Chapter Text
The one and only Batgirl (at the moment) perched on the edge of the rooftop of a warehouse, watching Scarecrow’s goons unload trucks full of wooden crates, cardboard boxes, and very suspicious metal boxes. The men looked like ants down below as she took pictures to forward on to GCPD—as if they would actually take action against Scarecrow’s operation. Batman and a combination of his sidekicks would be left to take care of the situation.
Since Bruce had been killed by Darkseid, Gotham had become different. Or more accurately, Gotham’s nightlife had become different—it felt dangerous in a way Steph hadn’t really ever felt. As much as she didn’t get along with THE Batman, there was some feeling of safety, that if she was ever truly in peril, he would be there to get her out.
I am Batgirl, and I’m actually fully capable of saving Gotham from Scarecrow’s fear toxin evil scheme. Batgirl can do anything. Steph thought as she selected the photos to send to Oracle. This stakeout was likely over for the night; it took Crane a bit to set up his base of operations, so this part of the docks would be a key part of her patrols. She would have to update Dick.
Dick taking on the cowl was necessary, but he wasn’t Bruce. In many ways, he was better, but in others, he was a step behind. When Batman was a step behind, the Rogues were a step ahead. Now, it was Batgirl, Oracle, Batman B, and Robin against Gotham. Cass was somewhere—it was better not to think about it—and Jason was alive and a goddamn crime lord for shits and giggles. Tim was alive, but that’s about all she knew.
The easy way to update him would be tacking a note onto her report, a time-consuming but helpful routine that he chose to keep around in order to keep everyone on the same page. The reports were where she found half of the information she needed on the Rogues, but also boring as hell to write, especially when she just wanted to go to sleep.
Dick, on the other hand, would probably want to talk to her. Which was not ideal. Every single conversation they’ve had since Tim had disappeared to “find Bruce” or whatever had devolved into fights.
Stephanie stretched and mentally prepared herself for whatever this conversation with Dick would entail. He may say that she was not experienced enough to take on Scarecrow, but she was Batgirl now, not Spoiler. Cass trusted her with this mantle before she disappeared. And now Batgirl was cold and tired; she wasn’t going to get anything else tonight. To the Batcave, Steph thought as she headed towards her batbike that was hidden in a WayneTech shipping container.
She had never been close with Dick. She had dated Tim, worked alongside Bruce, understood Jason (in a way), and became friends with Babs and Cass. Dick was like everyone else’s brother or a weird ex-situationship that kept coming back around—like he was with Barbra. Stephanie decided that they were like co-workers rather than family. They had some things in common: both being Gotham vigilantes, loving Alfred’s biscuits, and dumping more sugar than necessary into their coffees. Other things they didn’t have in common, like trying to raise Bruce’s crazy assassin love child. But she was glad that she couldn’t relate there. So, she went into the cave like it was an office, or what she assumed like an office was like (it wasn’t quite like the sitcom). She almost always came out the other side worse for wear.
The Batcave was quieter than it used to be. On any given night, Batman and Agent A would have welcomed Dick, Tim, Steph, and Cass in after a patrol. Even with Dick back and forth between the Titans, Blüd, and Gotham, and Tim balancing Young Justice and his sidekickly duties, there was always someone in the cave. As she cut the engine of her bike, she knew that wouldn’t be the case tonight. There was the low hum of electricity, powering gadgets and the lab, but otherwise the cave was silent. She missed the noise.
Stephanie went through the de-Batgirl routine: checking over her bike, showering, and checking over the uniform for any tears before she sat down to type out her report on the Batcomputer. Dick did not appear. Nor did Alfred, or even Damian, who loved to come and attempt to bully her; eight-year-olds were rarely successful at bullying anyone who wasn’t also eight.
Logging into the Batcomputer, she shot a message to Oracle:
Batgirl: is the batboy still out?
Oracle: En route to the cave. Eta 10 minutes.
Oracle: Robin should be in bed.
Batgirl: thx queen
Oracle: Stakeout went well?
Batgirl: you saw the pics, idk if there’s anything more to say
Stephanie flew through the report, as she had said to Oracle, there wasn’t much to say about the stakeout, only a few other minor details she needed to add, and attached the last few reports involving Scarecrow for reference. And a brief write-up about an incident earlier in the evening with an attempted mugging. Before long, she heard the chime that indicated someone was coming through the tunnel into the cave.
It’s weird seeing him drive the Batmobile, wear the cowl, be THE Batman. Steph spun the chair 180 degrees and walked towards the bay where Dick would park the car. Her Ugg slippers made the metal floor echo even with her soft steps. This wouldn’t be a fight, she thought as she pulled her wet blond hair into a bun, just an update, then home and bed.
Batman opened the door—and it was uncanny. Dick and Bruce had always looked like they could be brothers, but now with Dick wearing the suit and cowl, the resemblance hit her like a truck.
“Hey, Batboy,” she started, before he cut her off.
“Batgirl,” he stated, exhaustion clear in his tone, “I figured you would be home by now. It’s late.”
Steph mimed checking her watch, “Not our latest night lately.” She paused as Dick started running diagnostics for the Batmobile. “I just wanted to let you know that Crane is active again, and I’m starting to pull together the case. He’s setting up at the docks. Most of my night was a stake-out trying to gather intel on security patterns and what he’s having delivered,” she continued rambling until Dick interrupted once again.
“Stephanie, I ask for reports for a reason. Thank you for telling me, but what do you actually want?”
“I want to take care of it. This is my assignment. You and Robbin won’t intervene unless Oracle explicitly tells you to.”
“This is a team; Bruce isn’t here anymore.”
“Oh, okay,” Stephanie paused; she knew she shouldn’t antagonize. But she was right: “ So is that why Jason isn’t allowed in the cave? Why you took Robin away from Tim? Why Cass left? So, right now it’s O, you, me, and the murder child—the dream team.”
Dick slammed his palm into the hood of the Batmobile, the sound reverberating in the otherwise empty cave. “I’m sick of doing this with you, Stephanie.”
“Listen, I am trying to help you keep this all together, but I’m not like you. I’ve never been Batman’s perfect soldier, and I sure as hell won’t start that now. I’m going to follow this through. Batgirl has never been Batman’s sidekick and sure won’t be now.”
Dick glared, and animosity dripped from his voice. “Maybe that’s why the real Batgirl abandoned her family, and now we’re stuck with you.”
“Go fuck yourself, Dick-head,” Steph said, trying to hold some sense of composure; he wouldn’t see her cry.