Ninteenth Unused Utility Belt | Video, backdated to after the breach ends (cw: fire damage)

[hellofist]

[The feed comes on to show Cass... well, she kind of looks like crap. But more than that, behind her her room, her real room on the Barge, seems to be confused about what it wants to be. In some places it's a replication of what Merlin's room looks like - there's his bed in one corner, a large wooden table with a red rose in a pot, for example.

Other parts are what the inside of a burned down building would look like. There's smoke damage, blackened walls, the remains of a dresser. The big computer is halfway melted and warped, the screen cracked and beyond repair. Looks like the Barge couldn't recreate what home is for Cass because she doesn't even know herself anymore.]

I'm back.

[There's not... that much to say after that, really. She's back, yay, no she doesn't want to talk about it.]

It was... about a week? I think. Learned... lots of things. About me, about... what I'm for. Why I... was made. It's funny, how you can... be so sure, who you are, but be... completely wrong.

Anyway. Back.


[Private to Merlin]
Are you... working? Or in room?


[Private to Dean, Chris, and Cassel, sent separately]
Have... to give you something. Can I come over?


[Private to Stephanie]
I understand, now. Why... I'm not Batgirl. Why you are. I didn't really, before. But... I'm glad you are.


[Private to Kon]
[After far too long passes with no answer to Steph, Kon gets a slightly panicked message from Cass.]

Where is Stephanie?


[Private to Dick Grayson and Tim Drake]
I know... that you won't see this. You can't. I just miss you. I shouldn't, but I wish... you were here.

Comments

private; video

[hellofist]

Anya...

[Initially she'd reached out from her bedroom because she hadn't wanted to see anyone, not if she could help it. She wanted time to be alone, but it doesn't work that way here. There are too many people she cares about, she should have made her broadcast from somewhere public so they could come to her.]

Where are you? Want to see you.

private; video

[fridgetothefire]

I just...I wish I could give you back some of that feeling right now, for yourself.

[Anya doesn't say I forgive you, because she does't know what's going on and she doesn't have the right. But Cass deserves forgiveness, whatever it was; deserves to forgive herself. Anya believes that, without a single speck of doubt.]

A little study room in the library, right behind all those huge red leather tax volumes no one ever touches. You want me to meet you anywhere?

private; video

[hellofist]

Need time, I think. I'm not... really sure.

[Everything is still so wrong, she isn't sure what to about any of it, but she has to hope time will sort it all out, do something to fix everything that isn't right.]

Will come to you.

private; video

[fridgetothefire]

I'll be here.

[For a while, she means, if Cass needs time for that, too.]

private; video

[hellofist]

[She doesn't really want to wait. She'll show up sooner rather than later, knocking on the door so she won't surprise Anya when she finds her.]

Hey.

private; video

[fridgetothefire]

Hey yourself.

[A little wan, but welcoming, happy to see her, worried about her, but not too worried; Cass will pull through. She puts her books aside, scooting on the couch to make room for Cass next to her.]

[hellofist]

[She doesn't need more of an invitation than that. It's nice to see someone worry, but not to the point where that's all that their body is telling her. She didn't expect anything less, not from Anya. When she sits, she reaches for her hand.]

Love you.

[fridgetothefire]

[She squeezes Cass's hand lightly.]

Love you too.

[There's joy in her at getting to say it, at how she's able to say it these days, how the people she says it to have helped build her into the kind of person who can. She doesn't smile much - it's still a somber moment, whatever Cass is going through, and she doesn't stop being mindful of that - but the warm, fond giddiness is there and she wouldn't want to give it up.]

[hellofist]

[It's just nice, to see Anya happy, content, all of these positive things. She scoots a little closer, sinks down on on the couch and leans over to rest her head on Anya's shoulder and closes her eyes.

Dying and coming back is way more exhausting than she remembered.]

I missed a lot, here. I hope... everything was okay, for you.

[fridgetothefire]

[She strokes Cass's hair lightly, a gentle sisterly gesture that comes easier than it has in years.]

I told people I believed you'd come back.

[And she's warmly pleased to be right. It's a little new for her, optimism, or at least expressing it is.]

I've been alright.