Billy Batson (originalmarvel) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-05-19 00:28:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, barbara gordon (batgirl), billy batson (captain marvel) |
Is this a good time for a visit?
Who: Billy Batson, Barbara Gordon
Where: Irvine General
What: Barbara visits a friend, and provides comfort
When: After the wedding
Warnings/Rating: Pg-13 for mentions of NPC death
Status complete
Being on the board of directors for the hospital came in handy sometimes. As Barbara was looking over the admissions sitrep after the latest Stark-Potts wedding fiasco she saw a name she recognized. She hadn’t noticed Billy at the wedding but then everything had gone to hell in a handbasket pretty quickly and she’d been too busy fighting to notice many others except those in her immediate vicinity.
Deciding she would pay him a visit she popped into the bookstore to pick up a selection of books he might like - advanced maths being one of them as well as a wide variety of fiction books from various genres.
Knocking on his door she peeked her head around the door, “Is this a good time for a visit?” she asked.
Billy glanced toward the door, then brightened as he saw her. “Miss Gordon! Hi! It’s always a good time to see you.” He shifted carefully to sit up and smiled at her, honestly glad to see her. Being in the hospital was boring. “How are you today?”
Barbara smiled as she entered the room, “I’m fine thank you” she replied stepping closer to the bed, “More importantly how are you feeling? Being taken care of in here I hope?”
“Good.” He smiled brightly. She was a nice person. “Good to hear.” He smiled and nodded.
“I’m doing okay. Just taking a couple of days. The leg was fractured in two places, and they wanted to check for secondary issues, so I am staying another day. Otherwise, all is well. They are being really cool here, except for the terrible food.” He chuckled. His eyes were a little less sure though. He showed some of his uncertainty and tiredness in those eyes.
Barbara nodded as she came to sit in the chair close to the bed, “I’m glad they are keeping an eye on you. The food is always somewhat lacking” she smiled, “Tell me what you’d like and I’ll have it brought in tonight, it will help your recovery I’m sure”
She noticed the look in his eyes, of course she did, it was a look she knew all too well. “I’m so sorry you had to experience that Billy. If you need anything all you need do is ask and I will help if I can”
“Really? You are awesome.” He smiled brighter at her and gently patted her hand, trying to be comforting. Her words made him look down. “I... I’ll be fine, really. I just never...” His voice caught in his throat as images rushed past him. “I can’t - - -” He had no idea how to talk about it. He glanced at her, then sighed, and looked down again.
“Have you ever had to kill someone?”
She took his hand in hers, placing her other hand over them both. “In my dreams numerous times. Here it was the first time during the attack at the wedding. It’s never easy, it never should be but it can’t be allowed to haunt you” It would take time, he was such a kind soul but she hoped with help he would be able to find some sort of peace.
Billy nodded, and he shuddered, looking at her. “I never tried... not even during this, but then...” and he told her the tale of his encounter with the orcs, and the Oliphaunt, and the arrows... and killing the man. He shuddered as he spoke, his voice hoarse, and his eyes filling with tears. “And I can’t stop seeing it, and remembering the look in his eyes.”
“Oh Billy” she said, moving to sit on the bed gently, wrapping her arms around him comfortingly, “It’s going to take time” she told him softly, “It’s hard I know but what we faced, it was war. And that man accepted the possibility of his death when he took up arms against us. It is terrible and it is unfair but he would not have hesitated to hurt you or the children you were taking to safety”
He nodded and let himself hug her, unsure, but trying to just breathe this in. He smiled a little at her, “Thank you.” He felt like his whole world was unsure right now. “I know, logically, that you are right. I just... I never even thought about killing before .I mean I had hurt orcs to help the kids, but not even killed then, i don’t think. And then,. accidentally, he was there and it was done.” He swallowed.
“I feel like... I don’t know.”
It was terrible to think but it would probably have been easier to accept had it not been an accident, but no matter how it happened she couldn’t let it drag him down.
“It’s hard to know how to feel right now” Barbara told him, rubbing his back as her mother had done to her when she was young and upset, “But you did nothing wrong. It’s never easy when anybody is killed, and it shouldn’t be, but he wasn’t an innocent bystander. He knew what he was doing and the people he would have killed, they wouldn’t have been accidents”
Billy blushed and looked down, breathing in and trying to just accept that, then looking up at her. He was suddenly struck by how close she was, and his cheeks heated all the more.
For a moment, he was distracted, before her words brought things back to him. “I know. I just... I like a man on fire, piercing him with a flaming arrow.,and watched him die. I never dreamed I could, or would, or even might see such a thing.”
He breathed out again and hugged her, burying his head against her and just letting go. He cried again, then, sobs softer than when he had cried before, but still shaking his body.
“I’m so sorry you did have to see it sweetheart” Barbara told him as she held him, letting him cry and offering whatever comfort and support she could. She whispered to him, telling him it was okay, he could let it out now as she rocked them gently.
Slowly, slowly, he stopped crying and held her, until he could pull back and wipe his face and eyes. He smiled softly and shyly at her then. “Thank you. For being here and for... thank you.”
“Anytime” Barbara said honestly, “I mean it, anytime you need to talk to someone or even if you don’t want to talk but just want somebody around, just give me a call, okay?”
“Really? Thanks.” He smiled at her and gave her a big hug. He felt a little better and having someone he could call felt really nice.
“Of course” she replied returning the hug, “You’re welcome” She was glad to be able to help, especially as it was Billy, she felt an almost maternal feeling towards the boy. It was surprising but not unwelcome.
Billy smiled as he hugged her then backed off, nodding. He grinned at her. “I think I just need to rest now, but maybe you and I could have lunch tomorrow? If you’re not busy?”
“I’m not busy” she told him, and even if she had been she would rearrange things, “What would you like? I’ll sneak it in past the nurses” she smiled.
“Oh no, I’ll be out tomorrow. I was thinking we could meet. I know a great Italian place that serves the best spaghetti in town.” He nodded. He felt a surge of like for this woman. She was nice and pretty and she did not judge him. He could get used to that.
“You will? Oh, well then that sounds lovely” she nodded, “Shall I come and pick you up?” she offered, knowing he’d find it hard to get around with his leg.
“That would be awesome!” He reached for a pen and a pad of paper he had coopted from the bedside table. He scribbled his number and address down for her and handed over that sheet after tearing it off. “There. Give me a call when you’re ready and I can be ready when you come by.”
"Perfect" Barbara said with a smile accepting the paper before rising from her chair, "In that case I will see you tomorrow" she reached out and smoothed some of his hair back from his face, "rest and feel better now" she said bending to kiss his cheek.
Billy smiled and blushed, then nodded to her, and closed his eyes. Okay, that had been an awesome visit.
~fin~