Rewriting this has been a challenge for me in some areas. I thought about going and cleaning up everything chapter by chapter and not make major changes, but I feel like I have to do more. Looking at all the entries over the years is daunting. My editing might end up being nonlinear just so I don't give me a headache. I will admit doing this gives me the opportunity to do more with canon characters that were otherwise glanced over in the original. And in the end I'm okay with that.

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Warrior of Change: Chapter 2

Hudson set his empty plate aside as Liz wrapped up the chapter she was reading. "I think we can stop for now. You did well."

Liz put the book down. "Does it count if I have it memorized from the times you've read it to me?"

"Cheeky lass," Hudson said fondly. "Perhaps I should find the old phone book for you to practice on."

Bronx lifted his head and looked at the door. He let out a growl.

Hudson and Liz turned to the door.

"What's wrong, Bronx?" she asked.

"There is someone outside," Hudson said quietly.

Liz went over and heard shuffling on the other side. She opened the door. There was a man bending over a duffle bag.

"What are you doing?" Liz asked.

The man looked up at her, panicked. He grabbed the open paint can Liz hadn't noticed and threw the contents at her. Liz turned away with a yell as paint splashed on her. She spun back around and threw a punch at his face. The man staggered back.

Bronx and Hudson roared and came charging. Bronx slammed the man into the ground, knocking him out. Hudson had his sword drawn and pulled Liz close to protect her. He felt something wet on his hand.

"What is this?" he asked, pulling back his hand.

"Paint! I'm covered in it!" Liz inspected herself. She had paint down her side, back, and legs.

The rest of the clan came running.

"What happened?" demanded Brooklyn.

"We were attacked," Hudson replied gravely, looking in the general direction of the downed man.

Bronx was standing with his paws on top of the man, looking very proud.

"Good boy, Bronx," Broadway praised.

Lexington started going through the duffle bag.

"Are you okay?" Angela asked Liz.

"Yeah, but my clothes are ruined," Liz said. She ran her fingers through her hair. "Great. It's in my hair, too."

Brooklyn turned to Lexington. "What do you got, Lex?"

"Looks like this guy was going use the paint to set a fire," Lexington replied.

Liz took another look at their attacker. "Hey, I've seen this guy before. He's from the Midtown settlement."

"What's he doing here?" Angela wondered aloud.

Brooklyn picked the man up and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "We'll find out. Liz, head to the baths and get cleaned up."

Liz nodded and went to wash the paint off.

The baths weren't much more than large washtubs separated by curtains. Liz began heating water for her bath and checked the state of her clothes. She wouldn't be able to get the paint out of them. The shirt was a loss, but she could possibly salvage the jeans. She pulled her hair of her shoulder and tried wiping the paint out but only made it worse.

"Great," Liz grumbled.

She took her bath and then wrapped herself in a towel before tackling her hair. She leaned over the side of the tub and scrubbed at it with soap. The paint refused to come out no matter how many times she tried. Liz huffed a sigh and sat back on her heels.

"Having trouble, lass?"

Liz startled at Hudson's voice. He was standing behind her with a set of clean clothes.

"I thought you may need these," he said, gesturing with the clothes.

"Thanks," said Liz, taking them from him. "I can't get the paint out of my hair. Guess I'm getting a haircut."

Hudson hummed. "Sit down," he said, drawing his sword.

Liz eyed the sharp blade nervously. "Uh, Hudson? I love you, but I'm not sure if this is a good idea."

"I can see enough to do this. Just stay still and keep your chin up," Hudson told her.

Hudson sat on the floor with Liz between his legs. He ran his fingers through her hair, finding the paint covered strands. He pulled a piece straight and carefully sliced it off. It fell to the floor and was soon joined by more pieces of hair. After a half hour, he made sure he cut all the paint out and had Liz's hair as even as possible. He brushed her shoulders clean.

"Go see," Hudson said gently.

Liz went to the mirror on the wall. For someone who was almost completely blind, Hudson did a great job. Now that her hair was drying and it was not weighed down, it was becoming wavy. Hudson had cut it just passed her shoulders and it made her eyes look bigger.

"Well?"

Liz turned to Hudson. "I like it a lot," she said.

Hudson smiled. "Come here." He held his hands out to her.

Liz took his hands and let him pull her closer. He cupped her face in hands. After a moment of squinting, he said, "You look so much like her."

Liz nodded. "Like my mom."

"No. Like Elisa," replied Hudson.

Liz's mouth opened in surprise. "Like Elisa?" she repeated.

Hudson nodded.

Liz smiled. "Thanks, Hudson."

After getting dressed in a black tank top, jeans, and a red sweater, Liz took the dirty dishes to be cleaned. Angela was on dish duty while Broadway was tending a pot of stew on a hotplate.

"Hey, here are the plates from earlier," Liz told Angela.

Angela turned to take the dishes and screamed.

Broadway startled. "What?" He held up the cooking spoon like a weapon. He froze when he saw Liz.

Liz quickly realized that she could knock both of them over with a flick of her fingers. "What?" she asked.

"Jalapeño, you look like Elisa," Broadway said in shock.

Liz reached up at her hair. "Do I really?" she asked.

Both Broadway and Angela nodded.

"It's just a haircut," Liz told them.

Lexington bounded over. "I heard screaming." He noticed Liz. "Liz?"

Liz smiled.

Lexington gaped. "Wow." He shut his mouth and quickly collected himself. "Diane is asking for you."

"Okay. Thanks, Lex," said Liz.

The three gargoyles watched her walk away before looking at each other in disbelief.

Diane Maza had a relatively private area all to herself. A red and black blanket acted like a door to the alcove that was her room. It was decorated with photographs of her family and souvenirs from Africa. Diane was sitting up in her bed. She was thin, her hair almost stark white. Her eyes seemed weak and she was very pale.

"Hi, Grandma."

Diane's face lit up when she saw Liz and beckoned her over. "Come here."

Liz sat on the side of the bed.

"Angela told me what happened between you and Brooklyn," Diane said, stroking Liz's hair.

Liz crossed her arms. "I don't understand why he treats me like I'm irresponsible. I really do think about what could happen if I'm caught."

Diane put her hand on Liz's shoulder. "Liz, we worry about you. You're the last of my blood family. I can't lose you."

Liz sulked. "You don't have to worry about that. I can't leave the settlement. It was hard enough getting him to let me run messages. I don't know how I'm going to get him to let me back on the rotation." She sighed. "I just want him to trust me."

"He does trust you," insisted Diane.

Liz glanced at her skeptically. "He has a funny way of showing it."

Diane sighed. "What do you know about when you were born?"

"That it's the same day Goliath died and beyond that, we don't talk about it," replied Liz.

"We didn't want to burden you with what happened," said Diane. "But you're growing up. You need to know what happened the night you were born."

MANHATTAN 2003 A.D.

Beth Maza sat up in the bed in the castle's infirmary holding her newborn daughter. She was surrounded by her parents, the mutates Talon and Maggie, and all of the clan except Goliath. Everyone was fawning over the baby.

The door to the infirmary opened and David Xanatos poked his head in.

"Sorry for the intrusion," he started.

The door opened farther and Alex ran in.

"Can I see? Can I see the baby?" he asked excitedly, bounding on his toes.

Xanatos and Fox followed in behind him.

"We found him hiding behind a suit of armor," Xanatos chuckled.

Fox smiled. "He's been very eager to meet the newest clan member."

Beth blinked. "Clan member?"

Alex came around to the side of the bed. "Well, yeah. Elisa was your sister and she was clan. And you moved in with us. That makes you clan, too."

"I don't think that's how that works," Beth said, looking uncertainly at the gargoyles.

"The lad is right," said Hudson. He looked at the Mazas. "You are as much as clan as Elisa was."

"Thank you, Hudson," said Diane.

Alex looked at the baby. "She's so tiny. And that's the blanket I picked out!"

"Quiet, Alex, don't wake her. You were that small when you were born, too," Fox said. She turned to Beth. "Have you chosen a name?"

Beth shook her head. "I had a list, but looking at her now that she's here, none of them fit. And I don't want anything to remind me of him," she finished with venom. She looked at the gargoyles. "Why don't you help me name her?"

"Us?" asked Lexington.

"Would certainly be spitting in that creep's eye if a gargoyle did name her," said Peter bitterly.

"Peter!" Diane scolded lightly.

"Help me name her," Beth insisted to the gargoyles. "I mean, I'd rather you not name her Queens, but I want to hear your ideas."

They all looked at each other.

Talon chuckled. "If that's the case, maybe we should have the entire clan's input," said the panther mutate.

Maggie nodded. "Right," the lioness mutate agreed.

"Good thinking, Derek," said Diane. She turned to Beth. "You should get some rest. I can take the baby for a bit."

Beth was a little reluctant.

"You're in a castle full of gargoyles, mutates, robots, and elves, sis," said Talon. "Nothing is going to happen to this little one. No, Uncle Derek's not going to let anything happen to his niece. No, he isn't." He tickled the baby's hand with a careful finger.

Alex wrinkled his nose at Talon's comment. "We're not elves."

"You could have fooled us last Christmas," teased Brooklyn.

"Well, little Third Race members are supposed to be asleep right now," said Fox. "Time for bed, Alex. You can see the baby again in the morning."

"Aw, but I wanted to help name her," whined Alex.

"In the morning," Fox repeated.

"Better listen to your mother, Alex," said Xanatos.

"G'night!" Alex bounced out of the room with a wave.

Fox shook her head. "I don't know how he has so much energy."

"I'll stay with Beth," Angela volunteered.

"You don't want to help pick out names?" asked Broadway.

"Katherine?" Angela suggested with a bit of a shrug. "After the human who raised me and my siblings."

"Kathy or Katy for short," Beth mulled over.

"Get some sleep," Peter told her.

"The nurse will check in with you in a bit," Xanatos said.

Beth nodded and handed the baby over to Diane. Everyone filed out of the room and left Beth to rest with Angela.

"We should tell Goliath," Diane said in the hallway.

"He's up on the tower," said Brooklyn. "I'll go up with you."

Brooklyn and Diane took the baby to the tower where Goliath was standing, watching the lights of the city. The massive lavender gargoyle had started going gray and looked much older than a gargoyle his age was supposed to.

"Goliath," Brooklyn called.

Goliath didn't answer.

"Goliath," Diane tried.

Then the baby started to fuss. This got Goliath's attention and he turned around. His eyes went right to the baby in Diane's arms. He stepped up to Diane and stared at the newborn.

"Do you want to hold her?" Diane asked.

Goliath looked up. "Her?"

Diane nodded, carefully giving him the baby, coaching him on how to hold her. As soon as Goliath got the baby cradled in his arms, she stopped fussing.

"She's beautiful," said Goliath. "What's her name?"

"Beth wants us to help her pick a name," said Brooklyn.

Goliath blinked in surprise. "Us?"

Diane nodded.

Goliath thought for a moment. "What about Elisabeth?"

The baby cooed.

Brooklyn hummed. "Named after her mother and her aunt. Think Beth would like that suggestion?"

"I don't think she'll have a choice," said Diane with a laugh. "Elisabeth."

The baby made a sound again.

"I think she likes it. Do you, Elisabeth?" said Diane.

The baby squealed this time.

"I'll take that as a yes," Diane said with a big smile.

Goliath was smiling as well. He turned and hopped up on the parapet.

"Goliath?" Diane started worriedly.

Brooklyn put his hand on her shoulder. "First glide."

"But she's human!" Diane argued.

"It'll be short," Brooklyn assured.

Goliath spread his wings and jumped. The baby didn't make a sound. She seemed content in the air.

"It is a vast world out there, little Elisabeth," said Goliath, making a lap around the castle. "Do not fear. You'll have your clan to see you through it."

Goliath landed in the courtyard and sat on a stone bench. He wrapped his wings around the baby to keep her warm.

Brooklyn and Diane came down to meet him.

"She's beautiful," Goliath said again. He looked at his second-in-command. "Brooklyn, I want you to promise me something."

"Anything, Goliath," said Brooklyn.

"I want you to swear on the stones of our ancestral home and Elisa's grave that you will not let any harm come to this child," said Goliath.

"I swear," promised Brooklyn.

Goliath nodded. "Good. I hope Beth won't be offended that I named her daughter."

"Hardly," said Diane. "Elisabeth won't ever know her real father. You'll make a good stand-in, Goliath."

"No." Goliath's voice was very soft and Brooklyn and Diane weren't sure that they heard him correctly. "No, that honor will be left to Brooklyn. Lead the clan well, Brooklyn. It's time you stepped up to lead permanently. Hudson will guide you."

Brooklyn was shocked. "What about you?"

"I must go tell Elisa the good news," Goliath replied.

"What?" they both cried.

"Farewell, my clan." Goliath gently kissed the baby's brow. "Good-bye, Elisabeth."

Goliath sat up slightly, but his chin rested on his chest. His arms and wings went limp, causing the baby to begin to slide out of his grasp.

Diane quickly pulled the baby to her while Brooklyn checked Goliath.

"Goliath?" Brooklyn gave him a shake. "Goliath!"

There was no response from Goliath and he slumped over on the bench.

"Brooklyn," Diane said quietly.

Brooklyn pulled his hand back shakily. He screwed his eyes shut and let out a wail of anguish.

Liz sat there on the edge of Diane's bed. "That's what happened?"

Diane nodded. "That's what happened."

Liz sniffed and rubbed at her eyes. "And my birth father? Do you know who he was?"

"Not for certain," Diane replied with a shake of her head. "After Elisa died, we all grieved. Beth found a support group and while she was there, she met someone. We all thought he was good for her and we thought they were going to get married and have a life together. Then we found out he was using Beth to get to the clan."

"He was a Quarryman," Liz deciphered.

"Yes. He threatened Beth and Peter and me. Xanatos helped us by letting us move into the Eyrie Building. Then we found out Beth was pregnant with you."

"And that's all we know about him?" pried Liz.

"Peter used some of his old contacts in the department, but the name came back as fake and he hit a dead-end," said Diane. "Beth did tell me Xanatos came to her one day and said that man would never bother her again. I don't know what he did, but if anyone would know, it would be Owen. Do not ask him."

"I won't," Liz promised. "I don't think I want to know."

Diane reached out to her. "Liz, please understand, Brooklyn's been trying to keep his promise to Goliath to keep you safe."

"He wasn't always like this, was he?" asked Liz. "I remember stories about him having a wild side, going for motorcycle rides and stuff. I wish I knew that Brooklyn."

"We can't change the past," said Diane. She glanced over at the clock. "It's late. You should go to bed. We'll worry about things in the morning."

"Okay." Liz got up. "Goodnight, Grandma."

"You should apologize to Brooklyn at some point," said Diane.

"Yeah." Liz let the blanket fall close behind her. "When he apologizes to me."