Batfamily (1): Black Cub (Dick Grayson x OC)

Chapter Five: Freeze

Dick Grayson

She seemed nice. For a smartmouth, teenage girl. I ran a hand through my messy black hair and grabbed the acrobatic book from in front of her. She smirked.

"Gonna start work?" She asked, her eyes flickering down to her phone. I shrugged.

"I'm just gonna flip through it." I responded. She shook her head.

"I need to do that do that too." She sighed, turning her phone off and setting in down on the table. Then she stood up. "But I'm going to go look for something else first." She walked away and disappeared among the tall shelves. I opened the book and started flipping through the pages. I had already seen a lot of the moves and routines from things that Bruce or my parents had taught me.

"What are you doing here?" Barbara asked, sliding into the seat next to me.

"Working." I responded, still looking through the book. She snorted and raised an eyebrow.

"You? Working? It truly is the end days." I rolled my eyes.

"Oh ha ha. Laugh it up, Barbs." She let out a low whistle.

"What's got you all wound up?" I groaned and glanced up to make sure that Catalina was still looking for her book.

"Late night run in with Catwoman."

"Boo." Barbara hissed. "That sucks." I shook my head and lowered my voice.

"She has a sidekick now." Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Really!?" I nodded. "What's she like?" I rubbed my ribs.

"Well, I thought it was going to be really easy to take her out. But she got the drop on me, literally. She has some mad skills." Barbara nodded and got up as Catalina appeared again, clutching a huge book to her chest.

"Tell me more about it later, ok? I think I'm taking your shift tonight anyway." She walked away and Catalina watched her go.

"Who was that?" She asked.

"Barbara Gordon." If I hadn't been watching for her reaction, I wouldn't have caught the fact that her spine stiffened like a broom.

"Daughter of Commissioner Gordon?" I nodded. She opened her mouth to say something but then the wall exploded. I ducked as chunks of rubble and stone flew through the room along with the screams of other students. When I stood up, I turned around to see a very unwelcome figure stepping through the blasted wall. Mr. Freeze shifted his grip on his ice gun.

"Well, well. Students hard at work I see." He looked around from behind his red tinted goggles. "But, until I get what I want, no one leaves."

"I thought rhymes were Riddlers thing." I muttered under my breath. I had to get away so I could change. Villains never attacked any schools. Even the more crazed ones had some sort of moral code that kept them from coming here. Mr. Freeze started to walk further into the room.

"Now listen hard and listen well." His voice was extremely soft, just as it always was. "I have a little science project I need help with." Other students were looking at him in fear, clinging to each other like children. I hoped Barbara had noticed the situan and was either changing or going for help. A sudden thought hit me and I wheeled around. Catalina hadn't made it to the table when the wall exploded and I hadn't thought about her for a moment. She was laying under the table that had been launched into the air. It had probably slammed into her and knocked her to the ground. I slowly crept toward the table and pulled her out from under it. The large book was still clutched in her hands. Her eyes fluttered open.

"What happened?" She whispered, a little woozy.

"Freeze." I whispered back. She must have hit her head but she still froze, per my instruction. "It's Mister Freeze." She frowned and mumbled something that I didn't catch. I grabbed her under the arms and pulled her behind a bookcase that was still standing. "Just stay here, ok? I'm going to get help." She grasped for my hand but I was already creeping back into the main cavern of the library. Mr. Freeze was moving toward a group of students who were huddled together against the wall.

"Who would be willing to help me? Who would lend a poor grieving husband a hand?" One of the girls in the group let out a shuttering sob.

"Hey! Grandpa Frosty!" A book sailed passed me, a huge heavy book I had seen a few moments before, and smacked Mr. Freeze in the face. The force of the blow knocked him to the ground and I wheeled around to see Catalina standing on her feet behind me. Mr. Freeze raged to his feet.

"Who dares!" But then something strange happened. When Freeze saw Catalina, the smallest trace of recognition crossed his face. Catalina didn't show any kind of emotion, but stood straight.

"This school is off limits." She told Freeze. "You need to leave us alone. Or someone else will deal with you." He glared at her but then left the building. I turned to face her. She glanced at me.

"That was awesome." I told her. She blushed.