So, I got this idea to write a Oneshot for my My Demons story. It takes place in late March, after the whole New Years thing, but the pairings are slightly different.
Monkey: Includes Depressed!Adelaide, Depressed!Robin, BigBro!Robin, BigBro!Wally, Daddy!Mercury and a tiny bit of Daddy!Bats at the end, barely.
Shark #1: We get it!
Shark #2: Get on with the show!
DISCLAIMER: I'll own Young Justice when Dick Grayson doesn't know who the Flying Graysons are and when Wally West goes without eating for a week. In other words, never.
This is the infamous line break.
Mt. Justice, Happy Harbor
March 23, 8:10 AM
It was spring, at the end of March, birds chirping, early spring flowers still in the bud. But a certain thirteen, almost fourteen year-old girl was in a slump, a slump that was merely the entrance giant cavern of grief, depression, pity and numbness. Adelaide Johnson/Wayne, despite the fact that she would be turning fourteen in two days, was teetering on the edge of a week in the 'Cavern' as she calls it. For, in one week, it will be the anniversary of the death of her mother, sisters and brothers. And, unfortunately, her mentor and adoptive father is off on a mission in space that he couldn't avoid while her birth father, well, we can't really expect to see him at the moment, now can we?
Adelaide's POV
I'm sitting on my bed in the facing the door when the door to the left of my bed opens, and Dick comes in, his eyes red and bloodshot, like mine. Without a word, he sits on my bed next to me and hugs me; I turn into the hug and hold him back tightly, my head in the crook of his neck and we sit there, staring into nothing as we hold each other. I look up of the sound of my door opening and Megan walks in shock coming over her face, not unlike the first time she found that Dick and I had connected rooms and frequently sat on each other's beds.
"Are, are you okay Robin, Whisp?" She asks quietly, though I can tell she knows we're not.
"Not really, M'gann" Dick says quietly.
"Well, um, breakfast is ready so..." She informs us uncomfortably before leaving. Dick and I look at each other before untangling ourselves and walking out my door, his arm around my waist. Not in the girlfriend/boyfriend way, but so he can be sure that I'm still here, that his nightmare was just that, and I lay my head on his shoulder for the same reason. When we reach the kitchen, everyone turns to look at us, and we straighten up, despite the fact that we'd rather be back on my bed, sitting there and doing nothing.
"Are you sure that's acceptable Rob, she is your sister, right?" Artemis says, smirking, her voice light in a joking manner. Recognition flashes in Wally's eyes, he's been helping Dick get through this for years, and knows that our family's deaths are around the same time.
"Leave them alone, Arty, they're having a bad week" Wally says, defending us, and Artemis shrugs. "You guys okay?" He whispers when we sit down next to him.
"Fine" we say at the same time, and I absentmindedly spoon cereal to my mouth.
"So, what's your dad been making you two do?" Artemis asks Dick and I, and I can feel Dick flinch against me.
"Wh-what?" He asks.
"You two are obviously tired! I mean, I know how bad Gotham can be but it seems like you two haven't been getting any sleep" Artemis says, and Dick relaxes.
"It's not that, it's personal issues, and not with Batman" Wally says, answering for us.
Later . . .
The Team was sitting down, watching TV when Dick comes in. He makes a beeline for Wally and I, who are on the couch. He goes to the opposite side of Wally and lays his head on the ginger's lap, mirroring me, the tops of our heads touching as Wally absentmindedly pets our heads. Odd, I know, but he apparently developed that habit whenever the anniversary comes around and Dick seeks Wally out for comfort.
"Are your parents okay with this?" Artemis asks, smirking as she looks over to us on the couch, and both Dick and I tense. I turn away from her and curl farther in on myself.
No one's POV
"Knock it off, Artemis" Robin's hoarse voice growls at his blond haired teammate.
"What, are you embarrassed?" Artemis asks more to Robin and Wally than to Whisp a hand on her hip. Robin pushes himself up, leaning against Wally and the couch.
"We have nothing to be ashamed of; in fact, it's you who should be ashamed!" The bird nearly shouts at the archer, causing his younger sister to flinch against the couch. Without a word, Wally picks the young girl up bridal style and carries her to her room, Robin following.
Late that night (or early the next day) . . .
"You worthless brat! This is all your fault! Every bit of it yours! They're all dead because of you!" The drunken man shouts, kicking the girl before him, drowning the last of his bottle. He then smashed the empty bottle against the wall, causing shards to rain down upon the girl, sticking into her skin and she let's out a pitiful whimper. The man hears this and grabs her unwashed and unruly hair, yanking her up.
"Don't go crying over well-deserved pain. You did this to yourself, it's all your fault." He tells her, grinning with his tobacco-stained teeth, he pulls out a knife, plunging it into her collarbone, causing the girl to scream.
Elsewhere . . .
The boy laughed as he felt the rush of adrenaline as he did his family's signature move, the quadruple flip. He grasped his father's hands, who in turn launched him onto the platform. He watched on as his father flipped over to his mother, grasping her arms when he reached his wife. Then, the boy heard it, the snapping of a rope. He looked on in horror as his parents fell to the ground, a sickening 'CRUNCH' of their bones signified their impact. The boy let out a scream, one of agony and grief and it resonated throughout the circus tent.
Mt. Justice, Happy Harbor
March 24, 02:03 AM
Two screams resonated through the mountain, the inhabitants jolting awake and rushing to the hallway outside their rooms. Artemis, M'gann, Connor, Kaldur and Wally were all there.
"Where's Robin and Whisp?" M'gann asks suddenly, noticing with fear-filled eyes the absence of the two youngest teammates as the screams continue to fill the base.
"I'm such an idiot!" Wally exclaims, zipping to Robin's room, where Robin is, thrashing in his bed, the team enters and a small gasp is heard from M'gann as Robin let's out another scream and starts whimpering.
"Artemis, bring Whisp in here, the rest of you leave" Wally orders, his tone unusually stern and commanding, and the team obeys, Artemis leaving as soon as she sets Whisp on Robin's bed. The traumatized siblings began muttering things so quiet you'd need superheating to hear as Wally tries to wake them up. And he succeeds, though not in the way he hoped, Adelaide wakes up with a jolt and a soul-shattering scream.
"I- I'm sorry! I- I didn't mean to! It's all, all my fault" she says, sobbing. Wally turns to Robin, who jolts awake, muttering and pulling his knees to his chest.
"Shh Adela, it's not your fault, you couldn't control it. If anything it's Chuck's fault, not yours" Wally says, pulling her into a hug as she cries hysterically.
"Here, give her to me" Robin's voice croaks, and his best friend complies, though reluctantly. Robin holds his sister in his lap, rocking her back and forth.
"D-Dickie?" Adelaide's soft, sorrowful voice calls out to her brother.
"I'm here, Adela. It's okay, it was on- only a nightmare" he says, choking on his words, knowing that it was in fact not a nightmare but a memory.
"Was it bror, was it really?" She asks him, her small voice strained, trying to keep back the tears.
"No, but that doesn't mean we have to let it overtake us; just like nightmares need good thoughts to help drive them from your mind, bad memories need good memories to remind yourself of better times." Wally says, hugging the girl he has come to have though of as his little sister and his little brother, his best friend.
"Thanks you, bröder, thank you both" Adelaide says before laying her head on Dick's chest, falling asleep, her fingers clamping onto his tee shirt. Dick and Wally lay down as well, forming a 'V' in which their sister lays in the middle of.
Mt. Justice, Happy Harbor
March 25, 9:37 AM
"Happy Birthday, Adela" Dick's soft voice tickles his sister's ear, waking her up. Giggling slightly, the now fourteen year old has but two things on her mind. The first thing is one that is on her mind every year that she can remember. The other, something that plagues her mind every year for the past four years.
"Can we go see my pappa?" Adelaide asks, sounding like a little girl as she sits up drowsily.
"Sure, why not?" Wally responds, coming in with toast and fruit for both Dick and I, knowing we won't eat much.
Belle Reve, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana
March 25, 10:30 AM
The trio of Robin, Whisp, and Kid Flash enter Belle Reve, walking up to the main desk and wasting no time in requesting for the villain known as Mercury, AKA, Kenneth Johnson. (At this point, Hugo Strange has been discovered and Amanda Waller is back in charge.) And Warden Amanda Waller wastes no time in allowing them entry, considering that he is A) a (now) minor mercenary on the road of reformation and B) he has had quite a few visits from Robin, Whisp and even Batman since January.
In a private, secure room...
"Pappa!" Whisp exclaims, growing herself into her father's arms after the door is locked and the cameras have been deactivated.
"Hello again, banphrionsa beag (Little princess) How've you been?" He asks in his thick Irish accent, holding he daughter at arms length.
"Alright, but it's almost the anniversary of mamma's death and Bruce has a mission off world" she says, downcast. (It's kind of hard not to figure out the identity of Batman when your daughter lives with Batman and is a teenage crime fighter. That's the case with Mercury finding out B's identity. Gods, so many spoilers.)
"Things will get better, banphrionsa beag and you have good friends to help you through these troubled times." At her nod, Kenneth 'Ken' Johnson allows a smile to slip onto his face, pulling out a small package from the pockets of his prison uniform. After receiving the gift, Adelaide takes great caution in unwrapping what turns out to be two beautifully carved statues. One in the likeness of both her her mother and father in a loving embrace and one of a three dimensional heart, the bottom sinking into a circular base. Carved into the base are the words "In memory of Olivia, Julia, Dominick and Carter Cloverdans, loving siblings. And of Freja Johnson, loving mother and wife." Carefully, with tears in her eyes, Adelaide runs her fingertips over the names, a sad smile on her face. She turns the statue, noticing that there are words on the back as well. "Bruce Wayne, Richard Grayson, Wally West, Artemis Crock. Loving family when she had none." Then, on the very bottom of the statue, the words "and Kenneth Johnson, the father that was never there for her, and only wants the best for her."
"Thanks you, Pappa" Adelaide says quietly, tears slipping out of her eyes as she true to blink them away.
"You're welcome banphrionsa beag, you best leave, we don't want Waller to get suspicious" he says softly, bringing his daughter in for one last hug. "And you two, Wallace, Richard" said boys look up at their names, "take care of my little girl for me." And with that, he wheels out the door, the three teenage heroes following him, and watching as the guards take him back to his cell.
Mt. Justice, Happy Harbor
March 25, 1:17 PM
"Well, it seems like the little trio has arrived" Artemis says teasing her friend lightly when she walks into the living room to see Wally, Robin and Whisp sitting on the couch watching Tangled, a movie Megan picked out. Whisp is positioned in Robin's lap, his arms wrapped around his sister and Wally sits to the side, letting Dick lean into him. Artemis is ignored as Wally watches the movie, glancing back at his honorary brother and sister every few minutes.
~π~
Partway though the movie, the soft, easy breaths of Whisp are turned into fast, ragged breaths as she begins to toss and turn in her adopted brother's lap.
"Snälla, Charles! Nej! Stanna!" (Please, Charles! No! Stop!) She mutters in a pained voice, too quiet for her teammates to hear, getting louder as her voice rises steadily; pausing for a moment before speaking in a pain-filled, soft tone. "Jag är jag värdelös. Jag är patetiskt. Jag är dum. Jag är värdelös." (I-I am worthless. I am pathetic. I am stupid. I am useless.) Each word sounded like she was forced to say it, as if she was having pain inflicted upon her. Hearing this, Wally's face pales and he gets off the couch, kneeling next to Adelaide, rubbing her back in an effort to calm her.
"Vad är du... NEJ nr... Megan ... Kaldur... Connor... Wally... Artemis... NEJ! Bruce! Alfred! Pappa! Dick!..." (What are you... NO! No... Megan... Kaldur... Connor... Wally... Artemis... NO! Bruce! Alfred! Dad! Dick!...) Each team member looked up, then over at their troubled teammate at the sound of their names. Sadly, Kid Flash's efforts were in vain, for the young heroine was sobbing violently as she thrashed around, waking Dick up in the process, nearly knocking the sunglasses off of his face. He sat up quickly, gathering his sister in his arms to try and comfort her, but it was of no use.
" Nej, jag jag gjorde vad du bad! Du du sa att de inte skulle bli skadad! Du lovade dig." (NO! I I did what you asked! You you said they wouldn't get hurt! You, you promised.) Whisp called out to an unseen adversary and Robin and Kid Flash shared a troubled look, now knowing for sure who was haunting the mind of their sister.
"Tyst, Adela. Kom tillbaka till oss, vakna upp. Vi är alla bra. Laget är okej. Bruce och Alfred är okej. Din pappa är okej, förmodligen. Jag är okej. Vakna Adela" (Hush, Adela. Come back to us, wake up. We're all fine. The team is okay. Bruce and Alfred are okay. Your dad is okay, probably. I'm okay. Wake up Adela) Robin pleads, knowing that Artemis, at least is giving him strange looks. He ignores this, rocking his sister back and froth until her sobs are decreased into hiccups, though she still shakes. Seemingly on instinct, the youngest female on the team turns into the warmth of her brother, clutching to his sweatshirt. Robin turns and slowly reclines back, using the arm of the couch as a pillow and the two protégés of Batman are asleep under the watchful eyes of their ginger protector.
March 26, 11:01 PM
"I know both of you would rather not sleep tonight, so why don't we play some board games?" Wally suggests to Adelaide and Dick as they sit dejectedly at the island in the kitchen. Twin small smiles grace the features of the tormented Bats as they slide off of their stools and follow their carrot-headed friend into his room where Monopoly, Scrabble, Clue (Batman's version) and a stereo are set up.
"Why the stereo, Wall-man?" Adelaide asks, a small amount of happiness in her voice.
"Well, we might get tired and we're not allowed to have sugar, so we'll listen to music, turning the volume up enough to keep us awake" Wally explains, knowing that the soundproof walls will ensure that none of their teammates will be awoken by their music.
March 27, 9:47 AM
"Not fair! You cheated! Aster is so not a real word!" Wally exclaims during what is soon to be their last round of Scrabble.
"Actually, it is, it's a type of flower" Adelaide defends her brother, snickering at the look of dismay on the speedster's face when she shows him what is indeed the Aster flower. While snickering at the defeated look on Wally's face, a knock sounds at the door.
"Wally, are Whisp and Robin with you?" M'gann asks in a slightly concerned tone.
"Yeah" he calls back absentmindedly.
"Okay, well, if any of you are hungry-" Megan never gets to finish her question as Wally flings the door open and sprints at superspeed to the kitchen, Robin and Whisp exiting behind him at a much slower pace. Instead of following her Martian and speedster companions, Whisp turns down the hallway, walking in the direction of her room. Robin notices this and grabs her arm.
"Adela, you need to eat. Please. Starving yourself isn't going to help" Robin says, pain in his voice. "Your dad told me to take care of you and I'm pretty sure making sure you eat is part of that." Dick pleads with his sister, who gives him an apologetic look before shaking her head, tears slipping out from under her sunglasses as she makes her way to her bed. Once there, she curls up, sobs racking her body as she reaches out to her heart statue, clutching it like a lifeline. She simply sits there, not allowing herself to sleep of move until her door creaks open. Knowing that her brother Dick has walked in she relaxes, just barely as he wraps his arms around her. She can hear a strangles sob escape his mouth as she leans her head into his chest, allowing herself to sleep, the lamp next to her bead bright as she sinks into the warmth of her brother.
March 28, 3:26 AM
Once more, the team is awoken by twin screams and now the sounds of crashing. Instantly, Megan, Artemis and Zatanna rush to Whisp's room and Wally, Kaldur and Connor are sprinting to Robin's, all of them insisting that they can - and will - help their teammates.
With the girls . . .
Artemis opens the door to a distressing sight, Whisp is crying, tears leaking out of her closed eyes as she thrashed around. Stupified by the awful sight, the trio stands unmoving until they hear a bone shattering 'CRACK' and Whisp jolts awake with a gasp at the newfound pain. This shocks the other girls out of their stupor and they rush to their whimpering teammate. Right away, Artemis is at her best friend's side, pulling the slightly smaller girl into her lap. Her teasing and taunting act diminishing as the younger girl leans into her, whimpering and clutching her wrist, mumbling in mixed Swedish and English.
"Zatanna, go get a brace from the medbay" Artemis tells her friend urgently, and the magician nods, rushing out of the door. "Shh, Whisp; calm down, it was just a nightmare. Everything is alright" she reassures softly, copying the actions and words of Robin and Kid Flash earlier in the week. Hazel eyes open blearily and look up at Artemis, who gasps in recognition.
"Adela?" Artemis says, her voice hitching slightly, and the distressed teen only nods silently. Megan, having left the room sometime before, comes back in with a cup of milk, followed by Zatanna who is holding a brace for her teammate's wrist. Artemis takes the brace and wraps Adelaide's wrist in it as twin gasps emit from Megan and Zatanna.
"Y-you're Adelaide Johnson-Wayne. The media's been all over you the past six months!" Megan exclaims in a very fangirl-y tone.
"Yeah" Adelaide croaks, her voice hoarse.
"You're famous! Even more so because almost no one knows your story!" Zatanna says, excited.
"You mean the one about an orphan with a missing father and a dead family, taken in by an abusive stepfather, ran away because he threatened the life of her only friend who knew about her powers? Who ran into Batman and Robin trying to escape and angry mob of the family members of people she accidentally murdered? Who was kidnapped by her mother's second cousin and tortured? Who was put back into an abusive household after her godfather lost the court battle? Who has nightmares constantly about the murder of her family that she caused? Who had to keep her grief and guilt pent and covered up with sarcasm and false cheeriness? Who found out her father was being forced into being an assassin for the league of shadows, again? Who can only see her last living biological family for ten minutes without interference? Who is bullied every day at school for being a stupid foreigner and an accidental murderer? Who is constantly faced with racism, threats and being called a terrorist despite being from opposite parts of the globe? There's a reason why no one knows my story" Adelaide says, her voice cold, tears brimming in her eyes, threatening to overflow. The other occupants of the room worse expressions of pity and guilt (Zatanna), understanding (Megan), and regret, guilt and rage (Artemis).
"I-I'm so sorry" Megan and Zatanna said in sync, tears in their eyes as well. Adelaide nods at them in forgiveness and they leave, guilt-ridden.
"I'm sorry. Really sorry, I've been a horrible friend on the team and an even worse girlfriend. (A/N this is a tribute to my friend who is, in fact lesbian, or at least bi.) I should've been there for you, can you forgive me?" Artemis asks desperately, and Adelaide nods after a moment's hesitation. Artemis, wasting no time, tilts Adela's chin upward and their lips meet in a soft, passionate kiss.
March 28, 8:17 AM
Artemis and Adelaide separate themselves as they wake up, running into Dick and Wally on the way to breakfast.
"Secret ID blown, sis?" Dick asks, and Adelaide nods, smiling as they walk into the kitchen where breakfast is already prepared. The couples, Megan and Connor, Dick and Wally and Adelaide and Artemis are all sitting close enough to brush shoulders as they eat, occasionally stopping for some PDA.
"Would you guys find somewhere else to do that, I feel like I'm going to puke" Zatanna comments after Megan and Connor share yet another passionate kiss, leaving all of the couples with a pink tinge on their cheeks.
"Sorry" Adelaide mumbles, finishing her milk and putting her dishes in the sink. She leaves to the training room where Artemis finds her moments later, punishing the bags with enough fury to char them and shake the ground.
"Adela, I'm not the beast at comforting, but if your hands are on fire and you're causing tenors, you might need to talk to someone" Artemis tells her girlfriend, who abruptly stops punching. Instead, she let's her hands hand limply at her sides and sinks to the ground, Artemis catching her as they kneel on the floor, hugging.
March 29, 6:47
"I- it's not fair!" The brunette sobs, her voice hitching "even before my birth, it feels like the universe was against me. After pappa helped mamma get out of the Shadows, they took him back a few months later. Then, not only his powers but an extra mutation develop within and I kill nearly 200 people when I was nine. And then Charles" the sobbing mess of a girl clutches her girlfriend tighter, shuddering at the simple thought of the man. "H-he moves me to that old apartment and starved and beat me. What did I do to deserve this?" She asks her blond archer.
"I don't know babe, but think about it, those events also made you stronger, and you wouldn't be the warrior you are today without your struggles" Artemis tries her best at reassuring her girlfriend, rubbing her shaking back.
"Sometimes, sometimes I don't want to play the part of the warrior, the one with the brave face, who laughs in the face of danger and can take trauma" Adelaide confesses.
"It's not that you can take the trauma of Gotham and our missions, it's that you've seen worse. You're brave only when you're facing something you're sure about, you know well or you know is less of a threat than things you've faced before. You don't laugh in the face of danger, you stand tall and face danger, you risk it, not knowing if you'll make it. It's not your appearances that make others think you're a warrior, it's the fact that you're battle hardened, experienced, daring and brave, and they can see it in your stance and your face. You don't have to look like the warrior because you are one, no matter how many times you mess up."
"That was a pretty good pep talk, for you anyways. Except for that last line" Adelaide says, allowing a small smile to creep onto her face.
"I told you before, I'm no good at this mushy stuff" Artemis jokes. "Why don't we go train, yeah?"
"Sure" Whisp says, nearly rolling off of the bed as she follows her girlfriend to the training room.
March 30, 9:37 AM
It was today the day that she lost it. The day that she killed nearly 200 people. The day she was condemned to hell for three years. Yes, three, not four. There was a year where she strayed from the light and was enveloped in the shadows but we don't speak of that. The day that she found her own inner demon. And on this day each year, her demons overtake her, for she cannot keep them inside anymore.
With the team
"Guys, whatever you do, make sure you aren't even the tinniest bit negative around Adelaide. She can't control herself so, if you see any fire, earth or ice demons, or hear or feel a wind demon, be kind to it and try to avoid them." Robin warns his teammates nervously "We're most likely to see an ice or earth demon though."
"Why must we worry about these demons?" Aqualad asks in his usual calm manor.
"When Whisp's powers get out of control, she manifests into the demon of the most powerful element that she feels. And that's the simple explanation" Dick answers, deadly serious.
March 30, 9:18 PM
There, on the floor of the training room is a icy blue creature, curled up on the floor, ice cracking as it spreads across the floor as the numbness consumes the host body of the demon. Already, the team has encountered violent tornadoes, raging fires and massive tremors. Now, it seems their emotional teammates is asleep, peacefully until she begins thrashing, her demonic form shifting in between an earthy green and an icy blue as the floors start to shake. Right away, the two other Gothamites, Dick and Artemis rush to their sister and girlfriend. Robin begins cradling her head and the rest of the Team surrounds Whisp, offering words of comfort until...
"Recognised: Batman 01"
The team moves aside as Batman scoops up his daughter, carrying her bridal style through the Zeta Tubes, Robin following with a wave.
This infamous line break marks the end of this really long one shot.
Me: Wow. This took two and a half weeks to write.
Monkey: Sorry if the last few parts sucked, she started to run out of ideas.
Shark #1: She gave you a lot of spoilers, I wonder of you caught them all.
Shark #2: One of them was the pairings. Supermartian, Birdflash and Elementarrow (WhispxArtemis).
Me: I'm tired. Tell me what you think. Yours in demigodishness and all that, peace out.
Word count: 4,875 Joker Venoming words for you people! Gods, I'm insane to do this for you all. And to think, I still have secrets about this series ^-_-^ *smug devil face*