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Batgirl Begins (dbspock/WendyTheRed)

Stan nodded as he handed her the fob for the vehicle. "Your welcome, Miss Gordon." He replied politely after getting her name off the drivers license. If she'd told him her name, he'd been too distracted and nervous to remember it. He looked shocked at her reference to seeing him at lunch...as far as he knew, executive staff didn't have a separate dining area, but he always figured they either had their meals catered or went out to eat. The prospect of seeing someone of her status doing something as mundane as eating in the cafeteria surprised him. "Yeah...maybe." He replied, not believing for a minute it would actually happen.

If Bruce was in his office, there was no sign of it, and the envelope on the desk was indeed HR paperwork. Amanda had also done her job and got her the computer access she needed for both the security detail for the shipment (though there was no indication of what the shipment actually was) as well as the code for the drone that had stolen her skirt. As she was filling out the HR paperwork, her phone went off again with a message from a number she did not recognize.

'Hey,,,this is Lana Logan. Dad met with you earlier today. Anyway, I just wanted to say welcome to Gotham, and was curious if you'd be interested in a picnic this weekend.'
 
Barbara was pleased to see she had access to the security detail. She didn't have any problems with calling the security chief with the information but she was on her first day and figured he probably didn't know about her yet. It was easier just to get the information directly like this. She decided to call Agent Coulson with it immediately after filling out the HR paperwork and delivering it to where it needed to go.

When she heard her phone buzz she was surprised to see a number she didn't recognize. She nearly didn't answer but curiosity got the best of her and she did, speaking in a bit of a 'Bruce Wayne's assistant' voice without realizing it. "This is Barbara Gordon."

She listened to what the other girl said and blinked, smiling to herself, she'd probably come across like some uptight snob just then. "Oh, hi Lana. Sorry about the way I answered. I'm at work and was in that mindset. A picnic? Sure, we can do that. Where would you like to meet?"
 
Delivering the mail was one thing Babs didn't have to worry about. Almost the instant she put it in her out box, and young woman peeked around the door frame, then darted into the room and snatched up the envelope. She saw Babs was on the phone and just gave a brief wave as she vanished out of the office to deliver said paperwork to where it needed to go.

If Lana had been offended, or even puzzled, at the way Babs answered her personal phone, she gave no indication of it as she laughed lightly. "No worries, it's a good mindset to have. And you would? That's great. I was thinking we could meet at my place if you have transportation. If not, I could pick you up wherever. And I'll take care of the food...unless you have allergies or something. How do you like chicken? And lemonade? And apple pie? Can you ride a horse?" her dad clearly hadn't been exaggerating about Lana...her enthusiasm at meeting a new potential friend practically boiled over in her voice.
 
Barbara blinked as the woman showed up to grab her mail and disappeared just as fast. She almost comically looked around as if she half expected to see some closet the woman had appeared out of. She looked suspiciously at her out box and then around the office before shaking her head and smirking to herself.

Barbara smiled. "It so happens that I do have transportation. If you give me your address I can swing by. And I don't have allergies. All of that sounds just fine. As for horses, I'm a city girl, so I'm afraid other than one time on vacation I haven't had exposure to horseback riding. And that time, well, it ended in the horse walking through a bunch of tree branches and me nearly getting swatted off of its back."
 
"That's great. I'll drop you a pin. It's a bit out of the city limits, I'm afraid, but a great location for horseback rides and picnics. I'll choose an easy trail for us...no tree branches to ride through, I promise. And Silver knows the trail well, you won't have to do much of anything. Or if you'd rather, you could double up with me. Oh...and bring a swim suit. There's a great lake at the spot I have in mind." Lana babbled on even as Bab's phone beeped, signaling an incoming text. This time it was Chloe, wondering how late Babs was intending to work.
 
Barbara smiled, a bit overwhelmed by the girl's enthusiasm and already wondering if she would like Chloe. "That sounds great. And I can try Silver out, we'll see how it goes. I'm not scared of horses or anything I just don't have any experience with them. And a swimsuit, I can do that." She looked at her phone as it beeped and quickly texted Chloe. '5ish. Then going to Sam's for training. Want me to pick you up?'
 
"Perfect. Horseride, picnic, and a swim sounds like a perfect day. See you Saturday, then. And anything I can do for you int he meantime, well, you have my number now." Lana chuckled as Bab's phone beeped again with the promised location of Lana's home.

'Sounds great. And it's 5:15, you know. Mr. Wayne can't afford a clock? :LOL:' Chloe texted back.
 
"Sounds great. I'll talk to you later Lana." Babs looked at the pin and nodded.

She blinked at Chloe's reply and her eyes bugged out. "Actually, I really do have to go. I just realized the time and I have one last call to make. I'm surprised he hasn't already called me." She got off of the phone with Lana and quickly dialed Agent Coulson. "Agent? I have the information on that security detail for you." She'd called him on her cell phone as she hurried to the elevator, hitting the button for the garage level. She hoped poor Stan hadn't had to wait on her or something.

She told Agent Coulson the information he'd need from memory while texting Chloe back. 'I got busy filling out paperwork and stuff after my trip to R&D and totally lost track of time. I'm on my way!"
 
Lana said her good byes, though Coulson didn't pick up the phone. A female voice, identifying itself as his 'assistant', said he was 'unavailable', but knew exactly what Babs was calling her about, and thanked her for the information.

The elevator, being Bruce's private one, of course didn't stop on its way to the garage level. Stan wasn't around when she arrived...in fact no one was there at the moment, but her car was right where they had left it, and it would start right up as soon as she pressed the button. The exit to the garage was clearly marked, so she'd have no trouble finding the exit, and the on board GPS would assist her with her travel to her destination, if her eidetic memory didn't do the trick.

'You saw R&D?:love:' Chloe texted back. 'You have to tell me ALL about it' she demanded.
 
She settled into her new car and adjusted the mirrors then texted Chloe back. "I will. On my way to pick you up." She pulled out of the garage, driving home, wondering if John was still going to meet them or not. She was careful not to speed though she couldn't help testing the maneuverability of the car on a few tight turns. She pulled up in front of Chloe's house and honked the horn, grinning like a Cheshire cat as she waited on her.

She took out her phone and fired off a quick text to Sam while she waited on Chloe. 'We're on our way. See you soon.' Her mind flashed back to the various events of the day and how much had happened in such an insanely short time. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel and debated calling the one person she knew for sure would know where Bruce's assistant parked. Alfred. But she didn't want to bother him or wear out her welcome with him so she decided against it.
 
(y) Chloe texted back. And while Babs didn't exactly obey every traffic law on her drive home, for Gotham her driving was stellar, and the only attention she drew was a thumbs up from a middle aged man in a beater car who clearly approved of her vehicle.

'Cool.' Sam texted back, and she included a picture of a figure standing at the end of her driveway. The picture wasn't the best, but Babs could easily tell it was John. 'Is this the guy you said was coming this evening? Or is Cobra Kai lying in ambush?' Sam had no idea if she needed to warn her friend or not.

Chloe heard the car horn and came out, carefully locking the door behind her before she looked around in confusion. There was only one vehicle in the vicinity that she didn't recognize, and Chloe approached it warily, a wariness that didn't go away once she got close enough to see Babs in the driver seat. Chloe slowly circled around to the passenger seat and opened the door, glancing around the interior like she expected something to jump out and bite her for daring to approach the vehicle. "This is your car?" Chloe asked in amazement.
 
Barbara quickly texted back. 'It's him. Go introduce yourself! I think he's single!' Ok, that wasn't the most subtle text she'd ever sent but Barbara shrugged to herself. She looked up when she saw Chloe come out and couldn't help a grin at her confusion. She understood it and she watched as her friend approached like the car might be some kind of trap. "No. This is Wayne Enterprise's car. I just checked it out from the motor pool. I should have gotten something more reasonable but I saw it and, well, since I'm Bruce Wayne's assistant, they didn't say no when I asked." She waved to her friend to get in.

"Compared to my other vehicle though, this one is much easier to drive." She winked at Chloe and waited for her to strap in then drove in the direction of Sam's house. "I haven't told Dad about it yet. He'll probably be unhappy. He seems a bit wary of even things like them providing free legal counsel and stuff." She shook her head. "He's probably afraid people will think Bruce Wayne is trying to bribe him through me or something." She looked at her friend briefly as they drove towards Sam's house. "Excited about tomorrow? Nervous?"
 
Sam never responded to Bab's text, so it was anyone's guess if she took Bab's advice or not, for now anyway.

"A brand new Wayne Enterprise's car." Chloe said, her eyes wide as she leaned over and looked at the odometer, which barely had five hundred miles on it. Chloe shook her head at Bab's story, though she had no trouble believing it. Saying no to Bruce Wayne's assistant would be sort of like saying no to Mr. Wayne, and that didn't really happen in this town. She then looked at Bab's with confusion. "Other vehicle? Is there a helicopter in the trunk or something?" She asked as she twisted around in the seat like she expected there to be a jetpack on the back seat or something.

Chloe frowned when Bab's mentioned her dad. "Yeah...I doubt he'll actually say anything though." Chloe predicted. She didn't see Captain Gordon inflicting his issues on his daughter. Chloe's frown deepened when Bab's mentioned legal aid. "Why do you need a lawyer?" She asked worriedly.

Chloe nodded apprehensively when Bab's asked about her interview tomorrow. "Terrified." She admitted, then shrugged. "But at least I have something to wear." The haul of clothes Babs had given her meant Chloe had plenty of options, except of course Chloe hadn't even considered the bikini Bruce had requested. "And speaking of something to wear...you planning to fight in that?" Chloe asked with a smirk as she looked over Bab's business attire. Chloe herself was dressed in a sports bra, shorts, and a tank top, though her modesty meant she had a sweat suit on over it.
 
She followed Chloe's gaze and saw the odometer herself. "Maybe I should've gotten something a bit more...normal huh? I just couldn't help myself." She glanced at Chloe and smirked. "No, well, I haven't checked, but I don't think so. This is just a normal car, not the Batmobile after all." She nodded at Chloe's reply then shot a look at her. "To make sure dad gets custody legally. I mean, I did just more or less show up here without telling him. Technically, my mother has custody and my sleazy stepdad turned in an anonymous tip that I was kidnapped. I even got a visit from the FBI at the office. Luckily, it was obvious I wasn't exactly in Gotham under duress."

Barbara nodded, smiling slightly. "I guess I'm lucky in a way. Everyone doubted I'd get a job at Wayne Enterprises and I got so focused on proving them wrong I never stopped to let myself get nervous." She smiled at Chloe. "You'll be fine." She laughed and shook her head at Chloe's question. "No, I have work out clothes in a duffel in the backseat. I'll change when we get there though in hindsight, I should've stopped to change before leaving. I was just excited."
 
"I don't think Barbara Gordon knows the meaning of the word 'normal'." Chloe teased her with a giggle, then tried to get a serious look on her face. "Yeah...I'm not sure even Bruce Wayne could make a helicopter small enough to fit in the trunk." At which point Chloe's serious face failed, and she burst into giggles again, at least until Babs mentioned the FBI. That wasn't a joking matter. "Hey...if your dad needs a character reference or anything, I'm there." Chloe promised. She was hesitant to get involved in the legal system due to her own status, but for the Gordon's it was well worth the risk.

Chloe then shook her head. "I have a hard time picturing you nervous." Chloe admitted, then shrugged. "I hope so. I guess I've studied up for the interview as best I could. I know just about everything publicly available on the company." She wanted to ask Babs what kinds of questions she might be asked, but didn't want to put her friend in that position, so she refrained. She nodded when Babs mentioned her change of clothes. "Well, we ARE late." Chloe teased her again. "I'm sure Sensei Larusso has a place to change...unless you'd rather do it in public." Chloe giggled again.
 
Barbara smiled and thought that if Chloe knew both her plans and recent events she'd be even more convinced of that. She glanced very briefly at Chloe and thought that he could have it done and she'd only be mildly surprised if it happened. It'd probably be something like a backpack for a single person or something but she could see it happening. She couldn't think of any use for such a thing and it'd probably look extremely silly, like something out of a campy 1960s superhero show. But she thought he could do it if he wanted.

Barbara shook her head. "I don't think he'll need one. The FBI agent thought it'd go well, I'm sixteen and perhaps most importantly, there is no way my mother could hire lawyers who could compete with Wayne Enterprises lawyers. On top of that..." Her face briefly took on a troubled look. "I don't think my mother will want me back. So it should just be a formality."

Barbara was pretty sure she was just good at hiding her nerves most of the time but she decided to keep that to herself. She glanced over at Chloe out of the corner of her eyes. "Mister Wayne has sympathy for you I think. And I think the job is more or less yours if you don't screw up the interview. So try not to worry alright? I even know where you may get assigned." She curled her lips into a teasing smirk. "I think you'll like it, but I'm not going to tell you. Just in case it doesn't happen."

Barbara blushed slightly at Chloe's teasing about changing in public. She'd been nude in public or semi-public too often lately as it was. When they pulled up to the house she twisted and grabbed her duffel bag from the backseat. "I think I'll change in Sam's room or something." She took out her phone and texted Sam as she stepped out of her car, locking it after Chloe also exited. 'We're here Sam.'
 
Chloe nodded, then giggled again. She wasn't sure why, but Babs seemed to bring out her silly side. Maybe it was because Chloe couldn't really act like this around Jim Gordon. "I guess having an FBI agent throw his creds around would be more convincing than having me toss my hair around." She agreed as she tried to toss her hair, but it was so short there was little effect. Her grin faded when Babs mentioned her mother not wanting her back. She had no idea what to say to that, and their positions prevented Chloe from hugging Babs, so Chloe just reached up and squeezed Bab's shoulder, letting her know that someone wanted her there at least.

Chloe turned red when Bab's mentioned Mr. Wayne having sympathy for her. "Because he knows I'm a clumsy oaf?" She asked, remembering literally falling into the man's arms as a first impression. "And that's an awful big if." Chloe admitted as she chewed on her lip worriedly, well aware of the myriad of things that could go wrong. "Could you help me do my hair and makeup and pick out an outfit?" Chloe suddenly blurted out what was really bothering her. If Mr. Wayne just asked her technical questions, Chloe knew she'd be fine, but the man hung out with actresses and supermodels...she couldn't compete with that. She was so nervous she missed the part where Babs thought she knew where Chloe would work.

When they arrived at Larusso's place, John was nowhere to be seen, though his van was parked in the driveway. Mr. Larusso came out to greet them. "Hello, ladies.' He said with a smile. "Sam is out back sparring with your friend." His gaze fell on Babs duffel bag and her business attire and he made the logical deduction. "Barbara...you can change in the swimming hut, if you like." He offered.
 
Barbara debated, then shrugged. "I think maybe you and Mister Wayne have something in common and it touched one of his few soft spots." She left it at that since she wasn't actually sure about Chloe's past and was basing her thoughts on what she had observed. She was a little surprised by Chloe's request and nodded. "Sure, I'd have to come over early to have time for it before work. I guess you could ride with me and wait in my office until he is ready to see you or something." She smiled a little at Chloe. "I think Sam might be better at this but we'd have to drive to her house early in the morning but I'm willing to give it a try."

She smiled at Daniel and nodded. "Thank you Sensei." She was a bit surprised he didn't comment on her car but he didn't know a lot about her so he probably didn't think much about it. She grinned at Chloe and led her to the back of the house, making her way into the swimming hut to change. She quickly changed into athletic shorts, a sports bra and a tank top along with athletic socks and shoes, all courtesy of Mister Wayne. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and once she was done, stepped back out into the backyard to see what everyone was up to.
 
Chloe didn't say a word when Babs suggested she might have something in common with Mr. Wayne, though she did glance thoughtfully at Babs when she mentioned asking Sam for help. "I'll do that." She said, then shrugged. "But you know Mr. Wayne better than anyone I know, so your input would be great." Chloe admitted, then nodded. "And I think I'd like to wait in your office." Chloe giggled again at the thought of Babs having her own office at Wayne Enterprises. "At least that way I won't have to worry about being late."

Daniel was well accustomed to seeing and driving brand new cars every day, so he didn't think much of seeing another one. When Babs exited the swimming hut appropriately dressed, she'd see Daniel leading Chloe through the kata Babs had mastered last time...Chloe clearly didn't have the aid of an eidetic memory to aid her. She'd also see that Sam and John had indeed met, they were up on the sparring platform. John glanced over at Babs, but his expression didn't change as he saw her, John just turned his attention back to Sam who didn't appear to notice Babs arrival. She was on her knees, seemingly gasping for breathe, as John knelt next to her, gently rubbing her back.
 
Barbara couldn't help another laugh. "Chloe, I've known h for 24 hours. Actually my dad probably knows him better. Still, I'll do my best to help." She nodded. "Right. Besides, I may ask you to help me with something after the interview."

She watched Chloe for a moment then looked in John's direction. He still seemed a bit different with her but she realized she barely knew him so maybe this was normal for him. She watched John comfort Sam and wondered if maybe she'd caught a punch while sparring.

She decided to keep her distance to let John have time with Sam. She moved over by Daniel and Chloe, nodding to both of them. She took a moment to calm herself then began doing the Katas to center herself and warm up.
 
Chloe looked over at Babs like she'd suddenly sprouted antenna. "If I asked your dad for help I'd wind up with a paper bag over my head in a pair or sweatpants." Cloe claimed, then looked puzzled when Babs asked for her help with some mysterious project, but Babs didn't elaborate on it, so Chloe didn't ask.

With John's help, Sam rose to her feet. The two whispered to each other for a few moments before they headed over to join the others. Sam was limping a bit, and a small trail of blood trickled down her face which she seemed oblivious to. John began doing the kata alongside Chloe...this was clearly new to him, but he quickly caught up with Chloe. Sam moved over next to Babs and began doing the kata ss well. "Where did you FIND him?" Sam asked softly, her breathing almost back to normal.
 
Barbara saw the puzzled look on Chloe's face and decided to throw her a bone. "If you want to know, I'll tell you. But you cannot tell my dad. Don't worry, you don't have to actively lie to him. Just don't...you know...go and tell him." She glanced at Chloe, curious to see if she'd go along with it.

Barbara saw the trail of blood on Sam's face and glanced at Daniel to see if he noticed. If he did, he didn't seem concerned. Her eyes returned to Sam when she moved next to her and she debated how to answer the other girl's question. She didn't want John to seem too mysterious but she also couldn't tell the full truth. "I met him through a mutual friend after the gala on Saturday. I know it's been a short time, but I trust her, so we can trust him." It was a stretch to call Sara a friend but she didn't want to say 'Bruce Wayne's bodyguard and chief of staff who is much more than she seems' either. Barbara liked Sara and held out hopes the other woman might come to view her as a friend but she suspected Sara would keep her distance and probably viewed her as a puppy that was badly in need of training.
 
Chloe glanced over at Babs thoughtfully. "If you are in some kind of trouble...I'm not sure I can keep that from your dad." She admitted honestly. "But if you just want help sneaking out again, or want to throw a party without him knowing about it...you can count on me. Though remember...your dad is a detective. Keeping a secret from him won't be easy."

Sam didn't complain about her injuries, and Daniel trusted her enough to know she'd say something if she felt she needed a break, so he played the role of sensei rather than father and let Sam be. He'd learned not to give her special treatment in his sensei role.

Sam looked at Babs with a skeptical look on her face. Babs hadn't been in town long, how many friends did she have? And Sam couldn't think of anyone at the gala who might have known John, who claimed to have been in Gotham for a couple years, but Sam had never met him either in tournaments or in school. John hadn't seemed real talkative, and it seemed Sam wouldn't get answers from Babs either. But Sam didn't know how to push the issue without losing one of the best fighters she'd ever seen. "I don't suppose this mutual friend wants to take lessons as well?" Sam asked with a slight giggle.
 
Barbara shook her head. "No, do you remember me telling you about that armored suit I'm getting with the voice changer and stuff? For that delivery for that government agency that I don't want dad to know I'm involved in? Tomorrow I'm having a fitting for the armor in R&D and if I can take you down there with me I was going to ask you to help if I need it. Besides, I thought you'd want to see it." She made a mental note to check into how those LEDs were controlled ASAP. She was hoping the control was fine enough she could, well, put a Bat logo on her chest with them if she needed to.

Barbara laughed quietly at Sam's question. The idea of Sara Lance taking lessons from Daniel Larusso was hilarious and she slowly shook her head. "No, she is more of a sensei, than a student. At least in skill level." She winked playfully at Sam as they all continued their katas but Barbara stepped back. She felt centered enough so she began to go through the defensive moves Sam had shown her. She wanted to do them enough to turn them into muscle memory over time.
 
Chloe nodded. She didn't have Babs memory, but the delivery and armor had been a very big deal, and that was the type of thing she'd remember. Chloe let out a small sigh of relief when Babs specified the favor. Her imagination had run with the idea that Babs was involved in drugs or something sinister. "Yeah, I can help with that." Chloe agreed, then paused. "If Mr. Wayne doesn't kick me out of the building." She said worriedly.

"A sensei?" That made Sam even more confused. If John was part of a dojo, she should have seen him around. Especially as he should have had a trophy or two at the very least. And there weren't a lot of female senseis around...Sam would have noticed if one had been at the gala.

Daniel nodded as Chloe seemed to be catching on to the kata. He broke from the sensei role for a moment and wiped the blood off Sam's chin. He whispered to her for a moment, then nodded. "Chloe...Barbara. Let's work on your balance a bit." He said as he led them towards a small pond off to the side, with a platform floating in the middle. "Now...get on the platform and try to perform the kata in sync with each other without falling off." He told them as Sam and John teamed up again, this time going a bit slower as Sam walked him through some of the finer points of tournament play.
 
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