She turns, not sure of what she will see. What she sees is her worst nightmare. The one she loves, but cannot be with is to die, beaten down by another foe. What can she do? She's the villain, she should hate him, despise him, be happy he will no longer be a problem…at least, that's what she thinks she is supposed to believe. But, why does it all feel wrong…. why does her world seem to not be her own?

I can't…I can't live on without him. Something inside me is wrong, but this, this feels right. I run to stand between the fatal blow and the hero, my hero. I hold back the attack, at great shock to my hero.

"Why, *grunt* why are you doing this?"

I throw off the attacker and know I only have a moment before I must do what I know needs to be done. "Because," I reply, "my life has always felt wrong, but this, this is right." The attacker is getting up, I know I have to say it now, or never say it at all. "I'm sorry, for all the hurt I've caused you. And I want you to know through everything; everything that felt wrong and not me, you were always the one thing that felt right. I'm not sure exactly what I am, but I know, you are better than me. And you deserve to live on." I see the attacker has recovered, I have to leave. Now. "I'm sorry. For everything." I throw him a smile, hoping he now sees me not as the villain I am supposed to be, but what I could have become.

I turn to face this attacker, one who has threatened the one thing that is concrete and good in my life. I hear behind me the cries of my hero. "Dark, no, please. What are you…no. You can't please! We can find another way! Please." I try to tune out the hero, but his cries almost make me stop, but I know I can't. I have to end this now. I turn my head to get one last look at my hero, bloodied and for the first time, afraid. "Live on, make it worth it. Heh, patience yields focus, right?" I turn back to the task at hand that I know I will not leave from. Hearing the cries of the hero begging me to stop, I don't.

I face this unknown attacker ready to complete my task, something my hero could never do, when he speaks. "You would sacrifice yourself for that pathetic hero? You, a villain, one could say his nemesis even? And one of the nastiest villains, I do believe. I thought you would be happy to see your foe disintegrated into a thousand specks."

He speaks too calmly, like he could change my mind with those simple words. I stay silent, slowly approaching.

"Join me, or stand aside."

"That's not happening."

"Really? *sigh* Well, I guess I get to kill you first, then the failed hero. Sad, I could have used you. Guess I was wrong, you really are a pathetic failure."

"You won't get the chance to touch him. And you may be right, I may be a pathetic failure. But know this, I will not fail this time, and that hero has saved at least one person today."

"Hah! Like you could beat me. You are nothing compared to me."

I smile, knowing too familiar the underestimation I so often meet. "You don't know how powerful I am. Don't underestimate too quickly, it is your downfall."

"Hmm, like I would ever be…" He halts, maybe finally realizing what I've been doing. "You can't?! STOP!"

I smile, as I feel the power I have never let loose from that fateful day when everything turned upside down. I rush to this evil and grab him as I start to fly up to get away from those who could get hurt by what I'm about to do, and my hero.

"NO! If you do this, you will never see your precious hero again! He will never be able to move on, knowing you are dead!"

"He'll live on. And I may never get to see him again, but at least I know that you won't be able to harm anyone ever again."

Realizing his folly and he cannot escape he asks his one final simple question, "Who are you?"

I decide to answer honestly, as the sounds of the city and the one I have come to love are becoming quieter. "I don't know. But right now, at least for this minute, I am the hero. And because of that, I don't need to know who I am, but only what I'm willing to do, to save a life. Besides, my patience yields focus."

My power builds to its critical point. This is it. The day I die. At least I know the world is save, in the hands of a hero. My hero.