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I looked in the mirror, admiring the silver dress I had worked endlessly on for the last three months. It was difficult not to think of my mother, she taught me everything I knew. The skill that had kept me alive with a roof over my head and food on the table. Regardless of everything I missed my old life, now I simply felt like I was pretending to be someone I wasn't.

A small knock on my bedroom door brought me back the present. At the moment I wasn't the girl in the streets of Gotham, I was the girl living in Wayne Manor that was about to attend some fancy charity event. The only thing that made me feel like me was the dress that I made. "Come in."

"Wow." I heard Dick say as he entered the room. Turning around I faced him mustering as sincere a smile as I could.  He approached  me taking both of my hands in his and as he smiled I felt myself relax no longer having to force the smile on my face. "You look breathtaking."

I reached out and adjusted the collar on his suit, in this moment feeling quit lucky that I got to call Dick Grayson mine. He looked incredibly handsome in his suit and tie that I almost felt like I was dreaming. Looking at him made me realize how out of place I was in his world, a world that now I found myself in. "And you look very handsome. The women out there are going to go crazy over you."

He tugged at a strand of my hair, before pushing it back and off of my shoulders. "I doubt any of the women out there are half as beautiful as you."

"You're just saying that" I replied feeling as if all my blood was rushing to my face. Never had I been more glad for my brown skin, that saved me from moments like these.

"You're right I am." Dick replied playfully, but I was still shocked as I hit him lightly on the chest.  He laughed then as his fingers slowly ran down my neck until he reached the soft material of my dress. His touch was something the my body seemed to immediately react to, as I felt not only butterflies in my stomach but every inch of my body. "There's just something missing."

I watched as Dick removed a small box from his pocket, as he opened it he revealed a small silver chained necklace. A charm of a bird, that I recognized as a robin hanging off of it as Dick pulled it out of the box carefully. "Dick..."

"You don't have to say anything. Turn around."  As I turned around to face the mirror I saw Dick's nervous reflect as I brushed my hair to one side allowing him to place the necklace around my neck. "I'm just happy to see you wear it. Do you like it?"

"I love it." I replied honestly, though it wasn't really the gift that I loved. It was a fact that this seemed to mean so much to Dick. He smiled placing a kiss on my shoulder, before I turned around feeling as if something between us had changed.

Dick reached out for my hand as his tone suddenly grew serious, oddly remaining me of Bruce when he was hiding something. "The guest were just arriving so we better get going."

Wordlessly we left my bedroom and headed towards the main hall that was quickly filling up with guest. They were undoubtedly all Gotham's elite, the women covered in expensive jewels and designer dresses. There were waitress walking around the room with trays full of champagne or fancy appetizers. As one of them walked by Dick picked up to glasses of champagne handing one over to me.

He looked around and gave me a mischievous smile as he took my hand and led me deeper into the sea of people. "I would drink that quickly before Alfred catches us."

I laughed as I took a sip from the glass realizing that the last time I had champagne was when my cousin from Bludhaven stole a bottle during her quinceanera. Looking out into the crowd I saw no sign of Bruce, which I found odd as Bruce Wayne was known to be the life of any party with two girls on each arm. Now that I knew it was all an act, I thought of how lonely and tiring it had to be to keep up that facade.

"Let's dance." I found myself saying, wanting to fully immerse myself in this moment. Afraid that if I stopped for a moment to think about it, that it would all fade away. Dick smiled brightly as me as he took my hand and lead me out into the dance floor where many couple were dancing to the orchestra stationed at the far end of the room.  That was when I first saw Bruce dancing with a tall woman in an elegant black dress. She seemed to be flirtatiously whispering in his ear as Bruce held a neutral facial expression. The only thing giving him away was the way that his hand seemed to tighten around the woman's waist. Though I couldn't blame him, she was beautiful.

Bruce and his friend ceased to exist the moment that Dick pulled me closer my hands instinctively going around his neck. As we began slow dancing I rested my head on Dick's shoulder as we swayed slowly to the music, and in this moment I knew that this has been the happiest I have been since I lost my parents. I had lost count of how many songs we danced to, when Dick slowly started tracing figures on my lower back. An action that I was now familiar with.

"Follow me." He whispered as he took my hand and lead me out of the main hall into the library. Dick closed the door behind him before

I placed a hand on his chest and smiled as I looked into his dark brown eyes. "Can I ask why you want to hide out during a party?"

"All the men out there were looking at you and I guess I wanted you all to myself." He replied as he pulled me even closer to him, he had the same mysterious look in his eyes that screamed danger. A look that instantly had adrenaline pumping through my body, only this time it wasn't just desire that I saw. There was something else in his eyes, that seemed just as dangerous as pure desire.

"I didn't think you were the jealous type Boy Wonder."

"I didn't either." Dick said breathlessly and suddenly he seemed a million miles away. He cupped my cheek in his hands not wanting the break the eyes contact that we currently held. And just like in my bedroom it felt like something between us was shifting and changing. At this point it felt like neither of us were breathing.

"What is it?"

"I love you Cheyenne." He said suddenly, I wasn't sure what I expected him to say. But a declaration of love was not it. His words made my mouth run dry as my heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest at only moment. "Honestly, I've never felt this way before. I have Bruce and Alfred, but a part of me has always felt alone. That changed when I met you because now I don't feel so alone anymore. I feel whole when I'm with you."

His words left me speechless, knowing that now matter what I said nothing would live up to his words. Even after all these months and regardless of what I left for Dick, there was a constant doubt in my mind that told me that I had no future with him. That I still couldn't be the woman he wanted or expected me to be. The problem being that even I didn't know who I was. He said he felt whole, but there was a part of me that I felt that I kept pushing away. "For the longest time it had just only been me. And I've been okay with it, now that I have you I realize that there has been a lot that I have been missing out on."

His smile then was alone enough to send me to a state of euphoria, even before he kissed me. In this moment it felt like he was holding himself back before, as he seemed to pour everything into this kiss. He seemed to not be able to pull me any closer, as I suddenly felt my back hit the cool wall behind me. As one of his hands tangled itself in my hair, the other gripped wildly at my hip.

"This dress is beautiful," Dick whispered as his lips found their way to my neck. "but right now I  just want to take it off."

"Take it easy Boy Wonder." I said breathlessly, the party already being forgotten. "There still a party you have to attend."

"That hardly seems important right now." He replied as his lips met mine again, sealing all other thoughts out of my mind. Right now all I wanted was him and I felt like I needed him closer, our clothes and annoying barrier between the two of us.

Suddenly the sound of gunshots followed by screams had us jumping apart. All color seemed to drain from Dick's face, his eyes now distant in the way they always were when he and Bruce discussed anything related to Batman and Robin. "It wasn't supposed to happen this early."

"What are you talking about?" I questioned not only worried and confused by his words, but also  fearful of whatever was going on outside.

"Stay here. Lock the doors." He ordered before he ran out of the room the door closing behind him. For a moment I was frozen in place, unable to move. But another wave of screams snapped me out of my stated of fear as I ran out of the library and back into main hall where the music and dancing had ended abruptly.

For a moment it took me a while to locate the source of everyone's fear. But when I saw him I understood.

It was Black Mask.

And he was surrounded by what seemed like an army of men who's faces were covered in a variety of terrifying masks. Black Mask was a criminal that was a fairly new addition to Gotham's rogue's gallery, but he had quickly made a name of himself. Known for the nightmares inducing torture methods that he used. Word on the streets of Gotham was that he had an insatiable bloodlust.

"Now who can tell me where Bruce Wayne is?" He yelled viciously into the crowd as his men  forced everyone to circle around their leader. It felt as if ice was running through my veins as I was pushed closer to Black Mask, his reputation bringing fear in everyone in the room. Yet, his calm and controlled demeanor were much more terrifying than the stories about him. The room remained mostly quiet, the only sound came from a woman who was weeping somewhere in the crowd. "No one? What a shame, maybe I'll have to start killing you off until Mr. Wayne can join us. I must say he is a terrible host."

He snapped his fingers and some of his men walked through the crowd grabbing men and women at random and brining them in front of his boss. Black Mask seemed to study the men and women that were brought before him, a gun in one hand and a terrifying looking blade in another. Although it was impossible to see his face behind his skull like mask, the excitement in his eyes was vivid.

"Maybe I'll start with you." He stated as he placed a blade under a woman's chin, who instantly began to weep and was visibly shaking. She would have collapsed on the floor if it wasn't for the large man who was holding her arms back. Everyone remained silent as Black Mask ran the blade down her neck leaving behind a thin trail of blood.

"Stop!" I yelled, and when Black Mask turned to face me I felt my heart stop. Before I could fully process what I had done I felt as a pair of hands wrapped themselves around my neck and pulled me forward towards the man I had just yelled at.

It felt like I had lost all ability to breath as Black Mask came inches from my face, studying me with what could only be described as excitement. "I must say you are a vision. Maybe I'll just keep you... but your skin is just so perfect." He said in almost a dreamlike state as his finger gently ran down my cheek. "I just want to see it torn off of you right now."

"Let me guess, you'll have your goons here do all the dirty work?" I didn't know where those words came from, and I was surprised to find that they came from my lips. If it wasn't for the fact that I was in frozen in a stated of shock I would have covered my mouth with my hands. Almost hoping that that would be enough to erase the words from existence.

"I really like you. You remind me of my ex- fiancé. I hated her." He stated through gritted teeth as he raised the shinning blade in his right hand. I expected to feel the burn of the blade cutting against me skin when a sudden rush of air passed what felt like inches away from my face. Black Mask and I both looked towards the far end of the wall where a yellow R had embedded itself in the wall. Mask's blade loudly falling against the marble floor.

The distraction gave me the courage I needed, as I reached up and placed my hands around the arm that was gripping my neck. Letting my powers instinctively take over I felt electricity run through my fingers. The man holding me groaned in pain and I elbowed him in the stomach and kicking Black Mask back before his goon seemed to finally let go of me.

I fell to the floor, feeling clumsy on my feet before I struggling to stand wanting to get away from this nightmare as soon as possible. As I seemed to gain my senses back I felt an arm wrap around my waist and pull me back.  I turned around to Robin and angry scowl on his lips, a different person that the one I was kissing in the library. "I told you to stay inside. You didn't listen"

"You wouldn't have." I stated feeling defiant, not appreciating his anger even if I knew it came from a good place. Or maybe it was because I should have listened. My actions were reckless and stupid. I could have gotten myself killed.

Dick held my eyes for a moment, before he seemed to realize what was going on around us. He turned to see Batman running after Black Mask who was being protected by his men.

"Shit. Be careful." He said again as he ran after his mentor and father figure. Leaving me with a hundreds of unprocessed emotions. Guilt, excitement, fear, confusion. They all seemed to come crashing down on me.

After Dick left again I lost track of what was happening because of all the commotion. People were running towards the exit mindlessly. One thing that I did know was the Black Mask and his men were long gone, Batman and Robin along with them.

As the last of the guest successfully escaped the scene I looked around at the room, never feeling more alone. I couldn't explain the sting I felt as I realized that Dick and Bruce had planned this night. That they knew that Black Mask was going to come here tonight. There was no other explanation to Dick's words before he left the library.

"Now why the long face?" A seductive voice taunted behind me, and I instinctively turned around towards its owner. There was something familiar about that voice, but I still couldn't place where I knew it from. The woman in front of me was the one that I had seen Bruce dancing with early in the party. I was stunned to see her here,  partially because I thought that I was alone and the fact that she was so beautiful. She smiled at me as she took in my reaction, slowly stepping closer. "What happened... cat got your tongue?"

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