Steph didn't spend a lot of time in the Batcave these days.
She didn't need to, what with the Firewall.
But the cave also made her feel…
inadequate.She sees the cases, everyone else's case, and is reminded that she's just reserve grade.
Not
real Bat Family.
'You have to retire, be murdered, become someone else, or be shot to have a case'
That was what Babs said when Stephanie was looking at the cases - at the suits in the cases - when she was trying to establish herself as Batgirl.
But of course she didn't have a case.
Her murder didn't count. Why would it?
She was revived with medicine, and skill, not mysticism.
She recovered with time, and pain, not a dip in a pit that cured all her issues, and brought her out stronger.
No, no, of course it didn't count.
Just like her being Robin. That never counted either. She knew it. They all knew it. Give it enough time, and she wouldn't count as Batgirl either. And Spoiler? Pssh. Who the heck is that?
Cluemasters kid? Who's that? Sounds like a Riddler wannabe. She had already heard it all. She grew up with it.
Spoiler never counted. So why would Spoiler have a case when she moved on to bigger and better things.
The times she had been shot didn't count for a case either. Why would they? She could still walk, after all. And even if she couldn't, it would only be Steph.
What would they be losing?
Nothing they didn't immediately move on from once before anyway.
No. No, she will stay over here. In the nice, brightly lit Firewall, where her inadequacies can eat her up inside, without physical representations, thank you very much.
At least over here she could try to focus, to clear her head, to work on what mattered.
They might not have always considered Batfamily, but while she had a cape, the city did. And Gotham was what mattered.
You don't give up on her, she won't give up on you, as Nell told her. Words that truly stuck with her.
She may not have been a real Robin, or even a very good Batgirl, but she had learnt how to be a pretty damn good Stephanie Brown.
And that meant something to her, damnit.