Fic: Settling Accounts (Cass/Jason/Steph)
Title: Settling Accounts
Author: milleniumrex
Fandom: Batman
Characters/pairings: Cassandra Cain/Jason Todd/Stephanie Brown, David Cain, Bruce Wayne
Rating: PG-13 for violence and language
Words: 4125
Summary: Cass takes care of the remnants of her old life, with a little help from her lovers.
Author's Notes: This fic is a semi-sequel inspired by pervyficgirl's fic Adding Something Better to It, written with her permission. I strongly urge everyone to read the original, as it's fantastic, but all you need to know for this fic is that Cass was recently paralyzed in an accident on patrol, and is currently in a three-way relationship with Jason and Steph. DC timeline is screwy, but for the purposes of this fic, Jason is 20, Cass is 19, and Steph is just north of 18.
Cass wasn't used to being alone anymore. Ever since she had been released from the hospital, Jason and Steph made sure she always had someone with her, taking care of her needs, helping her out with therapy, or just keeping her spirits up. She had gotten used to their presence without really realizing it, and their temporary absence was jarring. She had asked for this, she reminded herself. This was something she needed to do. No one else could have this confrontation for her, as terrifying as it was. She had confronted her father countless times before, but she always had her physical skills to fall back on. The accident had stripped them all away. It took her 19 years to become one of the best fighters in the world, and exactly one second to become a quadriplegic. Months later, it still seemed a bit unreal as she sat in the darkened apartment. She couldn't move or feel anything from her shoulders down. The thousands of moves she had learned over the years ran through her head, but her arms lay motionless in their armrests, unable to perform a single one. She didn't know if she would ever fully adjust to this new life, but she did know that if she was going to try to live it, she had to put her old life behind her. And that meant facing off against her father one last time.
Cass closed her eyes, carefully tuning her ears to any strange noises in the apartment. There was a slight creaking at the window, almost imperceptible if you weren't listening specifically for it. Cass puffed a little air into the control straw, spinning her wheelchair around.
"Hello, Cain."
---------
"I got it. I'll let her know. Thanks for telling me, Alfred."
Jason hung up the phone and walked into the kitchen. Steph and Cass were quietly talking as Steph fed Cass breakfast. Jason snuck up behind Steph and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck. She craned her head around and kissed him back. Jason walked around the table to Cass and softly kissed her on the lips.
"Morning, babe. How're you feeling?"
"Eh." Cass tilted her head slightly to her left. "Shoulder hurts."
"We worked it pretty hard in therapy yesterday, huh?" Jason said as he gently rubbed Cass' left shoulder. "We'll take it easy today."
"Work the other one, then." Cass grimaced. "Hate resting."
Steph grinned as she reached over and stroked Cass' cheek. "I love that fight. You've got to make sure you don't burn out, though." She turned to Jason. "Who was calling?"
"Alfred. Bruce wanted him to pass on..." Jason sighed. "Well, I might as well get it over with." He turned to Cass. "Your father broke out of Blackgate this morning."
Cass growled under her breath. "Hate this. I should be the one to go after him, but..." She glared down at her arms. "One stupid fall."
"Hey, Batman will stop him." Steph said as she put an arm around Cass' shoulder. "I know it sucks, but this isn't your responsibility. He's just another thug."
"Actually...it's a little more complicated than that." Jason shook his head. "After he broke out, he was sighted coming out of Gotham general hospital. He only took one thing. Cass' medical file from after the accident. Bruce is pretty sure he's going to try to come after her, and I'm thinking he's right."
Cass could feel her heart beating quickly in her chest, and silently ordered herself to calm down. She hated what David Cain could still do to her after all these years, and she hated even more that she was no longer capable of responding like she usually did - in violence, the only language he understood.
"So...what now?"
"I don't know. Keeping you safe until he's taken care of is obviously the priority. Bruce wants us to bring you to the Batcave, because it's secure, but - "
"No. I'm not hiding."
"Sure. We don't have to do this Bruce's way." Steph looked at Jason. "If he comes here, we'll make him sorry he ever thought about laying a hand on our girl, right, Jay?"
Jason glowered. "Personally, I've been looking forward to hurting him for a while now on general principle. I've heard enough stories to know that he hasn't gotten nearly enough pain yet."
Cass felt a smile flicker across her lips as she saw Jason and Stephanie plot to protect her and exact a little revenge on her behalf. It felt good to have these two amazing people ready to lay down their lives for her against Cain. But deep down, as much as she wanted to let them fight this battle for her, she knew...
"It won't work."
Jason knelt down next to Cass. "Hey, I know Cain's a tough bastard, but we can take him down together."
Cass shook her head. "You don't get it. He won't stop if it's you. I have to beat him, or he'll never go away."
Jason cocked an eyebrow at Cass. "That's going to be kind of difficult."
"Way to be sensitive, Jay!" Steph punched Jason in the arm.
"Look, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but we don't know what he wants exactly, and we can't just leave Cass defenseless."
Cass leveled a glare at Jason. "I'm not helpless."
"You're the toughest person I've ever met. By a mile. Paralyzed or not." Jason locked eyes with Cass. "But there's a fucking maniac coming here, probably looking to hurt one of the two people I actually give a fuck about in this world, and I'm not going to let him do that. Ever since you got hurt, we've been your hands, right? This time, let us be your fists."
Cass leaned her head forward slightly, kissing Jason. "I love you. Both of you. But...you don't understand." Cass ran the words through her brain, trying to get them just right. He language skills were much improved (partially due to having a lot of free time to practice now), but she still got things a bit tangled up occasionally. "I know why he's here. He wants to kill me. In his...his mind, I'm broken now. Useless. So he wants to put me down. If you're there and you stop him...it'll just prove his point. He'll come back. And he'll hurt both of you to get to me. You can help me. You can hurt him. You can take him in. But I...I have to be the one to beat him. To show him I'm still better, even like this. Otherwise, he'll never stop."
Steph could feel tears stinging the corners of her eyes as she leant down next to Cass. She had known how hard her life had been growing up, and it didn't seem fair that this beautiful, incredibly strong girl now had to deal with both disability and this monster from her past. Looking at Jason, she didn't see any sign of the emotion that she knew she was doing a terrible job of keeping inside, but she knew her boyfriend well enough to know he felt the same way.
"Well, then..." Steph said as she wrapped her arms around Cass. "If this is going to happen, we'd better start thinking about techniques."
Cass nodded. "Babs always told me...work with what you have. I don't have much."
Cass closed her eyes, racking her brain. Suddenly, they shot open. She turned to Jason. "You still have that key to the Batcave?"
"Batman never thought to collect it off the body." Jason grinned wickedly. "Even in death, I still beat the old man."
"Ok, I need you to pick up some supplies.
-------------------
"I need to punch something."
Jason stalked back and forth across the rooftop as Stephanie perched on the edge, looking through binoculars. "Calm down, Jay. We're right here, and - "
"Exactly. We're out here, and she's in there, alone with that sick fuck of a father of hers. I don't like it."
"We planned everything out. We can respond in exactly seven seconds. She needs to do this alone, Jason. Just like I needed to confront my father, and you needed to take down the Joker. We've each got our dragons to slay."
"I know, I know." Jason slammed a fist into his palm. "I don't care about many things in this world, Steph. You and Cass...that's about the size of it. So anything threatens either of you, and it's not exactly easy for me to step back."
"Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense. Quote I read online. I think it fits."
"You're such a lit geek." Jason smirked.
"Proudly." Steph grinned as she gripped Jason's hand. "I get it. I'd lay down my life for either of you anyday. But this time, we've got to let go and let her do what she has to."
Steph crouched down again, focused in on the window, and gasped as she saw the white-haired figure slip in. She said a silent prayer to whatever Gods were listening that the plan would go off perfectly and David Cain would be out of their lives forever.
-----------
For a second, Cass could almost believe the look of concern on David Cain's face. He seemed genuinely distressed as he looked her over. But then she remembered that he likely only cared that his perfect weapon was of no further use to him.
"I read what they said in the files, but I had to see it for myself. Such a waste." Cain shook his head. "What the hell happened?"
"I got stabbed. It was at the wrong time, and...I fell. They sewed me up, but there was some spinal damage, and when I woke up..." Cass felt her throat tighten up as she recalled the exact moment she realized that her arms and legs didn't work.
"I see. And is there any hope of improvement?" Cain said with an audible snarl.
"Don't know. Been working out, getting stronger, but...nothing below my shoulders."
"Hrm." Cain turned away for a second, thinking to himself. Then, without warning, he whirled around, slapping Cassandra across the face. She winced as her face spun with the hit, but turned back to her father, glaring. She wouldn't let him make her cower, she thought.
"Idiot. I spend years training you, making you into the greatest fighter the world's ever seen, and you allow this to happen? Even when you betrayed me, there was a slight sense of pride. You were still doing what you were destined to do, even if it was against my interests? But now? You're a husk. It sickens me to think that I had a role in creating you."
Cass felt a smile creep across her face in spite of herself. Despite all the pain and challenges her condition had caused her, it pleased her to know just how much it angered Cain. "So...what, Cain? Why are you here?"
"You're still my daughter, Cassandra. No matter how angry I am, I could never leave my own flesh and blood a prisoner in her own body. So I've come to free you."
"You mean kill me."
"Yes. I know you. I MADE you. And I know you'd rather die than stay like this. Those people you're with...the killer Robin and the girl...they could never understand. But I know that every minute of every day, you're screaming inside."
"So do it." Cass shrugged slightly. "If you're so sure."
"No." Cain smirked. "I want you to ask me. Beg me to set you free."
Cass tried to keep a solid face, but she couldn't help it. Quietly, she began laughing.
"What the hell are you laughing about? Did your brain get damaged in the fall too?"
"You keep on saying you know me." Cass said between laughs. She thought through the next few sentences. "You don't know me at all. Right now, I'm freer than I've ever been. Because I know that no matter what, you'll never be able to take me back. You'll never be able to use me as a weapon again. Yes, it's been hard adjusting. I hate not being able to move, being dependent. But I have two people who love me. I never had that before. I've never once wished I was dead. Unlike when I was with you. Then I wished for it every day."
Cain was speechless for a second. Then his face turned red with anger. He grabbed Cass by the armrests of her wheelchair and forced himself close to her face. "You don't get the choice! Broken animals get put down. I came here to give you an act of mercy, and you threw it back in my face. But one way or another, you'll die by my hand."
Cass smiled. Getting him angry had worked perfectly, and she only had to say the truth. Tapping her head against her headrest, she pressed a small button that Jason had placed there. The cord it was attached to was almost unnoticeable unless you were looking for it. Suddenly, the small spring-loaded blade that was carefully taped to the underside of her arm shot forward, embedding itself about an inch into Cain's gut.
Cain growled with pain as he yanked the blade out. "Clever. But it'll take a lot more than that to stop me, and I doubt you have a second move. Don't worry, it'll all be over soon."
Cain pulled a long newly sharpened knife out of his pocket and walked behind Cass. Cass held her breath as she felt him grab her by the chin and expose her throat. He pressed the knife to her throat, and Cass hissed with pain as he made a small cut.
"Goodbye, Cassandra. It's a pity. You always were my masterpie - ."
The end of the word was swallowed as Cain started losing his voice. His hand started shaking, and after a second he dropped the knife away from Cass' throat. He backed away, only to stumble over his own feet and crash to the ground. He opened his mouth and a weak, hoarse voice came out.
"...What the hell? What did you do to me?"
"Fast-acting paralytic drug. On the knife. Just needed to scratch you. I didn't need a second move."
"You...you..."
"You'll lose your voice soon. Eventually you'll only be able to blink your eyes. It'll only last for a few hours. More than you deserve."
Cain staggered forward, trying to attack his daughter, but couldn't get close. He lay on the floor, shooting daggers with his eyes.
"I just wanted to make clear what happened here." Cass smiled. "I beat you. I can't move, you think I'm useless, but...I beat you." Cass directed her wheelchair over to the wall and spoke into a small microphone. "You can come in now."
Only seconds later, the window opened behind them. Jason and Stephanie entered the apartment. Steph immediately ran to Cass' side, while Jason stayed by Cain, guarding him.
"Cass! You're hurt."
"Huh?" Cass snapped out of the emotional intensity of her confrontation with Cain, and the pain of the cut on her neck came back to her. She could feel a small trickle of blood making its way down until it hit her collarbone, where the feeling simply stopped. "I...I barely noticed."
"You did it, Cass. You beat him." Steph hugged her girlfriend. "You knew what you were doing."
Jason knelt down by Cain and looked him over. "So...the poison worked? He's paralyzed, but completely aware of everything that's happening?"
Cass nodded.
"Good." Jason got a twisted smirk on his face, and yanked Cain up by his collar. He delivered a powerful punch to the assassin's jaw. "Huh? How does it feel, you sadistic bastard? You come here to kill my girl, after all the hell you put her through? Now you're at my mercy. Scared yet?"
"Jay, back off!" Steph yelled.
"Sorry, Steph. This isn't your call. It's hers." Jason picked up Cain's knife and held it to his throat. "How about it, Cass? It's totally your choice. But if you want him out of your life forever...well, I won't be sorry to make that happen."
Cass looked at the scene in front of her. There had been many times before she had planned to kill her father on her own. She knew he deserved it, and had no regrets on that front. She could see Steph's face, begging her to make the right choice for her soul. And she could see Jason, his face twisted with protective anger. He wanted to do this for her. No, the choice she made wouldn't be for Cain, or even for herself. It was for Jason, who didn't need another death on his conscience. Even one he did out of love.
"No. Just...just take him back to Blackgate."
For a second, no one moved. After what seemed like forever, Jason dropped the knife and pushed Cain to the ground.
"Like I said...your call. If you don't want him dead, I don't have the right to kill him."
Steph went back to looking at Cass' neck. "I should clean that and bandage it. Jay, can you take Cain back to Blackgate? You're the only one who can carry him."
"We could always tie him up and leave him in the closet for a while." Jason glowered. "I don't like the idea of leaving right now."
Cass looked up at Jason and smiled. "It's okay. I'll be fine. Go put him away. Somewhere deep."
Jason walked over and gave Cass a long, lingering kiss. "God, I'm glad that's over. Letting him put his hands on you...."
"Thank you...for letting me do this."
"Always. Hey, you're still the most bad-ass girl I know. I'd be stupid to get in your way." Jason turned to Steph. "And you're a close second. Take good care of her. I'll be back."
Jason gave Steph a quick kiss, slung Cain's body over his shoulder, and disappeared out the window.
---------
Jason did not like being in prison. He had been on the other side of these bars one too many times, but he had business to attend to. Cain had recovered and had been processed into the prison. Now it was time to make sure all lessons had been learned well.
"I've been expecting you."
Jason sat down across from the plexiglass window. Cain was wearing leg and arm irons, but the guards looked unconvinced they were safe.
"Good for you. I figured that we should exchange a few words, make sure that you know that the reprieve you got tonight...that was a one-time favor to my girl. Next time I see you outside these walls, I'm killing you."
"You could try. I'm in a whole different class than you, boy."
"Maybe. But I'm willing to bet I can get meaner."
Cain chuckled. "You're such a fool. You believe she's happy? She's like a caged animal in that useless body. Every nerve ending in her body is attuned to movement, and she can't even scratch her own nose. It's torture for her. If you loved her like you claim, you'd put her out of her misery."
"I know exactly how hard it is for her. I've been with her since she got hurt. I've seen all the hard time. I know a fuck of a lot better than you do, and she's doing a lot better than I would have. Maybe your programming wasn't as good as all that, because she's found a lot to enjoy in life. And I'm looking forward to being there. You, on the other hand? You get to rot in here, knowing your daughter hates you."
Cain stared at Jason, his face devoid of any emotion. "What daughter?"
Jason tried to hide his revulsion at Cain's words. "Yeah, that's probably for the best. You remember that. She doesn't exist to you. And if - when - you break out of here...head for the nearest boat before I find you, or you'll find out what torture really is."
Jason turned and walked out of the prison without giving Cain another look. He hoped that it would be the last time any of them ever saw the man.
Leaning against the wall of a nearby building, Jason lit up a cigarette. He didn't smoke often anymore, but the day seemed to call for it. As he took a puff, a familiar shadow was cast over him.
"I thought I broke you of that nasty habit years ago."
"Yeah, you thought a lot of wrong things about me, Bats. What do you want?"
"Oracle filled me in on today's events." Batman leapt down from the roof. "What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that we handled it, and you should butt out."
"You broke into the Batcave, stole a volatile poison, and used it on an enemy! And then tried to murder them! But aside from that, the thing I can't believe is that you used Cassandra like bait."
Jason snuffed out the cigarette and turned to Batman with a glare. "She wasn't bait. We set things up, and she took Cain out on her own. Resourceful, that girl. I'd think you would be proud."
"Any number of things could have gone wrong in the time it would have taken you to get there. It was foolish and reckless on all your parts. You put her life in danger and rolled the dice. You're the oldest in your little...arrangement. It's times like this I wonder if the two of you are responsible enough to take care of Cassandra."
Jason stepped forward, pressing his face to Batman's. "First up, we don't 'take care of her'. She's not a child. We're partners, and she made this choice. Second - don't you fucking dare imply that I don't care about her. How many times have you been to see her since she was injured? Two? Three? Steph and I are the ones who helped her through everything. You might not be as much of a sicko as Cain, but you both valued her for the same thing. And trust me, she got the message loud and clear when you all but abandoned her. So why don't you back the hell off and let us live our lives? In case you missed the memo, the good guys won tonight. I'm going to get back to my girls."
Jason swung off into the night, smirking at the fact that he had finally managed to leave Batman speechless.
---------
Jason crept into the window of the apartment. Steph was sitting with Cass, helping her exercise the muscles in her arms.
"I told her no one would blame her if she wanted to crash after that, but she didn't want to miss a session."
Cass grinned at Jason. "Got to stay strong. Push through the pain."
"Of course. Hell, after what you did to Cain, I know better than to argue with you." Jason smiled. He let the girls finish up the exercises, and watched as Steph carefully arranged Cass' arms back in their armrests. His hand drifted to Cass' shoulder, gently caressing it. "Are you sure you're okay? I mean, what that bastard put you through..."
Cass turned to Jason, and for a second, he could see the pain in her eyes. "For a second there...I didn't know if it would work. He had the knife to my throat, and I couldn't stop him. It was terrifying. But it's over. And now I get to spend the rest of my life with you. And you."
Steph curled up next to Cass, gently kissing her neck. "I love you, Cassandra Cain."
Cass nodded her head, inviting Jason over. As Jason took the other side, gently holding her, she nodded at her arms. Steph carefully picked up Cass' right arm and draped it over her shoulder. Jason followed suit, draping Cass' right arm over his shoulder. As they held her tight, Cass smiled. It was unconventional, but she was hugging her lovers for the first time since they were together. She hoped one day to be able to hug them under her own power, to play rooftop tag with Steph or sneak up on Jason, or even simply to hold their hands tight. She would hold those things in her heart, but not obsess over them. This life would do for now. It had its challenges, but also many joys she had never expected. Yes, it would definitely do for now.
Author: milleniumrex
Fandom: Batman
Characters/pairings: Cassandra Cain/Jason Todd/Stephanie Brown, David Cain, Bruce Wayne
Rating: PG-13 for violence and language
Words: 4125
Summary: Cass takes care of the remnants of her old life, with a little help from her lovers.
Author's Notes: This fic is a semi-sequel inspired by pervyficgirl's fic Adding Something Better to It, written with her permission. I strongly urge everyone to read the original, as it's fantastic, but all you need to know for this fic is that Cass was recently paralyzed in an accident on patrol, and is currently in a three-way relationship with Jason and Steph. DC timeline is screwy, but for the purposes of this fic, Jason is 20, Cass is 19, and Steph is just north of 18.
Cass wasn't used to being alone anymore. Ever since she had been released from the hospital, Jason and Steph made sure she always had someone with her, taking care of her needs, helping her out with therapy, or just keeping her spirits up. She had gotten used to their presence without really realizing it, and their temporary absence was jarring. She had asked for this, she reminded herself. This was something she needed to do. No one else could have this confrontation for her, as terrifying as it was. She had confronted her father countless times before, but she always had her physical skills to fall back on. The accident had stripped them all away. It took her 19 years to become one of the best fighters in the world, and exactly one second to become a quadriplegic. Months later, it still seemed a bit unreal as she sat in the darkened apartment. She couldn't move or feel anything from her shoulders down. The thousands of moves she had learned over the years ran through her head, but her arms lay motionless in their armrests, unable to perform a single one. She didn't know if she would ever fully adjust to this new life, but she did know that if she was going to try to live it, she had to put her old life behind her. And that meant facing off against her father one last time.
Cass closed her eyes, carefully tuning her ears to any strange noises in the apartment. There was a slight creaking at the window, almost imperceptible if you weren't listening specifically for it. Cass puffed a little air into the control straw, spinning her wheelchair around.
"Hello, Cain."
---------
"I got it. I'll let her know. Thanks for telling me, Alfred."
Jason hung up the phone and walked into the kitchen. Steph and Cass were quietly talking as Steph fed Cass breakfast. Jason snuck up behind Steph and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck. She craned her head around and kissed him back. Jason walked around the table to Cass and softly kissed her on the lips.
"Morning, babe. How're you feeling?"
"Eh." Cass tilted her head slightly to her left. "Shoulder hurts."
"We worked it pretty hard in therapy yesterday, huh?" Jason said as he gently rubbed Cass' left shoulder. "We'll take it easy today."
"Work the other one, then." Cass grimaced. "Hate resting."
Steph grinned as she reached over and stroked Cass' cheek. "I love that fight. You've got to make sure you don't burn out, though." She turned to Jason. "Who was calling?"
"Alfred. Bruce wanted him to pass on..." Jason sighed. "Well, I might as well get it over with." He turned to Cass. "Your father broke out of Blackgate this morning."
Cass growled under her breath. "Hate this. I should be the one to go after him, but..." She glared down at her arms. "One stupid fall."
"Hey, Batman will stop him." Steph said as she put an arm around Cass' shoulder. "I know it sucks, but this isn't your responsibility. He's just another thug."
"Actually...it's a little more complicated than that." Jason shook his head. "After he broke out, he was sighted coming out of Gotham general hospital. He only took one thing. Cass' medical file from after the accident. Bruce is pretty sure he's going to try to come after her, and I'm thinking he's right."
Cass could feel her heart beating quickly in her chest, and silently ordered herself to calm down. She hated what David Cain could still do to her after all these years, and she hated even more that she was no longer capable of responding like she usually did - in violence, the only language he understood.
"So...what now?"
"I don't know. Keeping you safe until he's taken care of is obviously the priority. Bruce wants us to bring you to the Batcave, because it's secure, but - "
"No. I'm not hiding."
"Sure. We don't have to do this Bruce's way." Steph looked at Jason. "If he comes here, we'll make him sorry he ever thought about laying a hand on our girl, right, Jay?"
Jason glowered. "Personally, I've been looking forward to hurting him for a while now on general principle. I've heard enough stories to know that he hasn't gotten nearly enough pain yet."
Cass felt a smile flicker across her lips as she saw Jason and Stephanie plot to protect her and exact a little revenge on her behalf. It felt good to have these two amazing people ready to lay down their lives for her against Cain. But deep down, as much as she wanted to let them fight this battle for her, she knew...
"It won't work."
Jason knelt down next to Cass. "Hey, I know Cain's a tough bastard, but we can take him down together."
Cass shook her head. "You don't get it. He won't stop if it's you. I have to beat him, or he'll never go away."
Jason cocked an eyebrow at Cass. "That's going to be kind of difficult."
"Way to be sensitive, Jay!" Steph punched Jason in the arm.
"Look, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but we don't know what he wants exactly, and we can't just leave Cass defenseless."
Cass leveled a glare at Jason. "I'm not helpless."
"You're the toughest person I've ever met. By a mile. Paralyzed or not." Jason locked eyes with Cass. "But there's a fucking maniac coming here, probably looking to hurt one of the two people I actually give a fuck about in this world, and I'm not going to let him do that. Ever since you got hurt, we've been your hands, right? This time, let us be your fists."
Cass leaned her head forward slightly, kissing Jason. "I love you. Both of you. But...you don't understand." Cass ran the words through her brain, trying to get them just right. He language skills were much improved (partially due to having a lot of free time to practice now), but she still got things a bit tangled up occasionally. "I know why he's here. He wants to kill me. In his...his mind, I'm broken now. Useless. So he wants to put me down. If you're there and you stop him...it'll just prove his point. He'll come back. And he'll hurt both of you to get to me. You can help me. You can hurt him. You can take him in. But I...I have to be the one to beat him. To show him I'm still better, even like this. Otherwise, he'll never stop."
Steph could feel tears stinging the corners of her eyes as she leant down next to Cass. She had known how hard her life had been growing up, and it didn't seem fair that this beautiful, incredibly strong girl now had to deal with both disability and this monster from her past. Looking at Jason, she didn't see any sign of the emotion that she knew she was doing a terrible job of keeping inside, but she knew her boyfriend well enough to know he felt the same way.
"Well, then..." Steph said as she wrapped her arms around Cass. "If this is going to happen, we'd better start thinking about techniques."
Cass nodded. "Babs always told me...work with what you have. I don't have much."
Cass closed her eyes, racking her brain. Suddenly, they shot open. She turned to Jason. "You still have that key to the Batcave?"
"Batman never thought to collect it off the body." Jason grinned wickedly. "Even in death, I still beat the old man."
"Ok, I need you to pick up some supplies.
-------------------
"I need to punch something."
Jason stalked back and forth across the rooftop as Stephanie perched on the edge, looking through binoculars. "Calm down, Jay. We're right here, and - "
"Exactly. We're out here, and she's in there, alone with that sick fuck of a father of hers. I don't like it."
"We planned everything out. We can respond in exactly seven seconds. She needs to do this alone, Jason. Just like I needed to confront my father, and you needed to take down the Joker. We've each got our dragons to slay."
"I know, I know." Jason slammed a fist into his palm. "I don't care about many things in this world, Steph. You and Cass...that's about the size of it. So anything threatens either of you, and it's not exactly easy for me to step back."
"Love is much like a wild rose, beautiful and calm, but willing to draw blood in its defense. Quote I read online. I think it fits."
"You're such a lit geek." Jason smirked.
"Proudly." Steph grinned as she gripped Jason's hand. "I get it. I'd lay down my life for either of you anyday. But this time, we've got to let go and let her do what she has to."
Steph crouched down again, focused in on the window, and gasped as she saw the white-haired figure slip in. She said a silent prayer to whatever Gods were listening that the plan would go off perfectly and David Cain would be out of their lives forever.
-----------
For a second, Cass could almost believe the look of concern on David Cain's face. He seemed genuinely distressed as he looked her over. But then she remembered that he likely only cared that his perfect weapon was of no further use to him.
"I read what they said in the files, but I had to see it for myself. Such a waste." Cain shook his head. "What the hell happened?"
"I got stabbed. It was at the wrong time, and...I fell. They sewed me up, but there was some spinal damage, and when I woke up..." Cass felt her throat tighten up as she recalled the exact moment she realized that her arms and legs didn't work.
"I see. And is there any hope of improvement?" Cain said with an audible snarl.
"Don't know. Been working out, getting stronger, but...nothing below my shoulders."
"Hrm." Cain turned away for a second, thinking to himself. Then, without warning, he whirled around, slapping Cassandra across the face. She winced as her face spun with the hit, but turned back to her father, glaring. She wouldn't let him make her cower, she thought.
"Idiot. I spend years training you, making you into the greatest fighter the world's ever seen, and you allow this to happen? Even when you betrayed me, there was a slight sense of pride. You were still doing what you were destined to do, even if it was against my interests? But now? You're a husk. It sickens me to think that I had a role in creating you."
Cass felt a smile creep across her face in spite of herself. Despite all the pain and challenges her condition had caused her, it pleased her to know just how much it angered Cain. "So...what, Cain? Why are you here?"
"You're still my daughter, Cassandra. No matter how angry I am, I could never leave my own flesh and blood a prisoner in her own body. So I've come to free you."
"You mean kill me."
"Yes. I know you. I MADE you. And I know you'd rather die than stay like this. Those people you're with...the killer Robin and the girl...they could never understand. But I know that every minute of every day, you're screaming inside."
"So do it." Cass shrugged slightly. "If you're so sure."
"No." Cain smirked. "I want you to ask me. Beg me to set you free."
Cass tried to keep a solid face, but she couldn't help it. Quietly, she began laughing.
"What the hell are you laughing about? Did your brain get damaged in the fall too?"
"You keep on saying you know me." Cass said between laughs. She thought through the next few sentences. "You don't know me at all. Right now, I'm freer than I've ever been. Because I know that no matter what, you'll never be able to take me back. You'll never be able to use me as a weapon again. Yes, it's been hard adjusting. I hate not being able to move, being dependent. But I have two people who love me. I never had that before. I've never once wished I was dead. Unlike when I was with you. Then I wished for it every day."
Cain was speechless for a second. Then his face turned red with anger. He grabbed Cass by the armrests of her wheelchair and forced himself close to her face. "You don't get the choice! Broken animals get put down. I came here to give you an act of mercy, and you threw it back in my face. But one way or another, you'll die by my hand."
Cass smiled. Getting him angry had worked perfectly, and she only had to say the truth. Tapping her head against her headrest, she pressed a small button that Jason had placed there. The cord it was attached to was almost unnoticeable unless you were looking for it. Suddenly, the small spring-loaded blade that was carefully taped to the underside of her arm shot forward, embedding itself about an inch into Cain's gut.
Cain growled with pain as he yanked the blade out. "Clever. But it'll take a lot more than that to stop me, and I doubt you have a second move. Don't worry, it'll all be over soon."
Cain pulled a long newly sharpened knife out of his pocket and walked behind Cass. Cass held her breath as she felt him grab her by the chin and expose her throat. He pressed the knife to her throat, and Cass hissed with pain as he made a small cut.
"Goodbye, Cassandra. It's a pity. You always were my masterpie - ."
The end of the word was swallowed as Cain started losing his voice. His hand started shaking, and after a second he dropped the knife away from Cass' throat. He backed away, only to stumble over his own feet and crash to the ground. He opened his mouth and a weak, hoarse voice came out.
"...What the hell? What did you do to me?"
"Fast-acting paralytic drug. On the knife. Just needed to scratch you. I didn't need a second move."
"You...you..."
"You'll lose your voice soon. Eventually you'll only be able to blink your eyes. It'll only last for a few hours. More than you deserve."
Cain staggered forward, trying to attack his daughter, but couldn't get close. He lay on the floor, shooting daggers with his eyes.
"I just wanted to make clear what happened here." Cass smiled. "I beat you. I can't move, you think I'm useless, but...I beat you." Cass directed her wheelchair over to the wall and spoke into a small microphone. "You can come in now."
Only seconds later, the window opened behind them. Jason and Stephanie entered the apartment. Steph immediately ran to Cass' side, while Jason stayed by Cain, guarding him.
"Cass! You're hurt."
"Huh?" Cass snapped out of the emotional intensity of her confrontation with Cain, and the pain of the cut on her neck came back to her. She could feel a small trickle of blood making its way down until it hit her collarbone, where the feeling simply stopped. "I...I barely noticed."
"You did it, Cass. You beat him." Steph hugged her girlfriend. "You knew what you were doing."
Jason knelt down by Cain and looked him over. "So...the poison worked? He's paralyzed, but completely aware of everything that's happening?"
Cass nodded.
"Good." Jason got a twisted smirk on his face, and yanked Cain up by his collar. He delivered a powerful punch to the assassin's jaw. "Huh? How does it feel, you sadistic bastard? You come here to kill my girl, after all the hell you put her through? Now you're at my mercy. Scared yet?"
"Jay, back off!" Steph yelled.
"Sorry, Steph. This isn't your call. It's hers." Jason picked up Cain's knife and held it to his throat. "How about it, Cass? It's totally your choice. But if you want him out of your life forever...well, I won't be sorry to make that happen."
Cass looked at the scene in front of her. There had been many times before she had planned to kill her father on her own. She knew he deserved it, and had no regrets on that front. She could see Steph's face, begging her to make the right choice for her soul. And she could see Jason, his face twisted with protective anger. He wanted to do this for her. No, the choice she made wouldn't be for Cain, or even for herself. It was for Jason, who didn't need another death on his conscience. Even one he did out of love.
"No. Just...just take him back to Blackgate."
For a second, no one moved. After what seemed like forever, Jason dropped the knife and pushed Cain to the ground.
"Like I said...your call. If you don't want him dead, I don't have the right to kill him."
Steph went back to looking at Cass' neck. "I should clean that and bandage it. Jay, can you take Cain back to Blackgate? You're the only one who can carry him."
"We could always tie him up and leave him in the closet for a while." Jason glowered. "I don't like the idea of leaving right now."
Cass looked up at Jason and smiled. "It's okay. I'll be fine. Go put him away. Somewhere deep."
Jason walked over and gave Cass a long, lingering kiss. "God, I'm glad that's over. Letting him put his hands on you...."
"Thank you...for letting me do this."
"Always. Hey, you're still the most bad-ass girl I know. I'd be stupid to get in your way." Jason turned to Steph. "And you're a close second. Take good care of her. I'll be back."
Jason gave Steph a quick kiss, slung Cain's body over his shoulder, and disappeared out the window.
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Jason did not like being in prison. He had been on the other side of these bars one too many times, but he had business to attend to. Cain had recovered and had been processed into the prison. Now it was time to make sure all lessons had been learned well.
"I've been expecting you."
Jason sat down across from the plexiglass window. Cain was wearing leg and arm irons, but the guards looked unconvinced they were safe.
"Good for you. I figured that we should exchange a few words, make sure that you know that the reprieve you got tonight...that was a one-time favor to my girl. Next time I see you outside these walls, I'm killing you."
"You could try. I'm in a whole different class than you, boy."
"Maybe. But I'm willing to bet I can get meaner."
Cain chuckled. "You're such a fool. You believe she's happy? She's like a caged animal in that useless body. Every nerve ending in her body is attuned to movement, and she can't even scratch her own nose. It's torture for her. If you loved her like you claim, you'd put her out of her misery."
"I know exactly how hard it is for her. I've been with her since she got hurt. I've seen all the hard time. I know a fuck of a lot better than you do, and she's doing a lot better than I would have. Maybe your programming wasn't as good as all that, because she's found a lot to enjoy in life. And I'm looking forward to being there. You, on the other hand? You get to rot in here, knowing your daughter hates you."
Cain stared at Jason, his face devoid of any emotion. "What daughter?"
Jason tried to hide his revulsion at Cain's words. "Yeah, that's probably for the best. You remember that. She doesn't exist to you. And if - when - you break out of here...head for the nearest boat before I find you, or you'll find out what torture really is."
Jason turned and walked out of the prison without giving Cain another look. He hoped that it would be the last time any of them ever saw the man.
Leaning against the wall of a nearby building, Jason lit up a cigarette. He didn't smoke often anymore, but the day seemed to call for it. As he took a puff, a familiar shadow was cast over him.
"I thought I broke you of that nasty habit years ago."
"Yeah, you thought a lot of wrong things about me, Bats. What do you want?"
"Oracle filled me in on today's events." Batman leapt down from the roof. "What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking that we handled it, and you should butt out."
"You broke into the Batcave, stole a volatile poison, and used it on an enemy! And then tried to murder them! But aside from that, the thing I can't believe is that you used Cassandra like bait."
Jason snuffed out the cigarette and turned to Batman with a glare. "She wasn't bait. We set things up, and she took Cain out on her own. Resourceful, that girl. I'd think you would be proud."
"Any number of things could have gone wrong in the time it would have taken you to get there. It was foolish and reckless on all your parts. You put her life in danger and rolled the dice. You're the oldest in your little...arrangement. It's times like this I wonder if the two of you are responsible enough to take care of Cassandra."
Jason stepped forward, pressing his face to Batman's. "First up, we don't 'take care of her'. She's not a child. We're partners, and she made this choice. Second - don't you fucking dare imply that I don't care about her. How many times have you been to see her since she was injured? Two? Three? Steph and I are the ones who helped her through everything. You might not be as much of a sicko as Cain, but you both valued her for the same thing. And trust me, she got the message loud and clear when you all but abandoned her. So why don't you back the hell off and let us live our lives? In case you missed the memo, the good guys won tonight. I'm going to get back to my girls."
Jason swung off into the night, smirking at the fact that he had finally managed to leave Batman speechless.
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Jason crept into the window of the apartment. Steph was sitting with Cass, helping her exercise the muscles in her arms.
"I told her no one would blame her if she wanted to crash after that, but she didn't want to miss a session."
Cass grinned at Jason. "Got to stay strong. Push through the pain."
"Of course. Hell, after what you did to Cain, I know better than to argue with you." Jason smiled. He let the girls finish up the exercises, and watched as Steph carefully arranged Cass' arms back in their armrests. His hand drifted to Cass' shoulder, gently caressing it. "Are you sure you're okay? I mean, what that bastard put you through..."
Cass turned to Jason, and for a second, he could see the pain in her eyes. "For a second there...I didn't know if it would work. He had the knife to my throat, and I couldn't stop him. It was terrifying. But it's over. And now I get to spend the rest of my life with you. And you."
Steph curled up next to Cass, gently kissing her neck. "I love you, Cassandra Cain."
Cass nodded her head, inviting Jason over. As Jason took the other side, gently holding her, she nodded at her arms. Steph carefully picked up Cass' right arm and draped it over her shoulder. Jason followed suit, draping Cass' right arm over his shoulder. As they held her tight, Cass smiled. It was unconventional, but she was hugging her lovers for the first time since they were together. She hoped one day to be able to hug them under her own power, to play rooftop tag with Steph or sneak up on Jason, or even simply to hold their hands tight. She would hold those things in her heart, but not obsess over them. This life would do for now. It had its challenges, but also many joys she had never expected. Yes, it would definitely do for now.