Batman was going to the hall of justice. He hated the hall of justice because he was the only one there who wasn't a metahuman, but he was so lonely, he didn't care. Alfred was gone on vacation.

When Batman got to the hall of justice, he was surprised to see every hero in the place running back and forth.

"What's going on?" Batman asked, stopping the Green Lantern.

"We just captured some sort of new metahuman and she's lethal. We have her in a holding cell, but we can't immobilize her and we're waiting for Superman. Go see what you can do."

Batman walked through the shaking hall of justice to the holding cells. There, he saw a large leopard beating itself against the wall. The leopard then changed form into a dragon and blew flames. This strange creature surprised batman. He walked up to the glass and stared inside.

The metahuman shrank away in terror, flattening herself against the wall. Batman knew he had to do something, so he decided to do something crazy. He opened the cell door and walked inside. Then, he squatted down on the ground and faced the creature, which was now a small calico cat.

"Hello", Batman said softly. The cat just stared at him wide eyed. "I'm not going to hurt you", Batman said, "how about you come here and calm down." The cat was covered in burns that looked as if they might have come from the lantern's ring and other distinguishable markings. No wonder the creature was terrified. They should have been gentle.

The cat slowly inched towards him, turning into a golden and brown German shepherd dog, which showed plainly how skinny she was. She had her tail between her legs and her ears back and just looked up at him and whimpered. She stopped a few feet from him and gazed up, expecting to be hit probably.

Batman reached out to pet her and before he knew it, he had drawn it back to himself in pain. His glove had been sliced open as if by a knife. Her teeth were very sharp. Batman didn't get angry, but checked the wound and then wrapped it in his cape. It wasn't very long, but it was down to the bone.

"Alright, I guess should have seen that coming", said Batman. "How about we try again. I just want to pet you." He took the glove off his other hand and reached out to pet her again a growl rumbled in her throat. He hesitated and then gently put his hand down on her raised hackles.

She growled the entire time he stroked her, but she did not strike again. He rubbed her ears and gently ran his hands over her. Her growling intensified when he strayed between her back legs so he moved away from that area, not wanting to push his luck.

As he was moving back up her back, he said, "There, that isn't so bad is it? Can you talk?" The dog nodded its head, not daring to take its eyes off him. "Ok", said Batman, not really sure if this was a yes. "I'm the Batman, what's your name?"

"Autumn", she whispered in the voice of a young girl.

"That's a very pretty name", Batman said. She flashed him a little smile and her growling slowly dissipated until he heard a new sound coming from her, purring. He hadn't even known dogs could purr.

Suddenly, the green lantern barged in. Autumn shrank away to the wall.

"Get away from her Batman", the Lantern said, "She's dangerous." Batman rolled his eyes.

"She's just scared lantern", Batman said. "Come back here Autumn, ignore him." Autumn came slowly towards him, trying to keep her eyes on both the Lantern and Batman at the same time. She came to Batman's outstretched arms and let him stroke her again. The Green Lantern stepped foreword and Autumn shrank behind Batman in cold terror. He soothed her as best as he could.

"Get out of here lantern", Batman said, "I'm fine." Autumn peeked up from behind Batman and snarled at the Lantern. Then, Superman came in.

"What's this about some crazy metahuman?", he asked.

"Batman's fraternizing with it."

"She's not an it lantern", Batman said, "Her name is Autumn." Superman raised his eyebrows.

"Lets take a look at this crazy metahuman shall we."

Autumn snarled but Batman said, "Its ok, Superman won't hurt you."

"She seems to like you bats", Superman said, "but he's right, I won't hurt you little one." Superman looked her over as she flattened herself against Batman, obviously hoping she had found a friend who would protect her.

Superman reached out to touch her and she took a large sniff of his hand before cautiously letting him touch her.

"You smell like space", she said softly, "You aren't from this planet."

"No", said Superman surprised, "You're right. You aren't either if I'm not mistaken."

"I'm half human", Autumn said.

"Ok", said Superman. "How about we let Batman put something on those burns."

"I like the way you smell", Autumn said, "You smell like Bristol."

"Bristol?" Superman asked.

"My father", Autumn said.

"Where is your father?" Superman asked.

"Dead", Autumn said softly, "My mom too. The man who did it, I killed him. He's been dead for a long time. He'll never kill again." Superman nodded.

"How about you let Batman come with me for a moment and get some stuff to put on those wounds."

"Ok", said Autumn, "But don't leave him here with me." She indicated the Lantern, who had been inching towards them.

"I'll leave you alone ok", said Superman. "But first of all, tell me how old you are."

"Fourteen", said Autumn.

"Ok", said Superman. They all three walked out. "What do you think of her Lantern?" Superman asked.

"She's dangerous", the Lantern said fiercely. "No", said Batman, "She's just scared. She calmed down within ten minutes of me going in there and just talking to her." He hid his hand, hoping no one would notice the long, bloody scratch.

"Ok", said Superman, "Well Batman, can you go and take care of her while we decide what to do with her. She seems to trust you."

"Ok", said Batman. He took some salve and some bandages and other things like that and went back into the cell. She immediately came up to him this time, tail wagging and tongue hanging out. 'All right", said Batman, "lets get you cleaned up. What can you turn into?" he asked to get her talk a bit.

"Lots of stuff", Autumn said happily, "But wait, I hurt you."

"Ohh", said Batman, "Its nothing."

"Let me fix it", said Autumn. Batman decided to trust her because he hoped it would get her to trust him more, so he took off the bandages and held out his hand. Autumn licked his wound.

At first, it stung, but then it started to have a kind of soothing flair to it. He looked down at the wound after a minute and saw it was completely healed, a new layer of skin stretched over it. Batman had once gotten a scar on his hand, but that was gone now. The skin was as soft and smooth as a child's.

Autumn wagged her plumed tail. Then, she turned into a girl. Batman was astounded at how bad she looked. She was dirty and skinny and covered in bruises, wounds old and new. Her clothes hung off her like leaves off a tree in fall. They looked older then she did.

She still had ears like a German shepherd, which were the same color as her ginger hair, but also had a long, cat-like tail sweeping around her ankles. When she grinned, he saw pointed eyeteeth.

Batman sat down and Autumn came to him, allowing him to dress the wounds on her arms and legs. It was done quickly. She seemed very happy to have a friend and every chance she got, she was touching Batman as if it had been forever since she had touched another person.

"That should be better", Batman said.

"Yes", said Autumn. "Thank you."

"How about you come with me, if you stick close I think they'll let you out." Autumn pressed herself to him as he walked out of the cell door. Batman laughed.

"You don't have to stick that close", he said. "I'm going to trip over you." Autumn grinned and moved a tiny bit away. Batman realized then, that had been the first time he had laughed in a while. It felt good.

Autumn seemed very happy to be out of the cell. She skipped blissfully by Batman's side. Her lips flared however, when anyone passed them and she got closer to Batman. Superman walked up to them.

He smiled at Autumn and said to Batman, "Are you ok with her."

"Fine" said Batman, "Where is she staying tonight?"

"Here at the hall of justice, I insist we try to find out what she is. We'll make your room more comfortable though", he said to Autumn.

"Will Batman stay?" she asked.

"I think Batman has things to do tonight", Superman said. Batman nodded.

"I'll come back tomorrow though", he said. Autumn nodded and pressed herself to him one last time before he walked out.

Batman couldn't get the girl out of his head all night. He finally fell asleep, but he woke up about three and decided he would go check on Autumn. Something about her made him think. He had never trained a metahuman before and never a girl but… no, what was he thinking, no more sidekicks.

Well, he would just go and check on her, that couldn't hurt right. He got dressed and got in his bat plane.

When he got to the hall of justice, Batman crept inside like a shadow at midnight. He floated down the holding cell where he thought Autumn might be. He saw Superman lying on a pile of pillows and blankets, fast asleep, with Autumn's German Shepherd head on his chest. She lifted her head in a snarl and moved up to stand on Superman's chest in a protective sort of way. Batman stepped out of a corner and smiled.

Autumn wagged her tail and jumped off Superman. She pranced up to Batman when he opened up the cell door and put her front paws on his shoulders, jumping up on him. Batman put her arms around her. Superman sat up and laughed.

"I should have known", he said. "Come to crash our slumber party bats." Batman nodded.

"Had to see how you two were getting along."

"Just fine," said Superman. He stood up to scratch Autumn's big ears. If Batman thought her tail couldn't wag any faster, he was wrong. "Are you going to stay here tonight?"

"No", said Batman, "I have to get up early tomorrow, but I couldn't sleep." He put Autumn down and looked around the room. "You all made this comfortable." Autumn nodded. Then, she turned into a large leopard and curled up on the blankets with a sigh.

"Come on Bats, lets talk", said Superman. They walked out of the cell, leaving Autumn lightly dozing.

"Why is she still in that cell?" Batman asked, "She's obviously not dangerous." Superman shrugged.

"League protocol, but that's not what you came here to talk about. What is it?"

"I don't know", Batman said, turning around. "Did you find out what she was?"

"Not yet", said Superman. "Nothing in our data banks says anything about what she could be. Perhaps its because she's half human, or so she claims. I really do think she is though. I ran a check on her mother and her father."

"Alicia was defiantly human, but Bristol was a little different. It seems he was buried somewhere, although I don't know where, by the man who examined his body. The guy had no idea what he was. He was obviously strange. I could ask Autumn where he was buried so we could examine the body, or what's left of it, I'm sure she knows, but I just think it would upset her."

"She's a bit unstable as you can probably tell. Until we learn a little bit about her, I think its best just to keep her happy. The rest of the league is still cleaning up the mess she made this afternoon."

"What's going to happen to her?" Batman asked.

"Well", said Superman, "She's going to need supervision. I suppose she can either live with the league in the hall of justice or someone takes her as a sidekick. I don't know who I'd trust with her though, I don't know everything she can do yet, but her teeth can even cut through my skin. I found that out by accident today. She healed me up too. She can also hide that tail and ears of her's like they don't even exist."

"She shouldn't have to grow up here", Batman said ruefully. "She should have a chance at a normal life." Superman shrugged.

"I'll try. The wonder twins did it." Batman didn't say anything to that. His expression said it all. "They aren't that bad Bats", Superman said.

"Come on Supe", Batman said, "The monkey is gay, I'm sure. He humped me the other day. That's why I don't come here all that often. Those kids scare me." Superman rolled his eyes.

"Are you gona go say goodnight to Autumn before you go?" he asked.

"Sure", said Batman. He went back into Autumn's cell. "Goodnight", he said, scratching her ears. She beat her tail on the ground as a large panther and swiped her long tongue over his cheek.

"I'll come back tomorrow." Autumn's big blue eyes seemed to plead with him to come back soon and she rubbed her head against his chin. Batman gave her head a final pat and then left. Autumn watched him go with large, soulful eyes.

The early twilight hours called Autumn in a way they didn't normally the next morning. Autumn wasn't and never had been, a morning person, but this morning felt supercharged. She had to get out of this place. They had given her all she needed and she needed to play her usual gypsy exit and get out. Autumn had never been happy staying in one place for too long.

She gave Superman one last affectionate nip, which the crime fighter barely noticed much less woke up to and started to clean her ruffled fur. With nothing to bring along, she crept out of the holding cell, which had been conveniently left open, once she was done with her wash.

Now, a predicament faced her. Where was she to go? The justice league was vast and contained many members, surly they would find her wherever she went. She hardly wanted to leave the city, but she couldn't stay here. That nice bat guy might have taken her, but she didn't even know where he was. Maybe, he wasn't so nice around his house.

Autumn had been hurt too many times by various men to trust one around the house. They were much nicer before they lured you in and tried to hurt. Autumn had been lured before and she wasn't so easy to hook up with now.

Being a panther was kind of obvious, so she changed form into a big German shepherd dog. Still kind of obvious, but better then nothing, she reasoned. She looked filthy enough to be a stray anyway, she knew. Dg catchers were a lot less avid then child catchers. If she ever saw that bat guy again, she would have to thank him for being nice. Autumn considered herself a hard person to be nice too.

She scratched an ear and crept through the hall of justice as quietly as she could, trying to keep her nails from clacking on the floor. She turned into a black cat and velveted her paws so they would make no noise.

She stalked past the wonder twin's room. They were snoring loud enough to mask any movements she made. She didn't know how a girl and a guy could share a room and not do things together that they weren't supposed to at night, but she supposed they had some self restrain considering the fact that they were related. But, they had struck her as a little odd so maybe not. The monkey was disturbing and she thought turning into water was a pretty stupid power.

Autumn finally made it out of the building after creeping past the room of every hero. The dawn shadows cast the city in an eerie and almost beautiful light. Autumn, though having been reared in the city, never considered it any more then a hunk of human garbage, but this was where her heritage was and leavening was a sorrow that wormed it's way deep in her heart.

Her father had taken her to the jungles of South America once and she had begged him to stay there. Bristol had shaken his head sadly and said her loyalties must be cast with people but he might take her back someday. He had known he couldn't and she knew that now, but it had been a pretty thought to the five year old. Bristol had taken her so many places in their five years together. She had that to hold onto.

Autumn trotted through the gloomy city on her way to the outskirts where her father's apartment was along with all her worldly possessions.

When Autumn got to the apartment, she climbed the fire escape and crawled inside, turning into a girl. She got a bag and into it put a sweater that still smelt strongly of Bristol, despite the years, and a little tape recording. There was a picture of him and Alicia, a sheet of music and a soft stuffed wolf.

With everything she needed, Autumn crawled back out of the building and turned into a dog. Starting off at a swift lope, she traveled east with the bag wrapped around her neck.

"Batman, I don't know where the girl could be, she's completely vanished."

"Well", said Batman, "It looked like she knew how to take care of herself."

"It's not just that", said Superman, "She's still unstable."

"She'll lay low", said Batman, She's not stupid. I doubt she'd cause trouble because she doesn't want to get caught again."

"I can't understand why she'd want to leave." Batman shrugged despite the fact that Superman couldn't see him over the phone.

"She wanted to go I guess, said. I always said the hall of justice isn't a very nice place." Superman laughed.

"You have always said that. Tell me if you see her though. She may not know where you are, but I have a feeling you'll see her again." Batman nodded, although Superman still couldn't see him, and hung up the phone.

He felt strangely empty, but he shouldn't. He hadn't even gotten that close to the girl, but he felt somehow connected. He had no doubt he would see again, no all he wondered was when.