~Spirit~

October 15, 5:00 PM Eastern:

The whole Team is antsy. Ever since what happened to Impulse, everyone has seemed more disconnected than usual. I'm not too highly regarded at this point. It's probably because no one wants a repeat of the Reach invasion. But I would not hurt any of them.

Wouldn't I?

Their mistrust is poorly placed. Spirit reassured me. After all, you are Batman's daughter.

Bloodlines mean nothing when it comes to trust. I growled.

It means everything. You would not have been so easily entered into the Team were not your father Batman.

But my mother is the daughter of Ra's al Ghul. I am his granddaughter. The granddaughter of the man who cheated death for centuries.

Yet I, the essence that gave him life, dwell in you.

It doesn't matter. I have to do something to make them trust me.

Like what? I could feel Spirit's frustration.

I sighed. It didn't matter what I did. I would always be the odd one out. The one who would never be accepted because of my powers. The Team feared me, and that prohibited me from getting overtly acquainted with them.

Maybe if I returned to the League of Shadows, I would be more accepted. And I had my mother there too, and.. Cole. Even though he asked me out, he was still my best friend. Who knows? I could learn to love.

An inner voice scorned me.

Besides, I was too powerful to stay here. What if I lost control like Superboy said? I would kill all of them. No, that couldn't happen. It wouldn't. If I left, no one would miss me.

Stark realization hit me in the face. I wanted to leave. Not out of fear or necessity, but because something unseen was probing me on. The person I used to be would never back down. Never. I didn't know what was happening, but I would find out.

I left my room.

All eyes turned to me, the most unfriendly was Superboy's. I was sure that he could have been nicer, but at this point I couldn't see it. Tigress looked at me with apathy, and so did Zatanna. Beast Boy was cringing. I opened my mouth to speak, but my vision hazed. And I blacked out.

October 15, 7:00 PM, Eastern:

All I could hear were yells.

WAKE UP DEMARY! Spirit sent a ringing through my ears. My vision returned. I had just sent Superboy sprawling across the floor. Wait what?! Most of the Team were on the ground, groaning. Kaldur, Nightwing, and Tigress were still up. Tigress came at me yelling.

"Wait! Tigress!" I shouted. Her eyes widened and she froze in midair.

"Her eyes are back to normal." She said.

"What happened? What happened to the Team?"

"What happened to you? You attacked us." Nightwing stated. I covered my mouth.

"Oh no no no no no..." I shook my head vigorously. "I have to go..." I ran to the Zeta tubes.

"Spirit, B-2-7,"

I Zeta'd to Gotham. I took out my staff and grappled to my apartment. I peeled off my uniform. I couldn't wear that anymore. And I'd have to do something to my eyes. I threw on some casual clothes and hid my staff under a loose plyboards. I'd summon it if need be. But for now, I was more focused on getting away from everything I'd done.

I walked out on the street, my hood low across my face. I heard a slight change of wind above me, and I looked up. Figures were leaping from building to building. I sighed and shook my head.

Get your staff, Demary. Now. Spirit said forcefully.

I bit my lip and focused. The pitch black glowing staff appeared in my hand.

"Retract," I whispered. The staff shrunk until it was nothing more than a charm on a necklace. Perfect. I hung it around my neck and slipped into an alley.

What would they do if they find me? When they find me. No. They won't. I was part of the League of Shadows. Night was my shield.

"Demary. " I spun and pointed my staff at the voice. I could vaguely make out a figure hidden by shadows. I could feel the tip of my staff pressed against flesh.

"What do you want?" I snarled. If it was another Leaguer I would probably be caught.

"Your allegiance." It said. I snorted.

"Yeah, I'll give it to whoever you are when pigs fly." A hand flung out and slammed me by the throat to a wall. It cracked behind me and I felt dizzy.

Spirit? I called mentally. No answer. What was happening? A face leaned close. I could make out malicious emotionless red eyes and a smirk.

"Perhaps you should reconsider." His voice sounded so familiar, but ages away. I tried to summon Spirit, but our connection was blocked somehow.

"Ah ah ah." He tsked. "Your powers are cheating. Besides, I've been granted control over that usage when they got into your head." He spoke deliberately, careful to not list specific names.

"Who?" I croaked, my neck a bit bruised from his grip. He didn't loosen it.

"You'll find it out soon enough."

I tried again to summon Spirit. I could feel him trying to make a connection; but it was like trying to message on bad wifi. He knew I was trying and vice versa, but we just couldn't seem to get through. The person laughed.

"This is a lot more fun than those collars. And I also get you, which is always a plus."

I also get you. He said it like I were a prize. Who else had told me that?

~Flashback~

I jumped from roof to roof, laughing at Cole trying desperately to keep up and the breeze waging through my hair.

"Slow down..." He huffed. I stopped at a higher building and sat down, dangling my legs over the side of the building. Cole sat next to me, not puffing as I would have thought, but he had a thoughtful aura around him.

"What's going on?" I poked him.

"When I joined the League of Shadows, I never expected to meet someone as amazing as you are." He smiled. I swallowed. What did he mean?

"Well, I am Ra's granddaughter after all. It's my job to be amazing." I joked.

"Please, Demary, be serious for a bit. I didn't know that I would learn this much, but I also didn't know I would also get you." He said pleadingly, but something in his eyes scared me.

"Get me?" I asked cautiously.

"Demary, will you be my girlfriend?"

~Flashback end~

I had said no, but I guess Cole didn't take that, if what I thought was right. I decided to take a chance.

"Cole?"