Takes place a few days after Hush (Drabble 20).


Reassurance


"Peter—" Her voice caught in her throat and tears stung the corner of her eyes; when had she become so… so…

"It's alright," Was it? If he had to be completely honest with himself, he wasn't sure who it was exactly he was trying to reassure: her or him. "You're safe." He felt her fingers dig themselves into the fabric of his shirt and he didn't need to look to see the crescent-shaped, from her nails, imprinted on his skin. "You're alright, Selina, you're OK."

She shivered, tried to speak. But something seemed to be holding her back. Fear, maybe? It wasn't like she was awake the entire time it… it wasn't as if she were awake for it. She was being irrational now. H… He wasn't here. It was like Peter had said: she was safe.

So why then did she feel so…

"PTSD," Peter said upon hearing her question, "Posttraumatic stress disorder." He wasn't sure if he should delve into the topic further. The doctor had explained to him (and what he guessed to any other visitors that she may've had) that the young woman may have severe anxiety, depending on how much she remembered. And if she were awake during the start of the… procedure or—Heaven forbid—the entire thing…

He cringed at the thought.

All was quiet as they sat there.

"Peter?" She pauses, licking her dry lips, because she's not sure how to word this. And after awhile he thinks that she has fallen back into unconsciousness. Yet finally she says something, even if it wasn't the original question that's been nagging at the back of her mind. "Could you stop by my apartment and make sure—"

Despite the situation and all that has happened, he can't help except let out a small (slightly forced) laugh. It is then that he reassures her that he's been making sure her kitty-cats have been feed and taken care of.

Extended Ending:

"Um…"

"What is it now, Moth? Can't you see I'm a little busy here?" The arsonist replies as he tries to coax one of the felines down from the top shelf.

"Didn't Ragdoll say that she named Killer Claws—"

"—you mean Little Gangsta—"

"—Rascals?"

Firefly grunts, "Yeah, she did. So why are you asking me?"

Moth is silent for a few minutes. Something tells him that if he dares say it then Ragdoll will not be so forgiving. Yet he knows that once Firefly is finished with his current task that he'll want to play with the little guy. It's a lose-lose situation for him now that he thinks about it.

"… Well… because… his identification tag says his name is Raggles."