Strengthening Bonds
"What is it you so desperately needed to share with me Ms. Waller?" Lex asked suspiciously.
"We found an interesting piece of technology you might be interested in." she told him, gaining access to a high entry-level room. Once inside she held up a digital chip for him to see.
"What is it?" he wondered.
"What you're looking at Mr. Luthor, is the remains of none other than Brainiac. If we can reactivate the power inside, taking down the Justice League will be effortless." She smiled and handed the chip to him, "I was hoping you would have some idea as to how we could access the information."
Lex looked the chip over skeptically. This tiny chip was supposed to destroy the Justice League? They had a better chance of turning Starlight rogue and using her as the weapon. She showed no fear against Superman. What's more, her apparent anger could possibly be channeled as a way to take down each member, "I'll take it home. See what I can find." he didn't bother to ask for her permission. According to Lex, he was the only competent person on the face of the planet.
Chelsea took a seat in the cafeteria with her tray of food. She was sitting alone at a round table, staring down her food, contemplating if she was even hungry. She got lost in her nothing thoughts. So much so she didn't hear someone approach her, "This seat taken?"
She looked up to see someone she never would have expected: Wally.
"It's always been reserved for you if you're willing to believe it." She told him with eyebrows raised.
He sat down and looked her over, "I voted for you, you know." he told her after a moment of silence.
She smiled at him weakly, "I know Wal." She rested her chin in the palm of her hand, "I appreciate it."
He shook his head and started gnawing on his fourth cheeseburger. He spoke with his mouth full, "It's no big deal. Supes just had his red undies in a wad. He'll get over it."
"Maybe." Chelsea shrugged, "If he doesn't… honestly, I'm not too sure that I care."
"You don't mean that." he said skeptically, licking his fingertips.
She pursed her lips and gave him a hard look, "On a better topic… why haven't we spent time together yet?"
He looked at her surprised, "Uh-" He paused, unable to come up with a good excuse, "Well, we never planned anything."
"I didn't know your cell phone was broken." she told him.
"It's not." he replied.
"Oh, so it does work then?" she asked with sarcasm.
"Ha ha, very funny." he retorted dryly, "I dunno, Chels." he told her, "I know you're busy. What with graduating soon, your job and… your relationship."
Chelsea frowned, "I've never been too busy for you Wally."
He mirrored her expression, "You're making me feel like a real jerk here Chels."
"We've needed to have this discussion. You're my best friend Wally. I-" she was cut off by the crackling of the sound system.
"All original league members need to report to the head meeting room at once." J'onn announced.
The corner of Chelsea's lip arched.
Wally quickly stood up, "You coming?" he thought it over, "Right…" he sighed, "Look… I promise we'll have this talk later okay?"
She took a deep breath out of her nose once he disappeared. Pushing her tray away she rested her head on the table and tried to contain her irritation. Soon after, she could be found in one of the training rooms swinging her fists violently at a punching bag. She was doing her best to filter her emotions into something productive.
"Rough day?" asked Ollie.
She stopped the bag from swinging back at her and looked at him. She enjoyed Ollie's company. He was a good guy; a more refined newly added member. This guy knew his way around a bow and arrow. She had the utmost respect for him, "You have no idea, Robin Hood."
"Try me?" he asked, leaning against the wall, "Let me guess…" he held up his index finger, "your suspension from the roped off room kept you from knowing the low down of that announcement earlier."
She shook her head, "I just can't believe it hasn't been resolved yet."
"Well, at least you still have enough respect for yourself not to grovel." he shrugged.
Chelsea watched through the room window as a woman she didn't know very well walked through the hallway. What was her name? Huntress? She was rumored not to be affiliated with the league. She also heard she had been having long Q and A sessions with The Question. She looked mystified as she marched through the hallway.
Chelsea's face scrunched with concern, "She looks distressed…" she went out into the hallway.
When Huntress caught sight of her, she walked right up to Chelsea and backed her into a wall. Slamming her fist in aggression beside her head, her nostrils flared. "Where's the head leaguers? We have a problem. Question is missing and I cannot get a lock on him. I've asked for back-up. No one answers." Huntress explained.
Chelsea looked back and forth between her eyes. Giving herself some space to breathe, she noticed Green Arrow peek out of the room with a concerned expression. Chelsea made a gesture with her hand to put him at ease, "Huntress," Chelsea said, "they must still be in a meeting. I no longer have access to such information." She could see the worry on the woman's face behind her mask. Something was really wrong, "But you know what? I'm going to help you find him. I swear it. What exactly happened?"
"I don't know. He was doing some research on his computer… there was some encrypted information about Lex Luthor and Superman… something about an alternate dimension. I don't know!" she rubbed her forehead, "I have a bad feeling he went to confront Luthor about it and just disappeared."
Chelsea locked her jaw, "Green Arrow,"
"Yes?" he asked.
"Gather up a team. We're rescuing our team member. We'll rip LexCorp apart if we have to." she told him.
"What about all of the trouble you got in last time you tried to put a stain on the league's reputation?" Ollie wondered.
Chelsea took a deep breath, "I may not have agreed with Superman's actions… but I never said Luthor was an innocent man. He gave me a look that day. Like a man who was ready to devour his own kind if it meant gaining immortality." She gave Huntress a nod, "Head to the teleporter. Green Arrow, myself, and a couple of others will be right behind you to assist in finding The Question."
Huntress gave the girl a look of respect, "Thank you." she said genuinely, before running down the hallway toward the transportation room.
As Chelsea was gathering up a team of Black Canary and Supergirl, she heard Huntress in her earpiece, "The Martian Manhunter's temporary understudy isn't granting access to the teleporter who don't have assigned missions."
Chelsea laughed dryly, "Typical. Alright, reroute to the landing bay. I've got a back-up plan."
"Shouldn't only original members be allowed in landing bay 1?" asked Supergirl as they stood outside the door. Chelsea placed her hand on the scan screen and paused, hoping she wouldn't be denied.
"Identity: Starlight. Access granted." the computer chimed.
Chelsea smirked, "They haven't updated all of the hardware to my suspension. Unlucky for them."
Huntress appeared shortly after and entered with the other recruits. Inside was a small collection of spacecrafts. Each original member had one. Chelsea stood beside her old craft and paused. She turned back to face them all, "This mission could be dangerous. It could also get each and every one of you in a lot of trouble. You could be suspended, possibly indefinitely for doing this. As the leader, I feel it is my responsibility to inform you of the risks you are currently taking. If anyone wants to back out, you may leave. No one will judge you for wanting to protect your future with the Justice League, but if you're like me, and you're will to take such a risk for the good of one of your teammates, then come with me… and let's bring him home."
Everyone glanced at one another, but didn't move from their post. They knew that The Question's only hope of survival was this covert group.
"Anyone care to guess why Cadmus needs so much armed guard?" asked Supergirl, as she inspected the inside of the building with her x-ray vision.
"Guess we're about to find out," replied Chelsea into her transmitter, "Green Arrow, Black Canary, how's it going down there?"
"We're almost in," Ollie told her. They were traversing through the ventilation shafts. Pausing over an air vent, Canary grew impatient and kicked it out of the frame, dropping into a hallway, "You've never been one for subtlety have you?" joked Green Arrow falling down beside her.
"The longer we mess around the more risks we take with The Question's life. Where are you Huntress?" asked Black Canary.
"I'm on the top floor." She said, coming around a corner and being spotted, "And I've got company."
Chelsea grabbed her ear, "Supergirl, it's our turn." Each girl took the front and back half of the building. Taking a more direct approach to get inside, they punched their way in and started covering the many hallways the building had inside. Once security caught on to the ambush they were coming out of the woodwork to stop the intruders, but to no avail.
Huntress entered a new room for about the sixtieth time before she found The Question shackled to a chair where his brain had been picked. He had gone through a number of painful torture routines. From shock treatment, to bruising and bleeding. Huntress started quickly taking him out of the chair, "I have located Question. He is severely beaten. I'm in room 503. Requesting assistance." She pulled the man onto his feet and started to carry him out of the room.
"Supergirl get to Huntress' aid." Chelsea instructed.
"I'm almost there." she replied, speeding up.
That's when Chelsea heard an unsuspecting voice, "Chelsea, where are you?" it was J'onn.
Chelsea swallowed. He used her name, "I'm out." she said simply, throwing a guard into a wall and flipping another with her legs.
"We need back-up. Something terrible has happened." he told her.
Chelsea flew through another hallway, "It's going to have to wait. The Question was captured. I'm on a rescue mission. I have my suspicions that Amanda Waller and Lex Luthor are in fact working together. Standby for further information. I'll join you as soon as I-"
"Chelsea," said another voice. Chelsea froze and landed. It was Shayera's voice.
"Shayera, what are you-?" she started to ask.
"There's no time to explain. We need you. Right now. Metropolis… Luthor is-" she didn't finish her sentence.
Chelsea swallowed, "Team, status report now."
"They don't want us to leave with Question." Ollie told her. Him and Black Canary had regrouped with Supergirl and Huntress and were trying to escape.
Chelsea took a deep breath, making a decision, "Where are you located? I'll help."
"The sixth floor," he said.
Chelsea was on the fifth. Not wasting time she blasted a hole in the ceiling above and quickly appeared in the sixth floor. She was with the others in no time, "I called the space craft. It should be outside." she informed them. She used her light bolts to blast a large hole into the side of the building. Just outside the ship stayed suspended in air, "Everyone get out of here. I'll hold them off." They followed orders as Chelsea fought quickly to hold back to the security guards. They hesitated to leave without her, but Chelsea waved them off. Once they flew away Chelsea flew out of the hole and started for Metropolis, "Chelsea to Shayera, what is going on?" No reply, "Dammit!" she scoffed, increasing her speed.
When she arrived in Metropolis, there was destruction everywhere. She saw bright beams of light shooting out near the group. A giant pile of rubble surrounded a crater in the ground. She watched as a streak of light blew passed a tall figure, smashing into it, and kept going. It happened a couple of times, before the streak paused. It was Wally. Static seemed to be coursing through his body. All at once he disappeared, "Wally?" she mouthed. Had he gone too fast? The figure he had been pulverizing was none other than Luthor himself. Where was everyone else?
Chelsea gained momentum as she came hurling herself as fast as she could. She had done well increasing her speed, being close to Wally and training with him like she had in the past, "Bring him back," she thought, "he can't be gone! I won't allow it!" in a flash of light she disappeared, "Please, don't be gone. I'm here! I'm right here!" Lex watched from a far, as the other league members started to resurface from the debris. They had seen Chelsea and Wally disappear. Bruce felt his heart sink. In a single instant, as if out of no where Chelsea came flying out of a portal with Flash in her arms. She moved so quickly she smacked the ground hard and rolled a couple times. The impact caused her to lose grip on Wally. It took her a moment to regain her balance. Crawling over to Wally she started shaking his shoulder, "Wally… Wally can you hear me?" she whined. She put her head to his chest. Her eyes widened. Tears cascaded down her cheeks, "No… no… no…" she sobbed, "You never gave me a chance… to tell you how much I've been missing you. I miss you so much Wally West. Please… please don't be gone…"
Rain started to fall on them. She stared down at his lifeless body, and immediately her expression turned sour. Her eyes glowed, disintegrating the tears that were falling. She stood up and faced Lex Luthor. He had a new armored suit on, but much of it had been cracked and pulled away. Flash had done quite a bit of damage to him. In a heartbeat Chelsea was in front of him, she held him up off of the ground with her telekinesis, strangling him.
"Chelsea, don't!" yelled Superman.
"This is just what he wants! If you kill him, you'll set in motion a very dark future." Shayera explained.
Chelsea's eyes never stopped glowing, "I want to kill you." she told him, "Remember, for the rest of your days this feeling Luthor. Remember that I held your life in my hands. Remember my face. And most importantly, remember that the Justice League saved your life. That they're the reason you still have a pulse, because nothing would satisfy me more than to end it right here and now." She threw him back hard against a piece of the debris. Her cold eyes stared him down.
"He's waking up," Wonder Woman informed. She was kneeling beside the Flash, who had slowly started to sit up.
Chelsea turned around to watch him sit up. She flew over and landed, kneeling in front of him, "Wally?"
He looked up at her and tried to smile, "You saved me back there… just like old times huh?" he joked.
She locked her arms around him tight. She started crying so heavily. A wave of relief had washed over her body. She was trembling.
"I've missed you too." he confirmed, letting her know he had heard her words. He held onto her, rubbing her back, "I'm okay, I promise. Please don't cry."
"Glad to see nothing has changed in my absence." joked Shayera.
Chelsea looked up to see the others gathering around. She pulled herself away from Wally and helped him to his feet, "I won't be going that fast again…" said Wally.
Chelsea turned to Shayera and hugged her. It had been so long since she had seen her. She was no longer wearing her mask, "I'm so glad you're back Shayera."
Shayera smiled and embraced her friend, "It's been a long time."
Chelsea frowned, "Unfortunately, a lot more has changed than meets the eye."
A couple of days passed. Things quieted down a bit after Luthor was taken in for questioning. Amanda Waller had openly spoke of her guilt in the charade. Somehow with all of his money and power, Lex walked away with a slap on the wrist, but his presidential campaign was stripped from him, for now.
Chelsea walked down the narrow hallway to the room that she was banished from. Superman had called a meeting and requested her audience. When she entered, it felt just like old times, with the way Shayera now sat the table with the rest of them. Chelsea swallowed and took a seat between The Flash and Batman, as she always did.
"Chelsea," Superman started. He stood up from his chair, "The day Brainiac and Luthor attacked, the landing bay log says you took an aircraft out for a rogue mission."
"The Question was in-" she started to protest.
"You took a renegade team and broke into Cadmus without any clarification to do so." Superman continued.
"I was doing my-" she continued to try to speak.
"You were instructed to come help us with Luthor, but were late because of personal matters." Superman said.
"Personal matters?! Are you kidding me right now?" barked Chelsea.
"You threatened Lex Luthor's life. Explain yourself." He told her.
Chelsea couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Look, one of my teammates had been captured. God knows what Amanda and her cronies were doing to poor Question. I did what any of you would have done. I stuck my neck out there, put my job on the line and brought him home. No one was severely injured." She stood up now, "If I had been informed of the situation immediately regarding Luthor, I would have been there, but due to my suspension, I was left uninformed. When I got there, he had apparently killed my best friend. I was angry."
"That's no excuse to threaten someone's life." Superman told her.
"A threat and a promise are two different things. I didn't actually kill him. I left him with something to think about. Perhaps I let my heart sway my hand, but I also allowed my mind to intervene and stop myself from destroying him. Self-control is something you preach more than anyone Superman! You could snap any one of us with the ease of a toothpick. That in itself is a threat, but you do not follow through with it. I did what I had to." she slammed her fist on the table, "Now dammit, stop seeking me out personally and analyzing how I do my job! I work really hard. I saved The Question, I saved The Flash. And to some degree, I even saved Lex Luthor, because from what The Question found out in his research, in a mirror dimension, it was you that was supposed to destroy Luthor after Flash died. Applying that logic, I'd say I saved your sorry ass too."
Superman stared her down stone faced for a moment. A smile slowly formed as he took a seat, "You're right." Chelsea gave him a strange look, "You're absolutely right, Chelsea." she hadn't heard him say her name in a long time, "I brought you in here, to tell you… I think you did a great job." he laced his fingers together, "You stepped up and assembled a team to rescue one of our own. You followed your heart. You had a steady enough hand to know taking Lex Luthor's life was wrong. I wanted to tell you that we're all very proud of you."
Chelsea glanced at each one of them. They were all grinning at her, "Well that was a dirty trick." she told them.
"Consider your suspension cleared." Superman said, "I owe you an apology as well. I over-reacted before. I apologize. I'm glad you had the courage to tell me when I, myself had gotten out of line."
"Don't worry, Clark." She told him, "I'm just glad to hear you calling me Chelsea again."
Chelsea stood dazed in the center of her apartment. Her eyes drifted about the room with a look of loss. All of her possessions had been packed up. It looked so empty in here now. Much like it did when she first moved in. She didn't expect to see it like this again so soon. So many memories.
"Well that's the last of it." Wally told her, coming up from behind her.
Chelsea turned to him, "Thank you for helping me pack. Everything all good with the moving truck?"
"Yup," he confirmed with a nod, "I'm so surprised you're moving… I know you love this place."
Chelsea walked up and hugged Wally. Her arms held him tightly, "I'm so glad you're here."
He returned her embrace and rested his head against the side of hers, "It feels like forever since I've been here."
She pulled away from him and looked about the empty room once more, "We spent a lot of Friday nights parked on the couch watching movies or playing video games on the floor in front of the TV." she smiled to herself.
He gave a light chuckle, "Yeah…" he looked kind of sad, "I always had the most fun when we were together."
She elbowed him, "You should come check out my new place some time." she winked playfully.
His smile returned, "I promise I will." He checked the time on his watch, "Is he coming to pick you up?"
"Should be. Pretty soon." she nodded, still staring at the empty room.
"Well, I've got to get up early tomorrow. I've got a 6 o'clock shift at the lab." he hugged her again, "See you soon, okay?"
"Be safe, Wally. Thanks again… for everything." she said, not watching him leave.
As he was on his way down the final flight of stairs of the building, he caught Bruce going up. He gave him a head bob and a smile, before continuing his descent.
"Wally," Bruce stopped him, their backs to each other. Bruce stood over him, a couple stairs above, "don't abandon her again."
"What?" Wally looked up at him.
"You broke the promise you made nearly a year ago. The one that said you would always be there for her, no matter what. I know she loves me, but I also know there's a special reserved place in her heart for you. Do not take that for granted." Bruce told him.
"I've always been there… just at a distance. It was too hard… too painful." Wally admitted, rubbing his head and casting his hand back into his ginger hair.
"You know," Bruce said, coming down a couple steps, so he was just one above him, "there was always a part of me that wanted her to pick you." Wally swallowed at those words, "I see it in your eyes. You would have given her the undivided attention she deserves. My time is spread so thin…" he turned away, almost ashamed he was admitting something like this aloud.
"Chelsea doesn't need your undivided attention, Ba…-Bruce." he corrected himself, "She just needs you. Whenever you can be there, she wants you. She doesn't care about how small the amount of time is… so long as it's with you." Wally said, lightly kicking at a stair.
"She deserves so much more than any of this…" Bruce sighed.
"She deserves all she's ever wanted," Wally nodded, "and that's you." He smiled at his teammate, "No need to be so modest Mister Wayne." Wally joked, "The ladies say you're quite the catch."
Bruce raised one of his dark eyebrows. A smirk arched his lip, "Let's hope they're right." Bruce started up the stairs listening to Wally's footsteps slowly disappear.
Chelsea leaned against the door frame, looking the place over one last time. This place meant so much to her. It felt like she was starting a whole new chapter in her life. She thought it was silly to be this upset over it. After all, not much was changing, but she was so comfortable here.
A pair of strong, impressive arms linked themselves around her waist. Her back was pulled against Bruce's front.
She smiled, "Hey you," she murmured.
"Alfred's waiting for us… are you ready?" he wondered, kissing the back of her head.
She rested her hand on top of his, "Yeah," she gave a single nod, "let's go home." He turned to leave. She started to follow, pausing momentarily with her fingers on the light switch. She gave the room one last look, and turned out the light.
Author's Notes: Another chapter in the books. I still have a few more ideas ahead. So stay tuned. ;) Also, I'm so glad Wally is returning as a main focus again. I missed him so bad. Thanks for reading~!
