TITLE: In Your Eyes
AUTHOR: Gaeriel Mallory
RATING: PG
CATEGORY: BTVS/Batman: the Animated Series Crossover
DISTRIBUTION: The Haven, TTH, Anyone else, just ask.
DISCLAIMER: Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all related characters are the property of Josh Whedon and Mutunt Enemy, Inc. Batman and related characters are the property of Warner Brothers and DC Comics.
NOTE: Sorry for the long wait. But I have a feeling this may happen again. I'm finding it incredibly hard to find computer time.


Chapter Seven

Barbara shoved her feet into her yellow boots. As she adjusted the cowl over her bright red hair, she tried to wrap her mind around the new information she had just learned about Willow. The other redhead had seemed so sweet and innocent...

But then, so did Baby Doll at first, her cynical mind supplied. Who would have though that the woman trapped in a child's body would turn out to be a killer?

Barbara turned to look in the full-length mirror to make sure she was suited up correctly. She froze when Buffy Summers looked back at her. The Slayer cocked her head to the side and seemed to study her. Barbara felt herself being measured and found herself wanting. She scowled at the blond and slapped the mirror. "Leave me alone!" she cried out.

Buffy looked at her sadly before fading away, leaving only Batgirl's reflection behind. Barbara hugged herself and shuddered. She wished she had never chased Joker into that damn warehouse. She wished she could turn back the calendar to before she knew about magic and demons and all things that went bump in the night. Normal criminals were scary enough in Gotham. Why add vampires to the mix?

The notion that any one person had the power to destroy the world with only a thought scared her more than she wanted to admit. She was not supposed to be frightened. She was Batgirl! Fearless crime fighting partner to Batman and Robin. She faced cold-hearted killers on a nightly basis.

But yet...

Neither Nightwing nor Robin had seemed to have a problem with the witch. If anything, they seemed to sympathize. Perhaps it was because both of them had been initiated into the world of vigilantism by violence. Dick's parents had been killed in front of him, falling from the high flying trapeze. Robin, or Tim Drake, had lost his father because Two-Face had killed him for his betrayal.

She had become Batgirl in order to save her father's life. An admirable ambition, to be sure, but at the same time, she had never had to go through fire and survive like the other members of the Family. All of them had been touched by darkness but had managed to pull back. She, however, had somehow managed to remain mostly untouched when compared to the others. Was that the difference?

It did not matter. She would deal with Willow later. She resolutely adjusted her utility belt so that it hung more comfortably about her waist and headed for the door to the costume vault. Right now, she had to go on patrol. She pitied the first burglar, mugger, or rapist that she came across. She had a lot of aggression to release.


Willow sat in front of the Cray, going through more old police files and newspaper clippings. A throat cleared behind her. "All by yourself, Miss Rosenberg?"

She swiveled around and grinned at the elderly man. "Alfred, right?"

He nodded in the affirmative and placed a tray down next to her. On it was a large sandwich and a glass of milk. "I took the liberty of preparing you a snack. When the others are out on patrol, they tend to get back rather later. Or early, depending on how you look at it." He paused. "If you would like, I could drive you back to Miss Barbara's."

Willow took a bite of the sandwich and closed her eyes in contentment. If she were a cat, she would have purred. She filed away "sandwich making god" into the little folder in her brain that was collecting information on Alfred. She chewed and swallowed before turning back to the man. "No, it's fine. I have all these files on the warehouse murders to read and stuff. I want to make sure I know everything there is to know before I rush down there."

She set the sandwich back down onto the plate. "Besides, I don't think Barbara wants me in her apartment at the moment, what with me almost destroying the world and all."

If Alfred was shocked, he hid it well. Instead he smiled gently down at her. "If I may be so bold, I would not be so hard on Miss Gordon. For all her strengths, she can be rather headstrong and set in her ways. You just have to be patient with her. She can be rather open-minded if you just give her some time."

"That's what Nightwing said."

Sadness crept into Alfred's eyes. He sighed. "Yes, I do suppose if there is anyone that knows Barbara Gordon, it would be him." He turned towards the elevator. "If you require anything, feel free to call me on the phone. The first line leads directly above."

She smiled. "I will. Thank you."

He looked down at her kindly. "You are most welcome."

Willow watched as he made his way across the Cave and got into the elevator. Her lips swept upward slightly. She had forgotten how must she missed Rupert Giles until now. Many of Alfred's mannerisms reminded her of the kindly librarian-Watcher of her high school days. She felt the sudden urge to hear his voice. Looking at her watch, she sighed. It would be another few hours yet before she could call without waking him up. Giles deserved his sleep. He had spent far too many late nights that turned into mornings researching or fighting. Yes, if anyone deserved sleep, it was Giles.


"Want to talk about it?"

Batgirl adjusted the binoculars so that they zoomed onto the dark window of the apartment. "No."

Robin sighed and sat down on the edge of the roof. "Come on. They won't show for at least another half hour."

When there was no reply from the other vigilante, he frowned. "Look, we're going to have to work with her. If you have a problem with Willow, it's better to get over it now before we're neck deep in trouble."

"I don't have a problem with Willow."

"Really? Because you sure seem like you do."

She lowered the binoculars from her eyes and looked over at him. "She tried to end the world, Tim. And she almost succeeded."

"It was what, six years ago? People change. You saw the file on her. The feds thought she was one of the good guys."

"I don't think the people in charge of the Initiative are in any position to say who is good or not."

Robin stood up. "You're not making this easy, you know. She came all the way across the country to help us and you're giving her the cold shoulder. How do you think she feels? She's already guilty about what she did. You don't have to make it worse."

Barbara raised the binoculars to her face again. He sighed and started to walk away. "I'll talk to her after patrol, if she's still awake."

He smiled. "Thank you."


Ever since leaving Sunnydale and returning to his home country across the Atlantic Ocean, Rupert Giles has been fighting boredom. Those first few months had been rather pleasant, however, without having to research dangerous demons or avert apocalypses. After that, the monotony wore at him until it was with a bit of gladness that he accepted the surviving Watchers' offer—plea, really—to head the new Watcher's Council which was falling apart without any real experienced leadership.

One of his first acts was to sanction the activities of the Scooby Gang on the Hellmouth and Angel Investigations in Los Angeles. Another was to bring the Council into the twenty-first century by creating a computer database of all the information in the Council's extensive library. He had even had Willow flown over to help set up the system and scan the books. The redheaded witch had been ecstatic that he was finally embracing the wonder that was technology.

"I mean, it had only taken you twenty some years, but better late than never right, Giles?" she had told him with a grin.

Of course, he never told her that he still preferred to walk into the library and look for information the old fashioned way and used the new database only as a last resort.

But even with all his new duties, he still managed to find time in the early mornings to sit and enjoy a cup of tea before his secretary came in and started foisting files and phone calls at him. This particular morning, he sat back in his old comfortable leather recliner and stared out the window, watching the city of London come alive.

He was startled from his reverie by the shrill ringing of the telephone at his desk. He sighed and pondered for a moment of just ignoring it. When the phone showed no sign of quieting, he set his cup down on the table and walked across his office.

"This is Rupert Giles. We aren't open right now. So if you would be so kind as to call back later—"

"Giles, it's me."

The Watcher's face softened and his lips curled up with pleasure. "Willow! It's always nice to hear from you. What can I do for you?"

There was a slight pause before she answered. "Are you sitting down? Because if you aren't, you might want to be."