My husband and I discussed the idea of me writing a sequel to Bluebird, and here it is! It's more focused on the females of the YJ team, as well as Dick, Skye, Batman, and the re-emergence of once dead characters we all want to be brought back! My husband and I both are writing this, although I'm doing the typing. He knows the little details that I don't about the DC world.
As always, review, favorite, or follow!
Almost one year after the ending of Bluebird
November 2nd - 15:45
Keystone City
Artemis Crock
She looked at her mother's old costume, buried deep in the closet that used to hold all of Paula Crock's clothes. Artemis missed her mother, no matter the complicated relationship they had. It had been three weeks since she died. Artemis swallowed over the thickness in her throat, crouching in the dark room, fingering the purple outfit. Tears threatened to fall, but Artemis took a deep breath and held them back. Blowing out a slow breath, she stood and turned to the bed. The bedroom of the tiny apartment her mother had was empty all for some furniture. The bed had three boxes on it, all filled with clothing, jewelry, and any other odds and ends her mother had left. A knock on the bedroom door made her wipe her eyes quickly before it opened.
"Need any help, sweetheart?" Mary West said gently as she stuck her head into the doorway. She didn't open the door all the way. Artemis smiled sadly toward the woman, overwhelmed with emotion. The Wests had taken her in after her mother had died, although they had become incredibly close after Wally's disappearance a few years ago. Mary and Rudy had let her cope in her own way, then brought her to her mother's apartment to finally gather her things.
"No, I've got it." Artemis stuffed her mother's old costume into the last box and folded the flaps. These would be going to a charity collecting clothing for the holidays for those in need. The costume wouldn't make any difference being included. Rudy pushed open the door behind his wife, holding up a tape older to close the box efficiently.
"I'm sure you'll need this," he said with a large smile. Artemis appreciated the upbeat attitude he'd been displaying to keep her spirits up, but it didn't help her sadness dissipate. Rudy was the type of father she never had, always supportive and comforting. Mary was a tough woman, always there to talk to when Artemis needed a shoulder to cry on after Wally had disappeared.
"Oh, yeah," she replied absently. Rudy walked into the room, held out the dispenser. Artemis took it, quickly closing the box tightly before sitting the tape beside it. Her signature blonde hair had been cut short recently, just to her shoulders. The dark sweater and jeans she wore were faded, having been around for a long while. Her snow boots were relatively new, though, a gift from Rudy and Mary on her 25th birthday.
"Do you need more time?" Mary asked, waiting patiently just inside the door. They both looked at Artemis with sympathetic eyes.
"No… I've had enough time. I need to start the process of moving forward in my life." The two older adults looked at each other, knowing Artemis meant much more than just the loss of her mother. Taking a deep breath, Artemis looked at the two who had become sort of her parents over the years. "I don't want you to think that I don't care about Wally anymore, but…"
"We don't. We would never think that. It's been four years… Wally would want you to move on, to be happy," Mary insisted, tears in her eyes. Rudy didn't say anything as he put an arm around his wife's waist. The look on his face told Artemis he was in agreement with Mary.
"Good," Artemis murmured, looking to the bed with the boxes filled with memories. "I am going to be happy, and I'm going to move on. I'm… finally okay with this."
As the three of them put the boxes into the back of the West's SUV, Artemis thought back to the call she had gotten a few days ago. Barbara had called on her to rethink her path.
November 2nd - 16:30
Washington D.C. - The Clock Tower
Barbara Gordon
Still getting used to the wheelchair, Barbara Gordon stuck out her tongue as she maneuvered the contraption through the doorway of the elevator, then rolled herself into the large training area, where various workout equipment, dummies, and weapons were neatly organized around the room. Skye Lovett and Dinah Lance were running on treadmills beside each other, both in tank tops and shorts for exercising. They had been going since before Barbara had gone downstairs and across the street for a slice of pie at Pinnacle Cafe. Rolling up to a large table, she looked over the data that was scrawled across three large computer screens. Pushing her glasses up her nose, she raised her eyebrows.
"Skye, you need to watch your breathing. Dinah, you're causing too much stress in her thighs. Relax a bit more." Even though half of her body didn't work as she wanted it to, her mind and eyes were still razor sharp. After the incident with Joker… well, it was time for her to step up and get back to her calling.
With a final gasp, the two women on the treadmills slowed down, gradually stopping before grabbing bottles of water to gulp down. Barbara watched with a proud smile on her face as the two strolled toward her. Dinah sat down on a chair, and Skye put her hands on her hips as she stood next to Barbara, looking over her shoulder at the data.
"How are you feeling, Barb?"
"Me? You've been running for so long I could go across the street and back!"
"Have you heard from Artemis?" Dinah asked, taking another drink from her water bottle. Barbara's phone rang.
"As a matter of fact… Artemis, how did today go?" Barbara answered the call, knowing what her friend had planned for today. "I'm going to put you on speaker - Skye and Dinah are here."
"Hey guys. Today went.. better than I expected."
"I'm glad," Dinah answered.
"Have you thought about our proposal?" Skye asked, pulling her blue hair into a ponytail. It had gotten long, passing her shoulders by an inch.
"Yeah. And I think… I think it's time I move forward. I'll join you."
"Yes!" Skye pumped her fist in the air, then winced. "Ow. My whole body hurts. I'm going to sit down." Instead of sitting, she moved to a mat along the side of the room and fell onto her back, arms and legs spread out.
"As for moving forward, I take it you aren't talking just about your hero career," Dinah asked gently, her psychology degree starting to show through.
"No. I talked to Ruby and Mary and…" The three women heard Artemis hesitate. "And I'm ready. I've accepted that Wally isn't coming back." Artemis's breath caught in her throat. "I think I'm ready to try to have a relationship again."
The three women looked at each other.
"I think this is great news," Barbara replied. "This means you'll be moving to D.C, right?"
"I'll be there tomorrow afternoon." The call disconnected.
"This.. is actually happening." Skye grinned at the ceiling, still lying spread eagle on the mat. Barbara started to save the data from Dinah and Skye running, making sure to also put it on a backup, just in case. "The Birds of Prey are forming!"
"I still don't think you're ready to start a life of masks and saving the world," Barbara quipped. Dinah let a small smile come over her lips, used to hearing this now from Barbara. "Also, are you sure you don't want to tell Dick? I don't know if he'd appreciate you in this position."
"I don't need Dick's permission to do what I want. And Dinah is the best trainer I've had."
"The only one you've had," Dinah added. "How are things with you and Dick anyway?"
Skye was silent for a moment. Barbara and Dinah watched the girl on the mat in silence, wondering if that meant it was going badly.
"He's gone a lot, but I knew that would happen. I worry about him..."
"I understand, Skye, believe me." Barbara had dated the man for a long while. "But he will always want to keep you safe."
"Which is why I need this training. I'm in love with someone who has people who want him gone. I need to be able to protect myself when he's gone. Plus… I'm my own person. I'm not just Dick Grayson's girlfriend."
Barbara sighed, not wanting to get into an argument. She understood Skye completely - which is why they were where they were. After Barbara was paralyzed, she had needed space to do her own thing, to get her confidence back. Dinah had left the league after a complicated break up from Oliver. Artemis had just lost her mother, and was just now getting over the loss of her soulmate, Wally West. Skye was seeking inclusion among her superhero friends, along with her own identity.
The Birds of Prey were a new start for all of them.