And you're right there, but I can't see you

[guardiandevil]

WHO: Matt and anyone who is visiting him in the hospital
WHERE: A hospital...
WHEN: Backdated to Sunday night through Thursday afternoon. Please specify the time and date in your post! :)
WARNINGS: ???
SUMMARY: Matt is in the hospital and people visit him
FORMAT: Whatever you like.

Matt was pretty lousy at this sort of thing. The idea of lying still and letting people poke him and prod him and study his body never sat well with him. He didn't like having to explain away gunshot and stab wounds, or deal with the inevitable vision tests that doctors always seemed to want to perform on him. He especially didn't like that these doctors were strangers to him, people who didn't know him or know his history. He couldn't really trust these people to figure out what was wrong with him, why he'd lost his memories, or why his powers were gone.

But without his radar, he was useless. He felt so paralyzed without it, like he was broken and had no chance in the world of ever being fixed again. Now instead of being Hell's Kitchen's most feared defender he was some pitiful, strung out blind guy. It was quite a way to fall. Sure, he'd experienced a loss of his powers before, but this seemed so much more profound and terrifying. Maybe it was the not knowing how it had happened or who was responsible.

Someone had to be responsible, right? He didn't roofie himself. He didn't rough himself up. But he could remember anything since Tuesday. Whoever had done this had picked the perfect target: without his powers, he wouldn't be able to identify them anyway, with or without the drugs.

As it was now, he couldn't identify the visitors in his room, not without hearing their voices or being told they were there. He couldn't smell people, he couldn't hear their heartbeats. He could do nothing but lie in that bed and wait for some strange doctor to give approval for him to leave.

Matt was pretty sure he was going to go insane.

Comments

Sunday night

[psychomancy]

[Gemma rushed to the hospital as quickly as her body would allow. She couldn't believe this was happening. Matt couldn't be hurt. But stepping into his room made everything surreal. It was hard seeing him like this. He was always so alive and vibrant, so sure of himself. Gemma took a deep breath before speaking:]

Matt.

[guardiandevil]

[He turned his head toward her, a lazy motion thanks to the sedatives in his system. But he recognized her voice, and he reached for her. Or for where it sounded like she might be, anyway. It was tough getting used to not knowing precisely where things were.]

Gemma. You didn't have to hurry.

[psychomancy]

[She doesn't hesitate before going to him, taking his outstretched hand in hers. He'd been a little off in the direction; it took her a moment to process that. He always knew where she was, always. It was a bit unnerving. But she stands there and gives his hand a little squeeze.]

I did. I--we were so worried about you.

[guardiandevil]

I'm sorry.

[And he looked genuinely sorry. He looked miserable, actually. Which was convenient, since he felt miserable. He felt like he'd disappointed Gemma, let her down completely. And he hated the thought of worrying her.]

I'll be just fine, I swear.

[psychomancy]

[She sees that look on his face, and it hurts her to see it. She pulls up a chair and sits, grasping his hand with both of hers now.]

You've nothing to apologize for. And you are going to be alright. You're the strongest person I know, Matt.

Very early Monday morning.

[hexappeal]

Zatanna had said that she'd be there immediately, but she couldn't seem to get a fix on his location. With just 'hospital' to go by, she had gone from place to place, uncertain if he was actually there or not. He could be at any, under a pseudonym. So she played sneaky, changed her appearance, looked through who was recently admitted and signs that it could have been him. It went on longer than she'd had liked and, in the process, had missed John's post (perhaps it was better, that way, though she wouldn't know about it for several more hours).

By the time that she'd finally found Matt, it had been late. Visitors' time was up. Once again, magic helped with that. She doesn't knock, but if he's awake, the sound of her footsteps against the tile floor most likely could be heard, though she takes care to be quiet. Approaching the bed, she hesitantly raises a hand and runs her fingers up the side of his face. "Matt," her voice is soft, worried, "It's Zatanna." If he was asleep, she'd just pull up a chair and remain in the room.

[guardiandevil]

Matt's eyes opened when he felt her fingers on his face. It did little good, of course, but it was a reflex he'd never lost. He blinked several times, tilting his head toward her, reaching to her as best he could with an arm partially restrained by an IV.

"Zee," his voice was thick, he had to cough to clear it. "It's good to hear your voice." And feel her skin, and smell the faintest traces of her soap and shampoo. Everything was a whisper though, every identifier that had been so imprinted in his mind was muted and barely noticeable to him now.

[hexappeal]

It was, at the very least, a good indication that he wasn't sleeping. "Hey, hey, careful. I'm not going anywhere." Reassurance was probably one of the most important things right now. He'd been kidnapped and had... something done to him. He was clearly still out of it.

"Good to hear yours, too." Rather than move away from him and grab a chair, she kneels by the side of the bed -- just for now. Hospitals had to remain clean, for sterilization purposes. If it had been dirty, she'd still have done the same. Zatanna was taking nothing other than him into consideration right now. She slides her hand down to his, clasping it softly within her own as she tilts her head toward his to offer a ghost of a kiss to his cheek, finishing it off with the slightest of nuzzles. "I'm glad you're safe."

[guardiandevil]

He smiles, it seems almost drunken the way he does. Too many drugs in his system still, and his head is still swimming. Everything is fuzzy, but he can appreciate how close she is, how calm she is, and how happy he honestly is to hear her.

"I'm glad you're here. I'm so glad." He tries to hide the desperation in his voice, but it's almost not worth it. After everything that's happened, there's no point in pretending he isn't upset by the whole ordeal. "I didn't want to be alone."

[hexappeal]

"I'm glad that I'm here. I was worried about you, you know." She was certain that as calm as she had tried to remain in that initial contact that she had come off as more than a little worried. Even now, she was, perhaps, too calm.

"May I try to fix this? I mean, remove whatever is in your system." She had only done it with little things since her arrival here: alcohol, little bouts of sickness, so on and so forth. She'd managed to restore Pieter's sight briefly, as well. Those were good indications that her abilities remained somewhat the same (in that she couldn't allow Pieter permanent sight, for one), but this place was tricky. "I won't do anything without your permission, though."

wednesday morning;

[pamnotpammy.livejournal.com]

[ it had actually taken a lot of time to figure out which hospital matt murdock was in. there were a truly ridiculous number of hospitals in the city. she visited six before she found the right one. and then she wasn't sure if she should even go in. that took another day of pondering.

pam didn't understand how this had even become her life. how did these things happen? how?

she hesitated in the doorway for a few minutes before clearing her throat and knocking. she brought him flowers, because that's what people brought to hospitals, right? ]

Hi.

[guardiandevil]

[It took Matt longer than he would have liked to recognize the woman's voice, but when he did he couldn't help but sit up in alarm. Their conversation was mostly a foggy haze in his mind, but he was pretty sure he remembered telling this lady his secret identity.

Seriously, what the hell was wrong with him?]

... Pam?

[pamnotpammy.livejournal.com]

[ there's an awkward little wave before she rememebers that yeah he...can't see her. he looks better, at least. less strung out and more alert. she takes a few hesitant steps into the room, unsure if she's intruding or not. ]

I wasn't sure if you remembered me. I wanted to stop by though and see if you were okay.

[guardiandevil]

That's very nice of you to think of me.

[He looks a little sheepish. After all, he embarrassed himself the other day, he doesn't want Pam to think he's completely insane or something.]

You can come in. There's a chair somewhere, I think.

[pamnotpammy.livejournal.com]

[ she puts the flowers on the windowsill before dragging a chair over by his bedside. this is awkward. it's so awkward what does she say. she's pretty sure the whole secret identity thing is a big deal. ]

So um. How are you feeling?

Sunday Night

[bedeviledspider.livejournal.com]

Watch, O Lord, with those who wake or watch or weep tonight, and... And give your angels charge over those who sleep.

Tend to your sick ones -- wait. Is it sick or weary? Uh, ignore that, Lord. Um. Tend to your sick ones, O Lord Christ. Rest your weary ones. Bless your dying ones. Not that it applies here... sorry, sorry. Soothe your suffering ones--

[guardiandevil]

[Matt is... torn between being so touched by all of this and being more than just a little bit annoyed. He's silent, for the most part, just listening to the rambling.]

Don't you dare ask Him to pity me. I don't want pity.

[bedeviledspider.livejournal.com]

All right, all right. No pity from the big guy. Got it.

[guardiandevil]

[This isn't funny at all, Reilly. Gosh. :|]

And none from you, either.

[Only from Gemma, and maybe Zee.]

[bedeviledspider.livejournal.com]

I'm not pitying you. I'm praying. Those are two entirely different verbs!

tuesday evening?

[indentcision]

[ It was well past visiting hours when Harvey stopped by, but he wanted it that way. He was angry enough people had interfered with him before, his rescue as if he hadn't been planning to take good care of Matt somewhere safe and quiet. So this time he wouldn't do with interference. He picked the locks he ran into, knowing exactly how to handle each one thanks to his power, and slid into the chair beside Matt's bed.

He didn't speak; only watched Matt with a cautious eye. ]

oh you :3

[guardiandevil]

[Matt could feel someone watching him. He couldn't tell who it was, he'd heard only the faintest of noises when the door was opened. But he knew he wasn't alone.]

... Who's there?

[indentcision]

[ Harvey was silent a long time before he answered, then he abruptly leaned forward. ]

Glad to see you're alive.

[guardiandevil]

[Matt sits upright as best as he's able with all these wires and tubes attached to him.]

Who let you in here?

[indentcision]

I let myself in. [ He's almost offended by the implications to the contrary. ] Thought I wouldn't stop by to visit you?

[ If Matt could see him he'd see how displeased Harvey's good side looks; maybe he was expecting a warmer reaction to his presence. Or maybe he's still bitter about earlier. Or both. Either way it's strained in his tone of voice all the same. ]