Chapter 19
Batman had been in a meeting all week with the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the President and the SecNav.
They wanted to place the sqaud that had faught with them in Iraq on a semi permanent basis in Watchtower for the next few months.
Batman as a rule was against it but personally he liked the idea he respected Ari's squad and it would potentially give him a chance to talk to Ari.
Ari and her squad had only returned stateside for a week when they were called in with new orders.
Norbeck looked at his squad they looked far more relaxed now than when he had seen them a week ago.
"So we've got new orders good news we're not going back to Iraq. Moderate news we're being stationed on Watchtower." He was interested to see the slight paling of Ari's cheeks and the faintly panicked look in her eye.
"Why?" John "Dagger" Dorringer the Sniper of the group asked.
"It's a human resource project really since we helped them out the powers that be want to see if we can work together again."
"How long?" asked Patrick "Paddy" Richardson.
"Eighteen months about the length of a normal deployment" they all nodded.
Ari stressed a little she had been summoned as Shadowhawk to Watchtower for something she wasn't sure what just yet.
the group broke up after they were told they'd go to Watchtower in two weeks.
Ari went down into the basement of her house, she wasnt there all the time it was just a place to sleep change clothes and occasionally eat while waiting for her next deployment.
Going over to the far wall she pressed her thumb against the side of a picture she kept there the false wall opened with a soft hiss and lights came on beyond it as her own super computer powered up.
"Welcome Shadowhawk."
"Computer start up zeta tube destination Watchtower." Ari said and went over to get her costume and then to the locker room.
Her new costume was a one piece body suit devoid of cape she had kept her slightly clunky black boots from Black Ravens costume her belt was dark grey a hawk with it's wings extended was her new symbol on her chest and her birdarangs were now black with dark grey edges.
She came out of the dressing room with her gauntlets resting in her belt and gel on her fingers so she could spike her hair up.
Wiping her hands off on a towel she sighed and piked up the spirit gum and applied a layer to her face before spraying her mask.
"Ok Ari showtime." She muttered to herself and put the mask on pressing tightly so that the spirit gum dried quickly.
The Zeta tube was ready and she stepped in inwardly groaning at the feeling of her molecules being taken apart and put back together.
When Shadowhawk reappeared at Watchtower she waited a moment to see if her stomach would rebel as she hadn't travelled this way in a while. When she was sure she wouldnt throw up she went to the Original's meeting room.
On the way other heroes nodded to her even though they didnt exactly know who she was they could tell she was a Bat by the way she moved and many guessed correctly that she was the former Black Raven.
"Shadowhawk good to see you." Superman greeted ehr with a hesitant smile he was wondering if she had forgiven him about Superboy.
"Superman likewise." Her responce was short and cool. yup she still hadnt forgiven him but at least she hadnt called him Superdouche.
Shadowhawk took the free chair next to Batman they didnt say anything but were distinctly aware of each other.
"So what's this about?" Shadowhawk asked leaning back in her chair.
"This is about what happened seven years ago" Shadowhawk stiffened but said nothing.
"Batman had been drugged by an unknown substance causing him to be violent and unpredictable toward Black raven now known as Shadowhawk." Martian Manhunter said in an official way. Shadow was good enough to keep from reacting
"Do we know who drugged him?" She asked. she was feeling slightly twitchy with Batman so close she still had nightmares from that day.
"We have a suspect." Manhunter said and the others looked interested. Shadowhawk realized as she looked around that Wonder Woman wasnt around.
"It's Wonder Woman isnt it." Manhunter hesitated for a moment then nodded. The other heroes exploded into denials and shouting for want of proof until Batman slammed his fist onto he table denting it again. Shadow tensed slightly at the violent movement. Batman felt her stiffen and winced internally.
"We've talked to Queen Hippolyta the drug is known as Mans hatred by the amazons they used to use it on men who found themselves stuck on the island to show the younger amazons the "violence of man" until they were forbidden to use it by Hera who showed them the truth of how men actually are."
Manhunter sighed as he continued.
"It had an even more adverse affect in Batman, as it altered his mind state it also poisoned him, had we not gotten to him in time he would be dead by now."
Shadow's hand moved under the table to grip the edge of Batmans cape for a moment before releasing it.
"So what do we do now? We can't send her back to Themyscara I doubt it's a crime there to dose someone with this stuff." Shadow said quietly.
"We suspend her to her chosen city, put her on probation and keep her away from anything to do with you and Batman." Superman said. A few of the other men were nodding but the women looked outraged.
"THAT'S IT! That is your BIG punishment? That's no more than a slap to the wrist for her!"
"It's basically the same punishment we gave Guy Gardner." Superman shrugged looking confused.
"Yes because he wanst trying to some how control my mind or make me kill a family member the punishment fit what he did!" While she didnt like Guy Gardner she wasnt about to compare what he had done to her to what Wonder Bitch had done.
"What do you propose we do?" Superman asked his tone slightly snarky.
"Well since it was Batman she drugged why dont we ask him."
Batman thought about this for about seven years since he had gotten the drug out of his system.
"Nothing for now we do nothing and wait to see if she tries again then if she does we act then."Batman said calmly Shadow's jaw dropped and her mind couldnt compute what Batman was saying.
"You… I ….She tried to…." Shadow got up from the table quickly she couldnt get the sentence out and needed to get out of the room before she made something explode or punched someone.
Batman followed her to her little used assigned room, he winced when he felt how hot the door was and knew she had let off some of her power in order to calm down.
When he was sure it was safe he opened the door to find Shadow sitting against the wall with her knees pulled up.
"She drugged you, poisoned you, all but broke up our family and you say to do nothing?" Batman sat next to her and was gratified when she didnt tense away from him.
"We need to catch her in the act all we have is circumstantial evidence."
"But the drug!" Batman stopped her.
"Think Shadow use that intelligent mind of yours."
Shadow closed her eyes as her mind made leap after leap then she sighed and knew Batman was right even if it pissed her off.
They sat there for a moment the silence was a little awkward and strained which made it all the more painful for them.
"How do i fix this?"
Shadow looked at Batman startled Batman looked faintly embarrassed like he hadn't meant to say that out loud.
"I dont know." She whispered. "I know now that it wasnt your fault and i forgive you, but…"
"But you need time to deal with it." Batman finished for her.
Shadow nodded. Shadowhawk looked at Batman then leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder, Batman didnt move even though he had wanted to wrap his arm around her but didnt dare break the moment.
Shadow lifted her head and gave him a hesitant smile then stood.
"We should get back, they'll be looking for us." Batman nodded and got up.
They didnt say anything else as they walked back to the meeting room when they entered no one said anything about their abrupt departure.
The rest of the meeting went on with Batman refining plans and calling attention to the fact that a military squad was going to take up residence in Watchtower for eighteen months and that they could not use their real names ever when they were there. Flash tried to placate him with humor to which Batman responded with his best death glare.
Shadow went back to her house and stood in the mirror as she took off her mask and turned back into Ari.
"Well that went ok." She muttered to herself. Suddenly she heard her security alert telling her some one was about to ring the door bell.
"Computer bring up security feed." Ari said turning to the monitor.
She was surprised when she saw her Unit standing on her doorstep.
Smirking she decided to have a little fun with them.
"Computer open the front door." with a snigger she watched as her brothers in arms looked surprised and cautiously entered the house.
"Computer turn on lights and close the front door then lockdown Hawksnest in two minutes."
The computer did as she asked and started the lockdown sequence.
Going up she cleared her throat and saw the guys turn to see her.
"Hey guys."
"For craps sake Doc what's up with your haunted house?" John asked.
Ari laughed a little.
"Aw come on Dagger,it's not haunted just a sophisticated security system."
They stared at her until she rolled ehr eyes and offered them drinks.
Suddenly her security alarm went off again and she looked around to the tv as it came on.
"Ms. Ariana i would assume you are home since there seem to be several cars in your drive please open the door so we may talk."
Ari's face went from laughing evilly at her friends to comically oh "shit" in about point five seconds.
"Whose that?" Dagger asked as Ari got up hurriedly to get the door. Norbeck rolled his eyes and slapped the back of his head lightly to silence him.
Ari opened the door and smiled nervously at Alfred.
"Hi Alfred come on in do you want something to drink?"
"No thank you Ms. Ariana i believe that there is something we should discuss." Ari bit her lip and winced full name crap that meant he was ticked.
Alfred just looked at Ari and she began to squirm under the gaze that made her want to blurt out every bit of wrong going she had ever done.
Finally breaking she blurted out on one long rush.
"I'msorrythatididntcallyouAlfredandcausedyoutoworryanddidnttellyouthathIhadgoneintotheNavyandthatIwasgoingtoIraqandforalltheworryI'vecausedyouforthelastsevenyears!"
The guys stared at her their jaws dropped open. Ari had gotten the highest scores in history in being able to withstand an interrogation and this old man came in told her they needed to talk stared at her and she caved.
Alfred's expression relaxed and he chuckled a little.
"I understand Ms. Ari, now why dont you introduce me to your friends."
"Sure Alfie, guys this is Alfred he's my surrogate Grandfather and the only person who can break me with a single look."
The guys nodded and introduced themselves to the distinguished gentleman.
"I wont be staying long Ms. Ari i just wanted to deliver these to you." what he handed over was about two weeks worth of food that he had made and enough cookies to last her a month vacuum sealed to keep fresh.
Ari stared at the cookies and may have drooled a little before snapping out of it and thanking Alfred with a slight squeal and a hug.
Alfred left soon after that with admonishments to Ari to call him more.
"Hey Doc,are those cookies?" Liam "Dead eye" Mitchell asked.
To which Ari did a rather good impression of Tolkiens Gollum and hurriedly put the cookies into the kitchen.
They spoke some more about the Watchtower before the guys left after pizza and beer.
Two weeks later Ari and the guys were waiting at a large zeta platform Ari wondered who was going to escort them to Watchtower.
When she saw who it was she was going to punch someone.
Booster Gold stood there smirking genially as he boaseted and brayed about how he was a big shot hero who worked on Watchtower. Really he was just low level back up he worked in a small town in Iowa.
"Are all heroes like that?" Ben Lorken asked he was new to the squad and didnt have a nickname yet he was a young'en and had just turned nineteen.
"No." Ari said shortly trying to save herself a trip to the dentist.
The guys except Norbeck gave her a strange looks but were distracted by the zeta tube starting up.
When they got to Watchtower she glanced at the others to make sure they wouldnt throw up.
Ben looked faintly sick but after a moment he was ok.
"I will take it from here Booster Gold go back to your business." Batman growled from the shadows just as Booster was trying to flirt with Ari he didnt seem to realize the danger he was in by Ari's body language.
The guys jumped not used to Batman's theatrics and Booster eeped in fear before scurrying off.
"Welcome to Watchtower I apologize about Booster Gold he was always an idiot."
Ari snorted with a smirk.
"Ms. Grayson a nice to see you again."
"Thanks Bats it's nice to see you while not being tied up or having just been tortured." the squad raised their eyebrows they hadnt heard that before.
Batman shook his head long used to Ari's mouth.
Batman took them to the meeting room and the squad was briefed on what was going to happen during their stay.
Shadow wandered down the corridors of her old playground she wore black sunglasses black skinny jeans a black t-shirt underneath a grey hoodie a black leather jacket and black boots standard wear for an off duty Bat.
"Shadowhawk." Shadow turned to see Martian Manhunter looking for her.
"Hey Manhunter what's up?" Mahunter drew Shadow into a side room.
"There is something else that you should know Wonder Woman read a journal that you had written when you were fifteen."
Shadow's face went pale whether with anger or panic Manhunter wasnt sure.
"Ok i can deal, i will beat her into a pulp but i'll deal." Shadow's voice was higher pitched in anger. Deciding to go to the gym after thanking Manhunter for the news she made it to the gym and saw the tangle of roes that was dubbed the birds nest. with a smirk she turned on American Idiot and climbed to the top of the nest and jumped. Superman was leading around the guys and heard the music Batman had been coming down the hall to meet them when they made the detour to the gym.
The guys were amazed staring open mouthed at what should have been a physical impossibility.
Batman was smiling not out and out grinning but a faint smile that could almost be counted as a smirk but not quite.
When Shadowhawk noticed that she had an audience she grinned launched herself into a quadruple somersault that ended in a corkscrew turn and a stuck landing.
"Shadowhawk i need to speak with you for a moment." Batman said quietly shadow nodded.
When they were alone Batman pulled off his cowl and Shadow raised ehr sunglasses.
"I wanted to ask if you'd consider coming home to Sunday dinner." Bruce said his pale eyes uncharacteristically nervous.
Ari bit her lip she hadnt been home to Sunday dinner in seven years even when she had been stateside. Old longing welled up in her heart, but withit was also an old and probably irrational fear that when she stepped foot inside the Manor again Bruce would make good on the threat and kill her.
Bruce could see the indecision and kept quiet not wanting to force Ari.
Ari released a breath coming to a decision.
"Alright I'll go I've missed everyone and it has been seven years to long."
Bruce wanted to hug her, though he knew that any sudden move would probably be taken as a threat where as one time Ari had always rocketed straight into his arms.
"Thanks Bruce I'd better get back." Ari nodded to him then turned and left.
Bruce sighed he know it would take awhile before Ari ever trusted him again.
Sunday.
Ari was shaking not the faint little tremors that sometimes plagued people but the full body tremors that were visible to anyone. She was going home for the first time in seven years and she was absolutely terrified. She had sent home gifts for birthdays and Christmas and had sent letters when she could.
Now standing on the Manor steps, having taken a public zeta beam instead of the Batcave one she felt like she needed to run away and hide.
"No way in hell get it together Ari you are a Bat and a Navy Corpsman that is something to be proud of. Bats and Corpsmen dont turn tail and run they go where Angels fear to tread so pull yourself up by your cape and bootstraps and ring the damn bell. Bruce is fine now he wont hurt you!" She thought to herself to bolster her flagging courage. Before she could raise her hand to ring the door bell Alfred opened the door.
"Ms. Ari get in here out of the wet now, you look lovely." Ari smiled and the trembling eased under Alfred's warm gaze.
"It's good to be back Alfie, where is everyone?"
"They are around waiting to ambush you with hugs." Alfred said rather primly.
Ari giggled then threw back her head and let loose her signature Black Raven cackle.
Shouting could be heard through the house.
"ARI'S HOME!" Alfred sighed but decided to let the running go for today.
A scream of tore through the air.
"MAMA ARI!" followed by a little black tornado normally known as Cass slammed into Ari before either girl could recover they were slammed into by the boys and the group toppled to the floor.
Alfred just stepped over the pile of legs as Bruce came down the steps.
Bruce looked at Alfred.
"Well it looks like Ari's home." When the kids got up from the floor Ari was hugged tightly by everyone Dick and Cass held her the longest.
"Well dinner shall be ready in a half hour why don't you adjourn to the sitting room." it was a request phrased as a suggestion.
They chorused "yes Alfred" and made their way to the sitting room to talk.
She answered questions about what she did as a Navy Corpsman and laughed with the others about how she now worked on Watchtower for the next eighteen months.
Everyone could feel the slight tension between Bruce and Ari but the fact that they werent fighting was a relief.
Later that night.
Ari laying in her bed at Watchtower staring at the ceiling, she felt that her first night back at home had been a success she had even managed a half hug for Bruce without flinching.
"For all that happened i still love him, but i cant even hug him without feeling like i'm about to have a panic attack." Ari closed her eyes maybe she should talk to Dinah she was a therapist, Ari got up to find her guys.
Ari's guys were all in their private common room they had been given so that they could get away from the heroes for a break.
"So Top what's going on with Doc and the heroes?"
Norbeck tensed his face going blank.
"What do you mean Dead-eye?" Dead eye was the most perceptive of the group other than Doc.
"I mean that everyone seems to know her and you remember she nearly lost her temper the other day and people ran for cover like they expected her to blow up." The guys nodded looking thoughtful.
"She also isnt surprised whenever Batman or that Nightwing guy pops out of nowhere."
"Why should i be?" Came Ari's voice from around the room, the guys jumped looking around for their wayward Doc when Ben finally looked up to see her sitting among the rafters. Ari dropped down in the empty spot next to Ben and smiled at him.
"How'd you do that?" Ben asked.
"Used to be an acrobat."
"Are you a hero Ari?" Ben asked. Ari hesitated she had talked to Bruce about telling the guys, but now that she was about to she felt a little nervous.
"I am i used to be known as Black Raven, now I go by Shadowhawk."
They all began to shout questions and Ari winced.
"Could you please shut up for a moment!" Ari snapped and got them to settle down.
she told them her story and they gaped at her.
"If Batman doesnt like guns how'd you end up in the military?" Devon "Tank" McGregor asked.
"If you recall i'm a medic and while i can shoot i don't usually and a grapple gun isnt that far off from a real gun just a little more kick in the real one."
"So Batman let you tell us?" Norbeck asked and Ari nodded.
"This is important you must not tell anyone about who i am. I have enemies who would love to see me and my family dead." They all nodded seriously they werent about to hurt their friend.
"So how does Batman do that whole terror of the night thing?" Ben asked eagerly.
"Practice and the fact that he just doesnt like anyone who isnt family." Ari smiled she felt lighter being able to tell her brothers about her past.
"So why are you so tense around each other?" Dead eye asked.
Ari grimaced she had hoped she wouldnt have to talk about that.
"Seven years ago Batman was drugged and it made him very violent towards me…"
"Wait seven years ago you were what eighteen?" Ari nodded looking at her hands.
"Anyway at the time we didnt know why he was acting the way he was and he refused drug tests and any of the ones we were able to do with blood gathered from wounds didnt show anything."
"Did he hit you?" Dead eye asked. He had a quiet personality he also had his share of domestic abuse from his father.
"He was verbally abusive at the first then at the end he became physically abusive." Ari hated admitting that she didnt want people to think Batman was a woman hitting bastard.
"So all this is because of a drug?" Norbeck asked wanting to clarify.
"Yes, Batman normally was like my best friend if you can believe it." Their faces said they couldnt and it made her smile a little.
"He was so cool and he taught me a lot, then he woke up one morning and looked at me and he hated me."
"It steadily got worse until one day he told me to come into his study and he said that if i didnt leave the house he would kill me and from the look on his face i believed him. So i packed up and left a week later i joined the Navy."
Her brothers hugged her roughly like brothers would and she smiled.
"But dont think that Batman is really like that because he isnt he hates abuse of any kind he comes down hard on abusers in Gotham actually he comes down hard on any criminal."
Though she hadnt told them any real names she figured they were figuring it out.
"I miss him." She whispered more to herself than the group. "And i hate the bitch who drugged him, it could have killed him the longer it was in his system."
Dead eye got up and pulled Ari into a hug, he understood what she had gone through. Letting ehr go they sat down again
"My older brother died of cancer, he was the all American kid you know Football dated the head cheer leader all of that and my dad kinda doted on him." Dead eye… Liam sighed rubbing his head.
"He was an ok dad gave more attention to Jack my brother but after Jack died dad changed he drank a lot and tried to make me into Jack and was furious when i didnt conform my escape was the Marines."
"Is your mom ok?" Liam nodded.
"Yeah she's fine she's a real Southern Belle if you know what i mean She didnt stand for any of the crap dad was giving me and she didnt stand for any crap he tried to give her." That relaxed them.
"We're actually speaking now mom made dad get therapy while i was in Basic but it wasnt until i was deployed that it truly got through to him that i was going into a war zone and could potentially not make it home."
They all nodded and Ben looked at his hands.
"I w...was abused." He whispered his face going starkly pale. The others could tell that this was a bad one.
"My parents died when i was ten so i went to a foster home, my foster mother abused me pretty badly...it was s…" Ben froze his eyes seeing something the others couldnt and Ari reacted grabbing his hand she knelt in front of him.
"Hey Ben we're here man come on come back it's ok we understand." She whispered while sending her gift into him to calm him.
Ben breathed easier and gave a tremulous smile.
"Thanks Doc." she nodded and got back into her seat.
The others had come from well adjusted homes but a few did have some issues that came out that Ari thought, they hadnt even realized they had.
Finally they sat silent drained of emotion.
"Hey guys?"
"Hmm?" Came the communal grunt that made Ari roll her eyes her brothers at home did the same thing.
"When did this become therapy hour?" there was a beat of silence then they all laughed and the tension was gone.
Ari went back to bed glad that her friends understood.
A/N Hey guys wow another update! who woulda thunk it ok so this chapter doesnt have any Wonder Woman beat down in it that wont be done until either next chapter or the one after but i promise Wonder woman is going down hard Ari is rather possessive of her family lol ok i'm off to go do laundrey bleh.
A/N 2 8/16/14 hey guys i cleared up a sentence that sounded weird sorry about that i'm working hard on the next chapter see you later