Chpt.37
It was so hot. Livy kicked off the thin jacket draped over her, but the heat still wouldn't let up.
She was holed up in an abandoned building in Gotham. It was just supposed to be a quick place to crash at for the night. Jason was out of town and she was too far away from the usual safe house to go back to it, so she decided that crashing at an abandoned building for the night wouldn't be that bad.
However, she didn't expect it to be so hot.
Suddenly, a smell tickled her nose, bringing her further out of sleep. Not only was it hot, but she smelt smoke.
Fire. She thought as she bolted up from the ground she was sleeping on and immediately dropped on the floor as smoke filled her lungs.
"Shit!" she coughed, but tried to get her bearings as to where in the building this fire was. However, smoke was all around her. If anything, it just made the building look smaller and smaller and she saw orange flames licking up the wall to her right. She scooted back, feeling her heart beating in fear.
Her back hit the wall on the other side and smoke was stinging her eyes and filling her lungs. She coughed, but felt like she couldn't get in a good breath. Meanwhile, it looked like the walls were closing in on her.
No! No! No! she thought as she trembled and coughed.
This was the worst time to have a panic attack and for her mind to be clouded. Not to mention that the building she was sleeping in would most likely not be searched for people. The fire department usually wouldn't risk their lives to check an abandon building. Well, the fire department of Gotham anyway.
She shuttered, tears streaking her face as she looked around for an exit, but all she saw was smoke.
The walls. Now fire? No! No! No! she thought as she shuttered through her panic attack.
She felt herself passing out slowly, choking on the smoke in pain. Closing her eyes, she thought she was going to burn.
Then footsteps.
Someone was coming into the burning room.
Then hands.
Someone was lifting her up.
She could swear that she smelt a familiar scent, but she couldn't be sure with the smoke still very prominent in her nose.
Then, nothing.
"So damn busy looking out for people that you can't look out for yourself, huh?" Slowly blinking her eyes open, Livy looked up to see Carter looking down at her.
"Carter?" she questioned, her voice hoarse.
"You're so lucky I had a hunch that there may be squatters in that abandoned building." Carter sighed.
Livy sat up and found herself in Carter's apartment on his couch. Then everything rushed back to her.
"Oh my god. The fire." She whispered.
"It's alright. I got you out." Carter smiled at her. "And I didn't tell your boyfriend, because I can just imagine the temper tantrum he'd throw."
Livy chuckled, nodding her head. However, the chuckle didn't sound like one of her normal happy ones. It sounded… off, and Carter picked up on it.
"Yeah." She nodded, but still was in shock from what all happened.
"Hey." Carter gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Do you want me to make you some tea?"
Slowly, Livy nodded.
"Yeah… that'd be… great."
Carter didn't want to leave her, but he figured that she would be fine when he was fixing her some tea.
Livy watched the man leave the room and she sat in silence, staring at the wall. Then, it started to move.
"No." she whispered, backing up against the couch. "J-jason! Jason! Dad! Dad!" she screamed, hugging herself and screwing her eyes shut.
Carter came bolting into the room and saw the terror on Livy's face.
"Hey, Livy. You're alright. Everything is alright. You're not in any danger." He whispered into her ear as he hugged her.
Livy slowly blinked her eyes up at Carter.
"The walls…"
"PTSD, right?" Carter questioned, and Livy nodded.
"It's been awhile since I've had a flare up."
"Well, it's alright. I'm going to stay right next to you. Do you want me to call anyone? Damian maybe? Or your friend in Philadelphia?"
"My dad." She whispered. "He's out of town, but usually he'd be resting about this time."
Carter handed her a phone and she dialed the number.
"Hello?" a groggy voice answered the phone, and Livy could tell that Jason was sleeping.
"Dad… I… it happened again." Jason was wide awake on the other side of the phone after that comment.
"Alright baby girl just tell me what happened." He stated, and Livy did. She told him about the fire and the walls closing in and Jason listened.
"So, you're safe now with Carter, right?"
"Yes." Livy nodded even though she knew her father couldn't see her.
"That's good. Are you feeling better?" Jason inquired. It was often that when Livy had a panic attack episode that she would calm down from just hearing Jason's voice.
Damian might have been able to calm her down, but Jason was still the best at it.
"Yes. I am."
"Good. I love you, Livy."
"I love you too, Dad."
"Can you put Carter on the phone?"
"Yeah, sure." Livy nodded, handing the phone over to Carter. "He wants to speak to you." Carter accepted the phone, holding it to his ear.
"This is Carter."
"Thank you, for helping my daughter. Please keep her in your apartment for a while. Don't let her just get up and walk away like she's fine. she's not. Give her about two hours to relax more and don't leave her alone. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir. I do." Carter stated seriously, feeling a bit intimidated by the man. He gave Damian props for having to deal with Livy's father more often.
"Good. Can you hand the phone back to Livy?"
"Can do." Carter said quickly as he handed the phone back to the girl next to him.
Livy listened to her father, smiling a bit, and with a 'I love you' hung up.
"Feeling better?" Carter inquired and Livy smiled.
"Yes, I am." She then stood from the couch. "I probably should be going then. Wouldn't wanna overstay my welcome."
"Don't be silly. You're allowed here any time you want." Carter stated. "How about you come with me into the kitchen. I can finish making you some tea and we can also pop some popcorn and watch a movie. It's pretty rainy outside anyway." He chuckled.
"Well… alright. Thanks Carter."
"No problem, Livy."