134 [video]

[batmanschmatman]

[Dick turns on the camera feed and smiles sort of sheepishly,]

So, I'm back. Checked on a few things at home, dropped in to say hi to some friends, Kirk says hi back. Doesn't sound like I missed anything too awful on this end.

[He hesitates, like he's considering just leaving it at that, because he's got a pretty good idea by now how some people take this sort of thing, but. Hey. Sometimes it's good, to remember it's actually worth it sometimes.]

I came here two years ago to save the lives of one hundred thousand and sixty eight people who were killed when a living chemical bomb was dropped on the city I'd spent years trying to protect. Part of the reason I went home was to make sure the Admiral followed through on our deal, because that's a pretty big thing to ask for, even for this place.

The city's still a radioactive wasteland, but everyone got out okay.

[One corner of his mouth ticks up in a small smile, almost embarrassed, or maybe just disbelieving, because he can still remember what it had been like, to watch it happen and run back to try and help, passing out in the wreckage of the city from the radiation, honestly not expecting anyone to get him out and maybe not even wanting them to.] You can tell me this place is awful and I'm crazy for being here all you want, but I don't care what crap the Admiral puts us through on a day to day basis. If this place helps one person - and it's done way more than that over the years - then it's worth it, and I'm not sorry I agreed to work here.

[Private to Tim]

Thanks for looking after Jinks for me.

[Private to Sara]

Hey.

Comments

[hellofist]

Thank you. I love you.

Private

[psychic_hotline]

Hey yourself.

[batmanschmatman]

You're welcome. I love you, too.

Private

[batmanschmatman]

How are things going?

Private

[psychic_hotline]

Better.

Come over?

Private

[batmanschmatman]

That can definitely be arranged.

[And there will be a knock on your door shortly thereafter. c:]

Spam

[psychic_hotline]

[She opens it pretty much straight away, leaning in to kiss him in a brief but heartfelt gesture.]

Missed you. Not to get mushy or anything.

Spam

[batmanschmatman]

[Dick grins into the kiss and takes a second to be grateful he was only gone for about a week, versus months or a year or not at all.]

I don't mind mushy. I missed you, too.

[hellofist]

Did you... see anyone? Or just city?

[mistconduct]

Dude. The Admiral is evil.

I mean, it's not like a fucking...gamechanger or anything, but seriously. He has all this power that he can just bring people back from the dead at a whim and he doesn't? How is that not fucking disturbing?

Spam

[psychic_hotline]

[Sara smiles fondly and steps back to let him in.]

I'm glad things worked out for you back home. And by 'glad' I mean 'incredibly relieved' and - kind of awed, honestly.

[batmanschmatman]

I dropped in to say hi to Bruce and Alfred, but I spent most of my time catching up with Kirk and Shego.

[hellofist]

Meant, um... Bludhavians?

[Is that a word? It doesn't really matter though because the mention of Alfred has her smiling.]

He's okay? Heard about Kirk, from Merlin. What's he like?

Spam

[batmanschmatman]

I still kind of can't believe it happened, [He admits as he steps inside, running a hand through his hair distractedly.] It's been three years, but I still have nightmares about it, and I still remember what happened, even though the timeline got changed.

[batmanschmatman]

Because reversing death isn't just something you snap your fingers to make happen. Believe me, the Admiral's a lot less misguided than some of the crazy people I've seen mess around with that stuff.

[batmanschmatman]

Yeah, they're both fine. I checked in with my old police captain and a few friends, but they all got out okay in the first place.

He's a good guy. He's one of the best friends I've ever had.

[voice]

[megamind]

You know you wouldn't keep saying you don't care if you didn't. The lady doth protest too much, and all that.

Still. Nice to know he keeps his end of the deal. Hope he can do better than that, too.

[voice]

[batmanschmatman]

It is nice, isn't it?

Spam

[psychic_hotline]

[She shuts the door and goes to him, running the flat of her hand up and down his arm.]

I think it had to be that way, right? No way of knowing you got what you wanted if you thought nothing had changed.

[mistconduct]

It's still suspicious.

[batmanschmatman]

I never said it wasn't. I'm just also not complaining because at the end of the day, it helps people.

[mistconduct]

Yeah, except the scales are way off balance. He's collecting some other way.

[batmanschmatman]

Look, no offense, but I'm really not interested in debating this.

[mistconduct]

Well, fuck you too.

Spam

[batmanschmatman]

Yeah. [He smiles again, and puts an arm around her waist, kissing her temple affectionately.] So. Really better, or I don't want to talk about it or make you worry better?