Dick sighed as he turned the keys of his apartment and got in. His very empty, cold, lonely apartment. Evident from the fact that it was locked in the first place.

Jason had tried joking about the breakup to him, that it was now way easier for Dick to live in his apartment, without the ever-present threat of someone accidentally finding out about his Nightwing persona. He had offered a grimacing half-smile then, but the truth was, that the disadvantages far outweighed anything positive.

For one, there was no one to smile at him when he got home in the evening. No one to hug, no one to kiss, and no one to cuddle to sleep when Gotham and Bludhaven got too heavy.

He wasn't blaming his partner-no, he still wasn't ready to call them his ex just yet-ofcourse, it had been solely Dick's fault.

They had exclaimed to him one evening, one in a string of many where had been late, in a voice and expression so teary it had broken his heart, that they could no longer bear to continue being a second priority to Dick.

They accused him of not paying half as much attention to them as did to his work. They said they were done forever. They had asked why he wasn't replying, and had stormed off when he continued to stay silent.

This had happened a week ago, and Dick still didn't have an answer. What was he supposed to say? His mind was begging to just go to their house, fall at their feet and grovel. But he couldn't, in good conscience, promise to do better.

How could he? His Nightwing job ate him up every night and spat him out in the morning, well chewed up. His police job licked up all the remains slowly, steadily, throughout the day.

What could he offer them after all that? Nothing.

He sighed again, and was walking to his room, when the bell rang. He raised an eyebrow but walked cautiously towards the door. No one was scheduled to visit him today.

He opened the door, and choked on air. His ex- no, his current love was standing there, beautiful as ever.

"Babe?" He immediately cringed. Old habits die hard.