"Arg." I felt like I was swimming in a sea of black. Random things flashed by me, but I didn't see any light.
"Dammit," I muttered, opening my eyes.
Ranger's face was about three inches away from me. "Ah!" I screamed hoarsly, and slammed my eyes shut again.
Fuckin' cruel people. Nobody wants to wake up to find someone else's face that close, even if it is Batman's.
"I'll pretend like that wasn't an insult," Ranger said, prying open my eyes.
Right. Do that.
"Wha happen?" I mumbled, sitting up. I immediately regretted it, because the sky started to spin.
"Uhhh," I groaned. Ranger's hand was entangled in my hair, and he set my head down on his lap.
If I had been in any other situation, I would have commented on how sweet that gesture could be considered.
As it was, I felt like I was going to puke.
"Damn you, God," I muttered. Ranger handed me a bottle of water.
On second thought, maybe God isn't as mean as I thought.
"Thanks," I croaked, taking a slow sip. I promptly turned around and spit it out.
All over Ranger.
Shit.
"I am so sorry," I choked out, avoiding looking at where the water had hit.
Thanks to me, Ranger looked like he had peed his pants.
I took back my earlier good-believe about God.
Ranger looked down at me, then at his pants. He shook his head.
I guess some subjects are better left untouched.
"So, what happened?" I asked again. With Ranger's aid, I sat up and leaned against him.
"You were injected with a sedative," Tank said from somewhere out of my vision, probably behind me.
God damn it.
"JUST FUCKING GREAT!" I yelled. "Another GOD DAMNED STALKER on my hands!"
If I was able to stand, I would have kicked somebody, or something.
I settled for twiddling my thumbs, fast.
"Uh, Steph," Lester said, coming into my view. "You're giving me a headache, doing your thumbs like that."
I ignored him.
"Did you see who did it?" I asked.
I noticed Ranger exchange a glance with Lester, and then with someone behind me, probably Tank.
"Babe," Ranger said slowly. Because I was leaning against him with my head on his chest, I could feel the rumbling of his voice.
It made me want to go back to sleep.
"Steph?" This from Lester.
Shut the hell up and let me sleep, Donuthole.
"What."
"What is one of your biggest childhood fears?" Ranger asked.
"Clowns," I answered immediately.
The things scared the shit out of me, and always have. Homos and transies have never bothered me. I'm not scared of psycho stalkers or bullets, or even my car blowing up.
But clowns are fricking scary.
"Why?" I asked them, my eyes half shut.
They remained silent. I opened my eyes fully, looking from Tank's solemn face to Ranger's calm mask, to Lester's half-hidden grin.
Oh shit.
"You're telling me.."
The three nodded.
Well, isn't that fuckin' peachy.
I'm being stalked by a clown.