Brother let me be your shelter
I'll never leave you all alone
Be the one you can call
When you're low
Brother let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home
~Brother ~ NEEDTOBREATHE~

...November 17, 2017...

"Haharr!" the hyena growls.

"I don't care if– wait, what?" the girl turns towards Damian. "Uh... Who are you?"

"Hahra," the beast whines.

The woman whips her head back at the hyena before looking back at the boy. "He smells like Batman? Why do you smell like Batman?"

"How do you know him?" Damian huffs, getting more defensive.

The woman has a quick flicker of sadness across her face, so fast that only a trained eye could see it. "I was on a team simply called The Team, but I liked to call them the Young Justice League. I ended up dating his first partner."

Damian's eyes get slightly bigger. "Are you Aura West otherwise known as Bolt?"

She chuckles sadly. "Wow, I haven't heard that name in quite a long time."

"I've come here because I need to find out who I am, who I need to be," Damian says.

"This is the place to go. I've been here for quite a while, figuring out who I need to be. What's your name?" Aura asks.

"My name is Damian Wayne, I am the son of Batman and Talia Al Ghul. I've taken the role of Robin, and I've worked along side my father for 5 months."

"Wow, Brucie finally had one of his own. An Al Ghul no less. I'm Aura West as you know and this is my pet hyena. Her name is Storm." She moves up to Damian, scooping him up.

"What are you doing?!" he shouts, trying to shove her away.

She gives him a wink. "Trust me. It'll be faster this way."

~~~Aura's POV from now on until told otherwise~~~

Seeing Damian made me have a flashback to when I left.

I didn't leave to the Himalayas until after my funeral. Watching everyone crying over me made me break and almost want to reveal that I'm not dead, but I couldn't. After Richy sung one of our many songs, I began to cry, causing the lights of the building to flicker.

I watch them take a coffin full of flowers and photos to bury outside. All of the guests carry an umbrella out except the men carrying the coffin. Wally, Barry, Richy, and dad all take a corner to lift and carry to the grave. A tent is pitched over the hole for the grave with a few chairs for close family members. Wally, mom, dad, Barry, and Iris take the first row and Richy, Alfred, Bruce, Artemis, Jason, and the rest of the team sit in the back. The others stand nearby.

After the service is over everyone heads inside for the reception. Mom, dad, Barry, Iris, Wally, Richy, Jason, and the team remain behind a little longer. The team leaves slowly after along with Iris until the two remaining are Wally, Jason, and Richy.

Wally clasps a hand on Jason and Richy's shoulder. "I'm gonna head inside. You two should too. We don't want you to get sick. Aura wouldn't want you getting sick on us now."

"I will," Richy responds, giving him a quick glance before looking back at the coffin in the ground.

Wally nods and heads off. "Alright."

Richy sniffles once he's gone and crouches down with a sigh. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you in time."

Jason releases more tears and wipes them away as he leans beside Richy, leaning his head on his shoulder.

I materialize behind them without them noticing, contemplating if I should say something, anything. I decide against it or I could possibly lose everything and speed off.

~~~

I left to the outside of the mountain once night fell to look at the moon one last time from the beach. I wrap my black cloak around me tighter as the cold wind blows.

"Aloha, oe. Aloha, oe. E ke onaona noho i ka lipo. One fond embrace, a hoi ae au. Until we meet again," I softly sing before turning to look up the mountain with many memories. "Goodbye." I whisper sadly before I disappear into the night.

~~~Play song~~~

The first night Damian was here, he had a nightmare. The monastery agreed to let him take the vacant room beside me after I told them he was my family.

It was 2:37am, and I am currently still awake, as I usually am, playing on my phone and listening to music. A small shout makes me pause my music, so I could listen better. Another shout is heard, so I set my phone to the side and venture out my room, powering up my fists with electricity just in case. Again a shout is released but more clearly this time enough to realize it's a shout of pain and coming from Damian's room.

"Damian?" I speak up. "Are you okay? I'm coming in." I slide the door open and slowly shut it behind me. I electrify my left hand to light up the room and head to Damian's side. His form is on his bed, thrashing around and letting out shouts in English but also in another language.

"No! Father!"

"Damian?" I rest my right hand on his shoulder for a second before I'm flat on my back with him holding my limbs down, aiming a small knife at my neck. "It's just me, Damian."

"Don't sneak into my room," he huffs, shuffling off me and onto his tatami futon. "I can't promise I won't kill you next time."

"You won't," I say, sitting myself up. "Bruce has trained you. You'll hold yourself back for him to make him proud."

"Shut up. You have no idea what it's like," Damian huffs, covering himself with his blanket and turning his back to me as he lies on his side.

I sigh. "I think I understand more than you'd think... Damian, did Bruce ever tell you why I faked my death?"

He turns his body a bit, so he can see me. "No."

"Well, little brother, let me enlighten you."

"Don't call me your little brother," he retorts. "You're not part of my family."

I give him a half grin. "Damian, I don't have to be apart of your family for you to be my little brother."

"Believe what you want," he scoffs. "Though it won't be true."

"Well, scootch," I say, shoving him over to make room for me to sit on the futon.

"It's my bed why should I move?" he huffs.

"How much do you know about me?" I ask, ignoring his comment.

"Just what I read on father's files," he sighs, sitting up and moving to give me room to sit beside him. "Your name was originally Aura Evans before you were adopted by the West family and changed it to Aura West. You were actually Flash's first partner by the name Strike. You left the Flash team and disappeared to Gotham. You weren't found because your appearance changed to pink hair and aqua eyes. After a few months, you were taken in by Joker and Harley Quinn and were raised by them for a few years. You had different identities. When you were with the clowns you were called Jester Quinn and Dawn Joleen at Gotham Academy. You went by Bolt as a hero on the team. Among other things like who trained you and what not."

"Anything mention the voices?" I ask.

He looks at me curiously. "No."

"You know the Joker turned into the Joker by falling into a vat of chemicals, correct?" I ask.

"Yes, I read his file."

"After I jumped into the chemicals myself, I didn't have immediate changes like Joker did," I tell him. He turns to me with his full attention. "Poison Ivy gave me a shot that she created, so I would be immune to all poisons. That way if I was sprayed with any of her plants that I would've been fine. When I went into the chemicals, I came out completely normal. Joker fought with Harley a little after she told him it might've been because of Ivy's shot. That's when I got really woozy and held myself upright against the container which gained their attention. My hair turned green before I blacked out."

"Green?"

"The same color as Joker's," I say, turning my hair to all green.

"You can change it at will?" he asks, watching my hair change back to pink and green. He looks as if he wants to touch but refrains from doing so.

"It's like second nature to me now. It's like breathing; I don't have to think about it. Though, at first, I didn't know I could till a while later," I admit. "But I always kept it green around my 'parents'. The only time I ever kept it pink was when I was Bolt. Anyway, a few months pass and I began to have a voice in my head, trying its hardest to suck me completely to the dark side to become a permanent villain. Slowly other voices started to join the voice but also a few fought against the voice. Poison Ivy, Joker, Harley, Penguin, Catwoman, Bruce, Richy, Jason, Alfred, Flash, Wally, and others. It got to the point where I needed to leave and have no one come for me. That's why I faked my death, Damian."

"You needed to find yourself without anyone to come bother you," he says, looking down to his lap. "Like I do."

I smile and ruffle his hair. "I told you I'd understand better than you'd thought."

He shoves off my hand with an annoyed grunt. "S... s-sorry I... attacked you." He struggles to apologize not used to saying it.

"I'm fine. If you hurt me, I'd heal. Genes of a speedster," I casually chuckle. "Do you wanna talk about the nightmare?"

"No."

"Do you want me to stay here until you fall asleep?"

"No."

"Alright," I nod, standing up. "I'll be back if I hear you tossing and turning again and then I won't take no for an answer. Goodnight, Dami," I say, giving him a kiss on the forehead before leaving the room.

...January 5, 2018...

It's been a few months since Damian arrived, and he has gotten used to my... personality?

"Where were you this morning," Damian asks as I arrive inside.

"You're up earlier than usual," I admit. "I was on my daily morning speed run. Gotta keep my powers in check or I will be outta practice and too slow. I can't become slower than Wally and Barry."

He looks as if he wants to say something but refrains from telling me. "I didn't know you still practiced."

"Everyday," I tell him, sitting beside him and grabbing any food in front of me. "If I didn't I wouldn't eat so much."

"Good point."

"Dami, after breakfast, you wanna head into town with me? I'm running low on powerade and figured you'd want to get out of here for a little while. You haven't left since you got here."

"It would be good for me to get out of this environment for a bit," he admits, looking around at all the bald headed monks walking around. Damian decided he didn't want his hair shaven and of course I'm the only female.

"Good, when you're finished eating go get dressed in your winter wear," I tell him. "I'll be ready in a minute."

He walks off as I stuff food in my mouth.

~~~

"This is a very run down place," Damian tells me. "Where would you even find powerade in a place like this? Why is your hair all green too?"

"You gotta find the right places, Dami," I wink. "I change my hair to all green for undercover purposes."

"Please refrain from calling me Dami," he responds annoyed.

"Alright... Dami." I smirk at him before turning back to face the front, looking at each stall we pass. "You see anything interesting?"

"No."

"Ah, Miss Aura, have you run out of powerade again?"

I turn to the voice with a smile. "Ah, Rita, you know me so well."

She smiles, crows feet wrinkling as she does. "Good thing too, we just got a large shipment of them today."

"I'll take all the grape ones you have," I tell her. "Dami, you want any flavor?"

"Don't call me by that cumbersome nickname," he scoffs, crossing his arms and upturning his nose. "But, I would prefer the blue and red flavors."

"I'll take 20 each of those too," I tell Rita.

"Very well," she heads into the small backroom, bringing a few workers to help her.

"How do you expect to carry all of this? And how are you paying for it?" Damian asks.

"Your dear dad gives me money weekly. I've managed to learn how to carry things using my electricity," I tell him. "You know how Green Lantern can make a platform for everyone to stand on? I've learned how to somewhat do the same thing."

"Nobody finds it odd that you do that?" he asks. "Won't you be giving away your secret identity?"

"At first they did but got used to it after a while," I tell him. "That's the reason my hair is all green."

"You're smarter than you look," he compliments.

"Aww," I coo and hug him.

"Unhand me, West!" he complains, trying to break out of my grasp.

"You're so cute!"

...March 12, 2018...

I wake up at my normal time to go run then train. I quickly rush around the room, getting ready. Once I'm finally dressed, I exit my room and close it behind me then begin to walk out. Damian exits his room and stops in front of me.

"Dami? You're up early. Everything okay?" I ask.

"Don't call me that. I want to join you on your morning run."

I blink a few times before laughing. "Good one."

"What's so funny?!" he demands.

I wipe away my tears with a chuckle. "You do realize I am a speedster, right? It means I run at a speed the human eye can't see."

"I know what a speedster is!" he huffs. "I didn't mean I'd run along beside you! I just wanted to run with you."

"Oh, alright," I say. "You know I'll lap you like a billion times, right?"

"Obviously or you'd be a slow speedster," he scoffs, walking off to the front of the monastery.

I blink in surprise. "W-Was that a joke? Did Damian Wayne just tease me?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he scoffs as I move up beside him.

"Aww, you do like me!" I grin, hugging him.

"Release me, West!"

...July 8, 2018...

I knock Damian's feet out from under him, and he lands with a loud, painful smack to the snow on his back. He lets out a painful but annoyed grunt.

"You may have been trained by both Bruce and Ra's, but I was trained by the Justice League and almost all of Gotham's villains," I smirk, leaning against the wooden katana I used to swipe his feet from under him.

"It's not fair cause you're using your superspeed," he huffs, picking himself up.

"Because you need to be prepared to fight someone faster than you," I tell him.

"What speedster do you know that's evil?" he huffs.

"Zoom, Reverse Flash, etc," I list, thinking. "Though they're both dead... but still. Superman is faster than you."

"Superman isn't evil."

"Doesn't matter that I can't come up with one at the moment. It still doesn't mean that you won't meet someone faster than you," I huff.

"What do you suggest?" he grunts.

"Aim for the feet. People don't pay much attention there," I tell him.

...September 17, 2018...

My concentration is cut off by a whimper. I set my phone to the side and head into Damian's room. Even though he's an incredibly mature 10 year old, he's still just a child. A child that has gone through much more than what any child should've. I move into the room, quietly shutting the door behind me. I kneel down onto the bed and begin to run my hand through his hair softly.

This stirs him awake peacefully and looks at me annoyed. "What are you doing?"

"Comforting you," I admit. "It helped and don't lie and say it didn't. You may be looked at as an adult, but you're still a child Dami. Nobody seems to realize that. Not even yourself."

"I don't need to be coddled like a child."

"I'm not leaving," I tell him, lying beside him.

"I don't need your pity."

"I'm not pitying you, Dami," I tell him. "You have nightmares, and I'm willing to help you overcome them."

"I don't want your feeble help."

"Too bad," I tell him, getting under the covers. "You know whenever I had a nightmare, I'd head over to Wayne Manor and sleep with Richy. He would comfort me and hold me until I calmed down before we would fall asleep." It's silent before I add. "You're not alone, Dami."

It's quiet for a few minutes before he responds.

"Everyone leaves me eventually."

I turn my body to face him with a soft gaze. "Dami." He looks to me. I wrap him into a hug, one he doesn't push away from. "I promise I won't leave you. Okay?"

A few moments pass before he replies. "Okay."

...October 31, 2018...

"Why didn't you tell me today was your birthday!?" I fuss with Damian.

"Cause I knew you'd have a cow over it," he responds. "How'd you even learn that?"

"Doesn't matter. It's your birthday, and we're going to do something fun," I say determined.

"Your definition of fun is highly different from mine," he scoffs.

I ruffle his hair much to his annoyance. "Oh this is definitely something you'll enjoy." I form a pitch black suit over my body. The only bit of skin you can see are my eyes everything else is completely covered."Go get on some form fitting black clothes. We're going to have fun."

He looks at me strangely, never seeing me form clothes before. "How did you do that?"

"Ionize the air around me," I say, shooing him off. "Go get dressed and meet me at the front when you're done."

He gives me another strange look before leaving to his room. After he finishes changing, he meets me at the entrance of the monastery. He's decked out completely in black along with his Robin mask and katana strapped to his side. I smirk.

"What?" he grunts.

"Nothing, just glad you're prepared," I tell him. "Now my arms or my back?"

"What?"

"To carry you?"

"Back..." he mutters.

I kneel down. "Then get on. We're going to have some fun."

He climbs onto my back in annoyance. "Why must we go this way?"

"Hold on tight," I tell him then dash off.

"Where are we going?"

"I intercepted a call to the Justice League," I tell him. "We're going to stop a drug trade." We arrive, and I skid us to a stop nearby. "You ready?"

He jumps off my back, unsheathing his katana. "Always. Best birthday present ever."

"Thought you'd enjoy."

We unleash ourselves onto the criminals.

~~~Later Elsewhere~~~

The camouflaged bioship comes into view of the place the drug trade was taking place. Only to find the building up in flames and bodies littering the ground on the outside. Inside the bioship is Beast Boy, Miss Martian, Blue Beetle, Superboy, the new Kid Flash, and Bumblebee.

"What happened here?" Bee gasps.

"Dios mío," Blue Beetle mutters.

"Let's find out," Miss M says, landing the bioship in a clear area.

They exit the ship, moving over to the closest person to check their vitals.

"He's still alive," KF says, racing around to check each person. "They all are."

"Someone's stirring," Superboy says, looking into the direction he heard a painful groan from.

They make their way up to the man. KF speeds up, noticed by the man.

He puts his arms up, cowering back and shielding his face. "Arrest me! I give up!"

"What are you talking about?" Bee asks.

"What happened here?" Miss M asks.

"Please, just arrest me! I promise I won't do this again!"

"I think he may have a few screws loose, sis," Beast Boy tells Miss M.

"Who did this?" Superboy asks harshly.

The man looks up to them. "You're not with them?"

"With who?" Miss M asks.

"I-I don't know! All I can remember..." he shivers from the memory. "...is black figures. They moved around so fast no one saw them coming."

"How many were there?" Superboy asks.

"Only two I-I think... One female and one male. The m-male was much shorter than the woman from what I-I could t-tell. The only color I remember were aqua e-eyes from her and white sockets from him. The boy had a katana, and she never laid a hand on anyone for them to go down..."

"Only two people did all this damage?" KF says and whistles impressed.

"They were demons, I tell you! Demons!"

Miss M takes everyone into his memories to see what went down. They look around in amazement.

"I can't believe two people did all this," Beast Boy says.

"We need to find out who these two people are," Miss M says. "I'll report to Batman."

Batman is the one to make the connection first. "Don't worry about the two mysterious people. I already know who did it. They're not bad just sneaky. Return to the Watchtower after you gathered all the info you can. Batman out."

...November 22, 2018...

Today is Thanksgiving, and Damian and I had a sorta fight.

"Why should we celebrate this stupid holiday?" Damian scoffs.

"It's Thanksgiving, Damian. It's the time to get together and have a large fulfilling meal," I tell him. "You did celebrate this with Talia, right?"

"Tt. Of course, the Al Ghuls always throw a large fest for this particular day. That doesn't mean I like it though."

I sigh. "Come on, Dami. I promise you'll enjoy it."

"Each of the strongest members would go out and hunt for the largest turkeys," Damian remembers. "Would you enjoy doing that?"

"No, and I'm sure you wouldn't either," I say and sigh. "Thanksgiving is for family to bond, and you are apart of it."

"Family?" he scoffs. "I don't have a family. My mother abandoned me, father sent me off here, and my grandfather is dead. Alfred is just a butler. Drake and Grayson aren't my blood and neither are you! You all have nothing to do with the Wayne name or the Al Ghuls. We're not family."

My face remains stoic as I look at him, at this small body of anger. "Well, if that's how you feel then I'm just going to buy a turkey without you. I'll be back later."

I realize that I shouldn't take what he said to heart. He's had a rough life, and I plan to let him see that he shouldn't be troubled anymore. I've finished using the kitchen with the small feast I prepared, setting up the dining room table with all the good food. Damian meanders in from around the corner.

"Ah, Dami, you're just in time," I tell him.

"In time for what?"

"I've made us Thanksgiving dinner," I smile. "Now, I'm not as good a chef as Alfred, but this should be pretty good. I hope..."

"I thought I said I didn't want to celebrate this," he snarls.

"I took it as you just didn't want to admit that you actually like holidays," I smile. "Now come on, let's eat, little bro." I tense as does he, scolding myself for letting that little bit out. His gaze moves around anywhere but me until eventually he looks back. I let out a smiling hmph. "Damian, you may view me as just another annoying human that you have to deal with, but I will always see you as my little brother. You, me, Bruce, Alfred, Jason, Richy, and even Tim, when I meet him, are family. Nothing will ever change that."

Damian's eyes begin to water, but he quickly wipes them away, blaming it on the dusty smell of the old room. He didn't want to break down and cry. He was raised thinking that emotions were a weakness. "I..." Damian had a warm feeling spreading through his chest that he's never felt before. He knew it felt good, but he also felt weird because of how new it is.

"You can't choose your blood, but you can choose your family." I walk over to him a kneel down in front of him with a warm smile, ruffling his hair. "You're part of my family Dami, and I love you." I pull him into a hug and his strong front bursts.

He buries his face into my shoulder as I rub his back comfortingly.

After he calms down, he begins to wipe the remaining tears away angrily. "D-did you make stuffing?"

I smile, ruffling his hair. "What would Thanksgiving be without stuffing?"

...December 14, 2018...

After our morning training session and breakfast, I move on to begin little chores around the monastery. I turn the corner to find Damian and Storm curled up together under the big tree in the garden.

"Does your master know what boundaries are?" he mutters, giving Storm scratches behind her ears.

I chuckle and run up behind them. "No, I do. I just choose to ignore them." I give him a hug. "Cause I wuv you so much!"

"West!"

"Hey, do you know how to braid?" I ask him.

"Why would I know how to do such a girly task?" he scoffs.

"Well, I'm gonna teach you how, so you can braid my hair."

"Why would I want to do that?"

"I think you'll enjoy it more than you'd think," I tell him, moving to sit in front of him. "Here, let me show you. So, you typically start with three pieces..."

...December 25, 2018...

"Merry Christmas, Dami!" I shout, entering his room and jumping on him. Storm joins in with her famous hyena laughter.

He groans tiredly and annoyed. "Not now, mother... I'm trying to sleep..."

I gasp surprised. "Did you just cal–!"

He shoots up realizing what he said. "No!"

A goofy grin forms on my face. "Dami–!"

"Wipe that stupid expression off your face!"

"You called me mother!" I coo, wrapping him in a tight hug. "Aww! I love you too!"

"West! Unhand me!"

"Come on, you have gifts for Christmas," I tell him, standing up.

"I do?" he asks confused. "I've never gotten gifts before."

"Yeah, Bruce, Alfred, and Tim sent over some to you, and I got one for you too. Jason didn't send one, you two must not get along well."

"You did?" he questions.

We head down into the living room where a big tree is standing in the center of. Under the tree are a few gifts for Dami and me.

I grab the few presents I have. "The rest of these are for you."

He ends up getting a Wayne tech tablet from Bruce as do I. From Tim he receives a really nice pocket knife. Alfred gives him 8 boxes of his favorite hot chocolate mix.

"This one is yours?" he asks, pulling out the last present.

Storm begins ripping open her present and immediately begins to chew on the large bone I got her.

"Yeah, I think you'll like it."

He opens the present and gasps upon seeing it, the green gift glows upon his face. "Is that Kryptonite?"

"Yeah, managed to get my hands on some and made it into a small dagger," I say. "Thought you'd enjoy."

"Where'd you get this?"

"Superman leaves a lot of things in his Ice Fortress."

He grins. "This will come in handy one day. Thanks."

"You're welcome, little bro," I say, standing up.

"Wait, I got you something as well," he stops me.

"You did?"

He moves over to the other side of the tree and comes back with a piece of paper. "I made this for you."

I take the paper from him and gasp.

"Is this me? Did you draw this?" I ask. He nods. "Damian... this is amazing! It's gorgeous! I didn't know you liked to draw!"

"You... actually like it?"

"Like it? I love it!" I bring him into a hug. "Thank you, Dami. This is the best present I've ever gotten. Merry Christmas, Dami." I release him happily. "I'll have to get a picture frame to hang this up."

...March 13, 2019...

Damian must of had some bad food cause he's been throwing up every once in a while, has diarrhea, and has a fever. Food poisoning is never fun to deal with. Me being a speedster, I didn't even feel the food poisoning. Many monks at the monastery are going through the same dilemma as Damian.

"I could only wish this pain on my worst enemies," Damian groans, sipping on his water as it's the only thing he is willing to digest.

"I'm glad you're drinking," I tell him. "Dry heaving is worse than throwing up, or so I've heard."

"You've never had food poisoning?" Damian groans, looking up at me from his curled position on the ground in the bathroom.

We've learned being in the bathroom is better than anywhere else. You can never be sure when you'll release fluids. I'm hanging in the doorway, wishing there was something I could do to help.

"If speedsters get sick it only lasts for a minute to an hour or not at all," I tell him. "I've never been sick since getting my powers."

"Wonderful..." he groans, throwing up into the toilet after.

...March 21, 2019...

Damian had another nightmare, so I enter his room and softly pull him into an embrace. I decide to sing to calm him down. "Come stop your crying, it'll be alright. Just take my hand hold it tight. I will protect you from all around you. I will be here don't you cry. For one so small you seem so strong. My arms will hold you keep you safe and warm. This bond between us can't be broken. I will be here don't you cry."

I could tell this nightmare was different from the others he's had previously. Damian wakes up shaking, wrapping his arms around my stomach quickly and burying his face in my baggy shirt. He grips onto the fabric, crying into my stomach. I return the hug, running a hand through his hair reassuringly. Storm noses her way into the room and snuggles up on his other side.

"A-Aura..."

My eyes widen. That's the first time he's called me by my first name. "I'm here. Everything's alright. What happened?"

"Father, you... left me after hurting..." he struggles with the right wording.

"Damian, I'll never leave you all alone," I tell him. "I will be there when you need me, and I will never hurt you. I promise. You will always have me. Okay?"

He sniffles, wiping his eyes angrily. "O-Okay..."

"Good now let's go to sleep," I tell him, burrowing us under the covers. "Today is Easter, and we're going to do a lot of fun things you've never done before. Goodnight, Damian. I love you." I place a kiss to his forehead before closing my eyes to sleep.

"Goodnight, Aura," he mutters. "I... love you too, big sis..."

I hug him a little tighter with a happy grin.