By noon, the Bat-family was finally awake and had finished their first meal of the day.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvakjWXzvhx
The kitchen atmosphere was relatively calm, though no one spoke much. Damian still looked a bit groggy, Jason yawned widely as he led his son to the dining room, and Barbara sipped coffee while flipping through her data tablet.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjY6QftiE2W
Tim didn’t show up.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJnLa1nIf2
No one mentioned it directly, but his absence was obvious.
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAde7FdCWu
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Fcx8xL6qc
After breakfast, they all returned to their usual routines—gear checks and mission briefings. Footsteps echoed through the corridors, accompanied by the soft hum of screens powering on. The entire cave felt like a giant beast just waking up, slowly beginning to stir.
Dick couldn’t help worrying—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnceztAYmNf
Had Tim gotten any rest at all? He hadn’t even come to eat.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡatjXkC7JuJ
As he walked, he glanced back a few times toward the dining room, his brows furrowing slightly.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSxndFsomB
This wasn’t the first time Tim had acted like this. Dick knew the kid had a habit of staying up all night, overworking himself, but lately… it had been happening more and more.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCeH4VbZ9O
Especially—
Then he saw Bruce.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtOpMALQTL
Already downstairs, standing outside the cryogenic chamber.
Bruce stood upright, arms crossed, expression unreadable.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMYbcEXGrV
It didn’t look like he was waiting for someone.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAO5a8AUFPD
He looked more like he was observing something—abnormal.
Dick froze for a second, then his pace quickened instinctively.
As he walked over, his eyes locked onto the scene—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8f0o4XfUa
And he stopped cold.
The glass door was ajar.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4eDOpFyKD
Inside, it was a mess.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuwj3U3yRH
A room Dick knew well—one that had always been kept cold, quiet, and still—now looked like it had just been used as an emergency shelter after a disaster.
The room was in total disarray.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8ZoSHqdXO
Blankets were scattered all over the floor, space heaters stood in the corners.
Some blankets were still neatly folded, but others had fallen and bunched up in heaps. Several heaters were still running, filling the room with a surreal, warm mist.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtK0ZLtEzJQ
The floor was damp, like condensation had just settled.
And most shocking of all—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EjHuIdOj4
The cryogenic pod was open.
It was a visual shock.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNvfNNuVCj8
That pod—the one that was never opened without cause—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJWPAA1dPZ
was half ajar.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpc5MCmQxQg
And empty.
Where is she?!116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxdYkdJdp88
Dick’s heart leapt to his throat.
His mind raced through a hundred possible explanations—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡus5W7xsU7i
A medical accident? A forced awakening?
He spun toward Bruce, about to demand an answer—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUuikiao39
But Bruce had already turned and was walking away.
He didn’t say a word.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7JNdlQ1Wm
Didn’t explain.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwHk0Ty3oJ
Didn’t even glance back.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLmTiNIcowW
Just turned and walked, like someone who already knew everything that would follow.
That calm unnerved Dick so much he couldn’t bring himself to ask anything.
Suppressing the flood of questions in his heart, Dick followed his lead.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTkmE2XtWN
He knew Bruce wasn’t walking aimlessly. If he was moving, it meant he knew exactly where to go.
Dick quickened his steps, falling into stride behind him, a strange premonition forming in his chest—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQn22gqr9y
Something was about to be revealed.
Bruce stopped at the medical bay.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXBVjhNKHw
The door was slightly ajar.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZl3gDU0d3d
Inside, the faint hum of machinery could be heard.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdfnFJa57m
Fluorescent lights glowed white as usual, sterile and clean—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpDITxpA1e
but somehow, the light felt softer than ever before.
They immediately noticed one of the recovery pods was active.
The deep-recovery unit was currently in operation.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdYr2EZjhV
Blue restorative fluid shimmered gently, its glow filtering through the glass, like some sleeping cocoon.
They stepped closer.
And through the transparent panel at the top of the medical pod—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdEoBaUJlv
they saw.
Neither of them spoke.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKlzdMl8Kin
They simply leaned in, peering quietly inside.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyUZvsngibu
Then time seemed to stop.
Tim was inside the pod, lying on his side, chin resting gently against Nora’s head, a faint smile on his lips.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4kUPJVJFq
He held her as if afraid to lose her again.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6dinSqszL
And Nora nestled beside him, her head tucked into the curve of his neck, both wrapped in a blanket.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkhhoWRNXZ
A pool of warmth.
Dick stared—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQMmsFQgdPM
Then slowly, a smile spread across his lips.
His previously tense expression melted away, and something rare flickered in his eyes—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXsb7fpJ2w
Warmth.
He exhaled softly, like he’d finally let go of a weight deep in his heart.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS5oCtVeYbe
He said nothing.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1noWG7goc
Because this image… said everything.
Bruce turned to the medical screen beside the pod.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy7Qc3XHuwM
He analyzed their vitals silently.
His gaze scanned the rows of blinking indicators—green, red, yellow—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaA1yDd2Uhp
the machine still showed some alerts, but the numbers had stabilized.
One injury showed electric trauma to the chest.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCxG4O9oOFB
Nora’s injury.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQF5iyhmDYC
One showed signs of severe upper-body frostbite.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeskEDpECa
Tim’s injury.
Bruce remained silent.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXfnRpssTo
He stared at the screen for a long time, clearly weighing whether to scold them… or intervene.
In the end, he said nothing.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupQX53vSLE
He simply stood there, watching the two kids.
Dick turned to look too.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQL48gfFjO
He didn’t speak either.
He sighed—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHxKQ47fup
No longer smiling, but his gaze soft.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUNfIfnTuV
Something within him settled.
It wasn’t anyone’s fault.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ypvNLJiPU
Just a long, long wait…116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR74yvZBjE7
that had finally ended.
The two of them sighed again, and left quietly.
They didn’t disturb them further.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ89ov1XWAB
They gently closed the door behind them—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnO5Ah444wu
leaving the small room to two people who had once crossed time and death for each other.
Leaving behind two lovers, curled into one dream.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Paid2jTm5
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and then Add to home screen.