A few days later, on a quiet morning,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMfQjly5Is
Dick specifically asked Nana to come with him alone.
They walked to a small gazebo in the quiet backyard of Wayne Manor.
Nana signed: “What’s wrong?”
Dick leaned back against the wooden bench, voice gentle.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9BAIRewmQ
“Nana… can I ask you something?”71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSpFCkLVo7D
His tone softened further.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2YWx0tBA8
“It’s about why you usually don’t speak.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuA1rVLDoz
I remember… the first time we met,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLEEThQZbZ
you did make a sound. Didn’t you?”
Nana instinctively reached up,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk0PoIqOS6H
touching her throat like one would touch a wound that never properly healed.
She signed, slowly—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoLDK58KdCZ
“My throat hurts when I speak. Feels like fire.”
Dick nodded, thoughtful.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYrvmpTMce
Then asked,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLYj9AXKDD7
“Have you ever thought about…71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDdVfO068R
seeing a doctor?71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqas8eGs9Z
Maybe they can find the cause.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJAElb2lQE8
Maybe they can make it stop hurting.”
Nana paused.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNa95iMwGQ
She lowered her head.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlo1wijkW58
Her fingers circled twice on her knees, then signed:71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1hHHPVpYtK
“Do I have to talk? I’m good at signing.”
Dick didn’t push.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7jRulzPHQ
He shifted the angle instead.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9vqLufyFW
His voice stayed warm.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7OYdoEjo1H
“But don’t you ever want to…71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMi7jWI0Tb
talk to Jason with your voice?71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9IgjqUn4Kv
Laugh out loud with everyone?71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsN3ingzmr
Call someone’s name and have them hear it?”
That question—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2tE8rUKwnp
something changed in Nana’s expression.
She remembered yelling Jason’s name that day in the junkyard,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQhrRRkyuR
her voice tearing through her throat like flames ripping skin.
She was in pain for three days after that.
She also remembered every time71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZKIwaaDLdn
she wanted to call out to Jason,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgMmnr7e64o
to answer Dick,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1LzGEEVbq
to say “I’m here”—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNvvfrA1xs
but never did.
She always stayed silent.
Dick noticed her hands had stopped.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCl0JMEQJVd
He waited.
Eventually,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VX1wokYkS
Nana looked up.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0XyvzyYuh
Her eyes trembled ever so slightly.
She slowly signed, clumsy but clear:
“My voice… has some kind of power… I’m scared of it… it’s dangerous.”
For a brief second,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBnsFYykfA
Dick’s expression shifted.
The easy smile faded.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqI6ipLy0T
He sat up straighter.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFxmkQy6rc
His gaze sharpened—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGLAlmzKil
the kind of look he wore when sensing something wrong on a mission.
Nana’s voice—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3tx6feuXk5
this wasn’t just pain.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK2X7mnhlW8
She wasn’t afraid of hurting.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtjNW2sBEq1
She was afraid of the voice itself.
Jason stared furiously at the sealed entrance of the Batcave.
Nana had been called away by Dick.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVE15xPpCim
Then taken inside.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡezlBwHjPL4
She was now with Batman and Alfred,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr8YLltQusm
in a meeting Jason wasn’t allowed to join.
Not even a look from her.
Not even a glance.
He stood outside, yelling curses,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqDsiZaCsA
fists pounding the wall until his knuckles turned red and swollen.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2vpfr28tq
Then he slumped down,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffbT7xYMFr
hugging his knees,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWSf33xoVX
head buried.
“Nana…”71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXbvhlw5Vl
he whispered,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9f46iLvYbn
like a spell.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbalBgsUXu9
He couldn’t do anything.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn2Sul1FRha
All he could do was say her name,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYrhBEMIGGT
over and over in his head.
Inside the Batcave, the Batcave,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Im7QzN5Sz
Nana stood before a set of diagnostic monitors.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPCo5Gybuc
Her throat results were in.
The data was calm, clinical:
Laryngeal structure: normal.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeZxnU0Zmv
Vocal cords: no lesions, no inflammation.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYP6IG3HY2
Voice system: healthy.
Batman’s eyes were still sharp,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPF3kobTEj
but there was a trace of confusion in them.
Dick turned to Nana with a gentle smile.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKMqoP38w0I
“Nana…71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciuFnibjcp
would you be willing to tell us—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhY8x84miV5
other than the pain,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNWzQ2g1Ky
what’s the real reason you don’t speak?”
Nana looked at him and nodded.
She raised her hands,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5HA0ftB4fF
this time using standard ASL fingerspelling.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzWnvZJZj49
But just after a few letters,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGonR9Bmxde
she paused.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpyXlRg8xP
Lowered her head.
Then looked back up71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb36YfN5m0A
and signed:
“Can Jason come in too?”
The room fell silent for one second.
Alfred was the first to speak,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXKu7CBfRL
voice soft,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiTCk7oXBei
with a gentle hint of suggestion.
“Master Bruce,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ735H0nJtS0
as you’re well aware…71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmk1lG76im7
those two care for each other deeply.”
Dick added,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrln1FsRYOs
“I don’t think making someone feel left out is the right move.”
Batman hesitated.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR281PyJdfV
Then nodded.
71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpq1xurhut
The door opened.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfA3RbkFMj
Jason jerked his head up.
Nana was standing there,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsTzRgCph4
smiling at him.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHZDtkyqk8
Her eyes said:71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjQQGvreQ8F
You can come in now.
He dashed forward.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNhEn2pXdT
Didn’t care who was watching.
He threw his arms around her,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOAMkCH3KX
tight.
“Are you okay?”71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfWp1eNED9
he signed, fast and desperate.
Nana nodded,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzuoTI2PSL
hugged him back.
When Jason was told her throat was medically fine—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2ACaRMaaC
no physical issues whatsoever—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm22Xehb8Yc
he froze.
Then immediately exploded71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoRl7NcUfvI
into a flurry of hand gestures—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2P1Ia0iotM
not standard signing,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZY3Qb57JO
but the encrypted shorthand the two of them had created—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWg9t4Mv8e
a mess of symbols, flicks, and half-movements71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJeakGyxpr
that only Nana understood.
Nana was startled.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVDECUa8lht
She took two steps back,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vjEg8XKqz
then signed,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyHQx6ZVDe
“I didn’t mean to hide it… I just…”
She brought her hands together in a soft please,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEWUii2nk8B
like asking for forgiveness—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCcgHImD0Bh
a familiar gesture that made Jason’s face darken with frustration.
He shook his head,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU4hFka6pk9
signed something too fast for anyone else to follow,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbQtp6EUaNZ
then crossed his arms.
Dick watched them quietly71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY717cuamXA
and couldn’t help translating in his mind:
“You’re in big trouble. I’m gonna deal with you later.”
But despite the message,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOGHwItL6n
Jason hadn’t moved away.
In fact,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfzh0G8lC8t
he stood closer now,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP14PVAf0PI
as if ready to catch her the second she swayed.
Dick watched the air between them shift,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlkBiR6Ypv
and a slow smile curved his lips.
“What a beautiful bond.”71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8tURZcQZJ
he thought.
“Two wonderful kids.”
It wasn’t just a comment.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigYibng4kh
It was a feeling.
A quiet certainty.
These two—71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHZmARLIBa
they were going far.
71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqeBlxBqhfa
