It didn't take long to realise that I had nowhere to go. That didn't stop me from running though as I pushed my legs harder and harder against the ground. My lungs rasped for oxygen, begged for rest but I ignored them, trying to get higher, I needed to get out into the open. Space, escape. Those words were ringing in my ears, blotting out any other thoughts.

Somehow, I managed to find a ladder leading to a door out of the Base. It brought me to the peak of mount justice. Overlooking Happy Harbour, the view would have been breath-taking had I any breath in my body. I collapsed on the side of the mountain, not even feeling the hard rock biting into my palms. Leaning back on the mountain face my chest heaved in as many lungful's of air as it could. I stared up at the sky, praying that the bright; midday light would prevent the tears from falling. They remained on the verge of my eyelids, waiting for a chance to escape. I watched the clouds moving leisurely across the sky, forming shapes that disappeared the second you figured out what they were.

The low groan of metal broke the peaceful ambiance of distant waves breaking against the shore. I heaved a sigh, wanting to get up and run again but knowing that I had neither the physical nor mental strength to move my body out of this position.

I was expecting Vixen, or at least Kid-Flash who could have easily caught up to me, maybe even Nightwing but the one person I never ever expected sat down next to me, avoiding my questioning eyes, she played uncomfortably with the scarlet hair.

"I always come up here," Card Queen said absently, staring out on the horizon. "It's quiet enough to think yet not uncomfortably silent, yano?"

After about thirty seconds I was able to regain my jaw and composure. Clearing my throat I mumbled an "I guess."

"Best part of all, no one else really knows about it. Well, I'm sure Nightwing does, but you've probably guessed the guys not that interested in something as mundane as a nice view." I frowned at my clenched hands on my lap. Card Queen was being outright hospitable, I didn't have a clue what was going on.

"You killed that woman." Ah, there it was. The reason for the niceties. I flinched away from her, tensing to get up and maybe throw myself off the cliff to get away until she gripped my arm. "Hey, take it easy. No one blames you here."

"How could they not?" I demanded, finally finding my voice. "I murdered that woman, she was innocent, probably hadn't a clue about half the things going on in that lab and through a single touch she was gone."

"She was keeping you there against your will –"

"You wouldn't understand," I cut her off savagely. "You saw my memories but have you any idea how it felt? To feel her… everything that made her who she was sucked into me. Sometimes I think she still lives in my head…"

"We all have pasts here," her tone was actually kind. When I didn't answer her she sighed, reached up and pulled her mask from her face.

"Wait – what are you –" I stammered, not able to understand.

"My secret identity is Duela Dent." She said slowly and deliberately, keeping her eyes securely on the small purple mask in her hands. She turned it over and over as she spoke, probably trying not to think too hard about what she was admitting to me. "My Father was Harvey Dent, one of Gotham's greatest district attorneys, the people's man. He planned to make the city better, cut off communication between the crime lords. Everyone loved him…"

"I remember," I murmured. His face came up in my mind, a news bulletin I saw long ago. I didn't like where her story was going.

"His plans and unexpected support got him in trouble. The crime lords banded together to get rid of him. One night he just didn't come home, I found out years later that he'd been abducted, mutilated and poisoned with toxins – driven insane." I tried to keep my expression neutral but the more of the story the harder it got. I gritted my teeth against the bile rising in my throat. "Blaming Batman for not saving him he became the villain he is today, the warlord Two-Face, using a coin that my abusive grandfather gave him to decide whether his victims live or die."

She stood up, her eyes seemed to focus on the horizon but when I zeroed in I noticed her eyes had glazed over.

"It took five murders before my mother realised that Harvey Dent no longer existed but I was never sure. When I was fifteen I ran away from home to find him.

"I found him eventually; calling out to some dangerous characters that I was Two-Face's daughter got immediate attention. He came to me, brought me down to his black-market empire.

"At first I was thrilled, to have my father back, I barely noticed the marks on his face. He was literally the king of this underworld I never knew existed. For the first time in my life I held power over people, just because of my heritage I could order men around – get them to do whatever I wanted. I was this kind of dark princess."

She took her hands out of her pockets, revealing a deck of cards, pulling the first one out – an ace of spades – she focused on it, and it erupted into purple flames. She flicked it away and as it flew through the air it exploded in a series of sparks and smoke.

"When my powers kicked in," she went on. "Two-Face was even more proud of his little girl." The words appeared to leave a bad taste in her mouth. "He had always been disappointed when I wasn't a twin, he had a fascination with pairs but my explosive ability meant even more to him. My eagerness to seek his approval had me do whatever he asked of me."

With a deep sigh she turned back to look me in the eye. Her face taken on a haunted look that I knew all too well from looking in the mirror.

"I can't tell you how many security guards my powers hurt or killed, how many bank managers. After about a year Nightwing found me – well, Robin did anyway. He pulled me out of the dark kingdom that I'd realised had become my own personal prison. In payment I began to help him in his missions, joining him and Kid-Flash. When my Father found out of this betrayal he did the only thing left that could hurt me. He killed my mother."

I gaped at her, her sob story making mine look like a Fairy tale. I always knew Gotham could be the darkest most horrible place to live but it wasn't until that moment that I realised how bad some of these heroes had it. Why else would they do what they do?

"I'm… Christ I'm sorry… Duela," my voice cracked in uncertainty. She shrugged my words off.

"Don't apologise, just know that everyone has a past. Some people worse than others, but no one here will judge you for it as long as you attempt to do right by your mistakes." She held out her hand to me. Gingerly, I took it. Duela Dent pulled me up with a crooked grin. "We all know what guilt feels like here."

"Thanks," I said, hoping that she realised that I meant it more than just the help up.

"Whatever don't get used to it. I'm never usually this nice."

I chuckled shaking my head. What a weird couple of hours this has been. "I won't," was all I said as I followed her back into the base. Feeling that maybe, just maybe I fit in here after all.