Jay Andrews. Hero? No...former hero.

Once he was the confident and cocky 'Teen Lantern' as much as he hated that name. Now he was just Jay Andrews again. His confidence had been shattered in battle with the Spectre. He was just too powerful.

'What did I expect?' He thought, stuffing his hands in his pockets. 'He's an agent of God!' He often had his hands in his pockets these days, because he still wore his ring. Granted now it was inert because he hadn't charged it in months. But it was there. Why? Because the last time he tried to take it off, within a week he was going threw the shakes, and withdrawl. He didn't want to risk dying without it, so he put it back on. He didn't want too look at the reminder of his past, so he often had his hands in his pockets.

Besides...what did such a small city need a hero for anyway? Edge City only had a population of 100,000. New York had a population of about 18,000,000 at one point. And there were always other heroes. Right?

Then he heard it.

"Oh god!" One woman screamed.

"There's still someone inside!" A man hollered.

Then he felt it. The searing heat.

Then he saw it. A brick apartment building, blazing with fire. In a moment he tensed his hand and attempted to forge his Teen Lantern costume. Forgetting momentarily that he no longer COULD. And that even if his ring was recharged...without his self confidence he couldn't make it work.

'Someone has to do something!' he though frantically, looking for ways inside.

I thought you weren't a hero anymore...

'I'm not!' He argued with it. 'But...but...SOMEONE has to help!'

That's what the fire department is for. But you can't help yourself. Either for glory, or for caring...you want...no...NEED to be a hero.

Jay didn't respond to the voice this time, bursting through the barracade, and then, using his momentum he smashed through the already fire-weakened door.

"H-hello!?" He shouted, running up the steps, coughing badly. Once more he tried using his ring, forgetting he couldn't. Since he couldn't create a gasmask, he instead raised his shirt as a sort of filter.

He heard crying.

"Hello!?" He shouted again.

"Help!" The voice was faint...like a small child. From Jay's on judgement they must already be suffering smoke inhalation effects.

"Keep talking!" He shouted. "I'll find you!"

He was frantic, but he tried to keep his cool and search methodically. The child kept screaming help, and as it got louder he saw a door in front of him. Blocked by burning wreckage.

"It couldn't be easy could it?" He groaned. "Well...I came this far...like hell i'm giving up now!" With those words, he took off his shirt, wrapping it around his hands to keep from being burned, and started shoveling away at the objects, bits of wood, heated stone, occasional bits of piping, and of corse, trying to smother smaller flames with his rolled up shirt.

After a few minutes that seemed like hours he cleared the door, and then, spent a few more moments testing his shoulder's endurance as he tried to break through. He stumbled as the door gave way, and nearly landed on his face, but quickly rebounded.

"Are you alright?" He asked the child, a little girl, probably no more then five.

"I-i'm scared..." She said, tears in her eyes.

"Yeah....to be honest...I am too." Jay said, probably not much comfort. "Come here. I'll get you back out." he added, holding out hsi hand as he moved closer.

Shaking, she reached out and took it. Jay quickly hefted her into his arms and made a break for the exit.

"Damnit..." He mumbled when he noticed most of the steps now had firey rubble on them. "Okay...gonna have to jump it...hold on tight." He told the girl as she tightened her grip. He took a few steps back followed by a flying leap, which carried him over the steps, and landed on the floor with a pain shooting from the soles of his feet up to his hips.

Finally though, he walked through the door again. And gave a happy, if tired, smile to see the girl reunited with her mother. Of course, that's also when he ran off, since he didn't want reporters this time, and also...he didn't want to face any charged for ignoring a police blockade.


some time later, he found himself in an alleyway.

"Well..." he sighed looking at his ring. "I guess I really can't escape it. And if i'm gonna make a habit of jumping into burning buildings...." He let the statement hang in the air, as he pointed his ring at the sun.

"In the face of evil, I always fight..."

Yes...

"For what is good...and what is right..."

Say it...

"Mess with me and feel my might..."

Your ment to do this.

"You'll soon be eating...GREEN LANTERN'S LIGHT!"

"Voice recognition...confirmed. Initiating Ring Recharge."The mechanical voice came from his ring, as it began to filter in sunlight, and recharge it's solar battery.

"I'm back..." He said, looking up to the clouds.