Laughter once again echoed up and down the halls of the Watchtower, and Superman smiled as he watched Scarlet racing around, playing with some imaginary friends, Batman was in a meeting and Dick had homework to do at school. Everyone else was in a meeting, but Superman, thankfully, had just gotten back from a mission early, so he didn't have to attend... technically.
He watched from the shadows as she giggled. She was only six, she was still young, and he watched, smiling at the innocence she had as she played with the imaginary things. She was young enough to play pretend still, but old enough to work with others...
She was cute too, incredibly cute. Superman was glad he was her surrogate uncle.
She turned around, catching sight of Superman. Her eyes lit up even more and she ran to him. "Uncle Clark!" she squealed in delight and Superman caught her, bending slightly so he could, grinning. All the fatigue from the off-world diplomatic mission was gone, which was saying something. Two weeks being surrounded by political parties that would never agree on a civil war-torn planet ruled by bureaucracy was depressing, but this girl was like an angle- she could lift anyone's spirits.
Superman swung her around slightly before setting her down. "I missed you!" she said, grinning at him.
"I missed you too, Scarlet..." He said, ruffling her hair.
"Did you see any aliens?" she asked hopefully, blue eyes alight with wonder.
"Lots, Scarlet." Superman chuckled. "But they weren't very friendly..."
"Did you beat them up?" she asked hopefully.
"Sort of..." he'd been acting as security while a peace treaty was being signed, but terrorists had made sure it hadn't happened... Still, all his anger and regret had melted away...
"I saved you gummy bears." Scarlet said, pulling out the bag from a pocket in her cape and handing them to him.
"Thanks..." Superman smiled warmly, taking the bag from her and sliding it into his own pocket. She was the only one who knew how much he liked gummy bears...
"Uncle Clark..."
"Yes, Scarlet...?" Superman could see something flickering in her eyes- hope and excitement, possibly...
"Could you fly me?" she asked hopefully.
Superman chuckled. "Sure, Scarlet." instantly she'd scrambled over and was holding her arms up, and Superman picked her up, holding her so she held onto him like a little koala bear...
"Ready?" he asked.
She nodded eagerly, and Superman's feet left the floor... He watched her eyes, happy to see they were dancing as they hovered above the ground, about thirty feet above the up the large hall...
Scarlet grinned. She could stay like this forever, in the air, flying, nothing holding her but Superman... It was so like she felt when she was on the trapeze, but Superman could hold her here forever- she'd never have to get tired and come down, the rush would never stop...
Superman held the girl, realizing then, nit for the first time, how small she was. Bruce admitted she was light, but to a kryptonian who could easily bench a car, the girl was like a feather, her bones like glass... And yet she was never afraid, she was a hero...
"You like being up in the air, don't you?" Superman asked quietly, and the blue eyes looked up at him.
"I'm an acrobat. My mamica didn't know she was pregnant with me until she was two months along, so she kept being on the trapeze until then..." Scarlet said, as if that explained everything.
Superman smiled. "That's pretty neat..."
Scarlet nodded, laying her head against her uncle's chest. It was late, and the happiness of being in the air was starting to wear her out...
"Scarlet." Batman's voice drifted up to them, and they saw the Dark Knit himself standing below, arms crossed...
"Tati!" Scarlet completely forgot she was thirty feet in the air and pull free from Superman's grip, completely at ease as she approached the ground at a rapid pace...
Wonder Woman gasped as she watched the child fall, and J'on tried to stop her with his telepathic powers, but it was too late...
Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Hawkman, and Zatara all braced themselves for the sickening thud...
"Hi Tati! I missed you!" Scarlet chirped, curling against the caped crusader's chest...
"Hello, mi tikno chirriklo..." he said, stroking her hair...
"But... she was falling..." Wonder Woman stared, as did all the leaguers who'd witnessed the spectacle, were pale and looking shocked...
"So I caught her." Batman said simply. "And she didn't fall. She jumped. Graysons never fall."