A pipe burst. Water poured in with even more speed and force than it had been. Cassandra fought the waves caused by this new influx, trying to keep her head up…drowning seemed such a tame way to go…especially if one drowned without being held under by one's opponent. Speaking of which…she glanced about, trying to locate Tim. A flash of color caught her eye and she couldn't quite keep from crying out.

He was just floating there…face down, motionless in the water. What had happened to him? How long had he been like that? Was he dead? Cass swam over to him, turning him over on his back, praying that he wasn't. He wasn't breathing.

"No!" she thumped his chest with one hand, unable to do much more in the water. Luckily it seemed to be enough, at least for now, for he sort of jerked, then coughed out some water. He was breathing! But his breathing was shallow…and he seemed to still be unconscious.

"Um…Tim?" No answer. She sighed. Ok. At least he wasn't trying to kill her anymore. She looked up to the catwalk, surprised to see how much closer it seemed. The water was rising faster than she'd thought. If she could just keep Tim from falling under water…not to mention herself… then within a few minutes they would be able to reach the platform. She could get out and get Tim out…and they'd escape and go help Batman fight Joker!

Well…that was the plan, anyway. The lack of oxygen she'd suffered from was making her tired…more tired than treading water usually would…and with Tim's added weight she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep them from slipping under.

"Wake up." Her command went unheeded. She stroked through the water, pulling Tim along like a saturated puppet. Now it was a race…between her arms giving out and the water rising high enough for her to reach the catwalk.


"So then she said…hold on a second." Nightwing shook his head. Babs was still online with Dinah, who was taking on an ambitious scientist…bent, of course, on ruling the world…in Malaysia. He completed a swing, coming to rest on a window ledge. He could see the factory. It seemed…quiet. The neon signs Joker had put up had disappeared. Well, not disappeared, exactly. They had been turned off in any case.

"Ok, I'm back."

"Everything ok?" He scanned the area, hoping for some indication as to where the search should begin.

"Yeah, just the usual…taking on ten, twenty armed thugs at a time."

"Ah, no big, then." Well, it looked like the best course of action would be to enter the building and take a look around.

It was dark and dusty, natural for an abandoned building. Nightwing examined the room he had entered…the one with all the now unlit signs pointing to it. It was mostly empty. There were some machines on one side…from the looks of them they were relics from the factory's heyday. A sound to his left startled him and he shifted instinctively into a defensive crouch. But it was just a rat. The creature's eyes glinted at him in the faint light coming in through the windows. Its nose twitched a few times then it scampered off into the shadows.

"Hey Oracle, you got any eyes in here?" He followed a hunch, moving in the direction from which the rat had come.

"Sorry. Can't exactly hack into nonexistent security systems." His eyes probed the darkness, seeking invisible traps.

"Right."

"I do have layouts, though." He paused.

"Any rooms looking like good places for deathtraps?" He barely heard her fingers clicking away on the keyboard.

"A couple…there's a melting room…for melting down the metals and plastics for the toys, no doubt…or, oh this looks good…a super-cooled flash freezer. Hmmm…there's a chemical tank, for disposing and diluting all those unwanted toxic substances." Nightwing grinned at her tone. Her lighthearted banter was most likely a way to keep herself, and possibly him, from fearing the worst…he wasn't sure how well it worked for her, but it was sure working for him. Then again, he'd always used humor to lighten tense situations.

"Right, well, I think the freezers would be the first priority, since we don't want them to freeze."

"Of course," she replied wryly, "because being eaten away by acid or burned to a crisp would take so much longer to work." Nightwing smiled, but in a much grimmer manner…the fun had been taken out of it again.

"That's rather my point…if they're in one of the other rooms…we…well they've been there too long for us to aid them anymore." His voice trailed away to a near whisper at the end. He couldn't imagine the loss of Batgirl and Robin. No, Cassandra and Tim…they were family. The silence on the other end of the line made him wince. He didn't have to remind her. "Uh…anyways, how do I get where I'm going in this labyrinth?" She let out a watery laugh, and he cursed himself again…this night was hell on her, he knew.

"Take a right back in the first room you entered instead of a left…I'll give you the rest as you go."


The water closed over her head for the third time. It wasn't rising fast enough…she was out of energy. She couldn't hold Tim up and keep herself from drowning. She flailed about blindly. No use. Tim's limp body slipped from her fingers…and she almost let him. Her instincts, every muscle, vessel, and fiber of her being screaming for self-preservation.

Then she felt it.

Metal. Cold and hard…and right above her. With a surge of renewed energy she latched onto it, catching Tim just as he was about to slide away. Pulling, tugging…struggling, she managed to get Tim out of the water at last. She paused for a moment, clinging to the walkway like a half-drowned cat…or was it rat? Heck, she was all bat! But whatever the species, she hung there limply…any energy she had received from the knowledge that salvation was at hand having been sapped by her exertions to save Tim first.

A movement out of the corner of her eye brought her consciousness back to the problem at hand. She focused on Tim…there it was again! His head moved. Good. He was waking up. He could figure out how to get out of here now. The smile faded from her lips. Or not. What if he woke up still in Joker's trance? She sighed as his head wobbled again, realizing that it was just the water, still rising, that was lapping at his body, making him appear to move.

Which meant it was time for her to move, too. Gathering her remaining strength she heaved herself out of the water and onto the platform. She lay motionless for a moment, catching her breath. But she knew she didn't have much time before the water swallowed them up. She dragged Tim across the floor, though he was floating more than dragging, to the control box that Joker had messed with. She propped him up against it, hoping his head was high enough for him not to drown. She frowned down at him, then sighed.

"Ok. Now which one…?" she turned to the panel hoping there would only be the one knob, or at least only a few, so she could turn off the water and open the door. Today was not her day for wishes being granted. The big box looked more like the dashboard of a jet plane than a simple switchboard. Luckily each button, knob, and lever was clearly labeled…Cass closed her eyes, struggling against the growing feeling of defeat. She could do this…she could! She had been practicing…writing, reading. She could…she…she hung her head. The letters were all jumbled again. A nudge against her leg made her glance down. Tim's body was starting to slump over due to the water pressure.

Cass bit her lip. Ok. No help was about to appear from that direction, obviously. She narrowed her eyes. And why should it? No. This time she was going to be the one to figure things out. She would be the detective!

"Ok then, Sherlock…" she muttered, then grinned. It seemed that she was spending too much time with Tim. His sense of humor was rubbing off on her! She sobered, focusing on the control panel. The water was sloshing against her calves…time to get to work. With the tip of her tongue poking out of her mouth as she concentrated, she examined the first button.

"See. Aitch. Eee. Em. Eye. See. Aey. Ell. Che…no, Kem-i-cal…Grr." She sighed, exasperated. Well, this method would never get them out in time! Angrily she lashed out, striking randomly at the buttons and levers. After she had hit three of them, the floor shuddered beneath her. She paused, belatedly realizing that this method wasn't the brightest either. A small opening appeared in the far wall and an orangeish goo began oozing out. As it touched the water a hissssing sound could be heard and a thick cloud of smoke or steam began to rise.

"um… oops?" She turned back to the panel again. Now what? She glanced down at Tim again. Why couldn't he wake up and help! She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She tried to bring up the image of the alphabet in her mind. Then she tried to mentally write out the words she needed to look for. Which ones? A moment of panic assailed her, but she pushed it back. Ok. Water, of course. Off. Door. Exit? Maybe…she wasn't sure about that one. Fixing the image in her mind she opened her eyes and looked down again.

"There!" Her hand flew out grabbing a dial. She twisted it…nothing. She glared at the knob. She knew it was the right one! She turned it the other direction. There was a loud clank. Then a grinding noise and a door started to slide open on the other end of the walkway. A wave of relief flooded through her and she grabbed Tim. It was harder to move him this time, as all the water was rushing out of the open door.

She hefted him over her shoulder and began to trudge towards the exit. After only three or four steps, though, the entire platform shuddered. Glancing wildly about she realized that the orange muck had mixed with the water and created some kind of acid, which was eating away the supports. A growl of frustration escaped her, and she had the inexplicable urge to stomp her foot.

With a burst of strength she threw Tim towards the open door, hoping it wouldn't hurt him too badly. He came to rest a few feet from the opening, and she climbed up on the railing, preparing to catch one of the overhead pipes and swing herself over so that she lessened the weight on the platform. She propelled herself up and caught hold, but the pipe gave way…she found herself landing rather awkwardly just past the doorway.

There was a great shriek, a groaning of metal, and the walkway tore away from the wall. Cass lunged and managed to grab Tim just as he fell. The water-turned-acid had burned holes down below as well as eating the supports, draining the room…so at least she didn't have to worry about it eating him!

She dangled over the edge for a moment… one arm around Tim's neck, probably choking him, and her other hand grasping his arm. She heaved a deep breath, begging her muscles to perform one more feat, and dragged him up and into the hallway. A crash below caught her attention and she glanced down again. The catwalk had collapsed on itself. Cass, feeling quite as drained as the causeway, collapsed back as well…leaning against the cool metal of the wall.

She felt the nearly overwhelming urge to close her eyes…now that all the excitement was over, the adrenaline rush ebbing, her head was beginning to throb again. What would it hurt? She could close her eyes for just a minute…just to regain some strength...after all, Batman could surely take care of Joker….Batman. The thought woke her faster than any stimulant could. Joker was out there! And Batman! She needed to help him! She scrambled to her feet wildly, intending to go find him. She took one step and stumbled over something, plummeting back to the floor.

"What the…?" She glanced over at the object that had tripped her up, her eyes widening in shock. Tim! How could she have forgotten? After everything she'd just gone through….after…after… she sat up, kneeling on the floor next to him, and sighed.

"Tim. Wake up!" she nudged him. Nothing. She glared at him. "Wake up now!" What was wrong with him? She had done it…she had figured out the way out. She had gotten them out of the chamber and saved him from the acid. She had even read the right words on the panel. She had succeeded. Now it was time for him to "Wake UP!" She sat back, defeated. She had lost her belt, and her mask and cowl. She had no way to call for backup. And she was much too tired to try carrying him all the way back to…well, at least to a payphone…no, wait. She had no money either.

No to mention the fact that both of their faces, their 'secret identities', were exposed to anyone who might happen upon them. Cass felt a sting behind her eyes, and blinked, surprised to feel the moisture on her cheek. What was this? Tears? She never cried! Not when Cain shot her. Not when she had thought Batman had died. Not even when Stephanie had died. So why…? She glanced down at Tim again. No. Of course not. He was just sleeping. But…he wouldn't wake up! Stupid Tim. Stupid Cass…it must be a side effect from the headache and Joker trying to get in her head. Yes that was it! A side effect. Yet if that was really the cause, why did the thought that Tim may never wake fill her with such despair ?


"You sure you didn't take a right somewhere where you should have gone left?" Oracle's query was tinged with frustration and Nightwing bit his lip to keep the smile out of his tone.

"You mean zigged when I should have zagged?"

"Something like that." He grinned as her tone morphed to wry. He glanced around. He had been trekking for at least five minutes, and it felt as if he were walking in circles. Though Oracle had the floor plans pulled up on her computer, it seemed that the builders hadn't followed them very accurately.

"Well I have a suspicion that the freezers are right around…" an echo from deep within the building cut him off. He paused mid-step, looking back the way he'd come. There was a hollow clang somewhere and then a dull roar. Nightwing hadn't spent years as a crime-fighter and hero without developing a keen sense of danger…and it was clearly warning him.

"Nightwing?" There was a hint of panic to her tone and he realized belatedly that he had broken off mid-sentence.

"Sorry, I heard something….I think…" he broke off again as something told him he'd better move. The roaring was increasing, as if approaching. He executed a complicated back flip, managing to land on a support brace for an overhead walkway, just as what seemed to be thousands of gallons of water surged past beneath. He raised an eyebrow. That was…interesting.

"What's going on!" he could barely hear her over the noise of the flood.

"Hold on a sec!" The water was slowing, apparently reaching the end of its speedy exodus from... well, wherever it came from. There were only a few puddles left now, and he sighed. "Sorry 'bout that. We just had a sudden…yikes!"

"What! What is it!" Nightwing pulled his foot back up to the safety of his perch. He had meant to descend and continue his search, but…

"It's acid! I mean, really strong acid! It's burning right through the floor!" He crouched there for a moment, watching with some kind of morbid fascination as the floor beneath him simply melted away.

"Acid? Do you think…"

"That our two absentees have been up to mischief?" he kept his tone even, not wanting to let on his fears... that if Batgirl and Robin had been involved with the acid somehow, it was very likely that they weren't anymore...in the most sinister sense. Still…no reason to voice these thoughts aloud, so he finished, "let's hope so."


Cassandra heaved a sigh and fell back against the wall. Dropping her burden she slid down to a sitting position. She had been trekking through the halls of the abandoned factory for what seemed like hours…half-carrying, half-dragging Tim along after her. She wasn't sure what she'd do once they reached the outside, but she knew they couldn't just wait inside for someone to find them.

"You awake yet?" She had discovered a heretofore unknown talent for talking to herself in the last few minutes…hours…days….however long they'd been in here. Where she previously could live without any words at all, she found herself unable to go more than a few minutes without talking to the unconscious body of Tim. And, as on all her previous attempts, there was no answer.

Cass looked ahead. There was a seemingly endless expanse of hall in front of her, with a junction far, far away. She closed her eyes. Every time she stopped she felt the nearly overwhelming urge to go to sleep. But she couldn't do that…couldn't risk falling asleep forever like Tim.

"You should be," she muttered at Tim, continuing her monologue. It really wasn't fair that he got to sleep through all this, while she had to drag his sorry…well, anyway, it wasn't fair. Cass thunked her head against the wall a few times, frustrated. How could she get him to wake up? A brief image flashed into her mind of a "handsome prince" waking up the "beautiful princess" with a kiss….she ruthlessly shoved the thought from her head.

After all…what was she thinking! She didn't want to kiss Tim! … Did she? No, no….of course not. Though now that the idea had taken root it was becoming nearly impossible to dislodge. A little voice in the back of her head reminded her of the stories she'd been reading…about princes and happily ever afters.

And how she had been wanting to find a "prince".

And how she had been spending so much time with Tim…and having fun with him….and fighting crime with him…and…and….well…she hadn't really ever kissed anyone. She could just….no. Stop it, Cass! But…that same little voice was quite insistent…what if….wait a minute, just what if it worked out like in the story? What if she could wake him up like the prince and the princess and…

"Cass?" the voice was soft…cracking as if it hadn't been used for days…months…years. She glanced down in shock.

"Tim! You woke up!" She was unable to quite restrain herself, giving him a rather tight squeeze.

"Oof. What the…?" Cass detached herself immediately…he could be hurt…he could still be under the influence of the Joker…he could…

"Are you ok?" That was it. Take the direct approach. She eyed him critically. He seemed ok…and wasn't moving in any way to make her think Joker was still controlling him. Maybe being unconscious had gotten rid of Joker. Tim nodded, wincing. Looked like now he had a headache too. She moved around so that she could help prop him up.

"I…"

"I found them!" Tim's reply was cut off by the appearance of Nightwing. He was jubilant, and, though he hid it well…just not from her…very relieved to have found them. Cass supposed that there had been a pretty bad uproar when they had disappeared like that.

"Joker?" Tim croaked the word out, still not quite recovered.

"No, Nightwing." Cass gave Nightwing a dirty look. That's not what Tim had meant! But then again, Nightwing always had to be joking. He just shrugged at her glare and grinned. "Ok, ok. Yeah, we got 'im. He's on his way back to Arkham." He eyed the two younger vigilantes, anticipating their next questions. "And, yes, Batman's fine. I'm fine. Apparently you're fine…so everyone's fine!" Though there was a tone in his voice…a bit of a tightness in his stance…that warned Cass that everyone may not be fine once they got back to the cave…and Batman.

"Ok." Cass felt Tim relax, and she looked down at him. He was unconscious again. Well, phooey. Nightwing didn't seem to concerned, though, so she figured that meant he knew how to fix everything.

"Here." He held something out to her and she reached for it warily. It was her utility belt. He also had Robin's, and his mask and even his shoes! She fastened it around her waist, feeling a bit more secure. Though she still had no mask. She tried to put Tim's mask back on him, but she got it on crooked. A smothered chuckle from behind her earned Nightwing another glare.

"You could help, you know." He shrugged, but moved forward to help lift Tim from the ground.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I dunno." She shrugged. She could tell he was rolling his eyes at her under his mask, but she was too tired to retort. Nightwing took Tim…maybe he was back to being Robin, now that his mask was on…and kind of slung him over his shoulder. He started down the hallway, glancing back at her.

"Come on, let's go home."


To be continued...