Chapter Text
John is so glad that he can finally go back home to earth. He has been stuck on a planet in Sector 1637 for weeks dealing with a coup. At first it was just to help his fellow Green Lanterns guard the monarch of that world as she ascended the throne.
Quick mission, few days tops.
That, however, was not the case when an uprising began and he was forced to stay a couple extra days for that. Then there was a assassination attempt, a strike, and don’t even get him started on the blitz civil war.
It was just too much and it took forever.
Now that he is free all John wants to do is get home, take a long, hot shower and crawl into his bed as he falls asleep to trashy reality TV.
As he zips through an asteroid field John decides to cut through the Andromeda galaxy. It’s one of the fastest ways to earth from where he’s coming from and not to mention has the best view. He could use a pretty scene to relax him right now.
Stars and the like shine as his green glow soars through, passes vivid gaseous planets and moons that orbit them.
Stewart finds space so lovely when he’s not in the middle of battle. All those planets, all those lives. Everything is circling aimlessly. Around suns, or black holes. Sometimes he finds two stars circling each other.
Every time John sees a binary system all he can think about is his life. Not really in a sad way, more in a contemplative way.
When two stars orbit one another they eventually collide. They are gravitational bound together and with gravity comes the need to pull until you reach the center. Once collided they can fuse and become something bigger together, a neutron star. However, they can also collide and die, leaving behind a black hole.
It just reminds him of some of his past relationships, both romantic and platonic.
Sometimes when two people come together they build each other up, creating something greater than themselves. Becoming one in a way that highlights the best in the other. An equal give and take. A partnership where both of your light shines brighter as one.
Other times when two people come together they tear each other down, wanting more or less from the other. To change something about each other to fit the idea they have of one another. Becoming one simply to attempt to mold, to sculpt their other into what they think fits best for them. An unbalanced give and take. A partnership where both of your light dims as you lose what makes you shine. What makes you, you.
John likes to think about this a lot. Especially on a long trip such as this one.
As he passes another sun, getting closer to the edge of the galaxy John spots something white in the distance.
He slows down, starting to see more, realizing the white is a tuft of hair. As he gets closer he makes out a softly glowing body in a black and white suit floating face up, arms spread out and relaxed.
Fearing the worst, John quickly makes his way over as he has his ring scan for signs of life.
He gets nothing.
He makes out more and more the closer he gets and he is not liking what he’s seeing.
That’s a child, looking no older than a human fourteen year old. Except they are clearly not human with the glowing and floating alone in the Andromeda galaxy.
John makes it to the kid, sighing as he goes to pick them up, about to call someone to open an investigation on who this kid is and how they died when the very dead child’s eyes spring open when he touches their freezing arm.
Both of them shout in terror, one from being startled and the other from getting jump-scared from what he thought was a dead body.
“What are you doing?” The kid demands, neon green eyes wide as they curl into themselves. Their voice echoes strangely in the void, an impossible occurrence considering there is nothing for the sound to travel through let alone bounce off of.
John shakes himself from his shock, placing his hand out in reassurance, “I apologize for grabbing you. I believed you were dead. Uh, my name is John Stewart and I’m the Green Lantern for Sector 2814.” He explains as best as he can , hoping he doesn’t scare the kid more. Luckily, the kid only seems confused, uncurling slightly as they tilt their head, “Sector 2814? Is that like where earth is?”
John nods his head, body loosening as the kid relaxes, “Yes, I’m one of earth’s Green Lanterns. Can you tell why you’re out here? Do you need help getting anywhere?” Honestly, a better question would be how the hell they are surviving out here. John doesn’t see any kind of tech that might aid in survival. Wait, are they surviving? John’s ring said there were no signs of life, so how is this kid aware and talking? It can’t be a biology thing. At least John doubts it, considering a Green Lantern’s ring contains all the knowledge of the Guardians. They know basically everything from the known 3600 Sectors of the universe.
The kid shakes their head, “Oh, no! No, I’m all good. I came out here to stargaze.” They laugh nervously before straightening, holding out their hand, “My name's Danny, by the way. It’s actually really awesome to meet you Mr. Stewart.” Danny smiles as John shakes their outstretched hand, “Please, Mr. Stewart was my father, call me John.” He states letting go of all his questions on Danny’s biology. It would be pretty weird if he asked. All he needs to know is that the kid is clearly alive and fine.
“So, what’s so special about stargazing in space?” John inquired, genuinely interested in why this kid would want to just float alone in the middle of a galaxy.
At that Danny’s pale face lit up, large green eyes sparkling as they began illustrating the stories of the constellations and why they thought it was important to view them from all angles.
__—_____________________—__
“Get the fuck out before I call the cops!” The bartender yells as Constantine stumbles out of the bar, waving him off.
“Alrigh’, alrigh’! ‘M leaving mate.” He slurs back, making his way down the street as he pulls the stolen whiskey bottle from his coat. Constantine kisses the bottle as he flicks the cap off and takes a swig. Thank the gods he managed to snag this.
Beautiful, beautiful bottle of Crown Royal.
He’s in some nowhere town in the middle of nowhere America finishing up a case. He forgets what the case was about at the moment, but remembers it had something to do with a spirit.
Doesn’t matter.
He’ll probably remember more in the morning.
He takes another sip of his whiskey, head tilted up as he admires the town’s clear sky.
That’s a lot of stars.
The streets are clear and empty of people as the ground starts tilting more and more as John walks, causing him to lose his balance. He steadies himself on a brick wall leading to the entrance of an alleyway. Taking deep breaths John hunches over as his stomach protests the amount of liquor he consumed.
He retches, bile burning his throat and replaces the taste of whiskey on his tongue with his sick.
Coughing up the last of it, John groans.
Maybe he should take a short nap.
Glancing down the alley he finds it relatively clean, better than Liverpool’s allies he can say that much.
Still hunched, John shuffles in and props himself up on the opposite wall to the dumpster. Shutting his eyes he leans back, hugging his bottle of alcohol close to his chest like a stuffed animal.
_
His eyes flutter as someone taps his shoulder. He grumbles, batting their hand away.
Can’t they see he’s napping? Rude, much?
“Excuse me sir?” A boy's voice probes softly, tapping him on the shoulder again, “Are you ok?”
Constantine opens his eyes quickly, realizing some poor child just found him passed out in an alley. Scrubbing the crust from his face John goes to wave the boy off, but then he sees him.
Why’s this white-haired child glowing?
“Wha’ in the bloody hell are you?” He asks without thinking, trying to process what manner of creature is in front of him and whether or not he should be worried.
The boy laughs, neon-green eyes creasing as his white hair bounces. John makes a face at how echoey the giggling sounds, like some horror movie ghost kid. This only makes the boy laugh harder, John guesses he accidentally said that out loud. The boy starts clutching his stomach, spinning onto his back and-
The spooky child is floating.
John needs to stop drinking so much.
The boy finally stops laughing, spinning back to face John, “My name’s Danny and you are?” He offers, not answering John’s question of what he is.
He seems nice enough, who cares?
“‘M John.” He mumbles, feeling for his bottle when he realizes it's not on his lap. Looking down he checks his coat, but doesn’t find it.
“Where’s my…?” He asks, more to himself, but the bo- Danny responds anyway.
“Bottle?” The glowing child smiles innocently, shaking John whiskey in his face. See, he knew whatever Danny was was nothing to worry about.
“Mm, thanks lad-” John makes a go to grab it, but the kid lifts it out of reach.
Nevermind, he takes back every good thing he thought about this gremlin. John sighs, knowing how this game goes, “Wha’ do ya want?” He grumbles, staring longing at his poor Crown Royal as it’s held hostage by this demon of a child.
Danny makes a dramatic thinking face, tilting his head to the side as he taps his chin, “Hmmmm, Let’s see. I want…” He shakes his head, “No no, that's no good.” Seemingly unable to decide on what he wants from John.
John yawns, waiting for whatever demands the child wishes to trade for his alcohol back.
Danny pops up, glowing face brighter as he hoots, “Oh, I got it! Give me your phone!” He stretches his hand out, palm waiting as it makes grabbing motions.
John sighs, digging his phone out of his pocket. At least it wasn’t a piece of his soul this time. He can deal with having to buy another phone. Danny hands him his bottle back as he grabs John’s flip phone.
The illusionist closes his eyes as he takes a gulp of his whiskey, relishing in the warmth it gives him. When did it get so cold?
He thought the glowing child left, having gotten what he wanted, but is surprised when he hears his voice again.
“Hi! Is this Zatan-nuuhhh… Oh! Zatanna? Sorry for calling so late, but your friend John is drunk and I was wondering if you were anywhere near by either to pick him up or If you can tell me where I can drop him off…?” The boy requests as John’s eyes fly open, watching as Danny uses his phone to call his Ex-girlfriend who just dumped him yesterday.
Bloody hell.
“Oh, sorry, he’s in Amity Park, Illinois. Mmhm. Yeah, I can do that, one sec.” The boy puts his hand on the phone as he looks down at John, “She wants me to ask you if you brought your, uh, House of Mystery?” He whispers.
John nods, pointing over yonder, “Yea, I parked it over ther’ mmmm uh somewhere.” He huffs, then quickly remembers Danny’s still on the phone with his Ex and lazily makes a grab for the phone.
Danny just floats out of reach unbothered as he lifts John’s phone back up to his ear, “He said he brought it. Yeah. Ok, I understand, I’ll just drop him off wherever this house is. Ok, thank you! Bye!” He cheers, flipping John’s phone shut and handing it back to him.
“Ya shouldn't've called ‘er.” John slurs as Danny starts helping him up.
“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t take naps next to dumpsters, it’s unsanitary.” The boy chastises him as he floats them up and down the street, “Ok, where is this House of Mystery?”
John sighs, but starts giving the strange Danny directions anyway.
__—_____________________—__
Flashes of bombs and planes surround Wonder Woman as she fights her way through no man's land.
-
She must get to Steve, she can spot him waiting for her in the distance. Calling to her. Gun turrets fire rapidly at her as she blocks them with her gauntlets, rushing past barbed wire. Everything is trying to slow her down. Even her own body as she runs as if in water.
-
She’s so close, a breath away. She sees Steve, her Steve, waving her over. His bright smile shining like the sun.
-
Just as she’s about to reach for his outstretched hand he’s ripped away from her.
-
“No.” She chokes, sitting up quickly as she yanks the sweat damp sheets from her overheated body. Diana hides her teary face in her palms, breathing deeply to calm her racing heart and still her quaking hands. It was only a dream. Just another cruel dream.
Sniffing, she wipes her face as she decides to take a walk on her homeland's shores to ease her heart and mind.
She is spending the week on Themyscira for The Feast of Five. It is the Themyscirians’ most holy holiday for it honors the goddesses who took part in their creation. Yesterday they hunted in honor of Artemis and tomorrow they will feast in honor of Demeter. The days after are dedicated to worship and prayer with her sisters.
Diana has relished being in the full presence of her sisters once again. As they say, it is good to be home. While she loves her comrades in man’s world, cherishing her bonds, they can never fill the place of the sisterhood she has here. The true home she has here.
Leaving her room she walks down the stone hallways, nodding as she passes the few women still awake, finding her way to a cliff, and sliding down the rocky terrain to the white sanded beaches.
Diana closes her eyes, taking in the crashing waves, the gentle chirping of crickets, the cold sand at her feet, and the soft breeze cooling her skin. She tries to clear her mind, allowing her senses to ground her to this moment.
Breathing in she lifts her head to the twinkling sky, opening her eyes as she traces the constellations in her head. She finds Orion, one of Artemis’ favored hunters.
Diana’s gaze glides across the night sky, as she catches sight of a falling star. She follows it’s path taking a moment to give her appreciation to the goddess Asteria who guides all the fallen stars. The goddess Asteria who sends messages through them and through dreams.
What message did she mean to send Diana? Was it meant to be a cruel reminder of what she’s lost? Or was it a gentle nudge for her to let go of her heart ache?
Diana sighs, bringing her scrutiny to the sea, freezing as she watches the fallen star curve up and begin traveling parallel with the ocean.
Heading towards the island.
Concerned Diana starts running to intercept whatever this is.
Could this be the goddess Asteria answering her questions? Or a foreign invader hoping to strike when least expected?
Running around a set of boulders she’s entranced to find her falling star to be a glowing young girl with hair like the moon, floating above the sand, marveling at the scenery around her. She appears mystical with her white hair flowing around her as if she were underwater. Her expression is of joy, face bright with a larger than life smile, taking everything she sees in. As the mysterious girl turns in Diana’s direction, her bright green eyes widen as they find her behind the rock, body flinching back in fear.
Diana steps out from where she was partially hidden slowly, body open and relaxed, “Fear not child, I wish you no harm. I am Princess Diana of Themyscira, may I ask who you are?” She speaks softly, hoping to eliminate the fear dancing in the young one’s eyes.
The girl doesn’t relax, body stiffening more at Diana’s advance making her halt. At this the girl seems to look more comforted, flickering eyes steadying, “I apologize for the intrusion, Princess.” She speaks softly, an odd echo to her voice as she bows her head. “My name is Ellie and I come here with no ill intent.” She states firmly, a serious furrow to her young face.
Diana smiles, “It is nice to meet you Ellie. What brings you to my home?” She questions wondering what exactly Ellie is. She would never ask out loud, for that would be rude, however, she can’t help but notice Ellie’s lack of a heartbeat.
“I’m on a mission of sorts, to see the world. All of it and, well, Themyscira was on my list.” Ellie declares a clear passion in her eyes when she speaks of her goal. The face she wears is the same one Diana had when she used to stand on this very beach, gazing over the horizon as her heart longed for adventure. As her eyes yearned to see more, her ears to hear more, her mind to understand more.
Diana finds herself in Ellie and so does what she wished someone would have done with her.
“Come and sit with me Ellie.” Diana requests, lowering to the sand as she faces the waves. Ellie is still at first before her shoulders drop and she takes a spot to Diana’s left.
“Tell me about your travels, what have you seen so far?” Diana inquires, watching Ellie’s face brighten with innocent glee as she begins gesturing wildly, recounting story after story. Her reflecting voice holding an adoration for all she has held witness to.