catgirl ! crushed (nightwing)

«chapter forty-six: belle reve»

BROOKLYN'S POV

I slowly open my eyes to the now all to familiar sound of the different medical machines monitoring me.

"Good," Wally says stiffly. "You're awake."

My eyes find his, seeing anger behind them but I can't care about it right now.

"Damian-"

"He is okay."

I nod before opening my mouth, but I can't form the words. Is Dick okay?

Wally frowns, leaning closer to me from his spot beside my bed, "He is okay." My lungs open up at that, taking in more oxygen than before. "I don't know how both of you idiots survived, but you did."

I look at him tiredly, my throat too dry and scratchy to try to speak again.

"The others are on a mission right now. Dick woke up a few hours ago. Both of you have been out cold for a full day," Wally sighs, rubbing his face, "And the second he woke up, he told me to wait in here for you."

I look away at that, my heart squeezing in my chest.

"Not that I wouldn't have already, but he sort of ordered me which wasn't cool if you ask me," He continues, crossing his arms over his chest before he looks up, catching my eye. His face gets deadly serious as he says, "You both... never do that to me, to us, again."

"I don't plan on it," I mutter, my voice hoarse.

His eyes soften before he mutters, "Are you okay? Dick told me a little of what he remembers, which isn't much, but..." He clenches his jaw before continuing, "He remembers almost hurting you. And it's killing him."

I close my eyes, the memories flashing back in my mind. "It wasn't him. He shouldn't feel bad at all. I know... I know he would never hurt me." I open my eyes to look at Wally, pain seeping into my words, "Please make sure he knows I know that."

"What, you aren't going to demand we take all of those medical things out of you so you can march yourself into his room and tell him yourself?" He asks, humor in his tone, but sorrow in his eyes.

Because he knows. He knows if I were really okay then I would do that. If they hadn't affected me mentally... emotionally... I would be myself again.

I shake my head, my eyes brimming with tears. He rushes forward, pulling me into a hug as the first sob shakes my body.

"I'm so sorry, Brookalicious," He mutters, rubbing my back as another sob hits me. "I'm so sorry."

I almost lost Damian. I almost lost him. He almost lost himself. They almost made him kill me.

"Please, make sure he knows I-" I sniff, "-I don't blame him, I understand. I know what it's like." Tears stream down my face, my chest hurting from the pain I know he is probably putting himself through right now.

"I will," He promises, letting me cry for a few more moments before pulling away.

I sniff again, wiping my tears away before I say, "Could you find Black Canary for me?"

"This isn't a distraction so you can slip out of here again, is it?" He asks in an attempt to make another joke, but I see some truth behind it. He is worried I will run.

I shake my head, "I'm over running from you guys... from the only people that care about me, that know me." I reassure him before my eyes shift to my lap, looking at the IV in my wrist before I say, "I need some space. But I'm not running," I look back up at him, "I'm doing it the way I should have a few years ago. With help from people who care about me."