Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

Call Me Kara

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 21:

“I’m going to be sick.”

“I thought you couldn’t get sick?” a very concerned Barry asked very pale Kara. Since they had all boarded Bruce Wayne’s private jet, except for Lucy and Winn who stayed behind to watch Max Lord, she had been quiet and very still. Thirty minutes into the cross country trip and Superwoman definitely looked sick.

Before Kara could explain what exactly she was feeling, she covered her mouth, prepared to vomit. Barry recognizing this made it to the bathroom and back with a trash can before the contents of the preflight pizza she had eaten made a reappearance. The Flash having no idea what to do, did what he usually did in an emergency.

“Caitlin!”

Dr. Snow had been sitting with Alex, the two chatting about what to expect and how to handle any possible alien threats that might be in the subterranean base. Alex was concerned that in a breach situation the aliens being experimented on may not be in a right frame of mind, even if they were friendly before arriving at Project Cadmus. There was also the issues of aiding those in escape and treating them if they were innocent victims. Alex had not forgotten her and Hank had nearly been sent there, if not for Kara and Lucy and unlike the DEO of before, not every alien in captivity was hell bent on world domination.

Cait’s head popped up at the sound of Barry’s panicked voice. Running towards his seat she was met by Dr. Danvers, Alex following swiftly behind. Eliza began rubbing Kara’s back while Barry held her hair back.

“Why is she losing her powers? This is a bad time. She is going to have to stay back.” Barry told the three women, close to freaking out.

“I haven’t lost my powers.” Kara mumbled.

“How long has this been going on? When did you…” Caitlin started, before Eliza stopped her.

“She isn’t sick, at least not in the way you are thinking. Kara has immunity to illnesses like stomach viruses, but she isn’t a machine. She gets motion sickness and it causes nausea.” Eliza explained, catching the attention of Caitlin and Barry.

“She gets motion sickness?” Caitlin asked to be sure she heard what she thought she had heard.

“Yes, she has vomited a few times. She doesn’t like to be in cars but can handle it as long as a window is down but she absolutely hates flying. She also vomited once after eating some bad shrimp. Expired Shell Fish can take down the strongest Kryptonian.” Alex told the group.

“How can you get motion sickness when you fly all over the place?” Barry asked Kara, who was holding her head in her hands. None of the teams had their uniforms on,all dressed casually in jeans and tee shirt, and Kara with her hair in a ponytail, making it easier for Barry to keep it out of the line of fire, so to speak.

“I don’t like being trapped in this tube, not in control. When I am flying I control what is going on, now I just have to sit here and deal with turbulence and the engine sounds and the smell of jet fuel and the turbulence. Did I mention the turbulence?” she moaned.

“Let me get you a wet towel, honey,” Eliza moved towards the bathroom while Caitlin looked on in concern.

“How do I fix this? Kara, do you feel up to putting your suit on so I can have a look at your cells? I also need to get a reading on your electrolyte levels so ou don’t become dehydrated.”

“Whats going on? Oh my God, did that used to be pizza?” Felicity asked, having heard the commotion from the back where she had been sitting with Oliver and Dig. Bruce and Kal El were in an office at the back of the plane, discussing matters of some sort.

Eliza hurried back with a towel and began wiping Kara’s forehead.

“Here you go. Lean back.” Kara did as her adopted mother instructed, Barry feeling completely useless. “She doesn’t need her suit, Caitlin but thank you for offering. The first time we flew cross country this happened. It scared all of us, especially Kara who was convinced she was dying. We had to drive back while she sat in the front with a window open.”

“Wow. So aliens can get air sickness.” Felicity mumbled, feeling bad for Kara but also amazed that the Woman of Steel could be brought down by something so simple.

“This is exactly why I will be coming with you all to this secret location. Caitlin will need help and if Kara is injured there is no one who knows her physiology as well as I do.” Eliza explained.

“You aren’t going! You are going to stay at wherever this base is! Dad would not be happy if you were killed while we were trying to rescue him. Who knows how many guards will be outside the property. You won’t be safe and I guarantee they all know exactly what you look like.” Alex told her… again.

“Besides, no offense Dr. Danvers but Caitlin knows Kara’s body better than anyone.” Felicity told the woman, earning a shape glare that had her backtracking.

“I just mean they live together and Kara has blown out her powers while they lived together and if any one knows Kara’s body it would be Caitlin. I mean she has been inside Kara… I mean, not that… Alex… I’m just saying Caitlin has had her hands inside your daughter… no wait, why can’t I… this is all Nyssa’s fault, damn her, three, two, one…”

“What Felicity means to say is I have performed surgery on Kara and have a knowledge of her physiology that you may not have, because thankfully you never had to do that. Plus I have been able to study her body using infrared and three dimensional UV spectrum sonar and learned how her cells react, how her DNA…” Caitlin began, hoping to shut Felicity up and convince Dr. Danvers to stay behind. She had no problem going into the danger zone. It wouldn’t be the first time, and with luck it wouldn’t be the last.

“I am going to be there.”

“No you aren’t.” Kara told her, taking the towel off her forehead. “We are all doing this, everyone on this jet, so we can have our family back together. You getting killed isn’t going to help that. Someone having to protect you is going to be too much. Caitlin knows how to keep her head down. She has been through this with metahumans before and normal pretty bad people for that matter. You have been in a lab. I love you, but I am not going to sugarcoat this. We take the chances. You won’t be able to help any of us if you are dead. Stay at this base of operations we are going too, prepare what we need for emergency surgeries or whatever else we might face and help us out the best way you can. I know you want to be there, Mom, I would love to have you with me always but I need you safe or my attention, Alex’s attention, everyones attention is going to be focused on getting Jeremiah and protecting you. We can’t be all over the place worrying about both. Please, this is a team and the team needs you safe and prepared to help us if we need it. At Wayne’s place you can help save lives. Out there, you just don’t have the experience. There is nothing wrong with that. We all have our area’s of expertise. Mine is punching things really hard, Barry’s is running through or around things really fast, Oliver and Speedy shoot people with arrows and Dig and Alex shoot people with guns. You save lives. Cait will be watching out for us in the field and you will be prepared for anything that happens to us. Felicity will be in the control room taking control of the base and Cisco is going in, in the event that Jeremiah needs to get out quickly and there is no other way. He will open a breach to Earth 1 and take him through it, then come back for us at another location. This will work, okay? You think I like staying outside until the base is taken over by my sister and friends? I don’t. It makes me angry. I want to storm that place and destroy everything, Kryptonite be damned, but I can’t. We have to be smart. Smart is you preparing to help out anyone we have close to death.”

Eliza dropped her head, not saying a word. Kara noticed a tear rolling down her cheek and reached over to lift her face up.

“I’m sorry. I just want… I don’t want you or Alex…” Eliza started. Kara leaned forward to kiss her forehead.

“I know. I wish we could just walk up to the door and pick him up. But it won’t be that easy. I’m scared, we all are and anyone who says they aren’t is a liar. But we will do this. Trust us and be ready to help us. If something happens to anyone, whether it is me, or Alex or Kal, Caitlin, Cisco or Barry or Thea, anyone, there is no one I trust or want more to take care of us. I can’t stress this enough. You are important and we, all of us are going to work as one unit, doing what we do best to pull this off. Okay?” Kara asked her in a gentle voice. Eliza nodded her head.

“Just please come back to me. Both of you please come back.” she whispered, pulling Alex closely to her and Kara.

“I swear to you, they are coming back.” Barry told the woman, who recognized the sincerity in his eyes. She didn’t know much about Barry Allen, except for the fact that he saved Kara’s life, would die for her, and when faced with a sick woman was more concerned about keeping her hair away from her face than the smell of regurgitated pizza. That was pretty much all she needed to know. She wished Alex had someone like that… someone who didn’t have a body count larger than most mass murderers, but she was willing to give this Nyssa a chance, even if Alex was bound and determined no one find out.

Kara wanted to keep hugging Eliza, until she vomited again.

“Okay, since there isn’t anything I can really do for Kryptonian motion sickness I’m going back to my chair. We will be landing soon sweetie.” Cait told her.

“Yeah in like 4 hours. Just keep holding on.” Alex encouraged. Barry and Eliza had this. She didn’t want to be overbearing, yada, yada, yada. All good excuses to not listen to her sister barf. That was Barry’s job now.

Kara stopped vomiting an hour before landing, having ran out of pizza, and instead just dealt with vertigo.

“I’m flying back to National City myself. I will stay under the plane so I won’t be seen but there is no way I am getting back onto that thing.” Kara grumbled. All walked out under cover of darkness into three limos waiting on the tarmac. Bruce Wayne had spent the second part of the flight speaking with Kal El and Oliver Queen but Kara’s physical predicament had erased any concerns she had about what they were talking about. Kal was still quiet but seemed more relaxed when he stepped into the limo with Lois. Lois had called Cat before they left and informed her of what was going on. The two really had no secrets. Cat promised if she did not hear from Lois by tomorrow, Catco would break the story of another clandestine Alien concentration camp. Bruce Wayne’s identity was not revealed but Cat was not an idiot. She would know who they left with and what city they landed in.

Barry, Kara, Cisco and Caitlin sat inside one limo followed by Alex and Eliza. Kara used her X ray vision and saw Oliver, Felicity, Dig and Thea had gotten in another. Bruce rode with Nyssa Kal, J’onn and Lois. Kara tried to make out what was being said but was surprisingly unable to. The limos were very soundproof, not that this would have stopped her normally but Cisco would not shut up, ranting about how cool it was to be picked up from a private jet in a limo.

“This is strange, Barry. We are putting a lot of faith in this guy. I know back in National City I didn’t feel like we had a choice but now that we are here… what if this is a trap? Oliver is right, he didn’t reveal himself until we arrived.” Kara whispered in Barry’s ear.

Barry shrugged, he too had trust issues with the entire situation but Kara had been intent on it so he followed.

“It doesn’t matter. I haven’t seen anything yet that makes me think he can outgun us.” Barry whispered back.

“That doesn’t mean it isn’t there. He obviously knows about me and Kal. That means he probably knows Kryptonite can harm us. Never mind, of course he knows. He knows I was shot, the whole world does. He could drive us into a warehouse full of armed guards carrying Kryptonite bullets.”

“He could have attacked us in National City if he wanted to Kara. He wouldn’t need to fly us cross country for an ambush. Besides he knows nothing about me. He may know I can move fast but thats it.”

“Exactly. You are a wild card and that may put him on edge. We already know he likes to play games. Once we get to wherever we are going, if we aren’t fighting for our lives right away lets suit up.” Kara told him, Barry nodding his head in agreement and deep in thought.

After one hour in the limo, during which no one spoke much, the caravan slowed and turned. Kara turned toward the front of the car and looked with her X ray vision.

“Unbelievable.” she muttered.

“What?”

“The side of the cliff we are driving towards.” she answered Barry. “Its a giant door, like an airplane hangar. Its about to open up. I can only see darkness on the other side but there is dim light from somewhere far in the back.”

“Great, he is taking us to a secret lair straight out of a James Bond movie. The suits are in the trunk guys. Grab my laptop and we can be fully operational in twenty seconds.” Cisco recommended. The group was distracted however by the sounds of the cliff rising up, the waterfall beating briefly on the roof and the cars descent into darkness. The already tinted windows which were difficult enough to see out of, now may as well have been painted in black.

After 92 seconds by Barry’s count, the limos stopped. Barry jumped out, grabbed the keys from the limo driver, opened the trunk, removed the bags and was back in the backseat in less than two seconds with his and Kara’s suits. Both were suited in less than a second, surprising the other occupants. No one had seen them change except of course when Barry almost put his leg through an arm sleeve, momentarily distracted by Kara’s black bra and panty ensemble. She knew he was the only one fast enough to see and winked at him behind her mask.

“Alex, you got Mom, right? Cisco and Cait stay down and hit the floor if you hear gunfire. You ready?” Kara asked Barry, her senses on high alert. Barry took off without another word and Kara followed him out of the car flying to the very high roof of the cavern they had arrived in while Barry ran around, taking in everything but mainly looking for the presence of armed guards and Kryptonite. Kara covered him from above, eyes already on fire. Both saw only four others present, a woman in a wheelchair, sitting in front of three large computer screens, a woman dressed in a tight purple bodysuit, with a long black jacket and black mask. Under her coat was a crossbow pistol and a handgun. Next to her was a man, wearing a simple form fitting white tee and stone washed denim jeans. He had very dark hair and eyes and was built quite a bit like Oliver. Next to him was a blonde haired female, wearing all black leather from head to toe. Like the man she did not appear to have any weapons on her and this concerned Kara the most.

Oliver and the rest of Team Arrow stepped out of their car along with Nyssa from the other car, the assassin looking up at the ceiling, grinning, Oliver taking in the red lightning streaking around the cave with a huge smile. Barry stopped in front of Oliver and Thea.

“Clear below.” he told Kara. She took one last look around and drifted to the ground. Oliver patted Barry on the shoulder.

“I’m not an emotional man Barry, but right now I want to cry due to the pride I am feeling. Excellent work.”

Barry shrugged it off. Before he may not have been worried, figuring his speed could get him out of anything. Here he had people to take care of and one lesson Kara had taught him unfortunately was no matter how powerful you might be, you can still be hurt.

“Everything to you and Kara’s liking Mr. Allen?” Wayne asked, exiting the car, Kal El, J’onn, and Lois behind him, Kal stoically silent but his eyes never leaving Kara. All the new arrivals took in the cave in quiet awe.

Except for Cisco.

“Damn! They do have a… please tell me you call this the Bat Cave?” he asked Bruce. The man smirked a bit and nodded.

“I knew it! Its a freaking bat cave. Oliver refuses to call his lair the Arrow Cave even though it is so cool sounding am I right? Of course I’m right. Look at the freaking toys! Whoa… whoa! No, no, no, no… what is that tank?!”

“That is a prototype vehicle my company designed for the Military called the TUMBLER. It is made for crossing difficult terrains and reaching the other side so bridges may be built for advancing forces, and also functions as riot control vehicle. The armor makes it as a strong as a tank but the curves and engine make it as fast as a Lamborghini.” Batman explained.

“So you call it the Batmobile right? I mean you have to. You just have to!”

“Cisco, would you calm down?” Barry mumbled to his friend.

“I’m sorry man, but look at the toys.”

“Hi, I’m Dinah Lance.”

All smiles were gone when the blonde stepped up to the newcomers. Eliza and Alex had just gotten out of the car, followed by Catilin and though Eliza and Alex had no idea they recognized the change in the air.

Barry, Cisco and Caitlin thought they may have been better prepared. They had by agreement never told Oliver or his team about Black Siren. There was no point. That woman was a travesty and insult to the memory of Laurel Lance. Cisco opened up a breach in her cell and sent her back to Earth 2, since Joe was informed there was no way Central City could prosecute a woman who had no identity except that of a dead woman. The legalities would be a nightmare. Earth 2 had their own heroes and could deal with her. She had no business on Earth 1.

Still the shock of seeing someone who not only was identical to the Laurel Lance they knew in appearance but most likely spirit considering she was here, was a bucket of cold water.

Bruce noticed the confusion on Dinah Laurel Lance’s face and the shock on Team Arrow’s faces. They knew what to expect when coming here but seeing her in person was another thing.

A tear dropped from Felicity’s eye as she struggled to remind herself that this was not their Laurel.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

Dig cleared his throat. “Yes it is Miss Lance. You look like a friend of ours, one who is no longer with us. She was very dear and… I guess your resemblance to her is a bit shocking.”

Dinah looked down, understanding what was going on. “Bruce explained to us about the multiverse. I suppose I was a part of your… team?”

“Yes you were.” Thea choked back, “A huge part.” Nyssa looked at Dinah Lance with pain etched on her face. Although her feelings for Laurel were never romantic, Laurel was the one who accepted her as she was and showed her there was more to life than what she had been living. Laurel made her smile and laugh more than anyone else ever had. She made Nyssa feel normal and believe that she could be more than she was. Laurel Lance saved people in more ways than one.

“And you look like Oliver Queen, if Oliver Queen wasn’t a balding, out of shape, cocaine addicted, trust fund baby.” she told the Arrow. That broke him out of his silence and a laugh surprised him.

“Thats what I keep hearing.” Oliver told her. Even her smile was exactly the same.

“Don’t believe me? Take a look.” Dinah did a search on her phone and held up a picture from Google images. Thea, Dig, and Felicity crowded around when Oliver took the device.

“Oh my God.” Thea whispered.

“I never thought I would be grateful for being stranded on Lian Yu.” Oliver agreed.

“Me either but I suddenly am. Something tells me the you from here has never met a salmon ladder.” Felicity told him, the shock of seeing this Earth’s version shaking her from the emotions seeing Laurel alive, at least this form.

“I knew him when I was a teenager. We dated for a time. Of course he cheated on me with my sister no less. I got off lucky. He has turned out to be quite the loser. No offense.”

“None taken. Is your sister still around?” Oliver asked, wondering if this Earth’s Sara could be any help.

“No, unfortunately she was caught up in the Ollie Queen lifestyle. She overdosed ten years ago.”

“Oh thats too bad.” Alex said as sincerely as she could. Nyssa looked at her frowning. Alex shrugged her shoulders unapologetically. Nyssa could deal with it. Sara wasn’t Alex’s ex.

“Hi. I’m Helena…”

“Bertinelli.” Lois finished. “You’re supposed to be dead. Or at least missing. You single handedly killed all the mob bosses and captains that killed your family and then disappeared. Everyone assumed you finally got hit.”

“And yet here I am. I didn’t kill every one of them. Some killed each other. The fun we have in our youth I guess. So you are the Big S huh? Hotter in person.”

Lois indignant at the casual tone and comment about her husband’s appearance opened her mouth to tell the woman off but before she could say anything Felicity was in the woman’s face.

“Back off Huntress! I’ve had to deal with you in one universe, I don’t feel like dealing with you in another.”

Helena held up her hands and backed away with a smile. “This one has fire, Bruce.”

“You’re alter ego has a history with them Helena. Not as fond a one as Dinah’s I’m afraid. Alfred, my friend and partner, will show you all to rooms. The elevator is over on the North end. My headquarters is below my mansion so please make yourselves at home.”

“This isn’t home and we aren’t on a vacation. We are here to do a job. I for one would like to get started as soon as possible.” Oliver reminded the man.

“Perhaps the ladies would like to be accompanied to a room?” A well dressed man, asked, seemingly materializing out of thin air. Only Barry and Kara knew he was there, standing by a wall in the cave.

“The ladies are going nowhere. We have our own tech to set up so if you could show us to your wifi modems and secure satellite feeds then…” Felicity began.

“You want into our satellite feeds? Why should we do that again?” the woman in the wheelchair, Felicity assumed to be Oracle, asked.

“Because as I am sure you keep track of your team, Caitlin, Cisco and I keep track of our teams. I need a satellite system and I can use my NASA one but if your network is faster and has more coverage and we are going to be one big happy team then my team needs to be happy.”

“Give her what she needs Barbara.” Bruce directed the woman who only smiled in return.

“I need to know where your med bay is.” Eliza told Alfred who half bowed and led her away.

“If we aren’t going upstairs for dinner perhaps we could have the meeting I requested now?”

“Wherever you wish Mr. Wayne.” Kal agreed. Batman, J’onn and Superman walked off, with surprisingly, the Green Arrow following.

“Why is Oliver going?” Barry asked Thea. The girl shrugged her shoulders. “You know Oliver. If there is going to be a secret meeting anywhere around he is going to listen in on it. I guess they figured they may as well let him listen so he doesn’t break anything trying to sneak in. I’m getting suited up. Any Helena makes me nervous.”

Everyone dispersed, walking through the immense dark room lit up by computer screens and glass cases similar to the ones at S.T.A.R. and the Lair that held the costumes. Cisco stared at the Batman custom for five minutes, beginning to understand the appeal of a cape.

Kara and Barry stood side by side, watching everyone, except the meeting between the four guys in a room at the South end. The room was the only area separated from the rest of the cave and Kara could tell there was only a small rectangular table and a flat screen monitor mounted on the wall. Kara tried to listen in but was interrupted by the dark haired young man.

“Hi, I’m Dick Grayson.” he introduced himself pleasantly, offering his hand to Kara and Barry who took it.

“Barry Allen.”

“And I’m…”

“Supergirl. But you don’t go by that anymore. Looks like the uniform is gone too. I like the new look. I go by Nightwing. You are the Flash?”

“Yeah…”

“And what do you go by now Kara Danvers?”

“Kara Zor El.” she replied. “but I guess where I live now the media calls me Superwoman. Cisco couldn’t come up with anything more original.”

“Don’t worry about it. It fits you perfectly. I’m glad I have the chance to meet you. I was afraid I never would.”

Barry tensed. “Any special reason you wanted to meet her?”

“Yeah, I think the whole human race owes her a pretty damn big thank you. I know that brain washing Myriad machine was only starting in National City. Bruce, Barbara and I were working on neural blockers but we weren’t going to have 3 billion of them. I caught your speech to National City. Never thought I would see an evil brain washing device defeated by a speech about the power of hope but you pulled it off. I gotta tell you at the time I was in a pretty low place and considering hanging it up. I was beginning to wonder if any of what we did even made a difference, especially when there were super powered aliens bent on world domination. How could we stand up to that? But your speech? Yeah it got to me. Its what has kept me going, kept me fighting back, I guess you could say.”

Barry relaxed, recognizing the sincerity in the man’s words.

“And of course after that little headache problem the whole world had was over, we checked for the source. Our satellite video feed caught the battle between you and J’onn with the Kryptonian general and the blue lady. Taking him out like you did, overpowering a guy who had probably been in a lot more battles than you? Then lifting that damn space ship into space? Wow. I wish you were staying on this Earth, Kara Zor El. The world sorely needs people like you.”

“Uh… thanks?” offered a blushing Kara.

“Thank you. The ex president what she did, she not only almost killed you but also killed the hope for a lot of this world. People who looked and still look for that symbol on your chest to inspire them. People like us, we fight in the dark, do the dirty work that has to be done to help the everyday person and save a couple thousand if a psycho actually concocts a plan that could do some real devastation. But people like you and your cousin? You two are the inspirations. You are the ones who make people see that not everyone who has great power is out for themselves. Its why Bruce is so focused on getting Superman back in the game. That symbol means something to a lot of people. Anyway, thanks, for me being… still alive and stuff.”

Barry wrapped his arm around Kara, pride in her warming him. He was lucky to have her, not just him but his whole world. He could understand Bruce Wayne’s desire to have Superman back in costume. The world needed a champion who could operate outside of the shadows.

“Is your costume the one without the cape?” Cisco asked, practically running up.

“Yeah, that would be me.”

“What is your superhero name?” he asked quickly. Barry felt like he should get Cisco an autograph book.

“I go by Nightwing when I am in the field.”

“That is soooo cool. Your suit looks like it has a lot of tech on it. Does it? What does it have? The mask, the eye lenses are white. Let me guess, some sort of optical targeting system? What about those metal bird things attached to your belt. What are those?”

Dick chuckled a bit.

“I thought you were the fast one?” he asked Barry. “Whats your name man?”

“Cisco. I go by Vibe though… sometimes. I’m a meta… forget it, can I look at your suit up close?”

“Follow me Cisco. I’m about to get suited up so Oracle can do a systems check on it. Wait till you see the electric impulse emitters in the gloves. Gives it a little extra kick when I hit someone.”

“Sweet! Come on Bar.”

“Uh…”

“Barry and I are going to this meeting. We weren’t invited and its starting to get on my nerves. If Oliver Queen is in there we will be too.” Kara told her friend.

Barry and Kara zipped off, leaving Cisco and Nightwing alone. Cisco followed Dick to the glass case and watched as he entered a number code on the lock and it slid open. Although not as terrifying as the Batman costume this one just seemed so much cooler.

Dick pulled off his shirt and reached in for the costume when Cisco’s breath caught. Dick stopped and turned, already guessing what the man was seeing.

Cisco took in Dick Grayson’s torso. Two matching scars started at his shoulder blades and met in the middle of his chest. The scars were thick, jagged and the wounds had obviously been deep. Also his back and front were covered in burn marks, a couple of knife wounds and multiple bullet wounds.

“You think this is bad, you should see Bruce’s scars.” Nightwing laughed lightly.

“Where did you get those two big ones across your chest?”

“A guy name Slade Wilson. Called himself Deathstroke.”

“Oh my God, he is an asshole in every universe.” Cisco whispered. “You said called? So he is…”

“I killed him. I didn’t want to but… yeah. We fought, he had a very real Katana and I was on my back on top of this roof. He was coming towards me so I tossed one of those metal birds you were asking about into his throat. It worked, He dropped the katana, grabbed his throat and I kicked him off the roof. Sixty floors later he was dead. Not my proudest moment but it was him or me and at least I am here to regret it.”

While Cisco fanboyed and the rest of the women walked around the cave, Nyssa talking to Laur… Dinah, and Alex watching over Cait and her mother, Diggle and Thea checking out the workout stations, Felicity decided it was time to make nice with her new friend Oracle.

“So, it’s nice to put a face to the screen.” she offered. “Felicity Smoak.”

“Barbara Gordon.” the two shook hands and the smile on Oracles face put her more at ease. “I apologize if I came off as a bit cocky. Probably because I am but I haven’t had a challenge like you ever. It was just to fun. Too bad they haven’t developed multidimensional wifi. The two of us could have a blast.”

Felicity smiled, happy that her first impression of Oracle was very wrong. The woman was beautiful, small in stature and wore glasses that enhanced her face rather than took away from it. She had beautiful green eyes.

“So what happened that you are in a wheelchair?” Felicity asked then slapped her hand to her mouth. “That was so rude. I am so sorry. I just have this tendency to verbalize whatever thought crosses my mind without… anyway not my business, sorry I asked.”

“It’s fine.” Barbara laughed. “I’ve been in it now for four years. I actually used to be one of these idiots. Batgirl. I miss it. There was this guy, a psycho, he’s dead now, we think. Anyway he called himself the Joker. Real sadistic, murdering bastard, liked to dress up like a clown. Anyway he had this obsession with hurting Bruce. Bruce had stopped him quite a few times, gotten him thrown into the local insane asylum but he kept escaping. For a madman he really was brilliant. He found out my identity and decided a good way to hurt the Batman was to kill his partners. He killed a man, a boy really, he was only 17. His name was Jason Todd and he worked… the Joker had killed his family and Bruce tried to focus him, keep him back but he let himself get baited and the Joker killed him. Later that night, he visited me at my apartment. I opened my door thinking it was Dick and there he was. He shot me and left. I survived but my spinal cord was injured, irreversible damage. I’ve been in this chair ever since. Although you got to admit, its a cool chair. I designed it myself.”

Felicity felt ice in her veins, listening to the woman describing her paralysis and the similarities in the two women’s lives.

“Technically since we are from different universes my company doesn’t compete with Wayne Corp. I have so tech you might be interested in.”

“What would that be?”

“Six months ago I was shot and spent the next three months in a chair after being told I would never walk again. My company developed an implantable bio stimulant that when inserted into a person’s spine allows them to walk again. The problem we had was a power source but using a nano tech powered battery cell Curtis made it work. I can give you the schematics to the chip. I would bring you back one but the only one in existence is in my spine. We are still going through clinical trials but hope to have them rolling off the assembly lines in three years. Wayne tech will have to develop the miniature power cell. We got it off Ray’s suit and after this is all over, I can send one back here. That way you could at least have one. It doesn’t work right away, it took me a few weeks but you will walk again.”

Barbara listened shocked silent at what she was hearing. This woman was in the same situation she had found herself to be in not long ago?

“This worked for you? Its working right now?”

“Yes. In fact if you want, Caitlin can run a 3D scanner over my spine. It will give you the exact dimensions and I can provide specs on the power source. I’m sure a man who can afford all this can build on small little power source right?”

Nigthwing walked up, interrupting the two women, fully suited up, Cisco following him.

“You ready to play doctor with me?” he asked, bending down and kissing a still shocked Barbara on the mouth. He noticed she was off and straightened up. “You okay?”

“I will be. I think I actually will be.” Oracle whispered then shook her head. “Okay Grayson, lets see what knew ways I can observe you getting beat up this time.” Dick smiled and kissed her once again before she turned back to her keyboard, pulling up the live feed from his suit and feeling hope for the first time in since she had woken up from surgery.

While sightseeing and introductions were going on in the Batcave, Kara Zor El and Barry Allen crashed the meeting room where Bruce Wayne, J’onn, Kal and Oliver Queen sat. All four men looked surprised to see them.

“Everything to your liking? If there is anything you need please don’t hesitate to ask Alfred…”

“We are sitting in on your meeting.” Kara told him.

“We weren’t talking about anything to do with the rescue of your adopted father just yet…”

“Exactly. Why is that? You wanted to meet Kal El. You have had a plane trip and a limo ride to do this. Six hours you have spent with him. You got what you wanted and now we are getting what I want. If you don’t want to help, give me the location and Barry and I will figure out a way to get him out, but enough wasting time. Why in the hell are you having a meeting without us anyway? Are we not hero enough for you Mr. Wayne?”

“Of course not, Kara. I hold you in the highest regard as I do Mr. Allen. We cannot attack the compound tonight so I wanted to discuss some ideas with Superman and possibly Mr. Queen as a representative from your universe. It was not my intent to hold a secret meeting…”

“A representative from my universe? You wouldn’t even be alive right now, Bruce, if it wasn’t for me, so do not walk around deciding who you think deserves to be an ambassador. What the hell do you want with our universe anyway?”

“Nothing I am interested in Kara. I was just about to leave.” Oliver explained, standing up. “When you gentleman are finished playing around my team and I will be ready to go.”

“No stay Oliver. I want to hear what is being said and Mr. Wayne is going to tell me.” Barry pulled out a chair for Kara and sat next to her. J’onn kicked back with a smirk, Kal was not smiling though, having already been on the receiving end of her tongue lashing.

“Fine Kara. I meant no offense. I assumed you would be more focused on finding…”

“Everybody here, at least my friends, are focused on getting Jeremiah back. Talk Bruce.”

Bruce nodded and leaned back in his chair.

“As I was explaining to your friends and relatives before you came in, when I first started doing what it is I do, it was because I had a personal mission. A mission to rid my city of crime, the kind of crime that led to my parents being murdered in front of me on the street during a lousy mugging. I started on a journey to turn myself into a weapon, a journey that eventually led me to Ra’s Al Ghul and the League of Assassins.”

“Did your league have a hot tub too?” Barry asked. “And a real dungeon? Because those guys were completely evil but their set up was sick.”

Bruce stared at Barry for a moment while Oliver rubbed his forehead, before continuing.

“I recognized Ra’s Al Ghul’s style, at least certain elements in Oliver’s fighting style. We were simply comparing notes. I was close to this daughter Talia. Oliver of course knows his Ra’s daughter, Nyssa who is with us. She is very similar in appearance to Talia, easy to imagine that the two could be half sisters. I have not seen my Talia in a very long time and Oliver has told me Nyssa nor Ra’s never mentioned a Talia, though as old as Ra’s was, she could have been born before Nyssa. None of that is very important right now. What is important is when I started out I was convinced I could do this on my own. I wanted no one else involved. This world would only lead to their deaths. Mr. Queen started out alone as well. Mr. Diggle joined them, then Miss Smoak now his sister, Thea. Before that Sara Lance, the Black Canary and then recently Laurel who tragically Oliver and I have both learned is that in a war of this magnitude, no man or woman can fight alone. You need friends. You and J’onn made formidable team Kara. You defeated Non, and lifted an amazing amount of weight into space with no way back to save the world. You may not have been as successful without J’onn fighting Indigo. You may have but time was of the essence and her being in your way, would not have helped matters.”

“I know. I never claimed to be alone. I know I needed J’onn. I needed Alex, I needed the DEO as much as I hate to admit it now, I needed Winn and James and I needed Kal to keep me alive once. Barry and I are much better together than alone. What is your point Mr. Wayne?”

“My point is I was wrong. I needed help. I took a kid in who’s family was murdered and he wanted justice. I had to train him to be disciplined, to give him a code and not allow him to turn into a mindless killing machine. That young man is the one outside who calls himself Nightwing. I met Huntress and while we had a rough start we became staunch allies. Black Canary was fighting crime in this city the same time as I was. From what I understand the Laurel Lance in your universe used a sonic device. Laurel’s is quite real and can kill a person easily if unleashed in an uncontrolled fashion. She isn’t metahuman, her DNA is completely untampered. From what I understand Kara, you and Mr. Allen faced a similar foe in National City not long before Myriad?”

“Shrieky? Yeah, couple of ear plugs and she was pretty much harmless.” Barry remembered. He had been more concerned about LiveWire.

“I would bet her abilities come from some sort of magic. I would guess Laurel’s do as well. We do have magic here as well as aliens and metahumans. The only thing missing from your universe as far as potential enemies is visitors from the stars and it is a matter of time. What I have brought you all here is to suggest the forming of a league.”

” A league?” Kal asked, amused. “And what would be the point of this League, Wayne? We could have matching bowling shirts? I work alone, or with J’onn. If Kara and Barry lived here I would work with them but outside of them what would I be able to do working with you that I couldn’t on my own? No offense, but you have a lot of tech out there and braves people but you can’t exactly defeat the enemies I have taken on. Non would have put you in the morgue. Zod? You wouldn’t stand a chance, I don’t care how many heroes you have out there with fancy cars and trick toys. I have watched Mr. Queen train in the mornings the last two days and watched him in action. He is a dangerous and capable individual. Mr. Queen could you win a fight against my cousin?”

“No I could not. When she is fully powered I wouldn’t stand a chance nor would anyone else on my Earth. Trust me, somebody already tried and he is space junk now.”

“Exactly. The Green Arrow has done a lot for his world but against superpowers, he doesn’t stand a chance.” Kal finished.

“I wouldn’t say that. I beat Barry on a regular basis.” Oliver told the room. All looked toward Barry.

“How any times has he beat you?” Kara asked. Barry shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ve always thought of them more as draws.”

“If by draw you mean you wind up on the ground then yeah, I guess we can call it a draw.”

“Nyssa has taught me some pretty cool tricks. We are going at it once more and there will be no doubt.”

“I’m sorry, how can you move as fast as you do and get taken down by him?” Bruce asked.

“He cheats.” Barry explained. Oliver shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t believe in cheating when it comes to fights I believe in winning. Can we move on please?”

“Fine, you want to know what you can get from us? What about real time satellite feeds from anywhere in the world, without having to rely on the government or the Daily Planet news briefs? What about back up when you are facing two or more opponents of Non or Zod’s caliber and J’onn is not around or more help is needed? You say this tech does not help but you might be surprised by what it could do in the hands of the right people, especially the fighters I have. What if you need someone as strong as you to help in a fight? I happen to know of a hidden island called Themyscira…”

“I’ve never heard of this island.” Kal told him immediately.

“Thats why I said hidden. Anyway there is a race of immortal women who live on this island. Superhuman warriors. They have an ambassador whom I have met in secret. She is willing to fight. I know a man who is half machine, strong, fierce and not afraid of battle. I am not proposing that we live together Superman. I am proposing that we join, so that when one of us needs help, all of us will come.”

Kal sat back and thought before meeting Kara’s eyes. In just the couple days she had been back he felt some of the darkness that had engulfed his recent life lift. Her bright beautiful blonde hair, innocent smile and dark blue eyes made his heart less heavy. It was hard to feel sorry for yourself when you knew what she had lost.

“Kara?” he asked. If she thought he could trust this Wayne then he would. If she said no, he would beat Wayne until the man gave up Jeremiah’s location and then they would leave. Bruce seemed to sense the power in the room had shifted. He had assumed it was Superman he would have to convince. No team of superheroes could engender the public’s trust without the greatest of superheroes on the team, front and center. Now the decision he thought he was giving to Clark Kent was going to be made by his young and potentially bitter cousin.

“El Mayara.” she told him’.

“Stronger together.” J’onn agreed.

Kal took a deep breath. “I suppose it is settled. I will work with you on this, provided we get Jeremiah free.”

“Excellent. I would also hope that you Mr. Queen will consider doing the same.”

“We work together fine already.” Kara told the Batman. “Recently we had a little impromptu battle in the middle of Central City and all of worked together fine without any planning needed before hand.” Kara told Wayne.

“Actually…” Oliver started. “You nearly died, so did Barry and if you two had not been there, Thea and myself would have definitely died. It was luck that we all happened to be in the same area at the same time along with Sara, Ray and Firestorm. I have met others in my travels. Organizing something a bit more formal would not be a bad thing. Bruce definitely has a point. I’m not the one to do it. You and Barry, Kara, you can inspire others to join together. You inspire me. If you ask others will follow. None of us would ever have to rely on a government again for help. We would always have each other.”

“Good idea Mr. Queen. Besides one day our universes may need to face the same threat together. It would help to be familiar with each other.” Batman commented.

“Why? We take care of our universe, you take care of yours.” Barry told him.

“You think your friend Cisco and you are the only ones who can jump dimensions? There are others. I have a friend named John Stewart who can set you straight in regards to dangers from alternate universes and what dangers are out there in regard to all universes, not just yours or ours. I would imagine he has friends in your universe as well. I am betting someone named either Hal Jordan or Guy Gardener. There is more out there than you realize. Like I said, in the past years I have met many dedicated to one cause. Justice. Now since Superman’s involvement is contingent on the rescue of Jeremiah Danvers, why don’t we meet around Oracle and go over blue prints. We strike at sunset tomorrow. Thirty minutes after shift change. They will be relaxed, no help coming and we act. Anyone have any objections? I would love to get some sleep before tomorrow night, so lets get started.”

After a night of planning that did not have Kara feeling better, her and Barry walked up to a bedroom in the huge mansion and changed quickly. It was 3 AM and Kara was tired and hungry. The food she had eaten before they left was in the trash can on the private jet and she needed more but was too tired.

“Is this going to work?” Kara asked, having her doubts about this assault.

“You sleeping in our uniform? No, it is not going to work. Look we even have a door that we can lock.”

Kara rolled her eyes and moved towards her bag that Barry had brought up. Changing into Barry’s longer tee shirt she decided to forgo her shorts and moved straight back into bed.

“You are seriously going to expect me to sleep with you like this?”

“Yeah.” she sighed. Barry groaned and took his shirt off changing into a pair of shorts from his bag and slid under the covers with her. Pulling her closely to his body from behind, hand on her rock hard abs and smooth were both tired, both worried and he didn’t give a damn who knew they were sleeping together.

“Barry?” Kara whispered, grinding into him a bit more.

“Yeah?” The Flash leaned over and kissed her neck.

“I’m really, really hungry.”

“Oh… okay. You want me to get you…”

“Sandwiches? Yeah. Did you see the kitchen? Whatever you can find is fine, as long as it is turkey with Swiss Cheese with mayo, mayo on both sides, wheat bread…”

“I know how you like your sandwich, Kara.” Barry chuckled.

“I know. If you could just make me four… no five and bring back the biggest bag of chips you can find, as long as they aren’t barbecue. Also see if he has any cookies? Wayne doesn’t look like the cookie type but if that Dinah lady hangs out here and Barbara does I can imagine Alfred keeps cookies around here somewhere. He is pretty cool. I like his accent. Also Cisco was just being an ass. Nightwing does not have a cooler uniform than you.”

“I’ll be right back.” he told her.

“Barry? If they don’t have what I want, don’t run back into Gotham.”

“Okay…”

“Unless you really want to make me happy.” Kara finished. Barry moved before she could ask for anything else and within ten seconds was back, Alfred still trying to come to grips with the lightning storm that had just entered his kitchen opened the fridge and cabinets and left.

Midway through her third sandwich, Kara asked again. “Do you think this will work?”

“If what he has on this base is true, it could be the only way. I can go in myself.”

“Once you go into the tunnel the traps will be activated and no one could follow you through, humans or cool people like us. But I really don’t like us having to wait until Felicity gets to the control room to shut down the defenses. There are going to be at least thirty guards who are trained to deal with Aliens inside. They won’t be lightweights.”

“And they could be carrying Kryptonite bullets. In fact I would bet on it. I wish Cisco had made an alternate suit and kept the lead lining and kevlar.”

“If the radiation blocker world, the Kryptonite shouldn’t be a problem. Without the radiation its just a rock.”

“It will be through your suit in less than a hundred thousandth of a second. Cisco thinks that is enough to sap the radiation. I’m not doubting him but I don’t trust it either. Stick to the plan. Felicity can hack the security cams outside and follow the signal. Those are the only weak points where the system is not completely inside the base. Oracle makes the cams repeat on a clear tunnel, everyone goes in. Batman breaks the code on the door, Canary goes in and shatters a few eardrums, disorienting anyone on the other side and the best non super powered warriors in two universes go in. Oliver and Diggle get Felicity to the control room then we come in and take control of the base. We get Jeremiah out, check on the status of the experiments and decide what to do with the base next. If Jeremiah says blow it, we blow it.”

“How can you always be so calm?” Kara asked. Barry had this sureness about him, a confidence that wasn’t bragging but a simple belief in himself and those around him.

“I’m calm because I have the best friends, the best team and the best woman I have ever known, with me. I know anything can happen but I will take my chances with the people we brought any day. Even if we didn’t have Batman and his people, I’m confident we could pull this off. Bruce Wayne seemed like a different person when he was discussing the assault. He wasn’t trying to hide who he was behind a suit and a smile. Dick Grayson seems like a really good guy. This Dinah Lance seems a lot like the Laurel we knew and, while I’m not sure about this Huntress woman being much different than the one Oliver knows, she isn’t a bad person or she wouldn’t be risking her life with us. Besides I have you. I’m always confident when I’m with you.”

“I love you so much.” Kara whispered touching his cheek, in a soothing fashion but also checking if he needed to shave.

“I love you too. Get some sleep. When you wake up, breakfast.”

“No, give me a back massage, please?”

“Uh Kara… you know if you want me to do that I am going to have to vibrate my hand and you are most likely going to break the bed.”

“Barry, did you see the Bat cave? He can afford a new bed.”

“Good point Miss Zor El.”

Barry rubbed her back gently then with a bit firmer pressure. Instead of getting excited like she often did Kara seemed very relaxed. He stopped and heard her soft snoring.

“Good knight Kara. Don’t worry about a thing. I will get him out and I won’t let our friends be hurt, no matter what. I’ll be fast enough to protect you all.”