"Can you walk?" Tim questioned, as he shook Marti. Carefully he set her down on her feet.
She didn't respond. Her legs fell slack, and crumpled to the ground.
"Alright. Up you go." Tim said lifting her up into his arms again. Once he made it back to the ground level, he darted down the alley, and through a dock access. Running through the maze of crates and shipping containers, he stopped at the end of the dock where they had the bat boat. "Okay, so I will jump in first, then-."
Marti gripped hard around Tim, and buried her face in his chest. She didn't want to let go.
"Marti... Eh." He lowered down to the ground, and hugged her in return. "It's okay now. Your fine."
Her broken breaths between her sobbing were her only response to this.
They were like this for a good thirty minutes. Tim kept her close to him, wrapping the two of them in his cape. Marti whimpered a few intangible words, but eventually cried herself to sleep. Tim, feeling the obvious weight of her slumber, shrugged his shoulders, and took in a exhausted breath. He was quickly becoming aware of how tired he was.
"Okay.. So this should be fun." He said to himself, as he tried to think of a way he could get them both into the boat. Picking her up in his arms, he hopped down to the back of the craft. Her body jostled in his arms, but she did not rouse. "Damn, she's out." Looking down at her face he could see a puddle of tears in the corner of her eye, still held in by her mask. Hopping down into the driver seat, he carefully lowered her down in the opposite seat. Closing the hatch above, he turned over to her, making sure she was secure in her seat. Her head slumped forward, followed by her body. "Geeze. Easy girly." He quickly strapped her in, and settled for having her lean against the window. "I hope the water won't be too choppy tonight."
He opted to submerge the craft, and ride a little slower than usual. There was no rush. He looked over to her every few seconds. She had not moved once. He couldn't recall any time in their past of being more worried about her. Sure she had some pretty nasty injuries, but nothing had affected her like this before. He had heard about her mother... Well bits and pieces. But judging from her reaction, he probably knew about as much as she did. Rubbing his eyes, he shook his head, and gripped the steering wheel. Ahead the underwater cave doors were opening. The bright lights blinded his tired eyes for a second. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her wrinkle her brow at this, and turn to her side.
Alfred was waiting on the landing for them.
"Master Bruce has informed me-."
Tim put his finger over his lips to silence Alfred. Then hoisted Marti up into his arms.
"Was she hurt Master Tim." Alfred whispered, as he offered Tim a hand.
Tim shook his head, as he stepped up to the landing. "I'll take her up to her room."
"Yes, I'll wait down here for Master Bruce."
It felt strange walking through the house in full uniform. He felt her rouse a little in his arms, as he reached the hallway to her room. "You awake now?"
She mumbled a little, and shifted her weight in his arms.
His arms were strained from this. "Man, oh man." He complained, as he picked up his pace. Fortunately her door was open, and the fireplace was on, giving him just enough light to navigate over to her bed. With his last bit of strength, he carefully lowered her down onto her bed. "Heh... I made it." He wheezed as he slid down the side of her bed to the ground. Feeling a cool draft from under the bed, he got to his knees, and looked her over. ."Alright sleeping beauty, let's get you to bed." He propped her up to sit, and pulled her boots off.
"Eh... Rob... Tim What's going on?"
"Trust me it's not what you think girly." He said tossing her boots aside, and came in close to pull off her cowl. "You need rest." Though the lighting in the room was dim, it was clear to see how red the whites of her eyes were from crying. "I'm sorry about your mom."
She blinked hard with this, and a few tears slipped out of the corners of her eyes. It was so strange to see her like this. To his recollection she only cried once before, she was about as emotional as her father.
"Here," he pulled back her sheets, and urged her to lay back. "Just try to sleep."
She reluctantly did this, but she quickly grabbed his hand after he tucked her in.
"What? I didn't do anything."
"Please don't leave."
He looked at her with wide eyes, trying to read her for any trick. But she only looked at him with her desperate puffy eyes. Taking off his mask with his free hand, he set it on her nightstand. "Alright, well scoot." He quickly slipped off his boots and gloves, and slipped under the covers next to her. "Your dad is going to kill me on sight with this." He said mostly to himself.
She didn't pay any attention to this, she simply wrapped her arms around him, resting her head beneath his chin. "Thank you." She whispered.
"Any time." He said embracing her back.