chapter 18

A sickening feeling crawled up inside of Barbara and it felt like her stomach was about to jump out of her throat. She was suddenly sweating, more so than she had been. Had she maybe misheard the voice? Was it really who she thought it was? Of course. It was Dick, and he'd seen them. She was dizzy and her vision whirled rapidly as she tried to dress herself. She looked like a mess but was finally presentable and crawled out the other door while Bruce tucked his cock back into his pants, wiped his mouth and reattached his armor. "Dick," She gasped as she climbed out into the rain. She blinked against the shower, her vision still fuzzy from the flashlight. Another blinding light shot out and she focused in on the source. Dick's motorcycle. No! She couldn't let him leave like this! She stumbled forward and grabbed onto his arm, clutching at him through the leather jacket he wore. "Dick please!" She cried.

"Don't touch me!" He shouted. "What the hell, Barbara? I knew you were acting strange lately, but this? Really?" He had to yell over the loud rain, his eyes squinting, hair soaked and sticking to his forehead.

"Please, it's complicated, just let me talk to you!" She begged. She wiped at her eyes to see through the raindrops on her eyelashes. He shrugged his arm up to knock her hands away. The other door of the Tumbler finally opened and Bruce stepped out.

"Robin," Bruce said, his voice sincerely apologetic yet strained and hoarse. "I am so sorry."

"Don't!" He shouted, revving the bike up. "You had sex with my girlfriend! I can hardly stand to look at you right now," He said and they could all hear the pain in his voice. "I love her and you just want to fuck her. Was it really worth ruining everything?" He was fuming, jaw tight, eyes narrowed. He stepped off the bike, turning it off and propped it up, approaching Bruce.

"I don't just want to fuck her," Bruce said through his teeth, angry at the accusation. Barbara looked at him with wide eyes, not knowing what to say now. "You know me better than —"

"I'm not sure I know you at all." Robin shook his head at Batman, disgusted, hurt, eyes wet with tears. It almost happened in slow motion. Dick's fist swung out and hit Bruce in the jaw painfully and with a large crack and his head whipped to the side, making him grunt. Dick grabbed at his hand, rubbing the swollen knuckles and the moment that Bruce raised his head, his fist slammed into his jaw one more time. Batman growled and Dick cursed, blood now dripping heavily from the scrapes on his fist.

"Dick, stop it!" Barbara screamed, running up to him and pushing on his chest.

"Get out of the way, Barbara," He hissed at her.

"No," She spat back. "Stop hurting him. You're acting like a child."

"I am?" He demanded, outraged. There was a rough ache in her chest when she realized that not all the droplets on his face were rain and that tears were sliding down his red face. He was crying. Tears pricked in her own eyes, repulsed at herself for doing this to such a sweet, kind man.

"Yes!" She finally said, though tears leaked from her eyes. "I am sorry," She said, pleading. "But be mad at me, not him! Hit me!" She said, guilt outweighing every other emotion.

"What?" He demanded. "You're insane!"

"Don't hurt him," She begged, a wave of vicious protectiveness flooding through her veins like adrenaline. Batman was a few steps behind her, rubbing at his jaw, feeling it to make sure it wasn't fractured.

"Babs, stop," Bruce finally said. "He has every right to hate me."

"But not to hit you!" She cried, turning back to him. He pushed her by her shoulder away and she stumbled backwards.

"Yes he does," Bruce said, standing in front of Dick with no resistance.

"He's right," Dick growled. His fist clenched and he started to raise it when Barbara lunged, grabbing onto his arm and jerking it down. She landed painfully on the gravel on her knees, holding his arm with all her might.

"Please," She sobbed, tears falling freely now. "Stop." It wasn't only that he was hitting Bruce. It wasn't that he'd figured out her secret. It wasn't only guilt. It was everything. It was seeing her two favorite people, the two people she cared most for in this world fighting, screaming at each other. They were like father and son, or brothers, best friends… This shouldn't be happening. And it was all her fault. She choked on her tears, coughing loudly, bending forward. Dick was the first one to kneel beside her, holding her up.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned, though his touch was still rough from his anger. Bruce was there instantly, though he backed slightly away from Dick's glare as Barbara continued to wretch violently which ended in vomiting the contents of her stomach up all over the rain soaked ground. She coughed and coughed until finally she pushed Dick off, stood and stumbled away until she reached the car, throwing open the door. She was inside in the warm car for a split second before turning it on and slamming her foot on the gas pedal.

She swallowed heavily to get the taste of vomit from her mouth, driving to nowhere at all, needing to get away.

Something crawled across the floor no more than three feet from Selina Kyle's face. She screamed, kicking herself backwards towards the opposite wall. This back of the van was full of creatures and she couldn't see them at all. She could hear them, though, and she could feel them, skittering across her feet and hands. Somewhere in her mind she knew that none of this was real. She knew that the disgusting monster in the front seat with the eyes hanging from their sockets, and worms invading the holes wasn't real. She knew that the freakish creatures trying to crawl in her mouth weren't real. It was Crane's toxin. The effects had definitely faded over the past four hours, though that didn't mean much. She was still shaking with fear. The door slammed open, and she assumed that they'd stopped driving. Selina closed her eyes, trying not to look, not wanting to see what would appear this time.

"Wake up, kitty cat," Crane's snake like voice said from above her. She looked up at him, shivering and gasped, seeing his blood splattered mask, though she knew she was just hallucinating.

"What do you want?" She hissed.

"Oh, stop acting like you have something to threaten me with," He chastised her. "The chemicals set in in three days. You're all infected, if you've been wandering the streets of Gotham, that is. I'm sure your little Bat friend has told you what my new toxin does?"

"Not exactly," She replied dryly, watching him pace the small area. He took his mask off, folded it up and tucked it in his back pocket before fixing his hair and setting those wicked eyes on her.

"They won't just hallucinate. The more they fight it, the stronger it gets until the point where they're ripping open their skin, clawing out their eyes… It's quite spectacular, actually… That'll be you in three days time if you don't cooperate with me." Her heart pounded, imagining all the people that will die in just three days if she didn't let Batman know. Rage filled the pit of her stomach. Batman. She shouldn't even help him. "I can let you die, or I can give you the vaccine. Your choice, really. But if you comply and I let you go and you run off to get my precious jewels, then you can scamper off like the kitten you are and rob banks to your hearts content."

"Batman won't ever let you win," She whispered.

He chuckled. "He doesn't know what he's getting into."

"How does this even benefit you? Killing all your test subjects?"

He shrugs. "Science never ceases. This whole city could perish and I still won't be stopped. There's a few more billion souls out there to be my lab rats."

"Haven't you learned from your mistakes? This won't work!"

He backhanded her violently across her face and she spit blood out on the concrete beside her. "You've got three days, pussy cat." He flashed three long, thin fingers at her. "Three. If you aren't back with my money in that time, you'll die a horrifying death just like everyone else." His switchblade cut the ropes that binded her hands together and she rubbed her wrists. Looking at his watch, he said, "Your time starts now." And his fist wrapped into her hair and he slammed her head against the wall.

The pieces of Scarecrow's plan are finally starting to fall into place... and the Bat Family is starting to fall apart. *dramatic music* Well, guess what guys? It's February now! That means thirteen days until Valentine's Day. I don't know about you, but I'm totally excited to spend another Valentine's eating heart shaped candy alone in my bedroom and reading smut. But really, though, I hope you all have a wonderful hoilday with whomever it is your heart (or the other organ between your legs) belongs to.

Mrs. Wayne: You're very welcome! I love responding to you guys, it just makes the whole thing very personal. :) I'm not sure if you've played the Arkham City video game, but if so, Miracle of Sound made a song called "Joker's Song" based on the game and there's a line that says, "I've studied the mind of Bat. A hero with no praise or glory. Just his cape and his cave and his... MEOW." And it's my favorite thing ever. Haha, love it. Anywho, I hope that your inquiries were all taken care of in this chapter! Can't wait to hear from you again!

Guest (1): Dude, tell me about it. Who wants to dress themselves? Although, I think I'd still prefer Bruce taking my clothes off...

Guest (2): Batman and Babs sitting in a tree... f-u-c-k-i-n-g?

Guest (3): You sound like me! The other night, I sat with some champagne and watched scenes from the Dark Knight XXX parody over and over again...

Anonymous 01: Ooh! I love that! I'm kind of imagining them having rough, wonderful sex in his office chair on one of the top floors of Wayne Enterprises right in front of his giant window looking out over Gotham...

silver: No judgements here! I completely consider that smut, too! I mean, I think technically, if you can masturbate and/or get off to something, it can technically be considered smut. Right? At least, that's how I view it! :) I'm so excited for the art! I've seen a few amazing pieces of Babs/Bruce fucking, and Jesus Christ, hotter than the Devil himself.

Guest (4): Thank you so much, sweetie! I'll definitely try, and I hope you keep coming back for more! :D

Love you guys! I'll see you in a few days, my little perverts. Don't miss me too much... Or do. ;)

- Chokes