18 - Video

[bodilesswarrior]

[It's a wry, lazy sort of smile as she gazes into the screen, chin propped on her hand.]

Hey, outside world. You've just gained access to the Barge's network. We're a rehabilitation ship, ideally.

Anyone out there from Gotham?

Comments

Big Steph

[ichoosefight]

As it so happens, yes, I am.

[ She grins widely. ]

Hey Babs.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara just stares, for a moment, before beaming.]

Hey yourself. How's the family?

[ichoosefight]

[ Aaaah she so wishes she could give hugs through screens. ]

Still the same size it was when I left, thank you very much. It's only been a few months for me. How's the barge?

[bodilesswarrior]

[HER TOO.]

It's...the Barge. [Slight shrug.] Strange, fantastic, horrific.

[ichoosefight]

Sounds about right. You think you'll be coming home any time soon?

[bodilesswarrior]

Gotta graduate the Emperor, first. [And she's confident she will, eventually, but she won't try and rush it.]

[ichoosefight]

How's that going? You killing him with kindness yet?

[hellofist]

Barge is ship, right? Why are you... on a ship?

[bodilesswarrior]

[Oh.

It's strange. She's delighted and devastated all at once. She doesn't want Cass to see all that - the love, yes, the jubilation, but not the pain. But she knows she can't help it, so she only smiles.]

Yeah. I - got recruited, sort of. To help people.

[hellofist]

[And Cass just assumes it's because of the library incident, but she doesn't want to think too hard about that. Barbara is smiling and so Cass just pushes right through those bad memories.]

You're good at that. Bet you'll help... everyone there.

[bodilesswarrior]

I'll definitely try. [A part of her is yearning to tell Cass that she was better, but she can't. She won't do that to her.]

What have you been up to?

[crossestheline]

Describing it as "a rehabilitation ship, ideally" is being damn generous. [Grins.]

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her eyes go wide, and then she's grinning.]

Didn't you know? I'm the optimist. [Yep.

Well. She is moreso, nowadays.]

[theonlyresponse]

[The feed clicks on and for a few seconds, there's only silence.]

Still there, Barbara?

[His voice is rougher, still gravelly, but it has a lightness to it, and laughter. He's missed her.]

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her expression goes soft. Soft, and wistful, and yearning.

She's missed him, too.]

Yeah, still here. How are you?

[theonlyresponse]

[A small smile.]

Gotham's fine, thank you for asking.

As are we.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Of course he puts Gotham first; the surprise comes next, and it makes her smile.]

Good. We're... [Stephanie is dead, and Cass is gone, and - ] Hanging in there.

[theonlyresponse]

[He raises both eyebrows quizzically, expecting her to elaborate. He hasn't forgotten how close they were, he hopes it still means something to her even now.]

[bodilesswarrior]

[She frowns, a bit, and then switches the filter.]

Cass left. [The words are soft and heavy; Barbara doesn't think she'll ever stop missing her. Even her Cass - she won't know.]

Stephanie...she left too, with Kon, but now - there's another one. One who - really died, in the gang war.

[Private]

[theonlyresponse]

[Bruce searches a few of the other transmissions coming from the Barge, and sits back in his chair, frowning heavily at Stephanie's.]

She's... so young. Cassandra was too. [A beat.] Left, or disappeared?

[Private]

[bodilesswarrior]

[Low and quiet.] Disappeared. I - she didn't say goodbye.

[theonlyresponse]

[He looks away, at something in the room, flexing his fingers, and then he looks at her again, wearier, even though she has more of a right to that grief than he does.]

And Cain?

[bodilesswarrior]

[And here's a topic she's much more conflicted about, and it shows on her face.] He's - better. Might even graduate.

[She pushes a hand through her hair, closing her eyes for a minute.] I'm - most of me wants him to. [There's a part of her, still, that thinks he's beyond redemption, that he doesn't deserve his life, but she knows it's irrational.]

[theonlyresponse]

We'll see, then.

[Bruce has remained stoic, but his jaw is clenched. He never thought Cain deserved it.]

[Then again, he didn't think he deserved it.]

Have you been assigned?

[bodilesswarrior]

Yeah, we will. [There's a grim sort of hope in her voice.

Then her tone lightens, a bit.] Yeah. He's a challenge, but I like those.

threadjack of loooove

[ichoosefight]

Heya big guy! Have you been to my wedding yet or is there timey-whimey stuff?

[ She kidnapped people through time to get them to her wedding :| ]

YES GOOD

[theonlyresponse]

We've all been.

[She can hear him smiling, but like hell he's turning on the video feed so she can preen about it.]

[ichoosefight]

Excellent. [ Her grin only widens. There's that smile of his. ]

Things get confusing when you go through the barge. Especially when there are two of you.

[theonlyresponse]

Alternate universes?

[He's had Complicated Feels about her being on the barge, even if it's another her B|]

[ichoosefight]

Has to be. Even if there was weird time stuff happening, you remember the barge after you graduate. I would remember it.

They must be really similar universes, though.

[theonlyresponse]

She'll manage.

[You did.]

How's Gotham?

[ichoosefight]

With enough help, I hope so. [ Steph was in a sane place :c the barge is not sane ]

Gotham has been shockingly normal. No major disasters or anything. Although it probably helps that there's a super in town.

[threadjack of sass]

[routemistress]

OY. If you think you're getting away without a hello, Grand Poo-Bat, you've got another think or three coming. You be'aving yourself out there?

[threadjack of sass]

[theonlyresponse]

A year later and it's still none of your business, Ms. Wildthyme.

[Oh so very dry.]

Hello.

[threadjack of sass]

[routemistress]

When'd I ever let that stop me?

[She grins.]

Doing all right? We're still coming to visit sometime, you know. You keep them rooftops polished for us.

[threadjack of sass]

[theonlyresponse]

Gotham is fine. I'm sure the parking attendants would love a time machine.

[threadjack of sass]

[routemistress]

Good. You keep on keeping it that way.

[She doesn't flinch at time machine. She's nearly certain she didn't, anyway. And usually she would have pointed out that unless Gotham parking attendants come in interdimensional, good luck to any of them trying to stick a ticket on her bus, but she doesn't have the heart to.]

...Might be a while. Well. Relatively speaking. You might turn round and see us waving.

[The wickedest grin.]

[threadjack of sass]

[theonlyresponse]

[Bruce says nothing to the flinch. It's not his place to care.]

I'll keep my eyes peeled.

[threadjack of sass]

[routemistress]

We're practically honour bound to try and surprise you now, you do realise that?

[It's not, exactly, a friendship. But it has some of the bones one might grow on.]

I'll let you and Babs catch up without sticking me oar in any more. You look after yourself, Bruce. Warm socks and plenty of grenades.

[And she blows him a kiss before cutting the feed, because Iris.]

[stealstires]

What the hell is the Barge, and what the hell are you doing contacting this computer? Actually who the hell are you, Red?

[He's glad he wasn't wearing the Robin costume, Bruce would yell to kingdom come if he found out he'd let a stranger into the batcomputer and made them realize exactly who they were talking to.]

[bodilesswarrior]

[Oh.

Barbara can't help but stare, for a moment. She knows Jason - a Jason, anyway - came back, grew up, but seeing him so young...]

It's okay, Little Bird.

[stealstires]

[A blink, then a frown. It does take him a couple of seconds, but there aren't many people related to the Bat who rock that red hair.

Or are a woman, in general. After a moment, Jason grins.]

Look who grows up all fine. Glasses suit you, in a sexy librarian way. [Then the frown is back as Jason tilts his head] I still don't get where you are, or what the fu-

What on earth is happening.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her grin is proud and warm, and it aches a little.]

Like I said - I'm on the Barge. Our network is usually contained to the ship, but sometimes...glitches happen.

sorry somehow notifs for the even got lost

[stealstires]

Glitches happen and you end up talking with someone from the past. Or me talking with someone from my future? I mean, last thing I know is that B convinced you to put on the suit to patrol with me.