Percy woke up to Roy pacing back and forth across their bedroom. She pushed herself up on her elbows. "Roy, what's the matter? Is something wrong?"

Roy stoped pacing for a minute. He gave her a tired smile and ran his his hand through his hair. "Wally called."

"Yeah, and that's what's bothering you? That Wally called you? He calls you all the time," Percy said.

"No, it's not that he called me. It's what he said," Roy answered.

"Roy, just tell me what he said," Percy said.

"Well, he wants our help. The team has some big mission and they think it would be easier if we helped them," Roy said.

"And that's why you were pacing back and forth? Because the team wants out help?"

"Well, yeah! I'm completely fine with it, but I know how much you wanted to get away from that, live a normal life," he said with a small smile.

"Oh, Roy. That is so sweet of you, but you and I both know that we will never have normal lives. I may have wanted a normal life, but... the missions, the patrols. There's something to the action that just makes you feel alive, don't you agree. If you don't want to join in on the mission, we don't have to, but I want to."

"No, no. I agree. I want to help them," Roy replied.

Percy smirked at him, one of her signature smirks. "Good, then when do we leave?"

"After breakfast," Roy answered, and sat down on the bed.

———

After they ate breakfast they changed into their old hero suits and Percy hated how natural it felt, how right it felt. She really had wanted to try at a normal life. They'd gotten their degrees, jobs, a dog, they were even engaged! But there was something that called to her. Something that made her soul soar. And she couldn't truly find that in the normal life.

When she looked in the mirror it felt almost strange to see her in her suit again, but she felt the same surge of rightness. She was sure Roy felt the same way.

Somehow Percy was always dragged back to this. This life with all its pros and cons. After she'd fought two wars, she'd thought she was done. But she hadn't been. Thank the gods, she wasn't done. If she had been, she wouldn't have met Roy or her other super hero friends. Her life would have been so different. She'd thought she was done now, she thought that she would settle down and live a normal life, however that didn't seem to last long.

Maybe she and Roy only would help this one time, or maybe things would go back to before. Maybe they'll join the team again. Maybe she wasn't ready to stop quite yet. She could only hope that Roy felt the same.

Once they arrived at the Cave they found the team waiting for them, standing in uniform. Megan was the first to make a move, running over to Percy and almost tackling her to the floor with her hug. After Percy managed to regain her balance, she hugged Megan back with equal force. After a minute they let go.

"I missed you so much!" Megan cried, smiling widely.

"I've missed you, too," Percy said with a matching smile.

Percy went around to everyone, hugging, talking and smiling. Wally and Artemis had come over sometimes, but she hadn't seen the majority of them in a while. It was so nice to see them again, and it felt to right to be there. To be back.

"What did you need our help for?" Roy asked after sometime. While both Percy and Roy were very happy to see everyone again, they were here for a reason.

"There have been a series of murders close by,"
Nightwing started. "These aren't normal murders, either. Markings have been carved into the skin of the bodies. They have been drained of blood, and the blood has been replaced by other liquids. Sometimes liquids we can't identify. This needs to be solved, and it needs to be solved quickly. That's why we've asked for your help. We thought that the more we are, the quicker we can solve this."

"Oh my Gods," Percy murmured. The description of the murders were absolutely atrocious. It disgusted her to imagine that there was someone out there who was cruel and twisted enough to commit these heinous crimes. "Of course we'll help."

"Good," Aqualad said. "Today we talk, today we plan. Tomorrow we investigate. Your help is greatly appreciated."

"Sounds good," Roy said. "Do you have any files on the murders?"

"Yes, follow me," Aqualad said and started walking towards the debriefing room.

As they followed him, Percy turned to Roy and gave him a smile. "This brings back memories, doesn't it?"

Roy threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer. "It does."