InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I started out as a tight end."

stephanie nashton does it all (forthem) wrote in rooms,
@ 2014-05-19 04:22:00

Entry tags:

*voice, eddie nigma, stephanie brown

eddie n.
[call to eddie n.]

[A couple days after she's checked it. Mid-morning, just past 10, after her early morning routine: hospital (blargh) breakfast, her daily dosage of medications, and her first group therapy of the day. Ring, ring, and the caller ID says VA HOSP on it.]

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	eddie/steph riddlethem 2014-05-19 08:39 am UTC (link)
	[Eddie's in the cave, listening to the file Ra's sent one more time. When he sees who's calling, he answers immediately. Like a dog wagging its tail:] Hey, baby. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 08:56 am UTC (link)
	[Sounds of the hospital around her. Distant beeping of someone else's heart monitor. Announcements over the PA. She's sitting out in the hallway, on the payphone because they haven't given her access to her room phone just yet and she's wary about using her journal. Softly.] Hi, baby. [Then, she smiles just a little.] Hi, fiancé. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph riddlethem 2014-05-19 08:58 am UTC (link)
	[Smile and a laugh that sounds rough. Like it hasn't been used in a while.] Hey future wifey. [He leans back in the chair, looking up at the audio waves of Selina's voice.] Am I allowed to call you wifey when we're married or...? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 09:03 am UTC (link)
	[A tiny laugh. It's not her usual one. A little more subdued. Tired, maybe.] You can call me whatever you want as long as it isn't woman. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph riddlethem 2014-05-19 09:07 am UTC (link)
	Well, we both know I can't promise that. [He stares at the computer screen a little longer and then turns it off. He gets up and starts to walk out of the cave. There's a familiar echo, squeaking bats.] How was your morning so far? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 09:17 am UTC (link)
	You're supposed to be lulling me into a false sense of security, Nashton. That just tells me you'll call me wifey regardless if I said yes or no. [She sighs.] Good. Good. They're putting me into a routine. Meals, medicine, therapy, blah blah. [Twirling the phone cord around her finger.] I had my first group session today. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: eddie/steph

riddlethem
2014-05-19 09:23 am UTC (link)

I've read two books about keeping a stable marriage. One, written by a woman who advocates organic backyard gardens, insists that surprises are good for every marriage. The other, written by a man with five children, insists that surprises are a much more delicate subject. I think they're both full of shit. Though, a garden doesn't sound like a bad idea. [He stops on the stairs.] Routines were my favorite part of treatment. It's predictable, I know. And, they never let me in group therapy because I'm a narcissist. What's it like there?

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	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 09:31 am UTC (link)
	[Amused.] When did you read those? What do you think then? [She pulls a face he can't see.] It's making it easier to focus though, I guess. [A thoughtful rumble.] It's [...] different. Hearing other people's problems and having to share your own with strangers essentially. I'm still getting used to it. To all of it. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph riddlethem 2014-05-19 09:35 am UTC (link)
	Yesterday. I needed to give my brain some rest and there wasn't any good baseball on tv. I think surprising you has always been one of my favorite things to do, so we're keeping 'em. [He leaves the cave and goes looking around the manor for Matilda. Quietly.] I wish I was there. Every day, I wish I was there with you. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 09:46 am UTC (link)
	[A better laugh.] Of course you read them all in one day. And I swear I'm surprising you one day. I'll do it. I swear. [A little sadder. Whispering. Slowly.] I miss you, too. I miss you so much. [A little quicker.] You haven't been by yet. I was worried. This is the first time I've gotten to a phone. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph riddlethem 2014-05-19 09:49 am UTC (link)
	It's easy to forget that I'm a super genius with how cute I am. I know. [A regretful noise.] I wanted to be there. I really did. I just- [Small pause.] Every day is like good news bad news. And, the bad news just gets worse. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 09:56 am UTC (link)
	Just you wait. I've got lots of time to figure something out. I'll do it. [A shuddering sigh. Playing with her ring, like she's been doing every time she gets nervous. Repeated.] I was worried. What bad news? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph riddlethem 2014-05-19 10:03 am UTC (link)
	[Softly.] I shouldn't have worried you. I called the nurse, but they're protective over patients. I'm sorry. [He sighs.] Well, Selina was very happy to hear we're getting married. She said she knows everything is going to work out for you and me in that kitty cat way she says things. [A smile. Then a shaky breath.] Well, not a day later, Ra's kidnapped her. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 10:09 am UTC (link)
	It's not your fau- [Suddenly, loudly.] WHAT? [Then she gets a chastising look. Off to the side, assuring a nurse that she's fine, please five more minutes. After a couple of seconds, Steph comes back. At a whisper, a little tersely.] What? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: eddie/steph

riddlethem
2014-05-19 10:13 am UTC (link)

[Welp. They wanted surprises. Lowly, as if they're whispering secrets to each other.] Ra's wanted to use her as bait to get the Dark Knight back on track. To make him be a hero, presumably. I think there's something else going on but I don't...I don't know. [Finally, Matilda comes trotting down the hall with a ball in her mouth.] Hey, girl. [To Stephanie:] 'tilda says hi.

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	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 10:19 am UTC (link)
	[Deep, deep breaths. In and out. Voice shaky.] Tell me everything? [She smiles a little, softer.] Hi, beautiful girl. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph riddlethem 2014-05-19 10:25 am UTC (link)
	[He doesn't answer the first part. Not right away. Instead he kneels down and pets Matilda.] Matilda it's your mooom. Do you wanna say hello? Do you, good girl? [A happy bark and a whine.] She says she misses you. I'd go try to find the cats, but it's a big fucking mansion. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 10:32 am UTC (link)
	[A wibbly smile. Her breathing calms down. Resting her head on the wall.] Tell her I miss her, too. Send me pictures? They tried to take away the journal, but I got a new one. [Then, a thoughtful noise.] You're staying with Bruce? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph riddlethem 2014-05-19 10:37 am UTC (link)
	I'll send you all the pictures. Did you know Bruce has a cat? It's a complete princess. [Throwing the ball down the hallway. Matilda goes running.] Yeah. I couldn't stay at home, baby. Every goddamned inch of it makes me hurt for you. And, with everything going on, it's better that I'm here. I keep busy. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: eddie/steph forthem 2014-05-19 10:42 am UTC (link)
	I didn't. Is she getting along with our girls? [A noise. Regretful and a little apologetic. As if that's her fault.] I'm sorry, baby. You should be able to sleep in your own bed and not have to go to someone else's place to deal with it. If I just... [A long, long sigh. Facing the ceiling.] Tell me everything. Please? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: eddie/steph

riddlethem
2014-05-19 10:47 am UTC (link)

Well, her and Bandit are having stand offs, but everyone loves derpy Isis. [Smile that fades. Insistent.] No, no, baby. Don't be sorry. It's just how things are. I don't want to sleep in that bed without you. I won't. And, I can wait for you. You know I can.

[He wanders down to the kitchen, looks out the window to see rain clouds and then decides to make coffee.] Ra's sent an audio clip of Selina. She said her name, said she didn't know where she was and begged Bats not to come for her. Which is silly, we know that. [Sadly.] I couldn't get much from the audio and her apartment didn't leave clues either. This is all on Bruce's shoulders, I think. [Pause.] She has a guy in the Marvel door. I don't want to get him involved, but if you went missing those first few weeks we were together and no one told me, I'd be livid.

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Re: eddie/steph

forthem
2014-05-19 11:23 am UTC (link)

[There's a sad little smile that he doesn't get to see, but she's sure he can imagine. She misses her girls almost as much as she misses her man. Almost. She sounds sad.] I still can't sleep without you. They keep giving me medication for my insomnia, but I haven't had a good sleep in days.

[She starts shifting around, too. Pushing herself off the wall to pace in the little circle she can. The nurses are a little piqued. Whispered because no one knows about her and the bats or anything else.] This is not good. This is not good, Eddie. You said something else is happening. What if it's really big and really bad? [A noise.] The boyfriend, right? Baby, you would know before anyone else regardless of when it was. He'll figure it out. Don't they talk a lot?

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Re: eddie/steph

riddlethem
2014-05-19 11:30 am UTC (link)

[Quietly.] I wish I could hold you until we fall asleep. I miss that.

[He smirks.] You're pacing. I can tell you're pacing. [He starts making coffee.] I don't know. It's the start of something, at least. The good news is that Diana is going to be here in an hour or so to help me end this cult stuff. And, I know Bats will get Selina back soon. He never fails at that. Even if they're on the rocks. [Sigh.] I don't know. I just know he's this super quiet, sensitive guy who always has that Iron Man around. I honestly don't give a damn if they want to help, they saved Grayson's life, but there'd be too many cooks in the kitchen. The Dark Knight and one or two other birds need to take care of this.

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Re: eddie/steph

forthem
2014-05-19 11:43 am UTC (link)

[Softly.] I miss that, too. I miss that more than you realize.

[She stops.] Stop that. [But she's smiles for a second that he knows her so well. Looking down at that purple ring on her left hand while he speaks.] Having stuff to work on will be good. Hopefully Diana will be good for you, baby. I need her to be good for you. [And wasn't that telling. That she needed Eddie to be okay.] He's going to be pissed he didn't find out, Eddie. You know that. Don't you think that'd cause a big thing too? What happens when he comes storming in with that guy and you all won't know it. What if they go after Ra's by themselves?

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Re: eddie/steph

riddlethem
2014-05-19 11:52 am UTC (link)

[Smirk when she tells him to stop.] You like it. [He goes back to making coffee.] Diana is turning out to be a good friend. If you need someone to talk to that isn't a doctor, you should message her later. She's one of the few people around here who knows what war feels like. [And, look at him needing Stephanie to be okay, too.] Telling him is betraying the bat. There's no way around it. It's a betrayal. And, Selina probably doesn't want this guy to know.