I Saw, She Saw

Part Four

“I can't believe you agreed to this, I can't. After everything you've been through, everything I've taught you and the realities of our lives—as well as the lives and well-being of people you know...I can't believe this!”

“C'mon, Bruce, calm down for a minute, will you? Okay, maybe you're right but I really think she's telling me the truth.”

“And if she had a bridge to sell you would you make an offer?”

“Knock it off.” Dick was angry and defensive, knowing that he may well have made a major mistake which was about to come back and bite him in the ass, except that... “Okay, why don't you go pay her a visit and make sure she knows what's at stake here; would that work for you?”

Bruce gave him the Batglare to end all Batglares. “Wait here, I'll be back.”

Oh, great, he was going to go scare the crap out of Brittney, make sure she never so much as squeaked if she saw a mouse. On the other hand—on the other hand, four fingers and a thumb, but never mind that...on the other hand that might not be a bad idea. It couldn't hurt to reinforce the situation to the girl. And it wasn't like Dick was in a position to lodge a complaint.

He couldn't help smiling, though.

 

* * *
 

Brittney was trying to get to sleep without success. Robin—Robin!, had agreed to take her out and pretend to be her boyfriend. Okay, it was really Dick Grayson who'd be taking her out but even without the costume he was still so far above anyone she ever even dreamed about that it was incredible. And, all right, he was just doing it because she was sort of blackmailing him, but still, the kids at school would see them together and her mother would—maybe, stop her digs about how she couldn't catch a boyfriend if she used a hook, line and sinker.

All right, she'd never actually said that, but she was always making comments about how she should get some different clothes, get her hair cut, make more of an effort to join things at school become active in volunteering, join clubs. And, for god's sake, wear come make up.

Christ. Her mother just didn't get it. No one at school wanted to hang out with her, no one wanted to be her friend and everyone thought she was weird.

But Dick was different. He was nice. He never made snarky comments to her or anyone else so far as she could tell. And he'd agreed to take her out until the end of school.

“It was just because of the pictures, I know that. He's probably really mad about the whole thing but he seemed...nice, anyway. Maybe he'll really start to like me, just a little. Maybe.”

She didn't even care that he was rich, that didn't matter. And he was so handsome. And his eyes were so blue. He was beautiful, she was a mud fence next to him but that was okay; she was a mouse next to everyone.

“He doesn't care what I look like. He feels sorry for me, that's why he's doing this. It's okay, he's doing it and I don't care why.”

That wasn't true, of course, she wanted him to really like her and maybe, if they really went out for a while and he got to know her, maybe he'd start to like her for real, just a little.

In school she'd sit next to him at lunch and everyone would see. They wouldn't understand, but they'd see and that would be the start.

“If those pictures ever see daylight, I'll be extremely upset. Do you understand?”

Brittney jerked to a sitting position and dimly saw the outline of Batman standing by her closet in the dark room.

“Do you?”

She nodded, terrified. “No one will ever see them, I promised him. You can ask him. I swear.”

He was gone.

God.

She never did sleep that night.

And, besides, he didn't know that...well, he didn't know.

 

* * *
 

Monday's lunch went even better than Brittney had hoped. She was just leaving math class when, “Join me?”

It was Dick, of course, smiling like he was happy to see her as they walked down the stairs and stood on line for their food. He chatted with some of his friends, introduced her to them and made sure that there was an extra chair at the senior table for her. A couple of the girls gave her looks but, “Just ignore them. They're harmless.”

She smiled at him gratefully and picked at her grilled cheese. “You're being really nice about this, thank you.”

He took a beat, then, “It's okay. Would you like a ride home today?”

“That would be great, thank you—are you sure you don't mind?”

“No problem. I'll see you out in the parking lot.”

She went to History class on a cloud of romantic daydreams, knowing they were based on nothing other than her scheming, but ignoring the facts for the moment. Later, in gym class she heard a couple of senior girls in the next row of lockers were talking about her.

“Well, I don't know, maybe Dick's slumming or something.”

“C'mon, Lissa, be nice, she seemed all right, she's just shy.”

“Shy, my ass. She's trying to hook the Wayneboy and it looks like she's on the way. Did you see that he even held the door for her?”

“So, he has good manners.”

“He could do better.”

“God, Liss—don't be such a bitch. She seemed fine.”

“I give it two weeks, until he nails her, then he'll move on to someone else.”

“Dick's never been a player; I think he might really like her.”

“God, you're such a simp.”

Brittney went for stiff upper lip, staring Lissa down while they were doing their jumping jacks and then slammed a volleyball spike straight at her face. Okay, she might be shy, but eat that, bitch.

 

* * *
 

Bruce was pacing, something he did so rarely that Alfred became concerned.

“Might I inquire what may be troubling you, Sir?”

He stopped, pivoted on the balls of his feet and faced the old man. “You've heard that some girl at the Academy has pictures of Dick changing back from Robin? She's blackmailing him to force him to date her and if he refuses...”

“If he refuses, she'll release the unfortunate photographs to the various outlets? Yes, I spoke with Master Dick a while ago and he seemed remarkably unconcerned about the implications.”

“You seem pretty calm about this, do you know something I don't?”

Alfred remained as controlled as ever. “That would be exceedingly unlikely, now, wouldn't it? But I may have more confidence in the young master's judgment regarding the situation. He says he believes the young lady will keep the pictures to herself and I suspect he may be right.”

Something was up. “Why?”

“Simply because Dick is a singularly intelligent and mature young man with an exceptional understanding of people and their motives. If he doesn't feel a serious threat, I would tend to believe him.” Alfred went on with his polishing of the Thomas Wayne's antique desk. “In addition, I would think that Batman's visit to the young lady last evening would be enough to ensure anyone's silence.”

Bruce nodded, “Yes, I'm sure it helped.”

“And there you have it. Now, dinner will be ready in an hour, if you wish to use the gym, I suggest that you have at it.”

 

* * *
 

Dick found Brittney waiting by his car after school, she seemed shy but also seemed happy at the glances they were getting from the other students. “Was today everything you hoped for and more?” He tried not to sound sarcastic and even added a small smile as he clicked the car doors unlocked.

She nodded, returning the small smile and seeming not to take any offense. “I know I kind of forced you into this but thank you.”

“It's okay.”

“No, really, thank you, I never—you know, I never had anyone pay attention to me in school before and today was amazing. “ She laughed a little. “I mean, I know you're really mad at me and I don't blame you but it was just so neat. A couple of girls were even jealous. ”

“Jealous? Because you ate lunch with me? Get serious.” Like that would ever happen. Dick knew he wasn't a bottom feeder in the school food chain, but he also knew he wasn't top of the pile, either—on purpose. Bruce would kill him if he was too visible, drew too much attention to himself and made people look twice at him. The risk of being outed as Robin was too great and he'd become used to being semi-invisible in his civilian life.

It was probably because of Bruce's money, that's what made him a catch—if he was one. Hell, there wasn't anything special about Dick Grayson, he was just the kid in the third row. His grades were good but he wasn't on any teams and he didn't have many friends in the school because he couldn't afford to let anyone get too close. It was part of the price of being in the hero community.

But somehow being with Brittney at lunch today made things easier, even though it happened in a totally weird and even illegal with the way she'd snared him. The big secret was already out with her and he could relax a bit. It was sort of nice. Weird, but nice.

Pulling up to the Wilson's front door, Brittney let herself out of the car, “Would you like to come in, have a snack or something?”

Uh...

“My mom is home, I mean, if you don't mind too much.”

Dick caught what she wasn't saying, she wanted her mother to see them together again. He nodded, not even minding all that much, which surprised him. He should be furious, mad, pissed off at what he was being coerced into doing but he found that he simply was feeling sorry for her instead. He didn't completely understand it, but there it was.

“Mom?”

“Kitchen.”

Brittney lightly took his hand as they walked down the hall, he didn't pull away; no point in being cruel.

“Oh, Dick, you're here again. This is a nice surprise. Britty, sweetheart, tell me you didn't wear that old thing to school today?”

She visibly shrank. “It's comfortable. Dick gave me a ride home again.”

“That's sweet of you to do that, honey, I know this is out of your way.”

“'Not so far, it's no problem.” In fact the Manor was about five miles in the other direction but the Boxter ate miles and was a kick to drive—really no problem.

“Well, since you're here, would you like to stay for dinner? I was just about to put a chicken in the oven. Britt never eats enough to keep a bird alive; it will be a treat to feed someone who appreciates a meal for a change.”

“Thanks, but I'm expected home soon; another time?” She smiled an 'of course' and Dick leaned over to give Brittney a kiss on the cheek. “I'll pick you up for school tomorrow, seven-thirty?” She blushed and nodded, happy for the first since they'd walked into the house.

Driving back home Dick tried to sort out what was going on here. She'd surprised him changing, though he believed that she just stumbled onto that. She had pictures and wasn't—at this point—using them for anything other than to coerce him into snowing her bitch of a mother.

He was real pissed off about the blackmail thing but he was just about equally torn between anger and feeling sorry for her. She seemed like a nice girl, unappreciated and put down by her mother (where was her father?) but a decent kid.

Strange.

TBC

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