alwaysroomforhope | (no subject)

Steph has been in Kenya for months and there is a number she hasn't called.

Well - okay, there's a lot of them, given that she hasn't kept in touch with anyone from her former life. But one in particular. One that she keeps worrying at, like a sore tooth. She knows Barbara knows she's alive, she knows Barbara knows where she is. Babs knows everything.

Steph hasn't really felt any motivation to call but even so, she's still a little hurt that Babs hasn't made the effort either.

It's early morning in Kenya. They aren't big on clocks these days, but it's not sunrise yet. Steph does not like the dark particularly well; it's too dark. Not like Gotham's night. Out here there's nothing. Animals noises she doesn't recognise, and the stars. Way too many stars.

But she can't sleep. And for once, they're in a village that has regular electricity, and her cell phone is charged. Leslie insisted they have cell phones and Steph didn't really have any reason to argue - and tonight - this morning - she's actually about to use it.

Not that she has any idea what time it would be in Gotham. Or really cares. Barbara will be there.

It takes her a while to get through to Gotham - although it's easier than it could have been. And she's still not really sure what she's going to say when it finally starts to ring.

Threaded | Flat

There aren't many people who have the number that flashes on Barbara's screen when her earpiece chimes an incoming call. And only one of them is currently in eastern Africa, much less rural Kenya.

She's been keeping pretty close tabs, after all. Because just saving the Steph in her world was never the whole plan, and Barbara's beginning to worry that the rest of that plan is going to fall apart. So: a more careful eye than usual. Even for Oracle.

But she hasn't called because... she's been there. And sometimes the last thing you want is someone with good intentions butting into your recovery.

All of that flashes through her mind in the half-second it takes to hit the key to open the line. "Hey, you."