[ HI BATDAD. here are some coordinates for you, sent from Carrie's NV! to a really secluded rooftop off in a really empty end of the island. it's the best place to enjoy the late afternoon breeze, and better than a stuffy safehouse. :c ]
[ She's perched at the edge of a roof, staring out over the city, and looking pretty damn peaceful. She's still dressed as Robin, but only because she hasn't had a chance to change yet. Notifying Bruce was, of course, the first course of action, even before the sitting-around-and-contemplating-things. ]
[ His grappling hook slips from his hand the moment he sees her, and only his reflexes saves him from falling from the building. Instead, he rolls forward, slamming his hand against the edge of the rooftop and propelling himself up and forward, rolling on the concrete ground.
Then he stands up, looking at her. It takes a second, or less than that, before he's already moving forward, dropping to his knees in front of her, his hand grasping on an arm--
His lips part. Nothing comes out. He snaps it close, then tries again-- ]
[ Well that was-- kind of a messy landing. She's immediately launching into concern, starting to wonder if he'd gone and gotten himself hurt again, when-- oh, right. She's returned from the dead. That's probably pretty good cause for a messy landing, huh.
Her other hand lands on his, clutching his wrist, and then she's sliding forward to wrap both arms around his neck, instead. Her throat's threatening to close up, but she makes a pretty good effort at speaking (even if it's muffled in his shoulder). ]
[ His arms come up automatically, wrapping around her small frame and crushing her close to himself. He doesn't care right now that it's weak, that he's showing vulnerabilities- he had held her corpse in his arms; had seen the insides of her skull. He had barely slept for the past few days because he can't stop seeing that-
And the monster she became, corrupted by Darkness. Bruce closes his eyes, and holds her tight, tight, to him, and doesn't let go. ]
Good. [ The Bat falls away, leaving only him, the man. Hoarse-voice, almost trembling, eyes squeezed shut as he held his Robin- as he held the girl he thinks of as his child in his hands. ]
[ She holds tight, not seeming to have any plans of letting go. As far as she's concerned, this hug is just fine for the next few days. ]
No sweat, boss. [ That part with a sick little laugh, like it would ever have been up to her. To either of them. It'd even made him disappear once. The Core rules everyone. But there's something more pressing to think about than that, what was it? Oh, right-- ]
I couldn't reach my NV. I woulda-- should called in sooner. He was-- way outta my league. Way.
[ His hand is still stroking through her hair. There's a need inside him to- make sure that she's still her. Her scalp is still connected to her head. He breathes in shuddering-slow.
Then out. His exhale ghosts amongst her hair. ]
No. I should have paid more attention to your tracker. [ She knows he has one on her, of course. ] Just-
Warn me if you attack someone else. Even if it's just a message.
[ She doesn't let go, not quite yet. First she squeezes a little more tightly, then she takes a breath. Words, talking. Never her strong suit. ]
You know I love you, right. [ It's not a question. ] I mean-- if the Core, or-- you gotta know.
[ And then she's pulling away, floating somewhere between embarrassed, relieved to have said it before the Core can pull one or the other of them away, and dizzy on the entire experience. Dying, being dead, not being dead anymore. It's a little much. ]
[ He looks at her for a long moment before he reaches out. Grabs the fingers of his right gauntlet almost violent as he rips it off, drops it to his side. Then, he reaches out, using his bare hand to stroke through her hair, ruffling hard through it before dropping down. Feather-light touches, against her jaw, her cheekbone.
Drops down to squeeze her shoulder.
Doesn't say a thing. She should know, by that. The contact. The affection.
[ She does know. Actions are always louder than words. She smiles, a little relieved that-- well, that that's okay. That she's allowed to say that, even to Batman. She's quiet for a while, trying to gather her thoughts, to remember what the next most important issue was supposed to be.
She has it in a few seconds, looking up at him and suddenly standing a little straighter. Suddenly looking a little harder. ]
[ That's all that Bruce is willing to say about him. Peter Petrelli would be an invaluable source when it comes to bringing Sylar down, bvut at the state he is in, he's all but worthless. Bruce is retracing Sylar's steps - after all, if the Core brings back Carrie, why not her murderer?
When he returns, Bruce will be waiting. ]
Why? [ Pause. He shakes his head- that's not his question. ] What do you remember?
[ She watches Bruce, and any edge is blunted, just as quickly as it was sharpened, when she sags again. She remembers everything. She remembers how Peter arrived and did nothing. Arrived and watched. Agreed with it, even. Peter, a guy she'd trusted to be an Avenger. To watch her back, if she ever needed it.
Her eyes drop away, and she shakes her head a little. ]
S'kinda fuzzy.
[ She has to talk to Peter. Before telling anyone that would take drastic measures (and that's Batman, if there ever was anyone), she has to work out how to handle someone that was supposed to be her responsibility. ]
[ She can't really hide from him, but- there's a light in those eyes that says that she's going to take care of matters her own way. Bruce's hand clenched at his side, nails digging into his palms, and there was a significant lack of squeaking, screaming leather - the gauntlet still lay on the floor. He took a breath.
Looked at her for a moment and tried to remind himself- no, no, he couldn't. ]
Tell me what you're going to do. [ A little too hard, all edges sharp, trying to hide the glass shards underneath. I don't want to lose you again. ]
[ He's pinned it exactly, and there's just a touch of guilt when she looks up at him. A yeah, that's right, sorry about the lie. But it fades quickly, because now's hardly the time. ]
I'm gonna talk to him. [ And because, well, her credit is flagging pretty badly at the moment, with having just gone and screwed up as badly as it's possible to screw up, she adds: ] Just over the NVs. And you'll know it, if I need you.
[ Talk to him over the NV. Does Petrelli have an ability that lets him lash out at someone over the NV? He should have researched him more. There are too many possibilities.
He closes his eyes for a moment. Nods sharply. ]
I'll be listening in. [ Pause, then he lets out a breath through his teeth. ]
Find out his current list of abilities beforehand, if you can.
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Could it be-- ]
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Then he stands up, looking at her. It takes a second, or less than that, before he's already moving forward, dropping to his knees in front of her, his hand grasping on an arm--
His lips part. Nothing comes out. He snaps it close, then tries again-- ]
Say something.
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Her other hand lands on his, clutching his wrist, and then she's sliding forward to wrap both arms around his neck, instead. Her throat's threatening to close up, but she makes a pretty good effort at speaking (even if it's muffled in his shoulder). ]
Th--the Core still works, turns out.
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And the monster she became, corrupted by Darkness. Bruce closes his eyes, and holds her tight, tight, to him, and doesn't let go. ]
Good. [ The Bat falls away, leaving only him, the man. Hoarse-voice, almost trembling, eyes squeezed shut as he held his Robin- as he held the girl he thinks of as his child in his hands. ]
I wouldn't have to force it to.
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No sweat, boss. [ That part with a sick little laugh, like it would ever have been up to her. To either of them. It'd even made him disappear once. The Core rules everyone. But there's something more pressing to think about than that, what was it? Oh, right-- ]
I couldn't reach my NV. I woulda-- should called in sooner. He was-- way outta my league. Way.
Reply
Then out. His exhale ghosts amongst her hair. ]
No. I should have paid more attention to your tracker. [ She knows he has one on her, of course. ] Just-
Warn me if you attack someone else. Even if it's just a message.
[ And he's slowly pulling away. ]
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You know I love you, right. [ It's not a question. ] I mean-- if the Core, or-- you gotta know.
[ And then she's pulling away, floating somewhere between embarrassed, relieved to have said it before the Core can pull one or the other of them away, and dizzy on the entire experience. Dying, being dead, not being dead anymore. It's a little much. ]
Reply
Drops down to squeeze her shoulder.
Doesn't say a thing. She should know, by that. The contact. The affection.
(She's real.) ]
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She has it in a few seconds, looking up at him and suddenly standing a little straighter. Suddenly looking a little harder. ]
What about Peter?
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[ That's all that Bruce is willing to say about him. Peter Petrelli would be an invaluable source when it comes to bringing Sylar down, bvut at the state he is in, he's all but worthless. Bruce is retracing Sylar's steps - after all, if the Core brings back Carrie, why not her murderer?
When he returns, Bruce will be waiting. ]
Why? [ Pause. He shakes his head- that's not his question. ] What do you remember?
Reply
Her eyes drop away, and she shakes her head a little. ]
S'kinda fuzzy.
[ She has to talk to Peter. Before telling anyone that would take drastic measures (and that's Batman, if there ever was anyone), she has to work out how to handle someone that was supposed to be her responsibility. ]
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You don't want to tell me just yet.
[ She can't really hide from him, but- there's a light in those eyes that says that she's going to take care of matters her own way. Bruce's hand clenched at his side, nails digging into his palms, and there was a significant lack of squeaking, screaming leather - the gauntlet still lay on the floor. He took a breath.
Looked at her for a moment and tried to remind himself- no, no, he couldn't. ]
Tell me what you're going to do. [ A little too hard, all edges sharp, trying to hide the glass shards underneath. I don't want to lose you again. ]
Reply
I'm gonna talk to him. [ And because, well, her credit is flagging pretty badly at the moment, with having just gone and screwed up as badly as it's possible to screw up, she adds: ] Just over the NVs. And you'll know it, if I need you.
Reply
He closes his eyes for a moment. Nods sharply. ]
I'll be listening in. [ Pause, then he lets out a breath through his teeth. ]
Find out his current list of abilities beforehand, if you can.
Reply
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