***

Having  just finished my scheduled perimeter check of the motel I was ready to slip into something more comfortable than what I was wearing now. Before I made it to my room I heard as another door behind me creaked open, and as I turned around I was surprised to find Rachel's face peeking out into the hallway nervously.

"I was waiting for you to come back." Rachel stated awkwardly as she looked around the hallway, almost like she was afraid of anyone listening in.

"Clearly." I replied as I walked over to her door, realizing that whatever it was she needed to talk about seemed important. "Is everything okay?"

Rachel simply opened the door wider, although this whole interaction already seemed odd I didn't question her as I entered her room. In a second the door was closing behind me, as Rachel quickly moved to sit on her bed.

"Can I ask you a question?" Rachel asked me eagerly.

Taking a seat beside her my mind wandered through all the possibilities of what she wanted to ask, and then thought of the questions I had myself. "Okay. But you have to answer one of mine first."

"Alright."

"On the day we met, when you touched my hand you saw something. Didn't you?" I questioned, still not pleased with the idea of someone having gone through my memories or thoughts. "What did you see?"

Rachel looked down at her hands, seeming uncertain for a moment before she looked up at me confidently. "It was mostly like small moments in your life like your parents, sketches, you training and fighting, and some other things I would rather not say out loud."

"Okay!" I said a little louder than I expected, not wanting to go further into this conversation either. I didn't like the idea that my history with Dick seemed to be so obvious to people who were complete strangers to us. "I mean, you're too young to be seeing those things."

Rachel looked offended, but also probably pleased at herself for having gotten such a flustered reaction from me. "I'm fifteen I know what... well it's my turn to ask."

"Go ahead kid."

Rachel sighed, that confidence she had a moment before gone in and instant now replaced with a scared and uncertain girl. "When we were at the barn you said that I shouldn't be afraid of my powers because they were a part of me. Were you afraid? Of your powers I mean."

"You know the first time I learned about my powers I was eighteen and I almost killed myself. Of course I was afraid." I replied earning a chuckle from Rachel as she seemed to become more comfortable. Now I realized that she just wanted someone who she could relate too, and I wasn't sure I was exactly a good role model for this girl. "Oddly enough, it was Dick who helped me learn how to control them. And to have control you can't have fear, you need to be confident in yourself."

"How can I ever be as confident as you?" Rachel questioned, as she looked down at her hands. "Your beautiful."

Placing a finger under her chin I lifted her face to toward me. "Trust me your beautiful too. Believe it or not beauty isn't everything. Anyways, I wasn't always confident in fact you have more confidence at fifteen than I ever had when I was eighteen."

"I know I looked into your memories remember?"

I felt a small smile tugging at my lips as I stood from the bed. "Then you know how long it took me to accept my powers. But when I did I become a force to be reckoned with. And you will too."

Rachel brightened at my words, and although I could still see all the uncertainties within her I also knew how powerful she would become when they disappeared. "One more question. Do you still love Dick?"

I felt my body stiffen at her words, and had to scold myself for reacting in such a way. "That was a long time ago. You should get some rest."

Without another word I slipped out of the room and into the silent hallway. For a moment I stood there collecting my thoughts, but was snapped back to reality when the door at the far end of the hall opened. As Kory slipped out of the room I was about to brush her off before I realized that she had just come out of Dick's room. Another moment of shock and confusion took over me, but unlike a moment ago with Rachel I didn't let it show. Though I didn't move as Kory walked over to me.

"Would you like a drink?" Kory asked with as bright smile as she held the half empty liquor bottle in front of her. I took it from her waiting hand, and drank one long gulp until I felt the alcohol burning its way down my throat.

"Tequila?" I questioned, playfully as I pushed down the irritation that was beginning to bubbling up only second ago. "Your not trying get me to sleep with you? Are you Kory?"

Kory shrugged as she took the bottle back to take another sip. "I'm open to anything."

Once again tonight I was caught off guard for a moment before nodding. "I'll keep that mind."

Without another word I walked past Kory and finally made it inside my room. I leaned against the door as I looked at the bed in disgust, but the exhaust from the last couple of days made me realize that I had no other choice but to sleep on the questionable bed in front of me.

I had only been in my room for a couple of minutes before when I heard a soft knock on my door. For a moment I considered ignoring it before I thought of Rachel, and I carelessly opened the door only to find Dick Grayson in the hallway.

"So predictable," I stated as I leaned against the doorframe. Although I did find some enjoyment in arguing with Dick, at the moment I simply wasn't in the mood. "and disappointing."

Dick seemed confused more a moment before seeming to gain his composure back. "What?"

"You. Knocking at my door."

"I'm just here to talk." He clarified immediately.

"How boring." I commented as I moved aside to let him in. As he stepped in he looked around as if it was different from his identical room three doors down the hall. The only difference had to be  my whip discarded on by bed, along with the heels scattered on the floor. "So what did you want to talk about?"

In reality I knew exactly what it was that he wanted. He wanted answers, I could practically see the question burning behind his eyes. "I thought I could work with you without constantly looking for answers. But I need to know why."

He didn't need to elaborate, I knew. And although there was a time that I hated Bruce Wayne, I couldn't ever want Dick to hate him too. Considering that Dick already seemed to hold some resentment against his adoptive father, I knew the truth was something that I couldn't give him. Not now. "Alright I'll give you an explanation if you tell me what happened between you and Bruce."

I knew he wouldn't, whatever that truth was weighed heavily on his shoulders. This secret was one that he wouldn't give up, but when he seemed to hesitate for a moment I realized that I might have made a mistake. "I can't."

Relief washed through me like a wave as I smiled. "You don't talk, I don't talk."

Dick shook his head as he took a step closer to me, and it was now that I realized that I was still standing by the door. Subconsciously wanting to keep as much distance between us as possible. "You've changed so much."

"And you haven't changed at all." I replied, unsure of what what was about to happen next as a surprisingly comfortable silence settled between us. "Is there anything else you want?"

He continued to look at me as that comfortable silence became something else. Something a lot more dangerous, and I felt an unexpected rush of anger as I recognized the desire in his eyes. But there was also another emotion lying underneath that I couldn't place as easily. I really didn't understand why any part of him would desire me after everything that had happened between us. It was such a horrible mess. The last time thatwehad seen each other was awful. We had said terrible things to each other.

"You said you weren't going to fall for my little tricks again." I insisted wanting to give him another chance to leave or push me away. I didn't feel like I was doing much of anything, at least not in the way that I had done in the past. Dick stepped closer to me almost like he couldn't help himself. Like it was a gravitational pull that he had no control over. 

"I guess I lied." He replied softly, clearly waiting for what I wanted next. The problem was that I didn't know what I wanted. I could either give in to my own desires or do the responsible thing and turn him away. But turning him was easier said than done. Especially when I was so curious. 

Did he still kiss the same after all theses years? I suspected that he did. That if they kissed it would be like not a single day had gone by since the last time. But that was the problem. It was a terrible idea for us to slip into old habits again. They were destructive habits that only left us hurting. 

"Kiss me." I dared, expecting him to do the rational thing and reject me. I needed him to reject me at least once and show me that he was truly angry for what I had done. Yet, I would be foolish to ignore my body and the desire it felt immediately when Dick reached out a placed a hand behind my back pulling me closer to him.

There was no hesitation from him as he leaned forward attempting to kiss me. Maybe if I was less of a coward I would have let him but before his lips touched mine I leaned back. Instead I reached out a placed my hand on the side his face, surprised when he leaned into my touch. Turning his head he kissed the inside of my palm before moving down to my wrists. 

"Do you want me?" Dick whispered as he looked up to meet my eyes. 

The answer was ringing loud in my head and the rest of my body, but I pushed it down immediately. I couldn't help but think back on what I had said to him earlier in the parking lot. That if I wanted him I would have him. Well, I had him waiting now and if I wanted he was mine. 

I didn't say anything as I pulled him into the kiss. Immediately I realized that I had been wrong. His kiss wasn't exactly as I had remembered it, or maybe after so many years she had forgotten how he kissed But one thing that I still remembered was how amazing it felt to kiss him. Dick's hand slowly got lost in my hair as he deepened the kiss. It could have been the 8 years being deprived of each other's touch but the kiss felt all consuming. 

Maybe I was getting a little too lost in his kiss because when he pulled away slightly I couldn't help but be shocked and even a little annoyed. But that irritation melted away from the look on his face, like he pulled away to make sure that this was real and not some kind of dream. If I was honest with myself I could believe it either, a long time ago I had accepted the fact that I had lost him. That I would never see him again but even know it felt wrong. Like we couldn't be doing this, but it was that reality that always fueled them to defy that truth. 

There was a thrill in doing something that we shouldn't be. We knew that we were bad for each other but every time it didn't seem to matter. 

Reaching out I let my finger slowly trace his lips, and in one swift movement I pushed him against the bed as I placed my knees around his hips. My dress was now around my hips, and Dick's hands seemed to instinctively reach out to keep me in place. Slowly I placed a kiss just behind his ear, and slowly moved my hips against hip until a satisfying moan left his lips.I wasn't sure how long I was going to continue this game. Or if I would be able to stop it at all. But my answer came quickly enough when I saw the oily shine of purple toned lipgloss on his collar bone. The memory of Kory coming out of his room less than an hour ago returning.

"I just want the last word." I whispered as I continued to let my lips explore his neck, except this time I found no joy in the act as the spark that was blazing only seconds ago fizzled out into nothing. "And for you to say you want me."

He looked up and me, brushing my hair away from my face and all I felt was a sense of disbelief. And under that disappointment, I was also relieved that I found the excuse I was looking for. To no longer seem hi, as the boy that I remembered him to be. "Of course I want you. You know I do."

I laughed as I moved off of him and adjusted my dress. The bed squeaked behind me, telling me that Dick was now standing and when I turned to face him he seemed stunned silent. "You didn't really think you would come in here and have sex with me after you were just with Kory? Did you?"

"It wasn't like that."

Reaching over I whipped the gloss stain across his neck, one that certainly didn't belong to me. "Sure it wasn't." I replied as I lifted my gloss stained finger to his face. "Because this isn't mine. Not really my color."

Dick remained silent with a look of disbelief as he looked away from me. Heading over to the door I opened it, leaning across the doorway and crossing my arms over my chest. "If you need company I heard the woman in room 101 stays up late."

He slowly made his way to the door and stopped in front of me. "I was going too... with Kory, but I learned a while ago the sex is less enjoyable when it's not with the person you're thinking about."

I knew that I could easily reply with a passive comment about having that effect on all men, or anything that would show that I wasn't effected by Dick's words. But I couldn't bring myself to say them. "Goodnight Boy Wonder."

***