All Those Years

Chapter 1

She was getting really frustrated with this guy.

"You better talk, or else I'll call the boss over here."

The man snickered. "I'm not afraid of him, Batsie. And I'm happy with your company too."

Oh, he is so asking for it.

A fist met his red helmet. 'Ouch, that hurt.' She thought, ignoring the pain on her knuckles.

Red Hood lifted his head up, and looked at her.

"That hurt, Batsie."

She scowled. That nickname is going to stick.

-All Those Years-

Batgirl sighed.

"Bruce!" she called, as she parked her bike in the Batcave.

"Got anything?" Bruce asked her, still facing the computer. She huffed, and stood facing him.

"You wouldn't ask if you knew I got something."

Bruce had the tiniest of smiles.

Batgirl pulled down her cowl, and Barbara Gordon, college student, finally appeared.

Barbara sighed, running a hand through her fiery red hair. Her crystal blue eyes were bloodshot. She needed sleep.

"I'm gonna go sleep, you have fun." She called to Bruce, already walking towards the stairs. At the top, she heard a grunt, most probably coming from Bruce.

She smiled.

On her way to her room, (it's actually the guest room, but she occupies it one time too many, and Alfred called it Barbara's room.) she bumped into the ageing butler.

"Miss Barbara! Back so early?" he asked. Barbara nodded. "This Red Hood guy refuses to talk." Alfred raised an eyebrow. "I thought you caught him. What were you doing when he was tied up?" She hesitated. "He was busy flirting with me, Alf. It got me frustrated. I didn't notice he was picking the lock in the handcuffs."

Alfred smiled slightly. "You have not been loved, or at least have someone flirt with you ever since Master Jason's death, Miss Barbara, but maybe you are trying to open up." He said, and left, leaving Barbara in the hallway.

"What?" she questioned at nothing in particular.

-All Those Years-

Barbara woke with a start.

She was dreaming about Jason again.

She cursed herself, got out of bed, and grabbed her towel.

Once she was done, she got dressed in a soft red t-shirt that hung loose over her and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. She tied her fiery red hair in a high, neat ponytail.

She reached out to her drawer, intending to grab her phone without looking, but picked up a picture instead.

She looked down upon it, and tears threatened to fall.

It was a picture of her and Jason at Bruce's last Christmas party before everything went wrong. They were hugging each other, and Jason had this adoring gaze on her.

A lone tear slid down her cheek.

Barbara cursed herself again, wiping the tear away. She rarely cried, and maybe its because she doesn't want to show vulnerability.

She hates herself sometimes.

-All Those Years-

The time of the night when bats awaken and the people retreat to their beds, Barbara walks down the stairs leading towards the dark cave.

"You up for a round of patrol?" she asked the man who has lately been (according to Alfred) living in the cave.

Bruce sighed, shaking his head. "Meeting." He grumbled. Barbara smirked devilishly. "With a cat?" Bruce grumbled again. Barbara laughed.

She headed towards the changing area, and slipped into her costume.

Batgirl stepped out, and mounted her bike. She turned to look at the Batcave. Memories sprung to her mind. Jason flipping around the Cave, Jason halting his bike in front of her, Jason proposing her the 'top bunk' in his room…

She really missed Jason.

Batgirl turned again, and sped off into the night, leaving Barbara Gordon inside the changing rooms.

-All Those Years-

"You waiting for me?"

Oh, how she hated that sneering voice.

"Red Hood." She growled, not even turning to him, still facing the streets below from the highest point of the city, Wayne Tower.

"Barbie." He greeted.

She stiffened. She snapped her head towards him, glaring.

"Who?" she asked. He laughed. Red Hood had to admit, her tone of confusion was very convincing, but it cracked a little.

He smirked. He knew she knew he was smirking. She had to restrain herself from lunging at him and beat him up.

"You, Barbie. Barbie's you." He said.

"How. Do. You. Know. My. Name?" Barbara-Batgirl-Barbara -ah hell-growled.

Barbara Gordon stepped onto the rooftop now.

Red Hood laughed. "You want to know how I know your name. Let me show you something first."

Batgirl's glare intensified, and Red Hood was sure it can rival Batman.

"I don't want a show-and-tell, Hood, I just want the explanation." Hell, even her growl can rival the boss.

Red Hood shook his head. " 'To explain, there must be a show on how the matter elaborates.' That's what Alfred used to say, right?"

Batgirl growled. "So you know about the rest?"

Red Hood nodded. "Just-Just let me show you who I am, alright? And please don't tell Golden Boy."

He lifted his helmet off.

Barbara gasped. She knew before he took that helmet off.

Barbie… Golden Boy… Jason…

She looked into the whites of his domino mask, but there was no mistaking the face of her second supposed-to-be-dead partner.

"No. No. Jason Todd's dead. You can't be Jason Todd. You just can't." She wouldn't believe it, but she has to.

Tears were flowing freely from her eyes now, and Red Hood-Jason was holding her, hugging her to his chest, stroking her hair as she fisted his jacket.

"Why? Why didn't you come home sooner?" she managed to say through her sobs, pulling of her cowl. "I've missed you…"

Jason pulled away from her, and looked straight in her tearful crystal eyes.

"You've… missed me?" he asked hesitantly.

"Of-Of course, Jay! I-I have that nightmare… every night after you-after you…" she trailed off, wiping her tears.

He frowned. "I never thought you'd miss me. And whenever I was around before - before that night… you were always with Dick."

She laughed slightly. "Did you think I was with Dick?" she said. "Jay, we're best friends. Not lovers."

Jason felt a sort of relief hearing her words.

"Nightwing to Batgirl. Everything all right at home? I mean, after everything. Is Bats okay? Have you caught Red Hood? Barb?"

Nightwing's voice buzzed through Barbara's comlink. She pulled away, a smile on her face, obviously trying to say 'I'm sorry,' as she pressed her finger to her headset.

"Everything's fine, Wing. The Boss is okay, and Red Hood…" she glanced at Jason. He shrugged, and smiled. She grinned. "Red Hood's been caught. Don't worry, Wing. I'll make Bats call you as soon as possible."

She turned towards Jason, and hugged him tightly, as if she was to ever let go, Jason would disappear.

"I've got to go," she whispered in his ear. Jason smiled softly. "Go. Just don't tell the old man about me, okay?" She nodded. "Okay. And here's a 'welcome back' gift." She said as she pulled away.

Barbara placed a soft kiss on Jason's lips. "That was for all those years," she whispered softly.

As Jason opened his eyes, he can't find Barbara anywhere on the rooftop.

He smiled idiotically, and touched his lips. "For all those years, huh?" he said.

-All Those Years-

I know, cheesy. I was just in a mood for some Jay/Babs. They're starting to take over my Dick/Babs heart.