I disclaim. Note: I've decided to avoid most of the season 10 spoilers, just to focus on some Mercy-goodness. I just kind of got hit with a plot bunny, so I picked it up and fed it a carrot :)

There were few who might think to call Tess Mercer a victim.

After all, she was a strong, influential, powerful woman.

Tess, however, was a victim. But it was a very special brand of victimization.

She was, first off, a victim of circumstance. Things that had happened to her-including being trapped on an island with Oliver, and chosen by Lex to take over LuthorCorp-had in part shaped who she had become.

That wasn't to say that she hadn't chosen most of the twists and turns in her path, but it did mean that she had been victimized by fate.

She had hardened because of all that had attempted to destroy her, all that had tested her.

Being Tess Mercer was not easy. To say the least.

She'd released the Kandorians-because she was a fool.

She's used her sexuality to gain power. She'd tried to use Zod. He'd ended up killing her, which just went to show how far gone she was.

She'd been such a fool.

She'd had no real alliance, nothing that clearly showed whose side she was on.

The truth hurt. No one cared about Tess Mercer at the end of the day. They only cared about how they could use her, how they could manipulate her.

And she'd let them, all of them.

In the end she'd taken her stand, and she didn't regret it one bit.

She wanted her redemption. The Red Queen had been right-she had no one who truly loved her, who truly cared about her.

She wondered if anyone could ever truly love her.

Maybe there was a glitch in her system, in who she was.

It didn't really matter. . . because maybe, just maybe, she could change.

Maybe she'd been given a second chance.

Now that she was back, she knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to find herself, and atone for her sins-if it were possible, which she genuinely wondered about.

She kicked her in the face when she saw her.

"Ow, ow!"

"Aren't you supposed to be dead, or something?" Chloe asked, a peculiar mixture of confusion, curiosity and annoyance plan on her face.

"I was, and now I'm not. Obviously."

Chloe shrugged, "It's not always obvious, you should know that as well as I do, Mercer."

"When did you learn how to fight like this?" They were now circling each other in Chloe's small apartment. Tess had knocked on the door, and Chloe had simply stated that the door was open.

Chloe sighed internally, knowing she was going to get a lecture from Oliver about being more careful. "Oliver, who else?"

"Ah, yes. Anyway, I didn't come here to fight."

"Really? That surprises me. What did you come here for, Tess? Steal some information, take me hostage, what do you want now?"

"Your help," Tess replied simply, knowing it would stop Chloe in her tracks.

And it did. "What?"

"I've done a lot of terrible things, I've made a lot of bad choices, but I want a second chance. And I know I can't expect to get one for free, after everything I've done . . . but I want to start over."

"That's . . . definitely a different tactic. Try to get on our side, destroy us from the inside? I don't think so. Get out."

"Look, Chloe. I don't expect for you to just let go and forget everything that's happened-"

"Good," Chloe interrupted harshly, "because it's not going to happen."

"But I'm willing to try. I want to help."

"Help do what, exactly?"

"I want to save the world-the right way this time."

That seemed to completely shock Chloe, she didn't have a response ready.

"Look," Tess continued, "I just want a trial period. I want to somewhat atone for my sins, find some sort of redemption. I've gotten a second chance at life, and I don't want to screw it up."

"That's . . . ridiculous. Why should I believe you?"

"If I were you, I probably wouldn't believe me either. But you know I'm not all bad. You do. I may have screwed up on an apocalyptic level, but I-I know you've made mistakes too," she said softly.

"I know they weren't even close to as monumentally bad as mine, but . . . please."

She seemed so genuine, so sincere . . . Chloe almost wanted to believe her. "Oliver once loved you."

Ouch. "Hit where it hurts, right Chloe?"

"I'm not trying to hurt you now, anymore than I was trying to do so when we were trapped in Watchtower together. I-there must be something in you that isn't completely skantastic and evil."

Tess lifted an eyebrow, "Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"You're welcome."

A minute of silence passed. Chloe seemed to be thinking deeply, possibly considering Tess' offer. "We'll discuss it. And possibly give you a trial run."

"A trial?"

"What, you don't think we're just going to open our arms and let trust pour out from our hearts, do you?"

"Of course not-I'm surprised you're even giving me that."

"It's not a done deal, Mercer."

"It doesn't matter, it means a lot that you're even willing to consider it."

"I'm sure it does. Now, if you would kindly get the hell out of my home, I'd be much obliged," Chloe said sweetly.

"You won't regret it."

Chloe laughed, "You might."

Two and a half years later

"I think she's proven herself."Chloe admitted.

"Really? Do we have to let her be part of the team full-time? I still don't trust her." Mia knew she was almost whining, but she didn't quite care at the moment.

"We don't have to let her do anything, remember, it's a team vote. We all have a say in this," Oliver reminded them.

"Fine, can we just get this over with?" Mia didn't trust Tess much at all.

"Okay . . . this will be an open vote, obviously." Chloe began. "Just call out your vote when I call your name."

"Bart?"

"In." Mia snorted at that.

"Victor?"

"I suppose . . . In."

"Zatanna?"

"How can I begrudge her that same thing which you've given me?"

"I'll take that as a yes. AC?"

He thought quietly for a moment, "Yeah. In."

Chloe went through the rest of the names-J'onn, Dinah, all of the league members, and all of their semi-honorary Justice Society allies were in favor- with nary an out but- "Mia?"

"I'm completely outvoted, why even ask?" She was also very grumpy about it.

"It still matters, Mia," Oliver reminded her. "We need to have everything out in the open."

"Fine. She's in."

"Okay. That settles it. Tess is officially a full-fledged member of the Justice League."

Chloe went to talk to Mia after the meeting. "Mia?"

"Yeah."

"Do you remember how things started out for all of us?"

"Of course."

"Do you remember the kind of person you used to be? The kinds of things we've all done, the mistakes, the bad choices?"

"I don't see how that's relevant."

"We were all given a second some cases, we were given half a dozen chances."

"I know, but-you've accepted her, with open arms. You're her friend. How can you be her friend?"

"Mia. Has she ever given us a single reason to doubt her, since she's been working with us?"

"No," she bit out grudgingly.

"Do you remember when Lex first came back? She fought harder, she didn't return to him with her tail between her legs. She didn't take the bait we left her, remember?"

"That doesn't mean-I mean. She-but-How are you okay with her being here?"

"She's changed," Chloe replied simply. And Chloe had accepted Tess' presence in her life. She'd been there when she needed her. She'd helped her heal after a run-in with one of Lex's goons had caused her to miscarry. At that memory-a shadow of pain crossed Chloe's face.

Seeing that, Mia tried to distract her. They didn't need to go down that road right now. "I don't believe that. Maybe, if I believed that, I could accept her. But I don't. I believe in forgiveness, Chloe. I just don't believe her." Mia moved closer to Chloe, placed her hands on her shoulders to comfort her.

"She saved my life, Mia. She risked her life to save mine. And if it weren't for her, I'd be dead. She didn't have to do that." They hugged.

"I know," as much as Mia hated Tess, she had saved Chloe-who was much like a surrogate mother to her. "That's the only reason Oliver tolerates her."

"You could take a play from Oliver's playbook, you know. Just try. You don't have to accept her with open arms, but-just remember what is what like to get a second chance. We've all screwed up, bigtime. That doesn't mean that we didn't deserve second chances, and third chances, and-"

"I get it, I do. But none of us almost caused the end of the world. And Tess-she could mess up everything we have."

"No one will mess up what we have, I promise you that." Chloe seemed sure of that.

"I suppose I can give her a chance. But only because you're asking, and because if she screws up I get to say 'I told you so' for, like, ever." And, because, this way she could keep a close eye on her. Tess may have done a lot for the league, but that didn't mean she didn't have an ulterior motive. Mia still didn't trust her.

"Good. Now let's go give her the good news."

Mia laughed. Just because she was accepting that evil wench's presence in the league . . . didn't mean she was going to deliver the "happy" news.

Tess wasn't nervous about the results of the vote-because she simply didn't know that the vote was taking place. So when Chloe appeared at her apartment in Star City-the place to which much of the team had relocated-she wasn't worried. Curious, a bit, but not worried.

"Chloe? It's nice to see you, haven't seen you since the debriefing after the trip to New Zealand."

Tess and Chloe had-despite all odds-become friends, of a sort.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I've been kind of busy. Especially with the whole Lex running for president thing."

Tess winced. "If only there were a way to just . . . stop him."

"If only we were so lucky," Chloe sighed. "But that's not why I'm here. We took a vote."

"Well, that sounds serious." Now, she was nervous.

"It is. We voted on whether or not to accept you as a full-fledged member of the league."

Oh. "And?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"You're in?"

. . .

"What?"

Chloe smiled brightly, "You're in." She went in for the hug, which Tess awkwardly accepted, still completely floored.

"Really?"

"Really."

"I-thank you."

"Don't thank me, it was the league. And you've worked for this. You've earned your spot on the team, even though it was a lot harder for you than others."

"I did a lot more worldly damage than the others."

"True, but you're trying. And you're doing good work with us. This means, of course, that I get to work you twice as hard now," Chloe grinned deviously.

"Thank you, for giving me a second chance."

"We all make bad choices, all we can do is hope to make the right ones in the future."

"Does that include you accepting Oliver's proposal?"

"Yes, yes it does, in fact." Chloe had been avoiding answering for weeks. She'd said she'd needed time. And clarity. Somehow, realizing how Tess couldn't take anything for granted made her realize how lucky she truly was. She was ready for her happy ending. "But don't worry, you'll find your happy ending, soon enough."

"I'm not even looking."

"Doesn't matter. I am."

"You're a sneaky matchmaking Watchtower, aren't you?"

"Of course." They burst out laughing.

They hugged again, and Tess whispered into Chloe's ear, "Thank you for being my friend."

"Thank you for being mine." Chloe left Tess alone with her thoughts after that.

She felt relief, and happiness. She finally belonged somewhere.

Tess had come full-circle. She'd finally found-a somewhat reluctant-family, a cause, a calling. She'd rediscovered herself.

And she was finally, truly, happy.

She was right where she belonged.

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