Red Rain [Jason Todd]

.68

My hospital door bursts open when I'm at the window, looking out to keep from realizing I'm in here in the first place. Does it work? No. I've been here for a few days, doing a little thinking, and I guess now they were allowing visitors.

"Brielle! THANK GOD, SHIT." Isabella's familiar voice says, making me look down. I'd be thankful and excited to see my best friend, but I'm incapable of doing that or feeling any joy right now. "I WAS ALMOST IN HERE WITH YOU BECAUSE I ALMOST HAD A HEART ATT—"

"Did you know?" I interrupt her with a numb tone. I turn around and look at her, trying to keep from tearing up again, "Did you know about Jason and Kori?"

She looks caught off guard, and her expression changes as expected: she was going to try to play dumb with me. I speak before she can, voice trembling with anger and disgust, "And don't lie to me, Isabella. Did you know?"

She takes a moment before looking away from me with guilt in her eyes, her head nodding. In the time being here, I replayed the short moments I had with her at the manor —how she acted when see the Outlaws fight Poison Ivy, her apology then seeming different and too sympathetic than just because she left out of the blue before target practice.

"Brielle, I'm sorry!" She says in a begging tone as I look away from her and back out the window, "Roy accidentally told me! He said he caught them but they promised him that it was nothing, that they were drunk or something. He told me not to say anything—"

"And you did!" I look back at her with burning tears in my eyes, my voice coming out a shaking yell, "And you decided to choose him over me! Your best friend!?"

"Brielle, it's not like that—"

"I need you to get out." I say quietly, looking back out my window.

"Brielle-" She tries again, but I interrupt her again.

"Get out, Isabella!"

And with that, she leaves my hospital room and I quickly wipe away my few tears and keep looking out the window. Later, I get more visits from my coworkers from the diners, which was nice with gifts like cards and flowers.

My door opens again to more flowers and gifts, this time a group of people walking in. It's Bruce, Tim, Damian, Selina, Katherine, Stephanie, and Cassie. I got to hang out with Katherine, Steph, and Cassie while I was staying at the manor, so I wasn't surprised that they were here with Bruce, Tim, and Damian.

"Hey." I greet with a weak wave, pointing across my hospital bed that I was laying in again, "Put all gifts over there."

They do as told and greet me back with sympathetic smiles, Stephanie asking what happened.

"Motorcycle accident. Wasn't paying attention."

"How do you feel?" Tim asks as they surround my bedsides. I take a moment and avoid the question by changing the subject, "You know you guys didn't have to interrupt your schedules to come visit me."

"Half of us weren't doing anything anyway." Katherine says as she crosses her arms. I glance at Bruce, "And I expect you to have not been that some."

"This was more important." He replies knowingly, offering a smile, "You're family and my family comes first."

I wish that were still true, Bruce.

I only smile fauxly, and eventually bring up something. "You guys seen Dick?"

"Uh, he went back to Blüdhaven I think." Damian answers with a small shrug and Tim adds on with an arch of his eyebrow, "Out of nowhere with no goodbye. And I thought he didn't get off of leave til July 15th."