Disclaimer: I do not and will never own any character and objects in this story (except for "Matt Perkins" who came from my very own imagination along with the story... oh, and "Tania")

"Love Makes the World Go Round"

Chapter two:

After bringing her father to the air port, Barbara sighed, "Stop by at bank, pay Tania back, office, office, and..." she thought through her list of plans in her mind, "...office."

She drove on her new Hyundai Tiburon on the freeway, speed about 75mph, listening to the basic radio channel. She thought about her busy day, but somewhere along the thought, Dick came into mind.

She remembered the other night with him and that haunting dream she always gets. That dream, or so nightmare. That was mostly the only thing she thought of ever since he left. And the question why. She hadn't received a straight answer from him at all. During those two years she'd blamed herself. For being too late, for not stopping him, and for not telling him.

'Why didn't he tell me? No. I could of told him. He had so much pain in him already. It wasn't his fault he was mad at Bruce. But... not saying goodbye? That was him.'

She saw her exit, then she turned out of the freeway, down the street towards Gotham Union Bank. She turned again and parked the car. Barbara walked in and took out her card. After a few long minutes later, she got her cash and walked back to her car.

When she was unlocking the door, she saw in the corner of her eye someone who looks to be having car trouble across the street. She turned and saw a tall man checking the engine of his car.

"Oh man!" She heard him say.

Barbara didn't know why but her instincts told her to approach him. And she did. "Uh, need help?"

The mans eyes lifted and met hers. "If you know anything about cars," he said with a half smile.

Barbara smiled sheepishly. She scanned him up and down. 'He was tall, had brown hair, green eyes and maybe about 23 years old,' she thought. 'What?! What am thinking?! You still want Dick, Barb! No, it's only someone who needs help... someone who needs help? Not someone who thinks he could do everything by himself.'

"Not really, but I got a number you can call." She said shyly, admiring his looks.

His smile grew. He wiped his hands on a handkerchief and pulled his right hand up to shake her hand, "Matt Perkins."

"Oh, heh, Barbara Gordon."

"Well, Barbara, I just got here at Gotham. Been thinking about moving here, but don't have a place to stay yet."

"Oh, um, I'll give you the number for the car shop for your car and I have a friend who works in this great hotel."

"That sounds nice." He smiled again and closed the hood of his car.

She scribbled the number of the car shop and the address of the hotel on a piece of paper she found in her purse and she handed it to Matt, "Here."

"Thanks."

"Ask for Tania when you get to the hotel, and say Barbara sent you. You'll get a discount."

"Heh, wow. I guess I made a friend." They both smiled.

"Here's the fifty bucks I owe you, girl." Barbara handed her friend the money.

"Finally! I've been waiting ever since... err, three months ago."

Barbara knew what she was about to say, "Well, here they are. Fresh out of the bank."

"Hey, how about the twenty you borrowed last week?" Tania motioned her hand to give her the money.

"Ugh, here."

"Thank you."

"I better get to the station now." She started to head out the door, "Oh, and when someone named Matt comes by, you know what to do with people I know," she yelled.

tbc