A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews! ::Hands out cupcakes:: I wrote this chapter a bit differently, but it's LONGER so everyone should be happy. ^___^ Yay!
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Green Lantern:"Batman?"
Bruce Wayne:"I'm over here....Kyle."
Green Lantern:"No....!"
Plastic Man:"Buh----Buh----Bruce Wayne? As in, who wants to be a
millionaire Bruce Wayne? Batman is....I mean, he really...?"
"Dream Team"
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((Rahne's POV))
The mansion has a cold feeling to it now… I don't think that the scent of blood and gunpowder will ever leave this place. The Joker and the Scarecrow were the ones who organized the attack against us, solely to get to Bruce, or 'Batman' as they called him.
I've never read comic books before, never felt the need too. Bobby, after we returned home, pulled me upstairs to his room and pulled out a box of comics. After several minutes of sorting out the 'Hell Boy' comics from 'The Punisher' comics he came across several darkly colored 'Batman' comic books.
"I just thought he was some crazy coot…" He had whispered to me as he flipped open one of the books and stared at the pictures, "I thought he was crazy…"
I shifted slightly so that I could see over his bandaged shoulder and frowned at the picture I saw, the same white face with the evil grin that will forever haunt me in my nightmares…
A little while later, I left Bobby telling him to get some rest, my plans were to go downstairs to the kitchen but muffled screams and cries caught my attention. A paused in the hallway listening to them halfheartedly; it was Bruce, the reason of our misery and misfortune. Part of me said to keep walking, find Jack or Hayley and see what they were up too, but the other half was telling me to go and see if I could help. I approached the door belonging to Bruce's room and slowly opened it peering inside.
"No!" Bruce cried out airily, his eyes were wide open and glazed over.
Virginia was sitting next to him holding his hand, she looked up when I walked in and I frowned slightly.
"You okay?" She looked extremely tired and upset but she nodded nonetheless, "Want something to eat? I was just on my way to the kitchen?"
She shook her head and I left just as another attack hit Bruce and he began to rant, I don't think I could watch a famous superhero, a supposedly 'fearless' one, become a mass of nerves before my eyes.
((Logan's POV))
Cold beer in hand, not my favorite kind but enough to quench my thirst, I headed out the kitchen bumping into Rahne on the way. She muttered an apology before walking into the kitchen. She flopped down in a chair at the table and sighed glancing up at the others, Rogue, Jean, and Hayley. I left the room before they started talking, I could care less about the latest 'girl thing'.
I decided I'd check in on Red, she hadn't left Bruce's side ever since last night when we followed him to the old FOH building. The hallway was eerily quiet for once; just the sound of my feet hitting the ground and the fizz of my beer was all that I could hear.
I walked into the bedroom silently finding Virginia leaning back in her chair rubbing her eyes tiredly.
"Hey Red."
She looked up at me and smiled warily, "Hey. What brings you down here?" Her voice was strained as she spoke.
"Go get a shower and something to eat, I'll watch him for a bit."
Her eyes slid back to Bruce, finally sleeping peacefully, "I don't know." She bit her lip and looked back at me pleadingly.
"It wasn't a request, Red."
"Ok." She climbed to her feet and started for the door, "Thanks." She said pausing with her hand on the knob.
I nodded and she walked out closing the door behind herself. I turned back to Bruce, the guy had struggled to keep a grasp on reality for a while, and he had even told us where we could get the antidote for him… back in Gotham City. Hank's currently at the FOH building trying to fix the portal I destroyed, and I had thought I did a good thing.
Bruce shifted and opened his eyes glancing around the room, I waited to see what he would do, his eyes turned to me and he blinked slowly.
"How long was I out?" He asked sitting up, his voice is deep a contrast to the other voice he uses.
"'bout an hour." I moved around the bed to his side and folded my arms over my chest, "Red should be back soon,"
He raised an eyebrow so I continued, "She hasn't left yer side since yesterday afternoon. I finally made her go and get a shower and some food."
His face suddenly went blank, "She knows I have to go back." I couldn't tell if he was asking me a question or telling me, I shrugged and he looked away wiping sweat off his forehead.
"Hank's working on the Dimensional Transporter thing… Said he should be done by tonight ta get the antidote."
Virginia walked in, her hair a dripping mess, she paused in the doorway as Bruce looked up at her and smiled weakly.
"Hey…" She smiled slightly taking a step inside, "You feeling better?"
Bruce nodded; he was lying, I could it in his eyes, he was trying to hold on, struggling not to fall but failing miserably as demons from his nightmares surfaced and became his reality. He held his ground though, braver than I gave him credit for.
((Bruce's POV))
"Just tired." It's not true but it's not a lie either.
The room has started to warp and spin, I can hear Tim screaming and the sound of pearls hitting concrete in the back of my mind. Logan frowned slightly at me then shook his head and left the room muttering a goodbye to Virginia. After he was gone, Virginia walked around the side of the bed and climbed in next to me, laying her head on my chest.
"Hank got the portal to work…"
I can see Tim hanging in the corner.
"Batman! Help me!!"
I squeezed my eyes shut, "That's good."
She nodded slowly, "Yea," She murmured, "You're going to go back…" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Yes," The room was disorienting again, "I have too."
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You're waiting for someone
To put you together
You're waiting for someone to push you away
There's always another wound to discover
There's always something more you wish he'd say
-Vertical Horizon, Everything You Want
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A/N: Please review!