14 - Text

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her first thought, when she wakes up, is that she feels like one of her old dolls; torn to hell and stitched up by small, awkward fingers.

Then she remembers to breathe, sucking down air in ragged, painful breathes. She counts the cracks on the ceiling, and tries not to lose herself.

She remembers, of course. She remembers it as clearly as the Joker's smile. It's not so different, really; again, she was brutalised to hurt someone else.

Except this time it's worse, because she saw the Emperor crumple and fall.

She refuses to close her eyes, because she knows what she'll find in the darkness. She focuses on the warmth of the sheets, the glare of the lights, the beating of her heart.

When she's able to lift an arm with convulsions of pain, she grabs her comm.]

Check in if you can.

[Private to Iris]

Are you okay?

[Private to the Emperor]

I'm sorry.

[Private to Creed]

You owe me glasses.

Comments

[patheticvillain]

[He isn't sure what to bring her. In the end, he settles on a couple of books, even though the chances of her being able to read for long are very low. They're tucked under his arm when he walks into the infirmary, and he almost drops them. She looks so tired.]

[He makes it to the edge of her bed before he freezes and looks down.]

[bodilesswarrior]

[Barbara looks - well, she looks like crap. She's pale as a ghost, and her skin stretches taut over her bones.

But she smiles up at him, as he approaches. Slowly, gingerly, she lifts an arm just enough to wave.

She represses the wince.]

[patheticvillain]

Well, don't move.

[He scolds her immediately and expertly, used to taking care of parent figures even when they don't want to be taken care of. Now he climbs up onto the edge of the bed, careful to jostle the mattress as little as possible.]

It hurts, I bet. Next time don't get mauled.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her smile is rueful as she lets her hand fall. Then her eyebrows arch, because who's supposed to be the parent figure here?]

[patheticvillain]

Don't you look at me like that.

[He shrugs his shoulders slightly, protectively, perched and watching her. He lays the books at her side.]

I brought you stuff. I don't know if you can read right now, but I figure it's better than cookies when you're death tolling.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her smile is warm and grateful. She wishes she could say You know me well.]

[patheticvillain]

[Fidgeting with the blankets, he glances down.]

I kind of want to know what happened. Why he killed you and not somebody else. I mean, I know about Iris. But somebody should've protected you.

I also kind of don't want to know.

[bodilesswarrior]

[Her brow furrows, as she listens, before she grabs her device, movements slow but determined. Her typing is about half as fast as usual, but that's still pretty fast.

When she turns it to face Cassel, it reads:]

Can protect myself, most of the time.

Wanted to stop us from fixing the ship.

And to hurt her.

[She's scowling, just slightly.]

[patheticvillain]

Most of the time's good. I just wish it could be all the time.

[He rests his gloved hand lightly on hers, just for a second, and then pulls away.]

She'll be okay. I talked to her. I mean, she was being kind of stupid and thought I was going to be mad at her, but she'll be fine. And you fixed the ship in the end, all of you. You won.