Title: Moment in Time
Author: A.j.
Fandom: “Judging Amy”. Dude, my fanwhorishness is even getting to *me* at 
this point.
Rating: PG

Summary: Hospitals and why.

***

It's usually after everything settles that Bruce wonders why he runs when she 
calls. Because he does, almost without hesitation.

He *has* done this for other friends, other times. Held their hand while 
their mother or child or cousin is dying in another room. He's hurt with 
them. Felt the bubble of pain rise in his chest, and clung tighter, hoping 
that it won't pop.

It does. It always does.

But this is different. Holding *her* hand. Because he knows the history here. 
Countless lunches and amused or bemused chats during breaks listening and 
sharing the complicated web that is Amy's head. Knowing that if it were his 
mother down the hall, she'd be sitting right here, bruising his left hand 
with hers.

Trying to make *him* understand that she's there for him.

But his mother is in Las Vegas in a perfectly nice condo, and it's Amy's 
hands that will be bruised tomorrow morning.

He watches her crying next to him. Big, fat, slow tears that just keep 
coming. She stopped trying to wipe them away and now they're just pooling in 
her collar.

Amy could lose her mother tonight. Maxine could die.

She shudders beside him, and for a surreal instant he wonders if their odd 
symbiotic friendship has suddenly manifested into telepathy. And then she 
digs her nails slightly into the back of his hand. Her fingers don't loosen, 
so he doesn't bother loosening his.

He watches her lips twitch and she meets his eyes quickly before looking 
away.

Their hands stay locked.

He knows why he comes when she calls. Is perfectly aware of why all the 
lights in his apartment are still burning and why his daughter is probably 
only now just dozing off in her mother's home. He didn't used to. But it's 
become painfully obvious in the last two years why he comes running.

It's because he can't be anywhere else.

-fin-