A Pleasant Evening With Family

[gothamflatfoot]

He slams the door to his car with a creaking thud. The one thing he always loves about his car is the complete sense of security it grants him. Not for one minute would someone think to steal is beaten up old heap. If they tried, they'd never be able to get the thing started in the first place. Jim smiles as he checks himself to make sure he's

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[oracle_watching]

The door opens. "Daddy!" Babs smiles as she waves her father in. "Honey? Dad's here!" she calls in the direction of the nursery. Closing the door behind her father, she wheels over to the couch in the living room. "Dick's having some father-daughter time with Mary," she explains. "How're you?"

[gothamflatfoot]

He's holding a bunch of flowers in one hand and a big, pink, stuffed bear in the other. With a wide smile on his face, he holds them out in Babs' direction, "One's for you and one's for Mary. You can decide which. Happy Valentines day." He steps forward and kisses Barbara on the cheek, "and I'm doing ok. A little worn out but none the worse for wear. And you three?" He accompanies Barbara into the house.

[oracle_watching]

"I love the teddy, but I don't think Mary should have the flowers, so I'll be a good mother and let her have the bear." She holds out a hand for the bouquet. "Here, Dad--let me put those in some water. Have a seat. I know the drive here from Gotham isn't any fun. Bludhaven's streets...." Her wrinkled nose eloquently expresses her opinion.

[gothamflatfoot]

"Crimeny, you can say that again. Cell phones are evil...but not so evil as the people who talk on them while trying to cross the bridge. I swear, if I was still a cop..." He shakes his head as he sits on the sofa and unassumingly flips through a magazine on coffee table as Barbara steps out of the room for a moment.

[_nightwing_]

Dick emerges from the nursery, holding Mary over his shoulder. She's fresh from a bath, dressed in a clean jumper suit, and busy looking around at everything. He makes his way over to his wife and father-in-law, and extends a hand in greeting.

Evening, sir.

[gothamflatfoot]

"Hello, Dick." Jim turns from the conversation he's having with Barbara and shakes the extended hand, "It's good to see you." Then he brings his nose up to Mary's face, "and how are YOU, you little angel?" He grabs her tiny hand and her fingers wrap around his. He melts into a smile.

[oracle_watching]

"Our daughter the heartbreaker," teases Babs.

[gothamflatfoot]

"Takes after her mother in that way, you know? I'll tell you again, I can't wait until she's a teenager. She's going to be every bit as smart as you ever were and she's going to give you just as much trouble." He turns back, laughing, to Mary who is still holding on to his finger, "It's a deal, lets shake on it." He's smiles.

[oracle_watching]

"Supper's ready," calls Babs from the kitchen. Green salads are already on the table, and she is dishing up beef strogonoff over egg noodles. "Hope you two are hungry."

[gothamflatfoot]

"Good, I'm starving." Jim walks into the dining room and takes a seat, waiting for the others before taking a bite of the salad, "Tell me what else is going on in your exciting lives...and before you tell me that your lives aren't exciting, I will remind you that I am a father and a retiree. Just about anything you've got going on would qualify."

[_nightwing_]

Dick shoots a glance at Barbara as he pauses to put Mary in her bassinet. She fusses for a few moments, apparently annoyed at being put down; but she settles as he puts a blanket over her, hand gently smoothing her head before he heads to the table and takes a seat. Suddenly his salad is the most fascinating thing in the world.

Well, I've been restoring a couple of old vardos I salvaged ...

Along with designing a new set of wheels built from the chassis up; but most guys don't build cars with porcelain armor coating to take up to .60mm caliber ammo at close range, kevlar tires filled with petroleum and Nomex bulletproof glass. Most guys are content with a '57 Chevy.

[gothamflatfoot]

"Now that isn't something you hear every day. Vardos, eh? Aren't those the wagons that the gyps...Romani use?"