"Master Tim? Tim..."

Tim cracked open his crusted morning eyes. Looking down he spotted Marti's wavy mess of hair partially covering her face, which was dangerously close to his. His mind was a blur for a brief second, trying to remember how he got into this situation.

"Master Tim?"

Looking over his shoulder, he spotted Alfred, with a tray of food. "Alfred... What... What time is it?"

"Six-thirty sir."

"Oh.. Wait. Batman... Did Bruce come back?! Did he-."

"Not yet. But he should be back any time now."

"Phew!" Tim carefully rolled over to his side, and sat up on the corner of the bed. "Glad you found me, and not him."

"That makes two of us." Alfred said handing him a cup of tea.

Tim's shoulder popped loud, as he lifted his arm to receive the cup. He quickly looked over to Marti, whom was still asleep. "Let's have the tea someplace else."

Alfred nodded and helped Tim collect his boots, and gloves.

Hours later Tim was in the library, nodding off as he was finishing up a term paper. The clock door slid open, and a very tired and bruised Bruce emerged.

"Where's Marti?"

"She hasn't left her room all day."

Bruce but his lower lip at this.

"Did you catch them."

"No, only ran into more trouble. My tracer went out just like the others. I think Andi is working for my doppelganger."

Tim's eyes went wide with this. "Will we be back out there tonight?"

Bruce rubbed at his wrapped shoulder. "Don't know yet. I need to talk to Marti first." He left the library, and made a beeline for her room.

Once at her door, Alfred stepped out, with a untouched tray full of food. "Ah, sir. She hasn't-."

"Thank you Alfred." Bruce said, patting him on the shoulder, and entering the room.

Marti was still in bed. She had a blank expression on her face as she looked out the window.

"Marti... It's me." Bruce began, as he approached the bed.

She didn't respond to him, she just kept looking out the window.

He came over to the bed, and sat on the edge. Looking her over, he discovered she was still in her uniform.

"You knew all along didn't you?" She said shifting her gaze to him.

"Yes."

"Then why didn't you tell me?!" She sat up with this, and clenched her hands into fists.

"Would you have liked to know your mother was a wanted assassin?"

Marti went a little slack with this, and brought her hand up to cup it over her eyes. "All these years she was missing, and for what?... For her work?!" She stuttered with her last words. "But why... Dad?" Tears were flowing from her eyes, as she lunged toward him.

Bruce hugged her, and smoothed down the fluffy top of her hair. As he held her, he told the entire story of her mother's past. Filling in all the gaps, and making sense of all the times that had to pick up and move. By the end of it Marti got her bearings, but was still leaning against her father, as he spoke.

"So will we be out again tonight?"

"No... For now we wait."

"So you're not going to make me stay and hide here?"

"Like I said before, you have always been safest close by my side."