The little family of three, although they weren't very big, turned heads everywhere they went. The most recent member couldn't get used to it.
"Doesn't it feel weird with everyone staring at you?" Addy asked Bruce, he smiled.
"Oh, they're not staring at me. They're staring at the girl they though had disappeared off the face of the Earth four years ago. All of Gotham was out looking for you."
"What made them stop?"
"They got bored."
"Did you?"
"I found you, didn't I?"
After small portions and strained conversation, Bruce hailed a taxi to take Addy home. Bruce wanted to go into work for a few more hours, and Dick was going with him. Right before she got in, hugged each of them and kissed their cheek,
"Good luck. Whatever it is, that you're not doing." She winked and closed the door.
"Does she know?" Dick asked.
"I don't know. You'll have to make that judgment for yourself. But, I think so."
Addy leaned her head against the window and the way back to Bruce's house. She felt like she was going to pass out. When the taxi pulled up, Addy handed the cabbie a 100 dollar bill "Keep the change" and climbed out. She stumbled up the pathway, and Alfred, seeing her coming, opened the door and helped her up the stairs to the bedroom.
"Ms. Addy?"
"Hmm?"
"Are you okay?"
"No."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"No."
"Let me know, okay."
"Will do."
At three in the morning, Addy rolled over. Once. Twice. Three times, before she sat up, clutching her stomach.
"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod"
Her stomach heaved, she gaged. She whipped back the covers to get out of the bed to find out, that she had a killer stomach cramp that made it impossible for her to move. There was no way she was going to make it to the bathroom in time to vomit. But she gritted her teeth together, and sprinted to the bathroom. Addy had heaved up the majority of the dinner she had nibbled on 9 hours ago.
(A/N I made this Bruce's POV because I wanted him more involved.)
Dick and I were climbing up to the steps to Wayne Corporation when I got a call on my phone
"Alfred? It's a little early to be making phone calls, isn't it?" I asked; it was close to four in the morning.
"It would be, if Ms. Addy hadn't been vomiting up the food from the restaurant."
"What?"
"Ms. Addy hasn't been feeling well for the most of yesterday, and I was worried about her, and for good reason. I'm advising you to abandon the rest of the night and take care of the girl at your house. She has just recently begun crying and moaning. And, after all my years, I still have no idea what to do. But I do understand that she doesn't need an old man like me taking care of her. She needs her father, and considering she doesn't have one; you're the next best thing."
"Dick! We're leaving. Your sister's sick."
The young man's face paled. "Addy's sick?"
"Yeah."
"Then what are we still doing here? Let's go!"
When the two of us came barging through the door, Alfred looked up, I have never seen him as worried as his face was now.
"Where's Addy? How is she?"
"She's in her bathroom. She's crying, moaning, and lets out a scream every now and then. Usually it's along the lines of 'Oh my God!'I don't know what to do."
"You did a good thing by calling, Alfred." I said before running up the stairs with Dick at my heels.
"Addy! Adelaide!"
"Addy!" Dick yelled
"Addy! Open the door!" I yelled, banging on the door and turning the nob. Now I see why Alfred was worried. He made it seem like she had a minor flu when it really sounded like she was going into labor, she was screaming and crying and moaning. I finally just kicked the door open.
Addy was leaning against the toilet, she was paler than I have ever seen anyone, she was sweating and clutching her torso.
"Bruce?" she asked softly, through cracked lips, "Is that you?"
"Yeah, it's me sweetie. I am so sorry." I said softly, brushing the hair out of her eyes. She was shaking like mad, "Shhh." I placed my hand on her forehead. "Addy, you're burning."
She looked up at me with her green eyes, "Tell me what else is new?" before she leaned over to vomit. I pulled her hair back. At least she still had enough energy to be sarcastic.
"Dick, call Leslie. Tell her it's an emergency."
"Okay." He said, happy to get out of the room.
"Come on sweetie. Let's get you out of here." I scooped her up into my arms. Her skin was burning compared to mine. Sensing the coolness, Addy, as weak as she was, undid the buttons on my shirt and nestled into my chest. She was so light; she didn't have any fat of her like she did earlier today. She wasn't fat, but she had some weight to her, Addy was maybe 120, on a bad day. Now? She weighed in at 90 pounds maximum.
"Oh Adelaide," I breathed. I was heading towards the Batcave. That would be the safest for her. I laid her on one of the steel tables.
"What on Earth could have happened at four in the morning that would cause you to need me to-" Leslie stopped when she saw the shaking, sweating, weak 18-year-old who looked about 12 at this point. "Oh sweetheart." She breathed, "Are you? Is she Adelaide?" She asked us.
"Yes." Dick said defensively as he appeared at his sister's side, "What can you do to help her?"
"What's wrong?"
"Fever, vomiting, and some pain in her torso."
"I don't know what I can do at this point, but let me see."
After an hour of pacing for me, staring at the floor for Alfred, and watching Leslie intently without moving from Addy's side for Dick, Leslie spoke.
"She's stable. She passed out about 15 minutes in, she was so tired and the steel table was nice and cool against her skin. I got her fever down, but you just need to wait it out. I gave her some morphine and cut off her top. Without cutting her open, I think, that she as a ruptured appendix. I can cut her open, but I need to go home and get some supplies and I recommend that you get her to a hospital to take care of it. I'm sure that she wouldn't want some random stranger operating on her."
"Thank you."
"My pleasure. I'm sure that Adelaide is a very friendly person to be around when she isn't completely miserable."
"Her name's Addy. She goes by Addy." Dick said through gritted teeth.
Leslie lowered her voice, "I'm sorry Dick, I had no idea. I bet she's amazing, isn't she?"
"Addy is only one who keeps me sane. I have no idea what I would do if she died."
With a "call me when she's recovered enough to see people." Leslie disappeared; Dick and I were going back and forth between taking her to a hospital.
"She needs to go Dick."
"She doesn't have to. Leslie can do it."
"But she said she would rather not. Come, let's get her out of here."
"Addy's fine where she is for now."
"Dick, look at her." The three of us glanced down at Addy. She was restlessly sleeping. A look of pain crossed her face. She was uncomfortable and in pain.
"Whatever happened to the morphine?" Dick whispered.
"Not strong enough dosage. If that wasn't strong enough, think about what is."
Then after a moment, he nodded.
"Get the door." I said before carefully lifting Addy into my arms and followed Dick out.
