The Second Batgirl

Chapter Seven: You Copied My Hair

Samantha was abruptly woken from her thoughts, when she heard a large thump from the roof. With adrenaline pumping in her veins, from seeing the picture, she jumped out of the window, and ran up the fire escape.

There, were Red Hood and Batman, and it looked like a show down. The two had obviously been fighting, as they were panting heavily.

"What the hell, Batman!" Samantha yelled, her anger taking her over. Both men looked over to her, as she continued. "Enlighten me, why are you fighting?! Without me?!"

"I thought you didn't want to see him!" Growled Batman.

"You... You didn't want to see me?" Asked Red Hood. Just for a fraction of a second, Samantha detected a trace of sadness in his voice.

She shook her head, "Not like this."

"Batgirl, you need to go. You need to go, now!" Batman urged, taking a step towards her.

"Says who?!" Snapped Red Hood, taking a warning step towards him. "This is about her too! Stop trying to spare her of the details!"

Batman knocked him to the floor, in a moment of anger. He then leaned over him, and then Red Hood turned around, and whipped the cowl right off his face. Leaving Bruce a little more than vulnerable. All Samantha could do was watch with wide eyes.

"Ha, ha! Look at you!" Red Hood jeered. Bruce stood up, and the other guy threw him back his mask.

Samantha finally found the strength to move, and slowly took a stand next to Batman.

"I guess we should keep it even," Red Hood sighed, before reaching to the back of his helmet.

Samantha wanted to scream. Make him stop. Kick him, punch him, whatever it took just so she didn't have to see his face.

But she was too late. The red piece of metal fell to the floor, next to him.
"Jason," Bruce said. It was more of a statement.

"Yes," he replied.

His face. He looked exactly the same as he had before, except a white streak at the parting of his hair, like Samantha. He was smirking, although not the way Samantha remembered. He seemed darker, more mature. He was also wearing an extra mask that covered his eyes.

"You copied my hair," she managed to say, thankfully without stuttering.

Jason laughed, a hollow, almost creepy sound. "That means you too Sam,"

"What?" She said, rudely. He gestured to her mask and hood.

"Take it off."

She took a breath, before doing so. She felt bare without them, and kept her eyes firmly on the floor for a good five seconds. When she finally looked up, she was a little surprised to see Jason staring at her with an almost loving expression on his face.

"God, I've missed you," he sighed, starting to walk towards her.

Samantha started to move forward too, feeling the sudden urge to just feel him again, when Bruce grabbed her arm.

"Don't." He stated. "He's not who he used to be, Samantha."

Jason's look darkened. "Oh, so you talked to the count huh? Do you think that the little dip in his fountain of youth turned me rabid? Or is this just the real me?"

He agressively kicked the helmet towards them. Batman stopped with his foot, as Samantha stared at it hatefully.

And then it exploded. There was a few seconds of dizzy blurriness, until Samantha found the strength to stand. She groaned, feeling a little more than sick. She could hear the two men fighting, again. She could even hear what they were saying.

"Let me see her!" Jason was yelling.

"I won't let you hurt her!" Batman was obviously trying to reason with him in fist talk.

For the first time, Samantha realized that fighting was not always the best solution. She dithered a little on the spot, before feeling herself totter close to the edge. Her head was spinning with confused emotions, and she wasn't really sure of where she was going.

"Samantha, get back!" Bruce yelled, but she barely heard him. 

All she could hear was the sudden ringing in her ears, that was drowning out all of her senses. She tottered dangerously before she left her left foot hit air.

Then everything went into a slow motion, as she found herself falling backwards. Gravity was merciless, as she felt herself pulled off the building and go plummeting towards the drop.
She closed her eyes, waiting for the painful impact, and the sickening sound of her body meeting the concrete below.

It never came. A hand shot out, and grabbed her wrist. She dangled there, for a few fleeting seconds, before she was pulled back onto the roof, and into somebody's strong arms.
There was no doubt that someone was hugging her. She could feel his breath in her ear, something she thought she'd never hear again.

"You idiot," came a gruff voice.

Samantha opened her eyes, to see her chin resting on Jason's firm shoulder.
"You're more idiotic," she murmured, deliriously.

"Get off her." Batman said, in a warning tone.

"Oh, so now you want to ruin her too? Just let me hold her for a bit Bruce. I've missed her more than you could ever imagine."

"I missed you too," Samantha muttered, "dumbass."

"Maybe we can catch up when this is over," Jason suggested.

"Yeah," Samantha replied, playing along. "We can go to the coffee shop."

"I'm paying."

"I know,"

"Have there been any recent Star Wars movies?"

"You've got a lot to binge. Around three."

"Damn it,"

They both laughed shakily, before enjoying a moment of comforting silence, just being in each other's arms.

Batman watched, in an angry stare. He was determined to not let Samantha be fooled by this, so in a bad move, he stalked towards them and pushed Jason away.

Samantha put a hand out, ready to stop them from fighting somehow, when she felt a shock run through her. She fell to the floor, and as she did, she heard Jason yell, "Why would you do that?!"

"To protect her," Batman replied.

"You really think that's going to protect her?!" Samantha felt herself being picked up. "You have no idea how much you've just made me want to kill you."

She felt helpless, lying there, paralyzed. But then she slipped into comforting darkness, for the time being.