Barbara winced into the mirror, opening her mouth wide to inspect her teeth. She'd glued fake fangs over her canines, and as fangs went, they were fairly convincing. On the other hand, she was beginning to worry that she'd be stuck with them for the rest of her days. Prodding the sharp tip of the left fang, she tried a smile. Very intimidating. Maybe, if they didn't come out, they'd be good on patrol? Batgirl would be ten times scarier with fangs, and they definitely fit the bat motif.
Then again, Barbara Pennyworth would have a hard time explaining the teeth to Master Wayne's distinguished guests.
The doorbell startled out of her musings. She pasted on a smile, and swept out of the bathroom, letting her cape trail behind her on the way to the front door.
Babs didn't bother to check the peephole and snatched up a giant bowl of sugary goodness. All night long, she'd had to guard it from the wandering hands of her brothers. Even now, they were probably devising schemes to make off with the loot. But she'd be ready. She always was.
Slowly, she reached for the handle.
The door creaked open, and revealed a small group of beaming little kids.
"Trick-or-treat!" they sang.
Barbara smiled, glancing over their costumes as she handed out a handful of candies to each kid. "Ooh, we've got a scary bunch here," she said in a conspiratorial tone, "Looks like we have a Dinosaur, a Wonder Woman—love your tiara, sweetie—a skeleton, a puppy dog—look at your cute little ears!—and—"
She laughed as a little girl dressed as Batgirl held up her plastic candy bucket eagerly. She couldn't have been more than five or six. "Who are you, sweetheart?"
The girl beamed, puffing out her chest, where a felt bat symbol was secured with a few safety pins. She even had a little homemade cape, cowl and belt. "I'm Batgirl," she said solemnly. "I protect the city from bad guys and mean old boys."
A woman standing farther down the walkway let out an embarrassed chuckle. Barbara grinned and scooped out a heaping handful of candy. She dumped it into the little Batgirl's bucket and said,
"Good work, Batgirl. I feel safer already!"
She grinned, and skipped off to join her costumed compatriots. "Thanks, vampire lady!" she called, waving a tiny hand.
"You know…" A voice behind her chuckled, as she shut the door. "That's the whole reason we took Bruce off candy duty. He kept giving all the Batman's extra."
She turned and stared straight into the eyes of Captain America. Out of all of them, Dick had probably put the most effort into his costume. It had all the straps, buckles and stripes befitting an authentic Steve Rogers, super soldier. She fanned her face with her hand.
"I know," she said, "But come on! That little girl was adorable! Besides, no one ever dresses up like me!"
"Bull. That's the fifth one we've seen tonight." Dick sighed and smiled. He stepped closer, and wrapped his hands around her waist. "You excited for the party, BG?"
"Mmm…the one with the Team, or the one with the family?"
He raised an eyebrow, smiling deviously. "No, I was thinking of the party after the Halloween party. The one with just you and me…"
"Oh?" she matched his smile, and leaned in for a kiss.
As soon as Dick's lips were on hers, she heard a loud clatter behind her, and whirled around. Jason and Tim froze with the shattered bowl on the floor between them. Their eyes were wide, and very, very afraid.
"Aw, guys," Dick moaned.
"Goodness gracious! We've been spotted! Plan C, Grayson!" Jason cried, "Go! Go! Go!"
He and Tim scrambled to pick up the scattered sugar. Babs lunged forwards to stop them, but Dick let out a laugh and grabbed her from behind, his arms circling around her shoulders until she couldn't move.
"Traitor!" Barbara shouted, dissolving into laughter. Dick spun her around once the boys had made their escape, giving her an apologetic smile. The puppy-dog eyes.
But those weren't going to work. Not again.
"That was low, Wingnut," she said, trying hard to wipe the grin off her face. "Even for you."
He shrugged. "Hey, we're done for the night! Those were the stragglers, and now we can just turn off the porch lights and make our way to the Watchtower. Candy was gonna go to waste anyways."
She pouted. "I wanted some."
"Heh. Sorry, Babs. I'll make them save you a Snickers."
She crossed her arms over her chest, and raised an eyebrow. He shuffled, looking sheepish, and said, slowly. "So, uh…about tonight. Are we still…? Um…"
Barbara sighed, long and low. "Ohhh, Grayson. If you think you're getting any sugar tonight after what you just pulled…well, I'd go talk to the boys about sharing their haul."
"Fine. But who knows," he said, sidling up to her. "The night is young. Anything could happen."
"Hmm. We'll see. Go get your mask and tell those bozos to stop stuffing their faces and get ready. I think we're leaving in ten."
He saluted, and shot her a wink. "Yes, ma'am."
"Atta boy."
As Dick marched off, Babs made her way to the bathroom.
#######
"Barbara! Barbara! Where the #%$ are you?"
Tim's voice travelled into the bathroom, and Barbara quickly swiped a tube of blood-red lipstick across her lips. She'd just finished dabbing at the edges when Tim burst into the bathroom. He was dressed in a long coat, an old floppy hat and a monocle. Black boots clapped on the bathroom tile as he stepped in to inspect her costume.
"I'm almost ready." She shot him a quick smile.
"Seriously, though?" he said. "A vampire? You get to dress up like a bat every other night of the year."
Barbara smirked, and clipped on a tarnished pair of dangling black and silver earrings.
"Says Sherlock Holmes. If I recall correctly, boy wonder, you spend every other night of the year doing detective work…"
Tim sighed. "Touché."
His eyes swept over the long black, silver and red dress. "You look nice. Okay? Let's go. Dick and Jason were ready forever ago."
She sighed and turned away from the mirror, following Tim out into the hallway. As they walked in silence, she could hear Dick and Jason scuffling in the other room.
"I don't need your stupid costume! Leave me the f-"
Both boys stopped when Barbara stepped into the room. The curse word died on Jason's lips. They were frozen in an uncomfortable looking stance, with Dick leaning halfway over Jason, who was halfway behind him. Tim made his way to the fridge, leaving her to settle this…whatever it was.
"Hey Darlin'," Dick said with a sheepish grin. "You look great."
"Still with the vamp?" Jason asked. "Really? I thought you were gonna do the mermaid or something for the party."
Tim clicked his tongue in agreement as he walked over to the kitchen counter. He sipped at a can of root beer, and Barbara made a sound through her teeth.
"You guys are so mean!" she said, grinning. "I think it looks fine."
Dick made a sound of protest, and shoved the mask over Jason's head. Now, Babs could see the offending mask more clearly. It was painted a sickly white, with bulging eyes and a huge red grin. It was supposed to be a zombie mask, most likely, but she saw something very different. And, judging by his reaction, so did Jason.
He flung the mask off his head with a feral and animalistic shriek. With one foot, he kicked the mask across the room, shaking. His eyes were wide. Barbara turned to Dick.
"Hey," she said, "That's enough."
Dick stopped laughing and looked down at the fallen Halloween costume. He turned to Jason, then back to the mask. A line appeared between his eyebrows. It finally seemed to hit him a few seconds later.
"Oh, man, Jaybird," he gasped, eyes flying open wide, "I-I didn't mean…I'm so sorry."
Jason's knuckles were white as he gripped the counter behind him. His breathing was shallow.
"Grayson," he said slowly, "If you ever come near me with that thing again, then I swear on the cowl that I will take your escrima stick and shove it so far up your-"
"Okay!" Barbara interjected, pasting on a smile. She bent to pick up the offending mask, and tipped it into the garbage bin. "That's enough of that. Jay? What are you supposed to be?"
Jason's costume consisted of a ripped-up pair of jeans and a 'distressed' t-shirt. He'd had whitish green paint on his face, but it was slightly smeared, thanks to Dick. His whole face was covered in Halloween makeup. Barbara noted with some amusement that she'd found the culprit who'd made off with her eye shadow.
"I'm a zombie," he deadpanned. "Obviously."
She raised an eyebrow. "And you guys said my costume was too dead on."
Jason's mouth quirked. "That some kinda pun?"
"Maybe."
Dick wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Well, we've got a bat, a detective, and an undead—yet lovable—monster—"
Jason scowled at that, then said, "And the world's biggest boy-scout."
Tim and Barbara snickered. Dick shook his head, grinning, and said, "Yeah, yeah. We really scraped the bottom of the creativity barrel this year, didn't we?"
"Nonsense. I think you all look fine."
The batkids froze as their mentor walked into the room, with his face buried in stats and blueprints, as usual. He was wearing his typical uniform, cowl down around his shoulders. Dick cleared his throat, and Bruce looked up from his tablet.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Um…boss man?" Barbara said, gazing at the bat symbol on her mentor's chest, "You do remember the date, yes?"
Bruce's face was expressionless. "I'm perfectly aware that today is Halloween."
"Then…aren't you forgetting something?"
Bruce tapped on his screen, shrugging. "Those are strong words coming from a Batgirl who decides to dress up like a vampire."
The boys all grinned. "Ohhhhhh," they groaned.
Barbara's chin jutted up. "Strong words from a man who couldn't find anything but his uniform to wear."
"OOOoooohhhhhh!"
"Boys," Bruce said, pulling the cowl over his head, "Please shut up."
He looked up at them, gazing out at his protégés through the white eyes of his mask. "I hope you all have a fun time. Try not to stay out all night."
"You sure you're good to handle patrol on your own?" Tim asked, "Because if not—"
"I'll be fine," Batman cut in. "I think you all need a bit of recreation. Especially after these last few weeks."
Tim's expression darkened, his brows drifting so far down that his monocle popped out and clapped against his chest.
The Batman's expression softened. "Have fun. Be safe. And if—"
"If anything explodes we're grounded," the batkids all repeated in monotone. For the first time, the Batman managed something like a smile, and turned to sweep out of the room. He almost bumped into Alfred, who was dressed in a blue suit with a red and yellow S on his chest. A scarlet cape draped off his shoulders. Bruce froze in the doorway to gape at his butler. The batkids all gasped, and quickly hid grins behind their hands.
Alfred's eyebrows shot up.
"Right then. Shall I go change, Master Bruce?"
Bruce made a sound at the back of his throat. "Please."
#######
RECOGNIZED:
NIGHTWING B01
BATGIRL B09
ROBIN B15
RED HOOD B34
The zeta tube announced their arrival in the Watchtower, but the voice was much different from the usual monotone woman's voice. The audio had been replaced with Count Dracula (1943 version) speaking the names of the incoming guests.
Dick winked at her through his Captain America mask. All of the boys had put on their domino masks for the sake of privacy (a fact Tim was not happy about, as he had to give up the monocle) except Dick. He'd opted for a complete costume, replacing his mask with the one that came shipped with the costume. It left his scheming blue eyes out on display.
"I'm guessing that Milady Dracula's the one responsible for this reprogramming?" He asked, nudging her shoulder playfully. Barbara grinned, showing off her fangs, and twirled a tiny Philips screwdriver over her knuckles.
"Easy peasy," she said, "I know the hardware up here better than anyone, after all."
The batkids looked out over the forum. Everyone from the Team and the Titans was here tonight. The original nine Team members had been petitioning the League for a Halloween Party for weeks. Each of them had assigned each other to a Leaguer. Batman and Wonder Woman had been skeptical, if not outright against the idea. There were other more important things, like patrol and training. Luckily, though, they were able to get through to Superman and Black Canary. M'gann made a compelling argument about the festivities being good for their 'cohesiveness as a group'. And once you had Clark and Dina on your side…well, Black Canary was scarilypersuasive.
Booming music pumped through the air, punctuated by strobe lights in orange and purple. It was oldies music, like 'Monster Mash' and 'Purple People Eater'. Sidekicks and young heroes shuffled halfheartedly to the beat, but no one was really getting into it.
Jason made a sound at the back of his throat.
"This," he muttered, "Is a job for the Red Hood."
Just like that, he was swallowed by the crowd. Dick waved at Roy and gave her a quick tap on the shoulder before heading off. "Meet behind the Batman statue in ten?"
"No rush, Captain. Go have fun."
He grinned, and disappeared.
Tim crossed his arms tight over his chest.
"I don't want to be here," he muttered, "I just—"
"Esse!" Jaime shouted. He and Bart rushed over, dressed like a Bank Robber and Pirate respectively. A giant white feather in Bart's hat lopped into his face.
"The night is young!" Bart declared, throwing his arms out, "Come! Let us dance, eat and pillage!"
A green parrot on Bart's shoulder squawked in agreement. Beast boy.
"Not in that order, I hope, boys," Barbara said with a grin. She folded her arms over her stomach. Bart turned to her with a laugh on his face. But something seemed to register, and his face went slack with horror.
"B-Batgirl! Hi! Um…we're gonna take Robin now, alrighty? Be back soon, have fun…be safe," he said quickly, choking on the last word. His face had drained of all color, and now matched the feather in his hat.
He and Jaime dragged a frustrated Tim away, and Barbara sighed, looking around in search of her friends.
"Alone again," she muttered, "Naturally."
"He-ey Babsy!" A smug voice met her ears and Barbara winced, letting out a sigh through her teeth. Great.
"Hey, Karin," she said stiffly. She turned to meet the eyes of the Kryptonian. Powergirl smirked, and Barbara winced at the sight of her costume. It was a glittery white thing that hugged her waist and upper thighs, leaving much fabric to be desired. A hole was cut into the chest, baring even more of Karin's voluptuous breasts than normal. A matching pair of glittering bunny ears were pinned in her short blonde hair.
"Great costume," she oozed, "It has so much…" her eyes raked over the long thick dress distastefully. She finally threw her hand up in the air in mock defeat. "It has so much. Going as an Amish lady this year? All it's missing is a bonnet."
Barbara drew her shoulders back and smiled. Her voice changed to match Karin's smug, airy tone. "Vampire, actually. Need a coat, hon? You look a little chilly."
Karin sniffed. "At least I don't look like I'm in mourning. Oohhh…." She gasped and pasted on a pouty face. "I forgot, sweetie. Still sad that your little birdie got herself all sliced up?"
Something rang in Barbara's ears. Boiling heat raced through her veins, and the images flashed back in her mind: Stephanie in a hospital bed, breathing through a tube, leaking out her life's blood onto the sheets, the blood that no stitch or bandage could hold in…her sweet little sister…she…
"She was tortured. To death." Barbara's voice was stiff and clipped. "It makes me sick, that you treat that like an insult." Barbara took a quick step forward, so that she was nose to nose with Karin. Their heated breath mingled, hot on each other's faces.
"If you…ever…talk about her like that again, Kar, I promise that I will rearrange that pretty little face of yours. I know where my mentor keeps his kryptonite."
Karin gritted her teeth. "You know the difference between us, babe? I don't need a rock to break your face—"
Their muscles were tensed and ready. For what, Barbara wasn't completely sure.
"Alright, you two. That's enough."
Artemis and Kara floated over. (Though floated mostly applied to Supergirl.) Zatanna followed closely behind. Artemis pulled Barbara backwards. She almost tripped on the hem of her dress, but Artemis caught her before she could sprawl backwards. The archer was dressed in a short (but not as short as Karin's) blue dress with a white apron and matching long socks. A black head band held her thick mane of yellow hair back off her face. Alice in Wonderland.
"Don't you have anything better to do than pick fights, Karin?" Artemis sighed. "Cause with this girl, you'll lose. Trust me."
Kara physically had to restrain her 'older sister'. Technically, Supergirl and Powergirl were the same person. Karin had emerged from an alternate universe a few years ago, showing up in Clark's famed Fortress of Solitude. The more scientifically inclined members of the League had been trying to figure out how something could tear a hole in the fabric of space and time for a while, but suddenly the answer had stared them in the face.
Bart's time machine. Little coincidence that the day the speedster arrived in Mount Justice, Kara Zor-El (an older version) had crashed down in Superman's living room.
Not to mention, that was the day Jason Todd clawed his way out of a coffin.
There was one more person—as far as she knew—who had come through the rift created by the time machine, and Barbara already knew her personally.
"Watch your back, Batgirl," Powergirl snapped.
Kara shot them an apologetic wince, which looked slightly more pathetic because of the fluffy pink bunny suit she was wearing. Barbara almost sighed. Both Kryptonian girls had similar taste in clothing, but the similarities almost always ended in the amount of fabric.
"Later, you two," Zatanna said, wiggling her fingers at the two rabbit girls. She linked arms with Barbara and Artemis and strolled towards the middle of the forum.
Zatanna was no longer a member of the Team, and the League had been banned from the party, but the others had begged Zatanna and Roquelle to stick around. In their minds, both women were still Team members in all but name.
"This is so much better than Watch duty tonight!" Zatanna laughed, hugging her friends closer. She was dressed in a simple corseted peasant blouse and a thick yellow skirt. Her raven hair was woven through with flowers. "Those are real fangs, Babs?"
Barbara smiled. "Glue ins. Hope they come out!"
They shared a laugh.
"Ugh, I know," Artemis sympathized, "These shoes are way too tight. I borrowed them from Cissie. Maybe I'll light them on fire after the party. Think she'll mind?"
Zatanna laughed. "Well, ladies, let me tell you. Corsets—"
The music screeched to a halt, and everyone turned to the sound table. Jason was replacing the tracks and fiddling with a few dials, biting the edge of his lip in concentration. Then, a brilliant grin lit up his face, and he pounded down on a button.
Upbeat dubstep boomed from the speakers. A cheer went up from the crowd, and groups congregated to dance to the beat.
"That's my bro," Barbara said with a dismissive shrug, and a bit of a grin.
"Love this song!" Artemis agreed, pulling them into a tight circle to dance.
For ages, they shook and twisted and pounded their feet, laughing and singing along when there were lyrics. Barbara said hi to Rocket (a fairy princess) and Conner and M'gann (A mummy and queen Cleopatra). The noise and the lights were electrifying, and Barbara hadn't felt so energized in a long time.
Eventually, the music slowed, and Barbara excused herself to get a drink of whatever was in the punch bowl. She silently crossed her fingers that the Titans hadn't spiked it again. At the last party…well, as a general rule, no one talked about what had happened at the last party.
Then, she spotted Tim by the refreshment table, off in a corner, staring down a wedge of pumpkin pie. Jaime, Bart and Garth were nowhere to be seen.
"Hey, there," she said, making him jump. He whirled around.
"Oh," he said, letting his shoulders slump. "It's you."
She raised her eyebrows. "Yeah. Where are your friends?"
Tim shrugged and pushed the plate of pie away. "I ditched them. Jaime and Garth kept jabbering."
"But not Bart?"
Tim sighed. "No, he kept asking me about the date. Like, it should be obvious, right?" He gestured to the glowing orange forum and the black and purple decorations. "But he kept demanding I tell him what day. What month. What year."
Barbara chuckled. "Geez. Think someone's gonna die or something?"
Tim was silent, and Barbara winced.
"Look, that came out-"
"No," he said, curtly. "Jaime kept asking about it, too. 'You okay, hermano?' 'Need to talk?'." His fists clenched on the table, scrunching the black tablecloth into angry ridges.
He sighed deeply, and screwed his eyes shut. "She's. Gone."
"Tim—" she whispered.
"And it's all your fault."
Barbara reared back, like he'd struck her. She wanted to scream at him, protest, take him by the shoulders and shake him. No! she wanted to say, I avenged her! What more do you want?
But she knew that he was right.
"So. This is why you won't look at me? Won't talk to me?" Her voice was monotone. He whirled on her, eyes blazing.
"Yes!" he hissed. "You were the one who convinced Batman to take her on. You trained her. You let it happen!"
With each YOU, he dug a finger into her chest. She took a small step back.
"Timmy," she said, very quietly. She was aware of Dick moving over to her side, asking what was wrong. But her attention was solely focused on the hate-filled boy in front of her.
"I loved her! And you killed her! It should have been you!" Tim swung a fist at her, but his heart wasn't in it; she easily dodged. Dick grabbed hold of his brother's wrist and glowered. The music was thankfully loud enough that barely anyone had heard the outburst. But Artemis and Zatanna glanced over in concern. Slowly, they made their way towards them.
Barbara looked at Tim's face, and felt something inside her snap. Her chin shook against her will.
"You don't know a #$^# thing," she said. It was shocking to hear how her voice sounded. "My sister is dead, Tim, and do you know what? I wish it had been me, too."
Hot tears fell from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. Dick instantly pulled her into a hug, but she shook him off. A glance at Tim at least revealed a bit of shame, but it was too late. As she pushed Dick away, she gulped and said,
"I'm…I'm going home. Goodnight."
"Babs," Dick said, catching her wrist gently. She pulled away and rushed towards the zeta tube. Artemis and Zatanna stood in her way, but she shoved past them, shooting them teary apologies, before typing in the code. The zeta tube whirled to life.
RECOGNIZED: BATGIRL B09
#######
Dick whirled on Tim. The younger boy shrunk back a little, and released his hold on the tablecloth.
"What the $%&*, Tim?" Dick snapped.
"I—"
Artemis and Zatanna raced over, almost colliding with the refreshment table. Zatanna's hair was a mess of flowers and tangles, probably from shoving her way through a room full of teenagers. Both girls' eyes were wide, shocked.
"Is Barbara okay?" she demanded. "She's crying!"
That was cause enough for shock. The Batkids made it a point never to cry around the others. Maybe it was something they'd picked up from their mentor, a 'never show weakness' kind of thing, or maybe they just had to keep up the tough-as-nails vibe. Dick didn't really care at the moment.
Artemis's face was curled into an angry grimace. "I swear to crap, if Karin's behind this-"
"No, actually," Dick interjected, "Robin's the one who did it."
They all turned to Tim, who shrunk just a little bit more. Artemis gaped.
"What the $%#^ did you say to her?"
Tim stuck out his chin. "Look, I—"
"I'm going after her," Dick said firmly. Zatanna stopped him with a hand on his arm.
"Dick," she whispered, "Don't. She needs a little space. Some time to calm down. Give it an hour, then call her."
He considered, then nodded. Maybe she just needed to blow off a little steam. They'd all had a rough last few weeks, but Barbara especially. Something had happened a week or two after Stephanie's death. Babs had been taking it hard before, but at that point, something in her had seemed to snap. She didn't sleep, didn't eat, didn't hardly talk, even. But she'd gotten better lately, or so he'd thought.
"Alright," he conceded. "I'll call her later."
He waited until both of his former Team mates had reluctantly wandered away, then turned sharply to Tim. "Let me tell you something, Tim."
His little brother's eyes were wide. "Look, Dick. I'm sorry. I just—"
Dick put up a hand, and he fell silent. "You can mourn," he said. "That's fine. That's normal. It's what we've all been doing. But the minute you start lashing out at us, that's where I put my foot down."
Tim's eyes flashed. "Are you guys really that upset?" he demanded. His tone was mocking. "Cause from what I've seen, you don't look all that broken up."
Dick resisted the urge to bang his fist down on the table. Jason had had an attitude like this when he was Robin—still did, but that was beside the point—and Dick had almost dropkicked him off a building once or twice. Lately, he'd been dealing with Tim's moodiness more and more, and he'd had just about enough.
"So, let me get this straight, then. We're all just fine. Our little sister's in the ground right now, and none of us gives a #%$. Just you."
Tim blinked. "That's not—"
"Look, little brother. You were in the cave for the whole thing, so maybe you don't really understand." He took a deep breath, arms crossed. "You weren't the one who had to find her. Jason was. And let me tell you, that messed him up."
"Nightwing."
"You weren't the one who hijacked a truck, then ran three miles to the clinic with severe injuries when that truck ran out of gas, only to get there just in time to watch her die."
His voice broke on that last word. Tim's eyes were wide.
"Barbara was. And do you know who had to drag himself away from his little sister's bedside and go home to tell his brother…" He cleared his throat and looked away. "That was me. So let me tell you, just for the record. None of us is fine, not really. Maybe we're all just trying to keep a stiff upper lip, so that our little brother doesn't have to see us lose it every time someone says her name."
"Dick. I'm…I'm sorry."
Tim's voice was quiet, and the boy looked like he wanted to crawl underneath the refreshment table and spend the rest of the week there. Dick sighed.
"No, Timmy. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" He shook his head. "Never mind. Go find your friends. Go have some fun, okay? But when we get home, you're going to apologize."
"Right. I will."
"Good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think Roy's challenging me to a dance-off."
He waved at the archer, and stepped away from Robin. Tim would get it someday. And he'd regret those words, even without help from his older brother.
"Captain America?" Roy laughed as soon as he'd gotten over.
"Heh. Says the guy dressed up as a ninja turtle." Dick grinned. "Let's do this."
Roy laughed.
#######
Batgirl leaned over the edge of the building, watching the scene ten feet below her. Three thugs with knives surrounded a girl. She was young, short, probably about fifteen, if Batgirl had to wager a guess. When the thugs brandished their weapons, she let out a desperate whimper and shrunk against the building's wall.
"Don't worry, babe," one of the men said, leering. He whipped out another small switchblade that gleamed in the Gotham city street light. "This is gonna feel great, don't worry."
The others laughed and closed in. One of them grasped the collar of the girl's shirt in his fist. She let out a scream.
From her perch, Batgirl cleared her throat loudly. All three men and the girl looked up in shock.
"Honestly. Men these days." She tumbled forward, and felt the air rush up on her face. She smiled as her feet made soft contact with the asphalt. Perfect landing.
"See, the gentlemanly thing to do," she ticked off a gloved finger, "is to ask her out, then you buy her dinner. If all goes well, you both make it home with all your teeth in place." She cracked her knuckles for emphasis. "But it looks like you boys are out of luck tonight."
She turned her head slightly, not enough that she was looking away from the threat, but just enough that she could see the poor quivering civilian.
"You probably shouldn't be out walking alone this late, sweetheart. But you'll be okay. You're gonna want to stand back, though."
The thugs raised their knives, and laughed.
"Finally!" Their leader shouted. His heavy breath made clouds in the night air. "We've been waiting all night for you, Bratgirl!"
Batgirl tensed as they pulled back their shirt collars. Each of them had a matching ink green mark on their necks. Not tattoos, they were just markings, but they still set off alarm bells in Batgirl's head. Question marks.
Riddler's men.
She pulled herself into a ready stance. "Run," she told the girl. She nodded and, a second later, Barbara heard the pattering of footsteps on the hard wet ground. One of the thugs chuckled and threw his knife. There was a sickening thud, and a small cry. Batgirl whirled around in horror. The girl lay face down on the street. A black puddle pooled on the shining asphalt beneath her. Out of her back, a knife handle gleamed.
Barbara's eyes stung.
"You'll pay for that," she snarled. "I promise."
The thugs lunged.
One of them swiped at her belly with his knife, but she leapt back quickly, and used her momentum to spin and land a fist into his face. He squealed as his nose crunched beneath her knuckles. Another landed a punch to her jaw. She retaliated with a swift uppercut and a side swing. The third thug grabbed her from behind, and lifted her into the air. She wrapped her leg around his and bent down. With a swift jerk on his ankle, the man was on the ground. She planted her boot heel in his crotch, then ducked to avoid a blow to the head.
She kept them dancing for a what seemed like hours. Later, she'd learn that it was only about two minutes. It would have gone on just a little longer, but one of them pulled a gun.
He pressed it against her collarbone, and pushed, forcing her to put her hands up and place her back against the brick wall.
"You guys are good," she conceded. "Where on earth did Nygma find quality thugs? His usuals kind of suck."
One of them laughed.
"Seriously," she said, scowling, "Now, boys, what's the plan? Shoot me dead?"
The thug holding the gun leaned in closer, and his breath on her face stank of old cigarettes and onions. He laughed in her face.
"No, see," he said, "Riddler was very specific. He's going to have us bring you to him. Then, he's gonna call up your boss, and give him a list of riddles. For every one he gets wrong, Riddler's gonna carve you up, little by little. But here' s the catch, sugar. Even if he gets 'em all right, you're dead."
The last word was spit into her face. All three of them laughed. Batgirl's eyed drifted to the gun. If she could just distract them…
"Ah, finally. There you boys are."
A voice drifted from the end of the alley. All eyes turned to a girl with arms crossed over her chest. Thick wavy blonde hair flipped over half her face, and she wore her trademark fishnet tights and leather jacket.
Dina Lance. Black Canary.
Also from another dimension, as her counterpart from this universe was a full-grown woman. But, while she and Karin had evidently come through to their dimension at the same time, Dina had ended up arriving about eight years prior, and eight years younger. (It gave Batgirl a bit of a headache if she thought about it too long.)
As to where she'd ended up? An old alley on the corner of Eighty-fifth and Lark. Right in front of a young red-head lounging outside a dingy diner, hoping for a handout.
While the thugs' eyes were on Canary, Batgirl grasped the barrel of the pistol and jerked it to the side, away from her chest. It went off with a bang that drew the attention (unfortunately) back to her.
She and Canary threw themselves into the fray.
"You're a sight for sore eyes," Batgirl said, as she landed a right hook to a man's jaw. Dina spun into a roundhouse kick that sent another staggering off.
"Always a pleasure," she huffed. Not angry, just fighting.
"What brings you to Gotham?"
Canary brought her knee up, and a thug squealed like an infant girl.
"These bozos are from over in Cormorant. Mercenaries. Fun, right?"
"So much fun."
Batgirl slugged the man who'd held a gun to her chest in the jaw. Just like that, he was down for the count.
The fight lasted two minutes, maybe three. After that, Batgirl pulled three pairs of nylon cuffs from her belt and strapped the men to a light pole.
Dina turned and wrapped her arms around Barbara's shoulders.
"It has been way too long!" She said, as they both laughed.
Dina was a full-on vigilante; she belonged to no team or league. No one mentored her, not even the Black Canary from this Earth. Dina never complained, though. She preferred to do things her own way.
"I'm sorry," Batgirl shrugged. "I've been so busy."
"Right." Dina nodded and stuck her hands in her jacket pockets. "The gang war. I heard about it on the news. Crazy stuff. Glad you're okay."
There was a pang when Dina mentioned the calamity. But Barbara forced a smile.
"Back at you. All alone in Cormorant. You sure you've got the city under control?"
Dina shrugged. "It's fine. Seriously, though. You should ditch those boys and come clean it up with me."
They shared a laugh. Barbara told her she couldn't.
"Riiight. I think we both know the real reason you won't. Ring a bell? Tall, dark, has a big blue bird on his chest?"
Barbara chuckled and blushed. Dina nodded, taking that for an answer.
"Fine. But you and I are so grabbing lunch sometime, okay? I know this great place on-"
One of the men groaned. "Augh. When are the police getting here already?"
They both turned and told him to shut up.
The cops, it turned out, arrived two minutes after that. A man pulled himself from the driver's seat of a patrol car and grinned.
"Now, see fellas?" He said, turning to his comrades, "This is the kind of thing I like to see. We have three of our wanteds all tied up, and at no cost to us."
Captain Bullock was a large man. He had the pudge around his middle that all middle-aged men seemed to acquire eventually, but his largeness mostly came from his height and sheer personality. He lumbered over to the three thugs and bent down to look them in the eyes.
"Now tell me," he said, "How does it feel to have your keisters handed to you by a couple of girls?"
The thugs' dark expressions darkened.
Dina scoffed. "Huh. Girls? You say that like its an insult."
Bullock straightened. "I don't believe we've met. Harvey Bullock. My friends call me Captain."
Batgirl smiled. "Evening, Bullock."
He tipped his hat. "Good to see you again, sweetheart. Your old man still treating you good?"
She shrugged and smiled. Bullock laughed.
"Well, that's him, ain't it? Thanks again for bagging these clowns."
Barbara's face crumpled. "Bullock, there's, um…" she turned her head to the dark bleeding heap a few yards away. Harvey followed her gaze and his jaw slackened a little. He swore under his breath.
"I'm sorry," she said, "I wasn't fast enough."
He snapped his fingers, and two of his officers went to go and check the body.
There was a soft flapping noise behind her. Dina jumped a little, but Barbara was used to it.
"Nice night for a run, isn't it?" she asked the figure behind her. Batman's voice came back with a hint of amusement as they turned.
"I thought you had somewhere to be," he said. "Good evening, Canary."
Dina mumbled a greeting and took a few halted steps backward. Barbara stuck her chin up.
"I did. Gotham. Crime never sleeps, and all that."
"I told you I would be patrolling alone tonight."
There was a tense silence. Bullock cleared his throat, a grating noise that cut through the air. "Hey, now. Go easy on her, Bats. She did good."
Batman's expression softened slightly, and he nodded. "I agree," he said. "Why don't you call it a night? I don't give you very many breaks. Take advantage."
She raised an eyebrow. "You're serious?"
He placed a hand on her shoulder and steered her further into the alley. "A moment, please. Bullock. Canary."
Barbara stepped away once they were out of earshot, and leaned up against the bricks, arms folded tightly over her chest. The smell of rain and damp and garbage was thick in the alley. Her nose wrinkled a little as she breathed it in.
"Alright, boss-man. What's up? You never let me slack off." She raised an eyebrow. "Especially lately."
Batman regarded her carefully, like he would an Arkham patient. That is, he looked like he was dealing very carefully with her, afraid of setting her off, or triggering a violent outburst.
"I'll be frank, then. You're not acting like yourself."
She huffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It's like…you're made of glass. I hadn't anticipated that the gang wars would have this effect on you."
Her gloves cracked as she squeezed her hands into fists. Her vision was tinted a bit red. Made of glass? Maybe she was. She'd just killed a man. No need to let him think it was anything but grief, though.
"Look," she said, "I love the boys. I really do. But…there's something about having a little sister, Boss-man. Something different. I trained her, I laughed with her, I watched chick flicks on the couch with her while we stuffed our faces with popcorn. And then, I watched Jason bring her in to Leslie's. She was a bloody mess. You remember, right? When she was unconscious, we all worried that she wouldn't wake up. But when she was awake, it was worse." She took a deep breath. "Her eyes. Do you remember her eyes? That sick, twisted maniac took a scalpel to the left one. He hacked at her body with saws and knives. He drilled holes in her skin, crushed lit cigarettes into her arms... Don't you remember? She's dead. And you think it's the gang war that's got me this way?"
Batman was silent for a while, taking in her words carefully. Finally, the cogs in his head seemed to click into place.
"I'm sorry. I don't think I can ever apologize enough. But you were almost killed tonight. You're off your game. I'm asking you to take the night off. Please."
She looked over her shoulder at him. "I'm not going back to the party."
"Then go home. Agent A can make hot chocolate. You can watch TV, or whatever you want. But I'm worried about you. If you stay out here when you're like this, something's going to happen, and you are going to slip. Let yourself relax for a night. You'd be surprised how well it works."
She was almost insulted that he didn't think that she could handle herself. But she knew he was right. She needed to rest.
"Fine," she sighed. "But I'm patrolling with you tomorrow."
The corner of his mouth quirked. "Of course."
She walked towards the flashing red and blue lights, with a faked smile. She hugged Dina.
"Lunch. Next Tuesday. Yes?"
Dina squeezed her shoulders and flashed a grin. "Yes."
She nodded to Bullock. "Evening."
He saluted with one finger and gave her a closed lipped smile.
"Take care, sweetheart."
"I will."
She pumped her right fist into the sky, and shot a line up to a looking skyscraper. Saluting to the GCPD officers, she swung up into the air. The euphoric feeling of flight sent sunshine flooding through her veins as the city glittered brightly beneath her. She loved this.
She loved it.
######
"Thanks, Alfred," she said, accepting the toasty warm mug. The slightly damp sides warmed her fingers, and she took a long, grating sip. The rich chocolatiness flowed down her throat and settled liked a warm fuzzy kitten in the pit of her stomach. She sighed happily.
Alfred smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Right then, Miss Barbara. Tonight, you are going to sit in this chair and read. I'll be in the kitchen making cookies. Frosted ones. Shaped like pumpkins, perhaps?"
She settled into the soft plush armchair. "That sounds lovely."
He smiled. "Straight away, then. I'll come find you when they're ready."
As he turned to leave, Barbara sat up a little and snagged his sleeve. "Alfred?"
He turned. "Hmm?"
"Thank you."
His fond smile widened, and he shut the library door behind him with a soft click.
A fire crackled in the hearth. For a few minutes, she watched the flames dance brightly over the logs.
Then, she flexed her toes in the dull warmth it provided, and tucked her feet up into the chair. She opened her book (To Kill a Mockingbird) and brought the pages up to her nose to inhale the sweet, musty aroma of old book.
So. This was what relaxation felt like. Maybe she'd have to wrestle a few more nights like this out of Bruce. Maybe, he'd been right.
Then, she let herself settle into the world of Maycomb and Jem and Scout and Calpurnia and Atticus. The words flowed through her just like the cocoa had.
She'd just read past the fourth chapter when her phone buzzed.
The ringtone played brightly. The song was called Circus. She couldn't remember the name of the artist, but the bright tune meant that Dick was calling her.
"Hello? Count Dracula's mansion. You track in mud, we suck your blood. How can I be of service?"
On the line, Dick chuckled at her fake accent.
"Clever," he said. "You come up with that one all by yourself?"
"Duh, Wingnut."
There was a pause. "You're okay? Right?"
"Hmm," she replied, "I thought it was Halloween, not national worrywarts' day." She added a lilt to the end, and a giggle, so that he'd know she was joking. Mostly joking.
"Yeah. It totally is. Didn't you know it's my favorite holiday?"
"Mmm."
They were silent, only listening to the sound of the other breathing on the other end. She took a sip from her mug, and closed her eyes as the drink warmed her insides. Finally, Dick spoke.
"He feels bad, if it's any consolation."
"Good," she said, "It's about time he stops playing the angsty teenager. It got old a long time ago, and we've all got enough to worry about."
"Don't be too harsh. That's all I'm saying." Dick's voice crackled through softly. "What are you up to, by the way?"
"Reading by a warm toasty fire."
He laughed. "No, really. You're patrolling with the boss, aren't you?"
"Really," she insisted. "Night off."
Dick coughed, probably choking on whatever he'd snagged from the refreshment table. "Seriously? Not fair!"
"You can't see, Grayson, but I'm sticking my tongue out at you."
"Sure. Rub it in." A pause. "You're all good, then?"
She sighed and snuggled into the plush chair. "Definitely feeling the aster. I'm wearing your shirt. Hope you don't mind."
"Ha! Good. I'll be needing that back later."
She picked at the top button. "You'll have to come get it."
"That's what I'm counting on. Love you."
She smiled. "You too, Wingnut."
He laughed softly before a soft click ended the call. She smiled. Could the night get any better?
She opened back up to Jem and Scout's escapades. Suddenly, there was a soft rap on the library door. She shut the book softly. Were Alfred's cookies done already?
The knock came again, more insistent.
"I'm coming," she called. Barbara gently unfolded herself from the chair, letting the soft fabric of her skirt brush against her legs. She padded silently on the wood flooring, feet sticking slightly.
Her hand grasped the cold doorknob, the toasty mug clenched in the other.
"Hey, Alfred. I—"
The door swung open all the way, and Barbara stood silently. Still with shock. For a brief moment, her mind jumped to the Halloween mask Dick had had earlier. White face. Wide, red grin. She stared into those yellowed teeth, then her gaze travelled down to the camera hanging around his neck. An old fashioned one, like something you'd see a middle-aged tourist lugging around…
It was Joker.
That awful grin beamed down at her, making her blood run cold.
Something jabbed hard against her stomach, and she looked down. Pistol. Trigger. Danger!
Her mind felt disconnected from her body. She couldn't think. All she could do was slowly look up into his shadowed eyes and—
BANG
Her world exploded in a flash of lightning. The pain was so unexpected, and she felt herself yanked backwards. Her hair fluttered into her face. She hit the floor with a sudden painful whack that knocked the air out of her lungs. The mug shattered on contact with the ground, and so did something in her back.
Her legs twitched violently. She brought her shaking hands up to the source of the fire, and it all suddenly hit her like a train.
Barbara hadn't realized everything had slowed until it all came rushing back.
Hot tears rolled down her cheeks.
It…
Burned…
Oh…
#$ %...
Please…
aaAAHHH!
Her breath came in shaking gasps. The lights above were too bright, too close, and they swirled and flickered painfully.
Can't…
Breathe…
Help…
Someone…
Help!
She was vaguely aware of footsteps. So many. So…so many. They pounded inside of her skull…
She tipped back her head and let out a painful gasping moan.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Looks like I was right, boys."
Laughter…
Laughing…
At…
Her…
"See, it took some thinking." Joker chuckled in delight. "I looked high and low, all over this city. And do you know what?"
Hurt…
It…
Hurt…
"Ah," she breathed. "A-ah."
His leering white face was close to hers now. Much too close. She squeezed her eyes shut. The only defense she had left.
"I was right."
Why?
It…
Burned…
Ah…
"I did some thinking, see. I knew as soon as I saw you that you were the one, kid! You're the straw that's gonna break the camel's back."
He patted her cheek.
"You bats are so predictable," he sighed, trailing a finger down her tear-soaked cheek. "Everyone in this whole city knows that Bruce Wayne is bosom buddies with old Batsy. So, it stands to reason that the Bat would give him some semblance of protection, say, in the form of a lovely young protégé? What do you think?"
The…
Pain…
Why…
Help…
Please…
Joker's hand froze in place, pressed against her cheek. He lifted the red curls off her face.
Silence.
"There's that pretty little face. But where's the smile? Aren't you happy to see me again?"
He threw his head back and laughed. Laughed. Laughed.
Laughed...
Laughed…
Help…
"I saw your face on the news, dear heart. Some interview here with good ol' Brucie. Are you his maid? You are, aren't you?"
No…
He…
Knew…
Help…
Hurt…
"Now, I know what you're thinking. Your face, sweet cheeks. How did I remember? Well…hello! The apartment? Hoodie's little sleepover? When he almost shot you in the brain?" His voice was mocking. He spoke to her like he would a six-year-old. "Don't you remember? I guessed that the only person Bats would trust his little cash cow with was…not Nightwing, not Robin…definitely not Hoodie. Mmm, no. So that left only one more person, didn't it? His favorite!"
He whispered her name into her ear. Her real one.
"Barbara."
He cackled.
Laughing…
Help…
Somebody…
Please…
"Nnn," she whimpered. His fingers curled around her neck, then lifted and pulled. The floor dragged beneath her, and her back screeched and screamed in protest. She let out a sharp yelp.
Joker dumped her in a heap onto the rug in front of the hearth. The flames felt too close, too hot. There was something wrong with her lower back…something terribly wrong…nothing should hurt this much. Nothing.
"So. Here's the deal, sweetheart. I made a bet with your boss last time we met, and I intend to win."
He leaned in close. His breath tickled her ear.
Too close. Too hot.
Please…
Someone…
Anyone…
It…
Hurt…
"I realize, kiddo, that I can kill his little boys. Blow 'em up, shoot 'em, take a crowbar to their heads…ah, good times! And the funniest thing? Bats doesn't give a #%*! But his little girl?" He adjusted the lense on his camera, and reached for her slowly. "Well. That's different, isn't it? See, once I'm all finished here, he's going to come after me. And I'm going to win."
She opened her eyes.
"G-go ah-ahead….kill…huh…m-me-he."
Ah…
Ahh…
Hurt…
So…
Much…
Laughter. Then, "Oh, I'm not going to kill you, kiddo. No, no..."
He flicked open the top button of Dick's shirt, pulling the fabric aside…Pressure on her chest. Pulling. Ripping.
Breath…
Laughter…
Heavy…
Sigh…
Scream…
Press…
Hurt…
Agony…
BruceDickJasonTimAlfredStephanieAnyone
HELP…!
…Please...Help…
Help.