DON'T OWN JL

Darksied smiled at Superman, and then gazed down at Flash. Firing Omega beams at the unconscious hero, he fumbled with something behind his back. Superman flew down and scooped Flash up and away before the beams hit him, losing several inches of cape in the process. He moved Flash to a group of trees and flew back to face Darksied, who was clutching something behind his back.

" I have a gift for you, Kal-El." He tossed the object in the air, where it exploded, unleashing green shards and powder.

Superman began coughing as the kryptonite hit him. Instinctively he held his breath and landed on the ground,

" You're going to have to breathe sometime." Darksied laughed and began attacking the weakening Superman. Each blow became more painful as the shards fell around him. The maniac continued to beat the Man of Steel into the ground, laughing at Superman and kicking the green dust over him. Darksied moved back and watched Superman for a moment before warming up his eyes,

" This ends today, Kal-El." He fired his beams. It took him six seconds to realize that he had missed, well not missed, his target had moved. He screamed in anger when he saw that Flash was also gone.

" This is far from over."

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Flash ran until his legs gave out. He fell forward, letting go of Superman and rising to his feet to check on him,

" Supes?" He whispered, shaking him on the shoulder. Superman opened one eye and snarled, causing Flash to step away from him,

" What the hell did you think you were doing?" Superman forced himself up and gave Flash a hard shove. Wally winced but didn't say anything.

" You shouldn't have interfered! Damn it, Wally!" Flash staggered back, his breathing quickening,

" M'sorry, Clark." He fell forward and passed out. The anger Superman had been feeling vanished and it was replaced by worry. Clark turned Wally onto his back,

" Flash, wake up! Wally! C'mon…Damn it…" He clicked on his commlink,

" J'onn? Somebody answer!"

" Superman? What's the matter?" It was Diana.

" I need help with Flash." He listened to the gasp and muttering before continuing, " Yes, he's alive. I'm taking him to the castle, meet us outside." He clicked the device off before Diana could start asking more questions.

" God…I'm so sorry, Wally." J'onn was right; his hatred towards Darksied could destroy more then him. It could destroy his friends. He had been so angry with Bruce for pulling him away that he never realized that he had saved not only his life but also his code of honor. Now it was Flash who was pulling him back, back to reality, back to everything he believed in.

Clark landed outside of the castle, mentally cursing the rain and Darksied.

" Superman!" John came running up,

' Great. Now John's going to give me the third degree.' Relief was evident in John Stewart's eyes; although he looked stressed, it was obvious that he was completely and utterly relieved.

" Get him inside. Send Hawkgirl and Diana out, I'm going to need their help."

" You are not going back to face Darksied. J'onn needs to look you over." Superman deposited Flash into John's arms and shook his head,

" I know. But we have to have someone stand guard. Darksied won't stay in the forest forever."

" What about this?" He pointed to the collar and Superman pulled it off. John nodded and walked back into the castle.

" Diana! Shay! Superman needs your help." The two warriors opened their mouths to speak, but closed them with one glare from John.

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Batman was wrapping up some of his cuts when John entered the room,

" You got any more of those?" Batman nodded and got up to help Lantern with Flash. J'onn came in with a large box and a worried look,

" Clerig's forces are being decimated, he can't spare any more medical equipment." Batman began pouring liquid into a needle,

" This should help with whatever's making him sick."

" So you have an idea of what might be effecting him?"

" At first I thought it was the planet itself but now I think that he may have had a cold before and something on this planet might've pushed it to a higher degree." John crossed his arms,

" He should've said something before we left."

" You know how fast he recovers from colds. He probably thought he would be fine by the time he got here."

" Still…"

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" I'm fine, Diana. Please just listen, I need you to keep watch over the castle until we can get moving again." Only with his super-hearing could he hear Diana's suppressed growl,

" Once we know Flash is ok, I'm sure John will come out and relieve one of you." Shayera nodded and flew off to the south end,

" Look, Diana, I know you're mad at her but for now, just deal okay?" Superman limped into the castle.

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Hawkgirl stood up on the highest tower of the castle and gazed into the distance,

" Shayera?" She turned to face the voice and found a hovering Wonder Woman in front of her,

" Diana." She replied stiffly. The events of last night were still fresh in her mind,

" I just wanted…to say…sorry."

" Sorry?"

" For everything I said last night. I was wrong and you didn't deserve it."

" Thank you." She moved over on the roof to allow Diana to stand next to her,

" Are you still going to leave once this is over?"

" I can't go back to Earth. I was actually thinking about leaving once I knew Flash was okay."

" Why?"

" He still doesn't know who I am, it was hard enough seeing all of you again…knowing I was going to leave after…it just been harder if Flash knew."

" I guess you heard about how he acted after you left the first time."

" Yeah, John told me. I don't want to put him through that again."

" What about John?" Shayera sat on the roof, her large wings covering her from the drizzle,

" I don't want to hurt him again, Diana, I love him. But I can't go back to Earth and he's assigned there and well…there are just so many reasons." Diana placed an arm on Shayera's shoulder, then changed the subject,

" You know if Wally finds out you were here and you didn't say high to him…he'll be mad……he is a red head after all."

Shayera laughed and flicked a strand of hair at Wonder Woman,

" Maybe I should."