Chey-Ara released a slew of curse words. I lost him! Once Chey-Ara realized she was being watched, she decided to turn the tables and follow her stalker. Unfortunately, her stalker must have realized he was now being followed because he'd begun making countermoves. Even more curious, the evasive moves were almost identical to the ones taught on Thanagar. Almost. But still…Chey-Ara couldn't help but wonder…no! She needed to concentrate. Lobo would be arriving soon, Chey-Ara thought with a scowl. She needed to be mentally and emotionally prepared to conversate with that idiot, and she was nowhere near ready.


Shayera dismounted from the salmon ladder. She had been at it for 15 minutes. Bruce and the physical therapist told her to take it easy, but she was stubborn. It had been close to 5 months since her wings were torn from her body, and 4 of those five months had been spent in bed. She didn't feel completely better; there was still pain. But the week before, she told Bruce that she would be "damned if I stay in this bed for another second." He chuckled. Shayera shook her head. It was weird seeing the Batman be so…relaxed and flirty. Shayera shuddered. She didn't mind the flirtiness; Bruce was too good-looking for words. Even worse, he knew that Shayera thought he was sexy; and he'd made it his mission to make her blush. Shayera wanted to, and could, crush him with her bare hands. That stupid smirk, and that stupid face, and his stupid eyes, she mumbled to herself as she grabbed a water bottle before plopping on the mat.

Shayera lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She'd spent the entire day in the manor's gym, opting out of breakfast and lunch. She worked on her arms, legs, and abs…she would be okay without her wings. Tears began to gather in her eyes. "Who am I kidding?" she muttered. Shayera missed her wings so much. She still cried herself to sleep most nights because she couldn't face the fact that her wings were gone.

Shayera took a couple of breaths. Crying when she was alone by herself in bed was okay; crying out in public was a no-no. What is it that her father used to say? Tears are a weakness a true warrior cannot afford. And Shayera was a true warrior. Top of her class. Youngest person to ever make lieutenant in the history of Thanagar. Her father actually told her he was proud of her when she was promoted. Shayera's face morphed into a scowl. Her father would absolutely hate who she was now; even Shayera didn't like what she'd become. When did I get so weak? She had been molded at a young age to take her father's place as the leader of Thanagar, but she threw it all away for Earth. And every day, she woke up and asked herself the same question, Was it all worth it? Sure, her conscience was clear, but her wings were gone. And, she would rather have her wings than a clear conscience; she was not ashamed to admit it. "Shayera?"

Shayera turned her head to the doorway to see Bruce in his workout clothes. "Alfred said you've been in here since 10 a.m." She just blinked at him. "It's almost 6." Shayera sat up and pulled her knees to her chest as Bruce came closer to her. "I thought we agreed you weren't going to overdo it?" he asked, his electric blue eyes studying her.

"Clearly, 'overdoing it' means something different to the both of us," Shayera frowned.

Bruce sat across from her on the mat, their feet almost touching each other. His face mirrored her expression. "Shayera, you're sprinting when you should be speed walking." Shayera rolled her eyes. "I'm serious," Bruce pressed. "You need to take your time. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"How was work?" Shayera asked, completely ignoring his question.

Bruce stared at her. "Well, it was work."

"I can't even imagine how people would react if they knew you were Batman."

"I try not to think about it. The boys like coming up with theories."

Shayera gave a slight smile, looking down as she pulled her red hair out of its constricting ponytail. It was a little damp with sweat, but…whatever.

"How are you doing, Shayera?" Bruce asked seriously.

"I'm fine," Shayera huffed. She was tired of being asked that question, "As you said, I've been in here working out since 10 a.m. I think my back is completely healed. I can walk and run by myself. I think I'll even be able to spar against you soon," she finished with a smirk.

"I'm not talking about how you're doing physically. I want to know how you are mentally and emotionally."

Crap. Shayera hated talking about her feelings. She always assumed Bruce did, too. Guess it was a Batman thing. "Batman wants to talk about feelings? We must be in the darkest timeline. I need to ask Barry to fix it." Bruce glared. "I'm fine," Shayera said, taking another swig of water. "I have come to accept the fact that I no longer have wings."

"Really?" Bruce asked, clearly not believing her. "So, the noises I hear coming from my room at night are just a figment of my imagination?"

"I'm dealing with it, okay?" Shayera spoke harshly. "Why do you even care?" her walls were immediately raised. "What do my emotions have to do with anything? I'm adapting to this new normal. I won't be a liability much longer."

"You are not a liability," Bruce stated firmly.

"A soldier who isn't in peak physical- "

"You're not a soldier, either."

"Whatever. You know what I mean. I'll be out of your hair soon enough."

"I already told you – you're free to stay. I have more than enough room, Shayera."

"Bruce, I'm not going to stay here."

"Why not?"

"Because...it would be weird."

"Would it?"

"People will begin to think that you and I are…friends." Or more than friends, Shayera thought to herself.

"And here I thought that allowing you to sleep in my bed made us friends," Bruce smiled.

"I don't do friends," Shayera frowned.

"I'm sure you had friends on Thanagar," Bruce said.

"I did not."

Bruce's eyebrow rose. "I find that very hard to believe."

"Why? Because I was able to get you guys to trust me? Sorry to burst your bubble, but that was all an act. Emotional bonds were discouraged on Thanagar. The mission was everything. Everything we did was to guarantee success for the mission."

Bruce studied her, and it took everything in Shayera not to shift under or look away from his stare. "You expect me to believe that?" Bruce eventually asked, leaning forward.

"Believe what?" Shayera asked for clarification.

"That it was all an act? All of the kisses you shared with John, the times you and Diana bonded over girl talk, always making time for Barry – you faked all of that?"

No. "Yes," Shayera whispered. Maybe if she told herself enough times that it was an act, it wouldn't hurt so much.

"No one is that coldhearted," Bruce surmised.

"I don't know. I always got the feeling that Batman was a coldhearted psychopath." Now she was trying to get a rise out of him. But he wasn't taking the bait. Instead, he cocked his head to study her further.

"What was your childhood like?" Bruce asked out of nowhere.

"What are you, my therapist?" Shayera asked.

"I could hire one for you if you want."

"No, I don't want a therapist. Why do you care about me? What's in it for you?"

"Can't I just be nice to a friend?"

"No."

Bruce threw his head back and laughed. And it was a real laugh. It had a deep timbre and brought such warmth to Shayera's chest. Looking back, she'd probably say that was when she began seeing him in a new light. "You're as stubborn as I am," he said with humor and a sparkle in his eye. "Shayera, you don't have to guard yourself around me. I'm not going to hurt you."

"Why? I hurt you."

"When?"

"When I betrayed the earth. When I betrayed the team."

"You did, and then you saved us."

"And?"

"And that act alone redeemed you in my eyes."

Shayera opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Instead, she just stared at Bruce, completely baffled. "What do you want from me, Bruce?" Shayera asked in resignation.

"I don't really know," Bruce shrugged. "All I know is that I like you—a lot. You're…complicated, but you're also fun to be around. For some reason, I am more relaxed when I am with you. I don't understand why."

"I'm not the deep or interesting," Shayera said softly. Her green eyes widened. When did he get so close to me? Shayera wondered as she realized that Bruce had been scooting closer to her little by little throughout their conversation. Now, his face was barely a foot away from hers.

"You say that, but we both know that's a lie," Bruce pushed a few strands of red hair out of her face. "There is so much more to you than you let people see. You have a shell around you, and I will crack it open," he said, slowly leaning towards her.

"Really?" Shayera said, not liking where this was going but at the same time very excited. "What if you're disappointed by what's beneath?"

"I won't be," Bruce said, touching her cheek with surprising gentleness.

"Master Bruce," Shayera and Bruce immediately pulled away from each other as they heard Alfred through the speaker system.

"He was spying on us, wasn't he?" Shayera asked.

Bruce chuckled while walking over the wall with said intercom and asking, "What is it, Alfred?"

"I apologize for the interruption, but a Mister Barry Allen is here to visit Miss Shayera. May I send him down?"

"That'll be fine, Alfred." Bruce turned to see Shayera stand to her feet.

Bruce felt a blast of cool air as the speedster ran into the room, throwing his arms around Shayera. "I am so glad you're okay," Barry said into Shayera's hair. "I am so, so sorry," he whispered.

"It's okay, Barry," Shayera said into his shoulder.

"I'll give you two a minute," Bruce said before walking away.

Shayera gave him a grateful look before pulling away from Barry. "Catch me up on everything," she said. "How are you?"