Eleventh Unused Utility Belt | Video, Spam

[hellofist]

Um. I'm awake, now.

[Have a wave and half a smile, Barge.]

Didn't mean... to worry anyone. Sorry. I'm okay, though. I know... things have changed. Birthday passed. Was going to be... first one. Never knew it, growing up. Guess weapons... weren't allowed them. Merlin said, can have party. Don't know how, though. Could use tips.

Want to see everyone. Can meet somewhere, or you... come to Merlin's room. Staying here now, moved stuff already. It's... safer, this way. For my heart.

[That doesn't make a lot of sense out of context though, does it? She sighs and her smile fades, dissolves into a look that's somewhere between uncomfortable and just sad.]

There's a man here, David Cain. My father.

[She's truthful almost all of the time anyway, but this is when it becomes clear she's affected by this flood.]

Don't kill him. He's not... worth your time. Deserves a chance. Bad father, bad man, deserves to die, maybe should die, but... deserves his chance, too. Just leave him alone. Don't want people... getting hurt. Love you all too much.

That's... guess that's all.


Private to Bruce Wayne
Don't anymore, okay? Once is enough.

I love you.



Private to David Cain
Promise still stands. You kill anyone, I kill you.

... Hope this place... works, for you.



Spam for Dean and Barbara, separately
[Some people deserve to see her in person without waiting so she goes to them first, knocks and knocks and knocks on their doors until they open up, let her in. Once they do, they'll have an armful of Cass because there's no stopping her once she sees those faces again.]

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[hellofist]

I'm okay, mostly. Lots of things... are hard, but some things good.

[She pulls back to get a good look at Barbara, touches her hair and her face and just smiles at her.]

Thought, if I ever... saw him, again? Would be horrible, couldn't do it. Scared, of what he... might do, to isolate me. But I feel safe, here. With you, and friends. And... Merlin. He wants to... protect my heart.

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[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara's hands slide to grip Cass's shoulders. She relishes the light touches. It ached, how much she missed this girl, how heavy the worry sat in her heart.

Her fingers tighten, as Cass speaks.]

That doesn't surprise me. He asked, you know, if I'd be okay with him keeping you there.

[Her gaze hardens.]

I won't let Cain hurt you. I won't let him near you. He is - he doesn't deserve to call himself your father.

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[hellofist]

He gave me... his mattress. Put it so you... could come see me. Things are almost... how they were, with him.

[While Barbara goes hard, Cass goes soft, smiles and shakes her head and kisses Barbara's forehead.]

I know. Best protector. I love you.

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[bodilesswarrior]

It was sweet of him.

[Barbara pulls her close again, closing her eyes.]

I love you, too. More than I ever thought I could. You're family, Cass.

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[hellofist]

I know. You're better mother... than anyone else could be.

Wish you really were, though. Not just... because it feels it, because I say it, you say it.

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[bodilesswarrior]

[Her eyes widen, as she pulls back to look at Cass.]

I - really? I don't... I mean, I'd love to be. But I'm also afraid. [A wry, sad little smile.] I've never really had one for very long.

The last thing I ever want to do is screw something like that up. To hurt you.

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[hellofist]

Shouldn't be afraid. Maybe you... aren't perfect. No one is. You're close, to me. Only mother I want.

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[bodilesswarrior]

[She doesn't cry. Not in front of other people. But her eyes are burning, right now, as her smile aches.]

Cass, I -

[She's hugging you again, Cass.]

We...I don't know if we can make it official here, but I - could always ask the Admiral for the papers. Or I could write up my own, I remember what they look like.

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[hellofist]

[Cass hugs right back, smiling against Barbara's shoulder.]

I want that. Want it... official. If we can find way.

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[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara raises a hand to stroke her hair.]

Finding a way is what we do. Or it's supposed to be. [...She wasn't supposed to say that last bit.]

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[hellofist]

[Well, that gets a frown even as Cass is leaning into Barbara's hand.]

Supposed to?

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[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara bites her lip, hard, closing her eyes for a moment.]

It doesn't always work out that way.

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[hellofist]

[She reaches for Barbara's hands and squeezes them lightly.]

No. But, can move forward. Better to... keep moving. Can't give up, dwell. You taught that.

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[bodilesswarrior]

[She squeezes Cass's hands, gently grateful.] Sometimes I'm a lot better at giving advice than taking it.

[A strained smile.]

I've been dwelling too much, lately. Thinking about - what I should have done.

[Her gaze drops.]

I know what happened to Stephanie.

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[hellofist]

Me too. Must be... family trait.

[She'd been smiling back until the Steph part. Now, she frowns and looks down at her hands in Barbara's.]

She told you everything?

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[bodilesswarrior]

Yeah. [Her voice is strained, now, cracking at the edges.]

And she told me who.

[A harsh, brittle laugh.]

Roman Sionis is only alive because I hesitated a second too long.