Bat, Cat, and Coin

Harvey IV

James Gordon, Jr. waited until the very end of January to make his appearance, much to Barbara's dismay. The poor woman's experience further convinced Marie that she had no interest in having children any time soon, a decision that Harvey didn't mind in the least.

The Gordons threw a small gathering at Barbara's gallery when the baby was a few weeks old, and Harvey was introduced to more of the Gordon clan.

"This is my brother, Roger," said Jim, standing next to a man who looked like a slightly shorter and broader clone of himself, "and his wife, Thelma, and his daughter, Barbara."

Harvey introduced himself, pausing when he got to the little girl, who looked to be around ten or eleven years old. "So there's another Barbara Gordon?"

"I was the first Barbara Gordon," the girl pointed out. "Uncle Jim liked my name so much that he fell in love with another Barbara."

"Yes, that's absolutely the reason why," said Jim.

"But everyone calls me Babs," the girl went on, "or Babarann."

"Is your middle name Ann?" Harvey asked.

"No, my middle name is Leigh. Barbara Ann is from the Beach Boys song."

"She was addicted to that song when she was little," Roger explained. "It was a foolproof way to get her to stop her tantrums, and she'd start dancing away."

"Well alright then, Babarann," Harvey said with a grin, and the girl giggled.

"So, Jim tells me that you're the youngest D.A. this city has ever had," said Roger. "It's very brave of you to step into the role so early in your career."

"Thank you. It's been a little more difficult than I expected, but nothing I can't handle."

"Harvey is firmly committed to ending crime in Gotham once and for all," said Jim.

"That's very good to hear," said Roger. "We want to be sure that Gotham will be a safe place when Babs comes here for school in the fall."

"Oh yeah?" Harvey looked at the girl, whose expression had fallen. "You'll be coming to school here?"

"Yes, Mom and Dad are travelling," she replied sullenly.

"Thel and I are part of Doctors Without Borders," said Roger. "We'll be going on a mission to Africa in the fall."

"That's very admirable," said Harvey.

"Thank you. Barbara will be living here with her aunt and uncle, and her new little cousin. And she'll get to make new friends."

"I already have enough friends," the girl asserted.

"You can never have too many friends," said Harvey. "Friends help you in all kinds of ways." He just barely restrained his laugh at the girl's look of betrayal.

Then an idea occurred to him. There was a certain coin that he kept on his person just about every day, ever since the Christmas Gala, although he wasn't willing to admit the reason to himself. Now he pulled it from his pocket and showed the girl one side.

"Why don't we see what fate has to say?" he asked her. "I'm going to flip this coin, and if it lands on tails, you're going to have a terrible time in Gotham. You're not going to make any friends and you're going to hate the school and fail your classes."

"But I would never fail any classes," she protested, looking at the coin warily.

"That's good to know. But if the coin lands on heads, you're going to love Gotham. You're going to do really well in school and make lots of friends and have a great time here." He winked at Jim. "And you're going to help your aunt and uncle take care of your little cousin."