" I was working for Queen Bee." Tuppence began. As she talked she wiped down the counters and the cups. Needing to keep herself busy. " I have taken odd jobs ever since I became a supervillain. robbin banks with my brother. The only reason we started that was because we was po."

Flashback:

"yeah, we got this cash sis." Tommy cheered as he dumped their stolen money all over the floor.

"Yeah, we sure did. What we goin do?" she asked.

"we goin buy what we want and eat what we want. this will last us a few months but we goin get mo."

"mo? Why? Don't we have enough?"

Her brother shook his head and looked at her.

"cause we can't live like this anymore sis!" he gestured to the room they were in. They were living off and on with their mother. A two-bedroom shack, with leaky ceilings and rats running about.

Before she could say anything, their bedroom door opened, and in walked their mother. The uniform she wore to the diner, was covered in grease stains and patched holes.

"Tommy! Adeline! What are yall-"

Their mother stopped as she saw the cash on the floor.

"no. not this again. not this again. Are you serious! Did y'all rob a bank!"

"it don't matter what we did. It's ours." Tommy argued.

Their mother was quick to slap Tommy without remorse.

"It matters when it's under my roof! I can't believe you all! Stealing and robbing banks! You two have been in and out of juvie twenty times this year! I won't have this anymore! All acting just like your father!"

"at least he brought food to the table!" Tommy yelled. " unlike you! You worthless bi-"

Another slap cut Tommy off.

Tommy hissed as he looked at his mother.

"I won't be disrespected in my house. Get! out!"

"with pleasure! I hope ya die!" Tommy yelled as he gathered the money off the floor and grabbed Adeline's hand. "come one addy."

" she ain't goin' nowhere wit you!" their mother yelled.

"and she ain't stayin' wit you either!" Tommy yelled back. This time he stood to his full height, hovering over their mother daring her to say something else.

With that said Adeline allowed herself to be dragged out of the house by her brother.

End flashback

"From that day on, it was Tommy and I against the world. We went by the nickname the Terror Twins. We robbed banks, destroyed buildings, and just caused utter terror. Eventually, we got hired as mercenaries by the light. We were in and out of Belle Reve all the time. Queen Bee took me under her wing. I participated in some dark and dangerous things under Queen Bee but.. then we started kidnapping kids and teenagers and experimenting on them. These helpless children are being tortured and changed against their will. They were being thrown into auctions and sold. Human trafficking before my eyes. That was the final straw for me. My brother was busy workin' with sportsmaster at the time. and I just needed out. I was living in Bialya as Queen Bee's bodyguard and enforcer when I made up my mind. I had to leave. I snuck out in the middle of the night and faked my death. Made a bomb go off near Queen Bee's palace. Word spread fast about my death. But I never looked back. Conner found me running the sewers when he was helping a friend. We've been together ever since."

Tuppence sighed and looked at Cassie.

"I know I caused lots of trouble for your people Cassie. But I have changed, I am not the same person I was all those years ago. I have a loving husband and an awesome family. I refuse to go back to that life and Tuppence terror no longer exists. Adeline Axson is who I am when I am with my family. When we go on missions or when we are at the refuge I am known as platinum. This is my life."

Cassie took a deep breath and then looked at Tuppence.

" I believe in second chances. I've seen it before. But I've also seen many betrayals. I just hope you won't turn your back on the people that care for you."

"you can be sure I won't darlin."

" well alright then." Conner began. " Cassie, do you feel safe coming to our home?"

"I do. But I have to ask what happened to you? you don't look the same. I thought you couldn't age?" she questioned.

"let's head out and I'll tell you," he explained.

Conner shut the refuge down and led the women to the back door where Sphere awaited. The refuge would currently be held in Hawaii until they were ready to move and open again.

Once they were flying through the air, conner spoke.

"I tried to turn in my resignation to the team but Nightwing and Aquald didn't want to hear me. they asked they I do a few more missions and see how I feel. But my mind was already made up. I wanted a life outside the team. An identity for myself. Everyone had lives and families and things to do outside the league and the team. I didn't have that. I didn't have an identity outside of Conner Kent you know. I mean Superman saw me as his brother and I got to meet his parents but that was it. I lived in Mount Justice by myself most of the time. anyway, I resigned from the team and went on the hunt to find some help. I couldn't live in a sixteen-year-old body forever while my mind was at the time twenty years old. anyway, once I left the team I broke into Cadmus and took my file. I needed to understand how I was created. DNA was taken from Lex Luthor, superman, and an unknown woman."

"wait, you have three genetic donors?" Cassie questioned

"yes. It seems I am the only one of my kind. Match was made with two genetic donors but the DNA didn't set right causing him to go insane for a while. I wanted to set him free but his mind needed to be stable first. So, with all this new information and with the help from the genomorphs I broke into Lex Luthor's office. I needed the truth. It turns out that Lex Luthor is my uncle, not my second genetic donor. My first genetic donor is Lex Luthor's younger brother Julian Luthor. Lex stole his brother's DNA and mixed it with Superman and an unknown female. I sought out Julian and asked for his help. Once we took a DNA test to confirm we were related, he took me in. I was lost in a way. having a brother in Superman was one thing but in Julian, I gained a father. The father I truly needed. He set me up with a scientist who was willing to help me with a cryo chamber. I was in it for a year. It aged me physically a few years but I still age slower than the average human. Im just glad to look like an adult."

"that's… a lot to take in conner. I mean wow… lex Luthor is your uncle, and his brother is your father. does that make you feel weird?"

"Surprisingly no. im grateful. I finally have a father. oh, and I have an aunt! And a grandfather! It's weird because they are nothing like Lex at all. I don't communicate with him, I don't know if I can truly trust him. but the rest of the family is awesome. We have dinner with them every Sunday! We pick up Adeline's mom and we all get together."

"that must be nice," Cassie said with a tinge of sadness.

"Hey, it will be alright. cassie. Things will get better. Oh! Look were here!" Conner pointed out.

Cassie followed his gesture and gasped.

There before her was a giant castle. It was huge!

"you live in a castle!" Cassie exclaimed.

Conner laughed.

"it was my grandfather's idea. He said you can't be a Luthor and not live like it. we came up with the blueprints together. Twenty-five bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, two giant kitchens, an Olympic-sized pool, three different kinds of training grounds. A grotto, a tennis court, a basketball court, an arcade, a movie theater, a gym, a boxing gym, three zeta tubes, a laboratory, a karate dojo, a library, A dining hall, and then thiers my garage where I fix motorcycles on the side, and I think that's about it."

"Don't forget the Armory handsome." Tuppence smiled.

"oh yeah, the armory. We always have a lot of weapons on hand. and a strong shield that keeps us protected and keeps out any enemies."

"Woah! That's amazing. And it seems pretty huge! Why so big?"

"Well, with all the kids Addy and I have, we like to give them space and have room anymore. We're a pretty big family but even we get annoyed with each other sometimes."

"wow, I just can't believe this. So what do you all do when you're not running the refuge?" Cassie asked as they landed.

"Well, Matt, Terry, and Ace go to school and work at the refuge part-time. Waylon, Raven, and Korri work full-time at the refuge and occasionally the family will take some undercover escort missions or take on bounty hunter work. It brings in another stream of revenue and we keep busy."

"once again, this is amazing. So where exactly are we?" Cassie asked.

"Norway. This is our private island."

"Now Cassie darlin. You just make yourself at home. I'm gonna go upstairs and change and then im gonna get started on dinner. You can relax in the living room, or take a nap in your room if ya want." Adeline told her as she slipped off her shoes.

" A nap sounds great. Wait my room?"

"yes, mam. You are staying with us for the weekend. Of course, ya get your own room. come with me."