Nora felt like she had been asleep for a long, long time.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8nyxpzYxR
It wasn’t an ordinary nap or a night’s rest—it was the kind of sleep that seeped into the bones and pierced through time and space. When she woke, it was as if her body had been completely rebuilt—no stiffness in her muscles, her thoughts were crystal clear, and even the old, lingering pains had vanished.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWv0n2pgDe5
She felt physically perfect.
She instinctively moved her fingers and toes. No sluggishness, no pain—121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5fL4pVp1ba
Only a small voice in the back of her mind whispered: This is too good to be true.
Yesterday, Tim had wanted to check Nora’s physical condition.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjDIPJl3Ti
She’d told him she had chest pain.
It was a vague, dull ache. The moment Tim heard her say that, his expression shifted. He immediately sat up straight.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sMCrlcOqT
In a panic, he reached out to examine her—121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdfdEWYypx
But the moment his hand moved, Nora’s eyes widened in shock.
His hand had barely reached her chest when, like a secret suddenly illuminated, she saw it: a hand clearly injured—not scraped, not bruised, but frostbitten.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Fwck7FBD5
It was red and raw.
The skin was slightly swollen, tinged with red around the edges. Nora sat up at once, her gaze locked on it.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzfYo5hPzst
Tim instinctively tried to hide it, but Nora was already upright, asking to see the other hand.
He looked embarrassed and tried to pull his hand back, muttering that it was fine, that he just needed some rest. But her expression was too firm—familiar and gentle in that particular kind of stubbornness that left him no choice but to obediently extend his other hand.
Nora cupped both of Tim’s hands in hers, and felt like crying.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZlRetalNu
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Tim tried to shift the mood.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdSPkQoVSZ
“Nora, don’t be upset. A session in the med pod will fix it.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjngdzzNGa
Didn’t you say you had chest pain?”
He kept his tone light, hoping to ease the atmosphere. But the forced calm in his voice stung more than silence. He’d become far too used to hiding his pain.
And so, Nora pulled Tim into the same med pod to heal together.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWUNHcNaDJM
She didn’t speak—just took his hand, and led him inside.
The pod door closed slowly. The soft blue light surrounded them again, like a gentle embrace.
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When Nora opened her eyes again, she realized Tim was already awake and holding her.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNm7R4iDPn
He hadn’t disturbed her—just leaned quietly against her, breathing shallowly, his shoulders barely rising. Those blue eyes stared upward, focused and serene.
She followed his gaze. At the top of the med pod’s glass ceiling, a small face had appeared—pressed right up against the glass.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNhpkkLu6a
Tiny hands clung to the edge, and a forehead nearly squished flat.
A pair of bright blue eyes peeked inside.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoVUlfcCVyL
It was a child, staring in through the window, face flushed—likely from climbing too fast—his eyes gleaming with excitement and urgency.
Nora saw him and immediately smiled.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxYseqLvVPR
It had been two years, and Finn had grown. He was taller, sharper-eyed. Her heart melted. She had just started to smile—121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVx6qkR7eG
And the boy, seeing it, immediately scrambled down.
Tim pressed the button to open the pod.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2sYjKCc3C4
A wordless understanding. He smiled too—an expression of quiet relief after long exhaustion. He knew exactly how much that child had longed to see her.
As the med pod opened, Finn clambered inside and threw himself at Nora, sobbing.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FF8GPXfoB
Like a kitten, he pounced, wrapping his arms around her waist, smearing tears and snot all over her clothes—nothing like his usual calm, clever self.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMAntBAbcKk
His cries trembled, as if he'd held them in far too long.
“Nora-sensei! Uncle Tim bullies me all the time! Let’s not talk to him anymore!”121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEHpElj3S8
He cried and accused at the same time, as if all his worries and grievances over the past two years had finally found an outlet.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFcwEvEN54
His words were messy, but his eyes were serious. He meant it.
Nora smiled and ran her fingers through the boy’s black hair.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzshCW0bYP
She didn’t respond right away, just gently stroked his head, like she used to. She remembered the violet-eyed boy who once held her in this very pod.
Tim watched his nephew—121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNW6h5FdQL
Still seated beside Nora, gently holding her arm, his eyes fixed on Finn.
A year ago, when Tim had shut himself away, Finn had hidden himself inside Alfred’s food cart and snuck into the Batcave.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoeCA1Myfac
Back then, Alfred had just pushed the cart into the main console room when a child suddenly popped out, proud and stubborn, declaring, “I’m here to see Uncle Tim.”
So much for Bruce Wayne’s carefully designed “normal childhood” plan.
From that day on, Finn never left this world.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡomsAcC1pMI
All the peaceful daily routines, the distance from the world of heroes—all of it shattered by the boy’s own choice.
Tim glanced at Nora, thinking silently that he owed Finn so much.
He gave her a look. She nodded.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHgPsEVOfao
No words needed—just shared understanding. A promise.
Together, they looked down at the crying child and smiled.121Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFnl36iB4m
Finn was still sniffling, muttering “Uncle’s mean” under his breath, unaware that in that moment, Nora and Tim’s smiles had wrapped this bittersweet reunion in warmth.
—The End—
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and then Add to home screen.