The first thing Julia noticed when she woke up was that she no longer wore her doctor's coat, but...a patient's hospital gown. So he didn't kill me. But then she had a terrible thought. What if they think I'm the one that's gone insane, and not Crane? What if this is the asylum? 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyqy1g68J2B
"She's waking up," a woman's voice said. A nurse, she realized when she opened her eyes. "I think her medicine's wearing off." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcE6JLHES6
That made Julia nearly bolt upright. She was about to ask just what kind of "medicine" she was referring to when she saw her parents sitting next to her bed and...was that Batman and Robin standing in the far corner? No, she wasn't crazy--it was really them. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKL5UE1vWpS
"Yes, they saved you," her father said, seeing her amazement, and both her parents threw their arms around her to where it was almost immobilizing. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSlJ4ElLUez
"Careful now, she's still pretty shaken up," the nurse warned. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1D4sBtjGi2
Julia hugged her parents back, dreading the conversation she would soon have with them yet again. Hopefully they could save it for later. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULylwad00J
"Are you feeling alright?" her dad asked, his face creased with worry. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS6nXHqFeuQ
"I don't even know. Everything is kind of a blur..."730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0FbZlDVsW
"That's because they put you on strong relaxants to cancel out...whatever that stuff was." He shuddered bitterly. "I hope that man is locked up for life." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2K97wsSbx
"That reminds me...how did you find out about...me?" Julia asked the two heroes still standing nearby. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QsJaQ5kg6
"Robin and I overheard a somewhat intense conversation between Crane and another one of the doctors outside of Arkham--David Hutchinson was his name," Batman said, coming out of the shadowy far corner. "We've had our eye on Crane for a while, and when we gathered from their discussion that you were going to meet him that night and also that the patients' behavior had changed along with their medicine, we thought we'd check it out. But unfortunately we didn't get there in time to save him." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1yPYIQBgbk
"Dave... They really killed Dave, didn't they? All because I didn't listen to him." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96sDHIkadx
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Batman said. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1qNiDNw8n0
"Well, we're glad they didn't kill you," Robin chimed in, probably in the hopes of adding some optimism to the conversation.730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVeTwIA52sh
Both Julia's parents looked like they couldn't agree with that more.730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseN5qrZ0wT
"And you don't need to worry--Crane and his goons are in jail right now," he added. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdWThifK1l
"It's good that you noticed something and spoke up about it. I'm just sorry things had to come out this way. But if these events hadn't taken place I'm afraid he would have hurt and killed a lot more people," Batman concluded. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ37rGB0OYUO
"How long have I been like this?" Julia sighed, laying back down as the nurse left the room. She felt so dazed right now--there would be time for tears later. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPp2XhiyRA
"Two days," Julia's mother said. "We got a call from the police the same night it happened, and they told us everything. We drove up here right after getting that call." She sniffed, which surprised Julia--her parents had seemed to never cry up to now. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ySXDDTJjX
"I know you don't want to hear this," her father said, "but this is the exact reason why we don't want you living so far away from us." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhTcy1trY9
"The nurse said not to work me up, remember," Julia said irritably. "Can't we talk about this later when I don't feel so out of it?" 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehK9qlHdpd
Julia's mom gave her husband a look and said, "Of course." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hOm4oIvcd
"Just be glad you have a family, Ms. Madison," Batman said, and Robin raised his eyebrows and nodded his agreement. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkk01GyL8tZ
Julia nodded meekly, knowing he was right, then remembered something just as they turned to go. "Oh, and...thank you. Both of you, for saving me. That night I really thought I was..." She looked back at her parents and decided not to say that last word. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBOPpkUriu
Batman gave a small nod as if he understood. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLiEZuCmmw
"Hey, it's what we do," Robin shrugged. "We'd better go now and let you get some rest, but we hope you have an early recovery." With that, they both hastily left. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9WicdLDbR
She normally would have wanted them to stay, to talk with them as long as she could about the other people they saved on a daily basis, but knew this wasn't the time or place to do it, and they probably did have other criminals to catch. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZRDCnC1Ilf
The nurse re-entered the room...and she held a needle. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡse0Ye8tIHA
Julia grabbed her mom's hand out of pure instinct. "What is that...?" 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsvIhKhLP9
"This won't take long, okay? Just give me your arm," the nurse said gently. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmg4I2KSe2u
Julia tried to breathe. All she could think of was that fateful moment that night that may have already changed her permenantly. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaomgJ81It4
"It won't hurt you, I promise," the nurse said. "This is going to help with what those toxins did to you." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjSBYthqhO
"Julia. Take this, okay?" Julia's mom handed her what looked like her old stuffed bunny from when she was 5, that they'd apparently brought with them from home. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYKYxO2gJbz
She usually wasn't one for cute things now, but holding the toy did seem to help even as she felt the needle go into her. Finding a happy place was probably what she needed most given the circumstances. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UdNNnst48
Her relaxation gradually restoring itself as she hugged the bunny, she looked up at her parents and managed a laugh. "Well. I never dreamed I'd wake up to you guys and two vigilantes all in the same room together." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSwPCHn6u61
Her parents smiled--a little. "Well, you should probably get some rest now like Robin said, Julia," her dad said. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGkOFulaGRi
Julia stifled a yawn, handing the stuffed animal back to her parents. "Why? You said it's been two days." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnT5xnnu2Vc
"I know, but before long you'll have a number of journalists and whatnot you'll have to tell your story to." 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2NqwC8vkAL
She nodded, letting her yawn out. "I don't mind telling them. If anything, it'll be good to...get it out..." With that, Julia's eyes fluttered closed once again. 730Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUd1rkuedS2
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