Barb stepped into her apartment hoping that once she was home she could relax. But as she turned to face Tom watching her, Barb felt even tenser. The ride back to her place was quiet and she was regretting allowing Tom to come home with her. It was one more stab at Bruce that she didn't mean.

"Well I am glad we called it an early night" Tom said walking to the window looking out "You know how I hate those kinds of parties"

Barb looked away "It was for Harvey.."

Tom nodded "Sure it was…"

Barb sighed; "Here we go again…what's that supposed to mean?" she turned around

Tom shrugged "I just think he throws those kinds of parties to impress you"

Barb rolled my eyes "If Bruce were trying to impress me by throwing those kinds of parties then he would be proving just how little he knows me, and he knows me better than anyone" Barb shot back

Tom raised an eyebrow "Even better than me?"

Barb shook her head "Tom…I thought we were passed this. Bruce is my friend that's all" she lied. She knew she was lying to Tom and most importantly herself

He stepped closer to her "I want to believe that so much" he held her face.

She looked at him defeated "There isn't much else I can do to prove that to you"

Tom nodded "I can think of one thing" he kissed her

Barb looked at Tom then tried to pull away "Tom.." He wouldn't let go

"Its been a very long day, and I'm going to try an ignore the fact that you seem to think that by me sleeping with you will prove that Bruce and I are no more than good friends, that's just crazy" she shook her head

Tom kissed her again, this time with a little more passion "Its not so much that it will prove to me that there's nothing between you and Bruce, but that you and me can really take a shot at this" he kissed her again "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it.." he kept kissing her

Barb was getting lost in Tom's persuasion as he kept kissing her, it was keeping her from refusing him. Tom moved his kisses down her neck, Barb couldn't think straight as Tom started for the stairs. His plan was working.

As they got to the bottom of the stairs Barb held back trying to regain her thoughts. But Tom fought as he swept her feet and into his arms and resumed kissing her.

"You want this as much as I do" He placed her on the bed

"No" she breathed holding his head back "It will change things" she looked at him trying to hold her strength

Tom smiled "Only for the better.."

Barb couldn't think about the reproductions of sleeping with Tom would have. Her Body and her head were screaming yes from the pleasure he was already giving her, but her heart and her instincts were screaming no. She didn't know how to choose

Tom began reaching his hand under her back and unzipped her dress as he continued kissing her neck. Barb let out a heavy sigh and unbuttoned Toms shirt, she gave in. Yet another stab to Bruce she didn't mean to do.

Tom smiled glancing out the window knowing Batman was nearby or even on his way to look in on Barb.

By the time the last of the guests were leaving, Bruce was practically rushing them out the door. With Alfred shooting Bruce an unimpressed look he shook his head.

"Will you be going out Master Wayne?" he asked

"I need to check on Barbara" Bruce turned on his heel as the front door shut and he made his way back to his room. "Something's about to happen tonight I can feel it Alfred"

"Sir dare I ask, but did you and Miss Gordon get into an argument earlier?" Alfred asked

Bruce nodded not looking at his old friend "I told her Tom isn't who he says he is" he said as he reached the top of the stairs "And she didn't believe me"

"And seeing her leave with Doctor Elliot has made you this motivated to do what exactly?" Alfred asked

Bruce stopped as they reached the master bedroom

"Alfred, Barb is ignoring her instincts. Instincts that scream to her to stay away from people like Thomas Elliot. He's using Barb to get at me and batman all for some sick game he's trying to play and I'm not going to let him harm Barb in the process"

"I understand your motive Master Wayne, but what if after all this miss Gordon still doesn't want to be with you?" Alfred countered

Bruce finally looked Alfred in the eyes "Who's side are you on here" Bruce asked almost comically

"Well of course yours sir, but to be frank you haven't played the role of the supportive friend very well when she's watched you date half of Gotham without so much as a smirk, and finally when she's started to move on you've proven that you don't hide your jealousy too well I'm afraid. You've been too concerned with trying to take down Doctor Elliot"

"Its all for the same cause" Bruce argued

"Not in her case it isn't sir" Alfred said, "She's not just a pretty face. I can see why she was upset after you reviled Thomas's shady past to her, she thought it was just one more match between you two"

Bruce looked down. "We'll it's a little late to take back what's been done" he said opening the latch to the lift that led down to the caves "The only thing I can do now is try and protect her"

Alfred nodded "right so sir. Just trying to add a little perspective"

As Batman got the rooftop that stood next to Barbs building, giving clear view into her apartment he saw what he knew Tom wanted him to see.

There were Tom and Barb making love in plain view. In that moment he didn't know whether to be crushed or blind with rage. He felt that he lost Barb for good in that moment.

He looked away trying to spare what was left of him and jumped off the building gliding away.

Barb woke up the next morning wishing last night was just a bad dream, that or it was Bruce next to her in bed. Unfortunately it was neither, but lucky for Barb she woke up alone as she turned to see the other side of the bed empty. Sitting up she ran her hand through her hair and sighed. What had she done?

"Morning Barb" Andrea said as Barb passed her desk. She didn't intentionally ignore Andrea friendly greeting, she was too caught up in her thoughts.

Andrea followed Barb into her office with the mornings schedule

"You have an 11 o'clock meeting with that new copy editor for the sports section and Mickey wanted you to take a look at these since you held up printing last time he ran a story" Andrea laid down the stories for Barb to review. She was still lost as she looked out the window

"Barbara?" Andrea waved her hand in Barbs vision

Barb finally snapped out of it she looked up as if she was seeing Andrea for the first time that morning.

Andrea wasn't even offended, more worried "Everything ok? I've never seen you like this before?"

Barb looked down at the newspapers Andrea brings in from the other papers, the Herald, the gazette; they ran the stories about Harvey's party the night before. Everything came rushing back to Barb, her turning away Bruce, and sleeping with Tom.

"Did something happen last night with Harvey that you're not saying Barb?"

Barb looked up trying to smile "No he did great.." she said "There's just a lot going on right now…I'm fine"

Andrea flipped open the Times and on the front page was a picture of Tom, Bruce, her and Harvey. "I don't even remember someone taking that last night" Barb said

Andrea smiled "It's a great picture…You're sure are lucky to be dating the man responsible for saving Harvey's life"

Barb looked away knowing Tom wasn't responsible, sure he had a hand in giving Harvey his life back but Batman was the one responsible for giving Harvey his life back, as well as Harvey's friends, her and Bruce.

"Yeah he's a real catch" Barb tried to sound convincing.

Andrea was still staring at the picture "Bruce didn't have a date to the party…did he?" She asked meekly

Barb couldn't help but smile genuinely she was amused by Andreas crush on Bruce "No Andrea, he was solo last night" she looked down feeling awful for how she treated Bruce and for what happened.

She didn't know what to do or say to him after last night. She felt as if she lost him for good. And with being with Tom made that realization even more real somehow.

"Course not, because he was wishing you were his date" Andrea said

Barb looked up at her assistant confused. "Look at the picture, he's not even looking at the camera, he's staring at you" she explained

Barb picked up the paper and looked at it more closely "I've seen that look he has too" Andrea said remembering their date, realizing he was watching Barb while on a date with her

"He loves you Barb" she said defeated. Barb dropped the paper and rubbed her eyes tired

"Andrea. please Bruce and I are just friends" it was that same song she always sung

She shrugged "Maybe to you, you guys are. But that look on his face says otherwise. Two guys in love with you Barb, what I would give to be in your shoes" she envied

Barb shook her head "Is there anything else Andrea?" she looked at her assistant growing tired of the conversation

Andrea shook her head "No, Mickey does need those proofs back by lunch though"

Barb nodded "Thank you" she said as she watched her assistant saunter out of her office

Barb grabbed the stories she needed to check and turned to the view in her window.

"More missing girls turn up dead. Rouge doctor on the lose"

Suddenly everything barb was trying to ignore couldn't be contained any longer. She stood from her seat and her heart started pounding. Reading the word doctor in the headline made her think about what Bruce told her last night. Tom practicing without a license abroad.

She turned to her computer and searched for Tom's parents death. She started with Tom's fathers trying to find if it was reported about his breaks being cut.

George and Katherine Elliot in horrific car crash; George killed while Katherine clings to life with the help of Thomas Wayne.

Barb read through the article, ironically it was published by her paper. The article read the very fact that Bruce had told her, the brakes were cut but police found no leads.

Barb sat back and tried to think logically. She went back to searching Thomas Elliot. More articles surfaced in the archives for the paper. His violent outbursts, he was sent to Arkham asylum for a short period for his temper. Barb couldn't believe he never said anything.

Without reading the rest of Mickey's article she got up grabbing her bag and headed for the door.
"Andrea, I need you to cancel my meetings and tell Mickey he's going to have to wait on the story, I need to go talk to my dad" she said rushing by

Andrea didn't have time to respond.

Barb needed to find out where this rouge doctor was from, and she was sure there was information her father was keeping away from the press, but this time her instinct was loud and clear. Barb needed to crack the story for Gotham's sake, and hers.

"Barb.." Jim was surprised as Barb blew into his office

"What's wrong" he saw the look on his daughters face.

She shook her head "I know he has information on this hush character. I need know about him"

Jim looked down knowing exactly what Barb was getting at. She was referring to the file Batman had given him on Hush. Jim sighed conflicted

"Barb honey, if you print what I have on him, its just going to get the city more anxious. And what Batman gave me isn't even of much use" Jim shrugged

Barb looked at her father with pleading eyes "Its more so for me dad. I need to look into something, and I have this feeling that I cant shake"

Jim trusted Barb was on to something. He paused reassessing his decision. He shut his door and walked back to his desk and opened the filing cabinet and pulled out the file.

Barb looked at it praying she was wrong on whatever feeling she was having about hush and Tom. She opened it reading through Batman's notes. They were coordinates that were stuck to maps, notes from witnesses who claimed they saw a masked person in a trench coat.

The map was doted in West Africa, the places were where Tom told Barb he had been. She dropped the file and stood up feeling as if she was going to be sick.

"Barb…" Jim asked worried