It took Conner about a week to tell the story of how this note Dick was currently looking at came into being. He didn't say who Shadow was, of course, but now he knew the full story, he could fill in the gaps.

()()()()

Sitting upon a roof, Shadow simply sighed. It was all she could do. The Team had once again come in to try and do her work and it was quite annoying.

Slinking down into the shadows, she leaned against the corner of a building when Bumblebee was knocked out of the way by a large man. Jumping into action, she kicked him between the legs, got a pair of handcuffs out and attached him to a light pole.

"You ok?" Shadow pulled Bee up.

"Yeah. Thanks. Are you new around here?"

"Sort of." She started to move away, as more of them turned up.

"Nice kick. Who are you?" Nightwing smiled at her, admiring her technique.

"Shadow." She continued to back up.

"You live here?" he asked interestedly.

"Yeah."

"What is that smell?" Of course, let's make it worse that she stupidly wore the same perfume that her best friend gave her for her birthday a few years back.

"There's a park just over there with lots of flowers in it."

"How long have you been a hero?" Conner looked at her.

"Since last year. Some stuff just made me the way I am." She continued to back up. "And like shadows in the dark, I'm gone." She stepped into the shadows and climbed up a wall.

"Whoa!" Conner grinned as everyone looked around, amazed.

"Why did she remind me of someone?" Nightwing asked questioningly.

"Because you're whipped?" Robin replied, causing snorts of laughter.

()()()()

Sitting in her room, Cadence tapped away as she typed an email to Bruce.

Dear Bruce,

I hope all is well…

Not being able to write anymore, she quickly exited out of the letter and spun around.

"Conner, I thought Superman taught you to be nice to a lady?" She saw him sitting on her bed, watching her intently.

"How so?"

"One usually knocks before coming into a female dorm room."

"Ah." He grinned. "So, I didn't tell them."

"I didn't expect you to." she stood up and looked at him.

"Will you tell them?"

"No. I've decided… I'm not like you. Or Dick. Or Megan. I'm me. Cadence. I'm not Shadow. I might have done some training here and there but… I'll leave the hero work to you guys."

"When?"

"Whenever I feel the need to stop."

"Translation: whenever Dick stops being Dick." Conner yawned. "So… can I give him a message from you?"

"From Shadow sure. He seemed interested enough to read whatever she has to say." She wrote something down on a piece of paper. "Have a good journey back." She handed it to him. "Thanks for the back up too."

"No problem. Have fun… moonlighting and studying." He opened her window. "Be safe." He looked at her as he hung a leg out the window.

"I'll try."

()()()()

Roses are red
Violets are blue
You have to know Shadow
Because she knows all about you

He looked at the note, and then looked over at his bed. Shadow was Cadence. Cadence was Shadow. The smell was the perfume he had bought her for her 17th birthday.

"What are you staring at?" She stared back at him.

"Uh. Nothing." He shoved the note under the pillow.

"Right." She got up and stretched out. "I'm sure it is."

Ta Da! There is some stuff cleared up. Sorry for any confusion about the whole Shadow deal. But, if you figured it out already, it's all good. Ok, question: how should I go about time jumps? Thank you to all who have reviewed (hi fives ALL ROUND BUDDAYS!) keep those ice cream favourites rolling in! LMBF xo