Title: What Lies Ahead: XI

Author: DC Luder

Rating: T

Summary: Tis the season.

Infringements: All recognizable characters belong to DC Comics, not DC Luder.

Author's Note:

^V^

"Dick, who did you buy a cook book for?"

With it being the night before Christmas Eve, I had been pulling double duty monitoring as Oracle as well as wrapping gifts. Dick and I had been shopping on and off for the last month but I was certain something was missing and it was driving me to the verge of insanity. Despite having left for patrols earlier than usual, I knew better than to count on Dick making it back before four in the morning, especially with greedy individuals out getting gifts for themselves.

Thus a wrapping party for one.

Dick took a while to reply, no doubt battling to tie up the eighteen year old mugger with his hands nearly numb from the eighteen degree temperature.

"Selina, she said she wanted to start cooking more to help Alfred out."

I glanced at the cover carefully before asking, "Did you even look at what kind of cook book it was?"

"Of course I did, it has over a hundred delicious meals planned out, even appetizers, desserts and," he paused and I herd the faint report of a line gun being fired paired with distant sirens, "Even cocktails."

"And that is was all designed around the Weight Watchers program?"

There was a long silent minute before he asked, "You're kidding, right?"

"Dick, it says it on the cover in big green letters!"

"She's going to claw my eyes out… Think I can return it and get a different one tomorrow?"

I laughed out loud before answering him, partly because of his predicament but mostly because despite how brilliant he was, he could still be quite the idiot. "Sure but you're going by yourself, shopping on Christmas Eve is suicidal."

"Babs, you have to go with me, what if I get a cookbook for the aging woman?"

When I began to laugh again a tone sounded, indicating that my attention was being summoned from another masked man, "Fine, I'll go with you but you're buying me lunch. And a new outfit for Christmas dinner."

"Anything for you, love."

I cut the connection and switched over to the first line, "Batman's Office, how can I help you?"

His reply came quick despite my attempt at cracking his shell, "I'm meeting with the commissioner in an hour, where's Nightwing?"

"Bowery. Just nabbed a mugger. Why?"

He paused then before replying, "I want him there with me."

"May I ask why all of the sudden you need backup to meet with Crazy Kelsey?"

"Because she asked to meet me."

I was taken aback by this. She had been acting as the commissioner of the Gotham City Police Department for well over a year but she had only encountered a masked vigilante a handful of times. At first, she had been gung-ho to annihilate masked faces from "her" city. My father had been one of the officials that had been asked to interview candidates and he had promised us that she was right for the job despite her views on certain matters. I was still not entirely willing to trust her, which was no doubt only a fraction of what Batman felt towards her.

"When was this?" I asked.

"The homicide the other night. I was observing the crime scene from a fire escape and she caught a glimpse of me, asked to talk."

"Did she say what it was about?"

"No, but she seemed genuinely civil." When I began to ask more about what she had told him, he continued, "Have him meet me on the rooftop at ten of midnight."

Then he cut the connection.

I buzzed in on Nightwing and was surprised to find him laughing. I asked, "Everything okay?"

He caught his breath and replied, "Oh sure. I just found a healthy dose of the holiday spirit is all."

"How's that?"

"I was pursuing a speeding car that just left the rear of an electronic store, obviously toting some serious goodies in the back of the van. I followed them five blocks on foot, nearly falling off of two buildings trying to keep up."

"What's so jolly about that?" I asked,

"Turns out they were picking up gifts to drop off at an orphanage… I was after Ebenezer Scrooge but it was Kermit the Frog the entire time."

"You mean Bob Crachit?"

"Same thing. Give me a break, I've watched A Muppet Christmas Carol four times this week with Mattie and Nathan."

"And how many times did they want to watch it?"

"… Once," he sighed in defeat. I told him about meeting the commissioner and he replied, "It'll be close, my cycle is going to take forever to warm up. Maybe I can get a cab."

"Just show them one of those shapely calves of yours; you might even get a half-priced fare."

He signed off snickering, "Shapely calves."

I set the dreaded cook book aside and picked up the list I had written out of everyone I needed gifts for. Every single one was checked off and yet I still couldn't shake the feeling that I had left someone out.

I leaned back in my chair and sighed, my eyes falling on a silver framed picture of my Dad holding Frank at a benefit walk he ha done at Thanksgiving. The Turkey Trot, I recalled. Bruce, Dick and Tim had run it but Selina, Mattie, Nathan, and my father had taken the 5K at a walk.

It was as I looked into a pair of gentle, hazel eyes I realized my error.

And if I hadn't gotten a gift for the little hairball my father would never let me hear the end of it.

^V^

I landed on the rooftop of Gotham City Police Headquarters at seven of midnight and nearly slipped on a patch of ice before coming face-to-face with Batman.

"You're late."

"You're… early?"

He looked away for a moment before saying, "I want you to stay up here."

"What? It's freezing out here. I was kind of hoping I could sneak into the cafeteria and score some free hot cocoa."

"If she's going to try something, I'd much rather have you out here," he spoke evenly.

"If she was going to try something, I'm sure she would have done it by now," I spoke sarcastically.

He scowled for a moment then his features softened with reconsideration, "Fine. But don't open your mouth."

"What do you mean? I'm great at playing the brooding presence in the corner."

"Of course, nothing says 'Fear this' like blue lightning bolts."

Before I could allow shock to let my jaw drop, I caught the half-smirk that Tim had nearly perfected. With just as solemn of a face, I responded, "Just like nothing says 'Beware the Dark Knight' like a snappy yeller belt."

His smirk grew momentarily before he turned back to business, "Let's go."

We crept down the face of the building, using nearly memorized cracks in the exterior as foot holds and intricate moldings for handgrips. He checked her window first and motioned to wait for a second. He then nodded and proceeded to pick the lock of her window before stepping into the room.

She had completely redone it with brand new maple office furniture and a fresh coat of a warm beige paint. With her coffee mug missing from her desk, I took a chance to peer over the case files she had strewn about. Most seemed to be related to internal affairs investigations, not surprising considering Gotham still had one of the most crooked police forces on the eastern seaboard.

With a pair of footsteps approaching in the hall, I stepped back towards a filing cabinet and took refuge while Batman moved behind the opened office door. Kelsey entered first, steaming mug in tow with another gentleman behind her who left the door as it was.

He was clean shaven with dark brown curls trimmed close to his scalp. He couldn't have been much older than me but that could have been from a life of facials and tanning that kept off the years. His tailored suit and manicured nails suggested comfortable living but his shoes hadn't seen a polishing in some time. Too busy or too oblivious, either way it was no way to treat a good pair of Italian dress shoes.

"Well, where is he?" he asked, his voice oddly reminded me of Bruce Willis.

"Who knows if he'll even show up? It's been difficult trying to cooperate with him."

The man sat in one of the stuffed leather chairs, "I could understand. Must be hard trying to start that kind of a partnership from the beginning."

Kelsey corrected him, "We don't have a partnership, more like an understanding. He stays out of my way, I stay out of his."

"Well put, commissioner," Batman spoke quietly as he stepped forward, shutting the door. Both jumped to see him appear, only to do the same when I moved into eyesight as well. The gentleman stood and did his best to regain a sense of composure but with his eyes jumping from one masked face to another it was a futile effort.

"How did you get…?" Kelsey began before shaking her head, "Never mind. I'm actually… I'm glad you decided to come."

Instead of replying verbally, Batman drew a slow breath before locking eyes with our guest.

An Adam's apple bobbed twice before a pair of uneasy eyes looked to Kelsey. She set her coffee mug down and it was then that I realized she hadn't spilt a drop of it. Well done, I thought, considering I had dropped a number of glasses when Bruce had snuck up on me when I was younger.

Being the gracious hostess that she feigned to be, the commissioner cleared her throat, "As you may or may not know, the district attorney is retiring at the end of this month and his replacement has been has been chosen," her eyes looked to the only man not wearing tights in the room, "Timothy Bryce."

We watched silently as he shifted to a more meaningful stance, trying to engage both of us one at a time with a slight nod. I wasn't sure about Batman but I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smirking when Bryce's arm shifted subconsciously to offer a handshake.

Kelsey continued, "Over the last six months I have been doing my best to try and figure out a way for this… situation for a lack of a better term, to be less awkward. I've recently sought advice from Jim Gordon, whom I had expected to laugh in my face but he had the decency not to."

Silence aside from the hum of her computer.

And then the new DA decided to break it.

"I know Erin isn't Jim Gordon and I am no Harvey Dent but…" his eyes should have been wary, glancing back and force at our stoic faces as they had when we first appeared, but I was surprised as he boldly locked his gaze with Batman, "I want to be able to think you could look past that for the sake of this city."

The deep voice that had caused countless perps to piss themselves replied, "You are lecturing the wrong person, Mr. Bryce." He narrowed his eyes on Kelsey and she shifted her weight and crossed her arms over her chest just as Bryce turned to face her.

"I am directing it to all of you," he added, still looking at Kelsey. When he faced us again, he continued, "Bringing down Hades was a monumental effort on your part, one that unfortunately should have involved the police more than it did… That can't be changed but in the future---."

"In the future perhaps the police should do actual police work," Batman growled.

Kelsey stepped around her desk, "I asked you here to talk, not to be insulted."

"Asking me here was an insult. You claim not to be Gordon and Dent and yet you expect an instant alliance just because you said 'please'."

I couldn't help but let my eyes widen in shock. He had surely taken the brunt of Kelsey's objection during his time in the cowl… but to resort to this? Speaking my mind would be a death sentence but holding back would surely be a death sentence for any hopeful relationship with the GCPD.

And as much as we could do on our own, it never hurt to have a little help on the inside.

The change in my expression must have been noticeable as I found Bryce and Kelsey staring at me. Batman managed to direct the attention back to him with, "I've been willing to cooperate since the beginning, Kelsey."

"Cooperate? Hiding evidence, breaking into crime scenes, attacking major drug operations with a handful of people?"

"It's the way it's always been," he countered.

Before their feud heated any further, Bryce interrupted, "And I don't expect it to change, nor does the commissioner," he didn't even glance over his shoulder to confirm it but instead kept his eyes on Batman. I knew about four people who could handle the Bat-glare and I felt comfortable adding another to the list.

"What is it that you do expect?" Batman asked; his voice still in a deep growl.

"Trying the cases that involve vigilantes is a nightmare. Since Gordon stepped down it's only gotten worse. I know you were more comfortable submitting evidence under his supervision because you trusted him."

"He earned my trust."

"How?" Kelsey's voice broke in.

"When you figure it out, you'll earn it too." He turned his back to them and without warning, leapt out of the window.

A moment later, I moved to follow him but Bryce said, "Wait… This didn't go as planned."

"Things with him generally don't," Kelsey sighed.

Bryce paused before saying, "I need you to talk to him…"

"No one can change his mind," I replied.

"He changed mine," Bryce responded before closing his eyes momentarily, "I never believed he existed until… He saved my wife and I from some punk with a switchblade four years ago. Guy came out of no where and knocked me in the back of the head, I couldn't get up for the life of me but I saw him push her against the… He dropped out of the sky and before I knew it the guy was on the ground out cold. I thought maybe he would remember but… I guess he's saved so many people over the years that they all blend together."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be, just help us."

It took me the better part of an hour to find him perched up on the roof of St. Paul's. He gave off waves of frustration, a tell tale sign not to disturb him. Ignoring my baser instincts, I squatted beside him and opened my big, fat mouth.

After a while, he replied, "He thinks I'm Bruce. I'm not."

"No," I corrected him, "He thinks you're the Batman that saved his life. He was hoping that would sway you."

"It doesn't."

"Right."

Another long, silent minute.

"Do you think Bruce would remember him?"

I nodded.

"Do you think that Bruce would be swayed?"

I looked at him, "Are you serious? I'm not going to sit here and play 'Who's the Better Batman' with you."

"I mean it… do you think he would work with them?"

I did not hesitate, "Yes. I think he would. But not because they said 'please', only because he knows to use every available resource for the mission." He stood and I was quick to do the same, "But you're not him," I readied a line and shot it across the street, "But he taught you waste not, want not just as he taught the rest of us."

Before he could reply, I was sailing across Baker Avenue certain that I had opened my big, fat mouth and hadn't made an idiot of myself.

For a change.

^V^

I had decided to surprise Tim with breakfast from the bakery five blocks away, but when I woke a little after nine in the morning I was the only one in bed.

There was a sticky note on the nightstand that had Tim's chicken scratch on it: B to the fast at quarter to the ten at Maison to the Blanche?

"Dork," I said aloud to no one before rolling out of bed.

Having showered when I had returned from patrols a few hours earlier, I changed into a pair of cotton leggings and fresh tank top before running a brush through my pillow mused hair. I made my way down the hall to what Tim and I had made into a meditation room. Despite its effectiveness, Tim rarely meditated, claiming he didn't have time or that he had more important things to do aside from sitting around.

Reclining onto the thin pad on the floor, I exhaled slowly, thinking what he was missing out on.

I had arrived back at the townhouse shortly after he had around four in the morning.

Where I had showered and worked on making the leftovers from dinner disappear, he had sat at the counter and looked out the window watching as the snow began to fall. When I offered to heat up some chicken parm for him he declined and said he was going to bed.

After he had left, I told the empty kitchen, "Fine. More for me."

When I made my way upstairs, he had already showered and gotten into bed facing the night stand on his side. I didn't bother being quiet as I went about showering because even if he was asleep, it would take a miracle to wake him. I had learned fairly quickly to tell when he was pretending to sleep, the tell-tale sign being his eyebrows. He had perfected the deep breathing and the relaxed look on his face with exception to calming his brow.

That night, he was sleeping like a baby.

At exactly half past nine, I stood, feeling completely refreshed despite the long, cold night. We rarely worked together on patrols, each of us taking a quadrant to oversee. And with Nightwing's increasing trips to Bludhaven it was making the nights much longer and much more active.

Just the way I liked it.

When I returned to the bedroom, I quickly picked out a casual outfit of faded jeans and a

navy blue sweater to throw over a slate blue turtleneck. In light of the chilly temperatures, I donned a thigh length wool coat and wrapped a blue striped scarf around my neck. Barbara had been gradually picking away at my lack of fashion sense and when I glanced at the full length mirror on my way out of the room, I thought I should congratulate her.

Even with the French bakery being one block further than the one I had planned on going to, I decided to walk. Three inches of snow had collected in the early morning hours but with Bryanttown being one of the nicer areas, the sidewalks had been cleared long before I woke that morning. About a third of the way there, my cell phone played the beginning bars of Rome's theme song and I answered quickly, "Yes?"

"Hey, you get my note?" Tim replied with the clatter of silverware and morning gossip in the background.

"On my way."

"Good, Dick and Barbara are here too. Better hurry before he eats all of the Chocolate Savoyard."

When I walked in through the glass doors of La Maison Blanche, I found them in a rear table, each huddled over cups of coffee. Barbara spotted me first and offered a slight wave as I approached them. I sat beside Tim after removing my coat and scarf, "Brr."

"Well, people wanted a white Christmas, now they have one," Dick muttered before adding a packet of sugar to his mug, and from the pile of torn papers beside him I could tell it was at least the tenth one.

Barbara glared at him, "They meaning me?"

He shrugged and stirred, "The general public."

A slender, soft-spoken waitress I had never seen before arrived and took our orders. On my way in I had seen that only one of my favorite pastries remained and I was quick to order it, along with water and a broccoli quiche.

Dick gasped audibly and struggled to order an omelet du fromage and a Bavarian Parfait.

While we waited, Barbara asked, "So since Dick is a few peanuts short of a big top, we have to go do some last minute shopping. Either of you care to join?"

Tim sat back, "Dick, we went together, what did you forget?"

He sighed and reached for another sugar packet but Barbara pinched his arm, "Yes, dear what did you forget?"

"Nothing… I just want to get Selina something else is all."

"You don't think she'll like those earrings?" Tim asked.

Dick stared at a spot on the table and replied, "No, it's the cookbook."

Knowing all too well that Dick wasn't about to completely confess his error, Barbara stepped in to fulfill the embarrassment of her husband, "He got her a Weight Watchers cookbook."

I started to snicker but Tim let out a laugh loud enough to turn some heads in the busy establishment. When Barbara joined in, Dick's ears started to turn crimson, "It's not that funny, it's an honest mistake, really."

When we managed to stop laughing at his misfortune, I spoke, "I need to get a few things. Did you want to go too?" I asked Tim.

He nodded, "Sure, someone should make sure Dick doesn't get her the Senior Moments board game."

Our food arrived shortly after and I tormented Dick by eating my ganache filled piece of heaven with one incredibly slow bite at a time. We talked about where to go shopping, tried to pick on Dick some more and succeeded with valor. When the boys went up to pay for breakfast they found themselves at the back of a substantial line of pastry patrons.

Barbara took our time alone to ask, "Did he tell you about last night?"

I shook my head, "No, he went to bed right after we got home. Did something happen?"

She glanced around quickly and waited until the neighboring table emptied and made their way out of hearing range. "He and Dick met the new DA at the commissioner's office."

"Really?" I asked, slightly put off that I had not been included.

"I guess it lasted a whole two minutes and then Tim bailed, Dick said the DA is really eager to work with them but Tim didn't seem to want to hear it."

I chewed the inside of my cheek for a moment, "Doesn't sound like him." I was about to ask her if Dick had told her anything else when they returned to retrieve us. We agreed to meet at the Mall off of the Parkway at noon and then went our separate ways.

I walked back with Tim, keeping mere inches between us the entire way. We weren't too keen on publicly displaying affection but more often than not, we would have been holding hands on the way home.

"Something wrong?" he asked, his breath puffing up in white clouds in front of his face.

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"Cass?"

"Barbara told me about last night."

"Oh… Sorry, I was going to tell you last night but meeting with her gave me a headache."

"Dick said you left him behind?"

He nodded, "I figured they would try and make peace through me with him, but he only stayed a moment after I left. We met up later, talked about what would be the best course to take."

"And?"

He sighed heavily, "I don't know."

"We should cooperate, right? If we don't... it just gives them more reason to hate us."

He replied, "I don't think they hate us, well, Kelsey strongly dislikes us but the DA, Tim Bryce, he seems to be on level. I mean he looked me in the eyes and never wavered once."

"Impressive."

We walked up the narrow path that lead from the sidewalk to the steps before the front door, "I thought so too. And if his influence can convince Kelsey to be civil then I suppose it's only fair that we return the gesture."

"Agreed," I stepped in front of him and unlocked the door, quickly removing my snow covered shoes and coat. As Tim went about doing the same, I blindsided him with a snowball I had made when I had pretended to stop and cuff my jeans so they didn't get wet.

What made it even more surprising was that he had been more than ready and dodged just in time to remain dry before throwing his own snowball.

And Alfred thought we were immature.

^V^

With Selina in the kitchen helping Alfred prepare his ritual Christmas Eve cookies and hot cocoa, I was left alone with Mattie and Nathan in the den making sure the Christmas tree was decorated to perfection for Santa Claus.

"Dad, I think the star is crooked."

I had been sitting on the floor with Nathan watching him put together a reindeer shaped puzzle Leslie had given him as an early gift. With only one leg and an ear left, he had done most of it on his own, asking "Help, Daddy," once when he was missing the piece for the nose.

Turned out I had been sitting on it.

I looked up and saw that it was indeed crooked but I wasn't about to get the ladder and protractor out for the minor discrepancy. "Looks good from here, kitten."

"But Dad…" she stood on one of the couches, "Santa is this tall, from here, it's crooked."

"Well then he'll know that it wasn't professionally decorated, that you and Nathan did it. I think he would appreciate that more."

She rolled her eyes and sighed in a way that further frightened me for her fast approaching teenaged years. With her ninth birthday coming the first week of January, I was actually surprised she still had faith in St. Nick. A few of her friends had told her he wasn't real but instead of coming and crying to Selina in I, she defended her beliefs and refused to listen to anything otherwise until there was evidence proving her wrong.

That's my girl.

In addition, she had learned from school that in other households, some opened one gift on Christmas Eve as a prelude to the morning's festivities. Selina had said it was up to me to decide if we should cater this new tradition. Saying no meant my daughter's endless pleading of which I generally succumbed to anyway. Saying yes meant going with materialized normalcy that had dominated our world.

So I told her maybe.

Just as I was about to tell Mattie not to stand on the couch, the doorbell chimed and she leapt into the air, "I'll get it!"

Nathan leapt up as well, stepping on his puzzle and dismembering the poor cardboard reindeer before running after his sister.

Instead of getting to my feet, I leaned back and let my head fall back onto couch. A trip to England two weeks ago to meet with an electronic firm that was looking to sell had left me bedridden with the flu. Mattie played the dutiful house doctor and took my temperature four times a day and made sure I was drinking plenty of fluids. I put on as much of an amiable face as possible when the kids were around but once alone, I was far too often cursing during bouts of heaving. Luckily, no one else managed to catch it and I suffered in solitude.

I listened carefully to the crackling of the fireplace, the soft Christmas music playing over the surround sound system and the muted voices in the atrium down the hall. Mattie giggled loudly and I suddenly wondered if Dick and Barbara had decided to come up early.

Alone, I let my eyes close and sighed deeply.

Before I could get too comfortable, I heard Mattie's footfalls with Nathan right behind her as they entered the room. "Dad, guess who's here?"

With my lids still shut, I replied, "I hope it's not Santa, we don't have his cookies ready."

"Sorry to disappoint, but I did come bearing gifts."

I sat upright quickly and looked over my shoulder to see Clark standing in my den, snowflakes settled into his jet black hair and his glasses slightly fogged over. In one hand he had a bag of colorfully wrapped gifts that were no doubt for the children and the other, a smaller bag with dark hued wrapping.

After getting to my feet, doing my best to hide any sign of fatigue, I walked over and took the bags from him, "Thank you, Clark," and after I set them beside the tree, I returned and shook his hand. "Can I take your coat?"

"Sure," he shrugged it off and as I took it, I spotted patches of frost on the shoulders and sleeves, no doubt having accumulated from his flight from Metropolis.

Mattie then smiled up at him, "We're making sure the tree is perfect for tomorrow."

He glanced over it, a lightness coming over his eyes that belied the fact that he could burn holes through mountains if he so wished. "It is by far the prettiest tree I've ever seen."

As Mattie was about to speak, no doubt to tell him that she thought the star was crooked, Selina entered the room with a tray of cocoa and cookies, Alfred not far behind with another tray of plates and napkins. She smiled at our guest, "Well what brings you all the way out here, Clark?"

"Are you kidding, I could smell Alfred's chocolate chip cookies in Metropolis."

As everyone opted to pick out cookies and pour cocoa, I sat on the couch and began picking up Nathan's puzzle. Just as I began to close the box, I spotted him out of the corner of my eye, holding up a cookie to my face, "Here, Daddy.

"Thank you, Nathan," I took it from him and he ran back to retrieve another.

It was amazing how much he had grown since earlier that fall, physically and mentally. After a rough start, he was quickly picking up words and mastering his basic vocabulary. His favorite word by far was Elephant but for what reason I wasn't sure. Before I had taken a bite of the cookie, Nathan had returned with one more and instead of offering it to me, he climbed up on my lap and proceeded to eat it himself.

After a brief silence, idle chit chat formed and just as Selina asked what Lois was up to for New Year's, I heard footsteps in the hall and Dick's bellowing, "Hohoho!"

Mattie looked up and laughed as he entered the room, "You're not Santa, you're too skinny."

"Oh, you got me," he replied, "And I don't think I'm quite old enough either. Or hairy."

The soft crackle of the fire and the peaceful music was suddenly lost amidst the chit chat and laughter. I stood and added more wood to the fire and just as I returned the screen, Clark came up behind me, "Bruce, I was wondering if I could talk to you."

"I'm all ears."

He glanced over his shoulder at Dick who was proving he could indeed put six marshmallows in his mouth before adding, "In private."

I nodded and walked over to Selina, "We're going to get some fresh air," I said before kissing her cheek.

"Don't slip and break your hip," she grinned before kissing me back.

A shameless joke in light of a November mishap. A bizarre ice storm had left walking on foot treacherous and I had been warning Mattie to be careful when I had dropped her off at school. When Selina and I had stopped to pick up bagels on the way home, I had slipped and fallen on a patch of ice, ridiculously close to a sign that boldly stated: Caution - ICE!

Not entirely willing to venture into the woods like the last one-on-one talk we had, I lead us to the rear terrace that over looked the property. I dusted off one of the cushions on the wrought iron chairs and sat while pulling my wool coat tighter around my form. Instead of doing the same, Clark approached the rail and stared into the darkness, no doubt enjoying what his eyes could see in the recesses of the woods.

"Clark, it's Christmas Eve. It's barely twenty degrees and I'm sitting on a frozen chair. Do I really have to ask you to get whatever it is you want to say out?"

He exhaled slowly, "So how is everything?"

"Fine. Good thing we did this in private," I muttered.

"No, I mean it, Bruce, how are you?"

I leaned back, still amazed that he always asked the same question, one that I never answered.

Repetitive behavior with the same outcome but expecting different results.

And I was the crazy one.

"Great. Work nine to five; spend the evenings with my children; wild sexual adventures with my wife every other night of the week."

Clark's jaw dropped slightly and I shook my head, "I was kidding Clark," when he started to smirk, "It's every night of the week."

He shook his head and did his best to keep from blushing. Still a farmboy at heart…

Desperate to change the subject, he asked, "And the others, Dick, Tim…"

I kept my eyes on him, still trying to figure out what was brewing behind those gold rimmed glasses, "Busy. The city never sleeps."

He looked towards the city skyline miles away, "Even on Christmas."

"Afraid not," I rose and moved to stand beside him.

Whether it was my physical presence being closer or the fact that he had actually decided to stop wasting my time, he said, "I wanted you to know first…"

"If you're retiring Clark, I'll be damned if I'm hosting the party."

He half-smiled before replying, "No, no… But I doubt you would throw a party for this either…"

As Clark turned to face me, I responded in the same manner, keeping my eyes cool enough to insist he continue.

And he did.

^V^

After assuring Mattie that the two plates of cookies were more than enough for Santa, I forced her upstairs while carrying a slumbering Nathan in my arms. After changing him and tucking him into bed, I went in and checked on Mattie. Taffy was sprawled on her bed, her tail twitching in the midst of feline fantasy. Mattie had changed into the candy cane striped silk pajamas, a gift I let her open while Bruce and Clark had been gone.

Since Nathan had fallen asleep on the couch and Mattie had suggested he be the first to open a gift in the morning.

"Do you want me to read 'Twas the night Before Christmas?" I asked as I sat on the edge of her bed.

While she climbed under the covers, she asked, "Where's Dad?"

"He's still talking with Uncle Clark downstairs, hon."

"Do you know how long he's going to be?"

I shrugged, "Probably a while."

She bit her lip momentarily before saying, "Okay."

I reclined beside her and we took turns reading. At a little before ten, we had finished and I kissed her brow, "Good night, Mattie, see you in the morning."

She yawned before managing a quiet, "Good night, Mom."

I shut out the lights and closed the door behind me. Before coming upstairs, I had helped Alfred pick up while Dick and Barbara had entertained Mattie and Nathan. After every dish had been washed and every leftover cookie had wrapped up, I had bid him goodnight.

When I reached the door, I had turned back once more, "Alfred?"

"Yes?" When I couldn't find the words to say, he offered a brief smile, "I'm sure everything is fine, Ms. Selina."

There was no point in going back downstairs, especially since Dick had already left for patrols and Barbara was no doubt basking in the glow of the Cave monitors. I made my way to the master bedroom, dimming the hall lights just before passing through the doors.

I stared at my reflection in the small mirror I kept on the dresser and smiled to see the gold necklace around my neck. As I touched the string of hanging diamonds, I reminded myself to inform Bruce that I had opened my gift early as well. Leaving the necklace in place, I removed my earrings before I made my way into the bathroom and began filling the tub. Once the bubbles frothed and the water was steaming, I stripped and settled into heaven. I was just about to curse myself for not turning on the music in the bedroom when I heard padded footsteps on the carpet.

Then the sound of a heavy watch clanking on the dresser surface.

"Rough day?" I called out.

When Bruce passed through the open bathroom door, he still sported the dark slacks he had worn throughout the day but had already removed his button up shirt. We had spent the day wrapping gifts in the seclusion of the library while Mattie and Nathan had been watching a movie in the den. We had intended on going out to lunch but by noon, Bruce looked exhausted, which meant he felt ten times worse. Although I had rarely shown him pity for his injuries sustained as Batman, I couldn't help but fell a little sorry for him when he fell ill as if he were a normal human being.

"They in bed?"

"Sleeping with visions of sugar-plums dancing in their heads," I grinned up at him as I lifted a soapy leg out of the water and traced a line down his leg with my big toe, "Care to join me?"

He hesitated, and his eyes glanced to the door.

Translation: I want to go hang out in the dark, cold cave all night so that I may brood and be Bat-like.

And I glared at him, a smile on my lips but my brow low and angry.

Translation: If you don't get naked and in this tub in five seconds I will become violent and Cat-like.

As he reached for his belt, I purred with victory.

He sat in the tub facing me, letting his feet rest on either side of my hips. I reached down and tickled a toe and he shook his head, "Too callused."

"I know, worth a try."

"You however," his hand disappeared under the bubbles and reached for one of my feet but I was quick to withdraw them.

"Don't you even dare or you won't get to open a Christmas gift early."

His lip twitched slightly and his left brow rose ever so slightly. "And what gift is that?"

"A surprise," I grinned at him and let my legs extend back towards him. This time, I let him take one of my feet into his broad hands and instead of tickling he began to massage the arch of the foot tenderly. "I think you should look into a career change…"

He smirked and went to work on the ball of my foot.

I watched him silently for nearly ten minutes as he finished the one foot and moved onto the next. Although Bruce genuinely could be nice on occasions, I was suspicious whether or not this was holiday cheer or a way of distracting me. Either way, my feet had never felt better.

When he set my foot down, he leaned back and stared at me.

"How much do I owe you?" I asked, trying to keep a straight face.

"It's on the house," he assured me.

"Ah… do you only perform le pied masse or do you do le corps masse as well?"

His eyes widened a fraction before he replied, "Comme vous souhaitez, mon cher."

I recognized the French translation of the infamous Princess Bride quote and smiled as I moved closer to him. As you wish…

It wasn't long before we silently yet mutually agreed that the bath was over. We frantically dried off while trying to kiss each other, an act with became increasingly futile. When Bruce began pushing me into the bedroom, I said, "Wait, I need to dry my hair."

He stopped in his tracks and stared at me in complete disbelief, knowing all to well that I never joked when it came to my hair. I took his momentary laps to rat tail him with my towel before quickly dashing out of his reach. He managed to grab my arm and instead of pulling me back towards him, he tripped then caught me in the same second. When I spun around to claw at him, he laid me onto the carpet and smirked before joining me.

Fortunately, we never made it to the bed, so my soaking wet hair dampened the floor instead of Alfred's perfectly arranged pillows. Bruce growled something into the flesh of my neck that sounded like "Need to dry your hair now?" and I had to kiss the skin behind his ear to keep from laughing out loud.

Moments later, Bruce asked in between pants, "Was that my gift?"

I smiled, "No, yours is on the dresser."

He shifted his weight onto one of his forearms and reached up to fix the necklace at my throat. "I see you started without me."

As he leaned in and kissed the hollow between my collarbones I shrugged, "Not my fault you were sitting outside for an hour."

"Forty-five minutes," he corrected me. The change in his voice was so sudden, it sobered me instantly. As much as I wanted to keep the night pleasant, my curiosity would not rest until I knew what the purpose was for Clark's visit.

"What could you and Clark possibly talk about for that long?" I asked.

He stood suddenly, leaving me suddenly chilled in the absence of the warmth of his body on mine. Bruce stepped into the bathroom and wrapped a towel around his waist before looking at himself in the mirror. I rose as well, donning a terrycloth robe before following him, hopping up onto the sink counter mere inches from him.

"It was nothing."

"It was something."

He glanced at me briefly before turning around and leaning against the granite counter, "No, he just had to ask me a question is all."

"Oh really? The man can fly faster than a speeding bullet, I'm pretty sure he could ask a question in at least five minutes, even of you." I paused before continuing, "Is there something wrong between him and Lois?"

Bruce shook his head, "No, they're fine, everything's fine…" he turned and stood to face me, "I promise."

"All right, but if you're lying to me, I get your Christmas gifts."

He smirked before saying, "Speaking of which, I almost forgot…" I followed him back into the bedroom and sat on the bed while Bruce retrieved the small wrapped box that was on the dresser, mere inches from where he had thrown his watch earlier. As he sat beside me, he shook it next to his ear, "What could it be…"

I watched on as he carefully unwrapped the gift and proceeded to remove the top of the box. As he searched through the tissue paper I leaned against him, resting my head on his shoulder while looking on.

"It's a die," he pulled the sterling silver cube out of the box. As he began to read the sides, he smiled, "It's a very interesting die."

Smiling, I explained, "It's so that you can make decisions when you don't know what you want to do with your free time. I like this one, Getaway Weekend. Oh, and Night of Dancing."

Once he had read all of the sides, he shook it between his palms and let it fall to the mattress. We both peered over to read it and as a hand crept up my side, he commented, "Oh, look, my favorite."

^V^

"See any reindeer yet?" Nightwing's voice came merrily over the comm. link.

"Negative," I exhaled, my eyes glued to my binoculars as I aimed them towards a filmy window across the street. For a good part of the evening, patrols had been fairly mild so I had taken advantage of having extra time by tracking down a few of my favorite snitches.

Jay Collin, better known as Jayco, had been trying his luck at an underground casino from midnight on. I checked back several time and his wallet had grown thin and BAL had risen. When I came back the fourth time, I was just in time to see two bouncers throw him out into the back alley, threatening his manhood if he ever came back.

Stumbling to his feet, Jayco tried to earn back some of his dignity, "Yeah well you steroid snorting freaks better enjoy your jewels before they shrivel up!"

I followed him as he stumbled down the alley and four blocks to his humble abode. A fourth floor flat that had only three working light bulbs and no sign of holiday cheer. I had decided to at least watch him for thirty minutes, see if he was still as connected as he used to be. When he breezed by the window in tattered boxer shorts, I began to think he was no longer a favorite in the underworld.

Packing up my binoculars, I told Nightwing that I was going to head up to Grant Park to weed out any drug deals.

He laughed back, "Weed out… you kill me."

A soft crinkle of snow to my left suddenly caused my alertness to increase tenfold. I took a deep breath before turning, "Thought you would have gone home by now."

Superman stood stoically, arms crossed over his chest even though there was no way he physically could have felt the cold, "Figured I would lend a hand, the world seems to be thriving on holiday bliss tonight."

Unlike Bruce, I had always been in awe of Superman. I couldn't imagine going through life masquerading as a human while at all times holding back endless power. If that wasn't enough, he truly was a pure soul, caring for every life whether good or bad.

"I appreciate the offer but things are actually pretty quiet, even for Gotham."

He nodded, no doubt wondering if Bruce had schooled me in how to say no to him. "That's always good to hear. I've actually been impressed with how well you've handled things, it's like you born for this."

I shook my head a millimeter, "I've erred… Numerous times."

"We all have… Batman. It's just what we learn from those mistakes that truly matters."

Bruce had once said that Superman was a walking After School Special. Thinking of his words just then nearly made me smirk.

"He was never perfect," Superman spoke quietly.

"I know," I replied, perhaps too quickly. I added, "He was pretty close though."

He nodded, "But it took him a lifetime."

And cost him so much more, I thought.

Superman's head jerked suddenly and he looked to the east. Not a moment later, Oracle's voice came over the comm. link, "Boss, we've got a fire at Glenwood Living Development, gas line leak."

"We're on it."

"We?"

Instead of replying, I cut the connection and reached for my grapple gun but Superman stepped forward, "Care for a ride?"

Hesitant, I decided it was the better course as it would take nearly ten minutes to get to the scene otherwise. I latched my hand onto Superman's forearm and he did the same to me. I found myself holding my breath when he jumped into the sky and took off. Although every child dreams of having the ability to fly, it personally gave me the willies. Just the thought of floating around in the air with only minor changes in your position controls your direction and speed…

So wrong.

I told Superman to let me drop down on the roof adjacent to the twenty-story apartment building and just as he did so he took off and approached the blazing middle floors, no doubt scanning the inside for anyone trapped. I shot a grapple across and swung in towards him, following him inside.

"Family of four in the back!" he called out.

A blast of cold air, rich in carbon dioxide, blasted from his lips and the fire in the corridor receded substantially. With the path safer, I followed him to the apartment to the rear. Before he could make a move, I felt the door and inserted a re-breather into my mouth. In one kick, the door was in splinters and I was going in foot first into an inferno. Superman blasted cold air once more, this time aiming specifically towards the hallway that lead out the back of what once had been a living room.

The door on left yielded smoke, flickers of flames and cries for help. After somersaulting into the room, I caught Superman out of the corner of my eyes and pointed his attention to the window. He nodded and shattered the window and then immediately evaporated the glass with a blast of heat vision.

As I helped two soot covered adults to their feet, I guided them to Superman before retrieving the children. Both under the age of five, they screamed in my ears and one of them elbowed me in the eye. When I reached the window, I handed the tykes to Superman and watched in awe as their eyes widened and their cries silenced. Then again, the ever charming black curly lock and bright blue eyes must have been more welcoming than a pointy cowl and beady white eyes.

I fired a grapple to an adjacent building and ordered the man and woman to hold tight. As Superman leapt into the sky, the children nearly laughing at that point, I attached the line to my belt and held onto to my passengers before jumping as well. Once near the ground, I had the line recoil, slowing our descent to make a perfect landing. When they were steady on their feet, Superman landed beside us and the tykes were bouncing in his arms.

With no remaining people in the building, the Kryptonian volunteered to put the rest of the fire out, earning a grand applause from the gathered crowd of witnesses and fire fighters alike. I had taken refuge atop a neighboring apartment complex, watching the scene from up high.

He flew up and landed beside me, the broad clean face that I had been greeted by moments ago was ash covered but still on the verge of smiling. He dusted his hands off, "Good work."

"Not so bad yourself."

"Well, pending any other major disasters, I'd like to ask something of you."

I remained quiet.

"It's been some time since I've worked at your side... You provide something in your work that no other can seem to match. Call it an edge or analytical thinking or whatever… It's something that is essential for keeping this city, or any city for that matter, safe."

If I had wanted to speak, my vocal cords wouldn't have let me.

"We never filled your chair in the Watchtower, namely because there was no one worthy. It would be an honor if you would decide to come back and join us."

I had replaced my re-breather in its compartment on my utility belt shortly after reaching the rooftop but I suddenly wondered if my brain wasn't getting enough oxygen.

"Superman, I…"

"I know," he reached forward and set a hand on my shoulder but I was too stunned to shrug it off as he might have expected, "Don't decide tonight. And if you don't think you're ready to come back, your chair will stay empty until you are."

I stood shell shocked, watching as he floated into the air before taking off into the night sky. Perhaps this was a Christmas Carol come true and that had just been the Ghost of Christmas Present in a Superman outfit. And he hadn't really offered me a position in the Justice League but had instead asked me for my near-famous Eggnog recipe.

"Boss?" Oracle's voice brought me back.

"What?"

"I heard over the scanner that a certain blue tight sporting superhero just saved the day. And since Nightwing is trying to steal cocoa from a vendor on Madison, I would assume it was…"

"Superman. He's gone now."

"Well, that's always nice, superheroes being super together." When I didn't reply, she continued, "You all right?"

"Fine," I replied before telling her I was resuming patrols in Grant Park.

I was fine.

Aside from the fact that I couldn't help but wonder if I could get yelled at for playing Ultimate Frisbee in the Watchtower with Wally.

^V^