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The hour it took for the jury to deliberate had been the longest in Barbara’s life. But finally it was over and the evidence Batgirl, Batwoman and Red Hood provided cleared her father’s name. She wanted to cry and cheer and sleep for a month. It was over.
Outside the Courthouse, her father was being led by his lawyer through the crowd of reporters, held back by police who now suddenly were on his side again. Barbara sighed and watched, trailing behind them and ignoring any questions fired her way.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a familiar figure turn the corner and disappear.
“I’ll catch up to you at home, Dad,” Barbara muttered, breaking away from the crowd without waiting for his answer.
She hurried around the street corner, careful to look over her shoulder and make sure none of the reporters got it in their mind to follow her instead.
Jason was just swinging a leg over his bike when she caught up to him down and across the empty road.
“Hey, you taking off?” Without saying goodbye was what she didn’t add to that question.
“The city is safe, the Commissioner is cleared. I think we’re done,” he said with a shrug.
“Oh…” said Barbara, taken slightly aback by his words.
“I don’t mean you and I,” Jason said quickly. “I think we could work together again sometime. If you’re up to it, of course. Maybe even see if Kate can stand to put up with us more.”
“Right. Maybe sometime…” Barbara said, frowning. “So where are you going now?”
Jason shrugged. “Catch up with Roy and Kory,” he said, pausing and raising an eyebrow at her. “Want to come with me?” he asked nodding to the spot behind him on the motorcycle.
For a good moment, Barbara regretted the acceptance letter she had received just last week. The idea of just hopping on that bike with him, still in her nice clothes from being in court, was so enticing.
“I can’t, Jason,” she said.
He looked genuinely disappointed, like a fairly large part of him had hoped against hope that she would throw caution to the wind and go with him.
“Yeah, I figured. Batgirl can’t really leave Gotham,” he said.
“Actually … she is, for a while. Well, downtown Gotham at least,” she said. “I’m moving out of the city and going back to school next month.”
“Wow. Why do you need more school, Barbie? You’re already brilliant.”
She felt herself blush at the compliment. “Well, it’s nice to have a piece of paper like a Master’s degree that says it for everyone else,” she said, smiling. “And … I just need a break from all of this, especially after South America and everything here …”
“You know, you once accused me of preferring to push people away and run away from problems,” said Jason softly.
Her shoulders fell. This was the exact reason why she had told no one except for her roommate who had been present when the letter arrived. What if she was just taking the easy way out? What if she wasn’t being true to herself? What if she was making the wrong choice in taking a break to be a normal twenty-one year old woman? She didn’t think she’d be able to stand the look of disappointment from everyone else.
“But I know you aren’t running away. You’re taking care of yourself. It’s okay to be selfish and feel things, Barbie,” said Jason, smiling at her.
Barbara smiled back in relief. All throughout their partnership he had seemed to understand her emotions and gave her room to have them and use them. Especially the anger. But now she was just tired and unwilling to let herself succumb to darkness any further. That was never who she wanted to be.
“So where are you going?”
“Just across the river to Burnside,” said Barbara.
He nodded. “I’ve been there. Maybe I could, uh, visit when you’re not busy.”
Barbara was aware that he was asking to see her, not Batgirl. Their whole adventure had been rife with worry, anger, mind control and adrenaline. But she would have been blind to not notice the stolen glances.
It also helped that Batwoman had spilled to her how Red Hood had went on and on about how great she was during part of their mission. “Wow, that kid is carrying a torch for you, BG,” she had said, shaking her head. Batgirl had blushed and quickly changed the subject.
“Yeah, I think I’d like that,” Barbara said, deciding that maybe she should try seeing him in a normal setting, just to see how it goes. “You have my number, right?”
He nodded. “I should get going… you probably have some celebrating to get to.”
“Stay for a bit. Bruce is throwing a little party. I won’t let anyone give you crap for being there,” she said.
Jason smirked. “I’d love to see you defending my presence but I think it’s better for everyone if I avoid the party full of heroes and cops.”
“Your loss,” said Barbara stepping back from the bike. “I have it on good authority that Alfred has been cooking all day to prepare for it.”
He paused, like he might change his mind then shook his head. “It’s for the best. I’ll give you a call sometime, Barbie,” he said, reaching for the shiny, red motorcycle helmet.
Barbara turned away then realized she forgot something and spun back around to him. “I almost forgot to say … Jason, thank you for sticking with me,” she said, approaching him again.
“Of course,” he said, fussing with the helmet a little.
“You really kept me sane through all this. Well, most of it,” she added, thinking of the small incident where she had been coerced to attack him. Wasn’t her fault. These things happen in the hero world.
“You can count on me, Babs.”
She completely believed him too. She wasn’t too proud to admit she could change her mind about someone when they proved themselves. And he definitely had, in more ways than one.
The traitorous part of her that thought he looked damn fine sitting on that bike in that leather jacket was giving her very bad ideas. She had caught him looking at her with that same little smile many times before, a little mischievous and adoring. Before she could talk some sense into herself, she reached around the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss.
It took a moment, but his hand finally rested on the small of her back and he returned her kiss eagerly. Her other hand grabbed the lapel of his jacket, holding him in place for a few more minutes.
“Wow … did you thank Kate like this too?” he whispered, eyes still closed and a dreamy smile on his face.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” said Barbara, leaning in again. “Kate has a fiancé.”
They shared a few more really good kisses. Like wow, that boy could kiss. The way his lips slid across hers, when his tongue darted out to tease hers, how he moaned into her mouth when she ran her fingers through his hair… If she wasn’t careful, she’d just let herself hop on that bike and go with him after all.
She finally pulled away to see Jason looking at her like he was already regretting the idea of leaving. Then he glanced over her shoulder and his eyes narrowed.
“I saw someone take a picture,” he muttered.
Barbara glanced in the side mirror, recognizing one of the photographers from outside the courthouse, casually standing at the corner on the other side of the street.
“I’ll take care of it,” she assured him, stepping away at last, back up onto the sidewalk.
Jason put on the helmet, fumbling with the clasp, and then started up his bike.
“Uh, see you around, Barbie,” he said with an awkward sort of wave. And then he was gone, zooming up the street and out of sight. She wasn’t worried; she would see him around again.
She turned and headed back towards the courthouse, rounding the corner where she saw the photographer and purposefully slammed right into him. The reporter dropped several items he was balancing, including his camera.
“Omigod, I’m so sorry! I was not paying attention to where I was going!” said Barbara, kneeling to pick everything up. She handed the camera over last. “Looks expensive. I hope it isn’t broken. Sorry, again,” she added, heading up the street.
Before he could figure out what happened, she snapped in half the SD card she had swiped and dropped both pieces in the storm drain. She only felt marginally guilty for stealing and destroying property when she weighed it against the possibility of photos of the Commissioner’s daughter seen making out with a strange man on a motorcycle surfacing online. Hopefully he hadn’t taken any on his phone.
The rest of the evening, she hardly enjoyed the party. Her mind was still on that kiss and on Jason’s assurance that her going to Burnside was a good idea, that it was okay for her to take time away from all of this to rethink where she wanted to go with her life.
She looked around the room, spotting her father and deciding that would be the best place to start. She hated the idea of telling him that she was leaving as soon as she had gotten him back. But she knew he would be proud and it gave her the strength to sit down next to him and take his hand.
“Dad, I have something to tell you…something good, I promise…”