Raven was screaming and clawing at her face.
The Titans were frantically trying to help her, but her powers had formed a sort of shield. Robin had attempted to go to her but her swirling armor rejected him, throwing him across the room. Her powers had picked up various objects and the planes were being battered.
Batman remained impassive and cool on the outside, but he too was at a loss at what to do.
"You have to get this antidote into her," he called to Robin. "She will die in about five minutes. The brain suffers severe trauma and will literally shut itself down, her the stress damages the heart. This is extremely vital."
"You think I don't know that? I can't get to her! Her powers have formed a barrier!" Robin shouted back.
Starfire watched Raven's body, the way she moved, and the way she screamed. She shuddered as she hugged her arms around herself tightly.
Beast Boy looked on helplessly as Raven's face was contorted with fear and tears were streaming down her cheeks. Her voice was beginning to crack. Her body was twisting, writhing in agony. She drew her legs up, her hands fisted, and she doubled over. She was in pain. He couldn't take seeing her suffer like that. He forced the panic in his chest down and ran to Batman.
"Give me the antidote! I can get to her!"
Batman stared at him.
"Please! I can do it; she'll let me in!" Beast Boy looked at him imploringly, his face frantic and worried.
Batman handed him the antidote.
Beast Boy determinedly ran towards Raven's swirling shield and called out her name as he approached. At first she didn't seem to notice and still hid her face behind her crossed arms. He called out several more times and felt hope surge though him when she raised her head slightly in his direction.
"Raven! You've got to let me in; I need to help you!"
She just continued to stare, like she had heard him faintly but couldn't see him.
Beast Boy put his hand out to test her shield, then ran through the barrier.
"Raven, please you have to listen to me!" He was underneath her now, calling her name over and over.
Raven screamed again, a shrilly high pitched sound, like she was being tortured.
"RAVEN!" Beast Boy's eyes widened as he shouted; he swallowed the lump in his throat and held back the tears at the sight of her body bent backwards, her hands curled, truly looking like something awful was happening to her.
Suddenly she pitched forward with a gasp, hugging her hands around herself. She blinked a couple of times. She looked directly at him, then a faint whimper passed her lips. "Beast Boy…"
She began to descend to the ground, her body frail and weak, and she landed on her hands and knees, looking up at Beast Boy with fear and apprehension in her face, her eyes glowing white and tears still running down her pale cheeks.
"I'm here Raven," he said soothingly, his voice cracking as he put his arm around her and pulled her into his lap.
He tugged up her sleeve and injected her arm with the antidote, and after a moment Raven seemed to relax and slumped over into his arms. Almost immediately after that her body weakly floated horizontally and bobbed lightly up and down, her hands and feet still dragging on the ground.
"What's happening to her?" Batman asked.
"She's healing herself," Robin answered, relieved, and rubbed his hand over his face.
Batman nodded, understanding. "Beast Boy," he addressed the green changeling.
Beast Boy looked up.
"Take Raven home to the tower. The rest of us need to find Scarecrow."
"Got it," he said, scooping her up in his arms and lithely retreating out of the hangar. Before he left he called over his shoulder, "Cy, I'm taking the T-Car."
Then he was gone.
--
Beast Boy drove as fast as he thought was safe to go, glancing in the rear view mirror every couple of seconds to make sure Raven was okay. He had buckled her horizontally in the middle seat belt to keep her from floating through the car interior. His heart was pounding in his chest. He knew that Raven was healing herself and that she'd probably be okay. He kept repeating to himself that he had given her the antidote, she'll be fine, she'll be fine, she'll be fine…
He practically flew into the garage and squealed the tires as he braked, flipping the ignition off, and got out of the driver's seat. He flung the backdoor open and unbuckled Raven before scooping her up in his arms again and running as fast as his legs could carry him to the elevator.
Beast Boy tapped his foot impatiently as the elevator made its unhurried way up to the main floor.
"Shit, shit, shit…" he murmured to himself when he felt that Raven's skin was cold and clammy and her breathing was extremely shallow.
The elevator finally dinged at the main floor and Beast Boy burst into the hallway, calling out for Alfred.
"Alfred! Alfred come quick!!"
In a second Alfred appeared and paled when he saw Raven slumped in the distraught green boy's arms.
"Oh dear," he said worriedly. "Let's get her into the medical bay."
Once there, Beast Boy laid Raven over a bed. Her body floated up over it, quietly resuming its bobbing motion.
Alfred bustled around with various equipments.
"So… you like, know what you're doing, right?" Beast Boy fretted, his foot tapping nervously.
"I've been looking after a superhero for many years; I should know what I'm doing," he said with a rueful smile. "If I could just find… ah! Here. This will monitor her vital signs."
Alfred pulled a machine on a roller over and began fiddling with various electrodes. "Master Beast Boy…" he said, trying to sound professional despite the awkward situation. "These electrodes need to be placed on the lady's chest. It would be more efficient if you have a hospital gown somewhere?"
Beast Boy's eyes widened and he gulped. "I… I think so." He walked to a cabinet and pulled out a shapeless garment.
"Do you want to dress her, or should I?" asked Alfred kindly.
Beast Boy looked at Raven. "Um, I… I can," he said.
"I will be in the hallway, call me when you're done," Alfred said, stepping out the door.
Beast Boy unclasped Raven's cape and set it aside. Then he gently felt underneath Raven's neck, looking for the zipper to her leotard. He carefully unzipped it down to her lower back. He worked her arms out of the sleeves and turned his head away with wide eyes when he saw her black lacy bra.
"Oh my God," he mumbled. "She would so kill me…"
Looking back at her pale body he wiggled the black slip of material over her shapely hips, slid the leotard down her legs and tossed the hospital gown over her to conceal her quickly, his heart pounding as an image of matching black lacy panties reeled in his head. He tied the strings around her back and breathed in a sigh of relief.
"Totally inappropriate situation, B…" he mumbled to himself, a hand on his head as he went to call Alfred back into the room.
"Thank you sir. I'll get the electrodes hooked up to her."
"Good," Beast Boy nodded, his face a paler green.
"What has happened to her?" Alfred asked as he placed the electrodes on Raven's chest, sides, arms, and legs.
"She got hit with Scarecrow's poison," Beast Boy said grimly.
"Has she been injected with the antidote?" Alfred asked, suddenly alarmed.
"Yeah, I injected her," Beast Boy said. "But then she passed out and did this. She's done this before; she's healing herself."
"Oh." Alfred took her temperature with an ear thermometer, frowning when he read its notation, and glanced up at the large screen monitors around the room. "Still, her heart beat is weak, her temperature is low, and her breathing is very shallow. She should be fine as long as she's gotten the antidote; there's not much else we can do. She may not wake up for awhile. Scarecrow's toxin packs a punch."
"Raven," Beast Boy said sadly, taking her cold hand in his.
"Master Beast Boy, where are the others?" Alfred suddenly thought to ask.
"They're still fighting Scarecrow," he said seriously.
--
Robin glanced around the room.
The fog and Scarecrow's toxin had cleared, dispersed by Raven's powers. He spied Starfire still huddled on the ground, holding her arms around herself and whimpering.
"Starfire, are you okay?" Robin asked, concerned.
She turned her head, glanced up at him, her eyes wet and gleaming with tears and filled with an emotion he couldn't place.
"Star," he said, helping her up and dusting her off. "Hey," he breathed when she clutched him tightly and buried her head into his shoulder. "What's wrong? You gonna be okay?"
Starfire released him, sniffling. "I… I am the s-shaken, but I will be the okay," she said, her voice wavering and not sounding the least bit convincing.
Robin was about to respond to her when he heard a loud rumbling.
"Let's move," Batman snapped. "Scarecrow's planes are taking off." He hurried out to the runway, followed by Cyborg and Robin. Starfire was hesitant before she ran slowly behind.
Three crop dusters mostly undamaged by Raven's torrent of swirling powers were started up and attempting to take off. The heroes ran with a burst of speed to reach the planes in time. Cyborg powered up his sonic cannon and fired a shot at one of the planes, crippling a spraying mechanism. Batman and Robin reached another one, both firing grappling hooks as the plane moved down the runway.
Robin glanced over his shoulder.
"Starfire! You'll have to stop that one before it gets too high! Starfire, get it!"
Starfire's pale stricken face looked at the last plane frantically.
"But-" she called.
"Get up there and fly," Batman called sharply.
"Yes, but…" her lip trembled. She heaved a sigh and ran towards the plane that was picking up speed. 'Happy thoughts, happy thoughts,' she told herself firmly. 'Robin…' her feet just barely lifted off the ground. She fueled it as best she could, zipping after the plane unsteadily, beginning to catch up to it.
It was lifting into the air, and Starfire found she could barely keep up her flight. She managed one last burst of energy to grab onto the plane's wing as it took off.
--
Cyborg blasted double sonic cannons at his crop duster, turning a part of one wing into a twisted wreck. He kept running after the renegade plane, as fast as his feet could take him, waiting for his cannon to recharge.
The pilots inside were desperately trying to control the aircraft, but it was swerving erratically down the runway, almost crashing into the plane Starfire was chasing after. Cyborg finally managed to catch up and grabbed the plane's door, ripping it off the hinges as he climbed inside. His sonic cannon was pointed, ready to fire at the pilot and his co-pilot. The plane pitched and began to fishtail sideways, throwing Cyborg to the floor. The vat of toxin at the back of the plane shifted and slid.
The pilot and co-pilot attempted to steer the crop duster but found that it was completely out of their control, Cyborg having successfully damaged the wing.
"Let's get da hell outta here!" one of them called to the other, both of them jumping out of their seats.
Cyborg concurred with their idea. The two men clamored to the door, hesitating before tucking and rolling out of the plane. Cyborg grimaced as he leapt out the door. His body collided with the tarmac hard, and he heard his metal parts scraping and sparking as he rolled and tumbled. The plane continued its sporadic course as it sailed down the runway unmanned.
He finally came to a stop and groaned as he looked up. His two foes looked to be in even worse shape than him. They were moaning, lying still on the runway, unable to move. They were rather scraped up from the fall. Cyborg heaved himself up and gathered the two pilots, producing some cable to securely tie them, just in case.
--
Batman and Robin both reached their plane at the same time, climbing onto the wing.
"We've got to take down Scarecrow before he gets this thing up in the air," Batman called. "Dismantle the sprayers on the wings. I'll get inside."
Robin inwardly scowled that Batman was telling him what to do, but he understood the gravity of the situation and decided not to challenge him.
He pulled out a birdarang and began hacking at the spraying mechanisms. Batman meanwhile had made it to the body of the crop duster. He pried the door open and swung inside.
The pilots looked back in amazement that Batman had managed to get inside the plane. His eyes scanned the interior quickly. He was dismayed… Scarecrow was not in this plane. He had just seen Cyborg rolling on the tarmac with two pilots. That meant… Starfire was left to battle with Scarecrow alone.
The co-pilot got out of his seat and drew out a dagger as the pilot tried to steer. Batman steadied himself despite the moving aircraft beneath him and dodged when the thug thrust the knife past his side. He grabbed the man's arm and twisted it painfully, causing the co-pilot to drop his dagger. He kicked it away and shoved the man to the floor.
By this time Robin had climbed into the cockpit and was also dismayed to see that Scarecrow was not an occupant.
"Batman! Star-"
"I know," he answered instantly.
The pilot looked behind him constantly, unsure whether to keep steering or to try and abandon ship. Batman walked up and grabbed the back of his shirt.
"Slow this thing down, now," he demanded, but when he looked up, he pulled the pilot out of the seat. Cyborg's empty crop duster was headed straight for them.
"Grab him," Batman indicated to the co-pilot as he shoved the pilot out the door. Robin heaved the other man to his feet, shoving him out the door too. Both of them ducked out and rolled as the two planes headed straight for each other, colliding with a massive boom. The gas ignited and it went up in a fiery explosion. Robin covered his head as wind and shrapnel rushed past him from the blow.
Batman had rounded up his passengers and handcuffed them, hauling them over to where Cyborg had his restrained. He looked up at the Control Tower where Catwoman was supposed to still be restrained to the railing.
"Shit, she's gone," he muttered. He wasn't surprised at this, however.
The three looked up when Starfire's crippled airborne crop duster headed back towards the runway.
--
Starfire clamored onto the wing, frantically holding on, knowing that she could no longer fly. She crawled down towards the cock pit of the plane. The pilot looked at her amazed and fearful as she slammed a fist against the door, finally getting a grip to rip it off its hinges. She crept inside.
Her eyes glowed when she discovered that the co pilot was none other than Scarecrow himself.
"What a pleasant surprise," he hissed. "Come to foil my plans, my dear?"
"You will not release your poison on the city," she said firmly, fervently wishing Robin was with her. She was well aware the rest of her powers were almost gone, and Scarecrow was just as frightening in this close of proximity, if not more so. Her voice disguised her absolute terror as she tried to be brave, wishing her knees weren't trembling and feeling like they were going to give out on her at any second.
She attempted to conjure a starbolt, her hand flickering green.
"I don't know how you survived my toxin before, but I can guarantee you won't be a threat after this," he rasped, pulling out a spray can and aiming it towards her face.
Starfire recalled Robin's brief about Scarecrow carrying his toxin in spray paint cans. She was rather sure she wouldn't like to be hit with it again. Desperation pooled in her chest and fueled one last starbolt. With a shout she flicked it towards his hand.
Scarecrow cursed and dropped the can as the starbolt burned his fingers and singed his clothes.
The plane was gaining altitude; all she could see out the windshield was dark sky. It seemed to be having trouble flying however as it rocked and tumbled, making it difficult for her to keep her footing.
Scarecrow scrambled for his fallen can as Starfire dove for it too, stumbling around in the aircraft's unsteadiness. It rolled away again, and instead of going after the can he dove at Starfire, pushing her against the wall of the plane. Her eyes glowed green as he pinned her hands by her shoulders, cackling with a leering grin that made her stomach turn.
"What would your pretty little face look like twisted with fear, I wonder? How would your body shudder while you were consumed with the most frightening visions your mind has ever been assaulted with? How frantic would your screams become?" His eyes gleamed as his face came close to hers, and Starfire had to force down the sickening feeling that was bubbling up from her stomach. She was virtually powerless, and she knew it. Her visions were still fresh in her consciousness, leaving her in an emotional turmoil, and it completely wiped out her ability to fight.
Scarecrow moved his body closer to hers, but before he could do anything she brought her knee up between them and jabbed him hard. Scarecrow grunted from her impact and fell away. The plane jerked, tossing her to her hands and knees. Once it steadied Scarecrow stood again.
Starfire glanced at the tank. If she could somehow damage the mechanisms, maybe she could prevent it from spraying. She dove towards it. Scarecrow followed as she frantically tried to examine how it was hooked to the spraying system.
"Boss! Here!" the man piloting the plane called, a thick metal pipe rolling towards him. Scarecrow picked it up, grinning madly.
"Hold still now, my dear…" he thrust the pipe down as Starfire dodged. Another jolt and she fell against the tank with a thump.
Her eyes widened instantly when Scarecrow was preparing for another strike.
Just as he was bringing the pipe down forcefully upon Starfire the plane hitched erratically, throwing him off balance. Starfire was quick enough to roll out of the way, but Scarecrow hit the vat of toxin that had been underneath her. The pipe cracked through the glass and liquid began spilling from the hole, splashing over the left side of Starfire's body. She screeched in pain.
"Boss! Something's wrong! I can barely steer, and we're losing altitude!" the pilot called.
"Oh damn," Scarecrow muttered, jumping out of the way of the toxin, which was sizzling, reacting with the metal of the floor. Starfire had pulled herself up with effort, tears leaking from her eyes. She moved out of the way of the spilling liquid, holding her arm and whimpering, holes already scorching through her clothes.
"Land this thing," Scarecrow hissed.
"I've got to swing back around to the strip. We'll be killed if I try to land here," the pilot said, jerking on the steering apparatus.
"You little friend must've damaged the planes," Scarecrow growled at Starfire.
Starfire looked up, huddled on the ground out of the way of the toxin on the floor.
Scarecrow hauled her to her feet, and slammed her against the wall of the plane, causing her to cry out when he grabbed her burned arm.
--
Robin, Batman, and Cyborg ran towards the crop duster that was steadily coming back towards them. Starfire was on that plane, along with Scarecrow. Batman had noticed she was shaking, and could barely fly. Scarecrow was dangerous. He was extremely concerned, positive, that she could not handle him alone.
Robin's heart pounded wildly in his chest when the aircraft flew over the landing strip, black smoke billowing out behind it. His heart dropped into his stomach when a figure was tossed out the door of the plane.
"STARFIRE!" he cried, watching her body plummet towards the tarmac. He increased his speed, running as fast as he could, but knew he wouldn't be fast enough.
--
Starfire's mind was clouded in agony as she suddenly felt nothing under her feet and wind whipping around her. She was dimly aware that she was falling, and falling fast. Her skin was burning. She cracked open her eyes as the world tilted and spun around her. She heard her name being called. Robin…
She spied him out of the corner of her eye, reaching for her, his face pale and frantic. She pulled up, attempted to slow her body from the fall. She couldn't fly, couldn't stop herself, but she slowed down her momentum, slowed just enough.
Twenty feet from the ground… just twenty feet.
She couldn't hold it any longer.
Robin cried out again when he saw her body hit the pavement with a sickening thump.
He ran to her, dropped to his knees.
"Starfire! Starfire are you okay?!" he said urgently.
"Oooooh…" Starfire moaned, unable to move. "Robin, it hurts so badly…" she whimpered.
"What- oh God Star," he sucked in a breath. "What happened?!"
"His… his toxin," she said weakly. "The tank cracked… it… burned me. Robin-" she tossed her head back and forth, her eyes glazed.
"Hold on, Star, hold on," Robin said, his voice wavering. "We'll get you back to the tower."
She moaned again, gripping his sleeve, before her body went limp in his arms as she slipped out of consciousness. Robin picked her up gently, cradling her body in his arms, guiding her head onto his shoulder and neck.
Cyborg reached them, running a diagnostic check on Starfire's injuries.
"Shit," he muttered. "We've got to get her back to the tower now. That's at least second degree burns."
Robin quickly scanned the airfield complex, but realized any source of water he might find to immediately wash Starfire's burns with might be contaminated. It was better to just rush her to the tower and treat her there.
"Where's Scarecrow?" Robin snapped while hurrying to the R-Cycle.
"Batman's got 'em," Cyborg said quickly, accepting a limp Starfire from Robin. Robin slung himself over the R-Cycle and Cyborg got on behind him, sandwiching Starfire between them and propping her up on Robin's back. Cyborg wrapped his arms around her to keep her secure as Robin raced off into the night towards the tower.
--
Robin squealed into the Titans' garage. He left Cyborg and his bike precariously parked as he jumped off and pulled Starfire into his arms. He dashed to the elevator and likewise as his green skinned teammate had tapped his foot impatiently as he watched the numbers flash through the floors.
When the carriage finally brought him to the main floor he bolted out of the elevator and down to the medical bay.
Beast Boy and Alfred looked up, startled, when Robin burst through the door. Beast Boy stood up from the chair he was sitting in beside Raven's bed and Alfred took a step towards Robin.
"Dude! Is she okay?!" Beast Boy exclaimed.
"She's got chemical burn down her left arm and thigh. Same treatment as any chemical burn for Scarecrow's toxin?" he asked Alfred quickly, waiting for confirmation as he headed for the bathroom.
Alfred nodded, quickly retrieving another medical gown. He draped it over Robin's shoulder.
"When you're done washing her off, slip her into the gown and bring her back out here. She might need an IV to keep her fluids and blood pressure stable. We'll give her some pain medication through it too."
"That's what I thought," Robin agreed. He carried Starfire into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
He gently placed her on the tiled floor of the bathroom, propping her up against the tub. He pulled off his gloves and rolled up his sleeves. He slipped her boots down her legs, removed her neck plate and gauntlets, and unzipped her skirt. Starfire began stirring.
"Oh X'hal…" she moaned, distressed.
"Shh, babe, I'm right here," Robin murmured comfortingly as he wiggled Starfire's skirt off.
"Robin? I… oh it burns… nokta, nu opaka…" she whimpered, moving her head back and forth, her eyelids fluttering.
Robin carefully removed Starfire's shirt as she hissed in pain.
"Almost done, baby," he soothed as Starfire's eyes clenched shut. He kissed her cheek as he reached behind and unhooked her bra, gingerly removing it from her arms. Then he hooked his fingers under the waistband of her panties and slowly removed them as well, careful not to touch the burn on her thigh.
Starfire continued to babble incoherently, hissing and wincing in pain, as Robin reached over her and turned on the shower spray, making sure the stream was soft so as not to apply water pressure to the burn and make the chemical set in deeper. He kept one hand in the spray to gauge the temperature and took a good look at Starfire's burns.
He sucked in a breath. No wonder she was in so much pain.
Her skin was mottled red with white blisters, and Robin swallowed at the severe sight of it. Once he had deemed the temperature of the water to be good, he scooped up Starfire and gently placed her in the tub.
She immediately began to thrash, crying out in pain and Robin attempted to sooth her, cupping her cheek and whispering encouragement, but it had little effect on her. He made sure the water run off didn't contaminate any other part of her body.
He pulled her hair back so it wouldn't get too wet in the shower spray, and rubbed her cheek while she whimpered and moaned. She was in too much pain to keep still; her head tossed and turned and her body squirmed.
After twenty minutes he turned off the water and pulled a half conscious and mumbling Starfire from the tub. He toweled her dry, apologetically when he very gently patted near her burns and she gasped in pain, and then slipped her into the hospital gown.
He picked her up again and unlocked the bathroom door.
"All done then?" Alfred asked as Robin entered the room.
"All done," he nodded.
"Good then. Put her here," Alfred indicated the bed next to Raven.
Starfire mumbled some more as he laid her down. Alfred brought a bag and tubing over and began preparing her for intravenous fluids. He swabbed her hand with an alcohol pad and a topical numbing agent. He placed a tourniquet around her upper right arm and tapped her wrist, finding a vein. He slipped the needle in, Starfire moaning and flinching as it still stung a little, and Robin placed his hands on her right leg comfortingly. Alfred taped the needle to her hand and hooked up the tubing and the drip.
"Where's your pain medications? We can give her a dose right away. That will ease her discomfort," Alfred said.
Robin went to a cabinet and pulled out a dosage and filled a syringe. He gently rubbed Starfire's forehead before injecting the contents into her IV's tubing. Immediately she quieted down.
"Burn cream?" Alfred asked.
"Was just going to get it," Robin said, opening another cabinet and pulling out a tube and a roll of bandages. After they were done applying the cream they gently bandaged her arm and thigh.
Cyborg came in just as Robin and Alfred were finishing up.
"How's our girls doin'?"
"Not good. Starfire's burned pretty badly, and Raven's still healing herself," Robin answered him.
Cyborg gazed over Starfire's now peaceful face and Raven's quiet bobbing form.
"Where's Batman?" Robin asked, now that things had calmed down and he had Starfire taken care of.
"He just contacted me on the communicator. He rounded up Scarecrow and that pilot from their crash landing. They hit a hangar; the cockpit was a twisted mess. His damn toxin leaked all over the place, they're lucky it didn't ignite the plane. After that, JCP arrived, he gave them a statement, then said something about going after Catwoman. Apparently she escaped."
Robin rolled his eyes, arms crossed.
"Guess he won't be back tonight then."
Cyborg grinned. "Hey, I don't blame him. She's one fine-"
"Cyborg," Robin scolded, cutting him off.
Cyborg shrugged sheepishly while Alfred smirked, shaking his head.
Beast Boy had been silent the entire time, hovering over Raven's bed protectively.
--
Catwoman was crouched on a second story ledge of Jump City's Museum of Art, inspecting the glass of the window in front of her. She pressed her hand against the glass, a tiny but powerful suction cup on her glove sticking to the pane. With her other hand, she flicked out a sharp claw and traced a large circle. She removed the section she cut and set it down gently. Then with all the grace and agility of the felines she represented, she slipped through the window, planting her hands on the window sill inside and lithely somersaulted through the hole she cut to the ground.
She stood, brushing herself off, and glanced around the room she had landed in. A grin lighted her face as she saw a large sign directing her to her target.
"How kind of them to show me where to go," she murmured. She sauntered off, whip in her back pocket swaying, following the arrow to the famous exhibition.
She padded silently through the halls, falling back for a moment when a rather heavy guard crossed her path. She smirked, knowing she could easily outrun and outfight him, should he discover her. He continued down the hall, his flashlight bouncing off the walls and his keys jangling.
Catwoman slinked off after he was out of sight and hearing. Finally she arrived at the room displaying the exhibition she was looking for.
She examined the door, made sure there were no trips to any alarms. She confidently waltzed into the room and up to the large glass case displaying her sought after prize.
She purred as she gazed through the glass. "Mm, hello my little darlings."
Two Italian marble statuette cats gazed back at her, each containing two flawless twenty carat diamond eyes and emerald jeweled collars. Both unique and sleekly stylized, one cat was placed on a stand higher than the other. Both sculpted in a sitting pose, one with its front paw raised.
Catwoman studied the rim of the glass around the podium the statuettes were displayed on. Then she spied the wires that triggered the pressure alarm response. She dug around in the pockets of her belt, searching for a pair of mini wire cutters.
Once she found them, she focused intently on the wires. She was about to snip through one when a mild and teasing voice from behind startled her.
"I should've known my handcuffs wouldn't keep you restrained for long."
"Oh!" she whirled around. "You," she accused. "You shouldn't sneak up on someone like that."
"I couldn't help it. If I let you know I was here, I couldn't watch you from behind."
Catwoman feigned offense. "You letch. How long were you ogling me?"
"Only for ten minutes or so." Batman let the smirk play on his lips when he saw the almost pleased one on hers.
"So, come to stop me again, Brucie?"
"Do you even have to ask?" he teased.
She sauntered closer to him. "And… what happens after you catch me?" she asked in a low seductive voice, pushing up against him. His hands instantly went to her hips.
"We'll see," he said, as she leaned her lips up close.
"How did you find me so fast?" she murmured.
Her eyes widened and she sucked in a sharp breath when his hand slipped up in between her legs. He smirked as he plucked something off her sleek pants and held it up.
"Ooh," she said, crinkling her nose. "You sneaky bastard, planting a tracker on me there."
"Figured you wouldn't find it."
"Right, well you figured correctly," she said, looping her leg around his and pressing her mouth hotly on his.
She slipped her tongue into his mouth for a second, before he felt himself reeling and ended up on his back, staring up at the ceiling. Catwoman's face suddenly came into view, looking down over him.
"Listen handsome, I know this seems like all fun and games, but I really need this haul, okay? Now, be a good boy and scamper off."
Batman frowned at her almost condescending tone of voice. She was about to sashay off when he caught her in a leg sweep and she joined him on the floor.
He heard her curse as he got up quickly and rolled on top of her, pinning her arms down. She struggled.
"Bruce," she protested. "Please, don't be this way."
"You can pout all you want Selina, but I'm not letting you take those cats."
"What a killjoy, seriously. You're always so uptight."
"You're always so on the wrong side of the law."
Catwoman sniffed. "It's all part of the survival. You wouldn't want me to starve, would you?" she asked, slightly stalling because she was enjoying the way his body seemed to meld into hers.
"You could try getting a real job," he admonished.
"But then we wouldn't have fun little encounters like this," she said, brushing her lips across his.
"True, but it would also be a little more legal."
Catwoman pouted. "You just have no imagination."
"Are you going to go quietly?" he asked, still pinning her wrists down.
A very naughty look crossed Catwoman's features. "When have you ever wanted me to go quietly? I thought you liked it when I-"
Batman captured her mouth in a searing kiss, stopping her from finishing her sentence.
Since he seemed so distracted, Catwoman let him work himself up a bit with the liplock before she violently shoved him off of her and leaped up, jumping for the cases.
Batman was on his feet just after her, yanking on her wrist and pulling her away from the cats display.
She turned her body and kicked him solidly in the solar plexus. He let go of her wrist, one hand on his chest.
She didn't let him recover and had her whip cracking toward him in record speed.
Batman dodged, raised one arm up as her whip wound around it tightly. He tugged it sharply and pulled her off balance, socking her in the stomach for a little reciprocation as she fell forward.
Catwoman grunted from his punch and flicked her whip off his arm, falling back.
"That was mean."
"Just as mean as you."
"You shouldn't ever hit a lady."
Batman snorted. "So you're trying to imply that you're a lady."
Catwoman frowned. "You're a jerk."
He shrugged. "I've been called worse."
"I bet you have, Mister Playboy. I know your reputation. Wham bam thank you ma'am, and then it's off with another one…or three."
"I'm not that bad," he protested.
"Yes, you are."
"The media always blows everything out of proportion."
Catwoman laughed. "Bruce, this is the one thing the media has spot on."
Batman looked a little indignant.
"Anyway… I have some business to attend to…"
Catwoman dashed for the cases again, slashing through the alarm wires before Batman could stop her. She was trying to break open the case when he pulled her away again, and began to fight.
Catwoman punched and kicked, scratched with her claws, cracked her whip. Batman dodged and blocked, threw out his own punches.
He front kicked her into a case, stunning her for a second. She rolled and dodged as he came for her, kicking him in the back and propelling him away.
He turned sharply and caught her with a side kick.
She flitted back in to engage him, throwing out a punch, but he grabbed her arm and tugged her toward him, putting her in a hold. She struggled, and he took a moment to cop a feel on her backside.
"Bruce!" she protested.
He let her go, pushing her away. She dusted herself off. "Like what you feel?"
"Your pants could be a little tighter."
She grinned.
Sauntering forward, she draped her arms around his shoulders. Batman's face was stony, knowing he couldn't trust her when she was in one of these moods.
Catwoman emitted some breathy giggles and pecked on his chin.
"Selina," he warned.
Slash.
Batman grunted and fell backward, examining the deep slashes in his chest armor.
He looked up just in time to catch a punch on the jaw and a kick in the chest. Then she caught him in the side with a hook kick, but he grabbed her leg, flipping her to the ground hard. She saw stars for a moment before wrenching her leg from his hands, placing her hands by her head and propelling herself back to standing.
Her whip was in her hands in an instant, cracking the air around him as he dodged, she pushing him backward. His back hit the wall.
"Hmm, nowhere to go," she grinned.
Before she could get him with the whip he darted forward and grabbed her arms, trying to restrain her as best he could. She protested and struggled, before a sneaky look crossed her face and her hand disappeared into his cape.
Batman sucked in a breath and he released her, backing away.
"Never get tired of that," she teased.
"And you complain about me."
She turned her back to him, grinning over her shoulder, swaying toward the cases again. When he started to follow, she whirled around and whipped him squarely across the chest, the rope winding around his body and pinning his arms to his sides. She kicked him hard and he fell against the wall.
This was all the time she needed. She ran to the cases and kicked the glass in, causing it to rain shards everywhere. She snatched up the cats and ducked as he tried to grab her as he disentangled himself from her whip. She picked up the handle to her weapon and snapped it away from him before darting out the door, cracking the air as she went, keeping him back. She pulled a rolled up bag from her belt and placed the cats inside as she turned and ran.
As she flung around a corner, the guard she had seen before was hustling toward her; no doubt he had heard all the noise the two had been making and was coming to investigate. She jumped onto his stomach and leaped over him, causing him to gasp for breath and fall to the floor as her stiletto landed painfully in his solar plexus. She found the window she had entered from and in a flash was gone.
Batman flew around the corner in pursuit, but had not expected anyone to be in his way. He collided straight into the guard, who had achingly stood back up, and both ended up on the floor in a tangled mess. He helped the guard stand up again and then raced out of the hallway.
Batman was dismayed when he got to the window with the circle cut out and saw that Catwoman was nowhere in sight. She had gotten away with the cats.
He slipped out of the building before the guard could question him, and stood on the art museum's roof. He couldn't see her jumping rooftops anywhere. Despite this apparent setback, he smirked and pulled something out of his utility belt.
--
Catwoman slinked over to her hotel, looking carefully to make sure no one saw her. She climbed the fire escape to her window and slipped into her room.
"Well, that certainly was an adventure," she mumbled to herself, pulling off her goggles and mask and letting her long dark tresses tumble out. She pulled off her gloves and ran her fingers through her hair. She crinkled her nose.
"Fighting good guys always makes my hair nappy. Guess I'll need to take a shower."
She put the bag onto the table in her room and headed into the bathroom.
Fifteen minutes later she had finished showering and came back into the room in just a white fluffy hotel towel.
"Mmm, let's see what mommy hauled tonight," she purred, opening the bag and pulling out the two cats.
"Gorgeous," she said, tracing a finger over the diamond eyes and smooth black marble. Then the smile disappeared off her face and her eyes narrowed. There was a chip in the marble. She leaned in and examined more closely, picking at it with her fingernail. More "marble" flaked off.
"No… no no no!"
She retrieved her jeweler's magnifying glass and examined the diamonds.
"Nooo…" she moaned flopping back in her chair in a huff.
"What's the matter Selina? Cubic zirconia doesn't get you excited?"
She whirled around and glared at the voice coming from the window.
"You!" she accused. "You bastard! These are fake!"
All she received in reply was a rather gloating smirk.
"How," she demanded.
Her visitor stepped in through the window nonchalantly. "You're predictable, that's how."
She scowled. "Predictable? Wanna tell me how you pulled this off? Oooooh, you… you're rather smug with yourself, aren't you?" She turned away and crossed her arms in a pout.
"What I want to know is how the Titans' security system was hacked so easily."
At this she looked extremely pleased with herself. "I'm good, that's how."
"I know you're good. But if you're that good, why did you turn one alarm back on?"
Selina's face twisted into a snarl. "That bastard Scarecrow screwed me over. He was going to release his toxin over the city, because he's psycho and whatever. So, I figured, if the city's tearing itself apart in panic, it would be a perfect opportunity to lift a few things I've had my eye on with no one to catch me. The alarms were all turned off and you and the Titans wouldn't even realize you had to do the superhero thing until it was too late."
"Go on," Batman said, gesturing with his hand.
"So, Scarecrow and I were talking this over, because I just tagged along to see how his plans were going. And then, then he comes out of nowhere and says he wants forty percent of whatever I haul! Forty percent! Said if I was gonna benefit from him, he should benefit from me. So, I turned on one alarm and left a trace. You and the Titans manage to get to Scarecrow and stop him before his little plan is realized, and I still make off with the cats, because I didn't need him anyway," she sulked.
"Or, you were curious as to what I was doing in Jump City and used the cats as an excuse to follow me here?"
Selina rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I wanted those cats. How did you switch them out?"
"Easy. The minute I knew you were in Jump City I called the museum and advised them to pull the real statues and replace them with the fake ones they display when they're worried about security. I had a feeling I knew what you were after."
"You think you're so smart, don't you."
"Well…" Batman said.
"Oh stop," she scowled. "I know why you followed me here- how did you follow me here? I made sure you weren't around."
She received another smirk in answer. "If you look on your pants, I planted another tracker on you when I copped that feel while we were fighting. All I had to do was follow the signal."
"You're just so cocky tonight, it's sickening."
"Well, I think I'm smart."
She shook her head and rolled her eyes again.
Batman watched her for a moment, then lowered his cowl.
"If it's any consolation, you look nice with wet hair."
"Is that Bruce code for 'you look hot and I came here for just one thing'?"
"Selina," he said, his voice losing its teasing tone.
"If you think I'm gonna just let you waltz in here after that little show you put on tonight and let you take a booty call you've got another thing coming," she lectured.
Bruce pulled his cowl and cape completely off and tossed them on the floor, and removed his gauntlets. He crossed the few steps to her and held her shoulders gently.
"Look, I'm sorry, but you know it's my duty to make sure you don't steal. Anything outside of that…"
She looked up into his eyes.
"I can't honestly believe that you really care for me."
"I wouldn't be here right now."
"Is it me, or is it what I can do for you?"
"You read the tabloids; I could get that elsewhere if I really wanted to."
"Do you always skirt around actually answering questions?"
"Every chance I get."
She gave a rueful laugh and looked down. She eyed the scratches on his chest plate.
"Those actually went pretty deep. I'm impressed with myself."
"You would be."
"Let's see if they went all the way through." She removed his armor and examined his chest, which was free of scratches.
"Mmm, I knew there was a reason I kept you around…" she murmured, rubbing her hands over his well toned muscles.
He tugged on her towel and it dropped to the floor.
"Knew there was a reason I kept coming around," he said, dipping in for a hot kiss and running his fingers over her soft bare flesh.
The lower half of his costume was quickly shed, and Selina eyed him up with a grin on her face before shoving him onto her hotel bed.
Then she pounced.
Well, my goodness. It's been awhile, hasn't it?! I want to thank everyone for being so patient, I'm done with school now, and I finally have some time to myself!
In the previous chapter, I tried to stay mainly true to the Titans' pasts, but I have taken some liberties. Some of them were even more gruesome than I described, sadly…
Next up: cleaning up after the mess with Scarecrow, and waiting for Raven…