Author's Notes: Thanks so much to everyone reading this story and I want to give special thanks to my new beta BanannaSlapz517.
Tinder-Smith Garden Arena – 1:00 PM
"Holy shit!" I squealed.
Black Canary. The Black Canary is standing right in front of me and I can't think of one intelligent thing to say. I look up at her amused face and a smile quickly forms on mine. I can't believe that I'm even looking at her; she looks even prettier in person.
"Please, call me Nicole, Miss Wayne makes me sound old. Your voice sounds so sexy."
And her voice sounds a little too familiar…there is no way that Black Canary knew about what happened to me back in December, or maybe she was.
She smiled while helping me off of the ground. "Thank you, Nicole. You still haven't answered my question though."
"Oh! I'm visiting my boyfriend…but enough about me. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine. Do you need medical attention? I saw you get tossed clear across the Gardens." Black Canary asked.
"No, I'm good." I paused, "Hey, if I kiss you right now, will I get slapped?"
She laughed.
It wasn't a cruel "you're so out of your league" kind of laugh, it was more the "that's so sweet" kind. And that irked me, I'm being serious here! The woman of my dreams is standing right in front of me and she thinks that I'm not going to try something? I may never get this chance ever again.
"Didn't you say that you were in town visiting your boyfriend?"
"Yeah, I am. Hypothetically speaking, if both of us didn't have boyfriends and we met just like this and I asked you the same question from before…"
"Yes?"
I smiled. "Would I get that kiss? Hypothetically speaking that is."
"Maybe."
"Oh, shot down and it hurts."
She smiled. "Does your boyfriend know that you hit on women when he's not around?"
"No, for some reason I think he'd watch just for the Hell of it. Maybe he'd be upset at first but quickly get over it, honestly, he knows. I'm not holding you up from any superhero type things, am I?"
I really need to stop rambling like an idiot.
"No, not right now, you seem like you need to talk to someone."
"What are you talking about?" I said.
I walked over to a bench and sat down clumsily; I still haven't gotten use to my sudden growth spurt; I noticed that Black Canary followed me closely. Paramedics and police had swarmed the area and cleanup crews had just arrived. Our conversation wouldn't be overheard.
"Hey, have you talked to anyone about that night?" Black Canary asked.
"What's there to talk about? The Joker nearly killed me, but I managed to survive thanks to your friends in the Justice League."
I shrugged.
"That doesn't mean that you're okay. Do you want to talk about it?"
"This visit was actually me trying to get away from Gotham and the Riddler shows up here…I just feel like I don't want to go back home. I've worked so hard to get where I am today and I'm not going to let him ruin that."
She sighed. "It was an impossible situation; Batman did all that he could to get you out of there safely. No one can ever understand why the Joker does what he does but you have to know that he intentionally set out to harm someone. If not you, it would have been someone else."
Wait…what?
He intentionally set out to harm someone that night. You couldn't have predicted who he had in mind was your niece.
Great, Black Canary was a part of the cover up too. Ugh, I knew her voice sounded familiar. She knew about me and I'd hate to get mad at her. She was only doing what Batman had asked her to do. There was no use in pretending to be the clueless civilian, not anymore.
"Okay, I can't keep this charade going anymore. I know, okay? I know about everything. You were around me when I was in a coma but I could hear almost everything that was going on. I remember your voice and Batman's and heard other things about the League."
Black Canary tensed. "Like?"
"I know who my uncle really is and by some freak accident the chemical that the Joker injected into me has caused me to be able to do this," I said.
I lifted my right hand as blue flames began to lick up from my wrist to the tips of my fingers. After a few seconds of my little display, I waved my hand and the flames disappeared.
"You're a metahuman," She said while biting her lip. "That must have come as a shock."
"You have no idea. Look, I'm not…I just want the truth from him. The fact that he's been lying to me for all these months is hypocritical." I whispered.
"When did you find-"
I shook my head. "I found out about the fire while on a business trip in Metropolis two months ago. As for when I knew my uncle likes to fly around in a cape, I found that out last week."
"It sounds like you and your uncle need to have a serious chat."
"Are you saying I should confront him?" I asked.
"That's exactly what I mean."
Gotham City – Wayne Manor – 10:30 PM
I just got off the company private jet to confront my superhero family. I had to make up some bullshit explanation to Roy about me coming back home. He was understanding, helped me pack my things and drove me to the airport too. I glossed over the details about the Riddler's attack in the Gardens. Roy didn't need to know about the superheroes in my life or about my father, but he sure did laugh while hearing about me hitting on Black Canary.
I rang the door bell and Alfred answered as usual.
"Where have you been, Miss Nicole? I've been worried sick about you, and poor Master Bruce has been at his wits end!"
I scoffed. "I'm sure he has."
"You'd do well not to mock our concern."
I watched as Alfred grabbed my bags, I wasn't having any of that. The truth needed to come out and I was sick of all of this going on behind my back.
"Alfred, please put down the bags."
"Why on Earth would I need to do that?"
I rolled my eyes. "I know that Bruce is Batman, Dick is Robin and yes, I found the Batcave."
"How long-"
"Last week, and I'd rather hear this straight from Bruce's mouth because I'm tired of him lying to my face. Is he here? Are they in the Batcave?"
Alfred sighed. "I told Master Bruce to tell you this but he's very stubborn, a trait that you both seem to share."
No Alfred, I share traits with an insane clown that tried to kill me.
"Yeah, sure, is he here?"
"No, I'm afraid that both of them are still out for the night-"
I nodded my head and placed a strand of hair behind my right ear.
"Well, we'll just have to wait up for them now won't we?"
Batcave – 12:00 AM
I sat staring up at the cave's blank computer screen, conveniently hidden by the large chair I sat on, ironically at the scene of the crime where I got that horrible piece of information about who my father really is. I should rip Bruce's head off for what he's done, he ruined my life. Maybe I could have had a different life. I wouldn't have gotten into business as a career or found out about my mother's side of the family.
My thoughts were cut short by the vaguely familiar rumble of the Batmobile's engine. It's about to go down, both of them are in so much trouble.
"Alfred, is everything alright?" Bruce said.
"Yeah, Alfred, you look worried about something." Dick said.
"Actually, Master Bruce, there is something that I should tell-"
I turned the chair around revealing my hiding spot.
"Yeah, Batman, there's something he needs to tell you. You're welcome, Alfred. I know how hard this must be for you, but it's high time that the truth gets said around here."
"What are you doing down here?" Bruce exclaimed.
"How dare you yell at me for wanting to know the truth?" I shook my head. "You're the one who tried to hide all of this from me. Did you honestly think that I wouldn't find out? You're Batman, "my savior", right? Although, we both know that isn't how it went down."
I felt pressure on my side, as I looked down I could see Dick hugging my middle while still dressed in his Robin costume sans mask. Ugh, I can't get mad at that face and he knows it.
"Dick, stop acting cute. I'm trying to be upset with you right now."
"Not going to happen, this is so aster. Now we can train you and you can pick up the real family business!" Dick smiled.
"What?" I asked.
"No!" Bruce and Alfred yelled.
"Excuse me?"
"I nearly lost you once. I'm not going to risk that again." Bruce said calmly.
"Well, you don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself,"
"Oh, really." Bruce said.
I lifted my arm and aimed for the giant penny. Flames shot straight from my hand and engulfed the large coin in the shade of Electric Blue. I was very pleased with the shocked expression on Alfred, Bruce and Dick's faces. You'd think they've never seen a metahuman before.
"Sir, I think you should call Radiation Master now." Alfred said.
Batcave Examination Room Two – 1:00 AM
"Doctor Pierce! What are you doing here?"
My doctor from Gotham Memorial was standing right in front of me and didn't seem fazed one bit. I had left him about a dozen messages about my weird symptoms and didn't receive one single phone call. He sure has some nerve showing up here when I'm trying to grill Bruce.
"Dear girl, I'm more than a mere physician. So when did you become a pyromaniac exactly?"
"Wait a minute? Are you a member of the Justice League or something? I don't think I've ever heard of you…what's your real name?" I asked.
He huffed. "Well I suppose that there's no use in hiding."
Slowly Dr. Pierce began to morph into a blonde haired, blue and green scaled and even more handsome version of himself. Oh, he's an alien…that would explain the shape shifting.
"My name is Xpatos, crown Prince of the planet Nyarri, but my League name is Radiation Master." He smiled.
"Okay, that's wonderful. Why the hell didn't you answer my calls? I called you over a dozen times freaking out about-"
"Yes, yes, I heard that you've exhibited some combustible ability. I can barely believe it myself, you're a scientific miracle and I fully intend on taking credit for all of it."
"Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit arrogant?" I scoffed.
Xpatos laughed. "All the time! Now, I need to check your vitals and put you on some meds before you collapse and die. Ha."
"Wait, what?" I asked.
He waved a small flashlight in both of my eyes without warning and then placed his stethoscope over my heart. After listening for a few seconds, he then took what looked to be a pen and jabbed it into my right arm. The pen beeped and it recited some readings for Xpatos aloud. I couldn't understand what any of the "chemical mumbo-jumbo" meant but it sure made him happy.
"Ah! We're going to need to balance out the Oxygen in your system. Oh! You should try to contain your angry thoughts too. They can cause combustion and you wouldn't want to burn down an office building. To answer your previous shriekings, I was testing your blood samples and finding out which medications would work best to stabilize you." He said snidely.
"So, I could have dropped dead at any moment or caused serious harm to others and you're only telling me this now!"
"Don't be overdramatic," he reassured me, "I've got a nice strong cocktail of meds made specifically just for you."
"Asshole."
"Aw, I love you too, little niece." Xpatos cooed.
"Excuse me? Last time I checked, I wasn't related to an alien."
"Technically, you're right, but that isn't the case anymore. That's why I'm taking all of the credit." His eyes gleamed.
"Again, what is that supposed to mean?"
He sighed at my hopeless stupidity. "Let's go back into the cave for that story, I don't want to repeat myself."
"Gee, here I thought you loved hearing the sound of your own voice." I said while walking out of the exam room.
"I do like the sound of my own voice, actually, but I do have to explain your new lineage," Xpatos laughed.
Both Radiation Master and I walked back into the Batcave. Bruce, Alfred and Dick were patiently waiting for my check-up to be over.
"Xpatos, is she alright?" Bruce asked.
"Yes, yes, she's fine. I'll have to go back to New Avalonia to get her meds and bring my sisters here too."
"Um, why do you need your sisters here?" I asked.
He smirked. "It's about time I explain why I faked my own death and our relation, Nicole."
"Right, well, explain yourself then." I scoffed.
"After this, I'll have to go." Xpatos smirked.