The 'World of Heroes: DC Style" RPG Season II

[twylight]

--Flash--
Funerals...They get real old real quick...I should know...Witnessing one was enough for me but then they just kept coming and coming...Barry...Linda...*sigh*A guy can never catch a break, can he? When I arrive it's a media frenzy. I'm used to it by now but...today's obviously not the day to shake hands and sign autographs...I'm wearing my costume but over it I wear a suit. No gloves or boots. Just my shoes and my pale white hands. Shirt opened slightly showing my emblem...Figured I might as well try to dress appropriate for the funeral...It's the least I could do...World's fastest man...Could have been in twelve places at once and I could not help any of them...

I take a seat next to Starfire with my eyes as red as the tights I wear. Can you blame me? I'm responsible for these deaths...In a way I'm responsible for every death...Things I could have done, places I could have been, lives I could have saved, but I didn't...I didn't...My arrogance got in the way. My head was so big I couldn't see. And now they're paying for it...Raven, Dinah...Barry...Bart...I can still feel them...Oh god, I can still feel them...I should be the one in the ground...

I tilt my head back and close my eyes to stop the tears from flowing...hehehe. Bart. Kid comes all the way from the 30th century to hang out with cousin Wally. Have him shown the ropes. Become one of the world's greatest superhero's...I was trusted by my own kids and grandkids and Barry's grandkids and-and who knows who else, they weren't even conceived yet...And I stuck him in San Francisco to get him out of my way...Didn't even bother to keep an eye on him..."He can handle his own." I said. "He can take care of himself." I said. "He's surrounded by freakin superheroes. What can possible go wrong?"...Right...God, I'm rambling in my own head now.

I rub my eyes, blink a little, and squint at the picture’s adorning the stage. The memorial. Pretty much doin anything I can not to burst into tears in front of everybody...Not really sure why. Reflex I guess...Rubbing my hands together anxiously...Rocking back and forth a little...Trying to keep a stiff upper lip...I try to remember what Barry told me...That they're fine...They're happy...Everything...is okay...*sigh*...I suck at Memorials...I lean over in my chair and rest my head on my arms...and I let go...After so long I finally let it all out...Oh Bart...Barry...I'm sorry...I'm so sorry.

----

Kara walked up to the podium, once more a tearful look took hold of her powerful features. Even as she cleared her throat her eyes started filling with tears again.

"Everyone here has lost someone in this horrifying Crisis. Some have lost family, some have lost friends, and some have lost mere acquaintances.
In this sea of blood, the Titans, both current and past, have swam the deepest. We have always been known as the closest team, the one that is a surrogate family, and to lose so many of our brothers and sisters is hard for any family. In this Crisis we lost Arsenal and his daughter, we lost Kid Flash and Raven. We lost Tempest and Flamebird.
Some have suggested that this warzone is no place for children, and they may be right, but that won't stop us from fighting. No matter what happens, it would be more dangerous to disband the Titans than to keep the team going. In honor of our fallen teammates, of our fallen family, we will keep fighting. Throughout the history of this team we've had our fair share of both casualties and leaders. That first list grows too large, as we add these new names to the hall of fallen heroes. They join a lineage that is sadly too grand. Kole, Aquagirl, Golden Eagle, Jericho. Lilith, Hawk, Dove and Terra.
Today we add five more heroes to their memories.

Our leaders throughout our history have also been great; Nightwing, Wonder Girl, Arsenal, Cyborg, and Robin. Today we also add to that list, and I hope to do all my teammates proud, both past and present. Parts of the legacy have faded, as more are brought into life.
As I lead this team into its future, I promise our fallen friends, that we will continue this battle in your memory, wherever your souls may rest."

 

[twylight]

----Mia----
I glance at Ollie, his face stern, jaw set, staring at the stage.. Even if I wanted to offer comfort, I couldn’t, I’m just not ready myself.
I’d left ‘home’ day’s ago..I just wasn’t able to cope with Ollie’s grieving, if you could call it that. He’d keep himself busy for days and then shut himself in his room. As if nothing mattered.
I sink my head farther back in my hood, trying to hide the tears. But it was true, nothing did matter, Roy..Connor...Dinah…Lian…they were all gone. I wouldn’t be selfish saying that we’ve lost more than anyone else, Ollie more than anyone person in the whole community.
I had turned up outside of Titans Tower in the rain a few day’s ago. Standing outside of it trying to keep a straight face, act all calm and collect. But I lost it when Starfire had finally come out and guided me inside.
I had sat crying with her for hours, broken in so many ways. She’d gone through everything I had….even..the stuff The Shade had done.
I look down at my hands, tears blurring them into just a flesh colored blob. Everything is so mind-numbingly wrong.
Of everything in life I’d ever gone through, this was the worst. I have no idea what’s going to happen next. I don’t have ‘myself’ anymore, I don’t have Roy standing over me like a big brother, I don’t have Connor to teach me and tease, I don’t have Dinah to talk too, I don’t have Lian to hug, I don’t even have Bart to run around me and make wise-cracks, and after today..I don’t even think I have a father figure.
I look at Ollie again as I blink my tears away.
Feeling a hand envelope mine I look down at the hand atop mine and follow the arm up to Starfires tearful face. I can see Flash on the other side of her, crying. He was a Justice League member and he was crying. It felt alright then, to cry, but it still makes me feel weak.
Sobs overcame me and I leaned against Star.

---


Dr. Mid-Nite was next, as Supergirl sat down amids the mourning, he rose and walked to the podium.
The televisions flashed images of the JSA members in the audience, Atom Smasher sat staring at his hands in his lap. Captain Marvel sat tall and straight, his eyes fixed on the picture of Stargirl. Wildcat stared straight ahead, his face fixed as if he’d been kicked in the stomach, sorrow exuded it’s self from him as if this was all his fault. Powergirl sat next to him, a hankie in her right hand and her left on Wildcat’s arm, tears were in her eyes and her nose was red.

Dr Mid-Nite spoke.
“It’s amazing how many people are here and we thank you. We thank you for showing that you care by being here.
Stargirl was an amazing individual, she was one of the younger members of the JSA, but always carried her self with maturity and wisdom beyond her years, a bright star in the JSA, she had many friends there. She was the essence of the third generation the JSA, bright, hopeful and intelligent, and a part of the family.
The JSA extends our condolences and support to her family as they do to us.
Hourman was anything but, though his powers lasted only an hour, his support was always there, he was a good friend and long time associate. Never one to back down or give up and I guess he never did. A strong man he overcame many things, personally and publicly. His years in the JSA will never be forgotten, nor his victories in vain.
Black Canary, was born into the JSA family and while she was no longer an active member, she was an integral part of it. She was the second generation of the JSA, taking the name her mother had used and never once bringing the name “Black Canary” disgrace, she proved herself worthy of it, making it her name.
Many of the older Member’s were her family. She referred to them as her family on more than one instance. The peers of her parents were her Uncles and Aunts, and her own peers….”

His voice faltered and then he paused as if struggling with an inner sorrow that had built up to fast and quickly to suppress. He continued his voice faltering at first and then firming up.

”… Her own peers were her friends, confidants, brothers and sisters. To the younger generation she took on an older sister mentality, helping them with their new found status and symbolism. I speak for more than the JSA when I say this. I speak for the hero community its self, the Teen Titans, the Outsiders and the Justice League. While this could have made her ‘exclusive’, she was always quick to welcome others in.
She was good and she was tough, and she carried more love for various members of the Hero Community than any other one individual I can name. She died bravely and along with Stargirl and Hourman, will be deeply missed.
We can mourn their passing and do nothing but feel sorry for ourselves and them or we can mourn and move on, making this world a better place, living the life they would have wanted us to live.
All three of them would choose the latter.
We’ll never forget them, and may they know it.”

Silence and quiet sobs filled the gap as Dr. Mid-Nite sat back down and Nightwing rose to give his eulogy.

--Catwoman—
Far back, behind the crowd, a dark black figure, looking like a cat, could be seen crying in the shadows.
She’d never know any of them personally, but the pain she sensed tore at her like claws through her heart.
---

Nightwing approached the podium, and looked out at all the heroes in the crowd.
The teams were all here and in their own little groups. No hero had not felt loss in this dreadful event. The JSA sat furthest back, and were the most somber. Very few of their founders were still alive, and with Rex’s murder that took away one more. Former and current members of the League were spread out in the middle. In the front were the Outsiders and Teen Titans, or what was left of them.
‘I’ve lost so many of my friends… is it even worth it anymore?’ As he stepped up to the podium, these doubts flooded his head.

“We’re here today to show the world that heroes have losses too. I didn’t know Jade all that well, but she was a strong woman, and a very good person. Her efforts to protect the world made a difference, and I think that’s all she would have wanted. I had only been her teammate for about a year, and I kept myself from developing strong bonds with her and other’s on the team, because I know the pain of losing friends more than most do.
Arsenal was more than just a friend to me, he was the brother I never had. Sure, we fought a lot, but most brothers do. We were friends from the get go, both trained by over bearing and opinionated mentors, albeit two with entirely different philosophies.
He was one of the few people I’d still allow to use the nickname ‘short-pants.’ Sometimes in times of great loss like these, we wonder if it wouldn’t be easier just to sit down and stop taking these painful hits. If the fight is still worth fighting, wouldn’t it just be easier to just walk away? Well I know what Arsenal would say to that: ‘You quit, and I swear to god, that I will kill you where you stand.’ For my best friend, I promise you, that the day I quit is the day we see each other again in heaven.”

Vicki Vale gave a faint smile, Nighwing was so much like his mentor, short and sweet. She wiped a tear, after that many heartfelt eulogies no one had a dry eye in the house.

 

[twylight]

Superman cleared his throat.

”We are all gathered today to remember our fallen friends, people who have worked alongside us in the quest for justice. They were brave heroes, loyal friends, and good people. They will be missed, but, like many before them, they will leave their heroic legacy behind.
Years ago, we lost another valiant member of our community; the great Barry Allen, the second man to call him self the Flash. Today, though we bury his grandson, Bart, we must remember that the titles of the Flash and Kid Flash are a grand tradition, and that they will be continued on in honor of those who had come before.
We must remember that even we will one day leave this mortal existence. And I hope, one day after I pass on, someone will take my place, and take on the mantle of Superman.”

---Batman---
I sat across from all the heroes. Ahead of us, was Clark standing to give his eulogy. So many of us have died in the past week.

Tempest.
Raven.
Kid Flash.
Vixen.
...Dinah...

I've finally figured out why that name is the hardest to say. I'm amazed I didn't figure it out sooner (and they call me the "World's Greatest Detective...").

I liked her. Sure, I reasonably like the others, but I LIKED her.

It's not love. It can't be. I didn't know her well enough to love her. I have been around that field for a long time, and I can say that the person who coined the term, "love at first sight," was either smoking an illegal substance, or was just plain stupid.

That's what kills me. I couldn't make it to love. By the time I finally figured this out...she was gone.

I know why I felt different around her and grown to like her like this: she was an understanding light.

I've went through a lot of women in my time, and all of them went sour in some way. Selina was a thief for so long, it's tough to try and find something good between us. Talia...and I thought I had parental issues. Silver, Vikki, Julie, all the other women I met as Bruce Wayne did not understand my OTHER world.

Dinah was different. She knew both worlds. She fought along side me against the things I fight against on a nightly basis. Yet, that didn't...turn her into me. She was still so bright and energetic, that it was nearly contagious to me. I felt...light...around her.

I'm not sure how much sanity I have left. This, combined with my recent power upgrade escapade from the Grey Man, helped me snap a little bit more. When I had the Grey Man's powers, everything felt...grey. Nothing came through besides grey. I still can't see any color, despite those powers were taken away from me.

I think it's because...all the light and color in my world has left.
---

” Just because someone has taken on the role of another, does not mean that their successor will be forgotten. Black Canary, one of the founding members of the League, inherited her title from her mother, and I’m sure that one day, there will be another Black Canary to carry on that legacy.
We have lost the youngest of the young, and the oldest of the old in these past months. Some of us have lost more than others. But, it would be a tragedy if we just let grief cripple us, if we let our fear stop us. These people, all of them, died as heroes, and they wouldn’t want us to give in, to stop the fight they lost their lives for. It would be an insult to them if we acted any other way.
Even if some among us may not have legacies to live up to, we must all strive for excellence, because we set the example for the future.”

Crying was heard around the area as a single Soldier stepped up onto the stage and brought a trumpet to his lips.
The sound of ‘Taps’ echoed across the area, covering the tears and sob’s with it’s mournful wails.

On stage many of the Heroes tried to keep their composure and failed, emotion’s overwhelmed everything, Vicki turned her face away from the rest of the people in the booth. She hadn’t know any of the Heroes on a personel level. But it was still death.
She raised her tearful eyes and loked to the stage. Superman sat with tears in his eyes. Seeing the most powerful being on earth reduced to tears seemed like an omen. The weak weren’t the only one’s to cry.
As the last note of the song lingered in the air, the Heroes on stage stood up united as one, the strength to continue burned in their eyes.

 

[twylight]

---Hal Jordan---

We walked from where we appeared. Through the streets we walked, and none of us ran, even though we could. None of us flew, even though some of us could. I just walked, leading a convoy behind me. We took our time, savored the moment.

As I rounded the bend, where everyone in the park was mourning, the congression that followed me rounded the bend also. No one noticed the mass of people heading towards them until we reached the outskirts of the park.

Then a boy lifted his head.



“Mommy!” he said, overjoyed.

More people looked up. Their jaws dropped as they saw my progression and everyone’s heads turned upwards to see us.

Tempest stood on my right as Stargirl stood behind me, a little to the left. Dressed in their extravagant costumes that displayed who they were, it was nothing compared to who they can become.

The once-dead civilians and heroes entered the the park and all hell broke loose. That is, if Hell was filled with joy and companionship. Hugs and kisses were rampant, including old housewives hell-bent on fainting and bring attention to themselves. Or maybe they were just happy. Who knows.

Ollie and Mia were hugging Connor, who was in his costume. Roy Harper, in his civvies, and his daughter Lian stood on the side, smiling sheepishly at the three. The three looked at him and brought the group hug over to him.

Linda West was back, and she greeted Wally and Iris with a big hugYou go Wally. Make your uncle proud. Protect the legacy.

In the see of people, even Batman was on the ground, in broad daylight. Proven, he was as Bruce Wayne, but it did not reduce his meaning. Through all the hugs and kisses and occasional make out sessions between young lovers, I just couldn’t see Dinah or Bart in the crowd. I desperately wanted to talk to that women…

But through the crowd, I’ll tell you who I did see. A old flame by the name of Carol Ferris. Alan Scott had given us his blessings. I mean, who else to know about flames then the Lord of the Green Flame himself?
Smiling I thought back onto the previous hours, or had it been days, of my life:


~~~


(*I had been to the Underworld before. It was never a pretty sight. There were a couple bars, and once in a while he’d sit down and have a drink with a certain demon with sawed off horns...

I walked past the bars I'd had once known, and instead, wrapped in his cloak of the Spectre, walked towards the Big Chief’s palace. This was the Big Guy, not THE Big Guy, but the one in charge of all activities down here. He wasn’t the red horned demon of myth. No Devil. No Beelzebub. He was the way I pictured him, and the way he was.

I knocked on his palace door and a hunchbacked man opened it and led me into the throne chamber. It was then I noticed the man in charge of the dead.

Hades.*

“Hello, Hal Jordan. I would be lying if I said I was surprised to see you.”

*I regained my composure and stood up tall, my cloak blowing around me and my lantern symbol glowing brightly.*

“Hal Jordan is no more. I am the Spectre.”

*Hades chuckled, his black Caesar-cut hair unmoving.*

“Please. You are not as much the Spectre as I am Adonis. Now take of that cloak.”

*He was right. I’m not the Spectre. I am not God’s Angel of Wrath. I am Hal Jordan, ex-pilot for Ferris Industries and all-around good guy. I took of my cloak. *

“What did you come here for? Oh wait, I know. Indeed I know. But tell me. I like to hear people beg.”

“I’m not going to beg, oh Mighty Arrogant One. You are the Master of the Dead, evil or otherwise.”

*It was then I knew that this mission would fail. We would have to cut our losses and deal with the consequences. I had come in vain and there was nothing I could do…except hope*)


~~~


I walked to her, picking up speed as she walked to me. I hadn’t seen her since I got back. But now she’s here, in my arms, kissing me as I kiss back. And guess what? I couldn’t be any happier.

This was the Hope that drove us. This was the hope that made us who we are today: heroes. I can only hope the Future brings to us something more than Hope, something needed so much: Improvement.







__________________________________________________
Thank you’s are extended to Phantasm, Bishop Cori, SuperFerret, HandMeDown, JKR, batnkevlar, Savage, Master Bruce,

 

[Supergirl]

Kara's head sinks in sadness as she listens to the brave words of her cousin delivering the eulogy for someone who he had known for years, and fought alongside for so very long. My losses don't even compare to his. I lost a boyfriend who I had gone on one date with. He lost his wife, who he had known for well over a decade. Why am I so selfish? Her head sunk further, and tears rolled down her face, and over her lips. The taste of the salt trickled onto her tongue.

All of a sudden, there was a brilliant flash of light. Several heroes and friends had appeared on the stage near Superman.

Rachel. Roy. Lian. Garth. Vixen. Courtney. Pat. Rex. Jenny. Bette. Tarantula. Linda. Jack. Alfred. Lucious. Jimmy. Perry. They just keep appearing. But where's Bart? BART!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day at Titan's Tower, Kara is laying on her bed staring blankly at the ceiling, eyes red from crying. Her pillow dampened from all the tears. I should be happy for everyone else but I can't be. I miss him so much and he lied to me. He said he was coming back. He said he would be here for me. There was a knock at her window. She drew her curtains back to reveal the familiar red "S" shield on the deep blue background. She opened the window to let her cousin in. She starts crying into his shoulder, much like she did immediately after Bart died.
"Why Kal? *sniffle* Why did everyone come back except Bart? *sniffle* Why?"

"I don't know Kara. I don't know. Maybe he is, but he just got lost. Or maybe he's late... like always, huh? And remember, he's not the only one either. He got a sad look in his eye as he thought of a his own wife and best friend that he had ever had. Lois is still gone too. No matter what, Kara, I'm here for you. If you need someone to hold you, I'm here, if you need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here. If Bart doesn't show up, we'll get him back. I promise."

She looked up, the tears stopped, and she giggled slightly at her cousin's somewhat out of place joke. But his words made her feel better about herself, like they always did, and gave her hope. Kal would never break a promise like that.

 

[SuperFerret]

They came back. They came back with Hal Jordan, of all people, leading the way, a big "look what I did" grin on his face. The ceremony erupted into chaos as everyone rushed to welcome back the dead. The Titans held a small group hug somewhere to my immediate right, though they, and Kara, were deeply hurt that Bart apparently wasn't among the returning dead. Though I didn't think about this at the time. Only one thing went through my mind at that moment.

Lois.

I flew over the crowd, searching with all of my different abilities for the one person I wanted back more than anyone else.


And she wasn't there.

I was crushed. I had prayed for her return, I've done questionable things to try and resurrect her. And she's still gone.

Sadly, I fly up and away from the mass reunion. I glance back for a second, to catch the cold, hard eyes of Bruce Wayne staring up at me. I turn away from him and continue on my way.

------------------------------------------

Metropolis. My adopted home on my adopted home. The city where we met, where we fell in love, where she died. I, dressed as Clark Kent again, walk somberly through the cemetary towards my wife's grave.

I kneel and place the flowers I brought on the grave. I shed tears, and nearly break down. I failed her. With all my might I failed her. This wasn't right. This wasn't supposed to happen. She was stolen from me. I was close to breaking down then and there, but something I had said brought me back. "These people, all of them, died as heroes, and they wouldn’t want us to give in, to stop the fight they lost their lives for. It would be an insult to them if we acted any other way." Lois wasn't a hero, not to everyone, but she still wouldn't have wanted me to quit, or to lose my way. And I wont.

Superman is here forever.


OOC: Goodbye, Season II!!! Thanks to everyone who made this game awesome.

 

[twylight]

I looked up as they filled the area, Ollie looking on is shock, speechless until Lian ran up. “UNCLE OLLIE!” She cried reaching her arm’s up.There! I saw Connor, running to him I put my arm’s around him. “Oh Connor, I’m so sorry I should have..” I gave into all of my tear’s, I couldn’t tell is they were happy or sad, I didn’t even notice what Ollie was doing, as I buried myself in Roy and Connor’s arms.

~~~~~~~~

“Daddy! Mia! Hurry up!”
Mia Dearden stood next to Roy’s car trunk holding several boxes, watching Lian run up and down the steps to Dinah’s apartment. Mia smiled watching the girls antics. Dinah would be so happy to know Lian and Roy were back, a shadow passed over Mia’s face. Dinah. That’s why they were here today.
“Hold on a second, princess.” Roy said as he straightened up from the trunk with several boxes. Closing the trunk he walked towards the house, Mia followed him catching sight of Dinah’s prized Motorcycle. Dinah had customized it herself and loved to ride it, Mia turned from looking at it and followed Roy up the stairs, stepped in front of him and unlocked the door.
“What’s going to happen with this place?”
“Ollie will probably pay the rent and utilities on it for a while.” Roy answered shifting the boxes in his arms.
“Why?”
“Ollie handles grief differently than most people.” He paused “Only Dinah really understood him.” He said softly as Mia opened the door.

The door swung open easily revealing a clean sophisticated living room. Setting her boxes down Mia walked across the room to draw open the curtains to the large window, causing the sunlight to pour in, illuminating her face. Her eyes closed and face uplifted towards the sunlight as it shown and reflected off her blonde hair. She turned to see Lian run across the room and bounce on a big overstuffed leather chair, that seemed to be the most loved and worn piece in the room.
Mia surveyed the tastefully decorated room, while it was classy, it also bore a very homey feel. Lian had grabbed an old Snow White topsey-turvey doll that had been propped up on the sofa and was now playing with the little dwarf finger puppets that had detached from the fairy tale girls dress, snuggled deep into the chair.
Dinah adored Lian, and obviously didn’t mind having toys scattered around the room, even when she wasn’t visiting. Mia briefly wondered why Ollie and Dinah had never had any children, before the Longbow incident. Or even after, Ollie was always ‘picking up strays’ as someone had once commented and Dinah was more than happy take them under her wing. Mia smiled at her own personal pun.

Roy passed by her with a box heading towards the kitchen, “I’m going to take care of the kitchen. Can you take care of the vases?” He said handing her a plastic bag.
Mia nodded, noticing vases of what used to have been fresh floral arrangements. Picking the vases up from all over the room, Mia set them on a table separating the Living room from the Kitchen, as she looked at the walls.
A few black and white Ansel Adams prints hung alongside fully autographed posters of the JSA and JLA, all in attractive frames, interspersed with pictures of family and friends.
She could pick out a few people in the pictures, a black and white picture of Dinah’s mother stood leaning against her father with a little raven hair Dinah between them, hung next to a colorful picture of Lian and Roy at the beach.
Mia’s picture was next to one of Ollie, both in casual clothes, while one of Roy and Connor was next to a black and white one of a young Dinah and an older man. One of them was of Dinah and a young red-headed boy, Mia looked at it carefully before smiling..it was Roy.
Similier family themed pictures sat sparingly on the tables in the room, displaying the different generations close to Dinah’s heart.

Picking the vases up, Mia took the flowers out of them and dumped them in the plastic bag. They had been pretty arrangements when they were fresh. Dinah always kept several vases of fresh flowers through the main living areas of the house.
Taking each empty vase to the sink, carefully avoiding Roy as he went through the cupboards, Mia dumped the water out and returned to the living room, fighting off the urge to yell for Dinah. It felt as if she was still here.
Lian was now looking at a fairy tale book of the "Princess and seven Ravens'

“Roy, need help with anything else?” Mia asked

She received a strained “No.” as a reply.
Trying to keep her mind off of the houses occupant, Mia walked down the hallway, again the wall’s were tastefully peppered with pictures. One of a blind brown haired man, another of Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson, a picture of Dinah in evening wear linking arm’s with…Bruce Wayne, she stopped and looked at it for a second.
How did she always manage to look so drop-dead gorgeous?
In this picture her blonde hair was in curls cascading down her back. Mia ran her fingers through her own hair before moving on.

Coming to Dinah’s bedroom she stood at the doorway, looking in.
Dinah's bedroom, furnished in an antique waterfall bedroom set, probably an heirloom from her parents, was decorated in light yellow and black, giving it an art deco look. The colors were moderate, and one glance in the room told you that this was Dinah’s room.
The pictures on the wall and side tables were different than the more public parts of her apartment.
Mia walked in and looked around, a few Georgia O’Keefe prints were on the wall along with scenic pictures of America, but the dominant ones were of superheroes, Mia sat on the bed mentally naming them off. Hourman, Dr. Mid-Nite, Wildcat, Batman, Superman, they were either with Dinah as the Black Canary or in groups together.
She turned and looked at a table near the wall.
Sitting on the bed cross-legged she turned and looked at the framed pictures on Dinah’s bedside table.

A picture of Black Canary with the JSA, Black Canary with the JLA,
a candid photo of Dinah kneeling next to her motorcycle with Ted Grant on the other side, both of them looking up in surprise right as the picture was taken, and one of Dinah hanging over Babs shoulders, hugging her.

Mia picked one up and studied it. It was a picture of Dinah as Black Canary, between Ollie and Hal Jordan, dressed as Green Arrow and Green Lantern, their arms linked around each other, a Motorcycle and a beat up old truck were in the background.
A tear dropped onto the glass, and Mia hurriedly brushed it away, staring at Dinah. A sunny smile on Dinah’s face and her head inclined towards Ollie’s, Mia put it down.

Lian and Roy’s voices filtered into the bedroom from the living room. Lian’s cute, little girl voice, off set by Roy’s deep, confidant one.
Ollie hadn’t come with them, she remembered Dinah had once told her that Ollie was a regular guy.
Right down to the way he handled grief and disappointment. Mia’d often had a hard time imagining Ollie and Dinah together, they were so different, but there were some times she could see how they were perfectly together, like opposite pieces to a puzzle, they fit snug. Even after breaking up they were still friends, to some degree, Ollie wasn’t taking this any better than anyone else, maybe even harder. Maybe he’d never really stopped loving her.


Mia brought her knees up to her chin and picked up another picture that was next to one of a smiling Dinah holding Lian on her lap with her chin in Lian’s black hair and Dinah’s wavy blonde locks falling down to frame Lian’s smiling face.
The one Mia picked up was Dinah leaning over Mia’s shoulder, both of them smiling.
That had been a fun day, Dinah had lectured Ollie on how he’d train Mia to death and had demanded a girl’s day out.
They’d gone to see a creepy movie and then shopping at the Mall, before getting their pictures taken in a photo booth. Dinah had insisted on it, Mia remembered that when Dinah had seen this picture she’d commented on how she was going to enlarge it.
She guessed Dinah had. Tears burned her eyes as she placed the picture face down on the bed and scooted to the edge of the bed.

Bart hadn’t come back either, she wasn’t the only one still hurting. She knew Kara was having an awful time too.
But of everyone in Titans Tower she had two holes in her heart. One for Bart, and one for Dinah. She hugged herself, looking through tear blurred eyes at the pictures on the walls. Noticing for the first time a picture of Black Canary I framed next to Black Canary II. The two blonde bombshell’s of the JSA people would call them.
She stood up and walked to Dinah’s closet, in the very back was a plastic bag in which hung Dinah’s old fishnet’s and costume. Mia pulled it out and laying it out on the bed and running her finger’s on it, crying softly.
”Dinah had been the first one to see me after Shade had…Dinah had held me until all my tears were gone…Dinah always kept Ollie in check…Dinah…”

“Mia? Mia?” called Roy’s voice as she heard him come down the Hallway. Quickly brushing her tears away she hurriedly put the picture away… “Mia?” She turned to see Roy standing in the doorway.
“Oh! I was just…” She paused as Roy walked across the room and looked down on the outfit.
“She used to wear this one all the time. She wore a wig back then, I always wondered how it stayed on.” He said as if in a middle of a conversation, smiling to himself at a fond memory. “Always preferred her with black hair.” He glanced up at Mia, pain evident in his eye’s, Mia weakly smiled, his affinity towards black hair certainly showed…
“She was the only one who believed in me when I didn’t.” He closed his eyes as if fighting off tears as Lian came into the room.
“Daddy! Where is Auntie Dinah?”

Roy bent over and picked her up. “She went away for a while.” He managed to get out.
Lian looked at her father “She didn’t say good-bye.”
“She wanted too, but she had to leave really quick.”
“Like you do sometimes?”
Mia bit her lip crying at Lian’s question.
“Yes.” Roy answered “Like I do and she loves you just as much.” His voice trailed off as he kissed her forehead.
He paused turning to Mia. “I got the perishables out of the kitchen, and turned the air down. So we should probably be going. I promised Ollie I’d get you back early.”
Mia nodded hanging the costume back up and smoothing the bedcover out. She glanced down at the photo in her hand and held it to her chest as she took Dinah’s canary shaped pendant out of her pocket and laid it on the bed.
She regarded it with sorrow for a minute before her jaw set and a spark of determination came to her eyes. Picking it back up Mia clasp it in her hand and ran after Roy, pendant and picture in hand.
“Wait for me!”





~~~

The late evening shadows crept across the room, expanding their territory as the sun sank lower on the horizon of buildings. They hung over photo albums laying wide open and pictures strew all over.
Many were of a woman, sometimes blonde, sometimes brunette, and man, in various poses, some with other people, some individual, and some together, showing signs of affection.
Smiles on both their faces, the pictures showed them through the year’s as evident by the face’s on both of them. The bright light and hopefulness of younger years changed into the weathered wisdom of age. Still the smiles never changed and were always genuine of happiness.
Slowly the shadows moved over a man sitting in the corner, his shoulders slumped over in defeat, as if the whole world had fought him and won. His blue eyes stared out the still illuminated window, gazing across the city as the shadows of night moved into every crevice in the city.
He glanced down at the picture in his hand. A young woman with black hair leaned against a man with blonde hair and beard, her affection as apparent as his interest in her. Their heads inclined towards one another their foreheads touching as they smiled.
He studied it as if yearning for times like that as words rang through his head, words he’d once spoke to her. The unspoken memory echoed off the silent walls, reverberating thought his mind.
"….You were all that I missed about life. You were what I couldn't let go of. And when I made the decision to leave there and return, I can't lie- I did it hoping that maybe we could be together again. And if that can't happen right now, I get it. I'm okay with that. But Dinah… I want you to know that I'll wait…"

A whisper followed.

“I’ll wait.”

 

[batnkevlar]

*It had been a couple months since we’d gotten back. The deaths had whittled us all down to our bare essentials, and due to the repercussions of the Dark Alliance, life wasn’t going to get easier. I’m actually glad I did something. All this time, I had been feeling lost and depressed, angry of course, and I never did anything. I never did the kind of things the old Hal Jordan did. All this time I was worrying about not being whom I used to be, but I am who I make myself.

It’s been a rough week. I have my old job back. I’m a test pilot for Ferris-Jordan Industries. Carol’s back in my arms and in my dreams, and right beside me when I wake up in the morning. I mean, with the name Ferris-Jordan Industries, you’d expect me to own half the company. Actually, I don’t. It isn’t a duo business, as it might have seemed obvious by the name. Carol Ferris is going to be Mrs. Carol Ferris-Jordan. I proposed to her yesterday.

I couldn’t be any happier.

Pie’s back and he’s helping me out around the hangar. He has himself a wife and two kids. I would never have guessed. I asked him if he had taken his family spear-fishing for seals, or dressed them up in blubber. You know what he said? No, I’d rather not use those kinds of words.

Not in front of the women and children.

My ring, it’s doing fine. No Lord Malvolio side effects, no delusions of grandeur, no anger management. I take it off for a couple days at a time, whenever I take Carol out for vacations. That’s around every week or so, so there’s no such thing as a ring addiction anymore. Not that I believed such a thing was possible. No way, not for Hal Jordan. A women addiction, maybe, but Carol has her ways of curing me of that. A purse to the side of the face, for example. And guess what?

I couldn’t be any happier.

Dinah’s not back yet. No one’s seen her. Kara’s worried about Bart also. He didn’t come back yet. Hades had promised be the return of everyone who died by the Dark Alliance, or recent villainous deeds, in return for a promise of mine. He says it was probably Ares’ scheme, but I doubt it. I think it’s just when bad things happen to good people, that’s all. I used to think good guys finished last, after the whole upset in my life. It turns out I was wrong. Good guys win in the end, but it’s a good thing I don’t have to wait until the End for it to have happened. I have it right now, here right beside me: soon to be Mrs. Carol Jordan.*

“Mrs. Carol Ferris-Jordan.”

*I turned to her, smiling. We walked around the airfield, watching the sunset.*

“Did you say something?”

“Carol Ferris-Jordan. I like how it sounds.”

“Oh yeah, the hyphen thing. Back in my day, we didn’t need hyphens.”

“Yeah, yeah, old man. You’re barely older than me.”

*She brushed her fingers through my gray-haired temples.*

“Hey, now get started on that…”

“What? Because I’m three and half months older than you?”

“Oh, so you have to put that half in, don’t you?”

“You know, my class reunion’s coming up?”

“Oh really? Metropolis High wants they’re old troublemakers back?”

“Sure do. You’re coming, right?”

“Um, I’m not sure. I might have something to do that day…”

“I didn’t even tell you when it is!”

*She smacked me with her purse. See, I told you so.*

“Fine, fine, when is it then?”

“September 25th.”

“Yeah, like I said, I got something to do that day.”

“What?”

“I don’t know. Time anomaly, end of the world, Big Bang. It could be anything.”

*She hit me, again. This time with an open palm. I grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to me. Her face a breath away from mine, she said the thing I wake up everyday to hear.*

“Harold Martin Jordan, you are such an idiot.” *She paused and smiles.* “And that’s why I love you, Hal.”

*I looked into her eyes and smiled.*

“I love you too, Carol.”

 

[Spike_x1]

*Bump for the sake of the season's existence on the Hype. Ignore.*