Being Spoiler again is nothing like Steph ever dreamed it would be. It's not just a breath of fresh air or a touch of excitement—it's electric, it's beautiful, it's perfect. The person looking back at her is both Spoiler and a girl, and that makes it absolutely wonderful, it makes her bounce on her toes and grin from ear to ear, laughing as she looks at herself, feeling vain but not caring as she drinks in the sight of her looking the way she should have looked all those years ago when she had started out.
The armor is a deep shade of purple, sturdy and well-shaped. She knows it's stronger than what many of the others are wearing, and Steph is torn between insulted that Babs thinks she needs coddling and warmth at the concern.
The cloak itself is thick and warm and beautiful, the hood throwing her face into shadow, concealing the fact that she wears a full-face mask still. Her hair is carefully pulled into a bun, held in place with a lot of hair spray and even more pins, and Steph extends her hands out, showing off the rest of her outfit so that she can see it fully in the mirror. Black gauntlets, black combat boots, and a utility belt full of as many gadgets as she had once used as Robin. She looks like a hero. She looks like Spoiler.
It's hard to believe that she had started out with a costume that she had sewn herself, arguing with herself about whether she was even doing the right thing. The armor and the cloth is so far away from her original creation that it's hard to believe that they are even based off the same design.
When she'd started, she'd thought about making Spoiler a girl, about using Spoiler as an escape from what had seemed to be the crushing reality. In the mirror, she sees exactly what she would have adored to see at that time, and it's both exhilarating and crushing as she thinks (again) that she could have had this years ago, if only she had been braver.
It feels so right, she wants to sing.
Cass sits behind her on the bed, fully dressed as Batgirl. Steph is standing in front of the mirrored closet doors that Alfred had installed in Cass's bedroom years ago. Cass watches Steph, knees drawn up to her chest as she looks at her, and Steph is filled with adoration for her girlfriend, who has put up with her primping for much longer than Steph had initially expected.
Steph turns towards her, laughing, and Cass lunges forward and wraps her arms around Steph in a tight, wonderful hug. Steph hugs her back, thinking about how lucky she is, that she gets to do this at will now.
"Missed you," Cass whispers, and Steph closes her eyes and tries not to cry, because she knows what Cass means.
They go down to the Batcave, which is empty. There is no ceremony to stand on—the others are already out in the field, doing their jobs. Steph and Cass are late, Steph fussing over the details of her costume, slowing them down. Cass doesn't seem to mind though.
Steph takes the communicator and places it in her ear, closing her eyes and listening to the familiar banter and chatter. Tim and Jason argue, while Dick tries to coax Damian into admitting that he enjoys flying. Helena and Renee flirt relentlessly as they chase down their target, while the Birds of Prey snark at each other as they fly home from their mission. Selina is on tonight as well, making comments clearly designed to rile up Bruce, who responds only in grunts and short sentences.
Steph's missed this, missed this so much that she almost can't breathe, her throat is so tight.
Cass slips her hand in hers. "You'll be fine," Cass says, grinning.
Steph nods, once, not trusting her voice, and then turns to the wall of vehicles. "What do you want to take?" She spreads out her other hand, trying to encompass the entire selection of cars, motorcycles, and planes, all themed, of course.
Cass grins at her, and leads her behind one of the larger, tank-like Batmobiles. Hiding in its shadow are two bikes, and Steph freezes at the sight of them, awe-struck.
They are meant for her and Cass—they can't be for anyone else. One is black with golden trimmings, a bat gleaming on the headlights, sleek and fast and simple. The other is purple with black trimmings, larger and with weapons, more armored and secure than fast. They're beautiful and well-built and fast and new.
"Dick says, 'Welcome back,'" Cass tells her, and Steph wants to laugh with joy, because Dick Grayson doesn't hate her, like she was afraid he had.
Sometimes, Steph wonders how her heart hasn't burst since her return, she has been so filled with joy.
"Race you!" She grins, leaping onto the purple motorcycle, revving the engine as she goes.
"You'll lose!" Cass retorts, the familiar words sparking the air between them even as Cass starts her own bike. Steph laughs, and they race off into the night, the wind blowing back Steph's hood and flapping Cass's cape like a flag behind them.
The road from Wayne Manor is one that Steph had travelled hundreds of times, but it seems shorter this time, for soon they're in the city.
She's been living in Gotham since her return from Thailand, with the exception of her brief flight from Bruce, but standing in an alley, back to back with Cass, fighting low-level mobsters, fists swinging and adrenaline rushing; the shadows long and the night breeze cold, she knows that she's only been living in a part of it.
She and Cass fight together better than ever; their moves are synchronized, perfectly in line. They dance around each other, covering the other's back and cooperating in a way that Steph, back when she had called herself Art, would never have believed.
The training and hard work is all finally paying off; all of the grueling sessions with Dinah, all the spars with Cass, all the drills run by Babs have created this moment. Steph is good at what she does, and it feels so right.
Spoiler and Batgirl are together again. All is as it should be.
She grabs the fire escape ladder and hauls herself up to the roof.
She looks out over Gotham. She hears the others talking in her ear, and sees Cass standing beside her, ratty cape fluttering in the wind.
Steph pulls off her mask, and then carefully pries just enough of Cass's cowl so that she can see Cass's lips.
She kisses her and Cass wraps her arms around her neck, standing on tiptoe to be able to reach, and Steph wants to laugh, because Cass is so short.
They break apart, and sit down, replacing their masks. Their legs dangle over the side of the building, and they stare out over the skyline, holding hands and just… being.
After a few minutes, Steph nudges her girlfriend, smiling widely even though she knows that Cass can't see her face under the mask. "Tag. You're it." Then she drops off the roof, feeling the wind rushing around her, tucking herself so that she lands correctly. She hears Cass shout in protest, and the tell-tale sound of the wind showing that her girlfriend is following her down.
She runs, and Cass chases her, and Steph laughs, giddy and breathless and in love.