Set after issue six of Formerly Known As The Justice League, because I would love to see something happen between Babs and Ted. Just for fun, no real plot, but I always wanted these two together.
After their adventure with Manga Khan had finally been wrapped up (and after many, many hours of damage control in the local neighborhood and with the press) things had finally settled down (as much as they ever did, anyway) at the headquarters of the Super Buddies. Manga Khan had left, damages had been paid, and Max had finally made good on his promise to get rid of that horrible song on the answering machine.
So Ted Kord, alias the Blue Beetle, was more than a little surprised to get a phone call from Oracle.
"Hey Barb, what's up?" Ted asked, twirling the cord of the phone around his finger. Superheroes in the years 2000s, and they were still using a phone that attached to the wall. How he longed for cordless. "Your haven't heard something about the Captain the rest of us haven't?"
"No no, nothing like that," Barbara's voice assured. "As far as I know-and I would know-" here Ted heard a smile as she stated what for Oracle was merely a fact. Oracle in the superhero was synonymous with omniscience. "Actually, I was calling for you."
Ted jolted upright in surprise so fast he almost dropped the phone. "M-Me?" he stuttered out, mentally running through the list of anything bad he could have possibly done to get him in trouble with Barbara or the League. But for once, he came up short. The Super Buddies- (he was assuming here, after all-he hadn't seen Booster for a few hours) also currently had a clean slate. Ted shifted uncomfortably-he was twitching more being innocent then when he actually was guilty of something!
"Can I stop by your new headquarters later?" Barbara asked. "U-uh –s-s-sure!" Beetle replied nervously. "Though I gotta tell you-the place isn't-uh-much-yet! Peoples heroes and all-you know, tight budget."
"As long as it's not worse than that theme song you had, I know I'll love it "Barbara said Beetle thought he could actually hear her smiling into the phone. "See you at six!"
As the phone clicked off, Ted slowly hung up the phone in his hand, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he considered this situation.
He hated admitting it to himself, but ever since he had met Barbara, he had always had kind of a thing for her.
A big thing.
And her coming on what sounded like a social visit was-well…
Ted glanced up at the clock. One hour until she got there, and the place (and himself) looked like a dump.
He decided to save the introspection for a day the girls claimed the TV for watching Oprah and tidy up.
Later...
It was about ten till six, and Fire and Mary Marvel were watching an unusual scene.
For the last half hour, Ted Kord, alias the Blue Beetle, alias Mr.-Never-Cleans-Up-After-Making-Tacos-In-The-Kitchen (tacos which always exploded when he heated them in the microwave to make a sticky, salsa scented mess), was cleaning.
"Do you think something is wrong with his head?
Wide, innocent brown eyes were met with Beatriz's sultry green ones. "Oh, something's always been wrong with his head," she murmured lazily, flicking a page of a magazine she was using as camouflage as she spied subtly on Ted from behind it. Mary, however, preferred to stare openly and was leaning forward eagerly on her hands as she watched Ted dart to and fro around the room, straightening up and hiding empty soda cans. Beatriz looked at Mary watching Ted with the same rap interest she would watch Little House on the Prrie, sighed and rolled her eyes. The kid was sweet, but subtlety she lacked.
"I meant like what happened to Mister Gardner that one time. " Mary continued. Beatriz raised an eyebrow. "Mister" Gardner? "Billy said he got knocked on the head once-and bam!" Mary waved her hands dramatically." His whole personality changed!"
"I don't think this has to do with Beetles head, "Beatriz commented, watching as Ted began dutifully disposing of the last bag of stale chips. "I think this is a matter of the heart."
"Awwww-how sweet!" Mary gushed, clasping her hands together in front of her and making a face so cutesy it made Fire cringe. "Ted, why didn't you tell us you had a girlfriend!"
"She is not my girlfriend," Ted frowned, focusing on his work. "A female friend of mine is stopping by and I would just like for her not to see that most of the people living here at present are pigs-present company excluded, of course. "
"I heard that!" Sue yelled from the monitor room. "And I blame Ralph!"
"It must be nice to have a husband to blame things on," Bea mused thoughtfully. "I just blame Booster."
"You still haven't told us about your girlfriend-date Ted! "Mary chided. "What does she look like?"
"Not saying."
"Is she fellow crime fighter?"
"….."
"Do you think she's pretty?"
"..." Ted's ears slowly began to turn bright red.
"You think she's pretty!" Mary exclaimed, clasping her hands together excitedly. "It has to be a date at least if you think that-I knew she would be pretty if she dated you Ted!" Beatriz tried to stifle a laugh as Ted's ears began to burn brighter with Mary's comments. "What about her hair color? Is she blonde? Brunette? Redhead?"
"Someone thinking of a dye job?"
Beatriz watched Ted's shoulders froze, one hand in the air about to lob a ball of paper into the trashcan. It fell from his hand and hit the floor with a soft crackle. Bea turned, and was surprised to see the person who spoke was an attractive, intelligent looking woman in a wheelchair propelling herself through the doorway of the room. "Because I for one think you would make a horrible blonde, Ted."
"Barbara!" Ted jumped.
"Redhead," Mary breathed, transfixed. "Ted, your date is here!"
"Its not a date! " Ted yelled, fully exasperated with both Fires staring and Mary's observations.
"Well…it could be. "
Ted froze momentarily then turned to look at Barbara, sitting in her chair, smiling. "What do you mean Barb? " he asked, walking over to her. "I always thought we meant to be-well-"he paused as he caught Mary and Bea out of the corner of his eye, Mary transfixed, Bea, amused. "Do you two mind? " He snapped, turning on them angrily. "This is private! "
"Don't get your shorts in a twist" huffed Fire. "We know when were not wanted. " She gathered up her magazine and dragged a still transfixed Mary Marvel from the room by her arm. As they shut the door Ted could hear Mary whimper, "Aw, but I want to see how it ends! " He sighed and rubbed his face, then turned back to Barbara who was still smiling at him, evidentially amused
"I'm sorry, " he apologized, rubbing the back of his head as he glanced down at her. "They can be nosey. "
"Only because they care about you, " Barbara said, smiling knowing. Ted smiled back, "True, "he agreed. "We may be a dysfunctional family but I wouldn't have it any other way. "
His face grew serious. "So what did you mean Barb-about this being a date-possible date? " He corrected himself. "I thought we agreed a long time ago to just be friends. "
"So did I Ted, " she said seriously, her smiling fading a bit. "But-well-life-kept happening-the Birds-everything kept going-and you were always there, " she said, looking down at her hands momentarily before staring up in his face again. "Whenever I needed something or someone, you were always there for me, supporting me, wanting be there for me and making me laugh-and smile sometimes when I never thought I would smile again, "she paused, then took a deep breath. "I would like to see what could happen with us-with you, because I have always- felt something between us and I thought you did too-at least once-" she looked up searching his face. "Did you? "
Ted took her hand, knelt down in front of her and nodded. "I always have. I just thought you wanted-I mean-didn't want-"
They looked at each other for a moment. Then away, really quickly.
Ted felt like an embarrassed kid. He glanced over at Barbara and she smiled at him warmly. He could feel his face heating up.
"So is it awkward, or is it just me? " She asked sheepishly tilting her head too said as she made a scrunched up face with a smile. Ted smiled back, making his own face. " Its not just you. "
"Then this is ok? "
"Yes. Oh, hell yes. "
"But we'll take this slow? "
"Yep. "
"One day at a time? "
"Works for me. "
"Then lets go mister. I'm starved. Let's eat first, then movie. "
Ted walked next to her as they headed out the door. "Food first. Barb, I always knew you were a girl after my own heart. "
Outside the Super buddies headquarters, by a window the dirty alley behind the building, two women hovered by the window, looking in on the scene that had just played out. One was clad in a white dress, the other was on fire.
"Aw…. how romantic! " Mary gushed, watching as Ted's hand gently bushed against Barbara's before they even walked out the door. "I bet they end up married, and have at LEAST five kids-oh I do hope I get to be a bridesmaid-"
"Mary, " Beatriz interrupted. " That sounds great and all, but would you mind becoming a kid again and finding me some clothes so I can turn these flames off and walk down the street without being afraid of being arrested for indecent exposure? "
"Oh-of course! " Mary's eyes widened as she nodded her head vigorously. "I'm sorry-I should have remembered sooner! "
"No problem, " Bea said, waving a hand dismissively. When you had fire powers-sometimes naked in public happened-but the-ugh-"Buddies" didn't need any more bad press at the moment. "Just be quick about it. "
"I will, " Mary promised. She put her hands on her hips and shouted,
"SHAZAM! "