Awake

Five weeks have passed since Shayera's rescue. John never spent any free time outside the Medical Bay, sitting by Shayera's bedside and praying that she will wake up. She has been in a coma since they revived her in the Gordanian Prison, never moving except when she's breathing. John ignored the others when they tried to push him to sleep in his own room. John only ever left to eat, refresh himself, or when he was on mission. Everytime he came back to Shayera's room, he resumed keeping guard and hoping that she will wake up soon.

He looked at her again, hoping that she will at least twitch her hand or something. Her stitches had been removed, Thanagarian physiology proving wonders again with her quick physical recovery. Scars however were left on the surface, reminding John the years of abuse Shayera suffered because of his refusal to believe her. He had been a brick wall when she pleaded with him to believe her, his heart recalling the time he did believe her and she helped an invasion on Earth and broke his heart. Was it a hidden desire to finally be rid of the reminder of his initial heartbreak that he decided not to believe her? The evidence was very damning after all but he should have given her the benefit of the doubt at least.

John sighed and stretched his back and arms, sitting next to Shayera's bedside for five hours already. He looked at her sleeping form and gently caressed her cheek with his hand. She didn't move and John again was reminded of why she was in this state. He sighed again and kept his hand on her cheek, his thumb gently stroking her face.

Shayera's rescue created a buzz throughout the Watchtower as heroes and heroines all came to see her. Carter had actually been by and solemnly swore to John that he will help him protect her if necessary. While John and Carter remained friends after the Shadow Thief fiasco, John felt guilty for feeling a little irritated that Carter had been one of the few heroes to have defended Shayera during the accusations while he so easily refused to believe Shayera. Question and Red Tornado had also defended Shayera, each one stating that they were perhaps being tricked. It was to be expected to have such a response from them though, as Question was a paranoid man with too many conspiracies in his head to be taken seriously to begin with and Red Tornado had been remote controlled by T.O. Morrow to fight against the League so he always gave everybody the benefit of doubt. They were easily dismissed and Carter as well because of his still-standing feelings for Shayera, to which also annoyed John to no end.

John gently traced Shayera's scars and sighed sadly when she didn't react. She slept on peacefully, possibly the first time she has slept well and warm since her imprisonment. John tried to stop his feelings from going haywire but it was no use. Shayera (during her time as Hawkgirl) had once told him that despite his stoicness, John was a really emotional man. His feelings were always on his sleeves and for a while, John had suspected that Shayera took advantage of it and used it against him and the others. He never actually asked though so his suspicions are just suspicions.

Batman walked into the room and John stood up to lean against the wall in order to let the Dark Knight perform his duties. He never left the room when Batman or any other doctor was performing tests on Shayera. Batman moved Shayera to her side in order to treat her wings to another injection. Her wings were slowly healing back to their full grey feathers, baby feathers forming already. John hoped though that Shayera would be able to use them. Despite J'onn's work on her nerves, J'onn made it clear that it was unclear if Shayera would even be able to use her limbs and wings. it truly frightened John as he remembers that Shayera's favorite pastime was to just fly with no real destination in mind. To have that taken away, then they may as well have cut off her wings while also taking away five years of her life.

Batman heard John sigh and turned to look at him staring outside the window in space. Batman recognized that look and knew he had to snap John out of his guilt. The others weren't faring well but they were at least better than John. Diana had kept a shrine of Apollo in her room, offering it wine and many other offerings if the patron god of healing will help Shayera. Superman spent many hours addressing the public in press meetings, informing the world of the injuries Shayera had sustained and that she would eventually recover. Her hospital room actually had many cards and gifts by well-wishers but the majority of the stuffed animals came from Wally, whose guilt was slowly consuming him. Batman sighed as he looked at one teddy with wings in particular and did his best to keep the guilt at bay. Feeling guilty will not help Shayera right now.

"She's in good hands, John," said Batman, "Go take a break."

John grunted and said, "If it were Diana would you?"

It wasn't a low blow but Batman still glared at John. His relationship with Diana had grown over the last year and Bruce had seen a more overprotective side of himself that he has never felt before. Diana was always by Wayne Manor now and she spent a good portion of her free time helping Bruce patrol Gotham. While they never went public with their relationship, most people of the League knew anyways. John continued staring at the stars and tried to not feel guilty at his jab at Bruce.

Bruce though ignored it and said, "Go get something to eat John. I don't want to force you to but I need to know that you are capable at the moment to take care of yourself before I have to medicate you."

John glared at Batman but understood what he was talking about. John sighed in defeat and left the room, intending to quickly eat his lunch and come back. Batman though watched as John left and waited a minute when J'onn phased into the room.

"You didn't tell him." said J'onn as he went to check on Shayera. Batman sighed and said, "He's already in a delicate mental state. Informing him that Shayera's reproductive system is damaged might push him. John knows about Rex and he believes that future is still achievable."

"I still don't understand why he would even be pushed. It is not him that it is really affected." said J'onn.

"Isn't he? Think about it. He told Shayera that he wasn't going to be Destiny's puppet. He was going to stay with Mari. He didn't want to get back together with her and now the chance to actually have that family is probably gone," explained Batman, "John will blame himself for everything that has happened."

"It is not his fault though." argued J'onn.

"I know it isn't," said Batman, "but he will refuse to listen to reason. He already refuses to listen to us."

J'onn knew that what Batman was saying is true. John was almost on the self-destructive path and this revelation might push him. He sighed as he looked at Shayera and wondered how she might still be affected by this or if she even knows.

Bruce meanwhile examined Shayera's temperature, knowing that the normal temperature for a Thanagarian was a few degrees hotter. He was still debating with himself about whether or not he should tell John, seeing as how it is Shayera's body and she wasn't even promised to John. As far as the two heroes were concerned, they were merely just friends who had a past. Still though, it did affect the future as it seemed very likely that Rex will no longer exist. How many lives did Rex save in the future? Who can say how many Rex did save, but Batman hoped that whatever happens to it will not change the course of the future.

J'onn meanwhile was again examining Shayera for any types of abnormalities. Her recovery was swift because of her Thanagarian blood which also meant that her nerves, arteries, and bones can heal irregularly. J'onn examined the x-rays that were taken of her earlier in the morning and found that Shayera was well on her way. It was a relief that they had managed to save her in time but who knows what kind of psychological trauma she must have suffered through. J'onn wished he was able to read her mind without harming her but he could only settle for being her friend and listen to her when she was ready to open up.

Batman left to perform other duties that were needed in the Metro-Tower while John came bursting back into the room. J'onn had made himself invisible to examine Lantern's behavior. He looked as though he ran the marathon and was quick to checking up on Shayera through his own diagnosis. J'onn watched as John used his ring to form alien technology that scanned Shayera and gave him diagnostics. It amazed J'onn the unending possibilities the ring possessed as he watched John then form a hammock and gently transferred Shayera onto it as he quickly changed her bedsheets and pillow case. When everything was in order, John again gently carried Shayera from the constructed hammock to the bed.

John gently caressed Shayera's face before he sat down in his seat, back to his guarding post. J'onn phased out of the room and decided that John needed to talk to someone. He read the Lantern's mind to read all the thoughts of guilt and prayers he had for Shayera and knew that this type of behavior will drive the Lantern mad. J'onn phased out of the room in order to speak to Batman about it and perhaps Superman.

John meanwhile was currently in the middle of another prayer when a small moan caught his attention. Surprised, John looked up from his hands and looked at Shayera. She was still and John was about to chalk it up to his imagination when attention when another moan escaped her lips, this time louder. John's heart was beating loudly in his chest as he got up from his seat and quickly moved to her side. He watched with bated breath as Shayera twitched her hands and moved her head to the side. He pressed into his comm-link and called out, "J'onn! Batman! She's waking up!"

He watched as Shayera opened her eyes wearily before they were fully open, her emerald eyes gleaming in the light. John never thought his breath would have been taken away at the sight of her emerald eyes until now. The joy, the overwhelming happiness, was short lived when Shayera began to hyperventilate and screamed.

Hey readers, I needed this chapter up because it was bugging me. How did you like the conversation J'onn had with Batman? Is Batman right? I promise the next chapter will be longer but I'm still working on Commissioner Hol.