Chapter 3
Emerald Sight
Jessica stared out the window of her private quarters toward the planet she called home. Earth was hanging from nothing, spinning on even less, and had never looked more beautiful to the young woman that hadn't stepped foot on it in nearly a week. As breathtaking as the view was however, she spent more time looking at her reflection than the planet she was sworn to protect.
Power batteries weren't meant to explode, much less in a person's face, but that's exactly what had happened to Jessica during her struggle with The Eye of Ekron. She'd received a terrible burn across the right side of her face in the shape of her lantern, and had even lost sight in her eye. Thankfully the Justice League's doctors were miracle workers and were able to salvage the eye, but there had been a couple of side effects they hadn't been able to treat, much less explain.
When her powers were active, which was currently all of the time, the bright pink skin glowed green like her ring, and the symbol of the Green Lantern Corps shined brightly in her right eye. She was having to keep her ring active 24/7 in order to heal quicker and also help regulate her heartbeat, breathing, brain activity, and various other bodily functions that had been disrupted after nearly dying. Fortunately her power battery had been repaired much the same way as her ring, reciting her oath and concentrating with all her might, and sleeping for the better part of a day.
Jessica was very glad the effect only lasted for as long as she used her powers, and that she hadn't been permanently blinded or disfigured, but for the time being she was a public spectacle, and the burn served as a permanent reminder of just how badly she had screwed up. Again...
Not long after regaining consciousness, Martian Manhunter, one of the founders of the Justice League and in charge of The Watchtower's control room, had visited Jessica in the infirmary and explained in great detail everything she had done wrong in her encounters with Lobo and The Emerald Empress. She'd already been emotionally drained, but it had still taken all of her so-called 'great willpower' not to cry in front of him. She'd always been more than a little intimidated by the Martian Manhunter, especially after meeting him the first week on the job, but being told you're incompetent by someone who seemingly lacks emotions was somehow worse than getting yelled at.
The ring thankfully had come to her rescue, otherwise she probably would've cried. It said that Jessica had acted accordingly to all information at the time, and that all her actions had been guided by the ring. If anyone was to blame for Jessica mishandling the situation, it was her ring.
Martian Manhunter didn't seem to think so, but even one of the League's most experienced and intelligent heroes hadn't been willing to argue with a Green Lantern's power ring. After a light admonishment that had felt like the end of the world, he mercifully left Jessica alone, and hadn't visited her since.
Diana, Dinah, and Shayera of course had all come and visited Jessica to give their pupil what they thought she needed. Diana gave her the kind of encouragement only an Amazonian warrior could, telling her she fought well. Dinah on the other hand as her self-appointed therapist attempted to get Jessica to open up without much success, and Shayera congratulated her for kicking Lobo's ass, even offering to buy her a drink sometime.
Jessica appreciated them trying to help, and did her best not to push them away like she had so many people in the past, but talking wasn't what she wanted right now. What she wanted was time alone with her thoughts and her closest companion whom she had very nearly lost forever.
Ever since she had awoken in a hospital bed, half-alive but feeling half-dead, Jessica had played with the ring around her finger almost nonstop, rarely taking her eyes off of it. It could've easily been mistaken for a nervous habit, of which Jessica had many, but she was fully aware of what she was doing, and her thoughts never strayed from the ring for very long.
"If you start calling me your precious and coughing up phlegm, I'm going to find another Lantern," the ring kept promising.
Jessica didn't know whether to laugh or cry whenever the ring teased her, so she compromised by doing both. The ring was the only one that could come within some semblance of cheering her up. Not even her sister coming to visit and bringing gifts on a daily basis could accomplish that. It was quite the opposite actually.
Sara had cracked a couple ribs protecting Jessica from Lobo, but even though the doctors had performed another miracle so that they were now merely bruised, it was still unforgivable as far as her big sister was concerned. She even tried getting out of soccer practice for a day or two to come see her despite the upcoming championship game, but Jessica as a member of the Justice League pulled rank and made it so that she wasn't allowed aboard The Watchtower until after practice. She tried banning her completely, but Sara had quickly made friends in high places, and by now was probably closer to becoming a senior member than herself.
Perhaps more important to Jessica than wanting her sister to win an NCAA Championship however, was her simply wanting to be left alone.
Thankfully upon arrival each day Sara was easily distracted by the space station and all the superheroes walking around, and the first time Wonder Woman came to see how Jessica was doing, it hadn't been difficult for her to pawn them off on each other. By the time Sara's tour was finished and they'd eaten in the cafeteria together, Jessica had already snuck off to her private quarters. She would've preferred her apartment back on Earth, but even without a mild concussion, she wasn't about to try working a transporter on her own, and didn't trust the ring to not screw up on purpose.
There had been plenty of privacy in the infirmary of course on account of most superheroes preferring to keep their identities a secret from even their colleagues, but Jessica couldn't stand all the noise in the relatively quiet hospital. People talking within earshot tended to make her anxious, partially due to living by herself for so long, but also because she couldn't help assuming people were talking about her behind her back.
Irritability was as much a symptom of anxiety as it was depression, and Jessica dealt with this as best she could, choosing to self-isolate rather than take her frustrations out on other people. She didn't want to act like her mother any more than she already did, and didn't want to hurt the people trying to help her any more than she already had. As far as she was concerned, everyone was better off without Jessica Cruz ruining their day...
"Jigglypuff, Wigglytuff, Zubat, Golbat, Oddish-" Jessica hadn't been keeping track of how many times the past week she had rattled off the original 151 Pokémon, but oddly enough, it wasn't much more than usual. "Gloom, Vileplume, Paras-"
Her quarters were mostly bare, though every time Sara returned from Earth, she brought a handful of her sister's belongings with her, as well as a few new Pokémon plushies. They kept Jessica company while Sara was down on Earth or socializing with superheroes, but even her childhood security blankets weren't enough to lift her spirits. Well, maybe they helped a little, but Jessica wasn't in the mood to admit it.
Because Green Lanterns spent most of their time in space, Jessica's room was more like a one bedroom, one bath apartment rather than the hotel styled rooms most heroes had on The Watchtower. The 'apartment' reminded Jessica of Star Trek, as did most things about the space station, but she would've much preferred returning to Earth to rest and relax. Her doctors however wanted to keep an eye on her, but more importantly, Dinah wanted to keep a close eye on her.
Perhaps she feared Jessica would finally listen to the voices after all these years and do something stupid, or maybe-
"You alright, J-Bird?" the ring interrupted. It never allowed her mind to dwell on dark thoughts for too long. Just long enough that they'd be indulged and quickly forgotten about.
Jessica shook her head. "Doesn't matter how many times you ask, Ring. The answer's still no..."
She was sitting in the windowsill with her knees pressed against her chest, feeling like a frightened child which only made it worse when she looked in the glass and saw a twenty-two year old superhero looking back at her.
"Would you at least tell me what's wrong?"
"What's the point? You already know what's wrong, and you can read my mind."
"Talking helps."
Again she shook her head. "I don't want help," her voice cracked. "Why can't anybody understand that? You died, Ring. Pretty sure I died too even though nobody will tell me. Lobo got vaporized. And Sara cracked her ribs and almost died. How is talking supposed to help when I'm reliving it every moment I'm awake and even when I'm asleep?"
"Everyone you just mentioned is alive and well, Jessica. Lobo has regenerated. Sara's ribs have healed and she's become popular around The Watchtower. I was never dead, but then again, neither am I alive. Your willpower repaired me. Oh, and you're alive too by the way, if you hadn't noticed."
Jessica gave the ring a wry smile. Its voice was more masculine than feminine today, which she thought might've been the ring's way of distinguishing its voice from her own. Hearing one's own voice helped when dealing with anxiety or panic attacks, but wasn't always helpful when it came to depression. It was a vicious cycle that Jessica was all too aware of, but her ring always seemed to be able to navigate the turbulent thoughts of her mind. For the most part anyway.
"I told you, I don't want help..."
"You don't mean that, and you know it."
"I don't know what I want anymore," she said after a yawn. "I want Phoebe here with me, and I wanna crawl into David's arms, and I don't want anybody else to die or get hurt. I'm just so tired..."
"People getting hurt and dying is a universal constant, and a part of life I'm afraid. Whether you leave your apartment or hide in it, this will not change. However, you have the power to make a difference in this world and countless others. Might I remind you of all the natural disasters you've assisted with? How many lives do you think you've saved or made better in the past five months?"
"I dunno. It's like I'm on auto-pilot when I'm on the job. Just going through the motions, you know?"
"You're turning off your emotions in order to protect yourself during stressful situations. It's not necessarily an unhealthy way of dealing with emotions, and it's part of the training you underwent with Diana, but you are struggling to find a balance between the two."
Jessica shook her head, feeling more exhausted with every passing moment. "Ring, why did you choose me of all people to be a Green Lantern? You told Sara she has the ability to overcome great fear, and I know for a fact she's braver than I am. She's won soccer games through sheer willpower alone, and you've never seen what she's like after she's been grounded. So why didn't you choose her? And why don't you go back to her now? She'd love to be a superhero, and she fits in around here better than I do."
"I chose to be your ring, Jessica Cruz, because I'm a masochist. Does that answer please you?"
As upset as she was, Jessica almost smiled, but settled on a scowl instead. "I'm not quite ready for jokes yet, Ring. Please, be gentle, but be honest. Tell me why you chose me instead of Sara or anybody else. Why did you choose someone who feels useless from the moment they wake up to the moment they fall asleep? All I dream about besides Phoebe, David, and Ethan dying is me failing, and people being mad at me. Why me?"
The ring remained quiet for quite some time as if considering its words very carefully. Eventually Jessica gave up waiting and stared at her reflection, and had nearly forgotten her question when the ring finally spoke again.
"I chose you over eight billion other lifeforms because you showed the most potential," it said, sounding more human and less robotic than usual. "Every Lantern brings something unique to The Corps. You were a victim, Jessica, and you understand fear on a personal level most do not, and yet you still have the ability to overcome it. You are reluctant in your duties as a Green Lantern, but you do not wish for anyone to suffer as you have."
It seemed to wait for a response, but when Jessica said nothing, the ring continued. "Hal Jordan was a fighter pilot who didn't understand the meaning of fear. John Stewart was a US Marine who ran toward the sound of gunfire. Guy Gardner is an asshole, and Kyle Rayner while reluctant like you, has a heart bigger than this world."
The glow around Jessica brightened, and warmth radiated from her ring. "Jessica, no other Lantern understands bravery quite like you because none of them understand FEAR quite like you. Every day we've been together, you have proven me right in choosing you. Also, on a personal note, as someone who has experienced your thoughts, feelings, and memories first hand, there is no other finger I'd rather be around than yours."
*sniff*
"Oh, Ring..." She gave it a lingering kiss, suddenly wishing there was a body to go along with the voice.
"You can create anything you imagine, Jessica," the ring reminded. "Tell me, would you prefer Cortana or-"
"Shut up!" she said, unable to keep her tears and laughter at bay. "We're having a moment!"
"Yes, and you ruined it by having thoughts that would've made even Phoebe blush. I was rather romantic though, wasn't I? David never said anything half as romantic, and yet by now you would've been out of your clothes and-"
Jessica told the ring to shut up several more times before eventually giving in to hysterics, and found herself rubbing the ring spotless. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Ring. Not be a superhero that's for sure. Without you, I'm just a grown ass woman too afraid to leave her apartment. Thank you..."
"That's not true, Jessica. Regardless of superpowers, you're a member of the Justice League now, and your willpower exists independent of a ring. Your willpower repaired me and your battery after all. You can move mountains if you so choose, and together, we shall do things much greater. You'll see."
"I'm just tired of being scared, Ring. I'm scared of losing the people I love, again. I'm scared the people that killed Phoebe, David, and Ethan will find me or my family. I'm scared of guns, loud noises, rooms full of people, spiders, getting sick, big dogs, miniature horses, and-"
"-and you've overcome all those things time and time again. Nobody expects your fears to go away overnight, but you have continuously conquered them day after day. Bravery is not the absence of fear, but rather taking action in spite of it."
Jessica nodded. It was the sort of platitude she had heard countless times even before she locked herself away in her apartment, and had long since grown to despise, but the combination of Dinah's voice and the ring being linked to her mind was starting to make her believe they might actually be telling the truth. By all accounts, a Green Lantern defeating The Eye of Ekron even with a power battery shouldn't have been possible, and yet Jessica had made the impossible possible through sheer willpower.
"I don't know," she said mid-yawn. "I just don't-"
The doors to her quarters opened and a high-pitched squeal interrupted her thoughts. "This place is amazing!" Sara cried. Thankfully the walls were soundproof, but Sara seemed intent on pushing them to limits even Black Canary wasn't capable of. "Did you know there's a swimming pool downstairs? Sorry I'm late. Kori and Atlee, oops, I mean Starfire and Terra were showing me around, and I just had to take a dip. I didn't even need a towel because of Kori's powers!"
In truth, Jessica hadn't known there was a swimming pool, nor did she really care. Her apartment complex had a swimming pool that she never used either. Once upon a time it had been difficult to keep her out of the water, but now didn't even know if she owned a swimsuit anymore.
Sara walked into the bedroom but stopped in the doorway. She had turned on the light in the living room, but it was still dark save for the Earth outside the window and a faint emerald glow surrounding her sister. It momentarily took her breath away seeing the Earth and its greatest champion side by side, and would've snapped a picture if her cell phone hadn't been confiscated upon arrival.
"At least you're out of bed today." She took a seat on the windowsill across from Jessica. "Beautiful isn't it? Never thought I'd ever see a view like this, and I have you to thank."
Jessica forced a polite smile but didn't say anything. All she could think about was-
"You're still blaming yourself for me getting hurt, aren't you?" Sara said matter-of-factly. "You're imagining every worst case scenario that could've happened but didn't, and they all almost feel real to you, don't they?"
Her breath caught mid-imagination, and Jessica's smile almost became genuine. "Am I becoming that predictable?"
Sara shrugged. "Phoebe and I spent most of our time thinking of ways to get into trouble, and relied on you for ways to get out of it. You were always the one afraid of getting arrested, kicked out of school, or grounded. We didn't want to get caught, but consequences hanging over our heads was part of the fun. Remember the time Phoebe thought it'd be a good idea to toilet paper and trench the principal's house? Only problem was she decided to use her car and got the wrong house?"
Jessica chuckled at the memory, more tears running down her cheeks. "She followed Mrs. Dillinger's car after she got detention for chewing gum in the hallway. Turned out Mrs. Dillinger was having an affair with the volleyball coach. I had to wake up early every morning for the rest of the year and drive Phoebe to school because she was scared they'd recognize her car."
She spoke as if to herself, trying to remember, but was soon giggling alongside Sara who had the memory living rent free in her head. Soon they were both laughing and reenacting their favorite parts of the story, as well as each other's reactions.
"Sara, take the wheel!" Jessica said, imitating Phoebe. "I'm gonna moon them!"
"WE'RE DEAD! WE'RE DEAD! WE'RE DEAD!" Sara chanted in between Spanish obscenities. "MOM'S GONNA KILL US!"
"Phoebe, get your pasty butt out the window! I can't reach the pedals!"
Sara fell to the floor in hysterics, and Jessica followed a moment later where they began trading stories they had recited countless times over the years but never got tired of hearing or retelling. Jessica laughed almost as much as she cried, but at least for a little while, she forgot about Phoebe dying in her arms, lying to her that everything would be alright. Lying that Ethan was alright. Lying that she'd see her parents again...
Eventually Sara's ribs couldn't take any more and Jessica had no more tears left to shed, and the two sat in the dull gloom of Jessica's radiance, lost in thought and happy memories.
"You alright, Sis?" Sara finally asked.
Jessica took a deep breath, and after a moment to think about it, she nodded. "Maybe not 'alright', but better." It was the truth, and it'd been the honest truth for five months now. Sara seemed to ask the question every time they were together, and Jessica always answered the same. Now was one of the rare instances where neither felt as though she was lying.
"Jessica is feeling, amongst other things, conflicted," the ring explained. "On one hand, she believes her self-worth to be dependent on her powers. On the other, she really, REALLY does not wish to be a superhero."
"And here I've always thought you were the responsible one," Sara teased. She scooted closer, grabbed her sister's hand and squeezed. "Jess, I might not know much about Green Lanterns, but I know a hero when I see one, and you've been my hero since I can remember. I like trouble, and trouble likes me almost as much. When I'm feeling down and out, I think about you and how you never give up."
Jessica snorted, the lie almost sending her into more hysterics. "Sara, I give up all the time. I can barely get out of bed most days, and-"
"They're injury timeouts, that's all," she said, smiling supportively. "I can't imagine what you've been through, or what you're still going through, but you're still here. Whatever your ring sensed five months ago is what I've known all my life. You're the strongest person I know, and what you've gone through and how you've come out of it is more than enough proof."
She dug a rosary out from her pocket. A good luck charm more than anything, but not to her sister. "Back when my middle school team couldn't win a game to save our lives, and I could barely dribble the ball let alone score, I broke my foot and it felt like the world was coming to an end. You're the one who told me that sometimes the worst things happen to the best people because they're the only ones that can handle it. That's you, Jess. You're the one strong enough to make it through this."
Jessica looked down, lost in thought, slowly twisting the ring around her finger. "I'd still give you this ring if I could, or if you wanted it." She looked up expectantly as if hoping her sister would say yes, but Sara shook her head.
"Sorry, but green's not my color. Now if you were a purple Lantern that'd be a different story. Not even you'd have enough willpower to keep it from me."
Jessica snorted and straightened the ring on her finger, deciding it looked fine where it was, for now anyway.
"The scar looks badass by the way." Sara raised a hand to her sister's face, tracing the pattern around her eye. "Guess you don't have to worry too much about the whole secret identity thing now. Even I barely recognize you."
"Not like I was gonna have to worry about it for long anyway." Jessica gave her sister a wry smile. She thought it likely Sara had already told her friends and teammates about the incident at the mall and about Jessica being the newest Green Lantern and a member of the Justice League. Thankfully Sara's record with telling the truth was spotty at best, and everyone knew to take her embellishing with a grain of salt.
Jessica didn't particularly care whether anyone knew she was a superhero or not, so long as they left alone. She was more worried about her neighbors knocking on the door than supervillains seeing how Lanterns weren't known for making terrestrial enemies. When your job was protecting the planet from asteroids, alien invasions, and natural disasters, even madmen like The Joker weren't crazy enough to come after you. Not that Jessica wanted to put this convention to the test, but Sara was proud of her big sister, and she wanted everyone to know just who it was risking their life to save theirs.
"They do pretty good work," Sara said, remembering the pale eye and bubbling skin. "Think you can introduce me to your plastic surgeon sometime?"
"I just hope I don't get stuck with the bill. I'm pretty sure most of the technology on The Watchtower is alien and worth a fortune. Otherwise it'd be all over Earth by now. I wonder how many lives could be saved just with the machines that grew my skin back and fixed my eye."
Sara flicked her on the nose. "You got hurt fighting a major baddie, Sis. You save more lives in a week than some machine ever will. Trust me, it's in the Justice League's best interest to keep you around. I've already warned Superman that if anything happens to you, I'll kick a soccer ball right in his face."
Jessica smiled and flicked her back. "I know for a fact you did not threaten your school girl crush, but thanks. I mean it. I can't talk to Mom and Dad about this kind of stuff. After I told them about being a Green Lantern, well-"
"I remember. I'm the one who convinced you to tell them. Sorry about that..."
Jessica scratched the back of her neck, wishing more than anything she was back home alone in her apartment. "Once we got to talking about what happened four years ago, I could tell Mom's still mad that I lied about camping with Phoebe. You were supposed to be the wild child we worried about, but there I was on a camping trip with Phoebe and our boyfriends. I can't talk to them without feeling like I let them down, or-"
"Who cares what Mom and Dad think?"
"I care."
"Well I don't," Sara said, raising her voice. "I love them, but Dad sometimes cares more about his next building project than his daughters, and Mom thinks every problem can be solved by yelling. Every time I got into trouble, you got yelled at more for not watching me. I might not understand everything you went through, Jess, but at least I've tried. God knows I've tried." She wasn't angry, nor had she ever held her sister's irritability against her, but she didn't appreciate her sister worrying more about what their parents thought than what she thought.
"It's always been you and me against the world," her voice cracked. "If it wasn't for me-"
Jessica nodded, and fought back her few remaining tears, failing miserably. "I know, Sara. If it wasn't for you checking on me for all those years, I probably wouldn't be here right now..."
Sara threw herself into her sister's arms, ignoring the discomfort in her ribs, and held her for what felt like an eternity until she felt herself being held instead. "I couldn't be there for you then, but I'm here now."
"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you," Jessica promised. "I've lost one sister already. I'm not losing you too."
The two sat in silence for what felt like an eternity, their faces buried in the crooks of each other's necks, promising to take care of the other.
"Not to ruin the moment," the ring interrupted, "but you'll soon have company."
*knock, knock*
"That better not be Dinah," Jessica growled. "I've had enough therapy for one day."
Sara laughed and helped her sister to her feet. Afterward they helped themselves through a box of tissues. "Nope. I ran into a friend on the way here. They needed to talk to you about League stuff, but I told them to let me talk to you first. Guess they couldn't wait any longer."
"Thanks." Jessica gulped down the glass of water lying on the nightstand and turned the temperature down. Crying always made her thirsty, not to mention hot, made worse by her energy field radiating heat. "I don't know if I could've dealt with another ass chewing, or much else for that matter. God I'm tired."
Sara gave her a crooked smile and snuggled close. "You might not want to thank me just yet..."
The doors parted on their own accord and a young woman with burnt orange skin, fiery red hair, and glowing green eyes similar to Jessica's leaped into the sisters' arms.
"It is wonderful to see you, Jessica Cruz!" she cried, sounding out each word carefully as though English wasn't her first language.
"Hello, Starfire," Jessica groaned. "Good to see you again..." She shot Sara a dirty look after their heads bumped the ceiling.
"Please, call me Kori. It is most excellent to see you back on your feet."
Jessica flailed her legs mid-air, hoping to free herself or at least kick one of them in the shins. "Figuratively speaking," she muttered.
Starfire turned to Sara, their noses practically touching. "I take it your intimate sisterly talk about Jessica's anxiety, depression, PTSD, and feelings of inadequacy went well?"
A leg got free and Jessica kicked her sister in the rear, but the soccer star ignored her and continued smiling at her new best friend. "Everything's better. Except maybe the concussion and PTSD."
"Gee, I wonder why..."
"Glorious!" Starfire set them down and Jessica wasted no time taking a step back and putting Sara between them. To say Jessica felt uneasy around Starfire would've been an understatement. While the Justice League had no shortage of beautiful women in revealing outfits, Starfire was impossibly beautiful on account of her orange skin and fiery hair, and a costume left even less to the imagination than Black Canary out of the fishnets.
The Tamaranean also couldn't go five minutes without giving Jessica a spine snapping, eyeball popping bear hug, which was why she did her best to make herself scarce whenever Starfire was around. Thankfully she was even louder than Sara, which always gave her ample time to hide. She also couldn't help thinking of the time Phoebe had gone to a costume party dressed as the most popular teenage superheroine at the time, even going so far as to paint her skin orange. Unfortunately she'd used the wrong kind of paint, and had gone to school for nearly a week looking like a human carrot.
Starfire tried giving Jessica another hug spurred by something Sara had said, but settled on a wide grin when Jessica used her sister as a human shield.
"You remind me of my friend Raven. She also does not like the touching or hugging, or the kissing from France."
Jessica tightened the grip on her shield. "Um, is that a good thing, or a bad thing? Name doesn't ring a bell. I get the feeling that's probably a bad thing."
"Raven's father is an interdimensional demon that nearly destroyed the universe," Starfire explained. "He is trapped in a gem that she keeps embedded on her forehead. Unfortunately the stress eventually killed her, but she was reborn as a teenager with her memories mostly intact. It is wonderful because now she is a part of The Titans again, and I am what the team refers to as their 'den mother'. Raven however has other words for me that are not nearly so kind or wholesome."
Jessica blinked and shared a glance with her sister whose grin had somehow grown since last she looked. "Sorry, I'm a little out of the loop and haven't kept up with superhero gossip the last four years. I only understood about half of that, and I don't like the sound of it."
"Raven has what humans call 'issues'."
"Hey, Jessica's got issues too!" Sara said cheerfully. "Maybe we could schedule a playdate and they can work out their issues together!"
"That is a wonderful idea! Raven will hate it very much!"
"Probably not as much as I will..."
Sara elbowed her in the ribs, which due to having an active force field, hurt her more than Jessica. "Come on, Sis. It'll be fun. Both you and Raven are introverts that like to sit in the dark, listen to emo, and mope. She reads cheap romance novels, you watch anime. She has a gem she talks to that annoys her, and you have a ring you constantly threaten to flush down the toilet. Y'all have so much in common already!"
"Did you just compare me to the demon lord Trigon?" the ring asked. "This is acceptable. Please continue."
"Anyway, Kori and I have been talking, and-"
"What else would either of you do together?"
"-and we think it'd be good idea if-"
*KNOCK, KNOCK*
Jessica jumped at the hammering at her door, but Sara and Starfire merely turned as if they'd been expecting another visitor all along.
"Hey, Hot Lips!" a gruff voice called from the other side. "Would ya stop yapping and get to the point? I've got money to make and strippers' kids to feed."
The doors parted once again on their own accord, except this time it hadn't been a senior Leaguer overriding the security codes, but rather a hulking brute pulling the doors apart. Jessica moved in front of her sister, her eyes and the burn mark glowing brightly, but Sara merely stared, practically drooling at the seven foot tall rockstar biker standing before her.
"Hey, Lobo," Jessica said, her willpower having never felt stronger. "Looking good for a guy that got disintegrated."
Lobo chuckled. "Does Batman know Two-Face is on The Watchtower?"
Sara lowered her sister's ring hand. "It's alright. He's one of the good guys. Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I am not yapping, Mr. Lobo," Starfire chided, sounding like a parent scolding a child. "I am speaking to friends. I was just about to tell Jessica what the League has decided." She turned and smiled, again like a parent to a child despite them being roughly the same age. "I wish this could be a social visit, but I am here on official League business."
Jessica's heart skipped a beat. "I-I'm not in more trouble, am I?"
Starfire shook her head. "You are being rewarded for your valor and battle prowess!"
"So what you're saying is I'm being punished?"
Sara snorted and elbowed her again, quickly wishing she hadn't. "Let her talk, Sis. It's important."
"The Emerald Empress and Eye of Ekron are some of the most wanted criminals in the galaxy across all space and time," Starfire continued. "The Green Lantern Corps wishes to imprison The Eye on Oa while The Empress stands trial on her home planet of Venegar. Lobo's previous employer has since been located and arrested on too many charges to count, but to avoid the same fate, Mr. Lobo will be helping deliver The Eye to Oa and will return all of the power rings currently in his possession."
"Those Lanterns were dead when I found them," Lobo said defensively. "It's not my fault the fingers wouldn't come off. I was planning on giving them back. Eventually. For the right price..."
"In return, and after Mr. Lobo fulfills a few jobs out of the goodness of his heart, The Guardians will overlook his many, many misdeeds across the galaxy. The League is also willing to overlook his many counts of sexual harassment, whatever that is."
"And let me guess," Jessica said, her patience wearing thin, "because I'm the Green Lantern of Sector 2814, and because I'm the one who captured them, I have to go with him."
"You will not be going alone," Starfire reassured. "A senior member of the Justice League is required for a mission of this caliber, so I will be coming with you. We will leave the day after tomorrow if you are well enough, and we will return to Earth at the end of the week. It is likely you will undergo training on Oa, and it will be good for you to finally meet your fellow Lanterns. Jessica, you are a part of something bigger than yourself or even the Justice League. I am very proud and rather envious of you."
"That makes one of us..." Jessica sighed and her shoulders slumped, and she suppressed another yawn. It was an involuntary reflex brought on by her anxiety. Strangers and sometimes her own family got the impression she was bored when it usually couldn't be any further from the truth. A few teachers had reprimanded her in the middle of class for yawning, which only made her yawn more, and many thought she'd had a late night due to all the yawning she did at swim meets and soccer games.
"Sure, whatever. Doesn't sound like I have much of a choice." She sighed again, and while Starfire began going over the details of their trip, Jessica turned to her sister. "Why does it feel like everyone is either trying to ruin my life or run it for me?"
Sara grinned. "Sis, you don't have a life to ruin, and if we don't run your life, who will? Come on, it'll be fun. Just think about it! Space! The final frontier! Alien planet!"
"How about I just kill myself now and get the suspense out of the way?"
"Muy caliente," Lobo said. "La Bonita can come too if she wants. Now if you'll excuse me, the Main Main isn't one to shy away from friendly female companionship, but as much as he'd like to stick around to watch y'all have a pillow fight, he's got a date with Wonder Woman. Think she's ever been tied up with that lasso of hers? Anyway, after that, maybe me and Brown Sugar can grab dessert. Tang and the Little Mamacita are welcome too if they want. Adios, senioritas."
The giant man stalked off, leaving the girls to stare in absolute silence, only to be broken up by Sara wishing him good luck, and promising to see him later that night.
Jessica bit her lip, tempted to follow him. "Am I the only one that kinda wants to go watch Wonder Woman kick his ass? How long do you think before he pisses her off? First sentence? Second?"
"I believe Lobo not keeping his eyes to himself will get him into trouble as quickly as his mouth," Starfire answered. "Humans are sensitive about their bodies, particularly the women, but Lobo sometimes makes me wish to put on more clothing as well."
"Really, I was kinda feeling overdressed," Sara said.
Jessica gave the pair a sideways glance, noticing for the first time that Starfire and her sister were practically wearing matching outfits. "I wish you'd put on more clothes too. Same goes for you, Sara." She turned to Starfire after giving Lobo a final look of uncertainty. "Are you sure about bringing Lobo with us? I don't trust him, and there's a pretty good chance he'll stab us in the back the first chance he gets. I don't wanna die, but I also don't wanna get sold as some kind of sex slave. That's a thing that happens in space, right?"
"Sex slave..." Sara shook her head as if waking up from a dream. "Jess, you've gotta go on a date with him! I'll go with you! A-as chaperone!"
Jessica shrugged. "Sure, why not. Like you said, it's not like I've got anything else going on in my life. It'll be entertaining if nothing else. Also, there's no way in hell I'm leaving you alone with him. Take a good long look, Sis, because this is as close as you're ever getting to him again."
"I believe that would be wise," Starfire said. "Lobo is an incredible warrior, and the greatest bounty hunter in the galaxy, but I would not trust him alone with my sister either. In fact, I don't believe I would trust him alone period. Unfortunately his abilities are very usual, and he is both immortal and difficult to keep imprisoned. It is better to have him as our ally than an enemy. I believe it is as humans say, 'keep your friends close, and your enemies closer'."
The heavy footfalls of Lobo disappeared down the hall, and Jessica once again backed away from Starfire who didn't seem to grasp the concept of personal space. Her glowing green eyes were also eerie, almost as though they were peering into her soul. Jessica briefly wondered if anyone thought the same thing about her own eyes.
"You are uneasy, Jessica?"
She almost laughed. "How could you tell?"
"We Tamaraneans are emotional beings, and we are capable of seeing and sensing the emotional spectrum itself. Wearing a suit made of your emotions and radiating that power around you, I can see what emotions you are currently feeling."
"Oh..." Jessica was certain she must've lit up like a Christmas tree at that very moment, and glanced down at her ring. "Did you know about this?"
"I was planning on telling you eventually. Once it stopped being funny. I don't believe it will ever stop being funny."
An uncomfortable silence fell amongst them, though it was really only awkward for one of them.
"So..." Sara drawled. "Can I go!? Can I go!? Can I go!?"
"NO!" Jessica screamed. "I don't wanna go, especially now I know my shipmate can see my emotions, probably even smell them, and I sure as hell don't want you going into deep space!"
"PLEASE!?"
"Jessica is right," Starfire said. "You have a soccer game to practice for, as well as a life to live. As you said, Jessica has no life, so it will not be difficult for her to be gone for a few days."
"Hey! Just because it's true doesn't mean you have to say it aloud!"
"That reminds me, Kori. You're staying here at The Watchtower while Titans Tower gets rebuilt, right? Once y'all get back, why don't you stay with Jess? She won't mind."
"WHAT!?"
Starfire clapped her hands together and flew a few inches off the ground. "Thank you, Sara! It is so generous of you to offer your sister's home to me. I graciously accept. Tell me, Jessica, will we be sharing a bed?"
Jessica threw her hands up and took a seat on the couch. "How is that I'm the normal one in this room?"
"You talk to a magic ring, didn't leave your apartment for nearly four years, and underwater levels in video games cause you to have panic attacks. Care to rephrase?"
"Alright, fine. Since I don't have a life, I'm gonna sit here and watch cartoons while the two of you gal pal around The Watchtower. Have fun with Lobo. Don't do anything Phoebe would do. Tell me if Wonder Woman cuts his head off."
Sara laughed, knowing when her sister was actually upset and when she was simply annoyed and exasperated. Without warning she tackled her, and the two began wrestling for the remote.
"Glorious, friends!" Starfire cheered. "I shall tell J'onn your decision, Jessica. Then I will search for Atlee and return with her and corn that has been popped in time to watch toons about cars!"
She floated out the door and down the hall, and Jessica turned to her sister with a defeated look and halfhearted smile. "This is all your fault. And thank you..."
"Any time, Sis. Any time..."
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. In the past year, Jessica Cruz has become one of my all-time favorite characters, and I hope that's been seen in this story, its predecessor, "Limelight of Remnant", and all future stories involving her. While this chapter was meant to wrap up "Embracing the Limelight", I also wanted to setup potential future stories, with Jessica undergoing training on Oa, going on a galactic road trip, having Starfire as a roommate, and/or spectating one of Sara's soccer games all fun ideas I've had. Also, Jessica, Sara, Starfire, and Atlee sounds like a match made in Heaven and/or hell in my opinion, specifically hell for Jessica.
I like the idea of Sara constantly trying to help her sister fight through her struggles, and while she might not always pick the right way to help, her heart is in a good place, and ultimately being around people like Sara, Starfire, and Atlee will help Jessica with her anxiety, depression, PTSD, and related struggles. Thank you again for all of the love and support, friends. This story means a lot to me, as does Jessica Cruz as a character, and I hope anyone that can relate to Jessica's struggles found comfort and encouragement from this story. Much love and support to all of you.
All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and all of you wonderful readers. God bless)
