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Chapter Five:

Barbara got a police escort to see her dad, the next day. A funeral would be difficult as there was drinking and tent cities set up in the cemetery. GCPD offered to make it work, Barbara declined. They had more important things to do.

Zinda, her ace pilot of all things mechanical, drove. They didn't speak. Barbara appreciated that. She needed to be alone with her thoughts.

Harvey Bullock met her at the door.

"I don't think there are words at this point," he said.

"I don't either."

She let him steer her into the building. He was a terrible driver, as he couldn't keep the wheels straight. It was more for him than her. She understood he needed to feel useful.

Barba had opted to touch her dad's hand one last time, before seeing him at whatever funeral she managed in the future. It didn't feel right, just seeing him from a window. She needed to be brave.

Bullock let her wheel her way into the room. The coroner had done a good job concealing with bandages, the fact most of his upper skull was missing. But his face, his remained mostly intact.

"I could have saved you dad," she said. "I could have sent Zatanna, if I hadn't already sent her to save some TV feds. I don't blame them. Not even Garcia for causing it, Zattanna said 'forces from a realm where TV police I knew would be coming in need of rescue due to the one who reached across the multiverse. Then they would save you.' You'd call that a load of bunk. But Zatanna is rarely wrong. I wish I knew of another way to save you. I wish I could have done more."

She touched his cold hand. "I love you."

After spending a few more moments in silence with him, she left. She left before she'd start crying. Now wasn't the time for tears.

Bullock was waiting.

"Barbara, your dad left me the key to his bottom desk drawer. If anything were to happen, he wanted me to open it and destroy most of the contents after I read them."

"So, you know I'm Oracle then," she said.

"And who Batman is," he said. "He knew who all of you were. He trusted you to know what you were doing. To stay safe."

"Did you ever suspect anything?"

"I may be a schlub, but I'm not a total idiot. A billionaire who drinks tonic water all night, and looks bored when even the most beautiful women try to hit on him, that sets off some bells. The hours you kept suggested you did more than tech work."

"Thanks for never saying anything."

"Who would believe me anyway?"

Barbara wheeled herself along with Harvey.

"So, you've got feds from a TV show staying with you? Which show?"

He had been listening in. This didn't surprise her either. As much he respected her privacy, Bullock was also desperate for leads.

"Criminal Minds."

"I actually like that show. It's ridiculous that they get to fly on their plane around the country, and how the tech girl can identify everything so easily, but it's stupid fun."

"I sense a question coming."

"Every law enforcement agent is strung out Barbara," Bullock said. "We could use them."

"There are already plans in the works for ways to use them."

"If none of them work out," he said. "You know how to reach me."

He touched her shoulder.

"I know you want to project strength right now. I'm not the kind of person people like to cry on. But if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call."

"You were always Dad's favorite cop, Bullock."

"Harvey," he said. "Always Harvey for you."

They walked back to her car in silence.

…

Barbara sipped some tea with Tim in the kitchen. She had been drinking coffee too much lately. As much she wanted to keep working, she knew she need to slow down.

"David Rossi would be a good candidate for GCPD," Tim said. "He's got the right personality for it. Reid knows superheroes, so I'd want to keep him here. I want Simmons, Alvez, and J.J. Lewis and Prentiss could work with the police."

"What about Garcia?" she asked.

"Your choice," he said. "She'd work well with either team. Though you could use someone to cover for you when you slept or needed a break."

"You're right," she said. "As much part of me still wants to strangle her for causing part of this mess, I could use her. She also didn't pull the trigger on my dad. The Joker did."

"Do you want him dead?"

"At this point what asylum could possibly hold him? Bruce should have killed him, after he killed Jason. I'm getting sick of losing people Tim!"

"I agree with you Babs. Bruce is off-planet. When we get ahold of him, we do what we want."

"I'm glad you and I are on the same page," she said.

There was a beat of silence.

"What's the BAU up to?" she asked.

"Building muscle. Watching Reid hit a punching bag is one way to get a good laugh, if you need it."

"Tempting," she said.

She left the kitchen. Tim followed.

"I'll call Bullock later with your picks for who should go to GCPD. I'll send Dinah and Zinda to pick up some more clothes for them, as I know a few department stores have bought cataclysm survival tech to seal off goods."

"Sounds good," he said.

"Let's tell the team their assignments. I want to talk to Garcia alone."

…

Barbara found the team in the training area. Simmons and Alvez were boxing. Prentiss and Rossi were practicing how to use modified guns that were more like Tasers. Reid was working punching bag (it was admittedly comical in the way it kept hitting him back). Lewis was at the climbing wall. Garcia was working with weights. It was time change the dynamics.

"Tim has something to share with you guys," Barbara said. "Garcia come with me."

Garcia nervously walked to the entrance. She left with Barbara.

"Please stop saying sorry, Penelope," Barbara said.

"How else can I show you, my remorse?" she asked.

"By helping me."

Using a hand scanner, she opened the door.

There were total of ten screens and three keyboards.

"Penelope, it took some sleep for me to realize the Joker has always been one step away from killing my dad. No matter how many trackers I put on him, I couldn't keep him safe from everything. Maybe you were meant to come here and help me."

"Really?" she said.

"I hate to tell you this, but your show has been living on borrowed time. We thought you were going to be canceled last season. There was reason to believe that they were going to give you backorder so that the series could get a proper sendoff and end next season."

"Wow."

"Penelope, I'm not ready to forgive, but I want to be friends with you. It was fun working with you."

"I accept that."

Barbara offered a hand. Garcia shook it vigorously.

"Let me show you around."

It felt good to work with Garcia again.