Chapter Text
'For a high class house, this place is ridiculously easy to break into.' Catwoman slid through the window and gazed around the room for cameras or alarms. Nothing. 'Idiots.' She slunk through the house, silent and watchful but there was no sign of life. The master bedroom was easy to find and it was full of jewels. Pendants, earrings, bracelets. The arrogance of the upper class always amazed her. Catwoman started on her search to make sure she did a thorough job because a house full of suckers deserved to be robbed.
There was something off about the place. Not that it was creepy or foreboding but something was wrong. She could sense the presence of someone but there was no one there. 'Shake it off. You're just paranoid.' She started checking closets, watching shadows, waiting to see someone appear. A whimper made her jump. Catwoman hunkered in the hallway, trying to place where the sound had come from. Ahead of her was a grand stairway leading to the bottom floor and an entryway. At the bottom of the stairs was a body. It was completely still but quiet whimpers and whispers escaped its stillness. The thief crept down the stairs and rolled the small body toward her. The face was narrow and flushed, scrunched in pain. She slipped off her glove and touched his forehead. It was warm with fever. The little boy was holding his arm tight to his chest. Gently, Catwoman coxed him into loosening his grip so she could see it. His forearm was swollen and purple and there was a hint of white just below the skin. Compound break, probably hurt like hell. Blue eyes opened and watched her as she examined it. They were disconcertingly clear, studying her face and features.
"I'm going to pick you up." Her voice was soft, trying not to scare him but he simply nodded and held still as she lifted him. He was so tiny. "We're going to go to the hospital, okay?" Once again he nodded at her words, submissive and silent. She carried him through the front door and to the edge of the property, where her bike was and maneuvered them onto it. "This is going to hurt." The motor roared to life and they sped off toward the hospital. The motorcycle couldn't drive without causing some bumps and she could see the wince of pain everytime but he didn't say a word, just bit into his bottom lip until it bled.
She roared to the emergency entrance and hefted him once again. As they entered the hospital, she could see the panic on the orderlies' faces. They first froze in shock at the criminal in their facility, then saw the child and fear covered their faces as they wondered what she had done to him and if she'd hurt them as well. Catwoman ignored them and laid the kid on the receptionists' table.
"I found him like this at the bottom of a staircase." The orderlies trembled like mice in front of her. "No one else was at the place." She touched the kid's face in farewell then left. Behind her, a doctor had sprung into action and started checking over the child, before lifting him onto a hospital bed.
"Honey, can you tell me your name?"
A small, soft voice escaped the feverish child. "Timothy Drake."
------- (3 years later)
The kid was out again. She had spotted him a couple times before but not very often. A ratty black hoodie helped him blend in with both the people and the shadows. Catwoman watched as he slowly raised the camera and snapped photo after photo of the chaos before them.
"Spying on the Bat?" He flinched at her words, but didn't jump or even stop his photography.
"I'm not spying." This was the first time they'd ever spoke to each other and she was a little surprised by the calmness of his voice. Not too surprised though, this was the kid who looked jewel thieves in the eyes.
"What's the camera for then?" She leapt onto the roof and landed gracefully beside him. They observed the fight together. "Firefly is in a mood tonight."
"Yeah, I've been following them for 15 blocks." He ignored Catwoman's sharp glance. "I think he was ranting about purging the city. Usual stuff. However, he's very generous with the flames tonight. Firemen are following 2 blocks behind cleaning up but it's a mess."
"Is the little bird out tonight?"
"Helping the firefighters evacuate. He's actually only 1 block away. I think he's worried about Batman." He suddenly raised the camera again and took a few more shots.
"Has the Bat found about about their little stalker yet?" She grinned at the glare he sent her.
"I'm not stalking either. And no. I think he might suspect but he's never seen me, at least not that I've noticed."
"You'd notice." She lounged beside him and stole the camera, flipping through pictures. They were very good. The contrast of the black Batsuit against the inferno around the fight was very striking. "He tends to object to children wandering the streets alone."
He snatched the camera back and straightened in indignation. "I'm being careful."
"I'm sure you are, little stray." The Cat leaned toward him menacing but he set his jaw and glared at her. "But if you died out here, I bet your parents wouldn't even know where to find your body, would they?"
His head dropped and long, silky black hair hung over his eyes. "Not like they'd find out for a few weeks anyway."
Her eyes narrowed. "Off to travel the world again, right? How is it that they managed to avoid charges of child neglect? I would think that after you were delivered to the hospital that that would have cinched the case."
"This is Gotham. Grease the right palms and you never get in trouble." He stood and paced toward the edge of the building. "I better go back. Fire is getting a bit warm."
"Going back to an empty house. How welcoming." Catwoman stood and approached him, even as she berated herself. 'Don't do it, this isn't some cat you can take home.' The boy watched her but didn't show any fear as she came closer, just waited. 'You don't even know what you'd do with a child.' Her hand touched his face and his blue eyes became more calculating than any eleven year olds should ever be. "I am not going to offer to adopt you. Nor to be some kind of family. But I have an apartment. It's never empty, I always have cats running in and out. If one little stray came and joined them, I wouldn't mind."
They studied each other so she saw the moment when acceptance settled over his eyes. "Can I bring my camera?"
"Keep it away from my face." They exchanged nods and as she started to make her way home, a little stray followed her home.