(Metropolis August 27 4:00)

(Shark Bait POV)

It was pitch black in the house the Lone Riders had newly acquired. And by acquired, I of course mean snuck in with Will's awesome lock picking skills (seriously, where does that kid pick up all these skills?) and were staying there until a better offer came up. Lone Riders…that name still sounded strange to use in relevance to our family. Family…that word also felt strange to use in relevance to anything. We had decided to move to Gotham, on account of the cheaper prices of…everything. Luckily we'd found an abandoned house to move into.

There was an eerie silence in the old house, except for the occasional creak of a loose floorboard or broken window. The paint was peeling, there were leaks, and Sona and Ceridwen had reported bats in the attic. But, it was the closest to home they could get after we had all got fired.

I lay in my bed quietly, my hand absentmindedly stroking Will's hair. His body was covered with fading bruises, and he still had deep buts held together by stitches; but overall he was healing remarkably well. I smiled at his peaceful expression; an expression he only ever wore when sleeping. I wished he would smile more sometimes. He hardly ever smiled. But when he did, it was like the sun was shining just for me, and everyone else was left in the dark. Actually, I take that back. I want him to smile more only when I'm alone with him. No one else was allowed to see my sunshine.

Suddenly a scream erupted from nowhere. I jumped out of bed in a flash, looking around wildly. Will had jumped up too, and was now sitting in a pile of thick blankets with his hair poking out at odd angles. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, looking at me in confusion. Huh…maybe I had imagined it.

Another scream sounded. Nope, I was definitely not imagining it. I started running down the hallway, with Will right behind me. He had grabbed his bow and quiver, already notching an arrow. We ran into Sona and Lumanate, whose eyes were also wide with panic and hands filled with weapons.

"You guys heard that, right?" Ellie asked.

"You mean the scream? No, I just jumped out of my bed at 4 in the morning with my quiver for the enjoyment," Will muttered sarcastically.

"Wow Sin, I don't believe I've ever heard you joke before," Sona said, smirking. Before Will could answer another high pitched scream echoed through the house.

"Rux and Rose's room, come on," I said, running down the stairs to the room Dragon and Oceana shared. The rest of our companions were already there; Ghost and Ceridwen standing at the doorway. 'Why aren't they doing anything?' I wondered, 'Oh, god, I hope we aren't too late. Please don't let anyone be dead, please don't let anyone be dead...'

(Metropolis August 27 4:00)

(Oceana POV)

I lay in my bed, my face scrunched up in confusion. Why had I woken up? According to my alarm clock it was four in the morning.

"Ahhh!"

Oh, that was why. I leaped from my bed, turning to the source of the screaming in one fluid motion, hands raised with water ready to drown whoever had disrupted me from my sleep. Didn't we have enough problems? Weren't we allowed a little peace to at least sleep until a decent hour!

My guard lowered as I realized me and Rux (who was in another bed on the other side of our large room) were the only ones there. I looked to my friend's sleeping form. How had she not awakened? Rux was tossing and turning in her bed, eyes tightly shut and a look of pain on her face. I frowned. Maybe she was having a nightmare. It seemed we really couldn't catch a break.

I stood there, debating for a few moments if I should wake her up or not. On one side, she'd probably bite my head off if I attempted it. On the other, she looked like she was going to bite her own head off sooner or later. Just as I was about to reach my decision, she bolted straight up, screaming bloody murder.

I jumped a foot in the air, water shooting up again on instinct. As soon as I realized there wasn't a threat (a physical one anyway) it dropped on the floor and I rushed over to Rux. Without thinking I jumped on her bad and wrapped my arms around her. She was too out of it with fear and shock to realize, and instead lay her head on my shoulder to sob hysterically. Not really knowing what else to do, I started to sing softly. Music always helped me after all.

"I remember tears streaming down your face

When I said, I'll never let you go

When all those shadows almost killed your light

I remember you said, don't leave me here alone

But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight

Just close your eyes

The sun is going down

You'll be alright

No one can hurt you now

Come morning light

You and I'll be safe and sound

Don't you dare look out your window

Everything's on fire

The war outside our door keeps raging on

Hold onto this lullaby

Even when the music's gone

Gone

Just close your eyes

The sun is going down

You'll be alright

No one can hurt you now

Come morning light

You and I'll be safe and sound

Just close your eyes

You'll be alright

Come morning light

You and I'll be safe and sound"

When the song finished, her crying had subsided, and she was taking deep calming breaths. I looked up, to find the rest of our team in the room, watching us carefully. I hadn't realized how loud Rux's screams had been. She must've woken them all up.

To my surprise, they had all seemed to have been listening. Even Sin was stood in the doorway, watching with a slight smile. His boyfriend stood next to him, their fingers intertwining. Sona watched us with concern in his eyes, leaning on the wall, his sword forgotten next to him. Ellie was in Cole's arms, their sleepy eyes lulled almost closed with the notes. Starr was at Sona's feet, sitting cross legged and smiling at Rux softly.

Sin was the first to break the spell. "What happened?" he asked in his curt manner. Dragon shifted uncomfortably in my arms, and I released her.

"I…uh-." This was the first time I'd seen Dragon lost for words. It was even more unsettling then the screaming.

"Nightmare," I answered for her. She glared daggers at me. Whoops.

"Are you okay?" Sona asked gently.

"Do I look ok?" Rux snapped.

"No," Sona admitted, flinching. "You wana talk about it?"

"No. I'm sorry I woke you guys. We should all go back to bed." No one moved. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Yep," Ellie said, smiling cockily, "But we aren't going 'till you talk about it." She yawned little and slumped against her boyfriend with a smile.

"Seriously?" Manu nodded enthusiastically, as everyone else settled down comfortably. Dragon sighed, but complied.

"When I was just a child, couldn't have been more than six months old, I was kidnapped and experimented on. Thankfully, when I was 4, I was saved …but with side effects." As an explanation she spit out a small ball of fire and watched it burn out in mid-air. "The police found my parents. They'd divorced only a few months after I was kidnapped. I lived in an apartment with my mom in Gotham for the school year and my dad in the summer in Star. I grew up like that with my younger sister until I was 11 when I was taken by The Liberty Core. They killed my sister in the kidnapping. The nightmares…they're about that. The experimentation and her death and the torture by the Liberty Core…it all comes back to me through dreams. And I- I just…" A few tears slipped down her face as she suppressed a sob.

"Wow…I'm sorry Rux," Starr mumbled, looking sadly at her friend. Dragon shook her head.

"It's not your fault, Starr. Don't be sorry."

"The same thing happened to me," Cole admitted quietly. We all looked at him I surprise. "Well not exactly the same thing… but I was experimented on..." He trailed off, looking uncomfortable.

"Oh, no. You're not forcing me to tell my whole fucking life story and then clamming up when it's your turn!"

"Okay, okay, I grew up with my family; the usual dad, mom, two brothers. Whole normal set thing. But my dad…he was a genetic scientist. My older brother, Jeran, ran away when I was only 10 because Dad'd experimented on us when he didn't have enough other test subjects."

"Where'd he get the other test subjects from?" Sin asked from his corner. I almost slapped him for his lack of sympathy…although he'd probably kick my ass easily.

"I-I don't know. Never asked. Never had the nerve. Anyway, he made an experiment that he thought would give humans telekinetic powers, and wanted to try it out. He wanted to do it on my founder brother, Mark, but I volunteered instead. And, well, you can safely assume it worked. But I nearly died when the building we were in collapsed from the experiment. I don't know what happened to the rest of my family. All I can hope was that they survived, you know? Anyway I was rescued by an assassin who brought me back to full health, so that I could fight for her. I eventually ran away, but was dragged back and the assassin… well…" He brought up his shirt up around his arms and traced savage scars that crisscrossed around his arms. He also pointed to a long scar the crossed his face, biting into his cheek and nose, to stop at his chin. "I eventually escaped again and a few weeks after, I was kidnapped by the Liberty Core." He suddenly smiled. "Real unlucky, right?"

"Your own Dad did experiments on you?" Ellie asked, breaking the silence. Cole nodded. His girlfriend wrapped him up in her arms, squeezing him tightly. "Oh, Cole." He hugged her back, smiling sadly as he touched her lips to his head.

"So, that's the reason why you're wanted for murder?" Rus asked.

"Uh,…yeah…"

"Hey, were these assassins in Star City?" Manu asked suddenly. Cole looked at him, nodding suspiciously. Sin and Manu shared a look, their hands tightening on each other. "Me and Sin worked for them too."

"How'd they get you guys?" I asked, interested. Shark Bait smiled.

"Settle down boys and girls, story time is about to begin," he mumbled, as he fell to the floor in a sitting position, pulling Sin with him and onto his lap. "Well I never knew either of my parents well. My dad was a no show ever since my mom found out she was pregnant, and then my mom died at childbirth. I was raised by nuns, at a church. I was actually pretty happy until I turned eight. That's when my powers developed. The nuns…my family…they had me exorcised." As he talked, Manu flinched from the memory. Sin squeezed his hand reassuringly, smiling a little at his boyfriend for support. I almost smiled from the sight…if I hadn't been so shocked that Sin had actually smiled. "Well, at least I got some cool scars from it, hey?" He pulled off his shirt to reveal a series of cross shaped burns on his arms and lower next and chest. "Anyway," he continued as he pulled back down his shirt, "the government stepped in three years later…or at least that's who they claimed to be. But I don't think so anymore. They were the Assassins. A year after I came in, they assigned Sin here as my partner. We ran away together only a few months ago. But we were still wanted for our crimes. Batman caught us in Gotham, brought us to the Hall of Justice, and then we met you guys." He put his hands up, grinning. "All happy endings!" The rest of us laughed with him, clapping gently.

"What about you, Sin?" Rux asked, turning to the last ex-assassin. "How'd you get picked up by the assassins?" Sin glared at her, jaw set.

"If I won't tell you my name, what makes you think I'll tell you my story?"

"Come on, Sin, you gotta trust someone sooner or later," Manu whispered in his ear.

"I got you. Who else do I need?"

"Them," Manu answered without missing a beat. He gestured to the rest of us.

"…Ok, fine," he muttered. "Fine. My name is William Scott. Will for short though. You call me my full name you're dead."

"Will? Hmm, suites you," Sona commented with a grin. Starr nodded in agreement.

"I lived in a small apartment in the worst part of Gotham. There were police sirens on the street all night, and break-ins every morning, and you'd have been lucky not to have been robbed at least once every two months. But, it was him. Then, when I was nine, my dad was killed by a couple of robbers on the street. I watched as he died…and I didn't do anything…" Manu's hold on him tightened slightly. He coughed a little, shaking his head. "After that I was taken in by a group of thieves. They taught me how to pick locks, steal, and use stealth. I was pretty good at it, actually. But I guess that was a bad thing, because I caught the assassin's eye. When I was ten I was taken by the group of assassins. I trained for six years, 'till, you know, me and Shark Bait escaped. And then we got arrested and met you guys."

"Got arrested….why is that so normal for us?" Ellie asked, trying to lighten up the mood. Everyone ignored her.

"I'm sorry 'bout your Dad, Si- Will," I told him, giving him a sympathetic look.

"It's ok. I mean, it happened years ago…I guess," he muttered, looking down. This left a comfortable silence that settled like calming snow. It was strange. We all knew it wasn't ok. It wasn't okay that Dragon was experimented on. It wasn't okay that Ghost was forced to kill after his Dad turned on him. It wasn't okay that Shark Bait was exorcised and turned into a killing machine. It wasn't okay that Sin's father was killed right in front of him and that he'd been trained as an assassin. But that was life. They'd accepted it, and we all had to two. Besides, it wasn't over yet.

So who's next?" Sona asked, looking around.

"I will?" Ellie offered, looking up from Cole's embrace. "I used to live in this house near a huge wooded area. I found the energy whip one night there. It imprinted on me when I picked it up. It was quite a light show. I was occasionally attacked by intergalactic bounty hunters who wanted the whip, now those were good times. Anyway, the Liberty Core found me using it and they took me in. You guys know the rest."

"What about your family?" Sona asked from the wall.

"My Mom and Dad were ok, I mean as far as parents go. My five year old little bro, Simon was really funny and cute though. And Zach, my fourteen year old cousin, was my best friend. He was living with us for a few months before…you know. My kidnapping."

"You miss them?" Cole asked gently. She nodded sadly, but smiled.

"Of course. But I'll go back to them someday. You know, after sorting all this mess out. So- uh, who's next?"

"I will," I offered, raising my hand. Starr nodded to me encouraging, smiling. "I-uh, I came from a regular family. You know; the usual annoying little brother and controlling parents. They all died in a fire when I was 8. I went to live with my aunt and uncle and soon after I got my powers. The police, soon after I was taken in, found a burnt up torch at my house. The fire was no accident. When I found out… I was angry. And I didn't want anyone to go through what I did. So… I become Oceana."

"And got captured," Rux added. "Nice going."

"Hey!"

"What? I'm just calling it as I see it." We all had to laugh at that.

"I'm sorry about what happened with your family," Starr added quietly.

"Yeah, so am I," I murmured, looking down. I really didn't feel like getting into it with them at five in the morning. Which begged the question; why were we getting into this at five in the morning? Oh well, too late to stop now. "What about you?"

"Me?"

"You."

"Oh, um, okay, I'm going now them I guess," she stuttered, straightening up. "Before being captured I lived with my mom and helped her run a flower shop. My Dad and her divorced when I was three, and I never saw him since. But we were fine on our own. We had a nice apartment, decent enough income, the works. Ever since I was a child I loved to play with the plants. But one day my favorite plant, an aster, was dying. I tried to keep it alive of course, even though it'd lived two years and was way past expiration date. I got mad when it died though, and I flung it at a wall. It grew twelve times my height. Amazed; I tried again. And it worked. After I told her mom. She took me to this professional doctor and did some tests and stuff. He realized that I had powers of all plants. It was awesome when I found out. My mom was proud, of course. I mean, this could've changed our lives. But then, without telling anyone the doctor called the government. They came and tried to take me away. My mom got in the way and she got shot. I was taken to the Liberty Core." Small tears were running down her cheeks, but she whipped them away before anyone but me and Manu noticed (we controlled water after all).

"I'm sorry," Sona mumbled, leaning down to put a hand on her shoulder. Starr smiled at him gratefully.

"It's ok. It happened a while ago."

"So, I guess I'm next…" Sona mumbled, shuffling his feet. "Well, you guys know I was a prince in an Indian village. There were these people from America who wanted out Platonium. It's a rare mineral only found in my village and a few surrounding mountains. They were willing to pay us money. A lot of money. My father declined though. I didn't understand, at the time, why. I mean, with the money they would've given us we could've made schools and hospitals and everything else we lacked. So I accepted the offer instead. I gave them the Platonium they needed. But instead of paying me, they attacked my village with it. We fended them off, but not without suffering a huge loss. I was exiled a few days after."

"So, why did you come to America?"

"I had nowhere else to go. Saw the cargo ship; it belonged to one of the men who turned on my village, and stowed away in it. I never looked back," he replied, shrugging. True, his story wasn't the saddest of them all, but it seemed clear to everyone but Sona himself that he missed his home.

"Wow…maybe we should do these four in the morning get togethers more often," Cole muttered, as he looked at the clock next to my bed. It read six in the morning. Rux groaned.

"No way in hell am I waking up this early again."

"I'll make breakfast," Ellie announced, pulling me an unwilling Cole with her. I smirked as the rest of our group dispatched. I was the one of the last to leave, lingering just enough to overhear Sona and Starr, who were still in the room.

"Hey, for what it's worth," I watched as Starr leaned in to kiss Sona gently on his cheek, "I think your village lost an awesome warrior." I fled the area, laughing a little at the sight of Sona's bemused face.

The song is Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift. Thank Blue Torpedo for it (creator of Oceana)

Sorry I haven't updated recently, but I was on vacation without internet.

And Sorry if they were out of character. I don't know what happened.

Review!