One week turned into two which swiftly became three. Thanksgiving passed, then Christmas and Melissa was still in the hospital. The wreck had done more than they'd thought.
"How much longer?" she moaned one bitterly cold day watching snow pelt the window.
"I wish I knew, Avalon, I really wish I knew," Carmen replied softly.
"MEL, MEL, MEL!" Anya charged full force into the room.
"Whoa there, chickadee," Jenny caught the three-year-old just in the nick of time, "You can't jump on Melissa, remember?"
'aw, Mommy! Anya pouted,
"Come here, squirt," Melissa patted the empty space beside her, "You can sit beside me, okay?"
"Okay, I missed you!" she snuggled into Melissa's side.
"I missed you too."
"Did you see it was snowing outside? Do you wanna play in it? Mommy showed me how to make a snowball"
"I would love to play in the snow with you but I can't go outside right now"
"Why?"
"The doctors said no"
"Oh"
"Anya." Carmen smiled, "Do you want to help brush Avalon's hair?"
"Her name is Mel-Mel" Anya stumbled over Melissa's name as she always did, the last half coming out garbled.
"I know"
Anya didn't get the brush close enough to do much, at the most she was catching the very ends of her older sister's hair but the idea of helping cheered the girl.
"All done!"
"Thank you, Anya," Melissa squeezed her.
"You're welcome, Mel," Anya smiled up at her.
While Melissa was distracted Carmen stepped into the hall with Jenny, both glancing at the teen with concern.
"When did she stop eating?"
"Yesterday," Carmen sighed, "She won't touch her food at meal time and I've tried everything I even asked if she wanted sushi from Japan, nothing"
"She's been taking all her medications?"
"Yes, we make sure she swallows"
"Well, I'm stuck"
"Maybe I can help?" Dick arrived, arms weighed down by carryout bags, "When all else fails, Chinese food from the corner buffet in Gotham," Pushing open the door with his foot, "Oh, Firecracker, look what I've brought you"
"Is that orange chicken?" Melissa perked up much to the women's astonishment.
"And egg rolls, Sweet & sour chicken, Crab Ragoo, Lo mein noodles..."
"Gimme, gimme, gimme"
"Yes, ma'am," he set the food on the tray table, pushing over to a very excited for the first time in days, Melissa who all but ripped open the sack of egg rolls, "How are you?" he kissed her head.
"Better now!" she managed around a mouthful of egg roll.
"Good," he sat on the side opposite Anya.
"What's crab Ragoo?" Anya peered curiously at the spread.
"Here," Melissa tore one in half, "Try a bite"
Thankful Melissa was eating, Carmen and Jenny took their seats. Jenny filled the room with chatter but Carmen could only focus on the many, many beeping machines.
"What's up with you?" Melissa poked Dick in his ribs, "You're usually fighting me for an egg roll"
"Just tired, long night"
...
The Batcave. The night prior:
"Wait, wait, wait," Dick held up his hand, "You're telling me that the court of owls has a hit on my girlfriend because of me?"
"It seems that way"
"But, but, why? Why me? Why Melissa?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out," Bruce replied, spinning to face the Batcomputer, its screen full of photos of Dick and Melissa from the society pages and magazines. The only pictures Gotham had of Melissa who soldiered on in a dress for every one of those pictures, hand in hand with Dick before they found an opportunity to slip away, ditch the formal attire for a trip to the nearest fast-food place, "Maybe, maybe you two should take a break-"
"NO"
"Dick, think logically-"
"I don't care about logically! I am not BREAKING UP with Melissa! I LOVE HER and whatever this is we'll get through it together"
"But you-"
"I don't care, Melissa knew what dating a superhero meant and just because you break off every single relationship when the lines start to blur doesn't mean I have to!" he stomped out of the cave muttering, "Besides, her mother would kill me"
...
Present:
Melissa finally coaxed Dick into splitting an egg roll dipped in sauce.
"This is good," he relented between bites.
"Agreed," Melissa was shoveling orange chicken into her mouth as the door opened again.
Dr. Sara Bellum stepped into the room, shutting the door with her foot as her attention was on the clipboard in her hands. Carmen sat straight, waiting for news.
"Well, I have some good news," Dr. Bellum never looked up from the clipboard, "Melissa is well enough to be transferred into private care"
"What does that mean?" Dick asked around a mouthful of egg roll.
"It means I can take her home where Dr Bellum can monitor her"
"All the way back to the island?" Jenny gasped.
"No," Carmen shook her head, "That trip's too long right now, don't worry, I've got everything taken care of"
"And what does that mean?" Dick demanded, his arm around Melissa's shoulders, "I'm not leaving her, not right now"
"You're welcome to join her but you will be knocked out during our trip, can't be too cautious you know" Carmen smirked.
Melissa let the conversation swirl around her. Focused entirely on the food spread before her. She was confident in whatever plan was being laid out. I just want to get out of here,
"We'll leave tonight"
...
Meanwhile:
"Shaggy, honey, are you okay?"
Shaggy hadn't been the same since he talked Christina into laying out her family tree. He'd been quiet, picking at any and all food put before him. Christina was starting to worry immensely. Now, she sat beside him watching him pick at the leftover spaghetti Scooby had brought him for lunch.
"I'm sorry," Christina whispered, turning away.
"Like, why are you sorry?" Shaggy looked up in confusion then, "you think you scared me"
"I'm sorry"
"Christina," Shaggy turned her to face him, "Like, there's nothing you could say or do to scare me off"
"Really, but-"
"Really, I love you, it's like, just a lot to take in," he smiled softly, brushing the hair from her eyes, "You're stuck with me"
Shoulders sagging in relief, Christina leaned into him, "Thank goodness"
"I'm not going anywhere"
...
Under the cover of the night, Dick and Carmen in the guise of doctors wheeled Melissa out of the hospital into the waiting 'ambulance'. Melissa was already fast asleep holding tightly to her stuffed rabbit, with blankets pulled to her chin. Once she was settled, Carmen directed Dick to the chair beside his sleeping girlfriend. He scarcely had time to buckle up before he was out cold. Carmen hopped into the passenger seat with a nod to Dr. Bellum in the driver's seat, "Is everything ready?"
"The cabin's waiting for our arrival, Avalon's things are already there as you requested"
"Let's go then"
Once far enough from the hospital, the ambulance changed into a nondescript easily overlooked truck. Hopefully, no one was none the wiser about what was going on. The snow continued to fall in blinding white sheets as they left Gotham. Peaceful and bitterly cold.
"Mom?"
"Avalon?" Carmen was instantly at her daughter's side, "What's the matter?"
"Where are we going?"
"Have you ever been to the mountains?"
"No"
"There's nothing like it when it snows, we're going to stay in my cabin okay?"
"Okay"
"Can't go back to sleep?"
"No"
"How about I tell you a story?"
"Please"
So, Carmen settled in and began to tell Melissa all about the many mountains she'd been to, the ski trips, the attempt at snowboarding, and even the heists that had taken place until the teen was lulled back to sleep dreaming of snow-covered pine forests.
...
When Melissa woke up the snow had softened from sheets to flurries, lazily drifting from the skies. Sitting up she glanced around curiously. The room was painted a nice new red. There was a fireplace spanning one wall, and a plush window seat across from it. She could see her favorite clothes hung in the closet, and art supplies scattered across the antique desk. The best thing, however, was the healed chocolate lab sleeping in his dog bed.
"Hershey!"
The dog woke with a long leisurely stretch. His backside and hind legs had healed up, the fur steadily growing back. Tail wagging he padded over to her, putting his head down for pets.
"Hi buddy, I could've used you in the hospital, I'm so glad you're feeling better," she scratched behind his ears as the door opened.
Carmen dressed warmly in a sweater and faded sweats stepped into the room with a soft smile, "He passed his re-evaluation too, he can continue to work"
"Awesome"
"How do you like your room? I know it's not much right now-"
"It's nice, I really like it, Mom"
"Do you think you're well enough to walk to breakfast? We're having french toast"
"Yum," Melissa slid from the bed, rising on shaky limbs, "Whoa," she tried to balance herself.
Carmen rushed over to steady her, "Here, lean on me, okay?"
"Okay," Melissa relented.
They made slow progress to the dining room but they did make it. Dick already there smiling upon their entrance he hopped up to pull Melissa's chair out for her.
"Good morning," he helped her sit, pushing the chair back in and kissing her head, "Sleep good?"
"Mm," Melissa nodded, "You?"
"Well, considering your mother had me knocked out before we ever left the hospital parking lot I would say so"
"Don't be so dramatic, I woke you when we got here and you carried Avalon to bed, remember?"
Melissa laughed into her coffee mug.
"Oh, you think it's funny, do you?" Dick sniffled in mock hurt.
"Drama king," she punched him in the shoulder.
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"See if I take you to the movies ever again"
"You're the one who likes the movies, I like the museum"
"Ah, that's right, I love you"
"I love you more"
"Not possible"
...
"She's gone"
"What do you mean she's gone?"
"I mean, she's no longer at the hospital"
"Nevermind, are we any closer to discovering her connection to Carmen Sandiego?"
"Working on it, there's a particular inmate at the local prison with former ties to our lady in red, we'll be 'interviewing' him tonight"
"Good and the Bat family?"
"We're keeping an eye on them"
...
BIG DEEP BREATH!
Man, this story is taking FOREVER but I'm enjoying it, well when it's not causing me to pull my hair out that is.
Please, Review!