Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League. I own nothing but this plot and Benjamina. I'm not making any money off of this and currently I have… ::empties her pockets:: thirty-seven cents and a lollipop. Yum… ::sticks the pop in her mouth:: So it's really not worth dragging me to court. Please don't sue me!!

Notes: I donno where this idea came from, but I've just had it for a while. ::shrugs:: I've never seen it done before, so I thought Aw heck, why not? Please review if you want me to continue!!

Warning: This part of the fic is kind of dark; not as dark as some other REALLY dark things out there, but still dark none the less. Take note that this sequence has to happen for the rest of the story to take place. I don't actually get into blood and gore, but it is there.

Red Lantern

Chapter One: And So It Began…

Flash was running… running… running…

Maybe if I run fast enough, he'll still be there, Flash thought as the late October scenery whipped around him. Yes, he'll be there. He has to be there; there's no way that GL would leave him behind like this.

Over the horizon, Flash's destination came into view—Wayne Manor. Putting in that extra surge of speed, he ran faster than he ever thought he could muster. Within a blink of an eye, he literally busted through the mansion's beautiful oak doors and nearly ran over Bruce's butler, Alfred. The old man didn't seem annoyed that Flash had broken down the mansion door and nearly ran him over, or even question why he was there in the first place; he just picked himself up and said politely, "Master Wally."

"Where's GL? The others?" Flash blurted out, eyes darting around and rocking on the balls of his feet. He just had to be there, there's no way anything could have happened to GL!

Alfred looked at Flash's frantic state gently not at all happy about the information that must be delivered to the young man. The way Flash was acting now, Alfred got a sense it would hit Flash just as hard as it hit the little girl upstairs in a guest room who was last wailing into a pillow when he left her to let J'onn in. He regained his composure, face returning to its calm state, but his eyes were depressed.

"Master Bruce will explain everything; he's in the Batcave with Master J'onn who just arrived also. Allow me to take you to them," Alfred said calmly, leading Flash down a secret passage and into the dark Batcave.

Flash eyed the Batcave warily. Knowing Batman, it was probably rigged with all sorts of booby traps if one just stepped in the wrong spot or touched the wrong thing. But Flash didn't have time to worry about that now, his best friend was the top thing on his mind. Frantically, he scanned the underground base looking for some sign of his dearest military buddy.

All he found was J'onn and Batman.

Batman sat in the revolving chair in front of his computer reading something on the screen next to an image of a weird looking eye, though his eyes weren't moving. J'onn sat at his right, slumped over, his elbows resting on his lap and his face buried in his hands. Neither of them said anything to acknowledge that Flash or Alfred had entered the room. Neither even moved to see who had entered the Dark Knight's lair. Both just sat.

Frozen.

Silent.

"Master Bruce," Alfred spoke into the empty silence. "Master Wally is here."

"Fine," Batman grumbled, motioning to the empty chair at his left intended for Flash. He still didn't let his eyes wander from their locked, empty gaze at the screen.

"Then unless you need me, I'll be tending to the child. I'll attempt to calm her down but…" He let out an almost inaudible sigh. "You know what she's going through, the poor thing."

Child? Flash's mind couldn't figure out what Alfred was talking about. Bruce didn't have a child! …At least, not to his knowledge. Sure, Superman—or rather, Clark Kent had two children, but they were both boys. Green Lantern was the one with a daughter… but she'd be with her parents. …Wouldn't she?

Batman let his emotionless glare at the screen down for a moment, and one could almost swear there was a look of sadness and—maybe even—empathy in his cold blue eyes, but within a second they were blank and empty again.

"Fine. Whatever she needs, you may give to her."

Alfred smiled sadly. "I shall, Master Bruce, but I doubt I can give her what she needs most right now."

With that, Alfred turned and exited the Batcave, leaving Flash with Batman—still staring at the screen in front of him—and J'onn who still hadn't even made the slightest motion that recognized that Flash had entered. He hadn't moved at all, minus his shoulders shaking.

"Batman, what was Alfred talking about? Where's GL and Shy and the others?" Flash asked, his voice growing more and more frantic as each word was uttered. In different circumstances, he probably would have made a crack about "Batman's child," but his mind was far too preoccupied with the matter at hand to make light about anything in this situation.

For the first time since Flash arrived, Batman slowly turned his chair to face the speedster. The Bat's eyes were colder than normally—which really was something considering who he is—yet they looked tired too. This somewhat confused Flash. No, greatly confused him. Batman never liked to show any weakness, even if it was just a tired look in his eyes.

Batman waved his hand towards the empty chair on his left.

"Sit down, Flash."

"Not until you tell me where the others are! Where is everybody?"

Batman glared at Flash half-heartedly before dropping it completely and raising his hand to massage between his temples. He was at a loss for words. Is it possible Flash could be so thick as not to guess where their comrades were? And if so, how was he, Batman, going to tell him without completely destroying the fastest man alive in the process?

Flash stared at Batman furiously, mulling over the idea of strangling the Dark Knight for not telling him what was going on. But something happened to draw him away from his death plans for Batman.

J'onn looked up at Flash, glistening tears streaming from his orange eyes. Flash opened his mouth to say something, but no recognizable words escaped. J'onn's trembling was obvious now as he stared up helplessly at Flash, tears clouding the vision of his big, orange eyes.

"Superman… Hawkgirl… and Wonder Woman are all… dead," J'onn uttered out hoarsely. He trembled. Slowly, he returned his head to his hands, letting the sobs take over his speech again.

Flash froze.

This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't! Superman and Wonder Woman were almost invulnerable, and Hawkgirl wouldn't let anyone even dare to kill her! It didn't make sense. He had just talked to them a couple of hours ago to tell them he was taking the day off unless any major emergencies happened. How could they be--?

"What the hell is he talking about?!" Flash demanded angrily of Batman. "I just talked to Superman before lunch, he can't be dead! And neither can the others; I saw them, they were with him! And what on earth happened to GL?!"

Without a word, Batman stood and slowly crept his hand towards the keyboard. He clicked a single key and a new window popped up on the screen. He took a step to the side so Flash would have a clearer view of the screen.

The image was fuzzy, and it blinked out once or twice before Flash could even recognize the familiar scene. It was the empty bridge of the watchtower. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Just the same old watchtower.

"What the--?"

"Look closer," Batman instructed.

Flash glanced skeptically at Batman who just glared at him in return, ordering him with his eyes to take a closer look at the screen.

"Wait a minute, why would the bridge be empty…?" Flash mumbled.

Slowly, he moved closer to the screen to get a better look.

The bridge was completely empty and silent; normally with the door open there would be at least some sound of movement or other noises from the rest of the league, even just the sound of footsteps or voices talking. Sound traveled very well down the cool, metal halls, yet there was nothing.

Flash peered closer at the screen: something just wasn't right in this picture.

His eyes trailed over the empty room. He had to suppress a scream when he reached the door. It was jammed open by a thin wrist wearing a silver bracelet.

"Diana!"

Batman nodded bitterly. With a few more clicks, an image of Superman's limp body leaning against an otherwise untouched wall, with glowing green kryptonite shards all around him; it was followed by Hawkgirl lying cold and motionless on the floor, a trickle of blood seen though her left eyehole rippling down her bruised and battered face—her body in no better shape—and her mace thrown a few feet to her side.

"Superman and Hawkgirl as well. J'onn wasn't lying when he said they were dead."

Horrified, Flash whispered, "How could this have happened? How?"

"I don't know yet. If I did, do you think I'd still be standing here talking to you?" Batman snapped. He had never once in his life felt this helpless, and if Flash was going to make him state things he didn't even want to admit to himself, then Flash was also going to be the one his frustration was taken out on.

"And—" Flash choked, "—and John?"

Batman shook his head.

"His body is no where in the Watchtower—and trust me, I have cameras in ever inch of the place—and we can't trace his body or mind anywhere."

Batman flashed the other camera's views on the screen—empty—except one. In an empty corridor maybe a second away from the one where Superman lay, on the wall, drawn in blood, was an eye; it had a diamond pupil instead of a round one, and inside the pupil was what looked like a gem, if the markings on the outside represented sparkling, that is.

"What about J'onn?" Flash asked frantically. "Couldn't J'onn try to trace his—"

"Does J'onn look like he's in any condition to do that to you?" Batman snapped, gesturing to the shaking Martian on his right.

"Then, they're all…?"

"Yes. We don't know how or why, yet, but we know that they are."

Silence.

"And…and the boys? And Lois? And Benja--" Flash cringed. It hurt to say his godchild's name, and now he knew what Alfred was talking about when he spoke about the little girl crying upstairs. "And the little one?"

"Lois and the boys will be here shortly. Benjamina is upstairs," Batman responded, sitting back down, slowing rubbing his forehead to release the tension.

Explaining what happened to Lois and telling the Kent boys their father was actually the guardian of the earth and part of an elite force of superhero's whose mission is to keep the world safe and protected—at any cost.

Oh, this was going to be a fun day.

It was just painful trying to explain it to one little girl, never mind an I-won't-believe-it-'til-I-see-it wife of the deceased and her two boys that had no clue what their father's actual day job was. Then, of course, Lois would relay the message to Ma and Pa Kent, who would badger him with just as many questions. Someone needed alert the Green Lantern Corps. that one of their own was missing, most likely dead. Someone would have to report to Thanagar and tell the planet one of their detectives was killed—that is if anyone can even find Thanagar. Finally, someone would have to go to Themyscira, most likely be captured by Diana's Amazonian Sisters and brought in front of Hippolyta where he would have to tell the Amazonian Queen that her daughter was dead and, if they weren't planning on killing the person already, they certainly would now. Maybe even declare war on "Man's World!" And guess who would probably be the person to do all these things?

This would have been turning out to be just one big headache if he didn't feel the pain of losing four of his closest friends as well. Batman's head throbbed, and he finally knew what it felt like every time a computer had an overload and exploded. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad to explode; at least it would relieve all the damn tension threatening to drive him over the edge.

"What will happen to her?" Flashed asked nervously.

Batman didn't bother looking up. "What will happen to who? Lois? She'll probably explode and blame the entire thing on us, more likely me, for not having a close enough eye on the watchtower or not designing it properly or—"

"No, Benjamina. What will happen to Benjamina now that her parents are—"

Flash couldn't finish. Batman didn't finish for him.

"I would think that'd be fairly obvious; she'll stay here with us."

This wasn't exactly the answer Flash was expecting.

"With us?" he asked.

"Yes, with us," Batman replied. "Where do you think we should send her? Themyscira? No, she'll stay with us. We'll train her, make her useful, get her ready. Ready for when the next attack comes, and believe me, who ever did that to Superman and the others will be back."

"How do you know?" Flash asked.

Batman glared back at him.

"Okay, stupid question. But what are we supposed to do? Hide her in the Watchtower?"

"The Watchtower is no longer safe," J'onn mumbled. Tears were still streaming down his orange face, but he had regained enough of his composure to listen to Flash and Batman's conversation. "We would have to go somewhere else."

"Like where?"

"Like here," Batman supplied. He turned to Flash. "You are her godfather, are you not?"

"Yes…"

"Then that also makes you her guardian now. You are in charge of her. If you were to move here, no one would question why she would move with you, and J'onn would be no problem because not much of the world knows where he normally is anyway."

"So we're all going to move in here?"

"Do you have any other suggestions?'

"I believe Batman is right," J'onn said quietly. "And even if he's not right, I'm not going to let Hawkgirl and Green Lantern's only daughter slip away like her parents." J'onn paused. "Once Shayera told me she felt completely alone because she was the only one of her kind here. I don't want that to happen to the little one; I don't want her to feel as alone as her mother did."

Flash kept quiet.

"Then were all agreed?" Batman asked, looking directly at Flash.

Flash nodded dumbly.

"I'll go inform Alfred. He can get her some pajama's and things for the night until we can get her things from the Watchtower" (J'onn could have sworn he saw Batman flinch at the word "Watchtower" and the thought of seeing his late friends' bodies on the floor) "later. The three of us have a lot of work to do before then, so I recommend both of you have some strong coffee. Flash—you might want to have an entire pot."

Good to his word, Batman left in search of his butler.

I'm going to be raising GL's daughter? There's a scary thought.

"Not really," J'onn replied to his thought. "I can think of worse men to raise Benjamina."

Flash looked up at J'onn. The last few minutes, that seemed more like hours, of conversation finally dawning on him.

"I may be the fastest man alive, but there's no way I could've prepared fast enough for this."

"I know you and John were very close."

"We were closer than that. He was my partner, my best friend, he made me his best man and then the godfather of his only daughter! I bet if he knew this was going to happen to him and Shy, he would have picked you or Supes or Bats, or maybe even Diana! But he picked me, who wasn't even there to help him and his wife during their last hours. Damn it, J'onn, what am I going to do without him? He was my best friend, my best friend…"

Tears started trickling from their hiding place under Flash's mask and down onto his exposed cheeks.

"Maybe if I wasn't such a rookie I woulda known to be there. Maybe I woulda seen the intruders and gotten everyone out. Maybe I woulda reminded GL he had a daughter he had to keep living for. Maybe—"

"Flash," J'onn said in a soft yet commanding voice that got Flash's attention. J'onn's hands were clutched firmly on both of the speedster's shoulders. "You cannot dwell on the past, you won't be able to change it. All four of them are gone."

"Why?" Flash asked again. "Why did it have to be them?"

J'onn didn't answer. Even if he did have anything to say, he was well aware words would bring Flash no comfort. Silently he pulled Flash into a tight, empathetic, brother-like hug. All the tears Flash hadn't realized were developing during his and Batman's conversation came spilling out all over the shoulder of J'onn's cape. J'onn rubbed Flash's back gently and rhythmically; he had held Diana and Shy enough times when they were crying—about men, about home, about feeling that they didn't belong—but this was the first time he had cried along with the person he was trying to comfort.

Superman.

Wonder Woman.

Hawkgirl.

Green Lantern.

All four of them were gone.

Forever.

His adopted family had left just as suddenly as his real family did, though it was more of a surprise now because back on Mars part of himself realized that he, his wife, and children might not make it out alive. With the others, he had thought he had finally found a place where he could belong.

But, as he had been taught the hard way so many times, nothing lasted forever.

Still, there was always a little glimmer of hope. This time, that glimmer was one little girl. One little half-Thanagarian girl named Benjamina Stewart. Fate was cruel sometimes, anyone would admit that, but everything had a purpose. Every glimmer had to go through hardship to shine. Was this her hardship? J'onn could only guess. Guess, and teach this little girl, and comfort those who were left.

From the dark passageway, Batman watched the only other remaining members of the Justice League mourn the death of their fallen comrades. The girl was in no better shape, wailing and weeping like she would never run out of tears. Batman leaned against the wall and slumped down to the floor. Oh, he had been through that before. How come it seemed like every person he cared for was taken away?

Diana.

He had been an idiot. Why not marry her while he had the chance? But no, he couldn't marry her; he was an Untouchable. "Show no emotion, have no weakness," that was his motto. Loving her would be an emotion, making her become his weakness. No, he couldn't have that, his pride wouldn't allow it.

He had been a complete idiot.

If he was any mortal man, he would have cried, but tears didn't come. Time had made him too cold and his eyes too dry to cry now. What he wouldn't give just to wake up and see this was all just a horrible nightmare…

Now he was going to train a little girl—a little girl and two boys if he was lucky. He highly doubted Lois would let him anywhere near her sons knowing what happened to their father, but Superman had taught him to hope. It was a foolish thing to be taught or to know, but it was there.

Oh, he would miss them all. God he would miss them. How could the League function with only three members?

It will work, Batman grumbled mentally at himself, gritting his teeth. I will make it work. You just watch, Clark, I'll make your Justice League work.

No Clark to tease, no Superman to compete with… What amusement was there left in life? His rival was gone now—permanently. The only time he had seen the mad truly angry was when he had pulled Superman out of the battle with Darkseid. Was he even forgiven for that? Never know now…

Batman could have just sat there for the next three days. His mind was at the breaking point and he felt he was start sweating blood any minute now, especially at the thought of facing Diana, Superman, Hawkgirl, and Green Lanterns families (and respective planets).

If there isn't a war before this is all over, we will be some lucky bastards, he thought, willing himself up. Flash's sniffling was quieter now, a good sign, though it was almost guaranteed to start up again once they got to the Watchtower. Would he be able to hold back his emotions there as well? While a part of him told him he had seen much worse, a bigger part seriously doubted it.

He turned the corner just enough so Flash and J'onn could see him.

"We can mourn our friends' deaths later," Batman said, cool as ever. "Right now we have work to do."

Flash looked at Batman as if the Dark Knight had grown three more noises and an extra set of ears, but he still managed to nod.

"H-how's Benjamina?" Flash mumbled between sniffles.

"She's seen better days," Batman replied. "If you want to get all technical, she's been wailing on her bed since she got here. Alfred's managed to calm her down some, but she won't be back to her happy little self anytime soon." Batman frowned. "Possibly ever."

"Ever?"

"It isn't everyday you lose your parents, home, and two members of your adoptive family all in one shot."

"She will recover," J'onn quietly assure the nervouser-than-hell Flash.

"Not completely," Batman countered.

"I never said she would return to the innocent, giggling little child she was," J'onn told him.

"…We have work to do."

"Of course."

***

"What a waste of kryptonite on those fools."

"But we have it now, my lord. The Red Emerald is finally ours."

"Mine. Not ours, not anyone's, but mine."

"…Yes, my lord."

"Is he locked up?"

"Locked and guarded by our best warriors, my lord."

"Very good. Set course for the base."

"Yes, my lord."

"Soon… soon this entire galaxy will be mine…"

"My lord?"

"Why are you still here? Didn't I give you orders?"

"Yes, my lord, but I was thinking…"

"There's a new one."

"…was it wise to just leave our emblem on the wall like that?"

"By the time those fools figure out what it stands for, we'll rule them all."

"But my lord…"

"Are you questioning my judgement, slave?"

"No, my lord."

"Then go and set a course for my base before I find you are of no more use to me!"

"Yes, my lord."

"Soon… Yes, very soon indeed…"

A/N: IHATECAMPINGIHATECAMPINGIHATECAMPINGIHATECAMPING!!! ::breathes deeply in and out:: If not for my forced family camping trip, this would have been up a week ago. Anyway…

Whatcha think? Good, bad, ugly? If I get any response at all, I'll probably continue. If not, I'm happy with having one somewhat successful fanfic (Stop Living in the Past, for those of you who don't know. If you like Ranma, you might want to check it out, I'm always in the mood for reviews!!), or maybe I'll just continue it because I like it. ::shrugs:: Either way. I have the next part almost written, but I'm debating whether to post it or not. If you want me to continue, PLEASE SAY SO!! REVIEWS ARE ALWAYS HELPFUL!!

Don't forget to review, y'all! ~JenJen-chan