23 Chapter 23

"It's fine. It's just a friendly date. Plus, I'm not seeing anyone." Rose Wilson smiled at Terry.

Terry was still a statue. He is so embarassed about what just happened. His body creaked as he willed his body to move.

"S-s-sorry..."

"I told you, It's fine."

But Terry was still overcome with shock and couldn't move.

"You were going this way, right?" Rose grabbed his arm and dragged Terry whose movements were stiff.

They got to the ice cream parlor eventually as Terry somehow managed to get over his slip-up. Rose was just kind, that's why.

"What flavor do you usually get?" Rose asked.

"Huh? W-what?" But Terry was still spaced out.

"Get over it, McGinnis. I told you, it's fine. Stop stressing about it. Now, what flavor do you usually get?" She said in a serious tone.

"I usually get the blueberry cheesecake one." He finally replied properly.

"Good." Rose smiled thinly then faced the counter. "Two blueberry cheesecake ones please."

She handed Terry his ice cream after paying for it. "Here. My treat."

"Thanks." Terry said with a wry smile.

"I knew you'd straighten yourself out if I talked to you all business-like. Kori does it all the time with Dick." Rose said with a chuckle.

They found a place to sit outside the shop and ate their ice cream there.

"Why are you in the titans, Rose?" Terry asked as he took a spoonful of ice cream.

"They're my second family. We take care of each other. Plus, all of us has a sense of duty to protect by having these abilities."

"It's not just because Nightwing does it and you all have to help him because he's your friend?"

"It was like that at first, but after a while, we got why he does it. The trouble that he gets into on his own, though." Rose shook his head with a smile. "That guy has a big sense of responsibility despite not having powers like us. He's kind of like you in that way. But I feel like your sense for duty is greater than his. He's kind of lax on some areas...."

Rose went on talking about the Titans and their adventures together. How Cyborg eats even though he doesn't have a digestive system. Beast boy's powers getting out of control. Their run-in with Raven's father who was an actual demon. Kori's familial problems and how she and Rose formed a sisterly bond because of it. Dick being dick. How aqualad later joined and others.

Terry talked about how he grew up in Gotham. His father's death and how it affected his family. His experience growing up with gang violence and how he somehow survived without getting killed.

There are times Rose frowned listening to him knowing that everything that happened to Terry was caused by her father, but Terry didn't put the blame on her and continued talking about his brother. Matt McGinnis is a special existence in Terry's life that reminded him how he and his father used to be. His little brother made his and his mom's lives bearable because of the joy he brought to them.

"...I think my mother spoils him too much." Terry said to Rose.

Rose laughed. "No. She just wants to give him what you had."

"He has a girlfriend and she said she was okay with it. He's eleven, Rose." Terry said seriously like a strict brother and Rose laughed at him.

"Terry?"

Terry looked at the direction of someone mentioning his name."

It was his little brother, Matt McGinnis.

"Matt! Why are you here?"

"We're getting some ice cream?" He pointed at a little girl about his age next to him.

"Is that Stacy?" Terry asked him.

"Yeah."

"Hi!" The little girl cutely waved her hand at Terry.

Rose's and Terry's hearts melted by sheer cuteness.

Rose had her hands to her mouth and chest as she gasped. Stacy was just that cute.

"Do you want big brother Terry to buy you some ice cream?" And Terry got overprotective like she was his own sister.

"I'm already buying her one." Matt raised his arm and stood his ground against his big brother.

"Well, aren't you a little man now." Terry teased.

"I am." He proudly said as he thumped his chest.

Terry wanted to bully him so bad but he held back because he doesn't want Stacy to think his little brother is uncool. 'You owe me this one.' He thought.

"Who is she?" Matt pointed at Rose.

"She's ummm...she's a friend." Terry said and looked at Rose with a thin smile.

Rose smiled back at him. Terry didn't see Rose just as deathstroke's daughter anymore. She's someone he confided with and now is his friend.

"You liar. You got a girlfriend didn't you?" Matt said as he crossed his arms and made a smug smile.

"I-" Terry's cheeks got flushed. He glanced at Rose, who couldn't look at him, blush too. "I didn't! And so what if I did!"

"I'll tell mom!"

Tak!

Terry flicked Matt's forehead.

The sound of the flick was so loud. The flick was so strong that Matt's forehead got beet red.

Matt crouched as he held his forehead that felt like it was burning. His eyes became watery because of the pain. He looked up at Terry who was making a devilish smile. Terry didn't want to lose in a battle with his kid brother and gave up holding back for his sake.

"Are you going to cry?" Terry teased him.

"N-no."

"Awww. I guess you and Stacy should go buy some ice cream now, huh?" Terry said and took something out of his pocket. "Here's some money. Look. Stacy is getting scared because of you~." He pointed at Stacy who was covering her mouth to prevent her from screaming from fear of the being in front of her.

"L-let's go, Stacy." Matt surrendered and grabbed stacy into the ice cream parlor.

Terry laughed out loud. He looked at Rose who wasn't impressed.

"What?"

"Don't act like you don't know." Rose rested her chin on her hand and raised an eyebrow.

"Ah. He was being a brat and he knows it. He has to be straightened out like that sometimes." Terry said in a matter-of-fact manner with his arms closed.

They left the table they were sitting at and started walking in the direction of Terry's house. Before they knew it, the sky was already getting darker. The street lights started to turn on.

"So, you're staying at Wayne Manor?" Terry asked.

"Yeah. Alfred gave me a room." Rose replied.

"He gave you a room??" Terry widened his eyes.

"Yeah. What about it?"

"N-nothing." Terry was upset about Alfred giving him a couch to sleep on instead of an actual bed when he stayed over the night they met. "I'll give you a ride." He said.

"That would be nice. Gotham cab drivers aren't very kind. I had a fight with one earlier before I knocked at your door."

Terry chuckled. "Yeah, they really aren't."

They arrived at Terry's house. Terry put in the passcode to enter. "Mom~"

Terry's mother who was sitting on the couch turned her head. "Oh, Terry. How was your date? Where's Rose?"

"She's waiting for me outside. I'll take her to the place she's currently staying at on my bike." He deliberately ignored her first question.

"Okay~" Mary McGinnis said happily.

Terry doesn't want to know what his mother is thinking now. He ran quickly up the stairs and took the keys to his bike and the utility belt that was already done charging.

"I'm off!" Terry said as he ran towards the door. He took two helmets that was on a shelf near him.

"Take care." Mary turned around. "Say hi to Rose for me!"

"I will!" Terry said before he closed the door behind him.

"What happened?" Rose asked him after he came back.

"She said to tell you she says hi." Terry said as he hopped on his motorcycle and gave a helmet to Rose. "Hop on."

Rose hopped on the motorcycle seat just behind Terry then, they both put on their helmets.

"Grab onto me." He said as he revved up the engine.

Vroom Vroom Vrooooom.

They set off towards Wayne Manor.

The cold wind was hitting them but both of them were warm. Rose clung onto Terry as they sped through Gotham's streets. Her cheek and chin rested on Terry's back. Rose could feel Terry's irregular heartbeat but she didn't mind. Terry tried his best to calm himself down and not to increase his heart rate that's why it was irregular.

Rose lifted her head as the motorcycle started slowing down. The large gate of Wayne Manor entered her vision. They slowed down until they reached a complete stop.

"We're here." Terry said as he glanced behind him.

"Yeah." Rose said in a rueful tone. She didn't want to get off the motorcycle too soon.

Rose regretfully hopped off the motorcycle and Terry got off too. They placed their helmets on the motorcycle as they head to the gate.

Eek eek eek.

The iron door beside the large gate creaked as the wind blows. It was locked but the bolts were loose.

"That's noisy." Rose said as she entered the passcode given to her by Alfred.

"Yeah. I'll fix that next time."

"Oh right. Your Alfred's attendant."

Before going inside, she turned her heel and faced Terry.

"I had fun. Thanks." Rose said as she smiled.

"I'm glad you had fun. Even though it was just a friendly date." Terry said with a chuckle as he scratched the back of his head.

"Oh...right." Rose said with a wistful smile.

'Damn it, Terry! You didn't have to say that.' Terry cursed himself in his mind.

They stood there in front of each other for a while. Both having something to say but couldn't.

"Well, then," Rose broke the silence first. "Good night." she said with a faint smile.

"Y-yeah...Good night." Terry said as he looked away.

Rose also looked away with a disappointed smile. She didn't want it to be over but it was.

Eek eek eek. The noisy creaky door signaled that it was time.

She turned around...

Eeeek.

The door suddenly opened as the wind blew before she got her other foot to land when she was turning. It hit her shoulder.

"Ah!"

Terry noticed this and was quick to move. "Rose!"

Luckily, he caught her before she fell.

Rose looked up at Terry who caught her. Her hands were on his shoulders and his hands were on her waist.

"Th-thanks." She said

"N-no problem." He said as he held her up to stand properly.

After Rose fixed her posture, they began to stare at each other.

Now should be the time they let go, but they didn't.

They gazed into each other's eyes as their faces inched closer. Until they could feel the warmth of each other's breath. They closed their eyes and shared a passionate kiss.

They paused and looked at each other.

"We probably shouldn't be doing this." Rose said as she grabbed Terry's head and pulled him close.

They kissed again.

"We shouldn't" Terry said before kissing Rose again.

They both know that if they do this, it wouldn't end well because their backgrounds are complicated, but that didn't matter now.

Terry started kissing on her neck.

"Should we go inside?" Rose said as she panted.

Terry kissed her from her neck back to her lips.

Their lips interlocked as Terry replied...

"Yes."

It was a cold night, but they kept each other warm all throughout.

-Meanwhile at the Commissioner's office-

"So, that's where you hide it all, you son of a bitch." Barbara mischievously smiled as she looked at her computer that was connected to the tracer that Terry planted.

The location didn't show any connection to Derek Powers on paper and yet he was there.

Knock knock knock.

"Come in."

The door to her office opened "Commissioner. Someone left this for you." It was her subordinate holding a small package. "We already opened it in case it was something malicious but it wasn't. It looks like a gadget of some sort. We didn't read the letter that came with it."

"Thanks. You can go now." Barbara said as she examined the curious device.

She oppened the letter.

The letter read...

-From Deathstroke

Her eyes widened at the contents.