"Okay. Thanks, J'ohnn," Bruce said into his earpiece as he drove into the Batcave.
"Late night, sir?" Alfred greeted him.
"Alfred?" Bruce asked, exiting the batmobile. "What are you doing still awake?"
"Miss Shayera has been pummeling the punching bags since you left for work this morning."
"She hasn't stopped?" Bruce asked, genuinely concerned. "Did she take any breaks…at all?"
"Only to hydrate, sir."
"Okay," Bruce was tired. "I'll take care of this. You, go to bed."
"As you wish, sir." Alfred turned and left the cave, while Bruce began to undress.
Shayera continued to punch the bag. Originally, she had come down to the gym to clear her head. But all she heard were the voices of her father and mother ringing in her ears repeatedly. "Faster, Shayera," "Harder, Shayera," "Quicker Shayera." She slammed her fist through the punching bag causing sand to pour out. This was 7th one today. She really hoped Bruce wouldn't be upset. She grabbed another punching bag and began to hook it up. Maybe she should stop. She'd been at it for 13 hours. She shook her head. Her parents always told her emotions made her weak, and they were right. Her feelings for Bruce hadn't made life easier for her. If anything, they were a hindrance and an annoyance. Also, what Diana had said really got to her. And Diana was right, she thought. She was no use to anyone without her wings. She kept punching and punching. She could no longer feel her hands, but she was always taught pain was weakness leaving the body. Her parents firmly stood by that belief. Shayera knew it wasn't true. But all she wanted to do was silence the voices in her head. Maybe she was going insane. She began to punch harder and harder. No, she was better than this. What was wrong with her? She never cared about any of this stuff before. Of course, that was before the loss of her wings. Four months after losing her wings, and she was still looking for ways to cope. Her stupid wings. Punch. This stupid planet. Punch. These stupid feelings. Punch. Her stupid parents. Punch. Going through all this for humans punch and leaguers punch who didn't appreciate her! Punch! Punch! Crash! The punching bag flew off the hook, hit the mirror, then hit the floor. Sand came pouring out of it. "Oops," she said to herself. She really didn't mean to do it this time. "Can you please stop destroying my punching bags?" she heard a voice say. She turned to see Bruce casually stroll in like he owned the place…which he did. Shayera tried not to look at what he was wearing. But she failed. Her mind immediately took note of the sweats and tank top he was wearing. Along with the muscles in his arms, his poignant blue eyes, and his silky hair that currently had no product in it. She really wanted to run her fingers through it and bask in its softness. "I didn't expect to see you here," Shayera said as she plopped down on a bench and began unwrapping her hands.
"Where else would I be?" he asked in amusement. Shayera shrugged. "Prowling the roofs of Gotham." Bruce gave her a smirk. "I don't prowl. And Jason and Tim are patrolling tonight. I had a meeting with a hawkman."
"That Carter guy?" Shayera asked as she began unraveling the cloths wrapped around her knuckles. Bruce sat on the bench across from her.
"Yes," he said as he watched her unravel the cloth around her hands, revealing very bloodied and swollen knuckles. "Were you trying to shatter the bones in your hand?" Bruce asked in annoyance as he walked to one of the freezers. He pulled out an ice pack and retrieved a cloth from the cabinet. He sat back down, handing the items to her. "I'll heal," she said.
"That's great," Bruce said still holding the items out to her. "Ice your hands." They stared each other down in a battle of wills before Shayera caved and grabbed the ice pack. "Satisfied?" she asked.
"No," Bruce said, "But that's a start. "J'ohnn has been talking to Shri."
"Why?" Shayera asked. "She's a low-level scout. She knows nothing."
"Thanagar is planning an attack on Earth." Shayera froze. "What?" she asked, not sure she heard right.
"That is what Shri said."
"How would she know? She's only a low-level scout sent to find me."
"From what J'ohnn was able to pull from her mind, Thanagar is definitely gearing up for another attack. She said the only reason we won was because we had you. Without you're wings…" Shayera stood up, dropped the ice bag and cloth on the floor, and began to pace. She needed time to process everything. After a moment, she asked, "You're saying they tore my wings from my body because they wanted me out of the way when they attacked Earth? I'm just one being, how is getting me out of the way helping them? It's not like I could take on the entire Thanagarian army by myself!" she exclaimed.
"Oh, they definitely took your wings to punish you. But I don't think your punishment is over."
"Explain," Shayera demanded, staring down at Bruce, hands on her hips.
"From what I've heard from you and Shri, Thanagar looks down on anyone who shows compassion. And you showed A LOT of compassion when you chose Earth over
Thanagar. In their eyes, you showed you loved Earth more than Thanagar. So, taking your wings…and then attacking Earth..."
"I can't fight back," Shayera turned away from Bruce as realization slowly set in. "I – I can't fly, s - so there's no way I can fight them."
"You watch from afar as Thanagar ravages the Earth – the thing you love most," Bruce said softly. Shayera turned to face Bruce once again. "On Thanagar, we are taught that Thanagar and Thanagarians should be our first love. But when I chose you over Thanagar, they – " she stopped speaking. "But why the Gordanians?"
"I think that was plan A. When Lobo gave up, they moved to plan B." Shayera bit her lip, deep in thought. Heartbreak and pain were evident on her face. "Shayera," Bruce stood up, and walked to her. "Invading Earth again was always the plan, Shayera."