~3rd Person POV~
Shayera twitches impatiently as she waits, the tension getting to her.
"Well?" She snaps impatiently. But underneath her peeved tone is a hint of concern and fear.
"... She pulled through."
Shayera lets out a sharp breath, her shoulder relaxing. All around her are similar reactions from the others.
"However, she's not out of the woods yet. Frankly, it's a miracle how she's still breathing at this point. The damage in her brain and spinal cord were so severe -"
"Save it." Growls Vixen, her face an unhealthy shade of green. "I don't wanna hear the details, and the smell on you is making me sick."
Olly nods to the doctor. "Thanks for the update, Doc. 'Preciate it, but you might want to take a shower. No offense, but it looks like you just came out of a horror flick."
The doctor looks down at his blood stained scrubs and sighs.
"There's a shower to the left of the bathroom if you want to use it." Interjects Black Canary.
The doctor gratefully nods at her, then hurries off.
"Okay, what's the plan once she's stable?" Olly asks, getting right down to business.
"If you ask me, it should be the same as before. She still needs medical help, and someone to watch over, especially after what just happened." Shayera replies, scowling.
"Mm. But the personnel need to be safe as well. You both saw what she did to the Javelin, not to mention the destruction she caused in the park." Vixen comments. "We need a safe place to hold her, without the chance of her breaking free."
"You mean like Bel Rev?" Olly asks.
"No, we are not sending an innocent child who was experimented on to an institution filled with killers and murderers!" Shayera hotly retorts.
"I never said that!" Olly defends.
"... What about an inhibitor collar?" Vixen suggests.
Shayera shakes her head. "After she's been subjected to the same thing for how many years? She's probably traumatized by this already, and putting a collar on her would only make it worse! Even better, this has us stooping to the level of the ones who experimented on her!"
"Well, let's see you come up with something, Ms. Hotshot!" Vixen snaps.
The two glare at each other, sparks flying. The other two sigh at the love rivals, and turn to each other, deciding to stay out of their spat, and work on the problem on their own.
"Well, we need to contain her either way." Black Canary comments. "Both her powers and herself physically..."
Olly tilts his head, thinking for a bit before suggesting, "What about a reinforced room that dampens powers?"
Black Canary shoots him a sharp look. "That might work, but why not just build a room that prevents her powers?"
"Think about it. You wake up in a strange room, not knowing where you are. Wouldn't you want to protect yourself?"
Black Canary slowly nods, urging him on.
"Well for her, I'd bet that she'd shift to protect herself, and to feel safer and a bit more in control of the situation. She'd be ready if anyone dangerous confronts or attacks her, and knowing that would make her feel safer. That's what I'd feel if I was her, anyway."
"Okay, and the point is?"
Olly sighs. "Jeez hon, do I have to spell it out for you?"
"Just humor me." Is her exasperated reply.
"If we construct the room for partial powers, it will allow the kid to shift when she feels like she's in extreme danger, while keeping her energy levels down from maintaining the shift. That lessens the chance of both parties getting hurt, if either are attacked, and decreases the chance of her trying to break out. Plus, having this 'sense of security' will soothe the kid a bit, making her less likely to lash out. All in all, everyone wins."
"Huh. I hate to say this, but your crazy logic actually makes sense. Are you sure you aren't related to Question?" Black Canary teases, sidling closer to him, and wrapping an arm around his waist.
"No, I'm not related in anyway to that crackpot."
Black Canary chuckles, leaning her head on his shoulder. "It's settled then. We'll build a semi-dampening reinforced chamber to hold her in when she's all better. I'd better call to get this project started right away. Who knows how long it'll take."
The two squabbling ladies pause when they hear what Black Canary says, and turn to see her leave.
"Uh, what did you decide?" Vixen asks a little awkwardly.
They listen as Olly explains, and the logic behind it.
"I can't find any faults in this plan of your Olly," Shayera grudgingly admits. "It's a good, solid plan. Well done."
"... Thanks."
Both superheros blink when Shayera suddenly strides off.
"Hey, where are you going?" Olly calls out, running after her.
"Someone needs to sit with the kid while she's being transported. Besides, we did say that someone should be monitoring her at all times, yes?" She steadily replies, her eyes fixed forward as she strides down the Javelin's halls.
Olly sighs. "Fine, I'll go tell the others where you are. Let us know if you want to take a break."
He strides away, ruminating on the Thanagarian's strange behavior.
'She's like a completely different person now... Did the events with the girl cause this?' He turns a corner, his mouth twisted in deep thought. 'Her apparent dedication to the kid is admirable, but it's disturbing how much effort she's putting in for this kid. I just hope it all doesn't turn sour on us. Shayera's too much of a powerhouse to lose if the kid dies.'
"Olly?"
The blonde mustached man glances up, spotting Black Canary hanging up on her Comm in her ear, looking at him questioningly.
"What's up, Handsome?" She asks, walking over to where he's collapsed on the couch. "You look like you're thinking hard about something."
"I am. Shayera's looking in on the kid. It worries me, that she's spending so much energy over this."
Black Canary huffs. "Jeeze, Olly. It's only natural that she's concerned about the kid. We all are."
"I think it goes farther than just being concern, Dinah. Her whole personality's changed ever since she caught the kid in the park. Now it's like her every thought is consumed by this kid's welfare."
"Oliver McGarden Queen, don't tell me you're attracted to her." Irritation pours off of the female crime fighter, evident by her hands on her hips in the classic 'pissed off' pose.
The man's head jerks to look up at her irate form, startled.
"What?! No! I'm just a concerned teammate Dinah, honest! I'm just concerned how she'll handle it if the kid doesn't make it. You know we can't afford to lose her if she's grieving for the kid. She's a part of the original members, for Christ's sake!" He exclaims.
A slow smile covers Black Canary's face as she sits down, snuggling up against the blonde man. "Good. Though I can't say how Shayera will act if the kid does... Well, let's just hope that we'll never have to find out."
Both fall quiet at this, and Olly finds himself curling and uncurling his girl friend's hair around his fingers as he lets his mind wander. A few minutes later, he happens to glance down, and notices that Dinah had fallen asleep, her head now in his lap.
Deciding that sleep isn't such a bad idea, he leans back, letting his head drop onto the back of the couch and swiftly falls into oblivion.
~A Few Minutes Later~
The door to the lounge hisses open, and Vixen walks through. She glances around and instantly notices the cute couple asleep on the couch. She smiles, happy that Dinah and Olly are finally together. The two obviously had something for each other for awhile, and it took the entire Justice League's upper members conspiring together to finally get them to hook up.
She quietly sneaks past them, heading for the cupboards. She rummages through them, raiding the 'snack stash' of the Javelin, before walking back out, leaving the two as they were.
Vixen was loath to disturb the two sleeping blondes, but the lounge was really the only place to stretch out and relax... besides the infirmary that is. The beds in there were actually quite comfortable to stretch out on. With that thought, she heads over there, where to her surprise, she finds Shayera watching over the still unconscious child.
"What are you doing here?" Vixen asks the female Thanagar, slightly curious.
"... Someone has to watch over the child. It might as well be me, since I'm the least injured of us."
"Mmm." Vixen opens the wrapper to one of the granola bars, and takes a bite. She looks up to see Shayera stare longingly at the food.
"Want some?" Vixen tilts the bar at the redhead.
"N-no, I'm fine." But her statement's thwarted when her stomach growls, loud enough for Vixen to hear.
"That's not what your stomach's telling me." Vixen snarks, smirking. "Here."
She tosses one of the bars to Shayera, who easily catches it, and starts opening it.
"... Thanks." The Thanagar eventually says.
"Mm, anytime." Vixen mumbles around her granola bar. She swallows, and remarks, "You know, you're not so bad when we're talking like this."
Shayera nods, still chewing.
"... Look, I know this is awkward for you, but if we're gonna make this work, we at least have to be able to work with each other."
"I agree."
Vixen stares at Shayera, startled.
"Okay..." Vixen hesitates, unsure of where to go from here.
"We should decide who's going to be piloting the Javelin back to the watchtower." Shayera suddenly says.
Vixen blinks, slightly thrown before regaining her composure. 'That is so like you Shayera.'
"Well, both blondes are passed out in the lounge, so for right now, it's just the two of us."
"Great." Groans Shayera, pulling a hand over her face. "That's just flippin' perfect."
"I could pilot if you want to stay here." Vixen offers.
Shayera slowly lifts her head, studying her. Then she finally nods, accepting the proffered laurel branch.
"Thanks. I appreciate it. I've had enough of that today."
Vixen nods and stands up, throwing away her trash before heading out.
Shayera turns back to the still sleeping child, and softly brushes away some stray wisps of hair from her face. She leans back and softly starts humming, closing her eyes.
Beside her, the girl stirs, then settles with a soft sigh. Shayera cracks open one eye to see her snuggle deeper into the covers, her breathing soft and deep.
She lets slip a small smile, tugging the covers up to cover the girl's bare shoulders, and tucking her in.
"Sleep well, little one." She whispers.
Little does she know that her voice travels to where the small child is, playing in a field of swaying grass. The girl looks up at the sky, a smile on her face. Then she's pushed from behind by the girl from her dreams. She stumbles, then turns around and begins chasing the other girl, laughter floating into the air as silver bubbles swirling around them.
(A/N: Hello, I know it's been awhile since I've updated. Rest assured, another chapter should be coming out soon, as I've finally started a semblance of a time line for this story. To the side is a song that I was listening to while writing this, and it can couple as a mood setter and a lullaby. :)
Hope you continue to enjoy this, and don't forget to...
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Thanks so much, my lovely readers! ~ShdwStrkr Out!~)