"Let me get this straight..." Nightwing trails off, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"You made Jason slap you?"

I roll my eyes, arms folded over my chest. "Yes. No. That's not-... It's a power I have." We're at Ginger's house in the living room. I am trying to explain Jason's outburst.

"But why would you make him hit you? That doesn't-"

 "I can exploit someone. Say a woman was on trial for beating her husband. There are few who would believe the typical roles can be reversed. All I would have to do is concentrate my power on her and she herself will reveal even her darkest secrets. I win the case. She goes to jail. The husband gets justice. Sometimes I can't control it though. Yesterday I obviously upset Jason and lost control of my power. It then caused him to... to hit me. He wanted to. It doesn't mean he was going to."

"How do you know it was your power?"

"I felt a buzz in my hands. That usually happens."

Nightwing stares at me like he doesn't believe me.

"I can prove it," I challenge, stepping closer to him.

"What are you going to make me do?" He asks.

I clench my hands tightly until they begin buzzing. I watching him carefully, trying to establish some connection.

"Tell me what you think of my sister," I state lowly, watching him. Nightwing suddenly tenses as he begins speaking the truth.

"In public she acts like a slut and I don't know why. Maybe it's because I do that sometimes too. I'm trying to hurt her. She's trying to hurt me. We both deserve each other because we're equally terrible. I know she doesn't love me but I love her. I also hate her name. And her hair."

When he finishes his rushed words, he falls onto the lounge. I end up laughing at him. "You see? I can make the truth come out. Now, I can extend that power by making someone commit a desire. In this case, Jason's desire was to hit me for whatever I said. I made it happen."

Nightwing recovers after a few seconds. "Well he'll forgive you for that, but he won't forgive you for kicking his ass."

I sigh and rub my head. "Yeah, I have a thing about guys hitting girls," I mumble. Nightwing is silent for a moment, so I frown at him.

"You've got to be one of the strangest girls I've ever met," he says.

"Thanks."

For the next few hours I watch the television as Nightwing talks to some other superheroes about TIPA on a monitor. 

It gets cold quickly and I start to wish I was back in Jason's apartment; because it was always warm there. I don't think he ever turns his heater on.

I walk off into the bathroom when the news finishes. I turn the shower on and strip. When I look up in the mirror I see the bite marks Jason left.

Goosebumps riddle my skin as I think about that night. Things have come back to me. What we did, how we did it, the amount of times and who was better.

After taking a shower I change into some of the clothes I had left here a while ago. I don't think I'll be sleeping, somehow.

I stride across the room to the dresser and pick up my brush. Before I can begin on my hair, I hear something fall over in the hallway.

"Nightwing?" I call out. There is no reply.

I place the brush down as I take in how suddenly silent the apartment is. Quickly I pick up my gun from the bedside table and walk towards the door.

Heart rate elevated, I ready the gun and peak down the hallway. The lights are on and it's empty both ways. I head for the living room.

My uggs make little sound against the floor as I reach the open doorway. The TV is no longer on and I hear no sign of a presence.

Shaking, I peak around the corner.

Immediately I retract, because someone fires a gun at me. I press my back against the wall. There are sounds of someone being beaten up, before I hear Nightwing's voice.

"It's safe, DA Meadow," he says. I look back to see that the guy, along with several others dressed in the Brotherhood's clothes are are the floor.

"What happened?" I ask.

"Home invasion," Jason's voice says from behind me. I turn to see him leaning against the wall, helmet on, arms folded. Red Robin stand feet away.

There are words for Jason on the tip of my tongue, before something moves behind him. Before the Brotherhood member can attack, I pull my gun and shoot him in the shoulder.

With a cry he falls to the floor. Not dead, obviously, but injured. It's a short reprieve, because suddenly the door flies open and there are more flooding in.

"Get her out of here!" Nightwing shouts at Red. He takes his gun out and runs over to me. By then I've already taken a step into the hallway.

Jason stops in front of me, looks me over then holds his hand out slowly. I look at it, to his mask, then take his hand.

Immediately he's leading me to the window where the fire escape is. I open it and begin escaping as he fires shots at who ever comes after us.

"The roof!" He shouts. I comply and sprint the steps, gun in hand.  The city sparkled beneath with the dull sounds of fighting below. Seconds later Jason's beside me on the edge.

"Sugar Skull ever use grappling guns?" He asks, pulling one out.

"Duh," I mumble, but looking down causes me to grip his jacket.

He may be wearing that stupid helmet but I can imagine his smug face.

One arm around me as I lock my hands behind his neck, he fires to the next building and jumps. Despite the activities we've done together I don't think I've ever held on to him so tightly.

The wind rushes around us as we swing passed the building her grappled, towards another much further away. When we are close to the rooftop I let go of him and dodge roll forward, landing safely.

"Nice," I hear him comment, but there is no time fore anything else as we are sprinting down another fire escape. I barely keep up, being in black skinny jeans, a short fluffy parker coat and ugg-boots.

"Get in," he says as he slides across the bonnet of a black and red car parked in an alleyway. I do as he says silently for once. He pulls out and we are on the road.

"Will Nightwing and Red Robin be alright?" I ask.

"Fine. He should show up soon," he replies, referring to the Bat.

Do it. Say it.

"There's something I have to tell you," I begin.

"If it's an apology-"

"An explanation. I have the power to make people tell the truth and exploit their own desires," I blurt out. I assume he's frowning, but he looks at me.

"There's no record of you having a power."

"Because it's not obvious. It's why I can read people so well. I don't know what I said that made you angry enough to want to hit me, but the truth is you weren't going to hit me. I made you hit me. For that, I'm sorry," I get out, holding my hands up.

Jason nods slowly. "I accept your apology," he replies in a strange tone. "But you're also a bitch."

I find myself laughing, "Yeah. That's true."

For a while it's silent between us, but that's fine. It's late and it's cold, plus all I can think about is that oddly comfy bed in Jason's apartment.

"I'm sorry I teased you about your cat," he says out of the blue.

"Oh... Uh, apology accepted," I reply. It's a shock he even remembers.

We reach the apartment, the familiar street somewhat calming me. I open the door and step out. Jason opens the building doors and we walk up together, still silent.

By now he is Jason Todd again. He looks as handsome as usual; emerald eyes clouded by basic anger. He does however sport some facial injuries, courtesy of me.

"I'm also sorry for beating you up," I whisper. I hear him chuckle slightly.

"Venus, I hit you. You deserved to get me back," he says as he begins unlocking the door.

When it's open, it smells like cigars and heater air, which I find comforting. "How is that, by the way?" Jason asks. I'm confused until he is up close,peering at the bruise his hand had left.

"No big deal," I say with a small smile, swatting his hand away. I take my jacket off and turn the late night news on as he goes into his room. He begins speaking to Nightwing.

To think we had gone from screaming at each other in the car to being fine living together next is weird. I guess it shows that we are alike.

"Nightwing and Bats need to rethink and plan. Until then you'll need to stay here," Jason says when he walks back into the living room.

"Well that's... that's okay," I smile, despite missing luxury.

"Really?" He says, walking into the kitchen.

"Assuming we don't shoot each other," I reply, curling my legs under me on the couch.

When Jason comes over to me, he hands me a beer. "Don't you ever drink anything but this? Wine? Vodka?"

"No and no," he replies, sitting next to me. 

Now I can get a good look. There is the faintest of ring bruises around his eye. He must notice my discomfort, because he smirks.

"It's fine. Now I know you're good without a gun," he says, independently tapping his bottle against mine in commemoration. I roll my eyes and take a sip.

"Thought you already knew that," I let it slip out by accident. It comes of far dirtier than it's suppose to- but I find myself glad.

Jason's expressionless gaze never leaves mine as he leans over and places his beer down. He takes mine and does the same.

Just as it hits the table I spring forward and wrap my arms around his neck, my lips on his. He grabs my thighs and pull me onto him so we are chest to chest.

I push away his leather jacket  from his shoulders as the kiss deepens. He moves down my neck as I get to work on his armoured uniform. He helps until it's gone.

Pulling away, he lifts up my shirt and bra at the same time, immediately taking advantage of the newly exposed area.

As things go on we are both completely free of clothes, on the couch, him beneath me.

This is Jason Todd, AKA Red Hood, AKA an anti-hero. I've previously stated that I find him to be an obnoxious ass. Though that may be true, I want him.

So that night none of our fights or differences seem to matter as we make love on the couch and in his room. 

Why sleeping with this man who I have hit, been hit by, held a gun to, fought with, shouted at and hated seemed like the best thing to do I have no idea.

I still don't like him. I still think he's a criminal.

But it's an amazing night.