Behind the Mask (A Batman and Robin Fanfic)

Chapter Thirty Three

Annie’s POV:

        The last thing I remembered was being overcome with bright light and then darkness. When I woke up, i was in what appeared to be a hospital bed. The sun was shining brightly through the window and I could see a beautiful view of Gotham from it. My throat was dry, my head was throbbing and my entire body felt like it had been attacked by a thousand jack-hammers--but other than that I was okay.

        I looked around the room for an explanation. There was three or four bouquets of flowers and a balloon that read “Get Well”. None of them had cards on them to say who they were from. I sat up slowly, my head felt like it weighed a thousand lbs but I needed to move. For some reason, I felt like I had been asleep for a thousand years. I tried to think about how I got to the hospital--what had happened?  Where was anyone? I needed to find my brother and tell him I was okay.

        As I had sat up, I heard squabbles from outside the door. People were arguing, I wondered if it was Nick. I tried to get up and get out of the bed but before I could, it swung open. It was Dick Grayson, and Bruce Wayne was right behind him. He stared at me uncomfortably for a second, as if he wasn’t sure how I would react.

        “Hey” I said, breaking into a smile.

        “Hi”

        Bruce Wayne frowned behind him, for some reason, he didn’t want Dick to be talking to be. Maybe it was because I had just woken up, although it didn’t seem like it.

                “How are you feeling?”

        “Okay, my head hurts but other than that everything’s okay”

        “I’m glad to hear it”

        I kept looking out the large windows. It was so bright and sunny, I wanted to be outside.

        “It’s so nice out considering it’s October.” I said blankly, staring out the window in wonder. Dick seemed to get uncomfortable at this statement and he looked uneasily at Bruce.

        “Actually Annie, it’s spring”

        I didn’t know how to process this. Firstly, hearing my own name sounded weird, almost like I had forgotten that it was my own name. Secondly, how could it be spring? School had just started--and there was some dance I had just gone to or something--everything in my head was blurry.

        A doctor came in the room next. I flinched when I saw him. There was something about doctors that stirred in my memory--something strange. I had flashbacks of a large man with glasses in a white coat. He was a bad man--I remembered that.

        “Hello Annie, how are you feeling?” the doctor asked.

        “what happened to me?” I asked, growing more frantic. The foggy euphoria had gone away--something bad had happened, something very bad.

        “There was an accident...you need to rest” the doctor said uncomfortably, he was preparing me for bad news, like a patient about to receive a terminal diagnosis.

        “where is my brother?” My voice trembled with fear and anger.

        “He didn’t make it...I’m sorry”

        Angry tears poured out of my eyes. My voice closed on itself and i choked out the word “No”. No...this couldn’t be. I needed my brother, he was the only person I had left. How could I be all alone? Nick couldn’t be dead.