PART ONE

PART ONE.

Gotham State University, Chemistry Lab…

Barbara Gordon read over her notes carefully. Playing around with compounds could be a potentially dangerous exercise. Much like crime fighting, there was no room for a mistake.

Of course it would help if her concentration weren't constantly being interrupted by the flirtatious giggling of some girls across the room.

Barbara raised her eyes in a menacing way towards them, but they ignored her completely, their interest being held very successfully by Dick Grayson.

Dick spoke quietly to the girls while running his experiment, seemingly unaware or just not caring that he could make a mistake while his attention was otherwise occupied. His speech was full of flirtatious eye movements and sexual innuendo and the girls loved every minute of it.

Barbara rolled her eyes at the spectacle, failing to see what was so damn special about Dick Grayson anyway.

Sure he was built like an athlete with a face that was certainly far from ugly, but there were thousands of men like that at the university.

Barbara looked him over, trying to guess what it could be. Ok, she admitted to herself, the guy is drop dead gorgeous and his sharp blue eyes demanded attention. If only he would stop tripping over his own ego, Barbara thought.

She allowed herself a small laugh at that thought, then again, look at his role model; a playboy billionaire with enough women at his beck and call to form his own harem. Dick probably didn't know any better.

Barbara shrugged, it still wasn't any excuse to treat women in the way he did, even if he had grown up with a man rich enough to have everything he wanted.

That was another thing that really cooked her goose. There was absolutely no reason for Dick to even be at university. He certainly had enough money to make his life comfortable and probably a highly paid job at any number of Mr. Wayne's companies and she doubted that an idiot like Bruce Wayne had even attended college. He has no right to be here, Barbara thought heatedly, he should be at Wayne manor flirting with as many girls as he wants, not sitting in her classroom disrupting her work. More importantly he shouldn't be able to pay so little attention to his work and still come out ahead of her in every exam. She shook her head. That was what annoyed her most about Mr. Grayson. He obviously spent more time with his head buried in places other than in his books so how did he always manage to come out ahead of her?

His name was always above hers on the exam results and he was always so quick to congratulate her and never with a hint of satisfaction. He actually seemed genuinely pleased for her.

Ok, so Dick didn't share Bruce Wayne's stupidity and he was one of the only guys in the university that she could hold an intelligent conversation with, and not have to worry about him looking down her shirt.

So why did she always feel so heated whenever he spoke to her, heck, whenever he looked at her. She put her chin in her hand and lent against her desk, watching him unashamedly making a fool of himself to the delight of his female audience. Well, his female and male audience, a few of the others in the class had joined the group. Dick was popular with both.

Barbara scowled. She hated perfect people.

Barbara realized she'd been staring at the group for enough time for it to be considered suspicious and would have looked away if Dick hadn't caught her gaze. Dick passed her a surreptitious wink and broke into a smile that was all charm.

Barbara shook her head in disgust and returned to her formula.

Dick shrugged off Barbara Gordon's snub, it was only like the hundredth time she'd done it to him. Dick wasn't blind, he knew she pretty much hated his guts but he wasn't about to get all upset about it. After all, there were plenty of other girls that liked him just fine. Dick glanced around the small circle of adoring faces, many breathtakingly beautiful. But his eyes kept straying back to the pretty red head on the opposite desk, with green eyes that shone with intelligence. And a body that a swimsuit model would be proud of can't forget about that Dick, he thought.

Barbara was a very accomplished gymnast; he knew this for a fact as he'd beaten her in the mixed Gymnastics trials by a few points last week. Something she only resented him more for. Dick sighed, he couldn't help it. He'd grown up tossing his body this way and that. He'd been performing aerial tricks that some masters were incapable of before she'd even seen a set of parallel bars. And living with Bruce Wayne, the Batman, only served to hone his skills even more. He was the best. He had to be.

There was no room for mistakes when he donned his Robin costume. He had worked hard to get his body into the condition it was in and it was nice to receive some acclaim for that now and then - he'd certainly never get any from Batman. Not even with the aid of some wild horses, Dick thought wryly.

Dick knew Barbara hated the fact that he always excelled at his exams. But she didn't know that he'd been studying chemistry, physics, biology and others along side Batman since he was a kid. He learned from the crimes of some of the most ruthless yet intelligent criminals on the planet. And he'd had the best teacher that anyone could ever hope for.

Dick sighed, there had been times, short and sweet when he'd caught Barbara in a good mood and they'd shared a conversation.

He'd learned that she was trying hard to break away from being known as the Commissioners daughter, that she wanted to become a detective in her own right, using her brains to get her there and not her father's name. Dick understood that, the need to go out and prove to the world that you can make it on your own, that you don't always need the help of a certain pointy- eared friend to get you out of a crisis.

And just when they were starting to get somewhere Dick would open his big mouth and something totally obnoxious would slip out. Then he'd see her face form that icy gaze that some of the crooks got right before they strangled you. Her mouth would shut tightly and her eyes would roll as though she'd been waiting for it all along. Then she would be out of there without a glance back in his direction, smiling pleasantly at countless male suitors on her way out in the way that made their knees tremble. She sure as hell never looked at him like that.

Dick passed a bored glance over his chemistry paper, he'd finished it last night without even needing to do the practical work; he'd done it all before.

"So girls," he said huskily, raising himself out of his Barbara related depression, "Who's for a pizza? My shout."

That received unanimous support, and the two closest girls proudly latched onto his arms, practically pulling him out of the room.

"Finally." Barbara muttered, happy to see them leave. But her eyes followed them out of the room, she watched until she couldn't see Dick's black curly hair towering above them anymore. It was then that she realized that she was hungry too, and that pizza would quite nicely fill the gap.

Italian with extra pepperoni would be great!

If only she'd been invited. ***************************************************************

Later that night, beneath Wayne Manor. The Batcave …

Bruce Wayne leaned back in his easy chair and stared unmoving at the huge computer screen in front of him. The Batcomputer was an amazing piece of machinery; the only one of its kind in the world. He'd built it himself, with the aid of some of the most intelligent scientists and technicians that were on the Wayne Corporation payroll. Not that they had known that the intricate circuitry and computer components they had been assigned to, were to end up in the computer that the Batman used every day.

Bruce Wayne was The Batman and the computer was an essential part of his crimefighting arsenal.

At the present the Batcomputer displayed the slightly blue face of Dr Victor Fries a.k.a. Mr. Freeze.

Bruce pressed a small button and instantly the camera's changed, showing Victor Fries long before he had become a criminal, before he had frozen his wife. Bruce watched silently as the husband clutched his beautiful, dying wife in his arms and whispered something in her ear that the speakers failed to pick up. Bruce sighed, pausing the home movie. Dr Victor Fries had filmed it himself, a running documentary on his research into a cure for his wife. The film also picked up the accident that turned the Doctor into a madman hell bent on revenge. Revenge he had tried desperately to obtain and would have achieved if Batman hadn't arrived and prevented him.

Mr. Freeze was now one of Batman's most dangerous enemies and undoubtedly one of the coldest when it came to human suffering. He came in a close second to the Joker, the Clown Prince of Crime, who only came in first because he was utterly insane.

Mr. Freeze was not the picture of sanity but he was one of the more intelligent rogues that plagued Gotham City.

He belonged in Arkham Asylum the very place he had been until his break out last month.

Bruce scratched his head. It had been a full month since the villain's daring escape, an escape that had left one unfortunate orderly dead and another badly injured. But since then, other than a few strange missing people reports it had been quiet, Freeze hadn't been sighted in all that time.

It brought an uneasy feeling to the Dark Knight's gut. He knew that Freeze was planning something, taking his time to formulate the perfect caper.

Bruce sighed. Batman and Robin had scoured the entire city looking for the escapee. They searched anywhere that was related to ice or freezing. The local ice cream factories were favourites for Mr Freeze and also The Penguin. But they were all empty. Robin had headed for the ice rinks and the new Antarctica display at the Gotham museum. He had managed to foil a robbery at the convenience store next door but there was no Mr. Freeze.

Batman had tried a different angle. Mr. Freeze never settled anywhere without his wife Nora and since Nora was frozen in what could only be described as a high tech sarcophagus there were only a few places that she could fit into. Freeze would also need a lair with some available power source, and quite a large one to keep his wife in her frozen state successfully. His searches, like Robin's, turned up a few low-key criminals but not the Big Fish.

The frustration was unnerving. He hadn't been able to sleep or concentrate properly on his extra curricular activities and it seemed to be rubbing off on his young partner also.

Robin's characteristic quips and daredevil behaviour had been almost non-existent lately and Batman was surprised to find that he actually missed it. There wasn't much that could dampen his ward's carefree manner, but Mr.Freeze seemed to have managed it with relative ease. The longer he was at large the more it played on the crime fighter's and the general community. The media took every opportunity to include them in their publication and when Batman and Robin seemingly failed to do their jobs properly the media hound dogs pounced, citing any reason they could think of as to why Gotham could do without the dynamic duo.

Bruce sighed, the same newspaper would be claiming the opposite the next week when he and Robin secured criminal after criminal, it was the way the media world worked … they always struck when you were down.

He had taken to wearing his thickest skin whenever he read the papers but Dick seemed to take every slicing word personally. He almost seemed to believe that it was exactly what the public thought about them.

Bruce put it down to his background. He had grown up in a circus, constantly under the watchful and critical eyes of some very skilled people. But as Dick Grayson, the third member of The Flying Grayson's aerial team he had excelled. He was seen as a marvel, a Boy Wonder, and indeed he was.

In the circus he was part of a large family, a family that nurtured his self -image to make him a very confident child. The vicious murder of his parents stole that from him and it took him away from his large family and placed him into a small, lonely one comprised of Billionaire Bruce Wayne and his butler Alfred.

Bruce wondered as he had often before, if he had stunted Dick's growth by adopting him. He had made him a partner and a crimefighter, a wish come true for any boy his age. But he hadn't been as complimentary as Dick's family had been, if anything he was more critical. He couldn't risk Robin being hurt or injured because of a mistake so he was extra hard on Dick. Bruce wondered if that was why Dick took the newspapers so seriously, because he had the same doubts himself. His self- confidence had taken quite a beating in the past years and although Dick seemed happy, Bruce wondered if he really was.

As if in answer, Dick appeared. He was speeding across the floor of the Batcave in a series of perfect backflips, while shouting out a running commentary on each move as though he was judging a gymnastics competition. He finished with a leap in the air, tucking into two backwards somersaults and landed gracefully in a gymnast's salute.

He gave himself a perfect ten.

Bruce smiled inwardly; perhaps he was wrong about Dick's self- confidence.

He took a welcome break from the computer to watch Dick's display.

The young man had moved to the parallel bars and he was swinging around them with such grace and ease that they seemed to almost be attached to his arms. Bruce watched proudly; though he'd never admit to having that particular emotion.

He wished he could put all of Dick's considerable skill down to his own training but he knew that it was Dick's parents that won that acclaim, and of course Dick himself. He was a natural athlete, taking to any form of sport with ease.

Dick was swinging in a continuous circle around the top bar, when he had gained enough momentum he let go, launching himself into the air.

He soared through the cave his arms out wide and his body neat and taunt. As gravity took its turn he arched in mid - flight, his head being the weight that began his descent. Dick held his position beautifully; he could see his target below and had already determined his landing.

As he came close to the wide balance beam, Dick brought his legs up, shifting the weight from his head to his feet. The shift caused his body to turn swiftly so that he landed on the beam on his feet and not his head. Dick landed with his knees slightly bent to avoid locking his knees and doing terrible damage. He followed the momentum through, coming down into a crouch that he used to once again push off into the air. He executed a neat tuck, and landed on the edge of the beam, the momentum used up brilliantly.

Dick saluted then punched his fist into the air, "Yeah! Another perfect performance from Dick Grayson! And the crowd goes wild!" He cupped his hands to his mouth and imitated the sounds of a cheering crowd.

"He's definitely stolen the gold tonight folks!" Dick continued.

He ungracefully dropped from the beam and grinned at Bruce, "Sad but true folks!" he quipped, "Bruce Wayne will have to settle for the silver again!"

Bruce raised an eyebrow at the challenge to good to refuse, "Perhaps since you've so successfully conquered the gymnastics world, you can move on to the martial arts arena?" He asked dangerously.

Dick hesitated for a second, he might out-do Bruce in aerial artistry but he was yet to better him in the Martial Arts. Bruce was an expert in countless forms of Martial Arts, boxing, street fighting and many others. He had taught Dick much of what he had learnt but Dick doubted he would ever be as good as Bruce and he wasn't really sure if he wanted too be.

He shrugged, "I'm game!"

Bruce smiled, it was one of the things he admired most about his protégé; he was always willing to take up a challenge. And a challenge he would get.

********************************************************

Alfred allowed himself a small smile as he made his way down the long staircase that led to the Batcave. The cave was echoing with riotous laughter from the two men wrestling on a large mat in the centre of the cave.

This was the only time Alfred enjoyed the walk down, when he could hear the two men he loved most in the world actually enjoying themselves in that cave, instead of pacing back and fourth with the weight of the world on their young shoulders.

"C'mon – give in!" Bruce challenged, holding his ward in a headlock.

Dick was grinning widely, seemingly oblivious to the large arm wrapped around his neck, "Never!" He managed to croak.

He rolled suddenly, taking his mentor with him and Alfred almost cried out in alarm when they threatened to roll off the edge of the platform they were on.

Neither would allow that to happen though. Dick managed to twist his lithe body like a contortionist and ram his knee into the strong stomach of his adopted father.

Bruce grunted and released the hold enough for Dick to flip him over his head and away from the precipice.

Then, with a war cry he threw himself on Bruce and the fight was on again.

Alfred rolled his eyes. Placing a tray laden with enough lunch to feed a small army on a nearby workbench. Or for feeding two growing boys Alfred thought, if growing was the appropriate word. Presently they seemed to have reverted back to childhood.

He cleared his throat, "Lunch Master Bruce, Master Richard."

The two ignored him, locked around each other in an array of wriggling arms and legs.

"Oh Well, I guess the dogs will eat it." Alfred proclaimed, picking up the tray and starting up the stairs. He was met by a pitiful cry from the two down below and an epic tale of the end of Batman and Robin due to starvation.

Alfred sighed, the satisfied smile on his face waxing to deadpan when he returned to them.

They both ate hungrily, swallowing the food at a remarkable rate.

Alfred closed his eyes, forbidding his straight-laced English upbringing to be affected by the appalling lack of manners displayed before him.

"Have you finished your homework Master Richard?" He asked, fully aware that the young man hadn't even looked at his work since he arrived home.

Dick swallowed his last mouthful loudly and stared dismayed at the butler.

" It's the weekend!" He moaned, " I'll do it when I go back to the dorm Alfie."

Alfred lifted his nose and stared at the younger man with an unaccepting glare.

Dick almost seemed to tremble under the strong grey eyes fixed on his, he looked to Bruce for support but only gained a sympathetic glance back. Bruce knew that look and he knew not to fight it.

Alfred didn't say a word, which was five times worse than any of his sermons and eventually Dick couldn't stand the silence anymore.

"Ok." He said, starting up the stairs, " But I can't wait till I've finished school!"

Alfred raised an unforgiving eyebrow at Bruce. "And what about you Sir? Shouldn't you be on your way to dinner with Miss Lamont?"

Bruce smiled, knowing not to argue. He was constantly amazed that Alfred could sound so polite and yet so demanding at the same time. He worded his sentences to sound like a question when they were in fact an order.

"I'm on my way Alfred."

Bruce shook his head in amusement as he followed after Dick. He wondered how many other butlers could say that they were the head of the family, not the servant to them.

Alfred moved wordlessly around the mansion as Dick studied and Bruce showered and dressed. He alternated between the upstairs study and Bruce's room, straightening Bruce's wayward suit and dusting the countless, priceless statues that littered the many rooms at the same time.

He had Bruce dressed and ready with minutes to spare and deposited him neatly into the limousine waiting outside.

Then he made Dick a small snack and took it up to the young man.

Dick was sitting obediently at his desk, with his textbooks open wide, but he was more engrossed in the music radiating from his headphones than his work.

He shouted in surprise when the volume doubled suddenly and wrenched the headphones from his ringing eardrums. Dick's eyes widened a little in guilt when he saw the butler by the stereo.

"I apologise Master Richard." He said in mock sincerity, "I meant to turn the music down. I haven't quite the knack for these electrical instruments as you do."

Dick rubbed his ears. He knew full well that Alfred could take apart his stereo and lecture on what every piece was used for better than he could, but he wasn't about to argue with him when he had his "unforgiving" face on.

"That's Ok Alfred." He answered meekly, "Thanks for the sandwich."

Alfred passed him one more warning glance then left quietly, dusting various objects as he went.

Dick bit into the sandwich and grumbled to himself. The last thing he wanted to do at the moment was look at schoolwork. It seemed to be all he was doing lately. Exams were coming up and he knew it was important to study for them, but he was restless and studying was only making him more so.

"What I wouldn't give for the Bat signal." He muttered.

Of course, that would ruin Bruce's date with Sarah Lamont, the daughter of the very wealthy Gerard Lamont. But Bruce was only dating her to keep up his Bruce Wayne persona. And if what Dick had heard about her communication skills was anything to go by, Bruce was probably wishing for the Batsignal also.

*****************************************************************

Later that night, Gotham City Police Department…

Commissioner Gordon's face was a vivid red as he marched towards his office. If there was one thing he hated about his job it was meeting the press on the steps of the Gotham Police Department. Their questions were becoming impossible to answer without making the entire police force look like fools - that was how the media liked it; bad news sold newspapers.

But this time they had been right. The police were unable to do anything about the escaped Mr Freeze, except look for him and ask questions. But if Batman hadn't gotten any answers the police certainly wouldn't fare any better.

Gordon was worried. Gotham City was his responsibility and until Freeze was recaptured, Gothamites - his Gothamites were in danger.

Batman was also frustrated. It was obvious in their last meeting that he was anxious to find the King of Iciness before someone was hurt. Even Robin was quiet! Gordon found that quite disturbing, the youth's bright demeanour often helped him feel at ease as much as it helped Batman.

He huffed out loud, ignoring the officers that were wisely moving out of his way, he threw open his office door and would have slammed it shut if he hadn't noticed his visitor.

James Gordon's face lifted in surprise and his anger fell away like a large tidal wave. His worn face broke into a delighted smile and he opened his arms to the young woman standing in front of his desk.

Barbara Gordon laughed softly, hugging her father tightly. "You look very happy to see me Dad!" She exclaimed.

Her father squeezed her slim form closer, "You're a God send my girl!" He replied. Since Barbara had started college he had seen very little of her and had missed her sorely. He extended her back to arms length and gazed at her lovingly. Her green eyes sparkled with warmth and her pretty face was alight with greeting. She flung back her shoulder length red hair and giggled, "You look like the cat that got the cream Dad! Anyone would think you don't have any other visitors."

"You're the only one that matters to me!" He laughed, and perhaps one other, Gordon thought, the figure of Gotham's Dark Knight flashing before him.

Barbara lowered herself into a nearby armchair, her tiny figure almost disappearing into its enormous belly.

Her father smiled wisely as he watched her. She was only a slip of a girl but she had more strength and power than most people gave her credit for. She was a gifted gymnast, every muscle in her body was taunt and strong and she had been practicing Judo ever since she was old enough to request lessons.

She sat up sharp and erect, her eyes full of intelligence and love.

Gordon sighed, she wasn't his little girl anymore.

"How's college?" He asked casually, trying not to let the animosity he felt towards the institution that had stolen his daughter show.

Barbara waved a hand in the air, "Fine, fine." She answered, "I've finished for today and I was hoping someone might shout me dinner." She levelled him with a mischievous eye," If he can find the time to take out his only daughter!"

Gordon's heart melted as it always did when she was around. " I wouldn't miss the opportunity! Considering I see so little of her these days."

Barbara's gaze became sympathetic, "I know Daddy and I'm sorry. " She gave a soft sigh, "But I've been so busy with papers and exams and the Gymnastics competition. I've hardly found time to sleep let alone socialize."

Her father became suddenly concerned, noting that she was a little thinner than she had been at home. "Are you eating properly Babs? You know you can always come home if things get too rough."

His daughter leapt from her chair, "No you don't!" She exclaimed, "You spent days telling me how good independence would be for me and you were right." She shook her finger at him, "Now there will be no more mention of me coming home for the rest of the day OK?"

James Gordon grinned again, and reaching out he took her hand, leading her out into the hallway, "Agreed. Now let's go get the biggest meal that Gotham has to offer. I want to spend as much time with my daughter as I can."

Barbara beamed, waving at a few of the officers that had known her almost all her life as they started down the corridor.

"Besides." He whispered, poking her ribcage, "You need fattening up!"

"Dad!" She exclaimed, nudging him roughly, "No personal jibes allowed!"

Gordon laughed, walking with a face full of pride through the police station.

They found a table at a nearby all-you-can-eat and after filling their plates they fell easily into conversation.

"So," Barbara said suddenly, easing away from the small talk they had been sharing, " What was with the angry face? Freeze?"

The Commissioner nodded. "The press is really going to town with this one, not that I can blame them. The number of times thugs like Freeze have escaped Arkham is inexcusable!"

Barbara grunted in agreement, "Has Batman had any luck?"

Only she and a select few others knew of his meetings with the Batman. The Batsignal on the roof of the police headquarters was a secret that they all shared. What he didn't know was that his daughter already knew the answer to the question he had asked. He didn't know that for almost four months now his slip of a daughter had been fighting alongside Batman and had saved her father's life on more than one occasion. James Gordon had no idea that his little girl faced death almost every night, battling against the same criminals he did from the opposite side of the law. His lovely daughter was Batgirl! And night after night her lovely hands slammed into the faces of criminals and she used her tiny feet to kick a crook into submission.

Barbara allowed herself a secret smile, if her father were proud of her now she wondered what he would be if he knew the truth. Of course she would never tell him. She had been deceiving him for too long now, and she was terrified how he would react, and what he would do to Batman for allowing his precious daughter to join his dangerous world. Not that Batman exactly knew who she was. She had never told him, but sometimes she wondered if he knew. After all he was Batman.

"No." Her father answered resignedly. "There has been no sign of him at all. Batman and Robin have exhausted all their avenues and they both look pretty beat."

Barbara had to agree with that. Some pictures that a lucky journalist had managed to snap showed the two in less than perfect condition. She hadn't donned her Batgirl costume for a few weeks due to exam preparation, but after seeing the despair on her father's face she was certain she would put it on tonight. If the dynamic duo were looking a little worse for wear, perhaps they could use some fresh help.

"He's up to something." She said softly, "And God help us all when he does turn up."

Gordon took her hand, squeezing it gently, "With God's help and Batman and Robin's I'm sure we'll more than meet his challenge."

Jim yawned and rubbed at his eyes. Barbara watched him anxiously, "There's more isn't there Dad? You looked stressed to the max."

Her father offered a weak smile, "I'm worried about Adam Hill. His little girl is getting worse."

Barbara grimaced, she'd grown up with Mayor Hill's daughter Jenny. The two had formed a strong friendship in all the time that they had spent together at the functions that their fathers' had to attend. Jenny had been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour two months ago and her condition had been steadily declining.

"I saw her the other day – she was pretty tired, didn't want to talk." Barbara murmured.

Jim squeezed his daughters hand again, "Yes, Adam says she hasn't much time left. It's hitting him hard – poor guy. I don't know what I'd do if that was you in that hospital."

Barbara met his eyes and smiled at the fear she saw in them. "I'm not going anywhere Daddy – I have too much to do!" If only you knew just how much Dad.

"I know Honey, I know." He took a long sip of his coffee, "On top of all that he's got the press breathing down his throat and mine about these missing people."

Barbara frowned slightly, mentally gathering all the information she had taken in from the newspapers, "Yeah that is kinda strange, all sick or elderly aren't they?"

Jim rubbed his forehead, trying to massage away the heavy, compacted feeling in his brain, "Yes, all left the hospital of their own accord, most against their doctors wishes and they haven't been seen since. The really strange fact is that in most cases the immediate family weren't the ones to raise the alarm – they don't seem to be too worried about their missing loved ones."

"That is strange." Barbara agreed, "Any leads?"

Jim smiled, "I don't want to bother you with this Honey. Let's talk about something else, I'll have to head back soon."

Barbara offered up a sweet smile, she was curious but confident that her father would solve the case. "Okay Dad. Let's get a cappuccino to go and I'll walk you back to work."

*******************************************************************

Barbara strolled away from the Police Department with a content smile on her pretty face. She had missed her father, more than usual lately and it had been a weight off her shoulders to see him again.

The city was still steaming under its heat wave, but Barbara didn't mind. It gave her the opportunity to walk at night without having to worry about dying of exposure. Of course there were other things to worry about in Gotham City, but Barbara Gordon had more than one reason to feel safe.

Firstly and foremost, she was Batgirl, and therefore more than capable of taking care of herself. And secondly she was Commissioner Gordon's daughter and God save anyone from his wrath if she was hurt.

The thought of her protective father reminded her of Jenny Hill. They had often compared stories on the difficulties of being the only child of a high profile member of the public. Both had been plagued by photographers most of their short lives and there had been a few kidnapping attempts made along the way.

Barbara sighed, she would miss Jenny terribly if she died, she had been her only companion at the society events that her father dragged her along to. With Jenny there the parties weren't half as boring as she was finding them now.

Barbara scrunched up her face, of course Jenny had admitted that one of the main reasons she kept attending the various benefits was not only for Barbara but also to see Dick Grayson. Jenny had found that the best way to pass the unbelievably long hours at such events was to sit back and watch Barbara and Dick try to out do each other in insults. Dick also had to attend the same benefits, as most of them were organised by his guardian Bruce Wayne. Jenny said that the highlight of the night was when Dick and Barbara met head-on and engaged in a battle of wills. It was all the more amusing as they had to do it whispering, neither wanting to make a scene but not willing to admit defeat by walking away. Dick was the only disagreeable factor in their relationship; Jenny couldn't get enough of him and Barbara couldn't stand to be around him for any longer than ten minutes.

Over time however, Dick had began backing down early. Her insults certainly hit their mark but Dick just shrugged them off and left, without uttering a single bad word about her.

Barbara glowered, that was when he wasn't purposefully ignoring her as he had started doing lately. Now she really was alone at the benefits, her best friend was in hospital and her worst enemy was making a game out of ignoring her – and seemingly enjoying her obvious boredom. He made her more furious than any of Gotham's villains.

Barbara found her mind wandering to Mr Freeze.

He was capable of terrible things and the thought of him out there – plotting and planning – was enough to make her stomach churn.

She nodded her head in silent agreement with her superhero radar, as she called it, the feeling that Gotham needed Batgirl was nagging at her and she was more than ready to don her cape and cowl.

As if in answer the sky lit up suddenly, the figure of a bat imbedding itself in the stars: The Batsignal.

Barbara grinned and started the short run back to her dorm room.

*************************************************************

Dick's head rose hopefully from his books when his beeper sounded.

"Please be Batman, PLEASE!" He whispered.

Dick checked the number and hooted in joy. He tore from his room, almost colliding with Alfred who had come to investigate.

"Master Dick!" He admonished.

"Batsignal!" Dick replied simply. He vaulted over the stairs and used the tapestries against the wall as a sliding post to the ground.

Alfred watched him, cringing all the while. He'd given up telling Dick to use the stairs, the fact the he could ruin the ancient artworks was apparently beyond Dick's understanding.

Alfred sighed and made his way slowly down the stairs, he wondered if there was anything good on television.

*******************************************************************

Batgirl sped through the streets on her batbike, headed for the Police department. However, the batsignal disappeared before she arrived and all she found when she finally made it was an empty rooftop.

Batgirl frowned, it wasn't much fun being a crime fighter if you didn't know where the crime was.

She listened intently to her police scanner as she scoured the city for the dynamic duo without luck. For a moment she though she might have to go home without seeing any action when a movement to her right caught her attention.

There was a light flashing from an isolated warehouse and Batgirl turned her bike at once. Gunning the engine she headed straight for it.

Batgirl crouched beside an old oil drum and surveyed the expanse around her. The warehouse was old and abandoned, but tonight it was alive with activity. There were men everywhere, rushing about quietly in the darkness, filling a van with something she couldn't quite make out.

Batgirls photographic memory kicked in and she recognised the warehouse as an old food packaging plant. If she remembered clearly it had been closed down almost two years ago, after a terrible accident killed two of the head engineers. They had been working on flash-freezing food, keeping it at it's freshest for a long period of time. Unfortunately, all that had been achieved was the flash freezing of two men in a devastating accident. They could not be revived and certainly not reheated.

Everything around her was hinting at Mr Freeze and Batgirl hoped that Batman and Robin were nearby; she was going to need help.

************************************************************

Batman and Robin were closer than she thought. They were presently easing themselves silently through the roof and into the warehouse.

They slid down opposing support beams and disappeared into the darkness where the roof met the surrounding walls.

Batgirl crept stealthily around the perimeter and slipped through an open side door. She waited in the shadows, eyes and ears alert and mind racing.

There were more than twelve men in the warehouse and they were spread out in a fashion that made it impossible for her to take them all down without risking injury to herself. There was no sign of Mr Freeze, but somehow Batgirl knew he was there; She could feel it in her bones.

Batgirl shook herself to clear the feeling then surveyed the area again, it was time to develop a strategy.

Robin glowered in his dark spot and tried to concentrate at the job in hand and not the red head in the bat costume below him. Of all the lousy luck! They finally get a fix on Mr Freeze and SHE shows up. Robin was not impressed. Batgirl may have proven herself to be capable crime fighter when it came to the small time criminals, but she was not ready to face Freeze. If she messes this up! He thought heatedly. Okay, so she had helped with Two Face and done some of it on her own, but most of that was pure luck, she was still just a rookie when it came to the big villains.

Batman's strong, deep voice cut into his thoughts and Robin listened intently to the orders given through his earpiece. Batman had seen their new ally also and didn't seem to be too anxious about her involvement. In fact, Robin could have sworn that Batman sounded glad to see her. Minutes later Robin silently began his descent.

Batgirl had decided that the most important factor was the cargo that the men were loading. It held obvious importance to them as they treated it with great care. If she could stop them from taking whatever was in the crates she would have done her job. Batgirl nodded, there were three men in the back of a van and three more passing them various boxes. The driver's seat was empty. If she could slip behind the wheel she could take the truck and the bad guys straight to the police station. Batgirl frowned at a sudden thought. She had no idea what their cargo was, and it could be a potentially dangerous chemical that shouldn't been thrown around in the back of a van while she sped to the police station. And then there was no telling if it was hazardous to people, by taking it to the police she could place them in danger. She sighed, this was going to be harder than she thought. To add to her problems, Mr Freeze appeared suddenly, a dark, formidable figure in his special cold suit. His size and obvious strength alone was enough to make her want to retreat. But she didn't, she couldn't, she was Batgirl and she had a job to do – if only she could decide the best way to get it done!

Her mind was so involved in her little dilemma that she failed to pick up on the figure behind her. She had no inkling that someone was there until two strong arms closed around her, covering her mouth and forcing her to the ground. She could feel the weight of a knee pushing into her back and she gave a low growl, struggling in his grasp.

" Quit it!" Came the short retort, whispered harshly in her ear. "You'll have them all over here in a minute!"

Batgirl recognised the boyish voice instantly and she relaxed, nodding to show him that she understood. Robin shifted his knee and crouched back, giving her room to sit up. She glared at him for a minute, quietly daring him to ever try anything like that again.

Robin gave a smug grin, "You should be more careful."

Batgirl forced her hostility aside, it was overshadowed by her joy anyway. If Robin was there, Batman wasn't far off. The odds had improved considerably.

"What's the plan?" She asked softly.

Robin debated telling her that his plan was to have her get her pretty little self out of there but he knew the likely hood of her obeying was slim, so he sighed and relayed Batman's orders.

***************************************************************

Batgirl spun, raising her leg as she turned to kick the thugs neatly on their jaws. They went down, only to be replaced with four more.

She stole a look at Robin, who was fighting his lot with his usual array of skill mixed with plenty of bad puns. He was grinning all the while as though he was having the time of his life.

Batgirl could understand that. There was a lot of honour that went with the job but there was also a lot of satisfaction in beating men twice your size.

A henchman reached for her, snapping her back into attention. She grabbed his meaty arm while sidestepping and twisted it sharply. He gave a cry of pain that was followed by a shout of astonishment as she grabbed his shirt- front and tossed him over her head and into a group of men that had moved behind her. The human bowling bowl took his co-workers down with him and they stayed down.

That left one.

Batgirl ducked as his fist shot out and she struck out with the heel of her hand, jabbing him in the solar plexus region.

He gasped as the air in his lungs was violently forced out and he offered no resistance as she leapt into the air and executed a perfect flying kick into his face, knocking him unconscious before he had even hit the ground.

She allowed herself a triumphant smile and turned to Robin. He was still fighting bravely, having had double the amount of men to deal with. But he was making easy work of them and Batgirl could see that he neither needed nor wanted her help.

She looked around for Batman and gave a start when she saw him. He was on the thin walkway far above her, and Freeze had managed to deliver a hard blow to the Dark Knight's temple momentarily stunning Batman. Mr. Freeze used the distraction to fast - freeze Batman's hands to the floor. Then he took to his feet and headed for the nearest exit.

Batman struggled to free himself and Batgirl figured that he would manage to do so in little time. But that was all the time Freeze needed to escape.

Her eyes dropped to the unconscious men at her feet. She should have been tying them up at that moment but they weren't going anywhere fast.

Batgirl made a split minute decision. Batman's orders had been to take care of the thugs but Freeze was certainly more of a danger than they were.

She fired her Batgrapple into the air and it wrapped around a protruding pole inches from Freeze's head.

Robin gave a shout of surprise as she took off, but he was too busy with his own thugs to pay her any real attention.

Batman had already freed himself and was tearing along the causeway. Batgirl was nearly upon Mr. Freeze, she saw his eyes narrow in his strange helmet and suddenly his hand shot out grasping the thin wire of her Batgrapple. With inhuman strength he reefed it from the pole. Batgirl felt the line instantly sag as he let go and she knew that she was about to fall a very long way.

Batman gave a low growl stopping abruptly his eyes moving from Freeze to the tumbling Batgirl. She was searching for something to grab on to, something to break her fall but there wasn't anything but air.

Batman grimaced, he passed a warning gaze to Mr.Freeze then dove off the shelf. He fired a Batgrapple in the air as he gained on her and it wrapped itself around an overhanging support.

Batgirl closed her eyes as the ground rushed to meet her, then suddenly she felt a strong arm grip hers and her eyes opened to see Batman above her. He lifted her effortlessly into his arms and swung her away from the ground.

Batgirl didn't have time to register the relief that had flooded her body for a loud BANG! rang out suddenly and Robin gave a sharp cry. She and Batman turned as one to check him and found that one her thugs had regained consciousness in the time that had passed.

He had also gained a handgun.

Robin was gripping his arm where he had been shot and he unarmed the man with a simple jump - kick. The other thugs - including two more of hers, had taken the opportunity to escape with the van and its cargo.

But Mr Freeze hadn't, he had watched Batman rescue Batgirl and while the Dark Knight's attention was on her, Freeze formulated the perfect escape plan.

Batman would never sacrifice the safety of his young protégés'; it was a well- known fact and weakness, thought Mr. Freeze.

So in the time it took for Robin to be shot and then overpower the shooter Mr. Freeze had raised his own gun and aiming carefully he pulled the trigger.

A ray of ice leapt from the fancy barrel, Batman's head shot up sharply as it caught the corner of his eye but he was unable to do anything but watch as the ray hit its mark, enveloping Robin's head in an icy death- mask.

Robin fell to the ground under the weight of the ice and he pounded it helplessly with his fists, he was suffocating!

Batman released Batgirl, tucking herself into a ball she somersaulted neatly to the ground close by. As soon as her feet touched the concrete floor she spun on them, racing towards Robin's struggling form.

Batman had beaten her there. He was working fast but methodically. He knew the ice could not be broken with fists so he had instantly pulled out his heating laser. But the ice was thick and the laser was only small.

Robin was fighting for air, beneath the ice she could see his terrified face, Batgirl had never seen anything so awful. His movements became slower as his air ran out and Batgirl was looking for anything that could help him quicker than the laser.

Her eyes rested on a piece of pipe lying innocently nearby and she grabbed it. "Here!" She exclaimed breathlessly thrusting it at Batman.

Batman snatched the pipe, tossing her the laser, "You keep defrosting!" He ordered.

Batgirl did as she was told. Batman struck at his partner's entombed face time and time again. With every sharp WHACK! Batgirl winced, she almost felt like crying. It's all my fault was playing over relentlessly in her mind.

Finally, though it seemed like years, the ice gave way. Batman put the pipe aside, not willing to risk injuring Robin with another strike. He pulled at the ice with his hands, and it fell away with remarkable ease.

He instantly lowered his ear to Robin's blue mouth, his fingers searching for a pulse on his neck. But Robin answered for himself. He gave a sharp intake of air and swallowed in hard gulps. Batman moved him gently to his side and turned his attention for the first time to where Mr. Freeze had been standing.

He was met with an open door swinging in the breeze. Freeze was long gone.

Batgirl pulled out her first aid kit and started work on Robin's arm.

"It's just a flesh wound." She managed to croak. Her body was trembling with the shock and relief of the whole adventure and she kept her eyes fixed on Robin's arm, not daring to meet his partner's eyes.

Presently Robin groaned and lifted himself from the ground. Batman's arm went around his shoulders instantly and he helped him to his feet.

Robin swayed a little. He lifted a hand to his head and grimaced when he felt his hair plastered to his skull by the icy water.

"Bad hair day." He muttered weakly.

Batman lifted Robin's arm over his shoulder, "I need to get you home." He said stiffly.

Robin waved a hand in the air, "I'm Ok, let's tie up the bad guys first." He looked groggily in the direction of the few remaining thugs and frowned.

"Is that all we got?"

This time Batgirl couldn't avoid Batman's eyes. He stared hard at her, his look relaying a thousand strong words. "That's it." He answered his partner.

" I'll call the Commissioner and have some police sent to pick them up. After I get you home I'll go after Freeze." He levelled her with a dark look, "Alone."

Batgirl swallowed the urge to answer back. She was in the wrong and Robin had almost been killed because of it. She watched with a thumping heart as Batman helped the younger man out of the warehouse.

Humiliation flooded her when they were gone. She turned a violent shade of red and abused herself mentally.

It had seemed like a good idea to go after Freeze, even if it had meant disobeying Batman's orders. She had thought that Freeze was the most important part of the whole exercise … She was wrong.

It was the thugs that she should have taken care of that wounded Robin and escaped and if she hadn't gone after Mr. Freeze they would have captured all of his gang instead of the insignificant five that Robin had subdued properly.

Batgirl tied them up roughly, venting some of her anger on them.

The worse thought however, was that instead of helping to catch Mr. Freeze she had actually allowed him to escape. Batman would have freed himself in time and been able to give chase if she hadn't inadvertently put herself in danger. Batman had no choice but to save her and let the villain go.

And in saving her Batman had lost his focus on Robin. Batgirl should have been with Robin, watching his back as he watched hers. Instead she'd decided to do her own thing and it had cost them everything.

Batgirl badly wanted to leave, to go and bury her head under her pillow and never have to face Batman again. But she couldn't do that; it would turn her into a quitter, and she hated quitters.

So she waited for the Police Commissioner. Hidden in the darkness she watched the gang members taken into custody. But she walked away when she saw her father's look of surprise and unease when met with the small amount of thugs and no Batman or Freeze.

She knew she owed him an explanation, or at least someone did. But she had never been able to tell her father that she'd failed him and she had failed him like never before that night.

***************************************************************

The next day, Gotham City Hospital …

Barbara gave a delighted laugh as Jenny Hill Ooed and Aahed over the stack of magazines she'd brought with her for the visit. A weight seemed to have lifted from her ill friend's face and Barbara was elated at seeing her smile.

"You're in a good mood." She exclaimed, laughing as Jenny pretended to pant over a half naked male on the front page of one magazine.

Jenny nodded, "Yep – you caught me in a good mood Babs." She winked at her redheaded companion, "I just had a visit from the luscious Dick Grayson."

Barbara's surprise was obvious, "Really?"

Jenny glared at her, "Hey –just cause I'm in here doesn't mean I'm still not a magnet to the boys!" She giggled, " Well actually Mr Wayne was checking out the Cryogenics department in here that he funded so Dick thought he'd come and see me instead."

Barbara smiled tightly, "That seems more like Dick – only visit when he has no other choice."

Jenny made a face, "That wasn't it at all Babs, he's been to see me before. We have known each other since we were kids you know! He bought me the flowers." She motioned to the large bunch of red roses with her head and Barbara admitted defeat, "Okay – so he's not a total scumbag."

Jenny eyed her suspiciously, "What is it about him that you don't like, other than the mutual need to insult each other. I think he's wonderful."

Barbara groaned, "There's your answer. Everyone thinks he's so wonderful and he knows it! I just don't happen to think that someone that perfect can be all good, he certainly enjoys making my life miserable."

Jenny sent her a knowing glance, " He's just returning what he gets Barbara Gordon. Still thrashing you at school is he then?"

Barbara shrugged, "I really don't care anymore. School is the last thing I want to talk about at the moment – that and Dick Grayson."

"Oh come on – we haven't even gotten to the secret attraction you harbour for each other."

Barbara was annoyed to feel her whole face flush with colour, "I am NOT attracted to him Jennifer!"

"Of course you are." Her friend jibed, "You two are always throwing insults at each other but I've seen the looks you give him when he's not looking – and vice-versa. You're perfect for each other!"

Barbara growled, "I will never feel anything for Dick, except hostility."

Jenny sighed, "Whatever. It's just a shame. You both like gymnastics, you both have high profile fathers, you're both single children, you're both geniuses and you're both gorgeous!" She grinned, "Perfection! "

Barbara shook her head, "Never going to happen." She stared at her friend for some time, noticing the paleness of her face and the dark circles under her eyes. Apart from the smile she looked exactly the same as she had the other day.

"Okay – why the happy face. Is there something you're not telling me?"

Jenny noted the change of subject with a cheeky jeer but moved on without complaint. "No not really. No change in my condition if that's what you mean."

Barbara frowned, there was definitely something else – she'd seen crooks hiding information and Jenny had the same, nervous look on her face.

"C'mon Blondie –spill!" She said, smiling at the old nickname.

Jenny hesitated, she wound a lock of lifeless looking blonde hair around her slim finger and bit her lip. "I'm not supposed to say anything." She whispered.

"Why not?"

Jenny shrugged, "I don't know, but he said not to tell anyone or the deal is off."

An unpleasant feeling found its way to Barbara's stomach, "Well I won't tell anyone if you don't want me too."

Jenny lay back in her pillows, debating with herself. Eventually she smiled and nodded, "I don't suppose it would matter if I told you, just don't tell anyone else OK."

Barbara nodded, silently hoping that she wouldn't have to break that confidence.

"Yesterday this man came here when dad was visiting. He said that he knew someone who could cure my cancer."

Barbara jolted, panic instantly flooding her body, "Jenny – "

"I know, I know" Jenny cut in, waving her hand in the air, "I thought the guy was nuts too. I mean if the specialist can't cure me then what makes this guy think he can! " She stared at Barbara soberly, "But then I thought that maybe it wouldn't hurt to try."

"Not hurt!" Barbara exclaimed, trying to keep her voice under control, "You don't know that Jenny. This could be another way to get at your father – they could use you as a guinea pig. Anything could happen!"

"Yeah." Jenny agreed, "I could even be cured."

Barbara shut her mouth tightly, the despair and hope on her friend's sickly face was heartbreaking. "What did he tell you about this cure?"

"That the man behind it was only offering this to a few people and there were plenty in line behind me. He's kinda quiet so he doesn't want any publicity and the cure he has found isn't exactly recognised by the medical community so that's why I have to keep it quiet."

Barbara swallowed hard, " I really don't like that sound of this Jenny. If he has a cure the medical community wouldn't care – not to mention all the money he could get if he did go public. Is this going to cost you anything?"

Jenny nodded, "It's expensive but Dad says it would be worth it if there really was a cure."

Barbara looked away, unable to look at the helplessness anymore, "And what if there isn't a cure Jenny – what if this is just some scam to get your money."

Jenny was quiet for some time and when Barbara looked back at her there where tears forming in her tired eyes, "What's the worst they can do to me Babs? Kill me? I'm dead anyway. " She motioned to the bed she was in, "I have no future, the doctors can't do anything – I have to try this. I'm dying Barbara."

Barbara swallowed the urge to sob, she could see exactly where Jenny was coming from but she knew that if this was a scam, those responsible knew that she wouldn't have any other choice.

"There are worse things than dying Jenny – believe me."

Jenny shook her head, "You wouldn't say that if you were the one going to die - Believe Me!"

They sat in silence for some time then Barbara cleared her throat, "Did they give you a name or a number or anything?"

Jenny hesitated again, and then nodded, "I have a number to call when I've decided." She pulled out a small piece of paper and handed it to her friend, "Dad's checking it all out Barbara, don't worry."

Barbara instantly memorised the number and handed it back to Jenny. "I might have a look around also." She smiled at the panic on Jenny's face, "Quietly Jenny I promise. I won't tell anyone, not even dad. I'll just go through a few files, see if anyone's tried this before."

Jenny nodded, relaxing a little. She eventually let a smile return to her face, "This could be the best thing that's ever happened to me Barbara."

"Yeah." Barbara agreed, " I hope it is all that was promised." And if it isn't, Batgirl is going to kick in some heads!

Jenny sniffed, wiping away her tears, "All ready for your Dad's fortieth?"

Barbara grinned, gladly changing the subject, "I am! He's not!" She giggled, "I swear he's threatened not to show at least ten times!"

Jenny laughed, "What I wouldn't give to see his face! Bring me pictures!"

Barbara promised.

"So" Jenny began, mischief creeping into her eyes, "Dick's going to be there isn't he?"

"Jennifer!" Barbara scolded, and their laughter echoed down the hallway.

************************************************************ Early that night, Commissioner Gordon's House…

Barbara smiled at the welcoming light her father had left on. The path in front of her was spotlessly clean and it warmed her heart to once more be walking upon it.

The humiliating defeat of last night and her conversation with Jenny was still painfully prominent in her mind and she was trying desperately to lighten her mood. She could hear the sounds of a party in full swing to the left but she went straight for the front door. Her home was warm and its smell made her instantly calm and relaxed. This is where she had grown up, her safety net that never failed to cheer her up.

And coming towards her was the one person in the world who made her home what it was.

"Barbara." James Gordon exclaimed enveloping her in a huge hug.

Barbara hugged him back tightly, "Hi Daddy." She whispered.

"You look tired", her father commented as he led her away from the noise and a quieter room.

Barbara sighed, "I am a little", she admitted, "It's just the exams catching up with me." And I made the biggest mistake of my life and nearly killed Robin. Batman is going to give me the longest talking too ever recorded in history, and my best friend is being scammed by the most heartless person on the planet. She thought bitterly.

James Gordon gave a soft smile that he always had on reserve for her. "You'll do fine Barbara, top of your class no doubt."

Barbara shrugged, "I don't really care where I end up as long as I pass."

Her father laughed, "How could you not pass! You got your brains from me my girl!"

She laughed with him and hugged him once more. "Let's get out to your party Dad. Harvey's probably devoured all the food all ready!"

He nodded grasping her hand and heading out to the back yard.

Barbara searched the crowd of police officers and influential people for someone she knew. She beamed at Detective Harvey Bullock who hadn't eaten all the food but was in the middle of digesting two hot dogs. Next to him was his partner Renee Montoya who's slim figure looked even smaller beside Bullocks monumental form. She was watching her partner with something akin to horror as he simultaneously swallowed both hot dogs.

Barbara waved at her and followed her father as he headed towards the Mayor of Gotham City.

"Happy Birthday Jim!" Mayor Hill greeted, "Quite a milestone."

"Thanks," came the gruff reply and Barbara got the impression that her father didn't exactly want to be at the milestone he was.

"You'll be up for retirement soon I suppose."

Barbara had to laugh at that, "Don't bet on it Sir, if I know my father he'll be running the police department till the day he dies."

The Mayor laughed in agreement, "To true Barbara, too true." He raised his glass to her father, "And I'll be there with him all the while!"

"I'll bet" Jim Gordon replied.

Both father and daughter could see the emotional strain on the face of Gotham's Mayor. Barbara debated questioning him about the supposed cure but thought better of it. "I saw Jenny today. She seems to have picked up a little."

The older man eyed her curiously then forced a smile, "That's my girl!" He nudged Jim, "We breed them strong here in Gotham."

Jim laughed, his eyes gleaming at his daughter, "That we do Adam – Your Jenny is one of the toughest."

Adam nodded happily but his eyes betrayed his otherwise cheery demeanour, "Speaking of which I'm going to have to be rude and leave Jim. I promised Jenny I'd see her tonight."

Jim gripped his hand and shook it warmly, "Well – I'd gladly come with you if I could. Give Jenny my best wishes."

"Will do Jim, goodnight."

Barbara watched him leave, wondering if tonight was the night that they made their decision. She sighed, latching on to her father's arm, "Let's mingle Daddy."

Her father nodded, "Ahh there's Bruce"

The father and daughter made a quick turn and pulled up beside Bruce Wayne.

"Bruce, good of you to come!" The Commissioner greeted, shaking the billionaire's hand warmly.

"Well you know me Jim, any excuse for a party!" The handsome playboy smiled warmly at the two, "Besides it's a beautiful night and I couldn't turn down an invitation to your fortieth birthday."

Jim grimaced at the reminder of his age and sighed, "I wouldn't have blamed you if you had - I nearly gave it a miss."

"Dad!" Barbara scolded, nudging him.

Bruce just laughed, "Nothing to be ashamed about Jim! If I look as good as you at forty I'll be a happy man."

The Commissioner looked over the large and well-built physic of Bruce Wayne and doubted that the man would ever look anything but perfect.

He didn't know what it was about the young billionaire that even made him worth talking to. He certainly wasn't known for his intelligence or conversation skills but the Commissioner had never known such a giving and kind rich man. There was just something about Bruce Wayne that demanded attention and Jim Gordon considered him one of his close friends.

"Nice of you too say Bruce." Jim answered politely.

Bruce glanced sympathetically at Barbara, "And I suppose you're devouring your exams are you Barbara?"

Barbara smiled, "I'd say escaping was more appropriate."

"Amen to that!" Said a cheerful voice and Dick appeared out of the crowd.

Barbara felt herself tense almost immediately, "Dick." She greeted coldly.

Dick grinned, ignoring it completely, "Babs."

James Gordon missed Barbara's sudden change and shook the hand of Bruce's young ward. "You look a little tired also Dick. These exams are rough aren't they?"

Dick shrugged, "I don't think anyone enjoys an exam Commissioner I'll be glad when they're over."

Bruce patted Dick's shoulder, "Don't let him fool you - Dick loves a challenge. I have a hard time trying to hold him back."

Gordon nodded in agreement, "Oh yes, ready to take on the world and conquer all. I remember that age, do you Wayne?"

The billionaire smiled his characteristically charming smile, "I'm still there Jim! Still conquering whatever I can."

Barbara and Dick's eyes met and for the first time they were in total agreement; this was no place for young adults to be.

"I need a drink." Barbara announced, peeling away from her father.

"Great idea!" Said Dick, following closely on her heels.

Barbara sent him a less than welcoming look but he paid her no heed, even going as far as fetching her drink.

Barbara muttered some sort of thanks and would have escaped if he hadn't stood in front of her, blocking her way.

"How are your exams going Babs?" He asked.

"Fine" She replied, "Probably not as well as you are but we can't all be top of the class can we?"

Dick caught that cold shoulder and for a moment he just stared at her. Then he shrugged and glanced around at the other party- goers.

"Do you think all these people are really past the "conquering all" age?"

Barbara found herself considering the question, "Does anyone ever get past that age? "

"I guess not." Dick answered. He nodded towards her father, "Your father doesn't seem overly pleased with all the attention."

Barbara smiled a little, "He doesn't like admitting that he ages – no one does." She glanced at Dick, "That is –those of us that do age and grow up."

Dick raised an eyebrow, "Ouch Gordon! Hit me where it hurts!" He grinned to highlight the fact that he wasn't ashamed of his Peter Pan-like persona.

Barbara shook her head. She was tired, and the thought of another battle of wills with Dick Grayson was not in the least bit alluring.

"Excuse me." She said, handing him her drink, "I need some air."

Dick stared at her drink in surprise and blinked at her retreating figure, "But you're already outside." He muttered.

Barbara made her way to the basement and regarded a set of parallel bars. Maybe a workout will help clear the cobwebs. She slipped in her favourite CD and chalked her hands. The soft, lulling song of a violin floated out across the small gymnasium and Barbara swung up on to the bars.

She went through her entire routine. The same routine that had won her first place in the women's gymnastics competition. Then she switched to the routine that had come in second best to Dick Grayson's in the mixed trials. Her moves were perfect, full stretches, tight tucks and impeccable aerials. But it definitely lacked the grace and skill that Dick's routine showed. She pulled her body into a handstand on the top bar and held her position, running Dick's routine over in her mind. Most of his points were earned by his difficult manoeuvres – not that they looked difficult when he did them. With great concentration she dipped on the bar, using the muscles in her arms to propel her into the air. She caught the bar again and swung wide, and hard. There was one of Dick's moves that she had been dying to try out. A quadruple somersault.

Her pace was perfect, her form spot on. She flew into the air, tucking instantly and beginning the spins. One, two, three … Her fourth spin was totally wrong, she hadn't enough space to finish before the bar came into reach. Barbara missed the bar and braced herself for the hard fall.

It never came, two long legs wrapped around her midsection and carried her through the momentum, enough for her to grasp the lower bar and swing herself a little heavily to the ground. Her face flushed when Dick dropped gracefully from the top bar and regarded her curiously.

"What on earth was that Barbara? Death by somersault?" He pointed at her, "You should know better – you don't do that without a spot!"

Barbara's fists clenched, it was bad enough having to be saved by him, but being lectured! Humiliation galore!

"I would have been fine." She muttered, ignoring his outstretched hand and crawling to her feet.

"If you call two broken legs fine then so be it." He answered back.

Barbara punched the stop button on the CD player and picked up a towel, gladly covering her ruby red face with it.

Dick remained standing by the bars, his eyes fixed on her as though he was debating what to say. Barbara met those crystal blue eyes and narrowed her own, "Who invited you down here anyway?"

Dick shrugged, "It got boring outside, I came to see if you'd cooled down."

He eyed her silently, "Obviously not."

Barbara flung her towel at him, "Well you can leave then! I get more than enough of your perfection at school – I don't need it at home too." She went to storm off, her nose in the air and her dignity at her feet but her grabbed her arm, swinging her back to face those eyes that she hated so much.

"You think I'm perfect?" He said incredulously, "Look who's talking Miss Perfection! Did it ever occur to you that perhaps you only think I'm perfect because you want someone that you can fight with! Someone that you can argue with because you think that's a reason too!" He scowled at her, "I can't help the way I am Barbara. It's not my fault that I can do a quadruple somersault and you can't and I'm sick of you hating me for that fact! I grew up doing gymnastics – my parents were aerialists for crying out loud! Of course I'm going to be able to do things you can't." He flung her arm back at her, "I'd let you win if I thought it would be an improvement but then you'd just find something else to hate me for!"

Barbara's eyes widened, she had actually been a little ashamed of herself in the beginning but now … "Let me win!" She screamed, "You arrogant, pretty boy piece of! … " she cut off, pushing him suddenly and catching him off guard. Dick landed with a SMACK on the gymnasts mat and fury flooded his face. He twisted on his hands, his feet swinging out and knocking hers from beneath her. Barbara landed beside him, winded herself and her anger doubled.

The next few minutes were a blur of gymnastics and martial arts as Barbara vented her anger out on him. Dick was angry, but not enough so to do her any real damage, while Barbara was just plain furious. Her temper matched her hair and she was quite prepared to spread him all over the mat. Dick blocked all of her moves, which infuriated her even more as she hadn't realised that he even knew martial arts. And she was aware that he was holding back, something she only resented him more for. Eventually Dick's anger subsided and he stared at her shamefully, "Look Babs, I'm sorry I said that. This is nuts! I'm not going to fight you." Barbara dropped into her favourite fighting position, "Then you're going to get hurt."

She advanced with all the speed of a panther but Dick just stood there, waiting. When she was within arms reach he turned suddenly and caught her wrist, flipping her over in a move she had never even seen before. Then he straddled her, holding her hands over her head and staring down at her with a flushed face.

Barbara struggled beneath his weight but he wouldn't budge. Slowly she lowered her resistance until they were both motionless, staring at each other and out of breath.

Dick released her hands and removed his body from hers, he stood, watching her without emotion as she got to her feet. His senses were returning and he felt the sudden need to lighten the situation.

"Did anyone ever tell you you're beautiful when you're angry." He whispered, then reddened a little when he realised what he had said.

Barbara stared at him, trying to determine if he was mocking her or not. She was incredibly ashamed of her behaviour; she always let her anger get the better of her. Dick's lips began to twitch and suddenly she found herself laughing, he joined her moments later.

Presently he glanced to the bars and smiled, "Want me to show you that quadruple somersault?"

Barbara smiled at the gesture, "No. I think we'll just consider that move to be yours and I'll find one of my own."

Dick nodded, he bit his lip as an awkward silence descended on them and his eyes dropped to his feet.

Barbara retrieved her towel and wiped her face for the second time. She stole a glance at him and a smile crept to her face when she saw that he was actually shuffling his feet. Barbara had never seen a grown man do something so childlike and was vexed to find that she found it absolutely adorable.

She cleared her throat and he stopped, his eyes meeting hers again. "We'd better get back to the party." She said, "I need another drink." Wait till Jenny hears about this one!

Dick grinned and followed her up the stairs.

There was a slight difference in the way that Barbara farewelled Bruce and Dick early that night. It was gentler and genuine and gave Dick the small hope that perhaps Barbara might consider him a friend. He laughed a little as he walked with Bruce up the driveway. If only he'd known that the way to get Barbara's friendship was to have a fistfight with her – he could have saved a lot of time.

*************************************************************

That night, beneath Wayne Manor, The Batcave …

Batman regarded his protégé with a stubborn eye. "I said you're not going Dick and that's final!"

Dicks' fists curled and his bit his lip to avoid shouting, "That's not fair Bruce and you know it – I'm fine, no side affects, nothing!"

Batman sighed, long and hard. These arguments with Dick were becoming more and more frequent lately. He guessed it was just a natural part of growing up. Dick didn't want to take orders anymore – he was too old for orders, he wanted respect and the chance to make his own decisions. The only problem with that was that Dick hadn't made a decent, adult decision ever in Bruce's opinion, and it was hard to treat him like an adult when he so successfully acted like a child.

"Look" he said, as gently as his thinning patience would allow, "It's not about last night Dick, it's about your future. You have exams coming up and I don't want you to use crime fighting as an excuse not to do as well as I know you're capable of." He put his hands on Dicks shoulders and stared into his angry blue eyes, "If there is any trouble at all I will call you – I promise. It's just some routine checks, talking with Freeze's old associates. You know you hate that part."

Dicks anger melted a little, he did hate that – it was boring and usually useless.

"You promise you won't go after Freeze without me?"

Batman smiled, an almost frightening sight beneath his mask, "You're my partner Dick. I don't have to do anything alone anymore."

That earned him a smile and Dick nodded his acceptance.

"You get some study done Son."

Batman made his way to the batmobile and dropped lightly into the drivers seat.

"Hey" Dick called suddenly, "What about Batgirl?"

Batman pondered for a moment, "I'll be speaking to her also tonight."

Dick leaned against the console as though debating what to say, "Don't be too hard on her huh, she did her best."

Batman felt no need to answer that. Her best had nearly resulted in the end of Robin. "I won't say anything that isn't necessary – Goodnight." The roof closed abruptly and Dick watched as the Batmobile tore out of the cave. He stood motionless for sometime, his thoughts on Batgirl and the lecture she had coming. Part of him wanted Batman to rip through her, she was so cocky and sure of herself that a good talking too would do her some good, but another part of him felt incredible sorry for her – he'd been at the receiving end of a Batman lecture and he knew that they could sting for days. Besides, she hadn't meant for him to be hurt and she was relatively new to crime fighting. Dick felt a grin creep to his face, she did kinda look hot in that batcostume, and it would be shame if he never got to see her in it again. Dick sighed and headed for the costume vault.

Batman might not need his help tonight but Batgirl sure as hell would.

****************************************************************

Robin mounted his bike and went to kick it into action when an inquiring voice startled him from behind, "Am I to assume that you have finished the English and Physics papers Master Richard?"

Robin turned and grinned at the old butler, Busted he thought quietly.

"All done Al!" He lied swiftly.

"Really." Alfred said, "You finished both papers in under an hour? Perhaps we should inquire about finding you some more challenging study to undertake?"

Robin shook his head, sighing in exasperation. There was nothing worse than an all- knowing butler, especially one with Alfred's wry sense of humour. The fact that Alfred probably would inquire at the university for more work had Robin admitting defeat and stepping away from his bike.

"Ok Alfie, you win!" He sighed, making his way back to the desk and dropping himself down in the chair. "I just thought saving Batgirl was more important than this." He waved his hand over the various papers at his desk.

Alfred began dusting the Batcomputer. He bided his time knowing that Dick was waiting for him to comment on the strange statement he had just made.

"I didn't know Batgirl was in any danger young sir? Isn't she with Batman."

"Precisely!" Dick exclaimed, "He's killing Batgirl as we speak!"

Alfred fixed a hard eye on the young man, "I don't need to tell you how preposterous that thought is Master Richard - are you ill?"

Robin pulled of his mask becoming Dick; he knew he'd have a better chance with Alfred that way. "Alfred at the moment Batman is having the talk with Batgirl. You know the one where he says you're not ready to be a crimefighter and you should hang up your tights until you can perform to his high expectations."

Alfred cleared his throat, "I seem to be familiar with that particular talk young Sir."

"Well you should be!" Dick continued, "He's used it on me often enough."

He met the older mans eyes, the soft grey eyes of a wise and loving surrogate father, "And every time I heard that speech I was ready to give up, to throw it all in. But then you'd come and talk to me with a totally different speech about how much of an honour this job is and how Batman needs me!" He put a hand on the fast moving duster, "Every time you pulled me back from making the worst mistake in my life and even though you hate what we do and wish that I would give it up you always manage to talk me into going back to it. You know it's what I'm meant to do."

Alfred was silent, everything that Dick had said was true, but he'd always wondered if Dick had actually listened to any of it. Obviously he had.

"Yes." He agreed, "I didn't want you back in that suit but I knew it was where you should be and where you really wanted to be. It was your pride that held you back."

"Right." Said Dick, "And it's that same pride that's going to have Batgirl chucking in her cape and giving it up for good. Batman is testing her but she won't know that if she gives up. " He stared pleadingly at the butler, "I had you to show me that Alfred, But Batgirl doesn't have an Alfred at home. She doesn't have anyone." He stared at the butler, wondering if he was getting through to him, " We three have each other, we depend on each other and we can turn to each other when we need to. Batgirl doesn't have anyone Alfred, no one knows who she really is. She doesn't have anyone to talk to about these things. Except me."

Alfred smiled, "I see your point Master Dick. But you do not know how she will handle Batman's talk, perhaps she will see things differently to you?"

Dick shook his head, "There's only one way to take that speech Alfred. Offensively!"

Alfred returned to his dusting. The boy had won him over almost before he had started but he didn't need to know that. " I suppose you can finish those papers by the due date?"

A smile crept across Dick's face, "Easily Al."

"Then you had better hurry, Batgirl could be tying herself a noose this very second!"

Dick grinned, acknowledging the small insult on his own speech but allowing it.

He replaced his mask and ran for his bike.

***************************************************************

Gotham City Bank rooftop …

Batgirl landed hard and cursed herself for it. "Who the hell does he think he is?" She shouted into the night. The last half hour she had spent with Batman had been a highlight in Barbara Gordon's most humiliating moments. He hadn't allowed her a word in her defence and his had been sharp and slicing. Her ego was battered and she had been terrified that she would burst into tears in front of him. She had been saved from that indignity with the knowledge that Robin was fine, uninjured, that her mistake had not been a fatal one. It was the only good thing that had come out of her conversation with the Dark Knight.

She paced the length of the roof, furious at Batman and herself.

"So stupid!" She growled. Batgirl searched for something to throw, or at least something to hit. Anything to let off some steam.

Her eyes fixed on a nearby billboard and she swung at it, landing her foot in the centre of the advertisement and getting it stuck quite nicely there.

Batgirl gave a frustrated shriek. She yanked her foot free, staring lividly at the boy painted on the billboard, his mouth wrapped around a spoonful of cereal and a hole in his nose where her boot had hit.

"Have to agree with you on that one." A voice said gently, "That cereal has no right to be on the shelves. Tastes too much like cardboard."

Batgirl whirled, fists clenched and her face a vivid angry red.

Robin put up his hands in mock defence, "Whoa, down girl!"

"Go away!" She shouted, "Leave me alone."

Robin sighed, ignoring her completely and taking a seat on the edge of the rooftop.

Batgirl shook her head, his arrogance was infuriating. "I suppose it's your turn is it?" She demanded, "Now you get to pick out all my faults and talk me down because I made one lousy mistake."

He shrugged, "Everyone makes mistakes."

That floored her, "What?" she muttered.

" You're allowed to make mistakes Batgirl as long as you take the responsibility for them."

Batgirl strode up to him, " Who do you think you are! My big brother? What gives you the right to tell me how I should do things?"

Robin stood, staring at her in that way she hated. His eyes held so much understanding; they were so very different from Batman's.

"Because I've been there. I know what you're going through. At the moment you're angry at yourself for making a mistake and you're angry at Batman for making an example out of it." He gave her a soft smile, "You've tried so hard and he only seems to pick out the flaws, he never acknowledges the triumphs."

Batgirl crossed her arms, scowling. He was right of course, which didn't make her feel any better. And she knew she was behaving like a three-year-old child. She took a deep breath and relaxed, trying to push away the utter humiliation that she had felt when Batman had scolded her.

"I made a real fool of myself didn't I?"

Robin grinned, "Never mind, you're not even close to my record."

Batgirl gave a soft huff, she sat down on the roof, crossing her legs and leaning back against the billboard for support. Robin lowered himself down opposite her. He propped himself up with the roof edge and waited for her to start.

Batgirl raised an eyebrow, "Shouldn't you be off fighting crime?"

"I've been officially laid off for the night. I'm supposed to be studying."

"You go to school?"

Robin nodded, "Can't make a career out of busting heads. Well … you can but it's good to have something to fall back on, just in case it's your own head that gets busted."

She smiled, "So, I guess you're in training to be a brain surgeon or something like that. I doubt Batman would settle for a middle class working protégé."

"He doesn't mind what I do as long as I like it and get good grades." He shook a finger at her, "But we're getting off track here missy. Want to talk about your little Boo Boo."

Batgirl grimaced, "I stuffed up, simple as that. The bad guy got away and it's all my fault." She flung her hands in the air, " But it's not like I didn't try. I didn't want him to get away. I … I," She lowered her head, " I went against Batman's orders and I got it wrong. Two bads in the one night."

She sunk a little lower against the billboard, "I don't even know why I'm doing this any more."

Robin looked a little surprised, " You don't want to do it?"

"I keep making mistakes - I only did it in the first place on a whim and now…" She broke off, "Now I'm wondering if it's even worth it. It's too hard."

Robin nodded, "Yeah it's hard all right. But that's what I like about it. It's a challenge and there aren't many people who can do it."

" I seem to be one of them." Batgirl huffed.

Robin shook his head, " So you made a few mistakes. Do you think Batman got it right every time when he started out?"

"Probably!"

"Well he didn't. And believe it or not he doesn't always get it right these days either. But he knows when he's wrong and he accepts the responsibility for it. He doesn't tolerate mistakes in himself or anyone else, it has to be perfect and it has to be his way - he's learned what does and does not work the hard way." Robin smiled secretly; he'd just stolen a line right out of one of Alfred's little talks.

"That doesn't mean that he's always right." She shot back, " I should be allowed to use my own judgement - I'm not a moron!"

Robin laughed, "Of course your not. But when it comes to fighting crime you have to admit that he's going to know a lot more about it than you are and sometimes you just have to swallow your pride and do what he says."

"Or what!" Batgirl growled, " I don't get invited on the next caper?"

" Or you risk the chance of getting it wrong and having to throw in your cape."

Batgirl raised her head defiantly, " I don't need his permission to wear my cape!"

Robin stared back at her hard, " Then you should have worn something other than the Bat on your costume."

Batgirl deflated again, he was right. She was wearing the one thing that meant everything to Batman and every time she messed up it reflected back on him. It was his symbol the criminal world feared and respected, and when she wore that costume she gained a little of that fear and respect - whether she deserved it or not.

" You know I was always a little disappointed." Robin said with a sneaky grin, "I mean you could have become Robinette!"

Batgirl met his gaze and burst out laughing.

Robin shrugged, "Sure it doesn't have the same ring to it as Batgirl, but you could have been the "Girl Wonder" I wouldn't have minded."

"I can see why he keeps you around." She said between laughs, "You have a way of putting everything into perspective."

"That and he hasn't worked out how to get rid of me yet."

Batgirl smiled, She felt much better and perhaps a little silly.

"And you know what?" He said, serious for the first time, "I've seen a lot of costumed freaks in my time, both on the bad and the good side. You're the real thing Batgirl. Some people are just born for this job and you're a natural." He smiled at her dubious face," You're a little green, but practice makes perfect. It took me years to get where I am now and I'm still learning everyday. Lucky for me I have the best teacher available. He just also happens to be the strictest. "

Batgirl frowned in thought, "It's easier for you Robin, you were invited into the club. I just showed up."

"Hey I had to earn my right too you know! I trained for years before he let me join him." He sighed, searching her face for understanding, " You have to accept that he is numero uno Batgirl and let him teach you what he knows. If he can't trust you to do things right then he can't trust you not to get hurt. He won't let you risk getting hurt."

She nodded, "Ok, fair enough. I don't want to be a burden; I don't want him to always have one eye on the crooks and the other on me. How do I get him to trust me?"

Robin smiled, "By doing it right. By training yourself to always get it right. You can make a few mistakes but not when they could have been avoided."

"How am I suppose to train myself with you guys if I only see you at night."

"You're almost there Batgirl. You're confident and you're highly skilled. Now you just have to learn to work in a team, to think like a team." He stuck out his hand, "If you quit now you'll never get back in, he knows you can do it, you just have to prove it. Partners?"

Batgirl stared at his hand, wondering if she was making the right decision. Then the breeze blew through her cape, taking it into the wind behind her.

She glanced at her shadow on the ground and she liked what she saw.

Her hand gripped his and she nodded, "Partners."

They settled back down into their seats and regarded each other quietly for a moment.

"So," Batgirl began, breaking the silence "Are we going to sit here all night and moan to each other partner?"

Robin gave a dirty smile," Well I can think of something else to do, something to consummate the partnership."

Batgirl found herself playing along, enjoying the gleam in his eyes and happy nature. "Oh really," she said, feigning stupidity, "Can I keep my belt on?"

Robin's eyes widened and his mouth dropped a little, " Well I was talking about calling for a pizza and some champagne but …"

Batgirl laughed, "Oh you're quick Bird -Boy"

"Hey I've been in the wise crack business for years now. I've even matched wits with the Joker himself!" He nodded proudly.

"Who won?" Batgirl asked with a cheeky look.

Robin chuckled, "Well I would have if the Joker hadn't whacked me over the head with a rubber chicken that he'd been nice enough to fill with lead first."

Batgirl shook her head, tears forming in her eyes.

Robin sighed, " It wasn't that unpleasant actually, I mean he could have used that acid squirting flower or one of the many guns he had stored all over his body - in the end I was lucky." He plucked a mobile phone seemingly from thin air and looked to her questionably, " Do you know of a pizza company that does roof top delivery?"

***************************************************************

Gotham State University, Dormitory …

Barbara crawled into bed that night a little after 2.00am. But for the first time since she started her life as Batgirl she did it with a smile.

She snuggled down into the pillow and closed her eyes, wondering if she'd be able to sleep with the champagne and pizza in her system. Robin hadn't been joking when he mentioned the private party. He'd ordered a pizza that had been delivered to the rooftop by a very overwhelmed delivery boy. Robin and Batgirl had signed his cap for him and watched him practically skip back to his car.

Then Robin had disappeared for a few moments, swinging off into the darkness and returning with a bottle of champagne and glasses. It was an expensive champagne and she wondered where he had retrieved it from.

Robin had just grinned and winked, pouring her a glass and toasting to a "batty" partnership with her.

Barbara giggled sleepily, she couldn't remember the last time that she'd had such a good time or when she shared such good company. She was aware that when she thought of Robin, his cheeky smile and glowing eyes, that her whole body seemed to flush with warmth and she knew what it meant. She doubted that Batman would approve of her starting a less than professional relationship with his protégé in her first few days and it didn't really bother her. She wanted to be part of the team and she wasn't a silly schoolgirl anymore. Batgirl could work alongside Robin without a difficulty, strong feelings or not - she was a professional. But after the work, Barbara hoped there would be a lot more picnics on the rooftops.

******************************************************************

Wayne Manor …

Dick stared with boredom at his assignment. He had always found it difficult to settle down and study after all the excitement of the fight, especially in his old room. Dick liked to come home on the weekends or whenever he had some time off, as it was the only way he could become Robin without raising suspicion. More than a few classmates were already curious at his late hours and he had taken to climbing out of his dorm window on the nights he became Robin to avoid any confrontations.

He leaned his chin into his hand and rested his elbow on the desk in front of him. His conscience was prodding him to find the answer to the complex algebra equation in front of him but instead he found himself wondering if Batgirl could indeed wear her belt while engaging in the activity he had hinted at. The mental picture he formed brought a huge smile to his face and made his heart beat faster.

" I had no idea Algebra could be so riveting Master Dick." Alfred said suddenly, standing beside him with an amused expression.

Dick realized he hadn't even seen Alfred enter, or heard anything that he had been saying for the last few minutes.

"Sorry Al." He apologized, enjoying the look of disdain Alfred displayed whenever he used that particular nickname. "I was miles away. Did you say something?"

Alfred huffed, "Evidently nothing that was worth listening too." He fixed a fatherly eye on the younger man, "I was merely suggesting that you might retire to bed. It is after three in morning and you have school tomorrow."

Dick shrugged, "I'm taking the first half off Alfie and I'm not really tired." He stifled a yawn as he spoke and glanced sheepishly at the old butler to see if he had noticed, which of course he had.

"Well if you're unable to fit in school and your …err… nightlife. Then perhaps I ought to have a word to Master Bruce about letting Robin retire until after your final exams."

Dick smiled, it was a well-known fact that Alfred had been extremely disappointed when Bruce had become the Batman. He had however remained by Bruce's side. Becoming a partner in his own right while also being a doctor, psychologist and surrogate father. And he still managed to be the best butler the world had ever seen.

It was with even greater disapproval that he watched Dick follow in Bruce's footsteps. The young man had a very different personality to Bruce and Alfred had hoped that crime fighting would not agree with his carefree manner. Unfortunately Dick had fallen under Batman's wing as Robin with all the ease of the practiced athlete that he was. When Dick started college Alfred had been hopeful that he would give up Robin, to do what Bruce had never done and become somewhat normal. But it was not to be, Dick took to college the way he took to everything. Excelling in his work and still finding plenty of time to don the Robin costume and fight evil.

Alfred had been looking and would continue looking for a way to get the spirited young man out of the darkness of the night that Bruce had let take over him and into the light so to speak. But if he had thought it would be easy, the grinning face before him said otherwise in a language to loud to ignore. Dick loved what he did and Alfred knew he would be miserable without it. The last thing Alfred wanted was to see that face miserable again.

He still shuddered when he remembered when Dick had first come to them. His spirit broken and his dreams smashed by the horrific death of his family. Bruce had worn the same sorrow on his tiny shoulders when his family were murdered and it seemed that the young acrobat was to fall prey to the same despair and sorrow that had stunted Bruce's growth.

Alfred had wondered if the young boy would ever smile again. But Dick had proven to be more than they had expected. He became a Son to them both then a partner to the Batman and unlike Bruce, he learnt to smile again, to be truly happy. He didn't see crimefighting as the be - all and end - all and for that reason, Alfred knew Dick would become one of the most exceptional adults he had ever known. If he ever grew up! Which sometimes seemed utterly impossible.

"Aw you wouldn't that Alfie." He said teasingly, "Besides you're still up and it's way past your bed time! I might have to talk to Bruce about giving you a vacation if you fall behind in your butler duties."

Alfred raised a rather regal nose into the air, " I have not and never will fall behind in my duties Master Dick. But I will not allow you to spend half the night sleeping at your desk when there is a perfectly good bed behind you."

Dick looked at Alfred with an almost giddy gaze, "I wasn't sleeping Al, I was daydreaming." He said ruefully.

Alfred sighed, "Might I be so bold as to ask what you were thinking about that caused such a lack in your concentration?"

"Batgirl." Dick answered. He shut his book as he spoke and flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling with a love-struck look.

"Batgirl." Alfred repeated, "She's back in the cowl then sir?"

Dick nodded, "She's back and looking sharper than ever." He winked at the butler, "I think I'm in love Al."

Alfred allowed himself a smile at that one. He had known love, lost love and learned to live without it, and he doubted seriously that the young man in front of him was feeling any of the emotions that constituted love.

"Are you sure it's love your talking about Master Dick? If you find Batgirl as …ahem… sharp as you do, might I suggest that you merely like the girl not love her?"

Dick stared at him blankly.

" It's understandable that you would have feelings for her. She can after all understand what it is like to be in your unique position. Perhaps your similarities are what you are mistaking for love or perhaps you feelings towards her have more to do with her … sharpness … than true feelings."

Dick was now looking at him with one eyebrow raised, "Geez Al. I'm not going to ask her to marry me or anything."

"Glad to hear it sir." Quipped Alfred without missing a beat.

"But I know the difference between like and love. There are tons of girls at school that I like, I like em a lot! But it's different with Batgirl. I could do without those other girls, no worries, but I don't think I'd like to be without Batgirl."

Alfred opened his mouth to speak, wondering how on earth Dick managed the grades he did with such a poor grasp of the English language. But Dick cut him off, he sat up on the bed a passed a knowing glance at the older man, "And I know what lust is Al and yes I certainly feel a large portion of lust for her - I mean have you seen her in that Batsuit! She's delicious!"

"Really Master Dick!" Alfred objected, almost outraged, "She's not part of the food chain!"

Dick chuckled and flung himself back onto the bed, " I just really like her Alfred and the more time I spend with her the more I like her. It's nice to know that there is someone else out there swinging on a bat rope that I can talk too. It's a bonus that she happens to be really hot!"

Alfred sighed and decided he was too tired to continue with the conversation. And he knew full well that Dick was trying his hardest to shock the older man - really! It hadn't worked for Master Bruce so it certainly wouldn't work for him. Alfred doubted anything could shock him these days, after all, he spent most of his time serving meals to a man dressed as a giant bat in a mammoth cave beneath the mansion. Nothing had ever come close to matching that one.

He picked up the scraps of a snack Dick had insisted on making himself then made his way to the door. He paused for a moment then said something that he had relayed once to Bruce when Catwoman arrived in Gotham and before they had known who she really was.

"Remember Master Dick, Batgirl may be everything you've ever wanted but you still don't know exactly who is under that cowl. People wear masks for a reason, maybe you should ask yourself what her reason is."

And he closed the door on Dick's frowning face.