Chapter Two
"What are you doing here, Bruce?"
"Just checking on my daughter and her former guardian. Is she here?" Barbara shook her head. "Is she doing alright?" Barbara nodded. "Are you going to talk to me?" Barbara just glared at him. "Guess not."
"Why didn't you tell me she was coming back to New Gotham? Don't say you didn't know because then you would be lying to me. I already talked to her."
"I knew you wouldn't agree and would argue with me forever. She really has changed. She's good now. She has been for a while. Give her a second chance. You've given Helena several," and with that Bruce followed Ashley's example and jumped off the balcony.
"This day just can't get any worse," Barbara said as she headed to bed. Boy, was she wrong.
Later that morning ...
"Barbara?" Dinah yelled from upstairs.
"What?"
Dinah's head popped up over the railing. "Can Gabby drive me to school? Please?" Barbara nodded. "Thank-you!" Dinah disappeared then ran back. "Is everything alright? You've seemed kind of distracted all morning."
"I'm fine."
"You sure?" Barbara nodded. "Okay, well, I'll see you at school?" Barbara nodded. "Cool. See ya Barbara!"
Barbara couldn't help but laugh. She couldn't help it but to remember high school. Those were the good days.
*Flashback*
It was the first day of high school and Barbara was waiting for Ashley. "Hey Red!" Ashley yelled from across the parking lot. She had just pulled up in her new blue Jeep. Barbara hadn't seen her all weekend and was shocked at the sight before her. "You like?" Ashley asked. She had cut her hair wicked short and her dark brown, almost black, hair was streaked with a shade of blue that matched her car. She had also gotten her eyebrow pierced.
Barbara ran towards her. "I can't believe you cut your hair! Did you do the other thing you were talking about doing?" Ashley suggestively wiggled her eyebrows and stuck out her tongue to show a silver ball. She than opened her glove department and show Barbara it was full of Listerine. "I can't believe you did it!"
"You wanna give it a test drive?" Barbara paled at this. "I'm joking Red. Calm down. I know you have a `boyfriend', who I've never met. How come I've never met him?" Barbara just glared at her. "Alright. I'll let it go for now, but I do plan on meeting him and giving the speech normally given by older siblings. By the way," Ashley reached in the sea of Listerine and pulled out a box, "did he remember your birthday?"
"Oh, Ashley, you shouldn't have." Ashley shrugged and handed the box to Barbara. She opened it and inside was a beautiful charm bracelet. There was a bat, cat, robin, and computer charm on it. "It's beautiful. Will you put it on?" Ashley nodded, jumped out of her Jeep, and put it on for her. "Thank-you." Ashley smiled at her and shrugged again.
*End Flashback*
Barbara rolled into her bedroom and over to her dresser. On her dresser was a jewelry box with a key in it. She opened it and pulled out another key. She used this key to open a box under her bed. She pulled out a bracelet, the same bracelet as a matter of fact, that Ashley had given her only now there were more charms. There was a police badge, a wheelchair, and a Claddagh charm. Barbara had thought Helena gave her the wheelchair but now knew that that wasn't true. She put the bracelet on and left for work.
At the school ...
Barbara pulled into her spot and saw a blue Jeep in Wade's old spot. She looked at the plates. They read WAYNE2. "Great. Of course she is taking over Wade's position. It's just my luck." Barbara got out of the car and moved into the school. Dinah and Gabby were right inside.
Dinah and Gabby were in the corner whispering and giggling. Gabby was the first to notice Barbara. "Oh, uh, hi Ms. Gordon." Barbara as smiled as Dinah froze before stiffly turning around. "We were just heading to class Ms. Gordon." Barbara nodded and smiled trying not to laugh as Dinah and Gabby headed to class.
"Ms. Gordon?" Barbara silently groaned as the principal called her. She turned around to see him in the hallway with none other than Ashley Wayne. "I was wondering if you could show Ms. Wayne here around the school." Barbara nodded. "Thank-you Ms. Gordon. Ms. Wayne, pleasure to meet you," and with that he walked away, leaving Barbara and Ashley alone.
"Well, let me show you to your classroom. I take it your taking over Wade's position."
"If Wade was the computer teacher than I guess I am. Did you know him?" Barbara nodded and quickly looked away heading towards the computer lab. "I heard what happened. I saw there were several Barbara's on the staff so I didn't know you were his girlfriend. Sorry." Barbara nodded and continued towards the computer lab with Ashley following.
The rest of the day went by without anymore surprises. After school, Barbara went out to her car. She saw Ashley had yet to leave. As a matter of fact she was in her Jeep watching her. Barbara rolled up to her car and climbed in. Ashley got out of hers and walked over to Barbara's window.
"Hey Red." Barbara looked at her. "That line is getting kind of old isn't it?" Barbara chuckled, smiled, and shook her head. "I've missed that smile."
Barbara looked at her again and whispered, "Follow me."
Ashley nodded and jumped in her car. Barbara pulled out and Ashley closely followed.
At a renovated No Man's Land ...
Barbara and Ashley entered No Man's Land. Gibson started to wave to Barbara but noticed who she walked in with. "Everyone is staring at me," Ashley said. She looked around the bar and saw all the unfriendly faces shooting evil glances in her direction.
"Don't worry about them. They're harmless. They recognize you as who you use to be. Come on, let's get a drink." Barbara moved over to the bar with Ashley practically attached to her hip. "Is the big bad cat/bat scared?" Barbara was greatly surprised when Ashley actually nodded her head and looked her straight in the eye. "Gibson two usuals." Gibson nodded and went to work. He set their drinks in front of them. "Thanks."
"So," Ashley started, "why are we here?" Barbara shrugged. "Okay. How are things with you?" Barbara shrugged again. "Look, Barbara. You're the one who told me to follow you here. Why?" Barbara sighed and picked up her drink. The charms on her bracelet clinked against the glass. "I didn't think you would have kept that after all these years." Ashley smiled at Barbara.
"Well, I couldn't part with such a wonderful piece of jewelry. I know the wheelchair charm is from you."
"You are too smart for your own good, Red, and here. This year's gift." Ashley pulled out a small box from her jacket pocket. "Don't worry. It's not another ring. It's a charm for your bracelet. I was hoping you still had it." Ashley handed the box to Barbara. She opened it. "That was the closes thing I could find to a canary. At least I always called her Tweety."
Barbara pulled the charm out of the box. "And she greatly loathed it. Will you put it on for me?" Ashley nodded and smirked as she put it on. "Thank-you. I love it."
"Well, it is tradition for me to give you a charm for that bracelet. Soon I'm gonna have to get you a new bracelet." Barbara laughed. "I mean, I do have several years to make up for."
Barbara smirked. "Yes, you do have several years to make up for. Thirteen to be exact." Ashley chuckled. "I think a nice pair of diamond earrings should do." Ashley laughed. "You know, this is fun. I've missed this." Ashley looked at her confused. "This. Just being able to sit here, talking, forgetting about everything else. Do you know what I mean?" Barbara asked and looked at Ashley. She smiled and nodded. Barbara smiled back. It had always been like this. If Ashley was happy or sad, Barbara was as well and vice versa. All of a sudden Barbara's beeper went off. "Shit. Delphi alert. I have to go." Ashley nodded, understanding. "Come with. Helena might need back-up."
"Thought you would never ask. Lets go." Ashley grabbed Barbara's jacket and helped her put it on. "Drinks on me." Ashley slapped twenty dollars on the table. "See ya later Gibson."
"See ya Ashley. Barbara."
"Bye Gibson."
Back at the Clocktower ...
"Dammit! Where's Barbara? Dinah!"
Alfred walked into the Clocktower. "Miss Dinah is staying at Miss Gabby's and Miss Barbara just called to say she was on her way and you were not to do anything but turn off the alarm."
"Alfred, 1: invest with a collar with a bell and 2: I thought you British people didn't have a sense of humor." Helena smiled at him as he walked over to her.
"Miss Helena in response to your comments, 1: I am not a cat and 2: we don't. I was quoting Mss Barbara." Alfred smirked and turned off the alarm. "What would like for dinner?"
Helena was about to answer when something came flying through the window and said, "Pizza would be great old man." Ashley then walked over to the computer and started scrolling and, to the amazement of Helena, faster then Barbara. Ashley looked over her shoulder and smirked as Barbara came into the room. "Told you I'd beat you." Barbara just shook her head and laughed.
"Miss Ashley. What a pleasant surprise. Will you actually be joining us for dinner?"
Everyone looked at Barbara. Helena was shaking her head no, Alfred was nodding his head yes and Ashley, well, Ashley was looking as though she was asking if she was. "Yes, Alfred, she will be. That is if she wants to."
Ashley smiled as she said, "I'd love to. Now, back to the Delphi alert, bank robbery across town. There's no way we can get there fast enough on foot. Not even me."
"Well, the hummer and your Jeep will stand out in that part of town. How are you going to get there?" Ashley looked at her as though saying, `Duh!' "Of course. The Bat bikes, but will they still work?"
"I don't see why not. Helena and I can take my Jeep to the Batcave. Oracle's bike is still there. Is Batgirl's?" Barbara nodded. "Good. Come on Helena, let's go."
"Wait. Huntress, you have your comm?" Helena nodded. "Okay. Batgirl, come over here." Ashley walked over. Barbara handed her an earring and choker. "Here is your comm. Huntress can show you how it works." Ashley nodded and with that, her and Helena jumped off the balcony, their long coats billowing behind them. Barbara could feel Alfred's unwavering gaze on the back of her head. "Is something wrong Alfred?"
"No Miss Barbara, there is nothing wrong. I just wasn't expecting Miss Ashley to show up so soon." Barbara turned around and looked at him not understanding. "Well, Ashley has lived her entire life in New Gotham, but because of what happened between the two of you, she has stayed away. She used the shooting as an excuse for being gone."
"You mean she never actually left?" Alfred nodded his head. "So you know what happened between the two of us?" Alfred nodded. Barbara blushed and looked away. "Ashley always said you seemed to know things about us even before we did."
"Yes, and I believe Master Dick would say I was smarter than all of you. Even you and Miss Ashley." Barbara laughed.
We're at the Batcave Oracle.
"Alright Huntress. Do you guys see the bikes? They should be where they always were."
Batgirl just found them. Barbara laughed as Helena gasped, knowing Ashley had just pulled out the bikes. Holy shit! Those are some kick ass bikes! Which one am I riding? Silver or black?
"Black," both Barbara and Ashley said. Barbara laughed.
Oracle, what's so funny?
"Nothing Huntress. Why isn't Batgirl communicating?"
She doesn't have her comm on yet. It's in her pocket. I wish you had told me I would be fearing for my life. God, she drives faster than you Oracle. Barbara could hear Ashley laughing in the background. Why can't I drive the silver bike?
Ashley finally got her comm on. Because the original Oracle designed it. Everything is run with the computer and its very complicated and hard to explain everything even to the new Oracle. Laymen terms actually had to be used.
"I resent that." Barbara could hear Ashley and Helena laughing. "Alright you two. Get your butts over to the bank. The cops are on the way. Even with our connections. Batgirl can't be seen. For some reason my father was called to the scene, and he'll recognize her."
Don't worry. He won't see me. He might see Helena but I'm all set. Barbara heard the bikes start. Don't worry Red. I'll be fine. The Commissioner may hate me but he's a good man. And with that they were off.
"Be careful," Barbara said, thinking they couldn't hear her over the bikes. Since there was nothing she could do now she called for Alfred. "Alfred?"
"Yes Miss Barbara?"
"Do you need any help with dinner?"
"No, that quite alright. I think I can dial the phone by myself ma'am. Do you need something to do?" Barbara laughed and nodded. "Talk to Miss Ashley. I'm sure she can hear you over the bike. She could always hear me when she went out."
"I know. I'm just not ready to have that kind of a conversation with her just yet. She just brings back bad memories, ones that I caused." Barbara faced the computer. She suddenly realized she was still wearing her headset. "Shit! I thought I took this off!"
Don't worry Oracle. I think Huntress turned her comm off. Several of those bad memories were also caused by me. There was a short pause as Ashley and Helena came to a stop light. I shouldn't have left like I did. I'm sorry. I'm sure you know by now that I never actually left New Gotham.
Barbara laughed. "Yep. Alfred shared that little tidbit of information with me." Ashley chuckled at that. Barbara could just picture her shaking her head. "Are you guys there yet?"
We'll be pulling up in a few minutes. I'll stay away from him Oracle. I know he never liked me. I can't see why but ... he did.
"He didn't until Batgirl came along. He says it was your fault she did."
That would explain it. Barbara heard the bikes cut off. We're here. The place is swarming with cops. Huntress?
I'll talk to Reese.