Next was Dick.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0MgmJDT1o
The air seemed to pause for a moment.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx6euFmiw9P
Not from tension—135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8JuF7a89M
but uncertainty.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQeNuWaOf7z
No one knew whether Claire would recognize him.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgFsEZiRCAY
Or… if she simply no longer wanted to look at him.
Dick stepped forward and smiled.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbeA3ATfOo4
It was a carefully adjusted smile.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMyNYmDp9L
Not his usual charm, nor a forced show of strength.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmnxPuoA0oq
It was something softer—135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SuZBX4Zub
sincere, threaded with apology.
He took a step closer, his gaze never leaving Claire.
“Claire. I’m Dick,” he said gently.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJDZ7GxrXdv
“We’ve met before.”
It wasn’t a formal introduction.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKjVkn7Kiox
It was more like a whisper,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitk9TQgxiZ
a quiet reminder to someone just waking up—135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOgOb7UkRrr
unrushed, unpressuring—135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPepoZfNQCz
hoping she might remember that night,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuXJK939OwF
that embrace,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJwWb9FGt35
that “I love you.”
135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uWEPqwE80
Claire stared at Dick.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIwJJ9vSANL
Her right eye locked onto his face.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRPdTLEFfjw
The tendrils in the air quivered slightly.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQOnSKI9j2
But she didn’t move.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecONOg6GOr
She didn’t react.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDuSGdbvoF
Just… looked.
There was no visible emotion.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtL9aexfThe
No recognition.
When everyone braced for a reaction—135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCapIv06VRl
someone couldn’t help but recall the night of the violet light’s explosion.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKuDjLc4sQ
Tim instinctively took a step back.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcryKVhAgaM
Jason tightened his grip near his holster.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5pDtBMNEht
Damian’s eyes flickered like a blade waiting to be unsheathed.
They were all ready—135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTCjaR1IcdN
for whatever might happen next.
Claire stepped forward.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡikcscAHL6d
Her first step was slow,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xf5Y2YCVk
as if still thinking,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqfYiwpbC5m
still measuring,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrs557j7idN
still adjusting to the warmth of this reality.
The second step was more certain.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51b76MUDZA
Her tendrils withdrew.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOpIoWS88Wr
Her shoulders eased.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFOdxXg02e
Her breath calmed.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzAfz5xmdE8
As if—she had made her choice.
She embraced Dick.
In that moment,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlci0fbZZu
there was no sound.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlz34YpFGmZ
No one spoke.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtCTr6jlrz
Only the faint friction of fabric,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGmAd9n08z
and the shared warmth of two bodies finally touching again.
And the man she embraced—held her back.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6b1StZpNg
His movement was cautious, yet firm.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8o3znueap
As if afraid to startle something fragile.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aWNVsjWEp
As if terrified to miss something vital.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3p56QFitdE
His arms wrapped around her slender back,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qCVyvI7Ir
one hand gently resting at the base of her tendrils—135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYCXCO7nsd
as if to say,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡathzeN13sj
“I know you’ve changed. But I’m still here.”
In the Batcave,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjGbFV9SScN
two people who had once been separated135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVjjTHOa1xX
by an entire universe and time itself135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡADpF5A749h
finally became a circle.
Not a perfect one.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMKrTB92w2
But an overlapping one—135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAfILATlnY
a circle made not of resolution,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCV29BQ79HP
but of courage.135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfUnNL7RViz
Courage to step closer,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHC3d5PkjY
through blurred memories,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZY63QZJYw
through lost years,135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZWluIUbQh
through countless times of being forgotten—135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuaLTaCi2yQ
and still choosing to try again.
<<End of Bonus Chapter>>
135Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXilgSdv9gH
and then Add to home screen.