Okay, just a few notes. Firstly, this is not a Legion fan fic, but it is DCU. If this is a problem, I apologize profusely and please don't hesitate to remove this sucker. I just wanted some feedback/advice/etc. Secondly, I really would appreciate people pointing out inconsistencies, comic canon errors, grammar/spelling problems, etc. So, please, please, please don't hesitate to do so. Lastly, you all are among the first people to see this and it's still a rough cut, so please be gentle. I'm easily breakable, no matter what my bravado suggest. Don't get me wrong, constructive criticism rocks... I just don't think I could take plain ol' criticism.
Okay, so without further ado (I'm really nervous), here we go...
Chapter 1: Re-introductions
The more things change, the more they remain the same.
"Over the years, lots of people have said that. The first was Alphonse Karr in Paris, France on January 31st 1849. Actually, he said, 'Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.'"
"That last part gave you away Flash," J'onn J'ozz, the superhero known as the Martian Manhunter, said. "Try again please."
Across the table from the telepathic Martian the scarlet speedster known as the Flash sighed. This was their eleventh try at word association and they'd made little to no progress. Facts. It was all about facts. And when it came to facts… well, he knew a lot. A whole lot. "Read a whole library once," was all he'd say about it whenever anybody asked.
None of them talked about the old days very much anymore.
Bart Allen is not a fast learner.†
"Telepathic memory prod?" Flash asked with a frown, rubbing the back of his neck. A sure sign he was tired. Probably needed a metabolism reload too, now that he thought about it.
"No," J'onn replied. "Your thoughts are your own. Perhaps your subconscious is trying to tell you something?" Sensing his companion was losing the little attention span he had, the Martian stood. "But I think that's enough for tonight. We'll continue tomorrow."
In the blink of an eye, the Flash was at the door. "Okay." The eagerness was evident in his voice. Training the mind to keep superhuman abilities off the radar wasn't high on anybody's list of fun things to do. And the Flash was a notoriously horrendous liar. He did smile at J'onn, though, as he reached for the door.
The Martian was relatively sure he heard a, "Seeyoulater," as the Flash sped off. J'onn smiled as well. He was no Wally, and he definitely wasn't Barry… but Bart Allen was undeniably the Flash. He'd earned it.
†Taken from Teen Titans (vol. 3) #1
[ August 04, 2005, 08:49 PM: Message edited by: Caliente ]
Posted by Caliente on :
"…so then I said, Larry? What do you mean it was Larry? I thought that guy was…"
"…reading the anomalies from Beta Prime and…"
"…thought about dinner? I think, that is to say, we could… you know… have…"
"…green peas. Yes, I said all of them. No, I won't take any…"
"…new League member. Green Arrow."
Bart stopped. Tim. Turning around, he was at his friend's side in less than a second.
"Reliable?" He heard Cassandra reply. Batwoman. Always to the point. Bart liked her well enough (he liked almost everyone, really) but she was kind of… weird. Just like her predecessor. And the way she thought about things, how she saw them… it wasn't really something Bart understood. But Tim trusted her and that was more than enough for him.
"I'd trust Green Arrow with my life," Tim said seriously. "And, before you start, I know she's been out of the game for a while but –"
"Who's been out of the game for a while?" Bart piped up. "Is Connor picking up his old bow again?"
"No," Tim replied. "I think he's happier training than he ever was as a vigilante."
"Besides, who would run Ted's old gym if he spent his nights fighting bad guys in spandex? Not to mention what his wife would do to him if she found out…" Kyle added, turning from where he was watching the monitors. Kyle. The current League Green Lantern... and one of the few people Bart didn't like. Even after all these years… so much for the Brave and the Bold. "Anyway, I thought Roy had picked up Ollie's mantle now that the old man's finally in retirement for good."
"No," Tim repeated, this time with a shake of his head. "Roy's still acting as the head of Checkmate. Even though he does occasionally moonlight as a vigilante, he has nowhere near enough time to join the League. Besides, the chip he carries around is almost as large as Nightwing's…"
"Watch out - the walls have ears," Luke warned, transforming into a giant ear as he trotted over to join the group. Bart smiled. Plastic Man was a good guy, just like his dad… when he wanted to be. "He's liable to hear you and then you'll be sorry."
Hold up. Something wasn't right here… Bart's mind replayed the conversation again. "Wait, you said 'she', right?" he asked rhetorically. "You don't mean… I thought Mia was confined to the hospital now that she… you know…"
"She is," Cassandra answered. Bart didn't need to see her face to know how she felt, he could hear the sadness. Mia had been a good friend to her… looking past the masks like Stephanie before her. And now Mia… Stephanie…
Tim. "The new medication is helping some but the prognosis is the same." Tim and Mia had broken up over four years ago but he still hurt for her, Bart knew he did. Tim was just like that. A part of him would always love everyone who'd ever been close to him - even after they were no longer in his life. His parents, Alfred, Stephanie… So much loss. Just like Batman and yet… not at all. A conundrum if Bart had ever known one. "She's still fighting. You know Mia… she won't stop until the very end."
The group nodded in agreement. But Bart wasn't satisfied. Patience wasn't a virtue he possessed in abundance… or at all. "So, if it's not her, then…?"
"Hey guys. Hope I'm not late – Speedy and I were training and I lost track of time…"
Bart froze. He knew that voice. But he hadn't heard it for… upwards of seven or eight years. Whipping around with his superhuman speed, he caught sight of a familiar face. Her face. Sure, it was a little older and her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her costume was green now but it was definitely her.
"Cissie!" he cried, racing to wrap her up in a hug. "What are you –?"
"Oh Bart," she cut in, hugging him tightly in return. "I've missed you." Cissie lingered for a moment before releasing him and smiling at the rest. "I've missed all of you so much."
Tim hugged her next while Cassandra stood to the side, offering only a nod of welcome. Not surprising, she hadn't really known Cissie as Arrowette. Luke, on the other hand, bounded right over, grinning ear to ear. "Luke McDunnagh. Uhm, I mean, Plastic Man." He puffed out his chest for a moment before shrugging and sheepishly shaking her hand. Kyle was the last, following Bart and Tim in suit.
Standing to the side, Bart tapped his foot at superspeed, waiting impatiently as the seconds crawled by. They crawled especially slow while Kyle was hugging her. Finally, everyone moved away and Bart zipped to her side again. "So, Ciss, what –?"
"CISSIE!" a loud voice shrieked in a high pitched tone that would've made even Black Canary wince. They turned to see Wonder Woman standing with her poor, wincing husband, Superman (the man with superhearing), at her side. But she wasn't standing for long. Less than a moment later she was flying through the air. While Cassie, who'd taken her mentor's mantle with Donna's blessing after Diane once more ascended the heights of Mt. Olympus, raced over to wrap her friend in a bear hug, Conner smiled faintly.
"Hey Cissie, how's it going?" he greeted, not really expecting a response. Quieter and more withdrawn (from everyone except Cassie and sometimes Tim), Conner had only taken Clark's title after his body was altered to his proper age and the 'old man' retired. Clark never quite recovered from his lost child and subsequent divorce from Lois. Now he spent his days in the Fortress of Solitude with Krypto, occasionally checking in with the JLA and Conner.
"Hi Cass," Cissie managed to gasp out. "Could you not show your joy by crushing my ribs?"
"No worries," Cissie replied with a smile. She unwrapped an arm from Cassie and slung it around Conner's shoulder. "God, I feel like I haven't seen you guys since the wedding!"
Bart frowned slightly. "You were at the wedding?" he asked with furrowed brows. That'd been only a couple of years ago though… he'd been there too. Why hadn't he seen her?
"Oh yeah, it's been way too long," Cassie agreed. "Best friends shouldn't drift so far apart."
Running in front of them, Bart held up his hand in a 'stop' gesture. "Yeah but what are you doing here now?"
Cissie nodded. "Definitely not. Let's go catch up."
"But –" Bart tried again.
"Let's," Cassie agreed. "Ice cream?"
"But –"
"Ice cream," Cissie approved with a nod.
Arm in arm, Cassie lead Cissie from the room toward the kitchen area. "Wait –!" Bart cried, preparing to chase after them. He wanted answers, darn it!
Conner grabbed the back of Bart's suit, preventing him from racing off. "Forget it Bart. They haven't heard a word you've said."
"The more things change, the more they stay the same," Time offered with an amused smile and half-shrug. "Might as well get used to it Bart."
"But –"
"Wow, she looked good," Kyle commented with a smile. Bart didn't like that smile. Not at all. "Really good." Suddenly, Bart disliked him even more.
He didn't have a chance to properly act or respond, though, because the next moment Conner was jerking him toward Tim. "Hey!" Bart cried with annoyance, vibrating out of Superman's so-called iron grip. "What's the big –?"
"So why's she back?" Conner asked Tim, ignoring Bart. Shrugging it off, the speedster followed. "It's been over ten years since she was a member of Young Justice with us."
"I don't know all the details," Tim admitted after a moment, sitting before one of the computers. "Here's what we do know, though. Cissie was born Cissie King-Jones to Bonnie King and Bernell Jones. However, it was later learned that her true father is actually one Oliver Queen. Something Batman always suspected." Now there was a shocker. Batman suspecting things! The man made paranoid schizos look normal. But that was neither here nor there.
"After Bernell's unfortunate death, Bonnie inherited his somewhat substantial estate and decided to help her naturally talented daughter become a costumed vigilante and fulfill her dream. Cissie was pushed by her mother from then on, eventually taking on the mantle Arrowette to pay homage to Bonnie's short-lived career as Miss Arrowette.
"At first Cissie played along, even teaming up with Bart Allen, then the costumed hero known as Impulse –" Bart smiled fondly at the memory but said nothing. He would've once but that was, ironically enough, during the days of Impulse but not now. Now he was an adult. "– several times before Max Mercury had Bonnie was committed to a psychiatric ward and Cissie was placed in the Elias School for Girls.
"It was there she received therapy from Dr. Marcy Money who inadvertently helped her decide to continue crime fighting as a sort of revenge on her mother. Not Dr. Money's intention and certainly not the noblest of reasons to be a vigilante but it did eventually lead to Cissie joining Young Justice and meeting the rest of us.
"Cissie remained with Young Justice until Dr. Money was brutally murdered by an ex-boyfriend. She very nearly crossed the line between vigilante and murderer but Conner intervened and stopped her. After the experience, she hung up the 'crime fighting bow'.
"Later, with the help of her mother, who she'd buried the hatchet with, Cissie went on to compete in the Olympic games and won the gold medal for archery. Her strong ties with Young Justice kept her close to the action for some time but, after the team disbanded, she drifted back into superhero obscurity. She did remain close with Cassie, Greta and Traya, who were all attending Elias School with her. But even they drifted after graduation.
"When Cissie was twenty, her mother, an avid smoker for many years, was diagnosed with throat cancer. She was N-stage within a year and a half. Cissie, who was closer than ever with her mom, stayed by her side the entire time.
"It was then that Bonnie confessed to Cissie that her birth father was not Bernell but Oliver Queen, also known as the original Green Arrow. Uncertain for the first time in a long time, Cissie waited until Bonnie's death to seek him out.
"Oliver was… unsurprised but still welcoming to her. Unfortunately, they never really hit it off. Connor Hawke and Cissie, on the other hand, did. She quickly became a regular at his gym, both training under his guise and helping the younger children with their training. During this time, Cissie also finished school and went on to become a successful nature photographer for National Geographic.
"About seven months ago, Cissie took up the mantle of Green Arrow in Star City with the permission of Connor, Roy and Oliver. It is a title held formerly by both her biological father and half-brother. No other information is available at this time."
"That was… thorough," Conner remarked after a long pause, rubbing the back of his head gingerly. "I didn't know she was a photographer."
"Some reporter you are," Luke joked. Conner looked at him and the younger boy smiled weakly. "Uhm… I mean… pleasedon'tusetheheatvision."
"So, you found out she'd rejoined the vigilante crime-fighting game again and invited her to join the Justice League?" Bart asked Tim thoughtfully.
Tim nodded. "I figured that whatever it was that made her do it she might…"
"…need us?" Conner finished quietly. Tim nodded again. They were all silent for a long moment, each remembering the night of Dr. Money's murder.
Cassandra cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "Breakout at Iron Heights. Send Green Arrow with Flash?"
"Yes." Tim looked to Bart. "That okay with you?"
"Sure," Bart nodded. "The Rogues could use a good shake-up." He reached to one of the circles attaching the lightning bolts on the side of his head and clicked on his transmitter. "Flash online. Oracle, do you read?"
::I read you loud and clear Flash,:: Oracle confirmed. ::Tell Green Arrow I say hello when you see her, would you?::
"'Course," he assured her with a grin he was sure she could see… somehow. In a flash, Bart was gone from the monitor room and in the kitchen area. Cassie sat with Cissie talking over a pint of chocolate chocolate chunk ice cream when he appeared. "Ready for action Ciss? There's been a breakout at Iron Heights. Ready to go?" There was a small, ::Ahem,:: in his ear and he rolled his eyes. "Oh, and Traya says, 'hi.'"
Cissie smiled at Bart and stood up. "Test mission, huh? All right, I'll bite." Offering Cassie an apologetic look, she shrugged. "We'll finish this later." Looking back to Bart, she nodded. "Let's go Flash."
Bart lifted her in his arm effortlessly and raced to the transporter. "Two to beam down Johnny," he called the J'onn with a smile as he put her down. J'onn smiled in his soft Martian but still human way as he initiated the beam.
For her part, Cissie looked relatively unruffled by Bart's action. Still, just before the beam activated, she commented, "You know, I'd forgotten just how fast you move..."
Something about the way she said it made Bart's mind stall for a relative moment. But the next second they were down in the midst of the action and there was no time to think about it.
[ August 04, 2005, 08:54 PM: Message edited by: Caliente ]
Posted by Caliente on :
Bart was laughing. Hard. "And then..." He couldn't stop. "And then..." The laughter, it just kept coming. "And then Piper says to Jesse, 'I didn't know Cold's gun could do that.' And Cissie, she just stands there smirking over him. Man... you should've seen it..."
"I wish I could've been there with you," Ray replied with a slightly forced smile. Bart knew the other man was just humoring him – Ray was always 'humoring' him over something. He genuinely liked the guy, and knew it was mutual... The Ray just always felt the need to make himself feel like he was one-up on The Flash. And Bart was okay with that. "Say, how is Cissie? Is she seeing anyone…? She was pretty hot back in the day..."
However, he was not okay with Ray saying that. It bugged him more than her crush on him had when they were kids. This wasn't some schoolgirl crush and she wasn't some nameless skirt - Cissie was his friend! "You know, I'm not sure. I think she might be, though." It wasn't a complete lie… Bart didn't honestly know one way or the other. But he did know he didn't want Ray dating Cissie.
"Oh, okay." Ray shrugged. "I just remember her from… yeah. Whatever. I've got Christine and Angela to worry about already. I don't need another to add to the mix!" And there it was. Cissie was definitely safer away from Ray the wannabe player. She deserved better. Way better.
"Good luck with that man," Bart commented off-handedly. "I've got to get back. I have monitor duty in... now! Oops, bye!" Clicking off the vidphone, Bart hopped up and raced to the monitor room. "SorryIwasbusyand–"
"Slow down Bart," a warm voice laughed. The chair turned to show Cissie sitting there with a friendly smile on her face. "Or do I have to profess my love for you again?" A shocked Bart just kind of moved his mouth as Cissie giggled at him. "Relax, relax. I was joking. No need to be so afraid..." She winked at him. "Here," she stood up and gestured toward the chair, "sit. I was just keeping it warm for you, anyway."
"Oh…" Bart was still slightly stunned. "Uh, that's okay." He looked at her for a moment, still shaking off the haze of confusion and embarrassment. The Flash didn't blush. "What are you doing here anyway?"
"I swapped duty with Tim," she replied simply. "I have a shoot tomorrow and I didn't want to risk being late." She smirked slightly. "Speaking of being late… since when is the Flash late for anything?"
Bart shrugged sheepishly. "A bad habit I picked up from my grandfather," was all he offered. It was all he ever offered.
Cissie raised her eyebrows then mirrored his shrug with one of her own. "Well, I better get going. I'm going to need a good night's sleep if I'm going to be up bright and early tomorrow morning. It's already pretty late in Africa…"
Nodding slightly, Bart did take his seat. As he heard her moving to leave, Bart turned to her again. "Hey Ciss…" he called, causing her to pause and glance back his way. "You did good at Iron Heights. Really good." She smiled and he found himself smiling in return. "Welcome back to the game. We missed you."
"Thanks," Cissie replied breezily. "I missed you guys too. Later Bart!" With a quick wave, she was off.
"Later Ciss," he said to the empty room. Twisting his chair to face the monitor screens again, Bart sighed. Monitor duty was always so slooooow…
--------------- Mkay, so that's the first chapter. Uhm... lemme know what you think and stuff... yeah. (Still really nervous.) Oh and any questions or whateve... lemme know those too. 'Kay that's it.
[ August 04, 2005, 08:56 PM: Message edited by: Caliente ]
Posted by Harbinger on :
I love this! It's really good, great character interaction, especially liked Bart being the central character. I'm not a fan of (or rather don't read) Teen Titans so am not too familiar with the characters but you introduced them really effectively.
I also liked that you didn't bother writing about how Flash and GA dealt with the breakout - stick with the personalities caliente, you write them in such an easy way they already sound convincing and '3D'.
I do have one wee critical comment - about the re-cap of the groups history (thanks for it though as it helped me get up to speed with them)- it's purely opinion though so if you disagree then stick with it, you're probably right!
"she drifted into obscurity" - it didn't sound like the way an old friend would speak of another, I'm not sure what they would say ("She went her own way"? "She hung up her quiver"?) but something about that phrase didn't ring true to me.
And that was the only line that I can find fault (Ok, difference of opinion) with - you have a great way with writing characters and it seems you have a few ideas of where you will be taking them - is the title a clue? Poor Bart being left alone again is my guess, but I'm here for the journey to find out.
I'm really looking forward to the next chapter!
more, more, more!!!
Posted by Caliente on :
First of all, thank you muchly Harbinger!! For reading and your positive comments. You made my afternoon!!
The "recap" was supposed to be.. yeah, intro stuff. The "obscurity" comment was in reference to her crime fighting because, even after she quit Young Justice, she still went on several adventures with the team and voted on the leader and stuff. Just not as Arrowette. But I shall look over that part in particular when I do my next round of editing.
As for the title... well, if I explained it that'd be telling!! It should tie-in but I can make no promises, since I'm not really sure how everything will end up. I decided to write this story without plotting it first (something I usually do in VERY ANAL detail) so... yeah. We'll see.
Thanks again. Posted by Luna on :
Ok, I finished reading, sorry it took me a while but I wanted enough time to give it the attention it deserved.
It's very good. Taking it from Bart's view is a unique approach, most people would probably choose Cissie, being that she's the one just entering the team.
I don't read much comics (lack of funding) so I got confused, I don't know who Ray is, or Kyle, or Greta or Mia or Traya. So I was a little confused.
So, in conclusion, it was good and I enjoyed reading it.
Posted by Caliente on :
No apologies!! I'm honored you read it.
Ray is The Ray (which I mention in the story) and he was a member of Young Justice toward the end. He's currently with the Freedom Fighters.
Kyle is one of the Green Lanterns (which I made reference to but never actually state, must rectify) -- he was the only one for a while but, as we all know, the Corps is back in business.
Greta's role will be made clearer later but she was known as Secret in Young Justice. At the end of the series, she was "cursed" with humanity by Darkside. I was deliverately vague, though, since that doesn't actually matter here.
Mia is the new Speedy in Teen Titans and Green Arrow. She's got AIDS, which is why I put her in the hospital. All the Arrow family stuff isn't really important to the story... except Cissie. She's very important.
Traya is another I was deliberately vague with. She's the adopted daughter of Red Tornado (John Smith) and his human wife. She was a certified genius in Young Justices, so I figured she'd be someone Barbara would tap to be her replacement... since she's elsewhere.
I'm really glad you like it. Even though this first chapter doesn't show it, this is definitely a story about Bart. He's the protagonist because he's the link that ties all the pieces together... or so goes the theory, anyway.
Posted by Caliente on :
Chapter 2: Bonding
Old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read.
"Francis Bacon." Flash paused for a long moment before adding, "A British philosopher who lived between the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries."
"That was much better Flash," J'onn told him with a slow nod, "however, your body is exerting a few telltale signs. For instance, that dent you seem to be creating in the floor with your hyperaccelerated foot taps…"
"Oh! Sorry J'onn," Flash apologized, ceasing his actions instantly. "I've just got some… things weighing on my mind."
J'onn nodded, an understanding expression on his face. "Care to talk about it?" he offered gently.
"No, no." Flash shook his head quickly. "That's all right. Really." He knew that listening was one of J'onn's specialties (the Martian had many) but he just… couldn’t.
Max used to tell him that everybody had something to offer, he just had to slow down long enough to see it. Max was always telling him things. It was his job. Used to be, anyway. Not many people, outside the speedster family, knew him but those that did knew his true greatness. "The man who taught me everything books couldn't," was all he ever offered as an explanation when people asked who he was.
None of them talked about the old days very much anymore.
I'm sorry, Wally. I really tried. I really did.†
Could've been a telepathic memory prod but he doubted it. Slowly, he was learning that just wasn't J'onn's style. "No, I'm fine," Flash assured J'onn. "But thanks."
"Yes," J'onn agreed in an unconvinced but patient tone. "Well, I believe that is enough for one day. You have showed real progress here Flash. I am rather impressed."
"Thanks J'onn." Flash smiled as if all his worries melted away. "Same time next week?" The Martian nodded. "All right. Seeyouthen." And, with that, he was nothing more than a gust of wind.
J'onn smiled faintly, shaking his head slightly. Bart Allen was still a boy in so many ways and yet… he was not. A conundrum. But with an undeniably good soul. Conflicted but good. J'onn liked him more and more with each meeting.
†Taken from Flash (vol. 2) #199
Posted by Caliente on :
Racing through the tower toward the meeting room (and his cushy Flash chair!), Bart was stalled just outside by the sound of laughter. More specifically Cissie's laughter. It still surprised him, even after nearly a month's time. It was the thing he remembered best about her, though. The thing that made her… real to him.
The sound of Kyle's voice, on the other hand, made him frown. "I'm serious!" he was saying, the laughter in his voice almost as obvious as her giggles. "There we were, standing in the middle of an intergalactic battle field and Guy starts confessing everything. And I mean everything. From the magazine he'd stolen from the corner store when he was ten to the fact that he hadn't lost his virginity until he was twenty-five! And all I could think at that moment is, 'I'm going to die without being able to tell anybody!'"
The soft laughter that Bart knew so well filled the room again. He stood, frozen, uncertain whether he should enter or stay where he was. Cissie finally calmed enough to ask, "How did you guys manage to get out of that situation?"
"Well –" Kyle started, causing Bart to make his grand entrance. Anything to keep from having to listen to Kyle anymore.
"HeyCissie," Bart greeted with a smile as he darted into the room. "Kyle," he added with a passing glance and nod. "What's up?"
Kyle shot Bart a slightly suspicious look but said nothing. Cissie, on the other hand, spoke up. "Not too much. Kyle was just telling me some stories about the Corps before our meeting."
"Stories about the Corps?" Bart repeated, a faint smirk on his face. "Did he tell you about the time that Killowag and Ba –?"
Bart could almost see the anger shooting out from behind Kyle's masked eyes as he raised his hands to distract Bart. "How about the time Kid Flash," he interrupted, emphasizing the word 'kid', "first met Luke and he –?"
"And Luke what?" the young man in question asked as he entered the meeting room. "Oh! Are we exchanging embarrassing stories? Can I tell the one about Firestorm and the marshmallow –?"
"No!" Jason cried as he too entered the room. "Uh, I mean… do and I'll turn you into glass and shatter you myself!" He tried to sound menacing but the effect was lost by his stutter.
"Hey Jason," Bart greeted with a wave. "What're you doing here? I thought you were a reserve member of the JLA."
"I am. And… I dunno," he confessed with a shrug. "I got the call from Oracle, so…" His voice trailed as he caught sight of Cissie for the first time. "I don't believe we've been properly introduced," he said to Cissie as he crossed over to her. Offering his hand, Jason grinned with what he obviously thought was a winning smile. "I'm Firestorm."
"Green Arrow," Cissie replied, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Hey Cissie," Cassie greeted as she entered the room with her husband trailing behind. Cissie offered Jason a quick smile before turning to talk to her friend about… whatever it was they always seemed to be talking about.
Bart smiled knowingly at Jason and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, it's not you. They're always like that." Jason, slightly dazed, nodded in return then headed toward Luke.
Bart scoped the room for a relative second and appeared over by Conner a moment later. "Hey Conner, I heard about what happened in Metropolis last week – you okay?"
"Yeah." Conner shrugged. "The globe was destroyed again but Jimmy's already had it replaced. I think he might have a few extras in storage."
Bart nodded but said nothing more. Making small talk with Conner was… tiring. No fun for either of them. Luckily, Tim and Cassandra chose that moment to enter and everyone settled into their (super comfy) seats. Bart sat patiently through the first half but as it moved later and later, he couldn't help but tap his fingers impatiently. This was all well and good but Bart had things to do! How much longer was he going to be stuck there…?
Posted by Caliente on :
The very moment that their meeting was over, Bart bid everyone an incredibly fast, "Goodtoseeyoubye," and raced off to his quarters. He wasn't trying to be rude, he was just ready to get back to the twin cities. Home. And he owed Linda a visit anyway…
He could've been done and gone in under a second but Bart, feeling a slight wave of nostalgia, decided to look through his photo album. And he always forced himself to move slowly (even by human standards) when he handled it. Each movement was deliberate. The album was quite possibly the most important thing he owned, and he always, always treated it with the utmost care.
The time he'd taken to handle it, however, was apparently too long because, just as he was about to put the album away, his door chimed. Frowning slightly, he put his book down with the utmost care and raced to the door. "Whatdoyou – Cissie!" Surprise marred his features as his eyes registered the blonde archer standing before him.
They stood there, just kind of staring at each other, for what felt like forever to Bart. Finally, he broke the silence. "Er, what can I do for you? Did you want to come in…?" Cissie nodded but still said nothing. Stepping out of the doorway, he gestured for her to enter.
Closing the door behind her, he whipped around to see her moving to inspect his photo album. Swallowing hard, he tried to be patient and not… freak out as the seconds crawled by slower than he ever recalled them moving. And he'd thought they'd stared at each other for a long time! He folded under the pressure in no time flat. Less than a minute later he was standing over her. "Did you, uh, need something?" He was being overprotective. He knew it. He didn't care.
Cissie ripped her eyes from the open page and looked to Bart. She still didn't speak for another few seconds, scrutinizing him with an unreadable expression. Finally, her face melted into a soft smile. "I was hoping to catch you after the meeting Bart but you took off so fast that I didn't have a chance."
"Oh yeah." Bart rubbed the back of his neck and shrugged. "Just wanted to head back home, I guess. Team meetings always make me feel… cramped. Like I haven't run in days or something." And there was very little in the world that Bart loved more than running.
Cissie's face became impassive. "Oh. Well, I can come back if –"
"No!" Bart cried. He didn't mean to make her have that… look on her face. "I mean, it's fine. I always have time for a friend."
A faint echo of her earlier smile returned and Cissie nodded. "I just… I feel like we haven't… reconnected. I know we weren't best friends in Young Justice or anything, (and, to be honest I think Cassie is all the best friend I can handle), but I've always considered you a good friend. I mean, you and Max were the first superheroes I ever met. And you were always a really nice guy. Goofy but… nice." Her half-smile faded. "Now… I feel like I don't even know you anymore."
Bart's eyes widened behind his mask, an incredulous expression forming on his face. "You - You don't know me… anymore?" he repeated, in shock. "What about you? You suddenly pick up your bow and the mantle of a father you barely know, after swearing off crime fighting for years, and don't tell any of us why. We don't question you but… you think you can question us? Me? You weren't here Cissie. You didn't see… you don't… know…"
"Bart, I…" Cissie's voice cracked slightly and he immediately felt like a heel. She ripped her mask off, cursing it under her breath. Something about hiding that he didn't quite catch. "I know that… things are different but… you have to understand. I – things…" She looked up at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. "They haven't gone how I planned. I never wanted this – any of it. My mother, rest her soul – this was her dream. A dream I thought had completely died with her. But… Bart, I…"
"You don't have to…" Bart shook his head, pulling back his own mask to meet her gaze. If she was going to expose herself… the least he could do was the same. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean… you don't have to say anything more. You're my friend. Always have been. Always will be." Running a hand through his hair, he shrugged. "I'm just… stressed. Everything's different now, you know?" His eyes fell to the ground, not bothering to hide the sadness in his voice. "I'm different…"
I'm the Flash.
"I know you are." Cissie placed a gentle hand on Bart's cheek, gently tugging upwards so their eyes met again. "I know. I just… wanted to know that we're still friends. That, despite it all – despite how we've changed, you and I… I don't want us to change. I care about you. I always have. I always will."
Bart felt frozen. He swallowed before nodding slowly. "We won't change Ciss. We're friends. Always have been, always will be." He wrapped his hand around hers, struck for the first time how small it seemed. How small she seemed. Hadn't she been taller than him not so long ago…?
"Good." Cissie took her hand from his face, giving his hand a quick squeeze before releasing it. "I've missed you Bart."
"I've missed you too," Bart assured her. "And, don't forget, 'Old friends [best] to trust.' Paraphrased from Francis Bacon but you get the idea. If you want to talk…"
"Same goes for me. I'm here for you Bart. I'm not leaving again." He smiled lightly and nodded. "Francis Bacon?" she questioned a moment later.
"Read a whole library once," and a sheepish shrug was all he offered in response. Real confidence inspirer that was. But it was practically second nature by now, so far ingrained into who he was he just… couldn't help it.
Cissie inclined her head slightly before standing. "It was really good to talk to you," she told him sincerely. "We should hang out again soon."
"Yeah," Bart agreed, darting in front of her to open the door for her. He stopped her just before she left and smiled down at her. "It's really good to have you back Cissie. And I don't just mean in costume."
She half-smiled back at him but there was a sadness in her eyes… something he hadn't seen before. "Thanks Bart." Her tone didn't betray her. Not like her eyes. But a moment later the mask was back on, hiding her from him.
"Anytime…" He waved as Cissie made her way down the corridor before zipping back into his room. Catching sight of the clock, he grimaced. Damn, he was late. Always late. Apparently irony was not without a sense of humor.
Posted by Caliente on :
Bart was staring down the door for what felt like a century before he finally knocked. It was only shear willpower that kept him from pacing because, at the speed he'd do it, there would be a hole in the floor in no time flat. But… he couldn't help it. Every time he came here he got nervous.
"Coming!" the voice from inside called out. He could hear a few crash-like noises and very nearly vibrated inside to see what all the commotion was about. The door swung open not a minute later, though and there, before him, stood Linda Park. "Oh Bart, it's so good to see you. Come in, please." Bart obliged and she shut the door behind him. "How have you been? I wasn't sure you'd make it today. It was getting kind of late and –"
She was cut off by another crashing noise, this time accompanied by an, "Ow!" and subsequent, "Mommieeeeeeee!!"
Before Bart could say a word (well, a word at a speed that a normal human could understand), two black haired four year olds raced into the room both crying, "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!"
They screeched to a halt when they saw Bart, identical green eyes lighting up with excitement. "Unca Bart!" they cried, both leaping at him. "What'd you bring us?" Jay asked instantly.
"Yeah, what'd you bring us?" Joan echoed.
"Nothing," Bart replied seriously.
"What'd you bring us?" they repeated in unison.
"Nothing."
"What'd you bring us?"
"Nothing."
"What'd –"
Linda lifted her children off of Bart with an apologetic smile. "Jay Barry West and Joan Iris West, if you don't stop bothering Uncle Bart right now," she started in a warning tone, "I'll –"
"It's fine Linda," Bart interrupted with a smile, producing a toy for each twin out of his pockets.
Linda shook her head before shooing them out. "Now, Uncle Bart and Mommy are going to talk for a little bit. I want you to play quietly and, if you clean up whatever it is you broke, we'll call it even. Okay?"
"Okay!" they agreed together, racing off to play.
She shook her head before returning her gaze to Bart. Looking him over carefully, Bart fought the urge to squirm under her gaze. Linda just had a way about her… "You look well," she commented finally as she took a seat at the kitchen table, gesturing for him to do the same.
"So do you," Bart replied honestly. "I watch you on the television every night."
"And I you Bart," Linda said quietly, her eyes boring holes into the table.
Bart reached out and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Linda…"
"No, no." She shook her head and forced a smile. "I'm fine. It's fine. You're doing wonderfully Bart. I couldn't be prouder. You – you never cease to amaze me."
"Thank you." They sat in silence for a long moment before Bart could even look at her again. "Linda, I –"
"Do you want something to drink?" she inquired suddenly, standing up and bustling around the kitchen. "Or eat? Running here must've taken a lot out of you and I can –"
"Linda," he interrupted. "I saw him a few days ago. On his way to work. He's never late you know."
Linda stopped cold. She looked almost… deflated. Broken. And that broke Bart's heart. "He never was," she murmured, with a shake of her head. "Never." Linda buried her face in her hands and Bart zipped to her side.
Wrapping his arms around her, he held her tightly as her small body was wracked with sobs. Bart gently stroked her hair as he tried desperately not to feel completely and utterly helpless. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "I'm so sorry…"
"No, no," Linda pushed away from him, wiping her eyes and nose as she shook her head. "Don't be Bart. Don't ever be sorry. You – sometimes I think you're all I have left. You and my parents. But even they don't… everyone thinks Wally West walked out on me. That I'm a fool. My own children don’t even know… their father is – was the Flash." She shook her head again, pulling away and grabbing a few tissues to dab her wet eyes with. "And, at the end of the day, I don't really care. I – I just miss him so much. I miss my husband. And he – he doesn't even know I'm gone." Linda took a shaky breath in as she continued wiping her eyes. "And it's better this way."
"Linda, it – I…" Bart ran a hand through his hair. Long. He needed a cut. "I wish I could… his memory… I tried but…" She already knew it all already, of course. Bart kept no secrets about Wally from the mother of his children. Of his twins. Like the ones he hadn't been able to save from Zoom all those years ago. Back during the old days. The 'impulsive' days.
"Bart, I know. It's not your fault. It's not anybody's fault. Wally West, for all intents and purposes, died that day. His shell remains but… that man isn't my husband. Isn't your predecessor. He's someone else. It's just… hard to accept. Five years and it still hurts every day. But you…" she cupped his face gently, much like Cissie had earlier, "…you do his memory justice. Even if only us few remember who was under the mask. Even… even if he doesn't even remember."
Bart nodded as he wrapped her in another tight hug, noticing just how small she really was as she clung to him. He couldn't help but whisper another, "I'm sorry," into her hair as he tried his best to comfort her. Because… he was. So very sorry.
He wasn't sure how long they stayed like that but, eventually, a little black haired head poked into the room. "Will you come play with us Unca Bart?" Jay asked quietly. "Pwease?"
Giving Linda one last squeeze, he smiled at the kid. "Sure thing J.B. Anything for my favorite twins." As he chased after Jay, he paused and glanced back at Linda. She was a strong woman. Really strong. Bart just wished he could help her more…
Shaking his head slightly, he followed his cousins. This was definitely going to take all of his energy… good thing the Fastest Man Alive had plenty.
--------------------- And there's chapter two. In case you hadn't noticed, I tried to break the chapters into four parts -- the part where Bart's with J'onn, the part with the group and Bart, Bart one on one with someone outside the League and Bart one on one with Cissie -- and I was wondering if this is a good thing or useless or not sure or whatever... yeah. If you have a comment, lemme know!
Posted by joeboy on :
arrrrrgh! why do I always start to read this when my computer is running out of battery??? top stuff though Posted by Caliente on :
Thanks!! Posted by Invisible Brainiac on :
I it! Great work.
Posted by Harbinger on :
I really like this Caliente!
J'onn Jonzz is a brilliant character to have as Barts mentor/counsellor - starting each chapter with their sessions is a good way to set a timeframe to each part.
I expected a big crisis to be announced at the JLA meeting but breathed a sigh of relief when you skipped over it to focus on Bart and Cissie's meeting - I don't trust her! And speaking of 'don't trust' I'm immediately suspicious of Wally west's memories being lost - I hope you delve more into this.
Another fantastic chapter Caliente, your characters are all individual and believeable and I'm looking forward to seeing where you take them from here.
More, more, more!!!
Posted by Caliente on :
Aww, thanks IB!!
And thanks to you too Harbinger. I don't know why, but I really love writing J'onn. I wrote him a one-shot in the JLA cartoon-verse once and ever since then... I've just love him. I kind of see him as a mentor to all of the future incarnations of the JLA, since he's been a Leaguer for so long and in so many different capacities.
No big crisises... yet. We're going for subtle here. Next chapter there will be some more hints but... well, I'm not really sure what exactly I'mma do yet so that's part of the problem.
Don't trust Cissie?? Blasphemy! Seriously, more will come out about what's happened to her and... stuff. Yeah. Stuff.
As for Wally, well... we'll find out WHY he lost his memories but... well, don't hold out too much hope on that front 'cause... yeah. Wally is my all-time favorite superhero but... even I can't always save him.
to anyone and everyone who's reading!
[ August 07, 2005, 04:21 PM: Message edited by: Caliente ]
Posted by Caliente on :
Okay, I'm not really happy with this chapter (yet) but... I was thinking some feedback might help! Maybe. I dunno. It just doesn't have the right flow or something... suggestions are, as always, more than welcome.
Anyway, here we goooo....
Chapter 3: Broken
What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.
"Ralph Waldo Emerson."
J'onn smiled patiently. "That's not what I asked of you Flash. Please focus on the exercise at hand. I want you to open your mind and consider what I have said. Not where it comes from or what it means for the man who said it or literary interpreters but what it means to you. What do you get out of it?"
"Yeah… I know…" Flash sighed. He knew all right, but he didn't particularly want to do what J'onn was asking. He'd read a whole library, he knew a lot of facts… but knowing what things meant to him, well that was a different story entirely.
What lay behind him… that's what made him who he was today. And what lay before him… well, part of it was what lay behind him, in a way too… Time travel, go figure. And what lay within him? What made him who he was? Was it the past that built him or the future where his life was heading or… futures he'd seen that never came to be? A future where the Titans lorded over half the United States or a future where his cousin was a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes or a future where he was nowhere to be found at all.
His friends had been with him through all of that. They'd seen what would happen if they ever broke up. They'd seen the 31st century, where Bart was born and the Legion were the champions. They'd seen a glimpse of what could've come during the War… They'd seen it all. Together. And they were still together now. He knew them. Trusted them. And he knew he could go to them but… it wasn't enough. He couldn't talk to them. Any of them. Not really.
None of them talked about the old days very much anymore.
The future is fluid. This isn't… what's going to happen.†
Drake always was the smart one. Flash knew facts but Drake… Tim… he could put it all together. "…I guess it just makes me wonder what's within me. So many pieces are different, so much has changed… it makes me wonder what the future holds. The, er, near future… not the one where I was born. Uh… yeah." He shrugged awkwardly.
J'onn's patient smile never faltered. "Good. I believe that is enough for us to consider for one day. Until our next appointment Flash."
Relief flooded Flash's face and he hopped up. "Sounds good Johnny," he told the Martian with a friendly wave. "Later!" And, before the Martian's brain could even register it, he was gone leaving only a few fluttering papers in his wake.
J'onn frowned slightly as he gazed at the spot where the Flash had disappeared from. Bart Allen was a good person with a good heart… but J'onn was worried. These were tough times… different than before. And he kept so much inside… much like Wally, in a way. Wally. Hmm, perhaps it was time Detective John Jones made a visit to the Keystone Police Department…
†Teen Titans (vol. 3) #17
Posted by Caliente on :
"Hey guys," Bart greeted as he came to a stop in the monitor room. Heading for the group comprised of Conner, Tim and Cassie, he addressed the last one curiously. "Cass, what's that?"
"Our wedding album," Cassie replied with a not-so-secretive smile aimed at Conner. "Our anniversary is coming up next week and I was feeling kind of sentimental, so I pulled it out of storage. The boys and I were just looking it over."
The looks on the two men's faces told Bart to run. Fast. But he had a soft spot for pictures… and the memories they managed to protect. Even when everything else was gone… you still had that single moment in time. Saved for all eternity. "Yeah? Am I in any?" He smiled and waggled his eyebrows at her. A glimmer of his inner-Impulse. Bart hardly ever let him out these days. He didn't… fit, anymore.
"Of course!" Cassie's smile grew wider as she tilted the albums so Bart could see. Probably because she had a willing victim… participant… whatever. "You were a groomsman, after all." Flipping back toward the front of the album with not quite enough care for Bart's taste, she pointed to a picture of the whole bridal party.
There he was. Smiling as if… As if things were okay. As if he was happy. As if life was actually good. Maybe… it had been back then. In that moment.
His eyes trailed to Mia, who was standing next to him, and then to Tim, the best man. The two had their arms linked and Tim was patting Conner on the shoulder with his free hand, a happy look on his face. Tim hadn't been faking. He really was happy. And Mia. Mia looked so healthy… it was hard to remember days when she didn't look sickly and frail.
Continuing upwards, his gaze rested on the couple of the moment. Conner and Cassie both looked so… beautiful. It was the only word he could think of; even though he was relatively sure Conner would sock him if he heard it. (A thought that was all too tempting to let go of.) Especially nowadays, when it was hard to believe the Justice League's Superman had ever been that happy…
His gaze continued to Donna, the maid of honor, and Gar. The green boy stood out everywhere, not only for the color of his skin, but his bright smile. And Donna… she positively glowed. It was uncanny. Like she was as much a Goddess as Diana had become. Actually, he supposed, in some ways she kind of was. But Donna and the Titans of Myth always made his head hurt.
Next to them were Natasha Irons and Freddy Freeman. Steel and CM3. Bart didn't know either of them particularly well, but they too had happy smiles on their faces. Even if Freddy's was a bit on the nervous side… but, then, his crush on Cassie hadn't exactly been a secret.
Taking a look at the picture as a whole again, he was surprised he hadn't noticed Raven the first time around. She always did have this way of fading into the background. Still, she was standing next to him… smiling softly in a very… Raven way. Happy and sad all at once. Always the paradox. Some days, he thought the only one that she'd ever truly let in was Gar… and look where that had gotten them.
Bart smiled at Cassie, his observations barely taking a beat. "You looked beautiful," he told her sincerely. Glancing at Conner, he smirked. "You to Con."
Conner glared at him. "Why you little –"
"Calm down honey," Cassie soothed with a smile much like one a mother gave a child throwing a temper tantrum. "He was only teasing." Glancing at the photo and then her husband, her grin turned slightly evil. "You do though."
"I think it's the hair," Bart commented thoughtfully, darting to different places to look at the various angles for both comedic effect and safety. The man had laser vision, after all.
"I was thinking lighting," Tim tossed in, an equally serious expression on his face.
Conner groaned. "E tu Tim?" He shook his head. "I get no respect. Clark got respect! Why don't I get respect?"
"The truth?" Tim asked rhetorically. "It's the hair." He nodded seriously. "It's just too pretty for us to take seriously."
"Har-de-har-har," Conner grumbled. "Can we change the subject now?"
"From what?" a new voice asked. The foursome turned to see Cissie entering the room in her Green Arrow garb, hood up and all. Suddenly Bart was struck with déjà vu. It was almost like seeing Mia, except in green instead of red and yellow. Uncanny.
And more than a bit unnerving. "From Conner's beautiful hair," Bart replied before thinking. Cissie's confused look made him cringe slightly. Whoops.
"Hey…" Cassie looked at the boys, then Cissie, a slightly awed half-smile on her face. "I think this is the first time we've been together up here, just the five of us."
"The original Young Justice," Tim murmured with a thoughtful nod.
"Too bad Greta's not here," Cissie commented off-hand.
A slight shiver ran down Bart's spine but he ignored it. "Talk about a prophetic team name…" He smiled lightly as he looked around the Watchtower. "Guess the media got it right." His gaze fell to his friends.
"Heh. Who'd've thunk it?" Con murmured with a nod. "Guess they had to get one."
Cassie's grin grew wider. "Guys, don't you get it? We're so much more now. We're the Justice League."
"We're the world's heroes. We're…" Tim paused slightly, "…legends."
Bart's expression turned a bit more somber. "Yeah, how cool is that?"
"Pretty damn cool," Conner agreed with a lopsided grin.
There was a long pause before Cissie whispered to Bart, "Can Superman say 'damn'?"
He shrugged lightly but the moment was broken. Super-hearing. "Come on hon," Cassie said as she picked up her photo album and dragged her husband away with her, "we've got to be at the embassy in less than an hour. See you guys later!"
"I should head back to the lab," Tim added. "I need to do some forensic analyses."
Posted by Caliente on :
With an apologetic wave to Cissie, Bart zipped after Tim. "Hey Tim, wait up," he called to his friend, arriving at his side less than a moment later. Speaking of heroes and legends… they needed to talk. "Got a minute?"
"Sure Bart," Tim replied easily, though his demeanor also changed. He was obviously ready to rise to defense if necessary. "Walk with me?"
It was a mostly rhetorical question, since they were already walking, but Bart nodded anyway. "I'm worried about Linda," he told Tim bluntly. "I want to help her out but –"
"You're not Wally," Tim finished with a thoughtful nod.
Before… a comment like that would have bothered him. A lot. Now, though… now it didn't seem so important. Not after… everything.
Of course, the times still hadn't changed the fact that Tim was always at least one step ahead of everyone. "One day," Bart muttered, shaking his head, "I'm going to figure out how to finish my own sentences when you're around. Fastest man alive, after all."
And that thought sobered his mood again. It wasn't a role he'd wanted like this… And, if he really was the fastest man alive, why… why wasn't he fast enough to fix this? "I can't…" Bart swallowed. "Tim, I can give Linda money, family and my time but… not Wally. I – I can't fix it. I want to but I… can't."
"You've tried everything you could think of," Tim reassured him, patting his shoulder. "Science, magicians, even the Spectre –"
"Yeah and wasn't Greta happy to see me," Bart muttered under his breath.
"– everything," Tim finished as if he'd never been interrupted in the first place. "No one would expect more from you. Good men have done less with more of a reason."
Bart looked Tim straight in the eyes. "That's the thing. We didn't try… everything," he said quietly. "Tim, I –"
"No." His tone brokered no room for argument, clearly something he had learned from Bruce.
Bart didn't care. This was too important. "But –"
"No." Tim's jaw clenched slightly and the vein over his right eye seemed to pop out slightly.
He still didn't care. He had to do this. For Linda. For Jay and Joan. For Wally. "Tim, please!"
Tim's face softened slightly. A sign that he wasn't Bruce. And thank God for that. One was more than enough. "Bart," his voice weighed heavily with the seriousness of their conversation, "we don't even know if it would work. And, despite our arrangement, al Ghul is not to be trusted."
"You say that now," Bart cried, shaking his head, "but when Mia –"
"But nothing," Tim cut him off. Anger and annoyance were evident in his voice, as was the tinge of sadness. "Talia is not her father, true, but in many ways she's far more dangerous. You should know that just as well as I do."
That tone. Bart hated that tone. The all-knowing tone. And the look Tim was giving him… it conveyed his meaning fully. But Bart couldn't let go. Not this time. The Lazarus Pits could work. And he had to try everything… he had to. "Tim…" Bart's voice cracked slightly as he pleaded with one of his closest friends in the world, "…please…"
"I'm sorry Bart," Tim apologized, his own face filled with grief. And, in his defense, he did sound sorry. Whether it was for Wally or Mia, Bart wasn't certain. In the end, it didn't really matter.
Face becoming hard with anger, Bart nodded curtly. "Fine. Tell that to his wife. To his children who'll never know him," he gritted out through clenched teeth. "Tell that to Barry and Iris's memories. Tell that to everyone who remembers the hero the Flash was…" His head dropped. "The hero that I'm not. You tell them. I can't anymore."
"Bart –" Tim tried but his friend was already gone. Just like a flash.
Posted by Caliente on :
"Hey Bart!"
Cissie's voice pulled Bart from the heavy thoughts that had been weighing on his mind for what felt like a lifetime. "Oh, hey Ciss," he greeted her with a half-hearted smile from his position against the counter, munching on some of J'onn's Oreo cookies. "What's new?"
"Nothing…" Cissie peered closely at him, "but I think I should be asking you that, not the other way around." She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "What's up Bart?"
Bart's eyes rested on her hand for a moment before he blinked and woke himself up. Meeting her gaze evenly, he shrugged lightly. "Huh? Oh… nothing."
Cissie frowned slightly. "C'mon Bart… I thought we were going to talk to each other." It took Bart a moment to realize it. She didn't sound annoyed or angry… no, she sounded hurt. Hurt because of him? That… bothered him. A lot. "Talk to me." Her eyes pleaded with him. "Please."
Swallowing, he shook his head slightly. "Earlier…" he paused for the briefest instant. No. "Earlier," Bart started again, this time with more conviction, "when Cassie pulled out the photo album, I remembered something." Damn, he felt like such a heel. But… he just couldn't talk about Wally with her. He… couldn't. Not with her. "You were at the wedding, right?" Cissie nodded slowly, obviously aware of where this conversation was heading. "So, then why –"
"Why didn't you see me in any of the pictures?" she finished simply. It was Bart's turn to nod. "I – Did you know Cassie asked me to be her Maid of Honor?" Cissie smiled faintly. "I was so happy, I almost cried. But… I had to turn her down. I –" Cissie bit her lip, obviously torn. "I couldn't… I can't…"
Bart didn't need to see behind her mask to know her eyes were watering as she shook her head. "No. No. I'm sorry Bart." Her head shakes became more violent and her shoulders shuddered. "I can't. I'm so sorry. I…" Her tears spilled through her mask and down her cheeks and, with a final headshake, she buried her head in her hands.
"Shh," he soothed, wrapping her in a tight hug and gently rubbing her back. She clung to him like a lifeline, so small and… helpless. He'd never thought of Cissie as helpless before. It tugged at his heart. "It's okay," he whispered into her hair. "We – we don't have to talk." Nobody talks about the old days anymore. It hurt. Just to think it. "Hey, why don't you let me treat you to the new Dakota Fanning flick? I'll even buy the popcorn…"
Choking out a laugh, Bart could feel her nod against his chest. "Only if it's caramel covered."
Heh. Now there was the Cissie he remembered. "Of course!" he assured her with another squeeze. "Anything you want."
"O-okay. Just," she sniffed, wiping her eyes, "let me change into civvies and wash my face." Even though she said it, Cissie made no moves to leave.
"Sure." Bart didn't make any moves to leave either. He just sort of… held her. It'd felt right and… wrong all at once. The sound of footsteps broke the moment, though, and he finally, albeit reluctantly, moved away. "I'll meet you at the teleporter in twenty."
"Yeah," she wiped the side of her face with her sleeve, "see you in twenty."
As she turned and started to leave, Bart stared after her for a long moment. What had that been all about anyway? Trying to shrug it off as best he could, he raced back toward his quarters. Best not to dwell on the past. It only reminded him of the ghosts he was trying to leave behind.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
You made my afternoon!!![[Wink]](wink.gif)
It should tie-in but I can make no promises, since I'm not really sure how everything will end up. I decided to write this story without plotting it first (something I usually do in VERY ANAL detail) so... yeah. We'll see.![[Love]](graemlins/love.gif)
![[Hug]](graemlins/hug.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Even though this first chapter doesn't show it, this is definitely a story about Bart. He's the protagonist because he's the link that ties all the pieces together... or so goes the theory, anyway.
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Seriously, more will come out about what's happened to her and... stuff. Yeah. Stuff.![[Frown]](frown.gif)