"This is a bad idea, Issi," Katar told his pacing wife. "The League made it very clear that- "

"I know what the league said!" Issi whirled around to face her husband, who was relaxing in their bed. "I was there!"

"Lobo will- "

"Lobo has proven useless," Issi resumed her pacing. "He contacted me today, asking for backup. Apparently, the viperae has gone into hiding, and the League is helping her. The traitors," Issi spat.

"We cannot go to Earth," Katar stated firmly. "They will see it as an act of war. Give Lobo another chance to capture her." Issi faced her husband with her hands on her hips, studying him closely. "You're still in love with her," Issi accused. Katar rolled his eyes as he stood from their bed and searched for his undergarments. "We are not having this conversation again," Katar said.

"Shayera, Shayera, Shayera. Everyone loves Shayera!"

"You are behaving like a petulant child. Why do you care about my feelings? I was just intimate with you."

"Shayera isn't here. I am! You answer to me!" Katar marched up to Issi, leaving only an inch of space between the two. They both glared. "I don't answer to children," Katar growled through clenched teeth. Issi swung at Katar, nearly slicing his cheek with her hidden blade. The two began fighting each other – Issi with her blades, Katar with his hands.

"You will never be as good as Shayera," Katar said, further angering the incensed Issi. Issi's attacks became erratic, less purposeful. "Not in fighting." It took Katar seconds to disarm her. "Not in bed." Issi lunged at him with a scream. Blocking every one of Issi's punches, Katar wrapped a hand around her throat and backed her up against the wall. "You will not treat me as an inferior. I am superior in every way. You are only in charge because you were born into your role. At least Shayera earned our respect." Issi's gaze was like the fire of 1000 suns, but Katar wasn't fazed. He was also unfinished. "If you want my respect, you must earn it."

"I'm better than Shayera," Issi snarled.

"Prove it." No sooner had the words left his mouth did Issi slam her mouth against his. Grasping fistfuls of his hair in a painful grip, she wrapped both legs around Katar's waist, locking him in an almost triangle hold.

Katar, at first, moved to throw her off of him. He changed his mind, deciding to see where this went. After attacking his mouth with her tongue, Issi bit his lower lip hard enough to draw blood. Katar pressed against her, further pushing her into the wall. Once his lips were free, he yanked Issi's head back, kissed, and bit his way up and down her neck. Issi's sharp nails dug into his shoulders as he carried her back to bed. Flipping their position before they hit the bed, Issi straddled Katar and placed a hand around his throat, returning his sentiment from earlier. "I am not Shayera," she squeezed.

Katar stared deep into her eyes, eyes that were burning with lust and rage. They didn't love each other. Katar suspected they would never love each other, but that didn't mean they couldn't enjoy each other's bodies. Rolling over, pinning Issi's hands above her head with one hand, he ripped their clothes off with the other. Then, as he pierced her – entered her – he growled, "Then don't be."


Shayera pulled a towel through her hair as she exited the bathroom. "Bruce!" she gasped, not expecting to see the gorgeous billionaire sitting on her bed. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I wanted to see if you were okay," he answered, his blue eyes piercing her very soul.

Shayera swallowed hard. "Why wouldn't I be?" she asked.

"After sparring, I went back into the gym to grab something. I could have sworn I heard crying coming from the bathroom."

"Oh?" Shayera said, walking deeper into the room. She walked to the drawer, looking for a sweatshirt. Instead, she found an oversized Gotham University as Bruce continued talking. "I didn't want to say anything during dinner as Tim and Jason were both present." Shayera pulled on the sweatshirt, and wow. It was so comfortable and big. It fell past her knees. She turned to face Bruce, who had stopped speaking. "That's mine," he said.

"Oh," Shayera said, blushing furiously. "Do you want it back? I can take it off."

"No, no, no," Bruce said, standing to his feet. "I thought Alfred had burned it or turned it into a rag." Shayera pulled her fingers through her red hair. "It looks way better on you than it ever did on me."

"I doubt that," Shayera said before she could stop herself. She immediately covered her mouth with her hands, which were entirely covered by the sweatshirt's sleeves. Bruce looked at her with a raised brow, clearly amused. "Agree to disagree," he said with a wink. Not to be deterred, he continued, "Anyway. Why were you crying in the bathroom? Did I do something that made you upset or uncomfortable?"

"No, Bruce, you didn't."

"Because if I did, I hope you know it was not my attention to-" he stopped abruptly when Shayera held up her hand, a hard look on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Shh!" she said firmly. "I hear…strange footsteps."

"Where?" Bruce demanded, immediately stepping into his Batman persona.

"They are coming up the stairs." Bruce sprang into action, pulling batarangs, swords, and daggers from under the bed, drawers, and closets. "Is every room in the house stockpiled with weapons?" Shayera asked in amazement.

Bruce ignored her as he strapped a toned-down version of his tool belt around his waist. "Jason and Tim may be asleep, but I've already alerted them." When did he have time to do that? "I need to get to Alfred." They both stilled as they both heard footsteps in the hallway. The intruder was getting closer.

"I - " Shayera stopped abruptly. "He's here," she whispered.

The intruder had stopped in front of Bruce's bedroom. The door flew off its hinges before Bruce could utter a single word. He and Shayera dove out of the way, dodging the flying pieces of wood. There, decked out in all his glory, stood Lobo looking quite triumphant. "Finally," Lobo said joyously. "I have found you, little bird."


Bruce didn't miss a beat when Lobo came crashing through the door. "Shayera!" he shouted. "Go!" Shayera took off, charging at Lobo, full speed ahead, as Bruce threw smoke pellets, covering Lobo with smoke. Because of her heightened senses, Shayera had no problem seeing through the smoke. She expertly slid through Lobo's legs out of the room while he was busy waving his hands, trying to dispel the smoke. But as soon as Shayera regained her balance, she felt a shooting pain in her head. "Aah!" she screamed as her hair yanked her back.

"Is that all you got?" Lobo grinned, holding a struggling Shayera up by her silky strands. "A couple of smoke bombs?" he said with a laugh, which ended with an "Uh!" as his head whipped to the side. "What the…" he barely had time to duck out of the way before more black flying objects flew at him through the smoke. He lost his grip on Shayera's hair, an opportunity she took advantage of as she sprinted to the stairs.

Lobo stood up to follow her, but something connected with his jaw, causing him to stagger back. "Did you just kick me in the face?" he asked the male, staring at him with scary blue eyes. He swung at the more petite man, who ducked. Lobo then felt a searing pain shoot through his abdomen. The small human had punched him in the gut, and Lobo had felt it. The male followed his punch with a series of punches, which Lobo could not block, before following Shayera.

Lobo fell to one knee, clenching his abdomen in pain. How in the universe had a few punches from a simple human hurt him? If anything, the human's hand should be shattered. Lobo stared at Bruce's hands as he caught up to Shayera. Although, with his enhanced vision, Lobo could see the male was wearing some sort of brass knuckles, only the knuckles were silver, and the metal it was made from was definitely not from this planet. Lobo knew this because…well…Earth isn't that advanced, he thought as he ran to the banister overlooking the foyer. He watched as Shayera and her friend crossed the wood floor. He had no idea where they were going. The front door was in the opposite direction, but…whatever.

Lobo leapt over the banister, landing on his feet with a thud, cracking the expensive floor. He reached behind and pulled out his chain whip, preparing to toss.


Shayera and Bruce paid no attention to the thud that was right behind them. They knew who it was. Shayera felt a chain wrap around her ankle. Suddenly, she was yanked back, nearly cracking her head on the floor. "Bruce!" she called as Lobo began pulling her to him. Bruce turned and released two batarangs. One to Lobo's face, one to cut the chain holding Shayera hostage.


Lobo was so focused on pulling the Thanagarian to him that it didn't register when her friend had thrown something at him until after he felt his cheek get sliced. He released the chain as he placed his hands on his painful cheek. Lobo looked around to see what hit him. His eyes homed in on a metal bat lodged in the wall beside him. "What…?" Removing his hands from his face, his eyes widened in surprise when he felt blood. Okay, he said to himself, now it's personal. No one makes me bleed my own blood except me. Also, was that a bat?