Chapter Text
We did train, for a long time. There’s a roof Jason likes to go to, specifically an old run-down hotel about twenty minutes away from home.
“Am I sensing that you’re too slow?” I joked, darting away from him. I am a tiny bit faster than him. He is a lot stronger than me.
“Um, I think you’re way underestimating me.” He pulled my arm backward, and I kicked back, connecting near his knee. I somehow weaseled out to get a few quick hits in before I ended up on the ground. A shame, but not really.
“Looks like you lost,” he pants in my ear. My arms are pinned; but not all the way.
“Mmm,” I grunt out. “Not quite.” I swiftly unbuckle his belt and rip it away from him. Surprising him just enough to let go, I’m able to worm away and swivel myself onto him. I can get the belt around his arms quick, tying almost immediately.
“I think you’re the loser on this one, honey.” I breathe smoke over him, happily.
Suddenly we hear a noise near the entrance to the roof. Uh oh. I get up from my kneeling position and face the entrance.
“We already claimed this spot.” Shit. It’s Bruce and Selina, and they look like they’re about to be occupied.
“Nice to see y’all made up.” I stay in place across the roof from them. “We can find somewhere else to go.”
“No,” Jason growled, stepping between me and them. “We were here first.”
I pull on his arm. “You cannot be serious.”
“Men,” Selina says, whirling around Bruce. “Always so territorial.” She’s a very beautiful woman, and very elegant. She does remind me exactly of a black cat.
I nod, agreeing with her. “But it could be worse. They could both be normal..” I shrugged, to the annoyance of Jason.
“You’re one to be talking about normal.”
“Pffttt..” I light a flame close to his foot.
“Any updates on the cases?” I call to Bruce.
“We’ll discuss it later. If you have any questions ask Dick.” He says shortly. I suspect there are updates. I’m gonna ask on the group chat when we get home.
“Ok,” I glance to Jason, trying to signal for us to leave. “Well have fun, anyways. See ya, Kitty!”
I let flames ripple around me as I jump from the roof to another. Bruce and Jason say nothing to each other, which I do this is a little sad. If I had the chance to have a father figure, I would want one.
“You know her from somewhere?” Jay asks when we’re back in the apartment.
“Yeah? I didn’t tell you all that?” I went to get food for Matisse and Plush. “She’s the one I used to live with when I first came here. I mean-“ I set down the bowl for them. “I didn’t know she was Catwoman or I would have tried to see her way sooner.”
“Yeah, I get that.” He curls up on the couch to read. “It makes a lot of sense that she’s the one you were talking about.”
This halts me in my tracks. “What does that mean?”
“You’re a lot like her.”
“A cat burglar that fucks Batman on the roof?”
“No,” he sighs hopelessly. Whatever, I think I’m funny.
“I’m gonna text them and see what the updates are.” We have to text information in somewhat cryptic tones, just for safety reasons. I plop down next to him and let him lay on my stomach while I’m texting.
(Me) Any updates?
(Dick) On which?
(Me) Any :(?
(Steph) What about a meetup tmr to discuss?
(Tim) Can’t, I got forced into taking the demon to a school event.
(Cass) the demon?
(Damian) I’m right here.
(Cass) oh.
(Dick) What about Friday?
(Me) can’t.
(Cass) I can’t either, I have ballet.
(Dick) best I can do is tmr late or Saturday early. Lydia, did you ever visit W again?
(Me) oo shit, no. I’ve been busy but I can look into it tmr tho.
(Dick) ok.
(Steph) we all need to get ramen or something soon.
(Damian) No.
(Cass) we can.
I close out of messages while they yap back and forth. I completely forgot about that Willoughby guy. I’m sure he’s already dead meat, but I can try again.
I text Stephanie last minute and get Selina’s number.
Sooo how’d it go? :)
She didn’t answer, yet.
“You wanna come with me to find that guy tomorrow?” I brush through his hair. It’s what mama used to do for me.
“Sure, if you think it’s a good idea.”
“Yeah, I think so.” I shift myself a little bit, he weights a ton on my legs. “How’s Roy? Has he said anything to you since then?”
It hadn’t been that long since we dropped off Roy, about two weeks ago.
“I think he’s ok,” Jay closed his eyes. I took this as a sign of trust. “I’m just worried about him. I always worry about him.”
“I know you are,” I kiss his head softly. “But I think he’ll be ok this time.”
“How can you be so sure?”
I obviously can’t tell him about me threatening Roy, so I don’t mention it.
“I just think so this time.”
“Just in the time I’ve known him he’s been to rehab twice. And both times for drugs and alcohol.”
“I’m telling you, I think this is the time it sticks.” I try to joke with him. “Are you questioning my professional opinion?”
“Considering all the things I’ve seen you do, yes I’m questioning it. Heavily.”
I scroll on my phone, still petting him. “Honestly I can’t argue with that.”
The next day, we visit Willoughby again. Or well, we try. We break in to find his wife, and their girl.
“Get out of my house!” His wife, her name is Petunia, shrieked. She tried to shield the girl, I felt very bad about this.
“We have nothing here!”
“We’re not here to rob you,” I say, crouching. My boots make me a lot taller, but the purpose of that is to intimidate men, not women. “We’re looking for your husband.”
Petunia grabbed a nearby kitchen knife, I guess what she thought would defend herself. I allowed her to hold it.
“We only want to talk to Willoughby. About the Scarecrow thing.”
I notice their girl is very small, wearing a sweet little black dress. I hate to make her cry, but this is important.
“My husband is dead,” she cries out. “We just got back from the funeral.” The knife crumples out of her hand, clattering on the ground loudly. Jason kicks it away quietly.
“What happened to him?” I tried to ask less aggressively.
“Don’t you get it? He was killed! He was killed by Scarecrow because he broke one of the rules.” She wailed. “That’s all I know.”
I tilt my head to Jason. She’s telling the truth, I’m sure of it.
“I apologize then.” I turned away swiftly, and Jason and I headed out. The girl watched us go, and I was sad for her. All girls deserve good dads.
“Well that didn’t go well.” I said once we got to a an alley a little ways from their apartment.
“No.” Jason agreed.
“Do you wanna head back home and I’ll go visit them?” I’m hesitant to say names, since we’re out in the field.
“See you later.” And with that, he is gone. He does that sometimes.
I go to Bruce’s for a while to swap information with everyone.
“Yeah, so looks like Willoughby is dead.” I lean against one of the table’s facing the board with papers and pictures pinned to it.
“What do you mean he’s dead?” Dick stopped sharing his chips with Duke.
“I went to revisit and apparently Scarecrow killed him.”
“He did.” Bruce entered the cave, causing some of the bats to begin screeching.
“Wait, you caught Scarecrow already?” I look from Bruce to Duke.
“No.” He sat down at the computer, already typing away. “But I did talk to Slade.”
Dick offers me some chips, and I take some regrettably. “You know that tunnel system me and Damian almost got lost in?” Dick asked.
“Yeah?”
“Well we found out that Scarecrow and Slade had planned to transport fear toxin to and from the asylum. One- to experiment on the inmates, and two- to smuggle certain inmates out that agreed to work for them.”
“Which inmates? And did any get away?”
“One did.” Bruce doesn’t say much, I’ll tell you that.
“Which one?” Duke asked, but Bruce won’t answer him.
“And what’s in it for Slade?” My eyebrows are furrowed as I try to process all this.
“Slade often is driven by money.” Bruce says. “And he still hasn’t killed you yet, like he was paid to do.”
“That doesn’t explain why he’s messing around with Scarecrow.”
“Not completely it doesn’t.” Bruce paused. “But I believe the simulation’s intended purpose was to eventually kill all of you.” He turned to us. “Slade would have teamed up with Scarecrow if he thought it would be easier to eliminate you, and take them from me in the process.”
I don’t ask what the backstory is with Bruce and Slade. Obviously, there’s not a lot of love there. But Bruce cares about his kids, and I respect that.
“Well where do you think Scarecrow could be?” Duke also leaned onto the table, like I was doing earlier.
“He’s in that tunnel system.” Bruce said with certainty. “Somewhere…”
“What about case one?” I asked suddenly. “We already know Dad hired him, so why don’t we just go after the main problem?”
“Lydia-“ Dick starts, only to be interrupted by Bruce.
“We’re working on it.” Bruce doesn’t turn to face me at all, something I take to be mildly offensive.
“I’ll work on it myself if I need to.” I snapped.
“No.” Bruce turned abruptly, more abrupt than I like, and I jumped a little. “We’re handling it.”
I snort lightly, sending barely a wisp of smoke into the air. “I understand.” No I don’t. And I’m about to start handling a hell of a lot of stuff myself. If they’re not willing to uphold their end of our agreement to tell each other things.