Harper's POV
It felt good to see Dawn after so long; back in San Francisco, they had been close, but her relationship with Dick had always made Harper secretly uncomfortable.

Uttering a quiet greeting to Dawn in the doorway as Rachel and Dick walked in, Harper spoke "Hey, I've missed you guys."

Pulling her into a hug, Dawn replied, "We've missed you too. It's been too long."

Unwrapping her arms, Harper picked her bags up and walked into the apartment, "I'm sorry that our reunion is under such circumstances. How've you both been?"

"As good as always out there. A little wear and tear though, Hank's been feeling it bad in the past few months: multiple concussions and hip injuries amongst others. I worry about him, but we're stopping soon. One last gun op and we're out."

"That's good, if you need any help, I'm willing and able." Following Dawn into the kitchen, Harper continued, "Hank should take it easy. 'Age waits for no man' isn't just a saying you know?"

Snorting gracefully, as only Dawn can do, she welcomes Harper to her home. "Let's get you guys settled in."

~time skip~

Rachel seemed to enjoy studying the doves. The young girl spoke animatedly and openly to Harper, answering her questions whilst she gazed at the gentle birds.

"And your mom? What was she like?"

"Her name was Melissa. She was all I had, and now she's gone... I'm alone."

Harper regretted bringing up the topic, but she simply wanted to aid the grieving process: help Rachel remember the best things about her mom.
Sweetly, Harper reassured the girl, "Hey, listen kiddo, you're not alone. You have Dick, he's protected you this far hasn't he?"
Rachel nods in agreement with watery eyes.

"And you have me. I promise you, I'm not going anywhere."

Slowly meeting Harper's warm hazel eyes, Rachel threw her arms around her, squeezing gratefully as Harper smiled and returned the hug.
Harper caught Dick staring at them with a content smile on his face. She gave an awkward wave from her tight hug. He grinned more before continuing his conversation with Dawn.

After a while, they pulled apart.
"Are you a cop?" Rachel asks inquisitively

"What? No, why do you ask?" A confused Harper replied.

"You said you worked with Dick, and you're always carrying those guns; I just assumed since he's a Detective..." Rachel seems almost apologetic, and Harper felt the need to clarify however grew frustrated as she realised it wasn't her place to say how she and Dick really used to 'work together'.

"Nah," Harper says smiling, "Dick and I worked on something else together, but he'll tell you when he's ready."

Accepting the mysterious answer, Rachel replied with considerable maturity for her age: "Oh...okay."

"Dick said you had powers, some sort of ability...? Do you know what it is, what you can do?"

"I don't know. It's like there's a darkness in me, and sometimes it takes over. When it comes out, it hurts people."

Scrunching her eyebrows in concern, Harper asked "When does it come out?"

"When I'm angry, or scared. It scares me, Harper. I don't want to hurt anybody."

"You won't, I prom-"

"Hey! The hell are you doin' here, Dick?" Hank's boisterous shout interrupted her.

As he swaggered towards Dawn and Dick, Harper slowly stood up as she sensed the growing tension.

Dawn's soft voice gave a warning "Hank."

"I have a situation-" Dick tried to explain

"Nice little reunion you got going here." Came Hank's snarky interruption.

"You know it's not like that-"

"Sure looks like it to me!"

Nodding towards Rachel and Harper, Dawn guided Hank to calm down, "Hank."

As Hank made eye contact with Harper and the strange young girl, bewilderment covered his face, "... what the fuck? Harper?"

With a steely yet smooth and cautious tone, Harper stiffly replied, "Hey Hank. Can we take this inside?"

Ignoring her suggestion, Hank ploughed on, "Who's the kid?"

Dawn said, "Can we just go back inside, like Harper said, please?"

Relenting, Hank followed Dawn inside.

~time skip~

Harper and Dick both decided it best to let Hank and Dawn talk alone.
Rachel was in the shower, allowing Dick and Harper time to talk alone, in the room Dawn had given to Harper.

"How are you not angry at me?"

Dick's abrupt question startled Harper. Turning herself to fully face him, she crossed her legs as they sat on the small, yet cosy bed.
"What do you mean?" She inquired, tilting her head slightly.

"I left you. No matter how much I regret it now, I left. And a year later you track me down, seemingly happy." He spoke, unable to meet her eyes.

Sighing, Harper answered, "I was. Angry, that is. You left. But you didn't just leave me alone; you left me to deal with my scars alone. So yeah, I was furious at you for a long time."

Dick had his eyes closed. Harper thought he looked like he was in pain.

"But being that angry for that long was... exhausting. So I decided to try and accept it, understand things from your point of view- I never fully could, but I decided that if I ever saw you again, I'd give you the chance to help me understand. The opportunity to explain things. So, this is me doing that, I guess." Harper began to fidget with a loose thread in her socks. She felt vulnerable, displaying her emotions so openly to a man who had broken her trust so viciously.
But she still stayed quiet, allowing him the moment.

He looked up with watering eyes. His voice cracked as he whispered. "I'm so sorry, Harp. I wasn't trying to hurt you. I just... I was becoming someone so... so violent. And it terrified me; I felt like I was losing control, turning into something I didn't want to be. I thought by leaving, that I was protecting you... now I realise I just did the opposite."

"Wait, what do you mean 'violent'? I thought Robin helped you to channel your anger?" Harper leaned forward with scrunched eyebrows, closing the distance between them more. The air held a fragile and tender atmosphere.

"It did. but-"

"Harper! Dick! I'm out of the shower- can someone help me make my bed?" Rachel's shout came from the other room.

"We're going to finish this conversation later, okay?" Harper slowly said.

Dick nodded and wiped his hand over his face before calling to Rachel, "I'll give you a hand, just give me a minute!"

"You better have left me hot water, Rach!" Harper playfully mock yelled at Rachel, before getting up off the bed.
Glancing back at Dick she smiled before starting to step away.
Faltering before the door, she quickly spins and darts to him, planting a light kiss on his forehead before retreating to the hallway again.

Dick Grayson slowly smiled through his emotional haze. Harper Croate was too good for him.

~time skip~

After a soothing and extremely long shower, Harper was relaxed. Maybe too relaxed: she almost walked straight into Dick on his way out from Rachel's room.

"Get some rest- woah!"

"Oops! Sorry, sorry!" Harper laughed as she wrapped her dressing gown further around her body, "Wasn't looking where I was going."

Rachel giggled as Dick awkwardly scratched his head and let loose a laugh. He replied "It's okay, my fault," before walking away.

Under her breath, Rachel whispered, "I ship it."

"Hmm? You say something, Kiddo?" Harper asked as she dried out her hair with a towel.

"No, nope. Not at all. Nada. Zilch. Zero.... nothing. No sir."

"Uhuh," Harper eyed her, "anyways I came in to apologise if I scared you last night. I don't get my nightmares often, but when I do I know they can be pretty scary. I didn't mean to freak you out."

"It's okay, seriously. I've been through scarier stuff."

"I know you have, Rach. You're so strong." Harper gave a proud smile, smoothing a hand over Rachel's hair.

"Hey, I was thinking about going shopping for some things tomorrow. Wanna come? We can ask Dawn if she wants to come as well, if you want."

"Yeah," she smiled, "I'd like that. Sooooo...?"

Harper slowly raised her eyebrow as Rachel continued, "Sooooo...." she joined in, silently urging Rachel to finish her question.

"You and Dick, huh?" Rachel's eyes glinted as she smirked.

"What about- wait. No, no! It's not like that." Harper caught on to the teenager's teasing, widely smiling as she denied the truth, "We grew up together! We're childhood best friends, nothing more."

"Yeah, but you so wish it was more." Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Young lady, I said nothing of the sort-"

"Didn't need to!" Rachel raised her chin and shook her head with closed eyes.

Harper laughed, "Dick Grayson has never and will never feel anything romantic for me. Sorry to disappoint, Kiddo."

"What about you?" Rachel said softly, suddenly serious, "What do you feel?"

Harper's smile faltered. Sighing, and with the knowledge that it would be pointless to lie to Rachel, Harper opened up: "I cared for him. Maybe even loved him. But now... I don't know."

Rachel let the sentence hang in the air, alone.
"Just so you know, if you could see the way he looks at you- like I do- you wouldn't be so certain about his 'lack' of feelings for you."

"You're a sweet person Rach. But I wouldn't place money on Dick Grayson being the lovey dovey type. Not anymore."

~time skip~

Shopping had been a great idea: Harper had gotten everything she needed, along with some quality girl time with Dawn and Rachel.
Coming in the front door with arms laden with clothes and groceries, Dawn and Harper grinned widely at each other as Rachel fangirled over Game of Thrones.
Neither woman could blame her, they did the exact same thing.

"Why don't you go watch it right now, Rach? I'm sure Dawn doesn't mind...?" Harper suggested, silently asking Dawn.

"Of course not! But take your shoes off, both of you!" Dawn gave motherly commands, to which Harper laughed and saluted.

"Yes, ma'am" came her mock reply.

Rachel's face lit up as she unbuckled her boots and ran to the tv room, "Thanks, Khaleesi!"

"I'm just gonna put my stuff in my room, then I'll come back and help unpack." Harper nods to Dawn.

"Of course, yeah." Dawn sets the groceries down in the kitchen.

Harper walked past Dick as he walked towards the kitchen, "Good haul, Harp?" He smiled sarcastically as he nods at the mountain of bags in her arms.

"And all necessary, Grayson." Her eyes rolled as she continued her course.

~time skip~

Turning the corner into the kitchen, Harper caught Dawn's attention, prompting her to ask: "Do you wanna take a look?"

Harper and Dick shared a confused and hesitant look; Dawn's question was very open ended. Harper struggled to stifle a childish smirk.

Understanding their immature confusion, Dawn continued with an exasperated sigh, "At the case."

Shrugging, Harper moved to sit as Dick went to get his Birdcomputer. "Couldn't hurt to do some surveillance," Harper explains his silent departure to Dawn as she gazed after him with bewilderment. Dawn nods.

A couple minutes later, and Dawn had given them the full and detailed run through of the op. Harper had taken control of the Birdcomputer when Dick brought it in, happy to see the device after so long. Her hijacking of the glorified laptop had caused her to zone out of the conversation, and focus on the severe and oddly high number of contracted security personnel.

Rachel's sharp pipe of "DRAGONS?! This show just got so much better!" brought Harper sharply out of her reverie.
Smiling at her antics, Harper whispered a reply "Just you wait till they grow, Kiddo."

"It's a big responsibility." Dawn spoke.

Harper flicked her eyes up to her, unsure as to who she was talking to. Her question remained unanswered until Dick responded: "What?"

"Taking her in. I mean, I know how healing it must be, doing what Bruce did for you when you lost your parents. But taking care of a kid is complicated. You know that better than anyone."

This line of conversation piqued Harper's interest. Curious to his response, she twisted her torso to face him more, and stayed silent as her face moulded into an open expression, lips parted.

"I'm not taking her in. I'm not good at the 'staying with people' part. I don't have to tell either of you that." His tender voice shook with preemptive guilt.

Harper looked away in pain and disappointment, allowing her face to fall and shoulders to slouch. She had truly hoped for him to learn from his mistakes; to take this opportunity and do things better this time around, make the responsible choice. But in a way, she understood; he was afraid of hurting her, for whatever reason. Whatever it is that he thought he was 'becoming' scared him so much, she almost felt pity for him. She quickly swallowed that pity, gazing at the man who was planning to abandon a 13 year old girl. Her eyes hardened.

As he began to try and explain, Harper let Dawn do the talking, afraid that she would say something she didn't mean and would later regret.
Finally, she spoke with barely contained frustration, "Why? Why leave her here, Dick? You're good with her."

"I'm not good for her." He almost pleaded, trying to make her understand, with warm eyes. "You don't understand. You haven't seen what I've become."

Harper opened her mouth to reply, but the Birdcomputer beeped, interrupting her with the results of a thermal scan of the docks.
Reaching across the table, and over Harper, Dick snatched the computer to face him, seemingly desperate for a way out of the conversation.
As he began to ramble about the overwhelming security, Harper had to agree that it was a hard target. But she knew that it would be a guaranteed win if Dick helped Hank and Dawn.
She herself would be no help in this situation. She was weaponised for long distance firearm support, rather than close range combat.
Still, she had her basics, and had agreed with Dawn earlier to stay with Rachel as a last guardian in case something happened.

Dawn ordered him not to change the subject, grasping his arm in her hand. Their prolonged eye contact made Harper uncomfortable, and sparked pangs of jealousy. She struggled to recognise it as old or new. Maybe it was both. She closed her eyes awkwardly, only for them to fly open when the door whipped open.

Hank stormed in, quickly becoming confrontational. The atmosphere quickly went from one kind of tension to another. Harper recognised that this pattern appeared to be a common one with Hank, as Dawn reached to calm him. He pushed her out of the way and Dick pushed his chair out behind him, unmoving.

Spotting Rachel, Harper tried to walk past Hank to reach her, only to be shoved aside harshly by him.
Dick instantly darted to Hank, forcefully grabbing him by the collar of his jacket and the two men began a loud brawl, like animals fighting over a carcass.

Rachel strode forward, calling out "Stop!"
Harper tried to pull her backwards by the shoulder, away from the fighting men, only for Rachel to yank out of her grip.

"Stop!"
They still didn't listen.

"STOP!"

When Rachel screamed, it was as if 10 voices yelled at once, all of varying pitches but all loudly. The window opposite them exploded, spraying glass in their direction, and causing everyone to flinch away from it, arms up to shield their faces.

Harper looked at Rachel in shock. So this was her power. Her mouth widened in shock, jaw almost dropping as her pronounced eyes stared at Rachel.
The kitchen fell silent as Rachel left, with Harper swiftly following.

~time skip~

Sitting crosslegged on the bed beside Rachel, Harper appeared calm and collected. Inwardly, she was just beginning to understand the severity and rarity of the situation.
If Dick knew exactly what Rachel could do, how on earth could he even consider leaving her?

"Do you think Dawn will mind about the window? I didn't mean to blow it out, I just wanted them to stop." Rachel said apologetically.

Trying to lighten the mood, Harper ruffled her hair and said "Nah, Kiddo. Dawn doesn't mind about these things."
Rachel smiled in return, yet still playfully shoved off Harper's hand, eliciting a small laugh from the woman.

A gentle tap pulled both girl's heads up and to the door; Dick came in.
Harper noticed Rachel became somber again, and placed an arm around her.

Dick sighed as he sat down on the end of the bed. Harper was proud of him, and glad that he made the responsible and mature choice to talk to Rachel after what happened.

"I'm sorry." Rachel said openly, "it's getting worse."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for, Rachel. I'm the one who should-"

Another knock came as Dawn walked in, making the small room even more crowded.
"How you doing, sweetheart?" She hovered at the door.

Rachel spread a shy smile on her face, and Harper couldn't help but find it contagious.
"Hank is sorry. He can be a real asshole sometimes."

Harper knew that Hank hadn't said a word of an apology, but rather that Dawn was his translator of sorts. A social clean up team.

"We gotta go." Dawn nodded to Harper, "You sure you can't come?"

"I wouldn't be any help in a situation like that, Dawn. If I was, I'd be right there with you." Harper regretfully apologised.

"I understand. I miss working with you." Dawn smiled a nostalgic smile that Harper returned with a nod.

Dick evidently took this as his moment to stand up and intervene, with limited success. "Dawn, I really think you should reconsider. Okay? We all know it's too dangerous."

Dawn walked past him to the bed, "You win some, you lose some."

Harper prayed they would win.

"Take care of him, okay? He needs all the help he can get."
Rachel nods, "Okay," as Harper sarcastically scoffs, "Yeah, tell me about it. Don't worry Dawn. Rachel and I can babysit this one." Harper winked at Rachel and pointed to Dick with her chin.

Dawn left the room, as Harper called out "Be safe! Both of you!"

"She needs your help. I can feel it. Isn't that what you do?" Rachel tilted her head, studying him.

"What?"

"You help people." She said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Harper joined in, "She's not wrong, Dick. No matter what you're thinking right now, Hank and Dawn need help. Don't let fear stop you from doing what's right." 
Her observant gaze pierced him.

Rachel added, "'Sometimes there's just no time to be scared.'"

Dick's jaw clenched as he processed what they were saying. His drowning chestnut eyes stared into Harper's, almost seeking permission, yet also as if he were looking for an easy way out. Harper offered him none, instead deciding to stare back at him, pushing him to make the harder- but right- choice.

He stood up.

~time skip~

When Dick, Dawn and Hank came back, they found the apartment empty.
"Rachel? Harper?" Dick called out.

A towel-clad Harper poked her head out around the bathroom door, as steam rolled out into the hall, "Yes?"

She noticed his eyebrows attractively scrunched and remembered how cute she used to find it, and still did.
Damn him and his good looks.

"Where's Rachel?" He quizzed.

"She was in the living room on the sofa, last I saw her. Maybe she's in her room."
She went back in the bathroom to get dressed and help look for the girl. Harper wasn't worried though, she hadn't heard any loud noises or cries, so she was certain Rachel was fine.

She wasn't so certain when she saw the scene on the roof after following Dawn and Hank up.
Rachel had found out and was extremely upset, for good reason.

Harper recognised that there was nothing she could do to rectify the situation and that it was up to Dick to take responsibility for his actions. So she stayed quiet, moving slowly closer to stand by Rachel. A silent yet comforting display of support.

Hank was ready to explode yet Dawn was trying her hardest to keep the peace, and Dick had lied yet again to Rachel. Harper simply stood, silently watching the chaos unfold with sad and weary eyes.

"Well, hello there, you four!" A chipper voice called out.

A creepily normal family of four stood stock still on the roof. They all held possessed grins on their faces, and Harper immediately tensed and moved in front of Rachel.
Dick did the same, yet moved to stand slightly in front of Harper. Neither spared a glance at the other, too absorbed with studying the newcomers, and too in sync to need to communicate; they were there to protect Rachel, and each other.

Hank confidently strode over, throwing a "Who the fuck are these guys?" before the oldest man kicked him in the chest, sending Hank sprawling and throwing the rooftop into chaos.

Harper swiftly grabbed Rachel and began to move them behind a vent, Dick following in protective pursuit. Harper reached for her weapons, and drew her two pistols, loading them quickly one by one.
Both adults were in autopilot, swiftly acting as they had been trained.
Yet Harper could tell Dick was scared. She was too. These people were after Rachel, and Harper feared for the girl. What did they want with her?

Dick began to stand up, leaving to help Hank and Dawn, as Rachel begged "Wait! Don't leave."

Suddenly two assailants were on to Dick, punching and kicking him. Surprised, Harper noted that he wasn't winning. Before Harper could move to help, a kick sent him spinning over the edge of the roof.
Harper screamed his name, anger shredding her voice, before standing up and firing at the man and girl.

He's ok.
He's ok.
He has to be ok...
Please God, let him be ok.

With every silent prayer and desperate yell, Harper took one step back and sent another two shots forward, keeping her assailants busy.

Swiftly dodging her bullets, they began to advance on her. Any shots she did get in should have been fatal, and yet they kept coming as if it was just a scratch.

Panic replaced her anger, and Harper desperately led them away from Rachel, as clicks came from her guns instead of bullets.
Incidentally ending up near the centre of the roof, Harper began fighting back to back with Hank.

They were losing, badly. Dawn was in a crushing chokehold, Hank was being restrained by the young girl, and Harper was too caught up with holding her own against the boy to help.
Blocking a swing of his fist with her forearm, she jabbed him decisively in the throat with her fist, causing him to stumble back. She swiftly followed it with a powerful kick to his chest, knocking him on his ass.

She may not have been as good a fighter as Dick was, but she could take some emo teenager with a bad haircut.

Suddenly Hank's scream of "DAWN!" brought Harper's attention spinning around to the pair.
She caught sight of Dawn smashing through the dove cage, and flying through the air and over the roof. Harper's scream joined Hank's.

Hank was then swiftly knocked unconscious by the man, and all four advanced on Harper.
Breathing heavily with desperate eyes, she whispered an "Oh shit."

She put up a fierce fight, but she knew even Dick would struggle with all four of them at once.
After a swift flurry of fists and kicks, an exhausted Harper was violently knocked to the ground.
She fell heavily, able to catch sight of a panicking Rachel with lidded eyes, as her head bounced viciously off the ground.

Darkness swallowed her as a kick to the head closed her eyes.