(As much as I wish I owned Young Justice, I unfortunately do not. (If I did, I would change several of the events in the TV show, including how the show was untimely cancelled in the middle of it's second season.) Nor do I own any of the characters or plots, property of DC Nation. I only own one character. Destiny Desire Waters is my character, and is product of my own imagination. I will be happy to grant you usage to this character, however, I would like you to ask permission and state your purpose/plot that requires her to be in, along with a credit to me for allowing you usage of her. Thank you so much for reading my first story, and I hope to update soon. But, with school beginning once again [insert dramatic sigh here] I may not be able to for a week or two.)

It was a normal night. The circus performers making last minute checks on the equipment for the annual performance in Gotham City. Legendary home of the Caped Crusader. The Batman. A little girl, appearing to be no more than nine years of age, sat in the small and hot room. It was stuffed with colorful costumes of all types. Large clown shoes that seemed to be able to fit both of her feet easily in one of the shoes, colorful leotards for The Flying Graysons, and the other acts.

However, the girl did not seem to be interested in the colorful apparel that surrounded her in the cramped room. Her raven black hair, which cascaded like a waterfall down her back; stopping a few inches above her hips, fell in front of her face. She seemed annoyed with the locks, for they obstructed her view of her writing she was working hard on. She had hoped to finish the chapter before the show. Seeing of how close she was cutting it, she knew that would be an impossibility. Her mother would be looking for her; the show would start soon. With a reluctant sigh, the child stood, setting her now dull pencil and worn leather notebook down.

Stifling a large yawn, she decided to delay getting ready for as long as possible. Her outfit for the show was growing small, and was rather uncomfortable to wear. Mother had promised to make her a new one soon. How long "soon" would be, she did not know. With a wary shake of her head, she swept her long hair up into a tight bun atop of her head.

"Des? You in there?" Richard asked, knocking on the door of the train compartment. His dark blue eyes staring expectantly at the old and peeling paint on the wooden door, waiting for a response from his best friend. If she was in there.

"What...? Oh. Yeah." came the muffled response, indicating the girl he was searching for was indeed in the costume car of the train.

"Are you decent?" he asked tentitively, pausing for a moment. There was a quiet laugh from the other side, but it faded when she picked up the quiver in his voice. Something was wrong.

"Yeah."

Richard was pale and shaking when he entered the train car. The instant she turned to meet his gaze, having been looking for her costume, she realized he was crying, gentle tears in his eyes.

She strode across the small train car, "What happened?" she asked him, enveloping her best friend into a tight hug.

"H-Haley...I was getting ready. I...I walked by his office, there were...two men there. They were talking to Haley. Something about money. But, they weren't tax collectors. They collect when we're in London, " he paused, thinking for a moment, "One of them had dark hair, and wore a suit. He was pale."

"What? Surely...it may just be two fools asking for better seating." She said, looking at him, trying to make the best of the situation, pulling away slowly.

"You don't understand, Destiny," He said, voice shakes. Not Des or Dessy. Her real name. It was serious, "They were threatening him. Telling them to give him money, or they would hurt the circus!"

All of the blood left the already pale girl's face, "W-What?"

"I left before I could hear anything else..."He said quietly.

"T-They won't hurt the circus...I'm sure they're all bark and no bite. Like Jinxx is, despite what you think." she said, still refusing to believe that the worst possible scenario be what would play out.

"I don't know. They sounded like they meant business." He said, unconvinced that his best friend's suggestion was a possibility.

"I'm sure Haley won't let anyone get hurt...everything always turns out fine" She offered.

"Alright," he glanced at the clock, "You have three minutes until you're on."

"Crap!" The girl swore, snatching her colorful costume from the nearby rack. The force of which she snatched the piece of clothing nearly toppled the rack. With quick reflexes, Richard caught it easily.

"Thanks...I have to change. Like yesterday fast. So, out!" Destiny shooed him out, shutting and locking the door quickly.

"Ladies and gentleman! Boys and girls! The Flying Graysons!" Haley, the ringmaster, and owner of the circus announced. She watched in amusement, having already done her portion of the show. Belly Dancing.

So far, nothing had happened. Nothing was wrong, no one got hurt. It was tempting to dismiss the thought of the circus being sabotaged as a bad memory. The men were all bark, and no bite, like she had suggested. Besides, their act was the last one, and they were already beginning their grand finale. That was when she heard a snap, like a gunshot. Than another. Destiny looked up, hearing screams. All of the blood left her face. The trapeze wires Mary and John were on, had snapped. The situation, for a normal circus would certainly be concerning but not of any danger to the performers, since they used safety nets.

This was unfortunately not the case with the Flying Graysons. Their Grand Finale had never used a net, since they insisted it create an even greater "wow factor" during their performance. The Graysons were sent hurtling to their deaths, their bodies hitting the ground with two sickening thuds.

There were screams, gasps, and cries from the audience. But, none were as loud and heartbroken as Richard's. Without thinking, Des took off, into the circus ring. Ignoring the noise of the crowd, the small girl scrambled up the ladder leading to one of the many trapeze platforms. At the top, Richard sobbed, on his knees.

There were more screams, and then gunshots from below, but both the dancer and the acrobat were oblivious. People fled everywhere, a few falling to the ground as the clown shot into the frantic stampede of people. He looked up at the girl who climbed to the broken boy on the trapeze platform, his piercing gaze targeting her. The man was slowed slightly with the overly large shoes and awkward clown costume, but he quickly gained on the girl who was scrambling up the ladder. The girl had almost reached the top, when another gunshot rang through the night. Richard, who had been looking at Des, paled.

"Destiny!" he cried, horrified. The girl paled, blood splattering on her clothing. Coughing, she began to plummet to the ground below. Richard lunged, taking her hand.

"I'm not loosing you too." he cried, clinging to her one arm with both of his hands. She looked at him, tears in her eyes. She could not reach a rung of the ladder with her injured shoulder, or grip one with her feet. Other circus performers were trying frantically to save both of the children. Destiny, however, ignored the fact that should Richard loose his grip, she would be sent plummeting over 50 feet to her death, or the fact that a clown was climbing up the ladder with the intention of killing her. Instead, she focused on the horrified Richard, having resigned herself to death that night.

"Hey...It's okay. It's just you and me. Just the two of us up here. Just focus on me. Nothing else matters." she said quietly, looking him in the eye, voice never wavering.

Richard did not break eye contact with her, "I...I can't loose you too...You're the only family I have left..."

"Don't worry about that. It's just the two of us. Focus on me...Nothing else matters..." she said, desperately trying to distract him. To keep his mind away from his parents 50 feet below, lifeless eyes staring up at the brightly lit circus tent ceiling.

The two stared at each other for a moment, Destiny ignoring the corrupt clown as he drew closer to her. All that mattered was that her best friend was safe. That he would be alright.

Richard slowly calmed, trusting his best friend. Trusting her, that she was right. Just as he began to relax, and pull her up. The clown caught her by the foot, and yanked Destiny released Richard's arm, so he didn't plummet to the ground with her.

"NOO!" the broken boy cried in horror, stretching to try and reach for the only family he had left as he watched her plummet. Just like his parents had moments before.

The circus girl did not scream, not wanting Richard's final memory of her to be screaming. She let herself fall, watching the platform rocket skyward as she fell. But, the impact of the hard ground never came. Instead, she fell upon a net. While Des had tried to calm the heartbroken boy at the top, other performers had rushed to set up a net under the two children, waiting for one to fall.

She bounced several feet in the air, before stopping, safe in the net. Richard came plummeting after, landing beside her. Ignoring the burning pain in her shoulder, she hugged the frightened acrobat. Tears leaked from her eyes.

"It's okay. You're safe." she whispered, over and over again. Ignoring the yells of police and performers alike, both children clung to each other, the dancer trying to comfort the broken acrobat.