Oracle

Chapter 13

She stares out the window of the jet at Gotham City, a city that has brought her so much pain... so much loss.

"We will be landing shortly," the man who has been training her for the last two years announces.

"Thank you, Sal."

She sees the remnants of a fire over near the docks. The city has been wounded in her absence... maybe it always had been. Her vision is a bit... clearer now. But the city could wait. Her mission, her duty as the last remaining Bertinelli to find the man who killed her family... that takes priority. She stares back at the skyline as her family's jet descends. He's out there, somewhere. Wherever he is, she will find him. He will pay.

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"So let me get this straight..." The doctor grins, "You went in range of the blast zone."

"Yep."

"Willingly."

"Yes! What part of: there was an assassin that was about to attack Dinah don't you understand?"

"Oh no, I understand it. It's just... you should be more careful."

I roll my eyes... Like I haven't heard that one before... "Yeah yeah..."

"No, really, Barbara. You can only go as fast as you wheel yourself, and even that has limits. Unless you had a chair that moves for you at higher speeds-"

I turn to Dinah, who is sitting next to me on the Wayne's mega couch, "Write that down."

"Why? You have a photographic memory. Why waste the paper?"

Dr. Cross turns his attention to Dinah, a puzzled look on his face, "You're sure you feel okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Pieter."

He looks my way. "Is she making a face at me? I feel like she's making a face at me..."

I shrug, "I think she makes that face at everyone, not just blind doctors."

Dinah explodes, "Really, guys! I'm okay! The Pit healed me. I'm fine."

He backs away, unsatisfied with her answer, "Okay... Well, here's my card just in case. Rest up, and please call me if there is even the slightest headache. Usually all the people that have used the Lazurius Pit are within the League. This is new territory for all of us."

I look over at Dinah, who is watching Pieter as he leaves. I hold back a laugh.

"Dinah..."

"What?" She responds without looking away.

"You're staring..."

"I'm trying to figure out how he doesn't use one of those canes..."

I laugh. Yeah right... "Just ask him out, you have his number."

"I don't need dating advice right now, Barb."

"Maybe you do considering your last boyfriend was Ra's al Ghul..."

"I said I didn't need advice... didn't say anything about a therapist..."

We laugh together as Bruce comes into the room using a walker with Alfred by his side. Our smiles falter a bit, seeing such a powerful man in a weakened state. He's walking, so that's good, but it's still hard to see him like this.

"Don't mind me, just making sure I can still use these," Bruce chuckles.

Dinah tries to smile, "You sure you should be moving around?"

"That is exactly what I tried to tell him..." Alfred mumbles.

Bruce smiles, an odd feature for what we've been used to seeing, "You all should know by now that I rarely listen to anyone but myself."