FAMILY TIES

Nightwing runs and jumps across the roof tops, calling into Officer Yin.

"Yin, I figured it out. Author Brown is the girls biological father, the state took her away from him because of his mental state. He must have remembered Sanders as the officer who came to get her. They might be at a place called Crescent Hill."

"Crescent Hill is an abandoned neighborhood on the outskirts of Bludhaven. Arthur must have lived there before." Yin says.

Nightwing finally makes it to Crescent Hill.

"Alright, I'm here. If I don't call back in thirty minutes, send some of your men down here."

"Wait wha-"

Before Yin could finish her sentence, Dick hangs up. He then touches the side of his mask and turns on his infrared lenses. After looking around for a moment, he sees to heat signatures in one house.

Meanwhile, the girl is pulling on the chain with all her strength, not being able to get loose. She then hears a noise at the door and quickly stops out of fear. As the door begins to open, tears start to form in her eyes and she starts to tremble. When Nightwing walks through the door, she is startled but still relieved. Dick quickly signals for the girl to be quiet so Arthur won't hear them.

"Everything's gonna be ok. I'm gonna get you out of here." He whispers.

He quickly picks the lock, freeing her from the chain around her leg. Dick then grabs her hand and the two leave the room. When they head towards the door, Arthur tackles Dick into a wall.

"Stephanie, run!" Dick yells.

She does what he says, running off.

"Wait, don't go!" Arthur yells.

He gets angry at Dick and tries to throw him across the room, but the hero easily flips out of it. He then tries to reason with Arthur.

"Arthur listen to me. You're not well, you need to come with me back to the hospital."

"I'm not going back! I won't let anyone take her away from me!"

"You killed someone tonight, Arthur! Do you really want her to keep seeing you like this?! Like a monster?!"

Arthur doesn't answer and just charges at Dick. He throws a punch, but Nightwing dodges and kicks him in the leg.

"I don't want to hurt you, Arthur."

Arthur quickly grabs Dick by the head and slams his face into the table over and over again. He then wraps his hands around his throat and lifts him up into the air.

"Ok, maybe you should try not to hurt me." Dick says.

He then throws him back first onto the ground. Arthur picks Nightwing back up by the throat, but he punches him across the face. Arthur throws a punch of his own that Dick easily ducks and slams his forearm into the back of his head. He then grabs his arm and flips him to the ground. Arthur tries to get back to his feet, but Dick knees him in the face and kicks him in the chest.

The scarred man then gets back to his feet, grabs Dick by the arm and throws him into the wall. He then picks him up and slams him on the kitchen table near by. Dick quickly wraps his leg around his arm and slams his head into the table. Arthur grabs his other leg pulls him off of the table and to the ground. He reaches for Dick again, but he gets kicked in the leg and in the face. As he stumbles back, he is hit over the head with a frying pan by Stephanie, knocking him out cold.

Stephanie drops the pan as her hands start to shake. Shen looks up at Dick with tears in her eyes.

"Is it true? Is he really my..." Stephanie can't even finish the question.

Dick hesitates for a moment, finally nodding his head yes to the question. Stephanie starts to cry hysterically and Dick quickly runs to comfort her. She wraps her arm around him, crying into his stomach as he puts his hand on her head.

Later as Dick puts handcuffs on Arthur, he sees Stephanie sitting on the porch. He walks outside and sits with her until the cops come.

"I know this is a stupid question, but. Are you ok?" He asks.

Stephanie stays silent for a minute.

"I always knew I was adopted. I also knew that my parents were most likely screwed up. But this... it's just... too much to take in."

Dick looks at the girl with a somber look on his face.

"You know, I was basically raised by a man who dressed up as a Bat and beat the crap out of people. He was... a very complicated guy. But, even though we have our issues now. I still know that he cares about me. Your father isn't a bad guy, he's... damaged. He loves you, he just needs help right now. And I know you probably don't want to hear this but, he needs you in his life. So that he can become whole again. It's up to you, what happens next, but whatever you decide to do. There's no changing the fact that he's your father. So don't try to hide that."

Tears fall down Stephanie's face again, but she smiles at Dick and nods.

"Thank you. For everything."

Dick smiles and nods back.

Police sirens are then heard off in the distance. Stephanie turns in their direction, but when she turns back around, Nightwing is gone.