It hurt.

Her lungs were on fire.

Stars were dancing, her vision starting to go black

was anyone there? Was she going to die alone?

…...

"OH MY GOSH, MELISSA!" Jenny dropped the gift bags at the sight of the army of doctors surrounding the teen's bed.

"Mrs, Peters please step into the hall"

Jenny was in too much of a shock to correct the doctor.

…..

if Jenny had a bad reaction, Carmen's would've frozen hell.

Brain bleed, they speculated.

Possible allergic reaction to medication others said.

"Sarah," Carmen hissed into the phone, "Get down here and save her"

Carmen never yelled unless it was in surprise, a short cry for something unexpected. When she spoke softly when she hissed with anger or was bone-chillingly cold that was when it was serious. So it was with great urgency that Sara Bellum booked it to the hospital, acting easily as a superior she forced the frenzied medical staff out of the room while effortlessly bringing in her own.

If anyone could save Carmen's only child, it was her.

…...

Meanwhile:

"Is that skank Catwoman's daughter or something?!", Rein practically screamed at the report of the Feather Squad leader. "It's like she has nine lives! You Feathers are useless! We should send a Tal...!"

"The details of your report are as troubling as they are enlightening", the current leader of the Court interrupted her tirade. He was a tall, imposing man wearing a gray owl mask sporting horns in contrast to the plain white worn by the rest. "Not only did help arrive for the girl far too quickly, but WHO the first to arrive were may shed light on her survival thus far."

"Indeed", the masked blonde woman in the white gown next to him agreed, turning back to the Squad. "Are you absolutely certain?"

"For anyone who lives in Gotham, there's no mistaking Robin, Red Robin, and Nightwing", he replied with certainty. "But I must confess that the appearance of Carmen Sandiego first before the Robins arrived is baffling."

"Though it could explain the unknown Arkham nurse who rescued the girl from Dr. Greenspan's failed attempt, Great Horned Owl", a younger masked man beside the leader pointed out.

"Perhaps, but it raises another question", GHO replied solemnly. "What is the connection between them that could possibly drive the Worlds' Greatest Thief to risk capture to save this...nobody of a girl?"

…...

"Avalon?"

Carmen hovered over her daughter's bedside. She was intubated, IV lines pumping medicine.

"Her lungs were swimming in fluid." Sarah had declared.

Something caused by the wreck but missed. The pandemonium had passed. Everything was quiet save for the machines working to keep Avalon alive. A tube was draining fluid at that moment. The clear, unassuming liquid that had very nearly killed her daughter.

"We're going back to the island when you're all better. Your room's repainted. I think you'll like it-"

Carmen kept talking if only to ignore the machines.

So many machines.

"Carmen"

"Bruce," she acknowledged without turning.

"No change yet?"

"Still out cold"

"We have to tell her, Carmen?"

"Don't be crazy"

"We both know they're relentless," Bruce reasoned, "If she knows what's going on-"

"She'll have the worst episode of her life"

"That's what Hershey is for, afterward she can protect herself"

"Bruce"

"Carmen"

One of the most epic stare-downs in history then took place.

…...

"Christina? Christina?" Shaggy was trying hard to grab his girlfriend's attention but she continued to pound away at her poor piano like she was due to die any second.

This was how it had been since his magical mishap and Shaggy was exhausted. Christina was silent, cold-shouldered, eyeball deep in her many, many, many spell-books or losing herself in her piano.

This was fair, he supposed but did he ever miss her smiles, her laughter. He missed everything. Now, at his wit's end, he wanted nothing more than to make her happy. To take away the proverbial knife in her heart. To do that, however, required some rather drastic actions the least of which was pulling Christina from her instrument.

"Christina, can you come to the living room, please?" he pleaded.

"Did something happen?" she looked at him worriedly, hands finally stalling, "Is Melissa okay? Do you have a case?"

"Like, it's not that," Shaggy pulled her from the bench, "It's like, time we sit down and talk, all of us"

Christina soured when she saw who was on the couch.

"Hey, Christina," the second Shaggy greeted, his arm around Velma's shoulders, "Like, let's talk this out"

"What is there to talk about?" Christina huffed, cross.

"We can start with why you left so suddenly," Velma declared, "Without saying goodbye"

"I left for him!" she snapped pointing at her worlds Shaggy, "so he wouldn't freaking DIE!"

"Christina, deep breath"

"I left to stop the demented psycho from rewriting the multiverse!"

"But you like, never told us that"

"Because I have nothing to say to you!"

"What did I do wrong?"

Christina clenched her fists so hard she drew blood from her palms, "What did you do wrong? I could write a book! And the worst part is I CAN'T hate you for it!", Christina's snarl devolved into a sob as she started to cry. "Because as much as it hurt me, it was right for you...and YOU, Velma!"

"Like, what do you mean?", he asked while Velma's eyes suddenly widened with understanding.

"I WAS COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY IN LOVE WITH YOU, YOU WALKING BOTTOMLESS PIT! I TRIED TO TELL YOU HOW I FELT, BUT YOU'D ALREADY CHOSEN VELMA! AND YOU WERE SSSSOOOOOO HAPPY WHEN YOU TOLD ME, I JUST...just...couldn't..." words failed her, overtaken by sobs fueled with years of anguish.

All they could do was stare.

…...

Melissa was shocked to open her eyes shocking still was the tube down her throat and the one sticking from her chest. The many machines beeped around her, the whole room thick with the hospital smell she was beginning to hate with all her being.

Where'd Mom go?

Carmen was nowhere to be seen.

As if on cue, the door swung open to reveal Carmen, Bruce, and Selina.

"Melissa!" Selina happily exclaimed, "You're awake"

Carmen meanwhile, threw her arms around her daughter, "I was so scared"

If Melissa had been able to speak she would have told her mother not to cry but Carmen did so regardless.

"Melissa," Bruce began after Carmen had calmed but was still clinging to her daughter.

"Bruce!" Selina and Carmen chided in unison, "not. The. Time."

"If we don't tell her now, you won't tell her at all," Bruce countered.

Melissa watched the three silently argue with brooding looks on their faces. But, it seemed Bruce had won as he resumed his earlier statement.

"There's a reason you keep having accidents"

"BRUCE!" Carmen yelled, "She just woke up!"

But Bruce plowed on:

"The Court of Owls is after you."