Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Eileen embarks on her journey to being on an official Earth team.

Season 1 - In Allies We Trust Playlist
 1. Burning Pile - Mother Mother
 2. Teenage Dirtbag - Wheatus
 3. Ain't No Rest For the Wicked - Cage the Elephant
 4. I Will Not Bow - Breaking Benjamin
 5. Pursuit of Happiness - Kid Cudi, MGMT, Ratatat
 6. The Pretender - Foo Fighters
 7. Bleed It Out - Linkin Park
 8. The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
 9. Island in The Sun - Weezer
 10. Going Under - Evanescence
 11. Jerk It Out - Caesars
 12. Sugar, We're Goin' Down - Fall Out Boy
 13. Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
 14. Dirty Little Secret - The All-American Rejects
 15. Speed of Sound - Coldplay

Chapter Text

Eileen Jordan

If someone asked me back then would I see myself as a hero, I would’ve told them no.

Vital Statistics

Alias        Green Lantern

Birth year    1995

Species        Human

Designation    B-04

Physical Description

Gender        Female

Hair Color    Brown

Eye Color    Brown

Relationships

Relatives    Hal Jordan (Father)

Affiliation   Green Lantern Corps , The Team

Mentor        Green Lantern

Powers and Abilities

Equipment    Green Power Ring

Chapter Text

If someone asked me back then would I see myself as a hero, I would’ve told them no. Not when I had trouble with bullies and keeping people out of my business. Not when I felt like fighting against the world to spite those who thought wrong of me. No, I didn’t see myself as a hero. Not when I watched old clips of the Justice Society on TV or when the Justice League was on TV. Heroes were my inspiration, but would I become a hero? No.

But that’s when I was dawned a responsibility. A ring that was emerald green that was bestowed upon me by the power of will, where even in the fact of great fear, I can overcome it with my strength and fighting spirit. My willpower. I belonged to a corps that protected the galaxy from danger and kept the peace all around. It was a responsibility, a heavy one at that, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Today is the day. I woke up at the crack of dawn echoing those words through the dry apartment I lived in, waking up my single parent from whatever night he had. It felt like a mantra that I echoed while in the shower and brushing my hair, only pausing to brush my teeth because it sounded muffled. It echoed while I did loops in the sky, flying with a green glow and a bright face.

“Lena,” I heard a sigh, causing me to fly backwards and upside down as I looked back towards who called me.

“Come ON! Today is the day,” I grinned. “I’ve had this marked on my calendar for months! I did not sit through bootcamp and through every daunting mission from Earth to Oa just to have this day brushed aside! Today’s the day, Old Man!”

I knew he was giving his parent face. “I know. You’ve been screaming it all morning. And daunting? I’ll have you know our mission with the Thanagarians was educational.”

“Yeah, probably because I know about every alien weapon I could get my hands on! But we know those guys can be SUCH pushovers.” I stretched my arms. “And you should know why I’m excited! We got to go to the Hall of Justice. THE Hall of Justice. And this time, all the sidekicks will be in the same place! Isn’t that rad or what?!”

“Maybe it’s because you don’t get out of the apartment enough.”

I rolled my eyes. “You should know by now that it has helped me in preparing for when I leave home. I know how to pay bills and do taxes. TAXES! And people say taxes are boring!”

“Because they are.” He looked down. “12 o’clock. Got ourselves a bogie on our hands.”

I looked down with him, seeing ice being blown onto the street. “Roger that Dad. I believe that bogie is Minister Blizzard.”

“Hey, can’t call me that remember? We’re on Earth. We have codenames.”

I gave him an unimpressed look. “Ah, yes. Right. Roger that, Green Lantern.” I gave a two fingered salute. “Hear you loud and clear.” I did a small spin.

“Hey Kiddo, no attitude.”

I pointed at him. “You literally just called me by name. No less than like 5 minutes ago.”

“It’s your nickname.” He gave me a smirk. “Or would you rather want me to all you by your full name-?”

“Okay! Okay! I get it! No need for name calling, Grandpa.” I pouted, crossing my arms.

“Let’s give him the good ol’ rope-a-dope. You distract and I do the takedown.”

I frowned. “Why am I always the distraction?”

“Because you have the louder voice.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m a teenage girl. I’m supposed to be screaming at concerts!”

“And instead, you sit in your room and draw like your Picasso.”

“That… is a nice compliment.”

“Plan starting in three, two-.”

“One!” I dove down.

“Eileen Jordan! I swear to-.” I heard him groan after he hissed.

I slid to a halt on the ground as I placed my hands on my hips. “Yo! Dairy Queen! Leave the Blizzards for your customers,” I called out with a smirk. “Can’t be throwing away your money now, can you?” He looked at me with a side eye, giving a glare. I tilted my head, giving a confused look. “Aren’t you… a little too old to be working in fast food, though?” The man turned, allowing me to see him in what looked like some kind of blue cult minister outfit with his thick black beard. He gave me a glare while I stared at his hat that was oddly looking like a star. “Looking a little difference since we last saw you too? Get back into ministering by chance?”

“One of Earth’s Green Lanterns. And not even one of the better ones. I should’ve known this would’ve caught the Justice League’s attention,” He scoffed with judgmental eyes.

I rolled my eyes. “Well, when a phony like you is throwing away fake ice cream products, we obviously have to investigate! It’s literally my job.” I crossed my arms. I gave a small smirk. “So, you wanna play a game? It’ll be fun for sure!”

“I don’t have time to play with children.” Minister Blizzard pointed his ice gun at me.

I held my hands up. “As I said, it’s a fun game!” I saw a green blur from the corner of my eye. I held up my glowing green hand. “It’s called is the bat real or fake?” A construct of a bat formed into my hand. “You wanna test it with me?” I gave a giggle.

He scoffed. “Tsk. Children these days. Such pests.” He fired his gun. I flew out of the way before aiming my bat and swinging at his ice gun, breaking it effectively. “No!”

He was grabbed by a large claw and held in the air. “You really neglect to realize most Green Lanterns these days travel in pairs,” I chuckled as the bat dissipated from my hands.

Dad looked at me as his mask’s eyes narrowed. “You and I need to talk about your impatience and attitude. Did you really have to almost hit him with the bat,” He asked with a frown.

“He’s the one who started it. ‘Children are pests.’ Well CLEARLY someone hasn’t had one.” I rolled my eyes again. “I don’t even act like a kid half the time. I literally know how to do taxes! Taxes!” His glare intensified slightly. I huffed. “I’ll behave.” I turned my head, crossing my arms with a frown.

“Teenagers,” Dad sighed, shaking his head as he flew off with Minister Blizzard in tow.

I flew up after him. “What was that?!”

--

I saw the Washington Monument come into view, making my grin wider than before. “Alright Kiddo, some ground rules. Be respectful,” Dad first pointed a finger with counting. He held up a second one. “Don’t clobber the other sidekicks, please.” He then held up a third finger. “And finally, don’t get too friendly with them. You know boys.” He sighed. “Especially Barry’s sidekick.”

“Is the Hal Jordan afraid that his little girl is making more guy friends,” A sly smirk appeared on my face.

“Eileen-.”

I held my hands up, flying with my back facing the ground. “Oh no, I get it. TOTALLY. You’re afraid I’m going to be friends with a boy, fall in love with him, and then boom, I’m out of your hair. Isn’t that what you want though?”

“I’m still your father and that MEANS I want what’s best for you.”

I chuckled. “You neglect to forget, Daddio, my best friend is Barry’s sidekick.”

He groaned. “And I regret it. Not only does he nearly eat through my fridge, but he sits in my living room talking to my daughter for hours about movie fan theories.”

I crossed my arms. “It’s a good time.” I stretched my arms. “I can’t wait to see everyone! It’s been a while since I’ve seen KF and Speedy. Speedy hasn’t seen me in a while! And KF and I haven’t spoken in like a month because SOMEONE didn’t pay the phone bill.” I glared at Dad.

“Sorry, didn’t you say you were going to pay it?”

“Sorry, who spent the money getting a new paint job for his car?” I raised an eyebrow.

“…Point taken.”

I pointed my nose up. “And then we’re going to see Aqualad again after teaming up with him and Aquaman in the Atlantic! Then there’s Robin and his spooky mentor Batman. I swear, how do you have issues with him? I think Robin’s cool, like tech-savvy cool.”

“Bats and I have our own thing. It has to do with how spooky he is.”

I rolled my eyes. “Weirdo.”

“He’s the weirdo, Lena!”

“Dad, that’s not a valid excuse.”

He sighed. “Look-. Just-. Remember young lady-.”

“Don’t do anything you would do.” I grinned at him. “Yeah, I know. You taught me that well.”

“Wow, this parenting thing is starting to grow on me.”

“Well duh, Dad! You’re like the cool parent any kid would ask for, with the occasional ‘I’m a super hero and I have to save the world’ thing. No big deal.”

“Eyes on the ground Lena.”

I turned around before we dove and landed. I rolled my shoulders back. “We’re here! And just in time too!”

“GL! It’s been a while,” Robin waved.

I waved back. “What’s up Rob?”

“It’s good to see you, Green Lantern,” Aqualad nodded in greeting.

I returned the nod. “It’s good to see you too, Aqualad.”

“What’s up shorty,” A hand ruffled my hair from behind.

I looked up to see the smirk of Speedy. “How’s the weather up there,” I smirked back.

“Is that anyway to talk to your babysitter?”

“I haven’t needed a babysitter since I was 9,” I crossed my arms.

“Composure Lantern,” Dad nudged me finally, as if to silence the banter from going any further.

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah,” I huffed, looking forward. “Old man.”

I saw Dad get stiff while Green Arrow gave a choked cackle. “Parenthood,” Dad sighed. Speedy moved away from me as we stood with the others, staring at the Hall of Justice as it sat in the distance.

“Today is the day,” Batman hummed in his normal dark tone.

“Welcome to the Hall of Justice,” Green Arrow stated.

“Headquarters of the Justice League,” Aquaman nodded firmly.

“Home sweet home,” Dad chimed.

“Aw man,” I heard a familiar voice followed by speed trails. I turned around to look along with everyone else as Flash ran up with a familiar yellow toned ginger. “I knew we’d be the last ones here,” He crossed his arms.

I opened my mouth only to get dragged off. “Let’s head off before they go on another movie rant.”

My feet scraped the ground. “Hey,” I groaned as I struggled to stand properly. I looked over at him with a glare. “You did NOT just do that.”

“Oh, but I did.” He smirked at me.

I glared. “…Old man.” I fixed my footing and walked ahead.

I heard a small cackle now. “Laugh it up. You won’t find it funny later,” Dad muttered. “Young lady, I told you! Do NOT call me old.”

“Really? Because you’re past the age of 30 and your 20s are WAY over.”

“…Why do I let you watch TV?”

“Because you use it to occupy me while you go off somewhere else.”

“Parenting is hard.”

We walked towards the front of the Hall of Justice past the crowd of people that were waving and taking photos of us.

“Is that Batman?” “Oh, my goodness.” “I see Flash and Flash Jr.” “His name’s Speedy. Duh.” “No, Speedy’s Green Arrow’s sidekick.” “Well, that makes no sense.” “It’s Green Lantern!” “Both of them.” “Green Lantern’s so dreamy.”

I resisted the urge to gage and roll my eyes. I heard Dad snicker next to me. “Nervous, Kiddo,” He asked.

“I’d rather see people hit on you outside of uniform, thanks,” I muttered.

“It’s not so bad-.” I gave him a slight nudge. “Ow. You’re the one who asks for a step-mom.”

“And you need to read the room.”

“Ready to see the inner sanctum,” Green Arrow asked.

“Born that way,” Speedy hummed.

“I’m glad we’re all here,” Aqualad looked at each us.

“Have all five sidekicks ever been in the same place at the same time,” Kid Flash asked.

“Don’t call us sidekicks, not after today,” Speedy sternly muttered.

“Sorry. First time at the Hall. I’m a little overwhelmed.”

“You’re overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed. Why isn’t anyone ever just whelmed,” Robin asked. We walked through the Hall of Justice’s front doors where we saw the statues of the original Justice League members. “Oh, maybe that’s why.”

“Look, after today, things are going to be different. A good different,” I grinned.

We moved towards the authorized doors as we had photos taken of us. They opened up, revealing Red Tornado and Martian Manhunter as they looked at us. “Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Green Lantern. Welcome,” Martian Manhunter greeted. We all walked through. I did my best to keep my serious face on like when I concentrate on listening to music. “You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked galley and of course, our library.” We walked through into a room with many books littered on the walls along with a giant monitor at the end of it.

“Make yourselves at home,” Flash announced as he faced us. I pursed my lips together as I sat down.

…Why does this feel oddly… like a gym membership?

I saw the heroes were huddled around each other like they were having a secret meeting on top of the fact that we’re here. I gave a small swallow, noticing Speedy was looking at them too. I placed a hand on my chin.

Dad always said I’m too observant for my own good sometimes… Do they still think of us… as kids?

I narrowed my eyes. I heard the system going off, marking their names for the Zeta-Beam teleporter. “That’s it,” I heard Speedy snap. My eyes looked over cautiously. “You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass.” Even though his back was facing me, he was definitely glaring.

“It’s a first step. You’ve been granted access few others get,” Aquaman looked at him.

“Oh, really?” Speedy motioned towards a large glass window where people looked at us with flashing cameras and grinned faces like they were at a zoo. I sunk in my chair a bit. “Who cares which side of the glass we’re on?”

“Roy, you just need to be patient,” Green Arrow walked up and stood in front of him.

“What I need is respect.” Speedy faced us. “They’re treating us like kids. Worse, like sidekicks. We deserve better than this.” Each of us looked at him. “You’re kidding, right? You’re playing their game? Why? Today was supposed to be the day. Step one in becoming full-fledged members of the League.”

“Well, sure, but I thought step one was a tour of the HQ,” Kid Flash hummed with a shrug.

“Except the Hall isn’t the League’s real HQ.” I blinked. We all stared at him in shock. “I bet they never told you, it’s just a false front for tourists and a pit stop for catching Zeta-Beam teleporter tubes to the real thing, an orbiting satellite called the Watchtower.” I gave another blink.

…Wait a minute, a Watchtower? In space? Wait… THAT LARGE SATTELITE?!

I tilted my head as the thoughts kept turning, making my mind wonder.

All those times, I thought it was a stupid space satellite for some astronauts! Not something the Justice League uses as their headquarters!

I gave a glare towards Dad. He tilted his head, not looking at me as I crossed my arms, giving a harder glare. “You are not helping your cause here, son. Stand down or-,” Aquaman looked at Speedy.

“Or what? You’ll send me to my room? And I’m not your son. I’m not even his,” Speedy motioned towards Green Arrow. “I thought I was his partner. But not anymore.” He snatched his hat off, throwing it onto the ground. He walked away past us. I stood, looking at him. “Guess they were right about you four. You’re not ready.” He walked out the door. I opened my mouth only to close it as we all stared at him. I rubbed my arm, looking away.

The large monitor set off an alarm, changing immediately to Superman’s face. “Superman to Justice League, there’s been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It’s on fire,” He reported.

The other heroes walked up to it. “I’ve had my suspicions about Cadmus. This may present the perfect opportunity to-,” Batman started to mutter.

Another alarm hit as Zatara appeared on a smaller screen. “Zatara to Justice League, the sorcerer, Wotan is using the amulet of Attan to blot out the sun,” He spoke urgently. “Requesting full League response.”

Batman shifted his head. “Superman?”

“It’s a small fire. Local authorities have it under control,” Superman answered him.

“Then Cadmus can wait. All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara’s coordinates. Batman out.” We all walked up towards them. Batman faced us while the others went towards the doors. “Stay put.”

“What? Why,” Robin asked.

“This is a League mission,” Aquaman placed his hands on his hips.

“You’re not trained,” Flash looked at us.

“Since when,” Kid Flash asked.

“We meant you’re not trained to work as part of this team,” Dad motioned towards themselves.

“There will be other missions, when you’re ready,” Aquaman nodded.

“But for now, stay put,” Batman narrowed his eyes at us. He walked away with the others following.

I huffed. “Glad you didn’t bring you know who,” I heard Green Arrow ask.

“Indeed,” Martian Manhunter hummed.

They went through the doors with Red Tornado following. “Uh, when we’re ready? How are we ever supposed to be ready when they treat us like, like sidekicks,” Kid Flash asked, raising his hands as he moved before clenching them in front of him.

“My mentor, my king, I thought he trusted me,” Aqualad gave us a down casted expression.

“Trust? They don’t even trust us with the basics. They’ve got a secret HQ in space. Did you know about that GL?”

“Honestly, the fact that I was told it was a NASA satellite was both brilliant and stupid at the same time. Do they really think they could’ve kept that secret,” I looked at the others with a hurt expression.

“What else aren’t they telling us,” Aqualad asked.

“I have a better question. Why didn’t we leave with Speedy,” Robin asked. We all looked down.

“What is… Project Cadmus?”

“I don’t know, but I can find out.” I saw Robin’s mischievous smirk. He walked up to the monitor.

I followed behind him. “Are you going to do your super smart techy thing,” I asked, tilting my head.

“You know me so well, GL.” He tapped on the keys.

“Access denied,” The automated monitor responded.

Robin chuckled. “Wanna bet?”

The screen changed as numbers passed with letters and symbols. “Whoa! How are you doing that,” Kid Flash asked hesitantly while looking at the monitor.

“Same system as the Batcave,” Robin smugly responded.

“Access granted,” The computer chimed. A file opened up.

“Alright, Project Cadmus, genetics lab here in DC. That’s all there is, but if Batman’s suspicious… maybe we should investigate.” Robin looked at us.

“Solve their case before they do. It would be poetic justice,” Aqualad hummed.

“Hey, they’re all about justice.”

Aqualad gave a sigh. “But they said stay put.”

“For the blotting-out-the-sun mission, not this.”

“Wait. A-Are you going to Cadmus? Because if you’re going, I’m going,” Kid Flash placed his hands on Robin’s shoulders before they looked at Aqualad and I expectantly.

“Just like that we’re a team on a mission,” Aqualad asked.

“We didn’t come for a playdate,” Robin stated.

I smirked. “Then what are we waiting for? We got a lab to crash,” I turned around and headed out. “And I, for one, am about action.”

I heard speeding air as an arm wrapped around my shoulder. “What gives GL? You didn’t say hi to me when Flash and I got here,” Wally frowned.

“Blame my Dad. ‘Don’t get too friendly with the boys,’” I mimicked Dad’s voice. I huffed. “How about keep a girlfriend then? You know I wouldn’t forget about my best friend,” I ruffled his air. “Speaking of which, did your hair grow out again?”

“Like it? Trying to score dates with it,” He winked.

I gave a fake gag. “Ew. How about flirt with the girls at your school?”

“I need you to help me make sure it’s not bad! C’mon!”

--

We arrived at the smoking Cadmus building. I saw two civilians appear in the window before it exploded, making them fall out. I saw Kid Flash run up the building, catching them before they plummeted to the ground. He slid a bit as the civilians made it to the top of the building. He caught his hands on the window that was open.

“It’s, what’s his name, Flash Boy,” A firefighter called and pointed.

“Kid Flash. Why is that so hard,” KF called out before asking himself the question.

I flew up, grabbing hit foot and pulled him inside the window. I helped Robin in, grabbing his hand and pulling him inside. I looked outside as Aqualad used the firefighter’s water to boost himself up and get the civilians down. He got off the whirlpool of water at the window before setting the civilians at the ground level.

“Appreciate the help,” Aqualad looked at us.

“You handled it. Besides, we’re here to investigate. Poetic justice, remember,” Robin hummed.

I headed out towards the hall. I looked at the end of the hall to see a weird shadowed figure at the elevator. I blinked in surprise as the doors shut. I looked back to see Aqualad with the same expression as I did.

“Did… you just see that,” I pointed my thumb over.

“There was something in the-,” Aqualad started.

“Elevators should be locked down,” KF appeared behind us with Robin.

Robin ran ahead. I followed slowly with everyone else. “This is wrong,” He muttered. He pulled up a hologram computer on his wrist while we all stood in front of the elevator. I read what was on it. “Thought so. This is a high-speed express elevator. It doesn’t belong in a two-story building.”

“Neither does what we saw,” Aqualad muttered as we both looked at each other. He walked up towards the elevator doors. He pulled them apart with ease, looking down the shaft. I looked down along with him to see the large drop.

“And that’s why the need an express elevator,” Robin said below me.

“This is definitely something out of a horror movie,” I muttered.

“What are you thinking,” KF asked.

“Alien. You?”

“Yeah, I’m getting the same vibe.”

Robin pulled up a grapple, attaching a wire at the top. He jumped down. Aqualad jumped, grabbing the wire as he rode down.

“Can I get a lift, GL,” KF asked, looking over at me.

I looked at him with a small smirk. “Do you even need to ask?” I grabbed under his arms and flew down. I watched the writings on the wall increase as we go down. “SL? Are we under the Earth’s surface in sublevels?”

“Looks like it,” KF looked with me.

I heard Robin’s grapple slowly stop. “I’m at the end of my rope,” He hummed. He swung over to the edge, landing on it as he sat down. KF and I land on the ledge onto the ledge. I made a path for Aqualad to land on. He walked over towards the ledge as I retracted the pathway back into my ring. Robin got on his wrist computer. “Bypassing security… There. Go.” Aqualad pulled the doors open as we entered sub-level 26. We saw a creepy ominous hallway with weird tubes on the walls. “Welcome to Project Cadmus.”

KF ran ahead. “Kid, wait,” Aqualad called quietly.

I sighed, flying after him only to see him slide onto the floor as large looking goliaths appear in the hall. He rolled swiftly away with a sigh. I stared in shock.

“No, nothing odd going on here,” Aqualad wearily murmured.

I snapped my head into focus. I pointed my ring out. “Ring, identify,” I stated as the ring did a scan.

“Do you want us to get spotted,” KF hissed at me.

“You almost got us caught, dummy.” I gave him a glare.

“Scanning,” The ring hummed. “Identification not found.”

“What?” I looked at the ring. “But the ring knows what the Guardians know! And the Guardians know everything! They’re like a huge super computer but it’s the whole universe!”

“I think we have bigger problems than that,” KF looked at me.

“Yeah…” We watched the goliaths all walk, er, crawl, away from us. I looked at Robin. “Directions?” Robin pulled out his wrist computer. I swallowed as we all went after him walking away from us to a door. We watched them open as he pulled his wrist down.

“Okay, I’m officially whelmed,” Robin mumbled in surprise.

A large electric conductor was in the middle as there were pods of creatures all around, pulsating electrically. I slowly moved inside, staring at them in surprise. “This is how they hide this massive underground facility from the world. The real Cadmus isn’t on the grid. It generates its own power with these… things. Must be what they’re bred for,” KF motioned towards the things.

“Even the name is a clue. The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sowing dragon’s teeth into the earth,” Aqualad hummed.

“And this Cadmus creates new life too,” Robin looked at him.

I floated up, looking at the other pods. “This is… definitely creepy. Creepier than half the missions I do off Earth,” I gave a small shiver and looked at the guys. “This is awful. Really, really awful. Aren’t these things sentient? Rob, can you-?”

“Find out why? Yeah. Let’s find out why,” He walked over towards a small monitor and plugged a wire in. He started tapping away. I floated down and read the screen from behind him. “They call them Genomorphs. Woah, look at the stats on these things. Super strength, telepathy, razor claws. These are living weapons.”

“Oh my god,” I murmured with a wince.

“They’re engineering an army, but for who,” KF asked, looking over at him.

“Wait, there’s something else. Project Kr. Ugh! The file’s triple-encrypted. I can’t-.”

“Don’t move,” I heard an aggressive snap.

I looked over as I saw some of the Genomorphs enter with a person. My eyes widened in surprise. “Wait. Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Green Lantern,” The man asked.

“At least he got your name right,” Robin hummed.

“I know you,” Aqualad walked up. “Guardian. A hero-.”

“Guardian,” I squeaked. “The Guardian? Oh my god, huge fan.” I gave a wide grin. “Can I get your autograph?!”

“I do my best,” Guardian hummed.

“Then what are you doing here,” KF asked.

“I’m chief of security. You’re trespassing,” Guardian explained. “But we can call the Justice League, figure this out.”

“You think the League’s gonna approve of you breeding weapons,” KF asked.

“Weapons? What are you-,” Guardian started before he paused. “What have I-?” He winced and placed a hand on his head. “Ugh. My head.” He snapped his gaze towards us. “Take them down hard. No mercy.”

The Genomorphs jump at us. Robin threw down a smoke bomb, leaving everything in a dusty cloud. I heard a grapple go off. I narrowed my eyes. A Genomorph jumped at me. I created a hammer, swinging at it. I hit two of them before jumping back and hitting another with a newly formed hammer. I flew up, hitting another with a hammer as I flew towards the exit where I saw the others escape. An alarm went off. I saw Robin at a door.

“Way to be a team player, Rob,” KF called.

“Weren’t you right behind me,” Robin asked as he looked at him.

“Go! Go,” I called as I rushed forward while the elevator doors opened. I looked back as I saw Aqualad running. I landed as I got on one knee, forming a small gun. I pointed as Aqualad barrel rolled into the elevator.

“GL,” KF called.

I shot the small gun as a net flew out. I flew backwards into the elevator as the doors shut. I held up the gun as it went back into the ring. “It bought time,” I breathed. I saw the elevator headed down. “We’re headed down,” I squeaked.

“Dude, out is up,” KF looked at him, pointing up.

“Excuse me? Project Kr. It’s down on sub-level 52,” Robin looked at him.

Aqualad rubbed the back of his head. “This is out of control. Perhaps… Perhaps we should contact the League,” Aqualad looked at us.

I sighed, looking down as I held my arms with a frown. I swallowed. The elevator dinged, signifying our arrival on the floor. The doors opened. We stood alarmed and ready, only to see what looked like the inside of someone’s guts all over the walls, like some kind of overgrown creature. I resisted the urge to gag as I winced.

“We are already here,” KF looked at Aqualad before running off.

I flew after them after hearing Aqualad sigh. He followed after me. I floated in the air as we did our best to get in close. “Which way,” Aqualad crouched next to Robin.

“Yeah. Bizarre looking hallway one, or bizarre looking hallway two,” Robin asked as he motioned the two hallways.

“Halt,” I heard a strange voice. I looked to see a two horned guy walking on two legs looking similar to the Genomorphs.

Wait, he looks like that thing Aqualad and I saw in the elevator!

His horns and eyes glowed red as barrels flew at us, exploding as we managed to dodge them. We went down a hall. I followed after KF as I saw a woman coming out of a vault door. KF tripped her over, causing her to fall on the floor with a thud. I went towards the vault door as it was closing and held up a beam to keep it open. I winced as I could feel the pressure increase.

“Hurry,” KF called as he ran through. Robin and Aqualad followed after him. I flew in and removed the beam, watching the vault shut tightly. Robin tapped on his wrist computer.

“I disabled the door. We’re safe,” Robin faced us. I hunched over, placing my hands on my knees as I breathed a small sigh.

“We’re trapped,” Aqualad muttered.

“Awesome,” I mumbled.

“Uh, guys. You’ll wanna see this,” KF called as he pressed something on a monitor. I floated over as a pod appeared. My eyes widened at the person inside, a teenager no less, dressed in a white suit, with a red ‘S’ on his chest.

“Whoa,” Robin mumbled in shock.

KF walked up first, pointing at the symbol on the door. “Big K, little R,” He mumbled. “The atomic symbol for Krypton. Clone?” He looked back at us.

“There’s only Superman when it comes to Kryptonians. I learned about it on Oa. What is going on here,” I looked at Robin and Aqualad.

“Robin, hack,” Aqualad looked at him.

“Uh, right, right,” Robin nodded as he plugged a wire into the monitor.

I floated up to the glass, placing a hand on it. “Is he… alive? Awake? Sleeping? Catatonic? What-What’s going on,” I mumbled in surprise and worry.

“’Weapon designation Superboy. A clone force-grown in… sixteen weeks? From DNA acquired form Superman.’”

“Stolen from Superman,” Aqualad muttered.

“N-No way,” I murmured as I floated backwards a bit. “DNA… from Superman?”

“No way the big guy knows about this,” KF shook his head.

“Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation 24/7,” Robin read.

“And these creatures,” Aqualad asked as he pointed at them.

“’Genomorph Gnomes.’ Telepathic, force-feeding him an education.”

“And we can guess what else. They’re making a slave out of… well, Superman’s son,” KF muttered.

“Now we contact the League,” Aqualad affirmed. He pressed the symbol on his belt only for nothing to come out.

“No signal,” Robin mumbled.

“We’re in too deep… literally,” KF mumbled. I breathed a small sigh. “This is wrong.”

“We can’t leave him like this.”

“We shouldn’t,” I shook my head.

Aqualad thought for a second. “Set him free. Do it,” He looked at Robin.

Robin typed on his wrist computer. The pod opened up. I saw the guy move his hand, cracking his knuckles probably from the lack of movement. His eyes snapped open at us. He dashed forward, attacking Aqualad first with fast precision as he punched him in the face. I flew up, holding my ring out as the guy was wrapped up.

“Whoa! Hang on, super,” KF gritted out as him and Robin tried keeping him back from Aqualad.

“We’re on your side,” Robin strained out.

KF was punched back into a pod. “KF,” I called out before keeping my concentration on the guy, making sure he was wrapped up tight.

“I don’t wanna do this!”

I saw green smoke fill the guy’s lungs, causing him to stumble off of Aqualad. I kept him contained with gritted teeth. I saw him push against the construct before breaking it, causing me to fly a little back before he grabbed my leg and slammed me into the pod where he was just resting, breaking the board he laid on in half. I groaned, feeling my head spin as it hit the ground.

No! No… no…

I felt sleepy as my eyes fluttered shut.

Chapter Text

I stared at the fighting on TV with a wide grin. The villains were being defeated by the heroes with the people around them cheering in delight from the victory. I clapped my hands. “They did it,” I cheered from my small form on the floor. I grabbed the crayon with my stubby fingers, coloring in the rainbow from the coloring book I had. I heard the door open. I tilted my head. “Daddy! Are you home?!” A figure appeared in the door frame. “Daddy?”

“Time runs short. You must awaken. You must awaken now!”

--

My eyes snapped open as I felt my wrists where confined. I looked up to see that I was locked in a pod myself, with my hands bound and covered to keep me from forming constructs. I looked down to see the guy from before, the one in the pod. He glared at us.

“What? What-What do you want? Quit staring. You’re creeping me out,” KF called at him.

“Uh, KF, how about we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look,” Robin asked next to me.

“Dude, feels like mercury’s in retrograde,” I groaned. “What happened?” I looked at the guy in front of us again. “Oh, right… You know we were trying to help you… right?” I tilted my head with a frown.

“We only sought to help you,” Aqualad looked at him as well.

“Yeah. We free you, and you turn on us. How’s that for grat-,” KF hissed.

“Kid, please, be quiet now. I believe our new friend was not in full control of his actions.”

“Wha-What if I… What if I wasn’t,” The guy hesitantly asked in a quiet murmur.

“He can talk,” KF asked in surprise.

The guy clenched his fists. “Yes, he can.” He glared at us.

I looked at KF along with the others. “…Not like I said ‘it’.” He gave a shrug.

“The Genomorphs taught you telepathically,” Aqualad hummed, looking back at the guy.

“They taught me much. I can read, write. I-I know the names of things,” He murmured.

“But have you seen them,” I murmured. “Have you even been outside?”

“Have they actually ever let you see the sky? Or the sun,” Robin asked.

“Images are implanted in my mind, but no. I have not seen them,” The guy had a downcast expression.

“Do you know what you are, who you are,” Aqualad asked.

“I am the Superboy, a Genomorph, a clone made from the DNA of the superman, created to replace him should he perish… to destroy him should he turn from the light.”

“To be like Superman is a worthy aspiration. But like Superman, you deserve a life of your own, beyond that solar suit, beyond your pod, beyond Cadmus.”

“I live because of Cadmus! It is my home!” I could sense the aggression in his voice.

“Your home is a test pod. We can show you the sun.” Robin looked at him.

“Uh, pretty sure it’s after midnight, but we can show you the moon,” KF chimed.

“We can show you, introduce you to Superman.” The Superboy looked at us with surprise and interest.

“No, they can’t,” We heard. A scientist entered with glasses and his brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail. The scientist that KF knocked into earlier followed behind him along with Guardian. They each had Genomorph Gnomes on their shoulders. “They’ll be otherwise occupied. Activate the cloning process.” The female scientist walked forward.

“Pass. Batcave’s crowded enough,” Robin called.

“Clone me and you’ll regret it. I’m already a brat enough,” I smirked.

The head scientist glared at Guardian. “And get the weapon back in its pod,” He yelled. Guardian walked forward.

“Hey, how come he gets to call Supey, an it,” KF asked.

Guardian placed a hand on the Superboy’s shoulder. “Help us,” Aqualad murmured.

Superboy nudged Guardian’s hand off his shoulder. “Don’t start thinking now,” The lead scientist appeared next to Superboy. The Genomorph Gnome on his shoulder moved onto Superboy’s with its horns glowing red. Superboy’s eyes slowly looked forward like he was in a trance. “See, you’re not a real boy. You’re a weapon, and you belong to me! Well, to Cadmus. Same thing. Now get back to your pod!” Superboy turned around and walked past the vault doors as instructed. The door closed behind him.

“He’s as real as we are living and breathing, you 70s looking hippie,” I glared. “Whether you admit it or not, you created a living being with his own consciousness and everything. He has a right to live as a person!”

“Maybe you should mind your business, young lady.” The lead scientist motioned towards the other one. I heard a beeping noise. Claw-like prongs reached out from the bottom of the pod and attached themselves onto my body. I felt a shock of pain, getting electrocuted as I gave out a pained grunt along with the others as they struggled in their confinements. My eyes were tightly shut.

It feels like my body is on fire. This is not how I thought my night would go!

I heard a cloud crash. I felt the pain leave my body, allowing me to relax from the tension I had to keep myself composed. My eyes fluttered open as I saw Superboy in front of us again. He walked from the vault entrance towards us. The lead scientist marched up to him with Guardian and the tall horned Genomorph. “I told you to get back to your-,” The lead scientist started before being shoved away to the wall. I blinked in surprise.

“Don’t give me orders,” Superboy muttered.

I stared with wide eyes. “You here to help us or fry us,” KF asked hesitantly.

Superboy narrowed his eyes. “Huh, I don’t seem to have heat vision, so I suppose helping is my only option,” He hummed.

I heard a loud hissing noise. “Ahh. Finally! Lucky Batman isn’t here. He’d have my head for taking so long,” Robin called out. I saw him land on the ground, rubbing his wrists.

“Seriously? That’s what you’re worried about? The whole League will have our heads after tonight,” KF told him.

Robin went up to the control panel and hit a button. The prongs detached themselves from my chest as the pod doors opened. Robin turned to Superboy. “Free Aqualad and GL. I’ll get kid mouth.”

“Don’t you give me orders either,” Superboy grunted out before jumping up to Aqualad’s pod. I shut my eyes with a sigh.

At least I won’t get turned into a clone…

Superboy appeared in front of my pod as he crushed the restraints and guards on my hand. I rubbed my wrists. “Thanks,” I murmured. I saw him hold up my lantern ring. I blinked in surprise as I saw it was missing from my hands. I took it and placed it on my finger. A faint green glow covered my body. “And thank you for that too.” I flew up as the boys ran off with me in tow.

 “You, you’ll never get out of here. I’ll have you back in pods before morning,” The lead scientist called to us.

“That guy is not whelmed, not whelmed at all,” I heard Robin hum while I flew next to Aqualad and Superboy.

“What is it with you and this whelmed thing,” KF asked.

I heard a loud explosion behind me. “We are still 42 levels below ground, but if we can make the elevator,” Aqualad called to us. I saw Goliaths appeared, blocking our path. We stopped in surprise. Behind us I saw red glows on the walls that Genomorphs crawled out of. I cringed before hearing the roars of the goliaths around us. One tried to hit us, causing us all to jump back. I flew ahead. When I made it with the others, I looked back to see Superboy fighting off the other goliaths.

“Superboy, the goal is to escape, not to bury ourselves here,” Aqualad called out to him.

“You want escape,” Superboy yelled at him as he grabbed an unconscious goliath’s arm, knocking it into two other conscious ones.

I blinked in surprise. “I don’t know what Dad was talking about. I think he should teach me not to be friendly with strange boys,” I pointed my finger over nonchalantly.

“We’re not doing this now,” KF grabbed my arm and pulled me over towards the elevator. Aqualad opened up the elevator doors as we saw that we had to go up. I grabbed Robin’s and KF’s hands, flying up. I watched behind me as Aqualad was grabbed by Superboy. Superboy proceeded to jump up before falling down.

 “There,” Robin pointed as I saw the floor we needed to be at. I placed them on the ledge. I flew back down and created a platform for them to land on.

“Superman can fly. Why can’t I fly,” Superboy murmured.

“Don’t know, but it looks like you can leap tall buildings in a single bound. Still cool,” KF pointed out with a hum.

I got them safely on the ledge. “Ah, thank you,” Superboy murmured to Aqualad.

“Guys, this will have to be our exit,” Robin called. I looked up to see an elevator coming down. Superboy punched the elevator doors open, letting us dodge in the nick of time.

I saw Genomorphs running down the hall towards us. I flew up, following after the others. “Directions people! We need them now,” I called.

“Go left! Left,” Superboy called. We moved to the left. “Right!” We turned right into a dead end. I landed on my feet with a sigh.

“Okay, directions were called I guess,” I nodded.

“Great directions, Supey. You trying to get us re-podded,” KF asked.

“No. I-I don’t understand,” Superboy looked down.

“Don’t apologize. This is perfect,” Robin grinned.

“How is this perfect Rob,” I looked at him. He pointed towards the small airduct. “Oh…” I pulled off the vent cover. I helped Robin inside first, then Aqualad.

“Ladies first,” KF motioned up. I rolled my eyes playfully and flew inside. I started to crawl in the tight space.

“Ah, at this rate, we’ll never get out,” KF whispered behind me. “But I have a nice view~!”

“Shh. Listen,” Superboy whispered.

I tilted my head in confusion. I thought about it for a second. “Super hearing,” I whispered. “Go. Go!” We moved.

We got out into a new hall. I saw Robin leaned towards some pipes on the ground that had a wire attached. The others got onto the ground as well as I floated up. “What are you doing,” KF asked him hesitantly.

“I hacked the motion sensors,” Robin looked at us with a smirk.

“Sweet!”

“Still, plenty of them between us and out.” Robin then stood.

“But I’ve finally got room to move.” I watched KF put his goggles on and ran through the door towards the staircase. I watched him run all the way up with his super speed. I flew up the staircase.

“More behind us,” Robin called. I snapped my head and held up a new gun construct, shooting at genomorphs that appeared before Superboy kicked the staircase, breaking it effectively from others coming through.

As soon as I got up, I saw KF on the floor. There was a door that was tightly shut, causing me to groan. The hallway was dim with red lights. I heard alarms going off along with it. “We’re cut off from the street,” Aqualad called.

“Thanks. My head hadn’t noticed,” KF rubbed the back of his head.

Superboy marched up and punched the door before attempting to open it. Aqualad followed. I heard some stomps down the hall. “I can’t hack this fast enough,” Robin called.

I looked behind us. “Guys,” I pointed out. I saw goliath’s coming at us fast.

“This way!” Robin kicked a side door. I flew after them. We turned a corner, only to get caught between more Genomorphs and Guardian. I noticed we were cut off from all exits. I held my fist up as my ring started to glow.

The Genomorph Gnomes horns glowed. My head started hurt, causing me to fall over. The heaviness started to lift, causing me to rub my head. I looked over at the others before seeing Superboy stand. “I… choose… freedom,” He breathed. I saw that head Genomorph that was facing him seemed to relax.

“Feels like fog lifting,” Guardian murmured as I saw him have a hand on his head.

We all stood up behind Superboy. “Guardian,” Aqualad asked.

Guardian looked at us. “Go. I’ll deal with Desmond.” My face scrunched up.

What kind of name is Desmond?

“I think not,” The lead scientist appeared as the Genomorphs parted to show him standing there. “Project Blockbuster will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus.” He held up a vile with glowing blue liquid in it. He chugged it, much to my surprise. Guardian backed up towards us slowly.

So… THAT’S Desmond…

Desmond fell over as his glasses were knocked off. He was hunched over on the ground. The cracking noise in my ears intensified. His clothes ripped while his skin stretched, shedding into blue skin while his eyes were dark with red irises. He gave out a roar like the goliaths had earlier at one point. I slowly moved backwards while the beast stood up straight. His roar was definitely loud and intense as he faced us.

“Everyone back,” Guardian called and ran at Desmond. He was swatted away and hit the wall roughly before landing on the ground.

Superboy jumped at Desmond, hitting him immediately with a punch before getting hit back. Superboy hit him with another punch. He was knocked away, causing him to slide across the ground before jumping up to hit Desmond. Desmond jumped up, knocking Superboy through the ceiling. I floated underneath the large hole in surprise.

“Okay. That’s one way to bust through the ceiling,” Robin chimed a bit hesitantly before pulling up his grapple to shoot up.

“You think lab coat planned that,” KF asked. He grabbed Robin’s hand, launching up with him.

“I doubt he is planning anything anymore,” Aqualad muttered. I grabbed his hand and flew up after them.

“Yeah. He’s got just this now,” I breathed.

We landed swiftly. I watched Superboy get thrown at us. He knocked into Aqualad and I. I gave out a grunt, sliding across the ground before landing on my back. I groaned. I was helped up by KF. We all stood up shoulder to shoulder against this bulldozer called Desmond. Desmond gave a roar. I hovered up and flew forward. KF shot past me, sliding underneath him as a distraction. I flew past wrapping him up in a chain and watched Superboy and Aqualad deliver a punch to his face. KF knocked him down from being in his path.

“Learned that one in kindergarten,” KF smirked.

Robin threw his disks at him only for them to be deflected. Superboy prepared for an attack only for Desmond to knock him into a pillar. I glared, flinging my fist out as a chain wrapped around Desmond’s arm while a water constrained was formed, restraining the other arm. I pulled hard along with Aqualad, gritting my teeth as I pulled.

I knew it! I need to go to the gym more!

We both got pulled towards him and Superboy. I flew up, pulling on the chain more before forming a new chain with my other hand to pull as Aqualad landed on the pillar to attack. He was knocked to the ground while Superboy got knocked into another pillar. I gave a hard pull before launching forward. I aimed my feet, kicking Desmond’s face before forming gauntlets with my ring. I punched his face repeatedly. I was grabbed and thrown across the room, getting implanted into the wall. I grunted, slowly pulling myself out. I wiped my chin with a hiss.

“I know how to fight… Freak,” I glared. I formed a bat. I threw it, knocking it into his head as it was flung back. I jumped into the air. I caught the bat and swung at him. I joined an attack with Aqualad as I saw KF run up. Desmond caught KF and tossed him into the both of us. I got knocked into another wall with a grunt. I hissed, landing on the ground as some debris fell on top of me. I heard Desmond roar and another rumble formed.

“KF, get over here,” Robin called. I got up slowly and breathed heavily.  I shook my head, getting the debris out of my hair. “GL!!” I looked at Robin as he showed his wrist computer. I saw the structural damage done to the pillars. My breath hitched. “Gimme your biggest construct!”

“But-,” I started.

“Go!” KF ran over to distract Desmond. I held my fist in front of me. I took a deep breath.

Like the practice sims. Think Eileen, think. This shouldn’t be difficult. You’re smart, you’re creative, you’ve watched a TON of movies. You can do this! Think, think!

The ring glowed as I saw Desmond charge at me. My eyes widened. I focused.

“Even in great fear, we overcome our greatest obstacles.”

The glow took over as my eyes tightly shut. They fluttered open slowly as I saw I was in a green control room. I looked at the monitor ahead of me as I heard a loud smash hit my construct. I pushed the hatch above me up and stood in my seat, seeing the nose of a large tank aimed at Desmond. “I made… a tank,” I mumbled in confusion.

“GL! That’s a tank,” KF called with a grin. “A real tank!”

A grin stretched across my face. “I made a tank!!” I shot down in my seat and turned the tank nose, firing at Desmond as he launched across the room towards the pillar KF stood at.

“Come and get me, YOU INCREDILE BULK,” He called out.

I fired at another pillar, watching it crumble and fall. “Yeah!” Desmond punched at the pillar Wally was at while Aqualad and Superboy took out their own pillars. Robin waved at me as he pointed over. I moved my tank, albeit slowly as I made it hyper realistic. I aimed as I saw Desmond go in for another attack. I shot him, knocking him backwards as Superboy punched him into a water puddle. Aqualad shocked the pool with his electricity, making Desmond roar in pain.

“Move,” Robin called.

I shot up from my hatch again, hearing beeping noises. “Into the tank! We don’t have all day,” I called. They all ran towards the tank, getting into the hatch as we all got cramped.

“Couldn’t you make this a little bigger GL,” KF asked.

“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t expect guests! Would you like some water with your audacity,” I asked with a huff.

An explosion went off. I heard the building explode and crumble around us as I heard Desmond’s roar. I gritted my teeth as I held my fist up, trying to make sure nothing broke the construct. “Concentrate GL,” Robin urged.

“Trying my best here!” I gritted my teeth as I heard more debris fall until it all stopped. I breathed with a sigh. I moved up to the front of the tank, rolling it out. I opened up the hatch, breathing in the fresh air as the tank construct returned to my ring. We all stood on the ground, breathing heavily.

“We… did it,” Aqualad breathed, looking at Robin, KF and I.

“Was there ever any doubt,” Robin asked with a smirk. I watched him and KF high-five each other before wincing at their wounds.

I watched Superboy walk up to Desmond who poked out from the debris. It was obvious he wasn’t going anywhere for a while. My legs wobbled as I sat on the ground.

“That was awesome, GL,” My shoulders were grabbed. I was rocked side to side. I snapped my head up to see KF looking at me.

“Huh,” I asked in a low mumbled.

“You made a tank! A tank! Out of all the times we’ve worked, you’ve never made anything bigger than a cannon! You made a tank!”

“Yeah… I made a tank.”

He grinned at me. “That’s what we call a win.”

I nodded with a grin. “Yeah,” I breathed. “A win.” He gave me a fist bump.

“It surely saved our skins when we needed it to,” Robin walked up to us.

“T-Thanks… But I’ll give the credit to all of you for doing your part.” I looked up at the sky, seeing the moon beaming down at us. “Hey Superboy, there’s the moon.” I pointed up at it.

He looked up at it. We saw something move towards us. It revealed to be Superman, causing me to breathe out a sigh. “Oh. And Superman. Do we keep our promises or what,” KF asked as he stood next to him, crossing his arms.

I blinked as more figures followed. “Guys… that’s not just Superman.”

The entire Justice League floated down in front of us. I winced at the sight of my Dad appearing in front of me while floated Black Canary, Green Arrow, Aquaman and Batman down on a platform. Flash ran up as Batman approached.

Superboy walked up towards Superman. He pulled up his solar suit a bit, making me realize it was ripped. Superman didn’t seem to look happy at seeing the red ‘S’ clearly.

“Is that what I think it is,” Batman asked.

“He doesn’t like being called an it,” KF spoke behind his hand.

“I’m Superman’s clone,” Superboy muttered.

Everyone looked in shock, looking at each other. Batman looked past him at Robin, Aqualad and I. “Start talking,” Batman narrowed his cowl’s eyes at us.

--

I did my best to ignore my Dad’s disapproving gaze as him, John, Captain Atom, Hawkman, and Hawkwoman left with the constrained Blockbuster experiment formerly known as Desmond. We stood while Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter and Superman all stood in a circle like there was a secret discussion. I gave a swallow, rubbing my arm gently. I saw Superboy looking over at Superman, causing me to frown. I saw Superman walking over to us. He walked up to Superboy, who had his arms crossed.

“We’ll, uh, we’ll figure something out for you. The League will, I mean. For now, I’d better make sure they get that Blockbuster creature squared away,” Superman spoke with hesitance before flying off.

“Cadmus will be investigated, all 52 levels, but let’s make one thing clear-,” Batman started as he, Flash, and Aquaman walked up to us. I saw Dad appear, flying down before appearing with them as well.

“You should have called,” Flash crossed his arms.

“End results aside, we are not happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again.” I looked away from him.

“I am sorry, but we will,” Aqualad stated. I snapped my eyes back over with a determined glare.

“Aqualad, stand down,” Aquaman muttered.

“Apologies, my king, but no. We did good work here tonight, the work you trained us to do.” Aqualad walked a bit forward. “Together on our own we forged something powerful, important.” He motioned towards us.

“If this is about your treatment at the hall, the four of you-,” Flash started.

“The five of us, and it’s not,” KF stepped forward.

“Why can’t we put our talents to good use? We didn’t train this hard just to be pushed aside,” I motioned towards us with a frown.

“Kiddo,” Dad warned.

“Batman, we’re ready to use what you taught us, or why teach us at all,” Robin stepped forward.

“Why let them tell us what to do? It’s simple. Get on board or get out of the way,” Superboy walked up, standing next to us.

Batman stared at us for a solid second. “…Give me three days,” He muttered.

We stared at him. “Three days isn’t so long,” KF shrugged as he looked at us.

We were starting to leave when I paused and noticed Superboy standing there. “Uh, guys,” Robin motioned over. We looked over at Superboy.

“Oh yeah… right,” I murmured.

“Hey Supey, how about you come home with me,” KF asked with a grin.

I sighed with relief before being trapped in a bubble. I crossed my arms with a frown. “Yeah, no flying privileges,” I heard Dad say behind me. I formed a stool and sat on it, not saying another word as I didn’t look at him. I saw KF, Robin and Aqualad wave at me as I gave a sad wave back before being pulled into the air.

It was silent on our way to Coast City. Dad didn’t try and engage in conversation, so I did the same. My arms were crossed while I stared at the landscape before us. It quickly changed to Coast City’s atmosphere. Dad powered down as we landed on the sidewalk. I didn’t even need the indication to power down as I stood on the ground where my shoes hit the pavement. My black shirt winkled a bit at my movement as I fixed my jean shorts overalls. The fishnet leggings didn’t seem to be uncomfortable while my black boots hit the ground. I was ready to head home before Dad grabbed my arm. I frowned, not looking at him as we stood in silence.

“Eileen,” He muttered. “What you did tonight-.”

“Was dangerous. I endangered lives, including that of my own. Yes, I am aware-,” I stated, waving my hand around.

“Don’t interrupt me.” I shut my mouth. “Look at me.” I turned my head, meeting his gaze to not see the angry scolding face he had shown me many times before. No, it wasn’t that face at all. It was a face of hurt, worry, many things a parent looks at you for like you almost got hit by a bus on your way to school in the morning. “What you did tonight WAS dangerous. It was reckless. You always rush in without thinking. You’re not an adult Eileen, you’re a kid. A teenager no less. You sometimes need to remember to brush your teeth and eat your vegetables and tie your shoe laces.” I frowned. “This is a dangerous gig, Eileen. You’re not going out until I say so. You hear me?” I nodded. “What was that?”

I sighed. “Yes, sir,” I murmured.

He let go of my arm. “Let’s go home.” I walked next to him, hanging my head as I didn’t meet his gaze again.

--

I sat in my room, letting the music echo through the room and blare my ear while I was sketching out a skull with a rose coming out of one of its eye sockets. A knock came to the door. “Eileen,” Dad asked on the other side of the door.

“…What,” I sighed. I turned the stereo down.

Dad opened the door. “What cha doing in here,” He leaned against the doorframe.

I looked at my drawing. “Isn’t it obvious?” I looked back at him. He raised an eyebrow. I sighed again. “I’m drawing. And listening to music.”

He gave a hum. “I see. Are you busy?”

I shrugged. “Dunno. Guess not really.”

He nodded. “You got some visitors. They’re in the living room.” I raised an eyebrow back at him.

Great, John’s gonna go yell at me now too. Even though it’s been two days.

I stood up straight. I walked out into the living room. “What is it,” I sighed, shutting my eyes.

“GL,” I heard a familiar call.

My eyes fluttered open. I looked to see KF in civilian clothes along with Superboy, although he looked like he borrowed from Wally’s wardrobe. “Uh… what’s this? What’re you doing here? Thought you were back home until Batman came up with a decision,” I looked at KF first.

He grinned. “Well, we kinda got banned from the mall because we stopped the Terror Twins, so what better place to go than to Coast City’s mall with my favorite green defender.”

I gave a snort. “Yeah, don’t know if you can’t see.” I pointed my thumb backwards. “I’m in trouble.”

A hand patted my head. I blinked in surprise. I looked back to see Dad smile at me. “Trouble ban lifted,” He moved his hand.

“W…Why?”

He held his hands up. “Sorry, I didn’t know I was in the presence of a tank maker.” My eyes widened. He motioned towards KF and Superboy. “These two over here told me about your tank making expertise in knocking the bad guy off his feet and created a safe haven for your teammates to make sure they weren’t hurt.” He tilted his head. “You didn’t tell me that.”

I looked away, crossing my arms. “Wasn’t a big deal.”

“You don’t make big constructs, Kiddo.” He tilted his head. “Are you trying to be humble?”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t be a pushover. I did what I had to do. If I didn’t, they would’ve gotten hurt. And I’m not a monster. I care.”

He ruffled my hair. “Maybe it wasn’t so bad after all, Lena.”

“Hey!” I swatted his hands away. I looked over at Superboy and KF. “Did you HAVE to tell him?”

“The tank was cool though. You have to admit that,” KF grinned.

I looked at Superboy. “Adjusting to civilian life well? I know it isn’t Cadmus, but it’s definitely 100% better.” I grinned.

“Feels weird… but I think it’s fine. His closet smells weird though,” He pointed over towards KF.

I snorted. “Yeah, that makes sense. He’s never let me in there,” I snorted.

“Hey,” KF frowned.

I gave a snort. “How’s your parents by the way?”

“They’re cool with Supes. No big deal,” He smirked. “You know me well Eili.”

I nodded. “That I do, Wally. That I do.” I blinked. I looked back at Superboy. “Right. You should know.” I pointed a thumb towards myself. “I am the most awesome Green Lantern of the Green Lantern Corps. Name’s Eileen Jordan. And this is my dad, Hal Jordan.” I motioned towards Dad.

“More awesome than she is. I’m the original,” Dad smirked.

I rolled my eyes. “You can barely keep a girlfriend, how are you more awesome than me?”

“Alright, get out of here before I regret it. I don’t want them to eat through my fridge,” Dad pointed over at Wally and Superboy. “Go on. And be back before 11.”

I grinned. I hugged him tightly. “Thanks Dad!”

--

We all stood in a line inside Mount Justice while Batman and some of the other League members stood. Some were moving parts around and making sure everything was ready.

“This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League,” Batman spoke as he walked a bit before standing to face us. “We’re calling it into service again. Since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you’ll do it on League terms. Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary’s in charge of training. I will deploy you on missions.”

“Real missions,” Robin asked with a little hope in his voice.

“Yes, but covert.”

Covert, eh? Not bad. It’s a start.

“The League will still handle the obvious stuff. There’s a reason we have these big targets on our chests,” Flash pointed towards his symbol.

“But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly,” Aquaman looked over at Batman.

“The six of you will be that team,” Batman hummed.

“Cool! Wait. Six,” Robin asked.

I blinked in confusion as we were motioned to look behind us. We saw a green skinned girl with red hair appear next to Martian Manhunter. “This is the Martian Manhunter’s niece, Miss Martian.”

“Hi,” She gave a wave with a smile.

“Liking this gig more every minute,” Wally mumbled to Robin, causing me to roll my eyes at his comment. He rushed ahead. “Uh, welcome aboard. I’m Kid Flash.” He pointed to himself. “That’s Robin, Aqualad. It’s cool if you forget their names. And this is Green Lantern. You can call her GL.” Wally motioned towards me.

She clasped her hands together. “I’m honored to be included,” She hummed.

We all walked up to her. “Hey, Superboy. Come meet Miss M,” Robin called him over. Superboy walked up to us. Miss Martian’s shirt and cape changed into a black shirt with an X on it.

“I like your t-shirt,” She smiled. He gave her a small smile. Robin nudged his ribs a bit as Wally wrapped an arm around Superboy’s shoulders. I nudged Superboy with my elbow as I grinned.

“Today is the day,” Aqualad hummed while looking over at us.

We gave a bright smile. I looked at Miss Martian. “I hope we can get along. I don’t… talk to many other people,” I gave a nervous grin.

“I’ve never really had a sister before. Well, I have 12 of them on Mars, but that’s not the same as here on Earth,” She hummed.

My eyes widened. “I-I’d be honored.”

Chapter Text

I frowned, staring at Speedy walking past the boys and leaving through the shadows. I floated down a bit and landed behind him, crossing my arms as I leaned against one of the shipping containers.

“You’re not slick GL,” He muttered.

I frowned. “How’d you guess,” I sighed.

He turned around. “You’re literally a glowstick.” He looked down at me. “And on top of that, you’re always the more heavy go-getter and not the covert type. Surprised you even agreed to go along. Still needing a babysitter?”

I huffed, placing my hands on my hips. “Very funny. I’m capable of doing stuff on my own too, you know? Besides, I’m not here to talk about me. Seriously. Even though it’s ruled by Batman and the other Leaguers, we still have a kind-of autonomy here. We get our missions, complete them how we want, and go home. Feels like a win if I’m being honest.”

He walked up. “And I’ll tell you what I told the others.” He leaned towards me. “Pass.”

“But…” I looked away.

“I want my own work hours. You know better than that Eileen.”

“…” I sighed. “Whatever.” He walked away from me. I heard wind rushing beside me as footsteps approached.

“Not you either,” Robin asked next to me.

“Nah. Sorry guys,” I looked at them.

“It’s fine. Maybe he’ll come around one day,” Wally shrugged with a grin.

“I believe Kid Flash is right. He’ll come around one day,” Aqualad nodded in agreement.

--

I stood next to the monitor, watching Red Tornado’s location get closer towards us next to Aqualad, Miss Martian, and Superboy. The whirring noise of the zeta-tube reached my ears as I tilted my head to see two people enter from the corner of my eye. “Recognized. Robin, B-0-1, Kid Flash, B-0-3,” The computer spoke as I saw Wally and Robin enter. They walked up to us.

“Did you ask him,” Robin rushed up urgently.

“What did he say,” Wally looked at us.

Aqualad turned and faced them as the rest of us did. “He’s arriving now,” He hummed.

“Then what are we waiting for,” Wally asked as he ran over. I followed after with some pep in my step. We went to one of the Cave’s exits. We watched Red Tornado in the distance land in front of us. “Red Tornado!”

“Greetings. Is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave,” Red Tornado asked as he looked like he was looking at us.

Aqualad walked up. “We hoped you had a mission for us,” He hummed quietly.

“Mission assignments are the Batman’s responsibility.”

“But it’s been over a week, and nothing-,” Robin started to speak.

Red Tornado held a hand up. “You’ll be tested soon enough. For the time being, simply enjoy each other’s company.”

“This team is not a social club,” Aqualad stated to him.

“No, but I am told social interaction is an important team-building exercise. Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the cave.” He walked past us.

“Keep busy,” Wally muttered with a frown.

“Does he think we’re falling for this,” Robin asked.

“Oh, I’ll find out,” Miss Martian excitingly turned. She narrowed her eyes a bit.

The zeta scanner scanned Red Tornado as he entered through. “Recognized. Red Tornado, 1-6,” The computer system called.

She looked down before looking at us. “I-I’m sorry. I forgot he’s a machine, inorganic. I cannot read his mind.”

“Nice try, though,” Wally smiled at her. He leaned towards her. “So, uh, you know what I’m thinkin’ right now?”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “We all know what you’re thinkin’ now,” Robin frowned, placing a hand on his hip as he nudged Wally with his elbow.

“And now we tour the clubhouse,” Aqualad looked up at us.

“Well, Superboy and I live here. We can play tour guides,” Miss Martian looked at him, then at Superboy.

“Don’t look at me,” Superboy muttered with a surprised look.

“We won’t. A private tour sounds much more fun,” Wally leaned towards Miss Martian again.

“Wait-Wait, she-she never said private,” Robin looked at him.

I gave a groan, rubbing my face with my hands. “Team building. We’ll all go,” Aqualad firmly stated.

We all headed back inside. I heard a small grunt behind me as I gave a snicker. “Where do we start,” I asked with a grin.

“So, this would be our front door,” Miss Martian motioned towards the entrance we all came from on the side of the mountain. We traveled along through the cave, making our way over towards the rocky mountain…er side. “And this would be the back. The cave is actually the entire mountain.”

We moved through the one of the other exits towards the waterfront exit. “It was hollowed out and reinforced by Superman and Green Lantern in the early days of the League,” Wally explained with a smug attitude.

“Yeah, I remember… Dad bragged about it a lot,” I mumbled to myself.

“Then why abandon it for the Hall of Justice,” Superboy asked as he looked at us.

“The cave’s secret location was compromised,” Aqualad answered him.

“So, they traded it in for a tourist trap? Yeah, that makes sense.”

“If villains know of the cave, we must be on constant alert,” Miss Martian pointed out.

Robin grabbed her hand with a sly smirk. “The bad guys know we know they know about the place, so they’d never think to look here,” He pulled out his other hand and placed it on top of her’s as well.

Wally grabbed Robin’s hand, moving it away. “Uh, he means we’re hiding in plain sight,” He pointed out to her.

“Ah, that’s much clearer,” Miss Martian scratched her head. I grimaced a bit.

This is so awkward to watch. Two guys fighting for the same girl? Yuck.

Superboy sniffed the air. “I smell smoke,” He looked over at us.

Miss Martian gasped. “My cookies,” She flew out. We all followed after her to the kitchen. She pulled a tray out of the oven and floated it onto the counter. I stared at the burnt circles on the tray. “I was trying out Grammy Jones recipe from episode 17 of-.” She gave a nervous chuckle. “Huh. Never mind.”

“I bet they’d have tasted great. He doesn’t seem to mind,” Robin hummed as he turned his head over. We all looked as Wally as he was chewing on the burnt cookies that gave a loud crunching noise. I winced.

“I have a serious metabolism,” He nervously spoke with his mouth full.

“I’ll make more,” Miss Martian asked with a hopeful smile.

“It was sweet of you to make any,” Aqualad looked at her.

“Thanks, Aqualad.”

He placed a hand on his chest. “We’re off duty. Call me Kaldur’ahm. Actually, my friends call me Kaldur.”

“I’m Wally. See? I already trust you with my secret ID… unlike Mr. Dark Glasses over here,” Wally leaned his head on his hand before motioning over to Robin. Batman’s forbidden boy wonder from telling anyone his real name.” Robin placed his hands on his hips with a frown.

“Mine is no secret. It’s M’gann M’orzz,” She placed her hands on her hips. “But you can call me Megan. It’s an Earth name, and I’m on Earth now.” She gave an excited smile after saying that.

I grinned. “I’m Eileen. If it’s alright with you, I’ll just call you M’gann,” I looked over at her.

“O-Of course! And that’s a pretty name. Eileen, I mean.”

I gave a snort. “My parents were into cheesy classics.”

“Come on Eileen~,” Wally sang. I hit his shoulder with a huff. “Hey, it’s an alright song.”

I heard footsteps behind me. “Get out of my head,” I heard Superboy shout behind me. I jumped up a bit. I looked back to see him glaring directly at M’gann. I looked back at M’gann in confusion.

A loud ringing filled my head as I winced, grabbing it in pain. “W-What’s wrong? I-I don’t understand. Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically,” I heard M’gann ask in my head.

“M’gann, stop,” Kaldur looked over at her. She blinked at him in shock. “Things are different on Earth. Here, your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy.”

“Besides, Cadmus’ creepy little psychic genomes left a bad taste in his brain,” Wally covered the side of his mouth as he told her, pointing his finger near Superboy.

“I-I didn’t mean to-,” She looked over towards Superboy.

“Just stay out,” Superboy hissed. He marched away from us towards the TV room where he sat on the couch.

A tense silence followed as my eyes darted away with a small frown. “Hello, Megan,” I watched her slap her head lightly. “I know what we can do.” She flew away from us. We followed. I watched M’gann float back into the hall and land on her feet as she peeked the corner. “Superboy, please?”

“Don’t talk to me,” I heard his mutter echo.

…I mean, she didn’t do with bad intentions…

I saw him walk in after her. I gave a small hum, looking back forward as we approached the elevator. Kaldur and Robin walked ahead of me. “You okay there,” I felt a nudge on my arm.

“Yeah… I’m fine… Most amount of people I’ve talked to in a minute,” I gave a nervous chuckle.

“It’s not so bad. And besides Superboy and Miss M, you know the rest of us. It’ll be fine.”

I swallowed. “Yeah… It’ll be fine,” I breathed.

We all got in the elevator and made it down to the docking bay. “It’s my Martian bioship,” M’gann motioned the big reveal. We all followed her as we saw the red orb outlined with some black.

“Cute. Not aerodynamic, but cute,” Wally pointed with a nod.

“It’s at rest, silly. I’ll go wake it.” M’gann waved her hand, making the ship grew larger into a flying ship. The ship turned and opened the back door, giving us a path to walk. She walked forward a bit before looking back at us. “Well, are you coming?”

I went ahead first, walking inside. “It’s cool. I’ve heard about these things. It’s a bioship, right,” I asked M’gann as I looked at her.

“Yeah! I’m surprised you know.”

“As a Green Lantern, the Library of Oa has a vast source of knowledge about every race in the galaxy. I just happen to read about the ones closest to earth, like Martians and Kryptonians… and Thanagarians…” I gave a nervous laugh.

“Of course, the girl who fights aliens wants to get on an alien ship,” I heard Wally sigh.

I stuck my tongue out at him before marching inside. I saw a large command room form in front of us. We went inside as a command room took place. “Strap in for launch,” M’gann motioned us forward. I moved ahead. I sat in front of Wally on the left side of the ship. The straps came out from the seat and strapped me in. Robin sat on the other side with Aqualad as Superboy sat in the middle. “Red Tornado, please open the bay doors.”

The large doors in the bay slowly opened. We flew up into the air. I gave a giggle as we did a roll through the air. “Don’t you fly already,” Wally asked.

I looked back at him with a huff. “Hey, let a girl have her fun. Sometimes I don’t wanna fly myself. Takes a huge load off,” I looked out the window.

“Incredible,” I heard Robin call from the other side of the ship.

I went to relax. “She sure is,” I heard Wally sigh. I looked back forward with a frown. “I-I mean the ship, which, like all ships, is a she.”

“Fast with his feet, not so much with his mouth,” Robin chuckled.

I gave a snort. “You’re not wrong there,” I snickered.

“Dude,” I heard Wally call.

I stared outside and realized this was a different view from how I flew outside and in space. I could hear a hushed whisper. I looked from the corner of my eye and saw Kaldur talking to Superboy. I heard the hushed voices of Robin, M’gann, and Wally behind me as well. I bit the inside of my cheek as I looked back forward.

…It’s not THAT hard to make friends, right…?

“Hey, how ‘bout showing us a little Martian shape-shifting,” I heard Robin ask.

I snapped my gaze back to behind me. M’gann stood up from her seat and changed her outfit to a female version of Robin in uniform. She did a small spin, making herself look like a female version of Wally in uniform.

“Is it wrong that I think I’m hot,” I heard Wally asked in a dreamily voice.

I rolled my eyes. “Uh, kinda,” I turned my chair to look back at him.

“Impressive, but you know you’re not exactly gonna fool anyone with those,” Robin hummed.

M’gann did another spin, mimicking me in my civilian outfit. I blinked, giving a hum. I clapped my hands together. “Now that’s what I call cool,” I grinned.

M’gann sat down in her chair. “M-M-Mimicking boys is a lot harder,” She murmured.

“And your clothes,” Kaldur asked.

She pulled on them. “They’re organic, like the ship. They respond to my mental commands.”

“As long as they’re the only ones,” Superboy looked forward. I saw M’gann’s disheartened look.

I’m… sure it’ll be fine… He just needs time. Cadmus IS still fresh on his mind, after all.

“Can you do that ghosting through walls thing that Manhunter does,” Wally asked while looking at her.

“Density shifting,” She asked him. “No. It-It-It’s a very advanced technique.”

“Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall. When he tries it, bloody nose,” Robin motioned towards Wally with a chuckle.

“Dude,” Wally snapped at him

“Here’s something I can do. Camouflage mode,” M’gann hummed with a smile.

“Red Tornado to Miss Martian. An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbor power plant. I suggest you investigate covertly. I’m sending coordinates,” We heard over the radio.

“Received. Adjusting course.”

Robin gave out a scoff. “Tornado’s keeping us busy again,” He looked at us.

“Well, a simple fire led you to Superboy. We should find out what caused the alert.”

“I think I know the cause,” Superboy looked out the window.

My gaze followed his as I saw a tornado blowing through the parking lot. It flew closer to us, allowing us to get swept up in the harsh wind. I gripped my hands at the table in front of me with a shocked gasp. We got flung out from the tornado as we got close to the ground. We all dropped down onto the pavement on our feet. I watched the tornado on the other side of the building.

“Robin, are tornados common in New England,” Kaldur asked. Robin didn’t give an answer. “Robin?” We looked around to see he had disappeared. I heard him laughing like an echo in the distance.

“He was just here,” M’gann stated in confusion. I heard glass breaking and saw the windows of the building blow out.

I ran over towards an opening in the building. I heard footsteps ran after me. I held my fist out as my ring activated, allowing me to dawn my uniform as I flew inside. I saw Robin get tossed back into the wall and land on the ground. I snapped my gaze over as I saw a red and black suited mech with a scarf around his face gusting wind everywhere. I saw Superboy jump over me and land next to Robin. “Who’s your new friend,” He asked, holding a fist up.

“Didn’t catch his name, but he plays kinda rough,” Robin called out to him.

“My apologies. You may address me as Mr. Twister,” He hummed in a robotic voice.

Mini tornados were thrown at us as Superboy got knocked into the wall. M’gann looked back at Superboy before turning to look at Kaldur, Wally and I. I snapped my gaze forward, holding my fist up. I rushed forward with everyone else as I saw Wally trying to drop kick the guy only to be blown back through the opposite entrance towards the outside.

I held my bat up as I went to swing at him only to get blown back.

“I was prepared to be challenged by a superhero. I was not, however, expecting children,” I heard Mr. Twister call.

I got up quickly. “We’re not children,” I heard Robin yell as he threw a small orb at him that exploded along with a disk that imbedded itself into his chest. The guy knocked it out of his chest with ease.

“Objectively, you are. Have you no adult supervision? I find your presence here quite disturbing.”

I flew and floated behind Robin. “Well, we hate to see you disturbed! Let’s see if you’re more turbed once we kick your can.”

M’gann held her hands up as she pulled down a pipe opening from above, allowing steam to fill the air. Superboy jumped up and tried to punch him, but the wind velocity Mr. Twister was putting out pushed him back into one of the steel support beams near the ceiling. M’gann flew up only to get Superboy knocked into her as she fell. I flew over again as tornadoes swiped Robin and Kaldur up, knocking them into each other. I formed another bat construct as I swatted. Mr. Twister ducked and blew me back into the ceiling. I crashed through it, falling through the air as I landed harshly on the pavement. I groaned, rubbing my head.

Yeah… gonna feel that in the morning.

I heard a whirring noise and lifted my head up to see a dust trail run past me. I did my best to get up before I saw Wally getting tossed in a tornado towards the building before it was stopped. I rubbed my head with a frown I went up to him. The dust cleared to reveal everyone else.

“I got you Wally,” M’gann hummed as I saw that she was holding Wally in the air.

“Whoa,” He landed on the ground. “Thanks.”

“I would have thought you all learned your limitations by now,” Mr. Twister chimed.

“What do you want,” Kaldur yelled.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m waiting for a real hero.” He floated above us.

Kaldur looked back at M’gann. “Read his mind. Find a weakness.”

“I thought I wasn’t supposed to do that,” M’gann told him.

“It’s okay with the bad guys,” Robin looked at her exasperatedly.

M’gann placed her fingers against her temple. “Nothing. I’m getting nothing. Hello, Megan,” She nudged her head with her palm. “Mr. Twister is Red Tornado in disguise. He’s inorganic, an android. And how many androids do you know that can generate tornados?”

“Are we SURE that’s Red Tornado,” I asked with a high-pitched voice.

“Red Tornado sent us here,” Kaldur told her.

“After saying we’d be tested soon enough,” Robin looked at Wally. “THIS is his test. Something to keep us busy.”

“Speedy called it. We’re a joke,” Wally looked down. Kaldur hit his fist into his hand. I saw Wally and Robin move ahead. “This game, so over.”

Seriously…?

I landed on the ground with a frown. “We know who you are and what you want,” Robin called out to Mr. Twister.

“So, let’s end this,” Kaldur called out.

“Consider it ended,” Mr. Twister darkly muttered. He held his hands up as he combined them for a larger large tornado to form.

“An impressive show but we will not indulge you! We will not engage!”

The tornado didn’t seem to stop forming. My eyes widened. Thunder crackled while the clouds grew darker. “Guys,” I called hesitantly.

“Uh, can Red Tornado do that,” Wally asked.

“You think I’m Tornado? Ironic,” Mr. Twister hummed. A large bolt of lightning struck in front of us, causing an explosion that knocked everyone back. I quickly held my ring up as a shield ball formed around me. Dust cleared the air to reveal Superboy and I left while everyone else was behind us. Superboy tore off his brown jacket, jumping up in the air as he went to punch Mr. Twister, only to get knocked down. I flew up. I held up a sword and a shield, blocking the lighting from hitting me as I swung at him. “Persistent aren’t you, little one?”

“Shut up you wannabe. You may think we’re kids, but there’s a whole other side of us that you haven’t seen,” I glared. I aimed my sword up for his shoulder. He moved, aiming both of his hands at me before zapping more lighting at me. I kept using the shield, hearing it make a cracking noise as I tried to enforce it, dissipating my sword to keep the focus on my shield before it broke into pieces. I was shocked into the ground, causing me to slide across it with a groan as I landed hard.

I heard loud static fill my ears as I tried to get up. My body wasn’t responding to my commands, only moving slower than usual. I felt something dark loom over me, causing me to drop my head back onto the ground.

I’m… exhausted…

“Fine then. I won’t deny you children have power, but playing hide-and-seek with you will not help me achieve my objectives. So, stay concealed. If you confront me again, I will show you no mercy,” Mr. Twister called.

My eyes fluttered open slowly. “What happened,” I heard Wally ask.

“I placed the bioship between us,” M’gann hummed.

I heard a frustrated yell followed by punches of thuds and crumbles. “And that’s supposed to make it right? You tricked us into thinking Twister was Red Tornado,” I heard Superboy snap. I turned my head, only to feel a hurting pulse through it. I rubbed my head with a frown.

“She didn’t do it on purpose,” Kaldur looked at him.

“It, it was a rookie mistake. We shouldn’t have listened,” Robin told Superboy to try and ease the tense atmosphere I was sensing.

“You are pretty inexperienced. Hit the showers. We’ll take it from here,” Wally hummed.

“Stay out of our way,” I saw Superboy stomp past M’gann on the ground.

“Guys,” I groaned as I sat up.

“You look like got hit pretty hard GL. Stay with Miss M until you can recover,” Wally followed after Superboy towards the town. Robin ran after them.

“I was just trying to be part of the team,” M’gann looked down at the ground.

“To be honest, I’m not sure we really have a team,” Kaldur rubbed the back of his head before running off after them.

I slowly got up, moving over to M’gann and placing a hand on her back. “Hey, it’s alright. I don’t blame you at least. You haven’t fought a villain before, so it makes sense that you’re inexperienced. We’ve all done it,” I told her.

She looked at me. “But Eileen, I-,” She started.

“You made a judgement call. A logical call, as risky as it may be. Emotions were running high, and everyone’s pretty stressed about one thing or another. Seriously, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I’ve doubted myself plenty of times,” I placed a hand on my chest. I stood up straight. I rubbed my head with a groan as the ring started to help heal a bit of the headache. “I’m a Green Lantern, so I’ve been hit by more things than I can count, but I still get back up.” I looked at her and held my hand out. “In order to work as a team, we need to listen to each other and trust in each other. Without trust, this isn’t going to work.” I blinked in surprise. I rubbed the back of my neck with my other hand. “Sorry, I learned this stuff from the Corps. I’m used to being on teams and on solo missions.” I gave a sheepish grin.

She grabbed my hand and stood. “Thanks Eileen,” She smiled.

“Don’t mention it.” I took a deep breath. “Now, we need to deal with big, ugly, Twisty over there.”

“Let’s try getting in touch with Red Tornado,” She spoke as she opened up the Bio-Ship for us to get in.

I flew up and stood as she sat down in her seat. I sat down in mine as I breathed. M’gann called the cave for Red Tornado. When she answered, she explained what had happened at the plant. “The team really needs your help,” She called. “If I intervened, it would not be to help,” Red Tornado stated on the screen. Still, it is an odd coincidence that this Twister shares my elemental abilities and my immunity to telepathy.”

Wait, immunity to telepathy…? That would mean…

“Hello, Megan,” M’gann called. I looked at her in confusion. “Eileen, I have a plan. Are you ready?”

I smirked. “Always, M’gann.” I stood up from my seat. “What do you want me to do?”

She nodded sharply. “Follow my lead. You said we need to listen to each other, right? Keep him distracted, at least for a while. I’ll go ahead and create an exit for you and talk to the rest of the team. Sorry if I increase your headache.”

I waved her off. “Nah. The ring heals bit by bit. I’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry about me.” A hole formed underneath me. “I’ll see you then.” I dropped down and flew down towards where I saw the large tornadoes. I shot down, kicking his face in as I landed on the ground in a slide. “Yo, Mr. Roboto! You’re way out of your element here sir. Shouldn’t you be writing a song album or something? You know, Styx?” I grinned.

“You again! Didn’t you hear me before,” Mr. Twister hissed. “I’m not playing any games!” He threw two tornadoes at me.

I formed my construct as the tornadoes swiftly dissipated behind me. I smirked at him. “Well, this isn’t a game, but I can make it a game. It’s actually one of my favorites.” I straightened my posture as I dusted off the constructed heavy knight armor I formed. I watched it flow back into my ring as a new construct formed. I rested it against my shoulder. “Is the bat real or fake? Your answer may surprise you!”

“Err!”

“Good answer!” I flung the bat at him. It hit him right in the head as I rushed up and went for a punch. He dodged to swiftly put me into another tornado, but I quickly formed a bubble that whisked me into the air with the tornado. I flew my way up as I unformed the bubble. “Try again Twisty. You might need another bat.” I smirked.

“Listen to me. All of you,” M’gann called through telepathy.

“What did we tell you,” I heard Superboy angerly yell in the distance.

“I know and I know I messed up, but I’m very clear on what we need to do. Please trust me. GL, are you ready?”

Ready!

I blocked another tornado before getting launched up. My landed on the ground in a thud as my uniform dissipated from my body. I pulled my head up to see the others move up towards Mr. Twister. I took a deep breath.

Now… take the bait.

I saw Red Tornado fly in at a distance. He landed in front of the boys. “Hit the showers, boys. I was hoping you could handle this. Clearly you cannot,” He looked forward at Mr. Twister.

“But we’ve got a plan now,” Robin looked at him.

“The subject is not up for debate.”

The boys each walked away as I slowly got up and leaned against a piece of a wooden pillar. “I was beginning to believe you’d never show up,” Mr. Twister called out.

“I’m here now.” I watched a tornado form and spin towards Mr. Twister, only for him to combat it with his own. Mr. Twister threw another tornado at Red Tornado, but it dissipated quickly. “We’re evenly matched, Twister.” A tornado formed behind him and flung out rocks.

“No, Tornado, we are not.” Mr. Twister punched the ground, creating a wind wall to block the rock debris. Mr. Twister shot lighting at Red Tornado. Red Tornado tried to dodge before the lighting hit a boat near, causing an explosion that rendered Red Tornado electrified. Mr. Twister flew up. “Remain still, android. The reprogramming won’t take long.” He held his hand out as cables flew over towards the side of Red Tornado’s head.

Reprogramming…? For what?

I blinked in confusion until the cables were grabbed. Red Tornado’s head shifted into M’gann’s as she smiled. “Longer than you might thing,” She hummed.

“No,” Mr. Twister muttered.

M’gann pulled on the cables as Mr. Twister stumbled back into a tornado, flinging him around. The tornado then dissipated to reveal Wally. I slowly started to get up from my position, holding my side from the pain I felt from earlier as I sighed. I watched Superboy punch Mr. Twister, creating new holes in his body before sending him into the water, where he was electrocuted from how we could see from the surface.

Mr. Twister was launched up from the water and landed on the ground. M’gann picked up him up and separated his other arm with her telepathy. I made my way up as I watched a construct form from my ring. Robin threw his disks out as I pulled my construct up and aimed it at him before a small round launched, exploding on impact as Mr. Twister fell onto the ground in a hard thud. He sat up on his knees as sparks flew off his body. I walked up with the others as my construct went back into my ring. I smirked. The suit opened up to reveal a skinny man that fell onto the ground.

“Uh! Foul. I-I call foul,” He stammered as he looked up at us.

I raised an eyebrow. M'gann walked up and picked up a nearby rock. She landed it on top of him. “M’gann no,” Kaldur yelled as he placed his hands on her shoulders. I breathed out a sigh.

Finally.

Robin walked up to her. “Don’t know how things are done on Mars, but on Earth, we don’t execute our captives,” Robin yelled at her.

M’gann smirked at him. “You said you trust me,” She floated the rock up to reveal the person underneath was smashed into robotic pieces. We all walked up. “That’s why I couldn’t read his mind.”

Wally picked up the green static-y broken eyeball. “Cool. Souvenir,” He hummed, flicking the eye in the air before looking at us.

“We should have had more faith in you,” Kaldur placed a hand on M’gann’s shoulder.

“Yeah. You rocked this mission. Get it? Rocked.” Wally chuckled.

“Ignore him. We’re all just turbed you’re on the team,” Robin smiled at her.

M’gann gave a giggle. “Thanks. Me too.” I gave a soft smile. M’gann turned towards me. “Although, I do have to thank GL on her part.”

“Huh? What did I do,” I tilted my head.

“You said in order to work as a team, we need to listen to each other and trust in each other. And well, you trusted me. Thank you.”

I rubbed the back of my neck as heat crawled up it. “It-It was nothing! Really. Uh… Can we go have some cookies now?” I gave a weary grin.

“Ooh! I want to try some too,” Wally grinned.

“Back off. I earned these cookies,” I placed a thumb on my chest.

“Nah-ah! I created the tornado to sell the act. Beat that?”

“I distracted him so that you guys could get ready. I think I’m the winner here,” I smirked at him. “Beat. That.”

--

We finished reporting what happened to Red Tornado in the main meeting room. We had the robot parts scattered on a table for us to examine and look at. “It was clearly created to sabotage or destroy you,” Kaldur murmured as he looked up at Red Tornado.

“Agreed,” Red Tornado stated.

“Is that why you wouldn’t help us,” M’gann asked him.

“No. This was your battle. I do not believe it is my role to solve your problems for you. Nor should you solve mine for me.”

“Uh, but if you’re in danger…”

“Consider this matter closed.” He turned around and walked away from us.

“Batman, Aquaman, and Flash, they’d have jumped right in to fix things,” Wally frowned.

“Guess if we’re gonna have a babysitter, a heartless machine is exactly what we need,” Robin stated.

I sighed. “Guys,” I grabbed their arms with a frown.

“Dude! Harsh,” Wally looked at him.

“And inaccurate. I have a heart, carbon-steel alloy. I also have excellent hearing,” Red Tornado looked at them.

“Ha-ha. Right. Sorry. I’ll strive to be more… accurate,” Robin hesitantly responded.

“And more respectful,” Kaldur placed a hand on his shoulder.

“And less rude,” I crossed my arms. I walked along next to them as we headed off.

“Speedy was so wrong,” Wally said as he looked at us.

“This team thing,” Robin he looked forward.

“Might just,” I shrugged.

“Work out,” Kaldur hummed softly.

--

I twirled the pencil in my fingers as I stared down at the sketch in my sketchbook. Music softly echoed through the room as Mother-Mother’s Burning Pile was playing. I heard the house phone echo through the apartment and got up, opening my bedroom door to go answer it. I walked up, placing the phone against my ear. “Hello,” I asked.

“Eili,” I heard Wally hum.

“Hey West,” I tilted my head. “To what do I owe this call?”

“Oh, you know, just… wanted to call.”

“Mhm?” I raised an eyebrow. “You just wanted to call? To chat?”

“Look, uh… I’m sorry for acting like a jerk yesterday,” He sighed.

I hummed. “Where you and the guys dismissed M’gann and I? Especially M’gann because she’s new and inexperienced?”

“Y…Yeah.” He sighed. “I already gave my apologies to her! I just… thought it was fair to apologize to you for brushing off your injuries. I know you’ve taken tougher hits than that.”

“Yeah, I’ve been shot with lasers before.”

“Excuse me?”

My eyes widened. “T-That’s not the point.” I shook my head. “What I’m saying is… is that MAYBE you should, you know? Think? Before you talk?”

“Eili.”

“I’ll accept your apology but you’re paying for popcorn the next time we go to the movies.”

“…Can we go right now?”

I blinked in confusion. “Excuse me?”

“C’mon! We can watch Clash of the Titans. I know you’re a sucker for mythology.”

I hummed. “I am… is this a bribe because you don’t believe in stuff like that?”

“I’ll do it to make you feel better.

I nodded. “Well… I guess I’ll take it. I’m also thinking of watching Prince of Persia sometime this month too.”

“Alright! I’m on my way!” He hung up.

I sighed. “He’s a jerk… but he’s a good friend.” I smiled with a sigh. “Dad! I’m going to the movies!”

“Again,” He called from his bedroom.

“Yeah! With Wally? We’re watching Clash of the Titans!”

“Have fun then, Kiddo! And remember-!”

“Don’t do anything you’d do! I know.” I walked away back to my room. “He always says that,” I rolled my eyes.

Chapter Text

Our first assigned mission was to covertly observe Santa Prisca. Batman planned for us to use two drop zones to make sure that we had taken care of any motion or heat sensors on the island. I can’t lie and say that I have nerves of steel about this. This is different than a mission in space, especially one that’s by myself.

“We’re approaching Santa Prisca. Drop zone A in 30,” M’gann reported.

Kaldur stood from his seat as it dissipated back into the ship. He tapped on his uniform symbol, changing into his stealth gear. “Ready,” He looked at M’gann.

“Putting bioship in camouflage mode.”

We flew low to the water where a hole formed. Kaldur dove down, landing in the water with a splash. The Bio-Ship moved up to the island, getting closer. The comms in our ears went off. “Heat and motion sensors are patched. Data is now on a continuous loop. Move in,” Kaldur reported in a hushed voice.

“Drop zone B,” M’gann stated as she stood. I got up along with the others.  I saw ziplines for the others appear. I rolled my neck around, breathing in a small sigh.

“How cool is this,” I heard Wally ask. I saw him looking at M’gann as he presented his stealth gear.

“Very impressive,” M’gann smiled at him warmly. She shut her eyes. Her uniform, which was a white shirt with a red ‘X’ on it blue skirt and blue boots and gloves to match, changed into something similar to Martian Manhunter’s where it was black with a red ‘X’ for the top. She placed her hands on her hips.

“Uh, that works too. Hey, Supey, not too late to put on the new stealth tech.”

I looked over at Superboy. “No capes, no tights. No offense,” He crossed his arms.

“It totally works for you…,” M’gann dreamily murmured. I saw her hold her hands up. “In that you can totally do good work in those clothes.” She gave him a thumb up.

Superboy didn’t say anything, looking back forward. M’gann put her hood on her head and turned invisible, which caused me to feel bad as I think she was trying to give him a compliment that sounded… a bit awkward.

“So, GL, how are you going to fix your, um, situation,” Robin looked at me. I raised an eyebrow at him as he pointed. “You’re always glowing green.”

I blinked in realization. “Oh! I got that covered,” I smirked. I dusted myself off, taking a deep breath. I held my fist forward. “In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil’s might, beware my power, Green Lantern’s light.”

My black gloves formed on my hands and up my arm before most of my suit gave off a dark look, except for my upper torso, which gave off a bit of green with my symbol. I crossed my arms with a smirk.

“Ooh, I wasn’t aware Green Lanterns could change their uniform’s appearance,” M’gann looked at me.

“My appearance is actually based on my willpower, and, um, my imagination. I’ve been told by the Guardians that I can change it however much I want, which is cool because I can sometimes be indecisive,” I gave a weary smile and a shrug.

“Cool,” Wally grinned.

An opening formed below us as I flew down, keeping my glow dim as best as I could. I stood on the ground, turning my glow off immediately. M’gann appeared next to me after landing on the ground, followed by the others. I saw Superboy above us and dodged, hearing a loud thud behind me. “Knew I didn’t need a line,” I saw him smirk.

“And yet creating a seismic event may not have helped us much with the covert,” Robin told him in a hiss.

“Aqualad, drop B is go,” M’gann reported over comms.

“Head for the factory. I’ll track your GPS and rendezvous ASAP,” Kaldur’s voice murmured in our ears.

Robin pulled up his wrist computer as we saw where our target location was. “Roger that,” He replied as we went off.

“Did you hear that,” Superboy asked behind me.

“Uh, no. Wait. Is this a super hearing thing,” Wally asked.

“You do have great ears,” M’gann sighed dreamily.

“Okay, Rob, now what,” Wally asked as we all looked forward. Robin was nowhere to be found. “Man, I hate it when he does that.”

“Superboy, Kid, switch to infrared.  See if you’re being tracked,” Kaldur whispered on comms.

Wally pulled his goggles on. “Got a squad of armed bozos incoming.”

We rushed ahead towards some cover and I made sure I wasn’t seen. “Two squads. But they’ll meet each other before they find us,” Superboy reported.

Gunshots echoed in the air as I blinked in shock. Wally looked at us. “No super hearing required now.”

“Swing wide, steer clear,” Kaldur called.

“Y-Yeah, just as soon as I find Rob.” Wally went ahead.

“KF,” I hissed quietly before he disappeared from my sight. I sighed. “…The ground is muddy and you will slip and fall.” I rolled my eyes.

I went after him. I saw him sliding down the hill before colliding the gunfire. I narrowed my eyes as my focus kicked in. I flew down and grabbed Wally, avoiding gunfire as we took cover behind some trees. “Thanks GL,” Wally breathed.

“Next time, please remember the ground is wet,” I looked at him with a blank expression.

“Maybe next time Rob shouldn’t go out on his own.”

I heard punches and saw a couple men running at us while shooting. I held up a shield as he sped up and took two of the guys down. I floated up and hit one into a tree with a large hammer.

“What is wrong with you guys? Remember covert. Why didn’t you follow my lead, vanish into the jungle,” I heard Robin call out. I gave a frown. I hit another guy with my hammer construct.

“That’s what you were doing? Way to fill us in. We’re not mind readers you know,” Wally told him as I saw M’gann appear behind him after shoving a guy into a tree forcefully. “Er, I’m not anyway.”

“You told me I could only read the bad guys’ minds,” M’gann told him.

I saw a guy about to run off and went to attack when I saw Kaldur drop down from the trees. He placed a hand on the guy’s chest, shocking him with his electricity before they hit the ground. I blinked slowly. I swallowed. “Um… wasn’t that a bit too much,” I gave a weak grin.

We tied the bad guys up to the surrounding trees. “I recognize that uniform. They belong to the cult of The Kobra,” Robin pointed out the snake uniforms.

“I am certain Batman would have mentioned it if he knew a dangerous extremist was running Santa Prisca’s venom operation,” Kaldur looked over at him.

“Agreed. And since there’s clearly no love lost between the cultist and those goons, I’m betting Kobra came in and tossed them out. That’s why the normal supply lines have been cut off.”

“We get it. Kobra wanted super cultists. Mystery solved. Radio Bats, and we’ll be home in time-,” Wally started off.

“These cultists aren’t on venom. Kobra’s hoarding the stuff. We don’t leave. Not until I know why.”

“Until you know why?”

“This team needs a leader.”

“And it’s you? Dude, you’re a 13-year-old kid, who ducked out on us without a word.”

Robin gave a dry laugh. “And you’re a mature 15? You blew our cover first chance you got.”

I released a small sigh, rubbing the back of my neck as I shut my eyes. I reopened them to look at the ground.

Technically this is a full recon. We need to find out why they’re hoarding the venom, true, but we can’t just argue like this. Our best job would be to head to the factory.

“Um, GL? Would you want to lead,” I heard and saw M’gann and Superboy looking at me.

“Lead the team,” I asked quietly. She nodded. I swallowed. “I’m already used to too many responsibilities. I’d like for this team to not be one of them,” I held my hands up nervously. “Besides, being in the Corps, you act like a military leader, and well, you don’t want me to do that now, do you?”

“Noted,” Superboy nodded.

“I also think we should have a calm head to lead us,” I watched Robin and Wally argue from the corner of my eye. “And clearly it isn’t going to be those two.”

I heard a chuckle and looked over to Bane as he looked up at us. “Such clever niños. But you only know half the story. Let me show you the rest, get you into the factory via my secret entrance,” He smirked. We all walked over and stood in front of him.

What is he playing at here? Why help?

“There is a secret entrance, but he’s also hiding something,” M’gann crouched down and pressed her fingers the side of her head.

“Ah, ah, ah, chica. Bane is not that easy.”

“Oh. He’s mentally reciting football scores in Español. This could take a while.”

“It’s not complicated. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” I tilted my head, placing my hand on my chin.

He wants us to help? But why…? It’s Bane… It could be that we’re his best shot at getting to the factory. And we need to find out what’s going on there.

My eyes darted over to Kaldur, then to Robin. Both looked at me as we gave each other nods. We moved over towards Bane, freeing him from his restraints. We walked away from the captured cultists and Bane’s goons, traveling through the thick jungle to a cliffside that overshadowed the factory. Bane pointed us over to the factory. Robin pulled out his binoculars to look over. I formed my own construct of binoculars, looking over as well. I saw more cultists scattered around, walking and guarding the main entrance. I frowned.

So, it IS Kobra. Him and his guys must’ve gotten the upper hand on Bane if it’s resorted to him being left with, well, us.

I heard footsteps hit the grass, walking away from us as I saw Bane walk off from the corner of my eye. I narrowed them as I looked back at the factory. I stood up straight as my binoculars went back into my ring. “Look at all that product. A buy is going down. But if Kobra’s not selling to the usual suspects, then-,” Robin started.

“We need to identify the buyer,” Kaldur straightened his posture.

“Just what I was thinking,” Wally agreed.

Robin snickered. “Yeah, you’re the thinker,” Robin stood up straight.

“Sarcasm? Dude. A real leader would focus on getting answers.” I gave a tired look towards them before walking away. Superboy and M’gann followed as I approached Bane at an entrance covered by a rock. Bane removed the rock to reveal an old mineshaft.

“Answers are this way,” Bane motioned inside while giving a smirk at us. He walked ahead of us.

“So now, El Luchador is our leader,” Wally muttered with a frown. I went inside first. I watched Bane’s movements as I kept myself more on guard than usual.

If we’re not careful, this can get ugly. Fast.

We went to the end of the tunnel after Bane, where there was a large mechanical door. Bane pressed his thumb on a finger reader. The door quietly opened up with a green light, revealing a locker room before we saw a door. Bane immediately went up and opened a bit of the door before Robin poked his head through.

“All clear,” He whispered before rushing out. We all followed after.

“Has that little fool already been caught,” Bane muttered, looking at us.

“No, he just does that,” Kaldur sighed.

“Stay put. I’ll get our intel and be back before the Boy Wonder,” Wally put on his goggles and rushed off. Bane watched Wally rush off, giving me an opportunity to fly up to the ceiling. I crouched onto a support beam.

I saw Kaldur hold his hand out. “Wait, Kid.”

“Great chain of command,” Bane looked back at the rest.

“Wait, where did GL go,” M’gann looked around.

I heard Kaldur sigh. I pressed my finger up to my comms in my ear. “I’m still here-,” I heard static follow. I released a small sigh. I placed my hands on the beam. “Superboy,” I whispered lowly.

I saw his head snap around before his head shot straight up. I held my finger up to my mouth. I made a watching motion as I pointed to Bane. He looked at Bane then before giving me a nod. I nodded in return, following after them.

“I guess she must’ve went to look for the guys too,” M’gann murmured.

“Then we keep moving,” Kaldur went ahead.

“She’ll be fine. She’s a Green Lantern,” Superboy told M’gann before following.

I followed after them, watching Bane closely as I saw an overview of the factory. I narrowed my eyes at the cultists before making my way over. “It’s a massive shipment,” I heard Kaldur murmur.

“Yeah, but they’re only taking new product off the line. They’re not touching this venom,” Superboy told him.

“Maybe freshness counts,” M’gann asked.

“Helicopters coming.”

I formed some binoculars and looked. I watched the others split off as they moved in different directions to make sure they hid better. I resumed to my observation of what was going on outside. I narrowed my eyes as I watched a military helicopter land. Sportsmaster walked out, making my eyes widen. He walked up to Kobra as I pulled my binoculars back a bit.

Sportsmaster?! What’s he doing here? What ties does he have to Kobra to do this?

I resumed to watching the interaction. I saw the purple tube filled with the new venom, giving a frown. “Sportsmaster. He is the buyer,” I heard Kaldur ask in confusion. I saw Bane looking over at him and Superboy. ““Aqualad to Red Tornado. Do you read? Ugh. Can’t reach the League, Robin, Kid, or Green Lantern. Comms jammed. We need a plan, now.”

“I have a suggestion,” I saw Bane smirk. He jumped down and started to cause noise.

I knew it!

“What is he-?” Something burst through the window, colliding in with the walkway they were on as they landed on the ground. I flew down.

“Destroy them,” I heard Kobra call.

I landed on the ground as I took out two of the guys shooting, holding a shield up. “I knew that guy was fishy,” I snapped.

“Lantern,” Kaldur called.

I saw Superboy collided with the big guy that jumped in through the window. “Bane was suspicious from the beginning. If he knew I was watching him, that would’ve given away my position.” Gunfire filled the air. I saw some of the cultists were being flung away, which meant M’gann was nearby. I saw an explosion form mid-air, followed by a grunt as I saw M’gann flying over some of the large factory equipment.

Well, there she goes.

I held up my hand as I formed a bat, taking my shield down to toss it at a cultist’s head. He collided against another cultist as they dropped their guns. I put my shield back up as I moved backwards towards Kaldur as he was shooting back at them. We made it back behind cover as I released a sigh. “Ugh, this is bad,” I breathed. I turned my head as two cultists appeared. I aimed my fist up before seeing Wally knock the two out. He started to get shot at, causing him to hide behind pillar beam.

“Miss Martian, radio is jammed! Link us up,” Kaldur called out to her.

“Everyone online,” I heard her ask telepathically.

“Yeah,” Superboy answered begrudgingly.

“You know it, beautiful,” Wally flirted.

I’m here.

“Good. We need to regroup,” Kaldur answered.

“Busy now,” Robin dismissed that.

I aimed my fist as I shot a beam at one of the cultists, taking him out as the others increased their gunfire. I pressed my back against the cover.

“Okay, it now feels like I never left space,” I muttered to myself.

“Robin, now!” I aimed back at the cultists, taking another one out as I saw two more joined. Kaldur appeared, hitting the rest of them and knocking them out. “Strategic retreat. Kid, clear a path.”

Wally raced ahead, clearing out the cultists that got in our way. I flew after him along with the others. We got to the locker room, only for Superboy to be stopped by some kind of weird-looking bulldozer person. He tossed the guy into some cultists before running up to the door and shutting it. I flew into the mineshaft as Superboy then forcefully closed the door behind us. I flew up with M’gann as everyone ran through the tunnels. I heard a crash behind us, looking back to seeing the bulldozer-looking guy. More cultists shot their guns at us. I pulled my fist up, creating a shield for everyone as I did my best to avoid the gunfire.

“Superboy, the support beams,” Kaldur called.

I provided cover while Superboy punched the support beams. I saw everything collapse as I flew fast from the debris as the tunnel collapsed. Darkness surrounded us, causing me to hold up my fist for light. My ring glowed a little brighter than normal as I released a sigh.

“That… was close,” I murmured.

“How could my first mission as leader go so wrong,” Robin asked with a murmur.

“You do have the most experience. But perhaps that is exactly what has left you unprepared. Fighting alongside Batman, your roles are defined. You two do not need to talk. But this team is new. And a leader must be clear, explicit. He cannot vanish and expect others to play parts in an unknown plan,” Kaldur explained as he looked at him.

“Oh, so I’m supposed to hold everyone’s hands.” He groaned as he turned around to face us. “Ah, who am I kidding? You should lead us, Kaldur. You’re the only one who can.”

“Please! I can run circles-,” Wally started. I nudged his side a bit roughly with my elbow. “Ow!”

“Wally, come on. You know he’s the one. We all do.”

“Hello, Megan. It’s so obvious,” M’gann looked at Kaldur

“Could have told you,” Superboy crossed his arms as he looked at Kaldur.

Wally gave a shrug. “Okay,” He smirked.

I looked at Kaldur. “We follow your lead, Team Leader,” I hummed with a smile.

Kaldur walked up to Robin. He placed a hand on his shoulder. “Then I accept the burden until you are ready to lift it from my shoulders. You were born to lead this team. Maybe not now, but soon,” He hummed quietly.

I gave a sigh of relief. “Alright, now that that’s settled, what do we do about the, uh, situation?” I gave a nervous grin.

“Our first priority is preventing that shipment from leaving this island.”

“Funny. I had the same thought,” Robin agreed with him. We all got close to form a plan.

--

We went through the tunnels as Robin held up his wrist computer. “Sportsmaster is the supplier/buyer, but it still doesn’t track. He doesn’t have the juice to acquire the blockbuster formula or to get the Kobra to do his dirty work,” He muttered in interest. I flew up above everyone next to M’gann as I stared at his wrist computer.

“And neither of them have the chops to bond blockbuster with venom. That took some major nerdage,” Wally told him.

“I believe the expression is ‘tip of the iceberg’,” Kaldur hummed.

“You can say that again,” I sighed.

We reached the exit of the tunnel. Bane appeared, dropping a few syringed tubes onto the ground. to see Bane. He looked more muscular than he was earlier too, which made me glare.

“Halt, niños. I’m feeling explosive,” He smirked. I heard a beeping noise. I looked up to see explosive charges on the support beams above us.

“You betrayed us. Why,” Kaldur asked.

“I want my factory back,” He answered with a shrug.

“Kid, you’ll need a running start,” I heard Kaldur state. “Green Lantern. Prepare a shield in case.”

Wally moved a bit backwards as I clenched my fist. “So, I forced you into a situation where you would either take down my enemies or die trying. If the latter, the Justice League would certainly have come to avenge their sidekicks. And when the smoke cleared, Santa Prisca would be mine once more. Blowing the tunnel with you inside should have the same effect.” He held up the detonator only for it to disappear from his hands with a blur.

“With what,” Wally aske. He was leaned up against a tree. “This trigger thingy?” He held up the detonator.

Bane launched towards him only to hover mid-air and get launched backwards. M’gann held up while she stood on the ground. I walked up next to Superboy with a smirk. “Hombre, eres estúpido,” I snickered.

“Finally. Drop him,” Superboy prepared himself with a smirk. M’gann dropped her hand, causing Bane to plummet towards the ground. Superboy punched him square in the jaw. “Adios,” I waved my hand.

“Since when did you know Spanish,” Wally looked at me.

“I got bored,” I shrugged.

We cleaned up here and headed back to the compound. I flew ahead as Wally knocked into some of the cultists. I aimed my fist forward, shooting a beam that knocked two into each other. Superboy landed in front of the helicopter as I saw the huge messed up guy from before. “Go again,” Superboy asked. I saw the cronies launch for him, only to get shot away with water. “Sorry. Not the plan.”

I heard some explosive shots. I snapped my head over to see Sportsmaster shooting at Superboy. I dove down and created a shield in front of him, blocking the shots. I saw Sportsmaster do a flip as he grabbed M’gann in a headlock. He switched a mode with his auto fire as he aimed ahead and my shield cracked, causing me to knock into Superboy. I groaned, rubbing my head. I was pushed out of the way as Superboy took more of the brunt of gunfire. I aimed my hand up as I focused on my shield again, trying to get Superboy and I closer to M’gann.

“Thanks for the workout, but I got to fly,” He tossed M’gann at us. I dropped my shield as she got knocked into Superboy. I watched the helicopter fly up and turned to look over towards M’gann. She gave me a nod as she held the detonator up. I smirked. She pressed the button. I turned my head, watching the helicopter explode from the distance. I held up a shield around us as I saw the helicopter land in on top of the factory, exploding it and destroying what was inside.

I helped M’gann and Superboy up before rushing over to see Robin fighting Kobra. Kobra glared. “I am plagued by mosquitos.”

“Good, ‘cause this mosquito’s mighty concerted over your pain,” Robin snapped. He jumped back and landed in front of us as we all reconvened, ready to make him on. Kobra glared at us before walking backwards into the shadows.

“Another time, then,” He hummed.

Robin went forward as I saw him look around the thick jungle. We all met up at in front of the burning factory.  “We picked the right guy to lead,” Robin smiled before heading past Kaldur, holding his arms up in the air. “Automatically making you the right guy to explain this mess to Batman.” He gave a laugh.

--

It was the following morning where we all stood in Mount Justice. We finishing giving our report to Batman as he stared at us.  We all stood in line as he walked past each of us. “A simple recon mission, observe and report. You’ll each receive a written evaluation detailing your many mistakes. Until then. Good job,” He hummed after his strict speech. We looked at him in surprise, or at least I did. “No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success. And how you choose who leads determines character.” He moved away from us. “You’re dismissed.”

I released a sigh, looking up.

This reminds me about my first mission. I got interrogated for each and every decision I made and how I came up with my results. Thankfully, it was the Guardians being quizzical, but it didn’t help that I never talked to them by myself before.

I rolled my shoulders, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’m glad that’s over,” I sighed.

“Eileen, do you mind if I speak to you for a second,” Kaldur asked.

I nodded while the others walked off in pairs. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“I made this observation while we were in Santa Prisca. I was surprised that you didn’t make the jump to take command like Kid and Robin did. You took initiative in your own suspicions, sure, but you never fell short of staying with the rest of us. Why is that?”

I gave a nervous grin. “Honestly? I’m a Green Lantern, sure, so I’ve had my fair share of missions. What do you think I’ve been doing in space all this time? In the Corps, the one that has the most experience leads the charge. Sure, I’m experienced, especially being in battlefields of war, but that doesn’t really mean much here on Earth.” I shook my head. “I don’t want to lead. It’s not a big deal to me. Leaders guide and shape us, and I don’t think I’m good in that position. You are more than qualified. With your levelheadedness, we made our way out of Santa Prisca with only a few scratches. I think I’d muck it up.”

“You are more than capable of being leader. I’m surprised you didn’t start arguing with Kid and Robin.”

I sighed. “I don’t need to argue to knock sense into them. I’m fine with the natural course of things. I’m along for the ride.”

He smiled and nodded. “It’s good you think that way. Then I hope you consider that if ever I were to be absent, I would like for you to take my spot.”

I blinked in surprise. “That’s a big honor, but aren’t you afraid of me screwing it up? I am a nervous person you know?”

“No.” He shook his head and placed a hand on my shoulder. “Because I have confidence in you, my friend. You have more experience than you realize.”

I smiled. “Thanks, Kaldur.”

--

I leaned on my fist, watching the documentary about the Vietnam War fill my brain. I heard a knock came to the door. Dad walked out of his room, shoving his arms through his shirt as he rushed up, opening the door.

“Hey John,” I heard him greet.

“Hal. What are you doing,” I heard John ask.

“Getting ready for a date.”

“…Seriously?”

“Kiddo! John’s here!”

“Hey John,” I called.

Footsteps walked in. “I heard about your mission to Santa Prisca-,” John hummed before stopping. “…Is that a movie about Vietnam?”

“Documentary,” I shifted.

“Why are you watching it?”

“Training.” The TV turned off. I snapped my head over as Dad tossed the remote on the side recliner. I looked between him and John. I leaned on my hand. “Am I about to get lectured again? I haven’t done anything.”

“No, no, you’re not in trouble,” John shook his head. “I heard about your mission to Santa Prisca with the team.”

“Yeah, what about it?” He raised an eyebrow. “It went fine! A… factory blew up.” I shrugged haphazardly.

“I know. I heard.” He chuckled. “Anything to do with you?”

“Actually no,” I crossed my arms. “I did not blow anything up this time, nor any other time since I’ve gotten to Earth.”

“Cadmus?”

“THAT… was a group effort.” I raised my nose in the air. “And besides, this past mission went on pretty well despite the arguing. It’s weird though.” I looked forward. “I’m used to kinda being on my own.” I shrugged. “It isn’t so bad… so far.” I looked over at John, then at Dad.

“Are you finally making friends,” Dad asked with a sigh.

“You make it sound like that I don’t have friends at all,” I huffed.

“Our next-door neighbor likes when you cat-sit for her. And then you have Larry down the street and he only likes it because you painted his logo for him for $300.”

“And I spent that $300 with a whole new DVD player and movies. Totally worth it.” I smirked. “And Marley is a good cat! Don’t you say anything bad about her!”

“It’s good to see you’re making friends your OWN age,” John looked at me.

“That’s… alright.” I shrugged. “I mean, I know everyone, so it isn’t so bad. And M’gann’s not one of the mean girls like here on Earth.” I hummed. “I guess it’s okay for now. If I get too bothered, I can always just only show up for missions. I got plenty of stuff to do at home. Like Dad’s taxes. Again.”

“I let you do it once and you scared the tax people of how vividly accurate it was. You’re not doing them again,” Dad muttered.

“How would you know if I did it again?”

“…I’m hiding my paperwork at work.”

I gave a smirk as I stood. “I’m going to make some popcorn.”

Chapter Text

I tilted my head, watching the holographic air hocky match between Wally and Kaldur. Uniforms were on as we were going to start our training sessions today. I watched the pseudo puck bounce back and forth between each player’s side, studying its ricochets before seeing the puck enter Kaldur’s goal, indicating that Wally was the winner. I hummed, chewing on my chips with an interested frown.

The robotic noise of the computer filled my ears. “Recognized. Superboy, B-0-5,” I watched the zeta tube open as he marched on through.

“Hi Superboy. How was Metropolis,” M’gann smiled while asking. He didn’t respond as he marched through the holographic air hocky table.

I released a small sigh. I heard someone clear their throat. “Ready for training, everyone,” Canary asked as she walked through next to Martian Manhunter.

“Black Canary! Uncle J’onn,” M’gann rushed up and hugged Martian Manhunter.

I gave a hum, looking forward as I finished eating my chips, using my ring to fly the trash over to the garbage and toss it in. “M’gann, I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I’d see how you were adjusting,” Manhunter asked with a hum.

“A few bumps, but I’m learning,” M’gann smiled.

“That’s all I can ask.”

I heard footsteps starting to march off. “Stick around. Class is in session,” Canary called. I saw she was looking at Superboy. He turned around to face her as he crossed his arms.

At least he kinda listened.

“Lantern,” I looked over as Canary walked up. She held up a small envelope, placing it in my hands. “Your Dad apparently has a mission with the Green Lantern Corps. He gave me this before he left since John was doing some things in the League. He didn’t tell me what it was about. Only that John’s still around to check up on you.”

I blinked in surprise. “Thank you,” I murmured. I opened up the envelop to look inside, seeing the wad of cash there. I gave a tired look with a frown as I counted.

400, 500, 600, 700. Alright. This is to get the window fixed, this is for groceries, leaves me about $100 for art to keep me busy, but I bet I can push it to $50 if I can get Larry to give me a discount in his shop.

I looked up. “That’s a lot of math,” I sighed.

I opened up a slot in my uniform to fold the envelope to place in my pocket on my normal clothes. I looked forward tiredly, crossing my arms. I felt a nudge and saw Wally from the corner of my eye. He raised an eyebrow. I shook my head, looking forward. The floor underneath us turned white. She faced everyone except Superboy. “I consider it an honor to be your teacher,” She hummed, slowly taking off her jeaned jacket. “I’ll throw a lot at you. Everything I’ve learned from my mentor-.” She winced, which is when I noticed the bandages and the fact that part of her jacket was torn. “And my own bruises.”

“What happened,” M’gann asked worriedly.

Canary tossed her jacket behind her. “The job. Now, combat is about controlling conflict, putting the battle on your terms. You should always be acting, never reacting. I’ll need a sparring partner.”

“Right here. Yeah,” Wally raised his hand urgently. He walked up, finishing the last bite of his banana as he tossed the peel to the side. “After this… swish. I’ll show you my moves.” I groaned and rolled my eyes. Canary gave a smirk. She hit him with a punch. He blocked effectively, before she swiped under his feet, causing him to fall onto the ground. We all stared. I gave a small chuckle. “Ohh. Hurts so good,” He groaned. A circle formed underneath him saying his status was failed.

That’s what you get for flirting Walls.

Canary walked up to him. “Good block. But did anyone see what he did wrong,” Canary asked as she helped him up.

“Ooh, ooh. He hit on teacher and got served,” Robin asked with a smirk.

“Dude,” Wally looked at him as he rubbed his arm.

“He wasn’t estimating how hard you were going to hit him, nor did he estimate what kind of counter attack you were going to give after he blocked his punch, therefore, he allowed you to control the situation and leave him defenseless,” I answered.

“Correct,” Canary nodded to me. “He allowed me to dictate the terms of-.”

I heard Superboy scoff. “Oh, please. With my powers, the battle’s always on my terms. I’m a living weapon, and this is a waste of my time.” I saw Superboy point a thumb towards himself.

“Prove it.”

I blinked in surprise. They both entered the field while Wally walked backwards away. I watched them start their fighting positions. Superboy started the first punch. Canary grabbed his arm and threw him over her shoulder, causing him to land on his back a couple of feet away. I winced. Robin laughed and pointed before Kaldur nudged him to be quiet. Robin covered his mouth, still with muffled laughter. Superboy growled as he got up.

“You’re angry. Good, but don’t react. Channel that anger into-.” Superboy charged at her again. She flipped over him, dodging his punch before swiping him off his feet. Robin chuckled again. I shot a glare from the corner of my eye.

Superboy got up. “That’s it. I’m done,” He muttered.

“Training is mandatory,” Canary put a hand on his shoulder. He shoved it away, still tense and aggressive.

A beeping noise echoed throughout the room. Batman appeared on a holographic monitor. “Batman to the cave. Five hours ago, a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary. The attacker was capable of studying, then duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents. Arrow called in reinforcements, which nearly proved disastrous as our foe gained more and more power with each new combatant,” He spoke as we saw a video play of this animatronic-looking thing attacking League members.

“Whoa. One guy with the powers of the entire League,” Wally asked.

“How does that happen? Or work for that matter,” I asked.

“In the end, it took eight leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android,” Batman continued.

“An Android? W-Who made it, T.O. Morrow,” Robin asked.

“Good guess, Robin. But Red Tornado doesn’t think so.”

“The technology bears the signature of Professor Ivo,” Manhunter spoke. We all looked at him before looking back at Batman.

“Ivo? But Ivo’s dead,” Kaldur looked at Batman.

“So, we all thought, or hoped,” Canary looked at him.

“To make certain this threat is permanently neutralized, we’re sending two trucks carrying the Android’s parts to two separate STAR Lab facilities in Boston and New York for immediate evaluation.” A new holographic monitor appeared, showing a map of the nearby routes going to be taken. “Every precaution is being taken. We’ll have four additional decoy trucks to create confusion in case Ivo or anyone tries to recover the remains. You will split into undercover teams to safeguard the two real trucks.”

“Yes! Road trip,” Wally grinned with a small cheer.

“So now, we take out your trash,” Superboy muttered.

“You had something better to do,” Batman asked. Superboy looked away. I pursed my lips together as I looked back at the monitor.

“Coordinates received. On our way,” Kaldur spoke behind me as we all ran off.

--

I stared at the green and black motorcycle I sat on, holding my helmet in front of me in my lap while I inspected everything else. I placed my helmet on, starting to rev up the engine a bit.

Okay, simple mission. This will be over, no time wasted.

I rode forward, following the truck going right with Robin and Superboy. Everyone else went the opposite way, following after their own truck. The dusky skies settled in while we rode on the highway.

I guess this is a fun motorcycle ride.

Two of the trucks branched off while we still followed the one on course. “If dislike is the opposite of like, is disaster the opposite of aster,” Robin asked as I looked at him briefly in confusion. “See, instead of things going wrong, they go right.” I saw that he was looking at Superboy, who didn’t answer. “Uh, clearly you’re not feeling the aster.”

“Are… you okay, Superboy? Are you actually okay,” I asked as I looked at him.

“Yeah, what’s wrong?”

“Canary. And what business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super strength,” Superboy scoffed.

“Taking down stronger guys is part of the gig. Canary learned that the hard way. Same with Batman, GL, and well, me.”

Superboy revved up his engine and sped ahead. I sighed. “I’ll try talk to him,” I looked at Robin.

Robin tilted his head. “You think you’re the best qualified to do that?”

I looked forward. “I mean, I’ve been angry before. I think there’s just a lot going on. And it’d be nice to be helpful, you know?” I saw flying robotic monkeys fly onto the truck ahead, attaching onto it. I gave a groan. “Oh, great.”

A beeping noise from the comm in my ear went off. “Robin, Superboy, Green Lantern, our truck is under attack,” Kaldur called.

“Kind of figured,” Robin stated.

The monkeys chattered, squeaked, and laughed, much to my irritation. “I hate monkeys,” Superboy muttered.

I heard the crunch of glass as the truck swerved a bit. “Seconded,” I called.

“Robot monkeys! Ha-ha! Totally Ivo’s tweaked style,” Robin called. His motorcycle switched onto one wheel as the other flew off. It turned into a drone flying above towards the truck. “Hey, hey. Switch your rides to battle mode.”

“No point,” Superboy stated as he sped up. He jumped off his motorcycle, landing on the truck.

“Or not,” Robin called. Superboy’s cycle collided into his. I tapped on my motorcycle’s monitor as a drone appeared behind me. I grabbed onto it, letting it fly up as I landed on top of the truck next to Superboy. I pulled my helmet off and hit a few monkeys with it. One collided with my head, knocking my earpiece out. I glared.

“Get. Off!” I snatched a monkey off my face and collided it with another as I continued to hit more. I heard the drones shoot at the monkeys, making it better before I saw some of the monkeys take care of the drones.

Great. I have to do everything myself.

I glared. Superboy gave out a yell as he punched a monkey. His face got hit with green lasers before he was carried off. “Superboy,” I called out in surprise as I got knocked over.

I dropped my helmet as it landed on the ground as the truck continued to move. I kicked a few monkeys off as I now had free hands to punch as much as I needed to. I swatted more monkeys off before being tumbled away. More started to appear as Robin hopped up top with me.

I saw the monkeys crawl up the side before being squashed by Superboy. His eyes were tightly shut. A loud popping noise entered my ears as I looked off the side with widened eyes. I saw the sparks of the tire rims scrapping the side. I rushed over the side, giving out a surprised scream as I landed on the ground, tumbling a bit as I landed on my back. I breathed heavily. I turned my head, hearing an explosion as the flying monkeys flew off with the contained mechanic parts with a laugh. I saw Superboy jump after them.

“Superboy,” Robin called. I got up in a wobble before pulling my fist up as my uniform came on. I flew after them. “GL!” I winced as I touched my face with a few fingers, seeing some blood before growling.

Stupid flying monkeys! This isn’t the Wizard of Oz!

--

I followed the monkeys to a train. I watched one of the compartments open, closing immediately as soon as the sets were inside. I frowned, landing on one of the carts. I heard a thud as I saw Superboy land behind me. He glared at me.

“You followed,” He growled.

“I got here first,” I glared back. “This guy is ticking me off.”

He glared before diving his hand into the train compartment roof, making an opening before diving down. I followed after, landing my feet before a green glow filled the room. I looked in front of us to see a man with the monkeys surrounding him. “Oh, hello,” He hummed.

“You? You’re Ivo? I’m whelmed,” Superboy dryly muttered.

“You’re one to talk. Now, since when does the big blue boy scout have a brat?”

Superboy glared. “He doesn’t.”

“Yeah, if you say so. Have you met my mobile optimal neural quotient infiltrators?”

The monkeys launched at us. I formed gauntlets with my ring, punching a few away. “Seriously?! They’re monkeys. You’re like the Wicked Witch of the West,” I snapped. I punched a few more.

“Ah. And after all the trouble I went through finding an acronym for MONQI.”

What’s up with weird acronyms for normal animals?! They literally are monkeys! Come up with extra words for crying out loud!

Superboy crashed two monkeys together. I heard a loud robotic whirring noise. “Access Captain Atom,” I saw a beam shoot at Superboy. He was blowing back. I snapped my head forward as I saw another beam shoot at me. I formed a shield, sliding back as my shield cracked before knocking me into Superboy. I groaned.

I saw Ivo standing in front of us. “Since Professor Ivo’s magnificent MONQUIs don’t float your boat, maybe my amazing Amazo will better suit you, or better slay you.” The Android walked up, standing above us. My eyes widened as I shot up.

“Give me your best shot,” Superboy muttered.

“Uh-oh,” I breathed.

Some of the monkeys laughed. “Please. My android has the strength of Superman. What chance do you two have,” Ivo asked him. Superboy ran first to punch, only for the android to block effortlessly as he kept trying to punch. They were stopped almost immediately. “Oh, sorry. Did that strike a nerve? Amazo, strike a few more.”

Amazo punched Superboy against the ceiling, causing him to fly into the air and crash into one of the crates behind me. I rushed forward. I formed my gauntlets again, punching at its head only to be blocked. I aimed my feet, kicking at its head then only for it to be undeterred. I wrapped my arms around its neck, removing my gauntlets to make a pin only for one of my legs to get grabbed and I was tossed into a crate. I groaned. I slowly sat up, breathing heavily.

“Access Black Canary,” Amazo spoke. I saw his mouth extend wide. A loud scream echoed through my ears. I gave out a cry, covering my ears quickly. I started getting pushed back with Superboy. “Access Flash.” He ran at us, punching repeatedly. I fell onto the ground with Superboy next to me.

“Oh. No wonder daddy keeps you hidden away. You’re not really doing justice to the old ‘S’ shield, are you? And look at you. Do you deserve that ring,” Ivo taunted with a chuckle. I took a deep breath.

I’ve asked that question myself too many times for you to put me down old man. That won’t work.

Superboy went to punch. “Martian Manhunter,” Amazo spoke. I saw him look like he was fazing in and out. I blinked a bit to regain focus while Amazo avoided Superboy’s punch. He fazed back into existence, punching Superboy past me out of the train car wall. I took the opportunity to launch forward, creating a mace. I aimed, only for the mace to phase through him.

I forgot he still is on Manhunter’s powers!

I got punched in the chest, launching out of the hole into a bulldozer. “Access Superman.”

My collar was grabbed. I was punched again, launching into the air with a pained yell. I tumbled through the air, trying my best to make sense of how far I flew. I balanced myself just in time since I almost went into the roof of a building. I sighed with relief. I turned my head, looking up to find Superboy.

“Superboy-,” I started to ask before I was collided with something. I crashed through a window, sliding across the ground as I groaned. I lifted my head a bit as I saw Superboy. My head then rested on the ground. “Please, get off.” I gave a wince. Superboy got up immediately. I sat up, feeling my ribs hurt badly as I hissed in pain. “My lungs feel like they’re on fire,” I breathed.

He attempted to help me up before Amazo launched through the window and attacked us. I scrambled to get up as I flew, dodging an attack as Superboy got punched into the hall. My leg was grabbed as I was swatted into the hall myself. We got sent into the hall against an awards case. I slowly went to get up only to get knocked deeper into the hall. I slid across the floor, landing on my face.

I can’t keep up with him. He’s so fast. It’s really like fighting all of the League at once.

I watched Superboy went to launch at him, only to get knocked through a wall. I flew up and saw we were in a science lab. I heard Amazo behind me as I landed in front of Superboy. “We’re gonna have to beat him with something other than our fists,” I couched as I turned to face Amazo.

“That… all you got,” Superboy asked as he breathed.

Amazo held a hand up. “Access Captain Atom,” Amazo’s hand started to form a beam. I quickly formed a bubble around us. We were knocked through the wall, landing on the ground as my shield broke. I slide across the ground. I coughed.

I heard slow clapping. I turned my head to see Ivo standing on the bleachers with two monkeys behind him. He gave us an amused smile. “I don’t usually attend these things in person, but this was too good to miss,” He hummed. I got onto my knees. Superboy stood with a small groan.

Amazo landed in front of us. “Access Superman,” It hummed.

Superboy ran at him. He landed a punch first, only to get countered with a harder punch and slowly knocked back. I wobbled but got up. I flew up and created a sword, flying down as I attempted to swipe at Amazo. I was dodged, getting smacked through the air onto the floor next to Superboy. I gave a groan.

“Yoink,” I heard as I felt my arm get grabbed. I was rested on the ground. “Martian Manhunter.” I heard an explosion. I opened my eyes to see Amazo staring at us. “Access Red Tornado.” Amazo flew at us before the tornado intensified and blew me onto the bleachers. I lifted my head, seeing Robin and Superboy in front of me as Wally was on the other side of the gym. I slowly got up.

C’mon Eileen. You’re a Green Lantern. You’ve eaten these kinds of monsters for breakfast. C’mon.

“Access Superman.” I created a machine gun, firing as I descended the bleachers. The bullets didn’t seem to faze him. “Access Black Canary.” A loud screech echoed the gym. I covered my ears on instinct. I saw Wally launch across the gym. “Superman.” Superboy run up to attack, only to get blocked and punched away into the bleachers above me. Robin shot up, throwing his disks at him. “Martian Manhunter.”

I dodged the long arms about to attack us before landing on my feet and making a chain. I tossed it around Amazo, pulling as I tried to knock him down. I was pulled, launching towards Amazo before getting punched in the jaw. I slid across the gym floor with a grunt. I groaned.

“This isn’t working,” I whispered. “We need to catch it off guard.”

I tried to get up. “Captain Atom.”

I was grabbed as a beam nearly hit me. I was on my knees on the ground. I looked up to see Superboy breathing heavily. I looked across the gym to see Wally and Robin on the other side. I looked back at Superboy. “Got… a plan,” I breathed in question.

He swallowed. “Access Black Canary,” He murmured. “Tag team?”

I nodded sharply. “Tag team,” I coughed.

He helped me up as we looked forward. Ivo gave out a yawn. “Oh, yawn. Normally, Amazo would study and mimic your abilities during battle, but what’s the point? You’re all such poor copies of the originals,” I saw him shrug. The monkeys laughed.

“So, everyone keeps saying. It makes me angry,” Superboy yelled as he launched up. He aimed for Ivo. Ivo ran off as Superboy landed. I saw him whistle.

“Access Captain Atom.”

I flew up, creating a shield that blocked the blast. “Yeah, I don’t think so,” I glared with a hiss.

“Want to see me channel that anger,” Superboy yelled.

“Amazo, protect your master. Priority alpha,” Ivo called.

I saw Superboy launch at Ivo again and miss from the corner of my eye. Amazo went to do another blast. I launched up as I formed a chain, wrapping it around its arm before planting my feet on the ground. I pulled hard, forming another chain and keeping my hold.

You are a Green Lantern, Eileen. You got this!!

“Anyone want to play keep-way,” I heard Robin call.

“Oh, oh! Me! Me,” I heard Wally call.

“Access Superman,” Amazo hummed. I was flung forward. I kept the chains on as I landed on the ground. I saw Wally launch from the corner of my eye.

“Martian Manhunter.” Amazo phased out. My chains fell onto the ground as I retracted them back. Superboy landed in front of Amazo. “Superman,” I heard, but before it could phase back, Superboy’s fist through Amazo’s head. I saw static form before the head exploded. Superboy launched back. I formed a baseball glove, catching him effectively as Amazo fell backwards onto the ground.

“Help me disassemble him now,” Robin ran over. He crouched in front of Amazo.

“Dude, the guy has no head,” Wally walked up to us.

The gym doors opened. “Don’t take any chances,” I saw Kaldur and M’gann come through.

“Superboy, are you alright,” M’gann asked as she rushed up to him.

“I’m fine. Feeling the aster,” Superboy smiled at Robin and I.

I sighed with relief, sitting on the ground. “Hey. Where’s Ivo,” Wally asked. I looked around only to see that he was gone.

“He… got away,” I looked ahead.

--

We stood in front of Batman, Manhunter, Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Red Tornado on Mount Justice as we finished giving our report of what happened. “The Amazo Android is in pieces again, safely being analyzed at the two separate STAR Labs, but Ivo escaped, and since he originated the tech, he’s arguably more dangerous than the android,” Kaldur reported.

“Capturing the professor will be a league priority,” Canary told us.

“But we understand your mission encountered other complications,” Manhunter crossed his arms.

I rubbed the back of my neck and looked away. Batman walked up. “Complications come with the job. Your ability to handle them has impressed the league,” He hummed.

“The whole league,” Superboy asked.

“Given time, yes. Kryptonians, as you know, have very hard heads. Of course, there’s no shame in asking for help. That’s why the league exists, because there are some problems even we can’t handle individually.”

“Please. If we needed help, we’d never get the chance to ask. Look familiar? You were following us! Babysitting! You still don’t trust us,” Robin pulled up a green quivered arrow.

Green Arrow walked up, grabbing the arrow as he pulled one from his own. “We didn’t follow you,” Batman calmly spoke. The arrowed showed that they didn’t match.

“And that’s not your arrow, but that means-.”

“Speedy,” Wally grinned.

“He has our backs,” Aqualad smiled.

“That’s good,” I breathed.

Wally grabbed the arrow from Green Arrow. “Souvenir,” Wally grinned.

I heard Superboy clear his throat. I watched him from the corner of my eye approach Canary. “I’m ready,” He hummed.

“Good. Because I’m here,” She smiled.

I gave a smile. “Lantern.” I blinked. I looked over at Superboy as he addressed me. “Mind… training with me?”

My surprised look must’ve caught him off guard since I saw his hesitance. “Oh, um, sure,” I faced him. “No one’s really asked me to help before.” I gave him a grin.

--

After training with Canary, it went as much as expected. She fights hard, sure, but not as hard as Kilowog. He knows how to push someone to the limits. Probably why I didn’t break in half when fighting Amazo. I rolled my shoulders, taking a deep breath as I deactivated my ring. I saw Superboy walk up.

“Where are you heading,” He asked. Canary already left, leaving us two in the training lab.

I sighed. “The store. I got responsibilities to hold up,” I faced him, crossing my arms.

“I see. How’s your cut?”

I touched my cheek, giving a small wince as I didn’t see blood. “Good. I’ve gotten worse scrapes than this on missions in space. The Sinestro Corps do a number on me from time to time,” I breathed.

“I see.”

I gave a tired smile. “I know you’re having a bit of a… rough patch, adjusting to life outside Cadmus. And I know you’re probably upset with Superman.” He raised an eyebrow. “Your visit to Metropolis kinda summed that up for me.”

“Oh.” His shoulders fell a bit.

I shook my head. “No, really. I get it. I’m… kinda on the same boat?” I tilted my head. “Well, really more along the lines of, my mom abandoned me for the whole ‘Reborn Again’ stuff because her and my dad had me young. They obviously didn’t stick together. She’s a pretty poor excuse for a parent. At least with you, I can understand Superman being hesitant because, well, he didn’t know you existed. Not trying to help put some light on him or anything. I’m just saying… I do hope he comes around.”

He stared at me for a minute. “Um… Thanks.”

I grinned. “No problem. I’m always here to listen. I have a… lot of free time.” I swallowed. I checked the time. “I better go. I don’t want the stores to close near my apartment. I gave a wave. I’ll catch you sometime Superboy!” I jogged towards the zeta tubes.

“Recognize. Green Lantern. B-0-4,” The computer hummed as I went through. I appeared inside an abandoned photobooth. I rubbed the back of my neck, walking to through the alley onto the street. I shoved my hands in my pockets as I saw the envelope. I tucked it back in and got ready to go to the store.

“There you are,” I heard.

I jumped up and turned, seeing Wally in civvies walk up to me. “Wally? What are you doing in Coast City? It’s-,” I started before checking my watch. “6:17? Wait, time difference. It was 9 when I left the cave.”

“I know,” He huffed. “I waited here for 3 hours.” He grinned. “We haven’t hung out in forever.”

I frowned. “But Wally, I have to go get groceries. And I have to tell our apartment manager about the broken window too. It wasn’t even our fault. Someone threw a golf ball at it.”

“I know!” I blinked. He chuckled. “You do know that I know you, right? As soon as Canary gave you the money, you went the ‘Aw man’ face, and then you immediately went into your ‘studious’ face when you were probably doing math.”

I huffed. “I hate that you know me that well.”

He smirked. “What can I say? I’m the man.”

I rolled my eyes. “Well, let’s hurry up. If I get to the apartment manager before 7, then I can get the work order done for tomorrow. Then I can go to the Walmart and get groceries.”

“What are we waiting for?”

He sped off. “Wally! No… powers…” He disappeared from my sight. I sighed.

He came back immediately. “Forgot you were in civvies.”

“We both are!”

“Oh yeah. Anyways, I need your help in talking to M’gann. How should I approach her when we go to Mount Justice tomorrow?” We walked next to each other. “Should I go ‘Hey M’gann?’ or something like ‘What’s up M’gann?’ OR, or, I can go-.”

“Maybe you should stop because she hasn’t noticed you once?”

He pouted. “C’mon Eili. You’re good at the girl stuff. You helped me before.”

“And you made it backfire immediately. You Wally-ed it up.”

“I tried, okay?!”

“If you keep this up, I’m not going to show you what my next art piece is.”

“Oh! Okay, wait, I want to see it! You still haven’t showed me the last one!”

“You saw it in my sketchbook. Duh.” I rolled my eyes.

Chapter Text

The car ride was silent. My backpack was gripped tightly in my lap while I refused to look anywhere but forward. “Lena,” Dad sighed. I didn’t respond, eyes darting to the passenger window as I looked outside. “Lena.” He gave out another sigh.

“Look. I’m not mad at you. You know that right?” I didn’t respond. “But you can’t break a kid’s nose because he said something bad about you. I know you said he shoved you first, but you didn’t have to fight back as hard.”

I squeezed my backpack more. “I mean, you broke one of his ribs and nearly crushed his eyeball socket. While that last part is very impressive, you didn’t have to do it.”

His cell phone rang. He gave a groan. He pulled up his phone and answered. “Hello,” He asked. “Yes Barry? …I’m in Coast City… What do YOU think I’m doing? …Eileen got in another fight… Broke a rib, kid’s nose, and almost crushed his eyeball socket. He’s not the only one, but he got the worst of it… She hasn’t talked much since the Parent-Teacher conference… You want to show me something?” A rumble shook the car. “I’m gonna have to call you back Barry.” Dad pulled over on the side of the road. He looked at me. “Look, I’ll be right back. Whatever you do, do NOT leave the car.” He opened the driver’s door and shut it after himself.

I sat there with my jaw clenched from the day that I had. It wasn’t fun, to say the least. It was a typical day. Get to school, eat breakfast, get called a mute freak. Get to first period, get called a geek and a freak for knowing how to do math. Get to second period, get called a loser and a freak for knowing how English actually works. Get to third period, and this is where the cycle changes up, get called a nerd, geek, loser, AND freak, for liking history, my favorite subject. Get to fourth period, struggle with science, get called an idiot and a freak. Break for lunch, where I sit outside, underneath the bleachers while reading a book because it’s the only semblance of peace I get in my day.

Then there’s sixth period. Already, as the pattern states, it’s constant harassment and constant mocking. Did I sign up for this? No. I didn’t. But it’s been my life for the past 13 years, why stop now? So, there I was, in my P.E. class. It’s already awkward because you’re there in shorts and a t-shirt and hope you don’t get picked on because you’re dressed like a 1980s typical teen movie. Instead of the hope that I actually didn’t get picked on, I did get picked on. Luckily, it was outside the locker room, or it would’ve been very awkward.

It was 10 minutes before class finished, where I’d finally be let out to go to Art class, the class where I wasn’t bothered. The class where I wasn’t a freak and an idiot and a geek and any other insult 13-year-olds like to throw out in this day and age because they’re unimaginative. I had my backpack on, standing next to the door, ready to be released. That’s when the head jock of the grade came over to torment me like the many other people throughout the day had.

Honestly, I didn’t know what was worse, being shoved, or just the name calling. It was probably both. I don’t remember everything after getting shoved. Just bits and pieces. Like how I heard the kid crying after my fist connected with his nose. His eye was sealed shut already apparently. One of his buddies pushed me off, but by then, another kid was on the floor next to the head jock. I think the total ended up being 5 of the jocks, two on the football team, that were on the ground wailing and whining.

A teacher had pulled me off, yelling as other teachers had scrambled to check on those who got injured while I was sent to the principal’s office. I didn’t speak much, only to the irritation of the Vice Principal that was eager to get a confession so that I could have all the blame on me. To my honest surprise, two other students came forward, saying that I was the one who got shoved first and was provoked. It didn’t help my case much, but only that I got a lesser sentence. Much of my facial expressions were blank, like I was a walking ghost. Was I afraid of getting beat up? Yes. But what’s worse is coming home with bruises and my dad thinking the worst. Or maybe the police thinking he did something. That was unacceptable.

I know the parents of the head jock were upset. They were screaming their heads off. Dad wasn’t much better off, but he was quiet about it. Then the mom screamed about showing her the footage so that they could sue. Her words, not the father’s. And the Principal in fact, looked up the footage in the security office… and it wasn’t pretty. Not only was the father not impressed, the mother was horrified, and Dad’s face was… blank. Not surprised, horrified, unimpressed, or anything. Just blank.

It didn’t take much longer for the suing part to drop since it was the kid’s fault, but I was suspended for a week for breaking his nose, which leads to Dad driving me home in his car. And where the conversation rose. It wasn’t his fault, not by a long shot. It isn’t the first time I had gotten into a fight like this. In elementary school, I socked a kid’s face for calling me an orphan. It was funny to see his face in shock when Dad appeared. Dad, unfortunately, didn’t share the same sentiment as I did.

So, here I was, in his car, reflecting on my day like it was yesterday. It wasn’t until the ground rumbled and I was flipped into the air that reality switched. My hair flew up in different directions. Dad’s bobblehead on the dashboard was shaking violently as everything felt like it was in slow motion. A surprised scream escaped my lips like a secret had just been revealed to the entire world. It wasn’t fun.

My life flashed before my eyes. Moments that forever aided and scared my memories. My heart raced, ticking away like a time bomb, until I felt the pavement on my butt. I blinked. From one second, I was in the car screaming, and now I’m on the pavement. My backpack also appeared in my hands too. I stared at it. A loud crash entered my ears as I snapped my head over, seeing Dad’s 1971 Charger flipped upside down with cracked glass all around it.

“I made it in time,” I heard a call. I blinked. My eyes looked over to see a yellow spandex suit with ginger hair and red goggles, with a flash symbol on his chest. I looked forward for a minute. “Hey, uh, you okay?” I looked back at the yellow spandex only to realize that this guy… looked more like a kid. Well, not a KID, but like… my age. It left a bitter taste in my throat. “You didn’t get those scratches and black eye from the car, right?”

I realized he was speaking to me. I swallowed. My words got caught in my throat. “T…Thanks,” I mumbled.

“What was that?” He tilted his head.

I cleared my throat. “Thank you.”

“No problem Babe. Just doing my job.” My face immediately went cold as I watched him wink at me. He gulped. “I take it that you didn’t like that.”

“No.”

He nodded quickly. “Alright.”

“OH MY GOD,” A yell echoed.

I jumped at Dad’s voice as a whirring noise appeared. “Hal-,” Another voice that I recognized instantly started.

“MY KID WAS IN THAT CAR!!”

“It doesn’t look like anyone’s inside-.”

“Hi,” The ginger kid called with a wave.

I looked over as two Justice League heroes stood in the middle of the street in obviously very bright colors of green and red. My deadpanned face still was on as I stood. “OH MY GOD, LENA!” Dad flew as he grabbed my face, rotating it in different directions. “Are you alright? Are you hurt?! Did you lose any limbs?!”

“I’m fine,” I muttered. “I screamed like a child.”

“That was you?!” I glared. He grabbed my shoulders. “How’d you get out?!”

I pointed at the ginger kid. “Flirty McFly over here grabbed me.” I crossed my arms.

“Flirty McFly? Are you a Back to the Future Fan,” The ginger kid asked me.

I looked away, crossing my arms. “The fact that you spoke to him without punching him is remarkable,” Dad hummed.

“He gets a pass because he saved my life. If he talks to me again, I’ll punch him.” My mouth was covered immediately.

“Yeah, she’s not happy about today,” Dad hummed above me.

A chuckle followed as I looked over. “None taken,” I saw the original Flash uniform, the red contrasting with the yellow. “Hey Eileen.”

“Hi Barry,” I muffled.

“Kid, this is Green Lantern and his teenage daughter, Eileen. Hal, this is my new protegee, my nephew, Kid Flash.”

Dad gave a snort as I did. “That’s funny,” Dad chuckled. “Nice to meet you, Kid. And thanks for saving this one here. Talk about a bad to worst day, eh kiddo?”

I rolled my eyes as I pulled his hand off. “Speak for yourself. I sent three kids into the ER. No one will talk to me again. Finally,” I huffed.

“Three,” Barry asked in surprise.

“…Yeah, so apparently she stabbed another kid with a pencil, and then she sprained a guy’s wrist. Surprisingly, the kid who got the worst of it was on the football team. He might not be able to play for a few weeks from how his parents said it,” Dad hummed.

“Good. He sucks,” I scoffed.

“You’re not helping your case. I get it you were mad, but you didn’t have to nearly destroy his eye socket. How did you even manage to do that?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want to ask that to someone who broke someone’s foot with a chair?”

“…I stand corrected.”

I huffed. “Doesn’t matter. I’m gonna get suspended again in like a month. I see no point.” I crossed my arms again.

“That is not a track record. And this is the third school I’ve had to transfer you to in 4 years. You know what, we’ll talk about this when we get home. I have to talk to the League about… this.” He motioned towards a costumed man tied to a telephone pole. “Thought making earthquakes was cool.”

“And that’s why he won’t amount to anything in his life. Because he obviously had one slip up that turned him into some wanna-be big shot with no morals or standards to place upon himself, so he decided to do this.”

“…” Dad turned to me. “Who have you been talking to?”

“You.”

“Not me. Definitely not me. Was it Guy?”

“No.”

“It definitely wasn’t John.” I rolled my eyes again. “One more eyeroll and you’re not getting TV.”

“I’ll throw in another for you to take my door off its hinges.”

Dad groaned. “Why do I even bother? You like fighting back.”

“You want her to talk to Iris,” Barry asked.

“Wait, she knows Aunt Iris,” Kid Flash asked.

“No, I’m not dumping her on Iris. I’ll deal with it.,” Dad sighed. A green bubble formed around us. “You and I are going home and when I get back, we’ll talk.”

“Whatever,” I crossed my arms. We flew up into the air.

“Nice meeting you, Eileen,” I heard Kid Flash call.

“Stop talking to me, Flirty McFly,” I snapped. He didn’t stop talking to me after that day. Not even after the next time we met. And that is the story of how I met my first ever friend that wasn’t an adult or a babysitter: Wally West.

Chapter Text

We exited Mount Justice with all the stuff we had gathered to take outside onto the private beach. M’gann ran towards the beach first, holding her paddle board underneath her arm. “Hello, Megan,” She stretched her arms out. She pointed at the ocean. “We should hit the beach every day.” She looked over at Robin as he smirked at her.

“First, a moment of silence for our absent comrade,” Robin placed his hand on his head dramatically.

M’gann tilted her head down. “Poor Wally.”

“Sucks that it’s his first day of school, man,” I hummed.

I bet he’s totally miserable.

We all set our stuff down, preparing for the beach day that we planned for a while. I placed my umbrella into the sand before setting a towel on the sand. I put my bag down, pulling out my sketchbook as I pulled my jacket off, revealing a bikini I’ve owned for a while since I live in Coast City, aka, I live near the beach all the time. I heard the others playing, much to my grin before my eyes darted up. I went into my bag, pulling out the camera I normally brought to take reference photos for. I started taking photos of everyone before pulling out my stand and placing my camera on top of it.

Imagine if Wally saw me doing this. He’d freak.

“Eileen, you have a camera,” M’gann asked in surprise.

“Yeah, I normally use it for reference photos when I’m drawing. I started taking a few if you wanna see-.” I pointed my finger over. “It’s a lot of fun.”

She jogged up and looked at the photos. “Wow! You even got Superboy’s splash!” I nodded. “Hey! You guys think we can take a group photo?”

“If you want to.” I looked at the guys with a nervous grin.

“It would be fun,” Kaldur hummed.

“Why should we,” Superboy crossed his arms.

“For the memories, silly,” M’gann smiled at him. “Can we?”

“I don’t see any harm in it. We can probably add Wally into it later,” Robin shrugged.

“I’m sure he’d appreciate it,” I nodded. “Let’s take a group photo with all of us later when Wally gets here. For now, I’ll take more photos and get them to you guys when we’re finished for the day.” I grinned.

“Thanks so much Eileen,” M’gann smiled at me.

I gave a nervous laugh. “No problem,” I rubbed the back of my neck. I took a few more photos of everyone, developing the shots on my digital camera before pulling out the mini grill brought out here.

“Just taking reference photos,” I heard an ask as I saw Robin appear.

“Yeah. Is that a bad thing,” I asked him. I winced. “Sorry.”

He smirked. “I just thought you might rub it in Wally’s face that we got to see M’gann in a bikini.”

I gave a snort. “That idea did come across my head, but I actually wanted reference photos.” I held up my sketchbook. “I like drawing references.”

He opened it up. “Woah. This is pretty impressive.”

“You should see my other sketchbooks. I have one for watercolor art, one for sketches for my paintings.” I motioned towards Robin. “That’s one I just do for fun. I’ve sketched people, the ocean, I’ve even sketched everyday people doing everyday things. Like my Dad, making himself a sandwich.” I pointed at the sketch I made weeks ago.

“Even the references of Wally in here?”

I blinked. “He’s the one who keeps asking. I’d do it for any one of you guys if you asked. I don’t really advertise that I like drawing. Or art for that matter.”

“So, you wouldn’t mind if I showed the others this, right?”

My face heated up. “N-No.”

“Hey guys! Come look at Eileen’s drawings!”

“Rob,” I hissed as I shot up, ready to take my sketchbook.

M’gann hovered my sketchbook over to her as she opened it up. “Wow Eileen! These all look so good! Oh! Is that Wally,” She beamed.

Superboy looked over her shoulder. “It is. Isn’t that funny,” He chuckled.

“Your skills are very good. Is this a hobby of yours,” Kaldur looked at me.

“Yeah, I have a lot of hobbies. Drawing, reading, watching TV, watching movies, eating, cooking. I’m a good cook actually. I make a mean hotdog,” I smirked. “I’m just about to start cooking lunch actually.”

“Ooh! Can I try that,” M’gann asked.

“I would like to try as well,” Kaldur nodded.

“Of course! The more the merrier,” I nodded. I finished setting the grill up, placing the hotdogs on the heated rack. Everyone got their own hotdog as soon as it was ready, then moved onto the volleyball match. I held my camera, sitting in a constructed high chair with an umbrella over me. I sat on a constructed high chair and had an umbrella over me. I took snapshots of M’gann and Superboy on their side, then took shots of Kaldur and Robin.

This really is fun, isn’t it?

After the game, I watched M’gann, Kaldur, and Robin all piling sand onto Superboy as he had sunglasses on his face. I snickered, taking the photo. I handed my camera over to Robin as I motioned for them all to move. I raised my fist as a giant bucket construct with lots of sand appeared. I poured it all on him, turning Superboy into a large sand mountain where you could barely make out where his head was. M’gann giggled as I giggled with her. Robin handed me back my camera.

“Team. Report to the cave,” I heard Batman call.

We all gave a groan of disappointment as we packed our things, heading back into Mount Justice with frowns on our faces. We got ourselves out of swimwear into our uniforms. Well, everyone else got into uniform as I got my normal civvies back on. My lantern uniform appeared after it was summoned and I went to join the rest of the team. We walked into the main room, seeing Green Arrow, Batman, and Red Tornado with a blonde, donning a masked green outfit with a bow and arrow. I tilted my head.

“Team. Meet Artemis. Starting today, she’s your new teammate,” Batman introduced. “She’s Green Arrow’s protégé.”

“Hey,” She gave a wave.

“Hi,” M’gann approached her first. “As your first initial greeting, welcome to the team! I’m Miss Martian, or you can call me M’gann.” She motioned over to us behind her. “That’s Robin, Aqualad, Superboy and Green Lantern.”

I gave an awkward wave. Superboy gave a nod. “Hey,” Robin gave a side smirk.

“Kid Flash isn’t here right now, but he should be here soon!”

“Cool,” She nodded. I gave a swallow as my bundles of nerves started to form. My eyes darted away.

She reminds me of the girls I met in school that didn’t bat an eye at me. Not so bad, though. Maybe she’s nice… Just give the benefit of the doubt, Eileen. No need to be worried for fussy.

“Recognized Kid Flash, B-0-3,” The computer hummed out as the zeta tube went off.

I saw a blur enter as Wally had on summer attire, fit with a stereo, beach ball, umbrella, and a cooler. “The Wall-man is here. Now let’s get this party star-,” He called before running and tripping on his own two feet. “-ted.” I gave a small sigh with a weak smile. I held my ring up, creating multiple hands that picked up the items that he dropped and keeping them in a neat pile. One hand grabbed the back of his trunks, placing him on his feet. “Thank you.”

“Wall-man, huh? I love the uniform. What exactly are your powers,” She gave a smirk towards him.

“Uh, who’s this,” Wally asked as he looked at me, pointing over to her.

“Artemis, your new teammate.”

“Kid Flash. Never heard of you.” I gave him a nudge in the side. “Ow.” I motioned my head over.

“Um, she’s my new protégé,” Green Arrow hummed. He walked up and placed a hand on her shoulder.

“What happened to your old one?”

That is a good question.

“Recognized Speedy, B-0-7,” The computer hummed as the zeta tube whirred up.

“Well, for starters, he doesn’t go by Speedy anymore. Call me Red Arrow,” I heard him walk in. I gave a surprised smile.

“Roy, you look-,” Green Arrow started.

“Replaceable,” Roy muttered, walking forward.

“It’s not like that. You told me you were going solo.”

“So, why waste time finding a sub? Can she even use that bow?” He looked at the bow in Artemis’s hand. I gave a swallow, slowly hiding behind Wally’s figure to avoid any confrontation.

“Yes, she can,” Artemis walked up and tilted her head at him with a glare.

“Who are you,” Wally asked.

“I’m his niece.” “She’s my niece.” Both Green Arrow and Artemis spoke at the same time. I blinked in confusion.

“Another niece,” Robin asked.

“But she is not your replacement. We have always wanted you on the team, and we have no quota on archers,” Kaldur walked up to Roy as he looked at him.

“And if we did, you know who we’d pick,” Wally smiled at him.

“Whatever, Baywatch. I’m here to stay,” Artemis placed a hand on her hip as she looked over at Roy. I gave a swallow.

Uh-oh.

“You came to us for a reason,” Kaldur turned towards Roy.

“Yeah, a reason named Dr. Serling Roquette,” Roy answered.

“Nano-robotics genius and claytronics expert at Royal University in Star City vanished two weeks ago,” Robin smirked, pulling up his wrist computer. He projected her accomplishments and credentials.

“Abducted two weeks ago by the League of Shadows.”

“Whoa. You want us to rescue her from the Shadows?” We walked up to him.

“Hardcore,” Wally gave Robin a fist bump.

“I already rescued her,” Roy stated and walked forward. He faced everyone. “Only one problem. The Shadows had already coerced her into creating a weapon.” I saw a black cylinder appear, showing a mini robot termite. “Doc calls it the Fog. Comprised of millions of microscopic robots. Nanotech infiltrators capable of disintegrating anything in their path. Concrete, steel, flesh, bone.” I cringed. “But it’s true purpose isn’t mere destruction. It’s theft. The infiltrators eat and store raw data from any computer system and deliver the stolen intel to The Shadows. Providing them access to weapons, strategic defense, cutting edge science and tech.”

“Perfect for extortion, manipulation, power broking. Yeah. Sounds like The Shadows,” Artemis rolled her eyes.

“Like you know anything about The Shadows,” Wally smirked. Artemis returned the smirk, much to Wally’s frustration. “Who are you?!”

“Dude,” I hissed.

“Roquette’s working on a virus to render the fog inert,” Roy stated, which got everyone back into focus.

“But if The Shadows know she can do that-,” Robin started.

“They’ll target her. Right now, she’s off the grid. I stashed her at the local high school’s computer lab.”

“You left her alone,” Green Arrow asked in surprise.

“She’s safe enough for now.”

“Then let’s you and I keep her that way.”

“You and I? Don’t you wanna take your new protégé?” I winced at the sass back.

Batman placed a hand on Green Arrow’s shoulder. “You brought this to the team. It’s their mission, which means its hers now, too.”

Roy scoffed. “Then my job’s done.” He walked away.

“Recognized Speedy-,” The computer started to call out.

“That’s Red Arrow, B-0-7. Update.” He exited.

I saw Wally give a side-eye glare at Artemis. I nudged his side again. “Ow! What is your problem,” He hissed at me.

“Glaring won’t make the problem go away,” I motioned over. “Can you just not right now?”

“Yeah, yeah.” He rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.

I watched him speed away, causing me to sigh. “Nice boyfriend you got there,” Artemis hummed over as I saw her look at me.

I looked away with a frown. “He’s not my boyfriend,” I crossed my arms.

“Really? Could’ve fooled me.”

I looked at her, already seeing her guarded and judgmental eyes. My eyes darted back away. “He’s my idiot best friend. That’s all.”

“Emphasis on idiot,” Robin snickered.

“He’s your best friend too, Rob.”

“Yeah, which is why we both tolerate him.”

“You’re right about that,” I sighed.

--

We had ourselves in different positions around the local high school. I sat on a ledge, staring out at the football field, with my cheek resting against my knee that pressed against my chest while my other leg swayed against the side of the wall.

“Everyone online,” M’gann asked.

“Oh, this is weird,” Artemis groaned.

“And distracting. Coding a distributive algorithm virus on a kiddie computer with less ram than a wrist watch is hard enough. Now I have to hear teen-think in my skull,” Dr. Roquette asked with a snap.

“Lady, do you always complain when someone tries to help you,” Wally asked.

“Pot, kettle. Have you met,” Artemis asked.

“Hey, hey, I do NOT need attitude from the newbie who drove Red Arrow off the team.”

“That is so not on me.”

I shut my eyes and released a quiet sigh, trying to think of anything else to keep me in focus. “Fate of the world at stake,” Dr. Roquette snapped.

“She started it,” Wally muttered.

“How ‘bout I help Miss Martian, Superboy and Green Lantern patrol the perimeter,” Artemis asked.

“Good idea,” Kaldur agreed.

“You might cut her some slack. It was her arrow that saved your butt against Amazo,” Robin chimed.

“What? No, that was Speedy’s. I mean Red Arrow’s arrow, right,” Wally asked.

“Not so much.”

Nope.

“Well, still not giving her the satisfaction,” Wally muttered.

“You know I can still hear you,” Artemis told him.

“I couldn’t get the Justice League,” Dr. Roquette groaned. That was an excellent question, one that I wouldn’t think right now though.

“The virus won’t be of much use if we cannot find the weapon. Can you track it,” Kaldur asked her.

“My utility fog is not a weapon. It’s science, brilliant science, and of course, I can track it, but I’d have to go online. Might as well rent a billboard with this address and assassinate me written in neon.”

“We will protect you.”

“Tracking the fog now.”

I got onto my feet. I took a deep breath. I kept myself on the roof, seeing Superboy jump across in two leaps before landing on the other side. I made sure to pay attention to anything out of the ordinary or suspicious-looking.

“Hmm, that boy,” Artemis gave a dreamy sigh. I blinked in confusion as I snapped my head over.

I’m sorry, what?

“He can hear you. We can all hear you,” M’gann stated to her.

“Oh, I know,” Artemis hummed in a more smug tone.

“Ms. Martian, Dr. Roquette has located the fog. Reconfigure the Bio-Ship so that Robin and Superboy can pursue,” Kaldur called.

“Ready,” M’gann answered him. I saw the Bio-Ship fly off into the distance. I took the position to head inside, landing on the ground level and making my way in.

“You embarrassed Superboy,” M’gann snapped as I could imagine her displeasured face.

“Didn’t hear him say that,” Artemis retorted.

“Must you challenge everyone?”

“Where I come from, that’s how you survive.”

Please, can we not do this right now?

I walked through the halls, a bit disturbed by how quiet it was. I heard the running of footsteps. I made my way over as I knew it wasn’t Wally or Kaldur. Kaldur insisted on staying with the Dr. Roquette at the beginning of the mission and Wally’s footsteps are definitely noticeable. I held my ring up as I moved around slowly. I saw the doors to the pool room were open. I flew myself inside, looking around to see no one except a body in the water. I blinked in shock as I saw the ginger hair.

“Oh my god,” I flew over as I grabbed Wally’s body, pulling it out onto the ground. I pressed my head against his chest. I didn’t hear his heartbeat, much to my shock. “Oh no.” I pressed my hands on his chest as I started to pump his heart. “Get. Up. Now!”

“M’gann, Kid, Artemis, Lantern, we are under attack in the computer lab,” Kaldur called.

“On our way,” Artemis replied.

I didn’t reply as I focused on getting him up. I took a deep breath. “He better thank me for this later,” I hissed. I continued to pump his chest before giving him mouth to mouth. He coughed up water, getting on his side. I sighed with relief.

“GL,” I saw M’gann fly over.

I shook my head as I stood. “Let’s go,” I flew out.

On our way!

I flew into the computer lab and saw Dr. Roquette in the back of the room. I saw a dark-haired woman with a short-green kimono and a fox mask. I saw Artemis’s arrows broken in half on the ground as I flew in and created a shield in front of Dr. Roquette. I heard the whizzing of speed as I saw Wally appear with M’gann. “Maybe a little too interesting,” The woman hummed. Artemis shot another arrow as Wally ran forward. The Shadow blocked, throwing a smoke bomb before disappearing.

I saw the smoke clear as Wally was in front of Artemis. He pushed himself off of her and looked back at the smoke. “Gone,” Wally huffed.

“She’s getting away! You’re letting her get away,” Dr. Roquette looked at Kaldur and I.

“This is all your fault! You were on perimeter. How’d that shadow get in,” Wally looked at Artemis.

Artemis glared at him. “That’s not really fair. I was outside, too,” M’gann walked up to him. “So was GL.”

“Outside, being distracted by her. Besides, I can’t be mad at you. You gave me mouth to mouth.”

“No, I didn’t-.”

I held my hands up. “Please, let’s all just calm down. Placing blame is just going to make it worse,” I looked at Wally. “She didn’t do bad. She got here just as fast, if not faster, than everyone else. And combat’s rough on everyone, even for first timers.”

Wally walked off to the side with a huff. “I didn’t do half as well during my first battle. And I know you can’t have been Green Arrow’s sidekick for very long,” M’gann walked up to Artemis and placed her hand on her shoulder. I gave a sigh.

“Focus, everyone. The Shadows will be back,” Kaldur pointed out.

“Robin to Aqualad,” I heard on coms. “We’re over Philadelphia. We’ve located The Shadows’ next target. Star Labs. We’re too late. It’s destroyed. Totally destroyed. The fog decimated it. This is bad. Star Labs is cutting edge science and now their secrets are in the hands of the enemy. What’s our next move?”

“Rescan for that fog,” Kaldur looked at Dr. Roquette. “Find it. We’re moving the doctor.”

--

We moved her to the pier. I sat on a table, staring out the windows while on guard. My eyes darted over to Dr. Roquette’s typing.

“Stop it, both of you,” Kaldur muttered.

“What?” “What?”

I raised an eyebrow, giving a small snort at the fact both Wally and Artemis responded at the same time.

“I can hear you glaring,” Kaldur sighed.

I can imagine seeing it. I know I can.

I saw Kaldur rush inside quickly. He locked the door after himself. He looked back at me and gave me a nod. I stood up straight, holding my fists up. “I’ve almost got it,” Dr. Roquette looked at us. I heard a thud on the roof.

“We have company,” Kaldur called towards Dr. Roquette.

“Uploading now. And by the way, you said you’d protect me,” She called.

I heard something roll on the ground. A smoke screen popped out. “Lantern!” I formed a shield around Dr. Roquette immediately. Kaldur pulled out his aquatic swords. I looked around suspiciously. My eyes snapped over as Kaldur stumbled backwards with three darts in his chest. I snapped around quickly as I formed a sword.

“Let’s test the limit of your jellyfish immunity, shall we,” The masked woman asked. Kaldur ran at her, aiming for her. She blocked his attacks before he fell over. “There. Limit tested.” An explosion went off, cracking my shield a bit. I reinforced the crack, glaring as I held my sword up. “Now, doctor, time for my appointment.”

“Not so fast,” I muttered.

“Oh, you Little Lantern, shouldn’t you be catching some bad guy in outer space somewhere?”

I ran at her with my sword, giving a few swipes before it broke into two, creating to slimmer swords. I pushed against her three bladed swords. I dodged another swipe before a dart hit my chest. I broke it off, feeling my vision blur, but I kept my stance firm.

“Impressive. You’re more combat ready then some.” I felt something stab the back of my neck. My eyes widened. “But not completely aware.” My eyes darted behind me as I saw a ball on the floor. It was half open, with a tube pointed at me. I wobbled, feeling my strength loosen as I fell forward. I heard my sword shatter along with my shield. My vision started fading as I coughed a bit.

--

A hand tapped my face. “Lantern… Lantern,” A voice echoed. My eyes slowly blinked a few times, revealing Kaldur as he helped me up, wrapping one of my arms around his shoulders as we headed out.

“Did we win,” I mumbled.

“The doctor is safe,” He answered.

“Cool.” My head hung as I wobbled. My legs felt like Jell-O. The door opened as we got outside.

“Artemis, where’s the assassin,” Kaldur asked immediately.

“She, uh, she got away,” I saw Artemis sigh in front of us.

I saw Wally run up. “Oh, from you? Oh, big surprise. Notice we got ours,” Wally muttered as M’gann floated behind him with two tied up bad guys in tow. I saw Wally crouch down and grab a fox mask. “Cool. Souvenir,” He beamed.

I breathed. “Wall… please,” I mumbled.

“GL,” Wally rushed over.

“We’ll need to get her medical attention when we get back to the cave,” Kaldur responded. I heard him pause briefly. “Her mask.” I saw him pull the darts off his chest. “Did you see her-her face?”

“It was dark,” Artemis looked back at him.

“It is fine. Robin and Superboy neutralized the fog and Dr. Roquette is safe. Thanks in no small part to you.” Artemis looked at us. “Welcome to the team.”

I nodded as we moved closer to her. “She did good. Welcome to the team, Artemis,” I gave a weak smile and a thumb up. “Please shoot more arrows.”

Artemis gave me a smile. “Thank you.”

“Don’t know many girls… M’gann’s the only one.”

“I’ve always wanted a sister. Here on Earth, I mean. I have 12 back on Mars, but trust me, it’s not the same. Right now, the only one I have here is Eileen,” M’gann hummed.

“I wouldn’t know, but thanks,” Artemis smiled.

I saw Wally was next to me. I nudged his side lightly. He breathed. “Yeah. Welcome,” He mumbled unenthusiastically. Artemis held out her hand with a small smile. Wally shook her hand in some kind of truce.

I breathed. “Good. Can we go home now,” My knees buckled as my voice slurred.

An arm wrapped around my waist as my other arm was wrapped around some shoulders. “No, no, you need to stay awake. Keep your eyes open, GL. This is NOT happening again. You already had Amazo’s number on you. Don’t need this to follow up,” Wally muttered. He squeezed. “And thank you.”

“F’ what,” I mumbled.

“…Nothing.”

--

I woke up in bed. I sat up, rubbing my head as my body felt sore. It also felt like I had just woken up from a routine wake-up call on Oa. I slowly got out of bed with my body feeling heavy. I staggered out of my bedroom into the hall. I made my way into the living room where Dad and John sat.

“Morning Kiddo,” Dad waved with a grin.

I blinked in confusion. “Morning Eileen,” John hummed. I gave an even more confused look.

“Wha…,” I mumbled. “When did you guys get here?” I rubbed my eyes from the bright light. “And why is it so bright in here?”

“You don’t remember? I got in last night. Actually, I went in here to say hi and you just mumbled ‘Chocolate bars’ or something,” Dad chuckled.

“Hal, I told you. She got hit with two tranquillizer darts. She doesn’t remember much of last night,” John shook his head. “How much to you remember, Eileen?”

“We finished the mission, welcomed our new teammate, and… I fell asleep,” I tilted my head in confusion.

“Wait a second, how did you get tranquillized on a mission,” Dad asked.

“I put a shield on a doctor instead of myself. My job was to keep her protected while she saved the world from robot termites that stole data.”

“See, THIS is why I don’t like going to Oa without my kid. She makes it sound like she just had a crisis.”

“It felt like it after hearing a girl lust over Superboy.”

“Excuse me?”

I sighed. “Can we not do this right now?” My stomach growled. “Yeah, I’m hungry.”

A repeated fast knock came to the door. I yawned. “Yeah, we’re talking about this,” Dad headed over to the door. I heard it open. “Hel-,” I heard the whizzing of air. “LO?!”

I saw a blur before Wally appeared in front of me with a frantic gaze. “Dude! Are you okay?! How’s your head?! Wait, you’re okay right?! Tell me you’re okay,” He grabbed my shoulders. “You’re not deaf or blind right?! Eili, talk to me!”

“You are an idiot,” I hissed as I rolled my eyes, pulling his hands off. “I’m fine. Just feel like I got a wakeup call like I was in bootcamp again.” I rubbed the back of my neck. I winced. “Ow!” I pulled my hand back from the hard pinch.

“Yeah, you got hit with a dart back there,” Wally winced.

I looked at him. “Good to know.”

“Good. Now don’t do that again!” He breathed. “You could’ve died if we didn’t get back to the cave fast. Thank god we could get it out of your system.”

“Thanks.” I gave out a yawn.

“I’m really the one who should be saying that to you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Why?”

He swallowed. “Nothing, no reason, just a great job on the mission!”

I nodded. “Okay.” I yawned again. “Can I go eat now?”

“Oh?! It’s breakfast time?!”

“Great. That’s nice,” Dad sighed. “I have to feed mini-Barry.”

“Be nice,” I muttered to Dad. “He’s my friend.”

“Best friend,” Wally chimed.

“Best friend. Yeah, that’s already well known.”

“Good.” Wally grinned at me.

--

It wasn’t that I hadn’t registered Wally as a friend. I think it was the fact that I thought it would backfire immediately. I had received my lantern ring after knowing Wally for a week. It actually was because of him and Barry that I got a ring in the first place. I was visiting Central City and I was falling off a cliff when a ring presented itself to me with an alien lifeform, which I would then come to know later on, and speak the oath.

It had been 4 months since I had received that ring. I spent 6 weeks in bootcamp with an alien named Kilowog, who definitely was more brutal in training than outside of it. He didn’t cut any of the other recruits any slack, but it seemed when it came to me, he was more pushy. Here I thought it was because of Dad, but I couldn’t’ve been any more wrong.

“You’re a human,” He said. “A little extra squishy. Gotta make sure you don’t die on your first mission out there.”

And that was true. I almost did die on my first solo mission, but not for the reasons of being squishy or for being human. After 6 weeks of bootcamp, or what I thought was an estimated 6 weeks based off how I tracked it, we moved onto the mentorship process of it all. It came to a very shocking surprise when John and Guy first saw me in Green Lantern colors. Another human to the Lantern ranks, with Dad behind me with a grin that stretched across the cosmos.

“Yeah, she received a ring. And it took me some convincing to let her have it,” Dad explained. “I know I had to report it over to the Guardians, so she spent the entire time lecturing me about how she can take the responsibilities.”

Much to the humor of Guy and the skepticism of John, I became one of Earth’s four Green Lanterns after my mentorship under Dad. So, when I came back to Earth, when Wally found out I was going to a Star Wars movie screening in L.A., I was surprised he wanted to tag along. I told him that we would be dressing up, so he should be prepared for that, but nothing else was said on the matter.

So, that leads me to the day of the screening, where I’m clad in Darth Vader clothing with his helmet being held against my hip. My makeup was dark around the eyes, like I poured a bunch of eye shadow on top of my eyes. I looked up at Dad, who wore normal clothes and stood out from the rest of the crowd that had older men wearing costumes like me. I shifted in my spot. Dad placed a hand on my shoulder.

“You’ll be fine, Lena. After all, Barry’s gonna be here too. He said he’d take Wally,” Dad chuckled. “Although it’s a little unnerving that a boy is spending time with you, I’m glad! You have a friend now.”

His words, although reassuring, still didn’t combat the turmoil in my heart as he stood in line. I squeezed my helmet. I swallowed. If I didn’t stop thinking negatively, my head might start to pound.

“Ah, there they are. Hal! Eileen,” I heard a call. My posture straightened as I turned to look with Dad. Barry walked up with someone a storm trooper outfit. “Oh… This is hilarious.”

I placed my helmet on. “Eileen takes these things very seriously, Barry,” Dad held his hands up. “I would know… I’ve been to 5 of these,” He sighed. “You should’ve seen her at the one 2 years ago. She refused to not wear that kid’s outfit from the Empire Fights Back-.”

“Empire STRIKES Back,” I corrected him as I looked up at him.

“Empire Strikes Back. Yeah, she was dressed as that Luke kid.”

“You dressed as Luke from the Empire Strikes Back,” The Stormtrooper asked. He pulled his helmet off to reveal Wally’s grinning face.

I nodded eagerly. “I dressed up as him from Hoth! It was hot outside but TOTALLY worth it,” I grinned under my helmet.

“And now you’re dressed up as Darth! That’s awesome.” Wally ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m Han from when they stole the Stormtrooper outfits in Episode 4.”

I gave a snort. “Makes sense.” I pressed my thumb into my chest. “I chose Darth Vader and even crafted this outfit myself. I made sure to spare no unnecessary details.”

“…And now there are two,” Dad sighed.

“Three,” Barry hummed. Dad gave out another groan.

Chapter Text

I stood next to Artemis and M’gann as we watched Kaldur and Superboy about to start their combat training. We stood out of uniform, on one of the many breaks we receive after a mission. The two circled each other as they were getting ready. Superboy had his shirt off, which obviously in front of girls, it didn’t help as I tried to fight the blush from my face since I’ve never seen a guy shirtless before. “Initiate combat training,” The computer simulated. “Three, two, one…”

Superboy charged at Kaldur first. He started with a punch, which Kaldur easily blocked. Kaldur countered with his own punch, but Superboy blocked it easily. I took a deep breath.

It’s impressive that Superboy’s countering Kaldur like this. His training sessions with Canary have paid off.

“Kaldur’s, uh, nice, don’t you think,” Artemis asked. Her eyes looked over to M’gann and I. Unlike my jean shorts overalls with a white t-shirt and fishnet stockings, and M’gann’s pink shirt, purple short sleeved cardigan with a matching skirt, Artemis wore a white shirt, brown collared jacket and jeans with her hair pinned back in a ponytail like how she is in uniform. “Handsome. Commanding. You should totally ask him out.” She crossed her arms, now looking at M’gann.

“He’s like a big brother to me,” M’gann looked at her. “But you know who would make the cutest couple? Eileen and Wally.”

I nearly choked on air as I coughed while I saw her’s and Artemis’s eyes travel from me to Wally who stood a few feet away, eating a burrito. “What,” I squeaked out.

“I can see it,” Artemis nodded as she smirked at me. “Match made in heaven.”

“What,” I repeated my squeak again.

“You’re so full of passion, and he’s so full of… uh, of…,” M’gann darted off.

“It,” Artemis asked.

I gave out a giggle along with the other two. “Yeah, no. He’s, uh, just my best friend. Seriously. No dating is coming in between us,” I gave a small smile, waving my hands dismissively as I looked forward.

“Whatever you say~!” I watched Superboy toss Kaldur over his shoulder.

“Failed: Aqualad,” The computer reported.

“Black Canary taught me that,” Superboy dusted his hands off.

The hatch above us opened, revealing Red Tornado as he flew down and landed in front of us. Wally ran over to him excitingly. “Do you have a mission for us,” He asked eagerly.

“Mission assignments are the Batman’s responsibility,” Red Tornado looked at him.

“Yeah, well, the Batman’s with the Robin doing the dynamic duo thing in Gotham. But you’re headed somewhere, right? Hot date or a-a mission?”

“If we can be of help,” Kaldur hummed.

Red Tornado turned around and typed on a holographic keyboard. “This is Kent Nelson, a friend. He is 106 years old,” He hummed. A picture of an older man with grayed hair, a suit, and cane pulled up.

“Guy doesn’t look a day over 90,” Wally whispered towards me. I gave him a knowing side look before returning to Red Tornado’s explanation.

“And he has been missing for 23 days. Kent was a charter member of the Justice Society, the precursor to your mentors’ Justice League.” I blinked as I saw the old man changed into Doctor Fate. A grin stretched across my face.

“Doctor Fate?! The Doctor Fate! Sorcerer Supreme of the supernatural mystic arts! THE Doctor Fate,” I asked as I held my fists in front of my chest tightly.

“Of course. Nelson was Earth’s sorcerer supreme. He was Doctor Fate,” Kaldur looked at us.

“More like Doctor Fake,” Wally scoffed towards me. “Guy knows a little advanced science and ‘Dumbledores’ it up to scare the bad guys and impress the babes.” I restrained myself to glare at him, but there was a frown.

“Kent may simply be on one of his walkabouts. But he is caretaker to the Helmet of Fate, the source of the Doctor’s mystic might. And it is unwise to leave such power unguarded,” Red Tornado hummed.

“He’s like the great sorcerer priests and priestesses of Mars. I would be honored to help find him,” M’gann smiled, placing a hand on her chest.

“Me too! So honored I can barely stand it. Magic rocks,” Wally shot his hand up before giving rockstar hands. My frown deepened.

It’s not a joke…

Red Tornado held up a golden key. “Take this. It is the key to the Tower of Fate,” Red Tornado hummed.

Kaldur took it from him, inspecting it. “What are the chances we both admire the mystic arts,” Wally asked while he looked at M’gann.

I rolled my eyes. Artemis leaned close to me. “Are you sure you don’t have just a tiny little crush on Wally,” She whispered as I saw her smirk from the corner of my eye.

I looked back at Wally, who was staring at M’gann like he always does. I huffed. “…Yeah, definitely not. His flirting sucks,” I turned around and walked away from her.

--

The night sky was very beautiful as we traveled through the Bio-Ship. My eyes wondered around the different stars that brightened with colors above the clouds. I ignored the interrogation that Artemis was giving Wally. We landed in front of an empty field on the street. I stepped off the Bio-Ship, walking onto the grass as I looked around for a tower of some kind.

It doesn’t seem to be here… Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m about to meet Mr. Nelson!

I tried to contain my excitement as I saw Wally speed up in front of us. “Nothing. This isn’t simple camouflage,” He breathed.

“So, what do you think? Adaptive microopto-electronics combined with phase shifting,” Artemis aske as she tilted her head.

“Absolutely…” M’gann walked up, appearing next to him. “Not! Clearly mystic powers are at work here.” I gave an unimpressed look.

I heard that voice crack.

I looked back at Kaldur. “How about that key,” I asked, motioning towards it in his hand.

He looked down at it. “A test of faith,” He hummed. He walked ahead of us. “Stand behind me.”

He inserted the key into the air. I heard a lock click. A large brick tower appeared before us. My eyes widened. “Whoa,” I murmured as I did my best not to grin in amazement. Kaldur pushed the door open. I rushed inside first. We entered a large room as I heard the door close behind us.

“Uh, where’d the door go,” Superboy asked hesitantly.

I looked behind us, seeing that the door was gone and there was no other door in sight. I looked back forward to see a glowing hologram of Mr. Nelson appear in front of us. “Greetings. You have entered with a key, but the tower does not recognize you. Please state your purpose and intent,” He hummed.

I went to answer, only to be interrupted. “We are true believers here to find Doctor Fate,” Wally grinned.

The hologram disappeared with a frown, which made me a bit confused. The ground creaked before falling apart. A pit of lava appeared before us. I gave out a panicked scream. I held up my ring. “C’mon,” I yelled as my suit appeared with a glow taking over my body. I flew down seeing M’gann grab Wally as Artemis grabbed Kaldur while she held up a crossbow that attached a grapple to the wall. I flew down towards Superboy as he clung onto the mountainous wall. He gave out a pained yell as he reached to a stopping point. I grabbed underneath his arms in time as I saw his shoes were melted off.

“Those were my favorite boots,” He glared.

“Sorry,” I winced.

“Having trouble… maintaining altitude. I am so hot,” M’gann panted.

“You certainly are,” Wally sighed dreamily.

I snapped my head up to glare as I gritted my teeth. “Wally,” Artemis yelled exasperatedly.

“Hey, inches above sizzling death, I’m entitled to speak my mind.”

“My physiology and M’gann’s are susceptible to extreme heat. We must climb out quickly,” Kaldur breathed.

“Hello Megan! We never truly answered the question. Red Tornado sent us to see if Mr. Nelson and the helmet were safe,” M’gann called out.

The lava pit closed up to create a floor. I landed with Superboy, getting out of costume back into normal civvies. I wiped my head, feeing the extreme heat stick to my skin still before giving a huff.

“This platform, it should be red hot, but it is cool to the touch,” Kaldur hummed as he crouched down and placed his palm to it.

“Don’t worry, megalicious. I got you,” I saw Wally wrap an arm around M’gann’s shoulders.

“You are getting on my last nerves, West,” I snapped as I marched up to him, pressing my finger against his chest. “This ENTIRE time you have been preaching your flirtatious game with M’gann and nearly got us killed because you were trying to impress her!”

“When did this become my fault,” Wally asked.

“When you lied to the glowing hologram whatever thing and called yourself a true believer. You don’t even believe in magic! You think it’s weird and try to scientifically prove it whenever you get the chance!!”

“Wally, you don’t believe,” M’gann asked.

There was a quiet pause as we looked at him. I crossed my arms, giving him a glare. “Fine! Fine! I lied about believing in magic. But magic is the real lie, a major load,” He crossed his arms and looked away from us.

“Wally, I studied for a year at the Conservatory of Sorcery in Atlantis. The mystic arts created the skin icons that power my water bearers,” Kaldur looked over at him.

“Dude, you ever hear of bioelectricity? Hey, in primitive cultures fire was once considered magical, too. Today it’s all just a bunch of tricks.” I shut my eyes and took a deep breath.

…He is not ruining this for me. No. He is not.

“You’re pretty close-minded for a guy who could break the sound barrier in his sneakers,” Artemis scoffed.

“That’s science. I recreated Flash’s laboratory experiment and here I am. Everything can be explained by science.”

I turned around and moved away from him. “Eileen,” M’gann asked in a murmur.

“We’re here to check on Mr. Nelson. Let’s find a way out of here,” I spoke quietly as I looked around at the floor.

“Now this is rich. You somehow managed to make her mad. And I don’t even know how that could happen,” I heard Artemis scoff.

Before I could sense the hand on my shoulder, I held a finger up towards Superboy. I saw Kaldur grab what looked like a handle to a door. “Wait! The backdraft from the lava will roast us alive,” Wally called out.

The door was opened. A cool draft rushed past my face as snow flurries got in my hair. “It’s snow,” M’gann smiled excitingly.

“Do you ever get tired of being wrong,” I heard Artemis ask.

I went through the door first. “Eili-!”

“Shut up, Flirty McFly,” I muttered. I heard him swallow. I fell through, landing on the snowy ground as I saw we were in some kind of artic-looking area. I rubbed my arms from the chill a bit. I saw Wally was the last to enter, landing on the ground as portal shut with a yellow blink. We all stared expectingly at him.

“Well,” Artemis asked with a smirk.

“Ever hear of string theory? We’re in a pocket dimension,” Wally answered.

I looked away from him with a scoff, seeing a floating stick next to me. I narrowed my eyes, noticing it looked more like a cane than a stick. A cane with a golden top. I made my way towards it. “What’s that,” M’gann asked.

“Ooh, maybe it’s Nelson’s magic wand,” Wally unenthusiastically answered.

I grabbed the cane just as Wally did. “I got it,” We both stated towards each other. I gave him a glare. The cane glowed yellow. I tried to pull my hand away, only to find out I couldn’t. “Uh, I can’t let go.” We floated into the air. I gave out a scream.

“Ah! Eileen,” I heard Artemis call.

The environment changed as we landed on top of a staircase. I groaned, rubbing my head as I sat up. I looked around to see many different staircases going in many different directions. I blinked in surprise. “Uh,” I mumbled. I saw three figures in front of us on a different part of the staircases.

“Abra Kadabra,” Wally muttered as I saw the familiar looking villain dressed up.

“Well, would you look at that,” I saw Mr. Nelson hum on the ground. The cane in Wally’s and I’s hands glowed. Mr. Nelson gave out the same glow. He flew over to us, grabbing the cane as I saw the ropes around his hands disappear. We finally got to let go of the cane, much to my surprise. “In here,” He pointed the cane at a wall that appeared in front of us. A pair of sliding doors appeared, opening up to reveal an elevator. I rushed inside with Wally as Mr. Nelson followed. I heard a kid scream as the doors closed.

I released the breath I realized I held as I blinked in shock.

Did that just happen…?

I looked up at Mr. Nelson. “I’m Kent Nelson, by the way,” He hummed, looking over at us.

“No duh,” Wally muttered. I nudged his ribs. “Ow!”

“I’m Eileen. Miss Manners here is Wally,” I motioned my head towards Wally.

“Well, Eileen, we’re up against an opponent with tremendous mystic power,” Mr. Nelson stated as he gave us a serious look.

“Abra Kadabra? Flash proved he uses futuristic technology to simulate magic. Guy’s all show and no biz,” Wally gave a scoff.

“Right you are.”

I blinked in confusion. “He is,” I asked as I saw Wally smirk at me while crossed his arms.

“Abra is a charlatan. But Klarion, the witch boy, the kid with the cat, he’s an actual lord of chaos. The ultimate enemy of a lord of order like Doctor Fate.”

“Right. You’re a lord of order,” Wally muttered as he gave a skeptical look.

“Oh, no, not me. I’m just an old coot Fate used to put on, until my wife Inza convinced me there could be more to life.” Mr. Nelson pulled out a pocket watch from his pocket, opening it up. “Ah, she was a real pistol, that Inza.” He looked back at us. “Anyhoo, Klarion’s after the helmet. If he gets his sticky little mitts on it, he’ll turn the plant into his own personal playground of pandemonium.” The elevator made a noise, indicating we stopped on our floor as we went through.

I saw one of the many staircases lead up to a large yellow bell. We walked up as I looked around in wonder at was going on inside the tower. I heard a door open behind us, and saw Superboy, Kaldur, and Artemis fall through with grunts while M’gann floated down gently. “Friends of yours,” Mr. Nelson asked.

A loud zap flew towards us as I dove down, covering my head. I looked up to see Abra Kadabra and I guess Klarion, who was holding an orange striped cat with red eyes. “Friends of yours,” Wally asked.

I held my fist up as I dawned on my uniform. I held up a shield, blocking the lightning zaps. I looked back to see Wally looking at me. “Go help Mr. Nelson. We’ll be fine,” I snapped my gaze forward as I dropped my shield and created a mallet. I ran up to Abra Kadabra. I saw Klarion fly past me into the bell.

I’ll have to hope Wally can handle him while we got this guy.

I dodged lightning zaps while gritting my teeth. I swiped at him before getting zapped back into a lightning net. I gritted my teeth as I felt the electricity shock through me. “Ahh,” I tried to fight through the pain. One by one, I saw everyone fall. I could hear the others cry in pain as I struggled to get up and do something.

I can’t… give up…!

I opened my eyes slowly, looking over towards Abra Kadabra.

C’mon Wally… We need Dr. Fate…

I saw a giant glowing Ankh appear, making all of Abra Kadabra’s clothes disappear. “What,” He asked in shock.

“Show’s over,” Superboy glared, punching in in the jaw with no effort. Abra Kadabra fell over unconscious. I gave a sigh of relief, placing a hand on my chest as my suit disappeared into my ring.

--

I walked past the souvenir room when I saw Wally standing there, staring at the Helmet of Fate that was on a shelf next to the other souvenirs we gotten on other missions. I tilted my head with a small frown. After Mr. Nelson’s passing, it was hard to stay mad at him since he did try to help him. I gave a knock against the door frame.

“Hey,” I murmured. He looked over at me with a small smile. “You never said what happened to you when you put on the helmet.” I motioned over towards it. “Wanna share?”

“Energy from the thing rewrote my brain’s beta waves. I was bio-scripted into becoming Doctor Fate for a few minutes. No big,” He smirked at me as he placed his hands on his hips.

I frowned. “I take it back. You were better with the helmet on,” I turned around, walking away from him.

“Hey, Eili-!”

I made my way over to the zeta tubes. “Shut it, Flirty McFly! I can’t believe you still don’t even think magic exists. You saw it with your own two eyes!”

--

Music blared in my room while I intensely stared at my sketchbook’s drawings. The photos from our beach day a few weeks ago finally got printed since I found the time to do so on top of the other photos I had. I was doing my best to draw everyone from reference. I huffed. A knock came to the door.

“Yes,” I asked with a sigh.

The door opened. I turned down the music. I saw Dad staring down at me with a chuckle. “Sounds like a rock band in here,” He tilted his head with a smirk.

“I got my music tastes from you. I just improved them to this timeline as well.”

He rolled his eyes. “Well, Wally’s here. Said he wanted to talk to you.” I glared. He blinked. He gave a small laugh. “Oh, so he’s the reason you’re mad.” He cackled a bit. “Oh, that’s funny.” I sighed, standing up straight. “Want me to talk to him?”

“No. I can handle it, thank you.” I walked past him.

“Don’t send him anywhere please!”

I made it into the living room where I saw Wally sitting on the couch. He got up fast, speeding up to me as he stood in front of me.

“Uh, hey,” He gave me a weak grin.

I crossed my arms. “West,” I responded.

He nodded. “Okay, yeah. Alright,” I breathed. “I’m… sorry about the whole magic thing. I went too far in trying to impress M’gann and I realize that my decisions almost got the team killed.”

“And?”

He swallowed again. “And I ticked you off because of that, so… I’m really sorry.”

I sighed. “You got that right.”

He gave me a smile. “So, I came to make it up to you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “How? With snacks? Or did you buy me a movie to add to my movie collection?” I pointed my thumb over to the large wall of home movies that I’ve collected over the years.

“No.” His smile turned into a grin. “An invitation.”

I tilted my head. “An invitation? To what?”

“To a birthday dinner.”

I slowly blinked. “Wally, I’ve known you for almost 2 years. Your birthday isn’t until November.”

“I know!” He swallowed as he took a deep breath. “Okay, remember how I told you that Uncle Barry knows the first Flash?”

I nodded slowly. “Yeah, Jay Garrick, right? He retired if I remember.”

“Yeah, so… technically Jay’s like family, you know? So, it’s his birthday.”

I blinked again. “His… birthday?”

He nodded. He held up his hands as he pointed both fingers up. “I am allowed to bring ONE friend, after begging Uncle Barry for a minute or two. As soon as your name came through my mouth, I got the all clear from him to take you along.” He gave me a small smile. “I know you wanted to meet Mr. Nelson because he’s one of your heroes. I mean, I remember you telling me how you grew up reading articles and watching online clips of the Justice Society as early as you could. So, in order to make it up to you, you can meet another one of its members, the Flash.”

My eyes lit up. “Wally… I…”

“I know! I know, but I was a jerk.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Will you forgive me and accept the invitation?”

I couldn’t stop the smile from reaching my lips as I nodded. “Yeah, I forgive you, dummy.” I pinched his arm.

“Ow!” He rubbed the spot with a frown.

“Just… can you promise me to not flirt with M’gann on missions? Please?”

“Well, it wasn’t technically a mission-.”

“Wally.”

“Okay, okay,” He held his hands up. “I promise.”

I sighed. “And I’m sorry for getting mad at you. I shouldn’t’ve let my temper get the best of me.”

“Apology accepted. You had every right to be mad though.”

I nodded. “Alright.” I clapped my hands together. “NOW! I have to find a good dress to wear!” I gave a grin. “I need to make sure I look great!”

“You could just wear what you have on?”

I placed my hands on my hips. “I want to look presentable, Wally! Come on!” I huffed. I blinked in realization. “Oh!” I rushed away from him. “Hold on a sec!” I went over towards my desk and pulled out one of the pictures. I walked back over to Wally. “Here,” I held it out.

He blinked, looking at me as he stared at his. His eyes widened. “This is…”

I pointed at M’gann. “I know you don’t care if I’m there, but here’s a pic of M’gann and I from when Robin had my camera for a moment. I thought you’d like it since you couldn’t see her in a bathing suit.”

He looked at me with a grin. “Thanks, Eili.” He hugged me tightly.

I blinked in surprise as my heart thudded in my chest from the sudden contact. He pulled away and patted my shoulders. “You’re the best.” He checked the time. “I better get home. I’ll tell ya the date next time we’re in the cave!” He sped off as I heard the door shut. I stood in stunned silence for a solid minute. I heard footsteps come in as Dad walked over to me.

“I heard you just got invited to a Flash birthday dinner. Jay’s a good old man. He’ll make sure you do just fine,” He hummed. He blinked. “Why do you look like a deer in the headlights?”

I placed a hand on my chest as I could feel my thudding heart try to calm down. “I don’t like this feeling,” I muttered.

“Uh, what feeling?”

I looked at him. “Is this what satisfaction is? Giving someone something they actually like?”

“Uh, yeah?”

I blinked. “It feels weird.”

“Yeah, well, get used to it, Kiddo.” Dad ruffled my hair. “Wanna order pizza?”

“Sure…” I looked down at my hand still pressed against my chest. I gave a swallow before returning to my room.

Chapter Text

We were in the sewers of Gotham City, hunting down a creature made of clay that Robin and Batman faced while doing their dynamic duo thing. I gave a sigh as I did my best to ignore the smell of the sewers.

“Aqualad, are you linked,” M’gann asked while we were on the side walkway of the sewer waters.

“What…? Oh, yes Miss Martian. Your psychic link function’s perfectly,” Kaldur responded, almost as if he wasn’t actually present. I gave a confused look, but didn’t question it.

“That’s a relief. We couldn’t hear you. Like your every thought was a million miles away.”

I thought about how Artemis wasn’t here. It was weird that she hadn’t been here, but then again, we don’t know much about her life other than the fact that she’s Green Arrow’s niece. I decided it was better not to question it, especially since Batman said this was urgent. We shouldn’t jump to conclusions right now. I heard something bubble in the water.

A large clay monster attacked us on all fronts. I got hit into the wall, much to my displeasure as I gave a grunt while my back collided in a painful manner. I aimed my ring up, shooting a beam as the clay hand that grabbed me was now off. I saw the others take care of the clay monster getting them and watched it dissipate into the water. I landed on the ground after floating in the air.

“That was unpleasant. Like tangling with a rabid Ma'alefa'ak on Mars,” M’gann sighed.

“Unpleasant, sure… But kinda easy. That thing was a pushover. What the heck was Batman worried about,” Wally asked.

“What’s a Malafak,” I heard Superboy ask confusingly. I was knocked down from behind, landing in the water with a grunt as I struggled to get up. I wobbled a bit, frowning at how I now have clay on my body and in my hair. I heard monstrous laughter echo through the sewers as the movement of water went away from us.

“Batman to team. Report status. Have you encountered the creature,” Batman asked on our comms.

“Yes, Batman. Though the encounter was far from successful,” Kaldur answered him.

“Tell me everything that occurred. I want details.”

“If that’s Batman, ask him where Artemis is? And how come she gets away with skipping this so-fun sewer party,” Wally muttered.

I moved to push clay off me as I created a rag from my ring, while the ring made a hand and wiped off other areas. “This… is not pleasant,” I frowned.

We headed back to the Bio-Ship where we got to clean ourselves off better and some of the others could change into spare suits. “I mean, what’s the point of putting on a clean costume, when I’m not… fresh,” Wally asked as he entered, pulling his cowl on.

“Oh Wally, you’re always fresh,” M’gann looked over at him.

“At least you have a clean costume,” Superboy muttered.

I created a fan and a backdrop. I motioned Superboy over as I pointed at it. He stood next to me.

“Yeah, an old back-up! No stealth-mode! It stinks,” Wally sighed.

“Actually, I think the stink is YOU, Freshness. But about the creature,” Robin asked. “Batman wanted us to track it.”

I blew the clay off of Superboy and I with the high-powered fan. I shut my eyes as I heard the mud fly off and hit the backdrop. I turned off the fan, fluttering my eyes open as I looked at Superboy to see he was a little more clean than before. “Better,” I asked in a small hopeful tone.

“Somewhat. Thanks,” He nodded to me. I gave a smile in return, nodding my head.

“Why settle for that? Okay, sure it got the drop on us, but now we know its tricks,” Wally asked, referring to the clay monster.

“Yeah! We split up! Then whoever finds old ‘Clayface’ radios the team-,” Robin nodded.

“We converge and kick some clay-butt,” Superboy added with a firm nod.

“I think it’s a good plan,” I hummed.

“What do you think, Aqualad,” M’gann asked.

I looked over at him expectantly along with her. “What? Oh, yes,” Kaldur nodded quietly.

We followed the clay tracks to a warehouse. We all went in separate directions to try and corner this guy. “Guys, I found the creature! Rendezvous at my coordinates,” Superboy called on comms.

I flew over. I saw Wally standing there. “KF,” I asked in surprise. I landed on the ground in front of him.

He turned to me and gave me a wink. “Hey Babe, I think after this, we should go out sometime. We’re always together, aren’t we,” He moved a bit close.

My face got hot as my heart thudded in my chest again like before. “H-Huh,” I squeaked. I saw clay launch at me. “OOF!” I was consumed, feeling my shortness of breath as I started to lose consciousness. I gave a small groan, falling over.

--

We all returned to the cave from how mildly unsuccessful the mission was. Mildly being that Batman came and saved the day while we were all knocked out. “I need to talk to Aqualad. The rest of you, hit the showers and head home,” Batman stated as he addressed us.

“Head home? I am home,” Superboy muttered.

“Just Aqualad.” I placed a hand on Kaldur’s shoulder, giving it a light squeeze then headed over to get this stuff out of my hair. I flew over towards the shower room, ready to get my hair washed. My mind crossed over towards what happened earlier. I have a scoff.

Of course, Wally would never say that to me. It’s always “GL!” and “Eili!” or “Eileen!” Never “Babe.” That was just good ol’ “Clayface.”

“Eileen,” I saw M’gann walk up.

“Yeah,” I asked, preparing to scrub my head like no tomorrow. “What’s up, M’gann?”

“Are you okay?”

“What do you mean? I swear, you’ve been asking me that a lot lately. I promise I’m fine.” I smiled at her.

“Well, you were pretty flustered back on the ship. Did…” I saw her cheeks darken. “Did Clayface embarrass you too?”

I blinked. “Too?”

Her eyes widened. “Never mind.” She looked away.

I shook my head. “M’gann, this is a safe space. We’re teammates. There’s nothing to be ashamed of here. You can always talk to me, telepathically too if you have to. I respect our wishes either way.”

She looked at me. “Well-.” She started off. “Clayface turned into Superboy… and he called me beautiful. I fell for it because I thought…”

Superboy called you beautiful?

She nodded. “Yeah…” She looked away sadly. “I… was really hoping he was…” I gave a nod.

I know the feeling.

“Did he do the same to you?

I gave a small groan. Yeah, he did. But, don’t worry. You weren’t the only one fooled. Clearly everyone was. Superboy and the others must’ve gotten fooled too. You’re not alone here. And… between you and me… I looked around to see if the guys were in the hall. I looked back at her. I know you got a crush on him. I winked.

Her eyes widened. “C-Crush?! No, I-.”

Hey, I’m not one to judge. I think he likes you too. He’s always nice and soft spoken around you. He’s pretty, uh, you know, curt with everyone else. Even me. You guys have some chemistry with each other. Just give it some time.

“Time?”

Yeah. You want to make sure you’re not getting the wrong impression of him. It could lead to some heartache if that happens. Maybe give it some time and let HIM show you interest first? Like, observe him for a while. See if he’s giving you lingering glances, or maybe looking at you while you’re not looking. You-You got that sixth sense about you, right? I tilted my head with a nervous grin.

“I guess so…” She looked down.

I gave her a reassuring smile and placed a hand on her shoulder. Don’t worry. It’ll work out. I know it will. I promise on my name that it has worked out before. It’s a proud Jordan Family charming secret. I placed a hand on my chest. We have excellent dating advice! From a kid who watches too much TV and a dad who’s had more girlfriends than I can count on both hands.

“Seriously?”

Honestly, it’s better than having nothing. He’s a bit odd, but he’s taught me about what NOT to do when out on a date.

--

I fixed my dress’s skirt before fixing up the sleeves as I looked at myself in the mirror. It was a very simple red dress, with sleeves that were puffed up and ended at my wrists. The dress ended at my knees, which was good, but also awkward since I’ve never worn a dress this short before. I walked out into the living room as I saw Dad fixing up his shirt.

“Alright Dad, remember,” I pointed at him. “If anything goes wrong on your date, I’ll be at Wally’s, so call his family phone or call Barry if you can’t reach me. This is an important night for me!”

“Is that why you’re wearing a dress,” He raised an eyebrow at me.

“Yes! I’m not going to look like some street kid that just got fresh from a fight! I am going to be Eileen Jordan, a nice and at least nonviolent girl with a tendency to ask too many questions.

“Mhm. Are you sure it isn’t for Wally?”

My face heated up. I glared at him. “Absolutely not! Wally is… He’s… one of the bros!” I crossed my arms. “Yes! One of the guys! One where I can talk about every micro detail about Star Wars and not get judged! And we have very good arguments about other movies and stuff. We even talk about TV shows!” I stuck my nose in the air. “You’re just jealous I got invited.”

“I got a date Lena. And, I’m an adult. I know what to do.”

I raised an eyebrow as I looked at him. “You’ve had 14 girlfriends in the past 5 years ever since you got dumped by Carol. My advice has saved you on at least half of them, maybe even more.”

He sighed. “Point taken. Now, remember-.”

“Don’t do anything you would do.” I held up a hand and counted. “Don’t stay out too late, don’t stop an alien invasion without giving you a call, call if there is an emergency, call if I get arrested, make sure to be on guard if I’m alone, and yes.” I crossed my arms again. “My ring. Is. Charged.” I huffed.

“…See? I got this parenting thing down pact.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, yeah.”

He smirked at me. “Alright then, Kiddo. Don’t do anything crazy.”

“You too, Daddio.” A knock came to the door. “Wally’s here! See you later Dad! Have fun on your date!” I ran up and kissed his cheek before heading for the door.

“You too, Kiddo,” He called.

I opened the door with a peek. I poked my head out to see Wally standing there. “Ready to go,” He asked.

I opened the door wider. “Yeah! I got everything I need. Let’s go,” I cheered. “I’m so excited.”

He blinked at me. He nodded. “A-Alright. Now, remember Eili-.”

“Keep my cool.” I took a deep breath. “I got cha, Wally.” I snapped finger guns at him.

He chuckled. “Let’s go.” I shut the door after myself. “Ready?”

“Ready,” I faced him with a nod. He picked me up bridal style and sped down the hall. “I can’t believe it! Ahh! And the best part! I know everybody! This is gonna be sweet!”

“Who are you telling,” Wally hummed.

“Your family is so RAD!” He got to the zeta tube and took it to Central City. We sped off to his parents’ house quickly. I was set down on his porch. I flattened my dress out a bit and nodded to him. “I’m ready. Composure.” I took a deep breath.

“Composure,” He chuckled. He opened the front door. “Mom! I’m back! And I have Eileen!”

I walked in, seeing the family home I’ve gotten to know since meeting Wally. I saw Mary West come up to the front door. “Eileen,” Her eyes lit up. She walked up and pulled me into a hug, which I returned. “It’s good to see you.”

I pulled back with a grin. “It’s good to see you too, Mary.”

She pinched my cheek. “You’re always family Eileen. I wish you could visit more often.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I know, but I’ve been pretty busy with Lantern duties. Not to mention I’m already in Dad’s sights.”

“Yeah, since you got grounded and confined to Coast City and the cave because of Cadmus,” Wally snickered.

I rolled my eyes. “Mhm,” I stuck my tongue out at him.

“Wally, go help your father with the decorations,” Mary placed her hands on her hips as she looked at him.

He gave a groan. “Yes ma’am,” He sped off.

“And no powers!” He groaned louder. Mary gave a giggle before turning to me. “He hasn’t been much trouble, has he Eileen?”

I shook my head. “He’s his normal self, I assure you. Now, do you need help anywhere? I’m happy to do anything.”

“Just the kitchen. Barry and Iris called too. They’ll be here any second. You haven’t met Jay and Joan, have you?” We headed to the kitchen.

“N-No ma’am,” I shook my head. “I’m pretty excited and nervous, too. When Wally invited me and said it was the first Flash’s birthday, I couldn’t help but say yes!”

“Don’t worry. Just like Barry, he’s… as normal as he can be.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I understand. Just don’t need to be nervous and be composed. Now, what do you need help with?”

“Can you toss the salad for me, dear?” She pointed over to the bowl.

I gave her a nod. “Yes ma’am.”

“Hey Eileen,” I saw Rudy West appear with some decorations in hand.

“Hey Rudy, how are you,” I smiled at him.

He smiled back with a chuckle. “I’m good. How’s your dad?”

I gave him a grin as I tossed the salad. “He’s good. He’s got a date tonight, so I made sure he was ready before I left. How’s work?”

“Same as usual. Exhausting. But it’s good to have family over. Wally hasn’t been a hassle, has he?”

“Dad,” Wally groaned as he entered with table decorations.

“No sir, he’s been his normal Wally self,” I shot a wink at Wally as I smiled.

“See? I’m all good,” Wally grinned.

“Or maybe she’s covering for you like always,” I saw Mary smirk from the corner of my eye.

“Mom!”

“He’s just the same as always. No reason to complain,” I nodded. “Sometimes he’s a little over the top, but he wouldn’t be himself if he wasn’t.” I heard the doorbell ring.

“I got it!” Wally sped away.

“Wally,” Mary gave out a groan. “Will he ever listen about the ‘no powers’ rule?”

“No, but that’s just like him,” I giggled at her. “Everyone thinks he’s goofy, but that’s what great about him.”

“Hey Babe, I think after this we should go out sometime.”

I fought to keep the heat on my face contained. I continued tossing the salad as I did my best to hide my face. I heard footsteps enter. “Hey everyone, still setting up,” I heard Barry ask.

“Hey Barry! We got everything pretty handled, but you can help the boys with the decorations if you want,” Mary hummed with a smile.

“I’ll help out in the kitchen,” Iris hummed. I saw her and Barry from the corner of my eye. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and entered the kitchen.

“Hey Barry! Hey Iris,” I grinned and looked back at the salad that looked really tossed.

“Eileen,” Barry walked up and patted my shoulder. “How’re you doing kid? Your Dad’s got a date tonight, right? He’s been bragging about it all week.”

I gave a snort. “Yeah, he’s been talking about it at home too. He was wearing his best shirt before I left. I had to make sure he was set up before I left.”

“You’re his kid alright. Now let me help out with these decorations.” He exited.

Iris moved past Barry and walked up. “Lena,” She smiled. I moved away from the salad and walked up to her. I gave her a hug as she hugged me tightly. “It’s good to see you. It’s so weird seeing you as the girl with powers now instead of the little girl that had trouble with her math homework.”

“Hey, I made it,” I puffed my cheeks a bit. “It’s good to see you too, Iris. I missed you all.”

She fixed my hair a bit. “There. I heard it’s your first-time meeting Jay and Joan. Don’t be nervous.”

I tilted my head with a nervous smile. “You can tell?”

“You’re looking a little nervous. If you don’t turn into me, it’s alright.”

“Yeah, just casual… conversation,” I took a deep breath.

“Iris, do you think you can help me with the cake? Eileen, have you finished tossing the salad,” Mary asked.

I nodded. “Yes ma’am.”

“Then do you mind putting the mashed potatoes out on the table. I want to make sure everything’s perfect,” She motioned over towards the bowl.

“Yes ma’am!” I grabbed the bowl and headed towards the table that was set up. I blinked for a second. In the true Flash fashion, all the plates and food were on the table. I set the mashed potatoes in the open spot and dusted my hands off.

“Wow kid, great job,” Barry patted my back.

“Gee, thanks Barry,” I snickered at him.

“Wow, Uncle Barry, picking favorites,” Wally asked as he appeared.

“I’ve known this kid since she was practically in diapers. Oliver and I took turns babysitting,” Barry crossed his arms as he pointed a thumb at me.

“And now, here I am, not practically in diapers… Sort-of.” I breathed. I reentered the kitchen. I helped with last minute touches before hearing the door open.

“Glad you could make it,” I heard Barry greet at the front door.

“He was taking so long to get ready,” I heard an older woman giggle.

“Hey, a man’s got to look his best,” I heard an older man huff.

“Well, you’re not the only one. Wally brought one of his best friends here since her Dad’s got a date,” Barry hummed as I placed the utensils down. “She’s dressed like she’s going to a movie premier.”

“Wow, already got fans,” Wally asked me.

I gave a snort. “Please, I know I got fans. I’m a Green Lantern. I’m awesome,” I looked over at him before finishing off putting down all the utensils.

He cleared his throat. “Speaking of awesome, you’re… wearing red.” I blinked. I looked back at him to see that he was looking at me up and down.

I gave a nod. “It was the ONLY dress in my size in the store. It’s a nice fit too. I just wish it was longer. Even Dad had to think twice! And he NEVER does that!” I smiled wide.

Wally gave a blink. “Huh…”

“When I go out on a date, I’ll wear this. It’s got some charm to it.” I placed my hands on my hips. “I feel awesome. In and out of uniform.”

“Well, in uniform, you wield one of the most powerful weapons in the galaxy with a flick of a finger.”

“And you can break the sound barrier. Man do we make a great pair.” I winked.

“And here I thought Wally was too shy to talk to girls,” I heard behind us. We both turned around to see a man with brown hair that was graying on the sides, wearing a collared maroon shirt and dress pants. Next to him was a woman with silver hair, a nice red blouse, and black slacks.

“You’d be surprised. These two are almost attached at the hip,” Barry chuckled. He faced me. “Eileen, this is Jay Garrick and his wife Joan. Joan, Jay, this is Eileen Jordan. She’s one of the Green Lanterns’ kid. You know, Hal?”

“Jordan? That playboy,” Mr. Garrick chuckled. “I would have never thought.”

I gave a grin. “It’s nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Garrick. It’s an honor to be here,” I gave a nod.

“You got a little something on your nose Eileen,” Wally nudged me.

I gave him a playful glare. “Wally you got something in your mouth.” I pointed at it. I tilted my head. “I think it’s your tongue!” He gave me a pout.

Mrs. Garrick gave a laugh. “This is so cute. You got yourself a girlfriend, Wally,” She smiled at him. My eyes widened as Wally’s does. We both looked at her.

“What?! No! We’re not dating,” Wally and I started talking at the same time.

“She’s my best friend,” Wally motioned towards me.

“And he’s my best friend. Plus, he flirts with every girl he sees,” I nodded.

“Did you HAVE to say that?”

“Well, it had to be mentioned at some point. Flirty McFly.” I crossed my arms with a smirk.

--

Everyone gave a laugh as dinner was settling down. We were getting ready for the birthday cake that was brought. Barry got up, picking up plates. “Here, let me get that,” Barry hummed. He sped around, collecting finished plates. “And that, and this, and those, and these. How about that?” He went into the kitchen as Wally still ate off of my plate. He stood with the plate in his hand. “This, too. I got it.”

“Thanks, Uncle Barry,” Wally said with a smug grin. I noticed the plate was gone from his hands.

“You’re welcome, kid,” Barry hummed. Wally headed into the kitchen.

“You’re a lucky lady, Iris. Our Wally certainly isn’t that fast. Not when it comes to clearing the table,” Mary hummed.

“Mom,” I heard Wally groan. I gave a snicker.

“Neither is my Jay. Believe me. I know, I know. You’re a retired speedster. And since it’s your birthday, we won’t argue,” Mrs. Garrick giggled. I saw Mr. Garrick give a grin.

“Wally’s fast enough when he wants to be. We’re suddenly out of ice cream,” Barry came back in with a cake.

“Wally,” Mary scolded. I stood from my seat. I went to look at him with a tub of ice cream that he was eating straight out of.

“Uh, happy birthday,” Wally gave a nervous grin. I gave out a sigh. I held my fist up. A green constructed hand flew out and took the tub out of his hand, placing the lid on it. It opened up the fridge and placed the tub inside the freezer. “Hey!”

“We all have to eat too, you know,” I hummed.

“I got a faster metabolism.”

“So does Barry.”

“And I like chocolate.”

“So do I.” I smirked. “I keep going.”

He pouted before crossing his arms. “I forgot you like chocolate.”

I snickered. “Now, how about you actually behave and stop eating the ice cream,” I crossed my arms as I sat down.

--

I calmly walked next to Wally. Coast City’s night lights were on, indicating the city’s more active hours of the night had begun. “Excited,” Wally asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I looked at him for a second before looking back ahead. “Yeah, a bit. It was fun, being part of a normal family dinner,” I breathed. “It’s been the most fun I’ve had in a while, I should say, when out of duty. It hasn’t been this fun since we binged all of Star Wars before my next solo mission in space. You thought it was bizarre that I would be asked to go out alone, but that’s a Lantern’s job.”

“Yeah, I remember. I practically had to beg my mom to not kick us out of the living room.”

I snickered. “I remember, you said, and I quote-.”

“’But Mom! Eileen is a Green Lantern! She’ll be sent into space any time and I may never see her again! Can’t we just have this fun together.’” Wally gave a fake pout.

I smiled. “And then you promised you’d spend the ENTIRE next day outside.”

“It worked though! And then my best friend flew into space not even after we finished and had to do a solo mission in SPACE!”

I gave a small salute. “And now I am a certified intergalactic peace keeper. Fun territory.” I saw my apartment building in the distance and turned to him. “Alright, tell your mom I’m home safe and sound, okay? Thank you for walking me.” I went to head up stairs.

“Hey Eili?”

I looked down at him from the top of the steps. “Yes Wally,” I asked with a grin.

He swallowed. “I was gonna say your dress looks nice by the way. I dunno if I said that.”

I blinked. My neck and slowly my cheeks were heating up. “Again, it was the only dress in my size. It fits me pretty well.” I smiled.

He nodded. “Alright. See you for the next mission.” He gave a wave and sped off.

By the time the dust settled, I realized my heart was bouncing around in my chest. I breathed, heading inside. “That was… a very nice dinner…,” I murmured with a smile.

Chapter Text

It was a simple search. While I sat in middle school, I searched if I could get my GED. It was a long search, and lots of questions were asked. I stared at prepared textbooks, dating to how long it would take for me to acquire said GED. If I turned 14, I wouldn’t need to get a high school diploma. I could get a GED. I searched up test requirements next. It was easy to search anything on the internet these days.

It was the end of the middle school year. I had spent a lot of those months missing and having to take several courses to catch myself up, only to find out that I wasn’t really excited for high school either. I had grabbed practice books, sitting in my room for the first 3 weeks of my summer just reading and practicing over and over and over. I had fallen asleep at my desk with my face planted in my textbooks. My planned 2-month calendar was on the wall with my goals for the summer.

When I woke up, I was in bed. I sat up tiredly, seeing that my desk was neatly cleaned up. Panic settled first. I got up, making my way into the kitchen as Dad was watching TV. I made my way to the kitchen. “Eileen,” He stated, causing me to pause and flinch.

My fears came to reality. I slowly turned my head. He turned the TV off. “Sit down.” I moved over, sitting on the couch as he turned to me in the recliner he sat in. “Eileen.” I didn’t try to look at him. “Lena. Look at me.” My eyes finally darted up to his neutral expression. I swallowed. “…Do you… really not like school?”

I looked forward at how loaded that question was. Just answering a simple “no” wasn’t enough. “…I don’t. Waking up every day to getting beaten down and come home, do my homework, repeat the process again the next day doesn’t sound so promising. It’s suffocating. No one wants to be your friend, and you’re either the target of constant harassment for being a girl… or being called an orphan because no one’s met your parents,” I murmured. “…So no, I don’t like school. Not really.”

“…” He stayed quiet for what felt like a long time. I nervously shifted in my spot. “I saw your calendar.” I looked at him. “Do you think you can pass this GED test in 2 months?”

“…” I stared off for a while after that. “…I’m confident I’ll do my best in the test room.” I looked at him then. I stared into his eyes for a while.

He gave a quiet hum. “Then that’s enough for me.” He stood up. “Breakfast?”

I blinked. “H-Huh?”

“You’re going to need energy to study. No slacking off now.”

I don’t know why he didn’t argue against me getting the GED. In fact, my dad wanted me to have the most normal childhood he could offer me. Looking back on it now, I won’t think that path was in my cards.

--

I felt myself get shaken. “Yo, Eili. Wake up,” I heard a faint echo in my ear.

I gave a groan. “5 more minutes Dad. The Guardians can see me later,” I waved my hand lazily.

“I’m not your dad!”

My eyes fluttered open as a pair of green eyes stared down at me. I freaked out, giving a panicked scream as I pushed myself backwards into a defensive position, holding my fist up. “WHAT?!”

“Hey, it’s me! Calm down,” I saw Wally appear in dark clothes. His hands were held up in surprise.

I blinked in confusion. “KF?! What are you doing in space?!”

“Space?! We’re on Earth, Eili!”

I looked around and realized we were in a small shack. “Earth?! How am I on Earth?! I went to bed last night on Oa, in my barracks!” I shook my head, ruffling my hair around. “Wait, wait. I can solve this.” I held my ring up. “Ring, ping my location.” When it didn’t react, I blinked in surprise. I looked at my outfit to see myself in jean shorts overalls with a white t-shirt and fishnet stockings along with and black boots. “…My ring is dead.”

“No duh! You’re not in uniform.”

I shook my head. “Can you just explain what’s going on here?!”

“I know as much as you! Beats me!”

I took a deep breath. “Alright, we just need to remain calm.” I paced. “We’re somewhere on Earth, so it should be easy to track us. Based off survival status, neither of us are injured and we’re not hitting near starvation. That’s good, great even.” I breathed. “Okay, remain calm and-.”

A loud whistle filled my ears. Wally grabbed my hand, pulling me out of the shack we were in. We landed outfit after an explosion hit us from behind. I groaned, rubbing my head as I sat up. I looked behind us as tanks started to roll up on his in the distance. A car charged forward with a gun mounted on top. Shouts were made as I scrambled to get up. I gave out a panicked yell as I ran in a serpentine pattern.

“Serpentine! Serpentine,” I squeaked. I was picked up from behind bridal style. “Why Earth?! Why couldn’t’ve it been ANY OTHER alien planet?! I know how to work those weapons!”

“We have other weapons to worry about GL. And I’m pretty sure don’t even know how to fire a gun,” Wally call as he sped away. My eyes widened at his actions.

“I’ve used alien guns! They make Earth’s guns look like toys!”

“Well, we’re not in space, we’re on EARTH!”

“Okay! I’ll thank you for saving my life, now can we get to cover?!”

“On it!” We got to a safe distance away from the gunfire and tank shells. Wally placed me down and then hunched over himself. “Sorry. Running on empty,” He breathed. I placed a hand on his back. “Don’t think I’ve eaten in a while.” He checked his wrist to show a hidden empty compartment. “Been out here for 24 hours. Or my cupboards wouldn’t be bare.”

Something landed in between us, causing me to do land on my back with a grunt. I lifted my head up to see a dark-haired guy aim for Wally, just in time for Wally to get hit into the rock mountain behind us. The guy snaped his gaze to me. I scrambled to get up as I dodged the guy coming at me. I nearly gave a scream as I dodged between his legs and tumbled onto my feet. I snapped my gaze over only for something to explode in between us. I flew onto the ground with a grunt.

My mind started to feel foggy. I sat up on my elbows with a wobble.

Get up Eileen, get up!

My head pounded. The guy, who I now noticed was shirtless, causing my face to heat up, jumped up from behind me and tore the nose off the tank. He got shot at from behind. He grabbed the gun, crushing it with one hand before tossing the person inside the tank behind him. He tossed the top half of the tank into the distance before getting shot at by the other tank.

“Whose side is he on,” I mumbled in surprise.

“Want to stick around and find out,” Wally asked as he appeared next to me.

I shook my head with a groan. “Nope.”

“Same.” He picked me up and sped off. We started to go downhill before Wally tripped and we fell onto the sand.

I got up weakly, hearing jets above us. I ran forward next to Wally as they started shooting at us. I grabbed onto Wally’s wrist. “Get down,” I called, pulling him with me as the jets fired past us and flew forward before circling around.

“Don’t worry, I’m almost there,” I heard a voice in my head. I got stunned into shock.

“Dude, did you just hear a girl talking in your head,” I looked over at Wally with wide eyes.

“Girls are always on my mind, Eili. You know this. But, they’re not usually talking,” He told me. I gave a deadpanned look before shaking my head. I saw the jets above us explode in the air as they collided with each other. Someone floated down and landed in front of us. It was a red-haired girl with green skin and a hero costume that was similar to Martian Manhunter’s. “Well, J’onn, the costume looks familiar, but I’m not sure the new bod screams ‘Manhunter’,” Wally pointed over at her.

“You know my Uncle J’onn,” She asked. “Hello, Megan, of course you do. You’re Kid Flash, Wally.” She looked at me. “And you’re Green Lantern, Eileen.” I blinked in surprise.

“Wait, wait, wait. Martian Manhunter’s your uncle? Is that how you know my name?”

“And mine? Wait, is this your girlfriend,” I pointed at her as I looked at Wally.

“I hope so,” He grinned. I gave out a groan.

“Cut it.”

“I’m not. We’re teammates. Friends. I made you cookies,” The girl spoke again as I looked at her.

“So, another girl rejects you, Wally. What have you been doing while I was on missions in space,” I looked over at him again, crossing my arms. He gave a bit of a groan.

“It’s not what it looks like, I swear,” He held his hands up.

“You both lost your memories, too,” The girl sighed. She looked back at the cars driving off in the distance. “Come on. I’ll fill you in as we go. Robin and Superboy need our help.”

“Of course. Robin and Super what now?”

“Robin as in Spooky Batman’s Robin? He’s here? Well, he might clear this up then,” I followed after her.

--

We arrived at a GPS location where I saw the familiar Robin of the dynamic duo fighting off soldiers. I ran up, drop kicked one. I pushed myself into a handstand as I kicked another guy square in the chest before landing back on my feet. I ran up and brought another guy down. I was grabbed from behind before I did a headbutt before swiping that guy off onto his back. I breathed heavily, seeing the other guys down around me before dusting off my hands with a smirk.

Awesome.

I heard an explosion and one soldier that was running off got knocked down by having something wrap around his legs. I looked back to see a girl with blonde hair in a big ponytail with a green outfit on. She held a bow in her hands, much to my surprise as she smirked at us and headed down the sand dune she was on.

…I am officially scared. I am in the vicinity of 2 girls now.

I turned to see Robin walk up. “KF! Man, it’s good to see a familiar face,” Robin gave Wally a high-five.

“Hey, Rob. Memory loss,” KF asked.

“Six months! Let’s hogtie these creeps and compare notes,” Robin nodded.

We tied up the soldiers and we stood in front of the caped Martian girl. “So, we’re a team,” Robin asked.

“The five of us and Superboy,” She answered him with a nod.

“Then this must be his,” Robin held up a torn piece of cloth. I saw that it was black with a red ‘S’ on it.

She grabbed it from him. “Yes! Did you see him?”

“I think we did. Did he, um, have an anger problem,” I asked nervously.

“Feral boy? Some teammate. He attacked us,” Wally hummed.

“He didn’t know who we were then.”

“I mean, I don’t know who we are,” The bow girl pointed a thumb at her chest.

“I know that you scare me and, no, I did not do anything to you,” I hid behind Wally.

“What?”

“She has problems with bullies. Not your fault,” He pointed a thumb at me. “It’s okay Eili. She won’t hurt you.”

“Are we sure about that,” I asked with skepticism lacing my voice. “All girls think I’m… weird for being physically fit.”

“I remember Batman ordering radio silence. Our team must work for him,” Robin looked at us.

“How do you know we don’t work for my mentor,” Wally asked. He pressed a button on his chest, changing his uniform back to its normal yellow and red instead of the black and red he had just sported on. “Whoa. This is so cool!” No one else could change their outfits except for him. He kept pressing the button again.

“We look ridiculous,” Bow girl looked at us.

I glared at Wally. “Quit touching yourself,” Bow girl and I snapped. He changed back after looking at me. Bow girl and I both looked at each other.

“…I think we get along,” I hummed.

“Agreed,” She nodded. “But we need our memories back.”

I saw Martian girl’s eyes glow as we entered a cavern of what looked like memory fragments. I took a deep breath. “Okay… not my first time having a Martian in my mind, but I do not like where we’re at,” I mumbled in surprise.

“I brought you into my mind to share what I’ve remembered so far,” I heard Martian girl. A white glowing figure appeared before us. “But I need your help. Together, our broken memories can form a whole if you open your minds to mine.” Martian girl appeared with a hood on as she looked at us.

“You want to paw through our private thoughts,” Bow girl asked.

Martian girl held her hands up. “I have no wish to intrude, but-.”

“You need to hack our minds to grok what happened to us. Got it. Go,” Robin told her.

“My brain’s all yours. Try not to let its brilliance overwhelm you,” Wally spoke to her in a flirty tone.

“Or underwhelm you. Hey, why isn’t anyone ever just whelmed?”

I looked at her. “I trust you to piece my mind together. Just done go back too far. Green Lantern confidentiality and all,” I breathed.

“You’re a Green Lantern,” Bow girl asked me. I held up the dead ring on my finger. “Point taken.”

I looked back at Martian girl. “As it stands, none of us know where we currently are or what we’ve been doing. I preferably haven’t been on Earth in over a month. I’m on Oa, the Green Lantern Corps home world. Just… get me back the 6 months. Please. Don’t go beyond that,” I gave a nervous swallow. I felt something grab my hand. I looked at Wally as he gave me a nod.

“We’ll be okay,” He smiled.

I looked at bow girl. She looked very skeptical. I placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at me before looking forward. “Last six months only. And only what you need,” She expressed firmly. She gave me a nod.

Martian girl nodded. A hand stretched up to my head, causing me to shut my eyes. A flush of memories started to appear in my mind.

“The Watchtower detected an immense power surge in the Bialyan desert. Spectral analysis revealed elements, non-terrestrial in origin,” Batman spoke in front of us as we saw a map layout on a holographic screen. “Find out what happened at that site, what landed there. Bialya is a rogue state ruled by Queen Bee and not a member of the league’s UN Charter.” I saw her appear on screen. “All communications are subject to interception. Maintain radio silence at all times. You’ll land in Kourak on Bialya’s border. Two clicks from the hot zone.”

The memory changed to us exiting what looked like a Martian bioship. I saw Superboy dropping a container down. “The Bialyans control the site,” I heard bow girl telling us.

“Set up here,” A new voice spoke. “Lantern, because you know how a warzone works, you’ll be in charge if it the mission gets too heated. We need a guarantee we can get back to the bioship in case things get too difficult.”

“Okay. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that. I wouldn’t want you guys to get hurt.”

The container that Superboy dropped down opened up to reveal weapons and extra things we may need in case something happens.. “We’ll be up and running in no time,” Robin went over and typed on a keyboard on the side of the container.

“Jackpot! The site’s lousy with zeta beam radiation,” Wally cheered as he stood behind him.

“Detecting non terrestrial trace elements from the tent,” Robin looked over at us.

“I’ll check it out in camouflage mode,” M’gann walked up.

“Good idea. Go,” Aqualad’s voice now told her.

“Careful,” Superboy told her.

“And maintain telepathic contact.” I saw Aqualad appear.

“I will Aqualad.”

I gasped. My eyes shot open to show were still in the middle of the desert. “Aqualad,” We all gasped.

“Where is he? What happened next,” Robin asked.

“I don’t know! That’s the last thing I, we remember,” M’gann looked at us.

I felt something in my hand and saw Wally’s hand. I pulled back on instinct as we both gave a groan. “Oh, we landed 24 hours ago. If Kaldur’s been wandering the desert that long, well, that’s not good for a guy with gills,” Wally stated as he looked at me.

“Now that I know to look for him,” Robin pulled up his wrist computer as I saw a map appear. “He’s close! But he’s not moving.”

“That means he’s stationary. We need to be on guard,” I breathed.

I heard a throat clear. I looked over towards Artemis. “You have a bullying problem for being physically fit,” She asked with an eyebrow raised.

“…You did see me just take out like 4 grown men twice my size… right? That’s not normal,” I mumbled with a nervous grin.

“Well thank god we’re not normal then and we do this for a living,” She smirked. “And between you and me, that was better than what we all just did because you have a dead ring on your finger.” She pointed towards my hand.

“I guess so,” I nodded.

“Well? What do we do,” Robin asked. He faced me. “We need to get out of here fast and you’re experienced with territories such as this.”

I breathed as everyone faced me. “I…” I tapped my chin as I thought for a second. I pursed my lips together. I looked forward. “Alright. We go for Kaldur. When we reach up to him, M’gann ping Superboy.”

We all gave each other a nod and headed for Kaldur’s DPS signal. We found ourselves at a rock formation where Kaldur was on the ground, unconscious. M’gann checked on his condition first, holding his head up as I heard him groan. He spoke another language, which by my guess was Atlantean.

“I can’t restore his memories in this condition,” M’gann looked up at us.

“He needs immediate rehydration. Call the Bio-Ship,” Robin looked at her.

“It’s out of range, but you can get him there fast.” She looked over at Wally.

“He’s too heavy, and I’m too low on fuel. Right now, I couldn’t even carry her,” Wally pointed a thumb at me.

“Thanks, KF,” I replied sarcastically.

“I’m just being honest.”

“Why not just levitate him back,” Artemis asked.

“I can’t. I have to find Superboy,” M’gann set Kaldur down. She stood to look at her. “Six months ago, he didn’t exist. He has no memories, just animal impulse. I’m the only one who can help him.”

“Superboy’s indestructible. Just ask those tanks. It’s Aqualad who needs your help. Like, now,” Wally told her.

M’gann’s shut her eyes as she grabbed her head. “No! Superboy’s in pain,” She yelled. She flew off.

“M’gann wait,” Artemis called.

“We still don’t know what erased our memories! It could happen again,” Robin called after her.

I swallowed. I looked over at Kaldur. I reached down and wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him over my shoulder as I stood. “Where are you going,” Artemis turned to me.

“She’s right. Kaldur’s in distress. If his mind is scrambled and she goes in, it could cause irreparable damage. We need to get Kaldur to the Bio-Ship and get him hydrated. For now, we get to the Bio-Ship and sweep her and Superboy up. We’ll tell Batman when we get everyone together,” I breathed as I moved forward.

“Eileen!”

I snapped my head towards her. “We cannot panic. Not now. Without my ring, I’m practically defenseless. None of us are currently equipped to go after her in this state. Our best bet will be to get the Bio-Ship up and running.” I swallowed. “I said I would get you all back, guaranteed. I don’t want any of you hurt, especially since I can’t do anything better to stop it from happening.” I took a deep breath. “We can get there. We can still finish the mission by reporting all this to Batman.”

She gave a nod. “Alright, but you’re going to strain yourself if you keep him up like that. How can you even carry him like that?”

“You haven’t had a near 350-pound alien try to squish you between his fingers. Trust me. I’m alright. I always do my best to get myself back up.” I looked to Wally and Robin. “Is this clear? We need to make a path for the Bio-Ship.”

“On it,” Robin nodded.

Wally gave me a nod with a grin. “Ride or die, Eili,” He breathed.

Robin smirked. “You know, you’re leader material when you want to be.”

I gave out a small shudder. “No thank you. That kind of responsibility is gross on me,” I muttered. We quickly followed after Robin as he led a path with his GPS. I heard an engine go off. Robin turned off his wrist computer and pointed. “Quick, over there,” He whispered.

We all moved behind the large dune to provide cover as I saw some military vehicles move past us. I placed Kaldur properly on the ground. He gave a groan as he spoke Atlantean again. “Shh. Kaldur, quiet now,” Artemis placed a hand on his head.

I looked over the cover with Robin as we saw patrolling soldiers walking around the area. “We can’t risk a firefight with Aqualad K.O.-ed like this,” Robin looked at me. I gave him a nod.

“It’s not just him. I’m way out of juice,” Wally breathed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“And I’m almost out of arrows,” Artemis looked at her quiver.

I saw Robin was gone. I looked back at Kaldur. “Ugh, I forgot how much I hate it when he does the ninja thing,” Wally looked at me. “By the way, you seriously thought Miss M was my girlfriend? You give me too much credit.” He gave me a smirk.

“I completely forgot how truly annoying you are,” Artemis glared at him.

“Oh, like you’re the goddess of congeniality,” Wally glared at him.

“Focus, please,” I sighed as I felt fatigue hit me. “And if I had to guess, you flirting with every girl in sight does not help you in getting a girlfriend.”

“Hey!”

“No wonder she’s the smart one. She clearly does have the brains,” Artemis motioned towards me.

“Thank you,” I hummed.

“Yeesh. Get a room,” Robin appeared beside us after running off.

“Dude, where were you,” Wally looked at him.

“Breaking radio silence,” Robin smirked. I heard static before hearing Robin’s laugh echo. An explosion occurred. I heard coughing and a scream, causing to pick up Kaldur. “That’s our cue. Move!”

“Go, go,” I rushed. I got up and ran along with him and the others. I saw the Bio-Ship in the distance. I set Kaldur onto a bed and got an IV hooked up into his system.

“How do you know to do that,” Artemis pointed at what I was doing.

“Uh…” I looked at her before looking back forward at Kaldur’s vitals. “I, um, uh, took a class on emergency first aid. I know how to do CPR and stuff.”

“Handy.”

“Y-Yeah… Handy.” I heard a call in my head.

“Hey everyone! I got Superboy. He’s back to normal, and we’re on our way,” M’gann called. I heard a cough as Kaldur sat up.

“Who are you? And how did you get inside my head,” Kaldur looked between Artemis and I. Artemis pushed him back a bit as I did.

“Hello, Megan. Aqualad’s memories! I knew I forgot something.”

“Aw, man. Me, too. I didn’t get a souvenir from the mission,” Wally called.

“Don’t worry. Got the souvenir thing covered.”

Alright. Let’s get ready to leave. The sooner, the better. I’m getting a bit hungry.

“SAME! Honestly,” Wally agreed.

I looked at him in confusion. “Uh, are you okay,” I asked.

“Uh, yeah, totally.”

I sighed. “If you say so. If you’re tired, just take a seat.”

“Aren’t you, you know, tired?”

“I can rest when the mission is done.”

--

We radioed Batman on our way to the cave with Kaldur gaining back his memories. I rubbed the back of my neck as I hunched over my knees, giving a small groan as my stomach growled.

I’m never NOT being over prepared again. It could save my life.

I groaned again. “My dad’s gonna kill me,” I sighed.

“Your dad will be fine if you were gone for a day or two,” Wally looked at me.

“It’s different than a mission in space. I’m on Earth.”

“What’s the worse he can do? Ground you,” Artemis chuckled.

“I’m sure your dad will be glad you’re okay Eileen,” M’gann smiled at me.

I blinked. I looked over at her and Artemis. I groaned. “You two haven’t met my dad, have you,” I asked hesitantly.

“Should I have?”

I gave a small nod. “You’ll, uh, you might see.” I looked forward. I gave a grim face.

…Dad’s gonna freak when he finds out I punched a bunch of soldiers without a ring on. Especially since those guys had guns…

We got to the hanger as the Bio-Ship landed. We got up as I slowly made my way out with the others. We walked into the cave to see some of the mentors standing around. “Kid,” I heard and saw Flash appear in front of us.

“Uh, hey Flash. What’re you all doing here,” Wally asked as he looked behind him to stare at the other mentors.

“You’ve been missing for over 24 hours, Kid. Can’t help but get worried,” Flash shrugged his shoulders.

“You kids really expected for us not to worry,” Green Arrow asked with an eyebrow raised.

Well…

“Eileen Jordan,” I heard a call.

I winced. “Y-Yes,” I asked with a nervous grin. Dad crossed his arms as I saw him and John standing next to each other. “Hey Dad, hey John. Wh-What’s up?”

“Dead ring,” John asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, dead ring.”

“You should’ve been careful,” Dad glared.

“I was! And to be fair… we kinda lost our memories too? Of the last 6 months? Which, if I remember correctly, 6 months ago was March, where you ever so kindly-.”

“Do not repeat that month.”

I gave a dark smirk. “That’s what I thought Daddio.”

“Your dad’s a Green Lantern too,” Artemis asked.

I nodded. “Yeah…?”

“It makes sense how you knew what to do in that situation.”

“…I was once left abandoned on a rogue planet for a few hours. Was really fun when I learned how a plasma rifle works!” I grinned. “And besides… I wasn’t totally defenseless. I knew how to fight before I even got a Lantern ring.”

“Explains also how you took out 4 soldiers on your own without any help.”

“I do my best to make sure I don’t repeat any actions he’s done,” I pointed my thumb over to my dad.

“…Oh my god, she’s making friends,” Dad breathed. He gave a laugh. “And I was told parenting was difficult!”

“Hal, you didn’t even know Eileen was missing until 4 hours ago,” John sighed.

“4 hours ago, I didn’t know her ring was dead! Besides, I have total confidence in her that she will not repeat my mistakes.” I gave Dad a deadpanned look. “Besides! She’s the one who told me to go on this date!”

“Which failed.”

I gave a snort. “I can’t wait to hear about that,” I snickered. I saw M’gann and Conner walking closely from the corner of my eye and gave a smile.

Chemistry~!

Chapter Text

I stood in the cave, staring over at Wally as he was fixing Superboy’s motorcycle. M’gann and Superboy were obviously standing next to each other, much more closer than before. I gave a small smile while Sphere, a giant alien ball from Bialya, came up and rubbed against my arm. I gave Sphere a pat with a grin.

“Torque wrench,” Wally hummed as M’gann floated it towards him. “Thank you, Green Cheeks.” I rolled my eyes as I crossed my arms.

I saw Kaldur walk up to us. “I have been meaning to ask. Any problem juggling schoolwork with your responsibilities here,” He asked as he looked at Superboy and M’gann.

“Nope,” Superboy answered.

“Juggling’s just one of my many talents. Socket wrench,” Wally hummed flirtatiously.

M’gann floated a socket wrench to him. “Daily cheerleading practice has presented a challenge. Oh, but my first loyalty is always to the team. T-This team, not the Bumblebees,” She answered him.

“Artemis starts school today. Do you think she will have trouble maintaining her loyalties,” Kaldur hummed.

“No, she’s a good teammate. She’s awesome on the field, so I’m sure she’ll continue to stick around,” I nodded with a smile.

“Yeah, she’ll manage alright. I mean, how much more hostile and annoying-,” Wally started. An explosion occurred behind us. I prepared to fight only to get water blown at me from behind as I was blown into the bay.

“Guys,” I called only to get shoved into the water.

--

I’ve always been special from other kids my age. When it was bring your parent to school day, I was always the one who was left out. Dads and Moms came to celebrate with their kids and I was the odd one who sat alone, eating a sandwich or whatever was packed for lunch that day. I remember it wasn’t fun to be alone unlike the other kids. Some parents started to talk behind my back too, asking if I was an orphan. Some thought it was cruel and insensitive. Some were mean however, laughing at my quiet child-self that already had low self-esteem issues.

My mother was never one for social outings with me. With my dad in the Air Force, she was all over the place with feeling pressured about being a young mom. Her and my dad weren’t married. In fact, they were in high school when she got pregnant with me.  The day my dad returned from the military, her and my dad got into a fight. It ended with probably one of the worst days in my life imaginable.

“My parents gave me a choice, so I’ll give you the same as well. You either sign away your parental rights and I take Eileen, or I sign away my parental rights, and you take Eileen,” I heard her hum as I heard through the cracked door into the living room.

“June-,” Dad started.

“It’s one or the other, Jordan. You can’t have both.”

“Eileen needs a mom AND a dad.”

“I can finally get married and she CAN have a father. You’re the one who hasn’t bought me a ring or asked me.”

“Maybe because I’m trying hard here for Eileen and you shouldn’t be thinking about that. Don’t you care if Eileen at least has a bed to sleep in?” I heard a sigh. “It’s not easy to do one or the other, you know? Especially since you don’t want to work!”

“It’s clear that you need to answer the question. Eileen can be with me or she can be with you.”

“…” There was another sigh. “June-.”

“I have been offered to be reborn again. I can put Eileen on a good path, a path following God, following faith. She’s a child born out of wedlock. You think people won’t talk about her? They think she’s a bastard! Because she is! For not having parents that are together!!”

I blinked. I had never heard that word unless it was on TV. And it was not really a good word in the first place. “…Take it back.”

There was a silence. “W-What?”

“Take that back. Right now.”

“H-Hal-.”

“I make mistakes. I know, I’m full of them. But you do not get to say that about her. She’s a kid. A little girl! She’s got a bright future ahead of her, ahead of us. If you want to be mad at anything, at anyone, you can be mad at me. But I will not let you be mad at her for something she didn’t do! She didn’t even come into the picture. It was a decision WE made.”

“I couldn’t get an abortion, so that’s why she’s here!!”

“…” There was movement. I hid more into my room. “Fine. I’ll answer your question. I’ll take Eileen. You can go.”

“Hal-.”

“No. You asked for my decision. I’m giving you an out. Since you want this to happen, have a clean slate. You can forget about Eileen and I and live whatever life you want.”

“I-I…”

“I don’t play games when it comes to Eileen. I’ll fight tooth and nail if I have to in order to make sure she’s safe. She’s my daughter. And I will be damned if you try to use her as a bargaining chip to get what you want.”

It was 1^st Grade’s “Bring your Parent to School” day. I was eating lunch in my seat while hearing parents talk around with the other kids. I sat alone at my table. I munched on chips that I grabbed from the cupboard at home. They weren’t bad or anything, but they definitely weren’t something I’d eat regularly. I ate them quietly, staring down at the table in front of me.

I wasn’t the only kid without a parent present, but I was the only one really without any friends, so it wasn’t like I had anyone to talk to. I heard footsteps approach me and a bag was set in front of me. I saw the McDonalds logo and a drink settled in front of me with whipped cream and a cherry on top. I stared for a minute.

“It’s vanilla,” I heard next to me. I blinked in surprise. My eyes shot over to see Dad with a grin. I shot up from my seat and hugged him tightly. “Hey there Lena. I made it.”

I pressed my cheek into his shoulder. “But you said you wouldn’t,” I mumbled.

“Yeah! Well, I had to go to work! And now I’m done! See? And I got you your favorite too. Chicken nuggets and French fries.” He shifted his head over. “You’re the one who found my chips.”

I pulled back and handed them to him. “They don’t taste good.”

“Yeah, because they’re spicy.”

I frowned. “I don’t like spicy.”

“Yeah, because you like sweet.” He chuckled. “You have to eat your food first before you can drink the milkshake.”

My eyes lit up. “Really?!”

“Really, really.”

I learned that day that no matter how far away he was, he never would unintentionally try to hurt me. My dad always wants to be in my corner. He’s never been a bad dad. He’s always tried his best. That’s why when people called me an orphan, I’d say it wasn’t true. I have a dad. Always.

--

I frowned at the melted bindings I had around my body, restraining me from moving any further. I was under the bay, being kept away from seeing what else was going on. Luckily, I had the ring on, so I was covered in an outer layer of shielding. Bad news though, I couldn’t make any constructs, no matter how hard I tried. It was awkward to say the least. I faintly heard muffled explosions above me.

Not good. Not good at all.

I heard a splash and looked over to see Artemis and Robin swimming down. I gave a small grin. “Ah, the calvary’s here. Lovely,” I breathed. “Hey guys!”

Robin pointed at his fist before shooting it forward. I shook my head. “I can’t create any constructs unfortunately, but at least I’m alive… although my battery is running out. I’ve been running around space for the last few weeks that I haven’t had time to charge it.” I gave a weak smile. “No pressure.”

Artemis moved towards me before Robin grabbed her arm. “Trust me, Arty. I believe in you guys. You two shut down those Red Wannabes and you can come get me after. I know you got this!” They each gave me a nod and swam away. “Good luck!” I looked forward and took a deep breath.

They got this., They got this. They got this…

A flash of Wally’s face entered my mind. I blinked. My heart thudded in my chest.

…Why am I thinking about him at a time like this…?

--

It was like I was walking under water. My eyes scanned the surface of the bright twinkling lights that seemed to get darker as I reached the floor. My body felt heavy, like it wanted to give out. It couldn’t give out, no. I can’t give up. Why should I give up? I’m a Green Lantern, aren’t I?

…I never felt like I deserved the ring. I had a fighting spirit. I had a way of throwing punches and taking them without backing down. Why is it that I became a Green Lantern? What is the measure of my willpower? If it were on a scale of 1 to 100, it feels like a 2.

Am I ever the first Green Lantern to question why I have this power? Why willpower? I’ve heard of the other Lantern rings. There’s fear, hope, greed, compassion, love, rage. Why didn’t  I get rage? I could’ve sworn I’ve been angry more times than I can count. Why not greed? I’ve been greedy before. Love? How does love come into the equation? Hope? I’ve had hope… Fear? I’ve been afraid. And I’ve made others afraid… Why will?

“Will power is to be brave, even in the face of fear.” I saw myself standing before me in uniform.

Am I even brave? I’m impulsive sometimes. I can be an airhead too. I’m a lot of things.

“And you are brave. You’re able to fight, even in the fear of something happening. You’re able to persevere, even in your toughest moments. You are a Green Lantern. Through and through. Everyone believes in you.”

…They do, don’t they? Dad, John, Guy. And Guy’s always arrogant, but he knows how to say it where it matters. Everyone on the team believes in me. They believe in me as a Green Lantern. M’gann, Artemis, Kaldur. Superboy, too. Robin and Wally… Wally… Why am I thinking of Wally…? The team…! They need me! They’re fighting those Red Wannabes! They need me to help!

--

I coughed, feeling water exit my lungs as I turned over. I felt air rush into my lungs as the water escaped. I held my chest, getting on my knees as I kept coughing up water. A hand patted my back, causing me to lift my head up to look. “D… Dad…,” I asked quietly.

“Yeah kiddo,” He breathed.

“…Can I get a milkshake?”

“You almost die and you want a milkshake?” I nodded tiredly. He breathed. “You scare me nearly to death and you want a milkshake?”

“Vanilla please.”

“Yeah…” I was pulled into a hug. “You can get that milkshake when I get back.” He groaned. “I don’t need to go, do I?”

“The Guardians requested it from you Hal. Not me,” I saw John shaking his head.

I moved back onto my back. “Go ahead Dad… tell them we Jordans don’t take fights sitting down,” I coughed.

Dad chuckled. “You’re definitely my kid,” He nodded.

--

I stood next to John as I saw the GPS tracker on the Bio-Ship heading away from Happy Harbor. “Not happy being benched,” He asked.

“It’s awful, yeah,” I murmured. “But I understand. I mean, it’s my first time I’ve drowned, but not the first time I got injured. I’ve been shot with lasers before.”

He chuckled. “You sound a bit optimistic there.”

“I have to be.” I smiled.

“Do you want to do something while they’re gone?”

I raised an eyebrow. “I’m not allowed to patrol or do any missions. Batman’s orders. Mentor or no mentor.”

He shook his head. “We’re not patrolling. We’re… sightseeing,” He smiled and headed over to the zeta tubes. He typed on one of the computers. He motioned over. “Come on.”

“Recognize, Green Lantern, 1-4, Green Lantern, B-0-4,” The zeta computer chimed.

We walked through to a back alley and I realized we were in Baltimore. I blinked in surprise. “We’re in Baltimore,” I asked, looking at John in confusion. “Why?”

“You’ll see.” We headed down the street. I saw him powered down into civilian clothes. I rushed to catch up with him.

“Is this a fieldtrip? I haven’t been to once since I was, like, 13.” I gave a frown.

“I guess you can say that.” I saw John Hopkins in the distance. I raised an eyebrow towards John. “What?”

“Are we… visiting Guy?”

“Yep.”

I sighed, crossing my arms. “What good’s that gonna do? He’s been in a coma. I believe in not disturbing those who are at peace.”

We went inside through the front doors, going up the elevator towards Guy’s floor. “I mean, outside you were right, but…”

“But?”

John opened the door. “I think it’s a good talk.”

“Is that you nurse? Can you get me another Jell-O cup? I’m getting hungry here,” I heard. My eyes widened. I rushed inside, seeing Guy sitting up in a hospital gown with shaggier hair than the last time I saw him. He looked up at me and gave a smirk. “Do my eyes deceive me or is that Little Miss Jordan?”

I gave a wide grin. “Guy,” I rushed towards him. I hugged him, pressing my check into his shoulder. “You’re awake!”

“Oof! You’re getting big, Kid,” He hugged back. I pulled back. “And form fitting too. Have you been working out?”

“Yeah! Can’t be a Lantern if I can’t lift any weights,” I snickered. “When’d you wake up?”

“A few weeks ago. Your dad and I thought it was best to keep it under wraps since your mission to Bialya went so well,” John looked at me as he entered.

I pouted. “It’s not my fault we went missing. It was probably Queen Bee’s fault, I dunno,” I crossed my arms. I looked at Guy. “It wasn’t so bad though. I kicked bad guy butt like always.”

“I heard. You’re in some kinda covert ops run by Batman, right? Like seriously, doesn’t he do enough covert for the lot of us,” Guy asked with a chuckle.

I shook my head. “It’s a long story, but it all started when Cadmus caught on fire. Obviously, Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and I went to investigate and-.” John cleared his throat. “And… basically long story short, we’re a covert team now. We have Martain Manhunter’s niece and Green Arrow’s niece with us. Too bad Roy didn’t join though.” I shrugged. “But everyone’s nice to me, so I don’t hate it there! So, don’t worry. I’m all good!”

“Except…,” John muttered, raising an eyebrow at me.

“Except… I nearly drowned yesterday,” I frowned. “It’s not my fault Red Tornado’s siblings got the jump on me. One second I’m watching Wally fix Superboy’s bike and then boom! Explosions! I’m fine though. I was lucky I wasn’t under water too long.”

“That sounds dangerous,” Guy hummed.

“It was, but I had faith in everyone else. Besides, I can’t be put down so easily.” I looked at the ring on my finger. I looked back at Guy with a grin. “I’m a Green Lantern after all!”

“Well, if you’re happy with that, then I can’t complain. So, since John obviously didn’t want you to say it… tell me about this Cadmus story. Gimme all the details.”

“It was so wild! So, a fire broke out at Cadmus, right?! Right, so, you won’t believe what happened next!”

--

I leaned on my hand as I watched the baseball game on TV. “You really are a fan, aren’t ya kid,” Guy hummed behind me.

“I watch sports in my free time. I have a lot of free time,” I shrugged. My mind drifted off elsewhere.

“You know I can tell something’s on your mind, right?” I looked back at him. “And if I know, John knows too. Maybe your dad if you can get around his thick skull.” Guy tapped his fist against his head.

I frowned. “…I guess I kinda do.” I looked back forward. I shifted, moving as I leaned on my other hand, facing Guy. “I have this friend. She told me that something weird happens whenever she thinks about this guy. This guy who’s only been a friend to her, by the way. She says her heart beats fast, her face gets all hot and whatever, and she feels like a jumbled mess. Her words, not mine. Does… she see this guy as more than a friend?”

“Does she think about him all the time?”

“Recently yeah.”

“How recently are we talking about here?”

“…About a month?” I tilted my head with a shrug.

“So, you got feelings for this guy a month ago.”

I huffed. “Not me. My friend!”

“So, you?” I glared. He gave a laugh. “Continue, Kid.”

I sighed. “Well, that’s just the thing. Is it feelings? Or… I dunno what to think. He seems to creep into her mind in so many different ways.”

“Mhm…”

“And it’s weird. He’s always the flirty type. He flirts with other girls, calls them ‘Babe’ and whatever. Maybe she’s overreacting-.”

“Or she’s into him and she’s just trying to deny her feelings.”

“But-.” I looked down. “Is she really? They’ve been friends, best friends, since they practically met. Won’t it feel weird? Different?”

“Not if he feels the same way. It’s just a few changes, but they aren’t bad. It’s happened before.”

“…” I sighed again.

“So, who’s the guy?”

I blinked. “Huh?” I looked at Guy then.

“I know you, Kid. Who’s the guy?” He gave me a smile.

I blinked again. I looked away, staring at his heart monitor before giving a sigh. I sat up straight, clasping my hands together as I shifted my thumbs a bit. “I… think… I think I might be… falling for my best friend,” I mumbled.

“And is that a bad thing?”

“It feels like it, yeah. He flirts a lot, he’s always goofing off, he’s just… cool. He’s the first friend I ever made after Roy… And if I screw that up, what’ll happen then?” I looked at Guy. “I dunno what to do, Guy. And I can’t tell my dad. He’ll blow it out of proportion like always, and… I’ve never had these troubles before. I feel like… I don’t know if I can tell my friends, my teammates, I just…” I swallowed. “I don’t know.”

Guy shifted a bit as he sat up. “Well, Kid, I can tell you that he’s missing out if he’s flirting with all those other girls. I mean look at ya. We Green Lanterns are a good-lookin’ bunch, you know.” I gave him a deadpanned look. He laughed. “What I’m saying is that you just have to be yourself. Understand your feelings and you’ll know.” He winked. “And between you and me, your dad’s better at this stuff. He knows more about dating than I do.”

“Yeah, Dad’s track record with women isn’t the hottest.”

“But it’s better than nothin’.”

I nodded. “Yeah…” I smiled. “Thanks Guy, for listening.”

He smirked. “I’m always here, Kid. Corps members for life.” He held his fist up to me.

I gave him a fist bump in return. “Corps members for life.”

--

Guys words weighed me down as John and I made our way back to the cave. I walked beside him, lost in thought when a hand nudged me. I looked up at him. “Hmm,” I hummed in confusion.

“Thinking hard there,” He asked.

I nodded, looking forward. “Yeah…”

“For what it’s worth, you could talk to your dad about it.”

“…I could, couldn’t I?”

“I think if you come to terms with your feelings, it’ll be easier.” I blinked. I looked back up at John as he smiled. “I overheard your conversation. It’s okay. Guy had some good points.” I sighed. “For what it’s worth, it’s completely normal.”

“Is it really?”

“Yes. People have crushes all the time. And they gain feelings for friends all the time. It’s up to you to interpret your feelings.”

We made it through the zeta tube back to the cave.

“Recognize, Green Lantern, 1-4, Green Lantern, B-0-4,” The computer announced.

I saw the others returned from their mission with a large wolf. I blinked, realizing it was not a normal wolf, but… it looked genetically modified. Before I could get an explanation, the wolf turned to me with a growl.

“Down, Wolf. She’s a friend,” Superboy looked at him.

I smiled. “Ah! Cool! A new friend,” I hummed.

“Hey Eileen! You’re back,” M’gann flew towards me. “Are you cleared for missions?”

I looked up at John. He gave me a nod. I looked back at her. “Yeah, I’m good. I’m a lot better.”

“Thank God. I couldn’t handle this one for much longer,” Artemis groaned as she pointed her thumb over to Wally. She walked up and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad you’re alright though. We were worried.”

I breathed. “I’m seriously good. Just reminds me… never come back here after patrol and not charge my ring again. I learned that the hard way.” I gave a shiver. “I know I’ve had a lot of near-death experiences, but that was cruel. Almost bad as the time I got shot with a laser.”

Artemis blinked in surprise. “You got shot with a laser?”

I gave her a deadpanned look. “It wasn’t my fault. Some newbie alerted this patrol that ended up firing at us.” I motioned towards my shoulders. “Got hit in both shoulders. It wasn’t so bad though! I learned how to paint with my feet!” I grinned.

“May I speak with you, Eileen,” Kaldur walked up as he looked at me.

I looked at him and gave a nod. “Sure,” I hummed.

Kaldur looked back at Robin. “I believe you should also be present in this discussion, Robin, to say, soften the blow.”

Robin gave him a nod. “You missed quite a bit GL. But we’re glad you’re back,” He gave a smile.

“Good to be back,” I nodded to him. I saw the others leave in separate instances. I saw Superboy and M’gann much closer than usual, causing me to smile to myself as I saw Wally speed up to me.

“I’ll be right back. I got a cool story to tell you,” He grinned before speeding off.

My face heated up a bit, but I kept it under control. “Okay, Wally! See you in a bit then,” I called after him. I turned towards Kaldur and Robin as they approached closer to me. “Alright, you have me. What’s up?”

Kaldur explained what happened while he and Roy were on a mission a while ago. They were told by Sportsmaster that there was a mole on a team. At first, Kaldur didn’t tell anyone but Red Tornado, but kept tabs on everyone to make sure if it was true. Now that Red Tornado was gone, Kaldur told Batman, which Superboy overheard and told everyone else. I frowned at this information, but understood Kaldur’s hesitance to say anything. The mole would be a sort-of a breach of trust between teammates. It would’ve pitted us against each other. Sportsmaster would’ve succeeded if everyone on the mission didn’t pull themselves together.

I looked at Kaldur then. “So, what you’re now thinking is that there is no mole,” I asked him.

“Yes,” Kaldur answered.

“But we couldn’t rule anyone out. And with you being in space half the time, we put two and two together, and…,” Robin gave a nod.

I nodded then. “I understand why you didn’t tell us about the mole. In fact, it makes more sense. I wish you had told us, but… in the end, you made the better choice. Next time, however, maybe ease us and not keep it so much of a secret,” I gave a nervous grin. “Hearing about everyone taking a rebellious turn, especially Wally, I’m not equipped to handle it.”

Robin huffed. “Me either.” He turned to Kaldur. “See? I told you. She agrees with me. It was the right call.” I nodded again.

“Thank you, my friend,” Kaldur nodded to him before looking at me. “And thank you for understanding.”

“I follow your lead, Kaldur. It’s the faith I have in you to make the right decisions. I got your back and everyone else’s. Always,” I told him.

--

I walked next to Wally as we were going towards my apartment in Coast City. My heart thudded in my chest. “How’re you feeling,” Wally murmured, looking over at me.

I snapped my brain back to reality once again as I looked at him. “You’ve… been asking me that for the past hour. Are you okay, Wally,” I asked hesitantly, tilting my head. His gaze snapped forward. I frowned. “Wally, if it was about me not being on the mission and finding out about this mole thing, this will happen in the future. I am a Green Lantern, and this has happened before-.”

“It isn’t that.” He looked at me. “I…” He breathed. “It’s… I…” He swallowed. “You were down there for a long time, Eileen. I knew your ring would keep you alive, I knew that, but… You had just came back from patrol the night before, and you rarely charge your ring unless you have to, and this was one of those times where you just didn’t charge it.”

“Wally…”

“…” He looked forward. “When your body floated up and you weren’t moving… I really assumed the worst. I couldn’t think about anything else. Just my-. Just you… not breathing.” He sighed. “Don’t do that again, please.”

I saw how his hand was close to mine as we walked. I went on instinct to reach for it, but pulled it back. I nodded. “I promise,” I smiled at him. “After all, I’m your Star Wars marathon buddy. And your very artistic friend who likes taking photos and drawing and painting. You do know I care about you, right? The feeling’s mutual.”

He looked at me, this time with a softer smile than before. He pulled me into a hug. I stared forward in surprise. “Thanks, Eili.”

I hugged him back, squeezing a bit tighter than normal as my heart raced in my chest. “You’re the only one who calls me that, you know? No one else calls me Eili.”

“Good. It’s mine.” He pulled back and smirked. “Trademarked and signed off on it too.”

I gave a snort, rolling my eyes. “You dork.” I looked forward, fighting the blush on my cheeks as we walked together.

Chapter Text

I walked next to Wally, chewing on some chips I stole from his snack stash. He was a bit irritated, but to be fair, I really wanted a snack, so he let it slide when I said I’d share. John made me do a bunch of drills with Guy to make sure I was in shape for my next mission from the Guardians. He didn’t want me to slack off, though I really wanted to, but was better if I didn’t.

I saw Robin, Artemis, and Kaldur standing next to each other as we entered. I noticed M’gann and Superboy were also standing very close to each other with Wolf not far behind. Shazam and Zatara also seemed to be our den mother for the week too. I approached Artemis with a wave.

“Hey,” I hummed.

“Hey, where’d you get that,” She pointed.

“Wally’s stash.”

“And he let you have it?”

“Reluctantly.” I saw Wally’s hand reach into the chip bag, grabbing one as he popped it in his mouth. Artemis gave a quiet hum.

“So, if Zatara is our babysitter of the week, why is he still here,” Wally pointed over towards Shazam, who I noticed was eating something. “And why is he eating my snacks?”

“Because they’re good snacks,” I chewed on a chip with a hum.

“Recognize Batman. 0-2,” The computer announced. Batman entered, marching straight through.

“Computer, national news,” He ordered. A hologram TV pulled up as we all looked.

“The initial attack was short-lived but Metropolis was only granted a short reprieve. And despite the intervention of Superman and the Justice League, there seems to be no end in sight,” Cat Grant reported while a large plant attacked a few buildings.

“Should we get out there,” Robin asked.

“No. The League will soon have the situation under control. That’s not why I’m here,” Batman faced us. “According to your intel, Sportsmaster supplied Cadmus’ Blockbuster formula to Kobra.”

“Who combined it with Bane’s venom to create Kobra venom,” Wally stated.

“Which the Brain used to create his animal army,” Robin muttered.

“And upgrade Wolf,” Superboy scratched Wolf’s chin.

“The Brain also used inhibitor collars, like the ones at Belle Reve Penitentiary,” M’gann looked at Batman.

“Batman, is it possible that plant thingy’s Kobra venom too,” Artemis asked.

“I had Green Lantern run a spot analysis. Divine cellulose does contain trace amounts of Kobra venom variant,” Batman answered. We saw the DNA strand linked with Kobra venom variant.

“These cannot be coincidences,” Kaldur looked at him.

“Unrelated criminals are cooperating with one another worldwide,” I breathed.

“Exactly. It’s now clear our enemies have formed some kind of Secret Society of Supervillains. The attack on Metropolis is only the beginning,” Batman narrowed his eyes.

“You got that right,” Robin stated. I watched him type on a holographic keyboard as multiple cities popped up. “Plant creatures have sprouted in Gotham City Paris, Star City, Taipei…” The five monitors that showed up turned to static.

“Dude,” Wally looked at him.

“It’s not me. Someone’s cutting into the satellite signal. All satellite signals.”

We all saw the Joker’s face appear. I cringed. He knocked his knuckles against the screen. “Ladies and Gentlemen, we interrupt your regularly scheduled mayhem to bring you this important announcement-.” He pulled out his switchblade. He turned the camera towards a group of Supervillains. “-from the Injustice League.”

“We are responsible for the attacks on your cities. If you wish to save them, a ransom of ten billion American dollars is required. Delivery instructions have been sent to the United Nations. There is no time limit. But the longer your governments wait,” Count Vertigo stated before the camera switched.

“The more we get to have our… jollies,” The Jokers smirked as he laughed into the camera before it turned to static once again.

I saw Batman on his comms. “Roger that, Aquaman,” Batman answered. “The UN will prepare the ransom as a fallback, but it won’t come to that.”

Robin continued typing on the keyboard as he rewound the footage. “Count Vertigo, the Joker, Poison Ivy, Ultra-Humanite, Atomic Skull, Black Adam, Wotan. Seven heavy hitters. Probably behind nearly everything and everyone we’ve faced.”

“There’s your secret society,” Wally muttered.

“Not so secret anymore,” Artemis murmured.

“Why now though,” I asked as I tilted my head. “Wouldn’t it be better just to, you know, stay secret?”

“Perhaps after India, they realized we would deduce the truth and saw no point in hiding any longer,” Kaldur answered.

“Yeah. That was their mistake. Right now, I saw we go kick some plant creature butt,” Wally smirked, punching his fist into his hand.

“The Justice League will handle the plants. I have a different job for this team,” Batman told him.

“Oh, man.” Artemis punched Wally’s arm. “Ow!”

“With the plants attacking so many locations simultaneously, there must be a central control system. Your mission is to destroy it.”

“You realize what you’re really asking them to do,” Zatara walked up to Batman.

“They’re ready.”

“Ready? Ready for what,” Wally asked. Artemis hit Wally’s shoulder again. “Ow! Will you cut that-?”

“Hello, Wally,” Artemis snapped. “If the big guns are fighting plants, who do you think we’ll be fighting?”

“I don’t know. I guess we’ll-.” I shoved the bag of chips into his hand and grabbed his chin. I pointed it towards the screen with all the villains on it. “Ohh…” He chewed on a chip. I took the bag back as I finished up the rest of the chips.

“Well, Batman, I trust that you’re correct,” Zatara told him.

“I trust you can locate the enemy,” Batman hummed.

“Indeed. Wotan’s involvement suggests sorcery is part of how the plants are controlled. Robin, if you would provide the holo-map…” Robin pulled up a holographic map of the world. “I’ll research for signs of concentrated sorcerous activity.” Zatara held his hands up, speaking some kind of magic incantation. We saw a red spot appear on the map. “There. That is where you will find the Injustice League’s central control system.”

“Coordinates locked in. The Louisiana Bayou,” Robin stated.

“We are on our way,” Kaldur nodded. I followed after everyone.

--

We flew fast in the Bio-Ship to Louisiana. I flexed my hand, stretching it out and staring at my ring for a while. We were in stealth armor for better concealment, which was nice. My thoughts went back to my conversations with Guy and John.

“I… think… I think I might be… falling for my best friend.”

“And is that a bad thing?”

I knew in my head it was a bad thing, for multiple reasons. But my heart… In my heart, it felt like it wasn’t. My head and my heart were both fighting for some kind of power role that I seemed to not have control of here. It didn’t help that Wally was sitting right behind me as I sat right up next to Robin.

“What’s in the duffle,” I heard Wally ask.

My eyes darted over to see a duffle bag next to Kaldur. “Plan B,” He answered him.

I heard M’gann give a groan. I looked back at her. “Ugh,” She placed a hand on her head.

“You alright,” Superboy asked.

“Dizzy,” She breathed.

“Martians get airsick,” Robin asked.

“They shouldn’t,” I shook my head.

“She does look a bit greener than usual,” Wally chimed in.

“Not me, her,” M’gann looked down.

“I feel fine,” Artemis hummed, placing a hand on her chest.

“Same here,” I nodded.

“Not her, the Bio-Ship,” M’gann stated. “She’s trying to shield us, but-.”

The Bio-Ship started to spiral. We got ended up getting hit from underneath. I gripped on the chair, holding on for dear life as we spun out of control. I felt us do several flips as we landed on some kind of ground. I gave a small groan. It felt the Bio-Ship get grappled and get pulled into what seemed to be water from how I was looking out the window. I saw a hole appear from the ceiling. Black Adam’s face appeared, much to my surprise.

M’gann gave out another groan. “He’s hurting her,” She called. Superboy jumped up, punching him in the face as he launched away. Water started to sink in.

“No. No way I’m nearly drowning three missions in a row,” Artemis called.

“Everyone, get around me,” I called. I held my fist up as a bubble formed around us.

“M’gann, we need to get out. Open a hatch,” Superboy placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Hello, Megan. Of course,” She smacked her head with her palm. She motioned for me to go down into the water. I floated us down through a hatch and moved us through the bay until we got up onto land. The bubble went back into my ring. We made our way to the tree line as we saw the Bio-Ship get dragged into the bay.

“She’s in shock. She’ll need time to recover,” M’gann murmured.

I felt something hurt my head and fell over. I gripped on it tightly. “Vertigo,” I heard Wally grunt.

“Count Vertigo to you, peasant,” I heard him snap.

Superboy shot up to charge at him. Black Adam appeared to knock Superboy away from him. I lifted my head a bit . I watched a water current push saw the Count away

“Robin, Miss Martian, disappear. We will keep them busy. You two fulfil the mission objective,” Kaldur called over the mind link.

Wolf charged at Black Adam, biting him in the arm as I formed gauntlets with my ring. I went to charge at him as Black Adam threw Wolf in my direction. I was too slow as I got knocked onto the ground with a grunt.

--

I woke up inside a bright orange cage. I gave a small groan, shifting a bit. I heard a slight electric shock, but couldn’t make it out as I tried to gain some kind of consciousness back. I opened my eyes, sitting up as I rubbed my head.

It feels like I got hit by a truck.

I felt myself dropping through the air as I heard some panicked yells. My eyes widened as I activated my ring, flying through the air as I caught Artemis and Wally. I reached for my fist as I saw Kaldur and Superboy get grabbed along with Wolf. I got us all onto the ground, landing in a shallow mud. I breathed heavily as I snapped my gaze up. I saw Ultra-Humanite appear in front of us.

“I hate monkeys,” Superboy grunted before launching at him with Wolf.

I saw Artemis and Kaldur ready to fight Poison Ivy. I turned around and spotted Vertigo in front of me, making me frown as I held my ring up. Wally sped up to Vertigo as I flew ahead, creating armor to block Vertigo’s main attack. I saw Wally slow down before Black Adam hit him out of the way. I gritted my teeth. My armor dissipated as they formed into gauntlets. I punched Black Adam in the face, glaring hard before I heard explosions behind me. I smirked, watching the plaint go up into flames.

Our turn.

I went to attack again only to get hit with lightning. “AHH,” I cried out. I laid on the ground, trying to block some of the voltage. I turned my head, watching Kaldur hold up the Helmet of Fate. “The Helmet of Fate,” Wotan spoke in shock as the lightning stopped. I sat up in surprise.

“No, Aqualad! Don’t,” Wally called as I saw him get punched by Black Adam.

Kaldur put the helmet on before being transformed into Doctor Fate. “Wotan, you are mine,” He floated up. He initiated the fight against Wotan. Wotan got contained as golden chains wrapped around him. I snapped my head forward.

Okay Eileen, time to form your own super weapon.

I held my fist up as a construct formed around me. I sat down in a familiar tight room. I focused on the targeting system and turned the tank’s head. I fired. I heard something land above me. I saw the hatch open. Artemis’s face appeared as she breathed.

“Got room for one more,” She asked.

I nodded. She got in the slot next to me. I pointed over. “This is the targeting system. I move, you aim and fire,” I told her.

“Sounds like a plan.”

I moved around the tree vines around us. Artemis fired at a few before the vines started to grab onto the construct. I grabbed her hand, flying out of the hatch as I saw the construct break. I placed her on the ground as I looked around. I saw Vertigo attacking M’gann when Wally came to trip him up. I snapped my head over to Artemis.

“Launch me,” She called and pointed.

I created a trampoline that she jumped on. She launched herself over, kicking Vertigo in the face as I flew over. Vertigo got hit into Ivy as they both went down. I flew over towards Wally as he hid behind the tree, holding a piece of Vertigo’s cape. I saw him holding onto his arm. I floated down quickly, grabbing the leftover cape from his hand.

“Hey, that’s my souvenir, GL,” He whined with a pout.

I wrapped the cape around his neck, tying a knot before placing his arm in it, creating a makeshift sling. “Don’t you give me that attitude, KF. Someone’s gotta cover your butt like always,” I smirked. I moved back before I felt Wolf knock into me. “OOF!”

“GL,” Wally called. I landed on the ground with a thud, groaning at the weight on top of me.

“Wolf? You okay Buddy,” I murmured. I heard Wolf huff. “Good. We still got work to do.” I helped Wolf up as I gave a small groan again, rubbing my back. Wolf ran over to help Superboy against Ultra-Humanite. I saw Wally appear next to me, giving me a look.

I gave a thumb up. “I’m all good KF. Can’t get rid of me that easily,” I breathed.

He smiled. I saw the Justice League members arrive. I gave out a quiet sigh, relaxing a bit. “It’s over,” Batman grunted.

The Injustice League members held their hands up in surrender as they were surrounded. “There will be another day,” Vertigo muttered.

“Another day? Another day! There won’t be another day! Not for any of us,” Joker yelled out. He held his hands up. I noticed there were weird gloves on his fingers. I saw some plants came up, as mini plants on them exploded and formed a gas.

“Joker venom spires. Don’t breathe,” Batman called as I saw him punch Joker.

I saw Doctor Fate float up. “Fear not,” He called as he formed an ankh symbol. The gas went up into it. “Fate has intervened.”

I gave a sigh of relief. We all gathered around each other while Doctor Fate stood idly. “What were you thinking? How could you let him put on the helmet? Nabu will never release him now. Kaldur will be trapped inside Doctor Fate forever,” Wally looked at us before murmuring softly. I walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder while he looked down. I looked over at Doctor Fate, only to see the helmet lift up, showing Kaldur turn back to himself. I grinned. Wally walked up. “Nabu let you go?”

“He almost did not. But your friend Kent was most helpful. He says hello,” Kaldur hummed.

“We’re done here,” Batman stated. I looked over at him, Captain Marvel, Aquaman and Zatara. “The Supervillain Secret Society has been neutralized. As for your performance… it was satisfactory.” We all looked at each other with smiles.

Chapter Text

I fought against Superboy for the training simulator that Canary had us do. I jumped over his shoulder as he tried to punch me. I wrapped a leg around his neck, giving a hard swing as he got knocked down onto the ground. I stood with a huff, breathing as he was on his back with a groan. He opened his eyes as he smirked at me.

“You gotta teach me that,” He held a hand up.

I grinned, grabbing his hand and pulling him up. “It’s one of my best moves against a bigger opponent. I swear, it’s really advantageous,” I beamed.

“Good work, Everyone. In fact, it’s been a very productive week,” Canary hummed as she walked up.

“Yeah, for everyone except Kid Malingerer,” Artemis gave a pointed look while motioning towards Wally sitting in a recliner drinking the juice Captain Marvel got him.

“Hey, arm broken in combat against the Injustice League here,” He called, waving his casted arm with a huff while Wolf relaxed next to him. I snickered.

“I’ve really enjoyed being your, uh, den mother this week,” Canary looked at us.

“Recognized. Zatara 1-1,” I heard the computer announce. We all saw Zatara walking in. He pulled up a keyboard and typed something in. “Access granted. Zatanna Zatara. A-0-3. Authorization, Zatara, 1-1.” A dark-haired girl with blue eyes entered.

“Zatanna, this is the team,” Zatara motioned over towards us. “Team, my daughter, Zatanna.” The girl rubbed her arm as she looked at us.

M’gann floated down, landing in front of her first. “Hi, I’m-,” She started to speak, only to get interrupted.

“Robin,” Robin enthusiastically chimed in as he appeared in front of her. I blinked in surprise. He cleared his throat. “Ahem. I mean, I’m Robin. Ah, she’s M’gann, uh, and that’s Wally, Eileen, Artemis, Kaldur and Conner.” He motioned towards the rest of us.

…Well, that was unexpected. Oh yeah! Superboy’s name is now Conner Kent. Man, I’m so used to calling him Superboy. That really flew over my head.

“Welcome to the Cave,” Kaldur greeted.

“Uh, thanks,” Zatanna hummed.

I gave a small snicker. “Dude,” Wally hissed as he looked at me.

“He’s pulling a you. Remember? When we first met M’gann,” I motioned over.

“Oh?” He looked at Robin greet Zatanna. “Ohh.” He started to snicker with me.

“So, uh, you-you, are you joining the team,” Robin asked.

“Yeah, let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Zatara budged in. “This is strictly a visit. Though, I am sorry we missed the training. It’s something from with Zatanna could benefit.” Zatara turned towards Canary, standing in front of her.

“Do the rest of you get the impression we’re still on probation with Zatara,” M’gann asked in the mind link.

“Not just Zatara. I mean, why is Marvel still hangin’ around,” Conner asked.

Good question.

“Because we like having him around,” Wally answered.

You like having him around ‘cause he waits on you hand and foot. I rolled my eyes, giving him a pointed look.

Wally looked at me, raising an eyebrow. “And your point is?”

“It almost makes one nostalgic for Red Tornado’s tenure as our supervisor,” Kaldur murmured.

“Yeah, at least he trusted us,” Robin scoffed.

“If you ignore the fact we shouldn’t have trusted him. He was a traitor,” Conner growled. “That machine nearly got all of us killed.”

I gave a small wince, rubbing my chest as I remembered the sudden water intake I had a couple of weeks ago. Wally placed a hand on my back reassuringly. I gave him a smile, even as my heart started to beat fast from the couch.

“Are you guys having a psychic conversation,” Zatanna asked. We looked at her. She gave a small laugh. “Cause I can’t really decide if that’s cool or, uh, really rude.”

“Alright, fine. We were talking about Tornado. It’s been weeks since his attack and the League hasn’t told us anything,” Conner sighed as he turned towards Canary and Zatara.

“The League is searching for Tornado as well as the other androids that invaded the Cave and their creator, T.O. Morrow. Batman’s made tracking them down our highest priority,” Canary looked at us.

“But you’ve found none of the above,” Robin walked up.

“Not yet, but Tornado is Justice League. The team is not to pursue this.”

Zatara walked up. “Why don’t you all take Zatanna on a, uh… a t-tour of the Cave,” He asked quietly as we saw that she was leaning against Wolf. Wolf shot up and ran up to Captain Marvel as I saw him enter with food.

“Uh, you’re giving a tour? Cool,” Captain Marvel scratched Wolf’s head as I noticed Wolf was probably up to eat the food..

“Actually, I was hoping you’d take Wolf outside. He needs the exercise. Uh, we’ll join you in a few,” Conner walked up and told him.

“Sure, sure. I-I can do that. Come on, Wolf.” Captain Marvel ran off with Wolf following behind.

“Uh, what about my nachos,” Wally asked. I grabbed Wally’s collar, pulling him along as we walked away.

We started to walk through cave and I noticed Zatanna changed her outfit from a school uniform to a lavender tank top and khaki-colored pants. “When did you… How did you…,” Robin looked at her in surprise and panic.

“We’re not really taking a tour, are we,” Zatanna asked with a groan.

“No. We’re hunting down that robot,” Conner looked at her before looking at Kaldur.

“Yes, we are,” Kaldur nodded and faced us.

“Oh, wow. Out loud and everything,” Zatanna hummed.

“What about new girl,” Artemis asked hesitantly.

“I’m sure she won’t tell,” Robin shrugged.

“I can’t tell. Not if you kidnap me,” Zatanna smirked at him.

“Oh, she’s gonna fit in great,” Artemis placed her hands on her hips.

“Yeah, I think she is,” I nodded in agreement.

--

We flew in the Bio-Ship over the trees and mountains, soaring through the skies while trying to figure out where Red Tornado could’ve gone. “M’gann, the Bio-Ship wasn’t authorized for departure,” I heard Canary call over coms.

“We’re kidnapping Zatanna, uh, to show her Happy Harbor. Be back soon,” M’gann answered enthusiastically.

“Roger that. Uh, have fun.”

We need to find Tornado. We should think of places to head to. We need a lead.

We flew faster in the skies. “Where are we going,” Robin asked. “Batman is the world’s greatest detective and he searched for Tornado and Morrow in every logical location. If we’re gonna do better, we need an illogical solution. A-A truly dumb idea.” He looked back at Wally as I did.

“As a matter of fact-,” He smirked.

“You are truly an idiot,” I sighed, dragging my hand down my face.

--

We arrived at Belle Reve, entering through the facility. We stood in an interrogation room with Ivo, giving us enough time to ask him questions about Morrow or Tornado. “Warden Strange owed us a favor for stopping last month’s prison break. He’s given us five minutes with you,” M’gann glared at him.

“Spill, Ivo. How do we find T.O. Morrow and his Reds,” Conner snapped.

“Now, why in the world would I know how to find Morrow,” He asked.

“Because and here’s a truly dumb idea, you’re Morrow’s biggest competitor in the evil android game. Who better to keep track of what he’s up to, and where,” Wally walked up and looked at him.

“Ah. I see your point. So let me rephrase. Why in the world would I tell you how to find Morrow?”

“Because you obviously know,” I crossed my arms with a frown.

“Do what you must,” Kaldur walked up, looking at M’gann.

M’gann’s eyes glowed as she looked at Ivo. “Oh, please. As if I’ve never faced a telepath before,” Ivo crossed his arms as he leaned back. Zatanna started speaking an incantation while she leaned against Ivo. “Morrow’s in a secret underground base beneath Yellowstone National Park one hundred meters south of Old Faithful,” Morrow spoke quickly. We all looked at Zatanna in shock. “Wait. What-What just happened?”

That was cool… Scary, but cool.

--

We flew towards Yellowstone fast as the night grew on quick. “Black out all external communication. Soon, Canary and Zatara, Batman too, I imagine will know of our visit with Professor Ivo. We haven’t much time,” Kaldur looked at us.

“Look. I’m trying to be all nonchalant here,” Robin spoke.

“Why? Be as chalant as you like,” Zatanna smiled at him.

Oh, this is entertaining.

“I think we’re all just trying to get a handle on your powers,” Artemis looked at her.

“Hey, I’ve always been a firm believer in cool stuff and what she did was awesome,” I hummed.

“Thank you,” Zatanna smiled at me, which I returned.

“Could you teleport us to Tornado or Morrow to a cell or force his bots to surrender,” Artemis asked her.

“Or create peace on Earth for all time? Zatara couldn’t even do all that, and I’m nowhere near on my dad’s level.” Zatanna held her hands up. “I need to know a spell cold, or else have time to prep it. Plus, all magic requires energy with usually has to come from within. I just can’t make the impossible happen at will.”

“What’s our ETA to Yellowstone? I’m way past ready to stuff Tornado into a trash compactor,” Conner asked impatiently as he glared.

“Are you so certain he betrayed us,” Kaldur asked.

Conner looked back at him. “Aren’t you?”

“I am not convinced. And even so, that makes him but the victim of his creator’s programming. Certainly, he deserves a chance to prove he’s more than the weapon others designed him to be.” Conner turned back forward as he shut his eyes.

I sighed, shutting my eyes. “All good points here… but he’s not wrong,” I opened my eyes to look at them. “Even if so, we still have a right to be upset.”

“Lantern-,” Kaldur spoke.

I shook my head. “I’m not saying you’re wrong Aqualad, believe me.” I sighed again. “It’s really Morrow who should answer for his crimes. And we need to make sure that doesn’t happen to anyone else. We don’t know what Morrow’s planning. This is the chance we need to prove that.” I felt a hand on my leg. I looked up at Wally. I gave a small smile before sighing and looking away.

--

We got to Yellowstone in the thick of the night. The Bio-Ship landed on the ground in a patch of trees as we all stood. “Stealth mode,” Kaldur stated. Artemis, Kaldur, Wally, and M’gann got into their stealth mode outfits. I held my fist up as my unformed transformed into the stealth mode uniform. We all headed outside. I saw Zatanna at the exit.

“I recommend you stay behind,” Kaldur spoke as he approached her.

“Is that an order,” She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

He shook his head. “No. You must do as you see fit.”

“Good.” She spoke an incantation. I saw her outfit change into something similar to Zatara’s.

We ran out quickly towards the location Ivo spoke about. We stopped at a wood line as there was a large clearing in front of us. Robin pulled up his wrist computer. “Ivo was right. Something’s down there,” Robin murmured. Kaldur ran out first, allowing us all to follow after. A large gust of wind blew at us, causing us all to get knocked back. I looked up to see Red Tornado hovering above us. A red tornado flew out into a large one before separating into several that surrounded us. I held my fist up as a shield formed around us.

“Why, Tornado? Why are you doing this,” M’gann called. More red tornados appeared.

“Message received,” M’gann told us in the mind link.

I gritted my teeth as I heard the shield crack. I squeezed my fist as I concentrated more. The shield shattered, causing me to get knocked down onto the ground. I groaned, rubbing my head.

Conner gave a nod. “Who cares why? Nail him,” He called, running forward. Kaldur followed after him.

“Superboy, maneuver seven,” Kaldur yelled. Conner spun to a stop, facing Kaldur as he got ready and launched Kaldur up. Kaldur aimed for Tornado only to get punched, sending him back to Conner. I slowly got up.

Artemis aimed with two bomb arrows as they were sent back. “Look out,” Robin called. They both dodged.

“That does it, Red,” Wally called. “You’re not the only spin doctor around here.” Wally spun around, creating his own tornado. I shook the blurry vision from my head as I floated up. I saw the ground behind Red Tornado say ‘Play dead.’ M’gann appeared behind Tornado and went to punch him. She got flung towards me as we both got knocked into Wally. I groaned, feeling my head rest on the ground.

“Quite a performance, brother, but we both know that’s all it was,” I heard. The ground shook a bit. “I have all your memories, Tornado, plus a next-gen processor. I know your next move before you do.”

The ground shook more. I sat up, rubbing my head with a frown. We all got up.

“Blowing a message into the sand,” I saw a new Red stand before us with Tornado’s message behind him. It broke apart, getting flung at us flung at us. I held up a shield as Kaldur and Conner jumped towards them, breaking them apart. The rocks hit my shield, creating cracks that I forged back with my concentration. I heard tumbles behind me.

“Zatanna,” Robin asked.

“I’m good. The Red Tornado’s getting away,” I heard her say. I saw Red Tornado flying off.

“Is he abandoning us,” Artemis asked as she ran ahead.

“I don’t believe that,” M’gann stated.

“Otherwise, why would he want us to play dead,” I asked and put my shield down.

I saw Wally run up to the new Red. “You stand no chance against me, humans,” The New Red hummed. He punched Wally away from him. I flew up and caught Wally in time, setting him on the ground. I placed a hand on his back to make sure he was alright before looking back at the Red.

“We’re not human,” Conner and M’gann yelled as they went to attack the Red.

“Apologies. I suppose the properly inclusive term is-” I saw them get smashed between two rock hands. “-meatbags.” The ground started to rumble. Wally and I tumbled onto the ground. I heard an explosion. I snapped my head over. The Red stood, still undeterred from our attacks. “Tornado’s memory files and my superior processing speed allow me to anticipate your every move.”

I heard Zatanna speak an incantation, causing the Red above us to grab onto his face to pull something off. “Tornado never knew my moves,” She called with a smirk.

“And I bet you’ve got some good ones,” Robin smugly called. “Whoa. Sorry. That may have come off a little too Wally.”

“Definitely did,” I called over to him.

“Hey,” Wally groaned.

“I don’t mind,” Zatanna chuckled.

I snickered. “Oh my god, I’m calling it now,” I looked at Wally.

“Invested much,” He asked as we got up.

I saw red beams come from the Red’s eyes. The volcano behind him erupted. I took a few hesitant steps back. “Oh my god,” I murmured. Lava started to pour down.

I flew next to Wally as he ran. I went on an opposite side of Wally as we both avoided lava and the ground shifting.

“He’s activating a stage two eruption. It gets to stage three, kiss the hemisphere goodbye,” Wally spoke as he slid on the ground.

“Hit him from all sides,” Kaldur called.

I flew up, forming gauntlets. I flew up to Red. My neck was grabbed immediately as I choked on air. I was thrown down onto the ground. I coughed, rubbing my neck with a frown. I snapped my head over. I launched up again, tossing a bat at the Red’s head as he dodged, grabbing the bat. My eyes widened. He sent it back to me. I dodged, flying up as I aimed my fist for another punch with a larger gauntlet on my ringed hand. My neck got grabbed again. The squeeze was much tighter than before. I struggled to breathe as I saw M’gann get picked up by her cape.

I aimed my fist, punching the Red’s face as he didn’t move. I kicked my feet, trying to at least make a chance for M’gann to escape the intense heat. My vision grew blurry. I saw multiple Wally’s run up towards us from the corner of my eye. I aimed my fist, punching the Red’s face to distract him. He didn’t get deterred as he tossed rocks at the multiple Wally’s,  but they seemed to go up in smoke once hit. I coughed. I aimed for another punch before getting grabbed. I was set down gently with M’gann. I coughed, holding my throat as I tried to regain my regular breathing pattern.

“Why do I always get choked on missions,” I coughed again.

I saw a large water current that hit the Red into the lava behind him.

“Nice hit,” Robin called.

“That hit was not mine. Look,” Kaldur pointed over.

We looked to see the Red from the cave that could control water. He flew up with the water current behind him. He aimed more water at the Red, creating mist that filled the air. The Red tried to get onto another platform before it was destroyed by Red Tornado. The Red fell back into the lava. The Red sat up out of the lava, much to my shock. Fireballs shot down from the sky. The other Red from the cave that controlled fire was attacking him.

“Sister, brothers, stop,” The Red called. The water and fire Reds held the Red under the lava. Red Tornado flew down to push the red into the lava. I wobbly stood, rubbing my neck with widened eyes.

Conner ran forward and grabbed Red Tornado from the lava. He landed in front of us, showing that Red Tornado’s legs were melted off. The volcano continued to erupt. “Tornado, listen, we’re on the verge of a stage three super volcano eruption. There’s no turning back from that. We need to vent pressure, fast. But the ash cloud will bring on a worldwide nuclear winter unless you divert it,” Wally called as he looked at him. Tornado gave a nod. Wally looked at Robin. “Triangulate around the pressure locus.”

“Right,” Robin pulled up his wrist computer. I saw three dots appear. “There, there, and there.”

Artemis shot an arrow that hit three separate points on the volcano. Wally looked at me. “Babe, I’m going to need you to create your biggest fan and redirect all that ash towards Red Tornado. Can you do that?”

I nodded sharply. I shot up into the air before making an incredible distance to the top of the volcano. I held my fist up as I created a 3 large fans in a circle with them surrounding the large ash cloud. I covered my mouth to block the ash from getting into my lungs. The ash blew up into the air in a somewhat organized fashion. Red Tornado flew up into the hemisphere. The ash I blew moved into his much larger tornado, escaping the ash up into space. I saw the ash dissipate and pulled my construct away. I flew down and landed beside Red Tornado.

--

We sat in Morrow’s lab and stood around while Robin fixed Red Tornado’s voice box. “There. That should do it,” Robin breathed.

“Yes. I can speak again,” Red Tornado hummed as his head closed up.

“You were willing to sacrifice yourself to save the planet,” Kaldur hummed.

“The planet would have survived. It is humanity that was saved. Though not by me. My sister and brother were the true heroes this day.” Red Tornado looked at us.

“My point is this… you were never the mole, never a traitor.”

“No, I left to protect you from further attack and to find my creator, Morrow.”

“Cool. Souvenir,” I saw Wally waved a large robot hand. I rolled my eyes.

“Reddy, we can rebuild you. Better than you were before,” Robin walked up to him with a large robot leg.

“I do not believe I should be repaired,” Red Tornado hummed.

“But why,” I frowned.

“Why did you volunteer to become our den mother in the first place,” Conner turned around to face him.

“I was the pragmatic choice. I do not require sleep. I have no secret identity or second life to live.”

“But you do have advanced AI programming designed to learn, adapt, evolve,” Wally pointed out with an enthusiastic smile.

“Hello, Megan. You wanted to become more human,” M’gann looked at Red Tornado.

“And you couldn’t do that with the League. They’re stiffs,” Artemis hummed.

“You’re sure not gonna learn emotion from Batman. Trust me,” Robin snorted.

“Then the cave was not a proving ground only for us, but for you as well,” Kaldur hummed.

“As we were learning, you were learning with us,” I hummed.

“I do not know if these statements are accurate, but perhaps, they are true. And if I understand the term correctly, I believe I have come to… care about you all,” Red Tornado looked at us. “

“See? Practically a meat bag already,” Conner huffed.

“Which reminds me…” Red Tornado looked up.

--

We flew on the Bio-Ship quietly. I stared out the window when I felt a nudge on my arm. I looked over to see Artemis with a smirk.

“What,” I mumbled in confusion.

“…Babe,” She raised an eyebrow.

I blinked again in confusion. “Huh?”

She motioned behind me. I looked to see Wally eating one of his energy bars. “He called you ‘Babe,’ you know? You didn’t catch that?”

I blinked again in surprise. My face heated up as I looked forward. “He did…?”

“Did you really not pay attention?”

“I was too busy trying to breathe to notice, I will be honest here.”

Artemis gave a groan. “You two are so oblivious.”

--

I remember it wasn’t a “Bring your Child to Work” day when I went to Ferris Aircraft Inc. I looked around, staring up at the different planes presented in front of me like I was in a showroom or a zoo.

“So, you fly this,” I asked, pointing up at one.

“Yep! Do you know its name,” Dad hummed as he looked at me.

I blinked. “…A plane?” I tilted my head.

“It’s called a ‘jet,’ Kiddo. Wanna see inside?”

“Jordan,” A voice called. I turned to see a dark-haired woman approach us. She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at us. “You called a day off and now all of a sudden, you’re back to work? Make up your mind.”

Dad gave a grin. “Hey Carol,” He turned, giving me a better look of her.

This woman gave a shocked blink. “…Hal, did you kidnap a kid?”

“No…?” Dad chuckled. “You think I’m capable of that?”

“Daddy, what does kidnap mean,” I looked at him.

“It’s when someone bad takes you away.”

I frowned. “…Like teachers at school?”

“No, you’re supposed to learn at school. Teachers aren’t bad. Think of bad guys like… thieves! And other criminals.”

“Oh, those bad guys.”

“Yeah!”

“That’s dumb. Why can’t they ask for a kid for Christmas? I ask Santa for toys and you write him a letter for me.”

“Not everyone has a Dad, Kiddo.”

I pouted. “That’s sad…” I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed. “I’m glad I have you, Daddy.”

His hand rubbed my back as he shifted. “Sorry, Carol. My daughter’s babysitter canceled, so I’ve been taking her around town. She’s learning about jobs at school and I told her what I did, so here we are.”

“I… didn’t know you had a kid,” The woman hummed hesitantly.

“Yeah! I, uh, made a lot of dumb decisions in high school.”

“You’re not dumb, Daddy,” I beamed. “You’re the best-est and smartest Daddy in the whole world!”

“Thank you Lena.”

“Lena,” The woman asked.

“Her name’s Eileen-.”

I pulled back and turned my head. “My name is Eileen Jordan! But only Daddy can call me Lena. No one else! I’m Eileen,” I grinned.

“Eileen, Daddy was talking.”

I looked at him. “But you said I should greet people because I’m a big girl.”

“I know, but-.”

“Come on Hal, she’s trying to introduce herself. Let her have her moment,” The woman hummed.

Dad frowned as he looked at her. I returned to facing her. “My name is Eileen! My favorite color is blue and I like watching superheroes on TV! What’s your name,” I asked.

The woman gave a smile. “My name is Carol. It’s nice to meet you Eileen. You have such a pretty name.”

I giggled. “Nice to meet you Miss Carol!”

“And she’s polite too. Wow. I didn’t know you could have a cute kid, Hal.”

“My Daddy is the best one in the entire world! He’s awesome,” I squeezed my arms around his neck. “He’s so cool and he’s my hero!”

Carol blinked before giggling. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yeah!”

--

I watched Dad pacing through the living room as he picked up leftover items from around. I shifted in my blanket, giving him a deadpanned expression. “Any reason why you’re interrupting my documentary on the Justice Society,” I asked.

“Busy Lena. Can’t talk right now,” Dad breathed.

I sat up. “I just asked a question.” He put his watch on as he grabbed his phone. “Dad!”

He jumped a bit before facing me. “What?”

“Why are you so jumpy? What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing, nothing. Just, you know, getting ready for a date.”

I blinked. “…” I stared at the shirt he wore as he pulled his bomber jacket on. “Your shirt is freshly washed and so is your jacket… This is an important date.”

“Yeah­-.”

I smirked. “You’re going on a date with Carol.”

He blinked. He slowly turned towards me. “How could you tell?”

“You barely put in effort for any other date, so it was clear from the start. Plus, you care about what Carol thinks of you.” I crossed my arms.

He glared lightly. “How is it you’re always this observant about me?

I shrugged. “I’m your kid. I know you better than other people do.”

He huffed. “Clearly.” He pointed at me. “Don’t do anything crazy while you’re gone.” He headed off.

“So, I should cancel the body sculpture?”

He paused, slowly turning to face me. “Very funny.”

“Come on, Dad. You spring around like a lovey-dovey chicken who’s trying to pull out all the stops when you’re impressing Carol. It’s so you.”

Chapter Text

We stood in the cave as we got an alert from an unknown approaching the atmosphere. We watched from one of the holographic monitors while the Green Lanterns approached.

“Attention. You have entered the boundaries of Earth space. Disengage all weapons and engines. This is your final warning,” John called out to them.

I saw the front-looking gun charge up. It shot out a beam as both Green Lanterns disintegrated from existence. My eyes widened. “Code red. Full offensive deploy.” Another beam shot out as some of the flying outer space heroes of the League flew out. They all seemed to be shot from existence as well. Then the camera went dead. My breath hitched.

Dad… John…

I felt a hand on my back. I looked over to see Wally giving me a sad look, which I realized was already on my face. He rubbed my shoulder before looking forward, just as I did. I decided not to dwell on it. This meant Earth needed to go onto the defensive from these things. An incoming transmission call on the monitor came up. Zatara appeared.

“Tornado, did you-,” He started.

“Yes, Zatara, we saw. Celestial defenses have failed. Initiate all terrestrial measures,” Red Tornado answered.

“Affirmative. See you in the field.” The call ended.

Red Tornado faced us. “I must join the League. We will protect the planet at all costs. But should we fail, the responsibility falls to you.”

“We stand ready,” Kaldur nodded.

Red Tornado exited through the zeta tubes. While we waited, more alerts popped up left and right that more League members fell from the news. “Red Tornado to cave. I fear I am all that remains of the League,” I heard Red Tornado call on comms.

Robin pulled out his wrist computer. “RT,” Robin called out. We saw him disappear from the feed without responding.

“We are Earth’s heroes now,” Kaldur spoke.

“So, what are we waiting for, a theme song,” Conner looked at him.

“A strategy. Earth’s weapons are ineffective. And it has been made tragically clear a direct attack will not succeed.”

“Checking satellite imagery,” Robin typed on his computer as the world map came up. “Here’s where the aliens are now.”

I noticed a mark near the Arctic Circle. “This one get lost,” Conner asked and pointed to it.

“It’s Superman’s Fortress of Solitude!”

“Superman has a Fortress of Solitude?”

“Yeah when I found out, I was also confused,” I mumbled with a frown.

“Its power source must have attracted the aliens’ attention, at least enough to send a scout ship to investigate,” Robin looked at us.

“Must be some fortress,” Conner looked away.

“Conner,” M’gann placed a hand on his arm.

“No, it’s okay. I guess there’s a lot about Superman I’ll never know. Uh, you know, now.”

“We will target this lone ship.”

“Yeah, break it down, build more. Hit those ugly aliens with their own mojo,” Wally called. I nudged his side. “Ow!”

“Martian and Kryptonian in the house,” Artemis hissed.

“Uh,” Wally gave a weak chuckle. “Not that all aliens are automatically ugly.” I shook my head with a sigh.

--

We managed to make it to the Arctic Circle where the Fortress resided. We approached quietly in our arctic gear while I flew over. I saw a part of the ship break off. “Communication’s disabled,” M’gann called over the mind link. The ship fall onto the ground. “Propulsion disabled.”

Artemis shot at the front of it with a residue so that the front pilot wouldn’t see anything. The beam at the top shot out rapidly. “And ETs are sealed inside,” Artemis called.

I flew over and shot a beam at it. Kaldur trapped the ship under some of the ice. Before getting shot at, Wolf ran up and bit at the gun, moving it away from him while Superboy got underneath the gun, holding it up so that it would stop moving. I flew up and held my ring out to scan it. I narrowed my eyes as no results came up.

The ring couldn’t identify its origin. It means this really is an unknown.

I saw Robin land on top of the ship as Wally ran by. Robin pulled up his wrist computer as he pulled up the gun’s structure. “Identifying weapon’s structural stress points and links to the ship,” Robin called as he tried to analyze on his wrist computer. He pointed. “Here, here, and here.”

M’gann and I hit the points on the mark. Conner pulled on the gun off. I heard a charging noise. My eyes snapped over as I saw Wolf jumped up and knock Conner out of the way, disintegrating into nothing.

“Wolf,” M’gann murmured.

Oh… no…

“There was no indication of feedback. I-I’m sorry,” Robin looked at Conner.

“Can’t do anything for him now,” Conner got back onto the ship and pulled the gun off. “Let’s go.” He successfully got the gun off the ship. He jumped up and over onto the Bio-Ship and placed the gun on top. M’gann began to attach it on.

“Rerouting systems to integrate weapon into ship’s bio-matrix. We’ll need to de-camouflage for a few minutes,” M’gann called.

I saw two more ships fly by. “We may not have a few minutes,” Robin pointed out.

“Miss Martian, open fire,” Kaldur called.

“Can’t. Weapon systems are offline to incorporate the new cannon. And that’s not fully integrated yet, either,” M’gann looked at him.

Keep it going. I’m on it!

I flew down and held my fist out. My tank construct formed around me as I got to the targeting system. I aimed at one of the ships, firing as it got shot down. I saw an arrow shoot out and hit the other ship, causing it to slide onto the ground. I got out of my construct.

“Got you covered,” I heard Artemis call. “Get inside! I’m almost there!”

I flew over towards the Bio-Ship and landed on top of it.

“Artemis, behind you,” M’gann called. I looked over and saw Artemis get zapped. “ARTEMIS!!”

My eyes widened. “Artemis,” I yelled, landing on the ground.

Kaldur slid down behind me. “Get inside. All of you,” Kaldur ordered and ran forward.

I watched Kaldur shoot a stream of water towards the fallen ship. The ship shot up into the air as if it was suspended. He created ice shards that pierced into it, making it explode. My hands covered my mouth. “They’re dead, every single alien if it’s the last thing I do,” Wally growled.

Why didn’t I bring up another shield? I thought it was down. Why didn’t I still put up a shield? Why didn’t I fly her over? Why didn’t I-?

All doubts filled my head as we got into the Bio-Ship. I stared forward blankly as my brain started to echo all the things I could’ve done, that I should’ve done, that I didn’t. I heard M’gann quietly sobbing over my shoulder. I heard Wally punching at the table in front of him. “…Eili,” I heard him ask. I blinked. I turned around to face him. His eyes widened.

Why… is he looking at me like that…?

I felt something wet drop down my chin onto my chest. I moved my hand up to my face, feeling the sticky wet substance coat my fingers before realizing what was happening. My breathing felt heavy. I wiped more as my hands continued to get wet. I hunched over, trying to control what breathing I had that, instead, came out as a quiet sob. Arms wrapped around my frame as my head was tucked into a chest. I reached up and gripped a pair of shoulders that kept me in place. I shook my head repeatedly.

Why didn’t I do anything…? Why didn’t I do anything?!

“There will be time to mourn later,” Kaldur stated. I weakly turned my head to see him standing. “Now, we have a job to do. Defend the Earth and ensure Artemis’ sacrifice was not in vain.” I breathed.

“Back to the cave,” M’gann asked.

“The Hall of Justice. The human race must know that there are still heroes defending them. There is still hope.” I pulled back from the comforting hold I was in. I placed a hand on my face, wiping it as I continued to try and calm my breathing from my small sobs.

--

We flew towards the Hall of Justice as I heard tanks and guns aim at the skies. I dropped down with Conner. Conner punched one out of the sky as I flew towards another, forming an axe. I did a spin, slicing up the side of the vehicle before slicing up the gun and watched it fall before exploding. I flew down and landed next to Conner. The soldiers behind us cheered as I looked back at everyone that exited the Bio-Ship.

“See? It is Superman. I told you he wouldn’t leave us out here alone.” “I don’t know. He looks kinda young. Where’s the cape?

“I’m not Superman,” Conner snapped as he turned around.

“I don’t know who you are, son. And right now, I don’t care. You wear the ‘S’ and you got the job done,” The General stood before us.

“I’m not Superman,” Conner murmured.

“Tell that to the enemy.” He turned towards Kaldur and saluted as he walked up. “General Wade Eiling, US Air Force.”

“Aqualad, Justice League. We’ll help you salvage as many of the aliens’ cannons as possible. Then, we start taking back what is ours,” Kaldur told him.

The military stationed themselves in front of the Hall. We went through what was the ruins of the Hall of Justice. I floated around, looking up at the broken statues. “They’re really gone,” Robin murmured.

M’gann floated up and moved towards Manhunter’s broken statue. She rested in front of it with a quiet sob. I looked away, rubbing my arm. I looked back to see her fly up backwards. She moved the statue up. I saw Manhunter appear before us, rubbing his head. “Uncle J’onn,” She grinned. She tossed the statue aside and floated down to hug him before she was stopped by Kaldur.

“M’gann, check his mind,” Kaldur told her. “Make sure he is whom he appears to be.”

“It’s him. He’s real. And he’s alive,” M’gann smiled.

“But we saw you get disintegrated. You and Superman. And everyone,” Conner looked at Manhunter.

“Yes, I remember,” Manhunter spoke. M’gann helped him up. “But… I cannot remember how I survived. Or how I arrived here.”

“Maybe you were density shifting and the beam passed right through you,” M’gann explained.

“Scrambling your brains along the way,” Robin responded enthusiastically.

“My mind is clouded. I feel certain I had something important to tell you,” Manhunter hummed. “

“Hello, Wally! Come on,” Wally stated as Robin and I looked back at him. I carried them back to the Bio-Ship. Robin got a read off of the cannon attached with his wrist computer. “I knew it! Look! It’s giving off zeta beams, the same stuff that powers our zeta tubes. This thing doesn’t disintegrate, it-it teleports.”

Artemis is alive. I gave a gasp and looked at Wally. He grinned at me.

“Maybe, but-,” Robin looked at us.

“No maybes. They’re all alive,” Wally pointed.

They have to be! It wouldn’t make sense. Otherwise, how could Martian Manhunter be here.

I saw more ships flying through the air. We all hit behind the military vehicle next to us. “We’re on our way,” Kaldur called.

“Negative. We can’t win this. Miss Martian, camo the Bio-Ship,” Robin called out.

I saw the Bio-Ship get zapped. My eyes widened. I wrapped everyone around me in a bubble.

We’re falling back! Now!

I flew everyone inside. The General turned towards us. “We’re trapped,” He called.

“Maybe not. We can all zeta to the cave if you grant us computer clearance to access the tubes,” Kaldur said stated as he turned towards Manhunter. We went through the inside of the Hall of Justice.

“I can only authorize one at a time,” I heard Manhunter state.

“Send the soldiers first.”

“Belay that! You seven are assets we cannot afford to lose,” The General called.

Kaldur gave a nod. “Override. Martian Manhunter 0-7,” Manhunter spoke.

“Recognized. Access granted,” The computer responded. “Miss Martian. B-0-6. Robin. B-0-1. Kid Flash. B-0-3.” An explosion went off behind us.

I saw Conner go to help a soldier that got crushed. I grabbed Wally’s arm and tossed him through the portal. I ran forward as a beam shot at us. I shot my fist up and created a large shield. Beams shot through at it, cracking the shield. I did my best to reinforce it, still holding my concentration. The shield intensified as it grew tall. I heard the computer go off more. I saw some of the soldiers get zapped. My feet slid back while a beam kept pressing against my shield. I gritted my teeth.

“They need you more than me! Go,” I heard Kaldur call out. I saw him bring Manhunter towards the zeta tube from the corner of my eye. My shield started cracking more. “Lantern!” My shield broke as the beam zapped at me, causing me to black out.

--

“Lena,” A hum entered my ears. I lifted my head from my book. I turned my head. Dad stood at my bedroom door. “Can we talk?”

I faced him. “About what,” I asked.

“I saw your mom today. She’s visiting her folks here. We crossed paths when I got off work.”

I frowned. “What about her?” I returned to my book.

“She, uh, wants to see you. Talk, catch up, all that.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Because she’s your mother?”

“Just because she has the title doesn’t mean she’s been one to me. The last time I saw her, I was  5. I’m 12 now.” I gave him a deadpanned expression.

He tilted his head. “Want a bribe?”

I sighed. “I really don’t want to talk to her.”

“I know, so I’ll cut you a deal. You talk to her, get her out of our hair, and I’ll buy you any paint supplies you want.”

“…Any I want?” I raised an eyebrow.

He breathed with a nod. “Yeah! C’mon Kiddo. It won’t be so bad.”

I frowned. “Alright, but we’re going to Larry’s shop.”

--

My eyes fluttered open. I woke up with my head pounding. My body felt like it had an out of body experience and I just got shocked back to reality. I sat up a bit from my spot, rubbing my head. “You’re all alive,” I heard M’gann gasp as I looked at her tiredly.

“What happened in there,” I heard Batman ask. My eyes slowly darted over as I saw him and Manhunter. Manhunter held his head.

“The exercise, it all went wrong,” Manhunter breathed.

“Exercise,” Robin asked. I noticed he was drenched in sweat.

“Try to remember,” Batman turned towards us. “What you experienced was a training exercise. Manhunter psychically linked the seven of you within an artificial reality. You all knew this going in. What you didn’t know was that it was a train for failure exercise. No matter what the team accomplished, the scenario was designed to grow worse. Still, you were aware nothing was real, including the deaths of the entire Justice League.”

“That is why you hardly grieved even when Wolf was disintegrated before your eyes. But all that changed when Artemis died,” Manhunter looked at us. My eyes darted over towards Artemis as I remembered what happened. “Though consciously, Miss Martian knew it was not real, her subconscious mind could not make that distinction. She forgot it was only an exercise and her subconscious took control, making all of you forget, too.” I looked over at her.

“Uh, I’m-I’m so sorry,” She looked around at us.

“This isn’t her fault. Why didn’t you stop the exercise,” Conner looked at Manhunter.

“We tried, but M’gann had a death grip on the scenario. Even Artemis, who should have awakened upon her death was so convinced she had passed, she slipped into a coma. I realized I would have to wrest control from Miss Martian’s subconscious from within. But upon entering the reality, I was overwhelmed by your collective emotion. There was too much… noise to think clearly, to remember why I was there. The deaths of Aqualad, Green Lantern, and Superboy helped. But only when the mothership exploded and Robin and Kid Flash were silenced did my mind clear enough to remember my true purpose, to shock M’gann out of the exercise before your comas became permanent. My apologies. I had no idea a training exercise could be so dangerous… so damaging.”

I saw M’gann looking away from us with her head hung low. Captain Marvel went towards her and pulled her into a hug. I heard her quietly sobbing. “As bad as all that,” Batman asked.

“Perhaps worse.”

“Yet, this is not what troubles you,” Red Tornado hummed.

“Make no mistake. My niece is untrained and cannot be held responsible for this… for our debacle.”

“No one blames her. But clearly, we underestimated her abilities,” Batman stated.

“You understate it. In terms of raw power, she has the strongest telepathic mind I have ever encountered. Stronger by far than mine.”

Chapter Text

My body felt heavy. I rested in bed as the sun was starting to rise when I heard footsteps enter. A knock came to the door. “Kiddo,” I heard an ask. I shifted. The door opened. “Bats told me what happened.” Footsteps went across my room. Dad sat on my bed. “I almost swiftly kicked him where it hurt, but John restrained me because I should know you better.” Dad shifted. “…You can talk to me Kiddo. I won’t judge. Or be upset. Or anything.”

I swallowed. “…I didn’t shield her,” I mumbled. “I didn’t shield Artemis when she died. I didn’t think to shield her at all. I didn’t think to fly her over to the Bio-Ship. I didn’t think anything. I thought she was fine.”

“…” Dad shifted again. “Sometimes, you can’t save everyone. No matter how hard you try. There are many different decisions that lead to many different effects. Whether you shield or not shield doesn’t matter.”

“But-.”

“As a Green Lantern of this sector, you are supposed to make sure no harm comes to the planets and their people. I know.” I frowned. “This job is heavy. And it can be a burden. The only thing I really think of is remembering that we all do our best with the job we’re given. And we learn to never repeat the same mistake twice.” I blinked. “Now, I know my words won’t really help, but… you can always draw to express your feelings.” I sat up, turning to look at him. He gave me a smile. “I know you. And as the people say, a picture speaks a thousand words.”

“…Thanks Dad.”

He nodded. “I’m always here Kiddo. Whenever you need me.”

--

The mood of the cave felt somber. I sat on the couch with Robin sitting on the opposite end. M’gann was cooking in the kitchen. Everyone else was littered about. Wally was at the counter. Artemis was in the chair over. Conner was called in first, but then left much more upset than before. Artemis had her turn, and Kaldur had gone in after her. I heard the door open, seeing Kaldur walk out. Black Canary stood at the door.

“Eileen,” She hummed. I got up slowly, moving over to sit in the small room in a lone green chair while a waterfall fell to the side of us. I sat down, staring down at the ground as I tried to put my thoughts into order. “Eileen.” I looked at Canary. “I know you were the next person to go. You wanted to make sure your friends got out safely. As a Green Lantern, you wanted to ensure that the people were protected and you thought giving your life would guarantee that-.”

“It’s what I was trained to do,” I sighed. “I’m trained in these decisions and complex scenarios that this… It shouldn’t… I shouldn’t… Especially after…”

“Artemis’s death?” I shut my eyes. “I know it heavily impacted you. Eileen, you had a panic attack. That happens, and it’s okay. You may feel embarrassed, but even the best of us have our moments.”

I opened my eyes. I looked at her. “I learned from day one, the minute I entered bootcamp two years ago, that everyone goes. People die in combat and lose their rings to find the next possible candidate to be in the corps. I’ve seen it. But… that’s space. That’s where alien technology, much more advanced than Earth, does more harm than anything I’ve seen here. But that’s it. That’s all… All of it is in space, where the Green Lantern Corps takes care of it. The Corps is not a military force on Earth. It’s many planets away, protecting the entire universe and its many sectors. I knew when I entered bootcamp, there is a distinct difference in being there and being here.”

“That is true. But you never thought it would be brought here.”

I nodded. “Call me naïve, but coming back to Earth between missions is such a relief. I’m not fighting intergalactic criminals or stopping a planet from reaching extinction here. I’m not stopping arms dealers that make Earth’s weapons look like chew toys. I’m fighting people on Earth, with Earth problems and Earth solutions. Sure, people here are unique, we have Atlanteans, superpowered humans, Martians, Kryptonians, even normal people with no super powers but brains unlike any other, fighting a good fight.” I motioned towards the ring on my hand. “I’m one of them. But being in space and being on Earth, they are not the same.”

“And you try to keep it that way.”

I nodded. “…I never fit in anywhere I went.” I breathed. “I caused a lot of fights, broken limbs, broken faces, and broke pride. I tried so hard to fit in, but everywhere I went, I was ridiculed. I was an easy target. My dad is a single parent. He does his best, but he can’t shield me at school when people make fun of me for having a single dad. ‘Did your mom die?’ ‘Did she run away from home because she had you?’ ‘Did you chase her away?’ In the reality of it, I haven’t told many people that my mom gave up her rights to me when I was 5 and because of that, my life spiraled.

I looked away. “I haven’t even told the team I don’t go to school. I haven’t told them that I have my GED and that I don’t do anything all day. I got special permission from the state of California to take the test and I passed with flying colors. I haven’t told them anything because… I feel like I belong here. For the first time ever, even when I met Roy all those years ago… I have friends. I’ve never made friends before… So, when Artemis died… I never thought…”

“That what happens in space can happen here too. It can. And that is something, as you said, we all have to accept.”

I nodded. “…For once in my life, I feel like I truly belong here. And I don’t want that taken away.”

“And that’s okay. It’s hard to admit that you don’t want things to happen to your friends, your family. In some eyes, it’s selfish. But if we aren’t selfish, we aren’t really human, are we? I already know from how your dad is and John too. You are allowed to make sure your friends are protected. Sometimes, it may not always happen, but it is never your fault. You go by your training and that’s what makes you who you are. You were chosen by that ring with the decision you have made and the way you are. If you aren’t how you are, you wouldn’t be chosen now, would you?”

“…That… is true…”

--

Music blared in my ears while I continued to draw my main piece. A skull had a snake coming through its mouth as the tail was poking out of its eye sockets. The Pretender by Foo Fighters was playing loudly. I finished the outline of the sketch and went to look at my paint collection. A knock came to my door.

“Yes,” I asked.

Dad opened the door with a smirk and an eyebrow raised. “So, what’re you doing,” He asked.

“…About to start painting?” I motioned towards my paints that I pulled out.

He snickered. “You got a visitor.”

“What’s so funny about it?”

“I got a date to go on. And I’m not going to be home tonight. Do me a favor. Don’t do anything I would do. And do NOT make a huge mess.”

I nodded. “Okay…? You still haven’t told me what’s so funny.”

“Why don’t you go see?”

I got up and headed out. I went into the living room to see Wally sitting there. He gave me a grin. “Hey Eili,” He waved. I saw the stack of DVDs in front of him. “It’s been a while since we’ve binged them, don’t you think?” I blinked at the DVDs again and then looked back at him.

I heard Dad laughing behind me. “It’s even funnier when you didn’t realize he was here,” He appeared next to me. “He spent 10 minutes at the door convincing me to let him stay the night here. As long as he doesn’t eat through the fridge again, it’s fine. Don’t do anything crazy and have fun.” He headed out.

“You are awful,” I huffed.

“I know!” He shut the door and locked it.

I glared. I placed my hands on my hips, turning towards Wally. “…You could’ve called.”

“But it’s fun when you don’t know the plans Eili,” He hummed.

I gave a hum. “I’m starting off on a painting, Walls.” I frowned.

“I got enough money for pizza extravaganza AND I already told my parents. They gave me the a-okay.” He pouted. “C’mon. It’s been forever since we hung out. Please?” He gave me puppy-dog eyes.

I sighed. “It has been a while…” I nodded. “And I can hold off painting until tomorrow.” He grinned. “Alright.” I turned around. “I’m going to change into my pajamas since you already had the liberty of making yourself at home.” I headed towards my room.

“Bring your sketchbook too! I wanna see what you’ve come up with!”

I shut the door to my room and felt my heart beating in my chest. I took a deep breath, changing into my pajamas since I went out today. I grabbed my sketchbook, making it back to the living room where I sat on the opposite end of the couch from Wally. I held my sketchbook out to him. “Here you go. Hopefully you find it good.”

“It’s always great! I liked last time when you drew Rob and Bats fighting a man-bat.”

“It was an article, remember? I just… came up with my own interpretation.” I smirked.

He flipped it open and started to go through it. His eyes scanned each page. “You drew everyone?”

“Yeah! Zatanna’s even there too. Though she’s recent, but I gave her a drawing the last time we talked. She’s cool.”

He pointed over. “I like this drawing here.” I leaned over to see him pointing towards the drawing of him, I, and Robin where I was flying above the two as we looked like we were heading into battle.

“Yeah, it was a fun draw.” I pointed towards Artemis’s shots. “This actually is one I’m impressed with. It looks like she’s actually about to shoot off the page!” I went into the closet and grabbed a blanket, pulling it over my lap as I sat down. He tugged on it, getting under the covers as well. “Hey, don’t let all the cold air in.”

“It’s cold in Central. Compared to here, we’re in paradise.”

“It’s 68 degrees outside. I’m cold.” I looked at the TV. “Now what movie did you put in?”

“Obviously Episode 4. Gotta start off in release order.”

“You better. It’s the way to be watched in some ways. It feels natural. Like a progression of film from beginning to end.” I gave a chef’s kiss. “It’s magnifique.”

He chuckled. “Yeah… Sure is.”

--

I felt something warm on my side. My neck was a bit cramped, but that isn’t new. I’ve slept at my desk before. Despite the ache, I didn’t move at all. Not until what I was sleeping on moved as well. My eyes fluttered open slowly, blinking a few times for good measure. I saw Episode 6 was on its menu screen. I shifted a bit, feeling a hand hold onto my shoulder drop. I turned my head up see Wally’s face close to mine as he was sleeping. My eyes widened. My heart started to beat fast in my chest.

Why is he close? Why is he close? Why is he super close? Why is he close to me?! Did he fall asleep on me?! Wait, he was still talking when I was getting tired! OH MY GOD, DID I FALL ASLEEP ON HIM?! HOW STUPID CAN I BE?! I FELL ASLEEP WHILE WE WERE WATCHING A MOVIE!!

Wally shifted before giving a yawn. I saw him stretch, causing me to move away and get up to go to the kitchen. “Hmm? Did we finish,” I heard Wally mumble. I gave a snort at his tired voice. It sounded pretty adorable… and a bit hot.

Why is his voice so deep?

I snapped out of it. “Uh, we didn’t. We must’ve fallen asleep if it’s still on the menu,” I looked at him. I checked the time. “It’s 10 am. Want breakfast?” I grabbed a pan.

“Of course! You read my mind.” He winked.

I looked away as I grabbed some eggs, ignoring the heat coming to my face. “I can make some pancakes. I’ve been expanding my repertoire in cooking.”

“Please, please, please, tell me you can make fluffy pancakes.”

“I can do my best, Wally.”

Chapter Text

“Recognize, Green Lantern, B-0-4,” The computer announced. I walked into the cave with a little more pep in my step than normal. A grin stretched across my lips.

“Come on Eileen,” I heard a call.

“That’s cheesy. Even for you,” I heard a snort.

“It’s our thing!”

“I think it’s cute,” I heard a new voice chime in.

I raced forward before grinning. “Hey everyone, I’m here,” I waved.

“Whoa! You look great, Eileen,” I saw Zatanna in a witch’s costume. Artemis was standing next to her in a vampire costume.

They both walked up to me. “A baseball player though? Your Dad let you out like that,” Artemis asked, looking at my outfit. It was a short tank top with a Coast City Angels jersey over it. It was unbuttoned, followed by short shorts and half-high socks and tennis shoes. There was also the Coast City Angels hat that I’ve owned for forever that fit the entire costume. She smirked and crossed her arms. “Or are you trying to impress someone?”

My face got warm. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about! And yeah, my dad let me walk out in this. He’s on Watchtower duty,” I puffed my cheeks.

“Watchtower duty? Your Dad’s in the Justice League too,” Zatanna asked.

I nodded. “Yep. Green Lantern. Brown hair, flirty attitude sometimes. That’s my dad.”

“Whoa, runs in the family?”

“Yep! Though he didn’t expect it.”

“Seriously though, with how protective your dad is, you think he’d let you go out like that,” Artemis pointed at my outfit.

I nodded. “Yeah! I don’t go out often, so when I said I was going to M’gann’s and Conner’s high school Halloween party, he jumped at the chance and told me to go. I think he might have a date and he was pushing me to be out of the apartment for a few hours. Probably to have fun before going to the Watchtower.” My grin widened. “Plus, I get free food out of it! Who do I need to impress to get more food?”

“Your boyfriend, obviously,” Zatanna hummed.

I blinked. “What boyfriend?”

She stared for a minute. “Is this a joke?”

“No,” Artemis shook her head.

“But-.”

“But what? I’ve never had a boyfriend… nor a boy interested in me for that matter,” I gave a nervous smile as a nervous chuckle followed.

“So, if I were to tell you, right now, that a boy is interested in you, you wouldn’t believe it?”

“Why would a guy be interested in me? I’m a tomboy. I’m also not that good looking. Besides, who would look in my direction-.”

Artemis grabbed my chin and directed my head over towards Wally, M’gann, and Conner. Wally was looking over in our direction before snapping his gaze away. I looked back at Artemis and Zatanna. “…You do realize you BOTH are standing here, right?” I crossed my arms.

“Ugh,” Artemis groaned, dragging a hand down her face.

“I see what you mean,” Zatanna hummed. She patted my arm. “You’ll see it eventually.”

“See what,” I asked in confusion.

“See that-.”

I felt a gust of wind approach as Wally appeared next to me.  “WHAT are you wearing,” He asked.

“I’m a baseball player,” I placed my hands on my hips. “Do I look good or what?”

He swallowed. “Y-You look-.” He coughed. “Doesn’t matter. So, because you’re here that means…?”

“Yep!” I reached into the back pocket of my shorts and pulled out two tickets. “Halloween Horror Movie Marathon Extravaganza in Coast City’s prized AMC theater.” I tilted my head with a frown. “But seriously, you don’t have to pay for the food. I can split-.”

“NO!” I jumped a bit at the volume of his voice. “I mean, you PAID for the tickets.” He gave a weak laugh. “It’s the least I can do. C’mon! Look at M’gann’s costume. It looks so rad.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me along.

“W-Wally,” I squeaked. He pulled me over towards her and Conner.

“Eileen! You’re finally here,” M’gann straightened her posture. I saw her skin was white as looked like a zombie bride.

“M’gann, you look so sick! That’s cool,” I grinned at her.

“And you’re… a baseball player?”

I nodded. “Yep! I pulled out all the stops tonight. I’m going to ROCK this!”

--

We arrived at Happy Harbor High and walked into a bustling Halloween party. I contained my excitement at my first ever high school party as we walked in. “Too bad the rest of the team couldn’t make it,” M’gann hummed as she walked ahead of us.

“You got to be kidding,” Conner sighed.

“What is it,” I asked before looking head. I gave a deadpanned expression. Lots of hero and villain costumes filled the gym. “I forget sometimes that because it’s our reality, we’re used to it, so this doesn’t feel like a costume party.”

I heard someone call M’gann’s Earth name. A girl in a Black Canary costume walked up and held her hands with a grin. “You look amazing,” She grinned at M’gann.

A girl in a bumblebee costume gawked at her work. “Who did your makeup girl,” She asked, causing M’gann to blush bashfully.

There was a tall guy who wore a cooler version of Superman’s outfit, fit with a leather jacket. “Burn victim,” He asked Conner.

“Mummy. You,” Conner asked.

“Superman, done right.” The guy motioned towards himself.

“Yeah, good luck with that.”

M’gann turned to Wally and I. “Wally, Eileen, this is Wendy, Karen, Mal, and…,” She introduced them in order of the girl as Black Canary, the girl as the bumblebee, and the guy dressed as cool Superman. “Ignore Marvin.” She motioned towards the dude who looked like an off-brand Batman on his phone.

“He thinks we’re being invaded by Martians,” Wendy rolled her eyes as he crossed her arms.

“I never said that,” Marvin rebutted as he briefly looked at her. “It’s just, reports are all over the interwebs and I’m not the only one getting them.” I heard phones beeping around the gym. “I mean, Martians aren’t invading. It’s just a prank gone viral. Right?”

“Of course, it’s a prank. Ever hear of Martian Manhunter? Martians aren’t hostile.”,” We heard, seeing one of the teachers with an eyepatch on.

“Of course, not,” M’gann gave a nervous smile.

“Yeah, besides, I think Martians are cool,” I hummed and looked at her. “So, nothing to fear. I bet they’re pretty friendly.” I smiled brightly.

“I second that,” Wally smiled, standing next to me.

My eyes darted over towards the snack table. I gave a gasp. “Wally! Wally,” I shook his arm. “They have a chocolate fountain!” My mouth started to water. “I’m so excited!”

“Yeah, but I think my energy bars are totally better. Imagine that dipped in chocolate. In fact, I could go for one right-.” I pulled open my jersey where I had a hidden pocket inside. I pulled out an energy bar and held it out to him. “-now.” He slowly took it and stared at it. He looked back at me. “I love you.”

I blinked twice, tilting my head. “What?”

“I love YOUR intuitive thinking.” He gave a nervous laugh. “You always read my mind. Get it? Hehe.”

I hummed. “Yeah, you’re my best friend! Duh! Who else is gonna keep up with you?” I moved away. “Now! To get me chocolate marshmallows!”

--

I chewed happily on my chocolate covered marshmallows when the lights shut off. I gave a pout as I heard complaining around us. Faint red lights turned on. From what I know, that’s probably the backup generator.

“Everybody calm down. Probably just a blown fuse,” I heard a teacher call out.

I heard phones going off again. “Says here Martians have taken New Haven and Providence,” Mal hummed.

“Spotted in Happy Harbor too,” Wendy hummed. I tilted my head. I looked at Wally, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. He shrugged.

“Guys, guys. It’s a Halloween cliché,” The teacher from before appeared again.

“Meaning it happens a lot,” Karen asked with a frown.

I heard the loud speaker go off. I looked over. “Attention, homeland security advises everyone to stay inside the gymnasium. This is not meant as confirmation of alien invasion,” I heard a voice call.

“I knew it. I knew it!” “Come on! Come on!” “I told you. I told you!” “Bring them on, bring them on.” I saw Wendy, Mal, and Karen yell. They walked away from us.

“We should call the cave,” M’gann spoke in the mind link, looking over at us.

“Wait,” Conner held a hand up. He walked up a bit and looked.

“For your own safety, remain inside,” I heard the loudspeakers again. Conner turned towards us with a smirk. I shot a skeptical look to M’gann and Wally before looking forward. We followed Conner as he gave us a plan, making me grin at the Halloween prank we were about to give Marvin.

We came up with a plan and went outside. I got my ring ready and created a glowing aura behind M’gann. I hid behind one of the cars.

“The Martians are coming! The Martians are coming,” I heard Wally yell out.

“Look out! They have disintegration rays,” I heard Conner yell. A gust of wind was heard as I made my glow a little brighter for M’gann to come out. I covered my mouth as I snickered. I heard a loud roar. “Run Marvin! I’ll hold it off!” I heard a loud scream and got up, seeing Marvin run inside. I walked up with Wally and M’gann as we stared at Conner. “C’mon. We do NOT wanna miss this.” I cackled as we headed inside.

--

The party returned as normal, with everyone dancing, chatting, and overall enjoying themselves. I talked with M’gann and Conner as Wally went to get a drink from the snack table. I was recalling a story with them about how I was stranded on a planet with white sand that when it was moved, the ground turned red, which was pretty cool in my opinion.

“Are you new around here? I haven’t seen you before,” I heard behind me. I tilted my head, seeing a guy in a very bad Flash costume.

“Uh… What,” I turned around in confusion.

“Lie,” M’gann said in the mind link.

He’s talking to me?!

“Oh, uh, I’m just visiting my friends here,” I gave a fake grin. I motioned towards M’gann and Conner. “They invited me out and how could I say no? I love hanging out with them.”

What do I do?!

“Really? Want someone to show you around? Visit some local spots,” He asked with a flirtatious smirk and wink.

…Excuse me, what?

“She’s good,” Conner answered, much to my relief.

The guy turned towards him, raising an eyebrow. “Uh, I asked her?” He pointed his thumb over to me. “I think she can speak for herself, Pal.”

My face went blank. Conner glared. “She was talking to us.” M’gann placed a hand on his arm.

“Again, I think she can speak for herself.”

“I’m good. Thank you,” I spoke. “I’m hanging out with my friends. Like I said.” My tone was sharp. I saw M’gann’s and Conner’s surprised faces from the corner of my eye, but I opted to ignore it. I know they haven’t heard me talk like this before, but I haven’t spoken like this in a while.

“Oh? Really,” The guy faced me then.

“Yeah. I’m good. Thanks.” I gave him a deadpanned gaze.

“Eileen,” M’gann asked hesitantly.

“Are you sure? I can show you a good time-.” He leaned towards me.

“Whoa! Babe! There you are,” I heard as a bit of gust blew next to me. I blinked as an arm wrapped around my shoulders, tucking me into a side as a drink was placed in my hand. “I got your drink for ya.” I blinked. I looked to see Wally grin at me before looking forward. “Thanks for keeping her company Megan, Conner. You know how she gets when I’m not around.” He looked at the bat costumed Flash in front of us. “And… you are?” My heart was beating hard in my chest as my face heated up. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

Wally…

“Trust me,” He smirked.

“Uh, who’re you,” The guy glared at Wally.

“Uh, clearly you should know.” Wally rolled his eyes with a chuckle. He looked at me. “Does he not know? How can he not?” He looked back at him. “I’m her boyfriend. Hi, have we met?”

“Uh-oh,” I heard Conner mutter.

“Wally,” M’gann chastised.

My face heated up more at the mention. “Boyfriend,” The guy asked in confusion.

“Yeah! You know, the guy she’s dating? You did ask her, didn’t you? You were getting pretty close to her. That vicinity is only reserved for me, you see. She likes her personal space. She only grants that permission with special people. Like me.”

The guy scoffed. “Whatever man.” He walked away from us.

Wally let out a sigh of relief. He pulled away as he looked at me. “Are you okay?” I looked at him before handing him his drink. “Eili.”

“I’m good,” I nodded, looking away from him.

“Eileen,” M’gann asked.

I cleared my throat. “Sorry,” I rubbed my arm hesitantly. “My people skills are not the best.”

“I get it. I mean, I was getting mad at the guy myself,” Conner scoffed.

“But you’ve never talked like that before. It was… cold,” M’gann murmured.

I swallowed. “Yeah… I’m sorry,” I murmured.

“You don’t have to apologize! It’s okay.”

I haven’t spoken like that since I became friends with Wally a few years ago.

I caught Wally’s gaze with my eyes. “Yeah, I haven’t heard that voice in a while. Are you sure you’re okay,” He asked.

I nodded. Yeah, I’m used to it. Just, people being disrespectful.

“You deal with that at school every day,” M’gann asked quietly. She grabbed my hands. “I’m so sorry, Eileen.”

I slowly pulled my hands away. I didn’t look at her, or any of them at that matter. I swallowed. …No… Not every day… Because I don’t go to school, actually. I’m a high school dropout.

“Wait, are you serious,” Wally asked in shock.

…I got my GED a year ago. The State of California granted me special permission to take the exam because due to the bullying and behavioral issues at my previous schools, they thought it was better for me since I was doing my own kind of education… I passed with flying colors, if you were wondering…

“So, all this time, when you’ve said you got homework to do, or you’re doing something for school, you’re really-?”

At home. Doing nothing. Painting. Drawing. Learning how to pay bills, cook, do laundry, taxes. Anything really mundane about life… I learned a few languages. I train, go to the gym, a lot of stuff… I just didn’t want you guys to find out…

“Why,” M’gann murmured.

…Because I’m ashamed of it. I mean, I’ve never had friends before I met Speed- Red Arrow and Wally. No one wanted to be my friend. I was bullied a lot for it too. Who wants to be friend with a girl who’s dad is a single parent? Or the fact that her mom abandoned her and only wants to see her when it benefits her? I squeezed my arm. The mom who has a whole new family and abandoned her. I got made fun of a lot for that. And… I never fit in anywhere. I thought if I told you guys that, it’d be a warning sign. I shamefully looked at Wally. The day we met… that wasn’t the first fight I’d been in. Let alone the first fight I’d been in that year. I… You’ve heard what I’m capable of. It’s not a joke. You’ve seen it too. I just… I looked away. I didn’t want anyone to be mad at me.

A hand grabbed my own. I looked over. I looked up as Wally squeezed it. “You’re my best friend. Who cares about all that stuff? We know the real YOU. The Green Lantern that defends her friends at any costs.”

“The one who always gives good advice too, whenever one of us is down,” M’gann smiled at me.

“And the one who knows how to deliver some serious butt kicking whenever it’s needed,” Conner smirked at me.

“And I’m pretty sure Kaldur, Roy, Robin, Artemis, and even Zatanna would say the same thing. You’re someone who’s amazing. We’re glad we know you,” Wally smiled.

I teared up. …Thank you…

--

I walked next to Wally as we headed for the theater. It was quiet between us and I didn’t know if I should initiate conversation or just leave the atmosphere as it is. I rubbed my arms a bit as the wind blew a bit more than normal. Since we’re near the water, it can get a bit chilly some days if you’re not wearing a jacket.

“Cold,” Wally asked. “It’s like 60 degrees out.”

“Yeah, I’m not used to the cold like that though. Regional differences, Wally,” I told him.

We’re now talking about the weather… That’s nice…

“I’m used to it, which is why I wear stuff like this,” He tugged on the school jacket he wore. “You’re also not wearing any pants.”

“It adds to the costume.” I huffed, looking back forward. I felt something rest on my shoulders. I looked, seeing his school jacket. “Wally-.”

“I’m getting a bit hot, since my cast, and you know. So, you can use it for a bit.” I poked my arms through the sleeves. It was a bit larger on me, considering Wally and I were definitely different sizes. “Don’t get too comfortable now.”

“It’s… very warm,” I murmured.

“W-Well yeah!”

I giggled. “I forgot you Speedsters are walking furnaces. I get it.”

“Th-That’s not why!”

I tilted my head. “Why is it?”

“I said I was getting hot with my cast on. So, you can wear it for a bit.”

“Oh…! Okay!” I nodded as I looked back forward. It smelled like him. And it was in fact really warm. Probably not as warm as my face though as we walked.

Chapter Text

It was nice to be operating at the cave around this time. I didn’t have much to do in Coast City, so an evening at the cave was pretty relaxing. I helped unload some boxes from the Bio-Ship, setting them down on the ground with a rewarding grin. Conner carried a large box out.

“Did you get everything,” Batman walked up, looking over at M’gann as she floated out a few boxes.

“Everything on your list, Batman, plus groceries,” M’gann hummed.

Wally sped up towards one of the boxes. “Cookie fixins,” Wally asked as I looked into the same box with him.

“Snickerdoodles.”

“And chocolate chips,” I asked with a sly grin.

“Your favorite.”

“Babe, you rock my world,” Wally grinned at her.

“You are officially my favorite Martian,” I gave a bright smile. I saw Zatanna and Artemis enter from the elevator. I grabbed another box, setting it down on the ground. I heard a loud crash as a box smashed onto the ground. I blinked in shock as I saw Batman, Zatara, and Red Tornado disappear.

“Dad,” Zatanna called out.

I looked around. “W-Where did they go,” I mumbled in surprise.

--

I picked up a little girl, trying to shush her crying a I rocked her back and forth. I looked over at what looked to be her sister in the backseat of the car. “Come on. We’re going to place you somewhere until we can get ahold of your Mommy, okay? You can play with other kids,” I turned towards her, holding my hand out. She grabbed it, getting out of the car as I looked around for another kid. I saw a boy hanging on a branch. I walked up. “Hey Kiddo! You alright,” I asked.

“Daddy was supposed to help me down, but he’s gone,” He whimpered, shooting a sad look in my direction.

I turned towards the little girl. “I need you to hold her, okay? It’ll just be a second.” She grabbed her and tried to hold her up. “Okay Kiddo, I’m gonna need you to let go.” I walked up to him.

“But if I let go, I’ll fall!”

“And if you fall, I’ll catch you. And you can tell your dad about how you got off the tree by yourself with just a little help. Wouldn’t he be proud of that? Mine would. Your dad would probably think ‘Wow! You’re so brave!’ Aren’t you brave?”

He gave a nod. “I-I’m brave.”

“Okay! On the count of three, let go. Ready? 1… 2… 3!” He let go and I caught him in my hands. I gave a grin. “You did it, Kiddo!” I set him on the ground. “Now, until we can get ahold of your dad, I’m gonna take you to where some other kids are and you can play there until then, okay? Maybe you can tell those kids about the brave thing you just did.” I went back towards the little girl, grabbing the baby from her hands. “Now, hold hands everyone. We don’t want to get lost now!” The girl grabbed my hand as the boy grabbed onto my overalls. “Uh… close enough!” We headed towards Happy Harbor High where the other kids were.

We walked into the gym where I saw many other kids. Wally, M’gann, and Artemis turned to face me. I heard footsteps behind me. I looked up, seeing Conner with two kids, one under each arm, and one on his head.

“Got 3 more,” He sighed.

“Same here,” I looked forward. I let go of the girl’s hand as she grabbed her sister. “Take care of your sister now. Your parents will be proud to know you’re taking care of her.”

“Yes ma’am! Thank you, Brave Lady,” She waved as she ran off.

I turned towards the boy. “And you, Kiddo? Don’t forget to tell your dad what you did today.”

He nodded, giving my leg a hug. “Thank you, Brave Lady,” He grinned and ran off.

My heart swelled. “I’m Brave Lady,” I sighed.

--

I made sure my ring was charged while I held up my battery in my room at home. My eyes darted over to the photo on my nightstand of Dad and I after my first solo lantern mission. John was there too along with Guy, but Dad wanted a photo of just the two of us. I looked proud in my uniform as Dad had his hand on my shoulder with a grin as wide as mine was. I touched the photo for a minute before releasing a sigh.

I’ll see you in a bit Dad, when we fix this whole mess…

I made it back to the cave through the zeta tubes, just to arrive in the main conference room as I dubbed it. We always received our missions here. And it’s where we also trained. I guess training room hub kinda seems more fitting. I flew inside and landed on the ground to see a black-haired kid that appeared out of nowhere. “…I leave you guys alone for like 20 minutes and now there’s a kid in here? Haven’t we dealt with enough today,” I asked, tilting my head in confusion.

The kid turned to me as his blue eyes widened with a grin appearing on his lips. “Eileen,” He called out.

I blinked in confusion. “…Is this a kid from the future? I can’t believe someone made a time machine and didn’t tell me.”

Kaldur and the others walked up to the kid. “Where did you come from? Who are you,” Kaldur first urgently asked.

The kid looked at M’gann. “Quick, read my mind,” He told her.

M’gann’s eyes glowed. “He’s Captain Marvel,” She gasped as her eyes widened.

“Yeah, and I’m Speedy Gonzales,” Wally muttered sarcastically, pointing a thumb towards himself. “Look, just because he believes he’s Cap-.”

“Gee, Wally, do I really have to bring you nachos and pineapple juice to get on your good side,” The kid asked with a smirk.

I gave a snort. “Yeah. He’s Captain Marvel alright,” I nodded.

--

As we coordinated with Captain Marvel, we found out that there are two dimensions. One with adults and one with kids. We coordinated with Batman, Red Tornado, and Zatara to come up with a plan to make sure we would merge the dimensions back into just one of them. We headed to Roanoke Island where we had located the power source in the first place. I flew up, seeing Klarion in a pentagram. I glared. I flew down, aiming to hit him with a hammer. Klarion smiled, waving his hand over as he blocked before sending and attack back at me. I pulled a shield up, only to get hit onto the side. I landed on the ground with a grunt before wiping my face. I tilted my head up, seeing Zatanna floating in the sky as Doctor Fate

“Zatanna,” I called in worry.

“Klarion! This ends now,” Doctor Fate called.

That isn’t good! Not good at all!

I heard thunder clapping as I flew up into the air. I knew it was Billy returning from the adult world as Captain Marvel. I formed a construct around me as I breathed heavily. “Get it together, Jordan! You’re capable of things if you put your mind to it,” I snapped at myself. I saw the handle in front of me, grabbing onto it. I blocked a lighting attack with a surprised gaze. I stared at the controls before smirking. “And your dad’s a pilot! You know what to do!”

I flew up in the air before shooting down at Klarion. I shot at the red bubble, glaring as I concentrated on the construct, shooting rockets out. I shot out of the cockpit, jumping into the air before forming an axe with my ring, hitting at the bubble. I continued hitting at the shield as it started to dissipate. I floated up in time to see Klarion contained by one of Doctor Fate’s ankhs. “Now, Kid,” Kaldur called out.

I saw Wally run up fast, grabbing the gem from the center of the pentagram. “Doc, catch,” He threw the gem at Doctor Fate.

Doctor Fate caught it, speaking an incantation. The world started to get pulled into one as the rest of the members of the circle filled up. Klarion escaped his encampment and grabbed his cat before disappearing into a portal. I glared as he laughed. “See you later, armadillos. Unless I see you first,” He smirked at us. The portal disappeared.

“Aren’t you gonna stop him,” Wally asked Doctor Fate.

“To what end? Klarion is chaos personified. He cannot be contained,” Doctor Fate answered him.

I floated down. The Justice League members tied up the remaining sorcerers there. “Did we win,” Robin murmured.

“At a cost,” Kaldur sighed.

Zatara walked up and looked up at Doctor Fate. “Fate! Great Nabu, release my daughter,” He called out, standing before Doctor Fate with his plea.

“No,” Doctor Fate muttered. “Hear what the helmet wants in these hours. The world needs Doctor Fate and the girl’s natural affinity for the mystic arts makes her the perfect candidate.”

“You can’t do that,” Artemis called.

“She has her own life to live,” Robin snapped.

“Kent would never allow you to-,” Wally started.

“Kent Nelson did object, strenuously, so I released his spirit to the afterlife. He is gone,” Doctor Fate turned towards him.

“Take me instead. My skills are already at their peak. My body is physically stronger, better able to withstand the strain of your power,” Zatara breathed.

“All true. But if I remove the helmet, what guarantee have I that you will don it?”

“My word.” He spoke an incantation.

Fate floated down in front of him and took the helmet off. Zatanna turned back into her normal self. She grinned at Zatara. “Dad,” She smiled.

“Zatanna.” He hugged her before kissing her head. “Remember… I love you.” He took the helmet from her and faced us. “Take care of my girl.”

“You have my word,” Batman nodded.

Zatara put the helmet on. “No, please! This was my fault,” Zatanna walked forward as Robin tried to pull her back. “Dad, don’t! Dad!”

Doctor Fate appeared again. He turned around. “Leave these to the Fate,” He took the sorcerers away, disappearing from our sights. I saw Zatanna fall to her knees with Wally, Artemis, and Robin crouching around her. I held my arm, releasing a small sigh.

--

I finished placing a box down in Zatanna’s room before turning towards her. “And my room’s next door, if you need anything,” M’gann murmured as she looked at her.

“And I’m a phone call away too. Don’t hesitate to call,” I nodded.

“Thanks, I, uh, could use a little alone time, okay,” Zatanna murmured as she looked at us.

“Of course,” Artemis nodded. We all headed out. I heard the door close behind me. I gave others a solemn look.

“Is there anything more we can do,” I murmured.

“Sometimes, this is all we can do,” Artemis shook her head.

Chapter Text

I stayed in my room while trying to make sure this painting was the best of the best. The most perfect thing I’ve ever created, probably because I spent hours upon hours working on this. A knock came to my door. “Lena,” I heard an ask.

“Yes Dad,” I asked.

The door opened. “I’ve been called to Oa with John.”

I looked over at him. “Really?”

He nodded. “You’ll be here by yourself, but Guy’s still on planet if you need anything, okay?”

“Okay,” I nodded.

He motioned over. “What’re you working on?”

“Wally’s birthday present.” I pulled up my sketchbook. “I’ve been working on it for the past month!” I flipped through each sketch.

“You pulled out all the stops for this one.”

I made a face at him. “As if you didn’t like the one that I painted for you.”

“Hey, you made me look much cooler than I thought!”

I nodded. “Yeah, so I decided to make Wally that way. And I’ve planned this for over a month now.”

“You have, have you?”

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean like that?”

He chuckled. “I mean, you could just get him a card and send him on his merry way. It’s almost like you have a crush on him or something.”

My eyes widened as my face heated up. “I-I don’t! I… I don’t think…” I looked down as my chest raced.

“I knew John mentioned it, but I didn’t think it was this bad.” I looked at him. “You’re having boy troubles.” I sighed. “Alright, I’m not your mentor right now, I’m your dad.”

“But you have to go to Oa-.”

“Oa can wait… Until John comes to get me because I haven’t met him at the Watchtower.” Dad pulled up a stool and sat next to me. “Alright Kiddo, lay it on me.”

“Dad-.”

“I won’t judge! I’m your dad. I’m here to help you, even though I don’t like it.” I frowned. “I’m always not going to like you thinking about boys. I mean, there are boys like me. I was reckless, stupid, and I made a lot of dumb decisions.” He ruffled my hair. “Some I don’t regret. But I can’t stop you from meeting a boy, talking to one, and dating him… But if he hurts you, he’s getting a green missile on top of his head-.”

“Dad.”

“I get it, I get it.” He waved me off. “What I’m saying is that you can talk to me.”

I looked forward. “Well… I’ve been trying to think about my feelings, and I’m starting to think Guy and John are right.”

“Guy being right? Never thought I’d see the day.” I gave Dad a deadpanned look. “Continue.”

I swallowed. “…Even if he doesn’t like me that way, I still want to see him happy. That’s why I’m doing this. For my peace of mind.”

“Hmm… And are you okay with that? If he doesn’t like you back?”

“Feelings come and go. I know that for a fact because of you. Look how many dates you’ve been on in the past month.”

“THEY dumped me, okay?”

“Dad…”

“Look, we’re here to talk about you.”

“I’m fine! I’m just… I’m just trying to process my feelings.” My eyes darted away. “I’d like to have some kind of answer, but I can’t.”

“Alright then, describe it to me.”

“What?” I gave him a confused look.

“Your feelings. Isn’t it good to talk about your feelings?”

I shrugged. “I guess. I dunno.”

“C’mon Kiddo. Just say what’s on your mind. Let’s start with what happens when you think about it.”

I looked forward for a minute. “…My chest feels funny. Like my heart is racing a million miles an hour. And my face gets hot. Like I’m embarrassed, but not at the same time. And then I start thinking about him. And thinking about what he thinks about me… On Halloween, I told some of the team about me having a GED and I thought they’d be mad or something…”

“But?”

“…They weren’t.” I smiled. “They told me they knew the real me. And that’s what really matters…” I breathed. “I think that took a load off my chest to be honest.”

“Sounds like it.”

I looked at the sketch that was going to be painted soon. “I think others feelings should matter before my own.” I looked at Dad then. “I know I’m confused right now, but at least I know I just want everyone to be happy, even if I have to put in a little more effort.”

He smiled. He ruffled my hair again. “Alright Lena. I’m here if you want to keep talking more about feelings.” He stood. “And remember-.”

“Don’t do anything you would do. I know, Dad.” I snickered. “I always know that.”

--

I made sure my present was wrapped as I pulled on my coat. It was oddly cold outside, so I made sure to dress up warmly in a grey sweater and brown plaid pants with some boots. I checked for everything I needed before grabbing an extra bag before racing to the zeta tube. I eagerly smiled, holding my somewhat large present in my hands while the bag rested on my arm.

“Recognized, Green Lantern, B-0-4,” The computer announced as I got into the cave. I jogged inside, seeing M’gann in the kitchen. She gave a wave.

“Eileen! I’m baking the cupcakes right now. I’m decorating the cakes I made yesterday,” She hummed.

I nodded sharply. “Thank you so much, M’gann! You’re a lifesaver,” I grinned. I set my gift down.

“Ooh, I wonder what present you got him!”

“It’s a special one. I’ll just say that.” I held up the bag. “Here’s the extra frosting you asked for.”

“Yes!” She smiled at me. “You know, you’re making a bigger deal about this than Wally has.”

“Well yeah! I don’t celebrate birthdays too often! So, I make sure to put in 10 times more effort into the celebration, even if it’s just small.” I shivered a bit. “Is it cold here too?”

“You’ve noticed it as well?”

I nodded. “Yeah, it was cold in Coast City. Colder than normal. I hope it doesn’t ruin today’s plans…” I shook my head. “It’s fine! It’ll be fine! I’m going to go decorate!”

“You’re really enthusiastic.”

“I’m really excited.” I grinned as I walked away.

--

I raced down the street, making it up to the West Family Household at 7:45. I knocked on the door, clearing my throat as my heavy breathing tried to stabilize since I ran here from the zeta tube. The door unlocked, revealing Mary on the other side. She gave me a smile, winking before turning her head.

“I wonder who this could be,” She called out.

“Mom,” Wally eagerly called.

She gave a giggle. “Hi Eileen! It’s good to see you this morning.”

“Hi Mary! I’m here to make sure a certain birthday boy’s day goes right,” I grinned.

“Come in, Sweetheart. It’s freezing outside.” She pulled me in. I instantly felt warm, shaking a bit of the snow off my sweater. “Now, why don’t you help yourself to some breakfast? You seem to be very chipper this morning.”

“Just doing some last-minute touches.”

I followed her into the dining room. I saw Wally sitting down at the table with Rudy there as well. “There’s my favorite Lantern,” Wally grinned at me. “Now, why has she come all the way here to come and see me?”

“Well, obviously I just wanted to say hi. John and my dad are off in space doing space things, so I thought some company wouldn’t hurt.” I sat myself down in a chair, grabbing a plate immediately. “Are you excited for today?”

“Yeah! Especially since there’s no school today either!”

I blinked in surprise. “Really? That’s cool.” I grinned. “You should make the best out of today then.”

“Already way ahead of you.” He gave me a soft smile. “Speaking of which, Eileen-.”

“Oh yeah! Don’t forget, we have to go to the cave today.” I pointed at his plate. “You better eat your breakfast, Mister. We’ve got to start the day!” I tilted my head. “Wait, sorry, what were you saying?” I stared into his soft green eyes.

He swallowed. “Um… I was thinking it’s pretty cold outside! And you’re wearing that?”

I looked at my sweater. “Yeah? I’m from California. We don’t get cold.” I shrugged. “That’s okay though!”

“You need a proper jacket.”

“I’ll be fine! Now eat! Don’t let your Mom’s great cooking go to waste!”

“You’re free to eat as well, Eileen. I made plenty,” Mary hummed.

“Trust me. He won’t mind if you eat a plate or two,” Rudy chuckled.

“Mom! Dad,” Wally groaned.

I nodded. “Of course. Thank you very much for the breakfast,” I hummed.

--

Wally gave me one of his jackets, much to my reluctance. We went through the zeta tube to the cave as I noticed it was quiet, just as planned. “Recognize, Kid Flash, B-0-3. Green Lantern, B-0-4,” The computer announced. “Zeta tube network now offline due to extreme atmospheric conditions.”

“Whoa! We just made it,” Wally grinned. He looked down at me. “I wonder why my best friend had to drag me all the way to the Cave.” I grinned. I grabbed his arm, dragging him towards the living room through the kitchen. “Be a tragedy if I missed my own…”

The lights turned on. “Surprise,” Everyone cheered as a Happy Birthday sign appeared above them. The team gave him smiles as Flash and Red Tornado stood off to the side.

“What?! Oh, you guys! You shouldn’t have,” Wally placed a hand on his chest, grinning from ear to ear.

“Right, not like you’ve been hinting for days or anything,” Robin smirked.

“Yeah, not like you told us ‘You know what would be cool? A surprise birthday party,’ right,” I asked with a small smirk.

I pulled off his coat and placed a party hat on his head. He sat down in front of the couch at the table where two cakes, cookies, and snacks were presented before him. “We made you two cakes,” M’gann smiled.

“Awesome! What will you guys eat,” He looked up at her.

“We’ll split the cupcake. Make a wish.”

“Way ahead of you.” He blew out both sets of birthday candles. Everyone clapped and cheered. “You know, if I tell you my… wish, it won’t come true. But if you guess…” I saw Wally giving M’gann googly eyes. I rolled my eyes, pulling my drink up as I sipped on it.

“So, what did you get him,” I heard. I saw Zatanna walk up to me, decked out in some winter gear.

“Oh, just something I worked hard on,” I smiled at her. “How’re you feeling?”

“As good as I can be for now,” She hummed before smirking. “So, something you worked hard on, huh? Is it, maybe, discussing your feelings for him?”

My eyes widened. My face heated up as I swallowed. “Excuse me?”

“I mean, it’s pretty obvious, you know? You’re scowling over here.”

“I-I’m not scowling! I’m-I’m just tired.” I looked away.

“Is she still denying,” Artemis appeared.

I pouted, looking over at her. “Arty,” I whined.

She shrugged. “Come on. At least he won’t go for M’gann anymore. He just found out her and Conner are dating. Though, I have a feeling you already knew.”

I tilted my head. “I mean, maybe it’s because I’m always observant of my surroundings. I’m told it’s a good and bad trait of mine. I notice others instead of what’s going on with myself.”

“Yet you obviously can’t see the signs of-.”

“Attention, team. Suit up. Polar stealth. Mission briefing in five,” I heard Batman call on the intercom.

I looked at Artemis. “What were you going to say?”

She smirked. “You’ll see,” She headed off.

We got suited up as we appeared in front of the holographic monitor where Batman appeared. “Where’s Flash,” Wally asked while looking around.

“Flash and Red Tornado already have their assignments,” Batman answered him. “A massive ice storm has paralyzed North America from coast to coast. Satellite imagery has detected five flying ice fortresses, source unknown which seemed to be responsible and must be stopped.”

“Well, can’t the Watchtower blow them out of the sky or something?”

“What’s a watchtower,” Zatanna asked.

Batman sighed. “The League’s orbiting headquarters is not weaponized. And with both Green Lanterns off world, I need all hands-on deck.” He looked in Wally’s direction.

John and Dad really received a mission at the wrong time.

“Does that mean what I think it means? The League and the Team fighting side by side,” Robin asked.

“Whoa! Really,” Wally asked with a grin.

“Superboy, use the Supercycle to rendezvous with the Batplane at Ice Fortress 1. You’ll drop off Robin and Aqualad, then continue on with Wolf to meet up with Black Canary and Red Tornado in Ice Fortress 2. Miss Martian, Artemis, and Zatanna, take the Bio Ship and rendezvous with Green Arrow and Martian Manhunter at Ice Fortress 3. Lantern,” Batman looked in my direction.

“Yes sir,” I asked with a surprised look.

“John already gave me the debrief. It’s time for you to step up. You’re going to simultaneously help out at Ice Fortress 4 and 5 with the other Leaguers.”

I nodded. “Yes sir!”

“Sending all coordinates now.”

I swallowed. “Uh, Batman? I think you skipped-,” Wally started.

“Kid Flash, a young girl in Seattle is in desperate need of a heart transplant. With all conventional air traffic grounded by the storm, you’ll need to pick up the donor heart in Boston and run it 3,000 miles across the country.”

“Who is this girl?”

“Does it matter?”

“No, of course not. But, can’t we zeta-?”

Robin looked at him. “Zeta tubes are offline. Sorry,” Robin looked at him.

“Right. Then how can I say no?” I saw him look down. “Guess I won’t be needing stealth.” He pressed his chest as I saw his normal Kid Flash colors appear. “Speedy delivery boy at your service.”

Everyone got ready to go. I floated up, placing a hand on Wally’s shoulder. “Hey, Birthday Boy,” I murmured. He looked at me. I gave him a smile. “Today’s still going to be an excellent birthday. It may seem like a hassle, but you’ll save a life today if you make it on time.” I patted his chest. “I believe in you, okay?”

He nodded with a sad smile. I flew out of the cave, taking a deep breath.

Okay. Focus Eileen. Treat it as a solo mission. You got this.

--

I saw Wally staring at a transplant bag in the souvenir room. I smiled softly. “Hey there, Birthday Boy,” I hummed.

He turned towards me. “Hey yourself, Green Lantern,” He smirked. “I heard you put on your big Lantern pants on.”

“It was like a solo mission in space. No big deal.” I motioned towards the transplant bag. “I think you had the better mission than I did. Clearly. Did Rob already give you the congrats?”

He nodded. “Yeah. It was a good day today. A nice birthday. Even though… my birthday wish didn’t come true.”

I tilted my head. “What wish?”

He blinked. He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, Eili. Seriously. I’m glad I saved a life. That’s all. Total win.”

I hummed. “…Okay Birthday Boy. Want to finish your party? And open your presents?”

“Please.” He nodded. We walked ahead. “Hey, you’re still wearing my jacket.”

I looked down at my outfit to see that I still was. “Oh, yeah.” I went to take it off.

“Keep it,” He closed the jacket. “Just until you get home where it’s 10 times warmer. I was told it’ll take a few days for the weather to fix itself, so keep that in case. I don’t want you to get a cold.”

My cheeks warmed up a bit. “Okay. Thank you, Wally.”

We headed back into the living room where everyone was gathered. The party went back into full swing. I watched Wally interact with everyone else. Smiles and laughter went around. I swirled the hot chocolate in my hand, staring at the swirl and foam.

“You okay,” I heard. I saw Conner walk up.

“Yeah, why? You need something,” I sipped on my drink.

“You’re the one who’s always lent an ear whenever someone else feels down. Figured you could use it for a change.”

I smirked. “Or you’re trying to get me to tell you my secret for how I knocked you on your butt in training last week with my new move.”

“Maybe,” He shrugged. “Or maybe I’m just getting used to the whole ‘getting other’s feelings’ thing.”

I groaned. “Not you too.”

He chuckled. “Hey, it took me a while to understand it, but when I did, I finally got what I wanted. So, wanna talk about it?”

I looked down at my drink. “I’m… kinda good… with talking about my feelings for now, but thank you. So, how do you feel knowing everyone on the team knows about you and M’gann?”

“Everyone?” He raised an eyebrow.

I motioned towards Wally. “He found out this morning because of Artemis apparently.”

“Since it hasn’t been addressed, I’m fine. I hope they just don’t bother M’gann about it.”

I nodded. “I get it. Totally.”

I noticed Wally was opening presents. “What’d you get him?”

I noticed he was opening up the large present wrapped in Flash theme wrapping paper. “You’ll see…” I sipped on my hot chocolate.

Wally tore open the wrapping paper to reveal the project I worked on for the last month. Night after night, sketches of different poses that almost made me seem like a fanatic or stalker, probably both, just to come up with the final product. It resembled like it was a comic book cover. With the title “The Adventures of Kid Flash” sprawled on the top. It included many different poses of Wally while in costume. Whether it was him eating, him punching a guy in the face, or just running, I included a few more poses to seal the deal. It took me way too long to make sure that I perfected it. And it took me 3 canvases and 4 different sets of yellow paint to get the colors right.

My eyes darted away from his facial expression, staring at my mug again. “Did someone get you a poster of yourself,” Artemis asked with a confused tone.

“…Oh my god,” I heard Zatanna murmur.

“Ah! Read the card! Who is it from,” M’gann asked eagerly.

“You think they got one of us too,” Robin asked.

“…” The silence that followed felt thick. My heart rate started to pick up as I sipped on my drink. I saw Conner shoot a confused look at me before it seemed like he connected the dots in his head.  “…Eileen,” Artemis yelled in shock.

“I knew it from the moment I recognized the art style! She’s shown me her sketches before,” Zatanna beamed.

“I didn’t know she was capable of this! How long did it take her?”

“She’s right there. You can ask her.”

“That’s right. Eileen!”

I turned around. “What’s up,” I sipped on my drink. “I was called?” A gust of wind enveloped me as I was pulled into a tight hug. I blinked in surprise. I saw ginger hair and slowly placed my cup down on a table. I returned the hug. “I take it you like my present?”

“…Thanks Babe,” Wally murmured, squeezing tighter. I blinked.

He… called me babe again…

Chapter Text

I watched the football fly across the field as someone caught it, racing towards the endzone while the crowd cheered like madmen. I leaned on my hand, adjusting the blanket around me while Dad sat in the recliner, giving a small yawn as he turned to me. “Why did we invite Guy again,” He motioned towards Guy in the kitchen.

“Lantern holiday. He doesn’t talk to his family, and we don’t talk to anyone either,” I looked back at the TV.

John was off somewhere I think with family. Guy doesn’t talk to his family for some obvious reasons. Dad doesn’t really talk to his family either. I knew I had an Uncle and a Grandma, but Grandma basically disowned him after finding out he got my mother pregnant. We all were going to have our own separate agendas when Guy suggested we have a Lantern Thanksgiving. I said sure, because what’s the worst that could happen? Now here we are, with Guy in the kitchen, taking it over like a supervillain would in a city. I did my best in keeping up with Guy needing anything.

“Do you two do this every year,” Guy asked as he leaned on the counter, looking over at us.

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“We sometimes go to a diner,” Dad shrugged.

“…How do you two function,” Guy scoffed.

“I manage,” I hummed.

A knock came to the door. My eyes darted over to Dad. “Eileen, did you invite someone,” Dad looked at me.

“Why would I invite someone? Everyone else has plans.” I crossed my arms.

He got up. “Guy?” He headed for the door.

“No, this isn’t my apartment,” Guy answered. “And c’mon Kid, what you’re telling me is that you don’t have someone to invite to Thanksgiving?”

“Everyone has a family, or some kind of makeshift one to get them through the day,” I looked at him briefly before returning to the TV.

I heard Dad open the door. “Hello…? Oh… Uh… Hi,” I heard Dad give a small cough.

Guy and I look over, giving each other a confused eyebrow raise at Dad’s tone that easily shifted from his normal confident one to ‘What is this?’ kind of tone. “Hi Hal,” A female voice hummed softly. My eyes widened.

…No… Not her.

I swallowed. “What brings you and, uh, your husband here?” It felt immediately colder than it was before.

“To say ‘hi’ and talk to Eileen of course. May we come in? I mean, you wouldn’t deny us, would you?”

Is she seriously pulling that card?

“I, um-.”

“Just a few minutes, Jordan.”

“Alright.”

He cracked.

I looked back forward, staring at the game on TV, but no thoughts came through my brain. I pulled the blanket closer to myself. Footsteps entered followed by the door closing.

“Kid, what’s the game at right now,” Guy asked, suddenly bringing my thoughts back from the silence I was internally feeling.

“Um, 45 to 24. Patriots win,” I cleared my throat.

“Seriously?”

I nodded. “Yep. First bet with Larry that I’ve won today. Next are the Saints and Cowboys.”

“And your money is on?”

I shrugged. “Saints.”

“Why?”

“Larry likes the wild west, so he said the Cowboys would win.” I rolled my eyes. “Weird thinking, but whatever.”

“And then what else?”

“We said best 2 out of 3, so the 3^rd game might not count.”

“Still?”

I gave out a sigh. “I said the Jets. New York’s nice, so I think they’ll beat Cincinnati.”

“Fair, fair.” I heard him shift. “And what happens if you win?”

I smirked. “He said he’d give me a 75% discount at his store the next time I go in.” I stretched my fingers. “I’ll get a whole new art supply restock.”

“That is devious. You really are Hal Jordan’s kid.”

I grinned. “And I’m proud of it.” I shifted in my spot.

“Did you just say the Patriots won,” Dad asked.

I looked back at him. I swallowed. “Yeah,” I nodded. He stood beside the couple awkwardly, not really knowing what to do or if he should move.

“Hi Eileen,” The woman spoke up first with a smile. “How are you, Sweetie?” Her smile was sickly sweet with a definite aspiration to poison me. Her brown eyes crinkled with interest behind her perfectly cut bangs with the rest of her brown hair tied in a neat bun.

“I’m fine. And you?” It did feel awkward to talk to her.

Someone save me from this terrible nightmare.

A speedy knock came to the door. “…I am not cooking for any more people,” Guy pointed over at Dad.

“We didn’t even ask you to cook in the first place! You took it upon yourself,” Dad gave him a pointed look.

“I’ll get it,” I got up and headed urgently towards the door.

Please let it be someone who will kill me or kidnap me.

I opened the door quickly, seeing Wally there with a grin. “Hey Eili! Happy Thanksgiving! Surprised your dad didn’t answer the door,” He hummed. “Eh, beats having to scare him again with how fast I rush in.”

I nodded. “Mhm… Yeah,” I mumbled.

He tilted his head slightly. “You okay…?”

I slowly shook my head as ‘no.’ “Yeah, I’m fine.”

He nodded. “O…kay…”

“Would you like to come in?”

“Yeah! For a few. Dad will kill me if I’m late for dinner,” He headed in.

I shut the door after him. “Cool.” I followed after him as we stood in the doorway, staring at my mother and her husband as there was this kind of awkward tension in the air.

“Who’re the rich people,” Wally mumbled to me lowly and close to my ear.

I swallowed. “…Please don’t ask,” I murmured.

Wally’s silent tone spoke volumes as I continued to look forward. “Oh? A young man? I wasn’t aware Eileen had a boyfriend. You didn’t mention it in our last call,” My mother tilted her head in confusion.

“This is Wally. He’s Eileen’s best friend. She can have those too, you know,” Dad sighed. “And Wally, I thought you had your own house to go to. With its own fridge.”

“Oh, but I do Mr. Jordan! I just wanted to say Happy Thanksgiving to my favorite, uh, person! Yeah,” Wally grinned.

Dad raised an eyebrow. “Oh really? So, you weren’t just going to raid the kitchen like you did last year?”

“How many times do I have to say ‘I’m sorry’?”

“Enough times. I know your Uncle.”

“C’mon,” Wally groaned.

I headed into the kitchen and went into the fridge, grabbing a larger container before coming back out. “Yeah c’mon yourself. I’m not made of money, you know? I have a kid of my own to feed.”

“Dad, can you stop it? He just wanted to say ‘hi,’” I huffed. I held up the container to Wally. “Here.”

He grabbed it. “What’s this,” Wally tilted his head.

I shrugged. “I made an extra pie for you and your family this year. Hope you don’t mind. And please, don’t eat it on your way there. I know you.”

He blinked. “Pie? As in your pumpkin pie?” He grinned. “As in that pumpkin pie I had last year that was so delicious that I ate the entire thing-.”

“Without anyone getting to have a taste. Yes, yes. The same pie. I’ve told you the recipe, you know? You or your mom can recreate it.”

“Eili, you rock my world.”

I blinked. My cheeks warmed up. “Oh, stop it you. You’re only complimenting me because I’m giving you food again. I swear, I regret it sometimes because it feels like you appreciate me for my cooking.”

“I appreciate you in more ways than one.” He blinked. He straightened his posture. “UH! Yeah. I do! Yeah! I’m gonna go! You, uh, I’ll talk with you later! Happy Thanksgiving,” He raced out.

I blinked in confusion. “…What was that about?”

“…I hate teenage boys,” Dad muttered.

I snapped my head over to him. “What was that?”

“Why can’t you be 6 again and tell me you want to see a Barbie movie?”

“Why can’t you get a girlfriend?”

Dad glared. “Low blow.”

I glared back. “Low blow to mention the Barbie movies.” I pointed at him.

Dad crossed his arms. “Look, I’m sorry that I don’t like that you’re 15 now.”

“You’re 15,” My mother asked in surprise.

“She’s only a few years older than Derek, dear,” Her husband hummed.

“I didn’t realize. Time really flies…” She looked at me. “And Eileen, did you not realize what just happened?”

I looked at her. “Should it… matter?” I tilted my head, now confused at her tone.

“But, what just happened was-.”

“Eileen realizing she doesn’t need to question her best friend,” Dad chimed in. I looked at him in surprise. “Eileen doesn’t make a lot of friends, so she shouldn’t have to worry because of him being in a hurry. Let me guess, his folks want him home for dinner?”

I nodded. “Yeah, could you tell,” I hummed in question.

“I know his parents. They want him to be punctual. Kid’s always in a rush. But there’s no need to question it, nor question Eileen for that matter. She’s doing just fine here.” I sighed with relief as I realized Dad was keeping her from engaging with me, and that was definitely for the best.

--

I started off doing a training simulation in the cave, despite the fact that I had been on 4 back-to-back missions in space. I formed a sword, slicing one of the hologram dummies and did a flip, slicing the other just as well. I swiped the feet under another and did a side flip, only to slip and fall onto my shoulder. “Fail: Green Lantern.”

I groaned, rubbing my shoulder as I frowned. I could still feel the soreness from when the laser pierced it. I sat up with a frown. “Ugh.” I got onto my feet, getting into position again. “Start.”

The targets appeared again. I sliced one dummy as my sword deconstructed. My ring formed gauntlets on my hand. I punched out the dummies, making them fall left and right. “Whoa,” I heard.

I gave a panicked yell and slipped, falling onto my back. “Fail: Green Lantern.”

I groaned. I sat up, seeing Wally with a sandwich in hand. “Wally,” I asked in confusion.

“Hey Eili,” He sped over. He helped me up. “When did you get back? You’ve been gone for weeks! Practically all month.”

I sighed. “4 back-to-back missions. So, I get called to Oa for a mission about something going on in a sector outside my jurisdiction and they thought I’d be a good substitute since that guy’s on another mission right now. No biggie. But then I get back and someone needed data collection, so another mission to get data. And I get back and the Guardians ask if I’m available to do another task. I’m all for it of course, who can resist them and all that? BOOM! I get sent in a different part of the galaxy for a week with a group of other Lanterns, two were fresh, I’ll tell you that.”

I shook my head. “Not to complain, but it was hard being the one who knows what they’re doing, but they weren’t so bad after all! Then when I get back, Laira-. Sorry, she’s another Green Lantern, she helped me hone my weapons skills in swords and other blades. Anyways, Laira asks me if she can get my opinion on an alien weapon she came across. We travel to go, and BOOM.” I pointed towards my shoulder. “Get shot with a laser! I’ve been in recovery for two weeks. Do you know how weird it is to watch bone reconstruct? Super weird. Thank god Saint Walker came across when he did. He’s a cool Blue Lantern. Anyways! He healed up my arm pretty good, though I can still feel it hurt a bit. He told me to take it easy, but knowing Earth…” I gave a weak chuckle. “It isn’t always like that sometimes.”

“Wait, are you okay,” Wally asked quickly, almost urgently by his standards.

“Yeah! I just said I’m fine. No worries.”

“But you got shot… with a laser!”

“Not my first time. Probably won’t be my last either.” I snickered. I looked at him. “But what are you doing here? I thought I was alone since no one greeted me.”

“Yeah, there’s no mission, just a, uh… just something serious. Nothing too big.” He gave a shrug. “Are you seriously okay though?”

I nodded. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“The last time we talked was Thanksgiving.”

Realization hit me. “Oh yeah! Did you like the pie?” I grinned. “Guy liked it. I hope you and your parents did too.”

“We liked it, yeah. I’m just worried. That look on your face. And who were the people in rich duds?”

That realization hit me too. I gave a sad smile. “Oh, right. You’ve never met her…” I swallowed. “That was my mom and her husband. She married a rich dude after leaving my dad. Dude owns his own law firm somewhere in Cali. Never really asked, nor do I care.”

Wally’s eyes widened. “That was your mom? Did she do anything bad?”

I shook my head. “No, just wanted to talk and catch up. And say hi. She doesn’t know I’m a lantern or about anything in my life, really. She thinks I’m in high school.”

“You haven’t told her?”

“Never. Not that she can do anything.” I crossed my arms. “She terminated her rights. Best she can do is report to the police, but we have court records and documentation. And I don’t do anything bad anymore,” I pointed out. “Everything I’ve done up to this point has been for self-defense.”

“I know. I just don’t want you hurt, or anything worse for that matter. I know how much she affects you.”

I smiled softly. “I’ll be fine. She only bothers me at her convenience, which isn’t too often. I’m good. Besides, I have everyone here. And the Green Lantern Corps too. Even you.”

“You know you can tell me anything, right? Small or little, it doesn’t matter. I’ll be there. I’m a phone call away.”

“Thank you, Wally.”

He smiled in return. “What are best friends for?”

“Having each other’s backs for one. A lot of things really.”

“Well, now since I won’t scare you again, wanna try the simulation without any distractions?”

“Absolutely.”

He stepped off the platform. “This way, I can finish my sandwich.” He winked. “I’ll even give you pointers.”

I gave out a snort. “Sure thing, Walls.” I straightened my posture. I got into a fighting stance. “Start.” The dummies appeared again. I kicked a guy in the face, jumping up and punching another as I swiftly kicked another guy. I formed a mace and swung over before creating a bat and hitting a dummy in the head. It didn’t ricochet like I hoped it would, but that was fine. I formed a sword while hearing the computer go off. I didn’t exactly pay attention as I sheathed the sword, finishing off the training sim. I released a tense sigh.

I heard clapping and looked over at Wally. “Bravo Miss Green Lantern! You sure know how to please a crowd,” He called.

I gave a bow. “Thank you. I do my best to apparently entertain with my witty comments and overall lack of perception.” I shrugged.

“Sounds like it shorty,” I heard behind me.

I snapped my head around, seeing Roy, Artemis, Robin, Conner, and M’gann standing there. I grinned. “Roy,” I beamed. I flew over to him and gave him a hug. “What’re you doing here?! Wait, how are you?! No, what are you doing here seems more of a priority than anything.”

He ruffled my hair. “I joined the team. I take it Kid Mouth over there didn’t tell you.”

I snapped my head over towards Wally. “Wally,” I scolded, placing my hands on my hips. “No, he did not!” I looked back at Roy then. “That’s awesome! I just got back from a couple back-to-back missions in space.”

“Thank god,” Artemis breathed. “It was getting boring around here.”

I grinned at her. “Do tell! I’m glad to spice up the entertainment atmosphere.”

She smiled. “Just you being here is enough.”

“How was space, Eileen? Any new stories worth telling,” M’gann smiled at me.

“I got shot in my shoulder with a laser. Took a chunk of my shoulder bone out.”

“You didn’t say that,” Wally called.

“I didn’t think it was necessary. Plus, it all got reconstructed back thanks to Saint Walker. Amazing Blue Lantern!” I looked at M’gann. “I’m a-okay! Just back to be on Earth and do Earth missions that don’t require me to nearly explode.” I crossed my arms. “Thank you for asking M’gann.”

“If I knew you were coming, I’d make cookies.”

I shook my head, holding my hands up. “No, no! Just seeing you guys is enough. I was just training is all!” I looked at Conner. “Speaking of. I have a new trick I learned. Wanna test it out later?”

“Can’t. Busy,” Conner marched off.

I frowned. “Oh… okay…”

A hand was placed on my shoulder. “Don’t mind him. He’s just like that,” M’gann murmured.

Chapter Text

“The Justice League was formed for two reasons,” Superman looked out at the crowd. “First, as an acknowledgement that no single individual, no matter how powerful, can solve all the world’s problems alone. And second , to uphold the values of truth, liberty, and justice. That last one’s even in the name.” The crowd laughed. “These five heroes have sworn to uphold those values.”

“You are watching live coverage of the Justice League’s induction of its five newest members,” Cat Grant turned to the camera, giving a smile. “Looks like the entire League has shown up to welcome the new blood. Everyone from Batman to Captain Marvel.” The camera panned down the League members.

“I’m glad they didn’t kick Billy out,” Wally breathed out a sigh of relief. He chewed on his apple. “And I love the fact that there’s a 10-year-old on the League.”

“There is,” The newest member of the team, Rocket, turned to look at him in confusion.

Robin and I both nudged Wally in the side. “Ow!”

“Way to keep it a secret, genius,” Robin muttered.

“Dude,” I frowned.

“Hey, she’s on the Team now, right,” Wally looked at us.

“Superman is now handing out official league membership cards, starting with Doctor Fate, The Atom, Plastic Man, and Icon,” Cat Grant hummed. We watched the camera show off each new hero.

“You know, I was the one who convinced Icon to become a hero in the first place. I should be outside celebrating with him, not hidden away in here,” Rocket frowned, rolling her eyes.

“Welcome to our world,” Kaldur looked over at her.

I saw her looking at Kaldur up and down. “Well, I suppose there’s an upside, too.” She smirked.

“Finally, Green Arrow welcomes his former protégé Speedy, now known as Red Arrow to this roster of heroes,” Cat Grant continued her explanation.

“Way to go, Roy,” Wally cheered.

“Go Roy,” I cheered, waving a hand.

“At last, he has his wish,” Kaldur nodded.

“The first of us to make it,” Robin looked at us. “No one will call him a sidekick anymore.”

“Wait. Since when is being a sidekick a bad thing? You sidekicks were my inspiration.” ,” Rocket asked as we looked at her.

“Well, see, six months ago it-.” His watch beeped, causing him to look down at it.

--

We used the Bio-Ship to fly over through the Smokey Mountain region. We were geared up. “A-Are you sure it’s her? I mean, are you absolutely positive,” Artemis asked quickly, immediately turning to Robin.

The feed pulled up as Robin typed on his wrist computer. “See for yourself. This is the security footage from the Ashfield Regional Airport. Facial recognition confirms its Jade Nguyen. But you’ve seen her without her mask. What do you think,” Robin turned to her.

“It’s Jade. Cheshire,” Artemis sighed.

“Agreed. But focus on what she carries. Is that the case you saw in New Orleans? The one that got away,” Kaldur asked as he looked at her.

“Yes.”

“Okay, I’m guessing from the mug shot that this Cheshire’s the bag guy. But what’s so important about the case,” Rocket looked over at us.

“Remember the Injustice League,” Robin asked.

Rocket frowned. “And their giant evil plants? Uh, yeah.”

“The Team and the League put them in prison, but their allies still scheme. And whatever is in that containment case seems important to their plans ,” Kaldur stated.

“We had a chance to grab it in New Orleans, but someone screwed it up,” Wally shot a glare over to Artemis. I punched his shoulder. “Ow!” I frowned at him. He crossed his arms and looked forward. He had filled me in on what happened along with Roy and Kaldur. As much as Artemis messing up makes sense, we all have messed up.

“Approaching Cheshire’s jet,” M’gann spoke. My eyes widened. A crash site appeared before us, causing me to look away with a frown. “Looks like there were no survivors.”

We got out of the Bioship to look through the wreckage. “How come homeland security and the NTSB haven’t caught wind of this,” I looked over at Robin as I pointed at part of the plane.

“Cheshire’s ID was a league alert. Authorities didn’t pick it up and her jet didn’t follow its flight plan. It flew under the radar. Literally. But the Watchtower auto-tracked the jet and recorded the crash,” Robin stated.

“Then why isn’t the League here,” Rocket asked.

“Because our Boy Wonder has some mighty hacking skills and arranged to get the alert first,” Zatanna looked over at Robin from the corner of her eye.

“And because Cheshire and that case represent our unfinished business,” Kaldur explained to her.

Conner tossed a part of the wing aside. “Where are the bodies,” He asked while looking over at us.

“Here’s one,” I heard. I snapped my head up to see Cheshire above us on a small cliff. “And it is stunning.”

“I am flora, not fauna. I am foliage, not trees. What am I,” I turned my head more up the cliffside. Lots of enemies dressed in white littered along the side of the mountain while Riddler and a wannabe Blockbuster were standing at the top. He snapped his fingers. Devices that looked like radio towers started popping up. I immediately got up on the defensive. A giant force field surrounded us. “Hey, come on, you can get this. I am shrubbery, not grass. What am I? I…”

“Ambush,” Robin muttered with a glare.

“Didn’t you think we’d be tipped you were on Cheshire’s trail? We’re tired of your interference, kiddies. This is the end game. Ordered from above and executed by their master strategist, moi.”

“Miss Martian, is everyone linked,” Kaldur asked in the mind link.

“Yes,” M’gann answered.

“Go.”

I flew up. I saw a blizzard intensify in the force field. I formed a hammer, immediately smacking someone down within the vicinity.

“Superboy, the pylons,” Kaldur called.

I flew further up and created a machine gun construct, grabbing it with my hands as I immediately fired. I heard a scream and before I could look, I got hit with something from behind.  “AH!!” I fell down, landing on the ground hard. I felt my body start getting weaker, much to my dissatisfaction. I struggled to get onto my knees. I heard a loud rumble. I tilted my head to look, only to get grabbed as I saw a couple of rocks land where I was. I looked up slowly. Wally stood, looking almost out of breath.

“I got you Babe. I got you,” He breathed, nodding his head. I nodded in return. He helped me up. I saw most of the enemies were down in front of us with Zatanna and Robin getting the last of them.

“Thank you,” I murmured and looked at Wally with a smile.

He smiled back. “Always have to look out for my favorite Lantern.”

“And I have to make sure my favorite speedster doesn’t fall. Man, do we make a great pair.”

--

We all stood in the cave as Icon, Batman, Black Canary, and Red Tornado stood in front of us. “Tell me if this sounds familiar,” Batman muttered while looking at us. “You hacked League systems, disobeyed protocol, and endangered your lives. And your initiative resulted in the capture of three escaped felons, proving Warden Strange runs Belle Reve as a cover for criminal activity. Well-done.” He gave us a small smirk. I looked over in shock before looking at everyone else. “And then there’s this.” He walked up to the case that was opened in front of them. “Biotechnology integrated with some form of nano-circuitry.”

Icon picked one up. “Though I am unfamiliar with this species, the bio component is clearly not of Earth,” He hummed as he looked at it.

“We’ll take it to the Watchtower for further study.” They headed over towards the zeta tubes. I saw Rocket catch up to them.

She looked up at Icon. “Congratulations on the League thing. Sorry I skipped out,” She hummed with a smile.

“Yes, well, we both seem to have found teams that suit us,” Icon responded.

Black Canary placed a hand on his shoulder. “We should go, too. Don’t want to miss the League’s induction party,” She hummed before exiting with him.

“You realize we were set up,” Robin asked while looking at us.

“Yes. Cheshire and Riddler were tipped and ready for us,” Kaldur nodded.

“Not the mole thing again,” Artemis sighed, placing a hand on her head.

“Wait a second, what happened in like the month I was gone? I thought we put that stuff to rest,” I frowned as I looked at everyone else.

Rocket walked up to us. “Mole thing? Again,” She asked in confusion.

“We had intel that there was a traitor on the team,” Wally explained to her.

“Mainly Artemis, M’gann, or me,” Conner walked up and pointed at himself.

Kaldur placed a hand on his shoulder. “It is more complicated than that,” He murmured. Conner shoved it off, walking away. “But your recent behavior does concern me. You attack on Mammoth nearly got Artemis and Green Lantern killed.” I saw him wince. My eyes widened. “Superboy?”

I took a step forward. “You know we’re not going to judge you, right,” I hummed. He looked at me. “It’s okay to talk. I mean we’re friends and teammates. We help each other.”

He looked away for a brief second. “…There’s something I need to do,” He spoke. He looked back at us. “There’s something I need to tell you. Last month, on Thanksgiving, I went back to Cadmus and found a few things out. When I was cloned, only half the DNA was Superman’s. The other half was human.” My eyes widened in surprise. “That’s why I don’t have, will never have full Kryptonian powers.”

“You sure? ‘Cause you seemed to have them today,” Robin hummed.

“I’ve been using these.” I saw a black patch on his arm that looked like a shield. “Shields. They suppress my human DNA. I get flight, the heat vision, but I think I also get angry. Well, angrier. I’m sorry.”

“Where did you get those,” Kaldur asked.

He pulled out a small container. “From my human father, Lex Luthor.”

“Oh my god… what,” I asked in shock.

“Lex Luthor… is your Dad,” Robin asked loudly.

“He summoned me to Santa Prisca,” Conner looked back at us.

I heard a loud sigh. “Ahh, listen. Superboy’s not the only one suffering from bad DNA,” Artemis spoke whole looking down. She walked over and typed on the hologram keyboard. Three screens pulled up with people on them. “My mother is Huntress, an ex-con. The rest of my family aren’t even ex. My dad’s Sportsmaster. And he is sending my sister, Cheshire, to fly me to Santa Prisca, too.”

“That’s why-,” Wally started.

“Yeah. I was so desperate to make sure none of you found out.”

“I knew,” Robin hummed. Artemis looked at him in shock. “Hey, I’m a detective. But it never mattered. You aren’t your family. You’re one of us.”

“Artemis. Did you really think we’d judge you for that,” I murmured, pointing up at the screen.

“Considering that my dad wanted me to follow in his footsteps, yes,” She looked at me.

I shook my head. “Look, no matter how you see it, you are one of my greatest friends.” I smiled as I walked over. I placed a hand on her shoulder. I looked at Conner then too. “All of you are my friends. I have no right to judge you on who your parents are. Now, on the other hand, this whole role reversal thing, being a hero despite the baddies? Totally awesome. I bet that makes your old man angry.” Artemis gave me a smile.

“So, uh, who’s next,” Wally asked as he appeared next to me, crossing his arms.

“I am,” M’gann murmured, looking down.

Wally held his hands up. “I swear I was kidding.”

“Queen Bee’s been blackmailing me. She wants me in Santa Prisca, too.”

“Blackmailing? How,” Kaldur asked.

“She knows my true Martian form.”

“Bald M’gann? Who cares if-,” Robin started to ask.

“No.” She gave out a quiet sigh. M’gann’s form started to change into a native Martian form. Instead of her skin being green, however, it was white.

“M’gann,” I murmured with a sad tone.

“I realized you would never accept me if you saw what I really am.” She hugged herself.

“M’gann, did we truly seem so shallow,” Kaldur asked.

“I couldn’t take a chance. Being a White Martian among the Green on Mars. I endured constant rejection. I couldn’t face that from-.”

“From me,” Conner asked. He walked up and grabbed her hand. I knew they were having a telepathic conversation as he looked up at her.

I sniffled, wiping a stray tear from my eye. “Why are you crying,” Wally looked at me.

“I’m having a moment. You would get it if you understood the social classes in the Martian community,” I looked at him. “This is so sweet.”

“Sucker for romance? You know-,” Artemis smirked at me.

I shook my head quickly. “No, no, shh!”

--

We went to Santa Prisca, hiding among the trees as I saw Behemoth arrive with Luthor and his secretary. Queen Bee appeared with Blockbuster, even though I thought he was detained somewhere. Then there was Cheshire and Sportsmaster along with Bane and his crew. This looked like a party that was about to get seriously ugly. Everyone was in their respective places as Artemis, Conner, and M’gann were in their places. Artemis fired the first few shots. M’gann floated her up before knocking out Queen Bee.

“Queen Bee is down. Superboy, you’re safe from her control,” M’gann called. I heard gunshots fill the air. The Supercycle flew down, taking out the gunners and separating them.

“Guys, reinforcement time,” Artemis called out.

I flew out, clearing a few more of the gunners with Wally. I held my fist out as I formed into a tank. I smirked, aiming the tank before firing. I gave a laugh, shooting them as they dodged out of the way.

“Aren’t you a little too trigger happy there,” Wally asked.

I saw a helicopter fly away from the corner of my eye. Rocket flew after it. I aimed over before getting picked up by Blockbuster. I was thrown towards the trees in the tank. I deconstructed it, catching myself in the air before shaking my head.

“I can still-,” Rocket called.

“No. You are needed here,” Kaldur told her.

I turned my head and saw Artemis get cornered. I flew over and aimed for Sportsmaster. I saw Wally get Cheshire. I formed a mace, aiming for Sportsmaster only to get knocked away by the metal ball he swung. I got knocked into the trees with a grunt. I sat up, rubbing my lower back. “Ow,” I hissed. I saw Wally appear and grab my hand. “Thank you, again.” I stood, dusting myself off.

“You are so welcome, Beautiful,” Wally smiled at me.

I blinked. “What?”

“What?”

I blinked again before seeing Artemis staring down at her dad from the corner of my eye. I flew over, seeing that he was in the swampy-looking ground. She looked down at him with a frown as I saw he was unconscious. I landed next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. She looked at me with a smile. I heard Wally walk up and saw he had Sportsmaster’s mask in his hand.

“Souvenir,” Artemis hummed. I saw her giving him a pointed look.

I saw Wally give a nod. I looked between the two of them. “…Are you two actually deciding to become friends? I feel like this should be a momentous occasion,” I smiled brightly.

“Well, yeah,” Artemis grabbed my arm around my shoulders, pulling me away. “We learned that because we’re teammates, we should get along better. Isn’t that right?” She looked back at him with a smirk.

“Y-Yeah! Absolutely,” Wally agreed with a nod. “Artemis,” I heard him warn over the mind link.

“Now Eileen, what’s your favorite store? We should totally hit it up when this is all over,” Artemis looked at me.

Hmm? I like going to an art supply store down the block from my apartment. The owner is a friend and he gives me a ton of discounts. Ooh! Maybe I can get the new shipment he just got in. I gave a wide grin. I can totally start making a piece with all of us in it too. To celebrate the new year. Although I might need a reference picture. Would everyone be okay with that?

“Absolutely.”

I gave a small cheer. “Awesome!” We made it back to the rest of the team. They stood around as I saw Blockbuster was in the same condition as Sportsmaster.

“It is always like this,” I saw Rocket grin.

“Told you,” Zatanna hummed.

“Hey, disaster averted. Feeling the aster,” Robin smiled.

“Agreed. This has been a good day,” Kaldur returned the smile.

“Absolutely,” I sighed with relief, rolling my neck around as it felt stiff.

Chapter Text

We walked down the hall after our fight yesterday with some of the bigger villains that had gotten the upper hand on us. I walked ahead, relieved but also not relieved.

“We have reason to feel proud of yesterday’s victories. But one thing has not changed,” Kaldur breathed.

“Somehow, the bad guys are still getting inside intel about us,” Robin huffed.

“Yeah, but at least we know none of us are the mole,” Wally grinned, looking over at me.

“True. That is a plus,” I hummed with a smile.

“That’s correct,” Batman spoke as we approached him while he had pulled up a holographic monitor up. “The mole was Red Arrow.”

“Roy,” Robin asked.

“No way,” Wally shook his head.

“No. N-No,” I murmured, shaking my head with wide eyes.

Roy…?

“Batman, that cannot be. He was Green Arrow’s protégé. We have all known him for years,” Kaldur looked at him.

“Unfortunately, the Roy Harper we have known for the last three years is another ‘Project Cadmus’ clone,” Red Tornado spoke, looking at us.

“We’ve learned the real Speedy was abducted and replaced immediately after becoming Green Arrow’s sidekick. The clone was pre-programmed with a drive to join the Justice League, which is why he was so angry over any delays to his admission and why he refused to join The Team,” Batman explained. “This Roy Harper had no idea he was a clone or a traitor. And his subconscious programming drove him to become League worthy. So, he struck out on his own as Red Arrow. When he was finally admitted, his secondary programming kicked in and he attempted to betray the League to Vandal Savage. Fortunately, I had already deduced Red Arrow was a clone. We were prepared.”

“Savage was subdued but Red Arrow escaped. He is now a fugitive, armed and dangerous.”

“If you guys hadn’t rescued me from Cadmus,” Conner murmured, rubbing the back of his neck.

“What-What happened to the real Roy,” Robin murmured, looking at Batman.

“We don’t know. He isn’t at Cadmus. We have to face the possibility that the real Roy Harper is dead,” Batman looked at us. I bit my lip, looking down as I grabbed my arm, squeezing it tightly to the point where it hurt.

Roy…

“The clone Roy, The Team will find him,” Kaldur muttered.

“Negative. Red Arrow’s a member of the Justice League now. Leave him to us.” I heard a faint beeping noise. “I’m needed on the Watchtower. Tornado, stay with the kids.”

I looked up, watching Batman leave. “Recognized Batman, 0-2,” The computer announced

Kaldur faced us. “Clone or no clone, Red Arrow was one of us. We will go after him,” He stated in the mind link. I saw Red Tornado go over to touch Kaldur when he shut down. My eyes widened as I walked up to look at him.

“Tornado,” M’gann gasped.

“What happened to him,” Conner asked.

“He’s totally powered down,” Wally eyed Tornado suspiciously.

Robin pulled up his wrist computer to scan. “All systems are down,” He leaned towards him.

“Guys, I’m sensing a low-level mystic force at play. I-I don’t know if it caused his shutdown, but now that I think about it I was getting the same buzz off Batman,” Zatanna looked over, raising an eyebrow.

“Batman,” Robin murmured. “He called us kids. He never calls us that.”

Yeah, that was weird. He always refers to us as the Team.

“Look,” Wally grabbed something from Tornado’s hand. “One of those biotech chips we confiscated off Cheshire.” It was, which was weird since the Justice League confiscated it for research purposes.

“Something’s not right,” Kaldur firmly stated. “Robin, Kid, Zatanna, Rocket, see if you can get Tornado back online. The rest with me to find Ro- Red Arrow.”

I flew after them. I looked back at Wally briefly before shaking my head and going towards the Bio-Ship.

“The problem is software, but where do we start,” Robin asked.

--

We flew in camouflage mode inside the Bio-Ship. “Computer logs indicate Red Arrow’s headed to the Hall from the Watchtower, but he could be anywhere by now,” Artemis looked at us.

“After Roy went solo, he installed equipment caches in several major cities. One is here,” Kaldur spoke. We flew low towards a building in DC, hovering above. “Lantern. With me.” I nodded, getting up. I formed a key with my ring, unlocking the rooftop’s door as we went inside. I followed Kaldur, looking for any odd signs. It looked like an older apartment building, albeit a little worn down. We stopped at a door. Kaldur and I looked at each other, giving each other a nod. He kicked the door open and stepped through. I followed, seeing a bow pointed towards us with an arrow already cocked back.

“We have not come to harm or apprehend you. But the Team requires answers,” Kaldur spoke.

“Me first. Tell me something you haven’t told anyone else. Tell me who broke your heart,” Roy glared at him. His voice sounded hoarse and quiet.

Kaldur gave a sigh. “Tula,” He murmured. “The girl I loved chose my best friend, Garth over me while my best friend on the surface world aims an arrow at my chest.”

Roy faced me. “…The first night after the League went on a mission… what did you tell me?”

I swallowed. “…I told you… that I sometimes wished my dad wasn’t a hero, but if he wasn’t a hero, who would get saved? So, I took it back, and said I wish I had someone here while he was doing the important stuff. And that person became you,” I murmured. “We’re here for the truth. Please… tell me the truth.” I teared up.

He pulled his arrow down, relaxing a bit. We got onto the Bio-Ship and went to head back to the cave. “We were told you were the mole, but we have reason to doubt,” Kaldur looked at Roy.

“Forget doubt. I was the mole,” Roy looked down.

My eyes widened. “B-But…,” I murmured, looking at him.

 “Batman and Tornado said you’re a Cadmus clone, like me,” Conner looked at him.

“That explains it.” He sighed. “I was a sleeper agent, pre-programmed to infiltrate the League. I think… Sportsmaster was my handler. He had a key phrase, ‘Broken Arrow’ that could shut me down, put me in a hypnotic state to steal secrets for his superiors or incorporate further programming. I’d then carry out all orders subconsciously, completely unaware of what drove me. I think one of those orders was to focus suspicion on the three of you.” He faced Artemis, M’gann, and Conner. “I’m sorry.”

“How did Batman discover this and prevent you from betraying the League,” Kaldur asked.

“He didn’t.”

“What,” I asked quietly.

Roy explained to us about how he was made to infiltrate the League with the biotech we got from the case we confiscated from Cheshire. It was called ‘Starotech.’ We apparently walked right into the enemy’s trap, much to our dismay.

“I’m sorry, but how is it that you are no longer enslaved,” M’gann looked over at him.

“No ‘Starotech,’ for starts. Just my Cadmus programming. And once I’d satisfied its last parameter, my mind began to clear. I’m sure Savage planned to ‘Starotech’ me, but he paused to… bask. I escaped,” Roy looked at her.

“I promise. I can clean any residual programming from your mind.”

“Miss Martian, are you in range,” I heard Robin ask over the mind link.

“Here, Robin. Linking both squads and decamouflaging,” M’gann called. I saw a hole form at the bottom of the Bio-Ship. Robin and the others appeared with a tied up Black Canary and a broken robot along with Red Tornado.

“Great, ‘cause we really need to compare notes.” I blinked in surprise.

--

We decisively came up with a plan. “Lantern,” Kaldur looked at me.

I looked over at him. “What’s up Aqualad,” I hummed.

“I… have a favor to ask you,” He leaned towards me quietly.

I leaned towards him a bit, tilting my head. “What’s up?”

“I am told Green Lanterns each have a sector, correct?”

“Yes, and although I technically survey over two sectors, normally most have one.”

“Would it trouble you if I ask this not as a teammate, but as someone requesting the Green Lantern Corps assistance?”

I looked at him in confusion. “I don’t follow. What do you mean?”

“I’m sure you treat the Team differently than you would if you were with the Green Lantern Corps.”

“Yeah, but that’s because-.”

“I am asking this as an Earther, Eileen.” I looked at him with wide eyes. “…May I acquire assistance from Green Lantern Eileen Jordan and not my teammate and friend?”

I swallowed. “…If you do, know that I take mission priority first over everything, but that can be hard… I don’t want anyone hurt.”

“You are making sure the Justice League doesn’t fall into Vandal Savage’s hands. Do what is necessary.”

I nodded slowly. “Okay… Are you telling everyone else?”

“You have your own objective. You know what to do.” I nodded sharply.

--

I stared down from my position inside the air vent. I glared down at Vandal Savage while Black Canary, Red Tornado, and Red Arrow stood there, not moving. I slowly pulled the grate off, waiting as I stared at Klarion floating in the air. I narrowed my eyes.

“The brats are on board,” Klarion frowned. “They’ve taken away four of my toys.”

“Recall all League away missions. It’s time to put these children in their place once and for all,” Vandal Savage muttered.

“Finally!” I heard Klarion’s cat meow. “Oh, yeah. Hey, Vandal. Shouldn’t those three be back online by now?”

“What?”

I constructed headphones onto my ears as a canary cry echoed the room. I saw Dad fly back, hitting the wall before falling onto the floor. I flew out in a dash. I raced down, aiming a sword at Vandal Savage that he blocked. He glared at me. “One of the children,” I heard him say muffled.

Another canary cry went out as I managed to stay grounded. I saw a bright light as my eyes switched over. Superman, Wonder Woman, Martain Manhunter, Hawkwoman, John and Batman all flew through and landed in front of us. I saw Canary get knocked down. I saw Wonder Woman launch at me. I created a bubble, blocking her attack as it sent me through a wall. I saw Roy get knocked unconscious by Batman while Red Tornado’s limbs got torn off by Superman and Wonder Woman. Hawkwoman flew at me, hitting the bubble with her mace. I glared, keeping my stance firm as I saw John appear. I got knocked around like a pinball machine.

Get a grip Jordan!

I fixed the cracks in my bubble. I got knocked through the wall into what looked like a garden. I shot down the bubble and formed a mace, hitting Hawkwoman away as I saw John form a construct of a highly advanced machine gun. I held up a shield, seeing the construct try to hit me. The bullets flew past my body, hitting the shield rapidly while I gritted my teeth. I glared.

“Green Lantern, what’s your status,” Kaldur called.

Busy.

“Busy,” Robin asked.

“If she sounds like that, she’s fighting. Where are you,” Wally asked urgently.

I formed a chain, wrapping it around Hawkwoman as she attempted to fly at me before sending her into John. I felt one of his construct bullets hit my arm, only skimming the surface. I winced.

Red Arrow, Red Tornado, and Black Canary are incapacitated. Klarion and Vandal Savage are where the zeta tubes are with them. They know you reverse engineered a cure.

I saw Wonder Woman fly at me with Superman. I formed a bubble as they attempted to break through my shield.

Martian Manhunter, Hawkwoman, John, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman flew in from some kind of portal and currently John and Hawkwoman are incapacitated. Superman and Wonder Woman are beating down my shield. I can handle Wonder Woman, but Superman makes this hard. My constructs can’t take much more of this.

I felt the bubble around me slide across the floor. I saw Martian Manhunter flying from behind the two in front of me.

And now I’m about to have a third person join in. This is JUST like Zamaron all over again!

I scoffed. I saw Wonder Woman get trapped in a bubble as Conner knocked Superman away. I relaxed my posture as Robin ran up, placing the cure into Hawkwoman and Superman’s necks.

Thank you.

“Can she escape your force bubble,” Robin looked at Rocket as I saw her fly down with her hands aimed at Wonder Woman.

“Not if she keeps punching it. The kinetic energy only makes it stronger,” Rocket answered him. “But I’m stuck here. Anything I do risks freeing her.”

I saw Batman jump down. “Look out,” Robin called. I jumped out of the way. I was knocked away by Martian Manhunter. I rolled onto the floor with a groan. I saw him attempting to hit me before I rolled out of the way again. I flew up, aiming my ring as it scorched the ground, creating a green flame before turning into normal fire. He staggered back. I saw Sphere knock into Manhunter, much to my relief.

I breathed while M’gann appeared next to me. She gave me a nod before disappearing. I looked over as Sphere went for Superman, knocking into him. I returned to looking at Manhunter as he went to attack me. I formed a bubble around me as he attempted to punch before a large shield formed behind me. I saw Manhunter stagger back in pain. I noticed a chip was inserted into his neck before he fell onto the floor. I dropped my bubble before Superman punched me into M’gann, knocking me onto the floor with a groan. I sat up, rubbing my chest with a cough. I turned towards M’gann, noticing her in her Martian form.

“M'gann,” I murmured, shaking her. She transformed back into her green skinned human form. She looked at me as I helped her up. I saw Rocket a few feet away, still keeping Wonder Woman in a bubble. I flew over, appearing next to Rocket. I got behind Wonder Woman, holding my fist out as Rocket dropped the bubble, allowing me to restrain Wonder Woman while M’gann placed a cure chip into her neck. She fell onto the floor.

I flew up and went into the main room with the others, noticing that Vandal Savage and Klarion weren’t there, but the rest of the team was, much to my relief. I saw Wally standing there and sighed. I landed on the floor. “Eili, are you okay,” Wally rushed up to me.

I nodded. “Yeah. Typical Green Lantern mission unfortunately,” I rubbed the back of my neck. “Not fun, but we got the job done. Thank you for the assistance.” I breathed.

I saw a holographic screen pull up, indicating the date and time. “Happy New Year, Justice League,” The computer announced.

I saw Zatanna pull Robin in for a kiss from the corner of my eye, causing me to chuckle a bit. Conner and M’gann looked at each other before they kissed. I looked forward, staring out at the Earth below us. “Well… guess that’s it. All’s well that ends well, ri-,” I murmured.

I turned to face Wally, only to be met with a surprise kiss instead from him. My eyes fluttered shut. I grabbed onto his shoulders, stabilizing myself while hands rested on my hips. I tilted my head into the kiss more, feeling the hands squeeze my hips before the lips pulled away from me. My eyes fluttered open. “Ye-Yeah, totally,” Wally nodded hesitantly, staring into my eyes.

“Did you-,” I started quietly.

“Yeah.” His hands squeezed my hips again.

“And you-?”

He nodded. “Y-Yeah…” He swallowed.

I cupped his cheeks, pulling his face towards mine as I kissed him again, closing my eyes with a smile. “About time,” Artemis called.

“Liking this team more every day,” I heard Rocket hum.

“Human customs still elude me,” Red Tornado stated.

I tilted my head more into the kiss until we had to pull back for air. Wally rested his forehead against mine. “You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting to do that,” He murmured.

“Same here,” I giggled.

“I… I just didn’t it to be weird.”

“I didn’t want anything to change.” I squeezed his shoulders. “I was worried if I said the wrong thing, I would lose a friend in the process.”

Wally smirked at me. “A lot of things are gonna change Babe. Titles for one. And date nights with my favorite Green Lantern.” He pulled me close as our nose brushed against each other. “I got a head start with those on movie night.”

“Getting ahead of yourself there, Wally.”

“Say that again.”

“Wally…!” I giggled. “We’re gonna be so annoying.”

“We have to be, like always.”

“Even more annoying than you already are,” I heard Artemis ask.

We pulled away slightly, looking over at her as she had her hands on her hips with a smirk. “Arty,” I chuckled.

“It was so obvious. You two clearly liked each other and wouldn’t admit it, no matter how hard I tried to push you.” She tilted her head. “If you had so kindly noticed, she clearly wanted to be with you so bad that it looked painful. And you-.” Her eyes moved over to me. “He stopped flirting with M’gann months ago. He only did it to get a reaction out of you.” She crossed her arms. “No need to thank me. I just had to pull two oblivious people together.”

I tilted my head. “Bragging much?”

“Yeah. And I made sure he was the one who told you since it was clear from the start that you wouldn’t tell him. Although what you did on his birthday must’ve sent him over the edge.”

“Big time,” Wally breathed.

“I’ll take credit for it since I’ve been pushing him to the limit.”

“Hey-!”

“I helped you, Kid Mouth. And because Eileen is also my best friend, you’ll be seeing more of me around. It’s best we get along.” Artemis smirked still.

I giggled. I looked at Wally. “Get along. Please,” I asked, placing a hand on his chest.

He looked at me. “Yes ma’am,” He smiled. “You still coming to my family’s New Year’s party tonight?”

“You know it. 7 on the dot.”

“Will you wear that red dress I like?”

My eyes widened. “You liked that dress?”

“It’s beautiful on you. If you don’t mind, I’d like to see more of how beautiful you look in it, Babe.”

My cheeks heated up. “You charmer.” I ran my fingers up his neck before rubbing them up his jaw. “Then you better wear something nice too. I don’t want to be the only one here.”

“For you Babe, I’ll do anything.” I leaned up, kissing his cheek tenderly.

Chapter Text

I stared at Dad and John with my arms crossed. Dad rubbed his head with a groan. “I know this feeling a little too well. Did I go binge drinking again,” He sighed, looking at me.

“You got canary cried and you were under Vandal Savage’s control. It was definitely not binge drinking. You’ll be fine,” I sighed.

“I feel sore more than anything,” John looked at me. “I was told you were the one to knock me down?”

I shrugged. “I did was I had to do. My job was simple, but it ended with some bad repercussions.” I rubbed my chest. “Superman hits hard.” I frowned.

“Yeah, tell me about it,” Dad huffed.

“I was asked as a Green Lantern to intervene, not as a member of the Team. This is my home sector and I refuse to have anything done to it.” I glared. “Unfortunately, Vandal Savage and Klarion got away, but that’s neither here nor there. I took care of what I could.”

John placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’m proud. You did good today, both as a Green Lantern, and as a member of the team,” He spoke. He looked at Dad. “Don’t you have something to say too?”

Dad got up from his seated position. “Yeah,” He faced me. “You did good kid. You didn’t need John or I to help you this time around. You did this by the books. I know you have an impulse to get in and get these things done, but… in these past few months, you’ve shown that you can do it. Especially those back-to-back missions you had.”

I smiled. “Thanks Dad. And thanks John. I really am trying.” I looked over. “Also, don’t forget, we have a New Year’s party to go to.”

“Do I have to go?”

“You don’t, but I’ll be going.” I crossed my arms. “You can stay at home and be an old man watching TV.”

“I can force you to not go?” He smirked, tilting his head.

I raised an eyebrow. “You do realize I was the one invited right. And what you’ll get is a beating fist on your door saying ‘Eili, Eili, Eili’ before proceeding to find a way inside, which he has multiple times, go through the fridge because he’ll have expanded his energy and he gets hungry quickly-.”

He rolled his eyes. “I see your point, but I’m taking a nap the minute we get home.”

“You’re taking a nap? Did you even realize I got knocked around like a pinball machine?” I rubbed my arm with a frown. “Plus, I’m extremely tired.” I pointed my thumb towards myself. “I’m more deserving of the nap, especially with what I’ve been through. I’m exhausted.”

“Okay, I get it. We can go home.”

“We better.” I sighed. We headed for the zeta tubes.

“Finally heading home,” I heard and saw Barry chuckling at us next to Wally.

“Oh, shut up. I got canary cried into a wall,” Dad sighed, frowning at him.

Barry continued chuckling as his grin widened. “You sound cranky there.”

“I heard you almost got sucked into the vacuum of space. At least I was close inside. Explain that.”

“Hey, at least for one thing, your protégé didn’t kick your butt. Kid, Artemis, and Aqualad had to fight off GA, Aquaman, and I.”

“Yeah, John got the brutal beating from Eileen along with Hawkwoman. I saw the footage.”

“Which was awesome by the way,” Wally grinned as he looked at me.

“It was not fun after Wonder Woman and Superman joined the party,” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I would’ve been done for the minute Martian Manhunter got involved. 3 versus 1? Not good odds… unless…?” I shook my head. “Actually no, that wouldn’t be good…”

A hand was placed on my back. “It’s alright, you know? You’re alright now.” I saw Wally next to me with a smile.

I smiled in return. “You’re right.” My stomach loudly growled, causing me to frown as I looked down at it. I looked forward with a huff. “I’m hungry too? Why am I exhausted and hungry?”

“Because you haven’t eaten since yesterday morning?”

“…Perfect reason.” I hummed. “That makes sense. I should go eat something.”

“Wanna go to Denny’s?”

I looked at him with wide eyes. “…Denny’s IS open!” I grinned. My uniform retreated back into my ring as I stood in my outfit made for the winter. I nodded my head. “Denny’s sounds perfect!” I patted my pants. I blinked. “…I forgot my wallet at home.” I looked forward. “…Dang it! I want my grand slamwich! How am I going to get a grand slamwich without my wallet?!” I snapped my fingers. “I can go home.”

Wally tilted his head. “Or… I can pay?” He spun around before appearing in his turtleneck and pants. “C’mon Babe. Let me treat you,” Wally winked.

“Wally…”

“It’ll be our first date. You, me, and Denny’s at… What time is it?”

“Like 3 am.”

“And Denny’s at 3 am.” He picked me up. “Let’s go!” We sped towards the zeta tube.

“Wait, did he just say date,” I heard Dad ask.

“Wally,” I squeaked.

“Recognized. Kid Flash, B-0-3, Green Lantern, B-0-4,” The computer announced.

--

I checked my dress in the bathroom mirror, making sure that it didn’t look messed up while I fixed my hair. I checked my shoes, making sure they were on neatly before nodding my head. “Okay, go-time,” I breathed. I entered the living room as I saw Dad frowning on the couch. “Alright, ready to go?”

He looked over at me. “Why,” He muttered.

I crossed my arms. “Why what?”

“You know what why I’m asking.”

I gave him a deadpanned look. “Dad, I can’t read your mind. Otherwise, we’d be different people. I’d be sitting behind you at casinos telling you how to win so we would be rich.” I gave him a smug smile before heading for the door. “Come on. We have to get there by 7.”

I heard him get up. “I mean, I know you had a crush on the kid, but why him? I know his type Lena.”

“And that would be?”

“The same type I was into as a teenager. Girls who were easy and pretty.” I raised an eyebrow at him as he walked up to the front door. “Hey, at least I’m honest.”

“Dad, that’s awful. What kind of person were you in high school?” He raised an eyebrow. “I take that back.” I held my hands up.

“I know my type, Lena. I just don’t want you to get hurt.” He frowned. “I still remember you asking me to see a Barbie movie.”

“Dad, that’s when I was 6 and just slightly before I discovered Transformers existed. Then I turned from being a ‘Ooh, I’m a princess’ to ‘Autobots, roll out.’” I faked robot noises with my mouth as we left. “And that was after my mother left too. So, you can see how I was affected by it. And now here we are.” We headed for the zeta tube.

“You will always be my little girl, no matter what.”

“Is that why you and Barry followed Wally and I to the Denny’s?”

“Barry was also hungry.”

“As if you didn’t order a large breakfast.” I rolled my eyes. I looked forward. “Why are you worried?”

“Why aren’t you?”

I frowned. “…Because I trust Wally. I know it’s stupid, and it doesn’t make sense, but I actually do trust Wally.” I looked at Dad. “If I can’t trust him, then I wouldn’t be trying anything at all. Let alone this.” I returned to looking forward as we got to the zeta tube.

“…” I punched in the code for Central City. “…I don’t know what she was talking about.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Who said what now?” I looked back at Dad again.

He chuckled. “I’m just glad you’re understanding your emotions. That’s all.”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever you say Dad.”

“Now all I have to do is be scary whenever he comes near you. I got this parenting thing down pact.”

“Of course you do Dad.” I rolled my eyes again as we went through the zeta tube. We went into Central City, making our way down the street before hailing a cab. “You better behave.”

“I can if the kid keeps his hands off of you.”

“You are so rude!” I glared. “I’m 15! I know how to do taxes!”

“Which creeps me out a bit because normally 15-year-olds like to learn about doing makeup.”

My face crinkled up as I scowled. “Why would I be interested in that? Looking pretty in makeup isn’t going to get me into anything. Why bother?”

“You definitely weren’t a model in the 80s then.”

I blinked in confusion. “A model in the 80s?”

“Pretty in makeup got you in a LOT of places. Now these days, it doesn’t work for everyone because now it’s about professionalism and attitudes-.”

“Okay, yeah, I get it. Times have changed. You’re old.”

“I was a 90s kid, okay? Sure, I grew up in the 80s, but the 90s was where it was at!”

I gave him a deadpanned look. “Until 1995.”

He frowned. “You were a nice… surprise… that year.”

“Then you went into the military and came back and my mother left.”

He sighed. “Eileen-.”

I held my hands up. “I’m not mad at you Dad. Clearly. I don’t really care. If she hadn’t left, maybe life would’ve been different, but I like my life now. I don’t have to bother with anything or many other people for that matter. I’m good.” I grinned. “I got the best dad in the world. And nothing beats that.”

He chuckled. “And I got a great kid too. So, this is pretty fine.” We got into a cab and went. I grinned, excitingly ready for what was in store at the West Residence. As Dad paid the cab driver, I got out and made it to the door. I knocked quietly. “Someone’s eager,” Dad hummed.

“I am. Very,” I smiled.

The door opened as Mary appeared. “Eileen! And Hal! It’s great that you made it,” She smiled at us.

“Hi Mary, we’re not late, are we,” I asked.

“You’re right on time. Barry just came back from the store with some last-minute items. Come on in and make yourselves comfortable. It’s cold out,” She moved to the side. “Hal and Eileen are here!”

We walked in, feeling the warmth of the house as I breathed in a sigh. It definitely smelled a bit like Christmas mixed with New Years, which made sense since the two holidays were so tightly wrapped together.

“Hal, Eileen, you made it,” I saw Barry speed up with a grin. “C’mon GL, you promised to get into the spirit of things.”

“I’m still trying to get over the fact that my daughter now has a boyfriend, thanks,” Dad gave him a look.

“It’s not so bad. She’s growing up!”

Dad gave him a deadpanned look. “Ha-ha. Thanks Barry.”

I felt a gust of wind appear beside me. I turned, seeing Wally stand there with a wide grin. “Hi,” He breathed.

“Hi,” I giggled. I noticed his dress shirt and dress pants, followed by a tie. “You look good.”

“As do you.”

I motioned towards his tie, seeing how it was a bit off. “I didn’t think you’d actually put a tie on.”

“I aim to please.”

I walked up to him, undoing it as I fixed it. “Well, you did it wrong, but that’s okay.”

“Hey, I had to look up how to do it.”

“Wally, your father knows how to tie a tie,” Mary sighed. She looked at me. “I don’t know what you said to him, Eileen, but it’s nice to see Wally dressing this way for a change.”

“Mom,” Wally groaned.

“You didn’t tell her,” I snickered.

“Not really. And apparently, Uncle Barry over here wants me to say it myself to get everyone’s reactions,” He mumbled.

“Hmm, I wonder why. Normally he’d tell Iris, who would tell your mom, who would tell your dad…” I giggled.

Wally smiled. “You’re finding so much enjoyment in this, aren’t you?”

“Not unless you hear Mr. Green Grumpy over there,” I motioned behind me towards Dad.

“Well, don’t you two look cute,” I heard. I turned around, seeing Iris smile as Mary walked up next to her.

“I told you Iris. Wally does look nice when he actually decides to look presentable,” Mary hummed.

“Mom,” Wally groaned.

Iris giggled. “Did you two decide to finally look nice for each other this year,” She hummed.

“Well Aunt Iris, my girlfriend obviously asked me to dress nicely and I had to make sure she didn’t dress nicely ALONE. What kind of boyfriend would I be if that happened?”

Iris blinked along with Mary. “Your what?”

Wally tilted his head. “My girlfriend. You know, Eileen? The girlfriend I made… how long ago was that?” He looked at me.

“About 19 hours ago,” I hummed.

“19 hours ago,” He looked back at them. “I even took her to Denny’s on our first date.”

“…Is THAT why you were laughing so much when you got home,” Iris asked, snapping her head over towards Barry and Dad.

Barry chuckled. “I knew your reaction would be priceless,” He held his hands up.

“They-They’re dating?! And you didn’t tell me?!”

“Wally,” Mary scolded. “Why didn’t you tell me and your father?”

“It wasn’t a big deal! And plus, it’s Eileen. You guys know her!”

“I knew she was his girlfriend,” I heard Mrs. Garrick call.

“He always talks about her. Of course, they’re dating,” Mr. Garrick laughed. I noticed they were sitting in the living room.

“Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Garrick,” I waved with a grin.

“Oh, call me Joan dear! You’re part of the family now,” Mrs. Garrick smiled.

“And Mr. Garrick makes me sound old. I can still do things. Call me Jay,” Mr. Garrick grinned.

Joan gave him a light slap on the arm. “Oh, stop it you.” She giggled before kissing his cheek with a warm smile.

“Every second I am getting closer into killing that kid,” I heard Dad mutter.

“Hal, calm down. It isn’t so bad,” Barry told him.

Dad snapped his head towards his direction. “You’re not a parent, Barry. I remember the day I met her at the hospital! She had a tiny nose! And she grabbed my fingers!”

“Oh,” I murmured.

I see… so THAT’S what this is about.

I snickered. “What are you laughing about,” Wally looked at me.

I looked at him. “I’m still a little girl in his eyes. He’s been doing this for a while. I get it that he’s upset. He doesn’t want me to grow up. And that’s something I can completely understand.” I reached over and grabbed his hand. “But in the end, I like where I’m at right now. At the right place, at the right time. Wouldn’t you say?”

He smiled. “Yeah. I’ll say…” He tugged on me.

“Alright, where are we going now?”

“Uh, duh. I wanna dance with my girl. Outside.” He winked, pulling me through the back sliding door outside into the cold. “May I have this dance milady?” He held his hand up.

I rolled my eyes. “With no music?”

“Nope! Just us, the stars, and the beauty of the night.”

I gave a snort. “Since when are you a poet?”

“Since I found you reading William Shakespeare a few months ago at the cave?”

“I was doing that to help M’gann with her homework. She doesn’t know Earth literature. I was happy to help.”

“Ah, so you weren’t reading it for fun?”

“No! Well… kinda? I’m a sucker for it sometimes.” I shrugged. “Maybe that’s just me.” I took his hand as he pulled me close towards him. He held my hand, swaying softly as I rested my face near the crook of his neck. “Aren’t you such a charmer, West?”

“I have to be to impress you. And it is totally worth it, Babe.”

I giggled. “Call me that again.”

“Babe? C’mon Babe. Is it so bad, Babe?”

I giggled more. “Again.”

“Babe?”

“Wally.”

“Babe…”

I squeezed his hand. “Wally…” I giggled again. “I never thought I’d see myself like this.”

“How come?”

“Have you seen my track record with people? I’m not the easiest person to get along with.”

“Well, when we met, yeah. But now, you’re easy to talk to and easy to interact with. I mean, you’ve been nice to everyone on the team.”

“Yeah, but we all have special abilities and powers that give us some common ground.”

“We do… but that didn’t stop you the day we met.”

I huffed. “I was an idiot back then. And hot-headed. At least I’ve cooled off, somewhat.”

“Somewhat?” I sat up to glare at him. He grinned. “It’s not a jab! You’re not hot-headed at all. You’re actually so level headed. I think you’ve only yelled when you’ve gotten mad, which was rare, even though most of the time it was directed at me.”

I smiled. “And I forgave you every time, surprisingly enough.”

“Surprisingly?” He pouted. “Eili, you wound me.”

I patted his chest. “Hey, you flirted with M’gann every chance you got. I had every right to be mad at you!” I smiled. “I don’t even know when you started falling for me… or why…” I frowned. “Why did you? I don’t have anything really interesting about me.”

“Are you serious? Babe, take that back.”

I blinked. “Take what back?”

“You have so many different interesting things about you. Not only are you beautiful, you’re beautiful and kick villain butt. You explore the galaxy fighting crime wherever you go. You also make the best birthday presents known to man and watch a lot of TV.”

“You’re a flatterer, West.”

Wally’s hand squeezed mine while the arm around my waist squeezed. “You are an interesting person.” His forehead touched mine. “Especially when you have a lot of talents under your belt. Like knowing CPR.”

My eyes widened as the color drained from my face. “How do you know that?”

“M’gann told me months ago.”

“B-But… I…” I blinked. “Is that why you thanked me back then?”

The color of his cheeks darkened. “Uh… um… Yeah? M’gann told me you did it.” I opened my mouth and immediately closed it. “You didn’t tell me though, and in a way, I get it.” He smiled. “It didn’t help me when Clayface turned into you then too.”

“…He turned into me?”

“Yeah. Was not great.”

My face heated up. “He did the same thing to me. You’re fine.” I looked down. “Kinda funny, and kinda embarrassing. He knocked me out afterwards though.”

“He did the same thing to you?”

“Yeah, he turned into you.”

“…Was I handsome?”

I gave him a look. “It wasn’t obvious?!”

He shrugged. “I wanted to be sure.”

“Wally!” I swallowed. “Either way… I spent a lot of time reflecting about my emotions. I was worried about how you would feel… I am not the easiest person to talk to.”

“Again, I beg to differ. You are amazing. You rock my world, Eili.”

My cheeks continued to heat up. “And you’re amazing yourself, Wally.” I rested my head on his shoulder again, resting my face in the crook of his neck as we swayed. “Happy New Year, Wally.”

“Happy New Year, Eili.”

Chapter Text

I twirled the pencil in my hands, studying the sketch in front of me as I tried my best to design the painting per the client’s requests. It was difficult to interpret what the man wanted. I was surprised that I was even approached during the art exhibit. I was encouraged by Dad, of course, to go, after he heard about it at work through someone, though he wouldn’t tell me who. I’m pretty sure it was Carol.

In any way, someone, an older man, approached me and my emotional pieces. He stated that I have created morbid pieces as well as energetic and happy pieces. He was interested in something else and said he would pay. It wasn’t my first time doing this, of course, but I knew he had a vision for what he wanted.

Radioactive by Imagine Dragons went through my speakers, immediately drawing me to the present as I looked back at the sketch I had done so far. I swallowed. I immediately went in to form another line when I heard my window unlock. I blinked in confusion.

My window…?

I felt a gust of wind as I squeaked, feeling my shoulders get grabbed as I was pushed onto my bed. I blinked in surprise as I saw Wally hovered above me. “Hi,” He breathed.

“Wally,” I growled with a frown.

He tilted his head, as if he was listening to the music. “Radioactive. Nice song.”

“Wally! What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to talk to you.”

“By coming through my window?!”

He shrugged. “Your front door was locked and I know your dad’s at work.”

“On a mission. In space.”

“…So, I could’ve came through the front door?”

I rolled my eyes. “Wally.”

“I seriously needed to talk to you!” He grinned. “I got my letter.”

“What letter?”

“My admission’s letter.”

My eyes widened. “To what?”

“Colleges in California.”

“But which one West?” I sat up a bit, leaning close towards him to the point where our noses were touching.

“Stanford.”

I gave a small gasp. “Stanford? The Stanford?”

“Yeah. The Stanford.”

“What did it say?!” I grinned.

He blinked. “I… haven’t opened it yet?” He tilted his head with a grin.

“Wally!” I knocked him over, reversing the situation as I now was the one hovering over him. “Why did you rush here if you haven’t even opened the letter?!”

“Because I wanted you and I to read it together!”

“But it’s your big moment! And it’s March. You sent that thing in months ago. And now they reached out?”

“I know.” His grin was wide. He held up the letter in his hand. “Come on!”

I got off of him as he sat up. He tore open the letter’s seal, pulling out the folded paper to read. I read over his shoulder, leaning on his back to read the paper. “What does it say,” I murmured while continuing to read. His breath hitched. “Wally?”

He tackled me back into the bed. “I got in!”

“You did?!” I grabbed the letter as he hugged me tightly, laughing into my neck while I read the letter. “’We are here to formally congratulate you on your admission to Stanford University and look forward to seeing you in the Fall.’ Wally, you got in!”

“I know!”

“Dude!”

“I know!” I hugged him tightly. “I’m so happy!”

I giggled. “You’re coming to the West Coast!”

“Yeah…” He sighed.

I pulled back from him. “What’s wrong?” I sat up and looked down at him. “Wally? Are you okay?” I placed a hand on his chest. “You can tell me anything. I won’t mind.”

“…I think I’m going to hang it up, Eili. Kid Flash.” He looked up at me.

I looked at him with wide eyes. “Hang up Kid Flash? You said it’s your dream to follow after Barry.”

“Yeah, but this is it. My chance. I go to Stanford, get my degree in Chemistry. I’m all set. It’s civilian life.” He swallowed. “I’m not a kid anymore. I’m 18. I have a life, choices, a job…” I moved some of his hair from his face with a smile. “Why are you sad?”

“I’m not sad.”

“I know that smile. It’s a sad smile. It’s when you’re upset, but you don’t want to be upset in front of others.”

I giggled quietly. “I always thought we’d be inducted into the JL together some day, but this is what you want. And… I’m kinda glad at the same time. I don’t have to worry about you having missions while I’m off world doing whatever. I don’t have to worry about you getting hurt or anything.”

He huffed. “It was a one-time thing, Babe. I didn’t mean to get hurt.”

I shook my head. “I was upset, but not mad at you. Like right now. You must’ve had this on your mind for a while.” I cupped his cheek.

“It has been yeah…”

“I can quit too, you know? I can put up the ring and someone can take me home-.”

“Absolutely not.”

I blinked in shock. “Wally-.”

He grabbed my hand. “You worked hard with that ring. In the Corps, on Earth, you’ve worked for it and with it. Not only just that, but you’ve worked on yourself too. You deserve to be in the JL. You earned it. I’m not taking that away from you.”

“But… Wally, I-.”

“I’ll be fine watching from here. And I want you to know I’ll always be proud of you. I’ll be waiting for you at home, always.”

I smiled. “I love you, Wally.”

“I love you too, Eili.” He reached up and tucked some hair behind my hear.

“Now what were you working on before I went in here? Something special?”

“Something for a client. Weird request, so I’m trying to piece it together.” I shrugged. “I’m not worried about it.”

“I see. Mind if I take a peek?”

I shrugged. “Again, it’s not so special.” I rested my head on his chest. “Not since you’re here.” I sighed. “You’re more important now.”

Wally shifted, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me closer to him. “I have a surprise for you too,” He muffled into my hair.

“What kind of surprise?”

“The fun kind.”

“With you, there’s always some fun bound in there. What is it, West?” I tilted my head up a bit, giggling.

“Two tickets. You and me. April 20^th.”

“April 20^th is next month.”

“And I want you to save the date.”

“For what?”

His grin was wide now as he looked down at me. “Prom night.” My eyes widened. I sat up. “I knew you’d perk up as soon as you heard that.”

“Prom? You’re going to prom?!”

“You missed it last year and right now, you’re not on duty.”

“You can blame Guy 100%. Even though he’s a Leaguer now, he was annoying about it. Then we got stuck with a routine patrol and ended up in some deep space stuff. You can blame him, totally.” I rolled my eyes and huffed. “It annoyed me so much. I spent money on a dress and didn’t get to wear it.”

“Which… I never got to see by the way.”

I leaned towards him with a small smirk. “Then you’ll have something to look forward to this year, won’t ya? What’s this year’s theme anyway?” I tilted my head.

“Same as last year.” He cleared his throat. “An Evening in Paris,” He tried to impersonate a French accent.

I gave a snort. “Oh, you dork.”

“Your dork, by the way. C’mon Babe. It’s not fun when you don’t acknowledge it as yours.”

“Oh, but that means I have a hand in it when I don’t.”

“But you do! You enable me.”

“Enable you to do what exactly?”

His hands grasped my hips as his face leaned in towards my neck. “Oh, you know,” He chuckled. I felt his lips nibble at my neck.

I giggled. “Wally! I have work to do.”

“But I’ve missed you! You’ve been holed up in here.”

“For good reason! Work!”

He huffed. “Work. So unnecessary for you when you wield one of the most powerful weapons in the galaxy.”

I rolled my eyes. “But what about when I’m on Earth? How will I function and eat and sleep?”

“With me.”

I thunked the back of his head, imitating a buzzer noise from my mouth. “Nah! Try again!”

“Babe, I can take care of you.”

“And I don’t doubt that. What I don’t want… is to be dependent of you.”

“Why not?”

I looked past his head, staring at my bedroom wall. “Because… I’m already so hyper independent that it’s scary to think about it when I lose it. I’m not saying I’ll always be like this, but I’ve been so used to it, that it’s hard to be without it, you know?”

He squeezed. “I understand, but always know you can count on me. I’ll be here.”

“I’ll always be here for you too, Wally.” I kissed his head and hugged him tightly.

--

“You got accepted into Stanford too? Congratulations,” I smiled at Artemis while walking through Gotham City’s mall.

She nodded. “Thanks. I got into the English Department,” She huffed. “Getting far away from this city as possible. It sucks here.”

“Dick’s said that a lot.”

“Yeah. You’d be surprised.”

“Wally got accepted into Stanford too.”

She snapped her head over towards me. “That idiot got into Stanford?!”

I nodded. “Chemistry department.”

She sighed. “It shouldn’t be surprising, given how much he knows about science. I don’t know what you see in him.”

“My dad asks me that a lot. I say it’s… a charm, about him.” I giggled. “It’s nothing, really.”

“Well, as long as you’re okay with it, then it’s fine. It’s not like I’m dating him or anything.” She shrugged. “At least you two will be like an hour away from each other.”

I tilted my head. “Well…”

“Well, what?”

I swallowed. “I’ve been thinking of getting one of those apartments over there. I’ve been thinking of moving away from Coast City. Spreading my wings, if you will. Either I can live near Stanford or I’ll move to San Francisco. It’ll keep my mother off my dad’s back if she doesn’t know where I am and my dad definitely won’t tell her.”

“Eileen… That’s a big change,” Artemis’s eyes widened.

“I mean, I have enough. At least, I’ve saved enough. Apparently, the client I did a commission for a few weeks ago? He apparently started listing people who wanted to work with me. I got paid already by a few of them and it’s a lot. I can afford an apartment if I wanted to, for starters I mean.” I smiled. “And it’s good money. And it keeps me afloat.” I sighed. “And Wally has to stay for a year on campus, stupidly enough. So, it’ll be nice to have already a place where he can visit outside of campus. And I can be nearby too, whenever he needs me.”

“That’s… amazing.” She tilted her head. “You know… I got a full scholarship to Stanford. I only will have to be in the dorms for a semester. And I could use a place to stay for a while.”

I blinked. “Are you offering to be my roommate?”

“I’m really asking if I can be one of my best friends’ roommate, yes. You’re not as annoying and I can deal with Kid Mouth for a while. We’re friends, Eileen. And you get what life is like outside the costume. You know… normalcy. So, what do you say?” She placed her hands on her hips. “Split the costs?”

I nodded eagerly. “Yes! Absolutely! It’s a deal!”

She sighed with relief. “That’s good. And it’ll please my mom too.”

“She’s worried?”

“Yeah. ‘Halfway across the country Artemis? Are you sure?’ Yeah Mom, I’m sure.” She breathed. “She knows you, and she knows you’re a well-known resident of California, so she won’t worry too much.” She rolled her eyes. “Just don’t tell her about Wally.”

I snickered. “Don’t worry. It’ll put my dad at ease too. I’m planning on telling him I was moving closer to San Francisco regardless. A lot of my clientele are from there. It’ll help with connections. And no one questions how I get my work done unless it’s done within a timeframe.” I shrugged. “So, it doesn’t interrupt Lantern duties.”

“That’s good on your end. You always try to keep your lives very separate from each other.”

“Yeah. This is my home. If I’m going to keep space and home separate, I better do a good job.”

--

“You have your battery, right,” Dad asked urgently as I placed the last box in the moving truck. I looked at him, raising an eyebrow as I placed a hand on my hip. “You know it’s early to for you to move out. Are you sure you don’t want to stay until Christmas?” He gave a tight grin.

“You’re a worry wart for nothing, Jordan,” Guy laughed, patting Dad harshly on the back.

“He’s a parent first and foremost. And this is a big change,” John chuckled, shaking his head.

I sighed. “I have my battery, Dad. We’ve all checked. It’s with the other boxes,” I told him.

Dad swallowed. “I just want to make sure you’re prepared,” He breathed.

I smiled and gave a nod. “I know, Dad. This isn’t so bad. I’m like an hour away if you drive. Or if you fly, that works too. And if neither of those options work, I have a cellphone. You can call.” I giggled. “I’m not far, you know? I love you, Dad. And I still love this city in my own sick and twisted way.”

He smiled. “I love you too, Kiddo.” He pulled me into a hug. “I… just want you to be careful.”

I gave a snort. “I will.” I pulled back. “I better not hear about a drunk guy who’s a pilot at Ferris Aircraft. I’ll come over and knock him out if I have to.”

He chuckled. “I’ll be fine. Besides, how will you even find out if that occurs?” I smirked. His smile left his face. He gave me a deadpanned look. “Carol?”

I nodded. “Carol.”

He sighed. “Great.” I laughed and got into the moving truck. “Be safe driving, Lena! And please don’t get road rage!”

“That is all you. I don’t rage when I drive. I laugh!” I shut the door after myself and waved to them from outside the window before driving off. I got onto the highway as the radio was on. I nodded my head to the rock bops. I heard my phone go off, causing me to reach over and answer it on speaker. “Hello,” I asked.

“You already on the road,” Wally’s voice asked.

I nodded. “Yep! I just left. I’ll be in Palo Alto in about an hour if traffic doesn’t kick me to the curb.” I breathed. “So far, it’s smooth sailing.”

“Good. I can’t wait to see the place.”

I rolled my eyes. “Dream on, you still got a whole year.”

“I can just move in now, you know?”

“And why would you do that?”

“I’m already out of school and Artemis won’t be in that apartment for 6 months. Still upset you’re moving in with her first.”

I rolled my eyes. “She’s going to need a place and she offered to be my roommate and pay. It’ll help out with expenses for a while.”

“Still… I wanna be there first!”

I giggled. “Then you’ll leave immediately when Stanford starts in the fall.”

“It’ll be the best two months ever, Babe.”

I knew he winked then. “So, you’re just trying to sneak your way in, huh?”

“Absolutely.”

“Dork. As if your parents will let you leave before college dorms open up.”

He groaned. “You’re right. My mom’s upset that I’m still moving to the west coast. I told her it’s not so bad. I’m going to one of the best universities on the coast.” There was a pause. “Oh, she came in here. Yes Mom?” I could still hear him, even though he pulled the phone away from his face. “I’m talking to Eileen. She’s driving to Palo Alto right now… Well, yeah, she’s moving there. It’s closer for her work… Artemis will be moving in with her after the fall semester… What are you talking about? I’ll be fine! Eileen can attest to that. Right, Babe?”

I gave a snort. “You better behave. Your mom’s going to miss you,” I snickered.

“Thank you Eileen,” Mary called faintly.

“Babe,” Wally whined. I gave a laugh.

--

I stared hard at the canvas while tilting my head, holding my camera for the picture of the final product before I sent it away to the client. It was one of the best pieces I’ve done so far, by far, probably, but it hasn’t necessarily been easy. The door unlocked while my head was still staring intently at the painting.

“Oh, great, you finished it,” I heard as I saw Artemis from the corner of my eye walk up to it. “Looks great. I bet the client’s gonna love it.”

I looked at her briefly before looking back at it. “Hmm…,” I continued to have my lips pursed together. “…It’s almost as if it needs something…” I snapped my fingers. “Ah!” I walked up and flicked a piece of dust off. “I knew there was something wrong with it!” I stepped back and snapped the picture. “There we go!”

“You are so picky when it comes to details.” She walked towards the kitchen and set her bag down on the table.

“Obviously. I care about those details.” I faced her. “How was class?”

She sighed. “Exhausting. I can’t believe I convinced myself to do a winter semester class. 4 hours is torture.” She sighed. She looked at me. “And what about you? I heard Kid Mouth is going to get out of the dorms next week.”

“How’d you get out early?”

She rolled her eyes. “My roommate decided to leave and said I was leaving early too, which was weird. I swear she was setting me up.”

“Sounds like it.” I sighed. “I could never have a college roommate. Someone I don’t know? No thank you.”

“That’s because you’re not a people person.”

“Yeah, but somehow I’m successfully a painter that people pay thousands of dollars for.” I raised an eyebrow. “Remember the guy who requested for me to paint his wife’s feet?”

Her face scrunched up. “How’d that go?”

I gagged. “Awkward. And worst part, the wife loved it.” I shook my head and placed my camera on the coffee table. “I don’t get it.” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. “Whatever though.” I rolled my neck around towards her. “Wanna get takeout?”

“I need to save up some money, can’t.”

“I’ll buy.”

She gave me a look. “For a 5^th time in the row?”

“Artemis I’m hungry and I don’t feel like cooking. I’m exhausted.” I stretched. I shook my head. A hard knock came to the door. “Do we have company?” I blinked at the door in confusion.

“Is it not Wally,” She asked with a sigh as she sat down.

“…He has a key, Artemis.” I looked at her. She stared for a solid minute before looking at the door. I held my hand up as my lantern ring on the coffee table flew onto my finger. I held my fist up as I slowly went to the door. I opened it with a crack, only sighing with relief. “Never mind. It’s these two.” I gave a deadpanned look as I saw Dad and John standing there. I looked back at Artemis before looking back at the two. “Alright? What’s up? I wasn’t called to Oa. I haven’t even done anything wrong. You can ask Artemis. I’m almost turning recluse.”

“Because she keeps working,” Artemis called, causing me to frown.

“You’re not in trouble,” Dad chuckled, shaking his head.

I tilted my head. “I’m not,” I asked in confusion.

John shook his head. “No, you’re not. We need to talk to you,” He hummed. He looked at me up and down. “You might want to get changed first.”

I looked down at myself, staring at my paint infested shirt and jeans with stains on them. I sighed. “I’ll be fine.” My uniform enveloped my body as I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow. “Now, what is it?”

“We’ll tell you on the way,” Dad floated up.

I sighed. I turned towards Artemis. “Cancel on that takeout order. I’ll be back in a while,” I told her.

She rolled her eyes. “You said you were going to pay for it anyways. I can make myself a sandwich,” She chuckled.

I flew up with John and Dad. We flew over towards the nearest zeta tube. “Alright chuckleheads, what’s this about? Some secret conspiracy,” I asked. “I got things to do.”

“Like what? You sit in your apartment all day,” Dad looked at me.

“I was finishing work for a client. I have a JOB now!” I huffed. “You better be lucky I’m done with my current commission, SIR!” I scoffed.

“This won’t take too much of your time, Eileen. Trust me,” John chuckled.

“Yeah, yeah,” I waved my hand. “If this is a joint kidnapping, I need to be home by 8. I want to eat something. Maybe I can text Wally for a pizza.” I hummed. “Good plan. Better than takeout.”

“Why would he be there,” Dad looked at me.

I glared lightly at him. “Because he’s my boyfriend, Dad. I am entitled to ask if he would like to come and bring pizza. Besides, the semester for the dorms is ending. I’m not bothered by it.” I shrugged.

We went through the zeta tube and ended up at the Watchtower. “Recognize, Green Lantern 0-5, Green Lantern 1-4, Green Lantern B-0-4,” The computer announced. I stepped through with a hum. I crossed my arms.

“Well look who it is,” I heard a call. I saw Guy walk up with a smirk. “Little Miss Jordan. How’s Northern California, Kid? Too big for you to handle?” He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s fine. I’m doing good in Palo Alto. Thank you for asking.” I rolled my eyes. “But enough with the talk.” I looked at John and Dad. “Care you tell me why I’m here now?” I placed my hands on my hips. “I’m… not exactly on the team anymore. In fact, I’ve been focused on space missions and trying to mix life within that. If it’s that routine mission that I headed in the Corps a few weeks ago, I did my best-.”

Dad shook his head. “It’s not that. The loss of those members weren’t your fault. The members that came back from the mission said otherwise. You’re an excellent leader. You can’t doubt yourself.”

I swallowed. “It’s not doubt, Dad. It’s…” I sighed. “Death is something I don’t like being accustomed to. I prefer for people to make it out, okay? That’s just what I like to see.” I shook my head. “I can’t dwell on it. What is it you guys need?”

“If we’re cutting to the chase, we need alien tech expertise. And you’re the best we got on this side of the galaxy,” Guy smirked. “Up for the challenge?”

“Is this… league work?” I raised an eyebrow. My eyes darted over towards John and Dad before looking back at Guy.

“Is it,” Guy asked, looking at John.

I looked at John then. “Yes,” He answered. “The league picked up some criminal activity and we need your help in identifying its origin. We would use our rings, but…” I tilted my head. “We’re easily recognizable. And we need this done fast.”

“Alright,” I nodded.

--

I got through the apartment door, releasing a heavy sigh as I rolled my neck around. I checked the time, noticing it was 12:45 in the morning. I powered my ring off, feeling my close loosely hug my figure while I rubbed the back of my neck. Footsteps entered the living room, causing me to look and find Artemis there. Instead, I found Wally in his pajamas as he gave a yawn.

“There you are,” He murmured with a tired smile.

My eyes widened a bit in shock, despite the sleepiness and hunger I felt. “Wally? What are you doing here? Dorm curfew is like at 10, isn’t it,” I asked.

“Yeah…?” He tilted his head. “And…?”

“…And you’re here.” I pointed down at the floor.

He chuckled. “I got out of the dorms, Babe.” His sleepy grin melted my heart.

“You did? But Artemis said you’d be out next week.”

“I asked her to lie so that I could surprise you.”

“Did she make up the whole ‘my dorm roommate said I was leaving early so I had to move in early’ bit?”

He shook his head. “Nah. I remember that, now. Her roommate was dating my roommate’s best friend. She didn’t like Artemis not being into huge parties at their dorm.”

I rolled my eyes. “Typical. But you’re here.” I rushed up to him before pausing. I looked at my shirt. “I think I should change.”

“You could take off your top.”

“Paint’s on my pants too, Wally.”

“Or strip. Stripping’s good.”

I chuckled. I cupped his cheeks. “Not out here,” I pecked his lips softly. He held my hips gently. “I missed you.”

“Me too Babe. I was in bed when I heard you open the door.”

“I had an eventful night.” I sighed. “Intergang doing its… thing again.” I frowned. “I need a shower and something to eat.”

“I can whip you up something good.”

I gave a hum. “I wanted takeout or pizza, but I’ll take anything really.”

“You’re in luck.” He winked. “I may have gotten your favorite from Denny’s.”

My eyes lit up. “You charmer.” I pecked his lips again. “You are amazing.” I pecked his nose. “I’m going to go take that shower. I’ll be in bed soon.”

“But it’ll be cold without you.”

“I need to eat and change. Please?”

He huffed. “I’ll wait for you out here.”

“Thank you.” I kissed his cheek before heading over to take a shower. I entered the shower and washed grime out of my hair as well as any sweat that got in. I got out of the shower fairly quickly after scrubbing my body down for 20 minutes. I reached for my pajamas, putting them on as I made my way outside.

I saw Wally watching TV in the living room, giving a small yawn when I heard the microwave beeping. I smiled at him. I made my way to the microwave, picking up the container filled with the grand slamwich, releasing a sigh of relief. I sat beside Wally on the couch, taking an immediate bite of the sandwich with satisfaction on my face.

“Happy,” Wally murmured in question.

I nodded. “Mhm. Yeah,” I muffled out.

“What were you doing out? Artemis said you got picked up by your dad and John, in uniform.”

I swallowed. “Yeah.” I nodded.

“What was that about?”

I blinked. “Oh, yeah…” I looked at him. “They asked if I wanted to be in the Justice League.”

His eyes widened. “They what?”

“I was working on an Intergang bust. They asked because they recognize league members, so I had to be in and out quick. They don’t know my face as a lantern since I stick to the west coast, you know? And… I busted them up pretty good. After that, I was asked if I wanted to be part of the Justice League.”

“What did you say?”

I gave him a look. “Wally…” I tried to contain my giggles. “I said yes.”

He grinned. He kissed my cheek, giving a quiet laugh as his arm wrapped around my shoulders. “I’m so proud. That’s my Eileen. The best Green Lantern Earth has.” He kissed my head. “We’re going to celebrate. For sure.”

“Tomorrow. Right now, I just want to be in your arms tonight.”

“That, I can do.” He nodded and pulled me close to him. I leaned against him, eating my sandwich while watching the TV.

--

I sat up in bed, giving a quiet yawn as I made my way into the kitchen to make breakfast. “You got back late,” I heard and saw Artemis smile at me tiredly while drinking her coffee.

I placed a hand on my hip. “Yep,” I nodded.

“Like your surprise?”

I giggled. “Yeah. Thank you.”

She winked. “I know you’ve been missing him. College is hard, but at least we have this normalcy to fall back to. I’m glad I’m away from it all. Don’t have to focus on my dad, don’t have to focus on Jade or my mom. I can just be me.”

I nodded. “I understand. And even after you find your own place eventually, you’re always welcome here.”

She nodded. “Well, I better get ready for class. And you have to give a certain painting to a client.”

“I will… eventually.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Eventually?”

I nodded. “I have a celebration to do… getting inducted into the Justice League is not something that happens every day.”

Her eyes widened. “What? Last night?”

“I was asked, and I said yes.”

She motioned over. “How’d he take it?”

“In his own Wally way.”

I heard footsteps enter. A head rested on my shoulders as arms squeezed around my waist. “You’re in the Justice League now. I got a hot JL girlfriend,” Wally mumbled tiredly into my ear.

I gave a snort, rolling my eyes. “See?”

Artemis rolled her eyes. “I’m going to get ready for class. Don’t do anything gross, please,” She walked away from us.

I nodded. “Yes ma’am!” I heard her bedroom door close.

“I could make it quick here in the kitchen,” Wally murmured.

I turned to face him. “How about I make you breakfast first? I’m hungry. And we were in each other’s arms all night. Isn’t that enough?”

“No. I have a few months to make up for.” He pecked my lips a few times. “I missed you.”

I giggled. “You’d turn down food for me?”

“Yep.”

I ran my fingers through his hair. “Are you sure you don’t want some yummy eggs and French toast?”

“…That seems promising.”

A knock came to the door. I gave a groan. I turned around with a frown. “Who’s interrupting my morning?” I made my way to the door, opening it up with a crack as I held up my fist with a glare. I gave a deadpanned stare as I saw Dad standing there. “Oh my god, you were here yesterday! What is it, Dad?” I opened the door wider and placed my hands on my hips.

“…Your mother came over,” He gave me a deadpanned look.

I groaned. “Alright, come in.” I motioned over. “Artemis, my dad’s here! Again!” Dad walked in and sat down on my couch. “Is there a reason why you decided to not call and just straight up came here? I’m about to make breakfast.”

“She came by to see you and obviously I wasn’t going to call you because that would tell her you’re not living with me anymore.”

I hummed. “Good call. What did she want?”

“To talk to you, apparently. She wouldn’t tell me about what, but she invited us over to a dinner.”

“…Dinner?”

“Yeah. In San Jose.”

I gave a confused look, scrunching my face up. “What? Why?”

“How should I know?!”

I gave a slow nod. “Uh-huh. Well, it doesn’t matter to me. I don’t need to go.”

“I’m not bribing you to go… but it would be funny to see her face when she finds out you’re not living with me anymore.”

I gave him a look. “You wouldn’t dare.”

He held his hands up. He cleared his throat. “June, Eileen moved out months ago in May. You expect me to tell her what to do when she’s already paying rent?”

I hummed. “…” I shrugged. “I feel like she wants me for some particular reason. And I don’t know why?”

“That’s what I thought as well.” He hummed. “But you can accept or decline. It doesn’t matter to me.”

“Is that all you came here to do?”

He stood. “Well, I came to congratulate you on getting into the Justice League! I’m proud of you.” He hugged me tightly.

“Thanks Dad!” I hugged him back.

“Please don’t leave me alone with your mom.” I pulled back and gave him a deadpanned look. “She annoys me, okay?”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. I’ll agree if I can take him,” I pointed my thumb over towards Wally, who was trying hard to not fall asleep at the kitchen table.

Dad snapped his head over. “What’s he doing here?”

“He came from the dorms. Like Artemis did. He has to return for the spring semester.”

“…Eileen, what is he doing in here?”

I gave him another deadpanned look. “Do you really want to ask me that question knowing full well I’m living with a roommate?”

Dad released a heavy sigh. “Alright, fine. He can come with. But he will have to dress nicely.”

“That’ll be fine.” I looked over at Wally. “Wally, ready to have dinner and formally meet my mother?”

His eyes snapped open as he looked at me. “Say what,” He asked.

“…I think I know where you’re going with this,” Dad sighed.

I smiled. “I’m glad you do,” I nodded.

Chapter Text

Eileen's adult life takes a turn when it's hit with responsibility after responsibility.

Season 2 - For Responsibility We Must Playlist
 1. Ride - Twenty One Pilots
 2. Mama - My Chemical Romance
 3. 21 Guns - Green Day
 4. This Summer's Gonna Hurt Like A Motherfucker - Maroon 5
 5. Rolling in the Deep - Adele
 6. Fourth of July - Fall Out Boy
 7. Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park
 8. What Goes Around…/…Comes Around (Interlude) - Justin Timberlake
 9. One More Night - Maroon 5
 10. Titanium - David Guetta, Sia
 11. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye - Train
 12. How to Save a Life - The Fray
 13. Just One Yesterday - Fall Out Boy, Foxes
 14. Toothbrush - DNCE
 15. Stressed Out - Twenty One Pilots

Chapter Text

I was proud to be in the Justice League, in a sense. It was like working on the team but in the public eye. It was a higher caliber of work too. Even after all the hard work between juggling the hero life and a normal life, it’s been… quite difficult, for a good bit of it. People I’ve known have grown up and changed. I’ve grown up and changed. I flew down to the Palo Alto apartment, landing on my feet as I heard my phone going off. I released a quiet sigh.

It can’t be John. He’s on his way to Rimbor to stand trial for the high council.

While I was working off world, doing Green Lantern things, we found out what happened with the missing Leaguers during the 16 hours they were missing under Vandal Savage’s control.

Dad and Guy already went ahead to speak to the high court. That’s… if it’s the league now, I just got back, man.

I saw Dick’s name flash on screen. I tiredly pulled up, tilting my head to answer. “Hello,” I asked.

“I did not expect you to be back this soon,” I heard him speak with a bit of surprise in his voice.

“I thought you were the detective here, Robin.”

“It’s Nightwing now. You should know that.”

“But you’ll always be my favorite Robin,” I tiredly smirked.

“Very funny… We found Roy.”

I swallowed. “Roy… as in-?”

“Red Arrow. We found him.”

I nodded. “Okay, where is he?”

“We’re on a rooftop in D.C. You think you can make it here fast?”

“I can manage.” I hung up and flew my way over to the nearest zeta tube. I landed on the ground just to get to the D.C. zeta before zooming off. I pulled my phone up to see the location Dick pinged and made my way over. I saw the rooftop in the distance. My eyes could make out Red Arrow, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Dick in uniform, Wally, and the former Guardian standing there. I flew down as I got within earshot.

“Before you go, you may want to hear another person out,” Dick breathed, holding a hand up to stop Roy from leaving.

“Who did you drag with you to talk to me then,” Roy muttered lowly.

I landed on the roof with a huff. “I wouldn’t say I was dragged. I was expecting this day to come actually,” I sighed.

Roy turned over to face me. “…You look terrible.”

I shrugged tiredly. “Rough mission in space, back-to-back.” I walked up and faced him. “I just want to know you’re alright…” I swallowed. “I’m worried about you.” I shook my head. “Speedy wasn’t my babysitter back then. You were. We met a year after you became Green Arrow’s sidekick. You’re the person we all know and care deeply about.”

His domino mask stared back at me. “All done?” He moved past me. “You wanna salvage someone’s soul, go get Kaldur to see the light. From what I hear, he needs course correcting but leave me out.” He moved past Wally and Dick towards the edge of the building. He stopped and looked back at us. “Write me off. Or don’t. Either way, blow.” He jumped off. I frowned.

“Thank you for trying,” Dick looked over at me.

I shook my head. “It’s not enough. I’m sorry I couldn’t be any more help,” I murmured.

“You did your best. I thought you’d get through to him as a last resort. But, I was wrong.”

I frowned as I felt a hand being placed on my shoulder. “Let’s go home, Babe,” Wally murmured as I looked over at him. “You need some antiseptic for the cut on your head.”

“It’s been stitched, don’t worry,” I sighed as we walked away.

--

We got into the apartment, locking the door as I released a stressed sigh. I heard Wally unzip his jacket as he sat down in the chair. “How did most of the talk go, before I arrived,” I asked quietly, turning my head slightly to look at Wally in the chair. He rubbed the back of his neck.

“We talked, but… he wouldn’t hear us,” He sighed. I walked over towards him. I placed my hands on his shoulders. He gave a groan.

“I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner,” I gave a light squeeze.

He tilted his head to look at me. “You’re not to blame, Babe. I mean, look at you. I don’t need to be a mind reader to know you’ve had a rough mission.”

“Two, actually. Was helping Arisia with an important assignment for the Honor Guard. Normally, normal lanterns like me wouldn’t accept the position, but Arisia said it was imperative that I helped her out for the mission, which I did… and it came to this cost.” I pointed towards my face. “I’m fine though. Just a lot of scratches and bruises. Helped a civilization out.” I smiled. “I was doing my duty.”

He nodded. “That’s good.” He cupped my cheek. “I’m glad.”

I smoothed my fingers down his jaw. “And I’m glad I got to go home after healing for a few days.”

“You know… it’s after midnight,” He smiled.

I tilted my head in confusion, trying to see what he was getting at. “Oh really?”

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Eili.”

My eyes lit up. “I almost forgot. I had your present ready. It’s supposed to deliver tomorrow.”

“C’mon, Babe. You know what that means.”

I snickered. “I bought your favorite food and it was supposed to deliver tomorrow from the grocery store. Who knew apps could be so handy these days,” I winked. “I made sure I scheduled it in case I was gone long on my missions, which I technically was because I had to go a couple of sectors away.”

“I think you came back right on time.” He stood up and hugged me to his chest. “Eili, you rock my world.”

My heart swelled. “I love you, Walls,” I kissed his cheek, pressing my cheek into his shoulder.

--

“You look like you just got out of a fight,” Artemis gave me a pointed look. She raised an eyebrow. “And you had to spend a week in the infirmary too?”

I nodded. “Arisia is a very good friend in the corps. She joined a few years after I did, and technically we’re similar in age. I’d do anything to help her out,” I sipped on my coffee.

“Eileen, you can’t keep doing this to yourself.”

“Fighting when I don’t need to fight?” I shrugged. “Wouldn’t be a hero if I wasn’t fighting something out there in the universe that’s evil, or bad… or generally just not good things.”

Artemis gave a sigh. “…Have you ever thought about hanging the life?” I looked at her. Her dark gray eyes were serious as they looked into my brown ones. “You can’t weasel your way out of this question, Sweetie.”

I frowned. That nickname was used for when she was parenting me, which wasn’t so bad in hindsight sometimes. I looked at the table in front of us. I sipped on my coffee, giving a small swallow. “Once or twice… maybe three times.”

“You can’t give me a vague answer like that.”

I nodded. “I’ve definitely thought about it once, when Wally told me he was hanging up his title.”

“And?” She tilted her head.

I hummed. “He said I shouldn’t. That I worked hard to get to where I’m at.” I shrugged. “I have my willpower, but one day… I do want to settle down and relax. I’m really kicking it because the universe still has threats that I should probably put out.” I set my cup down. I looked at Artemis. “So yeah… I’ve thought about it once or twice… maybe three times.” I swallowed. “I’m making a good life here, aren’t I?”

She chuckled. “You really just don’t know when to quit now, do you?”

I shook my head. “Sometimes yes. Sometimes no.” I swallowed again. “I just want the world to be safer, I guess. That’s why I haven’t quit.”

“What’ll happen when you’re too beaten down to continue?”

I raised an eyebrow. “I assume dead because I fight to my last breath, which is a really bad trait of mine.” I shrugged. “I fight when I don’t really need to. And I continue to fight that fight until my last breath… I am a walking bad sign.”

She gave a snort. “Clearly, but men seem to see something in you.”

I raised an eyebrow. “I’ve only been with Wally.”

“Yeah, and that’s when you don’t realize you have a LOT of men that notice you. You do know that, right?” She tilted her head with a smirk. “You have a lot of admirers.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t flaunt myself. I’m happy being by myself in my home.”

“With Wally?”

“…Isn’t he already included in the home deal?”

She giggled. “I swear, when you two get married, I will sit there and laugh.”

I frowned. “Why is that?”

“I can imagine it now. ‘Aunt Artemis, how did my parents get together?’ Well young niece and or nephew, your mom didn’t realize for a while that your dad was absolutely infatuated with her, and your dad didn’t realize how much your mom really loved him-.”

I gave her a playful shove as she laughed. “Cut it out! A-And besides…” I sipped some coffee. “If Wally has actually thought about marrying me, I’d be concerned. I used to break eye sockets you know?”

“I know. And yet he still looks at you and calls you ‘Babe.’” She smirked. “And he waits at home, waiting for you to finish a mission and come back home to relax.”

I gave a lazy smile. “And he’d have something ready for me to eat too.”

She gave me a pointed look. “Domesticity suits you.”

“…I guess it does, doesn’t it?” I gave a small smile.

Chapter Text

I finished pulling a banner up over the fire place of Iris’s and Barry’s home before stepping back to see my work. I gave a sigh of relief. “Perfect,” I nodded.

A hand rested on my shoulder, causing me to turn and see Iris smile at me. “Thank you so much, Eileen. With how Barry’s been running around these days with the league, I needed the help,” She gave me a smile.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll be at your beck and call whenever you need me. And besides!” I grinned. “I can’t believe you haven’t told them yet! Or Barry for that matter. I knew I found out by accident, but still!”

She gave me a look. “Eileen.”

I held my hands up. “I haven’t said anything to Wally, so you won’t have to worry about that.” I giggled. “Congratulations again! I never thought I’d ever be any use planning a baby reveal. It is quite small though, but it’s still nice to be included none the less!” I heard a beeping noise coming from my phone. I sighed. “Duty calls. I seem to have work to do.” I gave a wave as I headed for the door. “I hope you have fun! And good luck!”

“Thank you again,” She waved.

I ran outside and got my uniform on. I flew into the air and pressed on my earpiece. “Green Lantern here,” I answered.

“Lantern. There’s a disturbance in the area you’re in. Local Police seem to have it handled but the SWAT team was called. Check the disturbance,” Captain Atom called over coms.

I nodded. “Understood. On my way,” I flew ahead. I looked around before hearing an explosion come from downtown. I saw a red blur shooting through buildings and flew down. “Alright, you’re going to need to stop it with the buildings! This really isn’t the time or place to throw a tantrum,” I called out, holding my ring up.

I saw a man turn towards me. His suit, which was odd, looked similar to Mr. Freeze’s, only it was red and black themed instead of blue. “I’m only after the Flash. Nothing else,” He glared. He held his fist up towards me. “Any target that is not the Flash stands in the way, therefore, they must be eliminated.” My eyes widened. A beam shot at me, followed by a red field that evaporated from the guy’s suit. I pulled myself into a shield bubble only to launch in the air with several cracks. I landed on the ground in a thud, releasing my shield as I heard explosions all around me. I grunted, getting on my hands and knees.

This guy’s dangerous. This isn’t good.

I saw a few police cars and flew over. I floated above them. “Hey,” I called.

The policemen looked up at me. “It’s one of the Green Lanterns!” “What’s she doing here in Central?” “Where’s the Flash?”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “Flash is busy, but he’ll be here. For now, evacuate the radius until this guy can get contained. He’s dangerous.” I saw the field of red coming up into the park. I turned my head.

I’m gonna have to call Barry in for this. Sorry Iris.

I flew down and formed a mace, aiming to hit at his head before he shot beams at me. The waves of energy that flew off of him managed to fling me back. I grunted, managing to not hit the ground. I flew up again, forming an axe to cut, only for my neck to be grabbed as I got shot with a beam. I flew far, sliding across the ground before I was grabbed from any further damage and safely set down. “Lantern, what’s the situation,” I heard. I looked over to see Flash.

I released a sigh. I motioned towards the guy. “He has something against you. Like a vendetta,” I breathed. “Those beams of energy can crack my constructs. And on top of that, his radius damage affects the area around him, making him too hard to get close to. You’ll have to make sure you hit him fast, and probably from above preferably.” I got up, releasing a sigh. “I thought this was a robbery, but no. He’s here for destruction.”

I could feel the pain on my back and legs start to irritate me. I swallowed. “Alright then. Let’s give him a taste of the Flash then.” He ran ahead.

I blinked in surprise before releasing another sigh. “I hate it when he does that.” I flew up, only floating as I saw him get knocked back. Another wave of energy was coming my way as I pulled up a shield. It cracked instantly, shattering as I got on my hands and knees, panting heavily as my head started to hurt.

What is this energy made of? How is it beating my constructs one at a time?

A large beam came at me. My eyes widened. I got knocked back, landing a couple feet away onto my back. I groaned. I lifted my head a bit, sitting up slightly to look as another beam shot at me. “You’ve got to be-.” I felt myself get grabbed. I blinked in surprise as I was set on the ground. I looked up at the Flash. “I hate when you do that,” I frowned.

He chuckled. “Still not used to it,” He asked.

“I’m not my dad, you know? I’m used to my own speedster’s speed,” I huffed. “Even still, we got a job to do. Now.” I stood.

“Whoa! That was so crash,” I heard a call. I turned my head. I saw a brown-haired kid look at me, dawning a similar suit to the Flash’s except it was white and red, along with the fact that he wore a visor on his face rather than covering his face like Flash did. The kid’s eyes widened as he grinned. “Wait! You’re Eileen West! One of the best Green Lanterns in the known universe! It’s such an honor to meet you!” He shook my hand wildly and fast, just as fast as Flash has done on a few occasions. “I never thought I’d see the day where I got to see you in action! Wow, you’re really amazing-!”

I covered his mouth. I looked over at Flash. “Who is this,” I asked with a squeak.

“Flash,” Suit guy called, making us all look over at him. He made another wave of energy as he stared at us. “Prepare to meet your doom.”

Beams were shot at us. I was moved with the kid, causing him to laugh. “What kind of meat is this guy,” He asked as we moved again. I blinked in surprise. “He’s never gonna hit us with those.” We moved over once more.

“No, but it’s a stand-off,” Flash frowned. We moved between different places while beams were shot at us. We managed to move backwards away each time. I almost felt out of breath because it felt like whiplash. “He’s generating cascading waves of energy. Each wave stars before the previous wave dissipates. There’s no gaps in any speed. We can’t get close.” We hid behind a car, which gave me the opportunity to actually catch up with my breathing. “Wait a minute. I told you not to come.” I gave a yelp as I was moved. I was set down once again, this time coughing as I caught up again with my breath.

“Wait, do you not want to get out of the way? I never asked,” The kid asked, causing me to look at him with a deadpanned expression.

“I-I’ll… fly,” I breathed. The two sped off. “How do you speedsters do that?” I flew up and followed the speedsters towards the cop cars. I saw SWAT vehicles pull up. I snapped my head forward as I saw a beam shot towards a cop car. I flew over and grabbed the two men standing there and flying them back at a safe distance.

I flew up in the air and created a machine gun. I fired over, seeing the shots aim near him before a beam shot at me. The beam hit me in my chest, causing me to fall down and slide across the ground. I huffed, landing on my back. I tiredly turned my head. My eyes widened as I saw three people in Flash costumes, with I know one of them being now bright yellow. I sat up, giving a grunt.

The yellowed costume rushed over, helping me up. “Are you alright, Babe,” He asked, giving me a worried look.

I gave him a look. “Not really. My back hurts,” I coughed. “And I was tugged around like a piece of rope.” I pointed at his outfit. “Seriously KF? Now of all times?”

“Lantern,” Flash turned towards me. “It’s time for a big perimeter. We’ll need it.”

I raised an eyebrow. “How many miles?”

“Enough to make sure you don’t get caught in the blast,” The kid grinned at me.

I gave him a confused look. “Who are you? You know what? Don’t answer that right now. I’ll just work on the perimeter.” I floated up while the cop cars and SWAT vans drove away. “You three better not get into too much trouble! Someone is definitely not gonna be happy about it!”

“We get the drill! We’ll meet you in a minute,” Wally called to me.

I flew backwards before turning around and facing in front of me. I heard an explosion behind me. My eyes widened. I flew faster, managing to barely get out of the blast zone before landing on the ground. I pulled up binoculars, seeing a body standing there before a radiation of red energy was around him.

These energy levels are intense. He looks like he could release more energy waves at any given second. Was that suit just a containment suit?

Another explosion formed, bigger than before. I held up a barrier, gritting my teeth as I struggled to keep the blast back while my feet slid on the ground. My body started to ache as my head pounded. The barrier construct shattered, knocking me back as I hit my back against a wall. I groaned. I slowly floated up, breathing heavily as I looked in the distance to see the larger radius of damage around me. I flew up, flying over towards the center only to see now four Flashes instead of three. I pressed my fingers up to my earpiece.

“Green Lantern to Watchtower. Threat in Central City has been neutralized,” I breathed.

“Good work,” Captain Atom called over comms.

--

“Recognize, Green Lantern 2-5,” The computer announced as I walked through the zeta tube into the cave. I crossed my arms, staring forward as I saw a weird machine with different people around.

“Eileen,” I saw Garfield, Beast Boy as he was called in the field, wave at me.

I smiled. “Hey Gar,” I waved. I looked at the others as well. “Hey Mal, hey Robin. It’s good to see you all as always.” I nodded my head.

“How did the league briefing go,” Dick faced me in uniform.

I gave a tight smile. “How do you think it went?” I walked up. “Luckily, I stated that Flash was there to solve the problem or it would’ve been much worse.”

“I know you’re upset-.”

“Upset… in an understatement.”

“Babe-,” Wally started.

“I will talk to you later,” I gave him a pointed look. I looked back at the others. “I only have two questions.” I pointed at the machine. “What is that?” I then pointed to the youngest Flash in the room. “And who is this?”

The kid zoomed up with a grin. “Hi, name’s Bart Allen, go by Impulse. I’m the grandson of Barry Allen, you know, the Flash? Anyways, it was nice meeting you Eileen! I never thought I’d ever get the chance to meet one of the most famous Green Lanterns throughout the galaxy! I mean, your name alone is spoken through legends! Like who hasn’t heard of Eileen West-.” I covered his mouth.

“Cool your jets. First of all, my name is Eileen Jordan,” I stated, pulling my hand off his mouth. My face scrunched up in confusion. “Where did you even get that name anyway?”

He blinked in confusion. “He hasn’t asked you yet?”

I blinked. “Asked me what?”

I heard a whizzing noise as the kid’s mouth was now covered by red gloves. Wally gave a nervous laugh behind him, followed by a nervous grin as he shook his head. “Hi! Yes, uh, so you’ve met Barry and Iris’s grandson. Isn’t he just energetic,” He asked, grin tightening.

I blinked at him before giving a sigh. “So, he’s from the future,” I asked. I looked at the machine. “And let me guess, time machine?”

“Right on both accounts,” Barry nodded.

I slowly nodded. “Okay…” I looked at the fourth flash. I gave a smile. “Hey Jay! It’s nice seeing you again! How are you?”

“Hey Eileen. Just managing like normal these days,” He smiled in return.

“That’s great to hear.” I looked back at Wally. “Stop suffocating the poor kid. Dear God,” I swatted at Wally’s hands, pulling the kid away. “Jeez.” I released a sigh. “This day has been a headache.” I shook my head.

“Wait, Green Lantern, since you’re here, can your ring scan the time machine for components to rebuild it,” Robin asked, looking over at me.

I blinked. “Rebuild it? It doesn’t work?”

“Turns out, it stopped working when he tried to go back to his time. For now, he’ll have to stay here until we can send him back,” Barry nodded his head.

I slowly nodded. “Alright…” I held my fist up. “Ring, scan.” The ring gave me a scan before pulling up a holographic report. I narrowed my eyes as I read through. I looked at Bart. “This was made on Earth, right?”

He nodded eagerly. “Yes ma’am! Best of what Earth has to offer.”

“Mhm…” A phone construct was created and I pulled it up to my ear. “Ring, contact Lantern Venizz.”

The phone rang. “Hello,” A feminine voice asked on the other line.

“Venizz, it’s Eileen, I have a question for you.”

“Eileen! Odd enough that you would call me. I thought it would be John who would since he’s been asking me about Rimbor in my sector.”

I nodded. “This is a different question. My ring scanned for something that came from your sector. I’ve sent it over.”

“I received the report… Where did you get this kind of technology from? It hasn’t even been newly developed, but it falls in line with technology that I’ve seen on Krolotea before.”

I gave a hum. “Something stumbled on my way, but since you’re with the gremlins, I thought it’d be nice to ask you. Thank you Venizz!”

“You’re welcome Eileen. Have you been patrolling in your sector yet?”

“Not really. I haven’t received anything serious. Why do you ask?”

“I’ve heard some of my passerby ships in my sector. It seems there are issues regarding a planet called Asherah. Just be on the lookout.”

I nodded. “Thank you for the warning. I’ll have to be wary since I’m the only one patrolling in that sector.” I sighed. “Patrolling two sectors is tough enough.” I shook my head. “Again, thank you.”

“You’re welcome again, Eileen. Make sure the next time you call, it’s not so serious.” She giggled.

I nodded. “Yes ma’am.” The phone construct went back into the ring as the report did. I crossed my arms. “Yeah, you’re stuck here.” I looked at Bart. “This tech in here hasn’t been invented yet, but I’m not going to ask more about it.” I walked away. “And since you’re stuck here, enjoy what this time has to offer. Whatever future tech you’re used to, scratch that from your brain.” I snickered. “It’s back to old school for you.”

“What did you find out,” Nightwing asked.

“As I just said, this tech right here hasn’t been developed. The lantern I called said that it’s similar tech to something of her sector, but I’m not pushing it for more. It hasn’t been made, so it hasn’t been made. And honestly, we don’t have the technology on Earth to make a time machine.” I popped my back. “Now, I’ve done my duty for the league and for the lantern side of things. I’ll be at home, running a hot bath, because I ate pavement like 5 or 6 times. Please, and thank you.”

--

I rubbed my head vigorously, trying to get my hair as dry as possible. I sat at the edge of the bed, feeling the cool air hit my legs in contrast to the hot shower I just took. Footsteps entered the bedroom, though I didn’t have to look to see who it was. “Eili-,” Wally murmured quietly.

I sighed. “I’m very tired, Wally,” I looked at my lap, most particularly the end of my towel and my bare thighs that were presented.

“You’re upset. I know you’re upset.”

“Upset is an understatement.” I pulled the towel off my head, feeling the damp hairs hit the sides of my face. “How long?” I looked up at him then. “Since you put on the costume? How long?” I looked down at his legs, switching to his feet then before looking back at my lap again.

“This has been the first time since I hung it up. Well, besides that one mission last year that I told you about.”

I slowly nodded. “Mhm…”

Wally crouched in front of me. He grabbed onto my hands. “Babe, I promise… I haven’t put it on. Dick only called me to wrangle in the kid. I didn’t expect it to escalate to that.” He squeezed. “Believe me.”

I swallowed. “…I’m just worried something will happen to you if I’m not here.” The conversation I had a few weeks ago with Artemis started to play in my head. “…”

Wally cupped my cheek, lifting my head up to look at him. “And nothing’s going to happen. We have people here who are more than willing to help and step in. I know you’re worried, but trust me. I’ll be fine.”

“…But what if you aren’t?”

“…It won’t come down to it with all the plans we have in place.” He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, pulling me into a hug. I teared up, placing a hand on his back as the other grasped at his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry you were worried. I’m sorry that I didn’t give you a fair warning.” He sighed. “I know it’s not fair to put on the suit behind your back.”

I sniffled. “…At least you looked hot while in it.” I pressed my cheek further into his shoulder. “I do like a man in uniform.”

His hands went down to my waist. “Do you, now?” I slapped at his back. “Ow.”

I pulled back slightly to glare at his face. “You can’t weasel your way out of this. I was seriously worried. I get beat down all the time sure-.”

“Which I hate.”

“But at least I know I’m making it back home to you afterwards. I don’t want to worry about something happening to you.” I breathed. “You’re a jerk.”

“I’ll make it up to you.”

“How?”

He tilted his head. “Your favorite and movies?”

I stared at him for a minute. “…You drive a hard bargain.”

He smiled. “And I can throw in something extra for your time.”

I rolled my eyes. “If you’re going to say you’re paying, it doesn’t really matter to me.” I wiped my eyes from the lingering tears. I was picked up. I blinked in surprise, giving a yelp as I was then sat into Wally’s lap. He grabbed at the towel I discarded, placing it on my head.

“I can always pamper you this way.”

“I don’t need pampering.” I went to snatch at the towel, managing to swipe it off before Wally kissed at my shoulder.

“I can always do other pampering. Like your tattoos. These look so nice.”

My eyes wondered to my arms where I stared at the flowers that littered them in ink. “You’re the one who helped me pick them. And they’ve already healed. I got them 6 months ago.”

Wally’s kisses went up to my shoulder and rested at my neck. I could feel his breath on my skin. “I can always pick more. Where else are you going to get them?”

“I dunno. Maybe my back? Legs? Chest?”

“Ah, I know how to take care of you then.” He chuckled. He kissed at my neck then. “I’ll make it up to you, Babe. I promise.”

My eyes widened as his hands squeezed at my hips. “W-Wally! I’m naked! In a towel!”

“I mean, I can even the playing field.”

“You better!”

Chapter Text

I placed the breakfast plate in front of Artemis, hearing the TV going on in the background. I went back over to the stove, preparing the two other plates there as I got the eggs on. “Wally, breakfast is ready,” I hummed, setting his plate down at a chair. I set the other plate down and sat in front of it. I heard the TV turn off. I started off eating my eggs.

Wally walked up, sitting down in front of his plate. “I’m not happy about this,” He frowned.

“As I recall, you were wearing the yellow and red just a few weeks ago,” Artemis frowned at him, tilting her head as she raised an eyebrow up.

“That was an emergency. I was needed.” He glared at her lightly.

“Well, I’m needed now. You don’t get to make that call.”

“How did you even find out?”

Artemis motioned over towards me. “How do you think?”

I sighed, shutting my eyes. I reached for my toast. “I wish Nightwing didn’t call on you, but clearly it doesn’t seem to be the case,” I bit my toast. “You two left the life behind and now you’re being called back into it. If anyone has a right to be upset, it’s me.” I opened my eyes, staring at my plate.

“Don’t…,” Artemis sighed. She grabbed my hand, giving it a tight squeeze. “Don’t blame Nightwing. The decision was mine.” I looked at her as she smiled.

“He also knows that the league is stretched thin. He’s calling the reserves,” Wally looked at me.

I sighed. “We shouldn’t have to call the reserves in. I know it’s something that needs to be done, but I don’t have to like it. I mean, I got punched 6 ways to Sunday a few weeks ago. I bet if we at least had half of the best roster in the League, it would’ve taken 10 minutes.” I frowned. “But… the man didn’t die, so that’s a good thing. I guess.” I shrugged. “Just… what’s going to happen when I come back and you two all of a sudden are somewhere I don’t like?”

“You’re freaking out over nothing, Sweetie. What could go wrong,” Artemis pulled her hand back and ate her breakfast.

I looked at her with a deadpanned expression. “A lot of things. Me turning red for one.” I rested my head on my hand.

“You said napalm’s not your color,” Artemis smirked at me.

I huffed. “Red, yes. Napalm, no.” I shivered. “Atrocitus vomited on me.”

She gave a snort. “At least you know your priorities.”

I huffed. “Look, if I ever turn into a Red Lantern, it’s definitely because one of you two,” I gave her and Wally pointed looks. “You-.” I pointed at Artemis. “-are a very important person to me. And you-.” I pointed at Wally. “-are my lifeline. If anything happens to you, I’m going nuclear. Or maybe I’ll hole myself up here and die. Who knows really?” I shrugged. “Maybe I’ll destroy the world.”

“Are you capable of that?”

I tilted my head. “I can be.”

Wally reached over and grabbed my hand. “Don’t. I’d rather you not,” He chuckled. “I want you to be okay.” He squeezed. “Okay?”

I rolled my eyes. “Fine! Fine… Only because you said so.” I huffed. “Now eat up! I didn’t spend 20 minutes making this French toast for nothing! I need you to tell me if I got the cinnamon portions right!”

Artemis gave a small salute. “Yes ma’am,” She nodded.

Wally began to start eating. “…So, what if-,” He started to ask.

“I can make extra later, just say the word,” I looked at him.

He sighed with relief. “Eili, you rock my world.”

I giggled. “Stop trying to flatter me, Wally.”

--

I sat next to Wally on the couch as a movie ran on. I leaned against him, blinking in and out of sleep. “I’m thinking of pizza tonight. Give you a break from cooking,” Wally hummed above me. I heard the sleep laced in his voice as well.

I nodded. “Sounds good to me,” I murmured.

“You have your phone on you? Mine’s in the kitchen.” I held it up to him. “Thanks.” My phone buzzed as he looked at it. “Hmm? Aunt Iris texted you ‘Thank you.’ Do I want to know what that’s about?”

I shifted my head to look at him. “Oh, yeah. They redid the anniversary dinner. I helped her again with hanging some banners up and moving stuff around for her. I helped her with it initially the first time and I offered to help again. She redid the baby reveal too!”

“How’d you know she was pregnant?”

“I found out by accident last week when I visited her and your mom.” I shrugged. “Iris kept grabbing at my hands and staring at them for a long time, which was odd. And she also asked me what kind of gems I liked.” I gave a small hum. “I mean, I like birthstones. Not exactly a diamond person, you know? Too fancy and extravagant.” I huffed. “I’m not like those rich guys that flaunt their wealth. I’m fine with being discrete.” I felt Wally’s tense body, causing me to look at him again. “Are you alright, Wally?”

He nodded. I noticed his face was a bit flushed. “Y-Yeah! I’m fine, just, uh, dialing the number for the pizza.”

I gave a small snort. “You dork.” I pressed my cheek into his chest.

--

I entered the warehouse in Bludhaven quietly. I held my arms, crossing them over my chest as I moved further in. I gave a small swallow. “Wally,” I heard a quiet call.

“No,” A voice muttered in response.

I moved towards it with Wally following next to me. We moved around some crates to see Dick and Kaldur standing there. We all stared at each other for several moments. A hooded figure came into view, coming around the corner. They took off their hood and revealed themselves to be Artemis. We walked ahead, meeting up with everyone.

“I take it our ruse was successful,” Kaldur asked while facing us.

“Almost too successful,” Dick moved closer, allowing us to talk more privately. “The team and the league are in mourning. They may never forgive us.”

Kaldur looked between Wally, Artemis, and I before looking at Dick again. “And still, only we five know the secret?”

“This secret and the other. That you’ve been under deep cover within Black Manta’s organization since leaving the team. How’d it go on that end?”

“Successful as well. I’ve proven my loyalty to my biological father. He’s moving me up the ladder, bringing me closer to the Light. And their unknown partner.”

“Not without cost, Kaldur. The com-sat wasn’t supposed to be destroyed. And La’gaan definitely wasn’t supposed to be captured.”

Kaldur looked away. “It was the only way to save his life and maintain my cover.”

“I’m not blaming you.” Dick placed a hand on his shoulder, causing Kaldur to look back at him. “I know you’ve been forced to make impossible decisions. Like, choosing between saving the Kroloteans on Malina Island-.”

“Or saving my friends. And I will find a way to help La’gaan. You have my word.”

“So, what now,” Artemis asked as the two faced her. I gave a small swallow. I felt a hand touch my lower back as Wally moved closer to me. Dick pulled out a necklace with a yellow gem on it from his utility belt. He walked up to her, placing it around her neck.

“Uh, dude? Is there something you want to say here,” I asked, raising an eyebrow at the action.

Dick looked at me. “Glamor charm. Courtesy of Zatanna. Physio-morphic spell, I think. She said it backwards.”

“Wow,” Wally stepped over towards Kaldur and Dick to give Artemis a look over. “You look… exactly the same.” He rolled his eyes.

“To the five of us. And only us. But to anyone else, you’re an entirely different person,” Dick looked at him.

I pulled my arms apart and placed a hand on Artemis’s shoulder. “It brings out your eyes,” I hummed with a shrug. She nudged me with a small smile. She looked over at Dick.

“The more impressive trick is how you got something so specific from Zatanna without revealing who or what it was for,” She hummed.

“We have a history,” Dick smirked.

Wally nudged his side. “Dawg,” He smirked.

“It is time,” Kaldur walked up to her. Artemis gave a nod.

I walked up and hugged her tightly. She hugged me back with the same grip. “I know. But Sweetie, this has to happen, okay,” She murmured.

I nodded. “I know. Just… come back, okay,” I asked, pulling away to look at her.

She smiled. “What can go wrong?”

Dick placed a hand on my shoulder, giving me a nod. I swallowed. “Good luck, Arty,” I breathed. We watched her walk away with Kaldur. I followed after Dick and Wally onto the roof of the warehouse, seeing Artemis and Kaldur go into the Black Manta submarine as it went back into the water. I shuddered out a sigh. Wally grabbed my hand, giving it a comforting squeeze.

“We’re through the hard part. They’re in,” Dick looked at Wally and I.

“Who are you kidding? It only gets more dangerous from here,” Wally muttered. He squeezed my hand.

I shut my eyes, looking away. “Eileen.” I felt a hand on my shoulder.

I reopened my eyes. “Dick… are we doing the right thing,” I murmured, looking at him.

He nodded. “Yes. We’re doing the right thing.”

I released another shaky sigh and nodded. Wally wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s go home, Babe,” He murmured.

I nodded again, shutting my eyes as I leaned onto him. “Let’s go home,” I mumbled tiredly.

Chapter Text

I shoved my hands in my pockets, walking through town as I held two presents in my hand. I gave a small swallow. I made it to Ivy University’s campus where I saw a particular darked haired man sitting at a bench alone. I gave a small smile, walking over. “Hey there Conner,” I hummed.

He looked up, seeing me approach. “Hey there stranger,” He gave a small smile in return.

“What’re you doing here all by your lonesome?”

“Oh, you know, reading.” He motioned towards the book in his hands.

I rolled my eyes. “Besides the obvious.”

He shrugged. “Just passing time.”

I held out the smaller present to him. “Here. I got this for you.”

He took it, staring at it in confusion. “What for?”

“Dude, it’s your birthday.” I raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell me you forgot.”

He blinked. “Didn’t think you’d remember.”

“I’m your friend too, you know?” I set my present off to the side as I sat next to him on the bench. “I’m not needed at the bridal shower for another hour, so I made sure to come by and chat. Mal said you’d be here.”

“Thanks Eileen.” He sighed.

I tilted my head. “Aren’t you going to open it?” He tore off the wrapping paper, revealing a notebook in my handwriting. “Since I know Superman’s only got his knowledge in his impenetrable fortress… I decided to get THIS from the records on Oa. I got permission of course.” He opened it up. “It’s Kryptonian history. I got a lot of it in that right there… Actually, it’s just the highlights. I spared you the super boring details.” I gave a nervous laugh.

He smiled. “Thanks Eileen.”

I nodded. “Of course. I know I’ve been so busy with clients, and well, space, but you are my friend. And I do care. I hope I just wasn’t late on the celebration.” I placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll leave you be before I’m late for the bridal stuff. Happy Birthday again. And if you call me up and I’m not anywhere else or doing anything else, we can do some boxing if you’re up for it. Or reading. I’m good with both.”

He chuckled. “I might take you up on that, Eileen.”

I waved, departing from him to the nearest zeta tube to Dakota City. My eyes adjusted to the brightness of the sky before walking ahead towards the restaurant. I adjusted my cream-colored cropped sweater that showed off my stomach, making sure it was pulled down as much as it could be, which it unfortunately was. I adjusted my ripped grey jeans, hearing my boots hit the sidewalk as I approached in time to see Black Canary, Karen, Cassie, and Barbara. I saw Raquel sitting at the head of the table, giving a smile. I made my way up just as they all were getting their drinks.

“It’s Eileen! Hey girl,” Karen waved.

I waved back. “Hey everyone,” I rushed up, giving a smile as I made it over towards Raquel. “Hey Raquel! Happy bridal shower!”

“Eileen! You shouldn’t have,” She smiled at me.

“I had to! You’re one of my friends. How could I not support you,” I sat down.

“Thank you so much!”

I smiled, watching her open it up to reveal a jewelry box. “I feel like you’ll need it since you’re more fashionable with it than me.”

“Thank you! Ugh, I needed a new one!” I smiled, hearing the other girls chat up and compliment the box before going back to their previous conversation. I got my drink order taken and it arrived just as M’gann and Zatanna did.

“Megan and Zatanna are here,” Karen called. Everyone else chimed in with their greetings as I did.

“Hi! Oh, I’m so glad you could make it, you guys,” Raquel smiled as Zatanna and M’gann approached her from both sides. Zatanna gave her a hug, placing her present in front of her.

“Happy bridal shower, Raquel,” M’gann smiled at her, placing her small present bag in front of her as well.

“M’gann, ah, you shouldn’t have.” Raquel went to open the present.

M’gann took the empty spot next to me as Zatanna sat across from us. “Actually, it’s from Artemis too.” M’gann’s face turned into a solemn frown as she looked at the empty seat at the table. I placed a comforting hand on her arm, giving it a small squeeze. She reached over and patted my hand, resting her head against mine as I shuddered out a sigh. I saw her drink get delivered with Zatanna’s.

“What am I doing, having this shower,” Raquel asked, looking at the present bag in her hands. “How-How can we celebrate so soon after-?”

“Because Artemis would want us to celebrate.”

“She’d kick our butts if we didn’t,” Zatanna turned to look at Raquel.

I nodded. “I agree,” I breathed. “She’d want us to have a good time.”

Raquel grabbed her drink, holding it up. “To absent friends,” Raquel murmured.

We all held up our drinks, looking at the empty seat. “To absent friends,” We all agreed. Guilt ate my stomach up, but I pushed down the feelings, trying to keep myself levelheaded and remember the plan we have in place.

“And to the bride,” M’gann looked at Raquel.

We all stood. “To the bride.” We held our glasses up to her.

“You’re getting married, girl,” Karen smiled at her.

“I know,” Raquel agreed enthusiastically.

We all sat back down as we eagerly talked about what’s been going on and how Raquel’s wedding is going. I heard a loud beam shoot, followed by yelling as ice started to fill the area. My eyes widened. I held my ring up, putting my uniform on as Zatanna called out an incantation. I crossed my arms, glaring forward as Raquel’s bubble from her belt surrounded us. It dissipated to reveal Captain Cold about to rob the bank across the street from us. I tilted my head.

“I’m completely doomed, aren’t I,” He asked slowly.

“100%,” Raquel smirked. We all charged at him, hitting him head on.

--

I dusted myself off, fixing the belt around my waist as I gave a hard swallow. “This is a lot for one night,” Wally murmured as he watched me fixing my sleeves. I had on a cropped semi-long sleeve turtleneck with jean shorts on, followed by fishnet stockings and my boots. I turned to face him, giving a tight frown. “I know. I’m sorry. Really-.”

I shook my head. “No, you’re right. I… I have so much on my plate that it feels like I’m falling in a dark pit. League missions, lantern missions, this secret, ALL secrets. I am sick of it,” I hissed out. “And… I can’t get out for a multitude of reasons. The only reason I even know of Kaldur’s secret… is because you had to tell me.” I looked at him. “If you didn’t, I’d be flying off the rails.”

“I know how you are when you have a vendetta. Believe me, I don’t want to be on that side,” He straightened his posture. He walked up to me. “And you’re right… but… that explosion in Happy Harbor. Mount Justice…” He shook his head. “Sometimes I wonder why we’re still in it.”

“I ask myself the same questions.” I pressed my head into his shoulder. “I just want to relax and go back to how things were. Normal life, and normal things.” I sighed. “But I can’t have that. We can’t have that.” I pulled back and looked at him. “Can we?”

He pulled me into a hug. “We can. We absolutely can. When all of this is done, we’ll have that normal life with normal things. We can have that.” He pulled away slightly and cupped my cheek. “We can have that as soon as this is all over.” He kissed me gently. “Just focus on your lantern mission, then you’ll be back home.” He pulled away.

I nodded. “Home. Here. Yeah… I just sounded like a caveman.” I gave a small chuckle.

He chuckled after me. “You did.” He tucked some hair behind my ear. “Good luck on your mission.” He pecked my lips again.

“Please be safe here.”

“I promise.”

--

My body felt exhausted. I entered the apartment, feeling my body ache from all my muscles contracting from the tenseness I felt from being gone for almost 2 months. I collapsed onto the couch, tilting my head back before hearing footsteps enter. “…You’re home,” I heard a murmur.

I opened my eyes and tilted my head over to see Wally in his pajamas. I smiled tiredly. “Hi,” I mumbled quietly. He rushed over, pulling me into a hug. He tightly wrapped his arms around my frame. I winced, relaxing into his body after a moment and released a heavy sigh. “Hi honey.” I rubbed his back gently.

He pulled away from the hug and pulled me into a tight kiss. He pressed kisses around my face and lips, pulling me closer to him as he released a sigh. “I missed you.”

“Yeah, fighting a civil war was not on my bucket list as a Green Lantern.”

I was pulled towards him while he kissed on my neck tenderly. “I could eat you up.”

I gave a light giggle. “What’s gotten into you?” I ran my fingers through his hair.

“You’re gone for nearly 2 months and you expect me to not put my hands on you?” He pulled back to look into my eyes. “Babe, you wound me. Dare I say that feels like a slap in the face.” He tsked. “I just want you to myself.”

I ran my fingers down his jaw as I cupped his face. “Well, can this wait until tomorrow?” I winced. “I bruised a few ribs when some Asherahans tried to blast me from the sky. Trust me, that planet was not pretty when it was in war.”

Wally got up from his spot before picking me up gently. “Or I can just be gentle with you.”

I blinked, giving him a deadpanned look. “Wally.”

He shrugged. “I try.”

“…As long as you’re gentle, then it’s fine.” I smiled softly. “I really am exhausted though.”

“Then I’ll do all the work.”

Chapter Text

I tapped away on the Watchtower’s mainframe, making sure everything was in place. My nerves felt like they were on fire, knowing what was about to go down. I heard the zeta tube go off as I looked over to see Dick and Wally enter, both in uniform. Wally’s goggles were lifted, just like normal, and Dick’s arms were crossed as he gave me a nod.

“GL, it’s go time,” He walked up.

“Go time,” I breathed in question.

Wally walked up with a sharp nod. “Time to collect our neighbor and get Kaldur back,” He answered.

I swallowed. “Alright.” I nodded sharply, correcting my standing posture. “Green Lantern time.”

We made our way to the warehouse in Bludhaven, making sure the plan came out accordingly before we sprang into action. We all made our way into Santa Prisca, making sure we were in position as we watched the deal going on in front of us. My mind became clear, allowing me to maintain focus for this mission.

“Everyone. It’s go time,” M’gann called.

I flew forward, arriving next to Wally, Batgirl, and Dick. I saw M’gann had a sword pointed at Vandal Savage’s neck while a revealed Artemis and Kaldur stood beside her. I held my fist up, giving a hard glare and a smirk. Wally sped forward with a wave, giving a grin. “Hey there, Vandy. You miss me,” He asked, leaning a bit forward.

“Well played. Well… planned. But the Light always has contingencies,” Vandal Savage looked over at Kaldur. The Brain glowed behind the three of them. All our exits closed around us while the ceiling opened up to reveal the sky. I saw the Warworld next to the moon. I glared forward. Assassins dropped down from the hole in the ceiling. “I’ve had my fill of your interference. Do not expect to survive.” Vandal Savage glared at us. “Kill them all. Superboy may present a problem, but we’ll deal with him when the other children lie bleeding on the ground.”

“Still, you refer to us as children. No wonder our successes mount,” Kaldur scoffed as he smirked. “You consistently underestimate us.”

Blue Beetle took off his mask, flying up as he shot at the Reach’s guards. Other members of the team came out from their disguises as well. I formed a hammer, smacking several assassins down with a laugh. “Try again,” I called.

I flew up and formed another hammer in my hand, dual wielding hammers as I smacked down assassins. I landed on the ground, seeing the bodies around me. I formed brass knuckles on my fist, punching an assassin down from behind me. “Try. Again.” I glared while my smirk widened.

I saw a flaming snack appear, causing me to look with widened eyes. My eyes darted over to see Vandal Savage and Klarion disappear into a red portal. “Cowardly meat,” Black Beetle yelled.

“No! Vandal has the right idea. This battle is pointless. Do not resist. The heroes have no jurisdiction here,” Ra’s al Ghul called.

“Meaning every piece of meat on the Light is a coward.” I dodged an assassin’s sword slashing at my face as I punched out another one. I watched Black Beetle stab Ra’s in the chest, much to my surprise.

“Master,” I heard a call.

“Such is the fate of all meat,” Black Beetle glared.

I saw a large buff man shove Artemis out of the way, catching Ra’s from falling onto the ground. I flew over, helping Artemis up. “I have you Master. Ubu will keep you safe,” Ra’s guard breathed. He grappled out of the hole. Artemis and I went to jump at him only for Artemis to get knocked back into me. I caught her in time. “The Master will be resurrected.”

I landed on the ground with Artemis, placing her on her feet. Assassins surrounded us, making us stand back-to-back. “So, Arty, love what you’ve done with the hair. Nice party you got here,” I smirked.

“Oh yeah, I thought I could use a freshen up. Just to kick things up a notch,” She smirked back.

We bumped each other’s fists before going in opposite directions. I blasted an assassin down as a bat formed in my hand. I swung, hitting one in the face. I knocked out another before being grabbed in a headlock. I headbutted the man behind me, turning around and kicking them away. I threw the bat, knocking one assassin down as it ricocheted into another assassin’s head. “Nah-ah! That hold is reserved,” I snapped. I saw another assassin come after me before a yellow blur knocked them down.

“Babe, is that a bat or are you just happy to see me,” He winked.

I gave a laugh. “Oh, you cheeky dork,” I shook my head.

“YOUR cheeky dork. We’ve been over this.”

The fighting seemed to cease, causing me to sigh with relief. My bat construct went back into my ring. I reached out to Wally, hugging him tightly. He squeezed my waist with a laugh. “It’s over.” I pressed my cheek into his chest.

“Yeah, it’s over.” I felt a kiss on my head.

“I so want to order take out,” I breathed. I leaned up, kissing his cheek.

“You and me both, Babe. Your favorite and a movie marathon?”

I giggled. “Can we do a classic? I’m thinking we can watch Alien or something.”

“Friday the 13^th?”

I tilted my head. “Lord of the Rings…?”

He nodded. “Lord of the Rings it is.” He leaned down. “And I hope we can have dessert afterwards.” He chuckled, pecking my lips as he pulled me closer. I giggled again.

“God, can you two wait at least 5 minutes before you suck each other’s faces off,” I heard a smug scoff behind me.

I pulled back and turned my head, seeing Artemis smirk with her hands on her hips. I backed away from Wally, approaching her with a grin. “Artemis,” I hugged her tightly. “God, I missed you.”

She hugged me back tightly. “The feeling’s mutual. I missed you too. That and breakfast at your place.”

I pulled back, placing my hands on my hips. “Oh? You missed my cooking now, have you?”

“Along with that can-do attitude of yours, Miss Green Lantern.” She gave me a salute. She looked over at Wally as he walked up, wrapping an arm around my waist. “And I take it you haven’t changed much either.”

“She was gone for 2 months. I have every right to touch my girlfriend as I please,” He huffed.

“2 months? What happened?” Artemis looked at me.

“Civil war going on at a planet in my sector. No biggie. I was very sore and very tired,” I chuckled. “But I managed.” I grabbed the hand at my waist, squeezing as I looked up at Wally. “It was worth it getting home though.”

He smiled at me. “I’m glad,” He chuckled lowly. I noticed Dick walking over towards Kaldur and went to join. Artemis and Wally followed.

“I had hoped to end this tonight, but Savage escaped with Klarion as did Black Beetle and the Reach’s head scientist. Luthor and Queen Bee never showed, and even Ra’s al Ghul will no doubt-,” Kaldur started off, looking down.

“Are you kidding me? Kaldur, you won,” Dick smiled at him enthusiastically.

“Won? Dude, you triumphed,” Wally pointed out as we approached.

“You’ve crippled the Reach and literally broken the Light in half. Even took down Deathstroke before the summit,” Artemis beamed. She picked up the glamor necklace off the ground. “And since we holographically recorded the entire deal, we’ll be able to use the bad guys’ own words against them to clear the Justice League.” I heard her grunt. I looked to see Garfield hugging Artemis tightly. Artemis gave a laugh. “Huh! What was that?”

“I’m still just so glad you’re alive,” He smiled at her. He pulled back to look at Kaldur. “And that Aqualad’s not a traitor!” He glared at Dick and pointed at him. “No more faking anyone’s death for at least a year, okay?”

“Yeah, seconded,” Wally smiled at him.

“Thirded. I don’t want this happening again any time soon. Please, and thank you,” I smiled and nodded.

“Agreed,” Kaldur sighed.

Dick placed a hand on his shoulder. “Kaldur, this has been a good night,” He smiled at him. “Maybe the best we’ve had since the four of us first took off for Cadmus five-plus years ago.”

I walked around them, standing next to Dick as Wally placed a hand on Kaldur’s shoulder. “Come on. Enjoy the moment, my friend. You’ve earned it,” He smirked.

“He’s right, you know. You deserve this moment of victory. Bask in it,” I breathed.

I saw Kaldur look back at Black Manta as he was unconscious on the ground. He looked back at us and nodded. “Eileen,” Artemis caught my attention. I looked over at her. She held up the necklace’s gem. “You know what you got to do.”

I nodded. “Yeah.” I placed my hands on my hips. “I have to report to the Guardians of the Reach’s involvement. It seems they broke a few codes while I was looking up things at home. I gave the ring a mini questionnaire. Be on our toes. We can’t take their departure lightly. Especially since they now know a Green Lantern has been involved."

--

I placed my hands against Wally’s chest. “Babe, don’t worry about a thing. We’re cleaning up stuff here,” He smiled at me. “Don’t you trust me?”

I chuckled. “Of course, I 100% trust you. Our enemies on the other hand, no. Especially Vandal Savage and his stupid Light. I’ll worry about where he and the Warworld are at on a different day,” I breathed.

“I know. For now, focus on what’s right here and in front of you, which is me.” He gave a wink before pulling me into a gentle kiss. I cupped his cheeks, keeping him close as he held my hips. He pulled away briefly. “I’ll be right here when you get back.”

“You better. We’re having a movie night. And you’re buying food.”

He kissed my cheek. “I love you, Eileen.” I felt his breath against my skin, making me feel almost ticklish.

I smiled. “I love you too, Wally. I’ll see you when I get back.” I hugged him tightly, squeezing him a little bit extra as he did before going with M’gann, Conner, and Adam Strange towards the zeta tube. We arrived at Rimbor, arriving in time to where the trial would be held. I pointed over towards a building. “It’s there,” I called. I flew ahead with M’gann as Conner and Adam Strange ran after. We saw people leaving the area, causing us to go over seats as I saw Hawkman and Icon standing.

“Icon, Hawkman, we’ve brought new evidence,” M’gann called as she flew ahead, landing in front of them. “The Light and the Reach on holographic record, admitting they framed the League.” She held up the USB drive that held all the evidence.

“This should easily clear all the charges against them,” I urged.

“I’m sorry. You’re too late,” Icon looked down.

My eyes widened. I gave a hard swallow. “No, wait.” I walked up. “Tell them to reconvene with new evidence. New evidence that shows who the real perpetrators are who need the real judgement.” I nodded my head. Icon looked at me. “I dipped a bit into intergalactic law while on Oa, at least looked up the basic principles. We’re entitled to at least let the new evidence stand before them.” I swallowed. “We have to try.” Icon gave me a nod, grabbing the drive and walking up towards the council.

“Eileen,” M’gann looked over at me.

I breathed, turning to face her and Conner. “This has to work. We did not spent all that time and effort for nothing.” I shivered. I shook my head. “These secrets, the betrayals, it all did not lead up to us giving up here and now.” I gave out a shaky breath. I looked forward. “I don’t want our efforts to be in vain.”

M’gann placed a hand on my shoulder. “You make a good point,” Conner breathed.

“I hope so…”

--

We watched the council go through the evidence, seeing it projected on different screens as they reviewed what we had told them. I stood towards the back next to Hawkman, Conner, and M’gann. “Your new evidence is compelling, Icon. But the High Court has already ruled. The fact that we even reconvened-,” The leader started with a frown.

“Apologies, Your Honor, but this is a confession solidly placing blame for the attack on Rimbor on the true criminals responsible, the Light. And it provides their motive, bringing Earth to the Reach’s attention,” Icon motioned towards the projections.

The leader stood. “Yes, yes, but have you nothing more to offer?”

More? He wants… more…?

 “We do have more to offer,” Conner ran forward.

“Lovely.” M’gann and I stepped forward next to him.

“Well, uh…” Conner looked at us.

“Uh, this is a Court of Justice,” M’gann stepped forward, clasping her hands together. “I mean, the decisions of the tribunal have repercussions throughout the galaxy.”

“Right. And what we have to offer is… opportunity,” Conner pointed out. “The opportunity to demonstrate that truth and justice prevail here.”

“That is not the MORE we are accustomed to receiving,” The leader looked bored.

“Perhaps not, but if the Tribunal demonstrates its fundamental fairness here and now…,” M’gann started.

“Then how many other disputes would be brought to the High Court from across the known worlds,” Conner asked.

“And the more disputes brought…”

“The more mores the Tribunal will receive.”

“Your Honor, what my friends and I are trying to say here is that if you show the true fairness of the Tribunal, imagine how many mores will start coming to YOU to give you what you’re asking for. Already, it’s fair that many people today came to see today’s ruling knowing how popular the accused were. Imagine if you’re fair and honest with them… won’t that mean more for you,” I asked with a nervous grin, placing my hands on my hips.

The leader leaned back as if to contemplate our bargaining. “Hmm… Fine then. We will proceed with your appeal. We will be back momentarily with a verdict,” He stated. The table and seats raised up to the ceiling from our view.

I breathed. I walked up towards Icon with Hawkman and Strange. I looked up at Icon. “So… we now just wait,” I asked, tilting my head.

“That is all we can do. I hope it was enough,” He stated, giving me a glance before looking forward. I swallowed, looking back forward. It felt like my nerves were on fire. After a while, I heard the tribunal stage come down.

“We have heard your unorthodox appeal and reached a verdict. All charges are dropped, effective immediately,” The leader spoke towards us. “The former prisoners will be processed and released to your custody forthwith.”

Relief filled my chest. I saw M’gann laugh and hug Conner. “We did it,” She pulled back and grinned. I walked up to her with the others following.

“You did it,” Icon turned towards her. “The Justice League owes its freedom and reputation to you and the Team.”

“Thanks, but we should really zeta back to Earth,” Conner pointed his thumb backwards. “Can you handle things here?”

“Yes. Go.”

I breathed. “Conner, M’gann,” I looked at them. I gave them a sharp nod. “We’ll handle things here. Make sure to clean up the Reach as best as you can.”

They nodded to me. “Of course. Good luck here Eileen,” M’gann flew away with Conner running after her. Strange followed along as well.

“Will you not be returning to Earth with them, Green Lantern,” Hawkman looked over at me.

“My mission is clear,” I shook my head, facing him. “I am to make sure that the Justice League members are returned safely from Rimbor.” I breathed. “We’re already dealing with an invasion. The best I can do is make sure you all return in one piece and either it’ll be finished, or we’ll arrive in time to finish it.”

--

I walked next to the League members as we headed out from the High Court of Rimbor. “How does it feel,” Icon asked.

“Good. To be free and cleared,” Batman looked over at him.

“And even better to be heading home,” Superman stated.

“Attention, citizens of Rimbor. I bear message to the galaxy,” I heard Vandal Savage’s voice announce. I snapped my head up. I saw several screens of his face appearing around us. “I am Vandal Savage of Earth and I hereby declare my home world off limits to all incursion or invasion. Any breach of our planet security will result in severe discipline.”

“What makes Savage think these aliens will take his threat seriously,” Superman looked at us.

A large shadow casted over us as the Warworld appeared. “Because of that,” I answered. “He’s taken over the Warworld. And I see he’s taking it elsewhere.”

“When,” Batman looked at me.

I looked at him. “After Aqualad and Artemis uncovered the Reach and the Light’s plans, Vandal Savage had acquired the key that was necessary to take over the Warworld. We had tried to apprehend him, but like last time, Klarion helped him escape. He promptly kicked out stationed members off and left Earth’s orbit. It didn’t appear he would be returning any time soon, but we’re still on guard in case that were to happen. Right now, the remaining league members and the Team are trying to clean up what is left of the Reach.” I looked towards John.

“We’ll need to report to the Guardians as soon we are able. The Reach has apparently breached a treaty that I thoroughly went through. They tampered with human DNA, enhancing meta genes inside humans to speed up their evolutionary process,” I looked forward. “The best we can do right now is make sure we make it on time. We can reach the nearest zeta and make it to Earth that way. We need to go.”

--

We made it to the zeta tube on the Watchtower quickly. Through an outside hatch, we went through Earth’s orbit due to the zeta shield and the Watchtower currently taking too long to get us into orbit. It was enough with having Dad and Guy with us, making it easier to move by quickly. We got out of the Green Lantern constructed ship, landing in front of the ruins of Mount Justice. I stepped forward, looking around before noticing the shock of the other leaguers. I winced a bit, realizing they’ve been gone for 6 months.

“Are we… too late,” Superman murmured.

Are we…?

Batman placed a hand on his shoulder, looking up at the sky. I followed my gaze up as I saw the people floating towards us. M’gann, Wonder Girl, Blue Beetle, Bumblebee, and Garfield all flew down, landing in front of us. The Supercycle landed in front of us as well, with Kaldur, Conner, Robin, Dick, Guardian, Batgirl, Artemis, and La’gaan.

“Aqualad, what happened here,” Batman asked.

“Fear not. The crisis has passed,” Kaldur looked down, shutting his eyes. “Though at a terrible cost.” I looked around.

Oh my god… what happened? What happened? Wait, where’s Wally? Oh, that idiot, he got hurt again, didn’t he?

“Eileen,” I heard. Artemis walked up, now in her normal green uniform that she’s sported for many years. I walked up to her.

“Artemis, what happened? I know I was gone practically all day, but-,” I started to talk.

“Sweetie.”

I blinked. Her tone of voice was off. “What happened?” I swallowed. “Artemis, what happened?”

She shook her head. “Eileen… Sweetie, I’m so sorry.”

I gave a small whimper. “Artemis what happened?”

She placed her hands on my shoulders. “He’s gone, Sweetie. Wally’s…” She swallowed. “Wally’s gone.”

I shook my head. “No. No.”

“H-He was with Flash and Impulse. The Reach, they had these devices, MFDs. It was already activated.” Tears laced my eyes. “He ran off before I could even stop him, Eileen. He’s… Wally’s… Wally died, Eileen. I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

I felt the tears trickle down my cheeks. My breathing came in short puffs. “No… No, no, no, no, no.” I hiccupped. “I-I… I saw him. I saw him. I saw him. I saw him. I saw him. I saw him.” She shook her head. “Artemis please tell me you’re lying to me. Please tell me you’re lying!” I choaked back a sob. “A-Artemis!”

She pulled my head to her chest as I collapsed onto my knees. “Eileen. I’m so sorry. I-It wasn’t supposed to happen.”

I grasped at the back of her shirt, releasing heavy sobs as I shook my head. “I just saw him! I just SAW him!” She kept her grip tight on me. “Please, please, please. Please!”

Chapter Text

My eyes stared blankly at the wall, feeling like I was collecting dust while I sat there. The TV going on in the background felt like static even though I knew the news was on. One hand was draped over my lap while the other was loosely clutching the remote.

The world felt like it was laced with black and white. Few colors sported themselves in between and even if they tried to shine through, they still felt grayed out. It was quiet. Besides the TV on, it was quiet. Outside, inside, everywhere. It felt quiet. I wondered what happened if life was different. What if I had chosen a different path? The existential crisis took a loose grip and seemed to have me questioning everything around me, even as I slowly progressed in the new home I had purchased to get away from it all.

I quietly sat myself in a corner of San Francisco. I moved without warning. After Rudy and Mary collected most of Wally’s things, I settled out of Palo Alto. I was about a 20-minute walk from the beach. I stayed my distance away from many people. Sure, I did league things and lantern things, but… it really felt more like I was existing than living.

Many people noticed the change, sure. Especially when I went to stop another Asherahan civil war. Already, they had gone through another reform, especially since I helped try to establish the previous one several months before. I had gotten a very… very short haircut. Compared to the long hair I’ve had for previous years my hair now barely went past my ears. It felt weird to feel the wind on the back of my neck.

It was early in the morning. I barely slept enough as is when I heard my doorbell ring. I blinked in confusion before thinking it was probably the church people again wanting to recruit more people, or get donations. I was a contributor, despite my feelings towards it. I stood, preparing to grab my wallet as I shrugged on a jacket. I walked my way to the front door, opening it up to see a face I hadn’t seen in a while. I blinked. Conner’s hands were shoved in his pockets.

“Hey,” He breathed. I went to open my mouth. “It’s just me. M’gann didn’t come. Nor did any of the others.”

I swallowed. “How’d you find me,” I mumbled.

“I got help. You’re a hard woman to find outside the Watchtower.”

I slowly nodded. “Yeah… that…”

“Can I come in?”

My fingers squeezed at the doorknob as I looked down. “I’m… not really ready to receive guests.”

Conner gave a chuckle. “Knowing how you throw your supplies around? Yeah, that’s fine.” I looked at him. “We’re friends, Eileen. You don’t have to hide from us, you know that right?”

I gave a hard swallow. “I…”

“I know that you’ve been holed up in here since you moved in July when you got back from Oa. I want you to know that we’re here. The Team, your friends, we’re all here. Even Roy-. I mean, Will. He’s Will now. He’s the one who actually asked to find you. We’re all curious too, yeah, but we knew you needed your space. Will, however, says otherwise.”

…

I slowly gave a nod. “…I… have coffee…”

He smiled. “Coffee’s fine.”

I stepped aside. “The kitchen is upstairs. In fact, a majority of the house is upstairs.”

“It’s a fancy house.”

“It’s San Francisco. I’m amazed I got the house for this price.” I swallowed. “It’s expensive.” I headed upstairs where we immediately were met with the dining room. “This way.” I motioned over towards the door where the kitchen resided. I turned on the coffee pot, motioning towards the small table I had with a few chairs. Conner sat down.

“Nice place,” He hummed. “Nice view,” He chuckled, motioning towards the walkway wall outside the window.

“If you saw the door next to the garage, this is actually where it leads. I sometimes use it for a fresh breath of air when I’m getting the newspaper.” I sat down.

“So… how’s work?”

I hummed. “Apparently, I now am a ‘melancholy painter.’”

“I know. How’d you think I found where you were?”

“Are you sure you found me?”

“Batgirl helped.”

I nodded. “Of course. She’s always been good with computers.” I swallowed. “Let me guess, you tracked my zeta logs and flight patterns?”

“Which prompted us to look at your work history as well. Eileen Jordan is a very popular name in the right circles.”

I shook my head. “I’m not that famous.”

“You’re in a million-dollar home.” He raised an eyebrow. “Which is rare, might I add.”

I nodded again. “This is true… About a month after I got a home, I was giving a painting to an older client of mine. He referenced it was odd that I gave it a little later than usual, and I chalked it up to me moving instead of being, you know, depressed.” I shrugged. “And when I told him that, he brought over a lot of people that have been apparently following my work for years. Paying thousands for it and stuff. So, here I am. I have enough money to live out my days and retire. I bought the house outright. With that, along with taxes and utilities and such…” I shrugged. “I’m just… existing here, I guess.”

“Existing?”

I nodded. “Logically, I’ve mapped out my life, at least roughly. Emotionally, I’m… still a work in progress.”

“Eileen, you have every right to ask us for help. We won’t judge you for it.”

I shook my head. “I already feel like a burden, Conner. A heavy burden.” I looked forward. “I mean, look at me. I feel like I’ve dragged down everyone. I’m-.”

“You are not a burden.” I looked at him. “You have been a friend to us in so many different ways. When you and I first met, you didn’t treat me as a clone. You treated me as a human being.” I raised an eyebrow. He cleared his throat. “Well, you know what I mean. You aren’t much different. You’ve aged, yeah, but you’re still kind hearted. I mean, you worried about us.” He smiled. “How about I do this? You and I talk for today and I tell Will where you’re at… and we’ll move on from there. Baby steps.”

“…Baby steps.” I swallowed.

“And you should talk to your dad too at some point. Will and Artemis have heard he’s pretty worried about you. Him and the other Green Lanterns.”

I slowly nodded. “Yeah…”

--

I didn’t expect, after my long talk with Conner that lasted several hours, for Roy-, er, Will to show up at my door the next day. Early in the morning none the less. He looked clean, and a bit older. And he looked like he was starting to grow a beard. He gave a soft smile like the one he used to give me when he babysat me all those years ago.

“Hey there shorty,” He hummed.

I teared up. “Ho-How’s the weather up there,” I sniffled.

He pulled me into a hug, which I gladly returned. I pressed my cheek into his shoulder. “That’s no way to greet your babysitter.”

I shook my head. “Haven’t needed one since I was 9.”

He squeezed. “Feels like you need one now.” He pulled back. “Since you’re pulling a Nightwing and doing the whole disappearing act.”

I swallowed. “Yeah…” I looked down. I cleared my throat. “Um… breakfast?”

He smiled. “Starving.” We headed inside. “I like the place. Expensive, but nice.” He chuckled. “You seem to have it all worked out.”

“Logically, yes. In a rough sense.” I wiped my face, heading up the stairs. “The kitchen is this way.” He followed.

I got upstairs and went into the kitchen. “This is all very nice. Though, definitely Eileen-esque.”

I looked at him as I opened the fridge. “Eileen-esque?” I shut the fridge door after grabbing eggs and a few other things.

“Yeah. You have a particular way of things. For instance, how you like your books organized.”

“You’ve noticed before?”

“No, Artemis told me. She was your old roommate, remember?”

“Mmm.” I grabbed several pans, turning on the stove. “The table is over there if you want to sit.”

He moved across the kitchen and sat down. “Cozy.” I nodded. “…Didn’t expect me to come this soon, did you?”

I looked at him briefly before returning to the stove. “No. Not really.”

“I’m practically your older brother at this rate. I do worry.”

“…Why?”

“Why? What do you mean why?” He chuckled. “Eileen, you tried pulling me out the gutter earlier this year. Who says I can’t at least try and help you in your time of need?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Time of need?”

He gave me a serious face. “Eileen, you have avoided everyone for the last 6 months. Christmas is around the corner. And what are you doing?”

“Making breakfast?”

“Making breakfast, yes, but… You had to be found in order to make that breakfast.” He tilted his head. “You do realize you look incredibly thin, right? Like you haven’t been eating.”

“Because I haven’t. I eat dinner and sometimes breakfast. That’s about it.” I looked at him. “And I stopped going to the gym.” I returned my eyes over towards the stove. “No real motivation to do much of anything. I just… exist.”

“You… exist?”

I nodded. “I exist. Not moving in any direction. Forwards or backwards. I’m stagnant. Like a calm sea that never has any ripples of tides.” I flipped the eggs over. “I… I don’t know how to feel anything anymore. Sad, angry, happy, who really knows?”

“You’re still a Green Lantern though.”

“Because my willpower is showing bravery despite the fear. That’s easy to do when you don’t think about anything else. I don’t think about, uh, looking forward to stuff. I focus on my sector a lot more. It feels unhealthy. I mean, Laira mentioned that several times, especially when she did my hair-.” I shook my head. “Anyways, I just…” I shrugged. “I don’t know how to live as I am now.” I looked at him. “I’m not the same Eileen you met years ago. I’m most certainly not the Eileen before I… met Wally either.” I swallowed. “I’m surprised I haven’t gone back to being aggressive. I mean, that was my whole thing. Pushing people away because I didn’t want to be hurt. I learned to open up, yeah, but… it’s hard to do that again when I feel like a burden all the time.”

“You’re not a burden.”

“Conner said that yesterday, but words alone are not enough.” I looked at the stove. “I… don’t know what will be enough. I’m trying baby steps, as Conner said, even though this a large baby step, but… how can I start to heal from this? Heal from… what happened.” I shuddered out a sigh.

“…Baby steps require a lot of healing. So, I’m here to help, along with Lian.”

“Lian?”

“My daughter. With Jade, uh Cheshire.” I looked at him confusingly. “I know. Don’t look at me like that.”

“Artemis’s older sister, Jade?”

“Yes.”

“…How?”

“You would be surprised.”

I sighed, shaking my head. “I don’t talk to anyone for 6 months and all of a sudden, you have a kid now.” I crossed my arms. “It’s like I’ve seen everything.”

“She’s an energetic kid, and it’s fun being a girl dad.”

“I would know.” I gave a small wave. “I have a girl dad. And I was raised by a single parent. Bonus points.”

“Well, Artemis lives with me right now, so she’s helping ease that blow.”

I nod. “Good, positive female influence could help in her development.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that?”

I pointed a thumb towards myself. “Uh, you’re talking to the girl who was called a bastard child… but her own mother… at the age of 5.” I gave him a deadpanned look. “You want to re-ask that?”

He nodded. “Point taken.”

I sighed. “Still, Roy-, I mean, you go by Will now, don’t you?”

He nodded. “Yeah. I’m Will Harper now, legally too.”

I nodded. “Well, Will, still…” I sighed again. “How will I be able to start again?”

“I am here to help you. First step, talking to your dad. I’m sure Conner told you about that. He’s talked to Artemis about it and she’s asked me if I’ve seen you. Unfortunately, I would’ve never thought you spent your time here in this really nice house… Mind paying my mortgage off?”

I shook my head. “No,” I chuckled. “…I have money and I don’t really want anything.” I shrugged. “Never saw myself as rich. I’ve always been able to hold my own and save money. I guess when you get a bunch of rich guys to buy your paintings, your bank account starts to look odd when the number has a better increase than decrease. Then again, I live in San Francisco, so at least I’m living within price range.”

“You’re right about that. Hey, maybe you should move to Star City.”

I shook my head again. “Nah… I’m fine here. I needed a new start. Newer than Coast City and newer than Palo Alto. I’m good where I live. And there are several zeta tubes around. Including one here because it’s a major city.”

Chapter Text

I stood outside the apartment, shifting a bit as I calmed my nerves. Conner said all the Green Lanterns were home for these holidays and none were off world, so it meant Dad was home. I shifted again, burning into the soles of the door. I swallowed. I slowly brought my hand up to the door, giving a strong knock.

You’ve done it… now is the next step.

I could faintly hear footsteps on the other side of the door. The door opened. A face I haven’t seen much this year appeared on the other side. His gaze was tired, but he had definitely been awake. He probably had a long day. His gaze met mine as he froze. I swallowed again. I held up the present that was in my hands. “Merry Christmas,” I uttered out, feeling a sense of dread as I thought this was a mistake. It felt like it in the back of my mind. Despite the fact that both Will and Conner had encouraged me to speak to him, it felt like he didn’t want to speak to me.

“…Lena,” Dad asked. I gave a nod, confirming what sounded like a confused greeting. Instantly, as soon as I gave that nod, I was pulled into arms that felt tight and also comforting. I almost dropped his present as I stared over his shoulder. One hand was tucked behind my head while the other was around my torso. I held my hands up hesitantly before bringing my hands around him into a hug. I squeezed a bit.

“Merry Christmas Dad,” I mumbled. I gave a small shiver.

I heard him sniffle. “Merry Christmas Kiddo.” He squeezed. He pulled back, releasing a heavy sigh. “I… It’s December 24^th, not technically Christmas yet.”

“I didn’t know if you had plans Christmas Day. Didn’t want to intrude.”

“You wouldn’t intrude. You’re always welcomed here, always.” He smiled. “Come in. C’mon Kiddo. Why don’t you sit?” He pulled me inside, shutting the door. It felt strange. I grew up in this apartment, but I felt like a stranger inside. Maybe because it hadn’t been my home in years. But the familiar smell felt so comforting. I sat down in the living room, placing the present on his coffee table. My hands retreated into my lap. Dad sat down in the recliner. He swallowed. “Where’ve you been, Kiddo? I’ve seen you around the Watchtower and Oa, but you’re always hiding, or running away. One of the two.”

“San Francisco. I live there now. I moved into a house, about a 20-minute walk from the beachside. I needed a new change of pace.”

He hummed. “Sounds… good. Very good!” He smiled. “I’m glad, very glad. I’m… I’m glad.” He breathed, nodding his head. I noticed a pen and old receipt. I took it, writing on it before handing it to him. “What’s this?”

“My new address. You can come by. If I’m not at the Watchtower or on Oa. I’m there most of the time. I don’t go out anymore.”

“You don’t?”

I shook my head. “My clients hire delivery services and most come to my home for their requests if they haven’t called. I’ve been told I’m becoming recluse.”

“Recluse?”

“A hermit.”

“Oh. Oh! I see…” He nodded. He smiled. “We can change that. Why not spend Christmas with me and the guys tomorrow?”

“Guys… as in John and Guy?”

He nodded. “They’ve been trying to cheer me up. I’ve been worried about you, but I’ve never pushed you for needing me immediately. I always gave you your space to come talk to me. Though this time, I was a bit more aggressive in trying to find you to talk to me.”

“I’ve been told. You’ve spoken to Will and Artemis.”

He blinked. “How’d you know?”

“Will came by. Conner found my house with the help of Batgirl. And together, they found me where I was. Conner eased me into talking to Will. At least from a supportive friend stance.” I swallowed. “Will has been encouraging me to talk to you for the past few weeks.” I gave a small shiver. “I-I have a hard time… talking to people now… It’s hard… because the last time I felt this alone… I was a kid beating up other kids. I’m now an adult. I’ve changed. And… I don’t know how to adapt to that. I never thought I’d feel like this, but there is a first time for everything.”

I felt a hand on top of mine. I looked. Dad’s hand enveloped my own. I looked up at him. He still smiled. “It’s never easy. When my dad died, I lashed out in so many different ways. Sure, it’s different, but you loved Wally. I know you did. So much so that Carol had to be the one to say ‘Hey, did you know Eileen rejected being a Star Sapphire?’ and all that. I mean what’s up with that? Regardless, I know that it’s hard to move on from that. All you can do… is try your best, Kiddo. You can try your best to keep moving each day. That’s what counts.”

I slowly nodded. “Slowly moving… Hmm…” I swallowed.

Dad squeezed my hand. “Come back tomorrow. Spend Christmas here. Even if you think you can’t, I know you can.”

--

A small shiver ran down my spine as I knocked on the door. It was now Christmas Day. I stood up straight, hearing the footsteps walk up as the door swung open to reveal Dad. Relief filled his face.

“C’mon Jordan! Hurry up so I can beat you at cards,” I heard Guy call from inside.

I swallowed. Dad motioned over. “We’re just playing poker. You can watch,” He smiled.

I nodded. “Okay,” I murmured. We went inside. I walked into living room where I saw Guy sitting in a lawn chair as John sat on the couch.

“Alright Jordan, ready to get smoked,” Guy asked as he looked up. He blinked. “Well, I’ll be… Is that Little Miss Jordan?”

John turned his head over as they both were staring at me. I swallowed again. I gave a small nod. “Yeah… Hi,” I greeted quietly.

“And here we thought you were lonely,” Guy looked at Dad.

“Hey, she came by for the first time in months yesterday. I didn’t think she’d come back today at all actually,” Dad crossed his arms.

John stood, walking up. He patted my shoulder. “It’s good to see you, Eileen. How are you feeling,” He asked.

“I’m… okay,” I nodded. “I had breakfast. And I’m slowly going back to the gym.”

“So, I wasn’t the only one who thought she looked thin,” Guy walked up. “You look like a toothpick there, Kid. And not the funny kind that can sprout jokes.” I breathed. I rubbed my arm softly.

Baby steps. Baby steps…

A hand rested on my shoulder. I looked. Guy gave me a grin. “I know I taught you some poker. C’mon. I bet you can beat your old man at least,” He moved me over.

“Guy, I’m starting to think you’re the reason Eileen knows how sports gambling works,” Dad sighed.

“What? No,” Guy rolled his eyes before giving me a wink. I looked forward, taking a seat in the other recliner.

…Baby steps…

--

“Eileen,” I heard a call.

I blinked. I looked over, seeing Arisia float over. “Oh, hey Arisia. What’s up,” I asked as she sat beside me. I sat on a ledge, staring out at the city below us.

“What’s up with me? What about you? Are you excited?”

I tilted my head. “Excited… about what?”

She smirked. “You’re getting a sector partner.” I blinked in confusion. My face scrunched up a bit. She laughed. “You humans and your expressions, but yeah! You’re getting a sector partner. I’m jealous you got the new guy. He’s good. Really good.” She looked forward. “And cute too. He’s apparently a Daxamite. Daxam’s in your sector, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, though I’ve never been there. I was warned Daxam… is not kind to other aliens.” I shrugged, looking forward. I chuckled. “Maybe the Guardians think I’m soft.”

Arisia laughed. “I’m sorry, you think that they think you’re soft? You’re smarter than that, Eileen. You not only patrol 2 sectors, but as a part-time, you manage some training camps here on Oa from time to time. Kilowog thinks you’d make an excellent training instructor.”

I shook my head. “He flatters me. But I’ve lost my touch.” I gave another light chuckle. “I’m not who I used to be, but that’s okay.” I stood up straight from my position. “I’m pretty sure you have things to do, don’t you? You have been assigned a mission in your sector.”

Arisia stood up with a sigh. “I know, but I just wanted to catch up. Hardly see you anymore.” She smiled. “Be nice to the new guy, okay? And put in a good word for me.” She giggled as she flew away. “Have fun, Eileen!”

I waved. “Good luck!” As she disappeared from my view, I hovered around before deciding to check on a few last-minute things before patrolling a bit of my sector on my way home. I released a small sigh.

“Ah, there she is,” I heard as I made my way past the Central Meeting Hall. “Eileen!” I turned my head. John waved me over as I saw Guy snicker. Dad shook his head. I approached, landing in front of them as I walked over. I saw a new face among them, realizing he was definitely not from Earth. His hair was dark. Short and dark. With black sclera eyes shining with green irises, it was clear he was definitely someone not from Earth. “Sodam, this is Eileen Jordan. She currently runs over Sector 1760. The Guardians said you’ll be her partner from here on going forward,” John motioned over towards me, looking at the tall man.

“I have heard plenty of stories from Kilowog. Nice to put a name to a face,” The new guy nodded his head. He looked at me with a grin. It was definitely a confident one. “I’m Sodam Yat. It’s nice to meet you.”

I nodded my head. “Eileen Jordan. I’m from Sector 2814,” I greeted.

“I’m aware. The Guardians explained that, along with these three from your sector. You’re from Earth. I’ve never seen an Earthling woman before.”

I slowly nodded. “So have I been told.”

“He’s from Daxam,” John placed a hand on Sodam’s shoulder. “I’m sure you’re aware of the planet.”

I blinked. “Oh. You’re the guy Arisia mentioned. The new one. She said you were good.”

Sodam smirked. “My reputation proceeds me,” He hummed.

I slowly nodded. “Yes.” I crossed my arms. “Though I tend to see things with my own eyes rather than hear word of mouth.” I shook my head. “So, you’ll have to wait until we get a mission together.”

“Be careful what you say, Yat. Eileen here is one of the best combatants in the Corps. In hand to hand, she could mop the floor with you,” Guy smirked.

“Oh, we could try that if you want to,” Sodam looked at me.

I shook my head. “Won’t be necessary. Guy is just… exaggerating.” I swallowed. “Besides, I’m pretty sure I’ve gone soft.”

“Soft? You? Nah,” Guy shook his head. “I mean, just look at your mission logs. You’ve been putting people up by the books.”

I sighed. “Again, you exaggerate. I’m just doing my job. Protecting the universe and, well, doing what I can on Earth.” I shrugged weakly. “Just trying my best here.”

--

“It’s quite the convenience that we have a mission together,” Sodam hummed as we flew next to each other.

“It’s just a routine checkup on Yupra,” I told him. “Some planets that are more involved with their lanterns tend to get checkups. Yupra likes knowing there is a lantern protecting them. Now, they’ll know they have two.”

“Do you do this often?”

I breathed. “I don’t have a lot of responsibilities. Not much anymore, I mean.”

“I sense… something deeper.” I blinked. I looked over at him. “You do know you make your feelings quite obvious. It’s not that you don’t like me, you’re… wary.”

I looked back forward. “I’m… not really good at meeting new people. I lost that power a while ago.” I shrugged. “I’m still struggling to talk to people now. I’ve been through a traumatic experience recently. That’s all you need to know.”

“We will be sector partners. We should get to know each other more, no?”

I sighed. “It’s personal. Stick to your lane, Yat.” We flew over towards Yupra, flying close to the planet’s surface before diving down.

--

Sodam gave a laugh, flying up as he stretched his arms. “That was exciting. Who knew an invasion was going to happen,” He asked, looking over at me.

“I’ve been unfortunately used to it,” I frowned. We flew in the direction towards Oa.

“Oh? Not your first invasion?”

“It’s personal.”

“Again, with the personal thing? You are starting to get oddly mysterious.”

“Not trying to be. I just… don’t like what I went through.”

The old me would talk about it for hours. I’d gush about Earth and my experiences. “Hi, I’m Eileen Jordan! I’m the youngest Green Lantern on Earth and I’ve been a lantern for the past 10 years! It’s about to be 11 this October!”

“You are bottling things up.”

I blinked at his input. I looked over at him. “Excuse me?”

“I know you’re human, but all beings have feelings. It’s clear you are keeping something hidden.”

I looked ahead. “…I really don’t have much to hide. I just don’t like talking about a lot of stuff anymore. You can ask other lanterns. They’ll tell you the same. I… haven’t really shared much of my life as of late.”

“Hmm…”

--

I sipped on the coffee in my mug as I sat across from Artemis in my kitchen. She stared down at her mug in the silence procured between us. M’gann sat to our side, looking between the two of us.

“Um… this is some nice coffee,” M’gann gave a small smile.

I nodded. “Local,” I murmured.

“Local. That’s… nice…” She looked at me. “Eileen, you know you can talk to us, right? You can just say what’s on your mind.”

I swallowed. “It’s… not easy.”

“It was easy for you to talk to Will and Conner,” Artemis looked up at me.

“It took Conner the entire day to even get more sentences because of my cheap sounding responses. And Will practically shoved himself through the door with Lian as a bargaining chip. I can’t say ‘no’ to her face when she asks for pancakes.” I frowned. “I talked to my dad a few times since then either, but it’s not easy to talk to him either.” I swallowed. “It’s already hard having to think about how I was before-.” I shook my head. “I can’t carry on like normal.”

“You don’t have to.” Artemis grabbed my hand. “You have us. Your friends.”

I sighed. “I can’t expect you guys to always pick me up when I’m down like this. I already feel like a burden enough.”

“You are not a burden!”

“Eileen, what you went through was traumatic. Even more so… because we didn’t do anything to stop it,” M’gann murmured.

I looked at her. “I don’t blame you. I don’t blame any of you! I-.” I looked at my mug again. “I couldn’t blame you. It’s not your fault the Reach came to Earth. You guys didn’t expect the Light to use them as a partner and you didn’t expect them to try and enslave humanity either.” I sighed. “As a Green Lantern, I should’ve been on top of things.”

“The league was already stretched thin enough. We can’t blame you for trying to do multiple things at once, Eileen. You have an entire universe to watch out for. Not just us,” Artemis told me.

I looked at her. “I’ve always looked out for you guys. You… You’re my friends. And I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. To any of you. And yes, I’ll get frustrated with everyone from time to time over silly things or things that are seriously messed up, like holding secrets. But in the end… you guys are all that I have. And I wouldn’t trade that for the world.” I teared up. “I… I want to try and talk to everyone like I used to, but it’s hard when I… I just don’t know if I actually can. I mean…” I gave a weak chuckle. “I have to be reminded to eat lunch. Because I forget. I get tunnel vision from working that I forget to eat. I-I can’t even sleep.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “I’m a mess. And I can’t expect my friends to help me when I should be… helping myself.”

“It’s okay to ask for help, Eileen. That’s why we’re here. We know how hard you’ve been struggling to keep yourself together. The fact that you are trying though is okay, but we’re here as well. We want to help you. You’re not a burden on us, otherwise we wouldn’t be friends.”

“That’s why we’re here. To help you heal,” M’gann nodded. She placed a hand on my arm. “You don’t have to ask us to help you. We’re willing. Always. You’ve done the same for us. And you would still do the same for us if we were in your position.”

I swallowed. “I… I don’t know what to say,” I murmured.

“A thank you, for starters,” Artemis smiled. “And breakfast. Because boy, I’m starving.”

I gave a watery chuckle. “You always like eating my breakfast.” I breathed. I stood. “I can make some French toast. I wanted to make them last night, but I thought I’d save it for the morning when I was up.”

“We can help,” M’gann stood.

I shook my head. “It’s the least I can do for having you girls come all the way here from your homes. San Francisco isn’t an easy place to navigate around.”

“It was easy when Will pointed out that the end of your street starts to split into a three-way path, so it was easy to get it from here,” Artemis chuckled. “He said it looks a bit weird up close.”

“Only until you get used to it. Then it’s not so bad.” I shrugged.

Chapter Text

Eileen tries her best to move on with her life.

Chapter Text

“Recognize, Green Lantern 2-5,” The computer announced as I arrived at the Watchtower. I popped my neck, blinking a bit before staring out to see the Team along with Kaldur. I walked inside.

“Hey Eileen,” I saw Bart waving from his Kid Flash uniform.

“Hey Bart,” I smiled with a nod.

I walked up to Kaldur, M’gann, and Conner. Kaldur turned towards me. “Thank you for coming to the meeting, Eileen. I know you do not have an obligation to due to your injuries,” He hummed.

I shook my head. “It’s fine. I’m good here being the best support I can offer. You’re a friend, Kaldur. And I care.” I breathed. “Besides, my ribs aren’t poking at my lungs anymore. It’s all good.” I gave a tired smile.

“Eileen, you have a black eye, a cut on your eyebrow, a cut on your lip, and bruises along your cheeks and neck. Want to rephrase that,” Conner raised an eyebrow.

I gave him a pointed look. “I am fine. Let’s get this meeting over with and maybe I’ll put some ice on it,” I headed towards the meeting room.

I went inside, making my way over towards the room where I saw holograms and most of the table filled. Diana, also known as Wonder Woman, was one of the main holograms, standing at the head of the table. Doctor Fate, Canary, Green Arrow, Shazam, and Steel were on one side of the table while Black Lightning, Red Tornado, Batman, Zatanna, and Raquel were on the other side. The hologram projections at the other end of the table were Plastic Man, Katana, Flash, Hardware, and Batwoman. I took my spot, sitting next to Raquel as I looked down the hall.

“I hereby call this emergency meeting of the Justice League to order. I see that all of the Leaguers stationed on Earth are here, either in person or via hologram. So let us get right to it,” Kaldur walked down, standing in front of us. M’gann stood at a further distance away, observing what was going on. He motioned towards Diana. “My co-chair here has urgent news from the heroes she is leading on our various missions in space.”

Diana placed her hands on her hips. “Alright, we have confirmation. Meta-human trafficking on Earth has spilled out into the galaxy,” She stated as hologram monitors came up. “On multiple worlds, Earth’s meta-humans are being deployed by the enemy as weapons of mass destruction. Among other things, their presence in space is undermining our efforts to rebuild both Earth and the League’s reputations after our trial on the planet Rimbor.”

I heard Black Lightning scoff. “Right. That’s the problem,” He muttered, looking away.

She looked visibly shaken by his comment. “I’m sorry, Jeff. I… I didn’t mean to diminish the life of that girl.”

“I know, Diana. Forget I said anything. It’s just… It’s just, we need to know how this happened and how it got by us.” He looked back at her.

“Here on Earth, our ongoing struggle with meta-human trafficking has-,” Kaldur started.

“Struggle? Try disaster,” Green Arrow huffed.

“Teens and even kids are being abducted at an unprecedented scale. They’re tested for the meta-gene, and if they test positive, they’re used as guinea pigs to create new meta-humans,” Canary pointed out.

“And even if they test negative, they’re rarely seen again.”

“Meta-humans are being treated as the next exploitable resource. By first-world countries, third-world countries, rogue nations, corporations… It’s a global pandemic,” Batman had his arms crossed as everyone drew their attention to him.

“And globally, we are faced with obstacles at every turn,” Kaldur breathed. “United Nations Secretary General, Lex Luthor is using our UN charter to place more and more restrictions on the League.”

“We have to assume he’s working behind the scenes to turn other nations against us.”

I frowned. “He’s hamstrung us,” Green Arrow slammed his fist on the table. “I mean, come on! When that tsunami hit Rhelasia, we couldn’t even go in on a humanitarian mission.”

“We’ve become removed, distant from the people the League was created to serve,” Black Lightning looked at everyone.

“Not by choice,” Canary told him.

“Perhaps it’s time to acknowledge that the League has outlived its usefulness on Earth,” Batman stated.

“Batman.”

“That’s overstating things. Don’t you think,” Diana asked.

“No, I don’t,” He answered. “And I’m offering an alternative.”

“If your alternative is to disband the League, I think you are forgetting all of the good we do,” Kaldur told him.

“Did. Past tense.”

“Present tense. The League has its difficulties. I acknowledge that. But we still have a positive impact. And we are an important symbol for truth and justice worldwide.”

“Kaldur, symbols are great, but-“ Green Arrow started.

“But all that matters is the mission. And if the UN is a roadblock to that mission, then we remove it by removing the League,” Batman interrupted him.

“Bruce, please,” Diana told him.

“You are a founding member,” Kaldur looked at him.

“I’m sorry,” Batman stood. “But, I hereby tender my resignation to the Justice League.” I started at him a bit surprised.

“So do I,” Green Arrow stood.

“Ollie,” Canary scolded. I hear a beeping noise as I saw Plastic Man, Batwoman, Hardware, and Kitana all resign before their holograms disappeared. “This was a plan. You, Batman and the others, you arranged this in advance.” Canary stood from her seat to face Green Arrow.

“You should leave with us, Dinah. We can do a lot of good this way.”

“Well, you’re off to a fine start. You knew I wouldn’t be part of blindsiding Kaldur, so you kept me out of the loop.” Canary sat back down, crossing her arms.

“I-.”

“If you’re leaving, leave.” She didn’t look at him again.

Batman and Green Arrow left the room. “I swear I wasn’t a part of this,” Black Lightning spoke. “But I came here today to resign in person.” He stood from his seat. “I felt I owed you and the League that much. It’s just…” I saw him look at his hands as he clenched them. “I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry.”

“I understand,” Kaldur nodded to him. Black Lightning left the room. “We will have to issue a statement.”

“You mean, disown them,” Diana sighed.

“Yes. So, the League will not be held responsible for its former members’ actions.”

I frowned. I sighed, getting up as I walked away. I headed out as I saw that Black Lightning left the room. I saw Bart zoom up to me. “Eileen! What just happened in there,” He asked urgently.

I gave a sigh. “About a quarter of the League just resigned,” I answered him. I swallowed. “It clearly seemed very easy for them.”

“Are you leaving too?”

I shook my head. “Nah, Kid. I’m still a Green Lantern. I still have a job to do.” I straightened my posture. “Although, right now, I’m taking an… extended break.” I motioned towards my face. “My last encounter alongside everyone on the Javelin left me a little worse for wear. Ended up hospitalized. I’m taking the natural recovery route. Going to work on some client requests, watch a movie or two, finally get a crack on that novel I’ve been wanting to read.” I smiled tiredly. “Doing mundane normal things. It’ll be nice for a while.”

Bart sighed with relief. “Good, good.” He nodded.

I ruffled his hair. “Don’t get into too much trouble. And say hi to everyone in Central for me. I mean it.” I headed towards the zeta tubes. “If you guys need me, I’ll be at home. Please only call me if it’s an emergency.”

--

I walked inside my house and set my keys down in a small bowl by the front door. I rubbed my face, giving a loud sigh. I pulled my phone up to check the time.

It’s late.

I walked upstairs, making my way into the hallway before looking at the photos littered across the wall. My eyes stopped at a particular one where it was Wally and I at prom for his senior year. I wore a fancy red dress with spaghetti straps that went all the way down to my feet. I gave a snort.

“You would think after getting thrown in to the lantern core after 3 invasions to Oa would make me tired, but all this? This makes me tired,” I waved a finger around, walking away from it. “You’d definitely say something like ‘Babe, maybe you should relax and take a bath.’ And woo, do I need a bath. I’m exhausted.”

I made my way down the end of the hall and turned towards the master bedroom. I stripped my clothes, going towards the bathroom as I started the bathtub. It slowly began to fill with hot water while I looked at myself in the mirror. Even though the bandages were off, the bruises were still there. I looked over at the water, seeing that it was getting halfway full. I filled it with some soap, getting bubbles to form. I grabbed my book from my nightstand, stripping my underwear and bra before slipping into the tub. I hissed before releasing a small sigh. I kicked my feet up at the side of the tub, releasing a tense sigh. My feet were a bit cold as they dripped a bit, but I didn’t mind it. I looked at tattoos that littered them, giving a chuckle. My right leg had a skull and human spine with a ribcage and pelvis bone, covered in nice flowers and leaves while my other leg was an animal skull with a snake around it.

Definitely not ideal in contrast to the flowers.

My eyes darted over towards my wrist where the flash symbol resided. It wasn’t large, maybe a few inches at most, but it was there where most people would check for a pulse. I gave a soft smile. No one would notice it there unless they paid attention to it. I rolled my neck around before reading my book about space. It was scientific and while I’m not big into science, I did like space a lot. It was a comfort at the end of the day.

Maybe I’ll have my groceries delivered tomorrow. That way I don’t have to eat freezer burn French fries… again…

Chapter Text

I rolled my neck around as I watched the delivery driver take off with my latest painting for an upscale client in the fashion industry. I released a sigh, taking in the summer air before entering the house. I put away some supplies, setting another client’s painting off to the side to dry before hearing my doorbell ring. I blinked.

Who could that be…?

I walked up, opening the front door to see Artemis and a familiar sight for sore eyes in civilian clothes. I straightened my posture. “Uh, hey there,” I spoke out an awkward greeting. I swallowed. “Was there something you two needed?”

“We need your help,” Artemis breathed. She nudged the one beside her. “Dick.”

“Three people. Two meta-teens and a person far from home,” He spoke, taking a step forward. “We need your help, Eileen. Please.”

I sighed. “No hello,” I asked tiredly.

He gave a nervous chuckle. “Hey.”

I nodded my head. I checked the time. “Isn’t it, like, nighttime, over there?” I tilted my head. I turned around. “Let me get my keys. And my shoes. Please, make yourselves at home.” I waved a hand. I went upstairs and grabbed my shoes, throwing on a flannel shirt over my tank top before hearing the conversation out in the foyer.

“You can be nice. We’re asking for a huge favor,” I heard Artemis sigh.

“I mean, I heard she wasn’t much of a social person anymore, but-,” Dick started.

“Eileen doesn’t have a need for going outside. She doesn’t have a motivation to impress the people around her. So, yeah, she’s not social, but she’s more social than she was over a year ago… You know, you can talk to her, right? She won’t bite your head off.”

…I wonder what that is about…

I placed my keys in my pocket, heading outside as I approached. “I’m ready to go. Where are we heading,” I hummed.

“Happy Harbor,” Artemis nodded. “M’gann’s and Conner’s place.”

“Should I be worried?” We headed outside. I locked the door.

“It’s not bad, but we seriously need your help.” I sighed. “We’ll explain on the way.”

We headed down to San Francisco’s zeta and went to Happy Harbor. We got through the garage of M’gann’s and Conner’s. We stepped through, making our presence known to everyone outside as I saw M’gann, Conner, and Black Lightning in civilian clothes talking with three new individuals. I noticed one was a girl in a hijab and a Bug from New Genesis. Then there was a recognizable figure being Brion Markov from Markovia, who I heard is in exile. I looked over at Artemis and Dick. Dick was the first to clear his throat.

“Alright. While on a mission in Markovia, we stumbled upon a large meta-human trafficking syndicate all under Count Vertigo. Long story short, this is how we acquired Brion and Violet,” Dick nodded his head.

“And Forager is in exile from New Genesis. Long story there too,” Artemis told me.

I slowly nodded. “And… why am I here,” I asked hesitantly.

Artemis breathed. “You are the best out of all of us when it comes to hand-to-hand combat. Not just that, combat in general. You know what it’s like from the ground up. While most of us trained from… different circumstances, you know what it’s like as a teacher. You’ve done this before, we know, on Oa. We need your help again, Eileen,” Dick faced me. “I’m asking as a friend to help those who have nowhere else to go and want to fight the good fight.” He gave me a serious look. “They pulled an us, Eileen. All those years ago when we went to get Superboy. Brion’s looking for his sister, Tara, who has been taken by the League of Shadows. We’ll focus on that front, but for now, we need him trained if he’s going to be helped. Same with Halo and Forager.”

I stared at Dick for a moment. I pinched the bridge of my nose, giving a loud sigh. “This is a lot to take in,” I frowned. I crossed my arms, looking at him. “You want me to give them the basics of at least how to stand up for themselves before they use their powers?”

“Yes,” Artemis nodded.

I slowly gave another nod. “What can they do?”

“You’ll have to see.” She motioned over. I followed after her and Dick, still with my arms crossed. “We’re back.”

Conner and M’gann turned to see me first. “Eileen,” M’gann smiled as she came over. She gave me a hug, which I reciprocated. “It’s great to see you. And thank you for your suggestions on dresses over email.”

I smiled. “Of course. Congrats again by the way. I knew you two would be engaged,” I shot a look over towards Conner. “Especially since this one asked for my opinion on what shapes and sizes looked good on you.”

Conner rolled his eyes and nudged my arm. “Please. All I did was ask for a little help,” He smirked.

I snickered. “Hey, I was happy to help, thank you.”

I saw Black Lightning walk up. “I didn’t take you to be a social person outside the Watchtower,” He hummed.

“I’m… not,” I gave a weak chuckle. “It’s hard to pinpoint me unless you have my address. Even then, I’m a bit, uh, weak, in conversation. I thought you retired, Black Lightning.”

“I did. This was a one-time thing, but, uh,” He looked over at the teens before looking at me. “I decided to stick around. For other reasons.”

I nodded. “I see.”

“And just call me Jeff. It wouldn’t be right to keep calling me Black Lightning when I want to hang it up.”

I nodded again. “Understood, Jeff. Just call me Eileen. I don’t like being addressed as a lantern when I’m not in uniform. Not anymore, that is.”

“Since when,” Dick asked. I shot him a look. “Never mind.” He placed a hand on my shoulder and motioned towards me. “Guys, this is Eileen Jordan. She may not look like it, but she’s actually one of Earth’s four Green Lanterns.”

“There are four of them,” Brion asked.

“You have to understand that it’s kinda not a choice,” Artemis chuckled. “Eileen hails from the Green Lantern Corps. They’re ALL Green Lanterns.”

“Corps?”

“The Green Lanterns Corps are an intergalactic peacekeeping force created by the Guardians of the Universe to protect the universe from any harm that may come to it,” The girl in the hijab spoke in almost an automated tone. She blinked. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me.”

I hummed. “Interesting,” I nodded my head. “That is exactly what it is. In short terms, I’m… a space cop.” I gave a nervous chuckle. I looked over at the Bug. “Actually, speaking of which, you’re far from home. May I get your name?”

“Forager is Forager. You know who I am,” He asked, tilting his head.

I nodded. “I am aware of Bugs on New Genesis. However, I have not met any. Only New Gods. It is nice to meet you Forager. Welcome to Earth and I hope you enjoy it here.”

“So, wait, you meet aliens every day,” Brion asked, looking at me with widened eyes.

I blinked. “Uh, I mean, yes? It’s not surprising. I work with them too. In the Corps, no matter what race you are, you are a Corps member first and foremost. There are no differences between us. For instance, I am the youngest member from Earth, but in the eyes of someone else in the Corps, I may have more experience than them. It takes time, yeah, but in the end, you are a member through and through. A Green Lantern.” I looked back at the hijab girl. “And I will assume you are the Halo I have heard about.”

“Yes! My name is Halo, uh, Violet! I am supposed to be Violet,” She spoke with a grin.

I nodded my head. “It is nice to meet you, Violet.” I looked over at Brion. “And it is nice to meet you as well, your, uh…” I swallowed with a nervous grin. “Your Highness. Your questions, although different, are welcomed if you have more. For now, though, I’m here to assess your fighting capabilities.”

“Ah, that’s why you’re here,” Jeff hummed.

“Fighting capabilities,” Violet asked.

“Eileen here is actually the most combat experienced Green Lantern. While the others are military trained from Earth’s forces, Eileen actually is like most of us. For combat, we were trained by our teachers before us. Eileen experienced fighting first hand without her lantern ring, and without it, she can withstand most heavy hitters. She can even take S.B. down over here,” Dick pointed a thumb over towards Conner.

“Hey, I’ve won a few times,” Conner pointed out.

“That is true, but I think I was asked to be here because I’m apparently a decent teacher,” I sighed. “You all are capable without me. I mean, Dick, you were trained by Batman. And Artemis was trained by her dad and Green Arrow. Need I say more?”

“But Eileen, you got tossed into the fire and came out blazing. Most of us had years to train our skills. You hopscotched it overnight when you got your ring,” Dick told me.

“I spent 6 weeks in bootcamp and I spent a few months with a mentor in space. I still had a mentor on Earth, though.”

“You were going on solo missions at the age of 14. At least give yourself that credit. You can go toe to toe with Wonder Woman and almost Superman if you’re in your element.”

I shook my head. “Never again. I told you. I’m not that kind of girl anymore, Grayson… I’m me, sure, but I’m not that Eileen Jordan anymore.” I faced him. “I’m… here. I’m here and that’s what you need to know.”

Chapter Text

I rolled my neck around, releasing a heavy sigh. I reached a hand out, grabbing a speedy toddler from the corner of my eye as I snickered. “What are you doing there little one,” I asked in a higher playful tone.

The girl with green eyes giggled at me while kicking her feet around. “You need to be playing right here,” I placed her in front of some building blocks, which she started to touch and mess with. I stood up straight with a sigh.

“Thank you so much Eileen for helping out,” I heard and turned around. Iris gave me a smile as she sat down in a comfortable chair. “I swear, if it weren’t for you and Bart, I’d be a scrambling mess.”

I smiled. “I’m happy to help, Iris. Don’t worry about it. They aren’t putting too much strain on me. In fact, they’re making my reflexes sharp.” I stood up straight. “I’m happy to help out with anything else if you want. I know my treats and everything I cooked should suffice, but I’m always happy to help out more.”

“Oh, please! I know it might be a little last minute, but I have ingredients for your famous chocolate chip, uh… C-O-O-K-I-E-S.”

I giggled. “I can absolutely make them! The kids got tons of treats, but I feel like everyone’s been asking me for them. I swear, I’m not a good cook or anything. I’m just living by myself, that’s all.” I headed towards the kitchen. I heard a light zoom as I saw Bart appear from the corner of my eye. “Hey there, Kid. What’s up?”

He grinned. “You’ve been busy. I heard you’re getting some nationwide recognition. Although many people call you a melancholy painter, which I think is totally wrong by the way,” He stated with a small frown.

I laughed, grabbing a bowl from one of the cabinets. “It’s fine. I’ve signed a lot of my paintings with my name. I guess my epithet is a contrast from ‘Green Lantern,’ huh?”

“You’ll always be the coolest one in my eyes. I mean, come on. You’ve done a lot for yourself. You’ve made yourself one of the powerhouses of the League, in just a few years! On top of that, I’m pretty sure people know you across the galaxy.”

“That’s stretching it, Bart, but I appreciate the sentiment. I’m just taking things day by day. My status, power, whatever, it doesn’t really bother me as long as I get a goodnight’s sleep.” I smiled at him. “Now, watch Don and Dawn. I have to bake these before they start catching on and if you can do that… I’ll scratch in an extra batch just for you.” I winked. “I know you like my cookies. They aren’t M’gann’s, but they’re still rad.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I got cha. I’ll watch my dad and aunt.”

I snickered again. “Don’t let Iris catch you saying that. She’ll throw a fit.”

--

I gave a small sigh, stretching my hands out before looking over at Artemis. “You didn’t have to see me off, you know,” I hummed with a small smile.

“Why not? I’m the one who checks on your house, you know? It’s the least I can do,” She smiled in return.

I gave a soft chuckle. “As long as you make sure to not eat my Ghirardelli chocolates, I’m fine.” I checked the time. “I’ll be back either with another injury, or we’d be done in space. Either way, I hope it’s soon.”

“Be careful. I don’t want to see you in here injured again.”

“I’m banking on that as well,” Dad walked up with a sigh. “You’re meeting up with the Javelin while I’m meeting up with the Corps. Try to make sure Guy doesn’t make everyone want to bite his head off.”

“No promises,” I crossed my arms. “The fact that this is an all lanterns on deck scenario means they should know what they signed up for.”

“Lena.” Dad faced me. “Please, just do me this favor.”

“Dad, I can’t stop Guy from doing whatever he does. I don’t even instigate it. He just does it. Naturally, might I add. It’s safe to say that at least you’ll know if a fight is instigated, it isn’t because of me.” I crossed my arms. “I don’t need a lecture right now. What I need is a hot bath, but I won’t get it, SO! I’ll get the next best thing! Peace of mind.” I floated up. “And yes, Artemis, I’ll be careful. I should be. I’m with some great minds out there.” I headed over towards the airlock. “Hurry up, Dad. I know you’re growing gray, but you can still keep up, can’t you?”

“I swear, you drive me nuts,” Dad floated next to me.

“Pays to be your kid,” I winked.

--

Guy ruffled my hair as I gave a tight frown. “C’mon Kid! It’ll be like the good ol’ days! Battling side by side. Kicking some alien butt and we’ll make it home in time to watch the game,” He stretched his arms behind his head as he floated backwards.

“You’re trying to butter me up because John’s not here to calm you down and Dad’s not your babysitter for the other league members if you say something dumb. Again,” I sighed.

“Hey! I don’t need a babysitter!”

“Clearly you do if there has to be two of us here,” I crossed my arms, looking over at him. My frown continued. “Look, just try to not ‘Guy’ it up, okay? I don’t need to be worried about you too.” I looked forward. “In fact, you should be the least of my worries. You can take care of yourself.”

“I don’t need someone taking care of me. I’m perfectly fine on my own.”

I scoffed. “Yeah, well, as much as that’s nice to hear, my brain still doesn’t believe it. Logically, yes. Emotionally, no. End of conversation.”

“You’re worried about all the wrong things.”

I sighed. “I’m worried about all the right things. Clearly there is something seriously going wrong here and we need to figure out what, so, keep a cool head and let me do the talking… unless it’s a Thanagarian.” I huffed. “Then never mind.”

He laughed. “You and Thanagarians, I’ll tell ya. I bet you $25 the next lead we get involves Thanagarians.”

I looked over at him, narrowing my eyes. “$50 and the loser has to buy the winner lunch.”

“You are SO on! I knew you’d make a great partner.” He rubbed his knuckle against my head.

“H-Hey! Quit it, Guy! Come on! We’re working!”

“Meh. Working, sch-working. Come give your Uncle Guy some love. He’s missed ya!”

“You are being overdramatic! Calm down!”

--

I crossed my arms with a hard look as Guy snickered next to me while floating up. The rain pattered over the construct umbrella while we stared at the wreckage seen at an Nth Metal refinery on Thanagar. I shot Guy a gaze that made him be quiet. Thunder rumbled in the air as the rain hit hard.

“I’m not seeing or hearing any survivors under the rubble,” Superman breathed out a murmur. He raised his eyebrows. “And the deceased are all Thanagarian. No Parademons.”

“Parademons? There’s no evidence this was done by any Apokoliptan ka’kash,” Commander Talak scoffed while scanning with his tablet. I rolled my eyes.

I saw Superman press against the Green Lantern translator earpiece I constructed for him and Diana as if he was trying to translate the word. Guy gave a laugh. “Yeah, the ring won’t translate that last word, but… we can tell you what it means,” He crossed his arms.

“I got the gist. Thank you,” Superman didn’t look impressed.

“Commander Talak, this Nth metal refinery fits the profile of other facilities raided by Parademons on several planets,” Hawkman spoke with his arms behind his back.

“Yet the attack pattern here is different. I don’t see the usual evidence of Parademon weapons fire,” Diana stated.

Almost as if there was another force entirely.

I narrowed my eyes. “And the Javelin detected no trace of Boomtube activity in the area,” Hawkwoman looked around. “I assume your stans confirm that the Nth metal stockpiles here have-.”

“Been stolen, yes, Lieutenant Thal,” Commander Talak interrupted her. “But the theft of a common element is the least of our concerns.” I pulled my ring up as I did an area sweep discreetly.

“Sir, uh, Nth metal is only common on Thanagar.”

“And thus, Apokolips checks another rare, raw material off its grocery list,” Hawkman grunted.

“As I said, Captain Hol, there’s no evidence this was an Apokoliptan attack,” Commander Talak turned to face them. “Our scans have only detected Earthling bio-signs. But fortunately for your friends, not their bio-signs.”

“You’ve been scanning us,” Diana asked with a glare.

Guy chuckled. “Smart. Trust no one,” He pointed at him.

“Certainly not Earthlings,” Commander Talak scoffed.

“Sir, we sent you the evidence. Earth meta-humans are being kidnapped off-planet for use by Apokoliptan forces,” Hawkman pointed out.

“The metas are mind-controlled into violent action. We’ve seen it,” Hawkwoman told him.

“Then perhaps, we should send a Hawkfleet to quarantine Earth’s populace, since the task is clearly too difficult for certain officers and their human sidekicks,” Commander Talak glared at us.

“Don’t call us sidekicks,” Guy held up his ring with a glare.

I held my hand up to him. “Respectfully, the Justice League has been traveling the galaxy in peaceful cooperation with-,” Diana started.

“Yes, yes, you’ve sung this song before, during your first-contact apology tour,” Commander Talak shook his head. “You’ve claimed then, that you and Lieutenant Thal were mind-controlled into violent acts on Rimbor. Thanagar is still working to repair our reputation from that. And now that Thanagar itself falls victim to human attack, look who shows up to sing a reprise.”

“Commander-,” Hawkman took a step forward.

“You’re done here. Dismissed.” Commander Talak walked away from us.

Guy turned the umbrella into a bubble that floated up before it blew a raspberry at him. Guy chuckled. “Who’s the ka’kash now,” He pulled on his eye.

“Guy,” Everyone but I scolded him.

“Relax. While you were squawkin’ with Commander Bird-Brain, Eileen and I did some digging on our own.”

I stepped forward. “Boomtubes may have left no trace, but I found an ion trail from the attackers’ ship,” I stated, pulling up the scan on my ring.

“They flew away on their own power. Meaning, they screwed up, and we have a new lead. You kinda wanna kiss the ring now, don’t you?”

I shot my hand up and pulled his hand down. “Stop it! Right now, we need to follow the trail. I’ll lead.”

“C’mon kid! More power to the ring, am I right?” I frowned. “You’re just mad you lost 50 bucks and you owe me lunch.”

I groaned. “I’m starting to think Dad was right and you’re the reason why I make bets.”

--

We flew ahead of the Javelin. I had tried to construct earmuffs to block out Guy’s singing, but he managed to find a way to make sure I could still hear him. “O,’ the nebula clouds ‘Round Oa. Such glorious, Beautiful gas. And the luminous ring of Mogo, ‘Tis a vision that’s just world-class. But when ‘ere you cross the galaxy, the sight none can truly surpass is the sunrise over the gentle curves of Guy Gardner’s shapely-,” He sang out.

“Shut up Guy, I swear to God so help me! I will make sure I shove something in there if you don’t stop,” I yelled at him.

He laughed. “You’re thinking too hard there, Kid!”

I saw Superman pointing over behind us and looked ahead. I pulled my ring up and constructed binoculars to look. I gave a smirk. “Bingo.” I pulled them down. “Looks like we found out where their base is.”

We made a straight line for it as I flew ahead. “Slow down! Need to make sure we don’t get any surprises.”

“I don’t think this was any mistake. We’re going to get more than a few surprises.” We approached.

“Eileen has the right idea,” I heard Superman call over the Javelin comms. “You see it out there?”

“Copy that, Superman. Good eye. Maybe Guy’s annoying singing actually paid off.”

“Annoying,” Guy snapped his head over towards me.

“Why else would you be talking about your-? You know what, I’m not going to bother. We’re about to get into the hot seat.” As we got closer to the base that I now noticed was definitely larger than the Watchtower, guns trained onto us and opened fire. I held up my shield next to Guy, gritting my teeth.

“Apokoliptan cannon fire ain’t no joke. You’re lucky we’re here to cover your butt,” Guy grunted out.

“Returning fire,” Hawkman called. I saw our guns firing back. I saw a large bubble form around the space station. I gave a grunt. “Missile’s through their shields. Hitting target… Now!” I saw the collision hit.

I narrowed my eyes as I did my best to keep up the shield. The cannons stopped firing as I breathed a sigh of relief. It couldn’t’ve been more than a minute when the shields dropped and a Boomtube formed in front of us. I saw Superman, Hawkwoman, and Diana come out, struggling to breathe. I flew ahead with Guy as he put an air bubble around them. They all gasped for air.

“Showboats,” Guy called out. “Always leaving the hard work for ol’ Guy…” He trailed off as we all looked to see the large space station have a Boomtube behind it. I blinked in surprise as I watched the station escape through, leaving no trace.

--

“You’re singing the same old song, Dad. I… am fine,” I sighed.

“Eileen, you just got jolted with emotional energy. It could’ve KILLED you,” Dad glared at me. “You can’t play it off like it’s some joke. You could’ve died!”

I shook my head. “But I didn’t. I don’t remember if you recall, but you have the strongest willpower in the Corps. And I follow suit. Not because of genetics, but because I’m your daughter. I’m someone who was raised by a single parent who taught me the best he could. So, why am I not freaking out? Why am I not bothered by the fact that I could’ve died? Because I know at least in my heart that I have the sustainability to keep myself up because that’s my resolve. I’m strong. Why can’t you believe that?”

“I don’t deny that you’re strong. What I can’t fathom is something… happening to you.” His facial expression softened. “Lena, you have been working to the bone since Wally’s death. You can catch a break. The Guardians even said they can give you the break. There are more than enough capable people to give you a month, two months, several, maybe even years, to let you relax.”

I shook my head. “It’s not going to change the fact that he’s gone. All I’ll do is resent being on Earth when I could be doing something else. It’s taken a lot of power in me to not just resent everyone for the choices they made. I could be angry at so many things, but I chose not to. I don’t know if you recall, but we literally had dinner the other week and who else but Atrocitus shows up and tells me how my body begs for vengeance that only rage can soothe. I made sure he knew who he was speaking to. I’m a Green Lantern, through and through. I have to get over it and I have to keep moving on. I’m existing, yes, but at least I’m existing with a clear thought process rather than how I was existing months ago.”

“Lena…”

“I’m… I’ll be fine. Eventually. It’s a lot to handle, but at least I get up in the morning and move. I need to move. For myself at least. At least protect so that this can’t happen to anyone else.” I swallowed. “I need that for myself. And with each day, it’s not getting easier.”

--

I flew up to the Orphanage, giving a glare as we finally found the big base where the meta-humans were being shipped off to. I flew up from above, making sure to be in position. “Hal, John, Eileen, now,” Guy called over comms. I held my fist out as three other green beams shot from different directions, forming a large lantern around the station. “No Boomtubin’ away this time, poozers.” I concentrated. “Your turn, Flongated Man.”

“That’s Elongated Man, and I’m movin’ in,” I heard the man respond. “Wonder Woman, deploy your Squad. But be careful. They’ve initiated no counter-measures. It’s suspicious.”

“He’s right. It makes you wonder who’s trappin’ who here.”

“Be on guard. Be ready for anything,” I claimed.

I saw a bubble moving in. “I can see the kidnapped kids inside,” Superman reported. “Our rescue mission’s still-. Wait. The device has been activated. Brace yourselves!” I felt a force envelop me. I felt my body pulling itself apart. I gritted my teeth, giving a grunt of pain. I enhanced the shield around me, which made the pain dull. “Keep going. Fight through it.” I heard a call of some kind of language, making me blink as a purple pulse enveloped me, knocking me unconscious.

--

As a kid, I’ve always wondered if I was meant to be a hero. Someone to guide and lead. Someone to protect those who couldn’t protect themselves. I asked myself that question when I was officially inducted into the Justice League. Sure, I was excited at the opportunity, but was I ready for this step? To be seen around the world as a Green Lantern?

“I think you’re a hero,” Wally hummed as we sat in the living room of our old apartment on the couch. “I mean, look at you. Girls are dressing up as Green Lanterns because of you.”

I looked at him with a sheepish smile. “I think that’s because I’m just a girl in a Green Lantern suit, Walls. It’s easy to dress up like one for little girls.”

“But you inspired the confidence that they can dress up as that. Give yourself some more credit. You, Eileen Jordan, are the best Green Lantern Earth has to offer.”

“You’re trying to butter me up. Hungry?”

“For you? Maybe.” He winked.

--

I felt my head painfully sting as my body was sore all over. I laid on the ground, blinking my eyes open repeatedly. I heard groans all around me, putting me into focus as I noticed we were inside the Orphanage. I sat up slightly. I heard a loud yell as I tilted my head a bit to look. Through my blurred vision, I saw Violet floating up all rainbow colored as I noticed Granny Goodness was beating against one of Violet’s red shields.

…What the hell happened while I was gone…?

I noticed she started to hit at the core of the Orphanage. I slowly got on my knees, struggling to stand as my body ached. I felt my arm get wrapped around someone’s shoulders as I looked to see Dick in his uniform. He gave me a soft smile. “Hey there GL, have fun on your mission,” He asked.

I sighed. “Honestly, I want a really long shower after this,” I sighed.

“It’s working! Keep pouring it on,” I heard Superman call out.

I saw the core start to explode as it overheated. I held my fist up, seeing other green beams. A box formed while the core rested inside full of smoke. “Admit it, you’d all be chipped beef on toast without ol’ Guy,” Guy breathed.

Our shield dissipated as rubble blew around. I covered my face, giving hard coughs as the smoke dissipated from the air. I waved my hand around, standing up straight before snapping my head over as I heard a Boomtube. I rubbed my head. “God, I need a break,” I sighed.

“Tell me about it,” Dick breathed out a sigh.

I saw M’gann and Conner appear as I noticed Kaldur and Artemis were here as well. M’gann looked over at me. Her eyes flashed a green before I saw memories of what looked like happened a while ago. I looked up at Dick. “Dick,” I murmured. He looked at me. I placed a hand on his shoulder. “You’re not alone, you know?” I swallowed. “I… think about him a lot too.” I breathed. “…I miss him so much. You’re not alone in that endeavor.” I squeezed his shoulder.

He gave me a sad look. “I know. He’s in our hearts. Always.”

I nodded. “Always. You know, if you have anyone you want to talk to, my door is always open.” I faced him. “I… haven’t been the same since then.” I looked over at Dad, John, and Guy as they took the Furies and another remaining bad guy out of the area. “…And I think my dad’s right.” I swallowed again. “I… need a break. I’ve been working so much and so hard since… since Wally died. I know everyone tried to help with talking to me, but… sometimes the heart can’t heal all its wounds.” I nodded. “So, please, if you need anyone… talk to me. He was my best friend too.”

He nodded. “I… would happily appreciate it.” He smiled. “I’m sorry I haven’t been around.”

“Dick, please. I’m not the one who’s been here trying to liberate meta-teens from labs across the world. I stayed cooped up inside my apartment and give away to charity from time to time. I paint melancholy paintings and I paint my dead boyfriend for only my eyes to see.” I shook my head. “Don’t tell anyone I said that though. They’d start coming over more and I kinda need a place to be myself.”

“…Mind if you share what you’ve painted?”

I blinked. “He’s the one who keeps asking. I’d do it for any one of you guys if you asked. I don’t really advertise that I like drawing. Or art for that matter.”

“So, you wouldn’t mind if I showed the others this, right?”

My face heated up. “N-No.”

“Hey guys! Come look at Eileen’s drawings!”

“Rob,” I hissed as I shot up, ready to take my sketchbook.

I smiled. “It would be my pleasure.”

Chapter Text

Being back from space always felt like I took a car trip across the country and it had been a while since I came home. Always, however, home was empty. It felt more like a place where I slept rather than a home that I tried making over the years. Despite my feelings though, California was my safe haven. I could fly above and sit at the top of the Golden Gate with a pizza while I stare at the stars. I could travel to the Hollywood sign and take a picture. There’s a lot I could do here. California is a state of dreams. Big dreams, but still dreams.

I tiredly stared at one of the many paintings in the exhibit, watching people nitpick at my work on the walls. It was mainly filled with high class people. They were people who knew my work and brought people to see my work. I definitely stood out from them. With a button up blouse underneath a sweater and khaki pants. I would’ve worn the simple button up, but it is very cold outside. I smiled tiredly, looking at a simple painting I made the month before. It was a representation of loss, something I focused on a lot a year ago. I felt someone stand next to me, staring up at the painting as well.

“Looks like someone was locked away for months and this became the end result,” I heard a familiar voice chuckle.

My eyes lit up as I looked over. “Carol,” I smiled.

She faced me. “Hey there Eileen.” Her dark hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, a contrast to how she normally lets it down. Her green eyes held comfort while she continued her soft gaze. “I knew this was too exclusive of a party to pass up.”

I looked around at the rich aristocrats that were sipping on wine and looking at the paintings. I looked at her. “You can say that again.” I looked back at the painting.

“I heard from Hal you had an exhibit. I thought I’d come by and see my favorite girl.”

“Thank you, Carol.”

“Have you thought about my offer?”

“To join the Sapphires?” I swallowed. “I still haven’t changed my mind.”

“You would be good in the role. I mean, your love is powerful enough to be recognized by the Corps.”

I shook my head again. “I know with all my heart I love him, yes.” I motioned towards the paintings around me. “I-I… I should say ‘loved’ but it doesn’t feel right.” I breathed. “I’ve been working so hard to keep up everything. Working myself nearly to death, fighting to make sure I live to see another day, but… I haven’t focused much on the fact that… saying that I still love him isn’t healthy.” I looked at Carol then. “I know you’re coming from a genuine place, but it isn’t in the cards for me. I mean, look at me. I’m a fighter, not a lover.”

She gave a snort. “I know that. You got some of your dad in you.”

“And the rest?”

“Pure Eileen Jordan.” She smiled. “You’re always welcomed. Even if you don’t want to now, the position is always open.” She placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re welcomed in my eyes Eileen.”

“Thank you…” I looked back at the painting. “I never thought I’d ever get this far in my life. I was always a troublemaker as a kid. And now look at me… I’m a melancholy painter.” I shrugged. “But that seems fine with me. Having that moniker feels like I’m more well known than I thought I was.”

“You’re well known, Eileen.” Carol giggled. “Hal has one of your paintings hung up in the office.”

I looked at her. “Huh?”

She pulled out her phone and showed me a picture. “He says this is the proudest thing he’s gotten from you.” It was a painting of Coast City’s beach in the summer. The setting was dusk, but I remembered taking this photo in my teens when I was bored and wanted to go outside for a breather. “I was worried about him when you didn’t talk to him for a while. He came to work stressed. Almost crashed a plane or two. Finally, I sat him down to tell me what was going on and he talked about, well, you.” Carol faced me. “He talked about how he's always prepared you for a lot of things, but he didn’t prepare you for losing someone so close to you.” She rubbed my back. “I know it hasn’t been easy, but just know there are people there who are willing to help you.”

I placed a hand on my chest as I looked down. “I know and I have. I’ve talked with many of my friends, and well…” I sighed. “I have to do some healing on my own in order to make sense of all of this. I know, deep down, he would want me to move on, but it’s hard when he was such an important milestone in my life. He helped me become who I am today. I have had to learn how to live… without Wally present. And so far, I’m doing okay. Even if I don’t show it sometimes.”

She smiled softly at me. “Eileen, I’m sure you’ll get to where you need to go with your healing. Just don’t be afraid to ask for help, okay?”

I nodded. “I know. Thank you.”

--

We all stood in the Watchtower in uniform. Heroes both present and on call were here, which meant it was a large haul. I, in particular, sat in a constructed chair, leaned back as I stretched my feet out a bit. “Can you hear us on the Javelin,” I heard Dick ask.

“Roger that. You got three Lanterns, two Hawks, a Martian, a Captain, a Doctor, a Devil, Magog, Steel, Icon, Fire, Ice and Flongated Man,” Guy answered.

“That’s Elongated Man,” I heard the man call.

“Hope you poozers make it worth our while.”

“Don’t be rude, Guy,” I called.

“Miss ya on the Javelin, Kid!”

I rolled my eyes. “You’ll do fine without me!”

“How about at the Batcave,” Dick redirected the conversation.

“Metamorpho here with Batwoman, Katana, Hardware, Plaz, Spoiler, Arrowette and Orphan,” Metamorpho answered.

“That’s just about everyone. Wasn’t sure they’d all respond.”

“You command more respect than you realize,” Batman told him.

“Ah, starting to get that. Still, everyone’s here except the one guy I really need.”

“Recognized, Pierce-Comma-Jefferson. G-0-1,” The computer announced as I saw Jeff appear in Black Lightning uniform. I smiled.

“Glad you could make it. Gladder still you’re staying in the game.”

“Yeah, well… it’s the right thing,” Jeff told him and stepped down towards the platform.

“You sure about this,” Batman turned to Dick.

“Oh, yeah,” Dick nodded. He stepped forward. “Thanks for coming, everyone. Word’s spreading fast, so we might as well get it out in the open. Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Miss Martian, Oracle, Robin, and I have been running a secret task force, coordinating all our Teams and squads in an attempt to beat the Light at their own game. We kept it a secret in a misguided attempt to protect you. We’ve had successes, failures, compromises, deceptions and betrayals.”

“It is now clear, that despite our best intentions, we made a mistake,” Kaldur spoke up.

“So, I hereby resign as Co-Chair of the League, effective immediately,” Diana called.

“As do I.”

“I’m stepping down as Leader of the Team, as well,” M’gann spoke.

“Which means we need a new leader, one who has consistently acted as the conscience of the League. And although I’m not a member, I’d like to take the liberty of nominating Black Lightning.”

“Seconded,” Diana called. “All current Leaguers present and in favor?”

“Aye,” I called along with everyone else with a smile.

“And aboard the Javelin?”

“Aye,” I heard the monitor call.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! I don’t want this,” Jeff called.

“Maybe not. But we kinda need you to take it,” Conner looked at him.

“We need someone who’s honest and isn’t keeping secrets, so you’re already one step ahead,” I held a thumb up with a lazy grin.

“What say you,” Jeff turned towards Batman and Dick.

“I don’t have a vote. Currently,” Batman hummed.

“If I take this, you’re either in or you’re out. There’s no half-way. No behind-the-scenes crap.”

“If you take this, we’ll fold Batman, Inc. back into the League and the Team on your terms. It’s for the best. For the mission.”

“I rejoin the Team. Team works for the League. I work for you, boss,” Dick grinned.

Jeff sighed before facing everyone, stepping up a few steps on the platform. “We all believe the League needs course correction, because we’re all afraid of the same tired old story. ‘The hero gets lost fighting the good fight and becomes the very thing he or she is fighting against.’ And, sure, it happens. Vandal Savage, Teth Adam, Ra’s al Ghul. And now, sadly, Geo-Force.” I frowned. “But it will not happen again. Not to any of us. Because from here on out, we will not keep secrets from each other. We need each other to know each other’s’ secrets to keep each other on the straight and narrow. No more making decisions to protect each other from the choices we might be forced to make. In this League, the ends will not justify the means! We will not sink to using the methods of our enemies. We will keep our covert Team , not for the sake of it being covert, but because it affords our young heroes a place to learn out of the spotlight. But, otherwise, like the Outsiders, we must live in each other’s spotlights. If we fail while doing right, then at least we went down swinging on our own terms. But in the long term, we will not fail. Holding firm to our principles will guide us to an honorable victory! Now, let’s get down to business.”

Chapter Text

I straightened my posture, checking the time on my watch as I stood in preparation for the dinner I was about to attend. I rolled my neck around, releasing a quiet sigh. I entered the restaurant.

It’s just a dinner. Get through it. Move on.

“Eileen,” I heard a call as I was about to talk to the hostess. I turned my head, seeing my mother walk up with a grin presented on her face. “You’re finally here! Welcome.” She brought me into a hug before patting my shoulders, pulling away to stare at my outfit. “And you’re chic. I see that being away from your father has rubbed off on you.” I looked at my grey sweater dress that had black leggings underneath it. I tugged on my cream-colored cardigan, tucking it closed. “The table is over here. It’s beautiful and next to the window.” She motioned over and headed in that direction. I followed after her.

The table was the normal assortment of people I’ve known over the years. My mother’s husband, her three sons, and now present are people I don’t recognize. My mother pulled me over, motioning towards the family of three, a woman and two men, clearly displaying an age difference between them. “June, this is your daughter? She looks amazing,” The woman of the family stood, walking up and shaking my hand.

“Yes, she is truly adorable. Eileen, this is a friend of mine, Alina Rosburg. This is her husband, Mark, and their son, Joseph.”

“Nice to meet you, Eileen,” The man stood, shaking my hand.

I nodded. “Nice to meet you,” I responded.

This Joseph character stood, shaking my hand with a wink. “Nice to meet you, Eileen,” He hummed.

I nodded. “The feeling’s mutual…” I pulled my hand back. I went to sit down.

What… is going on…?

I looked at the menu in front of me, staring at the different choices presented. “Hi Eileen,” I heard an excited voice.

I looked up with a soft smile, seeing Matt with a wide grin. “Matthew, watch your volume,” My mother warned.

He swallowed. “Yes ma’am,” He looked away.

“Hi Matt,” I leaned a bit towards him with a smile. He brightened at my greeting.

“Eileen, have you been enjoying your new home,” Derek, the oldest son between my mother and her husband, asked with a soft smile. He was 6 years younger than me. He was about to be a senior in high school last I heard.

“Where’d you hear that from?” I blinked in confusion.

I haven’t even told anyone here I moved to San Francisco… Well, unless my mother called Dad.

“Mom heard from your dad that you moved from Palo Alto a while back. Have you been enjoying your new home?” Derek, unlike the younger ones, was a bit more insightful. While, to preserve the image they have of their mother, I hadn’t told them why her and I don’t talk, Derek has had an idea that something definitely happened in my childhood. I rather wouldn’t talk about it though. It’s something I’d rather move on from than bring back.

“Oh, yeah. I’m enjoying it…” I nodded. “I, uh…” I thought about what I should say. I released a small sigh. “I moved to San Francisco. My work there has been successful, so I have no bothers with maintaining my lifestyle there.”

“San Francisco is expensive, Eileen. Are you sure you can cover it,” My mother looked over at me to ask.

“She just stated she has nothing to bother her lifestyle, dear,” Mom’s husband, Robert as he’s affectionately called, looked over at her. “She is capable of her own choices.”

“Well, certainly. You clearly wanted the distance between you and Hal, hmm?” My mother looked back at me from looking at Robert with a small smirk.

I shook my head. “Actually, I just wanted a new change of pace. Dad and I are actually more closer than ever. He’s telling me to relax more since I’m working so hard. It’s been really my only drive and focus.”

“Then maybe you can tell me about what’s going on in the art world these days,” Derek hummed. “You’re still into art, aren’t you?”

I nodded. I knew I hadn’t told any of them my job. They only knew that it pays well. “Yeah, what about it?”

“My art class is doing a trip to San Francisco to see this art exhibit that’s been presented. Since we’re a private school, my art teacher has connections to one of the donators with the school. We’re going to see this exhibit about this, um, what was it about again?” He thought for a moment. “Uh… Oh! The melancholy painter!” He grinned. “He said that he’s been wanting to speak with them for a while now, but unless you know certain people, they’re hard to find.”

I gave a tight grin. “I can imagine. Have you talked about them before?”

Well, isn’t this interesting?

“We’ve been talking about current modern painters. They happen to come up because of one of the donators visiting our classroom. We’ve seen the paintings their donator has sent us. They’re truly great at what they do! I mean it! You should see if you can find their work somewhere!” Derek tilted his head. “When our teacher brought it up, he apparently went to one of their exhibits before, but he couldn’t find the artist anywhere. It was a few weeks ago I believe.”

Back in February probably, which is fine.

I hummed. “Well, maybe I can do some digging for you. I won’t mind. I’m pretty sure this melancholy painter is really something.”

I nodded my head. “You’re always insightful, aren’t you Eileen,” I heard and saw Jonathan looking my way.

I shrugged. “I try. Can’t really say I’m the best or anything. I just like not repeating past mistakes. I’ve been told that by plenty of people.”

He slowly nodded. “Okay…” He looked at the fancy plates in front of him.

I looked over at Derek in concern. He shook his head. I slowly nodded and looked back at the menu. “What is it you do for work, Eileen,” I heard Mrs. Rosburg ask.

I looked up at her. “I work in private circles. It pays well,” I hummed. “Nothing too pushy, which is great.” I straightened my back some. “And I enjoy it. That’s what matters to me.”

“And you live in San Francisco now?”

I nodded. “I moved from Palo Alto two years ago.”

“Oh? Did you go there for college?”

I swallowed. I shook my head. “No… my… um… my best friend at the time was attending college there. And another best friend was also attending there because she wanted to move across the country from her home city as far away as possible.”

“Oh? These sound like lovely girls.”

“Girl. My best friend was a boy.”

“Was?”

I shuddered out a breath. “He, um… died… in 2016. Accident.” I squeezed my dress. “He was the first friend I ever made and well, it’s hard to get over that. We were dating too. We were building a life together. And… it wasn’t expected. I moved to find myself away from all that. I pushed a lot of people away, but I’ve been making great progress with that. I’m trying to talk to a lot of people more.” I shrugged. “I’m doing my best. And that’s all I can really say.”

“I see…” I returned to looking at the menu again. “And… you haven’t dated since?”

I blinked. “No.” I looked back at Mrs. Rosburg. “It hasn’t been a major concern of mine.”

“Really? No potential partners?”

“I told you. Eileen has been solely focused on her work. She has an excellent work ethic,” My mother chimed in. “She’s very good when it comes to that focus. It’s honestly surprising, given how her father is.”

“Oh, I’m aware. Hal was such a playboy back in high school. It’s difficult to understand how he managed to have a daughter that’s the complete opposite of him.”

I frowned. “Yes! Eileen is very intelligent! Hal barely paid attention to classes.” My mother faced me. “When was it you graduated again? Hal wouldn’t tell me and I’m upset you didn’t invite me.”

I stared at her. “…I did not graduate at all. I had a very bad bullying problem in school. I was beat up a lot. I got my GED instead at the age of 14. I still have a letter from the state of California granting me the permission to take the exams. I passed them all with near perfect scores. I spent the rest of my teen years learning how to pay bills and do taxes. I’ve also studied other cultures and languages along with history,” I answered honestly. I looked back at the menu. “It was hard attending school, so I solved my problems.”

“Hal didn’t tell me that! Why didn’t he?!” Her face of shock came to the realization that she had not been told this. I didn’t expect Dad to tell her and I didn’t want to tell her either. This would come out at some point, though. I knew that much.

“Because I told him not to. Dad knew how troubling that time was for me. I couldn’t make friends because of how people perceived me at school.”

“For having a single dad showing up to his daughter’s events,” Mrs. Rosburg asked unimpressively.

“…For having the lack of a mother there for support.” I glared. “Yes, my parents did not stay together, but my father did his absolute best. And I don’t fault him for that. No… everyone made fun of me… for the lack of a mother. Honestly, it was very hard to go through it. Am I upset? Not anymore. I grew up. I know that people thought that it was not normal. To them, it was a fault. And I was blamed for that fault. I acted out on it, like any kid, any teen, would. Believe me, it was not easy for my dad to come to the school office and see my scratched up, bruised face. So, if you’re going to sit here and place blame, you can place blame on the children who see my abnormality as a fault that should be exploited. I learned to cope with it, but it has not been easy. My current friends now, they have helped me. They have seen me for me.”

“Eileen-,” My mother started.

“Save your speech, please. If it weren’t for my dad’s good conscience, I would’ve stopped talking to you years ago. If you’re going to insult him, don’t do it in my presence. I’m older. Doesn’t mean I’m ignorant.” I looked back at the menu once more. A glass of water was set in front of me.

“Hello ma’am, I see you’re the last to arrive. Would you like anything to drink,” The waitress beamed at me.

“The water is enough. Thank you.” I swallowed.

She turned to everyone else. “Would anyone like to start with appetizers?”

My mother’s silence spoke volumes as she looked defeated. Robert’s face didn’t help either as he looked disturbed. My eyes darted over towards the boys. Derek’s face was most particularly the same, which meant I think he had a grasp of what was going on. Joshua had a face that was scary to see as I think he was trying to grasp at what I was talking about while Matt had probably not realized what I had said. That was the best outcome I could hope for. Everyone spoke what they wanted, skipping to ordering their food instead of opting for appetizers. I waited in silence, drinking my water while I went through my phone.

“Eileen,” Derek murmured.

I looked at him. “Yes,” I asked quietly.

“What did you mean by lack of a mother? I mean, I know you two didn’t talk for a while, but I thought that was due to distance.”

I sighed. “…This is not a question I should answer. For both your sake and mine.”

“What sake? It’s clear something went wrong. Say it,” Joshua butted into the conversation, looking at me with a look of distain.

“It would be unfair of me to speak about my childhood in comparison to yours. It’s in the past for a reason.”

“You speak of it as if it ruined your life.”

“It did. For a while. I’m not a saint. I’m many things. A saint isn’t one of them.”

“What are you then?”

“…” I thought about it for a second before thinking of what was honest. “…A failure.” I looked back at my phone after seeing the perplexed looks on their faces. It was an emotion I couldn’t quite place, but it definitely wasn’t pretty. I opted just to not say more as I knew it would upset them more.

“Eileen, I have been thinking,” I heard Mr. Rosburg hum. I looked at him. He gave a welcoming smile. “You certainly are a bright woman, very mature for your age. May I ask if your upbringing helped with that?”

I raised an eyebrow. “My upbringing,” I asked in confusion.

He nodded. “You spoke that you were raised by your father. What was that like?”

I tilted my head as I thought for a moment. “…My dad is a test pilot in Coast City. Very good. I’m not here to brag because I know his boss, but he’s been relied on a lot and that came with challenges.” I sighed. “He was always at work. I mean, you have a kid at home, an extra mouth to feed besides your own, and you want to work hard to make sure that kid doesn’t have to worry about anything… And I haven’t. My dad has made me feel more secure than a lot of other children I’ve grown up around.” I tilted my head. “Thinking back now, my dad has always been in my corner. Encouraging me to take my own risks with his own warnings that I shouldn’t repeat his same mistakes. And that is something I take very seriously.”

“His own mistakes?”

I hummed. “I’m pretty sure you know what happened. Or at least your wife does since she seems to have known my dad back in high school.” I crossed my arms.

“Everyone in our grade knew to be fair,” Mrs. Rosburg hummed. “But what does that have to do with it?”

“I am well aware of the statistics. I refused to be one of them. Even though my first and only boyfriend started at the age of 15, I made sure I took every precautionary risk I could while being secure and comfortable in my relationship. And luckily he understood. It’s fun when you go from friends to dating. He knew a lot of my story. My childhood.” I looked at the table. “My dad for the longest time was my only support system. I would get in trouble and, sure, he’d punish me, but not without explaining what I did was wrong or why I shouldn’t have approached the situation the way I did. He never got mad, but concerned. He never hit me. He never berated me. He… treated me as me. He allowed me to gain my own interests, explore my own hobbies.” I sighed. “When I brought up getting the GED, it was hard at first.”

“Do tell. The state of California requires that you at least have to be 18 years old in order to qualify, 16-17 if you meet additional requirements,” Mr. Rosburg stated.

“I was 14 at the time. I had not registered for high school.” I shivered. “I had been sent home after bullying multiple times. So, when summer started, I went back to studying. I had planned two months out on a calendar with what I should study and when I should have it done by. I practiced over and over. Dad saw it when I fell asleep at my desk carelessly. When he sat me down and talked about it, he asked me if I could pass it with the two months given. When I told him I would at least try, that seemed to be enough for him.” I smiled. “And when I passed, he said he never doubted me for a second. It really put my mind at ease knowing he was that confident in my abilities. When he went to the school board with my necessary documents, he gave them my documentation of the bullying and my suspensions. The superintendent granted me special permission and the rest is history.”

“That… and you said you learned to do taxes and pay bills in compensation?”

“I did what I could to prepare me for the outside world. I was privileged to have my dad help me learn responsibilities. Back in Coast City, I had been very acquainted with our landlord and many of our neighbors as well as a few shop owners.” I smiled. “I had put in work orders to get windows fixed, sinks, even our oven at one point. And the landlord understood that even if I was a kid, a teen, I am capable of understanding what was going on around me and he treated me as such.”

“That’s pretty remarkable.”

“I still respect that man. I call him from time to time to ask him about his children. His daughter will be graduating from middle school this year. His wife got a new position in her company. His life has been going great. One of my neighbors told me her cat had kittens. She wanted to give me one, but I declined, saying I’d be too busy, but I gave her recommendations to some shelters that would be able to rehome the kittens properly. I sometimes make the 2-hour drive to visit my favorite art shop owner, Larry. We talk a lot about business. His son, like me, has an affinity for art. He respects it, hones his skills. He’s been taking over a lot of responsibilities in the shop. He made me promise to be there when he gets the keys officially.”

“You’re still well connected in the town you were raised in?”

I nodded. “It’s home in my heart. No matter how long I’ve been away, I can still smell the hotdogs on the boardwalk. I can hear the rollerblades as they zoom past my ears. I can hear the chatter on the sidewalks by my dad’s apartment. I sometimes can remember the particular gas of cars when they’d fly by me on one of my walks. I don’t know what you’ve heard about Coast City, but it’s a beautiful city. I love it deeply in my heart.”

“You have a beautiful way of explaining details. You speak it with a romantic tongue almost,” Joseph spoke, leaning on his hand as he looked at me.

I blinked. “Uh… thanks?”

“Sorry, my literature classes have gotten the better of me.”

“It’s fine.”

“By the way, you spoke about Coast City through a very romantic lens and you’ve mentioned you’re into art. Have you attempted anything that resembles it?”

“Art is a hobby. You can say that I have.”

“That’s nice. Interesting.” My face scrunched up a bit.

…What is going on here?

“Well! Let’s hope the food gets here so we can eat! Eileen, this has been extremely insightful about your life! I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” My mother looked at me with a wide grin.

I sighed. “…It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

When is the food coming?

I checked the time once more as the food came out to be presented to us. I bit into my American wagyu with a neutral face.

For the most expensive dish on the menu, I’ll give it its props. Delicious cut, not too over cooked. Impressive.

“Expensive tastes,” Joseph hummed, motioning towards my plate. “You don’t taste that every day.”

“I’ve worked for people who’ve treated me to food such as this. It’s expensive and it tastes like it. However, I’ve learned to appreciate just the way food tastes rather than its prices,” I answered.

“That’s an interesting world view.”

“I knew someone who enjoyed food just for its taste. I learned to do it too.” I bit into another part of my wagyu.

“You’re very insightful.”

What’s with the compliments…?

“Thanks.”

“You remind me of a few people I’ve met in law school.”

I looked at him. “Oh? That’s interesting.”

“Yeah. I’ll be finished with my studies next year. I would’ve started earlier, but I wanted to take a while to learn what I really wanted. I already have a slot ready at my father’s firm.”

“Mhm… Cool.”

“Cool? You think it’s just… cool?”

I shrugged. “I mean, it’s very interesting. I’ve never had a particular interest in law.”

His face fell a bit before he picked it back up with his smile. “What are your interests? Besides art, I mean.”

“Music. Photography. Movies. Reading.”

“Movies?”

I nodded. “I’m a fan of science fiction and action movies.”

“That’s… interesting.” I went back to looking at my food. “I’m more interested in informative things. Like documentaries.”

“I watch documentaries.”

“Oh? What kind?”

“Variations. I’m fond of history ones. Particularly about the World Wars.”

“Oh… Not… nature ones?”

“I mean, I can watch dinosaur ones.”

“…” He blinked. “That’s insightful!”

“I’m a kid at heart sometimes. Dinosaurs are cool. At the end of the day, I believe that they’re a fascinating scientific thing. That and space.”

“Space?”

“I’ve always had a thing with seeing stars, wishing on them and all that. I’ve learned about constellations, different galaxy names, what has been provided by the Justice League to the public and then some.”

Not to mention what I’ve learned in the Green Lantern Corps.

“That’s intriguing. Have you thought about going to college for it?”

“No. My job has a substantial income. I do just fine where I’m at. I could retire if I wanted to. I choose not to because I like the work I do.”

Especially… with my hero work…

“Intriguing.”

I nodded slowly. “Indeed.”

“I want to ask. Since you’re going to help your brother with learning about this artist he’s heard, do you want someone to accompany you? I’ll be in San Francisco this weekend.”

I blinked at the sudden offer. “I’ll be fine. I work better alone.”

“You don’t always have to go at things alone.”

“I’ve been told that. Still, I’ve done things my way just how I like it. I’m comfortable with it for now.”

“For now?”

“Until I decide I want to open up.”

“You… can open up, you know?”

I realized at this moment what he was doing. It was a feeling I knew all too well. A feeling of prying even when you shouldn’t pry. “I am aware. I have no need to do it now or anything of the sort.” I ate at my wagyu.

“It’s good though!”

“Is there a reason you’re picking up a conversation with me?”

“Yeah. If it isn’t obvious, we’re similar in age.”

“And yet you’ve been trying to find commonalities within our interests, which have been shut down at every turn.”

“It’s to learn more about you.”

“Why?” My face pinched in confusion.

“I can’t learn more about you?”

I gave him a deadpanned stare. “Especially since this is the first time we’ve met? Yes.” He swallowed. “That’s what I thought.” He looked back at his plate, suddenly becoming interested in it. I returned back to my food.

“Joseph, what are you doing,” Mrs. Rosburg asked. “Don’t be rude when someone’s talking to you. I swear, college made you unlearn your manners. Eileen is speaking to you.”

“I’m really not,” I told her.

The waitress appeared. “Does everyone like their meals,” She beamed with that tight tired smile. She definitely wanted to end her shift right then and there.

“It’s excellent. May I get my check please,” I asked.

“Of course. I’ll distribute checks in a moment.” She headed away with any further fuss.

“Excuse me,” Mrs. Rosburg asked.

“Why would I continue a conversation when someone is trying to pry for details about my life?”

Mrs. Rosburg blinked in surprise. “It didn’t seem like prying.”

“Clearly we had no connecting interests. I could tell by his facial expressions, believe me. When you’re an observer, you tend to pick up these things. But he still continued and persisted. That’s when I realized what he was doing.”

“Doing what?”

I looked over at my mother. “This wasn’t just any normal family dinner you invited me to. And here I thought I’d give you the benefit of the doubt.”

“Here’s your check ma’am,” The waitress arrived, handing me my check.

I pulled out my wallet from my purse, pulling out two hundred-dollar bills. I placed them inside the check, holding it out to her as I stood. “Keep the change.” I looked over at my mother again. “This is a new low. I was right in telling Dad I really wished you didn’t try to talk to me.” I placed my purse on my shoulder. “I have no interest in dating. Not now. Not ever. Respect it.”

“That boy you dated was going to come and go, Eileen. You know that. You two were different. You couldn’t even tell he liked you when I first saw him,” She stood and faced me.

“Because I was oblivious back then. He was my first friend. How was I supposed to know his feelings? I was still trying to figure mine out.”

“He’s gone. I know it was tragic, but it’s been two years. You should be moving on.”

I glared. “There is no schedule for grief. It took me forever to even think about talking to you and I only did so you would stop calling Dad.” I scoffed. “I knew you only thought of me when it was convenient to you. I mean, how couldn’t you? I’ll always be a mistake in your eyes.”

“That isn’t true.”

“Really?” I gave a low chuckle. “You know what? I’m not going to continue this. I made a vow to myself that I won’t break. At least I have my integrity.”

“What vow and what integrity? It’s clear your father’s showing.”

My grin tightened. “You want to push my buttons? Go ahead. I dare you.”

“Ladies, not here,” Robert stood, looking between the two of us.

“No, Robert. Let your wife speak for herself. I want her to.”

“Eileen-.”

My glare intensified. “Don’t warn me like you’re my father. You’re not.” I motioned towards the boys. “You’re theirs. And because they’re here, I am giving your wife an out. Right here.”

“What out?! What should she get an out to,” Joshua snapped.

“Joshua, don’t,” Robert looked at him.

“No, I want to hear what Eileen has to say. Because clearly there’s something going on here that you’re not telling us.”

I shook my head. “I’m not going to say it. It wouldn’t be fair, so I’m going home,” I headed for the door.

“You’re just like your father. Quick to leave and leave a mess,” My mother scoffed.

I paused. I turned around. “Funny when you signed away your rights to me when I was 5.” I tilted my head with a tight smile. “All because my dad wouldn’t marry you and give you the life you wanted.”

“You don’t know what happened back then!”

I chuckled. “I know you called me a, what was it? Oh, a bastard. That’s what you called me. A 5-year-old. A bastard.” I gave a small laugh. “A child. A child you had in high school!” I looked at Joshua and Derek. “I’m not 3 years older than Derek. I’m 6. I didn’t want to say anything because I know much you value her, but clearly if I have to stoop to her level of being a high school drama queen, I’ll stoop. I don’t care what you think of me. I already know I was a mistake at the beginning, even though my dad tries to tell me something else. It doesn’t stop the hurt of when kids would always come up and ask me ‘What is it like being the daughter of a whore?’ My self-esteem was so low when I was your age. That’s what I had to say. She only spoke to me out of convenience, which didn’t happen until I was 12, mind you. I didn’t even realize she had a whole new family until I was 13.”

“I knew it,” Derek hissed, standing up as he faced Robert and my mother.

“Derek-,” Robert started.

“No, you don’t get to sit here and justify that we had a right to know. We all did. Every time we tried to ask her why she never spoke to Mom, she always danced around the subject and never gave us an answer. Not only did you neglect to tell us Eileen was born when Mom was in high school, but you neglected to disclose real truthful information about Eileen. We had a sister! And you didn’t tell us until Eileen was into her teens!”

I swallowed. “Derek, you have every right to be upset,” I walked up to him. I placed a hand on his shoulder. “But this isn’t the place to do it.” I looked at Joshua. “And I am also to share in the blame. I didn’t tell you because you all had different childhoods than I did.”

“But… doesn’t that mean you hate us? Because we’re different from you,” Matt asked.

“…I wouldn’t’ve bothered in knowing your names or calling you by nicknames if I hated you. You’re innocent in all of this. Each of you are.” I looked back at Derek. “Please, control your temper. I’m not commanding. I’m asking. Wait until you’re outside or in the car or something.” I removed my hand. I turned around. “And most certainly, you don’t have to feel bad for me or anything. I grew up fast. It’s a trait I sometimes wear with pride. It gets me over the hard stuff.” I headed away from them.

“But Eileen-,” Derek started.

“Listen to Robert and don’t take your anger out here. It’s my fight. My battle.” I looked back at him briefly. My eyes met my mother’s. “One I can win easily because I can admit my faults. No one’s perfect.” I looked back forward and headed towards my car.

Chapter Text

I watched my paintings get put up once again, allowing me to feel some pride in my chest as the art exhibit started up. I stared up at one of the newer additions. I haven’t spoken to my mother or anyone else from that family since then. It had been two weeks since that dinner. I told Dad about the outcome, to which he wasn’t pleased about. I told him to just not talk to her about me if she calls him. She has only called once and it was a very light conversation on his end, one he wouldn’t divulge. I didn’t need to know about it anyway.

“Ah, here she is. Eileen,” I heard a call.

My head turned. I looked over to see one of my clients walk up. He’s Mr. Williams. A kind older man. He asked me to paint his late wife for him among many other things. He always tried to give me more, but I didn’t charge him for much. He only started to give more because of popularity with my art. “Mr. Williams, it’s good to see you. How’s your daughter doing,” I asked with a smile.

“She’s doing excellent. She has just found out she’s going to receive her PHD. I’m proud of her. I may commission you for something of the sort later,” He walked up. He motioned towards the group of students behind him. There couldn’t be more than 20 of them there. He motioned towards a man as he stepped forward. “This is the man I spoke of to you earlier this week. The one from the private school in San Jose. This is James Babcock, the art teacher.”

The man, who looked around my age, maybe a bit older, walked up. “It is an honor to meet you. I’m actually surprised,” He held his hand out and shook it.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Eileen Jordan, or as this circle knows me as, a melancholy painter,” I greeted with a small chuckle. “I’m curious as to what you’re surprised about?”

“Your work!” He motioned towards the painting behind me. “You have this way of creating contemporary art that captures emotions deep within as if people can’t speak it, but feel it. Really, you are a marvel!”

I nodded. “I’ve been told. How else do you think I met Mr. Williams here? When he brought this up to me, I couldn’t turn it down. Though he was late on the delivery. I found out a few weeks ago.”

“You said you like to be kept on your toes,” Mr. Williams pouted.

“That I do. You are right. If anyone has any questions, I’m free to answer them. As long as they aren’t super personal like ‘Why did you choose the color of this shirt you’re wearing today?’ because I couldn’t even tell you myself.”

“I’m sure I’ll ask you about these colors of your pieces,” Mr. Babcock hummed.

“Please do. I’ll have great answers.”

He turned towards his class. “As you’ve heard her, you may ask any questions. For now, why don’t you take a look around the exhibit and see if anything catches your interest?” The students started to disburse into smaller groups, chatting among themselves or walking alone to one of the paintings. I released a small sigh. I noticed a familiar face walk up. “Ah, Derek! Coming to ask a question?”

He looked up at me. “Yeah…,” He swallowed. “This is, uh, a nice job you have.”

I nodded. “Indeed, it is. I worked hard for it,” I hummed.

He nodded. “Um… are you proud of it?”

“Absolutely.”

He gave a small shiver. “I’m… sorry Eileen.”

I smiled softly. “You’re my brother, Derek. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“Brother,” Mr. Babcock asked in surprise.

I looked at him. “Derek and I have the same mother. Different fathers.”

“Mrs. Weaver has another child?”

“I’m unspoken of and I would like to keep it that way if you don’t mind.” I chuckled. “Besides, I’m proud of who I am. My dad raised me very well, thank you. He encourages all of this,” I motioned towards my paintings. “In fact, he has helped me name a few. He thinks he’s funny but he ends up making a few good names here and there.” I looked at Derek. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I dug up old wounds of mine. It wasn’t fair to you, Joshua, and Matt.”

Derek swallowed. “But you told us the truth, Eileen. And that’s something we wanted.” He breathed. “You’re our sister.”

I blinked. “I mean, I didn’t expect you to think of me like that still.”

“Why wouldn’t I? You’re smart, talented, cool! You actually take a like in my interests and try to relate them to me. I thought… we were always distant because you may not have liked us.”

I tilted my head. “At first, it was like that, but for different reasons than you think. I’ll always care. You didn’t do anything wrong.” I motioned over towards the paintings. “Now, you’re here for an art trip, not to be sad. I’m the only one here who’s supposed to be sad.” I pointed at the newest painting. “It’s my job. Like this I created. I call it ‘Reminiscing the past in the present.’ Weird title, but I put a lot of work into it. It was going to be a client submission, but I decided to scrap it in favor of something else I believed the client would enjoy.”

Chapter Text

Eileen's life has prepared her through different ups and downs. This time, her skills, her resilience, are put to the test.

Season 4 - The Ghosts that Haunt Playlist
 1. Good Old Days - Macklemore, Kesha
 2. Natural - Imagine Dragons
 3. Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons
 4. It's Time - Imagine Dragons
 5. Glass House - Machine Gun Kelly, Naomi Wild
 6. No Time To Die - Billie Eilish
 7. Daylight - Joji, Diplo
 8. Good Things Fall Apart - ILLENIUM, Jon Bellion
 9. Team - Lorde
 10. How Far We've Come - Matchbox Twenty
 11. The Final Countdown - Europe
 12. Spiderwebs - No Doubt
 13. Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
 14. Home - Phillip Phillips
 15. Me, Myself & I - G-Eazy, Bebe Rexha

Chapter Text

Eileen Jordan

“I may have gotten knocked into the Green Lantern Battery three different times, but fear conquers over willpower. I’m just too exhausted to think about it right now.”

Vital Statistics

Alias        Green Lantern

Birth year    1995

Species        Human

Designation    25

Past Designation   B-04

Physical Description

Gender        Female

Hair Color    Brown

Eye Color    Brown

Relationships

Relatives    Hal Jordan (Father)

June Weaver (Mother)

Robert Weaver (Step-Father)

Derek Weaver (Half-Brother)

Joshua Weaver (Half-Brother)

Matthew Weaver (Half-Brother)

Martin Jordan (Paternal Grandfather)

Affiliation    Justice League, Green Lantern Corps, The Team (Formerly)

Mentor        Green Lantern (Formerly)

Powers and Abilities

Equipment    Green Power Ring

Chapter Text

I rolled my neck around, pressing my phone to my ear as I listened to Artemis’s voice. “So, yeah, the students are doing really well. What are you doing? Preparing for another delivery,” She asked.

“I just had it shipped actually. Delivery truck left about 20 minutes ago,” I hummed. “I’m preparing for something else.”

“Oh, is your brother coming over?”

I nodded. “Yeah. When he got accepted into Stanford, he’s made it a point to drive from his dorm to come visit me. It’s nice.”

“He’s the one that still talks to your mom, right?”

I hummed. “I mean, yeah. Though I’m not surprised.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “After the blow-up last year, she’s trying to get back onto my good side, which is hard considering what she did. I’m mature about it though, civil until I don’t have to see her.”

“That’s good, honestly. I’m surprised you still want to talk to her.”

“I’m too old to be fighting her on this.”

“You’re turning 25 next month. There is no way you’re old.”

I sighed. “I feel like I’m in my 40s with how much work has been piled on me.” I shrugged. “I’m still glad I’m youthful though because of M’gann’s and Conner’s wedding. I can’t believe they’ll be getting married this year. I feel like this should’ve happened years ago.”

“Who are you telling? First they have to do the ceremony on Mars. Then they’ll be back here to do the human ceremony.”

“I know. And I’m glad. And are you sure the bridesmaid dress I chose is good.”

“It doesn’t matter if it’s good or not. You’ll be taking photos!”

“I know!” I grinned. My eyes darted over towards my camera that was currently on the charger. “I’m honored they asked me to take their wedding photos when we had the bon voyage party last week! I have my camera with two backup batteries just in case. And I have two extra memory cards for it too.”

“You are over prepared.”

“I like weddings okay! And I’m painting them as a free present commission. Let me be excited in peace Artemis. Go worry about your date with Jason.” I waved my hand with a huff.

“Oh my god, get over it!”

I rolled my eyes. “You didn’t tell me you were dating him! I thought it’d be sisters before misters,” I gave a fake sniffle. “How could you do this to me Artemis?!”

She laughed. “Says the girl who sits at home all day fantasizing over actors.”

“At least at the end of the day, they are real in my heart.”

“Yeah, and fictional in real life.”

I glared. “…They can appear in my dreams.”

“You need to go out more!”

“Whatever, I’m fine!” My doorbell rang. “Oh, my brother’s here. I’m going to let you go. Have fun at class. And with Jason.” I snickered.

“Oh, put a sock in it!”

“Love you Arty!” I hung up and headed over towards the front door. I opened it up to see Derek. He gave a tired grin. “Hey Kiddo. C’mon in!” I motioned over.

“Hey Eileen,” He walked in.

I shut the door after him. “So, what can I do you for? You did just visit me last week, unless there’s something new you found out.” I headed into my art studio.

“Yeah, there is! I, um, met someone.”

“Oh? You met someone?” I put away some of my paint brushes.

“She’s very nice!”

I chuckled. “I would hope so.”

“She’s… not that religious.”

I placed my easel against the wall. “And that should bother me why?” I looked at him. I saw him shift nervously.

“It shouldn’t, but… I don’t know how to introduce her to Mom.”

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“You dated Wally and Wally was more of a scientist.”

“Yes, because he saw a lot of stuff through a scientific point of view. I’m trying to understand what kind of point you’re trying to make.” I tilted my head. “Is this girl a scientist?”

“A physicist.”

“Okay?”

“She… believes in science more than faith.”

I crossed my arms, leaning against the counter space in my studio. “And does that bother you?”

He swallowed. “At first, it did. Then… I understood why she thought that way.” He breathed. “She was raised in a toxic religious household… and I realized that we were kinda in the same boat with Grandma and Grandpa. Mom has branched a few times, but still holds her religious values to heart. I can’t just…”

“Look, I’m not particularly religious myself, so I’m not the best person to ask, but if you genuinely like her, you two are going to weave your way out of this. It’s not the first case of this. If you think she’s worth it, then you’ll have to work for it. You both will have to work out your differences.”

He slowly nodded. “I see…”

“Give it some thought. Mull it over.” I smiled. “It’s easy for me to think about it. I’ve met multiple different kinds of people. I know what different points of view are like.”

--

I finished placing the box down, ready to build a new shelf for my art supplies when I heard my doorbell ring. I walked up, eager to see who it was since I wasn’t expecting any visitors. I opened up the door. “Dick, Kaldur, what a surprise? What’s up,” I asked. They had solemn look on their faces. “…” I swallowed. “What happened?”

“Conner’s gone,” Dick approached.

I could feel the sadness and tears well up. I breathed. “How’s M’gann? Is she still on Mars?”

Kaldur nodded his head. “She is getting her affairs in order,” He answered me.

I slowly nodded. “Okay… Okay…” I shuddered out a sigh. I wiped my face. I nodded again. “Okay.”

“Eileen-,” Dick started.

“I…” I breathed. “We started this. Getting Conner out of Cadmus. Making a name for ourselves with the Team. And look where we are.” I placed a hand on my chest. “I can’t imagine…” I swallowed again. “Imagine what M’gann’s going through. So, I can keep it together. Whatever you need me to do, I’ll do it.”

“There’s already talks of memorial services,” Kaldur murmured.

“I’ll be there. Whatever you need me to do.”

--

I wiped my eyes, feeling the heavy weight on my chest as I stared at Conner’s newly formed hologram beside Wally’s. I stared at the both of them briefly, releasing a heavy sigh.

I never thought someone else could be gone from us so soon…

I sniffled. “Eileen,” I heard and saw Canary walk up. “You’ve been coming by a lot lately.” I looked back at Conner’s hologram. “You know you can talk, Eileen. You’re free as always to speak with me. Just like our previous sessions.”

“…It’s hard to believe it could happen to any else, you know,” I murmured. “I’m still struggling with the loss of Wally these days, but… now Conner too? Conner has always been like a brother to me. He’s been there when I’ve needed him the most. Him and the others have seen me at one of my lowest points of my life. I… never thought… Out of all of us, I never thought it’d be so soon.”

“Death happens in mysterious ways. In the end, we know that Conner did what he had to do to help out the people of Mars.”

“That’s something I can get around, but it doesn’t feel like he’s gone. At the same time though, it does. I can feel the weight hitting my chest and… It was 10 years ago. When we met, when we became friends. I still sometimes feel like it’s 10 years ago. And we’re running around on the Team, me and everyone else.” I breathed. “I’ve looked through a lot of old photos of us, all of us. I know he worked hard. He did his duty. But I can’t help but keep coming back to how M’gann feels.” I looked at Canary. “How everyone else feels. I’m worried about everyone else. Somehow, I feel like I… I’ve already been through the ringer with this. I’m worried about everyone else now.”

“It’s okay to worry about yourself too. You’re thinking about the past, reminiscing, as a way to cope with the memories you, Conner, and everyone else shared. It’s okay to feel that way, Eileen. You don’t have to put aside your grief to help the others.”

“…In a way, it feels like I have to because they all helped me, eased me, back to how I am now. I owe them a great amount of debt.” I looked at the hologram again. “Conner included. If I am just able to do one thing… let it be that…” I breathed. “I’ve grieved for a long time… In a way, I want to honor Conner’s memory.”

“How is that process going along? You seem to still grieve over Wally, but you’re trying your best to get over Conner’s death as well.”

I placed a hand on my chest, looking down at it. “It’s unfortunately a thing that’s hard to explain. You see, in the universal emotional spectrum, something I’ve learned a few years ago, different emotions empower over others and sometimes it stays that way. This is my case. I learned that my overpowering love for Wally has seemed to stay for a long time. I’ve been told by several alien empaths that it’s a sign of, uh… having a soulmate?” I shrugged. “It was weird when I was told this, but the reason why my love for him has always lingered is because of this. It’s a reason why the Star Sapphires think I would be good among their ranks, though I doubt it. My willpower has pushed me through new heights before.”

Chapter Text

I flew past several star clusters, focusing on my route to Oa as Dad flew beside me. “Kiddo,” He murmured. I didn’t answer at first, focusing on my flight path. “Lena.”

I blinked. I looked over at him. “Yeah, Dad,” I asked quietly.

He tilted his head. “Want to… talk about it?”

I sighed. “Dad.” I looked ahead.

“You didn’t shut yourself in for one thing. I just want to know how you’re feeling. I know he was your friend.”

I swallowed. “He was more like a brother than a friend. He checked on me. He helped me. And I feel like… I wish I could’ve done more, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t do something and that’s something I just have to accept.” I shook my head. “I know what M’gann’s going through and it’s… not the best feeling in the world.” I swallowed. “For now, I’m holding something together. And that’s enough.” I looked at him them. “I know why you’re going to Oa, but why am I needed again? Did John tell you?”

“He said something about a group mission with a few others, including Yat. That’s it,” He shrugged. He raised an eyebrow. “You know I learn more your friendship with him than you tell me.”

“We’re friends?” I scrunched my face. “I mean, I guess he isn’t that annoying.”

“Really? Because he tells me you’re really reliable.”

I huffed. “What about it?”

Dad gave a chuckle. “If I didn’t know any better, I would think he has a crush on you.”

“Then since you know better, you know that he doesn’t.”

Dad laughed. “Humor me, Lena!”

“Humor you with what?” I looked forward. “I don’t know about you, but I’m not into anyone. I’m fine being single. Unlike you.” I smirked. “Are you afraid I’m lonely?” I looked at him.

“No! Dads like their little girls to not have boys traumatizing them every second.”

“So, you think other men are traumatizing?”

Dad huffed. “I don’t think some men are the right fit for you and others are. You’re happy where you’re at and that’s all I want for you… Just without boys in the picture.” He looked ahead.

I gave a snort. “You like me being single because it means I’ll depend on you.”

“Hey! C’mon Kiddo. Give me some credit here!”

I laughed. “I just did. I just said I depend on you.”

--

“I still can’t believe you did that! That’s amazing,” Arisia beamed.

“Well, I can’t take all the credit. Eileen certainly helped,” Sodam hummed. “Isn’t that right?”

“I just did my job. As always,” I sighed. We flew up into a nebula. I flew ahead, looking over at Laira as she looked at me. “So, I understand the Guardians said that this is something the Sinestro Corps has been up to, but is there a reason they put us up to this task?”

“I’m here for my combat experience. Arisia is here from the Honor Guard,” She stated. “You may have not been around to hear, but Sodam has taken missions outside of the sector you both watch over. He is very impressive. The Guardians believe that he may be well fitted for this mission.”

I nodded. “I see.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I haven’t even gotten to you yet.” I tilted my head, prompting her to continue. “You have quite a bit of experience with the Sinestro Corps. They believe it was best suited for you to be on this mission as well as the fact that you trained under me for some time. They said the experience is necessary to figure out what the Sinestro Corps is planning.”

“Understood.” I looked ahead. I could faintly hear the conversation going on behind me.

“She’s… moody,” I heard Sodam hum.

“She lost a friend recently. You haven’t seen her be moody. But, in that state, she’s more fired up than ever. Out of everyone in the Corps, Eileen has made many tough personal calls. They sometimes say she has no fear. She’s similar to you in a way, but she doesn’t boast about her achievements,” I heard Arisia giggle.

“Do they knew we can hear them,” Laira asked lowly.

I shook my head. “Let them have their moment. We have the mission to do,” I told her.

“…You are moody.”

I made a face looking at her. I sighed. “I’m sorry.” I looked ahead. “I lost a long-lasting friend recently and that… dug up old wounds.” I swallowed. “I’m obviously hurt, but I’ve had my time to be hurt over and over. Right now, if I don’t keep my life moving forward, it won’t move at all. It won’t even go backwards.”

“I’m aware of how you were years ago, Eileen.” I looked at her. She stared forward. “It all started after that mission you had received to go back to a planet in your sector that had talks about civil war. And another had taken place. You, fresh in your grief, went and when you returned, your hair was different. I remember the day as if it were yesterday. I’ve seen the rage and sadness in my own being before. You were slow to understand, but quick to learn after you understood that this path was not where you wanted to go.”

I looked forward. “…Without the push of people on Earth, like my friends, my dad, people in the Corps… I may have never recovered.” I shut my eyes. “He was the love of my life. Still is sometimes. He meant the universe to me.” I reopened them. “I’m still learning to let go, but the love I have feels too strong, too welcoming. It’s hard, but on the other hand…” I breathed. “I’m slowly feeling myself still being able to move forward. And that is enough. Give me an inch, and I’ll run a mile.” I saw yellow fill my vision, causing me to stop my conversation with Laira as we approached ahead. “I think… Is that the Sinestro Corps Central Power Battery?”

“Indeed, it is,” Laira answered.

“But we’re not near the Sinestro Corps’ home world,” Arisia flew up next to me.

It was large and yellow, similar to that of other lantern corps batteries. “And that is… bad,” Sodam asked.

“It means we need to follow. It has a patrol unit with them. Stay close and make sure we’re not seen,” Laira flew ahead.

I followed after her. We got close with the patrol unit, which seemed to be with some heavy hitters as I saw Lyssa Drak was there along with Sinestro, who seemed to be moving the thing. I narrowed my eyes. “Tread. Carefully,” I stated.

“Do you see what I see?”

“Yes, I do.”

--

I shot a beam at one of the new grunts only for it to narrowly miss as I got hit back. I held my fist up, creating a shield. I formed up a new sword with my shield, clashing it with Sinestro’s. “Like your father, eager to rush into battle,” He huffed.

“Nah, I just wanted to make sure I could stop you in your tracks,” I glared. “It seems to be a success so far since your book was turned to ash.” The book of the Sinestro Corps started to burn when I ignited it with a green flame, which took a bit of concentration while the others kept everyone occupied.

“As if we don’t have backup plans.”

“Not if I mess up those backup plans.” I held up a glowing detonator. I clicked it, hearing an explosion behind me.

Sinestro’s eyes widened. He pushed me as he went to swipe at me. His sword narrowly cut my cheek as I went to attack before his sword shot up into a beam that knocked me away. I coughed, feeling the sting on my cheek. “I’ll give you credit Jordan. Clearly I underestimated your abilities.”

I glared. “You underestimate a lot, Sinestro.”

“Unfortunately, so do you.” My eyes widened. I tilted my head, seeing Laira and the others try to fend off the rest of the Sinestro members, which weren’t many, but that wouldn’t stop Sinestro from doing what needs to be done. I saw the lantern battery aim at us. I threw my fist up, wrapping them in a bubble as they were shot out into the distance while the light behind me grew. I shut my eyes tightly, feeling a burn on my back.

Chapter Text

I was a quiet child. Very quiet. My mother always thought it was odd, maybe because of the talkative children around me. I only got particularly chatty when Dad came home from work. She noted this when he first left the Air Force.

When I turned 18 and she had no need to coordinate with Dad on getting me to go anywhere, she had dinner with me at a diner in Coast City. She swirled her coffee with an unimpressed face. “I knew he was your favorite,” She shrugged half-heartedly. “You would chat about your day as if I hadn’t asked you at all. I knew from then on he was your favorite parent.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and quip back that he was more invested in my well-being than she was, but it wasn’t going to solve anything. My relationship with her would always be broken beyond repair. Her attempts to reconcile would always clash with what I really wanted. I didn’t need to be incorporated into her life. I wanted her to ask about mine. Be on my level. I never treated myself like I was rich, like I was living beyond my means. But she always did.

--

My eyes were forced open as I took in an intake of air. My body shook vigorously from the cool air. My chin was grabbed as I was forced to look up. I glared. “You’re awake,” Sinestro hummed. “We’ll see how you tick, Jordan.” I saw a beam hit at me, causing me to grit my teeth in pain as I could feel it coursing through my body. My eyes tightly shut. “I know you have fear, Eileen. Tell me. How does it feel? How does it feel to fear?” The pain I felt was fear. I gave out a pained scream, feeling it etch into my skin. My bones.

--

I grew up with my dad being my hero. Lots of kids in school sparked debates on who was their favorite hero. The talks of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman were always their faithful and immediate answers. Mine was one of the odd ones out.

“My favorite hero is Green Lantern.”

You would think for years that I was crazy until talks of Green Lanterns, Flash, Green Arrow, Black Canary and more started to pop up. I was suddenly not the odd one out. But that didn’t give me friends.

“So, what do you like to do for fun,” Will, at the time Roy, asked me with an impatient look. Whoever decided a 12-year-old should watch a 9-year-old alone should have really checked their brain for any signs of warning.

“I like coloring stuff. And drawing,” I shrugged. “And movies.”

“…You really like to do boring stuff, eh?” I crossed my arms, looking away. “You don’t hang out with friends? Go to arcades? Go to the store or something?”

I looked down. “…I don’t have friends…”

“…” A hand ruffled my hair. “Well, since you don’t, we can go to the arcade then. But I’m playing the Pac-Man machine first.” He pulled on his coat. I blinked. He threw my coat at me, causing it to land on my head. “Hurry up!”

“How are we gonna get there though?” I tilted my head with a frown. “I don’t have my bike.”

“No, but Ollie has a private driver at the front of his mansion.” His smirk meant nothing but trouble, but I was eager to follow. I followed after him, rushing down the steps of the mansion towards the car as he walked ahead of me.

--

My body ached. I could feel the cuts and bruises formed. My ribs felt like they were impaling my lungs. My knees formed blisters. My mouth was forced open as a liquid was poured down my throat. It was an equivalent of water. I knew that much. “Making sure you don’t die, Earthling,” I heard. The hand that grabbed me pulled away. I heard the bars of my cell shut.

My eyes never opened, giving the person any attention. I felt tired. “The lantern battery has been relocated here into the prison, Sinestro. But what of our second one,” I heard Lyssa speak.

“That one will stay on Qward where Parallax will stay contained. For now, we need to make sure Krona will commit the darkest day, which will rid the Green Lanterns their powers so that we may take over,” I heard Sinestro reply.

Their footsteps echoed the corridor until they stopped. “And what of this one?”

“She will be made as an example. They will learn what it is like to know true fear, especially with their most powerful member: Hal Jordan.”

“I thought you didn’t see him as a threat.”

“You would think, but I worked alongside him for years. I know Eileen Jordan has followed along a similar path. If we can defeat the willpower inside of her, then we can take him down with ease.” I heard footsteps wander off. “For now, we make sure she’s alive until our plans come to fruition.”

“Understood, sir.” I heard a shift. “…I should thank you when you wake. You gave me the powers of the Book of Parallax. Surely, you did not anticipate this, but I have to say, you have made me more powerful than I could have ever been.” Another set of footsteps wondered off. My eyes shakenly opened. I looked ahead.

…When I can make it out of here… your plans will bite the dust…

--

If someone asked me back then, back when I was a kid, if would I see myself as a hero, I would’ve told them no. Not when I had trouble with bullies and enemies of every shape and form. Not when I felt like the world was against me and I was against all odds. No, I didn’t see myself as a hero. Sometimes I still don’t. Not when I see the people I fight alongside in the Justice League, old and new members of the Team and the Outsiders. Heroes were my inspiration from the very beginning, but did I ever see myself become a hero? No.

Not until Derek said something. For years, I had kept my secret under wraps. Everyone who was in the know was in the know. I didn’t have outside friends. I spoke to my neighbors nicely, but I never spoke to them about neighborhood gossip. It wasn’t my thing. So, when Derek saw me from the skies enter my backyard and enter through the backdoor… I knew he had questions.

“How long have you been… a superhero,” He murmured quietly. We sat in my living room on the second floor. There was a fireplace that was lit, helping me with the cold as I had bandaged my forearm from an injury I got. His face was a mix of emotions, but mostly hurt and worry.

It was December. He was coming over to tell me about how the finals for his classes had went for his first semester in college. My face looked impartial to his worry, but on the inside, it was sadness that I felt knowing he had to find out through an odd way that I was a hero. “I… was 13 when I became a Green Lantern member, so over 12 years now I would have to say,” I answered.

“You’ve been a hero for that long?” His voice was so quiet that I could hear the sounds of the fireplace muffle out parts of his speech, but I knew what he was saying.

I gave a nod. “Yeah, it’s not that surprising. I’m proud of being a Green Lantern.”

Derek gave a small swallow. “And you’ve been in the Justice League that long?” I shook my head. “No, there’s an age limit. I joined in 2013. I don’t really hide my face, but people are none the wiser.” I shrugged. “Dual identities work when one doesn’t really get known a lot in places.”

Derek gave a hard swallow. It was one I could faintly hear. “…And you risk your life every day for… this?”

I nodded. “I risk my life here and in the universe. It’s a duty I proudly serve.”

“…Did Wally know?”

“He was one too. He was a sidekick.”

“…So, when you said he died in an accident…”

I nodded. “…He died when I wasn’t here. And to this day, it’s one of my biggest failures as a Green Lantern.”

“And does your dad know?”

“He does. He’s okay with it. It took him a while, but he’s proud of me too. And that’s something I’m glad about.”

“…You’re a hero.”

“I am.”

“But Eileen… you’re a hero. A real, real hero.” I blinked. “You’ve done so much. You heroes sacrifice a lot to do what you have to do and… people take that for granted. I take that for granted, but… now knowing you’re a hero… You’ve had to make a lot of sacrifices… How do you do it at the end of the day? Keep moving forward?”

“I have to.”

“…So… all those talks with Mom, she doesn’t know?”

I shook my head. “No. And I’m not telling her either. You’re really the only other person I’ve told. I don’t plan on telling her because then…” I shrugged. “I don’t think she’d even change if I told her.” I sighed. “It’s best if I just didn’t. It’s stuff of the past, Der. I’m okay now.” He looked at the bandage on my arm. “Even this. It’s healing. Just a scratch. Not a deep cut. More like a papercut that’s the size of a ruler.” I chuckled weakly.

“That’s still not okay.”

I smiled softly. “I promise you. I’m okay.” I placed a hand on his. “I can’t die knowing I can still do so much good.”

“…Promise?” I saw tears lace his eyes.

“I promise…”

Chapter Text

I heard rushed footsteps go up to the cell’s door. A tinkering noise entered my ears, allowing me to pick up the noise. I didn’t move. Not for a moment. I heard the cell door unlock. I flow of air hit my face.

“Eileen,” I heard a quiet whimper. I recognized it as Arisia’s voice.

Finger’s pressed against my neck before my face was grabbed. “Eileen,” Another voice breathed quietly. This voice was definitely in front of me at my height on the floor.

“Is she alive,” I heard a third voice.

“Yes, she is. Laira-.”

“Then we need to get out of here quickly. I don’t know how long it will take for them to realize no one is patrolling this area.” She sounded distant. She was probably at the cell door.

I felt a hand on my wrist as the chains, that were keeping my arms suspended in the air, were being tampered with. “We grabbed a lot of information here. They’re not going to be happy regardless. Nor are the Guardians for us taking this long,” Arisia commented.

“We can deal with that later. We didn’t expect the Sinestro Corps to weaponize their own lantern battery.” I heard her move closer into the cell. My chin was cupped. “Eileen.” I was shaken. My body felt exhausted. “Eileen.” My eyes slowly opened. I met Laira’s green eyes. She swallowed. “They put you through torture.” She looked around. “Where is your lantern ring?”

“T’ took it,” I mumbled. My voice sounded hoarse. It’s been a while since I got anything to drink. I swallowed. “I can get it back when I leave this cell.”

“Is it hindering your abilities to call on it?”

“…Yeah.” I shivered a bit. “I’m surprised I lasted this long. I lost track of time after a few weeks.” I looked between her and Sodam’s concerned eyes. “How long… have I been gone?”

Laira shook her head. “Don’t focus on that now. I will explain later.” The chains above my head were opened. My arms dropped to my sides. I struggled to keep myself up as Sodam and Laira caught me. Sodam wrapped one of my arms around his shoulder as I was helped up. “We need to get out of here. We have an escape route.” Laira looked at me. “Call your ring and we’ll depart fast.”

I nodded. “Understood.” With help from Sodam, we got out of the cell quickly. I held my fist up, trying to concentrate.

I said I would get out of here. I can do this… In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil’s might, beware my power…

“Green Lantern’s light,” I breathed. I saw a green light shoot from around the corner. It darted down the hall, getting onto my finger with ease. I stared down at it. It glowed a bright green before covering my body. “Hello old friend.” I nodded my head to Laira. We all went down the corridor.

I flew after them staring ahead. My body ached all over. My face stung with its injuries. I heard an alarm sound go off. “Well, there goes the quiet strategy,” Sodam sighed.

“We need to get out. Now,” Laira looked at us.

“If we can’t get out your way, we make a new way,” I held my fist up.

She nodded. “I told you there was a reason you were asked to be on this mission.”

I held my fist up as I shot a large beam out of it. A hole formed in the wall before continuing to hit through several until I saw a larger hallway. We all flew through. We went down what felt like a maze until I saw a hanger. Many Sinestro Corps members were flying along, going in mass searches. The coast because clear as we flew ahead before we were stopped by a large yellow wall. I snapped my head over. I saw Lyssa appear, flying up with a huff.

“It seems you couldn’t deceive me so easily. And look, you all grabbed your little Earthling pet,” She smirked. “Thank you for this by the way.” I noticed her skin was etched with writings of a different language. I stared at her face that was somehow clean of the writing. “Unimpressed?”

I don’t care.

“We’re not getting out of here without a fight,” Laira formed a spear.

“Aren’t you all entertaining? I’ll just eliminate you here and get this over with.”

She shot a beam at us. Arisia blocked it, gritting her teeth at the intensity. “How did she get this powerful since we last saw her,” She asked out.

I thought about it. “She must’ve combined with the Book of the Sinestro Corps. Those must be the words inscribed on her,” I answered. “I remember hearing it while imprisoned.”

I moved from behind the shield. “Eileen-!” I formed a chain around Lyssa’s throat as I pulled her towards me. I held my fist up as a gauntlet formed. I punched her away, watching her slide across the ground as some debris flew. I rolled my wrists around.

“And you didn’t do this before,” Sodam asked in surprise.

I looked at him tiredly. “I may have gotten knocked into the Green Lantern Battery three different times, but fear conquers over willpower. I’m just too exhausted to think about it right now.”

“Which makes it easier for you to overcome the fear,” Laira nodded. “I was afraid you wouldn’t be able to summon it.”

I held my hand up as my ring glowed. “It’s hard when I accept that the fear is going to happen whether I want it to or not. My losses have taught me that. It became my greatest strength. There will always be fear, but willpower triumphs it because people are capable of looking past the fear. They can see the light at the end of whatever dark corner is there. And that is something I am willing to accept.”

“…So much for ‘No Fear’ Eileen Jordan,” Sodam breathed.

“We need to go. Now.”

Laira used her spear and cut open the shield blocking us from the rest of space. A vacuum started to form as we all were flung out. I floated up as I grabbed onto Arisia, flying ahead with the others. “Are you alright,” I asked, letting her go as she floated beside me.

She pulled me into a hug, twirling in space as we flew fast. I noticed we were at some kind of space asteroid station, but paid no mind to it. Arisia looked at me with teary eyes. “You saved us,” She murmured. “Don’t be reckless like that again.”

I sighed. “Then don’t stand in line of the beam next time,” I thunked her head.

“Ow!” She grabbed it, holding it with a pout. She sniffled. “I missed you.”

I nodded. “…I missed you too.” I looked at Laira as I flew up next to her. I swallowed. “How long?”

She looked at me briefly before looking back ahead. “While Sodam and Arisia scouted ahead for this base, I went to Oa to give a progress report. Last I spoke with John Stewart, he stated it had been a few months since he last saw you. He spoke of you missing some upcoming holidays in your Earth culture.”

I slowly nodded. “I see.” I looked ahead.

“Don’t focus on that for now. What did you learn about the Sinestro Corps?”

“Torture techniques for one thing. And their plans.” I swallowed. “They’re trying to make sure Krona activates the darkest day.”

“I knew it. Why else move their battery with Parallax inside?”

“Because that battery doesn’t have Parallax inside. They have two. The other one is on their home world.”

“Which is hard to reach.”

“Are you sure you heard that,” Sodam asked as he flew up next to me.

I nodded. “I heard it from Sinestro himself. Ask a telepath to read my mind when we get back to Oa if you aren’t too sure.”

“No need. I know your words are true. They weaponized their battery, which means they may be several steps ahead of us,” Laira spoke.

--

I sat in a chair while one of the medical machines was stitching my wounds. My head was tilted back as I tried to relax, but it wasn’t easy. Guy sat to my right with his arms crossed. “You took a hell of a beating, Kid,” He commented since he was the first person who came to see me.

“Gee. Thanks,” I muttered.

He cleared his throat. “I mean, you’re alive, for one thing. But you look-.”

“Awful?”

“That’s a nice way of putting it.”

I tiredly blinked my eyes. “I was tortured for four months. I would rather not talk about how bad it was.”

“Right, right. Sorry.”

I tilted my head to look over at him. “At least Dad was fine. I hope he wasn’t too worried.”

“Nah, he thought you were fine! Just wait until he sees how you look though.”

I winced. “R… Right…” I looked at the medic bot. “Can you amp up the pain meds?”

“Unfortunately, I have given the maximum dosage for a human before they become critical,” It responded.

“…I can handle it, right?” I looked at Guy.

“No,” He stated firmly.

I huffed. “Fine.” I swallowed. “I can feel my ribs poking my lungs.”

“Shall I perform emergency surgery,” The bot asked.

“No! No, it’s a metaphor. I’m bruised up, like you and the other medical bots said.” I swallowed. “I don’t want to add surgery in space to my bucket list.”

“Meh, it’s fine,” Guy shrugged.

“You got put in a coma.” I gave him a deadpanned stare.

He pouted. “Hey, it was kinda worth it. Like a long nap.”

“I wish I took a long nap.” I looked at the ceiling. I swallowed. “Being beaten, burned, among other things? Not. Fun.”

“It’s not supposed to be.” I looked at him from the corner of my eye. “But you’re not saying it’s fun.” I slowly nodded.

I could hear the doors to the room open. My eyes slowly darted over. Dad rushed in with John following. “I heard you got injured,” Dad called with a wave.

I rolled my head around to the medical bot. “Okay, that emergency surgery sounds good if I have to go under anesthetic,” I muttered.

“Unfortunately, I have given the maximum dosage for a human before they become critical,” The bot repeated the statement from earlier.

I looked at the ceiling again. “Never mind.”

“So, what kind of papercut… did you… get,” Dad’s voice slowed to a stop. I tiredly blinked. “…What the hell?”

“Eileen, what happened,” John asked.

“Well, the mission went a bit south,” Guy shrugged.

“What do you mean it went south,” Dad looked at him.

“I think you can see, Jordan.”

“Guy. Not. Now.”

I sighed. “Can you guys not yell? My head hurts,” I frowned.

“I’m sorry, you look like you got ran over by a car.”

I tiredly blinked my eyes. I looked at Dad. “When was the last time I saw you? Month wise?”

“April?! You been on the same mission since April?”

“Well, yes. Because that’s what being captive does to you. You stay in the same place. For months.” I sighed. “Stupid Sinestro.”

“Sinestro did this to you?!”

“Hal, calm down. Please,” John sighed.

“Calm down?!”

“I take it that it is getting lively in here,” I heard and saw Sodam enter. He moved next to stand next to the medical bot. He looked down at me. “You look better.”

“Tell me you’re being sarcastic.” I looked back at the ceiling. “I guess I looked worse in the cell.”

“Your eyes were more dull in the cell. And when you took out Lyssa Drak. Although in her state, I was surprised you could take her.”

I huffed. “I destroyed the Book of the Sinestro Corps. She can go cry about how ‘You made me powerful now Eileen Jordan.’” I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “She kissed my fist after I knocked her teeth in.”

“You had an encounter with Lyssa Drak,” John asked.

“It’s in the mission report. We encountered a scouting party of Sinestro, Lyssa Drak and other members of the Sinestro Corps with their core battery,” Sodam looked at him. “They weaponized it. It’s a wonder Eileen survived. Though, she did say she survived being throwin in the Green Lantern Core Battery a few times.”

“Survived is an understatement. She was a badass,” Guy chuckled.

I sighed. “An overstatement,” I mumbled.

“I would believe it. You didn’t die to their torture methods, Eileen,” Sodam stated. “I was glad we found you.” I felt a hand grasp mine.

I rolled my eyes. “Unfortunately, I don’t die that easily.” I pointed my thumb over at Dad. “I need to see him get married. I want a good step-mom.” I smirked. “And I lived to spite that old man Sinestro.” I gave a snort.

Dad’s face hovered over mine. “Lena-,” He started.

“I’ll be fine,” I breathed. “We Jordans don’t take fights sitting down, remember?”

He chuckled weakly. “Your hair got longer.”

I blinked in confusion. “It did?”

Guy held up a mirror. “Look for yourself, Kid,” He handed it to me.

I slowly pulled it up to my face. My brown eyes had dark circles underneath them. I pulled it back a bit, seeing the cut on my cheek that was starting to heal slowly. I was told it would leave no scars. The cut on my lip didn’t look much better either, but medicine would make it scarless too. Same with the cut on my temple. I blinked in surprise. My hair, which I’ve kept cut for a few years now, since Wally died, had now pooled around my head. It covered my neck. I slowly sat up, seeing the hair fall over my face in long strands. I blinked in surprise. I pulled the mirror down as I stared forward. “Lantern Jordan, are you ready for the next round of stitches,” The medical bot asked.

I cleared my throat. “Uh, yeah, “ I nodded. For the first time in 4 years, I pushed my hair out of my face.

Dad hummed quietly. “Your hair hasn’t been long in a, well, long time,” He pointed out.

“Has it been that long,” Guy asked, taking the mirror back from my hands.

I nodded. “4 years feels long sometimes,” I murmured.

“What matters is that you weren’t gone for much longer,” John faced me. “I’m glad you didn’t get hurt… in other ways.”

I nodded again. “Me too.”

Chapter Text

“You look much better. I’m surprised you decided to stay on Oa,” Arisia said as she sat beside me.

I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “I mean, since I was available, Tomar-Re and Kilowog asked me if I wanted to go to New Genesis to charter a treaty between the New Gods, the Green Lantern Corps, and the Justice League. I told them my view would be biased a bit towards the League, and that I do understand the point of view of the New Gods as well. They pointed out it would be a good decision since I know all sides, but in my condition, Tomar-Re asked if I stayed back,” I hummed. “And I agreed with him.”

She looked at my bandaged arms. She swallowed. “I wish I got to you sooner. I should’ve known. Your trail has always been the brightest among us.” She gave me a sad look.

“I don’t blame you. You know that right?”

She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I should’ve paid attention-.”

“We were overrun with Sinestro members. I made a judgement call. You don’t have to blame yourself for what happened. I made that decision, Arisia.” I breathed. I looked ahead. “I may have certainly lost 4 months of my life I’ll never get back, but that’s part of the work. Part of the job. As a Green Lantern, I have made the commitment and swore my duty to protect and fight for the universe. I made that decision myself 12 years ago. You…” I swallowed. “I don’t blame you. You’re my friend.” I looked back at her. “I will never blame you for what happened to me.”

She wiped her eyes. “Thank you.”

I smiled tiredly. “If you’re still feeling bad, you can come eat with me if you want. I’m hungry and the med bots might think I’m starving myself. Again.” I struggled to stand. Arisia shot up first, grabbing my hands to help me up. “Thank you.”

“C’mon. I’m starving.” Arisia smiled as she skipped next to me.

I walked at a slow pace to get  to the dining hall. I slowed when I saw Kilowog with a new Green Lantern and a confined red floating box. “Hold on Arisia. I’ll be right on over,” I told her before floating up to Kilowog. I saw the new Green Lantern looked similar to Forager with a purple shell rather than his red. “Hey there Kilowog. Is Tomar-Re not with you,” I asked.

He looked at me. He breathed. “Hey kid,” He faced me. I saw the sad look in his eyes.

“…How?”

“I’ll spare you the details. There’s apparently a rogue Kryptonian who has a lot to pay for.” He held his fist up, seeing it glow up a bit.

“Rogue Kryptonian?”

“Apparently, there’s a Kryptonian from the future who was trying to open a line to the Phantom Zone. We managed to capture one of his partners and this thing.” He pointed his thumb over towards the box. I floated up as I inspected it.

“It looks Apokoliptan. I recognize its circuitry appearance.” I rubbed my chin with my hand. I looked at the new lantern. “And who might this be?”

“Forager’s name is Forager,” She spoke with a smile.

My eyes lit up. “Another Forager! It’s nice to meet you. My name is Eileen Jordan. I’m from Earth.”

“Does Eileen Jordan know Forager from Earth?”

“Indeed, I do. I guess he came along with the League Envoy.” I heard the box beep. “Uh, is that thing deadly?”

“We were told it has some kind of sentience. I was gonna pass it onto Soranik. She’s the one who knows about these kinds of things,” Kilowog shrugged.

“Forager was also going to help since Forager helped capture the Kaizer-Thrall.”

I hummed. “Kaizer-Thrall with intelligence?” I tilted my head. I held my fist up, transferring the bubble over. “Well, we have no time to lose it seems.” I looked back towards Arisia. “I’ll have to hold off on eating! I’m going to go help with something!”

“Okay! Please be careful Eileen,” She called back and flew away.

“Yeah, yeah,” I waved my hand around.

“You still look like hell, kid,” Kilowog stated as I looked back at him. “I can take it over.”

“No, no. You have to report this stuff to the Guardians. And Forager here has to go meet them. I’ll take care of it.” I looked at Forager then. “By the time you meet them, I’ll have met with Soranik and she’ll get the process started. You’ll arrive just in time to find out what we learn.”

Forager nodded. “Forager understands.”

I looked at Kilowog. “I wish I came with you. Maybe then-,” I started.

“I don’t blame ya, kid. In fact, we might’ve lost you instead,” He sighed.

I looked away. “You’re right…” I looked back at him. “Go ahead and go. I’ll take care of this.” I flew away over towards the research center, where I saw Soranik reading over some texts. “Soranik, I have something for you to look at.” I held the Kaizer-Thrall up to her. “Apparently on Kilowog’s and Tomar-Re’s meeting to New Genesis, they fought this thing called a, uh, Kaizer-Thrall? I think that’s its name.” It started to beep at me again. “It is told to have some kind of sentience. I’m familiar with the tech since it looks Apokoliptan.”

“Indeed, it does,” She faced me. She shut her book and stood. “Did you go along with them?”

“No, I stayed here.” I swallowed. “We… lost Tomar-Re.”

She looked down. “I see. It’s a shame.” She held her fist up as she took the Kaizer-Thrall. “It will take some time for the machine to be ready to scan it. Do you mind waiting?”

“Not at all. By the time the machine’s done, our newest recruit will have arrived. She apprehended it herself.”

“Have you already met her?”

“I have. She’s a Bug on New Genesis. Her name’s Forager.”

“Interesting. I will have to meet this Forager then.” She looked at me up and down. “What about your injuries? Do they not bother you?”

I gave a tired grin. “I wouldn’t be here if they bothered me. I took the hit. I can handle the recovery.”

She smiled. “Of course. You, Eileen Jordan, are one of the strangest humans I have met.” She went away with the Kaizer-Thrall as it kept beeping. I tilted my head. “Strange noises it makes.”

I shrugged. “Maybe the Kaizer-Thrall is lonely and needs a friend.” I floated after her. “I’ll make sure it doesn’t blow up in front of you.”

“How thoughtful.” She went towards the scanning room, preparing it while the Kaizer-Thrall sat in the center to be scanned. I inspected the tubing around it, noting its color looking similar back to the stuff I saw in the Orphanage that Granny Goodness ran. I frowned at the memory.

“Forager is here,” I heard and saw her approach.

I waved. “Hey there Forager.” I looked over at Soranik. “Forager, this is Soranik Natu. She’ll be helping us here scan the Kaizer-Thrall.”

“Forager is glad to meet Soranik Natu as you inspect the Kaizer-Thrall,” Forager greeted her.

“It is nice to meet you as well Forager. Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps,” Soranik faced her. She gave me a nod. “The machine is ready.” I stepped back, standing next to Forager and her as she turned the machine on. She held up her ring as it started to show the report. She gave a hum. “This so-called ‘Kaizer-Thrall’ is indeed sentient.”

“Ah, so maybe its beeping is it trying to communicate,” I shrugged.

“In fact, there seems to be remnants of a humanoid inside this machine.”

I blinked in surprise. “What?” I stood next to her as I read over the report.

“It’s incredible, and not a little horrifying…” I gave her a look. “My apologies.” I heard Forager give a click of understanding. The machine beeped. “The results are in. Let me see.” I saw the rest of the report come in. “I’m reading a male. Approximate age, eleven Earth years.”

I snapped my head over. Forager clicked again as I floated over, hovering my hand over the box. “That’s why you were beeping… You were afraid.” I teared up. “An 11-year-old boy.”

“Yes, by the Guardians, this is a human boy, a child… from Earth,” Soranik breathed. The Kaizer-Thrall beeped again. “And you are right, Eileen. I believe it, he, is trying to communicate…” I breathed. “Eileen, since Earth is in your other sector, I believe this is your call to make.”

I wiped my face. “I’ll take him back to Earth. Since his brain is in here, he has a consciousness. I can get a telepath to communicate with him.” I looked at the Kaizer-Thrall. “Will that be okay with you?” I placed a hand on top of him. “Beep once for yes. Twice for no.” I heard a single beep. “Then it’s settled.” I looked at Forager. “Since you were there, I hope you don’t mind accompanying me, Forager. I’m supposed to be on medical leave.”

“Forager would be delighted to go. Forager has never been to Earth,” She nodded eagerly.

I nodded sharply. “Then we have our mission.”

Soranik gave a nod. “I will report this to the Guardians. Go ahead and set your path for Earth,” She stated. I flew up flying out with the Kaizer-Thrall in tow.

--

I stood in the Watchtower next to Jeff and an un-retired Aquaman with the Kaizer-Thrall and Forager while we waited for M’gann to come up. “Recognized. Miss Martian, B-0-5,” The computer announced, much to my relief.

“You rang,” I saw her float through.

“Miss Martian, allow me to introduce-,” Jeff started.

“Forager! And Eileen!” She floated down and hugged me before cupping my face. “You’re injured. Are you okay?”

“I’ll be fine. Why don’t you introduce yourself to our newest Green Lantern,” I motioned over.

M’gann placed her hands on Forager’s shoulders. “Forager’s told me so much about you. Does he know you’re here? He’ll be so excited.” She gave her a smile.

“And Forager is excited to see Forager as well,” Forager responded. “But first, Forager has to attend to Forager’s and Eileen Jordan’s Green Lantern Corps business.”

I placed a hand on top of the Kaizer-Thrall. “This is the Kaizer-Thrall from New Genesis. Forager and Kilowog stated it had a form of sentience. They took it to Oa where I went along, since it was Apokoliptan tech, to a friend named Soranik. She discovered…,” I swallowed. “That the Kaizer-Thrall contains a living human brain.” I shivered. “A… An 11-year-old human boy brain.” Kaizer-Thrall made a noise. I looked back at M’gann.

“C’eridy’all…,” She murmured in shock.

“We were hoping you could establish communication,” Jeff motioned towards him.

“Of course.” M’gann’s eyes glowed green. “He’s human, all right. Meta-human. His name is Danny Chase. Age eleven. He was a runaway. Abducted, tested, activated, trafficked… to Apokolips…” I shut my eyes. “Where he was given to Desaad… who cut his brain out and put it in this box.”

“Barbaric,” Aquaman snapped.

“Apokoliptans and their damn boxes,” Jeff scoffed.

M’gann sniffled. “Danny has telekinesis as well as some multi-dimensional abilities, which cause him extreme pain, or not just pain…” I opened my eyes. “I think they’re… I think they’re killing him.” Danny’s box beeped. “Oh, I’m sorry. He’d like to talk to us face to face.” M’gann’s eyes glowed again. I stood in a dark plane with everyone else as I saw a boy appear on top of the Kaizer-Thrall box. He had on a dark jacket and jeans with shaggy light brown hair and blue eyes with round glasses.

“Hey. I’m Danny,” He waved in a thick southern accent. We all walked up to him. “Danny Chase.”

“Forager is happy to meet Danny Chase,” She spoke beside me.

“We are so sorry this happened to you,” Aquaman breathed.

“S’ okay,” Danny shrugged. “Or, you know, it’s not your fault. I’m so happy y’all can see me.” He smiled. He sighed. “See who I really am.”

“We see you, Danny,” M’gann placed a hand on her chest.

“And I swear we will do everything in our power to help you,” Jeff nodded.

“I knew they were sick and twisted… if I had known,” I shut my eyes. I sighed. I looked at him. “We’re here to help you. Not hurt you. Okay?” I smiled softly.

“Incoming message for Miss Martian,” I heard the computer announce.

We left the dimension and reappeared on the Watchtower. “Accept transmission,” She answered, facing the monitor as it pulled up. “Prince J’emm.”

“Hello, M’gann M’orzz,” I saw the Prince of Mars appear. “I will come straight to the point. Though I do not wish to raise false hope, I have reason to believe Conner Kent may still be alive.” My eyes widened. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I formed an opening and pulled it up, seeing a text from Dick.

“May have a possible lead on S.B. To leave you not surprised, Artemis, Raquel, Kaldur, Zatanna and I are going to try and find him. Might update you later. Hopefully this reaches to you in time. -N.W.” Way to keep me in the loop, Dick. I’ll have to figure this out later.

I swallowed as I put my phone away to focus.

Chapter Text

“Recognized. Superman 0-1,” The computer hummed while Jeff got the Watchtower ready to leave the zeta shield. I stood next to M’gann with my arms cross, listening to Prince J’emm’s explanation.

“All right, I’m here. Let’s do this,” Superman stated as he walked in.

“Moving the Watchtower above Earth’s Zeta-Shield,” Jeff announced. I could feel the shift of the Watchtower, seeing it on scans. “Good to go.”

“Prince J’emm, we’re ready here,” M’gann turned towards the monitor.

“Coming across now,” He responded. The monitor cut off.

“Recognized. J’emm J’axx A-5-0. Phantom Girl A-5-1,” The computer announced as I saw the red royal Martian appear along with a very pale, nearly light-blue skinned girl in a white outfit. I noted her eyes had black sclera with red irises along with her red hair. I gave the royal Martian greeting.

“Prince J’emm J’axx of M’arzz, you’ve met Superman. Allow me to introduce Aquaman, Black Lightning, Green Lanterns, and Danny Chase,” M’gann introduced as she motioned towards each of us.

“I am most pleased to make your acquaintances,” Prince J’emm spoke towards us as him and Phantom Girl landed in front of us. “This young alien female, who, in the style of your world, calls herself ‘Phantom Girl,’ has an incredible story that you need to hear.”

“Thank you, Prince J’emm,” She spoke with a raspy voice.

“To be clear, she has not fully opened her mind to me. But to the extent she has, I believe she speaks the truth. Or at the very least, she believes she does.”

The girl looked slightly annoyed with his tone. “Thank you, Prince J’emm.”

“Please allow me to create a psychic link to her mind.”

I see the vision before me. “I’ll cut right to it. When the bomb went off on Mars, I was there and managed to save Superboy using my ability to phase, to make us both intangible. But somehow, I also transported us to a buffer dimension called the Phantom Zone. The journey left me unconscious. And while I was out, Superboy fell under the influence of a pair of dangerous Kryptonian criminals named Zod. They have a hold over him I don’t understand. He wouldn’t leave. So, I asked Prince J’emm to help me find you. I think you’re the only one who can bring him back. And you must bring him back.”

“Can… Can this be true,” M’gann asked quietly.

“I have reason to believe it is,” Superman told her.

I swallowed. “So, let me get this straight,” I looked at Phantom Girl. “You phased with Conner and brought him into this separate dimension, right?”

“Yes,” She nodded.

“And… he didn’t come back with you? And followed this pair of criminals called… Zod?”

“Yes. That is correct.”

I breathed. “Well, this complicates things.”

“How,” Superman asked.

I looked at him. “Well, for one thing, Zod is one of the Houses on Krypton. They tried to overthrow and start a coup. They are, so to speak, major enemies with the House of El.” I looked at M’gann. “And… if Conner, who goes by Kon-El, is under their influence, it can only mean one thing.”

She swallowed. “Yeah,” She murmured.

I looked at Phantom Girl. “He’s regressed back to his basic Cadmus programming. That, combined with mixes and jumbles of his memories over the last 10 years… It’s possible he sees himself as a military weapon more than as the person he’s been. So, the Zods are using him to their advantage. Who knows what’s going on in Conner’s head right now?” I looked back at M’gann. “She’s right. You’re probably the only one who can help him, M’gann.”

--

“No signal from Kid Flash D04, Nightwing B01, Zatanna 25-,” The computer listed off before I sighed.

So that’s what they were doing? On top of that, Bart’s also missing. This is what happens when I’m locked in a prison cell for 4 months.

“Um, Phantom Girl, have you been able to reach your two friends,” Superman faced her after looking at the monitor.

“How do you know about them,” She asked in surprise.

“I can’t answer that right now.” He looked at her with worry. “But please answer me.” My eyes darted over towards Bart’s ID.

…That’s why he’s involved. He’s a time traveler. And she’s one too.

I looked back at them. “No, I haven’t been able to reach them, which is extremely concerning. And also, the main reason why I have come to you people for help.”

“Your turn,” Jeff looked at Superman with his crossed arms. “What aren’t you telling us?”

“Not yet. I’m sorry, but I need you to trust me until I know more.”

“So, Conner’s alive, injured and so troubled he wouldn’t return with you,” M’gann asked Phantom Girl.

“Yes.”

“Please take me to him. I’m sure I can convince him to come home.”

“That’s what I’m counting on. But there’s a problem. I’m honestly not sure if I can get back to the Zone. I got there by accident and I’m not great with phasing other people anyway. But it’s okay. There is a Phantom Zone Projector on New Genesis.”

“No longer. The New Genesis Phantom Zone Projector was destroyed,” Forager looked at her.

“All right, we’ll try,” Phantom Girl faced M’gann. She held her hand up to her. M’gann grabbed her hand.

“You sure about this,” Jeff asked M’gann.

“Am I sure about doing whatever I must to get Conner back? Do you really have to ask,” She asked him.

I stepped up. “Go. Get him back, M’gann,” I nodded to her.

She nodded to Phantom Girl as the two started to phase away. I breathed. I turned to Superman. “I have a question for you,” I spoke.

“What is it,” He asked.

“I know why you can’t tell us, but I need you to confirm this for me.” I breathed. “…Is it like Bart’s scenario? Kid Flash’s scenario?”

“What does Kid Flash have to do with this,” Jeff asked.

I stared at Superman, looking into his eyes. He gave me a nod. “Similarly, yes,” He answered.

I sighed. I turned towards Jeff. “I have faith in Superman’s truth. There is a reason why this has to be kept secret. Please understand.”

He shifted his gaze between me and Superman before sighing. “Alright. Fine,” He responded. I saw M’gann and Phantom Girl phase back on their hands and knees. I rushed over towards M’gann with Superman.

“M’gann,” Superman breathed.

“I’m sorry,” Phantom Girl breathed. “I’m so sorry.”

I helped M’gann up. “This can’t be happening. How can Conner be alive and still out of reach,” She whimpered. I placed a hand on her shoulder, giving a comforting squeeze. I heard Danny beep. “Really? I better link us again.” Her eyes glowed. We all stood in front of Danny again. “Danny says he knows the location of the Phantom Zone.”

“Uh, yeah. See, when the Zone opened on New Genesis, I was able to lock on to its unique trans-dimensional frequency. I can’t get you there, but I can guide you there,” He smiled.

“Maybe together?”

“Sorry, no. My powers are organic. I don’t ‘do’ frequencies. Even now, psychically linked to Danny, his intel is meaningless to me,” Phantom Girl told her.

“What about a Motherbox,” Jeff asked.

“That could work. I’ve never linked with a Motherbox, but I have linked with Fatherboxes, and they’re basically the same thing, right,” Danny asked.

Jeff crossed his arms. “Basically. Just less evil.”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. This was the power that hurt you, that was killing you. I can’t ask you-.”

“I can manage it, one last time. To help you and your friend the way y’all are helping me.”

“Are you sure,” I asked quietly, looking at him with a worried look.

“Yes ma’am.” Danny nodded.

“This does sound promising. But where do we get a Motherbox,” Aquaman asked.

I figured one of the New Gods would have a Motherbox handy. Forager brought up one, which seemed easy enough to call him over. I crossed my arms, seeing the guy walk in through a Boomtube. “Recognized. Orion A-5-2,” The computer announced.

“Thank you for coming on such short notice,” Superman spoke towards him.

“Per our treaty, I could do no less. But understand, if this works, we’ll be opening a Boomtube not only for your friend, but for every Kryptonian criminal in the Zone,” This Orion character walked forward. The Motherbox chimed, showing us a new world. “So as a precaution, I had Motherbox locate Trombus, an uninhabited planet under the red sun, Gamma Crucis. The planet has an acceptable atmosphere. If we Boomtube there, we can safely open another Boomtube to the Zone. If the criminals emerge, they won’t gain yellow sun powers.”

“And we should be able to handle them. Thank you,” Jeff nodded.

Orion cleared his throat. “Rocket’s force bubbles would be extremely useful. We should summon her.”

“Actually, I tried to contact Rocket and Nightwing. Tigress, Zatanna and Kaldur to tell them about Conner. I couldn’t reach any of them.”

I swallowed. “Aquaman, hold down the fort,” Jeff told him. Aquaman gave a nod. He turned towards Prince J’emm and Forager. “I know this isn’t your fight.”

“But M’arzz is forever indebted to Conner Kent,” Prince J’emm told him.

“And any friend of Forager is a friend of Forager,” Forager smiled.

“Thanks. We appreciate the help,” Jeff told him.

“Phantom Girl, are you there,” I heard someone call as I saw Phantom Girl’s bandaged hand had a blue glow on it.

“Cham?! Oh, thank Bgztlqwar… you’re alive,” Phantom Girl sighed with relief. “Is Imra with you?”

“I’m here,” A feminine voice called. “Lor-Zod abducted us, but we just managed to escape in Bio-Ship.”

“Bio-Ship,” M’gann asked as she stood next to Phantom Girl.

“Excuse me. This is Superman. Is Kid Flash there,” Superman walked up.

“Right here, big guy,” I heard Bart’s voice. I sighed with relief, placing a hand on my heart.

Thank God.

“Are Nightwing and Zatanna with you?”

“Uh, no. Are they working this too?”

“Cham, Imra, I have so much to tell you both,” Phantom Girl urgently spoke. “But here’s the short version. Superboy is alive.”

“That’s great,” I heard the boyish voice laugh.

“We are going to the planet Trombus, to open the Phantom Zone and rescue him.”

“Okay, good. We’re close. We’ll meet you there.” The glow ceased. I breathed quietly, feeling the pain in my ribs as I tried to heal from my mission two weeks ago.

Alright Eileen. You can do this.

Chapter Text

We made a Boomtube to Trombus, where I noticed the red sun that stretched across the land, giving a harsh dark red lighting that I’ve seen on several other planets. I heard a groan behind me as the Boomtube closed, seeing Superman place a hand on his head. “I can feel my power draining away. If there’s a fight, I won’t be of much use,” He looked over at Jeff.

“The other Kryptonians won’t have powers, either,” Jeff told him. “Meanwhile, we have two Martians, two Green Lanterns, a New God, and me. I think we’ll be fine.”

I looked at him with a nod. “We will be fine, Superman. Have faith,” I breathed. I heard the Motherbox and Danny give a beep of acknowledgement as the Motherbox connected to Danny’s box. We all stepped back as the box started to ping. I could see a flicker of a Boomtube start to show, but it wasn’t enough.

“We need to stop. It’s hurting Danny,” M’gann spoke up, placing a hand on Danny’s box.

The flickers continued until a Boomtube finally opened. I held my fists up as I readied myself. I saw M’gann’s eyes glow. When her eyes stopped glowing, she looked back at Superman, Phantom Girl, and I. “He’s not coming out. So, we go in,” She told us.

I moved ahead. I felt something hit me from behind, causing me to halt my movements. I yelled out in pain as I hit the floor. I could hear everyone else yelling out in pain. I opened one of my eyes weakly. I held my fist up as I saw Forager hold her fist up too. I shot blasts at who I assumed were the Zods based off the Zs on their chests. I got hit with a psychic attack as I gritted my teeth, holding my head tightly.

Eileen, fight it! Fight it! Fight it! Fight it!

I could feel my body start to lose consciousness as I began to black out. The pain my head felt started to subside as I struggled to open my eyes. I sat up slowly with the help of Forager. I stood, facing M’gann and Phantom Girl.

“Miss Martian,” Phantom Girl faced her.

“Conner is alive. And he’s in so much pain,” M’gann whimpered. “Physical and emotional. Even while we were being tortured by my brother, I could feel it. Clark, he’s so lost.” I saw her look at Superman. “Eileen was right. He’s regressed to his base Cadmus programming.”

“Meaning he’s back to thinking he’s just a weapon,” Superman asked her.

“Meaning he’s a loose cannon under enemy control,” Jeff sighed.

“I need to find him,” M’gann looked at him then.

“We need to get back to Earth,” Phantom Girl told her. “Closest planet under a yellow sun. That’s where they’d go.”

“We’ve lost Motherbox. There will be no Boomtube,” Orion stated. “But perhaps both Green Lanterns can take us through subspace.”

I felt a wind gust behind me. “Hello, Megan,” I heard a familiar call. I snapped my head over.

“They will have some help,” Superman hummed.

My eyes brightened as I saw Bio-Ship fly down with Bart up front on her. “Bart,” I called. He sped down as he hugged me tightly. I rubbed his head. “You’re alright!”

“Good to see you too, Eileen,” He beamed as he pulled back. His eyes widened. “You look beaten up. Are you alright?”

I breathed. “I’ll be fine.”

--

I flew ahead with Forager as we traveled fast in subspace. I saw Earth appear before us and sighed with relief. I motioned for Forager to fly inside once we got into Earth’s atmosphere. I stepped through as I looked around.

“Where are we heading,” I breathed.

“Superman’s Fortress of Solitude,” M’gann answered.

“Alright then. Time to party,” I cracked my knuckles. I breathed. I saw the Arctic Circle come into view. We flew low to the ground, staring ahead as I readied for whatever we were about to face.

“Prepare to engage,” Orion spoke.

I saw a faint green glow in the distance. “That’s not possible,” I heard Saturn Girl murmur in surprise. “Listen-!”

“Get down,” Superman called. I saw him and Orion rush forward.

A green beam shot in our direction, hitting Bio-Ship. We started to go down into the thick snow. I held up a green bubble while we all were knocked around before landing on the ground. I saw the group ahead of us and stayed quiet. I saw the Zods with one of them glowing in a green cape with a glowing eyeball along with Conner, M’gann’s brother, and Danny connected to the Motherbox.

“I knew it. I’ve killed her,” Conner murmured quietly as I saw how burned his body was, along with how cut it was.

Superman stood up straight. “In truth, I’d prefer not to fight you,” The head Zod walked up. He stood with his arms crossed behind him. “Though you are a son of El, you are also a son of Krypton, which makes you a rare commodity. Kneel before Zod, Kal-El, and together we can turn this Earth into a paradise of strength for what remains of our people.”

“Pass,” Superman glared.

“As you wish.” I saw the M’gann’s brother float something towards Superman’s chest as I saw him keel over in pain. “Well… it seems you’re on your knees before me, after all.” I saw Superman’s skin turn green.

“Kon-El… Conner, help me,” Superman murmured.

“Hold your place, boy.”

“It’s all right. I can’t help him,” Conner spoke with no emotion in his voice. It sounded almost autonomous.

“Why,” Superman breathed.

“Because you’re already dead.”

Superman groaned, falling completely onto the ground. “Do you see, Father, they are the House of El. That one’s your enemy, and this one doesn’t know his own mind,” I saw the younger Zod look at the older one. “We must kill them both.”

I saw some of the others recover while some others didn’t. My eyes focused back on the Zods. “No. I have a better idea,” The older one muttered.

I watched them Boomtube out. I saw Phantom Girl and Chameleon Boy tend to Jeff while Saturn Girl and Bart tended to Orion. I saw Prince J’emm go over to help Forager as I helped M’gann up. “Are you alright,” I asked quietly.

She nodded. “Thank you for going along with the plan,” She breathed.

I saw Dick walk up in uniform. “No,” I heard him pant out. I rushed ahead.

“Dick,” M’gann sighed with relief over the mind link.

Dick.

I rushed up. I saw relief fill his face as M’gann landed in front of him. I pulled him into a hug, pulling back as he placed a hand on our shoulders. “Sorry, sorry. It’s not as bad as it looks.” He pulled away and looked between us. “Although, I guess it’s bad enough. You’re hurt.”

I pressed my fingers faintly against his head. Dick, what happened? Your text didn’t leave a lot of clues.

“Ah, it’s nothing. My own illusion,” Dick smiled at us as we stood in our own plane of existence. “I got slapped by a rogue Kryptonian.” I saw his memory appear. “Might have killed me, but I rolled with it.”

“And cut yourself to fake an injury,” M’gann followed along.

“Forehead bleeds look bad, but aren’t. It’s an old pro-wrestling trick.”

You’re welcome. I smirked.

“Then you slowed your pulse to fake your death,” M’gann continued.

“An old Batman trick,” Dick followed in the conversation.

But how is it you’re here in the first place? Explain that please.

“Kaldur, Artemis, Raquel, Zatanna and I were in a place called the Phantom Zone.”

“Searching for Conner,” M’gann answered. “And you followed the Kryptonians’ Boomtube to Superman’s Fortress.”

“How did you-?”

“Because we were looking for Conner, too.”

“Ah, right.”

Thank you for leaving the text by the way. I gave him a pointed look.

“You don’t like surprises. Had to keep you in the loop of course,” Dick smirked. “But you were attacked by the Emerald Empress and the Eye of Ekron.”

“Saturn Girl sent a last-second psychic warning. Superman and Orion rushed forward to take the brunt of the blast, Eileen shielded us,  giving Saturn Girl and I the chance to create the illusion you saw,” M’gann explained.

“Faking your deaths. Our best trick, one we’ve gotten way too good at.”

Orion, Lightning, and Forager were knocked unconscious.

“While the rest of you played possum.”

“Except Superman, who stood up to sell the illusion,” M’gann breathed.

“Only to be taken down by the ma’al kryptonite I stupidly brought to the zone.”

“My brother forced a Motherbox and a horribly abused meta-kid named Danny Chase to open a Boomtube to take them all to Metropolis.”

“Metropolis? Tigress, Zatanna, and Kaldur just radioed me from there.”

We were brought back to reality. “What about Rocket?”

Dick sighed. “She didn’t make it.”

My eyes widened. I swallowed. “It just gets worse and worse. But we’ll have to mourn Raquel later. Superman, Danny, and Conner need us.”

I held up my glowing fist. I’m ready to kick some Kryptonian ass today.

I saw Bart appear in front of us. “I can set the Prince up with medical supplies to tend the wounded. But Forager’s down for the count,” He breathed. I saw Bio-Ship spew out the cosmic treadmill.

“As is Bio-Ship. She needs time to hibernate and heal,” M’gann breathed. “But we can take the Fortress’s Zeta-Tube to Metropolis.”

“No-go. The Zods destroyed it.”

“I can fly us-,” I started before I felt a pang in my side. I held it with a wince. I zapped my ring off to see a bloody spot on my side. I stood up with a wince.

“You’re in no shape to fight! What happened to you,” Dick asked in shock.

I winced. “I’ll explain later.” I pulled my uniform back on and breathed. “I can still fight. That’s all you need to know. Injuries aside, I fight with my friends until the end. That’s my code, my creed. Always.”

I heard a distant sound. “We won’t need to worry,” I heard M’gann sigh with relief.

I saw a Bio-Ship with a new colored tint appear before us. “…You guys got a new Bio-Ship without me? Is this what happened when you get tortured in an alien prison for four months,” I asked, looking at her and Dick.

“You got what,” Dick asked in shock.

“Her name’s Baby. We need to go,” M’gann spoke. We all got into the Baby as we started to fly through the air. I sat down, leaning back as I tried to rest.

“We’re on a deadline here,” Dick spoke as I looked over at him. “The Zods aren’t at full power yet, but once the sun rises, their Kryptonian cells will charge up fast. If we don’t put them down before that, the whole world’s in trouble.” I saw him look at M’gann. “I’m looking at you, M’gann. I know you’re afraid of abusing your power, but you’re a ball of sunshine hiding a terrifying demi-goddess. When the time comes, you can’t hold back.” He looked at me. “And Eileen… I need Eileen Jordan here.” I looked away. “I know you haven’t been your old self in a long time. But we need that combat fighter. The one that can go with the big players in the League.”

I swallowed. “Nightwing,” I breathed.

“You have that power Eileen. And it’s time to use it.” I looked at him with a tired look. “I know you’re hurt, but I’ve seen you fight with worse injuries.”

…He isn’t wrong…

I saw the Zods fighting in the center of Metropolis. I got up from my seat as a hole formed in the middle of the ship. I flew down and formed a large bat. I swung at the Emerald Empress, hitting her away from Zatanna as I floated with a glare. I formed up a staff. I got swatted down by another Kryptonian, causing me to land on the ground before sliding back. I held my fists up as my staff formed into gauntlets. I glared. I blocked several punches before punching the guy in the chest. He glared hard.

“Guys, this Eye is magically out of my league. Especially while Mrs. Evil here tries to laser out my skull. I need to trade dance partners,” Zatanna called over the mind link.

“All right, listen up. Miss M, run interference. Z, you help Superman. Tigress and I will handle this bruiser. GL, you keep Mr. Glare over there busy. Kaldur, you keep Zod occupied,” Dick ordered out.

“Yes, that is my intent,” Kaldur breathed.

Roger that.

I punched the guy in the face before dropkicking up. I jumped back onto my feet as I ran up. I repeatedly swiped at him while dodging his punches in return. I saw his eyes glow before forming a shield up. “Oh great, you got lasers too,” I asked sarcastically with a frown.

The heat intensified before I formed a sword and swiped at the ground, making my movement swipe up to push pavement dust into his eyes. He gave out a hiss as I saw a Boomtube form. I punched him repeatedly before punching into the Boomtube, hearing him cry out of surprise. I landed on the ground. I saw Artemis and Dick finish up with the bigger Kryptonian when another one launched at them. A bubble formed around her, much to my surprise.

“Miss me,” I heard a chuckle and saw Raquel with a yellow sphere behind her.

“Rocket? How,” Artemis asked in shock.

“I’ll explain later,” She pulled the other Kryptonian into the Boomtube, dropping her inside.

“No,” I heard her echo out.

“I will not be cheated of my reward,” I saw a Martian creature call out, hearing M’gann’s brother’s voice as he formed back into his Martian form.

I saw Danny’s box glow brightly before knocking M’gann’s brother into the Boomtube. I snapped my head over and flew up seeing Zod and his son fighting it out. I saw Conner on the ground with the rogue Kryptonian about to attack. I swiped down, hitting the kid with a bat. I formed a shield as he shot his laser eyes at me. I kept up my shield, gritting my teeth at the intensity of this guy’s heat vision.

This is clearly more powerful than the other guy’s. He’s had more exposure to a yellow sun.

I saw the beam crack at my shield, much to my surprise before I held up a beam to combat the heat vision.

C’mon Jordan, you can do this!

The beam’s glow intensified just as the heat vision did. It traveled down towards my ring as I heard a faint cracking noise to my surprise. An explosion occurred, knocking me back as I landed on metal surface. I heard a car alarm go off. My head started to pound heavily while my body felt exposed to the air, same with my other wounds.

What… just happened…?

“Eileen,” I heard a yell.

My eyes faintly opened up as I stared down at my body, seeing the shorts and t-shirt I had left with prior to leaving Earth.

My… ring…?

I saw the burn mark of my ring missing from my middle finger. My eyes widened. I saw Artemis run up as she helped me off what I realized as a crushed car. “Eileen,” She cupped my cheek, inspecting my face.

“My ring… It’s gone,” I mumbled in shock. I weakly held up my hand, staring at the burn mark. I concentrated, trying to find any pieces before seeing one tiny piece of the Green Lantern emblem on it. The piece turned to dust as it flew away in the wind. “That’s… impossible…”

“You first, ring later,” Artemis breathed as she wrapped my arm around her shoulders. “Lean on me.” I did so as we approached the others along with several other members of the League and the Outsiders. I weakly approached with Artemis.

“So, is it over,” Canary asked as Dick walked up to her.

“A little bit. Yeah,” Dick answered.

“No,” Saturn Girl breathed out an answer.

“Lor-Zod just stole our last chance to get home to our era,” Phantom Girl pointed out.

“It’s worse than that. With Lor on the loose in a Time-Sphere, we’re right back where we started.”

“We won the battle, but not the war,” Chameleon Boy looked down with a sigh. I felt something bright touch my face and saw the sun coming up over the horizon.

Chapter Text

I pulled up my camera bag, setting it down as I kept my camera’s strap around my neck. I checked for the extra memory cards and batteries. I held up my camera, taking some shots to make sure it was good to go, focusing my lens to make clear shots.

“There you are. I was afraid you overslept,” I heard and saw Artemis walk up.

I raised an eyebrow. “And miss an exclusive event such as this? Not for the world, Arty,” I gave a small snort, facing her.

She tilted her head. “How are you feeling?” She tilted her head. “Any aches? Injuries?”

“No, which is odd. All my injuries just healed up the instance my ring was gone. I don’t know what happened.” I stared at my finger again, remembering the feeling of the ring that was on it. I looked back at her. “Seriously. The Watchtower tested my blood and I have no meta gene, so I don’t know what happened.”

“Well, for now, let’s just be happy you’re healed and healthy. We’re glad you didn’t get any injuries.”

I slowly nodded. “Yeah…” I looked back at my camera in my hands.

“You look great! You don’t normally wear dresses like that.” I looked down at myself. It was a red dress with a hard V-neck that went down to the belt. The dress also tied around my neck so there was a bow in the back. I gave a hum. “You look great.”

I gave her a small smile. “I was told red’s my color. Several times.” I winked.

I heard a loud finger snap. “All right, everyone, please take your seats. We’re ready to begin,” I heard Lucas call out. I noticed his wife, Bethany, stood beside him.

Everyone started to sit down through the pews. Everyone I practically knew over the years stood in these seats. I took my spot up front, taking pictures of the groomsmen and bridesmaids. All the bridesmaids, including myself, had the same color scheme but different styled bridesmaid outfits. I held up my camera taking another photo as I moved off to the side of the stage. I heard Zatanna speak an enchantment while wedding music started to play. I smiled softly, seeing Conner walk up with his parents. I took a photo.

This is such a joyous day… I couldn’t imagine myself putting all this together in a few days.

Conner hugged his parents, prompting me to take a photo. I saw M’gann’s parents open up the white limousine with M’gann coming out in her dress. My heart swelled at her smile before taking another photo of her as she walked down the aisle with her following. M’gann hugged her parents before floating up and handing her sister the bouquet. I took a few more photos.

“Welcome. I think we can all agree that even death can’t part these two,” Lucas spoke as he started to officiate the ceremony. “Still, before the next supervillain attacks, let’s get right to the exchange of vows and rings.”

“I got ‘em,” I heard a call and saw Superman’s son run down the aisle before handing them the rings with a grin. I smiled, taking a photo quickly before seeing him sit down. I focused my camera lens on M’gann and Conner.

“M’gann, from the moment we met, you have been my whole heart,” Conner spoke quietly, grabbing her hand as he placed the ring on her finger. “I didn’t know how to love, let alone express that love… until you taught me. With this ring, I promise to love, honor, and cherish you for all eternity.” I took another photo.

“Conner, I came to Earth with some pretty messed up notions about what it meant to be in love,” M’gann murmured, staring down at his hand. She grabbed it, placing the ring on. “But you’re purity of spirit taught me what true love and commitment really are. With this ring, I promise to love, honor, and cherish you for all eternity.” I gave a small relieved sigh, taking the photo.

Lucas wiped one of his eyes. “And now, by the power vested in me, by the State of Rhode Island, the website that ordained me last night, and hopefully with the blessing of love and long life from, uh , C’eridy’all…?” I saw M’gann’s mother give him a thumb up. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” The two moved close in for a kiss, allowing me to take another photo with a grin.

Chapter Text

With no powers, Eileen charters a path towards who she was before she became a Green Lantern. Someone who has no powers, no ring. Someone who is completely normal.

Season 5 - The Cosmic Defender Playlist
 1. Growing Pains - Alessia Cara
 2. I Will Wait - Mumford & Sons
 3. As the World Caves In - Sarah Cothran
 4. End of Beginning - Djo
 5. creep - mxmtoon
 6. Some Nights - fun.
 7. Rocket Man (I Think It's Going To Be A Long, Long Time) - Elton John
 8. Machine - Imagine Dragons
 9. (Don't Fear) The Reaper - Blue Oyster Cult
 10. Radioactive - Imagine Dragons, Kendrick Lamar
 11. Brave - Sara Bareilles
 12. Beautiful Things - Benson Boone
 13. Invisible - Duran Duran
 14. Mr. Forgettable - David Kushner
 15. Sweet Oblivion - David Kushner

Chapter Text

“Are you sure you’re okay, Kiddo,” Dad asked as I carried a box away from him.

I set the box down, turning to face him with a tired gaze. “Dad, for the last time, I am fine,” I sighed. I crossed my arms, tilting my head. “I’m surprisingly healed, unscathed for the most part, and I’m living, in a way.” I shrugged.

“The Guardians are poking and prodding you with these frequent trips to Oa. They are also confused by your experiences and you getting questioned a lot for something you don’t even know about would even tick me off. So, I will ask again, are you sure you’re okay?”

I sighed again. “Yes. I’m fine. Can you please stop asking me? I’m 25. I’ll be 26 soon enough anyways.”

“Yet you’re still living alone at home.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Is that a jab for something?”

He shrugged. “Thought you’d get a pet or something by now.”

I gave him a deadpanned expression. “Dad.”

“You like cats! Could get a cat now.” He smiled.

I crossed my arms. “What are you trying to tell me here? Because clearly you want to say something, so just say it.” I sighed. “Let me guess ‘Eileen, I think you’re a bit lonely now that you don’t have a lantern ring anymore.’ Or, let me guess, hmm, ‘Eileen, you have been through something traumatic and you need a companion to help deal with the grief because you by yourself won’t be enough.’ One of those two I presume?”

He swallowed. “…Eileen, I’m afraid of you being alone and you would make a fine cat lady.”

I hummed. “Better to say that if I’m being honest.” I sighed. “Look, I don’t know about you? But I’m fine where I’m at. Who knows? Maybe something flashy will happen. Like getting struck by lightning or something.”

“Don’t joke like that.”

--

Lightning crackled. I could hear it along with the whirr like an engine was going off. My mind watched as the colors bounced in my vision. Red. Yellow, no, gold. White. Orange. My eyes couldn’t handle the bright flashes. The lightning kept sparking around me while I tried to keep focus.

“Eileen…!” What was that? What was that call? Why was it my name?

“Eileen…!” The voice sounded so distorted. It blended in with the lightning that it almost sounded like a familiar call.

“EILEEN!!”

I took a hard gasp of air as I panted, sitting up in my bed as I heard the rain crashing outside. My eyes drifted over as I coughed, rubbing my chest from how dry it was. I swallowed.

What the hell was that…?

My eyes darted over towards my phone as I saw it was lit up. I tugged it over towards me, pulling it off its charger to read what was on it. A hoarse hum escaped my throat when I read the messages I had slept through.

Artemis got home safe from patrol… New paint offerings from that one shop on Ocean Avenue…

“Eili…” I blinked. I snapped my head up. I slowly crept out of bed, leaving my phone there as I crept into my closet and saw nobody in there. I looked around, hearing the rain beat against my window.

…Why did I just hear…?

I opened the door slowly, creeping down the hall. My movements were slow until harsh lightning struck next to the window. I jumped into the wall, hearing a crash as something fell on the floor. I reached next to me, turning on the light as I saw one of my framed photos ended up on the floor. I picked it up, careful of the broken glass as I saw it was a picture of Wally and I. That one photo of us at prom. I teared up. I leaned against the wall, hugging the photo to my chest. “Wally,” I mumbled as my throat felt like closing up.

--

I ran some fingers through my hair, sipping on my coffee quietly while hearing my playlist through the room. I leaned back in my chair.

“Are you okay,” I heard. My eyes darted over towards Derek as he swallowed. “If you’re busy, I can come by later.” He straightened his posture in his chair.

I shook my head. “I’ve been having nightmares for a while now. Nothing can be done about it. Don’t worry, Der. I’m fine,” I gave him a tired smile. “Besides, you’re here to tell me about college. How’s sophomore year?” I tried to straighten my back.

“It’s going fine. Eileen, are you sure you’re okay?”

“In the last few years, this has probably been my most ‘Okay’ state I’ve been in.”

“Don’t you talk about this stuff with people?” Derek sighed and faced me. “Eileen, in these last two months, you have yet to talk to me about why you don’t wear your lantern ring anymore, nor why you aren’t a hero anymore. I get it that you want to keep that life private, but I’m your brother.” He gave me a sad look. “I’m worried about you.”

I breathed. “I’m okay.” I stood from my seat. “I just had a… early retirement.” I shrugged. He stood up to face me. “I promise that I’m doing good. I’ve talked about my experiences with people who understand and I’m doing great.” I grinned. “Besides, now that I’m around more, you can come by more and maybe introduce me to this lovely girl I’ve heard so much about.” I wiggled my eyebrows.

His face turned a bit red. “E-Eileen! She’s-! Just-! Ugh!” He ran his fingers down his face and sat down. “She’s good, but I can’t have her meet my family yet, okay?”

I placed a hand on his shoulder. “That, I get.” I walked away from him towards the kitchen to refill my mug. “I mean, let’s be fair. Besides me, your family is pretty normal, but their interests and hers have so many differences.” I grabbed my coffee pot and poured it into my mug.

“That’s just the beginning. They wouldn’t like how she dresses. They wouldn’t like how her attitude is. They most likely wouldn’t like how she even talks.” I poked my head out and raised an eyebrow. “She’s from Mississippi.”

I smiled. “Why would all those things be a problem?” I walked towards him, placing a hand on my hip as I rose my mug up to drink.

“She kinda dresses like you? Very lax.”

I smirked. “My kind of gal! Nonchalant. Trust me, I’ve met chalant people.”

“What?”

I cleared my throat. “All I’m asking is when am I going to meet this girl. Clearly we got something in common.” I walked up to him and ruffled his hair. “We know you, Dork.” I giggled. “Now, you got class in like an hour, right? Might wanna beat traffic and mosey on off.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He stood, fixing his hair. “And please answer my questions next time. You can’t avoid them forever, you know?” He headed downstairs as I followed.

“You’re such a worrywart.” I waved at him as he walked out the front door. I shut it behind him and released a heavy sigh, leaning against the wall. My phone started to ring, causing me to groan. “Why can’t I enjoy my day without people calling me? I swear, the minute I opened up my schedule, people started to call me because they want their wife’s feet painted.” I headed upstairs and grabbed my housephone, pulling it up to my ear with a tired glare. “Hello?”

“Eileen,” Dick breathed.

“Yes? Is there something you need?” I rubbed my head.

“Can you come to the Watchtower?”

I breathed. “Is this a serious issue you need from me or is this a house call to make sure I’m alive and breathing? Answer correctly.”

I heard him cough as if to clear his throat. “This is an extremely serious issue that you can help solve! Yes! Please, come to the Watchtower.”

I sighed. “Fine.” I headed upstairs. “I’ll be there in an hour.”

“An hour?” His high-pitched tone didn’t help as I frowned.

“Dick. I’m in my pajamas.”

“Oh.”

I hung up and headed upstairs, remarking about the acrobat should’ve known better. I normally wore pajamas unless I was working. I don’t go out of the house too often, not unless I’m asked because I can get my groceries delivered. I pulled a plain black t-shirt on and swept my hair back. I pulled on my ripped jeans, glaring at them for a minute before throwing on my black boots. I sighed quietly.

I feel like a teenager, but I can’t wear sweat pants to the Watchtower.

I marched out of my house towards the nearest zeta tube.

Flying would be so handy right now, wouldn’t it?

I entered the zeta tube, rubbing my face. “Recognize. Green Lantern, 2-5,” I heard the computer announce.

“I’m not a Green Lantern. Anymore,” I continued rubbing my face as I walked in. I walked down the steps, seeing the Green Lantern trio of Dad, John, and Guy with a new face. I blinked in confusion, sighting the man’s obvious pointed hears and sharp blue eyes. He looked like he came straight out of Lord of the Rings if it weren’t for the fact the elves in those movies are blonde. Dad first saw me and gave a wave.

“Lena! What’re you doing here,” He called.

I walked up with a sigh. “I was called about a problem by Nightwing, but it’s whatever. What are you all doing here? And who is this? I know he’s a Green Lantern, but why is he here? On Earth,” I asked with a tired blink. When I gave the man another look over, I realized he was familiar. Well, familiar looking more like. He looked Asherahan. Though, that would probably be impossible.

For one thing, Asherahans are empaths. That’s a fact. They can sense different emotions on the emotional electromagnetic spectrum. While yes, this is a trait among different Lantern Corps, for Asherahans, they are very in-tuned to these emotions. For them to even become one of the Lantern emotions is hard. Very hard. It would mean they would embody one of the emotions at a strong magnitude. I would say that it would be rare to see one be a Lantern, especially a Green Lantern since Willpower is something not many people can face.

“This is one of the new Lanterns, but due to the rise in Apokoliptan tech springing around Earth, I had to take him along with me and oversee his mentorship for the next few months,” John hummed. “He’s being trained under me.”

“Oh, that’s nice to hear. You training someone I mean.” I snickered. “That’s funny to hear actually.” I gave a snort. “Aren’t you a little too old to be a teacher?”

He rolled his eyes. “You’re just like Guy.”

“At least we agree on something,” Guy wrapped an arm around my shoulder with a laugh.

I continued to snicker. “You must be Eileen Jordan,” The man chimed with an irresistible grin. It was wide. And very happy looking. His eyes brightened, causing me to look at him in confusion.

“That is me. And who might you be,” I asked quietly.

“Her Majesty spoke of you often! I am Alluin Chaelen! Many of us have heard of your achievements in stopping the Asherahan Wars.”

I nodded. “I did what I could.”

“Not only, but you established a beautiful politic system! I’m honored to be in your presence!” His smile was a bit alluring. Though, I think it was to keep my attention on him and nowhere else.

I looked away to cross my arms. “Still trying to wonder where Nightwing is. And what’s so important that I had to put clothes on.” I frowned before pausing. I looked at Dad and gave him a pointed look. “I was in my pajamas before coming here. Derek came to visit me and that was it. I’m NOT lonely. I don’t need anybody.” I glared.

Dad gave a tight grin. “I just said you’d make a lovely cat lady. That’s all,” He hummed.

“Eileen as a cat lady,” Guy asked before laughing hard. “I can’t wait to see the day where she finally owns like 20 cats in that big house of her’s.”

I held up my fist. “I can still knock you out without the ring, Guy.” I sighed. “With or without the ring, I can still fight.”

“Oh, can you now?” He smirked.

I smirked. “You forgot. I’ve broken eye sockets before we met.”

He blinked. He looked at Dad. “Did she really?”

Dad gave a firm nod. “Though she was 13, it was impressive she even could do that with just her bare hands,” He gave a sigh.

“How?” Guy gave me a confused look.

“I was a very upset kid,” I shrugged.

“Eileen,” I heard behind me.

I turned around as Dick walked up. “Finally! Now, why have you called me here? What is so extremely important?”

“Well-.”

“Eileen, you’re here,” I heard and saw Canary walk up with Jeff.

“Normally I’d ask why you’re here since you’re on a leave of absence, but we’re glad at least the resident alien technology expert is here,” Jeff hummed.

I crossed my arms again. “Well, when you learn around, you tend to pick some things up,” I answered. I faced them. “What’s up?”

“We had some Apokoliptan tech we need looked at and it seems you’re already here.”

I hummed. “I’m not doing anything, so I don’t mind.” I looked at Dick. “You have impeccable timing. It turns out you actually needed me for something serious. Unless this isn’t what you wanted to discuss?” I tilted my head.

Dick breathed. “No, uh, this is it,” He nodded.

I returned the nod. I walked up to Canary and Jeff. “Show me the way.”

Chapter Text

I patted my legs, leaning back as I finally got to relax and watch some TV, thinking it was time to either catch up on Game of Thrones or maybe watch the Walking Dead. I heard my doorbell ring, causing me to sit up with a huff. I headed up to the front door, opening it up to see Artemis looking like she was getting ready to go out. I blinked in confusion. “What’re you doing here,” I mumbled.

“Picking you up, remember,” She raised an eyebrow.

I tilted my head. “For… what?”

“We’re all hanging out today.”

“I thought that was Friday.” Confusion was more evident now than ever before.

“Eileen, it is Friday.” I blinked. She crossed her arms, now tilting her head. “Do I want to ask?”

“…I didn’t go to sleep last night.”

She groaned. “Eileen!”

“It’s at 7, isn’t it? I can get ready. Totally! It’s not like I pampered myself with spending three hours in my bathroom like I was taking a trip to the spa and finally catch up on some TV or anything.” She frowned.  I sighed. “…I was going to watch either Game of Thrones or the Walking Dead. I wanted something to occupy me.”

“Look, just get ready and this time, don’t wear sweat pants.”

I frowned. “Why not?”

“You’re, um, meeting someone new.”

I stepped aside as she entered my home. “Is this someone I should be nice to or can we forgo the formalities?”

“Please be nice. At least decent.” She hummed. “Actually, you know what? Be yourself.”

I sighed. “Great. I get to meet someone and I can’t wear sweatpants.” I gave her a pointed look. “I’m wearing jeans.”

“I’m also wearing jeans. You can do just fine.”

“Where is it at again?”

“Eileen! You picked the place!”

I blinked. “Oh yeah, that dark restaurant bar that everyone likes. I thought you guys hated that place.”

“It’s not heavily occupied and it makes good food. Hurry up, Will’s in the car.”

“Tell him to come in too then! I’ll be done in 30!” I headed upstairs towards my room.

--

“Have you met this guy, Will,” I asked, looking at him as we stood outside the restaurant.

“Nope. Artemis told me about him today. Apparently he’s on the Team. He’s not super into public stuff. He likes doing things behind the scenes,” He hummed. He gave me a smile. “I’m sure he’s completely fine.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re optimistic.” I crossed my arms, looking at the sky. My eyes bored into the clouds blending in with the soft colors of the evening. I breathed in the December air.

“Everyone’s here,” Artemis called as she walked up. “Raquel has to watch Amistad and Zatanna is Dr. Fate for the week, so she can’t make it either.”

I shook my head. “No fault. Children come first and obviously Zatanna has her priorities. I wouldn’t want to break a deal with Dr. Fate any time, that’s for sure,” I breathed.

“Nervous?”

“Tired more than anything. I’m used to meeting new people. Even if I don’t want to.” I saw M’gann and Conner walk up first. “And there’s my favorite couple of the year. Last time I spoke to you two, you were having your own sorts of fun,” I smiled.

“With me on the Team and Conner in the Outsiders, we make it work,” M’gann smiled. “How are you Eileen? You look tired.”

“A little bit, but I’m fine. I’m here.”

“You should get some sleep then,” Conner chuckled. “Don’t want our resident Green Lantern slacking off.”

“I’m not a Green Lantern anymore, but I appreciate your concern.” I smirked. “Makes me think you want me to slack off in case we ever spar again.”

He chuckled. “I can still beat you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I waved my hand up before keeping my arms crossed. “Now, didn’t you say everyone’s here?”

“Dick and Kaldur just got here with our, um, special guest,” M’gann gave a tight smile.

I looked at Will. “Uh-huh.”

He shot me a look. “Can’t wait to meet him,” He smiled at M’gann and Conner. “And this one will behave.” He nudged me.

“Yeah, yeah.” I rolled my eyes. I rubbed the back of my neck, staring out at the road.

“Hey everyone,” I heard Dick call. “Glad we could make it.”

“It’s great to see you all,” I heard Kaldur hum.

“Dick! Kaldur! Great to see you guys,” I heard Artemis hum. “And our new guest. Did he take so long to get ready?”

“It was actually Dick who took the longest to get ready.”

“Hey, I wanted to look good alright! We’re in San Francisco! Wanted to have some fun,” Dick huffed. “Hey Will, hey Eileen.”

“Dick. Is it me or does your new friend seem a little… distracted,” Will asked beside me.

“Oh, he’s just admiring the scenery!” I heard a soft grunt. “He doesn’t go out much.” I heard Dick give a nervous chuckle. “So! Introductions are in order. This is Will Harper and-. What is she doing?”

I was nudged by Will. I looked at him. “What,” I sighed.

He motioned over. “Behave,” He muttered lowly with a smirk.

“Uh-huh. Yeah, whatever.” I looked ahead, seeing Dick and Kaldur with a new person. A guy. To be honest, I thought it was a girl, but I can’t be surprised. He had dark hair that was tossed around his face but somehow not touching his glasses that covered blue eyes that somehow reflected skies. I blinked in confusion.

Who the hell is this?

I tried to not scrunch my face in annoyance at the unknown person here. Dick cleared his throat. “As I was saying, this is Will Harper. He goes by Red Arrow sometimes in uniform,” He motioned towards Will.

“I help out from time to time,” Will nodded.

“And this is Eileen Jordan. Will, Eileen, this is Jeremy Anderson. He goes by the name Bolt on the Team. Likes to do some incognito stuff if you will.”

“Nice to meet you,” Will shook Jeremy’s hand.

“Nice to meet you,” Jeremy smiled. He faced me. “Nice to meet you too.” His eyes were trained on me, studying my face, practically searching it, for something I don’t know.

I finally shook his hand, giving a curt nod. “Likewise,” I responded.

Why’s this guy staring at me like that?

Dick grinned. “So, Eileen, you look, uh, nice,” He chimed.

I nodded. “I haven’t slept.” I headed inside.

“Oh.”

“Eileen-,” Artemis started.

“I’m hungry,” I called. The others followed and we got seated. I stared at the menu in my hands, doing my best to focus on what I was planning to do for the week while the others chatted before looking at their menus as well.

I should probably find some sleep medication. I think they might sell some stuff over the counter or something like that.

“Hey Eileen,” I heard. My eyes darted up. Jeremy sat across from me with a strained smile. I didn’t hear the others speaking, but I assumed they were talking very lowly.

“Hmm,” I hummed in question.

Don’t be rude or else someone might say something.

“Have you eaten here before?”

I nodded. “A few times.”

“What would you recommend?” He tilted his head.

Is… he trying to start small talk?

“Depends on what you like?”

“I like a lot of food. So, it’s hard to pick.”

I blinked. “Oh.” I looked at my menu. “Depends if you want something beefy or something with seafood. Or if you’re feeling vegetarian, you could try the mushroom tacos.” I pulled my menu down and pointed. “I’ve had those. Just warning, there is cilantro involved.”

“That’s fine with me. What are you getting?”

“Burger.”

“A burger?”

I tilted my head. “Yeah. I just don’t want tomatoes in them. Not a big tomato person.”

“I can understand that.” I slowly gave a nod, looking back at my menu. “You don’t talk a lot, do you?”

“Nope.”

“I get that. My, um, uh, wife was the same way.”

“She hate people talking to her out of the blue?” I raised an eyebrow, not looking at him.

“Yeah, but that was part of her charm. It meant she valued those close to her.”

“Good to know.” I blinked tiredly.

Is he really going to keep on trying to converse with me?

I could see him tilt his head from the corner of my eye. “I heard you’re also a hero.”

I blinked. “I’m not.”

“You’re… not?”

I swallowed. “Not anymore.”

“Oh? Retired?”

“Kinda a forced retirement. But I don’t mind. It doesn’t feel like a retirement when they keep asking for me anyways. I’m apparently the only person on this side of the Solar System that knows about alien tech.”

“Oh? That’s exciting. What do you, or did you do?”

“I was a Green Lantern.”

“Ooh! I met some of those guys. You go out into space and meet aliens?”

I nodded. “I did.”

“What happened? Too many responsibilities?”

“Not close, but it was enough.” I shrugged. “I’m here now. That’s what matters.” I thought about it for a while. It had been three months since my lantern ring shattered on my finger. Three months since fighting the Kryptonians. It had been four months since I was released from my spot in the prison. This year had hit me with a lot of curveballs, but I ended up on the other side. My eyes slowly darted over the words on the menu, slowly boring into them.

“You’re awake. We’ll see how you tick, Jordan.”

“Eileen,” I heard M’gann ask.  I blinked. I looked over at her. I gave a hum in response to her question. She tilted her head. “I asked how you were. I heard work has been keeping you pretty busy.”

I nodded. “Yeah. I’m doing great though. I’ll be starting my exhibit back up in February,” I answered her. “I took almost this entire year off. It feels like it at least.”

“Yeah, well, that’s what happens when you’re gone for four months,” Artemis hummed. She winced. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to-.”

I shook my head. “I’m fine. No worries. I’m still here, aren’t I?” I gave a light chuckle.

--

I stayed in my own little world. I ate my burger in silence. The others chatted, that much I knew, but I stayed in my own little world of eating this burger and feeling the flavors hit my tongue. The place was quiet for a Friday night, but that’s because it was early. It wasn’t 2 am. It was 7:45. I knew it’d probably start getting busy maybe around 10 or 11. Maybe if that.

This is some good tasting beef… Maybe I should learn how to grill. I can get a grill for outside.

My thoughts started to think about what I could learn how to grill. A hand nudged me. I looked over at Will as his eyes darted across the table before looking at me. “I need to talk to you outside,” He murmured.

I blinked in confusion. “About what,” I mumbled. He motioned over. I sighed, getting up. “I need a breath of fresh air. I haven’t been outside this past week.” I wiped my hands with my napkin, setting it next to my plate before walking off. “I’m not done with that burger. Not by a long shot.”

“I’ll come to make sure you don’t run off,” Will stood.

I rolled my eyes. “It was one time.”

“And you scared Artemis. She thought you got kidnapped.”

“I just went to the drug store!”

“Yeah, and came back with a Slurpee,” Artemis huffed.

“Yeah, yeah.” I waved my hand as I walked outside and stood on the curb. Will approached next to me and I heard the door close. “What did you want to talk to me about?”

“Alright, I know you can dodge everyone, but you can’t dodge me. Why haven’t you been sleeping?”

I frowned. “I’m…” I sighed. “I’m fine.” I looked at the sky again, this time seeing the night stars.

“Eileen, come on. I won’t be freaked out. Trust me, in this line of work, I’ve heard weirder things.”

I swallowed. I looked at him. “Promise you won’t say anything to them in there,” I motioned behind me.

“You know me. I’m not going to say anything unless I’m that concerned.”

I sighed. I looked back at the sky. “Last month, we got some pretty bad storms in here. And I already haven’t been sleeping well, you know? Well… when I woke up… I-I thought I heard Wally calling my name. And I accidentally broke a picture frame with him and me in it. Ever since then, I’ve been hearing the same thing over and over. That, combined with the memories of being in an alien prison, I’m kinda losing it. Losing my sleep, losing my mind…” I chuckled. “It’s like Wally’s here, but he isn’t.”

“And if he was?” I looked at him then. “If he was here. Right now?”

I chuckled. “If he was here… If he was here, right now, I don’t think I could handle it. I mean…” I shook my head. I swallowed. “I haven’t moved on from loving him, but I’ve accepted his death for a while now. And it took me forever to get here. So, I’m just going to keep saying I’m fine.” I sat down on the curb, staring at the road. “I really did need that fresh breath of air. I feel like I’m suffocating half the time.”

“Hey.” I ran my fingers through my hair. My head hung between my knees. “Eileen, you know it’s okay to say you need help.”

“…I’m tired of asking for it though.” I tilted my head and looked at Will from the corner of my eye. “I feel like I’ve been asking for it for so long… How long… has it been really?” I looked at the pavement again. “…5 years. It’s about to be 5 years…” I sighed. I finally got up. “I should get home after eating. I got work to do.” I headed back inside, making my way towards the table to sit down.

Chapter Text

It felt easier like before. It felt easy not going outside. It felt easy to see the colors of black and white with the few colors that were spotted in between. It felt very easy to see grey. It was quiet. It was nice for it to be quiet. There wasn’t any noise. Not except for the doorbell that rang. I felt like I was dragging my feet by the time I got to the door to see Dad in uniform. I blinked.

“Oh, you’re awake,” He hummed.

“…What is it,” I mumbled in confusion.

“You were called to the Watchtower and I was gracious enough to come here and get you.”

I blinked again. “…Oh, my phone’s dead.”

He frowned. “And why is it dead?”

I shrugged. “I was on the couch and didn’t feel like wanting to install YouTube to watch cat videos and push came to shove and now here I am.”

“And… you didn’t bother to charge it?”

“I was in my living room. My bedroom feels like it’s a thousand miles away and well, you get my drift.” I motioned over. “I can head to the Watchtower on my own if you wanna go.”

“I would, but I’m helping John with the new guy, Alluin.”

My face scrunched up in confusion. “He’s still here?”

“Yeah. We’ve been doing a lot of crime syndicate stuff if you bothered to ask.” I frowned, giving him a deadpanned expression that made him take his accusation back. “Oh, right, you’re retired.”

“I retired before you by the way.” I kept my frown up.

“…I can buy you something to eat as a compensation.”

I smiled. “I would prefer you buy me something sweet. Buy me a cookie cake.”

He sighed. “Fine.”

I nodded my head. “Let’s go. I have my stuff up here.” I reached over for my keys and pulled my jacket on. I locked my front door as we went away in a bubble.

When we arrived at the Watchtower, I was immediately dragged away to discuss some tech, like always. It seems it’s always been about alien tech. Maybe I could teach someone, but that’s not the case. Even without a ring, I studied a lot of these devices throughout the years, both on and off the clock. I remember when I arrived at Mount Justice with a piece of tech and was learning on how it worked. And it almost went off with Wally’s slippery fingers.

My mind started to wonder off about him. It was a pattern that started happening when Will asked me the hypothetical question before Christmas. Actually, it had been three weeks since then. It was currently January 2^nd. If Wally were alive, I… don’t think I would know what to think. Maybe how and why? Or possibly I would get upset, even angry. But on the other hand, I remembered Barry’s words that were quietly tucked in the back of my mind.

-

Barry walked up to me. His eyes were red, but not puffy. He had not looked like ho the rest of the Allen-West-Garrick Family had looked. It was outside at the cemetery. Most people had gone with few people lingering in between. People had gone to go home. Dad was speaking with Guy and John towards the back behind the last row. Rudy and Mary had left, but I could still hear Mary’s quiet sobbing when she sat beside me. That will haunt me as well as my own crying, possibly for the rest of my life. I stayed sat down in the front. My eyes were trained on the gravestone, but when I noticed Barry walk up, my eyes went up to him. “Eileen,” He murmured quietly, getting my attention as if he hadn’t already.

“Yeah,” I asked, hearing my voice for the first time in days. It was so… quiet. It was faint. I hadn’t used it after crying and screaming so loud, probably. It felt so foreign to use it.

“May I sit?” I nodded, looking forward back at the gravestone. His words were printed neatly on the granite. “…I don’t think I need to ask how you’re feeling.” I swallowed. He was right. He didn’t need to.

Barry has known me for years. Since the form of the Justice League. Him first, then Oliver. I remember when too. Dad had been called on a mission in space and he couldn’t find a last-minute babysitter. It was shocking to Barry when Dad showed up out of the blue with me and asked if he could trust him to watch me. Barry was still surprised even after Dad left, but he saw a new side of Dad that, apparently, no one in the League had. The side that’s a father, one with a purpose. To make the world safe for his child to live in. And oddly enough… it was nice to know that.

“…Eileen,” His voice drew me out. I looked back at him. His hair definitely blew a bit with the breeze outside.

“…Barry,” I murmured.

This time he swallowed. My body was cold. It felt cold since I returned to Earth with the other League members. “…I… Eileen…” He breathed. “…You know… he told me… to tell you he loved you.” My eyes stung. I looked at the gravestone again. “And I can’t sit here and say something else to make you feel better or try to make this at least a little bit better. But I can say… he would want you to keep moving forward. Even if you feel like you can’t. It’s something he always talked about whenever he talked about you. And I feel like… you should know you can move forward past this.”

“…Why are you saying that Barry?”

“…Because it’s what’s keeping me together right now. And I need to… for Iris and the twins…” He stood up. He placed a hand on my shoulder. “…I just know you needed to hear it too.” He walked away.

-

My mind was drawn back to the present. I was sitting in the garden. My body sat on one of the benches there. My view spanned down towards the surface of Earth. My body felt relaxed. My thoughts of the hypothetical disappeared as my eyes wondered through every color that the Earth spanned out. I heard the crunch of footsteps and looked to see it was Jeremy in his uniform.

“Mind if I sit,” He asked, tilting his head. I nodded, shifting a bit as he sat beside me. “I was surprised when I saw this for the first time.”

I wondered again why he wanted to have small talk with me. It seems to be something he likes to do. “See what for the first time,” I asked.

“Earth. Like this, I mean.” He chuckled. “My wife talked to me about it all the time.”

Another mention of his wife. And it was in past tense too. “Did she?”

He cleared his throat. “She was, uh, an astronaut.” I slowly nodded. “It was one of her many passions, space. And I indulged. I was into chemistry.”

“I understand that.”

“Do you?”

“My brother’s girlfriend is into science. She’s good at it too apparently. I would meet her, but he’s shy about her meeting his family.”

“Bad?”

I gave a small snort. “She’d get along with me just fine. It’s everyone else.”

“I get that.”

It felt like it was my turn to ask. “Do you?”

“My wife. Her family was…” I saw him shrug from the corner of my eye. I gave a quiet hum. “…This is pretty therapeutic.”

“It’s the closest I’ve been outside in a while.”

“Really?”

I gave out another hum. “I’m a homebody. It’s hard to go outside sometimes.”

“How hard is it?”

“Why do you care enough to ask?”

He hummed. “Just interested. I’m someone who is new, so I get you don’t trust me, but my opinion is not biased.”

He had a point. “You’re just interested? And you’re not biased?”

He cleared his throat. “I know when we met last month, you were pretty distant with me, but you were also distant with everyone else. Tigress, um, Artemis, said you, uh, you all grew up together. On the Team. Before you all went off in your own directions. I thought you would be tight, but… you’re not. They all are, but you… look like someone looking in.”

I nodded. “I did that to myself.” I gave a weak chuckle. “I wanted to.”

“Why?”

“Because…” I blinked. I looked at him. “Why do you care? Really, why do you?”

He looked at me. He pulled his sunglasses up onto the top of his head. “Because I know what it’s like to want to be alone for a while. When, uh…” He swallowed. “When my wife… I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I was very upset. And angry.”

I chuckled a bit louder this time, but not too loud. “I get that. I was the same way.”

“How recent was yours?”

“Mine?”

“Your loss.”

I looked back out the window again. “…Mine was back in 2016. Not as recent, but it feels just as fresh.” I swallowed. “…And it still hurts just the same. When I lost my ring… When I had my ring, I had an excuse to not be… here.” I nodded towards Earth. “I… resented this world for a long time. I would find the good, yes, but all the bad just… hit me at once. So, I… As a Green Lantern, I stayed out in space a lot. And when I came back home, I’d keep myself in my house. When I lost my ring, I lost space, but I stay inside my house. Especially after…” I shut my eyes. “…I’ve had a rough year. And on top of that, I get… touchy-feely… around this time of year. Actually, for several months out of the year, this is just the one time where you catch me in a much worse state.”

He chuckled. “I get that. It was my wife and I’s anniversary yesterday.”

I blinked my eyes open. I looked at him. “That’s a coincidence. It was mine too.”

He nodded. “Then you and I are on the same boat. I miss her… a lot.” I stared at him for a minute.

…He’s just lonely… And I get that…

“If it’s not too personal… how did you lose her?”

He swallowed. “…She lost her memories of me.” He cleared his throat. “…I wouldn’t say it was an accident, it was on purpose. And… after that, her memories about me were just… wiped.” My eyes widened. “…And I couldn’t come up to her and say ‘Hey, it’s me, your husband.’” He sighed. “…I would do anything to hold her and be with her… but I can’t. For her safety… I can’t.”

I nodded and looked forward. “…I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. This is my life now. And I… I’m getting used to it.”

“I’m now getting used to it. My dad’s starting to say I’m lonely.”

“Don’t get me started on that. I hate it when people say that.”

I laughed. “So, you get it?! I’m the same. I told him ‘Dad, I’m fine.’” I shrugged. “I mean, it’s not like I didn’t try to date or anything, but… it’s hard to not make comparisons… when you’re used to a certain standard.”

“Like when she makes me my favorite food for my birthday.”

“Or when he knew what kind of movie I needed to watch after having a rough mission.”

I saw Jeremy swallow. “…Yeah… You get it.” His stomach grumbled. “I should probably eat. My powers really take up a lot of my metabolism. I can eat a lot.”

I gave a snort. “Maybe I should treat you. As one lonely person to another,” I chuckled once more.

He gave me a pointed look as he smiled. “Now look who’s calling me lonely.”

“I said I was lonely too.” I giggled. “But… I appreciate you sitting next to me and talking to me.” I breathed. “…I don’t want to bother anyone else with my problems. And Canary helps, but… I can’t keep coming back for every minor inconvenience.”

“Isn’t that what she’s here for though? To help?”

“…Have you ever been tired of asking everyone for help?”

He paused, taking in my words carefully I bet. He nodded slowly. “No, but I get it. You’ve been like this for a while, haven’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I get it. Actually, I’ve been like this for a while, sure, but you’ve been going on it for 5 years. You’re strong, you know?”

I gave a snort. “I’ve been told that so many times.” I stood. “Whenever you want that meal, let me know.” I headed off. “I have to go check on some alien tech we found. Our scans should be done with its power source, I hope. If not, then I’ll be having a tougher time. Stay safe, Bolt.” I chuckled my way out of the room.

Chapter Text

I couldn’t tell how I managed to have Jeremy sitting in my home while we ate burgers on one of my many couches. We were watching a house show on TV, something neither of us have bothered to watch for more than maybe 5 minutes at a time. It felt surreal if I was being honest. I mean, I barely know the man, but… the nonbiased fact he told me a few weeks ago made a lot of sense at the time. Maybe it’s because I am lonely. And I’d rather not admit to my dad that he was correct about that.

“Did the doorbell just ring,” Jeremy asked in confusion.

I blinked, hearing the doorbell ring finally. I escaped my thoughts as I stood. “I’ll go see who it is. I wasn’t expecting anyone,” I sighed, heading over towards the front door. I opened it up, seeing Artemis frown. “…What happened now?”

She tilted her head as I saw Dick walk up behind her. “Why would you assume something happened,” She asked.

“This has been a reoccurring pattern. What happened?”

“Nothing bad happened,” Dick breathed.

“So, something did happen. Great.”

“Can we come inside?”

“I have a guest.”

Dick’s confusion was all over his face. “…Since when you do have guests?”

“Is it one of your brothers,” Artemis asked.

“No.”

Confusion now appeared on her face. “Then who is it?”

I blinked at the realization. “…Oh my god, commercials are over!” I motioned them inside. “Hurry up, I need to see if these people are going to buy the 250k home or if they’re going for the other one. Come on!” They came inside as I rushed off, sliding over the wooden panels to sit at my spot, grabbing my burger. “Did they take the house?”

“Nope,” Jeremy popped the ‘p’ sharply.

I groaned, rolling my head back as I bit into my burger. “Damn, this is pretty good.”

“I know. I’m glad I ordered three.”

Footsteps entered. “Eileen-,” Artemis started before pausing. Dick followed after her before also pausing.

“What,” I asked.

Jeremy gave a wave. “Hey,” He grinned.

Artemis glared for a second before composing herself. “I… see you have Jeremy here.”

“He’s my friend now,” I nodded.

“That’s… great,” Dick grinned.

“Nonbiased friend,” Jeremy pointed out.

“He has no bias about my current life and how I like living and doing things,” I nodded in agreement. “Thank you for reminding me that.”

“Have to make sure before that expires.”

Artemis’s eye twitched a bit. “Are you alright, Arty? What did you come over here to tell me about?”

Her eyes switched over to me. “Yeah. That,” She swallowed.

“We came to check on you! You’re always here so we thought ‘We can go see her,’” Dick chimed in.

I gave him a pointed look. “Dick,” I sighed.

We made eye contact for a few seconds before finally he cracked underneath the pressure. “…We need you for a mission,” He sighed, hanging his head.

“Woah, I never thought I’d see that happen,” Jeremy hummed.

“There’s a lot you don’t know,” Artemis muttered.

“Dick, I don’t do missions-,” I started.

“We don’t need a Green Lantern. We need someone for espionage,” He started off.

“Espionage is your thing, is it not?” I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head.

He swallowed. “We need someone who knows about… art.” I blinked in confusion then. “Yes. We need someone who knows about art and knows about… well known artists.”

What he really wanted settled in. “You need someone who has inner knowledge about artists who are more underground.”

“Yes.”

I hummed. “And why me?”

“Because you’re you?”

I looked at Artemis then. “I told him I was against it,” She held her hands up. It was her turn to now receive my eyebrow raise. She sighed. “You’re unknown, which is good. And you have not only the knowledge but the money. We need someone inconspicuous. This one has been seen a lot.” She gave a pointed look towards Dick before looking at me. “And to be fair, you won’t be on this mission alone. There’s another reason why…” She groaned. “He’s on the team.” She motioned her hand over towards Jeremy, who was sitting in one of my recliners.

I looked at him as he piped up. “Oh! That Art Gala that’s happening in 2 weeks? I thought I wasn’t going to be on it,” He chimed.

Artemis sighed. “I was strongly against it until I realized there’s bigger stakes here. Count Vertigo is going to be there. We need to know what he’s up to and he doesn’t look like the kind of guy that’s into art.”

Jeremy sat up. “So, I’m in on it now?”

“You’re the one who’s somehow in the inner syndicate. And you got an invitation. You can bring a plus one.”

“…I’m slowly learning more about you every time we talk,” I looked at Jeremy.

He gave me a wink. “It’s part of my charm,” He grinned.

I gave a snort, rolling my eyes. “I can see that now.” I leaned back. “Doesn’t mean I should say ‘yes’ though.” I took the final bite of my burger.

“Eileen-,” Dick started.

“I told you. She shouldn’t be part of this life anymore. She has a clear out,” Artemis pointed out.

“Not my choice, but I’m not out of it either. Not when I keep getting called in for tech that’s not from this world or getting called from Earth by the Guardians to get scanned,” I rolled my eyes and sighed.

“Did they find anything,” Artemis placed a hand on her hip as she looked at me.

“They suspect something, but they won’t disclose it. It’s whatever. I’m not going to pry into it,” I sighed. I drank my shake quietly.

“Seriously?”

I looked at her. “Didn’t you enjoy the quiet side of life before you went back into the crime fighting and punching?”

She sighed. “I understand that. And out of everyone, you deserve it. That’s what I’ve been telling Dick here.”

I sighed again. I looked at Dick then. “…How formal is this thing supposed to be?”

“Eileen!”

I shrugged. “I’m already being asked to do every other thing Arty. I’m not mad. Annoyed sure, but I’m not mad. And I’m definitely not upset.”

“Being upset would be an understatement,” Dick nodded.

I nodded to him. “And you get it.” I crossed my arms. “As long as I don’t have to fight, then I don’t care. I’m fine with how I am. I’ll help at the art gala or whatever. Keep people busy while you do the espionage thing because I don’t need to be a target. Understand? I’m now a civilian. I got a life too.”

--

I never thought I’d wear a fancy dress to one of these things. I also never thought I would attend one of these things either to be fair. I watched Artemis help me finish up the last touches on the dress while I blinked through the contacts in my eyes. She reached for her mask for the darkwear she had on.

“You know you can still back out, right? Bolt can do this solo,” She spoke. Her tone was a bit cold, but I understood why.

“Artemis-,” I started to sigh.

“After all these years, after all the fights, the heartache, you still want to stay in the game? You still want to be a hero?” She looked at me with a look in her eyes that I recognized instantly. It was hurt. It was hurt with a mix of confusion. “Why Eileen? Why?”

I looked ahead for a second, staring into the wall of the room. I sighed again. I looked at her, staring at her expression that was now a bit more calmed down, but you can still see the emotion is there. I breathed. “…Because if I don’t keep moving forward, I might go back to how I was after Wally died.” I shut my eyes. “Before the ring… I was aimless. I had no proper direction in my life. As a kid who was 13, you’d at least have an idea of something you want to do. At least, everyone around me had an idea of something they’d want to do. No expected that out of me. So, I was aimless. Then with the ring, I pretty much had my life mapped out before me. And… without the ring now, yes it doesn’t define me. But… I haven’t navigated without it before. At least, not to this extent… And…” I opened my eyes, looking back at Artemis.

“Eileen, I get it. I mean, you were always the levelheaded one out of all of us. I mean, back then, you always tried to make sure we all got along with each other and made sure to remember we were a team first. Looking at you now…” She adjusted a strap for my dress. “…It’s hard to not help someone who gave me a chance.”

I hummed. “I get it. For what it’s worth.” I breathed. “But I need to sort myself out. And… I need to finally move on with my life.”

“Move… on?”

I slowly nodded. “Opening up to people more. Enjoying myself. I make friends, yeah, but I’m a shut-in. I need… I need to go outside.”

Artemis met my gaze. “By talking to Jeremy?”

I tilted my head in confusion. My eyebrows scrunched up. “Do you… have a problem with him?”

She rolled her eyes. “He’s… a long and forgotten friend in some ways.” She stepped back, giving me a look over.

I nodded. “Okay.”

“You started talking to him?”

“Yeah.” I swallowed. “It’s… kinda easy.”

“Easy?” She raised an eyebrow.

“…You know I haven’t talked much about Wally. And… he made it pretty easy.”

Her eyes snapped up to my gaze. “Seriously?”

I nodded. “And he… said he kinda understands how I feel, in a way.”

“How so?”

“Talks about his wife who apparently doesn’t know he exists.” I shrugged. “It’s sad to hear that about someone.”

“That’s what he told you?”

I tilted my head. “What? Is it not true?”

She cleared her throat, eyes widening. “No! No, it’s, um, it’s true.” She breathed. “It’s just-.” She groaned. “Ugh. He’s an idiot.”

I crossed my arms, frowning immediately. “What is it, Arty?”

She shook her head. “He’s… a patchwork of emotions. A lot of stuff happened to him suddenly and he’s been having a tough time adjusting to it. Nightwing and I try to help, but…”

“But what?”

Why is she dancing around the truth here? Or is she doing it unintentionally? She might know more than me. That wouldn’t bother me of course. He’s her friend. He barely even knows me.

She sighed. “…I want to ask you a question. Will told me he brought this up to you, but… I know you wouldn’t really tell him the truth, the full truth at least.” She swallowed. “Eileen… We’ve seen Conner come back. Literally from another dimension. How would you feel if Wally was in the same position? And don’t tell me you haven’t thought about it. I know you have. I know you.”

I stared at her. “Why this sudden ask?”

“Because while yes, your ring blew up on your finger, you also dealt with so much this year. Conner’s your friend. M’gann’s your friend. You were gone for 4 months and returned just the minute we need you. Now, I don’t need to ask you what happened in space. Your scars showed me enough. How would you feel about this?”

I looked at the ground for a minute. Her question was more in depth than Will’s was. Will’s question was based off of the start of my nightmares that stormy night. I looked at her. “I… I’ll tell you what I told Will because it was my honest answer, but you’re asking me something more in depth with my feelings.”

“You’re an expert in this, I’m sure.”

I scoffed. “You say it like I have a PHD in it.”

“You technically do. You know a lot about emotions, Eileen. You actually describe them pretty well.”

I hummed. “Didn’t think that.”

“You’re avoiding my question.”

“I’m not. I’m just trying to…” I sighed again. I kept on sighing, knowing how these kinds of conversations take a toll on me. I looked at her. “I genuinely think… I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I would ask him so many questions. How? Where? Why?” I swallowed. “And I’d be upset. Maybe even more than upset. But…” I pressed a finger to my chest, right at where my heart is. “Deep… deep down… there is just that…” I breathed. “There is a part of me that can’t let go the love I had for him. The love I still have for him. And that cannot magically go away. And it probably never will. But I realize now that I cannot sit here and find something that can never be replaced.” I looked into Artemis’s eyes. “I… genuinely want to be happy. But I have so much to work out. And… I need to heal. And move on from this. All of this. Last year hurt, Arty. And I… want to jump over the hurdle now. And continue the race.”

She nodded. “I… I just wanted to ask before you do anything.” She tilted her head. “You’re still one of my best friends. And I worry about you.”

“I know. And I’m glad you care. I’m glad everyone cares. Seriously, I…” I smiled softly. “I’m glad you’re there. I just need to fix this stuff out for myself. No one can tell me what to do. Only I can chart that course.”

She nodded again. “Okay. Now, let’s get you ready to go out with that dork, shall we?”

I giggled. “Alright, Arty. Alright.”

--

My arm was hooked around Jeremy’s as we stood in one of those fancy ball rooms you would probably see some kind of royal family using. But this was in a public building instead. Maybe a museum. I should’ve probably paid more attention to the mission details in its entirety instead of listening to my own end.

“Keep their eyes away from anything in the back. If you have to, keep their eyes on you.”

Great words to speak of, Dick. Truly great.

“I wanted to ask you something, but didn’t have time to in the last few weeks,” Jeremy hummed, coaxing me into gazing at him for a moment before looking back at the crowd of people that stood around us.

“Then by all means, ask,” I told him.

“What’s your job? Your job outside of the life, I mean.”

I blinked. “Oh. I’m an artist.”

“That explains why Dick asked you to be part of this.”

I tilted my head. “That’s… one reason, yes.”

“The other?”

I sighed. “I’m a well-known artist.” I frowned.

“Well known to get you in the door?”

My thoughts went back to the front door where Jeremy held up the invitation to get in. The guard, however, stopped me from entering, despite Jeremy’s plus one. It was push and shove until I went into my purse and pulled out a business card. I gave it to the guard and said to speak to one of the higher ups if they cared enough to ask. It only took a few moments before I was let in the door with an apology that followed. My focus returned towards what was in front of me.

“Yes,” I sighed again.

“How well known are we talking here?”

“I have an epithet of sorts. I’ve had it for a few years now. My name can get through the door, sure. But a lot of people like to call me by this because, well, it’s kinda true.” I shrugged. “And it’s known so much that people like what I do.”

“And what do you do? With your art I mean.”

I looked at him. “You’ll just have to wait and see. Right now, focus. We’re on a mission. Not here to be chatty.” I looked ahead.

“Just trying some small talk.”

“Nervous?”

“Well, in front of a beautiful woman, I can get nervous pretty easily.” I blinked at his tone. “But, no, I’m not nervous. I want this over with as fast as possible.”

I nodded. “Got it.” I walked beside him as we heard people chatting.

--

“There is a different presence about you, Eileen Jordan,” I heard behind me. I turned around, still hugging myself as I saw the dark-haired queen stare at me. “You are… What is the word you Earthlings use? Sad? You are sad.” I looked back forward. She came up beside me. “I will not creep into your thoughts. I would rather have you speak to me as you always have. You are a trusted ally, Eileen Jordan. A champion. One I greatly respect. You have a great sadness about you. One that triumphs over every little tidbit of your being.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “…I… am very sad,” I murmured.

“Why?”

“…” I looked at her. “I… lost someone.” I could feel my eyes sting.

“You lost someone?”

“He…” I swallowed again. “He died.” I couldn’t control my voice crack. I cleared my throat. “He’s gone.”

“…”

I heard heavy boots hitting the ground behind us. “Your Majesty-.” “Queen Elmyra-.”

“Leave us.”

“It’s about the rebellion movement. They are set to put new plans to motion later tomorrow evening.”

“Discuss this with me later.”

“It would be great for Lantern Eileen Jordan to hear-.”

I saw her shift from the corner of my eye to look behind her. “Then we will discuss this later. Please. We are having a conversation.”

“We apologize, Your Majesty.” “Yes, we apologize greatly.”

“It is quite fine. Tensions are high and you want to relay what you can. But for now, we plan accordingly.” Queen Elmyra looked back ahead as I did. “For now, relay this towards the proper chain of command and we will move from there. You are dismissed.”

“Yes ma’am.” “Yes, Your Majesty.” I heard their footsteps rush away.

I stared forward for a few more moments. “We should see what they found out-,” I started, preparing to turn around.

“We will do no such thing, Eileen Jordan,” Queen Elmyra shook her head.

I looked at her. “But-.”

“I now understand your loss. It was your soulmate, was it not?” I paused, staring at her with a surprised expression. “I understand your surprise as well, but this loss was very close to you. And you haven’t rushed to tell me about anything he did. His reluctance of you to fight a civil war again. You told me such last time.” I looked down. “I understand why you have requested some time alone. In this manner of state, you shouldn’t necessarily be here, but you are. And I am grateful for your help. I hope this can be solved quicker than last time so that… you may continue to grieve at your home. With the people you trust most.”

--

My eyes bored into the painting I gazed up at. The champagne glass I had in my hand felt loose between my fingers, but I didn’t feel the strong effects of the alcohol… which was odd. I didn’t pay attention to it much however. I instead stared at the painting and kept my senses sharp. My darkwear contacts scanned the painting, recognizing it as one of the more older artists that was here. I sipped on my champagne again. I saw the icons appear on my screen, seeing Artemis’s tag sign with a message on screen.

“Time to go.”

I shifted, setting the glass down as I saw Jeremy talking to a few people. His eyes met mine as he excused himself from who he was talking to. I met up with him as I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. “I got the intel,” He muttered as I saw his call sign talk to the group in my contacts before I blinked. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Oh! Jeremy, I almost didn’t see you,” A familiar accent rang through my ears.

Of. Course.

I turned around, seeing Count Vertigo walk up. “Ah! Count! Sorry, I noticed you were busy talking with others and didn’t want to interrupt,” Jeremy gave a smile.

“Nonsense. You are trusted here,” Count Vertigo shook his hand. He looked at me. “And this is your guest?”

“Yes! She’s-.”

“No need for introduction. I am aware of who she is.”

He is…?

“You are,” Jeremy asked, tilting his head in confusion.

“I allowed her inside.” He held his hand up to mine. “It is nice to meet the Melancholy Painter. I have seen your work and several people in here have purchased some paintings of yours. And have family and friends who have done the same thing. You are quite popular in the West Coast of America.”

I hummed. I reacted, shaking his hand with a nod. “Thank you. Although I thought I hid myself pretty well. Not many people know what I look like. Perks of being a shut-in painter,” I breathed.

He shook his head. “Nonsense, dear.” He raised my hand up, kissing the back of it. “You work on masterpieces. I only hope you would give me a business card to contact you in the future.”

I reached into my small purse, pulling out a business card. “Of course.”

He let go of my hand, taking the card with a nod. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Jordan.” He walked away from me.

I resisted the urge to act repulsed as he exited. We got the rental car from the valet and made a swift exit. I groaned, rolling my head back as I sighed. “That was disgusting. He kissed my hand.”

“Are you okay?”

“Count Vertigo is the same age as my dad, I think. And that is gross to think about.” I winced. “I mean, if it was an actor, I wouldn’t care. But it’s a supervillain who kissed my DAMN hand!” I waved my hand away. “But whatever. The fact that he’s heard about me makes so much sense as to how I’ve gotten in. And I thought hiding in my house did the trick.”

We got to the warehouse and left the car there, walking close to the zeta tube before getting ourselves onto the Watchtower. I crossed my arms. “I take it that on your end, everything went fine,” I tilted my head in question, looking at Jeremy.

He nodded. “Yeah. They didn’t suspect I went into the Count’s office and looked through some of his files. I learned a thing or two about some computer stuff,” He wiggled his fingers with a wink.

I chuckled. “Nice to know that. Maybe you can hack a system for me to make sure people don’t call me for a while. Sucks when people know my name.”

“Are you really that famous?”

“In art. Not really anywhere else. And I’d like to keep it that way.” I shrugged. “I mean… It’s cool that no one knows my face and barely my name… UNTIL they see it on a painting. Then they go nuts.” I gave a snort. “My brother, when he was in high school, his art teacher was so excited to meet me. It was nuts.”

“Nuts?”

“Yeah. Then he asked me out on a date like a month later.” I grimaced.

“Did… it go well?”

“I never went. I said no.” I shook my head. “It… didn’t feel right.” I shrugged. “He was attracted to my art. Not to me. He was attracted to the emotions, the ‘me’ behind what I made. I mean, I’m a famous painter, sure, but I’m more than just that face.” I sighed. “As I’ve said, I’ve tried dating. It never went well.” I ran my fingers through my hair and grimaced at the feeling. I pulled some of the strands up to my face. “I’m still not used to this.”

“Used to what?”

I looked at him. I blinked in surprise. “Oh! That’s right. You’ve never seen me… before this.” My eyes darted away as I grabbed my phone. I pulled it up to him. “I had a very short hair before this. I can’t believe I’ve changed so much.”

He grabbed my phone with a surprised look. “Wow!” He looked at me before looking at my phone again. “I… did not expect that.”

“I mean, as a kid, I had short hair. And then I became a Green Lantern and my hair… just grew. And I let it stay that way. My hair was at my mid back when I was 15 and that was the longest it’d ever been. I got it cut a couple times after that, but minimally.” I sighed. “I had a rough mission in space and had to cut it. It actually was much shorter than this.” I pointed at my phone. Everyone could see my neck and stuff. It had been so long since I had short hair, but it was whatever. I cared more about missions and getting them done than my beauty.”

“It’s hard to think you had short hair. You look good with your hair like that.” I blinked at his honesty. “I just mean that, well, your hair right now suits you. And sure, it’s short, but… it’s not this short.” He motioned towards my phone with a chuckle. “Your entire demeanor and how you dress really do suit you.”

I gave a snort. “I used to care about how I looked. Now, I don’t.” I swallowed. “I don’t care about impressing people. It’s just all a hassle.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” I gave a snort. “Back when I was a teenager, I used to wear overalls. Like jean-shorts overalls. Used to wear cropped shirts too and sweaters. Now, I wear t-shirts, sweatpants, on occasion I wear something good, but it’s to look presentable.” I motioned towards my hair as I pinned it up like it had been all night before I released it for a breather.

“I can’t imagine you in those outfits. I mean, look at you.” I raised an eyebrow. “You’re so…” He motioned towards my arms. “You have so many cool tattoos and stuff. And you have this way you carry yourself.” His eyes darted towards my arm. “Hey, is that a Flash symbol on your arm?”

I looked down at it. I grabbed my wrist, rubbing my thumb against it softly. “…Yeah,” I murmured. “It is.” I swallowed.

“Is he your favorite? The Flash I mean. I’ve met the man. He’s pretty cool.”

I shook my head, looking up at him. “No, um…” I sighed. “…My late boyfriend… He was Kid Flash. The first one. Not the current one.” I tilted my head. “…I got this in a way to ground me, I suppose. I…” I chuckled. “I was seriously wondering around like I was in a wasteland.” I motioned towards my arms. “He picked these out. Said they suited me. And they do, in a way.” I turned my side, showing him the slit that exposed my right leg out to him. “This tattoo, I got about a year after he died. I always said I’d get something new. And… I just kept doing it. I have another one on my left leg.” I turned around. “And I have one on my back, right here.” I shifted, pointing towards the one on my chest I had gotten about two years back. “And I got this one. This one was the most recent, actually.” It was the flower leaves from my arms extending onto my chest. There was a circle in the center with vines reaching out of it into my cleavage. It’s difficult to describe unless someone really saw it, but that’s how it was. “I guess I’m a little bit of a tattoo fanatic.”

“That’s… cool.” He chuckled. “A famous homebody artist with tattoos. You’re full of surprises.”

I gave a snort. “No, I’m not. I’m… just myself. I’m no one special.”

“Everyone has their own thing about themselves. You’re special because you’re here. Not many people get the chance to work with superheroes every day.” He nudged me before handing me back my phone. “And… I’m sure your late boyfriend would like you now.”

I tilted my head. “What do you mean?”

“I’m sure he’d be glad you’re moving on and doing what you want. Being comfortable with yourself.”

I gave out another snort. “I… was so angry with him when I found out he died.” My eyes darted away. “I guess angry wouldn’t begin to cover it, but that went away quickly… I was angry at everyone else.” I shut my eyes. I straightened my posture. “I told you I resented the world. The reason why I stopped was because I do love Earth. I love it’s landscapes, nature… but the people.” I glared. “The people really tick me off.” I sighed. I looked back at Jeremy. “While that feeling goes away sometimes, other times… it doesn’t.” I shook my head. “And yeah, I shouldn’t be angry at the people. I mean, hell, everyone here tried their best.” My thoughts went back to that day I came back.