Bonnie: Hello?
Cissie: Hi Mom
Bonnie: Hi Cissie! How are you?
Cissie: I'm good. How was the cruise? Glad to be back?
Bonnie: The cruise was a lot of fun, honey--Ish and I brought back souvenirs.
Cissie: Cool. Did you have a good Christmas and New Years?
Bonnie: It was great--how was yours? I hope that boyfriend of yours stopped by, so you weren’t all alone at Elias over the holidays. When do I get to meet him, anyway?
Cissie: ::small laugh:: I'll talk to him and see. But yeah, I did get to see him. Just... not exactly at school...
Bonnie: Oh--did he bring you back to Gotham, then? You know I don't like that you go there--it's not a safe city.
Cissie: ::heavy sigh:: No, Mom. And I've told you before--Gotham's not that bad. Not where he lives.
Bonnie: It's still Gotham, Cissie--I'm your mother. I'm allowed to worry.
Cissie: Hmm. Yeah. Anyway, that's not where I was.
Bonnie: Where were you?
Cissie: Um. ::pause:: With Roy, in New York.
Bonnie: ::long pause:: Roy Harper?
Cissie: ...Yeah.
Bonnie: ::cool voice:: Oh. And how is Roy?
Cissie: ::sigh:: He's good. He, um, heard that everyone went home for Christmas and offered to let me stay with him. Lian still believes in Santa, so that was fun.
Bonnie: That was... kind of him. Lian's his daughter, right?
Cissie: Yeah. She's five.
Bonnie: That must have been fun. Did he let you help with the Santa stuff?
Cissie: Uh huh. I got to eat the cookies, and help with the stockings. It was kind of cool. She got up at the crack of dawn, though.
Bonnie: That must have been interesting.
Cissie: It was fine. We took naps later.
Bonnie: I bet that helped.
Cissie: Hmm... Yeah. ::pause and a deep breath:: So, um, I kind of have some news. Sort of.
Bonnie: Oh?
Cissie: Um. Yeah. ::another deep breath:: Roy sort of... offered to be my legal guardian.
Bonnie: ::short gasp:: I--really?
Cissie: ::winces:: Yeah.
Bonnie: Is that--something you want?
Cissie: Well... I guess. Anyway, um... he kind of... did it. Went to court this morning and everything.
Bonnie: I--see. I... wasn't informed.
Cissie: ::small voice:: I'm sorry.
Bonnie: I'm not--angry with you.
Cissie: But... you are angry?
Bonnie: I'm going to kill Roy.
Cissie: ::sharp inhale:: Mom...
Bonnie: I think--I'm allowed to hate him a little for this.
Cissie: He just wants to help...
Bonnie: And he's spent a lot of time telling me what a horrible mother I am, while he was planning this.
Cissie: ::sighs:: You're not a horrible mother, Mom.
Bonnie: ::disbelieving noise:: The State of Pennsylvania and Roy Harper both disagree.
Cissie: Mom. That's not fair.
Bonnie: What do you want from me, Cissie?
Cissie: What do you want from me, Mom? It's not like I can do anything! And it's not like I can even argue that!
Bonnie: I know you can't Cissie, but can you really expect me to be happy right now?!
Cissie: No, but--::exasperated sigh:: Can't you at least pretend this is a good thing?
Bonnie: ::frustrated noise:: Of course--yes. It's good that you're not always at that damned school, but I'd much rather have you here!
Cissie: Don't you think I'd rather have that too? You're my mom! Of course I'd rather be with you, but that hasn't been possible for three years!
Bonnie: And I'm sorry about that--there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not!
Cissie: I know, Mom. I know. I'm sorry.
Bonnie: I'm--sorry, too. I'm glad Roy can be there for you. Especially since I--can't.
Cissie: ::pause:: I am sorry, Mom. I--::sighs::
Bonnie: I know. I... reacted kind of badly, huh?
Cissie: It's okay. I... didn't expect you to be thrilled.
Bonnie: I'd be lying if I said I was happy.
Cissie: I know. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before.
Bonnie: It's okay, honey, and--I am glad you have someplace to go that's not school. I just... wish it could be here.
Cissie: I do, too.
Bonnie: I guess I made too many mistakes for that, though.
Cissie: ::sigh:: It's not fair.
Bonnie: Life's not fair, baby.
Cissie: Yeah, I know. ::frustrated noise:: I'm almost eighteen. You'd think I could make my own choices.
Bonnie: Give it a few more months, and you can.
Cissie: That doesn't really help now.
Bonnie: I know, honey.
Cissie: Love you, Mom.
Bonnie: I love you, too, Cissie.