"A Simple Kind of Life"

By: Angelic Temptress

Disclaimer: I bet you didn't know they weren't mine.

Rating: PG-13. Why not?

Spoilers: None really. (Um… I really hope EVERYONE saw the new episodes, though this doesn't have anything to do with them.)

And thanks to Missy for the beta and taking my side. ;)

VV

Monday

"Welcome to Central City." The Flash smiles and moves his hand in front of him as if he were presenting a car on The Price is Right. "A town of smiles, happiness, and…" Flash turns his head as two women pass. "Beautiful girls."

Shayera chuckles. "Keep your lightening bolt in your pants, Hotshot. Otherwise we'll never make it to the orphanage."

"Hotshot? Something you picked up from GL?" Flash immediately loses his smirk and winces. "Sorry. Sore subject." She watches his gaze trail to her waist, and he stops walking. "The mace can't come."

"What?"

"You can't bring a weapon."

She wrinkles her forehead. "I'm not going to use it."

"I know."

Her face falls with realization, and her friend notices.

They still don't trust me. Not even kids.

"No. That's not what I… I wouldn't be able to bring a weapon either. I found out the hard way." He shrugs. "This is Earth. We're not supposed to carry weapons to orphanages. It's like civic code. A law."

Shayera forces a laugh. "That's right. I forgot I'm not on Thanagar."

Flash steps in front of Shayera and extends his hand. "I'll hide it until after we're done."

Reluctantly, Shayera takes her mace from her hip and hands it to Flash. Within a blink of an eye, he runs off and returns. Together, they enter the Central City Orphanage.

VvV

She stays silent as Flash riles up the children. Their faces glow, and they scream with excitement. Although the supervisor is telling the kids to quiet down, Flash gets them to cheer by spinning quickly in place. Shayera laughs.

"Hey kids, I want everyone to meet my best friend. This is –"

"Hawkgirl," a little girl labels and takes a step toward Shayera. Her big blue eyes are as wide as they can be, and, to Shayera's surprise, she wears a smile too. "I was waiting for Flash to bring you."

Shayera bends down and mimics the child's grin. "You were?" When the girl nods, she asks, "What is your name?"

"Isabelle."

"A pretty name for a pretty girl."

"Are your wings real?" a blonde boy questions. "Or are they fake?"

"They're real."

"Can I touch them?"

With a soft smile, Shayera nods. "Of course." Instead of only one pair of hands smoothing her wings, nine come close to inspect. Her green eyes move to meet Flash's laughing ones, and she manages a chuckle as well.

Sadness consumes her when she notes a little boy staying close to the orphanage's supervisor. His dark eyes are wide, but not in the same way as Isabelle's were. He's frightened of her.

"All right, everyone. I think it's time for milk and cookies," the woman announces, sending nine kids and the Flash into the other room. The little boy with dark skin and shaved head lingers behind. Looking so cheerless, he resembles John.

Shayera swallows hard.

"Is there something wrong?" she asks and gradually walks to him.

"My dad said you were a bad guy," the boy mutters.

"Your dad?"

"Before he went away." He takes a step closer to her. "But you don't want to hurt anyone, right? Superman and Green Lantern are on your side."

"I don't want to hurt anyone."

The young boy smiles. "I knew it."

VvV

"So, how about that kid?"

Shayera sips her jumbo-size coke and shrugs. "Which one?"

"Brian, the quiet one who spent the entire day sitting in your lap." Flash takes a huge bite of his pizza and speaks with a full mouth, "You liked him."

"He liked me too." She looks down at her exposed stomach and touches it. "Do you think I could ever be a good mother?"

"The best." Flash slurps his super-jumbo Sprite dry and adds, "But only if he calls me Uncle."

"Of course."

Flash wipes his mouth with the back of his gloved hand. "Brian looks a lot like John."

Her eyes grow wide. "You saw it too?"

"You miss him… And it probably kills you to see him with Vix."

"Thanks for bringing it up." She shrugs. "But it serves me right."

"Stop that."

"What?"

"Stop playing pitiful, Shayera. You deserve so much more than you think." He swallows another slice.

"Flash?"

"Yeah?"

"You know last month with the speed force ordeal? Don't you ever do that again."

"Ah. You care."

"Sure, because you're my best friend too."

VV

To be continued… If you all want to see what happens…