JLA: A Different Kind of Day

Corina 'Mako' Borsuk

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in the animated Justice League. I am only borrowing them for a short time. Please don't sue me.

Floating in the black of space was a very unique space station, unique in the sense that it served as the headquarters for Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Flash, Wonder Woman, and Martian Manhunter - the Justice League. Inside, a very important conversation was taking place.

"Explain this holiday to me again, Flash."

"It's simple. The best cook or cooks in the family cook a big, and I'm talking big, dinner with turkey, stuffing, yams, green beans. You know, the works."

"I'm still not sure I understand," Wonder Woman said. "What exactly is the 'works'? Is there some sort of manual labor involved in this holiday?"

"No, that's the best part. You get the day off from work; you sit around and watch football or play football, eat a huge meal, and then sit around some more. There is no work involved in Thanksgiving."

"It's a good thing my granny didn't hear you say that," Green Lantern commented as he entered the Watchtower's communication room. "She always said she worked harder on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year."

"But, why would your grandmother have to work so hard on a day when no one works?" Wonder Woman asked, obviously puzzled. Then her expression changed, as if she suddenly understood something. "Does this Thanksgiving involve the slavery you told me about, Green Lantern? I will not be a party to anything that celebrates slavery."

"Slavery? Is this something the Justice League should investigate?" J'onn J'onzz, the green-skinned Martian Manhunter asked as he floated ghost-like into the room through the floor.

"Na." Flash replied, literally waving off J'onn's concern. "It's just a misunderstanding. I was trying to explain Thanksgiving to the Princess here."

"Thanksgiving. Yes, I have heard of this holiday. Superman explained it was a time for Americans to give thanks for all that they have."

"But, what does that have to do with eating a large meal or slavery?" Wonder Woman asked, still unsure about this holiday of her adopted homeland.

"Okay, lemme try again," Flash said, then took a deep breath before he continued. "Okay, itstartedalongtimeago when the Pilgrims arrived in the New World, 'ceptit'snotnewanymore, it'stheUnitedStates, and the Indians kept the Pilgrims from starving - bettheywishsometimestheydidn't - andtherewasthisbigfeastandthePilgrimswerereallythankful - heck, who wouldn't be with all that food to eat - and so once a year Americans have a big meal each November to remember the Pilgrims' feast and be thankful and stuff." Flash paused for a moment, than asked, "Got it?"

"Not exactly the most historically accurate explanation," Green Lantern commented, "but you got more right than I would have given you credit for."

"Maybe not, but it got the point across, right?" Flash asked, turning to Wonder Woman.

"I think so," the amazon princess replied. "This Thanksgiving celebration is in honor of a great feast held long ago. But, what does that have to do with slavery?"

"Nothing! Where did you get this slavery thing?"

"Green Lantern said his grandmother worked very hard on Thanksgiving, and he told me that his ancestors were slaves. I just assumed."

"Aw geez. G.L., you explain."

"Thanksgiving isn't about slavery. It's about family. Tradition. Spending time together and sharing a good meal. It's about remembering all the things you have to be thankful for." The Green Lantern paused, a wistful smile gracing his usually stern face. "My granny always worked so hard on Thanksgiving because she said she was making the most important meal of the year, and she wanted to make it one to remember."

"But, why was that meal so important?" J'onn asked. "Surely your family ate other meals together."

"Not all of us. On Thanksgiving, everyone used to travel to my granny's house - my parents, me, my aunts, uncles, cousins. It was the one day every year the entire family got together."

"So, G.L., you goin' to granny's house this year?"

"She died a few years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that," J'onn said.

"I miss her. We all do. But, we remember her when we all get together on Thanksgiving at my aunt's house and eat turkey and stuffing the way granny used to make it."

"The way your grandmother used to make what?" Hawkgirl asked, entering the increasingly crowded communications room.

"Hey, Hawkgirl, when did you get back? Does this mean you and the Big Guy finished up in Texas?"

"Yes, Star Sapphire is behind bars, but the others got away." Hawkgirl scowled as she said this, obviously not pleased by the outcome of her last mission. "I told Superman I would come back and file the report."

"Man, I still can't believe we let Bats talk us into that," Flash complained.

"Reports are part of good police work, even if it is the worst part," Hawkgirl admitted as she sat down to type up what she hoped would be a short, yet thorough report. "So, what are the rest of you doing here?"

"Flash and Green Lantern were explaining the meaning of Thanksgiving."

"That's right, this is your first Thanksgiving - both of you," Hawkgirl said, turning around to indicate Wonder Woman and J'onn. "Do you have any plans?"

Before either could respond, Flash said, "Hey, that reminds me. Who's on call for Thanksgiving? I know I'm part of the usual rotation, but, well," Flash hemmed and hawed, "my mom kind of expects me to be home for the holiday, and I wouldn't want to miss out on her cooking anyway."

"I have plans, too."

"You're aunt's house, right G.L.?"

Green Lantern nodded his affirmative to the Flash's question, then added, "But, I can still be on-call."

"I would hate for you to miss such an important event, Lantern," J'onn said. "I promise to only call you in a true emergency."

"Thanks. Well, I better go."

"What about you, Wonder Woman?"

The amazon princess thought for a moment, then said, "I can be on-call."

"So, you don't have any plans?" Hawkgirl asked.

"I might," she replied, "but I should still be available in case of an emergency."

Hawkgirl noticed that Wonder Woman seemed a bit unsure, but let it go to address J'onn. "What about you? If you're not busy, you're welcome to have Thanksgiving dinner with me and some of the people in my building."

"Thank you, but no," the Martian replied, polite as always. "I do not wish to intrude on your gathering."

"You wouldn't be intruding."

"Really, it is not important. Someone needs to monitor communications, and we need a third person to be on call should an incident occur."

"Cool. Thanks for covering, guys," Flash said, his voice fading as he streaked off the way Green Lantern had gone, hoping to catch a ride back to earth.

"Look, J'onn, why don't you come?" Hawkgirl asked again.

"It is not important," J'onn repeated. "It is just another day for me. Please, enjoy your holiday."

***

The very long rectangular table was covered in a brilliantly white lace table cloth, with silver-trimmed goblets and real silverware set out for five. Tim Drake, the young hero known as Robin, and Dick Grayson, the crime fighting Nightwing, both dressed in crisply tailored suits, led a grey-haired woman wearing a floor-length burgundy dress to one of the ornately carved chairs. The woman was Leslie Thompkins, a doctor and long-time friend of the Wayne family and one of the few people to know the true identity of the Batman. More importantly, she, along with Dick and Tim, was someone Bruce Wayne thought of as family.

Thanksgiving was a time for family, as Alfred, Bruce's long-time butler, mentor, and father figure reminded him. And, though the man known by some as the Dark Knight had been shooting worried glances all evening at the clock in the study that hid the stairway to the Batcave, his family had been able to convince him that they needed him more this day than Gotham City did. It was a testament to how important this holiday was that the stalwart detective was willing to forgo his nightly rounds and instead take part in a bountiful meal with the family of his heart.

As Alfred brought the steaming turkey to the table and Dick and Leslie complimented the older gentleman on his culinary skills, Bruce Wayne reminded himself that this was what Batman was all about - making sure that everyone, including himself, could create happy memories like these with the ones they love.

***

John Stewart's flight had been canceled and another was not available until much later, making it very likely that he would miss Thanksgiving dinner at his aunt's house. That is to say, he would have missed it if he were not Green Lantern. With a little help from his power ring, John was able to make it just barely. While in route, he had wondered if using the power ring for such personal and trivial tasks was justified - it was something he usually wouldn't consider, taking the responsibility that came with the ring very seriously - but as he flew overhead and saw his nephews playing a game of touch football in the yard and when he walked up to the house, after finding an inconspicuous place to land, and caught the sounds of laughter and conversation and the scent of pumpkin pie, he knew he had made the right decision.

"Uncle John, you're here," shouted his niece as she ran to greet him. "Aunt Raylene said you weren't going to make it 'cause you couldn't get a plane."

"You know I wouldn't miss this," he replied as he bent down to give her a hug. Before long, he was surrounded by his nephews and a few cousins that had come out when they heard the commotion the kids were making.

"No, I wouldn't miss this for the world," John mumbled to himself as one of his elderly aunts ordered him to come inside and help set the table.

***

She certainly stood out from the crowd today, even more so than she usually did in her Wonder Woman garb. People in this world seemed at least slightly accustomed to people flying around in brightly colored, skin-tight clothing. However, a more modest white toga seemed much more out of place if the stares she was getting were any indication. Based on her conversations with Green Lantern and Hawkgirl, she had decided that this outfit might be more appropriate for the occasion. She hoped she had decided correctly.

She had also understood it was customary to bring food for this holiday, so she was carrying a very large bowl of ambrosia. Though not the true ambrosia of the Gods, it was very similar to that which she and her amazon sisters would partake of on special occasions. She only hoped she had brought enough. In truth, she had only come to see Steve Trevor, but he had mentioned that those in the facility where he stayed who had not gone to visit family would all be celebrating Thanksgiving together, and it would be impolite to only bring enough for the two of them.

Walking down the corridor toward the eating hall as the nurse had directed her, Diana wondered again if she had made the right decision. Steve had insisted that he would love to spend Thanksgiving with her and that he did not have any other plans. In fact, he claimed he was honored that she wanted to spend her first Thanksgiving with him. Still, she felt out of place. This wasn't her holiday, and she wasn't even sure why she wanted to spend it with Steve.

When she had seen Green Lantern's face soften with the mention of Thanksgiving with his family, she had first thought about her mother and her sisters on Paradise Island. Remembering that she might never see them again had been painful. But then, for some reason, she had thought of Steve and the pain lifted.

As she walked into the dining hall and Steve waved at her, she felt that warm feeling again and knew she had made the right decision.

***

"Hey, mom, dad. I'm here!"

"For goodness sakes, honey, slow down a little before you come in. You rushed in so fast you blew my coupons off the counter."

"Sorry, mom," the young blond man known in some circles as the Flash said as he set the last scattered coupon back in its proper place.

"Oh, well, no harm done. Now, why don't you help me peel the potatoes?"

"Aw, do I have to?"

"Now, you know I can't peal all those potatoes myself, not if you want turkey, stuffing, and all the other fixings, too."

"Okay, I'm convinced." Half the potatoes were pealed before he asked, "Is that all?"

"No, there are more in the pantry . . . oh, you found them."

"So, where's dad?"

"Out back, raking the yard."

And, mother and son worked in silence, except for the sounds of potatoes being peeled, radishes being chopped, and other cooking noises, for a few moments.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Mrs. West said as she headed for the fridge. The large bowl she pulled out was filled with vanilla pudding, and the tray she pulled out next was filled with fruit. "This is for you. Just a little snack to tide you over."

"You are the BEST, mom." And, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before devouring his snack in record time.

***

"Ma, we're home," Clark Kent called as he opened the door. A few moments later a grey-haired woman wearing an apron walked out of the kitchen, a huge smile on her face.

"Clark, honey, welcome home. And, welcome to you, too," Martha Kent added as she turned to the dark-haired woman who stood just behind her son. "I'm so glad you could join us, Lois."

"Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Kent," star reporter for the Daily Planet, Lois Lane, replied as she looked around the well-kept home a bit nervously.

"Where are my manners? Ma, this is Lois Lane from the Daily Planet. And Lois, this is my mother, Martha Kent."

"Pleased to meet you Lois," Martha said as shook Lois's hand. "Come on in and have a seat."

"Thank you," Lois said again, not sure of what else to say as Martha led her to the couch.

"Ma, do you need any help with anything?"

"No, dear, everything is just fine. But, where's your father?"

"He's parking the truck."

Martha nodded, then turned back to Lois. "Would you like to join me in the kitchen, Lois?"

"Well, I'm not really much of a cook."

"Oh, that's alright. I just wanted a chance to get to know you better, and I thought we could talk while I was cooking. I don't get to meet many of Clark's friends from Metropolis."

"Ma!"

Lois still looked nervous, but she stood calmly and said, "Of course, Mrs. Kent."

"Please, call me Martha," the older woman said as she led Lois into the kitchen.

"Martha, thank you again for inviting me."

"Not at all, Lois. What's Thanksgiving if not a time to spend with those you care about most? So, you just make yourself at home, and let me know if you need anything."

The kindness and sincerity in Martha's voice gave Lois a warm feeling, and she gave a genuine smile as she said, "I will, thank you."

Clark Kent was glad Lois and his mother were already in the kitchen, so Lois wouldn't see the blush spreading on his cheeks after hearing his mother's less-than-subtle matchmaking attempt with his super hearing. But, his mother was right, Thanksgiving was a time for loved ones, and it felt right to include Lois. He just hoped she felt the same.

***

The shuttle approaching the Watchtower surprised J'onn J'onnz. It could only be one of the Justice League members, but as far as he knew there was nothing that required their attention. He hailed the craft even as the docking bay doors opened in response to a Justice League signal.

"This is J'onn. Please come in shuttle craft."

"J'onn, it's me," came Hawkgirl's voice. "Meet me in the docking bay."

"Is there an emergency?"

"No, don't worry. I'll explain everything when you get here. Hawkgirl out."

Cautiously, in case there was some sort of problem, J'onn made his way to the docking bay, but when he got there, he found Hawkgirl removing several large packages from her shuttle.

"Give me a hand with these, would you?" she asked, handing J'onn a container.

"What is all this?"

"Thanksgiving dinner," she said, as she pulled out one last package and closed the shuttle door.

"But, why?"

"Because I know how it feels to be new to this world, new to its customs. And, I know you can feel like even more of an outsider on a day like this, when family and tradition is so important. Even if it isn't your holiday, it reminds you of what you don't have."

J'onn stood there, looking at Hawkgirl. He didn't argue with her. He just asked in a sad voice, "How did you know?"

"I haven't always lived on earth, you know. I remember what it was like when I was in your shoes."

"Thank you."

"Don't mention it." As she led him to the meeting room, she added, "I'm not much of a cook, so I bought most of this stuff. But, I did make one thing myself - the cranberry sauce."

"Cranberry sauce?" J'onn asked as he and Hawkgirl set the food down on the large conference table.

"Trust me, you'll love it."

Author's Note: The animated Justice League hasn't really shown us much about the character's personal lives. We know about Superman and Batman mostly from their own animated shows, which seem to be in the same universe as JL, and we know a little about Green Lantern. But, as far as the others go, we know almost nothing. Therefore, I hope you won't mind that I took some liberties with this story, like assuming that Flash's parents know about his powers or that Hawkgirl lives in a apartment building.

Send feedback to corina_borsuk@eee.org.

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