Leadership [Young Justice]

Three

Honestly tho in that pic Mal looks like he's fanboying over his own ship and how perfect Karen is XD

But honestly y'all are gonna hate me for what I do in the last half of this chapter tho.

Jazz music spilled out onto the street as Mal held the door open for his beautiful girlfriend. Gotham may have had more than its fair share of villains, but there were much more select targets than a small, simple restaurant, and if there was any trouble nearby, Batman and his many winged apprentices would insist on taking care of it. As far as Mal was concerned, it was the perfect location for a date.

"Mal, this place is gorgeous!" Karen agreed. Mal just smiled in response and pulled out the chair for her to sit at their reserved table for two. 

"Anything for you, Beautiful," he told her. 

"Honestly though, I don't think I deserve you.." Karen sighed. "You're too wonderful."

"Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you," Mal raised his glass of water to toast Karen, who blushed and copied him.

"Any suggestions?" Mal asked the waiter as he handed the happy couple their menus.

"Tonight the chef's special is shrimp pasta," The waiter nodded, and hurried off to serve another table that was calling for them.

"Well, I love spaghetti, but not necessarily seafood," Karen made a face as she scanned the menu.

Mal quickly looked away from the prices. "What if we split it then?"

Karen smiled at him. 

There wasn't much talking. They were too busy enjoying their meal. Besides, when you'd been together for over six years, you didn't exactly need to speak.

"So what do you want for dessert," Mal had scooted his chair around the table to be able to sit next to Karen, and the two were looking over the smaller dessert menu.

Karen shook her head. "I can't decide between the strawberry cheesecake or the chocolate fudge."

"You want both?" Mal asked. The desserts were significantly cheaper than the main courses.

Both of them heard an annoying chiming sound, and Karen groaned. "I'm sorry baby, I thought I'd turned it off," She apologized, bending over to check her purse.

"One second, Karen, I don't think that was your phone," Mal pulled his earpiece out of his suit pocket and sighed, placing it in his ear.

"Guardian,"

"Mal, it's me, it's Robin, oh gosh, oh gosh-"

"Tim? What's wrong?" Mal asked, sounding as calm as he could to try and help the anxious boy.

"Robin?" Karen asked, leaning forward to try and hear the conversation. Mal motioned for her to be quiet.

"Slow down Rob, deep breaths. What happened? Start at the beginning."

Robin panted for breath, heaving in and out. "I-I was on patrol, j-just like other night, and I heard a gunshot, so I thought it was another mugging, so I went as fast as I could, but I saw Joker and some of his guys coming from C-comissioner Gordon's house, and the door was still open, and Babs- oh my gosh, Barbra."

"Tim, what happened to Barbra?" Mal demanded, standing up. Karen was waving to the waiter to bring their check.

"Mal, Batgirl's been shot."

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For the next hour, all that you could hear over the League's radio chatter was the steady hum of "Batgirl's down, Batgirl's down."