Making Up

"Morning Aikaterine!"

"Good morning." The redhead didn't match the blonde's enthusiasm.

"Last night sure was fun, huh?"

The redhead shrugged. "I guess so. Hey, have you heard anything from Diana? I haven't since last night."

"No, no I haven't."

Aikaterine sighed. It was unlike Diana to just disappear unless something was wrong. "I hope everything's okay."

"I'm sure it is. Besides, she can handle anything."

"Yeah." Well, no sense beating around the bush. "So, if I may ask, what did Lord Maxwell want to discuss so urgently during the party?"

"Oh, just work stuff." Barbara brushed it off.

"So he lured you off to your office?" Was this even more serious than she had thought? "Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"Oh, no, no! Nothing like that! He was very much a gentleman! We just got talking, and one thing led to another, and - yeah. But I hope you had a nice time last night?"

"It was alright, I didn't stay too late. Of all the parties I've been to it wasn't my favourite."

"Oh, that's too bad, I thought it was pretty great."

"Hey." Suddenly, they were joined by Diana and an unfamiliar man.

"Diana!" cried the redhead. "Where the hell have you been? You didn't come home last night, I was worried."

"I know, I know, and it's a long story-"

"Who is this?" Aikaterine nodded to Steve.

"This is Steve, my - old friend."

"Well hi, Old Friend Steve. I'm Barbara, Diana's new friend." Barbara held out her hand for him to shake.

"Steve? The man? This is not him." Aikaerine eyed him suspiciously.

That was when Diana remembered only she could see him as Steve. "It's a long story. But it's him."

Aikaterine stepped forward, right into Steve's face, examining him. "I didn't think mortals lived that long."

"Steve, you remember Aikaterine?"

"Oh, you two know each other?" said Barbara.

"From a long time ago."

"Yes, you threatened me," Steve recalled.

"Yes, I did."

"Wait, what-" began Barbara.

"Can I speak to you for a second?" But Diana broke in, speaking to her.

"Yeah, sure."

Diana led the way into her office, clearly on a mission. "So I just wanted to ask you about that stone, the citrine one."

"Oh, yeah."

"Do you have it?"

"Um, well, long story, actually. Max Lord came by to visit during the gala and I let him borrow it."

"What, why?" cried Diana.

"Well, Diana, he did loan us a lot of money. And it's not like he's a stranger. And he said he has a friend who's an expert-"

"What do you mean? How could you just loan it? It's not even ours to loan!" Diana was clearly frustrated.

"Whoa, whoa, what are you getting on my case for? I've got fifteen things in my office more valuable than that stone-"

"Do you know where he took it?"

"No, no I have no idea."

Diana sighed heavily. "Then we'll tell you when we find out." She left the office without another word, Steve following.

"Okay..." Barb blinked at the two as they left them behind. "What was that all about?"

"I don't know," Aikaterine admitted.

Barbara caught up to Aikaterine later. "Listen, I'm really sorry for ditching you last night, that wasn't my intention and I feel really bad. I mean I said girls night and then totally backed out."

"I was a little hurt and felt abandoned, but I was probably just overreacting-"

"No, no, that was definitely my fault. I didn't mean to ruin the party for you."

"Oh no, you didn't, it just wasn't my kind of party."

"Still. Can I make it up to you, please? I mean, I had a really fun time shopping with you, and at the party, the brief time we spent there together. I'd like to spend more time with you."

"I enjoyed it as well," Aikaterine admitted. "And yes, I would like to spend more time with you, too."

"Great. What would you like to do?"

"I don't know?" Aikaterine shrugged, trying to cover for her lack of knowledge of the modern mortal world. "What are some of your favourite things to do?"

"Besides work," Barbara laughed. "Let's see... Oh! Do you like the movies?"

"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom?"

"Don't tell me you've never seen Indy before," cried Barbara.

"I haven't."

"Oh well you're in luck - I love the Indiana Jones movies, they're great! Come on, my treat."

"So what is Indiana Jones?" Aikaterine asked when they were seated in the theatre, with a salty treat Barbara called 'popcorn'. It was much different from any theatre she had ever been in. And apparently the actors didn't perform live, but on a screen, like a giant TV.

"He's a university professor and archaeologist who is always off on adventures looking for special artifacts."

"Ah, I see why you would enjoy this so much."

"Right! He's super cool!"

The lead female character was a bit annoying, and clearly meant as only a love interest for Indiana, but the action and story were compelling. Indiana even had a whip like hers. Aikaterine even jumped a couple of times, making Barbara laugh.

"Well that was certainly something else," Aikaterine said as they left the theatre.

"God I love the movies. Immersing yourself and getting lost in a whole other world where nothing matters and anything's possible - sorry, see I'm still lost in it."

"I don't see that as a bad thing."

Barbara sighed. "I've never fit in, no matter where I was. Movies always help my imagination run wild and, like I said, make it seem like anything's possible."

"I can understand that."

"Really, you can?"

"Yes. Where I'm from, people don't like where I come from."

"What do you mean?"

"A lot of people don't think my parents should be together," she explained, using mostly the truth but also leaving the specific details out. "And so they think I shouldn't exist."

"Wow, that sounds - intense."

"Yes, it is. But, they are in love, my parents, and they don't care what other people thought."

"Wow, that's really brave. And romantic."

"Yes, it is."

"I love a good romance."

"Me too."

"Inspirational too. Oh, if only I could be that brave." Barbara sighed.

"Oh, I think you definitely can be. You're passionate, you're driven, you pursue what you want. Not everyone is brave enough to do that."

This made the blonde smile. "Well, thank you. I appreciate that."

"You're welcome." Aikaterine took the other woman's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "But you have to believe it yourself, first."

So I'm not sure how long movies lasted in theatres in the '80s (cause 'Temple of Doom' was released in May and this movie takes place in July) but I can think of some movies nowadays that seem to last in theatres for a very long time, so we'll go with it ;)

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed! :)