A/N: Update speed will be based on feedback from this point on.

Self-Destruction Part 4: Interventions

Five foot eight, a little thinner, her golden brown hair a bit darker and longer, but there she stood before him. Richie's gaze refused to leave the clearly tense woman, who's only movement was that of swallowing. Somehow her feet managed to work as she took steps to close the four feet or so of space between them. Richie remained still as she reached a hand out towards his cheek. She paused to see if he would knock it away, but when no such action occurred, Marissa made contact with the side of his face.

Richie breathed heavily as the familiar tingle of her touch shot throughout him, eliciting feelings he had not experienced in all too long. He turned into her hand slightly and found himself applying a tender, feather light kiss to two of the fingers.

"I'm so happy to see you, darling."

At her words, all of Richie's senses returned at once, causing him to step back and set her with a glower. "What the hell do you think you're doing here?"

"I missed you," she told him sincerely, "so much. Every night I…"

"What?" he suddenly snapped. "Every night you took five seconds to think about the husband and daughter you deserted? Yet never one second to pick up the damn phone?"

She appeared momentarily fazed but still said, "None of that matters. I'm here now."

"After seven months." Richie shook his head with disappointment. "Seven months, Marissa. Do you understand how long I looked for you? You left completely out of the blue and there were nights where I had to wonder if you were even alive. Do you know what that did to me?"

"I will never stand here and claim that what I did was right," she said with full on admittance. "And I know it's going to take time, but I know now that I'm willing to put in the time."

Scoffing, Richie held a dismissive hand up to her face and marched over towards one of the large windows.

"Richie," she called to him meekly. "Richie, where is Beth?" Growing fearful when she received no response, she tried again with greater demand. "Where is she?"

"I don't know," he finally answered then turned around with his hand pressed against the windowpane. "Apparently, she takes more after you than I thought because she has been missing since yesterday and I can't find her."

"What?" Marissa exclaimed. "What do you mean she's missing? You can't find her? Richie, how could you let this happen?"

"Me?" he spat, coming purposefully closer into her personal space. "You cowardly, backstabbing wench, don't you dare come back here after seven fucking months and accuse me of anything." He gripped her by the shoulders fiercely. "Do you hear me? Not a damn thing!"

Marissa released an intake of air as she raised her head up to really face him. For the first full time she saw how deep the anger went. She also caught the grief that, too, spoke volumes.

The two stayed in that position for several seconds until Richie realized just how close their faces came to making contact. He immediately let go of his hold on her arms before whatever unexpected desires he kept within took possession of him.

"This is too much," Richie said, not to Marissa yet out loud. "It's all too much. It can't be real."

Marissa hitched a mouthful of air at the sorrowful memory of the last time she had heard those words from him. "Richie, we have to find her."

Amazing himself, Richie felt some of his tension fade slightly. "I am willing to put this on hold, but only for Beth's sake." He eyed her, his face now free of any emotional signals. "Until she is found, you can sleep in one of the guest rooms."

With a slow nod, Marissa watched on as he started to walk out. "Richie, can I just say how so-"

Whirling around again, he held his hand out to stop her. "Don't. Just don't." That firmly spoken, he made his way out of the room.

Marissa hugged herself as she went over and took a seat on her daughter's bed. She pulled open the drawer of the night table and found two diary books inside. Underneath, she saw something else. She gently took the photograph between her index finger and thumb, as if it would explode into dust if she handled it the wrong way. Pictured were her children; both of them.

*******

Finding himself in front of the condemned Ferris Row Projects, Gear recalled for a moment a particular time he had been there; against his will. He had taken off from home himself as a teen after a heated dispute due to his father's former bigoted mindset. Virgil/Static found him before anyone else and managed to convince him to return to his house. However, on the way, Richie had been nabbed by one of their then many meta human enemies. Of course, there had been no such thing as a meta human for years, besides Dakota's superheroes, but a lead was a lead.

Now, though, Gear was one of the many superheroes. One who demanded an explanation. With a swift kick, he knocked down the already dilapidated door and made his entrance. Inside, he found a dozen or so young people, ranging anywhere from sixteen to twenty years old. They all stopped talking and any little movement at the unexpected appearance of the green clad hero.

"Ferris Row," Gear remarked, looking around the lobby he stood in, illuminated only by candles and battery powered lights. "This place has… changed none whatsoever."

"Hey, what's your business here, man?" one of the young men asked, stepping up. "You ain't got nothing on us."

"Except demerits for grammar," Gear commented then spoke to the electronic device currently strapped to his back. "Backpack, display Bethany: full body image."

Backpack started up then used his extending eye to form a full-sized holographic illustration of Beth.

Gear turned back to the group in front of him and asked straightforwardly, "Have any of you seen this girl?"

"Damn!" one of them exclaimed. "She is fine."

"You know," said the first one who had come upon Gear, "now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure I was with her last night."

The moment he finished the sentence, the boy found himself with his back shoved against the side wall with Gear's forearm pressed against his throat.

"You little son of a bitch," Gear hissed at him.

At the sound of rushed footsteps behind him, Gear gripped the younger male by the front of his shirt and quickly threw him into the members of his crew who had come up to assist him. He succeeded in bowling all five of them to the floor.

"Stop it," one of the girls insisted. "Look, Gear, I swear we haven't seen her."

Glancing the young pack up and down, Gear finally decided none of them were worth anymore of his time. He walked by the ones he had knocked over and started for the entrance he had created earlier.

However, he managed to turn around in time to brace himself as the one he had pushed against the wall now tackled him. Gear easily kicked him in the lower abdomen, sending the zealous youth flying right off him. Quickly getting to his feet once more, Gear saw that a few more wanted to have a go at him. As all of the males charged at him, Gear made rapid yet ferocious work of delivering blows and tosses to each of them.

At one point, one of the boys took hold of Gear from behind and flung the hero with a bang towards the far left wall. Gear's upper arm took most of the impact but he sucked it in as he mad dashed at his offender, sending him onto his behind. Next, Gear took hold of a pair of his ever trusted zap caps and used them to trap a couple of them in metallic ropes. He then activated Backpack and retrieved his laser pin and fired at one of his attackers without missing a beat.

When he dropped down, Gear said to the on-lookers, "He's only stunned. Call it my generosity. Now…" He held the pen out menacingly. "Who's next?"

The group seemed to step back at once, allowing Gear to at last take his leave.

Blasting off into the air the moment he made it back outside, Gear went on with his search. He noticed the lightening sky to the east and decided that it had to be pushing at least five AM. Discarding the hour altogether, Gear flew onward into the city that currently played the part of an enormous haystack.

Marissa jarred awake, compliments of the excited birds outside. She quickly sat up and did a rapid scan of her surroundings. The brunette realized she had fallen asleep in her daughter's room fully dressed, shoes and all. She took a moment to check her phone for the time; six thirty. Slipping off her green blazer, Marissa deposited it on the bed and started out of the room, deciding that Richie would be making an early start to find their shared child, whether he wanted to or not.

Upon entering the grand bedroom she once called hers, Marissa proved to be the one to get the wide eyed wake-up call as Gear flew in through one of the bay windows. He wobbly took a seat on the edge of the bed and let go a worn sigh as he removed his visor.

"Richie?" Marissa came into the room closer. "Have you been out all night?"

He turned away from her and said, "I couldn't exactly sleep."

"The sun is up," the woman pointed out. "Someone could have seen you as Gear."

Richie got to his feet and threw down his visor. "I could care less about this super secret identity thing about now."

Marissa flinched then watched Richie take hold of his right shoulder. "What happened?"

"Just a scuffle with some punks I was questioning," Richie explained glibly. "One of them came up behind me. I-- just forget it."

"Look at you." Marissa moved her head in amazed disbelief as she came closer to him. "You're completely exhausted."

He yanked his arm back when she reached out for it, but quickly regretted it as the pain shot throughout his shoulder again.

Richie groaned, but this time Marissa grabbed his aching joint before he could.

"Please, Richie," she urged. "Just rest for a minute. You're no good to Beth in this state."

"No." Richie kept shaking his head, as if trying to free something currently trapped inside it. "I just-" He stumbled forward but Marissa managed to steady him a bit.

The two locked eyes and the only sound heard in the room consisted of Richie's deep breathing. The pants grew heavier as he continued to look upon the woman who had involuntarily invaded his dreams night after night.

"Richie," Marissa finally spoke, getting to say what she had wanted the previous night, "I am so sorry. Hate me if you must, but please just talk to me. Please, Richie."

Of all the questions that lined up in Richie's mind in that moment, the first thing he asked was, "Where were you?"

"Ground Zero."

Frowning slightly, Richie repeated, "Ground Zero?"

"Illinois," she went on. "I read about the work being done in Aurora to save infants. When I left Dakota, I found myself there and I've been attending Life rallies and campaigns ever since."

Narrowing his eyes in anger, Richie responded accusingly, "You left your family to stick your nose in politics?"

"Don't say it like that," Marissa demanded in a tone that surprised them both. "My baby had just died in his bed, my husband became buried in his work, and my daughter was lost in an entirely different world. The funny thing is that I had no choice in any of that and if I had, Patrick would be in my arms right now and Beth would not be out there with God only knows who. But there are women, thousands a day, who make the choice to kill their own children before they're even allowed their first breaths."

"It's not our place." Richie looked away from her, though evidence on his face rang out that her words managed to cut at him.

"How can you possibly say that, Gear?" She spoke his alternate name with thick disdain. "You and Virgil and Adam, all of you damn superheroes! You're so concerned with those already here that you think nothing of the generations that have been lost in the womb." When he continued to hold his gaze elsewhere, she went on. "You can stand here and say that I royally screwed up as a mother and wife, but if you even think to look down on me for what I did while I was away then you are no hero and you never were."
Finally turning back to face her, Richie unexpectedly concurred, "Maybe you're right."

Her eyes widened, obviously not expecting such a response from him.

She spoke a single word in reply, "Darling…"

"Leave me," Richie requested strongly but silently as he stood from their hold. "Please."

Marissa slowly backed out towards the large door, but turned back for a moment before actually walking out. "I'll leave you alone for now, Richie, but I won't be leaving your life, not again."

He came back with, "And you just expect me to believe that? Further, you expect me to care at this point?"

When he said the last part, Marissa found herself without a voice. As she went out into the hall, she touched the middle of her chest, as if to repair the area Richie's words had damaged.

Please give me back my family, she prayed inwardly, no matter what it takes.

*******

"Tyler?"

"Here," the freckle faced student answered.

"Natalie?" came the next name.

"Here," said the girl.

"Beth?" When no reply came, Ms. Henderson looked around the room but did not see the girl in question "No Beth today."

Jeannie glanced at the empty seat to her left for the fourth time since homeroom had begun. It felt so strange not having Beth beside her. Despite all of her ditched classes, the tall blonde had always come to homeroom, even if just for the purpose of texting.

More than school, though, Jeannie never would have imagined not having Beth around for the second day in a row. She thought the girl would have gotten upset with Richie, gone to one of their other friends to cool off, then come home. However, no such action had taken place. It all left Jeannie to wonder. What if something had happened to Beth on Saturday night after she climbed out the window? With her natural beauty and less than conservative choice of clothing most of the time, any guy could have easily--

"Jean?" Ms. Henderson partitioned loudly.

Thrown from her thoughts, Jeannie answered briskly, "Here!"

Ms. Henderson had obviously called her name more than once, but she had gotten so lost in her speculations that a sparkly purple elephant could have strutted through the room and Jeannie would have been the last to notice.

When the bell rang, Jeannie packed up her laptop and headed out with the others, but heard their teacher beckon her.

"Jeannie, do you have a moment?" The aforementioned teen turned back around and approached Ms. Henderson's desk. "I hate to have to ask you, but I know you and Beth are such good friends. As you noticed, she wasn't in today and it's become a habit in quite a few of her other classes. Do you know if everything's all right?"

"Oh, of course," Jeannie said with the utmost assurance. "Beth just hasn't been feeling good at all. She was really sick last night, but I'm sure she'll be okay in a day or so."

Ms. Henderson seemed please. "Well, I'm sorry she's sick, but it's good to hear that everything is all right. Perhaps you could collect her homework for her?"

"Right," Jeannie agreed.

As she finally left the room, she realized how good at lying she was becoming, but she did not take it as a good talent.

*******

Daisy glanced up from her diet cola at the presence of her sister-in-law coming in through the kitchen way.

"Hey, girl," Sharon greeted.

"Hi, Shar," Daisy returned. "This might be the first time I said hello to anybody without having the phone against my ear. I've had an on-going hotline, trying to see if anybody's heard word about Beth. I'm surprised I even got a chance to sit down for lunch."

"I hear you," Sharon concurred. "I had to take off from the school early to do another drive through. Mind if I join you?"

Daisy held out her hand in a cordial motion. "Please do. I hate sitting around here by myself, but I told Virgil to go into the center and I could just put someone in charge of opening the café today."

Sharon went to the refrigerator and pulled out the bag of salad fixings. "This is too crazy. I can't believe this is happening to one of our kids."

Daisy let out an exhausted sigh and said, "Tell me about it. I must've reminded Raheem to drive he and his sister straight home from school five times this morning."

"And I'll be standing right outside the doors when my two get out today," Sharon said. "Best believe."

At that moment, the back door opened again and Sharon dropped the salad ingredients she held, fortunately, onto the counter.

Daisy saw her shocked expression and asked, "What?" as she looked to her door and saw Marissa standing there.

"Hi," the woman acknowledged them both with forced cheer. "It's good to see you guys."

As usual, Sharon was the first to speak. "Where? In? The? Hell… did you come from?"

"Illinois," she replied meekly. "I guess neither of you have talked to Richie yet."

"Richie knows you're here?" Daisy sounded completely taken aback.

Marissa explained, "I got back last night. I just have to know, have either of you heard anything about Bethie?"

"We've heard an awful lot about her these past few months," Sharon said matter-of-factly. "A lot more than her own mother has. Woman, what do you think you're doing just sneaking back here like this?"

"Sharon, please," Marissa said pleadingly. "I'm not here to fight. I'm already at odds with Richie."

"And who's fault is that?" Sharon said without an ounce of sympathy.

Daisy stood, deciding to intervene at this point. "What Sharon means is that you caught us completely off-guard here. Probably more-so with Richie."

"I know," Marissa responded, "and I promise to deliver a real explanation soon, but right now all I care about is my daughter. Please, help me."

Sharon felt herself soften at that. "Right. Just don't be expecting us to welcome you back into the Mommy Club any time soon."

"And Richie placed some kind of call last night," Daisy added. "It might be a lead."

Marissa ran a frustrated hand through her hair. "I just feel like this is all my fault. But I guess it wouldn't be the first time."

"Marissa," Daisy was careful with her words, "are you all right? I don't mean with just everything now, but with what happened before you even left."

"Honestly?" Marissa folded her arms and appeared thoughtful. "I don't think it's possible for me to ever be all right there. It just feels like someone else's life."

Sharon came over and unexpectedly placed a hand on Marissa's shoulder. "I can tell you right now that I'm familiar with that one."

Without having to think about it, Daisy knew Sharon was referring to her mother, who had been lost when Virgil and Sharon were only children. Not having anything to say or necessarily knowing what to say exactly, Daisy let the pensive silence spread across her kitchen as all three women stood lost in their own individual reflections.

*******

Sean walked down the second floor hallway of the fortress his son called a house. He found every door closed except for one in particular, not too far off from the master bedroom. The robust man entered through the ajar door and found none other than Richie pushed up against a corner by the window, just below the Mario and Yoshi that covered that area of the wall.

The only thing that remained about the nursery from what Sean remembered were the walls and the lonely off to itself rocking chair. After what happened, Richie had destroyed the crib with his own hands and had also dismantled every other piece of furniture. The rocking chair was lucky to have survived the whole ordeal. Of course, Sean got the feeling that if it had been up to Richie, the entire room would have been burnt to the ground if it were not connected to the rest of the mansion.

"Richie?" The only response he received from the younger man was a slow glance up. "Your mother talked to Virgil's sister. Is it true? Is Marissa back?"

Richie chose a question over an answer. "Where's Mom?"

"Downstairs," Sean said. "She sent me to look for you." He walked over closer to him. "You and Marissa are working this situation out, right?"

"No," came the simple sullen reply.

"No?" Sean echoed. He went to stand over his son and said, "She's your wife, Richie. You have a child together. You have to work this out."

"I don't think that's possible."

With a frown, Sean squatted so as to be at eye level with the man who shared his gene pool. "What's happening to you, Richie?" he asked straightforwardly. "Look at you. You're a mess. You think I didn't see that bar downstairs? What's left of it, anyway. When was the last time you had a decent night's rest?"

Richie hugged his knees tighter as he said distantly, "Every time I close my eyes, I hear his screams."

Sean turned confused. "What?"

"I keep hearing his screams and I jump up and fly in here before I even realize what's happening." His voice began to break as he went on. "That's all he had to do was scream or cry and I would have ran to him. I wouldn't have let him die. But he didn't call me or cry out to me. I told him I would protect him from everything."

Knowing precisely who he meant, Sean sighed and said, "There was nothing you could do, Richie. The boy was just too sick."

"I lost my son then my wife," Richie recounted. "And I just feel like I'm going to start hearing my daughter's screams very soon."

At that, Sean commanded, "Stop it, Richard. Stop it right now. We lost Patrick and there's nothing any of us can do to change that. But Marissa is back and she had to have come back for a reason. As for Beth, we will bring her home. This is… it's one of those times you have to have faith, son."

"You talk as if God has any concern for me," Richie said, deciding to face the other direction.

"I thought the same thing at one point," Sean told him. "Your mother and me? We were exactly where you and Marissa are now, but we wouldn't let anything split us up. You and I almost came undone when you were Beth's age. I know you remember that."

Richie spoke without any sign of cheer or satisfaction in his voice. "I guess I really am my father's son."

"No," Sean said with a shake of his head. "Look at everything you've done with your life. You built your own company brick by brick. You and Marissa found yourselves in a sticky situation in college, but you didn't take the easy way out. You got married, had Beth, and stuck it out this long. If you come undone at this point, you won't be able to blame God or this life or anything else. It'll all fall on you."

Richie smiled ironically. "Would you believe that for a split second Marissa and I considered "taking the easy way out" when we got pregnant with Beth? I know we didn't do it and probably wouldn't have when it came down to it, but for just a second we thought about getting rid of our own baby. What kind of man thinks like that, Dad? Maybe it's because of that one second that I lost Patrick. It's why I'm losing everything. And I really don't think I'm strong enough to keep fighting."

Sean got to his feet again, but took a fistful of Richie's shirt and pulled him up along with. "You listen to me right now, Richard Osgood Foley. As many times as you've saved this city from collapsing, now is when you want to throw in the towel? With your own life? Let me tell you right now that I'll be dead before I let you do it."

"I am not a little boy anymore," Richie insisted, grabbing hold of his father's arms. "You have no control over what I do."

Sean actually chuckled at hearing that. "You think I'm thrown by how old you are? Your money? Your power? You may be a success, son, but in my sight you're still that six-year-old who threw a fit when he found out he needed glasses." He looked the picture of firm before he went on with the rest. "If my words aren't getting through then I can take a shot at a whole other end of your body if that's what it takes."

Feeling his eyes widened, Richie said plainly, "You wouldn't dare."

Taking the liberty of shoving his only child face forward against the wall, Sean planted four hard swats against Richie's behind.

It surprised Richie himself when the quartet of blows produced an audible groan out of him. "Okay, you made your point."

"Oh, yeah? Let's just make sure." With that, Sean delivered another four blows before he loosened his grip. "Get it together, Richard. I hear you crying out now and I'm running for you."

Allowing a moment to let the situation sink in, Richie turned around to face his father and even more surprise followed when Sean pulled him into a bear hug. Such a display was as rare as a Big Foot sighting when it came to one Sean Foley. Richie did not fight it, though. In fact, he could honestly feel the strength he needed returning in that instance.

"Could you tell Mom I'll be down in a second?"

Sean nodded as they pulled back. "Sure." He started out.

"Dad?" The older man turned back at his son's summon. "Thank you."

"You're my son," Sean said simply. "There's no need."

When his father walked out, Richie lowered down and reached for his cell phone. He chose one of his contacts and waited for the response.

"Hello?" came his secretary's voice.

"Vivian, hi," Richie greeted. "Listen, there's an organization called the Life League in Aurora, Illinois. I'd like you to donate five hundred thousand dollars to them. Make sure it's done within the hour. Good, thanks."

*******

Jeannie nearly fell off the bed at her cell phone alarm going off. How could it be seven AM already? She opened her eyes enough to see that the sky outside was still dark, meaning it could not have been time to get ready for school. Had she set her alarm wrong? It had happened before. Jeannie glanced at the caller ID on her phone and saw some unrecognizable row of digits. Wrong numbers just had to wait until someone fell asleep.

"Hello?" she answered nonetheless.

"Hello to the Cutie, this is--"

"Beauty?" Jeannie shot up in bed, completely awake now then lowered her voice into a sharp whisper. "Beth?"

"Yeah, it's me, J."

"Oh, my God. Where are you?" Jeannie wanted to know.

"I'm on Argyle and 25th," Beth told her. "I know it's late, but can you please come out here?"

Already up and looking for a pair of pants to throw over her pajama bottoms, Jeannie said into the phone, "I'm on my way. Don't worry and don't move."

Jeannie pulled on a pair of socks and the sneakers she had worn to school earlier that day. She placed her cell phone in its holder and clipped it to her belt. After which she hurried downstairs as quickly yet silently as she could, barely remembering to grab her jacket off the arm chair as she went right out the front door.

Getting on her bike, Jeannie pedaled rapidly to Argyle and 25th. It took her ten minutes to make it all the way. As soon as she got to the adjoining streets, she saw a thin silhouette waving her over and knew who it had to be.

"Beth!" she exclaimed as the two embraced. "I don't believe it. I am so glad you're okay."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Beth assured.

"Where on earth have you been all this time?" Jeannie demanded, anger clearly taking hold now that she knew her lifelong friend was safe. "We have been worried sick."

"I ran to my house for some clothes Saturday night," the older girl explained. "I've been staying at a motel near here ever since."

"You've been at some motel?" Jeannie surmised. "How did you manage to pull that off?"

"With cash up front and bribing the manager not to call my dad," Beth explained as if that was such a normal day-to-day activity. "Oh, and let me guess. D-A-D sent a handful of his employees to find me, right?"

"No," Jeannie said matter-of-factly. "Gear, Static, and everybody else have torn this city apart trying to find you. Beth, your mom is back."

So taken aback, Beth actually had to take a breath. "What?" she whispered.

"Yes, she's back," Jeannie confirmed. "And now she's worried about you, too."

With a shrug, Beth said, "Really? Well, at least she knows what it feels like now."

"You can tell her that yourself. Come on. Let's head back."

"No," Beth denied. "I'm not ready to go back yet, J."

"Beth, you really are completely insane. You can't just stay gone because you're pissed at your parents. It's not just them you're hurting. My mom and Aunt Sharon took off work to help find you. Everybody's been working around the clock, all for you." Jeannie stared at her closely. "Do you get that? Come on. We have to go back."

"She's right you know."

Both girls appeared startled at the new voice. A sudden gust of wind blew through and the pair spun around to find themselves joined by the Flash, wearing his usual made-for-Hollywood grin.

"Flash?" Jeannie and Beth acknowledged in unison.

"Flash in the flesh," he confirmed, taking a small bow. "Evening, ladies. Wow, it's been forever since I've seen you. You two totally grew up overnight."

"I don't believe it," Jeannie said, going over to give the red and yellow clad superhero a tight hug, which he kindly returned.

Beth asked, "What are you doing here?"

"A certain billionaire by the name of Richie Foley sent up a distress call," Flash enlightened. "I managed to find some time in my tight schedule to answer."

Hearing the second piece of unbelievable news for the night, Beth immediately got that old hit with a feather sensation. "My father called the Justice League," she felt the need to repeat the group's name, "the Justice League about this?"

Flash nodded. "Yes, he did, babe. Lucky for you," he glanced around their surroundings, as he did all things, quickly, "it looks like I beat him here."

"Someone else from the League is here?" Beth sounded completely staggered while her best friend on the other hand started beaming.

"Oh, my God. Is Superman here?" Jeannie wanted to know.

"Unfortunately, he's out on assignment," Flash told her then became amused at the slight pout the girl formed at his answer. "But you were warm."

Beth started to speak, but before she could she felt something enfold her ankles tightly, which in turn caused her to fall right over with an, "Oof!"

Jeannie lowered down to the other girl's aid. "Beth? What the…?" She started to touch the black rope that currently had Beth in a tangle but gasped and scooted back as someone else leapt down upon the scene.

The tall, burly figure stepped out of the shadows, revealing Batman, who stated, "Ms. Foley, your father requests your presence."

*******

It had fallen on the Flash to report back to Richie, Gear actually since the man was out on patrol, about the new development, as Batman had his focus on the blonde teenager currently in his captive. When no response came in from Gear, Flash instead tried the other famous Dakota hero.

"Static here," he said over his ear piece.

"Hey, Electrolyte," Flash replied. "It's your old buddy Flash. Bats and I picked up on Gear's smoke signal. Guess who we found."

"Beth," Static realized. "I don't believe it. Oh, wow. Gear must be out of range checking out the train station, but don't worry. He's not too far. Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Flash assured then grew silent for a moment before he tacked on, "and Jeannie's good, too."

Static's initial response to hearing that his daughter, too, was out at two AM was, "Say what?"

*******

Marissa heard indiscrete talking coming from one area of her home as she exited the kitchen with her third cup of coffee for the hour. With Gear out searching the city, sleep had been the last idea on her mind as she spent the evening in pure worry in the mansion alone. She heard the conversation coming from the second floor and after bounding the stairs, the woman took in a sharp breath at the sight of the Flash, Jeannie, Batman, and Beth lined up before her.

"Marissa, hey," Flash greeted with a small wave. "It's been a while. You know, you guys really should lock up your balcony at night. Just a tip."

"Oh, my…" Marissa dropped her mug to the floor, the thick carpeting keeping it from breaking but not spilling it's hot contents. She hurried up to the group of four and pulled her daughter into a tight hold. "Beth, my God. I was so worried. Are you hurt? Are you all right?"

Beth remained stiff in Marissa's grip with arms folded. "I am fine." She stepped back and said accusingly, "I was only gone a couple days. Some of us don't need seven months to cool off."

Marissa felt herself tighten up and merely nodded, knowing she had to give the girl some space. "I can't thank you enough for bringing them both back safely," she said, now to the costumed men.

"Our pleasure," Flash said suavely. He placed a hand on Jeannie's shoulder, causing the short girl to look up at him. "Can't let anything happen to the cuties of the world. It's in the Justice League oath."

Batman said to Marissa, "If you don't mind, I'd like to stay and wait for Gear."

"Of course," she agreed, gesturing towards the stairs. "Just feel free to sit in the living room."

Batman headed down wordlessly while Flash shrugged and decided to zip along after the older hero. Jeannie put a comforting arm around Beth as they went behind them, allowing Marissa to bring up the rear. The gathering of five did not have long to wait, as Virgil and Richie, having rushed changed into their street clothes, came bursting in through the French doors a minute later.

"Jean?" Virgil called.

She shot up from where she sat next to Beth on the couch and answered, "I'm right here, Dad. I'm okay."

Virgil pulled her into a tight hug. "Thank God."

"I'm really sorry," she apologized into his shirt.

"Later," Virgil said simply.

Richie came in next and looked right by everyone in the room to lay his eyes on Beth, who sat in stone silence. "Are you all right?" he asked her plainly.

Without looking up, Beth let off a nod.

"She's fortunate to be all right," Batman chimed up from where he stood over by one of the large draped windows behind the couch. "They both are."

"Say that again," Virgil concurred, giving his own child another squeeze.

"I want you to go to your room. I'll be there in a minute," Richie instructed Beth. "You'll find the windows nailed shut with a security alarm I installed myself."

Genuinely surprised by this, Beth only let it show for a second before she stood and headed up.

"Jeannie?" Virgil said. "Go to Beth's room."

Following suit, Jeannie jogged over to catch up with Beth.

"I just want to say thank you," Richie said, looking from Flash to Batman.

"Just kill the thank you's, okay?" Flash said with a smile. "We weren't too far from the area and we were glad to help."

"Wasn't overly complicated," Batman added on. "It's a typical pattern with runaways. They always get in touch with that one person they believe they can trust. Sooner or later. It was all a matter of waiting for Jeannie to receive the call." The legendary Caped Crusader narrowed his eyes as he spoke all too casually to Gear, "So I hear you're back in uniform. How long before the fear you felt at your daughter's absence over these last days fades and you return to the twisted spiral?"

Richie popped up an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I doubt highly if Beth chose to leave the way she did because things were just too serene around here," Batman went on. "One absentee parent, one emotionally distant. I've seen it time and time again. The child ends up at a crossroads when they can't take it anymore. Unfortunately, they so rarely choose the straight and narrow. And when they walk the road most traveled, that's when they become my problem."

"Okay, Bats," Flash said, zipping over to the black adorned speaker. "You don't know the exact situation so I'm thinking you should just take it down a notch or two here."

"But he's right." Every pair of eyes in the room fell on Richie after he said that. "I mean it. You're right, Batman. Tactless as ever, but right. Things have been at their worst." He glanced at Virgil as he said, "The people in my life tried to warn me," then back to Batman, "but I didn't listen. I know I have miles to go before I can set things straight again."

"Just be sure you're willing to walk those miles," Batman told him. "Because if your daughter does become my problem, I won't approach her with a father's love. I can tell you that much."

Richie appeared firm but sure, Marissa folded her arms and gazed off thoughtfully, and Virgil stood in his own quiet contemplation. He had nothing against Batman for stating the honest truth that needed to be heard. In fact, he appreciated the older hero for it.

At the all too tense silence, Flash slapped his hands together and asked, "Okay, so who wants to check out new photos of the twins?"

Upstairs, Beth and Jeannie sat side by side on the canopy bed, going back and forth from talking about the last two days to staring at their carefully polished toes.

Beth was the next to speak when she said, "I cannot believe he tied me up like some type of criminal and forced me to come back here. Batman is so F-in' full of it, thinking he's always right with that edgy, shadow lurking thing of his."

"So?" Jeannie turned to her. "Do you still have your thing for him?"

"Always," Beth replied with an impish grin.

"Hmmm," Jeannie hummed thoughtfully.

"What?"

"Nothing. Just maybe I should take off so that Superman can come after me."

"Oh, Cutie, he'd fly across the galaxy for you," Beth said surely. "I know it."

Laughter elicited from them both at that point, which silenced as quickly as it began when the bedroom door opened.

Richie stood in the doorway and said, "Jeannie, your dad wants you downstairs."

"Okay," she responded silently. She gave one last glance to Beth before getting up and closing the door after her as she left the room.

"So is she really back?" Beth asked without looking at her father.

Richie knew she meant Marissa. "That's what she says." When Beth did not speak again, Richie continued. "But I'm not here to talk about your mother, Beth. I'm here to talk about you. Do you have any idea how worried I've been? How worried this entire family has been?"

"What family?" Beth shot back finally daring to look at him. "This is the most you've paid attention to me in months, Dad."

"And I know that was wrong, but you couldn't have thought running off like this would make things any better."

"Maybe I just wanted you to suffer a little bit for once."

"You think I haven't been suffering?" Richie retorted. "All you did by doing this was intensify it. I thought some sick piece of shit had grabbed you out there, Beth. You could've been… don't ever do this again. Do you hear me?" When she dipped her head, he demanded, "Look at me," which quickly caught her attention once more. "Do you hear me?"

"Yes," she replied softly.

Calmer now, Richie went on with, "The way things were before around here? It's over. There won't be anymore cutting school or shoplifting or staying out late. In fact, for the next three weeks all you're going to see is your school and this bedroom. What's left of it after I'm done taking out your TV, the sound system, your laptop, your netbook, and the only reason I'm allowing you to keep your cell phone is in case an emergency pops up. Also, if Sharon needs you to watch her kids at any time or if Virgil, Daisy, or Pops need you to do anything, your answer will be yes. After what you put them through, payback is due. In the morning, we'll be talking about the rest of this."

Feeling overwhelmed to the point of near stomach sickness, Beth asked incredulously, "There's more?"

"Oh yes," Richie assured her. "And I already talked to Virgil. Since you two were up so late and since I doubt if you're physically or mentally okay for school, you get it off so we can work this whole thing out. Afterwards, that's the last of the free days you will ever have. Do you understand?"

With a nod, she said, "Yeah, more and more."

Nodding himself, Richie told her, "You get to bed. I'll wake you up at nine."

"Uh huh," Beth responded vaguely, letting everything that had happened in the last hour sink in.

Richie started out but turned back briefly. "You can never do this again," he said seriously. "I honestly think I would have died if anything would've happened to you."

"I'm sorry," she apologized quietly before she even realized the words.

With that, Richie finally walked out. He heard Flash's voices as he went back downstairs and saw the talkative man sitting on the sofa holding his digital camera with Jeannie and Marissa on either side of him. A very bored Batman and amused Virgil stood in the background.

"And this is Andy getting the science fair award," Flash narrated, touring through his photos. "Oh, and here's Drew when he got his black belt in karate. He kicked all kinds of butt that day."

"They've gotten so big," Marissa commented.

"Yeah, and their birthday's coming up," Flash said sentimentally. "It's crazy. I started out with these two little spit-up machines and now I have young men on my hands."

"Where does the time go?" Marissa spoke more to herself than anyone currently present.

"Very endearing," Batman stated deprecatingly.

"Yeah," Virgil said with a playful wink. "I feel like a spit-up machine myself about now." Then he noticed the presence of his best friend. "Rich?"

"I thought you all left," said Richie.

"Flash wanted to show us a slideshow of his kids," Jeannie explained.

"As riveting as this night has been, we really should be going," said Batman.

Marissa decided to go over and hold one of the fronts door open for everyone to leave.

"I have more pics on Facebook," Flash said as he walked out. "Under my secret identity. Hit me up."

Batman offered Marissa a courtly nod as he went.

Virgil gently guided Jeannie towards the door.

"Marissa?" the young girl spoke to the woman. She gave her a hug and said, "I'm really glad you came back."

"Thank you, sweetheart," Marissa said, gladly returning the embrace.

Virgil, although still not pleased with Marissa's decisions, managed to give her a smile as he left with his daughter.

Marissa finally closed and locked the door then turned to Richie. "Is she all right?"

"She will be," he answered.

"Will we?" She approached him with a pair of imploring eyes. "Richie, where do we go from here?"

"I honestly don't have an answer for that," he told her. "But if we are really meant to go somewhere, it's like you said. This will take time." A silent moment came through them. "I will see you in the morning." He walked off towards the stairs.

Marissa could only sigh, "Okay." She hoped this counted as progress.