Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or Batgirl or The Penguin... But I own the story and won't make any money off it... Kinda unlike Bob Kane...

Chapter 6
Reflections

Babs groped into the inky blackness of her room for her bedside table where her alarm clock it buzzed loudly, shaking with the effort and moving around. When her hands gingerly grazed it, she slammed her fist down as hard as she could on the snooze button.

As she cracked open one eye to examine the time she frowned at her alarm clocks' going off early again. She only needed a half hour to be ready to go to work. True, she could make her own hours, but her work as Batgirl made a certain cutoff time that kept her from starting too late in the morning.

She had the dream again. In her dream, the second she got off a hit on every villain she fought instantly forgot where he or she was just like the Riddler and The Fearsome Five. The fights were months ago, but that didn't mean the unknown villain had gone away. It still boggled her mind as she continued to think about how the Fearsome Five could fit into this puzzle. What did they have to do with the Riddler? Was Two Face a part of it? Amnesia wasn't the most common of symptoms of villains unless there was some sort of mind control. But who would have such mind controlling powers to control the minds of the Riddler, Two Face, and Psimon?

She rolled herself over into a sitting position on the edge of her bed and yawned, stretching out as far out as she could, before bringing her arms across her chest as though warming up for a training session with Batman. She stepped to the floor and made for the shower, pulling her hair back into a tight ponytail and keeping it there afterwards. She put on her horn rimmed librarian glasses and examined herself in the mirror. In a few years, if she still worked at a library she'd need to get rid of the ponytail. It was more convenient, but if her hair ever grew thicker or she decided to cut it shorter she would need to discard the look entirely. Maybe she'd keep the glasses. She didn't have an inkling of an idea why she liked them so much. In the mirror she thought they made her look professional, more dignified, but it probably went further than that, almost as though they helped make her look intelligent and like a wealth of information.

She walked downstairs. Her father was gone of course, gone for a busy day at the Police Department. She opened the fridge, but found nothing of great interest. Just left over pizza from a few nights ago and a carton of milk. Honestly, if she didn't do the shopping how would they ever get food?

The shopping, however, meant she could by whatever she wanted. She walked to the cupboard and opened it. Thank goodness for the delicious snack foods that looked back at her, waving invitingly. Choosing a pack of Pop-Tarts and putting them both in her mouth, she grabbed her keys and left for the library.

On the way, Babs still continued to think about the Fearsome Five and their connection. True, nothing of great importance happened after her encounter with the Fearsome Five at the Titans place, but she couldn't shake the feeling. Super villain activity remained at an all time low since then. It made no sense.

She pulled into the library parking lot and trekked up the stairs to her lone desk in the research department of the library and sat at the computer for hours, unsure of what exactly it was that she was doing. It even successfully managed to distract her from her thoughts about the super villain puzzle she was attempting to solve.

When she locked up her office at six o'clock, she headed back home for a quick bite of reheated pizza before hopping on her bike in full Batgirl suit and to the Batcave.

When she pulled in, Batman sat at the computer.

"Where's Dick?" she asked as she hopped off her bike and walked to the punching bag, tying tape around her hands.

"Off on an assignment, but don't start," he said from his position seated at the computer, fingers arched.

"Why?" she asked as she turned her head towards him, tape in her mouth.

"We're going out," he stated as he pulled up his cowl over his head.

"Where to?" Babs asked.

"Iceberg lounge," Batman replied as he walked to the Batmobile and pressed a button, opening the top hatch. "We have someone we need to interrogate."

An interrogation? With Batman? In the Batmobile? Had he planned to scare her like this? It would be her first time with him on a mission.

"Let's go Barbara," Batman said loudly from the front seat of the car, as she stood there, dumbfounded.

"Hang on," Babs replied, grabbing more from the stash of batarangs and rope and then sprinting to the car and jumping in.

He rocketed out of the Batcave, deftly moving the steering wheel as though it were a part of him and paying no attention to any of the flashing buttons in the car. The whole experience was fascinating. It took every ounce of her resilience to not ask. "What does this button do?" and press every single button. She had to make sure to keep her hands squarely in her lap.

The car ride was deafeningly silent. Batman crossed the bridge and continued to shoot through the city.

"So…" she began, anxious to break the silence. "You seen any good movies?"

She watched his head twitch slightly, as though annoyed that she would talk to him in the car ride.

"Nothing good," he responded curtly.

"Oh," she frowned. "That's a shame." Awkward silence. "So… What's your favorite movie of all time then?"

Batman turned his head at her quickly before turning his head around to face the road again. He didn't have to be so rude about it. It was probably some classic too. Something like Gone With The Wind. She laughed before she could stop herself, causing him to glare at her again and silencing her for the rest of the trip.

They parked around the corner from the lounge so as not to attract attention and moved to the front doors of the club, street devoid of all signs of life. Not that this surprised either of them since the club didn't open for the night crowd for two hours. The bouncer at the front door turned and began to speak into his jacket, nodding and stood directly in front of the doors to keep them from entering.

"I'm sorry, sir," she could feel the cowardice in his voice. "We're closed."

"Do you really think you can stop me?" Batman growled, slightly annoyed.

"I have to try," the bouncer said as he reared back his hand and threw it forward in a punch to Batman's face.

Batman deftly grabbed the man's fist and twisted, breaking the wrist. The man cried out in pain for a split second before biting down on his lip. No need to call for attention. This guy thought he could take out Batman solo. It never happened, and it never would.

Batman kicked the man in the chest and released his grip on the fist, knocking the bouncer over. "Don't get up," Batman scowled at the man.

The man obliged, but Babs could see him aching to stand up and take Batman out while Batman pushed the doors open. Babs followed behind Batman, but the man's ape-sized hand grabbed her ankle and pulled it back, preventing entrance.

"You, I think," he murmured. "Cannot ent-."

Babs brought her foot down on his face, shattering his nose. "Right. Like you can stop me?" she continued walking normally, the bouncer's hand jumping to his nose to stem the bleeding.

It was a large lounge; the front had a large stage complete with two pianos and a space for a full nightclub band and each of the three levels opened up so that the tables looked upon the stage with ease.

Since it was early in the evening and the club wasn't open, no patrons occupied the tables, multiple dance floors, or bars, but the plethora of large, bulky bouncers with nothing to do except patrol the halls stopped upon seeing Batman and Batgirl, pulling out their handguns and taking cover.

"Think they like us?" Babs asked herself sarcastically.

Batman merely grabbed a table and flipped it onto its side, creating a barricade for them to hide behind. Babs ducked behind it directly next to him.

"Barbara," Batman growled. "This is your fight. We're here to further your investigation." He pulled several metal spheres out of his belt.

"What investigation?"

Batman just glared at her and threw the smoke bombs out to the bouncers and stayed hidden behind the table.

"Are you telling me you won't help me at all?"

Batman said nothing. Babs growled in frustration and looked over the top of the table to see the bouncers either coughing into their sleeves or trying desperately to see her. She vaulted over the top of the table while she pulled out several batarangs from her belt and threw them quickly, yet accurately and heard the tink of the gun being snapped out of several bouncer's hands.

She reached the first one, who attempted to grab her head. Babs ducked underneath the hand and punched upward, yellow gloved hand making contact with his chin. She heard him cry out and the others began to run towards the cry. She spun around and kicked the first in the gut, knocking him backwards and towards a bar. She jumped straight up and landed on the second's one's neck as he dove towards her, forcing him into a face plant, which cued her into and adroit jump upwards.

Two down… She landed, somersaulted around the third one, between the next one's legs kicking his knees out when she completed the maneuver, kicked to her feet, and ducked again. These guys fought like Dick, but they moved slower than he did, making them oversized targets with walnuts for brains.

The remaining four charged her, attempting to maneuver around her and trap her. She executed a back handspring, kicking the nose of the man behind her and pushing her full body weight into the kick, landing on his fallen body. Frustrated with her abilities, one of the remaining three ran forward, charged back for a strike as he completely forgot the team mentality. Babs dodged around the clenched fist and kicked her heel out to the man's shin as he ran into it, her shoe sticking and bruising the sensitive portion of leg.

The bouncer grabbed his shin and hopped around on one foot. The other two ran towards her, arms attached, in an effort to "clothesline" her. She rolled her eyes, stayed stationary, and ducked underneath their arms, jumping up in a spin and kicking them in the back and towards the ground.

The bouncer with the shattered shin put his leg down gingerly and leaned on the wall keeping the weight off his broken bones as she walked up to him, dusting off her hands. He tried to punch her again, but she dropped to the ground, spun her leg around and made contact with his face, sending blood splattering across the oaken bar. She purveyed the scene of complete carnage complete with groaning bouncers in white tuxedos and wrecked tables.

That was fun.

"Enough games," she said as she put her heeled foot over the shinned bouncer's throat and pushing down slightly. "Where's the Penguin?"

"I'll never tell,"

She dropped to her knees, grabbed his tuxedo, and pulled her face up to his. "Where is he?"

"I ain't talking,"

She pulled back one hand, prepared to strike. "Where?"

"Top level! Top level!" He shouted.

Babs punched the bouncer in the face, knocking him unconscious, his head lolling to the ground.

She turned around to face Batman, who was standing right behind her. "Top level."

"Top level?" Batman asked from behind her. "That's where The Penguin always is."

"It was for… dramatic effect," she grumbled.

They ran to the top level and stopped in front of the Penguin, who had his arms wrapped around two ladies, whispering in the one on the right's ear. Babs almost puked. He was so disgusting! There was no amount of money worth that!

"Wah!" The Penguin said as he turned around.

Two bouncers appeared in front of Batman and Babs, who dispatched them with a quick kick apiece.

"What do you know?" Babs asked as she grabbed the Penguin's jacket.

"Know about what?" The Penguin responded, his eyes flashed towards the ceramic, purple striped cat on the table.

The girls fled past Batman, who had stepped backwards into the shadows.

"Where did you get the cat?"

"I bought it," The Penguin responded blankly.

"Yeah, right," Babs responded.

"Fine, fine. It was a gift from Catwoman," he blundered quickly.

"Catwoman's not even around," Babs told him. "She left Gotham months ago."

"She was actually in Arkham a few days ago," Batman interrupted.

Babs whirled on Batman, and then back to the Penguin. "Then where did she get it?"

"Museum?" The Penguin guessed. "I'm a business man, not a thief. I don't care where she got it."

"If you hear anything," she grabbed the front of his suit and pulled his face right into hers. "And I find out that you didn't tell me, I'll put you away for a long time."

She threw him back to the chair he was sitting in, which flipped over and broke from the force of the impact.

"Let's go," she stormed out of the room and back to the car, actually leading the way as Batman followed.

Once in the car and they were driving away, she stayed silent, processing. "Why didn't you tell me that Catwoman was in Arkham last week?"

"This is your investigation, not mine," a blip flashed on the main console in the center map of the Batmobile.

"What's that?" Babs asked.

"Something we need to take care of, but we're too far away," he pushed a button, and Babs heard a tiny beep before Dick's voice came on the speakers in the Batmobile.

"Yeah?"

"Break-in at the Salk Research department on 11th. We'll be there in ten minutes, but until then, we need someone who can take care of it."

"I can be there in three."

"Try and subdue whoever it is. If you need help, radio as soon as you need it. We'll be there as soon as we can."