Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the new patented way to write songfics…so I can sue you, but they can't sue me.
Ishan: You're bloody brilliant.
Me: Thank you.
Ishan: It's called sarcasm.
AN: Before I give you the chapter you've all been waiting for, I'd like to thank all of you! You guys give me the inspiration to write. I love being able to share my thoughts and ideas, and I love listening to your thoughts and ideas and viewpoints even more! You guys make me want to write. So, I write!
Ok, since so many people have been asking so many questions, I think I will take the time out to answer those that will not ruin this entire storyline (Prophet and When Worlds Collide included) and to just plain chat ::shuffles through reviews importantly::
Angelic Temptress: First, thank you so much! You're really uplifting, too! Um, to answer your previous question: not exactly; it's my take on 'Starcrossed', as is 'Prophtet' (it's too complicated to explain right now), but...yeah...
DS: Everything happens in time, and you will indeed find out in time (next chapter or two, if I remember correctly); I can't tell you point-blank, however, or it'll ruin the effect (which I am very set on, by the way; it's an obsession, so sorry if it gets on anybody's nerves, but I can't help it).
Chrblack: About…four years ago, around the same time as Lois had Richard (1), but this particular little tyke it only barely three ('Prophet'). Once again, can only be fully understood if the story is read. That's all I can say. I'm trying to slowly introduce the JL brats- er, children instead of writing these lengthy descriptions in the middle of the stories. Remember, everything happens in time…As for the secret, once again, all will be explained in the next couple of chapters.
Magical*Me5: He's got an older brother, too… see (1) for a little bit more. And yes, just like in 'Rules of Attraction', it's Flash/Linda. I'm a sucker for classics…(to a certain extent, that is). As for our favorite little bird- er hawk, read on! As for background, I'm afraid that I must refer you to another section. Press one now to go to 'Prophet'; press two now to go to 'When Worlds Collide'; press three now to access X-men Evolution fics. ::Ishan interrupts: Warum baten Sie sie, zu jenne zu gehen fics?!? Dieses ist JL, sich erinnern? Me: English, please; these people probably don't speak German, because I know I sure as heck don't…Nicht sehr gut, ist das…::
Ellie E.T.: I don't believe in character bios on OCs, so I'm afraid you'll have to let them grow on you. I'll try and be a little more descriptive for a clearer picture, though.
(Me: ::looks confusedly at reviews and double checks three time:: Hey, Ishan, are you sure this is right? ::waves blue review sheet around a couple of times before it is snatched::
Ishan: ::takes look at review:: Isn't that that author who was working on that excellent Rovan?)
Raniatlw: Aren't you in the wrong section?!?! Just joking, but before we get to this, what the heck is up with 'Absence'? Have you and Kaos27 taken a leave of absence and gone AWOL or something? (again, just joking…partially). 'Closure' is starting up, so, I'm back on the ball with my Evo fics, thankfully. Here's the deal; you update that exquisite Rovan, I'll be sure to try every trick in the book to use the computer to update my stories, JL and Evo both. Deal?
Sailor Christian: Well, why ever not? More into HGF? If so, you should check out sardonicsmiley. If not, check out Angelic Temptress for more HGGL fluff. Hurrah! I'm glad I've caught the interest of someone who normally doesn't like this. Does that mean I'm doing all right? Since you're not all that into HGGL, it would sort of be pointless for you read the other fics to find out about the kids, huh? In order from oldest to youngest (present time, WRD): Richie, Bryant, Raven, Colton, Christina. Two are missing, and I can't tell you who they are because that would mess it up for everyone else. Once again, sadly, the entire effect of this series. As for Flash, see the answers to Magical*Me5.
Sardnoicsmiley: Are you still alive, girl? I haven't heard from you since the second chapter of 'Ashes, Ashes'. That 'Elements' things still stands, you know. Where's the next part? I'll explain more sooner if you explain more, yes?
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*Deny*
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Now they can see the tears in our eyes
But we deny the pain that lies deep in our hearts
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Shayera tried to stop the hot, searing tears that rolled slowly down her red cheeks, but it was impossible. It was just too much to bear.
She had made it quite clear that she didn't want to talk to him, and he had backed down, not saying another word about it.
That was what stung the most, probably.
He hadn't made another attempt since she had screamed at him the last time.
She heard footsteps on the floor, but she didn't look up.
"Aunty?" asked a small voice.
She brushed away the tears and lifted the small boy up.
"Yes?" she asked in an almost control voice.
"Why you were crying?" he asked plainly.
Four year olds always get right to the chase about something, don't they? Shayera wasn't exactly sure how to respond… Nothing wrong with the truth…. was there?
"Was it about Uncle?" He used his pudgy little thumb to wipe away a tear that had begun slipping unnoticed from her wet eyes. Problem solved. And she hadn't had to say one word…yet.
"Daddy says that four year olds always know things like that," he stated proudly, giving her smile that made him look so much like his Boy Scout father, it was laughable. "Don't you love Uncle?"
Shayera looked back to the little boy sitting in her lap. "Why do you ask?"
"Because Uncle loves you."
"Who told you that?" Shayera asked, her eyebrows raising under her mask.
"Nobody, really. But Uncle acts different when you're around," he told her before snuggling close and directing his dark eyes to the playing television.
"What do you mean?" Now she was confused, and his five minute attention span wasn't helping one little bit.
He yawned widely before answering. Definitely almost bedtime. "I don't know; like when….just us are there, he's ….distant!" His eyes brightened as his sudden ability to describe it to her. "Like,… his eyes is strange; like painting… people's eyes. They're not really real. But then, when you're there, it's different. His voice ….doesn't sound tired no more. It just seems sad. Like when I …..lost my bear. It's like he's being….I think Daddy said he's being ….torn from the inside out." Yawning even more, the boy's lids slowly began to close and he snuggled closer.
"Aunty? Daddy says that he hears you cry sometimes, and that sometimes, he hears Uncle cry, too. And that,….you keep …. 'nying that you….love each other….I hear you sometimes, too, and…I don't like…hearing you guys cry…." He was almost snoring now, so Shayera took him to his room and tucked her 'nephew' in. "No more cryin', …right?"
Four years were also always honest about things they saw; everything was always so plain and simple to them, even if it seemed so damn complicated to everyone else.
But how could he ever forgive her? What she had done…she really needed to sit down just to count all the ways she had betrayed him.
1. When she wondered upon the Thanagarian camp, she had helped to hide them.
2. She'd nursed them all back to help, even Katar, the very person she'd been running from.
3. She'd let Katar believe that her desperate run from Thanagar (and ultimately, him) had been nothing more than a terrible accident.
4. She'd let Katar believe, even worse, that she was running back to his arms.
5. She'd blindly and stupidly given them the very foundation on which the Justice League worked and operated… Had she really been so stupid as to believe that he was simply looking for some way to return to Thanagar?
6. Because of her, they'd all gotten caught…Bruce, and J'onn, Diana, Clark, sweet, cute, laughable Wally…even John…
But she'd made the ultimate sacrifice to get them back, right? She'd fought beside the Justice League, beside Wally (who for once, didn't see one thing funny in the entire situation), beside the suddenly more reclusive Bruce, the slightly wavering Diana, a more concerned J'onn, the more tedious Clark, but worst of all….
John. Who still fought as if it had never happened, still willing to die for her…the same thing that scared her so damn much…
Shayera was now completely hysterical.
Too much. It was all too much.
The words of her 'all-knowing-'nephew' came back to her.
"Daddy says that he hears you cry sometimes, and that sometimes, he hears Uncle cry, too... you keep …. 'nying that you….love each other"
Were they all hearing her wake up in the middle of the night, screaming, crying? They had to; if they didn't they'd have to be worse than deaf… Did even the youngest in the League, Wally's little twins, know that she was having nightmares, every night, so real that she felt almost as if having Dr. Destiny make her believe that she was being buried alive in that horrible, small, closed box would be as good, if not better, as a walk in the park?
Did they know that she was quite aware that whenever she was screaming, Bruce, Clark, Wally, and J'onn had to hold back John from running to her because that would only make things worse?
"….I don't like hearing you guys cry…"
What was really the problem here? That she no longer loved John, for being so damn forgiving about everything and willing to put his life on the line for her even after she was perfectly willing to kill him and the rest, too? Even if he knew what Bruce kept begging her to tell him?
Or was the problem that she kept telling herself that she was willing to kill them all; that she kept telling herself that she no longer loved him?...