Second Chances: Batwoman - Rough Draft

Chapter 21

Mary was currently sitting in a chair at Ryan's bedside at Gotham General, a place she'd rarely moved from since Kate had given her that cure for her cellular degeneration. She wanted to be at Ryan's side the moment she woke up, since she knew that the loss of her arm would be a huge blow to Ryan and Mary didn't want her to come to that realization alone. The only reason she'd been allowed to stay past normal visiting hours is because her family had made very significant contributions to the hospital before and prior to her arrest, her mother had held a seat on the hospital's board of directors, but it was safe to assume that Catherine had lost it when she'd been arrested for tampering with a police investigation.

Anyways, Mary was currently reading a book about herbal medicines when she heard a sound she never thought she'd be happy to hear. A groan. Specifically, the sound of her girlfriend groaning, meaning that she was finally waking up after being comatose for the past week.

Mary quickly put her book down and got out of her chair as she rushed to Ryan's bedside while also pressing the button to signal the nurses to come in as she watched those adorable black eyes open up for the first time in a week and honestly, Mary never wanted them to be closed that long again. She knew that Ryan would need to sleep, just as long as she woke up each morning. She was just glad that Ryan didn't have a tube down her throat anymore, instead just air hoses up her nose to help her breathe.

"Mary." Ryan asked, her voice weak and cracking from both lack of use over the past week and also the drugs in her system.

"Ryan." Mary said, so relieved to see her awake, it was taking all her willpower not to kiss her, if only because it was against medical regulations to kiss a patient who'd just come out of a coma. But that didn't stop her from showing the joy on her face or the tears in her eyes.

"What happened?" Ryan asked as she tried to get her bearings.

"Ryan, you're in the hospital. After you stupidly, yet bravely, tried to come to my rescue after Alice abducted me, you got pretty hurt pretty badly. The only reason you're alive is because Batwoman saved you. And me." Mary said, trying to find a way to gently break the news to her about her arm.

"How badly?" Ryan asked as she tried to lift her right arm, only to realize that it was missing as she remembered what Alice had done to her.

"Mary." Ryan said and Mary realized what Ryan had realized.

"Ryan, it's okay, just look at me. Don't think about anything else, just focus on me. On my face and on my voice." Mary said, trying to keep Ryan calm as Ryan used her left arm to move her blanket aside slightly to reveal that all that was left of her right arm was a stump out of her shoulder.

"Alice cut my arm off." Ryan said as the full scope of her situation hit her and for the first time in years, Ryan allowed herself to cry as Mary decided to screw protocol and sat down on the bed and pulled her sobbing girlfriend into her arms.

"That's right baby, let it out. Let it all out. I promise you, I'll help you get through this. We'll find a way to help you adjust." Mary said as she stroked Ryan's back to help calm her down as Ryan's doctor finally entered the room.

"Sorry it took me so long. I'd say it's good to see that Ms. Wilder is awake if it weren't for the fact that given her current state, she's realized what happened?" Ryan's doctor asked and Mary nodded.

"Can you please try and get this check up done as quickly as possible. I don't think she's very comfortable with a lot of people seeing her this way right now." Mary said, since Ryan had stopped crying, she'd now gone into shock.

"Of course. I'll let your family know that she's awake after I'm done checking Ms. Wilder over." the doctor said, since Mary had given instructions that Jada's relationship to Ryan was not to be mentioned to her until Mary had a chance to tell her herself, something that was not unreasonable, even if there was nothing Jada wanted more than to see her daughter, she knew she had yet to earn the right to that right now.

"Thank you." Mary said as she continued to comfort Ryan, knowing it would be awhile before she was ready to start trying to adjust.

Kate smiled as she looked at the message Mary had texted her saying that Ryan was awake and that she'd let her know when she was feeling up for visitors.

"Well, you certainly looked happy." Bruce said as Kate entered his office.

"Haven't you checked your phone?" Kate asked.

"Yes, I know that Ryan's awake, I'm just better at keeping my emotions in check." Bruce said with a smile.

"Anyways, Mary said that she'll text when Ryan's feeling up for visitors, but for now, why don't you tell me why you wanted to see me?" Kate asked.

"Right, well, someone else has offered to help find your mom." Bruce said.

"Who?" Kate asked as Talia walked out.

"Me." Talia said.

"Really, well, who's side are you on today?" Kate asked, since while she had no problem with her cousin flirting with an enemy, if anything, she found it amusing and a little pathetic that the only women he could actually fall for are the ones who wanted to kill him. It was just sad. However, her mom was a different story, she wanted to make sure she knew exactly where Talia's loyalties lied.

"I can understand your caution, but I can assure you, I am trying to turn over a new leaf as you Americans say. Especially since we both know Oliver Queen would kill me if I tried anything, since I know that like your cousin, you won't kill." Talia said.

"You remember?" Kate asked, since that's the only way Talia would know about her connection to Oliver is if she remembered the old multiverse.

"I do. Apparently Oliver wanted to make sure that history would not repeat itself after he killed my father." Talia said.

"To remind you that you two made peace already?" Kate asked.

"No, to remind me that if he can kill my father and my father's greatest enemy, he can kill me easily, since he's learned far more than I taught him and I was extremely lucky he didn't kill me before." Talia said.

"That sounds more like him. But anyways, you think you can help find my mom?" Kate asked.

"I believe I can. After all, I do know how to think like a villain and I am trained in ways you are not." Talia reminded her.

"Okay, I'll take any help I can get to save my mom. Just don't make me regret it." Kate said as she walked away and headed towards her bike to go to the hospital.