The Second Batgirl

Chapter Nine: Hey There

After Samantha strolled out of the Batcave, she went down to the lake in the garden. Jason and her had spent several hours here, simply talking about life, and so on. She stared at it for a little while, before picking up a flat stone a skimming it across the water. She continued to do so, completely unaware of how much guilt Bruce was feeling.

Back in the manor, Bruce was stalking the hallways, looking through every room for Jason. Alfred was watching, a little amused at how desperate Bruce was getting.

"Jason!" He yelled, beginning to fast walk around the house. He burst into a guest room, where much to his relief, found Jason sitting calmly in a chair polishing his guns.

"Hmm?" He said absentmindedly, not bothering to look up.

"Jason, I need you to do something," Bruce said, striding over to him.

"Hand myself over to the police? Not gonna happen," Jason replied.

"Jason-"

"Didn't you hear me Bruce?! I'm not doing this for you! Go away!" He snapped, vigorously wiping the metal.

"Jason, goddamn it, this isn't about me!" Bruce exploded. Jason looked up at him, a little interested. "It's about Samantha." At this Jason stood up. Bruce sighed, leaning on the chair. "She's become too much like me. Dark, emotionless, I can't have that. You need to talk to her. Just be there, around her. She's barely been functioning, other than kicking and punching, while you've been gone. And I know it's all my fault," Bruce said, as Jason opened his mouth to interrupt. "But just talk to her. Please. Go save her from me."

Jason saw the look in Bruce's eyes, and realized he didn't want to lose Samantha to the dark. After all, she was the closest thing he had to a daughter. So, without another word, he walked out of the room, to go find her.

At the lake, Samantha was still skimming stones, unaware of the approaching figure behind her.
So when a hand landed on her shoulder, her bat instincts kicked in, and she turned around and punched the person in the face.

The guy stumbled back, clutching his cheek and mumbling, "Oww,"

Samantha's eyes widened when she realized she'd just got Jason in the face.

"You definitely haven't changed," he sighed, cracking his jaw.

Her reaction? She punched him... Again.

"Oww!" Jason yelled. "What the hell, Sam! This is what I get after-" he stopped abruptly, when he saw that Samantha had a rogue tear rolling down her cheek.

"You're... Crying," he said nervously, wary that she would hit him again.

"Am not!" Samantha snapped, rubbing her face frantically.

"But you are," laughed Jason, as another drop of water came down her face.

"No, I'm not!" She replied angrily, raising her fist to punch him again, but he immediately caught it, and pulled her in for a hug. She stiffened considerably, before allowing herself to go floppy.

"Stop dying," she choked, trying to stay angry.

"I'm not going anywhere doll," Jason said, stroking her hair. Then he frowned, "hey, you copied my hair!"

"No, you copied mine!" Samantha snapped, drawing back quickly, recovering from her moment of weakness.

Jason grinned. "Are you happy to see me?"

"No," she grunted, spinning away from him, and folding her arms. She started, when she felt a pair of arms circling her waist.

"I bet you did," Jason whispered in her ear. In the old days, Samantha would have been used to Jason's constant playful flirting, but in the given situation, all she could do was make incoherent noises of rage.

Fiddling with her tie, and feeling her face heat up, but was incapable of blushing due to her dark skin, Samantha grudgingly admitted, "Fine. It was boring without you."

"I'll bet it was," Jason replied pulling her into him, in a bold move, making Samantha jerk in embarrassment.

"Boy, your self esteem has just set a new world high," she said, trying to wriggle out of his grasp. This only made him tighten his grip.

"You look cute in trousers," he mumbled. Her face creased in rage.

"Give it a rest Jason! I may be single but-"

"Oh so you are?" He questioned smugly.

"I- duh, urgh, stop it!" She said grumpily, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I've missed you," he said suddenly, in a completely different tone.

"Yeah, me too," Samantha muttered. "Don't die again," she added, giving him a small slap on the forearm.

"I try," he grinned, before pulling her back to the manor.

"Do or do not, there is no try," Samantha quoted, making Jason laugh.

Little did they know, the two whole that had been there since Jason had died, were filled up again. And Samantha slowly began to welcome the familiar spark of emotion within her. But there was something else. As she stared at the back of his head, with an angry revaluation, she realized how ruggedly good-looking he'd become. Just everything about him was just... Wow.

And it wasn't just that. Samantha realized that although you change in appearance and personality, there will always be parts of you that you will always keep.

Jason wasn't dead, he had evolved. And with a strange type of acceptance, she realized she had evolved too, in a way. She just had to wait and see where it got her.