Red War

Part Three

-Athena's POV-

I collapsed into my bed, clutching my phone to my chest. I sighed deeply and stared up at my ceiling. Cheap, plastic stars littered the usually dull white ceiling. Back when Jason and I were dating, he had bought me a bag of them for my birthday. I insisted he stopped there, but then he also bought me a model of the solar system for Christmas. Jason was fascinated with the Universe, but, that's besides the point.

Drinks with Dick had been the perfect night out I needed. My shoulders were stiff almost every second of every day. It was like I was being forced to walk the plank over and over again. But Dick had taken me to a karaoke bar. Despite Dick's advances towards me earlier, he didn't make any passes when we were out. It was like we were just good friends out to have fun. And I guess that's what we were. It was nice.

Afterwards, we took a taxi home and Dick walked me to my apartment. We stood in the light of my street light. Although we had gone to a bar, I had only had a few drinks. My face and body were warm, but I wasn't drunk. I climbed the stairs, Dick following me, but pausing to unlock the door.

I looked over my shoulder at Dick, who leaned against the brick of my entryway with his arms crossed. His head was angled down but I could see he was watching me. Pretty intently, too. "Dick, thanks," I said, not being able to find any other words. He raised his head.

"I had a really good time. I always do," Dick replied. A smile was oddly absent from his face.

Hearing the sincerity in his voice, however, brought one to mine. My eyes blurred the street lights. Dick's form stood out in the soft, golden light like an angelic being. I couldn't tell if it was a blush or the expansion of my blood vessels, but I was definitely feeling warmer by the second. I leaned against the other end of the entryway, mimicking Dick. He met my eyes.

And we held it. We didn't look away and we didn't say anything. The world spun around us.

Then his phone buzzed. I didn't want it to happen, but neither of us could stop it. I pushed off of the wall and tugged out my keys again. I saw Dick's fingers inch toward me before they pulled back. I unlocked the door. "See ya around, Boy Blunder."

A warm breeze flew in from the window. I unlatched it, staring out at the Gotham skyline. It was buzzing energy, similar to me. I was practically shaking still. I couldn't handle what was coming. Glancing at the stars, I clicked on my phone.

I dialed Jason's number over and over. It went to rang, rang, rang, then cut to voicemail.

So much for being there if I ever needed him...

"What is it, Athena?" A familiar voice called out from the space in my empty window. I sat up in my bed, pulling my legs to my chest and letting out a shrill scream. "Jesus, calm down," Jason crept from the window towards me.

I looked up into his face in the dark. Only his eyes were illuminated by the faint, green stars. He stared up, smiled, then glanced back down at me. "You kept them?" Jason sat at the edge of my bed.

"I have been calling you for days!" I shouted, slapping his arm. "Where the fuck have you been!? You have been MIA for almost three months even though you promised to stay in contact! I have been worried, Jason! Fucking worried!" I drove my fist into his shoulder, chest, and even face as hard as I could. He grabbed my fist tightly in his hand, bringing it down to his lap.

He calmed me for a second. "What's this about, Athena? Because I know it's not about me." The way he said it made my heart sink, but my anxiety quickly took over my emotions.

I sighed. "Ra's is coming to attack and we don't have enough reinforcements and he's going to kill me and then he's going to destroy Gotham and--" Jason grabbed the sides of my head. He held my cheeks in his hands.