watch over it until anything happens. I'd expect you can handle it."

"Sure, can do." Dick replied.

"Good." Bruce sat back down chair and went back to the computer. There was some time.

"Umm, bye, then I guess?" Dick slowly backed away and headed to the exit.

The next night, 9:35 PM

Harley was going through her wardrobe and gear as she was deciding what to wear for the job Joker had given her. In the end, she had decided on an all red and black combination of a leather corset complete with a small bandolier, a leather jacket of the same crimson and noir colour scheme covered this, she also wore hot pants and Doc Martens with the matching colours. For her equipment, she picked up her baseball bat and two small pistols as well as the bombs necessary for the job. After gearing up, she headed to the garage of Joker's warehouse and revved up her motorcycle before setting off into the night

On the other end of the city, Dick suited up into his black and blue Nightwing gear and collected his escrima sticks and informing Bruce he was going to follow the Mercy Bridge lead. Before leaving, he almost forgot his black domino mask. Donning his mask, he made his exit through the window. Grappling and climbing down to street level, he accessed his secret garage. Well, he called it secret but he just pretends it's disused. Opening the lock, he mounted a motorbike of his own and headed for the bridge.

He arrived at the bridge and initially found nothing before searching the place up and down, then he found something. He found her. He felt like he had done this a thousand times, he would always have to square off with Harley. She was Joker's sidekick and Dick was Bruce's, Dick enjoyed their rivalry, mostly she was one of the few villains to not be totally pissed off by Dick's quipping and one liners. He actually sometimes got the feeling that she liked it. 'Snap out of it' he thought, he realised he was getting distracted. 'Distracted....or...attracted?' He immediately regretted thinking that, he knew that it was just his tired mind being uncontrollable. He wouldn't even dream of anything like that, first of all, why would he? Second of all, what would Bruce, the family or any of his friends think? He had to stop thinking thinking about that, he had a job to do. Now.