A/N: Post Wild Cards and Pre-Starcrossed.

"Isn't the saying good things come to those who wait?" Shayera asked the Green Lantern, who was impatiently pacing back and forth of the rooftop they were on. "And you were the one telling me an hour ago that I needed to be patient. How does that other saying go? Who's the pot calling the kettle black?"

John turned to her with an unamused look on his face, "Smart-ass."

Shayera smirked and gave him a sly look, "I remember you liking my ass."

John rolled his eyes as a smirk of his own appeared on his face, "You're insufferable sometimes."

"Perhaps but another thing you like about me," she continued to smirk.

John couldn't help but chuckle in response, "True but this is taking forever. Why can't the bad guys just make their move already?"

Currently the Justice League was on a mission to protect a nuclear warhead stationed at the Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois. The base was prepping the warhead for transport. Batman had gotten a tip from, what he claimed was, a reliable source that the Secret Society was targeting the warhead so that they could sell it on the black market. Though so far the night had been quiet and there was not one trace of any super villains in the area.

"Simple," Shayera stretched, "they want us to suffer. They can't be that stupid not to expect the Justice League here."

"Green Lantern, Hawkgirl report!" Batman's gruff voice suddenly came over their commlinks, causing them both to jump slightly.

"Damn him..." Shayera mumbled as she scowled.

"There's nothing on our end. You sure they're going to be here Batman?"

"My source is reliable. Grodd, Shade, Bizarro, Giganta, and Killer Frost are going to make their move tonight against the naval base."

"What you think they're going to just fly a warhead out of here without being spotted?" Shayera sarcastically responded.

"Keep your eyes and ears open. Batman out," Batman curtly responded.

"Good to know he's in a good mood," Shayera rolled her eyes.

John shrugged, "It's Batman. He sounded in a decent enough mood for him. I don't think I've ever heard a happy tone come from him before."

"Fair enough," Shayera replied.

The two waited in silence for a while before Shayera broke it.

"So...what are you doing after this?"

John looked over at her, "Nothing, why?"

Shayera averted her gaze, "No reason."

John raised an eyebrow, "Really? You got something planned don't you?"

"Maybe I do and maybe I don't," Shayera gave him a coy smile. "I mean we are in Illinois and that's not far from Michigan."

"You know you can come over whenever you want Shay. I told you that you don't have to ask me every time."

"Who said anything about coming over? We're closer to Midway City I think than Detroit."

John immediately looked at her in mild shock, "Wait a minute. Did you just ask me over your place and since when did you have a place?"

Shayera rolled her eyes and looked unamused, "Since I've been on Earth. Superman hooked me up in Midway City back then. I protect the city and they give me whatever I want in return. Honestly I haven't been then in the past two months. I think it's time I reminded the Midway City criminals that Hawkgirl still exists. You get to be my sidekick."

John indignantly scoffed at that. "Sidekick? If anything you-" John cut himself off as Shayera narrowed her eyes and cracked her knuckles.

"Come again?"

"Um I was just...never mind."

Shayera smirked, "That's what I thought."

The two continued to wait around for over an hour, idly talking back and further to pass the time. During this time Shayera had also moved closer to John and ended up leaning her body against his.

John sighed, "I wonder how much longer Batman is going to make us wait here."

Shayera frowned, "I do have to agree this is becoming ridiculous. We've been here for over three hours and nothing has happened. I swear if something doesn't blowup in the next five minutes I'm going to finally lose the last of my patience."

"Given you don't have a lot to begin with," John quipped. "I'm surprised you made it this long."

"Who's being the smart-ass now?"

"You've rubbed off on me I think. Though I think I'm rubbing off on you as well. You're certainly more docile compared to before."

"Docile? I feel slightly insulted," Shayera chuckled. "The only reason I've been this patient tonight is because I had company I enjoy to be around."

"So you do like me?" John smirked as Shayera leaned in closer to him.

"Stop being a smart-ass," Shayera leaned in even closer. Just as the two were about to kiss there was an explosion off in the distance. Shayera groaned as she then scowled, "Me and my big mouth."

"You wanted something to explode," John rhetorically reminded her as he took to the air. "Didn't you ever hear the saying be careful what you wish for?"

Shayera rolled her eyes as she followed after him, "Don't remind me."

"Can I remind you later that you owe me a kiss?"

"Perhaps if I still like you at the end of all of this."

The two then saw Bizarro streak past them with Superman close on his tail.

"Looks like Superman already has part of this covered," John observed as the two made it to the fight.

Batman was in the process of neutralizing Shade, Killer Frost was giving Wonder Woman some difficulty, and J'onn was making quick work of Giganta. Flash was literally running circles around Grodd though that only seemed to annoy the villainous primate.

"Why don't you help Diana?" Shayera suggested. "I can deal with the big monkey. Plus that way we can get out of here quicker."

"You must have a lot planned for tonight if you want to get out of here so bad," John smirked as he flew off to help the Amazonian princess.

Shayera likewise smirked as she descended to the ground. Within seconds Flash was knocked back and collided with Shayera. "Dammit Flash!" Shayera shoved him off of her and stood.

"What?" Flash rubbed the back of his head as he stood and pointed to Grodd. "It was his fault."

Shayera scowled and looked at Grodd. She began to rather threateningly stride towards him.

Grodd gave Shayera an incredulous look. "Honestly Hawkgirl a primitive being such as yourself has no way of taking me down. Your archaic thinking of violence can only merely pale in comparison to my superior intellect. The same with this speeding dullard."

Flash stood silently for a moment before frowning. "Hey!"

"Primitive being?" Shayera stopped in her tracks and placed her hands on her hips. "Coming from the giant monkey."

"Ape actually," Grodd said in a whimsical manner as a cocky smirk appeared on his face. "Taking over your mind will be easier than taking over the other simpleton."

Shayera rolled her eyes and unclipped her mace, "Yeah I don't think so." She began walking towards him yet again.

"Very well, the hard way it is," Grodd sinisterly chuckled as he began to unleash his telekinetic powers. After a few seconds he frowned, "Why aren't you stopping? I command for you to stop!"

"Looks like the big, smart monkey didn't do his homework," Shayera clubbed him over the head with her mace. "You can't control a Thanagarian's mind." Grodd fell unconscious to the ground as Shayera looked at the Flash. "Seriously you couldn't deal with him?"

"He was using his mind mumbo-jumbo powers," Flash pouted. "Not my fault I'm not an alien with a cool mind-shielding ability."

"Right," Shayera rolled her eyes.

Just then John, Diana, and J'onn flew to their position.

"And another round of super-powered freaks are down," Flash clapped his hands together. "Where's Supes and Bats?"

"Superman is taking Bizarro in himself. Batman is standing watch as we wait for ARGUS," J'onn replied.

"So we're done right? Free to leave?" Flash said in a hopeful tone. "Cause I got a date."

Shayera snickered, "Really? Who in their right mind would agree to that?"

Flash frowned. "It's Star Wars marathon night. It'll be my beautiful self, my Star Wars movies, and a mountain of popcorn. I doubt you have anything more exciting than that planned."

Shayera smirked, "Oh please Flash, terrorizing criminals will be the highlight of my night. Just make sure you don't eat like Jabba."

"Wait you know Star Wars?" Flash smiled. "Marathon night at the Watchtower!"

"Maybe next time," Shayera took to the air.

Flash zipped over to John and smiled. "Come on GL. You know you wanna watch Star Wars with me." Flash put his arm over John's shoulder. "Just imagine it now, you and me with a barrel of popcorn. Hey can't you use your ring to make us some lightsabers? That would be so cool. I'll have a green one just like Yoda!"

"Maybe next time hotshot," John as well took to the air to catch up to Shayera.

Flash sighed but then turned to Diana and J'onn, "My friends I am going to introduce you to the finest movie franchise in sci-fi history."

"Shayera!" John called out to her.

Shayera looked behind her and smirked, "About time you caught up Lantern."

"Flash wanted me to use my ring to make lightsabers. I think he wanted to have a lightsaber battle in the Watchtower."

Shayera chuckled, "Sounds like an idea the Flash would have. Though I give Flash only ten seconds against me."

"At least let the kid have a minute Shay."

"Maybe but I won't promise anything."

John shook his head in amusement, "So what exactly do you have planned?"

"I already said we're going to terrorize criminals tonight."

"You were being serious?" John asked in astonishment. "Our date night is going to be us going after petty criminals?"

"Yeah why?" Shayera tilted her head. "Sounds like a great night to me. We get to beat people up. What more could someone want?"

"Normally a date night doesn't consist of fighting Shayera. People have dinner together or watch a movie together. Is that how you do date nights on Thanagar?"

Shayera stayed silent for a moment as she looked as though she was thinking something over. "John we don't have date nights on Thanagar. So I honestly have no idea what's the proper etiquette for arranging a date night. I thought us fighting bad guys would be acceptable. It's something we have in common after all."

John sighed. This was the hardest part of dating an alien. While Shayera, for the most part, was pretty well adjusted to life on Earth she still didn't understand some basic, everyday concepts. Date nights apparently being one of them. Hell it had taken John some time to get Shayera to understand the concept of dating on Earth. John wasn't sure how dating worked on Thanagar, and Shayera wasn't offering any information willingly, but he could tell it was vastly different to what he was used to or had expected.

"Look Shay I didn't mean it in a bad way. It's just not what I was expecting for a date night. If you want to go after bad buys then we'll go after bad guys."

Shayera looked at him with a neutral expression. At least she didn't seem miffed or aggravated with him. "Alright we'll go after bad guys still."

John saw the small frown on Shayera's face. She never liked to make a fool of herself; no matter how small the issue. He lightly smirked and flew underneath her. Shayera wasn't expecting this and was a bit surprised at his action.

"John what are you-" Shayera was then cutoff by John kissing her.

John just as quickly broke the kiss and flew back to his original position next to her. "Remember I'm your sidekick."

Shayera smirked, "Damn straight you are. Though that reminds me."

John raised an eyebrow, "Remind you of what?"

"I owe you. You better not let me fall Lantern."

"Owe me? Fall?" John was beyond confused at this point. Honestly he sometimes wished Shayera could be straight forward instead of playing her little games.

Shayera wrapped one arm around John's neck before wrapping the other one around after she maneuvered herself under him. John immediately felt Shayera's weight begin to hang from his neck and he wrapped his arms around her body before she could begin to fall. Shayera then kissed him and held the kiss for quite some time before breaking it.

"I owed you that kiss from earlier," she kissed his cheek.

"And here I thought you might have forgotten," John kept his arms wrapped around her as he spun them around in midair so that he was underneath her once more.

Shayera smirked as she pushed off of him and began to fly on her own again, "As if Lantern."

John was a bit disappointed he didn't get to hold her anymore as they flew. Honestly he was hoping she would stay put in his arms. "You wouldn't mind if I ask you something would you?"

Shayera tilted her head as she looked at him, "What is it?"

"Do you ever get tired of flying?"

"Tired of flying?" Shayera looked at him as though he had grown three heads within the past ten seconds. "Thanagarians don't get tired of flying. That concept doesn't exist. It's almost as ridiculous as a Thanagarian who doesn't want to fly."

"So you would fly for hours on end even if it felt as though your wings would fall off?"

"Perhaps, I've never been pushed to that level of exhaustion before. I suppose if it came down to hours upon hours of flying I would have to admit defeat. Otherwise you would have to literally dislocate or break my wings to get me to stop flying."

John grimaced at the thought. None of the Justice League members really knew much about Thanagarian physiology besides from what John had picked up on by observing her. So having Shayera break a wing would probably be the worst case scenario in the event something were to happen. As it was Shayera normally had to talk J'onn through how to treat any mortal injuries she had ever received before. Thankfully it had only happened a handful of times over the past five years.

Shayera saw the look on his face. "Not that I would let that willingly happen John."

"I can only hope you wouldn't. I saw what happened when you dislocated your wing. I can only imagine what it has to feel like if you were to break it."

"It hurts and that's putting it extremely mildly."

"You've broken your wing before?"

Shayera shrugged as she looked forward. "Once back on Thanagar years ago. I can't even begin to describe the amount of pain I was in."

"Well you did cry like a baby when you dislocated your wing. Who would have thought that something could actually reduce the mighty Hawkgirl to tears," John smirked when he saw her begin to frown.

Shayera looked at him unamused, "You're hilarious. Remind me why I invited you again?"

"Because you like me."

"I don't know how or why at this point," Shayera smirked at him.

John and Shayera continued to fly exchanging banter between each other the entire way. Eventually they passed through Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan and were on the outskirts of Midway City.

"I didn't realize how close to Canada this place was. It's pretty much right on the border," John casually stated.

"I just don't like the cold weather. It gets way too cold for me in the winter. Doesn't get too hot in the summer, though I don't mind the heat as much as the cold."

"Sounds like you'd fair better down south. Though it gets way more humid down there than up here. Though you could go to Arizona or Nevada if you don't mind living in a desert."

"It wouldn't be much different from Thanagar in that aspect. We had dry seasons and humid seasons. We didn't have cold weather. That's probably why my body temperature is lower than a human's."

"Was Thanagar mostly desert then?"

"No, not entirely we had some like on Earth and some areas had a...um what do you call it on Earth? Um...a...rain forest. That's it. We have something similar to that. Though I guess it could be considered a jungle as well."

John just silently listened. Normally Shayera didn't like to talk about Thanagar. If it were ever brought up she kept her responses short and simple or manage to change the subject entirely. It wasn't like her to bring up her home-world on her own. John chalked it up to homesickness.

"I mean we had a lot of, I guess it would be considered, tropical weather for most of the year. At least Earth has beaches and pools if you humans wanted to cool down. If you wanted to cool off on Thanagar you had to go indoors."

"Do you miss Thanagar a lot?"

Shayera paused before she answered, "Sometimes but not as much now as I used to when I first got here. I'm sure you missed Earth when you first became a Green Lantern."

"Admittedly I did. It was a lot to get used to. Let alone getting used to being surrounded by aliens everyday. When I was a kid the only aliens I've ever saw were the ones in comic books. People used to think other people were crazy if they claimed they saw aliens. Now it's a regular thing."

"I'm sure when you were dating Katma you didn't think you would ever date an alien either."

"True, that was another thing I never expected. That and having an alien girlfriend with wings."

Shayera smirked, "John at this rate you might end up marrying an alien for all you know. Just for your sake you better hope it doesn't look like a Wookie."

John was about to quip that she didn't look like a dog with wings but decided against it. John figured Shayera was merely using her infamous sarcasm. He knew he couldn't seriously consider that Shayera was suggesting that they could end up married. Honestly John wasn't even sure if Shayera was the marrying-type.

He simply shrugged, "You never know. Maybe I will."

Shayera glanced at him and kept her face neutral. While John had thought she was being entirely sarcastic, she had been somewhat serious in her remark. Shayera was somewhat relieved that he thought she was only messing around when she made her statement though she was admittedly a bit disappointed as well that he hadn't taken her seriously at the same time.

The two flew in silence for about ten minutes before they were in the heart of Midway City. Shayera had landed on a rooftop and John followed suit right next to her.

"Now the fun starts," Shayera mischievously smiled as she looked down to the streets below. "Now let's see what idiot decides to do something."

"Just don't break anyone's bones Shayera."

"Now, now John you're the sidekick. I get decide whose bones I break or don't break. Normally it doesn't get to that point though. Petty criminals don't last that long in a fight normally."

The two then heard a scream. They looked over the rooftop to see two older teens carjacking a woman with metal baseball bats. Just as fast they jumped in the car and began to race away.

"Bingo, first victims," Shayera flew after the car as John followed her.

"Shouldn't I just stop them with my ring?"

"Oh no John I want to have some fun with this one," Shayera descended to the road, in the path of the speeding car. She placed her hands on her hips and made no indication that she was going to move.

"Hawkgirl!" John exclaimed as the car came to a screeching halt in front of her. John readied his ring as the two teens jumped out of the car. To his surprise they immediately threw their bats to the ground and held their arms in the arm to surrender. He saw Shayera narrow her eyes and point to a nearby curb. The two teens quickly complied and scurried over to sit on the curb.

"Um...that just happened," John stated as he landed next to Shayera.

Shayera on the other hand began to march towards the two teens who were cowering next to each other when they saw she was approaching them.

"What did I tell you two idiots last time I saw you!?" She yelled at them.

John flinched at her tone. She certainly could be quite ferocious when she wanted to be.

"Well!?"

"Um...to cut out the shit and get our act straight," the one teen blurted out.

"And?"

"To get back in school and do something with our lives," the other teen this time answered.

"You two can do more with your lives than just steal cars. I don't know why you two don't. It's not like you're stupid. You're both smart kids." John looked at her. Her tone was now sounding more like a disappointed parent than a hero threatening two criminals with bodily harm. "But what I said last time still stands. You two both need to get your lives in order. Now if you as so much as move a centimeter you'll regret it. When the police come you better not resist arrest or else I'll come back and I'll make sure you both go to the police station in full body casts."

"Yes Hawkgirl, sorry Hawkgirl," the two teens muttered.

Shayera took to the air and John quickly followed her. "You certainly have an iron grip on crime in this city if that's how all the criminals react to you showing up."

Shayera waved him off. "No those two are the only ones. They're not dumb kids. They learned after the first time to not to try to fight me. They started hanging with the wrong crowd in high school. Believe it or not they're both honor students or at least they were."

"You know them that well?"

"Not really, just that I've run into them plenty of times. I used to let them go on petty stuff. They'd get caught shoplifting and I'd drag them home to their parents' houses instead of the police station. The fact they're now carjacking people means they're getting worse. I probably shouldn't have gone easy on them so much in the beginning."

John smirked, "Shay you know them pretty well then."

"Maybe I do after all. Though I know most of the troubled kids in this city. You know how Metropolis makes Superman talk with kids, the city has me try to scare straight the troubled kids in their schools from time to time."

"You actually do presentations for schools?" John sounded amused at the thought.

Shayera gave him an indignant look. "Hey they give me a luxurious penthouse and whatever I want for free. I'll do whatever they want me to for this city in return. I keep crime down and I scare their troubled youth out of becoming lifetime criminals potentially. In the end it's a win-win both ways."

"I never would have figured you as the type to even tolerate kids to the point you would talk with them."

"Kids aren't that bad John. Sure some can be annoying but others are really good. Besides when I have kids I'm not going to let them do whatever they want like some parents, though you can't be a dictator either."

"Yeah when you have...wait..." John looked at Shayera in shock. That was honestly the last thing he thought he would hear out of her mouth. "You out of all people want to have kids." He then choked back a laugh.

"Yeah why not?" Shayera glared at him.

"Just...it's not something I thought you would want. No offense Shayera but you just don't seem the parental type."

"Just because I'm a Thanagarian warrior doesn't means I can't want to have kids eventually. And don't you ever dare repeat that in front of anyone or else."

"Relax Shay I won't."

"Besides I'd have to find someone tolerant enough to even want to marry me or be with me long enough for that to even happen."

"You're not that intolerable," John nudged her. "Just somewhat."

Shayera smirked, "Please you're the only one that has tolerated me for this long."

Before John could reply they heard tires screeching and the sounds of multiple police sirens below them. Sure enough a high speed chase was occurring.

"Excuse me," Shayera unclipped her mace and began to make a rapid descent towards the truck. John watched as Shayera swung her mace, taking out the back right tire of the truck, causing it to spin out.

The night continued like this for the next four hours. Shayera was the one mainly taking down the criminals before John even had a chance to react. Though John couldn't complain as they were throwing quips back and forth between each other the entire time.

Eventually they touched down on a rooftop and Shayera stretched as she yawned.

John sighed as he scratched the back of his head, "We done yet? It has to be at least one in the morning."

"That's why we came here," Shayera yawned again as she walked over to the roof door. She stretched before inputting a code on the security panel attached to the door. She then opened the door looked over her shoulder. "You coming in or what?"

John looked a bit surprised for a brief moment before he followed her in. His jaw dropped once he entered.

"This place is a complete pigsty Shayera," he chastised her.

"Pigsty?" She tilted her head as she removed her helmet. "I've never heard that expression."

He sighed, "It means a complete mess." He looked at the laundry that littered the floor as well as small pieces of trash. "Don't you do your own laundry and pick up after yourself?"

"Yes," she indignantly said before adding, "when I feel like it. Cleaning just isn't a priority for me. I do it when I feel like it."

This wasn't something John expected. He expected to find her place just as organized or even more so than his. He continued to look around the penthouse and took notice of the numerous books that littered her coffee table as well as floor. That was a hobby he didn't expect for her to have. "You enjoy reading?"

"Yes, does that matter?"

"No...just doesn't seem like something you'd enjoy. Seems a bit dull for you." He then looked at the digital time on the cable box, indicating it was past two in the morning and even later than he thought it was.

Shayera shrugged as she placed her helmet on top of the books on the coffee table, "Our lives are action packed enough, doing something mundane is a welcome change."

John looked at the books and judging by the titles he could tell a good portion of the genres that she read.

Shayera frowned and elbowed him in the side, "You done gawking at my book collection?"

John smirked, "You're just full of surprises. Romance novels and murder mysteries. While I get the appeal of the murder mysteries for a detective, the romance novels aren't something I pegged you as a fan of."

"Romance stories normally have a happy ending and there's plenty of suspense that goes into them as well as the story progresses," she replied as she entered her bedroom.

"Still I don't recall warriors enjoying romantic tales," he followed her. He was then taken aback when he saw her bedroom was spotless, unlike the disaster he walked into. "So you keep your bedroom clean but the rest of your place a mess. That hardly makes sense. You can be a strange person Shayera."

"Like you're one to talk mister I have to fold my socks," she retorted.

John wrapped an arm around her waist. "I have an idea on what we can do."

Shayera smirked at that, "Really? Do tell."

"We're cleaning this place up first thing tomorrow morning," he kissed her cheek and let go of her as she let out a defeated groan.