Note: Please don't read this story if you're in a good mood. I was grumpy when I wrote it, and I'm even grumpier now. Sorry. Explanations/excuses after. Timeline: Year Two-- shortly after Batman joins the JLA. I know JLA history is bizarre and convoluted, but I'm going off JLA: Year One. Just a year later. *** The Ones You Love Most By Anonymous *** When you are a superhero, sometimes you get bruises. Dinah Lance added an extra smudge of foundation to just under her eye, hoping it covered the purple. She gave it an experimental poke, and winced at the pain. Couldn't be helped. She shook her wig out, and checked the seams of her stockings in the mirror. Perfect. That was Black Canary, after all, a sweet little dame who could punch your lights out just as easily as she put on her make-up. She crept out of Ollie's room, knowing that his ward, Speedy, was sleeping across the hall. Carefully, she opened the door, and peeked in at the boy. He was curled up on his bed, wrapped as tight as snail shell. Dinah couldn't tell if he was asleep or not. "Speedy… I'm sorry…" she murmured loud enough that if he was awake, he would hear her, and if he wasn't, he wouldn't wake. There was a small sniffle from the bed, and Dinah swallowed, and backed out of the room slowly. "Dinah, are you almost ready?" Ollie's voice called from the first floor. "Coming, Ollie!" she replied, smoothing her wig again. There. Perfect. *** "That's quite a shiner, there, kid," Hal winked at Dinah from across the conference table. "I hope you paid it back, with interest." Dinah started to open her mouth, but Ollie clapped his arm around her, giving her a squeeze. "You can bet she did! Don't let the fishnets fool you, this is one dangerous lady!" "And don't we know it," Hal returned, with a grin. "Is the Flash planning on getting here sometime today?" Arthur grimaced. "For the fastest man alive, he certainly takes his own sweet time." "He said he might be a few minutes late," J'onn placated. "He promised to pick his fiancée up at work." Arthur grimaced impatiently. "Women." "Aw, they're a cute couple of kids, Art, leave 'em be," Hal waved dismissively. "A good partnership, whether in business, life, or love, is not something to be taken lightly," J'onn added, his voice tinged with a hint of sadness. "I… have recently taken on a partner…" Arthur admitted. "But I left him at home, and still managed to make it here on time." "How's the little guy doing for you?" Ollie asked, leaning back in his chair. "My Speedy's a handful at times. Good kid, though." Aquaman smiled fondly. "I suppose Aqualad is a… good kid, as well." A derisive snort came from the other end of the table. All eyes swiveled towards the Justice League's newest member. The so-called Dark Knight sat silently at the end of the table. "Yes, Batman?" J'onn finally asked. Batman's stony visage didn't change. "We are men--" he glanced toward Canary, "--and women, of action. The road we walk is one of pain and hardship. How can you claim to care for someone while letting them accompany you down that path? How can you allow yourself to be responsible for their pain?" Canary's eyes burned, and she stared down at the table. "You got it all wrong, Bats," Ollie replied, crossing his arms. "Life is pain, no matter who you are. You gotta be strong in this world to survive, and I couldn't claim to care for Speedy without helping him to become the strongest person he can." Arthur looked slightly lost for a moment, then bristled up into his usual self. "I said he was a good kid. I never said I cared for him." "Sometimes," Dinah said, her voice suddenly loud. Self-conscious, she lowered it. "Sometimes, a person is going to walk that path, no matter what. Don't you wish you'd had a guide? Someone to lead the way for you?" Batman's expression didn't change, but Dinah could feel his eyes boring right into her. "I suppose that depends. Are you being led… or dragged?" "Batman," Martian Manhunter interjected, his voice forceful. "We are all friends here. There is no need for hostility." Batman settled back in his chair. "Of course not." Suddenly, there was a smear of red in the room, and Barry Allen sat in his usual seat. "Sorry I'm late, guys. Had a little errand to run. And the Kid says hi. He wanted to come, but I told him that all the superheroes without sidekicks would get jealous. You guys ready to get started?" "Quite," Arthur grunted. "Been ready for ages." Ollie slumped down in his chair. "Noooo kiddin'." Dinah shuddered, and hoped that Speedy had found someplace to run off to, today. *** Dinah tapped her fingers on the conference table. She wanted to go home, but Snapper was showing off some of the new toys to Hal, and of course, Ollie wanted to see, too. A red blur screamed into the room again, and then Barry came to a halt. "Hey, Dinah, what are you doing in here by yourself?" "Just… waiting for Ollie," Dinah said with a slight smile. For appearances. "Everything going good between you two?" Barry asked, slight concern creasing his brow. "Yeah, everything's great. Ollie's a great guy." Barry grinned. "Glad to hear it. To tell you the truth, Dinah, I was a little skeptical of the guy, but I decided to trust your judgment, and it paid off. GA's working out great." He frowned. "If only I could say the same thing for that Bat-guy… Don't find one like him everyday, huh?" "No," Dinah replied simply. "You don't." "I'm just glad he's on *our* side," Barry chuckled. "Barry?" "Yeah?" "How's Iris?" Barry smiled sadly. "She's good, Dinah. She's real good." "I'm glad." The silence hung in the air for several seconds. "I… need to go…" Barry finally finished lamely. "I know," Dinah replied. Barry nodded quickly, and then he was gone again. Dinah was alone. Again. Except that she wasn't. "Why?" Dinah jumped out of her chair, and spun around, coming face to… chest with the Dark Knight. "What do you want?" she demanded. "I want to know why." "Why what?" Dinah replied, stubbornly, staring at his boots. "Why you let him do this to you. Why *they* let him do this to you." "He doesn't mean it. Ollie's a very passionate man. When he's up, you won't find a better man in this world. He's kind, and caring, and dedicated and loyal and--" "And when he's down?" Dinah was silent. "He hits the boy, too, I assume?" "How do you think I got this bruise?" Dinah suddenly exploded. "I try my damnedest to keep Speedy safe! I love that kid! Almost as much as… as Ollie does." Batman narrowed his eyes. "Then leave him." Dinah's hands clenched into fists. "Look, Mr. Tall, Dark and Scary. Maybe you live your life down in some cave somewhere, with no friends and no family, and no human contact whatsoever, but we humans need other humans. And sometimes you hurt the people you love, and they hurt you, but the hurt is better than being alone! Anything's better than being alone!" Batman was silent. "Hey! What's going on in here?" Dinah's head swept to the floor again, as Ollie's voice rang through the room. "You giving my girl trouble, creep?" Ollie growled, stomping into the room, dangerously close to the cowled man. Batman was silent. "Ollie," Dinah said softly, placing her hand on Ollie's arm. "I want to go home now." Ollie's face softened. "Sure, babe. Whatever you want." Draping his arm around her waist, he led her out of the room, past Hal Jordon, watching from the doorway. Hal glared at Batman, and started forward into the room, when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I will talk to him." Hal nodded. It made him sick to think that the Bat was upsetting his teammate, but the best he could come up with was anger, which was no solution. And if anyone could come up with a solution, it was J'onn J'onzz. He left the two men their privacy. Batman stood in the middle of the conference room, hands clenched at his sides, scowling. The tall Martian stood beside him, waiting patiently. "Why, J'onn?" Batman finally managed. "Why does he hurt her? Why does she take it? Why don't I do anything? Which answer would you like?" "How can you stand by and watch this happen? How can any of you?" "The others don't know," J'onn said simply. "They see what they wish, and what Dinah and Oliver wish them to see." "You could tell them." J'onn shook his head. "They would react brashly." "Like I did." "Yes." "And you?" J'onn frowned. "What would you have me do? Attack her lover? It would only drive her further into her arms." "Convince her to leave him." "Miss Lance is a very headstrong young woman. Nothing you or I could say would convince her. She must convince herself. And she will. In time." "Dammit," Bruce mumbled. "As you said, the path we walk is a long and painful one," J'onn continued softly. "And try as you might, you cannot walk it alone. You will always have companions." "Dammit," Bruce repeated. J'onn nodded. "Yes. Dammit." *** "What did he say to you?" Ollie demanded, as he got into the car. "Nothing." "That smarmy bastard. Believe me, Dinah, he tries anything, and he'll have me to answer to." "I know." Ollie reached over to caress her hair gently. "I love you, Dinah. I just want to keep you safe." "I know, Ollie. I love you, too." Ollie smiled, settling back into the driver's seat. "I know you do, babe. I know you do." He never noticed the single tear oozing down her cheek. *** Explanations/Excuses: I was over Amanda's this weekend when I got bitten by this particularly nasty little plot bunny. I was reading this old issue of... something. 80-page giant or whatever, but at the end, Dinah announces that she's not Ollie's girl, and Ollie thinks, "That girl's cruisin' for a bruisin'..." and it just sat really unsteadily with me. And THEN I read the Speedy-on-heroin story, which you just have to read yourselves, and that really cemented this story for me. Oh, and partially inspired by IMPULSE #6, because it rules, and it made me cry. You need that one, too.