It took me FAR too long to actually get this sucker updated. Maybe I'll stop being a weenie and get this thing finished.

Kara found Cassandra exactly where she suspected she would be, sitting on a bench that overlooked the beach and the sea. Her and Diana sat there often when she wasn't training, or they weren't in the mood to walk along the beach. Amusement filled Kara as she ruminated on how much her life has been affected by the Amazons. Diana reminded her so much of her mother and she couldn't help but cling to that when they first met. As Diana helped her deal with her depression and attempted suicides, after her return from Apokolips, that mother-daughter relationship shifted to a friendship that Kara hated to ever go without.

Donna had been a surprise. The younger sister of Diana was warm and a funny and a badass that Kara only got to experience for a moment. Donna's impression on her was short, but intense and deep because that's how everyone felt about Donna. She was easy to love. Her death nearly caused the disbandment of the Teen Titans and the retirement of some heroes because of how much she meant to them and how much she glued the team together.

Cassandra… Cassandra's first interaction with Kara was a horrid one. It was after her arrival from Apokolips. The poor girl thought she was helping by sneaking into the room to assist the Kryptonian. But her good intentions exposed her to a dangerous situation. Kara had molested her or nearly did because her memories of that night were still hazy, and Cassandra only shared so much. It created a tense interaction between them. Cassandra's relationship with Connor crumbled shortly after. It also, in a strange way, drew them together after Kara finished her time with the Outsiders.

Cassandra said she never blamed Kara for what happened because she had been brainwashed, tortured, and assaulted too. That kind of treatment by Apokolips sadists would be nearly impossible to reverse. It took Diana's love and her therapist to get Kara to where she is now. Thankfully, even Cassandra wanted healing and instead of burying the pain she finally confronted Kara. The Kryptonian blinked at the memories. It was hard to think all those conversations between her and Cassandra about that horrid night happened a year ago.

"Are we going to talk about what happened in the Underworld?" She had said to Cassandra's back.

The other blonde sighed and her shoulders slumped. "I suppose the sooner the better." Kara sat at the edge of the bench and angled her body toward Cassandra. Cassandra's hands were folded on her lap. Her fingers twitched and her eyes flickered between a spot in the sea and Kara, yet her face remained stoic.

"I'm not afraid of you. I haven't been for a while, now." Kara's brow crinkled. "I guess the Firstborn or Hades wanted us to be overwhelmed by are greatest fears." Cassandra swallowed and looked at Kara. "What were you exposed to?"

"My identity being revealed to the world and how that affected the people I love. Especially the ones who didn't know and/or are vulnerable. Lots of loved ones getting killed and tortured. Still doesn't explain what I saw with you. You're not afraid of me, but that was a very nasty version of me I had to face down there."

Cassandra sighed. "I don't hate you, Kara. Nor am I scared of you, but compared to you, compared to that evil version of you, I was so vulnerable and weak. Back then and now…" She took a breath and scrubbed her face with her hands.

"You know," she shifted closer to Cassandra, "I wasn't dressed as Linda Lee-Danvers when I left my fear behind. When I saw Evil Me try to hurt you, I got so angry and scared for you. Suddenly, I was dressed as my alter ego. Two natures warring." Her voice took on a breathy quality that let Cassandra know the last sentence wasn't for her to comment on.

"How did you leave your fear behind?"

Kara shrugged. "I guess by taking on one more prevalent." Her eyes softened as she looked at Cassandra. "I was so scared for you. I couldn't imagine hurting you again.

Cassandra scoffed. "We leave behind one fear for another."

"Sometimes." A strong wind blew from the sea and brought warmth and the smell of salt. "Any new fears you want to talk about?" Cassandra curled her bottom lip inward and shook her head. "You sure?"

She exhaled heavily through her nose after a beat and closed her eyes. "It's selfish."

"It's human."

"Don't assuage me, Kara."

"Don't tell me what to do, Cassandra."

Cassandra huffed and jumped to her feet. "Why must you be like this?"

Kara stayed sitting. Cassandra needed to expulse whatever was inside her, and there was no room for Kara to match her irritation. "Like what?"

"So, you. So," she sighed into right her hand as she covered face, "damn perfect."

Kara scoffed in the same manner as Cassandra and allowed her own frustration to bubble to the surface. "Cassandra Sandsmark, you of all people know there is nothing perfect about me. There's nothing perfect about Donna, either."

Cassandra huffed and folded her arms. "I never said that."

"Well, no. You didn't. But let's pretend you did."

The demi-goddess groaned. "Why do I feel like I'm in one your therapy sessions?"

"Roll with it, Cass. For me?" The gentleness in Kara's voice softened Cassandra's resolve. She nodded and patted the bench. "Donna could never replace you as Wonder Girl," she said after she sat.

"Why not? I replaced her."

"Only in name. You made the title as distinct to you as Donna made it distinct to her."

"What if Donna asks for it back?"

"What if she doesn't? She's been dead for nearly 10 years, Cass. If Donna wants to get back into being a superhero, I doubt she'll take what's been yours for so long. She's not going to be the same person after all she's been through."

Whatever clicked in Cassandra's mind made her right eyebrow twitch. "They plan to groom your cousin to take your place."

Kara stiffened and pushed her hands along her thighs. "Ah." She rotated towards the sea. "Huh."

"Connor and me, chit-chatted. Superman finally told him about her. Last I heard, she was getting medical attention from Martian Manhunter and things were looking up."

"I already knew about what J'onn was doing. The Flash and Poison Ivy were helping, too. It didn't occur to me they would prep her to be a hero. Is she taking it well?"

Cass shrugged. "Not sure. She's your cousin."

"Even before Krypton ended, I hadn't spoken with her for a long time. But, if she's anything like her parents, she'll jump into the chance to help others. And if that means she needs to put on a cape then she'll do it. She loves people."

"Why did you become Supergirl?"

Kara's upper lip curled. "It seemed like the right thing to do. I had all these powers and I couldn't figure out how to apply them without stepping into my crest and a cape. What about you?"

"I'm the daughter of a god. My path was either be a warring villain or rebel against my dad and be a hero." A smirk played at her lips. "I wanted to rebel."

Kara laughed. "Of course." Another breeze rushed up the cliff and over the girls. She closed her eyes and breathed in the salt and another unnamable scent that reminded her of home.

"When this is over, I'm rejoining the Teen Titans."

"Oh." Kara cleared her throat before adding, "You've been working with them, haven't you? Hm… How's Connor?"

"It's been nice, and he's good."

"And if some old sparks come back, that wouldn't be too bad, would it?"

The smile widened and Cassandra shrugged. "Maybe."

Kara bumped her shoulder into Cassandra's. "Maybe, indeed."

They sat in comfortable silence after that. Cassandra even rested her head on Kara's shoulder as another salty breeze came up the cliff. "I love you, Kara."

The Kryptonian smiled and kissed the top of Cassandra's head. "Right back at ya, good buddy."

Cassandra pulled a face. "You're so weird." And Kara laughed.

X

It was later in the night and Hippolyta had fallen asleep. She hadn't heard word from Derinoe or Phillipus about the prince since Derinoe stormed out of her tent, and she wouldn't let it keep her up at night. What Hippolyta didn't know was Derinoe let Phillipus and a handful of other Amazons do the investigation while she slept on the outside of Hippolyta's tent near the bed.

It was a few hours shy of sunrise when Derinoe was awoken. She quickly sat up and listened for any disturbances but there was nothing out of the ordinary. That didn't make the tingles running up her spine go away. The silence hung heavy until the sound of tearing fabric reached her ears. Her toes dug into the dirt as she rounded the tent to find a gaping tear that started at the waist and went downward. Derinoe pushed through it.

To her horror, a cloaked figure bent over Hippolyta. A glowing dagger was held in their hands and raised above its head. Deronie dove at the figure and knocked them to the ground. The moment they hit the ground, the cloak flattened—the wearer disappeared—and Derinoe had her hands wrapped around the hilt of the dagger. She screamed.

The commotion awoke Hippolyta who saw what was happening and called out. "Amazons!"

The first to enter the tent were her two guards, quickly followed by Phillipus and Nione. The latter, seeing Derinoe rolling on the floor, jumped forward and ripped the dagger from Derinoe's hands. She hissed as her hands burned from the touch, even while wearing leather gloves, and threw it to the corner. One of the Amazons rushed to Nione and grabbed her shoulders. A collective gasp filled the tent.

"Nione? What happened?" Nione had gone from a 20-something-year-old to a woman in her mid-40s. Every pair of eyes drifted from the once young priestess-in-training to the warrior on the ground. What once was a breathtakingly gorgeous, brunette with a strong build, was no more. Derinoe had been aged to a frail creature probably in her 90s.

Hippolyta stumbled forward and knelt next to her friend. "Oh, Derinoe." She placed a hand on her cheek, which was paralleled by Derinoe doing the same.

"I told you I would protect you."

Phillipus barked out orders to take Derinoe and Nione to be overseen by the healers. An officer of higher rank echoed the orders and called for the Amazons to round up the prince's men, too. Hippolyta moved out of the way to allow them to take Derinoe to Epione. She took a shuddered breath when everyone had exited the tent. Mourning would come later, she had vengeance to exact.

Hippolyta stared down at the Derinoe-possessed-Penelope. Nione stood on the queen's immediate left and Phillipus slightly behind on her right. "Donna has returned?" Penelope's eyes, which had been glued to Hippolyta, twitched.

"The real Donna. Your plan was thwarted."

Penelope snarled. "My plan was to bring back the real Donna."

"And do what? Usurp me? Turn my daughter against me? What did you expect the outcome to be?" Penelope leaned against the wall behind her cot.

"We need something from you," interrupted Nione. "The spell that restored Donna is in a tentative stage. There's still risk Vax will push Donna out."

Panic blanched Penelope's face as she rushed to the bars. "Vax? How dare that monster desecrate the princess!"

Phillipus snarled back, "He was only able to because you desecrated Donna's body."

"General." Hippolyta's soft voice and gentle touch on the back of Phillipus' hand made the warrior re-sheath her sword. Penelope's eyes narrowed at the movement before Nione continued.

"Since you're pivotal in reviving Donna, we need your blood." Nione showed her a small bowl. "We know the spell you used required a priestess enact the ceremony. Since it was Penelope used for the initial spell, she must be used to solidify its undoing."

A beat passes before Penelope says, "What's in it for me?"

"Aside from the fact you'll keep your queen's murderous, sociopathic son from possessing a formerly dead princess—again—and killing us all?" Nione gave in retort. "I'm not sure what else one could want beyond that."

Penelope opened her mouth with a sharp inhale before the queen cut her off, "Do this for me, Derinoe. If there is any love left in your heart for me, you'll do this. You'll do this for the Amazons, you'll do this for my daughter, you'll do it for me."

Her eyes blinked and the grip on the bars relaxed as Hippolyta's plea washed over her. "Okay. I'll do it." She stretched her arm out and offered her hand to Nione. The head priestess held the small bowl in her left hand and an athame in her right.

"Hold your hand still. I only need a prick, but if-"

"I know how to keep still. I'm old, but I'm not feeble… anymore."

Nione stuck the tip of the blade into the finger and held it there until blood pooled. It dripped into the bowl when she pulled the knife away. A young healer handed the priestess some herbs, which where sprinkled not the blood and Nione whispered a spell in their ancient language.

Penelope's eyes flashed white as she recognized the spell. "No!" she screamed before she dropped to the ground with a thud.

Nione snapped her fingers at the healer and two guards. "Put her in a more comfortable position." She turned to Hippolyta. "Let's go in the next room and find out if this worked." In the room next to that one, there was another cell that held the body of Derinoe, and it was waking up. Her eyes blinked then squinted at the light hitting them. She groaned as she sat up. No one made any movement to help her stand and hobble to the cell bars, all the while cursing and mumbling in Greek under her breath. Cold eyes blinked and narrowed in on Hippolyta as the queen approached. Nione's lips curled back as she stared at the old woman.

"You lied," Derinoe croaked. "You lied," she said louder as she hit the bars then tried to rattle them. "You lied!"

"I did." Hippolyta took a controlled breath. "We've wasted too much time on you. My final words to you are this, Derinoe of the Amazons: I hereby sentenced to death at the closing of the Festival of the Five when bloodshed on Themyscira is allowed. May Hades deal justly in his ruling." The queen ignored Derinoe's raging cries as she left the room with a flourish of her cloak.