Waking From Falling-JSA//042.Fall
Title:Waking From Falling
Fandom:JSA (DC Comics)
Characters:Hawkman, Doctor Mid-Nite, Powergirl
Prompt:042.Fall
Word Count:764
Rating:PG
Summary:A conversation with Carter makes Karen reevaluate some things.
Disclaimer:I do not own JSA or its members. If only I did...
Notes:I didn't know exactly how to end this scene, so it might feel a tad abrupt.
Karen watched her teammates leave through the great wide doors. Today's meeting had really been catch up. It was that lull between two hectic periods, Karen just knew, and but with the absence of a present threat the ever growing team and spread out into it's own subgroups. There were teammates she hadn't seen in weeks and that had bugged her. The meeting had cleared up all that and the rest of the Society seemed to be bursting at the seams to be out of the room. Especially, one in particular.
“Carter!” Karen yelled down the carpeted hall as the winged fighter nearly sprinted out of the brownstone. It took a few moments for him to turn around; he swung his mace as he did.
“Whoa! Watch it there fella,” Karen said and she smiled. She was trying. She really was. The man was insufferable. He said he and Kendra were just friends, and probably that's all they'd ever be, and yet he wouldn't move on. Karen knew even she could be stubborn, but he was getting ridiculous. And yet part of her was deeply intrigued by him.
“What do you want, Karen?” the taciturn man demanded.
Karen felt her smile give way. She titled her head. “There any law against saying 'hi'?”
She swore she saw him roll his eyes underneath that mask. “Hi,” he deadpanned and proceeded to walk away.
“Where you in a rush to go?” she called after him. Karen floated above the floor, the competitor unable to let him simply walk away.
“Some of us have lives Karen.”
That stopped her midair. “And going home to an empty museum to sulk is a life?” Karen fired back before she could stop herself. She immediately regretted it, but he had fired the first volley and she'd never been good at simply walking away.
Carter turned around, his jaw ticking and pulsing with anger. “You know what Karen your determination and pride make you an excellent leader, but personally it is starting to try my patience. Walk away Karen, pretend that whatever this is never happened. I certainly am. Quit being so pathet-”
“I think that's enough,” a stern, sure voice commanded. Karen turned to find Mid-Nite emerging from the shadows of the doorway. The set of jaw and the tilt of his head nearly reminded Karen of Bruce and for some reason that warmed her heart. One rarely saw this side of him. This was not the caring doctor or concerned teammate. It was far darker and less compassionate. “She gets the point.”
As if backing him up, Charlie left Mid-Nite's shoulder and swooped down the hallway in a low fast arc. Softly the bird landed on Karen's shoulder and peered at Carter.
“Hmph,” Carter grunted. Karen's stomach lurched and the urge to fly away with speed flooded her body. She didn't know why she thought that she could've changed the man's mind about the possibilities between them. It was obviously he was dead set against anything at all. Karen looked into the eyes of Carter's mask. They were like hard flint, unforgiving. She'd been such a fool.
“Yeah, Carter I get it. I won't try again.”
Swiftly, Mid-Nite walked towards Karen. He stopped just behind her. Karen had been in enough battles to know that it was a power play; he was daring Carter to do something untoward. Despite Carter's years, Karen would've put her money on Pieter any day. Carter might have been an immortal warrior, but no one knew what kind of damage a body could take like Pieter.
Carter lifted his head. “Mid-Nite.” The winged warrior turned and walked briskly from the hall, not looking back.
Calmly, as if he hadn't stared down Hawkman at all, Pieter let a gloved hand fall to her back. Karen never liked people seeing her weak, but she let her shoulders slump. “I'm fine Doc, really,” Karen affirmed while sighing.
“It's okay not to be Karen,” the Doc told her, warmth leaking into his voice. On her shoulder, Charlie nipped softly at her ear.
“Does this bird always agree with you?”
“Only about the important things,” he answered without missing a beat.
Despite herself Karen laughed.
Lightly, Mid-Nite brushed his gloved hand against her chin. “That's better. Do not suffer fools Karen. He's not worth it and we're not all blind.”
His voice had grown soft. Karen smiled and felt color shoot to her cheeks. “Thanks Pieter. You're first class.”
“Coming from you Karen that means quite a lot. Quite a lot indeed.”
Fandom:JSA (DC Comics)
Characters:Hawkman, Doctor Mid-Nite, Powergirl
Prompt:042.Fall
Word Count:764
Rating:PG
Summary:A conversation with Carter makes Karen reevaluate some things.
Disclaimer:I do not own JSA or its members. If only I did...
Notes:I didn't know exactly how to end this scene, so it might feel a tad abrupt.
Karen watched her teammates leave through the great wide doors. Today's meeting had really been catch up. It was that lull between two hectic periods, Karen just knew, and but with the absence of a present threat the ever growing team and spread out into it's own subgroups. There were teammates she hadn't seen in weeks and that had bugged her. The meeting had cleared up all that and the rest of the Society seemed to be bursting at the seams to be out of the room. Especially, one in particular.
“Carter!” Karen yelled down the carpeted hall as the winged fighter nearly sprinted out of the brownstone. It took a few moments for him to turn around; he swung his mace as he did.
“Whoa! Watch it there fella,” Karen said and she smiled. She was trying. She really was. The man was insufferable. He said he and Kendra were just friends, and probably that's all they'd ever be, and yet he wouldn't move on. Karen knew even she could be stubborn, but he was getting ridiculous. And yet part of her was deeply intrigued by him.
“What do you want, Karen?” the taciturn man demanded.
Karen felt her smile give way. She titled her head. “There any law against saying 'hi'?”
She swore she saw him roll his eyes underneath that mask. “Hi,” he deadpanned and proceeded to walk away.
“Where you in a rush to go?” she called after him. Karen floated above the floor, the competitor unable to let him simply walk away.
“Some of us have lives Karen.”
That stopped her midair. “And going home to an empty museum to sulk is a life?” Karen fired back before she could stop herself. She immediately regretted it, but he had fired the first volley and she'd never been good at simply walking away.
Carter turned around, his jaw ticking and pulsing with anger. “You know what Karen your determination and pride make you an excellent leader, but personally it is starting to try my patience. Walk away Karen, pretend that whatever this is never happened. I certainly am. Quit being so pathet-”
“I think that's enough,” a stern, sure voice commanded. Karen turned to find Mid-Nite emerging from the shadows of the doorway. The set of jaw and the tilt of his head nearly reminded Karen of Bruce and for some reason that warmed her heart. One rarely saw this side of him. This was not the caring doctor or concerned teammate. It was far darker and less compassionate. “She gets the point.”
As if backing him up, Charlie left Mid-Nite's shoulder and swooped down the hallway in a low fast arc. Softly the bird landed on Karen's shoulder and peered at Carter.
“Hmph,” Carter grunted. Karen's stomach lurched and the urge to fly away with speed flooded her body. She didn't know why she thought that she could've changed the man's mind about the possibilities between them. It was obviously he was dead set against anything at all. Karen looked into the eyes of Carter's mask. They were like hard flint, unforgiving. She'd been such a fool.
“Yeah, Carter I get it. I won't try again.”
Swiftly, Mid-Nite walked towards Karen. He stopped just behind her. Karen had been in enough battles to know that it was a power play; he was daring Carter to do something untoward. Despite Carter's years, Karen would've put her money on Pieter any day. Carter might have been an immortal warrior, but no one knew what kind of damage a body could take like Pieter.
Carter lifted his head. “Mid-Nite.” The winged warrior turned and walked briskly from the hall, not looking back.
Calmly, as if he hadn't stared down Hawkman at all, Pieter let a gloved hand fall to her back. Karen never liked people seeing her weak, but she let her shoulders slump. “I'm fine Doc, really,” Karen affirmed while sighing.
“It's okay not to be Karen,” the Doc told her, warmth leaking into his voice. On her shoulder, Charlie nipped softly at her ear.
“Does this bird always agree with you?”
“Only about the important things,” he answered without missing a beat.
Despite herself Karen laughed.
Lightly, Mid-Nite brushed his gloved hand against her chin. “That's better. Do not suffer fools Karen. He's not worth it and we're not all blind.”
His voice had grown soft. Karen smiled and felt color shoot to her cheeks. “Thanks Pieter. You're first class.”
“Coming from you Karen that means quite a lot. Quite a lot indeed.”