Chapter 9

Soooooo...the awkward silence is still as effective as ever. Barbara then remembers something she said about this guy being like them when they started so she begins there. "If I was to hazard a guess you started to do this because you wanted to help the little guy. Am I right?"

Clark nods slowly once hiding his surprise that she guessed that.

Barbara smiles relieved that she got that right. "So did I," she tells Clark. "So did we," she adds waving her hand between herself and Dinah. "And at first we felt probably like you do. That we wanted to do this by ourselves. That we foolishly could do it by ourselves."

Black Canary picks up the conversation. "But eventually we encountered something we couldn't handle on our own but it's more than the enemies we fight. It is all too easy to be consumed and become lost to the violence and hatred you face. Trust me I've seen perfectly good people become little better than violent thugs because they were alone. They had no-one to keep them from going off the rails. No-one to remind them why we do what we do."

Batgirl picks the conversation up again. "You see terrible things doing this. You see the worst of humanity and I'm not saying this to try and put you off. Quite the opposite. It's because someone has to fight those worse traits of humanity that we all do this. On those really bad days that is when you need your friends."

Clark remains stoic. "That's not a bad speech but nowhere in it is what your point is. What do you want?"

"To help you, to offer you advice because I'm going to wager a bet I know more about how the power in this city is divided between the major criminal elements."

"I don't care about them. I care about helping ordinary people."

"You should care about them," Huntress announces her return as she strides in taking the opportunity to look him up and down once again. "Because those ordinary people you care about, the big players tend to step on them like you might step on a bug."

Clark frowns at Huntress' choice of words. "I never knowingly step on a bug," he defends himself.

"I believe Huntress' point is that when those big players go to war it is the ordinary innocent people who get caught in between," Batgirl clarifies Huntress' argument.

"Sooner or later you'll step on someone's toes and they will step back hard," Canary adds to the argument warning him of what will happen and hoping he picks up the implication that when that happens he will need friends.

You know this was all so simple. Ordinary people in trouble and Clark swoops in and saves them. Now these 3 have added a whole level of complexity he hadn't factored in to his calculations. In fact a part of his mind is saying that secretly this is exactly what he was trying to avoid. Well they're here and Clark needs to decide what to do...except he has no idea.

As if sensing his internal debate Batgirl offers up the following. "Look if you need time to think on it I understand." She reaches into her utility belt and pulls out a small bat-shaped device and throws it to him. "It's a homing device. When you have decided or if you simply want to talk more press down on the centre to activate it and I'll come."

Clark looks at the small device now in the palm of his hand after he caught it.

"Come on girls. We're done here," Batgirl announces and strides out purposefully. Barbara can see not to push him. Hopefully he'll see the logic about the help and advice her experience can provide. Black Canary follows suit.

Huntress slides up next to him and runs a hand down his front, feeling the solidness of the muscle underneath his hooded top. "If you ever ever need to talk," she says her voice sultry. "Come find me and I'll be happy to talk to you about anything for as long as you wish," she adds putting many suggestive tones into her words.

Clark gulps a little bit at the way she is looking at him. "I'll...err...keep that in mind."

"Oh please do," Huntress says virtually purring sexuality.

"Huntress!" Batgirl's voice chides her at the oh so blatant flirting. Huntress mentally mutters a few insults about Barbara and flashes Clark a smile before she walks off, giving her hips an extra sway as she does so. Before she vanishes from sight Huntress takes one last look at him. God do those tight blue leather pants ever show what a yummy ass he has.


A few days later...

"So what will you do?" Lana asks Clark. She was back from London and Clark had told her what happened. Right now they were sitting at her kitchen table upon which the homing device sits. Despite the fact it had actually been a few days since that meeting Clark still hadn't made his mind up about what to do.

Clark sighs and rubs his brow. "I haven't a clue."

"Well maybe if you try and explain to me the arguments I can help," Lana suggests.

Clark will try anything at this point. "Ok," he agrees. "First thing for accepting I guess would be that they do know more about what goes on and have a lot of experience dealing with it. They could teach me a lot. I would have to be stupid not to see that."

Lana nods. "Ok. That's a for. What's an against?"

"That I would make a complete ass of myself."

"Clark that's a manifestation of your fears and insecurities. It is not a logical reason against," Lana points out a little surprised she is being the dispassionate logical one. Clark was always more that. He always kept his passions under tight control. He still does. "Besides Clark I'm fairly certain they would be understanding that you're new at this. They were all new at it at one point," she argues.

"I guess...but wasn't this what I was trying to avoid?" he asks her the question he had been asking himself. "I was trying not to be like the others."

Lana counters that point with this. "As I recall Batgirl isn't a member of the Justice League, Black Canary took a leave and didn't they kick Huntress out?"

Clark does remember some kind of press release the Justice League issued mentioning kicking Huntress out.

Lana continues, "In that case you would be hooking up with people who think like you do possibly. I guess to be certain you would have to ask them."

Clark concedes Lana has a point and Batgirl did say that if all he wanted to do was talk some more they could do that.

"By the way if you possess x-ray vision does that mean..."

"Can I see through their masks?" Clark fills in in regards to Huntress and Batgirl he assumes Lana means. Black Canary doesn't wear one so who knows how she manages a normal life.

Lana nods.

"I could," Clark admits. "But I respect their privacy."

Of course he does. Clark Kent was raised too well to do anything else. "So back to the issue. What will you do?"

Clark takes a deep breath. "I'll...talk to them some more. Ask some questions. You know clarify a few things before I decide what kind of partnership I guess it is I want."

Lana can't argue that that doesn't sound sensible. Perhaps caution is for the best. It is just then Clark's phone rings. He looks at the ID and Lana watches as his face lights up in a way she hasn't seen it light up since...well since they were dating. The look he has now is the one he would get when his gaze would fall upon her.

"Hi Babs!" Clark greets his caller cheerfully.

'Babs?' Lana mouths. Just what has he been up to while she was out of the country?

Lana watches him intently but silently as he has his conversation. It is like a lot of conversations people have where they catch each other up on what has happened since they last met or talked except Lana has this feeling if she wasn't around this would be the kind of conversation that would last for hours. The kind of conversation new couples have as they discover things out about each other. Clark cuts this particular conversation short by agreeing to takes 'Babs' out for dinner.

"Sorry about that," he apologies to her.

Lana remains calm, her face not indicating her thoughts or feelings. "So Clark care to tell me when you got yourself a girlfriend?"


Barbara ends her too short phone call with Clark, a smile tugging at her lips at the thought of seeing him again. Any logical reason she had come up with why getting involved with someone was a bad idea just seemed to melt away at the overpowering happiness she found she felt hanging around Clark.

She liked this feeling. She hadn't felt it in what seemed like years. She felt lighter...course that could just be because she's finally free from under Bruce's oppressive foot but she chooses to believe because it is because she has found this man she likes.

Barbara laughs at herself. God she feels like a teenager with a crush...but what a guy to have a crush on she thinks with a smile. Well that is a few hours off yet. She turns her attentions to the little scanner that picks up homing signals. Still nothing.

Barbara isn't like Bruce in once sense. While she can be almost as calculating as him she still has some faith left in people. She doesn't, unlike him, manipulate people into doing exactly what she wants when they think they are making their own choice. That is Bruce's sole domain.

Still she is beginning to wonder if she made a misjudgement here...no. She won't become as cynical as Bruce. He'll activate it. She is certain and then she can help him. That's all she wants to do.

Barbara's thoughts drift back to dinner with Clark...

Wait.

Did he just ask her out on a date?

Let her review this. Dinner with a guy she likes as more than a friend. Yep that's a date.

Panic sets in. She hasn't been on a date in months. Not since Dick left. Oh dear god she has nothing to wear and her hair...what style will she use.

Advice. She needs advice so as quick as a heartbeat she is on the phone. "Come on. Come on. Pick up," she mutters impatiently.

"Hello!"

"Dinah! Thank god! I need your help!"

"Whoa. Calm down," Dinah advises at hearing how panicky Barbara is sounding. "Now what's going on? Is this something I need to get Helena for?"

"What? No!" Barbara says firmly not wanting Helena's advice. She can pretty much guess what Helena would advise. "I need advice about a date I'm having tonight."

"Date?"

Barbara can practically hear Dinah's lips curving up into a smile. "Yes," Barbara confirms that is what she said.

"That's great Babs!" Dinah says sounding delighted. "Is it that Clark guy you mentioned?"

"Yes."

Dinah was really pleased for her friend. Barbara was so uptight(Dinah blamed Bruce for that). She needed a nice guy to help her relax. Well so does Dinah she thinks to herself sadly although she can't decide whether she is ready yet for that after Ollie. Well that's a debate for another time. "So what advice do you need?"

"What should I wear? How do I do my hair? I don't want to come across as desperate but you know sophisticated and interested...and god why am I suddenly all of a panic? I've been on dates before..."

Barbara's babble is cut off by Dinah laughing down the phone. "What's so funny?" Barbara demands to know frowning.

"Nothing really. Barbs everyone panics slightly when they go out on a first date with someone they like. It doesn't matter how often we do it. It's normal to be nervous because you don't want to mess it up. Trust me all those questions you just asked I ask myself the exact same thing when I go on a first date. So calm down and tell me what kind of date you agreed to."

"Oh god!" Barbara exclaims. "He just said dinner but I don't know how formal a place we'll go to."

"Well then we'll just have to pick something that can work for most restaurants but you've known him for a few weeks. You must have some idea what his tastes are."

"Well...um...he's a farmer really. Simple I suppose is the word that describes his tastes. He doesn't go for all those expensive over-the-top places that Bruce likes. Clark likes...stuff that reminds him of home. Warm, family friendly. That kind of thing," Barbara explains from her collective experience of talking to him and the places they have been together.

"Huh," Dinah says intrigued. "Not so different from you really," she remarks because Barbara kept things simple as well. If you looked at her apartment it was more functional than anything but around the edges were the hints of family closeness and warmth. Barbara and her father were very close.

"I suppose," Barbara says although that thought never occurred to her before.

"Well then I don't think you have to go on some panic spending spree. Go to your closet and describe what's in there. I'm sure we'll come up with something," Dinah assures Barbara.


Lana sits, arms folded across her chest as she digests what Clark has been telling her about Barbara...which is quite a lot really. They must have really hit it off...which Lana is glad about. Clark needed a nice girl in her opinion because he was too nice a guy to be so lonely. However what puzzles her is that he claims that 'Babs' is not his girlfriend. "Clark do you like this girl?"

"Yes."

"I see and did you ask her out to dinner?"

"Yes."

"So let me summarise. You asked a girl you like to dinner. That's called a date Clark," Lana tries to make him realise. "Therefore that makes her your girlfriend."

Clark scratches his head. "Well...um...I...suppose that's one interpretation."

"No Clark. That's the only interpretation," Lana says firmly.

"I have a girlfriend?" he queries not quite believing it. He hadn't exactly set out for one but as he thinks on it, thinks about how light and happy he has felt around Babs, a feeling he hasn't felt since...well since Lori. "I have a girlfriend," he states, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Lana claps her hands together and then rubs them together in eager anticipation. "And you know that means I get to help dress you."

"I...wow...a date. I haven't had one in ages...I have no idea what to wear," he starts babbling nervously.

Lana shakes her head in amusement at him briefly wondering if he was like this before their first date. Lana remembers how she was a complete and utter nervous wreck. "Clark you've been seeing her for over two weeks," she reminds him trying to take the edge off his nervousness.

"Well yeah but those weren't dates. Those were two friends hanging out."

"A date isn't that different Clark. In fact it is basically the same. Two people doing something together they enjoy. Only difference is that you are opening yourself up to the possibility that it could lead to something more."

"Well that last bit is the big bit especially for me."

Right. The him being an alien thing. "Well Clark no-one says you have to rush into anything about revealing yourself. Take it slowly and if she has a real problem with that then I would say she isn't the one. I mean you did take a long time before telling me."

"I wanted to tell you sooner but I was afraid about how you would react."

"Which I understand. I know it's a big thing for you. Also if it helps at all Mel once told me that dates don't have to be about seeking 'The One'. They can simply be about socialising and enjoying yourself. You should look at it that way and simply go out and enjoy yourself with Barbara," Lana advises.

Clark supposes Lana is correct. After all in reality he has had very few occasions these last few years to just enjoy himself. "Ok," he accepts her advice. "But...um...you'll still help me dress right?" he requests. He wants to look at least half decent.

Lana smiles. "Of course," she assures him.


That very evening...

Barbara tosses one pair of shoes across her bedroom. They did not go with this outfit she had decided on. With Dinah's help and a long dig through her closet she had finally settled on wearing a black dress. Not a formal or scandalously revealing dress or anything. Truth is she has too many scars to wear anything that shows too much flesh. Not that she is ashamed of them. It just raises too many awkward questions.

She smooths the dress down as she looks at herself briefly in the mirror. Knee length which was fine because she has this scar on her left thigh where a bullet nicked her one time. Kind of sad that she has to choose clothes by whether they cover her scars or not. She briefly wonders how Bruce explains all his scars all to all those women his playboy alter ego requires him to be seen with.

Barbara returns to her shoe search and finally finds the pair of black heels she had been looking for and slips them on. She takes a few awkward steps around her bedroom. She hasn't wore heels in ages. Hell she hasn't been on out a date in ages. In fact she hadn't been out on anything you could count as a date for far too long considering she and Dick were in a relationship. Proof positive of how bad their relationship had gotten by the end.

Her doorbell rings. That had to be Clark. Ok Babs. Deep breaths. Remain calm. You're Batgirl remember and there is no pressure. Dinah said so. Dinah said for her just to go out and enjoy herself and Barbara wants to take that advice.

She takes one last opportunity to check her hair, she had decided to just let it hang loosely about her shoulders, and her make-up before walking to her door. She opens it and can see Clark, dressed in a open top light blue shirt and black pants. He stands there obviously nervous, with his hands behind his back looking like a sweet bashful boy.

After several seconds... "Hi," he greets her.

"Hi."

He produces flowers from behind his back. Yellow Forsythia; suppose to represent excitement and anticipation.

Barbara smiles. She hasn't been given flowers since...ok Dick was so failing to live up to his end of their relationship because if she has to think about it it has been way too long. Barbara takes the flowers from him. "Thank you. They're lovely. Come in and I'll find a vase for these," she says assuming she has a vase somewhere.

Clark steps over the threshold. Babs looked...wow. She was really a very beautiful woman. He has a look around her apartment and sees varying electronic devices lying about as well as perhaps surprisingly a lot of books which seems out of place next to all the technology. It was like she was spanning two worlds. The past and the future.

"So care to give a girl a hint where we're going?" Barbara asks him as she finds a vase under her sink. God knows how it ended up there.

"Oh...how do you feel about Italian?"

"Like most people I would say I love Italian."

Clark breathes a sigh of relief. The restaurant had been Lana's suggestion. She went on a date there once and loved the place and Lana's opinion is good enough for him.

Barbara walks back and places the flowers now in a vase on her coffee table. "Almost as much as I love the apple pie a certain someone keeps giving me," she jest with a playful smile.

Clark smiles in return. He doesn't pinch them from work as one might think after that first encounter. He actually dug out his mother's recipe and made some apple pies himself. "Shall we go?" he asks.

Barbara grabs her purse. "Delighted to."


When they step inside the restaurant Barbara mentally congratulates herself on her assessment with Clark. It was warm and family friendly just like she thought.

During dinner after the two of them get past being slightly nervous Barbara sees more of what she had already noticed in Clark. Under all that 'aw shucks' exterior was an incredibly intelligent man with a sharp intellect. In fact it was surprising how smart he was because he didn't make any effort to show he was. If anything he downplayed it. Like her he also seemed to be well read. Seemed to know a lot about history. Barbara majored in history. Barbara found it...found him intriguing.

The contradictions was what she found interesting. Barbara knows a lot about men with contradictions. Bruce is riddled with them. It was what made him so infuriating but Clark's contradictions...or what she had seen of them just made him more interesting to her. She finds she wants this to progress so she can know and understand him better. For example why a man who can obviously choose any career path he wants is working waiting tables. Sure the economy is bad but it isn't that bad.

"I can't believe you graduated university at 18," Clark remarks when Babs mentioned it. Sure he noticed she was smart but that is really something. A little voice in his head points out he could have done that too if he hadn't been busy trying to make sure he wasn't noticed.

Barbara waves him off. She had never been one to boast about her intelligence. She didn't deny it but she didn't have that big of an ego to go around advertising it. "What about you?" she asks him back about his education.

"Oh I never finished my course. My dad died in my last year and I had to go home and look after the farm." he says his voice tinged with sadness.

"I'm sorry about your father," she says sympathetically. "What were you studying?"

"Journalism."

"Journalism?" she queries intrigued. The farmer who wants to be a reporter. There's that interesting contradiction again.

Clark tells the story of how he became interested in journalism. "Went to New York for a holiday once with my family when I was 8. Met a girl same age called Chloe and she spent an hour explaining to me how she was going to be a journalist one day and stand up for truth and justice and change the world and it stuck with me. I ended up with this grand vision in my head about making the world a better place through the power of my words. Sounds silly now," Clark says shaking his head about how silly that probably sounds.

"The pen is mightier than the sword," Barbara quotes. "Words have done more to change the world than any weapon every will so no I don't think it's silly. In fact sometimes I think the media needs more people that believe that."

Clark smiles at her words. Barbara smiles at the way how Clark's smiles shows up these adorable dimples on his cheeks.

"So whatever happened to this Chloe?" Barbara asks curious.

Clark shrugs. "Don't know. Never saw her again. Ships passing in the night kind of moment."

"That could have been us. I only stopped by at that diner for a coffee."

"That would have been a shame," Clark says with such sincerity and with such an honest heartfelt expression it makes Barbara's heart skip a beat.

"Yes. It would," she finds herself murmuring.

The waiter comes and delivers their desserts.

"So you never said what made you leave Gotham," Clark mentions.

Barbara plays it cool and shrugs. "Just felt like moving onto something and some place different. You know getting out there in the world by myself. Forging my own path."

Clark quietly accepts her answer but it leads into one thing he has noticed about Barbara. She is restrained...careful...guarded about what she says. Clark can recognise it because he does it himself all the time.

Barbara tucks into her devilishly sinful chocolate cake. Chocolate; a gift from heaven. "How did you know I liked chocolate?" she asks since she allowed Clark to order desert for them.

Clark grins goofily. "Doesn't everyone," he quips.

Barbara laughs. A happy carefree laugh. She has missed that feeling. She never laughed around Bruce. Laughed at Bruce behind his back certainly. 'What a old misery he is,' she thinks rather uncharitably but truthfully.


Gotham City...

"Well well well. What brings Nightwing to Gotham?" Black Canary asks when he appears in his blue and black costume upon the rooftop which she currently occupies.

Nightwing frowns at her attitude although he should be use to it by now. As Babs' best friend Dinah had obviously taken Babs' side in their break-up. "Actually I have a question about Barbara."

"Ask her yourself," Dinah tells him tersely.

"I tried. She hung up on me and tonight she isn't answering her phone."

"She probably turned it off."

"Why?"

Dinah sees no reason not to tell him. "Because she's on a date."

Dick, unable to believe he heard that, exclaims, "She's on a what?"


Metropolis...

Barbara is actually holding her sides heaving with laughter after Clark told her a story about his friend Pete, the head of the cheerleaders and by the end of the story Pete in a distinct lack of clothing. By the way it was not lost on her that Clark avoided telling her a story about himself but still it was so funny it hardly mattered at the moment.

Barbara has to lean against her apartment door to stop herself falling over as she regains her breath. The evening was at its end and while Barbara could say it wasn't the greatest date she had ever been on it was up there in her top 5, mostly because of the company, and certainly it was the best time she had had in quite awhile.

As Barbara regains her breath she realises they are at the slightly awkward moment at the end of the date. To kiss or not to kiss that is the question.

Clark rubs the back of his neck nervously. "Well I guess this is it."

"Guess so."

"I...uh...had a really great time."

"Me too," Barbara finds herself openly admitting.

Knowing Clark enough to realise he is on the shy side Barbara decides to take the initiative. She steps forward and up on her toes(Clark is half a foot taller than she is). Her left hand slides onto Clark's cheek as her lips carefully touch his. She feels him return it and there is the contradiction again. Restrained passion and hidden power yet the utmost gentleness. When it is over a sigh of contentment escapes her lips.

"So...we'll have to do this again," Clark says, his voice having a husky quality to it.

"Definitely."

"Goodnight Barbara."

"Goodnight Clark."

Barbara steps into her apartment and closes the door. She leans back against it and her lips curl up into a smile. You can tell a lot in a 1st kiss. You can tell if there is a spark that is worth pursuing. While Barbara can't say it was a kiss that made the Earth move or planets realign it certainly had a spark and perfused enough warmth into her being to make her want to see how far she can take this relationship with Clark. Certainly enough for 2nd date.

After the door is closed Clark blows out a breath. He hopes that was an ok kiss. Note it has been 5 years since Lori and his last romantic kiss of any sort. He is seriously out of practice not to mention as always due to his immense strength he has to be extremely careful even when doing something as simple as a kiss.

As for his end of it the kiss was...it made him feel...he definitely would like another soon. He may be rusty at this dating game but tonight showed him there was enough there to at least give this a go. Clark turns and heads back down the stairs to his waiting taxi. As he does so a happy grin comes to his face.


The next day...

The favourite part of Barbara's day. That moment between awake and asleep in the mornings when the nice warm feeling of being asleep still prevails and before the full feeling returns to her body and the full extent of whatever aches she got the night before hit her.

Except this morning there aren't any because she was out on a date. As she recalls that the smile returns to her face. She stretches out her muscles just mere moments before her phone goes off.

Barbara picks it up off her bedside table and checks the caller id. She should have guessed. "Morning Dinah," she says with a yawn.

"Morning so how was your date?"

Before Barbara can answer there is the sounds of scuffling and Dinah arguing with someone else.

"Did you tap that yet?"

Helena.

More scuffling sounds. "Give that back!" Barbara hears Dinah yell.

"Sorry," Dinah apologises for that. "She has a one track mind."

"As if!" Barbara can hear Helena denying that sounding like one of her pupils.

Barbara is in such a good mood she even smiles at Helena's usual bluntness. "You can tell her no. I didn't sleep with Clark."

Barbara then hears Helena muttering softly.

"Best I don't repeat that," Dinah decides. "So how was it?"

"It was dinner," Barbara answers being coy.

"And?" Dinah presses for details.

"Italian. Very nice. He got me chocolate cake for desert."

"Wow he already know your weakness!"

Barbara bites her lower lip to stop from laughing. It was a well known fact her weakness for chocolate.

"And?" Dinah continues to press

"He brought me flowers too."

Dinah moans in exasperation. "Yeah. Yeah. He's a gentlemen. Get to the good part already."

"He's very good company. Smart, funny, charming."

"You're doing this on purpose," Dinah grumbles.

"Doing what?" Barbara asks sounding overly innocent.

"Don't make me send Helena around," Dinah threatens. "Get to the end of the date. Did you kiss?"

"Yes," Barbara replies plainly.

"And?"

"I wouldn't say no to him kissing me again...and to throw Helena a bone if the time comes I would not be adverse to him doing other things," she confesses because Clark's gorgeous and she's only human.

"If you ever need advice on that...!" Helena starts to shout over the phone before Dinah shoves her away.

"More seriously," Dinah says prompting Barbara to speak honestly about her feelings.

"Clark really is nice. I find him intriguing."

"Ugh!" Helena complains in the background. "If she says he's like a puzzle she wants to solve hit her!"

Barbara will admit she sees Clark a little bit like that. It's her nature to try to see patterns and solve puzzles. "Is Helena trying to make a point?" Barbara asks.

"My point," Helena says having obviously been given the phone. "My point is men are not complicated. It's simple. You let them know from the offset what you want. If they want something different then move on."

"So for arguments sake say you were interested in more than your usual one night stand you would tell the man that?"

"Absolutely. It saves so much frickin wasted time from pursuing a relationship that isn't going to deliver what you want."

Helena has the weirdest view of relationships Barbara has to say. "Well ok Helena I'll take that under advisement for the next time I'm out with Clark."

One problem. Barbara isn't exactly sure what she wants out of this. She only know she likes the feeling she gets being around Clark and wants to experience more of it.


When Lana gets up she finds Clark is up before her.

Not unusual.

She finds him making breakfast.

Again not unusual.

What is unusual is that he is singing to himself. Singing badly off key which goes to prove there is one thing Clark can't do but singing he is. Happy joyful singing if Lana was to describe it.

"Good night?" Lana inquires with an amused grin.

Clark turns his head and greets her with the biggest smile she has seen on his face in many a year. "Morning Lana and yes."

Lana sits herself down at her kitchen table, places her hands under her chin and waits expectantly.

And waits.

And waits.

And waits.

Lana knows he can feel her gaze staring a hole into his back.

He cracks.

"You're not letting me go without hearing about last night are you?"

Lana smiles a little bit smugly. "Well if you're offering then I would say no you're not."


Wayne Manor, Gotham City...

"A date Alfred. Can you believe that?" Dick complains to Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce Wayne's butler, as he sits in the kitchen that morning. Since he was in Gotham Dick thought he would at least visit Alfred. Seeing Bruce was coincidental. It was Alfred Dick liked.

"No Master Grayson," Alfred replies as he prepares Master Wayne's breakfast. It was still too early for Bruce to be up but Alfred had this timed to perfection by now to have it ready for exactly when Bruce would wake up.

"I mean first she goes off to Metropolis and all I get is an e-mail after she has already moved and now this. I mean she has some nerve doesn't she?"

"Yes Master Grayson," Alfred says in agreement.

"Alfred. Are you agreeing with me just to humour me?"

"I would never contemplate such an action Master Grayson."

"That's your polite way of saying yes."

"May I speak freely?"

"Of course you can. You know that."

"Did Miss Gordon not make it clear that you and she were 'over'?"

"Well she didn't exactly say that," Dick fumbles over his words because that is exactly what she said.

"Is Miss Gordon not an attractive young woman?"

"Of course she is. She's beautiful."

"Is she not intelligent and more than capable of looking after herself?"

"You know she is."

"Therefore as an attractive intelligent young woman who is currently single is she not free to pursue a relationship with whomever she wishes?"

Dick sighs. "You always have to bash me with logic don't you."

"And forgive me for this but I hear rumour you pursued a short-term relationship with Ms Huntress."

"Very short-term...but I get your point. I'm being a hypocrite."

"I hope so Master Grayson. I am not judging you for your actions. You are young and misjudgements are understandable. If you wish to revive your relationship with Miss Gordon may I suggest you take some time to realise where it went wrong. Otherwise you are simply doomed to travel full circle and end up back here where you are now."

"I have to know how did you end up so wise Alfred?"

"Experience Master Grayson. While I do consider it an honour I have not spent my entire life working for the Wayne family."

Dick sighs again. Alfred is right. He has let his emotions runs away with him. He really does need to think on this...or go over to Metropolis and get on his knees and beg Babs to take him back. As if knowing what he is thinking Dick finds that Alfred is staring at him. "Ok fine. I won't rush off. You happy?"

"Ecstatic Master Grayson," Alfred says as dry as the Sahara desert. "Now do you wish for some breakfast?"

Dick nods. "Yeah. Thanks...for everything."

"It is my honour to serve."


Author's Note: I thought a nice simple date for Clark and Babs would be good and I'll leave you all to assume from where I got the Chloe Clark met from. Thanks to everyone who wrote reviews. Next up; Clark chooses to meet with Batgirl which ends up having many unforeseen consequences.