Their tenth meeting - 13 years old - 6 hours later
It was suppose to be easy.
There wasn't suppose to be a trap there with a new type of drug that bordered being a near lethal poison.
And Felina was definitely not suppose to be shot.
The Bats begrudgingly asked the Cats for their help to steal some kryptonite from Lex Luthor, as this was their specialty. The Cats were over the moon and so would hold this over them for a while.
Who wouldn't? It's not everyday that the Batman asked for your help.
The Bats were on stand by, on the opposite building's roof. Keeping watch out and guiding the Cats past the security. And to the vault. It was pretty well until the barks of a dog sounded through the metal halls. Felina shudders and swallows down her rising fear and anxiety. So what if she was a little scared of dogs? Everyone was scared of something. Even Batman, though he hides it very well.
Catwoman glanced at her kitten in concern, of course she knew about Felina's fear of dogs. She's heard her nightmares. Catwoman sets her jaw and finishes up cracking into the vault with the help of Batman. Catwoman grabbed Felina's wrist, causing her to whip her head over to her, eyes wide under the mask.
"Felina focus, we don't have time for this." Catwoman knew her whispered words were harsh, but Felina needed to focus. Felina swallowed, licking her lips and nodded, taking a deep breathe. Catwoman nodded to her kitten and the two made their way into the underground vault, the door closing behind them softly.
They knew what they were looking for and made sure to avoid the cameras. The kryptonite was a glowing green rock that was radioactive and Superman's only weakness - physical anyway. There were a lot people in the super community that believes Supes has a thing for the Bat.
Felina didn't care one way or the other. But she's seen some of recorded interactions between the two 'gods'. She secretly agrees.
That aside, Felina spotted the Kryptonite and walked right into a trap.
Right before, Catwoman's comm crackled and heard Batman's voice in her ear. "Just found a trap around the kryptonite. Be careful."
Just then there was a quiet whooshing sound of something flying through the air, a small groan, then a thud of a body hitting the ground. Catwoman felt her blood freeze as the alarms went off as she rushed off to her barely conscious daughter.
"Momma..." She rasped softly her hand holding her stomach and Catwoman saw blood on her hand. Yet no blood on the floor - no exit wound. Catwoman scooped her daughter off of the floor and bolted out the door as security ran after them. Batman's voice flittered in through the comm again.
"What happened?" Was the growled response. And for once, Catwoman hated that growl. It made him seem cold and angry, as if it was Felina's fault that she got shot! She didn't even know!
"Felina is down, we're heading you're way now." Catwoman hissed as she dodged a bullet and raced out the back door, Felina silent in her arms. Catwoman was trembling as fear shot through her, dread knotting up her stomach. She found the Bats - all three - waiting by the Batmobile.
Robin was in shock as he saw Felina's limp body in Catwoman's arms. Instantly Nightwing took her in his arms as somehow all climbed into the Batmobile. They raced off to the Batcave, during the drive, Batman contacting Agent A and telling him the situation. He said that he'll said the Doctor will be there when they do.
Dr. Thompkins was ready and waiting with an operation table when they got to the Cave. Nightwing gently placed a pale, sweaty Felina on the table and Catwoman wanted to go with them, as Alfred and the Doctor rushed her to a make shift surgery, but Batman held her back.
Catwoman slapped him, but didn't move as a few tears slipped down her face. She ripped her cowl off her face and buried it in Bruce's chest. She cried as Bruce held her close.
Robin watched with wide eyes. That was Selina... Jason glanced at Nightwing and found that he shared the same expression. If that was Selina Kyle... Then Felina was...
It all made sense now.
It. All. Made. Sense.
Jason felt betrayed, but he understood and that infuriated him. He was also scared out of his mind.
"The hell Old Man!" Jason yelled, ignoring the growing lump of emotion in his throat as Bruce turned his head to his youngest. "Why didn't you tell us it was Garnet and Selina!" He growled and Selina pushed away from him, her eyeliner running with red and puffy eyes. Jason had forgotten that Selina was Garnet's mother and that she was there when Garnet was shot.
Selina walked over to Jason and kneeled before him. "It wasn't his fault, I asked him not to say anything." She explained and Jason stared at her for a long moment, before going to his knees and hugging her close.
Sometimes it's all too easy to forget that Jason was 13 and his only real friend besides Dick was Garnet. And tonight he's coming really close to losing her.
Bruce swept over to them and sat down, pulling them close for an embrace. Knowing that they needed the support as well. Dick joined in too. It was going to be a long night.
And it was. The operation lasted a grand total of 8 hours, and then they put her into a medically induced coma so that her body could heal itself. The boys didn't go to school that day and Selina stayed the night with them.
Dr. Thompkins gave them the diagnostics after the surgery, at 9 in the morning. Alfred served her much needed coffee as she sat down in the Manor's kitchen.
"She's going to live." Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. "But the bullet that entered her was hollowed and filled with a new drug. We managed to get most of it, but because of the time it took to get here, there was some that got into her bloodstream. We are unaware of the effects, we're running tests on the sample that we got. We put her in a medically induced coma for her to recover faster. The bullet somehow missed her stomach or anything else too important and we only had to remove about a foot or two of her smaller intestines." Dr. Thompkins sighed and drained her coffee standing up.
"Monitor her closely and call me when she wakes up. Also only IV's until further instructed." She instructs with a sharp look to the boys and Mother. She nods and gathers her things. Biding her farewells, the Doctor left to go get some much needed sleep. Selina rushed to the room where Garnet was currently staying, hooked up to a breathing machine, heart monitor and an IV.
Selina holds back her tears as she drags a chair over to her kitten's side. She gently grasped Garnet's with her own as the bats entered the room quietly. She didn't pay them any mind, as she was solely focused on her kitten, her partner in crime, her friend. Her daughter.
Selina knew that bringing Garnet into this life was dangerous and there was always that possibility that either one of them could die. Selina knew that Garnet was bound to get hurt. But not once did it fully dawn on Selina in the 2 years that she has had Garnet as a ward, that she would almost die before her.
It made Selina feel like a fool to put her kitten and self through that type of overconfidence and arrogance like that. It was completely irresponsible of her to do that.
Garnet woke up slowly, she was all numb, and her head was filled with cotton. Her eyes were crusty and her tongue was sandpaper.
When Garnet tried to lift her hand to rub at her eyes, she found that it was in the grasp of Jason. He was asleep with a tight grasp on her hand. At that moment Garnet couldn't understand for the life of her, what was going on.
Besides her, Jason stirred and Garnet got the desire to run her fingers through his black hair, so she did. Not having any will or mind power to stop her actions.
Jason wakes up instantly as someone runs their fingers through his hair. Jason shifts his head a little, acting as if he were still asleep and scanned the room, only to find it empty except for him and Garnet. Jason felt hope bloom in his chest as he shifts again and sees Garnet smiling softly as she continued to pet him.
Jason sat up and Garnet looked at him in surprise as she took her hand for his hair, Jason almost whined at the lost. Garnet's amber eyes were slightly dull and glazed over as their eyes locked.
"Morning Sleeping Beauty." He couldn't help but tease her. She stares a long moment before a lazy smirk spreads across her face.
"Jay, why are you in my room? Are you a stalker?" Garnet giggled and Jason's eyes widen. Does she not remember what happen? Also how to break the news that he knows her little secret.
"No I'm not a stalker." He denies and she nods mock seriously before she smiles widely and Jason now knows how Garnet acts high on painkillers. Doesn't help that it's the good stuff Alfred only breaks out once in a blue moon or when they get seriously hurt. "You're not at your house Hagen. Your at the Manor." He explains and Garnet stares at him, her eyes narrowed at him, a dangerous glint to them.
"So you're not a stalker?..."
"Yes."
"And I'm not in my room?..."
"Yes."
"I'm in the manor, with no memory of getting here..."
"Well considering the circumstances, I'd be surprised if you did."
Garnet stared at Jason fiercely.
"Jason..."
"Yes?"
"Did you kidnap me?"
Jason sputtered for a response. This wasn't what he expected her to ask him.
"NO." He finally managed out, but she just narrowed her eyes suspiciously at him, her hand tightening around his.
"Are you sure?" She pressed leaning towards him.
Jason leaned back. "Of course I'm sure!" He confirmed. She didn't look like she believed him.
"Jason..."
"What?"
"Why do you look so much like Robin?" Oh shit! That's right...
"How would you know what Robin looks like?" He shot back and Garnet blinked annoyed at him.
"Don't dodge my question, with your question." She pouted, and Jason swallowed a little.
"..."
"Jason..."
"..."
"Jason..."
"..."
"Jason if you don't tell me, I'll tell Bruce that you kidnapped me." She threatened, her face pouty and serious. It was adorable. Jason did his best to stuff down the blush.
"For a third time, I didn't kidnap you."
She glared pointedly at him, until he held up his free hand in surrender.
"Fine you wanna know why I look so much like him?" She nods firmly. And Jason grins.
"That's because I'm Robin." Garnet stared at him for several minutes, with a blank face. Jason was nervous and was just about to say something when Garnet burst out laughing. She was crying, she was laughing so much. She wiped away her tears as she held tightly onto his hand.
When she finally she calmed down enough to speak.
"Figures."
...What?...