Disclaimer

I don't own anything. DC Comics, and anything that it publishes, is not in anyway owned by me. It is all owned by rich, talented people. I'm a nobody. Please don't sue me.

Hope is a Thing With Feathers

Cassandra smiled as she mopped the kitchen floor. She was a bit battered and bruised, or more than a bit if she was being honest, but her injuries didn't bother her. Instead, all she could think about was blonde hair and a ready smile, and she felt buoyed past all of her troubles. She had seen people in love, but she had had no idea just how wonderful it really was.

"So, I take it she liked the brownies?" Anna asked as she finished up some final prep work before closing the bakery for the night.

"Yes," Cassandra said cheerfully.

Anna chuckled slightly. "You sure are in a good mood. How well'd she like those brownies?"

"Kissed," Cassandra admitted.

"Good on you, sugar," Anna said encouragingly. "So she does feel the same, then?"

"Yes."

"Well, if brownies worked out that well for you, tomorrow I'll have to show you how to make my famous chocolate crème pie," Anna said. "But for now, you've got things cleaned up. Go on, get out of here! Go see that girl of yours."

"Thanks!" Cassandra said, not needing to be told twice as she quickly put everything away and all but ran out the door.

Anna laughed at her employees antics. "Ah, young love."

It didn't take long for Cassandra to reach Rick's Diner, and when she arrived her smile widened as she caught sight of Stephanie working hard despite her broken thumb and assorted bruises. It was nearly time for her shift to end, so Cass just hung around the entrance while Stephanie finished up. Her sappy smile turned into a slight frown as she watched the cook pestering Stephanie for a date again. No matter what her friend said, he just wouldn't seem to leave her alone.

When Stephanie returned she grinned at Cass, ready to head back to the apartment to get ready for some time off. While they were healthy enough to patrol if they had to, Hub City wasn't Gotham, and things were likely to be quiet for a few days while the underworld adjusted to the death of Joseph Mandragora. As the first day since they gotten together, they had decided to go on a date. Part of Cass was thrilled at the prospect, while part of her was terrified, but in the end she had settled on eager.

Instead of walking out the door, Cassandra took one last glance around the room. After seeing the cook's not-so-subtle leer, she stepped closer to Stephanie and kissed her hard. The world went away from both of them for a moment, and when she stepped back she smirked smugly at having put her girlfriend into a daze. Ignoring the raucous reaction of some of the patrons, Cass led Stephanie out into the night.

"You probably shouldn't have done that," Stephanie tried to scold, although she was too happy about it for her complaints to do any good. "We don't need people hassling us 'cause of being together."

"Can deal," Cassandra said, shrugging. As far as she was concerned, anyone that attacked them because of how they felt for each other was deserving of what would happen to them. "Ready for date?"

"Where are we going?" Stephanie asked, accepting the subject change.

"Movie," Cassandra said. "Got tickets on way to work. Read signs."

"Good job," Stephanie said proudly. "Your reading is really improving."

Cassandra smiled at her before changing course and leading them into a dark alley. "Come out."

"Cass?" Stephanie asked, looking around warily, her posture shifting from lover to crime fighter instantly.

Nightwing emerged from the shadows. "How long have you known I was there?"

"Since before left work," Cassandra said dismissively.

Nightwing chuckled. "Haven't lost a step, I see. And your form looks better, Steph."

"Cass has been training me," Stephanie said coolly.

"Good," he said, nodding. "Babs has been keeping an eye on you two, and she's proud. You really should call her, though."

"Did call," Cass said, before wilting under Nightwing's look.

"Right," he said. "I mean a real call to the woman who took you in, not a demand for help and then hanging up."

"We thought stopping the prison break might have been a bit more important," Stephanie said.

"Fine, fine," Nightwing said, holding up his hands defensively. "Just remember, the rest of us have to deal with Babs every day, and she's been really grumpy since her favorite protege ran off."

"Was fired," Cass pointed out.

"I know, and I've already tried to smack some sense into Batman's thick head about that," Nightwing said. "You know how he is, though. He knows it was a bad move, but he wouldn't apologize if it would stop the Joker."

"Won't go back," Cass said. "Hub City... our city."

"I know how you feel," Nightwing said sadly. "Just be careful. Things can be rough, but you don't need to do this all on your own. You're still part of the family."

"I doubt Batman feels that way," Stephanie said.

Nightwing grabbed two large packs and tossed one to each of the women. Opening them, they saw that they were full of Bat-issue gear. "He's Batman. He won't say anything, but I think those two bags sitting in the cockpit waiting for me to come here says everything."

Cass smiled, suddenly choked up. As angry as she had been at the way Batman had treated them, she had really seen him as a father to her, and the things that had happened had really hurt. Knowing she wasn't a disappointment to him, a failure to his crusade, made a knot in her chest she hadn't even been aware of loosen.

"Oh," Stephanie said. "Um... thanks. Really."

"I've got to get out of here," Nightwing said. "I need to make sure Scarecrow gets back to Arkham. Call Babs, okay? She feels really bad about how things went down."

"Okay," Cass said, smiling. "Will call. After date."

Stephanie jumped, blushing slightly as she looked at Nightwing, who just chuckled. "Yeah, I kinda saw the display in the diner. I'm still trying to find the best way to let Timmy know."

"Hey, he cheated on me," Stephanie said defensively. "I had every right to move on."

"Actually, he didn't cheat on you," Nightwing said. "It was all a big misunderstanding. But you're right – it's good you've moved on, and I'm glad you're happy. You both deserve it. But if I couldn't tease Tim mercilessly, where would the fun in that be?"

Stephanie smiled, rolling her eyes. "Fine, fine. Tease away."

Soon afterwards both young women were walking together again, enjoying each other's company. Cassandra looked up at the early evening sky, her heart lighter than it had ever been. She had a job, a home, a life, love, and now her family back. Nothing would ever erase the scars of the past, but all she could think of was the bright future ahead.

Life was good.

Author's Notes

And there we are. Thank you to everyone who has read this, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. If only we weren't forced to turn to fanfic as our only source Cass or Steph!

I'd also like to thank my beta a href="http:/archiveofourown.org/users/somehowunbroken"somehowunbroken/a for helping me with this story. I didn't do everything you said, but I really think some improvements were made. Thanks!

And thank you for reading!