I must've fallen asleep at the computers because the next thing I knew, I felt my body jostling and was met by broken images of the halls and then my room. Even in my barely conscious state, I knew those arms that held me so close; the familiar warmth and scent of his skin swimming around me. Memories of times like these screened all throughout my mind and fueled my yearning for those simpler times. My fingers knotted tight in Dick's sweater, never wanting to let go.

That dream was tugged away from me as he placed me gently on my bed, prying my grip loose from the fabric. I pried my eyes open in time to see him turn his back, my hand launching outward with a level of consciousness I didn't think I had. The same fingers that'd been tangled against his chest were suddenly gripping his forearm, pulling his attention back to me. His dark eyes on mine caused a familiar ache to burn up through my chest.

"Stay?" I hated that the word came out as a question; so uncertain of what the response would be.

Once upon a time, I would've woken to him spread out close by, whether I mentioned it or not. Now, with everything I'd found out, I suddenly felt like an impersonator. One that was so horrible, there could be no possible way Dick would believe it.He wrapped his hand around my wrist wordlessly giving a small squeeze before pulling it off. With his back turned to me, he headed for the door making a cold pit form in my stomach. But before it could fully form, I watched him close and lock the door before turning and heading back to me. Relief flooded through me as he tapped at the side of my leg for me to move over and obliged; kicking my boots off and to the floor while he settled down beside me. Dick sat for a few seconds as he removed his own shoes, then swung his long legs up on the bed without a moment's hesitation.

It looked so normal and like he was at peace that I was again reminded of our brief domestic life together. I looked away, lying flat on my back and blinking up at the ceiling, trying to clear the memory from my mind.

I felt the bed shift more as Dick got comfortable and from the corner of my eye I saw him lay on his side to look at me. Arm bent so that he could prop his head up on his hand, Dick stared at me in assessing silence for a minute. My pulse quickened at the phantom feel of his eyes on me, my skin heating and nearly crackling with electricity as if trying to magnetize and bring him closer to me.

He'd barely been back in my life for a day, and I was already warring with myself on keeping him there forever. Knowing the dangers of it, I did the one thing I did best; start trouble.

"Was everything okay with Dawn and Kory? You were gone awhile," I said flatly, still staring up at the ceiling.

Dick knew me well enough to know where this conversation was headed. I heard him sigh with annoyance before answering carefully. "Yes, we were just getting each other up to speed. I let them know that Jason went AWOL again too and they said they would head over to the club and see what they could find."

"Both of them?"

"Yes."

"So you're good to stay the night with me? You aren't going to have to run off in a few hours and try to explain anything to anyone?"

"No. Dawn and I are done, have been for a while, you know that," he answered, understanding my meaning.

When I spoke again, I turned my head to look him directly in the eyes. "And what about Kory? You and her done too?"

He didn't even bat an eye at the words. "You weren't here; we weren't together. You had to know I was going to end up with someone at some point."

I turned back to the ceiling, blinking back the stinging in my eyes so he wouldn't see the frustrated tears threatening to spill over. "Yeah, I know," I said stiffly. "It's just easier for me to accept when I don't have to meet them, you know? When you aren't living with them. I've always had the luck that when I find myself back to you, you aren't with anyone. Almost like you were waiting for me."

Despite the emotion tearing at my insides, I cracked a small smile at the thought. It had always been an idea that I clung on to and that helped me through our times apart. Now it felt like it was forming a crack in my bones that would never heal.

"I am waiting for you," Dick said fiercely, making my heart thump hard. "I'm always waiting for you. I will always wait for you. Me and Kory were just...passing time. We both had this...void that we were trying to fill, even if only for the night. It was just physical, nothing else. Dawn and I had more together and even then, no one ever came close to you."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me."

"Don't I?" he countered. I took a deep breath before turning on my side to face him, reading the openness of his face. Dick stared back at me as I rested my head on my arm in guilty silence. "Madds, there will never be a time when I don't love you. I've belonged to you since that first night we met and I'll belong to you long after you've stopped wanting me. I'm just waiting for you to say the word."

The hand he wasn't leaning on came up to brush my jawline, sending a shiver down my spine and my eyes to close.

More than anything, I wanted to tell him the same. I wanted to tell him that even when I suggested this separated hell for us, it was never because I didn't want him. That that thought could never even be a possibility for me. Instead, all that came out was, "Emersyn."

Understandably, Dick's brows furrowed in confusion. "What?"

"Emersyn," I repeated quietly. "My name isn't Madalyn, it's Emersyn. Emersyn Yuma."

"Emersyn Yuma," he repeated. I nodded, watching him take in that information in silence. His fingers moved from my jaw up to my hairline, smoothing a few strands back before trailing down to the side of my neck. "Emersyn Yuma...that's pretty far off from Madalyn Addams."

I choked out a laugh, trying to focus more on his words than the feel of his skin on mine. "Tell me about it. I don't even know who I am anymore. I feel like I have split personality disorder or something. I mean, what name am I supposed to go by? Who does that make me?"

"A name is just a name," Dick said. "Didn't we have this conversation before?" His mouth quirked up into one of his rare smiles and I chuckled at the reminder.

Back when we were first getting to know each other, Dick asked me why I only ever really seemed to call him by his last name. Until he'd asked, I never had to put words to it, but the reason felt simple enough. During our official introduction at the coffee shop, the name he gave and that I put on his cup was Grayson. Later, when I found out his name was Richard it didn't seem like it fit to me. It seemed too pretentious a name for him more fitting for an actual blood borne child of Bruce Wayne than him. And, needless to say, calling him Dick was more of a thing I felt necessary when he pissed me off. Mostly because I didn't understand how anyone could've gotten that nickname from Richard.

And don't get me started on the amusement of hearing Alfred have to refer to him as Master Dick. The ego boost that must've been for him.

"Yes and my response is the same," I replied. "A name is what people first learn about you. If I don't even know what to call me or who I am, what is anyone else supposed to?"

"Don't worry about anyone else. The only one who matters is you."

"And you."

Dick smiled softly. "Well then, maybe you'll listen when I tell you that it doesn't matter. Emersyn Yuma, Madalyn Addams, whatever you call yourself you'll still always be the gorgeous, stubborn and too smart for her own good woman that I've always known you to be."

"You left out bad ass," I whispered, not knowing what else to say. There was so much going on inside of me that I didn't know where to even start.

Dick chuckled. "It was implied." We were both silent for a moment as we stared at each other. "No matter what you choose, you'll always be my Madds."

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. Even though I already knew it, hearing him say it felt like a weight off my shoulders. Dick wasn't just the only love I ever knew, he was one of my best friends. Even with all the time we spent apart, he knew me better than anyone else. If he was certain of who I was, then why couldn't I be?

Emersyn Yuma was dead; she died the night of that video. I was Madalyn Addams now and the rest of my life. And Madalyn Addams didn't waste time feeling sorry for herself or second guessing her life. I didn't do that; I wasn't going to let myself start now.

"My old name wasn't the only thing in that file obviously. Apparently, my parents are dead but I have a brother—" My words cut out as I opened my eyes again, landing on Dick's peaceful and sleeping face in front of me. I couldn't help but laugh as I wondered how his hand hadn't fallen out from under him.

I leaned up on my elbow carefully, slowly moving his head off his hand to lay it on the pillow. He groaned lightly as I put his hand down too, but as I moved to pull mine away he latched on with his, entwining our fingers. I looked at his face again to see his eyes slit open slightly, still looking more awake that I thought he'd been. With my hand still in his, I slowly settled down next to him again, faces inches apart.

I closed my eyes contently, falling asleep to the brush of his palm against mine.

Sorry for the long wait! Hopefully you all liked this chapter though. I wanted to give the two of them a little peace and time together before things get crazy. Which, trust me, they're about to 😬

While I work on the next chapter, I just wanted to say I hope everyone is staying safe out in this crazy world we're living in right now. Never be afraid to speak your voice and truths. 🖤🖤