A/N: This was inspired from Justice League New 52 issue 12, I still haven't manage to read what happens after but I just wanted to write this. This is my first Hal/Barry fic so I'm excited ^^ Haven't been writing in a while so sorry for any mistakes that I made. There will be a second chapter and all the goods are stashed in there, hope you guys like it! Enjoy!
"We...we should've considered every possibility."
After saying that Barry's eyes shifted towards Lantern. The man was silently looking through the window. This was the first time that Hal had ever stayed so silent. Barry couldn't help but think that only meant bad news. As he continued to observe Hal, Barry realized he could also see the other man's reflection. When he fealt that Hal was staring at him back, he lowered his gaze. He could never tell because of that stupid mask. Why would anyone put white fabric over there eyes anyway?
He sighed. Everything was a mess and Barry just felt terrible. Even if he wanted to make eveything right, appearently, he just couldn't. The world was thinking they were either gods or that the justice league was a force that had to be stopped.
But they were neither.
Sure Superman was an alien and Wonderwoman was a demigod, but that didn't mean they weren't flawed. None of them were perfect. Even if most didn't believe, Barry knew that deep inside they were all human. They all could feel. They all could get angry and lose control. But the most important one was that they all cared. They all cared about the world no matter where they were from.
"Even if we knew, was there anything we could've done?" Cyborg's deep voice echoed throughout the silent room.
"We could've tried to help them." Aquaman continued.
The Flash clenched his teeth. He was so goddamn angry. Aquaman was right, they could've done something, anything! If they were going to be "super heroes" they shouldn't just be showing up when aliens came along. They weren't playing games and they didn't have the right to just choose the mission that float their boat. Saving lives wasn't just a job about choosing which paperwork to do.
"We... made a mistake." said Batman. The man sounded tired and if Barry was going to be bold he could've gone so far as saying that the man sounded guilty. He was sure that he wasn't the only one that caught up on this tone and expected Hal to say something sarcastic like "wow the bat does have the ability to feel remorse" but the room stayed silent. As he felt like the silence was slowly going todrive him mad he quickly turned his eyes towards Batman.
"We can't afford to make mistakes. When we make mistakes, people die!" his eyes shifting back to Hal, his heart ached. He felt horrible but continued anyway. " With the powers we have, it's up to us to make the earth safe. To make sure eveyone's okay!"
Remembering Graves's agonizing look as he lost his family again, Barry had to hold himself from punching something,anything. The so called heroes had taken Graves family from him twice. He gritted his teeth. True, it wasn't there fault the first time but they should've been certain. He closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. He continued to speak, not raising his voice this time.
"As twisted as it was... that's what Graves was trying to do. He was trying to help everyone, and that's more then we've been doing." his voice had became softer . He wanted some sort of comfort in all of this. Anything would do at this point. Even a hug from Cyborg would make him feel better.
Or maybe a hug from the Green Lantern.
His heart skipped a beat by the mere thought of just hugging the green suited man. He quickly shook his head. No. That would never happen. Hal Jordan was just a friend. A close one in fact but that was all. Nothing more then good old friendship.
Friends could hug too. Right?
"But like Graves said, we are not gods Flash." said the Green Lantern faintly. Much to Barry's suprise the usual sarcastic manner that always lerked in Hal's voice was gone. "When we do what we do on the scale we do it, people get hurt." Not taking his eyes off of his own reflection, he continued. His voice sounding more certain than before. "The fact is, the justice league can save the earth everyday, but we can't save everybody on it everyday."
After finishing his sentence Hal turned to look at his fellow teammates. Finally, Barry couldn't help but think. He had missed seeing the other man's face. Hal's eyes shifted on to every one of them. Barry had a feeling that Hal's eyes lingered on him. The speedster raised an eyebrow. He was quite curious about where this conversation was going.
"But that doesn't mean the league shouldn't try. And to keep doing that, we need the world's support. That's why I'm quitting."
At first Barry thought the man was kidding. He couldn't be serious. But as he continued to stare at Hal, he slowly realized that the man was as serious as he would ever be. This man that he only knew for a couple months really was the craziest man alive. What was he even thinking. Heroes didn't get to quit.
"What! Why!?" he shouted, blue eyes wide with shock. His question echoed throughout the room. The green lantern fixed his gaze on to him and pointed to himself.
"I started the fight with Wonderwoman. I was the problem."
No you were NOT! Barry wanted to shout again. But before he could say anything Batman took the lead.
"We were all at fault lantern." Barry could hear the disbeliefment in the Bats voice. Hal was rash, no one was denying that but this was a quick and pointless decision even for him. Batman knew that. All of them did.
"Keep it on me, Batman. Blame me."
Barry couldn't believe his ears. This man, was going to sacrifice himself. For the team. Hal didn't do stuff like this. It was so out of character. Why? Why would he decide on something like this and actually go through with it! Even Aquaman knew that something like this was just absurd. The league needed the Green Lantern.
He needed Hal.
When he actually admitted this to himself, Barry had a slight mental breakdown inside of himself. What the hell was going on with his brain?! He clenched his teeth as his palms started to sweat. What was he? A thirteen year old girl? God damn it. Barry could swear he was going crazy. His heart rate was out of control, plus the poor muscle felt like someone was squeezing it. He didn't want the damn moronic lantern to go. He was one of his closest friends among the league and gods know the Flash needed someone to confide in.
"The Justice League needs a scape-goat." Hal told them. He quickly turned his back to the rest of the league, heading towards the teleportation door. Barry ran towards him. Minimazing his speed , he reached out to touch the Green Lanter's shoulder.
"Hal-" he whispered. But before he could raise his voice, Hal shrugged his shoulders. Hal was trying to look like he didn't give a damn about his choice but Barry knew better.
"I don't need to be accepted by the world," he said with a nonchalant tone. "Most of my work is off planet anyway."
"You don't have to do this." called out Aquaman trying to be the voice of reason.
"You don't, lantern." said Batman. Barry had a feeling that Batman knew none of them could convince Hal at this point.
The Green Lantern stepped into the teleportation device, his whole body starting to glow green he turned towards them.
"But I should, Batman."
"Hal, Wait!" Barry called out, placing his hands onto the glass confinement. He watched as Hal's body started to dissolve.
The Green Lantern shifted his gaze towards Barry. There was a knowing smirk plastered on Hal's face. Barry wasn't suprised. That smirk was one of Hal's signature moves. But even so, his heart ached at it anyway. The Flash wanted to look away but he just couldn't. Who knew when he would see this man's face again. He hated himself for feeling this way. It was absolutley abnormal. Too bad he couldn't do anything about it. The heart wants what it wants.
Barry lifted his eyebrows when Hal's know it all smirk slowly turned in to a genuine smile. It was almost...comforting. Oddly enough that smile actually worked. He could feel his tense muscles relaxing and his heart beat turning back to normal. Now, he only had one question in mind.
Had Hal did that on purpose?
Barry was almost certain that the lantern had no idea what was going on in his head. He was just being paranoid. Hal wasn't a telepath. But then again, maybe Barry wasn't hiding how he felt as good as he thought he was. Barry was never good at stuff like that. He swallowed the spit that had gathered in his mouth and forced his lips to stay in a straight line.
Hal was gone in 3,2-
"I'll be rooting for you."
1.
Barry wasn't sure if Hal had said that directly at him or the whole team. He blinked a couple of times. The man was actually gone. Barry thought about the tone Hal had said his final words in. It was calm and oddly enough caring. Something that none of them were use to seeing.
The four of them stayed in silence, looking at the empty teleportation device. When the slowest five minutes in Barry's life had passed by, he decided to talk.
"Do we go after him?" he asked. He didn't even wanted to ask. He just wanted to go after him but he knew he just couldn't do that.
"Before we decide to do anything..." Batman started. "We need to find Wonder woman and Superman."
Barry didn't understood why those two should be their priorty but he didn't argue. Batman would've had a valuable reason,as always. He sighed, gave the empty teleportation device one last look and turned towards the rest of the team.
"Let's get to it, then."
