Disclaimer: I do not own the Justice League/ JLU.

Psychotic

Halves

"Now just carefully lift the box. That's right, gently lift it, a little at a time. Now hold it there… keep it as still as you can, Jay, just another minute. That's right... wait, where's it going? Where's it- Xob Nwod!"

"Sorry!" Jay sighed, and then echoed herself. "Sorry."

Shut up, already. Only one of us needs to be here.

Why does it have to be you?

"Sorry Zatanna! I spaced out for a minute there! What were you saying?" Jay snapped herself back to the present.

Zatanna laughed her full throated laugh. "I was just saying that you don't have to be sorry- that you've come a long way. And that we should call it a day and get some coffee and some food. We've done enough for the morning!"

Jay shrugged, then headed out of one of the many training rooms of the Justice League Watchtower grabbing a towel and wiping off some of the sweat she'd accumulated during the training session. Maintaining concentration for two hours really took it out of a girl.

"I'll change and meet you in the cafeteria!" Jay called over her shoulder as she walked out of the room.

Jay made her way expertly through the curved corridors of the Watchtower, going up a few levels and slipping quietly into a door that swished open at the touch of her hand. She had her own room up here, where she was alone and where no-one could see or hear her. Where she could just think.

---

Zatanna has a beautiful smile, and she's not shy about letting it out. I think that's incredible- having that ability to crack a smile so often. Having the wish to crack a smile so often. All her encouragement really cheers me up. It makes me want to work that much harder, to prove to her and to myself that all her enthusiasm isn't going to waste. It's so nice of her to even agree to teach me control of my magic. She's been up here at the Justice League Watchtower every morning for the last two weeks, and she says she's going to keep coming up here till I've achieved complete control. Till I only do things I mean to do instead of everything that flits through my mind.

It's starting to work. Maybe when it does, one of me can go away.

I don't think we'd be us if one of us weren't here.

I've been up at the Watchtower for two weeks now. Two weeks exploring possibly the most incredible place in the universe. It's full of superheroes. Everywhere you go, there they are. The people I've only ever read about before, having lunch around me, complaining about the dessert, training, talking, living.

It's so cool!

I wish I could get as excited as my situation deserves.

You're just boring. But that's ok, I'm getting excited enough for the both of us.

You always get excited enough for the both of us.

Well, one of us has to.

---

"And one of us has to stay in control." Jay mumbled as she finished changing into some fresh clothes and toweling her hair. She'd become used to keeping her conversations quiet- she'd learnt the hard way that people thought it was weird to talk to yourself.

Giving her hair a quick brush, she let herself out again and made her way to the cafeteria. She kept her head down and her eyes on the ground, avoiding any eye contact, and moving as quietly as possible. The fewer people that noticed her, the better things would be.

It didn't take her long to get to the cafeteria. Jay had very little to do, apart from the morning lessons with Zatanna. And up on the Watchtower, if you didn't make yourself heard people very quickly got too busy to remember you were around. That suited Jay fine- she got to spend her days exploring, finding all the shortcuts and generally learning the ins and outs of the Justice League headquarters. And if the outside half of her did all of this with cool calculation, the other half of her took childish glee in the activity.

Jay sidled in to the cafeteria, sticking to the edges of the doorway, looking quickly around till she spotted Zatanna, sitting at a table off in a corner with two steaming cups in front of her.

That is so sweet! Isn't that sweet? She knows how much you hate the centre!

Jay smiled softly to herself in reply and made her way to Zatanna, skirting round the edges of the room. Zatanna looked up and smiled as Jay sat down beside her, and reached for one of the cups.

"Hot chocolate, because you like it!" Zatanna announced as she handed a paper cup over. Jay nodded in acknowledgement.

Oh for the love of- Get lost, I'm taking over.

"Thank you so much! That's so sweet of you to remember!" Jay's entire aspect changed from one moment to the next. Zatanna blinked. Jay had broken out a huge grin, one that seemed to light up her chocolate brown skin with a soft glow of happiness. Suddenly she was a cheerful, confident young woman, instead of the cautious one Zatanna had been training all morning. Zatanna squinted at Jay, trying to decide how she'd changed. Jay just continued to smile innocently back.

"You're very welcome." Zatanna murmured.

"So, how's showbiz down there?" Jay asked, enthusiastically.

"It's going well." Jay's switches were amazing. She was either quiet and introverted, or extroverted and… 'enthused' was the best word to describe it.

"That's great! Don't you think Earth is just so much prettier from up here?"

It wasn't lost on Zatanna how quickly Jay changed subjects when she was like this. As if she had so much to say and only a very limited amount of time to say it in. It was quite the riddle. But Zatanna didn't have time to figure it out right now.

"Earth is pretty just about anywhere you are. You just have to look a little harder in some places. But Jay, I need you to focus for a few more minutes. There are a couple of things we need to talk about."

And there Bubbly Jay went. Her smile switched off, like there was an internal button that controlled it. The glow disappeared, her shoulders hunched in and she seemed to gather anonymity around her.

"What is it?" Jay asked, caution settling deep in her eyes.

"Well, firstly I just wanted to tell you that you really have improved a lot since we started. I think you had a lot of control before you went... well, before the mall. You just don't have much stamina, probably because you're not used to using magic for such long periods of time. You should try doing more with magic- moving chairs, laundry, that sort of thing. It'll get you used to using it for longer periods of time."

Jay nodded in acknowledgement. Zatanna got the feeling Jay was taking notes mentally.

"And the other thing is your schooling. You're what, half a semester from finishing high school?"

"I just need to take my exams, if that's what you're asking. I'm sure my school in Central City will let me come back to sit for the tests if you ask them to. The headmistress liked me well enough- or she did before I pulled that stunt."

Zatanna narrowed her eyes. Jay seemed almost desperate not to have to return to school, though she tried to cover that up with an indifferent attitude. But deep in her eyes there was a little spark of fear, and she held herself taut, as if expecting a blow.

"I… I think that would be a great arrangement, actually." Zatanna said, watching carefully to see how Jay took it. The sudden release of tension in Jay's shoulders, and the hint of a smile pulling at the corners of Jay's mouth were enough to convince Zatanna that she'd made the right choice. "I'll sort it out. Just make sure you've studied!"

Jay nodded agreement.

---

Zatanna is the best! Not only is she teaching us, but now we don't ever have to go back down there!

We have to go do the tests.

But after that, we don't ever have to go back.