It's more like a cut to a commercial, if this were a TV show. Now we have the next scene! Enjoy!

Chapter 8

After Caroline froze into her ice form, CJ marched out of the quarantine room to find Batman in the hall. She was glaring, still angry and hurt by what her sister had told her. When she saw Batman, she knew what she wanted. She wanted to know how Caroline came to this world. She wanted to know how, and there was only one man on this planet that could have done it.

Ted appeared by her side. He gently touched her shoulder. "Are you…?"

"Fine?" She looked up at him. "Yeah, I'll be fine." She closed her eyes for a brief moment, then met his worried gaze again. "Will you come with me?"

His brows furrowed in confusion. "Where?"

CJ turned to Batman. "We're going to Arkham."

"Arkham Asylum is filled with super villains, mostly the psychotic ones." Batman was filling them in as they flew to Gotham City. He wanted to make sure that they knew what they were getting into. "You may know of the Joker. He is the most intelligent super villain in the building. He will try to manipulate you any way he can. Along with the other villains. Try not to listen to them or play their games."

He pulled up a file from his little screen next to his controls. "Dr. Raphael Norman was locked up in Arkham after the battle in New York. His file says that he is the least harmful patient, mostly due to the fact that his powers cannot breach his cell."

The Batplane was a little crowded with all three seats filled, but the small space was relaxing to CJ. She assumed Batman didn't enjoy teleporting all the time. She looked over at Ted, who was fidgeting nervously in his seat. He would be able to examine the blood sample later, which was probably causing the fidgeting, but CJ saw something else. He looked a little scared.

Once Batman was done talking, she reached out a gently touched his arm. "What's wrong?"

As if waiting for his chance to speak, he burst, talking rather quickly. "I don't like this. We're going to Arkham Asylum, where some of the nastiest criminals are harbored. We're going to visit the man that took over your body and almost took over New York. Aren't you a little worried?" He finally met her curious gaze, his blue eyes churning with worry.

CJ blinked. She hadn't really thought of it like that. She was going to Arkham to ask the man how he made a portal, because they had destroyed all devices that could, and he has been locked up on an island. How had he done it? "I guess I'm a little worried. Caroline came through that portal because of him. I'm here to find out how, and why."

He nodded. "I understand that. But don't you think this man might, I don't know, taunt you, or bring up old memories?"

CJ visibly cringed. She had had a few nightmares the nights that followed his possession and her acceptance into the League. She didn't want to think about them.

"Sorry." He looked away, down at the floor of the plane. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

Her eyebrows scrunched up instinctively. "How-" She felt the gentle landing of the plane, telling her that they had landed. Batman didn't wait for anything, and immediately opened the door and hopped out. CJ and Ted quickly followed him.

Somehow, the island looked darker than the rest of the world, like it had its' own bubble of weather and insisted it stay dark and gloomy. The trees even looked angry and deadly. This place was scary. There was nothing else to call it.

Batman moved swiftly in the dark, and CJ thought they would almost lose him, but there was only one place he would go, and that was up the stairs to the large, abandoned-looking building.

CJ felt numb as they walked through security. She barely registered that Batman glared at most that asked for him to surrender his weapons. They were probably use to letting the one man go in with weapons. She didn't know if they asked for I.D.s or anything. She just wanted to get this over with.

They were escorted by two guards, and after walking down a few corridors and hearing some creepy giggling and screams, finally got to their destination.

The cell was probably eight square feet, with just enough room for a simple cot, table, one chair, and a toilet. The one wall of the cell was made of glass, and was really thick. Inside was an older man, with dark brown hair with graying sides. He looked like any other man, except was in all white. He looked up when he heard the footsteps stop at his cell, and CJ fought back a gasp. This was the man that had taken over her body, and had enjoyed using her fire to attack others. She hated him, and felt her face reflect her feelings.

He stood, and his voice was an octave higher than suited his face. "Ah, so Mr. Bat has finally listened to the Doctor." His eyes focused on CJ. "Hello, my little traitor. Come to beg for forgiveness?"

She had no idea why he said these things, and decided to ignore him. CJ didn't answer, and Ted tensed beside her. She looked up to see that he was glaring with complete hatred at the man behind the glass. Norman looked at Ted. "Who do we have here? A friend? A close friend?"

He clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze turning back to and not wavering from CJ. "I told Mr. Bat I'd only talk to you. Of course, now that you're here, I don't really want to. Why did you not give thanks to your master? I gave you your power, everything that you are now. I saved you."

CJ clenched her fists together. "I didn't ask for you to send me through that portal. I don't know how you found me, and don't act like you know me. I was just a guinea pig in whatever you did."

He grinned. "I see. I was going to make this world a paradise, for all like us. But now I see that I am a god. No one will believe in me until I can prove to them that I can commit." He sighed, as if he felt better about himself, something that had been bugging him now gone. "Do not worry; Utopia will come one day, and when it does, I will let you in, with kindness. You did not know I was real, and I can accept that."

CJ's glare deepened. The man was crazy. She was glad Batman was not interfering; this was CJ's fight. She ignored whatever Norman said and asked her question. "How did you make the portal that brought my twin through?"

He sighed again. "I will answer your questions, but in the future I expect you to answer mine, when the time comes. Now, tell me what portal you speak of."

She took in a deep breath. "The one you created two days ago."

He frowned. "Two days ago? I have no access to my lab, therefore did not make such a portal." He paused, thoughts rattling inside his insane mind. "Interesting. I remember having twins on my list, but never both of the same pair. Only one of them had the gene, never both."

Ted shifted next to her, and she glanced at him to see what he was doing. He had turned completely around, so he was facing the cell across from the one Norman occupied. CJ turned with him. "Ted?"

He glanced at her, then to the floor. "If what he says is true, then I know how your sister came through that portal."

Batman suddenly appeared beside them. "She doesn't have the gene, but her DNA is almost identical."

CJ didn't know what they were talking about, but she let them do whatever. They were the smart ones. She glanced back at Dr. Norman and almost fell over in surprise, but definitely jumped. The man could no longer be seen, the whole cell devoid of light but the glowing whites of the mans' eyes. He had turned the room into a shadow. He was literally a shadow. She understood why he was the least harmful, because his shadow couldn't penetrate the glass and therefore he couldn't possess other people.

Chills of the memory of him taking over her body surfaced, but she quickly turned her back to the cell and studied Ted's face.

Ted nodded. "Exactly. The traces of the portal must have picked up on Caroline's DNA. Is it even possible for the same portal to open up because it sensed her DNA?"

"I've already thought of this and have done a little research on it."

Ted looked up at him. "So, will you need my help?"

CJ swore his glare deepened, or maybe he lifted his eyebrows underneath the cowl. His face barely changed, though. "Only if you think it will be faster."

Ted glanced at CJ again. "I think you'll be fast enough on your own."

Batman looked at him for another moment before he nodded and headed off. CJ caught him glance at her again before the two of them followed, without another glance at Norman or the other prisoners.

Once they were outside, CJ felt like she could finally breathe. She stopped once they reached the bottom of the steps, stopping Ted, but Batman continued on to his plane. "So, you're helping him?"

The plane started up, but Ted made no move to catch up with him. "Honestly, he's way smarter than me. He doesn't need it."

The door to the plane closed, and the plane slowly lifted from the ground.

CJ smiled at the disappearing plane. He would get back to CJ when he found something. He wasn't cruel enough not to. At least CJ hoped he wasn't. She wouldn't know anything until he came up with something, so she might as well relax until she could actually help her sister.

But what was she going to do?

When they were teleported to their apartment, Ted didn't go back to his work, and they stood awkwardly in the living room for a moment.

"You kno-"

"I was go-"

They had both started saying something at the time, then cut themselves off. It was almost funny. Almost.

Ted rubbed the back of his head, while CJ rubbed her shoe against a small stain on the floor. For some reason, the looks they were giving off made the other uncomfortable.

CJ took in a deep breath. "I was going to let you know that I really appreciate what you've done for me." There, she'd said it.

Ted looked at her, puzzled. "Like what?"

She shrugged, looking away. "I don't know, just being my friend. Letting me stay here, not getting all weird over me having powers- I feel like that could have happened. You came with me to Arkham, you listened to me babble on about my sister." She inwardly cringed. Did she just say babble? Out loud?

His gaze saddened as she spoke, especially when she had said friend. When he replied, he sounded off. Depressed. "What are friends for?" he asked sarcastically.

CJ frowned. She didn't understand.

He rubbed his face, as if he was stressed. Then the next thing she knew, he was right in front of her, and their lips were pressed together.

If you didn't know: I'm not really favoring Batman, not on purpose anyways, Arkham is just a reasonable place to keep a crazy doctor man. Try not to ask me where the other people from the portals are, because I have no idea. They dispersed after the battle and are hiding or something.

And, you know what, I just really wanted this to happen, so there. He kissed her. Cliffhanger engaged.