Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2005 08:32:45 -0800 (PST) From: Author James <authorjames2002@yahoo.com> Subject: Return of a Real Dark Knight 48 Disclaimer: This story is fiction. There are two celebrities who will appear from time-to-time. The other characters are fictitious. Any similarities to persons living or dead are completely coincidental. In this story, I have continued the adventures of Batman, my Batman, which his story first began in "Tales of a Real Dark Knight" in the Boy Band section of this archive. It spanned 250 chapters. You will find many universes merging, as the above copyrights reveal. I hope you all enjoy this. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer, Angel and all related characters created by Joss Whedon. Copyright 20th Century Fox. Batman, and all related characters created by Bob Kane. Copyright DC Comics and Warner Bros. X-MEN, and all related characters created by Stan Lee. Copyright Marvel Comics and 20th Century Fox. The Vampire Chronicles and all related characters created by Anne Rice. Copyright Anne O'Brien Rice. I don't know for sure if I will use all the above elements, but just in case, I have myself covered. I appreciate any feedback that you may want to give. I do hope that you enjoy it!!! Any emails you send, please tell me what chapter and story you are commenting on. Thanks. authorjames2002@yahoo.com I also have several online messenger services. If you want to chat with me in real time, email me and tell me the services you use and I will tell you my screen name. Chapter 48 Recovery I lay on a medical table in the cave covered by a blanket. Jessica just finished washing my wounds and applying an antiseptic ointment. Lance stood back allowing Jessica room to work. Justin stood beside him and they were whispering about something. "That was a very brave thing you did," I said to my husband. "Facing a vampire alone is very dangerous." "You would be amazed at the things one will do for love," Lance answered. "Come over here, please." Lance moved over to me and I took his hand in mine. "I want you to know that I forgive you for everything that happened. You are my life. You are more important than anything to me. We can work on things." "Thank you," he replied. "I never meant to hurt you. What I said to Christine was true. You can have sex without love. Sex and love are two different things." "I know." I squeezed his hand to reinforce my words. "It's good to see those two mending the rift," Jessica stated as she wrapped her arm around her husbands waist. "They seem so perfect together." "Yeah," Justin stated. "I can't believe Lance did what he did, though. He was always a solid guy." "The solid people fall the hardest. Everyone expects them to be stalwart all the time. Nobody ever considers them to be vulnerable so they never get to be weak. Lance has been so strong for Eric every time something has happened to him." "Are you saying that Eric wasn't there for Lance?" "Of course not, but I think Eric has spent more time as Batman and not enough as Eric, the husband. With Joseph taking on the mantle of Batman, Eric will have more time to be Eric." "Speaking of Joseph, guess who Randy fancies?" "That is not good. Joseph has a lot of baggage that he has yet to work through. He is nowhere near dating material for our son." Joseph, Preston, and Sarah sat in the gardens. The twins were listening as Joseph shared with them about their mother. "She was an amazing woman. She did everything she could to provide for us. And we always came first." "How were we when we were little?" Sarah asked. "You were always the rambunctious one. I had to constantly keep you from getting into trouble." The twins laughed. "That's how it is now," Preston replied. "I'm the studious one and she's the energetic one. This one time, she climbed the tree so she could dive into the pool from way up. Pop had to climb up and stop her from doing it. It could have killed her." "Danger is my middle name," Sarah stated with a smile. "I'm glad you two are okay. I missed you so much growing up." "Why didn't you come looking for us? Our dads would have welcomed you into their home." "I believed that Eric killed mom. I wasn't going to trust him for anything." "If you believed that, did you think he would have harmed us?" "I wasn't sure if he would do that or not. From his actions, it seemed as if you were safe. He didn't mean any ill-will toward you. But I couldn't risk exposing what I had seen and him kill me. "I still have a negative attitude toward him. He took you guys from me. Let's not dwell on that, though. I want to relish the fact we are reunited." Sarah and Preston smiled at their older brother, who smiled at them in return. That evening, the teens gathered at a nearby club. They all needed time to relax and unwind after the battle they just had. Dinah suggested a club that she had sung at before and told them that everyone would be accepted. Believe it or not, in this day and age, businesses still discriminated against gays, lesbians and African-Americans. Joseph went, but stood away from everyone else. He didn't feel part of the group for many reasons. The big one was the bond they had for their mentor. He didn't feel that bond. If anything, it was the opposite. Second, he didn't have any abilities beyond what any other human had. He had fighting skills, but so did some of the others. The third thing was his sexual orientation. But that was such a minor thing nobody gave it a second thought. The music played and Barry and Dinah went to the dance floor, followed by Sarah and Ella. Arthur, Diana, J'onn in his human visage, and Clark sat at the table. Preston and Joseph sat at another table in the distance. "This group has great potential," Clark said. "I can see us all doing this for the rest of our lives." "Each of us brings something unique to the table," J'onn stated. "Our cultures, our history, our heritage. We work very well together." "I want him to join us." Clark motioned over to Joseph. "Give him time," Diana said. "His life has undergone drastic changes. He needs time to cope." Dinah, Ella, and Sarah disappeared behind the DJ's booth. After a moment or so, they returned with headsets and microphones on. The DJ came over the microphone and grabbed everyone's attention. Ladies and gentlemen, Ladies and gentlemen, This is a Jazze Phizal (Jazze Phizal) productshizzle, Sarah, Ella, The princess is here, (She's here) Dinah, This beat is Dinah: Automatic supersonic hypnotic funky fresh, Work my body so melodic, This beat flows right through my chest, Everybody ma and pappi came to party, Grab somebody, Work your body, work your body, Let me see you 1, 2 step Joseph looked over at Preston. "Why is she singing this old stuff?" "She is a fan of the older pop music. You can dance to it." "Do you want to get up there and dance? I'll go with you." "I don't dance," Preston replied with a hint of nervousness to his voice. "You don't or you can't?" Joseph had a look on his face that belayed his intentions. "Oh, no," Preston muttered. "Come on." Joseph took his younger brother's hand and pulled him to the floor. "What are you doing?" "I'm showing you how to dance, bro," Joseph answered. "Just let the music tell your body what to do." Joseph moved his body to the beat. Preston tried to follow suit. Rock it, don't stop it, Everybody get on the floor, Wake the party up, We about to get it on, (Let me see ya'll) 1, 2 step, (I love it when ya'll) 1, 2 step (Everybody) 1, 2 step, We about to get it on, This beat is "Relax. You are trying to hard. You look like a robot trying to move like a human." Outrageous so contagious make you crave it, (Jazze made it), So retarded, top charted, Ever since the day I started, Strut my stuff, And yes I flaunt it, Goodies make the boys jump on it (Jump on it), No I can't control myself, Now let me do my 1, 2 step (We goin' to step it like this: oooohwee) "Joseph got Preston on the dance floor!" Clark exclaimed. Ella took a turn at singing. Her voice, though different from Dinah's, was not bad. Joseph's moves became more seductive as he turned and moved. Randy came out from the sidelines and danced with Joseph, grinding into him and moving just as seductively. It don't matter to me, We can dance slow (Ladies and gentlemen), Whichever way the beats drop, Our bodies will go (I like this ah), So swing it over here, Mr. DJ, (Hey, Hey), And we will, we will rock you up It don't matter to me, We can dance slow (Dance slow yeah), Whichever way the beats drop, Our bodies will go, So swing it over here, Mr. DJ, (Ladies and gentlemen), And we will, we will rock you, Lets shake Finally, Sarah took over the microphone and sang. Her voice sound good, though not as good as Dinah's and Ella's. But she never said singing was her strong point. Tonight was about having fun; about relaxing and enjoying what life had to offer. Tonight, for the kids, wasn't about fearing whether they would see their father alive again, or about whether their brother would end up their enemy, or even if their new friends would end up killed. Tonight was about them enjoying life and celebrating being alive. I shake it like jello, And make the boys say hello, Cause they know I'm rockin' the beat (Rocking the beat), I know you heard about a lot of great MC's, But they ain't got nothing on me (nothing on me), Because I'm 5 foot 2, I wanna dance with you, And I'm sophisticated fun, I eat filet mignon, And I'm nice and young, Best believe I'm number one (Whoa) The Phantom Stranger looked at the crowd from the shadows in which he stood. The group forming before his eyes would be a group to be reckoned with. He looked down at the body he inhabited as well. This "Ryan" was definitely worth possessing. But it wasn't as if he forced himself into Ryan. Ryan performed a spell long ago which brought the Phantom Stranger forward. In time, Ryan would be aware of what was going on and he could make the change instantly. At the moment, however, Ryan wasn't fully aware. He smiled again at the young people who would become the Justice League. Then he faded back into the darkness. To Be Continued... Two more chapters to go.