Words

I do not think I address much of Cass's history in my main stories, at least so far. I hope this give a bit of insight into my version of Cass.

This takes place before Bringing My Brother Home, when Cass was first learning to talk.

Cass

The first word to make sense to her was brother.

She could repeat the words, but their meaning did not connect. They were as alien as Martian Manhunter. If she was honest with herself, she had not understood the need for words. Not until the mind reader gave her words and took her language of movements, of breaths. Words had been overwhelming, and she had felt deaf because it had taken few weeks for her brain to adjust to understanding how other people communicated. Her first language did come back to her when she had adjusted, but it had been a terrifying few weeks.

Even before that had happened, there had been a few dozen words that connected.

The first was brother.

It was soon after Oracle had given her Batgirl, after Batman had read her language and she could 'talk' back to him. Dick and Tim were around often, curious about her. They felt sad for her, because they felt she was lost. She did not feel lost, but she had understood the curiosity. She was curious about them.

They could read her to a limit, and they had been able to intentionally communicate back to her once they grasped the basics. It was limited compared to what she could do with Batman, but it made her happy. Their insistence on teaching her words was not so pleasant. She did not like feeling weaker and stupider.

Learning to mimic was easy. It was all movements, different than what she was used to, but still just movement. The meanings, however, tended to elude her. Tim had been around much more than Dick, so he had understood her frustration. He had then tried to show her emotion with his body while saying the word, but the words that went with the emotion did not stick.

What did stick was that Tim made her happy. He gave to her, shared everything he could, respected her, and wanted her. Bruce and Barbara were the same, but to have someone of her age give her so much time was special. So, when he would come visit her, she would feel that happiness.

Then Tim went missing overnight during a patrol and she had been so afraid. At one point they had believed he had been killed by Killer Croc. Nightwing had nearly killed the Joker in response, but Batman had stopped him and found proof that Robin was still alive. When morning brought Robin out of his hiding place in the sewers, she had been happier than ever.

Dick has also been filled with that happiness, and had hugged Robin over and over, saying "I was so worried, Little brother, I can't lose you, little brother." Brother was the happiness of Tim, the attention, the care, the time. So, Brother stuck

Cass

Although there was a language barrier between her and the others, they were able to work out intent.

Her father had taught her intent, but she had always had to watch him closely to find the lie. They were different. They made every effort to share their thoughts. Only sometimes they tried to hide, to not let her see.

It frightened her when that happened. It had always meant something unexpected was coming with her father. Yet, the unexpected that came with them was not painful, or unkind. Sometimes it was because they wanted to give her something, and she soon learned to read that intent. Sometimes it had nothing to do with her, like when they remembered their hurts and losses. Sometimes, it was because they were afraid of her.

That was how she learned the word brave.

Fear was familiar, both in others, and in herself. She had long ago learned not to allow fear to show. Batman and his worked hard to do the same, and she knew sometimes it had to get by her. Robin and Spoiler were the most obvious. Although Robin's tells were smaller, subtler, they were still obvious to her.

It puzzled her why they could both be afraid, but Spoiler's tells were loud and obnoxious, while Robin's were small twitches, eyes growing wary. It was written in their movements. Not just of her, but all their fears. There were times they would enter a fight or take on a job that they were not confident they could do, yet they put themselves there to learn, to prove they could.

There was the bravery.

They were afraid of her abilities, but they did not run away. They reached out, offering what they could. When Batman finally worked out how she had been raised, and what had made her flee, he told the others. She was sick to her stomach but knew they should know.

It was not fear and disgust that their bodies said. It was awe and respect. By now they had learned ways to teach her and communicate.

Nightwing came over and pressed his hand against her chest. "Brave."

Clarity fell upon her, as she understood the word. He was calling her brave. She had never felt this way before. All HIS training had ended with a 'good enough' nod. Now here was praise.

Brave.

Cass

It was not until after the mind reader reordered her mind that she understood safety.

There had been no such thing in her life before. There had always been another attack coming, another bullet, another fight, another deadly skill. Sleep had to be done with senses prime. Food had to fought for. Every moment she had to be alert and ready. She had learned to do that, until it had become part of her, and she never thought it was different.

When the man, trying to thank her, reached into her mind, and tugged whatever threads he found, words connected, but for a time she lost her first language. Within minutes she became completely lost and had to signal for help. Every single person in Batman's family showed up. Batman, Nightwing, Robin, Spoiler, even Catwoman.

It was completely confusing, because they were all talking, and normally she just ignored the noise, but with their movements conveying nothing, she began to cry. A word popped to mind, one that had always meant family was in danger.

"Help."

Her sobbed word silenced them all, because she did not speak outside of her speech therapy.

"Batgirl?" Batman asked.

"Help. Gave words. Not see," and she gestured at them.

"Someone gave you words?"

She nodded.

"But now you can't read body language?"

She did not know what language meant then, but body and read connected. She nodded.

"I am going to pick you up, Batgirl. We are going to take you home."

And he did, explaining everything he was doing. At first it was confusing, but when Nightwing tried to take her mask off without telling her, she panicked. Batman pushed him aside.

"We want to see your face and eyes, so we can make sure you are not hurt."

She looked up at him and understood the word Father. He was telling her what she could not read.

Gently he pulled her mask off, and then explained each examine they did. Kind Man came, and she learned his name was Alfred, a word that had never connected. Robin and Spoiler hovered nearby, pulling mask and hood off, gazing at her.

"Cass, can I hold your hand?" Spoiler asked.

"Why?"

"Because it might make you feel better, because it means I care."

Cassandra tilted her head, curious about this, while Alfred checked her eyes again. After a moment, she held her hand out and her friend took it. Warmth spread from her hand, up her arm, into her chest. Some of the tension in her shoulders eased.

"Cass, we may have to ask Leslie to schedule an MRI," Bruce said. "Go get changed. Would you like Stephanie to come with you, so you are not alone?"

"Stephanie," Cass said quickly, tightening her grip on her friend's hand. She did not understand why, but with Stephanie it would feel right.

In the changing room, Stephanie chattered to Cass while choosing a soft pair of black pants and a huge yellow t-shirt that belonged to Jason. Cass was glad to turn her back and know Stephanie was there by her voice, but not feel confused by the signals her friend's body was giving off. It was good to be with another person. Once in the comfortable clothes, Cass returned to the main cave. Alfred was cleaning, Tim was tapping the keyboard at his workstation, and Bruce was putting his cape and cowl on the rack Alfred kept for the items that might need cleaning or repair.

She could not understand any of them. She froze in the doorway and stared at her family. When her body began to shudder, Stephanie was there, wrapping arms around Cass. Naturally the movement attracted the attention of her Father-figure and brothers. Dick began whispering to Oracle over the phone, while Tim just watched her. Vaguely she understood Tim was trying to read her in the way she could not read him now, but his quiet gaze made her flinch.

Then Bruce was there, standing in front of her, hiding her brothers from sight. He was tall, her head barely reached his shoulder, so her eyes were level with his chest, where the black bat symbol spread out. She could focus on that sight, on what it stood for. He stood between her and the unknown.

"Is it all right if I hug you, Cassandra?" He asked. She looked up at his face and saw something there. She did not have the word for it, but it made her nod and she leaned against his strong chest. Peace filled her. Here, in her real Father's arms, nothing could hurt her. The Bat would spread his wings to cover her, the man would not shoot her or beat her to teach her. The father would not let her sire have her back.

"You are safe here, Cass," Bruce whispered into her hair. "I promise you are safe here and you will be all right."

Safe.

She had heard Batman, Nightwing, Phoenix, and Robin say that to victims rescued by the vigilantes, but it had been a mere sound until that moment. As she relaxed into Bruce's arms, she knew he would protect her. There were no surprises waiting for her when he carried her upstairs to her room. He would ask Stephanie to stay with Cass overnight. He would go with her to Leslie's clinic and help her understand what they were doing. Nothing would be done to harm her, only heal her.

Cassandra Cain had never been safe from the moment of birth. Cassandra Wayne knew safety was Bruce's strong arms, Dick's family times, Jason's loud defenses, Tim's quiet teaching, Alfred's gentle care.

Safe was a good word.

I have a few more ideas floating around, but it will take time. I am a working adult with a chronic illness, so I do not give myself time constraints on writing, because I cannot be sure when I will have enough energy and lack of pain to be able to type.

I always welcome feedback. Thanks to all who favorite, follow, and review in my hiatuses.