Long Past Dawn

"I..." I was just going to say that I'm fine but looking at Stephen's worried face for some reason I just can't lie to him, "I don't know..."

Stephen just stands there for a second before coming into the boxing ring, he comes over and plops down next to me.

"This is going to sound cringy but you know it's ok to not be ok all the time right?" He says, looking at me earnestly. I try my best not to laugh because I know he's 100% serious.

"What greeting card did you get that off of?" I ask, I know I said I wouldn't laugh but I still end up laughing. I mean he's right but the way he says it is just so...

Stephen's face is now completely red. I calm down and eventually stop laughing. After that, we just sit in companionable silence. It's not awkward at all really, it's more the type of silence where you have something to say but you don't know how so for the moment you're happy just not talking about it.

After a moment Stephen breaks the silence, "So… what are you thinking about?"

"My plan for world domination," I say with a crooked grin as I lay my head on his shoulder.

"..." Stephen doesn't say anything just gives me a look that says it all.

"What?" I can't help laughing, his reaction is so funny, "Don't worry, I haven't come up with a solid plan yet."

I take my head off his shoulder and stand up to stretch, my muscles are killing me. "So, are you just here to ask about my mental state or is there something else because if I'm not careful I'm going to get my a.s.s kicked by Black Canary tomorrow."

Stephen laughs and I feel my cheeks getting a little warm, "Yeah I was supposed to call you up for dinner, but I thought I would ask how you were since you've been down here for almost an hour now."

"Thanks..." I don't know why I say that. I'm not sure I have anything to thank him for if you don't count his 'advice'. "Well let's go! I'm hungry!"

Stephen laughs again and I help him up, we then walk out of the gym and back up into the main warehouse.

And yes, I am starting to realize how weird it is to be living in a warehouse.

We walk over to where the others are standing, probably with dinner. I just kinda hope it's not pizza, yes I know that is the opposite of what any teenager would say but honestly, pizza isn't my favorite food.

I expect to see the same pizza boxes from before but instead, I see steaming bowls of pasta. I will say that I'm pleasantly surprised. Unlike pizza, I do like pasta.

As we get closer my mouth starts to water when I see the penne pasta in the cream sauce with bacon and chicken chunks, if food has ever called to me it would be right now.

Flash comes over and hands us both a tub of pasta, and I swear that the cream sauce is calling me. "Looks good, right? Nothing like Italian takeout. Bats may disagree but I love this."

I nod because Italian is one of my favorite foods; yes I do understand that pizza is from Italy but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

I take the tub of pasta more than willingly and then look around for a fork or something to eat it with. I spot a fork lying on the table and go over to grab it, on my way over I bump into something, I turn round and see that it was Batman.

"Ah... sorry bats... I-I mean Batman, I was just talking with Flash and he called you that so I got confused and....." I can feel my face turning red from embarrassment. God, please let me end this already without making any more of a fool of myself.

But to my surprise, Batman chuckles. I'm honestly waiting for the heavens to open up and end me because to be completely serious I was 100% sure that was going to happen before the day Batman ever laughed. Batman then turns away and goes to talk to Question.

Stephen comes over and is soon followed by Flash, they must have seen my stupefied expression because the next thing they ask me is, "What's wrong?"

"H-he laughed..."

They both shrug, probably not understanding what I mean before Stephen starts to talk to Flash, the conversation is mostly based around something to do with computers so I don't pay much attention. As soon as I finish my pasta, the cream sauce was heaven, I look over at the two who are still engrossed in their conversation. "I... umm... I'm going to go back to the gym to train some more."

I place my empty tub on the table and almost miss Flash elbowing Stephen. Stephen jumps a little and then turns slightly red before turning to me, "There are some things I forgot to bring and some I just wanted to buy so I was wondering if you wanted to..... to go shopping with me tomorrow..."

I mean I guess... There are still a few things I wouldn't mind getting... "Sure that sounds great. It's a date then!"

I then turn to walk away but still catch Flash congratulating a very embarrassed Stephen, they kinda remind me of a pair of siblings...

***

I spend the good part of the night using the machines in the gym. I figure that if I want a fighting chance I should work on my strength, stamina, and agility. None of which were that good to begin with.

I come off the treadmill I've been on for probably two hours and a half and sigh, it's probably at least midnight by now.

I grab my hoodie which I threw on the ground when I first came in and walk back up the steps. I think I'll go see how Jikan's doing, take a shower and go to bed.

I walk over to the corner of the warehouse where Jikan is. Like I expected she's asleep, she's looking a lot better now though.

I don't stay long since she's asleep and move on back to my room when I get there I grab a towel and head into the shower. Turns out when you send who knows how many hours exercising you get really sweaty.

I come back out of the steamy bathroom fifteen minutes later in my pajamas and slide in. My eyes start to feel heavy as I fall into sleep. Strangely it didn't take long for me to fall asleep under the warm blankets that night. I was rather surprised.

***

It's dark, so very dark. I can't move, it's as if someone else is in my body, controlling my every move.

'Dawn how come there are no pictures in this house? It doesn't feel like a happy three-person family is living here, it feels more like a dollhouse.'

A light comes on overhead, in front of me is a dollhouse, it looks exactly like a New York apartment on the bad side of town. The side of the dollhouse opens and I can see inside.

Two dolls stand in the kitchen, while a tiny little doll stands in the doorway. The dolls in the kitchen seem to be fighting while the one in the doorway seems to be crying. I seem to look closer and I recognize two of the dolls, the little one in the doorway looks like me from the picture frame while the doll in the kitchen looks like mom. I can't see the face of the last doll, I can tell it's a man but only his back is facing me.

I watch the scene in front of me, the dolls in the kitchen are fighting but I can't hear what they're saying, every once in a while they'll throw plates and silverware to the floor. Finally, it seems like the male doll snaps, he hits the doll that looks like mom over and over again until it is on the floor. The doll that looks like me seems to burst into tears and the male doll walks over to it, I still can't see its face, and slaps the little doll.

Suddenly I feel a burning pain in my cheek like I was the one slapped and not the doll.

The light goes off with a loud click and I'm plunged back into darkness. I still can't move, I can't even breathe. I feel like I'm slowly drowning.