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Problems!
Boys brought problems. The younger they were, the worse it became.
Barbara was still getting frustrated trying to work with Dick
He was bossy and even more annoying than usual lately.
He acted like he was in charge of everything and was constantly telling her what to do.
Who does he think he is, the Batman himself?
Sometimes she just wanted to punch him right in the puss!
Yes, she now knew all about his tragic story.
She gave him some leeway for that, but there was no excuse for always being so rude and pushy.
It was coming to a head and had to be resolved before she'd either beat him to a pulp or shove him off of a rooftop.
Maybe all boys were just like him.
She'd forgotten what it was like with boys his age.
She'd skipped grades and was in school now with much older kids than herself.
Robin was a teenager now, so that would put him in middle school.
She was already in the 9th grade by the time she was 12. Middle school was practically skipped completely in her case.
Maybe she should ask Bruce how to approach Dick, after all, he's his father.
Barbara strode over to Bruce in the Batcave, she needed to hash this out again. Robin was back to being a pain in her butt.
Barbara spoke firmly, "Bruce, do you have a few minutes for me? I'm not making any progress working with Dick, and it's frustrating. I try to treat him as an equal but he wants to be in charge and do everything all by himself. I've tried everything I can think of, and it's still creating problems. Can you help me think of a solution please?" she asked, close to her wit's end and turning red with anger.
"I wondered when you would bring this up. Let me guess: he's been rude, bossy, and generally annoying?" he said as he rolled his eyes. He knew this would come up soon.
"Yes! That's it in a nutshell," she answered emotionally. "He's been driving me crazy, Bruce! He can be so annoying!" she said exasperatedly.
She looked like she was about to smack something or someone.
"It's nothing to do with you exactly, he's started puberty. He's not sure how to deal with girls, especially with you. Haven't you noticed he's acting strangely with you around? He's developed a crush on you and it's messing up his head," Bruce sighed. "God, I wasn't ready for this myself. I'm still a new father to him, and puberty hit him while I wasn't expecting it."
"Isn't he too young for that? He is only a kid, right? Doesn't that usually happen later?" she said tilting her head to the side, she was still frustrated but at least there was light in the distance.
"Normally I'd say so, but the doctor said he's already begun. His hormone count is that of a 16-year-old already. It could have been triggered by any number of events. Just don't break his heart during a mission... or get him killed," Bruce said, looking down at the floor.
Instant fatherhood was throwing him for a loop.
Instant puberty hit him between the eyes; he didn't know what was going to happen next.
"Oh! That explains it. I don't wanna break his heart, he's just a kid. But... Urrrghh! So I guess I'll just have to deal with him the best way that I can. At least I understand what's going on with him. But he's still bossy and annoying!" Barbara huffed and stamped her feet and looked up towards the sky.
"Just don't blame me if I give him a black eye, he's really pushing me. Jeez!"
"Just handle it any way you think is appropriate, short of death or dismemberment, Barbara. Don't injure him too badly." he smiled in sympathy.
"'Sigh'. Okay, so what's our next mission, B-man?"
"This one should be easy," he said as he read the crime feed on the computer.
"There's a break-in at the Ares Jewelers on Fifth Avenue. I'll have Dick meet you there, Barbara."
"Okay, I'm taking a 'cycle then. Later!" she said as she roared out of the Batcave.
Twenty minutes later the jeweler's shop was a mess; the thieves were tied up or (mostly) unconscious, the jewels were safe, and Batgirl was still running on adrenaline as Robin arrived.
He stared at the bodies littered on the ground, the girl was covered in blood and his mouth went agape.
"W-what happened?" he asked incredulously.
"You're late," she said flatly.
"Oh, my God! Are you bleeding? Are you hurt? You look like you gave them a pretty good fight, I'm kind of impressed," said the Boy Wonder.
"Not all of this blood is mine. You won't have to bring my corpse back to the Batcave if that's what you're worried about. Just a few cuts and maybe a broken rib," she said nonchalantly.
"You didn't wait for me to get here? I mean - are you all right?" he said as he slightly trembled.
"Pssht! I used to do this all on my own if you'll recall. I'll take a Tylenol or three and a hot shower and be as good as new. Why, were you worried about little old me?" she said innocently.
"Erm, uh, no, not at all. I just thought - you know - you might need, um, might want some help, that's all." Robin tried to act cool, but sweat was dripping down his face.
"I've already called the police and left them a note on purple paper so they know it's me. I'm out of here," she told him as she turned and hopped on her motorcycle.
"Meet you back at headquarters, Birdboy!" She left so quickly that his mouth was still hanging open.
As she drove down the back streets of Gotham, she wondered if he was still standing there like a statue.
It made her giggle to herself. Mr.-I'm-In-Control-slash-Control-Freak must be totally freaking out by now, and she loved it.
I'm no damsel in distress, and I don't need him to make me feel like one. Tonight was pretty satisfying, just like my old beginning days. Ha!
As she motored into the Batcave, Bruce was waiting with a slight grin on his face.
"What did you do to him? I haven't heard him this frazzled ever, Barbara." He looked as though he were holding in a belly laugh.
"Eh, I cleaned up the scene before he even got there. Even left a purple Post-it note for the police. I think that did him in just a little; plus the blood all over me. I think he actually quivered a little while he was trying to do his macho act. It wasn't easy keeping a straight face," she grinned from ear to ear like the Cheshire Cat.
"Shh, here he comes!" she tried to straighten out her expression before Robin dismounted his bike.
"Barbara? Um, maybe you should take off the rest of the night. You're covered in dried blood. Do you need stitches or anything?" Robin asked worriedly.
"I didn't bleed that much, did I?" she checked to see if she was leaving any bloody puddles on the cave floor as Robin turned pale.
"You okay Rob? You don't look so good." She noted that Robin was turning a very sickly green and still sweating profusely.
"Uh, no, it's nothing, I must have eaten something too fast or..." he sat down so hard that his chair banged up against the computer desk, though he hardly noticed it at all.
"Hey, I'm okay, really Dick, but you look sick. Are you going into shock? Need a blanket or something?" she asked him.
Dick just sat there and mumbled to himself, mostly about blood loss and gangs of crooks and trying to get yourself killed.
"You really were worried about me, weren't you? That's so sweet of you," she said as she lightly kissed his cheek.
He blushed furiously and stared down at his boots.
"Bruce, I'd better clean up before I finish patrol, I look like I stared at death in the face and then kicked its ass," she said.
"No, you're done after this for tonight Barbara. Clean up and then go home and get some rest. Just hop up on the med table for a moment first so I can check for cracked ribs or broken bones," he told her.
Dick looked positively green like he needed a bucket right now.
"Dick, you too, go upstairs and take a shower then get some rest. You look faint." Batman ordered.
Dick was about to protest, and then shrugged and slowly went back to the dressing rooms to change into a bathrobe and then headed upstairs, still muttering under his breath.
Bruce wrapped some bandages around Barbara's ribcage, she had actually cracked a rib.
She winced just a little at that. Bruce noticed her discomfort and was about to give her a local anesthetic shot. She hated needles and screwed up her face like a baby until it was done.
"Urgh!" She whinged.
"Is the wrapping too tight?" he asked.
"No, I just - hate - injections." she moaned dejectedly.
"Would you rather feel the cracked rib?" he asked her.
"Let me think about that real fast. Okay, no. Sorry. Rough fight." she admitted. It was sore and she knew the shot would help. If only there was a shot before the shot so she could ignore a needle going into her.
"I can imagine. You did a good job out there, but try not to make Dick faint next time. He looks terrible," Bruce told her as his lips quirked. "I feel almost bad for the kid, but he'll be fine in the morning."
"Well, I warned him to stop messing with me last time. Not my fault I've got an Irish temper," she warned him.
"I'll have to remember that. Might save my life one day," he told her as he smiled to himself.
"That it might, Bruce. Thanks for patching me up and sending me home. I am worn out now that the adrenaline is gone." she confessed.
"And you've got to get to school in the morning." he reminded her.
"Do I get a note for gym class?" she asked hopefully.
"Ask your dad... tell him it's womanly stuff. We men always avoid that topic like it's the plague," he smiled at her in answer. At least he was honest.
"That should work, thanks. G'night Bruce!"
He let out a big sigh.
She's going to be so much trouble when she's older. Oh man, what will I do then?
She's smart, opinionated, stubborn, and usually right. I'm going to be in so much trouble with her, he thought to himself as he sighed again.
She was still just a teenager, but he knew that she was going to be a lot of trouble for some guy down the road. To be perfectly honest she was becoming a beautiful woman.
God, what am I thinking? She's only what, seventeen? She's still a kid, isn't she? What's wrong with me? He thought as he shook his head.