"A Mother's Toll"
While Rex was trying to be normal, his family refused to let him. Every new kid meant a lesser sense of normality. Each being more amazed that Rex's parents were world class superheroes. As years drug on, Rex became more accustomed to each kid's surprise. As Rex and Chelsey led more active lives though, the more strain it put on their parents, their mother in particular. John had come home late one night to discover Shayera crying on the couch. "Shayera? Babe, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Don't worry about it," she snapped.
John sat next to her in an attempt to comfort her. "Shay, I know you don't cry for no reason. What is wrong?"
Shayera jumped up in response. "What's wrong? Try being in my shoes. Yes you're the Green Lantern with nothing to hide. But if you want to go out as John Stewart, you can and nobody think anything of it. You're just another guy on the street. I can't do that, John. I can't go to my own son's football game, my own daughter's basketball game or choir concert. Not without a dozen people comin' up for pictures or autographs. Not that you would know what that's like. You never go. You're always off on missions, or recuperating from one to go on the next. You have never been to a single one of your children's events, John! I can't tell you how upset Rex was when he came off that field after his first football game and you weren't there. It breaks my heart everytime they ask me when you're comin' home, and I have to say that I don't know. I don't even know if you're coming home."
John hung his head in shame before mumbling, "I'm sorry."
"That's all you're gonna say? You're sorry? I'd bet you don't even know how old they are."
He slowly looked up. "Chelsey's thirteen. Rex is fourteen. Today makes fifteen years that we have been married. I know I've missed so much, but I have got to show the boy a proper role model before he becomes someone else's."
"John, you've missed fourteen years of the boy's life. You can't just make that up like training hours."
"I know." He stood up, pleading look in his eyes. "But he needs a father figure. If I don't shape up and show him any better, he might just be the same kinda father I was to him. I wasn't. My children always hearing of my greatness but never getting to witness it firsthand. Who am I kidding? I was never a father to them, just a placeholder in a few photos."
Silence. Then the pair heard a cough from an outsider of the conversation. They found the source being Rex standing with Chelsey in the hallway watching their parents' interactions. Shayera scratched the back of her neck while John moved closer to her, reaching around to rub in between her wings. "Sorry, guys. Go on back to bed."
Rex turned to go back to his room, Chelsey stayed in the hallway. "Mom, why were you yelling at Dad?"
"We were just having a really loud conversation, Sweetheart. Don't worry about it."
Chelsey seemed satisfied with the answer and went back to her room. Shayera turn to John, embracing him. "I know there's not much we can do about the mission deployments. But when you're here, be here. Bond with your children. One day they won't be here for you to or vice versa. I've been there. I know."
