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? 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfUXxIP4Av
"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." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrxcDk9JM5
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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAUqAOsAEt
"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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7IfBe2vqaP
"Careful now, she's still pretty shaken up," the nurse warned. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0BCSU5gryF
Julia hugged her parents back, dreading the conversation she would soon have with them yet again. Hopefully they could save it for later. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyeW72hNoN
"Are you feeling alright?" her dad asked, his face creased with worry. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwicA57tbc
"I don't even know. Everything is kind of a blur..."896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvr5uuzVJ6L
"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." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8TbALuOb1
"That reminds me...how did you find out about...me?" Julia asked the two heroes still standing nearby. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr72KGeC1WM
"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." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwvJn187Ad
"Dave... They really killed Dave, didn't they? All because I didn't listen to him." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnO4vsoayRm
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Batman said. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFV9QMI8wm
"Well, we're glad they didn't kill you," Robin chimed in, probably in the hopes of adding some optimism to the conversation.896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNE8Iy8JQX
Both Julia's parents looked like they couldn't agree with that more.896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvD9ukSGTt
"And you don't need to worry--Crane and his goons are in jail right now," he added. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxd64ABWzoh
"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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EoyzP0Jhk
"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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7eH9UboEK7
"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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuHvFkfBAE
"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." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0Q1QMgkAw
"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?" 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLUCs49oVS
Julia's mom gave her husband a look and said, "Of course." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ8JcdpikHJ
"Just be glad you have a family, Ms. Madison," Batman said, and Robin raised his eyebrows and nodded his agreement. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsYk3NQHvK
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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLc06jT5to0
Batman gave a small nod as if he understood. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9WlFa6IYLl
"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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBy3VeYQEJP
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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhsQtn3L7z1
The nurse re-entered the room...and she held a needle. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHj716uDyga
Julia grabbed her mom's hand out of pure instinct. "What is that...?" 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrGgDdnyd8
"This won't take long, okay? Just give me your arm," the nurse said gently. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJPPwhC5TEc
Julia tried to breathe. All she could think of was that fateful moment that night that may have already changed her permenantly. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHzFbwK9nS
"It won't hurt you, I promise," the nurse said. "This is going to help with what those toxins did to you." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLbp5HsHPIX
"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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HsLR6v3o9
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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZZw0Hy9dh
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." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRt67qTq7o
Her parents smiled--a little. "Well, you should probably get some rest now like Robin said, Julia," her dad said. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mKn0bkPcg
Julia stifled a yawn, handing the stuffed animal back to her parents. "Why? You said it's been two days." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3V0Iedh3Ys
"I know, but before long you'll have a number of journalists and whatnot you'll have to tell your story to." 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3KunJbJ12
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. 896Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBC9q3ZK6fr
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