1 - Ch. 1 - The Dying Canary

In a crater that was 10 or so meters wide; in a ruined battlefield that used to be a city, with blood pooling underneath her, is where you could see the fallen heroine... Black Canary. Dinah knew within her heart of hearts that if she didn't move now, then she would die here.

'But it's so painful to move...', she thought to herself with tears in her eyes. She was curled up to herself, her wounds grievous, stomach in pain, thoughts jumbled, eyesight fading, and her breathing was getting harder and harder to maintain.

'Each breath I take feels like someone's clawing my insides...', was her last fleeting thought. With a fresh wave of tears in her eyes, her vision fell into darkness.

This would've been the death of Dinah Laurel Lance.

She fought alongside Batman and her allies against Superman's regime. She's lost so many of her friends... her Ollie. She's fought former allies that joined Clark and his descent into madness after losing his family... And now... She would've died a lonely death if Fate hadn't intervened.

With a bright flash of gold, the symbol of an Ankh wreathed in golden magical energy appeared next to Dinah's fallen form. Out of the golden ankh shaped portal, came Dr. Fate; a member of the Lords of Order, garbed in his resplendent gold and blue outfit. He looked down at Dinah and without fanfare, he floated down beside her and removed his helmet.

"F*** Fate."

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Kent Nelson, the wearer of the helmet of Fate; which contained the spirit of Nabu, knew that what he's about to do would be considered interfering as well as using one's own powers for one's own gain, but he made a deal with Nabu to do it. He'll wear the helmet for an additional 20 more years without complaint and rest, if Nabu would allow him to save one of his friends. He was unable to prevent the death of Oliver Queen; a.k.a. Green Arrow, but if he's able to save Dinah and her child and give them a good life, then it would all be worth it.

When he saw Dinah bleeding out and struggling for her life after her fight with Superman, then he knew he chose right. He spent no time at all in taking Dinah to the Tower of Fate and healed all of her injuries while keeping her asleep. He also took her young son Conner and stored him within a Magical Orb to help him sleep and tied it to Dinah's life force. The transmigration through dimensions isn't healthy for young children, so he made sure that Conner would be perfectly healthy when he sends both of them through to a different world where he knows that Dinah would be able to attain happiness and peace while she raises her son.

"You may not be happy about this Dinah, but our world's troubles are only just starting. Inza would beat me black and blue if I didn't help at least one of my friends and her son to live a good life away from this madness. You won't be left there with a son without resources though, so hopefully you won't be as mad."

*Sigh* 'This is going to take a while, but when I'm done, you'll both be happy. I'll see to it myself.'

And with his convictions strengthened, Kent Nelson put the helmet of Fate back on and his eyes and hands blazed with a luminous golden energy.

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When Dinah awoke, she found that her son Conner was sleeping in her arms, and that she had a pillow and bedding underneath her. She found herself inside a tent and as she looked down, she could see that her Black Canary outfit was repaired and she had a tasteful looking black leather jacket on.

She got up while she cradled her sleeping blond-haired baby in her arms and went outside the tent. Outside the tent was a staff stuck straight up on the ground and hanging off of it was a satchel-like handbag with a letter pinned to it. The letter was addressed to her by none other than Dr. Fate, with his signature golden ankh embossed in the bottom right.

[Dear Dinah,

I took you and your son away from our world to live a better life away from that madness. I decided to do this of my own choice and volition. It's not right for you to have suffered the way you did. I wish I could've saved Oliver, but I couldn't. I had to make a deal with Nabu in order to help you, so I implore you to not hate me too much for wanting to help a friend and her son live a better life. This is a different world in a different dimension and I doubt I would visit. And besides, I'd rather not remind you of the choice I took away from you due to my own selfishness.

Live a better and happier life. You're only 24 and you've already got a precious son to take care of. You've helped save our world countless times from threats too great and terrible as the Black Canary. I think it's time for you to be Dinah Laurel Lance and raise your son right.

I've given you a few gifts that'll help you out, including the innate ability to speak, understand, comprehend, and write the different languages in this world. In this satchel contains 1,000 Valis; a currency in use in this world, enough food and rations for you and your boy for a month, and a map for you to follow. Around your son's neck is an invisible necklace that only you can remove. This necklace will help keep him calm. He won't notice it and it'll protect him from harm, silence his sobs so only you and other friendly people can hear them, and it'll take care of any of his unmentionable deeds. However, it'll only last for a month with the charge I gave it. It could only contain that much anyways.

Go to the City of Orario, trust me. The tent, bedding, pillow, this staff, and this letter will disappear when you leave the 5 meter boundary I set up. There's a road nearby that'll lead you northwards towards the city.

Good luck and live well.

- Kent Nelson]

After reading those words, I've just now noticed the tears falling down my cheeks. "Damn you Kent, you thoughtful fool.", she said without any heat to her words. She looks down at Conner and she carefully and gently tousles his blond head with care.

She bends down and kisses his forehead with all the love she can muster while the invisible weight she felt and the left over tension in her body fades. "Thank you Dr., for giving me a new life.", she chokes out with a silent sob.