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Chapter Text

Almost one year after the ending of Bluebird

November 2nd - 15:45

Keystone City

Artemis Crock

She looked at her mother's old costume, buried deep in the closet that used to hold all of Paula Crock's clothes. Artemis missed her mother, no matter the complicated relationship they had. It had been three weeks since she died. Artemis swallowed over the thickness in her throat, crouching in the dark room, fingering the purple outfit. Tears threatened to fall, but Artemis took a deep breath and held them back. Blowing out a slow breath, she stood and turned to the bed. The bedroom of the tiny apartment her mother had was empty all for some furniture. The bed had three boxes on it, all filled with clothing, jewelry, and any other odds and ends her mother had left. A knock on the bedroom door made her wipe her eyes quickly before it opened.

"Need any help, sweetheart?" Mary West said gently as she stuck her head into the doorway. She didn't open the door all the way. Artemis smiled sadly toward the woman, overwhelmed with emotion. The Wests had taken her in after her mother had died, although they had become incredibly close after Wally's disappearance a few years ago. Mary and Rudy had let her cope in her own way, then brought her to her mother's apartment to finally gather her things.

"No, I've got it." Artemis stuffed her mother's old costume into the last box and folded the flaps. These would be going to a charity collecting clothing for the holidays for those in need. The costume wouldn't make any difference being included. Rudy pushed open the door behind his wife, holding up a tape older to close the box efficiently.

"I'm sure you'll need this," he said with a large smile. Artemis appreciated the upbeat attitude he'd been displaying to keep her spirits up, but it didn't help her sadness dissipate. Rudy was the type of father she never had, always supportive and comforting. Mary was a tough woman, always there to talk to when Artemis needed a shoulder to cry on after Wally had disappeared.

"Oh, yeah," she replied absently. Rudy walked into the room, held out the dispenser. Artemis took it, quickly closing the box tightly before sitting the tape beside it. Her signature blonde hair had been cut short recently, just to her shoulders. The dark sweater and jeans she wore were faded, having been around for a long while. Her snow boots were relatively new, though, a gift from Rudy and Mary on her 25th birthday.

"Do you need more time?" Mary asked, waiting patiently just inside the door. They both looked at Artemis with sympathetic eyes.

"No… I've had enough time. I need to start the process of moving forward in my life." The two older adults looked at each other, knowing Artemis meant much more than just the loss of her mother. Taking a deep breath, Artemis looked at the two who had become sort of her parents over the years. "I don't want you to think that I don't care about Wally anymore, but…"

"We don't. We would never think that. It's been four years… Wally would want you to move on, to be happy," Mary insisted, tears in her eyes. Rudy didn't say anything as he put an arm around his wife's waist. The look on his face told Artemis he was in agreement with Mary.

"Good," Artemis murmured, looking to the bed with the boxes filled with memories. "I am going to be happy, and I'm going to move on. I'm… finally okay with this."

As the three of them put the boxes into the back of the West's SUV, Artemis thought back to the call she had gotten a few days ago. Barbara had called on her to rethink her path.

November 2nd - 16:30

Washington D.C. - The Clock Tower

Barbara Gordon

Still getting used to the wheelchair, Barbara Gordon stuck out her tongue as she maneuvered the contraption through the doorway of the elevator, then rolled herself into the large training area, where various workout equipment, dummies, and weapons were neatly organized around the room. Skye Lovett and Dinah Lance were running on treadmills beside each other, both in tank tops and shorts for exercising. They had been going since before Barbara had gone downstairs and across the street for a slice of pie at Pinnacle Cafe. Rolling up to a large table, she looked over the data that was scrawled across three large computer screens. Pushing her glasses up her nose, she raised her eyebrows.

"Skye, you need to watch your breathing. Dinah, you're causing too much stress in her thighs. Relax a bit more." Even though half of her body didn't work as she wanted it to, her mind and eyes were still razor sharp. After the incident with Joker… well, it was time for her to step up and get back to her calling.

With a final gasp, the two women on the treadmills slowed down, gradually stopping before grabbing bottles of water to gulp down. Barbara watched with a proud smile on her face as the two strolled toward her. Dinah sat down on a chair, and Skye put her hands on her hips as she stood next to Barbara, looking over her shoulder at the data.

"How are you feeling, Barb?"

"Me? You've been running for so long I could go across the street and back!"

"Have you heard from Artemis?" Dinah asked, taking another drink from her water bottle. Barbara's phone rang.

"As a matter of fact… Artemis, how did today go?" Barbara answered the call, knowing what her friend had planned for today. "I'm going to put you on speaker - Skye and Dinah are here."

"Hey guys. Today went.. better than I expected."

"I'm glad," Dinah answered.

"Have you thought about our proposal?" Skye asked, pulling her blue hair into a ponytail. It had gotten long, passing her shoulders by an inch.

"Yeah. And I think… I think it's time I move forward. I'll join you."

"Yes!" Skye pumped her fist in the air, then winced. "Ow. My whole body hurts. I'm going to sit down." Instead of sitting, she moved to a mat along the side of the room and fell onto her back, arms and legs spread out.

"As for moving forward, I take it you aren't talking just about your hero career," Dinah asked gently, her psychology degree starting to show through.

"No. I talked to Ruby and Mary and…" The three women heard Artemis hesitate. "And I'm ready. I've accepted that Wally isn't coming back." Artemis's breath caught in her throat. "I think I'm ready to try to have a relationship again."

The three women looked at each other.

"I think this is great news," Barbara replied. "This means you'll be moving to D.C, right?"

"I'll be there tomorrow afternoon." The call disconnected.

"This.. is actually happening." Skye grinned at the ceiling, still lying spread eagle on the mat. Barbara started to save the data from Dinah and Skye running, making sure to also put it on a backup, just in case. "The Birds of Prey are forming!"

"I still don't think you're ready to start a life of masks and saving the world," Barbara quipped. Dinah let a small smile come over her lips, used to hearing this now from Barbara. "Also, are you sure you don't want to tell Dick? I don't know if he'd appreciate you in this position."

"I don't need Dick's permission to do what I want. And Dinah is the best trainer I've had."

"The only one you've had," Dinah added. "How are things with you and Dick anyway?"

Skye was silent for a moment. Barbara and Dinah watched the girl on the mat in silence, wondering if that meant it was going badly.

"He's gone a lot, but I knew that would happen. I worry about him..."

"I understand, Skye, believe me." Barbara had dated the man for a long while. "But he will always want to keep you safe."

"Which is why I need this training. I'm in love with someone who has people who want him gone. I need to be able to protect myself when he's gone. Plus… I'm my own person. I'm not just Dick Grayson's girlfriend."

Barbara sighed, not wanting to get into an argument. She understood Skye completely - which is why they were where they were. After Barbara was paralyzed, she had needed space to do her own thing, to get her confidence back. Dinah had left the league after a complicated break up from Oliver. Artemis had just lost her mother, and was just now getting over the loss of her soulmate, Wally West. Skye was seeking inclusion among her superhero friends, along with her own identity.

The Birds of Prey were a new start for all of them.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: Chapter 01

I feel I should worn of a character death in this - not a main YJ character, but the character's death will effect the story later on. As always, review, favorite, follow! :)

November 4th - 10:20

Washington D.C. - The Clock Tower

Dinah Lance

Dinah thought Barbara was overly worried about Skye joining the already established heros that had gathered to form the Birds of Prey. The young woman was determined, intelligent, and had a goal in mind. Skye wasn't doing this irrationally, which is something Dinah was sure some of the new team couldn't say. Skye didn't have any kind of objective other than helping people, which was refreshing when the rest of them had some sort of personal vendetta that had lead to them donning masks.

"Are you sure you don't want to pick a weapon as part of your persona?" she asked Skye as they stretched before a practice session in mixed martial arts. Skye had been training the last two weeks with Dinah, and it was time to step it up a bit. Dinah put her hair up and put on her usual gloves. She had put on her Canary outfit to make it more real when fighting.

"Not at the moment, I don't want a weapon. I want to be able to handle myself in hand to hand combat." Rolling her shoulders, Skye stood straight and lifted her chin. She was a few inches over five feet and had leaned out over the past several months. Although she had an hourglass figure, Skye had been able to maneuver flawlessly with a little training and a lot of bruises. Today she as wearing the usual black tanktop and bright blue running shorts. Skye had decided to fight barefoot today.

Artemis was on the other side of the room in a simple t-shirt and yoga pants assemble, taking shots at extremely tiny targets dancing in the air with her newly acquired bow, a gift from Oliver for joining the group. Dinah still wasn't happy he had butt into their business, but even she knew it was a nice gift. The fact that she and Oliver weren't in a relationship anymore didn't mean he couldn't give a gift to one of his proteges and Dinah's new teammate.

If only he had been as honest and giving toward her, it would be different. All Dinah asked was a little bit of truthfulness, but Oliver had decided it was best to keep her in the dark. She felt the familiar anger coming forward, but Dinah knew she had to push it back to get back to what she was doing now. Pushing the man out of her thoughts, Dinah followed Skye to the mat where they would practice.

"I'm going to be a little tougher on you - you've been doing well so far, but don't expect me to stop if you fall."

"Bring it on," Skye said with a grin and a glint in her eye.

Just as she was about to through out the first punch, Dinah's phone started ringing. She ignored it, thinking it was Oliver trying to apologize once again, but then Barbara called out her name. Frowning, the three women in the middle of the room turned toward Barbara, her voice full of sadness.

"Jay Garrick has passed away."

Dinah sucked in a breath, feeling a pressure in her chest. The original Flash, her mother's colleague and friend. She felt her previous energy drain out of her, tears forming. Blinking them away, she straightened, knowing the other women in the room probably weren't as close to Jay as she had been.

"We should pay our respects."

November 6th - 10:20

Keystone City - Veterans' Cemetery

Skye Lovett

Holding Dick's hand, Skye stood with the group of people she had grown close to in the past year. It was chilly, the wind blowing enough to have the attendees zip up their coats and rub their hands together to keep warm. The sky was bright, though, with a few cloud and a bright sun. The Wests and Allens stood in the front of the crowd, half-circled around the smooth wooden coffin where Jay Garrick rested. Earlier, Skye and Dick had paid their respects in the chapel. Jay looked relaxed. The news had gotten around fast, along with the knowledge that he had passed peacefully in his sleep in the home of Barry and Iris.

"We need to talk after," Dick murmured quietly as words were being said before Jay would be placed into the grave. He was dressed in dark slacks and a dark blue dress shirt. An expensive black jacket was zipped up halfway up his torso. Skye had almost matched with him dark skinny jeans, ankle boots, and a dark red silk blouse. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and a dark jacket that almost matched Dick's was zipped all the way up to her chin.

"Is something wrong?" Skye turned and looked up at Dick, whose face was straight ahead. He looked sad, and Skye wanted to make him feel better. Of course, a friend and mentor had passed away.

"Maybe, but we should talk about this later." Dick squeezed her hand. Skye turned her attention back to the front, where the main family was saying their final goodbyes. Had he found out about her training? Obviously, her body was a little different with the working out, but that could be explained by exercising and eating right. Chewing on her lip, Skye allowed Dick to pull her lightly into the line right behind Bart Allen. The kid was not a kid anymore, being 17 and almost out of highschool. Skye noticed he looked lost, and she could understand.

"Bart," she said, putting a hand on his shoulder. He turned around, his green eyes shining with tears.

"Thanks for coming, Skye, Dick," he murmured. "I spent a lot of time with the old speedster, but others knew him longer than I did. Still hurts, though…"

"He'll always be remembered as the hero and friend he was," Dick replied with certainty. Bart took a deep breath and nodded in agreement with Dick's words. He turned back toward the coffin, taking a step forward at his turn.

When it was Skye's turned, Dick had already said his final words and moved to speak with Barry, Iris, and Bart. She tilted her head, looking down at the wrinkled face of a legend. She hadn't known him long, and hadn't spent a long time with him, but Skye understood the level of importance this man had with the Justice League and it's history.

"I hope you find peace in the afterlife," Skye murmured to him. She stepped to the side, allowing others to say words. Glancing behind her as she walked toward Dick, she saw Dinah with a tear running down her cheek. Her face was relatively calm. Skye didn't know the background between them two, but it was obvious Dinah had cared greatly for Jay Garrick. She'd have to ask Dick later.

Skye and Dick stayed for another few moments to speak with others who had come to pay their respects: Clark, Oliver, Megan, Connor, Tim, Cassie, and many more. Skye recognized many of them as fellow heroes, while others were family and friends who didn't know of the secret life many of these people led. It was still baffling how these two worlds collided and were still able to work together.

As Dick drove, Skye looked out the window and wondered at the silence between them. It had been almost two months since they had seen one another, and even longer since they had been intimate. Something was wrong, but Skye didn't know if it was his knowledge of what she had been doing, or if it was something else.

"Dick?" she finally asked.

"Yes?" He reached over and took her hand, which calmed her nerves a bit. He wasn't angry enough to not hold her hand, that was good.

"You said we had to talk. I'm getting a bit worried."

"Bat-Bruce is gone," Dick said softly, keeping his eyes on the road. He squeezed Skye's hand then put both hands on the wheel. "He's been gone for about three weeks. No one knows except a few people in the league: Clark, Diana, John, and Hal."

"What?" Skye didn't know what to say. "Wait, how do the others not know? There had been League meetings and missions in the past three weeks - Diana was just gone for three days with Superman and… Batman?"

Dick squirmed in silence, paying more attention to the road than before.

"Dick… do you know what's going on?"

"Er… maybe? Well, not where the hell Bruce is, but…"

"Then who was in the Batman suit with Diana?"

Dick turned from the freeway onto the road that lead to the expensive hotel they were staying in. Skye let him think in silence as they pulled into the parking area and got out. Dick allowed the valet to take over the car, and then took Skye's hand as they walked inside the building.

"Dick, what's going on?" Skye pulled him back from the elevator button before he could press it. "Who is in the batman suit?"

"Me," he answered, turning fully to look down at her. "I've been playing Batman for the last three weeks."

"What?" Skye blinked, not sure she was understanding completely. "You've been Batman and Nightwing for three weeks?"

"Yes."

"That's why you haven't texted me in so long, or seen me."

"Yes."

"I… why didn't you tell me?" She hit him in his arm, suddenly angry. "I've been sick with worry, about you being hurt, you not wanting me anymore, and you've been playing dress up even more so?" Skye hit him again in the arm, then angry bashed the elevator button with her fist.

"Not wanting you… why did you even think that?" Dick sounded completely confused, but Skye didn't answer. She crossed her arms and glared at the elevator door, hoping it was getting her angry signals to open quickly.

As soon as they opened she stomped inside and pressed the third floor. Dick went to step inside, but she held up her hand.

"You stay there, I'm too pissed at you to be near you." Skye glared at him, hoping he'd be caught in the flames of anger that burned in her. Dick's mouth fell open, sputtering as the elevator door closed between them. As the metal box moved upward, Skye growled and put her forehead to the wall.

No wondered he looked so exhausted! What had he been getting himself into? Was he going on League missions, or looking for Batman? How the hell didn't she know these answers? And why was he telling her now? Something was happening out there that only a few people connected to the League knew about.

She wondered of Dinah or Barbara knew anything about this. As Skye began to pack her things, as they were leaving this afternoon, Dick came into the room.

"Please don't take this personally, it has nothing to do with you and me." He came and put his arms around Skye's waist. He had taken off his jacket, and his body was warm against hers. It calmed her only slightly.

"I could have… helped…" she muttered, still angry but starting to understand the reasoning. She sighed and let her head fall back onto his shoulder. His cheek rested against her forehead, and she closed her eyes.

"And that is another thing we need to talk about." Dick's voice went from pleading to firm with that comment. Skye knew what this was about, now. He pulled away from her. Skye turned around to face him as the topic was brought up. "There is no way I'm letting you join up with the girls and their new team."

"The Birds of Prey."

"Skye, what are you doing?" Dick put his hands around her once more and pulled her close, their fronts pressed tightly together. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. You have no experience. At all."

"I have a teacher. She seems to think I'm doing pretty damn well, along with Artemis and Barbara."

"Things are more complicated than it seems, Skye. It's not just Batman disappearing it's…" Dick stopped and sighed, looking over her face.

"Tell me."

"An old colleague may be back from the dead. There are whispers from… certain places."

"Wally?" Skye sucked in a breath hopefully.

"No, as much as I wish that was true. I haven't talked about him. He was… one of the team way back before Tim joined."

"There… was something before Tim? After you?"

"His name was… is Jason."

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Chapter 02

As always, review, favorite, and follow! One of the old Robins is back at the end of this chapter… hint to keep you reading ;)

November 10th - 20:05

Washington D.C. - The Clock Tower

Barbara Gordon

"I'm not a child, I'm a twenty five year old woman who has been training with Black Canary and Batgirl for over two months, along with Tigress for the last week. I'm ready to go out, to do something!"

Barbara shook her head, not backing down. She pulled herself from behind the desk and moved her chair around to sit directly in front of Skye, who had her hands on her hips and a frustrated look in her blue eyes. Dinah and Artemis kept to their places across the room, silently studying the situation. Barbara had to take a moment to think about what Skye had said - Batgirl - before being able to move on. The change in persona was still in progress for her.

"One, I'm not Batgirl anymore. Two, it's only been a couple of months. All of us trained for so much longer than that before we even got out into the world to observe a mission!"

"You were children. I am not a child. I can hold my own - I was close to knocking Dinah down earlier today!"

"One almost is not a reason to take an unnecessary risk!" Barbara narrowed her eyes and lifted her chin in determination. The wheelchair didn't do a think to her stubborn streak. "You are not going out yet. End of discussion."

"But…"

Barbara moved back to her large desk and ignored Skye's attempt at bringing it back around. She saw Skye look back at her other teammates with a hopeful look, but Barbara knew they would both be on her side.

"I'm sorry, Skye, I agree with Barb on this. You need a little more combat training before going out. You're reactive movements need to be a little faster in my opinion." Dinah looked at her apologetically. "You're almost there, though. I'm impressed by our workout today."

"Actually, I think I'm with Skye on this one." Artemis stepped forward.

"What?" Dinah and Barbara both said at the same time.

"Really?" Skye commented, surprise in her voice. Artemis put hand on Skye's shoulder.

"I'm not Tigress anymore. I've decided to take the name and persona of Huntress, and I think it's a new start for myself as well as a new start for Skye. We may have more experience than her, but Skye is older, smarter, and doesn't have some personal agenda to deal with as we did when we started. It's different for her." Artemis nodded toward Skye.

"Still…" Dinah started, then stopped.

"Different, sure, but she is still not at the point she needs to be at," Barbara responded, baffled by Artemis's decision to stand with Skye's point of view. Why would they put such an amatuer at risk like this? "Dinah has said her reflexes need to be worked on some more."

"A reconnaissance mission is just what she needs," a voice echoed through the room. The four turned toward the entrance, alert, but then relaxed when they saw a familiar face. Dark hair was pulled up, but her hero outfit was still the same. Zatanna Zatara was a year older, with a darker light in her eye. The four women knew she had left the League six months ago on her own business involving her father, but hadn't been able to keep in contact.

"Z, what are you doing here?" Artemis grinned, the first grin Barbara had seen in a long time on her face, and rushed to her old friend. They hugged tightly while Barbara rolled over, followed by Dinah and Skye.

"I need help, and it looks like I can help you as well." The smile on Zatanna's face was friendly, but something was off. "I need to gather intelligence on the League."

"What do you mean intelligence?" Barbara asked cautiously, raising an eyebrow. Z was only a year older than Barbara, and had also dated Dick Grayson, which was one of the factors that had brought them close. Now, though, Barbara watched her old friend with scrutiny.

"I think they have a means of bringing my father back. I need to know what they're hiding from me."

"We aren't really connected with the Justice League anymore," Dinah replied gently, as if she knew what Barbara was thinking. The two looked at one another, while Artemis and Skye looked excited at the prospect.

"Why would they hide that from you?" Skye asked, a frown on her face. Skye was the newest member of the family formed by the League and the Team, which meant she didn't know exactly what had happened in the past. It had been a long time since Zatanna's father, Zatara, had willingly given his body over to Dr. Fate.

"Because they think he's dead and gone," Zatanna replied with confidence. She narrowed her dark eyes and pressed her lips together. "All this time, and they have never once tried to bring him back to me. At all. I miss my father. I need my father. I am not letting Dr. Fate keep him!"

Skye looked at the other three women in the room questioningly.

"I'm sorry, Zatanna, I really am, but there is nothing the League can do." Dinah moved to stand next to her old trainee from the Team. She put her hands on Zatanna's shoulders to comfort her. "The decision was mutual, between Dr. Fate and Zatara. It's a contract that can only be broken between the two of them, along with someone else magically powerful enough to take on the helmet."

"No, they know what can be done. I need to talk to my father. He'd never want to stay away from me this long." Zatanna shrugged of Dinah's hand with a glare. The training room fell silent, the anger in Z's voice making the room uncomfortable.

"Dr. Fate won't let you speak with your father, even though his body is the one that the helmet is using," Skye said. It sounded like she was trying to get the issue straight. Zatanna nodded and looked at Skye with a more hopeful expression.

"Exactly. If I can speak with my father, then I can get him back. The League knows of a way to do this, I'm positive! I just need to have leverage to make them do it."

"Z, I don't think this - " Barbara started.

"If all you want to do is speak with your father, then I'll help. It can't be too much to ask when he gave his body to save the world." Skye stepped next to Zatanna and grinned, taking the girl's hand. "As long as we don't tell Dick, he's already upset about this whole thing."

"If Skye goes, then I need to go to watch over her," Artemis added, moving to lean on Skye's shoulder with her arm.

"Have you asked the members?" Dinah asked.

"Yes, but they refuse to tell me how to speak with him."

"I doubt they would lie to you."

"They did, and I'm going to prove it."

November 12th - 14:15

Watch Tower

Skye Lovett

Skye was allowed to teleport with Artemis and Zatanna to the watchtower, which was apparently something that rarely happened. As she appeared in the entrance area of the large space satellite, Skye suddenly wondered if Dick was here as Batman. Her stomach clenched, but she hid it well. No need to worry the others. She had been invited, along with Artemis, as a representative of the new Birds of Prey team. This, along with Zatanna coming as an escort, was a good way for the three of them to get information that may not be available by just observation. Using Skye as a new springboard, they were hoping the League members might open up to her more so than Artemis and Zatanna.

Skye had decided to wear her costume as Bluebird. She had taken the clothing from Dinah's stash of old costumes, with Artemis's fashion suggestions to build with. Simply, it was a mask, a corset top, tight black pants, and boots. On one hand was a glove with solid knuckles, and the other had a sleeve covering the lower part of her arm. That accessory was just cute, nothing important. Instead of weapons, Skye had decided, completely, she would be dependant on her own body. She also had a necessary utility belt around her waist. Her main color was blue, obviously with her name.

With her head lifted high, Skye stood between Artemis and Zatanna as she walked into the meeting room filled with the League members on the tower at this time. Skye knew the members masked identities as soon as she stepped into the room: Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), Green Arrow, Hawkman, Hawkwoman, and Doctor Fate. It seemed the other members were off on their own business. Skye remembered hearing about Aquaman and Kaldur staying down in Atlantis to deal with hometown issues, so to speak.

Skye knew the personal identities of all in the room, which was both comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time. She was a new hero in the mix, not just Nightwing's civilian girlfriend. Artemis had a grin on her face as she looked out at the familiar faces, while Zatanna kept her face even, though her eyes were almost cold.

"So you've finally settle on a costume," Wonder Woman quipped with a smile and nodding in approval.

"You dug around Canary's old stuff, didn't you?" Green Arrow asked, eyeing her over. Skye didn't know the details of Dinah and Oliver's break-up, but she knew Dinah wasn't ready to talk about it. It must have been emotional.

"Yes," was all Skye replied to him.

"Welcome, Bluebird," Superman said professionally. "As much as we are still wary about Black Canary leaving, we do support your new team and their mission." Green Arrow squirmed in his seat, but no one looked at him.

"Zatanna, it's been awhile. How are you doing?" Hawkwoman asked politely.

"I have some things I have to figure out, but I'm here to escort Huntress and Bluebird into the tower, as my old information still allows me to come aboard."

"You are always welcome here," Wonder Woman insisted. Zatanna didn't answer.

"Where is Batman?" Skye asked, trying to sound casual. Wonder Woman and Superman both raised an eyebrow. "I haven't seen him in a while, that's all."

"You know how he is, always doing things on his own," Green Lantern shrugged, waving it off easily. "The Bat never really liked playing with the team unless it's needed."

"We have agreed to this meeting as a symbolic way of accepting the Birds of Prey as allies in protecting the world. As we have discussed before, the Birds of Prey team will work only in Washington D.C. and it's nearby cities." Dr. Fate didn't look at Zatanna, moving forward into the meaning of the meeting.

"We would also like to be on call if there is any need for us outside of the D.C. area," Huntress added, stepping forward.

"You've taken on the Huntress mantel, have you?" Flash asked.

"Yes. A new beginning, for myself and my teammates."

"I think that is a good idea," Hawkman interjected, moving back to the professional comment before. "Having extra sets of eyes and hands when there are worldwide crises will be a positive help."

Suddenly, a beeping came from Huntress and Skye both. Everyone watched curiously as the two youngest in the room took out their communicators and looked at the message. It was from Barbara.

"Red Hood is on the premises. I need you back NOW."

Chapter Text

While Artemis, Zatanna, and Skye are in the watchtower...

November 12th - 14:15

Clock Tower

Barbara Gordon

She was not happy with the decision, but there was nothing Barbara could do. Dinah had changed her mind and sided with the others, leaving Barbara to huff and mumble as they suited up and left. Dinah left as well, keeping silent as to where she was going. Barbara had a feeling it had to do with the issue she had with Oliver, but there was no way she was going to bring it up until Dinah was ready. It was too fresh, which Barbara could understand. Her incident was still fresh in her mind, still giving her nightmares to deal with.

Instead of remembering those, Barbara turned her attention to upgrading the software of the communicators the Birds of Prey would use. They were the usual in outward appearance. but the range needed to be stretched a little further to be to her liking. It was easy enough, although they would need to be tests before actually used on a mission. Suddenly, beeping came from a screen to the right of her. Frowning, Barbara pushed her glasses up her nose and looked at the screen. Her body froze, her eyes widening.

No. It can't be.

A familiar face was grinning up at the hidden camera over the entrance, hands on his hips and a motorcycle sitting behind him. On the seat was a red helmet. Brown leather jacket, tight black shirt, brown pants that could hold god knows what kind of weapons, and combat boots. Gulping, Barbara felt light headed. He was supposed to be dead, buried in the Wayne family cemetery. Shaking her head, Barbara pressed a button near the screen to speak with the man waiting for her. Her voice hopefully sounded perturbed to him.

"Why?" It was all she could muster. What was he doing here? He was supposed to be dead, not smirking into the camera. The last time Barbara had seen him was before he was taken, just after the night they had spent together. Who knows what would have happened if he had still be there in the morning with their relationship.

"Why? What the hell is that supposed to mean, Barbie? Let me in, let's catch up!" On the screen, he looked bored and crossed his arms. "I can come in myself, but I thought I'd be nice and give you the chance to let me in."

"What do you want? You're…" Barbara stopped, not wanting to say that word when he was standing right there. She didn't know what to do with this new information. All she could think of to do was pull out her phone and texted her team quickly. She also texted Nightwing and Batman to tell them the news.

"It's a long story. Let me in, and I'll tell you." He looked cocky, confident, and grown up.

"I can't, Jason. It's different now."

"Different? You mean that night didn't mean anything to you?"

November 12th - 14:20

Watchtower

Artemis Crock

Skye looked confused, not completely knowing the name. The League, though, murmured to each other. Artemis ignored them and faced her teammate.

"We need to get back to Barbara. Who knows what the crazy guy will do to her." Skye nodded. Zatanna followed as they turned their heels and ran to the exit. They passed Red Robin and Wonder Girl, looking confused. Artemis quickly was reminded that both of them had became League members recently. She needed to congratulate them eventually.

"Who is the Red Hood?" Skye asked as they stepped through the transporter. As soon as all three of the women were back on Earth, Artemis turned her attention to Zatanna. Z looked as concerned as Artemis, but Skye was still as confused as ever.

"Can you get us back to the clocktower faster than a car?" Zatanna nodded.

"Are you going to explain to me why this is such a big deal?" Skye asked looking between the two of them. Artemis prepared herself for teleportation again, which was a little rough right after having done it from the watchtower a few moments ago.

"Jason Todd. Used to be a Robin, after Dick, but now has turned into a mercenary, a killer for hire. Bad blood between him and the other members of the batfamily." Artemis raised an eyebrow as Skye looked thoughtfully at her. "Dick recently told me he had suspicions. Now we know."

"Ah, Dick mentioned Jason the last time I saw him. He must know -" Skye was interrupted.

"Gather close," Zatanna instructed. She raised her arms and started to chant. "Rewot kcolc eht ot!"

Artemis felt a familiar buzzing sensation as they teleported quickly into the clock tower. Her head was swirling, but she managed to keep from falling over. Skye looked a little green in the face, though. Zatanna put her hands on Skye's shoulders.

"Sorry, it can get a bit rough if you teleport soon after doing it before."

"I can feel that."

"Thank God you guys got here before I let him inside." Barbara looked emotionally exhausted. Her red hair was falling over her shoulders, ruffled from her hands running through it. Artemis felt sympathetic toward her old friend. Barbara had a complicated relationship with this guy. Artemis had worked with him a little bit almost seven years ago. He hadn't been on the team too long before he had gone missing.

"He's waiting at the door? The way you spoke, it seems he would have just walked right in." Skye stood straight, her face back to the normal color, and peeked at the screen.

"He's pressing your buttons, Barbara," Zatanna murmured, narrowing her eyes as she stood next to Skye. "I need to focus on my father, and this guy shows up. Fantastic."

November 12th - 14:20

Skye's Apartment in Washington D.C.

Dick Grayson

Nightwing

Is Skye there with you?

Oracle

Yes, she just arrived. Zatanna and Artemis are here, too.

Nightwing

Have Z teleport me there, it'll be faster. Don't let him in.

Oracle

I don't think I can do anything to keep him out if he wants to come in.

Nightwing

He's not the old Jason, you know that.

Dick growled at his phone and resisted the urge to call Skye. It wasn't only Barb he was worried about, but all the people in that clock tower. Skye had never met Jason, but the others had. They knew his strengths and weaknesses of the old days, but now that he was back from the dead, no one had all the details. Even him, who had been following whispers of Jason being alive for the last three weeks. Between secretly being Batman and being Nightwing, Dick had focused a third of his attention on getting as much information as he could about the Red Hood.

He felt a change in the air as his friend and ex-girlfriend appeared in the middle of Skye's apartment. Tall and curvy, Zatanna put her hands on her hips as she smirked toward him. She was in her usual costume. Dick had always enjoyed the look.

"Let's go," he commanded, stepping toward her.

"Are you and Skye living together?" she asked nonchalantly. Zatanna looked around curiously.

"We need to go Z."

"I mean, she's sweet and all, but maybe a bit too… innocent for you and your personality." Z laughed as she put her arm through his.

"What do you mean by that?" Dick asked, frowning. Zatanna just laughed and teleported them back to the clocktower. Dick would have to finish the conversation later.

Dick had saved five minutes that way, but his stomach was still rolling with anxiety as he looked at the screen where Jason was looking at his watch boredly. He couldn't believe Jason was really there. Turning, he saw Skye in her Bluebird costume for the first time. Dick said a silent thank you for the perfectly fitting clothing before hurrying to her and wrapping her into tight hug.

"I'm fine," she laughed, although nervousness could be heard in the sound. The situation was unknown. Dick kissed her temple before moving back toward the screen.

"He's been standing there for a good five minutes," Barbara muttered, her lips pressed together tightly. Dick knew of the thing between Barb and Jason, but he didn't know the true extent, and he was partially glad he didn't. Although, it would be helpful now, as the information could help him determine what to do.

"I assume Dick has now entered the building. What's up?" Jason suddenly spoke, giving a two finger salute toward the camera. He held up his gloved hands and turned around slowly. "I'm mostly unarmed. I just want to catch up with old friends. Also, I have some information on our old mentor."

Dick saw a couple knives attached to Jason's torso, but no gun handles or other potential weapons. Even so, Jason could have any kinds of weapons on him that weren't in view. Gritting his teeth, he nodded to Barbara.

"Is he talking about Batman?" Skye asked quietly, looking directly at Dick. Artemis, Zatanna, and Barbara looked at him with concern as well.

"Yeah. Hopefully it'll help find him."

"What do you mean, find him?" Barbara shouted, anger apparent. She squeezed the arms of her chair so hard her knuckles turned red. "What the hell is happening, Dick?"

"Just let him in, Barb." He couldn't look her in the eye. Instead, he turned to Skye, allowing her sympathetic gaze to calm his nerves. Moving to her side, he waited for Jason to come up the elevator and appear in the doorway. He put an arm around her waist and tucked her into his side.

November 12th - 14:20

North Pole

Wally West

His body was weak and his mind was fuzzy. Wally's eyes were open, but everything was a blur. His legs were painfully sore, barely able to move. His arms, as well. A migraine pulsed through his head. After a moment, he realized he was cold. Really really cold. Where the hell was he? He tried to call out Artemis's name, but nothing came from his throat. What had happened? The last thing he remembered was running with the other speedsters. After that, his mind seemed blank. Suddenly, he felt his stomach roll. Wally forced himself to roll over to the side and started to retch. Nothing came out, but his body didn't accept that.

Gasping, he finally finished and realized he was staring down at snow. The wind was howling and it was completely dark. Where was he? Shuddering, Wally tried to sit up. His body didn't respond. Wally did his best to recall the events, to get an idea of what his situation might be, but his mind was empty. No memories of after running with the Flash and Impulse came forward. Food. He needed food, something to get some life back into his body.

"A-artemis…" he murmured, moving onto his hands and knees. Wally groaned, closing his eyes and shuddering. The cold was now getting to him, icy wind stinging the bottom of his face behind the mask. He focused on his breathing as he touched a finger to his ear. "Anyone there?" His voice sounded so soft that he could barely understand his words. No one responded.

Chapter Text

his takes place as the Birds of Prey - minus Dinah - is dealing with Jason. Thanks for the positive feedback! I was rewatching YJ Season 2, and I realize I've kind of erased some of the storylines that were never finished - and I won't be finishing them. I feel a little bad, but here is a new plot that brings back our favorite characters!

As always, review, favorite, and follow. I hope this doesn't get too confusing with the different events happening at the same time.

November 12th - 14:25

Star City

Dinah Lance

It had been a few months since their argument, which had immediately led to her leaving the League and Star City. Dinah knew Oliver had only done what was he thought was the best for everyone, but a secret like that was something she needed to know. She had to find out from Barry! Pressing her lips together to keep from letting the anger through with words, she straightened her leather jacket and knocked on the door. Today she wasn't Black Canary - she was Dinah Lance, ex-girlfriend of Oliver Queen. Simple black skinny jeans, black boots, and a dark shirt was comfortable enough to not be noticed. Her blonde hair was braided over her shoulder. Okay, so she had spent a few more minutes than necessary on her make-up.

Oliver opened the door, wearing civilian clothing although his shirt was the bright green his suit tended to be. He seemed surprised, and Dinah smirked up at him. He was as handsome as ever, and Dinah was suddenly glad she had started to forgive him.

"Ah, Dinah, I didn't… I'm glad you're… Come in." Oliver cleared his throat and gestured for him to enter his home, which was a modest one story home that was tiny compared to the old family mansion he used to have. Without a word, Dinah nodded and stepped inside. She was greeted by the sight of a woman Oliver's age and a young boy, around the age of ten. Dinah swallowed, not wanting to take out her issues with Oliver on the woman and child.

The woman stood with a cautious smile. The boy looked up curiously from the book he was reading on the couch. He glanced at his mother, who gave him a reassuring nod. He glanced at Dinah once more curiously, then went back to his book. It was a book a bit thicker than an average ten year old would read.

"Hello, you must be Dinah. I heard Oliver greet you…" the woman answered politely. Her soft brown hair was pulled back into a clean ponytail. She looked like a mother, Dinah thought, with black jeans, a plain shirt, and an opened sweater.

"Dinah, this is Sandra Hawke and .. Connor." Oliver cleared his throat again, obviously uncomfortable with the situation. "Connor, Sandra, this is Dinah Lance."

"Hello," Dinah greeted politely. Honestly, though, she didn't know how to handle this situation as much as Oliver did. The reasons leading to their breakup was in the room right now. "I… was hoping to speak with Oliver, but I see he has company - "

"No! No, problem. We were just leaving. It was nice to meet you," Sandra replied, gesturing to Connor. The boy stood and put his book into his red backpack. After pulling his arms through the straps, he strolled up to Dinah.

"Oliver told me about you. He said you had pretty blue eyes and long blonde hair. He was right," Connor said with a grin.

"Oh, he did?" Dinah liked the sound of that. She wondered if Connor knew Oliver was his father or just that he was a friend of his mother's. That question would be asked as soon as they could talk.

"Yeah. Are we still going to go bowling next week?" Connor turned his attention to Oliver, who was stroking his goatee nervously. It seemed the boy had decided to handle the tension in the room with ignorance.

"Absolutely," he replied with a grin that matched Connor's. Dinah waited patiently a few feet away from the others as they said their goodbyes. She watched the interaction between Sandra and Oliver carefully, not feeling at all guilty for studying their connection. As soon as the door closed, Oliver turned toward her with a big grin.

"No, don't do that," Dinah said immediately, holding her hands up and taking a step back. Oliver's grin fell and he stayed where he was with a sigh.

"But you're here, that means you don't hate me as much, right?"

"Ollie, I don't hate you. I am just furious over the secret you kept."

"I found out only six months ago myself. It happened before we were together, Dinah."

"But you kept your son a secret for four months. From me, your best friend and lover. I'm not angry about when it happened, we weren't together. This is about you hiding an important part of you from me."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I promised Sandra that I would keep Connor safe, and that included not having anyone know he's my son. "

"I get it…" Dinah sighed with frustration and crossed her arms. "I do, and now that I've had time to think about it, I'm not as angry anymore. But I still am a little angry." She let a smile slip onto her lips. Oliver returned it.

"Now that we're almost on good terms, would you like to join me for din-"

Oliver was cut off by a flash of lightning appearing beside them, followed by a dressed down Barry Allen. Dinah and Oliver both frowned, surprised and suspicious to see their friend running here in normal clothing in such a hurry.

"This sounds impossible, but something is different with the speed force. I heard Wally. Wally." Barry's green eyes were full of surprise and confusion. He ran a hand through his blonde hair, his other hand on his hip, and paced back and forth across the room. He was dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants, as if he had been lounging around the house. There were noticeable stains all over his clothing, most likely from the twins who were around four years old now.

"Wally? Are you sure?" Oliver turned to Dinah, looking apprehensive about the idea.

"That's impossible. We know the speed force… pull him away. You saw it yourself." Dinah didn't know how else to put it. Saying the speed force killed him seemed too harsh. "Are you having nightmares again?" Dinah remembered the conversation they had soon after the incident. Oliver raised an eyebrow at this new information for him, but stayed silent.

"No, it's not that. It was Wally. He was calling for help. Plus, the speed force…" Barry frowned, his brows furrowing tightly. He pressed his lips together, looking angrily at the floor.

"What about the speed force?" Dinah asked gently. She put a hand on Barry's shoulder.

"I felt it shift," Barry replied. "I thought it had something to do with the twins, but they haven't had any signs of being speedsters."

"Shift. What do you mean? I didn't think the speed force was able to … shift." Oliver stroked his goatee once more, this time thoughtfully.

"I know, I didn't either, but it changed in some way. I can't explain it, but it felt like some of the energy was taken from it as soon as Jay passed away." Barry choked up at that, but pushed the crushed look off his face. Barry turned his confused eyes to Oliver. "A few moments ago, I heard Wally calling out for help in my mind. I'm not sure if it's actually him through some sort of speed force psychic connection or my imagination."

"And you came to me because…? I don't know anything about the speed force, Barry." Oliver shook his head, but there was a light in his eye, a hopeful light.

"You're my best friend. You, too, Dinah. I didn't want to tell anyone about this, not until we know what's happening. Especially Artemis." He looked pointedly at both Dinah and Oliver. "I don't want to give her any kind of hope that won't be true."

"Plus the fact that she's moving on, finally," Dinah added. Barry took a deep breath and nodded.

"Alright. Where do we start? If Wally is out there somewhere, we need to find him," Oliver pointed out.

November 12th - 16:00

Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada

Wally West

After Wally forced himself up, he found his energy being reinforced. From what, he had no idea. The speed force around him was different - like he was getting a bit more than he had before. Wally couldn't explain it, but it gave him enough energy to run south into Canada. After two hours of running as fast as he could - which was surprisingly faster than before - he found himself stumbling into a little town covered in snow. His suit was still together, but he was dying for a hot meal - or ten. He had no money on him, but maybe as Kid Flash he could get some food. He'd been all over the world and was a household name.

He stopped at a diner and stepped into the building out of the light snow that fell. There were two men at the counter, with heavy fur coats and the dark skin of first nations. There was a woman in her 30s behind the counter in the usual dress and apron of a waitress. All three of them looked up when he entered. The men stared, but the woman frowned, concern in her eyes. Without speaking, she tossed down the rag in her hand and hurried around the counter. Ushering him to a both, she bent down to look at his face closely.

"Oh, dear," she murmured, studying his features. The waitress had blonde hair and blue eyes. "You're… I know you, but I can't put my finger on it…"

"I hate to play this card, but I'm Kid Flash - and I haven't eaten in god knows how long. May I have some food? I promise to pay you as soon as I can." Wally grinned up at the woman, although he felt like dropping dead and sleeping for a year.

"Kid Flash?" The woman frowned, stepping back. "No, you're not Kid Flash."

"What?" Wally started to say more, but the room spun before he could utter another sound. With a loud thump, Wally fall over and out of the booth onto the floor. As the darkness took over, the two men and the waitress picked him up and carried him into a backroom with a cot. It was used for anyone who might be stuck in the diner overnight, but it was empty at the moment.

When Wally opened his eyes, he felt three pairs of eyes looking down at him. Noticing he was on a cot, he looked around the small room. It was a storage room, really, but there was space for a cot and a small square table. Grunting, he tried to set up, but couldn't find the energy.

"Don't move, let's get you some soup to start off, hm?" the woman smiled with reassurance, then turned to the two men behind her. She spoke in another language than English, and the two men nodded as they left the room. "I've sent them to get a few blankets. My name is Alicia. So… you're really Kid Flash?"

"Yeah," he answered weakly. "I have the suit, right? Thanks for not taking off the mask." The men brought in blankets, said a few words to the woman, then left.

"Of course I'm not going to do that, that would ruin the whole mystery of having you and your friends around," Alicia laughed, placing the blankets over him. Wally sighed as the warmth enveloped him.

"Let me get you some hot soup - I make the best up here in the north. Eat, than rest. I'm sure you want to get to your family as soon as possible. When did you change your hair? I liked the dark brown longer look. My daughter liked it much better, as well."

Dark hair? Wally wondered what the hell she was talking about as Alicia left to get him food. If he wasn't so weak, he'd head home right now. Artemis and his parents must be frantic! He pulled the blankets up to his chin, not at all minding the way his suit was a little uncomfortable. The sounds of Alicia making something for him to eat soothed him. Turning his head toward the wall to rest, he spotted a calendar just above his head. He looked up at it, curious as to what day it was, and almost lost his breath.

November 2020.

Four years after that fateful run.

November 12th - 14:25

Clock Tower - Washington D.C.

Skye Lovett

Even though she had the protection of her costume and Nightwing beside her, Skye was still a little frightened by this man they called the Red Hood. Now that she could think, Skye recognized the name of the man who was for hire. She'd heard it in passing, but now she knew it was a past Robin. She was happy to have Nightwing holding her close as the elevator door opened. Jason walked in, his chin held high and a swagger to his walk. Everyone had their eyes almost narrowed with their lips in thin lines. Skye knew she probably looked as she felt - out of place and not knowing what a huge deal this was.

"Ah, ladies," Jason said, walking to the middle of the room and eyeing each of them with aloofness. "Dick. Oh, is she yours? Funny to see all your ex-girlfriends in the room. Do you ladies trade Dick secrets?" He snorted at his comment.

"You said you had information," Barbara said, taking the initiative and rolling up to sit right in front of him. She looked up at him without a hint of uneasiness. Skye looked up to the red head, and was thankful she was taking this step rather than Dick.

"I have a fucking ton," he replied with a shrug. "About Batman, not much, but enough to get me through the door."