"The first thing to remember is rhythm. One two three, one two three, and so on. You must also remember that a waltz goes counter-clockwise around the dance floor. It is a traveling dance. Now, positions."

Both Barbara and Dick had cleaned up and were learning from Alfred a basic waltz dance.

Alfred motioned for Barbara to come to him. "The lady is always on the man's right side, like so," he gently moved Barbara to where she should have been standing, "and her right foot is pointed between his." Barbara did as he instructed, listening for more. "This prevents you from knocking into each other and causing the lady to get bruises, MASTER GRAYSON." Dick, who was looking out to the garden, was alerted and a little shocked at Alfred's tone and stern look. He mumbled "sorry" and Alfred continued.

"The gentleman's had rests on the lady's shoulder blade, like so, and his elbow is always up. The lady's hand should rest weightlessly on his arm." Barbara placed her left hand on his arm gently. "Good, Mistress Barbara. See? This isn't as difficult as you imagined."

Barbara smiled weakly.

"The lady's right hand and the gentleman's left should be joined, held up at the lady's eye level and between the two of them. Now Master Grayson, let's see how much you were paying attention."

"Huh?"

Alfred let go of Barbara, stepping off to the side. "Show me the dancing position for the waltz."

"Um…" Awkwardly, Dick moved closer to Barbara, putting his right hand on her waist. Barbara, although she would never admit it, was enjoying this closeness, but it was hard to when Alfred said "No, no no. On her shoulder blade, Master Richard; do not be a pig!"

With his cheeks flushing pink, Dick wordlessly moved his hand to Barbara's shoulder blade. Her skin prickled when his hand skimmed over it. "Be sure to have the correct feet position as well." Alfred instructed, as Barbara moved her right in between Dick's feet. "Very good. Correct hands as well…"

Both watched as their right and left hands interlocked. His hand felt warm in hers as she brought the hands close to her eye level.

"Excellent Miss Gordon. Now we will learn the basic step of the waltz: the box step. The lady moves her right foot back, while the gentleman moves forward with his left. LEFT, Master Richard! LEFT! Now the lady moves to her left, gentleman to his right, followed by the other foot. On two three, step on your tip-toes, one foot at a time. One at a TIME, Master Grayson! Then the lady moves forward with her left, the man with his right, in the same step, creating a box."

Both teens stared at their feet, hoping they would do as they were instructed. It got easier when Alfred started counting out loud for them ("One two three, one two three").

"Now I want you both to stop looking at your feet, and look to your left, because that is the proper way to waltz. Master Grayson, the English Waltz is the quintessential venue of sophistication, and yet you have managed to make it look like a gestating rhinosaurus trying to stomp a rodent."

Alfred continued his chant of "one two three" until they heard soft, classic music start to play from the portable stereo Alfred had brought with him. Barbara was trying hard to not look at her feet, or at Dick, who was continually staring at her until Alfred gently slapped his head to the left. "LEFT, Master Grayson, how many times must I tell you?"

After that, the two barely spoke the rest of the lesson. They learned the waltz and practiced until they both had it down flat. Barbara lost count of how many times Dick had stepped on her toes, and of how many times he was yelled at by Alfred. After completing the box step perfectly for the first time, they were both surprised when Alfred dismissed them.

"That's it?" asked Barbara blankly.

"The rest of this is going to be independent study. I am expecting both of you to practice together once a day, starting tonight. That will be all…for dancing. Your agenda for the rest of the day, Miss Barbara, is picking out a dress for your ball."

"Already?" Barbara was surprised and impressed how far ahead Bruce had thought into this "party" idea.

"They have been being delivered as we have been practicing, and are awaiting you in your room."

"How many are there?"

"Nearly a dozen. Master Bruce wishes that you pick one out tonight as well."

Barbara suddenly felt overwhelmed. "Well I'm going to need some opinions."

"That is where Master Richard comes in handy."

Dick, who hadn't been paying attention was suddenly at attention at the mention of his name. "What? Me? What kind of opinion do you think I can give? I'm a guy, remember?"

"Yes, how could I forget?" muttered Alfred, "Master Bruce just wants you out of trouble for the day is all."

"How thoughtful of him." Dick said irritably.

"Wonderful. It's settled then."

Barbara was right to feel overwhelmed. Where to begin with all the dresses? She had never owned this many in her life! What color? Short or long? Halter or strapless? The possibilities were endless, and that was what made the job to pick just one even more impossible.

Dick was beyond bored. So far, all of the dresses he found revolting, which only made Barbara mad at him. He found it easiest to keep quiet.

They had been at this for over an hour now, and both were wishing it would end.

"I've narrowed it down to three; so I suppose you're happy, aren't you?" Barbara called from inside her closet where she was changing.

"I can't even begin to express my disappointment." Dick said sarcastically.

Barbara had finished slipping on the next dress, and looked at herself in the mirror hanging on the doorway. Her cheeks went strangely pink when she stepped out of the closet to show it to Dick.

He had been sitting on her bed, lazily, but suddenly sat up when she came out.

Maybe it was the vibrant blue of the fabric that seemed to hug her body in all the right places, and brought out the aqua of her eyes. But suddenly he wasn't seeing Barbara as he had before. It was in a new light, something he couldn't put his finger on. He cleared his throat and barely choked out, "That one is nice."

"Really?" She looked down, a grin on her face. "So should we just leave it at this one then?"

"Yeah lets."

She began to head back into the closet to change, before Dick said, "Hey wait a minute. Don't you think we should, you know, practice the dancing like Alfred said we should?"

"In my dress?"

"Well why not? You'll be in your dress at the ball anyway." He held out his hand to her.

"But there's no music."

"So? C'mon. Alfred will be glad we're doing our homework."

She hesitated, but then shrugged and took his hand in hers, as they began to waltz again.

It wasn't really what they had been taught. It was almost like a slow-dance, not really a waltz at all. It should have been awkward, the silent absence of music and the way Dick was looking into her eyes, and yet she felt comfortable with him holding her in the delicate way that he was. She didn't know how long they were dancing, it could have been only a minute or maybe an hour, but she was hoping it wouldn't end any time soon.

"I…I'm feeling a little dizzy." She was sure it was the intense way he was looking at her, but she of course didn't mention it.

"Yeah, me too. From all the spinning I guess. Maybe we should stop."

"We have stopped." She whispered.

They were close together, and if Alfred were here he would most likely be yelling at Dick's inability to dance 'correctly'. He took both her hands in his own, and it suddenly dawned on her that they were completely alone...

"Barbara…"

He was coming closer to her, and she panicked. Sure, they had always been a little flirty, but she never thought he would ever like her. At least, not in the way she liked him. And here he was, inches away from…kissing her!

Barbara didn't know whether to pull away or just stand there and let him. But right before he could, there came a knock at the door that made both of them jump.

"Master Grayson? Master Bruce is requiring your presence downstairs."

It was Alfred of course.

Dick let go of her hands, and even though he had pulled away Barbara was surprised to feel a little singe of disappointment.

"I gotta go." He totally shook it off, running a hand through his hair anxiously before heading out the door without even giving Barbara a second glance.

She flopped on her bed, trying to make her beating heart slow down a little. What was that? What would have happened had they not been interrupted? Did this mean that he liked her? If he liked her, why had he acted like nothing had happened by leaving like that?

She hugged her pillow and rolled her eyes. Boys are so stupid.

Oh my goodness! HI! It has been too long and I'm so sorry for that! Here's the story of why I finally updated this: I was in a Batgirl/Robin mood, and thought of how I wanted to write more in my spare time. Well now that it's summer, I have the time to do that :) Anyway, I was thinking about this story and how I never really finished it. I actually re-read the entire thing because I didn't really remember what happened! And honestly I'm not quite sure how I planned it to end. And then I remembered that I actually already wrote this chapter, and it just been sitting on my old computer collecting dust. So NOW, it's finally been submitted! Hooray!

I will update this again soon...when I think of how I want everything to end. It's hard because I started this when I was a freshman in high school and now I'm a sophomore in college. Time flies!
Stay turned ;)

~Oracle