Shayera sat next to Rachel and Bruce in the study at Wayne Manor. As Bruce had figured, Shayera had no clue about the U.S. Constitution or about the history of America. So far the two had spent the previous three days explaining everything they knew to the Thanagarian but it was like teaching a clueless five-year-old. Shayera was still swimming through the information. She was sharp but even she couldn't handle this type bombardment all at once. Though Bruce had to give her some credit, Shayera had easily learned and memorized the U.S. Constitution within the span of just two days. She was having problems with the history aspect.

Shayera threw her head back and groaned, "I still don't get this."

Rachel turned her attention to the Thanagarian sitting next to her, "What don't you get now?"

"All of it," she muttered her response.

That had been Shayera's response to the last three times she asked her what she didn't understand about the current period of history she was attempting to understand and memorize. Rachel heaved a heavy, aggravated sigh which annoyed Shayera as she glared at her.

"Let me see those papers," Bruce said before either of them could say anything else. He moved away the two empty soda cans that were sitting next to the papers.

The three of them had been there for the whole day. Much to Alfred's protests they had ordered pizza and the empty boxes and greasy napkins littered the floor. Shayera's empty soda cans cluttered the table, along with a large bag of chips and numerous crumbs from said chips.

Bruce narrowed his eyes slightly as he counted off how many cans of soda the Thanagarian had already consumed. He had to assume that even by Thanagarian standards it wasn't a healthy quantity, "You should really take it easy with that soda Shayera. You're getting addicted to it."

Shayera stretched and lightly rolled her eyes, "That's the only thing keeping me awake during this snore fest. You have my word that if I pass this stupid damn test than I'll swear off caffeine for the rest of this pregnancy."

"Good, I'm sure you rather not hear Alfred or John getting on your case anymore," he dryly retorted. Bruce then looked over one of the papers and his mind began making the proper connections quickly. "This is a rather easy one," he stated. When he glanced up at Shayera, he regretted his words. "I mean, once we explain it to you that is."

Rachel did have to say that she was mildly amused that Shayera wasn't easily unnerved by Bruce and that she could dish out just as much sass as Bruce could.

"Look," Rachel sighed. "It's not that she doesn't get it. It's that she's confusing dates, names, and places with other events."

Bruce raised an eyebrow, "How do you suggest we get her to stop confusing events with each other?"

"Simple, memory association, use events she already knows to introduce the new material. We use it in law all the time," Rachel waved him off before turning to Shayera. "Alright hawky, American Revolutionary War was from 1775 to 1783. It was the war of independence that gave us the Constitution. Great Britain against the U.S. colonies. Great Britain and America. With me so far?"

Shayera slowly nodded, "I guess so but I don't see what we're connecting it to."

"Oh you'll see. Aright let's say America is Earth and Great Britain is the Thanagarians." Shayera quickly looked at her and Rachel smirked. That certainly gripped her interest.

"I think I get it now," Shayera stated slowly after being silent for a few moments. "When the Thanagarians made demands that the people of Earth didn't want to follow, the people revolted like the colonists. They wanted liberation but the Thanagarians, or in this case the British, weren't going to take any of that. So they went to war over it. Eventually the people, colonists, won and the Thanagarians, the British, went back to where they belonged."

"See you got the main point. That's all you need to know. Don't confuse yourself with intricate details."

Shayera then tilted her head, "There's another thing I don't get."

"What part don't you get?" Bruce this time asked.

"Why is it called the Boston Tea Party?" She slowly asked as she read from the paper. "There was no party, especially one with tea."

"It's just a term they made for the event Shayera. It doesn't mean there was a literal party with tea in the middle of Boston."

"I hate history," Shayera murmured, ignoring his words. "It's so boring."

Neither Bruce or Rachel could argue there. Memorizing historical facts wasn't exactly the most interesting thing in the world.

"Shayera, just keep focusing. We're trying to help you through this." When she scowled, Bruce pressed on, "Shayera focus."

"Fine," she grumbled and then sighed. "But half of it doesn't make sense. I don't get it."

Bruce could feel his patience thinning. He looked over to see that Rachel wasn't fairing much better.

"Alright, we're going over the basic outline again," Bruce's response was a groan from the Thanagarian, which he ignored. "Native Americans were the first to populate America and centuries later a man named Amerigo Vespucci discovered America."

"I thought that was Columbus and his little group of boats sailing across the Atlantic?" Shayera questioned. "At least that's what I think I remember seeing on that documentary once on TV."

"He found other areas of America years after Vespucci did."

Shayera gave him an unamused look, "Everything has to contradict each other. Why can't you humans just have a straight forward history? One source says one thing and another source claims something else."

"Welcome to Earth hawky," Rachel sarcastically retorted. "You should see how bad the school systems are with history. They dumb it down to the lowest of levels. Hell I didn't learn proper history until I got into college."

"Are all school systems that bad?" Shayera slowly asked.

Rachel shrugged, "Depends but they pretty much teach the same rudimentary history lessons."

"Is it optional to not send my kid to school then?"

"That would be illegal," Rachel replied.

Shayera rolled her eyes, "Of course something as stupid as that would be on this planet." She then sighed as she glanced at a clock before her eyes widened a bit, "Oh shit it's that later already. I gotta get going. John and I promised Wally we'd have dinner with him."

Bruce curtly nodded, "Alright but be back here same time tomorrow morning."

"Don't worry I will."

Rachel watched as the Thanagarian left the room and then turned to Bruce, "I have to admit you were right. She's very smart."

"Told you," he lightly smirked.

Rachel rolled her eyes, "I never expected someone who's such a warrior-type to be that intelligent. Rather unexpected honestly, I thought you were just being nice for once when you said she was smart."

"Appearances can be deceiving. Just remember, no one would guess a lawyer like you would be able to outplay anyone in a bar at pool or be able to drink even the toughest biker under the table."

She gave him an unamused, "Point taken, same as Batman having a sarcastic smartass side to his personality."

"I thought you said that was something you liked about me?" Bruce rhetorically asked with a sly smirk.

Rachel rolled her eyes once more as she smirked herself, "As if Bruce."

"I'm telling you it was at least fifty feet long and like two hundred pounds," Wally insisted as he sat across from John and Shayera in the cafeteria. The two had long finished their food while Wally was currently on his third, loaded tray. "It was the biggest goldfish I have ever seen in my entire life."

Shayera rolled her eyes and sighed, "Wally I highly doubt a goldfish could get that big. What were you like six when you saw this thing?"

"It was too that big!" Wally whined and then lightly pouted, "And no, I was seven...and a half."

John raised an eyebrow, "And you clearly remember this from when you were a kid? You sure it wasn't some kind of dream you had or movie you watched?"

Wally gave John an unamused look as he stuffed some French fries onto his burger before taking a large bite, "No I clearly remember seeing the goldfish at the circus."

"There had to be something freakier than a big goldfish there," Shayera said. "Aren't circuses where they have all the freak shows and stuff?"

"Oh yeah there was this guy they called the werewolf man. He had hair everywhere," Wally snickered. "It was super gross but cool."

"Of course you'd find that cool," John muttered.

Wally turned to Shayera, "Anyway you read any of those books I got you yet?"

Shayera sighed once more as she pinched the bridge of her nose, "I told you once already Wally, I do not want a book to tell me how to be a mother."

"Says the one who kept complaining they don't know how to take care of a baby," Wally pointedly said to her. "Admit it, you're going to read those books eventually."

"Don't agitate her Wally," John warned him.

Shayera lightly glared at Wally as she took a few fries from his tray, "I'm not going to say if I will or not. I skimmed through one of the books already. It was degrading to say the least."

"Hey those fries were mine!" He complained.

Shayera raised an eyebrow, "You have plenty left motormouth."

"I won't if you keep stealing them," he mumbled as he leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I've taken like what ten fries?"

"Try twenty-seven fries and a hamburger," he retorted.

"Well that was twenty-seven less fries and one less burger you needed to eat then," Shayera pointed out with an amused look.

John let out an exasperated sigh as he shook his head at their antics. Those two really were like siblings. They even squabbled like siblings. They purposely annoyed each other like siblings. Wally would intentionally get on Shayera's nerves while Shayera would go out of her way to tease and embarrass the speedster.

"Hey aren't you supposed to be making her eat healthy or something?" Wally asked John. "Fries and burgers aren't healthy."

"Yeah you try to do that and see how well that works for you," he responded. "She's stubborn like a mule and won't listen."

Shayera smirked, "Oh come on John, you know you love it. Besides I let you talk me into eating that bland, disgusting salad yesterday."

John likewise smirked as he kissed her cheek, "Fortunately I do and it didn't seem to take that much convincing."

"Considering it didn't give me heartburn or make me throw my guts up. That's the only reason why I agreed so willingly," she casually stated.

Wally grimaced, "That is so gross. Anytime we're together anymore I have to hear about you barfing."

"Just wait until this happens to you and Linda," John said to him. "You'll be going through this as well."

"I can just imagine Linda driving Wally up a wall," Shayera snickered. "Though they'd have to get married as well. What's that other term humans use? Bridezilla? He'll probably have to worry about that more so."

Wally slightly pouted as he slouched in his seat, "Haha laugh it up Shay. Whenever you two get together you're like evil incarnate. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to introduce you two."

"That's because Linda and I know you so well Wallace," Shayera said with a pompous smile.

Wally groaned, "You know that I hate being called Wallace!"

"At least I don't have to worry about Shayera being a bridezilla," John mentioned in an amused tone.

"You don't have to be worried about me being a bride at all John. You're getting off lucky."

"You guys seriously aren't going to go through the whole wedding thing?" Wally asked them.

"Of course not," Shayera shook her head as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I wouldn't be caught dead in a wedding dress."

John shrugged, "Whatever Shayera wants to do if fine by me. Not having a wedding is one less headache to deal with."

"What are you going to do with that ring you got her then?" Wally asked before a look of realization slowly dawned on him when he saw the confused look on Shayera's face and the growing scowl on John's.

Shayera tilted her head, "Ring?" She glanced at the Green Lantern next to her, "John you didn't get me some fancy ring did you?"

"Wally," John growled through his teeth as he glared at the speedster.

"Um well look at the time I gotta go. Nice having dinner with you guys," Wally quickly said before running off.

John looked over to Shayera, who had raised an eyebrow as she appeared highly amused. The Thanagarian lightly shook her head with a small chuckle, "I'm not saying anything else about this supposed ring John. I'm more surprised that you managed to keep it a secret from me. Where did you hide it?"

"Engagement rings are supposed to be," he muttered with an eyeroll. "In my underwear drawer. Considering you don't do laundry, I figured it was safe there."

"Smart location, I will give you that, but wouldn't an engagement ring be redundant at this point? Not that I don't appreciate the thought John because I do. Just don't women normally only wear the wedding ring after they're married?"

"Some women do wear both Shayera."

"It's acceptable on Earth to wear both?" She asked with pure curiosity. "To me it seems a bit too attention seeking."

He lightly chuckled at her seemingly never-ending naivety with Earth customs, "Yes it is acceptable. As you would call it, it's standard Earth protocol."

"Well then," she smirked. "I want to see this ring then."

John merely groaned in response as he looked up at the ceiling, "Fine."

The two were currently back down in their apartment in Detroit. Shayera had followed John into their bedroom and eagerly waited for him to fish out the ring from his drawer. Once he had gotten the small box out of the drawer, the Thanagarian held her hand out to him and he rather reluctantly handed the box over to her.

John sighed as he watched her put the ring on, "I didn't want to offend you in any way that's why I didn't give it to you yet despite being technically engaged. I didn't know if this was okay or not by Thanagarian standards."

Shayera smirked as she held her left hand out in front of her as she inspected the ring on her ring finger, "It's not offensive in Thanagarian culture John. Remember, I told you that we don't have marriages on Thanagar. You should have just asked me if it was acceptable or not instead of worrying yourself."

"That would have defeated the purpose Shayera," he sighed as he rolled his eyes. "Engagement rings are supposed to be a surprise for when you get proposed to."

"So let me get this straight," Shayera placed her hands on her hips as she looked at John with a raised eyebrow. "You were eventually going to ask me to marry you? I just ended up beating you to it. Am I getting this right?"

"More or less yes," he awkwardly and rather quietly replied as he scratched the back of his head. "Look Shay, you don't have to wear the ring just because you feel like you have to or if you don't like it. I know you're not one to wear glitzy stuff."

"It's not glitzy in the least John. You picked out a very nice ring I have to say." She then wrapped her arms around his neck, "I love the ring John; honestly I do. I wouldn't trade it for any other ring in the world. I'm more than happy to wear it everyday for the rest of my life."

"You better not lose or damage it then on any League missions when you get back on active duty," he said to her in an amused tone before kissing her.

Shayera broke the kiss and lightly chuckled, "I'll make sure to take extra special care of it John."