"Sam we need to talk about this." Dinah Lance sat across from her adopted daughter, she knew the training exercise had hurt her more than she let on but Sam's brilliant emerald green eyes were blank, her whole face was a mask of stone Sam was good there was no way she was going to betray how she really felt. "Sam you showed no emotion when Artemis died and when Hunter died it was only for a few brief seconds, what happened." Nothing registered on her face it was like Sam wasn't even there. Her deep purple lips moved saying angrily "I was a good soldier." Dinah's head cocked to the side "Sam you are a soldier but that doesn't explain your reaction; I know what you're feeling Sam you know what happened to my parents please let me in." Sam tensed and she spoke only slightly angry "But you don't do you?" her voice rose angrily "You don't know what I've seen what I've had to do." Her eyes shone with angry green flames flickering behind the irises. "You haven't been through the bloodiest wars in the history of mankind, you haven't had to watch your family die and feel the pain of death only to have to be born again and start all over, You haven't watched the boys you were stuck in a fox hole with for two days trading stories about back home be torn apart by machine gun fire, you haven't had to tell your best friend's wife that he wasn't coming home to her and the children, you haven't watched nurses franticly rushing up the streets to the hospital trying to get to the wounded running through bombs and machine gun fire, you haven't fought with your fiancée making him leave early for his deployment and watched him get on the gods damned boat and hearing that he went down with his ship not twenty miles away, you haven't watched your friend and their plane go down in a ball of fire knowing that if you had done as you were told they would still be alive," she stood her skin translucent revealing shadows and flames flickering underneath. "You haven't been injured so badly just lying on the battle field bleeding and thinking, no praying to the gods just to let you die so you couldn't hurt anymore only to be dragged off the battlefield and save 'just in the nick of time', You haven't watched thousands die on impact from the bomb you dropped, you haven't watched your death race toward you in the form of the cruel blue ocean that took your fiancée from you, you didn't feel the pain of impact and the struggle to breath as you sank with the plane and want so badly to give up but you can't and watch as the light from the sun got further and further away before you die." She spun on her heel blond hair swinging in its ponytail storming out of the room with canary hot on her heels.
"Sam Stop." Canary said calmly grabbing the sixteen year olds arm only to snatch it back with a burn from her superheated skin. Growling Sam turned and ran she sprinted from the cave barely letting the door open to let her out. She angrily pulled out her com and her cell phone and threw them down the mountain before turning and racing to the top. The leaves and trees whipped by and she heard the calls of her pack, the wolves howling at each other to let her be that she needed her space and that she did she mused as she streaked up the mountain using her super human speed to her advantage she skidded to a stop at the cliffs edge breathing hard and angry tears streaming down her face. Growling she fell to her knees pounding her fists into the ground as the tears slid down her face and were evaporated before they could touch her blue jeans "Why? Why did you have to make me care?"
Two hours later Sam sat with her knees tucked under her chin staring blankly at the ocean, she heard the crunch of footsteps up behind her from the woods. "Go away." she growled. Behind her Hunter ran a hand through his shaggy dirty blond hair pushing it out of the way of his blue eyes and strong features, his toned archers arms were shown off from his tight light green tank top his other hand was tucked into the pocket of his jeans. "This is your fault." She muttered through her knees angrily. "You made me care, you know the people I care about get hurt, I accepted caring about Roy and Wally and Dick and Dinah as family and I accepted that you were a great friend." She stood turning to him so he could see the hurt in her eyes. "But why? Why do you do stuff like this and make me care about you more? Why can't you just leave me alone?" he stepped forward grabbing her upper arms preventing her from fleeing and she glared up at him with bright green eyes full of pain and anger, he had gotten two inches on her six feet and never let her forget it. "Sam you are my best friend, I've known you since I became a hero, and-and I really care about you Sam." Her eyes filled with tears of pain and before she could whisper 'but' he pressed his lips to her deep purple ones.
Her eyes widened in shock hesitating before she kissed back, she couldn't believe how amazing it was, and why the hell did she not do this before? She wrapped her now free arms around his neck and he moved his around her waist pulling her closer to him. He tasted like chocolate and Doritos his favorite snack and tears possibly hers possibly his from his therapy session. He smelled like mints and the wood of his bow and arrows, he reveled in her taste, loving the taste of her mint tea and chocolate chip cookies, and she smelled like a Smokey campfire and the damp smell of the soil and trees, mixed with her vanilla mint shampoo. They pulled apart for air smiling at each other "I care about you too Hunter." She smiled.
"SAM! NO!"
Sam tried to scream but no sound came from her lips, It hurt more than anything the needles poking prodding and breaking skin, drawing crimson blood and injecting awful chemicals and DNA into her blood stream. Changing her giving her powers she writhed against the bonds that pinned her to the cold metal table tears slipping from her brilliant green eyes as that little voice in the back of her head laughed. She stared up at the expressionless eyes above her of her mother and step-father. One last injection and Sam felt her consciousness slip away darkness crept into her vision and she slipped into the bliss of unconsciousness.
"NO! There has to be another way!"
Sam stood atop the highest point in star city watching over the oddly crimeless night unseen by anyone. She felt the wind brush easily against her exposed shoulders the corset design black and purple top didn't cover much, but she felt warm in her black spandex pants and the legionnaire belt kept most temperatures at normal around her. Her silver blond hair was back in its customary ponytail bangs flopping over one of her domino mask covered eyes her deep purple lips were pulled into a frown. It was quiet, too quiet no screams no alarms just silence. A crunch of a footstep on the roof sounded behind her spinning quickly she roundhouse the man behind her pinning him to the ground with her foot square in the middle of their chest.
"Jeeze remind me to never sneak up on you." Glancing down Sam- no nightshade took in the sight of the guy below her he was young only about her age at like fourteen he was grinning sheepishly from under a runed hood his eyes covered by a green domino mask some sandy blond hair was peeking out from under his hood from where it had been knocked askew, he was wearing some sort of medieval garb like freaking robin hood but in lighter tones of green and brown. His bow lay across the roof where it had clattered to the ground when he had fallen and all sorts of arrows were scattered around his head
"Who are you. "She growled menacingly angry that someone had interrupted her thoughts
"I'm the huntsman miss Nightshade." She shook her head; why do people think this job is fun?' she asked herself because you 'make it look sooooo easy. "Shut up you're not helping." She spoke snapping her head to the side. "Umm are you okay Nightshade?" shaking her head she was about to chew out this new idiotic vigilante when her com started to ring. Bringing her hand to her ear she activated her com "This is Nightshade… Oh good it's you canary I've got this weird archer a freakin nother one… wait are you serious… I am going to kill GA…WHAT WHY CANT I COME!... Roy is coming… I can hear him complaining in the background…c'mon seriously…fine but you owe me…don't call me that…bye Canary." Glaring down at the apparent new member to the arrow family Sam moved off him back to her position on the ledge letting her super senses take over as she scanned Star city. Glancing over her shoulder she saw the new guy gathering his arrows and dusting himself off. He walked beside her speaking loudly "I guess you already know I'm Green arrows new sidekick." She winced slightly the sound of his voice was too loud for her senses it hurt a lot glaring at him she smacked him before turning to gaze back at the city. Listening hard she heard it, someone else was jumping from rooftop to rooftop, they were the only heroes left so someone or something was either hunting them or running from them. Snapping her head in the direction the noise came from she zeroed in on the person traipsing her rooftops, a mid. high slim build man with a sack- no what was he doing here he belonged in Gotham not her city. She knew she should call bats or at least Robin but her pride got the best of her, besides everyone else was off on some ridiculous mission, she could take down this fool. She took off in his direction chasing the masked man, he knew she was coming and he ran to the warehouse district she wasn't about to let this sick bastard get away so she kicked it up a notch tapping into her cheetah speed somewhere behind her she sensed the huntsman trying to catch up but she didn't care the man ahead dropped into the warehouse below him and without thinking or putting a gasmask on she dove right in after him.
She landed perfectly tackling him to the ground grinning into the face of the scarecrow. "Looks like you caught me little girl. Or have I caught you?" he laughed maniacally breaking open a hidden bottle in his coat. The eerily green gas filtered around her she punched him square in the face knocking the madman out before she began to cough as the foul green air substance filled her lungs. Choking she watched in terror as the world around her spun and changed until she saw what struck terror into her heart more than anything in the world.
Huntsman dropped down smartly wearing his gas mask. Surveying the scene in front of him he saw Nightshade writhing on the floor screaming utterly terrified and the scarecrow passed out on the floor nearby. He quickly ran over to the distressed girl trying to calm her down to no avail pressing a hand franticly to his com link he called out desperately for someone anyone to come help. And when Black Canary's soothing voice informed him that help was going to be there soon he calmed realizing he could do nothing to help Nightshade he moved over to Scarecrow handcuffing him and ensuring that the unconscious man could not escape.
Sam was trapped scared out of her mind trapped inside her own mind inside her body being controlled by the other girl. She watched helplessly as her friends and family struggled against their bonds gazing with hatred at her, cursing her for locking them up forced to their knees in front of her. She watched tearfully as she moved to the first person. Chained to the floor was Dinah her adopted mom. Her blond hair was burned and a mess her canary uniform was ripped and she was covered in cuts and bruises her clear blue eyes were full of anger and pain staring up at Sam in fear "Sam please stop you don't have to do this your my daughter." Her grin grew wider more menacing white teeth revealed fangs. "I don't need or have a family Dinah." Grinning she moved close to the bound woman pulling a knife from her belt smiling she slit Dinah's throat laughing as she bled out crimson staining her white skin as the light left her brilliant cerulean eyes. "NO!" Sam and Green Arrow screamed at the same time Turning to the green clad man the other Sam smiled. His costume was torn and the domino mask was gone his blond hair was dirty and grimy. "How could you Sam! You killed her." Shaking her head Sam let out a bone chilling laugh she grinned cracking his own bow over his head watching a his skull cracked and blood trickled onto the floor grinning she appraised the sharpened end of the broken bow smiling she shoved it through his chest, laughing maniacally as blood seeped onto the floor and the light left his bright blue eyes as well.
Turning the next victim came into view, Roy. His speedy uniform was in tatters the stupid hat gone exposing his matted red hair his lean face was covered in dirt and grime that couldn't cover the betrayed hurt look on his face he had just watched Sam his little sister kill Ollie and Dinah. "Why Sam? We loved you and took you in how could you betray us?" she grinned revealing wicked sharp canines "It's simple really sweetheart if you could just follow along, a weapon does not need a friend or family it just needs destruction." And with that she delivered a swift blow to his throat and then stabbed into his chest laughing at the look of utter betrayal he gave as he died.
"Sam c'mon sweetie hang in there bats is cooking up the antidote now." Canary told her struggling daughter as she screamed hers and Roy's names the bonds barely holding her to the table, her face was contorted in agony tears streaming down her face and strings of Greek and other languages flew from her mouth.
"NO LET THEM GO!" she screamed as she moved to the next chained victim, Robin. His nine year old body struggled against the rusted chains that held him to the floor, she screamed pounding at the walls of her prison shouting for her to let the bird go, his mask was half attached to her face one blue eye full of tears staring up in betrayal and anger she grinned snapping his neck watching the young boy fall to the ground his neck twisted into an unnatural angle, "Nononononononononono." She muttered in pain she fell to her knees sobbing in pain begging for it to end, she was so caught up that she missed Wally's death when she looked back up all of the people she loved were dead lying bleeding on the floor everything she loved dead. And suddenly she was back in control left to try and revive her family even though she knew it was futile. She heard people behind her gasps of shock and anger she turned to find the League every hero she knew staring at her in anger and disgust, she sobbed "I-It wasn't me it-it was her, she screamed sobbing into her hands.
"I got it." Batman stood with the antidote in his hands a syringe of clear liquid ready to go, but Dinah stepped in front of him. "Let me do it." Hunter watched curiously as the batman didn't even bat an eye and handed the antidote wordlessly over to canary. She moved over to her struggling screaming and sobbing daughter as gently as she could plunged the syringe into her arm depressing the plunger and injecting the antidote into her system smiling in relief as her screaming and shaking stopped and her emerald green eyes slowly opened staring in relief at Dinah. "Thank the gods you're okay." She whispered as Dinah undid the straps that held her down when she was free she hugged her tightly body shaking slightly with sobs "I thought you were dead I-I killed you a-and Roy and Ollie a-and Wally and Robin, W-what happened?" Dinah smiled at the sobbing girl explaining that Scarecrow had gotten her with his fear toxin and Hunter had called for help and brought her to the Hall of Justice and brought in Scarecrow. Turning Sam looked at the huntsman leaning nervously on a wall she smiled sheepishly "Thank you, I guess in underestimated you Hunter you saved my life and the city."
"It's the only way."
Sam rolled out of bed looking at the digital clock on her black nightstand that read two AM she groaned moving to the door to see who had interrupted her sleep at this hellish hour and slid open the door to find hunter wearing a pair of pajama pants smiling sheepishly at her obviously pissed of expression when she softened "Nightmare?" she asked and with a nod of confirmation she pulled him inside the darkened room padding across the black carpet, and he laid down on the bed settling close to the wall staring up at the star painted ceiling as she settled next to him smiling as she laid on her side and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close burying his nose in her hair. "Remember you're alive, Hunter you're okay." She whispered and his breathing slowed and he slipped into blissful sleep and she smiled drifting off again, s she slipped back into a dream she didn't hear Hunter whisper quietly in her ear "I love you."
The next morning M'gann walked into Sam's room to wake her up to find her happily sleeping with Hunters arms around her. She squealed in joy rousing the sleeping couple from their slumber, Sam shielded her eyes from the light streaming in from the hallway and then the Martian dragged her out of bed in a joyous hug squealing with joy again "You two are DATING! We can go on Double dates and stuff!" Sam struggled from the green girls grasp stumbling backwards to the bed as Hunter sat up laughing at her startled expression that quickly turned scared as the Martian started jumping up and down rambling on about dates and makeup and prom. Hunter sat up chuckling coming to his girlfriend's rescue, "Your scaring her M'gann calm down, and geez don't you knock?" the Martian calmed down enough to blush and giggle flying out of the room happily saying she couldn't wait to tell everyone and she was going to give them some privacy. Hunter wrapped his arms around Sam pressing a kiss to her shoulder "She sure is excitable isn't she?" he chuckled kissing her cheek and falling back into the bed "We should probably make sure she doesn't tell everyone." Sam snuggled back into his side laying her head on his chest. "Let her talk I really don't care, sides" she muttered listening to his heartbeat and yawning. "I'd rather just lay here with you." So they laid in her bed no talking just happy silence and Hunter absentmindedly traced patterns on her back until Sam's stomach growled loudly and he chuckled and they dragged themselves out of the bed to walk hand in hand to the kitchen where M'gann was cooking pancakes.
"It's either me or all of you!"
The funeral was small only the people who knew the young robin the best came. It was raining and dismal Barbra gripped Dick for support as she cried, Amber stood sadly tears streaming out of her golden cat eyes black ears flicked down ward to show her sadness as she stared at the coffin that held Jason Todd she felt a gloved hand on her shoulder and found Sam smiling sadly at her and gently pushing her forward to the coffin dejectedly Amber moved forward and she placed the dark red rose on the coffin and whispered to it "For a new life Jason, I love you" tears spilled faster now "I-I'm sorry" she fell to her knees "Why? Why didn't you tell me? I could have been there, I could have helped you." And her sobs began anew as Sam moved over and gently helped her sister away her face was filled with worry as she moved her sister out of earshot from the mourners.
"Amber sweetie listen to me." Sam said looking the feline girl in the eyes. "I'm sorry I'm not around enough to help you, and that you lost the boy you love, but you need to keep fighting be the hero he would want you to be." Amber glared at Sam through her tears.
"What like you? The infamouse revenge seeking wolf? The girl who abandoned everyone who loves her because she needs some stupid vengeance? Why sholuldn't I be like you Sam? I AM YOU!" tears fell faster as her voice rose, Sam's face grew solom as she listened to the clone and grabbed her by the shoulders looking into her eyes
"Amber you arnt me your better than me you fight that side that wants to kill everyone and be the best hero you can be."
"She's gone."