Barbara Queen

Disarray

"We're going, you stay here." Says Barbara.
"What! I thought I was coming too?" I say.
Barbara rolls her eyes, "it's to dangerous, and besides if something goes wrong I'll need you to be back here. This shouldn't take to long."
I sigh, but I'm not surprised. At least I won't be in the cross fire this time.
"Oh and if a woman named lee Tompkins comes here, shoot her. She's infect with the Alice tech virus."
"The what?" I ask, but Barbara leaves me with questions as usual.
"Bye now." She says and she leaves with the others.
I go into her office and get the gun, I've never heard of this Tompkins lady before. I catch my reflection in the mirror. Considering we're in the middle of an underworld war I don't look the part.
Quickly I get changed into a silky neon crop top and a leather skirt. I do my makeup and straighten my long brown hair, I sure look dangerous now.

I hear a knock on the door. It swings open.
"Heloooo? Barbara, it's your old friend lee."
I gasp, the woman she warned me about is here.
I come out of the shadows, Lee is a beautiful woman with dark hair and red lips. She's not as stunning as Barbara though.
"Your not Barbara." She says.
"Where is Barbara!" She demands pulling her gun on me.
Her veins go lack and her eyes turn red. Was this the virus.
"Whoa whoa whoa, put the gun down okay. My names El, I work for Barbara Kean."
"Where is she?" Lee demands, "where is Barbara Kean!" She screams. I pull my gun out slowly.
"Don't even think about it!" She snaps shooting the gun out my hand. I gasp, I've never seen such an accurate shot.
"Barbaras gone to find penguin." I tell her, "but I don't know we she is, okay."
Lee lowers her gun.
"Well if she does come back tell her that the next time I see her, I'm gonna rip her head right of her body." She cackles to herself before leaving. I pick up the gun and place it on the table finally able to relax. A few minutes later Barbara and Ed return.
"Barbara! You were right. Lee Tompkins came by with a gun. I, I think she wants to kill you."
Barbara sighs "we'll of course she does." she says sarcastically. She's not in a good mood, things clearly didn't go as planned.
"What happened?" I ask, "did you kill Oswald."
She bites her lip, "obviously not!" She yells. Ed walks over to the window. It's a mess out there but I've hardly noticed until now. I hear sirens, explosions and screams.
"What's with all the chaos out there?" I ask.
"It's the virus," says Barbara "it's been released to the public, everyone outside when the bomb hit got infected."
"Wait you mean the virus Lee has, the virus that made her come here and almost kill me?"
Barbara nods.
Ed begins to speak.
"As the flames of hedonism licked the very foundation of its society... Nero played and sang, the destruction of Troy."
I have no idea what he's talking about, but I assume it's some book reference.
Barbara strolls towards him.
"I will say this about the court of owls, they have style." Ed says to her. I also come to the window.
Barbara and him chuckle together. I don't really find the destruction of society funny b I laugh along.
"Not to mention they've given us the perfect opportunity." says Barbara.
I roll my eyes, even at a time like this she's thinking about gaining more power.
"For what?" me and Ed asks at the same time.
"The city is in total disarray." Barbara points out, "what better time to consolidate power?" She says with a hungry look in her eyes.
"Barbara, I've told you again and again, I have no interest in ruling Gotham." Ed says.
"I only want..."
"To kill penguin! Yes, yes, I know, I got it the first billion times!" Says Barbara sounding incredible irritated.
"And where is he now? Oh! That's right, with first Mooney."
"So we find her." Ed argues.
Barbara rolls her eyes, "and then what, huh? You blast through her army of goons until you get Oswald? Your gonna need muscle honey." She states.
"Which you provide." says Ed as though it's easy.
Barbara sneers, "oh, so you expect my help? but when I need yours, to take advantage of an opportunity of a lifetime...nothing!" She yells furiously.
Another explosion outside gets Ed's attention.
"Baby." Barbara says tilting his chin to the side so he faces her. "Listen all I ask, is that you use this beautiful big brain do yours to help me, finally, get this city under my thumb." Her words are so soft and calming yet so frightening.
"And afterwards," she continues, "I will help you pry penguin away from fish. Deal?" She asks.
He considers it.
"I will give you a day" he says.
She smiles and caresses his face.
"Why thank you" she says. Ed leaves and she turns her attention to me.
"And about you, why don't you tell me about your little visit with Lee Tompkins. I'm sure it was just as exciting as our time with last and that plant girl."
She pets my head. "Hmm? Come on, tell me." She grabs my wrist and gently guides me over to the couch. She sits me down kindly, I guess she's decided that take a softer approach with me this time.
"What happened?" She asks making me look her in the eye.
"She wasn't here for that long," I explain, " it was weird though, her veins were black and bulging and here eyes were red like blood. And she - she asked me where you were, and she said that she wanted to talk to you but, I'm pretty sure she just wants to kill you."
Barbara nods along, "anything else?" She asks me.
I shake my head no.
"Barbara, if the virus made Lee that way what will it do to the rest of Gotham."
Barbara sighs.. "oh honey, I wouldn't worry about the virus anymore. It doesn't concern you and besides we have much bigger fish to fry."
"Who's fish Mooney?" I ask.
She rolls her eyes, "oh just this annoying woman who keeps coming back from the dead, you'll probably never meet her." She says.
"Now back to Lee, did she say she'd come back?"
"No but I think she will, wait a second she's Jim's old fiancée isn't she. She's the one you kidnapped in the church. That's why she hates you isn't it?"
"Among other things yes, she probably wants some sort of revenge."
I sigh, there are too many people out to get Barbara.
"So are you gonna kill her then?"
Barbara shrugs "I have better things to do. I have to focus on getting Gotham under my control."
I sigh, how much power does she need.
"Do you really trust Ed to not betray you?" I ask her.
Barbara stares at me, I don't think she knows the answer.
"You should spend less time thinking about other people El, always focus on number one. If I can give you any wisdom it's that."
I shake my head, "Barbara, if everyone thought about themselves all the time the world would go to hell. I know I don't have to care but I do, I do and if I changed that about myself I'd be a much different person."
Barbara reached out and gently lifts my chin, "your a smart girl," she says "but without me, without my protection. You'd already be dead."
I frown, I wish I wasn't so dependent on other people.
"Why do you protect me?" I ask. Barbara looks away, "like I said before, in life you have to lol out for number one, sometimes saving someone else does that for you."
I give her a look of confusion.
"Make no mistake though, I don't protect you cause I care, I do it because as of right now your more useful to me alive than dead. But I wouldn't want to be waiting around when that changes."
I look deep into her eyes, "no," I say, "that's not it. You don't need me Barbara, you never have. I think you just want someone, I think your just tired of being alone."
Barbara glared at me but says nothing.
"Don't test me." She says getting up and leaving me.
Try as I might I will never understand Barbara, I do know own thing though. And it's that if she really hated me, I'd already be dead. So maybe she does care, maybe there is a tiny shred of good in her after all.
I may never know but at least the thought is comforting. That somehow, in someway Barbara might some how care about me.
I sigh wiping the tears forming in my eyes. I can't afford to be emotional, not right now.
A war is coming. And soon... it will be here.

Okay so this is part 17 I'm pretty sure. This story is coming to an end soon but I'll make a book two that takes place in season four after babs comes back to life. I think maybe I'll have el join Barbara in her weapons nuisances and become an official siren. So we'll be seeing more of Selina and tabby as well as barbs.

Anyways I'd expect at least a few more chapters maybe three or four. It will end after ya this kills her.