I waited on the rooftop, the one Wintergreen told me to go to, but it'd already been what felt like hours. Surely he hadn't lasted this long, he was getting older and Father had an edge with his abilities. He would win in a fight.

Most of which I didn't inherit.

When Dick and I first escaped, I hadn't stopped to really see the city, understandably, but still. I could see why Dick loved it so much.

The lights were twinkling, traffic moving lazily, so many people unaware of the danger we'd brought.

Must be nice.

A pair of footsteps had me hiding as best I could on a roof. They weren't Wintergreens', most certainly not Father. They were too light for either of them.

"Maddie?" He whisper shouted. "Are you here?"

It was Dick, not even the real one I don't think.

"Wintergreen told me to come here and to take you far away while he handles Slade"

Hallucination Dick couldn't have known that. Unless of course he was lying. But why would he seek me out, he could just appear. Cautiously, I leaned out of the shadows, doing a cursory check to make sure he hadn't been followed. "How do I know you're real?"

Dick's shoulders sagged in relief, his mask doing nothing to hide the fatigue he carried. "It's the hallucinations right?" He took a step toward me. "The ones you used to get?" I shook my head. "No? Was it me this time?"

I let him approach, curious to see if it was really him or some cruel trick my mind was playing on itself.

As soon as I was within reach, he pulled me into his chest, holding me as close as he could. He let out a breath, resting his chin on my head. "I thought I lost you"

Hallucinations couldn't touch me.

Closing my eyes, I allowed myself to melt into the touch, happy to finally have him again. The real him. "Aren't you angry with me?"

"Never" he tightened his grip. "Just don't shove me through the zeta beams and give yourself up ever again, okay?"

I laughed, burying my head in his chest. "Wintergreen, when he found out.."

"I know Princess." Dick soothed. "I know. He contacted me, don't know how, and told me the plan. He understood why we ran"

Before I could respond, a sudden explosion across town took us both by surprise, we jumped apart in time to see the destruction. The flames billowed high enough to be seen and the smoke was everywhere, already beginning to blanket the city.

"That's-"

"Where Slade is" Dick grabbed my hand. "You don't think-"

"Wintergreen, he's still there" I tried to move forward, tried to go to the man who was always kind to me, but Dick held me back, even as I tried desperately to get out of his grip. "Let me go" Tears began to spill from my eyes.

"It's too dangerous," He warned. "We have to get somewhere safe, if Slade survived, then he's going to come after us again, but it'll be so much worse"

Dick began to pull me away, and I let him do it.

Wintergreen was dead.

The sound of a sword clattering against the rooftop startled me. Dick immediately stepped in front of me as a figure climbed up.

He was bloody, barely recognizable but I'd know him anywhere.

"Wintergreen" I sighed in relief, darting toward him. He made it, almost immediately collapsing as he held his side.

"Are you alright?" Dick knelt beside me, helping me turn the wounded man onto his back.

"Gettin' too old to be fighting enhanced people" he groaned, fighting to stay conscious.

"Wintergreen, I need to know Slade's status" Dick pulled a first aid kit out of his belt, immediately searching out the worst of the wounds.

Poor man didn't even have any armor to protect him.

"Dead" he coughed, bloody spittle flying out of his mouth. "I managed to blow him up" he grinned, his teeth a disturbing red. "Won't be bothering anyone else"

I took his hand gently as Dick worked. "How did you win?" All odds had been stacked against the older man. Slade had enhancements, age, and agility on him.

"Even with all his fancy stuff, I'm still more experienced" Wintergreen chuckled. "His pride was his downfall"

The reality finally hit me, Slade was dead. Gone. Wouldn't be able to hurt me ever again. Relief flooded my body and I leaned back against my heels.

"Ok, that should hold until we can get you to the med bay" Dick had blood on his suit, staining the normally bright blue into a horrifying shade. "You're sure he's dead?"

"Pretty damn sure" Wintergreen nodded.

"We're gonna lift you, ready?" Without waiting for confirmation, Dick and I worked together to pull Wintergreen to his feet. In a feat of strength, Dick got the man over his shoulder in a fireman's carry, though he was obviously struggling with the weight. "Let's get to the zeta tubes"

I grabbed the sword, remembering it at the last second as we made our way toward the rooftop stairwell. Hopefully this building's tenants wouldn't be around long enough to see Wintergreen.

Police were probably focused on the compound anyway.

The old phone booth thankfully wasn't far, Dick had me take his hologlove, too busy trying to make sure the man he carried stayed up and alive, to pull up our destination, distractedly handing me a pair of sunglasses as well, both of which I took.

The last thing we hear before the blinding light took over was 'recognized Nightwing B02, guest F02, guest F03'