TLV 6 - Video

[bodilesswarrior]

[Private to Cassandra]

[Barbara doesn't often look uncertain. It's not that she never is; it's just not the sort of thing she likes people to see.

But she feels like she owes it to Cass to be as open as she can.

When she speaks, her voice is soft.]

Cass? I wanted to -

We were both affected by the flood, when we talked. I wanted to make sure that everything we said, the decisions we made...

[She takes a breath.]

I'd still like to adopt you. [She thought long and hard about that. How good it felt to call Cassandra her daughter; talking about what family means; telling Superman that the fear was worth it.]

But only if you still want it, too.


Added Later:



[Private To Admiral]

I need some paperwork. Gotham adoption papers, specifically.

Comments

[hellofist]

Still want that, too. Have for... long time.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara lowers her head, a little, smile fighting a frown.]

I should have asked a long time ago. I only realised it recently, but...you've been my daughter for - [A soft, stunned little laugh.] Probably since the moment I started calling you Cassandra.

[Her eyes widen, then, filled with sudden doubt.] ...That was all right, wasn't it? I didn't mean to - presume, or anything.

[hellofist]

Silly question.

[But when Barbara gets serious, Cass does too. There's something she's always wanted to share, that she thinks Barbara should know, especially now.]

When I was... going to fight Shiva? Left you message. Well, tried. Said, you felt like mother. So, not new, for me. Felt this way... a long time.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her eyes widen, lips parting for words that don't quite comes.]

...Was that before or after you knocked me out? [Her voice is light, teasing, but her body shows everything - that overwhelming, aching worry, the devastating thought that she would never come home; quiet understanding and easy forgiveness; deep, unconditional love.]

[hellofist]

[At least she has the grace to look a little sheepish in response to that.]

Before.

I'm sorry. For scaring, and... everything.

[bodilesswarrior]

You did what you had to do. [She wishes there had been another way; maybe, with time, Cass could have come to better terms with her past without that confrontation. But she can hardly deny that it worked.]

Just...try not to do that again, okay? [She summons a smile, but it's a shaky one.] I know you can't promise. Not with what we do. But...try.

[hellofist]

Promise to try. Have... more to live for, now. Don't want to die anymore.

[She's too close to Barbara now, has too many friends and people she loves to do that to them on purpose. She won't put any of them through that if she can help it.]

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara nods, swallowing past the sudden lump in her throat.]

Good. You... [She hesitates. She's not sure how to say this, exactly.] You're precious, Cass. Not just because you save lives, or because you can fight better than anyone else. Because of everything you are.

[A soft, warm smile.] Because you're my daughter.

[hellofist]

[She just stares at Barbara while she says all those things because it's... amazing, is the only word. It's the only word to describe what it looks like when someone loves you unconditionally, because of everything you are. At the end, her only option is to hug Barbara as tight as she can without breaking anything.]

Yes. Only yours. Not Cain's or... anyone else. [She still isn't sure if it's Shiva, even if she's the only choice that makes sense.] I love you... Mom.