A/N: Thank you to all the wonderful people who have read my story to date, I am very grateful to you all. Nothing like an appreciative audience to get the creativeness flowing. I do not own any of the characters but have used my love for the JL and JLU series to add bits and pieces to tie them all together. Please review as my stories will only get better from them. I must make mention of the one review that humbled me the most...Hellacre13 thank you so much, your review was like being praised by a best selling author. Your stories were the first I read and fell in love with and made me addicted to FanFiction. To all my other reviews your icing on the cake will ensure the story will not take forever to progress. Thank you all kindly. Enjoy the next offering.

Chapter 3

Greg and Mari

A week before the party

Mari had just returned from a mission with Vigilante, Shining Knight and Atom Smasher which had ended with them all covered in clay, care of ClayFace. He had been subdued and arrested but not without a fight and that had turned into an all-out clay bath for all of them. She still had clumps in her hair and she could not wait to jump in her shower to wash it all away and then get some much needed rest for her early fashion shoot tomorrow morning in New York.

They had all just stepped off the transporter and she was heading towards the monitor room to file their report as she had taken to doing when paired up with any of her three teammates since her break up with John as she knew they always were eager to avoid the mundane paperwork associated with reporting mission details. When she suddenly felt a gentle hand on her arm halting her progress.

"If you will permit me fair lady, I will gladly relieve you of report duties today. You must go post haste and bathe yourself of that filth that we all had to be subjected to. I am happy to delay my own bathing time for you"

She turned to face him with a brilliant smile on her face, which Sir Justin was not immune to and he blushed becomingly.

"Well the report ain't goin' to write itself from there Sir Justin, so why don't ya' get goin' and do it?"

"Vig!" exclaimed Mari whilst punching his arm for effect.

"Owww, Mari, dagnabit-"

"Don't you dare start, Greg-"

"Ahem, I will just excuse myself to the Monitor womb and complete my task, I bid both of you a goodnight", Justin excused himself hurriedly away from the pair who now stood glaring at each other.

"Justin?", Mari called out

"Yes, milady?"

"Thank you"

He smiled and bowed to her, "For you milady, anything".

"Get gone, you two-bit hussler-"

"Greg!" Mari yelled followed by another punch, this time to his chest and then she screamed in his face "Damn you", at which point she turned on her heel and stormed out of the hangar too furious to speak to him.

She was furious because she knew he was jealous, hell she had even brought it on by openly flirting with Justin and Adam on their mission trying to show him that she did not need him. He was resolute in not pursuing a relationship with her because he thought he was the rebound relationship as she and Green Lantern had only broken up a month ago. Idiot.

Well, she was over John, in fact she had come to realise that her feelings for John were nothing compared to what she felt for Greg. She had been angry at John for ignoring his true feelings but she was more angry at herself for holding onto someone she knew was still in love with his ex. She thought they could both get past that, but Shayera's return spelled the inevitable. She had felt she had found a kindred spirit in Greg when they first became friends after their Hunter's moon mission together and admitted an attraction to him when she first saw him. But being with John she did not acknowledge those feelings. Until their breakup and she had leant on Greg more than anyone else as she felt safe with him and he had been there for her.

She had fallen in love with him when he had sung for her at a karaoke bar he had taken her to after another mission they had been paired up on, to help unwind and forget about her breakup the week before. He had sung, "For the first time" by Kenny Loggins and listening to the words it slowly dawned on her that that was exactly how it happened with him. She had smiled at him with tears shining in her eyes from the emotion that threatened to explode from her chest for him. But she knew she had to tread carefully with Greg. She knew that Operation Sucker Punch would knock his boots off, she was hoping enough to have him finally agree to start dating and see if they had a future together. She wanted him and one way or another she was going to get him.

Greg knew how Mari felt she had told him enough times but he didn't think she was ready to give him her entire heart. With Greg it was all or nothing with Mari because he would be the same with her. He did not want her for a short time, he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He had wanted to punch John in the face every time he saw Mari looking hurt, but he had restrained himself for her sake. He knew she needed to handle their relationship with no interference from anyone. All he could do was be there as her friend whenever she needed to vent or cry about her situation. He didn't know how much that would change his life.

He had fallen instantly in love with her when he first arrived on the Watchtower, having been recruited by Batman and accepted by the founding members after the Thanagarian invasion. He had been captured and tortured by the Thanagarians and left for dead. He had a score to settle with them and he knew one day he would.

Batman had approached him one night at the hospital he was recovering in. Sick and tired of being confined he had snuck out slowly but painfully to the rooftop to have a rare but sanity required cigarette. He had quit cold turkey 5 years ago but after all he had been through he desperately craved one. So there he was enjoying his second cigarette when he heard a slight fluttering behind him. Instinctively he turned around reaching for his six shooter gun at his hip, forgetting he was in a hospital gown. His hand instead had grabbed the section of the gown with the cigarette packet he had swiped from his hospital room-mate, he decided it was better than nothing. His eyes widened in shock when he came face to face with Batman.

"Smoking is bad for you"

"Partner after the time I've had I should have finished the packet"

"I know. You can't change the past but you can move on from it. I want you to join the Justice League."

"Now why would Bruce Wayne want me around the Justice League for?"

This time it was the eyes of Batman's cowl that widened with shock, " I don't know what you're talking about'

"Uh-huh sharpshooter sir, nothing these eyes can miss. Beggin' yer pardon but my daddy always taught me to pay attention to the finer details, and your jawline is a dead giveaway. But never you mind, your secret is safe with me"

Batman paused for a moment, "My instincts were right about you, I still want you to join us"

Stubbing out the half-finished cigarette he said, "Thanks Batman, but no thanks I work alone"

Batman smirked at that, "I do too, but there are times Greg when help is required"

Greg raised an eyebrow at him, "Ok, who are you and what have you done with Batman?"

"You tell anyone and I will make you disappear for good"

"Like I said Bruce, your secret is safe with me"

"We could use your invaluable skills on the team, master marksman, skilled with the lariat, only one other person I know so far who shares that and she has a golden one. Excellent hand to hand combat technique and your weapons are state of the art. Though one question?"

"Fire away"

"Why trade in the horse for your motorcycle?"

"Warpath started to get spooked from the gunfire and would run away. You know how painful walking home in my cowboy boots would get? Plus….the most important thing"

"Yes?"

"Less clean-up for me. Warpath always left a nasty surprise at the scene, not so great when you need to make a quick getaway. My motorcycle is not as responsive but low maintenance especially at feeding time"

Batman's lips quirked slightly at Greg's humour, "Join the League and I will take care of your cycle maintenance costs and-"

"Stallion"

"Excuse me?"

"My cycle is called Stallion in honour of Warpath. Warpath jnr or Warpath II just doesn't have the same ring, I reckon"

"Vigilante", Batman growled.

"I'm sorry sir, I tend to waffle now and then, you were saying?"

"If you join, you can mete out justice on other criminals for what the Thanagarion soldiers did to you. On one condition, consider it an oath really"

"This should be interesting"

"You…will…not….kill"

"That oath I took for my daddy, sir. I vowed when I took over from him that the day that happens I would hang up my guns for good"

"Meet me at the address on the piece of paper in two weeks and I will take you to the Watchtower, you can make up your mind after that", Batman told him as he reached into his pocket and took out the cigarette packet, "I'll be taking these too."

"Hey….I wasn't going to have anymore but they belong to my roommate"

"Tell him smoking is bad for him"

"Figures…what about the piece of paper?"

"Check your pocket"

Greg reached into his pocket and pulled out the piece of paper there, he looked down at the address and his eyes widened again. Wayne Manor, Gotham.

He looked up and the Batman was gone…

So he found himself on board the newly built Watchtower being given the tour by Batman himself. He had met Superman, Wonder Woman, J'onn Jonzz and various other JL members, and he was awed by them, and stunned by Wonder Woman's beauty the television did not do her justice at all. He was very impressed with the outfit and how it ran. He had mentally decided already to join, when Batman had escorted him to the cafeteria to have a cup of coffee to discuss his decision. He bumped into a very beautiful dark-skinned woman.

"Beggin' yer pardon, Ma'am", and tipping his hat at her, he let her pass.

She smiled widely at him and said, "Why, thank you kind sir, it's nice to know chivalry ain't dead", extending her hand out to him saying, "I'm Mari McCabe, or Vixen, and you are?"

Greg had stopped breathing when she smiled, a slight nudge from Batman started it again, "Gr-gr-Greg Saunders or Vigilante Ma'am, nice to make your acquaintance" as he reached out to shake her hand.

"Pleasure's all mine cowboy, be seeing you around", Mari said then turned and walked away, Greg following her every move.

"Don't even think about it"

Greg turned to Batman, "Sorry partner?"

"She is not available", he said and nodded in the direction Mari had left. Greg turned around and saw she had made her way to a table where the Flash, Green Lantern, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow and Black Canary were sitting. As she sat down between Flash and Green Lantern the latter turned his head up to her smiling, she bent and kissed him on the lips. Greg turned away feeling bereft for some reason but not knowing why.

"Don't worry sir, I won't"

Batman escorted him to a small table where he answered all the final questions Greg had. Ten minutes later Vigilante became a member of the Justice League.