A/N: Thanks for holding on for this chapter—it really was a bitch to write. Big thanks to TorontoBatFan for being specific in the review—I did intend for Tim to take the spring semester off, but when I added in the comic continuity, he ended up going back to school, so I'm operating under the assumption this took place directly before the semester started. And of course, thanks to everyone else—your enthusiasm keeps me going.

Also, I would be forever grateful if someone will tell me how to put line breaks in like I did in the first chapter without the bloody quickedit taking them out. Hence the x's for line breaks.

So without further ado,

Chapter 8: Strange mornings, Strange evenings

Tim is driving me crazy.

I'm glad he's here, but he's…hovering.

He didn't even go to his apartment after school. He came here. I'd been alone since Alfred went home this morning.

The nightmares were bad. Tim must know what it's like. I can't talk about it. Alfred didn't make me. He left me alone and made cookies and didn't make me talk.

Tim won't shut up. He's not even talking about anything important. Just fixing something to eat in the kitchen and talking about school. He's so worried. But I'm Batgirl. I can take care of myself.

He comes into the living room with a handful of cookies and a glass of milk. "How was your day?"

I shrug. "I slept all morning. Alfred made breakfast and he went home. I worked out this afternoon."

He just nodes. "Nightwing is patrolling Blüdhaven tonight."

"That's stupid," I say. "I don't like sitting here."

"You know how he is," Tim says.

"I'm not some little girl!" I say. The words won't come out of my mouth. "I'm just fine." I stand up. "I can…handle this. No one…believes me. Not Oracle! Not Batman!"

"Hey," Tim says, standing up. He puts a hand on my shoulder. "I believe you. And you're not the only one being sidelined for the night."

I turn away. "I don't need you watching me either."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" he says. "Damn it, Cass—I'm not keepking tabs on you. And I know you can handle it."

"Then why are you here?" I yell back.

"Because maybe I need to be here so—" he stops his yelling and turns around, leaning against the chair. I watch him—see everything that he's feeling.

I give him a hug from behind. "I'm sorry."

He turns around and hugs me back. "I—" his voice sounds funny. "I just can't lose anyone else."

I hug him tighter. Scarecrow made me see Robin die—and I'd been the one that killed him. I don't want to lose him either. So we stand there and hold on and are glad we're both alive.

He finally lets go and brushes my hair behind my ear. "We okay?"

I nod. "We're okay."

xxxxxx

(One day later)

Back on the job. I feel better out here than I do at the house. What was it Babs says? Something about getting back up on a horse. I don't get it.

If I'm awake, I'm not having nightmares. I had one last night, and Tim came and woke me up. He'd been sleeping on the couch, and came in and sat on the edge of the bed. He gave me a hug, told me it would be okay and laid down on top of the covers and talked to me until I went back to sleep. I woke up this morning holding onto him, and he had an arm around my waist.

It was weird.

But now, I'm flying over Blüdhaven. I can see Gotham's lights…glitter from here, and I don't feel stupid anymore.

I stop when I see him—Penguin, with a blonde chick on his arm, leaving through the back door of his new Blüdhaven club.

I swing down before I think about it. Penguin has only two guards, and I wonder why he didn't expect a visit from me. The blonde girl screams and I knock her unconscious.

Penguin…squawks. I shove him up against the wall.

"You sent Scarecrow after us," I say.

"No!" Penguin says. He's lying. I see it.

"Do you want to work in Blüdhaven?" I say. "Batman lets you get away with things because you give him information. Robin and I will let you do it. But if you send another person after us, you will be back in prison. Got it?"

He understands. I see it when he nods, but I know something is going on in his head. I don't think he's going to actually leave us alone, but it might give us some time. He sent Scarecrow after us—I don't know who might be next, but Robin and I will have time to plan, which is what we really need.

I let Penguin go and head back up to the roof. Robin is waiting for me. "Feel better?"

"Your turn," I say.

He laughs, looking over the edge of the roof. Penguin is picking himself up, and kicking his guards. "I think you scared him enough for one night."

I just stare down at Penguin. It makes me angry to see him, but no one can hold him for actual crimes—he's too smart for that.

"Want to piss him off?" Robin says. "He's got another drug shipment coming in on the docks tonight. I could use some help. Or just some company."

He's so open. He doesn't need my help—I see that, but he does want me to come. It's weird. Like this morning. But it's nice.

This morning was nice too. "Okay. Sounds good. Let's go."

He smiles at me. "Cool."

xxxxx

Fighting feels good. I yank one guy's head down, slam my knee into his nose. He yells and wanders backwards. Behind him, Robin's bo is flying through Penguin's men, smacking them down.

"Get away from that container," I hear Robin bellow, and I see one guy go running to grab one of the containers. It looks like a fridge on it's side. I drop the guy with the broken nose, and chase after the other one. One blow to the back of his head and he falls.

Robin has finished with the rest of them and comes over as I open the top of the fridge. The smell of death and dried blood hits us, and Robin slowly backs away, his eyes on the body in the cooler. I take a closer look.

It's Captain Boomerang. The guy that killed Robin's dad. "What is Penguin doing?"

"Maybe he's going to have Boomerang stuffed," Robin said. He looks a little green. "Like he did Blockbuster."

I stare at the body in the crate. They must have stolen it from the Gotham morgue and been taking it to another freezer. But why did they go for this crate instead of the ones with the drugs?

The same question is going through Robin's mind, and I don't want to think about what else I see. His arms and shoulders are tense and he is just barely shaking. So I shut the cooler and shove it into the bay.

Robin looks confused. "Amy's coming with the police to get the drugs," I say. "Batman can pick up Boomerang to see if they're hiding anything."

He nods. Neither of us have the stuff to deal with this, and even if we did, Robin shouldn't have to do it.

He looks tired now. He had been ener…full of energy. "Come on," I say. "Let's go home."