when i come to, my first feeling is immense relief.
i don't know exactly where i am, but the fluorescent lights and sterile smell indicate some sort of infirmary. upon opening my eyes, i confirm this reality. tears of relief brim my eyes.
when they notice i'm awake, bruce sits at the chair next to my bed to be at eye-level with me. he hushes the boys standing by the door, who were just whispering. i sit up, pleasantly surprised by the amount of strength i've regained, presumably due to treatment from bruce. "bruce, where am i? why did i not die?"
in the softest voice i've heard from a man his size, he explains, "you're in the batcave infirmary. you managed to make it out of the explosion just in time. it's an honest-to-god miracle you're alive." i shut my eyes, vivid flashes coming back to me at once.
in my overwhelm, i search the room around me, zeroing in on the kid in the robin costume. "who the fuck are you?" i ask harshly. joker's words flood back to me, and i gasp. "oh my god, bruce. tell me joker was lying. did he--" i choke back a sob. "did he kill dick?"
the second-tallest of the group gingerly approaches my bedside. bruce gives me a knowing look, standing up and letting the boy take his spot. as he nears, i catch his scent. i bite back another sob. "is that really you?" i whisper.
"it's me, perce. you're home."
this time, i can't hold back as sobs wrack my body. bruce ushers the other boys out of the med bay, giving us some space. dick sits on my bed now. i pull back from the hug and hold his face in my hands. "look at you, holy shit!" i laugh through sobs. "you're gorgeous! and you're so alive!"
he grabs my hand, still resting on his cheek, and kisses my palm. "i'm not going anywhere, and neither are you. never again, not if i can help it."
it takes hours to exchange stories. dick regales the stories of the last few years, how much the team has grown, how much they miss me. he fills me in on the expansion of his own family, too, which explains the kid in the robin suit. apparently that turned into a legacy of sorts. he's now nightwing, working out of bludhaven. well, part-time, while he leads the team in his free time.
as i watch him talk and take in the information, all i can focus on is how wrong i was. none of this would've happened if i'd just heard them out in the first place. dick places a hand on my thigh, getting my attention. "hey, pretty girl. where's your head at?"
"i missed so much, dick. it's my fault," i whisper, tears sliding down my face. they don't even pass the apples of my cheeks before dick wipes them away with his thumbs. still holding my face, he smiles at me.
"hey, none of that. there's always something that could've been done, this is just the natural progression of things. you're here now, and i have literally never been happier in my life. you wanna go say hi to the team? they've missed you."
that part doesn't take as much convincing. before he finishes his sentence, i grab the pile of clothes left at the foot of my bed and change in the bathroom, pulling a loud laugh from dick.
music to my ears.
we zeta to the cave hand-in-hand, both in our civvies. our arrival is met with m'gann's screech, followed by those who know me rushing forward and engulfing me in a group hug. i laugh as i push them back gently, giving myself just enough room to talk while still holding my friends. the rest of the team mumbles in the background.
"who is that?" "why does she look so fucked up?" "percy? oh my god!"
dick squeezes my hand in reassurance. the only faces i recognize immediately are kaldur, m'gann, and conner. where are arty and wally?
"where're artemis and wally?" i ask, looking at the group expectantly. the girl in a tiger mask and orange tactical suit steps forward. as she lifts her mask, i gasp.
