By noon, the Bat-family was finally awake and had finished their first meal of the day.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzudjz4TzBZ
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnq3MK8Z5Wy
Tim didn’t show up.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeP8OYj8Jyw
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—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbbdYT4ZTxr
Had Tim gotten any rest at all? He hadn’t even come to eat.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdDtIeOaUqM
As he walked, he glanced back a few times toward the dining room, his brows furrowing slightly.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnFy5tke1P
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1fAz9Vnbso
Especially—
Then he saw Bruce.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6JuwPhhCsp
Already downstairs, standing outside the cryogenic chamber.
Bruce stood upright, arms crossed, expression unreadable.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDW5en2UoHk
It didn’t look like he was waiting for someone.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTjZgYl8VB
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—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJV5wazBl9
And he stopped cold.
The glass door was ajar.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL55JuKFmDI
Inside, it was a mess.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Wqr31RGyQ
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGDq6STCeJ
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskA8EHMjYV
The floor was damp, like condensation had just settled.
And most shocking of all—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kVF1x8Nhx
The cryogenic pod was open.
It was a visual shock.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO9ShTmxMi
That pod—the one that was never opened without cause—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDB5GELHgkr
was half ajar.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6jHDJx9x6
And empty.
Where is she?!81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSjRyQakVw
Dick’s heart leapt to his throat.
His mind raced through a hundred possible explanations—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmSA0hlH2E
A medical accident? A forced awakening?
He spun toward Bruce, about to demand an answer—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8BlnVzhBkj
But Bruce had already turned and was walking away.
He didn’t say a word.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhp8IFpBdC
Didn’t explain.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMOs3W5PRRS
Didn’t even glance back.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGqbVgaUb5
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9Kp80ve7l
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—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvNTHgYE9u
Something was about to be revealed.
Bruce stopped at the medical bay.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHRpTjufgV
The door was slightly ajar.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzh5vcbCJry
Inside, the faint hum of machinery could be heard.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZUPAaiw9R
Fluorescent lights glowed white as usual, sterile and clean—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaXy7P4DN0
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRana9GeHD
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—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRNBuQIvth
they saw.
Neither of them spoke.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡirHF3MkhnR
They simply leaned in, peering quietly inside.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRg4L7hxS4T
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡha1Hbv6Wjg
He held her as if afraid to lose her again.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH0QcN5vrA
And Nora nestled beside him, her head tucked into the curve of his neck, both wrapped in a blanket.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu1EX1UQFNo
A pool of warmth.
Dick stared—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oQ7HycTdG
Then slowly, a smile spread across his lips.
His previously tense expression melted away, and something rare flickered in his eyes—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6rwmix97O
Warmth.
He exhaled softly, like he’d finally let go of a weight deep in his heart.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CqSeenRhv
He said nothing.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4S4dTDYquX
Because this image… said everything.
Bruce turned to the medical screen beside the pod.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkKImxb3hiZ
He analyzed their vitals silently.
His gaze scanned the rows of blinking indicators—green, red, yellow—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHTHai17hH
the machine still showed some alerts, but the numbers had stabilized.
One injury showed electric trauma to the chest.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSY5xEQTYe
Nora’s injury.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vVyJDBH1u
One showed signs of severe upper-body frostbite.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1SnakPJvV
Tim’s injury.
Bruce remained silent.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumpOgWyp2K
He stared at the screen for a long time, clearly weighing whether to scold them… or intervene.
In the end, he said nothing.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZsb4ZZKbC
He simply stood there, watching the two kids.
Dick turned to look too.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5gir9fA92
He didn’t speak either.
He sighed—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOlbEJYWFq9
No longer smiling, but his gaze soft.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2TJW9hCMij
Something within him settled.
It wasn’t anyone’s fault.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRq54Kue6Gb
Just a long, long wait…81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzqzK7ftlH
that had finally ended.
The two of them sighed again, and left quietly.
They didn’t disturb them further.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFaz5EpmseL
They gently closed the door behind them—81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuc22UoenQJ
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.81Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdAQXtbnUN
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and then Add to home screen.