More Than Survive.

Chapter 6

"This is it." Bruce said as he handed me the drink, "Your problems will be over after you've just had a sip."
I took the Mountain Dew Red from his hand and looked around at the expectant faces of my team, Bab's and Alfred. Don't ask me how long it took for me to convince Bruce to let Bab's in the cave, let's just say it took forever. Okay, it took the entire week that the drink was getting made for me and I'm never resulting myself to that level of begging again. My dignity is somewhere under the Dead Sea, way under the Dead Sea. However, my eyes snagged on SQUIP. Over the past week, he had always been there and we've actually grown quite close. So close in fact, that this wasn't as easy as I thought it was going to be.
"I'm... I'm just going to say goodbye to him." I said and walked over to where he was standing against the far wall.
I could hear them muttering about me, but I chose to ignore them. It didn't feel right not to say goodbye.
"Well, I guess this is the end of the line." I said as I looked up at him.
"Yeah," He sighed, "I guess it is."
We both stood awkwardly for a second, then he took me in a hug, and I could actually feel arms around me. I stood surprised for a second and then hugged him back, finding that he felt like a real body rather than thin air.
"Why do you feel physical?" I asked as pressure built behind my eyes.
"It's just because I'm integrating with your system." He said, "I've just taken over your senses so I can do this. I didn't think it was right to leave without a hug."
"No, it wouldn't be." I whispered as I felt tears fall on my shoulder.
"I just want to apologise for everything-" He began but I cut him off, holding his shoulders and looking him dead in the eye.
"You didn't do anything wrong. We've had this conversation more times than I care to count." A small smile graced my lips, "I don't want to end this on a bad note."
I looked at him again, the awkward silence coming back.
"I'm going to miss you." I said, a tear now trailing down my cheek.
"You'll forget about me soon enough." And he stepped back against the wall, "Now get this over with before I have to make you drink it."
I stepped away from him and turned around back to the team, walking over.
"Are you okay?" Bab's asked, putting an arm around my shoulder.
"I'm fine." I said, "God, I'm getting soft. To think I actually care about someone who... someone who just tried... who just tried to help. Even if it wasn't exactly helpful."
"He's probably just getting inside your brain." Bruce said as I looked over to him, "Just drink the Dew and this will be over with."
But you haven't been messing with me since we met with Joker.
"No, I haven't." SQUIP replied, "But I can't promise that I may accidentally influence you in any way. It's best to get rid of me."
I removed the lid from the bottle and looked at it. This would be the last time I ever saw SQUIP, the last time I'd have someone who completely understood me. Screw it. I turned the bottle upside down and watched as the liquid fell to the floor.
"The hell did you just do?" Artemis asked after they had all recovered from their shock.
"That was the SQUIP's doing, wasn't it?" Wally burst out, "I knew we should have had someone else make him drink it."
"No Wally," I argued, "It wasn't. It was me." I turned to face SQUIP who was still standing there, dumbfounded, "I know this is probably crazy, but you were just trying to do what's best for me. But you've grown and you've learnt. And I don't want to say goodbye. Not now, not ever."
"Dick, you know I only spread bad news for you." He said, "I mean, look at the physical evidence. You're covered in circuit boards, head to toe. And your eyes, they were so beautiful before. I'm destroying you."
"No." I said as I took his hand, "You can understand me, and you can help me. And I don't want to lose you."
"Thank you, Dick." He said, a genuine smile on his lips, "Now go convince your friends that."
I turned back to face the others, but they didn't look as mad as I expected. In fact, they didn't look mad at all anymore.
"It's your choice." Bruce said, "If you want to keep him, you can keep him. But if he gets in the way of work, he's going."
"Oh don't worry." I smirked, "He knows better than that now."
"Please, no more repeating the same song again. I hate the shark song." SQUIP whined and I smirked wider at the memory of his torture as I repeated the song in my head all night.
"So, team, today I'm introducing two new members." Bruce said and we all looked at him in surprise, two, "SQUIP and Batgirl. Once she has a few more months of training she will join you on missions."
"You hired Bab's?" I almost squealed as I brought her in for a tight hug, "Babs this is amazing! I can't wait."
"Alright calm it down." SQUIP said, "It's not like she'll magically start dating you."
"Wh-what?" I asked out of instinct, turning bright red.
"Oh, please." He smirked, "The best way is to ask her out, I think she feels the same. If you don't, I will."
I sighed and turned back to Babs, summoning the strength from within to do this, "Babs, will you go out with me?"
"Took you a couple years to muster that courage." She smiled as she wrapped her arms around my neck and we kissed.
Suddenly, everything felt right.