Beginning Author's Note: Well I must say WOW! I really didn't think anyone would like this story… but I guess I was wrong. Thanks guys fro reviewing and liking it. : )
Thanks to:
Alhana-Antilles: Yea I felt Shayera needed some kindness. If you want more insight on Batman and Shayera there's a really good website I can give you that has some good bios and background information on them.
X Moonchik: More for you. Intriguing… that's a cool word… : )
HawkAngel XD: Thanks. I hope this chapter is something of what you pictured "good work". : )
Goddess Anjanee: Glad you're enjoying the story to. Here's more for you. XD
From-Heaven2Earth: I'm glad you're "loving it". Lol. And I'm also glad you like the interaction between Tim and Shayera. I always thought it would be something cool to try and I haven't seen anyone try it so I was like… what they hey! And… yes there's more… you my friend inspired me to try and write a HG/GL scene in this scene! Or try to… I've never really written one before so this is my first time. : ) Lol. I'm glad you think the story so far is well written. Here's more for ya.
Nubia: The update my dear. Thanks for think it's great. Hey that rhymed. . XD
JuStIcE LeAgUe RoCks: First off… I need to tell you your pen name rocks! XD Now then. I'm glad you too are also enjoying my story and thanks for reviewing my other JL and TT stories. : )
Chapter 3: Reflections and Waiting
"Wakey, wakey!" there was a loud knock coming from Shayera's door. She rolled over and pushed the pillows against her ears… she didn't know who it was… and she didn't care. She just felt so horrible.
There was silence from a few moments and Shayera rolled over feeling like dead weight. Grabbing her sheets, she wrapped herself in them. She just wanted to get away.
No more secrets… no more lies…
She just wanted to live somewhere where she didn't have the fate of the world on her hands. Somewhere where she wouldn't be torn between duties and feelings. Somewhere where she could escape from it all and trust those and herself.
She just wanted the truth.
Rolling over again, Shayera wrapped herself up in her dreams allowing herself to once more fall into her own world.
-Downstairs in the Kitchen-
"She didn't open her door," Tim said walking into the kitchen, where the Leaguers were currently enjoying breakfast.
Bruce looked up from his paper, "Perhaps she's not hungry."
Tim frowned, "Perhaps she's too scared to come down."
"She should be," snapped Wonder Woman, "After what she did, I don't even know why we're letting her stay."
"Where else would she go?" Flash questioned with a harsh tone.
Tim pulled up a stool to the breakfast bar and stared at his cereal. He didn't know why the League was acting as if they were children. Everyone makes mistakes. It was a lose-lose situation… he was sure the others, or most of the others, would have done the same.
Bruce raised an eyebrow at his young ward that was focusing awfully hard on his cereal.
"Tim," Bruce spoke up, "It's for eating not staring."
"What?" Tim said looking up, "I can stare if I want to."
Bruce rolled his eyes and went back to his paper. Clark smiled at Tim, "What? Something in it?"
Tim looked like he was considering that fact, "Yea… Bruce's—"
"Tim, not at the table," Bruce said not looking up from his paper, "Insult me when our guests leave."
Flash chuckled, "I like this kid."
"So what's on the agenda today Bruce?" Tim asked excitedly, "Gonna kick some butt?" he asked punching the air, "You know you should take me with you…"
"No, I really shouldn't…"
"Awww, come on Bruce! I can handle it."
"Start passing Algebra and I'll consider it," Bruce said sharply.
Tim had no come back, "What does Algebra have to do with crime fighting?" there was a pause the a long beeping sound from Tim, "Nothing!"
Flash laughed.
"Don't encourage him," Bruce told Flash who currently had a spoonful of oatmeal in his mouth. Flash smiled weakly at the out of costumed Dark Knight.
Tim pushed his cereal away and started moving back and fourth on his stool. He was thinking about Shayera… she was probably hungry now. It was morning and if she was awake, he knew she would not come down… the League had made her feel completely insecure about even showing her face. Some how Tim just didn't find that right.
Pushing himself off his stool Tim hoped down and grabbed a tray and plate and started loading it up with some breakfast food. He began to leave the room when Clark caught him.
"What are you doing Tim?" Clark asked.
"Nothing."
"Don't be hard headed like Bruce…" Clark joked with him, earning a low stare from Bruce, "But where are you going with all that."
"Upstairs."
"And?" Bruce said joining in.
"And ummm…" he looked at the League holding his tray. From Diana to J'onn… Clark to Bruce… and the silly grin of Wally. John was not here… he wanted to go for a walk he said. Time shuffled his feet.
"I wanted to eat upstairs…" he said innocently as best he could, "Is that a crime?"
"No but what about your cereal," Bruce questioned.
"I can't eat that…"
"Why not?"
"It's all soggy…" Tim explained.
Bruce raised an eyebrow, "You let it sit in your milk… perhaps that's why."
"I know why."
Bruce sighed. This was a loosing situation, "Bring the dishes down when you're done… I don't want another science project like last time…"
"Science project?" the Martian Man hunter questioned.
Bruce lowered his paper, "He left a cup of milk upstairs…" Bruce explained.
"Oh come on… you're not still going on about that?"
"Timothy, go eat your breakfast. Dishes need to be brought down when you're finished," Bruce told him.
Tim started walking away carrying the tray, "Yea… yea… yea… don't get your tights in a bunch…." he mumbled as he left.
He grinned and thought about what he was doing. Shayera would probably be most appreciative of her breakfast, Tim knew that, but he was also looking forward to talking to her. She was so kind to him… she didn't deserved the situation she had faced with her people and the Earth. That was too unfair to someone as kind as her.
Reaching her door he knocked on it and almost instantly to find Shayera at the door, "Morning," he said as she smiled letting him in.
"Miss. Hol ordered room service?" Tim said in a fancy butler almost voice.
Shayera laughed, "No, but thank you anyway Tim."
Tim grinned, "You're welcome, would Miss. Hol require anything else?"
Shayera gave Tim a noogie and closed her door taking her breakfast over to a table and began to eat some of it with great pleasure. Tim started talking about how they should go on a tour of the whole city when Shayera's face fell.
"What's wrong Shayera?" Tim asked, face a bit confused.
"It's… it's nothing…" Shayera told him, "It's just that… I don't think Earth would be to happy if a traitor was walking around."
"You're not a traitor," Tim said, seriousness in his face, "You did what you thought was right."
"I keep telling myself that… but unfortunately… I think we're both wrong…" she said drifting off into a mournful voice.
Tim sat focused, looking deeply at Shayera on her bed as if observing her. He traced his finger on the sheets as if he was trying to think of something to get back at her statement.
"You don't have to say something, in hopes to make me feel better Tim," Shayera said walking over and sitting next to the boy who was looking a bit glum, "You've done a wonderful job so far on making sure I was happy and content, that alone is more than anyone's ever given me since my… my mistake…"
Tim smiled a little bit then frowned, "It's not fair…" Tim said looking at the carpet.
"I suppose…" Shayera began, "That life always isn't."
"Who decides on what bad things and good things get to happen to what people?" Tim spat out angrily.
Shayera hesitated, "I'm not sure… I don't think anyone really is… it's out of our control," the winged woman told the child.
"But… but…" Tim looked up at the Thanagerian, "But you deserved better! You were only doing what you thought was right…"
Shayera let his words sink in and wanted to curl up into a ball and float away to the farthest reaches of the Galaxy and never be burdened with anything, ever... again... She let out a sigh and bit her lower lip.
"No matter if they think you're a just a traitor Shayera," Tim told her, a small smile growing on his face, "You're just a friend to me."
Shayera smiled and gave Tim a big hug as she reflected on his words… she felt so much gratitude towards him. Someone so young was capable of calming a fallen warrior… a fallen traitor… a fallen lover…
"Thank you Tim," she told him.
"No prob," Tim said grinning, "And whatever they vote on in that room today… don't let it change your perspective on what a hero is… 'cause in my mind… you're a hero."
Shayera smiled, "Thanks kid…" she said grinning.
Suddenly a knock came from her door. Shayera got up to answer it. She wondered who it was. Who would see her? Alfred was the only one she could think of… no one from the League would ever want to speak to her again.
But, she was wrong…
Opening the door, Shayera came face to face with the Green Lantern.
"John…" she whispered as Tim came around the corner to see who was at the door.
John looked pretty beat up from the battle. He looked not only broken on the outside, but she could see the pain she had placed on him on the inside… he too had the symptoms of a broken heart.
"What are you…..?" Shayera looked around puzzled, "What are you— I mean……. John…..?"
"Can we talk Shayera?" John asked, seriousness in his voice.
Tim looked back fearful for his friend. He did not want John to yell, or scold or even hurt Shayera thought he doubted he'd ever lay a painful hand on her, after all they once loved each other.
"Talk?" Shayera said.
In the Wayne house, to have a 'talk' meant someone was in trouble. Big or small… with Bruce, it never mattered. Tim shifted his weight uneasily on his feet.
"Yea…" John spotted Tim, "But… company here needs to leave."
Shayera looked down at Tim who was focused on the Green Lantern officer. Shayera was wondering what was going through the boy's head… his face was set.
"Tim and I were—"
John cut her off, "You can talk with him later… right now me and you need to have a talk. And I mean now…"
Shayera looked hesitant but Tim stepped outside the door, "It's cool. See ya around?"
He wanted Shayera to nod her head and smile like she had done so many times for him already. But unfortunately, the only answer she gave him were glassy green eyes as John shut the door. He felt his shoulders slump down as he looked at the closed door that contained the betrayer and the betrayed.
"John what is this all about?" Shayera managed to ask. She watched him walk over to her bed and sit down. His arm in a cast and sling, a black eye and a painful stare on her.
-Out in the Hallway-
Tim looked at the door. It was a pure shame that he didn't have X-ray vision like Superman. For once he really wish he did. He wanted to see what was going on.
Then a spark lit up in his head.
Why see it when you can hear it?
A sly grin crossed his face as he pulled a hallway chair over to the wall that was connected to Shayera's room. He jumped inside, all that training with Batman had paid off, and he silently crept down the air vent.
He peeked through the slits in the vent and listened carefully to their conversation at hand.
"I wanted to talk…"
"About?" she questioned turning around looking at herself in the mirror. She couldn't face John. She just couldn't… she looked back at her reflection… she wasn't even sure if she could face herself.
John was silent. Shayera turned around, "For someone who wanted to talk, you're awfully quiet."
"I'm… I'm just having trouble on finding the right words…" John confessed.
Shayera sighed, "What are you having trouble saying? What is there to say John?" she said mournfully, "I betrayed my friends and teammates and know I'm living with the guilt. Is that why you came? To remind me of my guilt?"
"No!" John said, "Shayera… I didn't come to bring up that… I just wanted to talk… like… like we did before. Like old times."
Shayera looked back at John, eyes glassy and cheeks wet, "I'm afraid all those old times really are old. They're history… we can never have those again."
"Shayera—"
"John please," she began, "I understand you want to talk to me, but unfortunately I have nothing more to say."
She heard John sigh deeply and watched him cross the room, "Shayera…" he started opening the door, "You think you're alone in this world… but remember… you're not," he walked out the door turning towards her, "You'll always have me."
He gently closed the door shut.
Shayera felt her eyes spill tears down her cheeks. She cupped her hands in front of her eyes and cried and cried. Curled up on her bed she moaned softly as she thought of John.
You think you're alone in this world…
She was… wasn't she?
But remember…
Remember what? Her betrayal?
You're not…
Not what John! Not what!
You'll always have me…
That last thought left her silent as she thought of it. Tim shifted slightly as he watched Shayera.
She still was in deep thought of John's words. It was kind and thoughtful… it was true and innocent. John had meant what he had said.
Author's Note: Well I gave some of you HG/GL fans a little taster there. I like their relationship but this my first time actually writing it out so sorry if it wasn't up to your standards. So… what did you think of that chapter? Shayera seems to be a bit of a nervous wreck now doesn't she?
Drop a review… please
