Chapter Text
The cold breeze hit your face and sent a shiver down your spine. You looked up at the night sky, not a single star could be seen through the smog of the city. Taking a deep and shaky breath, you walked to the ledge of the roof and peered down over the city. The drug still flowed through your veins but had switched to becoming a downer and the racing thoughts began to nip away at your sanity.
'The world would be better if you were dead.'
It wouldn't be long until the withdrawal happened full force. Usually that was enough to send you into a downward spiral and right into the hands of a drug dealer. This time was different. By the time any of the unwelcoming side effects take place, you'd be free of the world and all the poison it filled you with since birth. You decided the only way you'd be leaving the edge of the rooftop was when you finally took the leap.
Your knees shook as you looked down at the cars below and all the clueless people who didn't know what was going on above them. "It's not like anyone would care anyway" you said out loud in an attempt to convince your feet to move. "I do" a voice called out behind you. Your heart shot up into your throat as you whipped around and saw a man dressed in a skin tight blue and black suit, a blue bird spread across his muscular chest and a matching colored mask that covered part of his face. He smiled gently back at you, his bright blue eyes locked on yours. Everything about him seemed calm except it was hard not to notice every muscle in his body was tense, ready to move in an instant. "Who are you?" You called back uneasy. Then it hit you, "Wait.. you're.." Your voice broke off, unable to recall the name of the hero you had watched on tv when you first moved to Bludhaven two months before. "Nightwing" he said finishing your sentence. He wasn't bothered in the least that you didn't remember his name, probably because after meeting him, how could anyone with eyes forget him. "Why are you here?" You asked, looking back down at the city and forcing him back out of your view. "This is one of my favorite roof tops. You can see everything from up here." He exclaimed. He kept his voice light and care free as he took a couple steps toward you. "Isn't that why you're here?" He asked. He was slowly closing the gap between you but it didn't matter. No one could save you from yourself. "If you take another step, I'll jump" you said flatly, not bothering to look behind you. "There's no need for that" Nightwing assured. "Come off the ledge and talk to me. Maybe I can help."
You turned your head to look back at him, taking in his face. He was beyond attractive. Even in your current fucked up state, it was no secret. "There's nothing you can do" you whispered. "If you don't feel better after talking to me, I'll leave you to your thing" he offered. You turned around to face him, eyes swelling with tears. "You don't understand.. I can't do this anymore.." The calmness on his face softened to something else, pity you imagined. You hadn't always been such a mess. At one point in time, you had potential to do good ,but your chances were crushed by a series of unfortunate events and then life topped it off when you were thrown out on the street by your abusive alcoholic father. In retrospect, it was better than being alone with him.
"I'm only asking for a few minutes of your time " he replied. Something in the way Nightwing looked at you made you want to go to him, to finally feel safe. You took a step towards him when you felt your body grow weak and your vision began going in and out. Nightwing must have noticed because he was by your side with his arm wrapped around your waist before you fell off the ledge. "I've got you" he whispered in your ear. You leaned against a brink wall, falling in and out of consciousness. "Have you taken anything?" He asked as he checked your pupils and heart rate. "I-i just need some r-rest."
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Nightwing sighed as he looked down at the helpless girl in his arms. Her dark brown hair was matted to her face and even under all the dirt, she was still stunningly beautiful. It was clear she had been living on the streets and not a home. Her skin was soft and smooth and from the looks of her, she was the same age or younger than he was. Nightwing decided the best thing to do was take her to his hide out close by and let her recover. As he was getting ready to take the stairs from the rooftop, something caught his eye. Off to the side was a black back pack laying on the ground. He picked the bag up and swung it over his shoulder.
He carried her back effortlessly and every once in a while stopped to check if she was still breathing by the way she laid motionless in his arms. Looking at her, he remembered himself as a child and finding Batman, the only reason he turned out the way he did. For all anyone knows, he could have ended up on the streets and doing a life of crime. He was lucky, she was not.
When he got back to the hideout, he carefully placed her in his bed. He briefly thought about getting her into some clean clothes but then decided it would be an invasion of privacy so instead he pulled the blanket up to her chin and placed his spare clean clothes on the nightstand by the bed. He quietly shut the door behind him and decided to get to work on finding out who was sleeping in his bed in the other room.
Nightwing started with searching the bag, dumping it's contents out on the metal table in front of him. A hair brush and tooth brush clatter on the table, followed by an extra set of clothes that were just as dirty as the one's she was wearing and then a notebook. Nightwing took the dark blue notebook in his hands and opened the cover. Inside there was writing scribbled at the top. "Happy Birthday Y/N. I know you'll do great things in life and I hope you fill this book with all of your great adventures, Love, Mom'. Other than a first name, there was no identification. Nightwing turned to the first page and began reading.
Entry 15 - June 13th - dated two years prior from present time.
My mom committed suicide a week ago today. My dad says it's my fault because I'm such a difficult child. I don't know why she would leave me alone. I just wish my mom was here.
Entry 23 - May 5th
'My dad gets angrier by the day. I wish my mom was still here, then maybe he wouldn't hate me anymore. Either way, I'm counting down the days until I am able to get out here once and for all. Until then, I guess I will have to keep hiding the bruises.'
Entry 24 - May 12th
'My dad kicked me out today.. told me he couldn't stand to look at me anyone and as far as he was concerned, I could go die in a ditch. He punched me and tried to strangle me. I manage to kick him off and he chased me. I was only able to grab a few things before I escaped out my bedroom window. I don't know where to go from here.'
Nightwing skipped ahead to the most recent one dated with today's date.
Entry - 30
To whoever cares to read this,
I tried my best.
Y/N
Nightwing flipped through the rest of the blank pages and stopped when he came across a plastic bag filled with white powder. He sighed as he examined it's contents. "Well this would explain some things."