Title: Recovery Doesn't Happen In An Instant
Fandom: Ducktales (2017)
Pairings: Della Duck/Selene
Characters: Della Duck, Selene
Rating: G
Length: 646
Content Notes: PTSD, Major Character Injury, Minor Violence Towards a Romantic Partner Della mistakenly attacks Selene
Summary: After returning home, Della visits her girlfriend. But it doesn't go as smoothly as she hoped.


Della gasps awake, her body shaking. She isn't on the moon. She returned home and met her kids. She is a part of the family again. As she tries to control her breathing, she takes in her surroundings. It is dark, and stars twinkle in the night sky. The cold temperature makes her shiver, and the taste of black licorice fills her mouth. Della gasps again as a stinging, burning sensation overwhelms her. Her eyes water at the sight of the remaining stump of her left leg, and she grits her teeth to hold back her screams. Her thoughts spiral, and the dam breaks. It was all a dream. She hasn't returned home. She is still stranded and all alone in space.

Selene returns from her late-night duties and hears Della's cries. Rushing to her room, she finds her girlfriend writhing on the bed, the blanket askew and nearly on the floor. Selene puts her hand on Della's shoulder, hoping to catch Della's attention. "Della, what's wrong? Della?"

Della jumps at the feeling of something touching her. She won't let a moon mite stop her from returning home. "You won't stop me!" she roars and attacks.

Selene, surprised by Della's yell, can't dodge the punches. She takes a few hits to her arms and one almost to her face before she is out of Della's reach. "Della, stop! It's me, Selene!"

Della recognizes her girlfriend's voice and stops moving. She blinks hard to clear her vision. "Selene? I'm so sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Selene shakes her head, voice soothing. "No, I'm okay. You didn't hurt me. Are you okay? What happened?" She walks closer and kneels in front of Della. She reaches a hand out for a reassuring touch, but Della flinches away and curls her body inward.

Della's voice is quiet. "I thought I was back on the moon. I was all alone, and no one was looking for me." She looks up at Selene with a glare. "You're the goddess of the moon! You should have known I was there. You could have done something!" Della watches as Selene's face drops with regret. But before she can plead her case, Della turns her back. "No, I don't want to hear it. Just leave me alone."

Selene acquiesces and walks out of the room. As soon as the door shuts behind her, tears start rolling down her face. She has always been there for Della, whether it was after an argument with her brother or a breakup from another relationship. It hurts to know that her girlfriend blames her. They've been together for years; Della knows the full extent of her abilities. She is the goddess of the moon, not the moon itself. She has no connection to it besides pulling it across the sky every night. She doesn't get close enough to the surface to see it clearly; she never saw the crash site. If she had the power to help Della, she would have done so immediately.

After some time, Selene decides to check on Della and finds her still in pain. Della lets her massage her left leg and prop it on a pillow before sitting beside her. "I'm sorry Selene. I know you would've helped me if you could have. It was just so frustrating being stuck on the moon when all I wanted was to be back home. Not just with the boys, but with you too. I love you, and I missed you so much." Della curls into Selene, Selene's arms wrapping around her. "I need you. I don't want to ruin us."

Selene rubs her back and presses a kiss to the top of Della's head. "You won't. I love you too. You're going to need some time to readjust back to Earth. Things won't be the same, but we can grow together. I'm not going anywhere."