The Second Batgirl

Chapter Eight: Mistakes

When Samantha woke up, her first thought was Jason. Her next thought was Bruce, and after that, her mother. She expected herself to be on concrete, however she was a little more than shocked to find herself on her bed, at home.

In fact, her alarm clock was blaring in her ear, and she still had her Batgirl costume on.

Checking her watch, she groaned when she saw it was Monday. She quickly changed into her school uniform, shoving some half burned toast into her mouth, as she rushed out of the door, taking her school bag too. She ran down her street, desperate to catch the bus in some form. She just about managed to hop on, before it left.

As she stood, hanging onto a rail, it dawned on her how absurd it was that after fighting a friend that she thought had been dead, she was going to school the very next morning.

Completely normal, for Batgirl at least. Samantha chuckled wryly to herself, before remembering Jason's face. He'd hugged her, he'd been there, right in front of her face. For some silly reason, she'd thought it would be alright, after that. After seeing her and Bruce's face, Jason might have relented, perhaps even they'd gone back to the manor as one big happy family.

As if. She could only imagine what had happened after Bruce had knocked her out.

Wait a second. Bruce had knocked her out, claiming to protect her. Protect her from what? Her best friend that she hadn't seen in years?

But maybe he had changed. Samantha knew that underneath everything, that damned Lazuras pit had done something to him. Perhaps twisted his mind, into something he wasn't. Sure, Jason had the same eyes, same face, even same shape... But something was different.

It was hard to distinguish at first, but then you saw that he had been changed. He was darker, in a way that was unsettling. Maybe Jason really was gone.

Samantha was so caught up in her thoughts, that she almost forgot to get off the bus. She hurriedly hopped off, and watched the vehicle pull away, and go back down the street.

With an irritated sigh, Samantha forced herself to look back to the hell on Earth that adults called school. Mumbling some disgusting curses under her breath, she walked through the gates, not really paying attention to other people.

The day passed without too many bumps. Samantha managed to stumble her way through, without zoning out too much in class, and even putting her hand up to answer a few questions.

This made teachers look at her strangely, and she could hardly blame them, as usually Samantha rarely spoke in class, before and after Jason's death.

When she finally walked out of school, feeling a little satisfied with herself for making an effort, she was astonished to find a Rolls Royce parked outside. From the driver's seat, Alfred was waving at her.

In half amusement, half curiousity, Samantha walked over, and sat down in the passengers seat next to him.
"Alfred, what are you doing here?" She asked, as the man strated the car.

"I came to pick you up, Miss Samantha," the butler replied, driving out of the school grounds. "Master Bruce requested to see you."

"Of course he did," she murmured, directing her gaze out of the window.
After a quiet ride to the manor, Samantha was greeted at the door, by a limping Dick.

"Samantha!" He waved excitedly. With a grin, and a raised eyebrow, she waved back.

"How's the leg?" She asked, gesturing to his cast.

Dick shrugged, "It's getting there. Can't wait to get back on patrol."

He lowered his voice, "Bruce told me Samantha, but I have to confirm; did you really see him?"

Samantha dropped her eyes, and nodded.

"Oh my God," Dick said, putting a hand over his mouth. "I'm so sorry. Bruce said he's actually in one of the rooms, but I just thought he was going crazy and-"

Samantha shook her head, with a dry laugh. "Dick, it's not your fault. I thought I was hallucinating,"

"Can't blame you," Dick muttered.

"Big man's in the Batcave, waiting for you."

"Kay," Samantha answered, walking past him. "Bruce?" She asked the darkness, as she entered the cave.

"Samantha," he replied, stepping out of the black. He was in his Bruce Wayne guise.

"Ok, let's get to the point," Samantha said, leaning against the rail. "What happened?"

Bruce sighed, running a hand through his ebony hair. "The reason I knocked you out, I'd because I predicted what was going to happen. And it did." He walked over to the computer, his face giving away little sign of emotion. "He wanted me to kill the Joker. I told him I couldn't, but he tried to make me. He's not the same, Samantha,"

"I figured," she replied dryly. Both of their eyes landed on the Robin costume in the corner.

"I still can't believe it." Bruce stated, putting a hand to his face.

"I'm not going to tell you that it wasn't your fault." Samantha said, after a long silence. "It's your choice whether you're going to keep blaming yourself, forever, or get back up again. That's how I learnt it. I learnt it the hard way."

Bruce looked over to her, then back to the costume. "Should I take it down?" He asked.

"No," Samantha replied simply. "This doesn't change anything." She started to walk out. She paused at the door. "It doesn't change anything at all."

Then she left, leaving Bruce in a shocked silence. He realized how stupid he had been; Samantha had become exactly like him.

Emotionless and dark, the two things that he swore would never happen to her. Yet here she was walking away from it all as if nothing had ever happened.

Bruce needed to fix his mistake, and fast. And he knew who he'd have to let her see, in order to do that. It was risky, but he needed to show her that she couldn't end up like him. She just couldn't.