By noon, the Bat-family was finally awake and had finished their first meal of the day.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8b0tzzfm6
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFDrmCDPZe
Tim didn’t show up.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw51SaJwJZm
No one mentioned it directly, but his absence was obvious.
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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—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5bh2duvN3
Had Tim gotten any rest at all? He hadn’t even come to eat.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVcg99V1pI
As he walked, he glanced back a few times toward the dining room, his brows furrowing slightly.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hwXuSIZAk
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAKqBzZxXNE
Especially—
Then he saw Bruce.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhOmXf4NCSv
Already downstairs, standing outside the cryogenic chamber.
Bruce stood upright, arms crossed, expression unreadable.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FjZPi2IG3
It didn’t look like he was waiting for someone.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6adDlgU8l
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—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmRHYzK7ss
And he stopped cold.
The glass door was ajar.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhm01EY1GB2
Inside, it was a mess.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgTFam1eXvK
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xawIwSU0y
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmo2V7OvtzV
The floor was damp, like condensation had just settled.
And most shocking of all—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5MSyc10Og
The cryogenic pod was open.
It was a visual shock.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHSfPA2DYG
That pod—the one that was never opened without cause—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIMx4Svco9
was half ajar.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlleK2D6VrE
And empty.
Where is she?!117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJR3DgKxVLN
Dick’s heart leapt to his throat.
His mind raced through a hundred possible explanations—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5vBjlDeaMR
A medical accident? A forced awakening?
He spun toward Bruce, about to demand an answer—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvL83ZUuCf
But Bruce had already turned and was walking away.
He didn’t say a word.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMtY9SaUa74
Didn’t explain.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wxrjKA3d5
Didn’t even glance back.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtSl9ZFiRZ
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCr2UlS6YoI
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—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZKaYjcPAb
Something was about to be revealed.
Bruce stopped at the medical bay.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaRfchk9JyX
The door was slightly ajar.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfa2ZKqQRn8
Inside, the faint hum of machinery could be heard.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xThV0mmkw
Fluorescent lights glowed white as usual, sterile and clean—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoFG15IBzJ
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDK9lSyZ54R
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—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMwuY5CyV4
they saw.
Neither of them spoke.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡam3AymMSMZ
They simply leaned in, peering quietly inside.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlSELnevxX
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUouCtcEPO
He held her as if afraid to lose her again.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZo5DIXAGT
And Nora nestled beside him, her head tucked into the curve of his neck, both wrapped in a blanket.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fAmTUh0AY
A pool of warmth.
Dick stared—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhugL2YcvMF
Then slowly, a smile spread across his lips.
His previously tense expression melted away, and something rare flickered in his eyes—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUD2lXvZZjY
Warmth.
He exhaled softly, like he’d finally let go of a weight deep in his heart.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZXV9L3HX0
He said nothing.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDHBXI2uUb
Because this image… said everything.
Bruce turned to the medical screen beside the pod.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCoGpTzTBl
He analyzed their vitals silently.
His gaze scanned the rows of blinking indicators—green, red, yellow—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMizrsU5ZC
the machine still showed some alerts, but the numbers had stabilized.
One injury showed electric trauma to the chest.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPlKBASsA8
Nora’s injury.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlIk0ONWSH
One showed signs of severe upper-body frostbite.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1sSXm7ABtj
Tim’s injury.
Bruce remained silent.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt71c0u6fF9
He stared at the screen for a long time, clearly weighing whether to scold them… or intervene.
In the end, he said nothing.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgp0Q6L65o3
He simply stood there, watching the two kids.
Dick turned to look too.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM7qgE7m64i
He didn’t speak either.
He sighed—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaq1Gd1uQRB
No longer smiling, but his gaze soft.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMNkjjkPUJ0
Something within him settled.
It wasn’t anyone’s fault.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcc3ZoxwPw
Just a long, long wait…117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkr4RCGWJyF
that had finally ended.
The two of them sighed again, and left quietly.
They didn’t disturb them further.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LJuapwXoi
They gently closed the door behind them—117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTscUPLasVz
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.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKkn0u99eO
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and then Add to home screen.