Disclaimer/Summary: See chapter one.

What's Happening: Dick feel's guilty. Bruce's conscience made an appearance. Formulas and a long list were found. Cass dropped off the radar. Diana was shot. Ollie was an ass. And Raven gave warning. (For more read the pervious chapters, it's what they're there for).

Note: This has been updated and edited as of 10/16/11.

**WARNING: This chapter is very graphic and contains rape! You've been warned.

Happy Reading, Enjoy!

Chapter 11: A Nightmare That He'd Kept From Them All

"Hey, where'd the listy thing go?" Wally asked glancing around for the long lists that were in front of him a mere second ago.

"I don't think they moved, I think we did." Terry replied.

"Where'd we move to?"

"Dunno."

"Hello!" Wally called out into the darkness.

Faint 'Hello''s echoed back to Wally and Terry.

"Cool," Wally grinned. "Hello!" He bellowed. The echoes followed once more. "Did you here that?" Wally asked.

"Hear what," Terry questioned, raising an eyebrow at Wally.

Wally leaned forward the slightest bit, "Someone just called my name."

"You're crazy, I didn't hear anything."

Wally shook his head, "No, I swear someone just called my name. … Hello!" He called again.

'Hello' echoed back, but in between there was the faintest whisper of 'Wally.'

"Ha! I told you!" Wally proclaimed.

"Hearing your name here isn't necessarily a good thing," Terry speculated.

Wally paled immediately as thoughts of what could be calling his name ran through his head. "Um... w-what do you think it could be?"

"By the pitch of the voice, I'd say female." Terry answered.

"That's not what I meant—wait, a girl, I can handle that," Wally stated.

Terry smirked, "Have you met the women in Bruce's family? I'm sure all of them could take you, I'd be worried if I were you. Hell, even the criminals could kick your ass."

"Thanks for that, I'm feeling really confident right about now."

Terry laughed, "I'm just messing with you. ...well maybe not about the women who've been in Bruce's life, well those not one night stands. Anyway, it's Barbra so no need to worry about it."

"Wait, what?"

"The voice who called your name."

"What about it?"

"It's Barbra."

"What's Barbra?"

"Me, Wally." Wally looked to his left where Barbra was sitting in her wheelchair, Clark gripping the handles, and J'onn and Tim standing beside them.

Wally jumped. "Holy crap! You guys scared the bejesus out of me!" He exclaimed placing his hand over his rapidly beating heart.

"This is the worthlessness of metas I was referring to, this type of hero can do nothing for mankind," A deep, gravely voice spoke from the group's left side. Bruce's Evil stepped out of the darkness that seemed to enshroud him, and let himself been seen by Wally and Terry.

Wally's eyes grew wide and he took two stumbling steps backwards. "W-what is that thing?"

"We're Bruce's conscience," explained the small, happy, young Bruce who stepped forward, "he is his Evil and I'm his Good."

Wally's jaw hung slack and he stared at the great Batman-creature before him whose demeanor screamed 'I would take great pleasure in causing you pain.'

"Are you alright?" young Bruce asked. When he got no response from the motionless Wally, he turned to Barbra, "Is he alright, we didn't do anything to him did we?"

Barbra gave Bruce a reassuring smile, "Of course not, he's just a little shaken by your… companion's appearance."

"He is a bit intimidating, isn't he." Bruce nodded tilting his head to the side, looking at his opposite.

"A bit?" Wally inquired incredulously, snapping out of his trance.

The evil-bat stepped forward towards Wally and loomed over him. "You stupid metas fear everything evil, but you don't know the meaning of evil. I would willingly show you what true evil is." the evil-bat threatened, his voice dropping several octaves.

Wally's eyes eyes widened and the other heroes watched in frightened awe.

"Back off, you need to calm down, you seem to be extra mean and bad today, whats up?" Bruce asked stepping between the evil-bat and Wally.

The evil-bat turned it's red-eyed glare from Wally to Bruce, "Nothing. I am enjoying these metas wondering throughout this powerful mind, trying to help where they cannot." The gravely voice was laced with malice and sarcasm.

"You need to accept their help, I believe they can help us, they can help Bruce," Good proclaimed smiling broadly.

"I suggest we keep moving," J'onn said disrupting any further argument.

Clark nodded, "Agreed."

As the group began to move forward following the young Bruce who skipped ahead, Wally turned to Terry to inquire about the evil-bat, but before any question was voiced they were interrupted by Tim.

"I'm sorry, but who the hell are you, where did you come from, and why are you in Bruce's mind?" Tim asked looking pointedly at Terry.

Clark gave Tim an odd look, before seemingly agreeing and turning his gaze onto the new comer. J'onn, interested in the answer as well, focused his attention on Terry too. Barbra stopped herself from slapping Tim as she realize his question was very reasonable. Everyone' attention, including the evil-bat's was on Terry.

Terry gave them all a mock bow, "Terrence Warren McGinnis, at your service."

"Never heard of you," Tim retorted coldly.

Terry raised an eyebrow at Tim's coolness, "A true Bat, never trusting. But it's no surprise you haven't heard of me; as I told Wally, I'm from the future."

It was Barbra's turn to question the ebony haired young man, "Then why are you here, in Bruce's mind," her voice was just as cold as Tim's if not colder; Clark continued to push her wheelchair, but looked down at Barbra with discontent at her harsh tone, he felt bad for anyone who crossed a member of the Bat-Family or those who got on their bad side.

Terry grinned, "Man I'm glad I meet you in real life. But to your question, Bruce and I have met when he's taken trips to the future. I'm not one hundred percent sure why I'm here, but my best guess would be because Bruce has thought much about my existence, who I am, and how I will come about."

"You are Bruce's son are you not," J'onn inquired in his usual passive voice.

Terry took a step, then leap a short way over the ground before pivoting to face his inquisitors, he began walking backwards so he could talk to them face to face. "Yes and no, it's hard to explain, I haven't even reveled that fact to Bruce, it really is very complicated. To tell you what I told Wally: depending on Bruce's life choices will determine my existence or not."

"Alright," Tim said nodding, "Since you're from the future, have we met?"

Terry grinned, "Yes actually, although you're much older than I am—will be."

Tim grimaced, "I get old? That sucks." Clark chuckled and J'onn let a small smile grace his face at the complaint.

Barbra rolled her eyes. "You said we meet?"

Terry nodded, "Hell yeah, but you aren't in—I shouldn't be telling you this, Bruce's whole rule about knowing to much about the future, plus the future I am from is only one possible future, I may not ever exist depending on how events play out."

"Killjoy," Tim muttered.

Terry let out a hearty laugh, "Man, you have no idea how cool it is to talk to you guys when you're young, I mean sure I know all that Bruce knows about you, but it's not the same as having an actually conversation, I only wish I would be able to remember this if my existence ever comes 'round."

"I don't know how you end up the Tomorrow Knight, but I can't wait to see you in action." The evil-bat growled, with a deep rumbling that was similar to a laugh.

Terry's grin grew, "You're just like the old man."

Evil's red eyes narrowed, "Thin ice," he snarled.

Before Terry could spit out his witty response Barbra punched his leg, effectively giving the young man a dead leg and shutting him up; she had to admit, there were many advantages to being in a wheelchair.

"Diana? … Diana?" Cassandra spun in a slow circle in the black abyss hoping to spot the Amazon warrior.

"Ooooo, I love that idea! Hehehe, ha, hahahahaha!"

The dark, familiar cackle echoed around Cass, she peered into the darkness, but quickly shut her eyes as they were flooded with a bright, white light. Cass blinked away the spots and when she moved to rubbed her eyes she found she could not; the training with her father had her instantly still and assessing the situation. She immediately inferred that her hands and feet were shackled, the shackles made of two inch titanium, fitting over her wrists tightly; small bands of titanium secured each of her fingers down, at the middle and at the tips. Leather belts strapped her forearms, thighs, and shins to the slab of titanium she was imprisoned against.

Having assessed that she would not be able to escape, at all, Cass took in her surroundings. Next to her in the same position was Tim and next to him was Barbra, looking to her left, Cass saw Dick glaring at the room's other occupants. Looking past the wall she and the others were trapped against Cass felt a number of emotions wash over her.

Sitting and standing in the room were some of Gotham's worst psychotic criminals. Leaning against the wall with his collar popped high was Hush; Clayface was next to him, his huge form hunched over. A table was pushed towards the far wall and sitting with his feet propped up on the table was the Joker with Harley Quinn standing behind him massaging his shoulders. With the Joker's feet propped near his bird shaped cane, was Penguin, hands folded in his lap with two vultures perched on the back of his chair. At the head of the table sat Ventriloquist with Scarface in his own chair that sat on the tabletop. Hugo Strange sat opposite Scarface at the other end of the table. In front of the table, facing Cass and the others, straddling a folding chair was Black Mask. Sitting in an alcove that could have been a window was the skinny frame of Scarecrow and below him, to the left, Killer Croc sat leaning against the wall. Lastly, lying stretched out on a ripped purple couch was Deadshot, his head propped on the armrest nearest the wall Cass was trapped against.

A light in the middle of the room flickered on a few times before going back out. "Someone fix the fucking light," Scarface snapped. A gunshot rang through the room followed by a ping of a bullet deflecting off of metal. The light flickered once more, swinging from the impact of the bullet, before it stayed on, no longer blinking sporadically.

"No need to thank me you stupid doll," Deadshot drawled.

"Don't fuck with me boy," Scarface barked.

The conversion was lost on Cassandra who was focused on what the lone light reveled. Kneeing on the stone floor, wearing a dirty wife-beater and ripped black sweats was Bruce. His head was hung and his hair matted down; blood, both fresh and dried covered her mentor's body and clothes. The once pink flesh was not only dyed by blood, but colored purple, blue, yellow, and green by growing and unfading bruises.

The remaining un-colorful flesh on her mentor was being rubbed raw by the thick, barge anchor chains that were wrapped around her mentor's body multiply times, secured to the floor by large stakes driven deep into the stone.

"Bruce." It came out as a half growl, half bark, but Cass didn't care at the moment.

The entire room went silent, all eyes of the villains' turned on Cassandra. Cass ignored their stares that rose the hair on the back of her neck and focused on her mentor, she leaned forward in her restraints, but only moved inches, to try and get closer to her mentor. Cass could feel everyones' eyes on her, including her siblings', but the one pair of eyes she wished to meet didn't lift from the floor.

"Bruce!" She called again in that same half bark; but this time a hint, the tiniest hint, of desperation floated within her voice.

The head of onyx hair slowly rose. The villains held their breath unknowingly and waited for the vigilante and young woman to play out the scene the woman had initiated. When his head was up and his face bathed in the dim light, only then did Bruce meet Cassandra's eyes with his own, causing an emotion completely alien to Cass flood her, sending chills down her spin.

The face that generally held the hard, calculating mask of Batman, or the smirk of the infamous playboy Bruce Wayne was now nothing similar to either of the personas. It was a face completely foreign and new to the Bruce Thomas Wayne Cass was used to. The jawline that was once strong and straight, was now slack at a crooked angle with large bruises decorating it. His nose, previously broken in many fights but never having evidence of a brake, was smashed into his face, and beneath the swelling and blood, Cass could tell it was terribly broken. Eyes, now outlined in purple and black, were a dark, bleak grey without a hint of life, the eyes were empty, completely and absolutely void; it was this and Bruce's body language that sent the unfamiliar emotion through Cass. She understood that emotion now, and wanted to cry out. It was fear, pure, paralyzing fear, and for the first time in her life, Cass was terrified, she was trembling with dread of what the next moment would bring, because her mentor, the strongest man she'd ever known, was now a slumped, hollow, defeated man.

Cass shook her head, this couldn't be happening.

"Aw look! Brucie-Boy, you've let her down, you let the pretty little girl down," the Joker pouted.

"I though I was your pretty little girl?" Harley asked.

The Joker jerked his head to face Harley and slapped her across the face, his voice darkened, "Shut up you fucking useless woman." The Joker, ignoring Harley's whimpers, turned back to Cass. "Now that the girl is awake we can get this show on the road. Who's going to start? Me? Aw, gee, thanks guys," the Joker grinned, standing up and straightening his purple and green pinstriped jacket.

"You know the rule you stupid clown, we draw for it." Scarface snapped.

"Stupid clown, thats a good one, but I have one too, Go fuck Ken. … Haha...ha...hahahahaha, get it? Ken? Barbie's boyfriend, cause he's a doll? AH Hahahahahahahaha!" The Joker cackled wildly collapsing into his chair holding his sides.

Deadshot chuckled from the couch, "Hahaha, good one J-Man."

The Joker stopped laughing and sat up, "J-Man. J-Man! Oooo, I like that! Where did you come up with it?"

"Top'o my head," Deadshot shrugged. Cass could tell he had rolled his eyes beneath his mask.

Harley Quinn leaned down over the Joker, "It was a good one Mista' Jay." The Joker shoved Harley away, and she fell into the wall behind her.

"Shut it; let's see who gets to go first," Black Mask said shaking the upside down top hat. Reaching a hand into the hat he pulled out a slip of paper and unfolded it, "Hush, you get to start us out."

Hush pushed off the wall and strode forward, standing next to Bruce he pulled out a gun and placed it against Bruce's temple. "Want me to do it? … I won't though, I want you to suffer for what you did to my mother: you killed her, and now I get my payback, who should I hurt first?" Hush put the gun away and punched Bruce before stepping forward towards Cass and the others. After looking each of them over Hush approached Barbra, stopping in front of her.

"Seven minutes, or until you make her scream," Penguin reminded Hush.

Hush nodded and held his gun by the barrel. "I'm gonna make this hurt." Hush brought the handle of the gun down on Barbra's shoulder. Barbra bit her lip and squeezed her eyes closed. Hush hit her again, Barbra didn't make a noise.

"Hey!" Black Mask kicked Bruce in the back, "You have to watch this, we're doing it for you." Bruce lifted his head and watched Hush continue to beat Barbra.

The six minutes passed agonizingly slow for Cass as she watch the girl who'd helped raise her get beaten, large bruises forming rapidly.

"Time!" The call came from the corner of the room shrouded in darkness. Cass focused on the man and made out his figure, it was the Riddler.

"Nice try! Good effort," called the Joker applauding loudly; Hush went back to his spot on the wall. "Maybe next time."

"I enjoy taking it slow," Hush replied, "makes it hurt all the more."

Black Mask passed the top hat to Strange who drew the next name. "Clayface."

The mass of mud stepped forward and stood before Tim. "Hel-lo Birdie," Clayface greeted in his gravely voice.

Tim looked at Clayface with murderous intent "What's up Shit-fest? Cass held back the smirk that was dying to be released.

Clayface slammed his muddy mass of a hand against Tim's throat, "I'mma break you."

Tim scoffed, "I'd like to see you try." Cass glanced down at her mentor, a flash of pride flitting through his eyes, his expression and body language however, still screaming in agony and hopelessness.

Clayface's huge yellow teeth became visible as his mud-formed lips curled back in a smile. "I'd love to hear you sing your little birdie song." Clayface lifted two of his fingers from Tim's neck. The appendages grew longer and thinned out and began to sway in front of Tim's face like snakes.

"Five and a half minutes."

Clayface rammed the two mud-made-probes into Tim's ears, Cass watched in horror as Clayface began his torture of her younger brother. The mud probes extended from Tim's ears to his nose, each began to sprout other probes, two of which began to attack Tim's eyes. Five probes slithered their way into his mouth and from the way Tim threw his head back and began making retching-coughing noises, Cass could tell they were making their way down his throat and into his lungs and intestines.

"Cut it out!" Dick yelled.

"Shut up boy," Black Mask barked.

"Your time'll come!" snapped Harley surprising everyone, but Clayface who was focused on Tim.

Cass turned her attention back to Tim and clamped her jaw shut; three minutes and fifty two seconds remaining. Clayface, getting frustrated with the quiet Teen Titan, shoved his probes in deeper, mud began to seep from Tim's scalp, nose, mouth, and tear-ducts. Tim's abdomen was moving in an uncharacteristic way, and very rapidly at that, as if something was trying to get out.

"Kill him not, for after you is this lot, and we sure do want a spot," the Riddler chided with his rhyme.

"He's got sixteen seconds left."

Clayface growled and pumped mud to his probes causing them to thicken, slowly he pulled them from Tim's body. Tim's abdomen stopped moving and the mud probes retracted from his mouth, the probes at his eyes ceased trying to pry them open and retreated too. Clayface's two original probes returned to their finger forms and rested around Tim's neck.

"What was that...you were...saying about a birdie song?" Tim wheezed.

Clayface's hand tightened, "Don't worry, we have all the time in the world." He released Tim and while walking back to the wall he had been sitting against he smacked Bruce.

The top hat, which now rested on the floor next to Deadshot, was jostled as Deadshot haphazardly shoved his hand into it, pulling out a slip of paper, he read it, "Yo, reptile man, you're up."

The snap of a jaw echoed around the room and was followed by the sound of scales scrapping against stone. Killer Croc pushed his great form off the floor and into a standing position. Croc snapped his jaw again, looking very much like a crocodile when he did, walking past the other villains, his long claws scratched the floor as he went. "I want you." Cass stilled herself as the monster of a man stopped in front of her, she calmed her heart and took deep breaths.

"Crocodiles have sixty t' seventy teeth. Ya' know how many I have?" Cass did, but she didn't say anything. "Fifty four, all sharp, but unlike a croc mine don't fall out. Did ya' know we crocs have a bite mor'thn five thousand pounds per square inch?" Croc asked letting his reptilian tongue slip between his teeth. Cass didn't answer. "I'm gonna let you find out first hand how that feels."

Croc's tail swept back and forth while he stared at Cass with his yellow orange eyes. Before anyone could move or register what was happening, Croc's crocodile quickness had his teeth in Cass' arm. Cass took regular breathes and didn't make a sound, she slowed her heart and allowed the teeth to dig deeper into her flesh. Croc released and when he moved to face her she was able to see her own blood drip down his yellow pointed teeth. His tongue licked his teeth, cleaning most of the blood off expect for the areas between tooth and gum. Ignoring the tickling sensation of her blood trailing down her arm, Cass looked past Croc and rested her eyes on her mentor, the man who became her only father. Cass' blue eyes met his and she was able to read his hatred, the hatred he had for himself for causing all of this.

Cass felt the sharp teeth break the skin of her thigh, but made no indication that she had felt it. David had taught her pain was weakness and would be the thing that killed her; she had been trained not to feel it, though when she had felt it and showed it, more had been inflicted. Croc continued to bite Cass wherever he could get a good grip with his teeth, and every time he released the flesh he'd lick his teeth clean of her blood before continuing. Cass could hear a few of the other villains speaking quietly to each other and could feel her brothers' and sister's gazes on her, she could feel their support as if they were helping her stand.

"Time."

"Lots'O holes in you," the Joker cackled "You're a holy girl! Get it? Hahahahaha."

When Croc was sitting against the wall once again Deadshot passed him the hat and he pulled Penguin's name.

Without moving his robust form from his chair Penguin turned to his two vultures and spoke quietly to them, seconds later they flew to Dick and rested on each of his arms. The birds began to peck at Dick's face and neck, Penguin stood up and strode around the table and stood next to Bruce watching his "magnificent" birds at work.

"Lovely, aren't they?" Penguin spoke aloud, but his words were directed at Bruce. "You've caused us all so much grief, we thought we'd return the favor with the help of your little soldiers. We're going to make you pay, for everything. You should be ashamed of yourself though, after all, you led us to your brave protégés." Penguin continued to talk to Bruce calmly, speaking of how he and the other's would repay him for everything he'd done.

Before Penguin's time was up though Dick was able to bite one of the vulture's neck, the bird squawked loudly before retreating to it's master's chair. Penguin yelled at Dick and tended to his injured pet, he encouraged the other vulture to finish pulling flesh off of Dick.

Shortly after the bird's retreat Penguin's turn ended and Deadshot was drawn. Deadshot scooted up the couch so that his head hung upside down over the armrest facing Cass and the others. Pulling a pistol from his belt Deadshot fired three times. One bullet embedded itself into Tim's shoulder, near his heart, but not close enough to kill him or cause him to bleed out. Cass received the other two bullets, one entered her leg above the knee and the other hit her Humerus breaking it.

"I'm done." Deadshot said sinking back into his original position on the couch.

"That's it?" the Joker asked incredulously.

"Yep. We've got all the time in the world, why not make the suffering last for as long as possible." Deadshot shrugged lazily.

Cass heard a grunt and turned to look at her younger brother, though he didn't show it, Cass could tell Tim was holding back a barrage of nasty words. "Two for flinching," Cass said. The entire room looked at her in silence.

"Wa'd she say?" the Riddle asked.

"Two for flinching," repeated Strange.

Ignoring the villains in the room Tim met Cassandra's eyes and nodded, taking a deep breath he regained full control of himself and Cass sighed inwardly.

To everyone's surprise Harley's name was pulled from the hat and an argument ensued about her being able to participate. Harley, while the other villains argued, had stood, making her way to the imprisoned protégés, and began to beat the shit out of Dick. Upon hearing the grunts of Blüdhaven's vigilante the villains began to quiet down and watch in awe as the small, thin Harley Quinn railed on Dick.

Tim and Barbra did little to hide their surprise. Cass, though, watched Harley's body, it was practically screaming. Harley was letting out all her pent up energy and anger on Nightwing and there was a lot of it. Harley wanted them, the villains, to notice her as more than just a lovesick sidekick, she wanted to be seen as an equal, and Cass had to admit she was doing a fine job of that, even if she was beating up Dick in the process. Harley stopped for a moment and caught her breath, Scarface opened his mouth to speak, but Harley slipped on a pair of brass knuckles and resumed her abuse of Dick before Scarface could utter a word from his wooden mouth. As the beating continued Cass read something else in the poor girl's language: helplessness, and it hit Cass quite suddenly. Harley Quinn didn't want this, she didn't want to beat the shit out of Dick, of any of them, but the she was becoming as crazy as the Joker and there was nothing she could do about it. As if to prove Cass' discovery Harley began to cackle wildly, a sound identical to the Joker's, if only at a higher pitch.

"That's time," laughed the Riddler watching Harley.

Harley's body and actions told Cass she didn't hear the Riddler; Harley repeated her movements: punch, punch, punch, kick, punch, punch, knee. Repeat.

"Quinn!" Black Mask said forcibly. Still nothing registered with Harley.

"Joker, get your bitch." commanded Scarface.

The Joker scooted his chair back up against the wall, "No way."

"Stop her! Time's up," growled Scarface.

The Joker cackled, "Hehehe, you want her to stop, you can stop her. Hehe. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Hehehe..he..haha...hahahahahahaha. Go Harley!"

"Croc, get the clown's accomplice," Black Mask snapped.

"Thick hide's useful ain't it?" Croc muttered. Croc wrapped a scaly arm around Harley and hauled her backwards, Harley turned her barrage of blows against Croc, "Stop it girl, before I eat you," growled Croc menacingly. The snap of Croc's jaw broke Harley from her trance and she feel limp in Croc's arm, completely exhausted. Croc gave her to the Joker, who hugged Harley happily, cooing sweet nothings into her ear; a smile spread over Harley's face.

"Scarecrow you're up," Strange grinned.

"No thank you, I believe I'll wait, put my name back please," Scarecrow said from his perch.

Strange shrugged and pulled another name, "Scarface."

Without a word Ventriloquist and Scarface rose and made their way to Barbra. "I know what I'm going to do. You're paralyzed, what I want to know is if you can feel below the waist or is it like nothing is there, or is it all just dead weight to you?" Scarface questioned.

Barbra didn't say a word.

[*RATING: M (rape scene)*]

"I''m going to find out. I know you've saved many pretty young things from rape before the Joker got to you, but do you ever really know what they went through? I heard you gave them a card of a rape therapist, but you never really knew what they went through. I'm going to help you with that." Cass watched in horror as Ventriloquist ripped the pants and underwear that Barbra was dressed in, exposing her to everyone present. Barbra didn't move. Ventriloquist released himself from the confines of his pants and trust deep into Barbra. Barbra flung her head to the side and Cass met her eyes.

"NO! STOP!" Dick screamed. Ventriloquist ignored Dick and pumped in and out of Barbra. Cass wanted to look away, to close her eyes, but she couldn't, she conveyed all her support for Barbra through her eyes.

"Stop, please." the voice was quiet, horse, like it hadn't been used in years. The Ventriloquist and the other villains turned to Bruce, where the plea came from.

"You want me to stop?" Scarface asked.

Bruce nodded. "Please, leave them, it's me you want." Bruce was begging, begging for the villains' mercy.

Scarface laughed, "NO!"

Ventriloquist rammed into Barbra as hard as he could, Barbra let out a whimper and tears began to fall from her eyes down her cheeks. "Scream for me," Ventriloquist demanded pounding her. Barbra bit her lip to keep quiet, she shut her eyes tightly to try and escape the reality. Cass felt something wet fall down her own face and realized she was crying too, she was crying for her sister, the woman who had helped her become the person she was today. Cass continued to stare at Barbra, trying to feed her support through her eyes but Barbra's eyes were still squeezed tightly shut.

Ventriloquist placed one of Barbra's legs around his waist for better access and continued his assault, but this last act was the braking point. Barbra let out a bloodcurdling scream. Cass shut her eyes at the sound and wished for it all to go away, she wished it all to be a dream.

[*Original Rating*]

The screaming began to mix with hysterical sobs. Cass opened her eyes willing herself to be sitting on Barbra's bed as her older sister awoke from a nightmare. No longer looking at her eyelids Cass could see Barbra crying like no other girl she'd ever seen. Ventriloquist wore a mad smile and the villains in the room were shouting over each other encouraging Ventriloquist. Cass turned away from her sister and laid her eyes upon her father. Still shackled to the floor by those thick chains was Bruce, only instead of being the lifeless husk he had been moments ago he was now pushing against the chains trying to escape their confinement. Bruce yelled and screamed, but couldn't be heard over the other occupants, the chains rubbed him raw causing him to bleed, but he ignored it. Cass watched her mentor struggle in futile efforts, his eyes reflecting helplessness and rage as he pulled against the chains to try and help his adoptive daughter. Cass could feel tears falling again, only she was crying for her helpless mentor. Bruce screamed in pain, not because of his physical pain or anger, but because he could do nothing to aid his daughter.

Cass looked past him and wished this whole seen away, she wished it to be a dream. Looking at the far wall Cass watched as the wall faded into black darkness. Blinking her tears away Cass strained to see the darkness, she saw thick mist far off in the darkness, but as soon as it focus it disappeared. Cass shook her head and concentrated once more on the wall, nothing happened. Trying to pushed the yelling out of her mind Cass continued to stare at the wall, but to no avail, she couldn't concentrate with her sister's screams and sobs ripping at her ears. Again Cass wished this situation a dream that she would wake up from, and as the wish flitted through her mind the wall faded into the dark area again.

Cass focused on the darkness and saw the mist swirling on the ground once more; and she remembered, before she was here, she had been someplace dark, someplace very dark, and she had been trying to help someone. The dark place was an abyss, it was—it was Bruce's mind, she had been trying to save her father! Realizing all of this, Cass focused on the brick wall once again. This wasn't real, it couldn't be real, she was in her father's mind, not some base of criminals in Gotham; the darkness appeared again, only instead of disappearing it slowly began to grow.

Cass looked around for a moment at the situation she was in, the villains cheering on Ventriloquist, her abused siblings, her poor sister, and her helpless father. Looking at her father's helplessness Cass realized what this whole thing was; it was a dream. His dream. No, not dream. Nightmare. It was her father's nightmare. Darkness engulfed Cass and she closed her eyes and reopened them adjusting to the darkness. Cass found herself free of all her bonds and looked down at herself.

The staggered gashes where Croc had bitten her were still very present along with a pain she was doing very well to not feel. She watched the wounds slowly suck her blood back into her body, the blood stains on her clothing around the multitudes of gouges beginning to disappear as well. Cass looked down at her knee and saw no bullet hole. When all her blood was back in her veins, her clothes returned to normal and she found no wounds anywhere on her body.

A nightmare, it was all a nightmare, a nightmare that Bruce had kept from them all. Cass was overwhelmed with sadness for her mentor and father, if he was having nightmares like this along with the one he'd been having since he was eight, it was a wonder the man was still walking straight. Cass closed her eyes and saw the nightmare flash before her, she opened her eyes, but Barbra's bloodcurdling screams still echoed in her head. Cass shook her head and reminded herself it wasn't real, but the screaming continued to echo within her.

Cass scrunched her face at the noise that would not stop, the unbearable, terrifying screams. Looking into the abyss Cass looked for something to focus on, and did, in the distance she could see the eerie glow of a white tree. Cass began walking forward, but the screaming still continued.

The tree looked like a dead oak that had been bleached white by the sun, but figuring the sun never shown here, Cass couldn't believe it was the sun that had turned the tree. Upon reaching the tree Cass noticed a jean clad leg laying out beneath it, she stopped moving and listened; over the screaming in her head she heard heavy ragged breathing, but could not identify it due to the echoing screams.

Cautiously and silently Cass peered around the tree and found Diana leaning against it, her eyes closed with a bloody hand clutching her abdomen. Moving in front of Diana Cass touched her shoulder lightly still on her guard, one never knew what Bruce's mind would conjure up. The hand lying at Diana's side moved with lightning fast reflexes and gripped Cass' arm with bone crushing force. Diana's eye fluttered open and she met Cass'.

"Cass?" she asked, her voice retaining a slight tremor.

Cass nodded and tugged at her arm, but Diana didn't let go, the look on Diana's face told Cassandra that she had no idea that she held Cass' arm. Cass let the heroin hold her arm, but with her other she slowly pulled Diana's bloody hand from her abdomen.

"What happened," Cass question assessing the damage inflicted upon Diana's abdomen.

Diana struggled to remember, "We…we were out…mugged…fired…Andr—ANDREA!" Diana coughed blood onto her shirt when she'd screamed the name.

Cass reached out and wiped Diana's mouth, "Who were you out with?" she questioned.

Diana took a few short breathes and hissed in pain, "Bruce...and Andrea," when Diana repeated 'Andrea' tears began to fall and she tried to hold her resolve.

"Who is Andrea?" Cass asked, knowing she had to get all the information even though it was causing Diana such pain to speak, and by the look in her eyes, even to think about it.

"Bruce's...our little girl..." Diana paused, she pulled Cass forward by the arm she still unknowingly gripped and looked her in the eye, "She was a little goddess...and—and too young to die."

Cass digested the small amount of information she received and began to pick it part. "Where did you get mugged?"

"Gotham."

"How did you get there?"

Diana tried to take a deep breathe, but only coughed up more blood. "We were in the manor and—and the Joker shot Martha and Alfred, he said Bruce had... just a few days before Thomas would die. I wanted to help... then we ended up on the streets of Gotham and Andrea chased after a cat..."

Barbra's screams echoed in Cass' head and she realized what had happened. Gripping Diana's shoulders tightly Cass looked directly at her, "It was a dream. Diana, it wasn't real."

Diana's brow furrowed in confusion, before anger over took it, "No. Andrea died! I held her when—when Hades claimed her! And I've been shot!"

Cass gave Diana a slight shake, "It was a nightmare. It was Bruce's nightmare. None of it was real Diana, you didn't get shot, we're in Bruce's mind, you couldn't have gotten shot, your body is safe on the Watchtower."

Diana gazed at Cass silently, her eyes slowly softened and the pained look in her eyes retreated. Cass glanced down at Diana's abdomen and saw that the blood was receding and reentering Diana's veins. Cass watched as the bullet holes healed, she met Diana's eyes once more and helped her stand.

Diana didn't release Cass' arm, instead she grabbed the other one. "It was so real." Diana said quietly. "Andrea was so real," tears began to fall down her cheeks, "I watched her die," the pain Cass had seen earlier returned to Diana's eyes. "It was the most horrible thing I've ever experienced, I was so helpless, I couldn't do anything."

Cass simply nodded, like Bruce, she wasn't good with emotions, reading them was one thing, but having to deal with them was something else completely. Cass continued to listen as Diana spoke.

"She told me she loved me, and again before she died..." Diana trailed off and wiped her eyes, "I can still hear her, her strong, innocent voice."

Cass nodded, "I know." Diana raised an eyebrow in question and Cass told her of the nightmare she had witnessed, though she gave the Amazon the abridged version.

Zatanna collided with someone and began to fall, but was caught by a strong arm. Looking at her savior Zatanna met Dick's eyes.

"Ground's not that soft around here." Zatanna turned towards the voice and saw Jason picking himself off the ground.

Zatanna straightened and glanced around, Shayera was helping John up. Next to her Inza and Kent were speaking quietly to each other, and standing next to Dick was Donna. "How did you guys get here?"

"We had been revisiting past arguments and then we landed here," Donna explained.

Zatanna nodded. "We were at Bruce's school."

Dick raised an eyebrow, "Learn anything interesting." Remembering all that she had seen, Zatanna nodded once more.

"Bruce had a rough childhood." A small grin crept onto Jason's face, "We watched him punch the living daylights out of Oliver Queen."

"Oh?" Donna asked curiously.

John stepped in, "Yeah, never seen a fourteen year old take out and eighteen year old. Clean hit, right to the nose, knocked him out."

"Did he deserve it?" Inza asked.

"Oh yeah," Zatanna growled, malice laced within her voice, "Next time I see him I'm going to punch him."

"You shouldn't resort to violence." The melodious voice floated between and around the heroes. They all tensed, ready to fight.

"I agree, it's far too bloody, unnecessary injuries always occur." This voice was a deep baritone, very akin to Bruce's.

"Who's there?" Jason asked the darkness.

"We are not enemies, I promise," the woman's voice reassured.

Kent focused his energy on finding the source of the voices. "I sense nothing."

"We are merely a thought, a memory, you will not be able to sense us," the woman spoke again.

Donna raised a finger and they all followed it. A white wisp of cloud danced in the darkness for a moment before evaporating.

"We've been trying to find you," the deep voice told them echoing in the abyss.

Inza was the next to find the white wisp, only this time it formed a very faint shape, to faint to make out before it vanished.

"We know why you're here," the woman spoke again.

Shayera saw the next misty cloud, though this time the outline of two figures were made out before the darkness swallowed them up.

"Let us see you," Kent requested quietly.

There was silence for along while, minutes ticked by, but then Donna felt a presence behind her, whipping around she surprised the other heroes who followed her movements.

White wisps of mist were churning around one another and seemingly fighting each other to form two figures. As the figures became more shaped they could be see as a man and woman, the mist continued to create the figures and soon the last details floated into place and a fully formed couple stood before the heroes.

The man and woman were more than a striking pair. The man stood six foot in a classic black and white tux. He was beyond handsome, with a strong jaw and a beautiful smile. His ebony hair was slicked back, his bright blue eyes sparkling with mirth and compassion. One of his hands rested over the woman's hand that was tucked into the crook of his arm. The woman, who was petite, wore a dark red dress with a square neck line, a black coat trimmed in fur, and a pearl necklace. Her heart shaped face was framed by blonde curls and her eyes were a deep, deep captivating blue. She was a gorgeous woman with a gentle, caring demeanor. Together the man and woman were elegant. They looked high class, but their soft smiles and welcoming auroras told the heroes they weren't the people who sneered at those of a lower class.

"We've been trying to show ourselves, but it is becoming more and more difficult, we are sorry if we scared you." The voice that was only melodious before, now sounded simply angelic, it was a voice that one would never tire of hearing; it was the voice of heart warming love and compassion.

The man lead his wife forward to the heroes and both moved with such grace and elegance that they looked like to be gliding over the ground. "We would like to help you." The baritone voice, like the woman's was loving, but now that it was heard directly, it was a voice of strength, one that would comfort if frightened or wished for reassurance.

Dick swallowed the lump in his throat. "M-Martha? Th-Thomas?"

The couple nodded and smiled; Martha stepped forward, she reached for Dick's face and though she was made of mist Dick felt warmth and love wash over his body. "You need to forgive each other, I want both of you happy; you are, after all, our grandson." Martha wrapped her arms around Dick, and he began to cry silently. Martha stepped back and tried to whip his tears away, but couldn't because of her insubstantial form. "Why are you crying?" worry laced itself within Martha's words.

The other heroes stepped back to give the three a moment to themselves.

Thomas stepped forward and took his wife's hand, "I believe he is crying for his own parents … and our son."

Martha searched Dick's eyes, "Why do you cry for him?"

Dick found his voice and spoke shakily, "He lost such wonderful parents, he had to watch you die when he was only eight."

Martha smiled sadly, "But he lived through it. We died for him, and would do it again in a heartbeat."

Thomas placed a hand on Dick's shoulder and though it wasn't physically there Dick could fell it the same way he'd felt Martha's hand on his face. "You have been through the same thing, you should not fret so much."

"I didn't watch my parents fall to their death, I only saw the aftermath of the fall. I know Bruce watched you die, he watched the life leave you. I know. He'd have nightmares every night, he still does, from what Tim tells me."

Martha nodded solemnly, "I know. We have caused him so much grief and pain."

Dick shook his head, "No you haven't, it wasn't you. Bruce loves you, he knows you'd never cause him any pain."

"But we have," Thomas said.

"No, trust me on this, like you said, I have experienced the same thing," Dick argued.

Thomas nodded, "Very well. I suggest we get moving before Martha and I are no longer visible."

The other heroes rejoined Dick and followed Martha and Thomas further into the abyss. Donna stopped next to her boyfriend and noticed his tears had once again continued. Donna didn't say anything, but enveloped Dick in a hug, he fell into her and wrapped his arms around her in response. They stayed like that for a few moments before Dick spoke, "They remind me so much of mom and dad." Donna leaned back and whipped his tears where Martha could not. Donna gave him one more hug before taking his hand and leading him in the direction of the others.

To be continued…

Note: Reviews and constructive criticism are always welcomed; no flames though. Check out my one-shot.

-Jopo :)