Sparks Fly [Book Two in the "Fire And Lighting" Series]

Chapter Thirty-One- Therapy

April 1, 2016. 23:57
S.T.A.R. Labs
~~Emma~~

Flash was talking so fast I could barely understand him, a typical trait of speedsters. For privacy, I turned the corner and went down the hall a bit, Justice on my heels.

"Flash, slow down, what happened?" 

"There's some sort of alien attacking the Hall of Justice! There's this force shield over it and we can't get though it, physically or with our comms. Black Lightning and I are here trying to get rid of the shield and Captain Atom's coming from the UN meeting with The Reach, which, by the way, isn't going so well."

Another alien? Come on!

"Who's in the hall?" I asked.

"Um...well..."

"Barry Allen tell me who is trapped in the hall or I promise you, you won't be able to run for a week!" I yelled.

Flash sighed on the other end of the comm. "Last we heard, Zatanna and Captain Marvel were in there with several of your teammates. I think it was Superboy, Miss Martian, Bumblebee, and Mal."

I winced, hearing a loud crumbling sound in the background noise on the comm.

"What was that?"

"The hall just collapsed."

I took deep breaths in and out. Connor and Billy had super-strength, they'd protect everyone else, just as Connor and Aqualad had done with me, Richard, and Wally when we took on Cadmus. Zatanna had her magic. They'd be fine.

"Psst!" I looked over my shoulder and saw Willow giving me an urgent look.

"Therapy!" she mouthed.

I sighed. Today was not the best day to be co-leader of the team.

"I have to go, BC's orders," I told Flash. "Tell Nightwing, he'll know what to do."

Did I feel embarrassed for saying my younger brother was more competent than me at this? Yes.

Was it the truth? Yes.

Sitting alone in the borrowed office with Black Canary, I tore off my mask, which was irritating my eyes.

"Nightingale, Emma, are you alright?" Dinah asked.

"Yes." I snapped.

Dinah raised an eyebrow. She, of course, knew better.

"No." I admitted. "There's been a lot going on lately, on top of getting captured. I want to help my brother, but I'm scared that I'm not competent enough to lead the team."

"That's a big one," Canary nodded. "I haven't been on the receiving end of your training or instructions, but the League has all agreed that the group of heroes you lead has become quite a well-trained, experienced team, thanks in no small part to your hard, tireless work, I assume."

I nodded, allowing that assurance to alleviate some small part of the anxiety holding me down.

"There's also...The fact that Batman is gone, and I'm his oldest apprentice, I feel responsible for Robin, Finch-"

"And Nightwing?" Dinah finished.

"I did make that promise..."

"Well, if you want my opinion, which I'll give you anyway, Richard may not need as much protection as you think. If there's an emergency, I'd say worry about him all you want. Otherwise, keep your focus on Tim, and Mara, and Gotham. I'm not saying you're not needed, but, give Richard some space."