The thought of the world as you know it ending is an odd concept. One that you probably never really take the time to consider until it might happen. But most people probably assume that it will be because of an alien invasion or some other sort of large disaster.

Never do they really think that maybe it will be a series of all small events. One choice. One sentence. Maybe even just one thought that could chance the world from how you know it. To something that maybe you aren't familiar with.

For all of their worlds... well it was one single incident for each of them that started with one thing. It began and it still hasn't ended. Creating a ripple effect that lasted a long time and they still haven't settled.

Blowing the stray stand of red hair out of her eye Barbara thought back to everything that had happened. And wished, for the millionth time, that she had never even thought to bring Dick to dinner that night. Surely her dad would have survived without seeing him for another day or two. But no, she just had to ask him to join them.

Taking a deep breath she focused herself back to reality. Grasping the cowl she was ready to go. Zipped up firmly in the updated version of the Batgirl armor she was about to join her friends in flying across the Gotham skies for the first time in almost five months.

The last couple of months had been worse than she could ever have imagined at first. She couldn't exactly say clearing her name, but getting Batgirl back on the good side of the law was still a large work in progress, but at least she wasn't on Gotham's most wanted list again.

Black Canary was still picking up the pieces of her life. The explosion had exposed her and she was still working towards being able to go back to life as Dinah Lance. Oliver Queen was covertly aiding her in this, that much was no secret.

And so many other people were reaping the effects of her decision. But somehow she couldn't find it in herself to be guilty for what she did. Even if it didn't succeed the Joker needed to be taken from this world by someone. Maybe that Red Hood guy would be the one. She heard that he was more vigilante than superhero anyway, he would be the type to end the Joker.

And Dick...

Dick would be the one who faced the consequences the longest. Her choice had not just hurt him. But taken away his way of life. Ended his world and brought him to his knees by taking away his ability to walk.

The doctors had said that it wasn't hopeless though. That it would take a few years but he'd be able to do everything that he had been doing. He was diligently pushing himself to get better as fast as possible and she knew that he didn't blame her. That had been a tough conversation but a much needed one as it turned out.

So she didn't know just how it all had happened. But in the end it was her fault that it came to be. After all according to Bart she was the one who changed the course of the world. But that was apparently neither here nor there now that the hardest hurtles had passed.

She looked herself in the eye. The mirror before her holding someone different than she remembered seeing all those months ago. Someone different than she had been even three weeks ago. It was startling to see, in her person, the way she held herself, how much she had changed.

She fingered the cowl one last time before she pulled it over her head and clipped it onto the costume before fastening the latches on her cape. White out lenses came down over her eyes and suddenly she couldn't see the blue ones she was used to.

She gave herself one last check over before she left. Making sure that everything was in place. The yellow bat symbol on her chest leaving a certain kind of ache there. As though the change to the costume had also represented the change in the wearer. She guessed that maybe it had.

Confident now. She was ready to reintroduce Batgirl to the world. A more grown up, a less reckless Batgirl girl that would take flight. Gone were the days of a clip on cape, cheap Kelvar and homemade grapple guns. That little girl had been replaced with titanium weave armor, bat approved tool belts and military grade fighting boots.

Yes, she had traded in one Batgirl for another. Hopefully this would be what she needed. That final step to leveling out the dust the earthquake had left so that she could rebuild again.

Barbara Gordon was a new woman. She wouldn't dare to call herself a girl again, not now. She had seen too many things, done too many things. That innocence was gone. And her right to the title had gone with it.

But this was a new age. And it called for a new Barbara. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad thing. Everyone had to grow up eventually.

A/N - In general I try to update at least once every two to threee weeks. This is purely a work of fiction based off of the tv show young justice and various DC continuitys, I own nothing. Regular updates with be between 5,000 and 12,000 words. This story is not written so updates may take longer. Please submit constructive criticism, but no hate.