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? 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsW6mftXVNx
"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." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYRBQgwHouU
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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpQmGeZkQA
"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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ215kLIq2zg
"Careful now, she's still pretty shaken up," the nurse warned. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG5N6sG5Ky9
Julia hugged her parents back, dreading the conversation she would soon have with them yet again. Hopefully they could save it for later. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZSz3mCpUg
"Are you feeling alright?" her dad asked, his face creased with worry. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWY1kRgwMY
"I don't even know. Everything is kind of a blur..."788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt89xywva4f
"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." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcCUgEHnQxO
"That reminds me...how did you find out about...me?" Julia asked the two heroes still standing nearby. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRovkFGmTJj
"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." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHBwuATz3L
"Dave... They really killed Dave, didn't they? All because I didn't listen to him." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4b03KtSmO
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Batman said. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBumsGl82x6
"Well, we're glad they didn't kill you," Robin chimed in, probably in the hopes of adding some optimism to the conversation.788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEomxINoXBO
Both Julia's parents looked like they couldn't agree with that more.788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmfEIK6dtw
"And you don't need to worry--Crane and his goons are in jail right now," he added. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OZgR8XcjI
"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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6K9WA9WrjE
"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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdsvnMOtFr
"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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtKw470t2K
"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." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIq7QpZesnZ
"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?" 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJP2RB5VUgN
Julia's mom gave her husband a look and said, "Of course." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9yBsS9xzg8
"Just be glad you have a family, Ms. Madison," Batman said, and Robin raised his eyebrows and nodded his agreement. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIti6TLznv
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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUPLAcRcDts
Batman gave a small nod as if he understood. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyZKeKuzQX
"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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LVWEdlJ7A
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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIbkoDfSK3
The nurse re-entered the room...and she held a needle. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ710SbZQcE0
Julia grabbed her mom's hand out of pure instinct. "What is that...?" 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZaS63HeJfw
"This won't take long, okay? Just give me your arm," the nurse said gently. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡObRjqB2FiI
Julia tried to breathe. All she could think of was that fateful moment that night that may have already changed her permenantly. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwRWzjNjnky
"It won't hurt you, I promise," the nurse said. "This is going to help with what those toxins did to you." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3SyQScuIG
"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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHD4ahTm404
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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gSyKEyMfC
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." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6w83saOOXs
Her parents smiled--a little. "Well, you should probably get some rest now like Robin said, Julia," her dad said. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8cnuEA3SW
Julia stifled a yawn, handing the stuffed animal back to her parents. "Why? You said it's been two days." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTx6xbz0kzN
"I know, but before long you'll have a number of journalists and whatnot you'll have to tell your story to." 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9FP4E3scr
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. 788Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡowHP0me29V
ns3.144.210.92da2
