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? 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8oiTBlCtix
"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." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDDwPfGcLS
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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPgZiBFQlTd
"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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUF8PUMpAc
"Careful now, she's still pretty shaken up," the nurse warned. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpusFNd62CB
Julia hugged her parents back, dreading the conversation she would soon have with them yet again. Hopefully they could save it for later. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTZLeKyoed
"Are you feeling alright?" her dad asked, his face creased with worry. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTKk9wT4XQ
"I don't even know. Everything is kind of a blur..."820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiyLujvZZzu
"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." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqTZEIYIYoE
"That reminds me...how did you find out about...me?" Julia asked the two heroes still standing nearby. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgaOrw24gu
"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." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhDlcXHHR9
"Dave... They really killed Dave, didn't they? All because I didn't listen to him." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhuQbaPYzy3
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Batman said. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbm8pnQXe2h
"Well, we're glad they didn't kill you," Robin chimed in, probably in the hopes of adding some optimism to the conversation.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh8AedEbyqv
Both Julia's parents looked like they couldn't agree with that more.820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMkeePjgtri
"And you don't need to worry--Crane and his goons are in jail right now," he added. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡavEfVomgqJ
"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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz6pKeRuAQY
"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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWri8DvXq5
"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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPuHXVZEHz
"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." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jaqVCuNMt
"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?" 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7hYpc4sTwv
Julia's mom gave her husband a look and said, "Of course." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl5HthrhZo4
"Just be glad you have a family, Ms. Madison," Batman said, and Robin raised his eyebrows and nodded his agreement. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJ2Vbu9XP5
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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzHZgGibDj
Batman gave a small nod as if he understood. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtlBhsPZUN
"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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvActvbFTT
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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUy7ss6kbU
The nurse re-entered the room...and she held a needle. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEM0WI6pvnC
Julia grabbed her mom's hand out of pure instinct. "What is that...?" 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZqhNhhImZ
"This won't take long, okay? Just give me your arm," the nurse said gently. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKToPIIqRjA
Julia tried to breathe. All she could think of was that fateful moment that night that may have already changed her permenantly. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡStEZWWOeo9
"It won't hurt you, I promise," the nurse said. "This is going to help with what those toxins did to you." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZsN97cyPG
"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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ7e7l406ze
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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWt1yamgQi
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." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmC05s1sOD
Her parents smiled--a little. "Well, you should probably get some rest now like Robin said, Julia," her dad said. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwuj9XUEpq
Julia stifled a yawn, handing the stuffed animal back to her parents. "Why? You said it's been two days." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ng2dSpECR
"I know, but before long you'll have a number of journalists and whatnot you'll have to tell your story to." 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdMihpgzku
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. 820Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDc8dAbWTkF
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