The Here and Now (Part II of my Post--'Starcrossed' Trilogy.)
By: Jade O'Neal
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They are property of DC Comics, Warner Bros. and others.
Spoilers: STARCROSSED. (Take note: I haven't seen the episode myself and have only drawn conclusions from bits and pieces of spoilers and pictures that I've seen on the web. This could very well be classified as an alternate universe fiction.)
Note: This story isn't told from Barb's POV, so it won't be as serious as the last. (Not a mistake. I promise.)
Rating: PG-13 for language
Now, on with the trilogy...
V
"So what do you think of her?" I asked Batman as we watched Supergirl and Superman practice in the training room. I wasn't really interested in the fight.
I was paying more attention to the red skirt that continued to ride up...
He grunted and interrupted my train of thought.
Although still an amateur, she was quick on her feet, smart, and intuitive.
Plus, she was a hottie... A blonde hottie.
"She's young and inexperienced, but perhaps with a little training, she'll –"
"Become the replacement?" I finished dryly. When he didn't respond, I slightly rolled my eyes and focused my attention on the Kryptonians.
Superman was winning, but Supergirl and gotten a few clean shots at her "cousin." She was pretty good, but she was no Hawkgirl.
That was for sure.
As much as I enjoyed watching a babe battle, I would have appreciated a session between the newbie and Wonder Woman even more. So I left.
Take a guess where I headed when I was bored.
The kitchen.
Duh.
J'onn and Diana were sitting at the table, in silence. She held an iced mocha in her hands, taking slow sips through the straw, and he was eating his valuable Oreos. If someone didn't know them like I did, that person would have thought everything was normal.
They'd be very wrong.
Things weren't normal. They hadn't been for three months.
I still couldn't find my way around the new kitchen, let alone the new Watchtower; I was used to the old design. Unfortunately, we had destroyed that one. Supes and Bats had somehow designed and built this new model for The Justice League.
When you really think about it, it probably wasn't too hard for a billionaire and a reporter to accomplish such a task. They were smart, secretive men who wouldn't have a hard time pulling it all off without the world knowing.
I snagged a sub from the fridge and gave a slight nod to the duo as I left the kitchen. Honestly, even though a lot of time had passed since Hawkgirl's resignation, I couldn't get myself to really socialize with any one of my five co-workers.
As far as I was concerned, she had left because of them.
Now there was such and emptiness in the satellite. It was too quiet and uncomfortable, like a cloud of unhappiness had fallen on top of us. We weren't talking like we all did before. We weren't joking around, and there was no sense of unity anymore.
Conversations were limited and brief. None of us saw one another outside our base, except when we were on a mission. Honestly, it was ridiculous. Instead of severing all ties with Hawkgirl, we had cut all ties within the League.
That's probably what the Thanagarians had wanted.
Every single one of us was on edge, waiting for the next betrayal to happen, even though we knew it wouldn't come.
I trusted the team with my life, and I wished they felt the same about me.
The most unrealistic part of the new atmosphere was that there was no bickering. Usually, I'd be messing with Hawkgirl, and she'd be threatening me with her mace. Other times, she and John would be at each other's throats, criticizing and correcting each other.
But their loud mouths weren't heard anymore.
Well, maybe she wasn't the reason for all of the strangeness. Maybe the mood came with damned satellite.
Things were good for Shayera Hol, or should I say "Sara Hall," lately. She had moved on with life by getting a new place and a brand new job. I was proud of her, and I bet GL would have been too, if he knew.
There he was, sitting on that solitary chair in the monitor womb and watching over the world we had sworn to protect. He looked so...
Depressed.
And lonesome.
We all were pretending to have moved on since Hawkgirl's departure, but he was the least convincing. He looked like a child whose lollipop had been taken from him.
I hated the fact that he was hurting. I wanted to help him, but he wouldn't let me close. He didn't want anything to remind him of the gorgeous Thanagarian that he believed he had lost. Somehow, Lantern knew that I was keeping in touch with her; he probably could smell her on me.
He hated me for it.
I could tell.
"Hey, Flash," Supergirl greeted when she stopped beside me, wiping her pretty face with a towel. "What's going on?"
Trying hard not to let her notice that I was checking her out, I gave her a weak smile. "Nothing. How'd practice go? Did 'Big Blue' teach you something new?"
"Clark told me I did well, but Batman scorned the heck out of me." She offered a small laugh and her brilliant smile. "So, are we still on for tonight?"
Confused, my forehead wrinkled, and I raised an eyebrow at her. I didn't exactly remember asking the cutie out. Maybe she was asking me out? What a lucky day.
"Where we goin', Babe?"
She playfully rolled her bright blue eyes. "Nice try, Wally. Don't you remember Babs inviting us to go clubbing in Gotham with her and Dick?"
The light bulb in my head turned on. "Oh yeah. Sure." I then found myself glancing at The Green Lantern. "Do you think she'd care if I brought a friend?"
"No. Who've you got in mind?" 'Mini'-Supes asked, but I didn't answer her. I walked in GL's direction instead, but he didn't even detect me; the "world" had his undivided attention.
That or he was ignoring me.
"Hey Greens," I said and snatched a bite from my sub-sandwich. "How's it hanging?"
The Lantern sent a glare from the corner of his radiant eye. He wasn't about to act like my best friend; he couldn't.
"So, ah, you're off tonight. Right? Wonder Woman takes monitor duty next."
"What do you want?" he questioned in his frightening drill-sergeant way.
"Just curious. I was wondering if you'd like to get some drinks after work. You know, we haven't gone out in a while."
"I'm busy."
"Doing what?" I snapped. "Wallowing in self-pity? Exercising to the point that you can't move anymore? Watching the tube and eating ice cream straight from the carton? Come on, GL. You know that's no way to live."
"Go away, Flash."
I shook my head. "No. You need to get out and have some fun. You need to dance, get drunk, talk to women, and get laid." When he sent me a disgusted glare, I shrugged. "All right. Scratch the dancing bit; it was just a suggestion."
He had to choke back a chuckle, and I gave a satisfied smirk.
"Oh. The Lantern can smile. I guess he's not made of stone." Carefully, I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Seriously dude, come out with us tonight."
An eyebrow rose. "Us? Am I supposed to believe you have friends?"
I rolled my eyes in return. "Ha. Ha. The straight man has become the comic."
V
I knocked on the door to Barbara's apartment, the place where we had first met. John stood behind me with his strong hands stuffed into his jean pockets, attempting to act casual.
He was failing miserably.
The ex-Marine wore a pair of jeans and a simple dark blue, dress shirt. I, on the other hand, wore kakis and a red polo.
Why go against what naturally looked amazing on me?
To my surprise, Dick Grayson answered the door wearing his usual black slacks and shirt. Ever since I we had been introduced, we gotten along beautifully. He and I were both handsomely young but immature at times; I guess that's what attracted lovely ladies to us...or him, really.
He and Barbara, from what they and Kara had told me, had been an unofficial item for a long time. They had only started "dating" about six or seven months ago.
Lucky bastard.
If I could have a girl who could arrest a bad guy and disarm a bomb in a single bound... Wow.
That would be so hot.
"Who's this?" Nightwing – err – Dick asked when he caught sight of the lug beside me.
"This happens to be one of my best friends, John Stewart." Something flashed in Dickie's dark eyes, and I knew he recognized the name. "John, this is Dick Grayson. He's a cop from Bludhaven." They shook hands and exchanged greetings. Dick then led us inside.
I liked Barbara's apartment. It was so homey and cheerful. The refreshing thing was that she and Dick were a whole lot different when compared to their boss. They were so lighthearted.
"Wally!" Babs called and walked into her living room to hug me. She looked fabulous in her off-gold dress, and I almost didn't want to let go.
"You look awesome, Babsy."
"Thanks. Hey, who's your friend?"
After I introduced John to the redheaded vixen, her eyes immediately began to dazzle.
"It's very nice to meet you, John. I hope you don't mind loud music and women rubbing up against you because that's what we're probably going to experience."
"Oh please," I said and gave my partner a friendly smack on the back. "After a few drinks, Johnny won't mind a bit." When I glanced over the room, I noted that we were missing our fifth party. "Where's Kara?"
"Right here," she answered and joined us. I wasn't used to her wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a brown wig, but she had to use the disguise to keep her identity a secret. Clark's cousin didn't want the world to know she was Supergirl.
Although I'd love to tear those camouflages right off of her fine-looking face, I resisted and just studied her outfit. She wore a black tank, black boots, and a sequined, bright pink miniskirt. She was adorable.
"John, this is Kara Kent."
"Kent?" he repeated. "You related to Clark Kent?" When she nodded, he easily put two and two together, but said nothing.
V
"I like the way you move," I sang from my seat at the bar beside John and Dick. Barbara and Kara were dancing by themselves, and we were watching, trying to act "cool." I didn't need much help in that department, and neither did Dick. John on the other hand...
He was still brooding, totally dragging on our style. Just by looking at him, you could tell he was uncomfortable.
Good.
Honestly, I wanted the marine to sulk all night; he had to realize how sorry he really was. John had to see and really feel the giant void Shayera had left in his life.
They were both extremely stubborn, and I knew neither of them would agree to meeting with the other.
In other words, I'd have to force them on each other. If that meant ripping John Stewart apart before he learned the truth about his feelings, so be it. They were going to make up within the year, or my name wasn't Wally West.
"Having a good time, Johnny?" I asked the heap of misery beside me with a devilish grin on my strikingly good-looking face.
John's answer was swallowing another shot of Jack Daniels' whiskey. I couldn't help but smile at myself.
"Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm going to get my groove on," I announced and finished my beer. After making my way to Kara and Babs, I slipped between them and began to dance to the Outkast remix. Those two gals were crazy on the dance floor, and I didn't mind one bit.
Who in his right mind would?
Soon enough, Dick stole Barb and left Kara with me. The two of us continued with our grinding, enjoying the feel of the other's body against our own. Well, at least I was.
Kara looked up at me with her baby-blue eyes and smiled. She ran a hand through my red hair and pulled me closer with the other. My hands found their way to the swell of her hips, and her smile grew.
Then Dick ruined the moment by tapping me on the shoulder.
Jerk.
"What?" I yelled over the music and whirled around to face him.
"Looks like your friend is doing a whole lot better," he smartly stated and motioned toward John. The supposedly grief-stricken superhero was talking to an attractive, dark-skinned female and actually wore a smile on his face.
Damn it.
"Excuse me kids. Wally needs to save the day." I left them on the floor and raced to his side, without the use of my super-speed, and put an arm around him. "Hey. What's wrong? Why are you leaving me on the floor to fend for myself? You know how I am when you're not around: insecure."
Before John could even retaliate, the girl walked away.
Mission accomplished.
"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded and threw my arm off of him. "I was trying to talk to her. Isn't that what you said I should do?"
"Well ..."
"Don't. Let's not discuss this. I'm going to try and explain to her. Don't follow me." He aggressively stood from his stool and stomped off in the opposite direction.
I had screwed up big time. He wasn't supposed to hook up with just any chick.
That chick was supposed to be Shayera.
Damn it all to Hell.
Damn him.
Oh, Shy. Please forgive him... and me.
V
"Wally, you can't be tearing yourself up over this. He's moving on," Kara kindly whispered into my ear, although her whispers were forced because of the music she had to fight.
I ignored the suggestion and swallowed another shot of scotch.
"Jesus, Walls. You know they have to figure it all out for themselves. They can't just roll over and make up without talking to each other first." Dick lightly padded me on the back, like I was a kid throwing a tempter tantrum. "Face it. They aren't ready to see each other, let alone discuss anything."
Barbara nodded. "Dick's right. John needs to deal with how he feels before anything can be done. Let it be. Let time mend their wounds."
The room was starting to spin. "Stop talking so phili – philiso – philidel – no... Wait. Phil –'"
"Philosophical?" Kara finished for me.
"That's the word."
Okay. So I had a few too many drinks. It's not like I didn't have a good reason for them. Shy's life was ruined because I thought it would be neat to take John clubbing.
God, I am so stupid.
Dick shook his head. "Maybe I should take you home, Walls. I mean, you look like you've swallowed a dead fish... a ton of dead fish."
I threw him a glare but didn't know if it actually hit him. I blacked out and fell over.
My night was going real well.
V
I felt warmth upon my face and slowly began to open my heavy eyes. Hoping to find a half-dressed Kara beside me, I rolled over but found nothing but an empty bed.
A bed that didn't belong to me.
A bed that sat in a bedroom, which had a U.S. Marine Corps poster by the window.
Two guesses to who took me to his Detroit home last night.
The only good thing was that John couldn't have brought a girl home too. Barbara probably had stuck him with me to avoid that kind of situation.
Ha.
Mission completed.
With an aching head and a weak body, I carefully swung my legs over the side of the bed and got up. The apartment smelled like eggs, and I grinned with excitement. John was cooking, and I was so hungry.
I wanted food, even though I wanted to barf my lungs up.
"Morning, Hotshot. Feeling better?" John greeted with an unusually chipper tone. He had just flipped an omelet onto a plate and set it onto his kitchen table. "Want some coffee?"
"Sure." I plopped into a seat and waited for him to hand me a mug. When he did, I quickly gulped down the hot liquid, knowing that it should sober me up a little.
"Have fun with Jack?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Jack...?"
"Daniels."
I rolled my bloodshot eyes in annoyance. "Shut up, Mr. Green Lantern of Sector 2814, or you'll get an ass beating from Mr. Flash of Central City."
"I'd like to see you try."
"Don't tempt me." I began to massage my temples and yawned. "So, did everyone else just go home?"
"Pretty much."
"Good."
"That Kara looked kind of disappointed."
Surprised much? Hell yeah. "Really?"
He nodded. "Something going on between the two of you?"
I shrugged. "Hell if I know, but who wouldn't fall in love with this face?"
He chuckled. "The one that looks like he hadn't slept in a month?" When I stuck my tongue out at him, he sat down across from me, his expression taking a turn toward seriousness. "What was with that stunt you pulled at the bar table?"
I gave my best innocent face. "Stunt? What stunt?"
"Give it up, Wally. You didn't want me to talk to that girl and ruined any chance of me getting to know her by acting like my..."
"Boyfriend?" I completed with a smirk. "You know you liked it."
"Shut up, Wally. For once act like an adult."
"Jeez. Simmer down, Greens. I was just trying to help."
His face had reddened, indicating that he was legitimately pissed. "Helping who?"
"Obviously not you anymore. I thought you cared about Shaye –"
"Don't!" he ordered and put a hand up to hush me. "Just don't talk about her."
"She has a name, you know."
"Leave her out of this. She's not my girlfriend. She never was to begin with."
Now I was getting irritated. "That's right. She threw her life away for a nobody, six nobodies to be exact. Sure, she gave it up for people she didn't care about. Makes perfect sense."
His radiant eyes had narrowed dangerously. "She lied to me."
"She lied to all of us because she thought she was doing the right thing. She thought that she would be saving her world, not destroying ours." I huffed loudly and crossed my arms over my chest. "John, you are a stubborn bastard sometimes."
"And you're a fool. Stop acting like an adolescent, Wally. Stop protecting her for no good reason. She betrayed us! What more do you need? A signed letter saying that she cheated us and almost got us all killed?"
"No! I can't believe you. You're such an asshole. Shayera saved your life, and she didn't have to. Shy didn't have to face off with that Hro Talak son of a bitch, but she did anyway."
John stood from his chair and slammed it into the table. "For what? Because she cared? Bull shit. She never gave a damn about anyone of us. If she had wanted to be part of the League, she would have stayed. Wally, she left me, for Christ's sake!"
My jaw dropped as comprehension flowed into my simple mind. "I get it now. This isn't about the team. It's about you. She left you without so much as a goodbye kiss, and you hate her for it."
He looked at me as if I had stolen a part of his heart. John was little boy again, scared of the world around him, afraid of never holding his true love again.
And I had an idea.
A very evil idea.
"You have every right to be furious. That stupid bitch used you and then threw you away like yesterday's trash." When his eyes grew wide in horror, I inched closer to him. "What a dirty, good-for-nothing whore."
"Watch your mouth," he warned in a low tone.
"She just wanted you to satisfy her 'after-hour' needs. Thanagarians probably can't go long without getting any, and the idea of screwing a human must have triggered a love-making sense in the back of her double- crossing brain."
"Wally..."
"You don't have to explain. I bet she couldn't wait to compare you to all the other guys back home. Let's face it; Shy's no Diana. She'd been around the block a few –"
I was cut off by a punch to the jaw, something I would have been too fast for if I hadn't been experiencing a hangover. My back hit the kitchen table hard, but I only sent John a smile. His look of confusion was priceless.
"That proves it. You are in love with her." I steadied myself and wiped the blood from my lip with the back of my sleeve. "Now you just have to tell her."
John turned away from me to face one of his windows. It had begun to rain outside.
"Listen. I had to know, John. She deserves someone who –"
He interrupted me. "I do love her, Wally. She even admitted to me that she loved me too, but it wasn't enough to keep her around... I wasn't enough to keep her around.
"Shayera was lost, and I couldn't bring her back, no matter how much I loved her or how much she loved me. It wasn't enough for us."
"Johnny, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"I know."
I felt terrible. He wasn't angry with Shayera. He was angry with himself.
Why hadn't I seen it earlier?
"Go to her. She lives in an apartment in Midway. I'll give you the address. It's –"
"Stop it. Don't you see that it's over? We're done, Wally. That's it. No happy ending. No kiss goodnight. Just tears, and a whole lot of rain." The broken Green Lantern walked up to the window and placed his hands on its frame. "After you finish your breakfast, go home."
"What?"
"You heard me. Go home."
"She misses you," I blurted and immediately bit my tongue in reaction.
After a short pause, he asked, "How's she doing?"
The smile I had worn returned. "Pretty good. She's working, you know, at a museum where she can talk about weapons and stuff. Other than losing a few pounds, she's the same old, powerful, stubborn, independent Shayera Hol."
I instantly noticed the grin that had crept onto his solemn face. I had been right.
He was proud of the winged redhead.
"You know, she might want to talk to you. I mean, you were pretty close. Right?"
He shook his head. "We never got that serious."
"Oh." Suddenly, my phone rang. I had received a text message from "Feathers." Apparently I had forgotten my change of clothes at her house, and she wanted them out. I'd never remember to pick them up.
"If you need anything, GL..."
"I know." Still without looking at me, he shook his head and sighed. "Feel better. See you on Monday."
And so I left after I slipped on my shoes. We had a major obstacle in our way now. Not only was Shy feeling sorry for herself, but John was too.
Somehow, I knew that Barbara had been right. I needed time to do its magic on them.
I'm sure they'd be all right in the end.
At least, I hope they will.
(End of Part II)
Thanks for all the feedback, and I hope this installment was as good as the first. Wally's a hard character to work with, but I think I did okay. (R & R's anyone?)
Sorry it took so long to update, but I was SO busy. I just wanted this part up before the Starcrossed premier Saturday night.
Coming soon: Shayera visits her evil twin and learns something about herself. John ends up in Midway City, not exactly looking for Hawkgirl. Do they even care anymore?
Stay tuned...
By: Jade O'Neal
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. They are property of DC Comics, Warner Bros. and others.
Spoilers: STARCROSSED. (Take note: I haven't seen the episode myself and have only drawn conclusions from bits and pieces of spoilers and pictures that I've seen on the web. This could very well be classified as an alternate universe fiction.)
Note: This story isn't told from Barb's POV, so it won't be as serious as the last. (Not a mistake. I promise.)
Rating: PG-13 for language
Now, on with the trilogy...
V
"So what do you think of her?" I asked Batman as we watched Supergirl and Superman practice in the training room. I wasn't really interested in the fight.
I was paying more attention to the red skirt that continued to ride up...
He grunted and interrupted my train of thought.
Although still an amateur, she was quick on her feet, smart, and intuitive.
Plus, she was a hottie... A blonde hottie.
"She's young and inexperienced, but perhaps with a little training, she'll –"
"Become the replacement?" I finished dryly. When he didn't respond, I slightly rolled my eyes and focused my attention on the Kryptonians.
Superman was winning, but Supergirl and gotten a few clean shots at her "cousin." She was pretty good, but she was no Hawkgirl.
That was for sure.
As much as I enjoyed watching a babe battle, I would have appreciated a session between the newbie and Wonder Woman even more. So I left.
Take a guess where I headed when I was bored.
The kitchen.
Duh.
J'onn and Diana were sitting at the table, in silence. She held an iced mocha in her hands, taking slow sips through the straw, and he was eating his valuable Oreos. If someone didn't know them like I did, that person would have thought everything was normal.
They'd be very wrong.
Things weren't normal. They hadn't been for three months.
I still couldn't find my way around the new kitchen, let alone the new Watchtower; I was used to the old design. Unfortunately, we had destroyed that one. Supes and Bats had somehow designed and built this new model for The Justice League.
When you really think about it, it probably wasn't too hard for a billionaire and a reporter to accomplish such a task. They were smart, secretive men who wouldn't have a hard time pulling it all off without the world knowing.
I snagged a sub from the fridge and gave a slight nod to the duo as I left the kitchen. Honestly, even though a lot of time had passed since Hawkgirl's resignation, I couldn't get myself to really socialize with any one of my five co-workers.
As far as I was concerned, she had left because of them.
Now there was such and emptiness in the satellite. It was too quiet and uncomfortable, like a cloud of unhappiness had fallen on top of us. We weren't talking like we all did before. We weren't joking around, and there was no sense of unity anymore.
Conversations were limited and brief. None of us saw one another outside our base, except when we were on a mission. Honestly, it was ridiculous. Instead of severing all ties with Hawkgirl, we had cut all ties within the League.
That's probably what the Thanagarians had wanted.
Every single one of us was on edge, waiting for the next betrayal to happen, even though we knew it wouldn't come.
I trusted the team with my life, and I wished they felt the same about me.
The most unrealistic part of the new atmosphere was that there was no bickering. Usually, I'd be messing with Hawkgirl, and she'd be threatening me with her mace. Other times, she and John would be at each other's throats, criticizing and correcting each other.
But their loud mouths weren't heard anymore.
Well, maybe she wasn't the reason for all of the strangeness. Maybe the mood came with damned satellite.
Things were good for Shayera Hol, or should I say "Sara Hall," lately. She had moved on with life by getting a new place and a brand new job. I was proud of her, and I bet GL would have been too, if he knew.
There he was, sitting on that solitary chair in the monitor womb and watching over the world we had sworn to protect. He looked so...
Depressed.
And lonesome.
We all were pretending to have moved on since Hawkgirl's departure, but he was the least convincing. He looked like a child whose lollipop had been taken from him.
I hated the fact that he was hurting. I wanted to help him, but he wouldn't let me close. He didn't want anything to remind him of the gorgeous Thanagarian that he believed he had lost. Somehow, Lantern knew that I was keeping in touch with her; he probably could smell her on me.
He hated me for it.
I could tell.
"Hey, Flash," Supergirl greeted when she stopped beside me, wiping her pretty face with a towel. "What's going on?"
Trying hard not to let her notice that I was checking her out, I gave her a weak smile. "Nothing. How'd practice go? Did 'Big Blue' teach you something new?"
"Clark told me I did well, but Batman scorned the heck out of me." She offered a small laugh and her brilliant smile. "So, are we still on for tonight?"
Confused, my forehead wrinkled, and I raised an eyebrow at her. I didn't exactly remember asking the cutie out. Maybe she was asking me out? What a lucky day.
"Where we goin', Babe?"
She playfully rolled her bright blue eyes. "Nice try, Wally. Don't you remember Babs inviting us to go clubbing in Gotham with her and Dick?"
The light bulb in my head turned on. "Oh yeah. Sure." I then found myself glancing at The Green Lantern. "Do you think she'd care if I brought a friend?"
"No. Who've you got in mind?" 'Mini'-Supes asked, but I didn't answer her. I walked in GL's direction instead, but he didn't even detect me; the "world" had his undivided attention.
That or he was ignoring me.
"Hey Greens," I said and snatched a bite from my sub-sandwich. "How's it hanging?"
The Lantern sent a glare from the corner of his radiant eye. He wasn't about to act like my best friend; he couldn't.
"So, ah, you're off tonight. Right? Wonder Woman takes monitor duty next."
"What do you want?" he questioned in his frightening drill-sergeant way.
"Just curious. I was wondering if you'd like to get some drinks after work. You know, we haven't gone out in a while."
"I'm busy."
"Doing what?" I snapped. "Wallowing in self-pity? Exercising to the point that you can't move anymore? Watching the tube and eating ice cream straight from the carton? Come on, GL. You know that's no way to live."
"Go away, Flash."
I shook my head. "No. You need to get out and have some fun. You need to dance, get drunk, talk to women, and get laid." When he sent me a disgusted glare, I shrugged. "All right. Scratch the dancing bit; it was just a suggestion."
He had to choke back a chuckle, and I gave a satisfied smirk.
"Oh. The Lantern can smile. I guess he's not made of stone." Carefully, I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Seriously dude, come out with us tonight."
An eyebrow rose. "Us? Am I supposed to believe you have friends?"
I rolled my eyes in return. "Ha. Ha. The straight man has become the comic."
V
I knocked on the door to Barbara's apartment, the place where we had first met. John stood behind me with his strong hands stuffed into his jean pockets, attempting to act casual.
He was failing miserably.
The ex-Marine wore a pair of jeans and a simple dark blue, dress shirt. I, on the other hand, wore kakis and a red polo.
Why go against what naturally looked amazing on me?
To my surprise, Dick Grayson answered the door wearing his usual black slacks and shirt. Ever since I we had been introduced, we gotten along beautifully. He and I were both handsomely young but immature at times; I guess that's what attracted lovely ladies to us...or him, really.
He and Barbara, from what they and Kara had told me, had been an unofficial item for a long time. They had only started "dating" about six or seven months ago.
Lucky bastard.
If I could have a girl who could arrest a bad guy and disarm a bomb in a single bound... Wow.
That would be so hot.
"Who's this?" Nightwing – err – Dick asked when he caught sight of the lug beside me.
"This happens to be one of my best friends, John Stewart." Something flashed in Dickie's dark eyes, and I knew he recognized the name. "John, this is Dick Grayson. He's a cop from Bludhaven." They shook hands and exchanged greetings. Dick then led us inside.
I liked Barbara's apartment. It was so homey and cheerful. The refreshing thing was that she and Dick were a whole lot different when compared to their boss. They were so lighthearted.
"Wally!" Babs called and walked into her living room to hug me. She looked fabulous in her off-gold dress, and I almost didn't want to let go.
"You look awesome, Babsy."
"Thanks. Hey, who's your friend?"
After I introduced John to the redheaded vixen, her eyes immediately began to dazzle.
"It's very nice to meet you, John. I hope you don't mind loud music and women rubbing up against you because that's what we're probably going to experience."
"Oh please," I said and gave my partner a friendly smack on the back. "After a few drinks, Johnny won't mind a bit." When I glanced over the room, I noted that we were missing our fifth party. "Where's Kara?"
"Right here," she answered and joined us. I wasn't used to her wearing thick-rimmed glasses and a brown wig, but she had to use the disguise to keep her identity a secret. Clark's cousin didn't want the world to know she was Supergirl.
Although I'd love to tear those camouflages right off of her fine-looking face, I resisted and just studied her outfit. She wore a black tank, black boots, and a sequined, bright pink miniskirt. She was adorable.
"John, this is Kara Kent."
"Kent?" he repeated. "You related to Clark Kent?" When she nodded, he easily put two and two together, but said nothing.
V
"I like the way you move," I sang from my seat at the bar beside John and Dick. Barbara and Kara were dancing by themselves, and we were watching, trying to act "cool." I didn't need much help in that department, and neither did Dick. John on the other hand...
He was still brooding, totally dragging on our style. Just by looking at him, you could tell he was uncomfortable.
Good.
Honestly, I wanted the marine to sulk all night; he had to realize how sorry he really was. John had to see and really feel the giant void Shayera had left in his life.
They were both extremely stubborn, and I knew neither of them would agree to meeting with the other.
In other words, I'd have to force them on each other. If that meant ripping John Stewart apart before he learned the truth about his feelings, so be it. They were going to make up within the year, or my name wasn't Wally West.
"Having a good time, Johnny?" I asked the heap of misery beside me with a devilish grin on my strikingly good-looking face.
John's answer was swallowing another shot of Jack Daniels' whiskey. I couldn't help but smile at myself.
"Well, I don't know about you two, but I'm going to get my groove on," I announced and finished my beer. After making my way to Kara and Babs, I slipped between them and began to dance to the Outkast remix. Those two gals were crazy on the dance floor, and I didn't mind one bit.
Who in his right mind would?
Soon enough, Dick stole Barb and left Kara with me. The two of us continued with our grinding, enjoying the feel of the other's body against our own. Well, at least I was.
Kara looked up at me with her baby-blue eyes and smiled. She ran a hand through my red hair and pulled me closer with the other. My hands found their way to the swell of her hips, and her smile grew.
Then Dick ruined the moment by tapping me on the shoulder.
Jerk.
"What?" I yelled over the music and whirled around to face him.
"Looks like your friend is doing a whole lot better," he smartly stated and motioned toward John. The supposedly grief-stricken superhero was talking to an attractive, dark-skinned female and actually wore a smile on his face.
Damn it.
"Excuse me kids. Wally needs to save the day." I left them on the floor and raced to his side, without the use of my super-speed, and put an arm around him. "Hey. What's wrong? Why are you leaving me on the floor to fend for myself? You know how I am when you're not around: insecure."
Before John could even retaliate, the girl walked away.
Mission accomplished.
"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded and threw my arm off of him. "I was trying to talk to her. Isn't that what you said I should do?"
"Well ..."
"Don't. Let's not discuss this. I'm going to try and explain to her. Don't follow me." He aggressively stood from his stool and stomped off in the opposite direction.
I had screwed up big time. He wasn't supposed to hook up with just any chick.
That chick was supposed to be Shayera.
Damn it all to Hell.
Damn him.
Oh, Shy. Please forgive him... and me.
V
"Wally, you can't be tearing yourself up over this. He's moving on," Kara kindly whispered into my ear, although her whispers were forced because of the music she had to fight.
I ignored the suggestion and swallowed another shot of scotch.
"Jesus, Walls. You know they have to figure it all out for themselves. They can't just roll over and make up without talking to each other first." Dick lightly padded me on the back, like I was a kid throwing a tempter tantrum. "Face it. They aren't ready to see each other, let alone discuss anything."
Barbara nodded. "Dick's right. John needs to deal with how he feels before anything can be done. Let it be. Let time mend their wounds."
The room was starting to spin. "Stop talking so phili – philiso – philidel – no... Wait. Phil –'"
"Philosophical?" Kara finished for me.
"That's the word."
Okay. So I had a few too many drinks. It's not like I didn't have a good reason for them. Shy's life was ruined because I thought it would be neat to take John clubbing.
God, I am so stupid.
Dick shook his head. "Maybe I should take you home, Walls. I mean, you look like you've swallowed a dead fish... a ton of dead fish."
I threw him a glare but didn't know if it actually hit him. I blacked out and fell over.
My night was going real well.
V
I felt warmth upon my face and slowly began to open my heavy eyes. Hoping to find a half-dressed Kara beside me, I rolled over but found nothing but an empty bed.
A bed that didn't belong to me.
A bed that sat in a bedroom, which had a U.S. Marine Corps poster by the window.
Two guesses to who took me to his Detroit home last night.
The only good thing was that John couldn't have brought a girl home too. Barbara probably had stuck him with me to avoid that kind of situation.
Ha.
Mission completed.
With an aching head and a weak body, I carefully swung my legs over the side of the bed and got up. The apartment smelled like eggs, and I grinned with excitement. John was cooking, and I was so hungry.
I wanted food, even though I wanted to barf my lungs up.
"Morning, Hotshot. Feeling better?" John greeted with an unusually chipper tone. He had just flipped an omelet onto a plate and set it onto his kitchen table. "Want some coffee?"
"Sure." I plopped into a seat and waited for him to hand me a mug. When he did, I quickly gulped down the hot liquid, knowing that it should sober me up a little.
"Have fun with Jack?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Jack...?"
"Daniels."
I rolled my bloodshot eyes in annoyance. "Shut up, Mr. Green Lantern of Sector 2814, or you'll get an ass beating from Mr. Flash of Central City."
"I'd like to see you try."
"Don't tempt me." I began to massage my temples and yawned. "So, did everyone else just go home?"
"Pretty much."
"Good."
"That Kara looked kind of disappointed."
Surprised much? Hell yeah. "Really?"
He nodded. "Something going on between the two of you?"
I shrugged. "Hell if I know, but who wouldn't fall in love with this face?"
He chuckled. "The one that looks like he hadn't slept in a month?" When I stuck my tongue out at him, he sat down across from me, his expression taking a turn toward seriousness. "What was with that stunt you pulled at the bar table?"
I gave my best innocent face. "Stunt? What stunt?"
"Give it up, Wally. You didn't want me to talk to that girl and ruined any chance of me getting to know her by acting like my..."
"Boyfriend?" I completed with a smirk. "You know you liked it."
"Shut up, Wally. For once act like an adult."
"Jeez. Simmer down, Greens. I was just trying to help."
His face had reddened, indicating that he was legitimately pissed. "Helping who?"
"Obviously not you anymore. I thought you cared about Shaye –"
"Don't!" he ordered and put a hand up to hush me. "Just don't talk about her."
"She has a name, you know."
"Leave her out of this. She's not my girlfriend. She never was to begin with."
Now I was getting irritated. "That's right. She threw her life away for a nobody, six nobodies to be exact. Sure, she gave it up for people she didn't care about. Makes perfect sense."
His radiant eyes had narrowed dangerously. "She lied to me."
"She lied to all of us because she thought she was doing the right thing. She thought that she would be saving her world, not destroying ours." I huffed loudly and crossed my arms over my chest. "John, you are a stubborn bastard sometimes."
"And you're a fool. Stop acting like an adolescent, Wally. Stop protecting her for no good reason. She betrayed us! What more do you need? A signed letter saying that she cheated us and almost got us all killed?"
"No! I can't believe you. You're such an asshole. Shayera saved your life, and she didn't have to. Shy didn't have to face off with that Hro Talak son of a bitch, but she did anyway."
John stood from his chair and slammed it into the table. "For what? Because she cared? Bull shit. She never gave a damn about anyone of us. If she had wanted to be part of the League, she would have stayed. Wally, she left me, for Christ's sake!"
My jaw dropped as comprehension flowed into my simple mind. "I get it now. This isn't about the team. It's about you. She left you without so much as a goodbye kiss, and you hate her for it."
He looked at me as if I had stolen a part of his heart. John was little boy again, scared of the world around him, afraid of never holding his true love again.
And I had an idea.
A very evil idea.
"You have every right to be furious. That stupid bitch used you and then threw you away like yesterday's trash." When his eyes grew wide in horror, I inched closer to him. "What a dirty, good-for-nothing whore."
"Watch your mouth," he warned in a low tone.
"She just wanted you to satisfy her 'after-hour' needs. Thanagarians probably can't go long without getting any, and the idea of screwing a human must have triggered a love-making sense in the back of her double- crossing brain."
"Wally..."
"You don't have to explain. I bet she couldn't wait to compare you to all the other guys back home. Let's face it; Shy's no Diana. She'd been around the block a few –"
I was cut off by a punch to the jaw, something I would have been too fast for if I hadn't been experiencing a hangover. My back hit the kitchen table hard, but I only sent John a smile. His look of confusion was priceless.
"That proves it. You are in love with her." I steadied myself and wiped the blood from my lip with the back of my sleeve. "Now you just have to tell her."
John turned away from me to face one of his windows. It had begun to rain outside.
"Listen. I had to know, John. She deserves someone who –"
He interrupted me. "I do love her, Wally. She even admitted to me that she loved me too, but it wasn't enough to keep her around... I wasn't enough to keep her around.
"Shayera was lost, and I couldn't bring her back, no matter how much I loved her or how much she loved me. It wasn't enough for us."
"Johnny, I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"I know."
I felt terrible. He wasn't angry with Shayera. He was angry with himself.
Why hadn't I seen it earlier?
"Go to her. She lives in an apartment in Midway. I'll give you the address. It's –"
"Stop it. Don't you see that it's over? We're done, Wally. That's it. No happy ending. No kiss goodnight. Just tears, and a whole lot of rain." The broken Green Lantern walked up to the window and placed his hands on its frame. "After you finish your breakfast, go home."
"What?"
"You heard me. Go home."
"She misses you," I blurted and immediately bit my tongue in reaction.
After a short pause, he asked, "How's she doing?"
The smile I had worn returned. "Pretty good. She's working, you know, at a museum where she can talk about weapons and stuff. Other than losing a few pounds, she's the same old, powerful, stubborn, independent Shayera Hol."
I instantly noticed the grin that had crept onto his solemn face. I had been right.
He was proud of the winged redhead.
"You know, she might want to talk to you. I mean, you were pretty close. Right?"
He shook his head. "We never got that serious."
"Oh." Suddenly, my phone rang. I had received a text message from "Feathers." Apparently I had forgotten my change of clothes at her house, and she wanted them out. I'd never remember to pick them up.
"If you need anything, GL..."
"I know." Still without looking at me, he shook his head and sighed. "Feel better. See you on Monday."
And so I left after I slipped on my shoes. We had a major obstacle in our way now. Not only was Shy feeling sorry for herself, but John was too.
Somehow, I knew that Barbara had been right. I needed time to do its magic on them.
I'm sure they'd be all right in the end.
At least, I hope they will.
(End of Part II)
Thanks for all the feedback, and I hope this installment was as good as the first. Wally's a hard character to work with, but I think I did okay. (R & R's anyone?)
Sorry it took so long to update, but I was SO busy. I just wanted this part up before the Starcrossed premier Saturday night.
Coming soon: Shayera visits her evil twin and learns something about herself. John ends up in Midway City, not exactly looking for Hawkgirl. Do they even care anymore?
Stay tuned...