Grief

I looked up and Superman was there. Jesus, did he fly here? Was that crack of thunder him entering the atmosphere? A green rift opened to my right and my ring abruptly disappeared. There were several Lanterns of varying, alien races who came out of nowhere. However, I saw two figures fall before Cassandra's corpse.

"Cass? Cassandra?!"

I reached out to the nearest, red skinned guy with six eyes, "Please, please help them."

"We will," but he ripped his hand from my grasp, "but that ring. It ought not to exist. We will speak later. Blue Lanterns!"

Half a dozen aliens in blue floated down and around the others. As if on cue, Jericho came in from the elevator carrying Beastboy and Cyborg. Superman flew around the room, using his freeze breath to put out the fires. All Green Lanterns in the room focused their power into the Blue Lanterns and the room was illuminated in a brilliant cyan color.

Before my eyes I saw everyone except our dead heal. Even Oracle was briefly levitated into the air as blue auras flowed into her back. The powers of the Blue Lanterns acted like master seamstresses, like flesh and bone was needle and thread. Then everyone was laid down gently and Oracle began to shake.

"Oh," she reached down and touched her foot, "oh my God!"

"We healed your condition," a Blue Lantern with lavender skin and big black eyes said, "it was the least we could do."

Everyone began to stir but my eyes were on Megan and Arisia in the rain at the window. Arisia was covered in different shades of alien blood and held Cass' dead hand as Megan hugged Arisia from behind. Now however, Arisia was more developed, and her green lantern uniform consisted of an exposing white v-neck and green mini skirt. Everyone in the room watched the two mourn until Beastboy crawled over and muttered in disbelief, "No, nonono it can't be. She was so strong!"

Starfire muttered something in her language until Donna finally awoke.

"Cass? Where's Cass?"

Superman cupped the girl's shoulders and tentatively said her name, "Donna."

Just the tone alone told her what had happened.

"No! Diana wanted me to protect her!" He held her firm as she screamed, "I promised!"

"Team," Robin said, "give the dead their space."

"The 'dead'," Megan growled, her hair matted to her green skin in rain and alien blood, "has a name."

"Megan," I placated, unable to look her in the eye, "preparations must be made." I asked the leader next to me, "I hope I didn't interrupt your conflict."

"You didn't, we just finished the fighting actually. We felt your call from across the galaxy and will always help a Lantern in dire need." He scrunched his four eyes at me, "You aren't a Lantern though but have a strong heart and a sentient mind."

He, or that's what I thought he looked like, addressed the other Lanterns, "Kilowog, Hal Jordan, this is your sector. Arisia…" he paused and said, "you have my condolences. You're free to stay here in your sector with Hal and Kilowog. Hal? Kilowog?" He addressed them, "Please help the young Earthlings with their dead. As for the other Lanterns, tend our dead and wounded on the battlefield, check on your sectors and there will be celebration for our victory on Oa if you are willing. Dismissed."

"See you later, poozers." A pink skinned brute said, floating forward. He gently put a hand on Arisia's shoulder and softly said, "Hey, let's clean her up and get out of the rain. Go wash the blood off Arisia."

She didn't acknowledge him at all. It wasn't until the only other human Lantern I saw, Hal Jordan, took her hand and placated, "Hey, listen to the big man. We got this."

As all the other Lanterns began going back to where they came from through warp holes the sound of a jet engine grew closer. Kilowog took Cass in his arms and she was dwarfed in his arms as he went around the corner. The jet just did a fly by though and boots crushed the glass where Cass' body just was.

"Batman," Superman greeted as Diana sobbed and everyone else was silent, "Donna and I need to go tell Diana."

"What happened?!" Batman growled.

When no one answered, Robin spoke up, "When Osiris escaped Deathstroke surprise attacked us."

I tried to speak up, "That's not all to it-"

Robin glared at me and I realized what he was trying to do. If Batman realizes that Ravager was here to avenge Carol Skaldy, the girl who was a collateral casualty in the Solomon Grundy fight, then it would get pinned on me. So I rolled with it the best I could, leaving out Ravager and changing the topic,

"I went after Osiris, further weakening the Tower. His sister… was obliterated by gunfire at point blank range before he could save her."

"And you stopped him by yourself? How?!"

"Well a fight ensued, he threatened to turn Gotham to glass."

I felt something wasn't right and asked, "You already asked him what happened right?"

"I hacked into the CCTV cameras and did some forensics. I found him depowered and with one of Deadshot's special bullets in his head."

I grew cold, and growled, "What?! He was alive!"

"Someone was watching."

Unable to take it right now, and struggling to wrap my head around everything I got the even dumber idea of saying, "I will help prep the dead. I'm sure Cass' family will be here soon."

"Who's that?" Batman gestured to Diesel's body.

"Cass' ex, someone else can clean that up unless you want me putting him on a pike."

He shouted after me but I ignored him. I walked in on the two Lanterns talking but they stopped when I entered. Stepping up the first friend I had in this group I cupped her head in my hand; struggling with the tremors of emotions in me. Hal Jordan cleared his throat, saying,

"Uh, we did the best we could. Didn't know what to do about the… neck though."

Sighing, I replied, "I might know something."

Going to my room I got one of my many neck cloths and picked out a red lace one. Returning, I debated on tying it in a cravat or jabot. After a moment of thought I decided on a frilly jabot and made sure it covered the majority of the damage to her neck. The frilly bib in place I stepped back and just watched her sleep. Her slumber seemed peaceful.

I heard an unfamiliar woman shouting in the hall. Hearing Wonder Woman before seeing her, she barged into the room, eyes bloodshot and sobbed at the sight of Cassandra sleeping. Her voice was sharp with grief, "Get out. Now."

I wordlessly walked out of the room at her request. Hal patted her shoulder as he and his friend followed. In the hall he asked, "Hey kid, never caught your name."

"Kevin Grant."

Kilowog huffed a laugh, "Arisia told us a little about you."

"Yes," I swallowed a lump in my throat, "Cass told me too."

"Hey, how'd you get that ring by the way? The Council on Oa is gonna ask."

"Arisia gave me a copy one day, and I copied it with a little ability of mine."

"Don't tell me," Kilowog asked Hal, "you're gonna try and bend the Council to help this poozer."

"A friend of Arisia's is a friend of mine." He replied.

"Touché," Kilowog replied, before addressing me, "well, we should go check on our fellow Lantern."

"Yeah Kevin," Hal shook my hand, "it was nice meeting you and I…" his voice caught and he managed, "I've had a lot of friends go through this. We're your local Lanterns if you need us."

"Thank you."

They walked away and I overheard Kilowog asking how a guy named Kyle was doing. Like a shadow another person came up behind me and I sighed. I don't want this right now.

"You should have just left me alone Batman. This is why I worked alone."

"Why? Don't you care?"

"It's not about a lack of care! I care too easy! I care too much!"

"Believe me, I can relate Kevin."

I let out a huff, and turned to face him, "What are we going to do about the Osiris situation?"

"Black Adam already knows."

"What did he do?"

"Don't worry about that now. Just watch the news when you're ready."

"Crap, that fast?"

"Tomorrow evening, the Titans and the League will be having the viewing and a business gala of sorts. We'll talk more about what comes next there."

"But-"

"Cassandra will be having a funeral according to Themyscira tradition… and no men are allowed on it. Diana would have it no other way."

I just looked at him for a moment, lip trembling from everything going on and so fast, "You're not mad at me?"

"You saved my team, it'd be ungrateful of me to be angry. Disappointed? Grieving?" He added, a subtle hint that he was disappointed with himself on his jaw, "Yes, in my own ways."

***