HOMEMADE DYNAMITE !
❝ OLD MEMORIES. ❞

DICK'S HAND WAS ON HER ELBOW IN SECONDS. Everyone's ears were still ringing from the shrill sonic screech that Abby had released. Her eyes skimmed across the chaos and carnage her fear had caused around her and felt horror grip her. An old memory came to mind and she let out a choked breath. Not again.

Fires from exploded cars raged on. Smoke ascended into the frozen sky and people hurried about in panic, trying to escape the burn and the glass knives Rachel had shattered. The car park had just become a warzone and Abby once again found herself in the middle of it. The cause of it.

"Abigail!" Dick's voice finally broke through her thoughts. He'd been calling her name in a desperate attempt to draw her attention from the terror on her face.

Her eyes lifted to meet his but no reply escaped her lips. He wasn't sure if she was capable of one. His eyes met the magenta-haired woman's and she grabbed onto Rachel as he did Abigail. Jess flew to Dick's side, clinging to him in fear, he grabbed her hand with his spare one.

Arm now wound tightly around Abby's shoulders, Dick pushed her down and shielded her head with his body from the vicious flames. The five of them made towards the cars they came in, Dick pushing Jess after Rachel, figuring it was safer than leaving her near whatever state Abby was in.

They toppled into the car, Dick rushing round to the driver's side and slamming the door shut. Both their chests heaved up and down. He started the engine and in seconds had his foot pressed to the floor, shooting after the car Rachel and Jess were in.

Neither of them spoke. Dick knew better than to talk to her. Abby knew better than to act like she wanted him to.

The drive to Saint Paul's Convent was silent, but along the way, Abigail decided it was not somewhere she would've visited on a day trip. It looked like the place where exorcisms were a frequent occurrence and poltergeists terrorised the hallways. It belonged in a horror film, not Rachel Roth's childhood. Again, she would not have chosen to go there.

Dick Grayson didn't seem to get the memo, and still had his foot on the accelerator as they approached the holy grounds. As soon as the car had stopped, Abby was out. Arms folded tightly against her as if hiding her hands would stop her powers working.

No one had mentioned a thing to her. The same way they hadn't Rachel. A gentle hand landed on her shoulder. Dick stared at her, eyes full of pity. She didn't want his pity. She shrugged him off, striding after Rachel, who'd marched into the convent.

Jess landed by his side. Eyes downcast, arms tucked securely into her pockets.

"You never mentioned her powers were out of control," she muttered quietly.

Dick glanced down at her, "They aren't, Jess. At least, they weren't when I last saw her. I guess that was a long time ago now."

"So, what? You just give up?" Jess raised her eyebrow, tusking mockingly, "Bruce didn't raise a quitter, Dick! Don't quit on her twice. Don't quit on either of them."

Dick raised an eyebrow back to her, "Still an annoying little shit, then?"

"Still an emotionally incompetent moron, then?" Jess countered snarkily.

"Thanks for that," Dick muttered, nudging her gently as they entered the holy grounds.

Within seconds of stepping foot over the threshold, Jess felt suspicion clasp her chest. Her hair stood on end. Working with Batman for over a year had left her slightly suspicious, sure, but all her gut instinct was telling her was danger. Something was wrong here. She could feel it. Jess had hacked way too many government databases not to know.

GUILT HAD BEEN GNAWING AT HER CHEST FOR THE LAST HOUR. Abigail couldn't stand it. Guilt over what happened at the rink. Guilt over what happened on the roof at Hank and Dawn's. Guilt over the accident that started this whole fucking mess with her powers. Guilt over not telling Dick any of it.

She sighed and dropped down on one of the chapel benches. Her hands wound their way into her hair, fingers gripping her scalp. Fuck. Her gaze trailed to the cross before her. Abby pressed a hand of white knuckles to her lips, as though pressing hard enough would make her feel better. The bench creaked.

It was dark in here. Light barely traced a ray on the stone floors. Not even the divine seemed able to reach her now. She was already half in the shadows, and now the figure beside her was too. It felt fitting. The dark always seemed to accept her. She recognised him easily enough anyway.

Dick Grayson sat down beside her. Persistent as ever. She didn't dare try and look at him. She'd break down right fucking there and then if she did.

"You wanna tell me what the hell happened back there?" Dick asked softly, placing a hand on her knee, kind eyes staring into hers.

She dropped her hands. A deep breath shook her very skeleton, the same way an autumnal breeze rattled jewelled leaves from the branches of trees. In a way, she felt just as much of a corpse of her former self as autumn was of summer. Like the colours were fading to grey. Dying.

"Couple years back, when I had just been promoted to a detective, I took a case with Am— with my partner. Kidnapping. Human trafficking ring, we reckoned." She cleared her throat, shifting back against the pews, "One night, we got a tip. Anonymous — should've been a sign. My partner said not to follow up. I ignored her. The lead was a trap. Not two feet into the building they caught me."

Dick tensed beside her. Her hand slid into his thoughtlessly, an impulsive search for comfort.

Her mind slid too. Back to when they lost a friend. To old memories. When the only comfort they could find in their grief was the other person's hand. Her chest ached at the memory of the fallen Titan. It ached at the memory of the man sat beside her.

"I watched as they killed the five kids I'd been searching for. Right in front of me. I was powerless. I have some of the strongest powers on the fucking planet, and I could do nothing to stop them." Her grip on his hand tightened. "I'd never felt anything like how I felt that night. When they untied me, I took on whoever I could. I got so angry. So angry. Before I knew it I'd lost control. Brought down the whole building. Whole damn thing. Nearly killed... nearly killed Amy. She'd followed me. Barely been there two minutes and I nearly took her out when I lost control and took the entire fucking place down."

There was silence. When he spoke, Dick's voice was hoarse, quiet.

"Were you hurt?"

Her eyes fell to her scuffed boots. She shook her head.

"Three weeks in hospital. Fractured collarbone and a busted left arm. Doctors said they'd never seen anyone heal like me. I was the only one to make it out alive. They all died and I walked away with a fucking broken arm. I killed them and I lived. Those kids' deaths are on me. If I hadn't taken the bait maybe they'd be still be alive."

"That's not on you," Dick murmured, his turn to squeeze her hand, "You did what you thought was right."

"So did you," Abby answered quickly, nearly cutting him off, "It got a kid killed too."

Dick let go of her hand. "That's different. You were trying to save lives. I was trying to avenge one."

"You and I were always different, Dick."

A shuffle and the sound of a door opening dragged their eyes to the entrance, where a wide eyed Rachel now stood. She scuffled awkwardly, turning to leave before turning back indecisively. Like a deer in headlights.

"Oh, uh, sorry," Rachel stammered, "Was I interrupting?"

Abby stood to her feet, brashly wiping an unfelt tear that had escaped her eye from her cheek. Traitor. She cleared her throat, "No, not at all, Rach. I was just leaving."

She gently touched Dick's shoulder as she left, a silent thank you. A forced smile at Rachel was all she could muster as she practically threw herself into the corridor. She felt lile she was being stifled. Suffocated. The very air around her was blocking her throat, stopping her breathing.

Her hands starting shaking and she could hear her heart pounding against her chest through the blood screaming in her ears. Nausea flooded her veins and she felt like she was going to throw up, her stomach churning as a coldness overtook her. Then a hand landed on her back.

"It's okay."

Jess appeared at her side, like a saving grace, gently lowering the woman to the floor as she knelt down beside her, voice still soft and calming and understanding. She held her tight, offering Abby a small sense of security.

"Deep breaths. Try to steady your breathing, Abby," Jess started to breathe with her, slowing the gasps, "I know it's hard, I know, but try to calm yourself. What's happened? Talk me through it. I'm here."

"Old memory," Abby choked out through gritted teeth, her chest not heaving so erratically, she let out an ironic laugh, "Old feelings."

Jess scoffed, but somehow her voice remained soothing as honey, "Sounds about right. Not the best. You okay?"

Abby nodded slowly, "Better. Thank you."

"No worries," Jess smiled softly, helping the brunette to her feet, "I used to get them a lot after my family died."

Abigail's face fell, "That's awful. I'm sorry, Jess. I didn't know."

"S'okay," Jess shrugged, "Gotham, right? What can you do. Besides, my godfather took me in. Not that bad. His daughter introduced me to the vigilante life I love. One door closes, I guess."

Abby smiled knowingly. She opened her mouth to reply when two things happened simultaneously. Dick slipped from the chapel silently and the familiar sound of a certain engine firing up filled the atmosphere. Her eyes widened. So did his. She wouldn't.

She took of running, the other two lagging behind as her legs carried her out of the giant oak doors and to a skidding halt on the crunching gravel beneath her boots. Just in time to see Dick's Porsche disappearing around the corner. Grayson stopped next to her, cursing. Jess stumbled to a stop a few steps behind the duo.

Abby's chest heaved once again. But she didn't feel like she was dying anymore. She looked to Dick. "What now, Boy Wonder?"

"That's my car, Bird Brain," Dick panted, before turning to meet her gaze, "What do you think we do now?"

Jess's voice piped up.

"Hope she brings it back?"

Dick ignored her comment with a roll of his eyes, walking towards the car the magenta haired woman had abandoned. He pulled back his elbow and in one blow, shattered the glass. The sound made Abby wince. Slipping his jacket off and winding it around his hand, he brushed some of the glass away and leant in, opening the door.

"Vandalism?" Abby enquired with a quirked eyebrow, forcing a recovery.

Dick looked to her with an unimpressed expression. She lifted up her hands innocently. He held open the door for her and gestured to the wheel almost expectantly.

"You still know how to hotwire a car?"

A smirk spread across Abby's lips. Slowly, she waltzed up to the driver's door and slipped past him. She had been trained by the Black damn Canary. Of course she did.

"I thought you'd never ask, Grayson."

NOTE!
as promised!! an update! i'm gonna get back on it guys, i promise. 4 day updates are back. come back friday! i know this chapter was a little slow, but shit is hITTING THE  F A N  next chapter my loves!! we're bringing in a new character, & not necessarily a hero 😉