Meet the Green Lantern
The next morning, the girls were up bright and early with their units. Shayera was there not long after wake up call. They quickly took to the sky before Shayera told them anything about where they would be going. "Okay, stay close. You can speak freely if you wish. Humans generally try to be open-minded, but no promises." The three flew to meet up with the League outside of a government building, none of them looked particularly happy.
They kept an awkward silence until Superman spoke up. "Well, are we gonna do this or what?"
"You guys go, me and John will catch up." The girls went with the League. John stayed in his place, his nostrils flared slightly and arms crossed strongly across his chest. "John, I'm sorry I couldn't tell you. I was sworn to secrecy. I can't tell you how many times I wanted so badly to just tell you, but I didn't want to put the mission in jeopardy."
"So you put a mission before your friends?"
"No. Yes. Ugh, You don't understand. I wasn't worried about me or losing my friends. I was worried about my family losing me." John's eyebrows narrowed. "I'm a single mother of two girls. I don't want them to go through what I did."
"Why should I believe any of that?"
"Because I lo-" She cut herself off, sighing, admitting her own defeat. "I love you, John. And I would never, could never lie to you. I'm still torn between duty and desire. If I want to see my girls go home safely, I have to stick to duty. But I want so damn badly to stay with you." Shayera began to break down.
John unfolded his arms as he took a few steps toward her, wrapping her up in his arms and burying her face in his chest. "Then stay."
"But then I would just be hunted down as a deserter. I don't want that for my girls."
"If your girls are anything like their mother, they will be fine. Stay." There was silence. "How old are they?"
"The oldest is 21. The younger one is 20. I'm surprised they haven't been shipped back to Thanagar to be married and mated."
"Why do you say that?"
"That's what they do with women who aren't in a previously arranged marriage. Women are only there to produce more soldiers."
"Are they with the fleet?"
"Yes, they're in there with the League now. They wanted to meet you. We don't get a lot of Green Lanterns on Thanagar."
"I'd love to meet them."
"Stay here." Shayera went into the building, returning with Shayan and Jayda. "Girls, meet one of Earth's Green Lanterns, John Stewart. John, this is Shayan and Jayda," she introduced, "my daughters."
"It's an honor to meet both of you. You're both as beautiful as your Mother."
Both girls kept stone faces, Shayan stepped in to shake his hand. "It's an honor to me you. We don't get many Green Lanterns on Thanagar, but I have heard great things about you, John Stewart."
"I wish I could say the same. Your mother's not exactly a social butterfly."
"I was hammered into a soldier worthy of the Thanagarian army and an expert on espionage. What do you expect?"
"Well, a little more than what I got, that's for sure."
The girls watched the interactions between Shayera and John. Jayda in particular was amazed by how easy it was for Shayera to just say what was on her mind. She was not sure if the ease came from the transition to earth life or if it was the man himself that made communication so easy.
The evening came and Shayera once again called the girls to her quarters. "So, what'd you think of him?"
"He's nothing like most guys on Thanagar," Shayan replied. "He's not all business, you can tell he cares. I would take him over Hro any day."
"He reminds me of what I imagine dad would've been like."
Shayera sadly curled her lips. "No, your father and I had an arranged marriage. I never liked him one bit, I was just following orders. He was just like most of them, all duty and no heart. Now my father was different. Even for the little time I spent with him, I could tell he cared about me and my mother. John really reminds me a lot of him."
"Mom, I think John would be a great choice," Shayan announced.
