Chapter 8

Back at Barbara's apartment Dinah comes out of the bathroom having showered and changed. What a night!

She finds Barbara still in her Batgirl costume sans the cowl and cape at her laptop working. Helena is in the kitchen snacking. Dinah steps up next to Barbara. "So think that was our guy?" she asks.

"It would not be a rash assumption," Barbara replies.

"Well I suppose we can look somewhat brightly at tonight in this sense. Those weapons are not going to be on Gotham's streets," Dinah says trying to put a positive spin on this evening's events.

"Did anyone see what happened to Two-Face?" Barbara asks wondering if he survived.

Dinah looks in the direction of the kitchen since Helena had been fighting Two-Face. "Helena!" she shouts. "Did Two-Face escape?"

Helena takes a moment to try and recall. "Not sure but I don't remember seeing him when we woke up...or A'Daire either for that matter."

Dinah looks to Barbara. Assumption in their line of work is that unless you see the body they ain't dead and even then they don't always stay dead. She then looks at what Barbara is doing on her computer. "You're writing a report?" she queries.

Barbara shrugs. "Better to write it all down for Bruce to read then spend 20 minutes trying to explain it. If he wants something clarified he can phone."

Something suddenly occurs to Dinah. "Did you ever get around to telling Dick you moved here?"

"I sent him an e-mail."

"Harsh Barbs," Dinah says critically because that is just so impersonal.

Barbara freezes mid-typing and sighs. A hand goes to her head. "I just...talking to him won't achieve anything except a blazing row."

"That's a big assumption Barbara and if that is really what you think will happen then maybe you two are better off separated because...and I know this is probably ironic coming from me considering myself and Ollie's break-up but if your first assumption is that you can't even talk without arguing then your relationship is completely finished."

Barbara frowns. Part of her knows Dinah has a point and if she tries to imagine her and Dick getting back together...well truth is she can't. Maybe she needs to start letting it go.

Helena walks up tucking into some noodles she heated up in the microwave. "So are we worse or better off after tonight?"

"Position wise I think we are where we were. Knowledge wise we learned something. We now know Intergang has some secret boss. Dinah is right in the fact Gotham won't be seeing those high-tech weapons but Two-Face probably survived so the struggle for control will go on."

"And our hunky saviour?" Helena wonders.

"Hunky?" Barbara queries that description.

"Definitely."

"Apart from learning he is hunky," (Dinah can't deny that he is), "did we learn anything about him?" Dinah asks.

He can fly," Barbara answers. "We didn't know that before tonight."

"And if we're wondering what else he can do next time we meet just give me an hour and I'll tell you exactly what he is...capable of," Helena says suggestively.

"Jesus," Dinah swears. "Helena is all you think about is how to get into his pants?"

"No," Helena replies with a shake of her head before her lips curl up into a smirk. "I think about how to get him into mine."

Dinah just shakes her head and gets back onto the part of the discussion where Helena isn't figuring out how to rack up another conquest. She quickly counts up all his assumed powers in her head. Speed, strength, energy projection, freezing ability and now flying. "That's at least 5 different abilities."

"Yes," Barbara agrees.

"That's odd," Helena points out. Both Barbara and Dinah look at her quizzically. "Just because I'm not an expert doesn't mean I don't know metahumans. They don't usually have that many abilities," she explains her comment.

"She's right," Dinah says and she is not an expert either despite being a metahuman but she knows enough to have to agree with Helena.

"I know," Barbara says agreeing with the comment. It doesn't add up. This guy can't be a normal metahuman. The options are some kind of experiment to produce a metahuman with multiple abilities or magic or...he is something else entirely.

"So question remains how do you track him down?"

"Actually we might have gotten a break on that front tonight," Barbara says.

"Really?" Helena queries sceptically.

"Just because you were too busy checking out his biceps doesn't mean the rest of us were."

"Yeah but they were really awesome biceps."

"Under his hood in his right ear. Did any of you spot it?"

Dinah thinks back while she was lost in that smile of his. In his ear she caught a glimpse of a... "Bluetooth. He had a Bluetooth."

"Precisely and when he was helping me up I heard the chatter in it. It was the emergency service bands."

"He was monitoring them. So what? We do that," Helena points out not seeing where this is going.

"It was too small to be scanner and a decryptor. It wouldn't have the software to decrypt the signals. It was simply a receiver," Barbara deduces.

"Which means he has a base somewhere where he keeps the equipment and it is being broadcast to him," Dinah follows the logic.

"Which means there is a signal which can be traced as soon as I find the frequency. Ideally I would need to be near him."

Helena sniggers causing her to nearly choke on her noodles.

"What's so funny?" Barbara asks.

"You need to be near him? Or you want to be near him? Not that I blame you but remember I called dibs."

Barbara rolls her eyes at Helena and looks at Dinah. "Why do I suddenly feel like I'm 16 again?"

Dinah has to laugh.


"So you saved Huntress, Black Canary and Batgirl?" Lana asks Clark to clarify.

Clark nods. He told Lana because he had to tell someone. He tells her about some of what he gets up to. Other parts of it...well she doesn't need to hear it. It was bad enough Clark had to live with some of the darker things he has seen even in a few short weeks. Lana doesn't need her world blackened.

"What were they like?" Lana asks more than interested. Fascinated really about what heroes like that are like personality wise.

"I didn't stay and chat Lana."

"Why not?"

"Because I would have made a fool of myself. They're real genuine heroes and I'm..."

"A hero."

"Someone just trying to help," Clark corrects her firmly.

Lana rolls her eyes at him. What is it with him that he is so reluctant to accept what he is doing makes him a hero. At least to her it does.

"By the way we are going to have to talk about this costume," Clark raises the issue with her.

Lana's eyes light up hopeful she is about to be praised. Clark's rather sour expression puts a dampener on that. "Problems?"

"Problems," he confirms.


Dinah lies awake in Barbara's guest bedroom. Since they were sticking around for a few days Barbs was putting them up. They tossed a coin to see who got the bedroom and who got the couch. Helena lost and got the couch. Speaking of Helena Dinah was awake because there was something she wanted to talk to Helena about and was waiting for Barbara to fall asleep. This was a conversation she should not hear.

Satisfied she has let enough time past Dinah silently gets out of bed and equally silently walks towards the lounge. Years of training being put to use. She finds Helena sleeping on her side, her long dark hair covering half her face and drool at the corner of her mouth. Dinah makes a face. Ick. She gently prods Helena. "Hey. Wake up," she says at a loud whisper.

Helena's reaction is an instinct built up from years of training and fighting as she lashes out at what she think is an attacker. It takes all of Dinah's skill to block. "Whoa. Wait. It's me!" she pleads, still talking at a whisper.

Helena's eyes narrow and adjust to the light to make out the wild blond hair of her friend. "What the fuck are you doing?" Helena asks incredulous.

"I need to talk to you and I didn't want Barbs to hear."

Helena's eyes take Dinah in puzzled. "Talk to me about what?"

"Well a couple of things but it involves Dick."

Helena's face falls to Dinah's surprise. Helena collapses back down on the couch and rubs the sleep from her eyes. "What do you want to know?" she asks with a resigned tone not really wishing to talk about this but knowing she isn't getting out of it.

Dinah sits down next to Helena. "Ok essentially you're calling dibs when you're seeing Dick?" she says totally confused. Helena is...blunt and straight forward when it comes to relationships but she is not so insensitive as to cheat on a guy.

"First off that was not serious and second off it really isn't because I called it quits on that."

"When?"

Helena sighs. "How much do you remember of that House Warming Party night?"

Dinah makes a face as she remembers waking up curled around Helena. "Too much about the morning."

"Gee thanks. You do wonders for my ego," Helena says sarcastically.

"Sorry. As for the night it's sketchy."

"Remember Barbara confessing she hadn't looked at another man?"

"Vaguely."

"That's when I realised it. She wasn't over Dick and look Dinah you know people are not perfect especially not me but I'm not so cold to people's feelings...especially my friend's feelings that I would set out to try and deliberately hurt her."

Dinah will concede that. In fact she can hear what amounts to guilt and regret in Helena's tone at her actions...or as much as Helena is capable of.

"If you want a justification I really thought they were over. After that night when I realised for Barbs at least that it wasn't I called it off."

"What about Dick? Is it over for him?"

Helena shrugs unable to give an answer. "Not a mind reader and we didn't talk about it."

"So you are free and single," Dinah summarises what this means.

"Yep," Helena says her voice neutral as if she can't decide whether she is happy about that or not.

There is a silence for a moment before Dinah speaks again. "I can't blame you for calling dibs," she admits. "I mean he was really built," she says in admiration of the male specimen the man was.

"But you're not over Ollie yet," Helena says being remarkably insightful.

"I know I should be. He cheated on me...but I just..." She trails off and lets out a sad sigh as the feelings of pain and betrayal well up.

Helena puts an arm around her friend. "You'll find someone better," she says with utmost assuredness. "And if you want I can pay the archer a visit and inflict some mafia style vengeance on him."

"You mean you haven't already?" Dinah says trying to sound surprised.

Huntress shrugs. "I was busy and if I had I guarantee you would know about it because he would never be able cheat on anyone ever again because he would be missing the necessary...organ."

Dinah chuckles despite the fact if she asked Helena would actually do that for her. She leans into Helena. Despite Helena's abrasive attitude Dinah really does appreciate the friendship and while Helena will never admit it she appreciates Dinah's friendship almost more than anything.


A few days later...

Barbara had stopped at a diner near lunchtime for just a coffee originally but her grumbling stomach soon had her ordering lunch as well. She had been traversing the city and from certain strategic positions seeing if she could pick up that signal the guy in the red and blue was using. It was her best bet short of accidentally running into him. She had made some progress in narrowing down the source but it was still a huge area of a densely packed city she had to scour. It was going to take more time.

Barbara's order is placed down in front of her by the tall waiter who Barbara will admit is downright gorgeous especially with that smile of his and those eyes. She had never seen cerulean blue eyes like that before. They were amazing...breathtaking even. As he walks off she can't stop her inner female taking a long and lasting look at his butt and committing it to memory so despite her break-up with Dick Barbara can say she is still a woman who appreciates a good looking and extremely polite and friendly man. If only she had the time and if only her other life didn't involve constant mortal danger she would be tempted to ask him out but she knows better than most what that other life does to relationships.

If she was Helena Barbara wouldn't hesitate. Helena is not shy about getting what she wants when it comes to men but she is not Helena. She is Barbara Gordon and right now she can't see how she can fit a man into her life. After all how do you explain the missed dates and the bruises and the injuries. She tried that with a couple of other guys before she started dating Dick and frankly she sucked at it. Those other guys didn't last past the 5th date before they couldn't take it anymore. It hurt slightly at the time but Barbara understands now why they left. She made it look like they were just way down her list of priorities which they were in exactly the same way Dick did to her so she no longer blames them.

Barbara mentally sighs sadly. Seems like as long as she chooses to remain Batgirl she will just have to get use to being single short of finding someone else in this game she might like. She can't think of anyone off the top of her head at the moment who would fit the bill.

Just then her phone rings. She pulls it out her purse and looks at the ID. Damn. This is a conversation she could do without. She steadies her emotional defences and answers it in a polite formal tone. "Hello Richard..."


Clark checks his watch. The usual lunchtime crowd will be in soon. Since he started this job he found that there were regulars who always showed up and he had gotten to know a few. A couple of them were already here. Ben and Donny. Shortly others like Charles, Garien, Hellacre, Arcadia, Meejay and Imfanci would appear. He severely doubted those were their real names but he didn't judge. They were all part of a superhero fan club from what Clark had overheard. Despite the numerous criticisms of the Justice League he has heard they still had their fans. They would speculate on varying heroes specifically their love lives. He believes their latest debate was on who would make a suitable match for Wonder Woman.

Speaking of the others here they come now. They sit at their usual tables and Clark takes their orders while the females bat their eyelashes flirtatiously at him. He simply smiles politely in return. After he leaves them he hears Arcadia call the 'meeting' to order. Not with a gavel but with this bat she always seemed to be carrying. It worried Clark slightly how much she seemed to love that bat. He had this inkling that one day she would use it on him. Not that he should be worried since unless it was made of kryptonite it wasn't like it could hurt him.

'Damn,' Arcadia thinks to herself as she watches the gorgeous hunk that is the waiter leave with their orders. She knew she shouldn't have brought her dull old Aluminum bat. He was never going to be impressed with that. She should have brought that special one she had made out of green meteor rock. Oh well next time. She turns her attention back to the meeting. "So where were we?" Arcadia asks as in where did they leave off their discussion from last time.

Imfanci, in her Green Lantern shirt, replies, "Who would make a suitable match for Wonder Woman," she reminds them.

"Right," Hellacre says. "Although I can't believe she doesn't have anyone," she says with a disbelieving shake of her head. "Its been 3 months since she has been seen with anyone."

Clark knows he shouldn't eavesdrop but he just can't help himself. He also can't believe that someone as beautiful as Wonder Woman is single. Surely she should have men lining up round the block to date her.

"I can't believe that," Meejay says and Arcadia and Imfanci express similar sentiments.

At the next table Ben pipes up, "Well you know if she's single so I am. I would date her."

"Yeah right!" Donny pours scorn on that.

"What? It could happen," Ben says in his own defence of his ability to be attractive to the Amazon Princess.

"Perhaps you should set your sights a little bit lower," Charles suggests.

"What? Like Zatanna?"

Garien closes his eyes trying to stop himself 'hulking out' at the stupidity of that suggestion.

The 4 ladies ignore Ben...as per usual and resume their debate. "I don't get it," Arcadia says. "I mean surely she has it all. Looks, power, wealth and on top of that she's a superhero."

"Only when she chooses to come down for that ivory tower that floats above our heads," Garien offers in criticism.

The 4 ladies ignore Garien too...as per usual. In fact Clark had noticed the 4 ladies tended to ignore most of what the 4 men had to offer. He refrains from putting forward an opinion on that that could be construed as sexist.

"Most men are probably just intimidated by her," Imfanci offers as her opinion.

"And those who aren't and whom she has dated," Meejay says before pausing and making a face. "Yeesh. To say they have been wanting would be an understatement."

"In that case can you blame her for not wanting to date," Hellacre put forward. "I mean lets look at the men she has dated. Cads, bores, fratboys," she counts off on her fingers. "Someone like her is going to be tough to impress. Money, status, smooth talking...none of that will cut it."

Listening to this Clark has to wonder how they have such an informed opinion of someone they cannot know personally. Although to be honest he would have a tough time arguing with anything they have put forward so far.

"Ok lets take it from the top," Arcadia decides taking charge. "First off any man who dates her has to be hot...at least a little."

Meejay nods in agreement. "And tall. At least her height. Can't see her dating someone shorter than her. Someone more like I don't know 6'3...6'4...about Batman's height and build."

"What about Batman?" Imfanci puts forward as a suggestion as for someone for Wonder Woman to date.

"No way!" Hellacre strongly disagrees with that. "She doesn't need all dark, broody, serious, has a stick up his ass and wouldn't know a joke if it bit him on the cape. Which woman wants to end up competing with a guy whose sole purpose in life seems to be his mission. Batman is definitely out."

"Are you dissing Batman?" Ben asks Hellacre, with a hurt look. He loved Batman.

"No. I'm pointing out how unsuitable for Wonder Woman he is. You know he does great and vital work and all that."

Ben doesn't quite buy that. Also "How do you know that is really what he is like?"

"Vida told me," Hellacre refers to her online friend.

"How does Vida know?"

"Well she knows people," Hellacre answers vaguely.

"Knows people. Of course," Ben mutters in a disparaging tone.

Ben finds himself pelted with a scrunched up napkin for that. He is about to retaliate when he spots Arcadia tapping her bat in the palm of her hand with a dangerous gleam in her eye like she is daring him to give her an excuse. Ben wisely just drops it.

"So where were we?" Arcadia asks, mentally noting to remember to smack Ben one when no-one is looking.

"She needs a guy who is sure about what he wants," Imfanci states. "And also shares her goals and vision for the world."

Well that counts him out Clark muses as he continues to listen. He has no grand vision for his life like Wonder Woman does. He is just trying to help a few people and even with that lowly goal he is still feeling his way into it. Certain about what he wants in his life he is most definitely not.

"Bottom line," Imfanci continues, "is that Wonder Woman is not some simpering woman who plays games. She is a warrior and therefore as straight forward and practical as it comes. On the downside that warrior nature of hers along with her royal upbringing means she is also way too serious and uptight. To counter that any guy she ends up with would have to balance her out you know. He would have to be laid back, doesn't take himself too seriously, a little goofy and mischievous and...able to make her laugh against her will...help her see and appreciate the little things in life. Things she might overlook due to her upbringing. Simply he would have to get her to see that she every so often she need to take a frickin break from all that responsibility she dumps on her shoulders."

"Problem for her is attracting that guy. She couldn't flirt to save her life I'm betting," Meejay argues. "I mean you see her on tv and she is always poised and regal and so damn stiff."

"Well it is perhaps not something she understands," Hellacre says in Wonder Woman's defence. "She comes from a completely different culture. Even after all this time you have to wonder if she ever will bridge the differences fully. Then on top of that she has all these powers and is practically immortal. That is a lot to overcome. I doubt a normal mortal human could really understand."

"Then she needs someone with similar powers who can understand," Arcadia puts forward. "Someone who can also keep up with her in a fight. As a warrior I doubt she has any respect for someone who just sits on his ass and waits for stuff to happen. She needs a man of action."

"Yeah...in bed," Imfanci says with a suggestive smile.

The 4 ladies giggle.

"See that's totally me," Ben claims.

"Only if you want to sing high notes for the rest of your life," Arcadia points out.

"Huh?"

"She tosses tanks around like toys just think what she would do to...little Ben," Arcadia says with a snigger. "Can you say crushed grapefruit?"

Ben, Garien, Charles and Donny visibly wince. So does Clark.

"Can you not say things like that please?" Charles pleads with them.

"What he said," Garien says in agreement.

"You have no idea what imagery like that does to a guy," Donny adds to the pleading.

"Wusses," Arcadia says with a snort.

"Although it is a good point," Hellacre says through her laughter. "I mean it must be awful to be with a guy and worry about breaking...parts of him."

"Yeah there can't be much motion in the ocean if you get my drift," Meejay adds.

"Does that mean she is a virgin?" Imfanci wonders.

"Could be I suppose," Arcadia concedes. "In that case the guy for her would have to match her physically so lets go through the League's powerhouses. Aquaman, Hawkman, the Martian Manhunter..."

Helllacre cuts Arcadia off. "Aquaman is married not to mention he is a pompous ass. Last I checked Hawkman was dating Hawkgirl and the Martian Manhunter...I don't know where to even start with what's wrong there. Lets just start with the fact he is a telepath. Can you imagine having no secrets ever?"

"Green Lantern?" Arcadia tries next.

"NO!" Imfanci all but screams. "He's mine...I mean I'm sure as nice as he is he isn't the best match...personality wise. They're just not right for each other."

"Uh huh," Arcadia says not believing that for once second. They all knew about Imfanci's crush on the Green Lantern. What Imfanci is probably thinking is how the Green Lantern is just right for her.

"Also not physically either," Meejay argues. "I mean take that fancy ring away he's just a normal guy."

Imfanci brightens up at that as it is another reason to count Green lantern out of this discussion. "That's right! I mean the ring makes him strong but what happens if it runs out of power halfway through."

"Oh god!" Ben complains. "You're doing it again with the imagery!"

"Nobody was speaking to you!" Arcadia bluntly tells him. "Now be quiet!" she snaps at him. "Don't make me come over there!" she warns him waving her bat at him in a threatening manner.

Ben drops his gaze and starts texting someone on his phone.

Satisfied Arcadia turns back to the really important discussion. How to get into that cerulean blue-eyed waiter's pants...no wait. That was tomorrow's topic. Today's is about Wonder Woman's love-life or lack there of. "You know I read one of her interviews where she described growing up. From that I got she is an outdoorsy girl and she loves her homeland. She likes her horses and nature and tranquillity...and she said she missed that here in the city. She is not a natural city girl is she? She's got some country in her. She would have to get a guy who has a love of home and the land to appreciate that kind of thing."

"So in other words all our discussion has come up with is that the perfect guy for Wonder Woman doesn't exist," Hellacre sums it up.

"Eh?"

Hellacre elaborates. "What we have to find her is a hot, kind, funny, understanding, goofy, superpowered, heroic...farmboy who can kick ass but doesn't take himself too seriously. Doesn't exist."

"I hate to say this but Hellacre is right," Meejay says.

"Ditto," Imfanci adds while she doodles on a napkin planning her perfect wedding to the Green Lantern and hums 'Here comes the bride'.

Ben coughs loudly. "You know I may not be a farmboy or superpowered but I meet the rest of those criteria."

Charles slaps his own head. "What did I say? Set your sights lower."

"I did. I am," Ben argues as he continues to text.

"What are you doing?" Garien asks.

"Debating with Mark which of the Birds of Prey is the hottest."

"Batgirl," Donny says.

Charles snorts. "It is so the Black Canary."

"Actually it's Huntress," Ben argues.

The 3 then look to Garien to settle this. "Don't look at me. I think Fire is the hottest."

Green. It has to be because she wears green and burns green fire. It links to the 'hulking out' thing Garien does when he is angry. Don't make him angry. You wouldn't like him when he is angry.

Clark drops off the group's meals while dismissing the fact the ladies ended up describing him to a certain extent. He had already ruled himself out. Besides he isn't hot. Only average looking and kind of bulky. Then there is the fact he and Wonder Woman exist in two different worlds. Like he thought when Lana said it. That would never work.

Not that Clark isn't looking for someone...ok he isn't. He is busy at the moment with all this helping people. His eyes then drift to the redhead stranger who had come in today. When he first saw her enter and before he gotten a good look he almost thought for a moment Lana had dropped by to visit which she does every so often. He doesn't accuse her of it but he thinks she is checking up on him.

Anyway his eyes take in the redhead having an animated conversation on the phone. She is really quite attractive...or maybe he is letting that initial thought of a passing resemblance to Lana cloud his judgement. He could talk to her he supposes...but...

Clark lets out a mental sad sigh. What is he doing? He pretty much accepted awhile back that he is probably doomed to single-hood. Relationships for him are just immensely difficult. After all at which point do you bring up the fact he is an extraterrestrial?

Clark looks around him at the people who he looks like but is not one of. He can't imagine even anyone who knows him can understand what it means to be so lonely in a sea of people.


"No. No. No. No. You are not listening to me," Barbara tells Dick over the phone in increasing volume and anger. "I'm not leaving Metropolis and coming to Bludhaven...This isn't about doing what Bruce wants...No it isn't...Yes this was his idea but I chose to come here and you know what I'm actually enjoying it because I don't have to explain myself to him...or to you. I'm living my life the way I want which is something I thought you would understand but then again I think I looked at you through rose tinted glasses for too long...what do you mean what do I mean by that?...Dick you aren't stupid. Figure it out...how many times do I have to say it I am not coming to Bludhaven. We're over Dick until you figure out what is important. Until that day don't bother phoning me again unless it is some sort of work related emergency. Goodbye!"

She ends the call in total frustration and anger. He still doesn't get it. Stupid, selfish, moronic, self-important, pompous jackass!

Barbara lets out a sad sad sigh. She pulls her glasses off her face and lowers her head into her hands. She will not cry. He isn't worth it. Still she sniffles a few times and her eyes fill with moisture.

Several minutes go by until the sound of a plate being placed on the table in front of her encourages Barbara to look up and she finds a piece of pie there. Barbara looks up at the tall handsome waiter who is looking at her with some sympathy. "I didn't order that," she points out.

"No but you looked like you need it. Ma always use to say there was no problem a good pie couldn't sort...or that could have been me that came up with that. Anyway it holds true and while this isn't up to my mother's standard it is still pretty good." Clark then looks around a little nervously. "Don't tell the owner I said anyone's pies were better then his," he requests.

Barbara laughs a little at that. She picks up the fork, cuts a bit of pie off and spoons it into her mouth. It actually wasn't bad.

"I don't mean to pry but are you alright?" Clark asks her, feeling a little concern. He had overheard snippets of her phone call in between the other conversation. It didn't sound pleasant and then he could see she was trying to stop herself crying. He had done that exact same thing after he lost his mother feeling he had to make himself look strong until he was alone.

Barbara smiles kindly at the concern. "I'm fine. Just my ex-boyfriend who I'm thinking of call-barring or erasing his identity from existing. Depends how vindictive I'm feeling."

Clark rubs the back of his neck in his nervous gesture. Relationships aren't exactly his strong point considering its been 5 years since his last one. All he can offer is "My mother once said that she thinks that you go through bad relationships so that you can recognise what a good one when it comes along."

"Your mother sounds like a wise woman."

"She was," Clark says with a sad wistful smile.

Was? Barbara internally cringes at his sad smile. 'Way to go Babs,' she chastises herself. Maybe she can dig herself out of this hole by offering the following. "My mother died long before I was old enough to learn her pearls of wisdom. It was just my father and myself mostly."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I'm sorry too about your mother. It was recent wasn't it," she guesses from how fresh the pain looks on his face and being Batgirl means she is good at reading people.

Clark nods. "A few months ago," he admits.

Barbara stops eating the pie for a moment and offers her hand. "Barbara Gordon," she introduces herself.

Clark takes the hand. "Clark Kent."

Barbara arches one eyebrow slightly at how strong the grip was. It was really firm...yet gentle at the same time. Curious contradiction.

Clark finds himself called away to another table. "Sorry," he apologises.

"Duty calls," Barbara says in understanding. All too often her duty calls her too.

"If you ever need to talk or something feel free to drop by. I'm here 6 days a week," Clark makes the offer just...because...well she seemed so upset and he doesn't like to see women upset. "The pie's on me," he adds meaning she won't have to pay for it.

Barbara manages another smile. What a nice kind guy. Bit too much 'aw shucks' about him to be on her usual profile of men she looks at but then again with her track record maybe she should widen that criteria. Besides even if she tells herself she isn't looking for a date at the minute she could do with a friend. Helena and Dinah live and therefore spend most of their time in Gotham so she is in fact kind of lonely.

Not particularly wishing to get caught in the lunchtime rush that is starting to build Barbara pays up and leaves. Clark takes a moment to watch her go when a beeping from his pocket gets his attention. He mentally swears. He was suppose to switch that off. It is his relay pick-up from his monitoring system. He reaches into his pocket and flicks it off. As much as he may want to help he is doing his job which he goes back to doing so with a smile and as always Hellacre, Meejay, Arcadia and Imfanci smile back at him with this look Clark can't recognise or maybe he doesn't want to as it reminds him too much of predators eyeing up their prey.

Outside Barbara has to deal with her own beeping device. However this one is the scanner she rigged up to find the signal the red/blue guy was receiving. It only lasts for a few seconds but she manages to get a direction of where the signal is being broadcast from. No distance though so it could be anywhere in that direction. That should help further narrow down the area she has to search. The fact she picked it up also means he was close by or perhaps he was flying by. Barbara even looks up to the sky for a moment just to check but no. Nothing. No sign at all.

Barbara's phone rings. This had better not be Dick again. When she spots the ID she smiles in relief and happiness. She answers it. "Hi dad!" she greets her father cheerfully.


A couple of weeks later...

Clark had taken some time off from helping people and his ongoing costume dramas, still in the hoodie whose hood falls down every time he moves in superspeed, to share a drink with Jimmy. They have shared quite a few drinks in this bar. Clark would go as far as calling Jimmy his friend now.

"So where's Lana?" Jimmy asks since last time he had seen Clark Lana had been with him. He likes her...quite a bit actually. She was so different to Lois.

"London for a fashion show," Clark replies. "Where's Lois?" Clark asks back because it seemed to him like she and Jimmy were a pair or something. Clark endured her but her manner bothered him. She was rude and bossy and seemed to have little regard for other people's feelings or whose toes she stood on to get a story.

"Trying to track down that Blur character," Jimmy says in reference to Metropolis' newest hero who to this date no-one can get a picture of more than some blurred figure. Hence the Planet referred to him as 'The Blur'. Jimmy had been dropped tonight for Lois' 'boyfriend' Hal Jordan. The idea being Jimmy guesses that a Green Lantern will be better equipped to find this guy than a lowly photographer. Jimmy has a feeling it is really just so Lois can relieve her 'work related stress'. Jimmy takes a long drink of his beer and tries to block out the imagery his brain is conjuring up.

Clark sips on his beer and doesn't say anything. It has been kind of weird all these weeks being the very person Jimmy is looking for and lying about it. Clark hasn't liked doing it but feels it is probably for the better. He doesn't want fame.

"So anything new going on with you CK?" Jimmy wonders.

"Not really."

Which means Clark is still working at that diner he mentioned. Jimmy doesn't get it. Clark is a smart guy. Can do anything he wants Jimmy thinks but seems happy just waiting tables. The only reason Jimmy can think of is... "So met anyone...like a girl?"

Clark chokes on the beer he is drinking. Jimmy smirks. Nailed it!

Jimmy gives Clark a minute to get over his coughing fit. "So what's her name?"

"We're not dating," Clark insists.

"I never implied you were. I just asked for a name."

"...Barbara."

"She nice?"

Clark nods. "Yes and smart. Really smart...and fun to a degree but..."

"But?"

"I get the feeling she is holding herself back. Not allowing herself to enjoy anything too much."

"Any idea why?"

Clark shakes his head. "I've only known her a couple of weeks and I don't want to come off as pushy."

Jimmy chuckles lightly as it is such a strange comparison to Lois who would not hesitate to push to get answers.

Clark sips on his beer. After meeting her that one day he never expected Barbara to come back but come back she did and since it was a quiet time he sat down and talked to her. He found out she comes from Gotham and only recently moved here. That led to on his day off the two of them going to see some of Metropolis' sights since Clark had never bothered to do that since coming to stay with Lana. Clark believes they had fun. He did with her and he hopes she did with him. Since then they have met up infrequently and Clark discovered she is almost scary smart but she seems to try and not show off about it. He finds he looks forward to the next time they meet up.

"Do you like her?" Jimmy asks.

Clark's brow furrows. "Do you mean like like?"

Jimmy nods to confirm that.

"Um...maybe. I'm not sure. It's been..." he lets out a sigh, "a long time since my last girlfriend. I'm out of practice."

"Preaching to the choir brother," Jimmy says as unfortunately it has be awhile since his last girlfriend too.

"And I think...she has not said it implicitly...but I think her last break-up was kind of hard. I'm not sure she is over it," Clark got from that overheard phone conversation and Barbara's reaction afterwards to it.

Jimmy winces. Rebounds could hurt. Clark should be careful. A point he makes.

Clark concedes the point.

"So will you risk it and ask her out on a proper date?" Jimmy wonders.

Clark takes awhile to ponder on that. "I don't know," he says which is way different from what he was thinking a couple of weeks ago when he first met her but he likes her and he will admit he's lonely and misses the companionship of a woman and he isn't meaning friends like he is with Lana. He is meaning being in a relationship. Dating, getting to know someone, holding hands, kissing, sharing an emotional bond, the whole thing...Clark will admit he misses it.

"Well if my advice means something..."

"It does," Clark assures Jimmy.

"I think you should give it more time until you are certain she is over her ex. I dated someone once who wasn't and I got to watch her go back to him just as I was starting to fall for her. Wasn't fun," Jimmy says with the pain it caused him all too evident in his voice.

'Poor Jimmy,' Clark thinks to himself. He's too nice a guy to have that happen to him. In reply Clark says, "Well I wasn't planning to rush into it anyway. Like I said I'm out of practice." That and considering his 'I am an alien' secret it is better to take time and work out how or even if Barbara could handle it. "In the meantime I like having her as a friend. Must admit to not having too many of those," Clark says with what almost sounds like regret.

Jimmy looks at Clark oddly. He was such a nice guy that it almost didn't make sense what he is saying about having only a very few friends. It was just another aspect of Clark that didn't quite make sense.


That same night Barbara is out with Helena and Dinah who had popped by for a visit.

"So I have to know what's new that has got you in such a good mood?" Dinah asks Barbara.

"What do you mean?"

"The fact that you're smiling more tonight than you have in weeks and you just seem happier. You were even humming a merry little ditty earlier."

"Yeah. I noticed that as well," Helena says.

"Is this really the place for this?" Barbara asks pointedly as she delivers a spinning kick to one thug while throwing a batarang at another hitting him on the head.

The Birds of Prey while out in Metropolis had come across a couple of warring motorcycle gangs who didn't much care who got caught in their war. Very Sons of Anarchy.

Huntress kicks one guy between the legs before punching him out cold. "It isn't like any of these guys will remember this. Hell it'll be amazing if any one of them remembers their names."

"That assumes they had enough brain cells to know their name in the first place," Black Canary points out as she disarms a guy of his crowbar, knees him in the gut and slams his face into her fist 3 times. Ok so it was the other way round with her fist hitting his face but it's the end result that counts.

"Good point," Huntress agrees.

The 3 heroines soon take care of the thugs and leave them to the police as they depart on their own motorcycles.

"So you never answered the question!" Dinah says to Barbara at a shout as they zoom through the streets.

"Yeah. Like what's his name?" Helena adds taking a guess at what has Barbara in a good mood.

"How about none of your business!" Barbara shouts back.

"Ah. So it is a guy!" Helena takes from that.

"We're not dating!" Barbara says sounding overly defensive.

"She never said you were!" Dinah points out with a smile. It is unusual to see Barbara so flustered. She was normally icy cool. "So who is he?"

"Just someone I met!"

"Wow informative!" Helena teases.

Barbara pulls her motorcycle into an run-down industrial site and comes to a halt. Dinah and Helena pull up next to her. She cuts the engine and lets out a sigh. She knows what comes next. The interrogation.

"So what's his name?" Dinah asks, her expression open and her voice sympathetic.

"Clark. His name is Clark." She tells her two friends about meeting Clark. She had gone back after that 1st meeting because she was lonely to be blunt and when she spent time talking to him to her immensely pleasant surprise she found he was really very intelligent. So much so that unlike Helena she doesn't have to dumb down her vocabulary. A joke which she vocalises which earns her a funny dirty look from Helena but has Dinah in stitches.

Funny. Clark was funny and is comfortable at poking fun at himself which is a big change from the overly serious, overbearing men she usually has to deal with.

"You like him," Dinah concludes from Barbara's expression and her tone of voice which one or twice almost had a kind of dreamy quality to it.

Amazingly that catches Barbara completely off guard. "W-What?"

Helena laughs and points at Barbara. "Oh you do so like him. You're blushing!"

"No I'm not," Barbara protests although the heat flowing through her cheeks says otherwise.

"So describe him. What does he look like?" Helena asks since Barbara really hadn't described what this Clark looked like. So far Barbara it seemed had been more interested in telling all about his sweet, kind personality. Honestly that is the kind of man that makes Helena yawn. So not her type...until Barbara describes him. 6'3 tall, curly back hair, body like a Greek God(Babs' words. Helena swears to God).

"How do you know what his body looks like?" Dinah asks since as far as she can figure Barbara wasn't actually dating this guy.

"Oh...um...there was an accident when we at this café and someone spilt some hot coffee on him and inevitably he had to take his shirt off..." Barbara stumbles over her words her cheeks heating up again at the memory. During those few minutes when Clark was shirtless Barbara's inner female had been wolf-whistling like she was a hormonal teenager. In fact it was a miracle her tongue didn't end up on the ground.

"Ok so he gives the uptight virginal Princess' Gods a run for their money and you haven't tapped that yet?" Helena exclaims in disbelief. If it was her she would as sure as hell have done so.

"No. I have not 'tapped' that yet and I'm not sure I'm going to. I met up with him because I wanted a friend."

"But you like him," Dinah reminds Barbara. "Why not ask him out? I mean I'm not over Ollie completely yet. It doesn't mean I'm not interested in perusing the field for when I am ready. What's holding you back?"

'What is holding her back?' Barbara asks herself. "Well there is the issue of my night job," she argues since that was one reason she had set up in her mind against relationships.

"Maybe he could handle it," Dinah lists as a possibility without dismissing the argument because you can't. What they do affects all their personal lives. It's a fact.

"I don't know," Barbara says unsure by that. "He comes from this tiny little farming town in Kansas...and Helena don't you dare make one joke!"

Helena snaps her open mouth shut and waves that off. Although it's a shame. It was a really good joke.

Barbara continues. "As I was saying he comes from a place where normality exists. I'm not sure he could handle my life."

"It's up to you," Dinah says not pushing Barbara into doing something she obviously has reservations about.

Barbara brow furrows slightly under her mask. It...it is something she can ponder on but not right now as she pulls out a device from her utility belt.

"What's that?"

"It's what I've been using to pick up that radio signal of our guy in the red and blue."

"The hottie?" Helena queries suddenly much sounding more interested.

"Yes Helena. The hottie," Barbara confirms with a roll of her eyes. "Anyway these last couple of weeks I've managed to narrow down the source of the signal to an area of Metropolis and when I looked at it on a map I saw right in the middle of it was this run-down industrial site," she says gesturing at the area they currently occupy.

"And it occurred to you that a virtually abandoned site like this might be a good place for some kind of base of operation," Dinah follows Barbara's logic. You see canaries are just as smart as bats.

Barbara shrugs. "As you said." She looks at her device and picks up the signal. "This way," she announces and walks off with Helena and Dinah following.

They eventually come across an abandoned factory. "The signal is coming from inside," Barbara announces.

The 3 enter carefully on their guard. There is no way to be 100% certain that this is correct and second there is no way to be certain how the guy will react if they surprise him. They go up some old stairs to the manager's office and inside find a plethora of rather antiquated looking electronics with bits of circuit boards and who knows what else jury rigged wired into them. In a matter of seconds Barbara is there looking it all over.

"Looks like junk," Helena expresses her opinion.

"That's because it is," Barbara says in confirmation.

"Huh?" is Helena's less than eloquent reply to that.

"It is junk. He must have gotten all of this off a junk heap and then pieced it all together and altered it and...and...it's just genius," Barbara says, her eyes lit up in almost child-like joy at what her she is beholding.

Helena lets out a low whistle and leans over towards Dinah. She brings her hand up to the side of her mouth and whispers, "Watch out. She's having a nerd-gasm."

Dinah elbows Helena in the ribs. "Shh," she tells her friend off.

Barbara sits down in front of the computer and smiles nostalgically. The model in front of her was the first computer she ever owned. She loved that old thing. Spent hours reprogramming it to do things it was never meant to. She remembers even writing a search programme to try and figure out who Batman was. Came up with the wrong answer but still good memories.

This computer had been wired up to some more modern circuit boards she can see to probably boost its memory capacity and processing speed. Whoever did this was...god she would love just to spend a week chatting to him. She tentatively starts trying to access it and see what she can learn. Tentatively because...well she would need a few hours to figure out what this guy has done with his alterations so if she isn't careful who knows what she will end up doing accidentally.

Since Helena knows this will take awhile she volunteers to go scout the perimeter. Better to leave Barbara to her work.

Dinah stands there to essentially watch Barbara's back while she works and Dinah's eyes fall on the radio and what must be a scanner. "I'm thinking if we want to talk to this guy couldn't we just summon him on that," she says pointing at the radio. He would hear them on his Bluetooth.

Barbara stops and looks at what Dinah is pointing at. Dinah is correct. They could do that. "I just want to see if there is anything I can learn first off this," she decides referring to the data on the computer. Several minutes go by. "Hmm," Barbara says intrigued.

"Hmm?"

"I think this is a diary but...I have never seen a language like this."

Dinah comes to peer over Barbara's shoulder and on the screen are a whole jumble of some some kind of hieroglyphic like writing. "You think you can translate it?"

"I'm not sure where to start," Barbara confesses. Languages can be hard to translate and considering how complex this one looks without a key she thinks this one may be impossible.

"Well I hate to repeat myself but perhaps it is time we just go for the direct approach if we want answers and call him."

Barbara looks at the radio. The risk of this is that he could react badly and considering how powerful he seems to be...but they didn't come here just to get no answers. She moves over to the radio and unplugs it from its hook up which is to act as a relay. The radio's microphone was up on a shelf. Barbara gets it down and plugs it in. Here's hoping he is listening. She clears her throat and speaks. "Hello," seems like a good start.


Clark is saying his farewells to Jimmy as the young man speeds off in his taxi home. Clark shoves his hands into his pocket and pulls out the Bluetooth. He looks at it with a wry smile. Who would have thought Clark Kent farm boy could know how to rig that up let alone using it to go around helping people.

He flicks it on deciding he really isn't tired and seeing if there is anything going on where he could help.

"Hello," a female voice speaks and Clark looks at it in complete shock. What the...?

"Hello," the voice repeats herself. "This...this is Batgirl and if you're hearing this it is because we found where you operate from. Now I'm not certain how you are reacting to this but however you are taking it please listen. I'm not your enemy. The other night you said you were a friend. If that is true then I'll be here waiting for you. I only want to talk to you as a fellow crime fighter and as a friend."

Clark looks at the device blankly. How did they find that and what does he do now?


Back at the factory Barbara looks at Dinah. She isn't sure how long this will take. She thinks of something else to say. "We're not looking to expose your identity. Trust me I know how important that is to be kept a secret. I also know how important it is to have allies and friends otherwise this existence can be a lonely one and also very short. You're not alone and you don't have to do this by yourself. Just give me one chance to speak to you in person and if you tell me to leave you alone I give you my word I will. Just give me a chance...please."

Several moments go by when there is a sudden gust of wind that blows Barbara's and Dinah's hair about. It makes them turn around and there he stands dressed as they saw him before in the red/blue hoodie combo. He folds his arms across his chest, stands to his full height and even Barbara and Dinah will admit he looks quite intimidating. He at the very least had a presence you could not ignore.

Clark has no idea if this is a good thing or monumentally stupid but it was the pleading please that did it. "You want to talk. Then talk," he tells them, his voice resonating a commanding tone, totally hiding the fact that on the inside he was a nervous wreck.

Barbara takes a breath. 'Ok Babs. Here we are despite your and a certain other person's doubts you could find him. Take that Bruce! Don't screw this up now,' she mentally talks herself up. She looks up at him. Really she better not screw this up. Otherwise Bruce will never let her hear the end of it.


Author's Note: You can thank my friends in the SMWW Yahoo group whose names I used for that little debate about who is the perfect man for Diana. They gave me the bulk of the ideas. Thanks guys! Also my usual thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Clark and Barbara go out on a date.