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Cassandra buzzes into the security system, waving at the camera before meandering down the path towards Maddie’s house. She hums to herself as she holds the bouquet steady, suddenly glad that she had gone with her gut in choosing a stretchy blazer. If she hadn’t, it would’ve been uncomfortable for her to move.
She continued the walk, when she suddenly tensed. A slight rustle behind her, someone running? Cassandra slowed, ready to drop the flowers at a moment's notice. A moment passed, and she threw the flowers to the ground as she deftly caught the hand about to stab her. Instinct took over as she skillfully flipped the man over her shoulder, knocking him out with a quick nerve strike. Cass restrained him, and sat on him while thinking of what to do. This wasn’t Gotham, she couldn’t just call the Commissioner who would happily cover up her involvement.
Cass glanced at the man’s face, and balked. Doug Kendall stared back at her. Maddie’s disgusting stalker ex that Cass had researched as soon as she discovered that Maddie had run from an abuser to LA. Any thought of just dumping the man in some alleyway disappeared. This man was going to go through as much legal hell as physically possible.
She thought of Maddie again, and pictured her gorgeous face, and Cassandra finally came to the conclusion that any sane person would. Call 911 dispatch. She fished her phone out of her pants, and dialed 911. She put it on speaker phone as she opened up her texts with Dick to inform him of the new development.
“911, what’s your emergency?” A tinny male voice sounded over her speakers.
“My friend’s abusive ex attempted to stab me while I was walking to her house,” Cassandra intoned, just one step away from her report voice.
“What is your location?” The voice on the other end asked.
“I’m at 1384 Carlton Road, my name is Cassandra Cain.”
“Do you know where the man is now? Are you injured at all?” Cass could hear typing on the other end.
“I’m not injured, I knocked him unconscious and restrained him when he tried to attack me. I dislocated his shoulder and he might have a concussion when he wakes up.”
“Oh! Um. Okay, dispatch is 5 minutes out,” the voice sounded flabbergasted and Cass tried her best not to start cackling at their confusion.
“Who’s uh, your friend?” The dispatcher asked.
“Maddie Buckley,” Cass intoned.
A gasp. “Maddie? Is she okay? This is Josh, I’m her coworker-”
“Hey hey,” Cass soothed. “Maddie’s alright, I’m about to text her. She’s in her house, I was walking up for a date.”
Josh oh-ed over the speaker. “You’re Eddie’s mysterious younger sister that Maddie is obsessed with?”
Cass smiled. “Obsessed is a strong word. She talks about me?”
Josh scoffed. “Does she. She only mentions you once every 5 minutes. ‘Oh, Cass is so strong, she out bench presses Buck.’ ‘Cass is so kind, she rescues every animal she sees.’ ‘Cass is so talented, did you know she’s a dancer? She’s here with her ballet company,’ 24-7. It’s nice to finally talk to you, though!”
Cass laughs, loud and bright. “I’m glad she only has nice things to say. She talks about you too, she’s really thankful for your friendship.”
Josh laughed again, and the two conversed for a bit about menial topics. While chatting, Cass opened up her texts with Maddie.
-
Maddie: Where are you? Are you okay?
Cass: dont freak out
Maddie: Um. Okay
Cass: doug tried to stab me. i knocked him unconscious and restrained him. im on the path to ur house, called 911
Maddie: Holy shit. Are you okay???? Should I come out?????
Cass: im good, i fucked doug up tho lmao. dont come out, u shouldnt see him. he’ll never hurt u ever again.
Maddie: Thank you Cass.
Cass: ofc. do u want to reschedule our date? we can just have a night in :3
Maddie: That sounds great :)
Cass: <33333
Maddie: ❤️
-
Cassandra frowned as Doug started to stir under her. She hit him again, and he went still. Cass clicked out of her text exchange with Maddie, and opened up a chat she hadn’t touched in months.
-
Cass: jayyyyhhhhsssonn
Jason: wtf you never text me
Cass: how much money to permanently disable my friends abusive ex
Jason: zero dollars but you owe me a favor
Cass: deal
-
Finally , she heard the tell tale sounds of sirens approaching.
The scene that the police walked in on must’ve been anticlimactic. A 5’3 woman without a hair misplaced sitting on the back of a man who was knocked out cold.
Cass brightened considerably when she saw Athena leading the charge.
“Athena, hi!” Cassandra called, waving the hand not holding her phone. She saw Athena relax marginally, but she still held her handgun steady.
“Cassandra, can you stand up? I need to cuff this man here.”
Cass nodded, fluidly getting up and standing to the side.
Athena handcuffed Doug promptly, attempting to rouse him from his unconscious state. She was unsuccessful of course, and Cass listened as she called for the paramedics to check him out.
Cass waved excitedly when she saw Hen, Chim, Dick, and Buck jog over. She flashed her home signs for “secure”, “unharmed”, and “out-of-costume” to Dick, who visibly relaxed.
Completely ignoring the man on the ground, Buck immediately raced over to Cass to pester her about what happened.
“Is Maddie okay? Did she come out? Are you okay? Wait, were you going on a date? Are you-”
Cass pressed a finger to his lips to shush him.
“We’re all okay. Mads didn’t see anything, and I was about to take her out to dinner,” Cass listed off.
Buck relaxed as Dick had, but his eyes hardened after a moment and he crossed his arms.
“Cassandra. If you ever even think about hurting my older sister-”
Cass snorted and patted Buck on his shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’d rather die again than hurt her. You don’t need to threaten me.”
Buck tilted his head. “Again? What does that mean?”
Before Cass could think of a reasonable answer that wouldn’t give away anything, Maddie was running into Cass’s arms. Cass caught the other woman deftly, hugging Maddie tightly as she started to break down. Cass shushed her and pet her hair, and the two sank down to the ground. The 118 was mindful of the two of them, talking in hushed tones and loading Doug into the ambulance as quietly as they could. Dick had ushered Buck away from hovering, and was now distracting the younger man. Cass caught his eye, and Dick sent a wink her way. She tilted her head up slightly to receive the message, and went back to burying her head in Maddie’s shoulder.
It felt like an eternity before Athena was gently tapping Cass on the shoulder. “Cassandra, we have to bring you to the station for questioning. You can drive or we can drive you, your choice,” she said.
“I can drive myself,” Cass replied softly.
Athena nodded once, before setting off to head back to the station.
Maddie sniffled in her hold, breaking the hug slightly to look up at Cass with big watery eyes. “Thank you,” Maddie warbled out. Cass took a moment to process Maddie’s emotions. The other woman was always so tightly coiled up, and her emotions often spun around in tight circles over and over and over again without any release. Right now, Maddie was dripping in relief. There was apprehension and terror and fear and anticipation and horror but overwhelmingly, there was just relief. They stared at each other for a moment longer, before Maddie’s eyes flicked down to Cass’s lips.
Thrumming in anticipation, Cass leaned forward slightly, and Maddie swooped in with a quick peck. Not a make out session of any sort, just a small familiar kiss. There weren’t fireworks or stars, but Cass was filled with the syrupy feeling of content.
Later, she would give her statement. Later, Doug would be arrested. Later later later. Right now, Cass just savored this moment.