ALL DISCLAIMERS etc in Part 1

Occasionally, as evening fell, we saw Superman fly across the skyline as a flash of red. Once he even came right up to the window and made us giggle by pulling faces at us until Perry's office door opened. He made a hasty retreat away from the window.

"Hey Slaygirl!" Lois called out across the almost empty office sometime before six.

"Yo Lois!" I resisted the urge to shout 'WASSSSSSSSSSSSUUUUUUUUUUUUUPP!'

"Dinner tomorrow night with the Gothamites and the Metropolitans. We need a referee. You up for it? It's Clarks idea, to give Bruce the 'extended family' experience of Christmas," she said casually.

"Sure. Is it ok to bring Will?"

"Of course! Every skirmish has to have more than one referee," she grinned.

"Please tell me you aren't going to start a food fight?"

"We reserve those for the bedroom," she winked as she sashayed away toward her husband who had just arrived with food for her.

I laughed and returned to my research. I think I'm going cross-eyed from staring at the computer for so long. For a moment I thought I saw a reflection of Dick's face on my screen. I blinked realised I actually was seeing his reflection. I turned around. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough. You look tired." A brief kiss on the lips.

"Should I label you two voyeurs or have you got research to do Lois?" I said looking around at them.

"She is getting too good at sounding like Perry," Lois grumbled, leading Clark to her desk.

"I do a pretty good impression of Batman," Dick said, "But that would give us away. Lois is too clever not to work it out."

"I think she already knows."

"Oh?"

"Yup."

"You aren't going to say anything else are you?"

I grinned. "Nope."

"Summers!"

"Meep!" I squeaked and jumped slightly in my seat. "Mr. White?" I asked turning around in my chair.

"It's good and the Gotham editor wants it too," he said putting the fluorescent blue disk that I had given him earlier back on my desk. It held the copy of the first mythology article.

"Really?" I can't believe it. I researched it all by myself and everything. Thank heavens for Oracle and Willow putting all of Giles research tomes onto the net.

"When you aren't working in the office fulltime you'll be paid per article per edition. The legal people will have a contract for you by the end of tomorrow. Grayson. Don't you have something to do? Miss Summers is working."

"I was just bringing Buffy an early dinner from Alfred, Mr White. He asked me to bring you this." Dick lifted a small cane basket from its resting place on the carpet and held it out to Perry.

Perry eyed it then took it with a smile. "You tell that man that he's worth more than his weight in gold."

"I will Mr. White. Thank you on his behalf."

Perry nodded and made his way back up the steps to his office.

"What was that?"

Dick wheeled closer and whispered softly, "Alfred's special fried chicken that isn't really fried but don't tell Perry that."

I giggled. "Is that what is in that little bag you gave me?"

"And baked potatoes and gravy and some vegetables."

"Wow! Thank you," I grinned.

"Thank Alfred," he smiled.

"Oh I will," I said and opened the bag. Yum! Dick told me about his day while I ate and about Tim and Alfred's spats about Tim's clothes and the new articles that had been bought. After I'd finished eating Dick and Clark began some sort of game I think they called table soccer but I wasn't really paying attention.

At five minutes to seven I finished the first draft of the sacrifice traders article and took it up to Perry. He nodded and I said goodnight.

I printed out a copy of my mythology column and took it with me when I left. It was confiscated by Alfred the moment it appeared after dinner.

"No work will be brought home Miss Buffy. You work at the office," he'd proclaimed.

"I just wanted to read through it in the peace outside the office," I pleaded but he refused to yield.

I remained in my seat at the dinner table glaring and pouting at him until Tim dragged me away to challenge me to a computer game that he didn't want to be beaten at by Dick again.

Willow snatched the paper from Alfred and took it with her to the lounge room with her before Tim successfully managed to get me out of the kitchen.

Computer games make me phase out. I can play them without actually paying any attention to what I'm doing. Tim has now banned me from playing the Playstation or whatever it was. No great loss.

Mum called so I chatted with her before I finally went to bed.

Lois and I started work at eleven again on day three and finished at seven when Clark and Dick picked us up from the office. We met everyone at the restaurant.

On the way Dick explained, "Bruce had a meeting with Lex this evening and because the slime bag is so full of hot air the only way Bruce could make it to dinner on time was to invite him along."

"Lex is going to be there? Well that instantly ruins the evening," Lois exclaimed.

"No it won't. You should see the Christmas present we have for Bruce," I bounced excitedly. Clark chuckled. "I'm allowed to be enthusiastic. We put a lot of effort into making this present."

"By effort you mean shopping hours," Clark clarified.

"By effort I mean we were up till two a.m. putting it together."

"Impressive."

We entered the restaurant then and as usual it was so expensive looking all I could do for a full minute was stare. Then I noticed something that made me bounce and point. "This is the best. Lois, they have Karaoke," I said tugging on her sleeve as we were seated at our table with everyone else.

"I thought this was High Class," Lex said snobbily.

"High Ass maybe," Cass muttered.

"That's it. Cassandra you are not allowed to talk to Buffy anymore," Bruce laughed.

"That's one of Lois'. Blame her," I said, raising my hands in a defensive gesture.

Lois raised an eyebrow at Bruce by way of a dare. Bruce smiled. "Behave and stop teaching her those sorts of things."

I grinned at Lois. "Knew he wouldn't tell you off... So who's gonna be the first to sing us a song?"

"You can't be serious. Only people who can't handle their alcohol..." Lex began.

"And college students sing karaoke. We know. Buffy and I are college students. It's our sober duty to get up on that stage and sing loudly and badly to entertain the people who dine here this evening," Willow said solemnly.

"You weren't even supposed to be here Lex so I don't see what say in my definition of a good evening you have. Remember it's only because you're a windbag that you are here and because Bruce is too nice to tell you to go away."

"Ms. Summers..."

"*Miss* Summers, Lex. I'm a Miss."

"Miss Summers, we already know you have an attitude problem. Perhaps your influence is as unacceptable on this young lady as Ms. Lanes?"

"Bite me, Lex."

Willows mouthful of drink sprayed across the table when Cassandra spoke, narrowly missing Lex. Shame. I would have liked to see him covered in raspberry soft drink.

Lex narrowed his eyes and turned on Cassandra. "You are worse than them. Raised by a known assassin. How do we know that you aren't as bad?"

"I'm sure I could find Kraznar and convince him he's hungry now," I said.

"Enough," Barbara said.

"I don't like that look in your eyes Babs," Willow said.

"You don't own us Lex. We don't pretend to care about your opinion. Words are grossly insufficient as payback so I won't bother but you should remember that you aren't so high and mighty as you think."

Willow chuckled. "We have not yet begun to fight," she declared.

"I think you've bitten off more than you can chew Lex," Dick said.

"Never fear, if I really was a trained assassin you'd be the first to go Lex," Cass smiled, showing lots of teeth, as she balanced the pointed end of a steak knife on her fingertip.

Lex raised an unimpressed eyebrow but I think there might have been a hint of fear in there. "If we are finished Bruce..." he said.

"I was finished at the office," Bruce said honestly.

Lex glared, stood up and walked away.

"Oh," I whined. "I was looking forward to a fight."

"Me too," Cass sighed.

Willow started to giggle.

"What is it?"

Her giggle turned into a laugh. She raised her hand and pointed in the direction Lex had gone. We turned to look where she pointed and began to laugh. Lex's expensive grey suit had somehow turned into a gaudy orange and brown paisley pair of pyjamas.

"Willow," I tried to chastise as I laughed.

"I'm sorry but... It had to be done." She sighed. "I'm gonna be in trouble for that sooner or later. These things come back to haunt you you know."

With an annoyed glare in our direction the President and his entourage of one stormed out of the restaurant.

Our laughter and giggles died down when a waiter approached to take our orders.