The Cadmus Web

Chapter 10: Team Bonding

At the apartment home of Diana and Donna, the two sisters were getting ready for the night. They cleaned up a bit and setting things up. They had a few snacks out but they honestly weren't too sure on what to have. Donna just said they would order in whatever they wanted since it would be a lot easier to handle things that way.

So far they had a few people coming that were confirmed, and Starfire wanted to bring an old friend with her as well apparently with whoever Black Canary could round up for things. Donna walked into the large living room area, given that this was a diplomatic building they managed to get a lot of room, so much it was hard to figure out how to decorate the place. There were a few pieces of art that the girls could agree on, some Greek stuff of course, weapons here and there but mainly just for show.

Donna stretched out on the couch, "You know this could be really fun I haven't had a time like this since back home."

Diana sat on a chair across from her, "Yes it's one of the things I miss from home. How are things back there, I know you were there not too long ago but I keep forgetting to ask."

The younger sister sighed, "Well I spent a lot of my time making reports to mom and the others. I don't get much time to spend on my own time but everything was...Well...It's still the same really. Atlanta and Althea were going through that fighting, breaking up and then getting back together phase."

Diana rolled her eyes, those two just seemed to at first attract each other, then push each other away and then get pulled back together. It was a running joke that at one point one of them would kill the other, that is if one of the others didn't just to end it since when they were apart they were miserable and made everyone around them the same.

"Yeah so I'm glad I left quickly...Mom was good and she said hello and her wishes again." Donna toyed with a strand of her hair knowing it was hard for her sister not seeing their mother. There was kind of an awkward silence but thankfully the door bell rang. Both were glad for the break of that conversation as Diana went to the door. She opened it up to see Black Canary in more civilian clothing.

She was in a black halter top but with blue jeans on but still had her leather jacket. With her were the two female heroes Fire and Ice. She knew Ice from her white hair, she was in similar jeans but with a blue shirt on. Fire with her green hair was also hard to miss, after all the tall statuesque Brazilian tended to stand out. She wore black leather pants with a dark green shirt with no sleeves and showed off her stomach.

"Black Canary I see you brought Fire and Ice along." She said as she made room for them to get into the room.

"Yep and let's skip the hero names shall we? You can just call me Dinah instead of Clack Canary." Dinah said smiling hanging up her coat.

"And I'm Tora," Ice said and pointed to Fire. "And she's Beatriz or just Bea for short."

Fire nodded and smiled, "It's nice to be here, I was surprised at first but when Dinah told us what this was about Tora and I thought it would be fun."

"OH yeah a girl's night with everyone would be just great." Tora nodded as they walked into the living room. And she looked at both Diana and Donna. "It's kind of weird too I mean I usually see most of you in costume seeing you all in normal clothing is...well..."

"I know what you mean," Bea nodded as she looked at Diana and Donna. The older of the two was wearing a red blouse with blue jeans while the younger sister although had jeans they hung pretty low on the waist and the top showed off more skin although that was red as well.

Diana looked at her younger sister and sighed a bit, although there was nothing wrong with their bodies and she knew that the human body was a beautiful thing, sometimes she thought that Kara was corrupting her little sister. After all it was Kara that introduced Donna to dressing in those types of clothing. The door rang again so she went to get it, as the others got settled in.

She opened the door and there of course was Koriand'r and a tall slim woman, she was kind of pale looking with shoulder length dark hair and some type of jewel in her forehead. She looked a little uncomfortable and was dressed in a hoodie and baggy jeans. Starfire was in a jacket, t-shirt and pants and she looked very happy. "Hello, I hope you don't mind I brought my good friend Raven to come along."

"Of course the more the merrier," Diana led them inside. "So are you from the Teen Titans that I've heard about?" she asked the pale girl.

"Uh...Yes, Starfire and I were the original members and I came back to help train the new team." She said to the other woman. It was odd, she didn't have many friends outside of the Titans. In fact when Koriand'r left she had been kind of lonely and missed her, when she came back after all these years both had changed but it was nice to have her good friend back.

Raven had over the years managed to get a bit more emotional control over herself, she could let her emotions out a bit more now than when she was a teenager, but she still had to keep some control. When Starfire had come to the Titan Tower and told her about this, she wasn't sure at first. Raven had never been one to make new friends easily, plus these were all people she didn't know about.

But she had only see Starfire a few times since she got back to Earth so she might as well. Besides she knew that Starfire was trying to make a new life for herself and make new friends as well, so Raven figured she might as well meet these new friends.

"Oh cool a new girl, come on and sit down," Donna said to Raven. "Nice to meet new heroes."

Raven nodded her head as she sat down as the women started to talk with each other. Soon after Shayera showed up with Mari Jiwe McCabe AKA Vixen, Supergirl showed up with Barbara Gordon a good friend of hers. Although most of them didn't know that she was Batgirl but this was a no mask and tights night anyway, so they were all just hanging out as normal people for a chance. Courtney Whitmore AKA Stargirl unfortunately wasn't allowed to come since it was s school night and she had needed to study for a test the next day.

By now everyone that would be showing up was here as they gathered around talking and getting to know one another. Barbara was giving Starfire a bit of a birth, she had nothing against her but it was hard to know that this was Dick's first great love. She knew nothing about her really and it kind of bothered her that Dick never talked about such things with her. Did that mean he didn't trust her or was it that Starfire had hurt him really badly when she left and he locked that pain up?

She knew that she had hurt Dick as well and she hated herself for it, but at least she had managed to patch some things up. Anyways she shook those thoughts aside now was the not the time to get into those, even though she could have become a part of the League Barbara wasn't the type for it. She preferred just sticking to Gotham, she was comfortable there and someone had to look out for the little guy.

Besides she worked with Batman enough as it was, and being part of a much larger team with him as one of the heads just wasn't for her. At least when he was busy with the League she had freedom to handle things in Gotham her way.

"I'm glad you could bring Barbara, I only heard about you but from what I heard you're a good friend to Kara." Donna said and shook her hand.

"Thanks, Kara was the first real friend I made in our line of work and trust me it's nice. You can't imagine what it's like to keep these secrets bottled up all the time and not have anyone to vent to." Barbara smiled at Kara.

"Hey what are friends for right?" Kara smiled back.

"Hey you got anything to drink?" Dinah asked Diana looking around the place. "I could use something about now. How about the rest of you?"

"Yeah that sounds nice." Ice said looking at what looked like a small Greek statue, she wasn't too surprised.

Diana went back but the only real thing she had was bottled water or wine. She wasn't even sure what kind if was either it was one of those gifts you get at official functions sometimes. She just shrugged her shoulders, she might as well get some use out of it for the time being. She came back with glasses and started to pour. Kara reached for one but Dinah snacked it away from her.

"Hey!" Kara snapped.

"And you're how old again?" Dinah asked her.

"Oh come on it's only wine it's not like we're drinking shooters or something." Kara rolled her eyes. "I mean I'm living on my own, with my boyfriend, going to college, got a job and put my life on the line. And you're saying just because I'm not twenty-one yet I'm still not allowed to drink?"

"In a word...Yes." Dinah smirked and took a sip as Kara glared at her.

"Oh come on," Donna said at this. "It's our house and I think she can handle it."

"So says the other underage girl," Dinah smirked.

"I'll have you know just because I look nineteen doesn't mean I am. I'm actually older then all of you here besides my sister, together." Donna said triumphantly. "Besides I've had wine before it's part of some of the ceremonies we have back home."

"She is an alien anyway it might not even effect her," Starfire commented after al l she knew that not everything effected aliens the same way as humans. Like how her sense of taste was different than a human's.

"Oh I say let her as long as she doesn't take too much," Vixen waved her hand at it all. "I think she's earned it and it wouldn't be fair."

Diana thought it over and gave her a glass, Kara smiled feeling a bit more like they were seeing her as an adult. She had managed to sneak a drink a few times before, back with her high school friends in Smallville had snuck a few drinks before. Although she had taken a few they really didn't affect her, so she got the feeling that the amount of alcohol that could make a Kryptonian drunk would blind or kill a human.

-Peter and Kara's place-

Wally West was sitting on Peter's couch watching the game as Peter came back with a drink. "Here ya go buddy." Peter said handing him the drink.

"Hey thanks man." Wally drank it down.

"Oh come on that's a personal foul." John said to the screen. "I can't believe the ref didn't call that."

"Man it's amazing how he loosens up when you sit him in front of a basketball game." Wally whispered to Peter who tried not to laugh at it. It was nice to see Earth's Green Lantern actually relaxing for once. Peter hadn't planned on anything tonight and Wally being bored asked if he and John could come over and watch the game.

For Peter he didn't mind at all, he liked having the guys over and with Kara out for the night he didn't mind some time with the guys. Besides he couldn't remember the last time, if ever he had enough male friends to spend the night with. Actually this was a first for him as he thought about it, back home he did have Johnny but as the Human Torch he was usually busy, plus with no secret identity it was hard to hang out with him as just Peter Parker.

Well he was glad that he and Kitty were dating at least, maybe they would be good for each other. He took a drink as he watched the game, he wished it was New York playing but so far it was just Boston and Detroit. "So how come Clark couldn't make it?" Peter asked the others.

"He wanted to spend some time with Lois," Wally said grabbing some chips in a bowl in front of him. "He said that he hasn't taken her out enough lately and he got the feeling she was feeling a bit neglected. So he had this whole romantic thing of flying her off to Paris for the night."

"Damn he really knows how to keep a girl happy, plus at least he can do something like that. Well you can go at super speed and John can just fly there almost as fast." Peter pointed out. "My girlfriend can fly herself so she's usually the one whisking me away...that didn't sound manly did it?"

"Hell no." Wally smiled.

"Hey at least he's got a girl what about you? So far besides Bruce you're the only one single." John said taking a beer he had next to him.

"Who I might add has mostly likely slept with half the playmates of Playboy magazine, actresses, singers, and more hotties than the entire Kennedy family combined." Peter said.

"Pretty odd for a guy that actually has emotional issues," Wally shook his head, he knew it was all part of the act that Bruce did. Making everyone think he was just a party billionaire and all but honestly, there was just no justice in the world it seemed. "Speaking of ladies where are your other halves tonight?"

"Shayera went out with some friends tonight, said something about female bonding." John shrugged.

"Huh Kara said the same thing only she said they were going over to Diana and Donna's place to meet up with a few others there." Peter commented.

At that Flash stopped in mid reach for another handful of snacks. "You mean to tell me that the most likely several of the League women are having a sleepover at their place?" Wally started to get a grin on his face at the thought of all those women in nothing but underwear or skimpy sleep wear. He sat back with a sigh, "Oh man would I love to see that."

"Great he's gone to the land of perverted fantasy again." Peter shook his head.

"Leave him, it will give us a few moments of quiet at least." John knew things wouldn't be whatever Wally imagined. He didn't know and he didn't care it was their night and he respected their privacy, as long as Shayera didn't tell them anything embarrassing but she wouldn't do that...Would she?"

-Diana's and Donna's place-

Vixen was currently laughing so hard that she was holding her stomach, "Oh god he actually folds his socks and underwear into perfectly sized shapes?"

Shayera nodded her head. "Oh yeah his whole place has so much order to it, I swear when I'm not around it's like he takes a ruler out and measures things." The women started to laugh again at that. "But despite that I love the big guy, at least he knows how to be romantic at times. Among my people romance wasn't like here on Earth. It usually consisted of a battle as foreplay at times."

"Ah I think I can see that," Starfire nodded. "Before I came to Earth I too found a few new ideas that I liked. It's strange but I like them, and Dick was so nice when he wasn't totally embarrassed."

"Although when you two were going out it was kind of sickening," Raven sighed drinking some tea. "You have no idea what it was like when those two were all lovey dovey all the time."

"Oh?" Starfire said crossing her arms, "Vic told me about you and Gar so don't you try and say we were bad."

Raven despite herself actually blushed a bit, "We're not that bad." She said also making secret plans to get back a Cyborg when she got back to the Tower. He was so dead if he couldn't keep that big mouth of his shut.

"So who is Gar?" Kara said grinning leaning forward. "I take it that's your boyfriend then?"

Raven hid her head with her hair looking down, but Vixen tapped her lightly on the arm. "Oh come on it's just us girls you can tell us. What's this Gar like anyway?"

"He's...He's always been a bit of a goof actually," Raven said softly. "Always making jokes and pranks, but he always tried to cheer everyone up. He spent years trying to make me laugh, and have fun. He tried so hard just to make me happy, it took me awhile to figure out it was because he cared about me." She told them how after the Titans disbanded they each went their separate ways. Beast Boy had gone back to the Doom Patrol for a couple of years and she had gone on a journey of self discovery.

Cyborg had found them and decided to try and make a new team, with them teaching the next generation. When she had seen Beat Boy again he had grown up a lot, he was taller and more filled out as well. He was a bit more of an adult but still had that playful nature of his. And it was then that she realized how much she had missed him, soon they fell into the same old pattern of him trying to make her happy and she trying not to. But after all this time she wanted to be happy and maybe a bit more.

"I honestly don't know how it happened, we were out seeing a movie he dragged me too. We went for a walk and then of all things it rained on us. We ducked under a large overhand to get out of it, the next thing I know he's pushing a strand of wet hair out of my face. There was this moment where we just looked at each other and the next thing I know...He's kissing me." Raven blushed at the moment, it had been one of the memories that she cherished.

"Oh that's so romantic." Kara sighed to herself.

"Then what?" Fire asked her eager to know what happened next.

"Well...I kissed back but we were both so surprised we broke apart. We spent a week avoiding each other and when Cyborg locked us up in a room until we talked things out. Well we talked and...Well we've been dating ever since." Raven felt strange opening up to these women but it was nice to finally talk about it. Then she was grabbed by Starfire in a large hug.

"I am so happy for you! It's just so nice to see you happy with him." Starfire smiled hugging her friend.

"Uh...You might want to let her go," Ice said pointing to Raven. "She's turning blue."

Starfire let go quickly noticing that as Raven took a deep breath and glared at the alien.

"Well he sounds like Peter in a way." Kara sat back taking another sip of the red wine. "He's like that but he can be really sweet as well. He took me out to this great dinner with even dancing of all things, plus when I got my tooth replaced and was told to take it easy he made sure I was all comfortable."

"Yeah sometimes men can be such softies to us when they think we really need them, but it's nice." Shayera smiled remembering how when she got sick for a week John wouldn't leave her side. It was annoying at times but it was touching too.

"Great now I'm feeling left out being single," Ice signed. "Just out of curiosity who isn't still single here?"

So far only Kara, Raven, Shayera raised their hands, Fire shook her head at that. "You know you'd think women who were all attractive, strong and independent would be able to find at least one decent man." Fire said to everyone.

"Hey I don't have trouble," Vixen smirked. "For a steady guy yeah but I also work both as a hero and model and it's not easy. But finding a nice guy to spend the night with at least is easy enough."

"Why is having a man so important?" Diana asked everyone there, she knew that some women seemed to put a lot of importance but her people have lived without men for a very long time.

"Oh we have so much to teach you," Dinah smirked.

Next up chapter 11: Men are from Mars...

Things continue on in the next chapter.