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[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Barbara rolls into the bar, and automatically looks around.

She spots a young blond woman behind the bar's massive length.

She swallows. And heads straight for the ladies' restroom where she looks around to make sure no one's there before taking a deep breath, leaning her head down into her lap, and beginning to laugh. And laugh and laugh. Until she starts crying in relief, the tears streaming down her cheeks almost unnoticed as she throws her head back.

"YES!"

[You're welcome to catch her if you're, you know, in the ladies'.

Comments

[alwaysroomforhope]

Being alive. It means you need to take bathroom breaks.

Especially if you saw Babs rush in there, anyway.

Steph puts her head around the door, cautiously. "Barbara?"

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Barbara stiffens. She recognizes that voice, of course. She wipes at her eyes with the back of her arm. It doesn't really do much to help hide the redness in her eyes, or the slight streaks running down her cheeks.

So she doesn't turn around. Maybe Steph will think that Babs is busy... staring vaguely at the paper towel dispenser.

But she does speak. "Hey, you."

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph takes a few cautious steps in, and puts a hand (small, alive, warm) on Barbara's shoulder.

"... is everything ... okay?"

She hasn't seen her since - before. But she spoke to her on the phone what feels like just a few hours ago.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Don't I look okay?" Babs asks with a slowly widening smile at that touch.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Honestly? Nope." Steph smiles a little, still uncertain of her place with Babs. "But ... you sound it."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Well, I am it."

Barbara finally feels like she has herself under control enough to glance over her shoulder at the girl that hand is attached to. "Hey, you. You're looking better."

[alwaysroomforhope]

"That wouldn't be hard."

Considering Babs last saw her as a beaten, bleeding mess.

"Doors, Babs?"

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Babs positively beams.

"Doors," she agrees.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Hell of a coincidence, you talking to me and then me turning around and being here," Steph says suspiciously, reaching for the paper towels to wipe a bit of TotallyNotTears from Bab's chin.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Sometimes that's how things go," Barbara says, reaching up to take the paper towels, and taking a moment to revel in the feel of warm flesh under her fingers.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph blinks rapidly, trying to keep her own face straight.

Maybe a tiny lip-tremble is okay.

"I nearly forgot - everything. It's still hard to remember. But - Babs, I was dead?"

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Was."

That was the operative word.

"And nearly."

But she hadn't forgotten.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"You saved me?"

It's not quite a question. Who else would have?

[cutting_edgex23]

X is an assassin, which is like a ninja, only better.

Which is why, shortly after Barbara's very loud cry, X speaks.

From out of one of the stalls.

"I think," she says, very hesitantly, "it is better if you get a room. For that."

Just in case Barbara is planning to continue. Some things friends were just not meant to know.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Usually I'd agree with you," Babs answers, sniffling softly. "But I didn't really have time."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Oh."

X's dubious expression is not readily apparent in her voice.

But if bathroom stalls could talk . . .

Never mind.

"You are okay?"

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"More than okay," Barbara laughs.

Something has just gone terrifically, terrifically right.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Okay," X echoes.

Then she exits the bathroom stall and goes to wash her hands.

"That is good."

And now Barbara can maybe see the dubious (and slightly perplexed) look on X's face.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Barbara glances over at X, takes a moment to take in her expression, and then snorts.

"What, precisely, did you think I was doing?" she asks with a smirk.

[cutting_edgex23]

"Usually you do not -- "

She goes looking for the right words and comes up short.

"Usually you are not that loud."

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"Well," Babs grins, "I usually don't have such good news."

[cutting_edgex23]

"Information is helpful."

You know this, Babs.

(X is also terrible at asking questions, sometimes.)

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

"That's true," Babs says, grinning unhelpfully.

Normally she's much more straightforward, but today she's feeling... playful.

[cutting_edgex23]

X is terrible at playing along, but she is not displeased that Babs is smiling.

"I do not know what to ask."

Later she will be apologetic. Or not.

[twiceahero.livejournal.com]

Barbara snorts. "Try what you want to know?"