NAYARA KNOCKED ON on the door of Wayne Manor, fully knowing she could make her own way to the Batcave entrance herself. But she had manners. Alfred opened the door with a gentle smile, but soon faded when he saw her face.

Nayara mustered the best fake smile she could. But her eyes gave her away. "It's good to see you Mr. Pennyworth." She said to him.

Alfred motioned her to come inside. "Well, we are past those names now. Aren't we?" He said to her, helping her with her helmet, and bag. "It's good to see you." He said to her with all honestly.

She relaxed smiling up at Alfred with a tired look. "Master Bruce suspected you will come back eventually. A bit worried, he seemed for a second." Alfred told her.

"It was long trip. But I am back for a while. Actually, I am just happy to be back here..." She said looking up to the walls of Wayne Manor. The old wooden oak walls, with the carved stone. "Somehow, it still feels breathtaking, no matter the time..." She said to him.

"Home." Alfred corrected her, knowing that Nayara felt truly save in this halls.

"I guess..." She said with a tired look. "Until I annoy you and Bruce too much...everyone eventually leaves, Alfred." She sadly said to him.

But he didn't let her go so easily. Instead he approached her. "Well, good thing that Bruce is known for being stubborn. You don't survive all these years, patching up wounds without patience or fear." Alfred told her.

Nayara let out a soft laugh, nodding at him. "Thank you." She said to him. "Bruce back in the cave, I presume? Although, I guess he will know I am back by now." She said, already making her way to the stairs.

"The same place as always." Alfred said with a fake tired voice.

"I missed you Alfred." She noted before making her way to the Batcave. The brunette walked to the main computers where Bruce was. "Hi...I was about to take the back door but I didn't know if I was allowed." Nayara noted, walking closer to her hero.

Bruce Wayne turned to look at her with a small smile. One he rarely let other people see. But of course, Nayara was one of the exceptions. It flattered a little seeing her face. "Welcome back." He said to her.

"Good to see Bruce." She said to him, patting his arm. "I got what I needed from Sharon...dealt with what...I needed to do." She said to him.

Bruce nodded to the chair next to where he stood. Nayara followed, sighed as she pulled up all the information she had on Sharon. "I am fine." She said to him, knowing he could sense her change. He knew she gad given Steve's lost, but there was more to it than she wanted to admit it.

"Why?" Bruce asked her curiously.

"You face said it all. You are trying to figure out what's wrong." She noted to him with a small smile. "I practically know you better than I know myself. I know the signs so well that if some copy cat walked through those doors I will spot it as soon as I saw him." She explained to him.

Then she smiled at her hero. "I...found out that Steve left everything to me." Nayara noted, leaning back on her seat.

"There is more to it than that." Bruce said to her. "You say you know me well, I play attention too." He replied.

Nayara let out a scoff, mocking him. "Oh, I know. You wouldn't be the world's greatest detective if you weren't." Nayara commented to him.

Bruce smiled back at her, and he a hand on her shoulder. Nayara turned to look at her hero. "I will be okay once Sharon is gone. Hopefully she wasn't much trouble since I been gone." She commented to him.

"We handled her, but she has been on the down low. Clark has been keeping watch on her, scouting if he hear anything on his free time. For all I know Dick apparently has gotten involve as well." He told her.

Nayara palled at the news. "Who told him to get involve? Dammit, him and his stupid heart." Nayara muttered under her breath. One more person to look out for, and just the idea of his death had shattered her heart before meeting him. Now, it was bore inside her and more.

Bruce chuckled, looking at the current case he had on the computers. Nayara turned to it as well, frowning when she saw the Joker. "Dick said he had been out of the city before I left." Nayara mentioned.

Her heart sank, thinking of how terrible it will be if he worked with Sharon Carter. As if Bruce could read her mind, he stopped her before she jumped into a spiral of worry. "They wouldn't be working together. You worry about Sharon, I will deal with Joker." Bruce said to her.

She nodded in return. "I know what he is capable of." She admitted to him. She had heard the tales, seeing in it the pages and in the screen.

"So do I with Sharon." Bruce said to her. He had to remind her that she wasn't alone in this fight, and this eased her a bit. The two sat in comfortable silence. The brunette felt even more at ease, finding comfort on the stone walls of the Batcave.

. . .

Queen Saphire approached our hero with careful steps. 'Told you couldn't keep everyone, didn't I" She said to Nayara.

Nayara looked around at the bodies. All her fault, but she was so tired. "You will fail to protect anyone." She taunted her.

The hero got angry at her and reached for her in anger. "SHUT UP!" Nayara said, but Queen Saphire gripped her arms.

Nayara let out a scream as she saw visions of Sharon winning with Joker, taking over the world. The blood spilled, everything. "Do what you need to do." Queen Saphire whispered to her. "Take the power, take the ring. And you will be loved." Queen Saphire said, giving her a vision of Peter Parker.

She snapped out of it, but her arms burned. "Join us..." Queen Saphire said before reaching out for her heart. Nayara felt her claws inside and screamed in pain....

Nayara woke up on a wet bed, her entire body soaked in sweat. A knocked on the door startled her. "Nay you okay?" She heard Bruce asked from the other side.

The brunette sighed, not being able to form any words. Bruce waited impatiently behind the door. "Nay?" He asked again.

She brushed the hair off her face. "Nightmare." She choked out from the other side of the room. "Yeah, you can enter." She quietly noted.

Bruce opened the door, seeing Nayara break down in tears. "I am so sorry I woke you up." She said covering her face.

"I was already awake." Bruce reassured her. Nayara looked like death. He stood next to her bed watching the brunette shake. "The woman again?" He asked her.

Nayara nodded at him. "It has come back...this time is worst." Nayara told him. Bruce sighed, approaching the brunette. "There was so so many people hurt...I couldn't use my powers. I couldn't stop her....she said she could....that I needed to accept my fate. But I just couldn't...." Nayara admitted to him.

The brunette was visually shaking, as she tried to calm her breathing like Bruce taught her. But it was hard.

Bruce put a hand over her forehead, she was burning up. Then his attention was on the shaking drawer across from Nayara's bedroom. "I locked it up before I left...it just keeps going...I had to...I kept waking up with it in my hand." Nayara whispered to him.

Bruce sighed, hugging back at Nayara as she reached out for him. He sat across from her, reassuring her that everything will be fine. But she shook her head. "What if Sharon wins? What if she wins and I am the last person standing? What if it's my fault you and Dick die?" Nayara whispered to him in fear.

He listened carefully to her fear. "It wouldn't be your fault." Bruce reminded her.

"It is. I told her that I knew what her plan was. I know things she didn't expect me to know. I didn't control myself...I just...I am tired of hurting." Nayara sobbed, and Bruce hugged. Alfred stood down the hall, feeling complete dread at the wails from coming from her room. The nightmares had gotten worst since she got back.

Now they were different, more violet. Alfred sighed, watching Tim walk down the hall towards him. "I heard a scream...Bruce said not to worry but.." Tim stopped listening to the cries.

"He will handle it. Go back to bed." Alfred instructed him.

"I am not te-" Tim didn't finish his sentence from the look Alfred gave him. He finally saw the where the cries were coming from, and frowned even more. "I didn't know she was back." Tim whispered to him before walking away.

. . .

Bruce sighed, looking at the pink ring that was locked in a box. Constructed with the same materials to keep the strongest members of the League locked away. It had began to shine once more when Nayara had finally fallen sleep.

He sighed, looking over Nayara who had fallen sleep on top of the weapons table. Thankful, she didn't hit her head with the sharp batarang.

Swoosh!

Clark Kent landed in front of Bruce. He turned to look at Nayara, spotting her quickly. Well, her snoring couldn't really hide her.

He smiled at the sight. "She is back." Clark said to Bruce. "What you got there?" He asked his old friend.

"I need a favor to ask for you." Bruce said to him. He handled him the ring. "I need you to hide this. Fortress of Solitude, deep within so no one can reach it, nor it can get out." Bruce explained a sour look on his face.

Clark frowned, looking down at it from his glasses. "Nayara's ring?...The time we first met, she was wearing it." Clark added.

Bruce nodded back at him. "Yes. Now she doesn't. Please keep it between us." Bruce told him. Clark nodded at him.

"Of course, Bruce." He said to him. "The Carter woman you mentioned, haven't been spotted for over a week. If she is anything like the Joker, it's not a good sign." He added. Then he turned to look Nayara. He smiled lightly. "Isn't this an awful place to sleep at?" He asked.

Bruce looked back over his shoulder, spotting Nayara sleeping. "Depends on who you ask." Bruce said with some amusement. "Thank you Clark." Bruce said to him before he took off. Hopefully, with the ring far enough, she would be able to better sleep. Alfred walked down the stairs. "I think Nayara got a cold." Bruce mentioned quietly to Alfred.

Alfred shrugged at him. "Well, we are human. And grief has a special way of affecting us." Alfred whispered to him. "You have checked in with her, yes? It seems her last trip didn't go as planned. She will need a friend." Alfred added

"No it didn't."Bruce replied. The two of them walked away, not wanting to disrupt her sleep. "She is loosing herself Alfred. She acts like she isn't, but I can see it. This last trip, was the last straw...Something happened." Bruce mentioned it to him. Hopefully, Alfred will knew what to do.

Alfred sent him a brief smile. "Well, then it's more important for you to be there. As someone who have seen it happen..." He said, giving Bruce a knowing look. "You just got to remind her the right path, like I did once before." He added with a client of amusement in his eyes.

"How am I suppose to know if she doesn't want to tell me? Something happened before she left. What haver she did on that trip, she returned worse than before." Bruce added looking at him. "Plus, it doesn't asking her how she is doing when I know the truth." He whispered more to himself.

"You suspect of something?" Alfred asked him.

"I suspect of many things, Al." He answered him.

"Tell her your fears. Sometimes, some of us need a little push." Alfred reminding him. "Set an example for her." Alfred quietly added, passing the tea to Bruce.

. . .

Nayara looked curiously at Bruce as they walked around the Wayne's premise. They were a bit further away from the Manor, more towards the open field ahead. "What you want to talk about?" She asked him.

"What happened on the trip?" He asked her. Nayara raised her eyebrow in shock.

"What?" She asked curiously at him.

Bruce sighed, realizing he might have been too straight forward. "Something happened on the trip. You can tell me. I am not here just to teach you how to defend yourself, or solve a case." Bruce said to her. "I know something is weighting you down, and it has to stop. Because you can't survive going with worries like that. I am saying it as someone who has lost their way." Bruce reminded her.

"You haven't lost your way. Neither have I. I know right from wrong." Nayara replied quickly.

Bruce sighed. "You are swimming with grief and guilt day in and day out. You are loosing yourself, and you have for months before you went on this trip. Something happened. You didn't found out how to defeat Sharon? That is manageable. Steve, I get it. But something tells me is not either of those. Because right now you aren't trusting me enough to tell me the truth." Bruce explained to her.

The brunette scoffed. "I trust that you would't let Sharon hurt me while on your watch." Nayara commented to him. "trust that you would protect me...I struggle to understand that with others." Nayara silently said.

Bruce sighed, looking at her. "What happened on the trip?" He asked her again.

"It's...." Nayara stopped, finally taking the time to think about it. Part of her didn't want to tell Bruce what she suspected. The reason why she said all those goodbyes. She didn't want to admit it to him. "I hate it that I can't lie to you..." She muttered her breath.

"There are more important..." She began but Bruce stopped her.

He sighed looking at her. "If it involves you, it is still important." He told her. Nayara took deep breath, looking ahead of him.

"Why?" She challenged him. The question broke out before she could stop it. "Everyone leaves....they either die or don't want anything to do with me." She added.

"Do you believe I will do that?" He asked her honestly.

Nayara shook her head. "I....I don't....but I am not Dick, or Tim, or Jason. I was never suppose to exist in the first place. I'm not meant to be here, Bruce." She said to him with sad look.

"But you are." He corrected her. This made her stop in her tracks. "You are here. Just like you are having to face some maniac blonde who wants your head." He reminded her. "What happened, on the trip? There is doubt. Why?" Bruce asked her.

Nayara sighed, looking at him. "I was afraid of coming to you first because I didn't know how you will react with me. I know how you are with everyone else, but me. So I don't know if I am every going to make a mistake and you will leave. Or if I have stayed too long here?" Nayara explained to him.

Bruce took a deep breath. "Nay..." He said to her.

Nayara then shook her head, thinking of the doubt that clouded her mind. It came to her, how much Peter's words had hit her. How much doubt it had caused her. She quietly looked at Bruce. "Peter wished that I never come back..." Nayara admitted to him after a couple of minutes of silence.

Bruce froze for a second, thinking of the words. He turned to look at the brunette who was looking at the floor. "Silly boy problem if you ask me..." She whispered more to herself. But the clear hurt was still present. "The thing part of me thinks it might happen...not like he would really care." Nayara said sadly to him.

Now he understood. He was correct, something had happened indeed. "Sharon will win?" Bruce asked her.

"All she wants is me." Nayara answered him with a sad look on her face. "You probably have better things to do than this." She said with a fake smile.

Bruce sighed looking at her. "I have only met him a couple of times." Bruce began.

"Just don't throw him off a building next time." Nayara commented with a small smile, picturing Bruce making his little revenge. At least she wasn't friends with Jason Todd, now that will be eventful.

Bruce chuckled at her and Nayara smiled nudging him arm. "The world is not just one person Nayara. There are many others who worry, me and even Alfred." Bruce said to her.

"He probably has enough to worry with the two of us." She silently joked, looking grateful at Bruce. "You will tell me if I am?" She asked her.

Bruce shrugged. "I will be ignoring you if you were." Bruce said to her. Nayara laughed for the first time in a while. He passed her his handkerchief. The quietness was disturbed by the loud sound of a motorcycle. "I guess the word is out that you are back." Bruce added, as the two of them turned back to the motorcycle that stopped at the entrance of Wayne Manor.

"Is he trying to show off?" Nayara quietly noted, looking towards the person she knew was Richard Grayson. The two of them chuckled. "I am sorry if I woke you up with the nightmares as well..." She said to him.

"Alfred always says I am always awake." Bruce reassured her. The two of them quietly walked back.

The brunette smiled at him. Bruce could see the weight on her shoulders be less. "Thanks Bruce." She said to him.

"You know that you don't have to carry the world on your shoulders. That I learned a long time ago." Bruce replied to her. It eased her worries a little.

When they came closer, Nayara could spot Richard smile plastered on his face. He whistled at her, and she blushed drastically. Bruce held back a smile seeing Richard try to act all smooth. Bruce quietly left the two of them outside. When he entered, he saw Alfred watching the two of them like a hawk.

"What you doing Alfred?" He asked in pure amusement.

"Young love." Alfred commented.

"They are friends." Bruce corrected him.

"For now....but I will say, I have never seen Master Grayson as interested as the first time he met Barbara Gordon. From what I heard of Master Drake, Starfire has been out of the picture for a while." Alfred commented to him.

"Starfire?" Bruce quietly asked Alfred in curiosity. He nodded back at him.

Nayara smiled at Richard Grayson who was smiling brightly at her. "Welcome back. A bird told me that you were back." Richard said to her, keeping his eyes on hers. The brunette was the one who looked down for a second.

"Oh really?" She asked curiously, looking down.

Richard took a step closer to her. He sent her a soft smile, seeing her finally looked up to him. "I just been under the weather." She lied. He could see it.

"I can see it." Richard told her. Nayara could feel that he saw through her lie. "I am willing to take my chances..." He said to her.

Nayara broke down in a smile, not being to contain it any longer from him. She took one step closer, and fell into his hug. The brunette closed her eyes for a second, feeling grounded after everything that had happened. "I am glad you are back." He said to her in the hug.

"I am sorry." She said to him, expecting him to be mad like Peter. Even if she knew they were different. Richard pulled away, put he still had an arm around her shoulders.

"What for?" Richard asked her.

"I..." She stopped herself, but smiled nonetheless. "My trip took longer than expected." She quietly noted.

Richard shrugged at her. "But you came back. That is what matters." He said to her. "I am glad you are back though." He told her, walking her to enter Wayne Manor.

"You know I could use a ride.." She said, stopping near the entrance. Richard smirked at her, as if that was the best thing she have ever told him.

Alfred smiled, watching Nayara walk inside to get a spare helmet before running off to meet with Richard outside. Of course, not without telling goodbye to Alfred. Alfred chuckled, watching how Richard kept his eyes on the brunette as if she was made of stars. Like a gentleman he was raised, he helped her, and the two of them took off.

. . .

It was late afternoon when Bruce looked at Nayara who was working on a case. She will laugh ever so often, hearing Harley Quinn's comments.

"I got to ask...." Bruce said to her.

Nayara turned to face him, noticing the unusual awkwardness that Bruce had. "What is up with you?" She asked him.

He sighed. "You are friends with Dick, right?" He asked.

"Well...I don't know if he considers me one. But I like having him as a friend, makes me less afraid of things..." She said to him. "Why?" She said, narrowing his eyes at Batman.

"Spill it out, Bats. I had to spill my guts to you earlier, now is your turn." She said to him. Fearing she had crossed the line with her joke, she quickly added "It's a joke...joke." She quickly added.

Bruce chuckled at her. "Alfred said something about Starfire and Richard." Bruce mentioned it to her.

Nayara let out a small laugh, realizing that Bruce didn't know how to deal with first grown up Robin. "I don't if they are an item. I don't ask him about his love live." She admitted to him. Then she thought about the romances she was aware of, way before meeting him. "Dick is known for stealing hearts. He cam charm his way to freedom if he really wanted." Nayara admitted without thinking. Then she realized the silence, and quickly looked over her shoulder to see if Nightwing was around. "You didn't heard anything for me." She told, looking at Bruce from across the room.

"Hear what?" Bruce asked her. Nayara pointed at him, nodding along.

"You too Alfred. You are among the shadows. I know it." She said out loud. Bruce chuckled, walking to the Batmobile. "Be safe." Nayara called out, causing Bruce to smile.

Nayara smiled watching the Batmobile go with a small smile. She was just glad she had someone to go back to.

. . .

Nayara stood quietly on her new apartment. The sunset deemed appropriate for the time being. It was this moments that Nayara enjoyed. Moments where she could think by herself. Think about how she will defeat Sharon. She had finally had come to terms with it. No one else will be put at risk because of her.

The brunette stopped when she heard the doorbell rang. She looked at the phone, knowing that Richard had established a security system just for her. However, when she pulled it up she was shocked to see a young woman she had never met before.

Nayara walked to the door, but didn't opened it. "Nayara?" The woman asked. "Umm...Powergirl sent me." The woman added. Nayara stopped at the name. Nobody knew they had met her before. Nobody except herself and the hero mentioned.

Nayara opened the door slightly, just to meet up with someone with bright green eyes. "I'm Helena. We have a mutual friend." Helena said to her.

Nayara mind then settled on the woman in front of her. "What you doing here?" Nayara asked her.

"We have a mutual enemy. I think you might want to hear about this." Helena said to her. Nayara opened the door even more, allowing her inside. Helena looked around the apartment, curiosity building up in her.

Nayara looked at her after she closed the door. "You are Helena....No last name." Nayara said to her.

Helena sent her a look. "Powergirl mentioned you are not from here. So, I am...I am Helena Wayne." She said to her.

Nayara nodded at her. "You're Helena from Earth-2. Huntress." Nayara said looking at her. Recognition crossed her eyes. "What you doing here?" Nayara asked her.

Helena looked at her tiredly. "You are wanted person yourself." Helena stated. Nayara let out a small smile. "I have been tackling down the villain by the name of Illusion." Helena told her.

Nayara nodded at her, listening to her. "And? That doesn't explain why you're here." Nayara said to her.

Helena nodded at the guarded girl. "Well...Turns out that while doing some research I found that she had tides with Lex Luthor. The problem is that you are part of it." Helena said to her. Nayara looked up to her. "Lex wants you. He thinks you're close to the Supergirl of this world." Helena informed her.

"But...he is working with Illusion. He wants me because of that." Nayara said to her. Helena shook her head. She pulled out a file and handled it to her. The brunette looked over it carefully, looking at photos of her. One of them is her with Peter, kissing. "Where did you find this?" Nayara asked her.

Helena walked towards the picture in the wall. One of them was Nayara hugging Peter. Framed to the wall there was an article about Batman. Helena looked at the article, thinking back about her own world. "Lex's office." Helena said to her. Nayara looked up from the file. "Illusion has been working by herself. As far as Powergirl knows, she is not from here. I did some surveillance myself and she doesn't exist." Helena added.

"What if she if she is from your world?" Nayara asked her. Helena shook her head.

"No she isn't. I was glued to the screen when she landed here on earth. Months ago. Weeks before she first appeared to the public." Helena said to her. "She is an alien." Helena added.

Nayara looked down at the file, thinking back on Peter who was out doing his own patrolling. "Why come now?" Nayara asked her. Helena nodded at her. The hero's eyes were glued on Helena who she knew was Bruce's daughter in Earth 2.

"I need some help going inside." Helena said to her. Nayara looked up to her once more, keeping a close eye on her. She wanted to trust her, but she was unsure of how much power Helena knew she had. "Honestly, I didn't want to come here at all. If it was up to me, I would have gone solo. Powergirl said that...you seemed nice. I know you are friends with Kara Danvers from this earth and all." Helena was cut off by Nayara.

"How would you know that?" She asked her.

Helena looked down. "I wanted to know if you were a threat." Helena answered.

"Right. Because I knew about Powergirl. I bet she told you about our conversation." Nayara added. Helena looked up giving her a small smirk. "I am just a human. I am not Batman, or Supergirl." Nayara continued, watching how Helena turned her eyes to the newspaper article about Batman.

"I needed someone to trust." Helena said to her. Nayara let out a small smile. "So are you in?" Helena asked her.

Nayara looked at Helena's bag carefully. "Let's hear your plan first." Nayara answered back. Helena sent her a big smile in return. Nayara mind went back to her knowledge of Helena Wayne from the comics.

. . .

The following day Nayara made her way to a coffee shop near her apartment. Her mind went back to Helena Wayne - who if she were on other circumstances - would have been freaking out after meeting her. However, her mind was back at the photos she had given her. Yeah, she was friends with Kara Danvers aka Supergirl, but what why her? Certainly there were more friends of Kara's that will make an ideal target.

"Why are we meeting here?" Helena said behind her.

Nayara looked over her shoulder at her. "I thought you might want some coffee." Nayara told her. "And I am still unsure why you came to me. Isn't Kara your friend?" Nayara asked her.

"She is but there is no point in driving her into a mission near a Luther facility." Helena said to her.

Nayara looked at the hero who was the same age as her. "Too much kryptonite?" Nayara joked. Helena bought the joke and smiled, but she quickly hide it. "So...if we were to get caught, and let's say we do meet...will you be dressed as the Huntress?" Nayara asked her. This caught the other Wayne off guard.

"You are not the only one who knows stuff." Nayara said to her. Helena gave her a pointed look. "Coffee?" Nayara asked her. Helena watched her as the brunette walked towards to the front to order. Completely ignoring the glare Helena just gave her.

Helena sighed, accepting the order. She was started to think that her friend Kara from Earth-2 was stupid to lead her to this idea but she needed the help. Little did she know that Nayara always had a plan under her sleeve.

. . .

Nayara had accepted Iris' invitation to a night out. Some of Iris's co-workers and friends had come together for an office party. Nayara would have rather stayed at home looking over Helena's case but she knew Iris wouldn't leave her alone if she didn't accept.

There was one positive outcome from it: Wally was going to show up. Nayara remained on the side lines, quietly watching people greet each other. The brunette had finally given up on Wally when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

When she turned around she was meant with the big smile that belong to the one and only Wally West. "Hey." Nayara said, smiling at him. "I thought you wouldn't come." Nayara added.

Wally shook his head. "I was busy. Hero stuff you know." Wally said, trying to play it cool. Nayara laughed lightly at this. She hadn't realize Richard was standing right behind Wally, amused by Nayara's laugh.

Richard moved around Wally nodding towards Nayara. "Hi, Richard." Nayara said looking up to him. "Long way from Gotham." Nayara added with a small smile.

"Sometimes it's good to go outside of your comfort zone. Explore new horizons." Richard said to her with a smile of his own. Nayara nodded at him. Wally looked around the party, his eyes catching the sight of an attractive brunette talking to Iris: Linda Park.

Nayara remained quiet, but was quick to see Wally's interest. "Why don't you talk to her? Use your Wally charm." Nayara pointed out to him. Wally turned around to look at Linda. He looked a bit uncertain. Deep down she knew Linda and Wally will hit it right off. But Wally didn't need to know that.

Nayara had seen it on the comics herself. It was an eternal love story, just like Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne.

Wally kept his eyes on Linda. "Alright. Why don't I go with you and introduce you to her. I went dress shopping with her for Iris' wedding." Nayara told Wally. "Plus, I have a feeling it will go great." Nayara added looking at Wally.

"You will be my wingwoman?" Wally asked her.

Nayara nodded at him. "Yeah. Just trust me." Nayara said to him. She grabbed Wally by the arm and walked towards Linda Park. It was perfect timing, Iris had left to talk to somebody else.

Nayara let go of Wally and smiled brightly at Linda. "Hey, Linda. I read that article about the bank robbery from two days ago. I loved it." Nayara greeted Linda.

The brunette smiled back at Nayara and greeted her with a hug. "I was telling Iris I just need the right photographer to help me with my pieces. She said you are quite talented." Linda told her. Nayara nodded at her. It has been a while since she did something that wasn't superhero related.

"I will consider it. Let me know." Nayara said to her. Then she gave a slight push to Wally, causing him to almost crash intro Linda. Nayara then nudge Wally but he was in a trance. The brunette let out a small laugh. "Well you should talk to my friend Wally. He is a huge Kid Flash fan. You wrote an article about him once, I think." Nayara said to Linda. Linda nodded at her, before turning to take a look at Wally.

Meanwhile Wally remained silent. Linda looked up to Wally with a small smirk. "Well hello. Who is that young man standing next to you Nayara? Is that your friend Wally?" Linda told the brunette.

Wally nodded at Linda. "You're really pretty." Wally confessed to her. Nayara face paled at his words. "I am Wally." He added quickly.

"Well you're pretty too." Linda replied back to him. Wally seemed to relax at the words.

"He is free this weekend." Nayara said before walking off towards Richard. The brunette had a huge smile on her face as she approached the hero of Gotham. She stood next to him, watching how Wally spoke to Linda.

Richard chuckled at Nayara's proud smile. It was a rare sight for him. From a distance they both watched Linda pass Wally his phone and vice versa. "I knew they were going to hit it right off." Nayara commented before turning towards him.

"How so?" Richard asked her.

Nayara remained quiet, trying to form the right answer without revealing too much. It had been a long time she had had to do that. "I had a feeling." Nayara answered him.

"Superpower?" Richard then asked her.

Nayara shook her head. "No, more like...knowledge." Nayara answered to him. "I know both of them. Linda not as much as Wally but I had a feeling they will be great for each other." Nayara added as she turned towards the guests. From a far she saw a blonde woman not facing her. She looked like Sharon, and for a moment Nayara thought it was her: but it wasn't.

Richard saw the change in Nayara's face. "You feeling okay?" Richard asked her. Nayara nodded at him but her mind wasn't really on it. Nayara torn her eyes away from the woman, and drew them back to Iris who was talking to some co-workers. "You work here?" Richard asked her.

Nayara shook her head. Now it was Richard's time to remain quiet. The brunette's eyes where on the people who were dancing to the music. The ones who were talking among their friend group. For a fleeting moment she wished she had that. She watched people interact with each other, trying to figure out their own stories.

Richard remained quiet too, his attention on the quiet brunette who seemed concentrated on the people around them. "Did Wally invited you, then?" Nayara asked Richard.

Richard looked at his friend who was talking to Linda. "Yeah." Richard answered her. He nodded towards Wally. "You're pretty good wingwoman." Richard added. Nayara smiled back at him.

"I think I could help you out. I am good reading people." Nayara told Richard. Richard shook his head. "Already dating somebody?" She asked. Her mind went to her hero Barbara Gordon.

Richard finished his drink in thought. "No." Richard answered her. Nayara raised an eyebrow at him. Now she was out of words.

The brunette tried to play out her surprised expression that she had led slip. But before she dwell too much in her thoughts, Richard pulled her back with a simple question. "You hungry?" Richard asked her. Her calculating eyes were now on him.

Nayara looked up to him a bit unsure. "I....Yeah." Nayara said to him. The brunette turned to Wally who was already good with Linda. "I know a place. Think of this as a thank you for showing me around Gotham." Nayara told him as she walked to the entrance with Richard next to her. On her way out she almost crash into Barry.

"Hey." Barry said to her.

Nayara pointed at where Iris was. "Iris was waiting for you. I think I am going to get something to eat. Meet you later." Nayara said to him before walking out of the place with Richard. Barry looked over at her. He had a small unsure look when he saw Richard hand her his own helmet. It only intensified when he saw Nayara get into the motorcycle.

"If I had bought my own, I would have raced you." Nayara told Richard. The raven haired hero smirked at her before taking off.

. . .

Nayara quietness was growing on Richard. He could see how the reserved girl studied the people around her, but most importantly: always looked over her shoulder.

The brunette sat apposite to him on a quiet pizza place. A place she often visited. The waitress greeted her happily. Richard leant on the table looking at the girl who held a universe on her mind. "So you enjoy pizza." Richard stated.

Nayara frowned thinking at his words. "Yeah. I quite enjoy it." Nayara replied back. The drinks arrived and Nayara raised her glass. "To Wally finding happiness." Nayara said to him. Richard cheered with her.

The brunette leant on the table looking at Richard. "You dating anybody?" Richard asked her.

The brunette nodded at him. "It's complicated." Nayara answered to him. "Why do you ask?" Nayara asked him with a big smile on her lips.

Richard shrugged. "You asked first." He replied back to her. Nayara nodded back at him, her smile growing.

However, her eyes landed on the family seating near them. Her demeanor changed in an instant. Across from them was a tall blond man talking to his daughter. They were joking about something, but she could see the mutual love and respect they both shared. The close bond they held.

Richard was quick to spot Nayara's change. He subtly looked towards the same way at the father and daughter. Nayara was frozen, thinking back at her beloved friend. The one she knew deep down she could call and will answer in a heart beat. Even in the moments when she doubted herself.

If you do the hero thing long enough, you were bound to recognize the look of grief. Just like Richard Grayson did. It took Nayara's complete will power to remove her gaze from them. "Nayara?" Richard called her, and the brunette snapped her attention back to him.

"I will be back." Nayara quickly said to him before making her way to the bathroom. Richard looked back at the duo, wondering the story behind her grief. Because she had lost, meant the entire world to her.

. . .

Nayara parked outside the Wayne Manor. Then she quickly made her way inside once Alfred opened the doors. It was late evening, and she had ridden all the way there. All without informing Barry about it.

The hero looked at Alfred. "Is Bruce home?" Nayara asked him. Alfred nodded at her.

"I assume it's an emergency." Alfred told her. Nayara remained quiet. "Only you show up with such urgency when it is." Alfred added. Nayara sent a small smile to Alfred in return. He send her one back. "Will you staying for dinner?" Alfred asked her.

"Possibly. I don't know." Nayara informed him. Alfred nodded at her. "Is he downstairs?" Nayara asked him. Alfred nodded and walked off, allowing the brunette to make her own way to the Batcave. One that she had discovered by herself.

Her smile grew remembering Bruce's face when he found out she had uncovered it. Alfred was more than amused and not surprised at all.

Nayara walked down the stairs to the Batcave. She stopped at the bottom and froze when she saw Red Robin talking to Batman. Tim, she thought. Her eyes went around the cave, hoping Nightwing wouldn't be around at all.

"I'm going out on patrol." Robin said before taking off towards Gotham.

Nayara looked down at the file that Helena gave her. She was hesitant to approach him. Hell, she was taking a huge risk coming here on the first place. Especially with all the eyes that were on her. The brunette was about to turn around when she heard Batman's voice.

"You came a long way. It must certainly be for something." Batman said. Nayara sighed, looking up to him.

The brunette walked closer, her eyes on the giant screen in front of Batman. "You probably working. I should have called." Nayara told him. Batman turned to look at her. "I am in deep @#$, Bats." Nayara confessed him.

She passed the file to Batman. He looked over it. "I...I am being watched by Lex." Nayara told him. "I know I shouldn't have come all the way here, but I needed help. I couldn't tell Barry, he has more than enough with the wedding and the usual meta-humans. KF has his handful with Teen Titans stuff...and I...I had nobody else to go to." Nayara added.

Batman's eyes were on the photographs. "They have surveillance on my ex." Nayara added. Batman gave her a look. "It's complicated." Nayara sighed.

"Did you hack into Lex Corp?" Batman asked her.

Nayara let out a sarcastic laugh. "I don't know how to. I know my way around computer but no to the point of hacking." Nayara answered him. Batman took the surveillance out of the file. "Nobody has tried to enter my home yet. I asked Richard to set up the security system." Nayara added.

Batman remained silent. "Lex Corp was hacked four days ago. Some files were stolen." Batman informed her. Nayara's ears perked up at the news. "It was the Lex Corp offices outside of Gotham." He added. Then he clicked on some files on the computer. "All footage was deleted." He added, then he showed the security footage of someone in a motorcycle, dressed in black and dark purple. Nayara - even through the darkness of the shot - could recognize Huntress' suit.

Nayara's face turned into one of recognition. "Did anybody say what the files were about?" Nayara asked Batman. Batman shook his head. "I thought you said the footage was deleted? How did you got this?" Nayara asked him. "I just ask to learn." Nayara was quick to add.

Batman opened a map. "We looked at the footage of near by cameras." He said to her. A image of a woman slightly older than Nayara opened up. It was a mug shot. "Helena Bertinelli, went missing over two months ago." Bruce added.

Nayara's mind recognized the name. She knew that was the true Huntress of this world. "Convicted of killing, right?" Nayara asked Bruce. Bertinelli was defiantly different from Helena Wayne, especially in the way she looked. Although Nayara's mind went to the image of Huntress.

"Did she just stole files?" Nayara asked him. "Why hasn't Lex freaked out just yet? I mean, I don't dress like that. And I don't even know how to shoot a crossbow." Nayara quickly added. "Not yet at least..." She muttered to herself.

The brunette leant against one of the cave's wall. Her mind going to the photos that Helena Wayne had given her. "I don't know what to do." Nayara told Batman.

Batman turned to look at the brunette who had picked up a batarang from the table next to her. "How did you got this?" Bruce asked her.

"Someone showed up at my doorstep and gave them to me....they...umm. They said that they needed my help with something." Nayara answered, leaving some details out. "They are the same files, aren't they?" Nayara asked him.

"I wouldn't know, but this is common for Lex." Batman told her.

Nayara didn't look up to him. "But isn't he Superman's problem. How would you know?" Nayara asked him.

"Sometimes the villains from Metropolis leak all the way here." Batman told her.

Nayara let out a small smile. "I thought you were going to say I am Batman." Nayara replied. However her smile soon died down. "I have been careful. It...It's just seems as if nothing gets better. If they have that, they know how to find the people I care about." Nayara added. "I'm running out of options." Nayara mumbled.

Batman turned to the brunette. "But you have an idea." He was quick to add. Nayara remained silent. Her eyes went to the screen. "What did they offer you in exchange for this? Who is they?" Batman asked her.

Nayara sighed looking at the screen. "Huntress." Nayara answered him. "She needed help into getting inside another Lex Corp headquarters. She couldn't do it alone. At least that's what she said." Nayara added. By the look Nayara was giving him he knew she had decided to go.

Nayara put the batarang down on the table. "I am sorry I kept you from patrolling." Nayara quickly added, already getting to leave. Then she stopped at the stairs and looked up to Batman. "I do have an idea of how to get Sharon out of hiding. If that's what it will cost to keep people safe then so be it." Nayara informed him.

"You can't help people when you're dead." Batman said to her.

"Sharon wants me dead. That's all she ever wanted. I am the reason she is here causing trouble." Nayara interjected. Batman shook his head. He stood up from the table. "You saw those photos? How long would it take when Iris is caught? Or when KF's identity is revealed?" Nayara asked him.

"You think if she kills you, she wouldn't continue whatever she is doing. If she kills you, then who else is left to stop her." Batman said to her.

Nayara sighed looking at the floor. "I don't even know if I can stop her myself." Nayara added. "It's just a matter of time before she takes another person I care about. I...I just want to keep people safe and if that's what it takes then so be it." Nayara finished before making her way towards the stairs.

Batman stopped in front of her. "You are letting her win." Batman added.

"I have tried everything. The reason I am still alive is because people have been trying to protect me. Now she is here, about to bring chaos into this world. I have to be the one to stop her. It's my fault she is hurting others. It's my duty to stop her. It's not like I have much to loose anyways." Nayara intereved.

A motorcycle arrived, but Nayara was not listening to it. Her attention was on Batman. "People like her don't stop. If she is after you and only you it's because you ticked her off. She is threaten by you." Batman argued to her. "I have done this for years, kid. This way, isn't it." Batman added to her.

Nayara looked guilty. "What if other people are killed because of me?" Nayara added to him.

"Who will protect them if you're gone?" Batman asked her. Nayara stopped, thinking at the question. She never considered it before. She remained quiet, not fighting back but listening to the hero she looked up to for so many years.

Nightwing took his helmet off and looked at the two people who were squaring off near the exit of the Batcave. "You can't protect others if you are dead." Batman said to her. Nightwing remained quiet, looking at Nayara who wasn't afraid to argue back with Batman.

Nayara looked up to Batman, her brave demeanor completely changing. "It seems that's the only option on the table. As long as I am alive she is never going to stop. It's my responsibility." Nayara repeated herself.

Batman then moved allowing her to leave. "Not matter how much I think of other ways, she is always one step ahead. I have to stop her. If what it takes is to give myself up...then that's a risk I am willing to take. No more deaths. No more danger." Nayara added to him. "A person that close to me was killed by her. I...I don't want revenge because I know that if I cross into that line I will never be back. I know that...I know that he wouldn't have wanted that for me. But it's my fault he died. He died protecting me and I can't have anybody else end up like that just for me. I couldn't bear it." Nayara explained it to him before running up the stairs.

Nightwing looked at Batman, watching Nayara take off. "She isn't talking about Sharon is she?" Nightwing asked Batman. Nightwing didn't hesitate to go up the stairs himself, following the brunette.

He caught sight of Nayara already walking down the stairs to leave. Nayara could deal with Lex, but Sharon was a different case. A part of her wanted to give herself in, but the other part was afraid of what it would entail. Was Batman right after all?

The brunette stopped when she felt a gloved hand hold her her arm. Nayara turned around just to come face to face with Nightwing. Her thoughtful face completely changed at the sight of him. She remained silent, trying to come up with a sentence. However he beat her to it. "You are going to give yourself up?" Nightwing asked her.

Nayara was taken back by the question. "How did-" She started but stopped when she realized he must have heard her down in the Batcave. Then she tried to play it as if she didn't know anything. "I don't know what you are talking about." She informed him.

Nayara looked up to his masked eyes, fully knowing that he had his blue eyes glued on her. "I certainly do." Nightwing argued. Nayara knew he was one stubborn character, but she didn't knew why he was so pressed on getting to know her.

"You don't." Nayara said moving to the side and continue to walk down the hall. "Why are you in Wayne Manor?" Nayara asked him.

"You are as difficult to talk to as Bats." Nightwing mumbled. "Are you going to give yourself to Sharon?" Nightwing asked her. Nayara remained silent. "That's a terrible idea." He added.

Nayara turned to look at him. "So you heard, huh?" Nayara asked him. Then she sighed shaking her head. "It doesn't matter." She was quick to add.

Nightwing stopped her path, standing right in front of her. "It sure does." Nightwing replied back to her. "I am certain that the girl who fought fearlessly against Superman without knowing what she was doing wouldn't just go out without a fight." Nightwing added.

Nayara looked up to him, slightly glaring at him. "I am not giving up. I am precisely doing the opposite. I am dealing with her head first" Nayara said. How could he think she is just giving up? Nayara out of all people. "I never give up." Nayara added. "You don't even know me." She whispered to him.

She was about to step away but then Nightwing cut her path. She moved once more and he did just that again. "You wouldn't understand. I..Can you please move?" Nayara asked him.

"You don't know that." Nightwing told her. Nayara looked up to him at those words. Nightwing took one step away, letting her pass.

Nayara then turned to look over at him. "Heroes are supposed to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of others. That is what makes them hero. Their bravery and willingness to do what is right. No matter the cost." Nayara informed him. Nightwing stood silently, watching her walk away.

"What if that isn't the way?" Nightwing asked her, watching her go. Nayara ignored him and kept walking. On that moment he knew, she was already set on the idea. The thing was, he couldn't bare to see her go.

. . .

Outside of Wayne Manor, Nayara was already set off to leave when she heard Alfred's voice. Nayara looked up to the butler who stopped where she was. "It's late Ms.Lilly." Alfred said to her.

Nayara gave him a weak smile. "I..I don't think I should stay." Nayara told him.

Alfred nodded at her before coming closer. "Master Bruce have raised three teenage boys." Alfred said to her. Nayara smiled, thinking of all the robins. "He wouldn't kick you out just because of a little argument. Despite what you might think, Master Bruce had dealt with people with worst tempers. Please join us for dinner." Alfred told her.

Nayara was hesitant about it. "I don't want to disturb." Nayara admitted.

Alfred gave her a smile. "You wouldn't Ms.Lilly." Alfred replied to her. Nayara sighed nodding at him. She followed him inside without a second thought.

. . .

The table was already set. Nayara was hesitant to go pass the doorframe and into the room. Bruce was already seating down on the table. Nayara took an empty seat near the middle of the table sending a quiet look to Bruce.

Richard entered the room and stopped when he saw Nayara. Nayara knew he was Nightwing, but he had yet to reveal his identity to her. After all, she had tried to figure out why Nightwing was so interested in her decision.

Richard took a seat opposite to Nayara. "Hi." Nayara said shyly to him. Richard nodded at her. Nayara sighed nodding at him. Bruce remained on his seat, looking between the two of them. Then out of nowhere a young voice moved inside the room.

"You wouldn't believe what I found near the old ACE factory." Tim Drake said entering the room. However he stopped when she saw Nayara seating on the table. "Hello?" Tim said to her.

Nayara waved at him. "Nayara. Nice to meet you." Nayara told him.

Tim waved back at her. "I am Tim." Tim told her. Nayara smiled back at him, shaking her head at the third boy to take over the emblem of Robin. The same one she had seen when she arrived to the Batcave.

Nayara remained quiet for the rest of the dinner. Tim cut in, asking her personal questions like where she lived and all. Just the usual, which Nayara knew how to answer honestly without telling them about her origins.

However the demeanor of the dinner changed when Tim asked what she was doing in Gotham. "Just visiting. Just for the day. I needed help in some matters." Nayara answered him.

Tim looked up to her. "Oh, thinking moving here?" Tim asked her.

She smiled nonetheless. "No. I....I live in Central City." Nayara answered. "Not that Gotham isn't bad, but I...I got friends up there." Nayara added. Her eyes went back to her food. In other terms she would have enjoyed dinner, but her mind get going back to Sharon and Nightwing's opposition. It didn't even help why he seemed mad at her.

Bruce tried to ease the atmosphere. "Thank you Alfred." Bruce said as Alfred handed him a refill of his drink. Nayara finished her dinner and was getting ready to leave.

"I got a long drive back to Central City. Thank you for dinner, Mr.Wayne." Nayara told Bruce. Tim let out a small laugh at the name she used. Richard smacked him on the arm. While Bruce was surprised at her choice of words.

"She called him Mr." Tim told Richard. Nayara nodded at them, before walking to the door. Bruce nodded at her and followed Nayara out.

Nayara was already at the foot of the door when she heard Bruce come up to her. "I should go. With all the surveillance, I can't stay here. Thank you for everything, Bruce." Nayara said.

Bruce nodded at her. "Through all the years, I have learned that sometimes it's helpful receiving help from others." Bruce told her. Her mind went to the Batfamily. Nayara looked down at the floor in thought.

"As a hero or as Bruce?" Nayara asked him.

"Both." Bruce told her.

"Alright. If I may...I will stay here for the night. Just for safety. I got to stay alive until I find Sharon." Nayara added to him. Bruce nodded at her.

. . .

Nayara woke up early the following morning. Her fingers brushed the cover of the file Helena had given her. The brunette sighed, trowing her head back against the wall. She closed her eyes for a second, replying the nightmare of loosing Peter just like she lost Steve.

A knock broke her train of thought for a minute. "Nayara. It's Richard." Richard Grayson said from the other side of the door. Nayara dried the tears that were almost about to spill before opening the door.

Nayara stopped when she saw Richard's blue eyes. The ones that captivated her often. The brunette looked down at the floor, thinking about the fact that he wasn't speaking to her. "Hello." Nayara said to him. "Umm...What did you need?" Nayara asked him.

Richard looked at Nayara whose eyes seemed tired. "I was going to Gotham City, and I thought you might want to come with me." Richard said to her. "I was getting some coffee." Richard added.

Nayara looked over her shoulder at the file in her bed. "I...I have to go back to Central City. I got some stuff I have to fix." Nayara said to him.

"Everything okay?" Richard asked her.

Nayara nodded at him, trying to hide her worry. "I am fine." She said to him. Then she closed the door, or at least attempted. Richard stood the foot against it. Nayara sighed, looking at him.

Nayara remained quiet and took her bag with her. Some of the contents spilling to the floor. Nayara swore softly as she knelt down to pick up the photos that Helena had given her. Richard knelt down too and saw them. He passed them to her but kept quiet.

Richard followed her out of the Manor. "Nayara wait up." Richard said to her. She slowly turned to him "I want to get to know you more." Richard added.

Nayara could remember their last conversation. She had said that he didn't really knew her. Now he stood out of his Nightwing costume, asking to get to know her even more. "Why?" Nayara asked him.

Richard shrugged. "I still haven't figure it out myself." Richard answered. Nayara looked at him in thought. "Coffee?" Richard asked her.

Nayara smiled at the thought, shaking her head. "I thought you weren't really found of me." Nayara said to him while loading her bag to her motorcycle.

Richard shook his head. If only the girl could read his mind, then she would have been clear to see the opposite. "It was about last night wasn't it?" Richard asked her. Nayara remained silent, but Richard didn't need to pressure her. He knew. "I am sorry. A friend of mine was about to make a very dangerous decision. A decision that could get her killed and I didn't want that. Not while I still want to get to know her more." Richard added.

Nayara smiled lightly at the words. She knew that Richard wouldn't admit he was Nightwing yet, but she knew what he meant. At the end of the day, she knew him just as much as she knew Peter.

The brunette played around with the helmet on her hand. "Does your friend have a name?" Nayara asked softly. She had an urge to tease him just this once. It was too good of an opportunity to pass out.

Richard nodded at her. "Yeah." Richard said to her. Then he smiled at her. A quick fleeting smile.

"So...is it too late for that coffee?" Nayara asked him. Richard shook his head, putting his own helmet.

"Not at all." Richard said to her. Nayara laughed lightly and boarded her motorcycle.

. . .

Richard stood opposite to Nayara on the coffee shop. Nayara loved being in Gotham. It was her dream city. Despite the bleak buildings, the constant crime going all around and possibly the corruption: but it was the Gotham. It was the city that showed the worst in people, but also the good.

Nayara sat opposite to Richard. She would have started the conversation, but she was hesitant to talk to him ever since they met for the first time. Wally always teased her about it. Richard looked up to her. "Will you consider moving into Gotham?" Richard asked her.

Nayara looked up from her coffee in thought. It was her dream city after all. Richard could see the hesitation in her eyes. "It depends. I...I always wanted to. But I can't when I being followed...trust me you don't need that in Gotham." Nayara replied to him.

Richard looked at her, her eyes bearing a distant look. "I thought you didn't live in Gotham." Nayara commented in thought.

"I sometimes tend to come by and visit." He told her. Nayara got quiet and looked to her side. Her eyes watered when she saw a little girl seating with her father. The father was pulling her up and down with one arm while the little girl giggle trying to climb. Her mind when back to the tall blonde, a muscular father who was supporting the young girl who couldn't be older than five.

Richard followed her eyes to the father and daughter. Then he recognized the look that he saw on most people in Gotham. The high crime took lives on the daily basis even if the vigilantes raced around trying to safe as maybe people as possible.

Nayara held back her tears and turned away from the sight. It was just another reminder people were at risk because of her. Richard sighed looking at the brunette. "If you are in trouble you call right?" Richard asked her.

This caught her attention. The brunette looked at the concerned blue eyes that where piercing through her. "What?" Nayara asked him.

Richard sighed looking down at the table, forming his words. "I grew up here in Gotham. I...I grew up in a circus actually, moved around as a kid." Richard said to her. It has been the first time in decades he had said it to someone other than Bruce and Barbara Gordon. Nayara knew the story, The Flying Graysons. "Gotham can be hell sometimes. The darkest of places. But you got to fight for it every single day" Richard said to her.

Nayara's face paled as Richard was openly talking to her, fully knowing this wasn't common. It never was. Part of her was afraid that he was doing so because he felt closer to her. However, she feared he would end up like Steve.

"The world keeps turning. There are heroes out there that bring hope, and help as much as they can. Each one has a different way of helping." Nayara said, thinking back at how she learned about the Red Hood. The rogue one of the Batfamily.

"Will you trust them? The heroes?" Richard asked her.

Nayara hesitated before answering. "Some of them I will trust them with my life." Nayara answered.

Then she saw the look of Richard's face. "Richard, you can't help me with this. The last person..." Nayara stopped looking back at the father and daughter. "He ended up dead. I don't want you to be him. I know what I got to do, and I know your friend will disagree but that's the only way that ends." Nayara said with difficulty.

Richard leant on the table, coming closer to Nayara. "What will the result be?" Richard asked her. He didn't want her to do it, to throw her life like it was nothing.

"Dick.." She began but cut herself off when she realized she had used his nick-name. Richard's eyes soften on her. "It doesn't matter." Nayara said, containing herself once more. She looked at the clock.

Richard then sighed. "You are not going alone right?" Richard said to her, pulling the attention to himself. This shocked the brunette.

"It's not like any will care." Nayara mumbled under her breath.

"I would." Richard replied back looking at the floor.

Nayara moved her head so she was in front of him. "Come on, we both know you hardly know me enough to care." Nayara said almost half joking trying to ease the situation and get the attention away from herself.

Richard then looked at her, and Nayara could see the honesty in his eyes and it frighted her a little. "You are wrong in that part." Richard replied to her with half a smile. Nayara bit her lip, looking at her coffee. "You know, I do care. I wouldn't be sitting here trying to convince you to back off from Sharon if I weren't." Richard explained to her.

Nayara sighed, finally crumbling in because she knew Richard Grayson. She knew it took everything to said that. "I care for you too." Nayara quietly said to him. Richard sent her a charming smile that made her smile even more.

"See your smile is great." Richard commented to her, which made Nayara laugh lightly. "Possibly could light up the entire Gotham." He added.

Nayara blushed a little trying to look away him. "Oh really?" Nayara asked him, thinking there wouldn't be a reply. But oh boy, did she forgot the charm that Richard Grayson had. He smiled at her. Fully smiled, which is something he didn't do often with others.

"Hundred percent. Anybody who doesn't see it is an idiot. Trust me, I see a couple of them on a daily basis." Richard said. Then he heard it, Nayara's laugh. No barriers, no cover ups, just her honest reaction to the compliment. He swore on that moment he would do anything to stop her from committing a mistake that will end her life. He swore to protect her.

Nayara couldn't contain the laugh for a couple of seconds, and it was Richard time to blush. Then she relaxed she leant on the table facing Richard. "So you do care, huh?" Nayara asked him with a small.

"You don't have to make me repeat it. But I do think dinner will be a good solution." Richard said to her.

"I got something tonight." Nayara replied to him more softly this time.

Richard snorted. "Got something with Peter?" He asked her with a raised eyebrow. He hadn't chatted with her boyfriend, but he had looked him up. Needs a bit more work on his fighting skills, but he refrained from commenting on them.

Nayara sighed shaking her head. Then she thought about Bruce had said. "Are you free tonight?" Nayara asked him before pulling out Helena's file from her folder.

He accepted the files without removing his eyes from her. "If it is with you, then I defiantly will." Richard answered. Nayara's cheek turned a darker shade of red. She wasn't expecting that.

Then she looked up to him and sighed. "I need your friend's help...I need your help." Nayara said to her, admitting that she knew who he was. Richard nodded at her, not questioning on how she knew. "You know your mask doesn't really cover your face right?" Nayara whispered to him, trying to put the focus out of her.

Richard smirked at her. "You been watching then? You must have looked a lot to pick up the similarities." He teased her, trying to throw her off course just out of amusement.

Nayara's cheek turned red once more. Then she took a deep breath before delivering a reply of her own. "Oh, please. I would have spot you across the room." Nayara said before standing to get herself more coffee. Richard was now the one who had been thrown off course. He had to force himself to look back into the files and away from the talented brunette.

. . .

Nayara dropped herself quietly next to the meet point she had talked with Helena. The brunette was nervous. This was her first time on a mission, ever. It was her first time on the field. In other circumstances, she was working with Flash or Supergirl but now she was working with Helena Wayne. Someone who she knew, but didn't trust completely with her life.

Through the darkness she could see Helena come out of hiding. "You're the friend that Nayara told me about? Swan? You should change the name you know." Helena said to her. She was wearing her Huntress mask. Her crossbow was hanging next to her.

Nayara eyes were kept on Huntress. "We go in. We go out." Nayara informed her. Helena nodded at her.

Huntress then suddenly raised her crossbow at a tree behind Nayara. Nayara stiffed, just seeing the crossbow towards her. This was it, this was her end. However, somebody dropped behind Nayara. "Huntress." Nightwing said behind Nayara.

Nayara turned back to see the hero. The brunette relaxed at the sight of him. "For a minute I thought you wouldn't come." Nayara whispered to him.

Nightwing smirked at her. "You really have little faith in me." Nightwing whispered back to her, but his eyes were drawn to Huntress. Nayara would have argued the complete opposite.

"You didn't said there will be somebody else. At least Nayara didn't." Helena said to her.

Nayara looked at the new hero. "It was a last minute change." Nayara replied back to her. "You said you needed help. Here you have the help. We should go." Nayara added. Helena moved her arrow away from Nightwing.

"He better don't @#$% this up." Helena told her before turning to the building a head. "Lex has been working on a prototype. Highly secretive. Something that he plans to use with Illusion." Helena told her.

"What if he already has mass produce it?" Nayara asked Helena. Helena looked at her tiredly. "Right." Nayara mumbled under her breath. "Don't we need a distraction? Isn't that how it normally works?" Nayara asked Helena.

Nightwing and Helena looked at her. "I have never raided a warehouse before." Nayara said to both of them. Helena then go ahead of them. Nayara sighed, shaking her head. "Is just like saving the world right?" Nayara asked Nightwing.

. . .

Nayara followed quietly through the dark hall. Nightwing had turned off all the communications around the area, which meant they only had a couple of minutes until they figured out something was wrong. It didn't went pass Nayara the green light emitting from some of the doors. It was clear that Lex had taken his turn to put kryptonite around the entrances of different parts of the building.

Nayara remained quiet when she heard people walking around the hall. She hid behind one of the walls, Nightwing right behind her. Nayara watched how the scientist of Lex Corp were getting ready to leave.

"I would have thought you would have taken off by now." Nayara whispered to Nightwing.

"Would you have wanted me to?" Nightwing asked her. Nayara turned around just to see how close the two of them were.

"Not really." Nayara whispered back quietly, turning her eyes away from the hero. Nightwing smirked at her. Nayara looked down at her phone, looking at the layout. They needed to get to storage facility to check on whatever Lex Corp had in mind.

The brunette made her way around quietly, but stopped at the sight of the door in front of her. A door that wasn't part of the plan. Nightwing moved to the panel already on it. Nayara remained watchful of whoever was around. However, it seemed her luck was out since someone stopped right at the end of the wall. Nayara opened the small water capsule that Cisco had designed for her.

The man was about to take out his gun but Nayara beat him to it. A big fist made out of water hit the man's face. Then Nayara covered his mouth with ice, stopping him from yelling. The brunette used her powers once more to knock him out. Then she stole his key card. The brunette looked up and waved it at Nightwing with a proud look.

"We got movement near you?" Helena said from the other side of the facility. Looking at the files that Lex Corp had on other prototypes. She stopped when she saw one. "You should have been there by now." She pointed out.

"There was a door that wasn't part of the blue prints." Nayara pointed out. She looked over the shoulder at Nightwing who had already opened the door. Nightwing waited her for her to step first inside.

Nayara looked at the storage facility whose light were off. She could see a set of windows above. "We are exposed." Nayara whispered to Nightwing looking up at the window upstairs. "Huntress? I need your eyes on the ground above." Nayara said to her through her ear comm.

Nayara stopped when she looked at all the boxes. Then she stopped after she heard Helena's voice. "It's supposed to be in section R6." Helena said to her. Nayara walked to it while Nightwing kept watch. She took down the box with the help of Nightwing.

"How many prototypes does this man have?" Nayara whispered to herself. Nightwing and her opened the box. Nayara's face paled and her hands shook at the sight in front of her.

Nightwing looked at it. "What?" Nightwing look at her.

Nayara's breath became ragged at the sight of it. Next to it a green card stood. It was already good to go. Nightwing took a hold of her arm but she jumped. "What is it?" Nightwing asked her. Nayara's eyes seemed distant.

"Collar. He figured out how to make the collar." Nayara answered to him. The brunette looked at it. There was not only one but six of them, all neatly arranged. "She told him." Nayara whispered to herself. Sharon had once again been one step ahead. She had seen it with her own eyes, but she never thought Lex would have figured it out. Even her powers couldn't save her now.

Meanwhile on the archives, Helena stopped at the sight of a file. "Umm...Swan, we got something bigger here." Helena said, looking at the plan in front of her. The brunette stopped when she pressed one of the buttons on the computer. A hologram spread across the room she was in. It was different cities across the US. Different Lex Corp head quarters. Helena swore loudly looking at the machine. The weapon Lex had secretly been developing.

Nayara snapped out of her fear when she heard foot steps coming towards her and Nightwing. "We got to destroy this." Nayara whispered to him.

Nightwing stopped her. "What are those, Nayara." He said to her. He knew who she was under the mask. He had seen her powers work first hand.

"The one thing that can stop my powers. Any mutants powers. He wasn't supposed to know how to build this. Never. Sharon told him how!" Nayara explained to him. "Put that thing on me and I am done, Nightwing." Nayara added. "Helena we got incoming. Where are you?" Nayara asked her.

"I got something. It seems big." Helena said to her. Then she heard it the people running down towards the room. Helena collected the evidence and turn the hologram off. Nayara looked at the incoming agents.

Nayara was already trying to find a way out when Nightwing came up with the idea. He climbed up the boxes. Nayara followed him up with some difficulty. He pulled her up and she fell on top of him. Nayara was quick to move away and laid there as she watch agents pour inside.

The agents stopped at the sight of the box with collars. "All clear. Nothing here. False alarm." One of them said in his walkie talkie. Nayara's heart thumped against her chest. "Did you cover the office?" The agent asked. Nayara could barely hear the response from the other line: nothing.

The agents poured out of sight. The two waited a couple of minutes to leave. Nightwing dropped gracefully down. However, Nayara being Nayara was able to go down perfectly fine for most of the way, but slipped. She crashed against the floor back first. Nightwing let out a small laugh, that he was quick to hide.

"Not all of us get to jump around roofs in Gotham." Nayara mumbled to him. The brunette accepted his gloved hand. Her mind went back to the box at hand. She wanted to destroy it, burn it. But that would have drawn too much attention. The brunette ignored Nightwing who was already on his way out, when he didn't heard Nayara's boots behind him.

The brunette had her eyes drawn to the collars. The collars she had endlessly seen destroy mutant lives. Flashes of what she had seen growing up appeared on her eyesight. The initial anger she used to feel turned into one of pure fear. Now, nothing could possibly save her.

She snapped out when she heard Nightwing's call. The brunette froze when when she heard the steps coming down the hall. She could destroy them? What different will it make? If not now, then when? "We need to go, Nay." Nightwing called her again, waiting for her.

The brunette glared at the callers once more. "We have to go." Nightwing whispered to her. Nayara knew he was right after all. She trusted him. Nayara nodded at him, turning away from the collars. Within her, she knew Nightwing was right. They could have fought their way out, but drawing attention to themselves. If they left now, Lex wouldn't know they were inside. They could still stop him after all.

. . .

Nayara stood on top of one of the rooftops of Gotham next to Nightwing. Her mind kept going back to the collars that Lex Corp had designed. She had seen Sharon pull one out to threaten her but she never thought that they would figure out a way to do it here. Will she be able to stop her without her powers?

Nightwing remained silent, keeping his attention to the quiet brunette. Nayara had been thinking on what Batman had told her. About the team, about trusting others. Last time she had trusted someone with her secret, they ended up dead. Maybe the only way to maintain peace between the worlds was to accept the help.

Her brown eyes looked up to him "I called you to help because I needed someone I could trust." Nayara said quietly to Nightwing. "I needed someone I could trust with my life...and to maintain the mission secret. I couldn't possibly tell KF about it. He would have gone to Flash or spilled it to somebody else." Nayara added to Nightwing.

"The same life that you want to throw away for Sharon?" Nightwing asked her. Nayara gave him a tired look.

"You wouldn't understand." Nayara answered back.

"Then let me." Nightwing replied. He took one step closer to her. "What did you mean before, about how Lex wasn't supposed to know about those collars? You know something about it." Nightwing added.

"I didn't say that." Nayara cut him, looking down at the street below.

"You did." Nightwing replied back. "I want to help you, Nayara. That's why I am here." Nightwing told her. "I have known Batman for years and you're behaving just like him when he wouldn't admit he needs help, not until he is almost dying." Nightwing said to her.

Nightwing turned her back on him. "You trust me enough with your life." Nightwing pointed out to her.

Nayara sighed, shaking her head. "Huntress gave me information about Lex having surveillance over me. That's bad. So I felt I needed to pay her back of sorts. I accepted to help get inside because she knew Lex had something planned. He has been working with Sharon. He was there when Sharon took me." Nayara explained to him.

He took another step towards her. "You didn't answer my question." Nightwing pointed out to her.

Nayara snapped her head towards him. "So what are you going to do? Throw me off the roof?" Nayara asked him.

Nightwing scoffed at her. "I wouldn't do that." Nightwing told her before taking one step back.

Nayara kicked a trash can out of the way in anger. "Sharon killed a person I loved. He was the only one who knew what I knew about her." Nayara said to Nightwing. She had Steve dog tags on her neck, right under her suit. "Those collars I saw...they could stop my powers....They weren't supposed to be created here. It's a bit complicated, so just bear with me. Please." Nayara told him.

Nightwing turned his eyes back to her. "I have been laying low for a while. I been preparing myself to stop Sharon no matter the cost. But I didn't knew there was so much surveillance on me. Huntress knocked on my apartment and gave me the photos. The people I care about are being watched and I know Sharon. I know she will kill them if I don't stop her." Nayara told him.

"I...I didn't come to you because I didn't want you to get hurt. Plus, Gotham isn't involved." Nayara added looking down at the floor.

"My point is that those collars that Lex created, they are my issue. Lex figured out a way to manufacture them here. Those collars are used to contain a mutant's powers. I am not meta-human, I am a mutant. It's on my DNA. I didn't had a freak accident that gave me powers. I just got them, and for the first time I had something I could use to help others." Nayara explained to Nightwing.

"What happens if she puts it on you?" Nightwing asked her.

The fear in her eyes were evident. "It stops my powers. Leaving her open to do whatever cruel twisted thing she wants." Nayara answered him. The two remain silent. Nayara's heart raced at her words. She was talking to Nightwing. She was opening up, and it scared her. "Thank you for coming." Nayara said to him before taking off, leaving Nightwing.

He quickly caught up to her. "The Teen Titan's offer still stands." Nightwing said to her, watching her board her own motorcycle.

Nayara opened her helmet, and gave him a look. "You just have to call bird boy. I will be there." Nayara said to him before closing it back on. Her cheeks burned and she doubted for a second her decision to tease him. She quickly took off, leaving Nightwing surprised at her answer. It was a nice surprise indeed.

. . .

Nayara quietly walked inside the kitchen, trying to get something to eat. It was past midnight and she really didn't want to bother anyone. The brunette knew that almost all the members of Wayne House were probably awake, but she really didn't want to trouble them. They had let her crash here for the night once more.

When she opened the fridge, the lights turned on. The brunette remained still. "I have worked on this house more time that what you have been alive, Miss Lilly." Alfred said from behind her.

Nayara shyly turned around to look at him. "I am sorry." Nayara told him. Alfred send her a smile. "I just..." She was lost of words.

Alfred looked at the fridge. "Bread is on the second cupboard to the right." He pointed out to her. Nayara relaxed a little and took it out herself while Alfred took some cheese from the fridge.

"It's okay. I hope I didn't wake anybody up." Nayara told him.

"You did not." Alfred said to her. The brunette gave up and let him help her with the sandwich. "It's my job, Miss Lilly." Alfred reminded her. "And you are not the only one who seems to enjoy a second dinner past midnight. I believe the rest will come down at around three or so. If we are lucky, earlier." Alfred added.

"Thank you, Alfred." Nayara said to him, taking in the food. The brunette took a seat and pulled out the files that Helena had sent to her. The ones she had taken during the raid on Lex Corp. Nayara's breathing stopped when she saw the plans. The same ones that Helena was telling her about. The drawings, the calculations. Lex's next great plan involved the same woman who was hunting her: Illusion. Her powers were to be the key to world domination.