Barbara was done feigning interest in this man. In fact, she was done with this whole rendezvous. She couldn’t place his motives, couldn’t tell if he was lying. Beyond frustrated, she let out a small sigh, arms crossing and uncrossing uncomfortably over her chest.
Then he started talking and her expression softened. The Occupation. She remembered it crystal clear. A day wouldn’t go by without a something on the televised news or in the papers. At the time, she was in Cleveland, clinging to any morsel released in the media. She lived in dread for her father’s life, for her friends, for Gotham. Born and raised in the city, she was connected to Gotham by more than blood. She loved it, she lived for it. She had never been so scared in her life.
The helmeted man talked of a heroism she had never witnessed, except as a helpless observer. Swallowing hard, her eyes looked in many directions but his. It felt like someone had kicked her in the gut. She felt embarrassed, humiliated. She had judged him based on sensational headlines, warnings that very well felt unmerited. Rubbing her eyes, she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she had been holding in.
Leaning back on her hands, line of vision went over the skyline. Who was this guy? Why was he telling her all this? Was everything she knew about him wrong? Out of the corner of her eye she watched as the Red Hood outstretched an arm with a bag full of food. Barbara hesitated. Not because she was scared, she was past that now. This man was still dangerous, that part she was absolutely sure. But she wasn’t sure that the person in danger was her anymore.
Wearily, Barbara took the bag, eyes still shamefully cast aside. “No,” Her voice was quiet, a near whisper. “I haven’t seen the river at four a.m.”
[Twenty minutes later, the pair of vigilantes are seated on a highrise overlooking the river. Red Hood is a few feet behind Batgirl, perched on an air conditioning unit. His hood is pulled up, and his face is visible from the eyes down. A domino covers his eyes, and a light beard darkens the rest of the visible area. A cold wind is blowing, and the moon is starting to set in the west.]
Don’t turn around, Batsie. If you saw my face, I’d have to kill you, and I’d rather not do that after saving your life so recently. Just stay that way, and enjoy the food. It’s the best outside China Basin, I promise.
and all of this will never be the same again 