"Run Maddie!"

I jolted awake, clutching at the sheets of my borrowed bed. Curling in on myself was second nature as I pulled a pillow toward my chest, the darkness suffocating.

The unfamiliar room sent chills down my spine, even as I tugged my blanket around me tighter. It had an eerie resemblance to my old rooms in the many lairs that Slade lived in.

All uniform, all completely impersonal.

After tossing a couple of times, it became clear that I wouldn't be going back to sleep, restless as it always was.

Sighing, I stumbled toward the door where dim lighting filtered in the moment it slid open. The hallways began to flicker between reality and memory, the stone walls closing in on me.

I tried to take deep breaths, reminding myself where I was. That I wasn't back under his control.

There was a bright light at the end of the proverbial tunnel, I quietly made my way toward it, rubbing at my eyes.

"Well aren't you a sight" the voice made me freeze for a moment, fear shooting through my very bones as I straightened automatically, my body tense, it'd been the same one from my dream. "Hey, are you alright?"

The sound of Dick's voice made the panic melt away, my vision clearing as I relaxed. He was seated at the counter, dressed in civvies, his holocomputer open in front of him with his sunglasses perched on his nose.

"Hi" I moved to sit next to him, leaning my head against his shoulder.

"Couldn't sleep?" He resumed what he was doing. It looked like some sort of case. Probably one of the ones he tended to when we weren't moving.

He tried to keep up with Blüdhaven, make it appear as if Dick wasn't on the run. He tried to put on a show for the other heroes, to draw suspicion and attention away from himself and me.

Humming, I leaned more into his warmth. "Do you think it's safe to go back and get my stuff?"

I'd been here for a week, living mostly on borrowed clothes from Dick. "I have keepsakes there that I'd rather not get confiscated by my landlord."

"It's a risk. He's probably still watching it"

"I know," I sighed. "But I've kept those items since the day we escaped" I looped my arm through his, only slowing him down slightly. "They're important to me"

"It's not worth it, not with him so close." He leaned his head against mine.

Forcing the guilt down, I closed my eyes. Relishing in the safety I felt. I knew Dick would protect me, he had been doing it since the day we met.

"Alright." I relented. "We'll circle back when the coast is clear."

"I understand" Dick pressed a quick kiss to the top of my head. "And we will"

Curiously, I asked the question that'd been bothering me all week. "What did you tell Batman about me?"

"The basics. You were someone who's too smart for your own good that I promised protection to. He tried in a very Batman-like way to get more information but I didn't tell him anything he didn't need to know"

"How do you keep everything from him?" I wondered, then as an afterthought, added. "Or the rest of your friends for that matter"

"Years of practice"

I could practically hear his smirk. Before I could reply, someone new spoke. "What are the two of you doing up so late?"

From the angle I was sitting at, the newcomer, who I suspected was Wally, couldn't see my face. I quickly hid my face in Dick's chest, allowing him to curl his arm over my face, concealing my identity.

"I'm a Bat Wally, four in the morning is child's play" Dick spoke casually. "Although I'd appreciate it if you could run to Princess' room and grab her glasses so she doesn't have to sit like this"

"Fine" Wally huffed, a gust of wind indicating him running away. Then there was another as he approached, presumably handing my glasses to Dick.

I kept my head down as I shoved the darkened sunglasses onto my face, finally sitting up to face the speedster.

"Hi" I greeted, settling back into the position I'd held before. Dick was back to typing, the complicated code on the screen was confusing and I was glad I didn't have to try to understand it.

"What are you doing up Wally?" Dick questioned, his coding pace not slowing for a moment.

"Hungry." The teen mumbled as he sped to lean against the counter in front of us. "So what's the deal?"

"What do you mean?" I raised a brow, lifting my head off Dick's shoulder.

"It's just weird that you pop up out of nowhere, 'Wing won't say where you came from, just that you're an asset"

"I told you what I know" Dick adjusted his own sunglasses.

"Obviously not because the two of you are hiding something that not even Bats knows and he knows everything" Wally crossed his arms. I opened my mouth to reply, but was cut off by the red head. "And there's the fact that she knows who everyone in the league is. Which was something I thought only Batman and you knew. They're secret identities for a reason!"

Won't he be surprised when he finds out that I know the villains and antiheroes just as well.

"Relax Wally, it's not like she's going to spill state secrets to anyone" Nightwing shrugged.

"How can you be so calm about this? She knows your real name! That's something that I don't know and I'm your best friend!"

"I gave my word that I wouldn't" I responded easily. "And in my line of work, that's swearing on your life"

"What exactly is your line of work?" Wally tried to act casual, but Nightwing's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the teen.

"I told you, she's an associate of mine"

Wally held his hands up in defense. "I'm just curious"

"And acting out of character" Nightwing commented. "B put you up to this, didn't he?"

The speedster sighed, his shoulders sagging slightly. "You caught me" though he wasn't surprised by the turn of events.

"I told Batman everything I knew!" Dick huffed, crossing his arms. I set a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, falling into the role he'd silently given me.

"He's a paranoid guy, you know that" Wally sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "But if we're pointing out oddities, the two of you seem closer than just run of the mill allies"

Trauma will do that to you.

Dick and I glanced at each other, trying to come up with some sort of lie, but before either of us could, Wally stepped back, a look of disgust on his face. "Wait. The two of you aren't.." he trailed off, gesturing between us.

I couldn't figure out what he was referring to, but Dick apparently already did. "No. Definitely not" he then placed his hands over my ears, quietly yelling at the speedster for something.

Wally's face paled dramatically as he took several steps back, eventually turning on his heel and speeding out of the kitchen.

Reaching up to Dick's wrists, I gently pulled them away, sending him a look of confusion. "Why?"

"Don't worry about it, '' he shrugged, returning back to his coding. "You should go back to bed"

I shifted uncomfortably. I couldn't sleep alone. That's when my demons caught up to me.

"I'm not tired" I replied instead.

Dick paused, narrowing his eyes as his sunglasses slid down slightly. "You're having nightmares aren't you. That's why you're up" I shrugged noncommittally.

Freaking ability to read me.

Sighing, the former boy wonder picked up his holoscreen in one hand, grabbing mine with his other. He led us to the couch where he sat, pulling me with him. Within seconds, I was cuddled into his side, a blanket covering the both of us as he flicked on the television.

"Night" he whispered as my eyes began to droop, the familiar feeling of safety washing over me once again, something that only seemed to occur with Dick.

"Night" I mumbled.