New Story Guys! Set after Starcrossed.
Flying was always her way to deal. It was her way of escaping her stress.
Shayera Hol of Thanagar was now doing what she thought was the best thing in the world. Flying. She would fly straight up then dive right down. Her eyes would tear up and her face would transform into a smile. Adrenaline would course through her veins and she'd get closer and closer to the water as she dared. At the last moment, she'd let loose her wings, and shoot back up. Breathing hard she'd go back to the cliff she started on and sit with her legs dangling over the edge.
Shayera leaned back and rested her arms behind her. She looked towards the sun as it set. The view was breathtaking. The water would shine and the sky was a mix of yellow and orange. She leaned her head back and shut her eyes. The feeling of the sun's rays against her skin made her feel warm all over. It was a feeling she hoped that she'd never lose.
Too soon, it began to get cold and the sun was no longer up. Shayera stood up and began to walk towards the mansion that resided not too far from the edge.
As always, Alfred stood by the French doors with a glass of water and a towel. "An exhilarating flight Ms. Hol?"
Shayera took the glass and gulped down half its contents. "Yes it was Alfred. And please. Call me Shayera."
The older gentleman simply smiled and said that first names were no way of addressing a hero. Shayera frowned and made her way to her room.
Batman, well Bruce, had allowed her to stay at the mansion awhile after she left. For 2 months Shayera lived all around. When Bruce found her, he simply told her to follow him. She was bruised and bloody and honestly needed help. Even though she refused it. As he worked on her cuts and broken bones, he never said a word. Neither did she. She just watched him, with the occasional flinch or quiet curse. Batman had always been an enigma to her.
After she was all patched up, she tried to leave. Batman convinced her to stay.
She stayed indoors for the first month. Training and relaxing. Watching the news on occasion. Soon, being cooped up was driving her insane. She talked to Batman about it. After she did, he disappeared for a few hours into the Batcave and came back with a small circular piece of metal. He asked her to turn around and stuck the piece of metal to her back. For a moment he held it there. Just as she was about to ask what would happen next, she felt four little needles stick into her. She would've jerked away, but Batman had a grip on her. Soon the pain subsided and Bruce stepped back.
He told her that this chip would teleport her wings to another dimension if she pressed the button on it. If pressed again, her wings would come back. Shayera was shocked. At the same time, she was...excited. This meant that she could go out into the world again. The only problem was she didn't know where to start. Again, Batman helped her. He made her a new identity and even a job. Not one she would want, but a job nonetheless. She was his assistant. Her desk would lie right outside his office. She was confused about a lot. Mostly why Batman was doing this for her. He never told her and she didn't waste her breath asking. This new job meant a lot of things. A new start, a new life, and a new identity. Being an ex-lieutenant who was trained in espionage, secret identities were nothing new to her. Even though she was trained in it, that didn't necessarily mean that she enjoyed it. She was used to not sharing her feelings, only information.
Living with Batman, Shayera saw another side of the hero that not one of their friends had seen. He was still the brooding, mysterious man they all knew, but there were moments where he'd crack a smile at something Alfred had said. There was also his obsessiveness. For hours, he would be in the cave. Doing what? Shayera never got an answer. She watched as Bruce Wayne brought in woman after woman, reporter after reporter. She saw the charming playboy and the intense vigilante. Surprisingly, Shayera also saw the vulnerable side. Moments where Batman would be seen standing in front of a large painting of a happy couple with a small boy, who seemed to be around 8 on the mother's lap. The father was tall and standing close to the mother as she sat in a chair with a very happy boy on her lap. Usually, all people in the portrait would be facing the painter not just the boy. But here, the parents had eyes only for the other. Shayera had never seen so much love. Except for whenever she saw the look on Joh-.
'No, don't think of him.'
They were his parents. He missed them terribly. Ever since that day, Bruce wasn't the only one who would simply gaze at it. Shayera did as well. It spoke volumes to her. She could just stand there without thinking. She suspected that that was what Bruce did as well. Or maybe he simply became overcome with the memories of the time where his family was whole.
Shayera wasn't the only one in the large, empty mansion who had a special picture. Hers was more current, but it also represented a happier time. It was a rare snapshot of all the original members. Flash had set up a secret camera with a timer and used his speed to make sure that everyone would be caught. They were all sitting together enjoying a few drinks celebrating the success of a mission. Everyone was happy. Their family was whole. She was whole.
The picture had stayed with her always, tucked in a hidden pocket of her uniform during the invasion. Later, into the pockets of whatever clothes she wore.
On the first day of her new job, life, and identity, Shayera made her way to the kitchen where Alfred was cooking up another masterpiece. Batma- Bruce had already beaten her there. He was in a black Armani suit and was sitting at the island with a steaming cup of coffee, black, in front of him and today's newspaper. She too was dressed for work in a nice silk blouse and skirt, her cloaking device safely between her shoulder blades and working. She felt…alien. Her wings were practically her only identity, the other being her lost mask.
As Alfred finished cooking, he set the plates in front of the two and left to dust. Shayera drank her hot chocolate, an earth drink she had fallen in love with when John first showed it to her
"He misses you." Bruce's voice cut through the usual morning silence.
Shayera stopped drinking and looked at Bruce. He continued reading the news, shaking it to settle the page he just turned.
She lowered her cup from her mouth slowly and looked at him. "Why tell me?"
Bruce simply shrugged. "I thought you should know."
Shayera stood up and rinsed her mug out in the sink. "There is no point in telling me something that is now irrelevant." She grabbed her jacket and made her way to the door. "I'll see you at work."