Moving On - 05
Pairing: Bart Allen (Flash) x Cassie Sandsmark (Wonder Girl)
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: When the God of War summons you, it's generally a bad idea to ignore him.
Summary: Cassie, looking to move out of her mother's house, gets a surprise when the superhero community sends her to the apartment of an old friend.
Moving On
By Nightmare and Winged Dreamer
Chapter Five
-----Days Later-----
The water running over her hands was warm, and Cassie savored the heat and caress of the liquid as she soaped up her hands and rinsed them off. It had been a wonderfully quiet day off. Bart was out on the couch, relaxing after a full day of work and a hearty pot roast dinner courtesy of Cassie's own cookbook of tried and true recipes. It had been a wonderful day and it would be an even more wonderful evening curled up on the couch beside Ba-
Glowing red eyes filled her vision, staring at her from the shadowy depths of an ornate warrior's helm, making her gasp and start.
"Ares!" she hissed in a low whisper, glancing quickly at the bathroom door. "What are you doing?"
"You haven't called or dropped by to see me in months, so I thought I'd take the initiative," rumbled a low voice from the mirror, shaking it in its frame. "How are you, Cassie?"
"Shh!" Cassie hushed him, motioning for him to lower his voice. Leaving the water on, Wonder Girl closed the bathroom door all the way and grabbed a towel to dry her hands once it was solidly shut. "I'm fine. How have you been?"
"Bored, honestly. And disappointed in you. Our agreement was for me to return your powers to you in exchange for your recognition of me as your brother. However, you haven't spoken to me or used your powers since you moved in with that Speedster. I feel rather… ignored." The glowing red narrowed in the helm's eye slits.
"I haven't needed to use my powers. Keystone is pretty quiet since everyone knows that there are two Flashes here. I've been trying to make a life for myself. I can't be Wonder Girl all the time." Cassie gave the door another nervous look, and then stepped closer to the sink and mirror. "This isn't a good time to talk."
"There are ways to make it a good time. I suggest you get dressed to go out. Meet me at Hell in twenty minutes. I'll be at the bar." Ares vanished from the mirror before Cassie could argue with him, the glowing red of his eyes being the last thing to go.
A long sigh slipped out before she could stem it, but then Ares was gone so it didn't matter. It looked like she was going out. Turning off the facet, Cassie left the bathroom, slipping into her bedroom. It took half an hour for her to dress for a club like Hell, but in the end she went with something that wasn't too terribly eye-catching, yet dressy enough to blend in, and then stepped out into the living as she pulled on her coat.
"Hey, Bart. I'm going to go out for a little while. I'll probably be home late, so don't wait up, okay?"
"Uh, okay." Twisting around to look over the back of the couch, Bart watched in confusion as Cassie pulled her coat over black slacks and a silky red button-down shirt. "Where are you going? The Mel Brooks movie marathon is just about to start on AMC. I have the popcorn and everything." Disappointment rang loud and clear beneath his confusion. They had been set on staying up for the marathon since Bart had found out about it the week before.
"Oh… geez, I… Gods, I'm sorry, Bart. I have to go. I promised someone I'd meet them at Hell tonight and I can't… y'know, publicly stand them up. I just completely forgot about the marathon." Torn between going to meet Ares and staying to cuddle with Bart, Cassie shifted her weight from foot to foot.
She may have promised to meet someone, but she'd promised Bart first that they would watch the marathon. Still, Bart could tell she had honestly forgotten and he couldn't fault Cassie that. Accidents happened. "It's okay. It happens. They'll do the marathon again, or we can rent the movies and do a marathon of our own another night. No big deal," he assured her with a shrug, trying to convince them both.
It was hard to smile, but Cassie managed as she stepped forward and reached out, cupping one of his cheeks while brushing her lips to the other. "I promise I'll make it up to you. I'm really, really sorry. Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow." If she didn't leave now, she wouldn't be able to and so she fled the apartment before she could be swayed to stay by her own desires.
With every step on Cassie's way out the door, Bart felt his mood fall that much lower. With the closing of the door, his mood made contact with the bottom of his feet. Bart stared at the door for a long moment, hoping. Hoping that Cassie had forgotten something or gotten the time or night of the meeting wrong so he could at least have some of her night. He had been looking forward to staying up all night on the couch with Cassie, laughing at the movies and throwing popcorn at the TV while curled up under a blanket. His attention drawn at last from the door by the opening credits of "Blazing Saddles," Bart sighed and gazed down into the bowl of popcorn in his lap. "I hope, whoever he is, he shows Cassie a good night, and if he doesn't, may he get food poisoning," he muttered, getting up to throw the popcorn out. He didn't want it anymore, and it would just go stale anyway.
All alone in the apartment now with just the TV for company, Bart started to feel a sharp loneliness. "I wonder what Jay and Joan are doing."
----------
Joan emerged from the kitchen with three mugs of hot cocoa in hand. Reclaiming her seat beside Bart on the couch, she handed one mug to her husband and another to the young man between them. "Here you go, dear."
Bart managed a small smile as he took the mug. "Thanks."
Draping an arm over Bart's shoulders, Joan pulled him into a tight hug. "You did the right thing, Bart, letting her go like that." She looked to Jay for help.
"We don't have to tell you that that's just life. You know she didn't mean to stand you up, so don't take it too hard." Jay gave Bart's knee a gentle, reassuring pat.
"I know, I know. I was just looking forward to the marathon, that's all." Sighing, Bart sipped at his cocoa and leaned into Joan's hug. "I'm sorry I burst in on you guys like this."
"Not at all. It's fine. You're welcome here any time, day or night, for any reason, large or small." A smile spread Jay's weathered lips. "What are you kids doing on Christmas Eve?"
"Spending it at home. Why?"
Getting an idea from Jay's smile, Joan suggested, "Why don't you two come here and spend the day with us? Jay and I won't have to get ready for the mayor's party until five."
Spend Christmas Eve with Jay and Joan? It wasn't a bad idea and it could be fun, but Bart had been hoping to get Cassie to himself for the entire day. Then again, just spending Christmas Eve night alone with Cassie would be enough to make him happy. "I… I guess we could," said Bart, not wanting to hurt Joan's feelings. "I'd have to ask Cassie."
Casting a wink to Joan over Bart's head, and grinning when his wife caught the look, Jay looked down into his mug of hot cocoa. "We could do a mid-afternoon lunch, and then you and Cassie can mind the fireplace for us while we're gone, so that it isn't out by the time we get back. And it'd be a shame to let that fire go to waste on Christmas Eve anyway. Someone might as well get some good use out of it."
Okay, now that sounded like a good idea to Bart. Spending a night with Cassie curled up in front of a fire was way better than watching classic Christmas movies. Way more romantic t- Wait a second. "Are you guys trying to play matchmaker?" Bart suspiciously glanced between his guardians.
Joan simply returned his suspicion with a look of innocence. "Why, whatever gave you that idea?"
"Nonsense, Bart. If we were trying to play matchmaker we'd be sending you two on a two week vacation cruise. You'll be doing us a favor by keeping the fire tended and the house warm so that we won't have to come back to a house that's minimally heated by the furnace. It saves more money that way." Jay's smile said otherwise.
"Uh huh. Sure it does." Bart rolled his eyes at them, but he couldn't help an honest if small smile. He wasn't about to turn down a chance to curl up with Cassie in front of a fire. It would more than make up for missing the marathon, and if it made Jay and Joan happy to "baby-sit the fire," then all the better. "I'll ask Cassie tomorrow."
"Thank you. Now, we old people like our sleep. You're welcome to stay the night here, or watch TV until you're ready to leave, but I had a long day today and Joan spent a lot of it decorating. Good night, Bart." Rising from the couch, Jay reached out and affectionately ruffled the younger Speedster's hair.
Laughing at the face Bart pulled at having his hair mussed, Joan kissed his cheek before standing herself. "We'll see you soon."
"Yeah. Night, Jay. Night, Joan." Bart watched them head up the stairs with a smile. No matter what happened, he could always count on them for support. He hoped they knew how much it meant to him… especially in the months since he had picked up his grandfather and Wally's mantle. If only there was a way to show them… Deep in thought, Bart drank down the last of his cocoa and sped off for home to wait for Cassie to return.
-----Apartment 425, Three AM-----
As silently as she could, Cassandra slipped into the apartment and stealthily closed the door behind her. The lock as it slid home sounded like a gunshot in the stillness of her shared home. Tiptoeing forward, she removed her coat, left her shoes just inside the entryway and froze just inside the living room. There, on the couch despite the fact that she had told him not to wait up for her, laid Bart Allen, sound asleep. For a moment she just stared, absorbing his quiet appearance and handsome sleeping face. Then she moved slowly into the room and stooped. Her aim was to lift him and carry him into his room. Hopefully she could make it all the way there without waking him.
She somehow managed to make it to Bart's room without waking him. Setting him down on the bed, however, was another story. Bart jerked awake just as the mattress gave way under him. "Wha-?"
Giving a sudden twist, Bart offset Cassie's balance. She dropped him to the bed completely, but was unable to recover her lost center, and the young blond Amazon toppled to the mattress, sprawling over the Speedster's chest and stomach with a small, surprised grunt.
"Omf!" Gold eyes snapped open as the wind was knocked out of Bart. Disoriented, it took him a moment to realize where he was and what exactly was lying on top of him. "Oh. Hi, Cassie." He yawned. "When did you get home?"
Laughing a little at the heap they presented, Cassie propped herself up on her elbows and looked down into his face. "Just now. I was trying to put you to bed. I told you not to wait up for me."
"Did you really think I'd listen?" With a sleepy smile, Bart hugged her. "Welcome back."
"Thank you." Hugging him back, Cassie laid her head on his chest and inhaled deeply. She could still smell the lingering traces of smoke on herself from Hell, but most of the scent she pulled into her nose was purely Bart and she savored it. "No, I shouldn't have expected you to listen, but I was trying to make you're life a little easier."
Bart tightened his embrace in a silent thank you and happily burrowed his nose into Cassie's soft hair, too sleepy to check his impulses. "Did you have fun?"
"It was… pleasant. Bart? Can I, I don't know, confide in you I guess?" Cassie took her lower lip between her teeth and waited, hoping that this sudden raging urge for honesty wouldn't ruin everything they had together at that moment.
"'Course you can. You know you can-" He yawned again. "Sorry. Always talk to me."
"I left tonight… I went to Hell tonight… to visit my brother. He was lonely and more or less demanded my attention. It was kind of hard to tell him no."
That got Bart to wake up a little more out of pure confusion. "Your brother? I thought you were an only child."
"I'm my mother's only child," she confirmed, praying that he would understand when the realization finally dawned on him.
"Right. Your mom's-" The last of the sleepy haze enveloping Bart's mind vanished as what Cassie had said clicked. She may have been the only child of her mother, but from her father, she had countless brothers and sisters. It had always been Zeus' nature to be promiscuous. "So you were meeting with another demigod? One of Zeus' kids?"
"I was meeting with Ares." There was no point beating around the bush any longer. Once it was out there was no taking it back and, although she dreaded his reaction, she was happy that it was off her chest.
Bart sat up so quickly Cassie tumbled into his lap. "Ares? God of war? That Ares?" he almost squeaked, staring down at her wide-eyed.
Bart had been honest with her about his problems. She could do the same. In fact she knew that she should. "When the Crisis was about to end, when all of my powers were leaving me because my 'father' was taking all of his power with him, I was desperate to help. Conner had gone off with Nightwing. I knew they needed help. As much as they could get, but I couldn't go. I couldn't do anything. But Ares has always helped me. I knew he was watching. He always is. So I called to him, we made a deal and I got my powers back just in time… mostly. I couldn't do nothing."
"So you got your powers back from Ares. Fine. Whatever." Bart dismissed that with a vague wave of the hand and a shake of the head. It was no business of his how Cassie had gotten her powers back so long as she had, because he knew the pain of not being able to do anything and couldn't blame her for wanting to help during the Crisis. But having Ares around as the only Greek God remaining on Earth?! Terrified didn't even begin to describe how Bart felt. "That is completely separate from the issue here, Cassie! What is Ares still doing here on Earth?! I thought Wonder Woman had said that all the gods had left this plane of existence during the Crisis!"
"They did. All of them except him. If he were to leave so would my powers, and like I said before I struck a deal with him. He gave me my powers back, and in return I've fully accepted him as my brother, becoming his mortal tie to this realm so that he can stay." Blue eyes met wide gold and Cassie lifted one shoulder. "If I renounce him, he has to leave. He knows it, too. I mean, he obviously hasn't tried to take over the world yet, right? He's just lonely, I think. And I honestly feel a little bad since I've kind of been ignoring him since I moved to Keystone."
It felt weird to talk to someone about it at last. It wasn't something she thought she'd ever tell anyone unless under duress. Searching Bart's amber gaze, Cassie hoped he could understand without jumping to conclusions.
"But… but… Why did he stay?! I understand you letting him give you powers since we needed every available fighter during the Crisis, but why didn't you send him on his way after?" Bart shook his head and cut Cassie off before she could answer. "Never mind, stupid question. You would have lost your powers again and the Titans would have lost their heavy hitter. Okay. But what does him staying mean? There's… there's… He's the only Greek God left! There are no more checks on him! Who else knows about this?!"
"No one, but there is a check on him, Bart. Weren't you listening to me? If I renounce him he has to leave. It's up to me whether he goes or stays. He won't step out of line. Besides, can you imagine what would happen to the Underworld if he were to leave? He's not just the God of War anymore. He's the God of the Dead as well."
"Since when has he been God of the Dead?! What happened to Hades?!"
"You… don't want to know."
"I don't… Jesus Christ. So Ares is God of War and God of the Dead?! You know, there's a reason those two positions have traditionally been given to two separate deities!"
"Of course I do, but that doesn't change the way things are now."
Groaning, Bart flopped back onto the bed. "So Ares is still around and you're his only link to this realm? And if you renounce him, he has no choice but to immediately go where the other gods went?"
"Yes." Bart wasn't taking this well, which she shouldn't have been surprised over. Cassie couldn't help but wait for the reprimands. Perhaps it would have been better if she hadn't said anything at all. Maybe, in her desire to be honest with him, to make up this night of abandonment to him, to make him understand why she had had to leave him when she had promised to stay she had made a horrible error in judgment and ruined any chance she may have had with him at all. She was the Champion of "Evil" now after all. Who would want to date the Champion of the "two" most despised Gods in the Greek Pantheon.
"So… Ares basically has to behave or you'll send him on a one-way ticket out of here? There's no way for him to create another link to this realm besides you?"
"No. Not that I know of."
Bart sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Okay. Ares is still here. He's the God of the Dead on top of being the God of War. You're the only thing keeping him here. If you want him to go, he has no choice but to go."
"Yes." Cassie's voice was quieter this time.
"Anything I'm forgetting or missing?"
"Not really, no."
Taking a deep breath, Bart held it in for a moment, then let it all out in a loud exhale. "Okay."
Letting her hands come to rest in her lap, Cassie just stayed silent. Her eyes never left his face, but she didn't move or make a motion to speak, instead waiting for him to speak his mind.
After a moment, Bart looked expectantly at her. "Aren't you gonna say something?"
"What more is there for me to say? I just told you one of my darkest secrets, not to be dramatic. I guess, I just waiting for the final judgment. Or something." Finally, she looked away, turning her eyes to the wall to her right.
"And… I said okay." Sitting up, he pulled his legs up to his chest and folded his arms on his knees. "Look, Cassie, I'm not going to stop being your friend just because you're letting Ares stick around. Your only real choice to his offer was to accept since you were needed during the Crisis. I'm not comfortable with the idea of him still being here, but… but he is your family, as weird as that is, and I'm not going to tell you to abandon family just because he's creepy and unstable. And I trust you to keep him in check, because I trust you. Just… why haven't you told Wonder Woman about this?"
"Because she won't take this as well as you are." A huge smile of relief lit her face and Cassie all but lunged forward to catch him in a tight hug. "Please, don't tell anyone. They won't understand. At least they won't understand why I haven't renounced him. I don't want them to think I'm… selfish. It isn't entirely about me being Wonder Girl. It's about him too. He's… sort of an underdog in the Gods' realm. Well, now he's not. Now he has real family. Sort of."
The relief was making her a little watery, but at least she wasn't outright crying.
"Sort of," agreed Bart, holding Cassie close. "And honestly, I'm not taking this well at all. If it wasn't for the knowledge that you're keeping him in check, I'd be a panicking mess right now. As it is, I'm going to go back to sleep and pretend this conversation never happened, because the idea of just Ares still being here makes he want to curl up in the fetal position and hide. Now, if you'd said Hades decided to stick around when the others left, I'd be like, 'Oh, okay. Cool. Introduce me sometime.' 'Cause he didn't deserve half of the bad press he got."
"I suppose. Uhm, I'll let you go to sleep then. Good night." It was a short hop to get off the mattress. Giving him a small smile, she started backing away. "You work tomorrow right?"
"Yeah. Oh, Jay and Joan have invited us to spend Christmas Eve with them. They don't have to get ready for the city party until five, so…" Bart shrugged. "What do you say?"
"Sounds like fun. How does breakfast tomorrow morning sound? Your pick."
"Uh, pancakes?"
"Sure. Sausages?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Alright. I'll… see you in the morning. Good night." Cassie had backed her way completely out of the room, pulling the door only partially closed behind her as she stepped out into the hall with that final good night.
"Night, Cass." Bart fell back onto the bed with a sigh once she was gone, rolling onto his stomach to bury his face in the pillow and muffle his groan. Ares. Of all the gods to decide to stick around, it had to be Ares. "Oh well," he muttered. "Could've been worse. Could've been the Furies."
-----Christmas Eve-----
"Jay, did you find that last box of ornaments?" called Joan as she pulled yet another rope of tree lights out of one of the many boxes she had spread out around the living room. Even as she prepared the things they would need to decorate the tree standing proud in front of the living room's bay window when Bart and Cassie arrived, Joan kept a close watch via nose and ear on the sugar cookies she had baking in the oven. It wouldn't do for the cookies to burn.
Putting the rope next to the tree, Joan stood and double checked everything. Lights for the tree? Check. Ornaments? Check, minus the box Jay was looking for in the attic. Breakfast? Check. Freshly done and waiting for the kids under trays to keep it warm. Presents? Check. Wrapped and safely hidden away in the foyer closet to be opened after lunch. Fire? Check. Already going strong and steady in the fireplace, keeping the living room comfortably warm. "Music. I knew I forgot something." Heading over to the stereo, she called, "Jay! Which CD do you want me to put in?"
"Whatever you want, honey. Do we still have that old Barry Manilow Christmas CD?" Jay called down from the attic his voice muffled by insulation and structure.
"Yes. Found it." Joan put the CD in, pressed play, and headed for the attic. "No luck on finding that box?"
"No, sorry. I'll keep looking." The sound of the door opening made him smile down at her where Joan stood on the stairs. "Go greet the kids. I'll be down in a little bit. Are you sure you set everything up for them? Don't forget to tell Cassie where the makings of that dinner you prepped are."
"I know, I know. Don't tell an old dog how to do the tricks she already knows." With a grin, Joan went back downstairs to find Bart and Cassie hanging their coats up. "There you two are. I was starting to think you'd slept in," she teased.
Bart pointed a thumb at Cassie, smiling. "She almost did."
Cassie, right on cue, gave a small yawn. "Sorry, I was out late last night. Family stuff."
Joan laughed and pulled Cassie into a warm embrace. "That's alright. Merry Christmas, Cassie."
"Merry Christmas, Joan. Thank you for having us over. Merry Christmas, Jay!" Cassie called, knowing the older man was in the attic.
"Merry Christmas, kids! I'll be down once I find this last box."
"Last box? Joan, do you have Jay searching for the mythical last box of ornaments that you haven't been able to find for years?" Bart asked with a smirk.
"Hey, Christmas is a time for miracles, isn't it?" Chuckling, she hugged Bart. "Merry Christmas, Bart."
"Merry Christmas. Hey, do I smell sugar cookies?" Letting Joan go, he started to head for the kitchen.
Joan stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Those are for lunch, and besides, they're not done baking. As soon as Jay comes down, we'll have breakfast."
"Okay. Jay! Give up the search and get down here! I'm hungry!"
Cassie laughed and preceded Bart into the kitchen, taking a deep whiff of the aroma of baking sugar cookies and still warm breakfast. Life in Keystone was good.
"Alright. Alright. Sorry, honey. Maybe next year. I've looked everywhere again," Jay's voice drifted into the kitchen before the man appeared himself and came forward to give Cassie a tight hug. "Hungry?"
"Famished." Wonder Girl returned the hug with a small, happy groan.
"Then let's eat."
TBC…
Rating: PG-13
Author's Notes: When the God of War summons you, it's generally a bad idea to ignore him.
Summary: Cassie, looking to move out of her mother's house, gets a surprise when the superhero community sends her to the apartment of an old friend.
Moving On
By Nightmare and Winged Dreamer
Chapter Five
-----Days Later-----
The water running over her hands was warm, and Cassie savored the heat and caress of the liquid as she soaped up her hands and rinsed them off. It had been a wonderfully quiet day off. Bart was out on the couch, relaxing after a full day of work and a hearty pot roast dinner courtesy of Cassie's own cookbook of tried and true recipes. It had been a wonderful day and it would be an even more wonderful evening curled up on the couch beside Ba-
Glowing red eyes filled her vision, staring at her from the shadowy depths of an ornate warrior's helm, making her gasp and start.
"Ares!" she hissed in a low whisper, glancing quickly at the bathroom door. "What are you doing?"
"You haven't called or dropped by to see me in months, so I thought I'd take the initiative," rumbled a low voice from the mirror, shaking it in its frame. "How are you, Cassie?"
"Shh!" Cassie hushed him, motioning for him to lower his voice. Leaving the water on, Wonder Girl closed the bathroom door all the way and grabbed a towel to dry her hands once it was solidly shut. "I'm fine. How have you been?"
"Bored, honestly. And disappointed in you. Our agreement was for me to return your powers to you in exchange for your recognition of me as your brother. However, you haven't spoken to me or used your powers since you moved in with that Speedster. I feel rather… ignored." The glowing red narrowed in the helm's eye slits.
"I haven't needed to use my powers. Keystone is pretty quiet since everyone knows that there are two Flashes here. I've been trying to make a life for myself. I can't be Wonder Girl all the time." Cassie gave the door another nervous look, and then stepped closer to the sink and mirror. "This isn't a good time to talk."
"There are ways to make it a good time. I suggest you get dressed to go out. Meet me at Hell in twenty minutes. I'll be at the bar." Ares vanished from the mirror before Cassie could argue with him, the glowing red of his eyes being the last thing to go.
A long sigh slipped out before she could stem it, but then Ares was gone so it didn't matter. It looked like she was going out. Turning off the facet, Cassie left the bathroom, slipping into her bedroom. It took half an hour for her to dress for a club like Hell, but in the end she went with something that wasn't too terribly eye-catching, yet dressy enough to blend in, and then stepped out into the living as she pulled on her coat.
"Hey, Bart. I'm going to go out for a little while. I'll probably be home late, so don't wait up, okay?"
"Uh, okay." Twisting around to look over the back of the couch, Bart watched in confusion as Cassie pulled her coat over black slacks and a silky red button-down shirt. "Where are you going? The Mel Brooks movie marathon is just about to start on AMC. I have the popcorn and everything." Disappointment rang loud and clear beneath his confusion. They had been set on staying up for the marathon since Bart had found out about it the week before.
"Oh… geez, I… Gods, I'm sorry, Bart. I have to go. I promised someone I'd meet them at Hell tonight and I can't… y'know, publicly stand them up. I just completely forgot about the marathon." Torn between going to meet Ares and staying to cuddle with Bart, Cassie shifted her weight from foot to foot.
She may have promised to meet someone, but she'd promised Bart first that they would watch the marathon. Still, Bart could tell she had honestly forgotten and he couldn't fault Cassie that. Accidents happened. "It's okay. It happens. They'll do the marathon again, or we can rent the movies and do a marathon of our own another night. No big deal," he assured her with a shrug, trying to convince them both.
It was hard to smile, but Cassie managed as she stepped forward and reached out, cupping one of his cheeks while brushing her lips to the other. "I promise I'll make it up to you. I'm really, really sorry. Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow." If she didn't leave now, she wouldn't be able to and so she fled the apartment before she could be swayed to stay by her own desires.
With every step on Cassie's way out the door, Bart felt his mood fall that much lower. With the closing of the door, his mood made contact with the bottom of his feet. Bart stared at the door for a long moment, hoping. Hoping that Cassie had forgotten something or gotten the time or night of the meeting wrong so he could at least have some of her night. He had been looking forward to staying up all night on the couch with Cassie, laughing at the movies and throwing popcorn at the TV while curled up under a blanket. His attention drawn at last from the door by the opening credits of "Blazing Saddles," Bart sighed and gazed down into the bowl of popcorn in his lap. "I hope, whoever he is, he shows Cassie a good night, and if he doesn't, may he get food poisoning," he muttered, getting up to throw the popcorn out. He didn't want it anymore, and it would just go stale anyway.
All alone in the apartment now with just the TV for company, Bart started to feel a sharp loneliness. "I wonder what Jay and Joan are doing."
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Joan emerged from the kitchen with three mugs of hot cocoa in hand. Reclaiming her seat beside Bart on the couch, she handed one mug to her husband and another to the young man between them. "Here you go, dear."
Bart managed a small smile as he took the mug. "Thanks."
Draping an arm over Bart's shoulders, Joan pulled him into a tight hug. "You did the right thing, Bart, letting her go like that." She looked to Jay for help.
"We don't have to tell you that that's just life. You know she didn't mean to stand you up, so don't take it too hard." Jay gave Bart's knee a gentle, reassuring pat.
"I know, I know. I was just looking forward to the marathon, that's all." Sighing, Bart sipped at his cocoa and leaned into Joan's hug. "I'm sorry I burst in on you guys like this."
"Not at all. It's fine. You're welcome here any time, day or night, for any reason, large or small." A smile spread Jay's weathered lips. "What are you kids doing on Christmas Eve?"
"Spending it at home. Why?"
Getting an idea from Jay's smile, Joan suggested, "Why don't you two come here and spend the day with us? Jay and I won't have to get ready for the mayor's party until five."
Spend Christmas Eve with Jay and Joan? It wasn't a bad idea and it could be fun, but Bart had been hoping to get Cassie to himself for the entire day. Then again, just spending Christmas Eve night alone with Cassie would be enough to make him happy. "I… I guess we could," said Bart, not wanting to hurt Joan's feelings. "I'd have to ask Cassie."
Casting a wink to Joan over Bart's head, and grinning when his wife caught the look, Jay looked down into his mug of hot cocoa. "We could do a mid-afternoon lunch, and then you and Cassie can mind the fireplace for us while we're gone, so that it isn't out by the time we get back. And it'd be a shame to let that fire go to waste on Christmas Eve anyway. Someone might as well get some good use out of it."
Okay, now that sounded like a good idea to Bart. Spending a night with Cassie curled up in front of a fire was way better than watching classic Christmas movies. Way more romantic t- Wait a second. "Are you guys trying to play matchmaker?" Bart suspiciously glanced between his guardians.
Joan simply returned his suspicion with a look of innocence. "Why, whatever gave you that idea?"
"Nonsense, Bart. If we were trying to play matchmaker we'd be sending you two on a two week vacation cruise. You'll be doing us a favor by keeping the fire tended and the house warm so that we won't have to come back to a house that's minimally heated by the furnace. It saves more money that way." Jay's smile said otherwise.
"Uh huh. Sure it does." Bart rolled his eyes at them, but he couldn't help an honest if small smile. He wasn't about to turn down a chance to curl up with Cassie in front of a fire. It would more than make up for missing the marathon, and if it made Jay and Joan happy to "baby-sit the fire," then all the better. "I'll ask Cassie tomorrow."
"Thank you. Now, we old people like our sleep. You're welcome to stay the night here, or watch TV until you're ready to leave, but I had a long day today and Joan spent a lot of it decorating. Good night, Bart." Rising from the couch, Jay reached out and affectionately ruffled the younger Speedster's hair.
Laughing at the face Bart pulled at having his hair mussed, Joan kissed his cheek before standing herself. "We'll see you soon."
"Yeah. Night, Jay. Night, Joan." Bart watched them head up the stairs with a smile. No matter what happened, he could always count on them for support. He hoped they knew how much it meant to him… especially in the months since he had picked up his grandfather and Wally's mantle. If only there was a way to show them… Deep in thought, Bart drank down the last of his cocoa and sped off for home to wait for Cassie to return.
-----Apartment 425, Three AM-----
As silently as she could, Cassandra slipped into the apartment and stealthily closed the door behind her. The lock as it slid home sounded like a gunshot in the stillness of her shared home. Tiptoeing forward, she removed her coat, left her shoes just inside the entryway and froze just inside the living room. There, on the couch despite the fact that she had told him not to wait up for her, laid Bart Allen, sound asleep. For a moment she just stared, absorbing his quiet appearance and handsome sleeping face. Then she moved slowly into the room and stooped. Her aim was to lift him and carry him into his room. Hopefully she could make it all the way there without waking him.
She somehow managed to make it to Bart's room without waking him. Setting him down on the bed, however, was another story. Bart jerked awake just as the mattress gave way under him. "Wha-?"
Giving a sudden twist, Bart offset Cassie's balance. She dropped him to the bed completely, but was unable to recover her lost center, and the young blond Amazon toppled to the mattress, sprawling over the Speedster's chest and stomach with a small, surprised grunt.
"Omf!" Gold eyes snapped open as the wind was knocked out of Bart. Disoriented, it took him a moment to realize where he was and what exactly was lying on top of him. "Oh. Hi, Cassie." He yawned. "When did you get home?"
Laughing a little at the heap they presented, Cassie propped herself up on her elbows and looked down into his face. "Just now. I was trying to put you to bed. I told you not to wait up for me."
"Did you really think I'd listen?" With a sleepy smile, Bart hugged her. "Welcome back."
"Thank you." Hugging him back, Cassie laid her head on his chest and inhaled deeply. She could still smell the lingering traces of smoke on herself from Hell, but most of the scent she pulled into her nose was purely Bart and she savored it. "No, I shouldn't have expected you to listen, but I was trying to make you're life a little easier."
Bart tightened his embrace in a silent thank you and happily burrowed his nose into Cassie's soft hair, too sleepy to check his impulses. "Did you have fun?"
"It was… pleasant. Bart? Can I, I don't know, confide in you I guess?" Cassie took her lower lip between her teeth and waited, hoping that this sudden raging urge for honesty wouldn't ruin everything they had together at that moment.
"'Course you can. You know you can-" He yawned again. "Sorry. Always talk to me."
"I left tonight… I went to Hell tonight… to visit my brother. He was lonely and more or less demanded my attention. It was kind of hard to tell him no."
That got Bart to wake up a little more out of pure confusion. "Your brother? I thought you were an only child."
"I'm my mother's only child," she confirmed, praying that he would understand when the realization finally dawned on him.
"Right. Your mom's-" The last of the sleepy haze enveloping Bart's mind vanished as what Cassie had said clicked. She may have been the only child of her mother, but from her father, she had countless brothers and sisters. It had always been Zeus' nature to be promiscuous. "So you were meeting with another demigod? One of Zeus' kids?"
"I was meeting with Ares." There was no point beating around the bush any longer. Once it was out there was no taking it back and, although she dreaded his reaction, she was happy that it was off her chest.
Bart sat up so quickly Cassie tumbled into his lap. "Ares? God of war? That Ares?" he almost squeaked, staring down at her wide-eyed.
Bart had been honest with her about his problems. She could do the same. In fact she knew that she should. "When the Crisis was about to end, when all of my powers were leaving me because my 'father' was taking all of his power with him, I was desperate to help. Conner had gone off with Nightwing. I knew they needed help. As much as they could get, but I couldn't go. I couldn't do anything. But Ares has always helped me. I knew he was watching. He always is. So I called to him, we made a deal and I got my powers back just in time… mostly. I couldn't do nothing."
"So you got your powers back from Ares. Fine. Whatever." Bart dismissed that with a vague wave of the hand and a shake of the head. It was no business of his how Cassie had gotten her powers back so long as she had, because he knew the pain of not being able to do anything and couldn't blame her for wanting to help during the Crisis. But having Ares around as the only Greek God remaining on Earth?! Terrified didn't even begin to describe how Bart felt. "That is completely separate from the issue here, Cassie! What is Ares still doing here on Earth?! I thought Wonder Woman had said that all the gods had left this plane of existence during the Crisis!"
"They did. All of them except him. If he were to leave so would my powers, and like I said before I struck a deal with him. He gave me my powers back, and in return I've fully accepted him as my brother, becoming his mortal tie to this realm so that he can stay." Blue eyes met wide gold and Cassie lifted one shoulder. "If I renounce him, he has to leave. He knows it, too. I mean, he obviously hasn't tried to take over the world yet, right? He's just lonely, I think. And I honestly feel a little bad since I've kind of been ignoring him since I moved to Keystone."
It felt weird to talk to someone about it at last. It wasn't something she thought she'd ever tell anyone unless under duress. Searching Bart's amber gaze, Cassie hoped he could understand without jumping to conclusions.
"But… but… Why did he stay?! I understand you letting him give you powers since we needed every available fighter during the Crisis, but why didn't you send him on his way after?" Bart shook his head and cut Cassie off before she could answer. "Never mind, stupid question. You would have lost your powers again and the Titans would have lost their heavy hitter. Okay. But what does him staying mean? There's… there's… He's the only Greek God left! There are no more checks on him! Who else knows about this?!"
"No one, but there is a check on him, Bart. Weren't you listening to me? If I renounce him he has to leave. It's up to me whether he goes or stays. He won't step out of line. Besides, can you imagine what would happen to the Underworld if he were to leave? He's not just the God of War anymore. He's the God of the Dead as well."
"Since when has he been God of the Dead?! What happened to Hades?!"
"You… don't want to know."
"I don't… Jesus Christ. So Ares is God of War and God of the Dead?! You know, there's a reason those two positions have traditionally been given to two separate deities!"
"Of course I do, but that doesn't change the way things are now."
Groaning, Bart flopped back onto the bed. "So Ares is still around and you're his only link to this realm? And if you renounce him, he has no choice but to immediately go where the other gods went?"
"Yes." Bart wasn't taking this well, which she shouldn't have been surprised over. Cassie couldn't help but wait for the reprimands. Perhaps it would have been better if she hadn't said anything at all. Maybe, in her desire to be honest with him, to make up this night of abandonment to him, to make him understand why she had had to leave him when she had promised to stay she had made a horrible error in judgment and ruined any chance she may have had with him at all. She was the Champion of "Evil" now after all. Who would want to date the Champion of the "two" most despised Gods in the Greek Pantheon.
"So… Ares basically has to behave or you'll send him on a one-way ticket out of here? There's no way for him to create another link to this realm besides you?"
"No. Not that I know of."
Bart sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "Okay. Ares is still here. He's the God of the Dead on top of being the God of War. You're the only thing keeping him here. If you want him to go, he has no choice but to go."
"Yes." Cassie's voice was quieter this time.
"Anything I'm forgetting or missing?"
"Not really, no."
Taking a deep breath, Bart held it in for a moment, then let it all out in a loud exhale. "Okay."
Letting her hands come to rest in her lap, Cassie just stayed silent. Her eyes never left his face, but she didn't move or make a motion to speak, instead waiting for him to speak his mind.
After a moment, Bart looked expectantly at her. "Aren't you gonna say something?"
"What more is there for me to say? I just told you one of my darkest secrets, not to be dramatic. I guess, I just waiting for the final judgment. Or something." Finally, she looked away, turning her eyes to the wall to her right.
"And… I said okay." Sitting up, he pulled his legs up to his chest and folded his arms on his knees. "Look, Cassie, I'm not going to stop being your friend just because you're letting Ares stick around. Your only real choice to his offer was to accept since you were needed during the Crisis. I'm not comfortable with the idea of him still being here, but… but he is your family, as weird as that is, and I'm not going to tell you to abandon family just because he's creepy and unstable. And I trust you to keep him in check, because I trust you. Just… why haven't you told Wonder Woman about this?"
"Because she won't take this as well as you are." A huge smile of relief lit her face and Cassie all but lunged forward to catch him in a tight hug. "Please, don't tell anyone. They won't understand. At least they won't understand why I haven't renounced him. I don't want them to think I'm… selfish. It isn't entirely about me being Wonder Girl. It's about him too. He's… sort of an underdog in the Gods' realm. Well, now he's not. Now he has real family. Sort of."
The relief was making her a little watery, but at least she wasn't outright crying.
"Sort of," agreed Bart, holding Cassie close. "And honestly, I'm not taking this well at all. If it wasn't for the knowledge that you're keeping him in check, I'd be a panicking mess right now. As it is, I'm going to go back to sleep and pretend this conversation never happened, because the idea of just Ares still being here makes he want to curl up in the fetal position and hide. Now, if you'd said Hades decided to stick around when the others left, I'd be like, 'Oh, okay. Cool. Introduce me sometime.' 'Cause he didn't deserve half of the bad press he got."
"I suppose. Uhm, I'll let you go to sleep then. Good night." It was a short hop to get off the mattress. Giving him a small smile, she started backing away. "You work tomorrow right?"
"Yeah. Oh, Jay and Joan have invited us to spend Christmas Eve with them. They don't have to get ready for the city party until five, so…" Bart shrugged. "What do you say?"
"Sounds like fun. How does breakfast tomorrow morning sound? Your pick."
"Uh, pancakes?"
"Sure. Sausages?"
"Yeah, sure."
"Alright. I'll… see you in the morning. Good night." Cassie had backed her way completely out of the room, pulling the door only partially closed behind her as she stepped out into the hall with that final good night.
"Night, Cass." Bart fell back onto the bed with a sigh once she was gone, rolling onto his stomach to bury his face in the pillow and muffle his groan. Ares. Of all the gods to decide to stick around, it had to be Ares. "Oh well," he muttered. "Could've been worse. Could've been the Furies."
-----Christmas Eve-----
"Jay, did you find that last box of ornaments?" called Joan as she pulled yet another rope of tree lights out of one of the many boxes she had spread out around the living room. Even as she prepared the things they would need to decorate the tree standing proud in front of the living room's bay window when Bart and Cassie arrived, Joan kept a close watch via nose and ear on the sugar cookies she had baking in the oven. It wouldn't do for the cookies to burn.
Putting the rope next to the tree, Joan stood and double checked everything. Lights for the tree? Check. Ornaments? Check, minus the box Jay was looking for in the attic. Breakfast? Check. Freshly done and waiting for the kids under trays to keep it warm. Presents? Check. Wrapped and safely hidden away in the foyer closet to be opened after lunch. Fire? Check. Already going strong and steady in the fireplace, keeping the living room comfortably warm. "Music. I knew I forgot something." Heading over to the stereo, she called, "Jay! Which CD do you want me to put in?"
"Whatever you want, honey. Do we still have that old Barry Manilow Christmas CD?" Jay called down from the attic his voice muffled by insulation and structure.
"Yes. Found it." Joan put the CD in, pressed play, and headed for the attic. "No luck on finding that box?"
"No, sorry. I'll keep looking." The sound of the door opening made him smile down at her where Joan stood on the stairs. "Go greet the kids. I'll be down in a little bit. Are you sure you set everything up for them? Don't forget to tell Cassie where the makings of that dinner you prepped are."
"I know, I know. Don't tell an old dog how to do the tricks she already knows." With a grin, Joan went back downstairs to find Bart and Cassie hanging their coats up. "There you two are. I was starting to think you'd slept in," she teased.
Bart pointed a thumb at Cassie, smiling. "She almost did."
Cassie, right on cue, gave a small yawn. "Sorry, I was out late last night. Family stuff."
Joan laughed and pulled Cassie into a warm embrace. "That's alright. Merry Christmas, Cassie."
"Merry Christmas, Joan. Thank you for having us over. Merry Christmas, Jay!" Cassie called, knowing the older man was in the attic.
"Merry Christmas, kids! I'll be down once I find this last box."
"Last box? Joan, do you have Jay searching for the mythical last box of ornaments that you haven't been able to find for years?" Bart asked with a smirk.
"Hey, Christmas is a time for miracles, isn't it?" Chuckling, she hugged Bart. "Merry Christmas, Bart."
"Merry Christmas. Hey, do I smell sugar cookies?" Letting Joan go, he started to head for the kitchen.
Joan stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Those are for lunch, and besides, they're not done baking. As soon as Jay comes down, we'll have breakfast."
"Okay. Jay! Give up the search and get down here! I'm hungry!"
Cassie laughed and preceded Bart into the kitchen, taking a deep whiff of the aroma of baking sugar cookies and still warm breakfast. Life in Keystone was good.
"Alright. Alright. Sorry, honey. Maybe next year. I've looked everywhere again," Jay's voice drifted into the kitchen before the man appeared himself and came forward to give Cassie a tight hug. "Hungry?"
"Famished." Wonder Girl returned the hug with a small, happy groan.
"Then let's eat."
TBC…