The Sweetest Sound

I didn't know what else to call this. It is basically the sweetest moment you could imagine, happening on opposite sides of the equator.  And both involve the most moral compassed, selfless, goodhearted genuine man ever written into a superhero show: Jeremiah Danvers.

After Martin and Elana show up at Arias, J'onn is having trouble figuring out Why Jeremiah even wants to go back. Jeremiah tells him what Hank Henshaw is really like, was actually like six years ago. “He did what he thought was necessary to protect civilians, all of Earth really from people he honestly believed were our enemies. I can't fault him for that. If this is coming from the mouth of an alien, then you can believe it's at least possible that he's changed his mind.”

“What's the real reason you want to go?” Jeremiah looked mildly shocked and didn't hide it. “I can read your mind pretty well by now. It's effortless, and almost natural to hear what's on the surface. You don't want to see him, at least not for any personal reason. And you believe without proof he has changed. Which means there's another reason you want to go back. What is it? Why are you so certain he has changed?”

“Nikita. She was a dear friend of mine. Well, she was a dear soul and an innocent one. For the first time in the six years I disobeyed Henshaw for the sake of a prisoner. I couldn't stand by and watch her get interrogated for information she didn't have, or for being a threat she didn't actually pose. I broke her out of the DEO. This was about 6 months before Hank and I...sought you out. According to Firestorm over there she's back at the DEO, but as an officer, an aide-de-camp to the man I thought had the thickest skull on the planet. I need to see if she believes he is worth it or is simply following orders-- playing along. Let me go see them, I only need a day and I will have all the answers I need. No matter what's going on, I can finally know what happened to her...and move on with my life."

“Jeremiah. You don't need to stay with me. You sure as anything on this planet don't need my permission to leave!" Jeremiah started. J'onn looked almost reproachful. "I'll miss you of course. But I wouldn't keep you here against your will. I thought you knew the choice. You've always had it.”

Jeremiah smiled a little sadly. Because of the initial circumstances of thier association, the truth of thier present reality was hard to define. J'onn, while technically his captor felt nothing like that to him. And though he thought of the man as his friend, J'onn was still in a minimal sense his jailer. “Not always J'onn. But I know what you mean. When I traded my freedom for Hank's I hadn't seen any of this. I didn't know what to expect. Having seen Arias, seeing first hand your regard for Sarrin and hers for you, I promised I wouldn't leave your side. And at first I did feel like a prisoner. But I swore I would stand with you, that I would never leave you. From what I understand that was a 'til death do us part' oath of loyalty, if not brotherhood. I mean...I'm not wrong am I?"

“That you are like a brother to me Jeremiah, of course not. You're the best friend I've ever had, the closest to a brother I have known on this planet. But as far as you staying here because you made an oath, that's what makes no sense. The oath is invalid if you're staying only out of obligation and duty, do you not see that? We will always be brothers, Jeremiah. You don't have to live under my roof for that. But if you have someone in this life who needs you, I would never knowingly keep you from them. That's what brotherhood means!”

"I...I see your point." Jeremiah said sheepishly. He was genuinely embarrassed at the obvious truth behind his friend's words. And even more so at the need for them. In any way that mattered the two of them had been true friends for almost the entirety of his 6 year stay. Thanks in no small part to yet another human-looking alien named Sarrin. "Does that mean I might be able to convince you to come along?"

"How else are you to get to the D.E.O my friend? They can't send someone for you, they don't even know you are alive. Come on, I'll fly you back. Just let me say a word to Sarrin first."

"Good idea."

In case you don't know Nikita, the one narrating used to be a prisoner here under Hank Henshaw. And the first indication that Hank really had changed was when he assumed the better, not the worse of thier latest alien guest, Mon-el.

“I figured we'd have to have this conversation eventually.” I said to Henshaw as he stood at the threshold of my compartment.

“I take it you know why I'm here?” He replied in a voice as full of restraint as of regret.

“To get to the truth of something that hasn't left your sight for a long time. Not clearing the air as much as 'so we're clear'. I'd actually like it if Mon-el were to stay and hear this. But that's just me."

"For someone besides us to know why the assumption makes sense and why it isn't reality, might help us both. But he's not obliged. Mon-el, if you want to go, you should go.”

“If for no other reason than to learn where you two stand with each-other, I'm staying put.”

Hank gave a 'that makes perfect sense' look then turned to Nikita.  “Why don't you hate me?” 

“There are two and a half reasons why I should. One is that I made the decision a long time ago that I'd rather feel sorrow than anger and disappointment than regret. And this is back on Atridia. Every time I made a fist ready to punch something I would transform that anger into kind of a sad, quiet feeling. It got to the point people thought I was incapable of experiencing or even understanding the very normal emotions of anger or hatred. In an entire species of empaths, the inability to feel emotions made me seem 'damaged'. Really I just didn't see the point of holding a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone. I carried that conscious choice here. It's not an oath, it's a way of life and it is NOT easy. I've spent my life being not just a person of peace but of restraint, self awareness and impeccable composure and forbearance. I don't see that changing. Ironic because 'change' is the other part of this.”

“What do you mean?” Mon El asked me simply.

“My people have a religious teaching that when put to its essence says that a righteous man who turns to rebellion and sin should not count on his former righteous deeds to save him from judgment. But likewise a sinner who turns from his rebellious ways and does what is right should have no fear; for by no means would his former sinful deeds be counted against him.” I turned and looked at Henshaw. “Unlike most people here, I know what you used to be like. But I also know who you are now, today. And that is who I'm dealing with so that is who matters. It sounds kind of new age and twisted but I don't sense anything in you that even resembles what I sensed from you before. And in case you don't remember, I didn't hate you back then either. Strangely enough that's actually the 'half' reason.”

“Okay...I'm probably going to regret this but what's the full reason?”

"...Hank if Jeremiah thinks you're worth DYING for I'm pretty sure you're worth forgiving!”

“Okay, I need to hear both of your histories right now.” Mon'el interjected.

“Basically Jeremiah Danvers was an agent of this organization at the same time I was a prisoner of it. Hank did everything he could to try to get me to make sense to him. But he had more than a few assumptions that got in the way. Like that my people were the dominant race on my planet. That because I looked as human as I do I must be hiding who I really am. Jeremiah risked a court-martial to break me free from this place. He told me that he had to stay but that I should go and live a life that I thought was truly worth living. Obviously coming back here and serving under you is not what he was thinking of when he said that. But I truly believe it fits his criteria: it's a life I chose for myself and I'm fighting for a cause I believe is worth fighting for. I mean...I would consider you my friend...Hank.”

Hank Henshaw blushed and then smiled. “Thank you...for your trust in me.”