Why We're Here

Out With The Old, In With The New

"Honestly, I didn't expect you to leave The Manor so soon," Barbara commented, "Dick, maybe, but you?"
She and I were climbing the stairs of our new apartment building. Each of us had a box of our belongings, which wasn't much. Neither of us have ever had much stuff.
Barbara had been looking for someone to move in with for a long time. Never had either of us considered me. As it turns out, I was just what Barbara needed, and she was just what I needed.
"I didn't either," I replied, "With Dick's whole 'carve my own path' escapade, I kinda took a step back and thought about what I wanted to do."
Barbara lifted an eyebrow, "And what is that?"
"I'm going to retire early, go to college, and get my masters."
"Bruce always knew you would do that."
We made it to our floor. I kicked open the door with my foot and held it as Barbara passed. She balanced the box on one arm and dug in her pockets with the other.
"He did?" I asked.
Barbara nodded, "Yes. He saw it in you."
"What, that I would one day go to college?"
"That you valued your education," Barbara finally found the keys, "And that you wanted to make your parents happy above anyone else."
I fell silent, she was right. Barbara lead me to the front door of our new home and unlocked it. Inside, the room was dark. Boxes were stacked around. Barbara's dad, Commissioner Gordon, had given her a couch as a moving out gift. Bruce had even pitched in, and given me enough to buy a coffee table and an arm chair. All we needed was a table, and we would be set. We even had our own beds.
Our apartment was pretty much set. Sliding doors lead out to the balcony, and at least one window rested on every exterior wall. There were two bedrooms right across the hall from each other, and a bathroom at the end of that. The kitchen was separated from the living room by a bar. There was even space for a dining table at the end of the kitchen.
The walls were painted a light burgundy with dark oak paneling on the lower half. The floors were wooden paneling, except in the bedrooms, where fluffy white carpet covered the floors.
Barbara set her box on top of a stack of boxes while I set mine on the bar. She opened hers and began pulling out knick knacks.
"What about you?" I asked, "Do you want to be Batgirl forever?"
Barbara glanced over her shoulder, "I don't know about forever, but I don't have any plans on quitting anytime soon. Although, it won't be the same without you."
"Aw, Babs," I threw an arm around her shoulders, "You looove me."
I drew out the love, sarcastically pressing my cheek against her shoulder and gazing up at her. She rolled her eyes and snorted, "I have to if I'm going to live with you."
"Thanks for that, by the way," I let her go."
Barbara smiled, "You're my partner, Lucille, my friend, even. I couldn't think who else I would want to live with."
I smiled, reaching forward to pull her into an embrace. She was still a few inches taller than me, which made it difficult, but we managed. When we released each other, Barbara smiled, "Now, get unpacking, we've got a lot to do."
"On it."
She returned to her box while I went to the one on the bar. It was filled with various items I had brought from the manor. Things like my books, my quarter-filled photo album, and my framed family photo. The faces of Alfred, Bruce, Barbara, fifteen-year-old Dick, and fourteen-year-old me smiled up at me.
That was definitely going on my wall.
I took the box into my room, where the other two boxes of my personal belongings resided. Barbara and I had moved our clothes here directly after our furniture. All that was left was our own, personal, belongings.
I set the frame on my dresser. Next to it, the photo I took from my childhood home resided. All of my favorite people smiled at me every time I woke up. From there, I went to unpacking the other boxes.
At the bottom of the final box, I uncovered the hidden package. My goggles stared up at me, like the dead eyes of a life long gone. Beneath them, my costume was folded. My Shockers rested beneath the costume. I stared down at it, a smile slowly crossing my lips.
"We've had a good time, yes?" I stated, "So many bad guys beaten. So many good memories."
I lifted the costume out. Lifting it this time felt different than any time before. I felt almost as if I were picking up a piece of me that had died long ago. My smile slowly vanished from my lips.
"I'll miss it, but it's for the better," I glanced back at the picture of Mama and Papa, "It's what they would want."
Previously, I had unscrewed one of the floorboards in my closet. It was the perfect place to hide my costume. Each item was wrapped in an extra large bag, and hidden beneath the board. I screwed it back in before returning to the other boxes.
"Hey, Lucy!" Barbara called, "I'm ordering takeout, how do you feel about Chinese?"
"I feel like that is the perfect choice."