Chapter Three

Gotham City, Gordon Apartment

December 21, 0742

The past few days, Aster had been staying with Barbara and Mr. Gordon in order to try and relax. Barbara had hoped for some quiet time with Aster, but with Barbara's dad out of work because of an injury. But she was able to nag him out of the house early that morning. After a quick, quiet shower, Barbara had walked into the living room, stopping around the corner.

"When somebody loved me, everything was beautiful. Every hour we spent together, lives within my heart." Barbara heard Aster sing. "And when he was sad, I was there to dry his tears. And when he was happy, so was I, when he...loved...me." Barbara got her phone out, turning on the recorder. "Through the summer and the fall, we had each other, that was all. Just she and I together, like it was meant...to be. And when he was lonely, I was there to comfort him. And I knew...he...loved...me."

Barbara turned her recorder off when she heard Aster sobbing quietly. She walked into the room, sitting down with Aster, hugging her friend.

"Who...were you singing about?" Barbara asked.

Aster sniffed, wiping away her tears best she could. "It-It was-was...Roy and Bart...I-I-I miss them but they seem to-to not love me...any more."

Barbara didn't really know what to do at this moment. Her friend was sitting here and crying, and Barbara didn't know what to say in that moment to make her feel better.

"Aster...would you like to go and get a cup a coffee with me? We can hang out today, just the two of us."

Aster sniffled and wiped her face before replying, "I-I don't know."

Barbara thought a moment more, "We'll have a girls' day. I can call M'Gann, Cassie, Karen, Zatanna, Raquel, and-"

"Lavender, and Mirabella…" Aster returned from her brief happiness to her depression. "Barbara, I messed up. I messed up so largely. I moded everything going to try and stop Slade from killing the Wilson family."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa...Slow down, Aster. Start from the beginning."

Gotham City, Wilson House

Year 2009

The night Slade attacked his family. The night Lavender's family should have died by Slade's hands. Aster found herself outside the house this took place, on the dead street, even for the time of night. Looking around, Iridiven saw the door kicked in and heard a scream before running into the house.

Seeing Slade over Lillian, terror in her innocent eyes, "Slade!" Iridiven caught his attention easier than she thought she would.

"Who are...you? And what do you want?" Now Slade was turned away from his soon to be victim.

"My name is of no importance to you, Slade Wilson! And what I want is for you to leave before this turns any uglier!"

"Make me, demon!"

"I am no demon!" Iridiven jumped up, light filling the house. Iridiven's anger grew inside, bringing out a super nova of light. "I will be your doom but I am no demon!"

Slade screamed from the blinding light, the pain of his eyes being burned by the light. With Slade falling to the ground, Iridiven used a pair of handcuffs that he had to restrain him. Then she walked over to Adeline, bending down to the scared woman who held her sons near.

"It's okay. I won't hurt you." Adeline took Iridiven's hand. "Are you hurt?"

"N-No, I don't think-Lav? Lavender! My baby!"

The hall closet flung open, a little girl running over to Adeline.

"I'm here, Mommy. I'm here!"

"Oh, my little flower. Are you okay?" Adeline scrambled to check Lavender over.

"M-Mommy, I'm okay. Rosie hid me in the closet to save me."

Adeline looked up at the young girl with white hair. Young Rose had tears in her eyes and her face was red.

"I-I'm so sorry...I didn't know he would come to kill you. When I found out, I went ahead of him to try and hide you. I-I-Please, mommy...I want to come home. Please!"

Adeline walked over to her step-daughter, hugging her, "Oh, Rosie. It's okay. It's not your fault that he's like this." Adeline let Rose go.

Rose wiped her eyes with her little hands, Iridiven watching on as the family pieced itself together. All of a sudden, two little arms were wrapped around Rose. Looking down, it was young Lavender, hugging Rose tightly.

"I love you, Rosie." Lavender said.

Rose hugged her sister, "I love you too."

As Iridiven turned to leave, she heard Adeline scream. Whipping around, Iridiven saw Slade hold a knife to Adeline's throat, ready to kill her. Iridiven went to stop him, but was stopped as Slade's grip tightened.

"One step, and Adeline will be dead in seconds."

Iridiven stopped moving, not taking the chance to leave the four kids parent-less and to see death so young.

"Just-Just let her, Slade."

"She took my family away from me! She forced my hand in taking Rose, training her."

"Okay, okay...But-But that's no reason to-" Iridiven was stopped when her wings started to glow and shake. "Oh, not now."

Before Iridiven had time to react, a time portal opened and sucked Iridiven in, disappearing.

Present Time

0921

"And after that, I don't know what happened. Lavender and her family must be gone forever now." Aster said, hugging her knees close on the couch.

Barbara sat down next to her friend, setting two mugs of hot beverages on the coffee table. She took Aster's hand gently, rubbing her thumb back and forth in a comforting motion.

"No, Aster...They're alive, and well. They live in Gotham City. The entire Kane family."

"Kane family?"

"Adeline changed their last names after what you did for them. Blue Beetle and Wonder Girl bumped into Rose and Lavender while searching for them in Gotham. Lavender called you their Angel in the night."

"R-Really?" Aster was shocked at the fact of being called such an honor by a friend. "Angel?"

"More like a shadow angel, to me."

"Shadow Angel...I like it. Shadow Angel, angel of the night." Aster said proudly.

Barbara agreed, Aster would now go by Shadow Angel and no longer Iridiven. After a moment, Barbara looked at the mugs on the table. The drinks had gone cold by now.

"Why don't we go to the cafe downtown? Get new...and better...drinks."

"That sounds good. I haven't really had any time out of the house since I got back. It was pretty hard to after everything."

"Batman will want to hear more of your adventure after the holidays are over, don't forget."

"I haven't." Aster stood up. "Let's go. I want something to eat too."

Barbara grabbed her keys off the counter and the two girls left the apartment with a click of the lock.

Gotham City Cafe

0938

Aster had just ordered her drink and food at the counter, giving the woman there a nice smile before turning to go sit. She turned to the table for additives for her coffee, and touched hands with a person.

"Oh, I'm so-Bart!?"

"Aster! Uh… Hi."

Bart's face had already been somber, but now it was filled with desolation. He walked away with his coffee still pitch black. Walking over to Barbara, Aster's eyes were wet, and she sat down without a word. Barbara looked up from her cup, noticing the tears on Aster's cheeks.

"Aster? Aster, what's wrong? Everything okay?"

"I-I just…" Before she could finish her sentence, Aster completely broke down right there, Barbara rushing next to her side to try and comfort her.

Holding Aster close, Barbara noticed the door of the cafe open, but not making the noise that it had closed. Looking over her shoulder, she found Bart was standing in the doorway, staring at them. But as soon as he noticed Barbara looking right at him, he bit his lip, then disappeared in a flash.

Watchtower

1229

"Recognized: Batgirl-B-1-6…"

"Bartholomew Allen!" Barbara shouted as soon as she stepped into the lobby. "Where is he?"

Tye, Wonder Girl and Blue Beetle were all talking together when Barbara caught their attention.

"Barbara, what's going on?" Cassie asked.

"That no good, slippery, grandson of the Flash made Aster CRY! UNFORGIVABLE!"

"Woah, chica! Let's get something straight. Aster tore his heart out! He loved her, and he's never loved anyone like he loves her. Which says a lot, since I'm his unofficial hermano." said Jaime.

"That's irrelevant, he made her cry and then ran away!"

"Hey! Running is his thing, for one thing, but what did he do specifically? Did he yell at her or something?" Tye asked.

"Well he, he- well the thing is- I didn't actually… I still want to punch his lights out for making her cry!" Barbara spluttered.

"We respect your bloodlust, but take it down a notch Amazonia!" Cassie said.

"So… you didn't see what happened, but you do blame Bart?" Jaime said.

"Punch out her lights, for vengeance against our comrade." whispered Khaji-Da.

"But she's our comrade as well." Jaime said, out loud by accident.

"Who are you-? Never mind. So, maybe I shouldn't try to kill him… but I will give him a talking to that he will never forget!" Barbara said.

"Batmanning much?" said Robin as he came in from the kitchen. "Impulse ran into his room a while ago and hasn't come out since. I think he's taking a shower."

"I can't get him while he is in the shower! Get him out of there and dressed so I can kick his butt!" Barbara shouted.

"Well I'm not getting into another's guys shower for my friends to brawl." Robin retorted. "Get Aqualad or La'gaan, at least they are water related."

"Really? Water related, take 200 push-ups as punishment." Aqualad said as he came into the base with Nightwing. "I am from the ocean, not a shower."

"Apply cold water to that burn!" La'Gaan said. "I just learned that from Garfield!"

"Bart made Aster cry, Aqualad. I wanna know what's going on between them."

"You don't even know if it was him!" Jaime shouted.

"He was there, at the cafe! He left right after she started crying! Of course it was!"

"You don't know for sure!"

"SHUT IT!" Nightwing commanded. "Barbara, you should have known better, as Batman trained you. If Aster was crying, why don't you ask her why, or ask her what happened between her and Bart before going for the kill? Jaime, you also don't know what happened, so you may be wrong as well. However, as both of you are trying to be good comrades and friends, split up, go talk to them, then reconvene to get the facts straightened out. Okay?"

"That's the reason I came here. Aster won't talk to me. I was lucky enough to get her to tell me...something else. I wanted to know from Bart himself what was going on."

"...by ripping out his vocal chords?" Nightwing asked.

"Not ripping per say...but I guess so." She admitted.

"Let Jaime talk to him, because you are a threat. Jaime is a friend. See the difference?"

"...Fine. But make it snappy." She pouted.

Jaime rushed down the hall, thankful to Nightwing for his intervention. He went into Kid Flash's room, and gasped. The room had gone from cheerful, to near Batman darkness in only a week. Bart had repainted the entire room black, though his normal furniture was still in place. He walked towards the bathroom, and felt something wet touch his sandaled feet. Due to the already dark carpet, he couldn't tell what was touching him.

"BART?!"