CHAPTER 2

"Yes, honey, it's me!" Oswald replied.

"Wha-what are you doing here?" Danielle said, with a look of confusion on her face.

"I've come to see you. It has been a very long time."

"Wait a minute, Danielle, are you telling me that the Penguin, here, is your father?"

Danielle looked down to her feet, giving no reply to Helena's question. Oswald took it upon himself to answer her question. "I am no longer the Penguin. That is a life far behind me now. I am just plain old Mr. Oswald Cobblepot." He squinted his wrinkly face and his eyes towards Helena. "I've been out of the loop, but you have the eyes of Batman."

"That would make sense because I am his daughter, the Huntress, and you'll forgive me for my skepticism."

"The Huntress, huh? Well, under the circumstance, I do understand your cynicism. I suppose it would grow in the family."

"Why, Dad? Why did you come find me? What is it you truly want?"

"I am telling the straightforward truth, Danielle," He defended. It's been nearly ten years since I last saw you."

"Are you telling me you have not come back to New Gotham to continue your life of crime?"

"I will admit, I have been a lousy father," Oswald replied. "But I am sincere when I say that I have turned straight. The only reason I have come is to see you again, and perhaps repair some of the damage to our relationship that I have caused." Danielle struggled with her emotions as well as trying to figure out if he was telling the truth for once in his life. "I'm happy to see that you are using your special gift for good rather than following in my footsteps."

"Well, I've had some good guidance, for once in my life," Danielle replied with a hint of anger behind her voice.

"So, you're not ready to forgive me yet? Then Maybe there will be a day that you will be able to find it in your heart to do so. Until that day, I will be off and will not bother you anymore."

"Dad, wait!" Danielle replied. "Perhaps it is time for us to sit down and talk. However, I have no place for you to stay. I live in a single bedroom apartment."

"That is fine. I am willing to stay at a local motel."

"Why don't you go book into a motel, while my friends and I talk for a while. I'll meet you at the Gotham Café in two hours from now."

"Two hours it is," he replied.

"And I'm keeping a close eye on you," Danielle warned.

* * * *

"I'm sorry for saying this, Danielle, but do not trust your father," Barbara said as she and the girls met to talk about this strange reunion. "Bruce and I have been burned to many times to believe that a man like him can go straight."

"No offense is taken," Danielle replied. "However, I've looked into his eyes and have felt his heart beating. He is not lying, as far as I can possibly tell."

"Maybe you should think about telling Gibson about this before this goes any further," Dinah suggested.

"Why would I want to tell him?" Danielle said, pretending to be confused about Dinah's comment.

"Oh come on. For someone who has the ability to tell if someone is lying or not, you are a pretty lousy liar yourself," Helena laughed. "We've seen the way you two look at each other."

"It's obvious that you two are an item," Dinah smiled.

"You're not reading my mind, are you?" Danielle looked over at Dinah threateningly.

"I'm not! Honest to God!" Dinah laughed holding up her right hand.

"Okay, I suppose Gibson and I have gone on a few dates, but that's all!"

"You are a terrible liar," Helena laughed, gently shoving her on the shoulder.

"Okay, he and I have recently decided to go steady. Happy?" Danielle replied, making a face at Helena

"We're getting off the subject here, ladies!" Barbara announced. "Danielle, believe me, it would be in your best interest to let Gibson know about your father before you have your talk with your father."

"You may be right. I don't want to hide anything from him," Danielle admitted.

"There is one more thing I want you to do, Danielle, and this is not easy for me to ask this of you since we're talking about your father, but I want you to place a bug on him." Barbara handed a tiny recording device to Danielle.

"I understand. I don't trust him either," Danielle said.

"Now, the other matter I wanted to address is the way you used your powers today, Dinah. You have great power inside of you, Dinah, but try to refrain from using your new powers unless it is absolutely necessary? What you were doing before your new powers unlocked is the most you should do until you have had further training with your new found powers."

"Okay, I promise not to use them!" Dinah apologized.