Chapter 23: City Lights

A few hours, a few disjointed explanations and a patient transfer later, Juliet was sleeping peacefully in a hospital bed while Lin talked to a doctor. The boys were outside, and Cara, after satisfying herself that Juliet was alive and well, had gone to get a shower and a change of clothes.

"Given plenty of rest, some physical therapy and maybe a round or two of antibiotics, your daughter should be physically fine within a year." The doctor said with a kind smile, "Whoever got to her first did a very good job."

"Thank you, Doctor Jennings." Lin said, her shoulders sagging. As the doctor left the room, she sunk into a chair, head in her hands.

"Aunty?" A small voice interrupted her thoughts what seemed like hours later. The boys and Cara had been sent home with a babysitter, but Lin herself had decided to stay at the hospital.

"Juliet?" Now she looked up, "Oh my goodness, Juliet!" She hurried to the bed and hugged the sleepy girl as if she'd never let go. As tear rolled down her face as she whispered reverently, almost reassuring herself rather than the girl, "Oh Juliet, Juliet – I was so worried, but you're okay, you're really okay! I'm so glad you're okay."

Thin arms circled the larger woman in return and the young girl's face buried itself into her shoulder. "I'm sorry," Juliet whispered.

"Never mind that, I'm just so relieved you're fine." Lin said, savouring the hug and the immense relief that came with it.

They sat like that, quietly soaking in the relief and the release of some of the tension that had built up in the last few hours. Finally, Lin pulled back.

"What were you thinking?" She tried to ask gently, but it came out a little choked. Wiping her damp eyes, she peered into Juliet's youthful face, wondering what was going on in her head. "They said you willingly went up to and talked to the gunman and tried to convince him not to do go through with the robbery! You should've just sat tight and let the police deal with it! You didn't need to get shot!"

"I-I," Juliet paused, a frown crossing her face, "Cara was up there and-and the guy wasn't following store policy and someone needed to call 911 and-and-" She trailed off, her escalating and disjunct explanation seeming to loose all it's oomph. It was like she was filled with urgency for a second, only to then drain completely. "Sorry Aunty." She finished with a whisper, sinking back into her pillow from where she'd begun to sit up, eyes dull and tired.

"I'm not disappointed or angry. I was really scared, and I wondered, 'why would a teenage girl with a whole life to live deliberately put herself in danger unnecessarily?'" Lin said carefully, gripping the girl's hand gently.

"Oh!" Juliet said, her eyes briefly going wide, and adding an emerald speck of colour to her pale cinnamon coloured skin (normally amber) matched with the white papery hospital gown. "It's not like that, I just wanted to protect Cara and then once I was up there, I saw that Brynn wasn't-hadn't done it before and I thought I could convince him not to go through with it."

"Oh, silly girl," Lin said affectionately stoking Juliet's dark hair, "next time, and there will hopefully never be a next time, leave playing hero to the police. Or the Flash, or anyone who has more experience than you!" Smiling softly and erasing all the lines time had given her, Lin cupped her daughter's face. "Now, you need to rest so you can heal and get better."

"Mmmhh." Juliet agreed, eyes already closing. There was probably something in the IV that ran from her arm, but if there was, Lin didn't know what it was, and she didn't really care, just as long as it helped her girl get better.

Long after the tired girl had drifted off, Lin sat there in the dark, stroking the girl's hair absently as tears, yet again, rolled down her face. Ruefully swiping them away, she let out a sigh, thanking God silently for His mercies. Who else could you thank when against all odds, both her daughters had lived where others in similar situations had not?

Getting up, she settled herself on the foldout armchair and looked out the window at the city lights.

Author's Note:

This chapter isn't really necessary except for that you figure out where Juliet's guardian is in all this. It's supposed to be a bit reflective, and a bit of a halt to the action. I don't know, looking back over it, I'm not sure it entirely works, but you'll have to tell me :)

Please, please, please review! Even if it's just a short sentence, I really treasure it! It encourages me so much to know you guys are enjoying this story :)

Anyway, have a nice weekend!

Trix