By noon, the Bat-family was finally awake and had finished their first meal of the day.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Nqy1FuSCb
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWNhAB72rO
Tim didn’t show up.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSrYapbjhp
No one mentioned it directly, but his absence was obvious.
56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO3Rz8WjFN
56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVKrakZzaI
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—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN9BwFsT1HR
Had Tim gotten any rest at all? He hadn’t even come to eat.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk77NDZYhgq
As he walked, he glanced back a few times toward the dining room, his brows furrowing slightly.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazErvbsoL7
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXK7kIPAy32
Especially—
Then he saw Bruce.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVEaccE024Z
Already downstairs, standing outside the cryogenic chamber.
Bruce stood upright, arms crossed, expression unreadable.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgw39GU2WBN
It didn’t look like he was waiting for someone.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAgzQcsAfe
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—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsXP2kgPupY
And he stopped cold.
The glass door was ajar.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHAqIBksW2
Inside, it was a mess.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvul1vYz8G
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVWuvewdMt
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jLa3jIcWF
The floor was damp, like condensation had just settled.
And most shocking of all—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAiOjQ0Bqhi
The cryogenic pod was open.
It was a visual shock.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xUYbrGo3T
That pod—the one that was never opened without cause—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowyTdOcfHe
was half ajar.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrbtdG36VfR
And empty.
Where is she?!56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfaUQTNFdB
Dick’s heart leapt to his throat.
His mind raced through a hundred possible explanations—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAjOvINWSl
A medical accident? A forced awakening?
He spun toward Bruce, about to demand an answer—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhq2L9MGYwv
But Bruce had already turned and was walking away.
He didn’t say a word.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUEcrXDgAv
Didn’t explain.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOxPgTaykR
Didn’t even glance back.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiZ0MmU1Ne
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRPhaRWjmF
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—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QzUFfAfSf
Something was about to be revealed.
Bruce stopped at the medical bay.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpiBbdtvwG
The door was slightly ajar.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIUzcTZEu9y
Inside, the faint hum of machinery could be heard.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0bTxKJcIGd
Fluorescent lights glowed white as usual, sterile and clean—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVi3oyt0Uqx
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaz9iDKzXFU
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—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8DcoJwZHP
they saw.
Neither of them spoke.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbzdQTlEzu
They simply leaned in, peering quietly inside.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrhtUQHrOd
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNLsdtt9D2
He held her as if afraid to lose her again.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhcz2FRsTZ
And Nora nestled beside him, her head tucked into the curve of his neck, both wrapped in a blanket.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xVEC146rk
A pool of warmth.
Dick stared—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKXKiamzOz
Then slowly, a smile spread across his lips.
His previously tense expression melted away, and something rare flickered in his eyes—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKgDUUSFWJo
Warmth.
He exhaled softly, like he’d finally let go of a weight deep in his heart.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeGj9UT7Ae
He said nothing.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlQdKbDiCW
Because this image… said everything.
Bruce turned to the medical screen beside the pod.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkUCy3X6mlm
He analyzed their vitals silently.
His gaze scanned the rows of blinking indicators—green, red, yellow—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgcRcXULn4
the machine still showed some alerts, but the numbers had stabilized.
One injury showed electric trauma to the chest.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXDK9aYQ2U
Nora’s injury.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboUbVx6sPy
One showed signs of severe upper-body frostbite.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA6vB4ERXh2
Tim’s injury.
Bruce remained silent.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPo6A67T1Y
He stared at the screen for a long time, clearly weighing whether to scold them… or intervene.
In the end, he said nothing.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3TzoE47r7S
He simply stood there, watching the two kids.
Dick turned to look too.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGE5kxovTty
He didn’t speak either.
He sighed—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDaN3fH0s2R
No longer smiling, but his gaze soft.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡotnlYSJGhq
Something within him settled.
It wasn’t anyone’s fault.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0nGMQFeSv
Just a long, long wait…56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLRIHJs6j1
that had finally ended.
The two of them sighed again, and left quietly.
They didn’t disturb them further.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Cqjc96UBi
They gently closed the door behind them—56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBC5Lek51Mi
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.56Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhN74ab0Tv
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and then Add to home screen.