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“ma’am. ma’am you can’t go back there-”
Tim bit back a sigh as the door to his office slammed open, quickly minimizing the screens on his computer as he looked up to find his assistant desperately trying to stop Marinette as she marched into his office.
“I am so sorry, Mr. Drake, she marched right past me and wouldn’t listen when I told her to stop, I don’t even know how she made it up this far-”
“It’s alright, Sarah. She’s my sister-in-law, you’re fine. Would you mind giving us a minute?”
“O-oh. Of course, Mr. Drake,” she muttered, stepping out and pulling the door closed.
“Marine-”
“Where is he, Tim?”
Tim shook his head, avoiding making eye contact with her as he let out a long breath. “I don’t know.”
“Bullshit. Where. Is. He?”
“I don’t know. Both Bludhaven and Gotham PD are looking into it. Commissioner Gordon has prioritized the search-”
“While you sit back in your cushy office and go about life as normal while your brother is missing? We both know that’s not your style, Tim. What were you working on before I came in?”
“Proposed budget plans and anticipated spendings-”
“Drop the act, Tim.”
“I’m sorry, Marinette, but-” his words got cut off as Marinette slammed her hands down on the table.
“ Stop it! That is my husband they kidnapped. I don't care what the force is doing. I want to know what you're doing. What you are actually doing. Your family, clan, however you Bats like to refer to yourselves. Because I refuse to believe you plan to sit there and hope for the best.”
Tim stared at her, blinking for a moment. “He told you?”
“No. He didn't,” she snapped. “And that will be a discussion for later. What are you doing to bring my husband back?”
“We're doing everything we can. Jason is put there asking around and looking through his sources. I’m digging up everything I can on who might have taken him. We know it’s not the usual suspects, and I’m tracking all his last movements. Oracle’s doing all she can. We all are, Marinette.”
Marinette stared him down for a minute before pushing off the desk.
“If I help, will you keep me in the loop?”
“You aren’t trained-”
“If. I. Help,” she bit out. “Will you keep me in the loop? You have resources I don’t have access to.”
“Dick would kill me if anything happened to you. It’s too dangerous.”
“And how are you going to stop me, Red ?”
“What are you going to do, Marinette?”
“I’m going to get my husband back. She threw an envelope down on his desk. "They left that taped to my apartment door this morning. Thought it might help. If you find anything, I want to know.”
Tim let out a deep sigh as she turned and walked- no, stalked out of his office. Her high heels clicking harshly against the marble floors as she made her way to the elevator.
He ran a hand through his hair, pulling the envelope closer, dumping the contents out, sifting through the contents, opening the windows on his computer again as he did so.
—---------------------------
“Damn, Replacement. How sleep deprived are you?”
“No more than usual.”
“You look like death.”
“You wish. Any word on the streets about Dick?”
“Not much. Someone said they heard something about a birdcage down by the piers, but nothing on who they might be or what they want.”
“I might have something on that. Marinette paid me a visit at work today.”
“How’s she holding up?”
Red Robin blew out a breath. “She’s pissed. And she knows.”
“He told her?”
Red Robin shook his head. “Not according to her, but that means she’d figured it out herself at some point.”
“We both know that's not impossible,” Red Hood laughed. “Hell, it’s practically a rite of passage in this family.”
“You’re not wrong. She brought an envelope with her, saying it was left at their apartment after Dick’s abduction. Handed it over to be kept in the loop. There was a picture of an old seal belonging to the Order of the Guardians. I could barely find anything on them, but the clues and the seal would make sense with the pier.”
“Did you tell her?”
“And risk her putting herself in danger?”
Hood snorted. “Careful there replacement. You know what they say. Hell hath no fury-”
“Like a woman scorned. Yeah. Yeah, I know. Let’s just go and hope we can find out what the Order wants with Dick and Marinette.”
“Nothing.”
Both Red Robin and Red Hood had their weapons drawn and on high alert as they scanned the shadows for the unwanted guest. A small movement in the shadows was the only clue he got before unnaturally blue eyes peered out from the darkness, as the voice continued.
“The Order didn’t do it,” she said, walking out of the shadows, her hands held up in a mock surrender. “You can put the guns and staff down, Birdies. I’m not here for you.”
“Who are you? Why are you here?”
“You can call me Lady Noire. A friend called me for help. Same problem you’re working on. Figured I’d save myself the effort and follow the migration of birds instead of starting from scratch.”
“How do you know it isn’t the Order?”
“Because the Order of the Guardians is largely disbanded. Has been for ages.”
“Largely doesn’t mean they’re gone, Sweetheart.”
The ears on her head lay flat as her braid lashed back and forth behind her. “Don’t call me, Sweetheart,” she hissed. “And for all intents and purposes, they are gone. There’s only one Guardian left and they aren’t thrilled about being Guardian either. Regardless of her status, she’s more concerned about finding Dick.”
“Why does she care?”
“None of your business. The pier is a good idea. But whoever this is wants something from the Guardian. They aren’t a part of the Order.”
She rolled her eyes at the two vigilantes as they looked at each other, before pushing through them, grabbing her own staff.
“Are you two coming, or shall I leave you behind?”
—---------------------------
The trio moved in stony silence through the darkness, moving to some storage houses near the pier, Noir stopping on one while the other two moved to carry on.
“Stop. We’re here.”
“How do you know?” Red Robin asked, staring at her.
The ears on the top of her head merely twitched, as her eyes narrowed slightly. “I can sense it. Those doors will let us in right on top of them.”
“Okay, this will take moment-”
Noir stepped past him as he knelt down to pick the lock.
“Allow me,” she murmured, pressing a hand against the door, grinning as it disintegrated, floating down around Red Robin, as she stepped in.
“What the fuck?”
She grinned at Hood, continuing inside following the dark hallway, til it gave way to a dimly lit room, directly in line of sight of the group sitting around a table.
“Hey!” one of them jostled their friends, pointing up to her. “I think Miss Ladybug got our message confused.”
“I thought we told the Guardian to show up,” another one spoke up.
“And here I am.”
She almost laughed as she watched his eyes widen slightly.
“We weren’t expecting the Cat.”
“Did you think I’d be stupid enough to bring Good Luck within your reach?” she asked, tilting her head to the side, braid lashing idly back and forth, behind her.
“You were stupid enough to bring yourself with Bad Luck,” one of them scoffed.
The grin she gave was feral as she leaned forward on the rail. “Care to test your luck? I bet even burdened with Bad Luck, I can beat all of you.” She didn’t even glance back to the shadows as she whispered, “Go find your brother. I’ll take care of these goons.”
Before either of them could say anything, she had gripped the handrail, pulling herself into a handstand before pushing off, flipping over herself as she unsheathed her bo staff, and landed perfectly balanced on the top.
Red Hood had to nudge Red Robin into movement as he watched her pull that off, the two of them sneaking off while Lady Noire taunted and made short work of them. By the time the two brothers had found and freed Dick, Lady Noire was standing there, braid lashing over a pile of unconscious bodies.
The ears on the top of the head twitched as she stilled for a morning before whipping around.
“Dick!”
The brothers tensed as Lady Noire broke into a sprint towards them, a green flash blinding them briefly before they found Marinette barreling towards them, enveloping Dick in a hug. Both Tim and Jason stared at their brother as he held her eyes wide.
Did you know? Jason mouthed.
Nope.
“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry you got dragged into my mess. I thought I had left it behind a long time ago. I never thought this would happen. I am so sorry.”
Dick ran a hand through her hair, shushing softly. “It’s okay. I’m okay. I think we need to have a talk at some point though,” he told her with a soft laugh.
She pulled away from him at that with a sharp laugh. “You aren’t wrong about that, Nightwing.”
Dick glanced up at his brothers when she said that. “You told her?”
“Nope,” they chorused.
“We’ll discuss it later,” Marinette cut in, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “For now, let’s just go home.”
“Let’s go home.”
Marinette gently leaned into his side as they started to leave, hesitating only a moment to call over her shoulder.
“Oh and Tim? Don’t think I forgot about you breaking our deal.”
Jason laughed as Tim blanched.
“You’re so screwed, Replacement.”
“I know I am.”