Seven

Emma spent the next several hours in between sleep and awake. At some point, Diana came into her room with a plate of food and a glass of water, which she took gratefully. She hadn't eaten anything since lunch, and she didn't know how long ago that was. After that, it was very quiet, and Emma felt excruciatingly lonely. She wanted to call out to J'onn, but she did not want to break his concentration, since she knew he might be overwhelmed as it was, opening his mind to the masses.

So, she lay on the guest bed and thought about everything that Diana and Batman had said regarding her relationship with J'onn. Batman's suspicion and anger did not surprise her in the least, but Diana's blatant approval had not been expected=. She remembered that J'onn had said that Diana had been the first one to give in when he had told the Justice League about her, but Emma figured that now that something like this had happened, she might change her mind. But that had definitely not happened. Emma was both thrilled about this, and worried.

What was she supposed to do? And what happened if the Justice League couldn't get her mother back? Emma shook her head. No, there was no need for that kind of thinking. That wouldn't get her anywhere. But, if they did get her mother back, what then? Emma was torn between not wanting anyone else to get hurt and desperately wanting to be with J'onn. What if they sent her mother back, and Emma stayed in this dimension? That wouldn't do at all. That would mean giving up all contact with her mother, and, as much as she loved J'onn, that was not something she wanted to do.

After a while, Emma fell into a fitful sleep. Her dreams were plagued with strange creatures and circumstances that she found hard to remember when she awoke. She would drift off to sleep for maybe half an hour, and then wake up for a few minutes, only to drift off again. It was strange for her, as she normally didn't have trouble sleeping. But the worry between her mother and J'onn was weighing down on her mind and heart. Eventually, when she did go to sleep, it was a dreamless one that allowed her body to actually rest a little.

She didn't know how long she had been asleep when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder, and a deep caramel voice gently say, "Wake up, Emma. Your mother is back."

She opened her eyes, and smiled up into the red-gold of J'onn's. He returned the smile, which put her mind at ease. He wouldn't be smiling if he didn't have good news. "So, what happened?" she asked, sitting up in bed.

He sat beside her and said, "Alice is sleeping. She was exhausted, and a little confused, but otherwise unharmed. Although…"

Emma felt her stomach tighten. "What?"

He sighed. "I had to kill Cosmic Clock. When we found him with your mother, he tried to use her as a human shield, and threatened her life. He had a gun to her head. I didn't have a choice."

"That's right," Emma said, remembering something. "The members of the Justice League don't normally kill their enemies. That must have been hard for you."

"Very much so. I hate killing. But it was a choice between an evil man and an innocent woman. If there was ever a clearer choice… The point is, your mother is safe. She is sleeping at the moment."

"Does… Does she know what happened to her? I mean, does she know where she is? What dimension she's in?"

"From what I have gathered of her surface thoughts, it seems Cosmic Clock explained the situation to her. She is still in the denial stage of accepting where she is and who rescued her, but denial is the first step."

Emma nodded, and they were both silent for a long time.

Eventually, J'onn said in a monotone voice, "I have spoken with Diana and Batman about what was said between the three of you after I left."

Emma flinched. She had known this was coming. She kept her eyes on her lap.

"What would you like to do, Emma?" he asked her.

"What do you mean?"

"Would you like to go back to your own dimension and have us destroy the portal, and pretend like we don't love each other? Would you like to go back to your old life and break off all connection between us? Because if that is what you want, I will not stop you. But if that is only what you think you want – if you are only saying you want that because you think it is the 'right' thing – then please tell me. I think it only fair that you give me warning before you break my heart."

"J'onn, we've only known each other for two months!" Emma broke in. "How could you possibly love me this much?"

He turned his head and looked her in the eyes. And in his mind, he spoke these words to her: I know your every thought and emotion. Every fear. Every love. Every memory. How could I not love someone whose very being I know and understand inside and out? Humans only gain this kind of complete understanding of one another through years and years of contact and conversation. Humans have not the power to go into a person's mind and see firsthand the experiences that make a person the way they are. I, on the other hand, have had this power since birth, and you gave me full permission to use it. When you understand someone the way I understand you, there is no way around loving that someone.

Do not pretend you do not love me the same way. You loved me before I knew you existed. Through circumstances outside of my control, you know much of my history, and my emotions. You understand the pain of the loss of my family, and you understand the slow healing process I went through in order to feel again. And anything you do not know about me I am not hiding from you. You need only ask. Ask and I will show you anything – tell you anything – about myself. If there was a way to lend you my powers, I would, so that you could see me the same way I see you.

And now, I must ask again. What would you like to do? What is it that you want?

As he had spoken to her, Emma had felt a flood of emotions and seen a torrent of images and heard a whirlwind of thoughts flow through her mind. And when he was finished speaking, she was mentally and emotionally exhausted. He had just opened himself so completely to her, letting her see and hear and feel every tiny thing that he thought or felt. Within these thoughts and images lay a love so strong that it made her eyes water. She slowly began to sort through her own emotions and thoughts, and came to a conclusion that surprised her, and made her smile despite herself.

She looked up into his eyes and said, "What is it that I want? I want to make love to you."

His eyes widened for a moment, and then softened as he smiled. "You'll have to start with a kiss."

She shook her head. "Not until –

"I know. Stay there." J'onn ran a thumb along her jaw, and then smiled and stood up, backing away a foot or two. He took a few breaths, and then tilted his head back a little and began to shapeshift.

Emma watched with wide eyes. The change was quick. His forehead became elongated and swept back. His eyes were circled in black, like natural eyeliner, that left small, straight lines at the inner and outer corners of his eyes. His body became a tall, lean, and angular shape, full of sharp muscle definition in odd places. His hands and feet became slender and almost feminine. For a moment, Emma thought he looked a little frightening, but then he smiled, and she changed her mind.

"You don't look that bad," she said. "Just a little… different. But your superhero self looks different, too, so that doesn't really mean anything." Slowly, she stood and approached him, lifting a shaking hand to place it on his chest.

He chuckled, the sound reverberating in his chest. "I won't bite. Don't be afraid, Emma. It is still only me."

She swallowed, and with a small smile at him, looked down in the space between them at his crotch. When she could see no obvious genitalia, she said, "Martians aren't… asexual, are they?"

This time he put his head back and laughed. "No, Emma, Martians are not asexual. But I will explain what I mean after."

"After?"

J'onn smiled softly and leaned down towards her.

Emma's heart skipped a beat, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him gently the rest of the way. As their lips met, a burst of color and light flashed behind her eyelids, and a feeling like electricity shot down from her chest to her abdomen. She gasped against the kiss and opened her eyes.

J'onn's eyes stared into hers. And then she pulled him tighter and kissed him again, closing her eyes. The color and light and electricity continued throughout the kiss, which seemed to last forever, until Emma was left standing shakily, leaning her forehead against his chest. He rested a hand gently on her back.

"J'onn," she whispered, both aloud and in her mind.

"Hmm?"

Nothing. I just… wanted to say your name.

He smiled and rubbed her back a little. Emma, I love you.

She laughed a little bit. I love you too, J'onn.

Please tell me you don't want to leave.

I don't want to leave.

Thank you.

Suddenly, J'onn's body went rigid. Emma looked up at him. His eyes were flashing and staring far off, the way they did when he was getting a message from someone telepathically. After a moment, he came back to himself and looked down at Emma. He said, "Your mother is awake."