2015.01.11 - Second Chances

The Clocktower Building is actually a fairly iconic building in the Gotham skyline. A unique amalgam of the Gothic architecture that seems to be the city's default style and traces of art deco that help place the period in which it was built, the building had fallen into distinct disrepair before its current owner picked it up.

It's been spiffed up since then, however. A fresh coat of paint and repairs to formerly broken tiles have given the foyer a new lease on life. Black and gold marble tiles line the floor and flow halfway up the walls, their pattern punctuated by contrasting white and gold tiles inlaid in inventive art deco patterns. The upper half of the walls is painted with a golden hue that isn't so much gilt as it is akin to lamplight. A wide security desk sits off to one side, easily in view of the main entry -- a revolving door flanked by two automatic doors. Opposite the main entry is a brass-framed elevator that's done up in a throwback style reminiscent of a hotel from a hundred or so years ago. It's a quick elevator, newly installed, with wide doors and a digital display.

Hung above the security desk, in bold black letters on a field of gold, is a sign identifying the company that owns the property: Clocktower Systems.

It's been six months since the Joker kidnapped Commissioner Gordon, and shot his daughter Barbara. No news of Miss Gordon has been released to the media after the attack, leaving many on the streets to wonder just what had happened to the woman. Clearly there would have been a funeral if she had died. One evening, somehow, a note makes its way to Jason Todd. It's computer printed, and reads only 'Red Hood, meet me at Clocktower at 10pm'

The Red Hood is early. He shows up at 9:45, in his full outfit and gear. Jason swings in and lands on the Clocktower roof in front of the face of the giant time piece. He takes a look at his watch confirming the time, before slinking back into the shadows.

At around 9:50, a van pulls up. After a few moments, it's clear that the van is offloading a person in a wheelchair, although the actual figure is still in shadow. After the wheelchair seated passenger is out, the van drives away. Slowly, the figure rolls into the light of a streetlamp. Barbara Gordon looks up at the top of the Clocktower, expectantly.

Jason Todd looks down at Barbara from his perch on the town. He looks down and narrows his eyes at Barbara's seated form. He had heard the news, but had scarcely believed it. Now, with the evidence in front of his eyes, all he can do is grumble to himself. "I'm sorry, Red," he says quietly. He flashes a light down at her to get her attention.

Barbara Gordon waves at the flashing light, signalling that she had in fact spotted her friend. She rolls herself into the building. A few minutes later, an elevator brings the former Batgirl up to the roof. She wheels herself in front on the clock. "Jason... I-" Her voice catches with all of the emotions she's been bottling up since she was attacked. "You're the only one who'd understand-"

Jason Todd reaches up and takes off his helmet with a pop and a hiss. He pulls it down revealing his face, eyes only covered by a red domino mask. "Barbara," He says, a pained expression passing his face. "I'm sorry." He walks up to her, standing in front of the wheelchair. "I'm sorry all this happened." His head hangs, with an expression like it's his fault.

Barbara Gordon shakes her head sadly, a hand reaching up take a hold of the man's own. "Jason, it's not your fault. You couldn't have know what that /monster/ would do." The redhead's green eyes seem wet with tears. "...I can't walk, Jason. The bullet - My spine was severed above my hips. I'll be trapped in this wheelchair, for the rest of my life."

Jason Todd's gloved hand allows Barbara's hand to clasp it, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Is there anything Bruce can do?" He says, his brow furrowing. "Maybe Wayne Enterprises has some type of genetic therapy, or maybe a brace of some type?"

Barbara Gordon shakes her head again, squeezing his hand back. "Bruce has done everything he can - paid for all the medical care, renovations for the house - but there's nothing that will repair my spine." She squeezes her eyes shut, holding her emotions inside again, emotions she;s been holding ever since that night. "I just - I needed to talk with you..."

"I'm here, Red," Jason says quietly. "You can say whatever you need to. Though, you may be warmer inside. Gotham Winter being what it is." He cannot bring himself to look in her face, his eyes still down cast.

"I'm alright for now." Barbara insists. "What about you?" She looks over the city, sighing heavily. "...The Joker escaped confinement, just last week." she says, her voice devoid of emotion, but a glance into her eyes reveals how terrified she is. She wraps her arms around herself. "...What if he comes to finish what he started? I couldn't stop him from doing what he wanted before, and now-" She breaks off with a short gasp and she closes her eyes tightly.

"Did the mortality of the job never occur to you before?" Jason asks, a teasing tone in his voice. "It never did to me until..." He trails off and shakes his head. "I'm still alive now, and so are you. We are lucky for that." He takes off his motorcycle jacket and drapes it around her shoulders. It smells strongly of cordite and cigarette smoke. "It's strange to suddenly be afraid, isn't it?"

Barbara Gordon draws the jacket around herself, taking a sniff. Her nose crinkles at the smell, and she smiles, just a bit. "Smoking isn't exactly good for you Jason." she teases back, some of the fear gone from her. Just like Jason to help her out. "Although, neither are explosions.: She looks at him. "But that doesn't stop you, does it?"

It is hard to miss the grenades, guns, and ammunition that were concealed by that jacket. "It's awful hard to stop a guy like me," Jason says with a grin, attempting to actually light a cigarette in this wind. "Once you die, things like cancer tend to loose their bite. I would offer you one, but the Doctor's probably have you on the best shit money can buy."

"I'll pass, Jason. I do appreciate the offer, though." Barbara smiles again, more earnestly now. "You always were reckless. I admire that about you." She draws the coat closer, finding comfort in it somehow. "Aren't you cold? I know you're Mr. Macho, but it is rather cold up here."

Jason Todd blows out a cloud of smoke. "I'm fine, beautiful," He coughs. "We're all just a bit reckless, Barbara. We take the law into our own hands, stay out all night, sleep all day, destroy our bodies, and then wonder why we can't have social lives." There is a long moment before he talks again. "What will you do now?"

Barbara Gordon blushes a bit at the beautiful line - it brings a bright grin to her face. "Well, finish up your cigarette, handsome, and I'll show you what I've been working on." She wheels over to the elevator, giving Jason a wink. "Promise me, what you see you'll keep a secret."

Jason Todd grins and drops the cigarette, stepping on it to snuff the flame. "Is there even a question?" Jason says, following Barbara. "You know I can keep all kinds of secrets. Remember that I time I kept a secret you told me in confidence, by telling Alfred, you told me, that you had a crush on Dickie-Boy?"

Barbara Gordon rolls her eyes. "That was a long time ago. And yes, Dick's cute, but so are you and that's not fair." She sticks a tongue out playfully. "Seriously though... I know I can trust you." She operates the elevator, and once they're both inside, slides a panel to press a hidden button. "Not even Bruce knows about this place."

The Clocktower - Oracle's Operation Center The entire top floor of the Clocktower has been engineered to be Oracle's lair, her operations center. The ceiling is a good thirty feet up, thanks to the giant clock window that makes up the wall opposite the elevator. Cantilevered beams create a maze of rafters and catwalks overhead -- accessible by ramps and winch lifts.

In the center of the room stands a semi-circular technology console that faces the window. A number of displays hang on moveable arms, the biggest one in the center of them all. There is no chair because Oracle always brings her own. Keyboards and peripherals cover the surface of the workstation, all within easy reach.

Other workstations stand at the ends of the room -- a crime lab, a forensics analysis center, and a de facto clean room for the creation and storage of delicate technical systems. Additionally, a simply furnished lounge sits in a corner, is a large flatscreen TV and a mess of video game consoles within its confines.

Standing not so far from the shrouded lift leading down to Barbara's apartment is a dark mannequin garbed in the dark cowl and formfitting uniform of the first super-heroine to claim the name Batgirl, protected by a glass dome -- a little piece of sentimental nostalgia in what is otherwise a monument to the future.

"Yeah, but you swore to never to speak to me again after that," Jason says with a chuckle. "And you turned just the right shade of scarl--" He stops as he enters Barbara's sanctum. "Wow. Sweet Zombie Jesus, you have quite the set up here, Red."

Barbara Gordon chuckles, wheeling in behind Jason She's grinning. "Welcome to the Oracle's chamber." she says with a bit of a flourish. Jason would have heard that name - the mysterious leader of the Birds of Prey, always heard but never seen. But, the Oracle had been active for a couple of years...

Jason Todd stops, and turns to Barbara with a smirk. "Oracle's chamber?" He chuckles. "So either you are the sexy voice that I keep hearing dealing with those female vigilantes, or you like to get high and interpret messages from the Gods." He crosses his arms. "Which is it?"

Barbara Gordon playfully swats at Jason, just like she did back when they were both Bats. "You are the only person, other than myself, to know that I'm Oracle." she says, with a serious tone to her voice now, even though she's blushing again. "Because - you're the only one who really understands what I need to do, know. The Birds started as a way to cover more ground, carry the fight elsewhere. Now, they'll be my not only my eyes, but my legs as well."

"Mission control that's easy on the ears?" Jason says, with an arched eyebrow. "I can think of worse things to do with your time." His smile sinks slightly as she says they are her legs now. He sighs and pulls off the domino mask. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"Jason, it's *not* your fault." Barbara insist. She looks at him, so many emotions in her eyes. Sympathy, sorrow, pain, fear. But also determination. "He took my legs, Jason. But he won;'t break me. I refuse!" There's a fierceness to her voice. "I..." She looks away, and then back to him. Suddenly, she reaches out and awkwardly hugs him around the middle.

Jason Todd jumps slightly as she reaches out and hugs him. He reaches down and awkwardly hugs her back. "I'm still sorry this happened," He says quietly. "You know you are not alone. No matter how much that seems to be the case."

"He shot me in my own home, Jason." Barbara admits, her body trembling ever so slightly. That was a detail that hadn't been published in any paper. "I was watching TV, waiting for Dad to get home - there was a knock on the door." She takes a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I opened it; He was standing there - I didn't even get a chance to scream." Her shoulders shake more, and it's clear that she hasn't told anyone this. "I fell backward, I couldn't move." She shudders. "He *touched* me..."

Jason Todd kneels down in front of Barbara. "Barbara," he says quietly. "I'm sorry. I'm here. Let it all out. I understand." He looks into her eyes directly for the first time in quite awhile. "You've been holding back. Now is time. Let the dam break."

Tears roll down the redhead's cheeks as Barbara finally cries the tears she;s been holding back since that horrible night. "I couldn't move; everything was so cold! And he touched me and laughed and laughed! Oh god, I can still hear the laughing!" Babs gasps for air, sobbing. "I was dying, and I couldn't even scream for help, couldn't stop him touching me, his laughing-!" She buries her face in her hands, sobbing.

Jason Todd puts his hands on her shoulders gently. He holds onto her, letting her sob and work through her emotions. "It's okay, Barbara," He says softly. "He isn't here now. He isn't coming for you. You are safe here. After all, I'm armed for Bane." Jason tries to chuckle, but it comes out sounding bitter. "Hey, beautiful. Look at me."

It is a long few minutes before Barbara finally looks up, eyes red and cheeks puffy. There are still tears, and she doesn't try and wipe them away. She sniffs, loudly. "I don;t want him to win.: she whispers, hoarsely. "In have to keep going, or I'll never make it." Another few sniffs, and she leans against the hand on her shoulder, her breathing still hitching from time to time. "He hurt me, Jason. And not just with a bullet."

"I know, Babs," Jason says quietly. "For me, it wasn't just a crowbar." He pulls off his glove with his teeth, and drops it on the floor. His bare hand reaches out to touch her face. "Barbara, do you trust me?"

"I trust you." Barbara whispers, letting him touch her face. She slips her own hand over his. "If I didn't trust you, I would have never brought you here." She closes her eyes for a moment. "I will always trust you."

"I won't let him get to you," Jason says quietly, a fire in his eyes. "He will only get to you over my dead body." Unlike the Joker, Jason's hand is rather warm.

"I won't let you die, not again." Barbara insists, looking straight into Jason's eyes. Some of the fear in her eyes disappears. "I don;t want to lose you again." She leans forward, putting her forehead against his. 'I swear this, here and now. No More. Even if it;s the last thing I do on this Earth, that *monster* is facing Justice!"

Jason Todd grins lopsidedly. "You keep making swears someone is going to wash your mouth out with soap," Jason chuckles. "That or I need to get you a swear jar." He gets serious again. "Feeling any better now, sweetheart?"

Barbara Gordon grins back at Jason, the same grin she wore as Batgirl. "Much better, my friend." She blinks. "You're such a sweet guy, Jason, are you... flirting with me?" She actually laughs. "I'm not complaining, anyway."

Jason Todd looks left and right suspiciously. "Noooooo," He says, blushing slightly. "And if you believe that, I have a bridge in Gotham to sell you." He grins and stands. "I want to make sure you are comfortable in the new digs. Yeah, that's right."

Barbara Gordon laughs at loud, a cheerful sound that fills the large room. "Oh Jason..." She giggles, looking much cheered. "You're amazing, you know that right? Just try to stay a bit out of trouble." She winks. "You're welcome to come here, anytime. Just don't lead anyone else here."

Jason Todd grins. "I may have to take you up on that," He sighs. "Being homeless and all." He pulls his glove back on. "I kid, I have safe houses. Just drafty places."

Barbara Gordon looks at him with a serious and earnest look. "Stay here then." she insists. "I have enough space for you. Please, at least tonight?" She folds her hands on her lap. "I would... enjoy the company." she explains lamely. In truth she just wanted the man to feel at home again.

"I don't know," Jason says with a sigh. "I would keep you awake. I have my own demons." His face gets distant. "Nightmares mostly. Some nights I wake up screaming." He sighs again and closes his eyes. "Don't know why I am spilling the beads all over the place."

"You think I don't?" Barbara retorts quietly. "I have a perfect memory, remember? Which means I can't forget what happened to me. I relive it every night." she admits. "We have the same demons, my friend. You won't bother me." She smiles, slightly. "Please stay?"

Jason Todd stares at her for a moment. It almost seems like he is surprised. "If you insist," Jason says, with a slight grin. "I won't turn down the pretty lady. As long as she doesn't mind me sleeping into the late morning. Give me some kind of credit, please," Jason says with a look of mock hurt. "My tastes have become much more refined. I prefer Sour Cream and Onion Pringles now." He unbuckles his web-vest, the veritable armor he is wearing jingles.

Barbara Gordon laughs again, more than she had in the last six months. She wheels herself over to a large cupboard in the corner, grabbing some Pringles (Sour Cream and Onion, it seems!) for Jason, and some Triscuts for her. "Want something to drink?" she asks, putting the snacks in her lap.

"It wouldn't hurt," Jason says, with a shrug. "Something to wash out the salty, delicious, fattening taste of potato chips." He crosses his arms, and gives her a measured look. "When was the last time someone took you some place really nice for dinner?"

"Dad took me out for my birthday last year." Barbara offers, going over to the fridge to pull out some soda. "But, someone other than my dad? Um... Bruce took me out once." She rolls her eyes. "Are you..." She blushes. "Are you asking me out?"

Jason Todd gets the shifty eyes again. "I don't know," He says with a cough. "You are better at actual detective work. I just brashly hit things, and act like a blood hound." He grins. "I was just thinking what you would look like in a slinky black dress."

Barbara Gordon blushes, nearly dropping the soda she was holding. "J-Jason! Jeeze, you're terrible you know that?" She's laughing though, shaking her head merrily as she wheels over and hands Jason his food. "Go eat, Zombie." She says the word affectionately, probably being one of the few who gets away with it. "And brains are not on the menu!"

"Oh?" Jason says, with a full on grin. "I'm terrible? What I am terrible at? Making a pretty girl get flustered, even though we both know I am not lying and it is making her feel better." He pops the top of the can with one hand, and smells it like fine wine. "Ahhh, that smell keeps me going."

Barbara Gordon smiles. "You;re such a sweetheart. Thanks." she sips her own drink, orange soda. "I mean it, thanks. I feel much better, now. Guess I really shouldn't have locked everything up." She frowns slightly. "No wonder Bruce is always grouchy."

You say, "Don't get me started on Bruce," Jason says with a sigh. "Ran into Batman not too long ago. He game me the two word dressing down. You know how he does, where he doesn't have to say anything, but you know you fucked up?" He looks to a couch. "May I?"

"Make yourself at home." Barbara wheels over, and lifts herself out of her chair to sit on the couch as well, leaving enough room for Jason. "He worries about you." She sighs. "He blames himself, and yet at the same time... I can't understand him." She leans back, legs hanging uselessly over the couch end. "He's afraid that he might end up like the Joker."

Jason Todd sits next to Barbara. "You want to know something funny?" He says, popping a chip in his mouth with a crunch. "Well, it isn't really funny, but...I'm afraid of that too. What if I lose it one day, and just become like...him."

Barbara Gordon wraps her arms around Jason's shoulders, holding him tight. "I won't ket you. Just like we won't let Bruce become that monster.: She holds him close. "Just like, you'll keep me for becoming like that...Promise?"

Jason Todd leans his head over, and gently touches his head to hers. "I promise," he says quietly. "I won't let that happen. Just need to keep my head in the right place." He sighs, and puts a chip halfway into his mouth, then turns to Barbara. "MMm-hmm!" He grunts.

Barbara Gordon chuckles, and snags half the chip away from Jason. "Goofball." She lays her head on his shoulder, sighing contently.

Jason Todd munches. "But," He says, crunching through the chip. "Did you laugh?"

Barbara Gordon nods. "I did.: She looks relaxed. "..." She yawns. "I don;t feel like wheeling myself up to my apartment... I'm going to crash here, if you don't mind."

Jason Todd pulls Babs into a close hug. "I'll do my best to be a pillow," He says softly. "Sleep well, red."