Chapter 35

Inside the Wayne Manor's living area, Barbara, Alfred, and Terry were having a conversation about the current events of the mutant gang and the Jokerz.

"They seemed to have gone into hiding after the mutant gang casted them out." Terry said.

"They'll resurface eventually." Barbara replied.

"They left with no qualms about the whole thing. Like they were done there."

"We can't be lax about this. The fact stands that the mutant gang were infiltrated. People's minds can be swayed. They should be very vigilant of a possible traitor amongst them. A spy."

"They ARE being vigilant about it."

"Give it some time and they'll eventually show gaps. That's what I would do anyway if I was leading the Jokerz." Barbara shrugged. "But no matter how hard we analyze the situation, only they can protect their assets. This situation blows."

"If they really are aiming for the mutant gang, that is."

Unlike with the court of owls trying to climb their way back up to power, this time, Terry, the police, and the mutant gang don't have any information about their new enemy. It can make them paranoid about when and how the Jokerz are going to make their move. The best move they can do right now is wait for more info. It will be much better if they can prevent anything that will come at them but they can't.

"...Then, we can only wait until the other side reveals more of their cards. We don't even know their plans." Alfred said before finishing his tea and standing up carrying his cup and coster. "Until then, I'll retire to my chambers." Then, he left the living area.

""Good night, Alfred.""

"Good night."

The sound of his steps and his cane echoed through the halls as he walked on the stairs.

"I still can't believe that guy is eighty." Terry said with a wry smile.

"I know. I need to have some of those batpills too." Barbara replied as she faintly smiled.

Terry cringed at the mention of the word Batpills. It seems Barbara has no problems with the coined word unlike him and Alfred.

"What's with that facial expression?" Barbara asked after noticing Terry cringe.

"N-nothing. Ehem." Terry covered his mouth with his fist and cleared his throat. "To be honest with you, I'm more worried about Doug than anyone else right now."

"Your friend Doug is a menace, Terry." Barbara furrowed her brows. "I've known people like that my whole life. You don't want to keep a friend like that."

Terry furrowed his brows with worry and looked down at the floor. "I've known him since middle school. We fought the first time we saw each other. I may be good at fighting because I had some training, but that guy was brutal and tenacious at the same time and more than made up for his lack of skills. He didn't care if he'd get hurt. I won the fight though. After that, he never left me alone. He always tries to pull me into some s***. I thought it was annoying at first, but over time, hanging out with him became natural." Terry chuckled.

"Thinking back, I think I got the idea of getting money by stealing from him. I really needed the money back then just to get some load off of mom's back, but Doug, he did it just for the heck of it. Sometimes, he would purposely ruin our plan just so security can chase us. His sister, Dana, would always scold us about it, but we both just laugh it off and take her somewhere with the money we got so she can forget." He made a wistful smile as he reminisced.

Terry sighed. "You may be right about him, but can you blame me for having hope that he can change? Like I did?" He said as he looked at Barbara.

Barbara Gordon closed her eyes. "...Unfortunately, he won't." When she opened her eyes, she locked eyes with Terry. "Like you just said, you may have done the same things, but the goal was never shared wasn't it? Your foundations as individuals are completely different. You can't say that you and him are entirely the same."

Terry looked downcast. Because what Barbara said was true. Doug Tan may really be a lost cause.

"If your new girlfriend can't sway him, what makes you think you would?"

He tilted his head. "...Girlfriend?"

"Dana Tan. His sister. Don't pretend, McGinnis. I noticed the way you talk about her. That's how you used to gush about Rose too."

"Wh-what are you saying? It's not like that. Plus, she already has a boyfriend."

"But you do like her, don't you?" Barbara raised a brow and smiled.

Terry furrowed his brows in annoyance. "Fine, maybe I do have a little crush on her. What about it?"

"No need to be so testy. It's just normal." Barbara said with a victorious smile.

"How would you know?"

"I've...had my fair share of romance."

"Can't imagine it." Terry said with a smug to jab back at her teasing.

Barbara's brow twitched, but her smile never faded. "Ha. ha. Very funny for a white man who likes to prey on asian girls."

Terry froze. Barbara used the fact that his ex and his crush were of the same ethnicity. It was a direct hit and made Terry think of his preferences.

Barbara laughed. "It's good that you finally got over Rose, though."

The mention of Rose brought Terry back to reality.

"...I'm not sure about that. She was my first actual love. My past relationships weren't like that. And currently, Dana is dating someone else. I don't have a real chance with her."

"Don't be so sure. I dated in college too. It didn't end well."

"Obviously." Terry chuckled while pointing out the fact that she is still single. Barbara glared at him. "Ehem...What happened?"

Barbara straigthened her expression before answering "I...didn't have the same feelings as he did."

"You broke up with your boyfriend?"

"He broke up with me. I cheated on him. He found out and left."

Terry widened his eyes at her sudden confession. Barbara made a rueful smile.

"The other guy was the one I really had feelings for, but it was one-sided. That's why we eventually broke up too. I was such a fool."

Terry had no words.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay. I was the one who pushed myself onto him anyways. I deserve it for what I did to Dick-" Barbara put her hand on her mouth but it was too late. Her tongue had already slipped.

Terry's eyes were already in disbelief. He had heard it. "...Dick Grayson?" He asked.

"...Yeah." Barbara drooped her head down in remorse.

"That other guy must be some stud if you chose him for Dick. Who was it?"

"...His adoptive father."

At this point, Terry's eyes might as well pop out of his skull.

"B-Bruce Wayne?! No way..."

"It was terrible, but I had to follow my heart."

"Damn. Is that why Dick went to San Francisco?"

"Yeah.... He already left and became Nightwing before that, but Bludhaven wasn't as far from Gotham as San Francisco is."

"But you still talk to each other like it never happened."

"He already forgave me and Bruce long ago."

"What about Bruce? Couldn't you have stayed with him until he had feelings for you?"

"...It doesn't work that way. That man has only ever truly loved three women in his life. I'm not part of them."

Terry looked down and pondered. He compared his situation to Barbara's story.

"...How did you get over him?" He wanted to know if there is any method to get over Rose.

Barbara made a wistful smile. "....I didn't." She got up from the couch. "but I can teach you the best next thing."

Terry tilted his head at her.

"Follow me." Barbara said as she started walking towards the entrance to the batcave. "We're going to train."

Terry heaved out a sigh and made a wry smile as he decided to follow her.

After working out a sweat, they decided to spar.

"Ha!"

"Hua!"

Both of them smiled while they exchanged punches and kicks. They were having fun.

Barbara did a punch combination and Terry parried all of them until he caught the last punch and manipulated her arm to hold her in a lock. Barbara jumped and flipped to untwist her arm while delivering a drop kick towards Terry. He had no choice but to let her go so he can dodge the attack aimed on his head.

After landing, Barbara did a roundhouse kick and Terry caught her leg. Before Terry could manipulate her leg, she pulled her leg and jumped to propel her closer to Terry and launched a front kick at his chest. Terry blocked it, but she got her feet back and did a back somersault.

Both of them smiled, did a wing chun stance, and decided to draw closer. They needed to get the other one to slip up.

As they exchanged a flurry of punches, grabs, kicks, they studied each other's movements. They observed each other even to the smallest details like their breathing.

Barbara patiently waited for her chance that Terry slips up. She's the more experienced fighter and so she decided to just wait until she finds a gap.

"!!"

And there it was. Terry made a misstep when his foot landed after a kick and threw his body a little bit off balance. An amateur won't be able to notice it, but for Barbara, it was the chance she was waiting for all along. She quickly aimed for the side to completely throw him off balance.

"Ha!" Terry scoffed like he planned what happened. He caught Barbara's leg and grabbed the collar of her gi. "I learned how to make traps when I fought deathstroke." He said before lifting Barbara and throwing her.

He planned on using his strength to win the spar. Unfortunately, Barbara knew how to counter this. She let herself be thrown, but she also never let go of Terry's arm. The force of the throw made her spin around Terry and took him down on the ground with her. They rolled around before stopping with Terry in a headlock while Barbara was above him.

"Kuhk! Kahak!" Terry struggled while Barbara smiled menacingly.

'I'm not going to lose again.' Terry thought.

Terry scrambled until both of his hands found their way towards Barbara's collars. He pulled on the collars and got Barbara in a chokehold like himself.

"Ahk!"

Both of them smiled as they looked at each other's eyes. The one that passes out first is the loser.

As time went on, their eyes and faces got red. None of them were willing to let go.

A minute later, Barbara's hold on Terry started to loosen and so did Terry's hold on her. Both of them ended up gassed out.

"...."

A few seconds passed by and they quickly regained their consciousness. It was a draw.

"Haaah. Haaah. Haaah. Haha...hahaha"

Both of them started laughing.

"That was fun...Thanks." Terry said as he tried to catch his breath as he lied on the ground.

Barbara was lying above him catching her breath. She got up with her arms pushing off the ground.

Their visions were still blurry...maybe.

Because Barbara started to see Bruce again in front of her instead of Terry. She furrowed her brows at him.

"What is it?" Terry asked Barbara.

Instead of replying, something odd happened. She closed her eyes as she swooped down and kissed him on his lips.

Terry widened his eyes as he felt her soft lips touch his. The fragrance of her hair and face entered his nose.

Barbare's eyes bursted open. She immediately withdrew her face from Terry.

"I-I-I'm sorry... I didn't know what came over me I..." She said as she made reasons for the sudden attack.

Terry looked at her while she panicked. He always knew Barbara was beautiful. He just didn't see her in this light before because of their professional-like relationship.

'Isn't she beautiful?' The words of the mutant leader entered his head.

"...She is" Terry said softly.

"Huh?"

Terry pulled Barbara in and kissed her again.

This time, Barbara was the one who was surprised, but eventually she gave in.

Amidst the roar of the waterfall, they could hear nothing but the sound of their lips colliding and their heavy breathing.

They both took off the top part of their gi and continued kissing passionately.

Terry's hands slowly went down from Barbara's back to the back of her leg. He pulled her leg and changed their positions. He was on top now.

"Is this still part of 'the next best thing' you were talking about earlier?" He said as he chuckled.

Barbara's brows furrowed. "Shut up." Then, proceeded to pull him in for a kiss.