Sorry for the meh-ness of this chapter. Please enjoy and tell me what you think :)

L.L.A.P

~Laces

Chpt.26

"He visits everyday with the boy." the nurse informed and Batman nodded. It had been three days since Athena was operated on, and she was visited by the league often. However, she had not woken up since the operation.

Batman walked into the hospital room with Superboy behind him. They were welcomed by the sound of the slow and steady beeping of Athena's heartbeat hooked up to the monitor.

Already in the room was Superman and Ramon.

Ramon was drawing in a sketchbook while Superman was staring at Athena's unmoving body.

"How's she doing?" Conner inquired, looking at Athena with concern.

"She hasn't moved." Clark sighed.

"How have you been doing?" Batman inquired, and Superman stood from his feet, walking closer to Batman and Superboy.

"She took a bullet for me. A man who she thought hated her." He said in a low voice. He then shook his head. "When I was taking her here, she thought I was you." He informed, looking at Conner. "And she was talking about if Superman was okay, and if Superman loved her. She then started talking about how she was happy to live and how she wants to be buried and what she wanted on her tombstone. It was like she was resigned to the fact she was going to die."

"Athena's gonna be okay." Ramon stated, and everyone looked over at the quiet boy. "God knows that it's not her time." Ramon looked at the older men, his eyes watering. "God has to know that she can't leave yet." Ramon shook and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "H-He has to."

Superman placed a hand gently on Ramon's shoulder. He knew that even though Ramon was being strong, he was having a hard time not breaking down.

The doctors said that until she woke up, it was very unsure whether Athena would live or die. Nobody liked the uncertainty of the situation, especially Ramon.

There was a soft nock on the door, and then it slowly opened to reveal Ramon's mother.

"How is she doing?" the woman inquired walking into the room. she coughed slightly and pulled her coat tighter across herself as she shivered.

"Nothing has changed." Superman informed, and the woman nodded sadly.

"Ramon, do you want me to bring you home now or do you want me to come back later?" she inquired.

"Can I stay her a little bit longer, Mom?" Ramon inquired, and the woman nodded, not at all surprised by the answer.

"Of course, honey. I'll be back soon." Ramon's mother said as she kissed her son lightly on his head, then turned to the doorway.

"Indira." Batman stated, and she looked over at the man. "If you want, I can take Ramon home. You should stay home and rest." Indira looked at Batman with surprise.

"It's only a cold…"

"But we wouldn't want it turning into anything else." Batman informed knowingly.

Indira found it uncanny how Batman knew so much about her, including how her immune system wasn't the best.

"Alright." She nodded. "Thank you, Batman." She whispered, then walked out the door.

"Mom looks a little scared of you." Ramon informed. The boy had never seen his mother afraid of anything.

"That's because she's smart." Batman replied, and Ramon didn't know what to say to that. It sounded slightly like a threat, but by the way he looked, it seemed the man really did have Ramon's mother's well-being in mind.

"What were you drawing, Ramon?" Superboy questioned, looking at the boy's sketchpad. He had to admit it, the boy did have great talent.

"I was just drawling something…" Ramon looked down, trying to hide his tears.

The picture was of him and a girl holding hands. Surrounding the two children was a gray looking city, however, in the sky was a vibrant rainbow. It was a good memory. Him holding the girl's hand and looking at the rainbow painting the sky.

Bruce stood to his feet and looked down at Ramon, the knelt in front of him.

"Everything is going to be okay." He stated, and Ramon grasped onto him tightly, crying into the man's shoulder. Batman stayed where he was, lightly patting the boy's back.

He wished he could believe his own words.

After Athena was put in the hospital and Superman explained what happened, Batman went on a tirade, searching for Thomas Elliot.

However, the man was gone, most likely in hiding.

Bruce didn't know what he was going to do if he found Elliot. He wanted to shoot him in the stomach and see how well he fared after that. He wanted to do something.

He hated how Athena looked. She looked dead. Her eyes lightly closed over her eyes, her face more pale, her smiling features wiped away. Bruce hated it. She looked like a lifeless body on a bed.

Bruce didn't want her to die, he loved her too much. However, the longer the girl slept, the more unlikely it was for her to wake up. The doctors were surprised that she had lasted this long.

Conner placed the sketchpad back on the chair, and turned to look at Athena.

"Y'know, she asked if she could call me Dad." Conner whispered. "It was strange, but… I liked it." the clone whispered.

"She called you Dad?" Superman questioned, and the clone nodded.

"I wish I could hear her call me it again, too." He whispered, as he brushed a stray hair off of Athena's face, and then grasped her small hand. Her heart beat was on a steady decline, and it seemed to stay that way.

"She liked Elvis." Ramon stated. "She sang to me once. She got really embarrassed about it because she doesn't think she's any good, but I think she is. I think her voice is pretty." Ramon whispered.

"When you're weary.

Feeling small.

When tears are in your eyes.

I will try them all." He sung softly, then looked up at the men. "Bridge over trouble water is her favorite song."

"I'm on your side." Conner sang softly along with Ramon.

"Oh, when times get rough.

And friends just can't be found."

Batman joined in with them.

"Like a bridge over trouble water.

I will lay me down.

Like a bridge over troubled water."

"I will lay me down." Superman sang softly.

Athena heart beat started to pick up as the group continued to sing.

"Like a Bridge over troubled water." The group sung and then another voice joined.

"I will ease your mind." The voice came from the small body on the bed, and everyone stared at her.

"I like that song." She whispered with a small smile, opening her eyes.

"I KNEW YOU'D BE OKAY!" Ramon exclaimed, hugging the girl tightly, and she smiled, hugging the boy back.

"Hello Ramon." She smiled. "Hello Father, Dad…" she trailed off when she saw Clark. "Hello Superman." She whispered.

Superman gave a girl a smile.

"I'm happy to see you alive." He informed. "Thank you for saving me, Athena." the girl grinned at the man. The smile he was showing her had no deception behind it. The smile was genuine.

Batman stood behind the group, but was relieved to see Athena breathing and awake again. She was smiling as well.

"I'll start calling everyone to tell them you're okay." Conner smiled, kissing the girl's forehead then taking out his cell phone to spread the good news.

"Did you see anything when you were out? What brought you back?" Ramon questioned, and Athena shrugged.

"It was dark. Then I heard you guys singing, and I woke up. That was pretty much it." The girl shrugged. Sure, it wasn't the 'White hand came down and lifted me out of the darkness with a voice saying it's not your time' story that Ramon was expecting, but he didn't care. His best friend was alive.

The boy hugged Athena tightly and the girl hugged him back.

"How long was I out for?" she inquired.

"Three days." Ramon informed, and Athena's eyes widened.

"Three days? I thought I was only out for a few minutes. Wait a sec… Mr. Elliot… Batman, Mr. Elliot… Thomas Elliot…"

"What about him, Athena?" Batman questioned. He was suddenly worried what he might have done to her. He thought he knew his friend, but he clearly didn't. Clark said that he was the one who shot the Kryptonite bullet.

"He's my other DNA donor." She informed in a hushed voice. "He told me himself. That's why he wanted me dead, I think. So he wouldn't get in trouble if someone ever took my blood and found out." She informed.

"The guy who shot you is one of your dads?" Ramon inquired, and Athena nodded. "That's messed up." The boy stated.

"I don't like him much either." She nodded.

"It will be alright, Athena." Bruce whispered, walking over to her bedside. "Just because he is one of your DNA donors doesn't mean anything. He's on the run as we speak."

Athena smiled and relaxed her head into her pillow.

"So Cadmus should be off my back for a while?" she inquired, and Batman nodded.

"Yes." Athena smiled, and Ramon hugged her.

"D'you hear that? You're safer now!" the boy exclaimed happily. The boy's face lit up. "Oh, and I drew you a picture." He informed with excitement, grabbing his sketchpad and showing it to the girl.

"I'd keep an eye on that one, Bruce." Superman said in a whisper, watching the two children. "I think that boy has a thing for her." He informed.

"If he's a smart as his mother is, he hopefully doesn't." Batman stated, crossing arm.

"And if he isn't as smart as his mother?" Superman inquired. Batman was silent, not answering the question.

"Superpapa told me you were awake!" Dick exclaimed, busting through the doors happily and running to the girl's bedside.

"Hello Nii-san." Athena smiled, and Dick ruffled her hair.

"Hello Athena. Feeling better?" the girl nodded, and Dick grinned. "It's nice to have you back, kid."