Author's Note: This story is from my 'vault' if you will. Just never got around to publishing it before. Italics are used to signify when people are speaking in a

foreign language because (A). I was too lazy to look up what Dick's native language was and (B). I was also too lazy to do translations for it. Extra points to

authors who go the extra mile to do that stuff.

Disclaimer: Sad, but true. I don't own Batman. Do you?

Gordon's Red-Haired Daughter

It was the sounds of talking that made Bruce paused outside of the door to the living room.

Barbara had come over and she and Dick were in the middle of watching a movie.

The door was slightly ajar so he could both hear and see what was going on.

"There is no way they are escaping that parking garage without someone trying to run them over." Barbara commented.

"No, they are going to find someone dead in a car." Dick argued.

Barbara shook her head against his chest where she lying.

"Someone is going to try and run them over." She said firmly.

"Just because I haven't watched every episode of Murder She Wrote does not mean that I cannot predict what is going to happen. They are going to find

someone dead."

"No way." Barbara said as she sat up straighter.

They both paid close attention to the screen as the characters walked further into the parking garage.

Bruce shook his head.

Somehow with everything going on, they were always able to find lighthearted things to argue about.

They were always like that. Somehow, it always worked out for them. They were always able to survive anything.

Maybe it was because they were young still. They still had a lot of optimism.

Whatever it was—it was enviable.

"No way!"

Bruce looked back into the room as Dick's voice cried out. He heard Barbara start to laugh.

"Told you." She said teasingly.

Dick laughed as well and stuck his tongue out at her.

"Somebody will be found dead. Trust me." He swore to her with a smile.

His smile—to be honest, Bruce was certain its existence was mostly thanks to Gordon's daughter. If he ever could tell her, he would thank her profusely for

causing it to happen.

There was just something about her—something from the very first day that just clicked with the young boy he had taken in.

Bruce could never forget that day.

(Flashback)

"What am I supposed to do?"

Sergeant Gordon turned around and bent over to be at his little daughter's level.

"Well, Mr. Wayne has . . . taken in a little boy who just lost his parents and he has no one his age to . . . be around." He explained again softly.

"And he can't talk?" Barbara asked as she pushed some of her hair back.

Gordon gave a chuckle.

"He can talk. He can't speak English. He speaks something else."

His daughter looked confused.

"Then how I am going to play with him?"

Gordon sighed.

He really didn't know either. It was just an idea that Mr. Wayne had suggested and Gordon wanted to do anything for the boy that he could.

"Just try to be nice to him okay?" He finally said. "Your smile should warm anyone up." He added with a smile of his own.

In response, his daughter gave him a great big smile and nodded.

Gordon stood back up and rang the doorbell.

It was an intimidating doorbell to ring. He had never actually been up to Wayne Manor before. It was . . . big.

The door opened.

"Ah, Sergeant Gordon. How nice of you to come."

Gordon gave a nod.

"Of course. Anything to help. Mr. Pennyworth."

"Alfred please, oh do come in." The Englishmen encouraged as he ushered them inside. "And this must be Miss Gordon. Barbara, correct?"

Gordon scooped her up in his arms so that she could be on eye level with the butler.

Her red hair bounced as she nodded.

"Hello." She greeted him.

Alfred gave her a warm smile.

"Hello young lady. It was nice of you to come."

Barbara gave him a smile as she looked back over at her father.

"If you will both wait right here, I will see about Master Bruce and Master Richard." Alfred said after he excused himself.

Gordon agreed to wait and both he and Barbara watched as Alfred disappeared into a room.

"Just don't break anything, okay?" Gordon said quietly to his daughter.

To be honest, he was nervous standing around here himself. Everything in the room looked like a rare antique.

"You remember his name right?"

Barbara nodded.

"Dick." She said firmly.

Her father gave her a smile.

"That's right. Now remember, just be nice to him okay? Or extra nice. Just try to be patient and . . ." Gordon stopped talking. Hopefully, she could find a way to

bridge the language barrier.

He could hear Alfred's footsteps approaching.

"All right. This way please." Alfred said with a wave of his hand. "They are in one of the large sitting rooms. I have attempted to make it 'kid friendly', but to be

honest it has been a long time since I have had to do so."

They kept walking down the hall as Alfred talked.

"I'm sure it's fine." Gordon said holding Barbara tighter.

She squeezed his arm with a smile.

"Here we are." Alfred announced. He lightly knocked on the door.

"You can come in." A voice answered.

Alfred opened the door and allowed Gordon and Barbara in first.

Gordon kept Barbara in his arms as he said hello.

"Mr. Wayne." He said with a nod in the younger man's direction.

"Gordon. Thanks for coming down."

"Not a problem." Gordon said.

He looked around the room. There was no sign of the boy.

"We're being shy today."

Gordon turned back to face Mr. Wayne.

"Oh?"

Mr. Wayne took his hands out of his suit jacket pockets and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Come on Dick. Time to come out." He said as he walked around the couch.

Gordon watched as he crouched down to talk to the boy who was apparently content to hide.

"Come on Dick." Mr. Wayne said sounding a bit frustrated.

Gordon couldn't believe it. After a few weeks, playboy Bruce Wayne was practically acting like a dad.

Barbara waited patiently for the boy to come out. She wasn't quite sure what she was going to do when he did, but she would try her best.

After a moment, Mr. Wayne stood up. A boy's head soon poked around the couch staring at her and her father. He got up slowly and stayed close to Mr. Wayne.

Her dad set her down on the carpeted floor.

She suddenly felt a shy with all those eyes on her.

The boy was not any older than she was. He seemed kind of small though. He had dark black hair that hung over a pair of large blue eyes.

Barbara took a step forward while clutching the bag that she had brought with her to her chest.

It took a moment before she said anything.

"Hello!" She said quite brightly.

The boy took a step backwards and stood closer to Mr. Wayne.

"Dick, what do you say to the nice girl that has come to see you?" Mr. Wayne prodded.

Dick. That was the boy's name. She couldn't forget that.

"Dick." Mr. Wayne stressed.

He then started to talk to the boy in some funny way. Barbara had no idea what he was saying. She turned to her father who looked just as surprise as she

was.

Mr. Wayne gave Dick a nudge forward so he stood in front of her.

"Hiy." The boy sputtered out slowly.

Barbara smiled. He said it funny.

They both stood there staring at each other.

Dick stared at the little girl who stood before him. Where had she come from? She had very red hair. And who was the guy that brought her? He looked familiar.

He must be her dad or something.

Dad

The thought made Dick feel sick.

The girl was still smiling at him.

She had a red bag with her.

Bruce had said that she had come to play. What was her name again?

Dick didn't feel like playing.

"Perhaps we should hover over them so much." Alfred suggested.

"Agreed." Bruce replied quickly.

He wasn't sure if this was going to work. Dick had not been talking much—only when it had been absolutely necessary. He hadn't smiled; he hadn't laughed

once since getting here.

No matter how hard Alfred or he tried, they could get nothing out of the boy.

He just hoped that somehow Sergeant Gordon's daughter would be able to do something.

It had been Alfred's idea—to try and find a child around his age to come over. Bruce had met Sergeant Gordon that day and remembered he had mentioned

something about having a daughter during the tragedy of that awful night.

He had Alfred call him up and inquire. Gordon seemed more than happy to try.

"Perhaps if we retired to the balcony for a bit. I'll check on them every now and again."

Bruce nodded.

"Sergeant, can I interest you in some coffee?" He offered.

"There's not a time of day I could refuse that." Gordon said easily.

He gave one last glance over at his daughter and gave her a smile.

He hoped she could do something.

Barbara watched as the door went shut. She was left with the boy—Dick. Her father was counting on her.

"Do you want to color?" She asked.

She set down her bag and pulled out a book and a box of crayons. The boy just looked at her.

"Color?" She said slowly. "Co . . . lor?"

She opened the box and held out a crayon to him. He just stared at it.

Maybe she would need to show him.

She ripped out a page and grabbed a yellow crayon. She quickly drew a sun.

"Sun." She said shortly as she showed it to him. "Sun."

What on earth was she doing?

And what was she saying? That was not what it was called. It wasn't that good of a picture anyway. She had given it a smiley face.

He watched as she set the paper down and held out another color to him. He took it slowly.

Did she want him to draw too?

He reluctantly sat down and she ripped him out a page for him.

He had no idea what to draw. He looked over at her as she was already starting to draw again.

It was an animal of some type.

She gave it feet and a tail.

"Cat." She said using a weird word again. He knew what it was though, so there was no problem.

Maybe he would just watch her draw.

He set down his crayon.

She noticed.

"No, you have to draw too!"

Obviously, he did something wrong. "No" was a word Dick had picked up on pretty quickly. What did this girl want?

Barbara sighed.

Dick didn't want to color. What was she going to do?

She set down her own crayon and pulled out a book instead. It was her favorite—a book about animals. She was trying to draw every picture in the book.

She handed it to him and he carefully looked at each page.

When he got to a page he looked more carefully.

He looked up at her and started talking in that funny way again. She couldn't understand him like Mr. Wayne could. She tried to listen very hard, but she

couldn't make out anything.

Leaning over to look, he was at the page with an elephant.

"Do you like elephants? Ele-phants?" She tried to say it slowly.

"Ela-funts?" Dick repeated.

"No. ELE-PHANTS." Barbara spoke louder hoping that that would help.

"Ela- FUNTS?"

Barbara shook her head. Now he was saying it really weirdly.

"No!" She said with a sigh. She laid on the carpet exhaustedly and sat back up. Her hair went flying forward. Dick eyed her.

He reached over and touched her hair. He said something as well.

Barbara pulled all her hair back behind her head. She didn't like being teased about the color of her hair.

Dick frowned.

He did something wrong.

Bruce had told him to be nice, but he had no idea what caused this girl to be upset.

She was frowning.

Dick picked up a crayon and started to draw. She watched him. He held up the picture.

"Elefunt." He said trying to use her word.

She nodded.

"Elefunt." She said starting to giggle.

Dick watched as the red-haired girl started laughing. She grabbed a crayon as well and drew a picture.

"Elefunt." She said as she showed him her try.

Its trunk was too long, but the rest looked okay.

Dick nodded.

Maybe this could work.

After a half hour, Alfred decided to check on them.

He was about to knock on the door, when he decided against it. He slowly cracked it open and looked inside. Both of them were on the floor coloring.

Dick looked up from his paper to look at hers and the sight almost made Alfred start.

There was a smile on the young master's face.

He shut the door and went quickly back to Master Bruce and the police sergeant.

After some time had passed, Barbara looked back up at the door. She wondered where her father was. She was getting kind of hungry. Dinner must be soon.

She stood up and walked over to the door.

Dick grabbed onto her arm startling her.

"What?" She asked. "What is it?" She tried to tug her arm away but he wouldn't let go.

She tried holding on to the doorknob and tugging her arm free, but the boy was too strong.

He kept saying the same things in that . . . talking he used.

"Let go." She ordered. "What is it? I don't know what you are saying."

She gave her arm a few more tugs, but his grip was too strong.

He said the same thing again.

She sighed.

What was he saying?

Dick held on fast. Where was she going? Was she going to come back again? Could she stay?

He wished he could understand her.

He knew that she didn't like him holding onto her arm, but he wasn't going to let her go.

"Daddy? Mr. Wayne?" Barbara called out loudly.

Mr. Wayne could talk like this boy and she wanted to know what he wanted.

The door soon open.

Mr. Wayne was on the other side.

He looked surprised at the scene before him.

"Dick, what are you doing? Let go of her." He ordered as he placed his hand on top of Dick's.

Barbara felt his grip tighten on her arm.

Dick started speaking quickly to Mr. Wayne.

Barbara wanted to know badly what was going on.

"What is he saying?" She whispered.

Mr. Wayne gave a smile and gave the boy a pat on his head.

"He wants to know if you are going to come back."

Barbara felt flattered. The boy who she couldn't even talk to wanted to her come back.

"I will." She promised. "Can I?" She asked Mr. Wayne.

"Sure you can. Whenever you want." He told her.

"I'll come back." Barbara said while looking at Dick. "I promise."

Dick gave a glance at Mr. Wayne who gave him a nod.

He slowly let go of her arm.

Prom-ese. It was a weird sounding word. But Dick believed that it meant that he could see her again. He hoped soon.

"All right Dick." Bruce said as the boy finished eating breakfast. "Barbara is coming over again today. How about you try to say her name to her, okay?"

Bar-bu-ra. It was a hard word. He really wanted to say it right though. He kept trying to say it to himself.

Bruce watched carefully as the boy practiced.

He was pleased with the progress so far. After meeting Barbara, Dick had seemed a little more—alive. He hoped that she would continue to help him.

Dick had been sad to see her leave, which he took as a good sign. Everyone had been delighted when Alfred had reported to have seen Dick smile. It was a

breakthrough.

Bur-bar . . . that wasn't right.

Dick bounced off his bed and tried her name again.

Bar-buro. That sounded wrong too.

It was too hard. She needed a shorter name.

He wanted to say it though. He wanted to be able to say it to her when she showed up.

"Are you ready to go see Dick today?" Gordon asked as he stopped outside of his daughter's room.

"Uh, huh." She said with a smile.

She had packed up more books since she and Dick could at least look at them even though they couldn't talk to each other.

"You're going to be there while I'm at work. Are you okay with that?" He asked carefully.

Barbara paused. She thought she should be okay.

"Just listen to Mr. Alfred alright?" Her father instructed. "Are you having fun?"

"Yeah. I just wish I could talk to him." She said with a sigh.

"Well I'm sure he is trying hard to talk to you too." He replied.

Gordon was glad things were going well.

He did want that little boy from the circus to be happy again.

Bruce stood by the front door as he watched the squad car pull up. Dick had been excited all morning at the thought of Barbara coming back.

Bruce reached for the doorknob.

"Ahem. That is my job." Alfred lectured as he swatted his employer's hand away. "If you start going around opening doors by yourself, what will I be left to do?"

"I'm sure that I could think of something." Bruce replied lightheartedly. He looked out the window as Gordon opened up the car door for his daughter and let her out.

She immediately ran to the house. Her father called after her.

"Dick?' Bruce called out louder than Alfred would have liked. "Barbara is here."

The boy appeared at the top of the stair. He flew down them, skipping the last five steps.

"You are going to have to learn how to walk." Alfred said as Dick landed with a thud.

Noting that Barbara was close, Alfred opened the door.

"Miss Gordon. Hello." He greeted her.

Dick held his breath as he waited for his turn to greet her.

"Hello!" The red-haired girl said to him.

He swallowed.

"Hullo Barbura." He tried to say it carefully.

She blinked and her mouth came open.

She pointed at him and said something he didn't understand. She looked happy though.

Both Bruce and Alfred gave an approving nod. Dick assumed that he did something right.

The girl gave him a smile and suddenly threw her arms around him.

Dick stood there feeling numb. Nobody had hugged him since . . .

But it felt nice. There were definite advantages to speaking this girl's language.

She said something else to him and turned back to the door.

"Daddy, he said my name!" Barbara said running back out towards her father who was still walking up the steps. He caught her in his arms. "He said my

name!"

"Did he?" Gordon said with a smile. She looked ecstatic.

"Come hear him." She said tugging his arm.

"I'm coming." Gordon said as he followed her inside.

Dick watched as Barbara came back in the front door, but he froze as her dad came in behind her. Her father—he was dressed like a cop.

That is where Dick had seen him. Her father had been there that night at the circus.

Dick felt his mouth glue shut.

Barbara walked in front of him and spoke.

Dick looked to the floor. He didn't feel like talking.

Bruce frowned. Something was wrong with Dick.

"What's wrong?" He asked him quietly in his own language.

Dick looked over at him and swallowed.

"He was there that night."

Bruce looked up quickly at Gordon and then back down at Dick.

"Is something wrong?" Gordon asked.

"He'll be okay." Bruce said as he stood back up.

Gordon hesitated and then gave a nod.

"Okay. Barb, you be good okay? I'll see you later."

The little girl nodded.

Dick watched enviously as she gave him a hug before he left.

"I brought more books." Barbara said to him as she pulled a few out.

He wasn't looking.

Barbara slumped her shoulders and she looked up at Mr. Wayne.

"Why is he sad?" She asked.

Mr. Wayne didn't answer.

"Maybe you two can play outside." Alfred said. "It would be a good day for it."

Barbara nodded at the idea.

Mr. Wayne said something quickly to Dick who gave a shrug.

"Come on then." Alfred said leading the way.

Dick followed slowly.

Alfred opened the door to the backyard.

It was the biggest backyard that Barbara had ever seen.

"Now Miss Gordon." Alfred said politely. "You may go wherever you like, but please stay out in the open. Do not jump in any of the fountains and do not go into

the garden maze. All right?"

"Okay." She agreed.

Alfred gave Dick a glance, but Barbara assumed that he already knew the rules.

"Let's go." She said offering her hand.

He stared at it and took it carefully. She pulled him down the deck stairs.

"I hope this works." Alfred said to Bruce as they watched the children descend. "Was he upset about Sergeant Gordon?"

"Yes." Bruce said shortly.

"Miss Gordon seems up to the challenge I think." Alfred said positively.

Bruce watched as the girl sat down on the grass.

He hoped she was.

"I brought books." Barbara repeated as she pulled them out and showed him.

She grabbed all the animal books that she had. He seemed to like those the best.

He took one carefully and opened it up.

She watched him waiting for some kind of reaction.

He looked back up at her.

"Barbura?"

She gave a smile.

"Yes?" She asked him.

He opened his mouth and looked like he was trying to form a word.

" . . .ur Dad." He said with some difficulty.

"My Dad?" Barbara said trying to understand. "What about him? What?"

Dick shut his mouth again and looked at the ground.

"Can you try to talk?" She asked him.

He looked unhappy.

What could she do?

"Do you want to play a game? Game?" She repeated the word.

She stood up.

Dick stood up as well.

Barbara was going to have to try and think of something.

Alfred checked his watch and stood up to see if he could spot the children.

He saw them carefully running around the edge of one of the fountains. Master Dick seemed to be doing okay.

Suddenly, Barbara slipped and fell inwards. She landed in the water.

Dick started to laugh. Real honest laughter.

Barbara splashed some water at him and soon he was wet too. Alfred watched as he jumped in after her. They were both soaked in minutes.

"They're playing in the fountain."

Alfred turned around to see Bruce standing there watching them.

"I'm overlooking it. Did you hear him?"

Bruce nodded.

Dick had laughed. Gordon's daughter had made him laugh.

(End Flashback)

"See! Someone is dead."

Dick's voice pulled Bruce back to the present.

"Of course someone is going to be dead. The movie has the word 'murder' in the title." Bruce heard Barbara point out.

"Well, yeah, but . . ."

Dick fumbled for some other argument. Barbara gave out a laugh.

"Fine. You win this time." Dick told her.

"That's right." Barbara said approvingly. She leaned back against him and he wrapped an arm around her waist.

Dick really did love her.

Love—that had been a whole other issue

Bruce had been certain that it was going to cause more problems than it was worth.

(Flashback)

It started with something small—something that Bruce didn't even really notice as first.

Bruce heard the door to the garage door slam shut.

"Dick is that you?" He called out from his office.

The young boy's head soon popped in the door. He was getting taller.

"Yeah, I'm back from school. I have to call Babs." Dick said excitedly.

He disappeared.

"Dick!" Bruce called back.

"What?" The boy's head snapped back in through the door.

"Did something happen?" Bruce said interestedly.

Yeah, I have to call Babs." Dick confirmed.

"Wasn't she at school?"

"She had to leave early for a dentist appointment."

Dick left again before Bruce could stop him.

Bruce slumped in his chair.

It wasn't that he was jealous, but no matter what happened to Dick, he always had to tell Barbara first. Anything he did at school, at home—if it was something

exciting, he always had to tell her first.

Bruce supposed that it was a kid thing probably. They felt the need to tell other people their same age . . . but still.

Alfred walked into the room.

"What happened to him?" Bruce asked.

"I have no idea." Alfred said with a slight smile.

Bruce huffed. Barbara had even surpassed Alfred on the need-to-know scale.

Alfred rapped his fingers Bruce's desk in thought.

"He's quite fond of her."

"He should be." Bruce commented absentmindedly.

For most of Dick's life at the manor, Bruce had always arranged for her to be there. Even in school, they were never far apart. That part had been harder to

arrange.

Dick was going to go to Gotham Academy—Barbara was not.

She had high enough grades to go there on a scholarship, but Alfred was afraid that Sergeant Gordon would suspect the arrangement of the matter and turn it

down on principle.

So Bruce had the scholarship letter be drawn up with a few months old date and had the person delivering it explain that it had gotten lost in the mail.

Barbara was delighted. Gordon was pleased, but never mentioned it to Bruce.

So there it was.

"Very fond." Alfred mumbled again as he looked out the window.

Bruce looked up from his paperwork.

"What do you mean?" He questioned.

Alfred shrugged and said nothing more.

Bruce set down his pen.

"He's too young to be in love." He said firmly.

Alfred must be mistaken. She was just Dick's only friend. It was only natural for him to be attached to her.

"Perhaps." Alfred said as he walked around the room.

Bruce clasped his hands together.

This was not good.

What would happen if she didn't like him back? What would that do to all that they had accomplished with him? Dick would probably be hurt.

"Well, she better like him back." Bruce spat out.

A smile tugged at Alfred's lips.

"You can't force children to like each other." He pointed out softly.

"Why shouldn't she like him?" Bruce argued. "He's a good kid."

Alfred nodded.

"Yes he is."

"There is no reason for her not to like him back."

"I suppose not."

Alfred found it amazing how fast Master Bruce could act like a normal parent.

"We'll have to keep an eye on it." Bruce finally said.

He couldn't concentrate anymore.

Barbara and Dick sat outside of Wayne Manor staring up at the clouds. School was out for the day, and Barbara had come over to hang out until her dad got off

work.

"Do you remember the time that we ran around the fountain and I fell in?" She asked him.

Dick nodded.

"Alfred didn't even yell at us that day. We could never get away with that now." He added shooting her a grin.

Barbara shook her head in agreement and it sent her hair flying.

She sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees.

They were both still in their school uniforms except that Dick had taken his jacket off and thrown it on the ground.

"Hey, um, Babs." He said softly.

"Yeah?" She asked as she turned to face him.

Dick felt his throat lock up.

"I . . . just . . . I think . . . I like you." He said slowly. He wasn't quite sure how to put it.

She gave him an easy smile.

"Thank you." She said before looking back up at the clouds.

Dick frowned. She didn't understand what he meant.

He had been trying to tell her for weeks, but he was never able to find the right words.

"Remember when you couldn't even say my name?" Barbara spoke up suddenly.

Dick nodded.

"Yeah, it was a hard name." He retorted. "Babs is so much easier."

"I didn't mind it. I was so happy when you said it though." She told him.

He smiled. He was glad that he had made her happy.

"Miss Gordon? Your father is here!"

Alfred's voice rang across the yard from the deck.

Barbara looked up with a grin and stood back up grabbing her book bag as she went.

"Oh, ah . . ." She paused and stooped down to be close to him. "I like you too." She punctuated these words by giving Dick a quick kiss on the lips.

He sat there frozen as she hurried towards the house.

"Babs! Wait up!" He called after her. Forgetting his jacket. He chased after her.

They raced to the back deck.

"Barb, walk." Her father ordered as she entered the house. Dick was close behind.

Dick stopped and gave a smile to Captain Gordon. Barbara was very proud of her father's recent promotion.

"You ready to go?" He asked his daughter.

"Yep."

"All right." He said placing a hand on her shoulder. "We will see you guys later."

Dick watched as they left not realizing the smile that was on his face.

"What is it?" Alfred asked.

Dick gave a startled blink.

"Oh, a . . . nothing really." He said quickly.

He knew Alfred didn't believe him.

(EndFlashback)

Bruce crossed his arms as he watched Dick and Barbara talk. It was obvious that they were more interested in each other than in what was going on in the

movie. As happy as Bruce was, or could be, about this—there always was a worry that tugged on the back of his mind. He was concerned for Dick.

Love was . . . tricky and some days they never knew what was in store. He could always recall their first fight.

(Flashback)

"Barbara, slow down!" Dick ordered as he tried to catch up with her.

She didn't stop.

"Babs come on!" Dick got close enough to grab her arm.

"Let go!" She snapped at him.

He didn't.

"Let. Go." She repeated. "And I know that you know what that means this time."

Her blue eyes flashed at him angrily.

He let go of her arm.

School had just gotten out and Dick did not feel like making a scene. Her walking had at least put some distance between them and all the other kids. Luckily,

most of them were too busy trying to get home to notice them.

"Would you just listen?" Dick begged her. "I was not flirting with her. I was just talking to her."

"With you that's practically the same thing." Barbara jabbed.

"She was the one who started the conversation!" Dick pointed out. Barbara was terrible when she was mad. "What am I supposed to do? Not talk to any other

girl ever?"

"Yes."

Dick rolled his eyes. She was being absurd.

Barbara knew that she was being absurd. She just didn't want . . . Lots of people liked Dick and she was afraid that . . . not that she would ever admit to it.

She really liked Dick. Sometimes she wished that she was still the only other person in his world. When they started school, his English was still sketchy in

places and he would always stick close by her.

Now he was . . . liked, and was popular. He took part in group things and would say hello to anyone.

Barbara realized that he didn't need her as much—and that was hard.

"I have to go." She muttered as she walked off.

"Babs don't go" Dick pleaded.

She kept walking.

"Girls." Dick muttered as he hung his book bag around the staircase post. He went down the stairs to the batcave and passed Bruce by the computer.

"Dick!" Bruce called out.

He reluctantly stopped and came back.

"Yeah?" He asked warily.

"We are going to go back to that warehouse tonight. I think I found something that will . . ." Bruce was no Alfred, but he knew something was wrong.

"What happened?" He really wasn't expecting an answer. He was fairly certain that Barbara was going to be told first.

"Nothing just . . . Barbara." Dick admitted.

He had Bruce's full attention.

"What about her?"

"She's just being . . . silly. She got mad at me today because I was talking to a girl. Just talking."

"That's just because she likes you so much." Bruce explained.

Dick looked surprised.

"She does? Oh." He sounded pleased. "But she's just being protective?" His voice fell a little at the idea.

Bruce quelled a smile.

"Sounds more like she's jealous to me."

Dick blinked.

Jealous? Babs was jealous over him?

The thought caused him to smile.

"You think so?" Dick asked with hesitation.

Barbara and he had never really talked about anything like that much. Not since their kiss at all, but that had been weeks ago.

"Things have changed a lot since both of you have started going to school. You've become more comfortable talking with people on your own. You are involved

in a lot of things that she isn't. You don't need her to . . ."

"I do still need her." Dick said interrupting Bruce. "She's still Babs. She the only one who understands. She always . . ."

Bruce held up a hand.

"Don't tell me this. Tell her."

"Yeah?" Dick questioned.

"Sure. Girls love to hear stuff like that." Bruce replied as he kept looking at the screen.

Dick's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not just saying it to say it. I mean it." Dick said. "I . . . li . . . I like her. I really do. I probably always will."

Bruce stared at him for a brief moment.

"I suppose that you do. But once again, tell her—not me." Bruce told him.

Dick nodded.

"Okay I will. Tomorrow."

The young b . . . well man, left with a smile on his face.

Bruce decided that he had done a good job.

(end flashback)

"Ah, Bruce. What are you doing?"

Bruce realized that Dick had gotten up and was now standing right in front of him. An empty popcorn bowl was in his hand.

"Alfred mentioned something about there being an odd draft in the hall." Bruce said absently as he looked up and down the hall.

Dick looked unconvinced.

"Sure. Because that is something that you do." He said.

"Do you need more of that?" Bruce said pointing to the bowl.

"Yeah, I was just going to get some."

"I get you more." Bruce said quickly taking it out of his hand. "You go back."

Dick paused.

"Okay. Thanks." He kept his eye on Bruce as he entered the room and sat back down next to Barbara.

Bruce decided that it was time to find Alfred so that he could make some more.

As he walked down the hall, he considered how easily Dick and Barbara overcame everything. That wasn't their only fight and not even their worst, but they

always made up.

Perhaps the hardest thing for Dick to overcome about Barbara was when she became Batgirl. It was a decision that Bruce wrestled with often.

If anything happened to her, he knew that Dick would be devastated. Even that one time—the scare had been enough.

(flashback)

Bruce open the door as quietly as possible.

He stopped as he saw Dick sitting outside of the door in a chair. He was still in his Robin costume except his mask was off.

He seemed hollow. His eyes looked raw.

Bruce knelt down in front of him.

"Dr. Leslie is looking at her, okay? She should be fine."

Dick said nothing. It was like he had become that little boy again.

"The knife wound wasn't that deep." He continued. "It was just well placed which is why there was all that blood."

Dick pulled his knees tighter against his chest.

Bruce ran a hand through his hair.

"Listen to me. She's going to be okay." He tried to sound positive.

Dick was still like a rock.

Bruce tried a different approach.

"She's going to be okay." He said using Dick's language.

Dick lifted his wet eyes to meet Bruce's and gave a nod.

Bruce gave Dick's shoulders a squeeze and stood up.

She had to be okay—she was the one who could always make him smile.

"Barbara?" Dick called out. "How are you doing?"

To anyone in the crowded ballroom, it seemed like an everyday question, but the question was serious.

She turned around and gave him a smile.

"I'm okay."

Dick took her arm and guided her outside onto the deck.

"Really? What did you tell your dad?" He asked.

"I just said that I tweaked something." She said as she placed her hand on her abdomen.

"As long as he doesn't see the stitches and the bruise, we should be okay. To be honest though, I am regretting wearing this dress. It's kind of tight in there."

She ran her hand over the purple silk. "Besides that. I'm okay. Really." She stressed.

He ran his hand over hers and held it against the place where the knife had gone in.

Barbara took in a painful breath of air.

Dick bit his lip. He thought she was going to die. He felt like he would die right along with her.

"I'm okay." She repeated again as he pulled her close against himself. She felt him lightly place his hands on her sides.

She knew that she had scared him. She laid her head on his shoulder. After a moment, she looked back up at him.

His lips touched hers tentatively and then firmly, desperately.

"Dick, I'm okay." She whispered to him again. He nodded and pulled her close to him. She heard him mutter something under his breath.

He said it in his own language, so she wasn't sure what he said. She loved to hear him talk; she wished he did it more. She always remembered how, when

she was little, she thought that if she listened hard enough she could understand what he was saying.

She felt his hand slowly running up and down her back.

She looked over at him and gave him a slow kiss.

She didn't want him to be afraid—she never wanted to see him like he was all those years ago.

(End flashback)

"Master Bruce?"

Alfred leaned over and poked his arm to get him to respond.

"What?" Bruce said hurriedly.

"The popcorn in done."

"Yes, thank you." Bruce took the bowl before Alfred could start asking questions.

He found his way back to the living room and Dick stood up when he saw him coming.

"Thanks." Dick said shortly. He eyed the popcorn.

"Alfred made it." Bruce assured him.

"I was going to say . . ." Dick teased as he took the bowl.

Bruce figured that he should stop watching them and get down to work. He really should.

The doorbell rang.

As always, Alfred was promptly there to answer it.

"Commissioner hello." Alfred greeted the man.

"Good afternoon." He responded. "My little girl here?"

"Indeed. Although, I hate to inform you that she has grown some." Alfred said with a smile.

"I know." Gordon gave a sigh. "Seems like yesterday I was just taking both her and Dick to the park. Dick still couldn't speak English at that point."

(flashback)

"Do you really think that we will be okay?" Sergeant Gordon asked Alfred.

"Well, Master Bruce spoke to Dick earlier before he left, so hopefully there should be no problem. I can always go with you if you want." He offered.

"No. Really." Gordon insisted. "You probably need a break. Raising kids can be hard." He knew that from experience.

Alfred nodded although he hated to admit to fatigue.

"Between Barb and me, we'll do our best."

He looked over at his daughter who gave a nod.

"Master Dick?" Alfred called out.

The boy soon appeared. He was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. He smiled as soon as he saw Barbara.

"You are going to the park." Alfred said talking slowly. "Listen to Sergeant Gordon, alright?"

"Okay." Dick said.

Barbara clapped her hands. She had been looking forward to this.

The children were quiet on the trip over the park, but once they got out, it was a different story.

Gordon watched as Dick smiled as he looked around the playground. There were a few kids out already.

Barbara tugged his arms towards the slides.

"I'll be right here Barbara." Gordon called out to his daughter.

Dick followed her eagerly.

He watched as they went down the slide. Dick seemed unimpressed by it.

The boy turned his head around as if he was looking for something. Barbara ran over and grabbed his arm and tugged him towards the monkey bars.

Dick watched her do it once before trying it himself.

He swung from rung to rung with ease, but when he got to the last one, instead of dropping down, he swung harder and let go.

Gordon felt all the air in his body drain as he watched the boy do several flips before landing perfectly on the ground.

He still couldn't talk.

Barbara rushed over to Dick first.

"No! No! No! Bad Dick! Bad!" She shouted at him.

Dick shrunk back not quite sure how that was wrong. He had performed it perfectly.

Gordon rushed over and shushed his daughter.

"You can't yell at him like he's a dog Barbara." He hissed. All he needed was for someone to tell Bruce Wayne that his daughter was lecturing his ward like he

was a dog.

"It's okay Dick." Gordon said, trying to sound firm. "But you can't do that here."

"No here?" Dick repeated.

"Exactly. I mean yes." Gordon added.

Dick looked sad. He thought he could practice some. He hadn't practiced in . . . a long time.

"How about some ice cream?" Gordon offered.

"Oh, yes!" Barbara said with a smile. "Do you want ice cream Dick?" She asked as she grabbed his hands.

Dick nodded.

Gordon had to smile. He didn't know if Dick really wanted some or he was just trying to please Barbara.

"Alright." Gordon said as he stood back up. Hopefully, ice cream would be a little more uneventful.

(end flashback)

"They just seemed to grow up so fast."

"Indeed." Alfred said. "I shall fetch your daughter for you if you want to wait here, or I can offer you . . ."

Gordon's phone rang.

"I'll wait here, thanks." He said before he answered.

Alfred walked down the hall and was surprised to see Master Bruce standing by the door.

"Master Bruce?"

"Yes?" Bruce said turning to face him.

"Whatever are you doing?" He inquired.

"Just . . . watching them."

"They are quite the pair." Alfred commented.

Bruce nodded.

"The Commissioner is here."

"I didn't know he was coming for her."

"Surprise I suppose."

"Go ahead then." Bruce said as he walked away from the door.

Barbara yawned.

"Well, I guess I have to go Dick." She explained.

"Awww." Dick pouted as he pulled her close. "I hate when you have to leave. I always have."

Barbara was flattered, but tried not to let the words affect her too much.

"I know." She said with a sigh. "I'll see you later."

"Okay." Dick said with a smile. He stole a quick kiss and let her go. "We can finish the movie sometime."

"Sure." Barbara promised as she left the room.

She grabbed her bag off the coat-rack. She looked out the window and saw her father outside on the phone.

"Barbara?"

She pause and turned to see Bruce standing there.

"Yeah?" She asked carefully.

He paused before he spoke.

"Thanks for coming over."

Barbara nodded slowly.

"Sure." She said with a shrug. What was this about?

She grabbed her jacket and went out the front door.

Bruce wandered back to where Dick was still sitting on the couch finishing off the popcorn.

Bruce sat down next to him.

"You okay?" Dick asked.

"Sure." Bruce replied as he grabbed a handful of popcorn. 'How are you?" He asked.

Dick smiled.

"I'm great. It's just nice to hang out with Babs."

Bruce nodded.

Good.

No matter what happened, Bruce would try his hardest to make sure that Gordon's red-haired daughter would be there. Because Dick needed her—he always

would.

Random End Notes: Yeah, another story done. Hope the flashbacks didn't cause too much confusion. I am never quite sure what is the best way to do them.

{Dick/Babs because, HELLO! They are perfect for each other!}

Alright you know the drill. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated. Or a haiku if you feel like one.