As I pulled the clean sheets onto my couch's pull-out mattress, I felt Shay's presence behind me: fiddling with the pajama pants I had given her. She chose to stay in her sports bra for a top, as the shirt I had given her hung off of her like a garbage bag.
It was a little worrying, the fact that she was so tiny and frail that even my shirt was too big. I wasn't exactly a thick and curvy, but my training ensured that I wasn't exactly skin and bones either.
"Feel free to use any appliances I have. The kitchen, the bathroom, the TV...it's all yours. I do have to go to work at 9 in the morning and will be up and about by 7:45, but I'll be back before 11. After that...Nightwing will call us when we are needed." I said, standing up straight once the sheets had been laid.
"Thank you." Shay said, nodding. "For...everything."
"I haven't done much." I responded, turning to face Shay. "Do you want to sleep? I'm sure you're tired."
"Believe it or not...I've dealt with more with less sleep." Shay said, scratching her neck as she cast her eyes down. "But...if I may say so...you haven't answered my question."
I paused, looking away from Shay for a moment. "What question?"
"Father...where is he?" Shay asked, looking up with me with worry in her eyes.
I sighed, looking down at my wringing hands as I bit my lip anxiously. I played with a loose stand of my hair before looking back at Shay.
"Your father...betrayed the Justice League and joined ranks with his father, Black Manta." I said. Suddenly, Shay's face fell into one of anguish.
"No...he-he...how? Why?" Shay asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she shook her head vigorously.
"He...had been through so much. He lost Tula, and the truth about his father had just been uncovered...you shouldn't blame him, or anyone." I said. If she kept asking about Kaldur then she must have...somehow known him as I once did. By his bravery, nobility, and... everything else that made me fall for him.
"Do you?" She asked, catching me by surprise. I froze for a moment, pondering.
"I didn't...at first. I..." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It's complicated. Betraying the League was only the first thing in a line of...events that have changed everything I thought I knew about your father."
"Like what?" Shay asked, looking up. I sighed and blinked, trying to get rid of the tears that were forming in my eyes.
"He murdered Artemis Crock for one, one of m-""Artemis?!" Shay chocked.
"You knew her?" I asked, frowning.
"She's my Godmother!" Shay exclaimed, tears now forming in her eyes. A moment later, she looked me dead in the eyes. "What else?"
"Shay-""Tell me!" She proclaimed, eyes full of seriousness. I sighed, but decided to continue with my words.
"Afterwards...he...attacked the cave...the team's headquarters. He took Clairvoyance, Beast Boy, Impulse, Blue Beetle...and myself." I explained, casting my eyes downward in sorrow. "He gave us over to aliens who...tortured us along with many innocent civilians after blowing up the cave, almost killing Superboy, Sphere and Nightwing."
Shay shook her head, running her hands through her hair.
"That explains it..." Shay nodded, following my actions and running her hands through her hair. As she looked away from me.
"Explains what... exactly?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Why you're so...different." Shay said, waving her hands in my direction as she began pacing.
"Different?" I asked, not understanding what she said, yet feeling like I should be offended.
"Well...ya." Shay sighed. "When I was a child you were so...open and happy. Now..." She motioned again, voice raising slightly. "You're the complete opposite. I can feel you judging and evaluating everything around you: you practically ignored me for several hours after I told you who I was!"
"Well how else should I react? A girl shows up out of a burst of light and says she's my daughter? Nevermind the daughter of the man who betrayed me and my friends! Who murdered one of my best friends! Who handed me, and the people I consider my younger siblings, over to aliens who tortured us!"
"You were a kind, good-hearted woman! People knew you for your gentleness, optimism, and friendliness!" Shay argued, stepping closer to me to look me straight it the eye. "These characteristics were things I prided myself with, that the fact that my mother was such a pure woman; a true, honest-to-goodness-hero!" Shay scoffed. "Apparently I was wrong."
I inwardly cringed, but covered it with a scowl, not backing down from her. "I've been through a lot in the past year, but how I act is none of your concern."
"Been through a lot?" Shay scoffed, eyes radiating anger. "Been through a lot?! I'm sorry, but you do not get to use that excuse with me! I live in a ruined world without heros! I had to...change my whole identity! I lost my parents at the age of 16, my siblings at 17, and any kind of parental figures soon after! Ever since then, I've been the leader of any kind of...heros our sorry excuse of a world had left! I've watched friends be executed, allies sacrificed and turned against us, siblings by spirit sacrificed! For God's sake, I watched Bart...carry off in a time machine with the...strong possibility that he might not come back! That I'd never see him again! He was like my brother for God's sake!"
At this point, Shay was trembling as tears began to flow from her eyes. Her jaw was tensed, anger and sorrow pouring from every pore of her body. After her words stopped, her legs gave out from under her and she crashed onto the ground.
After a moment, I lowered down and crouched in front of her. I placed a hand on her shoulder, softly as to not startle her but hard enough to know that it was there. The moment I laid my hand on her, Shay launched herself into my body. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her shaking body and held her. As she eases into my touch, I moved my hands to stroke her hair.
It was so natural...how easily she fit in my arms and how easily it was to reach up and pet her. As she cried on my shoulder, I indeed felt like her mother. Like this is where I was meant to be.
"I'm sorry." I muttered into her hair. "I'm sorry you have had to lead a life of sorrow. I had no idea...but I'm here for you right now."
"Mama..." I heard Shay hiss, her words muffled as she face sat in between my shoulder and my neck. "I missed you...so much..."
I didn't answer, but instead continued to comfort her until we both fell asleep on the floor in each other's arms.
I'm dedicating this chapter to my fanfic.net reader fischgirl. Your message gave me the motivation to get this up today, so thank you.
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The Winds Continue: Young Justice, Zephyr Book 2
FanfictionLina Dubois is no longer the young girl she was when she agreed to become Red Tornado's protege. Now she has a house, job, and even a protege of her own. She's grown up: but to be honest, she doesn't care. What she cares about is her friends, family...
