Twelve Days of Comfort and Joy

Chapter Six

I'll see you on Stage

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me

Six Geese a laying.

She was being ridiculous.

Absurd even.

The room Shayera Hol stood in was familiar yet different to what she remembered, the layout itself the same but something about it not quite. Like an old friend that you used to be able to converse with for hours, the same friend you hadn't seen for years and the awful realisation that you just had nothing to say to each other anymore. This room felt a lot like that, a painful twinge with all the memories but an invisible wall of unfamiliarity that assured you that your relationship with it just wouldn't be the same.

It was a lot like her relationship with John and it made her realise that that was the real reason she had been avoiding this particular room ever since she got here. Mari had nothing to do with it, it was all her own doing, she had tarnished their relationship with her dishonesty and now she had to pay the price, but she was determined none the less because she had made a promise to herself, to John. John was willing to give them another go, a fresh start and a new beginning and she was determined to put the effort in because she had been dreaming of this very opportunity for the last three years.

A clatter behind her sought to remind her that John was still in the shower, busy getting ready to take her on another outing, some sort of Christmas show that she didn't know much about. Having decided that she couldn't expect John to continue to sleep alongside her on the couch, Shayera had decided to properly investigate the bedroom, she needed as Batman would often say, 'to get over it'.

As she had already determined much of the room was the same as she remembered, the bed was in the same place against the wall with the blinded window on the left, the units and furniture were as she remembered but she was sure that the chair in the corner was a different one. Sighing quietly to herself Shayera stepped further inside looking around all the while. The posters that John had pinned to the walls were missing and she absently wondered if that might have been Mari's doing or John just deciding to take them down. Either way, there was absolutely nothing of her in here, which she had expected; she assumed John had probably thrown out all of the belongings she had slowly brought here during their short time together. Before she could carry on her inspection on how many other things, like John, were different to what she remembered. His voice rumbled behind her.

"Shower is free." He declared chirpily, obviously pleased to see her in this particular room, hopes of not having to put his back through more uncomfortable nights at the forefront of his mind.

Shayera turned around a reply on the tip of her tongue until she clapped eyes on John's bare and still damp chest as he stood in front of her holding a towel tightly around his waist. Her response stammered slightly without her intention and she struggled to grasp the words she had only a moment ago lost. It had been a considerable amount of time since she had seen even his bare un-gloved hands much less his chest and dense muscles, his Lantern costume having concealed him completely during their time apart. Automatically her eyes examined him and despite her trying not to she traced the letters of his USMC tattoo that was inked onto his right bicep.

"Uh..."

John smirked at her inability to form structured words "I already set the shower to the temperature that you like." He continued, clearly un-offended by her obvious ogling.

Relieved to have something to respond to Shayera latched onto his statement and forcibly drew her eyes up to his rather than his very distracting physique, thankfully just before she could draw her attention onto the thin scar running horizontally across his chest.

"T-thanks, I'll just go and...Get ready." Looking away and starting to head towards the exit she continued "Where are we going again?"

"We're going to see a Christmas Nativity. We'll have to leave soon though."

"Right." Shayera suddenly had a change of mind and approached him from behind, pressing her lips against his moist shoulder "I won't be long." And then she departed.

Later on the pair of them were walking along one of the streets of Detroit, everything a normal couple except that as they walked, heads turned in their wake. Shayera squeezed John's hand tighter, almost painfully so as she heard someone murmur something about Thanagarians as she walked by. Before they had left the apartment Shayera had been in the process of slipping on her wing covering trench coat, however John had forced her to leave it behind, instead making her wear her other coat which was modified to allow her wings freedom. Due to this, every single pair of eyes were trained on them.

Lantern winced as her hand practically crushed his own, but he made no other complaint, he knew that she was very unhappy with him but he didn't feel that she should have to hide her wings.

"Shayera, just relax." He tried to comfort her softly.

"Shut up, John." She snarled obviously extremely uncomfortable.

"You shouldn't have to hide your wings."

A low growl told him that if he wasn't careful he would probably get a fist in his mouth, better than a mace he supposed but Shayera was renowned for her right hook. Either way neither would be desired right now.

Eventually and to John's relief they arrived at the local hall, a small humble building that served as a meeting place for Detroit's citizens to discuss various issues as well as a location for events and parties. On this occasion the event was the Christmas Nativity performed by the kids that went to the local school, money raised from the tickets was put to good use in the school to support the students for the following year. John was more than happy to support the school and even give a little extra money where he could, after all years ago he had been a student there himself.

Tugging Shayera along into the building, the Thanagarian almost adamant that she wasn't going inside, John pulled her with him into the modest queue and waited to approach the desk to purchase their tickets. Shayera was standing very close to him and he was sure that if he let her hand go she might just fly out of here as quickly as her wings could carry her.

Shayera herself kept careful attention on where they were going knowing that soon she could go back home to John's apartment and feel safe and comfortable once again. While she stood there she was acutely aware of all of the pairs of eyes that were on her, the quiet and hushed tones of people talking around her and inside the frightened part of her started to rear its unwanted face. She had thought that she had put that demon away some time ago. Obviously not.

Ears prickling with the various voices and words being spoken around her, Shayera calmed a little when she realised that one voice was merely talking about presents for their children, but her sudden optimism died as quickly as it had been born. Another voice was openly wondering why the local Green Lantern was no longer with Vixen, thinking aloud why he might have left the Super model and instead gone back to the alien that had nearly destroyed the planet.

Tightening her grip further she saw from the look in John's face that it wasn't simply contorted in pain...he had heard too.

"John...this isn't a good idea." She whispered hoarsely, it was bad enough that she hated being in public as it was.

He turned to her and instinctually put a protective arm around her waist bringing her closer, not just to free his hand from her bone crushing grasp. Craning his head lower and towards her, he breathed gently against her ear.

"I am not ashamed of us Shayera; they can say whatever they want."

Her mouth suddenly dry and her mind suddenly blank, Shayera just went with John as he approached the desk at last and ordered their tickets, the server didn't question the purchase or her presence which relieved her no end. Even though her thoughts were still processing John's words, she easily took a seat beside him in the back row so that her wings wouldn't block other patrons' view of the play.

Shifting to get comfortable Shayera wriggled a little closer to John as her wings adjusted, human chairs were rather unforgiving on Thanagarian physiology. Beside her she heard a female's voice as a child; a young boy, literally threw himself into the plastic chair next to her.

"Jack! Be careful." His Mother chastised as she sat down, Jack himself between the former Hawkgirl and his Mother.

Shayera winced a little thinking that the Mum had just not wanted him next to her, but quickly ignored the notion and turned her attention to the stage where the curtains were opening. The large red velvety drapes pushed apart to reveal a small scene, a young girl dressed in blue as she sat on the floor. As Shayera watched, another child entered the stage with paper wings and a halo, obviously an angel, and told Mary of the son she would have. Internally something twinged inside of her chest but she pushed the discomfort away, they were going to build their own future, the past didn't matter anymore, she wasn't with John because of the potential for Rex.

As time went on, Mary as Shayera had learnt, was travelling with Joseph to Bethlehem, a donkey aiding them across the harsh journey and the other young children singing a song to accommodate this part of the Nativity. Once they reached Bethlehem Mary and Joseph struggled to find somewhere to stay.

"No room at the Inn!" The children kept shouting and Shayera thought when she saw Mary and Joseph gain housing in a small stable, of all the nights she had spent sleeping with nothing but the trees to protect her from the weather outside.

In time the baby was born, another song gently sung by the obviously well practiced children. The curtains pulled across as a few readings were given, time backstage devoted to altering the scene, the curtains opening to reveal a number of shepherds. Each of the shepherds donned what looked like dishtowels for head wear and each carried a stuffed, Shayera realised on closer inspection, sheep. As the angel from earlier appeared again a light touch to her wing caught Shayera's attention, however she chose to ignore it, perhaps the little boy beside her had knocked it by accident. When the touch returned and the boy's Mother told him to stop, Shayera looked.

Beside her the little boy, Jack, was trying to touch her feathers without her noticing.

"Jack, keep your hands to yourself." His Mother scolded.

Shayera looked up at the woman "It's okay...he can touch them if he wants to." She regarded the boy and he smiled at her widely before touching her wing more courageously. Shayera smiled when his Mother seemed to relax.

"My name is Shayera." Shayera said softly so as not to disturb everyone's experience of the Nativity and even though she already knew his name she asked anyway.

"Jack." He said proudly as he investigated her wings further. "Are they real?"

"Yes they are."

"Are you an angel?"

Shayera saw John turn to look in the corner of her eye, but he merely watched.

"No...No I'm not an angel."

"But you save people don't you? I've seen you on TV."

Before Shayera could reply Jack started to shuffle closer "Can I sit with you?"

"Jack, don't be so rude." His Mother spoke trying to gain her son's attention.

"But I want to sit with Shayra."

Amused that he had trouble saying her name, Shayera looked towards his Mother "It's okay, he can sit with me if he wants to."

"As long as he isn't any trouble."

"No, he's okay." Shayera smiled as Jack clambered onto her lap, pleased that he could see the play much better now that he was a little higher up.

"Who is that?" Jack asked her although he was pointing at John.

"That's John, he's my...my..." For a second she wasn't sure what to say so she settled on the Thanagarian alternative "Myr'a."

John's eyebrows lifted at the Thanagarian word, he recognised it and felt his heart suddenly swell warmly. Smiling he looked to the confused young man and clarified "I'm her boyfriend."

"Are you the Green Lantern?" Jack asked, eyes bulging as he noticed that 'Shayra's' boyfriend had glowing eyes.

"Yes, I am. I'm off duty at the moment though."

Shayera sent a smile in John's direction, the one she specifically kept for him and him alone, for a moment he smiled back before he turned to look back at the stage and watch the rest of the Nativity. Jack likewise continued to sit on her lap and watch as the three Kings followed the star across the sky so that they could meet the new born and bring him gifts. With the end of the play, everyone clapped including Shayera as the curtains drew to a close and the audience began to talk amongst themselves, some being parents of the performing children.

"Jack, say thank-you to Shayera for letting you sit with her."

She didn't know why but for some reason someone calling her by her real name meant a lot to her right then.

"Thank-you Shayra." Jack said obediently but a small smile was planted on his features, leaving Shayera feeling warm and almost wanting to laugh.

"Don't forget to say goodbye Jack, we've got to find your Sister soon."

Jack nodded "Yes Mum." He turned to Shayera and put his little arms around her in a hug "Bye."

"Bye, Jack. It was nice to meet you."

Jack grinned before looking at John "Bye Green Lantern!" He waved as he slid off of Shayera's lap and ran full tilt towards the stage, Shayera suspected to search for his Sister.

Just as Shayera and John stood, Jack's Mother approached her "Thank-you for letting him sit with you, I think you made his Christmas. Both of you."

"He was fine," Shayera nodded unable to stop herself from smiling "And he was no problem, Merry Christmas." She also added as an afterthought.

"And to you two as well."

When John and Shayera were finally left alone again, John took her hand and started to guide her toward the exit "Cute kid."

"Yeah...he was."

John looked at her oddly for a moment before he pulled the door open for her and led her outside, wings brushing against him as she walked past.

"Did you enjoy the Nativity?"

"It was very educational," Shayera replied as they walked back down the street, heading in the direction of something to eat. Somehow all the looks weren't bothering her anymore.

"Educational?"

"Yes, the songs were nice as well."

His throaty chuckle made her laugh.

Later that evening Shayera yawned and stretched both arms and wings, John took it as an indication to get the couch ready for bed. As she watched him she remembered him dragging her out in public, wings in full view simply because he wasn't ashamed of her, or them. Smiling she ignored him as he held up a pillow and asked her if he should get some more blankets, instead she walked towards their bedroom. When he watched her slightly bewildered but obviously curious, the expression being read as adorable by the Thanagarian, she gestured towards the door.

"You coming to bed or what?"

AN/ The pacing of their relationship is speeding up a little now, all the heavy stuff is pretty much out of the way :)

Also Myr'a means beloved, I took it from the ancient Egyptian Myr which means the same thing and tweaked it a little. My logic is that the Thanagarians went to Egypt and brought them language, a slight variation of their own :)