A few days later, on a quiet morning,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGk4hkj3y6
Dick specifically asked Nana to come with him alone.
They walked to a small gazebo in the quiet backyard of Wayne Manor.
Nana signed: “What’s wrong?”
Dick leaned back against the wooden bench, voice gentle.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrUnMAxBRa
“Nana… can I ask you something?”307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ51gDmxcsrc
His tone softened further.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ80dnGjTnMx
“It’s about why you usually don’t speak.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9Cb8ocBon
I remember… the first time we met,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChIfxb4t8N
you did make a sound. Didn’t you?”
Nana instinctively reached up,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLUSRMxyOTS
touching her throat like one would touch a wound that never properly healed.
She signed, slowly—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJj8JVrkl06
“My throat hurts when I speak. Feels like fire.”
Dick nodded, thoughtful.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhe4VgAigLl
Then asked,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgCUQfAprnX
“Have you ever thought about…307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbg3U2ZJ5lF
seeing a doctor?307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3lL00XJyp
Maybe they can find the cause.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRI6QbEeDfn
Maybe they can make it stop hurting.”
Nana paused.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRLrCdAC5M
She lowered her head.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxDwxjkDkl4
Her fingers circled twice on her knees, then signed:307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1riX8HfDH
“Do I have to talk? I’m good at signing.”
Dick didn’t push.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiX5FR2fbQZ
He shifted the angle instead.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNtCHKouvH
His voice stayed warm.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGT5NYd6pYF
“But don’t you ever want to…307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkTQ6QS5yS
talk to Jason with your voice?307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXR7NlQu38U
Laugh out loud with everyone?307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6mtHrx7p3
Call someone’s name and have them hear it?”
That question—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyYzh3u613I
something changed in Nana’s expression.
She remembered yelling Jason’s name that day in the junkyard,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMtMRf9MN3
her voice tearing through her throat like flames ripping skin.
She was in pain for three days after that.
She also remembered every time307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ11aLlnuNdC
she wanted to call out to Jason,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWv2I0hcGb
to answer Dick,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziNkJJ7TXG
to say “I’m here”—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdyF7Nf2YzM
but never did.
She always stayed silent.
Dick noticed her hands had stopped.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXme100B3e
He waited.
Eventually,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqSnXJKm2I
Nana looked up.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hIVMtTtdq
Her eyes trembled ever so slightly.
She slowly signed, clumsy but clear:
“My voice… has some kind of power… I’m scared of it… it’s dangerous.”
For a brief second,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aHGBgqAhi
Dick’s expression shifted.
The easy smile faded.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGKC1w22cb
He sat up straighter.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFCUtuV5wcn
His gaze sharpened—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Z117B6pGQ
the kind of look he wore when sensing something wrong on a mission.
Nana’s voice—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbhSMT3jeB
this wasn’t just pain.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡff1sCRXv2V
She wasn’t afraid of hurting.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8UNDCEHwD
She was afraid of the voice itself.
Jason stared furiously at the sealed entrance of the Batcave.
Nana had been called away by Dick.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡop9hWg5qfj
Then taken inside.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqb7LSO235i
She was now with Batman and Alfred,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJqMJj7b1m
in a meeting Jason wasn’t allowed to join.
Not even a look from her.
Not even a glance.
He stood outside, yelling curses,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJtDUuyEzQ
fists pounding the wall until his knuckles turned red and swollen.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfK4b7fxNBe
Then he slumped down,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5aFECPeqxS
hugging his knees,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmmcii21Tg
head buried.
“Nana…”307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkfp6heja2K
he whispered,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplMTYUy1kw
like a spell.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRc3QURsO4
He couldn’t do anything.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsCTx2IV5k
All he could do was say her name,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcdBoqmTd4
over and over in his head.
Inside the Batcave, the Batcave,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyNlYBSD0SN
Nana stood before a set of diagnostic monitors.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡReSUwMHbio
Her throat results were in.
The data was calm, clinical:
Laryngeal structure: normal.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9NVCyp1Ksm
Vocal cords: no lesions, no inflammation.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsrlFuXaxk
Voice system: healthy.
Batman’s eyes were still sharp,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUCwMnUMWp
but there was a trace of confusion in them.
Dick turned to Nana with a gentle smile.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkthsev2Oe
“Nana…307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Pw1QX3jGg
would you be willing to tell us—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nBtnDgsBk
other than the pain,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8VeRQbGsGU
what’s the real reason you don’t speak?”
Nana looked at him and nodded.
She raised her hands,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOuwCCHvHm
this time using standard ASL fingerspelling.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIlsmFSJ9Gr
But just after a few letters,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4E4W6DBfE
she paused.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9eKXxavAtT
Lowered her head.
Then looked back up307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5UE3UXSPj
and signed:
“Can Jason come in too?”
The room fell silent for one second.
Alfred was the first to speak,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRs0KiBKiOO
voice soft,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3rsl6wWkmf
with a gentle hint of suggestion.
“Master Bruce,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrahMac9S9f
as you’re well aware…307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNyER2w3cL
those two care for each other deeply.”
Dick added,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFc8nUj52y
“I don’t think making someone feel left out is the right move.”
Batman hesitated.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlj9pHA8EG
Then nodded.
307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59xinR86N3
The door opened.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3xgq6mLJJ
Jason jerked his head up.
Nana was standing there,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8dMO4RTScH
smiling at him.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeNXtUEGeS
Her eyes said:307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8EywUbrpQ
You can come in now.
He dashed forward.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsq21fXUbo
Didn’t care who was watching.
He threw his arms around her,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzR2weFGrQX
tight.
“Are you okay?”307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtG1DQDExQF
he signed, fast and desperate.
Nana nodded,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxTMCybJVP
hugged him back.
When Jason was told her throat was medically fine—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtWzwnHHPyB
no physical issues whatsoever—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcOMDhIqXd
he froze.
Then immediately exploded307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHcjRAHHShL
into a flurry of hand gestures—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTVESkQhFd
not standard signing,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VTOPmqlYx
but the encrypted shorthand the two of them had created—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWsLZlRoG9
a mess of symbols, flicks, and half-movements307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ643OXs4BIq
that only Nana understood.
Nana was startled.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5mrpLrfL9
She took two steps back,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDuoFsU5Te
then signed,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDzmwTMlpU5
“I didn’t mean to hide it… I just…”
She brought her hands together in a soft please,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GlAjFf6pw
like asking for forgiveness—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ64V7HyFDHK
a familiar gesture that made Jason’s face darken with frustration.
He shook his head,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoR5wYmESuA
signed something too fast for anyone else to follow,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tpV2vq0op
then crossed his arms.
Dick watched them quietly307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡucQd5HaHmh
and couldn’t help translating in his mind:
“You’re in big trouble. I’m gonna deal with you later.”
But despite the message,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WIJ8w3JFM
Jason hadn’t moved away.
In fact,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhMmSZYI6f
he stood closer now,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7QlmkrubM
as if ready to catch her the second she swayed.
Dick watched the air between them shift,307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIg0hW2Ze4
and a slow smile curved his lips.
“What a beautiful bond.”307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveRI3L9R4Q
he thought.
“Two wonderful kids.”
It wasn’t just a comment.307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFk0GvbO8i
It was a feeling.
A quiet certainty.
These two—307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUX9jRLhua
they were going far.
307Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUY3yKpyjru
and then Add to home screen.