DEO, Washington DC

It had surprised Connor Hawke when Jefferson Pierce had phoned him out of the blue and told him to rendezvous with three other heroes outside the Department of Extranormal Operations. Entering the belly of the beast as it were, with just three others he didn't know about. The junior emerald archer needed to stay on his toes. The building was fairly non-descript, and there was no security apparent, but it existed. Thankfully, they had someone on the inside. Wendy Harris, the daughter of the Calculator was being held in there, and her father had managed to diminish how tightly she was held. Thawne saw no problem in that. A great oversight. Wendy was as much a computer genius as her father and of course had hacked into the security to make good her own escape. She wanted them to rescue two people in question. One of whom was someone Connor would happily lay down his life for. His niece, Lian Harper. He wasn't going to let her down, but he didn't know who Jefferson could possibly have got him to rendezvous with. All he knew was that they were coming from Gotham of all places. Connor had settled in Seattle since falling out with his old man, and he hadn't seen Oliver since Lian's resurrection. Awkward situation, but he was glad Roy's daughter was alive again, and thought maybe that would be a good basis for reconciliation with Ollie. Standing on a rooftop overlooking the DEO, Connor heard one footstep behind him and immediately notched and fired an arrow directly behind his body. "Whoever's there," he cautiously called out, "Come out, and put your hands where I can see 'em." He then realised that a hand was holding the arrow he had fired. A yellow-gloved hand. An attractive girl with green blue eyes and blonde hair walked out before him. "It's good to see you too, Connor," Speedy addressed her old comrade.

"Mia!" He rushed forward and gave the young girl a hug. Except she wasn't a young girl anymore. Last he had seen her she was about to turn eighteen. Now she was a woman. A woman with a sort of longing in her eyes for happiness. As if she'd just been ripped from the Garden of Eden for taking an apple. He cupped her head in his hands and looked into her eyes. "Mia, what's wrong?" that almost saintlike disposition Connor had was very endearing, "You seem different. More importantly, how are you alive? Roy, Lian and I held a funeral for you...you're legally dead." "Got outta' Titans Tower thanks to Ollie and Dinah," she shrugged, "and some quick-witted friends of theirs. It's a long story. I'll tell you all about when this is done. First, we've got to rescue Lian and Robbie." "You're all business now, aren't you?" he playfully asked as he walked away, "What happened to the high-spirited young lady I knew back in Star City? What happened to Speedy?" "Like I said," she replied, inhaling deeply, "I've changed. But more importantly, knowing what Thawne is and what he wants to do, I've had one thing on my mind since I came back and that's saving her from him."

"Mia, you're talking like you've been gone for years. It's only been two months. What happened to you? You know you can confide in me."

"I know that. I know I can trust you more than anyone I've ever known. You, Ollie, Dinah and Roy were there for me at the worst time in my life and made me the happiest I've ever been. Connor, I love you."

"I love you, too."

Connor was a little perturbed by what he was feeling right now. He did love Mia before but he didn't have feelings for her like this. She was different to the Mia he'd known. Still a strong, young woman with the strength to overcome any adversity, but now she'd been through even more adversity than what he'd just seen. He gulped a little and Mia put her hand on his cheek. "I always really loved you, Connor," she said, looking deeply into his eyes conveying a message, "Ever since then." She initiated a kiss, and Connor reluctantly reciprocated. Why was he doing this? Mia was younger than him. Except she wasn't. She was older and wiser than he'd ever seen her, and she'd always been the one having to grow up too fast. But this didn't feel wrong. This was not the Mia he had known. This was the Mia Dearden he was falling in love with.

"Ah-hem," a familiar voice coughed in the distance as another familiar one, female to the former's male, butted in. "Oh, leave them alone, Ollie. They're both adults and they missed each other." "Yeah," Green Arrow chuckled, "But it's normally you and I who do the PDAs on these adventures." Connor and Mia turned towards them and then backed away from one another. "Uh, awkward," Mia muttered, looking at her feet. "Don't feel ashamed," Dinah said as she walked up and gave Connor a massive hug, "He's gorgeous anyway. Bit like his old man. It's good to see you, Connor." "Dinah," he embraced his stepmother in turn, "I had a feeling if Jeff didn't want me to know who I was meeting it'd be you two. Dad…" Ollie walked up to Connor and outstretched his hand. Connor hesitated before shaking it and pulling his father in for a hug. "It's good to see you," the son told the prodigal father, "But I take it we've got work to do."

"Wendy's already disabled the security," Dinah answered, "We just need to get in and out as quickly as possible. More importantly we have someone Lian and Robbie need to see right away." A small flicker of flame on a cigarette was seen in the distance as John Constantine walked out. "This your boy, Ollie?" came the distinctly Liverpudlian accent, "Think we met before when he were Green Arrow. How you keeping?" "John Constantine?" Connor spoke bemusedly, "Dad, what on Earth could he have to do that will help us get Lian back." "No, that's not the point," Ollie responded, "He's a warlock and he and Zatanna are the only two people who know a certain spell. She's busy helping heal invalids in Gotham so we brought John instead." "Charming, mate," Constantine feigned injury. Ollie dismissed the occultist with a handwave. "Anyway, this spell makes someone immune to Thawne's life and death powers. He'll have no hold over Lian and Robbie when we rescue them so long as John here gives them a dose of his spellcasting." "Well then," Connor Hawke told his father as he joined Mia and Dinah at the edge of the rooftop, preparing to abseil in, "No time like the present!"

With her father asleep at his desk, Wendy Harris deactivated the bars on the cell doors for Lian Harper and Robbie Long. "What was that?" Robbie asked as Lian replied, "I dunno', but the bars are gone. I don't think my dad or your mom are here though." "Why?" he asked with concern. "Because last time I saw Dad he looked like he was," she bit her lip a little, not wanting to appear upset in front of Robbie, "Mad. Really mad. You see anything like that with your mom?" "No," he shook his head, putting a hand on Lian's right arm, "Just she didn't hug me goodbye before she went into space. She didn't even talk to me. Then we get brought here by Eddie. We can trust Eddie though, right? I mean he brought us back."

"No, you can't, son," Constantine answered as he walked in smoking a cigarette and rustled Lian's hair, "Good to see you again, love." "Hey, John," Lian smiled and hugged him. "Aw, a kid hugged me," the warlock wiped away a false tear, "A kid thinks I'm nice. My life really is turning around. Listen, you, demi-god boy…come here. I need to do something first before we go anywhere." Robbie reluctantly took Lian's hand as she nodded, telling him he could trust Constantine. Placing a hand on both of their heads, the occultist began chanting the spell Dream had taught him: "Banish the command of the false creator, banish the false lifegiver, and return these mortals to the embrace of the Endless, their true masters. Give these children back to the true masters of reality. By Oneiros and Thanatos, let their fates be once again written by Potmos!" In his office upstairs, Eddie Thawne jumped awake from his meditation on Amanda Waller's desk and screamed inhumanly like a banshee of old. He knew he had just been robbed. Robbed of lives that were once his subjects. But how? "That's not good," Constantine mumbled upon hearing the wail and grabbed both children by the hand, escorting them outside.

Kuttler awoke only for Wendy to hit her father in the face, knocking him out again. Amanda Waller mobilised her troops and had them arm themselves with machine guns in order to arrest or eliminate the intruders in the DEO. In the main entrance, as Wendy joined them, Mia saw Constantine arriving with the children and embraced Lian so warmly. "Did you miss me, kid?" Speedy nuzzled into the girl's neck. "Dad said you were dead, Aunt Mia," the child told her in shock. "Well, now I guess the two of us are even for scaring one another like that," she playfully tapped Lian's cheek with her right knuckle. Soldiers then surrounded the five of them as Constantine immediately reacted by firing a blast of hellfire at the first platoon. He dropped a spark on the ground to create a barrier giving them all a chance to flee. "Ollie," Mia shouted into her comms unit, "We need out quickly. Have you and Dinah gotten the Batwing ready outside?" During all this chaos, Thawne angrily began barking orders down the intercom. "Get me those children! Their lives are mine. I swear this as your Father. Kill the intruders but bring me the children alive so I may make them mine once more."

As they arrived at the doors, they found Amanda Waller with the guards already standing there. "Miss Harris," the older woman tutted, "Leaving us already?" "Get bent, Waller," Wendy scoffed, "I never asked to come here. Your men kidnapped me from Gotham when Barbara needed me. I have no interest in helping my dad." "We don't care about your interests," Waller responded, "What we care about is your loyalty. Now surrender the children immediately or be shot yourselves." "You're a real piece of work," Constantine said, squaring down Waller, "You remind me of Maggie." "Mrs Thatcher?" Waller smiled, "Why thank you." "Oh, blooming Yank doesn't get that's not a compliment," Constantine buried his head in his hands. "Oh, I know why a yob like you would hate her," the civil servant mocked the occultist, "But I admire formidable rule. I might not agree with someone's policies but might is right. It's a philosophy I should reject as a Christian but people need to be formidable."

"Bollocks to that, love. You're kidnapping kids for a religious nutjob who you know for a fact is the Reverse-Flash playing pretend and have a team led by a psychopath pretending to be a mate of mine. If you've any decency, Waller, you'll let us all leave. I have a feeling you don't."

"On the contrary, I find this whole thing with Thawne rather ugly. But he's my boss. And I'm a patriot, Mr Constantine."

"Patriotism. Always used to justify being an arsehole."

"It's so nice to be rebutted by someone so articulate and well-spoken."

"Ah, fuck off!"

"Kill Mr Constantine first."

Before anyone could a pull a trigger a trick arrow hit Waller in the shoulder, electrocuting her and spreading a gas which knocked out all of the soldiers. It was from Connor Hawke. "Cheers, mate," Constantine thanked the younger man, "Never imagined a cuss would have been my last words." "Really," Mia raised an eyebrow, "I could've." "I were raised better than that, love," the occultist joked, "Now quick, let's get out of here." They all headed for the Batwing and flew off with the children safely from DC. Thawne arrived at the entrance just after this and roused Waller. "You failed me, Amanda," the preacher towered over her as she got herself back up, "I don't tolerate failure!" He began using his power of life and death on Waller and caused her to writhe in agony. "You…can't…talk…" she struggled through the pain.

"What?" Thawne asked as he released her from his grip, "Speak up, woman!" "Your plan with Themyscira didn't succeed at all, you buffoon!" Waller spat back, regaining herself, "Now you've lost the two kids, and if the Sivana Project proves to be resistible, you've lost Troy and Harper from your League. Not to mention we've lost the League of Assassins and our sources say the Batman is back, and alive." "Do not lecture—" the villain began. "I'm not lecturing, Thawne, I'm advising," the civil servant reminded him, "You killed my deputy because you were in a bad mood. Take it from me, allowing your emotions to rule you will mean you lose your ability to rule others. You should know that by now."

Thawne was about to finish the job on Waller, when he sighed and just walked away. All she had just said was completely correct. He'd not been keeping his eye on the ball and now he'd lost a member of his Cabal. All he had left were Krona and Hurt, and one of those needed to be removed for his plans to succeed. He still had the grand assault, which seemed to be going smoothly, at least for now. But how could Diana have accessed the powers of Nemesis like that without divine intervention? The Olympians…they were up to something and he needed to find out. Meanwhile, Waller saw her phone ring. It was a number she hadn't expected to ever contact her again. Lex Luthor's.

The Phantom Zone

"Are they gone?" Chris Kent asked Thara Ak-Var and Mon-El as they observed his parents lead a large force of Kryptonians out of the Phantom Zone. "Just a minute," she held up her hand for a minute before it suddenly descended, "Now!" The two Kryptonians and the Daxamite flew towards the portal, with Chris carrying Lex Luthor and holding him tightly to his chest. "Are you sure this will work?" Lex asked. "We have to hope," Chris told him. Arriving outside the portal, Mon-El stopped them. "I cannot go any further," he sadly informed the trio. "Mon, Lex can cure you," Chris reassured him, "Make you healthy again. You can have a life here." "No, I can't," Lex replied, "His disease is too far gone. I checked his bloods this morning. He'll have to wait many more centuries to heal from the lead poisoning. I'm sorry." "Thank you, Luthor for such candid honesty," Mon-El tried not seem shocked at the villain's apparent sympathy, "Though I doubt you truly care. One less superhuman for you to worry about when you return home. I suppose this is goodbye. Thara, Chris, it has been an honour. Lex, if Thawne truly believes you can defeat him, then you need to go right away. Stop him. Save the world."

Thara and Chris embraced Mon with Lex caught in the middle since he was being held by Chris. As the three of them went to head out while Lex grumbled, a scraggly blonde-haired man in a trench coat appeared before them. "No further, Luthor," Thawne announced to the arch-criminal, "I should have expected Zod would fail me in keeping you under wraps. Trusted his sentimental son far too much. I'm afraid I can't allow either of you to return to Earth either...the only Kryptonians I need around are blunt instruments like the good general and his jackbooted underlings. I have such plans for his magnificent mind. Once you are enslaved, Lexie boy, I'll use you to develop weapons…weapons which will total all who defy me. You're a man who's dedicated his life to killing Kryptonians. My forces could do with an arsenal like that for other purposes." "Why not just kill us if you hate our species?" Thara asked. "Oh, well, that's simple Miss Ak-Var," Thawne replied, "I actually quite like both of you. You're both spunky youngsters in love and they always make for good idealistic followers trying to forge a better world. You can leave if you join my cause. I have a Kryptonian who's a bit of a loose cannon on my Justice League at the moment, you see. I'd much prefer if he weren't around and I have no intention of your father surviving this battle, Chris. I'll need someone as powerful as you two at my side. A Superman and Superwoman to replace him wouldn't go amiss." "We leave with Lex or not at all," Chris told the preacher, laying Lex down on a rock nearby.

"Christopher, please. There is no good reason you cannot live a happy, peaceful life with your mom and dad and Thara. Your real mom and dad. Clark and Lois. They're going to have twins soon. Believe me, wouldn't the world be a better place with the two of you as heroes, resisting the way your father has tried to raise you. Please, Lor, consider what I am trying to say. You can have that happy family again. Your parents and grandmother are safe in Metropolis waiting for you. Pledge your allegiance to me and give me Lex Luthor. That's all I ask in return for you living happily ever after."

Chris paused for a moment. Safe passage back to his family, and he didn't need to keep an evil man like Lex by his side. Then he thought of his dad. Of Clark Kent. Kal-El. "No," he shouted back in defiance, "Superman wouldn't give in to you, so why should I?" Thawne paused for a moment confusedly then started chortling like a hyena. "Oh, that's brilliant," he could barely contain himself, "You still believe Superman is something more than a symbol. Superman is like a supermodel. We see them at their best, this perfect vision of excellency. Airbrushed so the cracks in their foundation aren't as obvious. But at the end of the day, still a mere mortal like the rest of us, with the weaknesses of a mortal. I'm going to show you something. Come here." Chris reluctantly allowed Thawne to place his fingers on his temples. Suddenly, he saw a flash of memory of Clark surrendering his powers to Thawne. "No! That's not real!" he screamed in disbelief at the sight, "No way! Clark would never do that." Thawne squared up to the taller, young man. "Yes way, Chris," he malevolently whispered, nodding in a patronising manner, never breaking eye contact, "He did. Superman is just a symbol like I said. I replaced him with a brat no one can stand and the public can't tell the difference. They see him with those blue tights on and the big 'S' on his chest and they think he's a hero. They don't know how many millions the man posing as Superman has murdered. I could put Lex here in tights and they'd still fall for it. If Clark Kent doesn't believe in Superman though Chris, then why should you?"

Chris was devastated by the revelation. Lex didn't know what to say. As much as he didn't like Thawne and wanted to escape back to Earth and not be imprisoned, he felt vindicated by the implication that Superman had failed. That he was nothing more than a joke. Lex quietly smirked to himself while his saviour despaired. Thara held her boyfriend's hand as he just closed his eyes. "No," Mon-El spoke up from behind them, "Superman is a symbol, but he's more than that. He's the best all of us can strive to be. Kal-El is the kindest creature I have known in all my years. He is everything you and your puppet are not. You may have broken him, but you can't break the idea of Superman. The idea that others have striven towards be they with good intentions, as I and so many others have, or ill, as Luthor here has. You may have broken Clark but you can never destroy Superman. Superman is eternal. Superman is an idea that will allow us to break our way out of the darkness and into the light. You may think yourself powerful, Mr Thawne, but even if you were the most powerful being in the universe, the idea of Superman will always be more powerful, since it lives in the hearts of all who do good. All who long to be the best they can be. You are an insect compared to that. And even if you kill us and every one of our friends on Earth, you will never defeat the idea that is Superman."

"Very poetic," Thawne responded provocatively, "A very 'leaden' approach to my more flexible way of thinking on your part, Mon-El." Thawne's eyes rolled back in his head and he glowed a white light as Mon's blood started boiling. Chris and Thara rushed over to him. "The lead," he struggled, "It's intensifying. Poisoning my...How can he do this?" "Still think I'm less powerful than Superman now?" their aggressor chuckled, not remaining mindful of his surroundings. As he laughed to himself, Lex stood up and punched the idiot in the face, knocking him out cold and saving Mon. "Can't believe he's never had that happen before," Lex perplexedly laughed as he motioned to Chris and Thara to come with him, "His Phantom Zone Projector isn't here so someone else must be operating it right now. We need to get out right away before they decide to close it." Chris then picked Lex up but Thara turned to Mon before she joined them. "Goodbye, Mon," the Kandorian told him, "It's been an honour fighting with you." "Thank you, Thara," he spluttered as he coughed up some blood, "I must retire now. Get away from this place before I draw attention to myself. But first promise me when you get back to Earth that you will find Jamie Harper. Please…"

"I promise."

Brainiac's Skull Ship

Groggily, Carter Hall regained his consciousness slightly and saw that he was in some kind of tube with translucent, green fluid. Naked, with a beard. And his outfit and mace were sitting on a chair not far from him. Except the guy working at a computer right in front of him, seemed to be him. "Hello?" he queried hesitantly as the man turned around and looked him in the eye. His mask was indeed the same as were his wings. But there was a reluctant arrogance about him that made Carter instantly realise he was a Thanagarian. The man took his helmet off and Carter could see that despite his hair colour being different he looked a lot like he had when he was younger. Another life. "Hello, Carter," the younger man nodded, "I've been meaning to make your acquaintance for quite a while now. My name is…"

"Katar Hol. Yeah, I've heard of you. When I was dead for a while you were Hawkman. Your alien wife was Hawkwoman. I met her. Shayera. Nice girl. Shame what happened to her."

"Indeed. I miss her terribly. Which is why I appear to be on the opposite side of the barricades to yourself, Mr Hall. From what I have heard however, we are both the same man. Therefore, it must be irrelevant."

"When I died first, I was reborn as you. But when you died, I was reborn. The existence of your wife, Shayera, was the main reason Kendra never had Shiera's memories, even if she had her soul. There was already an alien reincarnation from Thanagar. Even with her death Kendra never remembered who she was. I was too hard on her. She was her own girl. And I loved Shiera, not her. I've been selfish."

"Well, I have been working on your memories here. They are fascinating. You have lived so many lives none of which I can remember. Perhaps, the fact you never truly died prevented me from remembering them."

"Maybe. How should I know? Where are Starfire and the others?"

"Not my responsibility, of which I currently have many. I'm a father you know."

"So was I, once. Kind of hoped I could be again one day. Seems less and less likely every day."

"Yes, well I had no idea my child even existed. Born after I died. Katar Hol II. Shayera never raised him, because some political factions have had ambitions for him to become an Emperor of some kind. Now they know I'm alive, he's been demoted to Crown Prince. You are looking at the Emperor of Thanagar."

"Ha! Finally. Our first life was an Egyptian prince. All we ever strove to be was a ruler. And you've succeeded."

"I don't want to be a ruler, Carter. In my life I was at my happiest on Earth with Shayera. Gone from all the trappings of Thanagar and its complexities. But if it means my wife gets to live again and we get to raise our son with dignity, I'll do anything."

"I used to think like you. Was obsessed with my love for Shiera. Made me treat a young girl like dirt and forget what it means to be a hero."

"I was never a hero. I was a policeman. The people of your world adopted me as Hawkman in your memory. And that was a long time ago. I'm no one now, Carter. I'm just a puppet king for Mr Thawne. He actually likes me more than the others, because I'm the most trustworthy. I disagree with him but he knows I'm hamstrung."

"You still haven't told me why you're really keeping me here?"

"Isn't it obvious. We're going to brainwash you when the Sivana Project gets a new worm. While I'm Emperor of Thanagar, you will be the Hawkman for Eddie's Justice League. But first we're experimenting with cloning through memory. Thawne and Brainiac are fascinated by your past lives. They want to create a clone of someone from your memories of them. Then that person can have their memories altered and be a perfect soldier for Thawne's army."

"But I thought you said Thawne had powers of resurrection anyway? Why not just alter their minds from the off?"

"His powers are…taxing. He seems less and less stable with each growing day. I think the Entity is fighting him for control. We're working on one clone right now from your recent memories. It's extraordinary. She'll be just like she was before her death, memory, soul, everything, even beyond your own knowledge of her."

"She?"

"Yes, come and see this," Katar said as he moved over to a cryogenic vat containing the same green liquid. Carter could only hope. "We figured it would be someone you believed in and loved," Katar spoke slowly and with care, "They seemed to be weighing on your recent memory more than any other." There was a distinctly feminine form within the tube. A dark-skinned, beautiful brown-haired woman. Her hair was cut short and Carter's heart sank only slightly at seeing her hair colour. It wasn't long and red as Shiera's had been. This woman was Kendra. Her gorgeous grandniece. Hawkgirl. The girl he had let down. "Kendra," he whispered softly feeling a tear drop even though he was submerged in liquid. "Yes, Kendra Saunders," Katar perfunctorily admitted, "Should make a good partner for you on the new team once you're conditioned, he says." As Katar looked at how saddened his human counterpart and past life seemed, he shed a little tear himself, but moved on knowing Brainiac would want him to keep working. He had to, if he wanted Shayera back.

Gotham

"So, you're a mom?" Kara asked Stephanie as they walked through the snow which had descended on the city since the arrival of the Legends. "And you're alive," Steph replied, "Suits you." "Being a mom suits you," Kara laughed. "I gave her up because I know that's not true," Steph frowned. "Well, that's not the case from where I'm standing," Supergirl put her arm around her friend's shoulder, "That girl adores you, Leslie and Tim. Sees you all as her family now even after everything. She's tough like her old lady. And those teenagers who helped out here. The Rows? She seems to really like them too." Steph smiled and hugged her friend properly, delighted her grief for Kara had been assuaged by her return. "Oh, I wish I could have been there Kara," Batgirl cried, "Could have helped save you guys." "There's nothing you could have done," Kara held her cheek, drying away a tear, That day was a dark one for all of us, Steph." "But I wish I could have been there for my friends," Steph sighed, "I'm stuck in Gotham, with the rest of them barely trusting me."

"Steph, Dick respects you like all hell. They all do. You've come a long way. How they see it is you, Jason and Cass are all saints for saving Tim's butt. He was nearly a goner."

"Okay, you've got a point. It's just, I'm Batgirl now. I never got a chance to have what Tim had with Young Justice or the Titans. I mean you're my only friend who's a hero and not in the Bat Clan. Now it looks like I won't get a chance to make others."

"I dunno'. Mia and Cissie seem to like you."

"Yeah, but it's not the same. I kind of feel like a middle child in all this. I may be Tim's girlfriend, but for them Cass was Batgirl. I was just Tim's girl next door back in Gotham who everyone this side of Seattle knew wasn't respected by the Batman."

"Well, maybe that's it. Like you said, get out of their shadow. I'd be honoured to be on a team with you, Stephanie Brown, when this is all over."

"When this is all over? Kara, we're all probably going to be dead or one of Thawne's meta slaves when this is all over."

"Thinking that I'm going to die has been happening to me a lot recently. And I'm still here. Slade nearly killed me, now look. I'm still standing. I'm a lot worse for wear but I got back up again. Same goes for all those situations the Legends dragged us into. Never thought I'd get back here."

Kara started crying a little. "Hey," it was now Steph's turn to dry her friend's tears, "What's wrong?" "Oh, it's nothing just," Supergirl struggled through the melancholy, "Just all those people. We lived in that village for a whole year, Steph." "Yeah," Batgirl nodded kindly, "Bruce mentioned something about that." "They're all dead," Kara closed her eyes, "Kalibak and Granny just killed them all. I was only getting to know this place as home when I was swept away by the Legends, then I found a home at the World of Tomorrow. Now that's dead too. First Krypton, now there…I can't stand to lose any more people I care about, Steph. My mom and dad aren't that long dead for Rao's sake. And Thara, my best friend from back home. And now I'm not even Supergirl anymore and Lana and Kal probably think I'm dead. I just feel so…"

"Sad?"

"No, mad. Mad and sad. But...I just feel so sick of it all, sick of the universe dealing me these hands. I'm tired of losing people, Steph. And places. I want to have a home and I want to be Supergirl again."

"Hey, listen. You are Supergirl. I don't care if you haven't got your powers anymore, you'lI always be super to me. Listen, if you want to blow off some steam, I find sparring pretty therapeutic."

"Why am I not surprised by the girl who first met her boyfriend with a brick to the face thinks that?"

"Ah, shut up. Anyway, since you don't have your powers anymore, we can actually do that. Come on, you and me."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you're never going to learn to fight properly now you're a mere mortal like me without some guidance. Come on, one hour with me. Here and now."

"You're completely mad, Steph."

"Ah, that's why you love me," Steph squared up to Kara like a boxer in the ring, "Now come on." And so, the two began sparring, with Bruce looking down on them from a balcony and smiling. Sitting on a chair behind him in the apartment was Jason Todd playing with the Red Hood mask. Bruce turned around and moved towards his prodigal son. "It is good to have you home, Jason," he sincerely informed the man. "Thanks," Jason avoided eye contact, "I'm sorry for…everything." "Don't be," Bruce said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You're learning like any young person does. And you don't have to be a carbon copy of me to be a good man. Dick thought that a long time ago. I lost sight of that with Tim." "Yeah, and look what that did," Jason said, looking at his reflection in the helmet. "I'm sorry about Sasha," Bruce conveyed his sympathy earnestly. "It's okay," Jason responded, still not looking him in the eye, "She's with her old man now. Not running around with me trying to prove something. I just hope that little girl of Steph's appreciates what we…what I lost for her to live."

"You loved her like your own child, didn't you, Jason?"

"She was like an annoying kid sister. But she was loyal. And we were pretty inseparable. But now…now I get how you felt."

"What do you mean?"

"When I died. You lost your young ward to a random act of violence you couldn't control. Scarlet was my Robin. And she died at the hands of a maniac. That's the second time Dent has taken something from me. First my dad, now her."

"Are you going to seek him out?"

"Maybe. I don't think I'll kill him though. Despite it all, I get where you're coming from. I feel sorry for Dent. He was a good man whose mind was twisted beyond all belief."

"So was the Joker."

"Are you sure about that? For all you know he was some sick Mafia hitman before he became the clown."

"No, I'm not sure. But it helps me sleep at night knowing I haven't killed him to think that."

"So, is that how you do it? You fight the urge to kill…by empathising with people you probably should kill?"

"To put it bluntly, Jason, yes. There are other reasons I don't kill, but that is a mechanism I use to justify it to myself in the moment. It's easier with someone like Dent or Crane, where I know all about who they once were and how their lives turned them into those things. But for all I know with the Joker, he could have been born evil. Maybe he's not even human. But then one day, he gave me some spiel about one bad day driving him insane. That was when he hurt Barbara. I have to believe he was telling the truth. Otherwise…the latter theory might be true."

"Huh. I never really thought I could understand you not killing anyone. I've developed some theories of my own over the years but, this is heavy. I'm sorry again for everything I did."

"No, I'm sorry. I should have extended an olive branch when I found out you were alive. I was just too self-righteous to see past that. Treating you kids like you should be perfect. I should have learned that lesson after Stephanie and the War Games. I didn't and that meant I lost you again, Jason. I've been focusing too much on your actions, and not on the terror that's been inflicted on you. I should know more than anyone what it's like to feel trauma. And what that trauma can make you do. It can make lots of people do the most bizarre and crazy things. Turn them into another person entirely. I guess empathy is required in these situations more than condemnation. Your killings were just an act of weakness on your part...a cry for help. I guess, you're not all Barbara…"

"Exactly, Bruce. We're not all Barbara. You saw her overcome tragedy like a champ and expected the rest of us to have her fortitude. Well, we don't alright. Not everyone is as brave as you or her. Not everyone can just move on all of a sudden. I don't know if I'll ever be sorry for the people I've killed...but the hurt I inflicted on you and Dick and Tim...I hope for that you can forgive me.

"Only if you can forgive me," Bruce responded. They hugged then for a long time with Jason crying into his father's shoulders. It lasted a good five minutes until Jason asked, "Can I really be a part of the family again?" "Jason," Bruce said, pushing the crying young man away to look him in the eye, "You will always be part of our family. And there will always be a room for you at our home and a place at our table. You're my son as much as Dick, Tim or Damian is. And all of them have accepted you now. Well, maybe not Damian, but he doesn't warm to people easily. I still think the only one of us he really likes is Dick. Maybe Steph. Even then I'm not entirely sure. But you remained a part of the family, even when you didn't want to be." The hug continued then.

The apartment they were in was one Bruce had built near Crime Alley as a potential safehouse to lay low in for any member of the family. It was triple-locked and password protected. Inside was a lot of memorabilia. Including many Wayne family photos. Helena Kyle was looking at a portrait of her grandparents for the first time. Apart from the eyes, her resemblance to her grandmother was striking. More so than Bruce or her sisters and nieces even, whose photos were littered around the dining room. Helena was drinking a hot mug of cocoa Alfred had made for her earlier. She sat alone in the dining room. Alfred was going to check on Tim and Damian who were still on antibiotics and sleeping off their injuries. Dick was busy helping civilians back to their homes and assisting what was left of the Sons of Batman. Bruce and Jason were having a heart to heart, while Steph was chilling with Kara. That seemed like everyone right? Yeah, Helena didn't have to worry about anyone else being alone in the room with her.

"Hello, Helena," Barbara Gordon said and the girl panicked spilling hot chocolate over her outfit. "Dammit," she said before turning around and recognising Barbara, "Oh, sorry, gotta' go. Think I hear my mom at the window." "Sit," Barbara insisted, pulling a chair in front of her. Helena reluctantly sat down, cowed into obedience by the presence that was Oracle, who always had an uncanny ability of making people in the family do what she said. Except Bruce. And he usually made a mistake not doing what she said. "So, um, how are you?" Helena asked, avoiding eye contact with Barbara. "This can't go on forever, Helena," Barbara rubbed a hand over her brow, "I've been in this family a lot longer than you have, and if you want to be a part of it you can't avoid me." "I'm not," the Huntress lied. "Yes, you are," Barbara pointedly replied, "And I know why."

"You do?"

"Bruce told me everything. About who you are and…when you come from."

"So, he told you about…what happened to you."

"Everything. But that's not going to happen now, is it? Everyone from your time who was meant to die the other night didn't. And Tim…Tim isn't who Bruce said he was."

"Yeah. But you have to see Barbara this is…awkward for me. You raised me. You and Damian were basically like my mom and dad in that world. And you and Damian here…you're like completely different people. You're a lot less, but he seems a lot more, harsh. I saw you die Barbara. Horribly. I don't want to build any kind of relationship with someone after seeing something like that happen."

"I understand. But you're not the only here who's been avoiding someone. It's hard for me to think about you, Helena, let alone look at you. Not because you're from some alternate future where I die. You have the same name, both secret and real, of my best friend who died not that long ago. Helena Bertinelli. It's hard for me to cope with that. You're kind of a reminder that she's not here anymore for me, just as I am for you."

"You…I mean my Barbara…she loved how I was called Helena. I wouldn't be the Huntress if it weren't for the way she used to go on and on about how great Helena Bertinelli was. I am the Huntress in honour of your wishes. I would have been Nightwing if you had asked me. If that would have helped you in your grief. I loved you that much, Barbara. And I'm sorry if you don't love me back."

"Wait, Helena, don't leave…I'm sorry. I'm being selfish. I can see why you find it hard to talk to me. But I want to have some sort of relationship with you. You're part of the family now. I know I can never be your Barbara, but…I can still be there for you. Let's just take this one day at a time, alright?"

"Okay," Helena sniffled as she gave Barbara a bear hug. The atmosphere between the two sisters-in-law was a lot more relaxed thanks to that. Later that day, Tim Drake was heading outside on crutches with his friends Conner, Cassie and Bart to give him physical and moral support. "So, you heard everything we said?" Conner asked finally. "Yep," his best friend smirked, "Every word." "Damn," Conner blushed. "Don't worry," Red Robin laughed, "I found it really sweet. And I'm not going to tell anyone anything you guys don't want to hear about." "How are you in your mind though?" Cassie asked him, wondering how he seemed to have made such a miraculous recovery, physically as well as mentally. "Never better," he told her, "Haven't felt this happy since I was with you guys on Young Justice. Which feels like such a long time ago." "It is a long time ago," Bart mused, "Especially for us."

"Were you all really living in some hippie commune led by Old Man Kal-El for a whole year?"

"Pretty much," Conner answered, "It was really nice there. Till they came." "Who?" Tim queried. "The New Gods," Cassie replied. "But they're all dead?" her friend rebutted in disbelief. "Since when has that stopped anyone we know," Bart replied. "Touché," Tim noted, "Are you all okay?" "Not really," Cassie said, "A lot of people died who we'd known for a year. A lot. All of them really. Everyone except the Legends. That is, except Steel and Ray." She held a USB device in her hands. "I'm going to have to give this to Natasha as soon as possible. She doesn't even know where Steel is, let alone whether he's alive or dead. He's her uncle. Oh, this is all kinds of messed up."

Cassie sat down on a porch covered in snow and Tim sat beside her. "Talk to me, Cass," he said, registering things were being withheld from him, "There's more to this than just all these people dying, isn't there?" "Just that we haven't stopped Thawne yet and people are still dying, Tim," she threw her hands out in exasperation, "That whole expedition was pointless. We haven't changed anything." "Not true," Tim rebutted, "You stopped us all getting killed by Ra's and the League." "You more or less did that yourselves," Bart interrupted, "Only thing we really changed is saving those kids at the pier." "Which includes young Debbie," Tim pointedly reminded his friend, "Steph and I can't thank you enough for that." "Yeah, but Tim the point of the mission wasn't to save you guys at this point in time," Cassie continued, "It was to stop Thawne altogether. Make a change. Turn history on its head. But we screwed up. We only started the past as it was and then we ended up trapped in a dark future which only served as a reminder of our failure. And people died. Five of our team died, Tim. I know that's less than half but they were all five people we'd grown to care for in our time aboard. I don't know anymore…" Conner moved to comfort her, but Tim put an arm around her instead. Bart put a hand on his friend's chest as if to say he should let her have a chance to reconnect with Tim, who always understood the burdens of leadership better.

"That's okay, Cassie. I understand. I think we all know a lot about losing people here. But knowing you three are all alive is great, you know that. To tell you the truth, I was broken before the Joker got his hands on me. I didn't have anything to live for except the mission. And I went to fight Ra's knowing we couldn't win. Knowing Thawne would beat us. Look at how wrong I was. Things aren't perfect but they've improved a hell of a lot. And you guys still have friends and family. People who think you're dead like I did. You should probably all be out looking for them instead of fussing over me."

Cassie gave Tim a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. "I really missed you," she spoke into his ear, "You know that?" "We all did," Bart said as he went in with Conner for a group hug. "And we don't just mean that from when we were in time," Kon added. "He's right," Cassie added, "You haven't been yourself, Tim. No more then me or Bart you hadn't been since before Kon died. We miss this you…the you we fought beside years ago. The boy I am proud to call my brother." "So are we," Conner and Bart said in unison as the hug tightened. "Alright, you guys, I'm not dying," Tim laughed, struggling to leave, "There's no need for the love in." "This is for our sake not yours, buddy," Bart continued as he squeezed even harder. Friends really do make life's journey sweeter. As Cassie withdrew from the hug and opened her eyes Tim laughed a little and smiled. She flinched slightly upon seeing him smile so widely and withdrew eye contact suddenly. "What's wrong?" he asked. She snapped back to reality, realising what she had done. "Oh…nothing," she lied.

Daxam

No! It can't be! Not his home! His home couldn't be gone! He was Ion! He could have stopped this. Could have destroyed whatever monster did this. Sodam Yat was the last son of Daxam. And he was full of anger. Anger and willpower. He had the embodiment of willpower living within his body. Ion! His family gone. His world gone. Everything about his life except the Corps gone. A voice then echoed in his mind. Ion's voice. THEY ARE HEADING FOR OA, SODAM. FOLLOW THEM. STOP THEM. SAVE YOUR SECOND HOME. And so, he flew through the skies, flew in the direction of Oa. Nothing could save the Galactic Council and their troops from the fury of Sodam Yat twinned with…the power of Ion!