TIG fic
Summary: Based on a scene on Ineffable Game. AU, featuring Janet after she 'wakes up.'
The streets were relatively empty despite the warm night, though that might have been because of the party at the Healing Hand, or because it was Valentine's Day, and people with reason to be were almost certainly inside with their significant others. The dry air felt wrong, the bare ground seemed off somehow, given that Janet remembered quite clearly that there was snow... her mind told her it was minutes ago, but Peter told her otherwise. The whole situation made her uneasy; she felt vulnerable, like everyone knew something about her that she didn't, that they could hold it against her. Essentially, the doctor had been in a coma for a month, except, during that time, there was someone else using her body.
Another version of herself, sure, but it still felt wrong somehow. Peter wasn't terribly alarmed, but that still failed to put Janet's mind at ease, since anything could have happened, and with no memory, she'd never have the full story. Overwhelmed - yes, that was the perfect descriptor... She felt as if there was nowhere to turn.
Approaching the modest house, Janet felt a slight sense of comfort and familiarity, taking in the now-familiar sight with a very brief smile. She'd just moved thanks to an apartment fire, and while she could have gone for a larger place, this smaller home meant less cleaning, and since she and Vala were rarely home, that meant saving time. It was good for its uses - eating, sleeping, occasionally having friends over. Hard to believe she'd lived there for months now, instead of mere weeks. One of the doctor's hands rested on the door handle, her forehead pressed against the door as her lips pulled back in a grimace, all her will forcing her not to cry with frustration. A whole month gone, her job at the hospital in jeopardy, an unknown series of events that she hadn't even thought to ask Peter about before she left. What had she done? If only the small snippets of her long dream could be reasoned through and put into context! It would help so much if they weren't micro-second-long glimpses into what she's sure must have happened to her.
Keys. Again, the thought of some other woman living within her mind, living in her house... it set Janet on edge. She had to assume the keys were in the red bag around her shoulder, but she couldn't remember putting them there. Despite her uncertainty, one hand raised, pausing briefly above the purse, before opening it. Sure enough, her identification was inside, along with her keys, and her dogtags; the presence of all three meant that the alternate version of herself was at least similar enough to know the essentials, since those items were the same things she would have taken. The last item grounded her to earth, and ever since Janet came to the dream, she felt the need to have them with her. A security blanket.
With the door unlocked, she stepped inside. One month gone meant there was furniture there that hadn't been there before, moved in such a way as to allow the largest amount of open space in the front room. There was an area rug on the floor that looked Oriental in fashion, and very old, and on the wall hung a mirror, revealing a familiar reflection. The hair Janet had chopped off after the fire was already visibly longer, the white streak once again visible from behind her ear. Her reflection really made it sink in - the storm took away a month of her life and gave it to someone else. Now she had no idea how she'd catch up.
Overwhelming.
It didn't seem as if Vala managed to stay at home while Janet was out, but that's something she was used to. Neither of them were here very much, though there were two little creatures who were always glad to see them home. The winged cats appeared from the dark hall, stretching, blinking at the lights as Janet turned them on. They were likely hungry, as it was just about time for them to eat, unless their feeding time suddenly changed.
As she headed to the kitchen, Smudgie and Sheba followed behind her. Their story was an interesting one, which still makes Janet smile when she remembered. The two boys that brought her the box full of infinite kittens should have taken them to a vet, but they thought they were hurting or sick, when all they needed was food. Judging by the little belly Smudgie was developing, she hadn't ever given up her love for mealtime, and was already becoming quite the large little feline. They both rubbed on her legs as she took their dry food out of the cupboard and poured it into their individual bowls. If ever there were blissful cats, surely these two were the posterkitties when it was time for food.
It was a familiarity she needed, something to remind her that the entire month didn't pass and change everything along with it. Weird things happened during the Changestorm, so surely Janet couldn't have been the only one. At least most of the people at the Healing Hand seemed to be okay. Then again, it'd almost been a month before she finally woke up to see them. She almost felt disappointed at the fact that she'd missed the entire thing, since it was occasionally entertaining to see the things that happened to people.
Sitting down at the table, she allowed the chill of the room to seep in, which eased the still-present headache she felt behind her eyes. "You can get this back," she muttered, one hand raising to gently rub at her temples. As the cats munched away at their kibble, she lowered her head to the cool surface of the table and closed her eyes. She'd get it back tomorrow, but for now, Janet just needed to rest.
The streets were relatively empty despite the warm night, though that might have been because of the party at the Healing Hand, or because it was Valentine's Day, and people with reason to be were almost certainly inside with their significant others. The dry air felt wrong, the bare ground seemed off somehow, given that Janet remembered quite clearly that there was snow... her mind told her it was minutes ago, but Peter told her otherwise. The whole situation made her uneasy; she felt vulnerable, like everyone knew something about her that she didn't, that they could hold it against her. Essentially, the doctor had been in a coma for a month, except, during that time, there was someone else using her body.
Another version of herself, sure, but it still felt wrong somehow. Peter wasn't terribly alarmed, but that still failed to put Janet's mind at ease, since anything could have happened, and with no memory, she'd never have the full story. Overwhelmed - yes, that was the perfect descriptor... She felt as if there was nowhere to turn.
Approaching the modest house, Janet felt a slight sense of comfort and familiarity, taking in the now-familiar sight with a very brief smile. She'd just moved thanks to an apartment fire, and while she could have gone for a larger place, this smaller home meant less cleaning, and since she and Vala were rarely home, that meant saving time. It was good for its uses - eating, sleeping, occasionally having friends over. Hard to believe she'd lived there for months now, instead of mere weeks. One of the doctor's hands rested on the door handle, her forehead pressed against the door as her lips pulled back in a grimace, all her will forcing her not to cry with frustration. A whole month gone, her job at the hospital in jeopardy, an unknown series of events that she hadn't even thought to ask Peter about before she left. What had she done? If only the small snippets of her long dream could be reasoned through and put into context! It would help so much if they weren't micro-second-long glimpses into what she's sure must have happened to her.
Keys. Again, the thought of some other woman living within her mind, living in her house... it set Janet on edge. She had to assume the keys were in the red bag around her shoulder, but she couldn't remember putting them there. Despite her uncertainty, one hand raised, pausing briefly above the purse, before opening it. Sure enough, her identification was inside, along with her keys, and her dogtags; the presence of all three meant that the alternate version of herself was at least similar enough to know the essentials, since those items were the same things she would have taken. The last item grounded her to earth, and ever since Janet came to the dream, she felt the need to have them with her. A security blanket.
With the door unlocked, she stepped inside. One month gone meant there was furniture there that hadn't been there before, moved in such a way as to allow the largest amount of open space in the front room. There was an area rug on the floor that looked Oriental in fashion, and very old, and on the wall hung a mirror, revealing a familiar reflection. The hair Janet had chopped off after the fire was already visibly longer, the white streak once again visible from behind her ear. Her reflection really made it sink in - the storm took away a month of her life and gave it to someone else. Now she had no idea how she'd catch up.
Overwhelming.
It didn't seem as if Vala managed to stay at home while Janet was out, but that's something she was used to. Neither of them were here very much, though there were two little creatures who were always glad to see them home. The winged cats appeared from the dark hall, stretching, blinking at the lights as Janet turned them on. They were likely hungry, as it was just about time for them to eat, unless their feeding time suddenly changed.
As she headed to the kitchen, Smudgie and Sheba followed behind her. Their story was an interesting one, which still makes Janet smile when she remembered. The two boys that brought her the box full of infinite kittens should have taken them to a vet, but they thought they were hurting or sick, when all they needed was food. Judging by the little belly Smudgie was developing, she hadn't ever given up her love for mealtime, and was already becoming quite the large little feline. They both rubbed on her legs as she took their dry food out of the cupboard and poured it into their individual bowls. If ever there were blissful cats, surely these two were the posterkitties when it was time for food.
It was a familiarity she needed, something to remind her that the entire month didn't pass and change everything along with it. Weird things happened during the Changestorm, so surely Janet couldn't have been the only one. At least most of the people at the Healing Hand seemed to be okay. Then again, it'd almost been a month before she finally woke up to see them. She almost felt disappointed at the fact that she'd missed the entire thing, since it was occasionally entertaining to see the things that happened to people.
Sitting down at the table, she allowed the chill of the room to seep in, which eased the still-present headache she felt behind her eyes. "You can get this back," she muttered, one hand raising to gently rub at her temples. As the cats munched away at their kibble, she lowered her head to the cool surface of the table and closed her eyes. She'd get it back tomorrow, but for now, Janet just needed to rest.