Chapter 10- "Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene/ I'm begging of you, please don't take my man"

Mari couldn't be more excited. She felt like a little girl looking for a Christmas present. A small part of her knew that this was nonsense. She was looking for an engagement ring. Her shallow friends had convinced her that it was the next step in their relationship. That obviously he was over the Thanagarian whore if he was still with her. That John Stewart was going to propose. So Mari was now searching through John's things, madly.

"It has to be somewhere! Big diamond, I know it has a big diamond!"

The apartment was a mess. She was now removing all of John's clothes from the wardrobe, they were unceremoniously tossed to the floor. She was going to ask that lady to clean up the apartment. The ring, once found, would be photographed, tried on and putted back until John decided to propose to her. It should be soon, she was hoping for that. After all, he was with her. Even knowing everything that completely puts him in Shayera's arms, he was still with her. He wanted to be with her. He had chosen her. Not the winged alien. No. Mari respected Shayera. But she was willing to attack anytime. John was hers now. He was going to be her husband. Oh the party, the dress! The guests! Maid of honour? Mari's thoughts flied to Shayera. She shook the image, I'm not that wicked. The wardrobe had a fake bottom. YES! A hidden box. It was a shoes box. She was so happy that the box flew to the mount of clothes quiet rapid. A dozen of random things were scattered on the clothes. Her eyes caught the sight of jade orbs. Shayera was laughing, her eyes sparkling with happiness. It was snowing that day, her red hair had snowflakes all over. She was wearing a knit hat. It looked perfect on her. The photo only showed her face. Her angel face. Mari feels tears beginning to fall. She is beautiful. I can't compare, can I? The anger came fast and hard. She picked up the photo and transformed it into trash.

"I am better than you! I am better! I have him!"

John came as fast as he could. His neighbours had called him more times than necessary. Apparently, Mari was destroying his apartment. And she was being loud. As John enters his home he is not sure he was in the right one. Everything was ruined. She had used her powers to reduce the sofa to nothing. And she had done the same with most of his furniture.

"Mari? What the hell is going on?" He was mad and worried. He did not understand this actions. Maybe she lost some modelling contract. He spotted her, running to him. She now had an accusing finger in his chest. She was crying in her pain and anger.

"How could you? HOW COULD YOU?" John did not have the time to react. She slapped him. "You keep a photo of her? A photo of the woman who betrayed you in every way imaginable! She is the woman who broke your heart in so many pieces that I can't find most of them! I try hard, every day. I love you that much. Whenever you say her name in your sleep, whenever I know you are thinking of her, whenever you look at her, I swallow hard and love you no matter what! Because I want you to love me back in the same way. I want you to love just me! JUST ME!" John was taken aback by this explosion. He never thought Mari would do that. He didn't want to fix this, he had to fix this. Mari was his new change. If he tried hard he will forget. Who am I trying to fool? Shayera is always going to be on my mind. But I don't want to hurt Mari, she has done too much for me and I have feelings for her. Don't I?

"Mari-"

"DON'T MARI ME! You had no right! I have made a decision." She looked deep into his eyes. John was waiting for the break up. "I want you to stop being friend with Shayera." John's answer was short and cold.

"No." Never. I want her in my life. "I understand that you are mad at me. You knew from the beginning that I still had feelings for her. Unfair to you, I know, but you knew and never talked about that. First, I kept that photo because Shayera is very important to me and I did not want to forget her. After her resignation from the league I had no idea if I was going to see her ever again. So I kept the photo. And I want the photo back. Second, you have no right to dictate who my friends are. Third, you need to rest, you are not ok. I will take you to a hotel where you can spend the night. " He was holding her hands since the beginning of his discourse. He knew that will calm her down. His tone was still cold. He knew this was all his fault but couldn't help but talk like that. Mari had stopped crying. She couldn't find her heart. She knew this would eventually happen. Again. He was pushing her away. Again. He had no right to do that. Again. She was his future wife. She was not letting him go. She had to play him for getting him back. It wasn't the first time she had played this card. The pity one. She didn't mind, it worked. It always worked.

"Are you leaving me?" She made her voice sound broken and shivering. That made John feel guilty, painfully guilty. He looked into her eyes and sighed. He was not going to do to Mari what Shayera had done to him. The pity card was working.

"No, I'm not. You just need to rest now. I will take you." She let a smile cross her features and spoke with a child voice.

"Will you stay with me?" John looked to his apartment. It was destroyed. His memories with Shayera were disappearing in front of his eyes. And he didn't liked that. Not even a little bit.

"No, I need to fix this." This had never happen before. He always went with her and did everything she wanted after the use of the pity card. She was mad with his rejection. She released his hands and went back to the wardrobe. She returned with tiny pieces of paper in her hands.

"Take it. Date her." She tossed the pieces into the air and left the apartment with a loud thud. John was seeing the flakes of paper falling into his open hands. One green eye was looking at him. That eye made him forget about the destroyed apartment. About Mari. The happy memories of him and Shayera coming stronger by the second. In that moment he knew he wasn't going to run back to Mari. He needed time to rethink everything. He closed his eyes. When he reopened them, the green eye remind him another person.

"Rex... Your mother has the right to meet you..."

Helena was asleep in Diana's arms. The Amazon wanted to hold her forever. She was contemplating how her black locks blend completely with Helena's, how her hands seemed to have the exact same size. How was possible to love someone like this? I just met her... She is so beautiful... I should have protected her, I should... It doesn't matter, it matters that I am here now. And I won't leave. She can push me away when she wakes up but I won't give up. She is mine. And Bruce's... She is my dream, a dream I had no idea I had. I never thought about children with Bruce. It was already impossible to have him. But here she was, their perfect little girl, already broken by life. She understood Bruce's arguments now. It was not dangerous for her, but it was proven to be dangerous for their daughter. Nothing would happen to her now. Diana preferred to be tortured by Hades for her eternal life.

Shayera was on the couch in deep thought. She was happy about Diana and Helena and sadly jealous of what they had. She wanted so much to be a mother. She felt bad for being jealous. I have no right. I get what I deserve. Shay knew about Rex, she was eager to meet him. She knew she would. The winged warrior was just tired of waiting. And she always wanted a little girl. Maybe John missed her in the future he went...

She was so lost in her thoughts that didn't notice the door opening or heard the greetings the visitor gave her. Dinah had time to peek Helena and Diana and to decode her thoughtful friend. Shay only noticed the blond when she kneeled in front of her.

"Dinah. How long have you been here?" Shayera was surprised and terribly mad with herself.

"Not long." She reached for Shayera's hands. "Don't blame yourself. And there is something I think you should know." Dinah's voice was low but filled with happiness. She knew what would be Shayera's reaction. The winged woman shifted her wings, uncomfortable on the couch, and looked to blue eyes.

"Helena described a girl, a winged girl. She described your daughter Shayera, I just know, and her name is Ash. "Dinah was smiling with all her face. The red headed felt a tear down her face.

"That was my mother's name." She then giggled and shook her head. "The universe loves to torture me."