As always all characters are fictional. Wyvern, Deus, and Reaver are my characters. All other characters/locations are copyright of DC Comics and their respective creators.
The Home That You Deserve: The Wyvern Arrives Part XVIII
CJ could feel the engines powering down, but, could only see a cave wall in front of him.
"DEUS!" He roared.
"We've come to a complete stop?" The OS was confused.
"How many times have I stated that warp shunting is not to be done while inside a planetary atmosphere?!" CJ's volume hadn't gone down.
"This wasn't my fault. Looks like Aphrodite… fuck me!"
"Sent us to the Lair?" His voice was oddly hopeful.
"Um… not exactly… we're… in…" Deus stuttered.
"The Batcave." CJ finished.
"CJ, I swear to you, I didn't do this. I was going to let you have some time to prep before you talked to your dad." He muttered several Themyscirian oaths before he spoke.
"Deus, cloak the Moon Dragon and RTB." He ordered.
"How will you get home?"
"Ah shit, you're right. Just stay here, I guess I can update that relic dad calls the Batwing." CJ rose from the pilot's seat and made his way back to his quarters, where he grabbed the pictures he wanted to give to his father.
"Well, here goes nothing… God, please don't let me fuck this up." Knowing it wasn't an appropriate prayer, but not knowing anything better to say, CJ took a deep breath before disembarking.
He stood looking at the back of the chair in front of the main computer. "You may as well turn around, I can hear your heartbeat." CJ spoke up.
"I thought I would have more time between talking to Diana and your returning." Bruce calmly replied.
"Yeah, remind me to 'thank' Aphrodite for that." As he turned and stood CJ could see that his father was fighting to find the words to talk.
"How long has this… relationship with Kara been going on?" He knew this would be the first question, but, was surprised with how gentle it was, coming from Batman at least.
"It's been building for a little over a decade, but, it took a big step over the three years I hunted Reaver."
"I read the file, you two were living together on the Moon Dragon."
"What I told you before was true, Reaver had a 'magic bullet' that he wanted to use against me. I thought I'd drugged Kara sufficiently to keep her out of the fight, but, I guess I didn't." Bruce couldn't help but marvel at how much his son resembled him in his dealing with pain and loss.
"He assumed it would defeat my armor's protection, but, his spell craft was… shall we say lacking."
"She threw herself in front of the bullet." He'd seen Kara do the same for her cousin, only it was Omega Beams. As he saw the pain clearly flowing across his son's face Bruce couldn't help but remember Alfred's chastising of him after he'd returned from CJ's mansion.
"Well, I should think the young Master went rather easy on you Master Bruce." Alfred finally spoke up.
"Diana said he doesn't, but, my son hates me Alfred." Getting the initial anger at his charge out of the way, Alfred's countenance softened.
"He isn't Master Damian sir, don't you dare make that assumption." Bruce stopped to look at the man that had stood by him throughout the entirety of his mission.
"Young Master Christian is the best of yourself and Miss Diana, though he has much more of you in him when he's been hurt than I would like to see."
"That's what I'm afraid of Alfred. He has powers that I don't, but he still felt the same pain I did." Bruce looked at his hands as he spoke. "I wonder what he was like when he was younger."
"When he returns to the manor, you will make it a priority to ensure you both patch up your relationship." Alfred surprised him by placing a gentle hand on his shoulder before speaking again.
"Then, help yourself and Master Christian to realize that you both can embrace happiness again."
He glanced to his left, but, the young man hadn't so much as blinked while he recalled the memory.
"CJ… son, I can't imagine what you must have gone through before you came here." Bruce spoke up hesitantly.
"Imagine me at better than twice your age when it happened and that about sums it up." CJ response was devoid of any mirth.
"Yes, but like you said, you aren't me. I guess a lot of what I saw initially made me think you were more like me than should be healthy." CJ was shocked to hear this from his father, he'd always seen a man that he'd admired. Calm, calculating, stern and set in his ways, but, caring, selfless, and courageous. This was the same man that came home from dealing with Luthor in the business world, sat his briefcase down, and joined a tea party with his daughters.
"I guess the Fates had an ironic way of hardening me." CJ responded bitterly.
"This is a fate I wouldn't wish on anyone son." CJ stopped at arms length.
"Dad, this is a path I chose, believe me when I say that you fought it tooth and nail. You tried so hard to prevent me from going out as Robin, but you couldn't fight the stubborn streak I'd inherited from mom." Bruce couldn't help a grin at the statement.
"I think your mother would call it 'Amazonian determination' son." he chuckled.
"Which translates into English as 'stubborn as a friggin mule'." Bruce's face fell as he thought of CJ childhood, Diana had told him that the training on Themyscira was often more of a barely veiled form of physical abuse. Combine that with training to be Robin and being Bruce Wayne's son and he dreaded what CJ must have gone through.
"Dad, don't worry, my childhood wasn't that bad."
"Diana, is everything alright?" Kara seemed worried, Diana had a look of worry on her face.
"CJ went from being guarded, to being agitated." Before Kara could say anything else another voice rang out.
"That's totally my fault." Kara was surprised at the stunningly beautiful blonde goddess now in her apartment.
"Lady Aphrodite, has something happened to my son?" The love goddess seemed shocked at the question.
"Diana, I'm hurt. Do you think I'd leave if trouble was there? I love Chris like a little brother!" Diana wasn't entirely certain how reassured that particular statement made her feel.
"Though I think I surprised him when I transported him to Wayne Manor." she admitted.
"He's at the manor now?" Diana seemed happy.
"Yep safe and sound. Thought I'd help him out until he gets his personal teleport web set up again."
Bruce held the photos CJ had given him with a bit of surprise. "You won a high school science fair as a preteen?" His voice held a bit of pride in it.
"Nope, college, that one was in Osaka. We all went to the gardens after that, mom had way too much fun kimono shopping." CJ smiled at the memory.
"You graduated college at 16?" Bruce recalled.
"Yeah, triple major and minors." Bruce seemed to be pleased by the news.
"I'd have graduated earlier, but, I managed to talk you and mom into letting me study martial arts across Japan, Okinawa, China, and the surrounding areas." CJ spoke while sitting in on of the many chairs in the forensics lab.
"You mean you weren't sent on your own training journey?"
"No, by the time I'd hit puberty I could hold my own against you and mom sparring. I wanted to do further study of a few other fighting styles that I'd gotten the broader strokes of." he elaborated.
"Where did you spend the most time?" Bruce was glad the conversation was going well.
"Okinawa, found a fighting style that I was able to mix with my Themyscirian training and Krav Maga." He saw his father's lips quirk into a small grin.
"Maybe we can do a little sparring, just to see how well you've retained what you were taught." CJ knew his father was hoping to eliminate any anger before it became an issue. Not showing any outward reaction, but, unable to resist his smart-ass streak CJ grinned at his father.
"Thanks for offering a day off. After this, I think I'll update those dinosaurs you call state of the art transports."
"Yoo-hoo… love goddess to Diana?" She realized she was distracted as her son's mood shifted from anger to cautious happiness.
"Forgive me Lady Aphrodite, what were you saying?" she apologized.
"First off, how's Chris?" Aphrodite asked.
"I think he and Bruce will be able to work past their initial impasse." she smiled as she spoke.
"Great, because as proud as I am with him, we need to work on you now." Diana blushed at the statement, then turned a deeper red as Kara chuckled at her embarrassment.
"What, exactly, are we needing to work upon?" she asked defensively.
"Diana, please." Aphrodite hung her head in exasperation. "You're the most beautiful woman in the world, you have a man that was all but made just for you." She raised her head and started walking towards her. "You both are in love with each other." She placed her hands on Diana's shoulders as she adopted a look of frustration. "So why in the name of Tartarus are you taking baby steps?!" Diana's mouth seemed to stop working, only increasing Aphrodite's sour mood.
"It's more complicated than that… we both have our missions. Then there is all the attention that our public lives would bring along with" The love goddess nearly screamed.
"YOU GUYS'RE KILLING ME!" Kara was greatly enjoying watching the exchange,
"Kara," until the attention shifted to her. "back me up here. Once you know something is right, don't accept anything else, take what you deserve. Enjoy it for Olympus's sake!"
Bruce rolled to his feet from the throw, but was surprised his son had not followed the move. "What's wrong?" CJ looked upset.
"Lady Pallas?" he was surprised at his son's words.
"I am pleased, you've grown much more civil young Christian. What do you need?" Athena smiled.
"Forgive my impertinence Pallas, but mitera is in a state of embarrassment capable due to only one member of the pantheon." Athena groaned and placed a hand over her eyes.
"Could you please rescue her from Aphrodite?" he implored.
"Of course young Christian, provided that you do something for me." Athena took a breath before she moved to make her request known, only to be interrupted.
"I will be more than happy to contact my grandmother."
"Has anyone ever informed you of just how irritating" Athena sighed.
"Mitera told me that just the other day." he grinned cheekily. Athena shook her head, a smile playing over her face as she observed the slow change in Wyvern; the change back to a hero that could conquer empires.
Aphrodite's words had shaken her. "What do you mean I slipped up?" Kara was too upset to show embarrassment. "I'm the one that took CJ off the market!" Her eyes lit up as Diana groaned.
"Off the market, you mean you realized it already?" Now Kara was thoroughly confused.
"Eternal love at first sight, I'm glad one of those guys managed to see it, but, don't change the subject." Cassie managed a smile, somewhere in all this she had been forgotten and now had a ringside seat to what would prove to be a truly hilarious memory.
"How could you have THE most gorgeous guy in existence all to yourself, and just SLEEP?!" Aphrodite looked ready to pull out her own hair.
"Thank you for exercising such admirable restraint Kara." she was relieved that Diana was sincere in her words.
"Stop discouraging her Diana!" Aphrodite barked.
"I'm not ready to be a grandmother yet and I don't know if Kara's prepared for motherhood at this point." Before Aphrodite could make any further argument, another presence joined them.
"That, I think, is far more than enough." The goddess of wisdom cut in.
"Oh come on Athena, you have to admit that you're happy with Chris getting back to his old self." Aphrodite countered.
"It is because of young Christian that I've come here." Athena replied imperiously.
"Yeah, like I really think he'd believe big sissy Aphrodite capable of that." she smirked.
"He said he would contact Queen Hippolyta if I were to 'rescue' his mother from you." She seemed a bit deflated at that.
"Fine," she huffed "if Hippolyta's request gets answered." As they turned to leave Diana knew better than to think that this was over.
"You sure I can't get Eros here for, like, 5 minutes?" Aphrodite's eyes twinkled.
"Olympus. NOW!"
Bruce grunted, CJ's suggestion to have him wear armor seemed boastful at first. "Are you OK dad?" His son winced at bouncing his father off the sparring mat.
"How's Diana?" his father asked.
"More than mildly pissed, apparently there was some underlying ploy in what Aphrodite did." He offered a hand up, which his father accepted. "I would venture a guess that it involves me contacting grams."
"You go ahead and do that son, I'll hit the showers, then tell Alfred to set another place at brunch." As he made his way to the showers, Bruce rubbed his sore left shoulder.
"By the way son," He turned as CJ was taking off his forearm guards.
"I was joking about the eidetic memory failing." As he started to turn around CJ found, yet again, his flippant streak taking over.
"I know dad, but I do need to update that pterodactyl you call the Batwing."