A few days later, on a quiet morning,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBzmDrgPc3
Dick specifically asked Nana to come with him alone.
They walked to a small gazebo in the quiet backyard of Wayne Manor.
Nana signed: “What’s wrong?”
Dick leaned back against the wooden bench, voice gentle.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ196FFKLWKe
“Nana… can I ask you something?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPpGlX7XyS
His tone softened further.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIA6q8P9uG
“It’s about why you usually don’t speak.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKBOiorYTY
I remember… the first time we met,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMmKk0CCTl
you did make a sound. Didn’t you?”
Nana instinctively reached up,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFnJpXsqxF
touching her throat like one would touch a wound that never properly healed.
She signed, slowly—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlM3psj21e
“My throat hurts when I speak. Feels like fire.”
Dick nodded, thoughtful.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPDAMdoycB
Then asked,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJia7tubqt
“Have you ever thought about…25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4r440jeFvD
seeing a doctor?25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0XM02Fu4F
Maybe they can find the cause.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJCC8TgnMX
Maybe they can make it stop hurting.”
Nana paused.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuO1vOHcisT
She lowered her head.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuLvwMknYBm
Her fingers circled twice on her knees, then signed:25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9yHlQJt54
“Do I have to talk? I’m good at signing.”
Dick didn’t push.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVEpq3GK7D
He shifted the angle instead.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡweM6pPd2uY
His voice stayed warm.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgsxorYmBt
“But don’t you ever want to…25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn54iO4hxbq
talk to Jason with your voice?25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdBMTe9TYB
Laugh out loud with everyone?25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhVTJtgBLv
Call someone’s name and have them hear it?”
That question—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsgysXWkoX
something changed in Nana’s expression.
She remembered yelling Jason’s name that day in the junkyard,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFohmBwZZkF
her voice tearing through her throat like flames ripping skin.
She was in pain for three days after that.
She also remembered every time25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwpWO2Alg4g
she wanted to call out to Jason,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡya9MHT0kwu
to answer Dick,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82S29u2Vmz
to say “I’m here”—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmr4aZjR2f3
but never did.
She always stayed silent.
Dick noticed her hands had stopped.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wzxybZ1gV
He waited.
Eventually,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuydS7nMeqd
Nana looked up.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarHbITrIF7
Her eyes trembled ever so slightly.
She slowly signed, clumsy but clear:
“My voice… has some kind of power… I’m scared of it… it’s dangerous.”
For a brief second,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡENCZxxxxbr
Dick’s expression shifted.
The easy smile faded.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0yG6OdpQMw
He sat up straighter.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE3c4yw5cxf
His gaze sharpened—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YX1pyibZN
the kind of look he wore when sensing something wrong on a mission.
Nana’s voice—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHKM38ubn5
this wasn’t just pain.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMyB1uHXAf
She wasn’t afraid of hurting.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmLc7xjT4V
She was afraid of the voice itself.
Jason stared furiously at the sealed entrance of the Batcave.
Nana had been called away by Dick.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOEUhU9SF8t
Then taken inside.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIs0PCM4nwU
She was now with Batman and Alfred,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYXP2AHOCX
in a meeting Jason wasn’t allowed to join.
Not even a look from her.
Not even a glance.
He stood outside, yelling curses,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPxiqtd0UV
fists pounding the wall until his knuckles turned red and swollen.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXuTkM1BQTr
Then he slumped down,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdq2DDSID1P
hugging his knees,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgPRtlmcWqI
head buried.
“Nana…”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DtHUZKIoU
he whispered,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu3r8LdPz8L
like a spell.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwUyt5X1sJ
He couldn’t do anything.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD1cHSpvAmS
All he could do was say her name,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nGKNVhNNY
over and over in his head.
Inside the Batcave, the Batcave,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjBWyGRd6ct
Nana stood before a set of diagnostic monitors.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalNqRKao45
Her throat results were in.
The data was calm, clinical:
Laryngeal structure: normal.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkO6fV9BdhI
Vocal cords: no lesions, no inflammation.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsMpV84uRk
Voice system: healthy.
Batman’s eyes were still sharp,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7M3bKDtCKo
but there was a trace of confusion in them.
Dick turned to Nana with a gentle smile.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ30mspvNdqS
“Nana…25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtoDyu7CLKe
would you be willing to tell us—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXELoIdDpj
other than the pain,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkqfLpZWVu
what’s the real reason you don’t speak?”
Nana looked at him and nodded.
She raised her hands,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC9cuAikRg4
this time using standard ASL fingerspelling.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxQooZxxEe
But just after a few letters,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKrGM4oehzW
she paused.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWAcTo2rFr5
Lowered her head.
Then looked back up25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFtmnH6B6r
and signed:
“Can Jason come in too?”
The room fell silent for one second.
Alfred was the first to speak,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyeUuZL3EO
voice soft,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3CrHGXxUH
with a gentle hint of suggestion.
“Master Bruce,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsf0IzsSgk
as you’re well aware…25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3AhkNYxWTA
those two care for each other deeply.”
Dick added,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxl7stCdei
“I don’t think making someone feel left out is the right move.”
Batman hesitated.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbmktKQEE1m
Then nodded.
25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGR1NcgwTNx
The door opened.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7u7HSWLvWq
Jason jerked his head up.
Nana was standing there,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgOE80nBQZr
smiling at him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZl8mLmPqa
Her eyes said:25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ553wCNRE4R
You can come in now.
He dashed forward.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2BKmJBN69
Didn’t care who was watching.
He threw his arms around her,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfyBwUEAMiE
tight.
“Are you okay?”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4PAMKcOUQ
he signed, fast and desperate.
Nana nodded,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjekgsYIa6
hugged him back.
When Jason was told her throat was medically fine—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMv3gopYlb
no physical issues whatsoever—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmuGLElTMO
he froze.
Then immediately exploded25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQInxneDMD
into a flurry of hand gestures—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9J2S5QscN
not standard signing,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zK595eOEJ
but the encrypted shorthand the two of them had created—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMGII8RjsS
a mess of symbols, flicks, and half-movements25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrM1sJBHtEk
that only Nana understood.
Nana was startled.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY1LawxirhI
She took two steps back,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYCnbmcUVRh
then signed,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKalABdpiw
“I didn’t mean to hide it… I just…”
She brought her hands together in a soft please,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RIoC0CFhC
like asking for forgiveness—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNT8d4g44Z
a familiar gesture that made Jason’s face darken with frustration.
He shook his head,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVCRKBmYnm
signed something too fast for anyone else to follow,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXksFCI8pb
then crossed his arms.
Dick watched them quietly25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC42d8KOTze
and couldn’t help translating in his mind:
“You’re in big trouble. I’m gonna deal with you later.”
But despite the message,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpSVsacDy7
Jason hadn’t moved away.
In fact,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWYApr9Qln
he stood closer now,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6UlNeU4uOd
as if ready to catch her the second she swayed.
Dick watched the air between them shift,25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nUTrjFNIo
and a slow smile curved his lips.
“What a beautiful bond.”25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEJGA2fAJv
he thought.
“Two wonderful kids.”
It wasn’t just a comment.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BHblEdP2k
It was a feeling.
A quiet certainty.
These two—25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHfSaVxNFb
they were going far.
25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn50ky5xzID
and then Add to home screen.