A baby, two job changes and a pandemic later and I'm back. Enjoy!

Chapter 27

She shifted her legs under her where she sat, still staring blankly at the designs weaved into the no doubt ridiculously priced rug in the hall outside the study. There was a twitch low in her stomach that caused her eye to twitch. The familiar feeling of eyes on her brought her up to catch Tim watching her with narrowed side eyes from within the study where he stood in front of Bruce. She couldn't help the grin that broke across her face like the cat that got the cream before he ripped his eyes back to glare up at an unimpressed Bruce.

There was another turning in her stomach that pulled her attention away. She closed her eyes, taking deep, controlled breaths through her nose. 'Not now' Her eyes tightened harder against the familiar burn in her throat as she swallowed around the lump there. Her head was feeling slightly fuzzy, like the front of her skull was vibrating. She would blame this for not realizing Tim had approached until he was next to her. She looked up with a raised eyebrow and a grin, ignoring the roll of her stomach with the ease that comes with years of practice. He turned away in silence and continued further into the manor. Looking behind him to Bruce she gave a minute shrug of her shoulders with a smug smile. He too turned in silence, walking opposite Tim to find his own place to hide.

Deep breaths in the nose and out pursed lips until she was sure they were both out of ear shot. The likely 'priceless' vase sitting on the table next to the armchair was snatched quickly to catch what was retched out her mouth. Several boughts later had her throwing herself back against the chair, head rolled to the side as she brought her gulping breaths back under control. She stared to the ceiling as the endorphins started to kick in, lightening the thumping in her head. A thought came over her and before the endorphins ran out she shoved herself from her seat and headed up the way Tim had gone, vase in hand to dispose of.

The night air was thick with the threat of rain. The clouds obscured any possible stars from the sky but the skyline of downtown Gotham made up for it, illuminating the dark figure sitting close to the edge of the roof. She didn't bother to hide her footsteps as she approached the stoic figure that didn't move. "Thought I'd find you here"

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm the one who showed you this place when you joined. If anything I should be asking you that." She answered. She stood next to him, just a couple feet from the edge, crossing her arms as she watched out to the skyline of Gotham. She knew this spot well. It was where they'd come to clear their minds when things got heavy. She'd found it not long after Bruce had taken her in. She'd shownJason after he'd become Robin and Tim after.

"It'll only continue." She started. His shoulders stiffened but he continued to look out over the expanse of the manor grounds. "The lies. He cant help himself. He'll hide everything, always has. AS long as he lives, there will always be secrets."

He rounded on her with a snarl. "Like you lied!" Her eyes darkened as they faced each other as he stood. "You lied about your death! Hid away, allied yourself with HIM"

Her eyes widened in rage as she stepped up to him. "YOU don't talk about him! He's revealed the truth, he's doing what needs to be done to clean up Gotham, to stop the sick bastards that no one else can!"

"He was psychotic and look what his radical behavior got him. He's dead! Again!"

She swung in front between him and the edge, landing a fist against his chin. It landed squarely but in her anger she followed through too much, her balance thrown off. She began to feel herself fall backwards, sure to tumble off the edge. A hand shot out to catch her wrist, pulling her back away from the edge with enough force to throw them both to the roof, Tim on his back and Danielle sprawled on top of him, wrist still in his grip.

She looked down on him, his eyes wide in shock, the beginning of a bruise on his left jaw. She panted, heart pounding, mind racing. She pulled away, freeing her hand from his stunned grasp before heading to the overhand by the open window she'd used to climb up and disappeared back into the manor as a streak of lightning shot across the sky and thunder rolled in short distance.

The air was turning black. Her throat burned, sticking shut with dark soot. Rounding another burning beam She dodged a shot of flame from her right. "Jason!" There was a burning in her lunch, a fit of coughs that punch out what little oxygen she could catch. "Jason!" More desperate.

Up ahead, a figure turns to glance over it's shoulder, a shine from metallic helmet. "Jason" She screams, breaking into a run. But the figure turns from her, headed deeper into the burning building. "What are you doing! Jason!" The flames were getting higher, she swore she could feel even the kevlar begin to burn into her skin as she watched the flames swallow the slowly retreating figure. A rumbling as the ceiling was brought down on her.

Danielle Shot up, covers flying away from her. Her heart was pounding, chest heaving and eyes wide, staring into the darkness of the room. The rain beat against the window pain in the gray that shows the early rays of morning were fighting to be known behind the storm clouds. It took a long minute to comprehend the burn, the blur to her eyes and the free fall of tears. A whined sob escaped, then another and another as she curled in on herself.

Tim was up when the knob was carefully turned though he didn't turn from the wall. There was a soft pat of bare feet as she approached. The cool air hit his back when she lifted the blanket by the corner, a dip as her knee came up on the bed. He spun, catching her wrist before she could touch him but there seemed no fight, no attempt to pull away. Her eyes were wet and there were red streaks down her cheeks. After a minute she moved forward, her lips pressed to his with a desperation. The dominance of before had given way to s silent pleading as she worked her mouth to his. When he released her wrist she clung to his chest, fingers digging in to his shirt like a drowning man clinging to a floating debris.

When he felt the first tear slowly slide against his own face he wrapped his arms tight around her, fingers of his left cradling the back of her head as his right pulled her close by the waist. He broke the kiss, quickly peppering her face, her wet cheeks to the corner of her tearful eyes with quick pecks. He could not understand what had happened, what had overcome him but there was as deep a need for this as oxygen. The way she nuzzled into him, clawed for purchase, grasping his arm and clutched to him made his think perhaps she had the same needs. He nestled her under his chin after kissing the crown of her head, closing his eyes and just letting the ache seep into his chest as he held her through silent tears, rain and thunder.