The Shadow Files-
The Jason Todd Chapters – Ch.2 – Red Haze
Catarena had been away for a month and a half before Bruce contacted her out of the blue one day. He wanted her to come home again. He was earnest and made it clear he wanted her home immediately. He wouldn't talk about it over the phone but the seriousness in his voice made her obey without question. She didn't dwell on it much and figured he must need her help with something; he had done this to her before though giving her a little warning would have been nice. Her thoughts immediately went back to Jason and the thought of going home. How she missed him, how she wanted to kiss him and how she even thought about skipping the rest of her training to stay close to him. And Bruce's sudden call had made up her mind about asking Jason to turn himself. Cat saw it as fate.
For once in her life she didn't mind the flight home. All she could think about was seeing Jason. Soon she was in the car with Alfred driving home. It was only then did Cat pick up on how quiet Alfred was being. He was too quiet and Cat thought he seemed sad. This made Cat anxious. Once home Cat went to find Bruce in the cave. He was sitting at the computer, batsuit on, cowl pulled back and Cat could tell he hadn't slept in days. When he noticed Cat he turned and stood.
"So, what's the big emergency?" Cat asked, trying to lighten the mood in the room that was making her uncomfortable.
"Catarena, I have to tell you something." Bruce began and there was something about the look in his eyes that stirred old memoires in her she didn't want to revisit.
"It couldn't have been over the phone?" She asked.
"No…" Bruce said and couldn't get any other words out.
Cat's heart was racing. She knew he had to tell her something bad.
"Where's Jason?" She asked as she locked her eyes on Bruce's face.
He couldn't say the words but his face said it all and Cat noticed something out of the corner of her eye. In the same moment her throat closed, the breath caught in her mouth as her eyes fell on the wooden coffin. A million emotions were flooding her at once but the most dominant being rage. A red haze seemed to fall over her vision as she looked at Bruce again.
"How?" She demanded as hot tears blazed down her cheeks.
"The Joker."
Was all Bruce could say and after that second Catarena lost all sense of what was happening. Bruce watched her carefully. He thought she would faint but after he'd told her she transformed instantly. Her eyes were slits and filled with rage as a seething hiss escaped her throat. Bruce was cautious to not make sudden moves as he reached for some tranquilizers from his belt. He knew Cat was no longer there, consumed by the animal and out for blood. The click of the compartment on his belt snapped her attention to him and it was all over. Cat was gone in an instant. Bruce knew even if he locked down the cave Cat would out run his timing. Bruce alerted Nightwing as he got into the Batmobile taking off. Cat was on food and he knew he could catch up but didn't think he could stop her with the car. Joker was back in Gotham and Bruce knew Cat was out for his head.
In the car Batman activated Cat's locator; she was already in the city. Cat was stopped at a store and Batman wondered what she was doing. She didn't stay there long and Batman caught up to her. He saw her face and understood. She had stolen a black hoodie and painted her face with some kind of black paint in a sloppy manor to cover her eyes, making a sort of mask. She had improvised a uniform for her hero persona Shadow. In her current state it was a frightening image. Nightwing contacted Batman then that he was in the city. Batman told Nightwing to not approach Shadow, for now they would tail her. If they got too close she would take them out and there would be no stopping her from killing the Joker.
Shadow was on the hunt. She would have no problem picking up the Joker's stink and trailing it. She was an excellent tracker and Batman hadn't realized how much her skills were improving. They lost sight of her but they weren't too far behind her tracking device.
Shadow found the Joker with Harley. He was most likely planning his next evil idea. Harley screamed when she saw Cat but the Joker seemed unfazed. As Shadow looked at Harley she wondered if the Joker had a caring bone in his body, for she theorized that Joker only used Harley. Shadow approached Harley who made to run away but Shadow grabbed her swiftly. Harley screamed and cried for Joker to help her but he didn't budge; he almost seemed amused. Shadow then did something to Harley so horrible one would have thought Shadow had killed her; but still Joker did nothing. Shadow silence Harley's sobbing with a swift hit and turned her attention to Joker; knowing she wouldn't have much time. She didn't want to kill him quickly. She wanted him to suffer as Jason no doubt had. Shadow knew exactly the precise ways to cause people pain, without killing them. Soon Joker was producing the sounds that would start to pacify her rage. Sounds she hadn't realized Joker was capable of making. She snapped and twisted him, interested to hear the sounds he made, knowing she was the first to produce them from him. From this day on he would fear her and know what she was capable of. Though she didn't get to have much time as she'd hoped. Batman and Nightwing had caught up to her. They busted in and Shadow managed to snap Joker's collar bone before they took her out with a tranquilizer. For the time being Shadow was pacified by the pain she had caused Joker. Shadow collapsed to the ground and Nightwing lifted her into his arms.
"Take her home. I'll take care of this." Batman said and Nightwing nodded.
Cat was cleaned up and put to bed. Dick stayed by her side for a while but he knew she wouldn't wake up for several days.
Cat awoke in the middle of the night, her balcony doors were open letting in the cool air of spring. She got up slowly, not remembering how she had gotten there but knew what she had done and figured Batman must have stopped her. She didn't know if Joker had survived her torture and she didn't care. She wanted him dead. She only worried that Wonder Woman had found out what she'd done. Cat knew she needed to leave again, despite wanting to kill Joker she knew she needed to control these feelings. She also needed to leave because she wouldn't be able to deal with Jason's scent all over the house. She went onto her balcony and could smell freshly turned earth. She knew Bruce had laid Jason to rest. She made her way to the spot quickly but hung back a few yards, inspecting the area. She didn't want to believe what was happening and seeing the grave made her angry all over again. She moved closer, swifting to the grave site and kneeled in front of the head stone. She ran her fingers over the letters and then she ran her fingers in the grass. Jason was out of her reach forever and the brief relationship they had, had wounded her each time she thought of it. The memories replayed in her mind like a broken record. She began crying angry tears but refused to cry in the open. She took off; bolting into the woods. She ran until she came to her favorite clearing. The very one she had taken Jason to but now, what used to hold peace and comfort, there was nothing but sadness. She took off again deep into the woods; running for what seemed like forever until the sadness over came her. She started sobbing as she ran making her vision blurry. Bushes and branches cut up her body as she ran through them. They healed as quickly as they had happened but they still stung and it only dusted the surface of her pain. She finally tripped over a branch that twisted her ankle terribly but she was numb to the pain. She lay on a soft patch of green grass as she let her sobbing over take her. She was transformed and didn't even care. Her emotions were everywhere, which made it harder to control her transformation but at the moment it was the only thing calming her down. Being in the forest was the only thing making sense to her at the moment. She wanted to be alone and succumb to her sadness but she suddenly realized she was not alone. Shadow shot up, glaring into the darkness at the intruder. Her cheeks were wet with tears but she ignored it. She was thankful for the early light of morning and the paint that was still semi on her face. None other than Poison Ivy had stepped into the small grass clearing Shadow had fallen into. Shadow eyed Ivy, waiting for her to make a move but she did not. Ivy only watched Shadow just as she was doing. Finally Ivy spoke.
"You're not going to accuse me of being up to something way out here?" Ivy asked and Shadow relaxed only slightly.
"I could care less what you're doing. You could be murdering someone and I would turn a blind eye." Shadow responded.
It was then that Ivy really took in Shadow's appearance.
"You're defenseless and alone I could kill you way out here and no one would know." Ivy stated, testing Shadow.
"I wish you could kill me." Shadow responded as she stared at the ground.
Ivy wasn't expecting her to respond that way.
"I cannot kill you?" Ivy inquired and Shadow gave a small laugh.
"A thousand ways to die but never stay dead… I will never die. I will never grow old. I am alone forever." Shadow said and Ivy was stunned.
"Why are you telling me this? You've never spoken more than a few words." Ivy said.
"Because I don't care anymore and in a strange way I trust you. There is good in you." Shadow told her honestly and Ivy was silent for a moment.
"Why were you crying?" Ivy asked.
"Someone I love was murdered." Shadow said quietly.
"Robin… and you went after Joker? You did all that to him?" Ivy asked.
"Yes. Did he live?" Shadow asked.
"Yes as far as I know." She replied, "I'm sorry… Joker deserved what you did to him and more." Ivy added.
They were silent for several minutes before Shadow spoke.
"Ivy… are you immortal?" Shadow asked unexpectedly.
"As long as there is water and the sun shines. Yes, I am." She replied.
Shadow seemed pleased.
"I hope that one day we can be friends. I know you could do so much good for the flora of this planet but it's become clear to me you would need the right backing. I'm trying to work on something. Would you be interested in working for me?" Shadow asked.
Ivy was beyond words but nodded. Shadow smiled and looked at the ground again. Ivy then kneeled close to Shadow and made something grow in front of her.
"Catnip?" Shadow asked.
"Yes. It won't make the pain go away but it will take the edge off." Ivy said.
"Thank you." Shadow said and Ivy stood but before she left she turned to say something.
"I'm sorry for your loss." She said and then disappeared into the night.
Shadow looked at the catnip and ran her fingers through it. She had been curious to try it. She plucked some and put it in her mouth. She chewed it and was surprised at how good it tasted. She ate all that Ivy had grown for her and it made her mellow enough to face the world again. Ivy was right about the pain. The plant didn't make it go away but it helped lower the aggression she was feeling. The sun was breaking the horizon fully now and she got up to make her way back to the manor.
When Cat returned from the woods she found Bruce. She could tell she had caught him at a good time; he had just returned from a night of patrolling. He turned to her when he noticed her approach.
"I'll be leaving soon, before Wonder Woman can find me. I'm sure she's heard of what's happened. I'm sorry… I didn't…I." Cat stammered but Bruce stopped her by placing his hand on her shoulder.
"You don't have to be sorry for what you did. You were completely justified to do so. I wanted to do the same thing, you beat me to it. And Wonder Woman already came while you were asleep. I took the fall for you. Joker had no distinguishing marks that pegged you, and she didn't get to see him. Wonder Woman thinks you're still away but on your way home now, so that I can tell you. Oracle sought to forge it. I had Dick hide with you in one of the secret cave rooms." Bruce told her.
"Thank you. You… didn't have to do that." Cat mumbled and Bruce shook her a little, to shake some sense into her. Her fog of catnip was impairing her thought process a bit.
"Of course I did. We're family. You mean the world to me Catarena, like my own daughter. I'm sorry I don't say it enough. I would do anything to protect you. I've already failed you so much. I'm so sorry about Jason, I didn't know." He said softly.
"Didn't know?" Cat asked.
"That you were involved." He said and Cat was shocked.
"How…?" She whispered.
"Alfred told me… after." He said.
Cat didn't realize she was crying until wet tears were rolling down her cheeks. Bruce tried to dry them but they wouldn't stop and he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. She felt comforted by this and soon calmed down. Cat assured Bruce she'd be alright in time and he let her go. She made her way upstairs where she wanted to retreat to her room to wait out her catnip stupor alone. It wasn't allowing her to hide her emotions though she wondered if that was for the best. But of course fate wouldn't allow her peace just yet. It continued to torment her. For she ran into Dick; who of course was looking for her. Her mind didn't want to be near him but her heart did for he offered only continued comfort. She tried to get past him but he stopped her and there was only concern in his eyes.
"Please Cat… let me help you."
He said softly and she turned to him slightly. His arms were open and she didn't turn them down. She stepped into his arms and buried her face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as she cried.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He whispered and that was all he said.
He stood there holding her, letting her cry. She didn't fight it and just let it all out, knowing it was for the best. Though one thing the catnip couldn't help with was the thunder that rumbled in the distance. Cat had always been afraid of storms and in her heightened ability state it was her own personal hell. She tensed up in Dick's arms instantly.
"Would you like me to stay with you tonight?" Dick asked and Catarena nodded.
It was easy to fall into old habits. Dick was used to staying with Cat when it stormed. When he had still been living in the manor Cat had grown accustomed to slipping into his bed like a child would with parents. It was still early evening but they went to Cat's room where Dick would lay with her until the storm was over or until morning. As he lay there holding Cat he could tell she had forgiven him for all the mistakes he had made against her. He knew she would never love him that way again but it made them closer. Not much was said in this time together and sooner then he thought Cat had cried herself to sleep. He too slept, figuring it a good idea to catch up.
Catarena awoke early the next morning. Dick was still sleeping, sound asleep under Cat. She propped herself up a little to look at him and he didn't stir. She figured he desperately needed the sleep. Cat got up and went to her desk where she wrote Dick a letter that thanked him and forgave him for everything. She was leaving again that day and would not come back for some time. Jason's scent was everywhere and she couldn't face it. Cat quickly gathered her things; said goodbye to Alfred and Bruce, and departed.