Not Quite Human

Thinking

Alternate/Mask Speak

Speech

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 17: Panic at the Rec. Room

I licked the top of my mouth still tasting traces of that 'celery' blob that I'd eaten. I grimaced and licked my fangs. Jervis had therapy so it was just Harvey, Jonathan, Edward and I walking through the halls to the Rec. Room. It looked like a boring pair of double doors but once I stepped inside my jaw friggin dropped.

"The hell! This place is bigger then my apartment." I wondered why the guys would have given up this for my class. There was a small alcove in the corner with a TV and some couches thrown around. A large bookshelf was along the wall which led into a small library/puzzle room. They had a friggin hot tub set up in the corner and even a sauna! No wonder Arkham was asking for so much funding each year. My eye twitched and I watched Jonathan head over to the Sauna to relax.

"Just go with it Kid." Harvey shrugged and headed to the hot tub. I looked away as he stripped to his boxers and jumped in. The room wasn't very full, just a few people milling around the TV and hot tub.

"Come on D. I wanna show you the puzzle room." Edward had a big grin on his face and pulled me into the small alcove that housed the books and puzzles. He pulled me into a corner and I couldn't see the main room anymore. "I go here when I need some time alone." His voice was husky and he pinned me against the wall.

"And no one finds you?" I lifted an eyebrow and he grinned wolfishly.

"Nope. Blind fools." His lips were on mine in an instant and before I could blink he had my pants down around my ankles. His casted arm was wrapped around my side and his tongue was halfway down my throat.

"Edward what if they hear?" I pulled away for a moment and he took that time to drop his own pants.

"They won't." He dropped to his knees and ripped my briefs off me before diving in like a starving man. I nearly jumped out of my skin and I dug my nails so deeply into the wall that I felt the wood dent. The only sounds I could hear were the TV in the far end of the room and quiet chatter of the other occupants. He had me almost over the edge in moments but before I could fly over that edge he stopped and pulled himself to his feet. "My D." He murmured against my lips. "My exotic puzzle queen." He pulled me into a bruising kiss as he wrapped my legs around his waist. He slammed into me and slowly started rebuilding the fire in my loins. He took me with a vigor that an injured man shouldn't have. He kissed away my silent gasps as he took me over the edge until I was sure I would pass out. He groaned into my shoulder as he came like fire inside me. We stayed there panting for a moment until he nuzzled my chin and pulled out.

"Gods Edward." I was breathless and I nearly fell over trying to pull my briefs back on. He smirked and helped me with my pants before fixing his jumpsuit to try and hide what had just happened. I tried to smooth out my hair and he leaned up against one of the puzzle shelves fixing his own.

"Oh expect more of that in the future." He grinned showing his perfect white teeth. He sat down on one of the benches and pulled me onto his lap. I rested my head against his shoulder and he just held me close. I was exhausted and so sore that I was sure I'd be black and blue by morning. I was so glad for my healing factor otherwise I'd probably be bed bound for a week. Were men always this horny or was it just me making them like that?

"How does no one bother to come back here?" Edward smelled pure male with a bit of pine thrown in. I buried my nose in his hair and nuzzled making him groan against me.

"This is my little territory D. Anyone who comes back here is subjected to merciless riddles and threats on their person."

"Oh then do I get a riddle?" I smirked.

"Oh you've just been stuffed with riddles and you want more?" He lifted an eyebrow and his green eyes sparkled.

"You know what I meant." I smirked as his hand grabbed my butt.

"Alright D try this one on for size. If you break me I do not stop working, if you touch me I may be snared, if you lose me nothing will matter." He pulled me down for another kiss and I knew my lips were bruised.

"Your heart Edward." He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against mine.

"Correct my riddle queen. For now you hold my heart and soon enough I'll put a ring on that finger of yours and you'll own the world." He knew just what to say to make me melt inside. For the moment I forgot I was in Arkham and just enjoyed being here with him.

"Alright ladies and gents!" The voice was harsh and I groaned as it made Edward cringe. "Rec. Room time is up. Everybody line up near the door to be put back in your cages." Edward and I walked out and slipped into the crowd. I nearly jumped to kill one of the guards as they grabbed Edward and wrenched his casted arm behind his back to cuff his hands together. He didn't cry out in pain, he wasn't about to let them see him weak. A hand on my shoulder was all that kept me from going for that guards neck.

"Such a foolish child." Jonathan's voice whispered into my ear. I could smell his sweat and his body was still radiating heat from the sauna. "We'll just see who gets you first hmmm?" His hand slid up to tug on my hair and I felt his lips on the back of my neck for the briefest of moments. He stepped forward and had his arms wrenched behind his back at a nearly impossible angle before they were cuffed. His face was expressionless but a slight paling of his lips told me of the pain he was in.

"You, yea you that fanged bitch. You're next." I moved forward and was rewarded with a swift kick to my lower stomach. I doubled over as pain exploded behind my eyes and my hands were cuffed behind my back as I gasped for air. I was dragged back to my cell and I could taste blood on my tongue. My vision was going in and out until I collapsed on the floor to my cell. I was uncuffed and I rolled onto my side to crawl for my bed, big mistake. "Think you can get away?" The guard started stomping on my stomach and hips until one of the others pulled him away.

"That's enough Steven. If she ends up in the med ward they'll write up a report. Stupid bitch won't talk so let's just go." I couldn't even curl up into a ball and just lay there on my back gasping for air. I whimpered as I felt my hips pop back into place and my organs slosh around as they started healing as fast as they could. Nothing like a body full of adrenaline to get the old healing factor in full swing. The door to my cell clicked closed and the entire gallery was silent until the guards were gone.

"Alice?" Hatter's voice was pained and frantic. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. It had been a long time since I'd been in this much pain and my body was screaming at me to stay still and let it do its work. "Alice?" Hatter's voice rose higher and I heard him banging on his door.

"Hatter." I managed to squeak out that one word and he let out a whimper. I probably would have looked dead if I hadn't been breathing.

"Oh Alice, hold on. Please don't leave me." I could hear tears in his voice and his feet moving as he started pacing his cell.

"Jervis! The hell happened to my D?" Edward bellowed from down the hall. He sounded like he was about to kick his own cell door down to get me.

"They stomped her! Oh those brutes stomped my poor Alice!" Hatter yowled and I could hear gasps from several of the other Rogues.

"Jervis where did they stomp her?" Jonathan's voice was filled with a dark rage that would have chilled my blood if I could feel anything more then my injuries.

"They stomped her stomach and hips, oh god they tried to kill my Alice!" He screamed the last part with so much hate that my eyes popped open and gazed wide eyed at the lights above me. I licked my lips and nearly lost my breath as I dragged myself in to a sitting position. Yea something was most defiantly broken. I pulled myself to the wall across from my bed and sat there, the cold wall feeling good on my back.

"Fucking beasts!" Jonathan was livid. I could just imagine him pacing his cell with murder glowing from his eyes. My face was wet and for a moment I thought that I was bleeding until I raised my arm and just brushed tears of pain away.

"D? Oh god D!" Edward's frantic voice called out again.

"I'm alive Edward." Talking hurt, it sent vibrations down my body that seemed to make my bones shake. What was in the bottom of the guards boots here, steel plates?

"You gonna make it kid?" Harvey's voice joined in the mix of concerned rabble.

"I think so. I'll hopefully be mostly healed by morning." I licked some blood off my fangs and tried to control my racing heart.

"You need to be in the med wing." Jonathans' voice was firm.

"Jonathan I'm not quite human okay. I've healed from worse then this before, well maybe nothing exactly like this." I trailed off.

"Alice will survive?" Hatter's voice was full of hope. I looked over and his eyes were red as if he'd been crying. His hair was sticking in all directions like he'd been pulling it out at the roots. I groaned as a loud popping crunch sound filled the air. The entire gallery went silent.

"Sorry just my pelvis popping back into place." My voice was high and croaked out in pain. I heard a thump and I looked over to see Hatter on the floor unconscious and pale. Tonight was going to suck because I wasn't going to be much company until I could move again.

"You sure you're gonna be okay kid?" Harvey broke the silence after what seemed like hours. My eyes popped open and I brushed some of my sweat drenched hair from my face. I was freezing and burning up at the same time, did my grandfather go through this when he healed after his near fatal jump?

"Pretty sure. If I'm not moving by morning just shake me a bit to be sure." I took a shuddering breath and groaned as my insides sloshed around again. Why did I have to be so squishy? Soon enough the lights clicked off and the guards made their rounds to make sure we were all still locked up safe and tight. I drifted off using the wall as a pillow the best I could. I could really go for some coffee and waffles.

"She's still breathing." Jonathan's voice pulled me from my sleep and I opened my eyes to the brightness of morning. I whimpered and rubbed my eyes before hearing the rustle of clothing as if someone were jumping away quickly. I looked over and I had practically the entire gallery staring down at me in shock.

"Hi?" The hell? I felt like an animal at the zoo with everyone poking their heads in to get a peek. A warm hand pulled some of the hair from my eyes and I turned and found myself in the dark gaze of Jonathan or Scarecrow, wasn't entirely sure which right now.

"We pitched in and put together a jumpsuit for you, at least until you can get another one after the next shower day." Jonathan pointed to a pile of orange fabric lying on my unmade bed.

"Thanks guys." My voice was horse and my lips were dry.

"Do you need help getting changed?" I looked up to meet the eyes of none other then Poison Ivy. She pushed past the other rogues and sauntered into my cell.

"I'd appreciate it." I was too embarrassed to let the guys help me. I should have been stronger, I should have fought back.

"Alright everybody out. I'll bring her to the cafeteria once we're done. Someone get her some food, and make sure its enough to last her." Ivy hissed at Jonathan as she pushed him out of my cell. The rogues reluctantly wandered off and Ivy helped me to my feet. My legs felt like lead but most of the pain was gone.

"Thanks Ivy." She helped me into the small bathroom alcove and waited outside while I did my thing. Once I was out she helped me wash the blood off my face and stripped my clothes off in a way that made me think she was enjoying it.

"They hurt you worse then we all thought." She kicked the jumpsuit away from me and I looked down to see that the pants were coated in blood. I looked away feeling embarrassed. "Don't worry Ivy has you now." She helped me dress in the new jumpsuit and wrapped her arm around me. She didn't smell human but reminded me of the smell of a wild garden, floral and the musk of trees. It wasn't that unpleasant but I tried not to lean against her because all I wanted to do was sniff her. She shot me a coy smile and pulled me up against her body. "You're different from the other flesh bags that walk this place. When I get free I'll take you with me. If you thought that the men were possessive just wait until I get my vines around you." She purred in my ear and I blushed as red as my hair.

Soon enough we were at the cafeteria and Ivy walked me over to the table I shared with Harvey, Jonathan and Edward. She set me down carefully in the chair and leaned over me to inspect my tray.

"Eat up my little sprout. Ivy will watch your back." She gave the guys a look that I couldn't see before sauntering off to get her own lunch. I picked up my spork and poked at the blob that I knew tasted like oatmeal.

"Arkham will burn when I'm done with it." Jonathan growled as he nearly broke his spork in his rage. Hatter was shaking and looked at me as if I were about to break into a thousand pieces. Harvey looked at me as if I were some strange alien thing. I turned and looked at Edward, his eyes were burning with so much emotion that I swear they were glowing.

"They will rue the day they hurt my queen." Edward took my hand with his casted one and ignoring his pain laced our fingers together. I felt Jonathan wrap an arm around my waist not caring who saw. We ate our meals in silence until the doors to the cafeteria were kicked open and a collective groan rose throughout the room.

"Well hello boys and dolls! Papa J is back and he's ready to rock the asylum!" Joker cackled and several patients clutched their ears in pain. I sighed heavily and tried to concentrate on eating, I really needed to keep up my strength.