Older Than My Years [V2]

A large cruise liner sailed the giant seas. Women clad in bikini’s rested on the deck or floated around in the pool.

Red headed Barbra Gordon, Oracle, leaned against her chair, reading a magazine. She looked up when a shadow crossed her path, pulling her sunglasses down.

“Whoa.” She said, Cassandra stood in front of her, wearing a black bikini, showing off her accents.

“Well, that’s not the first to come to mind.” Oracle said with a smile, she wanted to get Cassandra out of the house, out of Batman’s life for a little bit.

“Did HE agree to this?” Cassandra asked, taking a seat in the chair next to her, looking out into the sea.

“Who? Bruce? Well he doesn’t know about the bikini…” Oracle began, knowing Bruce probably would have had his jaw to the floor, as did many of the young studs that passed by them.

Cassandra looked at Oracle who smiled at her. “But the cruise, that was his idea. Honey, he booked the tickets and everything.”

Cassandra nodded and looked around a bit.

“Whoa! Watch out!” A young boy yelled as a volley ball bounced off of Oracle’s head.

“Ow! Hey!” She called, spilling her drink all over herself.

Cassandra lightly held her hand out, standing up holding the white volley ball in her small hands.

“Whoa! I’m so sorry miss. One of the girls threw too hard…guess we got a little…” He began picking up the ice and putting it back into the glass.

He looked up and first thing he noticed was long smooth legs.

“Over…” he kept talking, standing up slowly, his eyes scanning upwards. “Excited..”

He met eyes with Cassandra.

“Hi…” He said sticking his hand out. “I’m uh…I’m Carl.”

Cassandra stared at him, holding the volley ball out.

“So…uh…you wanna join the game? We could do with another…er…body on my team.”

“Go on Cass, you run along and play. Make some friends, I’ll be fine.” Oracle said, leaning back and enjoying the sun.

She leaned over and tilted her glasses. “Go on, Cass.”

Cassandra dropped the volley ball and turned around walking away. Oracle sighed and leaned back. Carl scratched his head and watched her backside, enjoying the view a little too much.

“She’s something special isn’t she?” He said, with a small smile.

“You have no idea.” Oracle replied, looking skyward.

Cassandra sat on the railing on the top deck, her hair flowing in the wind. Oracle wheeled up and stopped near her.

“I just wish you would have some fun, normal fun. I mean, take that guy. He was cute AND he liked you.”

“Superboy.” She said looking out into the sea.

“What about Superboy?”

“That boy Carl.”

“He’s Superboy?” Oracle said, mentally thinking of so many things. “No way, are you sure?”

Cassandra sighed, “He has a…way of moving. I…I recognized it.”

“Of course, if you can read body language, I guess a person’s style of movement is kinda like their voice huh.”

“When he looks at me…I…” She looked away, down at the ground.

She knew the way he looked at her, the way he wanted to take her, have his way. And that was just from a few second conversations.

“You know exactly what he’s thinking…feeling…Oh, I see.”

Cassandra leaned against the railing, crossing her arms.

“It makes me feel bad.” She told Oracle, knowing she felt an attraction to him.

“I should have never had you wear that damn bikini.”

Cassandra giggled a little, followed by Oracle.

- - - - - - - - -

Ah, sneaky Batman didn't want Cass to relax at all. He knew that there were some guys on the cruise that needed taking out.

“Damn you Bruce.” Oracle said looking at Bruce through a communicator.

Bruce was in his suit, minus the mask. He turned the volume and speaker on, grinning at Oracle.

“You knew exactly what you were doing when you sent me those tickets. You knew Vilom Namali would be on this cruise and that meant the Saukari Lions would be here to take him out…” Oracle leaned back with a sigh, “Some holiday this turned out to be me…”

She frowned and looked in the corner of her eye, through the window. Cassandra was outside, hair blowing in the wind, just staring.

“You don’t give a damn about Cassandra. Do you Bruce? You just think of her as Batgirl, another weapon for you to deploy. Well, even the best weapons break if you push them too hard.”

Bruce didn’t say anything, he was a little angry. He cared about Cassandra, he was just not one for emotions. He was about to terminate the conversation when she spoke again.

“Oh and one more thing…You’ll never guess who we bumped into by the pool today. Seems his grandparents won a cruise from their breakfast cereal. I must say, he’s taken quite a shine to Cassandra. They look cute together.”

She looked outside and saw Carl walking over to Cassandra, handing her a small lily and sticking his hands in his pocket.

Bruce looked up at the screen, his face contorting into anger.

“He said his name was Carl….But I think you know him better as….SUPERBOY!”

Bruce growled and slammed his fist onto the key board, snapping off some of the keys.

“Hah! Thought you’d like to hear that.” Oracle teased, cutting off their conversation.

Bruce sat in his chair frowning, cracking his knuckles. Superboy flirting with one of his…never.

Cassandra leaned against the railing, holding onto the lily and smelling it. Carl, Superboy, leaned in next to her, smiling at her.

“Do you like it?” He asked.

She nodded and slowly turned her head to look at him. He blushed and started chuckling, scratching his head.

“I’m sorry, you’re just so…beautiful…and I…” He was cut off by her kiss.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips against his. Oracle watched from inside the room, a smile on her face.

“You get him Cass.” She turned her chair and left the room, in case Cass wanted to get “friendly” with Carl.

Carl kissed her back, holding her close. She tasted good, like strawberries, and smelt like sugar. She broke the kiss and walked away, leaving him standing there. He chuckled and shook his head, she sure was something.

Bruce was right about the Lions wanting to take Namali out. Cassandra resorted to ripping off some of her sundress, creating a mask and help saved his life. She was knocked into the ocean with one of the goons, Superboy had grabbed her from the water and pulled her and the goon to safety.

They docked at their destination, Oracle and Cassandra stood at the balcony watching the police cart the goons away.

“Well maybe now we can have a proper holiday…” Oracle said with a shrug.

“No.” Cassandra said, pocketing her hands in a gray sweater.

“What? But Cass…”

“Go home.” She said with a nod.

“Fine I give up. We’ll fly back to Gotham on the first available plane. Damn bat.” She said frustrated, turning and wheeling away.

Cassandra smirked and looked down at the people below.

“Um..Cass…I uh…” Carl said appearing behind her.

She turned around and smiled up at him.

“I heard your friend say you were going back to Gotham…and well I wondered…if I gave you my phone number in Smallville…maybe you’d want to…ya know…” He stuttered, holding onto the railing in case she wanted to run from him.

“I mean you’re all serious and dark and bat-like…and you wouldn’t want to hang out with a dufus like me…”

Cassandra grabbing him by the collar and pulling him in for a kiss. He was shocked at first but settled in for the kiss, rubbing her back.

Oracle looked up and saw the two, smiling.

“Bruce has some competition…” She said to herself before rolling along.


to be continued....