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Steph may be in a purple blouse, black leggings and boots, with her hair tied up behind her head rather than wearing her Batgirl suit, but that doesn't mean that she's going to walk past a couple getting mugged.
She knows how to take care of herself, and most Gotahmite do too, but either this couple wasn't expecting to get robbed in the Diamond District, or they're from out of town. Either way, Steph stands at the entrance to the alleyway with a glare.
"Back off."
The mugger turned, probably glaring but he was wearing a really ugly clown mask. Kinda distasteful given everything about Gotham. "We're in the middle of something if you don't mind."
"I think I do mind, actually," She took a step forward, fists still bruised from all the training she's been doing at Titans Tower. It's her day off, and she's still getting dragged into shit.
Well, she's dragging herself into it.
"I told you to back off."
"Listen, sweetcheeks—" The mugger made a grab for one of the members of the couple, but she pulled back and Steph slammed her fist into the mugger's jaw. He toppled to the ground pathetically fast.
"Don't go around calling people 'sweetcheeks,'" She glared. "It's rude, Sweetcheeks."
"Thank you," The woman who almost got grabbed said. "We've gone through the training courses and everything but—I just—we—"
"Never thought it would happen," Her girlfriend replied. "We froze up."
Steph smiled her best and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face. "Happens to the best of us. Next time… picture someone you really hate. Helps."
"Thank you."
An arm wrapped around Steph's throat and she stumbled back, something sharp piercing her back. The women screamed as Steph was kicked in the back of her knee, and then a few more times once she hit the ground.
Breathing in hurt like hell, something choked her from inside, and she coughed into her elbow as she forced herself to stand. Her hand closed around a rough brick, and she launched it into the mugger's shoulder. His knife fell to the ground and the women grabbed Steph, helping her up as they stumbled out of the alleyway.
"Are you alright?" The first asked.
Steph nodded, then coughed again. With nothing to cover it, blood spurted out of her mouth and across the second woman's suit.
Not great.
"Abby, call an ambulance," The second woman stated, voice shaking. Her hand pressed hard into Steph's back and they stumbled into a nearby store.
"How can I help—oh my god!" A store attendant shouted.
"We were attacked," The second woman said as Abby stepped to the side to explain the situation to the paramedics. Steph would much rather go to one of the safehouses, but she can't right now. Not when her attack was seen and she's still choking on her own blood. "Can we lay low here?"
"Of course. My manager will send someone to help you until an ambulance arrives."
"Nancy," Abby said. "Get her over here."
Steph tried to protest as they set her onto the couch, but they wouldn't have it. Paramedics were a few minutes out, but Steph was already getting groggy from how much blood she's lost. At least if she closes her eyes and focuses, she can try to bear with the pain until the doctors give her something for it.
It's something that she picked up from the others. Babs and Cass specifically.
Sirens sound sharply in the distance.
Her mom was panicked when she arrived as Steph's emergency contact, and even a bit nervous when she was discharged the following day with a prescription of painkillers and bedrest. After dinner, she'd gone to bed, checking on Steph one last time.
Steph, having years of experience, had been pretending to sleep. She'd been through a hell of a lot of worse injuries, so there wasn't any reason to skip one more patrol before heading back to Titans Tower. Now that Dick had backed off, at least she'd get some rest without being yelled at for slacking or not being good enough.
The way the Batgirl suit was fitted just right pressed comfortably against he bandages, so they wouldn't come off so easily. She'd change them when she showered after patrol.
"Batgirl signing on," She said carefully as she slipped her comm into her ear. "Where am I needed, Oracle?"
A long sigh. "Arkham."
She's already regretting putting the suit on tonight. She coughs once and climbs onto her motorcycle, wiping her mouth and frowning that there's still some blood.
"You sick, Batgirl?" Tim asked. Guess this was important enough for him to come back to the job.
"There's a cold going around the tower," She shrugs. "Guess I caught it before heading out."
"I don't mind," Jason said—since when was he in town— "If the rogues get a bit sick from your cough, means they won't be up to any attacks. Do not cover your mouth tonight."
Most of the heavy-hitters have been dealt with by the time Steph gets there, but a few are still out. Scarecrow's closest to getting out, but Harley, Ivy, and Freeze are making their way to the various exits.
Babs directs her to the sewer system exits where Batman's in a fist-fight with Scarecrow. She hooked her grapple into the far wall, launching forward and kicking Crane hard in the side of his head.
She took a few seconds to catch her breath and turned to see Batman's glare harder than it usually was. She returned it full force. "What's with the look?"
"Go home. Now."
"I'm fine. it's just a cold."
"Oracle, mute mine and Batgirl's comms."
"Oh damn," Tim muttered as Steph's comm beeped. "What do you think that's about?"
"He's gonna have some dumb excuse I bet—" Jason replied.
Batman crossed his arms. "Go home, Batgirl."
"Tell me why you think I'm not fine enough to be dealing with this," She pushed past and dragged Crane to his feet, heading back towards the front door where the others were. "We have bigger things to worry about like me having a little cough."
On cue, she coughed again and wiped her mouth before Bruce could see the blood.
"Yes. Bigger things. Such as you getting stabbed."
"Don't know what you're talking about."
"Batgirl."
She threw Crane on the ground and glared at Batman. "What about all the times you've come out here with worse injuries? And the others? What's different this time? Tell me."
Batman opened his mouth, then charged forward and grabbed Steph's arm, pulling her behind him as a cloud of bright orange gas exploded around them. Just what she needs. More foreign shit in her lungs. She coughs hard, and it turns into a fist and her shaking legs make her drop to the ground. Batman chases after Crane as he runs, but there's a syringe with the antidote to the gas on the ground in front of her.
She unzips the sleeve of her suit and takes a breath before plunging it into her arm. She's been through enough of these that she knows it's going to make her way too tired to keep fighting in ten minutes. They have to wrap this up so she can get home and sleep everything off.
She coughs hard and stuffs the syringe in her belt pocket to toss it out later. Bruce definitely knows about what happened to her yesterday, so she'll take her chances with Jason and Tim.
By the time she's within eyesight, she's already about to trip over her own feet and they've dealt with Harley and Ivy. No sign of Freeze. She really hopes she deson't get sneak attacked a third time this week.
She coughs again, and it doesn't go unnoticed, but she's fine. Her bandages haven't shifted, and she hasn't felt any new pain. It's just the small aches now.
She can't wipe her mouth fast enough to keep the others from seeing it.
"Batgirl?" Tim ran over, grabbing her shoulders in a tight grip. "You okay?"
She nods around coughing into her palm. Her comm beeps again and she's already dreading that she knows what Bruce is about to say.
"Take her home now. She was stabbed yesterday."
"What?!" Tim shouted, then turned back to her. "Steph, seriously?!"
"Names!"
"I didn't get stabbed on purpose!" She snapped. "I'm fine! It's just—it's the cold."
Tim gripped her forearm tight and started dragging her away from the building. "We've dealt with everyone. You don't want to go home? Fine, I'm taking you to the cave."
"Red—"
"Nope! You're getting medical treatment and if any of us see you on patrol in the next few weeks—"
"You won't. I'm going back to Titans Tower tomorrow."
Tim grumbled, but no matter what he tried, she'd go back regardless. She had a job to do with the Titans, and when Dick inevitably found out about this, if she wasn't fighting through it all, he'd yell at her again.
Not that she cared if he was mad at her, she just wants him off her back these days. Going back to Blüdhaven might actually do him some fucking good.
She winces as she's shoved in the back of the Batmobile, but now it's clear she's not getting out of this. Bruce will probably surveil her house every night until he decides she's recovered, or tell the Titans not to let her on any missions. Fucking hypocrite.
But right now she doesn't have the energy to fight with anyone. She'll take the treatment, head home, and get on the first bus to Happy Harbor in the morning before they can stop her.