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Duke woke up with a great start to the day. He got a full eight hours of sleep, Alfred’s breakfast was delicious, and Cassandra was on day shift with him today.
He hadn’t gotten to spend much time with her ever since she went on a mission with her mother. And now she has a new brother.
not like he cared or anything.
Batman had given them a mission to do along with this morning's patrol: to investigate the mysterious deaths tied to a restaurant.
And once they arrived they started digging, looking at the crime scene, talking to witnesses, but all the evidence came to the same thing: absolutely nothing.
There was something strange going on here( I mean when nothing strange was going on? it’s Gotham ). But they would investigate more tomorrow,once they both had more energy.
Duke turns to Cassandra.
“You ready to go? I heard that there is a new burger joint across the street.”
Cass raises an eyebrow.
“Fine I’ll admit it, I just want to eat a burger, you can’t blame me”
She shakes her head and smiles.She leads Duke the way to the exit, “Let’s go.”
As they make the way to the cross walk talking about whatever is going on in their life’s. But that’s when Duke notices a car.
It’s driving way too fast.
Its not yielding.
Dukes eyes widen.
“Cassandra,Wait-”
Duke reached to pull her back, but it was too late.
SKKKRT
BANG
“CASS-” he didn’t care about code names. This was his sister who got hit by a car, not batgirl.
He ran towards her. There was blood pooling at the back of her head.
“SOMEONE CALL 911” He pleaded with the crowd gathered on the sidewalk.
“Oracle! Cass is down! We need an ambulance here now!” He ordered.
“Help is on the way Signal, keep doing the best you can to keep her alive.”
“This can’t be happening.” Duke closed his eyes for a second, cradling Cass in his lap.
———
Duke opened his eyes, he wasn’t on the street anymore.
He was in his bed.
Was this just a nightmare? He wondered-no he hoped.
The alarm clock interrupted his thoughts, and checked the date on his phone.
It was Tuesday.
Duke brushed it off as just a coincidence, maybe He just dreamed of the mission today going terribly wrong.
As he got ready and went downstairs, he could smell Alfred’s cooking fill the air.
“Good morning, Master Duke” Alfred greeted.
“Morning Alfred”
Alfred placed Dukes plate down infront of him.
Dukes heart leaped.
It’s the same breakfast that he dreamed about. Bacon,eggs, and pancakes.
Duke woke up with a great start to the day. He got a full eight hours of sleep, Alfred’s breakfast was delicious, and Cassandra was on day shift with him today.
He hadn’t gotten to spend much time with her ever since she went on a mission with her mother. And now she has a new brother.
not like he cared or anything.
Batman had given them a mission to do along with this morning's patrol: to investigate the mysterious deaths tied to a restaurant.
And once they arrived they started digging, looking at the crime scene, talking to witnesses, but all the evidence came to the same thing: absolutely nothing.
There was something strange going on here( I mean when nothing strange was going on? it’s Gotham ). But they would investigate more tomorrow,once they both had more energy.
Duke turns to Cassandra.
“You ready to go? I heard that there is a new burger joint across the street.”
Cass raises an eyebrow.
“Fine I’ll admit it, I just want to eat a burger, you can’t blame me”
She shakes her head and smiles.She leads Duke the way to the exit, “Let’s go.”
As they make the way to the cross walk talking about whatever is going on in their life’s. But that’s when Duke notices a car.
It’s driving way too fast.
Its not yielding.
Dukes eyes widen.
“Cassandra,Wait-”
Duke reached to pull her back, but it was too late.
SKKKRT
BANG
“CASS-” he didn’t care about code names. This was his sister who got hit by a car, not batgirl.
He ran towards her. There was blood pooling at the back of her head.
“SOMEONE CALL 911” He pleaded with the crowd gathered on the sidewalk.
“Oracle! Cass is down! We need an ambulance here now!” He ordered.
“Help is on the way Signal, keep doing the best you can to keep her alive.”
“This can’t be happening.” Duke closed his eyes for a second, cradling Cass in his lap.
———
Duke opened his eyes, he wasn’t on the street anymore.
He was in his bed.
Was this just a nightmare? He wondered-no he hoped.
The alarm clock interrupted his thoughts, and checked the date on his phone.
It was Tuesday.
Duke brushed it off as just a coincidence, maybe He just dreamed of the mission today going terribly wrong.
As he got ready and went downstairs, he could smell Alfred’s cooking fill the air.
“Good morning, Master Duke” Alfred greeted.
“Morning Alfred”
Alfred placed Dukes plate down infront of him.
Dukes heart leaped.
It’s the same breakfast that he dreamed about. Bacon,eggs, and pancakes.
They were even in the same position on the plate.
But that couldn’t mean anything. It could be that Alfred is meticulous with the way he places his food on a plate.
“You must be ecstatic to be on a mission with Miss Cassandra, it’s been awhile hm?”
Duke chuckled.“Yeah it has.”
“You ought to get going then, Cassandra has told me that you’ll be out all day”
Duke slid out of his chair “You’re right Alfred. Thanks for the food”
“Anytime,Master Duke”
———-
It was the scene that they arrived at in his dreams.
The same guy that he interviewed.
The same evidence that still added up to nothing.
This was no longer a coincidence, it was a pattern. And that meant-
Cass was going to die.
Duke could hear his heart pounding.
He wasn’t going to let that happen,he wasn’t even going to let her cross the street, he was going to pro-
“Duke?”
“I’m fine.”
Cass tilted her head.
“I’m just a little tired Cass, I’m fine.”
Cass hummed.
“Are you ready to leave?” She asks.
“Not yet, can we look for evidence for a little bit?”
Duke was totally not begging her.
Cass studied him for a moment. “Are you sure you’re ok,Duke?”
Duke forced himself to smile “Yeah Cass, I’m fine, told you I’m just a bit tired.”
“Ok..” Cass didn’t believe him. But she didn’t push either so he was great full for that.
After about 45 minutes later they came up with the same thing as before: Absolutely nothing.
“Duke, Are you ready to go now?” Cass asks.
“Yeah..” Duke hesitates. “ But can I be infront of you?”
Cass stares at him. “Duke what’s wrong? And don’t lie, you’ve been acting weird all day.”
Duke tries to say something, but nothing comes out.
“You’re scared” Cass points out.
“I am” Duke admits. “But if I tell you, I’m going to sound crazy” his eyes cast away from Cass.
Duke felt her hand on his chin and lifted his head.
“Tell me.”
Duke takes a deep breath. “I had a nightmare that you died. And I think that nightmare is coming true. Everything is exactly the same.” Dukes voice cracks. “Alfred's breakfast, the people, the evidence.”
Cassandra puts her hands on his shoulder.“How did I die?”
“You-You were hit by hit by a car, on the cross walk outside” He told her.
“Then we’ll go a different direction,ok?” Cass grabs his hand and leads him outside.
Duke lets out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. “Yeah, Ok.”
As the head to the cross walk Duke stops her “Not that one. Let’s go this way” he directs her in the opposite direction and Cass follows him.
“Put your hands up” A voice demands. They turn around.
the man has a gun.
“I said hands up!” He points the gun at Duke's head.
Cass and Duke follows the guys orders.
The man smirks “I wonder what I’ll get for catching two little bats”
“I’m sure it’s a hefty price.” Duke quips “But I’m not sure you want big bad bats on your ass.”
The man shrugs “It’s worth the prize I’ll get. Bet Joker would pay may atleast halfa’ million to get his hands on-”
Cass charges at the criminal.
The sound went off before the bullet.
And Cass was on the ground again.
“Oh my god. What did I do?! I’m so sorry I got scared-”
Duke punches the man, knocking him unconscious.
Turning his attention back to Cass, he runs over to apply pressure to the wound.
“Not again. Not again. Please.” He prays.
But the prayer didn’t work.
Cass was dead.
He failed again.
He closed his eyes. Blacking out.
—————-
Thirty seven Tuesdays.
Not matter how hard he tried, Cass would always end up dead.
He convinced her to stay at the cave to do the investigation.
Death by stalactite.
Didn’t even leave the manor one time.
Death by fork.
What ever was messing with him wanted him to fail over and over again. Like some sick joke.
By the 39th Tuesday Duke noticed something.
The victim that they interviewed.
His story always changed.
“I was walking home.”
“I just got back from work.”
“I was just passing by.”
So when Cass was interviewing him Duke decided it was time to interrupt.
“I was coming from a date-”
“You’re lying” Duke could barely hold his frustration back.
The man’s eyes widen but then turn into a sickening grin.
“You’ve finally figured it out. Took you long enough.”
Duke doesn’t engage in his taunting .“Why are you doing this? What do you want?”
The guy shrugged “I just wanted to play with you.”
Dukes fist tightened. “I have watched her die 39 different ways, and you did this just to fuck with me?”
The man’s smile widened “You’re spot on.”
Duke grabbed his collar “Who are you.”
The guy chuckled “Names Trickster”
Duke nods “Ok Trickster, let’s say I blind you, permanently if you don’t stop with your tricks”
“Ok-Ok when I snap my fingers, tomorrow will be Wensday.”
“Swear it.” His hands start to glow, getting closer to tricksters face.
“I swear- I swear!”
He snaps his fingers.
————-
Duke jolts awake from his bed and scrambles to check his phone.
It’s finally Wednesday.
Duke could hear his heart pounding.
He wasn’t going to let that happen,he wasn’t even going to let her cross the street, he was going to pro-
“Duke?”
“I’m fine.”
Cass tilted her head.
“I’m just a little tired Cass, I’m fine.”
Cass hummed.
“Are you ready to leave?” She asks.
“Not yet, can we look for evidence for a little bit?”
Duke was totally not begging her.
Cass studied him for a moment. “Are you sure you’re ok,Duke?”
Duke forced himself to smile “Yeah Cass, I’m fine, told you I’m just a bit tired.”
“Ok..” Cass didn’t believe him. But she didn’t push either so he was great full for that.
After about 45 minutes later they came up with the same thing as before: Absolutely nothing.
“Duke, Are you ready to go now?” Cass asks.
“Yeah..” Duke hesitates. “ But can I be infront of you?”
Cass stares at him. “Duke what’s wrong? And don’t lie, you’ve been acting weird all day.”
Duke tries to say something, but nothing comes out.
“You’re scared” Cass points out.
“I am” Duke admits. “But if I tell you, I’m going to sound crazy” his eyes cast away from Cass.
Duke felt her hand on his chin and lifted his head.
“Tell me.”
Duke takes a deep breath. “I had a nightmare that you died. And I think that nightmare is coming true. Everything is exactly the same.” Dukes voice cracks. “Alfred's breakfast, the people, the evidence.”
Cassandra puts her hands on his shoulder.“How did I die?”
“You-You were hit by hit by a car, on the cross walk outside” He told her.
“Then we’ll go a different direction,ok?” Cass grabs his hand and leads him outside.
Duke lets out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. “Yeah, Ok.”
As the head to the cross walk Duke stops her “Not that one. Let’s go this way” he directs her in the opposite direction and Cass follows him.
“Put your hands up” A voice demands. They turn around.
the man has a gun.
“I said hands up!” He points the gun at Duke's head.
Cass and Duke follows the guys orders.
The man smirks “I wonder what I’ll get for catching two little bats”
“I’m sure it’s a hefty price.” Duke quips “But I’m not sure you want big bad bats on your ass.”
The man shrugs “It’s worth the prize I’ll get. Bet Joker would pay may atleast halfa’ million to get his hands on-”
Cass charges at the criminal.
The sound went off before the bullet.
And Cass was on the ground again.
“Oh my god. What did I do?! I’m so sorry I got scared-”
Duke punches the man, knocking him unconscious.
Turning his attention back to Cass, he runs over to apply pressure to the wound.
“Not again. Not again. Please.” He prays.
But the prayer didn’t work.
Cass was dead.
He failed again.
He closed his eyes. Blacking out.
—————-
Thirty seven Tuesdays.
Not matter how hard he tried, Cass would always end up dead.
He convinced her to stay at the cave to do the investigation.
Death by stalactite.
Didn’t even leave the manor one time.
Death by fork.
What ever was messing with him wanted him to fail over and over again. Like some sick joke.
By the 39th Tuesday Duke noticed something.
The victim that they interviewed.
His story always changed.
“I was walking home.”
“I just got back from work.”
“I was just passing by.”
So when Cass was interviewing him Duke decided it was time to interrupt.
“I was coming from a date-”
“You’re lying” Duke could barely hold his frustration back.
The man’s eyes widen but then turn into a sickening grin.
“You’ve finally figured it out. Took you long enough.”
Duke doesn’t engage in his taunting .“Why are you doing this? What do you want?”
The guy shrugged “I just wanted to play with you.”
Dukes fist tightened. “I have watched her die 39 different ways, and you did this just to fuck with me?”
The man’s smile widened “You’re spot on.”
Duke grabbed his collar “Who are you.”
The guy chuckled “Names Trickster”
Duke nods “Ok Trickster, let’s say I blind you, permanently if you don’t stop with your tricks”
“Ok-Ok when I snap my fingers, tomorrow will be Wensday.”
“Swear it.” His hands start to glow, getting closer to tricksters face.
“I swear- I swear!”
He snaps his fingers.
————-
Duke jolts awake from his bed and scrambles to check his phone.
It’s finally Wednesday.