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Chapter Three
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In every heart there is a room
A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along. – (And So It Goes – Billy Joel)

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(The simulation training room)

This job was bigger than Virgil initially thought it would be. Yet, he was very happy with the results. It wasn't often that he got to do something on this scale and he was pleased with himself. He'd brought the materials with him and it took him just a few minutes to put a thin silvery coating on all of the armor Warhawk had given him except her mask, which he didn't want her to take off in case someone came in the room.

Warhawk stood in front of him wearing the armor he'd plated. He nodded. "It's all plated except for your helmet," he said. "If this works, I can plate that in your room."

He grinned as he added, "Looks good on you. Why don't you take it off and we'll put it one of the 'bots and test it one more time?"

Warhawk shook her head. "No." She walked to the center of the training room. "We'll test it on me now. Combat's the only real test that counts."

Virgil threw his arms in the air. "Pardon me, Warhawk, but that's just plain stupid. That's why we have the robots!"

"The robots aren't the ones who have to wear it. Virgil, it works or it doesn't. It will give me an edge if it works, but if it doesn't, I'll be okay. On Thanagar, before you graduate from the Officer's course, you put your armor on and then they shoot you with a laser."

Virgil chuckled. "That's one way of keeping the population down."

Warhawk continued. Her tone was sharp. "The charge on the laser isn't enough to kill you, but you don't know that. The purpose is to give you confidence in the armor and in its ability to protect you … from everything. I have to have confidence that this will work or I can't wear it. I won't wear it. Understand?"

"I understand," he said. "I'll set it to level seven to start, okay?"

Warhawk nodded. Virgil turned and walked toward the control booth. "Say, do you know where Green Lantern is? I was just wondering, because I still haven't seen him yet and I wanted to say hello."

Warhawk frowned. "He's having lunch with Vixen."

She leaped in the air and hovered in the center of the room. He could see her taking a deep breath. "Set it to maximum and fire whenever you're ready."

Maximum? Virgil started to protest, but decided it would do no good. She had to have confidence in her armor, as she said. That woman is one cookie short of a Thin Mints box. He set the device to maximum just like she'd asked and pressed the fire button.

All of the 'bots in the room turned, pointed their weapons at her, and fired simultaneously. There was a bright flash of light and he heard Warhawk scream so loudly it brought chills to his spine. She was blasted out of the air and crashed into the far wall in a heap.

"Oh my God, I've killed her," he exclaimed as he rushed over to her. "Warhawk," he called out. "Shayera," he whispered. "Are you okay?"

She was stunned and disoriented. Virgil could tell she was trying to focus her thoughts. Trying to focus, period.

"Nugjat Maj!" she gasped. She said something else in another language he didn't understand before she whimpered, "Ohhhh, that hurts." She gazed at him, looking right through him. "Was that the maximum setting?"

Virgil nodded as he helped her stand.

"Good," Warhawk groaned. "Let's do it once more, but let me get my mace first."

As she picked up her mace, Virgil decided he'd been wrong about her. She was two cookies short of a box. Virgil returned to the control booth and awaited her signal.

She slowly rose in the air and nodded at Virgil, who started the simulation. He could see the weapons being pointed at her, but this time before they fired, she dived to the floor as the 'bots opened up. Virgil's heart quickened as she turned in mid-air and smashed two robots before she was hit by a blast from a third. That blast slowed her down enough that the remaining 'bots could fire and hit her. The resultant blast threw her against the far wall, this time with feathers flying all over the place.

Virgil shut the simulation down and ran over to her. He leaned over her and said firmly, "That's enough. The armor works."

Warhawk nodded and parroted after him. "You're right. That's enough. The armor works."

Virgil helped her stand. "Let's go to your room and plate the helmet." He shook his head in admiration. "It was awesome watching you in action again. It was just like old times, almost as if you hadn't been away."

Warhawk's eyes widened.

"Hmmm," was all she said as they left the simulation room.

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Hol, you, sosi'hab. You could have been killed. Maximum! Who did you think you were, Superman?

Virgil walked beside her, steadying her as they made their way to her room. Yes, it was stupid, but the armor worked and more importantly, Virgil pointed out a problem she hadn't been aware of.

Wearing a new mask and costume wasn't enough if her fighting style announced who she was. It was bad enough that she had the wings and kept her mace; like a fingerprint, Hawkgirl had trademark combat moves. Warhawk would have to avoid using those exact same moves if she was to be successful. She'd have to watch tapes of herself and then make adjustments. Yes, she'd do that as soon as the headache, blurry vision and the ringing in her ears went away.

They were just in front of her room when she heard John's voice in her earpiece.

"Warhawk. Lantern here."

She stopped, stood straight, cleared her throat and pressed her earpiece to answer. "Go ahead," she said.

She couldn't read the emotion in his voice as he said, "I've just been immediately recalled to Oa. I'm leaving now from Paris." He paused and then added, "I will come back for you. Understand?"

She smiled weakly to herself. "Understood. How did your meeting go?"

There was the crackle of static as she heard him say, "I'm almost out of communications range. I say again. I will come back for you."

She pressed the earpiece harder trying to filter out the static noise. She repeated, "I heard." Then the line went dead and there was silence as she said: "you."

She turned to Virgil and said softly, "He said he'd come back."

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(Oa)

Stewart's ring had started vibrating on his finger as he said goodbye to Mari's husband, and he'd had to make a hastier exit from the cafe than he wanted. He quickly scanned the immediate area looking for a secluded place to take the incoming transmission, but couldn't find one. Where's a phone booth when you need one? This secret identity thing is not gonna work.

He walked between two parked cars and in the space of two seconds, squatted between the cars and ringed a uniform on himself. Then he shot skyward at incredible speed, trying to become a blur to any bystanders.

He was about five miles above the Earth when he finally answered the transmission. It was the Guardian named Graila, who directed him to report to Oa immediately. He'd barely had enough time to get a transmission to Shayera telling her he'd been recalled before he was out of communications range.

Now, hours later, as Stewart stood in the meeting chamber of the Guardians at the Citadel, he wondered what else the Guardians could want from him.

"Galtre-Re says that you are ready for transfer to your new assignment," said Guardian Malivis without preamble. That sonofabitch promised me a year. I told him I needed just a few weeks and he told the smurfs I was ready anyway.

"Galtre-Re is an honorable Lantern," Stewart said. "If he says I am ready, then I am ready." He tried to keep the anger out of his voice.

"He also said that you involuntarily traveled to this time period as a result of actions against a criminal. Is that correct?"

Stewart wet his lips. He knew where this line of questioning was going and he was prepared. "Yes, sir," he said.

"You've made no effort to return to your own time period, but instead chose to stay here and accept an assignment to sector 2112."

"Yes, sir," Stewart nodded.

"Why? You could leave at any time. Using your ring you could have willed yourself back to your own time period. You could destroy this timeline if you wanted. You could have prevented the deaths of your friends who are buried in the Crypt of the Green Lanterns. You could have saved your friend, Rex Mason. Why do you choose to stay here?"

Stewart sighed. He put his hands behind his back. "Everything happens for a reason. I know you, the Guardians, are aware of the risks of time travel more than anyone. In this timeline you won the Great Battle. If I go back, how do you know that my ring won't be the reason we'd lose the war we won? Maybe, regretfully, it was necessary for my friends to die so that you could achieve victory."

Stewart stood straight, dropping his arms to his side. "Do you really want me to go back and test that theory? Are you prepared to live with the results? Because I'm not. I have to accept things as they are, not as I would like for them to be."

Malivis glared at Stewart. "And what about your friend who came with you? Is she prepared to give up what she had so that this timeline can continue?"

Stewart nodded. "She's already given up her home world so that my planet could live. She knows the repercussions of going back … and of staying here."

Stewart looked at the Guardians, who were studying him intently. "My contribution to the winning of the Great Battle was for me not to be there. This is my time. I accept that now and I accept my reassignment."

Malivis shook his head. "We chose wisely when we chose you, John Stewart. Unfortunately, that doesn't change our need for a Green Lantern in sector 2112."

"I understand," Stewart acknowledged. "I'm ready to report. I just need to go back to Earth and pick up my …." He paused and looked Malivis in the eyes and said firmly, "Family. She's my family."

Guardians weren't known for smiling, but Malivis gave a hint of one as he said, "Not so fast." He looked around the rostrum. "Brother Guardians, I don't think this Lantern is ready for posting yet. I think he needs three years of retraining in sector 2814 before he reports to sector 2112. This Lantern can tell us when he is ready to report."

"Agreed," the Guardians chorused. Malivis looked at Stewart with a stoic face. "Do you have any objections to this, Green Lantern of sector 2112?"

"None at all, sir." None at all.

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(Metro Tower - Warhawk's room)

Stewart sat on her bed. He'd told her of his reassignment and new status when he returned from Oa. She was understandably relieved to hear the news. Now she stood in front of the mirror, her black outfit complete with helmet and the silver colored armor.

She looked in her mirror at him and smiled.

"I do miss the hair," he said, "but I like the new name."

She unclipped the mace dangling from her side and held it in her hand as she studied her reflection.

"I like the name too," she said. "Didn't at first when J'onn suggested it years ago, but it does grow on you, doesn't it?"

John grinned and stood behind her. "It sure does, Warhawk."

He stepped between her wings and he could see her eyes widen as he put his arms around her waist. She took her helmet off and looked into the mirror, making eye contact with him.

"John," she said softly. "I … "

He raised his hand and put his fingers to her lips. "Shhhh, we have this moment."

He reached around her waist again and pulled her tightly to him."This is our time," he said softly. "This is where we belong."

She leaned back into his embrace. "Are you sure? Are you really sure you want to stay here? Stay here with me?" He noticed she emphasized the "me."

He glowed briefly with green energy and then said, "Puqni'lodj."

She turned around to face him, smiled and spread her wings fully. He pulled her close to him as she wrapped her wings around them both.

Pressing her head against his chest she softly whispered, "Puqni'lodj."

End