(Takes place during JLU episode Shadow Of The Hawk)

Vixen stalked through the halls of the watchtower, tense and angry and hoping Vigilante was home because she really needed to talk to someone. As she pushed what passed for the doorbell, it occurred to her, once again, how odd it was that he still maintained his room in the Watchtower now that the league had the Metro Tower on Earth. Ah well, it wasn't her business and was barely on her radar at the moment.

His voice came over the intercom. "C'mon in, it's open. Though you're a mite early."

She wondered at that last comment. Was she interrupting a date? The sense of unease that spiked through her at the thought was lost among the storm of bad feelings already roiling inside her. A soft tune drifted out as the door slid open. Stepping inside the room, she immediately found Vigilante sitting near the window, his head bent over his guitar as he played a mournful melody. As she neared, she could hear him absently humming at certain parts, obviously concentrating more on the notes he was drawing from the strings. It was pretty and sounded familiar but she couldn't place it.

Suddenly feeling like she was intruding, she tried to excuse herself. "Oh, I didn't know you were busy, I'll just-"

His head come up suddenly and his eyes widened in surprise. "'M sorry, I thought you was someone else. Didn' mean to ignore ya." He stood up and set the guitar on a nearby stand. "Jus' figured if Sir Justin and Atom Smasher were this early they could just start settin' up themselves while I—ummm, anyway," His eyes narrowed a bit. "You ok?"

She shook her head softly before she could stop herself. "It's ok, though, I didn't know you had plans, I'll just-" Vixen was turning toward the door when his large hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Hey, now, darlin'. You obviously need to talk t'someone 'nd I'm a someone."

She paused but tried to politely refuse again. "No...if you've got plans."

His voice was soft but firm. "Not for a couple of hours. There's no need for you to go hurryin' off. I'll make us some coffee while you talk." She stood there considering it for a few moments before he spoke again. "Now, I'm not takin' no for an answer so you just sit yo'rself down and tell a friend what's got them pretty eyes of yours so upset."

She gave in without further argument. She really needed to talk to a friend. Looking around, she settled herself on one end of a couch with a beautiful woven blanket thrown over the back. "Is this Navajo?"

"Yeah, was a present from a costar of mine. His mama makes 'em for him every Christmas and he claimed that he didn' have room for any more of 'em but he didn' wanna tell her to stop and he shore didn' want them stuck in some storeroom where they wouldn' be appreciated. He tol' me that he knew I'd understand its value 'nd take care of it." He walked back with two mugs and handed her one before sitting on the other side of the couch. "Though, if the Watchtower gets in the habit of being attacked, I'm gonna have to move it back down t'my house. Ain't gonna let some no good varmint mess up that nice woman's work."

Vixen smiled to herself. She knew Vigilante's 'secret id' was probably as famous as hers was. It was a pretty well known secret in the League that the cowboy had stared in several successful films and albums out. A voice as distinctive as his couldn't hide for long. All it took was one of his songs on someone's iPod or some League member deciding to have a Western movie night. It just wasn't discussed like her own wasn't. She didn't wear a mask in costume and her face graced too many magazine covers for other League members not to have seen her.

"That was a pretty tune you were playing. Is it a new song."

Something darkened his eyes for a moment before he lowered his eyes to his cup. "No. It's an older song usually done with jus' a piano but I've been workin' on adapting it to a guitar." His gaze lifted and locked with hers. "But that ain't what you wanna talk about. What's goin' on?"

Vixen sighed and propped her chin on her hand. "It's John. We've been doing better but I'm still..." She trailed off realizing that she wasn't making sense. "Ok...Back during that problem with Luthor and Brainiac, it bothered me that he didn't talk to me about the plan to disband the League. I mean, I'm his girlfriend and the League is a big part of his life. I really think he should have at least told me about the decision before they made the announcement like that." She sighed. "And I admit, I was kind of jealous that Shayera was up there on the stage when they made the announcement and I wasn't. I mean, I understand it. The founders were making an announcement and I'm not part of that and both of them were supposed to be on the stage. It just bugged me that he didn't tell me about it earlier. A small thing but like you said-"

"Ya cain't help havin' emotions."

"Right. So, I decided to handle them. I sat John down and I told him how I was feeling. I understand the founders have this bond from the war and everything but I'm his girlfriend and we have a bond too. Petty as it sounds, I don't like feeling like I'm on the outside of their little club."

"Did he listen?" Vigilante's voice didn't give away any of his thoughts but she could still sense his concern for her.

"He thought I was overreacting but, to make me happy, he agreed to include me more...which is how I ended up on today's mission. Dreamslayer and his group were causing problems and Batman, Shayera, John and I went down to deal with it. After it was over, this guy named Carter Hall, claims to be an archaeologist, comes over to talk to Shayera. He shows her some old Thanagarian sword and says he wants to discuss it but it was pretty obvious he was interested in more than just talking about some artifact with her. He wanted her to go to Egypt with him. He's cute and I really wouldn't mind if she found a man, you know. So, I mentioned I knew some good restaurants, encouraging it. I mean, he was a good looking man and seemed earnest and interested." She was beginning to sound defensive, she knew it. Was it really so wrong to hope that Shayera got together with someone and end this whole subtle tension, this whole 'love triangle' as she knew the gossips called it. "Anyway, John..." Her voice broke as she remembered his reaction.

Vigilante reached out and took one of her hands, holding it firmly. "Ya don' have to tell me if ya don' want to."

With a short shake of her head, she continued. "I need to talk to someone. John actually shrugged me off of him. I was leaning on his shoulder when I made the comment about the restaurants and he literally shrugged me away from him. Then he starts acting jealous towards Carter, glaring at him and stepping between him and Shayera and, when Shayera agreed to go to dinner with the guy, he was furious."

Vigilante's hand tightened around hers and his voice was tense as he asked, "Did ya talk t'him about it?"

"I tried. We got back to the Metro Tower and he demanded to know why I was pushing Shayera to go out with some stranger. I asked him why he cared who she went out with. He gave a good explanation about just being concerned about her like he would be about anybody. I didn't," Her mouth quirked up in grim amusement, "react real well to that. I went off on him about how Shayera can take care of herself and that if he wasn't going to be honest with me then..."

"Then what?"

"I'm not sure. I didn't finish the sentence 'cause he was already stalking out the door. I didn't think it would be a good idea to follow him right then."

"Understandable." His voice was lower than usual and had a tight quality completely at odds with his usual laid back drawl.

"Do you think I overreacted?"

He didn't answer for a long time though he didn't release her hand. "I think...that you had some reason t'be mad and that you 'nd him are gonna have to talk this out somehow. I, also, think that it should be when the two of you are calm. Yellin' don' settle a lot of fights."

"Aren't you going to tell me that he's a jerk and I should dump him?" She tilted her head slightly, curious.

Again, it took him a long time to answer. She could almost see him weighing his words before he spoke. "Yo're a smart, strong woman. If he was a complete varmint, ya wouldn' give him the time of day. Yo're mad at him right now but, once yo're calmer, I don' think you'd appreciate anyone runnin' down yo'r man and I'm not really in the habit of talkin' 'bout people behind their back. As for whether or not ya should stay with him, that's up to you. I don' know everythin' goin' on between you 'nd I ain' you so I'm not the one that's got to live with yo'r decisions so I don' really have any place tellin' ya what ya should do."

"But you're willing to listen to me whine?"

"I don' like it when you say stuff like that." The sudden anger in his voice surprised her. "It's not whinin' to lean on a friend and talk things out to a sympathetic ear. Ya may be a hero but yo're still a human and humans get down sometimes 'nd need their friends to help 'em out."

She set down her coffee and leaned over to hug him, smiling. "Thanks, Vig. You're the best."

He briefly hugged her back and then cleared his throat. "Uh, I don' wanna be rude or nothin' but Sir Justin and Atom Smasher are gonna be here in about a half hour 'nd I need to get ready for them."

She smiled, feeling much more relaxed than when she had walked in. She knew she still had to deal with the situation with John but she felt much better having been able to talk to someone about her side without being judged. Joking, she asked, "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

He shook his head. "Would never do that, darlin', but you just need to know 'bout the company coming in case you don't wanna face them. That way, either I can call 'nd tell them not to come if you need more time or you can sneak out before they see ya. 'Nd if they are still comin', I need to get everything set up before they get here, especially if ya decide to stay."

Her mouth widened into a larger smile, flattered by his concern for her especially that he would offer to cancel with his friends for her. "Oh, and why's that?"

"'Cause if yo're still here and nothin's been set up before they get here, then one of them or someone else might make a good-natured joke 'bout why I didn't have it set up. 'Nd if that joke were to be disparaging towards yo'r character, well, I'd hate t'have t'send anyone to the infirmary over a misunderstanding."