When I woke up, I realised that I didn't have school because it seemed that I had completely slept through the day and it was now toward sunset once again. It was a very exciting thought. The main reason was that, as the saying goes, after the high comes the low and I was on an extreme low after my little episode the night before. I woke up with a pain in my neck from landing on it awkwardly, but it apart from that, everything seemed fine... Apart from my mental health.

I didn't realise that whatever drug had been injected into me was seeping into my brain. Rather than just letting me see all the problems that I had experienced from my high, I was now forced to feel and act out the major lows that I was going through as well. My bed was the only thing that comforted me as terrible thoughts ran through my head, bringing tears to my eyes. The thought that I would never be good enough for anyone on the team, the thought that it would be better if I stopped trying to be in the team altogether.

The thought that things would be better if I was gone.

I looked in my clothing drawer and pulled out everything, throwing it all onto the bed, tears falling freely now. As much as I didn't want to leave everyone, I had a feeling that it would be for the better. And in a way, I suppose it was.

Everything was left behind that day. Everything except for the close on my back and the shirt that Wally had loaned me that I hadn't yet returned. I felt like an idiot, but I also felt the need to do it. I felt that I had to leave.

Everyone was gathered around in the lounge room by the TV, just talking. The only people who were missing seemed to be Cade, Conner and myself. I had one last look at the gang before I headed out, my only change of clothing in my hand. Suddenly, a firm hand stopped me.

"Tempest, right? Everyone wants you," Conner told me, trying to smile. Sensing his attempt of kindness and seeing it as fake, even though the true me knew he was only trying to help, I barged past him, my tears making a path behind me. I tried wiping my eyes, but it made matters worse.

"Tempest, why are you crying?" Did he really expect me to tell him?

"Nothing, okay?! Nothing is fine! So you won't to have to worry about it after this! You'll have each other, just like you already did! I won't be here to bother you, alright?!" By now, tear tears and redness in my face was obvious, but I didn't care about that. I had just screamed at Superboy. I could be dead in a matter of seconds! Bringing my hands up to cover my mouth, in shock of what I had just said, I saw Conner's face go slightly confused. That was all. "I'm sorry, Conner..." And with that, I left.

I didn't want to leave! It was the last thing I would have done if I had the choice, but some idiot with a syringe decided that it would be better for me if I couldn't handle myself! And now, I couldn't return even if I wanted to. I had gone of my nut at Conner, a guy who I didn't have much to do with - I didn't want to see how I would go with the ones who had found their places in my heart.

Walking to nowhere in particular, just making my way around the place, I spawned little rose buds, red and full of life, which soon died, becoming wilted and black. It was a bit like my life. Everything seems to go right and suddenly, things start taking a turn for the worst.

"Well, this is you, Shanelle..." I mumbled to myself. Shanelle. Why was I calling myself Shanelle and why did it come so naturally to me? The edge of the cliff appeared in front of me. The same cliff that I had shared precious moments with Cade at.

Cade...Why did I care about him? He tried to kill me a number of times! Despite the thoughts that came flooding back, I found myself sitting on the edge of the cliff again, reminiscing about the past and thinking on the future, the future that could have happened. The water below me now looked how I felt: slow and without any thoughts of doing something extraordinary. The tide was dark and the moon continued to reflect off of it, but now, it was only a small part of the moon.

I knew the group didn't need me. They had already coped so well without me, and even if I wanted to stay, they still had Cade. They wouldn't need an extra hanging around, getting in the way of everything and messing up. That's all I was – a girl they turned to when they needed something messed up.

Soon, other thoughts, some similar, some quite different, passed through my mind without warning, but one struck a curious nerve and I found myself dwelling on it for a while. Droughtstorm. The name sounded familiar but I couldn't tell why. Perhaps it had something to do with me? I continued thinking about it and it hit me. He was a baddie! I had heard about him before, though took no real notice. Occasionally, I would ask about him, and people would tell me that he was able to control weather. Any kind of weather. But it couldn't possibly have had anything to do with...

"So, I see you've left the group." I couldn't put my finger on who the owner of the voice was, but they sounded familiar. Turning around, Cade greeted me, smiling casually, as if nothing had happened between us. I merely nodded. Why did he have any interest in what I did? "Right... Why?"

"Why does it matter? I'm gone. You have them to yourself. It's a win..." I sighed, looking back up to the moon. "...win."

"How is it a win if you're not happy?"

I really wasn't interested in telling him about my personal opinions and all, but he made me feel like he was the only person who would actually care about it.

The only person.

"You know what? I don't even know why I'm telling you this... I don't know why you care, either," I spat, turning so that I was facing even more away from him. I felt his grip fall only my shoulder, turning me back around to face him, despite my attempts otherwise.

"Because we are the same. Something's happened and we both need to find out what it is. I want to learn more about you so that we can work together, not apart like we have been all this time," his answer was clear as he inched forward. I furrowed my brows at him and leaned away. I felt like everyone was managing to take advantage of me one way or another, and with the guys, they only seemed to want one thing.

"No. I know what you're like. As soon as I think I've seen your sensitive side, you go and stab me in the back, or in my case, strap me to the wall with a lightning bolt!" I retorted, starting to pick up the shirt that Wally had lent me.

"No, Tempest, I swear. That wasn't me. I am the same person that you met the first day we were here. I tried helping you out, but somehow, I was changed... I don't know how, but it happened. You have to trust me now." Even though I was still hesitant, I decided to give it a go. Seeing as I had left everyone behind, I needed someone there with me, even if his care was only a lie.

Wiping away beads of nervous sweat from my forehead, I stared at him, hoping that he would start a conversation, but he was quiet. It looked like if we wanted any talking to be done, it would be started by me.

"So, why haven't you actually talked to me before now? I only really see you when I'm alone." Cade started looking away in thought, but then turned to me relatively quickly.

"I've had nothing to talk to you about. Well, nothing I can say to you when you're with company," he replied a little bit too quickly, which made me feel a bit confronted.

"Oh. Right, then... Have you ever really thought about what happened in our lives before we got here? Every now and again, things pop up in my mind, but I can never piece it together..." I asked Cade, staring at the sky and thinking about those little things. When I looked at him, he seemed a little distraught and unresponsive.

"Cade, you alright?" As soon as he heard his name, he replied.

"Yes. All the time. I remembered the Justice League and Young Justice, but I'm not sure how... And Droughtstorm... The name seems -"

"Familiar, yes I know. I feel it too." I continued staring at the sky, my legs moving on their own account over the edge of the cliff.

"Hey, Tempest?" Cade started, moving closer to me like a person with a secret. With a nod, he continued. "Are we ever going to find out who we actually are? Who we were?"

"I don't know... But I'm just trying to worry about who I am right now, until I can remember more..."

"What about Wally? And Dick? Do they help you remember?" A lot of what Cade had said made me feel uncomfortable talking with him about it, but it also made me think. I did remember little things when I was with them, like who Red Arrow was.

"Uh... Yeah, I guess..."

"And when you and Wally kiss... Does it bring back any memories?" I looked up into Cade's eyes and visions flashed across my eyes. It was me holding hands with someone. Someone who wasn't Wally. If anything, they looked like...

Cade.

I moaned and leaned forward, lowering my head so that I was looking at the ground.

"It hurts too much to think about it," I groaned, still staring down at the ground. Cade's fingers touched the skin just under my chin, raising my face to him.

"Maybe this'll help jog your memory..." he whispered, slowly bringing his face close to mine. Unlike the other times with Dick and Wally, I didn't feel a spark or anything. It was just like high-fiving a stranger. Suddenly, more visions ran around in my mind. This time, it was easier to tell.

Cade and I were walking around in a park, holding each other's hand and whispering to one another. We eventually sat down and I sat on his lap, burying my head into the crook of his neck while he stroked my shoulder. It was the sure sign of a couple that were in love. But I couldn't have been... Not with Cade...

A tear found its way down my face and into the palm of Cade's hand.

"Save it. It could be our key to release..." And with that, Cade was gone. I didn't know what had happened, or if any of it was even real. But I knew I had definitely seen what I had seen. Cade and I were in love. I couldn't tell if that was in the future, in the past or supposedly approximately in the present.

I only saw what I saw...

After Cade had left, another bout of depression hit me, striking me harder this time. I stared at the edge of the cliff and the rocks far below, and even contemplated something I wouldn't have even thought about in my entire life. I managed enough strength to stop the thoughts passing through my head, but I stayed thinking other thoughts instead.

Was I cheating on Wally with Cade? Was I cheating on Cade with Wally? Was I even cheating to begin with? I knew I had to make a decision, but it tore my heart apart as I thought more and more about Cade. Was I really falling for him? Had I already fallen for him? He had tried to kill me on numerous occasions... But he said it wasn't him. And I knew how that felt.

"Tempest, can you hear me? It is Aqualad. If you can, please return to the headquarters. You need help – help that we can provide." It took me a little while to realise that my ear piece was still in. I didn't bother replying; I didn't want to go back and I knew I couldn't. Not after what I had already said and done. I stood and picked up Wally's shirt, holding it close to me as I listened to everyone's pleas for me to return.

I started walking toward anywhere else that I could find, just to get away from the HQ, and my plan worked a little too well. After about five minutes, I had already lost all sense of direction, with no idea whatsoever of where the hell I was. Buildings stood all around me, the streets bustling with people; it was a pretty scary sight.

"Tempest, please! Come back to the headquarters!" More pleas were able to be heard through the ear piece, but I decided that I didn't need them anymore. I pulled out the piece and threw it into a little pond on my right, walking past without a second thought.

They wouldn't be bothering me anymore, or so I thought.

I continued my way around the city, eventually coming to a familiar place. Keystone High School. As much as I didn't want to see Wally again, I didn't want to have no place to stay either, so I started walking toward the building, before being mobbed by a group of random strangers.

"Well, pretty lady, what are you doing around here by yourself at such a late hour?" a man who was much taller than myself asked, gaining ground on me. I didn't speak to them, but my intention to settle things by not starting them only seemed to tick of the group.

"I asked you a question." His voice was forceful now as he moved closer to me, evil in his eyes. Still, I remained silent, not to his liking.

"You ungrateful, little bitch!" I felt a sharp pain across my face, followed by the feint trickling of blood, but I ignore it. Whatever they did to me tonight, I wouldn't care. I was already depressed enough, why would a little blood bother me anymore?

"Did you hear me?!" By now, the man's face was red as a hot chilli pepper in anger, but still, I didn't care. "Louis, Greg, grab a hold of her, now."

With pleasure, I dropped Wally's shirt and held out my arms for the men to grab a hold of, happy to oblige with the leader's instructions. Continuous blows pounded my stomach as I felt myself coughing up blood, my abdomen aching as much as it could. I wasn't sure that he had broken anything, but if he hadn't he was sure close to it.

"You going to answer me now?" Still, I was resistant, so the man ordered 'Louis and Greg' to drop me to the ground. "You're gonna be sorry you got on the wrong side of us!" Lying on the ground without a care at all, I felt feet kicking into my stomach and my own legs, on connecting with my neck and knocking the wind out of my throat. And finally, with a last blow to the head, they left, leaving me only semi-conscious. I knew no one would be there to help me, but I didn't care. The only thought that really haunted me was that I wouldn't die there that night.

~~~.~~~

I woke up in the bushes that morning, seeing people walking into the school. I was battered, beaten and bruises and to top things off, someone had once again changed my outfit into Wally's shirt, which was now covered in blood. Standing up, I heard a few people laughing at me, a few people gasping at me and a few people cat call to me sarcastically. I ignored them all and just pulled myself into the school. More eyes greeted me evilly and meanly as I continued walking, trying to find a classroom, in which I could just crash. Eventually, I came to a room that was about to a homeroom classroom.

"Wow, I love your outfit!" a girl said sarcastically, walking past and pinching the sleeve of my shirt and then releasing it, showing just how disgusting it was. I decided to let my hair out completely, which had been tied up partly, so no one could see my face.

Especially not Cade or Wally.

"Oh. My. God. This school really does have some freaks here, doesn't it?" another girl pointed out. I looked up and saw a very pretty girl standing in front of me, her hands on her hips. Her blonde hair covered part of her forehead and her tight shirt and short skirt seemed like a major sight for the lads.

I refrained from talking, seeing as I had nothing to say to her.

"See? She's too much of a freak to even say anything!" Usually, it would have gotten to me, but now, I was just focusing on hiding from Cade and Wally. "Don't worry. We'll meet again... Bitch." My blood started to boil as she leant in closer and whispered those words to me. She didn't even know me! But still, I knew I couldn't care. It didn't matter. I was just focusing on my hiding technique.

~~~.~~~

Time went by very slowly; every time I saw a red-headed guy wearing a similar outfit to Wally, I would freak out and hide behind whatever was closest, but so far, none of them were actually him. Cade had passed me a number of times, not realising who I was, which I guessed was a good thing. Either that, or he didn't care. Again, another good thing... Sort of.

Seeing how lunch was immediately after fourth period, when the fourth period bell rang, I remained hidden in a classroom. I didn't know what classroom or what it was being used for; I just hid.

"Hey, guys, look! It's that freak from this morning!" I didn't know the guy, but apparently he knew me. He was big and buff and seemed to be a relatively popular guy. Since I was crouching behind a desk, he definitely seemed a lot bigger and buffer than he was. I could feel myself being picked up and pinned against the wall, unsure of what was happening. Then, it shined on my face.

A blade. A freshly sharpened blade was being held right in front of my face in the hopes of scaring me. It actually did the opposite; I was a little glad they brought the knife. Maybe it could have ended suffering early? I didn't mean the physical suffering, I meant the mental. The suffering I had forced upon myself the day that the drugs forced me to leave.

"You scared, little girl?" I merely smiled at the crook, hoping he would get it over and done with. His face twisted with confused as he held it against the crook of my arm and sliced down. The pain shot through me like hell, but I couldn't show them. I couldn't prove that I was in pain. I just couldn't do it.

This continued for several minutes before another face entered the room. A familiar face.

Crap.

"Wall, over here! Here's that crazy chick we've been telling you about!" they shouted to the new face. I was dead.

I saw him stumbled backwards when he realised who I was, trying to release me from his 'friends' grip.

As I fell to the ground, the main guy with the knife cast another swing, slicing my cheek, which burnt so very badly.

"Tempest, I..." Wally started, picking me up and leading me outside and around to the back of the school.

I raised my head to him, feeling blood from my cheek tumbling onto my lips. Our faces were mere millimetres apart when it hit me again like a tonne of bricks. The visions. Again, it was Cade and me, still sitting at the same park that we were in in the first vision. Except now, our lips were intertwined and I could see a smile tugging on the edges of Cade's mouth. It couldn't be...

"Tempest-," Wally restarted, reaching the back of the school. I rolled out of his arms in a flash and stared at him. I was not going to let him lecture me about leaving the team. It wasn't even my own choice!

"I'm sorry..." was all I could manage before I walked away, feeling as useless as I was. My head lowered, I climbed back into an empty classroom and stayed there for the night, starving, aching and slowly bleeding to death.

Life seemed wonderful.

~~~.~~~

Days passed and I continued hiding from Cade and Wally, spending most of my time in the bathroom. Every time I saw my reflection, I couldn't believe it was me. At first, I didn't believe it was me. Cuts and bruises plagued my face, while streaks of blood raced down to my chin. My hair had gone to a dark red colour, which worried me a little. Wasn't it supposed to be mainly black?

After about a week of barely eating anything, I ran into Wally. Great.

Immediately, he noticed me, though it wasn't hard, seeing as I was the only one there who looked like the living dead.

"Tempest, we need to talk," he told me, pulling me along to his next class. Well, that would be a great place to talk – in a place all teachers tell you to shut up in!

"Why are we going to your classroom then?" I was utterly confused.

"We'll wait until everyone's in class and then get you cleaned up. We need to talk." His face was stern, a side of him I hadn't seen, and it worried me. A lot.

"...You already said that..."

~~~.~~~

As I entered the room, with Wally, the teacher just looked me up and down before returning to write on the board. I was instructed to stay where I was for a little bit as Wally walked up to the teacher and started asking him about something. Eyes burned through me as I stood in the doorway, a semi-dead girl awaiting her knight in shining... casual wear.

"We're good to go," he whispered in my ear, speedily pulling me along and pushing me into the boys' toilets.

"Well, this is... conventional," I told him with the slightest laugh. I was starting to feel myself again a little bit, and the pain that I had ignored for so long was catching up with me, also. I doubled over and found myself coughing up more blood. It definitely wasn't fun.

"Great. You can still talk!" Wally's attempt at a joke was starting to get on my nerves, seeing as I didn't exactly want to be conversing with him in the boys' toilets.

"Shut up and get on with it." I washed the metallic-tasting blood out of my mouth and listened to what he had to say.

"Ooh, snappy..." he started, before I stared at him, shaking my head slowly so he knew not to mess around, "okay, okay! I wanted to know why you left us."

"Really? What do you want me to say? 'I wanted some time alone, so I decided that being beaten up would be the best option?'?!" I found myself being exactly what he said I was: snappy. "Look, I don't know what happened. One minute, I'm rolling around on the floor, pretending to be a sausage, and the next, my clothes are stolen from me and all I'm left in is this..." I looked down and sighed.

"Just for the record, you can keep it," Wally joked, looking it up and down. I gave him a friendly push and then sighed again.

"I don't know what came over me... I wanted to tell you, I wanted to go back... But then... with Conner... I couldn't after that. And then Cade came along... I knew if I was with you, you would get hurt... I couldn't let that... Not to you..." I barely even strung my words together before Wally embraced me in an attempt to cheer me up.

I found myself crying, once again, and it burned into my cuts.

"Wally West... I love you."