A few days later, on a quiet morning,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphXzp6cki0
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDWZGSdHDT
“Nana… can I ask you something?”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSMDY3Yd0Nt
His tone softened further.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1JJ1TOa8N
“It’s about why you usually don’t speak.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgP3bhUUXwP
I remember… the first time we met,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFruWEjfWeM
you did make a sound. Didn’t you?”
Nana instinctively reached up,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqVTr4i3cn
touching her throat like one would touch a wound that never properly healed.
She signed, slowly—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPmP7T16sM
“My throat hurts when I speak. Feels like fire.”
Dick nodded, thoughtful.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp68nrL9r9T
Then asked,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpxN7ACBrc
“Have you ever thought about…13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdDnfJi3YK
seeing a doctor?13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBQQEAVjIS
Maybe they can find the cause.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBr8ZLVloe
Maybe they can make it stop hurting.”
Nana paused.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQfDuVhEFm
She lowered her head.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz7eBQQYAN9
Her fingers circled twice on her knees, then signed:13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGFnDFHC5K
“Do I have to talk? I’m good at signing.”
Dick didn’t push.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Chvd4K3ks
He shifted the angle instead.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTRUitzHAQ
His voice stayed warm.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQaFAs5njT
“But don’t you ever want to…13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXO5PRp7e57
talk to Jason with your voice?13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlA9oNvbAA
Laugh out loud with everyone?13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKcZ3gD6Bx
Call someone’s name and have them hear it?”
That question—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rGppIAEmj
something changed in Nana’s expression.
She remembered yelling Jason’s name that day in the junkyard,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFV8olDrEmB
her voice tearing through her throat like flames ripping skin.
She was in pain for three days after that.
She also remembered every time13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoq0JG01Y3
she wanted to call out to Jason,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBM0qFtyGU
to answer Dick,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJz7xJv3d3
to say “I’m here”—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpsXzAWr2S8
but never did.
She always stayed silent.
Dick noticed her hands had stopped.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAaRd80dVEn
He waited.
Eventually,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0ZdpErqCs
Nana looked up.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8wRKudooo
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,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJQC4G55Y11
Dick’s expression shifted.
The easy smile faded.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3BMG2INHKR
He sat up straighter.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtXYfJTuQOM
His gaze sharpened—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Y6XnPqEEU
the kind of look he wore when sensing something wrong on a mission.
Nana’s voice—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9f0MpWEYb
this wasn’t just pain.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9iRFuZrmh
She wasn’t afraid of hurting.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2w5Imtt92s
She was afraid of the voice itself.
Jason stared furiously at the sealed entrance of the Batcave.
Nana had been called away by Dick.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTaREueENQ
Then taken inside.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEw22W7WIoj
She was now with Batman and Alfred,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnPTrukR9q
in a meeting Jason wasn’t allowed to join.
Not even a look from her.
Not even a glance.
He stood outside, yelling curses,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXt7YGW2I9a
fists pounding the wall until his knuckles turned red and swollen.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1UPv86N9jC
Then he slumped down,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqz9R3WU3hL
hugging his knees,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8g9RH8zHx
head buried.
“Nana…”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3h2hJDifM6
he whispered,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkSKAvHIprV
like a spell.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6sV3NvvZje
He couldn’t do anything.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjocgRdn8qI
All he could do was say her name,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlEpNPvaG1
over and over in his head.
Inside the Batcave, the Batcave,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihMv00KKSf
Nana stood before a set of diagnostic monitors.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzCle5yL15
Her throat results were in.
The data was calm, clinical:
Laryngeal structure: normal.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ67EhthGJXA
Vocal cords: no lesions, no inflammation.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl3VL6bH5O7
Voice system: healthy.
Batman’s eyes were still sharp,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9z2maLVd8z
but there was a trace of confusion in them.
Dick turned to Nana with a gentle smile.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPIoESOX2C
“Nana…13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLedPtUu9AI
would you be willing to tell us—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHmnnUWNDs
other than the pain,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLNOnUAzG3
what’s the real reason you don’t speak?”
Nana looked at him and nodded.
She raised her hands,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWd2MBmU9SC
this time using standard ASL fingerspelling.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOcxhK6W8v
But just after a few letters,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGizaQvlCiD
she paused.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfCggWwl0XL
Lowered her head.
Then looked back up13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkXn8nvKSLU
and signed:
“Can Jason come in too?”
The room fell silent for one second.
Alfred was the first to speak,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBSJ5zoFq1V
voice soft,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6rUzFQ5kS
with a gentle hint of suggestion.
“Master Bruce,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJi7cNDOW2L
as you’re well aware…13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHmIFZfCM8
those two care for each other deeply.”
Dick added,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6INFs3ZhTS
“I don’t think making someone feel left out is the right move.”
Batman hesitated.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx7W6yDsUfT
Then nodded.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmC5BHGrdp
The door opened.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgoRMDyIQu
Jason jerked his head up.
Nana was standing there,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhS8cpz417
smiling at him.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr051tnx4KG
Her eyes said:13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWL2kiY7VwZ
You can come in now.
He dashed forward.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKHcTm72qe
Didn’t care who was watching.
He threw his arms around her,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXmmE6hPwJa
tight.
“Are you okay?”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvt7Q6UYNFs
he signed, fast and desperate.
Nana nodded,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofIgMH6tVr
hugged him back.
When Jason was told her throat was medically fine—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEB5qZ58DaB
no physical issues whatsoever—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxS4tILoxO0
he froze.
Then immediately exploded13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiogMQMO0V0
into a flurry of hand gestures—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNU9a7JJrZ
not standard signing,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMgRxIzouj
but the encrypted shorthand the two of them had created—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkmqOKCXOG
a mess of symbols, flicks, and half-movements13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchgw4Rp7zp
that only Nana understood.
Nana was startled.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcKT7bU0HpI
She took two steps back,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJP5eRhFkWJ
then signed,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNGIengJzi
“I didn’t mean to hide it… I just…”
She brought her hands together in a soft please,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAVonYz2oJ
like asking for forgiveness—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbk5SUFJ10
a familiar gesture that made Jason’s face darken with frustration.
He shook his head,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtZhjMsglt
signed something too fast for anyone else to follow,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYmLVs78nh
then crossed his arms.
Dick watched them quietly13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGScHWOjpB
and couldn’t help translating in his mind:
“You’re in big trouble. I’m gonna deal with you later.”
But despite the message,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4UjERBMww
Jason hadn’t moved away.
In fact,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi75gqEAL4r
he stood closer now,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuHQaFQLdUZ
as if ready to catch her the second she swayed.
Dick watched the air between them shift,13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeO1nO3iMfW
and a slow smile curved his lips.
“What a beautiful bond.”13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvX2z2TCYPz
he thought.
“Two wonderful kids.”
It wasn’t just a comment.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBfYmAJVxCX
It was a feeling.
A quiet certainty.
These two—13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZbMo71xJe
they were going far.
13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfmhX7vtHI
