The Return: Chapter 2

Batgirl's face changed from indignation to annoyance when she spotted the teenaged alien. Robin noted the change and saw the direction she was glaring in. He spun around and wasn't all that astounded to see Starfire.

"Starfire go back down and wait with everyone else. Ok? I'll be fine, but Batgirl and I have to talk privately." Robin explained patiently. She looked like she wanted to protest, but Robin silenced her with a glare and turned back to his former partner. "So why are we up here then?" He asked.

"First of all get rid of that mask. I'm not talking to Robin up here." She stalked over to him and pulled off his mask and threw it toward the ground. He looked angry for an instant, and began to protest this latest invasion of his personal space when Batgirl pulled off her cowl and shook her hair free. Barbara Gordon stared at Richard Grayson for the first time in three years. "Alright, that's better. Now on to the topics that matter, like the night you left. The way you hurt the three of us when you left…it just wasn't the same and I know that it's my fault that you left. I know I was the last straw in an already strained relationship, but I didn't realize he was Batman until a few hours before, and really what was I going to tell my civilian boyfriend? That I was some crazy lunatic who ran around the city at night wearing spandex? And they I found out that you were Robin and then you were gone so fast. Its not that I didn't want to talk that night up on the roof, I just knew that we had work to do. I took for granted that you were always there and would be after the fight to sort things out and we'd look back…look back and laugh about all of this stuff."

She looked away and wiped her eyes fiercely. She turned back with a determined glint in her eyes that made Robin remember just who Barbara Gordon was and why he had loved her so much.

"Babs, it was not your fault. Batman and Robin just changed. I didn't want to be protected or coddled anymore. Then when I saw him interrogate a man, ruthlessly question him, in front of his family I just couldn't believe it. Bruce is my father; he adopted me and instilled so much in me, but I didn't want to be grim and ruthless. I believe in fighting crime, bringing justice to the people, but Batman and I have very different approaches."

"That still doesn't explain why you never sent more than an occasional post card. And those were only sent to Bruce. I have never regretted anything so much as delaying talking to you that night. You wanted to confront me, but I put it off. It was wrong of me, but as soon as you left, I flew back home and sped all the way to your dorm room. I was there 30 minutes later, and I raced up to your room, but when I got there all of your things were gone. I went to your window and saw your car driving from the lot. I knew I couldn't catch you, so I fell to my knees and balled my eyes out. I assumed you were angry and needed some time, but by the week's end I guess I had given up. All of my hopes just sort of extinguished." Barbara paused and gathered her thoughts. "And I wasn't the only one to suffer, God Dick, Bruce hung up the cowl for a month. I had never seen him so…so…lost and pathetic, I guess is the only word to describe it. He and Al came up with some story to cover you're sudden departure from Gotham, but Batman and Robin were gone and Batgirl was too much of a mess to do much of anything, and Alfred, well he probably coped the best, but even he was devastated. I caught him fussing over your room at the Manor on a number of occasions…I would just sit there and watch him dust. Every so often he would say something like, 'just in case.'"

By this point Barbara's voice had been lost to her tears and Robin was numb as the reality of what he had done hit him. He felt sick with himself for not realizing that even though he had been hurt, he had hurt them in his desperation to escape.

"Barbara…I don't even know what I can tell you. I don't want to make this worse, but we all made mistakes and have regrets about that night and the days leading up to the 'final showdown' but maybe, just maybe, we all can take the steps necessary to…I guess fix isn't the right word, but help each other heal. I've been leading this team for three years, and if there's one thing that I've learned, it's that sometimes you have to swallow your pride, and I can do that if Bruce can. I am just so glad that you found me and I've been given this chance."

Babs looked up from where she was sitting and looked at him straight in the eyes. "Do you really mean that? Can we really go back to being one big Batty family?"

"I don't know if everything can be resolved, but I'd like to try." He tried to give her a smile, but failed miserably because his own tears were threatening to overpower him. But he never even got the chance to make a second attempt because Barbara launched herself at him and threw her arms around him. They sat there like that for a long time, just holding one another, taking comfort and beginning to heal.

After what seemed like an eternity to the recently reconciled teammates, but was in reality only a few minutes, Dick pulled away from her and looked her in the eyes. Green met blue.

"I want you to understand that there was never, and I mean never, any sort of relationship between Bruce and I. I was young…Batman was exciting, but it was just a fangirl crush. I loved you Dick. And then when I found out that Bruce was the Bat…well any sort of lingering crush flew out the window faster than…well something that's fast…" Barbara sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "I know it doesn't matter now…I mean you and that red-head that followed us up here…she's beautiful and seems to really care about you…you're happy right? I'd hate to think that you walked out on your father and became miserable." She tried to look brave.

"Starfire…there's nothing between us….I think she wishes that there were…but I just can't reciprocate those feelings. …and I'm glad that you and Bruce never….I mean he's too old for you…and well I never stopped loving you…" Robin finally broke eye contact. "I want us to be us again Babs. I've missed you more than I can explain."

"Dick…." She sighed. "I've dreamed of this moment for a long time. But you have to promise that…you'll make an effort to make things write with Bruce. And Alfred. As soon as we get back to the states. Come back to Gotham with me. I'm certain that yelling and harsh words will be said, but every one was so hurt that night…all four of us." She turned her back to him and sniffed. "Because if you don't reestablish some sort of relationship, then I'm not sure how well ours will turn out…and we can't just pick up where we left off…."

Dick came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'll make every effort that I can. I want to come home Babs. He's my father. There will never be a Batman and Robin between us…and I hear that you've found me a replacement….but I don't think that a father and son relationship between Bruce and I is to much to hope for." She spun around in his embrace and held him. "As soon as Slade and the Joker are found…I promise that I'll make every effort….and in fact I have new drive to catch these criminals…" Their eyes locked again. There faces were centimeters apart; Barbara inhaled sharply and their lips met. It wasn't passionate, but it was a promise. A promise to each other that the disrepair their relationship had fallen into was on the mend, and that a family was on its way to becoming whole again.

An hour passed before Batgirl and Robin descended from the rafters. They discussed a multitude of details ranging from the story of Tim Drake and his assumption of the role of Robin in Gotham, to plans of how to approach Bruce after this mission ended. They didn't move from their embrace as they sat on the beams and brought the other up to date. Finally, they understood that the real world was waiting and to achieve their goals, they had to return to it.

Batgirl landed first and faced the Teen Titans. Her cowl was back in place. Robin landed behind her and faced the opposite direction. Dick had confessed that the Titans didn't know what he truly looked like or what his given name was. Batgirl retrieved his mask and handed it to him. Her fingers lingering on his shoulder. He reapplied his façade, and faced his teammates.

"Robin, you have returned. But why did you remove your mask for this person? You never remove your mask. We must be leaving. We have consulted with this Batgirl enough. Let us go." Starfire was impatient to remove Robin from what she perceived as a threat to his affections.

"We aren't going anywhere. Slade is our secondary concern right now. The Joker's an old enemy of mine….he stole something very precious from me. He's also far more dangerous than Slade ever was or will be. He Joker's a maniac and we are going to need Batgirl's help. We've both fought him before and know how he thinks. The trick will be predicting his next move."

"Robin, what is going on? When we got here you couldn't wait to get out…and now you and Batgirl are best friends?? I thought you said that you only worked together briefly and that it ended poorly. Besides the Joker's a Gotham criminal…why would you have fought him? That's Batman's department."

"I lied. Batgirl was my partner. I'm the original Robin from Gotham City. And Batman was my mentor."