Okay...THIS is the chapter that worries me rating wise, should it need to be bumped to M; PLEASE do NOT hesitate to let me know. You'll see the scenes that worry me once you read far enough into it.

Back at the Gym

Areina kept rubbing her wrists through her clothes when Serenity stormed in and she was beyond pissed off. It was in her face and body language.

"Mom...you took care of it, didn't you?" Mathen asked.

"I did more than that son...Areina, what's wrong dear?" Serenity grew concerned as Areina winced at her rubbing.

"Got burned in the fight by Zach….but I don't get how I did, never been hurt by fire before." Areina said.

Serenity went to Areina and gently pulled up a sleeve. On Areina's wrists were burned-looking welts.

"Son of a-!" Mathen exclaimed.

"Mathen, get my satchel…now!" Serenity stayed calm as Mathen took off.

"What are they?"

"Your fire isn't normally magical. You got burned by magical fire...I will turn him into an ant. This was uncalled for..."

Areina could tell Serenity was really angry at her own brother.

"Aunt Serenity...I don't think-"

"He did it intentionally, Areina. To discourage you from helping; I should turn him into a pig and gut him..." she continued...

"Mathen said I could be a tier 1 fire wizard...but Zach...it's like he's possessed about not helping Mathen train more."

"I noticed that too. He did that to Cassidee...which is no excuse for what he did to you both. As for your skill, I agree Areina. You're a high mid-level wizard right now."

"Mom would be proud…." Areina said.

"Yes, you were given a very special gift by my grandfather, and you've worked hard with your own power as well." Serenity said, remembering how determined her sister in law was at times.

Mathen returned with his mother's bag. "Here mom," he said handing it to her.

"Thanks Aunt Serenity, Mathen was right though, magic fire is harder than meta fire to control." Areina said as Serenity started searching her bag.

Serenity wasted no time digging into the bag and soon pulled out a jar with a white paste in it. She opened it and the smell of green tea and mint came into the air. "Now this will hurt Areina. I'm sorry..."

"Just do it." Areina said.

Areina then hissed as the white paste was rubbed onto the burn. Tears came to her eyes.

"Sorry," Serenity said softly, being gentle in the rubbing of the paste. Once it was covered in the paste, Serenity rolled the sleeve down.

There was instant relief as the pain faded.

Serenity repeated the process with the other wrist and as soon as both were treated, Areina wasn't feeling any pain.

"Ok. Don't get them wet. Wait 12 hours before gently wiping the paste off. It should be healed by then."

"Thanks, Aunt Serenity."

"You're welcome. Mathen, what about you?"

"I didn't get burned mom."

"I wish Molly was here..." Areina mused.

"She's with Andrew..." Serenity smiled at the thought.

"So, how are you going to get Uncle Dick to let them get married soon?" Areina asked, knowing that Serenity had the right persuasion.

"Areina, I have your Uncle wrapped around my finger. I know what to do..." Serenity said with a laugh in her voice and a glint in her eye.

Mathen headed for the door. "Mom, I really don't want to hear that!"

Areina busted out laughing.

"Mathen...how did you think you came about?" Serenity teased.

"I'm not hearing this." Mathen said as he covered his ears and left.

Areina laughed harder, but then she started thinking.
"Maybe Zach's right…..I'm not even powerful with my meta fire." Areina said as Serenity watched worry and doubt enter the young fire controller's eyes.

"Areina Mary Grayson, I don't EVER want to hear that from you, young lady. Where did this doubt come from all of a sudden?" Serenity harshly remarked, her maternal tone coming though.

"I haven't worked with my magic fire in so long, and all of a sudden I think I can do it to win this war…Zach's right."

"Don't worry Areina. I'm not through with my brother...maybe I should turn him into a flea..." Serenity then walked away, thinking out loud to herself.

Areina then remembered something from their mission to find Damian. "Aunt Serenity...Can wizards enchant anything to plant doubt in a person's mind?"

Serenity paused at the doorway. "Tier 4 and higher can. Why?"

"Well, Meygan had mentioned that there was a defeated mindedness when she fought the master in Star City...and he told her that the poison from Apokolips was enchanted...could the same thing happen with fire?"

"The poison was in liquid form...fire isn't...it could be possible...but that's a gray area for me."

"Was just thinking out loud..." Areina said, her suspicions starting to turn to Zach as being a part of the new LOD.

"Ok. I'll go find Jason before he tries to kill Zach..." Then Serenity was gone.

The next evening

Meygan entered her home wearily, the last few hours wearing out her focus and strength.

She noticed that her two little girls, 4 year old Rini and 2 year old Reilie had not run to her, as they normally did. Her mind went to a night that she was actually scared just a while back.

Meygan had just returned home from dropping off Rini and Reilie at Wally and Artemis' home. She flicked on the lights but they didn't come on.

There was no worry; Meygan used her demon vision to see and paused when Kevin was in the darkest corner, a red tint to his eyes.

But everything was red in her vision so it was normal for him to be red. "Kevin? What's wrong with our lights?"

"Power surge." He popped off the far wall and walked over to her.

Her inner alarm was going off. Before long he was at her side, and taking her upper arm into his hand.

It was a tight hold.

Meygan popped her arm free. "Kevin?! What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I want you. Now." There was an edge to his voice that made Meygan hesitate.

"Settle down. What happened tonight?" Meygan walked past him and up the steps to their room.

"Stopped Ebon from getting the stash of Kryptonite at STAR Labs." Kevin told her, following her up.

Meygan entered their room first and Kevin spun her around hard and pressed her up into the far wall, holding her against it with his body.

"KEVIN!" Meygan cried, shocked.

"Mine...all mine!" He then kissed her hard.

Meygan kicked out at him, which got him to back off. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" She cried.

"Nothing!" he growled.

"Kevin, let me go!" Meygan punched him in the jaw.

But for him, it was nothing more than a glancing blow. He grabbed her wrists with one hand and he lifted her off the floor and wall.

She kicked him in the head but he grabbed her leg and tossed her at the bed.

It broke under the landing. Before Meygan scrambled away, he was on top of her and with one hand, ripped her shirt off.

"NO!" she declared, fighting to get him off of her.

"Go ahead. Fight all you want. I get what I want anyway!"

Meygan then caught the glow of his eyes. They were going from red to blue and back again. "Kevin!" she cried. "Let me go!"

The punch came out of nowhere and everything went black.

On alert, Meygan silently closed the door and picked her way cautiously to the kitchen when she smelled the smoked ribs.

Kevin Kent, the 6 foot Kryptonian/Martian was sitting at a candlelit dinner table with a spread of smoked ribs, collard greens and baked potatoes.

"Kevin?" Meygan asked, relieved that there was nothing sinister in her home.

"I sent the girls to hang with Kara and my parents tonight." he explained.

Meygan sat down at the other end of their table, and she grinned at her husband.

"Meygan...we needed this alone time." Kevin broached the unknown topic at hand.

"We're fine, Kevin. It wasn't your fault." Meygan said gently.

Kevin's eyes softened at his wife's words.

"It was." he said sadly.

"The forced exposure to Red Kryptonite? Hardly." Meygan immediately got up and sat in the chair next to him. She took his hands into hers. "I blame Mordred. I blame the Master. I DON'T blame you."

"But I...I hurt you...badly." he whispered with a tight voice.

"And that's what Red Kryptonite does to your kind...it brings out their aggression."

Kevin had tears in his eyes. "I wanted to make it right with you. Tonight. Not later. Not tomorrow."

"Kevin..." Meygan replied, part of her still nervous about being alone with him.

Kevin sensed it right away. "Meygan..."

"I know you're cured...but..."

"I need to do this. For both of our sakes." Kevin stood up first and held out his hand.

Meygan took a breath. "Alright." She said with a small smile. Kevin the leaned in a kissed her softly.

Flashes of the memory came to her again. She stiffened slightly and Kevin picked up on it.

"Meygan...you're not ready..."

"Kevin Kent...I refuse to let evil wizards destroy who we are. We will do this. Tonight. Right now." Her eyes held her determination.

Kevin nodded. He then guided her to their bedroom. Everything he had done that night was with him every moment of every day.

All he wanted to do was fix it all. Because Meygan's courage was what broke the hold of the Red Kryptonite on him.

The bruises...the scrapes...how she shook when he was holding her down.

Kevin guided her inside, and candles lit the room with a soft glow and scented it with lavender and vanilla, which caught her senses.

"Aww, my favorite scents." Meygan said and the combined smells calmed her fear.

Their bed had been covered in satin sheets and the long pillows were placed in a square on the bed.

"Worried we'll fall off?" Meygan remarked with a smile.

Kevin shifted his clothes to a pair of red boxers. "Not at all." He reached over to the dresser and held up a lilac colored silk slip dress. "Can you change into this?" He asked.

Meygan took a breath and let it out slowly as she took it and went to their adjoined bathroom to change.

Kevin waited patiently for her to rejoin him. He then grabbed satin sashes and tied one end of each to one bedpost and hid the other ends for the moment.

He then pulled out a bottle of massage oil from a side table and placed it on top of it.

He was ready as Meygan exited the bathroom, wearing the slip dress and her long strawberry blonde hair was loose and flowing.

Meygan smiled as she went to Kevin. "So..."

"A massage." Kevin led her to the bed and guided her to a bed pillow. It was popped under her head and her hair slid to one side. The back of her dress exposed her entire back, and there were no bruises. But he could remember where they were on her.

"Kevin...don't think. Just do it..." Meygan coaxed him.

Kevin took the bottle and rubbed the oil onto his hands. Then he touched her bare back with slow, languid strokes, relaxing the tense muscles under his hands, taking his time.

Meygan moaned as she relaxed under her hands.

Kevin kept rubbing her back, occasionally soaking his hands with the oil as she was pliant under his hands.

He then expanded his 'work space', rubbing the sides of her back, briefly touching the sides of her chest.

Meygan moaned and shifted. "Kevin...don't stop." she whispered.

How he had missed her whispers urging him on.

He continued the massage, dipping to the sides of her chest more and more as she shifted into his touch.

"Meygan?" he asked after a few more minutes.

She moaned happily.

"Let me make love to you..." he asked, never stopping his hands.

As his hands dipped to her sides of her chest again, Meygan rose up and his hands touched much more.

His breath caught.

"Kevin...now...please..." she whispered.

Kevin gently let go of her and turned her onto her back. Her eyes were dilated with love and lust as she stared at him.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

Meygan reached up and grabbed the back of his neck. She brought him down for a kiss that told him everything he needed to know.

Meanwhile, Over at Conner and M'gann's House

Conner had just put Reilie down for the night when a knock came to his door. Kara was sound asleep also and Wesley was off to Iesha's again.

M'gann answered the door.

Clark Kent was there in jeans and a flannel shirt. His graying hair made M'gann touch her own.

"Hi M'gann."

"Sup-uh Clark. Come in. Conner'll be down soon."

Clark stepped inside the kitchen and got tackled by a tiny bundle of strength also known as Rini Kent.

"Uncle Clark!" Rini said happily.

"Hello Rini...shouldn't you be in bed by now?"

"Nope! I don't need much sleep."

Clark looked worried.

"It's my demon power...remember." Rini said with a smile.

"It's ok Clark. She still sleeps. But only four hours at a time." Conner said as he entered the kitchen.

"Conner! I was actually checking on Kevin. How is he?"

"He...struggles."

M'gann wisely left the kitchen, taking Rini with her.

"Conner...what happened to Kevin was horrible." Clark told his younger brother.

"He hasn't forgiven himself for what he did to Meygan." Conner said as he looked his older brother in the eyes.

"I think hurting Meygan was Mordred's intention. Kevin was the sword."

"But why hurt her...I thought he was hung up on getting her all to himself."

"She loves Kevin with all her heart and soul. And that is something that Mordred would never get."

"But that does nothing to ease my oldest son's fear. Meygan is still uneasy around him and he knows it." Conner added with clipped toned.

"Where is he? I know all too well what Red Kryptonite does." Clark offered.

"How?" Conner asked.

"Me and Lois."

"Let me guess, Luthor hit you with some..."

"Yes. But unlike Meygan, Lois couldn't forgive me, even after knowing the real cause."

"I'm sorry Clark."

"It was a long time ago...where is he?" Clark asked again.

"Kevin asked me to watch the girls so he and Meygan could have a night alone."

"Ah...so he's trying to regain her trust...Then I'll wait till morning to talk to him."

"Want to stay the night...so it's not a long flight in the morning?"

"That sounds good, Conner...but have you given any thought about my question?" Clark asked his younger brother.

"I...I don't think...I can do it right now. I have Kara and Wesley to raise."

"Alright, when you feel they are ready...the Mantle of Superman is YOURS."

"Thanks..."

"You know...from what I know about my parents, they would be proud of you, Kon-El." Clark said with a smile.

"Thanks..."

Back at Kevin and Meygan's home

Kevin gently tugged on the silk restraints as he caught his breath.

Meygan lay on top of him panting as well.

"I've missed you, my Princess." he said while getting his breath back.

"Did I tire my prince?" She asked playfully.

"Maybe," he said lightly.

"You know...you didn't have to use the restraints." Meygan remarked.

"I did. I wanted to use them on you but you needed the control more than me."

Meygan blushed. "Well maybe NEXT time you can use them on me."

"Are you ok though?"

"Why do you ask?" Meygan said with a smile. "Did something happen between us?"

"I thought it did. I was...misdirected..."

Meygan untied the silk restraints to release her husband. As he sat up, she kissed him hard. Then she flipped off her slip dress and now nude, lay upon the bed, her hands holding the restraints.

Kevin's breath caught.

Her trust was there in her eyed as she whispered. "It's my turn."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I DID say next time." Meygan said with a big grin, then she got serious. "Kevin...you need this as much as I did. And you were the wise one that noticed."

Kevin took a deep breath.

Kevin smiled. "I guess this means we work on kid number three." He then tied her hands above her head.

"A son, my prince. I want a son..." she whispered as he tied her ankles too.

"You sure you're okay with this?" The last hint of dread in his voice.

"I am." There was no doubt in her voice.

"Very well, my captive princess." Kevin said and the dread was gone forever. "Then we shall try for a son." His eyes sparkled with mischief...

The Next Morning

He had to get the girls soon and while Meygan could function with no sleep, he didn't want her to.

Meygan moved again as she opened her eyes. "Kevin?" she whispered almost seductively.

"Morning, my princess." Kevin then pulled her into his lap, blanket and all.

"Thank you. For last night."

"No need to thank me. Just keep calling my name happily." he teased.

Meygan had a hand on her stomach and Kevin held his breath.

"I'm not, silly. I can't tell that fast," she laughed.

"Um...could we..." Kevin asked gently.

"Kevin...we can do this-" she held up the silk restraints- "as much as you want." She smiled at her husband. "Go get the girls."

BBBBBBBBBBBB

Two Days Later

Areina had been thinking about this….ever since the fight with Zacharius…was there a way she could find an answer to her question. It was then that Meygan came into the room, and Areina knew she had to ask.

"Meygan?" Areina asked as she was pulled from her thoughts.

"What's wrong….did Uncle Zach hurt you again?" Meygan said, having heard the story.

"No, but something's really been nagging at me. Do Merlin's books cover enchanting things…like to place doubt or defeated mindedness?" Areina questioned.

"Grandpa Merlin's books cover everything magical."

"I need this answer…..and I'm sure you're curious about what happened with that poison."

"Alright, we can go to Etrigan, he has Grandpa Merlin's books." Meygan said. "You going to be alright traveling via my shadow raven?"

"You doubting me?" Areina said with a smile.

"Alright, let's go." Meygan said, and they vanished.

The Streets of London

The night in London was quiet and the two women that appeared out of nowhere went unquestioned. The strawberry blonde of the two led the way to a tiny shop and knocked on the door. The door was answered by a distinguished man and he was surprised to see them.

"Please come in." The man said and the two women took the invitation.

Once the door was closed, the man turned to the women and seemed to have concern on his face. "Princesses, what brings you here?"

"Jason, we need some advice…and access to Merlin's spell books." The woman with black and red striped hair said flat out.

"Areina, what is wrong?" Jason asked with concern in his voice now.

"Something's been happening over the past few years to me and Meygan….Aunt Serenity said with Meygan it was defiantly possible, but what happened to me…she not sure." Areina said.

"I was poisoned not long after Rini was born, and when I went to save Vincent, I felt defeat entering my mind. The Master said that it was a secondary effect from the poison that was used on me prior to that fight."

"Something happened at Watchtower recently and I felt like I shouldn't even be using Merlin's gift to give me an edge in this war. I didn't start feeling it till after Serenity was tending to some burn welts on my arms. I've NEVER felt like that in my life, and I just have to know what's going on."

"So, you seek the advice of an old Demon and the revered Merlin, very well. Meygan you know how to search his books for what you need." Jason said and he opened a special alcove in his shop/home to reveal a hidden bookshelf.

The alcove looked like a barely carved out cave opening, but carved in its walls were protection wards and those carvings had bronze metal shavings pounded into it to enhance the protection. Each shelf had intricate vine webbing, protecting the books from the harsh light of modern convenience. When the alcove was exposed, the vines unwoven themselves to expose the books within.

Areina was in awe about it, but Meygan just smiled. The younger of the two walked over to the bookshelf and began searching the titles on the many books there. It wasn't long before she found the book the two were looking for.

"You may take the book with you, girls."

"It's alright, the kids are being watched by their fathers. Besides, I'm sure you don't wish to lose them…..seeing how well you've preserved them." Areina remarked.

"Ah, very wise indeed." Jason said as he realized that Areina's instinctive training and attention to detail pulled her to this decision.

Just then a thought came to her. "While Meygan finds the section of the book we need, I was just thinking about something."

Jason's eyebrow cocked from his curiosity as to what she could want to ask.

"Not that I'm complaining about how cool having mom's power is….but isn't it odd that she would have it and Uncle Dick wouldn't?"

Jason didn't know how to respond, but there was a book that showed the answer. "While Meygan reads the book about your original query….look for a book labeled Camelot's bloodlines."

Areina was hesitant to go near the alcove and Jason figured it was for two reasons. "You will not be harmed by the protection spell, and Merlin would want you to know your bloodline."

The young fire controller smiled and entered the area. Jason was right; the protection spells did not harm her or even stop her from entering. Areina walked along the shelves slowly, making sure she checked each book. She found it not long into her search and after it was freed from its spot the book began to glow and opened on its own to King Arthur's bloodline.

"Areina, it is possible to create an enchanted flame to cause doubt….just like when the master enchanted the poison to cause me to be defeat minded."

Areina nodded at her cousin to acknowledge that she heard; but right now she was checking the list of those that she was descended from.

"Anything you need to ask about, princess?" Jason asked, seeing as he saw confusion coming to Areina's face.

"There are symbols beside some of the names, and I'm sure the fire ones would answer my question." Areina answered.

Jason walked over to the young descendent and saw what she meant. "Ah, I see where not only your power comes from but your temper from Reiena's side."

"So the power was bound to activate, just took…" Areina started, but she couldn't finish.

"Tragedy makes heroes stronger, but is not always needed to CREATE them." Jason said. "I'm sure it was in the Master Fate's plan for your grandparents to parish, but that brought your mother and uncle to Bruce, who took them down the right path."

Areina smiled, Jason's words were true, Wally, Kaldur, and many of the others didn't have tragedy in their history and they were all great heroes. Not only that, but she has seen firsthand how the Lords of Order and Master Fate care about such things.

"Thank you Jason." Areina said.

"I am always to help and protect Arthur's bloodline, and assist Merlin's as I can." Jason said as he bowed to the two girls.

They put their books back in the correct spots and headed out to return to their families.