There was that familiar smell again. Not the sweet one, no. The sanitary one...

Craig: The hospital... why do we always end up in the hospital?

Gar: At least it wasn't my fault this time...

Craig: Always the optimist…Wait... the girl! Rachel!

Gar: You actually found her? You need to fill me in on what happened last night!

"Hay, you're up."

"Dick?"

"Yeah. But it's not just me."

Gar sat up in bed and saw a friendly face sitting next to Dick.

"Professor Caulder? What are you doing here?"

The man, who was getting on in years, smiled through his greying beard, his narrow eyes squinting. "My boy. The real question is, what are you doing here? And why is it, whenever we meet, you are unconscious in my hospital."

"Wait.. your hospital? We didn't go to Gotham?" Please hurry up. Tell me where Rachel is.

"Yes, you did. But then they saw that girl and decided she would be better off here."

Finally. "Rachel. Where is she?"

"Well, next door, but I wouldn't advise -" They took no notice of him and scrambled out of bed towards the door. "Garfield! Wait!" Dick went to grab the handles of the professor's wheel chair- "Don't worry about me, just get Garfield before he does something stupid, again."

It's that smell... she's this way.

They followed it to the neighbouring room, and without a second thought opened the door.

You stupid boy!

Just close the door, guys.

Why did you do that?

There she was, unconscious, with an IV drip. The heart monitor blipped continuously.

The light was blinding him as he looked at the shadowy figures. Why weren't they helping him?

It hurts. Please stop! It hurts!

Why wouldn't his arms move? Why couldn't he get away?

Garfield?

Why was this happening to him? What had he done to deserve this?

Garfield! Garfield...

There was that familiar smell again. Not the sweet one, no. The sanitary one...

The hospital... why do we always end up in the hospital?

Déjà vu

Someone sighed.

"Seriously, Garfield. Again? I have stuff to do."

"You don't have stuff to do, Dicky-bird..."

"Don't joke. With you around, I always have stuff to do."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm high maintenance." They sat up and stretched. "Um... what day is it?"

"Still Thursday. Vic is with professor Caulder, Rachel is next door. You really shouldn't try to go see her again, though."

Oh, that's what happened... I hope we didn't turn into the tiger...

They lay down in bed and stared up at the ceiling. It was printed with a forest landscape, and made a change from normal, white hospital walls. That was a very important thing for all of them. Too many hospitals were sterile. Pristine white, void of art, empty and depressing. It wasn't practical to adorn the walls; they had to be easy to clean, but the high ceilings were fair game. Since most people in a hospital bed spent an awful lot of time looking up, Gar thought it would be nice if the bedroom and ward ceilings were decorated. As he looked at the painted trees, he knew it was a very good decision.

The sun shone round the outside of the curtains, and a abrupt realisation swept over them.

"Shit! What time is it?! My meds!"

"You don't have to worry about that..." Dick said, worry in his voice.

In the head space, David made his presence known.

David: Now, don't panic. There's no need to panic!

Gar: Easier said then done.

Craig: Finally back? About time.

Garfield was holding his left arm again. It was exposed by the vest top he had on, and he suddenly became very aware of his scar. The damaged skin that radiated out from the crease of his elbow and wrist wasn't something he wanted to see. His stomach turned.

"Can I, um. Can I- Can I... Jacket..."

Dick quickly got a dressing gown that was draped on his chair and passed it to Garfield, who put it on.

He chuckled. " Ya know. This is- this is... This is very overwhelming... You would think it-it gets easier, but it, um... but it does not... … … I forgot your birthday..." He stared at a fold in the bed sheet as the tears seemed to build in his eyes. "I-I-I did get you a card and a, um, and a gift... but I-I thought we would be back, um. I-I thought we would be... well, um. Not here." Before Dick could worry more, Craig interjected. "I- I guess it could be worse though... I still have my shoe laces..." Shit. Why did I say that.

David: Really? That's how you try to lighten the mood?

Gar: I don't get it...

David: Good!

Apparently Dick was also unamused by the morbid joke. He uncomfortably got the medication box off the side table and a trash can off the floor.

"You're going to need this..."

Inside the green case were less pills then normal. The one that stood out most to them was small and white, and had a chunk out of it. And so begins a fortnight of hell...


OK. If you're confused and you want to know what's up with the shoe laces and the pill, read on. If you don't want to know and wonna work it out for yourself- stop reading. So- the pills are the antidepressants and should be weened off slowly. Side effects such as throwing up. hence the bucket. Shoe laces is a reference to psychiatric hospitals. Some of them don't allow strings like shoe laces, the string in a hoodie, etc.