I Never Told Him Because I Was Afraid.

Where: Barbara's Apartment, Downtown Gotham.

Time: 8:28 P.M.

"Seriously, you're leaving Gotham?" Barbara asked while the nicely thinned eyebrows raised to a moderate degree, the shocked tone in her voice gave her away. Dick nodded weakly not bothering to look her in the eyes knowing what he did was absolutely wrong to begin with. Now here he was in her apartment explaining to his longtime former girlfriend about why he gave his newborn daughter up for adoption as well as thinking about leaving the city behind to hide for awhile knowing the dirty deed he had done.

Sitting down his cup of hot peppermint tea, he then sighed. "It's the right thing to do for now Babs. The more I stay here, is the more it will remind me of him. I can't let him take over my psyche. Besides, it's only temporary just until I can form the words and find the time to explain them in just the right way necessary without him getting suspicious."

The attractive red head also sighed and tapped the arm of her wheelchair still trying to comprehend why the ex boy-wonder had to do what he felt like was the great way to do but knowing deep down, he was feeling guilty. "Dick, I know you have a lot on your plate right now, but have you even spoke to Bruce about the pregnancy and the adoption?"

Shaking his head, as well as slowly looking up, what Barbara saw made her heart break in dozens of pieces. Tear tracks had stained his cheeks while his eyes had grown bloodshot red. He then bit his bottom lip gently. "He doesn't know any of it...he doesn't even know that he is a father. I had left by the time the pregnancy test came back positive. Had I told him the truth, his response would have been to get an abortion because he just can't get his head out of his ass and just take the responsibility of being a parent hell, even the word parent makes him feel uncomfortable."

"Well boy wonder, forgive me for being blunt, but what you did, was just as irresponsible too. I mean, giving her up for adoption just because of you being afraid to tell Daddy bats the truth about his own daughter? now that was a real low blow indeed."

Dick rolled his eyes. He loved the former batgirl as a friend, older sister, and old lover, but sometimes her words would sting like a bee to the heart. Her words were five times more blunt that Bruce's alone.

"It was either tell him, or murder my baby. But you just don't understand what it feels like to be born with a uterus that makes you feel so insecure about yourself that only your parents knew until they fell to their deaths. When I saw the picture of the ultrasound, I grew so...attached and I knew I had to step up to the plate and handle it alone. Alfred would come by and make sure the apartment was nice and clean, food was being cooked and packaged in the fridge for a good while. He was the first one I told and he understood and promised that he would not say anything to him."

"The bottom line is not only telling Bruce the real deal, but to also know that once Madalina will get older and wise enough to understand, she will start asking all kinds of questions to know that what I did was so unspeakable that I would never live it down. The minute it happened, I had dreamed about us becoming a little happy family and would be able to give it a chance but knowing Bruce takes in strays for them to become either the next Robin, or to give the Batman mantle to somebody else, I would never forgive myself if my child would get to a certain age for that time to happen. That is one of the reasons why I had put her up for adoption: to give her a normal childhood with a normal family."

Barbara looked down at her own teacup and breathed out through her nose understanding the entire conversation. "Why didn't you come to me and let me know what you were going through? I could've helped you know. I may be at times blunt and not one to beat around the bush, but that's what friends do Dick, they talk to each other to know that they will work alongside with you. I'm sorry that you had felt all alone during your rough time; I had no idea. Some girlfriend I turned out to be..."

But the Grayson male soon enveloped her in his warm inviting arms as tear drops fell from both of their cheeks as the two lonely souls watched the night-time fly through.

"I never hated you Babs... I was just so scared that I didn't know what to do. Now I wish I had my baby that way you would've gotten to meet her. But I now know what I nees to do in order for Bruce to get off my back. Believe me when I tell you, I will stay in touch with you."

"Where will you go?" The wheelchair bound female tried not to let her voice waver trying to keep the tears at bay. She was sad that Dick gave up his newborn child up, sad that he and the Billionaire were on bad terms, and even more sad that he was going to be leaving Gotham by later tonight. This was all too much for her to handle.

He soon gave a small sad smile. "I'll find a way. Besides, can no one take this robin down." He gave a small wink as she let out her own smile but it was genuine. Maybe Dick did have a point. He couldn't just stay and wallow in his misery, he needed to leave and find his own way, and make his way through his life after all, he was still a Flying Grayson and he never stayed down for long.

He would tell Bruce soon in due time but now was not the time for that. He had places to go and himself to look after.