Stars fall at my feet, keep me grounded as I reach
Higher than I see, is there something there for me?
Pulling back the reins, letting go again
I'm not afraid, I'm notAll my life, one page at a time
I'll show you my, my true colors
No, no no no I won't apologize for the fire in my eyes
Let me show you my, my true colors, it ain't no rainbow

∞

"How do we know we can even trust her?" 

The voice of the pretty blonde echoes out through the doc tunnel, making everyone turn, glare and put their fingers to their lips. Wonder Girl cringes, squeezing her folded arms tighter and glancing around the cold, black atmosphere of Gotham City.

"Batman trusts her and we have to trust him," Nightwing tells them all through the coms. The hero glances at Mal to make sure he doesn't offer a doubtful look.

"Full disclosure, I trust Batman. This is still intimidating though Nightwing," Miss Martian says.

"I know, I know. But we have a back up plan to cause havoc if you get into any serious danger. So, let's go over this one last time." 

The team; Miss Martian, Robin, Wonder Girl, Beast Boy, Lagoon Boy, Batgirl, Superboy and Bumblebee tense, focusing of every detail of instruction.

"Black Mask has recently been in consort with an unknown technician who got their hands on a Belle Reve inhibitor collar and mimicked the design. According to Illusion, the technician has created cages, chains and even chemicals that have the same effect. Black Mask's responsibility is selling it off and shipping it. The only way to get inside his lair is to be captured and taken into it. If we try by force, we could be met with tech we haven't heard about."

"What's to stop them from killing us on the spot?" La'gann asks before their leader can continue.

"According to Illusion, he's looking for metahumans to test on in showcases. Basically, when the tech is auctioned off he'll need guinea pigs to use. You're going to stage a classic stakeout and split into three groups. When captured, the rest is up to Illusion and Spice. Are we clear?"

"Clear!" Is the response, though Beast Boy and Wonder Girl could not look more uneasy.

"I don't get it?" She whispers, "Why does Black Mask trust those two? What are they getting out of helping him? Out of help us?" 

"I can still hear you," Nightwing says.

She blushes and glances away from the others. She wishes she had been held back for just a little longer, like Blue Beetle. He was just as new as her.

I hope, she thinks, I can do this. 

"Black Mask's payments to Illusion and Spice are a private matter, but their crimes were necessary to save a life. That's all you need to know. They're helping us because they overheard Black Mask talking out his plans to his crew. Batman trusts them, like I said. Any other questions?"

Wonder Girl flushes again at the subtle jab and remains silent.  

◊

◊

"Adelaide? Do you know where he is?" Brett calls out to me, but I barely pay any attention.

My eyes move to him, not registering any sort of speech before I finally realise he's asking me about Tim.

"Oh," I say, moving my arm from underneath my chin to rest on the table, "He's sick."

Brett and Bambi give me concerned looks, which makes me wish Mrs Marsh hadn't moved them back into their original seats for art. I liked the peace.

"He's always 'sick'. Kid needs some flu shots," Bambi says.

I know they're both looking at me again, with concern. I try to ignore it as best as I can- I don't need their pity, but eventually I have to give in.

"What?" I nearly snap.

"You okay, is all?" Brett asks, "You're shaking."

I move the offending hand beneath the table, trying to catch my breath so that I stop showing the signs of nerves.

"Maybe he got me sick too. I wasn't feeling to well earlier," I lie easily, going back to my art.

"Did you come to school because people will start talking if both of you are away?" Brett asks, his voice going high-pitched, acting like a gossipy girl.

"You think I care what people think?" I ask, adding one delicate line to my art.

"Yes," they both say together, but I ignore them.

In truth I wish Tim was here, desperately. I need those soft eyes and shy smile to put me a little more at ease.

Tonight. It's all going down tonight. I can't believe that tonight I will be tangled up in a sting operation against Black Mask by Batman and the team of sidekicks.

The first shock of the entire situation came when I found out that my sister actually instigated it. Ellery told Batman she could help, after getting to him through Nightwing.

My sister and I only got into this to help our younger sister, not to take down anybody. When we heard Black Mask detailing his plans to use the device on heroes in a seriously twisted way, it was time for change.

When the bell rings Bret and Bambi are still looking at me like I'm going to burst into tears. I just might. I've never been so worried about anything in my life.

I could die tonight. 

As I step out into the hallway I gulp in air, arrange my thoughts like paper and file them away. My furrowed brow eases to my usual indifferent expression.

Perfect.

Bret is babbling alongside me as the two of us walk the halls slowly filling with students. Among them, I get the feeling I'm being watched. There are eyes on me somewhere. 

When I separate from my strolling chatterbox and stride up to my locker there is definitely someone creeping over.

"Do you think Batman dates?"

Unfortunately that could be any of my idiot friends, but by the voice I know that instead it's idiot family. I give Ellery a strange look as I open my locker. She's standing there grinning sharply, staring down at me.

"Other vigilantes maybe. I doubt he does underaged high school girls."

"Don't know unless you try right?

"Ugh, please don't."  

"What's wrong, sis? Worried I'll embarrass you in front of our new teammates?"

As I'm arranging everything neatly I contemplate the sentence. Our new teammates. Our new teammates?

"What?"

{It's time to light the flame, right before it rains // I'm not afraid, I'm not}

"Oh c'mon. They're going to ask us to join, right?"

I frown, "So what? You said we'd just get the crystals and that'd be it."

"I know, I know. It might be good for you though. You could be like Halo."

We begin walking through the halls. My sister and I tend to part the crowds like the red sea. Together the weak cling to the wall-bound lockers. It's an easy move from there to the cafeteria.

"When in my life have I ever wanted to be like Halo?" I ask. My sister's an idiot... Both my older sister's are. One is an emotionally constipated scientist and the other is a rebellious performing artist.

I'm neither of those things nor do I aspire to be.

"My point is, you might find you like a hero's life. We'll see though. Now, let's go!" 

Right before we reach the double white doors and the stench of school lunches, Ellery wraps her hand around my wrist and gives a sharp tug.

I shout as she starts leading me down a scarce hallway.

"Where are we going?"

"Home!"

"Why didn't you let me get my schoolbag then?" I complain loudly, trying to pull away. We turn a corner and the next hall is empty. "And why? And how?"

"Oh, right, you're stuff. Mine's already at the admin office."

"Ellery. Answer questions," I snap whilst fixing my wrinkled sleeve.

"Please, when I need to do something I just call the school and impersonate mom. If that doesn't work, all it takes is a little..." she glances around the hallway before leaning down to me, "...illusion."

I punch her arm, "Don't use it for stuff like that."

"As if you don't use yours for your ballet," she scoffs. I move to argue but she shouts over me and pushes my shoulder, dragging the both of us through the school again.

Ellery and I are excused from school before the end of lunch. I don't really understand why we need so much time to prep. I don't get the chance to ask either, as Ellery talks on and on as we get into her Volvo.

"Where are we going?"

"Mom and Reece aren't home so well go there, dodge the doctors and Miss Patty, get our stuff and then head over to Reece's latest project; the refurbishing of his studio. We can prep there. Got it?"

Something tells me I'm in for quite a night.

"Yeah, I got it."

◊

◊

Halo Jackson has never been one to fret over the small things.

Unless, it was microbiology, but that is more of a hobby. The biological sciences where the sum of her life. Dick knew that when they began their short relationship.

She was beautiful. How could she not be, with a mother like hers? All of them; Halo, Ellery, Adelaide and Livinia had turned out to be utterly gorgeous.

Ellery and Halo like to point out that Adelaide was prettier than them. They had all the classic features of Colombian girls; the warm skin tone, the silky brunette blended hair, the almond-shaped eyes.

But Adelaide's very features seemed to be strokes of an artist's brush. Calligraphy in facial features. On top of that, none of their eyes were brown, but purple from their developing powers.

It was that doting from their mother which made Halo run in the end, move away from Gotham to the next city over. Her first intention was to take Ellery and Adelaide with her, but there was too much displacement.

Adelaide was heading off to another ballet tour and Ellery was mourning Dick's very own brother. In the end Halo left on her own.

She looks picture perfect, stepping into her apartment after a long day at the labs.

Dick, Nightwing, has done this a few times. Ever since Halo moved he has used the Zeta Tubes to his advantage, even though they're not dating anymore.

Right now, this is not a leisure trip. Right now, this is business.

"You could have at least got dinner."

"Sorry, didn't have time," he grins as she switches the lights on. Halo stands there, dressed in jeans and a shirt. It rivals the styles of her sisters. "This is kind of...serious."

His tone catches her attention before she can turn down the hallway. Halo faces him with a frown.

"Is it my parents?"

"No."

"Livinia?"

"No."

"Research?"

"No."

"...Oh darn. My sisters?"

"On it. See, I don't know what you know about it," he admits, rubbing his kevlar-clad thighs as he stands. Halo had only been Angel for a year or two, but being a hero was never in her interests.

"I know they've been up to something involving masks. What's the issue? They in some kind of trouble?" She asks, dropping her bag to the floor and moving around the sofa to sit beside him.

"Sort of. Batman's hoping to bring them into the team. You know, the one you abandoned?" Nightwing responds, sitting down beside her.

"Still salty, huh?" She prods, "Well I guess that'd be good for them. Besides, you know I only left because if the whole Tula-Kaldur debacle. Any news on him?"

He's relieved at her consent but reluctant to answer the last question. Halo had never really been an official member, even is she had a designation. She just happened to know the right science to assist Tula in finding certain artefacts.

And then Tula died and Kaldur betrayed them.

"He's...No. No news," he decides to say.

"Oh."

"Yeah... Anyway, the only issue with your sisters is the hologram of Jason in our memorial grotto. If Ellery catches on, it might not be good for her to figure out the truth behind...his death."

Halo gives her ex-boyfriend a soft smile, looping her arm around his shoulder.

"Ell might not want to do it at all. I think it'll be good for Addy though. She needs something different. A distraction. Plus, she has to witness that side of the world to clarify that not everything is, well, perfect." 

"Yeah," he agrees, knowing all the parameters of Adelaide Jackson's mental state. "So, what do Batman and I need to say to your parents?"

Something tells me, I know nothing at all
We've escaped our capture
Yet we have our masters
And somehow it's like I've waitedAll my life, one page at a time
I'll show you my, my true colors
No, no no no I won't apologize for the fire in my eyes
Let me show you my, my true colors, it ain't no rainbow