stands_for_hope | The Not Quite Justice League in... The Bee's Pleas!!!

And Jim checked his magazine before nodding. "I'll herd the ones that'll go."

He'd make his own judgement on what to do to the ones who wouldn't. He didn't particularly care what he'd do to the ones who wouldn't. And though he worried what it meant about him as a person, he knew he'd enjoy it.

And so he kicked the door open and started his job, the role settling over him like a second skin. It was cold and familiar and comfortable in a way that twisted a part of him that had come slowly undone.

But the first ones who felt his wrath were the ones not so far outside the door - the ones bearing Kryptonite weapons. He gave them one chance to drop their weapons. If they agreed, he nodded toward the inside of the building. Those who didn't...

Fell.

It didn't take long, most of them clearly under orders to take down Superman and Firebrand above all else. Soon enough, they were outside in the main courtyard, where it looked as if Captain America and Wonder Woman had done their own work: the main force was found squarely in the middle and with a slightly satisfied smile, Clark used his speed and the riptide force of it to pull the remainder around them. Then he swooped down and grabbed Diana and Steve, flying straight up to keep their focus.

"Perfect." came from behind Jim, which was when Sandy appeared and put his hands to the ground. A moment later, the majority of the central courtyard shot up on a column of pure rock, fifty feet tall, stranding the mixed HYDRA and Biaylian troops well above a safe jumping distance. Sandy took a moment to breath before slamming his hands down again, which brought up ten foot walls around the group, trapping them entirely.

Clark deposited Steve and Diana beside Jim before looking to Sand.

"Nicely done."

Sand was breathing a little hard through his mask, but the smile was in his voice when he spoke.

"Now it's up to you. Cut off the top bring them wherever you need to go."

Clark grinned, and it wasn't a nice expression.

"Like, say, the UN? A nice selection of living proof to show Bialya's cooperation with HYDRA."

Steve wasn't listening, though. He went straight over to Jim and put his hand on his flesh and blood shoulder. Fine. Jim was fine. And if he wasn't killing someone right then and there, so was Lois. He'd just needed to ascertain it for himself with his own hand.

Diana walked over and looked to Jim, ascertaining with her eyes whether or not Lois was all right before glancing at Clark.

"Will you need my assistance in flying the prisoners?"

Clark shook his head.

"Nope, I should be able to handle it. I will need your assistance in getting Jim and Steve back home, though."

"I would be quite happy to assist in that."

Jim looked from Steve to Diana before saying quietly, "She'll be okay. She's already back in Metropolis, at a hospital, I think. She's going to be fine. She's tough."

Part of him wasn't quite done with bloodthirst yet, but he had to be. He had to be done. He wanted to take a life with his hands, but he had done enough, or he had to tell himself that at least.

God, how he hated that was inside him. That urge, that want, that almost-need, smooth and familiar and easy... And that was why he had to fight against it.

Clark watched the three of them for a moment before focusing on Jim. He looked him up and down, seemed to see some of the conflict... and the fact that Jim was fighting against it. A faint smile, something hopeful after all of this mess, flickered at the corner of his mouth: Jim's marshmallow was coming out again, Clark as he should be emerging from the fear and the anger. Lois was all right, they'd done a good job, and now he was going to expose Bialya without any further bloodshed.

Steve, on the other hand, gave Bucky's shoulder a squeeze.

"Sounds good, Jim. Sounds like it's time for us to head home."

Diana, who'd been watching all three of them, nodded in agreement.

"We will go to the Tower, regroup, and then join Lois." She turned to Clark. "Join us as soon as you can, but we will watch over her until then."

Clark nodded in appreciation.

Jim nodded, holstering his weapons at last. "Ready when you are."

And as much as he hated to think it, what he was going to need when they got back to the tower was time to himself. Time to come down from the battle.

Time to be Jim instead of the Winter Soldier or Firebrand.

Already his adrenaline was starting to crash.

Clark watched him for another moment before flying up and slicing the top most portion of the prison off of the pillar. It was slightly awkward, but he managed to get underneath and lift the whole thing soon enough. He gave a nod to Sandy, who disappeared back into the floor, and then to his family before flying off with his captives.

Diana breathed out a moment before turning to the two of them.

"Steven, I will require your assistance with watching Lois. Jim?" as if she could tell that he was going to need some time to bring himself down from this. She held out her arms for both of them regardless.

Another nod and Jim stepped into her embrace - and then he was holding on to her and Steve alike, head ducked despite his goggles.

But one thing came to him. One thing that hadn't happened that he'd expected. That Queen Bee. She hadn't put in an appearance, and that was one thing they'd almost counted on. That she'd be there and try to enthrall one of them.

He'd have to think about that.

Diana kissed Steven's hair and gave Bucky a firm squeeze before adjusting her grip and lifting off. Then the world was darkness and wind and movement until they were landing on the upper patio of the Metropolis Stark Tower.

"Lady and gentlemen!" Tony greeted. "The news is already going crazy. Good job."

Jim pulled off his goggles, then his mask, and he gave Tony a nod. "I'm... going to go--"

"Go down--" Tony interrupted, as he was so good at doing, "to my gym where there are things hardened for me to practice on with the armor and do whatever you want to do there."

And for once, he found himself grateful to the spoiled brat. "Point me there."

Steve looked over at Jim and pressed his lips together, not happy that the whole thing had given him this much grief but well aware that anything he'd say would only make it worse. Then he turned to Tony.

"Where's Lois? Is she here or--"

"She's here, and I've got Mike doing a little field medicine until my personal doctor can get here. Apparently that boy's car is really great at first aid," Tony said, "and has been walking him through it over that little earpiece of his."

And then he pointed, "Nice, quiet room, that way."

Diana nodded and headed towards the room. Steve bit his lip and looked between the room and Jim before turning to Tony.

"Can you show him that gym? We promised Clark and I want to check my niece."

Tony nodded his understanding. "You've got it." And then he was leading Jim off, showing a little sensitivity in how he wasn't chattering on - or touching him. In his own moments, he'd learned that touch wasn't always so helpful when it came from strangers.

The room Lois had been shown to, though, was as promised. A nice, quiet room, with overstuffed furniture, a private bathroom, and a young man who was responding to what Lois wanted instead of forcing anything on her, even if he did have a box full of medical supplies at hand.

Steve immediately headed over, giving her a warm if somewhat dirty smile as Diana walked beside him to settle at the foot of the bed to carefully rest her hand on Lois's leg on an unmarked section.

"Hey, sweetheart," Steve said, tired and sounding it, "how're you doing?"

He turned an appreciative smile on Mike before reaching out to gently brush her hair out of her eyes. Lois gave them both a brave smile.

"I'm assuming Clark's off finishing things properly?"

Diana nodded.

"He took a large force of Bialyan and HYDRA troops to the UN for questioning and to substantiate your claims of Bialyan cooperation with HYDRA. From what I understand, this was what you were doing there in the first place."

"Oh yeah," Lois said, groaning as she tried to sit up a little. Her hands were splinted and bandaged, but they were still messy, "that's what I was going for. Let's see Queen Bitch explain this away."

"Lois!" and Steve almost looked like he was going to push her back down to rest before she raised an eyebrow at him. AHEM. WHO was trying to get her to lay down and relax when there was work to do?

"Lois," Mike said, "you're doing pretty much exactly what I'd do, and I get told off for it all the time. So how about I prop you up against the headboard? Last thing you want is people telling you how much you remind them of Michael Knight. Either of us. I can get you something so you can dictate your story, though."

"Oh hell no," she said as she leaned up against his arm so he could do as he'd said, "I saved that thing to my email account. Should be waiting for me as soon as I can use a keyboard again."

Then she nudged him.

"And stop insulting the guy who's patching me up. I happen to like him."

"Don't let anybody else hear you say that," he said as he settled her against the pillows and the headboard. "It'll ruin my reputation as an asshole. Besides, I'm a secret operative. Of course you like me."

Mike gave her a broad wink.

"How's that painkiller kicking in, by the way? Should be starting to about now."

Kitt had the good stuff. Stuff they didn't let the civilians have. Stuff that dulled pain but not thinking.

Mike liked it a lot.

"I feel about fifty percent myself," she reported before rolling her eyes at him. Then she smiled over at Steve and Diana.

"I'm glad you guys are all right. I mean, I know you're superheroes, and you had two Kryptonians helping, but a girl's going to worry a little when she's not there slinging an automatic weapon right beside you."

Steve chuckled a little.

"We're fine. Jim's fine too, but he needed a little time to... unwind."

"And he really doesn't need to see me like this right now."

"...that's probably true too."

"Sounds about right," Mike agreed, then looked to the two new arrivals. "If you two want to wash up, I'll sit here with her until you get back. Otherwise, I'll let you have some family time."

Even if he'd never done it himself, he figured it was important to people who actually... felt family.

"I should probably call Michael, anyway."

Steve nodded in appreciation to Mike.

Diana gave him a warm smile before nodding towards the door.

"You should know that the last I saw Sanderson, he appeared to be fine and said that he would return here once he had made sure that Clark had things in hand in New York. I have no doubt he will arrive soon."

Lois blinked.

"Who's Sanderson?" she asked, looking around in mild confusion. "Did we pick up another roomate?"

Steve shook his head with a short laugh before tilting his head to Mike.

"Nope, not ours. Possibly his."

Lois grinned brilliantly up at Mike, or as brilliantly as she could given her injuries and a fat lip.

"Go get em, slugger."

"Never knew I'd have a super boyfriend," Mike answered with a grin. "She needs anything from the kit, you two feel free to get it. There's everything in there from painkillers to antivirals - just ask Jarvis to ask Kitt before you start dosing anything out. The doctor should be here pretty soon, depending on traffic, and when he gets here, hide my box."

But he stood and nodded to them all before going.

A few floors down, Jim was beating the shape out of a training dummy, letting loose of the control he'd been exercising so carefully all day. He only stopped when he was sweaty and absolutely in need of the showers next door.

When he got out of the showers, Clark was waiting in the locker room, dressed in civilian clothes, looking tired but mostly satisfied. Arms rested on his knees, he looked over at Jim and gave him a warm smile of appreciation before leaning back and tipping his head at him.

"Steve and Diana are up with Lois. Or at least, that's what I can hear. I... haven't been up yet."

He let his eyes close.

"Been a day, huh?"

"I..."

His voice was lower, like it used to be. Rougher. He took a breath, swallowed. His head was drooping, eyes refusing to close because if he let his eyes close for more than a blink, he wasn't sure who he'd be when he opened them.

"I'm sorry."

"Think you're taking my line, Jim," he said with a little curve to the corner of his lips. "I came down to apologize to you. Also to make sure that you were doing all right."

But Jim shook his head, sitting heavily and lifting his hand to rub around where his arm was secured in place. Times like this, it ached for no physical reason. "You didn't do anything wrong."

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