Birds Of Prey: The Quest 
by  John O'Connor
Disclaimer: "Birds of Prey" and all characters are
owned by DC Comics and Time-Warner. No copyright
infringement for profit is intended.
Notes: 1) This is an Alternate Uinverse story that
takes place before the events that otherwise would
culminate in "Birds Of Prey" #21.
2) < > denotes Dinah's transmitted dialogue.
<< >> denotes Barbara's transmitted dialogue.
( ) denotes Selena's transmitted dialogue.
Part 1: The Chicago Mission
Gotham City; 29 May; 12:15 AM EDT
Barbara Gordon, known to the Superhero comunity as
Oracle, listened to the sounds of fighting over the
Bose speakers she had set up in her Monitor Room. It
was a typical Black Canary-versus-several-thugs
situation.
"God, why aren't any of these cases ever easy?" the
redhead moaned as she took off her glasses and pinched
the bridge of her nose.
<What?>
Looking at one of her monitors which displayed her
electronic files, she gazed at a picture of Dinah
Lance. She often found it easier to talk to Dinah
when she could see her face. She was amused by this
as she rarely felt the need when talking to the
Batman, Robin, Nightwing, or anyone in the JLA.
"I'm nuts about her, I guess," Barbara muttered.
<What? I didn't catch the last couple of things.>
Turning to one of her speakers, Barbara smiled and
said, "Nothing. Talking to myself."
<Well, it's distracting. Stop it. Oof!>
"Canary? Dinah?"
<Quiet! Oh yeah, you want some too? C'mon, big boy!
I got what you're looking for right here!>
Hearing the sound of a boot impacting solidly with
another body, Barbara smiled to herself.
<Okay, Oracle, tell me again how this was just going
to be a simple surveillance...Hey! No grabbing the
hair, creep!>
"That's what my contact told me. We were just
supposed to watch for any suspicious after-hours
activity near the museum. How was I to know that an
eight-man squad was coming to rip off the Kremlin Gold
exhibit?" Barbara asked.
<Past experience?>
The red-haired young woman shook her head and rolled
the wheelchair over to where she had left her coffee.
Picking up the mug that was emblazoned with the Batman
logo, she sipped it and scowled. "Damn! It's cold!"
<What? What's cold?>
Marvelling at how her partner could fight several bad
guys and carry on a conversation at the same time,
Oracle said, "My coffee."
<Hey!> This followed by the sound of a solid punch to
someone's jaw. <Ow! I hate punching guys in the
face! I think I broke a nail.>
Oracle laughed.
<Hey, that's not funny! Do you know how much
manicures are nowadays? Here creep!>
"No, can't say as I do," Barbara chuckled.
Chicago; 28 May; 11:18 PM CDT
Black Canary pivoted on her left foot, bringing her
right around in an arc that connected with another
black-clad thief. With a loud exhalation, the perp
fell backwards and slid across the polished floor of
the Field Museum into the base of the Tyrannosaurus
display.
The blond crimefighter came around and saw another of
her foes getting up from a broken rack that had held
pamphlets for the illustrious institution.
"Bitch! I'll fucking kill you!" the goon growled as
he slowly advanced.
"Is that any way to talk to a lady?" Canary asked as
she launched herself at the man.
Punching him in his Adam's Apple, she winced and
muttered, "What an asshole!"
<<Who?>> Oracle asked over the earplug link Black
Canary wore.
"Just one of my playmates," Canary answered into her
throat mike. "He said some very naughty words."
Slowly scanning the central hall of the museum, Dinah
Lance saw the unconscious guards and the seven men she
had just beaten in an all too familiar fight.
"Wait a minute!" Dinah said.
<<What? What is it?>>
On guard again, the blonde looked more carefully
around the large room. "There are only seven out for
the count. I distinctly remember eight guys here."
<<Be careful! Please...>>
"Yeah, you don't have to tell me twice, sister!"
Seeing movement beyond the dinosaur skeleton nicknamed
Sue, she began to creep around past the extended tail
of the primeval killer. In the shadow of the display
was a crouching figure. Dinah reached out to grab the
person as she stood up.
"Why, Black Canary! What a pleasant surprise!"
Catwoman purred.
"Catwoman! What the hell are you doing here?" Dinah
asked.
<<Catwoman? Not again!>>
The shapely woman in the skin-tight, dark purple
bodysuit smiled seductively at the crime fighter. "I
see you still wear that clingy body armor.
Tres sexy!"
<<Oh no, Selena. What are you doing?>>
"Who?" Dinah asked distractedly.
<<Catwoman. Remember? Selena Kyle?>>
"Oh, uh, yeah."
"Still talking to our mysterious friend, I see,"
Selena Kyle, more widely known as the Catwoman, said
as she walked out of the shadows. Dinah followed
several feet behind.
"What are you so nervous about, my dear?" Catwoman
asked.
"One of these clowns is missing...Wait..."
<<Dinah! She's the eighth one!>>
Realization hit Dinah and her control at the same
time. As her eyes widened and she prepared to fight,
Dinah saw Catwoman pull a device from behind her. It
looked like some sort of taser.
Just as Black Canary started to leap at her, Catwoman
fired the gun and twin wires flew out of the weapon.
One grazed Dinah's throat. The other caught the real
eighth member of the original gang square in the
forehead.
Once contact was made, electricity flowed through the
wires. Each lead carried enough current to knock out
an adult man. Thus the man in black was thrown to the
floor unconscious, a state he would be in for some
time.
The other lead struck Dinah a glancing blow on her
pendant transceiver. The current burned out part of
the miniature circuitry and then caused her to
convulse briefly. Dinah was limp when she hit the
floor.
Gotham City; 12:22 AM EDT
Seeing the life signs on her monitors wink out,
Barbara yelled into the microphone, "Dinah! Dinah!
NO!!" She covered her face with her hands, forcing
back tears.
(Well, pretty birdy, I really must apologize. I
didn't mean to get you. Well, at least not this
way...)
On hearing Selena's throaty voice, Barbara turned and
stared at the monitor displaying her Catwoman file.
As Oracle it had become second nature to access any
available files should unexpected "guests" show up.
The monitor happened to show one of the few existing
pictures of Selena Kyle. It was a photo Barbara had
taken of her when they were in Atlantic City together
one weekend.
(You should be up and around in no time.)
Barbara suddenly felt relief wash over her as she
heard footsteps fade away. "She's still alive?" she
said as the sound of distant sirens came through the
speakers.
Barbara still felt the remnants of the panic that had
seized her when Black Canary's life signs disappeared.
Logically, she knew Selena would never kill another
person, but logic flew out the window when she had
thought Dinah was dead.
"Dinah? Can you hear me? Dinah?" Barbara asked.
She heard footsteps approaching rapidly. "Dinah! Get
up!"
(I have no idea why I'm doing this...)
Selena's voice!
(Oof! You don't look that heavy, girlfriend. Jeez,
must be the body armor.)
For several long minutes, all Barbara heard was the
sound of labored breathing and sirens getting closer.
Then the sound of an old door opening.
(I gotta put you down for a minute. Hopefully,
Chicago's Finest will be too busy with the boys
downstairs to think of the roof for a few minutes.)
<Wha...?>
"Dinah?"
(Oh, you're coming to? Good. I'd rather not have to
carry you everywhere..)
"Dinah? Can you hear me?"
<What happened?>
(When you decided to play hero and attack me, you got
hit by this nifty little gadget.)
<What is it?>
(Later. Can you walk? Good. Follow me.)
"Dinah, answer me. Dinah!" Barbara hit the desk in
frustration. Somehow, she could hear what was going
on but couldn't talk back to her friend. What had
Selena used?
(Listen. Canary? Pay attention. We have to go
across this line to the Park District building across
the way. It's part of Soldier Field and we can lay
low there until the boys in blue leave. Can you make
it?)
<I, uh, I don't know. Still pretty woozy.>
(Damn! Shoulda left you down there. Here, I'll carry
you. Put your arms around my neck and wrap your legs
around my waist. Hey! Watch the hands! Those aren't
handles, you know!)
Barbara couldn't help but snicker at that comment.
The snicker died when she heard Selena's next words.
(Plenty of time for that later... Ready?)
Chicago; 11:28 PM CDT
Dinah looked over Catwoman's shoulder and down towards
McFetteridge Drive. The short, narrow street between
the Field Museum and Soldier Field was packed with
squad cars and several squadrols. It was a see of
flashing blue light.
"Jeez..."
Catwoman nodded. "That's right, Birdlady, hold tight.
I don't think a cop car would make a good landing
pad." With that, Catwoman stepped off the roof of the
museum into the warm, dark night.
Dinah stared at the small pulley device Catwoman was
grasping as they sailed across the wide gap between
buildings. She didn't want to look at anything else
in her present state; not the street, the building
rushing towards them, the black expanse of Lake
Michigan to their left, or the towers to their right.
In seconds they were on the roof of the Park District
building. Seconds that seemed like an eternity to the
befuddled crime fighter.
"Much as I love your strong arms around me, Canary,
you can let go now.," Catwoman said.
"Oh, uh, right." Dinah released her grip and stood
up, surveying the scene. Behind them, the museum and
the necklace of police. In front of them, the dark
football arena with it's soaring columns.
"That's where we're headed." Catwoman started across
the roof then turned and looked back, "Unless you want
to go your own way?"
Dinah stood uncertainly. She hadn't heard anything
from Oracle. She also knew she wouldn't get far
without help. It wouldn't do to be picked up by the
Chicago Police. It would take far too long to
convince them that she was on their side, if they
would even be convinced of that. Chicago had little
experience with superheroes; surprising in America's
third largest city.
"Wait. Please, I need your help..."
Gotham City; 12:33 AM EDT
"No, Dinah! Goddammit!" Barbara hit her worktable
with her fist again. "Not with her!"
(Well, come along then, Pretty Bird.)
Barbara looked around her secret room desparately.
There had to be something here that she could use to
contact Dinah. There had to be...
As she rolled from rack to rack, she heard the faint
noises of two people sneaking stealthily through an
unfamiliar place.
(Okay, there are steps here. Need help?)
<No, thanks, Catwoman. I think I can handle the
stairs.>
Practically careening around the room, Barbara finally
came to a frustrated halt facing the back of the large
clockface that gave her building it's unofficial name,
the Clock Tower Building.
Tears of frustration blurred her vision and other
factors blurred her normally clear thoughts. Hearing
Selena's voice again brought back memories of another
time, another Barbara.
* * * * * *
She was then the high-flying Batgirl, part of the
unofficial Batman family. Dressing in a costume
modelled after the Batman, she did her part to try and
keep Gotham safe from the freak show the press had
dubbed Batman's Rogues Gallery.
In the course of her adventuring, it was inevitable
that she cross paths with the mysterious, elusive
Catwoman. She just never expected sparks to fly the
way they did.
In one of their hand to hand fights, Catwoman fell,
pulling Batgirl down with her. Feeling the voluptuous
body beneath her, Barbara succumbed to her secret
urges and kissed the villainess.
Catwoman returned the kiss with equal vigor, her
tongue darting around in Barbara's mouth. It was
seemingly as inquisitive as one of Catwoman's favorite
pets.
Batgirl didn't arrest her foe that night. Instead she
went with the raven-haired beauty back to a Midtown
hotel where they spent the rest of the night and most
of the following morning exploring each other's sexual
pleasures.
Barbara had never experienced passion like that
before. She knew then that she could never take
Selena in, not for fear her identity would be revealed
but because she had fallen in love with the other
woman.
Their secret affair continued for almost a year. They
usually met at some hotel where Selena had checked in
under an assumed name. Only occasionally did they
meet at Barbara's home.
The last night they were together, Barbara held
Selena's slick, nude body close to her own equally
sweaty form. They were both recovering from
wonderfully explosive orgasms and were content to
cuddle for a while.
"Selena, that was marvelous!" Barbara exclaimed as her
fingers trailed down the other woman's back to gently
squeeze and fondle her rounded ass.
Licking the underside of Barbara's jaw, Selena
chuckled, "Of course. How could it be otherwise?"
"My, my, look at the ego," Barbara said, as her
fingers drifted between Selena's legs causing the
older woman to squeak.
"Oh, my little Batbabe, you are going to get it,"
Selena mock warned. Then she proceeded to give it to
Barbara, her tongue creating magical sensations on the
red-head's soft skin.
As Selena moved between Barbara's legs, she sighed, "I
love your little red patch." Selena ran her fingers
through it while thrusting her tongue as deeply into
Barbara as she possibly could.
Just as Barbara was on the verge of another massive
orgasm, the phone rang. She pulled Selena's head more
tightly to her as the machine picked up the call.
'Hello, sweetheart. Just wanted to check in with you.
I leave early tomorrow for Coast City. See you in a
week. Love you. Bye.' The machine beeped as James
Gordon's message ended.
Barbara felt some slight amount of shame to have a
naked woman in bed with her when her father called.
However, the thrill of doing something "wrong" when he
called, added to the sensations Selena's tongue was
producing and she screamed out her orgasm.
Later, after Barbara returned the favor and Selena
slipped out, she lay back and called her father to
chat before his trip. While talking to him, she could
still taste Selena's esence on her tongue and rapidly
became aroused again.
After wishing her father a safe trip, she hung up and
masturbated furiously until she came two more times.
'Selena has a definite effect on me,' she mused as she
fell into a deep, untroubled sleep.
Within a month, she was crippled both physically and
emotionally. A bullet fired by the Joker, and the
subsequent abuse and torture at his hands, had ended
her life. She spent several months wanting nothing
more than to die.
Finally, one morning she woke up and decided to live.
With some initial help from the Wayne Foundation and
judicious investing, Barbara set herself up in the
Clock Tower with a computer system second only to the
Batcave's massive Crays.
Selena Kyle, though, had returned to Gotham at a time
when Barbara was nearly suicidal. Knowing nothing of
what the Clown Prince of Crime had done, she went to
Barbara's to find no one home. A quick word with the
building manager, along with a $20.00 "gift" clued her
in to what happened. She immediately went to the
Gotham City Public Library and poured over the
previous month's Gotham Gazzettes reading everything
she could about her love and the tragedy that had
befallen her.
Selena bought a Saturday Night Special and broke into
Arkham, her sole intent to kill the lunatic who
destroyed her lover's life.
"I couldn't, Barbara! I couldn't! Even that monster!
And all the evil he has perpetrated. I just couldn't
kill him," Selena sobbed as she stood in Barbara's
cold, empty bedroom.
She snuck out the window, leaving a note that said
Barbara deserved better than a woman who couldn't even
avenge the hurt done to the woman she loves.
Later, during the Clench outbreak, Batman was assisted
by Catwoman among others. She was put in touch with
Oracle as they coordinated their efforts at saving the
plague-ravaged city.
It was the only time since she found Selena's note
that Barbara allowed herself to cry for her lost
love.
* * * * * *
Barbara's attention was brought back to the present
when voices once again came through her speakers.
<Where are we, Catwoman?>
(From the, ugh, smell, I'd guess one of the locker
rooms. We'll go through and wait near one of the
gates until I'm sure the coast is clear.)
<What the hell is that thing you zapped me with? It
looks like a taser.>
Barbara sat forward, she wanted to hear this too.
(Oh, this little thing? It basically is a modified
taser. It can fire up to six wires, each independent
of the others.)
<Where did you get it?>
(I liberated one of the prototypes from STAR's Kansas
City office. They're developing it as a crowd control
measure. Little extreme in my opinion.)
<I'll second that>
Barbara heard Dinah's mirthless laugh.
(I guess in the excitement, I accidentally set it to
fire two. Sorry, Pretty Bird.)
<Well, okay, I guess....Mumpph! What the hell was
that?>
(A kiss. Surely you've been kissed before?)
"Oh Selena, please, not Dinah. Anyone else but
her..." Barbara felt tears roll down her cheeks but
did nothing to stop them. Nor did she make an attempt
to turn off the speakers or the monitors.
<Yes, of course I've been kissed. Just not by...>
(A woman?)
<No, a villian!>
(Well, I guess you didn't hate it. You definitely
responded.)
<I, well, I get...>
(Yeah, the adrenaline, the rush; they get me pretty
worked up too. That outfit? Can you feel this
through the body armor?)
<Uh, I don't think you shou...>
(Feels a little damp down here too...)
<We shouldn't...>
(Don't worry, I never take advantage of my lovers.
Ask Tall, Dark, and Vengeful, or...)
Barbara stared at the picture of Dinah on the monitor
as she heard the sound of people kissing again. She
didn't deny that she had kissed a woman before. Could
that mean...?
(Oh, Pretty Bird, I could just eat you up...)
<Better women than you have tried.>
(Ooo, I like a challenge!)
The smooth sound of a plastic zipper being pulled came
through clearly.
(Well, as long as we have to wait, we may as well
relax and enjoy ourselves. How about joining me in
the shower, Canary?)
<I am kind of sweaty from our little adventure...>
(I promise to be good. Very good!)
Barbara heard snaps being opened and then the sound of
Dinah's thin body armor suit hitting the floor.
(Oh, you aren't a natural blonde, Pretty Bird.)
<Does that bother you? Oh! I guess not...>
(Most of my pussies are multi-colored. If you know
what I mean...Mmmm. You taste good, Canary. Come
on.)
The sound of a shower filled the speakers. But,
unfortunately for Barbara, it didn't drown out the
sounds of two women making love.
She buried her face in her hands and sobbed quietly.
*******************************************************
Part 2: The Quest
Gotham City; 29 May; 12:55 AM EDT
"Oracle."
The voice was hard like cold steel. The sound of the
voice alone had brought grown men to their knees.
"Oracle," the Batman repeated.
Looking up, Barbara stared with red-rimmed eyes at the
tall, caped figure standing in the center of the room.
"You've been crying," he said.
"I knew there was a reason you're called the world's
greatest detective," Barbara replied sarcastically.
Batman regarded the monitors and listened to the
sounds coming over the speakers. Then he turned his
cowled head back to the young lady before him.
Barbara's head snapped around and she lunged for the
audio control, shutting off the sounds coming from the
distant locker room.
"Black Canary and Catwoman, I presume?" the Darknight
asked, as he caught sight if the open files on the
smaller monitors.
Barbara stared at her monitors before slowly nodding
her head. She then turned her chair to face Batman.
"Are you going to tell...?"
Batman shook his head, "No, if Dinah wants to tell her
friends in the Justice Society, it'll be up to her. I
don't see the need."
"But, Catwoman is a criminal," Barbara protested
weakly.
"I never had to worry about you, did I?"
Barbara's eyes widened, "You knew? When? Why didn't
you say..."
"I know Selena. She never compromises her lovers.
That's one of the few traits I admire in her."
"You? Admire a villian? Now, I've heard everything,"
Barbara said.
"I said I admired some of her traits. Not her. Not
while she lives this way. What about you? Do you
still love her?"
"What? Uh, no, not anymore. Not that way." Barbara
hesitated then added, "I still have feelings for her
but after the Joker, I don't feel love anymore."
"Barbara, it's okay to love." The crimefighter's
voice had softened. "You may be physically disabled
but you aren't emotionally crippled. Not unless you
allow yourself to be."
"What do you know about emotions? You're so goddamned
cold all the time. You either manipulate or drive
away anyone who becomes close to you. Do you even
remember what it is to feel?" Barbara's voice had a
harsh, savage edge that caught the Batman by surprise.
"Yes, I remember. I know what it's like to care. How
revealing it can be." Pulling the cowl back, the
Caped Crusader crouched down until he was eye to eye
with the upset woman.
"Barbara, when my parents were killed, I made a vow to
avenge them and to do everything I could to fight the
evil that killed them and threatens this city. I
never gave up my emotions, I just learned, as you have
since the shooting, to keep them buried. That's not
always a good thing. Dick barely speaks to me
anymore. I lost Vicki, and Silver. It hurts. Worse
than what Bane could ever do to me, but I learned to
cope. My crusade is mine. I try, and often fail, to
protect those close to me. It became easier to push
those close to me, to the Bruce part of me, away.
"You don't need to do the same, Barbara. Let go of
some of the responsibility. Live your life, not your
crusade."
Barbara looked at the man, Bruce Wayne, in front of
her. This was one of the longest speeches she had
ever heard from him while in costume.
"I don't know how anymore," she said.
"Barbara, I'm talking as Bruce, your friend now. Not
as the Batman. I've noticed you have been burying
yourself in your work. Too much? Well, that's not my
place to say."
The redhead laughed, "I'll say. You're the ultimate
workaholic!"
"I think you need to get away. Get some downtime and
relax. Tim would love to play Oracle for a week.
You've been going virtually non-stop since well before
the Clench outbreak. And then the quake, Sarah's
death..." He stopped when he saw tears start to well
up again.
Blinking rapidly, she replied, "I understand what
you're trying to do. But here I'm not some cripple in
a wheelchair. Here I do more good than I ever did as
Batgirl. I feel whole here."
"Go visit Dick. He'd love to see you," Bruce
suggested.
"I don't want to cramp his style. Juggling those
Titans women and his landlady...I'd really be a fifth
wheel!"
Barbara smiled though, thinking of the man in
Bludhaven who was the closer to her than anyone, more
a brother than her brother. Her best, truest friend.
He was wonderfully accepting when she told him about
her being in love with Selena. He never condemned her
for her lifestyle choices or her partners. He just
was there for her when she needed him.
"Alright, but don't spend 24 hours a day in here. Go
out and see what we've done with the city. It's pretty
phenomenal."
"I know, Cassandra has let me know," Barbara said,
referring to the young girl who took her old mantle
during the post-quake days when Gotham was little
better than a No-Man's Land.
"Don't mourn for what was with Selena."
"I wasn't crying over her," Barbara whispered.
Clearing her throat and wiping her eyes, she asked,
"What did you need anyway?"
Standing and pulling on his mask, the Darknight
returned. "Anything on a carjacking ring in the
Midtown area. They've been snatching European cars,
mainly of German manufacture and they've...hurt
someone."
Barbara turned back to her main workstation and began
a search for information. The last monitor she
cleared had Dinah's picture on it, Batman noted.
* * * * * *
Two weeks later; Justice League Watchtower, Earth's
Moon
Dinah Lance walked through the futuristic corridors of
the JLA's latest headquarters marvelling at
everything.
"Jeez, this is incredible!" she muttered.
"What is so incredible?" a deep voice asked.
Turning, she saw J'onn J'onnz, the Martian Manhunter,
striding towards her. "I've been here before but I
still am amazed. I mean, this place, J'onn! When we
started the League the first time way back when, we
never had anything like this! The less said about the
JSA's headquarters in comparison, the better."
"When dealing with threats such as our most recent
crisis, it behooves us to have the best and most
advanced equipment available," the tall, green-skinned
alien replied.
"So, Kyle said this is a blend of Martian and New
Genesis technology? That must've been a bit of a apin
in...um, a real pain to integrate." Dinah smiled
sheepishly, "I guess some of Ollie's style really did
rub off on me, sorry."
"Green Arrow had an effect on everyone who knew him,"
J'onn said laconically.
Dinah smiled, "Yeah, that he did. Anyway, what I
really meant was this is a far cry from our 'Secret
Sanctuary' outside Happy Harbor."
"Indeed it is. I...excuse me, Dinah. It seems young
Mister West is about to get himself into a
disagreement with one of your new teammates." J'onn
disappeared rapidly down a cross-corridor.
"See ya," Dinah said to the empty air. She shook her
head with a rueful smile. Knowing her new teammates
in the new Justice Society and how much of a hothead
Wally could be at times, she figured J'onn would be
tied up for a few minutes.
Looking through a nearby port, she gazed out at the
airless void, fingering the new pendant/microphone
Oracle had supplied. The barren, rocky landscape was
almost white under the harsh light of the lunar day.
Ambling along, apparently with no goal in mind, she
neared the computer core. Looking around nonchalantly
and seeing no Leaguers or Society members, she quickly
stepped into the main computer access chamber.
"God, where do I start?" she moaned as she looked at
the unearthly machines around her. "This makes
'Voyager' look like 'Doctor Who.'"
Finding what appeared to be a standard keyboard, she
tried to access the League files. Finally accessing a
low-grade search engine, she typed in a request for
Oracle access.
When the system asked for the appropriate password,
she slammed her fist on the rack.
"Damn!"
"Problem, Canary?"
Dianh froze at the sound of his voice. She turned
slowly and sheepishly smiled at the Batman. "I just
wanted to check my e-mail?"
"E-mail named Oracle?"
"Um, well, ya see..." She suddenly was at a loss for
words as Batman stood there quietly. She again
fingered her necklace.
"Oracle?" he finally said.
"Well, I've been working with her for several months
and I'm, well, I'm curious. I want to know who I'm
working for. Is there something wrong with that?"
Dinah demanded.
"Some people prefer to keep secrets," Batman said
cryptically. "And you've never been the type to pry
into secrets of this kind. Not without need."
Dinah stood there in thought, unconsciously playing
with her necklace, her link to Oracle. Finally, she
reached a decision and said, "I'll be honest with you.
I guess I've become fixated on her and who she is.
It seems she's alone and could use a friend or a..."
"Lover?"
Face turning crimson, Dinah looked away.
"What about Catwoman?"
Her heart racing, Dinah stared at the dark figure in
front of her. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"Dinah, I know about you and Selena. The question is
whether it was a one-time fling or do you plan a
relationship with her?"
"I...Batman, I didn't plan...I like guys, y'know? I
mean, Ollie, Hal. We had some wild... Alright, the
thing with Catwoman was just a way to release tension.
I was keyed up from the fight and then the electrical
shock..."
"Dinah, I don't care why. Is she a factor in your
life?"
"No. It was just the one time."
"Fine. That's all I needed to know." Batman stepped
up to the terminal and, under cover of his black cape,
keyed in some instructions.
"I believe someone left a trace on the monitor showing
Oracle's location. Sloppy maintenance. Well, it
should clear in five minutes or so."
He turned, his cape swirling, and walked to the door.
"Five minutes isn't too long, is it?"
Dinah swallowed and said, "No, not too long at all."
Stopping with his back to the chamber, Batman said,
"She's very important. I don't want her hurt
anymore."
"I understand." Dinah then asked, "Why did you...?"
"She's my friend."
Suddenly she was alone. Turning, she saw a Gotham
City address. She committed the address to memory
with a small smile.
*******************************************************
Part 3: The Meeting
Gotham City; 28 June; 3:30 PM EDT
Dinah Lance sat at a table of an outdoor cafe, sipping
coffee and scanning the street. Glancing at her watch
again, she knew her quarry would be here shortly.
Smiling, she sat back, smoothing the sundress over her
bare legs. She refused to admit to the butterflies
flying around in her stomach.
After the JSA returned from the Watchtower, she stayed
in Gotham on a personal mission. She had determined
that the object of her surveillance came to this cafe
virtualy everyday for a cup of coffee and a croissant.
At least she had for the last week and a half.
The blonde sat up a little straighter. There she was,
gliding down the sidewalk in her chair, her red hair
gleaming in the sunlight.
As the woman wheeled her chair onto the patio, Dinah
stood up and looked right at her, smiling.
Barbara saw Dinah and her heart skipped a beat. 'What
was she doing here? And why does she have that
expression on her face?' Barbara thought. 'Well, she
doesn't know who I am. It must be a coincidence. The
JSA's headquarters is nearby. after all.'
As she wheeled herself to an empty table, Dinah
stepped up and held out her hand, "I'm Dinah Lance."
Taking the extended hand, Barbara nodded, "I'm Barbara
Gordon. May I help you?"
"You have. Many times." Dinah smiled knowingly.
"May I join you?" Barbara nodded mutely. "Thank you.
It's a lovely day, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is. Gotham in the summer is always special.
But this year even more so." Barbara prattled on,
trying desparately to figure out what was going on.
"In parts of the city, you'd never know there had even
been an earthquake."
Barbara nodded, "The Wayne Foundation has been
wonderful helping out."
"So has Lexcorp, I understand," Dinah said. Seeing
the look in Barbara's eyes at the mention of the
Metropolis-based multi-national, she added, "Luthor is
good at making things look nice. But personally, I
think he's worse than a snake-oil salesman."
"Far worse," Barbara muttered. "Back to my original
question, if you don't mind. What can I do for you?"
Dinah smiled and said, "I was hoping to get a tour of
Delphi..."
Barbara's face became a frozen mask. Delphi? That
was Bruce's private joke with her. How did she find
out?
Dinah saw the mask go up and her face fell.
"I'm sorry. Barbara, I, uh, I know you're Oracle,"
Dinah said softly. "And I've been wanting to meet you
for so long. It's just that you've avoided it or put
me off, so that I finally had to track you down." She
paused, "I owe you so much since you took me on as an
operative that..."
Barbare chewed her lower lip then asked, "How did you
find me?"
"A computer trace actually."
"That's impossible. Between the multiple firewalls
and the blind alleys I created, no one can trace..."
Barbara stopped when she realized she had just
admitted that she was Oracle. Twice.
"Not to Martian technology," Dinah offered.
"The Watchtower computer? Oh, of course, the JLA/JSA
mission," Barbara paused when a thought struck her.
"Wait. You got into the League's computer system?
That's impossible without the right codes. How...?"
Barbara paused again and her eyes narrowed. "Batman."
Dinah gave her a small grin. "He cares about you.
That's why he let me find you, I think."
Smiling, Barbara said, "Yes. Yes, he does."
Finally a waiter came up and they ordered. While they
waited, little was said. Dinah gazed at Barbara and
realized that all of the effort was worth it. Her
companion was a beautiful woman.
"What are you smiling about?" Barbara asked with a
grin.
"Just so happy that you are such a beautiful woman,"
Dinah said, deciding to throw caution to the winds.
"No. I'm not." Barbara looked down at her useless
legs and the chair she often felt a prisoner of, no
more so than now.
"Yes, you are." Dinah reached over the table and took
Barbara's hand, "I really mean that." She gently
squeezed the slender hand and Barbara turned her hand
and returned the gesture.
"Barbara, you always were there for me. I want to be
there for you too. Will you let me?"
Barbara felt herself succumbing to this lovely woman's
charms. "I don't know if I even know how anymore."
"You've been alone a long time, haven't you?" Dinah
asked.
Nodding, Barbara replied, "I haven't been...not since
the shooting."
"Why?"
"I feel ugly and useless this way. I feel like the
only times I matter are when I'm Oracle."
"You are definitely not ugly. Or useless. You
survived in the hell that Gotham was last winter and,
more than just survived, you helped. Not just the
people here but me, the JLA, and anyone else who
needed you. That shows me you are a strong,
determined woman." Dinah let her words sink. "Am I
wrong?"
Barbara shook her head, "I don't know. I'm kind of
confused right now. I have no idea how to even talk
to you face to face. There are so many things I want
to..."
"Barb. Can I call you Barb? I guess I may as well
say this now. I really want to be with you. In every
way. If you can't...well, I don't care. I still want
to be with you. If, however, you don't want to, tell
me now. I'll understand."
"I, um, I do. And I can...I just never believed you'd
be..." Barbara paused for a long moment.
"Interested? I am. I guess I started to fall for you
months ago. And to see what a beautiful, desirable
woman you are only makes me want you more."
Barbara smiled shyly, "So you want to see Delphi,
huh?"
"I thought it was better than the old line about
coming up to see your etchings."
They asked the waiter to make their order to-go & left
for the Clock Tower shortly after.
* * * * * *
On a rooftop a few blocks away, Selena Kyle was
observing the pair through a small but powerful set of
binoculars. She had her mask pulled back and her long
black hair hung loosely around her face. She smiled
as the two young women held hands across the table.
"Catwoman," a familiar, flinty voice said from behind.
Without turning, she said, "You're up early."
"What are you doing, Selena? Why are you back in
Gotham?"
Finally turning, she regarded the black-clad figure
standing in the middle of the roof. "If you must
know, I came to see Black Canary, only to find she was
quietly tailing Barbara for the past week. I wanted
to know why. Now I do and..."
"What concern is it of yours?" the Batman asked.
"I do still care for Barbara. Very much. And I still
feel bad that I couldn't help her after the Joker..."
She blinked rapidly and cleared her throat, "That I
failed in what I wanted to do for her."
"You couldn't kill Joker. I know." At her surprised
look, he added, "I was following you. I was prepared
to stop you if you had actually tried."
"Why? Oh, never mind. I forgot about your code."
"Must be your code too, Selena," he said gently.
"You've never killed and you've had ample reason to do
so."
"Maybe so. Not that it matters now. I saw what I
wanted to see." She stood and slipped the binoculars
into a small pouch. "I guess I'd better be out of
town by sundown, huh?" she asked with a smirk.
"What did you want to see?" Batman asked, deliberately
ignoring her question.
"Barbara looking happy. She deserves to be happy,
don't you think?" she asked, pulling the mask over her
head.
"Yes."
She smiled, "I'm glad we agree on something, Bruce.
Well, I guess I go. I think I can catch the last
shuttle to JFK."
"Yes, it would too bad if you missed your flight..."
Batman said, without any trace of sarcasm.
Selena looked up smiling, "Oh? Would it?"
* * * * * *
Slowly making their way down the street, they chatted
about the little things people talk about. As a
result, they felt themselves grow closer. At one
point, Dinah placed her hand on Barbara's shoulder.
"You know, you remind me a lot of Ollie," the blonde
said.
"Oh? I do?"
"Well, like him, you're smart, resourceful, and a
survivor. And you care." Dinah paused then snorted,
"Fortunately you don't have all that macho crap in
you. I swear, Ollie had to be taking booster shots of
testosterone."
Barbara shared Dinah's laugh, remembering how Green
Arrow often was second only to Guy Gardner in the Male
Chauvanist Pig category.
Dinah continued, "You are like a walk...um, I mean
living, breathing example of the old cliche about
lemons turning into lemonade."
"Please!" Barbara protested. But secretly she was
very pleased that she had made such an impression on
this lovely lady by her side.
Dinah opened her mouth but stopped when she heard a
noise down a side alley. Looking into the shadows,
she saw three figures struggling.
"Wait here a minute," she said as she dashed into the
alley.
Two men in their twenties held a struggling young girl
against the wall. "C'mon chickie, you'll love it.
Stop squirming."
The speaker got ready to strike the teenager when his
arm was caught and he was flung across the alley.
Crashing into the side of a dumpster, he slumped to
the filthy, broken pavement.
The second would-be rapist turned with a switchblade
in his hand and lunged at Dinah. She stepped back and
to the side, and planted her left foot. Pivoting, she
came across his face with her right foot, shattering
the punk's nose.
Blood flowing freely down his face, he raced out of
the alley. Dinah saw with horror that he was going
out the way she came in. Barbara!
Barbara had edged her chair up to the alley's mouth
and saw the bleeding figure coming towards her. She
pushed out in front of him, locked the wheel, and
braced for the impact.
The running man, unable to stop himself, slammed into
the wheelchair, overturning it and the occupant. He
fell across and past Barbara onto the sidewalk.
Dinah came running out of the alley to see Barbara
flip her chair upright and lever herself to a sitting
position, using the prostrate figure to lean on.
Are you alright, Barbara?" Dinah asked worriedly.
Barbara waved her off like this was an everyday
occurence. Dinah smiled when she saw Barbara give an
extra push that caused the man's bloody, broken nose
to grind into the pavement.
"I see I had nothing to worry about. You're pretty
handy with that thing," Dinah said.
"Yeah, I kinda learned to live with it. How's our
near-victim?" Barbara asked, as she climbed into her
chair.
Dinah went back into the alley. There was a thump and
a groan before she led the girl out to the sidewalk.
The girl was shaking and sobbing. Barbara noted that
she couldn't have been more than thirteen or fourteen.
"Those bastards!" she hissed.
Dinah nodded and said, "The um, gentleman in the alley
won't be getting up for a while. This other guy,"
Dinah indicated the man on the sidewalk with a hard
kick between his legs, "won't be able to do much of
anything for a while either!"
Barbara smiled grimly and reached for the girl's hand,
"Sweetheart, what's your name? Is there someone we
can call for you?"
"I'm Lola. My daddy is at work but I got the key for
our house. Am I in trouble?"
"Oh no, honey. Not at all," Barbara reassured the
child as she heard sirens coming. "The police will
help you. Okay? And we'll wait with you."
A couple of hours later, after a squad car dropped
Dinah and Barbara off in front of the Clock Tower,
Barbara asked, "Want to see my etchings?"
Dinah laughed, "I'd love to see anything you want to
show me."
"Oh, you're so bad," Barbara snickered, leading the
way to her private elevator.
After a brief tour of the main apartment, Barbara
said, "This is my inner sanctum. What Batman likes to
call Delphi."
She opened a panel in the wall and wheeled herself
through. Dinah followed into the large chamber behind
the building's clockface. The blond bombshell stared
at the equipment filling shelves and racks on the
walls of the room.
"Jeez, Barb, you could fly the space shuttle from this
room," Dinah said quietly.
"Only if I have a vid-link," the redhead replied.
"You could? I was just kiddin...Oh man," Dinah shook
her head.
Barbara wheeled over to the main terminal and brought
up her monitors. "This is it," she announced. "let
me check for any messages..."
Dinah came up behind her friend. She knew that
Barbara was nervous but so was she. Dinah was scared
to death at what she was feeling for the lovely
auburn-haired woman. She hadn't felt this way for
anyone in a long, long time. Much less a woman.
Shaking her head, Dinah gently placed her hands on
Barbara's shoulders. They were bunched and tight.
She started to massage the girl's neck and shoulders
as she whispered, "I know you're nervous. So am I.
But I want this. I want you."
Dinah's breath tickled Barbara's ear and the blonde's
hands felt fantastic kneading her shoulders. She
rolled her head as the strong, nimble fingers dug into
her taut shoulders. "Ooh, that's wonderful!"
Dinah smiled at the silky feeling of Barbara's hair
brushing her fingers. When the redhead sighed and
shivered with pleasure, Dinah felt a warm, pleasant
sensation in her chest. She could smell the essence
of the woman in front of her and it sent a jolt of
pleasure down to her core.
Bending over, Dinah softly kissed Barbara's neck.
Feeling the goose bumps, she smiled and licked the
outer curve of Barbara's ear. That sent a definite
shiver through the redhead's body.
"Oooh! Dinah," Barb sighed, "Please don't stop."
Dinah pulled the chair around and knelt in front of
Barbara. She gently brushed her lips to Barb's.
Barb's lips were soft and warm and inviting.
Dinah sat back on her heals, her hands cupping Barb's
face. She looked deep into the redhead's eyes and was
pleased at the need and want she saw reflected in
them. Gently carressing Barbara's cheeks with her
thumbs, Dinah leaned in and kissed her again.
Barbara felt her heart soar when Dinah kissed her
neck. Her pulse increased when she felt the blonde
lick her ear. But when Dinah kissed her lips, Barbara
was almost overwhelmed by the feeling of desire that
welled up in her. Taking the initiative, she opened
her lips and let her tongue slip across Dinah's soft
lips. Those lips opened and their tongues met and
carressed each other.
After several long minutes, Dinah again sat back on
her heels. Without saying anything, she reached up
and gently removed Barb's glasses and placed them on
the desk. She then leaned back in and placed gentle
kisses on the woman's eyelids before trailing down to
her mouth. Kissing the corners of her new lover's
mouth, Dinah brushed the very tip of her tongue around
the outside of Barbara's lips. Barbara moaned and
grasped Dinah's head, pulling their mouths together in
hard, passionate kiss.
Their passion was shared by lips, tongue, and breath.
It washed over them like a tidal wave. Neither woman
had ever experienced such passion with a lover before.
The sensation both frightened and aroused them.
Dinah again pulled back and gazed at Barbara. The
redhead returned the look. They knew that they shared
the same fears and the same needs. They understood
what each felt without words.
Dinah stood and reached out for Barbara. Barbara held
out her hands and allowed her lover to pull her up and
out of the chair, trusting that Dinah would not allow
her to fall.
Dinah picked Barbara up and carried her out of Delphi.
In the apartment's living room, she leaned down to
share another kiss. Going down the short corridor to
the bedroom, Dinah felt Barbara's fingers tracing her
breast through the thin cotton sundress. In the
bedroom, Dinah kissed Barb lovingly before gently
laying her on the bed.
The blonde lay beside the redhead, leaning on one
elbow as she lightly ran one hand over her companion's
soft curves. Dinah leaned over and tasted Barbara's
mouth again. As this kiss deepened, Dinah partially
lay over Barb, feeling the other woman's body pressing
against hers.
Finally, Dinah rose and said, "Too many clothes." She
stood and pulled her dress over her head and tossed it
aside. Standing in her bra and panties, she smiled at
Barbara. Opening the snap in the front, she let the
lacy cups drop off her shoulders.
Barbara stared hungrily at the ripe mounds of Dinah's
breasts. They were round and firm, capped by dark
pink areoles and eraser-sized nipples. 'They're
perfect,' Barbara thought.
Dinah hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her
panties and pulled them down over her hips. As the
material fell to her feet, she ran the fingers of one
hand through the dark curls that were revealed.
Barbara found her eyes roaming all over the lovely
form standing in front of her. The sight of Dinah's
nude figure was increasing her arousal tremendously.
Dinah knelt on the bed over Barbara and reached down
to help the young woman undress. It was a little
awkward with Barbara laying on the bed and she
apologized.
"I'm sorry this is so diffcult for you."
Dinah leaned over and kissed her tenderly, "It's not,
my love. I want to do this. I love seeing you slowly
emerge in all your glory!"
Barbara's eyes misted as she heard the sincerity in
Dinah's voice. She smiled as she shifted and moved as
Dinah pulled off her blouse then her jeans. Soon,
Barbara was laying on the bed, clad only in frilly
pink panties.
Dinah leaned over and whispered, "You're even more
beautiful...!" She kissed Barb on the lips then
trailed her tongue down to the hollow of her throat
and across her collar bone.
Barbara shivered at the feelings Dinah was creating in
her. She almost cried out when the blonde's lips
moved up the swell of her breast and wrapped around
her erect nipple. Barbara's breath caught in her
throat when she felt Dinah's tongue tease her nipple.
Dinah loved the feel and taste of Barbara. She gently
pulled the nipple with her teeth and ran her tongue
along the tip slowly. Her hands weren't idle during
this; one cupped Barb's other breast and the other
slid over the thin lace panties and gently rubbed the
redhead's core. Dinah moved her mouth to the other
breast and repeated the exquisite oral torture.
Barbara held Dinah's head in her hands, her fingers
entwined in the soft hair. She arched her back and
moaned aloud. The moan turned into a cry of pleasure
as Dinah's fingers slid under the waistband of her
panties and the blonde cupped her mound.
Dinah pushed the redhead's panties down with her hand
as she ran her fingertips up and down the moist outer
lips, consciously avoiding the hard nub at the top of
Barb's slit. She began to kiss her way down Barb's
body, her mouth watering at the thought of tasting the
honey that was oozing over her fingers.
Dinah paused on her oral journey and dipped her tongue
into Barb's navel. She licked around the edges of the
bellybutton and then ran across the dimpled bottom of
the little hole. Barb grunted and then squealed in
delight.
Dinah smiled and continued on. She had planned to
take her time loving as much of the woman's body as
she could but the aroma wafting up from her fingers
overcame her control. She nestled between Barb's legs
and gazed in loving awe at the dripping sex before
her.
"Oh, you are so lovely," Dinah said before pulling the
outer mons apart with her thumbs and running her
tongue up and down the wet lips.
She looked across the expanse of flesh below her to
Barbara's face and loudly smacked her lips.
"Delicious, darling!" Then Dinah returned her mouth
to Barb's pussy.
Alternately licking the redhead's lower lips and
thrusting her tongue between them, Dinah brought Barb
to a small climax. She rested her chin in her palm
looking at the open sex before her. 'That won't do!'
she thought. 'I want Barbara to scream out her
orgasm.'
Dinah returned and buried her mouth in the folds
before her, licking and nibbling on the engorged lips,
tasting the juices that were flowing from the girl
before her. She paused only when she felt Barb tense
as she neared her second orgasm.
Finally, as Barbara's moans increased in volume, Dinah
finally turned her attention to the girl's clitoris.
Engulfing the little organ in her mouth, she sucked on
it and ran her tongue up and down the tiny nub. Just
as Barbara's body tensed again, Dinah thrust two
fingers into her and swabbed the tip of her clit.
Barbara's scream echoed in the small room as she was
swallowed by one of the biggest orgasms she had ever
experienced. Her back arched as her upper body
writhed on the sheets and her juice soaked Dinah's
fingers.
Dinah crawled up alongside her lover as Barbara's
breathing returned to normal. She gently hugged the
flushed body and softly brushed her lips over the
girl's feverish forehead.
Barbara finally opened her eyes to see Dinah looking
at her with a smile. She smiled back, saying, "That
was incredible! I only hope I can make you feel a
fraction of that."
"I have no doubt you will, my love."
Barbara pulled Dinah to her and began to suckle at the
breasts she had admired so much earlier. The soft
flesh was slightly salty and the nipples hard and
springy to her tongue. She thoroughly bathed each as
Dinah's head was thrown back.
"Move up here," Barbara directed. Dinah smiled and
happily did as she was told. She knelt over Barbara's
face and looked down to see her smiling up. "I almost
forgot you weren't a natural blonde," the redhead
commented as she toyed with the dark brown curls above
her.
"I've wanted to be with you for so long. Now, I
finally have my chance," Barb whispered into the
aroused flesh between Dinah's thighs. She grasped the
woman's hips and pulled her down until Dinah's sex
covered Barb's mouth.
The auburn-haired beauty snaked her tongue out and she
finally tasted her prize. It was far better than she
had hoped. It was like nectar to her. The salty tang
was a feast on her tongue.
Barbara began to worship Dinah's mound, licking,
nipping with her teeth, and thrusting with her tongue.
Much like Dinah had done to her.
Dinah felt the pleasure flowing out from her groin in
waves. Each wave more intense than the one before.
She leaned forward against the headboard and looked
down. She saw Barbara's eyes smiling above her pubic
thatch and knew the other girl was enjoying this as
much as she was.
That thought was all Dinah needed. The touch of
Barbara's tongue to her clit only heightened the power
of her climax. Clenching her eyes tightly shut, she
saw explosions of color as her body was consumed by
her passion.
Dinah collapsed next to Barbara and lay sweaty and
panting as she slowly recovered from her wonderful
orgasm. As she tried to get her breathing under
control, she peeked at her lover and saw Barb smiling
at her.
"Oh God, th-that was, uh-uh, won-onderful! You made
me feel better than...I don't know if I ever had such
an orgasm..."
"I'm so glad, my love," Barbara said as she hugged her
woman to her.
They made love several more times that afternoon. As
the late evening summer sun painted the east wall of
Barbara's bedroom, they finally took a break from the
multiple orgasms they had given each other.
As they lay engulfed in the afterglow of their
lovemaking, Barbara kissed Dinah near her ear and
whispered, "You know, someone suggested I take a
vacation."
Dinah looked at her love, "And...?"
"I declined."
"Why?"
"No one to go with..."
"Is that an invitation?"
"Would you like it to be one?"
In lieu of words, Dinah kissed her softly.
After Dinah leaned back, Barbara reached over to the
nightstand and picked up the phone. With the handset
in her grasp, she lay back down. Dinah then moved
over and rested her head on Barbara's breast while
idly running her fingers through the russet tuft
between the girl's legs.
As she punched in the numbers on the handset, she
remembered being naked in bed with Selena when her
father called. Knowing who she was calling, this felt
even naughtier.
"Hello, Tim? Barbara. How are you?" Barbara looked
down at the lovely figure laying naked against her
equally bare flesh and smiled.
"Listen, how would you like to 'mind the store' for a
week or so? Ooh!" She mock-glared at Dinah as the
blonde's fingers trailed between the plump outer lips
of her sex. "No, nothing's wrong. Just a little
twinge." Dinah smiled at her wickedly and ran her
thumb over Barb's clit. "Oh God! Stop that! Not
you Tim. Uh, it's a, well, never - Ooo! - um, never
mind." Barbara lightly slapped Dinah's wrist. "Uh,
well, we, I mean I was thinking of getting away from
Gotham for a while. Maybeeeee...!"
She cupped her hand over the mike, "Damn it, Dinah!
I'm talking to sixteen year-old kid!"
Dinah mimed a "what did I do?" expression as her
fingers continued to play between Barbara's legs.
"Um, Tim, I have to go but I'll let you know - Oooh -
wh-when I'm planning to go-oooh. Never mind what I'm
doing, young man. No. And never mind who I might be
going away with. Aaah-aah! Yes, good. Talk to you
later. Good-byeeee!"
Barbara savagely punched the disconnect button and
looked at her lover. "Well, I hope you're happy!"
Barbara's smile belied her words or tone.
"Oh, I am. Happier than I can remember being." Dinah
smiled. Barbara grinned down at her.
"So am I."
*******************************************************
Epilogue
Tim Drake sat at the main console in the Clock Tower
and fingered the keyboard. This was going to be
great! Two weeks at one of the best computer systems
in the country, if not the world!
"Tim, sorry to interrupt, but I just want to make sure
you understand..."
"Barbara, it's cool!" Tim turned and looked at his
friend, "I know how the system works and I'm not a bad
hacker myself."
"Just remember to prioritize your work. The League
has priority, then the others as I listed..."
"In the electronic memo and the sheet you taped to the
fridge, and..."
Barbara laughed, "Okay, Wiz Kid, you got it. You have
my pager number too."
"Yes, I do," Tim agreed. He already told himself he
wouldn't use it unless the threat was huge, like
Cyborg taking over the Moon again. "Just have a good
time. Relax, okay?"
"Hey, Red, coming?" Dinah called from the entryway.
"Wayne's limo is ready downstairs." Barbara waved her
quiet.
"And no Spoiler up here! I'm not contributing to the
deliquency of a minor. If you want to see her, do it
outside of here...capiche?"
Tim looked at Dinah and back to Barbara and nodded in
agreement. Anyway, the thought of those two ladies
together was enough to fuel his fantasies for the next
year.
Dinah stepped into Delphi, as she had taken to calling
the room, and brushed her lips on Tim's cheek. "Have
fun, Robbie," she said.
"Hey!" Barbara said from the entry with a laugh.
"What? Jealous?" Dinah smirked and followed Barbara
with a little wave towards Tim.
"A year?" Tim muttered to himself, as he watched the
monitor to see the lovers climb into the waiting limo.
"More like a year and a half," he said with a smile.
 (c) John O'Conner
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