29 - Video

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara is sitting on her couch, Jonesy curled up on her lap. Her communicator is carefully angled away from her control centre.

She starts off with a wry wave.] If you can see this, you've gotten pulled into a space prison's telecommunications network. As far as I can tell, it won't affect your systems any, so don't worry.

[Her smile deepens.] And if you're from Gotham, I know damn well this isn't the strangest thing that's happened to you this week.

((Fourth wall! GO TO TOWN.))

Comments

[wedonot]

Somewhat unfortunately, strange happenings aren't unique to your universe.

It's very good to hear from you.

[bodilesswarrior]

I bet mine's weirder than yours. [The haughtily smug tone is completely ruined by the fondly delighted smile.]

How are you?

[wedonot]

Very well. Busy, of course, but that's to be expected. The school's really beginning to take shape.

What about you?

[bodilesswarrior]

Pretty well. [It's true; she's been productive, engaged. Happy, most of the time.

But something frays at the words, at her expression, and she switches the filter.]

[Private]

[This is the kind of expression she doesn't have in public - vulnerable, and anxious, and a little bit lost.]

Cassandra came back. But not - not as a Warden.

private

[wedonot]

What happened?

private

[bodilesswarrior]

She killed someone. [Her voice doesn't break, but it's a near thing.] It - I don't know all the details, but I think it was justified. I think she did it to save more lives.

But for her... [She closes her eyes, for a moment.] I don't know how to make it better. I don't know if I can.

[How did the other Barbara let this happen?]

private

[wedonot]

She wouldn't have been brought on board if you couldn't.

private

[bodilesswarrior]

What if she disappears before she gets better? [Her voice does crack a bit, this time. She's never felt so desperate, so helpless, not like this.]

I know it's stupid to worry about that, there's nothing I can do about it, but I can't stop. And if it happens... [Will it be the thing that really, truly breaks her? She doesn't know. So far, she's been good at compartmentalising, on focusing on whatever's at hand, whoever's with her.

But if Cassandra dies, she doesn't know if she can hold it up.

She closes her eyes, for a moment, pinching the bridge of her nose.]

I shouldn't be dumping this on you. [She hasn't said it to anyone. Iris knows, she's sure, but hasn't pried. Charles is absurdly easy to talk to, but Iris knows her heart like the back of her hand, and Stephanie loves Cass as much as she does, and Chris is family -

But Charles is light years away, and somehow that makes it easier.]