#bathawk

Here are some in class doodles I did while not paying attention

And some close ups

Don't worry about dick he just flew into a window like an idiot. Well not really an idiot because he can't see glass because he's half bird

BatHawk and Bestia au Dick are my own creations and I love them so much

This designs for Catboy Jason was made by @bunnvoid

And Thorne is Thorne aka @ragingbookdragon

"No," Shayera breathed. "Contrary to what you may have heard, I did not hate Issi." Shayera looked up at the younger hawk. "I may not have liked her; but I didn't hate her."

"What are you going to do with it?" Chey-Ara motioned to the helmet in Shayera's hands.

"Trash it. Unless, you want it," she held it out to Chey-Ara.

"No, thank you."

"I heard you moved in with J'ohnn," Shayera said, changing subjects.

"Yes," Chey-Ara's eyes brightened. "He took me to this…mall. He bought me clothes and a bed. He's helping me with my alias."

"Have you picked a name?" Shayera asked in interest.

"Kendra. Kendra Saunders. Kendra was my mom's name, and Saunders is the name of this small store near J'ohnn's house. I think Kendra Saunders has a nice ring to it." Shayera smiled. "What are you going to do now?" Chey-Ara asked.

"I don't know," Shayera answered honestly after a moment.

"Maybe you can stay with your mate."

"My mate?" Shayera echoed.

Chey-Ara nodded. "The guy wearing all black with the triangles on his head."

Shayera threw her head back and laughed. "They're ears," Shayera explained with a smile.

"Well, whatever they are, they're on their way here," Chey-Ara pointed out.

Shayera turned to see Batman making his way towards them. The crowd of superheroes seemed to part for him. "Shayera," he said. He turned to the other Thanagarian and greeted her. "Chey-Ara."

Chey-Ara continued to stare at Batman's cowl. "Do you hear out of those?" Chey-Ara pointed to the pointy tips of Batman's cowl.

To say Batman was taken off guard at the candor by which he was being addressed was an understatement. He wasn't offended; he was just shocked. Other leaguers were usually afraid to sneeze in his presence.

"I'll explain later," Shayera said to Chey-Ara in Thanagarian. Chey-Ara shrugged.

"The founding members are debriefing," Batman said to Shayera.

"I'm no longer a founding member," Shayera replied. Batman said nothing. He turned and walked away. "He wants me to follow him," Shayera said as she handed Issi's helmet to Chey-Ara.

"How do you know?" Chey-Ara asked in awe.

"I just do," Shayera said. "I'll catch up with you later."

Shayera sat at the table with the rest of the founding members as they began to debrief hours after the invasion. "Katar said he would deal with General Trogaar," Shayera finished as she recounted her fight with Issi.

"Do you trust him?" Superman asked.

"I don't think there's anything he can do," Shayera said instead of answering.

"The Lantern Corps will deal with Trogaar," Green Lantern said sternly. "I'll get on it as soon as we're finished here."

"J'ohnn," Shayera turned to the Martian, "thank you for pretending to be him."

"I didn't think it would work," Flash stated lightly.

"I know," J'ohnn said to the speedster. "It was the only thought on your mind the entire time we were discussing it."

Shayera smiled.

"Reports are coming in from all over the world," Superman said. "Not as many human casualties as before, but still…"

"Are world governments calling for Shayera's head?" Flash asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Superman answered, "but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"Are we going to serve her up on a silver platter again?" Flash asked crossly.

"Barry," Wonder Woman chastised.

"It's a fair question," Flash held his hands up.

"No, Flash," Superman answered, "we aren't going to serve Shayera up on a silver platter."

"Just checking," Flash looked over at Shayera. Shayera gave him a grateful smile.

"I'm needed in Gotham," Batman said, "are we done?"

"We are – "

"Wait," Flash stood to his feet. "You said we'd discuss it later. This is late."

"Flash?" Shayera said warningly.

"It's a yes from me," Batman spoke up. Everyone turned to look the caped crusader.

"He didn't even ask a question," Superman said.

"Actually," Flash said slowly, "I was going to bring up Shayera's reinstatement, so…yeah."

"Well," Superman said, "now is as good a time as any."

"No, guys," Shayera said uneasily, "this can wait. We're all tired and –"

"I vote yes," Green Lantern interrupted.

"John –"

"I agree," Wonder Woman said. "I think you've more than earned your place with us," she said kindly.

"B-but –"

"It's a yes from me," J'ohnn said. Shayera opened her mouth to retort, but Superman said, "And it's a yes from me."

"Guys," Shayera tried again.

"Congratulations, Shayera," Superman said. "Welcome back to the Justice League."

Emotions began creeping into her chest. "Guys," she whispered, "I don't know if…if this is what I want." Everyone but Batman looked at her in shock. "Don't get me wrong," Shayera became suddenly nervous, "I love fighting crime and helping people and – "

"Shayera," Superman smiled at her kindly, "we understand. Just know, should you ever want to return, we will welcome you with open arms."

Shayera smiled as tears gathered in her eyes. "Thank you," she smiled.

"What now?" Shayera asked Batman as they made their way to the teleporter.

"Several inmates have escaped from Arkham," Batman replied. "We need to round them up."

"And then?" Shayera asked.

"Then…you let me take you on a date."

(a few days later)

Shayera's eyes fluttered open. Slowly removing the muscular, tanned arm from around her waist, she rolled to the edge of the bed and blindly searched for an article of clothing. Finding a silky dress shirt, she picked it up and slowly began to dress. As she was buttoning the fine shirt, she jumped when she felt an arm snake around her waist. "Bruce," she breathed feeling his lips on her neck.

"Sneaking away so soon?" he pulled her into his hard body.

"I wasn't sneaking away," Shayera blushed.

"Enough of me already?" Bruce gently bit her ear lobe.

"No," Shayera gasped as tried not to melt into the heat of Bruce's body. "I'm just trying to hmph." Bruce tilted Shayera's head back and connected their lips. Shayera sighed as she relaxed into Bruce's body allowing him to deepen the kiss. "Bruce," she chuckled and squirmed as his hands began to wander over and underneath the shirt. "How are you not tired?" she asked breathlessly. "You were patrolling until 2 a.m. Then you came back and we…we…."

"We…?" Bruce smiled, maneuvering Shayera onto her back. "We…what did we do?" he chuckled deeply as he stretched his naked body over hers. Shayera continued to blush as she remembered exactly what had taken place in that bed hours earlier. She wasn't completely ignorant on the subject of sex per se. As a member of the ruling family on Thanagar, she was taught that sex was a means to an end – that end being a child or two. Sex as an intimate act between two people who cared deeply for each other was a foreign concept. Shayera's blush deepened as she remembered Bruce showing her all of the different ways to have…intimacy. They'd barely left the bed the last few days. "You just can't stop blushing," Bruce smiled as he began to unbutton the shirt she was wearing. "Blush any harder, you may rupture a blood vessel."

"Shut up," Shayera playfully hit him before rolling out from underneath him.

"Early morning flight?" Bruce asked, rolling onto his back. He placed his hands on the back of his head, laying stretched out in all of his naked glory.

"Early morning flight," Shayera said, grabbing exercise clothes.

"Stay safe," Bruce said.

"Always," Shayera smirked at him.

"I'll be here, waiting," he gave her a heated look.

"I know," she blushed once more.

After grabbing her mace from the batcave, Shayera changed into her new uniform and attached her wings to her back. She then took off from a secret entrance. Flying high above Gotham, she flew to her newfound favorite spot several miles away. It was a hilly region, several miles away from civilization. Sitting atop one of the hills, Shayera thought back on her life. She thought about her life, her now temporary status as a Leaguer, her new relationship with Bruce. She smiled with realization. She didn't need to have it all figured out. She had Bruce; she had her wings; she was content. Would she ever rejoin the League? She didn't know, but that decision could wait. For now, she was just going to enjoy soaring.

Stretching her wings, she took off once more. Shayera laughed as she flew over the ocean, staring at the dolphins and whales beneath the surface. She closed her eyes and simply enjoyed being.

The sun had begun to rise when she began her flight back to the manor. She soared through the air, basking in the morning sun's rays. She took notice of the mother birds feeding their young while others kicked their young out the nest…literally. As she flew through cities and towns, she listened as a few spectators pointed at her asking, "Is that Hawkgirl? Is she back?" Shayera smiled at their questions. Am I back? She wondered briefly, then decided. Yes, I am back. And it felt oh so good.

Shayera stood on the balcony, staring up at the early morning sky. Clark and Diana had just left. Now, she was in Bruce's bedroom – well, her bedroom for now. "How was your talk with Diana?" she heard from behind her. She turned to face Bruce. "Clark and I didn't hear the sound of objects being thrown and broken," he stood beside her. "Didn't hear any shouting."

Shayera smiled. "No shouting, no fighting of any kind. I learned something about you." Bruce raised a questioning brow. "You voted for me to stay," she said.

"Oh," was all Bruce said.

"Thank you."

"Not sure why you're thanking me. Flash voted for you to stay, too."

"My feelings for Flash aren't the same feelings I have for you," Shayera blushed.

"And how do you feel for me?" he smirked.

"Bruce," she sighed exasperatedly. Bruce chuckled as he yanked her into his body. "Woah," Shayera gasped, bracing herself on Bruce's chest.

"We were interrupted," he smiled small.

"Were we?" Shayera blushed. "I don't remember what we were doing."

"Really?" he smirked.

"Remind me?" she asked breathlessly.

Bruce quickly responded, bringing their lips together in a heated, passionate kiss. Pulling apart, Bruce asked playfully, "Does that jog your memory?"

"A little," Shayera chuckled. Standing on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around Bruce's neck and pressed her body into his. "I think my memory needs a little more refreshing." Bruce only smiled before lowering his head once more.

"One minute until impact, Lieutenant," the pilot said to Issi.

"Good," Issi snarled.

"Are you sure you'll be able to kill your own sister?" Katar asked, coming to stand behind her.

"Will you be able to kill the woman your heart desires?" Issi shot back.

"Your sister and my relationship was platonic at best."

"But you'd rather be married to her than me," Issi glared at him through her war mask. Katar said nothing. "Why don't you worry about taking down Earth's Man of Steel?" Issi said.

"Are you certain this Lex Luthor is trustworthy?" Katar asked, staring down at his mace lined with kryptonite.

"No," Issi said with a scoff. "He is very untrustworthy, but I was his jailer last time we were on Earth. All he talked about was how much he hated Superman and all of the different ways he was planning on killing Superman."

"All stop in 3…2…1," the pilot said, all ships coming to an abrupt halt. "Earth up ahead."

Issi straightened her gold gauntlets. She gave her husband a wry smile before kissing the underside of his jaw. "Let's go kill my sister."

Carter, or Hawkman, walked the halls of the Watchtower, whistling a merry tune – swinging his mace. He loved it up here. Being that he was big into astrology and astronomy, looking out the windows at the stars was his favorite pastime. Sometimes, he felt so close enough to touch them. A gaggle of chatting superheroines walked past him. Of course, the stars weren't the only view-worthy things in the Watchtower. One of the female leaguers, green from head to toe, turned and gave him a sultry wink before walking away with a flirtatious sway to her hips. Oh yeah, I could get used to this, he thought. Carter turned to look out a nearby window, his superior eyesight homing in on a flying object. Crap! He flew to the monitor room. Instead of the Martian, Booster Gold stood at the helm. "We need to alert Superman!" Hawkman yelled. "They're here! Thanagarians are here!"

Shayera sat on the edge of the bed, adjusting Bruce's shirt on her body. A small smile rested on her face. She was in a much better headspace and resolved not to freak out. A hand sneaked its way around her waist, and she was pulled into a firm chest. Shayera felt lips on the back of her neck. "You okay?" Bruce asked as his fingers caressed her waist and thighs. "How's your back?"

"It's fine, Bruce," Shayera reassured her as she attempted to stop Bruce's wandering hands. Shayera shuddered as Bruce began massaging her back. "Oh, wow," she gasped, "that feels so good. Thank you." Bruce only hmphed in response and dug his fingers in deeper. "Bruce," Shayera pulled away and turned to him. "Thank you," she said. "I can never thank you enough."

"You've thanked me many, many times, Shayera," Bruce said.

"Bruce," Shayera sighed at him.

"You're welcome," he gave her a small nod.

"So now what?" she asked.

"What do you mean?" Bruce continued the massage. "We prepare for the Thanagarians. We succeed. I take you out on a date."

Shayera smiled at that. "If we're to – " Shayera's voice broke. The hair on her arms stood up. She turned her head towards the sky. The hair on her arms stood up. She could sense them. Shayera stood to her feet and slowly made her way to the balcony, looking up at the sky. Lights resembling stars began to appear. Bruce stood next to her. "Bruce," Shayera breathed out.

"Those aren't shooting stars, are they?" he asked as he followed her gaze.

"No. They're here." As soon as the words left her lips, all hell broke loose.

She turned back to him. J'ohnn motioned for her to follow him upstairs. Reaching the second floor, she looked around with interest. There were four bedrooms, each sporting one full-sized bed and one dresser. "Why do you have such a big house?" Chey-Ara asked. "You live alone."

J'ohnn shrugged his shoulders. "It was the only house available at the time," he stated calmly.

"I would like to live here," Chey-Ara stated firmly. "With you. Not alone. Not because I'm scared, but because I am new to this planet." She crossed her arms.

J'ohnn gave her a subtle smile. "Of course," he said. "We can move your things here – "

"I don't have things," Chey-Ara said. "The clothes the League provided me, along with the ones I came to Earth wearing, are all I have. The knives you personally confiscated are also mine," Chey-Ara fixed J'ohnn with a hard stare. "But that is all I possess…and Coco cookies."

"Well," J'ohnn placed his arms behind his back, "I believe the next logical step is for me to take you shopping.

"Shaw-ping? What?" Chey-Ara was very confused.

"And if you intend to stay on Earth, you will need an identity – a new name. What would you like to be called?"

"I don't know," she frowned.

"Well, I'm sure you'll think of something. For now, let's make a list of things you'll need."

Shayera rotated the two, thin long swords in her hand before facing her opponent. "Are you sure you don't want me to use the practice ones?"

"You need to get used to using these weapons. They're lighter than your mace."

"They will snap in half once they come into contact with Thanagarian weapons."

"No, they won't," Bruce said, gripping his bo-staff with two hands. "Clark forged them from metals found on his planet. They won't break."

"You asked him to do that…for me?"

"You always look surprised whenever someone, mainly me, does something nice for you."

"I am just used to earning everything," Shayera explained. "I have never had anything given to me out of kindness."

"You need to get used to it," Bruce said as the two began to circle each other. "You're dating a billionaire. Depending on the day, I may drown you in gifts."

"Are we dating?" Shayera asked. "I was not aware," she smirked.

"Now you are," Bruce replied.

All humor left Shayera's face. "I do not want to hurt you," Shayera said, holding up her two weapons.

"You won't hurt me. I trust you."

"Are you sure?" Shayera wanted clarification.

"Yes, now let's begin."

Shayera charged at Bruce, who easily dodged her attack. He rolled underneath her before swiping her legs with a bo-staff. "Ugh!" Shayera landed on her back.

"I have never seen you move so slow," Bruce stated smugly.

Shayera rolled to her feet. "It is the wings," she said. "They are hindering me." Concern marred her features. "What if I cannot get used to them?" she asked Bruce.

"Maybe it's a mental thing," Bruce said, attacking first. Shayera successfully blocked his first punch and at least 80% of the other combination attacks he threw at her. Unfortunately, not even one of her swipes, strikes, or kicks landed. He dodged, blocked, evaded, parried. She felt faulty, and the wings felt heavy and awkward. Flying through large hoops was easy, but fighting was a different story. She felt slow, defective, and tired.

The fight came to an end when Bruce's bo made contact with her leg, then upper arm, which he followed with a spinning kick to her face. Shayera's head hit the mat hard, bouncing a few times. She glared at Bruce from the floor, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "Your guard was down," Bruce smirked.

"You are lucky I no longer have a helmet. Your foot would be broken," she motioned to Bruce's bare feet as she stood to her feet. A giant, red mark covered the side of her face. She brought her swords up once more.

"Maybe we should stop," Bruce suggested. "You only just completed the obstacle course."

"Don't get soft on me," Shayera pointed a sword at him.

"Fine," Bruce didn't argue. This is what she wanted. They lunged for each other at the same time, with Bruce easily gaining the upper hand. Seconds later, he had Shayera in an easy arm bar. She fought to get out of it, but with her wings flapping out of sync with each other, tapping out was her only choice. Bruce released her, and she screamed into her hands in frustration. "Let's try something else," Bruce suggested. He sat cross-legged on the mat and motioned for Shayera to do the same. She sat across from him, mimicking his position. "Close your eyes," Bruce ordered gently.

"Is this some type of yoga thing?" Shayera asked skeptically as she obeyed.

"No," Bruce scoffed. "Something I learned while training at a hidden monastery in the Himalayas."

"The Himalayas?" Shayera asked. "You traveled a lot."

"Yes. I- "

"Did you make it to the top of Everest?"

"I wasn't there to climb- "

"Wait. There's a hidden monastery in the Himalayas? Do you know how many times I flew- "

"Are you going to keep interrupting me or can I continue?"

"Sorry," Shayera apologized bashfully.

"As I was saying. I think the problem is you. You're fighting your wings."

"What?"

"Through my many conversations with Carter, in which he did all of the talking, I learned some things about Thanagarians."

"Like what?"

"Well…you guys don't lay eggs, contrary to popular belief," Bruce said with a smirk.

"Seriously?" Shayera said, "People really think we lay eggs?"

"Since you are bird-people, people assume you lay eggs."

"Humans call us 'bird-people' and hawks. Everybody else calls us Thanagarians because that is what we are."

"Back to what I was saying - for the wings to work, you have to form an emotional connection."

Shayera immediately burst out laughing. Bruce raised an eyebrow, not that she could see. "Oh, you were serious," Shayera said when Bruce didn't respond.

"Yes. Sit up straight. Breathe deeply. Answer my questions. First thing that comes to mind. What do you like most about flying?"

Shayera sighed. We're really doing this. "The freedom it brings. The feeling of weightlessness. The wind in my face as I soar through the air," Shayera answered honestly with a smile. "I also enjoy looking down on everyone else. I feel…powerful."

"What do you like most about your wings?"

"They are white and soft and fluffy. My favorite thing to do is curl up in a ball and wrap my wings around myself," she finished enthusiastically.

"Hmm…Imagine yourself soaring. Imagine yourself wrapped in the safety of your wings. Imagine all of the things you just told me." Shayera again listened. "Breathe into your memories. Dive into them. Allow them to surround you." Shayera did. She relived every flying moment that brought her joy; Bruce's soothing voice helped. After a few minutes, he asked, "Are you okay? You relaxed?"

"Yes."

"Good. I want you to remember that I am right here with you. You are safe with me," Bruce emphasized.

"Okay, yeah."

"Good. So…are you soaring, or are you wrapped in a ball?"

"Soaring," Shayera answered immediately.

"I want you to imagine yourself soaring through the clouds when suddenly…your wings are torn off your back," Bruce finished quickly.

"Bruce!" Shayera shouted in horror. She was not going to do that.

"Trust me, Shayera!" she felt Bruce grab her hands. "Just do it."

"We've already had this conversation!" Shayera retorted. Her breathing became shallow as her mind brought her back to that wretched day.

"Shayera- "

"Why do you want me to relive this?" Shayera almost cried as she began to panic.

"Shayera," Bruce said her name firmly. "Trust me." Shayera felt Bruce caress the palms of her hand with his thumbs, trying to calm her. "You're strong, and you're safe here."

Shayera's panicky breathing returned to normal. "Okay," she whispered.

Bruce interlocked their fingers (something he never thought he would ever do with anyone). "You were soaring," he continued. "Your wings were just torn off your back. What's the first thing you do?"

"I start screaming…and – and – and flailing."

"What are you feeling?"

"Fear…p-pain." She saw herself on the ground, screaming in pain. Inconsolable. "Alone," she paused. "D-death," she breathed out as she felt Bruce gently kiss her knuckles. "And then darkness."

"What's the one thing you would wish for in that moment?"

"My wings," Shayera said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Okay," Bruce intertwined their fingers again. "Your wings are back. You are now standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to test your new wings. Can you see it?" Shayera felt Bruce's fingers slowly slip from hers.

"Yes," she answered.

"You want to leap. You prepare to leap. But something is stopping you? What is it? The first thing that comes to mind," Bruce ordered.

"I – I – I am scared," Shayera admitted.

"Why?"

"I don't want to lose my wings again," she admitted. "It hurt so much the first time around. I…I cannot go through that again." She felt Bruce gently wipe tears from her eyes, which were still closed. She felt weird…different. "How do you feel?" Bruce asked.

"Weightless," she answered immediately.

"Shayera, open your eyes." She slowly blinked her eyes open, adjusting to the bright lights of the gym. Her legs were still crossed, and she was face-to-face, eye-to-eye with Bruce. Only, Bruce was standing on his two feet. If he was standing and her legs were still crossed, but she was at eye level with Bruce, that must mean – Shayera gasped as she looked down. She was floating, and she wasn't even trying. It was as if her real wings were…there. "How – how – " she looked at Bruce.

"This is all you," he said with a smile.

"How did you – "

"Something I learned at the monastery."

Shayera immediately wrapped Bruce in a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Shayera," Bruce said in a strained voice, "you're still slightly stronger than me. You're crushing me."

"Sorry," Shayera said, quickly pushing him away. She landed gracefully on the floor.

"Want to have another go at sparring?" Bruce asked.

"You're going down," Shayera said, flying to the center of the mat.

"We'll see," Bruce followed.

Batman warched as Shayera allowed the young hawk to recover and attack. She could have easily ended the fight just now, he thought. A moment later, the fight ended when Shayera placed her opponent in a chokehold. "You go Shay," Flash cheered loudly. Shayera then slowly released Chey-Ara instead of delivering a final blow. "That's it? That's all we get?" Flash asked.

"You are so immature," Green Lantern murmured.

"What are they doing now?" Flash asked incredulously. "Are they seriously having a conversation? They do know we're 20 feet away, right?"

"Let them talk, Barry," J'ohnn said.

A few moments later, Flash asked Green Lantern, "Do you know what they're saying?"

"No," Green Lantern answered back.

"Can't you use your ring to translate?"

"I can. But I won't."

"Why?"

"Flash," Wonder Woman said in annoyance, "if they wanted us to know what they were saying, they would speak English."

"You guys do know that us standing here while they debate… or whatever is very, very weird."

"Shut up, Flash," Wonder Woman and Green Lantern growled at the same time.

Batman continued to watch the two hawks. He saw Shayera motion their away a couple of times. Then she started sneaking glances at them…or him? Interesting. A moment later, the two were shaking hands and walking to rejoin the group.

"You guys stood here and just stared at us the entire time?" Shayera asked with a raised brow.

"What else were we supposed to do?" Flash asked with a grin.

"I trust everything has been sorted," Batman said in a monotone voice, looking between the two Thanagarians. Chey-Ara glanced at Batman before covering a smile with her hand. "Yes, everything is okay," Shayera said, "Chey-Ara will help us."

"Just like that?" Wonder Woman folded her arms with a scowl. "Do all Thanagarians change their allegiance so easily?"

"Excuse me?" Chey-Ara glared at the Amazon. Shayera placed a hand on Chey-Ara's arm.

"It's fine, Diana," Superman gave Wonder Woman a harsh look before saying, "We'll bring the other league members up to speed later. Right now, we need to prepare for the attack."

"I already have a plan," Batman said.

"Of course, you do," Flash muttered.

Batman glared at the speedster. "I'll bring you guys up to speed later. Right now, Shayera and I need to get back," he said glancing at he comm in his hand. "Something has come up. I'm needed in Gotham ASAP."

"Anything we can help with?" Superman asked.

"No," Batman answered before turning on his heel and walking out the door. Shayera gave a small wave before following him.

"I can provide more information," Shayera heard Chey-Ara say as she and Batman walked out. Shayera only hoped Wonder Woman wouldn't attack their newest recruit.

"What's wrong?" Shayera asked Batman as they appeared in the batcave, teleporting from the Watchtower.

"Ah, Master Bruce," Alfred greeted them on the teleportation pad. "Miss Shayera."

"He is here," Batman said stiffly.

"In the gym, sir."

Batman gave a nod before saying, "Let's go, Shayera."

"What?" Shayera followed not understanding what was going on. "What is going on? Who are we meeting?"

"You'll see," Batman responded, his voice not giving anything away.

Shayera entered the training gym behind Batman and saw a male hawk standing in the gym, inspecting it closely. "This is the hawkman you were telling me about?" Shayera asked.

Carter turned. "Hey, Bats," he greeted.

"Do you have them?" Batman said.

"I do," Carter said. He placed a wide, thick briefcase on the bench and opened it. Shayera's brain didn't register what she was seeing until Carter held them up. "Here they are," he stated proudly. Something white was draped over his forearms. "For you," Carter said to Shayera, holding his arms out towards her.

Shayera moved closer to inspect the item in Carter's arms. It took her five seconds to realize what was being given to her. Her mouth dropped open in awe; she was speechless. Draped over Carter's arms were a pair of white, Thanagarian faux wings.

Shayera slowly, stiffly reached a hand out to touch them. "I hope they're okay," Carter continued. "Bats here wanted it to be a surprise, so I had to trust the measurements he gave me. I don't want to know how you were able to get the lieutenant's measurements, but I hope they turned out just right." Carter continued speaking, but Shayera didn't hear him as his voice faded into the background. She was…this was…and he was…Shayera turned to Batman. "You did this for me?" she asked him, interrupting Carter who was still talking.

"Carter made them," Batman answered, "I just umph." Batman was stopped midsentence by Shayera kissing him. Shayera was on her tiptoes kissing him. They were kissing. He and Shayera were kissing. And she had initiated it. Batman remained calm on the outside as he slowly wrapped his arms around Shayera's waist.

"Uhh," Carter shifted uncomfortably. "I'll just…I know my way out," he said, slowly backing out the gym.

Once he was gone, Shayera broke the kiss, removing Bruce's cowl. "Shayera," Bruce muttered softly.

"I'm sorry," Shayera said still standing on her tiptoes, breathing heavily. "I shouldn't have kissed you while you were still Batman, but I just – you just – and the wings – you," she didn't know what to say. So, she planted her lips on Bruce's once again, pressing her body into his. Bruce didn't know how to proceed. Any other female, they would have already been naked – or he would have had her up against a wall. But Shayera wasn't any female. He didn't want to scare or startle her. He wasn't sure how…experienced…she was with sex. Following her lead was the best course of action.

Bruce wasn't the only one having an inner monologue while kissing, Shayera was having one, too. This wasn't how she had planned to share her feelings with Bruce, but then she saw the wings. She didn't know what to do. She had never felt this happy about anything before. Her wings had been the most precious thing in her life, and Bruce had just given them back to her. Her heart was swelling with joy and a whole bunch of other mushy emotions. "Thank you," Shayera breathed out. "Thank you. I – I don't know what else to say," she felt tears gather in her eyes.

"You don't have to say anything, Shayera," Bruce said, resting his forehead against hers. He gazed into her large green eyes.

"Yes, I do," Shayera whispered, not shying away from his gaze. "I have so much to thank you for," she said as tears slowly rolled down her face. Bruce used his thumbs to wipe the tears away as she continued, "No one's ever…" her voice faded.

"I know," Bruce said stroking her cheek as gently as possible through this black, military grade gloves.

"I can't – I have nothing to give you – "

This time, Bruce interrupted her with his lips covering hers, all the while wishing he wasn't still wearing his stupid suit. "You owe me nothing," he said breathlessly as he continued kissing her senseless, sucking her lower lip, slipping his tongue in her mouth.

Shayera was drowning in feelings and sensations. She had never felt this with John. Then again, she never actually let it get this far with John. She was loyal to Katar when it came to…bedroom intimacies. "You should try them on," Bruce said, pulling his lips only a few millimeters away from hers.

"I don't want to," Shayera said as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Not now."

"It's okay," Bruce pressed a quick kiss to her lips, "we will continue this later, I promise." He kissed her hard before releasing her. "Try them on," he demanded, falling back into his Dark Knight role. "I'm gonna change." Shayera nodded, biting her lip. She had just made out with the Batman. She wanted to scream for joy, but she wouldn't because that would be weird for her. Instead she turned to the wings resting on the bench and began studying them, looking them over. It would feel weird, but these wings would definitely come in handy…as soon as she learned how to put them on. "I should have asked Carter when he was here," she realized.

Diana sat atop the Eiffel Tower, watching the city below. The meeting had been…eventful. She needed a moment to process. "May I join you?"

Diana turned to her right. "Kal-el," she said in surprise. "Of course you can join me. You do not have to ask."

Superman sat next to her. "Paris is beautiful at night," he said.

"Yes, it is," Diana agreed. "I come up here every now and then to think. To clear my head."

"Well," Kal-el said, "penny for your thoughts?" he gave her a simple nudge.

Diana smiled. "I have been on this planet for a very long time, and I still do not understand that particular phrase. Do humans really believe thoughts to be worth a penny?"

Kal-el shrugged before saying, "I don't know what it means either, and I actually lived with humans. Don't feel bad about not understanding their vernacular at times. But really, Diana, is everything okay?" he asked in concern.

Diana released a heavy sigh. "I hated Shayera. I hated what she did to us. When they took her wings, I did not care. I thought she deserved it. I only fought them because you did. But I wanted her to feel how I felt when she betrayed us." Diana stared out into the distance. It was one hour before sunrise. "And then Chey-Ara said she would fight with us."

"Yeah," Superman said. "That surprised me."

"Does loyalty mean nothing to them?"

"Diana," Superman leveled her with a look, "you were there when Shayera's wings were torn from her back. You know loyaltly is everything to the Thanagarians."

"If Chey-Ara can be so easily convinced to go against her own people, who's to say she cannot be easily swayed back to their side?"

"I see," Superman frowned. They sat in silence for a few minutes. "Diana, what is Thanagar like?"

"What do you mean?" Diana furrowed her brow.

"Well, you and Shayera spoke often. Did she ever tell you about her life on Thanagar?"

"No, she didn't," Diana frowned. "I never asked."

"Hmm. Neither did I. J'ohnn has told me what he has gleaned from Chey-Ara. By the way, I do believe our resident Martian has developed a crush."

Diana's jaw fell open in surprise. "On the prisoner?" she asked.

"Chey-Ara? Yes."

"That's…it is sort of exciting," she smiled.

"It is," Superman agreed. "But from what he's told me, life on Thanagar is no paradise." Diana looked at him. "Instead of thinking in terms of loyalty and disloyalty, maybe ask – how bad was it for them on Thanagar that they were willing to walk away from their lives? It's not like she was kicked out of her country, Diana, Shayera can never return to her planet."

"I never thought of it like that."

"Your right about how fast Shayera was able to get Chey-Ara to our side. But didn't it make you wonder about Chey-Ara's life before if walking away from it all is so…easy?"

Diana frowned. "I do not know the real Shayera. I can't honestly say I made a great effort to know her before Thanagar's invasion. We were the only two females on the team. We should have been as close as sisters, but I always kept her at an arm's length. When it turned out was a spy, I was happy. I was justified in my reasons for not befriending her. Now I can't help but think…maybe if I had been a friend to her…" Diana didn't finish that thought.

"Before she flew away that day, she did say she didn't know the Thanagarians were planning an invasion."

"I didn't believe her," Diana said, tearing up. "I didn't believe her. I thought it was another lie. And so, I hated her. It was much easier to hater than it was to empathize with her."

"Diana," Superman placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"When I close my eyes, I can still hear her scream from when they tore her wings," Diana said, pulling her knees to her chest. "That horrible cry - I have never heard such a heart wrenching noise in my life.

"You can't beat yourself up over this. You were not the only one mad at her that day. We all were."

"Barry was not. Bruce once admitted that he might have done the same thing had he been in her position. And J'ohnn…" Diana thought back to that day. "Actually, I do not know what J'ohnn was thinking at all. He probably knows more about that invasion than any of us. He probably knows more than Shayera." Superman nodded in agreement. "I do not know what to do," Diana admitted.

"What do you want to do?" Superman asked.

"I want to yell at her. I want to hit her. And then I want to hug her and tell her how much I missed her." Superman stood to his feet and held a hand out to Diana. "What?" Diana asked, not sure what to do.

"Let's go. It's been a while since I've visited Bruce. No better time like the present."

Diana placed her hand in Superman's and allowed him to help her to her feet. "Wait," Diana said. "Do you know a country where it is daytime? I would like some strawberry ice cream."

Superman laughed. "I actually taught myself how to make it," he admitted shyly.

Diana's eyes widened with glee. "Really?" she gasped.

Superman nodded. "How about we go to the Fortress of Solitude and…chill?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye as he pulled her closer.

"Like a date?" Diana asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Exactly, like a date."

"That would make it date number 3," Diana said.

"Is the third date special?"

"Not that I know of. I was just counting." Superman rubbed his nose against hers.

"What about Bruce?" Diana asked breathlessly.

Superman shrugged. "I'll visit him later. Let's go," he motioned for her to follow him before taking off into the night sky for some homemade ice cream…and whatever else followed.

Chey-Ara sat in the cafeteria, rigid and unmoving. According to the Martian Manhunter, it was almost 6 a.m., and the newer leaguers would be coming to breakfast right about…now. The doors to the cafeteria swished open, and Chey-Ara turned to see a group of heroes walk in. They froze when they saw the dark-skinned hawk sitting in their cafeteria. "Who are you?" a guy covered in blue from head to toe with pointy, thin wings sticking out from his back asked.

"Aren't you one of those bird-people who invaded us like three years ago?" another hero Chey-Ara could not see asked.

"It was two years ago," a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl stepped forward with her hands on her waist. She wore the same outfit Superman did, except she had a skirt. "Who are you?" the blonde demanded, her eyes glowing red. "How'd you get in here?"

"Enough," the calm voice of the Martian Manhunter echoed throughout the cafeteria. He appeared right in front of the blonde, staring down at her. "Her name is Chey-Ara. She's our guest."

"Does my cousin know about this?" the girl demanded. Chey-Ara rolled her eyes. J'ohnn simply walked away from blonde much to Chey-Ara's amusement. He sat across from Chey-Ara. "That is Supergirl. She is the cousin of Superman," he stated. "You don't want to eat anything?"

"I am fine," Chey-Ara replied firmly.

"Chey-Ara," the green man said calmly, "you are safe here. You can relax."

Chey-Ara looked down. She had never relaxed a day in her life. Thanagarians were trained to always be on guard, even when sleeping. "This is my first time away from home, and now I will never be able to return there."

"Was it just you and your parents on Thanagar?"

Chey-Ara nodded. " And then when my parents were arrested and executed for speaking out against the ruling class, it was just me. My mother was beheaded. My father died in prison. I was just entering my first year of training when they were arrested. I never saw them again. I was raised in a…a…um…you guys have a lot of them in Gotham. With bunches of children."

"Orphanage."

"Yes," Chey-Ara said, "orphanage. That is where I was raised before my recruitment into the Thanagarian army."

"I am sorry for all you've been through, Chey-Ara."

Chey-Ara shrugged. "I am not. I do not even remember what my parents looked like."

"But learning how to fight from an early age is no childhood."

"I do not know what a childhood is, but I survived my first obstacle course at age 5. I was…humans say…overachiever," Chey-Ara stated proudly. Her face then fell.

"What is it?" J'ohnn asked curiously.

"If I do survive this…invasion. I will need to find a new home."

"Chey-Ara, I thought it was obvious," J'ohnn said. Chey-Ara stared at him confusion. "You are welcome to stay here, on Earth."

"Where?" she asked.

"Here. In the Watchtower."

"With them?" she pointed to group of young heroes openly gaping at her and the Martian Manhunter. "Why can't I stay with you?"

The Martian Manhunter blinked his red eyes once, then twice. For a moment, he said absolutely nothing. "You would want to live with me?" he asked.

"Yeah. You're the only one who really talks to me. I don't want to be stuck here in this building. I will feel trapped. Do you not live on Earth?"

"I do live on Earth."

"You do not have enough room in your house?"

"I have plenty of room."

"You just do not want me there."

"That is not it at all, Chey-Ara," J'ohnn said firmly. "I just was not expecting you to ask." J'ohnn paused, seemingly weighing his options. He stood up. "Come with me. I will show you where I live."

"Really?" Chey-Ara asked, not bothering to hide her excitement.

"Yes, besides, you have been locked up in here for a month. You need real air," he said as he escorted her out the cafeteria, ignoring the prying and spiteful eyes around them.

Shayera's eyes fluttered open. She found herself staring at a very familiar ceiling. "Yo, B, she's awake!" Shayera flinched as either Jason or Tim screamed near her ear. "Sorry," he apologized. Shayera looked over. Jason. She should have known. "What happened?" she asked, slowly sitting up.

"No, no, no, Miss Shayera," Alfred came rushing into the room with Bruce close behind, "not by yourself. Let us help." Bruce and Alfred helped Shayera into a sitting position, fluffing the pillows behind her. "There, there," Alfred said, "and here's some water," he handed her a glass of ice-cold water.

"Thank you," Shayera smiled.

"Thanks, Alfred," Bruce said, shooing both Alfred and Jason out with his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know," Jason rolled his eyes before dragging himself from the room. "Have fun," he added. Alfred smirked before shutting the door behind him, leaving Shayera and Bruce alone.

Bruce sat on the edge of the bed and studied Shayera. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Fine," Shayera answered honestly. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

Shayera thought hard. "You need to sit," she remembered Bruce saying. "I need to get stronger," she remembered arguing. Furrowing her brow, Shayera thought harder. "I remember," she said, "falling to the floor. I couldn't breathe." A warm mouth on hers, breathing life into her body. Shayera's face flushed. "Did you…give me mouth-to-mouth?" she asked, embarrassed.

"You over-exerted yourself. Your body nearly completely shut down. Oxygen stopped flowing through your body. I was breathing for you for a good 45 seconds." Bruce frowned. "It…worried…me," he begrudgingly admitted. "I briefly thought you were dying."

"I feel fine."

"You were rambling. Sounded a bit nonsensical. It was like your brain short-circuited. You were sweating so much. I've never seen you sweat that much. You were soaked."

Shayera looked down at herself. She was no longer in gym clothes. She was wearing an oversized shirt, most likely Bruce's. "Who changed me?"

Embarrassment filled Bruce's face for only a split second. "Alfred and Tim offered. Jason was too eager. I didn't see anything if that's what you're worried about. I know how to respect boundaries. But as I said, you were soaked. Your hair was…why would you push yourself like that?"

"I have to push myself," Shayera replied.

"Why?"

"My wings were great for blocking attacks, for comforting me. They gave me a sense of freedom and completion. Now…now, all I have are my fists to protect me and my arms to comfort me. I feel…naked and exposed and weak. You tell me that Thanagar is most likely going to attack again, and…there's nothing I can do."

"Shayera," Bruce gripped her upper arms. "Breathe. Inhale deeply, exhale slowly." Shayera did as she was told. "You pushed yourself beyond your limits, you need to remain calm." Shayera rolled her eyes but listened. "Now," Bruce began, "try not to worry about the Thanagarian invasion. Try not to think about your wings."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Shayera gave him an annoyed look. "It's all I think about. Shouldn't you be at work?"

"You're very concerned about work habits."

"I just want to make sure you're not putting your life on pause."

"I'm not," Bruce replied, "but," he leaned forward, "if I want to put my life on pause for you, that's my choice."

"You don't want your business to suffer."

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"Clearly, I'm not going anywhere today. There's got to be something you'd rather be doing."

"The fact that you don't want me here just makes me want to stay even more."

"You're behaving immaturely right now."

"Well, I can't be Batman all of the time, and my CEO persona is only good for Wayne Enterprise business. Also," Bruce thought about whether or not he wanted to say what he was about to say, "I think you could use a friend."

"You?" Shayera couldn't help but scoff. She immediately felt guilty. Bruce had been nothing but hospitable the last six months. "I'm sorry," she apologized.

"It's fine," Bruce smiled, "I know I'm not the 'friendly' type."

"Superman considers you his best friend."

"Superman forced himself on me; I didn't have a choice. He would show up to every major Wayne event as Clark; he would invite himself on my patrols. I couldn't shake him. He was like a…puppy."

"Well, since I can't get rid of you," Shayera ran her hands over the blanket, "what would you like to talk about?"

"You."

Issi walked back and forth on the catwalk. She was wearing her war helmet; her golden greaves were strapped on tight, as well as her gauntlets; she had the traitor's mace strapped to her side. "General Trogaar wants to solidify plans for the attack," Katar said to his wife.

"Are the troops ready?" Issi asked, completely ignoring his statement.

"They're preparing as we speak," Katar said. "General Trogaar wants to talk terms. He's waiting."

"He can wait longer," Issi replied.

Katar grabbed Issi by the upper arm and pulled her to him. "Don't be stupid, Issi," he growled. "We are on the precipice of war with the Gordanians, and you want to keep him waiting?" he shook her with every word. Issi freed himself from his grip, giving him a hard shove. "You know I'm right!" Katar said, sticking a finger in her face.

Issi growled, realizing her idiot "husband" was right. "Whether or not the Gordanians help us, we attack Earth within the week. I'm tired of waiting," she said as she marched past Katar.

Katar rolled his eyes. Gods, I wish she were Shayera.

"Long enough," Batman said stepping out of the shadows. "Where are your wings?"

"My wings aren't organic."

"Meaning?"

"They aren't connected to my back. They're faux wings. I can take them on and off whenever I want. My father was responsible for manufacturing faux wings on Thanagar."

"You can make wings?"

"As long as I have enough Nth metal, which I do – I took a handful with me when I defected - I can make as many faux wings as I want."

"We can talk about the later, for now I want you to gear up. I'll meet you on the roof."

"Okay," Carter replied uneasily, still wondering how Batman sneaked his way into the apartment. "I need a better alarm system."

A minute later, Carter stood on the roof of his apartment building dressed as Hawkman. He was expecting it to be just him and Batman. Turns out, the Bat wasn't alone. "Superman!" Hawkman almost screamed. "Wonder Woman," he gasped.

"This isn't a social visit," Batman said.

"We would like to temporarily invite you to join the Justice League," Superman said.

"Is this because of the hunt for Hawkgirl?" Hawkman asked.

"How do you know about that?" Wonder Woman asked.

"He's the one who alerted me to Lobo's presence on this planet," Batman said.

"Lobo has been taken care of," Superman said.

"Space Dolphins?" Hawkman guessed.

"Yes. But how do you know about the Space Dolphins?"

"It's a well-known fact in the universe that Lobo has a twisted fascination with Space Dolphins. It's borderline predatory," Hawkman shuddered at the thought.

"What we want to know is how the Thanagarians will respond knowing that we have rid them of their prized bounty hunter. Also, we have one their agents in our custody," Batman spoke.

"Can we expect more bounty hunters?" Superman asked.

"I don't think so," Hawkman said. "Thanagarians are a proud race. We like to come across as perfect, never making a mistake. They wouldn't want help from the rest of the universe. They'd keep it in house."

"What about the Gordanians?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Working together with Thanagarians?" Hawkman asked in disbelief. "Yeah right. The only way these two races would ever work together is if Thanagar had something to trade. As to the agent in your custody, they're gonna kill her."

"Why?" Wonder Woman questioned. "Because she captured?"

"Yeah," Hawkman shrugged his shoulder, "Failure is not tolerated on Thanagar. We are a military planet. Why do you think they're coming so hard after Hawkgirl? She betrayed the entire planet. But why are you asking me this?" Hawkman asked. "Lieutenant Hol would know more than me. I was just a lowly officer. She's the one who was in the same room with higher-ups. Soldiers on my level never know what's going on. We do what we're told; no questions asked."

"What can you tell us about Shayera's family?" Batman asked.

"Not much. General Talov is a psychopath; and his wife, General Che-yara, is a sociopath. Her younger sister Issi is a mixture of both making her a nightmare to deal with."

"So, Shay – Lieutenant Hol – which one is she?" Wonder Woman asked.

"Neither," Hawkman answered. "She was…is…an anomaly."

"Explain," Wonder Woman demanded.

"We were in the same class. She probably wouldn't remember me," Carter added. "When we were around 14 our class was doing drills and obstacle courses. You know those courses your army or navy or marines run?" Superman and Wonder Woman nodded. "We were running those when we were 7. This one was ten times harder, and it was part of our graduation ceremony. Everyone was watching. Lieutenant Hol was out in front. She was killing it. She would have won, too. But, during the obstacle where we fly through rings while seasoned warriors shoot arrows at us, I got hit with an arrow. It went through my wing and pinned me to the wall. I was done."

"Didn't it hurt you?" Wonder Woman asked.

"My wings are not organic. Actually," he paused, "almost 80% of Thanagarians are born wingless. Anyway, everyone turned their bows towards me and fired. I closed my eyes, knowing I was about to die."

"Wait," Wonder Woman interrupted once again, "Students dying. Is that a regular occurrence?"

"Yes. At age 5, there were 350 students in my class. By age 14, we were down to 150. Going back to my story. I was pinned to the wall, arrows flying at me, but I didn't get hit. When I opened my eyes, Lieutenant Hol was in front of me. She had deflected all of the arrows. She then pulled the arrow out of my wing and helped me finish the course. I'll never forget the faces of the onlookers. The place was silent; everyone's mouths were open. They were speechless."

"Shocked because she rescued you?" Superman asked.

"Yes, but not pleasantly shocked. She had shown weakness by rescuing me. As the next in line to be ruler of Thanagar, that was not okay. Her father and mother were livid. Couldn't see their faces because of their masks, but their body language screamed murder. I was so scared for her, when her father walked up to her, she didn't look away. She returned his glare. I have never known anyone gutsy enough to do that; I have also never seen a being get slapped so hard."

"He punished her for saving you?" Wonder Woman asked, still not clear.

"He backhanded her so hard, half of her mask flew off her face. Those masks are made of the same material as my mace," he gestured down to the weapon at his side. "It echoed throughout the auditorium. She stumbled and landed on the ground, hard. Then, her father grabbed her by the wing, dragged her to a wall and pinned her there with a spear. She screamed. Her wings aren't faux like mine, they're organic. She had to dislodge the spear herself."

"Did she graduate?" Superman said, completely enraptured.

"Yes. But she stayed out of public eye until it was announced she was going to Earth. A week before she was sent here, I left. I disgraced my whole family when I was 14 by needing to be resuced. They completely ostracized me. I haven't seen, talked, or heard from since I left Thanagar. Earth was a welcome change." Superman and Wonder Woman silently absorbed what they had been told. "Batman," Superman turned to the Caped Crusader, "do you think – where is he?"

"How'd he do that?" Hawkman asked.

"When did he do that?" Wonder Woman wondered aloud.

"Why don't you come with us to the Watchtower," Superman offered. "We can talk more."

Chey-Ara paced her 10x10 cell. As far as jail cells went, this one was nice and different from the ones on Thanagar. This cell had a soft bed, a desk, and a desk lamp. Why she would ever need a desk while locked in a cell, she did not know. But who was she to complain? The ones on Thanagar were nightmares, standing room only. Her father had died in one. And…there's someone here. Chey-Ara whirled around to see the green man, the Martian Manhunter, standing just outside her cell. (The front wall of the cell was transparent. It wasn't made from glass or any other material she knew.) "You are back," Chey-Ara greeted, crossing her arms as a weird feeling grew in her stomach..

"I am," he said. He was munching on some small, round, brown thing. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You like Chocos, too?" she inquired.

"I…yes…You are familiar with them Chocos."

"It is all I have eaten since coming to this planet," Chey-Ara admitted bashfully. "They are made from chocolate and have a vanilla crème filling. We do not have food like this at home."

"Would you like some?" J'ohnn held a pack out towards her.

Chey-Ara was about to accept the offer, but then she scowled. "Being nice to me to build rapport. It won't work," Chey-Ara turned to face the wall once again. "You come here every day and question me. Why?"

"To see what you know?"

"You have already looked inside my mind." she turned to face J'ohnn. J'ohnn shrugged, a habit he picked up from the humans of Earth. "You already scanned my body. I no longer have any trackers in or on my body. No one is coming for me."

"There are some things the brain can't tell me."

"Like what?" Chey-Ara scoffed.

"I know what you know about Thanagar's invasion, which isn't much."

"It was not an invasion," Chey-Ara said.

"What was it if not an invasion?"

"Liberation." Chey-Ara said.

"Liberation?" J'ohnn asked. "Please explain."

"The Gordanians were on their way to Earth. They would have made mankind their slaves."

"It seems the Thanagarians tried to make humans their slaves instead."

"We were going to teach the humans how to fight," Chey-Ara argued.

"The humans did just fine on their own. As you can see, neither Thanagarians nor Gordanians not control Earth."

Chey-Ara stormed to the clear wall, banging it once with her fist. The anger burned like fire in her eyes. "The only reason you ilíthioi won was because of that skýla. She showed weakness when she chose you over us!" J'ohnn's red eyes studied her. She quickly looked away. Chey-Ara hated to admit it, but this Martian's steady stare was unnerving, it did weird things to her stomach. She did not like it. "What?" she bit out in annoyance.

"Why did you think the Gordanians were about to invade Earth?" he asked.

"That's what I was told."

"Who told you that?" J'ohnn asked.

"The higher-ups," she replied. "They told us that the Gordanians were about to attack another planet. Earth. And if they conquered Earth, it would mean our annihilation. We needed to prepare Earth for an attack."

"You follow your leaders' orders, no questions asked?" J'ohnn asked, trying to understand the young, dark-skinned hawk.

"Yes," she answered confidently. "Our parents raised us to respect the leaders of Thanagar. They know best."

"Hmm," J'ohnn said thoughtfully. "You have given me much to think about," he replied after a moment. Chey-Ara raised an eyebrow. I have? "It is always a pleasure speaking to you, Chey-Ara," J'ohnn said as she walked away. Chey-Ara stared after him for a few moments before sitting on the bed. There was that weird feeling in her stomach again. She was going to puke.