Terry didn't know what he'd been hit with, something dusty had been flung in his face and now he was shaking and sweating, and it'd only been a few minutes. But he managed to fight well enough to knock out his assailant, and then stumbled away. By this point the whole world was spinning around his head and he felt like throwing up. What was that dust. He couldn't use the flight capabilities, his boots had been disabled a few hours ago when the rest of the Justice League had been separated. In the middle of Joker territory, and now Terry felt ill.

"Hey Bats-Bats? Shit"

There was someone there. Terry couldn't make out who it was. He moved hazily towards the voice, and pitched forward after a few steps. Whoever it was ran and caught him. Terry curled into the stronger body. The person was talking but all Terry could hear was a buzzing as he fought to stay conscious. "We-we n-need to…"

"Batman, Batman! Look at me, focus on me" Terry raised his head and tried to do as he was told. In his drugged state he was still able to feel fear. It was Terminal, leader of the Jokerz. But he looked concerned. He looked like he was debating something and then cursed and scooped Terry up bridal style. "I'm going to take care of you" He said quietly. Terry wrapped his arms around Terminal's neck to get a sense of stability and rested his head on Terminal's shoulder. Everything started fading in and out.

Darkness then the sense they were running then more darkness then sharp turns and the sense they were underground and more darkness and Terminal holding his hand and telling him to just focus on his voice, don't pass out then more darkness and then Terry wasn't in his arms anymore he was on a mattress and he was cold, so cold and shaking and thirsty. Terminal was crouched beside him and lifted Terry's head up so he could drink water. Then he was laid back down. Terry reached a hand out blindly, scared and needing reassurance. He was only twenty-two years old. He didn't want to die like this. A rough calloused hand gripped his costumed one and squeezed it.

"I'm not leaving Batman" Terminal said quietly and Terry gasped out in relief. Maybe Terminal was blood-thirsty and psychotic, but he was all Terry had at the moment. Terry held onto the hand for dear life. He felt his hold on reality slipping.

"I don't want to die!" he whispered as he fell into blackness.

Carter didn't know what he was thinking, taking his enemy to his safe-house in the sewer-system under Gotham. But the guy was so scared, and Carter remembered painfully suddenly being sick and alone locked in his room, his mother refusing to comfort or take care of him. He'd almost died twice from her neglect when he was sick. And looking at Batman, so vulnerable...He couldn't kill him. Couldn't even bring himself to try. So he'd picked the man up and carried him to the nearest subway entrance and through there made his way to the forgotten tunnels leading to the sewers. Nobody came down here, there were too many creatures and outcasts living in these tunnels. Carter feared nobody, and nothing here dared take him down or challenge him. It made for the perfect hiding place.

Carter continued talking to Batman the whole time they were walking, trying to get him to stay awake, stay focused and hopefully not die from whatever was in his system. It wasn't something from his Jokerz, they had to okay every toxin with him or Ghoul before using. And he hadn't okayed a toxin that caused a fever and everything else. Unless Ivy was sending her plant-people to infiltrate again, nobody was able to cause this sort of poison. Batman woke up again when he laid him down on his bed and reached out for his hand. His heart clenched at the trembling whimper "I don't want to die".

Carter sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't take the suit or mask off, he respected Batman too much. But if he didn't act, the fever would probably kill Batman. He grimaced and began moving the man around, looking for a way to take the suit off. He'd leave the mask for now. Everyone deserved their , he found a button that released the suit and he was able to unzip it from the back and pull it down and away from Batman's body. Jesus, did this guy ever go outside? Carter went a little red when he got down to the crotch and realized the guy was naked in the suit. To be fair though, couldn't really adjust anything that rode up in something this skintight. This was why Carter and all his Jokerz wore practical clothing, if eccentric. It might not look as cool, but it was way more comfortable.

When Carter finished pulling off the suit he folded it and put it at Batman's feet and then went to get a washcloth and cold water. His little sanctuary was a former worker's breakroom. It was complete with a bathroom with working pipes and shower, and a small kitchenette. It was long since abandoned and he took advantage of it. Nobody even knew it was here. He came back to where Batman was and dripped the cold water on the heated skin. Batman shuddered but didn't wake up. Carter kneeled and rubbed Batman's chest with the washcloth and gripped his shoulder. He was mainly trying to ease the shaking, and it abated a little. He'd do more good with the cloth on the forehead, but the mask was covering the skin.

After a little while Carter took his stack of blankets from beside the mattress and heaped them on Batman. He went back to sitting beside him and after a few minutes took his hand. He sat this way for a while before hearing a buzzing coming from the ear area. Carter reached out and felt the side of Batman's head. His fingers came away with a comm link. He sneered at it and considered crushing it in his fingers, but the thought that if he did the Justice League would come after him stopped him. He put it up to his ear.

"Batman, where are you? Come in Batman"

Carter coughed slightly and pitched his voice a couple octaves higher. "Batman is sick, he inhaled something. I'm taking care of him"

"Who are you? Where are you? We'll come get our comrade"

"He can't be moved right now. I have the tools to reverse this, but it's going to take a few days. A week, tops. I'll bring him to you when the fever breaks"

"...Noted. Contact us as soon as Batman is able to stand"

Whoever was on the other line didn't sound happy but the comm link buzzed and then went dead and Carter breathed a sigh of relief. He looked over at Batman. He was more trouble than he was worth, but Carter would take care of him. He squeezed the unconscious man's hand.

It was then that Batman started talking in his sleep. And Carter listened with growing glee.

All the secrets of the Justice League, being spilled by a delirious man too weak to fight back. And, all the secrets of the Batman himself.

Carter felt his gut tighten. Terry.

A/N: I'm back baby! after years and years lol. decided to try a weird pairing. too bad the thing doesn't have Terminal/Carter as a character in the listings..