Oracle

Chapter 8

I breeze through the mile long driveway, the anxiety making it seem like only seconds have passed. I can see Dick's car parked in front of the door, and I stop by the front steps. You'd think with all that money, they'd at least have a- As if my mind had been read, the steps suddenly flatten and turn into a ramp. Well... that was a neat trick. I quickly wheel myself through the door and search around the first floor for the others.

"Barbara!" I hear Tim cry out. I turn my chair around just in time as he gives me a giant hug.

"Tim..." I can't manage to say anything more as I hear him start to sniffle. I don't try to soothe him, I only cry with him. After a few minutes, the crying dies down, but the fear is still here, "Where are they?"

"Alfred and Dick are with Doctor Midnight, they told me I shouldn't watch-"

"Wait... Doctor who?"

"Midnight, he is a superhero doctor."

"That's a thing?"

"I guess so, it's just not super publicized."

"I can imagine."

I look up the stairs to see Alfred walking a man I don't recognize down the stairs. He does not look like a doctor, and is definitely too young to be one. He looks away from Alfred, and locks eyes with me for a brief moment. Yeah, he's my age. How can he be a doctor? Oh wait... technically I am too... just not of the medical kind. I am driven out of my thoughts as he and Alfred walk up to me and Tim.

"Pieter Cross," The doctor smiles, extending his hand.

"Barbara Gordon." I say, shaking his hand.

"I know, your reputation precedes you."

"Oh, and what reputation is that?"

"That you're intelligent, strong, resourceful, stubborn-"

I scoff, "I am not stubborn."

Tim scratches his head, "Isn't that exactly what a stubborn person would say?"

"Tim, let the adults talk please..." I force a smile, making Alfred smile and Pieter laugh. Pieter stops laughing and looks at the chair.

"L1?"

"How could you possibly know that for just a look?"

"You and I are one in the same, Barbara, just in different fields." He hands me a business card, "Here's my card, if you ever need my assistance."

"Thanks, but I don't think there's anything you can-" I look up from the card to see that he is gone. How is it that every superhero or even a superhero doctor has to disappear mid conversation? I look over at Alfred. "How is he?"

"Stable, alive."

"What are we going to do?"

"Well, that is precisely what he is talking about with Master Dick at this very moment..."

"So, Bruce..."

"Will be spending his nights resting for several months until he is fully healed."

What does this mean for Gotham? Even if Bruce is benched for a while, the city still needs Batman. "Can I see him?"

"Of course, I presume you remember which room it is?"

I chuckle as he smiles, "My memory is intact, thanks Alfred."

He nods as I wheel myself over to the elevator, taking it up to the second floor. I turn the corner to see Dick hunched outside Bruce's room, almost exactly how he was after they discovered I was Batgirl.