GOTHAM CITY

AUGUST 1ST 2010 11:45 EST

Betty held Jason's hand tightly and wanted to never let go. For the minute she did, her small friend would be gone. The front step to their apartment building was unusually hyper – Catherine was loading the last of her and Jason's things into the old beat-up car they owned, and Charlie, an older man who sat on the stop all day to talk to people, was helping Catherine. Francis and Mary, the landlords, were watching with critical looks, as if to make sure Catherine and Jason took what was only theirs.

Betty supposed she should be helping, but she had carried it down, and she just wanted to say goodbye to Jason. Was that too much to ask? Betty smiled down at Jason and squeezed his hand even tighter.

"Be good for your mom," Betty said softly. Jason did not look up at her, only shrugged. He leaned into her side, his head against her arm.

"I'll come visit you," Betty said. Jason did turn at that. Betty's heart broke at the unbelieving look in his eyes. "And you can visit me."

Jason scoffed. "Yeah, right."

Betty furrowed her brow and knelt down next to him.

"Look at me Jason," Betty said. Jason turned slightly, reluctantly. "I will come see you. You're my friend. I won't leave you alone at a time like this."

A time like this was a generous name for the hell that had become Jason's life. Jason's father finally had his criminal acts catch up with him, as he taken a job as a drug runner, and now was in prison awaiting trial. Catherine and Jason did not have the money for bail, which meant he was gone for the time being. And now with only money from Catherine's job, where they lived now was even too expensive. They were going somewhere, with some friend of Catherine's, but Betty wished that Jason could just stay here.

Jason bit his lip. "I just wanna stay here. Me and mom and you and Miss Melody. All of this is bullshit."

Betty was kind enough to not comment on his foul language during this upsetting time.

"Yeah, it is bullshit," Betty said. She wanted Jason to remain her neighbor too. Betty had come to care a great deal for the boy next to her in the past eight months. Jason was only ten, and he needed some kind of stability in his life, something his mother and father seemed ill-prepared to give him. Betty may be a vigilante and only fourteen, but at least her being here most of the time had to count for something. Right?

"Jason!" Catherine called from by the car door. "It's time to go!" Charlie was slowly making his way back onto his place on the bottom step of the stoop. Jason froze and his face was stiff with nerves and fear.

"I don't want to go," Jason said. Catherine sighed and walked over to them.

"I know you don't, but we have to," Catherine said. She took Jason's other hand and pulled him closer to her, forcing Betty and Jason's hands to separate. The rush of cool wind against her palm hurt like a splinter.

"Just go ahead," Betty said. "I'll visit you once you get settled. Mrs. Todd will send me the address." Catherine wrinkled her nose like she was not sure, but Betty chose to ignore that.

Jason looked back at her tearfully and took slow steps guided by his mother.

"Bye Jason," Betty said. "I'll see you soon. I promise."

Jason sniffed once and then nodded. He turned back around and got into the car, the car door slamming behind him. Catherine turned to Betty and crossed her arms, face torn into a painful expression.

"Thank – Thank you for looking after Jason when I wasn't here," Catherine said softly. Betty could hear the quiver in her voice, that could not have been easy for her to admit.

"It was no trouble, Mrs. Todd," Betty said. "I-uh – I'll see the two of you later, I guess." Catherine sucked in a huge breath and nodded and crossed over to get into the other side of the car. Charlie raised a hand to wave as the car began to speed off, but Betty could not bring herself too.

"He's a good kid, Elizabeth," Charlie said from his stood. "He'll be fine."

Betty shut her eyes and hugged herself tightly. Her mother had been a clean break, here once second and gone the next. And with Jason, it was that too. One second he was her neighbor, and now he was a little boy she knew really well once, and now lived halfway across the city from her. Betty had not expected to lose someone again so soon after… so soon after her mother died. This was a different kind of loss, yes, but painful all the same.

"You're right Charlie," Betty said. She opened her eyes and smiled down at the older man. "I know you're right."

I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart
And no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up

MOUNT JUSTICE

AUGUST 3RD 2010 13:06 EST

Honeybee bit the inside of her cheek, rolling her teeth back and forth nervously. She watched Kaldur and Wally played a game of air hockey on a virtual board, but she could not find herself too focused on the excited cheers of the players or the trash talk and encouragements coming from Robin and M'gann.

Two days. It had been two whole days since Jason and Catherine had disappeared into the city of Gotham. She had known it might take a couple of days for them to get settled, but it still felt like a bleeding cut from the inside out every time she thought about how her young friend was no longer safely deposited in the apartment next to hers. She missed him, she missed him a lot.

Honeybee had been half-tempted to try and scour Gotham for him, before deciding maybe she should give it time. Patience she supposed. Even if she did not like it. Even if the two days felt like an eternity to her, it was just a blip in the grand scheme of things.

"Score! One for KF!" Kid Flash exclaimed, which finally broke Honeybee from her thoughts. Kid Flash was smiling triumphantly and snacking on a banana. Kladur seemed stunned for a moment but then smiled good-naturedly at his opponent.

"Recognized: Superboy. B-04"

Superboy appeared from the glow of the Zeta tube, looking even more frustrated and upset than usual. Honeybee crossed her arms and raised a brow but did not say anything. Superboy was never one to share his feelings even when asked.

"Hi Superboy!" M'gann said cheerfully, either oblivious to or not caring about his attitude. Superboy ignored her and stepped through where the virtual table was, causing it to dissolve from existence. Robin sent Superboy a curious look that bordered on a glare. "How was Metropolis?"

Superboy, to no surprise, just kept ignoring them.

From behind the group, a throat cleared and drew their attention. Honeybee and the others turned to see Black Canary and Martian Manhunter were entering the training room. Honeybee had not heard them come in; they must have been at the Cave long before any of them.

"Ready for training everyone?" Black Canary asked. M'gann beamed and flew forward to meet her uncle.

"Black Canary! Uncle J'onn!" Miss Martian said. She wrapped her uncle in a hug. Martian Manhunter smiled down at her niece, and Honeybee felt a rotten twirl in her stomach. She tried to shake it off. Jason was not her family, and she had no right to be jealous of M'gann and her uncle .

"M'gann, I was in the neighborhood and so I wanted to come by see how you were adjusting," Martian Manhunter said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"A few bumps," M'gann said, sheepishly shrugging, "but I'm adjusting."

"That's all I can ask."

Superboy had stopped for just a moment to see the exchange but now he scoffed and turned away to leave.

"Stick around," Black Canary called out. "Class is in session."

Honeybee repressed a shiver but stepped forward. Black Canary was notorious for being one of the toughest instructors in the League. The few times she had sparred with the older woman Honeybee had summarily gotten her butt kicked within a minute. It made her strong in the long run, but it did leave her sore.

Superboy stopped and turned back around, crossing his arms and seeming unimpressed.

Black Canary stepped into the center of the training ring. What before had summoned a virtual air hockey table was now a light blue light training mat that would measure and determine winning and losing.

"I consider it an honor to be your teacher," Black Canary said. "I'll throw a lot of you. Everything I've learned from my own mentors." Black Canary pulled off her jacket, wincing slightly. Honeybee's eyes widened at a large bandage wrapped around her forearm. "And my own bruises."

"What happened?" M'gann asked.

"The job," Black Canary said. "Now, combat is about controlling conflict. Putting the battle on our own terms. You should always be acting, never reacting." Black Canary hovers just a few notches short of playful. "I'll need a sparring partner."

"Whoa!" Wally said. "Right here, me!" Wally chomped down on the final bites of his banana and carelessly threw it over his shoulder towards the garbage can. Robin's lips turned up in a sly smirk and Honeybee rolled her eyes. "After this, I'll show you some of my moves."

Honeybee did have to admire his boldness, even if he was making just about the worst decision one could make as a student of Black Canary.

Black Canary takes the comment in stride, remaining silent but narrowing her eyes with a smile. She juts out a fist to his fist that he blocks easily, but it was just a distraction. She swung her leg around to take Kid Flash's feet form underneath him. He landed on his back with a thud, the ground below him lighting up with Status: Fail – Kid Flash in giant red letters.

"Oooh, ha hurts so good," he tried to play off. Black Canary reached out a hand to help him stand.

"Good block," Black Canary said. "Can anyone tell me what he did wrong?" Robin nearly starts jumping for attention.

"Oh, oh! He hit on teacher and got served!" Robin suggests. Honeybee smacked the back of her friend's head lightly and shook her head.

"That's now what she meant birdbrain," Honeybee said.

"He allowed me to dictate –" Black Canary started, before Superboy scoffed.

"Oh please," Superboy said, "With my powers, the battle is always on my terms. I'm a living weapon." He looks around the training room with disinterest and annoyance. "And this is a waste of my time."

Black Canary's eyes shone with challenge. "Really? Prove it."

Superboy seemed taken back but recovered quickly. He stepped towards their trainer, and Kid Flash slunk away, not wanting to be involved in what was sure to follow. The two met each other in the ring and dropped into a combat stance.

Superboy moved first, sending a cross punch her way. Black Canary quickly and gracefully slipped out of it's reach. She reached out with both her arms and gripped Superboy's forearms, before swinging him across to the other side of the ring. Superboy landed on his back, and the floor lit up to inform them that Superboy had failed this training exercise.

Robin laughed, and Aqualad motioned for him to stop. Robin did not stop but instead just rather unsubtly covered his mouth with his gloves.

Superboy stood up with a growl aimed at Black Canary.

"You're angry, good," Black Canary said. "Channel that anger –"

Superboy yelled angrily and raced at Black Canary. She held a sigh in her features as she dodged another punch, this time using his shoulders as a launching pad to flip over the boy. Superboy turned wildly and was prepared to do something, but Black Canary dropped to the ground and swung Superboy's feet from underneath him. Superboy fell and the floor lit up again.

Honeybee sighs and puts her hands on her hips. Superboy was good, but untrained. He could use the training and some guidance. She knew there was not all anger in him, why was he so determined to only let others see the pain and rage?

Black Canary reaches out a hand to the young boy, but he refuses to take it, standing back up on his own.

"That's it," Superboy said. "I'm done." Superboy went to walk off, but Black Canary took put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Training is mandatory," Black Canary says. Superboy's rage is doubled by now. His anger is never voiced as a holo-screen appears in the middle of the training mat, revealing the head of Batman.

"Batman to the Cave," he said. Honeybee and the others met where Superboy and Black Canary stood, and a second screen popped up next to Batman, revealing a robot locked in combat with various League members. "A new menace attacked Black Canary and Green Arrow. The attacker was capable of studying, then duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents."

That would be nifty, if it was on their side, Honeybee mused to herself.

"Arrow called in the League, which nearly proved disastrous, as our foe gained more and more power with each new combatant."

"Whoa," Kid Flash said. "One guy with the whole power of the League?"

"In the end, it took eight Leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android." The small screen next to Batman disappears, and Robin's eyes widen at the end of Batman's statement.

"An android?" Robin said. "Who built it, T.O. Morrow?"

"Good guess Robin, but Red Tornado doesn't think so." Then who else? Oh, no. Only one person also had the brain power to accomplish this. Someone she knew quite well, once upon a time.

"But the only other person capable of this is Professor Ivo," Honeybee said. Robin blinked and turned to Honeybee, but she paid it no mind.

"This technology did bear the signature of Ivo," Martian Manhunter said. Aqualad knitted his brow.

"But Professor Ivo is dead," Aqualad said, dumbfounded. Black Canary scowled.

"So we all thought," she said. "Or hoped."

"To make certain this threat is properly neutralized, we're sending two trucks with carrying the android's parts to two separate STAR Labs facilities in Boston and New York for furtherer testing. Every precaution is being taken. We'll have four additional decoy trucks in case Ivo or anyone else attempts to steal the remains. You will split into two undercover teams to safeguard the real trucks."

"Oh, yeah! Road trip!" Kid Flash says. He turns to Robin for a hi-five, but Robin just glares behind his mask.

"So now we take our your trash?" Superboy accused. Batman raised a brow.

"Have you got something better to do?"

A beep comes from Aqualad's transmitter cuff, and he checks it with a calm glance.

"Coordinates received, on our way," Aqualad said. Honeybee started off with the others for the Bioship. She looked over her shoulder and saw Black Canary saying something to Superboy, and she did not need super hearing to know it was about training. She turned back around and kept going with the rest of the group. Mission a mission will be a good chance to get her mind off Jason at least.

Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all of your little brother's favorite songs
I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone

LITCHIFIELD COUNTY

AUGUST 3RD 2010 20:03 EST

Honeybee leaned forward against the front of her bike and let the wind blow through her short hair. The mission was set to begin in just a few minutes, but the Team had to remain out of sight until the trucks took off, so it seemed less conspicuous. Honeybee and the others sat on League-issued motorbikes they were using as transportation to keep up with the trucks. They even had to wear civies, or at least modified civies that were better for riding on motorbikes.

The bike next to her was Robin, and he was leaning over to whisper something to Kid Flash who sat on his other side. Superboy had taken a spot between Honeybee and Miss Martian, but he made no attempt at conversation with either of them. Honeybee would send an occasional glance his way and would every once in a while, catch Miss Martian doing the same. Aqualad sat squarely on his motorbike, and though he had said nothing, Honeybee could tell using motor vehicles like this was not in his forte.

Just past the bushes concealing the Team were several Leaguers and the trucks, which she could make out through breaks in the leaves. They seemed to be finally finishing loading parts both fake and real as Honeybee could hear the sound of large slamming.

"Star Boston is a go. Star Manhattan is a go."

The trucks pulled out, half heading to the left and half heading to the right. Honeybee roared her bike to life and followed after the trucks heading to the right. The ride was mostly silent, the ever optimistic Robin fully capable of keeping himself entertained and engaged in his surroundings. Superboy was brooding, and Honeybee felt maybe she should say something, but her brain kept floating back to Jason.

Two days was not that long, she knew that. But it was also. She should go ahead and reach out to Catherine? Find out where they are? She wanted them to be settled in and for her not to be a burden piled on in all of that.

And with Ivo added on top of all of this….She wanted to know what was going on with Jason, not what her estranged, supposed-to-be dead sperm donor was up to.

Two of the trucks made a right-hand exit, which left one truck for the trio to follow down the highway. As the trucks exited, Robin sped up to meet where Superboy and Honeybee rode just ahead of him.

"If dislike is the opposite of like," Robin started, "is disaster the opposite of aster? Instead of things going wrong, things go right!" Robin waited a moment for a response from either of his companions, but when he didn't get one, he frowned. "Clearly someone isn't feel the aster. What's wrong?"

"It's Canary," Superboy said. He kept his eyes narrowed and enraged on the road ahead. "What business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super-strength?" Honeybee puckered her lips.

"Taking down bigger guys is part of the job, Supe," Honeybee said. Robin nodded from his cycle.

"Canary learned the hard way, and Batman, and well, me and Bee," Robin said. Yes, Honeybee had learned that the hard way. With her own fights and battles, but also with having to see her own mother be taken because a bigger guy got the other hand. She would be hard-pressed to let it happen to her too.

Superboy did not give a response. He revved his engine and sprung forward, going several car lengths ahead of where she and Robin now rode. Robin now focused his attention on his friend.

"Now what's got you not feeling the aster?" Robin asked. Honeybee looked at him in surprise, but shook her head and returned her gaze to the road ahead.

"I-I'm fine, Birdie," Honeybee said. Robin bit his bottom lip and Honeybee sighed. "It's personal. Stuff from civilian life."

"Bee," Robin said slowly, "you can still talk to me, you know that, right? Even civilian stuff. We're still friends."

"But my –"

"I don't need specifics. I just want to know you're okay."

Honeybee frowned and sighed. Would it be the worst thing in the world to talk to Robin about it? Especially if she kept it as vague as possible. Superboy already knew she babysat and that's not the end of the world. And no one…no one needed to know about Ivo. Ivo was her secret to keep and as far as she knew, the secret was hers and hers alone.

"Fine." Robin blinked in surprise but let her continue. "It's – it's my neighbor. He moved the other day, and I – babysat him? Like a lot. And I jus-just want him to be okay."

Robin hummed to himself and then spoke very carefully.

"I'm sure he'll be okay," Robin said. "Sounds like you care a lot about him. And if he's got a superhero watching his back, he'll be fine."

Honeybee rolled her eyes and had something witty to say, but it died on her tongue as she noticed something green and black in her peripheral vision.

"Robin!" On the truck were dozens of monkeys that appeared from the sky – but not just regular monkeys, but robot monkeys. If they weren't her enemy, she might have found them cute.

"Robin, Superboy, Honeybee, our truck is under attack!"

"Yeah, kind of figured," Robin shot back.

"Ours is too," Honeybee said. "We'll radio when we have control of the situation."

Honeybee noticed that the monkeys were all over the truck and attempting to tear apart the truck bed. Most likely they were up in the front of the truck trying to attack the driver too.

"Flying monkeys," Robin said with a laugh "Totally Ivo's tweaked out style." Honeybee hit a small button with a golden bee in the center (the old Waspia symbol, it was still on old League materials), and the bike began to transform. The back wheel detached, making it a one-wheel bike, and the back wheel turned into a small drone she could control. Robin's bike had done the same, but Superboy had neglected to do the same.

"Superboy, switch your ride to battle mode!" Robin called out. Superboy just kept leaning forward, and Honeybee's heart skipped as she realized what he was going to do.

"No need!" Superboy said. Superboy jumped off of his bike and onto the truck bed, creating a large clang. Robot monkeys began coming at him and Honeybee growled.

"Or not!" Honeybee muttered. Superboy's bike now riderless, it headed straight towards Honeybee and Robin's bikes, which meant they would need to get off soon. Honeybee pulled her lasso off her hip and made sure that the hook was in place, before throwing it in time to Robin's grapple going off, and his grapple pulled forward. Honeybee jumped off her bike and used the momentum to spring forward, fingers managing to just barely hit the back of the truck. She used where the grapple was stuck just north of the edge to pull the line taut so she could climb the rest of the way.

Robin remained on the back of the truck, but Honeybee knew that was where he wanted to be, making sure no monkey cut through the door.

Two monkeys made their way towards Honeybee and she pulled one of the monkey's off of her as it hitched onto her leg and threw it off the side of the of the truck once she tore the head off. For the other, she pulled a stinger and lodged it into it's back, which went off and lead it to short-circuiting and flopping onto the bed of the truck.

"Getting lazy, Ivo," Honeybee muttered, and hurried to where the monkeys were attacking the driver's cabin. She slid down onto the top of the cabin and kicked off two monkeys that were crawling up to the bed. Honeybee hooked a cable to one of the mirrors and moved forward to pull the monkeys off of the window.

She met the eyes of the driver and tried to impart calm to the frightened driver.

"Please, stay calm," Honeybee said loudly, "try and keep the car steady, okay?"

The car moving was actually one of their best strategies right now. While it made fighting more dangerous, disposing of the monkeys become much easier because of the pull of gravity.

The driver mumbled something and nodded. Honeybee stepped back onto the roof of the drivers cabin, and threw two stingers at monkeys right for where Superboy was fighting a whole horde of monkeys. One of the guards was lifted from the hole in the back of the truck (when had that got there?), and Honeybee's eyes widened. She unhooked her cable and slid down, holding onto the mirror and opening the car door.

"New plan, you're getting out," Honeybee said. She took the driver by their shoulder and connected a grapple hook she kept for emergencies (she much preferred her lasso) to his belt, before aiming it for a fence post and sending the man out flying. The truck began to swerve, and she jumped out as she saw Robin do the same from the top of the bed of the truck. She fell into a head on a pile of grass and she knew the hit to her head would give her a headache. Great.

Honeybee watched as the truck began to swerve, and she noticed that the back tires were now blown. The truck flipped onto its side, and from the back came a large horde of monkeys that were flying out with the parts.

Honeybee jumped to her feet and sent a scathing look up at the retreating forms of the monkeys. God, she hated her dad sometimes.

Superboy must have fallen beneath the truck, as it was pushed to the side and then there he was in the mess of parts and metal. He said nothing, did not even look at them, instead took off with a large jump. And now a run-away teammate. Her life just kept getting better and better.

"Superboy!" Robin said. Honeybee did not bother to call after him, it was far too late.

"Aqualad to Robin, we've lost our cargo. Did you –"

"Yeah, it's gone," Robin answered. "And so is mine and Honeybee's partner!"

"Aqualad to Superboy, radio your position. We'll help you."

Even through the comn, Superboy's anger was apparent.

"I don't need help, don't want any!"

"Superboy?"

Honeybee sighed and looked after where her friend went. "Ditched his comn it seems."

"Great!" Wally chimed in. "Now we can't even track him!"

Honeybee frowned and shut her eyes. Today was just the worst.

Don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple
And no one's ever burned you, nothing's ever left you scarred
And even though you want to, just try to never grow up

Chapter Bible Verse:

"As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted on Jerusalem." – Isaiah 66:13

I regret nothing and everything about this chapter.

To this day, I can still not make sense of the fight scene with the trucks and I have watched that scene more times than I can count. So if that seems wonky, that's why. I genuinely had no idea where to go with it.

This chapter cuts off in a weird place, but it'll make sense once next chapter picks up, I promise.

And Ivo? Her father? Whatttttt? That was something that Betty had to tell me, as it was not until deep into planning and creation that I realized this was who her lineage was. And this will not just be a throw-away! We'll get more from this and how it came to be alter.

Not my best work, but I am still proud of it. Questions, comments, or concerns, let me know!

Review Replies:

MsRosePetal: Poor Jason and Betty! I've put them through the ringer this past chapter. But things will look up for the both of them! This is Jason Todd, after all, he's got away of popping up where you least expect it. And yeah, I decided to do the bible verse thing because though I have a small audience, I owe it all to Him. And what inspires us can be so fascinating. Some weird things motivated my mock trial team this past year, let me tell you! I'm so thankful for you leaving reviews, it always brightens my day to see them. I hope your having a blessed day!

Have a blessed day!

-PrincessChess