By noon, the Bat-family was finally awake and had finished their first meal of the day.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBj6T8ZkFD
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.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5NwZzymKSZ
Tim didn’t show up.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd6I3tKomVV
No one mentioned it directly, but his absence was obvious.
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrOgvCVTWp
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCP5ADGCv2E
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—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJNG1Pfvpx
Had Tim gotten any rest at all? He hadn’t even come to eat.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2IR2RrHJc
As he walked, he glanced back a few times toward the dining room, his brows furrowing slightly.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHMOo1wQMg3
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.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8buhuhDYwS
Especially—
Then he saw Bruce.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuulmdlZg86
Already downstairs, standing outside the cryogenic chamber.
Bruce stood upright, arms crossed, expression unreadable.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzxYi4bGMyE
It didn’t look like he was waiting for someone.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7uKBpRZ2I
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—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUpWKbdHSc
And he stopped cold.
The glass door was ajar.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdMPnTaYLJ
Inside, it was a mess.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxxzaWvCF8
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.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pR7qjDyUT
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.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBttfF5lhT
The floor was damp, like condensation had just settled.
And most shocking of all—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz3jHFUd9hv
The cryogenic pod was open.
It was a visual shock.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtY0UXmKOr4
That pod—the one that was never opened without cause—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUSkzWdwJ7
was half ajar.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFEX8CWcqE
And empty.
Where is she?!118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnM7mW4MXiB
Dick’s heart leapt to his throat.
His mind raced through a hundred possible explanations—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwkCncXsvGd
A medical accident? A forced awakening?
He spun toward Bruce, about to demand an answer—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXdODIT7z5
But Bruce had already turned and was walking away.
He didn’t say a word.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQPTTxuH6Q
Didn’t explain.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6e0YtEBOQ
Didn’t even glance back.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTF1xSAxXaY
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.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu0tzr6sSEV
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—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECEr811Fll
Something was about to be revealed.
Bruce stopped at the medical bay.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKShU2O89x
The door was slightly ajar.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8CoJf6Adj
Inside, the faint hum of machinery could be heard.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjlPD0g3wax
Fluorescent lights glowed white as usual, sterile and clean—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjc91xnX8o
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.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkIw4ps6Wa
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—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6LGbor8JvI
they saw.
Neither of them spoke.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeJjzQQdAdG
They simply leaned in, peering quietly inside.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbVYzpZ7wak
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.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNUUc7tI2hL
He held her as if afraid to lose her again.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfCGs11A6u
And Nora nestled beside him, her head tucked into the curve of his neck, both wrapped in a blanket.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNIw2Is6ru
A pool of warmth.
Dick stared—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdaO5cMsNa
Then slowly, a smile spread across his lips.
His previously tense expression melted away, and something rare flickered in his eyes—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ZmmsA5L6J
Warmth.
He exhaled softly, like he’d finally let go of a weight deep in his heart.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡovgMpEWzQP
He said nothing.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSVoBQkzq9G
Because this image… said everything.
Bruce turned to the medical screen beside the pod.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8Mo7CrfHY
He analyzed their vitals silently.
His gaze scanned the rows of blinking indicators—green, red, yellow—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvcmXJw6Ck
the machine still showed some alerts, but the numbers had stabilized.
One injury showed electric trauma to the chest.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEwCMQ4Up1w
Nora’s injury.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbyvRdYpcoU
One showed signs of severe upper-body frostbite.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8004RE4kUK
Tim’s injury.
Bruce remained silent.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVnYjLHMJc
He stared at the screen for a long time, clearly weighing whether to scold them… or intervene.
In the end, he said nothing.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HyIzLSs6C
He simply stood there, watching the two kids.
Dick turned to look too.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKp9knOqb8
He didn’t speak either.
He sighed—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVUJ8yTYCkG
No longer smiling, but his gaze soft.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HEcA07kea
Something within him settled.
It wasn’t anyone’s fault.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQQibsfx0p
Just a long, long wait…118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeRJ16DCQJu
that had finally ended.
The two of them sighed again, and left quietly.
They didn’t disturb them further.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsTG7I3Y4To
They gently closed the door behind them—118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGstEOIlgy1
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.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEduk0YMPkT
118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAmClXrHVz
and then Add to home screen.