A/N: This is based off the many purple suited workers you see walking around in the Justice League Unlimited series. Following their stories and what it's like to work alongside the Leaguers at times.

Hope you all like it as much as I like writing it :D

-Vivian "Viper/Viv" Schultz-

It really is all too beautiful from here, Vivian thought.

A small, thoughtful smile slowly crept into place.

Fidgeting on her feet, she moved her weight from her right leg to her left as she stood in front of the window. The view from said window was of Earth and in the distance you could see Saturn and then the moon just coming around the right side of the Earth. All around the stars twinkled in the darkness of space like the mass of Christmas lights on homes during the bone-chilling season.

"Only a teeny bit more…spaced," Vivian added with a quiet chuckle.

The brunette slowly peeled her eyes from the picturesque expanse before her and started on her way to the monitor womb. She smiled at a couple of coworkers as they passed, willing to smile at any passerby. Though she held a slight disdain when smiling at the superheroes that often inhabited the Watchtower. It wasn't distrust or even dislike of them, no, it was more along the lines of arrogance and egotism. Vivian didn't believe it of all of them, especially not of J'onn. But when she looked at most of them, what she saw were men and women believing they were better than the common person or human.

They're special all right. Vivian rolled her eyes, sighing as she walked into the monitor room.

"That was a big sigh, Miss Schultz," J'onn noted. He turned his head, peering at her over his shoulder. A small barely noticeable smirk appeared. "You do not often sigh like that when you come in here."

Vivian found herself staring at the slight quirk of his lips. It was rare, even for her, to see him smile. Or well, smirk. She blinked and met his eyes, smiling a bit herself. "I'm sorry Mr. J'onnz," she replied quickly. "Please, call me Viv, J'onn. Don't make me tell you that again," Vivian scrutinized with a playful look in her eyes.

His smile grew somewhat and he turned back to the monitors before him. "I will continue to remember that, Viv," he said. The way he spoke her name made it sound almost hard for him to pronounce. But having him call her by her nickname made her feel more at ease and comfortable with him. They were past formalities, weren't they?

And just like that she forgot why she had even been sighing on the way in.

Walking into the middle of the room, Vivian looked at all of the screens slowly, taking it in as she did every time she entered. J'onn looked down at her from the corners of his eyes, noting how her focus on her surroundings seemed to disappear as it centered in on the monitors.

He stood at least a foot and a half taller than her, his green skin a stark contrast to her beige complexion. Even his blue cape contrasted, with the purple pantsuit she wore. Sometimes he'd find himself accidentally delving into the pits of her coffee colored eyes. Yes they were beautiful and attractive to him but also to see how she was seeing through them. Her sight was truly unique when she worked along side him. Outside the womb, or without TV's and monitors it was average. She even had to wear reading glasses at times.

"J'onn," she interrupted the silence, "I can feel you staring at me."

He blinked and turned his eyes immediately to the screens. "I am sorry, Mis-Viv." J'onn pressed a couple of buttons on the control panel to change a few of the monitors to a fight with Wonder Woman and Cheetah. "Wonder Woman has been dispatched as well as thirteen other members of the JLA. All scattered across the globe to help settle matters of terrorism and natural disasters."

"Isn't that how it usually goes?" Vivian asked with a sarcastic tone. "It's long passed my first day J'onn. Months passed. You don't always have to give me the lingo. Just tell me-or show me where everyone is and a quick summary and I'll be fine."

Vivian sat down in one of the chairs; her eyes wide and staring blindly up at the monitors. She looked like a deer caught in headlights, confused and frozen to her spot. Reaching forward she worked at the control panel alongside J'onn, watching and pointing out things that J'onn didn't catch. Together they worked as a team. She watched, connecting the dots that could be splayed across multiple monitors and read off news as it happened in time while J'onn made sure the station was being handled and ordering out League members to stop this or that. They made an efficient team. But that was all they were and really the only time they talked to one another was during monitor duty.

Oddly enough, she only ever was on monitor duty with J'onn. But that was simply to keep her ability a secret. Something J'onn had agreed to do when they met.

First day on the job…

Vivian hurried about the ship, working as a Runner. She brought things here, ran a message there, and took a jaunt anywhere. The brunette had to stop a few times to take a short minute break, wondering why in the world this space station was so damned large.

At least I'll be able to keep in shape because of this, she thought. Vivian let out a dry laugh, getting a few odd looks from passers as they went slowly about their business. Being a Runner you had to stay on your toes and always be moving and ready to change directions. Which I have already done, what? Forty times now… Her head fell to her knees while she clung to the package at her stomach. Have to keep with it. It'll get better, she told herself.

Vivian begrudgingly got up. It's safer up here and you don't have to worry about being noticed. She began a brisk walk, passing those passer-byer's that gave her an odd look minutes ago. I'm busy and it'll keep me on my toes. Which is exactly why she came up here.

Back home-on Earth-she worked as a secretary, sitting at a desk, doing day-to-day work that was so boring she often was caught falling asleep. Or zoning. But that was for other reasons she couldn't, or rather, wouldn't explain.

Quitting a month into the job, she left to work on the Space Station for the JLA. It was a dream job for many but she was too much of a skeptic to see it that way.

"Viv," a coworker called out. She'd been to his section a few times and had come to hear him called 'Ponyboy'. His stubborn jaw set and easy smile a definite similarity to the fictional character. Though she could care less about the flirtatious engineer and just scowled each time he called out to her in need of a Runner. Ponyboy held out a silver metal part that had oil on it and dripped slightly, "I need you to take this to Martian Manhunter for me. Tell him Eric sent it," he said. So his name was Eric. He shook it slightly, "Afraid of a little grime sweets?" He asked with a leer.

Vivian tsk'd and took it without a second thought, almost dropping it as it was slippery. She hugged it to her uniform. I am going to kill him for this. She gave him a glare before she headed off to the elevators.

She and he departed, her only hearing a hearty and mocking chuckle. She'd give him a mouthful one of these times… Stepping into the elevator she looked down at the metal part. It weighed a few pounds but wasn't too weighty. It was about as long as her forearm and about as large as Superman's. It was round-ish and had prods and gears sticking out of it. What it did she had no idea.

The elevator must have dinged at every floor and she slouched at the back of the box, waiting for the main floor. Finally, she stepped off and went to the womb. Vivian stepped into the womb, keeping her head down as she did. There were way too many monitors and TV's for her to look up. She'd been in there once already and she'd frozen upon entering. She was just happy Martian Manhunter hadn't been in at the moment. Now though, she wouldn't let that happen again.

"Excuse me," she called, clearing her throat as she entered.

"It's really no big deal, I'll be down and back in a flash," a cheerful voice said with a laugh. "Oh! Company. I'll leave since it looks important."

A breeze made Vivian stumble to the side slightly, announcing the departure of Flash. A hand gripped her shoulder, stabilizing her and then left just as quickly. "I am sorry about his departure style. It often leaves a larger gust than he believes," he explained, his voice comforting.

Vivian stared at the floor and held out the metal part toward him. "Ponyb-Eric sent me here with this. I do not know what he wants you to do with it though," she said. Vivian went straight to business, not caring about how Flash came or left.

The weight lifted from her hands and she had to look up just so she knew she hadn't dropped it somehow. Martian Manhunter held it in the air with his telekinesis and was effortlessly taking it apart in front of her but her eyes looked passed him. Vivian gaped at the heart of the womb as everything coalesced on her retinas and she suddenly saw every screen as if looking at one. Her eyes flitted this way and that so fast it was hard to follow.

J'onn finished and was going to give her back the part when he noticed her vacant and every moving stare. "Miss?" He asked, concerned. His brow furrowed in confusion and worry when she didn't reply. "Miss?"

"There's a four person robbery in South Carolina. Hostages of the staff and civilians," she reported. "Superman has won against Bizarro and is bringing him up for properly imprison him." Imprison being the wrong word to use but at the moment she did not care.

He turned to look at the monitors, seeing exactly what she was saying happening on them. "Yes…" J'onn turned back to Vivian, more concerned with her sudden reports and 'deer in headlights' look than that. "Miss? Can you hear me? See me?" He asked, waving his hand in front of her.

"I can see it all Martian Manhunter," she began to explain in a monotone voice. "I've connected to the Watchtowers monitor and communications network and can now hear and see all that is happening within the system." She perked up slightly as something came up on the news. "Superman has been deceived and Bizarro is now attacking again."

J'onn needed her to get out of the system, needed to speak to her about what was happening person to person. He didn't know if she were in trouble or not.

A golden glow came from his eyes and a moment later J'onn delved into her mind. He weaved through memories and thoughts trying his best not to linger as he attempted to find the source of her power. Once there he put up a momentary barrier to stop the connection and without realizing it, hurt her in the process.

Vivian covered her eyes with a pained screamed, stumbling and falling into his catching arms. She teared up, screaming in pain as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"Miss Schultz?" J'onn asked, extremely worried now.

Once again he entered her mind and quickly removed his barrier. He eyed the girl in his arms as she panted and tried to refrain from crying. Vivian rubbed her eyebrows and eyes soothingly. "Miss Schultz?" he asked in a soft tone, worry lacing his voice. "I am terribly sorry for doing that to you. I did not realize you would be hurt like that."

Vivian let out a long breathe, rubbing her eyes one last time before dropping her hands to rest on her stomach. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, squinting slightly. The first thing she even noticed was his green skin tone. "So green," she said aloud.

Thinking she took offense to it he shifted into his human form, his dark eyes staring back at her. "Is this be-"

Vivian frowned. "I wasn't offended Manhunter. Do not change on my account," she scolded. Then, realizing she had scolded him she sighed, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound that way."

When she looked at him again he was green and had a tiny smile. He helped her stand up, losing the smile and becoming serious. "Miss Schultz," he began.

"Wait," she interrupted, taking a couple of steps away from him. Once again, she kept her eyes downcast, not wanting that to happen again. "I can explain everything. Including what just happened. Just… I can't-I don't want to lose this job. I like what I'm doing, truly. I know that me being able to connect to the Watchtower network like I did is a risk to the JLA but I swear I can't get into records or anything of the likes unless I were to see them." She was rambling out of worry for her job, her safety net. "I-"

"-Miss Schultz," J'onn interjected, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I did not mean to nor wish to invade your privacy but I have seen your goals and thoughts. I know that what you say is true as well as knowing that you are not a threat to the Justice League."

She took a deep breath, having not even realized she hadn't been breathing. "Really?" She asked, her voice sounding tiny.

He nods once, "Really. I understand that you do not wish to be known for what you can do and want to keep it hidden. And I will gladly keep your secret for you. It is yours to know not mine." He looked at her as she glanced up at him. "I rather think you need a change in job position here."

This piqued her interest and she looked up at him, doing her best to ignore the monitors. "Work here in the Monitor Womb with me," he offered. He stopped her before she could offer any rejections to the idea. "I know you don't want your secret known so you may work alongside me here in the womb."

"Hmm," she hummed in thought. "You're not going to give me some spiel on how I should just tell the League about it, are you?"

Knowing it would not work anyway, he shook his head.

"This is going to sound dumb and I know I should trust all of the League," Vivian sighed, kicking her foot slightly at nothing. "But how can I be certain you won't tell anyone?"

"You cannot," he replied. "But you can grow to trust in me as you work alongside me, Miss Schultz."

"May I think about it?" She asked. "Not that I don't like the offer, I just…am in the middle of my job currently." She shrugged, quickly searching for the metal part that she had first brought up. "Which would be where?"

"Here," he said and slowly it hovered down to chest height and she grabbed it from the air. "And yes, you may think about my proposal."

Vivian smirked, "Poor word choice Manhunter."

"Huh?" He raised his brow in confusion.

She waved her hand, "Nothing. I'll be back in a couple of days to give you an answer." Vivian glanced down at the part noting that it still looked the same. "Thank you for the work you did. I'll bring it down to Eric right away."

The green alien nods, "You…are very welcome." He then awkwardly turns away to go back to his post at the monitors.

Present…

With a tired sigh, Vivian sat down at the cafeteria table across from her friend, Alicia Roberts. Or as everyone calls her: Colorful. There was a reason she was called Colorful.

"Do you think the addition of teal is too much?" She asked, looking at a strand of teal colored hair from the corner of her eyes. "It doesn't clash, does it?"

She looked up at her, pausing in eating some of her salad to stare at the small girl. Finishing her bite she said, "You are asking the wrong person, sweetie. My fashion sense doesn't go beyond a purple suit."

"That's true," she agreed.

Vivian frowned at her and then shook her head, smiling softly. She looked at the newly added color, rather liking this color more than the others. Which were pink, baby blue, lavender, ruby red, and white. Teal was definitely her top favorite, the lavender color just behind that.

"But yes, it looks good, Colorful," she informed her.

A large smile spread across the girls face and she let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God, I was really worrying that it looked funny with the others. But if you say it looks good than I believe you." Caroline looked at her, still smiling. "I could add some to your hair if you like."

Vivian waved her hands, shaking her head, "Nah, I'm good. Besides, it's cuter on you than it would be on me."

Colorful tilted her head to the side, "Just a streak? The teal would look nice with your skin tone."

"And you work at the Watchtower why, exactly?"

Shrugging, she said, "I dunno."

Though Vivian knew exactly why she was working up here. Why their group of friends worked up here rather than down on Earth; aside from boredom that is.

Safety.

Of all things, each of them just felt safe in space and in the shadow of the Justice League. Aside from Care Bear, the four of them had unique abilities that proved handy up here and also created a target on their back. So they opted for being safe and helpful than on edge and wary.

"But you should let me put in a streak of color. Just one streak," she said enthusiastically. "I'll even let you pick the color."

"Wow, really?" She asked sarcastically, chuckling at the girls' excitement. Vivian looked down at her own black hair, picking up a small chunk and examining the tips. "I've never died my hair before. And would the color even turn out in dark hair like mine?" She asked.

Colorful nodded quickly, "Oh yes. We hairstylists," she smiled, gesturing to herself, "Have the skills and know-how to do it."

Vivian rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "Alright, you can do one streak. And I want it to be green," she challenged believing she didn't have the color.

"Okay."

"Do you have green?" She inquired curiously.

Colorful nods as she takes a bite of her sandwich. "The entire rainbow," she says around a mouthful.

Of course she would, Vivian thought with a defeated sigh. Now I've agreed… "Alright. Tomorrow night you can do it."

A middle-aged gentleman walked up to the table, clearing his throat. "Excuse me, Alicia?" He asked.

"Hmm?" She asked, swallowing her food.

He held out a folded sheet of paper in his hand in front of her. "Do you think you could run-"

"-no she will not," Vivian interrupted with a scowl. "She's done with work for the night. Find someone else to do it or, even better, yourself." The woman gawked at him for even asking in her presence. Not many had the guts to do so when she was around, and if they did well…they got a few words.

Colorful stared down at her plate, looking very melancholy as she moved her food around on her plate.

"Vivian," he breathed, frowning. Thinking she was done, he turned to look at Alicia again. "Would you mind? I have to get back home before nine," he explained.

"Going to guilt trip her into doing it now?" She scoffed.

The man glared at Vivian but he knew the risk of asking Alicia when she was with Vivian when he did. "My son is in the hospital and I will not miss a night for your misjudgment of me, Vivian," he spat.

Alicia quickly took the paper from his hands and nodded, "Yes, I'll do it. You can go now." She wanted to dispel any possible quarrel before it even began if she could. Vivian matched his glare, biting her tongue from saying anything snappy to him. "Vivian?" Colorful asked quietly. "Come with me?"

This distracted Vivian and she looked away, the gentleman taking the moment to hurry off.

"Please stop this," she says lightly, staring down at the tray. "I know… I know you are just trying to look out for me. But just let me say yes or no once in a while, yeah?"

She sighed, letting her head hang. "I'm sorry Colorful." I just see so many people walk all over you all the time… she wanted to add to backup her actions.

"What's with the heavy head?" A familiar voice asked.

"Shut it Ponyboy," Vivian snapped, able to lash out at him without worry of rebuttal. "This is an 'a' and 'b' conversation so you can just 'c' your way out of it right now."

Colorful gave him a wary smile, shrugging her shoulders once. Eric, a.k.a. Ponyboy, gave her a dry smile shaking his head. He knew exactly what it was about already but did as she said and 'c'd his way out of it.

"So did you guys hear about Marcus' son?" He asked, changing the subject to gossip.

Alicia shook her head, glancing over her shoulder to see if the man who gave the paper was still around yet.

Eric continued, "Well he got into a car accident and rolled his vehicle a week ago. Second week with his license, poor kid." He paused and took a bite of his food. "He broke his collar bone and his left arm with quite a few good bruises too."

Vivian groaned, clenching her fists. Dick. Said that on purpose. "I am such a bitch," she groaned.

"At least when it comes to Alicia you are," Eric added. "And at least you can admit it," he smirked. Turned out he c'd his way right into it.

She blindly punched him in the arm, the hit just a little harder than a tap.

He laughed and rubbed his arm, "Oh that hurt so bad," he whined. After a bit of silence Eric sighed and looked at Alicia, "She just does it because she see's, we all see people abusing you with your willingness to say yes."

Alicia looked back down at her tray and shrugged lightly. "I like to help out…"

Vivian looked up at her, "Yes but even you need a break and you don't need to say yes to everyone. You ran yourself dry just last week because you said yes to everyone who asked for help." She noticed that her words weren't getting her anywhere and sighed, "Alicia. I just worry," she said, grabbing the girl's hand. "So I'm sorry if I get a little snippy at people for asking for your help all the time."

"It's alright," she smiled softly, squeezing her hand. "I understand and I like that I have you guys watching over me. Just, try," she snickered, "To tone it down a little. Okay?"

Vivian rolled her eyes, smirking, "Alright, I will try my best."

"Which means she'll try for a moment and then fail in the end," Ponyboy interjected with a sly smile.
"Whatever Ponyboy," Vivian scoffed but smiled nonetheless. She stood up as the other two were laughing. "Well I'm tired and am going to bed. Goodnight you two, see you tomorrow."

"Night," Colorful waved.

"Later Viper," Ponyboy chuckled.

Vivian shook her head and headed off to her room after dumping her tray of food.