Disclaimer: I still own nada.
Rating: PG-13
When Hippolyta and Shayera arrived at the tower early the next morning, they found it very quiet- almost as if its inhabitants were asleep, or away. The interior was cool, and airy- the air ducts were on, apparently. Hawkgirl led the Queen into the den, indicating that she should sit, snapping on the overhead light.
"Where is my daughter?" Hippolyta stood, imperiously. Her voice was soft and cultured, as usual, but the urgency in her eyes was unmistakable.
Shayera shrugged. "They probably didn't expect us back so soon…I'll look for her." Where's Batman? She thought.
She left Hippolyta's presence, suddenly grateful for an escape. Despite her previously cool composure, all the emotions she'd had the day before came back with a rush. Coupled with the exhaustion following her recent journey, she felt incredibly…weak….she rubbed her eyes with her palms.
Suddenly, she walked directly into what first appeared to be a large green wall- J'onn's chest. He took her by the shoulders and steadied her before she knocked both of them to the ground. "You have returned."
Shayera nodded. "Hello, J'onn."
"Were you successful in speaking to the Queen?"
She nodded and rubbed her eyes again, tiredly. "Yes," she said dully. "She's in the den. You might as well go in and play host."
J'onn nodded and moved forward in his usually stoic manner, but then paused, turned and looked Shayera in the eye. "Have you talked to the Green Lantern yet?"
"No," she confessed, eyes on the floor. "I will. Everything is just so-"
"Strange. Yes, I know." He nodded. "We all need to adjust. It's harder, now that there's a child involved, and-"
Shayera looked up at him, her eyes flashing. "I know the whole story," she said. "Batman told me that they were forced to-"
"They were," J'onn interrupted. "But they do have their son to think of, and they must have been very…close in their captivity, regardless. You must…prepare yourself for anything."
Shayera's eyes narrowed. "Did they…did they tell you anything?"
J'onn shook his head. "No. But-"
"But you still want me to tread carefully." Shayera finished for him. "Great Thangar, J'onn, why do you have to make so much sense?"
"It will be hard," her teammate admitted gravely. "Just…expect anything."
"Way to be the optimist, J'onn." Shayera shoved by him, heading for Diana's room. She paused in front of the door, about to knock, but noticed that the door was ajar. She pushed it open, silently.
The scene that lay before her made her pause.
Diana and the Green Lantern were seated together in the Persian-style rag rug that carpeted the floor at the foot of her bed, cross-legged, knees touching. Timeus was propped up between them rather precariously on his feet, dressed in an oversized t-shirt that bunched on the ground around his feet. He was babbling incoherently, as babies do, nearly falling over in an attempt to grab his mother's tiara.
His efforts yielded nothing except tangling up her hair. She laughed, attempting to free herself. John chuckled and leaned forward, carefully unwinding the long, dark strands from around the boy's fingers. He whined, then stuck the fingers into his mouth, gumming on them. Drool ran down his chin. Diana laughed and said something to the GL, who wiped the drool from Timeus' chin and answered, his low voice rumbling in the small space of Diana's room….
In Greek.
Greek?
As the door creaked open, the couple looked up, startled at the intrusion. Diana managed to catch Timeus before he fell over, and he protested loudly at the loss of his parents' attention. She handed him to the Green Lantern and stood in a single graceful movement. "My…Hawkgirl…is my mother here?"
Shayera nodded, then willed her lips to work, licking them before she spoke. "She's in the den."
Diana reached for her son, taking him from his father and balancing him on her hip. "I'd better get to her."
"Should I…." the GL paused.
"I…John," Diana didn't quite know what to say, it seemed. "This is the first time I've seen her since…I mean, it might be strange, and…"
"Go," he said. "I'll join you in a few minutes."
She smiled at him, then turned and left the room.
Shayera tried to follow as quickly as possible, embarrassed about intruding on so private a moment, all thoughts of talking to the Green Lantern forgotten…
"Shayera."
At the sound of his voice, she turned around and faced him, meeting his eyes unwillingly. His face, so animated a moment ago when he was playing with his son, suddenly looked tired and drawn. "We need to talk. Soon."
Shayera just stared at him. "You speak Greek?"
John looked confused; then his face cleared. "Diana taught me some during…our captivity and our journey home." He sat on the bed and motioned for her to sit. "It's important for her to expose her son to her language, and…well, there wasn't exactly much to do."
Shayera remained standing, and John looked at her. "Hawkgirl…Shayera…God. I've been imagining this moment for…months…when I'd be able to talk to you again, to tell you everything that's happened, and now that it's here, I-"
"It's strange. I understand." Shayera spoke in clipped, guarded tones. "I…I was surprised, to say in the least." She walked over to the bed and took a tentative seat on the edge, beside him.
"I'm sorry," he said, low.
"For what? It wasn't your fault." Shayera picked at a ball of lint that was clinging to Diana's quilt.
"You've been through a lot. I wish-"
"You've been through more." Hawkgirl met his eyes with sincerity.
John sighed heavily. "Shay…I've played this moment over and over again in my head since…since we got away, but now that it's here…" he paused again. "So much has happened."
What was the reason for the tired, almost vacant look in his eyes? Was he so altered, that he couldn't even talk to her?
Hawkgirl reached out and touched his cheek. "I love you, John." There. She'd said it, however hard or inappropriate it might be at the time…. The skin on his face was taut and warm, skin that clung to cheekbones that had become even more pronounced during his months of captivity.
She glanced down at the bed that they were now sitting on. It was rumpled, and the pillows were askew- had the Green Lantern spent the night here? It was only seven in the morning, after all…And why didn't he say anything back when I said that I lo-
"Shay, I've got to tell you something…"
He was interrupted when Diana stuck her head into the room. "John," she said, obviously unaware that she had interrupted anything, "can you come? My mother…"
"Oh. Right." John stood up, then glanced at Shayera. "I'll talk to you later," he whispered, then headed out after Diana.
Shayera sat there for a full minute, before folding her wings close to her side, and walking out, slowly.
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The Green Lantern hurried after Diana, keeping up with her long-legged strides as she covered the hall in a matter of seconds. "What did your mother say?" he asked.
"Not much." Diana looked grim. "It was as if she was looking at a stranger, John."
"You have changed a lot." John took a sideways look at her. "Well, did she make any comments about the father of her first grandchild? Other than saying 'I told you so' for coming to man's world in the first place and getting yourself into this mess?"
Diana gave a wan smile at his dark humor. "I think she's still in shock."
They paused before the door of the den, and the GL suddenly reached out and took Diana's arm. "It's going to be okay. Okay?"
She smiled over her shoulder at him, and the two entered the room.
To tell the truth., the Green Lantern's first impulse was to laugh when he entered the room. Hippolyta was standing in the center of the floor, holding Timeus at arms length, studying him curiously, a bemused frown on her face. He gurgled and smiled politely at her, but when there was no response, he turned his attention to the medallion hanging round her neck from a thin, white-gold chain. You'd think she's never seen a six-month old boy before, he thought.
Wait. She probably hasn't.
John hid his smirk by stepping forward and gravely inclining his head in respect. "Your highness."
Startled by the intrusion, Hippolyta immeadiately drew Timeus close to her, and her pale blue eyes narrowed. "You are the Green Lantern."
"Yes."
"You were not with the others when my daughter brought teammates with her in the aid of Themiscyra."
Yeah, when you kicked her out."I was not fortunate enough to be part of that mission." John replied. "I had other duties."
Hippolyta gestured for Diana to take her son, which she quickly did. "My daughter informs me that you are the father of her son."
"Diana," John said carefully, "is correct."
"It was-"
"A forced conception, yes." John was getting impatient. "I'm sure you've heard this story before, Queen Hippolyta."
Something very much like a smile flickered over the older woman's face. "So you never bedded my daughter afterwards, in an attempt to-"
"Mother!" Diana's voice cut through the air like a knife. "I don't see the point of these questions, and I-"
"Please, Diana," the Queen said, still staring at the Green Lantern. Obviously she was the only person living that had the audacity- and the authority- to ever silence Diana. "I am speaking to the Green Lantern now…John Stewart, is it?"
"Yes," he said through gritted teeth.
"So?"
John felt the heat rise on his neck, rushing up to his face. "Mine and Diana's personal relationship has nothing to do with your being here," he said, coolly. "We need to know if you'll be able to give us any clues-"
"As to what happened." Hippolyta sighed and sat down, suddenly all business. "Have no fear, Mr. Stewart- I only wanted to test you. I honestly don't know what clues I can give you, but if I can help, I will."
"You were instrumental in helping us get out of the alternate universe Savage had us in." John rubbed his eyes. "The alternate you is really the reason we're standing here right now."
Hippolyta leaned forward. "I see…but, Mr. Stewart, may I have a few moments to speak to my daughter…alone?"
John's brows knitted together, but he nodded and left the room, shutting the door behind him.
As soon as he was gone, Hippolyta's face softened; she turned to Diana, and smiled. "I like him, considering," she said. "And my grandson…" she reached for Timeus, taking him from her arms. She lay him on her lap, tickling his stomach, watching him laugh. "It's too bad he's a boy," she said, ruefully. "You named him well, Diana. A good Greek name, although I would never say that in front of that man, and-"
Diana's face had grown tighter and tighter with every word her mother spoke. "Don't speak about him like that," she said, coolly.
Hippolyta gave her daughter a sideways look. "He is a man, Diana. If you hadn't entered the world of men in the first place, this never would have happened, and-"
"John is the only man I trust," Diana said, tightly. "If it wasn't for him, I would be dead, now."
"If you had listened to me in the first place and stayed where you belong, this never would have happened!" Hippolyta stood to her feet, handing the child back to Diana, glaring down at her daughter form her full height of nearly seven feet. "Do you believe me now?"
But she stopped her, shocked.
Diana had began to cry.
Soundlessly, of course- she was an Amazon, after all- but she was crying, nevertheless. Crying for only the second time that Hippolyta had ever seen her shed a tear- the first time, when she left her presence, after being banned forever from her island home. Diana had tried to hide it from her, but she knew her too well, and it had broken her heart as well to see her daughter was so sad….
The world of men had done this to her, but she still thought it worth so much, enough to sacrifice her very livelihood to be a superhero…why?
She turned, looking at her silent daughter, narrowing her eyes. When she spoke, she somehow managed to inflict steel into her tone. "Look at you," she hissed. "Are you a warrior, or a child?"
"You don't know half of what I've been through, mother," Diana said, hoarsely. Her tears had began to abate, and Timeus was patting away at her wet face with his chubby hands, but her eyes were still flashing. "And the Green Lantern and I went through it, together. If you knew, you'd-"
"Great Zeus!" her mother actually uttered an oath, out of prayer, searching Diana's expression. "Do you love the man, child?"
Diana stiffened at her mother's direct question. "I don't owe you an explanation for anything I do. But…." she turned towards the door. "I'm going to call John in now."
Hippolyta sank down into her chair. "Please do," she said.
She was looking forward to hearing this story.
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Outside, on the other side of the Watchtower, Shayera was wandering the halls.
Batman, of course, was on monitor duty, and thank God- Flash and Superman were gone, investigating some shady business dealings surrounding a Keystone City oil spill. She didn't think that she could deal with their good-natured banter- not while she was still so…so…
She didn't know how she felt. Not really. But all she remembered was- when she'd said she loved the GL, he'd said- not much at all.
And she'd seen the spark that entered his eyes when Diana entered the room…she hadn't wanted to admit she saw it, but she had. It was there.
Choking back a sob, Hawkgirl sunk to the floor in the hallway, grateful for the privacy, grateful to have just a few moments to herself, just to cry…I shouldn't be so selfish, she berated herself. Diana and John have been through far much than you've been through, even now.
That's when she realized that she'd never felt so alone in her entire life. She wanted to be strong, wanted to believe that everything was going to be all right…
But why, when something so wonderful had happened to her, did it have to be taken away so abruptly? First Katar, and now John….
Just as Shayera was about to cave, to give in to her grief, she saw a shadow fall across the hall, across her wings, which were wrapped around her. She unfolded them slowly and peered out through the feathers.
"Batman?" she croaked.
Sure enough, the Dark Knight was standing over her, staring down at her with a distinct lack of expression in his gaze, as usual. "Hawkgirl. Are you…all right?"
"I…" Hawkgirl wiped her cheeks with shaky hands, willing herself to tell the lie. "Yes."
Batman's mouth curved, ever so slightly. "Then what are you doing sitting on the floor? Are you sick?"
Defeated, Hawkgirl could do little more than stare down at her hands.
Then, to her surprise, Batman looked down as if considering something, then lifted his cape and sat down on the floor, next to her. She was so shocked that she couldn't speak, at first. "What are you doing?"
Batman looked into her eyes, calmly. "You are one of the strongest additions to this team," he said. "I'm sorry for what happened to you. You can't let it get to you."
To me?Hawkgirl looked him in the eye. How could he have guessed her innermost thoughts…considering she'd been around the least amount time since the return of Diana and the Green Lantern?
Could he read her that well?
Batman unwittingly answered her question. "I observed you as you looked unfailingly for the Green Lantern and Diana, all last week. You're a valuable teammate and friend." The words hung in the air for a moment. "I just wanted you to know that."
Shayera tried to smile. "You were right there with me, Batman."
Batman looked trapped for a second; then he shrugged and spoke. "Diana and I had…something, I'll admit. But your case was different...it was real."
Hawkgirl stared deeply into the depths of his dark, unreadable eyes. His carefully controlled expression gave away nothing. Could he be possibly know what she was suffering…because he was going through the same thing?
Impossible.He was Batman, the unreadable, unbreakable one, the Dark Knight. He couldn't feel that way about anyone…she bent her head, not wanting to meet his gaze any longer, feeling hot tears slide down her cheeks once more.
That's when she felt a large, muscular arm, creeping its way around her shoulder. What?
She turned and looked at Batman. He had an expression on his face that she'd never seen before…complete and total sympathy. And empathy.
An expression that totally broke down her defenses.
She didn't speak. She didn't even cry. She merely leaned into him, pressing her cheek against his chest, nestling into his warmth, accepting the comfort that he was offering her.
His arms dropped around her waist, and he pulled her closer, burrowing his chin in her hair, eyes closed, not moving, not speaking.
Maybe the embrace was to comfort him just as much as it was her…
Or maybe not.
I think that a lot of you will be confused by the sudden bond that the GL and Di seem to have, but you'll see why in the next chapter, when the entire story of their escape is relayed to Hippolyta…. Please review!
