A/N: IMPORTANT. After reviewing my writing for this story, I've realized that it'll be best to switch the story into past tense. I was trying to be consistent with present tense but it's really difficult. So the chapters now on will be in past tense. Other than that note, really sorry this came out late again. Had several writer's blocks but have outlined almost all the story now. Hope you all enjoy! Thank you to all who have review and please continue.

Disclaimer: I do not own Young Justice or Danny Phantom. Just my ocs and how they fit into the storyline.

Mastering

Gotham City

August 27 6:17 EDT

Leila woke up gasping for breath, her head throbbing from a major headache. The last thing she remembered was a wall of mud slamming into her as Clayface attempted to suffocate her. Thanks to her powers, she survived...again and was the first to awaken. Blinking away the grime of mud, Leila glanced around the warehouse to find Batman standing above a pile of glass and muck while her teammates- except for Aqualad- were knocked out cold. Her hands were shaking slightly as Leila pushed herself onto her knees, eyeing her mentor wearily as he gives a bat-glaring frown at Aqualad as he lays, defeated on the ground, covered in Clayface's mud. Robin, Kid Flash, Superboy and Miss Martian were all covered in mud as well; a sight that wasn't suppose to be.

How stupid she was in letting the Team agree with the plan to split up. Especially after Batman told them specifically not to engage. It was the ultimate divide and conquer move for the enemy. Let alone allowing herself to be fooled in not trusting her instincts in time. She should've seen it sooner before getting attacked herself by Clayface.

Leila kept her head down as she scuttled over to check on her teammates, each thankfully still have a pulse and breathing. Batman meanwhile helped Aqualad up before coming to wake the Team. Leila could sense Batman's frown as he held out his hand to help her up and she reluctantly took it.

"I will evaluate your performance when we return to the Batcave but for now, help the others." Demanded the Dark Knight, creating Leila to fold her arms defensively.

She did try to warn the Team that splitting up would be a bad idea. One very bad and stupid idea. She should've kept her head straight and been persistent in objecting to the stupidity, especially when sensing Aqualad was off his game as well, but she couldn't stop thinking about Penny. Vlad was obviously behind her kidnapping but why not take Leila? Obviously Cheshire would inform the Shadows additionally regarding her whereabouts. So what was their endgame? Why involve a lonely ghost like Penny? Then again, research in ghosts was limited and knowing what your enemy doesn't is a high advantage.

Leila bit the inside of her lip as she helped Robin stand. Batman was already set to work on collecting Clayface and the Team stood silently around each other. Every one of them was tired and beaten but Leila could sense the disappointment, shame and anger at the fact that they each were so easily apprehended. The fact that Batman had to intervene made it all the worst.

Silently each of them walked to the zeta tube in Gotham, Leila helping Robin from time to time as he tries to regain his strength. Superboy was clutching his fists the whole time and Miss Martian seemed to be debating over helping him or not. Kid Flash rubbed the back of his neck and kept to himself like Aqualad. It was Aqualad though whom Leila was concerned about. Never before had she seen him so...distant. She was the one on the Team for that. If she was leader on an assignment like this under the Shadows and got distracted, her punishment would've been more lethal than a mere bat-glare. Granted, Batman wasn't done with them but, in comparison, the Shadows would not have waited. Aqualad was always the collective one to her and it was odd to have him suddenly unfocused. Leila could sense his distraction was more for longing of something- or someone- than anything. It was obvious on his face as he walked, even with the crushing defeat of Clayface, that Aqualad was still being distracted.

Suddenly, Leila could sense Robin shuddering as they walk silently together and she instantly stiffens. Focusing back on herself and in controlling her powers to keep from creating a temperature drop. She had to keep in control. Robin was already questioning Batman and kept staring at Leila as if checking to see if she was really there.

Leila went first to zeta to the Cave, the computer recognizing each member of the Team,

"Recognize. Raven. B-zero-eight."

The brilliant light ebbs away to reveal Batman's bat-glare and frown boring into her and the rest of the Team as they enter the Cave.

"I need to talk to Aqualad. The rest of you. Hit the showers and head home."

Superboy growl in response, raising his hands in gesture to the Cave,

"Head home. I am home."

Obvious Superboy was taking the defeat lightly. Leila started following the rest of the Team towards the living sanctuaries of the mountain before turning around to see Robin still standing beside Aqualad.

"Just Aqualad." Insisted Batman, to which Robin shares a look with Aqualad before sulking off.

Leila took a step towards Robin, raising her hand up in attempt to comfort, only for Robin to rebuff her gesture and headed towards the showers. Leila frowns before glancing over at Batman and Aqualad. She was far away enough human distance not to hear but she could tell even without her powers that Batman was giving the final blow. Aqualad's lowered head and shagged shoulders were easy indications to the trouble he was in.

"You're either here one hundred percent or you need to walk away. Make a decision Kal'dur and make it soon."

Aqualad looks down as Batman strode away, giving Leila her own bat-glare as he notices her standing by the entry hallway. Leila folds her arms in defense but looks down slightly abashed,

"Think Aqualad will leave the Team? He seems pretty in love with that girl from what I was sensing."

"Aqualad's decision is up to him. Not you Raven. Your circumstance against Clayface is different and you have a decision as well regarding the Team."

Leila narrows her eyes at Batman. She respected her mentor, the one true father figure in her life now, but she also did not appreciate having this talk right now. Not in the Cave where anyone could be listening. Leila merely nods,

"I know Batman. I'll meet you at home."

Batman gives Leila a curt nod of understanding before stepping aside to let her pass as she heads towards the zeta tubes. Bypassing the security codes for access to the Batcave, Leila gives one glance towards Aqualad before disappearing in a flash of light.

"Recognize. Raven. B-zero-eight."

Leila's eyes instantly adjusted to the pitch-black darkness of the Batcave, zoning in her sights to the middle of the cave where Alfred stood on the raised platform beside the large office chair positioned ahead of the computer.

"Evening Mistress Leila, I take it that it wasn't a complete success for the Team?"

Leila grimaces before sighing, "No," Leila confirms with a deadpan expression, "partially my fault too...do you think I should tell them? I could've fought of Clayface tonight...at least hold him before he got to the others. And I know that the Team deserves to know the truth but-"

Leila cuts off as the zeta tube register Batman and Robin transporting to the Batcave. Both were frowning but Robin walked past Leila up towards the mansion with barely a glance. Batman meanwhile bore his signature bat-glare at Leila, waiting for her to start. Leila frowns defensively, folding her arms across her chest, indicating Batman to start instead.

"Whether you tell the Team or not Leila is your decision, but you have to learn to trust your powers and accept them."

"I'm supposed to be dead Batman. It's not like Superman who's just a different species, I shouldn't even be alive."

"But you are, Leila. You are getting better at controlling in your human form but you cannot split yourself further if you want to be a hero."

Leila's hands clutch as she looks away, knowing that Batman was right. If she was going to learn how to control her powers, she had to stop running. Stop running from herself.

"Alfred and I have agreed in helping you train with your powers. We even started creating some more weaponry against ghosts. Get cleaned up first, then we'll start."

Leila reluctantly nods before walking up to the mansion. Robin was nowhere in sight but Leila could hear him working out in the training room. Leila's mind wandered, as she got ready by changing out of her disgustingly muddy costume for a new one. She breathed deeply to calm her nerves. Leila had run away before any real training with her powers was evaluated. She had accidentally- and luckily- overhead Vlad and Ra's Ah Ghul's discussion about her success of progress and their work of using her powers against the Justice League. How it was all planned since that night her mom was murdered. Only once since then had Leila transform into her ghost half, rarely trusting her control over her powers.

Leila forced her mind back to the present. She couldn't afford losing concentration like Aqualad and, if she did, Batman or Alfred could be hurt. Phasing through her bedroom floor towards the Batcave, Leila transformed herself into her ghost half. Her raven black hair altering into a snowy white and a purple glow of an aura surrounded her as her attire transformed into a black and white contrasting jumpsuit. Leila landed behind Batman on the platform. A full minute passed before Batman suddenly turned around and threw a batarang straight at Leila's position. Smirking, Leila turned intangible as the batarang phased right through her,

"Well you can definitely sense ghosts better than most people Batman. As you can see though, ghosts are harder to attack than with a mere trinket of ordinary weaponry."

"That's what we need to working on as well Leila. If you're not going to tell the Team about your powers, then Alfred and I figured some ghost fighting weaponry is of a necessity. The new specter-deflecting system in the utility belts is good for protection but it's only for the single user, not a group setting and we have to be quicker than that to defeat the enemy."

"Right. I've come up with some alterations to our own weaponry. Maybe explosive batarangs with ectoplasm? I was also thinking of enhancing my tessen to be infused with an ectoplasmic energy system to fight against ghosts in my human form…"

Leila trailed off as she started to remember Penny's attack on Alfred and how she wasn't even able to protect the lonely girl in her ghost form. Slowly falling back to the ground, Leila glanced down as she landed lightly on her feet.

"And...you haven't found any news about Penny yet either?"

Batman gave a small frown before shaking his head. He had instantly wanted every detail of Penny's attack and kidnapping once Robin had gone to bed that night. Leila, with shame, reported how she couldn't protect Penny- how she should've acted quicker than to tried to deal with Robin at the time.

"I can't even protect a little girl with these powers Batman. Let alone barely control them. How can you be so sure I'm meant to have them?"

Batman was silent as he walked over to the computer mainframe, typing furiously away at the holographic keyboard to start the training simulation. Leila figures he install a new system for training with powers before taking a defensive stance, listening to her environment. Batman's voice echoes around as he disappears into the darkness.

"Focus your concentration. On your ectoplasmic energy. You know tai chi blocking, control is all about letting the energy flow through like a river."

Leila closed her eyes- taking deep breaths. It took her a month to learn how not to reveal her powers in her human form. Now she had to learn the opposite. Control over how to use her powers not resists them. Suddenly, a batarang whooshed out from behind, in which Leila instantly turned invisible before turning around and firing her ectoplasmic ray at Batman. It ricocheted off a cave wall instead, crumbling rocks to the floor and scattering bats from their concealed places. Leila growled under her breath, she had reacted to being attacked, not focusing on anticipating Batman's real move. A punch to her face strikes instantaneously as the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and she turned around. Leila's propelled backwards and she flips midair, regaining her balance as she rubs her jaw.

"You're too focused on trying to figure out your powers Leila. Let it come naturally. Accept that your powers are apart of you."

Easier said than done Batman. I'm lucky I can maintain my ghost form right now.

Leila lowered herself to the ground again, her eyes glowing a purple hue and her jaw clenched as she focused on her opponent. She had to focus if she was going to pass this training exercise. Batman may not kill her if she failed like training with the Shadows, but that doesn't mean it was acceptable. Not to her. She was a trained assassin; failure was not an option. Batman had disappeared again, but Leila relied on her enhanced hearing now, letting her powers take instinct. Batman wouldn't use the same move twice, knowing that Leila would know. Apprehending an opponent with powers meant two options: one was already use.

Leila instantly formed an ectoplasmic shield around her, propelling it around herself just as Batman was about to strike. Leila smirked as Batman rammed into the shield prior to stumbling backwards in surprise, before Leila initiated a counter-strike. Promptly as she evaporated her shield, Leila grabbed Batman's arm, gripping with both hands as she twirled him around and flung her mentor towards a cave wall. Nothing crumbled this time. Batman quickly fired his grappling hook, latching to the cave wall opposite him before swinging down to safety and disappearing into the darkness for a third time. All the while, throwing three batarangs at Leila. Leila's eyes glowed as she fired three ectoplasmic rays, each intercepting their targets. Leila looks around in slight confusion,

Why is Batman throwing batarangs? He knows I can...ah that's his angle.

Leila grinned as she glances around the pitch-black cave, realizing Batman's motives now. By letting her training instincts take over, Leila was learning how to control her powers. How to accept them as apart of her. Turning intangible just as Batman jumped from behind, he phase right through her. Leila's moment of achievement was ephemeral. Time seem to slow down as Leila first heard a hum from Batman's utility belt...the specter deflector system had turn on. Leila gasps before letting out an echoing shriek of pain. The belt creating an electric charge as it made contact with Leila's specter form, spreading all along her body before attacking her core. Leila could hear Batman's shout of concern, trying to reach out to her, but Leila crumbled backwards against the pain. Her legs buckling under herself as Leila clutched her midriff. Her lime green ring of ectoplasm being forced out from her icy core and forcefully transforming Leila back into her human form. It felt like something was wrenching her in half, splitting her to separate her ghost and human form apart.

Just as rapid as it started, Leila soon was kneeling and shaking on the floor, groaning in pain. Batman rushed forward to aid but Leila leaned back wearily, eyeing his utility belt. Batman stops short in front of Leila, raising his hand, cautious of touching her again.

"Leila. Can you move your body?"

"Yes…" Groaned Leila as she tried to calm herself down. She was trying to keep the flashbacks from clouding her mind. The electric shock wasn't as detrimental as when Leila entered the portal, but it brought back memories. The pain that force her back into her human form, felt like the same pain that gave Leila her powers. Batman's gentle hand on her shoulder jumped her back to the present. Leila instantly shrinks back, startled before glancing down to see that Batman had taken his utility belt off, it lying on the cave floor off to the side. Leila sighed as she looked down. She had failed. She had broke down during training and that was not acceptable. Batman would be disappointed.

Leila looked up as Alfred coughs to gain attention of her and Batman. Leila couldn't look at Batman as he replies to Alfred,

"Alfred?"

"Pardon me Master Bruce. Mistress Leila. However, I believe that Master Dick may need some training assistance."

Leila raised an eyebrow. Batman expressed a frown of concern before striding over to his large office chair in front of the Batcave's computer, typing in commands for the security screen of the camera in the workout room. Robin was hanging upside down on the trapeze rings, a scowl on his face as he strained himself at work. Leila could hear Robin mutter the words Batman told him at Mount Justice before he flipped off, sloppily landing on a punching post and stumbling off. Catching himself in a roll before slamming into the wall and instantly punching it in creating a small crater. She knew the little birdie was particularly disturbed by Batman only speaking with Aqualad…but enough for him to become so unfocused?

"Mind calling for him to report outside to the basketball court Alfred."

"Why of course, Master Bruce." Alfred replied before giving a small obeisance to leave. Leila gave a questioning look at her mentor as he stood up from his chair and turned to her.

"We'll take a break from your training. Not to mention to find a way to create an off switch for the specter deflector systems. You're welcome to come help with Dick's though."

"In basketball?" Leila questioned in a deadpan voice, attempting to keep her aloof stance, "I'm not the sporty type Bruce. But...maybe I'll watch."

Batman showed a small lift of the corner of his lip as he passed, indicting the closest association to a smile Leila would probably guess Batman could give.

"Meet up in five then."

Leigh signed before walking back up toward the mansion. Other than the disastrous end to training, she had made progress. And Batman did smiled at her, even if it was just the corners of his mouth, it must have been an inclination of forgiveness. She even felt...comfortable in her ghost form. Once she allowed herself to believe in her powers.

Leila meet up with Dick, him dressed in white and light blue workout clothes and frowning.

"Do you know what Bruce wants?" Dick questioned Leila in an irritated voice. Leila merely shrugs, more drained than ever before from the electricity shock. At least the belts do work- will have to be careful around the Team…

Leila became perplexed as her thoughts churned over the thought of telling the Team. She may have start accepting herself...but what about the Team? She's dead- okay half-dead- but still dead. A ghost. If not at least half of the Team barely believes in ghosts. And what about how she obtained her powers? Barely Batman and her were having a breakthrough with the ghost hunting weaponry. Even if the Team accepted her powers, they wouldn't want a previous trained assassin on the Team. Leila was snapped out of her thoughts as she heard Robin catch a basketball,

"What's this?"

"Training. Hand-eye coordination." Bruce replied with a small smirk on his face. Robin grins back,

"Two against one?"

Leila looks away tiredly as she raised both hands in front of her, "Ah sorry guys...but still a little shaky from the Clayface incident. Probably best one on one."

"One on one?"

"If you think you can handle it." Challenges Bruce while standing a firm stance with his hands on his hips. Robin grins before taking off, dribbling the basketball down the court. Leila watched as Robin dodge around Bruce before scoring a three pointer just barely missing Bruce's block.

"Hahaha yes!"

Leila glances behind her towards Alfred, seeing the smile of amusement on his face, and thinking back the past couple of days. First Alfred and then the Team were in danger because of her powers. One directly because she was a ghost, the other because she was desperate in keeping them a secret and not trusting herself. Not to mention Vlad is in the picture now more than ever. It wasn't like she was scared of him, but whatever machinations he had up his sleeve were not good. Now the big question is: would telling the Team protect or hurt them?

Leila leaned against the doorframe, hugging herself in doubt. Alfred's hand gently laid on Leila's shoulder in reassurance, sharing eye contact with Leila before she gave a small smile back. The decision was made then, once Aqualad returned, Leila will tell the Team.