Valeria- Damien Wayne

The Brady Bunch

The incessant beeping of the bats heart rate monitor was the first thing I heard as we finally returned. Damien's green eyes were calling out to his father, waiting to see his snap open. He's body was tense, I knew if the Bat didn't come out of this soon Damien would pounce. Every muscle in his back had been tensed like the cat in Bruce's Elysium. Maybe they were more alike than he realized.

Bruce gasped. Then he was gagging around the ventilator tube until Cyborg came to his aid and began to remove the damn thing. I hated to think of what that must be like. For a moment I was sure I saw reget reach his eyes as he looked up at me. Wincing from the pain in his throat and frankly probably everywhere else.

He had gotten the shit kicked out him by his only friends, and it looked like it.

The regret faded as Damian's hands finally fell into his father. The slight sheen of an unshed tear had sat in his eyes and made them foggier than normal. Bruce squeezed his hand and I knew it was time to let them be alone.

"We should let them have a minute." I said straightening my spine to look like Cory's. I wasn't any kind of authority and had little to no respect for the authorities in this room but Cory was different. I saw the way she fought for raven to stay and I knew that though she was imperfect she was better than wonderbitch.

Cyborg was looking at Bruces vitals and helping him get unhooked so I made sure to turn to the rest of the room. I wanted it to be clear I didn't mean him.

Clarke was the first to try and contest me. My eyes met his and I hoped he could read the threat in them. Do as I say or we'll learn how hard it is to take down the man of steel.

He pressed his lips together into a fine line and nodded. His hand found the small of Wonderbitch's back and my eyes were glued to it. He guided her and herded the rest of the team towards the door.

I gave Damien one last glance before I left. He was staring at his father like he was the only thing left for him. It hadn't occurred to me until now that for Damian, he was.

The doors slid closed behind me as I left. Dad's back was leaned against the wall as he stared at me.

"Vale." I knew what would come next. Another interrogation. This time Dad kept his eyes to the ground as Wonderbitch and Clarke began to corner me, he wouldn't stop them after the show I gave them with Trigon.

"It's Valeria to you wonderbitch." It was a worthless snipe but I had been dying to say it since she kicked the shit out of me without any real reason.

"Where did you get those powers." This time it was Clarke that spoke. He acted like he was talking to feral dog. His voice was hushed and I hadn't missed the way he stood in front of Diana. I didn't want to talk about it. I thought I had made that clear.

"When did you start cheating on Lois?" The words flowed easily. Dad choked out a laugh and a cough to cover it up. I wanted a chunk of Clarke for thinking he had any right to lecture me for powers I didn't even know I had until yesterday. Or was it today? I was tired of them being so damn judgey.

He sputtered for a minute. Until he ground out "Cheating?"

He said the word like it burned his tongue to say it. I could see Diana behind him, her eyes enraged. My arms crossed my chest and I stared him down like petulant teenager I am.

"Yuh, cheating. Do you think after all these years of me following Lois and Iris around I wouldn't know you two were together?"

Jaime let out a quiet "Ooooooh" while Garfield stared with wide eyes his head swiveling to look at the two of us. Cory was quick to push them out the double doors, the both of them squirming to see the show. She pushed them both out with one final mush to their foreheads and then turned to me. Her spine straightened.