Title: Bitter Pill
Fandom: Static Shock
Characters: Superman, J'onn, Green Lantern, Batman, Virgil/Richie
Prompt: #07 (Days)
Word Count: 500
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I do not own Static Shock or the Justice League, or the Justice Lords.
Author's Notes: m/m, drabble, Superman's POV, kind of dark. Following the story arc for "Unaffected" and all if its sister fics. I thought, why not, ya know. This can be read on its own or as part of that set. Your choice. A drabble created for the Lj community known as fanfic100. Unedited and unbeta'd.

Bitter Pill

It had been three days since Gear had died and been resurrected.

The Justice League had been called in shortly thereafter, and had seen first hand the devastation a single Bang Baby could wreak upon a facility that was even the slightest bit under-protected. The words "ungodly" and "devastation" were whispered in horror by League members and reporters alike, as each were unable to come to terms with the charred wreckage.

John had been to Dakota several times, and had even asked for Static's assistance with recharging his ring, a task that had previously been thought of as impossible outside the Green Lantern Corps. As far as any of them understood, the task should have left the youth exhausted, but the urban crime-fighter had merely laughed it off and continued about his business. Yet, even with that knowledge, John was left speechless with the brutal he saw in the lab.

Batman had wanted to take Static to trial. As a man who lived in shadows, Batman had a very clear line between black and white, though he knew how easy it could be to take things too far. And as far as he was concerned, Virgil had crossed it when he decided to kill. He was the first to ask if the world was safer with them than it was without.

Through all of the League's questions and concerns, they did their best to keep Static and Gear up at the tower. Where they would be safe.

Where the world would be safe.

And Virgil hadn't left Gear's bedside. He had simply made one call to his father, and that call had been made from the sickroom where Richie had fallen into a deep coma.

"They were tortured," J'onn said as he approached Superman. "They were children, yes. But intimate friends. And they were tortured to the breaking point. That point seemed to be Gear's death."

"And so, that excuses Static?"

"Excuses him?" J'onn asked. "No. But it does explain his motivation."

"None of us expected Static to hold that much power."

"And this is the first time that he unleashed it," J'onn nodded. "To me, that is a sign of great restraint."

"But that much power… if he ever went rogue," Superman shook his head. "Again."

"Then there could be problems."

"Maybe Bruce is right," the last Kryptonian murmured. "It's not like Static has my aversion to kryptonite."

"No," the last Martian agreed. "He just has an aversion… to being left alone."

"Don't we all," Superman retorted.

"If we ensure that he is never alone," J'onn continued. "Perhaps we can ensure…"

'His obedience.' Went unsaid, but Superman thought it anyway and blushed in shame at it. "And how would we do that?"

"Keep Gear safe. In the lab," J'onn answered. "In a gilded cage."

Blue eyes looked at the other alien. They had been down a similar path before… but maybe this time it wouldn't end in disaster. After all, this time they were just policing their own.