"I can't call you a stranger
But I can't call you
I know you think that I erased you"

2 Days Earlier:

Rachel sat on her small twin bed, unable to concentrate on her meditation. It had been an hour or so since she'd started her attempt, but her mind was filled with too many thoughts she couldn't quite relax. Meditation itself had almost lost its appeal as of recent. She found herself gravitating to speaking with others rather than going inside herself for answers. Things sure did change…

Everything that had been happening recently seemed to be flooding her thoughts. The entire Titan situation, what she had dubbed 'The Logan Problem', her family, and Jinx's words to her before she left for New York, all of it plagued her.

First, the Titan situation. It was overwhelming and completely took over her life. She had expected it of course—it was only natural—but she wasn't expecting all the emotional garbage that came along with it. Richard's plethora of problems was a headache and by extension, Kori was as well, the two were practically the same entity at times. Rachel sympathized with the girl, she really did, but it was not exactly fun dealing with their messy relationship troubles, never mind Richard's insane plan to torture Slade like some war criminal. She could tell that the former couple was trying to be civil but Kori's pain when Richard left the room was palpable and Richard's desperation to win her back was distracting.

Then there was The Logan ProblemTM. Where to begin with that? There were two parts to this issue, the first being the obvious romantic connection that they had, Rachel was past the point of denying that (a conclusion she had come to with much resistance). Gar wanted to be with her in that capacity and she had feelings that were too complicated to be construed as solely platonic. That was enough to concern her, and it did, but there was something else. Gar was losing weight, perhaps it could be due to the physical strain that being a Titan required, but it still concerned her. Given his condition it was natural she'd be concerned. When she'd approached him about it, he'd brushed her off with a laugh and an excuse, not quelling any worries she had.

Then there was her family, and by extension Jinx's words to her. The news that Jinx's mother had passed away hadn't shocked Rachel, but it did bring up an interesting question. She began thinking about what she would do if she learned of the death of her biological father.

It was a definite possibility that he would die by the end of all of this, there was no denying it, anyone involved could. But when Jinx told her what her father had said when Jinx alerted him of her absence due to a death in her family… well needless to say they were sticking in Rachel's head.

The fact that he had wished for time to grieve his wife and child… and that Jinx had found him credible and serious, sad even… it perplexed her.

Trigon had always been a cold father, unstable, cruel and abusive. The idea that there was a part of him that cared for Arella and Rachel was certainly hard to believe and she didn't think she did.

But if Rachel was to believe it, then what would that mean for her entire world view? It had been built around her experiences with her father growing up, would it all change? There was no excuse in the world for Trigon's abuse and behaviour and Rachel would never try to justify it… but the idea of a human being deep inside the sinister outer shell was terrifying and potentially world-shattering.

If there was a human in him, could he be reasoned with? Could he be brought to justice without this violence and hate? The idea was most likely ridiculous, but would it hurt to try?

Rachel shook her head as if to shoo away those notions.

But still.

1 Day Earlier:

Rachel was in a state of frantic confusion. It didn't manifest in a way that people would normally see, but those who knew her would be concerned at her actions. Her tongue pressed against her cheek, so hard it almost hurt, she was shaking her right leg as she sat on the couch in the makeshift sitting room in the former Batcave, and her brows furrowed slightly. Not the appearance of a girl losing her mind, maybe one who was a little anxious, but not losing her mind.

But she was.

She sat there for a time that wasn't calculated, long enough that the news stories on the T.V. in front of her had changed many a time before someone walked in and brought her out of her own thoughts.

"Rachel?"

Arella.

"Gwaenchahna?" She asked, speaking in her native Korean tongue.

Definitely not. She was not okay.

"Rachel, daedab hae!" Arella was concerned about her daughter's uncharacteristic behaviour.

"Did you know?"

"Know what Rachel?"

So, she explained. She explained what she saw on the television. How she saw Trigon on the screen, but not as she remembered him. His long white hair was tied back rather than free from constraint, his beard was gone, completely shaven, something she had never seen before. He looked so different she nearly didn't recognize him, but his voice gave him away. Rachel could never forget his voice.

He was on the television giving an interview… as a candidate for the next mayoral election.

Rachel always knew about Trigon's work in philanthropy, it was always a ruse to avert the eyes of people who may suspect him of illegality as well as a cover-up for more illegal actions, but she never thought he'd go so far as to use that work to boost himself politically. The rage she felt when she realized that people were supporting him in his endeavour was unbearable.

After explaining all this to Arella she felt a little better, like it wasn't so huge in her mind when she shared the burden with someone else.

Arella seemed troubled at the news, her voice was unsure and a little shaky,

"I don't… know what to say."

"Neither do I," Rachel replied, anger increasing as she spoke about the matter out loud, "What does he think he's playing at?"

"I know him well, at least I did at one point; this probably has a lot to do with his plan. He's always wanted power, the affirmation that he was strong, and this must be a way to get that."

Her conversation with Arella was enough to make her come to a decision. If her father was going to try to infiltrate the Jump City government and he succeeded, there was no telling the evils that would follow.

She knew what she needed to do.

Present Day:

Rachel got up at five in the morning. Her shower was quick as she didn't take any extra leisure time to enjoy the experience as she normally did. After dressing in a simple black tee and jeans, she threw on her hoodie, but not before pinning her hair up with bobby pins.

Never know when you might need to pick a lock.

With Arella still sleeping in her room, Rachel left the Batcave into the early hours of the morning.

Maybe she should have thought better of what she was doing when Rachel sat on the bus headed south to Jump City. Maybe she should have thought better as she walked into the upper-class residential area of Jump City. Maybe she should have thought better when she approached the driveway leading towards the house, she grew up in.

But she didn't.

It was as she recalled it. The house was large—it was a century home—dark and fairly intimidating. It was the house they lived in, but Trigon also owned the other two houses on either side under the guise of renting then out to others. In reality, the properties allowed more space for his… less than above the table activities.

Rachel knew that there were cameras everywhere and Trigon probably already knew she was walking towards the driveway.

Was she nervous? Maybe? She was crazy, there was no question there.

Approaching the foreboding gate that surrounding the residence, Rachel pressed the buzzer. Without a word from the other side, the creak of the metal gates opening filled her ears.

She walked up the driveway and the porch steps to the double door entrance and waited about twenty seconds before anything happened. The door swung open and Rachel was met with the man who had spent the first eighteen years of her life making it hell on earth.

He had a few more wrinkles than when she had last seen him in person, he was dressed in a white tee and dark jeans. Trigon had always had good looks and a charming personality in an objective sort of way, so it was understandable that Arella fell under his spell. Honestly, the reverse was true, her mother wasn't exactly hard on the eyes. But it was her mother's staying after the charm had faded away part that was confusing to Rachel.

"Rachel," he said, voice deep. There was no shock, surprise or feeling to his voice. A simple statement.

"Trigon."

"It's been almost three years; you can't call me 'Dad'?" Rachel gave him a curt look that she hoped conveyed how little she wanted to do that, "I suppose not. That's fine."

Then he did something that shocked Rachel, so much so her instincts didn't kick in enough for her to stop it. Trigon took a step forward and wrapped his strong arms around her.

Rachel froze for long enough for the hug to happen, her mind so bewildered it nearly short-circuited. Were it anyone except him, it would have been almost comforting to have someone so strong embrace her, but it was him. Once she pulled herself together, she pushed him away and he didn't fight her.

"You can't do that," she told him.

"Can't do what? I can't hug my daughter?"

"You can't act like that. You've never hugged me in my life, instead you sparred with me and emotionally scarred me. I'm here to confront you, you aren't allowed to act differently or like you've changed, because I know you haven't."

Trigon's expression changed into a frown then it morphed into one of understanding, which didn't look correct on his face,

"Come in, I'm sure we have a lot to talk about." Rachel was visibly skeptical. "Don't worry, I'm not going to try anything. We'll go to the sitting room and we'll have tea, no catch."

She didn't believe him, but she went in anyway. There was a purpose to what she was doing and if it worked…maybe…

The interior decorating hadn't changed, it was plain, simple and expensive. It didn't feel like a place where one could curl up and get cozy in like Gar's house did, it was just a place for show. Honestly, Rachel wondered if he even spent much up on the main floor or even utilized the sitting room. She sat on the sofa by the fireplace while Trigon heated the kettle and prepared tea.

He joined her, two mugs in hand, and gave her one,

"Camomile was your favourite if I remember correctly."

"If you think I'm drinking anything from you, you're mistaken."

"I taught you well."

"You taught me that I couldn't trust anyone, that I shouldn't love or care for people because they won't love or care for me. You lied."

"Did I? Did you find that your little Titan friends are worthy of your feelings and return them tenfold? That's sweet Rachel, but so naïve."

"I didn't say yes to coming in here for you to question my life choices. You have no say in that anymore, I'm here for another reason."

"You saw my television appearance, did you?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I came to see if there was a shred of humanity left in you," Rachel answered firmly, "I came to ask you to give this up. Please, too many people have died by your hands and you've done so much damage with no real rhyme or reason. Turn yourself in and maybe you'll be able to redeem yourself."

"I'm shocked your friends have changed you so much," Trigon mused, "Where did you run off to that Christmas?"

"I left the country," Rachel said, ignoring his changing the subject. She'd let him lead the conversation if it made him feel more in control.

"You must have had help and someone to live with—" Then a sickening realization dawned upon Trigon's face, "Ah I see, your mother is still alive and well. I suspected as much but never could confirm it. Is she back in Jump City?"

"No."

It wasn't a lie. She lived in Gotham.

"I see you don't want to talk about it. Well, I have something I want to talk about."

"What?" Rachel said in her usual short tone.

Trigon's face changed to one of…regret and remorse? It was such an unfamiliar expression for him, Rachel couldn't place it exactly.

"I'm sorry about what Slade did to you, I should have been there to protect you from that monster." Her father said those words with—dare she say it—a genuineness that couldn't be faked.

"You still can," Rachel began, treading the subject carefully, "Help us defeat the Suicide Squad. If you help us and turn yourself in, then you can get a lesser sentence. Arella and I would visit you in prison… we could be a family… like you want."

She was going out on a limb, assuming Trigon wanted them to be a family, but if she was right. It might work.

"Oh Rachel, you've become so idealistic. You know I could never be imprisoned no matter how much I love you and your mother. So, I'm sorry it's come to this."

Rachel widened her eyes, realizing she had lost Trigon and he was about to act. She tried to get out of the way, but he was so fast in shoving his hands on her neck's pressure points she couldn't get out the way.

Everything went black.

The first feeling Rachel felt when waking up was a panicked reaction to what her father had done to her. It took a couple seconds for her to realize he'd already gotten her unconscious and there was no use panicking. The next feeling was an annoyed acceptance. She accepted her failure to defend herself and convince her father. She also accepted her idiocy in thinking she could change him in any meaningful way.

Opening her eyes, she observed her surroundings. To her surprise they weren't completely inhumane, it was a square room, relatively clean and furnished with a bed, a table and a single chair. She was laying on the bed, tucked in and everything.

She glanced at one of the two doors in the room and there stood Trigon.

"You're awake."

"What the hell are you doing Trigon?"

"I can't have you leaving again," He growled, "You've grown too defiant. You worked with me and loved me once, you will again. Even if I have to force it."

"Going to beat me again like you did Arella?" Rachel spat, anger boiling in her stomach, "You're one twisted man Trigon Roth, and that's why I never could love you. I was constantly searching for a way out, just like her. No one in the world ever loved who you really are."

Rachel tried getting out of the bed but was stopped by the large man, who pinned her down with his hands around her neck. It wasn't hard enough to do much, she suspected it was simply to scare her. She could have evaded him but didn't bother, instead she smiled wickedly and rasped through her restricted windpipe,

"Y-you know the last time someone had their hands around my neck… it was S-Slade. Are you going to try and kill me like he did?" Those words caused Trigon's hands to leave her neck in an instant, he seemed horrified at the realization. Rachel coughed before continuing, "You might think I've gotten weaker, but it's quite the opposite. I'm stronger than you'll ever be."

"Prove it," Trigon snarled.

So, she did.

From her lying position, she thrust her legs up, kicking Trigon in the chest hard enough to make him stumble back. It gave her the space to stand.

Then spurred a trading of blows between father and daughter, he wasn't holding back, and neither was she. Every move was calculated, knowing that if one gave an inch the other would take a mile. Honestly, the whole 'stronger than him' speech was a bluff, her father was objectively stronger and more skilled than she was. How could he not be with his size and experience? Normally large opponents were slower so Rachel could use that against them, but Trigon was both huge and fast with no real weakness. Despite that, she persisted the best she could.

How long the two sparred, Rachel had no way of knowing, but it was long enough that her opponent's face was covered in bruises and Rachel's nose was bleeding profusely. It didn't stop until they both had each other at a stalemate (likely because he wasn't trying to kill her), hands wrapped around each other's necks, unafraid to squeeze.

To Rachel's surprise, her father released her first. She took that chance to punch Trigon straight in the nose,

"That was for Arella."

Trigon held his nose, Rachel had broken it, same as he did hers. Their eyes locked for an extended period, neither of them said a word until Trigon broke the silence,

"There's a bathroom in that door, use it when you need to. Someone will bring you dinner, I'll be gone until tomorrow. We'll talk again then."

Rachel stood in shock as Trigon exited the room, locking it behind him.

That bastard.

The first thing she attended to was her bleeding. She washed her face with water from the sink in the washroom Trigon had directed her to. It was small, but it had a sink, toilet and a shower, more than she expected and rather generous for someone who was Trigon's prisoner. Blood was thicker than water she supposed.

After stuffing toilet paper in her nose to stop the bleeding she relocated the break. It hurt like hell, but she'd done it before, so the pain wasn't unfamiliar. Then she ripped some of the bedsheets to wrap her bleeding forehead.

Once everything necessary had been done she then began surveying her surroundings and whether or not she could escape. It wasn't a surprise to find that there was virtually no way out, the exit was a door made of steel and there were no windows. The locks were electronic and only opened from the outside. Anything she'd had on her person coming into this situation was confiscated by Trigon while she was unconscious.

Except one thing.

It was her last resort and she'd hidden it well enough he wouldn't have found it.

Before she could use it, she checked the room for cameras. There were multiple ones. No blind spots. The bathroom however was less monitored. Nothing was filming the shower or the toilet. Under normal circumstances, Rachel cursed her relation to Trigon, but this instant she was grateful for it. Her father didn't want to see his daughter disrobed. Despite his physical abuse, Trigon was never that evil, and he was protective enough that he didn't want anyone else monitoring her to see her in the nude either.

Using this to her advantage Rachel made it appear as if she was going to shower, she took her jeans, hoodie and t-shirt off in the view of the camera and then stepped into the shower, outside of its reach.

She turned the knob on but avoided the stream of water and instead pulled her underwear down.

It admittedly wasn't Rachel's preferred method of storage, but it was somewhere Trigon wouldn't go. Pulling out a small baggy that held her nickel-sized communicator Rachel spoke, hands shaking from both the fear and adrenaline,

"Is anyone there?"

There was silence for maybe ten seconds and then she received a frantic response,

"Rachel! Where are you!" It was Gar.

"How long have I been gone?"

"Almost twelve hours!"

Shit.

"Trigon has me," She found herself exhausted, hardly able to speak from her fight.

"Where are you?"

"Under my house."

"We need to save you!."

"No, it's too dangerous."

"Tell me how to get to you Rae," Gar whispered in a voice that could have comforted just about anyone, even her, "Tell me and I'll be there."

She ignored his use of her undesired nickname and reluctantly told him what he needed to know. He left her afterwards with the most reassuring words she could ask for.

"I'm coming."

"What are we supposed to do?!" Gar agonized, gripping the wheel of the T-Car so hard his knuckles went white, "Do we pick Richard up?!"

Kori, despite feeling as though her world was crashing around her, remained calm. One of the two of them had to and today it clearly wouldn't be Gar. At least not for now.

"I… I do not know."

"We have to figure something out! I promised her I was coming! She's there all on her own without anyone to help her!"

"I know Gar, but we must keep our heads on straight. It is most important we consider our options."

"You're right, but this is just too much!"

"Vic and Jinx are not here, and I would not trust Richard to keep himself together in such a situation when we consider his recent history."

"But we can't go alone, we don't know what would happen. It's too dangerous."

Kori considered everything for a moment, trying her best to ignore the dread that practically flowed through her veins.

"We do not have a choice."

That was the sad reality of the situation, there was no one to call. Bruce was out of town on a business trip for Wayne Enterprises, Vic and Jinx were in New York and Richard could not be trusted without someone who could stop any revenge-fueled rampages he might go on.

So, Kori and Gar—suited up—drove onwards to the address Rachel had provided them.

The drive there felt like it lasted an age, Kori watched as Gar's fingers drummed at quick speed against the wheel and he bit his lower lip to shreds. Kori herself felt her stomach knot itself over and over again as all she could do was wait. When they finally made it, they parked the car a couple of streets over to make sure they weren't spotted by the cameras Trigon had rigged around his place.

Gar pulled out his communicator and spoke to Rachel,

"We're here, what next?"

"There's a storm drain a few houses up from the beginning of the street," said Rachel, "Go inside, and I'll direct you underneath my house. It's a couple blocks away."

The two friends obeyed her instructions, finding said storm drain and slipping through. Kori wondered what would have happened had they brought Richard. She and Gar were svelte enough to fit through, but Richard wouldn't have with his muscled body. It was just another reason why not calling him had not been a mistake.

Her nose wrinkled at the stench in the underground labyrinth. Gar walked in front, lighting the pathway ahead with a flashlight. Only a few feet in front of the two was lit by that light, everything else was left to the imagination, only the noises of mice and water flowing offering any clues about their surroundings.

Gar would occasionally update Rachel on their location, then receive a prompt response. As a less active participant in directing their path, Kori was left with the pit in her stomach. She had never been on a mission without Richard or Rachel, and as much as she trusted Gar, she didn't trust herself and the two were hardly the most experienced fighters on the team. Richard and Rachel, even Vic, acted as a sort of crutch for her. Without them, she could merely limp onwards afraid of further injury.

As best she could, those thoughts were pushed aside in favour of preparing herself for the inevitable fight. While they maneuvered throughout the sewers Kori stretched her fingers, arms, and anything that could be stretched without interfering with their speed. It wasn't much, but the slight distraction was welcome.

After a few minutes, Gar stopped at a large circular opening in the concrete walls, a flow of water a few inches deep poured out from it.

"Enter the opening, about 10 feet in there's a small hole going up through the roof, it'll be a tight fit, but it will bring you inside my house's basement. You'll have to scale your way upwards, there's no ladder."

"Does anyone else know about this place?" Gar asked as they obeyed her instructions, he shined the flashlight up, noticing the hole that was mentioned.

"Just Trigon and I," Rachel answered, "It's there to escape from the house if cops raid it or something. Enough chat, I'm ready to be rescued."

Rachel voiced her words sarcastically, but Kori couldn't help but think she was just as serious as she was sarcastic, if that were even possible.

"Thank goodness I'm don't have a lot going for me in the body mass department," Gar joked, half to himself as he stepped on Kori's folded hands and she hoisted him up to reach the hole. Once he had made enough progress upwards for there to be room for Kori, he alerted her. Luckily, her height allowed her to jump high enough to press her customized gloves against the side and grip against the smooth walls. She silently thanked Bruce for the useful addition to her costume.

Kori agreed with Gar's words, even for her, it was a tight squeeze, her hips pressed against the sides of the circular opening, and while it did help her to keep from falling below, it was claustrophobic.

The intensive training Rachel had put them through paid off, Kori's upper body had bulked up (even more than it had before) and using that strength to climb was hardly an issue at all. It took the two of them mere minutes before they reached the top. It was blocked off.

"We're here Rae," Gar said, "There's no opening though."

"There's a small button near the circumference of the blockage, press it and it should open. Before you do, know that the second you're out, you'll be in my home. The cameras will catch you right away, so you'll have to be quick and efficient. So quickly head east until you come across a hallway that branches opposite ways, go left and if things haven't changed too much, the control room should be at the end of the hall on the right. Go there and shut off the power in the holding area, then the doors should open."

"Got it," Gar nodded, "Where are you?"

"The right side of the impasse, eighth door to the left…at least I think so. This place's layout might have changed."

Kori didn't want to think about what they would do if the layout changed. That would not look good for Rachel's rescuers.

And in no time, the two heroes were inside the basement of the Roth residence…aka Trigon's base of operations. Kori felt beads of sweat form on her brow, it had nothing to do with the temperature and everything to do with her nervousness.

The secret passage had led the two inside a dark and commanding hallway, the walls were a black metal, and completely bare other than the panels that labelled the rooms that doors led to.

Instantly the two booked it eastwards down the hall, making it to the branch in the hall with little trouble. Just as they turned, the alarms blared, indicating they had been seen on the cameras. The sound rang in her ears and lit the hallways with a pulsing red. Kori drew her bow and had an arrow at the ready.

Nearly at the same time, the doors in the passage opened, revealing grunts who were fully prepared to kill any intruders.

Getting the jump on them, Kori fired three arrows in succession, hitting the knees of three targets, causing them to fall immediately.

"Don't show me up too much Star!" Gar grinned, running headfirst into close combat with the closest cluster of criminals, twirling a knife in each hand before maneuvering skillfully to dodge attacks from men much larger than him. He ducked down to bury the blades into the thighs of one grunt, pulled them out swiftly, then spun up to do the same to another's shoulders.

Reloading her crossbow with a deft motion, she shot the shoulder of a man about to get the drop on Gar.

"I shall try not to!" Kori called out, not quite as excited to fight as Gar was.

They kept with that strategy, Gar maintaining close combat with Trigon's goons while Kori picked off the ones farther off, or ones Gar missed, from a long distance.

A few had guns, and when they did, Kori shot their hands to keep them from drawing. Just like practice.

It was almost too easy. When it was over, Kori was unscathed and Gar had a cut on his cheek and might have a few bruises the next day, but that was it.

A group of ten men lay on the ground, either unconscious or incapacitated. As they continued forward Kori plucked the arrows she had shot from their bodies, she felt guilty when they screamed at the pain of an arrow being ripped from their body, but she needed all the arrows she could get, even the ones whose heads were coated with blood.

Following Rachel's instructions, the two ran down the passage to the final door on the right.

"Electronic lock," Gar groaned, "Any chance you know the password Rae?"

Rachel listed a combination of letters and numbers, and luckily the password from when Rachel still lived there was still in effect.

When the door was pushed open, a wall of monitors displayed the live feeds from the cameras around the hideout and outside the house. In front of the wall was a board of buttons and screens, likely controlling the electronic security. A single swivel chair sat in front of it, empty.

The first thing Kori did was press the off button on the wall for the alarm. No need for additional trouble.

"Shit. I wish Vic were here," Gar said, biting his bottom lip with nervousness, "I'm not techy and this is nothing like my video games."

"Allow me to see," Kori offered, before frowning when she realized that she was just as useless in this situation.

Rachel attempted to guide them through the complex technology,

"I'm in the southern area so try the board that controls there."

They found it, but it soon became clear that the security had been updated since Rachel's departure, and previous passwords were no longer working here.

"We have to hurry," Gar bit out anxiously, "Who knows when more are coming, there's a sea of bodies out there, there's no way people won't notice."

"I am trying!" Kori cried, "Nothing is working!"

"I…I don't know what to do." Rachel admitted hollowly, sounding shocked at her uncharacteristic incompetence, "I…just leave. I'll figure something else out. Get somewhere safe."

"Oh, shut the fuck up Rachel!" Gar snapped, leaving the other side of the comm line silent. There was a moment of horrible silence. Kori could hear herself swallow. She was shocked at the frustration and anger in his words, not just the harshness of the words themselves. After a moment Gar muttered, "Screw it."

With a swift raise of his arm, knife in hand, he slammed it back down, sinking the blade into the board.

Kori yelped in surprise.

Electricity shot from the technological wound; Gar was spared electrocution by virtue of the knife's rubber handle. Still, he let go of it at once. Some of the monitors blinked offline. So maybe…

"There. If that didn't do it, I don't know what will. Let's go Kori," Gar said in a low voice.

Nodding completely dazed with shock, Kori followed Gar out dumbly, heading Rachel's way.

"Gar what did you do?" said Rachel, voice tinged with concern.

"We're coming. Don't come out until we reach you."

"Not what I asked."

In a couple minutes, they found themselves in front of a door labelled, 'Holdings'.

"This must be it!" Kori cried, both elated and nervous. The electronic lock had been disabled so opening it was no problem.

Behind the door was an empty room, but it had about five doors spread out across the three walls in front of them.

"Which room are you in?" Gar asked.

"How am I supposed to know Gar? Figure it out!"

"Can't she just come out now?" Kori pointed out, "The power is gone so the locks should be too."

There were a few moments of embarrassed silence on the part of Gar and Rachel.

Rachel coughed awkwardly,

"Well…yes, good point."

In a few moments, the center door creaked open, revealing their badly dishevelled friend. She had a makeshift bandage wrapped around her forehead, her arms and what was visible of her upper chest was peppered with bruises.

Wordlessly, her rescuers rushed to her side.

"I'm fine," She waved them off, but Kori thought she might have been secretly glad to see them. Something about the slight curve of her lips and light in her eyes, "Let's just get out of here."

As much as Kori wanted to hug her friend tightly and cry with relief, she restrained herself. Rachel was right. Getting out of here was their priority.

So, they ran as fast as they could. Rachel was slower than usual, weaker than usual. That scared Kori. She realized that at that moment, it was still up to her and Gar to get them out.

When they reached the wider hallway from which they'd arrived, the three stopped in their tracks, another group of thugs—more this time—were pouring in, ready to fight them.

Before any of them could so much as react, a shot fired through the air. A terrible noise that froze her limbs.

"Sh—"

Kori braced herself for a shot that never made an impact on her. Relief spread through her body, she looked next to her anxiously, Gar was alright. And Rachel…

A small cough behind them filled the air. Rachel stumbled back, back hitting the wall, hand over her abdomen. She removed it, palm-covered in a dark red liquid, the same colour as the liquid that escaped her mouth when she coughed a second time and dripped down her chin.

"You've got to be kidding," She grunted, dazed.

"Rachel!" Gar screamed, rushing to her side.

A feeling of horror invaded every nerve in Kori's body. Rachel was shot. She could die. Gar was attending her. He was freaking out and not in any position to fight as he pressed his hands to her wound. At least twenty men were in front of them, ready to continue shooting. Without thinking, Kori shot her crossbow, piercing the offending handgun, making in ineffective.

There was no way she could keep them all at the distance she normally fought from. They were already closing in for an attack.

Kori ran ahead, legs moving on their own, putting some distance between herself and the other two, hopefully it would keep Trigon's goons away from them and focused on her.

It also left her alone to face them.

Shooting as many as she could, many kept their distance and cautiously awaited a chance for an effective attack. One, however, ran in and Kori wasn't fast enough to get him. Her knees were shaking, completely petrified. He moved to knock her crossbow out of her hands, then punch her in the face.

Kori fumbled backwards, holding her cheek.

Useless. She felt useless and ineffective. Not a foreign feeling for her, but a debilitating one in this situation. Was she going to fail at protecting her friends when it mattered most?

As she was engulfed by her inadequacy, a familiar feeling mixed with her debilitating fear. It was what she suppressed constantly and prayed would never be let loose again. A monstrous feeling that Kaylea had always mocked. A feeling that terrified Kori even more than a group of murderous gang members.

Her power. Everything felt like slow motion. She looked behind her, Gar wasn't looking in her direction, instead crouched down and focusing on the wounded girl lying against the wall in front of him.

Rachel, however,…she was looking Kori directly in the eyes, a serious expression in her eyes that said she knew exactly what Kori was feeling. Rachel wiped the blood from her mouth and gave Kori the slightest of nods. For some reason, that reassured Kori. She turned back around and faced the man who had hit her, and who was poised to make another attack.

Permitting herself, Kori allowed the monstrous feeling to overtake her fear and take it hostage for a while. As if her entire body was filled with adrenaline (and it likely was) she nimbly caught the man's fist as he thrust it towards her and squeezed.

He screamed in agony as she felt his fingers break under pressure, she twisted his wrist easily, breaking it as well, before pushing him violently to the side against the wall.

It felt good. Not because of the anger she was released, but because in that moment, Kori was in complete control, unlike her many outbursts as a child. She was using her uncanny strength to save the people she cared about from dying. It felt like she was exactly where she needed to be, doing exactly what she needed to do.

Kori felt free.

So, she went after the rest of them. It was like a bull in a china shop. Anything Kori so much as touched fell and shattered. Her control was intact enough that none of these men would die from her attacks, but they wouldn't stand a chance against her.

Feet and fists met the bodies of men much larger—but not stronger—than her and by the time the last body fell, Kori was panting, and the feeling was wearing off.

Her back was hunched over, her hands supporting herself on her knees. She saw blood drip from her face down to the ground. Strength may have overtaken her, but it didn't make her impervious to all attacks. She looked up through the wall her stray hairs and saw, beyond the bodies, Rachel and Gar. Immediately, the feeling of power was gone and replaced by anxiety.

Running back to them, Kori bent down at Rachel's side. Gar was trying to stop the bleeding and Rachel looked ridiculously calm for someone who had just been shot.

"G…get sheets from the room I was staying in," She said, "Tie the wound up with them then let's get out of here."

"Alright!"

Kori obeyed, bringing back sheets and tearing them up to wrap around Rachel's stomach. Gar was hardly any help right now, serving only to freak out. Rachel was much calmer, in fact, it seemed as though she was completely fine.

"Does it hurt?" Gar asked anxiously.

Rachel's brows furrowed,

"Of course it hurts you numbskull, I just got shot. I could be dying."

"Well act like it!" Gar answered indignantly.

Kori knotted the dressing,

"All done."

"Then let's get going," Gar answered eagerly, scooting around so his back was towards Rachel, "Climb on."

"My pride says no, but the bullet wound in my gut says yes," she sighed, resigning herself to the piggyback.

The three made their way out the same way Kori and Gar came in. It was tough, but they did. While Gar drove in the front, Kori was with Rachel in the back, still applying pressure to the wound and praying they made it back to Bruce's in time.

Rachel was starting to show that she had been shot, her eyes fluttered, and she was going in and out of consciousness. Kori was trying to keep her awake.

"Kori," She said quietly.

"Yes, Rachel?"

"You did well tonight…thank you for protecting us."

Kori swelled with pride. At that moment, she never felt like she'd grown quite as much as she had that night. Like a shadow that had been lurking in her life had been expelled by her own light.

"Tell me how to feel about you now
Oh, let me know
Do I suffocate or let go?"

- Paramore (Tell Me How)

Bet no one cares that I updated this lol. Still, I started this story when I was 14 and I am determined to finish the stupid thing. Lockdown has given me a lot of time so hopefully, I can update more than once every two years. I'm in the home stretch here so I'm going to see it through. Did my best to edit this, but I'm sure there are still mistakes. Sorry about that.