AN) Uhmmm…hey! Sorry *dodges rotten tomatoes* for the radio silence. I've been super busy with Fall Play, school and basketball. Happy Thanksgiving! My family dinner is on Sunday. I wrote this between studying for a Biology exam, any study tips?
Bart stood nervously outside the door. He had slipped away from the movie his friends had started, he really wanted to talk to Kaldur.
Pulling in a deep breath he tapped on the door, wincing as the sound was louder than he wanted it to be. The door cracked open, Kaldur's tired face looking out at him.
"Yes Bart, what can we do for you?" He sounded like he was four seconds away from falling asleep, or maybe bursting into tears—possibly both.
"I…I wanted to talk with you guys…if that's okay."
Kaldur smiled sadly, "while we would normally rejoice to have your company we are in a meeting. Can this wait for another time?"
"No!" He shouted, Kal looking rather startled.
"Is there something wrong?"
He was wringing his hands nervously, not exactly sure on how the older kids would react. "I want…to talk about Richard Grayson?"
Kaldur's eyes went as wide as Bart's appetite was big. A hand jutted out, snaking around his pale wrist and yanking him into the room.
"Kaldur, what's h—"
"He knows about Guppy." Kaldur spoke, his voice cracking on his last word. Wally stared at him, his face slowly breaking into joy.
"He's from the future…why didn't we think oh that before!" Wally grabbed his shoulders. "Do I get him back? Is he safe? Did he get to be Cap for Halloween? Bart, please tell if my brother comes home!"
He blinked, Wally had tears building his emerald eyes. Bart wasn't sure what to say…because none of that happened. How could he say Richard was rescued…but had to be kept in a mental facility…because he refused to accept that he wasn't a villain? That he had nearly killed himself three times before he was kidnapped again?
"Hang on." Artemis stepped forward. "As much as I want to find him, aren't we not allowed to know about the future?" She spared a glance at Nightwing.
"Does it look like I care anymore?" Bart was shocked. "Spill it Allen."
He glanced around at anxious faces—now or never. "He's awesome!" Words began to bubble over. "A legend! It took 50 guys to take him down! 50! And he doesn't even have powers!"
He began to rant about the amazing and awe inspiring feats Grayson had accomplished. The team looked happy. Their brother ended up the hero…it had been all he had wanted as a child.
"Did we get him?" Megan asked, going to cry if they did—or didn't.
Bart's face fell flat. "Well yeah." There were shouts of joy and hugs thrown on him and on one another. Wally had picked his fully off his feet awkwardly pinning Bart's eyes to his sides, swinging him around. Wally began to jump, shouting at super-speed. Bart had to tell them—he couldn't lie to them. But was he lying exactly? They hadn't asked exactly…but… "But hehadtogotoamentalhospital." Whoop there it is.
He spat the words out like venom.
Wally looked at him nervously. "What'd you mean, he had to go to a mental hospital?"
"Don't quote me on this!" Bart held up his hands in a 'don't shoot' position. "It's just what I heard…I never met him—jeeze what I'd give to meet him—anyway, I heard he was a little…messed up in the head when you got him."
Disappointed faces met him, and Bart immediately felt like it would have been a million times better not to say anything.
"That's…that's to be expected." Kaldur bowed his head slightly. "He is being held by Slade after all."
"Do you know where Slade might be?" Red Bat pressed.
"I don't. All I know's from the stories." Bart smiled sadly, he wished he had more. He watched as Megan crumbled, Artemis rubbing her shoulder—Conner crossed his arms, trying to keep from seeming too emotional. He couldn't get a read on the Bats—as usual—but the air around them seemed disappointed. Kaldur was quickly brushing the skin beneath his eyes, Wally letting the tears run freely down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, I wish I co—"
"Bart, you've done all you can." Megan mustered up a weak smile. "Thank you for telling us that he was happy for a while, that's all we wanted him to be—happy." A gentle kiss was planted on his forehead. "Why don't you go play with the other kids?"
He nodded, sliding out awkwardly. Hands stuffed in his pockets—he wanted to ask so many questions. What was Grayson like? Was he a comedian? Did he like sports, or music or both? Bart wanted to know what Grayson was like so if they met—no, when they met, they could be best friends.
What would it be like to be friends with Richard Grayson? Bart wanted to be his friend, his best friend. He wanted to just laugh with him, to run around on the beach, to go to the midnight previews of their favorite movies, just to do what he did with the guys—but with Richard fricken Grayson! He had daydreamed about stopping villains and freeing Earth with Grayson…wouldn't just be crash?!
"Bart! Where'd you go?" Jaime bent his head over the edge of the couch, the others briefly turning their attention from Now You See Me to hear his response.
"Just had to run to the bathroom."
"You were gone pretty long."
"I stopped for a snack." He shrugged, flopping down across his friend's laps. His head resting on Jaime's, his back on Cassie and his feet on La'gaan. There was a light thumb on his chest, glancing up there was no a green cat resting on him.
"Course you didn't bring us any." The cat purred.
"So sue me." He teased. "So fill me in—why are the cops chasing themselves?"
So the team talked over each other, trying to explain the already confusing movie—they hardly knew what was going on themselves and theories were being thrown around. Bart chimed in with his two cents—forgetting about Grayson for the moment.
Breakline
A stack of papers was clutching in his hand, the sun blaring down on his back. He had been on the corner since he had left work, his car parked on the curb. The number of papers he held slightly less than he had started with, but not by much.
"Excuse me sir," he stepped towards the blading suit wearer with a flier outstretched, "have you seen this boy?" The man shook his head, not really looking at him. "Sir, please—he's been lost for five years…" But Hal got ignored…again.
He sighed, this had been his routine after work for years. He would go all over the city, hoping someone had heard or seen something. Hal wanted to do everything he could to find Dickie. Except get the police involved. How could he explain that?
"Yes hello officer my son…well the kid I was going to adopt has been kidnapped by the mercenary who trained him and abused him for three years and I need your help to find him. Yes…oh how did I find him? Well when the Justice League and I busted the mercenary and the kid was there. Yes, the Justice League…I'm Green Lantern…duh."
That conversation was one he'd like never to happen.
A loud trill echoed from his pocket, Hal looking down quickly. He snaked a hand into his pocket, bringing his phone up to his ear.
"Hal, have you gotten the cake yet?"
He paused, not sure why his wife would think he would be getting a cake.
"What cake?" There was a stiff silence, Hal could hear voices and running footsteps in the background. "Carol where are you? It sounds like a party." He laughed slightly.
"Harold Isaac Jordan, do you know what day it is?"
"June 14th?" He asked. A pit in his stomach opened as he realized the importance of the date. "Carol I am so sorry, I'm running to the bakery right now."
"No need, I sent Stacey half an hour ago." She sounded so mad, Hal knew he deserved it.
"I'm sorry—"
"You don't need to apologize to me. Christi's crushed."
"How's she handling it?"
"Playing with the Evans boys. But she's wants her dad. Get. Here. Soon."
"I'll be there in ten. I promise."
He turned the keys quickly, flooring the gas. What kind of a father forgot his daughter's seventh birthday?
Breakline
He closed the door quietly, smiling at the neighbors and parents of Christi's classmates. He received a few judgmental looks, which he deserved. Hal made his way to the kitchen, knowing Carol would be in there.
"Hal Jordan," her smile was bitter, venom laced in her eyes, "so glad you could finally make it to your daughter's birthday party."
He looked sheepishly, leaning in to kiss her forehead. Carol stepped away, picking up a platter of cupcakes. "Carol, I—"
"What was it this time? Traffic? Pokémon?" Those were terrible excuses. "Hal," she sighed at his silence, "don't tell me you were looking again."
"Sorry." He blushed. "I ju—"
"No." Carol glared. "We're cutting the cake, grab the knife and get out there."
He heard his wife calling everyone to the dining room, shrieking laughter of little children as he stood next to her. Christi led the charge, her long hair pulled into a ballerina bun, her favorite pair of overalls and county fair shirt making and appearance. Hal smiled as she hugged him, wrapping his arms around her.
"Daddy you came." She smiled.
"Of course I did Princess." He kissed her forehead.
"Get ready to blow out the candles sweetie." Carol pulled out a chair near the My Little Pony cake.
He sang along, the guilt in his chest diminishing as he watching his little princess blow out her candles.
Breakline
There had been an icy tension between the two ever since the party. Carol hadn't spoken a word to him as they cleaned up the cups and wrapping paper. Hal knew he deserved her anger, but he really didn't like the silent treatment.
He glanced over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs to tuck his baby girl in. Carol was running the vacuum, getting all the crumbs swept up. He passed the permanently closed door that was Dickie's room.
He smiled at the light purple walls that greeted him, Christi was already in bed, reading a book.
"Hey princess." He sat beside her, Christi looking up.
"Daddy, why were you late to my party?" Hal opened his mouth to say something, but no words could explain. "You didn't forget, did you?" Christi looked so sad, Hal wanted to die. He let her down again.
"Of course not, Daddy just got a little…sidetracked."
She looked into his soul with his eyes, her mother's air framing her face. "Were you looking for my brother?"
"Yeah…yeah I was." He gently patted her knee. Christi looked away from him.
"He's not really my brother." She whispered.
Hal nodded, "yeah, but when we find him he will be." He gently brushed her hair off her face. "I love you birthday girl—get some sleep."
Hal slowly shut the door, jumping as a hand rested on his shoulder.
"How long have you been there?" He asked, knowing the answer was 'long enough'.
"Hal, I know you love him. I love him too, but you need to stop."
"Stop what?" A pit of anger rose inside him. "Looking for a kidnapped child? Trying to save him from abuse?" The League told him to stop, to calm down—they had betrayed him. Even Kyle and Guy and John, but never Carol…she couldn't turn now. Not now. "Try to stop finding my son?" His voice was nearly a scream.
"Stop living in the past and look at what you have!" She shouted back. "You forgot your own daughter's birthday party while you were trying to find that boy! He's not your son Hal, he's not. You need to look at Christi, she wants a father—you're so worried about being a father to that boy your forgetting that you have a daughter!"
Hal blinked. That couldn't be true…he wasn't…he couldn't be…
"Mommy?" Christi was at her door. A bad idea to fight outside it. "What's wrong?"
Carol wiped the angry look from her face, smiling sweetly. "Nothing's wrong sweetie, Daddy just needs to sort out some priorities. Go back to sleep, nothing's wrong."
Christi looked uncertain, but listened and shut her door. The angry look was back on Carol's face. "Figure out which child you're going to love Harold, because it apparently can't be both."
AN) Carol be mad, you better run Hal. Anyway, please review. I would like some ideas please? Thanks…I'm so thankful for you guys! Peace out Girl Scouts!