Barbara was sitting behind the glass that offered a clear view of the Interrogation Cell, a notepad in hand and the pen twirling in between her fingers. Forest green eyes were flickering from one suspect to another observantly but the ocher glint was missing from the list.

Neal Hastings was keeping on the down low ever since the smash down in the Iceberg Lounge. She was still a little dubious of his presence there at an event that was meant to go up in flames but then she was even more puzzled about why he hadn't ducked for cover back when the chandelier was about to fall on him.

It was almost as if he had wanted to die back then, pierced in several places by the sharp crystal spikes. And the question why would a person like Neal Hastings want to die was still prying on her mind.

No matter how hard she tried, his thoughts had started to occupy her mind much more often than she liked. She could not decide what he was to her, what he meant and yet she always felt an undeniable pull towards him each time her eyes would lock with his jaded ocher irises.

Once or twice she had asked about him from Richard and assessed that he was slightly fond of him and considered him a good acquaintance, if not a friend. But then Richard was the kind of person who reached out to everyone and had a naturally good relationship with all of his acquaintances.

Sometimes it surprised her how he managed that but it was quite a specialty of his.

The investigation being done, she returned to her cubicle yet her mind was still drifting towards Hastings. She whiled the remaining time away distractedly though Richard joined her for tea break, placing a cup in front of her and shook her out of her thoughts.

"And you're lost in thought again, Babs, everything good?"

"Fantastic," she replied though her voice didn't match the enthusiasm of the word she had given him.

"I can see something... Or rather someone is on your mind a lot these days and I am a little curious to find out who it is," a mischievous smile played upon his lips but she shook her head in reply.

"It's not like that..."

"Oh come on, no secrets among best friends, right?"

She looked up at him, catching the spark in his blue eyes, "we don't have any secrets."

"Good. The tea's getting cold by the way," he pointed towards the cup that he had put down in front of her.

Nodding slightly, she took a sip from the cup then deciding that the tea was actually getting cold faster, she downed it in a few deep gulps, making Richard laugh.

She rose an eyebrow skeptically, "what?"

"One would think you're drinking orange juice," he remarked lightly.

She shrugged, "you were right, it got cold and I wasn't going to waste it."

"Right..."

She busied herself with the files cluttered up on her desk, sorting them out carefully while he simply sat there, watching her. Amid all the sorting, she asked very casually, "where does Hastings live?"

"Crown Point," the answer was out before Richard could question the peculiarity of her question. But he added soon after, "why do you ask?"

"No particular reason."

He didn't seem convinced by her reply though, "Babs?"

"I have some unfinished business," she mumbled, retrieving her gaze from him, "you can come along if you want to."

"I would love to but..." His voice trailed off and she looked up seeing a half apologetic, half embarrassed expression on his face. 

She understood very well, "oh it's alright. It's not that important anyway." He still looked quite apologetic so she smiled, "it's okay, Richard, you shouldn't cancel any of your plans due to me. Have a great time."

"Thanks a lot, you're the best," he smiled as well, slight relief spreading on his face.

Barbara had realized by then that he had plans with Kori but felt awkward talking about it to her. And even though they were best friends and had no secrets as she and Richard had implied earlier themselves, still there was a slight drift of awkwardness that had been created due to a certain nightly experience months ago.

On the other hand, Richard sometimes felt as if he was rowing two boats at the same time but he couldn't let go of either of them. Kori was his lover since a very long time and Barbara was a very good friend. What had happened in between them had proved to be a mistake more than just a heat of the moment decision as time had passed.

And by then neither wanted to talk about it but somehow the tension between them had only thickened by that wave of silence that gripped the two.

But she masked the slightly embarrassed feeling taking hold of her with a small smile, "and tell Kori she should stop by my place sometime. It's been a while since we last met."

"Sure," he nodded, eyes flickering towards his wrist watch that indicated the end of their small tea break, "and here goes the bell, another briefing another case."

"All the best."

"Thanks and same to you."

***

Neal was surprised to see Barbara Gordon at his door when he pulled it open. But a smile lit up his face soon enough as he pulled the door wider inviting her in.

"Say hi to Miss Gordon," he announced and true enough as Barbara stepped in she was greeted by a rather cheerful collective Hi Miss Gordon and saw that the place was full of kids of all ages, crowded in the tiny apartment.

Barbara was quite surprised at the sight, "looks like I came in at the wrong time."

"Oh no, you came at the perfect time. We were all going to have a party."

"A party?"

"It's a tradition, each time I get my pay I throw a party to all my little friends. Right, guys?"

The kids nodded and some of them who were excited spoke up as well all at the same time, the noise breaking when Neal laughed.

"Calm down, kiddos, all in good time."

Barbara was looking at him as if slightly baffled. Each time she met him, she was introduced to an entirely different shade of his personality that would confuse her regarding him all over again and whatever judgement she had of him would get cluttered up.

Right then he looked quite relaxed and it showed from each feature of his, from the joy in his ocher irises to the lips curved up into an inviting smile. 

"Pizza or burger?" He asked turning to the kids and then added, "those who want pizza raise your hands." A considerable number of hands went up in the air and then he spoke, "what about the burgers?" Turning to Barbara he remarked, "we're having a vote, pizza or burger?"

"I..."

"It's okay Miss Gordon, you're going to have lunch with us," he smiled, ocher eyes piercing through green in that mesmerizing look that somehow always made her speechless. "Right now, we're in a majority for pizza. Would that be fine with you?"

"Mister Hastings, I don't think I should..."

"I insist," he remarked, tilting his head to the side as his ocher eyes widened slightly, "please?"

She thought for a while but then nodded. The smile that lit up his face shortly after startled her for a second, he could be so dazzling at times that it almost hurt. 

"Alright, Elliot, are you placing the order today?" He handed over his phone to the fourteen year old who happily accepted, holding up a list that he had prepared of how many pizzas they would be needing.

Barbara could judge that with so many people, it would cost Neal a lot, almost all of his pay. But it seemed as if it wasn't the first time he was doing it and then he had himself mentioned it to be a kind of a tradition.

"The order's up and coming!" Elliot announced and the younger kids bounced in excitement. Neal ruffled the boy's head affectionately then went over to his closet bringing out a huge white sheet.

The mattress had been stowed away to make more space and the kids helped him in spreading out the sheet.

"And this is our dining sheet for today," he remarked looking over at Barbara briefly, "can't fit in a lot of chairs here so..."

"Yeah that's fine by me," she nodded back, smiling as well as she saw him interact so well with the kids all around him.

She had never expected him to have that side to his personality too; he was Gotham's renowned troublemaker but at the moment, he looked genuinely happy surrounded by his little friends.

The order arrived shortly after so Neal and Elliot went to bring in the pizza boxes as well as pay the delivery guy outside. The kids had formed two rows as all of them sat cross legged on the sheet leaving enough space in between to place the boxes as well as the pile of paper plates.

"Miss Gordon, would you do the honors?" Neal asked, handing her a slicer.

"Sure," she took the slicer and cut off the pizza into slices while Neal placed them in the paper plates, handing each out to the kids sitting at the sheet.

She would never have thought before coming there that her evening would be spent in such a way but she didn't mind. In fact the kids and the little party along with the exuberant company they offered proved to be a good time for her.

Initially, she had come there to clear up her confusions regarding Neal but at the moment, she simply let the questions go not wanting to spoil the present moment.

After the lunch all of them cleared up the space and rolled off the sheet. The kids wanted Neal to sing for them and he complied as Elliot brought over his guitar that was hanging from a hook on the corner wall.

Barbara had heard him sing before and knew that he had a lovely voice so she too leaned closer to listen in. Neal's eyes connected with her briefly before he shook his head laughing, "okay guys, what do you want me to sing?"

"Something happy. Something we can all dance too."

"Sure thing, kiddo," he nodded gently ruffled the child's head, "let's see if you remember this one." 

He started strumming on the guitar starting a catchy tune and the kids clapped in rhythm, a few of them thumping their hands and feet on the floor to create the beat. 

The kids were having a great time and they had even pulled Barbara in the midst. Though she had been reluctant at first, a few minutes later she too was dancing with the children, laughing and quite evidently enjoying herself.

Neal's ocher eyes would flicker towards her every now and then and it seemed as if one of the girls noticed that for she took the guitar from him and pushed him in the center as well where everyone was dancing. She gave him a thumbs up gesturing him to join the dance, as she resumed the tune from right where he had left off, strumming on the guitar just like he was doing so earlier.

Time flew by and none of them noticed in the pleasant atmosphere amid all the music and dancing. It was almost dusk when the party came to a halt and the kids began to leave. Barbara was the last to leave and when she reached the door, Neal stopped her. 

He leaned against the doorframe, ocher gazing softly into green, "I almost forgot to ask... Was there any specific reason to your visit?"

"It doesn't matter now," she smiled slightly, "thank you for hosting such a brilliant party. I had a lovely time with you all."

"We aim to please, my lady," he chuckled, bowing his head slightly in a gesture that made her laugh as well.

Neal Hastings was incredibly contagious, she deduced as she finally stepped out, walking towards her car that was parked aside. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't push him out of her head.

***