The watchtower was her cocoon. Ever since her husband's death she was holed up inside, the base encasing her into nothingness. She wasn't a shell of her former self, just something being absorbed into the wires and mainframes of the JLA system. Or was it being absorbed into her? She knew the stories of people who turned into hermits and or never cared for the sunlight. It was like spending a night at the morgue but the romance ended there. But yet there were success stories of those alighting to the world with newly formed wings through the catalyst of therapy. She avoided shrinks. Her caterpillar days of munching on curiosity were over. Then he returned. She was confused. She had buried Davis along with her feelings for him. By encasing herself in the tomb she felt as though she was putting things in perspective. But the more she searched, the more she found herself closer to the truth. And sometimes the more she found made her want to end the search all together. She contacted Emil and realized he shared her same hesitations. What they saw that day was only meant to be a ruse and that who was deemed guilty was actually innocent. In her caterpillar days she digested everything that even the bad was in her gut with after feelings of remorse and distaste. Davis wasn't going to push her, or pry open her safe yet detrimental world. She wanted to hold her hand out to him and lead her out but she needed it to be on her own. She needed the incentive. Then one day the mailman came. He had a potted plant in his hand and just asked her to sign. Curiously she looked it over and saw two cocoons nesting safely on the plant. Her reflex action was to remove them but then thought otherwise. Symbolism turned its pretty head.

And there was a note
"Whenever you're ready, they will be too and I will be here."
Love Always
Davis

Four weeks later
Davis sat outside Café Rose watching an anxious Chloe watching the cocoons splitting apart.

"Chloe, you need to be patient." Davis said gently

"Do you know how long I've waited for you," she said quietly. "To tell you how much I hated you."

"Did you really, hate me, that is?"

"I thought I did." She confessed. "It went in line with what everyone else was saying and feeling."

Davis smiled knowingly and watched the cocoons as she directed her attention to them. Suddenly two dark blue butterflies emerged, taking their first struggling steps into the external world.

"So pretty," Chloe cracked a grin unable to contain herself.

Davis puts his hand gently near the plant, letting the butterflies crawl safely on his palm.

"I think it's time to set these guys free." He stated wistfully looking at them.

Chloe took one of the butterflies and with a slight shake both alighted and fluttered off. She turned and wrapped her arms around Davis

"You know it's time for the third butterfly to catch the rays." Davis stared at her with his most adorable look.

"It's about time isn't it?" Chloe sighed. Davis nodded, trying his best to be as clueless as possible.

Slightly tiptoeing in her boots, Chloe leaned forward and tasted freedom on his lips. Not caring who was staring or just glancing she felt as though she was pulling him in. Davis welcomed the loving assaults while feeling the silkiness of her golden hair. Chloe pulled away, musing on how she loved the feelings of his fingers on the back of her neck and how she loved how low her hands could go along his back. She decided she would knock him over with more defined intimacy in closed quarters.

Chloe smiled her supernova grin, one she had felt she lost forever. She had regained parts of the Old Chloe back, but had something new to offer. It felt good to stretch her wings.