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? 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1B41KixaH
"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." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GN8s2kse4
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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVNF0F2y71K
"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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL7pPZyIgzo
"Careful now, she's still pretty shaken up," the nurse warned. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtbZnfpAfo
Julia hugged her parents back, dreading the conversation she would soon have with them yet again. Hopefully they could save it for later. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWN8uBSvzFG
"Are you feeling alright?" her dad asked, his face creased with worry. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk5Lnpw5gGc
"I don't even know. Everything is kind of a blur..."861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKDcq4EfC8n
"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." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyp2lymlkGW
"That reminds me...how did you find out about...me?" Julia asked the two heroes still standing nearby. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVn38vls75K
"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." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIcrSOeY0oE
"Dave... They really killed Dave, didn't they? All because I didn't listen to him." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwn9XZHrtu
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Batman said. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5leACfBQC
"Well, we're glad they didn't kill you," Robin chimed in, probably in the hopes of adding some optimism to the conversation.861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKfSzOjdmR
Both Julia's parents looked like they couldn't agree with that more.861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutCf5gj2Pz
"And you don't need to worry--Crane and his goons are in jail right now," he added. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6yXFIH9jG1
"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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYPSr76a0P
"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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMnOxbzwhN
"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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnwAIAjmNL
"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." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg1yggaquxP
"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?" 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJTOLF5mWp
Julia's mom gave her husband a look and said, "Of course." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgdgPD4Xr8K
"Just be glad you have a family, Ms. Madison," Batman said, and Robin raised his eyebrows and nodded his agreement. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Clb3oNYCY
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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡex0U6MHfX8
Batman gave a small nod as if he understood. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKe0t5gXBIG
"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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpOJ8woe9V
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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSDKBOaN5q
The nurse re-entered the room...and she held a needle. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvtDJMoCRy
Julia grabbed her mom's hand out of pure instinct. "What is that...?" 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5LRmaMbVL
"This won't take long, okay? Just give me your arm," the nurse said gently. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplcL6ZSTVR
Julia tried to breathe. All she could think of was that fateful moment that night that may have already changed her permenantly. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlvOSoRhMFf
"It won't hurt you, I promise," the nurse said. "This is going to help with what those toxins did to you." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KyqjWtHMb
"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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXxmIIqIqe
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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNWnW4D8UQ7
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." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaoHVpZ4sXK
Her parents smiled--a little. "Well, you should probably get some rest now like Robin said, Julia," her dad said. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwDwT8RjqD
Julia stifled a yawn, handing the stuffed animal back to her parents. "Why? You said it's been two days." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEoS5Fb58U
"I know, but before long you'll have a number of journalists and whatnot you'll have to tell your story to." 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSrDMkB8lgf
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. 861Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEo9kvvuHye
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