Dick could hear his heart beat reverberating in his ears. He had spent way too much time and money down at OFallon’s last night to be of much use today. There was a vague recollection of the inside of a church but, with the state he was in, he couldn’t tell if that was a dream or not. 

He should have just ignored the phone when it started ringing. He knew who was on the other end, the thought sending a chill down his spine that spurred him from his restless sleep. The thought of letting it ring over and over again occurred to him but he knew she wouldn’t stop. It would keep ringing and ringing until he had enough and picked up the receiver. Of course, if he didn’t answer, she would just show up anyways and he really, really didn’t want that to happen. Not when he didn’t have his wits about him. 

Rolling over in bed with a groan, his body protested every single movement, his hand clutched at the phone awkwardly. “Yea...fuck, right now?...alright, alright, just calm down...yes, I’ll be there...oh, would you just stop...I said I’ll be there. So you can leave me the fuck alone right now.”

Dick slammed the receiver down hard, causing the phone itself to jump a bit. He didn’t need this aggravation now. Or ever really. He thought he had left her in the past but that goddamn phone call in Vegas fucked that all up. Why did he panic? And why the hell was she the first one he thought of calling? Fuck their unfinished business, it was that way for a reason. 

He did trust her though. Not in the conventional sense by any stretch of the imagination. He trusted her to look after her interests and her well being before his in absolutely every way possible. He could trust that she would sell him up the river as soon as he wasn’t of any use to her. That was always her go to move. If there was one person that taught him of betrayal, it was definitely Katrina.

It was a bit of a struggle but, somehow, Dick managed to drag himself up and out of bed. He was still wearing his clothes from the night before, the strong smell of whiskey and cigarette smoke seemingly engrained into his clothing. He thought about saying fuck it and just going as he was to their meeting. That would surely piss her off. She always needed things to be exactly as they should. That would just mean more aggravation for him though and at the moment, he was in the business of avoiding that altogether.

Dick stumbled a few times but he finally did manage to get dressed, plopping down on the couch for just a moment to tie his shoes, any longer and he probably would have fallen back asleep right there as well. He tried to bury down the emotion as best he could, now wasn’t the time to let that take control. He needed to be cool, calm and collected, anything else and she wouldn’t pick up on it immediately. She could always read him better than most, a fact Dick absolutely hated. 

Dragging his feet just a bit, Dick finally made it to the front door. He hesitated for a long moment with his hand on the knob. Maybe he could make a break for it. Try to find another city to lay low for a while. He quickly shook that idea out of his head, if she wanted too, she would find him and it didn’t matter where he went. It always seemed like she was a step ahead of him. Another fact that he languished in. 

He took a deep breath as he licked the door behind himself. It wasn’t very far to their meeting place, he wouldn’t be surprised if she chose that because of the state that he was in. She probably knew exactly what he was doing exactly when he was doing it.  

Dick didn’t move any faster or slower than usual. He kept the same pace, forcing himself to stay even keeled. He was obviously rattled but he didn’t need her knowing that. He let his mind wander on the walk. She seemed pretty adamant on the phone earlier that he be there as soon as possible. That made him be in no rush whatsoever though. If she was going to have the upper hand, he was going to take his shots whenever he could. 

He drew a deep breath as he paused for a moment at the coffee shop door. She always enjoyed her coffee after all, it shouldn’t have surprised him that she would like to meet him here. He was actually ok with it, a nice public place like this might just keep her from twisting the blade after she jammed it into his back. 

As his body fought against it, Dick pulled the door open and walked in with the most casual strut he could come up with at the moment. Immediately he saw her sitting a few tables away. She didn’t move an inch as the door swung open but he knew that she knew he was there. It was just another one of her mind games.

A flash of thought crossed his mind to pull out his colt and be done with this right now but, with the amount of witnesses and innocents he knew he’d spend the rest of his life in jail if he did. Katrina was nothing if not smart. 

He made his way to her table cautiously, scanning the room as he moved. He doubted that she would be alone, she always had a back up plan and then another just in case. 

”What do you want Katrina?” Dick immediately regretted the question as soon as he asked it.

”Good morning, Dick.” She couldn’t hide her knowing smile or fire in her eyes but Dick just assumed that she didn’t want too, “I’m going to need you now.”

“Of course you are.” Dick stated dismissively. He really wanted no part of this.

”You could always say no, ya know.” Her lips wrapped in a vicious smile. She knew she had him in the palm of her hand otherwise, he wouldn’t have shown up.

”Would you just get on with it already? I want this to be over so I never have to see you again.” He didn’t mean to but, Dick nearly spat his words out. 

She let out a deep laugh that shook him to his core, “Oh, Dick, such a feisty one you are! You still think that you have any say in this at all. Such a cutie.”

”I’m done with your fucking games, Katrina.” He leaned forward on his elbows, resting them atop the table, “Yes, I owe you. But after whatever the fuck this is, I’m done. You’re going to go on your merry little way and we’re never going to see each other again.”

”There you go again, thinking that you’re the one calling the shots. You are going to do what I say, when I say and we both know that is exactly what you’re going to do. Don’t forget our history.”

”Fuck our history, Katrina. You’re just a nameless face to me now.”

Dick thought that his comment might get under her skin but, she showed no signs of it. She truly was the one in complete control now. She didn’t say anything for a long moment as she sipped at her coffee, her eyes scanning him up and down. Something had changed in him in all the years that passed, she could clearly see that now but, he still owed her and he wasn’t the type to renege like that. “Even after all these years, Dick, I still know you better than you know yourself.”

Dick scoffed out loud, she wasn’t wrong but he didn’t want her to know that. She didn’t need to know about his wandering thoughts as he would drift off to sleep. She didn’t need to know that there weren’t many days that went by that he wasn’t wondering where she was or what she was doing. There was unfinished business there, the kind he had been spending the last few years trying to get away from. She was the embodiment of everything that he was trying to escape for so long.

He let out a soft sigh as a sign of compliance. He couldn’t figure out how the hell to get away from this if he didn’t actually know what it was. Knowing her, it could have been anything from stealing to murder and each and everything in between. 

Fuck, he wished he ignored those phone calls.

”Yea, yea, yea. Just tell me what the hell you want so that I can tell you to go fuck yourself and be on my way.”

”Oh, no, no, no, Dick. That’s not how this works and you know it. I need something from you and you’re going to come through for me.”

Dick was screwed, she still seemed to be a few steps ahead of him, “What do you need?” He couldn’t hide the disappointment in his voice but then again, he didn’t try very hard.

”You’re going to use your connections with the department.” A terrifyingly calm smile spread cross her face, “And then you’re going to do what needs to be done.”

Her request really shouldn’t have surprised him but for some reason it did. He knew beforehand that it was going to turn into something like this. Part of him was just hoping that he was wrong. ”No, I’m not. That isn’t going to happen.”

His defiance only made her smile spread, “Yes, you are. We both know that you are.” She sipped at her coffee, never taking her eyes off of him. “Drop the tough guy act and fall in line already. I really don’t have the time for this.” Something in her voice had changed, something subtle that only he would notice but it sent a chill up and down his spine.

”Why?” He wasn’t really sure why he even asked, he doubted that she would give him a straight answer anyways. 

”That really isn’t your concern, now is it?”

”The fuck it isn’t!” He slammed his fist hard on the table before he even realized it, the other patrons eyes immediately falling to him. Oh, great, he didn’t need any more attention at this time. Forcing himself to lower his voice to something more akin to a growl he went on, “You’re asking me to kill someone without telling me why? Fuck that noise. You aren’t the only one around here, if you’re asking this of me, you’re in trouble too. Trouble that you can’t seem to get yourself out of.”

For the briefest of moments, he thought he saw a crack in her exterior. The smile faded a bit but the fire in her eyes just seemed to intensify. He wants to sure if she was still playing him or not but she bowed her head slightly, “There are...certain things that I need to protect. You’re going to help me do that.”

”Listen, Katrina, I don’t give a fuck what you’re trying to protect. That’s not my problem. Not in the slightest.”

The cracks in her armor quickly covered back up, “It sure is. They are your children too.”

Dick’s mouth fell agape as the words escaped her lips. “How-uhm-wh-what...” he managed to stutter out.

He had to give her credit, she didn’t break character at all. She kept her eyes on him, slightly reveling in the fact that she sprung another one on him. He was visibly shaking now in front of her. “Twins.” She stated matter of factly, “Jason and Emma. They are five now.”

Dick wanted to bolt in that moment. He had known her for long enough and well enough by now to known that she wouldn’t lie to him about something like this. “I-uhm-what?” 

”You heard me. You are the one stuttering here, not me.”

”How?” Was all he could manage to spit out.

”Well, you see, when two people love each other-“

Dick cut her off almost immediately, “You know what the fuck I mean!” Dick could feel that outburst drawing all of the eyes in the coffee shop on him. He forced himself to lower his voice as he leaned closer to her, the wheels spinning in his head, “Are-are they ok? Where are they?”

”For the time being,” this seemed like just another day in the park for her, “as long as you hold up your end of the deal.”

Unfortunately, for Dick, there was no way of telling if she was lying or not. She always had a way of manipulating him and this certainly fell into that category. There was something there, behind the fire in her eyes. It very well might have been fear but that wasn’t anything she had shown before. 

Fuck. She wasn’t messing around this time. The sly smile she kept going was enough to tell him that she had him exactly where she needed him now.

”Fine.” He finally conceded, “Tell me the plan.”

Dick sat with that stunned look on his face as she detailed her plans. He was trying to force himself to pay attention but, rightfully so, his thoughts were else where. How could she just gloss over the fact that he was a father, to twins none the less? Dick tried to keep his composure but he could feel that slipping, Katrina must have noticed it as well.

”Listen, Dick. All you have to do is take care of this one thing and I’ll be gone.” She was the one with cracks forming now. He was seeing her in a different light now and it made his stomach churn, “This isn’t for me or for you. I didn’t come back to fuck your life up. That phone call you made from Vegas, it happened at the exact time that they needed you.”

They needed him. Fuck. He couldn’t turn his back again.

Dick rubbed at the back of his neck as he thought about pulling the flask from his jacket pocket before deciding against it, “So, you want my connections with the department. And then what? Go out and murder someone?”

”Yes.” She didn’t even bother looking up from her coffee. 

”Fuck that. I don’t even know if you’re serious or not.”

From across the table she reached out, finding his hand with hers, “This isn’t for me Dick. They’re in trouble-“

”They’re fucking five years old? What trouble could they be in.”

Katrina’s shoulders slumped slightly although she did her best to hide it. She was practically pleading with him now, another thing that she had never done before, “You know the line of work I’m in. We are in trouble, Dick. You are the only person I could come too.”

Her words shook him to his very core. She knew how to play him but this felt...different somehow. This wasn’t a game to either of them anymore. Dick couldn’t help himself now. He said fuck it to himself as he slipped the small flask out of his pocket, taking a large swig as discreetly as he could. The familiar burn helped a bit but not much, “Just give me a name. I need more information if this is ever going to work.” He resigned himself to fate in that moment. 

”Sebastian Alcave. I had a few run ins with him before. I don’t know how he found out about them. I covered my tracks the way you taught me too but it wasn’t enough. I found this a day or two after your call.” She reaches into the small purse sitting on the table beside her, pulling out a folded piece of paper and handing it to him. 

Dick took it cautiously, none of this was making sense in his head now. With somewhat numb fingers he unfolded the paper slowly. In fancy calligraphy writing it simply read, I know and they will pay for you.

What the fuck had he gotten himself into now. He should have just forgotten all about it, leave her to her own devices. But it wasn’t just her that was in trouble now. Sure, it was her doing but, two little five year olds were innocent in all of this. They didn’t get to decide who their parents were or what they did to get by.

Dick took another drink as she sipped her coffee, trying to work everything out in his mind. It wasn’t working too well though, he felt like he was underwater now, scratching and clawing his way back to the surface. He couldn’t stay there any longer, his mind was working overtime now. He stood slowly, reaching into his pocket and dropping a few crisp bills on the table, “I will let you know as soon as I find something.” 

He wanted to run. Get on a train or plane or a fucking boat at this point but he knew that he couldn’t do that. He lost his parents when he was young, he’d be damned if he was going to do that to Jason and Emma as well. He took an awkward step towards her, leaning close, “When this is all over, you and I are going to have a long, long sit down.”

Dick didn’t wait for her response before turning to leave, he wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of knowing exactly how shook he was at the moment. He had plenty else to deal with now and he wasn’t going to wait on it any longer.