AU Shenanigans

[exitthewallflower]

It's been six months since Cass disappeared. She's the first person I've known to do that and I still can't quite believe it. It hurts. She was family. A bat. And a friend. And every night since then, I've been killing myself to cover her turf and mine. Maybe literally now.

I was tired, too tired to be in the neighborhood I was in and I should have known better. But the deal was going down and I had to stop it before those drugs got on the street. One the good side? The bad guys are all tied up and the drugs were destroyed. On the bad side, I'm on the nearest roof losing consciousness after one too many hits after one too few nights' sleep. I remember calling the bust into the cops right before I remember thinking, "These bricks look really soft. I should lie down."

I don't really remember much after that.

Comments

[badtotheclone]

She's killing herself when she doesn't have to be, but if there's anything I've learned from the Bats it's that they don't just accept things. They take them all personally, like if they try just a bit harder, they could save everyone.

Cass taught me that, taught me to see my time in the costume not as my own evil redeemed but as lives I've saved. It's made a different. Maybe not huge to most people, but it's significant to me. I try to honor what Cass taught me by being even more selective about killing. It still happens on rare occasions, but those are incredibly rare.

I don't know if Barbara has noticed or not. I don't know if she's had time to. I notice, however, how she's lying on the ground unconscious. I wouldn't have even noticed her in the shadows except for her hair. I guess we Parkers are always going to notice the redhead.

I bind her hands and feet with webbing first as a safety precaution. She might wake up, freak out, and hit me. Neither of us wants that. Well, she actually might, but since I'm the one helping, I keep her bound until we get to my spider cave.

Which is actually a converted penthouse apartment. I may not kill anymore but that doesn't mean I don't take money from the drug dealers I bust.

I strip of her uniform, which is a disturbingly familiar act, and begin dressing her wounds. I don't know that it's anything incredibly serious but she definitely needs at least minor medical care. I'd take her to a doctor but I know she'd really hate that.

[exitthewallflower]

I'm kind of aware that I'm being moved, but it isn't until I feel something stinging in my shoulder and I lash out. A solid fist in the direction I think the sting is coming from. I don't know where I am and I'm not awake enough to know who's around me and all I have is instinct.

I don't even know if I connect before I'm trying to lunge out of the way. I'm only vaguely aware that I'm in nothing but a bra and panties, but I'll get pissed off about that later. Now? Move it, Gordon.

[badtotheclone]

The fist is so fast and sudden I don't even have time to duck it and she connects squarely with my jaw, knocking me back on my ass. I shout a profanity, more annoyed by anything. Of course she hits me when I'm trying to help her.

"You're just going to pass out again if you don't slow down!" I shout at her as I see her try and dart away. "I'm trying to help you, damn it!"

[exitthewallflower]

I would like to say I made it to the floor, rolled into a crouch and fixed Kaine with a glare that spoke volumes.

If I did, I would be lying.

I kind of scamper/fall off to the side of the sofa I was on and kind of kneel, breathing hard and fast as I try to blink away the spots in front of my eyes. I hate those spots. They're the - you're gonna pass out again - spots and I am NOT fainting in front of this guy.

But, I am conscious enough for the important things. "Why am I naked?!"

[badtotheclone]

I don't say anything as she kind of tumbles off the sofa, even though I want to give her a smug look, but that's beneath me. Barely, but it's still beneath me. I just hope she doesn't throw up.

"Because it's hard to treat wounds if you're still in your costume. You're not even naked. Besides, I've seen better," I say, which is a lie and because I'm used to being around Cass, who can tell when I'm lying just by looking at me, I correct myself. "Okay, I haven't really, but that's not the point."

[exitthewallflower]

Wait. "Did you just..?" My head really hurts, have I mentioned that yet? Because I think he just called me hot or something. I think? Where are my clothes? I...

Damn it. I lost my train of thought.

"I can treat my own wounds." There. Those were the words I was looking for. I'm back on track and making my way slowly back to the sofa. Only as I sit down I realize that's a lie because I think I feel something in the middle of my back that's not my bra strap and - DAMMIT, I'M STILL ALMOST NAKED.

Crossing my arms over my chest a mumble something about a towel. I think. All the blood's rushing to my face. What little i have left right now anyway. Oh, God, I'm sitting here in Kaine's wherever and I have no clothes on.

[badtotheclone]

"Not when you're passed out you can't," I say. "Which is what you were doing when I found you. Unless that was a Bat-nap."

Okay, Bat-nap was pretty damn funny, if I do say so myself. You know, because they take normal things and put 'bat' in front of them. Anyway, I can tell she's a little out of it which I attribute to how badly she's been hurt.

I get up and return a moment later with a shirt, tossing it at her. It's one of mine but it will cover most everything and it's either that or one of Cass's old shirts, which would be a little... snug around the chest.

[exitthewallflower]

I grumble a bit, but I take the shirt and hold it up to my chest, "I would have woken up."

I shift a little, feeling the bite between and beneath my shoulders. I think it's a piece of knife? I remember seeing a broken one in the fight, and it wouldn't surprise me if it had broken off in my suit. It's armored, but it was a pretty big knife.

"But since you are here, can you get whatever's in my back?" I pause. "Please?"

[badtotheclone]

"Yes, I'm sure the police helicopter with the spotlight would have helped," I say before I realize that she's actually not being completely awful about this. "I was just trying to be helpful. And sure, just turn around."

I move up next to her on the couch where it will be easier for me to get whatever is in her back. It's not a bullet, that I'm pretty sure I would have noticed.

[exitthewallflower]

"I know and... and thanks." I'm too tired to argue. I'm tired and I hurt and I miss Cass so much right now I want to cry. But instead, I just turn my back to him, grit my teeth and try to hold onto the realization that he is literally the last link I have to Cass.

And I'm just tired of arguing with him, honestly. I still think he's a jerk and I know he's a murderer, but somewhere deep inside there's someone trying. I'm not so blind with my annoyance that I have't noticed a drop in his death rates.

I shiver a little when I feel his fingers on my skin, and I tell myself it's because it's cold and I'm tired and not because I just realized this is the closest, physically, I've been to anyone since I came here.

[badtotheclone]

It scares me a bit that it almost sounds like defeat in her voice. Maybe it's more like acceptance, although I'm not sure of what. It also makes me think she might just be the bigger person for accepting whatever it is she accepted, first.

I can see what's stuck in her and it's a piece of a knife. Cut clean through her costume and into the muscle of her back. Not too deep but it's just barely sticking out, plus-

"Uh, I'm going to need to take your bra off to get it out."

[exitthewallflower]

Is he being serious? Or is this a joke, like the me being hot thing he said earlier. Because neither is particularly amusing right now. Not when he's already got full view of the ugly scars from my surgery. Nerve grafting may have given me my legs back, but it left a damn ugly scar, too. None of that is even remotely pretty.

"Funny, Kaine, you can just push it out of the way. I don't care if you did say you haven't seen better, which I know is a lie, I'm not falling for this."

[badtotheclone]

"Falling for what?" I ask, not sure what the fuck she's talking about. "What do you think I'm doing? You know what? Fine."

I do notice the scar up her back and I can guess pretty well what it's from. I'm also used to seeing a lot more scars on a woman's body, Cass was covered into them, more than this even.

I reach out to move her bra, pulling it down as carefully as I can and it completely snaps.

"By the way, the knife cut your bra. It was barely attached and I was worried moving it would rip it. But hey, you weren't going to fall for that, were you?"

[exitthewallflower]

I may have squealed when the bra snapped, but you will never be able to prove it.

"You could have just said that to begin with. That? Is actual logic." What is his problem? Why can't he just say things flat out without... being him all the time? "Did you think I would be surprised to hear that a knife that already went through my uniform had cut my bra on its way to my ribs?" I shrug and roll my shoulders to get the straps off and without exposing myself any more than necessary, the mangled item hit the floor.

I'd really liked that one, too. Do you know how hard it is to find good bras that worked under body armor and capes?

"Just pull the shard. Please."

[badtotheclone]

"You could have just trusted that I had a good reason for saying what I was saying I had to do," I snap back, annoyed that she can't just trust me. I get that she thinks I'm a killer. She's right, I am one. No amount of trying to be better will ever make those things not have happened. But what could I possibly gain by saying I need to take her bra off?

I gently touch the end of the shard with my finger and pull. Thanks to have hands that can stick to any surface I don't actually need a grip on the shard, which is good news for her. The piece is out in a moment and I grab a nearby piece of gauze and press it against the wound.

"I can superglue it for you. That'll give you more freedom of movement without risk to reopening it."

[exitthewallflower]

"Thank you." I breathe deeper, wincing a little at the pain, but at least I don't have the maddening feeling of something under my skin. And I manage to think a little clearer, too. I still think he could have said it differently, but again, he's all I have of Cass. She would want me to try.

"I'm sorry. I'm just having a... bad night. Good bust. Bad night." Which reminds me of one more thing I should probably say before he does something that's going to annoy me. I've been meaning to for awhile anyways and since I'm here... "I should thank you for the bust, too. The info you gave me? About the Lobos awhile back? It's helped. The last year, I've made some real progress. I owe you that." A little.

[badtotheclone]

"Welcome," I tell her, although it feels just a bit odd to tell her that. Odd, but maybe not bad. To be honest I miss having someone to share this with since Cass left. It's not the same, not close, but it's better than nothing.

"Glad I could help," I tell her, reaching out to grab a tube of super glue before pinching the wound closed and sealing it up. I blow softly on the glue, helping it dry faster.

"I've been making some progress too. Getting noticed in the underground fight rings."

[exitthewallflower]

I have to say bless super glue. It has so many wonderful uses, but it can sting like a bitch and feeling him blow on my skin like that all warm and cold is just not helping my head or my mood right now. I don't know what I'm feeling, I'm too tire to do anything but feel it, but gratitude is a new thing with the two of us and I don't think I'm quite feeling it right.

"Whose rings? Do you know yet?" There's some pretty big money if you get in the right fight and I know he's not averse to that at all. I wait for him to finish before I finally pull the shirt over my head, still keeping my arms crossed.

I am so glad it isn't a white shirt, you have no idea.

[badtotheclone]

"Saw Diego Novoa at one of them," I tell her as I watch her put the shirt on, telling myself I'm doing it because I want to make sure the wound doesn't reopen and not because there's anything there to admire. I may be really wanting to get laid, but not so bad I'd make a move on Barbara. That would be stupid.

"Thought about killing him. Didn't though," I say, trying to make it sound offhand and not like I'm trying to show her I've changed. "I- hold on, you've got glass in your hair."

Reaching out, I run my fingers through her hair, trying to carefully shake loose the few shards of glass in there I see.

[exitthewallflower]

It takes a mountain of self-control, but I let the killing comment go. Later, when I'm not a pile of bruises, I will point out that killing Carlos Novoa's cousin will only make things worse right now.

Instead I focus on not moving while he's pulling the glass out. "That would be the empty beer bottle. It hit the plate in my cowl. Didn't really hurt, but my ears rang something crazy." I shouldn't, but I close my eyes. It's almost... soothing? If it were anyone but Kaine, I would say it was soothing so okay, I'll say it's soothing. I am soothed.

[badtotheclone]

"Suuuure, it was the cowl that dulled the blow," I say, trying for a joke before I realize it may come off as a straight up insult. Way to go, Kaine. I'm doing a bang up job here at not being an ass.

"Oh. You're in the penthouse of the Hilton. I don't think anyone will think twice if you leave looking a little worse for wear. I- I might have an outfit or two of Cass's here but I don't know if they'd fit you."

[exitthewallflower]

I'm so zoned out from the fingers working through my hair, I don't even notice the crack about my thick skull. And honestly, having a thick skull is something of a job requirement, isn't it?

Sighing, I manage to chuckle. The penthouse. Of course it is. But I am not giving his ego the satisfaction of leaving looking like we just... nope. Not gonna happen. No with my face coloring like I feel it is. "I'll be fine. Sleep here on the couch for a few hours and put my suit back on. I can leave off the roof before dawn and have time to start breakfast for Aggie before she goes to school." Then I'll sleep. Tomorrow's definitely a sick day at work.

[badtotheclone]

"Called a mutual friend to go over and be there for Aggie when she wakes up," I say. Aggie and I butt heads sometimes but I like the kid and don't want her to worry.

As I talk my fingers idly moving down to rub her neck. I can feel how tense she is and it's practically impossible to resist trying ti work out some of the knots.

"And you can take the bed, I don't use it. You should probably shower too."

[exitthewallflower]

"Oh, God...." I don't even think about how it sounds, because it feels like heaven. I can't even remember when the last time I had any kind of massage that wasn't me working out a kink just good enough so I could swing another punch. And he's got good hands, broad and strong and he knows every muscle as well as any surgeon or masseuse.

I can't even think shower right now because I don't want to stop this.

[badtotheclone]

I'm not entirely sure why she's saying that, but it's not followed by "I'm going to kill you" so I figure it's probably a good sign that helping her relax isn't a bad thing. After the night she's had, she can definitely use it.

I move down to her shoulders, pressing on a particularly knotted area until the muscle feels like it's relaxed and in the proper place, repeating the process all across her upper back. I'm careful to avoid the knife wound but I figure if I'm in for a penny I'm in for a pound and move a bit lower.

"Be better if you laid down," I offer, figuring she can either accept or tell me to fuck off. At this point I'm not sure which one I want her to do. It feels good, touching her. I meant what I said earlier when I said I hadn't really seen a better figure.