I know I promised the before story to the previous chapter, but that's still in the works and I need to finish the next chapter of 'Fixing Damian' right now. So another Selina story! With the beginnings of someone that kinda will and won't be appearing later. =P This takes place after Dick's senior year (yes he's 16) starts while his dating problems/the argument build up was during the last month of his junior year. Laying out the timeline for ya, 'cause soon I think it's gonna get messy.

Dick-16 Tim-9

Kitten Napped

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S MISSING?!"

Selina's ears perked at the exclamation through the doors. Earlier on her way to the copier she saw an officer come in with someone she spotted in the missing person's unit of Gotham PD. She made herself scarce just in case but couldn't help but to reappear from her hidey hole at Bruce's shouting. She never heard him get that loud. Ever.

Something was definitely wrong, especially when Bruce kept shouting about the policeman's incompetence. "TIM'S NINE YEARS OLD! HE'S OBEDIENT, CAREFUL, AND DOESN'T RUN OFF!"

It was only the whining of his toddler that stopped his shouting. And without that, Selina had to come right up to the door to satisfy her curiosity. What she heard she didn't make her feel any better. "I assure you Mr. Wayne, we're doing everything we can to find your son."

"He shouldn't be missing in the first place!" Another whine from Damian made him drop his voice again. She should hear him take a breath to calm him down. He didn't like scaring his children. "That watch he wears, it doubles as a tracking device. He never takes it off, and you have it in your hands right now. Why did he take it off?"

"Security protocols required all technology to be removed while in the building and held at the front desk until the end of the tour." That would be the officer in charge. Moron.

"And just why is a watch included in this?"

"Mr. Luthor's policies," she could hear Bruce's frustrated huff there, "are for the safety of the company's experiments and watches have been used as recording devices in the past by spies."

"By nine year old spies on field trips?!"

"Luthor's policies, no one's excluded."

"And he's not being excluded from the suspect list, right? It was his building and he's been trying to get Timothy for years."

"Care to explain that accusation Mr. Wayne?"

Even this perked Selina's interest more, making her lean further in to hear all the juicy details. Bruce was silent for a moment before explaining. "Timothy Drake is the sole heir to Drake Industries after his father's murder. Until he's of legal age to take active control of his company, I hold onto his shares and keep him informed of the board's progress."

"So he's a high profile target in for a lot more money when he's all grown up. What does that have to do with Luthor?"

The man took another deep breath before continuing. "A few years back Luthor tried to buy out DI, particularly the medical department. Tim was five and refused. Since then Luthor has periodically tried to get in contact with Tim alone to try and convince him otherwise. I have a friend in legal who's kept an eye on all the paperwork involving my children and someone's tried to tamper with Tim's twice."

"Do you have proof of him tampering?"

A pause. "No. Just suspicions."

'Pretty good ones if I know right.' Anyone who could place Selina Kyle while under an assumed name as Catwoman and get a professional profile and rap sheet on her, had every right in the world in her mind to assume Lex was behind those attempts. She heard the kids and Bruce groan about Luthor before, whenever the man's name came up (very rare), and each time it was clear they didn't like him.

"Then Mr. Luthor is not a suspect."

"He should be a person of interest at the very least. Tim did disappear in his building, while he was in there. Have you searched the entire building?"

"Mr. Wayne, I assure you, we have searched the entire complex, head to toe. Your son isn't in there. Now, can you think of anyone else who would be interested in taking your son? Or where your son would run off to?"

"I'm telling you he wouldn't—"

"Ms. Barr! Eavesdropping is extremely impolite!" Selina jerked around to see Bruce's personal secretary (and probation officer), Mrs. Dalton, catching her in the act of snooping. Her glare reminded her too much of those teaching nuns she dodged while in the system as a kid. "Don't you have something else to attend to?"

For a long moment the woman debated giving her a snide comment and running out, but instead smiled sheepishly, keeping in her assumed name's character as best she could. "Sorry ma'am. I just couldn't help it. You know I like to keep appraised of Bruce's... I mean Mr. Wayne's activities. And hearing the shouting I couldn't help but to…"

The old lady's eyes softened at this, looking down. She heard the yelling too, and she knew Tim longer than anyone else on that floor. Of course she was concerned. And the lady certainly wasn't blind. 'Elva Barr' was frequently called to Mr. Wayne's office to run errands and the two always flirted. As Bruce's unofficial relationship with Selina Kyle had nothing to do with the work place, no one else knew the truth behind her interest.

"I understand dear. But it's best to just let the authorities do their job. Now off you go."

Selina let herself be shooed out of the room and off the floor, but didn't return to her division like expected. Her work day was nearly over anyway, and personally she liked Tim. He was sensible and easy to deal with in comparison to other children she met. She liked him enough to teach him how to raid the noisy cookie jar the one time she took care of the Wayne kids at the manor. He managed to use those skills at the office to filch from Mrs. Dalton's candy bowl a few times, sharing some with her. Smart and sneaky. Sure he could be obedient, but when he broke rules, he didn't get caught. Her kind of boy. And if Luthor, a slime ball she had the displeasure of dealing with once or twice before, really was interested in him to the point of kidnapping, she was certainly not going to let the cue ball win.

Tim leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling, bored. The paralyzing fear of being kidnapped wore off after the first dozen times or so. Frankly, all he was now was bored. Well, he was a little scared. They made him take off his watch at the door along with his cellphone when they came into Lex Towers for that field trip. Cass wasn't with him this time because it was for his computer club. Furthermore, Tim couldn't remember how he got to where he was. He was leaving the group to go to the bathroom when someone decided to grab him from behind and jabbed him with a sedative. Then they put a bag over his head. That was all he could remember before waking in in this place.

It was a white wash room, almost sterile, with a toilet in one corner and a bed in the other. Currently they had him handcuffed to a metal chair in the center of the room, both hands separately. Whoever nabbed him this time did their homework. It was taking longer than he liked to get out of those cuffs, and he was really proud of his escapes.

"I would advise against struggling Mr. Drake," a voice said over an intercom connected to that room. Tim just gave the speaker a 'go away' glare before completely ignoring it. "You're going to be with us for some time."

"Uh huh."

"You'll learn to love it here."

"Uh huh."

"You will learn to accept your destiny."

"Uh huh."

"And you will learn to call me Father."

"Uh huh."

Completely ignoring the guy. He was almost through with one of the locks. Looked like Jason's game of 'escape the closet' really was more helpful than he initially gave him credit for. At least this time he wasn't being hanged by some crudely made chains. Handcuffs were far easier to deal with in compare to multi-pin locks. Even with one hand working each one.

"Are you paying attention?"

"Uh huh."

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!"

"Uh huh." One cuff undone. And soon the other one would be too.

"Just who do you think you're talking to?"

"Uh huh." Tim blinked and cocked his head curiously. "Wait… is that supposed to be a trick question? Are you playing some kind of game? Cause if you wanted to play games, you should have grabbed Dick. Or Jay. Either or. No, Dick. You're more likely to live then."

"Why you little—" There was some crashing going on outside the room's door. And shouting. Then gunfire. More shouting. The kid smirked.

"Well, sounds like my cue to go." He slipped his hands out of their bindings and walked straight over to the toilet in the corner. They had nabbed him before going after all. "If you'd like to set up an appointment for next time, call my lawyer."

No response from the intercom, and he didn't expect one. Usually when one of the Leaguers (probably Superman this time considering the circumstances, or Manhunter) popped up for a rescue, it was every thug and villain for themselves. All he had to do was wait and he'd be rescued, same as always. It'd just faster and a surer thing if he had his watch or phone. So he relieved himself then started picking at the room, bored again.

Not for long though. The door keeping him in (one sided lock, he couldn't pick it if he tried) shot open not too far away. Tim smiled briefly, thinking it was one of the League or his dad again, but stopped when a bulky thug armed to the teeth charged in to grab him. This was not a new Leaguer and never would be. They hated guns. "Time to get going kid."

"What's the password." The thug didn't even stop to attempt answering that riddle and just made a grab for him. Quickly the kid dodged the man's hands and maneuvered around him to run out the door as fast as possible. Alarms were screaming around his head and he wasn't about to let himself get grabbed again. But no sooner was he out the cell door was he grabbed harshly by another thug, this one leaner but still heavily armed. His hands reminded him of when he was first nabbed. Had to be the same guy.

"Not so fast kid." His grip was really tight, bruising the boy a bit. Fear and panic reached up his throat at his voice. Definitely the same guy.

"Let go!" Tim drove his foot into the man's knee, twisting his arm out of his grip before running again, towards the sounds of fighting. There had to be someone coming for him. There had to be! "Help! Help! Kidnappers! He—"

"Shut up!" The first thug pulled him back by his collar, wrapping an arm around his middle and picking him up to stop him from running anymore. One large hand covered his mouth and tried for his nose, in hopes to make him pass out. The kid wasn't going anywhere.

But he didn't know Tim had been taken like this over two dozen times. Instinctively he threw his head back into the man's nose in hopes to break it, at the same time he tried driving his elbow into the softer portions of the guy's chest. His legs continued to flail beneath him, aiming backwards as much as possible in hopes to hit some vital and painful locations. He even opened his mouth, making indistinct loud noises while trying to either lick the guy's hand or bite it. Anything to make the grip loosen enough for him to run.

Unfortunately the guy was big and well armored. Tim hindered his progress but did not stop the thugs from turning about and going as far away from the fight as possible. They weren't taking any chances of being found. Whoever their boss was (and it was clear to the kid they had a boss) he wasn't an idiot by hiring these guys. Must be rich.

"Stop squirming you brat," the large thug ordered as they ran through the third hallway. Thug two was opening a special computerized lock before them, peaking out before ushering them forward. They were coming into a large garage, possibly one of the hangars at an airfield or the warehouse part of a store. The famous backroom for storage, loading and unloading. At least it wasn't a cliché warehouse.

'Not in your life!' Tim screamed mentally while still trying to wriggle in his grip. They hadn't left Gotham yet. So long as he was in Gotham he knew he'd be found. Metropolis was a good chance of being found too, but not near as high. His chances of escape and/or retrieval went down considerably after he left the state. He had to get away, now.

Using all his energy, the boy turned and writhed against the man's body, kicking right between gaps in the man's armor. The well done blows made the giant yelp in pain and drop the kid. Quickly Tim landed on his feet, swiping a kick into his Achilles to force the man to the earth before rolling away. The other thug made a rush for him but Tim managed to grab a stray crowbar and swing it at him, severely bruising the guy's wrist. The second thug's cry of pain masked the oncoming approach of the larger one, who grabbed him by the scruff of his neck, took the crowbar, then threw the kid hard to the ground just a few feet away. Tim could feel something give in his body as he tried to take the throw, but he didn't quite manage it. He couldn't recover fast enough to run away from the oncoming giant.

"That's enough you little brat!" He raised the crowbar over his head, ready to beat down on the kid. Terrified now, Tim shook and watched helplessly as he approached. One part of him wondered if this was how Jason felt when Joker was coming at him while the other part of him, the larger part, went into a blind panic.

'I am going to die. I am going to die.'

The arm came down and instinctively the kid winced, closing his eyes in anticipation of pain. But it never came. Seconds past before he dared open them again, and what he saw made him blink several times in shock. A strong rope was keeping the large thug from throwing his arm down on him. Someone had come to his rescue. And it wasn't a Leaguer.

"Now now… didn't your mama ever tell you it's wrong to pick on the little kids?" Catwoman gave the thug a feline smile that bordered on 'I'm going to kill you now'. "Hitting them is just against the rules darling."

"Sue me." Distracted and angry, the large thug dove at her, roaring like a bear in hopes to intimidate her.

But this was never one woman who could be scared so easily. Easily she freed her whip and leapt over the man's head, driving her claws into the soft tissue around his neck. As he rounded about to strike at her with his weapon, she kicked at more vital unprotected locations in his armor, not caring if she fought dirty or not. Her kicks did more damage to the man than Tim's had, being she wore heels and had more momentum. Dodging his slow fists was child's play for her, having dealt with much better in the past. Soon she delivered a well-aimed blow to his temple, knocking him clear out before twirling around to strike down his approaching partner from behind.

"See you in court uglies." She looked over to Tim, still on the ground, staring at the men she had taken down. He was still terrified, shaking and eyes filled with unshed tears. He wanted to look away, but couldn't. Why couldn't he look away? Why? Images of two men in pools of red liquid flashed before his eyes, making his shaking worse. He couldn't wake either of them.

"Tim?"

His name being called made him reflexively look up. Catwoman crouched in front of him, offering her hand. "Timmy? Come on kiddo, it's time to go. Your dad's having kittens at the office."

He didn't move for a long moment, just looked at the lady, his savior with the light above them blazing behind her. She almost looked like an angel, if it weren't for the black cat getup. She saved him. She really saved him.

Slowly he took her hand, letting her help him up, then dived into her arms crying his eyes out. Tim clung to her, shaking and unable to make a single coherent phrase come out of his mouth. He was so scared... Never been in that much danger before alone… He was going to be hurt, like Jason… So scared…

Awkwardly she looked at the boy crying around her neck, not knowing what to do. Her hands hung uselessly in the air for a good minute before she finally put them on the kid's back. She had no idea what to do in this situation. But as it became clear they wouldn't be leaving this place with both of them walking, she gave up awkward and wrapped her arms around the boy. He needed comfort and they needed to get out of there. At least the kid wasn't yelling as he cried.

"Ssshhhhhh…. It's okay… it's okay kiddo. I'll get you home soon. I promise. You're safe now." Quickly she picked the kid up and propped him on one hip best she could. Nine year olds, even small ones you could swear were seven or eight, were heavy! They were halfway out the hangar when she heard him speak distinctly.

"Thank you Selina."

Her eyes popped at her real name, but relaxed as she remembered that his father knew the truth and he was a smart, sneaky boy. He probably read her file. She held him a little tighter when she saw his still teary eyed face a moment later. "No problem kitten."

"I've searched there," Superman insisted, both exasperated and worried. He and Bruce had gone over the map of Gotham a hundred times, thinking of new places Tim could be. Flash and Manhunter would have been there as well, trying to find the boy but both were busy with intercultural issues (aliens and gorillas). "Luthor's got nothing on his computers and I can't find a connection between him and Tim's disappearance. I've looked at all his buildings in Gotham and Metropolis. We may have to assume he's been taken by someone you've never dealt with before. Someone with resources lined in lead."

"There's Dagget," Bruce admitted. He didn't like the idea of getting the identity of his child's abductor wrong. There were no ransom demands. The police were even starting to say runaway. Who kidnapped a child worth billions of dollars and not make any demands? Someone had taken him for their own means, he knew it! "And the members of Drake Industries general board."

"Are there really that many people after Timmy?" Dick came towards them from the side. He was supposed to be keeping Damian distracted but Jason and Cassandra were doing a better job at it than he was. He never could hide his emotions like they could and his constantly wavering face was unsettling the toddler.

"There are that many people who are interested in controlling any one of you," Bruce admitted. He ran a hand through his hair as he recalled his days being the number one target in Gotham for kidnappings and business control. Tim was in a similar position due to his biological father, and it scared him. "They just have a better chance grabbing Tim than anyone else."

"So where should we look next?" Superman looked back over the map and all the places they already searched. "The cops are watching the bridges, an amber alert is out for civilians to find him, he can't have left the city."

"Docks?"

"No he wasn't at the docks."

Everyone jerked around at the woman's voice coming from the office high rise window. The gargoyle just outside had a grapple attached to it. But, just where the man of steel came in and out all afternoon, stood one Catwoman untangling a groggy Tim from around her neck. As his feet touched the ground, she finish, "He was at the airfield. Don't know who organized it but he's safe now."

"DADDY!" The kid took off running into his father's arms, overly happy to be with his family again. Bruce crouched down and picked him up, holding onto him tightly in relief and joy at his return. He was so scared he wouldn't see his child again. This time around was nothing like the others, nothing at all. He could really lose him.

"Tim…" he murmured in the boy's ear, fighting back his relieved tears. The rest of the Wayne family crowded around him, each happy and relieved to see their brother returned to them. They clambered to get the boy's attention.

"Where were you?!" "Who took you?!" "You wouldn't believe how scared Dad was." "Timmy back! Ice cream now?"

"Are you alright?" Bruce eased his hold on the boy long enough to get a good look at him. He didn't look badly hurt, but there were signs of a struggle. "Did they hurt you?"

Wordlessly the kid nodded before wrapping his arms around his father's neck once more, not ready to talk about it yet. So the lady in the window told them, best she knew. "I stopped these two thugs from moving him. Kiddo was putting up a pretty good fight but the guys were way too big for him."

"Who are you?" Superman asked, truly baffled about this lady who somehow appeared before them with the boy. Her costume did not ring any bells.

"She's Catwoman," Dick explained quickly before anyone else could. He looked straight into her eyes, through her goggles, and gave her a small, gracious smile. "She's kinda a local vigilante. Walks to her own drum."

"You got that right mister." Catwoman gave him an agreeing, slightly fond, smirk in response. Dick knew who she really was, she was sure of it. But that didn't mean Superman had to know. How they knew the alien was beyond her, but it really didn't matter this time. If she was keeping any kind of score, she'd say she earned some serious points that night.

"Thanks for saving Tim," the teen finished, honestly glad she was there.

"Yes," Bruce started, looking back to her graciously. She could swear there were tears coming to his eyes. "Thank you so much for saving my son and bringing him home."

The lady looked away slightly, bit embarrassed by all their gratitude. The others were about to start thanking her as well but she cut them off. She had to get going or she might get roped into joining the League next. "The airfield on the west side of Gotham. Hangar 12B. Usually abandoned. Word on the street was someone valuable and small was being transported via cargo plane at midnight. I don't like human trafficking. Have fun with the rest cape."

With that she leapt out the window and back to her line. She didn't need any more thanks that night. What she needed was a tub of chocolate decadence and a nice hot bath. If she wanted more thanks, she was sure to get it the following day at work. Bruce could be a very generous man.

A/N: Yeah, another kidnapping but this time Selina did the saving! I liked how little Timmy still put up a fight, despite being far outmatched. I hope I didn't make him too far out of character this time. Bit worried with how he reacted to the bodyless voice then the thugs. Luthor really did organize it, but they won't find any solid connections to it. Tim's gonna be a bit of a catwoman fan now (who can blame him) and Catlad will make a cameo, but don't get your hopes too far up. I's have plans... B3

If anyone wants to suggest stories for older batclan, please tell. like I've said before, if from the comics or tv or games, please provide reference material. Dick's childhood/what I've done so far, is pretty much a blank area we've all played with. So though I have plenty of normal life things that can happen, archs and story retellings would be fun to have. Popular favorite ones please! Still need cassandra fics too. =/

Unrelated pointless question: who else thinks that the new 52 writers are going way too fast? 'cause I've read the new teen titans volume (at last) and thought it would have gone better if they slowed down. Maybe I'm just too used to manga and books and fanfics, but i think they're losing out on some potentially good stuff and therefore making it worse. This series is all pre-52 FYI, so even though the concept of the court of owls is cool, it's not influencing anything here (YJ though...). Just your thoughts.