Clara's POV

"It's so pretty!" M'gann giggled as she spun around in a lavender dress that clung to her figure. Artemis nodded her approval. M'gann suddenly stopped for a second, and her eyes turned the same colour as the fabric.

"Wow," I said. "That's epic." She grinned.

"My turn!" said Artemis. M'gann sighed and walked back into the changing room to take her dress off. When she was done, Artemis took her place to try on the lacy black dress that she had picked out.

I leaned closer to M'gann. "Can you replicate the dress?" I asked quietly. She nodded, and her clothes shifted and stretched to turn back into the material she had been wearing. I almost gasped. She was more skilled than anyone I'd ever met. M'gann turned back into her regular clothes.

Artemis came out of the changing room, wearing a gorgeous black dress. The sleeves and shoulders were made of fine mesh, accented with rich black silk. The bodice and skirt were made of the same material, clinging to her body and parting in a slit at the knees, then falling to the floor to cover her toes.

She spun around, pretending to waltz. M'gann giggled, and I clapped when she took a clumsy curtsy.

"Your turn, Clara," she said, and I sighed. I hated wearing dresses. They didn't give me the freedom to move, to run like other clothes did. But, if worst came to worst, I would just rip my skirt and hundreds of dollars would be wasted.

Still sighing, I brought my emerald green dress into the changing room. The dress stayed off of my shoulders, plunging into a shallow v-neck in the middle of my chest. The bodice was layered with lace, then it gradually faded into a layered tulle skirt of chartreuse.

When I put it on, I studied myself in the mirror. It reminded me of how I'd looked when I was with the League of Shadows, how I'd been prettied and pampered like their little pet. "Show us!" shouted Artemis from outside. I grumbled, then parted the curtain to see Artemis and M'gann.

Artemis gasped and M'gann clapped her hands, jumping up and down happily. "Oh my god, you're so pretty!" exclaimed M'gann. I shrugged, brushing a piece of hair behind my ear. Wait. That's not how you're supposed to take a compliment.

I must've looked confused because Artemis caught my eye and said, "Hey. It's okay." I mumbled an apology before walking back into the changing room to take my dress off.

A few hours later, we emerged from the mall, with clothes, shoes, and makeup for tonight. Most of it was unnecessary, but there was no stopping Artemis and M'gann when they were shopping.

By the time we got back to the Cave, it was already noon, and I thought I could get some training in before we had to get ready for tonight.

In a private training room, I stepped up to the smooth wooden loops, which had recently become my favourite. It was time to try a double flip.

After warming up a little bit, and getting used to the feeling of falling on my face, I began my first attempt. I got momentum, swinging on the loops before bringing myself up to do one flip, two flips… and then falling on my back.

I tried it again, and again, but I just couldn't do it. Frustrated, I struck the punching bag. When I looked up, I saw Dick staring at me from outside, because I'd left the doors open. What the hell was he doing? He held my gaze for a while before stalking away.

I stood there for a second, stunned. Why had he been watching me? Before I could sort out my thoughts, Artemis and M'gann burst through the doors. "Time to get ready!" said Artemis, holding up the several bags of clothes we had purchased. I sighed, then followed them to Artemis' room.

Artemis sat me down in a chair and then pulled out different coloured powders, tubes full of viscous, glittery liquid and a variety of colours of... paint? For what seemed like hours, she was applying it to my face, then scrubbing it off, then reapplying it, blending it in with soft brushes of different sizes. Once I was 'done,' she ordered me to go and put my dress on.

By the time I had it zipped up and adjusted correctly, Artemis was already done doing M'gann's makeup. I glanced at the clock. Was it five o'clock already? Artemis ushered us out of her room just as Batman's voice blasted over the intercom. "Departure in 30 minutes."

I wandered back to my room and paced across the floor. Was this going to be an easier mission than the last two times? Or would it just seem harder because Dick didn't love me anymore?

Night Wing's POV

I was fastening my sage green tie just as Batman called us to the mission briefing area. Since he had already told us what to do, we were probably just going to board the bioship.

As I walked to the mission briefing area, I only noticed one thing. Clara.

She was standing there in a dress made of the richest green lace and glittery fibres. The colour made her perfect eyes shine, framed by her long dark lashes as gems glittered on the inner corners. When she blinked, light gold powder dusted her eyelids.

I wanted to run to her, to pull her close to me and run my hands over her fancy hairdo. She was perfect.

When she caught me staring at her, her gaze fell to my chest. She wrinkled her nose, and I realized that my tie was the same colour as her dress. We could've been a couple to prom or something.

Of course, on the bioship, I ended up sitting next to her. I couldn't stop breathing in the scent of her perfume, the scent of her.

I missed her.

Clara's POV

What the hell did this son of a bitch think he was doing, wearing my colour. Then, sitting next to me on the bioship. We weren't a couple!

When we were closer to the venue, which was one of the fanciest halls in Gotham, M'gann put the ship in camouflage mode. We hovered over the stone gargoyles that ornamented the building to discuss the plan.

"Very well," began Aqualad. "We shall be stationed along several different positions around the party. Also, I wish for you to act 'natural.' Mingle with the other guests. Dance." He paused.

"If you observe anything out of place, alert us through the mind-link. Upon seeing Baxter, you should attempt to stay with him for the remainder of the evening. Especially you, Artemis, Clara, Zatanna, and M'gann, dance with him. Watch him for signals to a potential assassin, et cetera."

Everyone nodded. Mind-link established, announced M'gann's voice in my head. A hole opened in the bottom of the bioship, and one by one, we slipped out and onto the roof of the building. Since Batman had someone on the inside, the door was unlocked for us.

We silently crept down the staircase to the first floor and took in the full sight of the party. Warm, golden lighting flashed from crystal chandeliers and reflected off the polished tile floors. Several tables were set up throughout the room, covered with white silk tablecloths as guests sat around them and smoked cigarettes. A table full of drinks and food sat against one wall, and the grand piano was against the other, with a gorgeous woman sat at it. Guests and partygoers mingled about, each one dressed in an outfit more stunning than the last.

Our group dispersed, some running for the food table, others going to chat with the guests. I danced with a few people, taking breaks to drink lunch from the large bowl on the food table. No one had caught sight of Baxter or Turner yet.

More dances came, with more stories of how people were going to spend daddy's money and how they would never need to work a day of their lives. It disgusted me. That's when I spotted him. Got eyes on Baxter, I said, before abandoning the guy who was explaining the colours of his Lamborghinis. Where? asked M'gann. I glanced over tops of heads to see his dark hair. 12 o'clock. I'm going to ask him to dance.

I walked towards him slowly. When he turned around and saw me coming, a wicked grin spread over his face. It was all I could do not to wrinkle my nose. Instead, I pushed a lock of hair behind my ear and flashed him a dazzling smile.

"Miss," he said, bowing his head slightly, and I held out my hand to him. His lips brushed softly across my knuckles. "Care to dance?" he asked. I nodded, and his other arm slithered around my waist as the pianist started a slow, somber piece.

"May I ask what your name is, gorgeous?" he asked. I almost grimaced. I had forgotten to make an alias.

"Maria Lovelock," I said, thinking one off the top of my head.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful lady," he said. Instead of punching him in the teeth, I smiled politely.

I was suddenly aware of someone's eyes on me. It was Dick. Jealousy burned through his thoughts, and I pressed my body into Baxter. This was gonna be fun.

Night Wing's POV

I gritted my teeth as Clara crept closer to Baxter. He was a creep, and I knew that I wasn't the only one seeing him look down the top of her dress every now and then. His hands slid over the smooth curves of her body, going significantly lower than they should have been.

My hands shot for my throwing stars. Time to die. Dick, no! said Artemis. We still haven't found the assassin.

I loosened my muscles and leaned against the wall. It should be me, dancing with her and telling her about… the shingles on my mansion. Or whatever it was that they were talking about. I saw him brush his hands through her hair. The way I'd used to.

That's when I snapped.

Clara's POV

Dick, stop! I said, but it was too late. Three shurikens had already embedded themselves in Baxter's back, laced with poison. He collapsed to the floor in a heap of limbs.

Before his head hit against the white floor, machine gunfire began somewhere in the room. I dropped to the ground, covering my head until the gunfire ceased. The piano cut off jarringly as other guests screamed and ran for the exit. Blood misted the walls and the floor. The snack table crashed to the ground.

When it went quiet again, M'gann's voice projected into my mind. Is everybody okay? There were groans and complaints, but everybody seemed to still be alive. I slowly got up off the ground, dusting myself off. My dress was ruined.

Immediately, my eyes shot to Dick. I stalked towards him, stepping over corpses and abandoned handbags. I stopped when I was nose-to-nose with him.

I slapped him across the face. "You son of a bitch," I said as he stumbled, tripping over his own feet. I pulled my fist back and punched him. "Fucking asshole!" I screamed. He fell to the ground. I punched him again, feeling his nose break. Bruises bloomed where my fists hit him as I screamed at him for messing up the mission. Aqualad and Superboy pulled me off him while I thrashed and shouted.

It was his fault. It was all his fault. He deserved to die, not the innocent people at this party. You weren't really helping, whispered a voice. I shoved it away. It was his fault.

"Get off him!" Kid Flash yelled. His eye twitched in anger as he glared at me, and I stared back. No one said anything for a moment, and I yanked my arms away from Aqualad and Superboy

"Have you finished?" Aqualad in a dark voice. I said nothing, sucking my teeth and wiping the blood off my knuckles.

"Let us go," he said. M'gann called the bioship, and we boarded without another word.


Sorry that chapter was really long.