storm warning ,

[aurorapennyworth]

alex-riker​:

Now that she’d made a decision, he took the turn to go home, rather than the nearest urgent care. He hated that he had a mental map of all the medical facilities in the area.

“Then it’s settled. Home, bandaids, apologize to Apollo, nap.” He reached over to find her hand and give it a squeeze, not looking away from the road in front of them. “I promise your brother doesn’t bother me. I promise I would tell you if it did. I married you, remember? I knew what I signed up for, shitty in-laws and all. Remember how not-thrilled my parents were, too?”

“Besides,” Alex grinned, “I have the perfect job. I have pretty much unlimited funding thrown at my research, which lets me be a mad scientist, and pretty much no one ever bugs me, because they’re afraid I’ll release some world-ending super virus or something. Literally the only down side is that your brother is my boss, and even then–he has no idea what I really do and as long as I use enough big words when I explain it, he’ll just nod and leave. Really, baby, I’m happy with things.”

A few more turns and they’d be home safe, and Rory could curl up and be as sad and pathetic as she felt like, and he’d just spend the rest of the afternoon doting on her until she made him stop. “Snuggling, she says,” He chuckled, “More like hogging the bed and pushing me off the edge when she’s through with me.”

...

“And shower. Shower is probably first on my list of priorities.” She wanted a shower more than she wanted a nap, and that was definitely saying something. Apologizing to Apollo sounded a little extreme... but it was probably what was going to happen: she was a sucker for her dog, and did feel bad for ignoring his warnings. After all, it was his job to know when the seizures were coming and he’d been trained for this. She almost said that she wouldn’t ignore him next time, but they’d both know that was a lie. “I mean, shitty in laws doesn’t even really begin to cover my family, but the sentiment is appreciated all the same.” Her parents were...overbearing, and that was putting it generously, and they had certainly been enraged when their daughter had decided to take her life into her own hands as soon as she’d been legally allowed to. Really, it was just the latest on a long list of rash decisions that Rory had made in her life, but the consequences of this one were far more extreme. “I think I’d take your parents’ reaction any day.“ Nodding along as she curled up slightly in the seat, pulling her legs up, she looked over at him with a tiny smile. “Yeah, yeah, I know, you nerdgasm about it all the time. I’m glad it worked out, even if the situation is weird. You can geek out all you want, even if it means dealing with Donald on a daily basis.” But it was good that he was happy with the situation, considering it was definitely...unconventional. Her brother was hard to deal with normally, let alone when you married his baby sister on her eighteenth birthday. “I mean, yeah, that is like...the definition of snuggling with me.” But she might be feeling a little more content to stay curled up for longer, considering she’d just had a grand mal seizurein the middle of class and hit her head pretty hard on a desk. She wouldn’t say that out loud, though. “Take it or leave it, really.”

[aurorapennyworth]

alex-riker​:

Alex rounded the hood and slipped into the front seat, pausing long enough to crank the volume knob on the stereo all the way down before pressing the ignition button. From the corner of his eye, he could see Rory poking at her forehead and examining the damage.

She was in a contrary mood, like she always was after an episode, and while he’d gotten her into the car, they’d stalled again at another disagreement. He’d need to find something to offer her in return for letting him do what he needed to do. And honestly, their entire relationship was based on him warding off her family with a little bit of semi-age-inappropriate romance. As Alex pulled away from the curb and pointed the car towards one of the roads winding off campus, he sighed softly.

“Donnie doesn’t scare me, Ror. And he’d have to be more than an asshole to me to upset me. He can’t bully me any more than some high schoolers did.” Growing up gangly and geeky did a lot for developing the thick skin he needed to protect Aurora from her overbearing family. “And besides, I like pissing him off. He turns all red-purple and you can practically see the steam coming out of his ears… it’s hilarious. Your brother is wound so tight a soft breeze could ruin his whole existence.”

The car merged onto one of the busier roads leading away from the school and towards their side of town. “But okay. How about we go home and stick that pretty face back together with bandages, skip urgent care, and you let me deal with Donnie. Or, if you’re still so sure you want to talk to him, then we go to urgent care and you can call him after. It’s your choice.”

... “He doesn’t scare me, either. He’s just...like a pitbull. Looks scary, absolute mush on the inside. You just aren’t privy to the mush on the inside, you get the bark instead.” Rory would like to say that her brother had more bark than bite, but well, she knew she’d be lying; he hadn’t made a career in the military for himself on talk. “But I’m glad it doesn’t bother you...or, well, that you claim it doesn’t bother you. If it actually does bother you then you need to speak up. For better or or worse and all that definitely covers my brother being a royal asshole.” Rory rolled her eyes again, another wince following: the reflex was automatic but God her head hurt too much or it. “I mean...you’re not wrong. I spent a good deal of my childhood trying to be that soft breeze, so I mean, I get it. I also don’t have to work with him though.” It was still so...unfortunate how that had worked out, and Rory had trouble wrapping her head around it. The fact that her husband ended up working not only with but for her older brother who had certainly made his...opinions on their marriage known was still almost humorous. Sighing as she poked at the cut once last time, Rory flipped the visor back up and settled back into the seat. “Fine, fine. If you wanna deal with my brother than by all means, deal with my brother.” That was a lot easier than she’d been anticipating: she’d expected a bigger fight on going to get checked out, but she wasn’t going to complain. She was too tired to even think about having to the doctor. She didn’t even like to go for preventative reasons when she was feeling fine, let alone when she was cranky with one of the worst headaches she’d had in a while. “Donnie’s all yours, no complaints here.” Even if she was planning on texting her brother a reminder to play nice. “Butterfly bandages and a nap it is. Play your cards right and I may even allow some snuggling before that nap.” Her tone was teasing, and she leaned over slightly in the seat to nudge him with her elbow.

[aurorapennyworth]

alex-riker​:

He knew she had to feel like shit. Hell, he felt like shit just sympathizing with her pain. While he didn’t experience seizures (thank God, because one of them had to drive and shit), he had seen her living with them long enough to know just how much they wrecked her emotional state, her cognitive state, and sometimes, like today, her physical state. She had every right to be grumpy, and he wasn’t going to take her bad mood personally. 

Honestly, he wished she could lead a normal life. He wished that they hadn’t met in an ER, hadn’t gotten married to get her out overbearing (but slightly justified) parents’ care, that she didn’t need to take medication and bring Apollo everywhere and worry for her own safety. Even if it meant he wouldn’t have a chance to love her, she deserved to be a normal girl. But she wasn’t normal, and no amount of hoping and wishing would change that.

“I mean, it’s not, but you think I’m going to let him yell at you? What kinda husband would I be? Besides, it’s a little funny when he tries. What’s he gonna do–fire me? Good luck replacing me, bro.” Was he bragging? Maybe a little. But he was good at his job and finding someone else to fill the rather… unique… position he had would be a bigger headache than just working with Alex and pretending that the young postdoc wasn’t a gleefully willing pawn in Rory’s game of family spite.

Her lips brushed his jaw, and he could feel her press into his side as she stretched to reach. “Always, Ror. I love you.” He opened the car door for her so she could slide into the front seat. “I’m just glad you’re okay…ish.”

...

“He’s not going to yell at me. I’d like to see him try to yell at me.” Her relationship with her brother was...complicated. He was so much older than her that at times he felt like another parent, which was the last thing that Rory wanted. They’d always been close, but with that certainly came a good deal of annoyance as well. There was no doubt that Rory loved her brother (and that he also loved her), but her frustration with how he treated her had only grown over the past few years. She’d all but cut off all contact with their parents, and most days it felt like Donnie stepped right in to take their place. “He might not fire you, but he can be a straight up asshole to you, so I mean...there’s that.” Which seemed par for the course, unfortunately. Rory did her best, but she wasn’t sure her brother was ever going to like her husband. “Regardless, I’d rather him not yell at you for my fuck up, so I can handle my brother. What kinda wife would I be if I let him yell at you?” She offered a bit of a smile at that, repeating his words in reverse back to him. Rory eased herself into the car, reaching automatically for the visor to flip it down and check out the damage. “I love you, too. And I am okay, not ish.” Well, she would be, anyway. “I just need to take a shower and a nap and I’ll be back in fighting shape.” She was so tired, and knew staying awake for an extended period was going to be a task: she always just wanted to sleep over a seizure, the afterfog making her overwhelmingly exhausted. She poked at the cut in her forehead, expression shifting into a wince as she manipulated the skin around it a bit. “I really, really think urgent care is unnecessary. I’ve got butterfly bandages in the closet at home and they would fix this up just fine.”

[aurorapennyworth]

alex-riker​:

Alex’s stomach twisted hard listening to her mutter about overdoing it on the meds. Goddammit, Rory. She needed to take it easier, especially when she had tests and plenty else piled on her plate. And she was overdue to see her neurologist. He made a mental note to force her to schedule an appointment tomorrow, but he knew it would slip his mind long before tomorrow arrived.

“Maybe I am. Is it working?” He let a playful note creep into his voice and gave her hand a squeeze. So she could be a toddler at times, but he liked her brightness and glow. Even if sometimes it made his life hard. He already knew he wasn’t going back to work today. Not like his boss could get mad at him when he was caring for Boss Guy’s baby sister.

“C'mon, Ror. We’ll get you checked, get ice cream, bug Apollo… You can pick the movie tonight. I’ll make dinner… Your brother will yell at me. It’ll be a good time. You’ll see.” He pushed the crash bar to open the door to the outside, where his car was still parked in the fire lane, hazards on. “Careful with the steps.”

...

“No, it’s not working.” Rory was grumpy, and that was becoming more and more evident. Truthfully, she just didn’t feel well. Her head was still foggy in the way that it always was after a seizure (in the way that always made her cranky and disoriented), and all she wanted to do was sleep. Adding the throbbing in her head from where she’d hit it, and really, her mood was in the toilet. She was regretting even trying to come onto campus to take her exam, but she would never admit that out loud, pride absolutely getting in the way. It was so frustrating when stupid and simple day to day things were disrupted for reasons outside of her control. The preventative medications probably needed to be adjusted, which was going to be a headache in and of itself, and even then there was still always going to be an odd seizure or two despite the precautions. “I’ll handle Donnie. None of this is your fault.” No, it was hers, which...tracked, really. But her brother seemed to have a determination to dislike her husband, regardless of Rory’s opinions on the matter. “He’s always yelling about something.” Another roll of the eyes, followed by another wince. God, her head hurt. “I’ll text him in a little bit to let him know I’m going to need you for the rest of the day so maybe you can just avoid talking to him altogether.” Doubtful, but she could hope. Despite her mood, she took a moment when they stepped outside to curl into his side, closing her eyes against the too-bright sun making her head ache even more. It was easy to be grumpy and give into being an asshole, but he’d come to her rescue yet again and she was doing her best to be mindful of that. “Thanks for coming to get me,” she said after a moment, leaning up to press a kiss against the underside of his jaw.

[alex-riker]

aurorapennyworth‌:

Rory scowled, for a moment looking like a moody child at the conditions she was offered with her arms crossed over her chest. She hated going to the doctor, but knew it was going to be necessary this time. She hadn’t even seen her head yet, but she could still feel the blood slowly oozing out. “Fine,” she grumbled, sighing as she finally looked at him. “Is it that bad?”

Rory felt a sense of relief when she spotted the clothes, and nodded. Alex was always do prepared, and she was just…not. It would be so easy to keep a spare set of clothes in her backpack, but she always forgot. It always escaped her mind until it was too late and she needed them then and there, in situations like this. Sometimes she really hated her inability to think ahead. “Thanks, baby,” she said finally, offering the ghost of a smile as the corners of her lips tilted upward.

“I didn’t lock him in the bedroom this time, so hopefully he hasn’t eaten anything….” Sighing again, she took his hands and accepted his help to stand. She was so damn sore and still a little wobbly, but with his help and that of the wall beside her she felt stable. “Bathroom is right next door.” She could make it that far, and she wanted a few minutes alone to compose herself. “Be right back.”

But honestly, it took a little longer than just a few minutes for the fact that she was really still wobbly and she was ever so thankful she was in the science building with an eyewash station and a chemical shower. A quick rinse off was merited, even if she had to use hand soap it was better than nothing. She re-emerged, clothes triple bagged up and zipped away in her backpack. “Can we really, really not just go home?”

“It’s that bad, baby,” Alex confirmed as he helped her to her feet. The faint smile she offered him sent his heart soaring. As much stress and work and heartache came with loving Rory, she could always light up his day with a simple smile. “I’ll wait in the hall for you, then we’ll go see how much Apollo ate.”

When she emerged a quarter of an hour later, some of her old sparkle was beginning to reappear. At least she was clean and changed, hair washed of all the blood but clumping as it dried from the hand soap she used to clean it.

“We can’t, my love. I really think you could use a stitch or two, and I want them to check you out for a concussion. You look like you had quite the spill.” Alex held out his hand to take her backpack from her. “We can get ice cream after, if you want… or I’ll bring you ice cream at home.”

[aurorapennyworth]

Rory's expression turned sour, lips pursing for a moment. She held back her initial snappy response, reminding herself that he just had to come from work to pick her up after she very pointedly ignored her needs and left her service animal at home. She felt like a little kid in trouble, and hated it. His responses were always better than Donnie's and the rest of her family's, but it was a hard feeling to shake.

"It was a desk," she mumbled, sighing as she shuffled her feet. "I think I hit the metal part. My head fucking hurts." The steady throb was getting harder to ignore, and nausea was swirling in her stomach. She offered up the backpack with no hesitation, extending her hand out for his once he had taken it, looking for both stability and comfort. She still felt foggy and gross even after her quick faux-shower, and wanted nothing more than to take a real shower and a nap.

"One or two stitches is unnecessary, and there's nothing they can do for a concussion." Her argument was a grumble, and she sighed. "...Urgent care is probably not a bad idea," she relented after a moment. "I may or may not have overdone it on my meds trying to hold this off until later." Really, that could be the source of the nausea as well. "And are you for real trying to bribe me with ice cream? I'm not five, Alex."

[alex-riker]

aurorapennyworth‌:

“No.” Her tone was not nearly as stubborn as it normally was, but the edge was certainly still there. “I’m fine. You don’t need to carry me.” God, that was the last thing she needed. She had attracted enough attention with massive seizure she’d had in the middle of midterms. “I’m fine.” Ha. “I just need a minute.” And a nap. “Can we skip the urgent care? It’s okay. Really. Heads bleed a lot, I’m sure it’s much worse than it is.”

All she wanted was to go home. She wanted a shower and to tuck herself into bed with Apollo and call it a day. Try again tomorrow….even if it was hardly ten in the morning. “Did you bring clothes?” She sat all the way up, hiding a wince best she could. Maybe they should go to urgent care… “Can you just help me up? I just need to change, and then we can go.” As fast as they possibly could. Classmates would be finishing up their exams soon, and the last thing she needed was more stares. Hell, stares in the first place were why she had elected to leave Apollo at home.

Speaking of. “Can we go get Apollo?” She still could never tell if another seizure was coming, or if she was still just stuck in the after-funk, as they both felt so similar. “I ignored him all morning. He’s probably freaking out.” Last time he’d eaten through some drywall trying to leave, and she wouldn’t be surprised if he had again.

“I won’t carry you, but only if we go to urgent care,” He countered, reaching for the backpack he’d dropped as soon as he’d entered the classroom. Dealing with Rory often meant making concessions, but he tried to negotiate for what would make the biggest impact on her wellbeing.

Alex rifled through the bag, emerging with a full outfit–yoga pants, underwear, comfy tee-shirt, and all–for her. He’d gotten into the habit of keeping a spare change of clothes in the car for her… just in case. “Yeah, baby, I got clothes right here,” He showed her the neatly folded stack, before tucking it under his arm to help her to her feet. “Let’s get you cleaned up and changed.”

He was a bit surprised when she asked for Apollo. Rory loved her dog, but he was such a nag that she sometimes tried to avoid him. Especially after doing something like this. Alex knew all too well about Apollo’s disappointed, accusing stares. “Yeah, sweetheart. We’ll go get him. Show him you’re okay.” Alex hoped that the dog hadn’t destroyed the house while they were gone. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“C’mon. Let’s get you up.”

[aurorapennyworth]

Rory scowled, for a moment looking like a moody child at the conditions she was offered with her arms crossed over her chest. She hated going to the doctor, but knew it was going to be necessary this time. She hadn't even seen her head yet, but she could still feel the blood slowly oozing out. "Fine," she grumbled, sighing as she finally looked at him. "Is it that bad?"

Rory felt a sense of relief when she spotted the clothes, and nodded. Alex was always do prepared, and she was just...not. It would be so easy to keep a spare set of clothes in her backpack, but she always forgot. It always escaped her mind until it was too late and she needed them then and there, in situations like this. Sometimes she really hated her inability to think ahead. "Thanks, baby," she said finally, offering the ghost of a smile as the corners of her lips tilted upward.

"I didn't lock him in the bedroom this time, so hopefully he hasn't eaten anything...." Sighing again, she took his hands and accepted his help to stand. She was so damn sore and still a little wobbly, but with his help and that of the wall beside her she felt stable. "Bathroom is right next door." She could make it that far, and she wanted a few minutes alone to compose herself. "Be right back."

But honestly, it took a little longer than just a few minutes for the fact that she was really still wobbly and she was ever so thankful she was in the science building with an eyewash station and a chemical shower. A quick rinse off was merited, even if she had to use hand soap it was better than nothing. She re-emerged, clothes triple bagged up and zipped away in her backpack. "Can we really, really not just go home?"

[alex-riker]

aurorapennyworth‌:

She was so tired, she couldn’t keep her eyes open. At the back of her mind, she half-wondered if that was due to the seizure or due to a concussion…or both. She could feel the warmth of sticky blood matting her hair, and knew Alex would probably insist on going to the clinic this time, if not the emergency room. She could usually fight her way out of it, but even she knew her chances were slim this time around.

Despite the uncomfortable position and the absolute pounding of her head, she was almost asleep when she heard her husband’s voice. She caught the surprised look of the EMT, who had likely been expecting a parent, and rolled her eyes again then flinched. God, even that hurt. She sat up a little straighter against the wall, preparing herself to stand up. She still felt so fuzzy that she didn’t dare try it just yet. All at once, she missed Apollo. Not only was he helpful in warning her, but he never would’ve let her hit her head. He took care of her during and after, and she felt tears brimming as her throat began to burn.

“Hi,” she mumbled once the paperwork was signed, sniffing as she tried to keep the tears at bay. “Don’t touch me, I’m gross. Just give me a second and I’ll get up.” Normally, she’d try to play the pitiful card to keep him from being mad, but this time no such act was necessary; it was a bad one. “My head hurts.”

Oh god, Rory… She looked so damn small and fragile on the floor, her hair matted with dried blood. Someone had covered her with a jacket, shielding her embarrassment from prying eyes. He was grateful for that.

Alex knelt beside her and the EMT, silently signing the necessary paperwork and allowing them to leave the scene. He sighed softly as he looked at Rory, now struggling to keep her eyes open. He shrugged off his lab coat to wrap around her and cover her up, and allow the EMT to take his coat back as they left the empty classroom.

“Hi,” He murmured, tucking her hair behind her ears as gently as he could. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to get up alone.” Alex pushed aside his anger at how foolishly Rory played with her safety, keeping his voice soft and gentle. “Can I carry you down to the car? I’m going to take you to urgent care to get your head looked at, okay?”

[aurorapennyworth]

"No." Her tone was not nearly as stubborn as it normally was, but the edge was certainly still there. "I'm fine. You don't need to carry me." God, that was the last thing she needed. She had attracted enough attention with massive seizure she'd had in the middle of midterms. "I'm fine." Ha. "I just need a minute." And a nap. "Can we skip the urgent care? It's okay. Really. Heads bleed a lot, I'm sure it looks much worse than it is."

All she wanted was to go home. She wanted a shower and to tuck herself into bed with Apollo and call it a day. Try again tomorrow....even if it was hardly ten in the morning. "Did you bring clothes?" She sat all the way up, hiding a wince best she could. Maybe they should go to urgent care... "Can you just help me up? I just need to change, and then we can go." As fast as they possibly could. Classmates would be finishing up their exams soon, and the last thing she needed was more stares. Hell, stares in the first place were why she had elected to leave Apollo at home.

Speaking of. "Can we go get Apollo?" She still could never tell if another seizure was coming, or if she was still just stuck in the after-funk, as they both felt so similar. "I ignored him all morning. He's probably freaking out." Last time he'd eaten through some drywall trying to leave, and she wouldn't be surprised if he had again.

[alex-riker]

aurorapennyworth‌:

All the warning signs had been there, but she had ignored each and every one - the unmistakable copper taste in her mouth, the headache, the general off and fuzzy feeling. That coupled with Apollo’s immediate whine from the second she opened her eyes was a sure thing; she was going to have a seizure. She didn’t know when or where or any of the details, but it was going to come. Unfortunately, that didn’t work for her. She had an exam, one that she absolutely could not miss, and she would just need to…work through it.

That was the plan, anyway.

Rory had taken roughly double her prescribed medications, and had left Apollo at home. He wouldn’t let her take the test, would alert her and everyone else that something was amiss, and she couldn’t have that. She just had to take the test quick, and go home. Perfect plan.

Except things got worse, as they always do. She couldn’t focus, had to re-read the questions twice. Her fingers and whole arm started going numb. Her leg was twitching, and barely three questions in and it was over. Grand mal, right in the middle of her environmental science class. God, how embarrassing.

When she came to, she was in an empty classroom. Her head hurt, and she deduced she’d probably hit her head on either the desk or the floor. Or both. Probably both. Her mouth hurt too, and it only took a second for her to process that she’d bitten her tongue and cheek rather badly. She groaned, looking down at her lap to note the fireman’s jacket spread across her legs to hide the unfortunate consequences of losing control of every muscle in her body. Even worse; how could this situation get even worse? Her head was still fuzzy, and she closed her eyes as she tilted her head back against the wall behind her. It was cold, and helped her feel a little better. She swatted away the unfamiliar hand examining the medical ID bracelet on her wrist, sighing. “Do you need a transport?” She groaned, and shook her head. God, the thought of going to the hospital was unbearable. She just needed some ice and some sleep. “I can see this isn’t your first rodeo.” She opened her eyes to roll him, and thought the EMT should be glad she was too tired to snap or hit him. “You may need some stitches.” Desk it was. That was why her head hurt so badly.  “I’m going to strongly suggest at least an urgent care, and I’ll need you or your responsible part to sign that you’re declining transport to the hospital. You have two emergency contacts listed here, Donnie or–” “Not Donnie.” Her voice was raspy, and she cleared her throat. “Alexander.” Donnie’s lecture would be a million times worse. “…and tell him to bring clothes, please.”

Work was a little slow today, honestly. He was waiting for some cultures to mature, waiting for data to get crunched, waiting for orders. Waiting, waiting, waiting. He didn’t mind too much, of course. Waiting meant he had free time to read, which was his favorite thing in the world to do–well, that he did alone. 

Alex leaned over for the bag slouched under his desk, fishing through the backpack for his latest read–Modern Quantum Chemistry. Okay, so it wasn’t the most thrilling read, but he was learning a lot. It was giving him some great ideas to apply to his wo–

The buzz of his cellphone in his pocket interrupted him mid-paragraph, and he pulled it out to check the screen. He knew Rory had a test today, but she’d said she was getting a ride home from a classmate, and didn’t need him to leave work to pick her up after, but there was her name and smiling picture on his screen. Maybe her ride had backed out and she needed him to come get her after all.

“Yo, ‘sup?” He answered the phone, still sounding distracted. He was trying to re-read the paragraph while he answered her.

“Alexander Riker?” An unfamiliar male voice asked. Alex’s stomach dropped as he realized why he was getting this call.

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“I’m here with Aurora Riker. She had a s–”

“Are you transporting her to the ER, or did she refuse?” Alex interrupted the EMT. He was already stuffing his book back into his bag and dragging it out from under his desk to look for his keys.

“She refused, but I ne–”

“Someone to sign the paperwork. I’ll be there in like, fifteen minutes. Don’t let her up. The dog’s name’s Apollo.”

“Dog?”

“Goddammit. I’m on my way.”

“She wants a–”

“Change of clothes. I’ve got one in the car. Be right there.”

Alex bounded out of his lab and down the hall, open lab coat flapping behind him as he ran through the bland, bureaucratic-looking hallways of headquarters. He was going to kill Rory this time, he swore it.

True to his word, he was out of breath, but pushing open her classroom door a mere eighteen minutes later. “Hey, I’m Alex, her husband.”

[aurorapennyworth]

She was so tired, she couldn't keep her eyes open. At the back of her mind, she half-wondered if that was due to the seizure or due to a concussion...or both. She could feel the warmth of sticky blood matting her hair, and knew Alex would probably insist on going to the clinic this time, if not the emergency room. She could usually fight her way out of it, but even she knew her chances were slim this time around.

Despite the uncomfortable position and the absolute pounding of her head, she was almost asleep when she heard her husband's voice. She caught the surprised look of the EMT, who had likely been expecting a parent, and rolled her eyes again then flinched. God, even that hurt. She sat up a little straighter against the wall, preparing herself to stand up. She still felt so fuzzy that she didn't dare try it just yet. All at once, she missed Apollo. Not only was he helpful in warning her, but he never would've let her hit her head. He took care of her during and after, and she felt tears brimming as her throat began to burn.

"Hi," she mumbled once the paperwork was signed, sniffing as she tried to keep the tears at bay. "Don't touch me, I'm gross. Just give me a second and I'll get up." Normally, she'd try to play the pitiful card to keep him from being mad, but this time no such act was necessary; it was a bad one. "My head hurts."

[nowheregirl25]

Freya Mavor for The Picture Journal, 2019

[aurorapennyworth]

All the warning signs had been there, but she had ignored each and every one - the unmistakable copper taste in her mouth, the headache, the general off and fuzzy feeling. That coupled with Apollo’s immediate whine from the second she opened her eyes was a sure thing; she was going to have a seizure. She didn’t know when or where or any of the details, but it was going to come. Unfortunately, that didn’t work for her. She had an exam, one that she absolutely could not miss, and she would just need to...work through it.

That was the plan, anyway.

Rory had taken roughly double her prescribed medications, and had left Apollo at home. He wouldn’t let her take the test, would alert her and everyone else that something was amiss, and she couldn’t have that. She just had to take the test quick, and go home. Perfect plan.

Except things got worse, as they always do. She couldn’t focus, had to re-read the questions twice. Her fingers and whole arm started going numb. Her leg was twitching, and barely three questions in and it was over. Grand mal, right in the middle of her environmental science class. God, how embarrassing.

When she came to, she was in an empty classroom. Her head hurt, and she deduced she’d probably hit her head on either the desk or the floor. Or both. Probably both. Her mouth hurt too, and it only took a second for her to process that she’d bitten her tongue and cheek rather badly. She groaned, looking down at her lap to note the fireman’s jacket spread across her legs to hide the unfortunate consequences of losing control of every muscle in her body. Even worse; how could this situation get even worse? Her head was still fuzzy, and she closed her eyes as she tilted her head back against the wall behind her. It was cold, and helped her feel a little better. She swatted away the unfamiliar hand examining the medical ID bracelet on her wrist, sighing. “Do you need a transport?” She groaned, and shook her head. God, the thought of going to the hospital was unbearable. She just needed some ice and some sleep. “I can see this isn’t your first rodeo.” She opened her eyes to roll him, and thought the EMT should be glad she was too tired to snap or hit him. “You may need some stitches.” Desk it was. That was why her head hurt so badly.  “I’m going to strongly suggest at least an urgent care, and I’ll need you or your responsible part to sign that you’re declining transport to the hospital. You have two emergency contacts listed here, Donnie or--” “Not Donnie.” Her voice was raspy, and she cleared her throat. “Alexander.” Donnie’s lecture would be a million times worse. “...and tell him to bring clothes, please.”

[sarahjchnson-blog]

              the car sarah sat in was ratty and old, but there was no dead bodies in it – which meant that it was a suitable place to relax. the seat still moved back, so sarah did just that as she settled in. she watched as a familiar face spotted her in the car and moved over to open the passenger’s side. “wanna go for a ride?” she joked, knowing full well they weren’t going anywhere. “i’m thinking disneyworld.”

[aurorapennyworth]

“Road trip!” Rory declared as she hopped into the car once the door was opened, closing the door behind her with a little more vigor than necessary. “Never been, works for me. Onward!”

[rxwanharper]

“That’s a… bummer,” Harper replied, though she knew fine well that she may have just voiced the understatement of the century. Though, she did have to admire the fact that the girl had survived for so long considering her condition. “Brother and husband issues, huh? I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes, that’s for sure. Though, I guess I’m kinda in the same situation. Kinda. I’m vaguely concerned my fiancé will get himself killed and that my sister, if she continues down the path she’s on just now, will end up either dead or up the duff.”

[aurorapennyworth]

“Sure is. It is what it is, though.” Aurora shrugged, bringing her spoon to her mouth again. “But yeah. They never met, kinda awkward.” Sighing a little, she cringed slightly in sympathy for the other girl. “Also sucks. I think the solution is underground bunkering to just keep ‘em all safe...but I’m too lazy to build one to stuff Alex in, so I mean.”

[ofcriimscn]

“i may not have been around…but i did come back to the states to see if you were ok as well.” he said. he was a little disappointed that she wasn’t more welcoming. however, his own son didn’t seem to happy to see him either. donnie was about to say something when she told him she had gotten married. he clenched his jaw. he turned to the person he was helping, and in a low voice told them to leave. he sat down and shook his head. he crossed his arms, more for his own comfort than for anything else. 

“why should they have told me?” he asked. he didn’t know what he was more upset about. the fact that his parents hadn’t bothered to let him know, that she got married, or that she didn’t let him know. what really bothered him was that he knew that he hadn’t exactly been brother of the year, so somewhere he knew that she had a reason for not telling him. despite that, it didn’t take away from the fact that he was hurt, genuinely hurt. being hurt wasn’t something donnie was accustomed to feeling. he let out a disappointed sigh. “…rory…you better let your husband know not to come around me for the next few days.”

[aurorapennyworth]

“No, no, I know.” Hating feeling like she was backtracking or stumbling over her words, Aurora bit the inside of her cheek. “I was totally worried about you too, I’m really glad to see you.” She couldn’t tell if her tone was falling flat, or if she was trying too hard to be enthusiastic. She was happy to see her brother, but family wasn’t exactly her thing. She’d done her best to escape it throughout the entirety of her life, even if she had been closer with Donnie than with anyone else, As is expression changed, she swore under her breath and watched the other person leave. “Can I go with them?” She mumbled, more to herself than to him, before fully looking at him again. “Uh. To be fair....they don’t exactly know either. I mean, I didn’t tell them. I’m pretty sure they made the assumption though.” She’d been dating Alex since she was fifteen, and he had been her escape. Her parents had never approved, had tried to keep her away from him, but that had only added fuel to her fire. “I got married on my birthday. Eighteenth, that is. A few months before all this happened. I mean, I was going to tell you next time I saw you. I was never a letter person and it’s not like it was a big deal. Just a court house thing.” She scratched the back of her neck, and rolled her eyes. “Can we not do this? Can we just be grown ups and move on? He doesn’t even know who you are, and I can’t exactly just lock him up until you decide you’re over it.”

[rxwanharper]

“— Right,” Harper eyed the blonde for a moment before turning her attention back to the gloves that covered her hands. Boxing had never been her favourite sport, but it was sure helping her find some form of release. “What’s your excuse, then?”

[aurorapennyworth]

“Running out of meds, mostly.” Epilepsy was exhausting to deal with when preventative medications were on a strict regiment, let alone now when seizures would come when they damn well decided to with more frequency than she’d ever get used to. “And family reunion stuff. I’m vaguely concerned my brother may kill my husband in his sleep, so. What about you?

[domxowen-deactivated20161013]

“How can you be an excellent bad dancer?”

[aurorapennyworth]

“Because I love being a walking, talking contradiction.”

[ofcriimscn]

he exhaled thoughtfully; trying to figure out how to tell her. he had practiced in his mind for when and if he were to meet her again, but now that it was here he was having trouble remember what he practiced. he made it a point not to give out too many details about his journey back to america. “i was, until things started getting bad. then i knew that i had to make it home….for danny and for you,” he said mentioning his son. “we got here about a day or two ago,” he said with a soft smile. he now regretted not looking for her as soon as he entered the sanctuary. 

[aurorapennyworth]

“For Danny,” Aurora corrected automatically. “You don’t..You don’t have to worry about me. I mean, not that that’s going to stop you, but I’ve been doing pretty okay.” She swallowed, and tried to figure out the next part. This was where things got awkward, and she figured the best way was to just spit it out. “I, uh...I don’t know if Mom and Dad told you, but I got married.” On her eighteenth birthday, as soon as she could. Anything to get away from them. “I’ve been with my husband since this all started, and he’s somehow managing to take decent care of the both of us. We are.”

[domxowen-deactivated20161013]

“You didn’t miss much. Just a bunch of drunks and bad dancing. The only good thing was the seemingly endless supply of booze - even if you emptied your wallet getting it.”

[aurorapennyworth]

“I am an excellent bad dancer and my talents were never put to use. It’s a damn shame.”