So, I know it sounds silly and petty and kind of like I'm being a review whore, but I really do post more when I get encouragement. It just makes me feel more inspired. I feel bad putting work into a story if I think no one is enjoying it, especially if it takes time away from a story that I know people are enjoying. My problem with this story is that I already know everything that is going to happen. I have a notebook full of every twist and turn of the plot. The only delay for this story is me actually sitting down and writing it. I really want to be better about that, and I'll try to get chapters out sooner.

Anyway, here's the next one. Hope you enjoy!

I watch the trail of light fade into the distance as Hal leaves me. I try not to think, try not to let myself fear, but it's no use. The space around me is so huge and filled with things I don't understand. I keep thinking something will appear out of nowhere and hurt me. I know this is foolish. Oa is the most well protected planet in the universe. Nothing's stupid enough to attack here. Except the people Hal's fighting, I remind myself.

I spin quickly. The need to see in every direction, to make sure nothing is behind me, is too strong and I find myself constantly rotating and glancing over my shoulder. Then, just as suddenly as I began, I stop. The thought hits me that I don't know where I am and I might not be able to get back to Oa. I panic for a moment and wish that Hal hadn't left me. Then, I see a thin trail of green light. I remember the trails leading to the central battery and a small measure of relief settles in my chest. If all else fails, I can follow this back. I'm not entirely lost.

I reach out my hand and let the light wash over it. It's cool against my skin and yet I feel that I'm missing something. There's something more to this energy than what I can see and feel. It's the same as what I've seen in Hal and Soranik and all the other green lanterns. There's something in them that drives them forward and gives them purpose; something that I think I may never understand. I desperately want to understand it. When I look at them I never see fear because this thing, whatever it is, fills them up and leaves no room for anything else. I think of a life uncontrolled by fear and driven forward by a purpose and know I want it.

Before these thoughts have time to settle in my mind I can feel the terror creeping back; never far away and always waiting for its chance to strike. I don't want to be out here alone. I glance back toward Oa but know I couldn't go there alone without being spotted by the Guardians. Then, I look in the direction Hal went, eyes following the faint trail of energy connecting him to the Oan battery, and consider following him. A small, logical part of me says that I should be more afraid of facing the people Hal is fighting than of standing here alone. Unfortunately, logic and fear never mix well, and fear is always the stronger of the two. Without spending another moment to think, I begin following the trail toward Hal.

I slow down when I see flashes of light in the distance. Redish-orange lasers fly every direction, punctuated by blasts of green. Soon I'm close enough to see the details of the battle. A ship floats stationary in space, laser burns staining the bulkheads, surrounded by people in space suits and carrying guns. Hal is near the front of the ship, crouched behind a green shield as he shoots bursts of energy from his ring. He's guarding a wide gash in the side of the ship, and through this opening I can see people. Fear fills them as they cower behind the Green Lantern, wondering if one man can really save them from their attackers.

I stay near the edge of the battle, watching. A small group of the attackers have managed to get behind Hal and are flying toward the dead ship. They grab someone from the wreckage; a young girl wearing some sort of suit to allow her to breathe in space. Hal glances back and sees them, but he can't do anything, not without either risking hitting the girl or abandoning the rest of the ship.

As I focus on this girl, I begin to see something familiar in her. It's fear. The same fear I have felt so often myself is reflected in this girl, who struggles and cries as she tries to free herself from her captor's grip. Suddenly, something inside me shifts. I can't let this happen. I can't let someone be hurt like this, like I was. I can't just sit here. I can't allow this. I have to do something.

I shoot forward toward the attackers, feeling my aura burn brighter than ever, power pouring from me like nothing I've felt before. I've never really fought before, at least not intentionally, but Guy's been trying to explain some basic techniques to me whenever Hal and Soranik haven't been around to make him stop, so I have somewhat of an idea of what I'm doing. As long as my fists keep hitting the bad guys, I'm good, right? It'd better be enough, because it's pretty much all I've got.

I hold my fists out in front of me as I fly toward the attackers, slamming into the closest one's chest. I feel something crack under my hand and for a moment I panic, wondering if I hit him too hard and fearing that I may have killed him. This brief moment of fear causes me to falter and veer off course. Once I regain control I turn to see that the man I hit is in fact still alive, though he appears injured. That's fine, as far as I care. I just don't want to kill anyone. For some reason the thought of that feels wrong to me.

I push these thoughts away as I stare down the three still-uninjured attackers. Two point guns at me while the third, who is holding the girl, seems to be using her as a shield and is pointing his gun at her head. They shout something at me which I don't understand, but I think I can guess. Keep fighting and they kill the girl. It's a threat, based on fear. They know I don't want them to hurt her. They can recognize that, and they're trying to use it against me. Simple. Easy to understand. But these guys don't know me. They don't know how well I know fear, and they don't know how sick I am of letting it control me. I know I can save this girl. There is no doubt in my mind of this fact. So, instead of surrender, I act.

I lift my hands in what I know they'll think is a posture of surrender. Then, I focus on the space behind them. Almost instantly, three glowing discs appear behind the men. The discs seem different than what I've created before, but I don't have time to figure out why. Before the men have time to turn around and see what I'm doing, I direct the discs to move. The first disc flies to the man holding the girl and cuts through his gun. I smack the sides of the other two men's heads with the flat sides of the other discs. At the same moment I dart forward and snatch the girl away from the first man's hold, carrying her back toward Hal and the ship.

"Filia?" Hal asks as though he's surprised to see me. I suppose he is surprised. I had told him I'd stay where he left me. "What are you doing here?"

I drop the girl off in the ship. A man reaches out and takes her from my arms and holds her so tight that I can't help but think he must be her father. It makes me happy to see the relief wash over them and the fear leave as they are reunited. It feels right. I know I've done something good.

I fly next to Hal before answering his question. "I was too scared," I say. "I couldn't stay there, not alone. I'm sorry."

He looks like he's about to say something else, but instead turns his attention toward the remaining attackers. Some of the men aim their guns at us, while the rest drop their weapons. One, who appears to be the leader, slings his gun over his shoulder. "This ship's not worth fighting two Lanterns," he remarks. In response to his words, the attackers scatter. Hal spends a few moments trying to chase them before giving up. He'll never be able to catch them all.

Instead, Hal turns his attention toward the ship. His ring scans it and begins telling him what needs to be fixed. He uses constructs to set the damaged bulk heads back into place and spends a few moments fixing the engines. Once he's sure the ship's safe enough to get the people safely to the next sector, he sends them on their way. The people wave at him through a window before they leave. I see the little girl, smiling and waving at me from where her father is still holding her. I wave back, knowing I did the right thing.

Once they're gone, Hal turns to me. "How are you doing that?" he asks suddenly.

"What?" I ask, confused. Hal has seen me fly before, and he's seen me make my poor excuses for constructs. I don't know what has him so surprised.

"Filia, look at yourself," Hal says. "You're green."