Authors' Note: Hey readers, we hope you're all holding up well in the midst of the madness. We are, as best we can, but ... there wasn't a single review on chapter 43. Just one on chapter 42. We do this for love, and we hold to consistent schedule as much as we can, but please know that we really do love your reviews. Knowing that someone out there connects with our work helps us get through the tough times.
Speaking of the review by a guest on 42 ... you'll see more of Luthor's Project Scion in the next story, Blood Will Tell. A lot of things will suddenly make sense once that arc kicks off.
Thank you all for the reads, the favorites, and the reviews. We love you. Stay safe and healthy!
As always when she set an alarm, the roar of sound startled Kala wide-awake instantly. She rolled over to her side of the bed, reaching under the pillow to quickly shut the blaring thing off before it could wake Jay. He deserved as much rest as he could get – they'd spent most of their free time yesterday in fairly vigorous activity. Patrol last night had been uneventful, but they both saw more harlequin patterns popping up around the East End. And more of Dent's boys on the move. None of those had been doing anything they could be busted for, and it grated on Jay's nerves not to just smack them down on principle. In the end, they'd gone back to his apartment instead of the Manor, mostly because it was closer. And hadn't gone to sleep for quite a while then, either. Jay really was spoiling her.
Thinking that, Kala turned back over to look at him, a smile on her lips … and saw his brow furrowed, his mouth turned down. Her heart seized a bit at that; that didn't bode well for his current dreamscape. With gentle fingers, Kala reached out to smooth away the worry-line on his forehead, whispering softly, "Jay, it's all right, I'm here."
He tensed a little at her touch, his eyes flying open to meet hers, but then he relaxed and smiled at her once he realized where he was. "Hey. Morning."
Seeing that haunted flash in his gaze hurt, and Kala ran her fingertips over his cheek. "Morning. You okay, Jaybird?" Kala asked him with a small smile.
"Yeah. Just … ugh." He sat up and pushed a hand through his disheveled hair.
"More bad dreams?" she asked, looking up at him, knowing that had to be the case by his sleeping expression and wishing it were otherwise.
"Garden-variety crap this time, not my usual run of horrors that'd make Stephen King jealous," Jay explained, looking more awake with each word. "I was trying to find you at the gala but you weren't there. Everyone whose mask I yanked off, looking for you, had no face underneath. Just blank, like mannequins. Next time we go somewhere public, K, I'm following you into the bathroom."
"Yeah, I don't think the rest of the partygoers would like that," she said, chuckling a little. If he was joking lightly about it, it couldn't be that bad, right?
Jay chuckled rustily, and looked at the clock. Kala followed his line of sight, and saw the scotch bottle sitting there. That made her frown; over the months of their relationship, she'd watched with satisfaction as the booze migrated over to Jay's dresser, no longer necessary for him to fall asleep. If he'd woken in the wee hours from a nightmare, though, she couldn't fault him for turning to an old remedy. It just left her a little sad that she wasn't keeping his demons at bay anymore.
In fact, she'd become a nightmare, in dreams where his greatest fear was losing her. And now was probably not the best time to bring it up. She'd keep an eye on it; it might have just been a one-off event. Kala reached up and prompted him to lay back down with her, snuggling back into him when he did. They lay there in silence for a while, Kala's nose buried in his shoulder, silently willing him to let the nightmare go as her fingertips stroked soothingly down his back. Before she could give in and let herself drift back off, she leaned up to nuzzle his ear and whisper, "Are you sure you're okay, Robin?"
"Yeah, K," Jay murmured, distracted, and squinted at the clock. "That says nine. Is it really nine in the morning?"
Raising her head and nuzzling her nose against his, Kala recognized his unwillingness to talk about these kinds of things. It had to be his own initiation, or he'd brush it off. For the moment, she could afford to let it go, but she would need to keep an eye on that, too. "Yes, I set my alarm."
Jay looked at the clock, and then at her, frowning in deep concentration. "Why the fuck are we awake at nine in the morning?"
It was so perfectly a Patented Jason Todd Outraged Reaction that Kala chuckled at that, leaning up to kiss his brow. "I'm awake so I can go get Alfred that order of fish and chips I promised him. If my memory's right, it should be noon there now, should be around half-past two or maybe three by the time I actually get there. You can go back to sleep, unless you want to fly along."
As expected, he demurred; she couldn't say she blamed him. "Too early for transatlantic flights," Jay yawned, but he hugged her close anyway. "Sure you gotta go?"
That made her heart turn over the way it always did to hear it. She might not be the best dream-catcher in the world, but it was no wonder that she'd fight all of his nightmares for this difficult, complicated man. "I owe Alfred," she replied, snuggling into him. "You told me not to welsh on him, remember? Especially since he told me what books to buy and where to find them."
"Mm. Can't disappoint Alfred. You could go later?" Jay's voice took on a hopeful note. He was looking drowsy again, as if he'd drop back off to sleep in minutes.
Dear God, this man. It was a struggle not to give in, wrapped up in his affection and his warmth. But she couldn't this morning. "Not and make it while the shops are open," Kala pointed out, nudging his nose again. "I'll be back soon. You've still got me for a few more days, greedy."
Jay sighed, his arms tightening around her. "Never enough."
"Aww, my evil plan is working: you're actually going miss me when I go back home. Best compliment a girl could ask for."
"Just stay. Gotham's practically home now. I've got space." Jay's eyes were closed, and she had the feeling he never would've said anything so revealing if he'd been fully awake.
We might talk about that later, she thought, wanting to kick herself for entertaining the thought. Part of her really did want to stay, forever and ever, like in a fairy tale. Most of her knew that Jay would break out in hives if he ever realized he'd said that. "I'll be back soon enough," was all she said aloud. "You won't even realize I was gone."
He gave a sleepy mumble to that, and Kala let herself lay curled in his arms a few minutes longer before carefully prying herself loose. Quietly, she showered and dressed, slipping her phone into her jacket pocket. Before making her way to the fire escape, Kala returned to the bed to steal another kiss, gently caressing his cheek and letting herself savor the tenderness of that 'stay' – and not thinking about all the ways it was complicated.
The sun had just begun to rise when she touched down at the Manor, and Kala had gotten a code for the security system this time, so she slipped in as quietly as she could. At this hour, no one was likely to awake; she could get in and check on Alfred's stash of personal comestibles, then head out. She knew the layout of the Manor well, after all these months, and moved around the kitchen like it was her own.
Just as she was hovering to peek into the corner of pantry where Alfred kept his own snacks, a voice from the doorway startled her. "Raiding Alfred's stash? Kala, I'm ashamed of you. Unless you're stealing on Jay's behalf."
She turned to roll her eyes at him, still hovering in mid-air. "I'm not stealing, I'm re-upping. I wanted to see what he's out of before I go fetch more."
Dick raised an eyebrow, looking interested. "You're going to one of the import stores?"
Laughing, Kala told him, "No, I'm going to London. Speaking of which – I owe you a flight. Wanna go to jolly old England with me?" Kala waggled her brows playfully, and added, "I'd say you can't tell my boyfriend, but he knows where I'm headed."
"And he passed up the chance? I'm disappointed in him," Dick teased. "In case it's not obvious, the answer is yes."
"I thought so," Kala said with a grin. And then she narrowed her eyes playfully. "Wait a minute, what are you doing up and bright-eyed so early? You're usually early, too, but not before ten. Were you lying in wait to make sure you got that flight?"
"No, I was just after a snack. Alfred made a black forest cake for dessert last night, and there might be a piece left," Dick told her, strolling into the kitchen. And then quickly added, "I'm calling dibs, though, you missed it, fair and square."
Kala sighed. "Okay, fine, I won't steal the cake. Not that I was even looking for it yet. I figured I'd grab breakfast in London."
"I'm afraid it's well past breakfast time across the pond, Miss Kala," Alfred said. She and Dick both jumped a little; he had come in via the other door, and was regarding them both curiously. She hadn't expecting him up this early; everyone was protective about Alfred, and he couldn't run on caffeine and adrenaline and three hours' sleep like the rest of them did so often.
Dropping to the floor, Kala tried not to feel guilty about snooping. "Hey Alfred. I was just about to head out, and thought I'd see if you needed to restock anything. How do you feel about an early lunch?"
The pleasant surprise in his expression was all the incentive she needed. "I take it you're referring to fish and chips? Properly done, that is a meal I'd happily consume at any hour. And as for restocking, I find myself in dire need of biscuits."
"Then it'll be my pleasure to pick some up for you," she replied brightly.
"I get to go with her," Dick said, beaming.
"I'm certain it will be a delightful trip," Alfred said, and Kala smiled. Somehow she doubted Alfred would enjoy such a flight, but he would never diminish Dick's joy in it.
"Do you have an insulated shopping bag I can use?" she asked. "I want to keep it as hot as possible on the trip back. The wind speed is intense."
"Of course," the butler replied, and opened one of the cabinets to reveal neatly organized reusable shopping bags. He handed Kala one made of sturdy canvas and lined with heavy-duty bubble wrap for both insulation and protection of the contents.
"Should I bring anything?" Dick asked.
"A coat, and your passport if we get stopped," Kala said. "Cash, if you want to buy anything. Credit card companies sometimes flag it for fraud if they see a swiped transaction in another country."
"Right, we can always hit an exchange." Dick nodded, and hurried off to grab his coat.
To fill the silence, Kala asked Alfred, "What are you doing awake this early?"
"Oh, I don't sleep as well as I used to," he demurred. "I find an afternoon nap quite refreshing, as well, but rising at this hour allows me to accomplish more."
"Before the heathens who live here get in your way. Got it," Kala said with a grin.
"Ah, but I do love these heathens. Every one of them." Alfred's eyes crinkled with pleasure to say it.
"So do I," Kala replied, shaking her head in mock-despair.
Alfred tipped his head toward her with a sage wink. "One in particular, I suspect. Fear not, Miss Kala, I shan't breathe a word of it."
"Please don't," she said nervously. It was far too perilous to drop the l-bomb now, and Kala just wanted to enjoy her winter break without the drama that would cause. She'd had enough excitement to last until March, at the very least.
Dick came rushing back in, shoving his arms through the sleeves of his coat, clearly thrilled to finally go for a flight. "I can't believe Jay passed this up," he laughed, clapping Alfred on the shoulder affectionately as they headed out to the back yard.
"Jay doesn't like flying that fast, most of the time," Kala explained, waving to Alfred on the way. Outside she hesitated, realizing a logistics problem. "Actually, I'm supposed to bring the food back here fast enough to still be hot, but I don't trust myself to make that trip with a passenger. Do you mind being left on your own in London for like half an hour to an hour while I zip the fish back, and then we can fly home with surprise shopping a little more leisurely?"
Dick paused, regarding her seriously. "Half an hour – you're talking about flying from London to here in possibly fifteen minutes? Holy God, Kala, I didn't realize you had that much speed."
"I'm fully sunned-up, and speed was one of my first powers," Kala pointed out. "I did Venice in twenty minutes to get masks for the gala, London should be about the same."
"And why can't I fly along for that?" Dick asked, his eyes sparkling.
"Because the acceleration might literally kill you?" Kala replied with a laugh. "My invulnerability usually protects passengers, but I'm not perfectly invulnerable, and I've never tried taking anyone much faster than about mach 5. I've hit around mach 17 flying solo, and I can't imagine what that would do to a normal human if for some reason my invulnerability didn't cover it. The air resistance at that speed is enough to seriously injure you, I bet."
Dick just blinked. "Mach 17 … that's orders of magnitude faster than any commercial aircraft."
"Mach 5 is enough to get to London in under an hour. That should be impressive enough, even for a hotshot like you." Kala grinned at him.
"I'm sold," Dick replied, not at all deterred. "Let's go."
"You've flown before, right?" Kala asked, knowing the answer was probably 'yes'.
"With Donna and Kori, and once with your dad," Dick told her, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet.
"Okay. I'm gonna take off slowly, so we don't rip off any roof tiles or break any windows. Once we're up, then I'll kick in the speed," Kala told him, holding her hands out.
Dick obviously had flown before, bracing his hands on her shoulders and letting her wrap her arms around him. "Just so you know, I'm not afraid of heights, but sometimes altitude makes me a little loopy."
"Yeah, that's the hypoxia," Kala said absently, letting them drift upward. Dick was paying attention, and glanced down with a sunny grin as his toes left the flagstones.
She could only watch his face with a smile of her own. No one else Kala had flown with reacted like this. True, for most people their first experience flying with her was a rescue from extreme danger, and she tended to use her speed more intensely than her father did. She couldn't blame them for being freaked out … but it was a delightful change of pace to have someone enjoy flying with her for once. It just figured, it'd take someone born into a family of circus acrobats who swung around Gotham these days.
It also just figured, the Wayne brother she'd gotten herself romantically entangled with was less than enthusiastic about flying, while the one she warned herself away from loved it.
Dick took in the view with unadulterated joy, his mouth curving up in an even broader grin. Kala couldn't help a slight chuckle, and he glanced back at her. "No one reacts like this," she told him.
He shrugged, as relaxed standing on a mile of air as he would be in the Manor's kitchen. "What? Do they all freak out about heights?"
"And the lack of safety belts, I guess," Kala replied. "Also the speed, which we haven't gotten to yet."
He smirked at that, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Ever heard of HALO jumps? High altitude, low opening. The point is to maximize the time spent in freefall. I, personally, love it. I might not have a parachute on me right now, but as fast as you are, even if I do manage to lose my grip, you've got plenty of time to catch me."
Kala couldn't help herself. "Dick Grayson, it is entirely too easy to fall in love with you, you know that?"
"Hey now, I'm not stealing my brother's girl," Dick said playfully. "But I do know, trust me. I get way more love and affection than I deserve – or so Babs tells me regularly."
"Babs is biased," Kala chided. She shifted her grip, leveling out, and Dick moved fluidly with her until they were both lined out, headed east. "It really shows, how much flying you've done."
"I'll take that as a compliment. I do prefer the side-by-side thing to being carried bridal-style – but hey, when your girlfriend and your best friend both have super-strength, there's no sense in complaining." Dick shifted his arm to wrap around her waist, keeping the other close at his side for better aerodynamics. Unlike most of her passengers, he looked down intentionally, watching the landscape flow beneath them.
She stifled a laugh at the thought of bridal-carrying Dick around. "I can't see it with Donna, but somehow that doesn't surprise me about Kori. You ready for some speed?"
"Kori does not give a single micro-crap about anyone's perceived gender roles," Dick said affectionately. "And heck yeah, I'm ready for speed. Knock my socks off."
Kala chuckled softly, and turned on the super-speed. Gently at first, the acceleration mild, and then she looked ahead to the open ocean and cranked it up. Inertia pressed on her, but her invulnerability shrugged it off, and in a couple of minutes she'd hit her cruising speed. Dick gave a whoop of amazement as the coastline swept past below them, and Kala let herself bask in the delight of it all.
…
The Atlantic was a blur of blue-green far below, and they were tearing along at several times the speed of sound. Dick knew he should've been scared; the only thing keeping him from hitting that water at enough speed to pancake him was Kala's arm around his shoulders, and his around her waist. She made it seem so effortless and natural, though, that he could treat this as the amazing experience it was.
As fast as they were going, the wind speed should've been whipping at him violently. And it was very much a factor, his eyes tearing up and the sound of it roaring in his ears, but that should've been way more intense. He had to wear goggles on a HALO jump, and even then, the wind wrecked his hair and pressed hard against any exposed skin. This felt no worse than sticking his head out of the open window of a speeding car.
"Why aren't I being plastered by the wind?" Dick called. He probably shouldn't have been able to speak intelligibly, the wind would've snatched the words away or stuffed them back down his throat.
Kala shrugged, and turned to look at him. At mach 5 or so. Then again, they were over the ocean, what was she going to hit? An albatross? "Something with our invulnerability field. I don't know how it works, I just know that it works. Elise is still looking into it; if anyone can figure it out, it'll be the family rocket scientist." She had to speak louder than usual, but he could hear her just fine.
So the little bubble of air around them was moving a whole lot slower than the air a slight distance away. Dick stuck his hand in his pocket and tore off a small piece of an old receipt there. Feeling slightly bad about this, but consoling himself that it was biodegradable paper, he held the slip out in his free hand. The wind snatched at it, but again, it was no worse than a very fast car.
He opened his hand, and for a second the piece of paper floated above his fingers, flipping around in an eddy of turbulent air. It rose two inches, three – and then was just gone, as the normal laws of physics caught up with it. Dick turned his head to look behind them, and his eyes went wide. Above their path of travel was a long line of fluffy clouds … and Kala's flight had carved a path through them just by the air disturbance she created.
"This is insane!" Dick called, amazed and delighted.
"What?" Kala called back, looking at him quizzically.
"Look at the clouds," he told her, and then added, "Also you just broke like … all of physics, but hey, you're a Super."
She laughed merrily, a silvery sound out here above the vast ocean. "You think those clouds are awesome, watch this." Kala angled them upward, and Dick felt them slowing slightly. He turned his attention forward, and saw another huge bank of clouds ahead.
Clouds were always deceptive; they were so large, but with nothing else in the sky for scale, they tended to look lower than they really were. These clouds were approaching at a high rate of speed, and then Dick gasped as they plunged into the leading edge. Suddenly he was enveloped in much colder air, and moisture gathered on his skin.
They were through before he had time to worry about getting rained on, and Kala pulled up to a halt, turning to face the way they'd come. Dick saw a perfect round hole right through the clouds, with the pale blue winter sky visible beyond it. "Nifty, huh?" Kala said brightly.
"You could have a second career as a sky-writer, without the plane," Dick replied, and she laughed again.
In that moment of stillness, Dick looked at her thoughtfully. He knew Kala, of course, he'd seen her as a kid and worked with her over the summer and listened to her songs and been her date to some of the Wayne functions. But this was a whole other kind of amazing, a side of her he'd never really seen before.
And she was Jay's girlfriend. He never would've guessed in a million years that Jay would end up with someone like Kala. She was just such a light, wherever she went and whatever she did. Hell, the fact that Jay – who had seemed so focused on Bruce's 'no love only justice' mantra a few years ago – was even using the term 'girlfriend' to describe anyone was a shocker, but that he was dating Supergirl? Dick's mind still had trouble with it, even when they were both being adorable every day.
Just six months ago, he'd been worried about Jay beating the crap out of her in training every day. Not to mention, Kala had despised him back then. Now she was punching holes in clouds and laughing joyfully, spending a whole week and a half with them just to get more time with her man. If he had a time machine and could send a message back to himself last summer, he never would've believed the two would end up in a relationship.
The hole they'd punched through the cloud began to close, and Kala leveled off again. Being out here over the ocean was actually pretty relaxing, even if they were flying at a speed that should've made his face flap painfully like a bloodhound sticking its head out of the car window. Dick couldn't see the opposite coast yet, so he was left to ruminate on the situation.
He'd missed a great chance, actually, when Kala said he was easy to love. Someone needed to point out to these crazy kids that they were ridiculously head-over-heels goofy in love with each other. He'd tried to talk to Jay about it, but Jay had clamped up like one of those giant clams in the ocean that divers sometimes got killed by. He had some weird superstition about love.
Kala had no such hang-ups that Dick was aware of, especially not if she'd said it to him. He didn't want to surprise her midair, though. Despite his confidence that she could catch him, he realized he didn't really want to free-fall without a parachute or at least prior arrangements to be caught. He decided to wait until they landed.
Looking back toward the east, Dick saw a dark line on the horizon that rapidly swelled. They were going fast enough that it looked like a bad special effect, almost. His brain couldn't quite keep up with their speed, and even so Kala announced, "I have to slow down a bit, there's a royal air base near the coast and they tend to freak out a bit if they see something coming in this hot."
"Can't imagine why," Dick said flippantly, and Kala laughed.
She flew low, almost skimming the waves, and he figured that was also to keep them off the radar. The sheer speed kept hitting him, especially when they started ducking between ships on the English Channel. "No one ever sees you doing this?" he asked.
"If they do, they think it's their imagination," Kala replied, angling around a huge freight liner. In seconds they'd passed Dover and curved around to look westward into the bay that led up the river Thames to London. "Time for height," Kala said, and they shot up. Dick grabbed her waist more tightly as the land seemed to zoom out.
He wondered about airplanes, and looked around, seeing one coming from France now. Kala had chosen her distance prudently, though; they were lower than the plane, and far enough away that they'd only be a speck in the sky. Besides, if anyone did see them, they'd just chalk it up to imagination. Even in a world where Superman and Wonder Woman and Starfire existed, no one expected to see two people in plainclothes just standing on air a mile over London.
"So people don't really look up here, either, do they?" Dick asked as Kala surveyed the city streets below them.
"Mostly, no. Metropolis is the worst for that, people are looking for Dad. I just go by too fast for them to catch details. Right now I just need an alley or something … aha! Got it!" With that she dove, and Dick's stomach tried to climb out of his mouth. For him, that was a thrill – he was used to g-forces and sudden drops and the moments of weightlessness. Most people would be terrified, but Dick loved it.
Seconds later they had landed in an alley in Spitalfields, old brick walls rising on either side of them. Kala made sure Dick was steady, and then stepped away with a grin. "So, are you thinking about booking a regular flight back? Have I scared you off flying with Supers?"
"Never happen," Dick replied, echoing her smile. "Most of that was tame – you don't even feel the speed, until you're over land to see how fast you're going. Someday you'll have to show me your fighter jet impression."
Kala laughed delightedly. "You're the best, Mr. Grayson. Now convince your brother my flying is tame."
"I don't have to convince Jay of anything, where you're concerned," Dick said, looking at her seriously.
Those hazel eyes suddenly looked cornered. "Hold that thought. I need to change my money, find the right shop, and get Alfred's lunch to him, before we start talking about all things Todd."
Dick knew deflection when he heard it, and just played along.
…
Oswald Cobblepot had no interest in becoming a gang leader. It didn't suit his image of himself. Businessman, entrepreneur, information broker, that was far more his style. But saying no to Two-Face's pitch would've ended disastrously.
So, they arrived at a compromise, or what Dent thought was a compromise. Oswald supplied information and some liquid capital, Dent did the legwork and took the credit. It had been a long, thoughtful conversation, but a couple of Dent's points had piqued Oswald's curiosity.
He did some checking, first. Into Amazonian weaknesses (too few), flight records (too many), and a few other things. None of it looked like good news.
Oswald mulled over the situation while going over the Iceberg's books, both the real books and the ones he maintained for the IRS. His personal assistant of the week – once you got to a certain level of expense in escorts, they billed their hours as 'personal assistants', and he was fine with that, everyone had to make a living somehow – massaged his shoulders while he worked. It would've been very foolish to let her read over his shoulder, but Oswald had taken care of that years ago, by purchasing a privacy filter for his computer screen that could only be read through a special pair of glasses, which he was now wearing.
"Mandy," he asked musingly – always get their name right, always tip well, he made a point of being a good customer since he expected service equal to his standards – "where do you see yourself in five years?"
She paused for a second, and he realized it was probably an odd question for a client to ask. "I'll have graduated by then," Mandy replied.
"Oh really? What're you studying, Mandy?" It never hurt to show a little personal interest, either. Just not too much.
"Dermatology. It's a growing field," she replied.
He nodded thoughtfully. "Very wise. I like to see people with a plan for their lives."
That was what bothered him about the situation in Gotham right now. Everyone was looking only at what was right in front of them. Joker's reputation had suffered, and he hadn't been able to restore it by killing Harley. Now everyone was scrambling to fill the perceived vacancy. All they cared about was being the King of Crime this week, this year. No one looked ahead.
No one had considered what it meant that Batman was allowing a metahuman cape to base herself in his city. There'd been others over the years, passing through, but none who patrolled so regularly. None who seemed to have a reason to live here; she was hooked up with Red Hood, and he was a Gotham native.
Likewise, no one had really contemplated a future where Joker wasn't just temporarily inconvenienced, but gone. Or made plans to cement that future in place.
He couldn't blame Two-Face. Harvey couldn't make long-term plans, the coin decided his fate, and Oswald was extremely wary of that. The rest … Sionis had had the necessary vision, to start with, but of late he'd gotten sidetracked scrapping with the Bats and Red Hood. He really had it in for Hood, and that was crippling his effectiveness. Riddler and Scarecrow and Freeze and Clayface and Croc, none of them were big-picture guys either. Scarecrow always shot himself in the foot somehow, he couldn't accept success. Riddler got too deep into his intellectual puzzles, wanting to prove his intelligence more than he wanted to win. Freeze had one goal, and if he ever attained it, he'd walk away from everything else. Clayface and Croc had the same problem, the chip on their shoulders was too large to let them move easily among the rest.
Every name on the list of masks had some fatal weakness, some reason they'd never top out even if Joker did take a final bow. (Those who weren't aware of Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn leaving town had placed their bets on one of them punching his clock. Those who did know were looking at Red Hood, or Two-Face, or Black Mask.) Which left the mob, and come on. This was Gotham, no ordinary gangsters could rule here. If they weren't weird enough to wear a costume, they were second-tier at best.
About the only person with the resources and the dedication and the vision to take over was Red Hood himself, but he seemed to enjoy being on good terms with Batman and the rest of the flock. He was off the list. And Oswald wasn't going to do it. His five year plan didn't have 'become a crime lord' anywhere on the list.
Which left Two-Face and Black Mask to fight for control. Oswald only needed to decide if he intended to back either of them fully. Or … just play them off of each other, remain semi-neutral, adapt to a city in constant flux. Provide the one constant in town, as he had for years now. Knowledge was power, and he knew more than any of the other masks. In five years, no matter where things stood with the rest, he'd still be here, richer and wiser than he was now.
Success was more addictive than any drug. Oswald sighed, closed the books, and took off his glasses. They gave him a slight headache, but it was worth protecting his investment. "Mandy?" he asked.
"Yes?" she replied, leaning against him. She knew her cues well, this one.
"Firstly, when you get that degree and get out of all this, if anyone ever gives you trouble about it, I hope you'll come see me," he told her.
She kissed his temple. "You're sweet. Thank you."
That even sounded genuine. He was getting maudlin these days. At least he had a plan, now, for tomorrow, and the days that followed it. "Secondly, I've had enough bookkeeping for one day. Would you be so kind as to mix me a martini, and take my mind off work for a while?"
"Gladly," she replied with a winsome smile.
…
Kala didn't like leaving Dick after they changed their money and did some shopping, but he could more than handle himself. She ducked into Poppie's, the shop with the best online reviews, and placed her order. It was ready in minutes, double-wrapped in paper, and she quickly tucked it into the insulated bag along with her side items, condiments, and a bottle of stout that had never been sold in the States. With one last check on Dick, who waved her on as he window-shopped, she ducked around a corner and took off.
Now she pushed the very definition of speed. The ocean was a flat blur even to her sensitive eyes, and the North American coast quickly grew larger. Kala didn't just punch a hole in the clouds this time; the water below was disturbed in a faint wake, just from the sheer speed she was putting out. Any faster, and she'd set the air in front of her on fire.
She came to a halt over Gotham, checking the skies, and then landed on the patio at the Manor. "One order of fish and chips, coming up," she sang out as she stepped inside.
Alfred looked up from dusting, his expression thoroughly pleased. "Why, thank you very much, Miss Kala. Would you care to join me?"
"I wish I could, but … I kinda left Dick in London, so…" Kala grinned and took out the beer, blowing a burst of frost-breath on it to chill it. She didn't have anywhere near her father's or Jason's power for that, but cooling down a bottle was simple. "This is all for you, Alfred, in appreciation of everything you do. We love you – tell me you know that?"
"Then I am most grateful, my dear," Alfred said, accepting the bag and the beer from her. His eyes twinkled merrily as he added, "I am very well aware. No one in this house could function without me. And the love is very much mutual."
"Merry belated Christmas, Alfred," Kala said, and leaned up to kiss his cheek before dashing out again.
She paused over Gotham, hearing her phone chirp. Kala looked at it guiltily; Mom's number, of course, sending a quick text. What's your hurry? House on fire? You scuttled a hawk's nest.
Kala smiled, knowing that little code for what it was. She'd lost track of how many times she'd seen that particular message since she was sixteen. One of Mom's contacts in the military or the JLA had noticed and messaged Lois, obviously. Was totally innocent and deserved. Wanted to take Alfred his lunch while it was still hot, she typed back.
Should have guessed something like that. Good kid; Alfred deserves it. I'll tell them to stand down, but put the brakes on, okay? her mother replied.
Yes, ma'am, but only for you.
Sighing, Kala cut back across the ocean a little more slowly, hoping whoever had questions would believe whatever excuse Lois made. She found Dick easily enough, and dropped into a side-street a little distance away, strolling around the corner to find him.
To Kala's total lack of surprise, she found him talking to a young woman, a pretty brunette bundled up against the chill. "And what brings you to London so soon after Christmas, Mr. Grayson?" she asked.
He smiled charmingly, and Kala stepped up to catch his arm. "Family trip. Speaking of which, Dick, we'd better get a move on before the rest leave us behind."
The young woman looked a little startled, but she smiled anyway, and shook hands with them both before going on their way. "Nice to meet you!" Dick called after her, and Kala just rolled her eyes in amusement.
"I can't leave you alone for half an hour," she laughed. "Trust me, I one-hundred-percent understand the appeal, but good grief, Dick, really?"
"She walked up to me," he said, slinging an arm around Kala's shoulders fondly.
Elbowing him gently, Kala teased, "At least you didn't have a lollipop this time. I'd be hurt."
Dick tugged her close, laughing, and pointed to a shop further up the street. "There's a candy shop right there. I could always get one."
"Stop," she drawled, swatting playfully at his hand. "You're terrible. Don't you know you're not supposed to use the same pick-up line on two women?"
"One thing no woman has ever said about me, was that I'm terrible," Dick teased right back. "But you wouldn't know. Lollipops aside, your heart belongs to Jay, doesn't it?"
And that … came from out of nowhere. Kala just stopped completely, skidding to a halt at the sound of the words. Suddenly there was no air around her; even without Jay here, it was like having a goose run across her grave. Just saying it aloud had power, especially after the last time it was almost spoken. "Richard Grayson," she said in scolding tones.
"Don't try to pull the same deflecting crap he does. I know you don't have some superstitious belief about talking about love causing it to explode," Dick said in much the same tone. "I just want someone to admit what everyone can see. You're head over heels for him, aren't you?"
How could she feel so cornered on a crowded mid-day street? Fighting the irrational urge to flee, Kala furrowed her brows, sighing worriedly. "Dick … come on, don't do that. That's not fair."
"He's being cute. Jason Todd, self-made man from the age of thirteen, the Red Hood, is being cute. Kala, we can all see it," Dick chided.
Kala fought the urge to scream out of frustration. After this long, how did no one understand Jay and his need for privacy? Sure, she got Dick's pointed curiosity on the topic, but still. "And if you draw too much attention to it, he's gonna freak out," she explained in a patient, careful tone, shrugging her shoulders. All of a sudden the teasing a few minutes ago felt less playful.
"That's why I'm talking to you and not him," was Dick's rejoinder.
"Does it really matter all that much?" she asked, her voice faint.
"I don't know. Does it matter to you?" Dick countered.
She felt torn. It had been so long, and she'd gotten so used to stifling how she really felt. Or at least, not talking about it. Her family knew, there was no chance of hiding it once they found out about Jay, and Babs probably knew because Babs knew everything and she'd seen it from practically the start. The rest, though, they were his family first, and out of respect for him Kala had kept quiet. Everyone knew they were sleeping together, but so far no one had questioned just how serious that was.
Kala knew her own heart. This was as serious as it could get. Much to her own surprise, she'd fallen deeper than she ever expected to. The only other person in her life who meant this much, and who wasn't part of her immediate family, was Sebast. If she were completely honest with herself, that stupid schoolgirl crush on Sebast had only deepened with time and familiarity, into something she tried so hard to keep platonic and still struggled with even now. Jay had hit her right between the eyes, an unexpectedly powerful mix of intrigue, animosity, and attraction that quickly deepened as he let her into his life and his psyche. No one else had ever gotten to her on the level these two had.
Aloud, she said in miserable tones, "How could I not? Of course I love him, Dick." The universe seemed to pause when she spoke the words, as if they should've been followed by lightning or earthquake or solar eclipse.
Nothing dramatic happened, to Kala's immense relief. Dick tugged her close against his side. "I'm glad for both of you. You both deserve something this good."
"I really hope that's the case on both sides," she said, her voice faltering.
Dick scoffed. "Yeah, I confronted him first. By the way he was willing to knock my head off my shoulders for saying the l-word, I think he's got it bad, too."
"He's a little superstitious about that," Kala said, and stamped down on the coal of resentment at Dick for pushing him.
"So he told me. I still don't know why," Dick grumbled. "He made some excuse about something that happened during his lost years, but I'm not sure I believe it."
Kala's lip curled at that. She had waited for Jay to tell her all his secrets; she hadn't gone prying after them. No wonder Jay had reacted poorly. And she damn sure wasn't going to betray his trust by spilling any of those hard-won truths to his well-meaning but endlessly curious big brother. "It isn't just one thing, Dick. It's a lot of things, and I only know about half of them. The point is, I've never said it to him. I won't, until he's ready, and the sun might go supernova before that happens. It's enough to know how I feel."
"Who knows? None of us would've believed he'd come back into the fold this year. I would've thought it would take someone's funeral to bring him in. But Babs baited her hook with Alfred's cookies, and you came along to stir up the status quo, and here we are." Dick sounded thoroughly pleased with that result.
"I certainly didn't plan it," Kala said with a self-deprecating laugh. "If I had, I would've come up with a cleaner solution. As it stands … Gotham isn't that far from Metropolis, and I don't have to make excuses to my housemate anymore. Speaking of which, we gotta talk in the new year. We have to make some changes. Who knows, I might just look for a place here." She couldn't help a woeful smile at the thought. It would give her enough space, and the commute was no problem with her flight, but she would miss the house. And Sebast. But things with Sebast couldn't stay the same. It wasn't fair to him, or to Jay.
"I would absolutely love to go house-hunting with you," Dick said, chuckling, and his amusement brightened her mood for the rest of the shopping trip.
…
Alfred sat down to enjoy his meal in what passed for peace in Wayne Manor. No one was bleeding and nothing was on fire, though he was aware of a hundred tasks that ought to be done. The list was ever-growing, no matter how efficiently he crossed things off of it, and he had long since learned that trying to do everything would only result in him expiring of exhaustion.
Man could not live by bread alone, nor could he live solely by the satisfaction of a job well done. It was necessary to take a few moments and refresh one's self. He sat down in the kitchen, opening the insulated bag Miss Kala had brought.
The aroma of battered and fried cod rose to greet his nose, accompanied by piping-hot chips. He laid out the meal, smiling at Kala's attention to detail. She'd brought salt and vinegar and a slice of lemon, plus a side order of mushy peas and assorted pickles. The stout was a nice accompaniment, as well. "Such a thoughtful young lady," Alfred murmured happily, and sat down to eat.
The first bite took him back to his youth, stopping by a chippy for a quick bite, always on his way to or from somewhere. Idleness had never been his habit. Alfred took a small sip of beer, and just savored the heavenly taste of home.
He paused, expecting to hear a demanding "Mrrrrrehhhh!" The past few days, one of Miss Selina's cats had taken to following at his heels. Bolt was a proper-looking young moggy, a boldly-marked tabby with a cobby body and dainty white mittens. She was a charming creature, but she would not allow anyone except Selina to touch her. That didn't stop her from rubbing herself against Alfred's ankles and demanding a tidbit of his meals. This delightfully flaked cod would certainly appeal to a feline palate.
Ah, but the cats were not in residence. Miss Selina had moved them all over to Master Jason's building, and with Joker back in Arkham where he belonged, she had then taken them all back to her apartment, and not yet reappeared here herself. It would certainly be nice not to have to remove adventurous cats from the various decorations, and he'd have to do much less vacuuming of shed hair with forty fewer felines roaming about. But he would miss them nonetheless.
Perhaps someday Miss Selina might be persuaded to stay. She did make herself at home when she was here, and Master Bruce was delighted to have her with him. It would be good to see them settle into a more permanent arrangement. But then, cats could not be compelled.
At least Miss Kala and Master Jason appeared to have their priorities settled. If the two of them believed they were hiding their thoroughly mutual infatuation, Alfred was content to let them think so. He knew otherwise. And he was very glad to see both of them so happy. Master Jason's struggles were well known to him, and while the specifics of Miss Kala's challenges were not, Alfred knew the signs of childhood trauma rather better than he wanted to. She was healing, though, not so fixed in her coping mechanisms as his own charge, and he wagered that she and Master Jason would continue to assist one another.
It was only a shame they had not met when they were younger. Perhaps they could have been good for one another, to see their own struggles reflected, to give each other the support and advice each wished for themselves.
Or perhaps it would only have resulted in great-grandchildren rather younger than he expected.
…
Kala returned to Jay's apartment refreshed, with a bag full of goodies for him in addition to the gifts she'd squirreled away in the pantry at the Manor. She'd barely gotten through the window before Jay asked her, "Where were you?"
He was sitting in the kitchen area, with coffee in front of him, and his hair was an utter wreck. The question wasn't angry; he sounded genuinely bewildered. He must not have been fully awake when she left
Kala went to him with a teasing smile, holding her shopping bag protectively. "I went somewhere to buy a thank-you gift for a man, and some treats for myself. With another man. Sorry I couldn't take you with me, that was two men too many, and you were asleep anyway."
Jay narrowed his eyes, then grinned in amusement. "Huh. You went to get lunch for Alfred, I remember now. Who'd you take with you? Tim?"
"Dick, of course. He's been asking me to fly him somewhere since the summer," Kala replied, sitting down across from him.
He laughed then. "Did the adrenaline junkie get his fix?"
"I did a free-fall with him over the ocean on the way back. Got our shoes wet," Kala replied. "I swear Dick and I are too much alike."
"Yeah, it's a good thing you decided to run off with the bad brother instead," Jay told her, grinning. He reached for her hand and drew her in, leaning his face against her belly with a happy sigh.
"Bad brother, my ass," she told him fondly, setting her shopping bag down to run her fingers through his hair. "Just 'cause you're the scarier of the two doesn't make you bad."
"Oh, I'm bad," Jay countered, nuzzling her. One arm slipped around her waist, and his hand splayed against the middle of her back. "I'm such a bad, bad guy." His voice had gotten rougher, lower, and he nipped at her through the shirt, Kala startling a little and then laughing in delightful anticipation. "I'm the worst brother," Jay crooned, and turned mischievous eyes up to hers. "Because I'm stealing your candy!"
The whole time, his other hand had crept toward the shopping bag, and Jay snatched it up, leaping from his chair with a booming laugh. "Jay!" Kala yelled, chasing him.
It wasn't a big enough apartment for it to be a real chase, even without Kala breaking out super-speed, and she cornered him in the kitchen area. Jay held the bag up high, smirking down at her, and she just floated up to steal it back. "Nefarious use of superpowers. I see how it is," he said in injured tones.
"Quit complaining, half of this is for you anyway," Kala told him, sitting on his counter and reaching into the bag. She handed him a Galaxy Caramel and a Twisted bar, and watched Jay's face light up in pleasant surprise.
"My favorite! How'd you … oh, Dick must've told you. Or Alfred." Jay leaned against the counter, trapping her in place, and started munching away on the caramel bar.
Kala got out another of the same – she'd picked up at least one of everyone else's favorites to try – and matched him. It reminded her a bit of Caramello, but not quite so overpoweringly sweet. "These are good."
"Yeah, like the woman who brought 'em," Jay said, and then gave her a mischievous grin. "Sweet, but not too sweet – that matches too."
"You couldn't stand me if I was too sweet," she scoffed.
"Good thing you've got a little bit of evil in you," he laughed. "And if you want a little more, we've got a few hours before patrol…"
Kala swallowed the bite of her candy and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "You know I can always make time for a little bit of your kind of evil, Jay."
"You'd better," he said, mock-threatening.
Both of them hesitated to get to the part where they usually swept one another off to bed; having a half-eaten candy bar in one hand was not exactly conducive to seduction. Jay stepped in closer, his free arm around her waist, and for once his wolf-blue eyes were calm and steady. Almost peaceful.
This felt like home, teasing back and forth, scuffling playfully, and all the things they hadn't said yet seemed to hover in the back of Kala's mind. She was so comfortable now, when six months ago she wouldn't have trusted him as far as she could throw him – and she'd very much wanted to throw him into the bay at the time.
A trickle of unease tried to worm its way into her head. Her actual home was about to get uncomfortable; Sebast would be back from Ponce in about a week. She had to fix this whole situation, make it right with Sebast without falling back into old habits, and make sure Jay knew he was her first priority. And at the same time, she couldn't bear to lose the love and understanding she had with Sebast, or their working relationship. She felt an unwelcome kinship with the heroines of young adult novels who always seemed to be torn between feelings for two men. Kala had always scoffed at them, but now she was finding her own heart just as tangled.
There had to be some sensible, adult way of dealing with these emotions. She wasn't going to flip the script of her life – which had always been action/adventure – to a silly romcom.
Jay took the last bite of his candy bar, stole hers out of her hand while she wasn't paying attention, and then leaned in to kiss her with the sweetness of caramel still on his lips. Kala decided, based on the evidence which included Jay's hands on her waist, that she could afford to think about all of that later.