Barbara tries to kill Lee the first night in their newly shared apartment.
She's got her hand around Lee's throat, straddling her on the bed and grinning as she feels Lee struggle under her well-manicured fingers. She wonders if Gordon will ever forgive her for this one, but it doesn't matter. Barbara's got a lot of pent up anger towards Lee that's so far gone unanswered for. She eagerly awaits that final snap; when Lee's throat simply collapses under the intense pressure. But her sweet sweet revenge is ripped away from her when Lee kicks her in the back of the head.
Unexpectedly flexible bitch.
When Barbara recovers from the dizziness of the kick the tables have turned. She's got her back against the wood floor and Lee trapping her arms against her sides with the use of some shockingly powerful thighs. She'd be impressed if she didn't hate her so much. Barbara kicks out in an attempt to wriggle free but has no luck. When the energy to fight back is finally drained she scowls, spits at Lee's face and curses.
"Calm down." Lee orders, gripping Barbara's chin tightly so she's forced to look her in the eyes.
"I'll kill you!"
Lee frowns, "I'll use the remote if I have to."
There's a small flash of fear in Barbara's eyes before she forcibly steels it, staring back at her spouse defiantly, "Do it then." she taunts, "Mama always liked a little pain."
Lee doesn't respond immediately. Instead she stands, offering Barbara a hand up and not looking too surprised when she smacks it away. Lee pulls her remote off the nightstand and without a word, aims it at Barbara. There's a small click, and then a violent stinging in the back of her arm where the device had been planted. The pain tracks from her shoulder all the way down to her fingertips and burns. Barbara doesn't scream, but only out of sheer willpower. She grits her teeth and hunches over, arm straight out with electricity surging through her muscles.
"And that's only the second level."
There's another click, and the pain subsides, leaving her with a throbbing shadow of sensation throughout her arm.
"See that ring?" Lee sneers, holding Barbara's hand up close to her face with an unreasonably tight grip, "That means we're married. For better or for worse. So suck it up and get with the fucking program. I might not like you, Barbara, but I'd rather you weren't shoved back into Arkham like some kind of animal."
"Hypocrite." She glowers at her spouse and scoffs, "I've got a shock collar. Like a dog. You don't give a damn where they put me."
"I was there after you... went through what you went through Barbara." Lee stated hesitantly, and the appearance of stepping over eggshells came to Barbara's mind, "Your trauma did a number on you. That's not your fault. You don't deserve to be thrown away because of it."
She's surprised, to say the least. Barbara hadn't expected Leslie to say something like that. Especially right after she'd tried to kill her. Barbara can already se where bruises are starting to form on her neck. They'll be a delicious purple tomorrow.
Instead of any sort of remorse, Barbara settles for mockery, sporting a sickly sweet smile as she says, "Of course they stuck me with you." her smile fades and it's replaced with a venomous glare, "Did they think that just because I shared a some feelings with you that I'd just roll over whenever you wanted?"
Lee frowns at her arm. Barbara expects something angry in reply, but instead Lee turns silently and heads out of the bedroom before calling behind her, "Stay right there. I'm going to get you some ice for your arm. It'll help with the afterburn."
Barbara sneers. Always the good doctor.
Lee returns with a bag of frozen peas wrapped in paper towel and a fuzzy looking blanket. She hands Barbara the bag and slings the blanket around her shoulders before she can protest, "You'll start getting chills soon. Electricity can mess with your nerves like that."
Barbara isn't sure what to say. Again, she'd just tried to kill Lee. Now here she was, treating her and offering kindness. It didn't make sense. She should be trying to return the favor; punched back. Barbara had expected it to turn into a fight. She'd been counting on it. The blanket wrapped around her is warm and fuzzy and keeps away the chill, the peas is easing the burning heat in her arm as well. She doesn't say thank you, but when Lee nods at her and rounds the bed to get back under the covers, Barbara decides she won't try to kill her again tonight.
No promises about tomorrow though.
There's a sizzling sound and the smell of eggs coaxing her out of bed in the morning.
When Barbara slips out of the comforter to investigate, she takes the fuzzy blanket from the night before. It's warm and she likes it. Maybe when she escapes she'll take it with her.
Lee is standing at the stove in the kitchen. She's got her back to the room but she doesn't seem to care, or maybe she just doesn't feel threatened anymore now that she knows the device in Barbara's arm works. She hadn't seen the remote on the bedside table this morning, so Lee must have it on her person. Barbara slinks up to the table and stares at her, "What time is it?"
Lee doesn't startle too bad, but Barbara's lips twitch when she straightens her shoulders. "It's early, I know, but I need to head in to work in about half an hour."
"Ah."
"Do you like omelettes?"
Barbara frowns and tugs the blanket tighter around her shoulders, "What's in it?"
Lee smiles and slips an omelette onto a startlingly yellow plate, "Onion, peppers, cheese, tomato and avocado."
"Vegetarian?"
"Jim told me you don't eat meat."
Of course he did. Barbara scoffs, "Don't suppose he also mentioned that I can't start the day without some caffeine?"
"Pot's on the counter." she replies with a self-satisfied smirk.
Barbara wants to smack it off her face, but she's grateful anyway as she steps around Lee to get at the coffee.
Lee slips the plates onto opposite sides of the table and takes a seat herself, folding the napkin over her lap elegantly before digging in. It's a funny sight, Barbara thinks as she pours herself a cupful into the mug that had been set aside for her. She plops down inelegantly when she's done, consciously leaving her own napkin where it is before cutting off a piece with her fork.
Lee doesn't comment on it, but there's a slight raise in her eyebrow that as Barbara feeling confident that she annoyed her at least a little bit.
Good.
She takes another bite of her food and finds, to her own annoyance, it actually tastes really great. Damn it.
"So..." Barbara comments, breaking the silence to hide her own awkwardness, "This is married life huh? Domestic bliss and all that?"
Lee snorts, "It's just an omelette."
"Speaking of, these are pretty damn good."
She inclines her head in thanks before Barbara realizes she just accidently complimented Lee. She groans and sets her coffee mug down with a little bit of unnecessary force, "The coffee's shit though."
"Do you have a preferred brand?" Lee asks, smiling.
Barbara hesitates, "What?"
"Is there a specific coffee brand that you like?" Lee tries again, taking a quick bite of her breakfast, "I can pick up some today on my way home. I'm nearly out anyway, so I might as well."
The domesticity is startlingly obvious between them and Barbara feels her skin crawl. She wants to do something to break the atmosphere a little. It's too calm and comfortable for her liking. There's a great deal of animosity between them that should be suffocating the room. Not the smell of vegetarian omelettes. She scoffs, "Black Ivory."
Lee pauses, "Isn't Black Ivory that ridiculously expensive one?"
"More than five hundred dollars a bag." Barbara grins, crossing her legs under the table as she spears another bite onto her fork and innocently looks up at Lee, "It is my favorite."
If Lee catches on to her act, she doesn't say anything. She heads for work with instructions for Barbara not to leave the apartment. Her number is written beside the landline (Barbara couldn't be trusted with a cell phone yet), there's food in the fridge and the television gets twenty channels. It's just as well. Lee will probably be pissed when she brings home a five hundred dollar bag of shit-tasting coffee, that should be sufficient payback for the hell she'll have to endure sitting around with nothing to do. The thought makes Barbara smile as she drops onto the couch to watch some reality Tv. She wraps herself up in the fuzzy blanket and wonders if Lee will let her go shopping for some warm slippers.
She's napping when Lee gets home at five thirty. Lee clears her throat and Barbara immediately sits up, taking in her surroundings and seeing Lee, standing beside the couch with a plastic bag in her hand. Barbara recognizes the grocery logo and grins, "Got my coffee?"
Lee smiles warmly and pulls a container out from the bag before wiggling it in front of Barbara, "Mount Hagen." she cheerily offers, "Your favorite."
Barbara glares at the canister like it's personally offended her, "You're cheating."
"Asking Jim what you like and dislike isn't cheating."
Barbara scoffs, "I'm flattered he even remembers. At least he cared somewhat."
Lee frowns at her as she sets the coffee tin on the kitchen counter. Trying to offer comfort to someone a little off kilter isn't always an easy thing. Her psychology books had recommended against it for the most part, but she remembers her own time dating Jim Gordon. Lee knows he's a hard man to get over. "You know..." she starts, cautiously, "You're better off trying to move on from Jim."
Barbara's eyes flash as she makes contact with Lee's, "Don't you start with the psychobabble shit. You're only going to piss me off."
"I'm just trying to help."
"I don't need your help." she bites, standing from the couch and dumping the blanket, "Don't talk to me about Jim, ever."
"Barbara-"
A well manicured hand stands up in silent demand for Lee's silence. Barbara glares at her spouse with a fiery hatred, "I'm going to bed. Sleep on the couch if you don't want me to murder you in your sleep." she adds over her shoulder as she goes, "I'll stab you before you can fight me off."
Lee doesn't say anything else, just stands quiet and still until the bedroom door closes then retires to the couch. As she picks up the dropped blanket to drag over her legs, she ends up chuckling to herself. "First day as a married couple and I've already been couched."