Chapter Text
Jamie had seen it just a second ago, the vivid image of Cat taking out drug lord after drug lord with a shit-eating grin on her face. But she had also seen the bright red colored needle that pierced her pale skin as she lost her footing for just a second. Jamie could make out the details of the man who had injected whatever the hell kind of drug into Cat’s exposed throat and she could count every heartbeat as Cat collapsed seconds later with her eyes rolled up into her head.
“Jupiter! Bolt’s down we need evac now!” Jamie shouted into the comm and formed a giant fist with her ring. The blu lantern ring wasn’t designed for combat, it was designed for support, but if Jamie was angry or focused enough she could make anything.
Her ring took out the man and managed to make a platform to carry Cat. Oliver was parked in his motorcycle seconds later. Jamie passed over her friends limp body into Oliver’s arms and he drove away, Jamie following shortly after.
Jamie kept watch on Oliver’s ride as she flew above the Gotham traffic. On any other night the twinkling lights of the gothic city would have caught her attention, instead the jet black hair that moved in the wind was all Jamie could register. What would Cat do if it was her? She would call someone right? But who, Cat had been injected with a drug, that Jamie could be sure of. It was the same drug that they had gone to destroy, on Red Hood’s recommendation. Maybe he knew? But Jamie had no way of contacting the older vigilante and knew he would only respond to Cat herself. She could fly herself back to the sight and ask one of the men, but she needed to see Cat home first and by then they would be gone.
“Blue? What’s going on? I have no vital charts from Bolt.” Crypto’s voice sounded in her ears.
“How much do you know about drugs? Specifically the ones we went to stop tonight.” Jamie asked. She ignored the previous question, she’d have to explain to Alec that she had failed in protecting the only family he had left. Fun.
Jamie made a quick turn as Oliver drove down the street that housed the two siblings and she dove down as he ran to the secret entrance of their base. Jamie entered the passcode and allowed Oliver in before she made sure that no one had followed them. Jamie removed her mask and used her ring to put together a temporary medical station. The electric blue streams of light moved at her command and Oliver set Cat down on the table.
“What the hell happened?” Alec nearly screeched as he ran to his sister. He put his ear to her chest and breathed in as he felt her heart beat. Jamie watched heartbroken as Alec moved a piece of her hair out of her face.
“What did you find out about the drug?”
“Oh Catharine you look beautiful!” Cat glanced down at the woman at the bottom of the stairs. Her raven colored hair and sea green eyes were stunning, and not a single wrinkle could be found on the woman’s face, even as she smiled at her daughter.
“Thank you mother. I do try.” Catharine smiled down at the blue and black dress she wore.
“I’m sure Mr.Wayne will appreciate it.” Emily Grimm kissed her daughter’s forehead and led her into the large sitting room where her brother and father waited in matching suits. Michael was working the impossible mess known as Alec’s hair when he saw them.
“Both of you look amazing! Em dear, would you help me here, your son’s hair is not cooperating.” Michael chuckled and stepped away as Cat’s mother took his place. Cat smiled at the way her younger brother’s nose scrunched as her mother combed this hair. She watched as her father looked at her with his own deep blue eyes.
“You do look very nice Cat. I’m almost afraid to take you, I’ve heard some bad rumors about those Wayne boys and pretty girls.” Her father crossed his arms.
“You don’t have to worry Father.” Catharine crossed her own arms, she could take care of herself easily. Jason and Dick were easy compared to the boys she had to deal with at school. At least they were somewhat civil. It was true however, that both of the brothers were popular among the girls at school, and dear god both of them knew it.
“Mother stop. You’re going to pull my hair out.” Alec groaned and Emily finally stepped away before kissing her son on the cheek. “Bleh.” Alec stuck his tongue out.
“Don’t be such a wimp Alec, besides you should get used to it now before you have to see all the women at the party.” Catharine teased her younger brother and laughed at the face he made in response to thinking about all the middle aged women who would crowd him and fawn over him.
“Come soon now you two, we have to go or we’ll be late.” Emily Grimm pushed her two children towards the front door where the limousine waited.
“It’s called what?” Oliver asked as he leaned over Alec’s chair.
“Fantasia. It stimulates the memory and dream part of the brain to create your one true fantasy, everything you’ve always wanted, but there’s a catch. When you take the drug and your in this coma for more than four hours it starts to affect you.” Alec continued typing.
“Affect you how?” Jamie was pacing near Cat as the boys discussed. Her costume had disappeared and she was frustrated with the lack of things she could do to actually help.
“Within four hours it can cause major memory loss, and even dependency on the drug. Lesser symptoms are depression, anxiety, your typical mental illnesses.” Alec replied. “I’m not seeing a written cure, it says that the patient can only come out of the dream state themselves.”
“And how do they do that?” Oliver’s eyes scanned the screen in front of him.
“The dreamscape runs on the drug, by the time the drug wears off the person knows it’s not real and they wake up, of course wanting to continue the dream.” Oliver nodded. “However,” Alec continued and Oliver frowned. “The typical amount of time for the drug to wear off is five hours. She would be affected by then for sure.”
Jamie looked at Cat’s face, the girl seemed so content and looked so different from the other times Jamie had caught her sleeping. Then she constantly looked stressed or worried, like something was always off. Could Jamie even bring herself to ruin that little piece of happiness?
She would have to, eventually it wouldn’t even be happiness anymore, like all drugs it would lead to a huge fall and crash.
“So how do we wake her up sooner?”
“I usually don’t fancy parties much, but i suppose this one isn’t to bad.” Cat turned to see a brunette girl in a long green dress walk up to her. The girl’s hair was pinned up by gold pins that matched the large hoops hanging from her ears.
“Jamie!” Cat hugged her friend and smiled at her. “I didn’t think you were coming!”
“And miss a Wayne party? I don’t think so. Plus Lloyde has been struggling to find a place to go out for our anniversary date so I subtly suggested this.” Cat knew well enough that subtle did not actually mean subtle and it probably took a parade to get Lloyde to notice the fact that Jamie wanted to go to the party.
Cat giggled at the thought.”How is your knight in shining armor?”
“Handsome as ever. And kind as ever. We’ve been doing really well, and my parents both adore him so I'm happy.” Jamie blushed. “With everything going on at school I was afraid we wouldn’t have any time for each other but it’s been going a lot better than I would have expected.”
“That’s amazing! You deserve it to, with everything you’ve been working on, and I can’t even imagine how busy you’re mom and dad must be with how successful their company has been.” Cat saw a flicker of blue in the corner of her eye and knew exactly what was happening.
“Jamie! Catharine, don’t you two look amazing.” Oliver stood taller than both of them in a black suit with a blue tie. His sapphire colored eyes held joy as he grinned down at the two of them. His eyes drifted upwards as music began to play. “Oh, well Ms. Grimm, if you wouldn’t mind.” Oliver reached for Cat’s hand and she accepted the dancing invitation as he led her out to the open floor.
Oliver and her were one of three couples dancing but Cat didn’t care as he spun her. She felt unreasonably bubbly when Oliver’s hand gripped her waist and the other her hand as he led her in a simple waltz.
“It seems like I haven’t seen you in ages Kit-Kat.”
“Oli don't be ridiculous, I saw you…” Cat paused, when was the last time she had seen Oliver. It was earlier tonight right? They had been fighting…each other? No. Someone else… but she had been worth her family earlier so that was impossible.
“It’s okay, I understand my presence can be brain damaging you probably just forgot which specific moment you saw my awesomeness, I forgive you.” Cat lightly punched him.
“Don’t be a narcissist.”
“Big words for such a small little girl.” Oliver teased her. Catharine laughed, completely forgetting her earlier confusion. Nothing was weird about what was going on. She was at one of Bruce Wayne’s typical parties with her whole family and all of her friends.
Everything was okay.
The three of them stood silently at each other. What Alec had suggested was cray, absolutely brilliant, but also crazy. So many things could go so wrong.
“You’re sure about this?’ Oliver asked.
Alec shrugged. “Nope but we don’t really have any other option.” Alec turned to Jamie. “It’s like a visual comm link. You will be able to see and hear everything going on in Cat’s head, you’ll even be able to interact with the environment she’s in. But if you cause any damage to actual dream reality she could be asleep forever. You need to convince her that she’s dreaming without straight up telling her that she’s dreaming.”
Jamie related a breath. “Sure nothing terrifying about that.”
Jamie sat down as Alec connected a visor to her comm and connected wires. Oliver was standing next to Cat, slant, for once. He was holding her head and mouthing words to the girl, ones she couldn’t make out from her distance. But she knew they meant something, something actually meaningful. Not those cheap pickup lines he used on her.
“Okay see that didn’t take long at all. Thank you Lex Corp blue printing, and who ever made their networks way to easy to hack into.” Alec placed the modified comm (now a helmet like thing) onto Jamie’s head.
“Ready?”
Jamie swallowed, “Go.”
At first everything remained pitch black, then noises came. People, lot’s of people, but they were happy, chatting, drinking, she must be at a party. Jamie blinked her eyes a few times as slowly colors came into view. She looked down to see a green dress and heels that she couldn’t even dream of being able to afford. But it was her body, this must be how Cat was seeing her in the dream. Speaking of, Jamie looked around and saw the girl dancing with a dark haired boy. Jamie squinted and recognized Oliver. Clean cut in a suit and dancing with none other than Cat.
“Hey Jamie.” She turned to see Llyode, also in a suit and a green tie the same color as her dress.
“Lloyds? Uh, what are you doing here?”
“Um, I brought you here? Remember anniversary date?” Jamie could feel the heat in her cheeks. Anniversary? Date? She and Lloyde were a thing?
“Oh whoops! Yeah sorry. Did you need something?” Jamie tried to compose herself at least outwardly while her brain went into overdrive. Lloyds shook his head and smiled at her.
“I just thought I would ask my girlfriend to dance before someone else takes her.” lode held out his hand and Jamie took it hesitantly. Alec said this would be hard because of the actual risks, he however, did not mention that Jamie would have to act like she dating her best friend. Which actually didn’t seem so unpleasant. Especially when Lloyde began to sway to the music.
Jamie heard bight laughter to her left and saw Cat smiling and laughing with Oliver, she looked happier than Jamie had ever seen her.
“I’m waiting for them to confess their love for each other just as much as you are.” Lloyde said and Jamie turned to him. She smiled awkwardly and thanked the heavens as the first song began to end. Jamie relaxed when Lloyde leaned in towards her his yes half closed.
Ooohhhhh no. This was not happening, Llyode was not doing this. This is a dream, Jamie needed to get cat and- suddenly their faces were pressed together. The boy’s lips were surprisingly soft and Jamie did’t feel awkward or out of place as she kissed him.
“Ew guys, get a room.” Lloyde pulled away as Oliver and Cat walked over. Jamie was left in a daze for a second. That had just happened, Lloyde had kissed her and she, liked it. Jamie watched in astonishment as her friends laughed and acted as if absolutely nothing was wrong. It was all so perfect it made Jamie uncomfortable.
Life was meant to have ups and downs. If it didn’t people would never grow. Jamie’s past made her who she was and allowed her to make the decisions she needed to. Same went for every person in the world.
“Catharine! Here I want you to meet Bruce Wayne.” Jamie saw a man with dark hair and short goatee. He had green eyes and a contagious smile that radiated…Cat. This was, this was Cat and Alec’s dad. Michael Grimm. He looked exactly like the siblings had described, charming but gentle. Jamie however, was seeing a ghost. This was worse than she imagined. How was she going to convince Cat to leave a dream where her parents were still alive.
Bruce reached out his hand to Cat “Hello Catharine, I’d also like to introduce my sons; Jason and Richard.” Bruce gestured to the two boys behind him.
Jason? Bruce’s second ward had died at an early age, here though he seemed to be in full health, but why would that matter to Cat?
Michael turned to Jamie, “And you must be Jamie. Catharine has told me a lot about you. I have been meaning to speak with you, someone with your talents could have a high up place in my company. I could set you up for life, you wouldn’t even have to finish school.” Jamie blinked. Set for life? She wouldn’t have to go to school ever again, and she could spend time with Lloyde and her family and she would never have to worry about a thing again.
“So what magic did you work this time Crypto?” Oliver asked. The boy had changed into civies and was hanging over Cat like a concerned mother.
“It’s actually really simple neuro-tech. Jamie and Cat’s brains are now transmitting the same frequency wave allowing them access to the others visual and audio thoughts. If we had a martian this would have been a lot easier. Plus it would have eliminated the risk of Jamie getting drawn into the dream as well.” Alec was bored. He liked doing things, and the fact that he had to watch his sister and best friend slowly die was only adding to the to the frustration.
“So, uh, wanna play cards?”
“What?” Alec asked, shocked. “Cards? At a time like this?”
Oliver shrugged. “You got something else to do?” Alec paused. No he didn’t have anything better to do, but this just didn’t seem like the right time for…cards. But Oliver was already shuffling.
“Cat I really need to talk to you.” This was Jamie’s third attempt at getting Cat alone. She had been trying to get to through to Cat most of the night, but was always blocked by someone distracting Cat.
The girl turned finally towards Jamie. “Oh my I am so sorry Jamie! It looks like Oliver is calling me over, again-“
“Cat really, its urgent.” For the first time that night Cat’s smile fell from her face. She then turned and waved off Oliver.
“Okay let’s go in the hallway.” Cat grabbed Jamie’s hand and moved into the quieter space.
“What’s wrong?” She asked.
“Everything? Isn’t this a little strange?” Jamie questioned and she could see the confusion on Cat’s face. “It’s to perfect Cat, something is wrong. Don’t you remember? Alec, Red hood, Jupiter?”
“Red Hood? What kind of dumb name is that?” Cat giggled and Jamie covered her face with her hands.
“That’s the real world Cat. All of this is fake.” Cat’s laughter disappeared.
“Jamie how can this be fake? Everything is perfect. And look!” Cat smiled fully. “I’m happy Jamie.”
Oh my god Jamie’s guilt factor could not get any higher. “Cat I-“ She had to convince Cat that this wasn’t real. “You’re a super hero Cat.”
“What the hell Jamie? You must be on something c-“
Cat was interrupted by the entrance of Jason and Dick. The two looked more serious than Jamie had seen them previously that night and she was reminded of Alec’s warning before she had gone under.
“The drug will have its own set of antibodies. More than likely it will take form as something or someone in the dream. If the dream feels threatened it will eliminate the threat as soon as possible.”
The antibodies must be Jason and Dick. They were on the other side of the room when Cat had brought her here, there was no way then two of them would have known they were here.
“Hello Catharine. We need to speak with Jamie, you should go back to the party.” Jason spoke with a very monotone and robotic voice. Jamie caught the glint of silver pocket knife in the boys hands and she tensed.
“Cat I need you to run when I saw so.” Jamie pushed the girl behind her as the boys stepped forward.
“Why run Catharine, everything you need is here.” Dick smiled and offered his hand to Cat. This time the girl flinched backwards. At seeing this Jason frowned and dove towards Jamie with the knife in his hand. Jamie ducked and swept her leg under the boy, which proved to be a lot harder in a dress and heels. Jason fell to ground.
“Run Cat!” The raven haired girl kicked her heels in DIck’s face and ran in the opposite direction. Jamie followed her and they ran down the hallway to a set of doors which Jamie shut behind them and locked.
“What the hell was that?!” Jamie clamped her hands over Cat’s mouth as she shouted.
“You want to get caught?” Cat shook her head, eyes wide and Jamie released her.
“What’s going on Jamie?”
Jamie sighed, “You’re real self is in a dream state. None if this is real, Jason and Dick are antibodies, they want to get rid of me because I’m trying to convince you that none of this is real.”
Cat laughed. “That makes a surprising amount of sense.” She looked at her feet. “Nothing is ever perfect is it."
Jamie nodded sadly.
"I trust you Jamie."
Jamie looked up, shocked. "You do? Just like that?"
"Either you're right, or you're wrong and this can be over with, but usually, you're spot on."
“I wanna see my parents one more time though.” Jamie looked up. The hard set face Jamie was used to had replaced the constant smile she had bee wearing most of the night. Jamie considered her request. Cat was going to lose everything, again, once she woke up Jamie could at least give her that.
“Fine but we do this my way, so that I don’t end up with a pocket knife in my throat.” Cat led Jamie to a side door and soon enough they were back in the main room, the party still going strong. Jamie watched Cat walk up to her parents.
“Catharine there you are. How about a dance with my daughter?” Michael Grimm smiled at his daughter. Cat moved towards him and wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m so sorry Father. I should have protected both of you that night.” Cat’s face was buried in her father’s coat so Jamie couldn’t tell weather or not the girl was crying.
“Catharine, I’m not sure what you mean. Come dance with me.” Michael pet her daughters head.
“I love you father, but this is just a dream.” And just like that Jamie watched Michael Grimm’s face begin to fade and stood as Cat cried out at watching her father die again. The room, the party, everything began to disappear and fade to black.
“Dude what’s that sound?” Alec looked up from his pile of cards to his computer.
“They’re waking up, Jamie did it!” Alec and Oliver scrambled from their chairs towards the two girl and waited. Jamie was up first and she tore the helmet of her face.
“Jamie! Are you alright?” Alec reached to help her up. The girl nodded and looked at Cat.
Cat had remained still for quite awhile before she took a huge breath and sat up. She continued breathing heavily while Oliver rubbed comforting circles into her back.
“Cat?” Oliver questioned.
Catharine swallowed and stood up. “I need to be alone for a bit.” The girl walked out of the room leaving the remaining three in silence.
Oliver stepped forward to follow her but Jamie stopped him.
“She just lost her whole world for the second time, she needs time.”
Oliver turned on her, “She needs people Jamie! Yeah she went through all of that shit again and last time she only had Alec, this time she has all of us, why shouldn’t we be there for her.”
“You weren’t there Oliver. You haven’t been in this long enough to understand.”
“No I guess I haven’t"