Nightwing had gone looking for Avery the second he finished watching over the footage of the therapy session, despite the late time of night. As expected, she was sleeping in her bed. It looked like she was fighting off a nightmare, but until she woke up there was nothing he could do. Being woken up in the middle of a nightmare doesn't help, he would know. The end decision was to talk to her in the morning. So Nightwing went back to his room to piece together the remaining hours until sunrise into some semblance of peaceful sleep.

.:Back to Life:.

Avery glared into her bowl of brightly colored breakfast cereal. She was up at sunrise, trying to get back to her normal schedule when not walking around at night.

"What did the cereal do to you?" Nightwing asked as he entered the kitchen, noting the girl's death glare.

"Nothing," Avery sighed and pushed the front of her hair back, resting her elbow on the counter in the process.

"Long night?" Nightwing questioned as he pulled the milk out of the fridge for his own bowl of cereal.

"Something like that."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. The only sounds in the kitchen were the ones of chewing and spoons hitting the sides of bowls. Nightwing was trying to decide if the blunt approach would be best while Avery was deciding how quick she could run out of the room before more words were exchanged.

Finally Nightwing just decided to get it over with and swallowed the bite of cereal he had been chewing for a straight minute. "I'm just going to be blunt here, so hear me out. You've been through a lot in your life, most of which I still don't know about. So I just want to make sure you're, y'know, alright."

Avery had waited patiently for the Team's leader to finish. "So you are trying to make sure I am not a complete mental case?" Avery was blunt in her own manner.

"That and that you are actually alright. Not just mentally, but emotionally too."

"Thank you for caring so much, but I came to terms with everything that has happened a long time ago," Avery kept her gaze on chasing the last pieces of cereal in the bowl around with her spoon.

The vigilante put his spoon down in his bowl, making sure all his attention was focused. "Avery, that's not what I meant. Coming to terms with something is different than being alright. There can be post-traumatic stress, sadness, even anger when it comes to losing those close to you." Nightwing was about to say more but he was cut off.

Avery dropped her spoon down, causing a little splash of milk to fly out of the bowl. "I am going to make one thing very clear. I am not sad. I am not angry. I am bitter." Small flickers of anger flashed in her eyes as she raised her voice.

"Why?" Nightwing probably shouldn't have been prodding her, but this is one of the most emotional reactions she's had to something yet.

"I am bitter at the hand life has dealt me. If I had the choice, I would not be in this situation."

"What would you describe your situation as?" He prodded her further.

"A girl stuck at fifteen, although older than most others on the planet? A girl whose family has been ripped away from her by force, along with any semblance of a normal life? A girl who does not know if the cursed abilities keeping her alive will last another day? Take your pick." With that she stood up with force, her chair screeching its protest against the tile floor, and left the kitchen.

"Real asterous there, Dick," Nightwing muttered to himself as he cleaned up both his and Avery's cereal bowls.

.:Back to Life:.

Bart woke up next from the few members sleeping in the Cave that night. He had found the drawing from Avery, or Cy as he personally calls her, and chuckled a little at the note on the back. Without a second thought he grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled a note to slide under her door in turn.

He sped down the hall to Avery's door and was about to slip the note under the door when a noise to his right stopped him. Robin's door slid open and out stepped Robin himself.

The bird quirked an eyebrow at the sight of seeing Bart ready to slide a piece of paper under Avery's door, but he didn't ask a single question as he walked away.

When Robin's retreating figure was finally out of sight Bart finally slid the piece of paper under the door. For some reason the note passing seemed like playing secret agent. Making sure you passed the message and didn't get caught in the process. It was fun.

Avery laughed slightly as the piece of paper was slid under her door, allowing some of the remaining dredges of anger to disappear. The letters of the note dragged together, like the writer was scribbling down the words too fast. It created an odd mix of cursive-print writing.

"I think you still owe me one. I delivered a soda and laughter, free of charge. –Bart"

The black haired teen flipped the paper over to the blank side and grabbed a pencil from her desk. She scrawled out a reply before slipping it back under Bart's door.

Bart didn't see the message until he was done with breakfast. But once he saw Avery's measured cursive a smile graced his features.

"Wrong. You got a free original drawing, which has to count for something. You still ruined my pastels by the way (and I'm still picking sand out of my hair). –Cy"

The notes continued throughout the day, no matter how long it took between normal activities to reply.

"Thanks for that; it's crash. But you said you didn't like those. And please do tell me, who is the model and inspiration of that picture? –B"

"You are welcome. I do not, but now I still cannot use them anyways even if I wanted to. Do not go getting a big ego now. –C"

"Well sorry then, but I can't fit a soda under your door to bribe for forgiveness right now. My ego is moderately sized, thank you very much. –B"

"Then knock on my door to give it to me, genius. So your ego is only the size of New York City, rather than New York State? –C"

"Thank you, Captain Obvious, for your wonderful observation. I take offense to that statement. –B"

"You are welcome, Private Sarcasm; I still want that soda if you would not mind. I am sorry (please bring me a soda). –C"

"Why did I get demoted? You're the newbie here. I hope you like orange soda, we're out of cola."

"Fine. Major Sarcasm? Thank you for the soda, orange is actually my favorite anyways."

"I'll take it; has a nice ring to it. You're welcome, but now you owe me one for the soda."

"Of course it does. Fine, but do not cash in that favor anytime soon."

"Now who has the big ego? Why?"

"Still you. I just do not want to have to get up besides the note passing."

"Offense taken, again. You're pretty lazy, huh?"

"I am sorry. Would the excuse about sore muscles work in this situation?"

"You're forgiven. Not a chance."

"Neat, I can go on living happily again. Darn, well then how about 'I just do not want to'?"

"Hey, don't go taking my spot as Major Sarcasm. How about 'no'? P.S. 'Darn' and 'neat'? That's not what the whippersnappers say nowadays."

"You can keep it, I like being Captain Obvious. You are lucky puppy-dog eyes do not work through note passing. Are you making fun of my age?"

"It fits. Why? Would I succumb to a puddle of mush for you to mold? Maybe."

"Should I take offense to that? Maybe, I will spring it on you later, see if it will work. Respect your elders."

"Your call really. What'll that move be called? 'Secret begging technique'? Yes ma'am."

"This time I will not be offended. Perhaps, it is a little lengthy. Hush child."

"I'm so scared for next time, practically shaking in my sneakers. We'll work on it. Yes ma'am."

"You should be. Eventually, sure. Quit calling me ma'am. P.S. Robin just told me I have individual training tomorrow, what does that mean?"

"Please, I could run away before you would catch me. Crash. Why? It's supposed to be a sign of respect and all that. It means you're going to be really tired by the end of tomorrow, you should get all the sleep you can tonight."

"Is that a challenge? Ma'am makes me feel even older than I am. Well then I am just going to go to bed now. Good night."

That was the last note of the night, but certainly not the last note sent.

A/N: PLEASE READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE! IT IS IMPORTANT! Alright, I'm giving you guys, the readers, a chance to mold this story. There is currently a poll on my profile for who Avery ends up with by the end of the story. You have the chance to pick who you want. Please go vote, it will only take five seconds of your time. The poll will be going on for the next two weeks, so please get your votes in by then.

There, now that that's taken care of I want to thank all of you that reviewed last chapter for making it the chapter with most reviews! A total of 12! If you wouldn't mind, I hope we can beat that record eventually (maybe this chapter, please). That's all, I'm done. Have a nice day!

Read. Enjoy. Review.