Summary: Barbara must partake in a battle of wits to keep her mind and memories from being torn away from her. But can she beat Sora and Ra's at their own game, or will she be lost forever?

Chapter 10: Mind Over Body

Dick rubbed his hands together in an attempt to keep them warm. His attempt was unsuccessful. He was starting to get impatient as he looked over Bruce's shoulder to see what he was doing. Thalia was next to Dick, calmly watching Bruce work on the lock of a side door leading into what they knew as Castle Dracula. She had instructed them to enter here because it had been used as a mere servant's entrance for as long as she could remember. This would lead into the main living quarters, but then they would have to make their way through the castle to the dungeons, which was where her father conducted his "business". She had also informed them that while the dungeons contained high level security, the rest of the castle was mostly unguarded for the most part except for the few guards posted at key points within the living quarters and the grounds. Luckily for them, the blizzard had caused all the guards to abandon their posts on the grounds and seek refuge inside the living quarters. More specifically the kitchen, were they had badgered the cook into making them hot cocoa.

Dick gave an exasperated sigh and started pacing back and forth from the door. Since when did it take Bruce this long to pick a lock? Then again, Bruce had never needed to pick a lock that was hundreds of years old.

"Got it", growled out Bruce finally and the door creaked open.

The three of them quickly entered the hallway and shut the door behind them. They were all glad to escape the ruthless blizzard. Those winds had been unforgiving and the temperature was probably still continuing to drop steadily.

"Loose everything we don't need", ordered Bruce.

They all began peeling off layer upon layer of clothing. It was a little chilly inside the castle, but nothing like what they had experienced outside. Soon, all they had left was a GPS system, their utility belts, and some flashlights. Thalia removed a handgun from her discarded coat and tucked it into the back of her pants.

"Is that really necessary?" asked Bruce.

Thalia looked at him skeptically, "You do realize that over half the men we shall face are former members of the League? Of course it is necessary. You may have skills to match theirs, but this is my only protection".

Bruce nodded and said nothing more.

"Jesus, this place gives me the creeps", murmured Dick.

"Its purpose was to help feed the legend that was Dracula. People were terrified to step foot in this place for hundreds of years. But I know its secrets", Thalia pronounced.

"Secrets?" inquired Bruce.

Thalia gave him a knowing smile. She walked halfway down the hall and opened the door to a closet. Bruce followed and peered inside. There were several winter coats and a few pairs of boots inside. He turned to Thalia and gave her a questioning look. Thalia stifled a small laugh before reaching into the closet and giving the back panel a firm push. It budged the tiniest bit. She gave it another push, harder this time. The panel moved a bit more. Bruce stopped her from giving it another push.

"Dick, give me a hand with this", Bruce called out.

Dick walked over and between the two of them, they pushed the panel open. It was a secret passageway. Thalia stepped into it and flicked on her flashlight. The light poured into the tunnel, showing them a set of stone steps leading down into the ground. After that there was just more darkness. Thalia turned to the two men and motioned them to follow her.

"This passage leads to the dungeons. That is where my father would be keeping her", she said.

"Lead the way", answered Bruce.

Dick sighed, "You know, this isn't really helping with the whole creepy situation".

- - - - - -

The Dungeons

"Wake up my dear"

My eyes shot opened and I saw Ra's blurry face before me. I felt a panic grip my heart and I tried to open my mouth to yell for him to get away from me, but instead I felt a smile form on my lips. I tried to force my arms forward to push him away from me, but instead they received him into a warm embrace. I tried with all my might to make myself get up and run away from this horrible place, but my legs wouldn't even budge. It was like I was watching myself and had no control over what I did or what happened to me.

What is going on? Why won't my body do what I want it to do? This can't be good . . .

"Sora", said Ra's.

I resisted, but out of my lips came, "My love".

My love? Ra's is not my love! What the hell is going on?

Ra's held my chin in his hand, "It is time", he said gently.

"It is time"

Who said that? This can't be right. Why is there a voice in my head?

"Barbara, it is time for you to go now"

Go where? I'm not going anywhere. I won't let you do this to me. This is MY mind!

"I'm so sorry, but I must make you go away now"

Who ARE you? Why are you in my head? You can't do this to me.

"My name is Sora and I am taking over now"

What do you mean, taking over? This is Me you are talking about! You can't just take over me.

"Of course I can. All I have to do is bury you in my own memories"

I suddenly remembered the flashes I had before I passed out earlier. Now it made sense. They were HER memories . . . Sora's memories. She was trying to take over my mind. They wanted my body for her mind. I couldn't let them win . . . at least not without a fight.

What do you want Sora?

"Your mind"

But it's MY mind, not yours.

"It doesn't matter. I am to finally be reunited with my beloved"

He's not the man you fell in love with Sora. He's a monster now.

"HE IS NOT A MONSTER!"

I felt pain throughout my body. She was punishing me. I had to be more careful.

A lot of time has passed. The world is different. He is different.

"How would you know? He needs me"

What about me? Can you live with the guilt of destroying an innocent soul?

Laughter.

"You think I'm a fool. You cannot play mind games with me. I am too strong for you"

Oh shit.

"He doesn't love you"

What?

"Richard doesn't love you. He doesn't need you"

You don't know what you're saying.

"Yes I do. I know that ever since that night after you captured the Joker, he's never looked at you the same again. You betrayed him Barbara . . . you betrayed his trust. Something a man cannot easily forget"

You're lying. He told me that didn't matter. It's in the past.

"Is it? Are you sure Barbara? Has he told you that he loves you?"

No, but I know he does. We are okay now. Even if we aren't together, we still care about each other.

"If he cares so much about you, then why isn't he here? Why isn't anyone here?"

I . . . I don't know. They must not be able to find me.

More laughter.

"Silly girl. Don't you understand that nobody loves you? No one cares whether you live or die"

That's a lie!

"Is it?"

A LIE!

"Maybe you need some time to realize the truth my dear, but it is the truth"

They wouldn't . . . they do care . . . don't they? Dick cares . . .

"Oh I'm sorry, but honestly, if he did care, he would have done anything and everything possible to find you"

She's right. Oh my god, she's right. He would have found me by now . . .

"It's time to go now"

Where?

"Somewhere safe"

Will you come with me?

"I'll take you there, but then you will have to be alone"

That's okay, I've been alone for a long time now . . .

- - - - - -

Everything was showered in a bright light, brighter than any I had ever seen before. But soon, the light dimmed and I could finally see my surroundings. It was a large forest with tall trees that seemed to reach for the sky. I didn't know where the source of light was coming from, because the forest was so dense, it was impossible for any light to come in from the outside. It was weird how there was just light, as if it had no source. It was then that I noticed that there were many shallow pools surrounding me in the wood. They were all ever so clear that I could count the stones at the bottom of each if I wanted to. I remembered at that moment just how thirsty I was. I kneeled at the nearest pool to get a drink.

I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all of my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
Because your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone

Where was that coming from? It sounded like it was coming from far away, and yet it seemed to be everywhere around me. This was starting to creep me out. I dipped my hands into the first pool and cupped them so that they filled with the cool water. I lifted them and brought the refreshing water to my lips. I looked back down at the pool and gasped. There were images flashing across the surface of the water. It was as if the pool were a mirror into a room.

I stared at the pool and the images became clearer and I gasped again when I realized who I was looking at. It was me when I was barely eight years old. My red hair was in pigtails and my green eyes gleaming. I was laughing and running around . . . no, it couldn't be. I was running around my mother. She looked so much more beautiful than I remembered her.

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me

There was the music again . . . and those voices. Where was I? What was going on? I backed away from the pool and wiped away the tears that had formed in my eyes. This wasn't possible. This couldn't be happening. How could I see the past? This couldn't be real. I crawled up to another pool and looked into it. More images appeared, but they were still too blurry to know what they were. When they cleared I cried out when I saw a very familiar face. It was Dick. We were dancing at one of those stupid charity balls . . . that was such a long time ago.

You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
But now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away all the sanity in me

That damn music. Where was it coming from? This was all too much for me. I couldn't remember how I got there. I couldn't remember anything for that matter. All I could remember was what I was looking at . . . my memories. I was afraid to go up to the next pool, but I knew I had to do it. It was all I had right now. It was the only way I could remember anything. I needed to know what happened to me. The next pool showed me something that made me feel sad for some reason. It was me and Dick again, but our faces were masked. Why were they masked? Oh yes, now I remembered . . . I was Batgirl and he was Robin. We were fighting . . . fighting over something big. Oh god, I remember that night. The night he left. She was right . . . he doesn't love me anymore. I betrayed him.

These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase

When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
And I've held your hand through all of these years
But you still have all of me

Why wouldn't the music stop? It only made all of this much harder. I was shaking by the time I reached the next pool, apprehensive as to what I would be shown next. What I saw made me shudder. I . . . I mean Batgirl. Batgirl was falling and no one to save her. Then I saw my father holding me. He held me and I slowly slipped into the darkness. I saw everything that happened next. It was all so vivid to me; I knew I had seen this before. Did this mean that it had really happened? Was this my final memory? I finally knew where I was and why I was alone . . .

I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
And though you're still with me
I've been alone all along

I was dead. Everything I knew, everyone I loved was gone. I was all alone. But it's not like I wasn't used to it already . . .

- - - - - -

Barbara's green eyes stared back at Ra's.

"Is it over?" he asked.

Barbara nodded, her red hair falling into her face.

"It's not over Ra's", said a dark voice.

Ra's turned slowly and pushed Barbara behind him.

Bruce walked into the light, followed by Dick and finally Thalia. Ra's stared at the three of them hard until his eyes finally resting on his daughter.

"I see you have finally made your choice, daughter"

Thalia looked at her father sadly, "You made my choice for me father".

Dick's eyes were glued to Barbara. She looked almost perfectly normal. She didn't even look like she had been kept prisoner for over a month now.

"Babs, are you okay?" Dick asked.

Barbara stared back at him and cocked her head to one side, her look changing to one of curiosity.

Bruce watched this and stared hard at Ra's. Then he turned to Barbara.

"Barbara, are you alright?" he asked forcibly.

The redhead turned to look at Bruce, "Is he the detective, my dear?"

The question had been directed at Ra's.

"It is him, my love", Ra's answered.

Bruce's eyes darkened at this exchange.

"What did you do to her?" he asked Ra's in a dangerously low voice.

Dick looked from Bruce to Ra's, and then finally at Barbara. Thalia gasped.

"Father, you didn't", she whispered.

Dick seemed to snap out of whatever he had been thinking, "Didn't do what?" he demanded.

Ra's pushed Barbara forward into the small group. Dick grabbed her and gave her a tight hug.

"Are you alright Barbara?" Dick asked gently.

Barbara looked confused, "Why do you keep calling me Barbara?"

Dick let Barbara go like if she had burned him, "What?"

"My name is Sora. I am Ra's wife", Barbara said slowly.

- - - - - -

Well I hope this clears up any questions as to how the whole ceremony worked to turn Barbara into Sora. That and I like keeping you guys on your toes, it keeps you wanting more! And that is the point, isn't it? Let me know what you think. READ AND REVIEW!

- Lady Artemis -