Night had fallen and Neal and Barbara were in her bedroom. Neal had placed her down on the bed and she had pulled him down alongside her, laughing as he kissed her sweetly. It was so evident that he was in a very good mood, for his eyes sparkled after such a long time, reminding Barbara of the days when she had begun to fall in love with him.

She missed those days when he was always so vivacious and bursting of life. And even though he was battling his cancer, he still managed to not let the man she had fallen in love with disappear completely within him.

His flirtatious remarks, abrupt laughter and bright smile was what she had first gotten attracted to and even then seeing the glimpses of it peek through him warmed her heart.

Such as that evening when they had been with all of Neal's little friends at his place in Crown Point, he seemed the same bright and colorful Neal Hastings she had first met and gotten intrigued by. That dazzling smile, the contagious laughter and the shine in his ocher irises almost made her forget how much had happened to the two in that one year since they had come to know each other.

She was laying beside him, her head resting on his arm and her fingers entwined through his hand when she turned to face him, "Neal, do these children really live out on the street?"

He nodded, "most of them. Lydia now lives in a hostel, Elliot has a room in the boys' dorm in the suburbs, Andrew sleeps in the garage and as far as I know he lets the other kids in too when Mister Hanks isn't around."

"Oh... And has it always been like that?"

"As far as I know, yes," he replied, eyes glimmering in sadness, "these kids have gone through a lot. Most of them are orphans. Some like Elliot and Peter have parents but don't wish to live with them or were abandoned. Then there was Dana, Lydia's best friend. She got separated one night from the group and was never found again."

Barbara was pondering on his words, "they must be in danger almost all the time..."

"Yes. I try my best to help them out, I even told them my place will always be open for them. But living on their own has toughened them up a lot," he added, "it's hard to tie them down to anything. Most of them are scared of living like others, some of them like Lydia eventually get used to it but there's a strange sort of thrill living the life they do and they don't want to leave it behind."

Hearing that was quite surprising for her, but she said nothing, thinking deeper about all he had told her.

"Sweetheart, any specific reason you were asking?"

She nodded, "I was thinking that maybe we could do something for them... So that they would have a place to stay and not be abandoned anymore."

He straightened, listening attentively to her, "and what have you thought so far?"

"You said you had told them that your place would always be open for them," she spoke up, green eyes connecting with his ocher irises, "and I was thinking that what if we turn your home into a place solely for your friends and other children who are struggling to survive in this city. It would be like an orphanage but not as strict. They would be free to leave whenever they like, everyone would live together as a family."

She looked at him expectantly as if waiting for a reply from him because she wanted to know what he thought about it.

A soft smile graced his lips, "sweetheart... This is a brilliant idea."

He had always thought of what would happen to his little friends after he would be gone. He lived on rent in Crown Point and it was probable that after him, the apartment would go to someone else and the only place those children had close to a home would be gone too.

But hearing Barbara's idea, he realized that in that way they could retain the place and it was indeed the best way to help out those children.

"I'm glad you agreed, I really want to help them out, so do you and I think so far that's the best we can do."

"But I live on rent," he reminded her.

She nodded, "I know. We could buy the place. The building is old, there aren't other tenants except you, it needs renovation. Won't be a problem."

He knew that once she got her mind set on something, she usually thought of all the outcomes beforehand and was very determined to take her ideas to completion.

"Okay, so we buy the building and then?" His smile widened as he observed her enthusiasm, his hand gently weaving through her fiery red hair.

"And then we start setting it up. You, me, Jason, Lydia and all of your little friends together. We could paint the walls, choose the furniture and do it all together."

He always loved to see her get passionate about something because then her forest green eyes would light up and her features would be radiant just like she was radiant right then.

Barbara Gordon was indeed the most beautiful and admirable woman he had known.

"And when would we start?"

Her beautiful smile played on her lips, tempting him to kiss her then and there, "tomorrow. The sooner the better."

He nodded agreeing with her and gently connected his lips with hers. When he pulled apart, her fingers still lingered on his cheek as he remarked, "do you know, sweetheart, whenever you're enthusiastic about something, you are twice more irresistible."

She laughed and he let himself unravel in the delightful sound as she pulled him close, "you're always irresistible to me. But when you are happy, it's impossible to take my eyes off of you."

"Oh come on..." He chuckled slightly.

"No really, Neal, I love seeing you happy," she reached up kissing him sweetly, "and I wish you would be happy more often."

His ocher eyes looked down in her forest green irises lovingly, "I'm with you, sweetheart, and how could I not be happy in your presence?"

"Always the flirt, aren't you?"

At her remark, he broke into laughter, "guilty as charged."

***