Chapter 1.

It had been a full two and a half months after the incident that changed my life forever. It was a snowy November afternoon, two weeks before Thanksgiving. It was in fact the first snow of the season in Maxville, though I had been informed several times that the forecasters were predicting a mild winter this year. Of course in a city inhabited by at least a dozen people with the ability to change weather, forecasters were almost always wrong.

I was outside, hurrying through the old part of town, which had recently been renovated in hopes of a boost in tourism. Now it was a collection of quaint shops manned mainly by older women wearing hand-knit sweaters. Some families were still walking around, and the occasional police officer on a motorized scooter. Most had hurried inside shops or into cars as soon as the snow had started to fall. I however was on a mission. Especially now that it was nearing the holidays I needed money, and in order to get money I needed a job, and no snowflakes were going to deter me.

I had already been in three shops. Two out of the three, ladies in sweaters, looked at me dubiously as I handed in my resume, so I doubted there would be any call from them. It was amazing how many adults turned their noses up at anyone who looked remotely like a teenager. The third had been a man in charge of a bookshop. He seemed relatively pleasant, despite his pinched features and had no application to give me but had questioned me extensively on Shakespeare, Tolkien and Batman. Apparently anyone who didn't know squat about Robin's origins had no place in his store…though he had said he'd give me a call if a position became open.

I suppose if I was honest there were more reasons than the holidays for getting a job. Principal Powers had recently announced the possibility that some of the seniors might have the opportunity to receive an invitation to attend the prestigious and highly clandestine Moran University in London. Supposedly, the only way in was by personal invite from the board of superheroes who ran the school. If I had a chance at that then I needed some major cash.

The idea made me suddenly thoughtful. I tucked my gray scarf tighter around my neck and swerved as a large group passed by. Why did I want to go overseas to school? I mean there were tons of valid reasons; one of the biggest was that I hadn't had much time to be trained as a "superhero" and was doubtful of my ability to start right after graduating. Another was something that I wasn't quite ready to address…the fact that there was something in me that was starting to wish that my father was gone as often as he used to be or that I could go away from him. I had thought having him home more often would be awesome, but the experience so far had been a bit annoying. I pushed the thought away hastily. It sounded so…heartless.

"Lydia!"

The voice sounded familiar so I stopped in my tracks and blinked several times until the snowflakes on my fair eyelashes melted. Looking around I spotted Layla and Will on the other side of the street. The redhead was gesturing at me wildly and her boyfriend seemed to be looking around with an embarrassed expression. I waited until a taxi passed and hurried through the sludge to the median. A small car passed, kicking up an unusually large amount of slush onto my boots and the bottom of my dark jeans. I ran over the rest of the way, slipped on the icy sidewalk and slid right into the two of them.

A moment later I found myself lifted off the ground by Will's strong arm. A type of déjà vu hit me at that moment…it had happened several times since I had come back from the alternate dimension, so I shook it off, "Hey guys," I adjusted my gray mitten after Will let go of my hand, "What are you both doing here?"

"Well," Layla's cheeks were red from the cold already but they took on a brighter tinge as she tried to explain, "We just came from the Paper Lantern..."

"We were on a date," Will offered with a shrug.

"Oh," I answered with a knowing smile, "I was looking for a job, but I think it might be time to head home. It's getting pretty chilly."

"Well, if you want a job I think the Paper Lantern's hiring…and Warren could put in a good word for you," Layla said, green eyes brightening at the prospect of helping out a friend.

"No, that's ok…I'm sure someone will call from a place I've applied," I was lying through my teeth but the Paper Lantern was the last place in the world that I wanted to work, "Hey I'll see you guys tomorrow ok? I'm supposed to meet Knight up the street."

The couple said goodbye and smiled at each other in a very cheesy fashion. I wondered how long their fairy-tale romance would last. Some people had all the luck. I on the other hand seemed to have the worst sort of luck. I wiped a piece of damp auburn hair from my face and tried unsuccessfully to tuck it behind my ear. Shivering I stuffed my hands into the pockets of my red coat. If Knight wasn't waiting for me around the next corner I was sure I'd turn into an icicle. Trudging with head bowed I rounded the outside of the Paper Lantern and looked around for the familiar green car.

A blaring honk caught my attention and I saw it, the familiar beat-up exterior of my cousin's vehicle. I looked both ways and crossed the street, noting that the black car down the street seemed to be accelerating. I quickened my step but for some reason it seemed not to slow but to go even faster. Knight had finally realized the situation and looked panicked; knowing that opening his door wouldn't help much. Berating myself silently for disobeying Principal Power's orders I put my power into action, pausing time just as the car came near.

I don't think I've ever gotten over how enchanted everything seems when I pause time. Technically I've been told that what I do is slow time down so much that it seems to be paused, but technicalities were never my specialty. Slowly I took two steps forward so I was out of the way of the driver, but not far enough to cause suspicion from anyone who was watching. I reached up and clutched the hourglass charm on my necklace as time began to roll again. Snowflakes that had been frozen in place now began to fall lazily towards the ground. The black car moved forward slowly and I tried to peer through the tinted windows.

Suddenly it shot past, knocking up slush all over my outfit. The windows had been too dark to see who was driving. The strange thing was that the car slowed down considerably as soon as it passed me. I shook my head and opened the passenger side door of Knight's car, "I wish people who don't know how to drive would stay off the road!" I mumbled slamming the door shut as I sat.

Knight tried to crack a smile but he still looked pale, "That scared me," he pushed back his long black ponytail and adjusted his glasses, "I thought for sure…I'm just glad you have powers otherwise..."

"Otherwise that idiot would have a major lawsuit on his hands," I griped pulling off my soggy mittens. Thankfully, Knight's car had heat.

"So how did the job search go?"

"Ok, I applied at a few places, but I don't know if anyone will get back to me. Hey, random question: Who replaced Dick Grayson as Robin? Wasn't it Tim Drake?"

"The regular story-line or alternate universe?"

"The regular one I guess," I said shrugging.

"It was actually Jason Todd…I think it was in Batman #357."

"Wow, how do you know that?"

"Batman just happens to be my specialty. I was a little obsessed with him…still am I guess."

"Hey could you drop me off at this bookstore," I said pointing as we came close to one of the places I'd applied, "Just for a minute. Are you sure you don't want a job?"

"Yeah, actually I just…"

I waved off his explanation and dashed inside the book store as soon as the car parked. The little bell above the door signaled my rushed arrival. The same man stood behind the counter, looking at me expectantly, "Back again?"

"Jason Todd! Jason Todd replaced Dick Grayson as Robin," I finished the sentence breathlessly, waiting for a response.

His pinched features twitched and hazel eyes narrowed, "What was the original color of his hair? Tell me that and the job's yours."

"Uh," I thought hard, there was probably no way that I'd get this one right, maybe I could avoid the question, "The regular story-line or uh…the different one?"

"The very first Jason Todd ever created," he said leaning forward on the counter. His cheeks grew red with excitement, "Batman #357."

I took a piece of my own hair in hand and looked at it thoughtfully before tucking it behind my ear; I had no idea of the answer, "Red?"

"Congratulations Ms," he looked down at my application which was lying in front of him, "Tudor. The job is yours. We can work out the schedule later."

"Thank you!" I exclaimed and left the shop with a ridiculous smile on my face, "I got the job," I said excitedly to Knight as I got into the car. "It's a good think you didn't want it because you would have been a shoe-in. Why didn't you want the job?"

"I was trying to tell you," he said while pulling onto the road, "I applied at the Paper Lantern. Warren said he'd put in a good word, so the job is practically mine."

"Oh," I said quietly. Needless to say, relations were still awkward between me and Warren. The thought of Knight, my only source of transportation, working there with him made me scoot down in my seat and stuff my hands in my pockets. That was one thing I had tried unsuccessfully to forget since my time in the alternate dimension. I felt like a silly schoolgirl and didn't speak of it to anyone. For all appearances it seemed like the relationship between us was stony at best and mutually spiteful at worst. On his scale, I was somewhere below Zach, you can probably guess this was not at all flattering.

"Don't worry Lydia, it's not like you'll have to talk to him," he said, divining my thoughts immediately. He had talked so little about the occurrences in the other dimension that I was taken aback by the comment. Knight had spent three years there, while I had only been there a few days. I was sure that the change had affected him more than me, but he didn't show it. That thought made me feel selfish, how often had I submitted him to my tempestuous moods after we had come back?

The rest of the ride home was silent. How strange it was to think that in such a short time, a little over three months, I had come to consider this house in Maxville my real home. Perhaps it was because for the first time in the last four years I didn't feel paranoid about people really knowing me or my uncle catching up to us.

We entered and found my father sitting on the couch comfortably with a book. I craned my neck and looked at the title, "Hamlet? I thought you hated Shakespeare?"

"Well, I decided to give him another chance, I found it in your room, hope you don't mind."

"No that's fine," I said pulling off my winter layers as Knight set his keys on the coffee table.

"So how was the job search?" his expression was eager. How often he'd tried to strike up meaningful conversation with me lately. It was as if he was trying to make up for the time he'd lost during the past chaotic years. I loved him, but we couldn't go back and fix things without causing serious damage to the current dimension. I knew I was a different person because of it, though I didn't think my dad was quite aware yet that I had grown up.

"Good," Knight answered for both of us, pushing his long ponytail over one shoulder, "We both found jobs."

"That's great! I have something I need to talk to you both about."

We both stopped what we were doing.

"On Wednesday we'll be having company. You know Shyla? The woman I've been seeing for the past month, well we decided it was time for everyone to meet. She and her son will be coming for dinner."

"Great," I said in overly high-pitched tones, "Just great."

Knight's sentiments sounded more genuine, "That's really cool. I'm sure we'll all get along," he shot a pointed look at me, which I promptly ignored.