The vote was taken. It all seemed like a blur to me. But the bottom line is I'm now a member of the Justice League!
After I'm handed credentials (a com-link which a I put in my right ear and an identity card which I put in my pocket) I head back to Earth. Then I fly to Dick's place as fast as I can. Soon I land (visible in civvies with my wings tucked in) on Dick's front porch.
I check the clock on my cell phone. It's his day off thank God.
I ring the doorbell and the door instantly opens. "H?" (That's my nickname.)
"Can I come in?"
"Of course."
After the door closes he looks at me. "What happened H? You look awful."
I bite my lip and cry.
"H?"
"I saw my Dad die Dick! Right in front of me! He was there but now he's gone!" Tears are streaming down my face.
"Oh H. I'm so sorry." He hands me a box of tissues. "Did you try to use your healing magic?"
"Yeah but..." I start to shake. "It didn't work!" He gently grabs my hand. "I couldn't do anything!"
I tell him everything that happened after my Dad died. Dick's always been a good listener.
"And I'm guessing you turned the com-link invisible?"
I nod and show him the identity card. "Does the pain ever go away Dick? It hurts so damn much!"
Dick looks shocked for a second. I almost never curse.
"I wish I could say Yes H. I really do." He hugs me. "I'll be there to help ease it though."
"Thank you."
"Any time H. What are friends for?"
I smile back. "Knowing you I know what they're for."
He smiles. I've said that before.
"You can stay here."
"Thanks."
Using magic I teleport my guitar, songbook, and a big book of fairy tales to my location.
It's a special book of fairy tales. It has all of my favorite fairy tales in it and, because of a special charm placed on it, when I open it, my Dad's voice reads them.
The guitar is custom made (by me!) and comes with a pick my Father gave me.
The song book has my favorite songs in it and some of them are ones I wrote.
"Just the basics H?"
"Yeah. I couldn't bring all my books."
He chuckles knowingly. There's no way they'd all fit.
I pull a pencil from my songbook. I feel a song coming and I need to write it down.
This is what I write.
[Requiem for a Father
By ME
I remember sitting on my Father's shoulders so tall
And feeling like never I ever would fall
I'd look up at the sky and I'd laugh and smile
It's a memory that lasts but only for a while
A memory of my Father
For whom I sing a requiem
As bittersweet tears fall gently down my face
They'll tell him rest in peace and fare you well
They'll say that I think of him and I miss him too
And I guess I always will
I remember running into his arms
He'd hold me in his embrace
I'd smile and say that I loved him
He'd say he loved me too
It's a memory that's there if only for a while
A memory of my Father
For whom I sing a requiem
As bittersweet tears fall gently down my face
They'll tell him rest in peace and fare you well
They'll say that I think of him and miss him too
And I know I always will
And all the memories I have of him
I treasure each and every one
So I'll smile through the tears
And remember all the years
That I had with him
As I sing a requiem for my Father]
I put down the pencil.
"Can I see?"
I show him.
"No fair! You wrote it in Ancient Fey runes."
"Well you have Romany..."
"Good point." (He spoke Romany with his parents and my Father taught me Ancient Fey along with everything I know about my Fey heritage which is a lot.)
"But you know it too."
"Along with every other language including animals. But Ancient Fey is special..."
He smiles. "I know. So The Crimson Bolt?"
"Yeah, it's longer than Nightwing..."
"Red was always your favorite color and you can fly really fast. I like it."
I smile. "I like it too. Do you think that my Dad would be proud that I'm a member of the Justice League?"
"I don't just think that H. I know he'd be proud."
My voice softens. "Thanks Dick. That means a lot to me."
The time passes swiftly and I start to feel tired. But before I go to bed I open my book of fairy tales.
"In China, you know of course, the emperor is Chinese, and everyone has around him is Chinese too...*"
*Hans Christian Andersen's The Nightingale