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? 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPtV93lPtQ1
"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." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2E0k1rTTBl
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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqN9iF2kvPz
"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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9nQUtKqd3
"Careful now, she's still pretty shaken up," the nurse warned. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGOfjImp1ZI
Julia hugged her parents back, dreading the conversation she would soon have with them yet again. Hopefully they could save it for later. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWKStS7c4F
"Are you feeling alright?" her dad asked, his face creased with worry. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqU1xKJvVQf
"I don't even know. Everything is kind of a blur..."794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKfUGcqeoV
"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." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2Om6qtKf0
"That reminds me...how did you find out about...me?" Julia asked the two heroes still standing nearby. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwc73TZ6FeJ
"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." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cGEhldzkM
"Dave... They really killed Dave, didn't they? All because I didn't listen to him." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkWydPtYKtG
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Batman said. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbTAqjI13Q
"Well, we're glad they didn't kill you," Robin chimed in, probably in the hopes of adding some optimism to the conversation.794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqHKjQJKtQx
Both Julia's parents looked like they couldn't agree with that more.794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHoD8fFdtT
"And you don't need to worry--Crane and his goons are in jail right now," he added. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT4jKo4BWlt
"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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL6DHquoHHi
"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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnVJsY6dujc
"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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEQm8S2N7e
"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." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1PFWvcvhlT
"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?" 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXQdogeCCj
Julia's mom gave her husband a look and said, "Of course." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrG6UIkzxx
"Just be glad you have a family, Ms. Madison," Batman said, and Robin raised his eyebrows and nodded his agreement. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXeD5LdULKq
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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsC9dbvD8f
Batman gave a small nod as if he understood. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqrRbIDOnxE
"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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUkGHRYt5qt
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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM92gjawwS4
The nurse re-entered the room...and she held a needle. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIC0eGpge2W
Julia grabbed her mom's hand out of pure instinct. "What is that...?" 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJbQWzhi5z
"This won't take long, okay? Just give me your arm," the nurse said gently. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnywhgkqbFd
Julia tried to breathe. All she could think of was that fateful moment that night that may have already changed her permenantly. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1dI59Xpmo
"It won't hurt you, I promise," the nurse said. "This is going to help with what those toxins did to you." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8GYV0EUYB
"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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZonZzlI1qg
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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB2mCUEos2k
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." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsU6dPiqdpv
Her parents smiled--a little. "Well, you should probably get some rest now like Robin said, Julia," her dad said. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0e17mN5Yvu
Julia stifled a yawn, handing the stuffed animal back to her parents. "Why? You said it's been two days." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiDsH63pKg
"I know, but before long you'll have a number of journalists and whatnot you'll have to tell your story to." 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16nKQC1XuS
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. 794Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc76NMeq3F6
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