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? 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0FIoNllCT
"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." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcUrcPQz5t
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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYnSdHfBCn
"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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1d223Qiyn
"Careful now, she's still pretty shaken up," the nurse warned. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZeAiMoBPbT
Julia hugged her parents back, dreading the conversation she would soon have with them yet again. Hopefully they could save it for later. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PK2SnVPJ7
"Are you feeling alright?" her dad asked, his face creased with worry. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORZyVxeH4k
"I don't even know. Everything is kind of a blur..."875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAhBPG27L6
"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." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aX4mwirmM
"That reminds me...how did you find out about...me?" Julia asked the two heroes still standing nearby. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMBRHVk3JvG
"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." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQ73y7hzjp
"Dave... They really killed Dave, didn't they? All because I didn't listen to him." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwwB3ltqmx7
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Batman said. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoisg0aLXFH
"Well, we're glad they didn't kill you," Robin chimed in, probably in the hopes of adding some optimism to the conversation.875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQubL5zVos6
Both Julia's parents looked like they couldn't agree with that more.875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymU2UsqT41
"And you don't need to worry--Crane and his goons are in jail right now," he added. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMWooC8YVU
"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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXMpSOjRbnN
"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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNieR1GQuzn
"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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2hkjX4tYth
"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." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ0miVknkiM
"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?" 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbEZhd3Avn
Julia's mom gave her husband a look and said, "Of course." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOa5EevssH
"Just be glad you have a family, Ms. Madison," Batman said, and Robin raised his eyebrows and nodded his agreement. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiezY61lbo7
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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqkGzaSgBM
Batman gave a small nod as if he understood. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZWt70PI6h
"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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmS4rW9BEym
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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs4F3NN6wVJ
The nurse re-entered the room...and she held a needle. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdB7YjJERtq
Julia grabbed her mom's hand out of pure instinct. "What is that...?" 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuFHoqWStX9
"This won't take long, okay? Just give me your arm," the nurse said gently. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjKBKzUkbd
Julia tried to breathe. All she could think of was that fateful moment that night that may have already changed her permenantly. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ilzF1VkmD
"It won't hurt you, I promise," the nurse said. "This is going to help with what those toxins did to you." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjajRktAtY
"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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvFVEtDn5A
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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ192ONntaJm
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." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuSjfwbjJw
Her parents smiled--a little. "Well, you should probably get some rest now like Robin said, Julia," her dad said. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPGM2JFfBpS
Julia stifled a yawn, handing the stuffed animal back to her parents. "Why? You said it's been two days." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbtsStXUYV3
"I know, but before long you'll have a number of journalists and whatnot you'll have to tell your story to." 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4nHSgisZ6K
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. 875Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafPyYHO1NW
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