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? 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7HRmHWdN5
"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." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxQto7MCPkX
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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOLj7kumqGn
"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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiYfFq2kobx
"Careful now, she's still pretty shaken up," the nurse warned. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3FRBy4BLIr
Julia hugged her parents back, dreading the conversation she would soon have with them yet again. Hopefully they could save it for later. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOr3grnyal
"Are you feeling alright?" her dad asked, his face creased with worry. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhKurcNCW5R
"I don't even know. Everything is kind of a blur..."826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD0H7UnMar4
"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." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCIYsCdgTYl
"That reminds me...how did you find out about...me?" Julia asked the two heroes still standing nearby. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9OFhbtuIJZ
"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." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxvUvcCWV7
"Dave... They really killed Dave, didn't they? All because I didn't listen to him." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaAiFZc5I4
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Batman said. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8bILpc4Zz
"Well, we're glad they didn't kill you," Robin chimed in, probably in the hopes of adding some optimism to the conversation.826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsQjuxSPnic
Both Julia's parents looked like they couldn't agree with that more.826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTh88UoyDG
"And you don't need to worry--Crane and his goons are in jail right now," he added. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXxBeEd9il
"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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpDUkjZ31s
"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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqItjoOerhu
"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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwjSLqDJJK2
"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." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYxMRThJ06P
"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?" 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDxcCc8PI8C
Julia's mom gave her husband a look and said, "Of course." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWTt4WQwaCO
"Just be glad you have a family, Ms. Madison," Batman said, and Robin raised his eyebrows and nodded his agreement. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRd9Oh7kBj
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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBnYJrQTFV
Batman gave a small nod as if he understood. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMTqpImbREZ
"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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlOGGoZqpQ
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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxd5xTvk9g
The nurse re-entered the room...and she held a needle. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutRzIQx3t2
Julia grabbed her mom's hand out of pure instinct. "What is that...?" 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ChaAvb9J5
"This won't take long, okay? Just give me your arm," the nurse said gently. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRVirkMT7N
Julia tried to breathe. All she could think of was that fateful moment that night that may have already changed her permenantly. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77573bnyRo
"It won't hurt you, I promise," the nurse said. "This is going to help with what those toxins did to you." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0aboCVBovt
"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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2oeDXWMJe
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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjb9Ovarkym
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." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvwOSwKtHlD
Her parents smiled--a little. "Well, you should probably get some rest now like Robin said, Julia," her dad said. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82JgzrQSsW
Julia stifled a yawn, handing the stuffed animal back to her parents. "Why? You said it's been two days." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXV5Phm6YbR
"I know, but before long you'll have a number of journalists and whatnot you'll have to tell your story to." 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxPNDdVAHyj
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. 826Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3XlD00Sx5
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