AN: Amazing what a few tears will get you. Sometimes all it takes is a feigned stomachache and they'll leave you alone in there. They're not hiring the best, you know. The best are too smart to take the risk.

Takes place after 'Admittance'. Was written first, though.

Sketch1997-I most certainly can and will. 'Group therapy'...no wonder we're all insane here. Between Harley and the clown being glued together by the lips, Edward's constant riddles, and the idiot therapists...no, thank you. It's not that bad. Sometimes you get one to stab themselves with the crayons. Yes, this is true. Most amusing. But a rarity, unfortunately.

SwordStitcher-Barbed wire adds to the misery. Haven't you ever heard of hospitality? I was raised in the Deep South. Yes. It didn't stick, did it? If I say someone can pop round anytime, and they do it, and it's a bad time, TOO BAD. I can't poison them or anything. I can hope they drop dead, but that's all. What does this have to do with barbed wire? LEAVE THE REVIEWERS ALONE.

At any given time, one of them will be in medical. And without fail, everyone else will be struck with the need to make get-well cards and pay a visit.

The doctors don't discourage this. Empathy is important. As long as no one's in a coma or has boils or anything, visitations are allowed.

Jonathan Crane hates visitations. Medical is the one place he can be left alone for once, without having to listen to giggling and coin-flipping and everything else. He wouldn't mind if it was just Kitty, or maybe Harley, but the whole block? Most of whom he doesn't even like?

The doctors are sadists.

"Heya, Jonny."

His only consolation is that Joker's in solitary again, for making some kind of poison out of cleaning materials. Thank heaven for small favors.

"Hello, Harley."

"What happened, Jon? You look…dead."

"Batman happened, Edward. What do you think?"

"Jabberwock."

"Mm."

"Puddin' sent ya a card." Harley reports. Great. The last card he got from the clown had stains on it from a fight with the art therapist.

"That's…nice."

"He's so thoughtful."

Can they all leave now? He wants to go back to sleep. The painkillers are wearing off and everything hurts.

Harley is the one in charge of the cards, apparently, because she dumps a handful on the nightstand. Joker's is stained again-he won't be touching that one without gloves-Jervis's has the Batman being devoured by a monster, Edward's has a riddle on it (he'll decipher that later) and Harley's is…incredibly busy.

Joy.

"All right, you three. Out."

They leave, grumbling and calling out offers to break Batman's neck (as if!) and he settles back into his pillows.

"They wouldn't let me give you a card."

"Oh?"

"They thought I'd give you breakout plans in it. Somehow."

"And did you try?"

"Of course not." He snorts-ouch. "They gave me five minutes with you in exchange. They're not bright."

"How much crying did that take you?"

"About twenty minutes, complete with a couple of 'if he dies, and you didn't let me see him one last time…'"

"I'm not that bad off."

"I know." She leans over. "Look pathetic, they're watching." That isn't hard. Broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder are not pleasant. "How bad off are you, really?"

"Not that bad. I could be up in a few days, but I think I'll drag it out. I hate group therapy."

She nods.

"Good."

"Why?"

"You're not going to die, are you?"

What…oh.

"I'm fine, Kitty. Really."

"Promise?" She blinks a bit.

"Yes."

She hugs his head and whispers, "Don't take your sleeping pills on Thursday."

What has she been up to in his absence? Should he worry?

"Fine."

She gives him a quick kiss before the guard comes in.

"Feel better, love."

He watches her leave. The nurse comes in, arranges the cards (carefully not touching the Joker's) and fluffs his pillows.

"Do you need anything?"

He shakes his head. She fixes the blankets and goes into her little office. He sighs and closes his eyes. Whatever Thursday will involve, he'll need his sleep for it.

Maybe visitations aren't so awful, after all.

THE END