A Brand New Light

Chapter 2: A Brand New House

Miss Martian floated into the living room where she felt the negative vibes coming from. She Saw Hal tossing and turning in his sleep in a night terror. Forgetting human morals for a moment she entered his mind. She gasped at what she saw, and the cruel cackle chilled her to her bones. She would have to talk to someone about this, but for now she rearranged the mindscape so he would have a sweet dream. The black haired woman faded away and she caught a flash of blond hair and sparkling blue eyes. That confused her but she was too tired to care. She exited his mind to a soft soothing chuckle. She floated back to her room and fell asleep.

Hal woke up slightly refreshed, last night had started off as nightmare, but it evened out into a blissful dream, and he could only remember blond hair and blue eyes. Getting up he headed to the communal showers to get ready for the day and saw Conner exiting his room, dressed and ready.

"Oh hey Conner let me get ready and I'll make some breakfast." Conner nodded and headed to the living room. Hal quickly got showered and changed. Entering the kitchen he quickly used light constructs to gather eggs, bacon, pans, and spices. Making a quick breakfast he dished it up to Conner before gathering his jacket. "I'll be back around five, then we'll go look at three houses that I picked." Rushing out the door he zeta'd to Coast city. Conner finished his breakfast before going to walk Wolf. Miss Martian woke up a few hours later a little disgruntled from lack of sleep when she saw the Flash eating. She snapped awake and floated over to him.

"Hey Flash may I ask you a question?" He looked at her with his mouth full and nodded. "Are prostitutes bad people?" Barry swallowed the food in his mouth and looked at Miss Martian.

"Before I answer your question, this wouldn't happen to do anything with Hal Jordan would it?" He raised an eyebrow under his mask. The martian girl flushed.

"I didn't mean to, he was having a night terror and I just wanted to help." Barry chuckled and held his hands up.

"It's okay Megan. I wasn't accusing you, relax." She took a deep breath and relaxed.

"I'm sorry, I know humans find it a great breach of privacy." Barry smiled and sat the girl down.

"It's okay, I'm glad you soothed his night terror. But as for your question, containing the person in question of course, no he's not a bad person. However Hal's personal experience into the world of sexual pleasures started good, but it didn't end well. And when he told someone he trusted she used it to verbally abuse and control him. But Conner is going to bring confidence and light to his darkened life. Besides Batman had already known about Hal's past. You have nothing to worry about." He smiled at her and she smiled back.

"If you are sure. Then I feel relieved. Thank you Flash." He chuckled and hugged her.

"It was my pleasure, and please, if you worry about this again, come and talk to me, we'll get it sorted out." She nodded and hugged him before floating away. Conner came back in with Wolf on his heels.

"Flash what are you doing here?"

"Oh dropping off Hal's car keys, I had borrowed it because my car had broken down. He'll need it today when you go look at the houses. I can run home since my car got fixed today. I have to get going." He smiled and ran off to the zeta tubes. Conner looked down at the floor, it was hard to believe that soon he would have a house to live in, with a parent figure to look after him and his wants, to care for him, to have meals with, to maybe even love him. Conner felt an itch under his skin in anticipation, so he settled into the couch to watch the static.

Hal sighed as he zipped down his flightier suit. He had had a confrontation with Carol and it didn't leave him in a happy place. She had said some horrid stuff to him and he just wanted to go home. But he had to buck up, he was going to pick up his kid, and go see these houses. Leaving the changing rooms, Carol pushed him up against a wall.

"Hey you little whore, just remember I'm the only one that will love and touch that dirty and horrid body of yours." Then she was gone. Slipping down the wall he put his head in his hands and looked despondently down at the ground. If he had known sharing his deepest darkest secret with her. At first she was so supportive, caring, and just the best. Then she started abusing him like this, and worse. He had nightmares about some of the things she did to him in the confidence of his bed. Sighing and running his fingers through his hair and got up. No time to be sorry for himself, Conner is waiting for him. He walked quickly out of the airport and to the zeta tubes. Arriving in the cave he walked into the living room to see Conner peering anxiously at him. This made him smile and made his whole day better. Walking over to him he smiled.

"Hey champ, ready to look at some houses?" Conner nodded and got off the couch and they walked together to the zeta tubes to go to Central City. Before they went through Hal snagged his keys off the counter and they went through the tubes. They walked a few blocks to a car garage there they picked up his green mustang. He had traded his orange one for this one after he got the Green Lantern ring. He unlocked it and got in with Conner in the passenger side and he started it up and drives out of the parking complex. He pulled up to the first house and got out. It was a large first story house and they had small front yard. Hal hummed and went inside to find the realtor waiting for them. As they toured the house, it had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large living room and kitchen, but it just didn't feel right.

"It doesn't feel right." Conner stated and Hal nodded.

"I agree, this isn't the one for us." Hal said goodbye to the realtor and they got back into the car. Heading to the next house Hal decided to put on some music. Suddenly Ariana Grande came blaring out of the speakers. Fumbling to turn it down he looked at the speakers in question.

"Oh that's right, Barry had the car last. He has some weird taste in music." He turned it down and they arrived at the new place. Hal frowned. This had not been the picture that had been displayed on the internet. Getting out his frown deepened, the yard, if you could call it that, was fenced in and small. The realtor came out in a hurry to meet them. Conner frowned, the small space reminded him of his time in Cadmus.

"Hello, and welcome, um would you like to start the tour now?" Hal fixed the realtor with a glare.

"This was not what was on the site, in fact this is the opposite of what was listed. This is not a large two story house with a big spacious yard, I am not interested and be lucky I am not reporting you for false advertisement."

Hal and Conner climbed back into the charger.

"That was a bust." Conner growled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Well I saved the best for last, then we'll go to the cave and have some dinner." He smiled reassuringly and started the car up and drove away. The next song came on, slow dance with a stranger, and Hal started to bop his head to the beat. They finally pulled up to a house on the edge of the city. It was large and three stories, had a spacious front and back yard. Conner smiled and they got out of the car. Meeting with the realtor they explored the house. On the first floor was a large kitchen, bathroom, and living room. The second floor had an office, two bedrooms, a master bath and half bath, and a door that lead up to the loft of the third floor of the house. Looking out the window there was a huge back yard with plenty of space and a large fence blocking the view from the other houses. Hal smiled, and looked at Conner.

"I think this is the one, what about you?" Conner nodded, he liked the big open spaces. "And I think that this should be your room. What do you think?" Conner looked at him with large eyes.

"This, is going to be my room?" He looked around at the large spacious loft.

"All yours buddy, so what do you say?" Conner nodded. Hal smiled and cut the realtor a check for the down payment right then and there. Hal smiled as they made their way back to the cave and he made dinner, before sending Conner off to bed.