A/n: Many thanks to my wonderful beta MtGat. Without her this story would have been a mess.

Chapter Two – Stirring Thoughts

John didn't even flinch when the door banged shut behind Wally, though a mirror on the wall shook. John closed his eyes and took a deep breath; this wasn't how he thought he would spend his wedding morning. He knew when he had asked Wally to be his best man, that it would be hard for Wally because he was friends with both him and Shayera. He had asked Wally because he was the closest member of the Justice League to him besides, Vixen, Metamorpho and Shayera. John had known that Wally'd spoken to Shayera because she was there one day sharing shifts with him and then she was changing them. She was also doing the same with her and Wally's shifts which had hurt their red-clad friend. It was her way of dealing with things.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror and rammed his fists against the cool glass in frustration. He wasn't meant to be thinking about Shayera. He was supposed to be concentrating on his vows, the promises he was about to make to Mari, the woman he was marrying in two hours' time.

Damn Wally! Damn his questions! Damn him for raising thoughts and hopes that John had tried to sweep under the rug and forget about.

John felt his collar tighten around his neck; he knew he should have gotten a bigger size collar. He undid his top button and loosened his tie. He sighed as he felt less restricted but his problem still remained.

Why did Wally have to push? Why couldn't he just let sleeping dogs lie?

Had John asked Wally to be his best man because he knew that his friend would push him to think about what he was doing? He could have asked Batman. Bruce would have remained silent and brooded while letting John get on with things but in the end, John had decided on Wally and look where it had gotten him.

Mari was a wonderful woman. She was beautiful, clever, and she made him smile. She was an international pin-up girl, and men dreamt about her while they slept. John had seen the hungry looks she received whenever she walked into the room and he knew that many men would give their right arms to be in the position he was in now. He was a lucky man and he knew it, but his heart didn't skip a beat when he was with her.

He had made her a promise and he wasn't about to go back on it. He was a man of his word, or always tried to be. He was known in the Justice League for doing what was right and marrying Mari was the right thing to do. He did love her. It wasn't the consuming type of love but there was something there. Admittingly, it wasn't the love he had felt for Shayera but that had been destroyed when she had turned on him. He couldn't trust her again. Oh, he could trust her to watch his back in a fight but he couldn't trust her with his heart now.

John walked over to where he had put his green ring down earlier that day. Picking it up and slipping on his finger almost made him forget the situation. When he wore the ring he was in control, it steadied him but without it, he sometimes felt that he was nothing. Making his way over to the window, he looked out and concentrated on the tree in front of him. Lifting his hand and pointing the ring, a green jet of light shot from his hand and rocketed towards a heavy looking branch. The green light enveloped the branch and John was able to crumble it into sawdust. The destuction didn't help the frustration he was feeling inside.

He knew where he was with Mari; she wouldn't hurt his heart like Shayera had. In some respects, Mari was the safe way to live. There wouldn't be the arguments like he'd had with Shayera and there wouldn't be the mind-blowing making up love that they'd had either, but Mari offered a quiet life, a contented life. She loved him, she didn't try to wind him up, she would agree with him on most things, and she was patient. She had put up with a lot when she entered a relationship with him and he had to make it worthwhile for her. He wouldn't turn his back on a friend.

"A friend?" he thought out loud. Was that how he saw Mari, just as a friend? He was so damn confused and he didn't have a clue who to confide in now. If he turned to Wally, he would say 'told you so,' if he went to Batman, he would be told to 'deal with it' and Diana would tell him to follow his heart. Following his heart would be suicidal because his mind was in agreement with it and that was just asking for trouble. There were others he could turn to, but no one knew him like Shayera did and he couldn't turn to her.

When Wally had told him that she wasn't coming to the wedding, sadness had enveloped him. He hadn't expected her to come but he had secretly hoped that she would. Perhaps, he wanted her to come to him and tell him he wasn't doing the right thing and they should give it another chance. He wanted to know that she cared, that she wanted him and that she wanted a future with him. Over the years she had been back, she had said things to him, suggested they give it another go but he had always returned to Mari because he heart was still bruised. Was he fighting his true destiny because he was afraid? Was he just too stubborn for his own good? Would he lose his son if he married Mari or would he lose him if he didn't? John wasn't sure if he was meant to marry Mari before settling down with Shayera or if Mari was ever a consideration in fate's path. This was all too much to be thinking about on his wedding day and the hour of his wedding vows was creeping closer and he was in turmoil. Wally had a lot to answer for and when he finally returned, he would know exactly what trouble he had caused.

Shayera would look breathtakingly beautiful dressed in a white bridal dress, her red hair flowing down her back in ringlets and with her wings, she would look like an angel. He closed his eyes and imagined her green eyes sparkling as he approached her and her smile would brighten up his mood.

John shook his head and cursed himself for letting his mind wander. He shouldn't be letting this happen, he needed to stay in control. Mari would look stunning; she always did and so there was no doubt that she would on her wedding day. He would say his vows and then she would repeat them and then they would be announced as Mr and Mrs John Stewart. His old life would be over and a new one about to start. He would be a fool to throw that away. Things would work out and they would be happy and contented. There might even be children and that would bring them joy. Maybe the future he had been privy was to not the future he was ever meant to have. It could have just been a possible future, one of many. Even if it weren't his future, it would remain with him till he died because it had seemed real and he would blame himself for killing his own son because he married someone else. John clenched and then unclenched his hands, trying to relieve some of the burden he was carrying.

John looked around the room and his eyes fell upon the wedding menu that was laid out on the chest of drawers. Mari had decided on the menu. He'd had no say in it at all. They would have a choice of chicken, duck, guinea fowl or quail for their main course. It had became apparent as he as he flipped through the courses that bird was in every course until the desserts and he couldn't help but think that she was making a point. Mari and Shayera had got on for the Leagues' sake, they worked out together and teased one another even but there was always some underlying tension.

Just as he was about to slip into his musings again, the door opened and Wally reappeared with a nervous smile.

"Hey, GL," he said as though nothing had happened. "You okay?"

"Ready as I'll ever be!" John replied.

TO BE CONTINUED...