Fic: It Smoldered; Tim/Tam; PG-13, Part 7/8
Title: It Smoldered
Part: 7/8
Author: Aravis Tarkheena
Pairing: Tim/Tam
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Not sure yet. Nothing crazy.
Disclaimer: Not mine, everyone's legal
Chapter Length: 1,500w
Author's Notes: Written for the Women Love Fest. I picked Tam. ~<3 You get a ~1k chapter each day for the next week. Also for my Ducati table for dcu_freeforall. Prompt: 10 hurricane
Summary: Tam finds a clue. Tim needs a clue. Bath mats are destroyed, but Prince William remains happy throughout.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Vilta entered the lab with a cell phone to her ear and an angry expression on her face. She caught sight of Tim and Tam right away. Pausing just inside the door of the laboratory, her eyes widened as she pulled the phone from her ear.
“What are you two doing here?” she asked, looking completely off balance.
Tam watched as Tim narrowed his eyes at Vilta. Standing tall, Tim looked stern and somewhat forbidding. While Tam knew he was putting on an act, even Tam was taken somewhat aback by his demeanor.
Trying hard to emulate Tim, Tam told herself over and over again to just brazen it out. She had done it before, she could do it again.
“We wanted to take a closer look at your operations before we went ahead and signed any papers,” Tim told Vilta in disapproving tones. “Frankly, I'm not impressed.”
“The tour we gave Ms. Fox yesterday should have been more than sufficient--” Vilta said defensively, but Tim cut her off.
“It would have been, if you were even remotely honest,” Tim stated firmly, and started forward, towards Vilta.
Stepping away from Tam, Tim made a small gesture that only Tam could see. She just wished she knew what it meant.
“He's telling you to stay put,” Oracle's told her, voice soothing and low, even despite its electronic twang. “He wants to draw attention away from you. Just stand there, as still as you can, and look stern.”
Tam swallowed hard, and fought down the urge to nod. Standing as still as she could, Tam made herself breathe slowly and evenly.
“Both your security systems and your safety measures are shockingly abysmal,” Tim continued, arms crossed over his chest, looking belligerent.
Vilta narrowed her eyes at Tim as he rounded on her.
“Our security is exactly as good as we can afford, right now,” Vilta said to him in a tight voice. “When we get more capital from out investors, we will be able to upgrade to something better. That's why it's so critical that you understand--”
Tim gave her a disgusted look. Glancing pointedly around the lab, Tim indicated the walls and windows in illustration when he cut Vilta off.
“No vents, Vilta,” Tim bit out, “no fans, no warning signs near the locked cabinets indicating that they contain dangerous materials, and that's the least of it.”
Vilta went white, her lips tightening as Tim went on with his list. Tam watched as Vilta shifted nervously in her high heels.
“Additionally, how difficult is it to be sure that a room that contains these dangerous substances are kept effectively locked?” Tim went on.
“It was locked when I came in,” Vilta protested.
“I had to make sure it could lock effectively when I examined the room,” Tim scoffed.
“And the when you got here, it just opened up for you?” Vilta asked, sounding more suspicious than shocked or off balance, now.
“It wasn't latched properly when I arrived,” Tim went on, voice hardening as he speared Vilta with a glare, clearly trying to get Vilta back on the defensive. “When's the last time you had an inspection of this place? Are you up to date?”
Tam could see the panic creep back into Vilta's eyes. Back stiffening as her eyes went wide, Vilta's mouth tightened as she scrambled to come up with something to tell Tim. Taking a moment to compose herself, Vilta took a long deep breath.
“I'd be happy to show you our inspection certifications,” Vilta said, keeping her voice even. “In fact, Ms. Fox had the opportunity to see them during her tour.”
Vilta turned to face Tam, but Tim sharped his voice to draw back Vilta's attention.
“I insist on an examination before any deal between our two organizations can go forward,” Tim demanded. “I'd also like to speak with the person who signed off on these laboratories. I can't believe an inspection team would let these sorts of things pass.”
Tam could see the fear and worry grow in Vilta's eyes.
“Surely that's not necessary,” Vilta said nervously. “Here at Viltech we strive to--”
Tim cut Vilta off again with a sneer and an abrupt hand gesture.
“Save it,” he bit out. “What I've seen here doesn't inspire confidence in your capacity for honesty.”
Tim made to move towards the door to the lab with long, purposeful strides. Face set and demeanor disapproving, Tim pulled his cell phone from his pocket.
“And I'm sure I'm not the only one who will feel this way when this information gets to the other investors,” Tim continued, looking down at the screen of his cell phone.
Vilta moved fast getting between Tim and the door to the lab. Spreading her arms, Vilta moved to block Tim and Tam's exit. The look in the Vilta's eyes in that moment reminded Tam a little of Prince William.
When Tam first got Prince William from her father, he was skittish and jumpy. He especially disliked large men with deep voices. Whenever one would corner him, William would get a panicked look in his eye and start growling until Tam came over to save him. While William hadn't ever actually bitten anyone, the potential was always clearly there. Vilta had the same sort of wide eyed panic about her now. If Vilta had fur like Prince, her hackles would be on end.
“No,” Vilta said numbly. “No you can't. You have to listen to me--”
“There's nothing left to say, I think. I'm sure those documents and certificates will speak for themselves.”
“No!” Vilta all but shrieked, and Tam saw something break in her eyes.
Moving in a flash, Vilta grabbed up a glass beaker from one of the work benches. She hurled it, with another ear piercing scream, right at Tim.
Tim's instincts were excellent, as always. Lifting his brief case, Tim managed to deflect the beaker before it hit him. The glass smashed against the hard brief case, scattering the shards across the floor of the lab.
Eyes locked on Vilta, Tam watched as she reached for something in her bag. Tam saw something dark flash in Vilta's hand when she pulled it from the bag, and all she could think was 'gun'.
Panicked, Tam looked over at Tim help and guidance. Hunched over, with his brief case still uplifted, Tam saw dark red blood streaked across Tim's pale face.
All in a rush, Tam went dizzy around the eyes. In her mind, Tam saw Tim's melted uniform on the floor of her bathroom. She saw Tim's Ducati, a half destroyed piece meal mess. She saw Damian's face, so young and familiar, contorted in pain.
Then Tam's vision went white. She felt herself move with no conscious thought. Her arms and legs felt numb, as if they weren't attached to her body. Tam moved like a hurricane, fierce and wild, and the world was nothing but a blur all around her.
When Tam came back to herself, everything was out of focus. Legs shaky and very dizzy, Tam sunk to the floor of the lab. She leaned back against one of the benches and shut her eyes.
“Tam?” Tim's voice called to her in tones of great concern.
Tam blinked her eyes open and rolled her head in the direction his voice came from. She found Tim kneeling on the ground next to a prostrate Vilta. He was checking a large gash on the woman's head. After pressing his fingers briefly to her pulse point, Tim looked back up at Tam.
“She's alive, but probably concussed. You hit her pretty hard. What do you keep in that thing anyway?” Tim asked, nodding to Tam's bag.
Tam's favorite hand made Birkin bag was lying on the floor next to Vilta. The contents were scatted every which way, and Tam moaned when she caught sight of the shape it was in.
“Oh god, are those blood stains?” Tam groaned. “It's impossible to get those out.”
“I'll get you some of the stuff Alfred uses on our suits,” Tim promised her with a smile. “I can't believe you went after her like that.”
“I thought she had a gun,” Tam said woozily.
Tim held up a dark gleaming object for Tam to see. Still a little dizzy, Tam couldn't make out what it was. She gave Tim a curious look.
“A tazer,” Tim explained. “Not fatal, but also not even remotely street legal.”
Tam cut her eyes to Vilta's prone form, and glared at her.
“Yeah, but who is to say what she would have done to us after she tazed us,” Tam said grimly. “This place is pretty much deserted.”
“If she had it her way,” Oracle put in, “the two of you would be quickly becoming sludge piles at the bottom of a vat of Bat Repellant, no doubt.”
Little spots danced in front of Tam's eyes as sweat broke out across her upper lip. Fighting down nausea, Tam tucked her head between her knees.
“What now?” she asked shakily. “We can't just leave her here. She might come after us.”
Tam looked up to see Tim rifling through Vilta's pockets. He came up with a key card, pocketing it before he stood, and moved towards Tam's purse. He grabbed it up and tucked it under one arm. Moving towards Tam, he helped her to her feet. Tam couldn't help but take a deep breath of relief when they slipped out of the lab, leaving Vilta behind.
Tim closed the door, double checking to see that it was locked. He nodded, then handed the key card and Tam's purse to her.
“You need to call the cops,” Tim said to her. “Tell them Vilta attacked you when you checked the lab out. I'm going to clean up. Then I'll pretend I spent the entire time looking over paper work. I can't be involved in this.”
“What about her,” Tam asked, gesturing to the lab door to indicate Vilta.
“You did a number on her,” Tim said. “I doubt she'll wake up, and if she does wake before the cops get here, O will make sure the doors stay locked. You're safe now.”
Tam nodded slowly, unable to really think past the idea that Tim was about to leave her.
“Don't worry,” Oracle said to her, “I'll be here with you. Everything will be just fine.”
“Alright,” Tam whispered.
As Tim took off down the hall away from her, Tam pulled out her cell phone and dialed.
Part Eight - In which Tam gets a cuddle, Tim gets a kiss and Prince William takes a nap. <3
Part: 7/8
Author: Aravis Tarkheena
Pairing: Tim/Tam
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Not sure yet. Nothing crazy.
Disclaimer: Not mine, everyone's legal
Chapter Length: 1,500w
Author's Notes: Written for the Women Love Fest. I picked Tam. ~<3 You get a ~1k chapter each day for the next week. Also for my Ducati table for dcu_freeforall. Prompt: 10 hurricane
Summary: Tam finds a clue. Tim needs a clue. Bath mats are destroyed, but Prince William remains happy throughout.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Six
Part Seven
Vilta entered the lab with a cell phone to her ear and an angry expression on her face. She caught sight of Tim and Tam right away. Pausing just inside the door of the laboratory, her eyes widened as she pulled the phone from her ear.
“What are you two doing here?” she asked, looking completely off balance.
Tam watched as Tim narrowed his eyes at Vilta. Standing tall, Tim looked stern and somewhat forbidding. While Tam knew he was putting on an act, even Tam was taken somewhat aback by his demeanor.
Trying hard to emulate Tim, Tam told herself over and over again to just brazen it out. She had done it before, she could do it again.
“We wanted to take a closer look at your operations before we went ahead and signed any papers,” Tim told Vilta in disapproving tones. “Frankly, I'm not impressed.”
“The tour we gave Ms. Fox yesterday should have been more than sufficient--” Vilta said defensively, but Tim cut her off.
“It would have been, if you were even remotely honest,” Tim stated firmly, and started forward, towards Vilta.
Stepping away from Tam, Tim made a small gesture that only Tam could see. She just wished she knew what it meant.
“He's telling you to stay put,” Oracle's told her, voice soothing and low, even despite its electronic twang. “He wants to draw attention away from you. Just stand there, as still as you can, and look stern.”
Tam swallowed hard, and fought down the urge to nod. Standing as still as she could, Tam made herself breathe slowly and evenly.
“Both your security systems and your safety measures are shockingly abysmal,” Tim continued, arms crossed over his chest, looking belligerent.
Vilta narrowed her eyes at Tim as he rounded on her.
“Our security is exactly as good as we can afford, right now,” Vilta said to him in a tight voice. “When we get more capital from out investors, we will be able to upgrade to something better. That's why it's so critical that you understand--”
Tim gave her a disgusted look. Glancing pointedly around the lab, Tim indicated the walls and windows in illustration when he cut Vilta off.
“No vents, Vilta,” Tim bit out, “no fans, no warning signs near the locked cabinets indicating that they contain dangerous materials, and that's the least of it.”
Vilta went white, her lips tightening as Tim went on with his list. Tam watched as Vilta shifted nervously in her high heels.
“Additionally, how difficult is it to be sure that a room that contains these dangerous substances are kept effectively locked?” Tim went on.
“It was locked when I came in,” Vilta protested.
“I had to make sure it could lock effectively when I examined the room,” Tim scoffed.
“And the when you got here, it just opened up for you?” Vilta asked, sounding more suspicious than shocked or off balance, now.
“It wasn't latched properly when I arrived,” Tim went on, voice hardening as he speared Vilta with a glare, clearly trying to get Vilta back on the defensive. “When's the last time you had an inspection of this place? Are you up to date?”
Tam could see the panic creep back into Vilta's eyes. Back stiffening as her eyes went wide, Vilta's mouth tightened as she scrambled to come up with something to tell Tim. Taking a moment to compose herself, Vilta took a long deep breath.
“I'd be happy to show you our inspection certifications,” Vilta said, keeping her voice even. “In fact, Ms. Fox had the opportunity to see them during her tour.”
Vilta turned to face Tam, but Tim sharped his voice to draw back Vilta's attention.
“I insist on an examination before any deal between our two organizations can go forward,” Tim demanded. “I'd also like to speak with the person who signed off on these laboratories. I can't believe an inspection team would let these sorts of things pass.”
Tam could see the fear and worry grow in Vilta's eyes.
“Surely that's not necessary,” Vilta said nervously. “Here at Viltech we strive to--”
Tim cut Vilta off again with a sneer and an abrupt hand gesture.
“Save it,” he bit out. “What I've seen here doesn't inspire confidence in your capacity for honesty.”
Tim made to move towards the door to the lab with long, purposeful strides. Face set and demeanor disapproving, Tim pulled his cell phone from his pocket.
“And I'm sure I'm not the only one who will feel this way when this information gets to the other investors,” Tim continued, looking down at the screen of his cell phone.
Vilta moved fast getting between Tim and the door to the lab. Spreading her arms, Vilta moved to block Tim and Tam's exit. The look in the Vilta's eyes in that moment reminded Tam a little of Prince William.
When Tam first got Prince William from her father, he was skittish and jumpy. He especially disliked large men with deep voices. Whenever one would corner him, William would get a panicked look in his eye and start growling until Tam came over to save him. While William hadn't ever actually bitten anyone, the potential was always clearly there. Vilta had the same sort of wide eyed panic about her now. If Vilta had fur like Prince, her hackles would be on end.
“No,” Vilta said numbly. “No you can't. You have to listen to me--”
“There's nothing left to say, I think. I'm sure those documents and certificates will speak for themselves.”
“No!” Vilta all but shrieked, and Tam saw something break in her eyes.
Moving in a flash, Vilta grabbed up a glass beaker from one of the work benches. She hurled it, with another ear piercing scream, right at Tim.
Tim's instincts were excellent, as always. Lifting his brief case, Tim managed to deflect the beaker before it hit him. The glass smashed against the hard brief case, scattering the shards across the floor of the lab.
Eyes locked on Vilta, Tam watched as she reached for something in her bag. Tam saw something dark flash in Vilta's hand when she pulled it from the bag, and all she could think was 'gun'.
Panicked, Tam looked over at Tim help and guidance. Hunched over, with his brief case still uplifted, Tam saw dark red blood streaked across Tim's pale face.
All in a rush, Tam went dizzy around the eyes. In her mind, Tam saw Tim's melted uniform on the floor of her bathroom. She saw Tim's Ducati, a half destroyed piece meal mess. She saw Damian's face, so young and familiar, contorted in pain.
Then Tam's vision went white. She felt herself move with no conscious thought. Her arms and legs felt numb, as if they weren't attached to her body. Tam moved like a hurricane, fierce and wild, and the world was nothing but a blur all around her.
When Tam came back to herself, everything was out of focus. Legs shaky and very dizzy, Tam sunk to the floor of the lab. She leaned back against one of the benches and shut her eyes.
“Tam?” Tim's voice called to her in tones of great concern.
Tam blinked her eyes open and rolled her head in the direction his voice came from. She found Tim kneeling on the ground next to a prostrate Vilta. He was checking a large gash on the woman's head. After pressing his fingers briefly to her pulse point, Tim looked back up at Tam.
“She's alive, but probably concussed. You hit her pretty hard. What do you keep in that thing anyway?” Tim asked, nodding to Tam's bag.
Tam's favorite hand made Birkin bag was lying on the floor next to Vilta. The contents were scatted every which way, and Tam moaned when she caught sight of the shape it was in.
“Oh god, are those blood stains?” Tam groaned. “It's impossible to get those out.”
“I'll get you some of the stuff Alfred uses on our suits,” Tim promised her with a smile. “I can't believe you went after her like that.”
“I thought she had a gun,” Tam said woozily.
Tim held up a dark gleaming object for Tam to see. Still a little dizzy, Tam couldn't make out what it was. She gave Tim a curious look.
“A tazer,” Tim explained. “Not fatal, but also not even remotely street legal.”
Tam cut her eyes to Vilta's prone form, and glared at her.
“Yeah, but who is to say what she would have done to us after she tazed us,” Tam said grimly. “This place is pretty much deserted.”
“If she had it her way,” Oracle put in, “the two of you would be quickly becoming sludge piles at the bottom of a vat of Bat Repellant, no doubt.”
Little spots danced in front of Tam's eyes as sweat broke out across her upper lip. Fighting down nausea, Tam tucked her head between her knees.
“What now?” she asked shakily. “We can't just leave her here. She might come after us.”
Tam looked up to see Tim rifling through Vilta's pockets. He came up with a key card, pocketing it before he stood, and moved towards Tam's purse. He grabbed it up and tucked it under one arm. Moving towards Tam, he helped her to her feet. Tam couldn't help but take a deep breath of relief when they slipped out of the lab, leaving Vilta behind.
Tim closed the door, double checking to see that it was locked. He nodded, then handed the key card and Tam's purse to her.
“You need to call the cops,” Tim said to her. “Tell them Vilta attacked you when you checked the lab out. I'm going to clean up. Then I'll pretend I spent the entire time looking over paper work. I can't be involved in this.”
“What about her,” Tam asked, gesturing to the lab door to indicate Vilta.
“You did a number on her,” Tim said. “I doubt she'll wake up, and if she does wake before the cops get here, O will make sure the doors stay locked. You're safe now.”
Tam nodded slowly, unable to really think past the idea that Tim was about to leave her.
“Don't worry,” Oracle said to her, “I'll be here with you. Everything will be just fine.”
“Alright,” Tam whispered.
As Tim took off down the hall away from her, Tam pulled out her cell phone and dialed.
Part Eight - In which Tam gets a cuddle, Tim gets a kiss and Prince William takes a nap. <3