JLA Watchtower (Archive)

"No eating on the couch," Babs says automatically. "Zee, I don't think Wally can sit still for 3 seconds."

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"You people and your underestimateyness," he blurts, shaking his fist and spilling coral nail polish on his hand.

"Aw, crud..."

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She lifts a brow at Barbara and smirks.

"Given the right incentive..."

She doesn't even bother looking at Wally's hand, instead focusing on the cupcake in her own.

"slianregnif no sgnoleb hsilop liaN."

The pink...er, coral...stuff migrates to Wally's fingertips.

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"Oh, it's you," Babs congratulates Wally. "Brings out your eyes."

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"Cute. Next thing you know I'll be all goth-black-haired and wearing fishnets..."

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"Aunt Dinah could loan you hers." Mary's polished off the cupcake by now, and now she's moved on to licking the crumbs off her fingers. "Where's Dad, anyway?"

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"Watch it." Cupcake frosting graces his nose via the careful appliction by a fingertip. "You like my fishnets even after my additional poundage."

Her eyes slide once more to Barbara at her daughter's question.

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"Pfff... additional poundage, schmadditional schpoundage. You still fill 'em out better than anyone I've ever seen trying it, and that includes all of Mary's goofy friends..."

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He'll get a cushion flung at his head for that. "Not half as goofy as yours!" Yes, she's aware that includes her father.

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A familiar voice cuts through her statement.

Violence so early in the evening, kiddo? I thought I'd raised you better than that.

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"Dick!" Babs' face lights up. "Where've you been? I was starting to wonder if you'd forgotten...."

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"Your daughter just called you goofy, Dickles."

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When have I ever forgotten?

He steps across the room towards her, taking a small, carefully wrapped item from his jacket pocket, and spares a grin for his best friend.

Still unbending paper clips, Wally?

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"Good luck finding a bent one in this whole apartment, Smiley."

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Wally gets another, rougher smooch to the head as she gets up to get Dick some tea and a cupcake.

"One of these days he's going to retaliate and I won't kiss and make it better."

She winks at Mary on her way by.

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Babs eyes the package, then smiles up at her husband. "No, you never have. Is that what kept you so busy?"

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Mary's grin at the older woman is reminiscent of both her parents, though her green eyes are unmistakably her mother's. She takes up a seat next to Wally, ostensibly to bother him some more with an elbow to his ribs. "You worry too much, Mom."

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I only use staplers.

Smug.

Got it in one, hot stuff. And the traffic gods weren't with me today.

He gets down on one knee to present his wife's gift to her. The gold wrapping is tied off with a blue ribbon.

Happy anniversary.

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With shaking hands she takes the package, its shape suggesting something to her through the layers of wrapping.

With trembling fingers she unties the ribbon and tears into the paper.

She stares at what's inside, and begins to cry. "Oh, honey...." Blinking quickly, she pulls him to her for a kiss. A glint of gold can be seen behind the layers of paper.

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It's taken him months to track it down, culminating in a last-minute mad dash across town. But it's all worth it, for the look on her face.

So do I get a pass for being late?

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"More than that." Time for another kiss. The wrapping paper falls away to reveal her present:

Her father's gold shield.

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She curls up on the other side of Wally, one hand idly fiddling with the back of his hair out of habit.

She keeps silent, but her smile is wistful.

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Wally finds himself a little touched. He leans into Zee as an arm wraps around her.

Whispering to her.

"Don't ever get me anything of my dad's. He was a total jerk."

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Mary rolls her eyes goodnaturedly. "Should I leave you all alone so you can make out in peace?"

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