The world...was suppose to stop that night...if you had the power to do that, but, you didn't. A bliss moment like that...when the world and earth was whole and well. Everything was it needed to be, there where minor threats here and there that was dealt with, at the end of the day everything went back to normal. You where able to wake up to a lovely sun every morning. Clear, fresh blue skies stretching far and wide. Open pastures and fields, birds singing...a warm meal. Loving smiles and those you loved here and present, even if you weren't next to them...you could always watch them from afar. Everyday new moments and memories where made and you...you were getting better. Enjoying life more than you thought was ever possible, even with that missing part of your life, John who you remained watching from afar, watching how he was getting his life back together...he got back together with Zatanna. It made you happy, the two of them back together...it was about time really. Even better and to your surprise he even joined the Justice League on Zatanna's behalf.
She sent you a special letter telling you, you had to give him props...at least he had the courage to do it. Compared to you. You...just couldn't...join anything...despite the threat and what you could offer. Rejoining the...Teen Titans again...how could you really? You really wanted to see Dick again...Kory...Raven...everyone. But, it gripped you with such a hold control you….just couldn't.
Something you'd come to...regret eventually...until then..you kept yourself back. Taking in ever moment you could get, you could have...you could enjoy. A simple life..that's what you wanted, that's what you feared losing. Why couldn't you just have that...why didn't...why didn't you fight to have it?
Why...just why didn't you fight for that life? Fight for those blue skies you enjoyed flying through, among the birds that use to decorate the skies. Or with Conner for fun. Fight for...the open pasture of nature, the open fields...that you use to run or walk with the dog. Fight...for the warm smiles you'd come to seeing, warm meals...a simple life...waking up the sound of the rooster to a new day. Experiencing a life...that you wanted...where everyone was safe and here.
But, that was nothing more than a simple...memory that became your dream transforming into a nightmare these last two years...since the onslaught and the world has became nothing but a hellish nightmare. Everyday you where constantly reminded, nothing but desolated silence was your rooster now. Waking you from said nightamre, one would think the slaughter invasion that happened would be the nightmare you should be having...but it wasn't, oddly it became more of a dream than anything. A sweet one?
No.
But you slept, that's what mattered. How twisted, you'd often think. Laying on your side, in bed, covers draped over you near body. Slowly time just...slipped by, you stared at the wall across from you. Silently counting the dull flower wall paper prints. The vibrate color faded long ago...it was...maybe a bright orange...you weren't sure. You needed to get up, you had things to do...still. Yet, each time you awoke you just wanted to lay here...and...the bed's weight shifted next to you a arm reached over you and for a second searched for you, hooked you in their hold pulled you close to their bare chest, toner over the last two years. Their arms too, gained more muscle, not fully the same as Superman...
Superman...the thought of his name passing your mind...pierced your heart, filling it with pain. You never liked thinking about him...not anymore. You weren't sure what happened to him...or where he was...like many others. Should you really care though? What you had here...what was left mattered. And you didn't want anything taking that away. Still, if there was any inclination that he might...just might be alive...how would even face him? Tell him...what happened...you had tried...you really did! You tried so hard to keep them safe...begging them to remain back...but they just simply smiled, hugged you...you could still remember it the softness of their skin and loving embrace. Their scent of fresh hay and warm cinnamon...still remained in your memory...you often hated walking down these halls filled with nothing but a haunting past...yet at the same time it was the only home you had...and...
A soft kiss from Conner on your bare shoulder brought you out your mind. He was up. "Babe," he still called you that even now, grunts a bit, stretching, "nightmare woke you?"
His voice a bit deep from maturing over the years still held its lightness...a little, from the first time you meet. It was...one of the nice things.
"Yeah," you softly answer, trying to hide cracking in your voice.
But, he heard it, by now he knew you well enough. Shifting where he laid next to you in bed set up and the arm he had around you scooped you with him, setting you in his lap, adjusting yourself take a saddling position instead over the lower part of his body. Face him, his face matured...looking more like a young adult...eighteen than before...even with his shared DNA...he looked nothing like either of his fathers that you could see...even with Lex's eyes. Conner's changed to a more of a grey over the time, he kept his hair in the same style...why you weren't sure, a part of you felt it was for your sake...to have some bit of happiness from the past. It was thicker, his hair. Strong yet slight boyish facial features, that was both handsome and cute. That was serious and grounded, than before, but wasn't unkind. It always soften with you, he only had that face when he...went out.
You hated when he did that, but, he always came back. He didn't go far, only to go and look for things...and occasionally if it happened, fight.
It was common really, an everyday thing, you hated that too. There was a lot you hated, now, it showed in your eyes even if you tried to bury it from him...Conner saw the blazing rage in your violet eyes. Never did they glow red or did you gain an extra set as you should, that part you managed to keep under...
Lifting a hand, Conner rests it softly on your cheek, you set a hand on it holding it close your eyes for a moment. Open them, always finding his lovingly with worry staring back. It wasn't the 'other' look that would end with how you and him woke up, barely clothed. No, that heated look provided one of the few happy things you still had. You both still had, this look he had...he had ever since that night you told him...everything and regret saying...because you almost lost him when he chose to keep the promise he made to you...back then. Leading him to join the Teen Titans and...
The memory..why did you think of that...rose in your eyes paralyzing you for a moment. Tremors ran all over, your head dropped, and the tears came. They didn't fall...they remained comfortably in the corner of your eyes. Ready. Breaking Conner's heart, sometimes you could hear it...he never let them fall, always with a gentle touch lifted your head back up kissing the corner of your eyes. Taking them away, slowly trailed to your lips softly, sending a warming jolt through you. You became like butter melting into it each soft pull away and re-plant kiss he did, pushing deeper. But, not too deep knowing what would happen, kept them strong and his own will. Despite the tenseness rising from his body, you always felt below. A part of your mind often wondered how long it would it take, he did have super speed after all.
He seem to always read your mind, stopped, pulling away, resting his forehead on yours. Squeezing your hand a little, shaking his head. Smirking a little. "...Don't Babe, Joanna."
You stop hearing that name, he was right. What a way to block, it was enough to put a small, very small on you. "That's cheating," you playfully chaste leaning in towards whisper in his ear. Kiss his cheek. Tempted to do more, think of Joanna unsaddle yourself off him get out of bed, your now Rapunzel like hair reaching your ankles, became your makeshift cover. Covering your backside, and anything in front. Walk across the creaking wood floor to the dresser, open a drawer take out some clothes.
Shorts, a purple tank top, and hair band. Conner gets out of bed waiting a few minutes, walks over, you hand him his clothes so he can get dress. Turn around, push up on the balls of your feet, he grew, kiss his him once again on the cheek. Leave the room, go two doors down stop before the door that use to be Conner's old room, open it peep in a little. Look around, it was quiet...find still sleeping, curled up under their covers, a little tuff of their black hair stuck out, Joanna. Sleeping peacefully. She wasn't up, yet. For a two year old, you thought she would be. You again wondered if you and Conner could finish in a good time before she woke up, your hadn't cooled down yet. Just as soon as the thought came, it went away.
Joanna wiggled under the covers, woke up. Her small head popping out, long messy black hair everywhere looking like a shaggy doll it almost made it hard to see her big blue-greyish eyes, that searched around in worry for a moment, until she saw you. Smiled big, reaching out in your direction. Smiling to yourself, knowing what she wanted go to her, scooping her in your arms. Instantly she wraps her arms around you. Such a small toddler. Holding her walk out the room, down the hall and stairs to the first floor. There was a slight draft on this floor, a couple of broken things...it didn't look homey anymore...things worn and torn. Ripped... Conner wasn't in the kitchen, he went out for moment.
He'd be back soon, getting Joanna's handmade chair set her in, open the cabinet with the food take some things out, stop suddenly...a strange and familiar feeling swept over you, approaching. One you hadn't felt in so...long, freeze...look down at your trembling hands...not in fear but...how could this be...they where actually...tears slowly rose, with joy, while your heart ached inside. They where actually...they where...
Choking up a little, Joanna smacking the counter brought you back, you turn around to her sitting there waiting irritability. She was hungry, picking up a can of diced peaches, find a can opener open it.
"Alright," you get a spoon fill it up with some peaches, hold it out before, "open up."
She does as she was told, eating the food, spoonful after spoonful, with each spoon she was fed someone familiar faces arrived just as Conner outside finished a call.
First chapter of Justice League Dark
