CONTINUITY: Please don't try to make this fit into continuity, as that will most likely make your head explode.
NOTES: This was written for cafenera in the Yuletide 2007 exchange. Thanks to Merfilly for some canon assistance.
If the family were a fruit, it would be an orange, a circle of sections, held together but separable≈-each segment distinct. -- Letty Cottin Pogrebin, Family and Politics.
Still holding one gun-smuggling goon's shoulder, Dinah swiveled, kicking the face of the one trying to reach for his gun. She sighed. Some days even a good fight wasn't enough to keep one's interest. She needed something to do besides the usual ass-kicking.
And like a call from the universe, the comm in her ear chimed. With the hand not holding a goon's shoulder, she tapped it. "Canary here."
"Um, Black Canary?" a familiar voice said, sounding hesitant.
"Live and in the flesh. Well, on the radio at least." She tossed the goon in her hand against the wall, watching him slide down with a satisfying thump, and turned to survey the room. "What's up, Speedy?"
"Well..."
Dinah started tying up the goons, stopping to kick one who was moving toward his gun.
"Green Arrow and I could use your help."
Dinah stopped. "Where are you? If you're in St--"
"No no!" Speedy laughed. "Not that kind of help. GA, I mean, the younger GA and I are planning a surprise party and we need your help to track down the guests."
Tying up the last goon, Dinah dusted her hands. "Are you patched through the JLA/Titans comm system?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Then this is secure enough to use names." Dinah grinned. "Some might not agree, but I'm okay with it, especially if it will prevent confusion."
"Oh." There was a pause. "Well, Connor and I want to throw a surprise party for Ollie, but we need your help to find some of the people. And to figure out who to invite. I mean, you know Ollie better."
Dinah felt a familiar pang in the bottom of her stomach, but she ignored it. "Sure, Mia, I'd be glad to help. Hang on one second." She flipped the comm over to a secondary channel. "Oracle?"
"Oracle's House of Body-Snatching: You bag 'em, we snag 'em."
Babs was obviously in a good mood, and Dinah grinned. "How about you just get the cops down here? I'm pretty sure there's at least two wanted posters out cold."
"No prob. You still in that warehouse?"
"Upstairs. They won't be hard to find."
"Okay, they'll probably be there in under five, so unless you feel like answering questions..."
Halfway down the steps, Dinah laughed as she jogged toward an unobtrusive back door. "Way ahead of you."
"That it, or did you need me to make you a hairdresser's appointment too?"
"Actually..." Dinah considered it. "I might need you in a bit. Not for business, though."
"Oooh, now I'm intrigued. Okay, I'm just running diagnostics, so holler."
"Thanks. Canary out."
"Oracle out."
Dinah clicked back to Mia. "Still there, kid?"
"Mmm-hmm." There was a familiar swooshing sound in the background.
"At least promise me you won't shoot a boxing glove arrow while you're on the line with me."
Mia giggled, suddenly sounding much younger. "I hate the boxing glove arrow."
"Me too, but don't tell Ollie." Jogging down an alley, Dinah hopped on her bike, pulling on a helmet. "So, a party, huh?"
There was a thump. "Hang on."
Starting the bike, Dinah grinned, following the action by the noises. Several swooshes, obviously Mia shooting off some arrows. Two gunshots, probably from a pistol. Frowning, Dinah veered onto an onramp toward her next target. Mia muttered something obscene under her breath, which brought back Dinah's grin, because she recognized the tone of an annoyed and uninjured junior cape.
One more swoosh and Mia muttered "Gotcha." Then she continued in her normal tone. "Sorry, I didn't want to get distracted."
"That's okay, it takes a few years of practice to fight and banter at the same time. Good banter...well, some people never get the hang of that."
Sounding a little out of breath, Mia laughed. "Okay, Connor's tying the muggers up now and then we're going to continue on patrol. Should I just patch him in?"
"Sure."
There were some beeps and blips and Dinah stifled the urge to tease Mia over needing practice at conference calls. The kid was still pretty nervous and she didn't want to scare her off. Now, Connor, on the other hand...
"Dinah?" he said.
"That's me. And you know, you never call, you never write...what's a vigilante to think?" A truck driver nearly swerved off the road while staring at her legs and she grinned sweetly at him as cars honked and she passed his truck.
"I get enough of that from my mother." Connor sounded tired.
"What's up?"
"Just the usual."
Dinah sighed. "Yeah, here too."
"So," Mia said, "we thought maybe it would cheer Ollie up if we threw him a party, but, well, I can't exactly call up Superman."
"Why not?" Dinah glared at a car that was weaving, trying to decide if the driver was drunk or...no, on a cell phone. She sped up her bike, pulling up beside the driver's side window and smacking it. The driver started, dropping the phone, and nearly ran off the road. Miming a cell phone with one hand, she shook her head, before speeding up and passing him.
Meanwhile, she'd missed the kids' reply. "Sorry, what did you say?"
Mia said, "No way am I calling Superman, even if I knew how to reach him. He's...he's Superman."
Laughing, Dinah zoomed down an open straight stretch of highway.
"You can laugh, but you've worked with him. I'm just a kid with a bow and arrow!"
"So's Connor, but he's fought with the big boys. And impressed them, too."
"And I left," Connor said quietly.
"By your own choice, not theirs." Dinah scowled, even though they couldn't see her. What was it about the Arrows that they always wanted to denigrate their own abilities? They could learn something from the Bats, in that respect. Then she had a sudden vision of Bruce teaching Connor, Roy, and Mia how to intimidate metahumans, and she had to stifle a giggle. Okay, maybe not.
"All of which is beside the point," Mia said, bringing Dinah back to reality. "I can't exactly use the Titans computers to send out party invitations--"
"It wouldn't be the first time," Dinah muttered.
"--but we figured you could help us." Mia soldiered on bravely.
Figuring this was enough teasing, Dinah grinned. "I can help. Hang on a sec while I patch in Oracle."
Clicking on the comm, she cut off Mia's startled "Ora--"
"Oh great Oracle of wisdom?" Dinah called.
"Is this the personal business?" Babs sounded hopeful, which meant she was really bored.
"Yup. You're gonna love it. Connor and Mia want to throw Ollie a party and they need some help sending out the invites."
"You want me to help send out party invitations?"
"To capes."
Babs snickered. "Okay, I'm in."
Dinah patched her in, slowing down the bike to avoid running into a line of turtles crossing the highway. "Oracle," she said in her best radio host tone, "you're on the air with my special guests Green Arrow and Speedy."
"Hi, guys," Babs said briskly.
"Hello, Oracle," Connor said. "It's good to speak to you."
"Uh, hi." Mia sounded intimidated.
Dinah held off for a moment, curious to see what would come next.
"Hey, Connor, and hi, Mia," Babs said. "I've heard good things about you from Robin."
"Really?"
Dinah stifled a grin, remembering what it was like to be a teenager. Obviously Babs did too.
"Yeah, he's very impressed by how hard you've been working. Oh BC, I suggest you speed it up, because it looks like the last bunch got a message out before I shut them down. So what's this I hear about a party?"
Dinah cursed under her breath and bent low over the handlebars of the bike, tuning out the discussion while she focused on moving fast. The wind whipped at her costume, which would have been in tatters if it weren't made of the most expensive, durable, and bulletproof fabrics the JLA could get its hands on.
Fortunately, traffic was light on this edge of town, and besides zipping around a startled stray dog and a couple of random motorists, she made good time to her destination.
As she kicked open the front door, Connor and Mia were considering the invite list.
"Green Lantern, of course," Connor said.
"The older one," Mia said hastily, making Babs laugh. "Ollie doesn't, I mean, he--"
"It's okay, I know what you mean," Babs said, the grin in her voice obvious. It'll take me some time to track down HJ, depending on where he's stationed."
"Roy said he's out west," Connor said.
"Right." Babs snapped her fingers. "I've got him. Okay, who else?"
Dinah missed the next bit when a gunman hidden around a corner took a shot at her. Wincing as she felt the bullet blow past her, she made a running dive and knocked him against the far wall. She ran up the stairs, narrowly missing the next shots as she slid across the floor.
As she came up, she blew back the three shooters with her cry, making a mental note to pick up more honey, lemon juice, and tea on her way home. She really did hate to use her powers on low-lifes, but this would take all night otherwise.
"So Aquaman's iffy," Mia said, over a scratching sound that sounded like she was taking notes. "But you're pretty sure Martian Manhunter will come."
There was a gasp and Babs laughed. "Ah, you heard that too," she said.
"He..." Mia sputtered. "That was..."
"J'onn, yep."
"What'd he say?" Dinah asked.
"He said he wouldn't miss this party," Connor said.
Dinah tilted her head.
"It was more the way he said it," Connor added.
"Mmm. I know what you mean," Dinah said. And because she had a suspicion, she thought 'Boring night on the Watchtower, J'onn?'
The mental chuckle she got in response was answer enough and she grinned as she came around a corner and took out two gunmen with low kicks.
"Wow," Mia said. "That really weirds me out."
"Talking to a telepath?" Babs asked, sounding a little frosty.
"No!" Mia said. "It's that he's, I mean, Martian Manhunter! From the JLA!"
Dinah grinned as she swept the room for evidence of higher-ups she could bust. She couldn't remember ever being awed by superheroes, since she'd always thought of them as Uncle Ted and Uncle Jay and so on. It was sort of refreshing to hear.
There was a strange sound over the comm and Connor said, "Got it. I'll be back."
Mia's sigh was heavy. "You'd think the crooks would eventually learn to not bother to run away. It hurts so much more."
Babs laughed. "I think if they could learn, they wouldn't be crooks. Anyway, I was going to point out that I'm a member of the JLA," she said, in what Dinah recognized as mock indignation.
"Oh! I didn't--"
Babs didn't let her babble, "Relax, kid, I'm teasing. I vaguely remember being awed by meeting Superman."
"You awed?" Dinah asked. "I don't believe it."
"Hey, remember, there was a time when even the great Oracle was a mere sidekick." It was almost said with humor.
Mia didn't know what was wrong, but she was smart enough to keep her mouth shut. Caught mid-shuffle through a drawer, Dinah sighed. "Yeah, I remember. And you were a damn good sidekick."
Babs hmmphed. "Flatterer." There was some furious clicking of keys. "Hang on, Mr. Terrific needs some help." And she was gone.
"Uh, did I do something?" Mia asked.
"No." Dinah scooped up the stack of paper she'd sorted out and headed out. "Oracle's issues are entirely her own." Although... "So, since it's just us kids, how are you doing? We haven't really caught up since you've been..." She paused, wincing.
Mia chuckled. "You were going to say 'on the streets,' weren't you?"
Heading out the door, Dinah sighed. "Yeah."
"It's okay. I know what you mean." It was hard to tell over a comm, but Mia didn't sound annoyed. "I'm okay. I'm glad I convinced Ollie to let me help. I'm totally onboard with catching muggers and rapists and stuff."
"But..."
"It's just...this! You're friends with Oracle. You know these people, these amazing people, and I'm just me."
Sliding onto her bike, Dinah growled. "You're pretty damn amazing."
"Me?"
"Look, Superman is pretty cool, I'll admit. You'll like him, by the way. But he'd be the first to tell you that it's easy for him to look impressive, with his abilities. He didn't have to work to be able to fly and have superstrength, that just happened. The Flash would tell you the same thing."
"But--"
Dinah kept going, because she didn't want to lose her train of thought. "Why do you think I work so hard at martial arts? Because I don't just want to be my power. I've..." She swallowed hard. "I've lost the ability before, but even if I lose it again, I'll still be Black Canary."
There was a long silence, punctuated by the sounds of Mia moving across rooftops. Dinah turned the bike toward JSA headquarters, so she could drop off the information she'd gathered with Sentinel. She made a mental note to deliver his party invitation personally, partially since she'd be there and partially to make sure he attended. Not that she thought Ollie would be bothered if he didn't come, but Connor and Mia would be happy if he did.
"Am I doing the right thing?" Mia finally asked.
Dinah pulled her bike over to the side of the road in order to concentrate. "In what way?" she asked.
"Ollie keeps saying that I should live a normal life, in case...well, just in case."
Dinah snorted. "Ollie wouldn't know a normal life if it bit him in the ass and asked for his spare change." She grinned, hearing Mia stifle her giggles. "Look, he's got his own issues, which aren't any of my business to tell you...but you might want to talk to Roy."
"Roy?"
"Trust me. If there's anyone who'll understand about Ollie being an idiot, it's Roy."
"Okay...but what if he's right? What if something happens to me? What if I get hurt? Will I regret being Speedy?"
Dinah closed her eyes on memories she couldn't, didn't want to, share, looking for the right words, when the comm activated.
"I'm back," Babs said. "Anything exciting happen?" She sounded hopeful.
"Not really." Dinah sighed, kicking the bike back into gear and heading back on the road. "We were talking."
"And I see Connor's done," Mia said. "Ouch, that's gonna sting."
"What?" Dinah and Babs chorused.
"Oh, he's fine. No, I meant the way that last thief fell. He's gonna have a hell of a bruise."
Dinah grinned, changing lanes to pass a Safeway truck that seemed to have misplaced its higher gears.
"So, where were we?" Babs asked, as Connor rejoined them.
"Well we, I mean," Mia floundered. "There are a few more people."
"Ollie would be very happy if Batman and Superman could make it," Connor said.
Choking on her laugh, Dinah managed to say, "It's not really a party if Ollie and Bats don't get to argue over something, probably involving money and power."
Babs laughed too. "I hope you're not planning to invite me, because I've heard enough of that to last a lifetime."
"Speaking of arguing," Dinah said. "Were you planning to invite Hawkman?"
Connor groaned.
When they'd finally hashed out a list and Mia dictated what the invitation should say, it was edging toward dawn and even Babs was yawning.
"Okay, kids, I'm signing off to take a nap," she said.
"Thank, Oracle," Dinah said, Mia chiming in.
"Thank you very much for your assistance," Connor said, his characteristics politeness as adorable as ever. After Oracle left he channel, he continued. "I think I'll be heading in now. Mia?"
"Meet you there," she said.
"I'll heat up the rest of the spaghetti."
"Sounds good."
Dinah, who hadn't survived this long in the superhero life without being able to catch subtleties, waited until Connor had signed off as well. "I don't have an answer to your question," she said, too tired to beat around the bush.
"I know. It's not that. I wanted to thank you."
"For?"
"Everything."
It was one heartfelt word and for some reason it raised Dinah's spirits. "Any time, Mia. Really."
"I appreciate that."
Then Dinah had a thought. "Hey, what are you doing tonight for dinner?"
"Huh?"
"I think, well, I have a friend who might like to meet you." At least, Dinah hoped so, although she might take some convincing.
"Uh, I'm free, I guess. I haven't got that much homework this weekend and the sun doesn't set until late anyway."
Dinah scrubbed a hand through her hair. "Okay, tell Ollie I'll pick you up at 4. We'll hop a ride through the JLA transporters."
"Where are we going?"
"We'll be in Gotham if he needs you."
Dinah had to do some fast talking to get Mia cleared for this particular visit, but she didn't hesitate to use every ounce of emotional blackmail she could muster. Because there was someone that Mia really had to meet.
When she opened the biometrics-protected inner door and they stepped past the high-tech scanners, the tension was fairly high, but Dinah smiled and said, "Mia Dearden, I'd like you to meet my good friend, Barbara Gordon. Babs, this is Mia."
Babs shot her an indecipherable look. "Nice to meet you, Mia." She rolled her chair forward and stopped to hold out her hand.
Mia shook her hand, trying not to stare at all the equipment around them. "You're..."
"Oracle." Babs nodded.
"Wow."
The look on Mia's face was absolutely priceless, Dinah thought. Babs seemed to think so too, and her face broke into the grin that Dinah knew and loved...the one that said Oracle was about to cause trouble. "So kid, I hear you have some questions about being a cape. Well, answers are my business."
Mia responded to the grin with a grin of her own, forgetting all about Dinah as she followed Babs to a table and sat down, already asking a question.
"I'll just let myself out then," Dinah said to nobody in particular. "And pick up some pizza or something."
As she closed the door behind her, Dinah glanced back at the two heads, red and blonde, and smiled. Y'know, she decided, this had been a pretty good day's work after all.
--end--