Chapter 25: Released

For reasons I couldn't understand I somehow heard the thump of K.F and Nightwing's bodies hitting the far wall over my own scream. They'd barely hit the floor and they were up again, K.F. super-speeding to the cockpit and Nightwing crawling towards me despite the lack of solid gravity. I watched in horror as he found hand placement in arms of chairs and grooves in the ceiling.

"Stop," I called out hoarsely. "Don't come near me!"

He didn't answer, instead he got closer and managed to get a hold of the seat belt next to me. He strapped himself in his entire focus on my form. Taking my hands again he met my eyes.

"You're alright Freya," he called over the rushing sounds of the plane falling through the sky. "You didn't hurt us. Just calm down."

"You think if that was an option for me right now I'd be doing it!" I shot back. The bastard actually smiled. Smiling as we're falling to our deaths. Fantastic. "Go away would you? Before I lose control and hit you with lightning again!"

"My suit has a rubber based thread, the force of the last blast knocked me back but I won't get fried. You need someone to ground you."

"T – to force the electricity out of me and go where? We're not ex – exactly on the ground kid-genius."

"You need to power up the jet again."

"Hey Nightwing?" K.F. called from the driver's seat. "Not to rush you but we're losing major altitude here."

"Then don't rush me." His blue eyes seemed almost white as the turned back to me. I couldn't look away. "Just let it seep out Freya, a controlled amount and you can power the jet all the way home."

"But if it's not controlled –"

"You'll start shooting blasts of lighting all around this very enclosed space." I appreciated his honesty. I needed to know the stakes. Catching my terrified expression he added, "You can do this."

I swallowed hard, the action hurting my coiled muscles. I felt that every inch of me was being used as a punching bag for this new power. "Alright. So I s – send the power through you?"

"Through my hands."

I shook my head. "A – arms then hands… it takes to much concentration. I – "

"Nightwing –" K.F's voice sounded near frantic.

"We have this!" He yelled back and before I could even comprehend the action Nightwing unclipped my seatbelt and pulled me onto his lap. Strapping his belt around both of us he wrapped his arms around my shaking form. "Through both of us," he muttered into my ear. "Through your body and into mine, no concentration needed.

Swallowing and taking the slightest breath through my nose I did what he asked. Immediately, with the initial release of the power a bolt of lightning struck out, barely missing Superboy's head.

"Shit! I –"

"You didn't hurt anyone," Nightwing's voice was low in my ear. "Focus… breathe… start the jet again."

I did what he asked. Wrapping my arms around his chest and pressing my forehead against his shoulder I clung to him like a life-line. In many ways he was. I could feel the power raging war within me but in my mind's eye I pictured the smallest outlet – where our torsos aligned. Immediately, I could feel the electricity within surging towards it, battling to get out this tiny crack, it was so painful I cried out. I felt Nightwing's grip on me tighten and his voice muttering soothing words in my ear to the point that I could think past the pain. I breathed out and the stream of power leaked from my body into his.

The jet shuddered and we knew it was working. This releasing of pressure wasn't nearly enough but I gained enough strength from it to keep going despite my body's constant plea to just release it all.

"That's it…" Nightwing's voice echoed in my ear, I barely felt his hand stroke down my spine. "Keep going."

Within minutes it was enough, the gravity returned to my organs and the plane righted itself. My body fully landed on Nightwing's which made it easier to focus. I could just about hear the cheers and encouragements thrown at us by the team. It wasn't nearly over yet… Nightwing and I knew that.

"How long until we reach H.Q.?" Nightwing called. If I hadn't been so close to his ear I would have missed the slight tremor to it.

"About an hour," Cassie answered.

I wanted to scream. I didn't know if I could hold out that long. "Try to pick up the pace in any way you can," K.F. nodded to our leader. But I couldn't help comment on the clear strain in his voice.

"There's a hole in your suit, isn't there?" I whispered low enough that even Superboy would strain to hear it.

"Yes. Suit caught on something when we were blasted back" He breathed back.

"I'm s-sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Not for zapping you. That's y –your own damn fault for being such a – a martyr. I mean f – for over-reacting last night."

"You shouldn't apologise for that either. Focus on powering the jet. You're wasting your energy."

"Well I – I'm not sure I'll get a chance to l – later." He pulled back slightly so our eyes met. "I – I know you're doing all the possible outcomes in your head. The – the electricity keeps p – pulling me into consciousness. Th – There's not another a – absorber to take it off me. I c – can't control it. I'm going to have to release it a – all."

"Yes well I have an idea about that. We have a generator under the mountain –"

"Then you also have an idea a – about what releasing that energy m – might do to me –"

"Conserve your strength. We're still a while out."

I nodded and refocused my energy into the tiny outlet. It was getting more and more painful releasing the electricity this way as the backlog mounted higher and higher around it. The tremors were getting worse. Eventually I could feel Nightwing's grip was the only thing keeping me from collapse. Not too long after that I felt a shudder go through the jet, I almost apologised before realising that we'd landed.

"I'm going to move you now Freya," Nightwing's voice murmured into my ear. He sounded almost as tired as I was. It can't have been easy being steadily electrocuted for sixty minutes.

"Where are we going?"

Instead of answering he called to Superboy. "Conner, tell Card Queen to ready the generators to accept power. K.F. set up some sort of makeshift walls around the access point. Cassie…" He seemed at a loss of what to ask of the Wonder Girl. Before he could figure it out I spoke up. My voice was hoarse and weak, the ridiculous stammer still apparent.

"Could you please keep S – Sadira away from whatever's going to happen?" I croaked. I could feel all eyes on me. "I d – don't want her to see me l – like this."

"Freya…" I could already hear the disapproval in Nightwing's voice.

"Don't," I breathed as stood, my form still clinging to him. With the movement a bolt struck out hitting the jet's roof with a hiss. My control was slipping. "Please hurry."

Adjusting his grip to a more marriage style – one arm under my back, the other under my knees – we made our way forward into the lair. I welcomed the cool cave temperature and rocky walls, it was almost nice despite the incredibly sombre looks the team were throwing me and the excruciating pain emitting from every fibre of my being.

"Freya," Nightwing's voice pulled my attention. I'd wrapped my arms around his neck for security so we were quite close. "I really think you should let Sadira –"

"I will not let her watch me die, Nightwing." I somehow stopped my stammer and kept my voice firm. "This will not be her last memory of me."

"But you're not –"

"I'm about to combust boy-wonder. With the amount of e – energy can feel grating against every cell in my b – body I know it'll take a miracle to survive the release."

He opened his mouth I thought to argue but he knew I was right. He remained silent, carrying me steadily to the generator room. I took in the make shift pyro glass walls and assumed once through this would be my last stop. I clenched my fists, strengthening my hold on the power within, knowing that it was so close to freedom.

I nodded at each member of Team Beta. Taking in Cassie's watery smile and Duela's respectful nod. Even Conner and K.F. looked shaken, Kid Flash exhaling deeply to hide some emotion.

As we stepped through the glass chamber I turned back to Nightwing, despite everything I still saw him as my saviour. He met my gaze and I gave him a sad smile.

"Look after Sadira. She's going to be a super hero like you lot."

His expression was more grave than I ever thought it would be. "Like you also."

I snorted somehow despite the fatigue that seemed soul deep at this stage. "If you say so."

He lowered me to the ground. Two silver cylinders stuck out from it connected to a myriad of wires and fuses. Perfect handle bars. Half of my body craved to take them the other… not so much.

"Dick."

The word startled me more than I ever thought possible in my current situation. "Excuse me?"

When I turned Nightwing had colour in his cheeks, whether embarrassment or something else I'll never know.

"Richard… or Dick Grayson." My eyes widened as it sunk in while he was telling me. Before I could even form a coherent response he retreated behind the glass.

"It doesn't count," I called to him as he returned to the line of his teammates. "You don't trust me if you reveal yourself before I die!"

Slowly, I watched the most heart-breaking yet beautiful smile spread across his face.

"Then don't die."

Shaking my head I returned my attention to the cylinders I gripped each one tightly in my fists. With a prayer to anything that could hear me I released everything I had.

For a millisecond it was better.

Then it got so much worse.

It was like a damn. Once I'd open the doors the electricity surged out of me, every cell seemed to splinter and break inside and I screamed as the pain ricocheted through my form. The metal beneath my palms grew white hot yet despite the burning of skin I held on tight.

Please pass out… Was the silent plea I whispered to my mind but I couldn't, not with the frequency in which the electricity flooded through my nerve endings. The makeshift room was filled with light and forks of lightning, I could just make out the figures on the other side of the fibre glass. Why hadn't they turned away? Watching me die in agony will not help anyone…

Then don't die…

His voice whispered through the broken fragments of thought and I somehow made out his eyes through the pain. The ice blue eyes stared back at me with such sadness I couldn't help but feel something… a spark…

Sparks.

Determination ignited somewhere in my gut and despite every muscle begging to stop the pain I pushed harder. Expelling more of the energy, opening every fibre, every pore to emit the electricity that was killing me. I opened myself up and gave into the pain.

The static air intensified, I could somehow taste it on my tongue and I felt the flow thin the tiniest bit. That feeling gave me the strength I needed to continue. There was an end to this torture. The more in waned, the darker my vision grew, this was it. I was either dying or falling into unconsciousness.

Either way, it was nearly over.

A ripple went through my limbs as the final bolts seeped out of me… I barely registered the end. I felt myself collapse and blackness sucked me under before I could even reach the floor.