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This fic highlights one of my favorite characters from the Dark Justice Uni: Lillith. She of the red hair and the gogo boots, not the spooky-voiced Omen of later incarnations of the Teen Titans. In this fic, Lillith is being released from the hospital after an intensely unpleasant psychic experience.
BACK TO NORMAL
New York City, NY - August 14, 2002
On her last night in the hospital, she had a dream. It was one of the bad ones, one of the true ones.
In the dream, the plaster wall exploded inward. There was light, blue and bright, searing her retinas, filling her vision with spots. The metal men clambered through the broken wall, trudging over her fallen friends, their joints hissing and clicking. Her fingers reached for weapons that were not there and then the metal men were upon her.
She woke up screaming, the palms of her hands aching from the dream crucifixion. The sheets of her bed were bunched about her legs and the room was dark except for a sliver of light pouring through the high rectangular window. She lay in bed, knees drawn to her chest, shivering, watching the pale light give way to a new day. Sometime around dawn she drifted back to sleep. This time, there were no dreams waiting for her.
* * * * *
Lilith was waiting for her in the lobby, sitting on a battered green couch. Her feet were propped up on her suitcase. She was flipping through the pages of a magazine, chewing bubblegum. She sat up, smiling, when she saw Toni.
“Hey.”
“Hey, yourself. Ready to go?”
“Oh yeah.”
There were forms to fill out. Discharge papers. Instructions for medications she had to sign. She scrawled her signature on so many documents her fingers started to cramp from her deathgrip on the pen. Through it all, she kept chewing the gum. Smacking it loudly. Blowing the occasional bubble. The gum felt and tasted like rubber, but it gave her something to focus on.
At last it was over. The nurses at the reception desk smiled at her, but did not wish her luck. She walked out of the hospital without so much as a backwards glance.
Outside, it was a bright, hot day. The sound of traffic, muted for so long by the hospital walls, was a dull roar. She found it oddly comforting, like the drone of bees. For a moment, she stood there, listening, head tilted back, feeling the sun beat down on her face.
“Lil?”
She lowered her face and opened her eyes. Toni was watching her, amusement warring with wariness for dominance of her pale, pretty face.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s just . . . been a while since I’ve been outside.”
“Oh.”
She saw the understanding blossom in Toni’s eyes. The pale girl nodded and lifted her hand. Silver lightening crackled around her fingertips, thickened suddenly into something solid and viscous, flowing into a circular platform that crackled and sparked as it hovered inches above the concrete sidewalk.
“Let’s go home,” said Toni. She stepped onto the platform, still connected to her by a stream of scintillating silver. Turning, she offered her free hand to Lilith.
The redhead spat out the wad of colorless, rubbery gum. Grabbing Toni’s hand, she stepped onto the platform. She could feel it humming through the soles of her tennis shoes.
They rose into the air. Lil turned, saw the street traffic had slowed to a crawl as the rubberneckers gaped at them. One man was staring at them in open-mouthed amazement. Lilith laughed and waved at him, and then they were moving faster. Beneath them, the city was a blur of gray concrete and flashing steel.
* * * * *
Titans Island was dazzling in its brilliance. Lilith shaded her eyes against the reflected glare as Toni guided them down, moving her platform in a wide, circular pattern.
“I think I should warn you,” said Toni.
There was a wariness in her voice that made Lilith’s stomach clutch. “Warn me about what?”
“Well,” said Toni, “word kind of got out that you were getting released today.”
“And?”
“Well, you know us. Any excuse to have a party.”
Lilith blinked. “A party?”
“It’s okay if you want to avoid it,” Toni said quickly. “Jesse kept the rent up on your place, so if you want I can drop you off there. You don’t have to go if you don’t feel up to it.”
“Toni, it’s okay.” Lilith took her friend’s hand, smiled at her. “I’m not going to fall apart because a bunch of people I know are going to shout out ‘Surprise!’ when I walk into a room. I’m not made of china, I won’t break.” She frowned suddenly and gnawed her lower lip. “At least, I don’t think I will.”
Toni stared at her. A slow grin crept across Lilith’s face. Realization flashed in Toni’s dark eyes and she shook her head, dark curls bobbing in the breeze.
“You little stinker.”
Grinning, Lilith slapped her on the back. “Lighten up already! It’s a party!”
* * * * *
She was surprised at the people who had turned out. The current Titans were all there, but so were a lot of former Titans. Mal and Karen had come in from the West Coast. So had Bette and her boyfriend, Orsono. Lilith was surprised to find that the two of them were parents to a bouncing baby boy. Donna was talking with Garth, and Dick had gallantly rescued Cyborg from Jesse’s buttonholing. She seemed determined to hire Stone for Quickstart’s new R&D division.
Lilith had drifted through the party. Chatting with friends. Sipping her glass of Fresca. Now, as dusk claimed the city, she stood on the balcony, eyes shut, enjoying the wind against her skin.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
She opened her eyes, saw that Donna had joined her. Lilith smiled and leaned back against the marble balustrade.
“They’re not worth that much.”
Donna joined her at the guardrail, turned her back on the city. She glanced at Lilith. “Are you okay?” Her tone was soft.
Lilith nodded and turned to lean over the railing. She stared at the muddy waters of the river. It seemed a long way down. “I’m fine. Just needed some air.”
Donna nodded.
“All of this,” Lilith turned and nodded at the glass doors and the party beyond them. “It’s just a little much on my first day back.”
“Too much?” Asked Donna.
Lilith smiled and moved closer to Donna. She slid her arm through the brunette’s, and shut her eyes again, breathed in the jasmine-like scent of Donna’s perfume.
“Don’t worry. I’m fine. I’m glad to see everyone. Really.”
She felt Donna nod, felt the slight tension in her drain away.
“Can you believe Bette has a baby?” Donna asked softly.
Lilith giggled and leaned against the other woman. “I believe it, I just can’t picture it. It seems to have made her a lot more focused.”
“Yes, I think so too.” Donna laughed softly and turned her head, whispered into Lilith’s ear. “I think Dick is feeling snubbed.”
“By Bette?”
Donna nodded, her dark hair brushing against Lilith’s cheek. “Remember how crazy she was about him?”
The redhead grinned. “She was his very own stalker.”
“She’s barely said two words to him tonight,” whispered Donna.
“Because she’s been draped all over Bushido,” said Lilith, grinning. “Not that I blame her. Have you seen his butt? I bet I could bounce quarters off it.”
Donna giggled. “Not that it compares to Dick’s.”
Lilith laughed, then said solemnly. “They broke the mold when they made the Grayson tuccas.”
“Oh yeah.”
“So, how come you and Dick never got together?” Asked Lilith.
Donna jumped and then laughed out loud.
“I’m serious,” said Lilith. She turned to Donna, solemn-faced. “You two would be great together.”
Donna wiped her eyes and smiled at Lilith. “I kind of thought about it when we were kids, but always felt it would be too weird. Like sleeping with my brother or something.”
“Oh? Weirder than you and Roy?”
“Oh gods. We were teenagers and I was curious and Roy, Roy. . . .”
“Roy was willing,” said Lilith, nodding her understanding. “What about now?”
Donna’s mouth twitched into a smirk. “These days Roy is taken.”
Lilith nodded. “Yes. He and J’onn seem very happy together.”
Donna blinked and turned to her friend. “You know about them?”
“Of course,” said Lilith, matter-of-factly. “I found out when J’onn visited me at the hospital.” She sighed, watching the costumed figures moving about inside the building. “I wish Roy and Gar were here.”
“They’re probably off saving the world,” said Donna.
Lilith smiled. “I guess that’s a good excuse to miss my party.” She ran a hand through her hair, smoothing it back. “Come on. We’d better get back inside before Jesse starts sending out search parties.”
Donna nodded and pushed away from the railing. Lilith turned to her, grinning.
“I still think you and Dick should get together.”
She turned away and rejoined the party before Donna could say anything.
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 15, 2002
The sound of thunder woke her. Her eyes opened with a start and, for just a second, she was disoriented by her surroundings. Gone were the padded walls of her hospital room with its unbreakable fixtures and bed with designer sheets and matching restraints. Instead, she was surrounded by faux marble brilliance, lost in a colossal bed, draped in silk sheets.
Her room on the island.
Lilith sat up and the room brightened. Wiping her eyes, she threw back the sheets and climbed out of bed. The floor was blood warm. She stretched, the vertebrae of her spine snapping and popping with her motion.
Her suitcase sat against the far wall, like a large toffee. She dressed quickly, automatically, pulling on gray sweatpants and a sleeveless red T-shirt. At the bottom of her bag lay her prescription. She chugged the two pills, dry, and padded out of her room.
Her first, full day as a ‘normal’ person had begun.
* * * * *
Argent was in the monitor room, dressed for battle in a sleeveless black unitard. Seated in a throne-like chair, silver monitors erupted from the wall, surrounding Argent’s field of vision.
“Hey. What’s up?”
Argent answered without looking away from the monitors. “Hey, Lil. We’ve got a report the Mist has been sighted at the Met.”
Lilith wiped sleep from her eyes and stifled a yawn. She padded into the room and leaned against Argent’s chair. Peering blearily at the liquid-silver monitors, Lilith saw that several of them seemed to be tracking her fellow Titans.
“I thought the Mist was dead. Both of them.”
Argent nodded, absently. “This is a new one. No relation to the original Mist or his daughter. Similar powers though. We’ve been after her for weeks.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I. . .”
“Excuse me, Toni,” a gentle, masculine voice filled the room. “I am intercepting a transmission from the NYPD, requesting an ambulance at the Met.”
“Is that Dome?” Asked Lilith.
Argent ignored her question. “Jesse, did you copy that?”
A closeup of Jesse’s face appeared on one of the monitors. “I do, Argent. I’m going ahead.”
“Be careful,” urged Argent. She turned to Lilith and smiled wanly. “Sorry. What did you say, Lil?”
The redhead shook her head. “Never mind. What’s a girl got to do to get a chair around here?”
A chair rose out of the faux marble floor, practically scooping Lilith up. She blinked and squirmed, feeling the material shift beneath her.
Argent grinned. “Just ask.”
“Thanks,” said Lilith. She addressed the room. “Dome?”
“Yes, Lilith?”
“I like the new voice. Much more human.”
“Thank you, Lilith. I’ve been working on it for some time.”
“If you two could keep it down, I’m trying to coordinate a mission here,” Argent pointed out.
“Um. Sorry. Anything I can do to help?”
“Not yet,” Argent said absently. She smiled wanly at Lilith. “I don’t mean to be snarky or anything, it’s just the Mist is a slippery one.”
“No problem. I. . . .”
“Toni.” Dome interrupted abruptly, his voice much more strident. “I am detecting an intruder on the island.”
“Where at?” Demanded Argent, frowning.
“The residential building. Jesse’s quarters.”
“What?” Argent half-rose from her chair. “How could someone get all the way in there without you spotting them, Dome?”
“Unknown. The intruder’s bio-signature is partially masked.”
“Crap! Seal off the residence. I’ll call CM3 back to investigate. . . .”
“I can do that,” interjected Lilith.
Argent glanced at her, frowning. “Lilith. . . .”
The redhead was adamant. “You’ve got a mission to run, remember?”
“And we’ve got an unknown intruder on the island. Who knows what they’re capable of?”
Lilith frowned at the younger woman. “We don’t know they’re hostile. Do you, Dome?”
“I do not know, Lilith,” admitted the alien shapechanger.
Argent was frowning, her gaze darting from the liquid monitors back to Lilith. “Are you having one of your hunches, Lil?”
“Yes,” the redhead lied.
“Okay,” snapped Argent. “Check it out. Dome, go with her.”
* * * * *
Lilith trotted down the winding corridors, following Dome. The alien shapechanger had extruded a human body from the monitor room floor and was moving ahead of the redhead. Lilith couldn’t help staring at the shapechanger’s backside.
“This body you’re using,” said Lilith. “It’s new and improved.”
Dome looked over one flawless white shoulder at her. “Yes. The original version was based loosely on Michaelangelo’s David. This version is an extrapolation of that.”
“Oh.”
They trotted on in silence for a few more seconds.
“Um. Dome?”
“Yes, Lilith?”
“Do you think you could grow some pants or something?”
Dome came to a complete stop. A tremor passed through his body and he turned to face Lilith, his groin as sexless as a Ken doll’s.
“Is this better?”
“Yes,” admitted the redhead. “Normally, I wouldn’t have said anything, but I don’t need to be, um, distracted if we’re going into a possible fight.”
“I am glad you said something,” Dome replied gently. He glanced down at his body, his pretty face frowning. “I can duplicate human physiology down to the cellular level if necessary, but I still forget human social conventions and taboos.”
She patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. No harm done.”
“Toni and Jesse are not so forgiving,” said Dome. “They do not like me to leave the island in this form without someone along to monitor my behavior.”
“Well, next time you want to go out, let me know. I know a couple of bars where a naked, shapeshifting alien wouldn’t even be looked at twice.”
Dome nodded, smiling, and they continued on their way. In a few moments they had reached the residential building and the doorway to Jesse’s quarters.
“Can you sense the intruder?” Lilith asked, quietly.
Dome nodded. “Vaguely. It seems to be using the hygiene facility.”
Lilith blinked. “You mean they’re taking a shower?”
The shapechanger nodded.
“That’s not typical behavior for an intruder,” pointed out Lilith. “Open the door, please.”
The door to Jesse’s quarters slid open. Lilith stepped inside, followed closely by Dome. Jesse’s quarters were almost identical to Lilith’s, except for the queen-sized bed and the thick shag carpeting underfoot.
As the two Titans stood there, the door to Jesse’s bathroom opened. A very naked Victor Stone stepped into the room and froze.
“Shit!”
Liquid gold burst from his skin, enveloping him. Lilith blushed, and covered her smile with her hand.
“What the hell’s going on?” Cyborg demanded.
Lilith cleared her throat and tried to stop smiling. Cyborg glared at her.
“Well?”
The redhead gave up trying to hide her smile. “Dome detected an intruder in here. Guess it was you.”
Cyborg glowered at the two of them. “You think?”
Lilith grinned at him. “So, um, does this mean you and Jesse are . . . working together?”
* * * * *
“The Mist got away,” CM3 said, bitterly.
He had arrived back at the island a few moments ago. His eyes were bright with anger as he spoke and he kept cracking his knuckles. Argent, Lilith and he sat around the main conference table.
Argent swore and rubbed her eyes. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. One minute we had her penned in and the next she was gone.”
“Who was the ambulance for?” Asked Lilith.
“One of the security guards,” said CM3. His frown grew deeper. “She shot him.”
“The Mist?” Asked Argent.
CM3 nodded. “Yeah. In the foot. Jesse took him to the hospital.”
“Where is Jesse anyway?” Asked Lilith.
“She stayed behind to talk to the police,” said CM3. He glanced at a clock and frowned. “I have to get going.”
Argent nodded. “See you later, C.”
CM3 nodded and was airborne, a blue streak vanishing into the western sky. Lilith watched him leave, one hand raised to shield her eyes from the sun.
“What’s his hurry?”
“He’s got class this afternoon,” said Argent. “And it’s a long flight back to Fawcette City.”
“I thought he was going to ESU?”
“Didn’t happen,” said Argent. “He couldn’t afford it and his grades weren’t good enough to get him a scholarship, so he’s going to Fawcette City College.”
“Poor kid. And he was looking forward to living here so much!”
Argent shrugged. “Those are the breaks.”
“I guess.”
“Where did Cyborg run off to?”
Lilith fought the grin that threatened to cover her face. “He had a meeting at STAR Labs he couldn’t miss. But he said he’d be back later to help Dome run those tests.”
“Good,” said Argent. She sighed and leaned back in her chair. “The last thing we need now is a hole in our security.”
“Dome’s pretty sure he knows what the problem was.”
“Oh?”
Lilith nodded. “Something about Vic’s liquid metal cybernetics. They got technical, but Dome said he’d probably have to grow some new sensors to deal with it. Or something like that. He’s working on it now.”
Argent nodded and studied Lilith. “Are you doing okay?”
“Oh yeah. I’m fine. Never better.”
“Okay. Just checking.” The younger woman grinned. “Hell of a first day back, huh?”
Lilith smiled. “The day’s not over with yet.”
* * * * *
Her apartment smelt like a pine tree. That was the first thing to hit her when she pushed open the door. The second was the atypical neatness of the place. Lilith stood on the threshold of her apartment and stared.
“Is everything all right?” Garth asked from behind her.
Lilith turned, blinking at the Atlantean. “I can see the floor.”
Garth shifted the boxes he was carrying and peered past her. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
“That’s a damn rare thing,” she said with feeling. “And the place smells . . . clean. Did Jesse hire a cleaning service or something while I was in the booby hatch?”
“Um. No. But, I think Connor and Terry came over a few times to dust and stuff.”
Lilith frowned at him. “What do you mean, ‘and stuff?’”
“You know, vacuuming and such.” Garth shrugged. “What did you think I meant?”
“I dunno. Wild monkey sex on the kitchen counters?”
Garth’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and he gave her a skeptical look. “Are you sure you’re not still crazy?”
“Humph! Not any more than usual.” She walked into the apartment and ran a hand along the back of her tartan couch. “You can just toss those boxes anywhere, Garth.”
He nodded and promptly dropped both boxes on the floor where he stood. Lilith walked into her kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
“Oh my.”
“What?” Asked Garth, from the living room.
“My refrigerator is spotless.”
Garth snorted and leaned against the back of the couch. “You’re starting to scare me, Lilith.”
She started going through her cabinets and drawers, taking inventory. Her red hair swayed as she shook her head.
“I’ve got lots of pots and pans, but nothing to cook in them.”
Garth grinned. “Maybe that’s a blessing in disguise.”
She turned to him, brandishing a spoon. “That’s enough glibness from the peanut gallery. I’ll have you know I’m a very good cook.”
“I remember.” Garth grinned and stood. “But, unfortunately, I can’t hang around.”
“Oh? What’s going on?”
“I’ve got to get to my meeting.”
“Your meeting?” She studied him, her head cocked to one side. “That sounds vaguely ominous. What kind of meeting?”
“My AA meeting.”
Lilith blinked. “Alcoholics Anonymous?”
Garth nodded, his violet eyes resting lightly on her face.
“I didn’t know you were an alcoholic,” she said after a moment.
He nodded, once.
“And here I am, plotting to get you drunk and take advantage of you,” Lilith said, deadpan.
Garth chuckled. He kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
“You have. What’s with the beard? I didn’t even know you could grow facial hair.”
“You don’t like it?” He scratched his chin, fingers rubbing over his coarse ten-o-clock shadow.
“No,” Lilith said, after a moment of thought. “It makes you look sort of sexy.”
His violet eyes widened for a second, then narrowed suspiciously. “Really?”
She nodded. “Yeah, in that 1980s, Miami Vice kind of way.”
Garth shook his head, smirking. “Oh yeah. You haven’t changed a bit, Lilith.”
“What can I say?” Shrugging, she grinned at him. “The best things in life never do.”
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 16, 2002
Lilith woke up screaming, the sheets tangled around her bare legs, her skin slick with perspiration. She sat up in bed, her heart hammering against her chest like a frantic animal trying to bust out. Whimpering, she felt her stomach clenching. Stumbling, she barely made it to the toilet in time.
She vomited, her body wracked by the force of her regurgitation. Not much came up, and Lilith was grateful for that. Afterwards, she sat on the cool tile floor of her bathroom, next to the toilet, a cool cloth pressed to her forehead.
Her head ached. She lay back, the bathroom tiles chilly against her back, the wet cloth on her eyes.
Part of the dream flitted back to her. A hole filled with clutching hands, pulling her down despite all of her struggles. Voices shouting for attention, inundating her consciousness. She was drowning in a sea of humanity.
Shutting her eyes, Lilith took deep, slow breaths. The cloth against her eyes was cool, and eventually the white terrycloth faded slowly into black.
* * * * *
“Lilith?”
Jesse’s voice woke her up the second time. Lilith’s eyes flew open. Jesse stood over her, bent at the waist, studying her with concern.
“Lilith, are you okay?”
The redhead sat up slowly, wiping sleep from her eyes. “I wish people would stop asking me that.” She stared blearily at Jesse. “What are you doing here?”
“I came by to see if you wanted to go to brunch,” said Jesse. “When you didn’t answer the door, I thought something might have happened so I let myself in.”
Lilith climbed to her feet, pushing her hair back over her shoulders. She became aware of the washcloth, draped over one shoulder, dry and stiff.
“What time is it?”
“Almost eleven,” said Jesse. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just. . . .”
“Fell asleep on your bathroom floor?”
“I got sick last night,” explained Lilith. “Came in here and must have dozed off.”
“Hmm.” Jesse let her hand brush Lilith’s forehead before the redhead could protest. She frowned. “You don’t feel hot.”
“It’s the medication,” explained Lilith, irritated. She brushed Jesse’s hand away. “They warned me it might make me sick.”
“Oh.” Jesse looked unconvinced.
Lilith’s stomach grumbled. “You said something about brunch?”
“I made reservations at Olivier’s.”
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to roll.”
“Are you sure?” Asked Jesse, frowning. “Maybe you should take it easy.”
Lilith sighed and gently, but firmly, guided Jesse out of the bathroom. “I’m fine. Just . . . give me ten minutes.” She waved a hand vaguely, ignoring Jesse’s look of concern. “Go take over a company or something. I’ll be out in a few.”
Jesse looked like she was about to protest. Lilith shut the bathroom door, cutting off any comment her friend might have made.
* * * * *
Olivier’s was crowded, and Lilith felt vaguely underdressed in her denim jeans and Killer Muffs T-shirt. On the other hand, Jesse’s outfit, a tan shirt and black slacks, nearly matched the restaurant’s decor. As soon as the two women were seated, a waiter appeared and they ordered.
“How’s your mom?” Lilith asked.
Jesse scowled. “The same. She’s driving me nuts.”
A burst of surprised laughter escaped Lilith and Jesse blushed crimson. But she didn’t apologize.
“What does Libby want you to do now?”
“Give her grandchildren,” said Jesse, dryly.
Lilith’s eyebrows shot up. “Going to introduce her to Victor?”
“Oh God. Don’t you start too. I got enough grief from Toni last night on the phone.”
Before Lilith could speak the waiter returned with their orders, a fruit platter for her and Soup & Salad for Jesse.
“What’s up with Toni?” Asked Lilith, rummaging in her purse for her medication. “Does she still like you?”
Jesse sighed. “Not like that. At least, I don’t think so.” She stirred her soup absently, peering into its vegetable depths. “She just sort of pointed out that, once upon a time, I had told her, that I don’t really do sex. And then, bang! There I am with Vic.”
Lilith regarded Jesse over the top of her Diet 7-Up. “Bang?” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Was it a big bang? Or a little bang?”
“You know,” Jesse said wryly, “instead of you and Toni obsessing over my sex life, maybe the two of you should go out and get your own.”
Chuckling, Lilith took her meds and casually stuffed the bottle back into her purse. She dove into her fruit plate with gusto, and for a while the two young women simply ate in friendly silence.
“What kind of medication are you taking anyway?” Jesse asked, after finishing her soup.
“Neuroinhibitors,” said Lilith, around a mouthful of citrus fruits.
Jesse frowned. “What do they do?”
“Keep me from going nuts again.”
“How?”
Lilith picked at the remains of her meal. “They’re basically psi-dampeners.”
She was painfully aware of Jesse’s gaze. “You mean they neutralize your powers.”
“No,” Lilith said quickly. “They just . . . lower them. I’m still psychic, just . . . not as much.”
“Jesus, Lil!”
“I knew you were going to say that.”
“This isn’t funny,” snapped Jesse. “When were you going to tell us?”
“Eventually.”
“You mean never.”
“They only interfere with my telepathic abilities,” explained Lilith. “My other powers are all fine.”
Jesse was scowling at her. “We’ll see about that.”
* * * * *
Jesse stood behind the wooden table, her hands resting lightly on the upturned cups. She met Lilith’s gaze and smiled.
“Keep your eye on the ball.”
She lifted one of the cups, revealing a red, rubber ball. Just as quickly, she covered it again. Jesse began to move the cups, switching their positions, her hands moving faster and faster until they were a blur. When she stopped, her stillness was jarring.
“Okay, where’s the ball?”
The redhead tapped the middle cup. “There.”
Jesse lifted the cup, revealing the remnants of the ball. It was partially melted. Jesse scowled at it.
Lilith grinned at her. “Want to play for money?”
* * * * *
“The Ace of Hearts.”
Argent lifted the card from the deck and nodded. “Right again.” She tossed the card, face up, on the stack to her left.
Lilith stretched in her chair and stifled a yawn. “Eight of Clubs.”
“Right.”
“The Joker,” said Lilith, drowsily.
Argent turned over the last card and nodded. “Right.” Her gaze drifted past Lilith to where Jesse stood, watching. “She got fifty-six out of fifty-six right.”
“Fine,” said Jesse. “Let’s try something a little different.”
She was suddenly standing by the table, the air swirling softly around her in the wake of her super-speed. A pair of brightly colored die rattled across the marble tabletop. Argent scooped them up, frowning.
“You want us to shoot craps?”
Lilith perked up and reached for the die. “Let’s play for money.”
“No,” said Jesse firmly.
“Then how about sexual favors?”
The speedster stared at her. Argent grinned.
“What?” Asked Lilith, rolling the dice in her palm. “I didn’t exactly get a chance to date while I was locked up.” She grinned at Jesse. “It’s been a while for some of us.”
Jesse rubbed her forehead. “Just predict the die outcome before Argent rolls. Okay, Lilith?”
The redhead sighed. “Spoilsport.”
Argent just grinned and shook the die.
* * * * *
She sat facing Green Arrow, squinting into his eyes.
“Okay, you’re thinking about . . .” Lilith frowned at the archer. “Climato juice?”
Green Arrow shook his head. “No.”
Lilith pursed her lips. “Milk?”
“Guess again.”
“I don’t think I want to,” groused Lilith. “I’m running out of white fluids I can mention in polite company.”
“I’m thinking of soy milk.”
“Hey! I said milk!”
“You weren’t specific enough,” said Green Arrow, smoothly.
“Hmph. Now you’re just being nitpicky.”
“Nitpicky? Is that an actual word?”
“Can we please get back to the test?” Implored Jesse.
Green Arrow nodded and shut his eyes for a moment. Lilith studied his face, absently chewed on her lower lip.
“Lilith?” Jesse prompted.
The redhead frowned. “You’re thinking of . . . grocery shopping with Terry?”
Smiling, Green Arrow nodded. “Very good! What am I thinking of right now?”
Lilith shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Try,” urged Jesse.
“Um. The monastery in California.”
Silently, Green Arrow shook his head.
“Your mom?”
“No. Try again.”
“I don’t know. Sex with Terry?”
“No,” said the archer, his cheeks flushing.
Lilith frowned at him. “Jesse having sex with Cyborg?”
Green Arrow tried to blush, cough and laugh all at the same time. The redhead patted him on the back, to help him breath.
“All right,” muttered Jesse, crossing her arms and scowling at Lilith. “I’ve seen enough.”
* * * * *
New York City - August 17, 2002
The sun beat down on Titans Island, reflecting off faux marble and crystal with blinding force. Lilith adjusted her sunglasses and adjusted the strap of her neon green bikini. On the blanket next to her, Donna lay on her belly, her head pillowed on her arms.
“Where are the others?” The brunette asked sleepily.
Lilith shrugged. “Dome’s around somewhere. Jesse got pressganged into lunch with her mom. CM3's in Fawcette City and Connor is on monitor duty.”
Donna turned her head to peer at Lilith. “Hmm. Where’s Argent? And Garth?”
“Toni can’t tan anymore and you know how Garth is about lying out in the sun.”
The brunette chuckled. “Why would I want to dehydrate myself?” Her imitation of Garth was flawless and made Lilith laugh.
“They’re probably down in the pool,” said Lilith. She lowered her sunglasses, peered knowingly over their reflective lenses at Donna. “Flirting.”
“Really?” Donna sounded surprised.
Lilith nodded. “You didn’t know? They’ve got this weird flirtation thing going on between them.”
“I had no idea,” admitted Donna. “But it’s probably good. Garth’s been so lonely since, well, you know.”
“You think anything will come of it?”
“I don’t know. I doubt it. Can you see Toni and Garth together?”
“Well, not long term,” admitted Lilith. “But I don’t think a good boinkfest would hurt either of them.”
Donna laughed and rolled onto her back. She shut her eyes and sighed. “Hmm. Garth told me you’re not telepathic any more.”
Lilith glanced at Donna, then returned her gaze to the cityscape. “No, not really.”
“He says it’s because of the medication you’re on.”
“Neuroinhibitors,” clarified Lilith. “They squelch my telepathy.”
Donna rolled onto her side, head propt on one hand. She studied the redhead. “Why?”
Lilith sighed. She could almost feel the concern and curiosity radiating from the other woman. “To keep me from going nuts. Again.”
Donna’s brow creased with sudden concern. “Lil, what aren’t you telling?”
The redhead sighed again and turned on her side, to face her friend. She removed her sunglasses. “If I tell you this, Donna, you’ve got to swear to keep it to yourself. Jesse hasn’t said anything, but I know she’s worried. The last thing I need is for her to be more worried about me.”
“I promise,” said Donna. Solemnly, she drew an X over her breast. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“This last time in the sanitarium wasn’t my first time in one.”
Donna frowned. “When . . . ?”
“After we stopped Haze,” said Lilith. She looked down at the terrycloth towel they lay on. “I started to lose myself.”
“What do you mean?”
“I. . . .” Lilith hesitated, frowned for a minute. She lifted her head, gazed into Donna’s eyes, took strength from the concern and love she saw there. “You remember how my powers were amped up as Omen?”
Donna nodded, silently.
A snort escaped Lilith. “Turns out it was too much, too soon. My telepathic powers, the psychic imprints I had made of everyone . . . they were overwhelming me.” She shuddered and rolled onto her back, stared up into the hot, blue sky. “I was drowning inside my own head.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” Asked Donna, softly.
“I don’t know. Pride I suppose. I thought I could handle it myself.”
“Did you?”
“I checked myself into a sanitarium, worked with a psychologist STAR Labs recommended.” She frowned, scrunched up her forehead at the memories. “He came up with the idea of psychic floodgates to control all the emergent personalities.” Lilith shut her eyes, shuddered. “It worked until last November.”
Donna’s hand was in hers, squeezing softly. “And this time?”
Lilith lay there, eyes shut, feeling Donna’s moist, warm hand in hers. She closed her fingers around it. “When Dick asked me to read the hotel, it was too much. The floodgates broke and all the personalities just . . . flooded me. I was swept away, lost among all the personas I had imprinted.”
“It must have been horrible.”
The redhead shivered, gooseflesh erupting across her arms. “You have no idea.”
They lay there, hands clasped, silently for a few moments.
“I’d still be there if Roy hadn’t come to see me,” Lilith said quietly. “He brought J’onn with him and he took one look at me and knew what was happening, used his powers to help me find my way back.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“No one does.” Lilith smiled softly. “J’onn saved my life, helped me . . . purge the other personalities. He even worked with the doctors to help them understand what had happened and why. That’s when they decided to recommend the psi-inhibitors.”
“Now you’re better,” said Donna.
Lilith nodded.
“I think you should tell the others,” said Donna.
“No,” said Lilith, her voice firm. “They’re all still wondering if I’m okay. I don’t want them to think I’m fragile. Jesse’s already giving me looks.”
“They’re your friends, Lilith. They won’t judge you.”
“Of course they will,” said Lilith, matter-of-factly. “And normally, I wouldn’t care, but today, right now, I just don’t want to have to deal with it. Okay?”
Donna frowned, unhappily. “It’s your decision,” she said quietly.
Lilith nodded and slid her sunglasses back on.
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 18, 2002
Sunday was supposed to be a slow day. Nothing ever happened on Sunday. No supervillain attacks. No world-threatening menaces. Sunday was a slow day and that was why Jesse agreed to let Lilith sit on monitor duty.
It was supposed to be a slow day, so naturally something had to happen.
Lilith’s first impression of the new Mist was of big hair. The Mist’s hair was bone-white and thick. It was long and teased and Lilith couldn’t help but think it belonged on the head of some Country Western diva, not a skinny teenage supervillain.
The Mist looked young. A teenager. She was long-limbed and tall, with a peaches and cream complexion. Her outfit was mundane. Stonewashed jeans tucked into knee-high black boots and a too-small T-shirt that left her midriff bare. A golden hoop gleamed in her naval, a .22 barked in her hand.
Through Argent’s button-cam, Lilith saw the blur that was Jesse as the speedster snatched the bullet out of the air. She heard the Mist swear, using language that would have made Roy Harper blush. The girl’s words had an Arkansas twang to them.
And then she was gone, evaporating into pale, cream-colored smoke even as Jesse bore down on her, ran through her. Lilith watched the Mist’s smoky body twist and turn, caught up in Jesse’s jetstream, pulled along in the wake of the Titan’s passage.
Jesse looped back on her own trail, a blur of crimson and gold. She ran in a circle, faster and faster, creating a miniature cyclone, containing the Mist. It was a classic maneuver and Lilith watched the Mist’s smoky body coalesce and twist in the gale.
“Now, Argent.”
Jesse slowed long enough to give the command, then was gone again, running. The view from her button-cam was making Lilith dizzy. She turned away from it, switched her attention to Toni’s.
Argent’s hands burned with silver. Lilith watched as Toni extended her hands, palms out. Silver light poured from Argent, washed over everything in the jewelry store, coating it with an airtight layer of silver.
It was a maneuver they had been working on since their first encounter with the Mist. Now, though, was the first time Jesse and Argent had both been in the field when the criminal struck.
Argent was sweating. Lilith could see the drops of perspiration on the backs of her hands. A silver curtain fell across the shop in front of her, and Jesse was suddenly there beside her. The speedster turned and Lilith watched through her button-cam as her superspeed vortex dissipated.
The Mist, suddenly released, flowed in her gaseous shape toward the rear of the shop, away from the two heroines. Lilith saw her hit the wall of silver light, saw the shower of sparks from the contact. She heard Argent mutter something under her breath.
“You can do it, Toni,” Jesse said quietly and Lilith, seated in the monitor room, crossed her fingers.
A stream of silver light connected Argent to the forcefield she had coated the jewelry store with. Now, within that stream, Argent flexed her fingers. Her forcefield began to contract. There were more discharges from within it as the Mist tried desperately to phase through the barrier.
Jesse’s button-cam showed Argent, her eyes closed, frowning as she concentrated. The silver field she had spun was roughly the size of a refrigerator now. The Mist moved inside it, a swirling cloud of angry smoke.
Now the refrigerator was shrinking rapidly, rounding at the edges, collapsing into a sphere filled with cream-colored vapor. Argent opened her hands and the sphere floated between her fingers. Toni opened her eyes and grinned at Jesse.
“We got her!”
Jesse grinned back at her. But Argent was suddenly frowning.
“Um. Now that we’ve got her, what do we do with her? I can’t contain her like this forever.”
“Don’t worry,” said Jesse. “We’ll get her over to the Slab right away.”
“Er. How?” Argent asked, a bead of sweat sliding down her cheek. “It’s taking everything I’ve got to hold her. I don’t think I can generate a slide.”
The bell above the jewelry store’s door tinkled merrily. Jesse turned and Lilith grinned as the screen shot shifted.
“Dome?”
“Lilith sent me,” explained the shapechanger. “She said you would require transport to the Slab.”
Jesse removed her button-cam and peered into it. Her face filled a screen in the monitor room. “Nice move, Lil.” The speedster’s eyes flickered to Dome for a moment, then back to the camera. “But next time you send Dome, remind him to wear pants. Okay?”
* * * * *
“The Mist is tucked away?”
Argent nodded, falling back into the overstuffed couch with a sigh. “Yep.”
Lilith drew her legs up to her chest, wiggled around on the couch until she was facing her friend. “You look beat.”
“I am. That forcefield stunt took a lot out of me.”
“You did well,” said Lilith. “You and Jesse both.”
Toni let her head roll to one side. She grinned at Lilith. “You weren’t so bad yourself. It was a good idea you had, sending Dome. I don’t think I could have held the Mist if Jesse had tried to fly me to the Slab.”
The redhead shrugged and draped her arms around her legs, hugging herself. “It just felt like the right thing to do.”
“Uh-huh. Convenient too.”
Lilith’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Huh?”
Toni turned on her side, head resting against the thick, pillow-like back cushions. She fixed Lilith with her black eyes. “Admit it. You know the Mist was going to show up today, didn’t you? That’s why you asked Jesse to let you sit on monitor duty.” A smile tugged at the corner of Toni’s pale lips. “You wanted to get back into the game.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lilith said, a little too primly.
Toni smirked. “Yeah, sure.” She squirmed on the couch, shifting position until her head lay at Lilith’s bare feet and her own legs hung over the couch’s armrest. “It’s good to have you back, Lil.”
Lilith smiled down at Argent and curled her toes. “It’s good to be back.”
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 19, 2002
Monday was her day.
She spent it alone, in her apartment with the television turned on to fill the silence. After a while, Lilith turned off the television and turned on her stereo, spinning the dial to a Classic Rock station. She bopped around her living room, the volume cranked up loud and to hell with the neighbors. If anyone wanted to complain they could knock on her door. But no one did.
She rummaged through her closets, found boxes of photographs and familiar nicknacks. They’d been packed away, with everything else, while she was in the hospital. The handwriting on the boxes was precise and neat. Lilith could imagine Jesse seated, cross-legged, neatly compartmentalizing everything and storing it away.
The thought made her sad and strangely angry. Lilith emptied the boxes on her bed and began to go through the contents. The afternoon gave way to dusk. She hardly noticed, until the apartment was so dark she could hardly see. At that point, on a whim, she lit candles and placed them around her bedroom.
From the living room, came the strains of a familiar Doors song. Lilith lay on her bed, surrounded by dusty stuffed animals and kitsch souvenirs from around the world, leafing through old photographs.
There was a photo of the old Titans. They’d been in a goofball mood when they took the picture. Roy had Dick in a fake headlock, both of them grinning from ear to ear. Donna looked amused and perplexed all at once. Garth was smiling, politely at the camera. Wally looked pained. And she . . . she was smiling, laughing, arms thrown around Roy’s neck.
A good photo. A good memory. She smiled and put it aside, moved on to the next one.
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 20, 2002
The interview room wasn’t very large. Most of it was taken up by the containment cell. The Mist waited inside it, a girl-shaped cloud of white vapor. Lilith sat in front of the cell, watching the metahuman. There was a very large, very grim security guard in shiny black armor standing nearby. Lilith wasn’t certain he was there to watch her or the prisoner. She decided she didn’t care.
“What’s your name?”
The Mist did not answer. She simply swirled in midair.
Lilith took a deep breath. “Okay. How old are you?”
Silence met her question, but she could feel the girl watching her. Irritated, Lilith turned to the guard. “How long has she been like this?”
The man’s shrug made his armor creak. “Since your people dropped her off.”
“Two days?” Lilith turned back to the containment cell. “She’s been like this for two days?”
The guard nodded. “Been giving the science guys all kinds of headaches. Her lawyer too. She won’t even tell him her name or how old she is.”
“Is that so?” Lilith eyed the Mist. “You’re not the smartest person in the world, are you, Misty? You know, if you’re a minor you’ll get a lighter sentence.”
There was no response from the prisoner. Lilith shook her head and stood. “But I guess you don’t care about that. Guess a girl like you doesn’t care about anything. Not even herself.” She turned and walked toward the door. “Screw this. You want to fuck up your future, go right ahead.”
“What do you know about anything, lady?”
Lilith turned, a surprised look on her face. The Mist stood in the middle of her cell, her hand on one hip, a look of utter scorn on her heart-shaped face. Her thick white hair hung down to her buttocks.
“You don’t know shit, lady.” The Mist scowled. “You’re just like all the other folks come traipsing through here. Those eggheads and dumbass lawyers. And them cunt social workers asking if my daddy ever tried to fuck me.” The girl sneered and spat at Lilith, the glob of phlegm evaporating against the forcefield. “You all don’t know shit.”
“You might be surprised at what I know,” said Lilith, smiling coldly.
“Right,” scoffed the Mist.
“Your name is Lark Epiphany Noon,” said Lilith. “You’re fifteen years old and you grew up in Logansville, Arkansas.” She couldn’t help but smile at the look of pure shock that spread across the girl’s face.
“How do you know that?!?”
“All those stores you robbed had surveillance cameras. The JLO got a nice shot of your face and started plastering it all over the news. Didn’t take too long for someone to recognize you.”
“Shit!”
“You’ve got quite the past for someone who’s not even old enough to vote yet.”
The girl started swearing in earnest. Lilith stood there, grinning, until she ran out of steam.
“So, you all know who I am,” spat the Mist. “Big damn deal. Don’t change a thing.”
“Don’t be too sure of that,” said Lilith. She returned to her seat, crossed her legs and studied the girl’s face. “You’ve got a criminal history longer than my arm and now you’re a metahuman to boot. You think the judge is just going to slap you on the wrist and let you go? Guess again. You’re looking at hard time. But I’m sure your lawyer’s already told you that.”
“Prison won’t be no worse than my family.”
“Maybe,” admitted Lilith. “Or maybe not.”
“Who the hell are you anyway?” Demanded the girl, face pressed so close to the forcefield sparks flew.
“I’m like you,” said Lilith. “A metahuman.”
“You’re one of them Titans.”
Lilith nodded.
“I ain’t impressed,” said the Mist. “I had you all running around for weeks.”
“And now you’re locked up in an airtight containment cell,” pointed out Lilith. “You know what I can do, Lark? I can see the future.”
“Big damn deal.”
“It is,” said Lilith. She leaned forward, her eyes glimmering strangely. “I’m looking at yours right now.”
“What you see?” Asked the girl, curious despite herself.
“More of this,” said Lilith, nodding at the cell. “For the rest of your life.”
The girl snorted. “You sound like my daddy. He always said I’d wind up in prison or hell. One or the other.”
“He was wrong,” said Lilith. “There’s a third choice.”
“What are you talking about? And why are you here? You some kind of social worker?”
“No, I’m no social worker. Just someone who can see you doing one of two things. Reforming or spending the rest of your life in a cell.”
“You’re just trying to scare me,” said the girl. She crossed her arms and glared at Lilith. “And it ain’t working.”
“Maybe not,” said Lilith. “But I’m not finished yet. That life I’m talking about. The one with you in prison. It’s not long, Lark. Only a few more years and then it’s over. You’re dead and buried in a prison graveyard. And no one comes to your funeral.”
“Future ain’t set in stone, lady. Even I know that.”
“Oh yes,” said Lilith, softly. “Futures change all the time. But not yours.” Her eyes locked on the girl’s and the Mist felt a chill creep up her spine. “You’ll be dead before you’re twenty-one if you don’t change your life, Lark. It’s not too late.”
“I already changed my life,” said the Mist. “I got the hell away from my family. So what if I spend a couple of years in jail? Don’t matter to me. Sides, I heard about this place. They ain’t calling it the Slab out there. Not anymore. They’re calling it the Airport, the way so many folks done flew out a here.” She stepped back and spun, thick white hair dissolving into a bank of smoke that enveloped her. “And I’ll get out too, miss psychic. Just you wait and see!”
And the girl was gone, replaced by a swirling cloud of fog.
Lilith sighed and stood. She stared sadly at the mist-filled cell and shook her head. At least she’d tried.
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 21, 2002
Jesse found Lilith standing outside the sanitarium. The redheaded psychic was gripping the iron bars of the fence, peering up at the brick building. She turned, frowning, when the speedster arrived.
“The Mist escaped from the Slab last night,” said Jesse.
“Oh.” Lilith turned back to the building.
“You don’t sound surprised.”
“I’m not,” said Lilith. “Are they really calling it the Airport now?”
Jesse frowned. “I think so. Why aren’t you surprised? Did you know this was going to happen, Lilith?”
The redhead shook her head. “I wasn’t certain. I thought . . . ”
“You thought what?”
Lilith lowered her head, leaned forward to press her face against the iron barred fence surrounding the hospital. She shut her eyes.
“Am I doing okay, Jesse?”
The speedster frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Am I doing okay?” Lilith turned her gaze on Jesse. “Am I back to normal?”
“I don’t know,” admitted Jesse. “How do you feel?”
“Worn out.”
“Do you want to go back there?” Jesse nodded at the hospital building.
Lilith frowned, then shook her head. “No.”
“Then, as far as I’m concerned, Lilith, you’re perfectly normal.”
A grim little smile flickered over the redhead’s mouth. “I wish I was as certain. . . .”
“What brought this on?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” said Jesse.
Lilith turned away from the hospital and leaned against the fence. “My gogo boots don’t fit me anymore and all my old friends have grown up and moved away.”
“And?”
“And,” sighed Lilith, “it never used to bother me. My life, I mean. But now. . . .” She shook her head, frowning. “It just seems pointless.”
“Ah.” Jesse leaned against the fence, nodded sagely. “I know where you’re coming from. And, I know what you need to do.”
“What?”
“Get laid,” said Jesse, matter-of-factly.
Lilith stared at her. “What?”
“You need to have a couple of tequila shots and a really good orgasm.”
“I don’t believe you just said that.”
Jesse shrugged. “Somebody had to do it.” She smiled at Lilith and took the other woman’s hands. “You’re fine, Lilith. Your life is fine.”
“I don’t feel fine.”
“You are. Trust me.”
“How do you know?” Lilith asked, peering into Jesse’s face.
“Because yesterday you tried to talk a fifteen-year-old girl out of a life of crime,” said Jesse, kindly. “Even though you knew she probably wouldn’t listen.”
“That was . . . ”
“You,” said Jesse, firmly. “That was classic Lilith. Normal Lilith.” Jesse’s tone became firm. “And it wasn’t pointless.”
“Damn. When did you get all inspirational?”
“While you were away,” said the speedster. She squeezed Lilith’s hands. “Someone had to fill the gap.”
“Stop it. You’re going to make me blush.”
“Me? Make you blush?” Jesse shook her head and stepped back, smirking. “No. Way.”
Lilith shook her head, her eyes burning. She wiped them, sniffling. “What about the Mist? Do we have any leads?”
“No,” said Jesse. “She’ll probably keep a low profile for a little while. Maybe try to get out of the city.” The speedster shrugged. “We’ll catch her.”
“Yes.”
Jesse arched her eyebrows. “A premonition?”
“No, just experience.”
Nodding, Jesse ran a hand through her short blonde hair. “Nicely put.”
“Now,” said Lilith, “about my having an orgasm. . . .”
“Oh God.”
“Who do you think I should get one from? Does Vic have any available friends?”
Jesse groaned in mock anguish and Lilith laughed and dragged her away from the hospital.
BACK TO NORMAL
New York City, NY - August 14, 2002
On her last night in the hospital, she had a dream. It was one of the bad ones, one of the true ones.
In the dream, the plaster wall exploded inward. There was light, blue and bright, searing her retinas, filling her vision with spots. The metal men clambered through the broken wall, trudging over her fallen friends, their joints hissing and clicking. Her fingers reached for weapons that were not there and then the metal men were upon her.
She woke up screaming, the palms of her hands aching from the dream crucifixion. The sheets of her bed were bunched about her legs and the room was dark except for a sliver of light pouring through the high rectangular window. She lay in bed, knees drawn to her chest, shivering, watching the pale light give way to a new day. Sometime around dawn she drifted back to sleep. This time, there were no dreams waiting for her.
* * * * *
Lilith was waiting for her in the lobby, sitting on a battered green couch. Her feet were propped up on her suitcase. She was flipping through the pages of a magazine, chewing bubblegum. She sat up, smiling, when she saw Toni.
“Hey.”
“Hey, yourself. Ready to go?”
“Oh yeah.”
There were forms to fill out. Discharge papers. Instructions for medications she had to sign. She scrawled her signature on so many documents her fingers started to cramp from her deathgrip on the pen. Through it all, she kept chewing the gum. Smacking it loudly. Blowing the occasional bubble. The gum felt and tasted like rubber, but it gave her something to focus on.
At last it was over. The nurses at the reception desk smiled at her, but did not wish her luck. She walked out of the hospital without so much as a backwards glance.
Outside, it was a bright, hot day. The sound of traffic, muted for so long by the hospital walls, was a dull roar. She found it oddly comforting, like the drone of bees. For a moment, she stood there, listening, head tilted back, feeling the sun beat down on her face.
“Lil?”
She lowered her face and opened her eyes. Toni was watching her, amusement warring with wariness for dominance of her pale, pretty face.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s just . . . been a while since I’ve been outside.”
“Oh.”
She saw the understanding blossom in Toni’s eyes. The pale girl nodded and lifted her hand. Silver lightening crackled around her fingertips, thickened suddenly into something solid and viscous, flowing into a circular platform that crackled and sparked as it hovered inches above the concrete sidewalk.
“Let’s go home,” said Toni. She stepped onto the platform, still connected to her by a stream of scintillating silver. Turning, she offered her free hand to Lilith.
The redhead spat out the wad of colorless, rubbery gum. Grabbing Toni’s hand, she stepped onto the platform. She could feel it humming through the soles of her tennis shoes.
They rose into the air. Lil turned, saw the street traffic had slowed to a crawl as the rubberneckers gaped at them. One man was staring at them in open-mouthed amazement. Lilith laughed and waved at him, and then they were moving faster. Beneath them, the city was a blur of gray concrete and flashing steel.
* * * * *
Titans Island was dazzling in its brilliance. Lilith shaded her eyes against the reflected glare as Toni guided them down, moving her platform in a wide, circular pattern.
“I think I should warn you,” said Toni.
There was a wariness in her voice that made Lilith’s stomach clutch. “Warn me about what?”
“Well,” said Toni, “word kind of got out that you were getting released today.”
“And?”
“Well, you know us. Any excuse to have a party.”
Lilith blinked. “A party?”
“It’s okay if you want to avoid it,” Toni said quickly. “Jesse kept the rent up on your place, so if you want I can drop you off there. You don’t have to go if you don’t feel up to it.”
“Toni, it’s okay.” Lilith took her friend’s hand, smiled at her. “I’m not going to fall apart because a bunch of people I know are going to shout out ‘Surprise!’ when I walk into a room. I’m not made of china, I won’t break.” She frowned suddenly and gnawed her lower lip. “At least, I don’t think I will.”
Toni stared at her. A slow grin crept across Lilith’s face. Realization flashed in Toni’s dark eyes and she shook her head, dark curls bobbing in the breeze.
“You little stinker.”
Grinning, Lilith slapped her on the back. “Lighten up already! It’s a party!”
* * * * *
She was surprised at the people who had turned out. The current Titans were all there, but so were a lot of former Titans. Mal and Karen had come in from the West Coast. So had Bette and her boyfriend, Orsono. Lilith was surprised to find that the two of them were parents to a bouncing baby boy. Donna was talking with Garth, and Dick had gallantly rescued Cyborg from Jesse’s buttonholing. She seemed determined to hire Stone for Quickstart’s new R&D division.
Lilith had drifted through the party. Chatting with friends. Sipping her glass of Fresca. Now, as dusk claimed the city, she stood on the balcony, eyes shut, enjoying the wind against her skin.
“Penny for your thoughts.”
She opened her eyes, saw that Donna had joined her. Lilith smiled and leaned back against the marble balustrade.
“They’re not worth that much.”
Donna joined her at the guardrail, turned her back on the city. She glanced at Lilith. “Are you okay?” Her tone was soft.
Lilith nodded and turned to lean over the railing. She stared at the muddy waters of the river. It seemed a long way down. “I’m fine. Just needed some air.”
Donna nodded.
“All of this,” Lilith turned and nodded at the glass doors and the party beyond them. “It’s just a little much on my first day back.”
“Too much?” Asked Donna.
Lilith smiled and moved closer to Donna. She slid her arm through the brunette’s, and shut her eyes again, breathed in the jasmine-like scent of Donna’s perfume.
“Don’t worry. I’m fine. I’m glad to see everyone. Really.”
She felt Donna nod, felt the slight tension in her drain away.
“Can you believe Bette has a baby?” Donna asked softly.
Lilith giggled and leaned against the other woman. “I believe it, I just can’t picture it. It seems to have made her a lot more focused.”
“Yes, I think so too.” Donna laughed softly and turned her head, whispered into Lilith’s ear. “I think Dick is feeling snubbed.”
“By Bette?”
Donna nodded, her dark hair brushing against Lilith’s cheek. “Remember how crazy she was about him?”
The redhead grinned. “She was his very own stalker.”
“She’s barely said two words to him tonight,” whispered Donna.
“Because she’s been draped all over Bushido,” said Lilith, grinning. “Not that I blame her. Have you seen his butt? I bet I could bounce quarters off it.”
Donna giggled. “Not that it compares to Dick’s.”
Lilith laughed, then said solemnly. “They broke the mold when they made the Grayson tuccas.”
“Oh yeah.”
“So, how come you and Dick never got together?” Asked Lilith.
Donna jumped and then laughed out loud.
“I’m serious,” said Lilith. She turned to Donna, solemn-faced. “You two would be great together.”
Donna wiped her eyes and smiled at Lilith. “I kind of thought about it when we were kids, but always felt it would be too weird. Like sleeping with my brother or something.”
“Oh? Weirder than you and Roy?”
“Oh gods. We were teenagers and I was curious and Roy, Roy. . . .”
“Roy was willing,” said Lilith, nodding her understanding. “What about now?”
Donna’s mouth twitched into a smirk. “These days Roy is taken.”
Lilith nodded. “Yes. He and J’onn seem very happy together.”
Donna blinked and turned to her friend. “You know about them?”
“Of course,” said Lilith, matter-of-factly. “I found out when J’onn visited me at the hospital.” She sighed, watching the costumed figures moving about inside the building. “I wish Roy and Gar were here.”
“They’re probably off saving the world,” said Donna.
Lilith smiled. “I guess that’s a good excuse to miss my party.” She ran a hand through her hair, smoothing it back. “Come on. We’d better get back inside before Jesse starts sending out search parties.”
Donna nodded and pushed away from the railing. Lilith turned to her, grinning.
“I still think you and Dick should get together.”
She turned away and rejoined the party before Donna could say anything.
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 15, 2002
The sound of thunder woke her. Her eyes opened with a start and, for just a second, she was disoriented by her surroundings. Gone were the padded walls of her hospital room with its unbreakable fixtures and bed with designer sheets and matching restraints. Instead, she was surrounded by faux marble brilliance, lost in a colossal bed, draped in silk sheets.
Her room on the island.
Lilith sat up and the room brightened. Wiping her eyes, she threw back the sheets and climbed out of bed. The floor was blood warm. She stretched, the vertebrae of her spine snapping and popping with her motion.
Her suitcase sat against the far wall, like a large toffee. She dressed quickly, automatically, pulling on gray sweatpants and a sleeveless red T-shirt. At the bottom of her bag lay her prescription. She chugged the two pills, dry, and padded out of her room.
Her first, full day as a ‘normal’ person had begun.
* * * * *
Argent was in the monitor room, dressed for battle in a sleeveless black unitard. Seated in a throne-like chair, silver monitors erupted from the wall, surrounding Argent’s field of vision.
“Hey. What’s up?”
Argent answered without looking away from the monitors. “Hey, Lil. We’ve got a report the Mist has been sighted at the Met.”
Lilith wiped sleep from her eyes and stifled a yawn. She padded into the room and leaned against Argent’s chair. Peering blearily at the liquid-silver monitors, Lilith saw that several of them seemed to be tracking her fellow Titans.
“I thought the Mist was dead. Both of them.”
Argent nodded, absently. “This is a new one. No relation to the original Mist or his daughter. Similar powers though. We’ve been after her for weeks.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. I. . .”
“Excuse me, Toni,” a gentle, masculine voice filled the room. “I am intercepting a transmission from the NYPD, requesting an ambulance at the Met.”
“Is that Dome?” Asked Lilith.
Argent ignored her question. “Jesse, did you copy that?”
A closeup of Jesse’s face appeared on one of the monitors. “I do, Argent. I’m going ahead.”
“Be careful,” urged Argent. She turned to Lilith and smiled wanly. “Sorry. What did you say, Lil?”
The redhead shook her head. “Never mind. What’s a girl got to do to get a chair around here?”
A chair rose out of the faux marble floor, practically scooping Lilith up. She blinked and squirmed, feeling the material shift beneath her.
Argent grinned. “Just ask.”
“Thanks,” said Lilith. She addressed the room. “Dome?”
“Yes, Lilith?”
“I like the new voice. Much more human.”
“Thank you, Lilith. I’ve been working on it for some time.”
“If you two could keep it down, I’m trying to coordinate a mission here,” Argent pointed out.
“Um. Sorry. Anything I can do to help?”
“Not yet,” Argent said absently. She smiled wanly at Lilith. “I don’t mean to be snarky or anything, it’s just the Mist is a slippery one.”
“No problem. I. . . .”
“Toni.” Dome interrupted abruptly, his voice much more strident. “I am detecting an intruder on the island.”
“Where at?” Demanded Argent, frowning.
“The residential building. Jesse’s quarters.”
“What?” Argent half-rose from her chair. “How could someone get all the way in there without you spotting them, Dome?”
“Unknown. The intruder’s bio-signature is partially masked.”
“Crap! Seal off the residence. I’ll call CM3 back to investigate. . . .”
“I can do that,” interjected Lilith.
Argent glanced at her, frowning. “Lilith. . . .”
The redhead was adamant. “You’ve got a mission to run, remember?”
“And we’ve got an unknown intruder on the island. Who knows what they’re capable of?”
Lilith frowned at the younger woman. “We don’t know they’re hostile. Do you, Dome?”
“I do not know, Lilith,” admitted the alien shapechanger.
Argent was frowning, her gaze darting from the liquid monitors back to Lilith. “Are you having one of your hunches, Lil?”
“Yes,” the redhead lied.
“Okay,” snapped Argent. “Check it out. Dome, go with her.”
* * * * *
Lilith trotted down the winding corridors, following Dome. The alien shapechanger had extruded a human body from the monitor room floor and was moving ahead of the redhead. Lilith couldn’t help staring at the shapechanger’s backside.
“This body you’re using,” said Lilith. “It’s new and improved.”
Dome looked over one flawless white shoulder at her. “Yes. The original version was based loosely on Michaelangelo’s David. This version is an extrapolation of that.”
“Oh.”
They trotted on in silence for a few more seconds.
“Um. Dome?”
“Yes, Lilith?”
“Do you think you could grow some pants or something?”
Dome came to a complete stop. A tremor passed through his body and he turned to face Lilith, his groin as sexless as a Ken doll’s.
“Is this better?”
“Yes,” admitted the redhead. “Normally, I wouldn’t have said anything, but I don’t need to be, um, distracted if we’re going into a possible fight.”
“I am glad you said something,” Dome replied gently. He glanced down at his body, his pretty face frowning. “I can duplicate human physiology down to the cellular level if necessary, but I still forget human social conventions and taboos.”
She patted his shoulder. “It’s okay. No harm done.”
“Toni and Jesse are not so forgiving,” said Dome. “They do not like me to leave the island in this form without someone along to monitor my behavior.”
“Well, next time you want to go out, let me know. I know a couple of bars where a naked, shapeshifting alien wouldn’t even be looked at twice.”
Dome nodded, smiling, and they continued on their way. In a few moments they had reached the residential building and the doorway to Jesse’s quarters.
“Can you sense the intruder?” Lilith asked, quietly.
Dome nodded. “Vaguely. It seems to be using the hygiene facility.”
Lilith blinked. “You mean they’re taking a shower?”
The shapechanger nodded.
“That’s not typical behavior for an intruder,” pointed out Lilith. “Open the door, please.”
The door to Jesse’s quarters slid open. Lilith stepped inside, followed closely by Dome. Jesse’s quarters were almost identical to Lilith’s, except for the queen-sized bed and the thick shag carpeting underfoot.
As the two Titans stood there, the door to Jesse’s bathroom opened. A very naked Victor Stone stepped into the room and froze.
“Shit!”
Liquid gold burst from his skin, enveloping him. Lilith blushed, and covered her smile with her hand.
“What the hell’s going on?” Cyborg demanded.
Lilith cleared her throat and tried to stop smiling. Cyborg glared at her.
“Well?”
The redhead gave up trying to hide her smile. “Dome detected an intruder in here. Guess it was you.”
Cyborg glowered at the two of them. “You think?”
Lilith grinned at him. “So, um, does this mean you and Jesse are . . . working together?”
* * * * *
“The Mist got away,” CM3 said, bitterly.
He had arrived back at the island a few moments ago. His eyes were bright with anger as he spoke and he kept cracking his knuckles. Argent, Lilith and he sat around the main conference table.
Argent swore and rubbed her eyes. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. One minute we had her penned in and the next she was gone.”
“Who was the ambulance for?” Asked Lilith.
“One of the security guards,” said CM3. His frown grew deeper. “She shot him.”
“The Mist?” Asked Argent.
CM3 nodded. “Yeah. In the foot. Jesse took him to the hospital.”
“Where is Jesse anyway?” Asked Lilith.
“She stayed behind to talk to the police,” said CM3. He glanced at a clock and frowned. “I have to get going.”
Argent nodded. “See you later, C.”
CM3 nodded and was airborne, a blue streak vanishing into the western sky. Lilith watched him leave, one hand raised to shield her eyes from the sun.
“What’s his hurry?”
“He’s got class this afternoon,” said Argent. “And it’s a long flight back to Fawcette City.”
“I thought he was going to ESU?”
“Didn’t happen,” said Argent. “He couldn’t afford it and his grades weren’t good enough to get him a scholarship, so he’s going to Fawcette City College.”
“Poor kid. And he was looking forward to living here so much!”
Argent shrugged. “Those are the breaks.”
“I guess.”
“Where did Cyborg run off to?”
Lilith fought the grin that threatened to cover her face. “He had a meeting at STAR Labs he couldn’t miss. But he said he’d be back later to help Dome run those tests.”
“Good,” said Argent. She sighed and leaned back in her chair. “The last thing we need now is a hole in our security.”
“Dome’s pretty sure he knows what the problem was.”
“Oh?”
Lilith nodded. “Something about Vic’s liquid metal cybernetics. They got technical, but Dome said he’d probably have to grow some new sensors to deal with it. Or something like that. He’s working on it now.”
Argent nodded and studied Lilith. “Are you doing okay?”
“Oh yeah. I’m fine. Never better.”
“Okay. Just checking.” The younger woman grinned. “Hell of a first day back, huh?”
Lilith smiled. “The day’s not over with yet.”
* * * * *
Her apartment smelt like a pine tree. That was the first thing to hit her when she pushed open the door. The second was the atypical neatness of the place. Lilith stood on the threshold of her apartment and stared.
“Is everything all right?” Garth asked from behind her.
Lilith turned, blinking at the Atlantean. “I can see the floor.”
Garth shifted the boxes he was carrying and peered past her. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
“That’s a damn rare thing,” she said with feeling. “And the place smells . . . clean. Did Jesse hire a cleaning service or something while I was in the booby hatch?”
“Um. No. But, I think Connor and Terry came over a few times to dust and stuff.”
Lilith frowned at him. “What do you mean, ‘and stuff?’”
“You know, vacuuming and such.” Garth shrugged. “What did you think I meant?”
“I dunno. Wild monkey sex on the kitchen counters?”
Garth’s eyebrows shot up in surprise and he gave her a skeptical look. “Are you sure you’re not still crazy?”
“Humph! Not any more than usual.” She walked into the apartment and ran a hand along the back of her tartan couch. “You can just toss those boxes anywhere, Garth.”
He nodded and promptly dropped both boxes on the floor where he stood. Lilith walked into her kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
“Oh my.”
“What?” Asked Garth, from the living room.
“My refrigerator is spotless.”
Garth snorted and leaned against the back of the couch. “You’re starting to scare me, Lilith.”
She started going through her cabinets and drawers, taking inventory. Her red hair swayed as she shook her head.
“I’ve got lots of pots and pans, but nothing to cook in them.”
Garth grinned. “Maybe that’s a blessing in disguise.”
She turned to him, brandishing a spoon. “That’s enough glibness from the peanut gallery. I’ll have you know I’m a very good cook.”
“I remember.” Garth grinned and stood. “But, unfortunately, I can’t hang around.”
“Oh? What’s going on?”
“I’ve got to get to my meeting.”
“Your meeting?” She studied him, her head cocked to one side. “That sounds vaguely ominous. What kind of meeting?”
“My AA meeting.”
Lilith blinked. “Alcoholics Anonymous?”
Garth nodded, his violet eyes resting lightly on her face.
“I didn’t know you were an alcoholic,” she said after a moment.
He nodded, once.
“And here I am, plotting to get you drunk and take advantage of you,” Lilith said, deadpan.
Garth chuckled. He kissed her cheek and squeezed her hand. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
“You have. What’s with the beard? I didn’t even know you could grow facial hair.”
“You don’t like it?” He scratched his chin, fingers rubbing over his coarse ten-o-clock shadow.
“No,” Lilith said, after a moment of thought. “It makes you look sort of sexy.”
His violet eyes widened for a second, then narrowed suspiciously. “Really?”
She nodded. “Yeah, in that 1980s, Miami Vice kind of way.”
Garth shook his head, smirking. “Oh yeah. You haven’t changed a bit, Lilith.”
“What can I say?” Shrugging, she grinned at him. “The best things in life never do.”
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 16, 2002
Lilith woke up screaming, the sheets tangled around her bare legs, her skin slick with perspiration. She sat up in bed, her heart hammering against her chest like a frantic animal trying to bust out. Whimpering, she felt her stomach clenching. Stumbling, she barely made it to the toilet in time.
She vomited, her body wracked by the force of her regurgitation. Not much came up, and Lilith was grateful for that. Afterwards, she sat on the cool tile floor of her bathroom, next to the toilet, a cool cloth pressed to her forehead.
Her head ached. She lay back, the bathroom tiles chilly against her back, the wet cloth on her eyes.
Part of the dream flitted back to her. A hole filled with clutching hands, pulling her down despite all of her struggles. Voices shouting for attention, inundating her consciousness. She was drowning in a sea of humanity.
Shutting her eyes, Lilith took deep, slow breaths. The cloth against her eyes was cool, and eventually the white terrycloth faded slowly into black.
* * * * *
“Lilith?”
Jesse’s voice woke her up the second time. Lilith’s eyes flew open. Jesse stood over her, bent at the waist, studying her with concern.
“Lilith, are you okay?”
The redhead sat up slowly, wiping sleep from her eyes. “I wish people would stop asking me that.” She stared blearily at Jesse. “What are you doing here?”
“I came by to see if you wanted to go to brunch,” said Jesse. “When you didn’t answer the door, I thought something might have happened so I let myself in.”
Lilith climbed to her feet, pushing her hair back over her shoulders. She became aware of the washcloth, draped over one shoulder, dry and stiff.
“What time is it?”
“Almost eleven,” said Jesse. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I just. . . .”
“Fell asleep on your bathroom floor?”
“I got sick last night,” explained Lilith. “Came in here and must have dozed off.”
“Hmm.” Jesse let her hand brush Lilith’s forehead before the redhead could protest. She frowned. “You don’t feel hot.”
“It’s the medication,” explained Lilith, irritated. She brushed Jesse’s hand away. “They warned me it might make me sick.”
“Oh.” Jesse looked unconvinced.
Lilith’s stomach grumbled. “You said something about brunch?”
“I made reservations at Olivier’s.”
“Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to roll.”
“Are you sure?” Asked Jesse, frowning. “Maybe you should take it easy.”
Lilith sighed and gently, but firmly, guided Jesse out of the bathroom. “I’m fine. Just . . . give me ten minutes.” She waved a hand vaguely, ignoring Jesse’s look of concern. “Go take over a company or something. I’ll be out in a few.”
Jesse looked like she was about to protest. Lilith shut the bathroom door, cutting off any comment her friend might have made.
* * * * *
Olivier’s was crowded, and Lilith felt vaguely underdressed in her denim jeans and Killer Muffs T-shirt. On the other hand, Jesse’s outfit, a tan shirt and black slacks, nearly matched the restaurant’s decor. As soon as the two women were seated, a waiter appeared and they ordered.
“How’s your mom?” Lilith asked.
Jesse scowled. “The same. She’s driving me nuts.”
A burst of surprised laughter escaped Lilith and Jesse blushed crimson. But she didn’t apologize.
“What does Libby want you to do now?”
“Give her grandchildren,” said Jesse, dryly.
Lilith’s eyebrows shot up. “Going to introduce her to Victor?”
“Oh God. Don’t you start too. I got enough grief from Toni last night on the phone.”
Before Lilith could speak the waiter returned with their orders, a fruit platter for her and Soup & Salad for Jesse.
“What’s up with Toni?” Asked Lilith, rummaging in her purse for her medication. “Does she still like you?”
Jesse sighed. “Not like that. At least, I don’t think so.” She stirred her soup absently, peering into its vegetable depths. “She just sort of pointed out that, once upon a time, I had told her, that I don’t really do sex. And then, bang! There I am with Vic.”
Lilith regarded Jesse over the top of her Diet 7-Up. “Bang?” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. “Was it a big bang? Or a little bang?”
“You know,” Jesse said wryly, “instead of you and Toni obsessing over my sex life, maybe the two of you should go out and get your own.”
Chuckling, Lilith took her meds and casually stuffed the bottle back into her purse. She dove into her fruit plate with gusto, and for a while the two young women simply ate in friendly silence.
“What kind of medication are you taking anyway?” Jesse asked, after finishing her soup.
“Neuroinhibitors,” said Lilith, around a mouthful of citrus fruits.
Jesse frowned. “What do they do?”
“Keep me from going nuts again.”
“How?”
Lilith picked at the remains of her meal. “They’re basically psi-dampeners.”
She was painfully aware of Jesse’s gaze. “You mean they neutralize your powers.”
“No,” Lilith said quickly. “They just . . . lower them. I’m still psychic, just . . . not as much.”
“Jesus, Lil!”
“I knew you were going to say that.”
“This isn’t funny,” snapped Jesse. “When were you going to tell us?”
“Eventually.”
“You mean never.”
“They only interfere with my telepathic abilities,” explained Lilith. “My other powers are all fine.”
Jesse was scowling at her. “We’ll see about that.”
* * * * *
Jesse stood behind the wooden table, her hands resting lightly on the upturned cups. She met Lilith’s gaze and smiled.
“Keep your eye on the ball.”
She lifted one of the cups, revealing a red, rubber ball. Just as quickly, she covered it again. Jesse began to move the cups, switching their positions, her hands moving faster and faster until they were a blur. When she stopped, her stillness was jarring.
“Okay, where’s the ball?”
The redhead tapped the middle cup. “There.”
Jesse lifted the cup, revealing the remnants of the ball. It was partially melted. Jesse scowled at it.
Lilith grinned at her. “Want to play for money?”
* * * * *
“The Ace of Hearts.”
Argent lifted the card from the deck and nodded. “Right again.” She tossed the card, face up, on the stack to her left.
Lilith stretched in her chair and stifled a yawn. “Eight of Clubs.”
“Right.”
“The Joker,” said Lilith, drowsily.
Argent turned over the last card and nodded. “Right.” Her gaze drifted past Lilith to where Jesse stood, watching. “She got fifty-six out of fifty-six right.”
“Fine,” said Jesse. “Let’s try something a little different.”
She was suddenly standing by the table, the air swirling softly around her in the wake of her super-speed. A pair of brightly colored die rattled across the marble tabletop. Argent scooped them up, frowning.
“You want us to shoot craps?”
Lilith perked up and reached for the die. “Let’s play for money.”
“No,” said Jesse firmly.
“Then how about sexual favors?”
The speedster stared at her. Argent grinned.
“What?” Asked Lilith, rolling the dice in her palm. “I didn’t exactly get a chance to date while I was locked up.” She grinned at Jesse. “It’s been a while for some of us.”
Jesse rubbed her forehead. “Just predict the die outcome before Argent rolls. Okay, Lilith?”
The redhead sighed. “Spoilsport.”
Argent just grinned and shook the die.
* * * * *
She sat facing Green Arrow, squinting into his eyes.
“Okay, you’re thinking about . . .” Lilith frowned at the archer. “Climato juice?”
Green Arrow shook his head. “No.”
Lilith pursed her lips. “Milk?”
“Guess again.”
“I don’t think I want to,” groused Lilith. “I’m running out of white fluids I can mention in polite company.”
“I’m thinking of soy milk.”
“Hey! I said milk!”
“You weren’t specific enough,” said Green Arrow, smoothly.
“Hmph. Now you’re just being nitpicky.”
“Nitpicky? Is that an actual word?”
“Can we please get back to the test?” Implored Jesse.
Green Arrow nodded and shut his eyes for a moment. Lilith studied his face, absently chewed on her lower lip.
“Lilith?” Jesse prompted.
The redhead frowned. “You’re thinking of . . . grocery shopping with Terry?”
Smiling, Green Arrow nodded. “Very good! What am I thinking of right now?”
Lilith shrugged. “I have no idea.”
“Try,” urged Jesse.
“Um. The monastery in California.”
Silently, Green Arrow shook his head.
“Your mom?”
“No. Try again.”
“I don’t know. Sex with Terry?”
“No,” said the archer, his cheeks flushing.
Lilith frowned at him. “Jesse having sex with Cyborg?”
Green Arrow tried to blush, cough and laugh all at the same time. The redhead patted him on the back, to help him breath.
“All right,” muttered Jesse, crossing her arms and scowling at Lilith. “I’ve seen enough.”
* * * * *
New York City - August 17, 2002
The sun beat down on Titans Island, reflecting off faux marble and crystal with blinding force. Lilith adjusted her sunglasses and adjusted the strap of her neon green bikini. On the blanket next to her, Donna lay on her belly, her head pillowed on her arms.
“Where are the others?” The brunette asked sleepily.
Lilith shrugged. “Dome’s around somewhere. Jesse got pressganged into lunch with her mom. CM3's in Fawcette City and Connor is on monitor duty.”
Donna turned her head to peer at Lilith. “Hmm. Where’s Argent? And Garth?”
“Toni can’t tan anymore and you know how Garth is about lying out in the sun.”
The brunette chuckled. “Why would I want to dehydrate myself?” Her imitation of Garth was flawless and made Lilith laugh.
“They’re probably down in the pool,” said Lilith. She lowered her sunglasses, peered knowingly over their reflective lenses at Donna. “Flirting.”
“Really?” Donna sounded surprised.
Lilith nodded. “You didn’t know? They’ve got this weird flirtation thing going on between them.”
“I had no idea,” admitted Donna. “But it’s probably good. Garth’s been so lonely since, well, you know.”
“You think anything will come of it?”
“I don’t know. I doubt it. Can you see Toni and Garth together?”
“Well, not long term,” admitted Lilith. “But I don’t think a good boinkfest would hurt either of them.”
Donna laughed and rolled onto her back. She shut her eyes and sighed. “Hmm. Garth told me you’re not telepathic any more.”
Lilith glanced at Donna, then returned her gaze to the cityscape. “No, not really.”
“He says it’s because of the medication you’re on.”
“Neuroinhibitors,” clarified Lilith. “They squelch my telepathy.”
Donna rolled onto her side, head propt on one hand. She studied the redhead. “Why?”
Lilith sighed. She could almost feel the concern and curiosity radiating from the other woman. “To keep me from going nuts. Again.”
Donna’s brow creased with sudden concern. “Lil, what aren’t you telling?”
The redhead sighed again and turned on her side, to face her friend. She removed her sunglasses. “If I tell you this, Donna, you’ve got to swear to keep it to yourself. Jesse hasn’t said anything, but I know she’s worried. The last thing I need is for her to be more worried about me.”
“I promise,” said Donna. Solemnly, she drew an X over her breast. “Cross my heart and hope to die.”
“This last time in the sanitarium wasn’t my first time in one.”
Donna frowned. “When . . . ?”
“After we stopped Haze,” said Lilith. She looked down at the terrycloth towel they lay on. “I started to lose myself.”
“What do you mean?”
“I. . . .” Lilith hesitated, frowned for a minute. She lifted her head, gazed into Donna’s eyes, took strength from the concern and love she saw there. “You remember how my powers were amped up as Omen?”
Donna nodded, silently.
A snort escaped Lilith. “Turns out it was too much, too soon. My telepathic powers, the psychic imprints I had made of everyone . . . they were overwhelming me.” She shuddered and rolled onto her back, stared up into the hot, blue sky. “I was drowning inside my own head.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” Asked Donna, softly.
“I don’t know. Pride I suppose. I thought I could handle it myself.”
“Did you?”
“I checked myself into a sanitarium, worked with a psychologist STAR Labs recommended.” She frowned, scrunched up her forehead at the memories. “He came up with the idea of psychic floodgates to control all the emergent personalities.” Lilith shut her eyes, shuddered. “It worked until last November.”
Donna’s hand was in hers, squeezing softly. “And this time?”
Lilith lay there, eyes shut, feeling Donna’s moist, warm hand in hers. She closed her fingers around it. “When Dick asked me to read the hotel, it was too much. The floodgates broke and all the personalities just . . . flooded me. I was swept away, lost among all the personas I had imprinted.”
“It must have been horrible.”
The redhead shivered, gooseflesh erupting across her arms. “You have no idea.”
They lay there, hands clasped, silently for a few moments.
“I’d still be there if Roy hadn’t come to see me,” Lilith said quietly. “He brought J’onn with him and he took one look at me and knew what was happening, used his powers to help me find my way back.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“No one does.” Lilith smiled softly. “J’onn saved my life, helped me . . . purge the other personalities. He even worked with the doctors to help them understand what had happened and why. That’s when they decided to recommend the psi-inhibitors.”
“Now you’re better,” said Donna.
Lilith nodded.
“I think you should tell the others,” said Donna.
“No,” said Lilith, her voice firm. “They’re all still wondering if I’m okay. I don’t want them to think I’m fragile. Jesse’s already giving me looks.”
“They’re your friends, Lilith. They won’t judge you.”
“Of course they will,” said Lilith, matter-of-factly. “And normally, I wouldn’t care, but today, right now, I just don’t want to have to deal with it. Okay?”
Donna frowned, unhappily. “It’s your decision,” she said quietly.
Lilith nodded and slid her sunglasses back on.
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 18, 2002
Sunday was supposed to be a slow day. Nothing ever happened on Sunday. No supervillain attacks. No world-threatening menaces. Sunday was a slow day and that was why Jesse agreed to let Lilith sit on monitor duty.
It was supposed to be a slow day, so naturally something had to happen.
Lilith’s first impression of the new Mist was of big hair. The Mist’s hair was bone-white and thick. It was long and teased and Lilith couldn’t help but think it belonged on the head of some Country Western diva, not a skinny teenage supervillain.
The Mist looked young. A teenager. She was long-limbed and tall, with a peaches and cream complexion. Her outfit was mundane. Stonewashed jeans tucked into knee-high black boots and a too-small T-shirt that left her midriff bare. A golden hoop gleamed in her naval, a .22 barked in her hand.
Through Argent’s button-cam, Lilith saw the blur that was Jesse as the speedster snatched the bullet out of the air. She heard the Mist swear, using language that would have made Roy Harper blush. The girl’s words had an Arkansas twang to them.
And then she was gone, evaporating into pale, cream-colored smoke even as Jesse bore down on her, ran through her. Lilith watched the Mist’s smoky body twist and turn, caught up in Jesse’s jetstream, pulled along in the wake of the Titan’s passage.
Jesse looped back on her own trail, a blur of crimson and gold. She ran in a circle, faster and faster, creating a miniature cyclone, containing the Mist. It was a classic maneuver and Lilith watched the Mist’s smoky body coalesce and twist in the gale.
“Now, Argent.”
Jesse slowed long enough to give the command, then was gone again, running. The view from her button-cam was making Lilith dizzy. She turned away from it, switched her attention to Toni’s.
Argent’s hands burned with silver. Lilith watched as Toni extended her hands, palms out. Silver light poured from Argent, washed over everything in the jewelry store, coating it with an airtight layer of silver.
It was a maneuver they had been working on since their first encounter with the Mist. Now, though, was the first time Jesse and Argent had both been in the field when the criminal struck.
Argent was sweating. Lilith could see the drops of perspiration on the backs of her hands. A silver curtain fell across the shop in front of her, and Jesse was suddenly there beside her. The speedster turned and Lilith watched through her button-cam as her superspeed vortex dissipated.
The Mist, suddenly released, flowed in her gaseous shape toward the rear of the shop, away from the two heroines. Lilith saw her hit the wall of silver light, saw the shower of sparks from the contact. She heard Argent mutter something under her breath.
“You can do it, Toni,” Jesse said quietly and Lilith, seated in the monitor room, crossed her fingers.
A stream of silver light connected Argent to the forcefield she had coated the jewelry store with. Now, within that stream, Argent flexed her fingers. Her forcefield began to contract. There were more discharges from within it as the Mist tried desperately to phase through the barrier.
Jesse’s button-cam showed Argent, her eyes closed, frowning as she concentrated. The silver field she had spun was roughly the size of a refrigerator now. The Mist moved inside it, a swirling cloud of angry smoke.
Now the refrigerator was shrinking rapidly, rounding at the edges, collapsing into a sphere filled with cream-colored vapor. Argent opened her hands and the sphere floated between her fingers. Toni opened her eyes and grinned at Jesse.
“We got her!”
Jesse grinned back at her. But Argent was suddenly frowning.
“Um. Now that we’ve got her, what do we do with her? I can’t contain her like this forever.”
“Don’t worry,” said Jesse. “We’ll get her over to the Slab right away.”
“Er. How?” Argent asked, a bead of sweat sliding down her cheek. “It’s taking everything I’ve got to hold her. I don’t think I can generate a slide.”
The bell above the jewelry store’s door tinkled merrily. Jesse turned and Lilith grinned as the screen shot shifted.
“Dome?”
“Lilith sent me,” explained the shapechanger. “She said you would require transport to the Slab.”
Jesse removed her button-cam and peered into it. Her face filled a screen in the monitor room. “Nice move, Lil.” The speedster’s eyes flickered to Dome for a moment, then back to the camera. “But next time you send Dome, remind him to wear pants. Okay?”
* * * * *
“The Mist is tucked away?”
Argent nodded, falling back into the overstuffed couch with a sigh. “Yep.”
Lilith drew her legs up to her chest, wiggled around on the couch until she was facing her friend. “You look beat.”
“I am. That forcefield stunt took a lot out of me.”
“You did well,” said Lilith. “You and Jesse both.”
Toni let her head roll to one side. She grinned at Lilith. “You weren’t so bad yourself. It was a good idea you had, sending Dome. I don’t think I could have held the Mist if Jesse had tried to fly me to the Slab.”
The redhead shrugged and draped her arms around her legs, hugging herself. “It just felt like the right thing to do.”
“Uh-huh. Convenient too.”
Lilith’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Huh?”
Toni turned on her side, head resting against the thick, pillow-like back cushions. She fixed Lilith with her black eyes. “Admit it. You know the Mist was going to show up today, didn’t you? That’s why you asked Jesse to let you sit on monitor duty.” A smile tugged at the corner of Toni’s pale lips. “You wanted to get back into the game.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lilith said, a little too primly.
Toni smirked. “Yeah, sure.” She squirmed on the couch, shifting position until her head lay at Lilith’s bare feet and her own legs hung over the couch’s armrest. “It’s good to have you back, Lil.”
Lilith smiled down at Argent and curled her toes. “It’s good to be back.”
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 19, 2002
Monday was her day.
She spent it alone, in her apartment with the television turned on to fill the silence. After a while, Lilith turned off the television and turned on her stereo, spinning the dial to a Classic Rock station. She bopped around her living room, the volume cranked up loud and to hell with the neighbors. If anyone wanted to complain they could knock on her door. But no one did.
She rummaged through her closets, found boxes of photographs and familiar nicknacks. They’d been packed away, with everything else, while she was in the hospital. The handwriting on the boxes was precise and neat. Lilith could imagine Jesse seated, cross-legged, neatly compartmentalizing everything and storing it away.
The thought made her sad and strangely angry. Lilith emptied the boxes on her bed and began to go through the contents. The afternoon gave way to dusk. She hardly noticed, until the apartment was so dark she could hardly see. At that point, on a whim, she lit candles and placed them around her bedroom.
From the living room, came the strains of a familiar Doors song. Lilith lay on her bed, surrounded by dusty stuffed animals and kitsch souvenirs from around the world, leafing through old photographs.
There was a photo of the old Titans. They’d been in a goofball mood when they took the picture. Roy had Dick in a fake headlock, both of them grinning from ear to ear. Donna looked amused and perplexed all at once. Garth was smiling, politely at the camera. Wally looked pained. And she . . . she was smiling, laughing, arms thrown around Roy’s neck.
A good photo. A good memory. She smiled and put it aside, moved on to the next one.
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 20, 2002
The interview room wasn’t very large. Most of it was taken up by the containment cell. The Mist waited inside it, a girl-shaped cloud of white vapor. Lilith sat in front of the cell, watching the metahuman. There was a very large, very grim security guard in shiny black armor standing nearby. Lilith wasn’t certain he was there to watch her or the prisoner. She decided she didn’t care.
“What’s your name?”
The Mist did not answer. She simply swirled in midair.
Lilith took a deep breath. “Okay. How old are you?”
Silence met her question, but she could feel the girl watching her. Irritated, Lilith turned to the guard. “How long has she been like this?”
The man’s shrug made his armor creak. “Since your people dropped her off.”
“Two days?” Lilith turned back to the containment cell. “She’s been like this for two days?”
The guard nodded. “Been giving the science guys all kinds of headaches. Her lawyer too. She won’t even tell him her name or how old she is.”
“Is that so?” Lilith eyed the Mist. “You’re not the smartest person in the world, are you, Misty? You know, if you’re a minor you’ll get a lighter sentence.”
There was no response from the prisoner. Lilith shook her head and stood. “But I guess you don’t care about that. Guess a girl like you doesn’t care about anything. Not even herself.” She turned and walked toward the door. “Screw this. You want to fuck up your future, go right ahead.”
“What do you know about anything, lady?”
Lilith turned, a surprised look on her face. The Mist stood in the middle of her cell, her hand on one hip, a look of utter scorn on her heart-shaped face. Her thick white hair hung down to her buttocks.
“You don’t know shit, lady.” The Mist scowled. “You’re just like all the other folks come traipsing through here. Those eggheads and dumbass lawyers. And them cunt social workers asking if my daddy ever tried to fuck me.” The girl sneered and spat at Lilith, the glob of phlegm evaporating against the forcefield. “You all don’t know shit.”
“You might be surprised at what I know,” said Lilith, smiling coldly.
“Right,” scoffed the Mist.
“Your name is Lark Epiphany Noon,” said Lilith. “You’re fifteen years old and you grew up in Logansville, Arkansas.” She couldn’t help but smile at the look of pure shock that spread across the girl’s face.
“How do you know that?!?”
“All those stores you robbed had surveillance cameras. The JLO got a nice shot of your face and started plastering it all over the news. Didn’t take too long for someone to recognize you.”
“Shit!”
“You’ve got quite the past for someone who’s not even old enough to vote yet.”
The girl started swearing in earnest. Lilith stood there, grinning, until she ran out of steam.
“So, you all know who I am,” spat the Mist. “Big damn deal. Don’t change a thing.”
“Don’t be too sure of that,” said Lilith. She returned to her seat, crossed her legs and studied the girl’s face. “You’ve got a criminal history longer than my arm and now you’re a metahuman to boot. You think the judge is just going to slap you on the wrist and let you go? Guess again. You’re looking at hard time. But I’m sure your lawyer’s already told you that.”
“Prison won’t be no worse than my family.”
“Maybe,” admitted Lilith. “Or maybe not.”
“Who the hell are you anyway?” Demanded the girl, face pressed so close to the forcefield sparks flew.
“I’m like you,” said Lilith. “A metahuman.”
“You’re one of them Titans.”
Lilith nodded.
“I ain’t impressed,” said the Mist. “I had you all running around for weeks.”
“And now you’re locked up in an airtight containment cell,” pointed out Lilith. “You know what I can do, Lark? I can see the future.”
“Big damn deal.”
“It is,” said Lilith. She leaned forward, her eyes glimmering strangely. “I’m looking at yours right now.”
“What you see?” Asked the girl, curious despite herself.
“More of this,” said Lilith, nodding at the cell. “For the rest of your life.”
The girl snorted. “You sound like my daddy. He always said I’d wind up in prison or hell. One or the other.”
“He was wrong,” said Lilith. “There’s a third choice.”
“What are you talking about? And why are you here? You some kind of social worker?”
“No, I’m no social worker. Just someone who can see you doing one of two things. Reforming or spending the rest of your life in a cell.”
“You’re just trying to scare me,” said the girl. She crossed her arms and glared at Lilith. “And it ain’t working.”
“Maybe not,” said Lilith. “But I’m not finished yet. That life I’m talking about. The one with you in prison. It’s not long, Lark. Only a few more years and then it’s over. You’re dead and buried in a prison graveyard. And no one comes to your funeral.”
“Future ain’t set in stone, lady. Even I know that.”
“Oh yes,” said Lilith, softly. “Futures change all the time. But not yours.” Her eyes locked on the girl’s and the Mist felt a chill creep up her spine. “You’ll be dead before you’re twenty-one if you don’t change your life, Lark. It’s not too late.”
“I already changed my life,” said the Mist. “I got the hell away from my family. So what if I spend a couple of years in jail? Don’t matter to me. Sides, I heard about this place. They ain’t calling it the Slab out there. Not anymore. They’re calling it the Airport, the way so many folks done flew out a here.” She stepped back and spun, thick white hair dissolving into a bank of smoke that enveloped her. “And I’ll get out too, miss psychic. Just you wait and see!”
And the girl was gone, replaced by a swirling cloud of fog.
Lilith sighed and stood. She stared sadly at the mist-filled cell and shook her head. At least she’d tried.
* * * * *
New York City, NY - August 21, 2002
Jesse found Lilith standing outside the sanitarium. The redheaded psychic was gripping the iron bars of the fence, peering up at the brick building. She turned, frowning, when the speedster arrived.
“The Mist escaped from the Slab last night,” said Jesse.
“Oh.” Lilith turned back to the building.
“You don’t sound surprised.”
“I’m not,” said Lilith. “Are they really calling it the Airport now?”
Jesse frowned. “I think so. Why aren’t you surprised? Did you know this was going to happen, Lilith?”
The redhead shook her head. “I wasn’t certain. I thought . . . ”
“You thought what?”
Lilith lowered her head, leaned forward to press her face against the iron barred fence surrounding the hospital. She shut her eyes.
“Am I doing okay, Jesse?”
The speedster frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Am I doing okay?” Lilith turned her gaze on Jesse. “Am I back to normal?”
“I don’t know,” admitted Jesse. “How do you feel?”
“Worn out.”
“Do you want to go back there?” Jesse nodded at the hospital building.
Lilith frowned, then shook her head. “No.”
“Then, as far as I’m concerned, Lilith, you’re perfectly normal.”
A grim little smile flickered over the redhead’s mouth. “I wish I was as certain. . . .”
“What brought this on?”
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Try me,” said Jesse.
Lilith turned away from the hospital and leaned against the fence. “My gogo boots don’t fit me anymore and all my old friends have grown up and moved away.”
“And?”
“And,” sighed Lilith, “it never used to bother me. My life, I mean. But now. . . .” She shook her head, frowning. “It just seems pointless.”
“Ah.” Jesse leaned against the fence, nodded sagely. “I know where you’re coming from. And, I know what you need to do.”
“What?”
“Get laid,” said Jesse, matter-of-factly.
Lilith stared at her. “What?”
“You need to have a couple of tequila shots and a really good orgasm.”
“I don’t believe you just said that.”
Jesse shrugged. “Somebody had to do it.” She smiled at Lilith and took the other woman’s hands. “You’re fine, Lilith. Your life is fine.”
“I don’t feel fine.”
“You are. Trust me.”
“How do you know?” Lilith asked, peering into Jesse’s face.
“Because yesterday you tried to talk a fifteen-year-old girl out of a life of crime,” said Jesse, kindly. “Even though you knew she probably wouldn’t listen.”
“That was . . . ”
“You,” said Jesse, firmly. “That was classic Lilith. Normal Lilith.” Jesse’s tone became firm. “And it wasn’t pointless.”
“Damn. When did you get all inspirational?”
“While you were away,” said the speedster. She squeezed Lilith’s hands. “Someone had to fill the gap.”
“Stop it. You’re going to make me blush.”
“Me? Make you blush?” Jesse shook her head and stepped back, smirking. “No. Way.”
Lilith shook her head, her eyes burning. She wiped them, sniffling. “What about the Mist? Do we have any leads?”
“No,” said Jesse. “She’ll probably keep a low profile for a little while. Maybe try to get out of the city.” The speedster shrugged. “We’ll catch her.”
“Yes.”
Jesse arched her eyebrows. “A premonition?”
“No, just experience.”
Nodding, Jesse ran a hand through her short blonde hair. “Nicely put.”
“Now,” said Lilith, “about my having an orgasm. . . .”
“Oh God.”
“Who do you think I should get one from? Does Vic have any available friends?”
Jesse groaned in mock anguish and Lilith laughed and dragged her away from the hospital.
