Chapter 25: Thursday 22nd February

The walls were white, as were the bed sheets that Zoella was currently herself up in. Her appearance reminded me of a small little puppy, trying to get warm under the blankets on a cold, winter's night.

I had been sitting by her bedside for almost all of the day, and slept in the chair I currently occupied all last night. I had sat here while she drifted in and out of consciousness; having the smallest of conversations when she did awake.

My room was literally no more than a two minute walk away from the infirmary, but I hadn't wanted to sleep in there while Zoella was here; injured. It was true I had visited my room on several occasions throughout the time that I arrived from the Batcave up until present, but I just couldn't seem to stay in there.

So the alternative was walking around The Cave talking to the team; who hadn't attended school today because of minor injuries that would've been considered suspicious.

Well, a few of them just wanted a day off.

"Ugghhh." Zoella moaned - letting me know she was awake - and turned over so she was facing me. Her eyes had lost their magical purple colour, inepstead replaced with a vibrant green. I was told it was due to the amount of energy she had exhausted.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her.

She chuckled, then clutched her chest and showed a look of irritation. "I'm feeling the same way I was feeling the last time you asked me." She answered, then took her hand from her chest and placed it on her head dramatically. "Why does the aftermath of being taken hostage have to feel so much like a hangover?"

I smiled and laughed slightly, then frowned. "How do you know what a hangover feels like? You're seventeen."

Zoella smiled awkwardly. "Let's not talk about that." She said. And before I could get another word in, she spoke again. "Have you seriously been sitting here all day?"

"I've walked around a bit, but yeah." I said. At that moment my muscles decided to wake up and realise how much they hurt, and I instinctively flexed my limbs. "I didn't want you to wake up alone."

"Well, get out." Zoella ordered. "I can see you need a stretch. Besides, I'm going to be in here for a few weeks at the least. Doctor said even though I will be fine, all my ribs - plus other things - are still broken."

"Okay," I said unsurely, "but I'll be back." I told her, getting up and heading for the door.

I turned the handle and budged the door, but spared a second to look back at my bedridden friend. Her returning gesture was a flick of her hand to shoo me out the door.

The grey, metal wall of the hall were quite a change from the bright white of the infirmary. I didn't bother trying to make my footsteps light and undetectable as I walked along them.

The halls soon opened up into the kitchen, where I exchanged a few short, pleasant words with my friends. But then the kitchen turned into hallway again, and didn't open up until I got to the control room.

The brief memory of when I first zeated into this exact space fleeced into my thoughts. It had been almost a month since that happened; and in that month so much had occurred. And despite all the horrors and shocks I had encountered; like finding out Zoella wasn't dead, it still had its loveable moments.

I had gained an entire group of friends, as well as an amazingly perfect boyfriend if I do say so myself.

And I had gotten Zoella back - for good this time.

"How's Zoella?" Thorn was standing with Rachel and Rose in the middle of the control room, next to a hologram showing the map of a city I recognised as New York. Thorn had two large suitcases by her feet.

"She's doing better." I replied. "So, you're really leaving?" I asked Thorn.

"Yeah, I guess." She said. "We had a deal. I help you find Zoella and... you help me get out of Gotham."

"Are you sure you want to leave? You know Batman's offered you a place on the team, and everyone else would be more than happy to have you."

"No. I need to do this. If I stay here, I'll have to choose between being a hero and villain. An-and I just don't want to live like that anymore." She blinked back what I could have sworn were the makings of tears. "Besides, New York will be good for me."

"I've heard they have great seafood." Rose added.

Thorn laughed. "You'll have these two to keep you company anyway." She pointed to Rose and Rachel. "And you have my number so you can call me if you miss me too much."

"Definitely." I said, then picked up one of her suitcases. "Come on, I'll walk you out."

We started toward the zeta tube in silence, only stopping and facing each other when we were right in front of it.

I held out the suitcase toward Thorn. "Stay safe, okay?"

"I'll try." She took the suitcase, then went silent for a few seconds. "She helped me, you know."

"Who?"

"Zoella." Thorn smiled softly. "I was only nine and Mum had sent me out to get some milk from the corner store. I was walking home with the carton tucked into my jacket, and a bunch of guys jumped out from an alleyway,

"They told me to come in the alley with them. When I said no, they grabbed my arms and tried to drag me in with them; they covered my mouth so I couldn't scream. There was a tree branch near by - I made it fly into my hand and I hit the guy in the face.

"They lost all notions of doing what they first wanted to do with me, and pulled out knives. The one I hit in the face went for my stomach. Luckily he pierced the milk instead of me. But before any more of them could make a move, Zoella swooped in and knocked them all out. She even stayed and hugged me for a while after it was over."

Thorn wiped away small drops of water that had begun to run down her cheeks.

"That's why you wanted to help." I concluded.

I never actually thought about p how much of impact Zoella must have had on the lives of the people she helped. Thorn, standing right now crying, made me realise what a wonderful sister figure I had.

"It only seemed right that I save her life after she saved mine." Thorn sniffed.

I put my hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, Thorn, for everything."

"Thank you, Shadow. And call me Anna - that's my real name."

I smiled. "Then call me Ebony. That's my real name."

She nodded. "I promise to call you when I get there."

"I'll be waiting." I said.

Thorn smiled gratefully at me me, then lifted up her suitcases and stepped into the zeta tube. The blinding flash of light accompanied the whirring of the metal grinders. It only a matter of seconds seconds the space that Thorn had been standing in was empty.

I turned and walked back towards the two other girls.

"How are you guys settling in?" I asked them.

"Pretty good." Rose said. "We just need to unpack a few things and then we're good."

"Need any help?"

"Nah, we're fine. I was planning on getting a few hours in the training room anyway."

"What about you Rachel?" I asked.

"I think I might just do some meditating, I haven't in a few days now. Need to clear my head." She said.

"Okay, I'll see you guys later then." I said.

I strode over to the holograms as the other two walked out of the room. Drawing up the information on last night's activities, I frowned at the screen. I was glad we had caught Wildcard; even more so when I got to see her thrown into a van headfirst, but also annoyed because Riddlerette had escaped capture.

"Stop worrying about that." Robin said, walking out from the corridor behind me.

"I can't." I replied. "Riddlerette's out there with a personal vendetta against us. That's definitely something to worry about."

Robin came around and shut down the hologram, then standing directly in front of me. "We'll catch her Ebony." He reassured me. "We always do."

"I'll take your word for it." I said.

Chuckling he wrapped his arms around my waist, carful not to upset the wound on my stomach. He pulled me in for a short, sweet kiss, then removed his hands from my middle and placed them in my own.

"I want to take you out on a date." He announced.

"A date?" I questioned, inquisitive.

"Yes. You're my girlfriend and want to take you on a date."

"What would this date involve?" I asked.

"Dinner, a movie..." he said. "Whatever you want to do."

"Would you pick me up on your motorbike?"

"I could take you on my motorbike right now." He said.

"Hmm," I said. "Okay then."

I let Robin lead me over to the zeta tube. "So, are you taking me on your motorbike now, so you can save the transportation of the date for your butler?" I taunted.

He groaned and slipped an arm around my waist, pulling me into a side hug. "Are you ever going to let that go?"

"Nope."

Robin sighed. "Didn't think so."

"I still want to why you have a butler." I stated. "I also want to know your real name, and what's behind those shades of yours."

He grinned. "Well guess what?"

"What?"

He leaned in close and whispered into my ear, "Batman said that I can tell you - and only you, my secret identity."

"Really?" I asked. As far as I new, no one else but Wally even knew his backstory - let alone his name.

"Really." He confirmed. "How would you like to come home with me and meet the family?"

"Meet your family?" I asked, nervously tucking some hair behind my ear. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure." He said.

"What if they don't like me?"

He laughed. "You've actually met pretty much all of them. And I can assure you that they like you."

"Okay." I nodded my head. "Let's go meet your family."

We stepped into the zeta tube, where the electronic voice announced our departure. And as the bright, white light began to fill our vision, Robin pulled me close and kissed me as we teleported.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! LAST CHAPTER OMG. BUT THERE WILL BE AN EPILOGUE COMING SO YOU GUYS ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO READ THAT!!!!! I THINK IM HYPERVENTILATING. MY HEAD FEELS DIZZY. MY FINGERS ARE TWITCHING. NO SERIOUSLY, THEY ARE REALLY ARE TWITCHING, ITS STARTING TO SCARE ME. OH NO, NOW THEYVE STOPPED - ITS ALL GOOD.

So, as you can see, I'm pretty excited about almost finishing this book. I officially apologise for my weirdness, it's genetic. That meme tho.

And Raven and Ravager have joined the team! But Thorn had to leave... And what do you guys think about that hangover comment that Zoella made ;) I just had to.

And yes, there will be an epilogue, but it probably won't be uploaded until after or just before Christmas. 

I would like to thank all of you amazing readers who have continued to view this story, and even more so to those of you who have read my annoying authors notes at the end of every single chapter. Seriously, it means the world to me.

So vote/comment/fan and just message me if you have anything you want to talk about. See you in the epilogue!!!!