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It had been three full days before the Bat-family finally saw Claire.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlAlRoTEfK
Seventy-two hours. From the news of her return, to the laughter outside the delivery room, to the silent waiting—every minute felt like a nail hammered into their hearts.
Everyone thought they would see her immediately.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheczozsAVJ
But reality had a way of carving through hope with brutal precision, leaving only time to stretch and pull at the seams.
Truthfully, when they heard the news—first, the sound of new life crying in the delivery room, then Claire’s return—139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtV6YKo1czp
They were genuinely happy.
The joy of a newborn still echoed in their ears, spreading warmth through every corridor.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAO0GUuMb6R
And when word of Claire followed, it felt as though the world was finally ready to stitch its scattered threads back together.
It was the joy of recovery—of something lost and now found.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XhkshTNc1
No one said it aloud, but they were all thinking the same thing:139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3RuDd1NaCO
She’s back. Maybe we can make things whole again.
But then Batman spoke.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz2rS8ZU699
And everything froze.
He said Claire would need to be quarantined and examined.
His voice was calm. Unhesitating.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8SW2V3hai
Like a command.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7EQaEQSKq
Like a wall.
It sealed the warmth away in an instant.
Dick froze, turning to his father—not in accusation, but disbelief.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzC70ZxkGw
The others were silent too. No one objected right away, because it was Batman.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Xbh5T9l1N
His voice always carried reason and protection.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZ8oW9fZts
But this time, it felt cold—like ice sliding into the heart.
Dick tried to stop him.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXmr4JZ4yP
But he was no match for Batman.
He spoke faster than usual, his breath uneven. It wasn’t shouting—it was pleading.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1rqnebS6UV
He said she was fine.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mOIC1hhhJ
He said he would stay with her.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWj6LtSbMYj
He said she wouldn’t lash out—she wouldn’t—139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcD6ejZyHSj
But all he got in return was a single word:139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrveXXkgIH3
“No.”
Dick knew. He knew it wasn’t cruelty—it was habit.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSevn4dksi9
A habit of preparing for the worst.
But knowing didn’t make it easier.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLE61CxYVhE
It still felt like swallowing a block of ice whole.
When they returned, all they could see was the heavy, sealed lab door.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHmcUSoOaT
A red light above it signaled lockdown.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhLmlr72RYm
Their reflections cast back at them in the metal.
They all stood straight. Still.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhMnqBTh4i
But inside, they were drowning.
Dick stood at the front, hands in his pockets, his knuckles white from tension.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPrn9iiiGm
He said nothing. Just stared at the door,139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZd5QBv1uIv
as if he could see through it—see that hollow eye, or just catch a trace of her breath.
Even Dick was kept outside.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnY0Q0QEZE
That sentence hurt them all.
Dick—the one who had once been closest to her.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49oripA1JK
Now separated by a door, and a silence as wide as the time between them.
No one spoke, because no one knew what to say.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiuXQnbgg4U
There was no protest in Dick’s eyes. Only weariness.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmEoWBhNHi
He knew Batman didn’t make exceptions. Not even for him.
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFm7Wj2xnw
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dapbZQxno
Then the report came out.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ667Q6dLkty
A PDF. Cold. Clear. Bullet-pointed.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxu2i5cRQ2w
Page after page of data, physiological readings, behavioral notes—and finally,139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ04t1O7cciV
an observation summary.
The vigilantes exchanged looks, unable or unwilling to speak.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5wqi8k3GD
Batman said it was necessary.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb42OthcNDz
But to them, it was just another stamped, certified distance.
"Claire is unresponsive. Rarely speaks. Appears slow, like a delayed machine."
Tim stopped reading.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9uLcujItLO
He glanced at Dick. Then back to the screen.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdk7UTTn2v
Not speaking? No response?
Dick clenched his jaw.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAUHP7dKakD
He remembered how sharp she once was—139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULajT5Bl3Q
Her humor.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGYRkMas6eW
Her reflexes.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2gmKmJ9bE
Even the way she fought felt like a lucid dream.
And now?139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRl1xhqXXJ2
“Delayed machine.”139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy9EaYnxVtQ
The words carved deep.
“No apparent danger. She barely reacts.”
Damian scoffed.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxox1AvnuXK
He didn’t believe it. Refused to.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRN5YC2Sfz
“Not dangerous” meant nothing.
That wasn’t Claire.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilIaLANjDa
She was never someone you could label as “unresponsive.”139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFYWEq2qOf
Not unless—139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGldzYGgfnY
She’d already stopped trying to respond.
So they released her.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnZiIw2elB
No ceremony.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuyozhdzyGj
No embrace.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnhNnbhQnG
Like a system update that had passed inspection.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuGxTF0YSPP
And just like that, the lock clicked open.
Everyone had been waiting for Dick’s reaction.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nDk0JysKL
But he only nodded. Said nothing.
He thought:139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMp2QrHeK33
At last, I’ll see her.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRfFy1mmAo
But also:139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRlKl0ZG8U
Will it only be… the shape of her I see?
Right before her release, the room went still.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKUXJFaiADY
Everyone knew: one last hurdle remained.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGbcGsdGdO
No one dared exhale.
Batman’s final assessment:139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZ5JbzJmVu
She needed more exposure to people. More interaction.
Damian frowned.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VKgpeONyj
It sounded like a school counselor’s suggestion—too neatly "social."139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUHf9TmsNf
But maybe… it was all they could do.
He turned to Dick, whose eyes betrayed a flicker of hope and unease.
They were all ready—139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVoMKEJoMp
The only question was whether she was.
So the Batcave lined up.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxQhswlkZQ
Like the first day of summer camp.
Every vigilante in a row.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIADaeRJOc
From Alfred to Damian.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY2TnsVSsEI
Like they were attending a strange welcome orientation.
No one laughed.
Because this was sacred—139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqncdcZvdf
An effort to reintroduce a soul to the world.
Dick stood in the middle of the line.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1HrVXbOl2L
His hands clenched.139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9x0mO5tw6k
His heartbeat just a bit faster.
He wondered—139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG3cEwWVzAw
If she still remembered—
Would she smile?
Or walk past him like a stranger?
139Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJ5Aa2GXTJ
and then Add to home screen.