Authors note: This story is the first of hopefully many follow up to my fanfic "Friendship Becomes Something Deeper". Just like that story, this story is set in an alternative universe and includes themes such as homosexuality, homophobia, abusive relationships, violence, and minor profanity. If any of these things make you uncomfortable then please skip this story.

Special thanks to Princesspopular6417 for their help with coming up with the story's title. Please check out her work.

I hope you all enjoy the story.


The First Cut is the Deepest

Chapter 1

Prologue

It had been seven months since Barbara and Kara had began dating. Ever since they had moved into their new apartment and made their relationship public, as Batgirl and Supergirl respectively, things had been going very smoothly for them. For them, every moment they were together was amazing. While they teased each other often, they were always present for each other after a hard day either in their civilian or alter ego life and when they could, they would a quick "snuggle" before bed. They were now at the "sleeping without clothes on stage" although this was only on rare occasions, they mostly preferred to sleep with their nightgowns on.

Things couldn't be better for them, or at least for Kara. While Barbara couldn't have asked for anyone better to call her girlfriend, it had come at a small price. Jim, her father hadn't reacted well when he found them kissing. Thankfully, Kara had convinced him to make amends with his daughter although it was made clear that he would only do it for his daughter and that as far as he was concerned, Kara wasn't part of his family.

Kara's side of the family had been very excepting of her new relationship. Jonathan Martha and Clark treated Barbara as one of the family.

As the moon sat high in the red sky of Gotham city, Supergirl soared above with Batgirl clinging on for the ride. The latter held her arms in front of her as she felt the cool night air gently blowing through her red hair.

"Ready?" Kara asked slightly moving her head to look at the beautiful woman.

"Ready." Batgirl said with an eager expression.

Kara gave a confident smile and flew higher into the air to perform a tight loop. Barbara released her girlfriend's shoulders, briefly plummeting back down to earth before unfurling her cape to glide to a rooftop. During the descent, she caught her partner's loving gaze, only breaking the eye contact to land. The two heroines walked to the edge of the building, with Barbara getting her binoculars out.

They weren't the only recent couple in Gotham with a healthy relationship. Not long after the two heroes announcement that they were dating, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy confessed their feelings for one another. Since then the two had been enjoying their lives, even more than before. After spending years under the control of her abusive ex, the former psychologist didn't think she would ever be able to find someone who actually loved her, but, after years of hiding her true feelings, Ivy became her girlfriend and treated her like a queen. Harley couldn't have asked for a better person to call her true love than Pamela Isley.

The two rogues were sitting in a small diner having a cup of coffee before their next heist.

"Come on." Harley pled in a child like voice.

"No." Ivy responded.

"But it's his birthday." she tried to persuade.

"Harley, we're not spending money on a birthday cake for a Hyena."

"Would you get a cake for one of the plants?" Harley asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

"Most of my plants get their food from sunlight." Ivy explained, trying not to laugh at her partner's pouty face.

"What about the carnivorous ones?" Harley retorted leaning forward with an enticing smirk.

"I would give them a steak which I think you'll find that Lou would prefer." she described, earning a chuckle.

"Could we still get a cake for him please?"

"No." Ivy said.

"Even if it was a chocolate cake?" Harley said with a sly grin.

"Double buttercream?" She received a nod, but she firmly stated. "Still not getting him a cake."

"Rats."

"But we can get one for ourselves," Ivy said with a sly smile.

Harley gave a deadpan look to her girlfriend, while she unsuccessfully tried not to laugh.

Ivy smiled as they got up and walked to the counter.

"You really had me there for a sec." Harley chuckled.

"Just because I'm not a hyena person doesn't mean I won't celebrate one of their special days." Ivy said as she put five dollars in the jar on the counter. While she had gotten used to living with Bud and Lou, she found herself only tolerating it for Harley's sake.

"Thanks, Red." She giggled, hugging Ivy.

"Anything for my belle fleur de rose." Ivy said as Harley ended her hug. They walked out of dinner and made their way to bank across the street,oblivious of the two women watching them from a rooftop.

Harley and Ivy went into a dark alleyway. After checking that the coast was clear, Harley placed some dynamite on the wall that led to the bank vault, while Ivy got the fuse box ready. Just as Harley placed the last of the dynamite on the brick wall when a figure in black dropped down with a blue clad blond hovering behind her. Harley and Ivy turned to see the two heroes.

"Well if it isn't the Batbrat and the Superbrat." Harley teased.

"Step away from the box Ivy, and no one gets hurt." Supergirl commanded.

"I would but we need the money." Ivy responded coldly.

Batgirl reached for one of her Batarangs and flung it at Ivy however, the woman in green came prepared. Several large vines shot out of the ground, one of them grabbing the object in midflight. Supergirl tried to use her laser vision to cut the vines but to her shock they were unharmed.

"What do you think? It's a little creation of mine." Ivy taunted as one wrapped itself around her arm in a loving way. She stroked the vine in a similar way one would stroke a cat. "They're immune to you and Superman's powers. Took me months to get the formula just right."

The heroines slowly backed away as the vines advanced.

"Care to do the honours?" Ivy she beckoned to her girlfriend.

"Gladly." Harley said with a smile as she went to the fuse box and pressed down the handle. With a loud bang, the circle of dynamite exploded creating a large hole. Before Harley and Ivy went into the bank they turned to their opponents.

"Enjoy ladies." Ivy said before she and Harley went.

The vines rocketed towards Batgirl and Supergirl both of whom dodge the attacking plants.

They tried their best to get past the dangerous vegetation but without the latter being able to use her powers to fight the vines, there wasn't. As the two heroes found themselves backed up against a wall, Harley and Ivy exited the bank with two large bags filled with three thousand dollars in cash each and ran to where they had hidden their car.

Batgirl and Supergirl looked for a way out of their predicament. Nothing blocking the way up, although it would require flying quickly to avoid any of the vines catching them. Supergirl grabbed hold of her partner. The Argon flew as fast as she could as the vines followed them. They just managed to get away although one of the vines had managed to grab Batgirl by her right arm and ripped off some of her suit from the elbow down leaving behind a shallow cut where one of the thorns had caught her skin.

Supergirl landed on the top of a near by roof and Batgirl let go. "Are you alright?" she asked.

"I think so."

"It doesn't look too bad." Supergirl said as she looked at the scrape. Still, just to be safe, they changed in an empty alley before heading to an emergency medical facility. Barbara was now wearing a black short-sleeved top and greyish black skirt with black pantyhose and black shoes whilst Kara was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and dark blue jeans with grey shoes.

They entered the building and waited to see a doctor. After waiting for five minutes they were called up. The doctor examined Barbara's scrape, while Kara, outside the building, informed Bruce" be a bit more casual about the bank robbery over her in-ear comm. There were no signs of infection. Barbara and Kara caught a bus home.


Harley and Ivy were back at their house. After living in a rundown place for several months the heat had died down enough for them to move back into Ivy's abandoned greenhouse. Harley had taken out her hair bobbles letting her soft blonde hair flow freely down the back of her neck. Ivy was now wearing a small pink sleeveless top that show off her cleavage and belly and a pair of light blue shorts.

"Happy birthday Lou." Harley said placing a large steak with a candle in it on the floor in Hyena's bowl. Bud and Lou ran over to their mistress, drooling at the mouth as the scent of the large steak caught their noses. "Make a wish Lou." she said as petted her hyena's head. Lou licked her face. "Ok, ok mummy loves you too." Harley blow out the candle and removed it to allow her babies to eat. They wolfed down their meal as Harley made her way to the sofa where Ivy was sitting with a piece of double buttercream chocolate cake. She laid her head on her girlfriend's shoulder as they watched a cheesy romance movie with terrible acting and horrendous dialogue, although soon it became background noise for some more amorous activities.


Back in their apartment, Barbara and Kara sat down for their dinner of was chicken and salad.

"How's the arm?" Kara asked.

"It's fine Kara. You don't have to worry." Barbara reassured her.

Kara gave a small smile at her girlfriend, however was worried about her girlfriend since, it would be the anniversary of Barbara's mum's death in a few weeks. Even before they had started dating Kara had seen how upset Barbara got around this time of year. She understood completely having lost both of her biological parents. However, what was more concerning to Kara was that this year Barbara didn't have her father by her side.

"Well if there is anything wrong you know you can always tell me." She suggested.

"I know but..." Barbara let out a sad sign. "It's just... I really hoped that me and dad would have fully made amends by now."

"At least he's trying to fix things up with you. You know tomorrow I'm in Metropolis. So you could invite your dad over and talk to him."

"I was kind of hoping that he could talk with both of us."

"I don't think he'll do that just yet." she admitted. Barbara looked down. "But he'll see me as part of the family someday and you two will be back to the way you were." Kara said.

"You think so?"

"I know so." Kara said. Barbara smiled at her, then they returned to their meal.