"Vision, B-08," announces the Zeta Beam. I grimace. Jazz had not been happy when she found out that not only was Danny completely mind wiped, but he also had asked for solitude before she got to see him.
Wally and I had been sparring, but were now exchanging "oh crap" glances. Jazz narrows her eyes as she walks in on the scene.
"Calm down. I'm not going to snap," she snaps. Wally and I give her sheepish looks, and in response she waves the bag in her hand. "Do you guys want donuts? I stopped by-"
Wally is a blur as he takes the treats from her and starts shoving the first donut in her mouth.
"Give it back!" she cries. "They're not all for you, Wally!"
"Who zen," he says around a mouthful.
She strides over and yanks it from him. "Well, everyone. Including Danny. Do you think he'd like one?"
I shrug. "He's been resting for a while, maybe a couple hours. We can see if he's awake." She nods like there's nothing she'd rather do.
I lead her toward the medbay, Wally following behind in probable hopes of another donut. Tucker, who'd probably heard Jazz's arrival, jogs up on us from behind as I open the door.
Danny is awake, staring at his hand like he's trying to figure it out. I call his name and he focuses on me.
"Hungry?" I ask.
A brief look of confusion crosses over his face before he gives a slow nod. I open the door wider, letting him see I come with company. He doesn't look happy about it, but I can't stop Jazz from rushing inside and Wally and Tucker following. Danny looks panicked, but the three don't notice, or don't care.
Well, I guess Wally does, but he's really more concerned about getting another donut. Jazz holds out the bag with apprehension, and Danny looks at it like he doesn't know what to do with it. Jazz doesn't want to invade his space, but Danny doesn't know what to make of it.
After a tense moment of silence, Wally sighs, "Dude, just take it."
Defense flashes in Danny's eyes. "My hand is broken," he grits out. "And my other arm doesn't move at the shoulder."
Wally blinks. "OH, sorry." But he still keeps his eyes on the bag.
I roll my eyes. Jazz pulls back the bag. Danny moves from her to Wally, a spark of recognition but the same amount of confusion.
"This is Kid Flash," I supply, guessing that he's trying to figure out the name. "And this is Jazz. You already know Tucker."
He nods. "Hi."
"Do you want one?" Jazz asks, but when Danny gives her a confused look she shrinks back again.
Ugh. I just have to do everything. I snatch a paper towel from the dispenser by the sink and take the bag from Jazz. Eating donuts should not be this difficult.
Not knowing if Danny is a germaphobe or something like that, I take out a chocolate coated donut with the paper towel and wave it at him. He nods, and I place it on his lap. Then I take one, hand the bag back and fall back on one of the chairs.
Incredibly awkwardly, Jazz takes one, Tucker takes one, and Wally takes the bag. Wally and I eat, but Jazz and Tucker just stand uncomfortably, and Danny looks cornered. I exchange a look with Wally. They're freaking him out.
"Jazz," I prompt. "Why don't you finish telling us about that new theory with the- um…" Crap. I wasn't listening when she was talking about it.
"Melatonin treatment for Parkinson's disease," supplies Wally before taking out another pastry. Jazz locks eyes with me and I tilt my head to the seat and then look at Danny. Luckily, she caught on to that and sits down.
Tucker does, too.
"Um… People who suffer from Parkinson's have problems sleeping. It's not directly correlated to their apathy and memory loss, but without achieving the REM sleep stage irritability increases and-"
Wally and I make a valiant effort to keep her talking instead of staring at Danny. Without all eyes on him, he starts tearing up the donut on his lap between his right hand's fingers, his left hand still bandaged tightly.
I watch this behavior, wondering if he's going to eat it. Finally, giving a cautious glance to all of us (going mostly unnoticed by the others) I puts a single chocolatey finger in his mouth.
He grimaces, withdrawing. "Do you not like them?" I ask, and immediately regret it. In an instant everyone's attention is on him.
"It's sweet," he says.
"Too sweet?" Jazz asks, rushed. I can see her going over every aspect in her head about everything. Should I have gotten him something more bland? Is he experiencing sensory overload? Etcetera, etcetera…
"I don't know," he mutters, uncomfortable. He puts a piece in his mouth, like he has to, staring at the blanket.
"You don't have to eat it," Wally acknowledged. Suddenly, it makes sense to me. He thinks he does have to eat it, or he doesn't eat anything. And of course it would be too sweet; it's not like they fed him candy where he was.
Jazz looks to me for help.
"What would like instead?" I ask. "Bread, cereal, fruit or vegetables? I think we have spaghetti leftover from a couple days ago."
He still feels uncomfortable with all the looks, I can tell. He won't meet anyone's eyes. He mutters "I don't know" again.
"Here." I toss the napkin with his uneaten food away (earning a resentful look from Wally, who now had an empty bag), and gesture to everyone. "We'll go grab you something else."
"Can you?" he asks almost inaudibly. I notice the plead for the exclusion of the other three hidden in his two words.
"Sure." Jazz looks crestfallen. I push the entire group out, shutting off the light on my way out.
"He hates us," Tucker sulks.
"No, he's freaked out," I insist. "Jazz, you practically breathe psychology. He's traumatized. Distance yourself from him, think of him as someone you don't know. What would you recommend for him?"
"Quiet and minimal interaction," she says softly. "But interaction. He'll only distance himself from reality if he doesn't have someone to keep him there. Likely he's already trying to forget what happened, but doing that will detach him from the world emotionally."
"Exactly."
"You know that means you have to stay with him, now."
"What?"
"He's attached himself to you. Obviously. You were the one who rescued him, the first one there when he woke up, and the one who took us all away, who-I'll admit- were causing him anxiety. When you're there he's anchored to reality and not drifting off into his own world."
"Okay," I allow. "I'd be happy to stay with him. But only if you guys come too. Maybe not together, maybe not all the time. I can't always be there, and if you guys interact with him enough he might allow you guys." They nod. "Just… Don't. Don't try to find the Danny that was. It's stressing him out."
"Yeah," Jazz admits, looking down. "I know. The Amnesiac's Burden. Read all about it."
"Why don't you guys go home. Maybe get some things for him? Not memory books or anything like that. But clothing, maybe some things he can do. He's bound to get bored fast."
They look at each other and then nod to me, walking off.
"Wow. That was authoritative." Wally smirks at me.
I grin and start walking towards the living rooms. "Shut up."
"No, I'm serious." He jogs to catch up with me. "That was sexy. 'Stop pressuring him. Be the heroes you truly are.'"
"I didn't remotely say that!"
"I think you did," he teases. "Instead of being Boring Old Robin, you were Hot Leader Robin."
Just as he was saying this, we entered the living rooms, where Artemis and Superboy are watching a kickboxing match and arguing, Megan making some sort of dinner.
"Artemis!" I scream. She glances at me, but seeing as I'm not dying, returns to the show. "WALLY IS HITTING ON ME!"
I have everyone's attention, now.
Megan starts giggling behind her hands as Wally punches me in the chest.
"Wait, what?" Conner asks.
"Yeah, we were just walking in the hall and he said, 'You're sexy when you talk like that. Makes me all hot.'"
Wally goes red, some embarrassment and some pure rage. Everyone else, upon seeing his reaction, starts laughing the kind of laughter where it's almost painful and impossible to stop. Wally, of course, decides to try and kill me.
"I didn't say that at all!" he cries, tackling me to the ground. I wiggle out of his grip and leap over the counter, flipping off the couch and in front of Artemis.
"I think you have some competition," I inform Artemis. Wally growls in rage and takes me down. Artemis can't stop laughing, only laughing harder when Wally and I wrestle.
"Stop, stop!" Megan cries. "My sides, ow!" She collapses in giggles again.
Wally is trying to kill me, and I'm laughing a bit too hard to escape. He punches my jaw, but that only makes me laugh harder, trying to wriggle out from underneath him.
"Wally," Artemis pleads, but not for my sake. "You're going to give me the hiccups!"
He punches me one more time. "If I didn't know she's the most dangerous of anybody we've ever faced when she has the hiccups, I'd continue killing you." His voice is low and dangerous, but I see the smallest spark of amusement and know he's just kidding too.
Then he gets off of me and plops down beside Artemis, stealing the forgotten popcorn. "Oh!" I jump up, completely unharmed. "Before I forget, can I take some food to our guest? Something mild?"
"Why not take some?" Artemis mutters. "You take people's boyfriends."
Wally snickers and pecks her cheek. She looks stoically ahead until Wally looks down at his popcorn before smiling. I roll my eyes.
Megan rummages through the fridge before pulling out a ziplock bag with white stuff in it. "What's that?"
"Failed homemade ice cream," she responds, taking out a bowl and scraping the stuff into it.
"Too sweet," I inform her. "'Sides. Failed?"
"It's failed because I forgot the sugar." She puts a spoon on the top and pushes it over to me, placing her hands on her hips. "It's cold, it doesn't have much taste, and it's calorie filled."
"Wow. That's actually perfect." She smiles and nods. "Thanks."
"Welcome." She goes back to chopping her onions. When she notices I'm still sitting there, she sighs. "Do you want something too? Maybe taffy? I know you're having a weird obsession with that lately."
I give her the biggest smile I can muster. "That would be asterous."
Wow, wow, wow! Only 24 hours since I've posted this story and I have ONE THOUSAND READS! You guys are SO AMAZING!
(Although my mom got super mad when I danced around the kitchen...)
Anyway, sorry I didn't spread it out more! But I just finished this chapter-hot off the press. I'll get the next to you guys as soon as I get it done.
Also... I got a few reviews and they're so amazing! Thank you guys so much!
*Man, I wish Danny Phantom and Young Justice were mine, but they're not. They go to their respective creators.*