In which Steph wakes up, all doped out from painkillers, and thinks she's back in Gotham.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph had dreamed.

She dreamed there was a bar at the end of the universe, and people who loved her, and a second chance.

She dreamed she'd woken up and learned to fly a skateboard without wheels.

She dreamed she'd had real friends, and real family, and even lovers. She dreamed she'd broken hearts and had her heart broken. She dreamed she'd died, and afterwards she'd been happy.


Now when she shifts her arm weakly, a tube drags at it, stops her from moving. She hurts. She's dizzy and sick and the ceiling won't come into focus. Dr Thompkins must be somewhere else.

Tim hasn't come to visit her yet. Why hasn't he come? Does he know?

She misses Tim.

Hospital beds are cold. Or is it just that she's cold - or is she hot? She's burning. Why isn't anyone here to tell her which it is?

She can't hear the war outside. Maybe it ended while she was dreaming there was something else. (a bar, at the end of the world - to die for.)

It hurts, waking up. Maybe she won't bother just yet. She shifts restlessly and then gasps in pain as the movement stretches the burned skin.

Comments

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

"Steph?"

It's a gruff yet caring voice from the bedside.

"Hey, wonder girl. It's okay."

And there's a hand folding around hers and squeezing gently.

"...You're okay."

[alwaysroomforhope]

This is familiar, too.

"...dreamed y'were Bruce Wayne," Steph mumbles, eyes closing again. "you never told me."

[henry-jones-jr.livejournal.com]

"Sorry to disappoint. Just your standard non-Bruce Wayne Indiana Jones on duty right now."

He tilts his head over and smoothes his hand up her forearm.

"Told you what?"

[slayer_fray]

There's slender fingers curled around her burned ones, and a flicker of blur flame that doesn't burn anything but some of inner pain of what happened.

And there's a sister, with a sleepy turtle resting his head against her lap, smiling down at her.

Mel spends too much time in hopsital with sisters.

"Mornin' Robin."

[alwaysroomforhope]

A faint line appears on her forehead, and she squints up at Mel.

And then there are tears. Mostly of relief.

"thought I dreamed you," she mumbles, grip tightening despite the hurt.

[slayer_fray]

"You're not that spun," Mel assures her with a shake of her head. "Not even you've got the imagination to think me up."

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

Sharpe dozed off, sitting by her bed, but he snaps awake at the sound.

"Lass?"

[alwaysroomforhope]

Oh. Someone's near.

She rolls her head to the side, opening her eyes and then flinching away from the light.

"...wh?"

[and-far-away.livejournal.com]

"Ssh", he says. "Don't move too much. You're in the infirmary."

[angela-edmunds.livejournal.com]

The next time Melou drops off to sleep, Angela slips over to see Steph. Oh, good. She's awake.

"Steph," she says softly, "you're not the one who should be in the infirmary--this is my territory."

It hurts to see her friend so terribly injured that Angie can't even hug her.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph smiles up at her, gaze a little clearer now. "Guess we swapped." Her voice is still weak.

[angela-edmunds.livejournal.com]

"I guess so. I'm not even going to ask what happened, as I'll bet you don't even remember. And I'm not going to ask how you're feeling, either, because...you can't be feeling good."

She brushes hair carefully off of Steph's forehead.

"Have you spoken to a doctor yet?"

[futures_of_ash]

And there's flame nearby. The feeling of attention and worries and care...

But she's in no shape to touch people right now, she'd hurt them.

So there's a Rachel nearby sometime through the day, arms hugging herself and her appearance glass-like as she takes in the damages to Steph.

[alwaysroomforhope]

Steph's skimming the surface of sleep, dozing fitfully when she can, lying quietly when she can't. It hurts to breathe, but she can stand hurt.

It's worry about her friends that she hates.

This time when she opens her eyes and shifts her head restlessly to the side, there's Rachel. Steph blinks, and manages a smile.

"hi."

[futures_of_ash]

Rachel nodded "Hey"

At least she can do something for the pain. Psi-dampers on pain receptorsare a beautiful thing.

"Good to see you awake" Rachel'd talked to Mel when this first happened...and Steph hadn't looked good then.

[dragon_twin]

From his bed, Melou sighs. Loudly.

"Awake, finally, I guess."

[alwaysroomforhope]

Well, now she is.

She looks over, wincing as the movement twists at the burns, and tries to focus on that bed.

"...M'lou?"

Oh, great.

[vaapadmaster.livejournal.com]

Good Morning, Stephanie

The words are not spoken, but are clear.

[alwaysroomforhope]

She jerks, heart racing suddenly; it hurts, and she lets out a small involuntary sound of pain.

The only person she's used to hearing in her head is Billy. And - they're saying it was Billy who did this to her.

She's almost afraid to open her eyes.

[milkbonesoldier.livejournal.com]

He's here to stand watch over Zuko, but there's no sense in not checking on the girl as long as he's in here, even if he's only met her the once. "Morning, Stephanie," says Wells quietly, glancing at the tubes and machines, and wishing he had the slightest clue what most of them were for.

[alwaysroomforhope]

She looks up at him for a moment before her eyes clear enough to recognise him. Slow-moving thoughts make a connection, and she asks, voice weak, "Zuko?"

[kurosakiboy.livejournal.com]

He can't say he's been waiting by her bedside, he can't say he's been waiting for her to wake up and worrying every second of the day. He's been worried, yes, but he's also been too afraid of the Hollow to actually come and see her. Now, however, it has fallen silent, so he has taken the chance to risk a visit.

"Steph?"

He makes his way over, blinking in surprise as he sits down in a chair by her bed. Good god...

[alwaysroomforhope]

She blinks up at him, and essays a small wave. A very small one. It hurts to move.

It hurts to tense up suddenly, too, but she can't help that. He's a good friend, but he's also possessed, and she's completely vulnerable. - Okay, her train of logic isn't that clear - things are a little fuzzy in Steph's mind, thanks to all the painkillers - but she's tense anyway. This could be bad news.

"...hi."

[guppy_sandhu]

"Steph?"

Guppy hadn't known she was here until he came in this morning. He comes quickly to her side.

[alwaysroomforhope]

"Hi."

It's weak, but it's a smile. She's feeling better.

"We've got to stop meeting like this. People will talk."