The sound of the door sliding open startled me awake. I had my head resting on Kal's shoulder. When I had fallen asleep or how we had gotten so close I couldn't remember. I pushed myself away as Dick, Wally and Artemis walked in.

They were outfitted in gear similar to mine. Wally wore less armor, I assumed because he could move quicker without it. Dick had his wrist device, though it looked different from the one I remembered Robin using.

"We're ready," Dick said. "The two of you look… well rested."

Kaldur glared at him and stood up. He offered me his hand but I was already pushing myself to my feet.

"Well, we could have helped you prepare," I snapped. "But you were the mature adult who left us in here."

Wally grinned. "That's Dick; the mature adult."

"Don't encourage her," Dick grumbled.

"Well we could have used their help to get stuff ready. I, personally, did not enjoy having to test that the motion activated gun turrets. We could have used Kaldur! But no-o you had to leave them—"

"Enough, Wally," Artemis snapped. "We have to leave now if we want to get to Happy Harbor under the cover of darkness."

"Do we still have the bioship?" I asked.

The team stared back at my bleakly. In the end it was Dick who spoke.

"With Megan gone the bioship had no one to care for it," he explained. "It's been unusable for a long time."

"It… died?" I wouldn't have thought I would be sad about the 'death' of the bioship. But I was. Just one more thing that the Apokoliptians had taken away.

"We're leaving," Wally said, glancing at Kaldur. "Come on."

"Where are we?"

I was sitting next to Kaldur in what had once been a city bus. Dick had said as we boarded that they had outfitted it to infiltrate areas plagued by Darkseid's minions and safely extract civilians.

"Halfway to Happy Harbor," Wally responded from his position behind the wheel. He flashed me a quick smile. "Don't worry Cay; I know exactly where I'm going."

I nodded and looked out the window. The landscape hadn't changed since we left Metropolis; it was as barren and dead as ever. Kaldur shifted beside me and I turned back to him. He looked hurriedly away.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Nothing."

Nothing my foot. It was the team. The whole ride Artemis had been glaring at the back of Kal's head and Dick was no better. If he thought I didn't notice his dark looks in our direction he was an idiot. I would have bet any money the only reason Wally wasn't joining the Hate-Kal party was because if he looked away from the road long enough to glare at him the bus would have ended up in pieces in the waste that lined either side of the road. All in all, they were really pissing me off.

I turned around in my seat and fixed Artemis with a withering glare. She gazed back, unblinking.

"Stop," I snapped, turning my gaze on Dick. Unlike Artemis, he looked away. "He's here to help."

"And what are you going to do?" Artemis growled, dropping her eyes to fiddle with her bowstring. "I'll glare at him all I like."

"Leave him alone," I warned.

Kal placed a hand on my shoulder. "Cay, please."

"It looks bad to have a girl fighting your battles, right Kaldur," Artemis leered. "The mighty savior of Atlantis can—"

"Artemis, enough," Wally said, casting a quick glance over his shoulder. "Leave him alone. Or do I have to send you to the back of the bus?"

"No need, Bus Master," she replied, rising from her seat and stalking to the final row of seats. "I can tell when I'm not wanted… unlike some people."

"Wally the Bus Master… I like the sound of that," he laughed.

After hours of driving the bus slowed to a stop on a particularly bleak stretch of road as the sky began to darken. Wally turned in his seat and looked back at the rest of us.

"We walk from here," he said. "Wouldn't want to let them know we're here before we have to, right?"

"Who, or what, exactly are we dealing with?" I asked. "Parademons?"

Kaldur slid out of the seat and offered me his hand. "If parademons are the worst of what we face, we are lucky. Do not worry about them."

I took his proffered hand and he pulled me to my feet. He was right. I didn't want to know what was worse than the parademons.

Kaldur released my hand as I marched down the narrow aisle of the bus towards the door.

"Do we have a plan?" I asked as Artemis fell into step behind us.

"I don't see why we should even bother when some of us never stick to them," Artemis snapped casting a meaningful glance at Kaldur.

I shot her a nasty look but didn't reply. Instead, I turned to Dick.

"How far away from the Cave are we?"

He tapped away at the device on his wrist as we all filed off the bus.

"We're approximately five miles out. As to a plan… Wally will scout the area before we move in. Then we'll split into two groups, you and Kal, Artemis and me. You and Kal will follow what used to be the shoreline of the harbor. There's enough debris to provide adequate cover if you're attacked. Artemis and I will take the inland route through what used to be the town. Wally can move between us as he pleases and serve as a communicator."

I shifted uneasily. "Should we really split up?"

"Any lookouts are more likely to notice five of us than two of us," Wally reasoned. "Running around in a big group is just asking for trouble."

Kaldur placed a hand on my shoulder. "We will reach the Cave."

I crossed my arms across my chest. This whole plan screamed bad idea. "In one piece?"

Kal and I moved slowly up the shoreline. What had once been the sparkling contents of the harbor now stagnated in a sludge-like state, lapping at the concrete blocks and metal supports that we walked across.

Ahead of us Mount Justice loomed through the smog that seemed a permanent part of the atmosphere. The peak looked different than I remembered. In this world it was more jagged, severe.

As we continued up a stony embankment an inhuman scream pierced the silence. Kaldur froze as it slowly died away. My heart in my throat I pulled myself up beside him.

"What—" I began.

He cut me off with a swift shake of his head.

We waited. It seemed like hours; my heart pounding, ears straining for the faintest sound. Nothing came. Finally, Kal relaxed beside me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"There are many things that wander through this place. Let us move on and—"

The scream that cut him off was different than the one before it; less animalistic, more gleeful. And it sounded closer.

Before I had time to react Kaldur had my hand in his and was towing me along the length of the embankment. As we neared the end I realized what we were actually standing on. The burnt out shell of a transport truck. Most of the trailer had been buried in rubble and the cab was barely visible under the dense, black weed-like growth that dominated most of the landscape. The glass in the driver's side window was gone and as whatever it was screamed again I released Kal's hand and wriggled through.

He followed close behind.

The inside of the truck was dark. The dull, red glow coming from the exposed window did little to illuminate us or the interior; and for that I was thankful. The smell was rank and overpowering, but as the crunching footsteps of our pursuers approached I couldn't have cared less.

I looked questioningly at Kal. He raised a finger to his lips. I nodded.

"Where are they?" a female voice demanded from outside of the truck.

Kal looped his arm through mine. I closed my hand around his forearm and leaned into him. If I was going to die, at least I didn't have to worry about being embarrassed about clinging to him afterwards.

"Here, here, here, here," another, higher pitched female voice sang out. "All here!"

There was a thud from above us. I tightened my grip on Kal. He was too focused on the people outside to notice.

"Yes Harriet, we are all here," the first said slowly, as if talking to a child. "But where are the heroes?"

There was silence for a moment as the roof above creaked.

"Gone," Harriet said gleefully. "Gone, gone, gone."

"She's lost them," a third voice declared. "Lashina, I knew we should have brought Artemiz. Those mangy mutts of hers come in handy, on occasion."

"Not lost!" Harriet screamed.

"Quiet," snapped Lashina. "We're moving on. They can't have gone far."

"Can't have gone far. Haven't gone at all," Harriet muttered angrily.

The crunch of their footsteps resumed and slowly faded away into the distance. Every now and again Harriet would cackle madly or let out a low keening cry. It chilled me to the bone.

As soon as I was sure they were out of earshot I released my grip on Kal's arm and shuffled away from him. The truck cab wasn't very big and we were still too close for my liking. The heat his body gave off was distracting. As was the way his muscles rippled beneath the thin film of his shirt.

"What were they?" I asked, leveling my gaze with his.

He shifted to a slightly more comfortable position; closer to me. "Three of Darkseid's personal guard. The Furies. They've been patrolling this area since Granny Goodness returned to Apokolips."

I didn't bother asking who Granny Goodness was. I didn't want to know. Just one more person that most likely would want to kill me if I ever happened to run into her.

"They were looking for us," I said flatly.

"So it would seem," he replied with a small shrug. "I did not count on the three of them banding together to hunt. They generally work alone when patrolling."

I tucked my knees up to my chest and leaned back against the rusted metal interior. "Will they go after the others?"

Again, he shrugged. "They may, they may not. If they were tracking us I would assume they will continue to do so."

"Well don't you two look cozy," interrupted a familiar voice.

I looked up and frowned slightly as Wally's face appeared in the opening of the truck cab.

"'Cozy' would not be my first choice to describe our circumstance," Kaldur replied.

"Well, cozier than Dick and Artemis," Wally shrugged. "They're being followed by three separate groups of parademons. You two need to hustle. They're going to need help."

Kaldur looked stormily up at Wally and began to pull himself towards the speedster. "Dick made it quite clear that we were to follow—"

"Kal," I interrupted, "they need our help."

"And you need to be returned to your world."

I gritted my teeth. He had no idea how much I wanted to make that my first priority; but Wally, Artemis and Dick… they were still my friends. I could never leave them behind. No matter how terrible they had been to him.

"Wally, tell Artemis and Dick that we're on our way," I said, ignoring Kaldur's indignant snort.

"They're twenty minutes east of where we are now," Wally informed us, moving away from the opening as Kaldur and I wriggled out of the cab. "There are parademons north, south and northwest of their position."

Kaldur watched him wordlessly; his face an impassive mask.

"I'll take out the group to the north," Wally continued, "that will give you a path in to meet up with Dick and Artemis. The five of us should be able to easily handle the rest."

"And what about the Furies?" I asked.

Wally's face paled. "They're here?"

"Three of them," Kaldur growled. "Lashina, Mad Harriet, and the third… I could not tell who she was. They were the reason we were in the cab of the truck."

"How long ago did you see them?"

The fear on Wally's face scared me. If the Furies were that dangerous we were in trouble.

"Perhaps fifteen minutes ago," Kaldur replied. "They were following the shoreline."

"The others need to know."

"Wally, wait—" I began.

But he was already gone in a blur of black.

I turned to Kaldur. "We should follow him."

"If that is what you wish."

"That is what I wish," I snapped. "Why are you so willing to leave them to fend for themselves?"

He ignored me and began picking his way through the rubble in a direction I assumed was north. I followed after him, jogging to catch up. When I was within grabbing distance I closed my hand around his wrist. He turned to face me his mouth set in a thin, angry line.

"Why, Kaldur?" I asked in a small voice.

"Because they can fend for themselves," he growled.

"They sent Wally to find us. They need our help."

"They will be fine." He stomped off, wrenching his hand from mine.

"They won't," I said stubbornly. "With the Furies running around and the parademons they won't make it. We need to find them."

Kal walked on. "Wally will be able to eliminate one of the groups of parademons. Artemis and Dick will be able to sneak through before the other groups close in. The Furies will still be following the shore. They believe that is the way we will travel. You and I are going to Mount Justice."

I planted my feet and crossed my arms. I was sick to death of this world. I couldn't understand it. Kaldur's willingness to leave the team behind to die so that we could escape was the last straw. He wasn't Kaldur. Kaldur would never stand by and let something like that happen. I was living proof of that.

"I am not going home knowing they died because I didn't do anything."

He turned and glared at me, his hands balling into fists. "If we aid them we will not make it to Mount Justice. The Furies will notice if we confront three patrols of parademons. They will wait for the soldiers to exhaust us and then they will move in for the kill."

I stalked up to him and glared up at him. "Then that's how it goes. At least we tried."

"I have already watched you die for them once!" he roared, grabbing me by the shoulders. "I will not do so again!"

I stared up at him in shock as every bit of anger drained from his face. His hands dropped to his sides as he turned away.

"I am sorry."

"Kal… I know you want to keep me safe," I said quietly, "but they need our help. Please, you can't just walk away. They're our friends."

He sighed as he turned back to me.

"We must make haste," he said wearily. "Wally will not be able to hold them indefinitely."

I nodded and we resumed our march; heading in the opposite direction.

After twenty minutes, or so of walking Kaldur ground to a halt; his hands on the hilts of his waterbearers he turned to me.

"Did you hear that?" he asked in a low voice.

I shook my head and drew my baton from the loop at my waist. Then the noise reached my ears - a crack, followed by the sound of loose rocks tumbling down the metal struts around us.

"Did you hear that?" a familiar voice echoed. "Indeed, Aqualad, I heard, I heard. Harriet heard."

"Mad Harriet," Kal hissed under his breath. "Cay, stay close and whatever happens do not let her—"

He fell silent as a slim, green haired woman sauntered out of the shadows of a ruined building. She cackled, waving coyly; three wickedly sharp claws glittered menacingly between her fingers.

I paled and took a few steps towards Kaldur. He had activated his waterbearers, a mace in his right hand a sword in his left; he stared coolly at the Fury before us.

With a wild screech Harriet launched herself at him, electricity arcing down her claws as they clashed with the water constructs. I stumbled away from the two of them and ignited the gel that had begun to gather on my hands and arms the moment Harriet had arrived. The flames slowly moved down the baton until it too was engulfed in flames.

The fight couldn't have lasted more than a thirty seconds but it felt like an eternity watching the two of them struggling to land some sort of hit. Harriet danced around him, jabbing and slicing, her hands moving faster than I thought possible. But somehow Kal always got his guard up in time.

As Harriet made one more erratic swipe at his stomach Kal brought his mace up and sent her careening back into the building she had come from. I exhaled slowly, thinking it was over, but Harriet was on her feet in a matter of seconds.

"No fun," she huffed, glaring at Kaldur. "No fun at all. Maybe your friend will be more obliging."

The wild eyed gaze that met mine set my teeth on edge. She was dangerous. That glance told me all I needed to know and more. She wanted nothing more in the world than to kill. Me or Kaldur, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that someone would die by her hand.

She rushed me in the same way she had rushed Kal, I brought my baton up and caught her claws as she made to slash open my belly. I could dimly hear Kaldur shouting but I was so focused on not dying that what he was doing was really no concern to me. As she jumped back to prepare for another attack I lofted a ball of flaming gel at her with my unoccupied hand.

Sliding out of its path she giggled as it flew harmlessly past her head.

"Silly little girl, I'm not—" she was cut off as a wall of water crashed into her, throwing back twenty, no, thirty feet. I leapt back, narrowly avoiding getting soaked myself.

I turned on Kaldur. "Kal!"

"Engaging her is far more dangerous than you realize," he growled, stalking past me as Harriet raised herself to her feet. "Go find Wally. I will hold her back."

"No one leaves!" Harriet cried, her green hair hanging in limp, sopping clumps. "Everyone dies!"

She raked her claws across the air in front of her and cackled. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kal raise a brutal looking mace in both hands. I increased the gel production on my arms and hands. The flames leapt higher, crackling hungrily as Harriet leapt towards us.

Kal stared at me darkly. "Cay. Go."

I cupped my hands, the gel gathering and seeping through my fingers. I wasn't going anywhere. And then I was falling backwards. My head hit the ground with a painful crack and white spots danced before my eyes. The flames on my arms went out with a pitiful sputter as I rolled to my hands and knees.

"Kal," I hissed under my breath, "you idiot."

He had his mace locked with Harriet's blades. Then the weapons disentangled themselves and the fight resumed. Harriet slashed at Kal's belly. He dodged and his mace swung up and caught her in the ribs. She flew back and landed like a sack of potatoes amongst the rubble. She didn't get up.

Kal turned back to me angrily.

"What are you doing?" he asked, striding back to me and pulling me to my feet. "Run."

I swayed for a moment and closed my fingers around his arm, not wanting to fall again. "Is she dead?"

He shook his head. "She is not that easy to kill."

"Then work with me!"

"I will not allow you to put yourself in danger."

I clenched my jaw. "Not your decision Kaldur'ahm."

He regarded me for a moment and then laughed humorlessly. "I have never heard you call me Kaldur'ahm. Are you angry?"

I stared at him blankly. "No, I'm not angry. I'm frustrated. There's a difference."

"Do they not generally go hand in hand?"

Harriet shifted in her pile of rubble, a soft gurgle escaping her lips. I shot Kaldur a worried look.

"You are ready to go?" he asked with the smallest hint of a smile.

I scowled. "You're coming."

He looked as though he was going to respond but I tightened my grip around his wrist and dragged him after me as I broke into a jog.

Kaldur and I almost made it to where we were supposed to rendezvous with Wally. We would have made it too, if we hadn't had to cross the river.

I have a problem with anything aqueous even if it's sparkling and clean. The river Kaldur wanted me to wade across was dirty and fetid. The smell made me gag. And I couldn't cross it. Even if I had wanted to.

"It is the fastest way," Kal said patiently.

"And if I wade through I'll be wet and slimy," I pointed out.

"But we will be on the opposite bank and one step closer to getting into Mount Justice." He paused. "One step closer to sending you home."

"And I'll be useless if we run into anything mean and nasty."

He ignored me and took a step toward the river, sliding his hand into mine. "We will be fine,"

I dug my heels into the dirt and bit my lip.

"Kal—" I began.

"Cay," he interrupted warningly. "Trust me."

And then the ground shook. It couldn't have lasted more than a few seconds but the violent shudders that rippled through the dirt beneath my feet were decidedly ominous. When they had stopped I looked over at Kal worriedly.

"What was that?" I asked.

He shrugged and fixed me with a steady gaze. "I would rather we not wait around to find out."

"Then we'd better find a way across this river that doesn't involve me getting sopping wet," I said crossing my arms and looking across at the opposite bank.

Kaldur grumbled something I couldn't make out.

I turned to him. "What—"

In one fluid movement he scooped me off my feet and was striding down into the river.

"Kal!" I protested, wriggling in his grip. "Stop!"

"You will be fine," he said, calmly stepping into the water. "I will not let anything happen to you."

"Kal, I trust you. But if you get me at all wet I will beat you."

I wrapped my arms around his neck and tucked my knees as far away from the roiling muck that bubbled around his waist as possible.

He chuckled and tightened his grip. I leaned into his chest as he waded across the river. The water sloshed around Kal's legs as he strode through and I remained safely above.

It was over far too quickly for my liking. But all good things must end and Kal lowered me to the ground when we were safely back on dry land.

"Thanks," I muttered, straightening my arm guards, not meeting his eyes.

Nodding, a small smile on his lips, he walked on. "Come, this way."

We had been making steady progress towards where Wally was waiting when I heard something disturbing the rubble behind us.

"Kal," I said warningly.

"I heard it," he replied quietly, stopping in his tracks and turning back to me. "I had hoped Harriet would return to her comrades. It would seem she has not."

"Can we outrun her?"

He shook his head. "We would only succeed in tiring ourselves."

"Then we fight," I said, moving a step closer to him.

"Indeed. She is already wounded. Perhaps, between the two of us…" he trailed off.

I drew my baton out from the loop in my belt where I had stowed it after our last run in with Mad Harriet. The gel coated my arms and moved up the handle to the shaft. With a click of my rings flames burst into life, greedily consuming the gel.

Kal drew his waterbearers, his gaze fixated on the narrow path we had followed between the shells of two collapsed apartment buildings. Turning to me he smiled slightly.

"Do not—"

The blade that buried itself in his back silenced him.

I couldn't get to him fast enough.

A/N: I am so sorry for taking so long to update. I've been busy with things and I couldn't quite decide where I was going with the story. I have now though and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I promise it won't take as long for the next one, ha ha ha.

Happy reading!

V.K.