serinusniger | [Chiraptora: For Bryce Wayne]

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[Chiraptora: For Bryce Wayne]

The book launch Dinah so much wanted to go to is taking place in the ballroom of the Gotham Hilton, and the guest list is long and illustrious enough to warrant a large media presence in front of the hotel lobby, parting occasionally to let cars arrive.

It's into this crowd that Dinah, dressed to impress in red, with impressive slits up both sides, pulls her matching red Ferrari. She grins at the snapping photographers, pulls on her heels while still sitting in the convertible, and offers the keys to the valet who opens the door.

Then she offers a hand to her passenger, because coming out of this door will still be easier than fighting the other side.

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"Don't leave me!"

Dinah cannot see Dick or Roberta in the smoke. Last time she checked, the one was looking after the author with the terrible Security detail, the other was approaching a hotel security.

It's only a matter of time before...

The Gotham Hilton comes from the same school of architecture as a lot of the city - columns, dramatic gargoyles, and over the main ballroom, an expansive glass roof.

That shatters suddenly, letting in a flood of fresh air that blows away the smoke.

And a flurry of black and purple hits the side of Firefly's head, knocking him to the ground. Dinah is forced to push her man away from her when his flamethrower almost toasts the two of them.

"What is it with you guys and fire?"

The voice is young, female, and bright with confidence.

Bryce ducks instinctively and stares. How many people in costumes does this city have?

The fire is spreading up the decorative draperies, bathing the room in an orange glow. Some of the guests have already gone to ground somewhere or other, but the rest are getting jammed up trying to get to the exits.

"Help them get out," she snaps to the guard, and starts towards the confrontation, using the columns for cover.

"You saved my life," Dinah repeats to the guard she tackled, throwing in as much gratitude as possible while not saying 'and if you had opened fire this would be a blood bath, you idiot,' and scrambles to her feet, hugging him tightly.

Over his shoulder she can finally make out the rest of Logan's Security detail. They are still holding their firearms out, trying to make out people through the smoke.

Bruisejaw finally works himself free of Dinah, and pushes her away, but just as he's got a gun out towards one of the men who arrived with Firefly, it is hit with a projectile that solidifies around the gun, making it useless.

"Uh uh," says Batgirl, who doesn't miss a beat while somersaulting backwards to take out Firefly's men. "No guns! Are you new in town?"

Dinah decides now is the best time to find Bryce. "Roberta?"

Over there, by the columns!

Creeping up behind one of Firefly's men and silently choking him out!

And one less thug to worry about.

Dinah notices this, and resists the urge to facepalm. She turns away and instead drops beside a woman who caught some of the flame to her arm and face.

"It's going to be okay," she says, more for the benefit of anyone listening in on the conversation than for the lady in question. "I'm sure someone's called an ambulance."

Or at least, someone will now.

When Batgirl notices first Dinah and then Dick in the room, she doesn't even doubletake. Two more gooperangs disarm the rest of Logan's detail. Firefly struggles up again and shoots a blast of flame at her, which she dances through in her insulated suit, knocking him out for good with a jab to a pressure point by his neck.

"Why do you always make it so easy, Firefly?"

. . . Bryce has to admit that this is an impressively efficient operation.

Since the girl has things well in hand, Bryce turns to look for other people who might need help.

Dinah looks up when thing get quiet, and stands up, putting her shoes back on when she does so.

"Good work, Batgirl."

Batgirl looks like she just won the jackpot. "Really? I mean, all part of a day's work, Miss."

And leaning forward, "aren't you supposed to be mad at us."

Dinah smirks, and for the audience she adopts a fake scowl. "I mean, how dare you save our lives like that. Now get out of here."

There's a smattering of laughter and Batgirl swings out the way she came in. Dinah wanders over to Bryce, who may well have found someone suffering from minor burns or shock.

Indeed she has -- she's crouched by a middle-aged women who's literally clutching her pearls and hyperventilating.

"It's okay, calm down," Bryce is murmuring. "They've got it under control."

She gives Dinah a quick look and raises her eyebrows: Right?

Dinah raises her eyebrows right back. How is she supposed to know?

Fortunately, at this second the doors open to admit Gotham's Finest, running in, and holstering their firearms as they see the situation is handled.

"I think so," she says. "Batgirl wrapped it up. Have you seen...?"

Dick is sitting in a corner with Siobhan, a reassuring arm around her shoulders.

"...never mind."

"Good. We're fine." She pats the older woman on the shoulder and smiles. "See? They'll take care of you."

Standing, she straightens her dress and brushes off her knees.

"Everyone all right?"

"I think so," Dinah says, looking around. "I expect they're going to want to take witness statements..."

"That's alright, Ms. Lance."

The elder gentleman who approaches is in plain clothes, once red hair now gray but as thick as ever, and a look in his blue eyes that speaks of relief that no one was too hurt.

"I'll send someone around in the morning. And your friend?"

He looks to Bryce.

Bryce blinks.

She knows that voice, even if the face is a little different.

"I'll . . . probably be leaving town tomorrow."

"Roberta has a really early flight, Jim," Dinah says, a slight pleading in her tone, every inch the spoiled socialite who hates being inconvenienced.

Jim doesn't look like he buys the act for a second. He glances at Dinah over his glasses and gives up.

"Then you can expect a visit tomorrow. You're still on 6th and Kanigher?"

"You know I am," she says. "We set for lunch, Friday?"

"Wouldn't miss it."

One of his detectives calls him over, and Dinah turns to Bryce. "You want to ditch this joint?"

"Before Jim Gordon catches on?" she says ruefully. "Yes."

"Catches on to what? That we were saved by Batgirl?"

Dinah looks around the room, catches Siohan's eye and makes an I'll call you guesture with her right hand, her other reaching for Bryce's as they hurry out.

"I'm pretty sure he already knows. I'm more worried about the babysitter charging overtime."

"I'm pretty sure that man always knows more than he's letting on." She shakes her head.

"Let's go. There doesn't seem to be much else for us to do here."

"That's because you're the smartest woman in the world," Dinah says, without a hint of flattery or of any intention to be taken seriously.

Except that she then corrects it to, "In your world."

And fiddles with her earring again.

She switches directions when they get to the lobby. "Let's go directly to the garage, I know the way."

There's press outside, and she's really not into that right now.

"Oh stop," Bryce drawls, flapping a hand. "You're too kind."

"That's me," she says brightly. "Unashamedly so, as well."

She grabs her keys from the valet and they head down the emergency stairs to the garage.

"So what did you think? She asks, when they're alone. "She's good, isn't she?"

"She's extraordinary. Who trained her?"

"Three guesses," Dinah says. "And the first two don't count.

"Actually, she's as much self-trained as any of us. I honestly didn't think she'd stick it out at first, but she's earned that cowl."

Bryce grins, shaking her head.

"So she's part of the family too."

"She's not one of my two daughters, if that's what you're thinking," Dinah says. "But for some definition of family? Yeah, she is."

"Hmm."

She gives Dinah a faint, rueful smile.

"You guys are lucky."

"I know," Dinah says. She would offer to get the door for Bryce, but she doesn't use one herself, getting into the drivers seat by coming up and over into the convertible, dumping her heels in the back seat.

"I'm reminded of that every day."

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