A Better World Pt. 2

Chapter 43

It wasn't… As awkward around everyone as I expected after I told them the truth…

To my world, they were a series of comics and cartoons, each one with their own story and movie. It was much like the Justice Guild…

What didn't make sense to any one was my seeing my dad there and he was the Guardsman. J'onn's theory is that in my grief I imagined in… But I felt my father call for me… Him and the other version of me…

In the end… They were together… That was enough for me. It hurt for sure, but it was enough for me to put it to rest.

I rested my hand over Shotzey's head and he whined softly. I was back on monitor duty. I even started turning down missions with the team. I was somewhat isolating myself, trying to gather my thoughts and such.

I took back to speaking to my therapist about what happened, she even believed J'onn's theory, but I wasn't sure still. It just felt… off…

I went back to not dreaming any more, I didn't mind really. It was just nice to remember dad's face… Seeing him smile again…

"We'll be okay, right boy?" I smiled at him.

He looked up at me and gently licked my chin. I smiled a little more and kissed his nose gently.

"Luther is at it again… I'm sending you the coordinates to his location now!" I say into my head set.

"Got it, keep watching the monitors. If anything comes you, dispatch police." Batman tells me.

"Sir yes sir! Be safe out there okay?"

"Don't worry sis! We'll be back for dinner tonight at your place!" Flash said.

"Don't forget pizza tonight okay! And yes Flash, I made sure they had your order called ahead." I smiled.

"You tha best!" He sang.

I hummed softly as I set up the apartment for all my guests, I checked my phone.

No messages, calls, or emails from Batman… Huh, I wonder if everything was okay? I dispatched the police to Luther's location as soon as the others got him, they even said they finished everything up.

Maybe another bank robbery? I shrugged and set up the plates without giving it another thought.

Flash's order was already out for him for when he got here, and the rest was set up for everyone else. Flash's order consists of 10 pizzas all different toppings and 5 two liter sodas, all Orange soda. Thank god he gave me some of his own money to pay for it or else we were doing something else for dinner.

I hear a knock at the door and I smiled widely.

"Shotzey! They're here!" I ran to the door.

I opened it and I blinked at them.

"What… Guys, loving the new look." I blinked.

John's eyes were wide as he looked down at me.

"Woah, GL, loving the new look! You shaved your head!" I giggled and touched his head.

I noticed everyone was just… Looking at me… Confused? Bewildered? Not sure…

"Hey… Hey, what's going on guys!" I looked at them all.

"Sorry… Just… It was a rough battle…" Hawkgirl said quickly.

"Okay…Anyway, come in! Pizza made it! And where's Flash! I have his all set up for him!" I asked as they all piles into the apartment.

"He's… He got called out okay, he said to give him a rain check. He promised to get everything later…" Superman suddenly cut in, his eyes slightly darkened.

"Oh… Uh, okay. That's fine really, he paid for it anyway! But everyone just settled down and eat what you want okay!" I smiled.

"So… Seriously, what's up with the new looks? Is that why you were late?" I asked as I bit down on the stuffed crust of my pizza.

"Uh, yes. We wanted to surprise you." Hawkgirl forced a smile.

"It's flashy… But it's a cool look! I can't wait to see what Flash looks like!" I giggled.

That made everyone tense and look… Sad? What's going on here?

"Okay, seriously you guys! You look like someone died! Did something happen?" I asked them worriedly as I set my pizza down.

They all jumped, and I mean ALL of them, even Batman! Was it something I said?

"Tala… There is something we should talk about later okay. For now, can we just enjoy tonight okay?" Diana looked at me seriously.

"I… I guess… You guys are just worrying me okay… I've never seen you all so on edge." I say honestly.

"We don't mean to worry you. We just don't want you to worry for no reason." J'onn stood up and touched my shoulder.

I felt a jolt run down my spine, that… That didn't feel right… J'onn didn't feel right…

"Fine... But you guys really need to relax, you act like something's wrong." I huffed and pulled away from J'onn.

I didn't even feel his connection… That was a big red flag for me, he never closed his side after what happened with the Guild, he was often the one who comforted me if I ever got too stuck in my own head about what happened.

I cleaned up a bit and started to sing to myself, maybe… Maybe I should give Flash a call… I mean, just to check up on him. It really wasn't like him to take so long on a mission like this, especially since pizza was involved, he NEVER made pizza night just wait until later…

I pressed my finger to my ear and I tried for Flash's ear piece, "NO WAIT!" I hear Batman shout.

Right as I hear him, I scream as my ear piece let out a violent shock and I ripped it out of my ear and threw it to the floor.

I hissed as I fell to my knees and covered my ear.

"What happened?!" John shouted alarmed as I held my ear.

I looked at him in utter pain, he moved my hand and saw a little blood drip down.

"Superman!" He shouted.

"Nothing broken! Just a small burn that's bleeding…" He sped to me with a we rag.

"Oh… I tried to call Flash… I just wanted to check up on him." I whined.

"I know… It's okay…" John patted my shoulder lightly.

"What happened? Is Flash okay-"

"It's a malfunction…" Batman picked up the ear piece and dropped it in a baggie.

I blinked.

Malfunction? What? Batman MADE those! There is no way! After what happened with Gorilla City, he upgraded them! There shouldn't be ANYTHING wrong with them.

"Don't worry, I'll get this fixed." Batman said as he came over and looked at my ear.

"The bleeding isn't too bad. Just hold it another few minutes to make sure it stops." He tells me, his voice actually full of concern.

"Come along, we should take you to the tower to get some medicine on it." J'onn urged. Everyone oddly agreed with us and tried to all get me to leave at once.

"Wait! Guys! I have to get Shotzey's stuff!" I cried as the escorted me out.

"Don't worry. He'll be okay for the night!" Diana smiled. To make me feel better she set out his food and filled his water bowl.

"I mean- But-" I tried to slow them down.

"Don't argue hon, let's go." Hawkgirl pushed me along.

"Ah!" I cried as J'onn gently rubbed the medication in my ear, the burn smarted for sure, but I able to sit still long enough to be patched up.

"Apologies…" J'onn whispered softly.

"It's not your fault…" I smiled weakly at him.

I felt him trying to brush against my mind, but it felt wrong… There was a buzzing in the back of my mind, saying "RUN".

"Thanks J'onn." I say as I get to my feet and he made sure to stay as close as possible in case I took a wrong step.

"Hey… Hey what are they doing?" I asked as I see Diana and Superman welding a door onto the Tower by the docking bay.

"They are closing off some open areas, Batman found spots that were vulnerable." He said simply.

"He designed this place J'onn, he would know from the BEGINNING if there was a design flaw." I say raising a brow at him.

"It is something he found recently. He wants to just protect everyone..."

"Who would try and come up here? Serious, J'onn… Did something happen? I mean, Flash still isn't back yet and you're all scaring me with all the changes you're making around here!"

He looked conflicted on what to tell me next, I pushed past him and went to confront Batman, Superman, just someone who can give me straight answer!

"Superman!" I ran up to him with J'onn right behind me, he looked nervously at Superman.

"Tala, how is-"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I cut him off and glared up at him.

"I don't know what everyone's deal is, but I WANT ANSWERS." I poked his chest roughly.

He looked down at me and everyone around us just froze up, I stood my ground and glared up at him.

He signed and rubbed his face with one hand, "Tala… This isn't our dimension." He answered me.

"Wait… What?" I shook my head.

"Nice joke guys! Seriously! Why… Why are you all acting so weird?" I shook as I was standing in front of my friends.

They all adverted their eyes, I felt my heart sink in my chest and I took a small step back.

"You… You're serious… Aren't you?" I breathed weakly.

"Tala, please… Let us explain okay?" Hawkgirl walked up to me.

"No…" I held up my hand to keep her away from me.

She stopped and looked like I just slapped her in the face, she just looked so unsure now… I hugged myself and shivered violently.

"No… No this isn't real… This is a dream!" I turned around and started to pace.

"Tala, please-"

"DON'T TOUCH ME J'ONN! PLEASE, I CAN'T!" I flinched as he tried to stop me from my panic pacing.

"You… Okay… Okay…So… Where are MY friends?" I stopped and looked to Superman.

"Just know they're safe."

"That is not an answer." I narrowed my eyes and I felt my bracelet start to tingle.

"Where. Are. They?"

"Our world." Batman finally walked up to me.

"Your world… Why are they there and not here?" I hissed.

"Tala, we are doing this for your world. To protect it." He pulled out a hand held device that looked WAY too much like a taser.

"Batman… No… No please…" I felt tears fall down my cheeks as he walked up to me.

"I'm sorry…" He pressed the button on the side and it turned on, making horrible zapping sounds.

"NO!" I tried to run but was caught by Lantern.

"LANTERN! NO! NO PLEASE! LET ME GO!" I screamed as he held me in place.

"NOO!" I screamed as he pressed the taser to my neck and the shock hit me down to my core.

Everyone looked away, no one said anything as I tried to break free.

Batman pulled the taser away and the girl went limp against Lantern, He lifted her up in his arms.

"I'm sorry… But you'll be happy in a little bit… Someone is really excited to see you." He said as he held me up.

She whimpered weakly before she was out cold.

"You couldn't have lowered the level on that thing? It left a burn on her neck!" Lantern hissed at Batman.

"She's stronger than we know, in this world she is just like him." Batman glared at the man holding the girl that was not so part of their world.

"She'll be angry, yes. But she'll change her mind soon." Superman walked up to him and pet the girls head gently.

"She was still hurt… Should we take her to the hospital in our world? She'll be safe with your drones to protect her." Diana asked him.

"No, she's not badly hurt. At most she will be soar… For now… I think she should see Flash. Just to know he is safe will calm her down, Andrew was extremely happy to have seen him again…" Superman looked at her and frowned as he remembered the look on his young friend's face.

"I'll make sure she'll be comfortable. That bracelet won't do her any good in the cells I created for the others. After studying the nanites from our world, they shouldn't be as advanced yet." Batman walked up to the girl and pulled up her arm to look at the inactive bracelet.

"He'll just be happy to see some of his family again… We have to make sure our plan works." Lantern sighed.

Batman gently laid the unconscious girl on the cot and pulled a blanket over her.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?" Flash shouted as he tried to break free of his binds.

"She'll be alright." He tells him softly.

"You did that to her didn't you?!" He continued to shout at the double of Batman.

"She started to question too much, she even went as far as to contact you… Nearly took out her own hearing…" The double looked at him.

"Of course she tried to call me! She's been through too much already! You trying to take over our world won't help her! She'll never forgive you for this! You know she won't!" Flash argued. The double's patience was running thin with all the argument, he knew this was the only way to protect her and Flash!
"WE ARE DOING THIS FOR YOUR WORLD'S OWN GOOD!" Batman's double shouted and slammed his fist in the wall to silence him.

Flash looked at him surprised, seeing a version of Batman lose his cool was… Well scary! He always held himself together, no matter the villain he faced, but when it came to emotions, he had that under lock and key. Seeing him emotional just made him so… Human…

Tala started to stir, Batman's double straightened up and left the cell quickly. He entered the locking code and it sealed the human girl inside.

I woke up to voices all over.

"Guys… Guys?" I sat up and felt something fall off my chest.

"What?" I looked at the blanket and blinked.

"Ah…" I hissed as I touched my soar neck.

"Tala! You hear me?"

"Flash? FLASH!" I shouted getting to my feet and running to the laser like cell door.

"Where are you? Are you okay?" I called out.

"Hey, Hey! Yeah, I'm fine! What about you? Are you okay?" He asked frantically.

"I… I think so… My head is still a little off… Where are we?" I asked looking around confused.

"Their world… The Justice Lords' world…" He answered.

Justice Lords? Oh no… Come on brain I need a little help here! Clues! Something! We need out! Now! They're going to try and take over our world!

"Think! Think!" I started using my hands to hit my own head.

"Tala, that is enough." I hear.

I looked to see someone in a silver suit walk up to my cell.

"Stay away from me!" I nearly fell backward.

He flinches as he sees me so afraid of him, "You're safe here. Please believe me."

"Sure… No one in or out right?" I hissed as I hugged myself.

The stranger flinched and rubbed his arm… There was something familiar about that action…

"You brought me here, why?" I asked the stranger

"Tala… You know why… I know you know at this point." He sighed.

"Flash… The Flash here…" I breathed

"Yes… He's gone…" He said.

"What about me? Was… Was there a version of me here?" I blinked.

He was silent… Before I could open my mouth again, the silver face cover slowly melted off their face… Revealing the face of someone I knew…

I sank down to the floor and covered my mouth.

"Hey sis…" My younger brother looked back at me.

"Andrew? How… What…" I found myself stuttering.

He looked at me awkwardly. This can't be right? How is HE here? I mean, I was more into the show than he was… But then again… This is another dimension… Maybe his version of me wasn't too into it and he was instead.

"I know it's a lot to take in, and judging that face you're making, you're figuring things out right?" He said as he gave me an awkward side smile.

"You know what they did here… You didn't stop them…" I hissed at my brother.

"No… Please just hear me out okay?" He looked at me extremely distressed.

"No… NO, no…" I shook my head and covered my ears.

"If you are the 'me' of this world… Then you KNEW at some point they would come to my world… You wouldn't know about me but you KNEW what the plan was here!" I hissed and gave him the big sister glare.

"If you continue to do this… I will never forgive you!" I slammed my fists into the barred door and I was shaking with utter rage.

My brother looked at me just devastated. He has never seen me so upset, I don't think I was able to be so upset when I was in my own world around him. The most anger he saw out of me was the day the paper talked about our dad.

"No matter what you say or do… YOU KNOW THIS IS WRONG." I hissed.

I saw his fists shaking, he quickly turned and left the room.

"Tala… Tala, kiddo? You okay?" I hear Flash call out.

I sniffled and wiped my eyes roughly, God why am I such a cry baby these days?

"I'm fine… Let's just get out of here? Please?" I whimpered.

As promised! Part 2! Now it is SUPER late... Er.. Early? Anyway! I need sleep! I've been working on these chapters a tad too long!

As always!

If you see something wrong, let me know and I will fix it as soon as possible!

Comment if you liked the chapter, you know I love hearing from you all!

Yal have a good night!

Peace!

~*~Katie Gibbs~*~