#cassashadow

Dick lets out a low breath, fighting to keep his posture from going defensive. She's worried, she's upset, and he's not explaining enough. "Because now we know where she is. She's off the streets and somewhere we can watch her at all times. It was the best way to deal with her until another plan can be made."

Cass folds her hands on her lap, keeping her eyes trained on wall. "Who's watching her?"

"Our security cameras. I have them set up to notify me of any attempts to break out or suspicious movement." He smirks slightly. "And I've got the Clayface protocol in place, so I don't think she'll be able to slip out. You should see her, Cass. She goes all... gooey and liquidy, like a more fluid version of Clayface. It's weird."

He sounds a little too obviously impressed with this weirdness.

"She drugged me." She crumples her hands against her sheets, turning back to face Dick, "And you think...she's special." Cass is visibly hurt by Dick's response to finding Inque.

Dick blanches. "No, Cass. No, no, no, no." He reaches out, laying his hand on top of hers. "She's dangerous, I know that. That's why I wanted to get her somewhere she can't get out. If she's contained, she's one less person we have to deal with." He rubs the back of her hand. "I'm so sorry, Cass. I didn't think. That was wrong of me. I'm sorry."

Her lip quivers as she fights over forgiveness for her brother. "Keep her there." she orders. Leaning back, she presses her forehead to her pillow. She whines, the sound high and frustrated- just like she had with Cheshire's taunts in the Gotham hospital she'd been found in. Being useless was useless.

Dick hangs his head, actually feeling ashamed of what he'd done-- or, more of not thinking about it while doing it. He reaches up and brushes back her hair, cooing softly to soothe her. "I'm sorry."

Cass slows her breath as Dick's hand draws through her hair, whispering back, "I know." Dick had always been the easiest person to read, which made being mad at him too difficult.

Dick leans forward and presses a light kiss to her temple, careful of her bruises. "How are you feeling?"

Cass mumbles, "Useless."

Dick freezes, his breath hitching in his throat, stomach clenching. He knows that feeling all too well, and what it can do to someone like them, like Cass. "Has Bruce been to see you yet?"

Cass nods, "Yes. Why?"

"What did you two talk about? Did he ask you anything?"

"My attack. What I remembered...I underestimated." she nods, trying to explain it all as best as she had with Bruce.

Dick nods and takes her hand again. "But you gave information. You told us something we didn't know. That's not useless."

Cass sighs, "Yeah. But. I can't move. That's what I do." physical cues and movement was what she was born and bred to do. Being pinned down had so many disadvantages she was noticing now that she found a real reason to leave. No wonder Bruce had asked her not to escape.

Dick squeezes her hand. "I know. Let me tell you a trick I learned a long time ago when I was bedridden for a while. When I got sick of staying in bed all day, I tried finding movement in stillness. Let me see if this makes sense." He lets go of her hand and spins his chair around, leaning back on it to lay out the same way she was. "OK, so, you can't really get up and go anywhere, but some parts of you still move. So, what I'd do, is I start with my toes." He kicks off his shoes and points to his feet. "Clayface is down there, let's say. He's tiny. But I'm tiny. All of me is down there in my toes. So, I brace myself--" He curls his toes. "--And when the moment's right, I leap into action!" His toes straighten out again with a snap, as if flicking something away from them. "Then I go to the next foot and so on. When I've defeated my enemy, I might take a little nap or watch something, but then when I need to move again, I move up a little higher, maybe to my ankles or, if I can't use the rest of my legs, to my fingers."

He smiles gently. "Does that help?"

Cass smiles slowly, watching her brother demonstrate his bedridden movement trick, "Yes." she nods, "That'll help." she had been meaning to practice story telling like the kind Dick was so good at sharing anyway...why not imagine some bad guy to fight along her body as well.

Dick smiles wider and takes her hand again. "Excellent! I'm really glad." He looks her straight in the eye, his expression kind, but serious. "You are never useless, Cass. Don't ever start to believe that you are."

Cass wiggles her feet, "Ok." she agrees, trying for Dick's sake (and probably Bruce's too) to not let that uselessness begin to stifle her. "So. Inque." while she can promise to feel better, she can't yet squash her curiosity over the woman. What had Dick said to her? What had she said to Dick? What was she doing right this second.

Jason [text]: hey cass how you feeling?

Dick purses his lips. "Inque. Well, we'll need to be careful of her. Her powers-- or whatever-- make her able to wrap around or blend into just about anything, so we'll need to keep an eye on that."

Cass taps out her texts to Jason as Dick speaks. [Txt] meh [Txt] Dick gave me tea [Txt] So it's not bad

Looking up at Dick, she frowns, "Weird."

Jason [text]: was gonna come by and see you later [text]: want me to bring you anything?

Dick nods. "Yeah. I got a little footage of her to archive, get her into our system."

Cass [Txt] I can't have much. [Txt] So. Just you!

"Can I see?" she asks Dick.

"Sure." He pulls up the footage from their talk on the roof. There's no sound, by the visuals are clear.

Jason [text]: okay ill be there soon [text]: tell dick hes still a jerk

Cass [Txt] Ok.

She looks up from her phone, holding it out for Dick to see. "You are a jerk. Still."

He pouts. "Aww!"

Cass shrugs, "It's true." but she grows quieter, more serious as she studies the footage.

Dick gives Cass a look, but doesn't say anything as she watches, letting her focus.

Jason heads to the Watchtower after his last text, arriving a few minutes later and meanders his way to the medbay. Ignoring Dick for the moment, he walks over to Cass' bed and leans down to loop his arms loosely around her shoulders, chin resting on top of her head. "What'cha watching?"

Cass smiles, but doesn't take her eyes off the screen as Jason arrives. "Inque." Cass points to the dark pale figure on the screen. She stiffens as Inque constricts herself around Dick's lower half, her brother's movements slow, but there is no retaliation to her surprise.

Dick looks up at Jason. "She's the one you met, right?"

Jason watches the video over Cass' head, frowning a little. "Yeah, I met her. Getting pretty up close and personal there, big bird," he says, tone even. "You sure you're not the one that need the talk?"

Dick shoots him a glare that's a little darker than intended. "Ha. Ha."

Cass pulls her eyes away from the screen to eye Jason, "The talk?"

Dick makes a face. "He means the talk I mentioned during the phone call."

"Don't worry about it," Jason says, gently patting Cass' shoulder. He's not exactly glaring when he looks at Dick, but it's close. "Yeah, thanks for that. So what the hell were you doing with Inque?" Because he noticed that glare, big brother.

"Oh." she frowns, still watching the video as Inque seemingly seams herself to Dick's Nightwing uniform. And she noticed that look in the video, "Dick."

Dick shuts off the video and looks at them both. "What? I had to get her there somehow! I took her to a safe house and trapped her there. I haven't got an alert yet, so it's safe to say she's still there. I'm gonna go back and check on her later."

Jason is now even more suspicious when he looks at Dick. "And what exactly did you do to get her there?" He has a few ideas floating around his head, because if Dick of all people is getting defensive and secretive, something must be up.

Cass leans back into Jason, hands folded tightly in her lap as she eyes Dick.

Jason shifts a little, sitting on Cass' bed and pulling her in close against his chest, arms still looped around her protectively.

Dick takes a breath and looks Jason in the eye, Bat-poker face on. "I made her think she was going to get something out of it if she came with me and I kept her distracted enough that she didn't notice the traps being set. I thought it's a good way to keep her under surveillance where we can find her and keep her off the streets."

Jason knows that Bat-poker face exceptionally well. He often uses it himself. "How did you distract her?"

"That's not really any of your business," Dick says, unconsciously slipping halfway into Batvoice.

Cass claps her hands, perking up at just how defensive Dick has become, "Well!" although it's probably not fair she and Jason seem to be teaming up on him...if it has something to do with Inque, she wants answers.

Jason cocks his head to one side. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Bruce. I didn't mean to overstep, but here's the thing. Maybe it's not my business, but it's hers," he says sharply nodding at Cass. "I heard what happened with her and Ivy. You don't hafta tell me shit, but you owe it to her."

Dick takes in a breath, eyes widening slightly-- because that's not fair, no one was supposed to ask, no one would understand why--

Inque [text:blue] so are you just going to leave me here alone all night?

Dick jumps when his phone goes off and checks it. He pales just the faintest bit. [TEXT] Wait.

Dick sighs. "I let her think she seduced me." He tucks his phone away, as if that will make them forget it just rang.

Inque [text:blue] for?

Cass crosses her arms over her chest, turning away from Dick again, "Was that her?"

Jason is about five seconds away from trying to snatch the phone out of Dick's hand when he finally answers. His eyes narrow ever so slightly. "Was she the only one that thought she seduced you?"

Dick lets out a soft growl and replies. [TEXT] A minute.

Dick looks up at Jason sharply. "What does that mean?"

Jason keeps his expression even. "Did you fuck her?"

Inque [text:blue] bored.

Dick looks down at his phone and stands. "I have to go."

Cass frowns, "Fine."

"Guess that answers my question." He manages to keep the surprise from his voice. The slight irritation is plain enough though.

Dick reaches out for Cass' hand once more, but stops himself, dropping his arm with a sigh. "I'll come see you again soon, OK?"

Cass nods, looking to Dick's dropped hand, "Ok."

His hand twitches, clearly wanting to move again, but he's not sure it would be good for any of them. "Rest well. Remember the trick I taught you for when you get restless." He glances up at Jason then back to Cass once more before turning around and heading for the door.

"Use a condom!" he calls after Dick. Maybe it's petty, but he's still a little sore about that. Later, he'll probably find parts of this hilarious.

Cass leans her head on Jason's shoulder, "He's in trouble."

Dick nearly crushes his phone when he hears Jason, storming down the halls of the Watchtower as he replies. [TEXT] What, don't like Gotham's best TV?

"Massive trouble," he agrees, leaning his head against hers.

Inque [text:blue] not in particular.

Dick [TEXT] What a shame. [TEXT] Hungry? I can pick up something.

Cass sighs, "You're mad at him. From what he said...to you. And Jaime?"

Jason gives a one shouldered shrug to avoid moving Cass. "More annoyed than mad. I'll be over it in a couple days. Just ticks me off that he gives me shit and then pulls something like this, y'know?" It's also easier to act mad than admit that he might be concerned.

Cass nods slowly, closing her eyes as she rests comfortably against Jason, "Yeah...yeah." she didn't like Dick pulling these stunts any more than he did.

Inque [text:blue] not for anything you can buy~

Jason rests his cheek against her head, happy to settle in with her. "Kinda worry about him sometimes," he says very softly. "Freaks me out when he starts acting like Bruce."

Dick [TEXT] Well, you wouldn't want me to cook, I'll tell you that much. [TEXT] I'll be there in 5.

Inque [text:blue] i was being lascivious.

Cass nudges her head against his cheek, "Me too. He's not supposed to...be like him..."

Dick [TEXT] I was trying to play it cool. [TEXT] Let's see who wins when I get there~

Inque [text:blue] i'll be here. do the other bats know you're keeping me prisoner?

"None of us are," Jason replies, voice still quiet. For a few long moments, he goes silent, brow furrowed in thought before he turns a little and kisses Cass' temple. "Want me to grab you anything from the cafeteria?"

Dick [TEXT] They know you're somewhere secure, yes.

Inque [text:blue] so you didn't tell them. cute. i hope there's a live feed they can watch.

Dick growls. [TEXT] No one is going to be watching us except me. [TEXT] That came out wrong.

Inque [text:blue] i think it came out perfectly.

Dick arrives at the safe house, the locks only disengaging when it senses she's far enough away from the door. He enters and shuts it immediately behind him, leaning against it as the locks go back into place. "You are under surveillance, but I'm the only one with the code to it. It's for your safety."

Inque lounges on a sofa, laying on her back with her legs crossed, dangling over an armrest. She smirks as he shuts the door, but doesn't look over at him, just keeps her eyes trained on whatever awful show is on -- the news, apparently. Delightful. "My safety?" she asks, amused. "I think you mean everyone else's." She might sound collected, even entertained by this -- but she's seething a little. Being trapped like a rat in a cage really isn't her style -- been there, done that, killed a whole lot of people to get out. "So you get your very own private show? This is beginning to sound fetishy."

Dick crosses his arms. "We're not having sex again."

Inque laughs, glancing over at him and stretching out a little. Well, if he means it she's got approximately... zero reasons not to wreck this place trying to get out. And if he's bluffing, it's strangely endearing.

Dick watches her, the way she laughs and lounges like she's just fine right here. It upsets him, makes him feel guilty about the whole thing, but at the same time, there's a dark sort of delight he takes in this. He is, for the most part, in control of this situation, and this was all his idea. There's a strange comfort in that that he really doesn't want to think about right now. "What would it take to get you to stay here?"

Inque sits up slightly, the laughter subsiding as she smirks over at him. "A good reason," she replies simply, the smirk fading into something more predatory, challenging. "One that doesn't have anything to do with you being concerned for 'my safety', since we both know that's an outright lie," she adds, settling back down.

Dick raises an eyebrow. "Even one that sounds a little fetishy?"

Inque doesn't say anything, just studies him. She bobs her head slightly, a non-verbal 'well?'

Dick stares back evenly. "You hurt someone very close to me. So I will do everything it takes to keep you here and to keep you from doing it again." He tilted his head forward, making sure she was still holding his gaze. "Anything it takes."

Inque pauses, considering this -- and then laughs again, louder this time. She doesn't move from the sofa, doesn't even sit up -- she just looks over at him, even more entertained than before. "It's adorable that you're such a white knight for her -- and I had fun, but offering me something I can get anywhere doesn't really hit the spot," she replies, her amusement disguising any other tones in her voice. She pauses, smile widening a little as she arches her back off the cushions, cracking her spine. "That would make it a lot easier for you, wouldn't it? Guilt free, because you're sacrificing yourself to keep other people safe?" she asks in a tone like needles coated in candy, crossing her arms behind her head and laying back on them. "How noble."

Dick shrugs. "I also find you very attractive and arousing. What can I say? I like danger."

Inque narrows her eyes a little, still entertained, but -- "What was it you said earlier? Something about not doing it again?" she asks, slightly mocking.