Tim rushed over and started operating the machine.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdHV6sk34dd
His fingertips trembled as he typed in the commands, failing the password twice before finally gaining access to the main control panel. His mind was a mess—he could barely hear the steady rhythm of heartbeats behind him. All his focus was on those rows of options he knew by heart.
He switched the machine to thawing mode.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVG594gKYdN
As the options lit up before him, he didn’t hesitate to select “Initiate Thawing Process,” as if it were the only choice. He didn’t think about the consequences or the risks—her pulse had returned. That meant she should wake up. That belief was all he had.
But the machine's analysis showed: thawing would take six hours.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxuH9YcAOI
A line of cold, emotionless text appeared at the center of the screen, like a slap to the face. He stared at it and frowned. It wasn’t “immediate.” It wasn’t “now.” It was six hours—an eternity.
Tim frowned. Six hours was far too long.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1iWwsocia
He almost cursed. Six hours wasn’t a process—it was torture. He could take down dozens of enemies, crack hundreds of codes, but this kind of stillness, this wait, was unbearable.
Too long.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡda8nJwaO4a
He clenched his jaw and spun around. He couldn’t just stand there doing nothing—he needed to do something. His actions were a distraction, a way to suppress that overwhelming desire inside him.
He turned and strode across the Batcave, searching for what he needed.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5UZM7mJwOX
His steps were quick and purposeful, like he was carrying out a classified emergency mission. He didn’t say a word, but his movements made it clear: she’s going to wake up, and when she does, she won’t be cold, or in pain, or alone.
Heater. Blankets.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm15Z4sOINr
He remembered those supplies were stored in the back storage room. Tim carried them out, sweating under the strain, beads of sweat gathering on his brow. His hands were so cold they trembled, but he didn’t stop.
He hauled everything into the room and turned the heater on.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBtUnADcA3
It roared to life with a low hum, warm air beginning to spread and slowly filling the morgue-like space. Tim cranked the temperature to its highest setting, as if trying to chase away the past two years of cold with heat.
The room quickly filled with warmth.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2Gep02qtC
Steam began to swirl through the air. The clash between cold and hot fogged the glass, and Tim stood in the mist like a figure out of a dream. But his expression wasn’t dreamy—it was alert and intense.
Tim stared at the person inside the cryo-pod, then reached out with trembling hands to press the button.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAm8ydWk4P
His finger hovered above it for several seconds, as if it were a door that, once opened, could never be closed again. He took a deep breath—and finally pressed down.
The pod door opened slowly, releasing a rush of icy mist.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdiiIT0JSMJ
At that moment, warm and cold collided like a crack forming between the human world and a dream. Fog churned and blurred the room, transforming it into something unreal.
Tim looked at the girl he hadn’t seen in two years.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3voq28gfTZ
She lay there, lashes resting on unmoving lids, lips pale, hair clinging to her cheeks. He stood frozen, barely breathing, afraid to disturb the fragile silence.
He touched Nora’s golden hair.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ71xCBYC6u
It was cold, dotted with dew from the thawing process. Her hair was a little longer than he remembered, as if time had quietly left its mark on her while she slept. His fingertips trembled—he couldn’t tell if it was from nerves or pain.
Then, he took a deep breath and gently lifted her into his arms.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxO0NVlMG97
His arms circled her back and legs with reverent care. He could feel her body was still cold, her skin like that of a statue yet to awaken. She felt too light—or perhaps, he had simply forgotten what it was like to hold her.
Tim didn’t go far. He turned and sat down right next to the cryo-unit.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHFvTJswaN
He didn’t dare leave its side, as if she still needed the machine to survive. When he sat, he accidentally brushed against its edge—the cold metal grounding him back to reality. He adjusted his posture and let himself become another anchor she could lean on.
Holding Nora in his arms.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAx2jfucRNy
She rested against his chest like an unawakened soul. He could feel her breathing—irregular, sustained only by the system—but she was here. She was really here.
He covered her with the blanket and let her rest against him.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7BAE1Yb0o
That thick layer of fabric was the only barrier he could offer. He smoothed it over her, carefully wrapping even her feet, afraid that even the tiniest gap might let the cold in. He let her head rest on his shoulder, his arms still steady beneath her back.
So cold, Tim thought. Like holding a block of ice.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10DBzAsmZE
She had no body heat. Yet his heartbeat raced, as if trying to warm her with his own. The cold seeped into his skin, his bones, his blood—but he didn’t move.
Tim didn’t want to let go.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo0i87hPJCQ
Even when his fingers went numb, even when his knees began to ache, he didn’t loosen his grip. Because this was the first time in two years that he could truly hold her.
He didn’t know when she would wake.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8aAR83VNBv
But right now, she was in his arms.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4i1Fi2yKw9
And that was enough.
107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT8JpROp23e
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107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNAwp3MPL5q
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Nora's first thought was—It's so hot!107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC72RqfsFWZ
Not just warm—hot, like her entire body had been thrown into warm water. Her brows furrowed slightly as her consciousness slowly floated upward from the depths, and every inch of her skin screamed in discomfort, as if someone had left her under the burning sun in the middle of a desert.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvOPRQ9i4qM
What’s going on? Is my body actually being exposed to direct sunlight?
She tried to move, but even her eyelids felt like they were weighed down with lead. Her whole body was trapped between heat and heaviness, limbs stiff, mind foggy. All she had to prove she was still alive was that faint sensation of discomfort. And yet, rising alongside the heat, there was something else—a sense of safety.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBhbxT7e4zE
Not fear.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHQ82MmvCr3
Not war.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpSXdc8ZZ6I
But—
Nora remembered her last memory.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVEPh6TZVw
She remembered stepping into that machine.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV2E836SQnL
She remembered the last thing she saw: a few familiar faces.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXWhG1pnTl
Her family. Her home. The world she had spent her last life protecting.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqoE9AVTnAe
She had forced herself to memorize their eyes, their farewells. And then—darkness.
So… did it work?107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeafHRRHCo5
Something inside her flared to life.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCpFRMebJS
Does this mean the connection succeeded? Did my consciousness really return to Batman’s timeline?107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vOZUBUTzA
Her heart began racing uncontrollably. A prophecy had come true—107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Nilfjnptm
She was alive.
Just realizing this made Nora tremble.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRU8RDBdDe7
Her fingers wanted to move, her eyelids wanted to open, her lungs ached to draw in real air.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFg1x1iZUz
Her whole being strained, like a chrysalis about to burst.
She made her decision:107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZPWxWocaQ9
She would open her eyes.
Slowly, with effort, her will pushed forward like a stone rolling uphill. Her vision blurred, hazy, then slowly sharpened.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU9EMO5cFzL
The light stung, but she succeeded.
Green eyes slowly opened—107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxbA1sB56ZT
And Nora froze.
She didn’t see a ceiling.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjbhmWsFBQ
She didn’t see white lights.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvn8xImnlU
The very first thing she saw—was him.
Tim’s face was resting against her left shoulder. His breathing was steady, eyes shut.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12Oi0sUxuZ
He had fallen asleep—right there—curled up beside her.
The first thing she saw was the person she missed the most.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqkhTdPzrv
She held her breath, terrified that this would shatter if she blinked.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡthYPhEUged
But he was real. Not a memory, not a dream, not a hallucination.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7rISdIiyI
His warmth, the slight twitch of his eyelashes—107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Lb9XEZ9KH
All of it whispered: this is real.
Tim was leaning against her left shoulder, sound asleep.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Rjcxeg1JC
He looked exhausted.
He hadn’t noticed she’d woken. His breathing carried the weight of someone who’d finally collapsed after holding out too long. He’d only allowed himself to rest once he knew she was safe.
Nora stared at him.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvC91nEEA3
He looked thinner.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPumeFSxpwX
His jawline was sharper, his collarbones more pronounced. His hair was messy, like he hadn’t rested properly in ages.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQkFdBNwTU
Has he even been eating?
He looked starved.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBou48ertk
His cheeks were sunken, lips dry. 107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvV3n2gezTZ
Those under-eye circles are massive… Has he even slept at all?
She almost chuckled.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjCY8HDSgk
This guy… Has he not been sleeping?107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQnxD2ds6jR
Then she realized—
That heat I felt earlier wasn’t from the sun… it was him. He’s been holding me this whole time.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRshHy0HaKo
No wonder it was so warm. I was in his arms.
She glanced down. Her entire body was wrapped in a thick blanket, like a cocoon. Even her toes were snugly covered.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMdxgNeemma
So that’s what I looked like… wrapped up like a little bundle.
She lifted one arm slightly, both amused and touched.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡat99pvgIZP
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Her gaze softened.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcbmPzn5oRT
It was a wordless mix of gratitude and ache that welled up from reunion.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfc0fuehBc0
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She slowly pulled her right hand free, wanting to touch the dark circles under his eyes.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJEhYGrgS7
The motion was clumsy, but she pushed through the blanket and reached for his tired face, her fingers trembling—
And the moment she touched him, Tim flinched.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRocVlartKD
It was instinctive, like a wild animal startled in its sleep.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWQIUJXnzK
His body jolted, brow furrowed, breath catching for a second—
Blue eyes slowly opened.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTceq2MYpf
Still dazed from sleep, his gaze was unfocused.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7GBAdvUDZI
He blinked twice, clearly still halfway in a dream.
But she could feel it—his heartbeat surged in that moment.
There were a few seconds of confusion.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7mvlED9hOz
Then his blue eyes slowly met her green ones.
In that moment, the whole world fell still.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZCCUZvsUhF
Just the two of them, blue and green locked in a gaze that spanned across time and death.
They stared.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zTnXV5hLe
No words. No movement. Just a quiet confirmation—107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCoNpXIH5l
You're really back.
Then—107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxHQpDp0qi
Nora smiled.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXRVh29C5J
Idiot, she thought fondly.
The corners of her eyes shimmered, but her smile was radiant.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61XGxXcUsj
She knew how long he had held on. How tired he must be.
There were a million things she wanted to say.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4TCej0Wo1B
But right now, she just wanted to do one thing.
Nora placed her right hand on the back of her boyfriend’s head.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjO4wi5S4A7
She applied gentle pressure—firm, but soft.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgGcTFcgSQM
This was her choice. Her will.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5ZEJzbua0
She didn’t want to wait for anyone to speak first.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzRZM84Ap8
She wanted to act.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUcUMoCh49
To tell him with her actions: I’m back. You’re here. We’re still us.
Their lips moved closer.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItUqBwD30N
Breaths mingled. Their noses almost touched.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZit9lTYkDl
His pupils widened in shock.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7w0WB2s7IV
But she closed her eyes, still smiling.
After two long years, they were finally together again.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBL7tpwOgaa
It began with this moment.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5dEQcNzVJ
And this kiss.
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and then Add to home screen.