I was flooded by waves of different emotions when I saw Barbara for the first time in what felt like ages. Relief, most of all, that she was alive, but also undercurrents of raw anger and fear. Bruce had really lied to me. She sure as hell didn't look fine, strapped to her wheelchair with no escape.
"Barbara, are you alright?" Gordon asked, looking over at his daughter.
"What are you doing?!" Oracle cried, shocked by the sight of her father's gun pointing at me.
"Call in the transport," Scarecrow ordered his soldier, "We're leaving."
"Yes, sir," he replied, walking back behind the large crates from where he had appeared.
"Like hell-" I growled, stuck behind my shield. I glanced about desperately, looking for anything I could use to save Barbara and make a quick getaway.
"It is no use, Robin," Scarecrow addressed me now, his toxic eyes burning into me. "You will surrender, and take me to Batman. It is time for the people of Gotham to see their saviour for who he truly is. A man. Just a man. Devoid of hope, betrayed by his friends, crippled by fear."
"Let her go," Gordon demanded. I couldn't believe that Barbara and I had been reduced to bargaining chips in this sick conflict.
"You all still have a part to play," the villain replied, laying his hands on Barbara's shoulders. That action alone ignited a burning fury within me. He had no right to touch her like that!
The Commissioner suddenly swung around, aiming his gun at Scarecrow. "We had a deal."
I lowered my shield, more than glad to assist Gordon in this standoff. My resolve was quickly wiped away when more armed militiamen poured in, completely surrounding us. Crane chuckled darkly, no doubt amused by the whole thing.
"Once I understood your greatest fear, controlling you was simple," the villain droned on. "You blame yourself for her condition. You need to protect her, but buried deep down is the inevitability that you will one day fail," he continued, hovering over Barbara like a vulture and taking her face in his hand. "And that fear makes you mine."
"Take your dirty fucking claws off her!" I snarled, trembling with rage. Gordon shot me a look of surprise before advancing threateningly, training his weapon at Scarecrow's head but helpless to save his daughter.
"Think very carefully about your next move, Commissioner," said Crane almost smugly. "Her life depends on it."
I fervently wished I could charge and take out Scarecrow right then and there, but I knew that wasn't an option. Being so outnumbered, there was little I could do, even if Nightwing decided to show up. Was this it? Had we lost?
Gordon slumped in defeat, realizing that Scarecrow, once again, had the upper hand. We were at his total mercy at this point. I watched the Commissioner carefully, and, through the rain, noticed a fire igniting in his weary eyes. He rounded on me, pointing his gun straight at my chest. Time seemed to slow as he fired, the bullet drilling right into my bulletproof armor and knocking the wind out of me. I stumbled back, slipping on the slick floor and tumbling over the side of the building.
For a moment, I free-fell in shock by what had just occurred. Surely, Gordon had not meant to kill me! It was only the sound of Barbara screaming my name that put me back into action. She was still up there, and she needed me now, more than ever.
I twisted in the air, my cape billowing out into a glider that lifted me out of my fall. I struggled to control my trajectory, barely making the edge of one of the neighboring rooftops. My landing was rough, and I rolled across the length of the building until I came to a stop.
I lay there on my back, the cold raindrops biting into my face. I took a few deep breaths, processing what had just happened before strategizing. Those goons up there probably thought I was down for the count. If I were sneaky enough, I could grapple up and take them by surprise with the help of Nightwing, wherever he was.
My mind registered a frantic beeping coming from my gauntlet; another call, no doubt.
"Robin speaking," I coughed, trying to keep myself composed.
"Tim! What the hell is going on?" Speak of the devil, and he shall yell in your ear. "I'm stuck inside the mall. Someone locked the elevator down, but I'm gonna find a way into the shaft, OK?"
"Dick, be careful," I told him, pushing myself to my feet. "It was all a trap. Scarecrow has Barbara, and then Gordon...I barely got out alive!"
"What?" Nightwing was beginning to sound frantic. "What happened to them? Is Jason up there?"
Anything else Dick said passed right out of my other ear. I wasn't paying any attention to him because I had caught sight of what was going on at the top of the unfinished mall. My jaw fell open. That bastard Scarecrow was hanging Barbara and her wheelchair off the edge of the building.
No. No, no, no, no, this was not happening! That crazy fucker was going to kill her!
Adrenaline flooded my system as my legs pumped with all the energy they could muster. I raced to the edge of the building, leaping on to an elevated walkway above the street. I looked up just in time to see the teetering wheelchair fall, breaking into pieces. Barbara tumbled through the air like a broken doll, powerless to save herself.
A furious cry ripped its way out of my throat. Wasting no more time, I pulled out my grappling gun and fired at the building. The clawed hook latched onto the side of the building, just below the path of the falling Oracle. In an instant, I was airborne, the grapple pulling me up at a breakneck speed. I shot upward like a bird of prey, my arms extending to catch and hold her once more.
Our bodies collided roughly, and I held Barbara against my chest as we both spun and plummeted. My glider trapped most of the passing air, decelerating our descent. Even still, things weren't going to be pretty if I couldn't land correctly. Catching a glimpse of the fast-approaching pavement, I pivoted so that my shoulders and back would take the brunt of the collision. I braced myself, curling around Barbara and hoping for the best.
Blunt pain shot through my side as we hit the ground, right behind a low, decorative wall. I lay on my back once more, my senses fading in and out. Frantic thoughts ran amuck in my delirious mind. Did we make it? Were we dead?
"Tim! Timmy!" A desperate voice broke through the haze and I saw her face right above mine, eyes brimming with worry.
I couldn't help but grin at the sight. "Hey, Babs," I chuckled, earning a smack upside the head.
"Don't you ever do that to me again!" She shouted, still flustered by our heart-stopping escapade. "I thought Dad killed you!"
I reached up and plucked the bullet sticking out of my armor, spinning it between my fingers. "Huh. Guess he knew what he was doing."
Barbara sighed heavily, relaxing against me. "That's a blessing."
"Now, what did I tell you about robins being good luck?" I admonished in a mock-condescending tone. My hand moved up, brushing away bright, orange hair and wiping the grime from Barbara's cheek.
"You idiot," she laughed tearfully before capturing my lips in hers. I closed my eyes, a soft moan escaping from my throat. After spending so long worrying about Oracle's well-being, having her beside me once more was exhilarating. I deepened the kiss, communicating my love and relief, releasing all the stress the night had brought.
For an instant, we forgot the war-torn city around us and the villains who hungered for our heads. We lay there in bliss, just a man and a woman trapped in their own little universe.