A Family

by BaconYourFace

What happens when two girls enter the Bat Family? Follow Christine Carter and Autumn Cross on their experiences as part of the family. Yes, Tim, Damian and Alfred are in this too (major characters, yes) Warnings: contains some gory scenes, swearing, and NO SLASHES. There are a few funny and fluffy chapters later on. Sucky summary but you get the point. Please read and review!

32. Too Fast

Chapter 32: Too Fast

A/N: Okay so, it's been sometime since we published another chapter, we've been working on this super long chapter okay! And we're busy insane human beings!

Autumn's POV

Getting patched up and putting my bones back into place doesn't hurt, much. Well, the thing is, my wounds are painful. I know the pain is there, but it doesn't hurt. Alfred stays silent as he wraps a bandage around my arm.

Damian sits on the other bed in the med bay staring straight at nothing.

After I get patched up, I get out of the bed and walk up to the computer. Batman is typing on the computer. Jason is standing right beside the chair and watching as well.

Christine is talking to Richard and Tim to tell them what happened.

Sir, and Jason watch the video over and over again.

It was taken from a far. It's a video of me and Heretic falling down the building and me slicing his head off. Then the video goes black. He stands up and faces me. Jason moves one step back.

My face is right at his chest, but I look up at him. His cowl is down, so he's Batman. White lenses glares right into my eyes, he narrows them and he stares down at me. His fist clenched and his jaw squares.

I stare up at him, standing my ground against his glare.

I'm wearing my white tank top, my bandages under my top. My bandages are around my abdomen and up around my right shoulder and down arm.

After moments of silence, he opens his mouth and starts talking.

"What the hell was that?" He says with a voice full of anger.

I stay silent. My mind begins to race and everything becomes faster in my eyes. "I said you couldn't kill anyone." His voice gets louder. "I was trying to save your son!" I gesture to the med bay where Damian is still sitting.

"You didn't have to kill him!"

"What? The clone? The clone that was made for destruction? The clone that was going to end your son? Heretic would have killed him! You should be glad that I sliced off his head! You were so close to being too late again! You're lucky Christine and I came! Or Damian would have been dead!"

"I am more than happy to see my son alive. But you are not supposed to kill!"

"That's not your problem! You should be happy that Damian survived! And here you are chewing me off for something that really should have been done! If I didn't kill the clone then he would come after Damian again! He would have killed all of you! I did what was-"

"What? What you thought was right? What you thought was justice?!" I can feel pairs of eyes on us.

"You don't f***ing get it! I didn't kill him for any damn justice! It was about saving Damian! I couldn't let him die and neither could you! You were too slow, so your daughter and I saved him instead! I killed Heretic to end him so that he will never get any closer to Damian again!" I clench my fists and I start shaking. "If I ended that damn clone before he could hurt Damian again then none of you would even have to fight for justice or revenge at all! The only way was to end him!"

He clenches his fists even tighter.

I furrow my eyebrows at him as I continue to look up. "Besides. He deserved to die." I say slowly.

He glares down at me.

"It was a mistake." He mumbles as he looks down on me.

I can feel Jason tense, but I don't care. I glare into Bruce's eyes.

"What was a mistake, Bruce?" I ask him with so much force I could choke on my own words, even though I know the answer. "Tell me!"

"IT WAS A MISTAKE TO EVER TAKE YOU IN!" His voice booms through the cave. "I CANNOT THINK OF ONE GOOD REASON NOT TO THROW YOU INTO BLACKGATE! TO THROW YOU BACK IN ARKHAM!" The last word echoes through my ears.

I narrow my eyes at him and lean forward. "Fine. Throw me in Arkham." I lean back away from the man. "I don't care." I deserve it anyways... "Put me behind bars if that's what you want. It was a mistake…" I look at Jason, who has his fists clenched. I point to him. "It was a mistake coming along with you!" I turn around and storm out of the cave, avoiding Damian who just walked out of the med bay. "I don't belong here, anyways." I mutter as I run out the cave and up the stairs.

I don't even hear footsteps behind me. No one cares.

I run into my room and slam the door behind me and lock it. I move to my bed and flop down. I dig in the covers and take my phone from the side table.

I look at the call log. Two missed calls from Coby.

That's right. The orphanage. Damnit.

I'll be there tomorrow.

I text back and flop my phone down beside me.

I roll to the other side and quietly sob.

It was a mistake.

Jason's POV

I can't hold my fists anymore. I turn and punch Bruce in the jaw, he moves back and holds his jaw.

Then Dick and Tim hold my arms back before I can land another punch on him. "WHAT THE F*** BRUCE!"

It was a mistake.

That's what he told my little sister. Those were the exact words he told me when I screwed up many years ago as Robin. He never told me what he meant by those words. But it still hurt. Now, he told Autumn those exact same words and told her loud and clear what his mistake was.

He looks at his already bruised jaw. "WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?"

I try to get my arms out of their grasp and sock him in the jaw again, but Dick and Tim are holding me back. "You're sister was getting out of hand!"

"She had a damn point! If she didn't kill this Heretic guy, then he would get loose and come back for Damian! You couldn't save him! So she and Chris did!" Just like he couldn't save me… "And he deserved it!"

"Damian is safe now. With Autumn's help too! And here you go saying that she was a mistake?!"

"SHE KILLED HIM!"

"You gave me another chance! Why can't you give her another one too!?"

"You don't understand. We are trying to fix her. We can't fix her when she's on a killing spree." Bruce tries to explain.

"So you try to fix her by telling her she was a mistake! That's so f***ed up! You try to make it all better, but you know you're just making things worse!"

I pull my arms away from the two of them and turn around and walk away. "And you think you're helping?!" He yells back at me.

I stop in my tracks. "Well I know I'm helping more than you ever helped me!"

I continue walking and out the cave. I walk up the stairs and down the hallway. I stop by her door and lift my hand. I'm about to knock on her door but think twice. I stare at the wood and listen to the silence.

I clench my other fist. I sigh, then I drop my other hand and walk towards my room. Maybe it's best that I leave her for now. I walk into my room and slam the door behind me.

Chris' POV

I just stare at my father and brothers when Jason goes back up into the house.

He's finally admitted it...

Autumn doesn't belong.

I knew something bad was gonna happen...Bruce watching that video over and over again. It started getting a little disgusting after watching it for like the 11th time.

But she had a grapple...why didn't she just shoot it up at the next balcony banister? Unless, of course, her grapple doesn't shoot up fast enough and she thought that it would end up hitting her in the face. Wouldn't her falling cause the grappling hook to move further away from her instead of closer? Huh. I guess she got her mechanics wrong.

Haha I'm better than her at something! Well I'm better at her in a lot of things...

You're just telling yourself that for self confidence. You know it's not true.

I just push those thoughts aside as I approach Damian, trying to ignore everyone else.

"How are ya?"

"Absolutely wonderful." He says sarcastically as he rolls his eyes.

"Hmph. But seriously. You got beaten pretty badly."

"I'm fine. I'm fine."

I look over his body. His chest and leg are bandaged, and he's covered in bruises. He's been coughing up blood every few minutes, but the cough usually has less blood than the previous cough. So that's a good sign.

"Yea...sure."

"What did he mean?"

"What?"

"He said that he would kill me and become Mother's true son..."

"Ohhh. That. So apparently Talia made a clone of you, and she sent him to kill you."

There's a short pause.

"Understandable. My mother hates me."

I don't understand how a mother could come to hate her child. Well Talia is part of the League of Assassins...and her father is Ra's...

But that's still really sad.

"Don't say that." I mutter.

"But it's true! She trained me since birth! And she wasn't a kind trainer! Then when I was 10 she gave me up! She sent me to be with my father just so I could mess with him! And now she hates me for not carrying out her plan! She hates me so much that she wants to kill me!"

I just look down.

Well at least you had a mom...

I sigh.

"So...does this mean that Autumn's leaving?" He says, changing the subject.

"I guess..."

I don't feel like talking. I just wanna lie down, watch some Netflix, and text my friends about...stuff. I don't really know.

"Well...just get better, okay?"

I don't wait for an answer as I turn around and walk up the stairwell. I can feel eyes on me until I enter the house.

Autumn's POV

I hugged Nico as I stayed beside him on the tiny bed.

"Thanks Autumn."

"Why?"

"I don't get scared anymore whenever you stay here." He said.

"Really?"

"Yup."

A silence in the dark.

"You'll stay here right, even when I fall a sleep?"

"Of course. I won't leave. I'll stay right here. I'll be here too when you wake up."

"You won't go away when I wake up?"

"Why? Does Mommy do that?"

"Sometimes. When I wake up, she isn't there anymore. She says she has to go to work early."

"Is that why you cry in the morning?"

He slowly nodded.

I squeezed him. "Don't worry. I'll be right here."

"Really? Sometimes… I get scared...it gets too dark."

"I know." That night. The electricity bill wasn't paid. Papa didn't come home to give money and Momma couldn't come up with enough money. It was either electricity or water.

"But when you're here. I don't get scared anymore." He smiled.

"I'll stay up all night if I have to."

"Why?" He looked up at me.

"Duh. I have to bite the heads off of the monsters that come in." He chuckled, then yawned.

"What if you get sleepy? You still have to work tomorrow." When he said work, he meant stealing...of course, he didn't know that, and neither did Teressa.

"Then I'll get tired. But it's okay. I'll be up until five then get ten minutes of sleep. And then I'll be all good."

He laughs. "Okay…" He yawned. "Just, get some sleep also." With that, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

I wake up with hot tears in my eyes. I look out the window. It's still dark.

I look at my phone. 3 am. I sigh and wipe the tears.

"It was a mistake. It was a mistake. It was a mistake." His voice replays over and over again and again.

You were a mistake. You were a mistake. You should have never been born. You should be isolated and just rot in Arkham.

I get my earphones and plug it in. I listen to the song and put it on repeat. In an attempt to shut the voices out.

****Break****

Tim's POV

Bruce isn't bringing us to school this morning. Dick is. Bruce is just...busy.

The Demon isn't here. He's at home resting. So in the car, it's just me, Chris, Autumn, Dick and Jason called shotgun.

Autumn is sitting on her usual spot, listening to music. I can hear rain drops hitting the roof of the car as we drive to school.

Chris is just facing forward, staring blankly at the morning traffic. Jason has his head against the window as if he's tired or has a headache or something.

Dick glances at the rear view mirror and at Autumn who is holding onto her phone and staring out the window while listening to music.

"Uh...Autumn?" Dick tries to communicate.

"She won't listen. She's not talking to you. Any of you." Jason says. Dick leans back on his seat as the car fills with silence, he sighs.

But then I look at Autumn, who's plugging out her earphones. She wipes her eyes with the back of her arm.

"Yes Richard?" Her voice is soft and tired. Her throat is probably soar, and her nose is probably filled with snot.

"Why are you going to school? Aren't you supposed to be at home resting?" He asks, just trying to keep a conversation.

"Resting is for butts who can't take life." Autumn says casually. Then her eyes widen slightly. "But, I'm not dissing Damian though. He was beat up and stuff. Eh."

"But aren't you injured? Doesn't it hurt?" I ask out of curiosity. She looks at me.

"Pain?" She asks. I nod slowly.

'Um...yeah...sure...it...'hurts.'"

"You sounded unsure." I state. "Um...I don't know." She shrugs.

Wait, aren't her shoulders injured? How did she simply shrug without hissing or grunting? She plugs her earphones back in. The car is back to being silent.

"I'm sorry what did you say Little Wing?" Dick asks Jason as he smiles in his direction.

Jason just grunts in response. He doesn't seem in the mood.

****Break****

Autumn's POV

I walk into the classroom and walk to my seat. My head moves towards the window. But before my thoughts can invade, I feel a person stand behind me. I turn my head and look into Jake's icy blue eyes. "Hey." I tell him simply.

"You were absent yesterday. Why were you absent? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Jake."

"Oh...okay."

"What did I miss?"

"Well, there's the math homework due today."

"Oh yeah." I only did half of it, 'cause I was busy doing my research so I forgot about it.

"And we're learning Arnis in PE." I nod in response. "You need a partner."

"Why? I don't wanna be partners with anyone!"

"Ouch. I'm already forced to be partners with Mackenzie, so...there's no one left but Tsina."

"Tsina? Who's that?" He points to a girl one table behind me, intensely reading a book. She has dark brown really short hair and dark brown eyes, she's fair skinned and she looks Asian. The camo bag is hanging on her seat. Oh, that girl. "You know her?" I ask.

"Yeah, she's my friend."

I furrow my eyebrows. "You need a partner, and she doesn't have a partner. All her friends are in different classrooms. And I'm taken."

I sigh. "Nah. I'm shy. I'm too lazy."

"Wha-but she's just a seat behind!"

I shrug. "Meh." I turn my head towards the window. He suddenly grabs my arm and starts pulling me out of the seat. "No. Jake. I don't-" He starts dragging me but I resist. "You don't have a choice." He just keeps on pulling my arm towards her.

"No!" Tsina is now looking at us in a weird way.

"Stop!" But he doesn't stop dragging me to her. The girl stands up. "Autumn. Stand up." He commands me. I stand up with a scowl on my face. I wipe my skirt and try to straighten it with my palms. I don't look at her.

"Autumn, this is Tsina Kai. Tsina, this is Autumn Cross."

"Hey."

I wave slightly, but I don't look up at her.

"You two are Arnis partners for when we go to the gym later."

"Okay…" She says, sounding weirded out. "So...um...when's the practical test?" I ask.

"Next week."

"Next week?"

"Yup. Ugh, I still need practice."

"Are we allowed to practice during our free time?" I look up.

"Yeah. Recess and lunch in the gym."

"Ah, okay." I nod.

"So...um...wanna eat together too, you know...practice?" She asks.

"Um…I have no one to eat with. I'm new." I say.

"Oh, okay. Can I eat with you guys?"

I think about it. I sigh. I don't really like people, but why not? "Sure."

"Yes!" She smiles. "Neither of us have anyone to eat with, so why not?"

I nod. "Okay. Second class is PE. Then recess."

"Yea, so we'll practice today, and then recess and lunch."

"Yeah, okay. Hey Jake-" I turn my head to see he's not standing beside me. He is with the popular girls, talking and smiling with his icy teeth.

I roll my eyes. I look back at her and now she has a weird smile on her face and fake nerdy glasses.

I look at her in a weird way, leaning back a bit.

"Like them?" She asks. "Uhh...yeah...sure...wait. Why would you wear those? They're fake and pointless." I furrow my eyebrows and smirk.

She just smiles and shrugs. The bell rings and she sits down and I walk to my seat.

The teacher walks in and I sit down. She puts down her things and writes on the board.

"We will check the homework first and then I'll give you back your quizzes."

I sigh. I probably failed it.

I open my math notebook to the homework. I didn't bother to finish it. I only did five out of ten numbers. I was procrastinating. And, also. I couldn't concentrate.

Ugh I hate it. I can't even concentrate on reading Homestuck anymore without walking out of the room for no reason then walking back in the room and forgetting what I was doing. Miss writes the answer to number one on the board.

Then she turns around. "Who wants to give me the answer for number two?" She asks and a lot of students raise their hands. She points to Mackenzie and she answers.

"7x^2-4y+10" she says, boasting her intelligence.

I check my answer which is correct. Wow. I actually got it right. Amazing.

"That is correct. Next." She calls Jake who answers correctly. Then she calls Tsina who's pretty much a math nerd.

I think I know the answers. But they are probably wrong. They are always wrong. We get to number eight and Miss calls my name. My eyes widen and I stand up.

"What's the answer to number eight?" She asks me.

I just stand there in silence. I look down at my notebook which doesn't have an answer. I look at the question and maybe I know the answer. But then again. I'm probably wrong.

"I...uh...uh...er…" I stagger and the whole room is silent. I can always answer and try, but for some reason...my voice won't work.

What if I'm wrong? What if they all laugh at my mistake? I shouldn't answer anymore.

"Er…" I'm too scared to answer...I'm afraid to make a mistake.

They'll all judge!

Miss goes to my side and looks at my notebook. "Autumn. You didn't do your homework?" She says softly but loud enough for my seatmates to hear.

"Um…"

"Never mind. Just sit down." She says. I drop to my seat and lay my head on the table.

Mackenzie smirks at me, she leans in and whispers. "An orphan and a stupid b****. What a great combination. I wonder how you even got a scholarship here. You don't even belong here." Her shrill voice whispers in my ear.

I look to the other way and out the window.

You don't belong, Autumn.

"I know." I whisper quietly. My dad was smart. How did I become stupid? What went wrong with dad and Sheila? Did they choose the right bed? Or did they do 'it' on a chair?

I blink and my mind falls into a memory.

I was seated in shotgun when I was six years old. We were in Taiwan, speeding down the narrow streets with police right behind us. I sat there in the front seat as the car sped through the road. Police sirens clouded my ears, behind us.

I glanced at the rear view mirror then back down at my Bao Bing. A Taiwanese version of shaved ice. It was in a paper cup, there was shaved ice topped with taro balls, mung beans and grass jelly. It was something new I tried.

I just recently killed my mentor at that time. We're just getting away. Meh. As we casually walked down the streets, I passed by a guy selling this and we quickly bought one with the police on our backs.

This dessert was really good. Even though it was just shaved ice.

We drove down the streets. It's decorated with red banners and gold signs. There were stands at the side of the road and old buildings as well. I watched the road as I shoved a spoon in my mouth.

We passed over a hump and the car rocked. We zoomed passed a person who quickly ran to the sidewalk after we nearly ran over him. I continued to watch the road and didn't glance back with my eyelids low and the plastic spoon in my mouth.

I moved my head to the side and a bullet went through my seat and passed my shoulder. I took one last spoon and threw what was left of my dessert out the window. Then I got a pistol from the ground and started shooting behind me.

Dad was simply whistling a calming tune as he drove down the narrow streets.

****Break****

We do simple arnis stances and I try to act stupid like I can't get the stances. She seems to have mastered it.

She puts down the sticks and walks to me. "Okay, so we eat together?" I nod and smile slightly. She nods. "Let's go." We return our arnis sticks and start walking towards the door that leads outside.

We pass by Mackenzie and Jake. Jake is teaching Mackenzie how to play arnis. She looks in my direction and smirks. I roll my eyes and keep walking.

We take a seat at a table. I take out my sandwhich. I stare at it. I'm not hungry. I put it back in my lunch box. I don't want anyone to watch me eat and tell me I'm fat. So I'll talk instead.

"You a new student?" She nods while eating her food.

"Yeah. I'm a transfer."

"I'm new."

"You know…" She swallows. "I hated you."

"Really?" I say sarcastically. Of course she hated me. Everyone hates me. "Why?" I ask. "I don't know. I just did. You're too quiet, and you're unapproachable. So I thought you hated me." She says casually. I shrug. "I'm just like that." But it's true that I hate everyone, just not specific people. Just people in general.

"You're not that bad." Then you don't know me.

"So. You have a crush?" She asks me as she eats her snacks.

"A crush? Er...You?" I get caught off guard.

She looks down and smiles. "Yeah…"

"Really? Is he cute?"

She just nods. I smile. "He's my sister's friend."

"Does he have a name?"

She shakes her head. "Not gonna tell you."

"Okay…wait, you have a sister?"

"Yeah." She points to the table behind us, where a girl that looks a lot like her, but her hair longer and tied in a bun.

"Suki Kai." She says and turns back. I nod. "Ah, okay. How's it like to have a sister?" I ask.

She shrugs. "Eh. It's okay." A silence as she chews her food then she looks at me. "Please tell me you have a crush on Jake."

"What?" I look up at her. "A crush...on him?"

"Yeah, you two spend a lot of time with each other. How did you two meet?"

"What the hell? I don't have a crush on him!"

"I won't tell him."

"But I don't have a crush on Jake!"

"Do you have a crush at all?"

"Nope." I look up and think of someone. I smile a bit. But then I quickly shake my head. "Nope."

"Right…" I roll my eyes, trying to hide the smirk in my mouth. "Just eat your goddamned food, Tsina."

****Break****

Lab. My lab partner is Tsina. We're working with another girl, Sam, cause her lab partner is absent and we're working on something stupid like dropping raw eggs in a beaker full of distilled water, and another egg into water full of 200g of salt. Then we're supposed to be taking the eggs and weighing them on the triple balance beam. This is hella boring.

Tsina takes the cup of salt. "It's not enough. We need 200 grams but this is only 139 grams." She says.

But then Sam takes it out of her hands. "It's okay. We're running out of time. Just dump it in." She says.

"No. It's not enough!" She complains. "It's okay. We have no choice." She says intensely.

"But it won't be enough!" Tsina retorts.

"Just pour it all in. We have no choice."

"But-"

"We have no choice." Tsina nods and they pour the cup of salt into the beaker. Then Sam takes the eggs and carefully drops it in the water. I chuckle and they both look at me. "You guys sounded like you were trying to save the world." I laugh.

They both chuckle. "Yeah. We did. Hehe." Tsina says. "Weird." Sam just chuckles. Then we all stop. "Let's answer the activity sheet." Tsina and I nod and we start writing. As we complete our activity sheets, I fall into another memory.

I had a friend. She was fifteen. Her name was Cece. But I called her Ce.

Ce and I were pretty close when I still lived in Crime Alley.

There were more than a few times when we stole from rich people together. We stole money, TVs, food from convenience stores. Neither of us liked what we did. But we did what we had to do.

She was funny and street smart. She was good to my little brother too. She would usually hang out with me whenever I baby sat the other kids. I used to wonder why she hung out with a ten year old like me.

During the day we would hang out and play jack-stones, the only toy we had. Or maybe we would just talk about life while she smoked her cigarette. But during the night we broke into houses and stole; we never hurt anyone physically though. We stole the car parts of rich asses that were stupid enough to park their cars in Crime Alley.

But little did I know...

She was one of those girls. Who did anything for money.

I found out because I followed Ce to a nightclub where I found her dancing with sick pedophiles in a one piece. I didn't follow her when she and some thirty year old junkie walked into a room.

She never talked about it. I never did either. And it was a mistake.

Because when I was walking down the streets holding a few bucks for my brother and for my mom's food, I turned my head to a dark alley when I heard crying.

Ce was standing in the dark alley, her tank top ripped and her denim shorts wet. She had a red wig on her head as she cried.

I dropped the money as the rain started to shower. She held a gun in one hand as she looked down and cried.

"Ce?" I asked as I started walking towards her. She just looked down and cried, her wig covering her eyes. She pointed the gun to her right temple. "Ce. What are you doing?" My voice became shaky as I slowly moved towards her.

"STAY AWAY!" She yelled, clicking the gun and getting it ready to shoot. All she needed to do was pull the trigger. "Ce...what's going on?"

Her breathing got shaky. And heavy. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry I had to taint you. You're so young. You're only ten. But...b-but...I-I...just can't take this any-anymore…" Her voice nearly a whisper.

"Ce...you don't have to do this. I know what you are doing. You can start over. Forget about this. Change your name. You don't have to do this. Just...put the gun down."

"N-no...I have no reason to live…"

"We all have a reason to live, Ce."

"N...no...I just can't take the pain anymore…"

She looked at me and took the wig off with her other hand. Her eyes were full of tears and regret.

"You don't know how it's like…" She said.

"I know what it's like Ce. You're not alone. You're never alone." I walked a bit closer.

"Then...why do I feel alone?"

I looked down, then back at her, my mouth opened. "Ce. I'm sorry. I'm supposed to be your friend. I'm sorry I didn't help."

She let out a tiny, tired smile. "It's okay, sis. It's too late for me now. Just...take care of your brother for me would ya? It's cold out here." A tear rolled down her cheek and my eyes widened.

She pulled the trigger and I heard the parts of the gun working together to spit the bullet out.

Time slowed down as the bullet shot out of the gun's mouth and right through her head.

"NO!" I yelled as time started to run again. Blood spilled out of the other side of her temple.

I looked away and shut my eyes as blood splattered all over my shirt and on my cheeks.

Then I looked back at the dead body on the floor. Crimson red blood was all over the walls and on my shirt and my face. It spilled down the dead body's head and down the face, then the chest...

The rain got harder. I looked down at the body and cried. I just stood there, my eyes wide as I looked down at the corpse. I cried silently. The picture never left my mind. I was scarred for life. I tried to save her, but everything happened so fast...

I write the last word and drop my pen. My eyes are wide and my breathing becomes faster. I raise my hand and Ms. Karla looks at me. The world begins to speed up and everything blurs.

"Miss, can I go to the washroom." I ask for her permission.

She nods. "Go." She says. I walk out the doors and down the hallway.

Flashes...visions...nearly block my vision as I quickly walk to the bathroom.

My dad's burnt and bloody face when he died. The Joker laughing his ass off as Batman punched him. Crashing down to Earth in a melting escape pod. Being buried alive.

I remember Papa taping my mouth and tying me down to the coffee table and whiping my legs and chest with his belt.

I rush in the bathroom and pace into a cubicle and shut the door. I put the toilet lid down and sit down and hug my knees.

The world traumatized me. They messed me up. My life is just one traumatic experience after the other.

First...I watched my dad die as he tried to save me, just before he left me alone to train with The All Caste all on my own.

Then...my Papa beat me up...and I went through child abuse to protect my brother.

All that went to waste, all my hard work went to waste when my brother was murdered in a gunning crossfire between two mad men. The Joker and some other maniac.

After that...I had to watch my mother break, and suffer...while Papa broke me even more…

They broke me.

And after that...after working so hard and breaking my back just for money for my mom and myself...I held my mom's cold bloody hand in my own.

Then, I trained in a war. Thirty meter sprints and fifteen laps everyday. I had to be extremely disciplined. No excuses. No disobedient soldiers.

I had to be an unbreakable soldier, and a young leader. At eleven years old.

Other eleven year olds liked to play with toys, some read books, others sat in front of the TV all day without thinking about their homework since it's too easy.

But me? At eleven, I had guns, knives. I was tested and I trained. I had to do fifty push ups every time I disobeyed the commanding officer. Which was nearly everyday.

I had to stand straight and still for hours as the commander yelled at me when I made a mistake. It was difficult because I couldn't stand for hours without doing anything.

I had to learn hard core discipline.

My dad broke me, because he knew that these people that I trained with during the war would build me back up again. They weren't done building me when they sent me off on a mission in which I volunteered in. Stupid, I know...but no one else was stupid enough...to lead a team to their graves.

On that mission...I spent months on an axiom watching my teammates die.

Then when I killed them all…

I ended up traumatizing myself. I ended up breaking myself.

I wouldn't be surprised if The Unknown comes back and somehow plots their revenge against me. I've gone through a lot of traumatizing s***. And I want to erase it all.

I stare blankly at the wall of the cubicle.

But nothing comes close to watching my own mom break. She was supposed to be strong, unlike me.

But she broke.

And I watched her break just like that. The person I cared about most...

She shattered into millions of pieces, like a mirror on a wall. I tried to help her, I tried to fix her. But as I tried to pick up the shards, I ended up cutting myself and bleeding. I gave myself a scar.

So all I could do was watch her break even more everyday. There was nothing I could do about it. I couldn't do anything...because the world ran so fast...and I couldn't run with it...

Don't be so weak Autumn. Suck it up. There are other people who have gone through worse than you.

I know that...but I'm still alone.

Suck it up you bastard!

DON'T BE SO WEAK LIKE PAPA SAID.

Stop being such a screw up.

You're going to break over something like that?

I need help but…

You don't deserve the help. You don't deserve anyone's attention.

No one wants you.

Death...please take me away.

Or am I really such a screw up that even Death doesn't want me?

****Break****

Chris' POV

It's the third weekend of the month...which means...

I GET TO GO TO THE WATCHTOWER AND TEAM UP WITH ALL OUR FRIENDS!

We need a better name than 'The Team.' Who even came up with that name? I'm blaming Dick.

I like going on missions with The Team. Most of my friends are there and it's one of the few times I get to go to the Watchtower, since apparently Mount Justice was destroyed by Kaldur, the Light, and the Reach. I can't believe I had to miss the epic battle between them and The Light and The Reach! Well, it sounds epic, according to what Dick and Tim told me. I had to sit out because I wasn't part of the Team a year ago, and I had to help Bruce with the whole 'Who's this Hood guy?' thing.

So here I am, keeping my excitement inside, sitting in a car with Tim, Damian, Dick, and Alfred. I don't know why Dick's here. I guess he just wanted to see me uncomfortable sitting in the middle. Sometimes I'm okay, but usually it feels slightly unnatural for me.

I forgot to get my phone from my backpack before I put it in the back, and I'm too lazy to reach back there to try and grab it. Now I'm stuck here staring blankly into space.

I should actually try to take a nap, since I'll probably be up for most of the night because of the Team.

I've got about 15 minutes in the car. Eh. I can't really sleep in cars anyway, so I'll just close my eyes and relax to create the illusion that I'm sleeping but really I'm just getting the relaxation and rest sleep brings, just not at full blast like actual sleep.

But I need something to lean on.

Tim's shoulder or Damian's shoulder...

Tim will probably become uncomfortable and start blushing like an idiot, but Damian will probably yell at me and insult me and maybe even cause me bodily harm.

Damian it is. Tim's shoulder is kinda bony, since he's skinny like me. Very uncomfortable.

At least Damian's shoulder is a good height. I still can't believe he's taller than me. When we found out, he wouldn't drop it until Dick made him stop rubbing it in my face.

I don't care too much though. It's just an inch...well maybe I care a little.

I lean onto his shoulder and just stare straight ahead. I look up at Damian as he gives me a mix between a questioning look and a disgusted look. I just stare back at him.

"Get off me."

"No." I close my eyes.

"You imbecile. You don't deserve to have your head rested upon my shoulder and against my neck. Only a person I deem worthy of that level of relationship is deserving of this level of physical contact."

"Are you saying that only your girlfriend can lean on your shoulder?" I say, my eyes still closed.

"Exactly."

"Like you can get a girlfriend." I mutter. Surprisingly Alfred and Dick don't scold me.

"And you can get a boyfriend." He retorts.

"Hmph." I smirk.

Damian doesn't say anything else. But I can feel him staring at me, as if he's just waiting for me to move.

I open my eyes. "I'm not moving."

"Carter! I demand you break this physical contact this instant!" He raises his voice.

"Master Damian! Use your inside voice please."

"First tell Carter to get off me."

"Damian shut up. I'm not moving."

"Miss Christine! Be nice to your brother."

"Sorry..." I mutter.

"Fine! Don't move!"

Alfred gives Damian his scolding look through the rearview mirror, and Damian's voice quiets down.

"Yay." I close my eyes again and enjoy the ride.

The silence of the car is broken when Damian speaks after a few minutes.

"Drake. Stop looking at us like that. Even if her eyes are closed Carter can still sense you looking at her."

I smirk, my eyes still closed, as I hear shuffling in Tim's seat.

****Break****

What time is it? 4:39. Tim and I have to be at the nearest Zeta Tube by 4:50 so we have time to change when we get there and attend the meeting at 5.

The Zeta Tube's in an alley hidden inside an 'out of order' telephone box. Every third weekend of the month, I go up to the Watchtower and stay there for the weekend in one of the living quarters added for the Team's members. But I haven't been there in a long time because of all the injuries I've endured and because I've been busy with the Autumn situation.

However, Tim gets to go every first and third. Lucky.

I stuff my clothes, uniform, and school things into my duffel bag. Stupid teachers giving us weekend homework. At least it's nothing huge, or else I'd be forced to stay home.

I look down at what I'm wearing.

I'm wearing a pair of dark blue skinny jeans (not the hugging ones those annoy me), black Chuck Taylors, a plain gray tshirt, and a red, gray, and black varsity jacket.

I sling the duffel bag over my shoulder and pick up my Ray Ban shades from the desk. We always have to keep our identity a secret, so everywhere I look it's darker than it should be. It's ok, though, since we're up in space and everything there is dark...except for the stars.

Almost forgot!

I run out of the room, the duffel bag banging against my leg, and head to the upstairs library (not the study/library...those are all adult books). I find my bookshelf and pull out The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. I'm rereading it. Hehe.

I got to watch the movie before it was available to the public, but I didn't cry. I don't really cry over books and movies; I tear up, but the tears never actually fall down the side of my face. And this isn't because I've been hardened by life's horribleness. I've always been like this. Even in the orphanage.

I pull the bag off my shoulder and zip it open. I place the book underneath my clothes and zip the bag up again.

I quickly exit the library and run downstairs to meet Tim and Alfred.

****Break****

Tim's POV

"Thanks Alfred." Chris says as she exits the car.

"See you next week." I say, closing the door behind me.

"Stay safe. And make sure you finish all your homework." He drives off.

The alley is just a few blocks from where Alfred just dropped us off. We change the drop off area every time just in case someone becomes suspicious of our activities.

I push the bridge of my shades up with my finger and I put the other strap of my backpack on my other shoulder. We begin walking.

I look over at Chris, who is staring blankly ahead. She looks like she's deep in thought.

"What are you thinking about?"

She doesn't respond for a second, then she turns to me. "Um, Nothing really."

"Are you sure?"

"Yea it's nothing now back off." She frowns at me. Why is she so defensive?

"Ok ok. Sorry."

She stop frowning and sighs. "No it's fine. Sorry..."

"Okay..."

"Okay." She smirks at herself.

"Okay." Are we just saying okay to each other? Why is she smirking?

"Oh my god stop flirting with me!"

WHAT!?

"No I wasn't-! I didn't mean to-! I don't know what-!" I start blushing a bit.

"Hahahaha!" She turns to me and continues laughing. We've stopped walking. The Zeta Tube is just one more block away. We're in front of a McDonalds.

"What!? Why are you laughing? Chris tell me what's going on!"

Her laughing dies down. Her head is slightly bowed, and she looks up at me, smiling.

"Ahh...you're reaction is hilarious. Haven't you read The Fault in Our Stars?"

"Umm..." I start racking my brain for anything relating to that book. "No. I've heard most of the people in my class talking about it. Some start crying when they do, others just squeal. The people who talk about it are girls. I'm pretty sure some of the boys in the class have read it, but they don't talk about it."

Her eyes widen. "You're missing half of your life. When we get to-" She abruptly stops and her eyes shift to the right, her head not moving. Behind me, I don't hear any cars passing by. I look in the corner of my eye to where she is gesturing and see two men walking towards us.

The first guy has a leather jacket, baggy jeans, and a beanie to cover most of his blond hair that is sticking out on the sides. The second guy looks almost the same, except with brown hair and his hands in his jacket pocket. They're looking at us.

Suddenly, I grab Chris' arm and pull her into the McDonalds behind her. We take a seat at a back table.

"Dammit I knew these shades weren't enough..." Chris say, fingering her Ray Bans.

"They are enough. They've worked plenty of times before. No one can recognize us 'Wayne Kids' without our eyes. They're probably just perps who will kidnap any kid they see alone on the streets."

She raises her eyebrow and gives me a look. Wayne kids? No one calls us that. I just shrug in response.

"Do you think they'll be waiting for us to come out?"

"Maybe." I look outside. There are no cars on the street; there's rarely any cars here, which is why this is where the Zeta Tube is. But this place is pretty crowded. If they are waiting outside, they could just follow us for a bit then take us. We shouldn't fight them off like we usually fight bad guys. The public isn't supposed to know that we can actually defend ourselves as well as we really can.

But we each have bags. If they get a hold of our bags, open them, and dig through, they'll find our uniform.

"Are you thinking of a way we can take them down?" Chris asks.

"Yea. Unless you got any better ideas."

"I do actually."

She stands up and walks to a nearby table, where a couple with a young boy is seated. I stand up as she begins talking to them, a look of worry on her face. The man and the woman nod. She picks up the boy and starts talking to him while swaying back and forth. She looks at me, signaling me to come over.

I get up and walk over there.

"Alvin, this is Clarisse and Jonathan. And this little guy is..."

"Miguel!" The little boy squeals. He has dark black hair and medium brown eyes. He looks like he's five.

"I told them about our situation and they agreed to be our parents for the next few minutes. They're just gonna finish their food. You want anything?"

"Uh no thanks. I'm not hungry." There's gonna be food in the Watchtower.

"Ok." She puts the boy down next to his father and takes a seat next to the mother. She pats the space next to her, gesturing for me to sit down, and I do.

The couple are talking as I whisper to Chris.

"What did you say to them?"

"I told them I thought we were being followed and that it would be nice if when they walk out, we could pretend to be their kids so it would seem like we had our parents with us. That way, the guys outside will back off."

"But what about when we get to the alley? And what if they're still following us from there?"

"Then we beat them up. I told them that our parents will be picking us up across the street in a few minutes. I told them that once the guys are off our backs they can leave us alone."

"Ok. But what if they insist on staying until the car comes?"

"I have Alfred on speed dial. He'll come when he's needed. We'll probably just end up getting in the car, driving in a circle, and coming back here. But if everything fails, we'll figure something out."

I nod.

"Okay kids time to go!" Jonathan says.

Everyone stands up.

As we walk out the doors, I notice the two guys watching us from across the street.

When we reach the end of the sidewalk, Clarisse speaks. "Miranda, honey, could you please carry your little brother?"

"Sure mom." I can see her tense. She relaxes, then sighs as she picks up the little boy.

We all cross the street together. Okay, now the alley is just a few feet away. Jonathan turns his head behind us.

"Okay the guys are walking away now. We'll stay with you until they're out of sight then we'll leave. I'm sure you guys are smart enough in case something happens, considering you asked us to do this for you."

"Alright. Thank you so much." I say. Chris puts down Miguel. She stays crouching down as the boy smiles at her.

"One day, I wanna be like Batman!"

"Well you keep wishing, Miguel, and the dream that you wish will come true." She dramatizes the last part.

"You took that from Cinderella!"

"Oh did I?" She puts on a fake thinking face as Miguel laughs at her. Chris looks at him again and smiles. "Now watch out for your parents okay? If you wanna be like Batman, you need to start by helping your parents. Got it?" She ruffles his hair.

He nods, a grin on his face.

"Alright, they're gone now. You take care, okay?" Clarisse says.

"Okay. Thanks again." Chris says.

"No problem." They continue walking, the boy constantly smiling and looking at his parents. He seems really happy.

"He is happy." Chris says, as if she's reading my mind. "But who knows when that will change. Here in Gotham, you can go from wonderful to miserable like that." She snaps her fingers.

"Or the other way around." I remind her.

"Yea...sure."

We walk to the alley. I look around, watching out for any nearing cars or bystanders. I nod, signaling that it's clear. She pushes her duffel bag through the hole before she ducks and passes to the other side. I follow quickly after her.

"Miranda?"

"Yea. Your alias is Alvin Draper, Bruce's is Matches Malone, and mine is Miranda Glade. That's all."

"Okay..."

"Oh god you make this so easy." She smirks.

"What?!"

"Just the 'Okay? Okay.' thing. You really need to read this book."

"Fine I'll read it. Now hurry up or we'll be late for the de-briefing."

She steps into the out-of-order telephone booth. I hear the scanning sound and the robotic voice.

"Recognized. Nightingale. 37."

The sound of the transporter powering up is heard as a bright flash of light blinds me, then it dies down. My turn.

I step in, and immediately I am scanned.

"Recognized. Red Robin. 28." Good, the system changed it from Robin to Red Robin.

Next thing I know, I'm walking out onto the Watchtower and being hugged by someone.

"Red Robin!"

"Hey Cassie." I say. She lets go.

Cassie turns to Chris, who is watching us. "We have some catching up to do!"

A small smile tugs at her lips. "Yes we do, but I need to change for the meeting in a few minutes. We'll meet you there."

"Okay. See ya!" She flies off.

Chris and I walk toward the living quarters. "So...are you and Cassie a couple?"

"What?! No."

"Well you should be. She really likes you, and you like her back. You two would seem cute together."

"She likes me?"

"It's kinda obvious...kinda. This is my area of expertise." She smirks at herself. "Okay I'll see you in a bit. This is my room."

She turns and walks in, the door closing behind her.

Cassie...likes me? I'm getting this funny feeling in my stomach...

Stop Tim. Focus on the matter at hand. Get ready for the meeting. It could be important.

Yea...

I stop walking when I reach my room. I enter my room, the door closing behind me.

****Break****

"We have reason to believe that The Light has returned." Kaldur says. Everyone begins to talk amongst themselves.

"There have been fluctuations in the weather all around the world."

"And it's not just the weather. There have been massive earthquakes in parts of Africa and tsunamis off the coasts of Australia. A large hurricane has been spotted heading towards Florida and Louisiana." Barbara continues. "And so much more."

She pulls up plenty of videos on the screen. They're all news reports, all in different languages. I don't need to understand what they're saying to know that the videos they're showing are all bad news.

"Why do you think the Light is involved?" Miss Martian asks.

"We are still investigating. This is our conclusion at the moment." Kaldur replies.

"You will each be investigating the whereabouts of members of the Light. You will also be assigned to a disaster site to do damage control." Moans erupt from our younger members after Barbara finishes her sentence. I look at Chris, and she just shrugs.

"Superboy and Bumblebee, you will be tracking the Brain. Miss Martian and Static, you have Lex Luthor. He may have helped us save the world, but we should be cautious. Tigress and Batgirl, Queen Bee. Blue Beetle and Kid Flash, Black Manta. Nightingale and Beast Boy, Klarion. Red Robin and Wonder Girl, Ra's al Ghul. Guardian and I will follow Vandal Savage. I expect reports in 24 hours." Kaldur says. I'm partnered with Cassie...

"As for damage control, you will receive your assignments via communicator. Meeting adjourned." And with that, everyone stands up and exits the room.

Chris' POV

I'm standing next to Tim, eating my food, when suddenly everyone comes running toward us.

"Nightingale! You're back!" Everyone begins talking to me.

"It's been four months!"

"What's new in your life?! It's been so long!"

"We have so much to tell you!"

"Gosh guys calm down!" I yell. Everyone becomes silent.

M'gann and Gar suddenly lunge at me and hug me tightly. "Guys. Let go. Injuries." I manage to choke out despite their death holds on me.

"Oh sorry!" M'gann says, and they let go.

"Welcome back." Connor says.

"It's good to be back. I need a break from my parents."

"Parents can be annoying at times." Virgil states.

I wouldn't really know.

Barbara looks at me, portraying worry in her eyes, but I just smile at her. She smiles back.

"Well I hope you'll be coming back monthly again." Artemis states.

"Same."

"Wow! This is totally crash! Don't you think so?" Bart elbows Jaime.

"Ow!"

"Whoops. Sorry man. I'm gonna get more food. I'm starving!" He returns a few seconds later with a plate full of food. Most of us just roll our eyes at him.

Soon, everyone disperses to have their own individual conversations.

"Batgirl! I haven't seen you in so long!" I say as she approaches me.

"Nightingale! It's only been a month."

"That's still a long time."

"So how're things?"

"Pretty good, I guess. School's fun, I haven't gotten too hurt since the last time you saw me."

"Stop lying. I know Two Face shot you."

"More like I allowed myself to be shot. If I didn't he probably would've shot Dick."

"You shouldn't get too reckless. Dick would've been fine."

"It doesn't matter. I'm fine. Dick's fine. Jason's...okay. Tim's fine. Damian's healing. And Autumn's...just Autumn."

"So how is the situation with Autumn? Has Bruce finally come to his senses?"

"Finally. Autumn killed Heretic, as you probably already know. He got mad at her for not following his rules and she yelled back at him. Bruce said she was a mistake, and she stormed off. I think that means she'll be leaving soon. Good riddance."

"Was she really that horrible?" She doesn't say it in a tone of disbelief, but in a tone of what could be sympathy.

"Ugh why is everyone going soft? She nearly killed us! She went to Arkham! Injured and killed many people! She's a psychopath! Almost as bad as The Joker."

"Alright I believe you. It's just that I haven't had that many experiences with her. I've only heard stories. Just forget about her this weekend. Here, you're with friends. Speaking of which..."

Suddenly, I'm lifted off my feet and circling 20 feet above everyone.

"You have to tell me everything! I have so much to tell you! Why'd you have to be gone for so long?!"

"Jeez Cassie! We saw each other at my party a month ago!"

"But you were hanging out with all your other friends, including that one guy you seem really cute with. Are you two dating?"

"I am way too young to date! I'm not even in high school yet! Besides, he would probably kill any boy I'm 'too close' to."

"He? Ohh, you mean Br-" I raise my arm and quickly cover her mouth. I wouldn't have to cover her mouth if she wasn't talking so loudly. She descends, and we land in a far corner, away from everyone else.

"Cassie! No one's supposed to know Batman's or my identity! You're one of the only people on the Team who actually knows who I am."

"Whoops! Sorry Chris."

I facepalm. "What did I just tell you?"

"Oh sorry..." Sometimes, she can be stupid. Well I know some more things than everyone here...but it doesn't really matter. They're all my friends.

"So whaddya wanna know?"

"Are there any developments in your love life?" She smirks and raises an eyebrow. I roll my eyes.

"Nothing new."

"Why are you hiding such crucial information from me? We are both love experts. I know when people are lying about this kind of stuff."

"No seriously. It's nothing new."

She gasps. "No way. You are a horrible person."

"What?" I say accusingly, but I smile at her. She understands now.

"You've liked someone for a long time and haven't told me?! But...but...WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!"

I just burst out laughing. I love messing with people.

"You never asked."

"NEVER ASKED?! I ask you every time we see each other, 'Do you have a new crush?' or 'Anything new in your love life?' and you lied to me!"

"Not exactly. You always asked me if there was anything new. And there is never anything new."

She just gapes at me. I continue laughing.

"Ok but seriously. Is it that boy I saw you hanging out with?"

"Which one? There were four."

"The...that one guy! He had black hair!"

"Oh him? That was Tim."

"What?! No it wasn't! I was sitting next to Tim the entire time! STOP MESSING WITH ME!"

"Hahaha!" I walk back to everyone else as she walks behind me, yelling at me to tell her what I'm talking about. We get curious looks from everyone, and I just shrug at them, a smile on my face.

Artemis approaches us. "What's up with you?"

"She's being incomplete with her answers to my harmless questions!" Cassie answers.

"What did you ask her?"

"She asked me if there's anyone I like and what his name is. I'm just messing with her, that's all."

She smirks. "Alright. I don't need to do anything. Enjoy your fun Gale." I kinda got used to everyone calling me Gale. Doesn't bother me as much as it did before.

"What?! Oh fine I give up. I'll just find out on my own."

Together, we walk over to where Tim, Barbara, Artemis, and Kaldur are chatting.

On our way there, I speak. "Hey I was thinking of changing my look. Yay or nay?" Nay. Ha.

"Depends. What are you thinking?"

"Well instead of this annoying headband I was thinking of just tying my hair back. And purple isn't really me. I don't even know why I chose it. I've always liked the color blue. So all the parts that are purple will become a soft shade of blue...medium blue, and the inside of my cape will become a shade lighter instead of navy blue. Plus some blue on the gloves. I might make some more alterations but this is what I'm thinking for now."

"I think it would look good. Just don't make it the same color as Nightwing's outfit."

"I wasn't planning to."

"Then go ahead. Send me pics when you alter everything."

"Erm...no. I don't do that kind of girly stuff. You'll just have to wait till we see each other again."

"Alright fine." We approach the group.

"Welcome back Nightingale. How is Nightwing?" Kaldur asks.

"He's doing alright. Nothing special, nothing horrible."

"That's good."

"How're things with that girl who apparently tried to kill all of you and Batman adopted anyway?" Artemis asks.

"Oh Autumn? She isn't really that big of a problem anymore. I think she may be moving out sometime soon."

"That's not true! Batman only yelled at her. He didn't really mean what he was saying!"

What is wrong with my brother?

"Yes he did!" I swiftly turn and glare at Tim. "He meant every single word. I know he did. Don't let your emotions get in the way of your judgement. You know that everything Batman said is true. Autumn...has broken our family even more than she already has. I'm just repeating everything I've said before because it's all true. And now he's just proven it. So suck it up and accept it. No matter how hard you try, nothing will ever work. Autumn. Doesn't. Belong."

He just stares at me. Then he narrows his eyes. "No. You're the one who's got it all wrong. Autumn isn't as horrible as you think she is. And I know Batman. His judgement can get clouded. Maybe Autumn has broken us...messed with us. But everyone can be fixed. Everyone can come out of insanity and what she's been through."

"Hmph. I tried telling her that once. She didn't believe me. And now I understand why I don't believe you." I narrow my eyes at him, and he glares back at me.

"Okay guys you can have your sibling rivalry later. Right now just calm down and get some socializing time before you have to work." Barbara says.

"I don't socialize."

"And this isn't sibling rivalry."

Barbara just glares at us, and we both loosen our glares. I cross my arms and Tim walks away with Cassie.

"Will Nightwing be coming back to the Team soon?" Kaldur asks.

"I don't know. He's needed more with Batman now that Red Hood's back and Autumn's all over the internet. I also think he's going to be moving soon, so that will cause more chaos. If that happens, I might have to stay away from Team missions for awhile again."

"Wait, he's moving?" Barbara asks, confused.

"Well he hasn't mentioned it directly, but sometimes he talks about moving to Bludhaven. I don't know if he actually will, or when he will, but I don't want him to leave. I hope he doesn't..." I grip one of my arms as it falls to my side.

I don't want my brother to move away. I probably wouldn't be able to survive in my emotionless household without him.

He's the only person in the household who's actually hugged me. Not the other way around.

He's the only person who's actually said 'I love you' to my face. Maybe other people have said it to me, but I must've been unconscious or not heard them.

Without Dick, I'd be as heartless and miserable as Autumn.

He's the last connection I have to my family...my blood family.

One time he told me a story about his time in the circus. I don't remember much, since that was three years ago, but I remember tearing up.

"What's wrong?" He had asked me.

"I don't know. It's just that I wish I could've lived that life. With parents."

"Sh. Don't let that tear fall. You do have parents. Bruce is your parent. Alfred is basically a parent. I'm like your parent."

At the time, I just let his words comfort me. But now that I think about it, they weren't as comforting as I thought they were. Dick's the loving quality of a parent. Alfred is the strict and responsible one. Bruce is just the figure, the one with the title.

But a parent is all those qualities in the same person.

I don't like the word parent. It reminds me of what I don't have...of what I could've had.

I don't like the word mom either. That's why I cringed when I said it. I never imagined I would say it. It just makes me feel empty inside, like I'm missing a part of me...

Because I am.

I hate words that make me feel sad. But at the same time, I'm thankful for them.

I fear that if I didn't have these things that make me slightly depressed then I would become even more of a "spoiled princess in her fancy mansion with a rich daddy" or whatever shiz people these days say.

What would've happened if I witnessed my parents' murders? Would I be the same person I am now? If I had been older, would Batman had adopted me along with Dick?

Instead of waiting until I was 10? Would I have been able to avoid living in an orphanage?

Would my early years have been less miserable? Would I have had the illusion that Bruce really was my father? That my father was alive, and that my mother died when I was born?

Would I have been happier?

Either way, I wouldn't have a mom.

"Hey. You thinking about Dick moving away?" Barbara's sweet voice causes my thoughts to drift away. I notice that Kaldur and Artemis walked away.

"Yeah..." I lie. "Barbara. I don't want him to leave." I look up at her with slightly wide eyes, even though I know she can't see them through my domino mask.

I can still act cute-ish when I want to. Babs is the kind of person who makes me feel like I have to act like a "little girl," not literally.

She pulls me into a hug. "Don't worry. He won't leave. I'll make sure he doesn't. You'll get to keep your big brother."

I hug her back.

Barbara has been like a big sister to me ever since I moved in. But now that I think about it, one day she may end up being my sister-in-law. Then she'll really be my sister.

Even though she's the only girl I actually see around, she's not my mom.

Sometimes we go shopping when I'm in need of clothes. I go to her for girl talk since Laurel doesn't do that kind of thing, Sarah only texts when she starts the conversation, and I don't have Cassie's phone number.

Barbara might as well be living in the mansion.

"Can we talk about how much of an idiot Dick and every other boy on the planet can be?"

She releases me and laughs lightly. "Of course! What's more fun than that?"

I find myself often thinking about family and how odd my family is. I also think about what would happen if my family was different. If I had been Rachelle Grayson instead of Christine Wayne. Or Christine Carter instead of Christine Wayne.

But in the end, I always have the same final thought.

I wouldn't give up my messed up family for anything in the world.

****Break****

Tim's POV

"Soo...Ra's whereabouts..." Cassie says. We're standing in front of the large window that allows us to look down on the earth. We're using the holographic computer to look at the files that the Team has on Ra's al Ghul.

"The latest we've got is that he's been spotted in Bialya. He hasn't been seen with Queen Bee, but maybe their sightings could coincide somehow." I wonder what they're up to.

"We should go compare with Tigress and Batgirl." I make a motion to leave, but Cassie grabs my arm. I look back at her, and she's starting to blush. Usually I'm the one who blushes.

"Uh...can we just stay here and see what else we can find about Ra's al Ghul? I don't think they want to be bothered right now..." Obviously a lie. How could she know?

"Cassie...is something wrong?" She doesn't look too good. Her cheeks are still red, and she's still holding onto my arm. With her other hand, she's gripping her top. Her eyes are slightly wide.

"No...nothing's wrong. Just...nothing..."

I move closer to her. "Cassie? What is it?" I'm really worried. What's wrong with her? She's obviously hiding something, but what? She looks scared...kinda nervous...maybe she's sick. That would explain why her face is still red. If she was blushing, she wouldn't be blushing for this long, or at least I don't think she would be.

"I...I just don't want any more company."

Was that really it? "Oh...ok. Well then we'd better get back to work." I gently pull her hand off my arm as I turn back to the computer and start typing again.

Cassie isn't doing anything. She's just staring at me, her face still red, her hand still fingering her clothes. But now she's biting the corner of her lips. Why is she nervous? Is there something wrong with my suit? Is it my research skills? Is it just me?

"Uh...Tim?"

I stop typing and look at her. "Yeah? You alright?"

"Do...do you remember that time a year ago? After Wally died?"

Who doesn't? "Of course." Her face lightens up a bit. I don't know why. "We were all mourning his death, Impulse became Kid Flash, Nightwing left for his 'vacation,' Batgirl took over, Aqualad came back, Miss M and Superboy got back together, Lagoon Boy left...do you need me to go on?"

Her expression becomes nervous again. Was it something I said?

"You don't remember..." She looks down as she whispers.

"Remember what?"

"That...that time we kissed..."

I rack through my brain...nothing comes to mind.

I'm pretty sure I would've remembered if Cassie kissed me.

I just stare at her, trying to remember when apparently she kissed me. How could I forget something like that?

"Um...are you sure that was me?"

Her shoulders droop a bit, but then she looks up at me.

"We had just got back from the mission...where Wally died. Everyone was in the Grotto when the holographic statue was being created when I pulled you somewhere in the trees. We kissed and admitted we liked each other. You really don't remember?"

Now some things are coming to mind. The grotto...Cassie dragging me away...but I don't remember the kiss.

"We were a couple for a few months, then you acted a little differently around me when Nightingale joined the Team. Then both of you had to stop coming to the Team for a while because of some things happening in Gotham. You were gone for nearly six months! I understand why you probably don't remember..."

Six months ago...that was around the time Autumn showed up...

I guess my work got in the way. Then there's the fact that Autumn always messed with our minds. That's probably it.

"Oh...well, sorry...this person we were trying to bring in had the habit of messing with our minds. She probably caused me to forget..."

"Oh...ok."

"So...so you like me?" My palms are kinda sweaty and my heart is beating quickly.

She rolls her eyes at me. At least she's back to normal. "Of course you idiot. I just told you this story about how I kissed you, and you think I don't like you? Chris is right. You are blind when it comes to this stuff."

Chris talks about me? In this subject matter?

What do they talk about? Now I wanna know...but it's an invasion of their privacy. I don't want to get either of them mad, especially since Cassie has super strength and Chris can be...as scary as Batman when she wants to be.

I don't really know what to say, so I just stare at her blankly. Suddenly, I feel lips on my lips, and in my surprise I grab her arms. She pulls away, and I'm blushing again. But at least she's blushing a little bit, too.

"Do you remember now?"

"No...but at least you got to relive the moment."

"Well not really...I liked the first time better."

"Too bad I don't remember it."

"Too bad..."

Suddenly, I hear a faint buzz inside my ear. Someone's trying to reach me via communicator.

There was only one buzz, so that's the Batcave's com.

I press a button on my arm, and the line opens.

"Yes?" I ask.

I look at Cassie and place two fingers on my ear, signaling I'm talking to someone. She nods and continues looking through the database, smiling a bit as she does so.

"You need to come back." Bruce's voice.

"Why? I only got here a few hours ago."

"Ivy has broken out. She's at Gotham Botanical Garden. I need you to get to her. I'm busy handling Riddler."

"What about everyone else?" I begin to make my way to the transporter, and I can hear Cassie calling after me. I simply ignore her.

"Nightwing's handling a situation in Bludhaven, Hood's grounded, and Robin's with me."

"Do I need to get Gale?"

"No. Just you."

I type in my code and coordinates into the transporter. "Alright." The com link dies.

"Hey where are you going?" Cassie asks. Apparently she was right next to me the entire time.

"Situation in Gotham. Tell Gale I'm gone." I walk into the transporter as the computer's voice fills my ears.

"Red Robin. 28."

"Wait-"

Cassie's voice is drowned out by the loud sound of the transporter, and my vision is blurred by the bright light. Next thing I know, I'm standing in the telephone booth.

I step out and lean against a wall.

I press a button on my right arm to summon my cycle. While waiting, I pull up my holographic arm computer and find the news channel.

"The police are still outside the greenhouse. They have created a barricade around it and have men stationed everywhere. The three men they sent in have not yet returned. We still await Batman to come and get things under control." The news reporter moves out of the way and allows the camera to zoom in on the building. Suddenly, a large plant shoots up and out of the glass roof, sending shards of glass onto the nearby police officers. Male screaming is heard, and the camera follows a man who is falling through the air, moving further and further away from the greenhouse. The camera shifts its focus back to the plant, and it is sinking back down.

Ivy just had that plant throw that officer god knows where. Judging by the direction he was thrown at, somewhere downtown.

C'mon motorcycle. Hurry up.

In the distance, I hear an engine...a faint engine.

I close my holographic screen and go under the broken plank of the shabby fence. When my entire body is on the sidewalk, my motorcycle pulls up next to me. I hop on, put on my helmet, and rev up the engine.

I notice some people walking out of nearby buildings to see me, but I simply ignore them.

I watch their hair fly away as I zoom in the direction of the greenhouse.

****Break****

I park my bike in an alley that is a few blocks away from the botanical garden. In one swift movement, I jump off my bike, in midair pull out and shoot my grapple up at the tall building a block away, and fly into the air, slowly going closer to the large plants which have now multiplied and caused large shards of glass to rain down upon the cops.

When I am above the greenhouse I retract my grapple and put it away. As I fall toward the vicious, moving plant sticking out of the hole in the roof, I take out an especially large batarang.

I turn in midair and stab the stem of the large plant. My weight drags the batarang down with me, cutting the stem along with it. My speed slows as ripping fills my ears, and I grip the batarang as I dangle from it. Once the batarang stops I hear a high pitched shriek come from the plant. I push off the plant and, leaving the batarang in the plant's thick stem, land soundlessly on the marble tile. Behind me, the plant falls and causes glass to fall on top of me. I hear it crash down onto the wall, but it doesn't break the entire thing.

It's a good thing I was able to lace some of my batarangs with plant poison on the way here.

The shrieking stops. But there are two other plants to take care of.

And Poison Ivy.

I need to take care of this situation quickly. I'm needed back at the Watchtower. Cassie needs my help with tracking down Ra's al Ghul.

I run into the tangle of vines and leaves. This better be quick.

****Break****

Autumn's POV

I walk out of the orphanage doors wearing a gray shirt with a hoodie and cargo pants.

Jake couldn't go with me since he had homework to do and a group presentation within a week. I have the same homework as he does but I just don't care.

So R came with me instead, wearing a red polo and a black T shirt inside and jeans.

I wipe the sweat off of my forehead as we walk down the sidewalk. It was still pretty early when we had to leave.

I look down as I walk. "What else do you like to do?" I ask him. "Aside from skateboarding." I mention.

He shrugs. "Basketball."

"Cool. You like basketball while Jake likes soccer."

"Can you not mention that guy?"

"Why? What's up with him?"

"Just that his very presence annoys me." That was bluntly stated.

I just look at him as we continue walking.

The sun is going down. The sky is turning a medium blue and the light is going away.

"Beautiful sky, huh?" I ask him.

I look at him, and he just keeps his hands in his pockets and looks down with his eyebrows furrowed.

I raise my eyebrows. "What's wrong?" I poke his shoulder.

He just continues to frown and glare at the ground as we continue to walk. "Come on, you know you'll look even uglier if you keep frowning." I joke. He looks at me and gives me an obviously fake smile.

"Ha. Ha." He laughs sarcastically. "Look who's talking." He rolls his eyes.

Then he looks back down and furrows his eyebrows.

"Hey R?"

"Yeah?" He asks, turning his head to me.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

He sighs and looks back down as we walk side by side. A car passes by as silence engulfs us both.

He debates with himself, whether or not he could tell me.

"Come one R. You can tell me anything." I reassure him.

He sighs heavily. "It's my mom…" he tells me.

"What happened?" I ask, my voice filled with concern.

"She...woke up a few days ago. She looked at me. But when I looked into her eyes…" he pauses. "...my mom is blind."

"Out of nowhere?"

"There have been some tests. She has some sort of rare disease." He says sadly.

Ouch.

I put my hand on his shoulder.

"She's dying, Aut. She's going to leave us. And she won't be coming back."

I look down, my hand on his shoulder. I look back at his grim face, his eyes shining with water but he wipes it away.

"It's okay, R. I'm here. I'll be here...I'll be your friend." I tell him. He looks at me, his eyes still kinda wet. "But if I were you...I would spend every second I have left with her."

"How?!" His voice gets louder and we stop by this sidewalk. "She can't hear me. She can't talk to me. And now, she can't even see me!" His eyes fill with sad anger.

I quickly pull him into a hug no matter how much I hate human contact and hugging.

His body stiffens and his shoulders harden. I can tell his eyes are wide behind my head. I set my chin on his shoulder and hug him tightly.

"I'll help." I whisper in his ear. "I'll make you feel better. I'll be your friend." I move away and I untangle from him.

He blankly looks at me.

He shakes his head. "Never thought you were one for friendly affection." He smiles as he looks away and then looks back at me.

I smile warmly and look down and rub my arm.

"You need a friend don't you?"

"No." He says quickly. He looks away from me.

I look up, back at him. "Oh shut up. Of course you do! Especially someone who knows how it's like."

He looks back at me. "What do you mean?" He asks.

I look down. "My mom was good to me. But then, she went under drugs. She hurt me. Then she died. But I still loved her."

"Oh, sorry." He says sadly.

I shrug and look back at him. "It's okay. What matters now is that she's okay, wherever she is."

He lets out a tiny smile.

My eyes widen a bit and a grin tugs at my lips.

"I know what will make you feel better!" I smile. "Why don't we eat dinner together?" I ask him.

He hisses. "Oooh, can't. I'm gonna eat dinner at home. I have to pick up some dinner for my family."

I nod. "Oh, okay. Maybe next time then." I shrug.

I start walking. But he stays in his spot. "Wait." He says. "Dad isn't gonna be home tonight. My sister will be there, and so will my mom. Why don't you come over?"

"I...I wouldn't wanna intrude."

"Nah. It's okay! We could pick up some food from KFC and then bring the food there!" He says enthusiastically.

"Would your sister and mom be okay with it?"

"Yeah, it won't be a problem!"

"Okay. But I'm paying." I tell him as he walks towards me.

"Yeah. You're paying." He smirks and walks past me.

I smirk. "Wow. You think I'm rich." I mumble.

But once he passes me, I shake my head and smile as I walk beside him.

****Break****

Chris' POV

Gar and I didn't really have to do that much work. Klarion doesn't have that many sightings, and those sightings were all shortly after Wally's death. Nothing recent. He's probably in his demon realm thingy or whatever.

We just got back from Germany, where there was a snowstorm. I had to wear my white heat-insulated suit, but I didn't bring it. I had to go back to Gotham, sneak into the cave, retrieve it, and return to the Zeta Tube. I wouldn't have had to sneak in if Bruce hadn't suddenly pulled Tim away from the Team and sent him on a mission in Gotham. I was worried Bruce would make me stay in Gotham, too.

The snowstorm was only hitting one (and a half...it was kinda snowing in part of this other place) city, so it was easier for us to gather people from the streets and throw them into random houses or buildings. That was basically all we had to do: grab people off the streets and put them in warm homes so they wouldn't freeze to death. Once in a while there was a building that was starting to collapse because the force of the snow hitting it threw it off balance, so that was more interesting.

Despite the snow constantly pushing me off balance and hitting me, the hardest part of the entire mission was trying to communicate with every confused German trying to ask what was going on. I know the basics in most languages, and I can say stuff like "This elephant is my friend. He can change into any animal he desires. Please don't panic." But understanding them, when they were talking quickly in a slightly angry tone, was difficult.

I'm so glad that's over. I wish Bruce would just speed up my 'How To Be A Superhero' lessons. I still don't know all the maneuvers! It's annoying!

Ugh. I don't feel like ranting to myself. I just wanna lie down, listen to my music, and do absolutely nothing. I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight.

I look at my phone. A Daydream Away by All Time Low is playing. This song is relaxing. I smile at nothing in particular, just listening to the words and allowing them to enter my ears and my brain.

As I listen to the song, I scroll through a list of songs by this band called Simple Plan that I heard about from...somewhere. I read every song on the list: Perfect, Save You, I Miss You, I'm Just A Kid...

I just pick a random song and listen to it. It's not horrible.

I lie here, my eyes closed, my earphones blasting this song into my ears...then suddenly everything is quiet.

What?

I open my eyes and look at my phone. Aw dang it, my thumb moved and accidentally selected another song. Oh well. It already started playing anyway.

I read the title of the song. Gone Too Soon.

I close my eyes again and listen to the song. Hey, this is pretty good.

I listen to the lyrics, letting them sink in, when something hits me. I shoot my eyes open and sit up quickly, causing me to be a little dizzy. I stand up and walk out of the room, the song still playing in my ear.

Oh I miss you now.

I wish you could see

Just how much your memory

Will always mean to me.

In a blink of an eye

I never got to say goodbye.

I walk past a lot of doors, trying to remember where her room is as I listen to this song.

Like a shooting star

Flyin' across the room

So fast, so far

You were gone too soon

You're a part of me

And I'll never be the same here without you

You were gone too soon

I finally find her door and knock.

"Artemis. It's me."

The door automatically slides open, and I step into her room. The door closes behind me. Her stuff is sprawled all over the floor, and her bed kinda messy. She's seated on the bed, staring at me.

"What is it? Your tone sounded urgent."

"I have something I want you to listen to." I take a seat next to her on her bed. I hand her an earphone, and she places it in her ear.

I restart the song.

Hey there now

Where'd you go

You left me here so unexpected

You changed my life

I hope you know

Cause now I'm lost

So unprotected

"You wanted me to listen to a song?"

"Pay attention to the lyrics." I say quickly before the chorus starts.

Like a shooting star

Flyin' across the room

So fast, so far

You were gone too soon

You're a part of me

And I'll never be the same here without you

You were gone too soon

Artemis just stares at the floor. Does that mean she gets it? Or is she just listening?

You were always there

and like shining light

on my darkest days

you were there to guide me

Oh I miss you now

I wish you could see

Just how much your memory

Will always mean to me

In a blink of an eye

I never got to say goodbye

"Wally..." She whispers.

I look at the ground. "Yeah...I know Wally sacrificed himself, and that he was a big part of your life...and I'm sorry Artemis. Dick told me...that he really loved you. I know it doesn't really make sense that I want you to feel sad right now, but I just thought you might want to know about this song..."

She doesn't say anything. The song continues to play. We just sit in the silence. After a few seconds, I look up at her, and I see something reflect off of her cheek.

"If you want me to leave, I can. I'll let you keep my phone for the song..." I make a motion to leave, but she places a hand on my shoulder, not once shifting her gaze away from the floor.

"No...just..."

Suddenly, she hugs me tightly, and I can hear her crying. I hug her back, resting my chin on her shoulder. She does the same, and I can feel my shirt getting wet from her tears.

Like a shooting star

Flyin' across the room

So fast so far

"Wally…" She sobs. "He just...left...he didn't even say goodbye...I didn't even get to say one last goodbye…it all happened...so fast!" She cries on my shoulder as tears drop onto my shirt.

You were gone too soon

You're a part of me.

"He was always there...and now he's gone! Wally...I loved him...I thought he would always be there forever...but...but he left…"

And I'll never be

The same here without you

You were gone too soon!

She continues to cry.

"I miss him...we had dreams together...after college...we were going to be together forever...we were supposed to go to Paris...but…"

Shine on!

Shine on!

You were gone too soon

"But...he...he's gone now! And I never even got to say goodbye! It happened so fast. He was always there...I never expected...for him to leave me alone…"

Shine on! Shine on!

You were gone too soon

"He's gone now! He left me! He's gone! He left me alone!" She cries.

Shine on! Shine on!

You were gone too...soon.

"But Artemis...you're not alone." I whisper.

****Break****

Autumn's POV

Alone.

I'm all alone here in the dark, in my room.

Staring at the wall.

R's family was nice, but I couldn't stay long. I had to come back to this place eventually.

I sit on my bed, my back hitting the wall at the top of the bed.

I just stare straight forward.

The door is slightly open, so some light from the hallway comes in.

I don't like the light, but I'm too lazy to close the door.

So orange-ish light hits one eye, while the other eye is in the dark.

The thoughts are quiet...for now. My heart feels numb and all I can hear is silence.

I'm not even playing music like I usually do.

What a day, huh?

First, I got my math quiz back. I got a C.

I didn't study for that stupid quiz. I knew I was gonna fail anyways. And...I don't care.

Then arnis, and Tsina. A whole lot of bullying from Mackenzie. And lots and lots of memories thrown on my back for me to carry.

You know how...when people get traumatized, their brain makes sure that they always remember that moment?

Yeah...thanks brain.

The traumatizing memories burn me forever while all the other important stuff in the present fade away. Like homework, sometimes I randomly forget my phone, sometimes I can't remember to do important things like setting the alarm on my phone because now, I can hardly wake up.

My brain annoys me. First, it creates these demons, it tries to explode and sets fire to itself, and it makes sure that I push people away. The f***!?

Then this other part of my brain tells me to help others just like me?!

God, this is bull s***!

I sigh.

And then there's this other part of my brain that tells me: Goddamnit Autumn! You're here sitting in your room and crying when there's so much people out there that's eating s*** for lunch!

Man, I'm confused.

I shake my head and scoot over to the edge of this now clean bed and jump off.

I take my laptop and sit back down on the bed and place the laptop on my lap.

I start typing as I furrow my eyebrows.

I continue typing as something alarming catches my attention.

"That's weird."

My typing gets even more furious.

I don't know how long I've been typing but I'm guessing a long time since the laptop is heating up in my lap already. I furrow my eyebrows. "Crap."

I stop typing and put the laptop beside me and stand up.

"Oh, crap, oh crap, oh, crap." I start panicking and pace around. "This is bad. This is bad. I need to fix this…." I keep moving around my room as I hyperventilate.

I take a deep breath and stop abruptly. "Calm down, Autumn."

I look to my left and see a vision of myself holding my shoulders with wide eyes and eye bags.

"CALM DOWN!? CALM DOWN?! End of the world, man!"

I look to my right, where another one of me sits on the bed, but bored. "Eh. Who cares?" She says.

The Me in front of me shakes me. "WHAT ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY LIVE HERE!?"

I look behind me. "You saved the world once, why are you so panicky?"

Then I look back to the one in front of me. "ONLY ONCE!"

I push them all away. "SHUT UP! LEMME THINK!"

I yell and they all fade away.

I furrow my eyebrows. "Okay. Obviously I can't handle this on my own. But the world will end in about a week, by my calculations. Call the JLA? Tell Batman? Become Phoenix and then...nah. Oh I know!"

I take the laptop and run out of my room.

I run down the hallway and stop by Tim's bedroom.

I am about to knock but I stop. What if he doesn't wanna talk to me?

Eh, worth a try.

I continue to knock as I twist the door knob and open the door.

I open it wide enough to see Alfred patching Tim up.

He's just wearing his Red Robin pants, but his top and mask are on the floor of the room.

I wonder why Alfred is patching him up here and not in the med bay.

"Hey." I say quickly, and Tim looks at me. "What happened?"

"Master Bruce was testing Master Tim here to see if he could handle Poison Ivy all on his own." Alfred states as he continues to bandage Tim's arm.

I walk towards them and put my laptop down on his bed.

I sit on the other side of Tim and help Alfred by applying medicine to his wounds.

"Ow." He hisses.

"Suck it up." I command and start wrapping a bandage around his chest.

Alfred hands Tim a shirt and Tim puts in on.

"What do you want?" He asks as Alfred walks out the open door. He doesn't bother to close the wide open door.

Tim's POV

I was holding onto a picture of my dad when Alfred was patching me up. We were talking about him while Alfred was wrapping bandages around me.

I swear, I felt my eyes water. Then Autumn came in and I hid the picture behind my back.

I wasn't even blushing anymore when she came near me. I was thinking too much about my dad.

He needed me. I wasn't there.

I almost let a tear fall down my eye earlier. Now it's just there hanging on my eye. Hope Autumn doesn't notice and thinks I am a weakling.

"I need your help." She demands, putting her laptop on her lap and opening it.

She starts typing. "With what?" I ask. What could she possibly need help with?

She shows the screen to me. "Watch this." She says.

The video plays and the first thing I see is a reporter in Indonesia. I can't hear her very well, but I can tell what she's reporting by the gigantic hurricane in the background.

She stops the video.

I lean back a bit. "Hurricanes aren't a usual thing in Indonesia."

"Yeah. So?" She makes her laptop face her again.

"These weird weather things have been happening all over the globe. Kazakhstan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Australia. It's everywhere!"

I nod. "Yeah. I know. I've noticed."

"You and your team trying to stop it?" She asks.

"Yeah."

"But you don't know the cause of it right? And you don't know all the effects right?" She asks.

I furrow my eyebrows. "Wait. So you know who's causing this?" Here goes The Light.

She shakes her head. "I have theory. But it's not who. It's what."

She shows me the screen of her laptop again. "First effect. Most important effect." The picture is a picture of the Earth's inner core.

She presses something on her laptop and the screen shoots up and becomes holographic, much like the one in the tower.

"The core has become warmer. The magma from the Earth's core has nearly broken through the Earth's core, that's why volcanoes all over the globe has been erupting without warning. Soon, the core will become unstable. I think it's some sort of imbalance to the Earth. But I've noticed this since six months ago. But it's started since-" She looks at her watch. "-just a month or so before this one, but last year."

She types and touches the hologram and moves the 3-D version of the Earth's core. "The core has seemed to becoming unstable because...well, I can't pinpoint the exact reason. But it's been shaking. That's why there's been earthquakes everywhere."

"Wait. What do you mean shaking?"

"I mean...it's been slowly vibrating. Soon it will vibrate so much, it will explode, because it's extremely hot and it's already unstable. The entire Earth will explode."

The hologram go back to the laptop.

"How did you find out about this? And how come the JLA hasn't figured this out?"

"Okay. First, my dad had awesome tech that I retrieved. And I guess he added some kind of gadget when he went down to the crust. Oh and for the JLA thing, you guys are just looking at the wrong place, at the wrong time. If you guys check this out, you will find what I found."

I just stare down at the laptop while she looks at me.

"Were you...crying?"

Oh, God. She noticed.

"What!?" I look at her before wiping my eyes. "No! I wasn't crying!"

"It's okay to cry, Tim. It's okay to be sad."

"No. It's not okay for me."

"Maybe it's not okay for Red Robin, but it's okay for Tim. You can't bottle up all your emotions and not expect them to blow up in your face. You're hurting and-"

"I'm not hurting! What makes you think I'm hurting?"

She stares into my eyes. "Tim. Everyone is hurting. Secretly. I'm surprised you're able to keep it from Batman. But you can't keep it from me. I look into your eyes and I see your soul. I see you're hurting."

"Stop! I'm not hurting!"

"Stop denying it Tim." She says gently, nearly a whisper. "Stop bottling up all your emotions. Stop throwing away all your problems and expecting your problems to just go away. Tim…"

Her face becomes softer, and so does mine.

"You...need to let them out." She looks down as she says this.

"What? You expect me to let them out on you? To trust you?"

She shakes her head as she tenses. "No. But I do know that you need someone to talk to. You need help. But you can't find anyone that will help you."

I look down. Why is she good at breaking people's defenses?

"Growing up as Bruce trained me...I was trained to handle things on my own." I whisper.

"The whole trust no one rule, huh?" She asks, but continues to look down.

"Tim. I know you hate me. I hate me too. But...I'll be here for you. You need a shoulder to cry on? I'm here. I won't judge. Need a person to talk to? I'll listen. Just need someone to be there? I'll be here."

I look at her. "You'll be like some kind of friend?"

She shrugs. "Something like that. Or you know. Some kind of sister."

I look down. "Er...I don't wanna bore you with my problems." I mumble.

"Hey. You can wake me up at one in the morning. I'll listen. I understand, Tim. You're not alone." She whispers.

A tiny smile tugs at my lips. Then it fades and I look down. "You'll just leave. I'll just fail you. You won't need me. We'll stop talking after today. You're lying."

"It's not so hard to trust someone, Tim. It's become hard to trust yourself...because you're lying to yourself. Tim, I'll be here. I'll be right here, as a friend, as a sister. I'll listen, I'll understand. I'll help."

I look back at her and let that smile come back, but a tiny, shy smile. "You sure?" I ask. I really don't like being left, or being helpless and useless. That's why no one wants to listen. Because they probably think I'm useless and worthless.

But someone...someone telling me that I'm not useless. Someone telling me that she'll listen because she thinks that I'm worth it….it's just, something I've never felt before.

Especially that fact that she's willing to throw me her attention, unlike my dad, unlike Bruce, or anyone else I've met.

She puts her hand on my shoulder. "I'll be here Tim." She says, determined. "I'll be here. Always."

I tiny smile takes my lip. She takes her hand off of my shoulder and reaches from behind me.

She takes the picture. She carefully holds onto it.

"This your dad?" I nod.

"Yeah. He's dead now. I let him die."

She puts the photo down and looks at me. "No you didn't."

"I was Robin by that time. But I couldn't save him! I don't even know if he really loved me!" My voice gets heavier.

"Tim. Things happen for a reason. In another world, your dad would be alive. But you would have never lived here in the manor. You would have never met Chris or Dami. You would have never became Red Robin, and you would have never became what you are today. If your dad gave you all the attention, you think you would have been able to sneak out and become Robin? Things happen for a reason."

"I wish I could have changed back time."

"There are just some things you can't change."

"I know. But if I could have just-"

"Stop dwelling on the past. It can't be changed. Keep yourself in the present. And no matter what life throws at you. Don't stop walking."

I lie down, my hands spread on the bed. "I hate life." I mumble.

"You'd rather die?" She smirks.

"No." I sit up. "Not as far as that. I still have things to do here on Earth."

"Good for you." She whispers.

I look down. "Before my dad died, he never gave me any attention. I hardly even saw him. After he died, Bruce adopted me, he trained me. I met Dick and Chris. Then I left the country for a mission with The Team. When I came back, I was replaced. Yay...now...I feel like they don't need me anymore. I mean, I failed the mission Batman gave me earlier! I let Ivy get away!"

"That's not your fault. If Sir thinks you're a screw up, then screw him!" She says. "Besides, you can always try to catch Ivy next time."

I sigh. "I hate my life."

She smirks. "You think you hate your life?" She asks.

I look at her. "You never told me...who you were." I tell her.

She sighs. She lies down, and I lie down beside her and we stare at the ceiling in silence.

The she starts. "I can't tell you about the war. My lips are sealed. It's not my decision. But...I can tell you everything else. But you have to keep it confidential."

"No worries." I lie. Hey, what she doesn't know can't hurt her, right?

"Where do I even start? Well, you know that Ryan Cross and Sheila Haywood were my parents. But neither of them wanted me. Sheila left me with Ryan. But I was only a weapon to Ryan. For two years, he trained me. He gave me experimental drugs that enhanced my abilities. I could do the basics by two years old. Then at three, I was sent around the world to train. I never saw dad except for when he picked me up and brought me to another country. Then I trained with Talia and the All Caste-"

"What's that?"

"Batman would probably know. You can ask him. Or you can ask Jason. We both trained there. I trained there in a palace for assassins and non-human people, trainers and trainees. I trained there for five more years until I was nine. My dad took me out of that place and we went back to Gotham. We went to a carnival on my tenth birthday, my dad was killed by The Joker. I was a street kid after that. For some time. The things I had to do…"

She nearly shivers. "The things I saw. It all traumatized me. Then I met Teresa and Nico Williams. Best day of my life. Nico was Teresa's son. Teresa took me in and she became my mom. Life was hard. But they were good people. Life got even harder when I met Lawrence."

"Who's that?"

"Papa. Teresa's boyfriend, who owned the apartment we lived in. He kinda supported us, but in exchange for Mom's love...and in exchange for a punching bag, which was me. He always beat me, especially whenever I tried to protect my mom and my brother."

"Why didn't you fight back?"

"I promised mom I wouldn't." She states simply. "Life was hard. I had to work for food. By work, I mean I had to steal. I didn't like what I was doing, but I did what I had to do, okay! Then Nico...died." I tense.

"I loved my brother. But he was caught in a crossfire gunning between The Joker and probably some other mad man. He went with mom to the market, and when mom came home...he wasn't with her. I cried. Every night after that. I watched him get buried. Then only a few days after his death...mom went under drugs. She gave up on life. Papa just kept on beating me and he stopped loving mom. I worked hard to protect mom, I worked hard for food. It was all on me. I never came home without money, even if it was five in the morning already. But mom...she also beat me. She slashed me with a whip whenever I would send her drug dealers away."

Somebody stop child abuse!

"Then Papa was sent to prison. Never saw him again. I worked for mom to be able to live. But one day, I came home and found her dead body on the floor. She killed herself. She said she didn't love me anymore, and her dead body proved that. After that, I was sent to an orphanage, then the war, then I was back on the streets all alone. Again. Then I met Jase."

"Well, that's life." I say.

She shrugs. "Yeah. That's life. Nothing I can do about it."

I look at her. "You miss her?"

"Who?" She asks, but she doesn't look at me.

"Your mom."

"Yeah...but things are better this way. She's okay now, wherever she is. I'm sure it's better than Gotham. Yeah, I miss her. But it's okay. What matters now is that she's okay. I don't matter." Then she turns her head to me. "You? Do you miss your dad."

"Yeah...he didn't pay much attention to me...but...he was my dad…"

"Hmph." She looks back up and scoffs. "I don't miss my dad."

"Why not?"

She looks away. "I just don't, okay. I hate my dad."

A long silence. She sighs. Then she sits up and takes her laptop.

She starts typing and I sit up. "Anyways." She says.

"This will be easier if we do this down in the cave." She stops and stares at me.

"I'm not allowed."

I shrug. "Didn't seem to stop you."

She closes the laptop. "What about security?"

"Bruce will understand once he finds out the reason." I hope he does or I'm dead.

"Okay." She nods and we both stand up. The Team can wait. They don't need me anyways.

"Wait. What about your Team?" She stops.

"They don't seem to n-"

"What? Need you?" She turns to me.

Then she glares into my eyes. She grabs my collar and glares at me with an extremely serious face.

"We all need you. Tim. I need you right now." Then her face turns smug. "I mean. Why wouldn't I ask you for help? You're like, one of the smartest fourteen year olds I know...knew...know!" She lets go of my collar.

"Okay. Okay." I fix my collar.

"I'm serious." She said.

"Yeah. I know."

She nods heavily. "GOOD." She turns towards the door and continues walking.

I follow, trying to hide the tiny smirk on my lips.

****Break****

Autumn's POV

I type on my laptop while Tim types on the computer.

"I hated Dad. But he was pretty useful." I say casually.

"What?" He asks.

I look at him. He's looking at me.

"What?" I ask.

"What?"

"What?"

"Ugh. Never mind," he turns back to the computer.

"Sorry! I have short term memory."

I mentally face palm. Wow. I'm stupid.

I continue working, looking through all the places my dad placed his nano bugs in to wire the world.

Dad was weird. Who would wanna keep tabs on the entire Earth?

You're such an asshole.

Gahhh. Not you again.

Too bad. Learn to live with it you worthless bastard.

I hate you.

I hate you too.

I look to my left. "Shut up!"

Tim looks at me.

I smile at him.

I look back to the left and a shadowy figure sits beside me.

Oh hey, Blood.

What the f*** are you doing? Helping the enemy?

Yeah. I should be killing him.

No! No we shouldn't. Killing is wrong.

So?

We only kill baddies. remember?

The other one sucks.

I know! Her name is Light. Cause Light is annoying.

We hate your other personality.

Hahaha! Hello b****es! I'm back!

I look around searching for this demon I haven't named.

Where are you?

Everywhere. No where.

Dude. That's just creepy.

HAHAHAHA!

Okay. Guys...please...stop.

I blink. Wait what just happened?

I shrug and continue typing.

****Break****

Chris' POV

"Report." Kaldur says, signaling the beginning of the morning meeting. I'm still really tired. I stifle a yawn, but Connor catches me and smirks.

Tigress is the first to speak. "Queen Bee is still running her empire in Bialya, and her most recent sighting was when she went to Qurac to try and take over the government by military force. Thanks to the help from the American soldiers, they were able to drive the Bialyians back to their country. Batgirl and I investigated a little further to see if Psimon was involved in any way, but we couldn't find any odd psychological incidents. He's clean...for now."

"Okay. Good work." He nods at Barbara, who is standing next to the large holographic screen, and she clicks something on the holographic computer that is being projected to everyone. An X appears in front of Queen Bee's picture. All seven members of The Light are on the screen.

"Next."

Superboy speaks. "The Brain and his...monkey assistant...have been in hiding ever since our last encounter with them. Bumblebee and I went to their previous hideouts to see if we could find any clues on the Light's whereabouts or their future plans..."

"But we hit rock bottom." Bumblebee finishes his sentence. "All their hideouts were clean."

"So no clues to what they're up to. So they could be planning something without us knowing about it. We'll continue to search for them." Batgirl says.

Superboy and Bumblebee nod in response.

This time, Batgirl doesn't tap anything on the computer. The Brain's picture remains unmarked.

"Has anyone else had no luck finding their target?" Kaldur asks.

"Klarion's last sightings were a year ago, but we investigated what he was up to and Beast Boy and I couldn't make sense of it. Other than that, there's nothing. He's in hiding as well." I say.

"Bring us your findings after the meeting. We will show them to Zatanna to see if she can decrypt his behavior." Kaldur says.

I nod. "As for Ra's al Ghul..." I look at Cassie. She nods and gives her report. I had to help her since Tim left without warning.

I don't pay that much attention since she's reporting the information we found last night. I look at Barbara. She looks back at me. We begin to have a mental conversation.

Should I tell them about Talia's attack?

Do you think it has to do with Ra's al Ghul and The Light?

Maybe. I'm not sure. Her sole purpose for coming seemed to be killing Damain.

But do you think it would be helpful to the investigation?

It depends on whether they would see it as helpful information.

Barbara just shrugs at me. Probably shouldn't tell them. Most of the people here are...allies...of Damian. If they heard that he was in danger, they'd go berserk and Damian would kill me. Even if I did leave that part out...well actually I could...but I'll leave that to Barbara to decide whether or not we should tell them.

I look at Cassie just as she stops speaking.

"So nothing on Ra's either...it seems the Light is good at keeping their plans secret." Kaldur says.

"But not for long, right? We've outsmarted them before! I'm sure we could do it again." Bart says with the enthusiasm I wish I had in the morning.

"Yes. But first we need to compile all of our evidence, so it would be helpful if you could give your report." Kaldur says in a firm voice. He's in a grumpy mood...or maybe Bart's "perkiness" is just annoying him. Well Bart can't help it; it's in his nature to always be energized and smiling and not take notice of the tired, serious air inside the room.

"Right, right...sorry."

"I think it's best if I give the report." Blue Beetle says. Kid nods and sulks a little in his chair.

"We got in touch with Aquaman because we found that Black Manta and his troops have been attacking Atlantis. He informed us that they sent a few spies in to see what they were up to. Before they were all caught, they were able to relay back to Aquaman that they were only attacking because Manta blamed him for taking his son away and being the reason why he rejected him..."

All eyes shift to Kaldur. He changes his standing position before he speaks again. "Continue."

"So it's not a distraction or anything of the sort. His men said that they had never mentioned the Light. He's only causing trouble for personal reasons."

"So Black Manta can be lifted from suspicion." Kaldur says.

A red X appears over Black Manta's picture.

"How about Lex Luthor? What's his deal?" Barbara asks, a hint of disgust in her voice.

"Nothing suspicious. He's showing up on the news a lot. Ever since his being an arbitrator between North and South Korea had a desired outcome, he has been being requested to settle other political disputes. He, individually, could have a plan involving this, or he could be doing this for The Light." Miss Martian says.

"Or he could just not have anything up his sleeve at all." Static interrupts. I've been away for so long, I didn't really take too much notice in Nigel's "hero suit." It's nothing special, really. He's got his baggy jeans and black sneakers under the table. He's still got his black and yellow hooded jacket, and his shirt is still blue. But now there's a yellow insignia on his chest. It's little lightning bolts emitting from a central point and stopping at the sides of the circle surrounding it. He still wears that blue cap that matches his shirt, but he also has a black domino mask. He doesn't look bad.

"Other than that he's been to a bunch of business conferences with other entrepreneurs like Lucius Fox and Bruce Wayne." More like Lucius Fox and the man who supposedly runs the company but doesn't really go to meetings. He usually just takes calls. Once in a while though, maybe like once a week (yeah...he gets a lot of meeting requests) he'll actually meet with someone face to face. Dad usually just stays in his large, top floor office and gets sleep when he can. But who can blame him? Well, everyone but the people who know why he needs sleep.

"So he is clean. For now..." Kaldur says.

An X appears on Lex's picture.

"As for Vandal Savage, we have no idea where he is. He's deleted any trace of him on Earth. It's almost as if he doesn't exist anymore. Of course, his past actions are still known, but there's no sign that he's still on Earth."

"Wait. Do you think that he's on a different planet somewhere?" Blue Beetle asks.

"It's possible. We don't have any galactic sightings of him. We asked Green Lantern if he had heard anything from the Green Lantern Core, but so far nothing."

"So still an uncertain?" Barbara asks.

"Yes."

All of us look up at the screen. Only three suspects have been eliminated: Lex, Manta, and Queen Bee. Savage, Ra's, Klarion, and the Brain are still under suspicion.

"Green Lantern took Vandal Savage off our backs for the moment. He said that he and the Leaguers who have galactical connections will be on the lookout for him. A few others will keep their eyes out on Earth. Doctor Fate has decided that he will search for Klarion himself. Batman has ordered us not to go after Ra's and the League of Assassins." Hm. Wonder why...well his intentions are good. The League of Assassins are highly dangerous, but we've taken them down before...well more of they took them down before. But from what I heard of the story, those weren't all the assassins Ra's had at his disposal.

"So everyone should keep their eyes out for anything odd that could relate to the Brain or The Light. Meeting adjourned. Await any further missions."

I guess we won't be telling them about Talia's attack.

Everyone walks away.

****Break****

"Hey we're planning on going to New York to hang out. Wanna come?" Cassie asks as she comes into my room.

"We?"

"Me, Jaime, and Bart. So...you comin?"

I look up from my homework. Stupid social studies.

Cassie's already dressed up and ready to head out. She's wearing a red tank top and a pair of jeans. A pair of sneakers and her blond hair is tied back. She has red dangle star earrings and a pair of shades on her head.

"Eh I dunno. I have homework. Besides, what are we gonna do in New York?"

"Buy food, buy clothes, watch a movie, who knows? I was thinking we would just do whatever."

"My dad doesn't usually hang out alone with friends."

"Chris. You hang out alone with friends every time we go on a mission. Why is your dad so overprotective?" She crosses her arms and shifts her weight to one leg.

I get up from my seat and start looking through my backpack. "He cares, that's all. But knowing him, he probably has his secret reasons."

"C'mon! Please come! I don't wanna be stuck alone with Jaime and Bart! They ditched me ten times last time we hung out!"

I smile and chuckle lightly. "They told me the story."

"Pleeaase! Your dad doesn't have to know! It's just one day."

I sigh. "Fine. But I'm going back to Gotham early tomorrow."

"What? Why?" She furrows her eyebrows.

I look through my clothes and pick out a shirt and a pair of jeans to wear. "Because I feel like tomorrow you'll ask me to get a mani-pedi with you."

"What? Never." She says in a sarcastic tone.

"Mhmm. Now get out so I can change."

Right before the door closes behind her, I hear her yell, "I got her to come!"

****Break****

The four of us are in this huge shopping mall...I didn't bother to look at the name. There are 5 floors, and everything looks fancy. Wow...looks like a girly girl paradise.

We just bought ice cream from Baskin Robbins. It's funny though how Jaime paid for everything and yet I'm the rich one.

As we walk through the mall, me with my purse slung across my body, Cassie holding three shopping bags, all from different stores, Jaime with one hand in his jean pocket and the other holding his ice cream, and Bart examining every store we pass by with excitement in his eyes. I still don't see what he's so excited about.

Suddenly, Bart's eyes stop moving around and they focus on one spot. I follow his gaze.

"Hey Jaime! It's Game Stop! Let's go! There are so many sick games I have been wanting to buy." He grabs Jaime's arm and runs toward the video game store, Jaime stumbling behind him. Halfway to the store, Jaime drops his ice cream.

"Aw ese. You owe me." He looks at Bart with a hint of annoyance. Cassie and I follow them, laughing.

"Gosh Jaime did you gain weight or something? You are so hard to pull!"

"Hey!"

Both of them disappear into the store. Cassie and I stop in front of the open doorway. On the glass wall to my right hangs a poster for that game I promised to buy Damian for his birthday. Huh, that's coming up...I should buy it before I become too busy. Besides, this might be one of the only chances I'll get to go out without him persisting on coming with me so that I won't be able to make it a surprise...even though he already knows I'm getting it for him. But I don't want to buy it as he stands behind me, staring at the cover of the case as he internally rejoices...

"C'mon let's sit down. My feet are killing me." Cassie grabs my arm with the hand that once held her ice cream cone and drags me away from the gaming store. Aw...guess not today.

We go to the nearest bench and take a seat. I look down at my mint chocolate chip ice cream. I've already eaten it so that it's level with the edge of the cone. Now I have to bite the sides of the cone to be able to eat the rest of my ice cream.

"Tim doesn't remember our first kiss." Cassie says out of nowhere. I look sideways at her as I eat my cone.

How could he forget kissing a girl? I feel like that's a rare thing for him, since the girls at our school don't have the guts to do anything about their crushes on Tim.

"What?" I say, my mouth full.

"He doesn't even remember that we were a couple for a few months."

I swallow my food. "Wow..." Way to go Tim. You sure know how to make a girl feel special.

I didn't know Tim and Cassie were a couple. Tim never said anything. Well I guess it's because he didn't know either.

That's the whole reason I started setting Tim up with people. He just seemed like a total loner, and it didn't make sense to me since so many girls like him.

"Yeah...does that mean that Tim doesn't like me? Do you think we should break up again?" She has some sadness in her eyes as she looks at me, but her eyes can't maintain contact with my eyes.

"Again? You guys aren't even a couple now! All you did was kiss him again. And trust me, Tim likes you. Tim is like an expert of being obvious when he likes someone."

"But if he likes me, how could he have forgotten something like that?"

"I don't know...Tim's Tim. He's a very busy student, and this year has been very...interesting. With him no longer being Robin, and family issues...plus, you and I both know Tim does not know what to do when he likes someone." I chuckle to myself as I recall the memories.

I look down at my hand. Huh, I'm already one bite away from finishing my ice cream. That was quick.

"Do you think Tim and I would work?" She asks, her eyes serious as she looks into mine.

Damn...sorry Cassie...

"Well, the fact that you didn't have an actual breakup and that Tim apparently wasn't even aware that he was in a relationship insinuates lack of communication. You guys have got your perks, the things you two can connect on, but I don't know if you two really...'clicked,' I guess. You guys look cute together, but I don't know what to say about an actual relationship." I shift in my seat a bit. I feel uncomfortable breaking "bad" news to people.

Cassie sighs. "I kinda wish we did..."

"Remember. You're only 14. Tim isn't the love of your life. It's not like if you aren't with him you're gonna die. There are plenty of girls out there who wished they were in your position: someone who dated Tim Wayne. So think of it as a privilege to have your heart broken by Tim."

She laughs a little. I see her mouth TFIOS. "How come you seem to have more wisdom than me even though you're younger than me?"

"It's the way I was raised. I was literally trained to be smarter than everybody."

"Ha." Suddenly, she jumps up. Well, more of flies up. I see her feet float above the ground for just a second before they touch the tile floor.

"I need something to boost me up so sorry I have to." She turns and looks down at me.

Oh no is she gonna drag me to buy dresses and other stuff? Because I don't think I can-

"You and Tim look soo adorable!"

I was not expecting that...

Oh God did she come to my school and hide behind the bushes just to find out who I have a crush on?

"Yeah sorry. It's just that I was thinking about Tim being obvious when he likes someone and then I started thinking about how he likes you and then I started remembering moments between you guys and then I created scenarios and it was a cuteness overload! My heart couldn't take it." Cassie squeals in delight.

Ohhh. Good...Tim...not Tim...maybe I should just call my friend Tim "Hayden" instead. It would eliminate a lot of confusion.

"No. No...Tim is my brother! I love him like a brother!"

Wait, wasn't she just moping about how she can't have Tim? Is this her way of making her feel better? By passing Tim on to someone else?

"Are you sure?" She crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow at me. "Because I think you like him back..."

I start laughing, but it's not a genuine laugh. I find the idea funny and slightly disturbing, but not funny enough to make me actually laugh.

"Trust me. I don't like him that way."

She stares at me for a while, her arms still crossed, her eyebrow still raised in a suspicious look.

"Yeah I believe you." She says in a sarcastic tone.

I abruptly stand up. "I swear! He's just a brother to me!" I actually see him as more of a friend than a brother.

"Don't worry Christine I believe you. You don't have to make the entire mall believe you." She's smiling.

MY GOD I DON'T LIKE TIM THAT WAY.

I calm down a bit and narrow my eyes at her.

"Do you not want to reject the truth any longer? Has your love for Tim rendered you speechless?"

I know she's only teasing me, but the way she says it reminds me of the bullies at the orphanage...the way they used to treat me.

Calm down Christine...don't use your fists...use your words to convey what you want to convey.

"Cassie. Shut. Up. If I say I don't like Tim that way, I mean it." I glare at her and harden my voice. Her eyes widen slightly.

"Oh. Sorry Chris...I didn't mean anything...I was just teasing."

I know she was just teasing, but it still bothered me...more than it should have, actually...

"Look we can go back to the Watchtower now. I'll go get the boys and then we-" Cassie stops talking when a loud boom is heard somewhere to my right, and screams and footsteps later echo through the mall.

Both of us turn our heads in the direction of the boom. A smoke column rises about 8 yards away.

"What was that?" Bart's voice enters my ear and almost catches me off guard. Ugh I hate it when he does that.

"Dunno. I'll go check it out." I say. "Just be prepared." I walk away from Cassie and Bart and toward the smoke.

Another loud boom comes from behind me. I swiftly turn around just in time to see the light from an explosion disappear. 22 yards away.

Is this an organized robbery? A terrorist attack? A maniac who just likes to see people suffer?

Another explosion two floors above me. I hear crumbling and I look up. Large chunks of floor and tiny shards of glass fall toward me. I'm about to jump out of the way when something blows my hair to the side. Next thing I know, I'm staring at where I would've been crushed.

I look a little to my left and find Kid Flash staring at me. "You alright lady?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"No problem." He disappears in a blur.

For some reason I'm still not fully used to talking to superheroes in my civilian identity. I know them all so well, and not because I've actually talked to them.

I look up at the glass ceiling. Slowly, everything around me becomes darker. Everything but this one spot...the spot I'm standing on. Right above me, a large white circle floats in the air surrounded by many dark clouds. I look back down and watch as a wind fills the mall. The sound of glass breaking is heard above me, but I know none of them are falling. I don't need to look up to know they're being sucked into the white circle.

Well that eliminates all of my possible situations.

Before I turn around, I know that someone is coming towards me. The man is screaming behind me "Heeelp! Somebody help me!". I turn around, but what I don't expect is that he's flying toward me, his back to me.

"I got him!" Cassie floats in the air in front of me, her arm around the man, who has a shocked expression on his face. Cassie's now wearing her top with the Wonder Woman logo, her metal braces, and a lasso of truth looped into the beltline on her pants.

She looks at me, and I nod. Better get changed.

She flies away and places the man down somewhere outside as I run toward the bathroom. On my way there, I grab my backpack, which has all of my stuff, including my costume and gadgets in the secret pockets.

I'd better hurry. By the looks of it, that white circle (it looks like a portal, since things are flying toward it) has a strong force. We may end up needing backup.

****Break****

I run out of the bathroom fully clothed. My black cape flaps in the wind as it is pulled in the direction of the portal. I look around me. All I see are people running and screaming as some of them are being lifted off the ground. I look up, and the only things that actually make it to the portal above the mall are some indoor trees and pieces of tile and glass.

Oh. There goes an escalator.

As it lifts off the ground, most of the people are able to jump off...everyone but a small girl around four years old. Where's her mom?

I run toward the escalator that is slowly rising.

"MOMMY!" The little girl cries as she looks over the edge of the escalator. A woman with long black hair and professional clothing hangs by her fingers on the edge of the escalator.

I take a quick look around. Kid is bringing people outside and out of harm's way. Blue Beetle is dangerously close to the portal as he gets people off the top levels and quickly flies down to put them on the ground, then back up again. Every few seconds, he shoots something different into the portal. His efforts don't seem to have any effect. Wonder Girl is flying around, grabbing people who are being pulled into the portal.

I've got this one.

I grab my grapple gun out of my belt and shoot it up to a ledge on the fourth floor that is pretty far away from the portal. As it pulls me up, I get closer and closer to the elevator. It's already at the same level as the third floor.

The woman's fingers start to slip. She screams as one of her hands slips. She won't be able to hold on any longer.

C'mon c'mon get closer.

Three feet. Two feet.

Her hand suddenly slips off of the edge of the escalator as she screams. The little girl screams as well

Before she is one foot away from the escalator, I grab her arm. I can hear her breathing heavily as I try to support her weight. Damn my not fully developed arm strength.

I'm able to hold out long enough to land on the fourth floor near where my grapple is hooked. The lady bends down and breathes heavily, her eyes wide and her hands on her knees.

"You alright?" I ask her as I unravel some cord so that I can go grab her daughter.

"Idiot! Don't just stand there worrying about me! Go save my daughter!" She looks at me, some hatred in her eyes.

Oh yea...people who aren't exactly fond of people like me.

I glare at her as I jump backwards off of the ledge, the cord in my hands.

The girl looks up at me with tears in her eyes as I drop down to the escalator.

I let go of the cord right before a flying shard of glass nearly cuts my arm in two.

I fall and gracefully land on the step where the girl is.

"C'mon sweetie. I'll get you to safety."

"But mommy says that you're bad."

Ugh.

I look behind the girl. We're already at the fifth floor. Really close to the portal now.

"Would a bad person save your mommy? Now please. Let me help you."

She stares at me for a while. I understand why she's scared. Her mom is telling her that I'm bad, I'm wearing dark colors, and I'm a complete stranger. But what can I do about it?

Suddenly, the side of the escalator she's leaning on crumbles away, and she jumps at me. She grips my neck with her arms, and I can feel them shaking. I hold her with both of my arms.

"Nightingale...I'm scared." Hey cool. At least she knows my name.

"Don't be. It's going to be alright." Why does that sound so familiar? As if someone else had said those words to me? In a memory...

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when I hear crumbling behind me. I turn around and find the escalator steps quickly breaking and being sucked into the portal. Better run.

I turn around and run down the steps as quickly as I can. I can feel the steps breaking beneath me.

Don't turn around. Don't turn around.

"AAAAHHHH!" The little girl screams in my ear. Ow.

Three more steps and we'll be at the end of the escalator. We're gonna have to jump. But what if we get sucked into the portal?

Gonna have to jump anyway.

"Hold on!" I yell. I jump off the end of the escalator and fall head-first, my cape partially wrapped around me and the girl as it flies behind me.

"AAAAAHHHHHHH!" I ignore her high-pitched screaming as I take out my other grapple gun and shoot it at a third-floor ledge that is still intact.

The grapple wraps around the ledge, but the ledge rises and heads in our direction...the direction of the portal. I let go of the grapple, and I realize that we aren't falling. We're slowly being pulled toward the portal.

The large chunk of tile floor and ledge approaches us slowly. As I calculate how to slip between the space between the bar-ledge and the tile, I feel something wrap around my legs. Both the girl and I look down, and we see a yellow rope squeezing my legs together. At the end of the rope is Cassie, pulling with all her might. Wow, is the portal's pull really that strong?

With one strong tug, we are pulled down, and my head skims the bottom of the chunk of floor.

"Woah! I need some help here!" Cassie yells as she is jerked forward, causing me to hit my head against the chunk. Ouch.

"Don't worry I got you." A voice from the ground yells. I look at the ground and find a tall, muscular man with jet black hair, jeans, and a black shirt with the Superman logo on it. I see him jump up, pass two stories, and grab onto the rope next to Cassie. Smart. He can't fly, but he's staying out of range of the portal's pull so that he can use gravity to pull us down.

"Hey! What took you so long?" Blue Beetle yells. He's next to that lady I just saved. He's trying to wrap his arms around her so that he can fly her down, but she keeps refusing and flailing her arms around.

"Another portal in Spain. It just closed." Superboy says just as a green Peregrine Falcon flies past his head. It's claws grasp the taut rope and he starts flapping his wings, his beak faced downward.

I can feel my cape getting sucked into the portal, trying to pull me in along with it. My hair is flying upwards, too.

Down on the ground, Kid Flash isn't running around as much anymore. I guess they got most of the civilians to safety.

Wait a minute...

"Superboy! What caused the portal to close?" I yell.

"It closed on its own. Pieces of a building flew into it one after the other, and then it just closed."

Maybe the portal has a maximum it can take in...

I look back. The entire escalator still hasn't been engulfed by the portal. The portal is strong, but it's pretty slow.

Let's just wait it out, then.

I hang here in midair, being suspended by a rope made by a society of women who live in peace on a secret paradise island, which is being held by a girl that can fly, a boy with super strength, and a falcon that is really a boy with Martian blood cells infused with his human blood cells.

My life. Heh.

Half a minute passes when I feel myself lowering slowly. I look up and notice that the escalator is gone. All of a sudden, the portal disappears, and the blue sky comes back.

I start falling (AAAAHHHH! from the girl), but then Superboy drops down to the floor and jumps up again. He catches me and the girl I'm holding.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Besides, Tim and M'gann would kill me if I didn't catch you."

I chuckle to myself, and he smiles as we land rather roughly onto the now ruined tile floor.

He puts me down, and I am about to put the girl down, but she won't let go of me.

"Sweetie, it's alright now. You're safe, mommy's safe." I look up and see Blue Beetle floating down with the girl's mom. Looks like she finally decided to be brought to safety.

Once her feet touch the ground, however, she makes a disgusted face at Blue Beetle and pushes him away from her. The click clack of her heels echo through the empty mall as she rushes toward me. Why does she look so angry?

"Get your filthy hands off of my daughter!" Oh that's why. She hates us that much? We just saved her and her daughter! People these days...

"Sweetie..." I feel weird calling her sweetie so many times. "What's your name?"

Her face is buried in my shoulder, but then she looks up at me with her brown eyes, strands of her black hair in front of her face...wait, no it's brown...like mine. Her hair is around chin-length. She looks really cute.

"Sharon."

"Sharon come to mommy." The lady approaches me and violently yanks at my arms.

"MOMMY! Stop hurting the hero." Sharon says. My eyes widen, and so do her mother's. She takes a step back and glares at me as I talk to her daughter.

"Sharon. Please let go. Your mommy's worried about you and she just wants both of you to go home."

"No. What if something will happen again? You're the only one who can save me." She whispers almost inaudibly. "Mommy can't."

"Your mommy is perfectly capable of keeping you safe. Don't worry. My friends and I will always be there to keep you and your mommy safe. Now please let go so that you can go to your mommy. Okay?"

She nods and loosens her grip on my neck. I place her down, and she slowly walks to her mother. The lady runs to her daughter and swoops her up into her arms. The lady looks like she's in the brink of tears. It's understandable...the girl's only four years old. If she died, that would be horrible for her mother.

"Th...Thanks..." That sounded forced.

"No problem, ma'am." I say.

She turns and walks to the mall doors as we all watch her. Through the glass doors, I can see squad cars and news vans. I don't want any attention.

"Let's go guys." I say.

"Hold up. I'm starving!" Bart says. He runs away and comes back a few seconds later, holding six ice cream cones. He hands one to each of us, and we all eat our ice cream.

"Hey, you're pretty good with kids." Gar says next to me.

"Ya think?" I raise an eyebrow as I lick my ice cream.

"Yup. That will be useful when you're older, since I don't know how Tim is with kids."

Wow, even Gar is teasing me. Ha. I'm not angry, though. I just start laughing, and Gar looks at me weirdly.

"This is supposed to be funny for me, not you."

"I know, but I always end up laughing because I find teasing like this funny." That's why I was so surprised when I got mad at Cassie earlier.

"Okay then." He smiles. "Let's go back to the Watchtower."

****Break****

"So in light of today's events, we will begin investigating these portals that have been appearing around the world." Kaldur says to the six of us on the mission. He just summarized their meeting for us. Apparently they had a spontaneous meeting while we were gone.

"Nightingale. I contacted Batman to let him know of our situation, and he has agreed to let you stay with us for a few more days."

"Really? Cool." Yes! I get to skip school!

"We will get a hold of Red Robin later and ask him to come back to the Team."

"No." Everyone looks at me in surprise. "Well...Superboy and Wonder Girl know this, but Red Robin is really focused on his studies. If it can't be helped, he would prefer not to skip school...just saying..." I cross my arms.

Kaldur looks at me for a bit, then he finally speaks. "Understood. I will contact him only if needed." He turns around and heads over to Red Tornado.

Cassie approaches me. She's about to say something, but I beat her to it. "Cassie I didn't want him to come because I've been teased twice already about Tim. You know how embarrassed he can get, even when he's not the one being teased."

She smirks at me and nods. I smirk back.

****Break****

Damian's POV

I rub my eyes and sit up, but a pain in my rib shoots up and I grunt and hold my side. I shake it off and stand up, trying to block the sunlight out of my eyes.

Another day as a slave in a place they call "school."

Father didn't care enough to keep me at home longer. Father didn't even care enough to hug me after my near death experience!

Father didn't even bother to talk to me after what happened with Heretic.

And, Mother. She had me killed! She hates me!

I limp towards the washroom, feeling slightly nauseated.

I lean on the wall for a while and clench my fists and grit my teeth.

Then I punch the wall with all my anger.

Mother didn't care! Father doesn't care! No one in this family cares that I almost died!

Only Pennyworth seems to care. Father hasn't even looked at me. Grayson hardly talks to me. Drake, well I don't care about him. Carter seems too busy. I don't see Todd around. Autumn, well...who cares about her?

Mother tried to have me killed. No one cares if I almost lost my life. No one would care if I did die.

It is difficult. Having Batman for a father. A man with no emotions.

And having the daughter of an immortal leader of assassins for a mother.

And to be supposedly the heir to the throne of The League of Assassins.

I try to make Father proud. By being the best Robin.

But the only emotions I get from him was. "Good, now again." Or. "That was fine. But next time…"

A father with no emotions. An assassin and a leader for a mother. An immortal grandfather.

My life is just perfect.

****Break****

Autumn's POV

I sit up in bed. Damnit. Nightmares are butts.

I wipe my eyes. I grab my hair and silently scream.

I strike the pillows with my palms and hug myself as I begin to tremble.

Help?

I shake my head.

C'mon Autumn. Stop asking for help. No one is going to come and save you. No one cares about you.

I shake my head and jump out of bed.

I look out the window. The sun is coming up. I close the curtains.

I stretch and blink. Man, my body hurts.

Oh yeah...injuries. I'm not fully recovered yet. Darn it. I don't wanna be human any more.

Why couldn't Sheila be some kind of alien robot thingy from outer space who couldn't feel any pain?

Yeah, a meta plus an alien robot thingy. Life would be fun for me that way.

I don't wanna go to school. Gah.

I sigh and start getting ready for school.

I take a scalding hot shower and get dressed.

I put on my blazer and make sure to cover my arms after applying makeup on them. I got the cheap make up in a 24 hour convenient store. Cool huh? Lucky me.

I run around my room in my bare feet looking for socks. WHERE ARE MY SOCKS!?

Oh, there they are...on my bed…

I put them on, then my shoes and I walk out of my room.

I start walking down the quiet hallway, then Damian comes out of his room with his brow furrowed, his hair spikier and messier than usual, and eye bags under his eyes. His blazer looks like he just shoved it on without caring at all whether the expensive clothing got wrinkled or not.

I stop in front of him as he closes his door.

He turns to me, his brow furrowed and a frown pulling his lips down.

I raise an eyebrow. "You look like butt." I point out.

"What?" He scowls.

I raise another eyebrow. "You sure you're going to school today? You should stay here and rest more. That Heretic guy almost killed you."

He sneers and pushes me out of his way. "I'm fine. Just get out of my way."

I wince at the memory.

"Never get in my way again."

I shrug it off.

"Ah, memories." I mumble. I shake my head and run towards him.

I put my hand on his shoulder and he turns around, still a frown on his face. He looks at my hand as his frown digs deeper.

"I'm not stupid Dami. I know something's wrong."

He shrugs it off. "One, don't call me Dami. Ever again. Two, nothing's wrong. I'm fine." He has an edge in his voice.

I just don't let go of his shoulder and I squeeze it slightly. "Dude. I know something's wrong." I roll my eyes. "You can't lie when the truth lies in your eyes. And, 'I'm fine?' You're not. How do I know that? Cause I use those words. You're lying. Plus. It's fun calling you Dami."

His frown gets bigger and he slaps my hand off his shoulder. He turns and faces me.

"Stop pretending to care. You are the enemy. Stop trying to be my friend. You are fooling Drake but you won't fool me." He starts to walk towards me and I walk backwards.

"You will never be my friend. You will always be the enemy. Don't ever call me Dami again-"

"Why not?"

"Because the Autumn I knew called me Dami. That Autumn is dead. You are not her, I don't think you will ever be again. After all you've done."

He turns around and starts walking faster.

I wouldn't blame him.

Forgive is such a strong word. But forget...is a stronger one.

"But...hey...I'm not the only one who sinned."

He stops.

"You hate me. I get it. Everyone does. But there comes a time in everyone's life when they need a friend so bad. They'd turn to their enemy."

He just stands there, his back turned on me. "I know you're hurting. Dami. I know you're too stubborn to admit it now. But I know, that you have no one to listen to you. I know you want someone to. You may be the heir to the throne of the League of Assassins, but you're still only human. Everyone needs someone to listen to them. When you wanna talk, I'll listen."

I walk past him, careful not to hit his shoulder, then down the stairs, leaving him to follow me or stand there, looking angry with a morning face.

****Break****

Wow. I'm bored.

I just sit here on my chair, staring at the clock, waiting for recess as the teacher talks about stuff that I don't even understand.

My eyes slowly drop. Then they widen and my back straightens. I turn around to face my table.

I get a piece of green colored paper. Then I start cutting...my paper.

Into little pieces of paper. Just very tiny ones. I mix it around on top of my table and pretend I'm cooking something. Then my eyes brighten and I gasp a bit. I know!

I carefully remove my shoe and take the pieces of paper and stuff them all in my sock. My feet feel gross.

I gasp one more time, with another idea in my head.

I take the water jug beside me and pour a few drops on my sock. Then I close the jug and mix the paper inside my sock.

I put on the shoe and step on the floor with my feet. I shudder, feeling all gross.

But I grin and chuckle at the same time.

I look to my left and I find Mackenzie scowling at me.

'Weirdo' she mouths at me.

My right eye suddenly twitches as I frown. I take a deep breath and reach for what's inside my sock.

I give her a stupid fake smile and cock my head. Then I throw the pieces of wet paper at her face and she tries to block her face with her hand as she scowls and screams.

"Ahhh!" She cries.

****Break****

I walk out of the guidance counselor's room and I close the door behind me. At that moment the bell rings, (RIIIIING!) and students flow out of their classrooms like a huge flood filling up this school.

I get tackled down because of this herd of students rushing to the cafeteria. The halls quickly empty and I start to get up. I look up and find Jake holding his hand out for me. I smile and take his hand and he pulls me up.

We both walk to the cafeteria.

"So Jake. You still writing?" I ask out of no where.

"Nah. I don't have the patience to do so."

"What!? Why?"

He shrugs. "I'm into soccer and-"

"Applying gel to your hair." I cut him off, smiling at him. "Waaay too much gel." I look at his tousled hair and start touching the tufts of white hair.

He slaps my hand out of his hair. "Hey. Stop that." He fixes his hair again.

I chuckle and continue walking, facing forward. "No worries. I know a few people who like to put way too much hair gel."

"Yeah? Like who?"

"Well. Richard Grayson." I slap my mouth.

He stops. My hand falls to my side and he stands in front of me.

"You know that guy?"

"Yeah. Adoptive son of Bruce Wayne."

He glares at me. Darn. He's getting suspicious.

"How do you know he uses way too much hair gel?"

My eyes dart to the left. "I don't know. It just seems like all the Wayne kids use hair gel. I saw his picture in the news paper. He looks like his hair is stiff."

"Oh…" He looks down. "Okay." He shrugs and moves back to my side and we continue walking.

He darts his head back up. "You know the Wayne kids?"

"Yeah. There's Timothy Drake, high schooler…"

"Yeah, then Damian Wayne, our classmate…"

"Richard Grayson, working…"

"Oh, and do you know Jason Todd?"

I stop on my tracks. No one is supposed to know about him...or have the newspapers leaked and Bruce Wayne's money just wasn't enough for the paparazzi?

"Jason Todd?"

"Yeah, that street kid Bruce Wayne adopted, died five years ago...caught in an explosion…"

"Yeah...sad…"

He shakes his head. "Bruce Wayne's charity case."

My eyes widen slightly. "What do you mean his charity case!?"

"Well, that's what the newspapers called him."

"Shuddup." I say.

He rolls his eyes. "Jesus. Getting all defensive."

"That ain't true."

"You're acting like you know him." He turns a suspicious eye towards me.

"Whatever man."

He looks forward again, turning his eyes away from me. "Your street kid is showing."

I roll my eyes back at him. "Meh." I shrug.

"It would be cool if you and that guy met." We walk in through the doors of the cafeteria.

"Who?" Loud and noisy as usual in here...

"Jason Todd."

"Yeah. It would be cool if we met." I say sarcastically.

"I'm just saying. You and another street kid. You two would both know how it's like."

I set my lunch box down on the table and he sits in front of me.

"Yeah, sure, whatever." I shrug.

He pulls out his snack and I pull out mine.

"Anyways. I've been doing some hacking…" He says out of nowhere.

"What?" I ask him. "Hacking? Since when could you hack?"

"Uh...since before?"

"What?"

"Mom and Dad taught me."

"But Jake. Your parents are-"

"I know they're dead. I was talking about-"

"Your adoptive parents."

He nods. "Yup."

"They taught you how to hack? Those are pretty cool parents."

"Well. Yeah, you've met them. Haven't you?"

"Yeah but...cool."

"You're dad taught you how to hack too, right?"

"Yeah…" I look down, lowering my voice's volume.

"Anyways. I've been hacking into some files and checking out Gotham. And guess what."

"What?" I ask.

"I found another kid named Jason Todd. He was in Arkham Asylum. No one knows what happened."

"Yeah. Yeah. Shut up."

"Ouch. Thought you cared."

My eyes widen slightly and I look back at him. "I'm sorry. It's just. I don't like talking about dead people who died early. People who the Batman couldn't save."

He looks back at his food. "Hm...you're still not over him-"

"What!? Letting my father die!? I'm over it. I just...don't agree with The Batman."

"You have to get over this. Stop holding grudges."

"I don't hold grudges!" I start denying. "I mean, if someone let your dad die-"

"But it isn't his fault." He leans in and whispers.

I lean forward and whisper as well. "I don't care. He didn't kill that mad man when he had the chance…"

"But it's The Joker's fault. Not Batman's."

I sit back down, properly and look down. "You're right. It's not neither of their faults. I let my dad die, when I could have done something...it's my fault…"

"That's not what-"

Suddenly, I feel something gross on my head, and down on my clothes. I look at my clothes and find strands of spaghetti and red tomato sauce.

I turn around to find Penelope standing above me, her chin up high, her eyebrow raised as she smirks at me.

She wipes her hand on her uniform skirt. I try to wipe the spaghetti out of my face but she dumps chocolate pudding on my head using her other hand.

"Damnit." I whisper.

I get up and try walking to the bathroom, but I end up tripping for some reason. My hands hit the ground in an attempt to catch myself.

"Hahahahahaha!" People around me start to laugh. "Autumn!" I hardly hear my friend over the laughter of the entire cafeteria. It's as if the whole world is laughing at me.

"KLUTZ! I didn't even have to trip you!" Penelope laughs.

Chocolate pudding and spaghetti are all over my face and clothes. Aw man. Alfred will have to clean this. Maybe I can sneak and clean these clothes myself?

"Hmmm." Penelope thinks as I stay here, on the ground. "Might want to wash that down." I hear her take something from our table.

"Here!" She says enthusiastically as I feel cold water hitting my head.

I clench and unclench my fists.

"Hey!" I hear Jake's voice right next to me.

I don't need to hear this. I get up and run towards the bathroom and try to wash up. I sigh and look at the mirror.

"This is school. There was bound to be bullying. Shrug it off. You've gone through worse."

I shrug, pretending the tiny tear in my right eye doesn't exist.

Tim's POV

I watch Autumn run to the girl's bathroom. And her friend, Jake, is talking with Penelope and Mackenzie.

Penelope crosses her arms and frowns as Jake haves a civilized conversation with Mackenzie. The rich snob tries to sweet talk Jake into believing her.

I watch them without any expression on my face. "That Jake guy is so gonna believe Mackenzie with whatever lie she's come up with." One of my friends says as I continue to watch them have a conversation. "Mackenzie there. Even if she's younger than us, has really hypnotizing eyes. She can make anyone do what she wants. She can make anyone believe her lies."

"Well that sucks." I point out, holding my pen.

I look back down at the table, where I'm working instead of eating.

"What is that?" My friend asks.

I have a map and a pen. I'm trying to pinpoint and figure out the pattern for these natural, or unnatural, disasters for the research.

"Oh, um. Just trying to improve my geography, trying to memorize the map."

"You've memorized it already?" My other friend, asks, shocked.

"Not yet. I've only memorized North America, South America and Oceania." I'm not lying just for this excuse. It's true.

"Good." Two of them mention in unison.

Then my other friend, April, elbows my other friends and smiles at me with shining eyes. "I think that's cool." She says as I look at her.

She has wavy blonde hair and tan skin.

I shrug and look back down to my map. "Thanks." I say briefly.

Damian's POV

I watch this Jake guy try to have a civilized conversation while trying to sound forceful and slightly angry. I can see it in his face how angry he is, but he doesn't seem to even try to choke the two girls for what they did to his friend.

I watch them, eating my food with an eyebrow raised. Daly blabbers beside me about things I couldn't care less about.

"Sucks. Huh? That's what happens when you're a new student." Daly points out.

My eyebrows furrow. "That never happened to me." I say without any emotion.

"Yeah. You were never bullied." He says, with his mouth still full. I look at him as he chews his food and I scowl. "You're still kinda new to this, so I'll tell you how this works." He says, swallowing his food. "You see. You look tough, and kinda mad. And no one wants to mess around with a Wayne kid. So you're pretty high class. Just a loner type. Tim Drake over there..." He points to Drake. "...he's smart, likes to study. He's kind of outgoing. Girls find him good looking."

"Drake? Good looking? Not on anyone's life." My scowl grows.

"Yeah, anyways. He's also one of the Wayne kids. Who doesn't wanna be friends with the kids of Bruce Wayne?"

I glare at him. His eyes widen slightly as he catches my glare. "That's not what I meant. You're not popular because you don't wanna be. But you could be if you wanted to." His eyes suddenly drop to the table and he frowns.

Then he shakes it off and looks back at me. He continues talking. "There's Chris Carter. She's smart, pretty, friendly, has a good sense of humor. Kinda outgoing like Tim. Not all the girls like her though. Being girls, they see anyone who they think is prettier or awesomer than them as a threat. They've never bullied her though. They aren't that stupid. I don't see why they don't like her. Boys like her..." He says, looking at her and smiling.

I snap my fingers in front of his eyes. "Stay away from her." I glare at him.

He raises his hands. "Okay. Okay…" Then he puts his hands back down. "Anyways. It's simple really. There's the populars, the unpopulars. There are some populars who are nice and still outgoing. There are populars who are mean like Penelope and Mackenzie and their group of friends-"

"Yes. Yes. I know. I'm not an idiot."

"Anyways. Autumn Cross is bullied because she's very confusing. You weren't bullied as a new student because people have respect for you and your parent. But no one knows who Autumn Cross really is. People say her parents are dead and she's an orphan who just got lucky with this scholarship. So everyone says she won't last long. The bullies hate her because she can act tough towards flirts. And she can be shy towards people who are mean and nice to her. She's quiet and she obviously hates people. No one respects her because everyone in this school have rich parents. She doesn't."

"Why do they despise her?" I blurt out the question.

Daly shrugs. "She's got Luke Snyder and Jake Raine on her side. She's quiet and weak.

And, she's a weirdo. She's very confusing. She's the silent weird type." Daly concludes.

"I understand. She has that aura, that you cannot resist to hate her."

"Or like her."

I glare at him. "What do you mean, like her?"

"I mean. It's obvious. Jake has a crush on her. Luke likes her."

"Luke is the boy version of a slut."

"I know a lot of boys who seem to like her. Maybe some of them know her, some of them might just like her for how she looks..." His eyes widen and he grins. I can see a light bulb form on top of his head. "I will get to know her. I wanna know who she is. I wonder how mean she really is...we're going to choose our groups later for a Social Studies project! It's the perfect chance."

He stands up and takes his lunch kit and walks away. I raise an eyebrow. "Why are we friends again?"

He just laughs and continues walking away.

****Break****

"Alright students. Choose your group mates. You will be working on an important project due next week."

Everyone stands up and noise fills the air just so everyone could choose their own group mates. I roll my eyes and don't move a muscle. I'll just wait for everyone to choose their own groups and then I'll join a random group. Or maybe, for once the teacher could let me do this all on my own. I can do it anyways, without any help.

"Hey come on." I look to my left to find Daly grabbing me and pulling me towards that Jake guy.

"Let go. Now." I order. He lets go but now we're in front of Jake Raine. I fix my sleeve and wipe my hand on my pants. Jake Raine stands in front of Daly, smiling.

"Can we join your group?" Daly asks him.

"What!?" I furrow my eyebrows. "I don't want to be stuck with him!"

Then Mackenzie Reyes comes up from behind him and takes his arm. "Jake! Come join my group!" He glances at their group which has one available spot left. Then he looks back at Daly. "No thanks." He looks at Reyes and takes his arm away from her. "I'm with these guys." He smiles.

"Aww. But it won't be as fun."

"Sorry. I don't want to." He says. Reyes scowls at Daly and moves away from Raine.

I roll my eyes. "You should have gone with them." I mumble.

"So. Who else should be on our 'team'?"

Suddenly, a girl with short hair and small eyes and fair skin comes up beside him. "Hey. Can I be with you guys? I don't have any other friends in this classroom."

"Yeah. Okay." Raine says.

I furrow my eyebrows. "Who the hell are you? I've never seen you before."

She looks at me. "Tsina Kai."

I glare at her. "Fine."

I look away and see Raine pulling Cross towards us. "Hell no." I mumble. Eventually Cross comes to us and looks down. Avoiding eye contact.

Jake has his arm wrapped around her neck as he smiles at us. "Autumn. Look up." He places his finger under her chin and moves her head up to look at me.

"Scott. Autumn." He introduces. Cross looks at Daly. "Hi." He waves his hand and pulls it out to shake hers.

"H-hey…" She looks at his hand. She looks back at his face.

"Then that's Damian Wayne." Raine looks at me and Autumn looks at me.

She looks back down and leans closer to Raine. I roll my eyes.

Daly grins and he puts down his hand. "So what's up?"

Autumn looks at Daly and smiles lightly. "The sky…" She says.

"What the heck!? I hate it when people do that!" He complains.

She chuckles lightly.

"Hey guys." We all look to the left to find Snyder waving at us with a lot of confidence as usual. "Mind if I join you?"

I raise an eyebrow. "No."

"Hey wait." Raine lets go of Autumn and walks towards Snyder. "I thought you already had your own group?"

"Nah, they're full. So I wanna join yours."

"Hell no." I say.

"Er…" Daly hesitates.

"Um…" Tsina who suddenly appeared beside Cross looks to the left.

Snyder is not a part of us. We're the excluded people.

"Since when did you become excluded?" I ask, my eyebrow still raised.

"Um...c'mon. There's no other group. It's either this one or the nerd's."

"Join." Cross moves forward, her back suddenly straighter and her chin higher. "Why not?" She says, but I can hear a little hesitation in her voice. "I mean. You have no one to go to right? So why not?"

"Awesome!"

"Ah no." Kai slaps her face. "Autumn. You're changing the universe laws!" She mumbles.

****Break****

Autumn's POV

We all hang around in Starbucks. I type on my laptop for the project.

"You know what I'm afraid of?" Tsina says out of no where breaking the silence.

"What?" Scott asks.

"I don't care." Damian says.

"Getting raped." Tsina says. I scoff. "You better be." I say not taking my eyes off of my laptop. "It's not as fun as you think." I say coldly.

A long silence.

"Okay so how do you guys wanna start the video?" Jake asks to break the uncomfortable silence.

I open up iMovie. "Um...okay...so, what are we supposed to do again?" I ask. Tsina is right beside me, and Luke is sitting right in front of me. Then Damian to the left of Luke right beside Scott. Jake stays standing up beside me drinking cold coffee.

"Weren't you listening?" Scott asks.

I shake my head. "I was...kinda...but I forgot…" I smile innocently, arching my eyebrows.

Damian rolls his eyes and Luke raises an eyebrow.

"But we were just doing the project earlier during lunch. How could you forget what we are doing." I shrug. "I just did, okay!"

"We make a creative but informative video about the Pagan Empire." Tsina says, sounding annoyed. "We already shot a few scenes earlier, remember!?"

"Oh yeah...hehe." I laugh at my stupidity and forgetfulness.

"What the heck Autumn?" Luke says, also laughing at my stupidity. I just grin and shrug. "Okay so. Help me out with the editing." I tell Jake.

"I'll help too, babe." Luke says, standing beside me. Tsina walks beside Scott and they start talking. Something about Greek gods? "Please don't call me that." I tell him as we edit together.

"Tomorrow. We'll finish off all the scenes." Jake says.

"Sure. Almighty leader." Luke mocks jokingly.

"Whatever man." He says, smiling and shaking his head. "Let's begin." I say, furrowing my eyebrows and starting the editing of the video.

"Haha, babe you sound like you're in a military or whatever!" I glare at him. "Don't call me-her that!" Jake and I say in unison.

"Woah are you two like best friends? Saying that all at the same time? That's cool."

"Would you please shut up?"

"Okay! Okay! Jesus."

Dick's POV

I stand here on the top of a building watching the sun go down in between two buildings, the sunlight in the middle of those buildings.

I stare at it as it goes down. I'm going on patrol once the sky gets dark. Batman didn't tell me whether or not I can go on patrol now or later. I'm old enough to make my own decisions, anyway. I'm Nightwing. I'm not Robin anymore. I'm not his sidekick.

I close my eyes as the warm wind blows at my face.

Memories flash in the dark. I remember Wally's face. My best friend. That time when he entered Mount Justice wearing his trunks, all ready to go to the beach.

I open my eyes. Why is the sun is taking forever to go down?

I remember that time when he got angry at me for putting Artemis in danger when she faked her death.

Now, I feel like he should be standing beside me. But when I look to my left, he's not there.

"Huh." I shake my head. I didn't even get to say goodbye to my best friend.

Waves of memories flow towards my face as I stand here, and I can't stop it.

All those times I was hurting.

I watched my parents fall to their deaths, and I couldn't even bring myself to try and save them...or look away.

I watched my Little Wing get buried into the ground.

Then Wally died, sacrificing himself for the world. And only a little amount of time had passed after mourning him when I found out that Jason had come back to life but ended up being...different.

"Hey." I look to my left to find Batgirl standing beside me, her red hair flying behind her as the wind blows.

I look forward, the sun is lower now. But it's not down...yet. "I know what you're thinking about."

I let out a quick but soft chuckle. "Do you?"

"I know you." I can feel her eyes on me but I just look at the sun. "Stop thinking about the bad memories. Good things have happened. A lot of good things."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Meeting Tim for one. Batman letting that smart kid in this business."

"Huh. He is smart don't you think?" My little brother...we're close, but after all of what has happened...we have been distant lately.

"And reconciling Jason with Bruce." Her voice is softer. "Me agreeing to be your girlfriend." She chuckles.

I smile. "Yeah…"

"Life is full of ups and downs. But you can make it through this. I'll be by your side while you do."

I look at her and give her a warm smile. She smiles back.

"Aw. How sweet." A sarcastic voice comes from behind us. We both turn around.

A man in a shiny bright red helmet with white eyeholes and dark circles under the eyeholes wearing a brown leather jacket and an armoured gray top and cargo pants.

I look at the new red Batman insignia on his chest.

"That's new, huh Hood." I can feel him smirk under the hood.

Jason's POV

I smile under the helmet, but that's the point of this helmet: for me to show no emotion. That, and so that I can blow off my head when I want to.

Nightwing stands beside Barbara, who is looking confused. I look at her. It's been so long since I've seen her. I'll never tell anyone...but I missed her...

Before my...death...she used to be like a big sister to me.

"Jason?" She looks at me. "No names on the field." I remind her. She used to tell me that. The tables have turned.

"You wanted to see me in person, didn't you? Well." I outstretch my arms. "Here I am." I mean, who could resist me right.

Babs stands there, frozen. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost." I chuckle.

Barbara runs to me and hugs me tightly. "Hey little bro." She says, her face on my chest. Then she lets go. "I thought you didn't like anything sweet between me and him?" She smiles at me.

"Yeah Little Wing. You used to hate PDAs." Golden Boy agrees.

Barbara chuckles as she stands in front of me. "You would make a sour face every time-" I put my hand up. "Yeah, I remember." I say, laughing at the memory.

"Then when you were twelve. I remember that time you asked me if Dick and I were together-"

"I said no." Golden Boy answers, still standing at the edge of the building while Babs and I stand in the middle of the rooftop.

"So you asked me if you and I could be together instead." She laughs. I smile. "Yeah, like I said. I remember."

Barbara looks down sadly. "Last time I saw you was…"

"Five years ago. I know."

"I only looked at new articles...but you never showed your face Little Wing." I look away. How can they forgive me for all that I have done? "But, the past in the past. Right guys?" Golden Boy says from afar and we both look at him.

Babs and I walk towards him. "Getting ready for patrol?" I ask.

"Yeah." Babs answers. "Mind if I cut in?"

"Nah." Dickie-bird says.

"You're always welcome." Babs says. "You know that, right?" I smile. "Yeah." I mumble quickly.

The three of us stand side by side at the edge of the building, waiting for the sun to go down.

"You had a crush on me, didn't you, Jason."

"It kinda left when I turned sixteen. Oh wait. I didn't get to turn sixteen. I spent my sixteenth birthday in a coffin." I chuckle.

"Not funny Little Wing." Golden Boy says.

"You never found any of my jokes funny."

"I did." Babs says as we continue to wait here and just hang around. "You were so cute!"

"Yeah well I'm all grown up now…" I mention.

"Aw. Little Wing, you're not over your crush on MY girlfriend." Nightwing teases.

"Like I said Golden Boy. I'm all grown up now." The sun hits the ground and I take out my grappling gun and swing across the streets, Nightwing and Batgirl right behind me.

"Yeah...and we missed everything…" Even over the wind I hear the sadness in Barbara's voice.

What can I say? I've grown apart. I'm not coming back. No matter how many lies they fill up my mind with.

Autumn's POV

"Bye Tsina." I wave goodbye as she walks out the doors of Starbucks.

Damian had gone home because he claimed this to be boring. Scott had left. He said he had to go to the bathroom, but I saw him come from the bathroom and walk out the door.

Jake's parents were calling him so he had to leave too.

It's just me and Luke. I close the laptop. "Done. Finally." I stand up and look at the snob. "Bye." I say coldly. I turn around and walk out the door.

"Woah, wait, wait." I feel his hand on my shoulder. "Can I walk with you? My driver went home early."

"Fine." I storm out. He follows behind me. We walk side by side. "We got off to a bad start. I shouldn't have...look lets just be friends, okay?"

"Why?"

"Because."

"If I agree will you stop bugging me?"

"Yup."

"Fine. Now we're friends. Leave me alone."

"No."

"Ugh!" I just keep walking. "Okay, so now that we're friends, let's introduce ourselves." I walk faster but he keeps up to me.

"Okay, so I'm 1/2 German." He boasts. That's how he introduces himself?

I turn around. "What the hell do you want from me?" I place my finger on his chest. He looks down. "My friends aren't talking to me. I lost my friends...turns out they weren't real friends. I thought maybe, we could be friends..."

I put my arm down and stand up straight. I look down. "Oh..." A silence. I can hear the wind blow. I look at him. Maybe he won't be so bad after all. "I'm 1/4 Filipino." I smile.

"What? Wait. They're like in Africa right?"

"No stupid!" I turn around and we walk together. "They're in Asia."

"But you don't look Chinese."

"Can you not stereotype Asians?"

"I'm just saying babe that you look more American."

"My dad was 1/2 American, 1/2 Filipino. Mom was full American...from what I know about her."

"Oh..." An awkward silence. Our footsteps echo through the night. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Depends."

"Why'd you let me hang out with you guys?"

"Considering the fact that you are popular? Well, I don't know...I guess I saw you feel left out."

"Cool..." A longer awkward silence.

"Where is your house?" I ask him.

"A few blocks from here." He says.

He takes a quick breath. "There are rumors babe."

"Don't-"

"About you." That stops my sentence. "They think that you live in an orphanage in Crime Alley...alone. They say that...you're an orphan..."

I stay completely silent as we walk.

"They all think that you have no one at all...is it...is it true?" He asks.

"Well..." I sigh. "You can't tell anyone. If you do. I'll kill you."

"Scouts honor!"

"My parents are dead..."

"Oh...I'm sorry."

"They were going out of town one day. The next day I woke up. I got the call that they got into an accident." I can't share the real truth...duh. "But I'm not all alone. I have a guardian, and I don't live in Crime Alley or in an orphanage..." Anymore. "Someone takes care of me in the Financial District. I'm not alone. He's like a foster father to me."

"Really? Who?"

I smile. "Secret." I shrug.

"Aw c'mon. But it's good to know that you're not alone babe."

"Please stop calling me that. I swear."

"Haha fine."

Another awkward silence.

"Hey about the whole rape thing…"

I shake my head. "Don't wanna talk about it."

"Okay…"

"But...please don't call me a slut."

He looks at me innocently. "What!? Me!? Never!" He looks at his watch. "Aw man. Mom is gonna be so mad."

"Oh."

"At least my house is really near." He starts running down the road. "See ya!"

I wait until he takes a left down a road. "You can come out now." I hear very light footsteps behind me, and I turn around.

A boy taller than me with jet black hair and a small build and fair skin wearing a dark green hoodie and jeans stands in front of me. Even if it's dark, he's wearing dark tinted shades so I can't see his eyes.

A serious frown on his lips. "Why are you following me Tim?"

"I figured it out." My eyes slightly widen and my jaw drops.

Smartass.

****Break****

Tim's POV

I type on the BatComputer while she stands beside me. "So what did you figure out?"

"Why this is happening, the aggressive climate change. And what did this."

"What?"

"Yes."

He starts to explain. "Portals are opening. Syria. Quebec. Antarctica. Everywhere."

"What's happening?"

"Dimensions are colliding."

"Which ones?"

"The Speed Force."

"That's a dimension?

"I went on solo missions. Checked it out and my theory was proven."

"Something is connecting the speed force dimension to our dimension. It's like, something is going around the Earth uncontrollably, like a wormhole going around in circles and wrapping around our planet. It's causing portals to open from the Speed Force. I've gotten reports that random lightning strikes have been happening all over the world and at that moment, portals open." I type and video clips open at the same time.

Many frames in the screen show up. One is probably in Hong Kong. The video zooms in on the sky. A huge white hole floats in the sky surrounded by very dark clouds and bright lightning. It zooms in on the ground where people are running around and trees and roofs of houses are flying around. I can see Green Lantern, Red Tornado, and Green Arrow are trying to help all these people and saving them.

"An unknown force is at an uncontrollable speed running around our planet. I don't know for how long it's been at this speed but it's been sometime. The dimensions are closer now though because this has been happening for a long time. We need to stop this now or whatever is doing this."

"Why? What will happen?"

"Not sure but I think that either our world will disappear because it will continue vibrating or maybe it will be sucked into the Speed Force. Or maybe the Earth will explode because it can't handle the speed or the force."

She hisses. "We don't want that now do we?"

"No."

"How do we fix this?"

"We need to enter one of the portals to enter the dimension and then destroy whatever is inside that is causing this."

"Which portal do we go in?"

"I'm not sure. But whatever is doing this is from our planet. We need to end it where it started."

"We need to enter the first portal. We need to go where this all started and end it there."

"But I don't know which portal. I don't know where it all began. We can't risk entering all the other portals. We don't have time. And if we enter, there is no guaranteeing we will come back alive." She furrows her eyebrows.

She moves towards the computer then I hear my com beep. I stand up from the chair and take the call.

"Red Robin. We need you at the tower. Now." Kaldur says over the com.

I nod. "I know what's happening. I'm on my way."

I turn around. "I got it." A video of a snowy desert, probably in Antarctica somewhere, pops up. There is a huge portal floating two feet off the ground. I can tell that the wind is blowing dangerously hard because of what looks like a dark, huge tornado in the sky. Bright blue lightning flashes around the portal like the one in Hong Kong, but it looks so much worse.

"I found a pattern. Traced it to this portal."

"How do you know for sure?"

"I don't. But we're out of time." She stands up.

"I'm heading to the tower to tell them what's going on."

"I'm coming with you."

Damian's POV

"Move! Faster!" I get all the people to the underground subways. The portal is getting stronger and for some apparent reason, it is raining hail.

Batman is on the other side of Gotham, taking care of the prisoners who are trying to escape. While I am stuck here rescuing these people.

I take out my grappling gun and shoot up. I swing through the wind and pick up a child who is about to be trampled over by a car.

I set him down by who I saw to be his mother. "Thank you!" She hugs her child.

I frown and shoot up again, swinging and looking for more people to save.

I glance at the top of the building. My eyes may be deceiving me, but I think I see a silhouette made of red and yellow lightning surrounding a body standing on top of the building.

The silhouette disappears in a quick flash.

As I swing, I hear a loud metallic noise from behind me, and I know it's a car. I swing to the left and land on the ground.

I keep my grappling gun and get into a stance once I land.

Fifteen feet away for me is Solomon Grundy, holding another car.

He is wearing ragged clothes as usual that look like they were supposed to be for a funeral. He has messy white hair, very, very pale white skin, and a bruised up face. I can smell the disgusting stench coming from his mouth from here.

Although his eyes look unusual, they are usually gray and empty and full of mindless rage. Now, it's as if there is no rage, as if he is following one's command.

****Break****

Dick's POV

I carry a three year old out of a building that's on fire and bring her to her father. I'm wet, I'm cold. This sucks.

I sent Jason to Jump to help out there, with the portal, when this happened just thirty minutes after he left.

The rain is pouring heavily. A small portal has been formed in front of a window on a high building, lightning surrounding it. It's complete chaos. There are fires everywhere, even if it's raining hard. Floods are beginning to form around Bludhaven. People are running around. Police are trying to save them and calm them down.

Barbara swings down and lands beside me.

She talks to a police officer and the officer scowls.

I turn around to see a huge piece of debris fly towards me. I jump out of the way and watch as the debris lands heavily on the road. I look to my left and find out that Barbara just saved that man.

The officer gets up and nods, then he runs back to the other policemen.

Barbara looks towards me, then her eyes widen under her cowl. "Look out!" She yells.

My eyes widen and I jump out of the way without turning back. I see a huge wave of ice miss Barbara by a shoulder.

I turn around to see Mr. Freeze holding his huge ice gun and smiling at me. To my left I hear slashing and the roaring of what sounds like a wild animal.

I look at Barbara who is dodging attacks from Cheetah.

I turn back to Mr. Freeze who is already charging his gun. I dodge the ice blast and take out my escrima sticks.

He keeps on blasting at me as I run towards him and dodge the blasts. I jump up, holding onto my batons and dodge another blast. I land in front of his face and kick his abdomen.

He's wearing a suit to contain him, a glass helmet, and an icy suit that is connected to his gun. If I break the glass, he won't be able to breathe.

I jump towards him and keep him busy so that he won't get a chance to blast again. I hit him in all the pressure points with my batons and I kick him.

He moves back, but he doesn't grunt. He just looks at me with empty eyes.

"Stopped talking huh, Freeze?"

He doesn't say anything as he charges his blaster. I run towards him, jump on the nearest wall beside me and head towards him. He aims the gun at me and I listen to it charging, but as my head nearly hits the tip of the gun I get down, dodge the weapon and swipe his leg and elbow his face.

Jason's POV

I was sent to Jump city by Nightwing to take care of this mess. He said he and Barbara could handle patrol on their own. Golden Boy really does think he's Golden. Barbara agreed saying that "Jump city needs help."

Under my helmet, I rolled my eyes but they saw me nod.

I think they're still on patrol. Nightwing got a call and sent me to Jump. Who made him the boss? Whatever. They can handle patrolling on their own.

I stop my bike and take a look at the city.

"Damn…"

Two portals at opposite ends, on two different buildings far from each other. There are tornadoes and from the sky, rocks on fire fall down.

I continue riding my bike and jump off when I get to the road. People are running everywhere.

In the sky, I see two people fighting and colliding. One looks like a woman with orange skin and fiery looking hair.

I look up and see another guy wearing a red and black suit with short ginger hair. He's hanging on a line using his bow.

He jumps down from the line. The first thing that catches my eye is his arm. I have never met Cyborg, but I'm pretty sure this isn't the dude.

"What's going on!" I yell over the loud noise. I know this dude. I've met him, don't know his name. But it's not the time to ask him who he is.

"We're trying to save the people! We have to- duck!"

I duck and he shoots an arrow behind me. I turn around. Deathstroke dodges an arrow.

"I'll take care of him."

Deathstroke slashes at me with his long swords. I dodge and pull out my knife from my jacket. I jump towards him.

"So what's your plan huh? What do you and Black Adam have to do with any of this?"

He blocks and I kick his face. He elbows my side and I kick his face. He slashes but I move backwards. I miss my guns…

He keeps on slashing and I keep on dodging, still holding onto my knife. I look at my chest and see blood dripping down from a long slash right across my chest and on the insignia. I grunt and hold it.

He chuckles. "Now who are you?"

I slash at him using my knife, but he dodges. I kick his face and he kicks my chest and I fly backwards, hitting my back on a mailbox.

"What kind of hero are you?" He mocks, walking towards me.

I jump up, dodging the huge rock about to crush me. "I'm no hero." I slash at him with my knife.

He laughs bitterly.

He jumps back and hold his swords to his sides. "Good luck with that." He runs towards me. From behind me I can hear the guy from earlier grunt.

****Break****

Tim's POV

Autumn and I drove our motorcycles all the way to the Zeta Tube. I didn't bother blindfolding her so that she wouldn't know how to get here; I can trust her.

We both hop off our cycles. I press a button on the motorcycle, and it heads home. Autumn presses a button on her cycle and it turns into a baton. Neat trick.

"What are we doing here?" She asks, dressed in her Phoenix suit.

"This is how we're gonna get to the tower." I lift the loose board and gesture for her to go through. She does, and I follow after her.

I open the door to the telephone booth. "Step inside." I say.

She looks at the telephone booth for a bit then steps in. I squeeze in next to her. Well this is awkward and uncomfortable. I just hope my face doesn't start reddening, although she probably wouldn't see it under my cowl.

"Computer, scan." I say. Immediately, the mini scanner that looks like a camera scans me, then Autumn, not to her surprise. If she is surprised, she doesn't show it.

"Red Robin. 28. Unauthorized personnel. Access denied." It replies.

"Override 3pg. Red Robin. Authorize Phoenix." I say.

The computer scans again. "Phoenix. 39."

The Zeta Tube charges up and a blinding light shines in my face.

When the light dies down, I see Kaldur waiting for us.

"Welcome back Red Robin. This is Phoenix, I presume. The computer just announced you."

"Yes. She's helping me with the research on the source of the portals showing up all over the world." I reply.

"So you are already aware of the situation. That's good."

I nod. Kaldur looks at Autumn. He puts his hand in front of her in a handshake gesture.

"I am Aqualad. Nice to meet you."

Autumn just stares at the hand. She looks back up at him. "Phoenix. Hey." She says in a slightly harsh voice.

Kaldur puts his hand down. The three of us turn to the left when Conner appears. "Hey. You're back. And you brought...a girl? Although I'm not sure how Wonder Girl would react to that." I blush a little under my cowl. "I'm gonna go get everyone else."

Superboy disappears.

"You and Cassandra Sandsmark, huh?" Autumn says. I turn my head to her, and she smirks.

Before I can say anything, Kaldur speaks. "You know Wonder Girl's identity?"

"Yeah." She says like it's nothing. "I know all of your identities. You are Kaldur'ahm, protege of Aquaman, or Arthur Curry. Superboy over there is Conner Kent, also known as Con El. Superman is Clark Kent or Cal El. Red Robin here is Tim Drake, or Tim Wayne if he prefers that. And his little sister, Nightingale, is-" She suddenly turns to the left. Kaldur and I both look to the left and find Chris and Cassie running in our direction, Conner, Bart, and Jaime behind them. They aren't running, though. Just observing.

"Ti-Red Robin!" Cassie shouts, noticing Phoenix next to me. She's about to hug me, but instead abruptly stops in front of me. I look behind her and see Chris staring at us. She stopped running a few feet back.

"Who...who is this?" She asks, a hint of uncertainty in her voice.

"This is Phoenix. Don't worry, she's safe."

"That's not what I'm worried about." She mutters.

"Hey...Gale? What's wrong with you?" I hear Bart say. I move my head so I can see past Cassie. Chris is just staring at me. She narrows her eyes and walks toward Autumn and I. As she walks, she keeps looking at Autumn, then back at me. When she's only two feet away from me, she keeps her eyes on mine. Suddenly, she runs at me. Cassie jumps out of the way just in time, and Nightingale grabs my shoulders and slams me against the nearest wall.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! Why is she here?!" Nightingale yells in my face.

"She can help us." I say, my eyes narrowed behind my cowl.

"Idiot! She can't help us! She just wanted to get to the Watchtower for whatever evil reasons she has! And you just helped her!"

"Believe me, that's not why she's here. That's not why I let her come."

Suddenly, her palm collides with the side of my face. Ow. That stings.

"YOU LET HER INTO THE WATCHTOWER?! What the hell!? Do you even know what she's capable of?" Nightingale yells, spitting on me a bit.

"Gale calm down!" Cassie says. She's flying toward us, but Nightingale kicks backwards, hitting her right in the stomach. Cassie flies backwards. Everyone has shocked expressions on, everyone but Autumn. She looks as if she's enjoying a show.

"Do you not remember what she did to us?" She says this in a softer, yet menacing tone. "The misery she caused us? The pain? DID YOU REALLY FORGET?!"

"Believe me, Chris. Autumn's changed. She-"

Nightingale knees me in the gut. "You really think she's changed? There's a reason Batman doesn't allow her to be Phoenix! You have a brain, Tim. USE IT." She glares at me hard.

I don't try to loosen her grip on me. There's really no use fighting her. That wouldn't end well, for either of us. There's no reason to, anyway. She's just confused.

"Chris you need to calm down. I need you to listen to me." I say in a somewhat soothing, slightly threatening voice.

"No. You need to listen to me. Autumn isn't supposed to be here. Phoenix isn't supposed to be roaming around like she's harmless. You have to send her back. Now."

"No." I say in a firm voice.

She pulls me away from the wall and slams me into it again. "Well if you're too stubborn and ignorant to take sense from me, maybe you should take it from Batman. I doubt he knows that you brought her here. I wonder what he'll say when he finds out." An evil smirk forms on her lips.

"Chris listen to me!" I yell in her face. "I know what I'm doing! I trust Autumn! She didn't really mean the things she did! She's sorry, and she's really trying to patch things up! I'm giving her a second chance because she deserves it! Stop being so blinded and stubborn to even look for good in her! You're the only one who hasn't softened up to her at least a little bit!" She narrows her eyes even more. She violently lets go of me, but she remains standing in front of me. She keeps quiet.

"Think about it Chris! She helped you save Robin! Batman trusts her enough that she's still living with us! Hood obviously trusts her. Nightwing is at least trying. And I trust her!"

"But do you remember what happened after she saved Robin?! She murdered the Heretic! Did you know she set a member of the League of Assassins on fire in the Batcave?! Do you remember the look on Batman's face after he watched Autumn kill the Heretic several times?! Do you even remember what he said?! He didn't even bother doing it in private! He wanted all of us to know that he regretted his choice of letting her stay with us! Do you not remember that? What the hell happened to you USING YOUR BRAIN YOU IMBECILE?!" She yells.

"I'm not an idiot! I remember all of that! But Batman didn't actually get to know Autumn! He only said what he said based on what he saw and knew, and he really doesn't know much about who Autumn really is! I do! I know her story, how tough her life really was, really is! And she's willing to change, to help! That's why I brought her here. She said she can help! We've been working together, and we think we know how to stop these portals! Chris you have to stop being so stubborn and like Batman and LISTEN TO ME!"

She doesn't respond. She just glares at me. After a few seconds, she finally speaks.

"Wow...you've been lying to us? You would actually betray your own family, a family that has loved you and cared for you for so long...for THAT B****? I can't believe you." Her mouth tightens. She tightens her fist and punches me in the stomach. I grunt and curl my body in. When I look up, she's towering over me, two fingers on her ear. Oh no...

"Batman. We have a situation. You're needed in the Watchtower. Now."

****Break****

Bruce's POV

As I walk out of the transporter and into the Watchtower, I can already feel the tense air. Black Canary came to Gotham along with Superboy to help Robin with the portal, when Chris called, the com was cut off by some kind of frequency, I came back to get Nightingale and Red Robin and to see what is so important that I had to leave Gotham.

Chris is sitting on the steps in front of me. Tim is taking to Kaldur in front of the large holographic screen. Leaning against a wall, staring down at the earth, is...

Autumn?!

Tim and Kaldur end their conversation and turn to me. Autumn continues staring out of the window, and Chris doesn't move.

I look at Chris, then at Tim, who has a faint red spot on his left cheek, then at Autumn.

I walk down the steps, past Chris, and head straight for Tim. He approaches me as I approach him.

"What is she doing here?" I ask harshly right before we meet.

"I brought her." Tim replies confidently, although I sense a hint of fear.

"You know that bringing an outsider compromises the secrecy of the Watchtower. You also know that Autumn is not allowed to be Phoenix. She may have already hacked into the security system and computer database and gathered confidential information. So why did you bring her here?" I ask in a calm but disapproving tone.

Chris stands up and slowly approaches from behind.

"Because she can help us in our situation." Tim replies.

"Because that's soo like her." Chris mutters right behind me.

"Quiet." I say, turning my head slightly to the left to address Chris. I turn my head forward. "How can she help us?"

"As you already know, there have been these mysterious white portals opening around the world - New York, Gotham, Jump City - just to name a few."

"Just get to your point." I'm not in a good mood so I just want him to speed this up.

He doesn't flinch. He's used to it. "Something is going around the Earth uncontrollably at an unimaginable speed. It's causing portals to open from the Speed Force. The dimensions are getting closer by the second. If we-"

"If we don't stop this now. The world could explode." I turn my head to see Phoenix walking towards us. "So I suggest we take this issue down, deal with it later and get the priorities straight because you know damn well, we are losing too much time."

"Oh shut up you liar." Chris snarls.

"Hey she isn't-" Tim tries to fight back.

"Dude, I can handle myself so shut your gob." Autumn sharply states as she swiftly turns her head to Tim.

"Silence." I say, and my words echo through the now silent room. I notice Kaldur quietly walk away. "Nightingale give them a chance to explain themselves. Autumn don't talk unless I ask you to. You are in no position to do so. Now Tim, continue."

But before Tim can continue, Chris steps forward.

"They don't need a chance to explain themselves! Autumn is not a trustworthy person! And the fact that Tim is helping her and that he 'trusts' her means that either he's under Autumn's weird mind control-like powers or whatever or he's gone soft for her, which results in him turning into an idiot!"

"You're all idiots…" Autumn mumbles under her breath.

"Nightingale. Be quiet. Stop being stubborn and allow them to explain themselves. Their intentions may be good." I say as I glare at her.

She grunts, then looks at Tim expectantly, her arms crossed.

I turn back to Tim. He continues speaking.

He sighs. "Portals everywhere are opening and I know why. I don't know what but something is at an uncontrollable speed running around the Earth, creating wormholes, connecting this dimension and the Speed Force dimension together. Once this dimension and the Speed Force collide, both worlds will blow up. Either our world will be sucked into the Speed Force like a black hole or both worlds will simply disappear. The only way to stop this is if we stop whatever is causing this and that is the unknown force running around our world. But the thing is, I don't know where to start."

"Then why not search through all the portals?" Chris says. Looks like she's calmed down and is actually somewhat interested.

"No. Too dangerous. There's no telling what is in the other dimension. The speed of the dimension could be unstable. It could scramble our molecules and pull a person apart. We can't just go in one random portal and waste a life."

"Then where do we start?" I order for him to answer.

But before Tim speaks. "Antarctica. North Pole." We all turn our heads to Autumn who has clenched fists and a serious look on her face. "It ends where it started."

"What do you mean, 'where it started'?" I narrow my eyes at her.

"I checked it out, and it started a year ago. June 20, 13:38." I furrow my eyebrows at this. "Right in a Antartica, Magnetic North Pole. Something happened, I don't know what. But whatever happened there a year ago, it caused this and now it's worse and it will blow up the whole world."

She looks at Chris. "So I suggest you all shove your damn ego's up your asses before the world blows up. Deal with the s*** later." She narrows her eyes at Nightingale.

"Well-"

"Nightingale." I look down at her and narrow my eyes. She immediately keeps quiet. I look back up at Tim and Autumn.

Tim looks at Autumn. "How can we stop this?"

Autumn looks at Tim. "I have an idea." A quick silence between them, then they both nod.

****Break****

TIm's POV

We all get off the bioship: Batman, me, Nightingale, Phoenix, and Tigress. Everyone else had different missions to take care of, different cities to save.

North Pole, Antarctica. It would be really, really cold if I weren't wearing my polar stealth clothes that keep me really warm, but even so, I can still feel the frost bite under my gloves. Or maybe it's just the cold tension between everyone working with an ex-crime lord who shipped guns and destroyed the shipments of Black Mask and Two Face and killed a whole lot of drug dealers while working with The Red Hood when he was still...a...um...a bad guy…

Then Flash runs down the ship and stops beside me. "Okay. So...aw man…" At the sight of the event, Uncle Barry keeps his mouth shut.

A huge portal, ripped open in the middle of a huge hurricane, and hail raining down from the dark swirly sky, stands before us. The cold hurricane is wrapped in flares of bright blazing flames dancing along with the wind. Lightning strikes down after every twenty seconds along the circumference of the hurricane. "The portal is in there?!" Flash points to the center of the hurricane.

Before I answer, Batman says a quick "Yes."

I sigh. He's pissed.

The ground rumbles and I try to hold my ground. "I'd have to get in there?" Barry asks.

Batman walks up to him. He nods. "I can't guarantee that-"

"I know." Flash nods seriously. "Just tell Iris, okay?" I suddenly feel goose bumps on my arms. Why do I feel deja vu? Weird…

Suddenly I hear a high laugh from behind us. We all face the hurricane, where Klarion the WItch Boy stands in front of it, looking unharmed by the hurricane. "Aww isn't that sweet?" His annoying voice rings in my ears as he purrs that stupid orange cat of his. "The speedster wants to say goodbye before he dies!" Black magic comes up from the ground to his sides. "It's too bad you won't die for a good cause!" The little witch laughs.

The black magic becomes pillars the size of human beings and when the black magic subsides, faces of criminals are seen.

First I see Zoom, his arms crossed over his chest and a smirk on his face. Then the face of a gorilla...Grodd. The smartass gorilla that can talk who tried to destroy the Justice League. Then there's Bizarro, a zombie version of Superman, black hair, pale skin, wearing something that looks like Superman's uniform but with a different insignia, and his eyes lowered and his mouth wide open. Then I see Mirror Master. He can rob twenty banks at the same time and can somehow multiply himself without any limits, but his copies are only something like reflections of himself, hence the name Mirror Master.

"Aw great." Flash mumbles.

"You see, we can't let you stop this." Klarion says.

"So you and The Light are the reason why this is happening." Chris states.

Klarion smiles and shakes his head. "No, no, no. We didn't exactly plan this…" He puts one finger on his chin as he looks up, still holding his cat. "This is just the result of what happened a year ago." He looks back at us and smiles. "Well. Ta-ta! I'll be back later to check on you all. I have more fun matters to enjoy!" He grins and opens a black portal beside him and walks into it.

We all get into our fighting stances ready for a fight. The enemy gets ready as well.

"Nightingale, Red Robin; Bizarro. Phoenix, Tigress; Mirror Master." Batman orders.

"I'll take Zoom." Flash says.

Batman nods.

"Then come on." Tigress says.

Nightingale and I run towards Bizarro, our capes flying behind us in the cold air. Bizarro runs towards us, his fists up to his face.

"Bizarro doesn't want to kill you!" He says with much zombified rage. That's the thing with Bizarro: he talks in third person, and he speaks as if it's always opposite day. It's starting to get confusing.

I jump up and take out my staff in the air and hit his head. He tries to punch me but NIghtingale kicks him in the jaw.

"I can't believe you trust her!" Nightingale says, sliding her foot on the ground and hitting Bizarro's legs, while I use my staff to hit his stomach and head butt his face.

"When are you gonna let go of the grudge?" The earth rumbles and I move back before NIghtingale jumps up and kicks Bizarro in the face.

"It's impossible to forgive her after everything she did!" I turn to her side and hit Bizzaro on the shoulder with my staff.

"No one ever asked you to forgive!" I say to her. She kicks his left cheek with her right foot, but then Bizarro grabs her foot and swings her across the ice.

"Gale!" I hit Bizarro in the side with the staff and press a button. Electricity surges from my staff to Bizarro. He yells and when the electricity turns off, and then he hunches over, holding his side.

I raise my staff to hit him again, but he grabs it and punches my rib cage. With a "crack," I fly back, letting go of my staff. I hit my head on the ground as I land beside Chris, who is starting to shake off the dizziness. I get up as Bizarro throws my staff behind him.

I hear a grunt from beside me and I see Nightingale get up. "Listen, I know-"

"I don't wanna hear it." She cuts me off.

I sigh, "fine." We shouldn't get our personal business between our work anyways.

Bizarro runs towards us. "Let's just do our job and get this over with." Chris says stubbornly. I take a deep breath and watch as Bizarro continues to run to us in the hail, raising his arm and balling his hand into a fist.

He punches with his right arm but both Nightingale and I sidestep and he misses. I turn to the left and kick his face with my right foot and hit his chest with my staff. The hail lands on Bizarro's head and even in this cold weather, I can see that it's melting.

Nightingale flips up and kicks his face while I hit his stomach with the end of my staff and he grunts. He swings his arm over me but I duck and kick his jaw and he moves back. "Move back!" The earth rumbles again and the hail hitting my head starts to hurt. Nightingale lands one last punch on Bizarro's stomach before moving back as the electricity surging through my staff brightens on the tip. I hit him as hard as I can, and as my muscles begin to protest Bizarro yells with the electricity running through him.

But even as the light from the electricity gets brighter, he still tries to reach for my head, trying to squash it as he lifts his arm, gritting his teeth, his empty eyes staring into my white lenses. I crank up the electricity but it doesn't work.

I grind my teeth and grip onto my staff that's beginning to smoke like a cigarette. Gale gets closer and I see electricity lighting on the tips of her gloved fingers. She jumps up and holds Bizarro's head with her hands and he yells. Nightingale lands behind him, letting go of his head. I pull my staff away before a big boom can take place.

Bizarro's head smirks and his jaw falls open even more. Nightingale moves back before Bizarro can fall on her, and he hits his head on the ground, unconscious. We stand here, and I feel a cool breeze blow at me. Closeby, I see a trail of red and yellow.

Autumn's POV

We're surrounded by a whole lot of mirror copies of Mirror Master. I turn to my left to see Mirror Master's face. "Over here." He says. Then I look to my left. "Over here." He taunts.

I watch him make copies of him everywhere, each copy multiplying itself. "No wait…" One of them says. "Over here." They all say at the same time.

"Look for the real one and we take them all out." Tigress says, but I grip my hands in annoyance.

"I know. Common sense." I roll my eyes under my lenses. Who does she think she is? Telling me what to do. She's not my mom...or my dad...well not that I have ever had one.

"Take the ones on the left. I'll take the ones on the right." She orders. "And no guns." Gahhh.

"Got it." I say in response.

"Go." She commands.

The Mirror Masters run towards us with big smirks on their faces. I punch one's face and kick the one behind me. The copies break like they're made out of glass or concrete. One tries to punch me, but I duck and move backwards. I turn around and kick the one behind me, and he breaks into shards.

I turn around to see another copy holding my arm and another one holding my other arm and one in front of me. The one in front of me punches my face. I grunt and flip up, kicking him in the chest and breaking him. My feet land for a second but I turn around, twist my arm to the right and kick the one to my righ. He lets go of my arm as he shatters. I turn around and punch the one to my left, and he turns into green and yellow pieces of glass.

I twist my body to my right and kick a copy in the chest and elbowing the one behind me and they both shatter at the same time. I face forward looking at the hundreds of copies lined up to kill me. They just keep multiplying. I clench my fists even harder as they continue to surround me in a circle.

I jump up, hold the neck of a reflection of Mirror Master and knee his face using both my knees. Before he can break, I place my hands on his shoulders and use his them as a launching pad that I use to make myself fly towards the one in front of me. Both my feet land on another copy and he shatters once he hits the ground.

I kick the one to my left and elbow the one on my right. I punch the one in front of me and use my wrists to hit one's ears at the same time. But one gets lucky and kicks my side and punches my jaw. I punch his nose and he breaks.

I move back and my back hits skin. "There's too many." Tigress says.

A toothless smile tugs at my lips. "You said we need to find the real one."

"Yeah." I hear a grunt then a shatter from behind me. I punch the one in front of me and slide my foot on the ground. I throw my own smoke pellets and suddenly fog surrounds us. I hear a grunt from behind me.

"Warn me next time." Tigress says from behind me. Not that there will be a next time.

"I'm going after the real one. Watch my back." I've got a few seconds before the fog disappears. I kick the one to my side and I find an arm to my left. I grab it and punch his side, and I hear a shatter and glass shards fall to my feet. I turn on the night vision goggles on my mask.

I take a look around as I listen and search for any real heat signatures. I find none but Tigress' heat signature. I continue looking around, but I feel arms wrap around my neck. I take the arms and flip it over, even if I don't see the heat signature through my goggles.

I keep looking around until I finally find a real heat signature. I scoff. The heat signature just stands there, waiting. "Got him." I turn off the night vision goggles and make my way to the South where I saw the heat signature. I punch anything or anyone in my way and listen to the loud shatters. Finally, as the fog subsides, I punch the real Mirror Master in the face. Blood comes out of his nose as he falls down. I clench my fists even harder and grit my teeth.

I step on his chest and kick his face, then I bend down and punch his face over and over again, gritting my teeth. I continue punching him as blood drips down his mouth and his stupid goggles break. I furrow my eyebrows and punch his face over and over and over again, and again and again. I raise my fist about to lay another stinging hit on his annoying face, but I feel a hand on my wrist.

"What do you think you're doing!?" I get up to face Tigress. I pull my arm away from her. She looks down on him. "You were going to kill him!" She says. A smirk tugs at my lips.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHOHOOHOOO!

A laughter echoes in the back of my mind. I look at Tigress, frowning and furrowing my eyebrows. I look down at Mirror Master, who has a black eye and blood dripping down his nose to his mouth. For a moment, the face turns into the Joker's bloody face, but a grin still on his face. Then it morphs back to Mirror Master's face.

I just walk past Artemis. "We got him. We fought. Mission accomplished." I say blatantly. Not sorry for beating him to a pulp. He deserved it.

Bruce's POV

I get into my fighting stance and place one of my hands behind my cape, ready to grab something from my belt if needed. Grodd charges at me, but I jump up, place my hands on his shoulders, push off, and land right behind him. I swiftly turn around and kick his back. Grodd stumbles forward, but he turns around and starts shooting his laser at me. I run in a curved path toward Grodd, my hands behind my back, and when I get closer to him, I throw four batarangs at his chest.

I have to duck to avoid a laser he shoots in my direction. He shoots all four batarangs in four shots before they even touch him.

I run towards him, block a punch, and kick him in the stomach. He falls backwards, and I jump back.

I throw a few smoke capsules at his feet, and right when they go off I cover my nose and mouth with my cape. Once all of them have completely dispelled all their smoke, I run into the large smoke cloud, careful to avoid the larger chunks of hail falling from the sky. My cowl automatically filters through most of the smoke, and I can also sense a presence nearby. A faint silhouette appears to my right. I take a few steps in his direction and punch his face, but he grabs my fist with his hand. I punch him with my other hand, but he grabs that one as well. I can feel him squeezing my hands, but I just ignore the pain and glare at him as the smoke clears up. I look into his eyes and notice something odd...

They don't have any pupils. They're just a plain milky white.

Something's not right.

"Grodd." I say in a deep voice. He doesn't respond. Instead, he jerks his head backwards and then headbutts me as he lets go of my fists. I fall backwards, but before my back can hit the ground, I place my hands on the ground and push off. I land further away from Grodd with my legs spread apart, my fingertips touching the ground.

He runs toward me. "Grodd! Can you hear me?" I yell. He still doesn't respond. Before he can hit me, I jump out of his way. When he turns around, I throw two exploding pellets at his feet. They explode right when they hit the ground, and Grodd flies backwards as he leaves behind a tiny trail of smoke.

When he lands in the snow, he doesn't get up. I run over to him and look down. Some of the snow near his back is red. I bend down and dig a bit near his back. My hands hit some rock. Oh.

I shift my gaze to his face, where his eyelids are slowly closing. I can see some pupil before they disappear behind his eyelids. Good. He's back to normal.

"Grodd." I say as I slowly turn him over to examine the wound. There was a sharp, pointed rock underneath the snow, and when he landed, the rock happened to penetrate his skin just a few inches away from the spine. That's good.

As I quickly bandage his wound, Grodd mumbles something that I can't make out. At least he's responding.

When I finish bandaging the wound, I stand up and take a look around me. Phoenix is walking away from Tigress, who is examining a bloody Mirror Master. Red Robin and Nightingale are talking as they stare down at Bizarro. Flash and Zoom are just two streaks constantly colliding with each other. At their rate, nothing will happen. It's an obvious stalemate, and Flash has a mission he needs to complete.

I look down one more time at Grodd, who is unconscious. I turn on my com link and press two fingers to my com. Batgirl had just got the com link back on. "Nightingale. Get Phoenix and watch Grodd. I'm going to go help Flash."

She doesn't respond, but I know that she is on the other end. It's good she's not contradicting me and being stubborn right now. She knows that work comes first.

I run in Flash's direction, where the battle will not end. For a moment they separate, a light of red going to the left and a light of yellow to the right. I reach inside my belt. I throw small bombs towards Zoom, distracting him for a while. "Run!" I yell to Flash. He runs to Zoom and knocks Zoom down, ending the stalemate. Flash punches Zoom in the face, blood coming out of his nose as he hits the ground.

I feel a heavy rumble below me and we all turn to look at the dark hurricane. It's getting bigger, and stronger. My cape flies behind me as I hold my ground.

"Maybe at my top speed, I can get through that hurricane!" Flash yells over the thunder.

I shake my head. "No! You won't make it through even at your top speed!" I yell.

"I can do it!" Barry says, getting ready to run.

"You'll die! We need to find another way!" I yell back. Then all this will be for nothing.

"Hahaha. Looks like you've finished them off!" We all look to the left. Klarion looks at us, black magic emerging from behind him.

"We don't have time for this!" I yell.

"We'll handle him." Tim says, already running towards Klarion, with Nightingale and Tigress running with him.

I turn my attention back to Flash, who is already getting ready to run as fast as he can. "Maybe if I reverse the hurricane-"

"No. You'll die before you can even get close, then all of this will be for nothing."

"There's no time!"

"Don't be stupid."

"Batman. Flash." We turn around to look at Phoenix. She has her hands on her hips as she looks up at the dark, swirling sky. "I know another way."

"That's insane." Flash retorts.

Autumn looks at both of us and raises an eyebrow. "I know. But I'm not the one who's going in." She smirks. "You wanted another way? Gotcha one."

****Break****

Autumn's POV

Flash has some kind of rubbery rope wrapped around his waist, just to help him with the fall. A hole big enough for a person to pass through forms on the side of the ship where we are standing. The ship is rocking, hard. It makes me feel like I'm seeing double vision. The wind howls at my hair as Flash looks down.

We're at least a hundred feet up, above the hurricane and in the clouds. It's dangerous to be up here, especially in this kind of weather. But what choice do we really have? It's not like we can punch a hole through the winds and fire surrounding the portal.

"Okay. So make sure you hold onto the rope when you fall." A small hole forms on the floor in the middle of the ship, and I throw the hook end of the strong rubbery rope down the other hole. Once the other end of the rope falls down that hole, then the hole closes, holding the rope.

Yes, the ship is pretty much alive. Why else would it be called 'Bio ship'?

I secure the long rope Batman miraculously pulled out of his belt...who brings a strong, rubbery rope this long and somehow manages to fit it in their tiny yellow belt? Well, I guess that's one of the perks of being Batman. Gotta be ready in case your friend wants to jump down from a ship that is alive and try to land in the middle of a hurricane to enter a portal…

Take down notes Autumn…take down notes…

"The rope will hold you so that you won't accidentally get caught in the hurricane before you enter the portal, got it?" I yell as the ship continues to rumble and the wind continues to scream in my ears.

Flash gives me a cocky smile. "Yeah kid. Got it."

"Let's just hope that the rope doesn't get cut off once you enter the portal. And if it does get cut...try to find your way back okay?"

He nods, still smiling and holding onto the rope even tighter. How can he smile when he knows there's a huge chance that he won't even make it through the portal?

He's afraid, but he's hiding it. Just like every other hero hides their fear when it comes time to face them.

"Oh and one more thing. There might be a good chance that the com could still be working...so we could keep in touch. Just know there could be a lot of static."

"Okay kid. I have to go." I nod. I can feel a tall shadow above me. "Phoenix. Take the controls. Now." Batman says from behind me.

I nod. "Yes sir." I turn around and run to the controls.

Once I get to the controls, Flash jumps down yelling, "Be back in a flash!"

I sit down and handle the controls of the ship. It's rocky, but I have to control it. I can hear a wizz from behind me and a grunt. I handle the ship's controls. "Bio ship. Turn the com on." The com turns on, but all I hear is static.

I hear another grunt from behind me as the ship rocks and rumbles against the strong winds.

The static on the com slowly dies down and I hear more wind and more grunting from the com. "Flash. Are you in?"

I hear another grunt. "N-not yet! The wind is too strong and - ah!" I hear a loud crack of thunder and electricity from the com. Static fills the line.

Okay so, my life would be so much easier...the ship can actually go on autopilot. But if it did go on autopilot now, then we could be sucked into the hurricane. The pull is too strong…

The controls don't make much sense, but I am seated on the highest seat, where there are two big blue balls supported in front of me by two pillars made of the same stuff as the bioship. The chair I'm sitting on also is made up of this pinkish-purple substance. I'll be honest...I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO FLY THIS THING!

I've manned other ships, jets, and planes during the war. But I was taught how to handle those and also...I have never flown a Bio ship before so…

Well...all I really have to do is keep the ship in place and make sure it doesn't fall into the hurricane or get struck by lightning...how hard could that be right? WRONG! Really hard!

The ship rocks to the side, but I try to keep it balanced and try to make sure Batman doesn't fall out the hole. Damn…

"Flash." Oh yeah and then I've gotta make sure Flash is alive...what's his real name again? Bart Allen? No...Wally We-no, that's the old Kid Flash. Oh I got it! Barry Allen! Yeah...I remember Talia giving me a briefing on the Justice League.

The static on the com dies down. "Yeah. I'm in and wow…" The ship rocks and I see lightning about to hit us, but I tilt the ship to the left and dodge the lightning. I hear a slight humming from the bio ship and listen to the hail hitting the wings of the ship.

"Sorry man." I whisper to the ship...wait why the hell am I talking to a ship? Well aside from the fact that it's alive. "Did the rope hold?" I yell over the com line.

"Y-yeah…" His voice sounds faint and amazed. "Y-you should see this...it's amazing…" I furrow my eyebrows, still holding onto the controls.

"Listen to me Barry." I hear Batman's voice boom from behind me. Actually no, right above me. He's just behind my seat. "Whatever you're seeing in there, it doesn't matter. Remember the mission…"

"The speed...it's luring me in...pulling me in…"

"Barry!" Batman's voice gets louder, but I don't flinch. "Barry listen to me. Remember what you're doing there. Grab whatever is the cause of all this and get out alive!"

"Y-yeah...that's right. B-but I don't see anything in here Batman. Everything is just so fast for me to actually see anything...all I can feel is the force and the speed…and my feet hitting the ground..."

The force of that dimension is destroying ours...the force is what's messing with our world, the Earth's climate change, the earth itself, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis...the force might even blow up our core. I see now why Tim thought of that as a theory.

That dimension is too unstable already on it's own...if our worlds collide, there's really no telling what could happen...well...Mister Barry has got to fix this...or else...well then...all I will say is "holy s***!"

My eyes widen when I see a huge flaming rock heading right towards us.

I turn the ship, but I stay on top of the hurricane. I hear a loud screech as we nearly miss the flying meteor.

"Goddamnit!" I turn the ship to the right, missing another flaming meteor thing. Now this just doesn't make any sense. We're having a meteor shower in the middle of a flaming hurricane...I'll be damned if this meteor shower has nothing to do with these portals opening…

"Stay above the target Autumn, or Flash will be stuck in there for good and whatever should be taken out won't be."

"Yes sir." I mumble.

I feel the shadow leave and run back to the hole, probably to take the rope and see if it's still holding on.

We miss another meteor and another one, and another one. I'm starting to get used to this.

WRONG! The ship rumbles as a lightning bolt hits one of our wings. Damnit.

I grip onto the controls, trying to keep us up in the air. The ship gives me a loud hum and the wind continues to howl and freeze my ears. It's cold, but my suit is warm enough, so I'm good...except for the fact that my face is frozen solid! But other than that...I'm good...I'm good…

We encircle the top of the hurricane as gravity tries to bring us down and suck us into the scary dark hole underneath us. I hear another crash on the other wing, and I struggle even more to keep the ship in the air. I grit my teeth and hold on even tighter.

"It would be better if the ship could heal…" I mumble. I hear a cute little hum and a hologram appears in front of my face. A holographic version of the ship's exterior is shown. The wings are colored red, telling me that they're damaged. I know they're damaged! Quit rubbin' it in my face!

Then the red parts of the picture turns back to blue, telling me that they've healed. Suddenly the ship feels lighter and easier for me to handle. Oh, so it can actually heal...never knew you could wish on a - METEOR!

I tilt the ship to the left, making sure that the meteor misses our just-healed wing.

"Flash are you still alive?" I yell over the com.

"Yeah, I-I think I found something." His voice sounds even more tired like he's drifting away. "It's the only thing I can see...y-yellow and...red?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Flash. Grab it and get out." I tell him.

"Y-yeah…but...maybe I should just stay here…"

"No! Don't fall into the speed force."

"I found it...no...him...and he's just as fast as me! He's looking at me, and we're just running and running and running."

"Then stop!"

"I-I can't…"

"Listen. Everybody wants to run. Run away from it all. But you gotta stop from time to time. You gotta stop running!"

I hear a grunt from behind me. "The line will be cut off soon!" Batman yells from behind me.

"Stop running and get out of the portal! Think about the people you care about! Think about...Iris!" I have no idea who that woman or girl is, but I overheard Flash talking to Batman earlier.

"Got him! I'm turning back now!" I can hardly hear him over the com; there's too much static. I turn my head to the side and shout, "Get ready to pull him out!" I'm so f****ing surprised that the line wasn't cut during the jump.

I can hear the wind dying down a bit. The meteors have stopped showing, but I can still see some faint blue aggressive lightning. "Go!" I yell over the com, still holding onto the controls. "C'mon Bio ship thingy...help me out here."

"I'm out! And I've got him!"

Him? So...the one responsible for this is a...person? Makes sense...but to begin this...you'd have to be as fast as Flash without getting pulled apart by the Speed Force…I don't recall anyone being as fast as Flash...but maybe whoever was in there was almost as fast as him. And maybe spending a year in there, running around through the force, made them faster? It's just a theory...but I don't know any other speedster other than Bart Allen, Barry Allen, Jay Garrick and-

"Get to the ground now." Batman's brooding voice interrupts my thoughts.

I nod, even though he can't see me nodding. I realize that the wind is gone and the lightning has been killed. The once dark sky is no longer so dark, and the sound of hail hitting the exterior of the ship is all gone…

I land the ship on the icy snow, a few paces away from the portal just to be safe.

I get out of the seat and walk towards the door where Batman is no longer standing. I find Batman reaching inside the portal. "Barry. Get out. Now." I see that the rope has snapped and is now on the ground.

"I-I can't. I've been in here once and-" Flash's voice echoes in the bright rip in the middle of no where.

"Barry. Take my hand." Batman says, no emotion as usual, but I can see that he actually cares about his friend. Then Batman pulls a gloved hand out of the portal, and soon half a man, and then Flash out of the portal.

I hear footsteps running towards us and Tigress yelling. "Klarion got away!"

"But we do have all the others still unconscious and tied up." Tim says. I nod. Flash gets out of the portal just in time before it closes.

He holds someone on his right arm, someone with ginger hair, a yellow suit, and a red flash insignia on his chest. I furrow my eyebrows as a memory returns to me…

Flash hits his face on the snow, gasping for air, with the other boy still unconscious by his side.

"Oh my God…" I hear Tigress' voice beside me.

She runs towards the guy that looks like he's somewhere in college. "WALLY?" She yells, running towards him. Batman just stands there, narrowing his eyes. I purse my lips.

Wally died...one year ago...that's what I saw on the computer in the Bat Cave…I never knew how he died though...all I know is that he died...so how the hell is he right there? He just fell out of that portal with Flash?

"H-he's breathing!" Tigress calls out, and Nightingale and Red Robin run towards her as well. Well of course he's breathing...didn't Artemis Crock see the slight movement of his chest? Inspite of all my racing thoughts, I keep a blank face and my breathing normal. But on the inside, I'm shaking...because damn, if I let go of the controls and if the ship didn't hold up, we would have fallen into the hurricane and died. Then the world would have exploded.

I see a stirring coming from the supposedly dead Wally West and a groan.

Flash still lies there, tired but grinning because he made it out alive. He breathes heavily, starting to get up, and looks at Artemis who took off her mask. "Too early for a Christmas present?" He asks, jokingly.

I just stand here, and I hear a soft humming from behind me. I turn around and face the ship. I place my hand on it. "Good job, girl…" I mumble and the ship hums even louder.

I just keep my expression blank now that the end of the world is over. I turn back around and watch them, Tigress tearing up and sobbing as I listen to more groans.

****Break****

Bruce's POV

It would be impossible. But not really. I've seen enough to know that nothing is impossible.

Tigress and Red Robin get the kid to the bio ship. Flash and Nightingale are already in. Phoenix and I walk in.

"It's not over." Phoenix says. "While I was tying Grodd up, I noticed that his eyes were flickering from milky white to his normal pupils. It seemed like-"

"Mind control."

"Yeah. It was the same with Bizarro when I was tying him up, too. But Mirror Master wasn't."

"That isn't your problem right now." I tell her as we walk in.

"I'm just saying, you've got some interrogating to do."

I turn to her and glare in her direction. "You have nothing to do with any of these missions. Once we get back, you're taking the uniform off and not putting it back on. Understand?" I give her the bat glare, but she stands her ground, even if I continue to remind her of our big height difference.

"Yes. Sir." She mumbles. She turns her head away from me and walks into the bio ship with me behind her.

We both sit down and the ship starts. She stares out the window. I've had enough of this. She acts like a soldier, when she shouldn't be out here at all.

That's all she's been telling me: 'Yes sir' this entire time. That was our only conversation since a few hours ago. I don't care if she is angry with me.

All I've been doing is trying to help her. She doesn't want it. Then fine. She doesn't want to be saved, fine by me. She's not my daughter and I don't know why I'm even trying anymore. I have bigger matters at hand.

Matters that involve my sons and my daughter. Matters that involve my city and my job. I have no time for this.

****Break****

Damian's POV

I sit here on one of the beds in the med bay as Pennyworth stitches up my wounds. Father stands in front of the computer, typing furiously. Drake is just standing behind him. Grayson is upstairs doing God knows what. Todd has gone on his nightly disappearances. And Autumn, wearing her uniform, walks up the stairs in silence.

I would have expected for some yelling to occur, mostly from Father, but none. Just a heavy silence.

Carter sits on the other bed beside me, holding an ice back to her head. "I'm grounded, and so is Tim." She starts and I look at her. "Dad grounded us both. Mostly for fighting. Because Kaldur told Dad everything."

"From what I have heard, Miss Christine, you and Master Tim had gotten into a fight."

Carter leans forwards. "And you know what we fought about?" Pennyworth stays silent. "Her." Carter points to Autumn, who walks up the stairs without making a single noise. "Tim trusts her now." She grumbles, putting her free hand back down.

"I have noticed." I tell her. Pennyworth finishes stitching me up. "If you'll excuse me. I must get back to my duties." He leaves without another word. He obviously does not want to be in the middle of this.

"I hate her." My eyes settle on Carter's face as she looks up the steps. I scoff, but I don't let a word escape my lips. She looks at me. "Don't tell me you trust her too!" She frowns and raises her voice a little bit.

"I never said that." I say coldly.

"So you hate her too?" Carter says.

"Tt. I never said that either." I say.

"So what? You 'welcome her into the family' now?"

I shake my head. "The answer is simple, Carter. I just don't care about her." I say coldly.

"Oh." Her eyes drop for a moment, then back at me. "Good then." She says. A silence stretches on even more, until she breaks it. "Are you excited for tomorrow?"

My eyes drop. "No."

****Break****

Graves, graves, and more graves. I walk into the dark and foggy cemetery. I look up at the empty night sky and find the face of Mother looking down on me in disappointment.

"Mother?" She shakes her head as the frown on her lips continues to grow. Her face disappears, and I look forward and see that the graves are gone. All I see is pitch black darkness. Then the face of Heretic shows up, and he gives me a huge smirk.

I hear a loud gunshot and a dark, bloody figure so far away.

No...

"Father!" I run towards it, but no matter how fast I run, the dark figure just keeps getting further and further from me.

Screaming echoes through the night and familiar voices start to yell around me.

"Murderer."

"You'll never be Robin."

"Not good enough."

"Never enough."

"You can never be Robin."

"How disappointing…"

I continue running and running but when I finally get there, I don't see Batman. I see the Robin uniform...in a case...bloody and tattered. Destroyed...like it was used as a rag.

I turn around and see the entire family. Batman dead on the black floor. Grayson, bruised and bloody, crawling to me as if he wants to hug me, wearing the very first Robin uniform. Drake, pale, unmoving on the ground, holding himself in his old version of the Robin suit. Carter, crawled up in a ball, rocking back and forth, eyes wide. Todd, on the ground in his own Robin uniform, but the R is ripped out as he lies there, bloody, his arms tied behind his back.

I feel something behind me. I slowly turn around and find a small girl on the floor, crying, covering her eyes. There is a tight rope around her neck, blood dripping down it. She cries and cries.

"You could have saved them...Dami...but you didn't." A silence. "You weren't good enough." Her face shoots up at me, her voice in an evil tone. Her eyes are an evil toxic green, but her face is Autumn's.

I yell and jolt out of my deep sleep. I'm in my room. It's dark, and it's three in the morning. I wipe the hot sweat out of my forehead and quietly walk out of my bed.

I know that if I go back to sleep, the nightmare will just continue to haunt me. No one knows this but...everytime I get nightmares...I go to Grayson…

And he...always helped me get back to sleep without another nightmare. He would stay awake until I fell asleep, and he would be there to comfort me. And the next morning, I would wake up, and he would keep his mouth shut as promised.

I walk to Grayson's room and silently press my ear on his door. I hear a soft mumbling.

I scowl when I hear the voice of Carter and Drake talking to Grayson. Sweat continues to fall down my forehead. "C'mon guys. You're siblings…" I walk away from the door.

Then I look down the hallway and my eyes settle on that one door which used to be locked tight. I walk towards it before I can fully process what I'm doing.

I open the door.

Jason's POV

I wake up to the sound of the door flying open. My face is flat on the pillow and my eyes are closed. It's cold tonight and the window is open. I sleep with my shirt off even if it's a cold night.

"Todd. Are you awake?" The little brat.

"No." I grumble into my pillow. "Go away."

"You are clearly awake." He says.

"I am now..." I turn around, but I don't bother to open my eyes. "Thanks to you." I grumble. I'm tired, it's cold. I just got in bed a few hours ago. "What do you want anyways?"

A long silence clings to the air as the wind blows in through my window. "Never mind. You may go back to sleep." He says. I open my eyes and sit up.

He turns around. "It's a nightmare. Isn't it?" He stops. "Isn't Dick here for those things?"

"Yes. But...he is busy with Carter and Drake." He turns back to me.

"Oh."

"How did you find out?" He asks.

I give him a half-hearted smile. "Get them all the time. Used to go to Dick, too." I scoot to the side and gesture for him to sit beside me.

He walks to my side hesitantly, closing the door behind him. "We all get them. It's not fun. I know." He doesn't act like it, but Damian is still just a kid...just a kid that trained with assassins...a kid that happens to be the son of Batman...a kid who learned how to drive a car before he was ten...a kid that hacked into high tech computers when he was six. But yeah, he's still a kid.

"No. It's not…" He says, looking down. "And no, Todd. I don't wanna talk about it."

I give him a sad smile. "I didn't either. A lifetime ago, I got nightmares...I was afraid, and I ran to Golden Boy's room when he wasn't busy with the Titans and stuff like that. We didn't get along, but he was the only one I could run to. So I ran to him, but...he didn't want me in his room. But whenever I would enter his room, he would be tired. So when I laid down beside my hero...he didn't mind anymore because he was tired, and I felt safe, even if he didn't want me beside him."

"I cannot imagine Richard not wanting a scared little child running to him." He furrows his eyebrows.

"Trust me kid. It was different before. Like I said, it was a long time ago…Golden Boy and I didn't get along. In fact he hated me...but there were times when he came back to the Manor. No one told me the reason why, but...I just wanted to run to someone when my nightmares got to me."

"It is tiring...to try and squeeze yourself where you are not wanted…"

"It is...very…" A longer silence, and I see Damian's breathing slow down as his eyes begin to droop. He yawns, but tries to stifle it. "Time to get to bed kid." I lie down, leaving enough space for my little brother to lie down next to me.

He looks at the space for a bit, then crawls into it and lies down. It's quiet...until he kills the silence. "How does it feel?"

"What?" Although I have a feeling I already know what he means.

"...dying…" He whispers.

We both stare at the ceiling for a moment as the night stretches on and the wind blows.

"The way I died…" I begin. "It hurt...a lot..there was blood...laughing...a...a...crowbar...then tears. I was left alone in the dark...then a clock ticking down...an explosion...fire...then...nothing…" I say, remembering it all. "It felt like I was floating...I didn't feel anything. I didn't feel pain, anger, regret, or sadness...I just felt..."

"Peaceful?"

I shrug. "I don't know...I don't remember...but it was cold after it being so hot...and when I woke up...it wasn't fun crawling out of the coffin…"

He keeps his mouth shut for a while. "Are you...afraid…?" He whispers.

I close my eyes and open them again. "All the time…" The silence eats us both up as the wind continues to blow.

"'Night Todd…" He whispers. I place the blanket over him. "And if you tell anyone about this…"

"You may try. But yes...I promise…"

A smile tugs at my lips. "Good night Demon." He closes his eyes and instantly falls asleep. I'm much bigger than him, for now...my 6" tall compared to his 4'11". He's small...but I know one day he'll grow just as big as his Father...maybe as tall and big as him…bigger than me...

I just wonder if I'll live to see my little brother get bigger.

Because people like me...we don't live long enough to see the future. I got a second chance at life, but who knows when my second chance will be taken again?

I take a deep breath and close my eyes. I used to listen to the slight creaking of the floorboards of the manor, and it used to scare me. But now, who would have thought that the whispering wind and the creaking of old floorboards would lull me to sleep.

A/N: Well that was fun, and long...now to roll over and die...hehe...review!