Keeping a Promise

[anotherbwayne.livejournal.com]

Brenda came home from the Nexus, telling the girls to take Ace out and throw the ball for him for awhile and then wheeling wearily toward the elevator. The slight cough she'd wakened with that morning was worse, and her head was ringing slightly as though she had a fever, but she pushed away the symptoms as she rode down to the Cave. The formula that she hoped would restore Kat to her proper age was completed, and she'd finished the initial testing. Trials on adult mice had shown no effect, but trials on mice that had been regressed with the formula that Kat had been exposed to had returned to their proper appearance.

She'd done those tests seven days ago, and the mice continued healthy. So all that was left now was for human testing.

Brenda wheeled into the lab and scrubbed her hands, then removed the container of de-aging compound from the locked cupboard and set it in her lap while she also got the antidote. This done, she wheeled toward a containment room and locked herself inside.

One whiff of the compound had her blinking disorientedly at the change in perspective and a little sick to her stomach, but she steeled herself and injected the antidote straight into a vein.

Perspective changed again, and Brenda managed a smile before her eyes slipped shut and she toppled from the wheelchair.

Comments

[anotherbwayne.livejournal.com]

"That's what you said about the last stuff." She lifted her head and took it, then pulled a face at the taste before settling back and pulling the blankets up to her chin, though she made sure to put the icepack back where Alfred had left it. "I'm hallucinating. My mind keeps insisting that this won't feel so bad once Jim gets here."

[dbattyones.livejournal.com]

"You're not. And he should be home any moment," Leslie said gently.

Just then Kat stuck her head in. "The cop's home. Want me to chase him away?"

[anotherbwayne.livejournal.com]

"No!" Brenda started coughing.

[dbattyones.livejournal.com]

"Oh. Kay. Want me to tell him to get his dumb old butt up here?" the girl asked, looking sulky.

[anotherbwayne.livejournal.com]

"Please," she wheezed, feeling her senses swirl.

[dbattyones.livejournal.com]

She disappeared, and Leslie stroked her hair until she looked up and nodded.

"Jim," she said. The man entered, then frowned and hurried over.

"What happened? Brenda, are you alright?"

[anotherbwayne.livejournal.com]

"Flu," she said, brightening at sound of his voice. "Just... the flu."

[dbattyones.livejournal.com]

He sat by her and took her hand.

"She needs pleanty of fluids and rest, but she'll be alright," she said gently.

[anotherbwayne.livejournal.com]

His hand was warm. Brenda sighed, then opened her eyes again. "Leslie, don't make Kat wait."

[dbattyones.livejournal.com]

"Alright, dear. Call if you need anything," she said, tuning and leaving. Jim looked at her.

"Wait for what?" he frowned.

[anotherbwayne.livejournal.com]

"Alright," she breathed to Leslie, then groaned and started trying to kick the covers off as she went from freezing to roasting. "The antidote."

[dbattyones.livejournal.com]

He gently took them off, looking at her. "What's wrong with her?" he frowned deeply.

[anotherbwayne.livejournal.com]

"You'll... see." She took a deep breath and started shivering again.

[dbattyones.livejournal.com]

He frowned, but shrugged and tucked her in. "You should get some sleep."