Timothy Drake Chapters

Prologue

Not long after Jason Todd's death Oracle had informed Cat of a young boy who had figured out Bruce's secret on his own and that after much debate and argument Bruce had agreed to train him as Robin. Catarena was impressed at how smart the boy was. Only a handful of people had figured out Bruce's secret and all of them had IQ's to match Bruce's. Deep down Cat knew Batman needed a Robin. Oracle kept her informed on how Bruce was taking things after Jason's death and for a time it did not seem to be going well. That is until the boy, Timothy Drake, had confronted him and donned the Robin costume. Oracle went on to say how Tim had brought some life back to Bruce and for that Catarena was glad but she still would not return home. Timothy even knew about Catarena and Oracle informed her Tim had been asking about her. Cat wasn't comfortable with having to tell another stranger about her but this time was different. He already knew, having pieced the puzzle together. But if Cat went home it would not be the same. She had purged her mind of the past year and replaced it with discipline and training. The past nightmare was almost gone. She knew only then could she face another young Robin.

Eventually Catarena did return home to meet the new Robin. Cat didn't inform anyone she was traveling home but of course Oracle was keeping it a secret from Bruce. Cat didn't care if Oracle told him she just didn't think to contact him. Cat got to Gotham in the early evening and knew Batman and Robin would be patrolling. Cat didn't bring much home. Donning a tight black hoodie with spandex pants and boots, she crossed her cylindrical black canvas duffle over her back with the strap in front of her and quickly picked up their trail. Shadow could tell they had no idea she was following them. She decided to make sure they knew quickly but she would still have some fun. Shadow wanted to test just how good she had gotten while away. From several hundred yards off she began sprinting toward them, jumping from roof to roof. Cat was swift and quiet as darkness and as she had thought Batman didn't notice her until the last second. He thought she were after them but a nanosecond after he turned he knew it was Shadow. He stopped mid attack but Shadow had moved to avoid him already. She jumped, twisted mid air to land in front of them. Batman straightened and relaxed but Robin was tense and ready for a fight.

"Shadow… you skills have gotten even better. I'm impressed." Batman said and her eyes glowed with a smirk through the darkness of her hood.

Robin was shocked but relaxed at Batman calling their mystery girl Shadow.

"The Shadow." Robin repeated.

"Yes Robin this is my Shadow. We'll go back to the cave. It's a slow night." Batman said and they could see Shadow's glowing eyes smirk from under her hood.

"Race you?" Shadow suggested.

Batman hummed in amusement as the Batmobile rumbled up to the building street below.

"Robin, let's move." Batman said as he then jumped from the edge of the roof.

Robin seemed too stunned to move.

"Better hurry, he'll leave you behind." Shadow said just before she took off over the roof tops once more.

A few Months pass…

Plans are made for Tim to travel to Europe to meet up with Catarena to receive some of the training she is studying. Cat is grateful for the company and quickly becomes friends with Tim…

One night after a long day of training they sit by a fire and talk…

"So, how did you get like that? If you don't mind saying… I wasn't able to find all of the details. I was able to follow Bruce and Dick's actions well but I can only assume you were kept quiet and you fell out of sight out of mind for a while." Tim said.

Catarena grinned at his intelligence and deductive abilities at such a young age.

"No, it's alright I don't mind telling the tale… On my seventeenth birthday I was kidnapped by a man named Dr. Dorian. Well, kidnapped by one of his mutant cat creatures. Bruce and Dick discovered I was missing fairly quickly. But there were no leads as to where I was. No one had seen anything as if the darkness had come and swallowed me. But they managed to find something which lead them to an island long forgotten by Gotham… It was too late to save me. This story is one Batman does not enjoy sharing. The doctor had not made an antidote and if one could have been made it may not have worked on me. The night Batman and Robin had found me I ran away from them, having not known Bruce's secret. I'm still surprised they were able to keep it from me for so long. I roamed Gotham's streets for a month, ferial and confused. When I had become too weak to run Batman finally caught up to me. He revealed his secret and that was the end of it. I went home to this new life." Cat told him, he was riveted by the story.

"Did they ever find an antidote?"

"Yes, eventually but not for a few years. When I was finally home I became depressed, thinking I could never go into public looking like this. In my depression I stopped eating and in weakness we learned I could go back to normal. So Bruce took me to Superman. They did tests on me and I learned a few more abilities."

"Like what?"

"Well, strength for one. I don't use it when we spar but have you not noticed? You can hit me all you want and never knock me down?"

It was like a light had turned on for Tim, he was beginning to understand.

"And the other is a rapid healing ability. Shall I demonstrate?" Cat asked with a mischievous grin.

Tim was mesmerized but snapped out of it.

"No! That's ok! Don't hurt yourself." He said and Cat was amused by the concern in his voice but she obeyed his wish.

"While Batman and Superman did the tests I was thinking very hard about these abilities. I was happy to be able to return to a normal life but these abilities were far too great to let go to waste so I declared I wanted to fight crime with Batman. When we came home from Superman's fortress we were rudely greeted by Wonder Woman. She wanted to take me from Bruce and bring me to her island of Amazons to train there. Having heard of my abilities and my ferial run through Gotham she felt I wasn't safe to be in public. She was convinced the animal side of me would take over and that I could hurt people. They argued in front of me as if I were a child."

"You were a child." Tim interjected with a grin.

Cat glared and defended herself.

"I was seventeen. Young yes, but a child… that is debatable. Bruce was dead set against Wonder Woman, which I was glad for but I still wanted control over my life. Before they could decide my fate for me I interrupted them quite loudly. I put Wonder Woman in her place saying I did not follow her Amazon ways and that I wanted to train on my own just as Bruce had done. Being alone suits me. It's preparing me for my future." Cat said.

Tim caught her sad tone.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"My high metabolism not only heals me quickly… it has paused my life. I will never age again and no sickness known to man can harm me. It goes deeper than that but the details are not something I want to share right now."

Tim was speechless, but soon found another question.

"So you're stuck at…"

"Seventeen… for eternity." Cat replied without looking up from the dull blaze in front of them.

Tim had a million more questions about her healing abilities and not being able to be killed but he could tell Cat didn't want to talk about it so he changed the subject back.

"So, that was able to shut Wonder Woman up?" Tim asked, prompting the conversation again.

"For now. I promised to go to her island when I returned. To show her what I've learned. She can pass judgment of me then."

"What if her judgment isn't good?"

"Regardless of whatever she might say I will not stay on that island. Bruce won't have it anyway. She cannot make me do anything." Cat's words themselves sounded childish but the authority in her voice told Tim just how true they were.

They were silent for some time and Tim had thousands of questions but Cat's next few sentences whipped them from his mind.

"Timothy… when you're older, will you do me a favor?" Cat asked.

"Sure, anything." He replied instantly.

"Don't fall in love with me." She said and he was speechless.

The thought had been foreign to him but now he couldn't stop thinking of it. Cat then got up and left to rest leaving him with her puzzling words.