Growing up, I remember watching my dad hustle and bustle around his office, making sure his comic collection was in perfect order. He had read them to me so many times I could recite the Green Lantern's oath like it was the pledge of allegiance, I could name all of the bat-vehicles (batmobile, batcycle, batwing, batboat, etc…), and I could de-riddle-fy all of the Riddler's riddles.

Then when my dad died, his collection just sort of sat there. When I caught my mom trying to sell if for a few hundred buck I snapped into action and told her to get the hell out, it was my collection now. For year's I've kept it in perfect order, updating it, cleaning it, and making sure my comic hating mother didn't get her money clenching fingers on it. My friend Kenton Nelson – it's so much like Dr. Fates's name that it used to give me the chills – helps out every now and then but he's more into creating his own comics to spend time reading them. My baby brother Wally –named after the first kid flash, my dad's favorite hero/sidekick- helps out too but he's too much of a super villain nut for my taste.

And no, this is not the story of a doped up teenager running around the streets if a town in the middle of nowhere, dressed up in a crappy homemade spandex suit, pretending to be a hero.

This is the story of me, Sky Edwards, a girl who lives in the beautiful place called New York City, and dreams of superheroes.

"Skyler Marie Edwards!" my mother voice vibrated though the dark wooden door of my bedroom door, making my free fall from my dream. (I was my very own alter-ego Scarlet Talon fighting alongside Nightwing.)

"Go away," I groaned burring myself deeper into my batman bedcovers.

"Skyler!" she screeched. "Get you no good lazy butt out of bed and this instant! It's high time you got your head out of the clouds and into reality!"

I rolled my eyes and slipped on my red white and blue superman slippers while grabbing my red jacket with the Flash emblem on it and walked out of my room. If anyone hated the sun more than batman, it was probably me.

I tussled my little brother brown hair, that was so much like my own, and made my way into the kitchen. I sighed opening the pantry realizing that once again my bother had hidden my captain crunch.

"Where is Wally?"

"Where's what?" his voice floated though sounding to innocent for real personality.

"Please Wally, no riddles this morning, where's my captain crunch?"

"What does a turkey do when they fly upside down?" he said crackling.

"He gobbles up," I said deadpanned. "Now where is it?"

"Up," he laughed. "Think of the riddle."

I rolled my eyes, the future E. Nigma.

Ten minutes later I was sitting at the dining room table drowning the little colored balls of sweetness in milk and a little too much sugar then a dentist would approve of. My brother had hidden it behind the stuffing my mom used at thanksgiving.

"Sky," my brother asked his eyes glued to the TV screen that was placing an old episode of the Justice League. "Why does mom want to sell dads old collection so badly?"

I glanced at him. "I don't know Wally," I frowned. "Maybe she's trying to move on."

"Well I don't want to move on from daddy," he frowned. "I miss him."

"I miss him too buddy," I said hold him close, moments like this with my brother were rare and I treasured them.

"Sky, will you watch the super villain marathon with me today?" he asked pouting. ""

"I don't know buddy, I'm supposed to go over to Kenton house to work on our comics."

"Ok," he frowned.

I rolled my eyes for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "Wally, for someone who's named after one of DC comics most famous heroes you are a complete super villain nut."

He glared at me before turning back to the TV.

And the moment's over. God I love my baby brother.

"Where do you think you're going young lady?" my mom growled.

I froze my finger tips just centimeters from the door handle. "To Kent's."

"To do what?" she smiled, god I hate that fake smile. If I could erase one thing from this world, it would that smile.

I smirked. "You know mom, normal evil teenager things like drinking and smoking illegal drugs we bought from strangers on the street."

"Skyler!" she gapped at me, her eyes twitching.

"Were working on an art project mom," I said rolling my eyes. "Its due next week and we want to get a head start on it."

My mom studied me for a moment taking in the torn jeans that were patched up with superhero logos and catch phrases.

"You know I don't like that Kenton kid," she said pointing a finger at me. I held back a snort, my mom hasn't like anyone since my dad died.

"Can I go?" I asked gesturing towards the door, she nodded. I was halfway out the door when she spoke up.

"Take your brother with you!"

I groaned, so close…

"Hey Sky," Kenton said opening to the door to his apartment.

I smiled and hugged my tall brown haired friend. "Ready to work?"

He nodded and turned to the living room where blank paper and multi-colored pencils cover the surface of the table there. "Scarlet Talon and Crimson Master meet Ella-Ment and Shadow Lass?"

I laughed and smiled. Ok so maybe we weren't working on a 'school project' but hey, art was art, and I was good at it.

"Your not really working on a project are you?" Wally said sitting himself down in front of the TV and turning on Cartoon Network.

"Nope," I said shaking my head. I knew my mom had sent Wally with me to make sure I did as told.

"Do I get to watch my super villain marathon?"

I nodded.

"You don't and I saw you did," he grinned and turned back to the TV.

I love my little brother.

Hours later the three of us were settled on the couch watching The Dark Knight. Wally was lying stomach down in front of the TV. Kenton and I were sitting on the couch his arm draped over my shoulder and my head on his chest. Moments like this with Kenton were weird but at the same time, they were nice. With Kenton, I felt safe. I closed my eyes and let my mind drift.

"Skyler," a voice whispered. "Skyler! Wake up!"

"Go away," I mumbled. I shifted my body towards the warm being next to me.

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.

My eyes shot open to see Wally's paled and freckled face standing above mine, I turned my head to see Kenton, his head bent at an awkward angle, snuggled into me.

"Wally what going on?" I asked wiping the sleep from my eyes. "What time is it?"

"Around midnight, we fell asleep."

I cursed under my breath and stood up quickly causing Kenton to jump and fall off the couch.

"Waz going on?" he mumbled rubbing his head. He blinked a couple times and looked up and Wally and I. "What time is it?"

"Around midnight," I said offering my hand to help him up.

He uttered a curse and I glanced at him, he usually only used Marvel names in vain.

"Come on," he said grabbing our jackets. "Let's get you guys home before your mom sends out the search party."

"She probably already has," Wally mumbled.

It was dark…I mean its midnight so of course it was dark, but tonight it was just dark. There were no lights, no music, it was like everyone in New York had decided to pack up and leave all at once.

"This is really creepy," Wally said gripping my hand tighter, I wrapped my arm around him pulling if body closer to mine.

"What was that?" Kenton said turning to glance at an alleyway across the street.

"What was what?" I said following his gaze, what ever he must have seen was gone now because nothing was there.

"Nothing," he mumbled pulling his jacket tighter around his body. "I thought I heard something."

"Come on," I said taking his hand making him walk just a bit faster then before. "Lets get home," I turned to Kent. "You can camp out on the couch, your not walking home alone at night."

He nodded and mumbled something about texting mom who was on a business trip in Florida.

The rest of the walk was silent. Well we were silent, every alley we passed along the way, no so much.

"Mom," I called walking into the apartment, I half expected her to be standing there arms crossed, ready to start screaming.

"Mommy," Wally called flipping the lights on.

…Oh no…

The entire house was ransacked. The couch was turned over and I could see pieces of plates and bowls lying on the floor.

"Mom!" I screamed running through the house, everything was wrecked. My room, Wally's room, mom's room…I was searching though my room when it hit me.

"Wally!" I called racing down the hall and stopping outside of my dads office.

I looked at the door that I always kept shut and locked. It was cracked open and I could see light pouring though the opening and I inhaled sharply. No one touches the comic collection.

"You got a plan?" Kenton asked. I could see him gripping my brothers' old baseball, knuckles whitening.

"I'm not going to beat the person with a baseball bat that's for sure."

He snorted and I saw his grip lessen.

I paused at nudged open the door with my foot.

"Skyler…," a voice whispered and I froze. "Please come in Skyler…"

"Who are you?" I asked trying to keep my voice from shaking. "Where's my mom?"

"Skyler, please come in here," the voice called. "I promise I won't hurt you.

"Do you think we're stupid?" Kenton said growling. "We step in there and you hold all the cards. We go in there and we don't come out."

"Yes," the voice laughed. "I am holding all the cards and you, Kenton Clark, are holding a baseball bat that you wish to use to pound my insides, out."

I glanced at Kenton and Wally before taking a step towards the door.

"Sky," Kenton said placing a hand on my shoulder. "You're not really going in there are you?"

"I've got a plan," I mumbled nudging the door completely open.

The man was different than I had expected him to be, ok, well that not completely true, what I expected was a jumbled mess of The Joker, a robber, Lex Luthor, and Sportsmaster. This man was dressed in a simple pair of blue jeans and a T-Shirt that made him looking like a cyborg or android.

"Who are you?"

"Darktron," he said flipping through an old Flash Comic, it looked Barry Allen/Wally West Era. "Has every Flash been a nephew of the previous one?"

I scoffed. "The only reason Barry Allen named himself the Flash was because Jay Garrick was his hero and he noticed that he had the same power as him. Barry Allens nephew, Wally West - who is technically only related to him because of his late wife Iris. – took the title when Barry died in Crisis on Infinite Earth. Bart Allen was Impulse before he was anything else and he was Wally's cousin, Barry grandson. He had an aging problem and Wally helped him fix that up. Bart only smartened up and became Kid Flash when he was shot in the knee by Deathstroke. After he came back from the incident Infinite Crisis did he take the mantle of The Flash, but sadly he died in the final issue of The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive," I said spewing out as much information as I could, do you think he could tell I was vying for more time, so Kenton could think of something. "There was also Jesse Chambers, Sela Allen, Blaine Allen, Jace Allen,-"

"Alright kid, I get it," he said tossing the comic book aside. "Will you shut up already?"

"What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it oblivious?" he said pulling a cell phone out of his pocket. "I'm here for you and your friends."

"Where's my mom?"

"She's gone," he said picking up another comic and flipping through it. "She was need back home. Whish is such a shame, she would have wanted to say goodbye."

'Say goodbye?' I thought. "This is her home. Tell me where she is," I said finally letting the fear crack though my voice.

He laughed, a light joking laugh, "Dear child, you have no manners do you." I growled. "As for where she is, did you parents ever tell you anything? About who they are, what they did, what they were. Do you know anything?"

"My parents?"

"Yes, your parents, you know mommy and daddy. They raised you, fed you, bathed you, and took care of you."

"My father is dead," I said angrily.

He nodded, "Oh, yes, he is. How did that happen again?"

"Why do you care?"

He scoffed. "Good point, I don't care. Still it doesn't matter. You'll be joining them soon."

I froze and watched slowly as he pulled something from his pocket. It was long and white with a handle and a trigger. I head Kenton and Wally screaming my name as they entered the room and tried to pull me away – I didn't even notice them enter the room. It felt as if everything was moving in slow motion. There was a flash of white light and then nothing.

Darkness.