Chapter Twenty-One

April 8:

The slamming echo of the piano keys shattered the original peace that filled the Garrick house. Joan sighed heavily and sadly, sitting in the dining room with Jay in the kitchen.

"I knew it wouldn't last…" She told her husband.

Bart rushed in, worry spread across his face.

"Aster?!" He shouted.

Aster's hands were still holding down the keys, her knuckles turning white with pressure.

"I'm fine." She finally let the keys go. "I'm just irritated."

Bart walked over, sitting next to her on the piano bench, and holding her hands gently.

"At what, the piano?" He questioned jokingly.

"No…I've composer's block." She sighed.

"Oh…got'cha."

Aster laughed softly as she began to relax, as she always did when Bart was around. She placed her fingers back on the keys of the piano before looking to her side at Bart, who's green eyes were darting into her purple ones. She smiled softly.

"I'll show you what I have so far, okay?" She said.

"Sounds great, just don't end it with such a bang like last time."

Aster laughed for real before beginning to play the notes of the song she had been writing all morning.

Bart started with, "Ohh…yeah, yeah…"

Aster giggled at him as she kept playing.

"The situation turns around; enough to figure out that someone else has let you down."

Then the two started together, "So many times I don't know why."

"But I know we can make it…as long as you say it. So tell me that you love me, yeah." Aster sang alone before the two sang in unison once more.

"And tell me that I take your breath away. And maybe if you take one more, then I would know for sure. There's nothing left to say. Tell me that you love me anyway."

"Tell me that you love me…anyway." Aster ended the song.

"Keep going. This is great."

Aster stood up, walking over and sitting on the couch, and covering her face with her hands. Bart walked over, sitting next to her, and holding her shoulders.

"Aster…? Aster, what's wrong?"

Aster removed her hands, rubbing her eyes.

"I'm tired…I guess…"

"Why don't you go lay down? I'll check up on you later…okay?" Bart suggested.

Aster nodded before standing up and walking down the hall, closing the door to her room as she walked inside. Bart sat on the couch and watched television for about an hour before there was a rustling noise from down the hallway.

He ignored it until, "AAAHHH!" Aster's scream echoed down the hallway.

Bart, full speed, ran down the hallway and vibrated through the door to Aster's room. She was lying on the ground, her blanket wrapped around her. Bart rushed over, kneeling next to her, and helping her sit up.

"Aster…what happened?" He asked.

"I…uh…I don't know. I…was asleep and then…" Aster started sobbing hard.

Bart quickly held her tightly, trying to make her feel better. After a couple of minutes, the doorbell rang.

"Uh…The doorbell rang, just give me one second." Bart smiled. Aster nodded before Bart rushed over to the doorway of the bedroom and shouted, "Come on in! The door's open!"

Bart rushed back over to Aster, holding her again. They heard the squeak of the old hinges opening and closing with a small click before hearing footsteps walk into the house altogether.

"Bart…Aster? Where are you guys?"

"We're in Aster's room, hermano!" Bart called to Jaime.

Aster stood up, Bart helping her, and she walked to her dresser, trying to fix herself up before the other two walked in.

"Hey…How's it going?" Lav asked, smiling. But her smile soon disappeared as she saw how her sister looked. "Aster…everything alright, sis?" Then Lav got into Bart's face. "What'd you do to her?"

Aster stepped between them, her white blonde hair covering half her face.

"Lavender, no! Bart didn't do or say anything. I…had a nightmare. That's all." Aster said as she pulled her hair back.

"Oh…sorry, Bart. I get protective of my sisters." Lav said as she rubbed the back of her head.

"It's okay, Lav. Understandable."

"Aster…wanna go hang out? Mirabella and Garfield are waiting in the living room for us."

"How'd you get Garfield here without drawing any attention?" Bart questioned.

"Mirabella's really good with paint. Come on, you gotta see this." Lav replied as she pulled the two with her.

Entering the living room, Mirabella was sitting at the piano, looking at the sheet music. Then there was a white skinned boy sitting on the couch.

"Uh…Garfield?" Aster questioned, getting a better look.

He looked up at her, and then hid his face under his cap again.

"Garfield…you look great. Why are you hiding?" Lav questioned.

"Because the paint's starting to come off." Mirabella replied sadly.

"Let's get the rest off, then." Aster said as she lead Garfield to the kitchen.

"Is Aster okay? She looks upset." Mirabella said.

"She had nightmare, Mirabella." Bart replied plainly, not really paying attention.

"Oh…well, after Aster washes Garfield's face off, I guess you guys could go out."

"What? Mirabella, you don't wanna come with us?" Lav asked.

"Where are we going?" Bart asked.

"We were gonna go to a baseball game." Jaime replied.

"And I want to go, but not if Garfield's staying behind." Mirabella replied before she sighed heavily.

The three looked upset about Mirabella and Garfield, and then Bart snapped, an idea in his head.

"I got an idea."

Then Bart rushed into the kitchen, shouting, screaming, and loud rustling echoing out. The other three ran into the kitchen, Aster against the wall as the wind from Bart running in a circle started dying down. Then they saw how he had transformed Garfield into a somewhat normal looking human.

"Bart…how'd you do that?" Mirabella asked as she looked closely at her boyfriend.

"I used some items around the kitchen. Pretty crash, huh?"

"Easier to destroy than to create, Bart." Lav reminded as she waved her hand in a small circle, pointing out the mess Bart had made in the kitchen.

"Oh, this? Easy to clean up. Give me two seconds." Then Bart cleaned the kitchen in two seconds flat. "There, see?"

"This is so cool! My skin looks totally real!" Garfield said.

"Yeah, just be careful. It won't last if you get wet." Bart warned.

"Thanks, Bart."

Then the two boys noticed Mirabella walk into the living room, upset about something. Garfield walked over and sat next to her on the couch.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing." Mirabella sighed.

Garfield held her hands.

"I know you're lying. What's wrong?"

Mirabella sighed again, her upset emotion being held back.

"Bart was able to make you look human better than I could. I guess I'm not much of an artist."

"Mirabella…that's not true! You're art work is amazing! Just because Bart used…food…to make me look human and you used paint, doesn't mean he's better at art than you are." Garfield carefully lifted Mirabella's head toward him. "You are amazing."

Mirabella smiled and then held the base of her neck, looking for something.

"I forgot…" She said quietly, looking away once more.

"What? What'd you forget?"

"I forgot…the necklace you gave me was lost in the explosion last month."

"It's okay…It was just a necklace."

"It wasn't just a necklace, Gar. It was the necklace you gave me, the necklace you gave me the day you asked me to be your girlfriend."

"It'll be okay…" Garfield said before gently kissing Mirabella. "We're still together."

Mirabella smiled before hugging Garfield.

"I love you…" She said.

"I love you, too." He replied without hesitation and hugging her tightly.

"Ready to go, you two?" Lavender called over.

"Oh, I have to change. I'll be right back." Aster said before running off to her room.

Coming back, Aster had changed into her new outfit of a yellow button up shirt, white camisole, jean shorts, brown boots, and light brown scarf around her waist.

"Oh, wow, Aster. You look amazing!" Lav admired.

"Thanks. Joan paid for it."

"I like how you used the scarf for a belt. It looks really cool." Mirabella said.

"Thank you. Bart actually picked that part out."

He blushed as everyone looked back at him.

"What? The outfit fit needed something."

"Well, I love it." Aster said before she kissed Bart's cheek, making his blush deepen. "Just as much as I love you."

"Come on. We'll miss the game if we don't get going." Jaime said as they headed for the door.

"Wait…How are we even getting there?" Aster questioned.

"Jaime's borrowing his mom's van since he got his…driver's license yesterday!" Lavender cheered happily.

"Really? You passed? Alright, hermano." Bart said, giving his friend a high five.

"Thanks. It wasn't too hard, I mean with all the help I had." Jaime said as he put his arm around Lav's waist, pulling her closer to him.

"I didn't do much. I just made up practice quizzes for you. Nothing much." Lav said as a slight blush appeared across her cheeks.

"Come on! Let's go!" Mirabella cheered as she and Garfield already halfway out the door.

The others followed, Jaime driving them to the stadium. They found their seats and halfway through the game, a security officer walked down the stairs, stopping next to Mirabella. He gently grabbed her arm, making her stand up.

"Excuse me, Miss. Please, come with me." His voice gruff and scary to Mirabella.

Mirabella looked a couple seats down at Jaime; she was so worried and scared she almost whimpered as she spoke.

"Jaime…?"

He looked, seeing what was going on. Jaime stood up and stopped the officer from getting too far away.

"Uh…excuse me? Where are you taking her?" Jaime questioned.

"And who are you?" The officer questioned back.

"I'm her older brother. Where are you taking her?"

"Well, your sister here was caught on video stealing from a gift shop in the food court. We need to question her."

"Wait a second. She's been here the entire game with us. She couldn't have stolen anything." Garfield shouted, grabbing the officer's arm.

"Back off, kid." The officer said as he shoved Garfield off, causing Gar to fall backward on the ground.

"Hey! You can't do that!" Bart shouted before jumping over the seats and tackling the officer.

The officer fought back, grabbing Mirabella before starting up the stairs. Mirabella, under stress and panicking, transformed and slipped down the stairs into Garfield's jacket. The officer looked around and walked over to the others, Mirabella moving around in Garfield's jacket.

"Where is she?" The oblivious officer questioned.

"Not a clue." Lavender replied, lying.

"Fine…Then you five can come with me and watch the game from a special place…called lock up. I'll call your parents to come and get you."

The five followed the officer to the holding cell, Mirabella still hiding from the officer.

"Mirabella, hold still. Nightwing will be here soon." Garfield whispered.

And, as if on cue, Nightwing (wearing regular clothing), Megan, and Conner walked up to the front desk of the office. Lavender covered her face, embarrassment covering her entire body.

"Aw man…Why did they bring Conner with them?"

"What's going on between you and Conner anyways? I thought you were dating Jaime." Aster said as she sat next to her sister.

"Yeah…What is going on between you two?" Jaime questioned suspicious of Lavender.

"I am dating Jaime! Conner…" She sighed heavily. "He just treats like a sister and I treat him like a brother. That's all."

"Yeah…and your brother hopes he doesn't have to do this on a regular basis." Conner said in the now open door of the cell.

"Hey, bro…And no, this won't be a regular thing, I promise." Lavender replied as she hugged Conner.

"We were just trying to help Mirabella." Jaime added.

"Who is where?" Nightwing questioned.

"She's hiding inside Garfield's jacket." Bart replied in a whisper.

Then the three walked over to Garfield before seeing how his skin looked.

"Garfield…your skin is…is…"

"It's just food, Megan. Bart's work. It'll come off in the shower. Ow…Mirabee…quit it."

"You…okay?" Megan questioned, trying to hold back laughing at her little brother.

"Mirabee's just scratching me. Can we please get out of here before she claws my insides out?"

"Come on…We've got a mission anyways." Nightwing replied.

After leaving the stadium, Garfield opened his jacket up, Mirabella falling out and transforming back into a human.

"Ugh! Why am I covered in food?" She asked, seeing her outfit.

"I'll explain at Base. Come on." Garfield said.

Back at the Base, the teens met up for a meeting, just finding out that the Reach has paired company with Lex Luthor to make a soft drink and try to end world hunger, the League being dissed G. Gordan Godfrey once again with the same points.

"Obviously, Lex and the Reach working together is bad news, which is why I am sending in a squad to observe. Robin, you're in charge of Alpha."

"Me? In charge of Alpha? Who's on the squad?"

"Blue Beetle…"

"Whoa, I shouldn't be in the field, ese. What if my scarab goes all Reach Apocalypse on us?"

"Your scarab has had several chances to turn on us in the past, I don't think it will."

"Yes, listen to the Nightwing. He's logic is never mistaken." The scarab told Jaime.

"Well, if Blue's going, so are we." Impulse said, pointing to himself, Solara, and Thorn.

"I thought as much. And last, but not least, Arsenal. You'll have to go lighter for your-"

"Roy?" Solara questioned, angry.

"You know him?" Impulse questioned.

"Of course I do…He's my brother."

"Aster? I thought you were dead." Arsenal said, his voice more of saracassism than the real surprise underneath.

"Way to stay positive, you good for nothing, son of a-"

"Hey! Is there going to be a problem for the mission?" Nightwing questioned.

"No, as long as she keeps it together." Arsenal replied.

"Ugh!" Solara groaned sharply.

At the Lex Corp company, the hidden squad was on the tour. They sat separately on the tram, Impulse sitting with Solara.

"I didn't know your last name was Harper." He whispered.

"It's not…" She sighed heavily. "Not anymore. I changed it after I…left. Can you believe him? Think I was dead, seriously?"

"Don't let it distract you right now. Let's just focus on the mission, okay?"

"Okay…" Solara sighed heavily.