The others raced toward the kitchen, the source of the delectable scents now filling the entire complex. They were always happy when it was Megan's turn to cook. They were therefore suitably stunned to see their friend exiting her bedroom.

Conner stared. "You didn't cook?"

"Nope!" she tinkled. She looked at them and frowned. "None of you did?"

"It must've been Solum," Robin guessed.

"It was."

They turned and found themselves confronted with Red Tornado. Conner and Artemis in particular were annoyed the cyborg hadn't triggered their senses in the slightest.

"Solum has been awake since before dawn," Red Tornado continued. "He cleaned the Cave and then proceeded to make your morning meal. He is accomplished with regard to these things."

"Cleaned?" asked a baffled Artemis.

Wally gave a squealing Megan another look. "Another stress cleaner."

"We didn't get a chance to talk to you last night," said a contrite Megan to Red Tornado. "We're sorry."

"I have been thoroughly briefed by Black Canary. I am not here to make your decisions for you or to question them, merely to guide when asked."

"But what do you think about all of this?" Kaldur asked.

"I do not yet possess sufficient data to analyze this new addition, but I am pleased he appears to be capable." Red Tornado paused. "Solum has a remarkable singing voice. I found the tones and harmonics he produced to be very pleasing."

"You heard him sing?" Wally asked. "What was it like?"

Red Tornado said nothing for several long moments. "Beautiful," he said finally. "Music is a human mystery which often eludes me, though I nevertheless found myself willingly in his thrall. It was a curious sensation." He turned to leave. "You should join him. He was anxious for your company."

Conner nodded and resumed leading their trek to the kitchen.

"Do you think Solum will tell us about his nightmares?" Megan whispered.

"Can we not press him on that?" said an irritable Artemis. "He'll tell us when he's ready, if he even wants to."

"I do."

They raised startled eyes to find him standing on the threshold of the kitchen.

"I need your help."

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you last night," Solum said, slowly exhaling. "It has been ... a long time since I've had a night like that."

"Your dreams sounded really bad," said a concerned Wally. "You screamed yourself hoarse. I ... I thought I heard you crying. I wanted to help," he said quietly, ducking his head, "but I wasn't sure how."

Solum smiled and came forward, placing hand on Wally's shoulder. "Just knowing you is a help."

Wally flushed as a brilliant smile overtook his face.

Megan was melting, melting, melting into a puddle of goo, hearts dancing in her eyes.

Even Artemis thought it was sweet. She wanted to barf, of course, but still thought it was sweet.

"I made breakfast," Solum said. "Help yourselves."

He stepped aside and the others stared in wonder at the table before them.

"Marry me," Artemis whispered with reverence before attacking a stack of pancakes.

Conner leaped after her and made for the bacon.

"You can cook," Robin said. "I mean, really cook."

Solum frowned. "Well, sure. Can't you?"

Wally and Robin looked askance at each other.

Solum shook his head. "I'll teach you. You really should have known already. There's no excuse for guys your age not being able to cook for yourselves." He frowned. "Please don't tell me you have Megan and Artemis cooking for you." He raised a brow. "Because that would be pathetic."

"I don't cook," Artemis said flatly after a faint snort.

Megan smirked at Wally and Robin.

Solum rolled his eyes. "Words of advice, boys: just because a girl - or boy - likes to cook doesn't mean they like doing it all the time, especially for ungrateful people." He shrugged. "Besides, one of the most romantic things you can do is cook your lover a meal."

Robin colored at the term lover while Wally scrolled through his mental rolodex for a recipe other than macaroni and cheese that came from a box. He was choosing to take Kurt's advice as a hint.

"Help yourselves."

The boys were quick to do just that.

"This is delicious," Conner moaned as he inhaled a platter of toast.

"Thank you," Solum said, inclining his head with a satisfied smile on his face.

Megan shyly murmured her thanks and tucked in. After several moments of contented chewing, she delicately cleared her throat and looked at Solum.

"How can we help you?," she asked, practically oozing with sincere concern.

Kurt was reminded of Brittany and grieved anew. That had a been a huge mistake, surrendering that friendship. It was the one action he constantly questioned and always regretted. He paused and appeared to be gathering his thoughts.

"No pressure," Wally said kindly. "We're not trying to push."

Solum smiled. "I know. I appreciate that." He exhaled. "Normally I wouldn't be so open, especially with people I don't yet know well, but ..." He bit his lip. "You all have your own relationships with ... Diana ... whatever those might be, but how familiar are you with Amazons?"

He wasn't surprised when only Robin expressed more than a basic knowledge of the legends.

"Are you an Amazon?" an interested Artemis asked Kurt. "You're a boy."

"It's a gray area," he acknowledged. "Strictly speaking, no; I am not an Amazon. I am, however, Amazon royalty and that matters. I could never rule, nor do I believe I have the strength or wisdom to do so, but I am probably the only male to have intimate knowledge of their customs."

"They trained you?"

He nodded. "They did. The disciplines for which they couldn't teach me themselves, they made sure I had the proper instructors."

There was a lot of hidden meaning in that statement, she realized, but she knew to back off.

"You were screaming last night," Robin said quietly. "I recognized some of the names."

Solum nodded. "Do you know anything about Diana's relationship with the other Amazons?"

Robin and Wally shared a discomfited look.

"Crap," Kurt muttered.

After they had eaten, Kurt had insisted on doing the dishes to much protest. He had argued, however, that as he had no job and no money, the least he could and would do was pull his own weight.

Also he needed to stew and sensed that if he had tried to go to his room and brood, Artemis, Wally, or both of them would have dragged him back out. Washing the dishes allowed him precious moments to sort his thoughts.

Everything was different now. Diana had been exiled and the Amazons refused to acknowledge outside influences. That was dangerous. When the Nation had disbanded and fallen into separate tribes on his own world, it had almost torn the Amazons apart. They were together now, yes, but just as insular, just as distrustful, and just as wary of receiving or granting aid. Apparently it was much the same here, if not worse.

He could approach Diana, ask her to intercede, or try to contact the Queen directly, but if what he suspected had indeed come to pass, he needed more than suspicion to bring before them. All he had now were hypotheses; he needed a theory, as well as an action plan. He could no longer trust that these Amazons were his Amazons, that their history in this world was the same as in his. For that, he would need Diana. But not yet.

He turned on the dishwasher and slowly walked toward the living room where he knew they were waiting. He could all but smell their curiosity and knew they wouldn't be put off much longer; he had to give them something.

They all raised their gazes when he entered.

"I need a witch. Do you have one of those handy?"

They didn't. They had Zatanna, who was some kind of neophyte magician, a nascent sorceress. He couldn't depend on her. Her magic was too new and uncertain, and he doubted it was the magic with which he was familiar, which was what he needed.

He realized he would need to reveal too much before he was ready, and even then it might be for naught.

So what the hell was he supposed to do now? Be purposefully vague, he decided.

"I don't know if you're aware, but Amazons sometimes have prophetic dreams."

Robin frowned. "Do you mean, like, premonitions?"

"Yes."

"Is that what you had last night?" Megan asked.

"I believe so, though I can't be certain. I had several dreams, most of them fragmented and seemingly unrelated."

"Seemingly," Conner repeated, "but you don't believe that."

"No." Solum paused. "I think I know who sent me here and why." He ran his tongue over his dry, cracked lips. "If I'm right, they knew what they were doing and I know what they're after. The problem is they didn't plan on you or the Justice League." He looked down. "And that opens all of you to a world of hurt."

"We can handle it," Wally insisted.

Artemis nodded. "We got your back."

"You can't," he said softly. "Not with this. I'm so grateful for everything you've done and whatever help you're willing to offer, but please believe me when I tell you that this is a war I'll have to fight primarily on my own. This is an entity far beyond anything you have ever fought, anything of which you could ever conceive. As powerful as you all are, you would be a banquet for this nightmare and it wouldn't hesitate to feast upon you."

"It wants power," Artemis said.

"It wants your souls."

They stared at him and then at each other, disbelieving that he was serious.

"Can you stop it?" asked Kaldur.

"No. Not yet and definitely not on my own."

"Can we help you?" Robin asked.

"Perhaps, but that is far, far down the line." Solum sighed and looked away, closing his eyes. "I'll have to talk to her. I require her assistance." He turned back toward them, but looked only at Wally. "Once I know, I will tell you. I will fight for you. I will not let it take you."

Wally met his stare unflinchingly. "I believe you."

Robin agreed to contact Wonder Woman, but decided to do so through proper channels, which meant Batman and Black Canary. Solum hadn't asked expressly for the League to be brought into this, but neither did he forbid it.

"It wants souls?" asked a deeply troubled Bruce.

"That's what he said." Robin was quiet for a long moment. "Batman, he wasn't exaggerating. He's terrified of this thing, whatever it is. He's certain it's after him but is more concerned with protecting us."

"So he's familiar with it."

Robin bit his lip. "I didn't get that sense. He was ... aware ... of it, I suppose you could say, but I don't think he's ever interacted with it personally. From the way he couched it, it's some ancient enemy particular to the Amazons, but he doesn't know if the Amazons here have ever dealt with it."

"And if they haven't," Batman surmised, "it's up to him."

Robin nodded.

"Then our suspicions were right. He was sent to this world precisely because of Diana. It needs her to get to him." His eyes darkened. "A blood link. If this enemy couldn't get to the Amazons in Solum's world, it brought him here so he could bring these Amazons to it ... with Diana as the catalyst."

"It makes sense," Robin agreed. "Get her here as soon as you can. And keep her in sight."

"We'll be there within two hours."

Robin then called Black Canary. She and Green Arrow teleported almost immediately.

For some reason, he wasn't surprised.

Wally was insisting to himself that he wasn't jealous, that he wasn't seething with bitter resentment. But he was.

All he wanted to do was skewer Green Arrow with the man's own weapons.

From the moment Dinah and Oliver had arrived, they had attached themselves to Kurt's hips and were cooing and clucking over him like mother hens.

No, not like mother hens. Like lovers.

Kurt kept running his fingers through Dinah's hair, the woman all but purring her contentment, while Oliver stood behind Kurt, his arms around the boy's waist, chin resting on Kurt's shoulder, whispering words of comfort lost to everyone else. Dinah didn't look surprised or even concerned.

And Kurt didn't stop them, didn't make excuses. Indeed, he appeared to be reveling in their closeness, allowing it to fuel and strengthen him. He needed them, Wally realized, and that hurt.

Suddenly the age difference was no longer trivial. Kurt was barely an adult and looked younger than Wally himself, but he was so mature and experienced. Of course he would seek the counsel of adults, particularly those whom he knew or at least reminded him of his friends.

There was also a rightness to the three of them, as though they made sense together, as though Kurt was the final, long-awaited piece to a triangle no one knew existed.

"Don't give up on him."

Wally blinked and turned to his left where an understanding Artemis stood. "I'm not."

"He cares about you, Wally. That's obvious. When even Conner picks up on this stuff, it's real."

Wally offered a noncommittal grunt in reply.

"Will you fight for him?"

"Will he fight for me?"

"Give him a reason. Let him know there's something to fight for. There's a lot working against you two, but those are just obstacles to be overcome."

He ducked his head. "I didn't realize until know just what a difference those years make. I'm ... I'm a child compared to him."

"You act like a child, but you're not a child. There's a difference, Wally. You're young but fight like a warrior, so fight for him."

"I don't think he wants me to."

"I think he's worried you'll get hurt. Don't assume you know what he's thinking. Just ask him; he'll probably tell you." She cocked her head. "Or is that what you're afraid of?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you afraid someone might like you back, Wally? Is that why you're already trying to talk yourself out of this when it's obvious just how much you want it?"

He flushed darkly and turned away.

She put a hand on his shoulder and gently squeezed. "Hey," she whispered, "I'm on your side, okay?" She paused. "Was Robin right? Are you in love with Solum?"

"No," Wally answered after a long moment, "but ... but I feel that I could love him. Soon. And, yeah, that terrifies me."

"Why? What are you so scared of?"

He turned around to look at her and she had to force herself not to back away from the pain blazing in his eyes.

"Being happy."

It was like a kick in her stomach.

Never before had she realized just how much they had in common.