By noon, the Bat-family was finally awake and had finished their first meal of the day.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡboaazYX5Pa
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.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzKxPul5rCQ
Tim didn’t show up.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNI60c9eeV
No one mentioned it directly, but his absence was obvious.
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6VKXirYHjq
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAHGgiDUf2
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—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dxo4T91Bm
Had Tim gotten any rest at all? He hadn’t even come to eat.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGk6dcX86li
As he walked, he glanced back a few times toward the dining room, his brows furrowing slightly.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrdAyxuhUx
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.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5sYbRBIsn
Especially—
Then he saw Bruce.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhH2xMcQvF2
Already downstairs, standing outside the cryogenic chamber.
Bruce stood upright, arms crossed, expression unreadable.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡom6H4UKCGo
It didn’t look like he was waiting for someone.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVWbJfVGFf
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—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpb0sehL47b
And he stopped cold.
The glass door was ajar.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVmaFDVqu6n
Inside, it was a mess.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqL5ZD061iG
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.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekljfN6Q6s
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.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXBKXH7qjz
The floor was damp, like condensation had just settled.
And most shocking of all—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU79SdDjg2o
The cryogenic pod was open.
It was a visual shock.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnn4ZujTZ6R
That pod—the one that was never opened without cause—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayboSQrHjH
was half ajar.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYF4m5JvXL
And empty.
Where is she?!116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ucmz4Jn4n
Dick’s heart leapt to his throat.
His mind raced through a hundred possible explanations—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmZ2pYKecl
A medical accident? A forced awakening?
He spun toward Bruce, about to demand an answer—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDba0a9r5Q
But Bruce had already turned and was walking away.
He didn’t say a word.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3XzJtPmBF
Didn’t explain.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6hRIIphp7
Didn’t even glance back.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90QaNa5iBC
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.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0fCFWaWSwo
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—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZ9U0bvuwr
Something was about to be revealed.
Bruce stopped at the medical bay.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwa9uybapV9
The door was slightly ajar.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdUs52gUTY
Inside, the faint hum of machinery could be heard.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXkXogFCQH
Fluorescent lights glowed white as usual, sterile and clean—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjiUmKWAB47
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.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17GljCuCgN
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—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYN5DjHKn8T
they saw.
Neither of them spoke.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToG8TBqX8k
They simply leaned in, peering quietly inside.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzANNh3vZB6
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.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGayzPNrNHb
He held her as if afraid to lose her again.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqIMCAFABRn
And Nora nestled beside him, her head tucked into the curve of his neck, both wrapped in a blanket.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1DCUyFnq5
A pool of warmth.
Dick stared—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2BGHtOS9Cy
Then slowly, a smile spread across his lips.
His previously tense expression melted away, and something rare flickered in his eyes—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgQLSpSwVXB
Warmth.
He exhaled softly, like he’d finally let go of a weight deep in his heart.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJviBTFU7IK
He said nothing.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPgDcL3HWU
Because this image… said everything.
Bruce turned to the medical screen beside the pod.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2y8ZM0fSQ0
He analyzed their vitals silently.
His gaze scanned the rows of blinking indicators—green, red, yellow—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ262wqWq1Xo
the machine still showed some alerts, but the numbers had stabilized.
One injury showed electric trauma to the chest.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEUIIXJ5dyh
Nora’s injury.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUm1aTPKzce
One showed signs of severe upper-body frostbite.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34zJIDmuXv
Tim’s injury.
Bruce remained silent.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZn5J3XLaf
He stared at the screen for a long time, clearly weighing whether to scold them… or intervene.
In the end, he said nothing.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmkRU9K55N
He simply stood there, watching the two kids.
Dick turned to look too.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMA2rQvCBeW
He didn’t speak either.
He sighed—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaUQCmku9kQ
No longer smiling, but his gaze soft.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TdavCSIa1
Something within him settled.
It wasn’t anyone’s fault.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMEoWvmdtXY
Just a long, long wait…116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3wDVNekbK
that had finally ended.
The two of them sighed again, and left quietly.
They didn’t disturb them further.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszXrDt1taj
They gently closed the door behind them—116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7LXYUfGQI
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.116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sMT8ZpDOX
116Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMm9Ohpk92E
and then Add to home screen.