Homplot Wake Up Post

[thethirdwonder]

Normally, Cassie wasn't one to spend a lot of time in bed. But lately, or really the last two days, it had taken everything she had to get out of bed in the morning. Someone people might have been excited to find out the king of the Greek gods was their father but for Cassie, it just made her miserable. The powers she'd felt she'd earned for her bravery now felt cheapened. It just...it just wasn't fair.

And because she'd spent more time in bed, she knew instantly when she woke up that she wasn't on the island. After the events in the Fire Nation the month before, Cassie woke up quickly and sat up at the ready, wanting to be prepared for wherever she'd found herself. It was with a small sigh of relief when she realized that she was asleep on the couch of Young Justice headquarters. She took a deep breath and made herself float for the first time in years. Even through her depression, she couldn't help a small smile.

Comments

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

While Bart had a hard time getting to sleep, he had an even harder time waking up. So when a warm hand petted him, his first reaction was to make a soft sound and snuggle closer. The squeak, on the other hand, startled him awake because that was not something his half-asleep mind could interpret.

Starting awake, he only had a moment to take in his surroundings before the movement he made sent him crashing to the floor. "What the...?"

Then he blinked, looking around. "Tell me I'm dreaming..."

Because except for the fact that Cissie was freaking out, it might have been a very good dream.

[arrowette]

"You usually dream about me in your bed?" Cissie burst out then blushed furiously once she realized what she said. "Wait, no! Don't answer that!" She was pretty sure she knew what the answer was and this was so not the time.

"I don't think you're dreaming... unless we both are? Can we even do that?" Cissie leaned over the side of the bed and offered Bart a hand. "I wonder if this is like when I was in New York with Claire."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"If it is, this wasn't my idea," Bart said, trying to decide if he really should stand up. And then he realized he really shouldn't because certain parts of his body had enjoyed being close to another person in bed and that didn't really bear explaining. Even thinking about it made him blush, and this was really not a good time.

"And, well, this hasn't been home to me in, well, ages."

[arrowette]

"That's right," Cissie said, sprawling on her side when he didn't take the offered hand. She didn't blame him for not wanting to get up. She was pretty sure she didn't want to get up right now either. "I keep forgetting that it's... all over for you guys. You all went and joined the Titans."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"I could say it's over for you, too, Miss Arrowette," Bart teased, shifting so his back was against the side of the bed as he tried to think. "What about you? Any secret desires for the good old days?"

[arrowette]

"No," Cissie said, lightly smacking the back of his head. "I mean. I don't know. I used to think it was so... so black and white, that I screwed up once and so that was it forever. But I keep thinking that maybe it's not like that. Maybe it was because I wasn't really doing it for the right reason and that maybe someday she can come back if she's needed. Or wanted."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"I'd rather have you at my side than any other archer," Bart said, even though he wanted to say it without any qualifications at all. He shifted so he could look at her, and smiled.

It sobered as he thought about where they were, and the possible implications. "If this is like last month, you know there are only three other people on the island who would even know what my room here looks like."

He waited a beat. "You want to see who else is here or yell at Cassie?"

[arrowette]

She stopped herself from reaching out and ruffling Bart's hair. Shifting so she could lean her head against his was probably bad enough but she'd just woken up back home in the one place she never imagined be so she was allowed to take a little comfort.

"I suppose we should," she said reluctantly. "I guess we can't really hide in here forever."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"Would you want to?" Bart asked, trying to stay mostly neutral. "Stay here, with me, I mean."

He had to ask, even though it was a really, really bad idea. He just wanted to know if this was just some cruel twist of fate or...he didn't even know what the other options were.

[arrowette]

"I really do," Cissie admitted. Even leaving aside the fact that staying meant she had a reason to keep curling up with him, the prospect of seeing just when they were was scary. What if it was just the two of them? What if it was some other parallel Earth? Oh god, what if they were on the Earth where everyone was evil?

"I mean, I really kinda want to stay here. With you."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"If we stay here, that increases the likelihood of someone seeing you in my room. Which would lead to questions I don't know how to answer," Bart said. Then his stomach growled. "Besides, I'm starving."

[arrowette]

"I think we're screwed either way," Cissie pointed out. "Either they're going to see me here and ask questions or they're going to see us coming out of your room together and ask questions."

"And besides, if you're starving, you can zip out to the kitchen and back without anyone seeing you. You've got your speed back, don't you?"

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"It'd burn nearly as many calories as I ate," Bart said, rolling his eyes. "And maybe I don't want to leave you alone to deal."

He'd known almost the moment he woke and realized where he was that the Speed Force was there, but he wasn't going to do anything with it. Because if prior experience held, he'd need it.

[arrowette]

"You could take me with you," Cissie said. It wasn't as if they hadn't done that sort of thing before, though admittedly not for reasons involving a kitchen run. "Then at least if we get questions, we can act like we've been in the kitchen the whole time and maybe avoid questions that way."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

Bart hesitated, looking at her. Explaining the things he couldn't do with an ordinary person along for the ride was something he tried to avoid. Because it was bordering on insulting to say that he couldn't protect them, and someone like Kon or Cassie didn't need that same protection.

"I can't run fast enough to avoid notice when carrying someone. Well, not the same way. It's just that my aura protects me, but doesn't extend like Kon's tactile telekinesis," he explained. Then groaned. "And you are never mentioning that I used that in an explanation."

[arrowette]

"Oh please," Cissie snorted. "You think I want to get him started about that again? I think I could recite his speech in my sleep at this point."

She really didn't want to leave the room at all, but they had to at some point and if he couldn't carry her unnoticed then there was nothing for it but to hope the questions would be more of 'what's going on' rather than 'why are the two of you walking out of Bart's room?'.

She sighed and started to sit up. "So I guess we have to walk out and hope they're all sleeping or something?"

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

"God, I hope so. I can at least take a look out and see. Before asking you to feed us to the wolves," Bart said, running a hand through his hair. He grimaced as he hit a tangle. "Okay, breakfast and a shower. If the world hasn't ended by then."

[arrowette]

"If being the key word," Cissie grumbled quietly, untangling herself from the sheets and standing up. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying not to freak out too much. If nothing else, Bart was here and if it was really a dream or something, at least they were there together.

"Yeah, breakfast and shower sound really good right now."

[slowspeedster.livejournal.com]

Bart opened the door, checking both directions for anyone.

"Well, the coast is clear," he said, stepping back with an 'after you' gesture. "So on to food?"

[arrowette]

Cissie let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and ventured out of his room. "Food."

She grinned at him and elbowed him playfully. "I hope there's enough," she teased. "I mean, a poptart will be okay for me, but I know you'll need at least a box to start with."