Young Justice: Slice Of Life AU

by kittydoesstuff

Summary:

What if the members of Young Justice? were just normal college students? Living out the melodrama & cozy trills that life brings?

What if Bart or Kon had never died? What if no one had their own family turned on them? What if their own friends hadn't died?

What if they were safe and happy?

What if Greta Hayes, former superhero, formerly Secret, woke up in a dorm room that wasn't hers?

Notes:

Trigger Warnings

 

Misgendering, deadnames, ableism, intrusive thoughts, disassociation, ptsd, triggered characters, panic attacks, gaslighting, gore, medical trauma, child abuse, parental abuse, emotional abuse, strangulation, tasers, body horror, liminal space, identity crisises, abusive brothers, adoption trauma, trauma, suicide, vague references to covid,

Chapter 1: "I just want us to be safe, and happy, and together."

Summary:

Good morning! Welcome to your new life Greta!

🎵Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather

Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather-🎵

 

Greta slammed her left hand hard in the space next to her head she always placed her phone when she was using a white noise video, it wasn't often but… Some nights she really needed some kind of noise.

 

Her left hand smashed into a pillow with a soft ruffle drowned out by the music, the tips of her finger brushed up on a cold cheap feeling wall, she could feel in the brief moments her fingertips grazed it several spots where paint had chipped and then been poorly painted over.

 

She slowly opened up her eyes the music still drilling into her head, she blinked a few times to get the sleep gunk out of her eyes. She was facing the pillow, that made sense, she slept on her tummy most of time, what didn't make sense was that her bed was on the wrong side of the room, the wall shouldn't have been there and her phone was to her right.

 

She grabbed it as she lifted herself up with her left arm and finally turned off the alarm, it was… Slightly later than she normally slept, she won't have time to get ready for class unless she rushed and… She couldn't remember changing her alarm clock to be any song, let alone one she actually liked and won't want to associate with getting woken up.

 

But she didn't have time to think this over as it was now as she became less groggy she finally noticed-

 

"Cissie? What are you doing in my room?"

 

Cissie turned from her gaze on her phone up to Greta, they were wearing loose t-shirt that was branded after some archery team and old sports shorts, it looked like sleepwear but… When did she get another bed for a guest?

 

"Huh? I- what?" Cissie looked like she couldn't even start to understand what Greta had said.

 

"I- I'm happy to see you but why are you in my room? Why are you on my bed?" After all, the bed Cissie was sat upon was on the right side of the room, it had to be hers.

 

Cissie looked like she had finally figured out what Greta had said "Ohhhh good one, but I'm not Tim, I'm not going to fall for that, but good try." She went back to her phone, blissfully unaware the prue frustrated confusion they were helping built in Greta.

 

"Tim? I- fall for what?" Greta stammered, how could Cissie be so calm about breaking in for a unannounced sleepover and putting in a new bed to kick her into?

 

"The gaslighting prank Conner pulled on Tim where he pretended he had always been his roommate while Septh was moving into Cass's room, but I guess in reverse? You're not kicking me out, right?" Cissie didn't seem at all alarmed, like this was all a joke to her they simply weren't getting.

 

"..." Greta finally looked at the room, there were posters for Wendy The Werewolf Slayer, Paranormal, boy bands… There was also active wear, binders, clothes made for a taller frame like Cissie's

 

If she hadn't gone to sleep in her solo dorm room she would have thought Cissie had always been here. But, no…

 

This room was different in size, it had different colored paint, different finish on the roof and the windows faced the sunrise instead of it's setting position.

 

This wasn't her room.

 

She bolted upright, she needed to do something, clearly something was wrong- 

 

WACK

 

"AGH-" Greta banged her head into said selin, somewhere in her rushed mind she hadn't noticed how close it was, she was in a loft bed.

 

"Jeez-! Greta, you okay?" Cissie asked in a concerned voice that finally fit the situation around them.

 

Greta rubbed her head and clumsy found the footing for the ladder down and got finally onto the floor level.

 

"No! Cissie- How did I get here? Is this some kind of prank?" Greta was on the verge of crying or perhaps screaming due to the confusion and fear overwhelming her.

 

Last time she woke up this unaware, it was on a morgue table, she felt in her heart like any moment D.E.O agents would burst though the door and take her away, to that awful place, it was like being that child again.

 

Cissie looked very concerned now, she put her phone aside and leaped down off her own loft bed, leading with a soft thud in a heroic pose.

 

"Greta…? This has been your room for a year and a half, I- just breathe, you're safe, it's going to be okay." Cissie slowly reached out her hands towards Greta's shoulders but as Greta jerked away they stopped.

 

Nothing could have felt more like a lie than "you're safe, it's okay." No it wasn't! This had to be some sort of trap, maybe some sort of dream? Or….

 

Oh what did Cissie call it when in a show or whatever someone would be trapped in some fake paradise….? A Locust Eater Machine? Hardly sounded like paradise but it was probably a reference to something like a sci-fi story like most 'tropes' Cissie talked about, those stories had people awake to different worlds and… It was easier to confront that option.

 

"I- Where are the others? Where's Robin?- Where's Tim?" She asked with a start, if anyone else would see though this it'd have to him. 

 

Cissie looked a little confused "I- Whose Rob-? Nevermind, I mean it's pretty early in the day, everyone is probably doing their morning routine, Tim should be in his 'house' making some breakfast- I could take you to him if that'd make you feel better? It's a bit of a walk to the houses but if you let me get dressed and grab my shoes I could totally walk you there." Cissie grabbed her phone while they spoke in a slow, calming voice.

 

Greta nodded, right now the only thing that compare to her desire to see her bed and room was her desire to see Tim.

 

"Yes, please." Greta didn't even bother to look for clothes, she couldn't find the will to become more familiar with this fake room and only bothered to put the pink foam sandals by the door on as Cissie throw together a outfit that other than clean and newness looked like their sleepwear plus a hair band.

 

"Okay, lets go, we could grab food or something if you want?" Cissie sounded unsure as they spoke that last bit, it was probably more for her than Greta.

 

"No, I just want to see Tim." Greta repiled.

 

"Okay then." 

 

With that they headed though the dorm building, it was filled with people who Greta had no hope of recognizing and a few that seemed familiar like a boy who looked like Tim but… More frilly, or some ginger girl Greta had sworn she saw the face of somewhere, but she didn't linger on any of those, they were not Tim, they couldn't help her.

 

The outdoor campus was rather spacious, rather clean but with a flair of oldness to the outside of the buildings, Greta could notice all types of people who all clearly portrayed radically different passions, it seemed like a bit of everything could be found here. A far cry from the medical school she had been going to.

 

It almost reminded her of what a establishing shot in some tv set at a college would look like or maybe a ad, so much conveniently obvious about the place, from the 'smart types' hanging around one building that looked a little more modern like a school lab to the people walking into the campus with take out, all from the same direction.

 

She was relieved that their path didn't take them farther into the picturesque campus, it didn't feel right to be walking in to a 'set' at a time like this, instead they walked into the surrounding neighborhood.

 

Greta noticed as they started walking into the neighborhoods that Cissie was doing something on their phone, but she elected to not ask, her internal speech alone felt shaky.

 

There were many frat and fertility houses on the blocks, along with homes clearly belonging to teachers but the house that Cissie stopped in front of, Greta followed suit and observed that it wasn't any sort of club or frat or anything, but given the stained couch in the yard it clearly didn't belong to a teacher.

 

Cissie walked up to the door, Greta shortly behind her and stopped by a garden gnome, removing its hat and taking a house key from it before going to the front door and unlocking it.

 

"Hey! Tim! It's me and Greta, she needs to see you!" Cissie called out into the house as she placed the key down on a table by the door in the entrance way. Greta closed the door behind them.

 

Greta could see this entrance also acted as a hallway, she could see too archways into two rooms by the front, a staircase along the right way and somewhere behind that were more doors along with what had to be a closet door on the staircase itself 

 

From the doorway to Greta's right she heard a voice pipe up.

 

"I'm in the living room!" Tim called back in a tone Greta hadn't heard in years, it sounded like the caring tone he had before Kon or Bart's deaths, before any concern or attempt at a reassuring voice had a undercut to it of tiredness.

 

Greta was frozen, she… Somehow right now that voice, it felt so… Alien to her, like seeing someone you had only met in a dream in real life, or a someone in a old photograph speaking.

 

Cissie lightly pulled on her arm, moving her forward into messy living room, Tim was seated on a large couch with a coffee table in front of him that had a laptop, some weird green smoothie, water and toast on it, Cissie guided her to sit across in a love seat while they took a bean bag chair off to the side between them.

 

"Hey, I- Cissie pm'd me and let me know you were having a rough morning, do you wanna talk about it?" Tim asked with sympathy but… It didn't even seem like he knew what was so upsetting to her right now, why seeing him in casual clothes and no scars or healing injuries made her feel like she was staring at some evil doppelganger.

 

"I- You're not a university student, I- you dropped out you should be in Gotham." Greta tried to explain, maybe that'd make it clear he didn't have to act like everything was fine, after all it had to be an act.

 

"I- Where'd that come from? I mean yeah, I might not be actually going, but I don't wanna live across the country from you guys just to make my dad happy." Tim explained, he didn’t seem frustrated or anything, just confused as to why she'd bring that up or be against him being here.

 

"I- Where are we, even?" Greta's voice, body was pleading for Tim to explain where they were, give some sign that maybe they were being watched and that was why he was acting clueless but…

 

Tim's very clear look of fear, alongside Cissie's clear look of fear too was making Greta's heart stink.

 

"...You don't know where we are in the USA?" Tim asked in a serious tone.

 

Greta didn't know how to answer, she wasn't sure why everyone was being so coy or if they were doppelgangers, if it was just being confused or tricked explaining the truth would probably be the right call but if they were doppelgangers… It'd probably be a ba-

 

"Greta? Please, answer my question." Tim pleaded.

 

"...I don't." She couldn't find it in herself to lie to him, she probably never would.

 

Tim and Cissie looked at each, seemingly communicating through face gestures and eye movements that Greta couldn't understand, maybe at some point she would have.

 

"Greta, I think we need to take you to the nurse, if not a hospital, This… Normally people only get this confused if they hurt their head or something is going medically wrong, we need to make sure you're okay, I'll drive you over you- You probably shouldn't be walking too much, at least not until we know what's wrong." Tim got up and out of his seat, Cissie did too and went over to Greta's side.

 

Greta wanted to rise a argument that her head wasn't the problem at all and that someone left her in some bizarro world but she couldn't find the words to say that that didn't make her sound more like the victim of head trauma.

 

"Cassie!" Tim yelled into the entrance.

 

"Yeah?" A yell from upstairs repiled.

 

"I'm taking my car, Greta needs to see a doctor, I'll explain later!" He called.

 

"Okay! Good luck, I'll tell the others!" She called back.

 

Tim turned his attention back to the living room and Greta, walking over to her and Cissie and gestured for her to get up.

 

As she did Tim & Cissie tried to help but really since her balance was fine all it did was get in the way and make her look more clumsy than she actually was as she stumbled over their limbs and bumped into their well meaning interference.

 

This continued as they guided her to a garage within the house and to a nice but plain black car, she was half tempted to push them away but… If she was having a stroke or something then turning away people trying to help her would be a bad idea.

 

So she got into the back of the car without fuss, Tim took the driver's seat and Cissie took shootgun.

 

And they were off to somewhere, reportly a doctor.

 

Notes:

Hello! I hope you all enjoyed chapter 1 of this fic, I feel like I should give some info

1., I will be posting chapters (at least for this act) every sunday, with two exceptions: this first chapter which is being posted Saturday night and two chapters are bundled together due to a gimmick

2., This fic has what I am calling acts (insert Homestuck joke here), this is the start of act 1 which is in total 20 chapters, I have already written all of act 1 and edited it. But I have only started writing act 2, which is going to be likely longer than this, so if after chapter 20 there is a large puase in updates that is why.

3., The tags are for everything planned, I will add & remove tags as the story evolves

4., I am rn homeless & writting on a phone, so writing errors and lack of updates are in part due to this.

5., I am using the schedule so posting these doesn't mean I'm online, but I'll add end notes in real time with posting them.

6., If you would like to send me anything related to this, be it questions or art or anything else go to https://greta-hayes.tumblr.com/?source=share which is my dc fandom blog

Chapter 2: I Swore Never Let Her Go

Summary:

Greta is taken to a "doctor" & has a unexpected vist who might intend to do her Harm.

🎵Well, you can hide a lot about yourself

But honey, what're you gonna do?

And you can sleep in a coffin

But the past ain't through with you

'Cause we are all a bunch of liars

Tell me, baby, who do you wanna be?-🎵

 

As Tim turned off the car in a parking spot outside the campus nurse's office it cut off the song his cd had just started.

 

"Okay, we're here. Let's get you inside and see about getting the nurse to see you." Tim got out the car, Cissie did too and the pair guided Greta out and into the nurse's office.

 

It was a sterile invierment, it looked almost more like a lab to Greta than a medical office. 

 

It's the D.E.O, they found you, this is a trap, you're dead, you're-

 

"Hey, hey, focus on your breathing, Tim mind getting the nurse?" Cissie said, trying to reassure her.

 

Tim went over to the area with beds where the nurse was speaking with a student, Greta couldn't hear what they were saying but could see the nurse go from annoyed to be interrupted while treating someone to a clear look of concern on her face.

 

The nurse arrived "Hello Ms Hayes, I'm the nurse, please come with me and take a seat, I'm going to ask you a few things and take a look at you, okay?"

 

Greta hesitantly nodded, she… This couldn't go well, she knew what the answers at home would be to most questions but… Clearly no matter what was going on just the day before from all these people's eyes she had been living a totally different life, but she couldn't say no, then… Then they'd take her by force won't they? She had heard stories about people with head injuries walking off to never be seen again, she was sure Tim and the nurse would know those stories too, would rather trap her than lose her.

 

Why- Why did she let it get to this point she should have ran, she should run now! But…  She felt utterly frozen, all eyes on her with the looks of 'concern'.

 

"Okay, good. Timothy, Cecilia please take seats in the waiting room and let your teachers know you're helping a friend, and call the office and let them know what's going on for me." Greta raised an eyebrow but looking at Cissie she could see a look of discomfort on Cissie that made it clear who the nurse was referring to.

 

The nurse guided Greta to a bed to sit on, Greta looked back at her friends as they disappeared behind the door to the waiting room.

 

"Okay, I'm going take a look at you real quick and then ask a few things." 

 

The tests consisted of testing her reflexes and exstaming her eyes, Greta felt sick, like a lab rat being examined before it'd be cut open.

 

"Okay, now some questions: what day of the week is it?" The nurse asked, clip board in hand to write the replies.

 

"...Wednesday?"

 

The nurse frowned and wrote something "What time of day is it?"

 

"...It's nine thirty, maybe a little past that, Tim's car has a clock."

 

"What campus are we on?"

 

Greta frowned, she had seen people wearing merch on campus but hadn't thought to pay attention to the name "...I don't know."

 

More written on the board "Tim told me you don't know what state we are in, is that true?"

 

"...Yes, I also don't know what city we're in."

 

The nurse grimaced as she wrote something down.

 

"Okay, please repeat after me and remember these words: girl,"

 

"Girl,"

 

"Fish,"

 

"Fish,"

 

"Green,"

 

"Green."

 

"Okay, great. Now, can you tell me what classes you went to yesterday?"

 

"...History of medicine and a lecture on death rites in other countries?"

 

The nurse looked at something on a ipad on the table and frowned very deeply.

 

"When was the last time you visited home?"

 

"...Mother's day?" While Bonnie wasn't her mother it was nice to visit her since she had taken Greta in for when she couldn't be at school.

 

Another note taken "Okay, now could you say the days of the week backwards starting with monday?"

 

"Oh, um, Monday, Sunday, Saturday, Friday, Thursday, Wednesday, Tuesday, and then back to Monday."

 

The nurse wrote some more down "Great, now please repeat sixty three backwards."

 

"Eer th-"

 

"I meant the numbers."

 

"Oh, sorry. Thirty six."

 

"Okay, great, now do the same for four hundred and nineteen."

 

"Nine hundred and fourteen."

 

"Hm, right." she looked at the board "-please tell me the words I asked you to repeat before."

 

"Girl, fish, green. In that order."

 

The nurse looked at the board for a good minutiae before speaking again. "Ms Hayes, do you ever sleepwalk? Or toss and turn a lot in your sleep?"

 

"...Um, sometimes, why?"

 

"I believe given your symptoms you may have a concussion, while you're present memory and physical state don't suggest it your total lack of memory of basic things like your major or where we are suggest a serious issue I can't treat. I am going to need to call the hospital and get your friends to drive you there now, I will work out with the school some sick time for you as you get treatment."

 

The nurse's action plan felt like a flood or words, each worse than the next, the last place she wanted to be was a hospital, ever since her experiences after her first death.

 

But one thing did catch her attention.

 

"What do you mean I got my major wrong?"

 

"You're a writing student, you don't study anything medical and we haven't had a 

lecture like you described before, I checked. I know this must be very alarming, I need to talk to your friends briefly and then they will get you to some very skilled people who are going to help you." The nurse went over to the waiting room.

 

Greta knew was pretty sure she didn't need help, she wasn't wrong on anything it was the reality around her that was all wrong, she wasn't meant to be here, this wasn't… Real, it couldn't be. 

 

She was Greta Hayes, formerly Susie, formerly Secret, formerly a member of Young Justice who now went to a medical and mortuary school to become a mortician, Cissie was off showing her skills as a anchor in tv shows, Tim was leading a new Young Justice, one without her in it, that was how the world was meant to be.

 

The nurse returned with Cissie, who guided Greta back to Tim's car, it was clear how worried both of them were.

 

The car ride felt like hell, Tim and Cissie repeating comforting lies about doctors and how she'd get back to normal in no time but really all that did was make Greta throw herself out of the car despite it's speed.

 

How did she find herself in this mess? She tried to think of what happened yesterday but for her it had been a normal day, classes, homework, annoying classmates really there was only one thing of note: The new Young Justice had responded to some emergency in Metropolis that had destroyed some streets but she didn't have any details about it so for all she knew it was either the answer to everything or it very well had been something mundane.

 

As they kept driving she kept thinking on that, trying to remember if there was something she had forgot but this was interrupted by the car pulling into the hospital parking lot.

 

She was checked in almost as soon as she arrived, asked things to which for what she didn't know Cissie filled in

 

What followed was hours upon hours of tests to try and figure out what exactly was wrong with her ranging from drug tests to CT/MRI. As they continued, test after test Greta felt like she was slipping out of her body, watching it be carted around by doctors from across the room, she felt… A utterly sick feeling despite knowing everyone was at least acting like they meant well, how could Tim, Cissie do this to her?

 

Leave her body to be dissected.

 

Nowhere else.

 

She wasn't sure where she was, it was hot as hell but… It looked like a peaceful meadow on a sunny day, snow littered on the pale green grass.

 

"...Cissie? Tim?"

 

All she heard was a pained moaning sound, like a wail or sob, she got up and off the grass and walked towards it, finding a hole.

 

A six foot hole with a coffin in it.

 

Greta reached down towards it, to it's hach.

 

But then she was awoken by a nurse knocking on her door.

 

"I'm sorry to interrupt your sleep but it's breakfast, and you have a visitor." She placed a bowl of oatmeal on the bedside.

 

"...Who's here to visit?"

 

"Oh, it's your brother, William Hayes, apparently he drove out here when one of your friends told him you were having some issues." The nurse said with a sweetness that felt like venom to Greta as she left the room.

 

left it so Billy would have no witnesses to kill her again.

 

That was it, this was a trap, this was his fault. This was Harm's fault.

 

The door opened, revealing a tall man, taller than what height Greta had last saw Harm as, he was wearing a grungy outfit, his hair up in a messy ponytail and he had bags under his eyes.

 

"Greta, how you feeling?" He approached the bed with a nonchalant stroll that hardly fitted what Greta knew he was here to do, he was here to kill her.

 

"Hey, I got you something-" he reached into his pocket, this was it, he was pulling out a weapon-

 

Greta, without even thinking practically flinged herself off the hospital bed and into a sucker punch to Billy's face.

 

"I'M NOT GOING WITHOUT A FIGHT!" She yelled as she did so.

 

She then started to fall as she had no balance due to her total lack of a plan but before she even was half way to the ground she felt her torso get firmly grabbed.

 

Looking up she saw Billy's not even angry, just pruly bewildered face staring back at her, his mouth hung agape as he was to stunned for words.

 

Looking down at the arm and hand that grabbed her she saw a get well soon card on the floor with Hello Kitty's innocent face staring at her too.

 

A nurse rushed in with a security guard whose hand hovered over their taser.

 

"What happened?" The nurse demanded, her gaze falling on Billy.

 

"I- I don't know! Greta leaped out of her bed and hit me, she was going to fall so I- I grabbed her- She's- Don't hurt her, it barely stung- I think she might have just not recognized me, must of thought I was an intruder." Billy at first was stammering but as he started trying to fill in a story, downplaying what had just happened his voice found it's footing into a assured, firm tone.

 

"...Put her down, and come stand by the guard." The nurse demanded.

 

Greta could see the rage in Billy's eyes, she had seen it many times when fighting him before, she could see in his eyes him look at the taser and the needles in the room, anything dangerous.

 

But then he gently released her, making sure she had footing and then walked over to the guard, a reserved anger borrowed clearly to Greta as he stood there, tense.

"Greta, is what Will-"

 

"Billy." Billy corrected, for Greta, she felt a shiver up her spine, like hearing the dead and forgotten speak their name for the first time in decades.

 

"Is what Billy is saying true? There isn't any wrong answer, no one is going to get hurt, okay?" The nurse asked in a careful tone.

 

If Greta said no then she could get them to take him far, far away from her but… They might think she was violent, might keep her here.

 

Even though it meant he'd stay… It meant she had a better chance at freedom.

 

"Yes, everything he said was true. I was confused again, I didn't recognize him with his hair up, normally he keeps it down." The answer was shaky coming out but she could see a slight nod from Billy, which honestly she didn't know how to take.

 

The nurse looked carefully between the two, displeased smile on their face "...I see, well Greta, if it happens again, please either call for a guard or use your alert button, okay?" The nurse seemed to be considering something as she backed toward the door.

 

"Okay, I will, I'm very sorry." Greta repiled.

 

"Okay, while we're be just outside if you need us." There was something about the nurse's tone Greta didn't like as the nurse and guard left.

 

She sat back on the bed and Billy slowly approached, pulling the guest chair to be in front of her.

 

"What the actual fuck was that, Greta?" He whispered with force.

 

"'Billy', have you ever met a man named Buzz? Made a deal with him?" She whispered in a deadly serious tone.

 

"I- what does that have to do- No? I haven't met or 'made a deal' with any men named Buzz, now can you explain why the hell you just hit me like a street fighter character? I lied, it hurt a lot." He replied.

 

"Does the name Harm mean anything to you?"

 

"...No? That's a name?" He whispered in utter confusion.

 

"..." Greta looked him up and down, while size wise he was intimidating as always he… Looked like a tried, late 20's man who would be working in a hot topic, not like the hardened killer she knew him as.

 

Still she could throw him further than she'd be willing to trust that this wasn't some sort of trap, she had to pick her answer carefully but… Well how to explain attacking someone?

 

"...." She had no idea.

 

"...Look I'm not mad, I just wanna know and make sure the doc's don't lock you up or something, I'm pretty sure normally if you attack someone that's the result." He whispered.

 

"...I thought you were here to kill me." She answered bluntly, not sure how else to answer.

 

"..." His face portrayed a serious horror across his face, like she had just stated something he had nightmares about, not something he had seriously considered doing.

 

"I- Greta I'm your brother - I'd never hurt you, I wanna protect you , you kno- This memory problem is- Holy shit- Don't tell anyone you think your loved ones wanna kill you." He whispered.

 

Greta looked at him with some confusion and hurt, she remembered these lies well, the lies that filled her childhood and haunted her, and here they were again.

 

"Why shouldn't I?" She asked, she was trying to feel this out.

 

"Again if they hear that, they're not going to let you come home. If there's a physical problem they'll find it weather or not you tell them, and if there isn't you're gonna want them to think it's okay to send you home- I don't care if you stay with your friends instead- I- I've just heard horror stories about this type of stuff." He spoke with… Well if she didn't know better it'd sound caring, he sounded afraid… For her.

 

Still no matter his motives he did have a point that if she wasn't careful she'd get locked up, while she wasn't totally sure about her physical state she… This is not how her snapping would present itself, she wasn't crazy, at least not this kind.

 

"...Okay, good point." She hesitantly replied.

 

"...Now can I ask why you thought I'd ki- hurt you?" It seemed like he couldn't bring himself to say kill, he was too weak to.

 

"If I answered you won't believe me, you'd just think it was a head problem talking." She replied.

 

"Look, I work at a wicca shop, I hear some outlandish shit, hit me."

 

"...Fine, in my life you killed me once already. I'm not meant to be here, this isn't my life ." She answered.

 

Billy looked once again like someone had punched him, his mouth agape again as he seemed to try to process what she had said.

 

"...Wait how are you alive if you died?" He asked, still clearly processing everything.

 

"Long story short: Darkseid thought for me life would be true suffering so brought me back from the dead."

 

"...Who"

 

"What do you mean who? He fights Superman- Billy, pray tell, um… Are there superheroes running around."

 

Something seemed to click in Billy's head.

 

"...Oh my gods my sister was insaki'd into a comic universe." He said, like he had just had the discovery of the century on his hands.

 

It was Greta's turn to be utterly bewildered and simply make the most puzzled face she possibly could at Billy.

 

"I- Have you ever watched something like Re: Zero? Uh- Basically what I was getting at is maybe uh… You and my sister switches bodies? Like she's now off having a superhero adventure to get home." Billy tried to explain, like anything he had said was reasonable.

 

"...I'm also just a normal university student, my 'hero' days are years behind me." She didn't remember Billy being a total nerd but… Eh given his makeup as Harm this wasn't too out there.

 

"...Okay while that's the only explanation I can see as to why you remember a totally different life with alternate versions of people you know in this life, so unless the doc's find a tumor or something it's a good base to work off until you find a better theory, yeah?" He said a little defensively, probably realizing how… Nonsensical he sounded.

 

Greta… Wanted to smack him again, because how dare he somehow be less condensing than her friends had been by being out of his damn mind? Like, what he suggesting would be insane in a world without heroes but… Well it felt more likely to her than a head injury. It wasn’t fair, Cissie should have been so careful to not get her locked up, Tim should have been getting quickly on her wave length.

 

Not fucking Billy 'Murdered her and didn't regret it' Hayes, he was a bad guy! He was always trying to hurt her! Why the actual fuck was he seated across from her, actually considering she wasn't crazy and needed to get home?

 

"...Fine, let's assume that's what is going on. If I can pass the rest of the physical tests can you get me out of here?" She asked.

 

"Yeah, I can do that, I'll probably have to lie but… Ehhh what's some lying compared to not dealing with the insaki issue?" He said it with a comradery that made Greta glare at him.

 

"...Right, your Billy's evil, I'll uh… Keep that in mind." He added.

 

At that point there was a knock on the door "It's time for more tests!"

 

The time went by faster with a escape planned, even if her whole body told her she would have to fight him to the death as soon as they were alone, she could handle that, she could do that-

 

All the physical tests came back clear, there nothing that wasn't already on record wrong with her. And whatever Billy had told them had worked, she was released that afternoon and found herself getting into a old beat up truck parked outside the front doors with Billy driving it.

Notes:

Okay so I realized that I can not set up some sort of automatic posting thing, so I have to upload these myself.

Also I will be editing stuff in chapter one, to give it a title and to make sure it's notes don't appear every chapter (say for the tw's)

Chapter 3: Reflections

Summary:

Greta reflects on her situation.

🎵Sometimes I give myself the creeps

Sometimes my mind plays tricks on me

It all keeps adding up

I think I'm cracking up

Am I just paranoid?

Am I just stoned?-🎵

 

Billy stopped his phone which had a playlist labeled 'driving mix' which was full of grudge, emo and rock music as Greta got in and he started to drive.

 

"Was it hard to get them to let me out?" She hesitantly asked, already double checking the door wasn't locked and she could open the window, she hadn't buckled in.

 

"Wel- Hey, I know you don't trust me but use your seatbelt, I'm not going anywhere if you're not going to keep yourself safe. If it's any comfort, hurting you right after taking you from the hospital would be one of the easiest crimes ever, to solve, hell your roommate Cissie knows I'm picking you up and is expecting you in an hour or two." He explained.

 

She had to relent and put the seat belt on, since the truck was old she was easily able to adjust how tight it was and kept it loose.

 

"Okay, great. Basically I told them you had been assaulted by someone who is my height and had long hair too, which is why you freaked out when you saw me, you're supposed to stay in my watch but I get if you'd rather recruit someone else." He explained.

 

It was technically true that she had been assaulted, killed , by someone who looked like him.

 

It was him, it was him, it was him, it was him, it was him.

 

"I- I haven't thought that far ahead, I haven't had a chance to think once since this started, I woke up and scared Cissie right away, could we pull over somewhere so I could think a little about what to do?" Greta asked, an exhausted tone in her voice.

 

She really hadn't gotten to think anything over until now, she had been thrown into the deep end of dotting friends and medical anxiety.

 

"Okay, that sounds like a plan to me." So they drove in silence for a few minutes before Billy parked them on a side street near some businesses.

 

"Is this good?" He asked.

 

"I guess."

 

He frowned a little "How about I get you something to drink from one of the shops and a snack and give you a few minutes alone?" 

 

"...I think that would really help me."

 

"Okay, I'll be back in a bit." He got out the truck and walked away.

 

Finally she had some breathing room.

 

It was hard to process it all, yesterday morning she woke up in a different world, in a dorm room with a different version of Cissie, at this point she had been cleared of a physical issue being the root of this and… Would she remember her life with such clarity, even for things outside herself like heros she had never met if she had just lost her mind in her sleep? No, no she won't .

 

So she was in a different world, close in some senses like knowing some of the members of Young Justice but lacking things like Superheroes or… Given Billy never had met a demon or killed her, there probably was no supernatural either. Without either though, how could she get home? She couldn't really rely on a civilian version of herself to know her friends were superheroes who could get her home.

 

And… Regardless of whatever 'Billy' was 'hoping' for, in all likelihood the other her was either gone or… Plainly never existed, given that this world was made just yesterday night, as some sort of trap for her.

 

Speaking of… How did that happen? The most likely suspects were, to her at least:

 

1, a enemy of Young Justice had used reality warping powers to hurt the team, and she was simply caught in the crossfire. Most likely either Bedlam, or Klarion The bum bum bum Witchboy, both of whom she had either seen or heard twist reality to degrees like this, but… Didn't really explain the people she vaguely knew that were around or Harm.

 

2, she had been taken by Darkseid and this was a alternative to the normal torture methods. Life was the true suffering after all, to him at least.

 

3, She had died in her sleep, maybe a gas leak and this was the afterlife.

 

4, the universe was being weird again, like what happened to Kon-

 

"FUCK-" she didn't mean to, but her hands slammed into the glovebox as it hit her.

 

It had taken the team years to find Kon, and they only did out of prue chance, if this wasn't something she couldn't slove on her own she was fucked . Kon had been a active member of the team, he had even been a Teen Titan! But no one noticed he was gone until years later.

 

Who would even notice a hole in their memory if the same had happened to her? Her father was dead, Harm was dead, her mother locked in a mental institution and… Her friends had moved on.

 

She felt some tears threaten to come out, for a scream of despair as she realized just how on her own she was.

 

But she refused, no, death hadn't broke her, this wouldn't either.

 

Okay, she was alone, what was new? She'd start simple, learn what she needed to so she could fly under the radar, then she'd check for any obvious signs she could get help, mainly by searching for signs of either aliens or supernatural that was hidden, weather or not that worked out she'd then look for signs of any of the reality warpers she knew of, after that… 

 

She wasn't sure, but it was somewhere to start.

 

It was only now she noticed she had opened the glovebox when she hit it, inside were some normal things like the truck's paperwork and a cd case that looked like it hadn't been opened in years, there was also… A picture, it had been taken when they had been teenagers, it looked like this world's Billy and Greta at some fair or something, she had to fight the urge to rip it to shreds and toss them onto the sidewalk outside.

 

Instead she slammed the glovebox shut, with a loud clatter of contents she hadn't looked at before seeing the picture.

 

It was still beyond frustrating on a spiritual level that so far the person in this universe who had been the most helpful (so far, she hoped that would change soon) had been Billy, she really needed to talk to… Well Tim had sorta been a bust, damn his medically savvy heart!

 

Cassie? She was the leader, she'd believe Greta and get… wait no she won't, really the only person who she was sure would help her was….

 

Oh no , that- He couldn't even be here! He was obviously a alien, this world won't have Slobo, it won't be fair for it to, it had done nothing to be worthy of having someone like Slobo in it, he was someone brave, a world of weak normal people didn't deserve him-

 

The driver door opened, it was Billy, who had a bag from a convince store.

 

"I hope I didn't come back too soon, here rife through the bag and take what you want, I grabbed a few things you normally like to be safe." He put the bag in the middle console.

 

Greta started to look though the bag, it was full of mostly strawberry and dark chocolate flavored things.

 

"No, I guess you didn't. I have a bit of a plan now, step one is to be able to assure everyone that I am mentally okay, can you brief me on some of the important stuff while I eat?" She picked out a few chocolate bars and a strawberry flavored soda.

 

"Oh yeah sure. We're adopted siblings, I showed up when you were around 5, you were kinda the golden child to dad but… Eh, honestly I'm pretty biased against him, but you had a good relationship with him-" Greta grimaced a bit, that was probably a sign that this Billy was bad too, just lacked the same optiontunties Harm had.

 

"-either way, he's… Well I think he's doing okay but I'm no contact with him, mom ended up… Well I know something happened after I had been kicked out but only dad knows what exactly and I haven't heard what put her in a mental institution." He grabbed a bottle of rootbeer and took a sip, he seemed… Sad.

 

"Anyways, you headed off to university for a writing degree, you wanna write romance stories and stuff like that, meanwhile I've been working at a wicca shop in a city pretty close to here." 

 

Greta nodded as she was stuffing her face with some chocolate.

 

"You and your friends are… Sorta known to get up to stuff, like I guess pranks or whatnot but I don't get told much by you normally, you just share stuff like how classes have been treating you."

 

Greta thought for a moment, she wasn't sure how she'd like the answer but-

 

"Who are my friends, exactly?"

 

"Oh well, there's Cissie, she's your roommate and basically extended family since her family relationship is also pretty complicated, then there's Tim, richboy, 'smart' boy, boy you've been crushing on for years, even though he's been dating people as long as you've known him-" Greta shot Billy a glare that made him go a little pale.

 

"-Moving on there's Conner, I guess he's like the popular one? I know his twin better, then Cassie, she's like I dunno, bossy? Honestly for some of these guys you don't tell me much, I do know a little more about Bart though, you two are like partners in crime for pranks, he seems pretty nice as far as friends go; then there's Anita, according to you she's 'basically perfect' but you said it in a sad tone so I'm not sure what that meant, anyways I'm- Darn who am I forgetting?"

 

Greta felt rather… She wasn't sure, she didn't like this other her spoke poorly of her friends to Billy of all people, even if… Some of it was stuff she thought too.

 

"...Oh yeah, some guy called Ray, all I know about him is he exists and I guess hangs out with you guys? And some dude?-" Billy sounded very unsure about the dude bit "-Called Slobo-"

 

Greta grabbed Billy's shoulders suddenly and intensely, fingernails digged into his demumum jacket and a rather… Well her emotions were a cross between relief, guilt, and the most anger she had felt since she killed Billy. 

 

He tried to flinch away but her gripe was a lot stronger than he had expected so he more jerked his head back and hit the truck roof, letting out a small grunt of pain.

 

"Slobo's here?!" It wasn't a question, it was… She wasn't sure- She should be happy he's alive but…

 

How could some version of herself, who was happy and safe and had everything Greta wanted so badly also get to have him? She didn't need him, she did! She needed him then and now and…

 

Billy was looking at her with some fear as he tried to remove her hands from his shoulders, and some concern as Greta fought some tears.

 

"...Greta? I-" His voice came out a little weak, Greta couldn't help but snicker a little, maybe the world was playing a horrible trick on her but at least she got to hear Harm's fear again-

 

"Let go." After a second he easily forced her hands off of himself and shoved them to be back in front of her, seemed like he figured out how physically strong she was.

 

"And, yeah Slobo is here, why's that matter?" Billy sounded a little irritated, he definitely heard her snicker at him.

 

"I…" Greta stared down at her hands for a moment, they looked just like they did before, she hadn't even bruised herself… 

 

She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding, her arms fell onto her lap, her eyes moved to the back window beside them, she couldn't find it to look at Billy at the moment, she didn't want to see if she hurt someone who wasn't Harm, she didn't want to see she couldn't hurt Billy.

 

"...He was a dear friend to me, when everyone turned their backs on me he didn't, he changed into a fight with what is basically the space devil, twice to protect me and… Well he didn’t survive the second time. I… No one else in my life had been willing to do something like that for me before, nor since." Even though she knew now Darkseid won't have killed her, it still… Meant so much to her that he had done that, when no one else would try to save her he tried…

 

And then no one other than her and Anita mourned, he was going to die anyways, so what did it matter?

 

Life was the true suffering.

 

Billy's expression soften, not that Greta saw it, she could feel though that he had shifted to be leaning on the driver door and out of the corner of her eye she could see him cross his arms.

 

"I… I'm really sorry no one else had cared that much, and you lost the one who did. I- I can't imagine how you're feeling right now." She heard him roll down his window a crack.

 

"...It's hard, I… I don't think I can face him, I'm… I'm why he died." She heard Billy light some sort of smoke, it smelled like tabco.

 

"I'm guessing it's no help this isn't the one you knew? I mean, he's pretty visibly blind I don't know if that means he'd look like a super hero."

 

Greta's eyes finally darted back to Billy in a glare, he was absent-mindedly staring out the front window and smoking, slight jitter in his hands that didn't fit how laid back he was trying to present himself.

 

"What's that supposed to mean? He was disabled and he was our best, no one had the bravery he did." She said in a harsh tone, while no one had ever said it, Greta had never defeated the feeling that her friends looked down on Slobo once he had became disabled, that it was why he wasn't mourned the same way other young non-legacy heroes were like Red Devil or hell there was more grief for Cissie becoming a civilian.

 

Billy turned to look at her and it was clear on his face he had realized he said something pretty stupid.

 

"Nonono that's not- Fuck's sake- No , I just haven't exactly seen a lot of comic books staring a guy with a seeing cane and seeing eye-dog, I'm not saying that it's- Ugh, look I don't know what is and isn't shared between universes, and you haven't really shared anything other than other me is a monster, I'm doing my best, all I'm hoping for in return is a little patience… And don't grab me again, only my - this universe's Greta gets to touch me at random, okay?"

 

She grimaced at him calling this world's Greta his, he probably hurt her in simply less visible ways than hers had either way…

 

As much as she hated it, he was her only ally at the moment, and… Neither were too outrageous of asks.

 

Still she huffed a little at him.

 

"Right… I- Anyways, my Slobo was blind too, but didn't use a cane or dog, not that it helps I… You just saw how I reacted to finding out he's here, I can't let myself react like that to some poor innocent Slobo." She… It'd hurt to much, she'd say things that'd be dangerous in this situation, where the world could easily be fake. Was fake.

 

"...Right, okay well we might need to get creative to allow for avoiding him, he hangs out with most of your friends and I'm gonna take a wild guess and say that your plan isn't going to include my sister suddenly dropping her friends, yeah? It'd be sorta hard to explain." He sounded a little exasperated but not at her, probably more just the situation.

 

"...Okay yeah, that's… A big issue but, I really don't think I can hold it together in front of him, I can with the others, I do it all the time but… My experience with Slobo ends when we were about fourteen, I… I never have had to bite my tongue like a grown-up around him."

 

Billy gave her a rather horrified expression, a bit of ash fell on his leg and snapped him out of it as he rushed to brush it off.

 

"Okay one, who the fuck told you grown-ups have to bite their tongues? Fuck that and two holy fuck that's- You guys were so fucking young- I- You- Oh my gods I'm sorry about the shit you saw at that age." 

 

Greta… Well she felt her hands ball into fists, she… Why the fuck did he have to point that out? She knew these words decently well, Bonnie would say them as she reflected on the past.

 

"...You just saw why, I'm… I'm not all that gentle if I don't." She bluntly answered his question, ignoring the rest; for now.

 

His eyes darted to the side for a moment before looking at her again.

 

"...We don't have time to unpack that, and I'm not the person to help with that. Back to what I help with, should I explain the rest of who you know?"

 

"...Right, yes, continue."

 

"So yeah, there's Slobo, badass punk blind guy, he's got albinism like you so you'll probably not bump into him much outside, not that you should be out without at least being careful, I don't know how many times I could get the doctors to believe me when I tell them you're not gonna get someone hurt, including yourself so… Yeah, lets avoid any pointless trips there. Um, who else…?" He thought for moment.

 

"Well, I mean they're not your friends friends, but they do hang out with your friends, and I'm sorta friends with them since we all thought it'd be funny since we're all brothers of members of the same friend group. There's Matt, he's Conner's brother- Greta why are you looking at me like that?" 

 

"...I have no clue who Conner is."

 

They both sat in silence for a moment before Billy pulled out his phone, typed something and then showed Greta a Instagram belonging to Conner Kent, the picture that was up was of Kon and a dog who looked like Krpto at a farm.

 

"...Ohhhh, I- Kon equals Conner-"

 

"I mean yeah Con would-"

 

"Nonono K on."

 

"That's what I said, C on-"

 

"No, with a K."

 

"...That's a weird name, but I guess no weirder than Kyle but with like a C and a U."

 

"...He's a alien, that's his- Oh my god how did I forget his human cover name?" She face plamed.

 

"Okay, see this sort of thing is why I asked about Slobo's appearance and if it mattered. Anyways, I'm vaguely friends with Conner's twin Matt, he's… Sorta a goodie two shoes, and a bit of a buzzkill but sometimes that's sorta needed, he also has albinism and unlike Slobo doesn't dye his hair so you should be able to spot him easily."

 

Greta wasn't really sure who this Matt guy could be, she… Was about ninety percent sure Kon didn't have a twin, not one she knew about at least.

 

"And then the other is Thad Allen, he's-"

 

"Bart's murderer?!" Greta may not have been there, as a hero but… When Bart died she had been there as his friend, she'd never forget the name of the person who killed him, and it was pretty easy to leap from Thad Thwane, a clone of Bart to some so called "twin".

 

"What do you mean Thaddeus Thawne is Bart's brother? He's- He's a monster !" He probably was planning to hurt Bart- No, not just hurt, no kill Bart, if this wasn't some locust eating mechanism then maybe-

 

"Whoa, okay what is up with all the murderous brothers in your universe? Thad isn't like that here, he's just Bart's introvert twin, he like-" Billy thought for a moment "-He makes youtube guide videos about old Pokémon games, he's basically harmless, not even a pacifist, just harmless . You could probably take him easily."  Billy said in his best attempt at a reassuring voice.

 

Greta crossed her arms, frowning.

 

"...Right. is that everyone?"

 

Billy strugged "Well that's everyone that comes up multiple times and is the friendgroup you hang out with, I'll go over the rest in a minute but I think we might wanna get driving so Cissie doesn't start worrying about you."

 

Greta nodded and they both got back properly in their seats.

Notes:

Oh my goodness sorry about the late posting, my alarm to do this failed! Anyways I hope you enjoy the chapter.

I also reliezed that my alarm qas set for Saturday so.... Yeah, the fic will be updated Saturdays.

Chapter 4: Family Reunion

Summary:

Something feels like it's be gone for a long... Long time.

🎵Wake up at 11:30, feelin' like a bag of shit (Oh no!)

All my clothes are dirty, so I'm smelling like a bag of shit

Go to pour my coffee, and I miss my cup

OMG, that is just my luck

Look in the mirror, say, "What's up, you useless fuck?"🎵

 

Cissie had left her phone playing music while they waited, yesterday Greta… They weren't really sure what happened to her, they were pretty sure that if she hit her head or fell off the bed that night they would have woke up due to the noise but… They really doubted it was something like a psychological episode, Greta was…

 

Well Cissie had seen some of her 'episodes', they didn't look like this, she won't forget things she was in Cissie's opinion much like a elephant, she didn't forget.

 

Cissie shifted to lay on her side, she should be doing something while waiting, she should get up and do homework or clean the room, but… All she could find herself doing was staring over at Greta's bed.

 

It had only been a day, a day full of seeing other friends and living their life but… There was something deep in their gut tied into knots, like they were awaiting seeing a friend they hadn't seen in years.

 

But Greta had been there just the other day.

 

🎵Tell me, are you feeling like shit? (Oh, yeah)

Ladies (Yeah?) Do you feel like shit?

Tell me, do you feel like shit? (Oh, yeah)

Fellas (Huh?) Are you feeling like shit?

Tell me, are you feelin' like shit? (Oh, yeah)🎵

 

"Freed- Three months free trial if you agree- if you sign up now-" 

 

🎵I'm standing, observing, cruising

Star-bright crystals are forming

We both know what we've got to do

Head back to where the magic grew

Come on, let's go

Back to Moscow

Irresolution doesn't suit you-🎵

 

A text alert interrupted the song just as it got going, they grabbed it. It was from Billy.

 

"Hey, me and Greta are at campus now, I'm going to be walking her to your guys dorm building, might take a little she wants to go the scenic route, see if it helps her remember stuff clearer." The text read.

 

Cissie let out a sigh, he always had a talent for taking up Greta's time when he was around, it was… A little annoying, they did get along with him decently but… Sometimes it just felt like he wanted Greta to himself.

 

But hey, honestly it was just as likely that they were maybe a little clingy to her friends, it was a trait that most of their friends had, so… That might've been something they shared.

 

Either way, Greta would be home soon, Cissie finally got out of bed and surveyed the room.

 

The room was just like always, perhaps a little messy, with things like a laundry pile or Greta's makeup littering the dresser but nothing stood out as needing attention, much to Cissie's frustration.

 

She shouldn't feel so much pressure should they? This- Sure what happened to Greta was odd but she had only been gone like- a day.

 

But looking at the empty bed across the room from them, it felt… A lot longer.

 

They pulled up some social media apps to distract themselves, scrolling and barely reading what was in front of them;

 

Conner H's worko- Stepth saw a cr- Cass pretended to be b- Slobo got someone to shoot him with his pro- A comedian singer on tou- Is Bruce Wayne- school mental health awar- 

 

This went on for a few minutes, it didn't remotely remove the way her insides were twisted up.

 

*knock knock knock*

 

"I'm back!" Greta proudly proclaimed from behind the door.

 

Cissie's gut finally settled as they leaped down from their bed and opened the door.

 

There was Greta, she looked… Okay actually she looked like she had seen the dead and then fought them, there was a look in her eyes despite her attempt at a polite smile that was somewhat unnerving.

 

Billy, who was behind her didn't look much better, they were pretty sure they had only seen that look on his face when someone had pulled a fire alarm at the movie theater while everyone had been watching something.

 

What the fuck happened to them?

 

She obviously didn't hide her concern or confusion well, as suddenly like someone flipped a switch Greta went in for a hug with totally different body language meanwhile Cissie could see Billy trying to act cool by leaning on the back wall but misjudged how close it was so nearly fell over.

 

"I'm happy to see you, I'm going to be okay." Greta said into Cissie's shoulder, meanwhile Cissie's gaze kept looking at Billy as he fidgeted and avoided eye contact.

 

"I'm happy to see you too Greta, come in let's get you comfortable-" They moved their head up to be directly looking at Billy "-And thanks Billy, for bringing Greta back in one piece, you can get going." Their voice was maybe a little harsh but… Greta didn't seem to be doing well mentally, was hiding it and Billy was clearly hiding something too, at best he was helping her hide how bad her medical situation was and at worst… Someone might need to hold them down from attacking him.

 

"Yeah, no problem. Let me know if she comes under the weather again, later." Billy got off the wall and walked off.

 

Greta freed Cissie from the hug and closed the door behind her and flopped down where she seemed to think a bed was only to land on a office chair to her poorly hidden surprise.

 

"Sooo um, did I miss anything while I was gone?" Greta asked.

 

"Not really, everyone has been worried and took sick days and that's about it. What happened with you? You looked a little rough, did you get bad news or…?"

 

"Oh…" Greta looked a little embarrassed but touched that everyone had done that, and then awkwardly strugged as the topic of what happened at the hospital came up. "Oh no, I'm going to be fine like I said, I just… The hospital reminded me of mom."

 

Oh… That- Cissie knew that Greta's mom was in a ward, they didn't know why, Greta never shared but she did share that both her and Billy had been close with their mother and sometimes still visited her, that… Was a reasonable explanation for the oddness with them.

 

But some small part of Cissie couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, but they wouldn't voice it.

 

"Oh, I'm sorry that must have been rough. Though I'm glad to hear the doctors said you'd be okay, any idea what happened that made you forget so much?"

 

Greta shifted in her seat, her back not meeting the back of the chair despite the lever to bring it forward her hand dangled near. "Oh, they basically said that I might have some sort of mental illness, but that there are good medicines for all of the likely suspects, I'm going to have to talk to some doctor and try some meds but I should be perfectly okay."

 

Cissie was rather stunned for a moment, that was pretty major in their opinion, especially to be brought up so… Reassuringly? Like Cissie had so many questions that felt… Like they didn't fit how Greta felt about the situation.

 

"I- You seem to be taking that news well." Was what they managed to get out.

 

"I mean, most of my family has been on medication for stuff, this isn't… I dunno, it's not too surprising, just the symptoms I had were." Greta explained, not hesitating once.

 

…

 

These were answers Greta had practiced, weren't they? Greta was… Not normally the icon of taking things, especially things that could change her life well. And Cissie honestly appreciated that about her, they never were wondering what Greta was thinking-

 

But… Right now they were, things were probably a lot messier behind the scenes, for now Cissie had to assume the condition was…

Bad. 

 

Still, they won't press for now. That probably won't help, they'd just do their best to help her out and keep an eye on her.

 

"Huh, I guess that could make it a easier pill to shallow. Uh, how are you feeling right now?"

 

"Hm, I guess I feel a little tried, but considering everything I think I'm doing well, I'm just gonna take it easy for now. Mind if I go lay down? And um, remind me to email my teachers." Greta got up and went over to her ladder.

 

Cissie threw her phone over to her "Here, so you can catch up more with the others up there."

 

Greta caught it, smile at them and then climbed up into bed "Thanks, I haven't- Oh my god I haven't even seen my phone since this started, I probably have a lot to catch up on it but… I would love to hear more about what was going on with you. I…" Greta took a deep breath "I missed you, Cissie."

 

"I missed you too."

Notes:

Okay so I once again had a failure on the part of my alarm for posting, I am going to look into that & fix it

Anyways I hope y'all enjoyed the first of many pov switches, fear not though Greta will remain our main pov.

Chapter 5: Prisoners Dilemma

Summary:

In a Prisoners Dilemma two people are given two options:
- work together
- work alone

And there are three outcomes
- both working together, making them trapped for a lil bit together.
- one decides to work alone, allowing them freedom at the cost of the other.
- both work alone, & are trapped alone for longer than if they were together.

🎵Oh please don't ask me how I've been

Don't make me play pretend

Oh no, oh what's the use

Oh please, I bet everybody here is fake happy too

 

And if I go out tonight, dress up my fears

You think I look alright with these mascara tears?

See I'm gonna draw up my lipstick wider than my mouth

And if the lights are low they'll never see me frown-🎵

 

Her ear buds cut out and stopped the music as she was thinking to herself, she had just grabbed them out of a drawer of wires and electronics, must have been were even the shotty ones were kept.

 

Greta had had to spend most of the day reassuring people, for now she only was using texts for anyone that wasn't Cissie. Tim had texted, so had Cassie, Conner had sent some sort of meme get well soon thing, Anita had offered to talk to Greta's classmates to get notes, Slobo left some voice message that Greta didn't dare listen to, only replying with a sparkling heart, speaking of Bart had simply sent a heart to her.

 

But now that she was done that, she could focus on figuring out the truth of what was happening. The most likely explanation to her at least was this was a fake world, grasshopper eater mechanical device as Cissie would say, made by an enemy of Young Justice to either trap them or feed off them somehow.

 

And the most likely suspects for that would be either Klarion The bum bum bum Witchboy or Bedlam.

 

Both had some issues though:

 

When Klarion had charged the ages of so many he had required some help power-wise and… Well bluntly depending on how expensive this world was it'd require a lot more power than what Klarion had been seen to have.

 

Bedlam had been able to make his own world, when he was at full power but… He wasn't anymore, when he returned according to Bart he had to resort to using Bart as a battery and agent to actually make some other world. 

 

So to figure out who it was she needed to answer a few things:

 

• Was the world big? Inculding in very unexpected or unnecessary ways?
• Were all Speedsters accounted for and acting right?
• Were natural gifts working? In all the other worlds that had been made in the past some things stayed unchangeable, Kon was a clone, lil Lobo was an alien regardless of Klarion's magic and thusly so was Slobo, if this was simply the world changed those should be the same, even if it didn't appear so.

 

If none of these seemed to answer things then for now she could cross them off and start looking into other things, after all even if it turned out it was one of them it'd be on a level the team hadn't seen before. 

 

Now… She wondered as she found herself staring out the 'window' of the park at the picturesque campus, alit by a beautiful full moon: How to start?

 

Well the easiest thing would be checking in with Bart, she knew him pretty well, she'd be able to tell if something was wrong with him and then… Maybe she could recruit him to check in on his family? She'd need to cover it with something like just reflecting on how lucky she was someone noticed she wasn't well and it'd be good to make sure family isn't acting odd but… She wasn't too sure Bart would follow through with that, still it'd be a start and she didn't really know the other speedsters.

 

As for exploring the limits of the world… Well Billy had offered to drive her anywhere if she needed it, said he'd stay around town until his sister was back, but… She couldn't stand the idea of being stuck in a car with him that long, she'd be expecting him to kill her as soon as he was able to drive somewhere easy to dump the body.

 

So that left her a little stuck, given her medical emergency the other day her license was in some question until she could pass a driving test, and she didn't want to rely on an anonymous system that might be helping the puppet master…

 

So who would be down for an unplanned weekend road trip? She'd be able to explore a lot more of the world that way.

 

The answer was very obviously Bart again, that sounded just like him. Deciding it'd be better to talk to him in person she texted him.

 

Greta:  Hey, would you like to hang out after class tomorrow?"

 

Bart 💖: Yeah, sure. My place or somewhere else?

 

Greta: Your place would be fine, can I get a ride there though? My legs are still tired from when I walked over the other day.

 

Bart wrote something, sent it, deleted it faster than she could read it and then sent.

 

Bart 💖: I'm so sorry but I can't, I could get Tim or Kon to give you a ride.

 

Greta: Oh that'd be fine, thanks. Tho mind if I ask why you can't?

 

Bart 💖: Classes kinda just line up weird, if I did then I'd have to grab you before actually getting back from classes and that'd kinda break my flow, yknow?

 

Greta: Oh, I see. Well I'm fine with either of them doing it.

 

Bart 💖: Awesome. See u tomorrow ❤

 

With that sorted out Greta was able to go to bed and get some rest.

 

…

 

🎵Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather

Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather-🎵

 

She woke up. Spent the early half of the day awaiting when she would be able to talk to Bart in person and avoiding Slobo's voice messages via emoji hilogyph.

 

And then it was time, it was Conner who picked her up, he made small talk, asking how she was doing after everything and arriving at the house before any deeper conversation could start.

 

She had been left to find his room on her own, while everyone was still worried about her, she had maybe assured them too much she remembered things now. But after a little stumbling around the maze like hallways of the upstairs, door after door covered in empty hints to what her friends really were, greek myths reimaged as markable icons on Cassie's door, a star on Kon's room and for what? He wasn't Superboy; she… She ignored the very basic door, the one with video game posters and skateboarder posters on it.

 

Finally she arrived in front of a door plastered in comic posters and keep out signs and knocked.

 

"Bart, it's me! It's Greta!"

 

"Oh-! Come on in!" She could hear him shift a rolling desk chair and leap onto what sounded like a bean bag chair as she opened the door.

 

The room was messy, like… Messier than Greta was used to seeing Bart's living space, while it almost always semi disorderly there was a logic to it and Bart could find the stuff he needed to but… This didn't look like that, there were clothes covering… Things, she wasn't sure what, a neat pile of school work on a desk covered in other projects and long term school work messily laid about, not to mention the state of Bart's comics, normally they were the only thing close to 'neat' but right now it seemed like someone had to rushed to put them away, missing a few on random surfaces.

 

Bart himself was looking up at her from a bean bag chair that sat beside his bed, across from another of the same shade of blue, he had a big grin like he always did when they got to visit recently.

 

It was nice, even though it was clear this Bart wasn't quite the same, he still had the big heart, that was what mattered. 

 

Well that and if he had been enslaved by a kid with a chip on his shoulder again.

 

Greta went over, closing the door behind her and attempted to sit politely down on the other bean bag chair- But before she could she was more pushed into the pile of clothes behind it by Bart's tackle hug.

 

"It's sooo good to see you Greta!" Bart exclaimed into her shoulder.

 

"It's good to see you too, Bart. I- I must have really worried you, yeah?"

 

Bart pulled away from her and gave her one of his impossible, vaitent stares for a moment before speaking again "...Yeah, I- I don't like the idea you, or any of the others could suddenly forget so much, it's… Yeah a little scary. How are you feeling anyways? Any problems with your brother or anything?"

 

Greta got herself properly up and in the bean bag chair, Bart following suit.

 

"I'm doing pretty okay, and Billy was fine, just a… A little more protective than I was expecting, but… I donno, yeah, I'm doing well. My memories are recovering well." She politely smiled at him.

 

Bart smiled too "Oh… Good, I'm glad you're doing so good." 

 

Greta smiled more, unsure the exact right thing to say, it took her a moment to settle on;

 

"So… How have you been? I haven't really- Well I don't really know what you've been up to lately."

 

Bart rolled his head back as he thought for a moment, deciding what to tell her.

 

"Honesty, stuff has been pretty boring lately, I've mostly just been doing homework and hanging out, ya know?" 

 

Greta nodded, this was actually perfect, she could probably convince him to spend the weekend on a "roadtrip" aka a chance to explore how expensive the world was, look for flaws or errors to cross off the world being totally fake.

 

"You know, I think I know just the cure for that. The doctors told me it'd be good to relax and have fun… So I was sorta thinking of going on some sort of small mini road trip over the weekend, simultane my senses but… Well I can't drive right now, and I thought it might be fun to do with someone, I'm not ready for a big friend hangout but… Yeah, would that be something you'd be interested in?"

 

Bart made a face Greta couldn't name the meaning of, her best guesses ranged from pity to guilt to being annoyed.

 

"I- I'm really really sorry Greta but I can't, I- I have stuff planned with Max I can't put off- I'm really sorry, I'm sure one of the others would be up for for it. I mean, Cissie comes to mind, she's like- basically your family yeah? Oh! Ororor Tim, he's got nothing going on." Bart sounded defensive, like he was expecting for Greta to… She wasn't sure what he was expecting. Though admittedly she did want to yell at him that Max could-

 

"Oh? Is Max feeling okay?" Maybe he was being used like Bart had before, maybe he was trying to get Bart's help-

 

"Oh! He's… He's okay, I just- I don't wanna bail on him, ya know? Since I've been in school I haven't seen him as much so I can't really dip on him." Bart's tone was hastesity, which she supposed was befitting.

 

Either way… This was a bust. 

 

She spent a few awkward hours trying to hide her disappointment and anger, she did poke a little about the other speedsters but given how little she knew about them her questions were vague, who she was asking about left as mad-libs that Bart failed to clear up with his vague answers.

 

She eventually left, she had gone back to the parking garage. It felt like the only homey place, the cold uncaring stone, the outsider view of the brightly lit campus full of shiny happy people, from up here they looked so small, like the dolls, puppets they probably were.

 

She felt a little defeated, there was still a lot of things to check but… She really had expected better from Bart, he was… Well he had only rarely treated her differently than others, it… Hurt to be brushed aside, even if this wasn't her Bart.

 

And it left her with the issue of how she would take a look at the world outside of the small town she found herself in, it's cheerful, perfect appearance made her feel uneasy to look closely at it, she needed grime or a world barrier or something like that.

 

But who could take her? She could try walking, but she didn't know how long it'd take and she was never that active, she could use a taxi or something but the idea of being stuck in a car with a strange r made Billy sound like a sane option, she could drive but with the world around her questioning her mental state and license on temporary hold… She didn't need to invite chances for the world to 'reasonably' lock her up, stop her from escaping.

 

So that left asking the others, she didn't know if she could handle another personal rejection but… Some of the others would be poor choices, namely Tim, he… Was a mix of too pitying right now and too likely to freak out when he realized what was going on, especially if he assumed she had replaced human Greta like Billy assumed.

 

But… She was a little worried she might scream at someone if her need was set aside again. There was 'Billy' who would drop whatever the fuck it was he was doing but she didn't trust him, still couldn’t get the image of him driving her into the woods only to kill her and leave her there to rot out of her head.

 

So on impulse, to avoid that or being pushed aside again she typed within the friend group chat.

 

Greta: Hey, I wanna go on a mini roadtrip on the weekend to unwind, I'm not ready to all hang out but it'd be nice to have 1 to 2 people around. Tyty 😶‍🌫️

 

Slobo sent a voice message.

Notes:

Once again my clock reminder failed me, so I am going to look into fixing it, sorry y'all.

Chapter 6: Memories Of Someone Special

Summary:

An intermission, a memory only belonging to Billy

🎵She lives in a fairy tale

Somewhere too far for us to find

Forgotten the taste and smell

Of a world that she's left behind

It's all about the exposure the lens I told her

The angles are all wrong now

She's ripping wings off of butterflies-🎵

 

His hand slammed into his phone as he clumsily tried to turn the music off Greta had sent that to him a few years ago, his Greta… Who was gone, without warning and with no clear way to get her back.

Billy had gotten himself a motel room, it costed him most of his savings but given the extreme nature of the situation the money didn't matter, when he got Greta back he could see if someone like that Drake kid could replace it, or maybe he'd forget by then.

It had technically only been what? Two- three days? It felt much much longer to him, it'd be one thing if it had been a stroke like what he had guessed before arriving at the hospital but… Nope, it was…. Someone very much like his sister but… Much more traumatized, more… Well he felt like he just ran across himself when he was younger, rougher and more prone to lashing out.

It was sort of… Well unnerving on several counts, seeing so much… Hate, in her at him… Yeah this felt like a nightmare.

But because of that he found himself surrounded in books from the library, one or two he simply had when he had rushed to the hospital and his phone, with several pdf's opened. He had always had an interest in the supernatural, magic and while what he had learned over the years wasn't flashy, it did give him a little confidence that he might at least find something close to what had happened.

So far though he hadn't found much, there was of course folk lore about fae and people disappearing there but that didn't fit, there was a more modern idea of transferring one's mind to a different world but… The amount of teenagers doing it online for views made Billy doubt its relevancy. 

If it weren’t for not owning the books himself he might have ripped them up in his frustration.

Right now, he laid on the bed staring up at the roof, trying to rack his brain for something to do to save Greta but no matter how much he mentally dug all he found was a powerlessness that he had always had. 

Despite his big talk, despite his promises to his sister over the years he couldn't… he couldn't…

He mind drifted around for a while, moments of promises he was failing to keep right now, tainted happy memories, memories of her brushing off his interest in the weird-

Sometime, at some point, maybe.

"I dunno Billy, why isn't just being a normal person enough? Not everyone has to be something great, I mean, I'm just me, you're just you." She said absently.

"I mean that assumes that being special isn't apart of us already, just left undiscovered. You've told me before people like Cassie or Slobo are special, do you think they'd had known that when they were younger, hadn't experienced as much yet?" He replied, nudging her a little as they walked down the alley that the old theater's exit led into.

"...Hm, well I feel like if I or you were all that special we'd find out by now, but no, we haven't. I'm just me… And that's fine." She said in a… Well unemotional voice, Billy had guessed at the time she wasn't as okay with that as she was saying, she was like him, she wanted more .

"Maybe, maybe not. But, you gotta say trying to be 'special' is more likely to actually discover something than just… Well I don't wanna judge how you live."

Greta looked at him, clearly saying that was basically the same as saying 'no offense' before an insult "Go on."

"...Okay, fine-" he let out a reluctant sigh "-sometimes it feels like you live like you think you're a supporting character for your friends. I feel like you could stand to do more stuff for yourself, be more confident." He explained.

Greta was quiet for a little bit, staring at the ground, alit by the full moon and lamps in the alley.

"...Maybe, still I'm pretty happy right now. I have my friends, and a normal life, there's a lot of people who would kill . Die . For the chance to have what I do, I don't want to make myself unhappy, trying to be more than I am. I mean, not to judge how you live but I feel like you spend too much time chasing after things that don't exist, adventure without real danger, power like a fairy tale's witch. I want to see you happy, content with what you have, stuff's been harder for you, but… You have a pretty good life now, better than it ever was before." She had a quiet intensity to her voice, Billy assumed that she was losing a little patience for the topic.

He sighed and looked up at the sky as the pair kept walking, putting his arms behind his head "Och sis, a taste of my own medicine? I guess I deserve that, either way what makes you think I can't be happy chasing something, even if it doesn't really exist?"

"What makes you think I can't be happy being a 'side character' to my friends?" As she said that the pair stepped out into the main street, most of the buildings were closed down for the night with the few still awake leaking light out onto the streets.

"..." Billy looked back down on her, she was looking at him as well, at the time he was a little frustrated, he wished he could make her understand she and he were meant to be special, that she was wasting herself with nothingness but… Now, with the memories flashing in, merging with the idea of what Greta as a wider idea was, of a bitter, hurt, Greta lashing out.

He wished now he had said "I think you might be right, you're better off normal." Or "Know what? I'm just happy you're happy."

But he hadn't, and he couldn't go back and say that, no memories and time went on what he actually said was simply:

"...Hm, right. Do you wanna do get some snacks from the convince store and get heading back to campus?"

And all she said was simply "Oh yeah sure, that sounds nice, Billy."

And that was the last evening he saw her in person before now, before getting a call that she had something wrong with her head (just like mom) and that he should come check in with her since he was her closest living relative, and found someone who wasn't his Greta. His sister.

Somepoint in time, called now.

He was holding up above him, in front of the lightning that shined at thr head of the bed like a spot light, making it back-lit, a picture of himself and more importantly Greta, they had taken it a few years ago, when she headed off to get her degree.

He didn't remember grabbing that, he couldn't remember right now where he had even been keeping it. 

He turned over and carefully put it down, it was unnerving, to be so aware of how unaware he could be, still it was… Easier, nicer than the hyper awareness that being with others brought on.

It was rather late, too late, to be reasonably awake, he'd pick up the hunt for an answer again in the morning, as he drifted to a restless sleep he just had to hope that his sister was safe, wherever she was.

 

Notes:

I fixed my reminder for posting this! So it should be happening on sundays now.

Anyways hope you all enjoyed the break in the action.

Chapter 7: The Morning Of The Unending Day

Summary:

Greta gets picked up for her weakend get away

"Me and Anita were already thinkin' of going for a drive Saturday, we'd be totally up to make it longer and have you with-"

 

Click

 

"Me and Anita were already thinkin' of going for a drive Saturday, we'd be totally up to make it longer and have you with-"

 

Click

 

"Me and Anita were already thinkin' of going for a drive Saturday, we'd be totally up to make it longer and have you with-"

 

Click

 

"Me and Anita were already thinkin' of going for a drive Saturday, we'd be totally up to make it longer and have you with-"

 

A bird, maybe a crow flew by the railing of the parking garage, finally breaking Greta from the trace she had entered.

 

It sounded like him, his voice a little deeper, like he had actually gotten to finish puberty sounded much more… Happy, maybe confident, maybe both?

 

It was Slobo…

 

It wasn't her Slobo.

 

He thought she was his Greta.

 

Click-

 

🎵-Hearts are breaking, wars are raging on

And I have taken my glasses off

You got me nervous

I'm right at the end of my rope

A half-empty girl

Don't make me laugh, I'll-🎵

 

"Greta, no offense but can you turn off your alarm? I'm trying to watch something." Cissie requested from across the room.

 

Greta grabbed her phone and turned off the alarm, noticing a text alert at the top from Anita.

 

Anita 👑: We'll see you at 12:30am, okay? And pick up some food on the road 🍖

 

She soon enough found herself waiting on the curbside with a backpack and a sports drink Cissie had given to her. It wasn’t a long wait until a car pulled up to her, blasting some music.

 

🎵-But what's inside you? But what's inside you?

I know this whole damn city thinks it needs you

But not as much as I do, as much as I do, yeah

 

'Cause you're the last of a dying breed

Write our names in the wet concrete

I wonder if your therapist knows

Everything about me-🎵

 

It was a old thing, it looked pretty beat up on the outside with dents and paint scraped off, but things like the tires and exhaust looked well cared for. 

 

In the driver's seat was Anita, she looked as well put together as ever and smiled warmly at Greta, she was pretty sure Anita had never done that before, at least not after her father's death, no after it became clear what Secret was.

 

Beside her in shotgun was what looked like Slobo, sort of: he was human, appeared so at least, his eye markings translated to extremely messy eyeliner, his skin simply lacking melatonin like her own and hair dye turned what otherwise would have been pale natural hair jet black, it looked like Anita had helped him styling his hair, it sort of reminded Greta of when Slobo had tried locs for a party Kon was trowing.

 

In the back there was space for her to sit and put her bags, along with a bulldog in a harness she could see a tag on it's collar that said in big letters "Bowie".

 

Anita hit the pause button on the cd player "Hey, good to see you. Feel free to hop in the back, you can throw your backpack in the back if you want."

 

Slobo turned to Anita's voice and towards the driver window, if he could see Greta would say he was looking right at her. His eyes were a dark brown, with light almost yellow highlights, a far cry from the bright yellow or pure black Greta held within her memory.

 

"Hey! It's been a bit, good to see ya."

 

Greta felt like she might burst into tears right that moment, so rushed into the back seat since it gave her a brief moment to allow her face to show her real emotions, her grief and anger.

 

She was barely stopping the tears from coming out. What could some weak, normal version of her, who hadn't suffered done to deserve getting to keep Slobo?

 

"...I- It's good to see you too, Slobo." She manged to get out, doing her best to not sound too weepy "...And thanks guys, for doing this for me."

 

Anita let out a small laugh "Of course, besides we were already thinking of doing something like this, so it was a no brainer. Given what happened this week some fun would do you some good, girl." 

 

Slobo nodded "Yeah, besides there isn't much going on here, just same old, same old."

 

"...Yeah, that… Sounds nice."

 

With that thr group hit the road, stopping at a Macdonalds that looked right out of the 2000's with its bright red and happy yellow, after that the car hit the main highway out of town. 

 

Greta couldn't help but notice the names were… Really plain, only numbered with no street names, it was eerie to her but she couldn't focus on that with Slobo blasting and singing along to rock and punk music with brief breaks for the group to make small talk, all thought was drowned out by music.

 

Greta also noticed something, more the lack of something… No sign, no bunessiess, no address that Anita double checked as they made their way out of town had a name for the town, anything that should of had it's name either skipped it, such as the post office or used something garnaric such as when Slobo used voice controls to ask Anita's map app where a bathroom was, both his question and the answer used simply 'town' to refer to the place.

 

Soon the car drove by a sign that simply read "Goodbye… For Now!" And a alarmingly small population count under it's big farewell message.

 

"I probably should have asked this a few days ago when I agreed, but um… Where are we going?" Greta asked.

 

Anita and Slobo both tried and failed to hold in a brief laugh before Slobo leaned back and tried his head vaguely towards the back "We're heading to the lake, juet past the city. 'Drake's got a cabin there, remember?"

 

Anita glaced over at Slobo with a slightly puzzled look for a moment "Slobo, sweetie, you know that she was dealing with some memory loss, yeah?" She lightly reminded.

 

Slobo didn't react for a moment, just kept facing where he mist have figured Greta was for a moment before finally actually reacting to what Anita said with a brief and light face plam.

 

"Oh yeah, my bad. Anyways yeah, 'Drake has a cabin on some lake."

 

"Which we all went to a few summers ago." Anita added.

 

"Oh? That sounds vaguely firmiler, but I can't really remember the details right now." Greta said, she couldn't help but stare at Slobo, it felt so odd to be able to see the young man he would have grown up to be if he had the chance… Sorta, the human aspects honestly made her feel a little sick, it felt uncanny.

 

"Oh, well it was right after Tim and Septh broke up, so she didn't come with us, we also got pranked by… Oh what do they call themselves? The brother squad? Anyways I could tell you more if you'd like." Anita went on, Slobo shifted so he was facing the front window, a little tilted towards Anita.

 

Greta cringed at the mention of the 'brothers', more like murderers, she couldn't think of any nice interaction between them and Young Justice.

 

"Oh? That does sound interesting, and familiar. Please tell me more."

And Anita did, it had been a summer right out of a movie, a oddly child friendly movie since despite the set up for hookups none had recordly happened, honestly if it weren’t for having to pretend to be a Greta who had been there she'd probably have fallen asleep listening despite Anita's story telling skills.

Still it was something to listen to as she watched the world pass by out the window, it was a picturesque forest, with a mountain close to the 'town' that stroke Greta as one she had seen before even if she couldn't place it. 

Regardless of the outside world, it was uncanny now that she was surrounded by what was meant to be natural, it reminded her of those video games with forest levels more than a real forest.

Oddly though, this uncanniness, how clearly fake the world around her was gave her a sense of comfort. She likely had power to save herself, she didn't need to wait for anyone, there wasn't some other her, who had Slobo, and a kind brother and friends who stayed…

…

"Oh, here's one you'll like. You liked paramore yeah?" Slobo unplugged his earbuds.

 

🎵Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather

Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather

 

Rose-colored boy

I hear you making all that noise

About the world you want to see

And oh, I'm so annoyed

'Cause I just killed off what was left of the optimist in me-🎵

 

Notes:

FINALLY SLOBO APPEARS! FINALLY ANITA APPEARS!

We are also fast approaching the mid way point of act 1 and to the two for one chapters where I'll be posting two on the same day. I will need to do alot to make sure that the formatting will be right and is saved when I post it here as I've had problems with that, also gonan need to write more fic lol

Chapter 8: Secrets do Harm

Summary:

Cissie starts to try to get the bottom of things.

🎵On Cracker Island it will die (forever cult)

Join the collective in the sky (forever cult)

And on a shining bolt of light (forever cult)

Go up to paradise (what world is this?)

Where the truth is auto-tuned (I purged my soul)

And it's sadness I consume (I drank to riot)

Into my formats every day (I drank to riot)

In the end I had to pay (forever cult)

In the end I'll have to pay (forever cult)

In the end I'll be-🎵

 

She firmly knocked on the door, causing the muffled music from inside to shut off and be replaced by the sounds of someone rushing around and ripping a blanket off something and throwing it onto something else. 

 

Then finally the door opened.

 

"Oh- Uh- Cissie how the fuck did you know what motel I was at? Let alone my room?" Billy said with some concern as he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

 

"A little birdie told me, they're pretty good at keeping-" Billy shoot her a earnestly afraid look, she might have been suspicious of him but… "It was Thad, I don't know how he knew, but he's your buddy so I thought he might know where you were staying." They explained.

 

Billy considered that for a moment, then he nodded. "Okay, I guess that explains that, but no offense why the hell are you here? I didn't change my number or anything."

 

"I wanna know how Greta is actually doing, for the last few nights, since she suggested to the others a 'road trip' she's been crying herself to sleep, she doesn't think I'm awake, that I can hear her when this has happened but… I do, and I'm worried and I know you two are sharing a secret about her health, so what is it? I- I need to know how my friend is doing, if… If it's as bad as I think she's gonna need her friends too, one man alone doesn't a support system make." They leaned next to the door, forcing him to move if he still wanted to see them and if he wanted to retreat to the room they were closer to the door handle than he was.

 

Billy did turn to keep his eyes on her and put a hand over one of his pockets, most likely where the room key card was. He did really seem to consider his next words carefully.

 

"...You are right that stuff is little… More intense than either of us have let on, and I want to assure you that me and Greta are working on it, but if Greta doesn't want me to tell you, I'm not going to. It's her Secret not mine." Billy looked down at her as he explained, putting his free hand up in front of him.

 

"..." Cissie didn't want to be 'nosy' or whatnot but, they were literally the first line of defense for noticing on the outside if something was wrong with Greta, if it was something like the serious medical conditions that kept crossing their mind not knowing could put Greta in danger.

 

"Okay, I get wanting to respect her privacy but like- If something goes medically wrong with her nine out of ten times I'm going to be present for it, might be the only person around. I can't keep her safe if I don't know what's wrong."

Billy made a very weird face at them, they couldn't decide if he looked guilty or almost amused.

 

"...That's not going to be a problem, don't worry." He said in a odd tone, matching his odd expression.

 

"I- What does that even mean? I- Billy, I am literally sometimes the only person who sees her for a few days, I don't know how it won't be a problem for me to not know why she's literally crying herself to sleep." They said more firmly.

 

Billy's face finally left the valley of impossible to read emotions and went into guilt.

 

"I- I really wish I could explain, but I think doing so is probably one of the things I could do to upset her more than anything." His hand went to rub the back of his neck.

 

Cissie crossed their arms, they didn't want to do something to hurt Greta but this felt pretty extreme, it honestly felt like to them she hadn't even recovered the amount of memories she said she had.

 

"Why did you stop me from seeing the inside of your room?" They bluntly asked, getting answers required a more

mutli step plan.

 

"Huh- I- I just like my privacy, okay?" He said, sounding a little taken off guard by the topic switch.

 

"I heard you covering something with a blanket." They bluntly repiled.

 

"...I really like my privacy." He carefully answered.

 

…

 

Okay, they probably would hate themselves for this in a few days but this was all fishy as hell.

 

"Fine, whatever. Just take care of Greta." They turned away and walked away from him. She heard him mumble something before going back into his room.

 

They walked past the other rooms, they could see a few people preparing to leave the rooms they rented. Perfect, the cleaner would probably be by soon. 

 

They walked away from the cheap but clean motel and into its parking lot, to their scooter and leaned against it as they pulled out their phone and pulled up their contacts.

 

Cissie: Hey, Thad can you do a favor for me.

 

Thad: Only if you do one for me.

 

Cissie: What do you want?

 

Thad: I was going to ask the same 😐

 

Cissie: I need you to get Billy out of his motel room for a few hours, it's to help Greta.

 

Thad: Okay, weird, you're not planning to break into his room are you? Either way I just wanted you check on Bart, he's been avoiding me and I'm worried.

 

Cissie: Is it that obvious? And yeah, I can do that.

 

Thad: You asked me just this morning where he was, and also everyone has been acting a little extreme after Greta's pushdo stroke. Anyways, I'll do it, okay?

 

Cissie: Thank you so much, I'll be sure to watch out for Bart.

 

While they waited they moved themselves and their scooter to a less visible spot, just in time too as while they parked it they noticed Billy getting into his beat up truck.

 

And soon enough they saw the cleaning person enter a room, using this chance they got up to the sidewalk in front of the series of doors, casually walking by the cart and nabbing a extra key card. 

 

If Billy was staying at a more expensive place Cissie would be worried about being caught by a person or camera but this place was known to be cheap, probably the cheapest that wasn't either something like a home bnb or under the table so she didn't worry.

 

They arrived in front of his door and flashed the card in front of the lock, hearing it click as it unlocked, and opened the door.

 

*rip*

 

Getting in they found a pretty messy room, it looked like he hadn’t brothered to clean out the trash can full of microwave food nor the recycling pull of bottles of energy drinks and diet sodas. 

 

Also littering the room was books of occultism, Cissie peaking at a few of the covers noticed the common theme of other worlds, Astral projection…

 

There was no way he had brought all of these when Greta was in the hospital, and they had the town's library sicker on it. He recently decided to read these. They were laid about his bed, which missed it's blanket, laid on the ground next to it.

 

These were what he was hiding… These probably had to do with Greta, that's why he was in town, it was a shared secret.

What the actual fuck did this have to do with Greta having something fucking with her memories?

 

…

 

Oh fuck no, Billy wasn't convinced it was 'supernatural' was he?

 

…

 

Oh goodness he might've convinced Greta by accident or on purpose it was some weird magic thing. 

 

Normally Cissie didn't really care Billy was into magic stuff, sometimes it was neat like his rock collection or the incsece Greta got from him but… Greta had experienced a serious medical situation, it felt… Wrong, like giving someone scented oils for sicknesses.

 

Greta needed support, not to be convinced she was possessed or whatever Billy had assumed, to ease his own panic or whatever motive he had.

 

She did look in drawers for anything else, anything suspicious or maybe hopefully… Normal was the best word for it.

 

But there was nothing, all Cissie could assume was that Billy had jumped to the supernatural as a answer and given Greta's current state it had scared the shot out of her and she believed it.

 

Either way, at this point staying in his room wasn't helping, so they fled.

Notes:

I don't really have comments today other than reminding y'all that you can find me (& ask questions about this fic or my yj hc's) over on tubmlr wither at
Kitty-does-stuff, which is my main blog or

Greta-hayes, which is my yj blog where I have been posting links to this fic & post my dc thoughts

Chapter 9: Slobo's Roadtrip Playlist (Friend Rec's)

Summary:

Greta goes on a short roadtrip and listens to Slobo's playlist

Notes:

this chapter is optional, it covers the rest of Greta, Anita and Slobo's drive to the cabin. While there are a few moments the characters talk the majority of the chapter is the lyrics of songs being played by Slobo. You will miss a few details, some songs that reflect the fic that don't show up later and a bit of context but future chapters make sense without reading.

Here is a link to a real version of the playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7gdmBFSYV67BrQmhBnGKji?si=FlAxFtsPSaaYXSXG9Qhd9A&utm_source=copy-link

🎵-Hearts are breaking, wars are raging on

And I have taken my glasses off

You got me nervous

I'm right at the end of my rope

A half-empty girl

Don't make me laugh, I'll choke

 

Just let me cry a little bit longer

I ain't gon' smile if I don't want to

Hey man, we all can't be like you

I wish we were all rose-colored too

My rose-colored boy

 

Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather

 

And I want you to stop insisting that I'm not a lost cause

'Cause I've been through a lot

Really all I've got is just to stay pissed off

If it's alright by you

 

But hearts are breaking, and wars are raging on

And I have taken my glasses off

You got me nervous

When you're turning it into a joke

A half-empty girl

Don't make me laugh, I'll...

 

Just let me cry a little bit longer

I ain't gon' smile if I don't want to

Hey, man, we all can't be like you

I wish we were all rose-colored too

My rose-colored boy

 

Leave me here a little bit longer

I think I wanna stay in the car

I don't want anybody seeing me cry now

You say "We gotta look on the bright side"

I say "Well maybe if you wanna go blind"

You say my eyes are getting too dark now

But boy, you ain't ever seen my mind

 

Just let me cry a little bit longer

I ain't gon' smile if I don't want to

Hey, man, we all can't be like you

I wish we were all rose-colored too

My rose-colored boy

Just let me cry a little bit longer

I ain't gon' smile if I don't want to

I know we all can't be like you

I wish we were all rose-colored too

My rose-colored boy

 

Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather

Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather.🎵

 

"By the way, most of this playlist is stuff you guys have sent to me over the years, only a bit is stuff I found on my own, feel free da guess who sent it if you want."

 

🎵Look out, they're closing in on you now

Wake up, or you'll wake up six feet down

Nobody's got your back in this town

Knock 'em in the teeth now

Out here there's no negotiation

No room to start a conversation

Before you get a taste it's taken

Never let ya guard down

 

Get back, put your hands up

Kinda messed up, but it's tough luck

And I'm sorry, but I don't feel bad for you

Cause I know if, you could switch this

You'd be dishin' out the same shit, sayin' sorry, but I don't feel bad

 

Now I know

There's no one I can trust

I used to think there was

Tell me that I'm cutthroat (hey)

I think you got your eyes closed

Feel the fear

And swallow back the tears

Let weakness disappear

There's nobody but me here (hey)

The killer in the mirror

 

Killer in the, killer in the, killer in the mirror

Killer in the, killer in the, killer in the mirror

 

Where did, all of the good people go?

They hide, behind the bars on windows

In hopes, they can forget we're close

Tryna get some of what they've got

Cause I, used to believe in justice

A place, where there was better judgment

But now, I'm feeling so disgusted

By the have its and the have nots

 

Get back, put your hands up

Kinda messed up, but it's tough luck

And I'm sorry, but I don't feel bad for you

Cause I know if, you could switch this

You'd be dishin' out the same shit, sayin' sorry, but I don't feel bad

 

Now I know

There's no one I can trust

I used to think there was

Tell me that I'm cutthroat (hey)

I think you got your eyes closed

Feel the fear

And swallow back the tears

Let weakness disappear

There's nobody but me here (hey)

The killer in the mirror

 

Killer in the, killer in the, killer in the mirror

Killer in the, killer in the, killer in the mirror

 

Knock 'em in the teeth now

Never let ya guard down

Get some of what they've got

Have its and the have nots

Knock 'em in the teeth now

Never let ya guard down

When they step in your house

Knock, knock, knock, knock 'em all the fuck out!

 

Now I know

There's no one I can trust

I used to think there was

Tell me that I'm cutthroat (hey)

I think you got your eyes closed

Feel the fear

And swallow back the tears

Let weakness disappear

There's nobody but me here (hey)

The killer in the mirror

 

Killer in the, killer in the, killer in the mirror

(Killer in the mirror yeah)

Killer in the, killer in the, killer in the mirror

(Killer oh yeah)

 

Feel the fear

And swallow back the tears

Let weakness disappear

There's nobody but me here (hey)

The killer in the mirror

 

Killer in the, killer in the, killer in the mirror

Killer in the, killer in the, killer in the mirror🎵

 

 

*Sniffle*

 

🎵We passed upon the stairs

We spoke of was and when

Although I wasn't there

He said I was his friend

Which came as a surprise

I spoke into his eyes

I thought you died alone

A long long time ago

 

Oh no, not me

We never lost control

You're face to face

With the man who sold the world

 

I laughed and shook his hand

And made my way back home

I searched for foreign land

For years and years I roamed

I gazed a gazely stare

We walked a million hills

I must have died alone

A long, long time ago

 

Who knows? Not me

I never lost control

You're face to face

With the man who sold the world

 

Who knows? Not me

We never lost control

You're face to face

With the man who sold the world🎵

 

🎵When Rome's in ruins

We are the lions

Free of the coliseums

In poisoned places

We are anti-venom

We're the beginning of the end

 

Tonight

The foxes hunt the hounds

It's all over now

Before it has begun

And we've already won

 

We are wild

We are like young volcanoes

We are wild

Americana exotica

Do you wanna feel a little beautiful baby? Yeah

 

Come on make it easy

Say I never mattered

Run it up the flagpole

We will teach you

How to make

Boys next door

Out of assholes

 

Tonight

The foxes hunt the hounds

It's all over now

Before it has begun

And we've already won

 

We are wild

We are like young volcanoes

We are wild

Americana exotica

Do you wanna feel a little beautiful baby? Yeah

 

We are wild

We are like young volcanoes

We are wild

Americana exotica

Do you wanna feel a little beautiful baby? Yeah🎵

 

🎵Juno was mad

He knew he'd been had

So he shot at the sun with a gun

Shot at the sun with a gun

Shot at his wily one only friend

 

In the gallows or the ghetto

In the town or the meadow

In the billows even over the sun

Every end of the time is another begun

 

You understand

Mechanical hands

Are the ruler of everything (ah)

Ruler of everything (ah)

I'm the ruler of everything

In the end

 

Do you like how I dance?

I've got zirconium pants!

Consequential enough

To slip you into a trance

 

Do you like how I walk?

Do you like how I talk?

Do you like how my face

Disintegrates into chalk?

 

I have a wonderful wife

I have a powerful job

She criticizes me for being egocentric (ha ha ha)

 

You practice your mannerisms

Into the wall

If this mirror were clearer

I'd be standing so tall

 

I saw you slobber over clovers on the side of the hill

I was observing the birds

Circle in for the kill

 

I've been you

I know you

Your facade is a scam

 

You know you're making me cry

This is the way that I am

 

I've been living a lie

A metamorphical scheme

Detective undercover brotherhood

Objective: obscene

 

Oh no, no

Oh yeah

 

Do you hear the flibbity jibbity jibber jabber

With an oh my god I've got to get out of here or I'll have another

Word to sell

Another story to tell

Another time piece ringing the bell

Do you hear the clock stop when you reach the end

No

You know it must be never ending

Comprehend if you can

But when you try to pretend to understand

You resemble a fool

Although you're only a man

So give it up and

Smile

 

You understand

Mechanical hands

Are the ruler of everything (ah)

Ruler of everything (ah)

I'm the ruler of everything

In the end

 

Without looking down

Gliding around

Like a bumbling dragon I fly

Scraping my face on the sky

 

Oh no, no

Oh yeah🎵

 

🎵 Now I know

That I can't make you stay

But where's your heart?

But where's your heart?

But where's your

 

And I know

There's nothing I can say

To change that part

To change that part

To change

 

So many

Bright lights, they cast a shadow

But can I speak?

Well is it hard understanding

I'm incomplete

A life that's so demanding

I get so weak

A love that's so demanding

I can't speak

 

I am not afraid to keep on living

I am not afraid to walk this world alone

Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven

Nothing you can say can stop me going home

 

Can you see

My eyes are shining bright

'Cause I'm out here

On the other side

Of a jet black hotel mirror

And I'm so weak

Is it hard understanding

I'm incomplete

A love that's so demanding

I get weak

 

I am not afraid to keep on living

I am not afraid to walk this world alone

Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven

Nothing you can say can stop me going home

 

I am not afraid to keep on living

I am not afraid to walk this world alone

Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven

Nothing you can say can stop me going home

 

These bright lights have always blinded me

These bright lights have always blinded me

I say

 

I see you lying next to me

With words I thought I'd never speak

Awake and unafraid

Asleep or dead

 

(How can I see, I see you lying) 'Cause I see you lying next to me

(How can I see, I see you lying) With words I thought I'd never speak

(How can I see, I see you lying) Awake and unafraid

(How can I see, I see you lying) Asleep or dead

 

'Cause I see you lying next to me

With words I thought I'd never speak

Awake and unafraid

Asleep or dead

 

'Cause I see you lying next to me

With words I thought I'd never speak

Awake and unafraid

Asleep or dead

 

I am not afraid to keep on living

I am not afraid to walk this world alone

(Or dead)

Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven

Nothing you can say can stop me going home

(Or dead)

I am not afraid to keep on living

I am not afraid to walk this world alone

(Or dead)

Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven

Nothing you can say can stop me going home

(Or dead)

I am not afraid to keep on living

I am not afraid to walk this world alone

(Or dead)

Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven

Nothing you can say can stop me going home 🎵

 

'You're free trial is nearly up, remember to check you entered your details correctly for continued add-free listening-'

 

"Hey, this the last gas situation for a couple of miles, anyone need it? I'm gonna go for a rest stop and to grab a drink myself."

 

"Nah, I don't wanna stumble around in there. If I gotta go I'll just go in a bush."

 

"...I'm good. Thank you Anita."

 

*Door Slam*

 

…

 

…

 

…

 

*Wsooh*

 

"I'm back, I got myself some soda."

*Door Slam*

 

"Slobo, sweetie you didn't need to stop the music. Go ahead and hit it again:

 

🎵 My friends, my lovers and everyone I cared for are dead

They said

You'll die soon enough anyway

Shut up I can't

Mainly because I never could and how could I start now

I drink water perhaps contaminated

By the split of the

Atomblens then a war couple thousand feet

Away from me

And others of my kind

 

My mind

Is on its own tonight

My blood it shakes and through my veins and travels to my head

They said

You'll die soon enough anyway

Shut up I can't

Mainly because I never could and how could I start now

Honey I'm down

Not that i need you

Look at me now

You've made a believer

Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up

Some more

Why would I be

Standing still

When you've got blood that I need to spill

ooooooh yeeaaahh

I'm looking for a thrill

I'm in for the kill

I aint a killer not by my own design

Vengeance is my business

Business is doing fine

 

One and a half drinks making my mind think there's a return

But I'm loving it out here

Overseeing their dreams burn

My blood it shakes and through veins and travels to my head

 

They said

You'll die soon enough anyway

Shut up I can't

Mainly because I never could and how could I start now

Honney I'm down

Not that i need you

Look at me now

You've made a believer

Turn it up, turn it up, turn it up

Some more

Why would I be

Standing still

When you've got blood that I need to spill

ooooooh yeeaaahh

I'm looking for a thrill

I'm in for the kill🎵

 

🎵I was, I was, I was, I was

Gonna say something that would solve all our problems

But then I got drunk and I forgot what I was talking about

I forgot what I was talking about

Don't you, don't you, don't you know

There's nothing more cruel than to be loved by everybody

There's nothing more cruel than to be loved by everybody but you

Than to be loved by everybody but you, but you

 

If I can get my shit together, I'm gonna run away and never see

Any of you again, never see any of you again

 

I hope the roof flies off and we get blown out into space

I always make such expensive mistakes

I know it's just a number, but you're the 8th wonder

I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa

When they make a darker color

Whoa, whoa

I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color

 

Woke up on the wrong side of p-p-paradise

And when I say I'm sorry I'm late

I wasn't showing up at all

I really mean I didn't plan on showing up at all

Don't you, don't you, don't you know

I hate all my friends, I miss the days when I pretended

I hate all my friends, I miss the days when I pretended with you

I miss the days when I pretended with you, with you

 

If I can get my shit together, I'm gonna run away and never see

Any of you again, never see any of you again

 

I hope the roof flies off and we get blown out into space

I always make such expensive mistakes

I know it's just a number, but you're the 8th wonder

I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa

When they make a darker color

Whoa, whoa

I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color

Whoa, whoa, whoa

When they make a darker color

Whoa, whoa

I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color

 

If we hadn't done this thing

I think I'd be a medicine man

So I could get high on our own

Supply whenever I can

And I became such a strange shape

Such a strange shape from trying to fit in

I became such a strange shape

Such a strange shape

 

I hope the roof flies off and we get blown out into space

I always make such expensive mistakes

I know it's just a number but you're the 8th wonder

I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color

 

Whoa, whoa, whoa

When they make a darker color

Whoa, whoa

I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color

Whoa, whoa, whoa

I'll stop wearing black, I'll stop wearing black

Whoa, whoa, whoa

I'll stop wearing black when they make a darker color🎵

 

🎵She's the only girl I see

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

A boy like me

A boy like me

A boy like me

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

 

She makes my heart beat a little faster

Her life is perfect, mine's a disaster

She wouldn't call me even if I asked her

That's why I wrote this song on a black telecaster

 

She's the kinda girl that you can never please

She don't even really wanna talk to me

She's the kinda girl that you can never please

She don't even really wanna talk to me

 

She's the only girl I see

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

A boy like me

A boy like me

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

 

She watches movies on her big screen

She got a beamer when she was 16

Man I'm a loser and she's the prom queen

Yeah she only hangs out with the kids in the cool scene

 

I don't wanna live another day like this

In a world where she don't even know that I exist

No I don't wanna live another day like this

In a world where she don't even know that I exist

 

She's the only girl I see

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

She so has society

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

A boy like me 

 

She's the only girl I see

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

She so has society

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

A boy like me

 

She's the only girl I see

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

She so has society

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

A boy like me

 

She's the only girl I see

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

She so has society

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

A boy like me 

 

She's the only girl I see

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

She so has society

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

A boy like me

 

She's the only girl I see

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

She so has society

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

A boy like me

She makes my heart beat a little faster

Her life is perfect, mine's a disaster

 

She's the only girl I see

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

She so has society

She don't wanna be with a boy like me

Like me

A boy like me

A boy like me

A boy like me.🎵

 

🎵Tell me the truth

Does he make you

Sweat

Shiver like I do?

And I don't mean to be so cruel

But

I want to make you do

Bad things that he can't teach you

Same places he can't reach to

Tell me the truth does he make you

 

Your body

Is calling

I wanna answer you

You dare me to dare you

Who's gonna make a move

We can play this dirty game

While he's away

Ain't that why you came

You whisper

In my ears soft and low

What he don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

What he don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

 

Don't know (won't hurt him)

 

Those devil eyes set me on fire

Got me burning up inside

Simple touch just enough

To tell you like it rough

You say you want to leave him

Secrets always stay sweet and

 

On the tip of your tongue

Like a loaded gun

 

Your body

Is calling

I wanna answer you

You dare me to dare you

Who's gonna make a move

We can play this dirty game

While he's away

Ain't that why you came

You whisper

In my ears soft and low

What he don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

 

What he don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

 

We crossed the line so many times

Tonight

There's no getting you back

Into that black dress

 

Your body

Is calling

I wanna answer you

You dare me to dare you

Who's gonna make a move

We can play this dirty game

While he's away

Ain't that why you came

You whisper

In my ears soft and low

What he don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

What he don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him)

Don't know (won't hurt him) 🎵

🎵I've been watching him for my entire life

I hate the air he breathes, his foolish decrees, his words so Contrived

And I hate the way the townspeople gather outside

They hang on every breath, cling to his chest, home to his Heart Full of pride

The oracle told him to beware the ides

And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't wishing for untimely death or Demise

Or am I just wishing I could be like you?

That the people would see me too as a poet

And not just the muse

 

Oh it's not true, I don't wish harm upon you

From birth we've been like brothers, of different mothers, Within the spirit of the same womb

May the gods strike me down if I forsake you

Frater meus

You're beautifully made and to you I'm forever grateful

I'll never forget that you showed me to make art

And I know the love you showed me came from a pure and Noble Heart

I love you and if you want I'll call you king

But why do I lie awake each night thinking

Instead of you, it should be me?

 

Something wicked this way comes

And as I set to face it I'm unsure should I embrace it, should I Run?

What motivates me - hatred or is it love?

What's more wrong - that I too wish to be great or my mother Wished she'd had a son?

And even if I can't be the one, maybe I could at least help Make Way for him until the day that he comes

Maybe my name could also be known -

That I helped return good to the people

And restored greatness to Rome

 

Brutus, brutus, brutus, brutus

Brutus, brutus, brutus, brutus

Brutus, brutus, brutus, brutus

Brutus, brutus, brutus, brutus

 

My name is Brutus and my name means heavy

So with a heavy heart I'll guide this dagger into the heart of my Enemy

My whole life you were a teacher and friend to me

Please know my actions are not motivated only by envy

I too have a destiny

This death will be art

The people will speak of this day from near and afar

This event will be history

And I'll be great too

I don't want what you have

I wanna be you

 

I always knew I could be the one

Though I feel the endless pain of being and I am scorched by

The sun

Of humble origins and born of the cursed sex

My name is Brutus but the people will call me Rex🎵

 

🎵 Do I look like religion?

Do you think you could preach me?

Do I look like a pagan?

Do you think you can teach me?

Do I look like a migrant?

Do you think you could move me?

And did I look like I'm violent?

Then baby, why don't you shoot me?

 

And if I died in the middle of a frozen night

Would you feel alright? Would you be alright?

If I died in the middle of your paradise

Would you change your mind?

Would you bring me back to life?

Bring me back to life

Bring me back to life

 

Do I look like a monkey?

Do you think you can cage me?

Do I look like an actress?

Do you think you could rape me?

And do I look like I'm energy?

Do you think you can waste me?

And if you don't like my poetry?

Then baby, why don't you butcher me? (Cut cut!)

 

And if I died in the middle of a frozen night

Would you be alright? Would you feel alright?

If I died in the middle of your paradise

Would you change your mind?

Would you bring me back to life?

Bring me back to life

Bring me back to life

Bring me back to life

 

(Preach me, teach me)

(Move me, shoot me)

( Cage me , rape me)

(Waste me, butcher me)

 

If I died in the middle of a frozen night (Preach me)

If I died in the middle of your paradise (Teach me)

If I died in the middle of a frozen night (Take me)

If I died in the middle, if I died in the middle (Don't hurt me)

Would you cry?

Bring me back to life 🎵

 

🎵 Right about now

As I'm screaming at the top of my lungs

Spits barely hanging on to my tongue

The hopeless efforts sure have stung

 

Run fast, or you'll get kicked apart

The stampede is off to a good start

When I see them running

I'm nowhere near a zoo

Don't I know when animals start rushing

Maybe I should too?

 

I am a little afraid

Of those that are coming to our aid

It's gonna get real critical

Real quick

 

Oh son, you better get the money and run

You better start thinking straight

Before you get knocked by

 

Fate or the masses

With heads up their asses

They're getting their stones out and sharpening knives

But you feel so alert that nothing escapes you

It's a plus that you don't belong

 

I am a little afraid

Of those that are coming to our aid

It's gonna get real critical

Real quick

 

I am a little afraid

Of those that are coming to our aid

A little too late 🎵

 

🎵I'm bleeding out

So if the last thing that I do

Is bring you down

I'll bleed out for you

So I bare my skin

And I count my sins

And I close my eyes

And I take it in

I'm bleeding out

I'm bleeding out for you, for you

 

When the day has come

That I've lost my way around

And the seasons stop and hide beneath the ground

When the sky turns gray

And everything is screaming

I will reach inside

Just to find my heart is beating

 

Oh, you tell me to hold on

Oh, you tell me to hold on

But innocence is gone

And what was right is wrong

 

'Cause I'm bleeding out

So if the last thing that I do

Is to bring you down

I'll bleed out for you

So I bare my skin

And I count my sins

And I close my eyes

And I take it in

And I'm bleeding out

I'm bleeding out for you (for you)

 

When the hour is nigh

And hopelessness is sinking in

And the wolves all cry

To fill the night with hollering

When your eyes are red

And emptiness is all you know

With the darkness fed

I will be your scarecrow

 

You tell me to hold on

Oh you tell me to hold on

But innocence is gone

And what was right is wrong

 

'Cause I'm bleeding out

So if the last thing that I do

Is to bring you down

I'll bleed out for you

So I bare my skin

And I count my sins

And I close my eyes

And I take it in

And I'm bleeding out

I'm bleeding out for you, for you

 

I'm bleeding out for you (for you)

I'm bleeding out for you (for you)

I'm bleeding out for you (for you)

I'm bleeding out for you

 

'Cause I'm bleeding out

So if the last thing that I do

Is to bring you down

I'll bleed out for you

So I bare my skin

And I count my sins

And I close my eyes

And I take it in

And I'm bleeding out

I'm bleeding out for you, for you🎵

 

🎵Stuck in the jet wash

Bad trip I couldn't get off

And maybe I bit off more than I could chew

And overhead of the aqua blue

Fall to your knees, bring on the rapture

Blessed be the boys time can't capture

On film or between the sheets

I always fall from your window

To the pitch black streets

And with the black banners raised as the crooked smiles fade

Former heroes who quit too late

Who just wanna fill up the trophy case again

 

And in the end

I'd do it all again

I think you're my best friends

Don't you know that the kids aren't al-, kids aren't alright

I'll be yours

When it rains it pours

Stay thirsty like before

Don't you know that the kids aren't al-, kids aren't alright

 

I'm not passive but aggressive

Take note, it's not impressive

Empty your sadness like you're dumping your purse

On my bedroom floor

We put your curse in reverse

And it's our time now if you want it to be

Maul the world like the carnival bears set free

And your love is anemic and I can't believe

That you couldn't see it coming for me

And I still feel that rush in my veins

It twists my head just a bit to think

All those people in those old photographs I've seen are dead

 

And in the end

I'd do it all again

I think you're my best friend

Don't you know that the kids aren't al-, kids aren't alright

I'll be yours

When it rains it pours

Stay thirsty like before

Don't you know that the kids aren't al-, kids aren't alright

 

Oh, and sometimes I just wanna sit around and gaze at my shoes, yeah

And let your dirty sadness fill me up just like a balloon

 

And in the end

I'll do it all again

I think you're my best friend

Don't you know that the kids aren't al-, kids aren't alright

And I'll be yours

When it rains it pours

Stay thirsty like before

Don't you know that the kids aren't al-, kids aren't alright🎵

 

🎵I've been feeling lightheaded since I lost enough weight to fit back in my skin

Flower petals and feathers tether me to the ground (pound for pound)

Take my tea with formaldehyde for my feminine side since the day that I died

While I whittle my bones until I'm brittle, am I pretty now?

For some reason I find myself lost in what you think of me

And too confused to choose who I should be

And now you've got me thinking

 

I wish I could be a girl, and that way you'd wish I could be your girlfriend, boyfriend

Am I pretty enough to lie to?

I wish I could be a girl, and that way you'd wish I could be your girlfriend, boyfriend

Just little old me in a big, big world

Little old me in a big world

I wish I were a girl

 

I've been feeling lighthearted since I gained enough weight back to cover my bones

I get dressed up in shadows one leg at a time – we're so alike

But if the shoe fits, then I won't try it on

You'll be walking out early, but the show must go on

No, I know that I'm wrong

But I love how you're on my side when I cross that line

It's been a point of contention between myself and this body that they stuck me in

The privilege of being born to be a man

And now you got me thinking

 

I wish I could be a girl, and that way you'd wish I could be your girlfriend, boyfriend

Am I pretty enough to lie to?

I wish I could be a girl, and that way you'd wish I could be your girlfriend, boyfriend

Just little old me in a big, big world

Little old me in a big world

I wish

 

Eating your prosthetic meat/meet your anesthetic criteria, pathetic seeing you become acetic

Say my name like a slur, but I've been called worse

I've heard it all before, no this isn't a first

Let me be the void you fill with taxidermy fingerprints, taxonomize our differences

I am quantum physics, my witness brings me into existence

 

I wish I could be a girl, and that way you'd wish I could be your girlfriend, boyfriend

Am I pretty enough to love back?

No, not yet

I wish I could be a girl, and really I'd prefer it if you would use I/Me/Myself

Am I pretty enough?

Am I pretty enough to fucking die?

Little old me in a big world

Well I would give you my whole world

Little old me in a big world

I wish

 

All identities are equally invalid

Don't you think that there's a chance that you could live without it? 🎵

 

🎵There might be something outside your window

But you just never know

There could be something right past the turnpike gates

But you'll just never know

 

If my velocity starts to make you sweat, then just

Don't let go, and if their

Heaven ain't got a vacancy , then we

Just, then we just, then we just, then we just get up and go!

 

Ladies and gentlemen, truth is now acceptable

Fame is now injectable, process the progress

This core is critical, faith is unavailable

Lives become incredible , now, please understand that

I can't slow down, I won't be waiting for you

I can't stop now, because I'm dancing

This planet's ours to defend, ain't got no time to pretend

Don't fuck around, this is our last chance

 

If my velocity starts to make you sweat, then just

Don't let go, cause the

Emergency room got no vacancy , and we

Just, then we just, then we just, then we just get up and go!

 

Who they want you to be, who they wanted to see

Kill the party with me and never go home

Who they want you to be, who they wanted to see

Just leave the party with me and never go home

 

You're unbelievable, ah, so unbelievable

Ah, you ruin everything , oh, you better go home

I'm unbelievable, yeah, I'm undefeatable

Yeah, let's ruin everything, blast it to the back row

They sell presentable, young, and so ingestible

Sterile and collectible, safe, and I can't stand it

This is a letter, my word is the Beretta

The sound of my vendetta against the ones who planned it

 

If my velocity starts to make you sweat, then just

Don't let go, cause the

Emergency room got no vacancy, tell me

Who do you trust, do you trust? Then we just get up and go!

 

Who they want you to be, who they wanted to see

Kill the party with me and never go home

Who they want you to be, who they wanted to see

Just leave the party with me and never go home

 

You keep eternity , give us the radio

Deploy the battery, we're taking back control

Engage the energy, light up the effigy

No chance to take it slow, by now, I'm sure you know

Know, know, know, know, know, get up and go!

(1, 2, 3, go!)

 

Who they want you to be, who they wanted to see

Kill the party with me and never go home

Who they want you to be, who they wanted to see

Just leave the party with me and never go home

(Are we home?) Are we still having fun? Are you holding the gun?

(Take me home) Take the money and run, we'll never go home

(Can we go?) I've got nothing to lose, you've got nothing to say

(And leave home) And we're leaving today, we'll never go home

 

I think I'm gonna go now, I think I'm gonna go now

(Get up and go) I think I better go now, go home!

Gonna go now, gonna go now, gonna go now, gonna go now

(Get up and go) Gonna go now, gonna go now, go home! 🎵

 

"Hey, sweetie can you pause for a sec? I think I took a wrong turn and I need to focus while I look it up."

 

"Oh yeah, sure."

 

…

 

"Okay, yeah I took a wrong turn, taking a U turn would mean having to enter the highway from a side road and crossing multiple lanes so we're just gonna detour. Feel free to start the music again."

 

🎵This is it!

Now we've found it, I'm astounded

Every town will be surrounded

By a throng of marchin' death

Delicious the riches, they glisten ahead

 

It's a craze!

They'll devour every hour

Of these endless, non-progressive inundations of their kind

And lucky for you, you're the next one in line

 

When I'm necromancin', everyone's dancin'

No one can stop me, I dare you to try

The dead are infused with sensational groove

And they're comin' for you now

There's nowhere to hide

 

Yeah! (Waltzin' forth, here they come)

I'm raisin' the dead (everyone, turn and run)

I'm lovin' the dread (killer moves that will stun)

Let's make some evil

 

I'm in bliss!

My cadavers drive a gatherin'

Of streets of gleeful people

Seein' the deceased's advance

The risen are ridden with rhythm and dance

 

Dig up some flesh with plenty of mold

Disease is appeasin' for rickety bones

And make it saucy with a hot incantation

Dominion is served with a bubblin', spirited, vibrant

Subjugation (whoa)

 

Yeah! (Waltzing forth, here they come)

I'm raisin' the dead (everyone, turn and run)

I'm lovin' the dread (killer moves that will stun)

Let's make some evil

 

Yeah! (Bust a move or you'll lose)

The dance of the dead (they'll swarm all over you)

Get out there and shred (it's a zombie footloose)

And make some evil

 

Cities laid waste, and they celebrate

Freed now from their graves (we love it so)

(More, more, more, more)

So mince and prowl

It's over now, the necromance ballet

You're all the same

 

Yeah! (Waltzing forth, here they come)

I'm raisin' the dead (everyone, turn and run)

I'm lovin' the dread (killer moves that will stun)

Let's make some evil

 

Yeah! (bust a move or you'll lose)

The dance of the dead (they'll swarm all over you)

Get out there and shred (it's a zombie footloose)

And make some evil🎵

 

🎵Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh

Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh

Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh

Whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh,

 

I wish there was another way out

 

Voices won't go away

They stay for days and days

They say some awful things, ways to make you fade away

I don't think no one's home

And we're just here alone

I better find you first, before you find the phone

 

You better run, better run, better run, yeah I'm coming after you

When you're sleeping at night, yeah there's nothing you can do

There's no place you can hide cause I'm coming after you

 

I wish there was another way ou-ou-ou-ou-oooouuuut for you

I wish there was another way ou-ou-ou-ou-oooouuuut for you

 

I wish there was another way out (whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh)

I wish there was another way out (whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh)

I wish there was another way out

 

You gave up, I'll check and see

No one cares less than me

Dead wrong I guess you'll be

These voices won't let you leave

Got you down on bended knee

What should my next weapon be?

It's over, you can't breathe

Just sleep now, rest in peace

 

You better run, better run, better run, yeah I'm coming after you

When you're sleeping at night, yeah there's nothing you can do

There's no place you can hide cause I'm coming after you

 

I wish there was another way ou-ou-ou-ou-oooouuuut for you

I wish there was another way ou-ou-ou-ou-oooouuuut for you

 

I wish there was another way out (whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh)

I wish there was another way out (whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh)

I wish there was another way out

 

Break you down, now put it back together again

I'll break you down, now put it back together again

Break you down, now put it back together again

I'll break you down, now put it back together again

 

I wish there was another way out (whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh)

I wish there was another way out (whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh, whoa-oh-oh)

I wish there was another way out

I wish there was another way out 🎵

 

🎵One, two, three, four

 

If I say my relationship is kind of complicated

With my ex-girlfriend or with my dad (w-with, with my)

Then I actually mean that the relationship is simple (simple)

It is just bad (it's just bad, bad)

 

And if I click "attending" to your shithouse house party

For seventy people I don't know (I don't fuckin' know)

Even if you ask me on the day and I say "yes" (yes)

I'm still not going to go

Please don't make me say it

 

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the ('tween the) lines

I'm bein' subtle, delicate

You massive, stupid piece of shit

 

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the—

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the, 'tween the lines

 

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the fuckin' lines

I'm bein' subtle, delicate

You massive, stupid—

 

Another example

If he says, "Nice head"

That means you got a bad head

If she says, "I literally can't"

She literally can, she's using hyperbole

 

"G'day, champion" I'd like to fight you

"How are you, big fella?" Do you wanna get stabbed?

"Hello, sunshine" G'day, big wheels

"Yeah, alright, legend" You're going to die

 

"Do it for exposure" We're not gonna pay you

"It's not you, it's me" It is you

"I don't really date much" I'm scared it's gonna hurt me

"Wanna see some improv?" I'm a bit quirky

 

"I have a pen, " wink

That made it sexual

"Yeah, nah, yeah, nah, yeah"

Well, that's Australian and highly contexual

 

I wouldn't say I'm bad at sex

I'd just say I'm yet to reach my potential

I won't say this doesn't make sense

I'll just say my art can be tangential

You can be anything you wanna be

As long as you mean what you say

But never say what you mean

 

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the—

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the, 'tween the lines

 

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the—

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the, 'tween the lines

 

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the—

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the, 'tween the lines

 

Baby, baby

Please don't misunderstand me

I'll always leave you a clue

Assume, presume

Don't wait, it's time to speculate

You've got to see the signs

Read between my fuckin' lines

 

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the—

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the, 'tween the lines

Assume, presume

Don't wait, it's time to speculate

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the, 'tween the lines

 

It's not what's said, what's implied

Read between the (fuckin' lines)

(I'm bein' subtle, delicate) It's not what's said, what's implied

(You massive, stupid—) Read between the, 'tween the lines🎵

 

🎵 I think I got too many memories getting in the way of me

I'm 'bout to go Tonya Harding on the whole world's knee

And I'm stuck, night-vision

So stuck night-vision

But I come to life, come to life

 

Some princes don't become kings

Even at the best times I'm out of my mind

You only get what you grieve

Are you smelling that shit?

Are you smelling that shit?

Eau de résistance

 

The only thing that's ever stopping me is me, hey

The only thing that's ever stopping me is me, hey

I testify if I die in my sleep

Then know that my life was just a killer dream, yeah

 

Seems like the whole damn world went and lost its mind

And all my childhood heroes have fallen off or died

Fake tears, we are living fake tears

But the alcohol never lies, never lies

 

Some princes don't become kings

Even at the best times I'm out of my mind

You only get what you grieve

Are you smelling that shit?

Are you smelling that shit?

Eau de résistance

 

The only thing that's ever stopping me is me, hey

The only thing that's ever stopping me is me, hey

I testify if I die in my sleep

Then know that my life was just a killer dream, yeah

Then know that my life was just a killer dream, yeah

I testify

I testify

Are you smelling that shit?

Eau de résistance

 

Hey

Hey

Hey

 

Some princes don't become kings

Even at the best of times I'm out of my mind

You only get what you grieve

Are you smelling that shit?

Are you smelling that shit?

 

The only thing that's ever stopping me is me, hey

The only thing that's ever stopping me is me, hey

I testify if I die in my sleep

Then know that my life was just a killer dream, yeah

Then know that my life was just a killer dream, yeah

Are you smelling that shit?

Eau de résistance🎵

 

🎵Well it rains and it pours when you're out on your own

If I crash on the couch, can I sleep in my clothes

'Cause I spent the night dancing, I'm drunk I suppose

If it looks like I'm laughing

I'm really just asking to leave this alone

You're in time for the show

You're the one that I need

 

I'm the one that you loathe

You can watch me corrode

Like a beast in repose

'Cause I love all the poison away with the boys in the band

 

I've really been on a bender and it shows

So why don't you blow me

A kiss before she goes

 

Give me a shot to remember

And you can take all the pain away from me

Your kiss and I will surrender

The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead

A light to burn all the empires

So bright the sun is ashamed to rise and be

In love with all of these vampires

So you can leave like the sane, abandon me

 

There's a place in the dark where the animals go

You can take off your skin in the cannibal glow

Juliet loves the beat and the lust it commands

Drop the dagger and lather the blood on your hands, Romeo

 

I've really been on a bender and it shows

So why don't you blow me

A kiss before she goes

 

Give me a shot to remember

And you can take all the pain away from me

Your kiss and I will surrender

The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead

A light to burn all the empires

So bright the sun is ashamed to rise and be

In love with all of these vampires

So you can leave like the sane, abandon me

 

Give me a shot to remember

And you can take all the pain away from me

Your kiss and I will surrender

The sharpest lives are the deadliest to lead

A light to burn all the empires

So bright the sun is ashamed to rise and be

In love with all of these vampires

So you can leave like the sane, abandon me 🎵

 

🎵 For all I know

The best is over and the worst is yet to come

Is it enough?

To keep on hoping when the rest have given up?

And they go

 

I hate to say I told you so

But they love to say they told me so

I hate to say I told you so

But they love to say they told me

 

Say they say they told me

Say they say they told me

You say, you say you told me

 

I know you like

When I admit that I was wrong and you were right

At least I try

To keep my cool when I am thrown into a fire

And they go

 

I hate to say I told you so

But they love to say they told me so

I hate to say I told you so

But they love to say they told me

 

Say they say they told me

Say they say they told me

You say, you say you told me

 

Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again

Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again

Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again

Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again

 

Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again

Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again

Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again

Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again

Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again

 

I hate to say I told you so

But they love to say they told me so

I hate to say I told you so

But they love to say they told me

 

(Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again)

Say they say they told me

(Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again)

Say they say they told me

(Throw me into the fire

Throw me in, pull me out again)

You say, you say you told me

Say they told me, say they told me, told you so🎵

 

🎵Gravity don't mean too much to me

I'm who I've got to be

These pigs are after me, after you

 

Run away like it was yesterday

And we could run away

If we could run away

Run away from here

 

I gotta bulletproof heart

You gotta hollow point smile

We had our run away scarves

Got a photograph dream on the getaway mile

 

Let's blow a hole in this town

And do our talking with the laser beam

Coming out of this place

In a bullet's embrace

Then we'll do it again

 

How can they say, Jenny could you come back home?

'Cause everybody knows you don't

Ever wanna come back

Let me be the one to save you

 

Gravity don't mean too much to me

I'm who I've got to be

These pigs are after me, after you

 

Run away like it was yesterday

When we could run away

When we could run away, run away from here

 

I'm shooting out of this room

Because I sure don't like the company

You stop your preaching right there

'Cause I really don't care

And I'll do it again

 

So get me outta my head

'Cause it's getting quite cramped, you know

Coming ready or not

When the motor gets hot

We can do it again

 

The papers say, Johnny won't you come back home?

'Cause everybody knows you don't wanna give yourself up

Tell the truth and God will save you

 

Gravity don't mean too much to me

I'm who I've got to be

These pigs are after me, after you

 

Run away like it was yesterday

And we could run away,

And we could run away, run away from here

 

And though I know how much you hate this

Are you gonna be the one to save us

From the black and hopeless feeling

Will you meet 'em when the end comes reeling?

 

Hold your heart into this darkness

Will it ever be the light to shine you out

Or fail and leave you stranded

Or are you gonna be the one left standing?

You're gonna be the one left standing

You're gonna be the one left standing

 

Gravity don't mean too much to me

Is this our destiny?

This world is after me, after you

 

Run away like it was yesterday

And we could run away, run away, run away

Run away from here

Yeah, away from here

Away from here🎵

 

🎵Hung pictures of patron saints up on my wall

To remind me that I am a fool

Tell me where I came from, what I will always be:

Just a spoiled little kid who went to Catholic school

 

When I am dead, I won't join their ranks

Because they are both holy and free

And I'm in Ohio, satanic and chained up

And until the end, that's how it'll be

 

I said make me love myself, so that I might love you

Don't make me a liar, because I swear to God

When I said it, I thought it was true

 

Saint Calvin told me not to worry about you

But he's got his own things to deal with

There's really just one thing that we have in common:

Neither of us will be missed

 

Saint Bernard sits at the top of the driveway

You always said how you loved dogs

I don't know if I count, but I'm trying my best

When I'm howling and barking these songs🎵

 

'Your time is almost up! Please check your details to continue enjoying ad-free'

🎵Someday you gotta find another way, you better right your mind

and live by what you say

Today is just another day unless you set your sights and try to find a way

I say fuck authority

Silent majority

Raised by the system

Now it's time to rise against them

We're sick of your treason

Sick of your lies

Fuck no, we won't listen

We're gonna open your eyes

Frustration, domination, feel the rage of a new generation,

we're livin', we're dyin' and we're never gonna stop, stop tryin'

Stop tryin'

Stop tryin', stop tryin'

 

You know the time is right to take control,

we gotta take offense against the status quo

No way, not gonna stand for it today, fight for your rights,

it's time we had our say

 

I say fuck authority

Silent majority

Raised by the system

Now it's time to rise against them

We're sick of your treason

Sick of your lies

Fuck no, we won't listen

We're gonna open your eyes

Frustration, domination, feel the rage of a new generation,

we're livin', we're dyin', we take the time and will endless try and destroy,

enjoy, you fight the world, become a new toy, dominate, eliminate,

do you feel the wrath, wrath of hate?

 

Fuck authority

Silent majority

Raised by the system

Now it's time to rise against them

We're sick of your treason

Sick of your lies

Fuck no, we won't listen

We're gonna open your eyes

Frustration, domination, feel the rage of a new generation,

we're livin', we're dyin' and we're never gonna stop, stop tryin'

Stop tryin'

Stop tryin', stop tryin '🎵

 

🎵Your butt is mine

Gonna tell you right

Just show your face

In broad daylight

I'm telling you

On how I feel

Gonna hurt your mind

Don't shoot to kill

Shamone, shamone

Lay it on me

All right

 

I'm giving you

On count of three

To show your stuff

Or let it be

I'm telling you

Just watch your mouth

I know your game

What you're about

 

Well they say the sky's the limit

And to me that's really true

But my friend you have seen nothing

Just wait 'til I get through

 

Because I'm bad, I'm bad, shamone

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, shamone, you know

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

And the whole world has to answer right now

Just to tell you once again who's bad

 

The word is out

You're doin' wrong

Gonna lock you up

Before too long

Your lyin' eyes

Gonna tell you right

So listen up

Don't make a fight

Your talk is cheap

You're not a man

You're throwin' stones

To hide your hands

 

But they say the sky's the limit

And to me that's really true

But my friend you have seen nothing

Just wait 'til I get through

 

Because I'm bad, I'm bad, shamone

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it, you know

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

And the whole world has to answer right now

Just to tell you once again who's bad

 

We can change the world tomorrow

This could be a better place

If you don't like what I'm sayin'

Then won't you slap my face

 

Because I'm bad, I'm bad, shamone

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it, you know

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

(And the whole world has to answer right now

Just to tell you once again...)

 

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, shamone

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it, you know it

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know, you know, you know, come on

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

And the whole world has to answer right now

(And the whole world has to answer right now)

Just to tell you

(Just to tell you once again)

 

You know I'm smooth, I'm bad, you know it

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, baby

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know, you know, you know it, come on

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

And the whole world has to answer right now

(And the whole world has to answer right now

Just to tell you once again)

 

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, you know

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

You know I'm bad, I'm bad, you know it, you know

(Bad, bad, really, really bad)

And the whole world has to answer right now

(And the whole world has to answer right now)

Just to tell you once again who's bad?

(Just to tell you once again)🎵

 

🎵I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation

You're living in the past , it's a new generation

A girl can do what she wants to do and that's what I'm gonna do

 

An' I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation

Oh no, not me

 

An' I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation

Never said I wanted to improve my station

An' I'm only doin' good when I'm havin' fun

An' I don't have to please no one

 

An' I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation

Oh no, not me, oh no, not me

 

I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation

I've never been afraid of any deviation

An' I don't really care if you think I'm strange

I ain't gonna change

 

An' I'm never gonna care 'bout my bad reputation

Oh no, not me, oh no, not me

Pedal, boys!

 

An' I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation

The world's in trouble, there's no communication

An' everyone can say what they wanna to say

It never gets better, anyway

 

So why should I care about a bad reputation anyway?

Oh no, not me, oh no, not me

 

I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation

You're living in the past, it's a new generation

An' I only feel good when I got no pain

An' that's how I'm gonna stay

 

An' I don't give a damn 'bout my bad reputation

Oh no, not me, oh no, not me

Not me, not me🎵

 

🎵How much can you fit under your skin?

How much can you fit under your skin?

I wish you were dead babe, I wish you were dead,

I can fit too, I can fit two

 

I can fit two people under my skin

I can fit two people under my skin

And I will prove it if you will listen

You crawled up in there you joined me within

 

I can feel your heart beating under my skin

And the beating of your heart is making me bleed from within

And if we cut open your heart, poured it in a cup

Do you think it'd be enough, do you think it'd be enough

To fill my heart with music?

 

Oh no, not a chance in hell

Yeah, I've heard you sing but it ain't too well

Heartfelt, yeah you meant so well

But your song's no good 'round here

 

I can feel you breathing under my skin

Yeah I can feel you breathing under my skin

And each breath you take is a brand new begin

Each breath your take, brand new beginning

England has a way of getting under my skin,

And my family has a way of getting under my skin,

And my family had a castle way back when

I would have lived there if they had more male children

To fill my heart with music

 

Oh no, not a chance in hell

Yeah, I've heard you sing but it ain't too well

Heartfelt, yeah you meant so well,

But your song's no good 'round here

 

Oh no, not a chance in hell

Yeah, I've heard you sing but it ain't too well

Heartfelt, yeah you meant so well

But your song's no good 'round here

No, no, no, no

 

I don't think there is anyone under your skin

Like a Cheshire cat I think you're just a grin

And I can feel you laughing under my skin

And the happy palpitations are making me grin

 

You know it fills my heart with music

 

Oh no, not a chance in hell

Yeah, I've heard you sing but it ain't too well

Heartfelt, yeah you meant so well

But your song's no good 'round here

 

Oh no, not a chance in hell

Yeah I've heard you sing but it ain't too well

Heartfelt, yeah you meant so well

But your song's no good 'round here

No, no, no, no🎵

 

🎵Let the police come and smoke the stage

We're getting restless now and can no longer wait

And I know, I know, that you know for sure

What it is that you're having me endure

 

Take another step and then engage

Nobody here wants to die of old age

At least for now, while we're young and dumb

In a few years what will we become

 

Fuck me, it doesn't matter

I cannot live like this

I cannot fucking live like this

 

My woman

My woman

I can't live without my woman

Live a lie

That's alright

I'll be there till the end of time

The end of time...

 

Nothing so pure, I know it to be so

Momentum building up before it deals a blow

We've got it right, nobody has the right

To stay in one place this long without a fight

The lights are dimming and the future is at hold

I look for silver while I lie in bed with gold

And I say fuck me it doesn't matter

 

I cannot live like this

I cannot fucking live like this

 

My woman

My woman

I can't live without my woman!

Live a lie

That's alright

I'll be there till the end of time

The end of time

 

I'm ready to sell my soul

Tell me a story for my rock and roll

Give me the strength to give it all

Leave me alone I'm no longer fucked up

 

She needs me too

She needs me too

She needs me too

She needs me

She needs me

She needs me

She needs me too🎵

 

🎵Amnesia was her name, she had beautiful eyes

And every word she said, it was a little surprise

 

Can't remember when I realized I was in love

(La-la-love.)

Can't remember who it was I was thinking of

Oh my God... oh my God...

 

The doctor said I had tomato loss...

(All right.)

Dr. Amnesia was her name, she had beautiful eyes

We had spaghetti with long term memory sauce...

(All right.)

And every word she said, it was a little surprise

 

Can't remember how she smiled when she said my name...

(What's my name?)

Can't remember, cause my heart jumped and hit my brain

C'est l'amour et blessures

 

I guess she didn't know how to treat me right...

Because I can't recall where I slept that night

 

And I can't recall that special way

She told me each and every day...

Her name

I can't recall the fact that I always said I loved her back...

The same way, every time the same

 

The doctor said that I had beautiful eyes

(All right.)

Amnesia was her name, she had memory loss

(No, wait...)

Well, every word I said, it was a little surprise... ing

(All right.)

And every word she said didn't make it across

 

Can't remember when we walked past the O.R. sign

(Sur-ger-y.)

Can't remember passing out with her hand in mine

(My-my-mind.)

I remember waking up with my mind repaired

(A-okay!)

I remember when I realized they weren't there 🎵

 

🎵 Can't count the years on one hand

That we've been together

I need the other one to hold you

Make you feel, make you feel better

 

It's not a walk in the park

To love each other

But when our fingers interlock,

Can't deny, can't deny you're worth it

'Cause after all this time I'm still into you

 

I should be over all the butterflies

But I'm into you (I'm into you)

And baby even on our worst nights

I'm into you (I'm into you)

 

Let 'em wonder how we got this far

'Cause I don't really need to wonder at all

Yeah, after all this time I'm still into you

 

Recount the night that

I first met your mother

And on the drive back to my house

I told you that, I told you that I loved ya

 

You felt the weight of the world

Fall off your shoulder

And to your favorite song

We sang along to the start of forever

And after all this time I'm still into you

 

I should be over all the butterflies

But I'm into you (I'm into you)

And baby even on our worst nights

I'm into you (I'm into you)

Let 'em wonder how we got this far

'Cause I don't really need to wonder at all

Yeah, after all this time I'm still into you

 

Well, some things just, some things just make sense

And one of those is you and I (Hey)

Some things just, some things just make sense

And even after all this time (Hey)

 

I'm into you, baby, not a day goes by

That I'm not into you

 

I should be over all the butterflies

But I'm into you (I'm into you)

And baby even on our worst nights

I'm into you (I'm into you)

Let 'em wonder how we got this far

 

'Cause I don't really need to wonder at all

Yeah, after all this time

I'm still into you

I'm still into you

I'm still into you🎵

 

🎵Du du du-du, du du du-du

Du du du-du, du du du-du

Du du

 

Some legends are told

Some turn to dust or to gold

But you will remember me

Remember me for centuries

And just one mistake

Is all it will take

We'll go down in history

Remember me for centuries

He-e-e-ey ya, oh he-e-e-ey

He-e-e-ey ya

Remember me for centuries

 

Mummified my teenage dreams

No, it's nothing wrong with me

The kids are all wrong

The story's all off

Heavy metal broke my heart

 

Come on, come on and let me in

The bruises on your thighs like my fingerprints

And this is supposed to match

The darkness that you felt

I never meant for you to fix yourself

 

Du du du-du, du du du-du

Du du du-du, du du du-du

Du du

 

Some legends are told

Some turn to dust or to gold

But you will remember me

Remember me for centuries

And just one mistake

Is all it will take

We'll go down in history

Remember me for centuries

He-e-e-ey ya, oh he-e-e-ey

He-e-e-ey ya

Remember me for centuries

 

And I can't stop 'til the whole world knows my name

'Cause I was only born inside my dreams

Until you die for me , as long as there's a light, my shadow's over you

'Cause I, I am the opposite of amnesia

And you're a cherry blossom

You're about to bloom

You look so pretty, but you're gone so soon

 

Du du du-du, du du du-du

Du du du-du, du du du-du

Du du

 

Some legends are told

Some turn to dust or to gold

But you will remember me

Remember me for centuries

And just one mistake

Is all it will take

We'll go down in history

Remember me for centuries

He-e-e-ey ya, oh he-e-e-ey

He-e-e-ey ya

Remember me for centuries

 

We've been here forever

And here's the frozen proof

I could scream forever

We are the poisoned youth

 

Du du du-du, du du du-du

Du du du-du, du du du-du

Du du

 

Some legends are told

Some turn to dust or to gold

But you will remember me

Remember me for centuries

And just one mistake

Is all it will take

We'll go down in history

Remember me for centuries

He-e-e-ey ya, oh he-e-e-ey

We'll go down in history

He-e-e-ey ya

Remember me for centuries🎵

 

🎵 How can I decide what's right

When you're clouding up my mind ?

I can't win your losing fight all the time

How can I ever own what's mine

When you're always taking sides

But you won't take away my pride

No not this time

Not this time

 

How did we get here?

Well, I used to know you so well

How did we get here?

Well, I think I know

 

The truth is hiding in your eyes

And it's hanging on your tongue

Just boiling in my blood

But you think that I can't see

What kind of man that you are

If you're a man at all

Well, I will figure this one out

On my own

(I'm screaming, "I love you so!")

On my own

(My thoughts you can't decode)

 

How did we get here?

Well, I used to know you so well, yeah

How did we get here?

Well, I think I know

 

Do you see what we've done?

We've gone and made such fools of ourselves

Do you see what we've done?

We've gone and made such fools of ourselves

 

Yeah...!

 

How did we get here?

Well, I used to know you so well, yeah, yeah

How did we get here?

Well, I used to know you so well

Why won't you show yourself?

 

I think I know

I think I know

 

Ooh, there is something

I see in you

It might kill me

I want it to be true 🎵 

 

🎵In the dark there's a light that's calling everyone out

If you could see beyond the walls that you have built

I know it's hard to escape the past and start it again

Those memories of all the future hearts you killed

 

I don't wanna be the one that's left behind

Don't blame me, don't hate me

I don't wanna be the one that's left behind

 

I won't fade away

Be forgotten or just cast away

This life is mine to live (this life is mine to live)

I won't fade away

I am lost inside this endless haze of life

But this life is mine to live

 

Waking up just to catch yourself dreaming again

But you won't think outside the lines that hold you in

You say it's easier just to hide yourself away

To shut the windows, lock the doors and disappear

 

I don't wanna be the one that's left behind

Don't blame me, don't hate me

I don't wanna be the one that's left behind

 

I won't fade away

Be forgotten or just cast away

This life is mine to live (this life is mine to live)

I won't fade away

I am lost inside this endless haze of life

But this life is mine to live

 

We got scars on our future hearts

But we never looked back

No, we never looked back

 

We got scars on our future hearts

But we never looked back

No, we never looked back

 

We got scars on our future hearts

But we never looked back

No, we never looked back

 

We got scars on our future hearts

But we never looked back

No, we never looked back

 

I don't wanna be the one that's left behind

Don't blame me, don't hate me

I don't wanna be the one that's left behind

 

I won't fade away

Be forgotten or just cast away

This life is mine to live (this life is mine to live)

I won't fade away

I am lost inside this endless haze of life

But this life is mine to live

 

I won't fade away

Be forgotten or just cast away

This life is mine to live

I won't fade away

I am lost inside this endless haze of life

But this life is mine to live

 

We got scars on our future hearts

But we never looked back

No, we never looked back

 

We got scars on our future hearts

But we never looked back

No, we never looked back

🎵

 

"Hey, theres another gas station! We're taking a pit stop, Slobo want me to grab you anything?"

 

"Eh, some lemonade or juice would be nice. Thanks."

 

"What about you Greta? You coming in or need anything?"

 

"...I'll come in."

 

*Door Slam*

 

*Door Slam*

 

"...Bowie, you can tell something's up with Greta too, yeah? It was only me that heard sniffle a little bit ago, was it?"

 

*Woof*

 

"Good boy, knew it wasn't just me. I'll have to talk to her about it when we get a chance alone. I don't wanna embarrass her around Anita."

 

…

*Wsooh* 

 

*Door Slam*

 

*Wsooh*

 

*Door Slam*

 

"Hey here's your lemonade."

 

"Thanks, means a lot."

 

*pop*

🎵I thought of angels choking on their halos

Get them drunk on rose water (Water)

See how dirty I can get them pulling out their fragile teeth

And clip their tiny wings (Clip their tiny wings)

 

Anything you say can and will be held against you

So only say my name, it will be held against you

Anything you say can and will be held against you

So only say my name

 

If heaven's grief brings hell's rain

Then I'd trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday

(I know I'm bad news)

For just one yesterday

(I saved it all for you)

I want to teach you a lesson in the worst kind of way

Still I'd trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday

(I know I'm bad news)

For just one yesterday

(I saved it all for you)

For just one yesterday

 

Letting people down is my thing, baby, find yourself a new gig

This town ain't big enough for two of us

I don't have the right name or the right looks (Right looks)

But I have twice the heart

 

Anything you say can and will be held against you

So only say my name, it will be held against you

Anything you say can and will be held against you

So only say my name (Name)

 

If heaven's grief brings hell's rain

Then I'd trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday

(I know I'm bad news)

For just one yesterday

(I saved it all for you)

I want to teach you a lesson in the worst kind of way

Still I'd trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday

(I know I'm bad news)

For just one yesterday

(I saved it all for you)

For just one yesterday

 

If I spilled my guts

The world would never look at you the same way

And now I'm here to give you all of my love (Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh)

So I can watch your face as I take it all away (Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh)

 

If heaven's grief brings hell's rain

Then I'd trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday

(I know I'm bad news)

For just one yesterday

(I saved it all for you)

I want to teach you a lesson in the worst kind of way

Still I'd trade all my tomorrows for just one yesterday

(I know I'm bad news)

For just one yesterday

(I saved it all for you)

For just one yesterday

 

Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh

Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh🎵

 

🎵Call it home

Call it a tomb

Dying in my living room

That's OK, I enjoy the dread

With my hands on my face

I never wanna leave this place

And that's OK, I enjoy the dread

Friend calls to go outside

I don't wanna go for a ride

And that's OK

I am seeing red

And that's OK

Now this boy is dead

 

Who do I have to smile upon

If it isn't you

Live your life

I'm not moving on

I'm in hate with you

I'm in hate with you

 

Don't you remember anything

That happened

Well you should

Cause it matters

And if you don't

Well, that's cool

I just loved you since we met at school

Maybe I should get some air

Psychological warfare

It fairs well

Embeds me in my bed

And that's ok

Now this boy is dead

 

Who do I have to smile upon

If it isn't you

Live your life

I'm not moving on

I'm in hate with you

I'm in hate with you

I'm in hate with you

From the gutter, staring at the stars

Driving fast in slow cars

I was happy, she was just content

And the years came and went

Like butter cutting through the knife

When she left she broke my mind

And if she's happy I don't wanna know

No, I don't wanna know

No, I don't wanna know

No, I don't wanna know

No, I don't wanna know

No, and I say

 

Who do I have to smile upon

If it isn't you

Live your life

I'm not moving on

I'm in hate with you

 

The boy is dead

And that's ok

He is now a man

The boy is dead

And that's ok

He is now a man

He is now a man

He is now a🎵

 

🎵Clap if you've got a ticket to the end of the world

Clap if you've got a ticket to the end of the world

 

It was his last day on the force

He was going through divorce

He was a living breathing action screenplay cliche

They said that they found it in the basement

Enough to just blow that roof to the pavement

And he was the man for the job

A one-man bomb squad

A middle aged mess thinking

 

I feel like I'm gonna explode

Any moment

I'm ready to blow

I can't stand it

I get so worried

I get so low

But if I'm never your hero

I can never let you down

And the sirens go

Oh ah oh ah

 

Clap if you've got a ticket to the end of the world

 

Their last hopes on him they'd hung

And they weighed him like a ton

But perhaps for him he'd none much left to lose

Tony, don't sweat it

Keep your hands steady

You were born on a dare but you were born ready

Cut the red wire

Or was that the green wire

You're on fire like

 

I feel like I'm gonna explode

Any moment

I'm ready to blow

I can't stand it

I get so worried

I get so low

But if I'm never your hero

I can never let you down

And the sirens go

Oh ah oh ah

 

Clap if you've got a ticket to the end of the world

Clap if you've got a ticket to the end of the world

 

And if this is it

I want to go out with a bang

But I don't claim to know anything

 

I feel like I'm gonna explode

Any moment

I'm ready to blow

I can't stand it

I get so worried

I get so low

But if I'm never your hero

I can never let you down

And the sirens go

Oh ah oh ah

 

And if this is it

I want to go out with a bang 🎵

 

🎵 Gotta raise a little hell

 

Young blood, run like a river

Young blood, never get chained

Young blood, heaven need a sinner

You can't raise hell with a saint

Young blood, came to start a riot

Don't care what your old man say

Young blood, heaven hate a sinner

But we gonna raise hell anyway

 

Raise hell

Yeah

Raise hell

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

Baby drop them bones

Baby sell that soul

Heaven fare thee well

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

(Oh my my, oh hell yeah)

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

(Oh my my, oh hell yeah)

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

 

Young blood, stand and deliver

No need for a queen affair

Young blood, gotta pull the trigger

When the whole world running scared

 

Raise hell

Baby drop them bones

Baby sell that soul

Heaven fare thee well

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

(Oh my my, oh hell yeah)

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

(Oh my my, oh hell yeah)

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

 

(Raise hell)

Baby drop them bones

(Raise hell)

Baby sell that soul

(Raise hell)

Heaven fare thee well

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

(Oh my my, oh hell yeah)

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

(Oh my my, oh hell yeah)

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell

 

Raise hell

Somebody gotta, gotta raise a little hell🎵

 

🎵Oh na na na na na na na na na na

 

I never really feel a thing, I'm just kinda too froze

You were the only one, that even kinda came close

I just pinch myself, no longer comatose

I woke up, no luck, I woke up, no luck

 

And when your stitch comes loose, I wanna sleep on

Every piece of fuzz and stuffing that comes out of you

You, I took too many hits off this memory

I need to come down

 

An-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-nother day goes by

So hold me tight, hold me tight, or don't

Oh n-n-no, no, this isn't how our story ends

So hold me tight, hold me tight, or don't

 

Oh na na na na na na na na na na na na

Na na na na na na na na na

Oh na na na na na na na na na na na na

 

I got too high again, realized I can't not be with you

Or be just your friend, I love you to death , but I just can't

I just can't pretend, we were lovers first

Confidants but never friends, were we ever friends?

 

But when your stitch comes loose, I wanna sleep on

Every piece of fuzz and stuffing that comes out of you

You, I took too many hits off this memory

I need to come down

 

An-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-nother day goes by

So hold me tight, hold me tight, or don't

Oh n-n-no, no, this isn't how our story ends

So hold me tight, hold me tight, or don't

 

Oh na na na na na na na na na na na na

Na na na na na na na na na

Oh na na na na na na na na na na na na

Hold me tight, or don't

 

'Cause I'm past the limits

The distance between us, it sharpens me like a knife

Past the limits

The distance between us, it sharpens me like a knife

 

An-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-nother day goes by

So hold me tight, hold me tight, or don't

I'm pretty sure that this isn't how our story ends

So hold me tight, hold me tight, hold me tight, or don't

 

Oh na na na na na na na na na na na na

Na na na na na na na na na

Oh na na na na na na na na na na na na🎵

🎵Somebody make a move

Somebody make a move

Please somebody

 

Test my reality

Check if there's a weak spot

Clingin' to insanity

In hopes the world will ease up

 

Try and make it look like it's all somehow getting better

'Cause I know how to play it pretty good against the measure

 

Everyone started out a little insane

But we learn pretty quick how to fake it for the game

But some of you never learned to drop the act

So under that skin of yours: a heart attack

 

'Cause everybody's so scared

We don't wanna go there

We don't wanna make a move

We got all our lives to lose

Screaming in the dark while

We just play our part, I

I play right along

Like I don't know what's going on

 

Somebody make a move

Somebody make a move

Please somebody make a move

We all know

We all know what's going on

 

And if I had the answers I'd have written them out

So I can tell you what to do and what this thing is about

But all I've ever learned comes second-hand

And I dare not preach what I don't understand

 

You and I: we share the same disease

Cover up, compromise what we grieve

I've let more than my share of revivals die

This isn't pretty but it's what I am tonight

 

'Cause everybody's so scared

We don't wanna go there

We don't wanna make a move

We got all our lives to lose

Screaming in the dark while

We just play our part, I

I play right along

Like I don't know what's going on

 

Somebody make a move

Somebody make a move

Please somebody make a move

We all know

We all know what's going on

 

Pointing my fingers

The problems still linger

They keep getting bigger

And I hold the trigger

 

Running with fire

I live like a liar

Please somebody make a move

 

Somebody make a move (I'm pointing my fingers)

Somebody make a move (The problems still linger)

Somebody make a move (I'm pointing my fingers)

Somebody somebody make a move

 

'Cause everybody's so scared

We don't wanna go there

We don't wanna make a move

Screaming in the dark while

We just play our part

And I play right along

 

'Cause everybody's so scared

We don't wanna go there

We don't wanna make a move

We got all our lives to lose

Screaming in the dark while

We just play our part, I

I play right along

Like I don't know what's going on

 

Somebody make a move

Somebody make a move

Please somebody make a move

We all know

We all know what's going on

 

Somebody make a move

Somebody make a move

Please somebody make a move

We all know

We all know what's going on 🎵 

 

🎵Don't panic, no, not yet

I know I'm the one you want to forget

Cue all the love to leave my heart

It's time for me to fall apart

 

Now you're gone, but I'll be okay

Your hot whiskey eyes have fanned the flame

Maybe I'll burn a little brighter tonight

Let the fire breathe me back to life

 

Baby, you were my picket fence, I miss missing you now and then

Chlorine kissed summer skin, I miss missing you now and then

Sometimes before it gets better, the darkness gets bigger

The person that you'd take a bullet for is behind the trigger

Oh, we're fading fast, I miss missing you now and then

 

Making eyes at this husk around my heart

I see through you when we're sitting in the dark

So give me your filth, make it rough

Let me, let me trash your love

 

I will sing to you every day

If it will take away the pain

Oh, and I've heard you got it, got it so bad

'Cause I am the best you'll never have

 

Baby, you were my picket fence, I miss missing you now and then

Chlorine kissed summer skin, I miss missing you now and then

Sometimes before it gets better, the darkness gets bigger

The person that you'd take a bullet for is behind the trigger

Oh, we're fading fast, I miss missing you now and then

Now and then, now and then, now and then

 

Baby, you were my picket fence

I miss missing you now and then 🎵 

"We're almost there! You guys excited?"

 

"Yeah, it's gonna be fun da hang around and check out what's changed."

 

"...Yes."

 

🎵I come over

Quarter past two

Love in my eyes

Blinded by you

Just to get a taste of heaven

I'm on my knees

 

I can't help it

I'm addicted

But I can't stand the

Pain inflicted

In the morning

You're not holding on to me

 

Tell me, what's the point of doin' this every night?

What you're givin' me

Is nothin' but a heartless lullaby

Gonna kill my dreams, oh

This is the last time

Baby, make up your mind

 

'Cause I can't keep sleepin' in your bed

If you keep messin' with my head

Before I slip under your sheets

Can you give me somethin' please?

I can't keep touchin' you like this

If it's just temporary bliss

Just temporary bliss

 

We were on fire

Now we're frozen

There's no desire

Nothing spoken

You're just playin'

I keep waitin' for your heart

(I keep waitin' for you)

 

I am fiendin' for the sunshine

To show our love in a good light

Give me reason

I am pleadin' to the stars

(Tell me)

 

Tell me, what's the point of doin' this every night?

What you're givin' me

Is nothin' but a heartless lullaby

Gonna kill my dreams, oh

This is the last time

Baby, make up your mind

 

'Cause I can't keep sleepin' in your bed

If you keep messin' with my head

Before I slip under your sheets

Can you give me somethin' please?

I can't keep touchin' you like this

If it's just temporary bliss

Just temporary bliss

 

I'm your one and only, only when you're lonely

(Na-na-na-na na-na-na-na)

(Na-na-na-na na-na-na-na)

 

I'm your one and only, only when you're lonely

Baby, why're you callin' me?

Not another one night

Try'na be your whole life

I don't wanna fall asleep

 

I'm your one and only, only when you're lonely

Baby, why're you callin' me?

Not another one night

Try'na be your whole life

 

I can't keep sleepin' in your bed

If you keep messin' with my head

Before I slip under your sheets

Can you give me somethin' please?

I can't keep touchin' you like this

If it's just temporary bliss

Just temporary bliss

Temporary bliss

 

I can't keep sleepin' in your bed

If you keep messin' with my head

I can't keep feelin' love like this

It's not worth temporary bliss 🎵

 

🎵 (The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark)

(The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark)

 

Here we are

At the end of the road - a road that's quietly caving in

Come too far to pretend that we don't - we don't miss where we started

Looking back, I see a setting sun, and watch my shadow fade into the floor

I am left standing on the edge

Wondering how we got this far, (how we got this far...)

 

They left us alone

The kids in the dark

To burn out forever

Or light up a spark

We come together

State of the art

We'll never surrender

The kids in the dark

So let the world sing

"What a shame

What a shame

Beautiful scars

On critical veins"

Come together

State of the art

We'll never surrender

The kids in the dark

The kids in the dark

 

(The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark)

 

Here we are at the top of the hill - a hill that's quietly crumbling

Been a while since you dressed for the kill- the kill that sent me tumbling

Looking up, I see a falling star, and watch its fire burn into the floor

I am left standing on the edge

Wondering why we fall so hard, why we fall so hard

 

They left us alone

The kids in the dark

To burn out forever

Or light up a spark

We come together

State of the art

We'll never surrender

The kids in the dark

So let the world sing

"What a shame

What a shame

Beautiful scars

On critical veins"

Come together

State of the art

We'll never surrender

The kids in the dark

The kids in the dark

 

Whoa

Whoa (The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark)

Whoa

Whoa

 

They left us alone

The kids in the dark

To burn out forever

Or light up a spark

We come together

State of the art

We'll never surrender

The kids in the dark

So let the world sing

"What a shame

What a shame

Beautiful scars

On critical veins"

Come together

State of the art

We'll never surrender

The kids in the dark

The kids in the dark

 

(The kids in the dark, the kids in the dark)

We'll never surrender

The kids in the dark

The kids in the dark🎵

 

🎵I don't even have my own attention

You say, "Please don't ever change," but you

Don't like me the way I am , the sign says "Don't you tap the

Glass," but I read it in reverse: "eht pat uoy t'nod syas ngis ehT"

 

The world tried to burn all the mercy out of me, but you know I

Wouldn't let it, it tried to teach me the hard way, I can't forget it

Driving down the coast again

The pills are kicking in, the pills are kicking in

 

She said, "I love you 'til I don't"

I am just playing house, no idea what I'm doing now

There are no atheists in foxholes

The pressure's getting to me, it's time to throw in the towel

 

'Cause I'm stuck in the sunshine riptide

Dancing all alone in the morning light

The sunshine riptide

You came back like a wave when I was feeling alright, the sunshine

 

Call me Oluwaburna, I fell in love, but I didn't fall down

Them say me nah normal, drink Hennessy, me nah drink water

Make me stumble pon me Air Jordan

Ain't no slowing down, know I keep it rolling now

Smoking in my fuckin' brain, passing through my fuckin' mind

Feel like I'm bulletproof, bulletproof, baby

With the sun shining through, got the blunt and the juice, cruise

Ridin' through the

 

The sunshine riptide

Dancing all alone in the morning light

The sunshine riptide

You came back like a wave when I was feeling alright

 

Sun, sun, sun

Sun, sun, sun (I-I'm stuck in...)

Sun, sun, sun

Sun, sun

 

You are my truest feeling yet

I love you so much, it's just like oxygen

And it's going to my head

A public meltdown, petulant, but irreverent

 

Take all your possibilities then take away the limits

Take your ideas and throw away all the gimmicks

I do the best with what I have

The pills are kicking in, the pills are kicking in

 

'Cause I'm stuck in the sunshine riptide

Dancing all alone in the morning light

The sunshine riptide (The sunshine)

You came back like a wave when I was feeling al- (-right)

I'm stuck in the sunshine riptide

Dancing all alone in the morning light

The sunshine riptide (The sunshine)

You came back like a wave when I was feeling al- (-right)

 

Sun, sun, sun

Sun, sun, sun (I-I'm stuck in...)

Sun, sun, sun

Sun, sun ( I-I'm stuck in ...)🎵

🎵Record scratch; Steve Miller Band

Tattooed necks and tattooed hands

Oh, how don't you drown in a rain storm?

Fresh regrets, vodka sweats

The sun is down and we're bound to get

Exhausted and so far from the shore

 

You're never gonna get it

I'm a hazard to myself

I'll break it to you easy

This is hell, this is hell

You're looking and whispering

You think I'm someone else

This is hell, yes.

Literal hell.

 

We don't have to talk

We don't have to dance

We don't have to smile

We don't have to make friends

It's so nice to meet you,

Let's never meet again

We don't have to talk

We don't have to dance

We don't have to dance

 

Bottles smash, I raise my hand

How can you all even stand

And why is there joy in this poison?

Oh, faking smiles and confidence

Driving miles to capture this excitement

I can't take anymore, oh

 

You're never gonna get it

I'm a hazard to myself

I'll break it to you easy

This is hell, this is hell

You're looking and whispering

You think I'm someone else

This is hell, yes.

I am in hell.

 

We don't have to talk

We don't have to dance

We don't have to smile

We don't have to make friends

It's so nice to meet you,

Let's never meet again

We don't have to talk

We don't have to dance

We don't have to dance

 

Yeah yeah, yeah yeah

 

You're never gonna get it

I'm a hazard to myself

I'll break it to you easy

This is hell, this is hell

You're looking and whispering

You think I'm someone else

This is hell, yes.

Literal hell.

 

We don't have to talk

We don't have to dance

We don't have to smile

We don't have to make friends

It's so nice to meet you,

Let's never meet again

We don't have to talk

We don't have to dance

We don't have to dance

We don't have to talk

We don't have to talk

We don't have to dance

We don't have to talk, talk, talk

We don't have to dance

We don't have to talk , talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk🎵

 

🎵The future is bulletproof!

The aftermath is secondary

It's time to do it now and do it loud

Killjoys, make some noise!

Na, na na, na, na na na

Na na na, na na na

Na, na na, na, na na na

Na na na, na na na

Na, na na, na, na na

Na, na na na, na na

Na, na na na na

 

Drugs, gimme drugs

Gimme drugs, I don't need it

But I'll sell what you got

Take the cash and I'll keep it

Eight legs to the wall

Hit the gas, (Kill em' all)

And we crawl, and we crawl, and we crawl

You be my detonator

 

Love, gimme love

Gimme love, I don't need it

But I'll take what I want from your heart

And I'll keep it in a bag, (In a box)

Put an "X" on the floor

Gimme more, gimme more, gimme more

Shut up and sing it with me

 

(Na, na na na, na na na) From mall security

(Na, na na na, na na na) To every enemy

(Na, na na na, na na na) We're on your property

Standing in V formation

(Na, na na na, na na na) Let's blow an artery

(Na, na na na, na na na) Eat plastic surgery

(Na, na na na, na na na) Keep your apology

Give us more detonation

More, gimme more, gimme more!

 

"Oh let me tell you 'bout the sad man"

Shut up and let me see your jazz hands

Remember when you were a mad man

Thought you was Batman

And hit the party with a gas can?

Kiss me, you animal!

 

(Na, na na na, na na na) You run the company

(Na, na na na, na na na) Fuck like a Kennedy

(Na, na na na, na na na) I think we'd rather be

Burning your information

(Na, na na na, na na na) Let's blow an artery

(Na, na na na, na na na) Eat plastic surgery

(Na, na na na, na na na) Keep your apology

Give us more detonation

 

And right here, right now

All the way in Battery City

The little children raise their open filthy palms

Like tiny daggers up to heaven

And all the juvie halls

And the Ritalin rats

Ask angels made from neon and fucking garbage

Scream out, "What will save us?"

And the sky opened up

 

Everybody wants to change the world

Everybody wants to change the world

But no one, no one wants to die

Wanna try, wanna try, wanna try

Wanna try, wanna try now

I'll be your detonator

 

(Na, na na na, na na na, na na na na)

 

(Na, na na na, na na na) Make no apology

(Na, na na na, na na na) It's death or victory

(Na, na na na, na na na) On my authority

Crash and burn, young and loaded

(Na, na na na, na na na) Drop like a bullet shell

(Na, na na na, na na na) Dress like a sleeper cell

(Na, na na na, na na na) I'd rather go to Hell

 

Than be in purgatory

Cut my hair, gag and bore me

Pull this pin, let this world explode 🎵

 

"We are pulling up into the road to the cabin."

 

🎵Do you, do- do you remember?

When we drove, we drove, drove through the night

And we danced, we danced to Rancid

And we danced, we danced

And I confessed, confessed

To you riding shot-gun

Underneath the purple skies

And we danced, we danced

With windows down

And we danced, we danced

(Spin for you like your favorite records used to)

(Spin for you like your favorite records)

 

You were the song stuck in my head

Every song that I've ever loved

Play it again and again and again

And you can get what you want but it's never enough

 

And I spin for you like your favorite records used to

And I spin for you like your favorite records used to

Oh, oooh, oh oh ooohh

Oh, oooh, oh oh ooohh

Oh, oooh, oh oh ooohh

Oh, oooh, oh oh ooohh

 

And I can't, I can't

I can't remember just how to forget

Forget the way that we danced

We danced to Danzig

And we danced, we danced

And when you ask, you ask me how I'm doing

Like you know, you know how much better off I am

And when we danced, we danced

With windows down

And we danced, we danced

(Spin for you like your favorite records used to)

(Spin for you like your favorite records)

 

You were the song stuck in my head

Every song that I've ever loved

Play it again and again and again

And you can get what you want but it's never enough

 

And I spin for you like your favorite records used to

And I spin for you like your favorite records used to

Oh, oooh, oh oh ooohh

Oh, oooh, oh oh ooohh

 

I spin, I spin, I spin, I spin

For you, for you, for you, for you, for yoooooou-oooh-oh

(Spin for you like your favorite records used to, used to, to, to

Spin for you like your favorite records used to, used to , to, to)🎵

 

🎵All this talk, all this ticking, all this shit talk

Ticking in my head, I'm staying in bed today

And it doesn't matter what they'll have to say to me

No, I do not care just what they'll have to say to me

'Cause I am not listening

 

Tick-tick-tock, ticky-ticky-tock, ticky-ticky-tock"

Goes the clock and I sit and I watch the hours go

Lying on my back I watch this big world float

And I do not care just what they'll have to say to me

'Cause I am not listening (He is not listening)

No, I am not listening to

 

You , you, you, you, and you

You, you, you, you, you you

You, you, you, you, and you

You, you, you, you

Tick-tock-tick-tock, ticky-ticky-tick-tock

 

Big hand, little hand, no hand, slow hand

Sitting in my hand is the sand of a shattered hour glass

And I throw these grains of sand into the wind and laugh, ha-ha!

And I do not care just what they'll have to say about that-🎵

 

Chapter 10: Dues To The Dead

Summary:

Greta talks to her friends, finally.

🎵Cause the sandman told me, there's no use in listening

Bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum-bada

Dum-bum-bum-bum-bah!

A-bum-bum-bum-bum-bum

 

I am not listening to (Bum-bum-bum-bum)

I am not listening to (Bum-bum-bum-bum)

I am not listening to (Bum-bum-bum-bum)

I am not listening to (Bum-bum-bum-bada)

I am not listening to you (She is not listening)

 

You, you, you, and you

You, you, you, you, you you

You, you, you, you, and you

You, you, you, you

Tick-tock-tick-tock, ticky-ticky-tick-tock.🎵

 

"We're here, Slobo go ahead and stop the music now." Anita requested, Slobo did do as she asked.

 

"I'm gonna get me and Slobo's bags in the room we'll be staying in, do you need me to show you around before you could pick a room?" Anita asked as she got out of the car.

 

"...I think I'll be okay with just wandering around a little bit. I… I want to see if anything sparks more detailed memories."

 

Slobo peaked his head around to her "Could I join ya in that?, I'm gonna need to walk Bowie around a little bit anyways since he's had to sit still for so long."

 

Greta thought for a moment. She was… Well the easiest way to explain it to herself was that it was hard to see Slobo, such a concrete way this world she had found herself in was better , for everything else she could argue or excuse but… The world was simply a better place with him in it.

 

But in her world he was gone. And in this one, the one where her friends were normal like her, where she hadn't experienced her death, where she was set up to have a nice life… He was here.

 

But… She really missed him, even if it was fake, even if this was just some puppet of the force behind this… It was nice to hear his voice.

 

"Sure, I'd really like that. Thank you Slobo."

 

Everyone got out of the car, Slobo getting Bowie to come to his legs so he could pick up the leash, Greta had seen a more solid one that reminded her of a carriage in the car, he probably used different leashes for different things. Meanwhile she simply got her backpack back on and watched Anita head in while she waited for Slobo.

 

Soon enough the pair entered the room, it smelled dusty and like mildew which it seemed like Bowie was smelling out along with the entrance, with a hallway leading to the back of the building, on the right wall was a staircase, in front and both walls were open concept doorframes and she could see somewhere behind the staircase more doors

 

In the room to her left was living room, a couple of coaches to the side surrounding a beautiful fireplace with a flat screen above it

 

Though the other door near the front was what looked like a very large dining room with 'rustic' expensive decor.

 

The group headed into the living room.

 

Along the walls were old photos of Tim's second family, the waynes, it was things like moments of fishing trips years in the past, silly light hearted moments of family bonding, Greta was pretty sure she had never seen the batfamily, say for Tim so happy. 

 

The whole place had a oddly nalslogic feeling to it, despite how she had never been in a place like this before, only read about it, seen it on screens, it felt the same as walking into the old hotel the team used, it… It should not have felt so welcoming.

 

"So, how's the place look? Is it a total dump now? I can tell the lightning has gotten no better." She hadn't really noticed the lighting the place had. She let out a small giggle at his question.

 

"No, no, it's… it's rather pretty actually, it looks like… I dunno, like the movie set to some cozy mystery movie." She explained.

 

"Oh, okay, that's kinda creepier, what do they hire someone to come out and clean it? Wasn't it some forgotten property?" Slobo wondered.

 

Greta didn't know how to reply to that, he was right, honestly it felt just like how everywhere lacked a name, it was all… Ganaric, it could be anyway made for anyone. But… Slobo shouldn't know that, right? She was a alone target, sent to another world, a fake one, alone, the others would either be free or in their own locust eater mechanical devices, not hers… And Slobo had to be the most fake, alongside Billy, he was dead, so was Billy…

 

Perhaps they were more directly puppets? Since there was no real person left to base their behavior on?

 

Either way, in the moment all she expressed aloud was a awkward laugh "Huh, I guess that is sorta creepy."

 

They spent a few minutes quiet, looking around the living room, looking though the kitchen and dining room attached to it, along with the game room attached to the living room that doubled as a library. So many of the books were ones she had read before.

 

But then Slobo broke the silence.

 

"Hey. I get if ya don't wanna talk 'bout it but: I sorta heard you crying on the drive, what's up?" He turned roughly to face her.

 

"...I… Can I ask a weird question or… Um, two?"

 

"Ask as many as ya want."

 

"...Are you happy? With the life you have, are you happy? Is there anything you'd trade it for?"

 

"...Okay, that's a pretty intense question but yeah, I'm happy, I get to work on machines all the time and spend the rest of my time with my best friends. I can't think of anything I would trade that for."

 

"...Nothing? No greater purpose or power or anything ?"

 

"Nah, power's overrated, and what better purpose is there than trying to be a good friend?"

 

"..."

 

"...But, that's just me. Greta, if you feel like there's something out there for ya, I'll support you, you know what you gotta do best." He said it so matter of fact, which was fitting, he had been the person who never didn't support her.

 

"...Thanks, but it's… It's not about me, not right now. Can I ask something else?"

 

"Yeah, of course."

 

"...Do you think it's wrong, to want another life? Like, say someone had some friends, and some stability, after a lot of hardships but… They saw, knew that there could be better, and wanted it? Would that be wrong ?"

 

Slobo thought for a second before answering "I won't say that's wrong, everyone has a right to want more outta life, it's just a matter of not screwin' good people over for it."

 

"...And if their chance was… Kind of fake? A lie?"

Slobo gave a puzzled look "...Well I mean, I'm gonna guess they know. And in that case, I won't say it's a good idea. Knowing what you're living is a lie sounds like hell, there's gotta be something better."

 

…She wished there was but… Really, was there? If she went home, then what? She'd never see Slobo again, she might have some pity visits from her friends before they left her again , she'd just be… Alone, again .

 

But… This wasn't sustainable, this wasn't her life, this wasn't Slobo, these weren't her friends, these were…

Reminders, life was true suffering.

 

"...So, you'd say a awful truth is better, then a nice lie?"

 

"Eh? I'd say there's probably a way to make the truth better. Most of the time, there's at least a third option."

 

"...I mean, thats a nice idea but… Sometimes life doesn't give third- third- I- Sometimes-" 

 

He had charged once already to save her, right at Darkseid, he could have died then… He did it again, he died the second time, he had only the choice to act or not act…

 

She could stay where things seemed better or not. She couldn't bring Slobo back, every single case she found where someone someone came back from the veil they had a vessel to return to, hell in the case of the Teen Titans member Jericho a vessel had to be made. She was no Raven, she didn't know how to make a vessel. She was a normal, powerless girl now.

 

"Hey- Greta, You- You okay?" Slobo reached out a arm and managed to place a hand high on her arm, then moving it to her shoulder.

 

She could see the look of concern on his face, it was… She couldn't stop silent tears from welling up in her eyes.

 

"...I- I'm not your Greta."

 

"... What? "

 

"I- I'm from a world with magic and superpowers- and- and- we were superheroes, we were on a team- and I- I was- My Slobo died, you died- I'm not meant to be here . I- here isn't even real." She blurted out.

 

"..." Slobo looked like he didn't even know how to react to that "...Explain?"

 

"..." Shit, why did she have to open her mouth?"

 

"...I'm not from this world, I'm not the Greta you remember, this isn't my life. That's why I don't remember stuff the same as everyone else."

 

Slobo remained confused and seemingly unsure how to react, like he was awaiting her to admit it was a joke.

 

But… No, it was bothering her that only Billy knew what was going on, Slobo was… A complicated choice for who else to tell but her guilt and confusion nawed at her, demanding to be eased.

 

"I know this is a lot to take in, I just- please don't tell anyone or tell anyone I'm nuts, please, I don't know how much danger that might put me in."

 

That seemed to snap Slobo out of it as his face went from confusion and concern that had a hint of pity to a concern lacking any pity.

 

"I- Okay? How the hell does 'that happen?" He stepped in closer and whispered.

 

"I'm not totally sure, but when I was a super hero me and my team had encountered people who could do things like this before, villains, people who would want to hurt us, even those who retired like me." She explained.

"...Okay, um. So you’re saying you're a retired superhero who got body hopped into another you?" 

 

"Yes? Again I know that's hard to believe but I- I can't stand lying to you, it's easier with the others but you…"

"I died? You mentioned I died." He finished her sentence in a grim tone.

 

"...Yeah. You… I was in danger, someone strong was going to hurt me, you… Changed right at him, to try to protect me…"

 

"And I died, yeah… Okay that does admittedly sound like somethin' I'd do."

 

Greta made a… Shocked, perhaps hurt expression, she couldn't understand why a version of him who had so much to lose would still do that. "I- It does?"

 

"Yeah, it does . Now what did ya mean that I might not be real?"

 

"...I've been trying to figure out where here is, and… It doesn't look like or work like my world, it lacks details. Slobo, tell me, what school do we go to? What's it's name? What's the name of the town it's in?"

 

Slobo thought long and hard for a moment before it hit him.

 

"...I have no idea."

 

"...That's why I'm not convinced this is a real alternative world, but some sort of mental trap or forced dream or something."

 

"...Why would I then be able to notice that flaw in reality too? That's… Sorta a weird feature for uh, a fake person." He stumbled with the idea he wasn't real.

 

That was pretty odd actually…

 

"...I don't know, actually… So far the only people I've told, should be the most fake, since both died years ago…"

 

Slobo rised a eyebrow "...I'm not sure about that methodology for picking confidents, Greta."

 

"Look- Billy was actually the one that suggested I was in another world and- I did my best to avoid you, I knew the guilt would eat me up."

 

Slobo looked at her with sympathy.

 

"...I'm sorry you lost so many people."

 

Greta didn't know how to reply or respond to that, she didn't want to explain why she didn't consider Billy a loss, he was never hers to lose, and she didn't know how to explain her other lossess.

 

She also didn't know what to do when she heard someone come down the stairs, and a moment later saw Anita enter the room.

 

"Hey guys- Why do you guys look like someone died? Oh shit- Did someone die?"

 

Greta was about to make a excuse, she had never gotten too close to Anita, she… She knew that Anita still blamed her, for her father's death. They weren't… Really friends.

 

"Oh-"

 

"Anita, what school do we go to?" Slobo turned to face Anita, bowie on the other hand remained, where it was which while she failed to notice was staring right up at her.

 

"Huh? I- The one in town?" Anita answered.

 

"And what's the town called, Anita? Think long and hard for a sec please." Slobo requested in a grim tone.

 

Anita looked confused for a moment, then she thought, and thought harder until horror slowly creepied onto her face.

 

"I- I should know that, I- I don't, what-" Anita walked over, in front of the pair "What is going on? Guys, what- Why did you think to ask me that?"

 

"Greta, I can try da explain so you don't have da repeat yourself." Slobo offered.

 

If it had been anyone, anyone else who had just shared that after she told them to keep it secret, she probably would have lost it at them, but… She just nudged him.

 

"Slobo… That was supposed to be secret, like I asked." She said in a flat tone.

 

Anita looked between the pair, still trying to put together what the fuck was going on.

 

Slobo turned his head to the sound of her voice. "I wanted to see if people who hadn't died could see the weirdness too. Anita's trust worthy, also would've probably noticed on her own we were actin' weird. I'm not gonna do it again."

 

Greta… Was still frustrated, he could have asked later but… It was interesting she could reliaze it too, believing her wasn't limited to… Whatever Slobo and Billy were.

 

"...I'll explain the best I can. How about I start from the beginning?"

 

Anita simply nodded her head.

 

Notes:

I hope you all enjoyed the double upload today and enjoyed the chapters!

Chapter 11: The Day Before

Summary:

The day before

🎵Just let me cry a little bit longer

I ain't gon' smile if I don't want to

Hey, man, we all can't be like you

I wish we were all rose-colored too

My rose-colored boy

 

And I want you to stop insisting that I'm not a lost cause

'Cause I've been through a lot

Really all I've got is just to stay pis-🎵

 

"Greta, girl, can you stop muttering song lyrics to yourself? I'm trying to study." It was one her classmates, she took medical history with them. Sure, it wasn't required for her mortuary degree but it was fascinating and… She had time to kill.

 

"...Oh, sorry I'll be more quiet." Greta repiled.

 

"Thanks."

 

So she sat there, trying to focus on her book, and failing too. Everything was too quiet, too clinical within the study hall, but her own room had far too many disactions.

 

After a hour and a half, staring at pages, not learning anything other than a new record for how many times she had to restart reading a paragraph, she gathered her bags and left.

 

She was walking though the outdoor parts of her campus, the campus of Gotham Root, it was honestly a little too modern for her tastes, all the seats along paths were blocky and gray, and so were the buildings that the pathways led to. It reminded her of a prison and a lab.

 

While she walked she noticed a gaggle of her classmates, she hovered close to them, close enough to hear them.

 

"So did you guys hear that Maltroploius was attacked today?" A boy said.

 

"Huh? But I didn't see any reports about Superman saving the day, I follow that 'has Superman saved someone today' twitter." A girl commented

 

"Oh, that's cause that team called Young Justice saved the day, y'know the other team the hot Superboy has been on?"

 

"Huh? Oh yeah, I remember that team, my parents called them bad influences when I was a kid." Another popped up.

 

"Ohhh, cool. I should probably read the news-"

 

Greta walked away without a word or a eye on her.

 

She had to get to class.

 

And after class, she had to get back to her dorm room.

 

She was walking in the now much quieter campus as dusk started to break, simply deep in thought when she noticed one of her least favorite classmates up ahead and walking toward her.

 

"O-M-G, Hi Greta, how are ya doing?" She asked in a very fake tone.

 

"I'm fine Regina, and so is Cissie before you ask."

 

She rolled her eyes "Ugh, Greta-boo, just because I asked about her a few times doesn't mean I'm always wandering about her ." 

 

"Don't call me that. And you've asked about Cissie more than ten times this week alone."

 

"L-O-L Greta, I mean can you blame me, your sister is a olympieion, of course I'm gonna be a little curious."

 

" They're not my sibling, we just shared a guardian, how many times do I have to explain that to you?" 

 

"Ugh, nevermind, I came up to invite you to a partty but forget it, you are such a party pooper sometimes Greta-boo." With that Regina finally left.

 

Greta really doubted that there was ever a invite to some party, at 'best' Regina would've asked Greta to take Cissie with her to a party.

 

Greta finally arrived to her solo drom room, she had been able to get it after explaining to the school she had suffered from ptsd and worried about waking up roommates with her night terrors.

 

She finally checked her phone, she had a few notifications some phone games she played, some from social media and a few people had written in a group chat all Young Justice members were in.

 

Wonder Girl: Hey there's been a large explosion in Metropolis's office district, please be careful if you're in the area.

 

Anita Fite: Thanks

 

The Ray: Do you guys need any help?

 

Bart 💖: Probably! It's a pretty bad explosion, there's not too many people hurt but it's destroyed a lot and happened underground so getting to people is hard.

 

The Ray: Okay, I'm on my way.

 

Then a few hours later.

 

Wonder Girl: We've cleared the area, we didn't have any casualties to deal with. The area is closed off to the public now.

 

Bart 💖: The place was weird, like a underground hospital, we're gonna look into.

 

Cissie: Good luck with that 😇

 

The conversation, at least in the group chat she was apart of died there, hadn't been alive for hours.

 

So she didn't bother to reply or respond, they didn't need her too.

 

Instead she mindlessly scrolled for a while, she then moved into homework and from there moved onto lying motionlessly in her bed staring at the darken wall across from her.

 

Life was true suffering.

 

…

 

It took her a hour, white noise and some sleeping pills to finally fall alseep.

 

That morning, the second time she awoke.

🎵Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather

Low-key, no pressure, just hang with me and my weather-🎵

 

Greta slammed her left hand hard in the space next to her head she always placed her phone when she was using a white noise video, it wasn't often but… Some nights she really needed some kind of noise-

Notes:

Sorry for posting late, me and my family just got back to the campsite we are staying at while looking for housing so I was pretty disacted

Chapter 12: The Best Is Over, The Worse Is Yet To Come

Summary:

A 'calm' before the storm, the perfect time to explain

"Okay, okay, lemme get this right: You're a former superhero slash ghost. You live in a world like the comic books Bart reads all the time, you were living a normal life though and then suddenly woke up here, in our normal world, where people who were dead are alive and asshole brothers are nice? And you suspect some Witch or a guy who shares a name with Coraline's villian?" Anita asked.

 

The group where in the living room, Anita and Slobo sat in the center of the main couch meanwhile Greta stood in front of them, in the space in front of the fireplace.

 

"Basically, I haven't been able to do too much investigating yet since I was hospitalized and since then I've just been trying to keep a low profile since I… Really don't know how much danger I might be in."

 

Anita looked between Greta and then Slobo.

 

"...Okay, um, awkward question but, if you 'escape' what happens to us? To Slobo?"

 

Greta looked down at them, face twisted in guilt. She really didn't want to lose Slobo again , she felt sick over the idea but… This couldn't be him, simply a part of what trapped her. 

 

The same of as all promises. Lies meant to keep her.

 

"...I don't know. You guys seemed to have lives and a Greta before I arrived, ideally everything would continue like I had never been here." It wasn't a lie, that was ideally what would happen. She just didn't believe it for a second.

 

Anita grimaced "I really, really don't like those odds, I mean. Memory is easy to fake, we've been living in a town with no name for years as far as memories are concerned, that's… I don't know if that stuff would be real just for a trap or whatever this is."

 

"...I started feeling weird the same day that Greta ended up here. Like, a feeling I hadn't been around you guys in a long time, you remember how I mentioned I had a nightmare, and that was why I was clingly that day? It wasn't exactly what was going on, it was that feeling… That I- I missed you."

 

Anita looked over to him, a mix of horror and a little heartbreak.

 

"...Oh… I… No… I know what you mean, I… Sort of felt that too…" Anita looked away, looking at the cabin surrounding them. She quietly added "...That's why I asked if you wanted to do something together…"

 

Slobo pulled Anita into a hug, a tight one and squeezed his eyes shut, it almost felt like the desperate grab someone alpoglzing would do.

 

Anita hid her face in Slobo's shoulder, her hair draped in front of the rest of her face that otherwise would have been visable.

 

Greta quietly watched, she… This must have been horrorfiying, to remember things that were clearly fake. Greta almost wished that Anita hadn't believed her, it was… Hard, to watch this grief, again…

 

She couldn't look much longer, she squeezed her own eyes shut. 

 

…Had everyone felt it? Felt that Slobo had been gone at least?

 

…How could she check, find out? Could she really deal with this again? Could she really tell everyone that… That… He…

 

But she couldn't just stay here, accept the lies…

 

She had… Nothing to go back to.

 

Honestly when she thought about it, it was more the risk of judgement, for taking the 'easy' path again and being tricked, that once again her foolish wants for more fucked her over that held her in conflict with herself, debating the values, the pros and cons.

 

If this was even remotely Slobo, like his ghost or something… She couldn't be why he died again.

 

But… How to determine that?

 

She opened her eyes again, Anita was looking right at her with a sad expression.

 

"We've gotta find out what exactly is going on, you said you had some suspects, yeah? What if we found them, and questioned them?" 

Anita's expression had changed into determination, that… Honesty that actually made Greta feel a little better, even if she wasn't closer to knowing what to do, where she should be… Anita was someone who saw stuff though.

 

"I- Yeah, Bedlam and Klarion The bum bum bum-"

 

"Wait are the 'bums' apart of this guy's name?"

 

"I don't know, but he always did it. Anyway -Witchboy, he had a orange cat companion."

 

Anita seemed to think of something "I have seen a orange cat around, but I don't know who owns it."

 

"Hm, okay while that's something we can follow up on. As for Bedlam, I'm not really sure, he had to use Bart to do something like this but I talked to Bart and he seemed fine, I guess."

 

"You guess?" Slobo asked.

 

"...Hm, okay yeah honestly I'm not sure, he was a little odd now I think about it, but like the Bart odd where I can't tell if he's hiding something or has zoned out…" Greta put hid thumb to her lip as she thought about that.

 

"I could try 'an take a crack at him, I'm alright if he gets mad at me or thinks I went a lil nuts." Slobo offered.

 

Greta considered it, she admittedly didn't know how to play 'bad cop' without resorting to ends she didn't want to use on her friends.

 

"Please try, I would really appreciate it Slobo."

 

"Then it's done, when we get back I'll have a chit-chat with him and figure out what's his deal. Alright?" Slobo repiled.

 

"And while he does that, I'll track down that cat, see if it belongs to some witch boy. Okay?" Anita offered.

 

Greta felt… A wave of gratitude and relief, honestly if she wasn't already emotionally at the point of being akin to a statue she probably would have had to fight tears of relief.

 

She… Hadn't felt this… Supported was the word, in a long time.

 

"Thank you, that'd be really helpful. I'll… Honesty I'm not sure yet what my next move is, I guess I'll try to check in on those who I can, and see if they felt wierd on the day this started." Greta walked over to the couch, sitting so Slobo was between her and Anita.

 

"That sounds soild to me. Is that everything for now, cause honestly I feel like I gotta sit by myself for a bit or like- Well talk to Slobo too, it's pretty alarming to hear all your memories are fake and have sound proof they're at least lacking," Anita said.

 

Greta poked her head out so it could be seen past Slobo's body "Yeah, that's fair. Slobo, are you going to join her?" Greta looked up at him.

 

"Yeah, probably." Slobo looked at where her voice had came from, and tried to give a comforting smile, it was a little awkward but it did make her feel better.

 

"Okay, well honestly, I'm probably going to rest a little myself. Um, see you both later?" Greta gave a small wave as the pair got up.

 

"Later Greta." Slobo said as he and Anita left the room.

 

A few minutes later, upstairs 

 

The air in the room was a perfectly comfortable temperature, just like outside, and the day before and before that. The room smelt like a candle that'd be labeled 'childhood memories'. There was something so artificial about everything, it had been bugging him a little bit for a few days now, but after Greta pointed to what was probably one of the most obvious signs something was wrong, it became much more sinister.

 

He was seated on a bed, it's blankets were comfortable and expensive and honestly felt just like the blankets back at school now that he knew to pay attention.

 

He could hear Anita's footsteps in front of him as she paced, muttering a bit to herself as she was processing everything, he couldn't blame her for such a strong reaction, honestly if he were alone he'd probably be reacting like how Anita and Greta were but… They needed someone to stay calm, someone to offer some comfort and… 

 

Yeah, someone to try to not impose that he'd very much want to stay alive, but… He couldn't let a friend suffer, even if he had to die for it. So it was easier to act like he didn't care, that he'd take the idea of death with grace. It'd at least offer his loved ones some peace.

 

"-I- Maybe- No, it doesn't make sense for the place to be named 'town' or something, it'd at least be in another language if that was the name, and- UGH- This shouldn't be possible- I- I shouldn't believe it so easily…" Anita sounded frustrated and… Scared, the frustration was masking the fear from her.

 

"But you do, cause like me… Deep down, somewhere, what Greta was sayin' explains how you've been feelin', yeah?" Slobo's eyes followed her movement. His blindness wasn't the total darkness type from the movies, he could vaguely tell when something moved, especially a big movement and he could tell if something was lit up or dark, with her long hair trailing behind her and her golden jewelry that reflected light right at him, it was pretty easy to follow along.

 

"...Yeah… I- You know I believe in the mystical, not really what Greta just described but, I've been open there's more than what the wider world chooses to believe but… I'm not liking what we're finding. I- I don't want to lose you, I don't want to have already lost you once." Anita had stopped, right in front of Slobo as far as they could tell.

 

Slobo reached out a hand, far enough for Anita to know he was offering it, she took his hand, and pulled up his other one so she could hold them both.

 

"...I know… I know." He couldn't make a promise he couldn't keep, he couldn't be sure that he'd stay, that he hadn't already been gone, something that forgot to stay dead.

 

"We're gonna deal with this, I know you got it in you to handle whatever ends up happening." Slobo said instead, that was things he was sure about.

 

For awhile the talk went in circles, like a breathing exercise as the pair processed what was going on, what they had agreed to do.

 

"So, any idea how you're tracking down that cat?" Slobo asked, at this point Anita was sitting down with him.

 

"Hmm, I guess cat treats? There aren't that many cats around so that should probably work, what about you? How you cracking Bart?" 

 

Slobo chuckled "Eh, I have my tricks, I'm just gonna do what'd he do."

 

"Oh? Well, that's… Mysterious." Anita said in a semi amused tone.

 

"Well, I'm not sure it's gonna work so I don't wanna get ahead of myself and brag. Speaking of doing stuff, you think Greta might need some help?"

 

"Probably not with our friends, but it might be worth checking with people she doesn't know or doesn't know well, like my dad for an example."

 

"...Alright, yeah that sounds like a good idea to me. I don't really know people that the rest of you don't so I guess I'll just check on Bowie?" The dog went up to Slobo's legs when it's name was said.

 

Anita let out a small laugh "Sounds like a plan to me." She pulled him in with one arm in a side hug.

 

He rested his head on her shoulder.

 

Meanwhile, at the dock

 

🎵For all I know

The best is over and the worst is yet to come

Is it enough?

To keep on hoping when the rest have given up?

And they go-🎵

 

Greta left the phone on, the music was a nice background noise, numbed out some of the fear, as she sat out on the dock of this cabin, she was at the very edge, staring down at the reflection of herself in the water staring up at her, eyes full of…

 

Conflict.

 

How could she be sure what exactly Slobo was? What if when she found the truth she had to made a choice quickly? To stay within whatever this was or go back? 

 

It'd be one thing to leave or destroy a totally fake place but… If it was somewhere with his soul…

 

She rarely let herself miss the power she had as Secret, she had to of hated every part of it, it was suffering ( living was true suffering ), she couldn't miss her powers.

 

But if she was Secret, instead of powerless Greta. She'd probably know what she was in, she'd know what Slobo was.

 

But she was powerless, it seemed like everything here was, it lacked it's edge or backbone or strength … So, what could tell her? Obviously the person behind this all would know, but they won't tell her at least not honestly and bluntly, at best they'd twist the truth to hurt her, if not outright lie.

 

Her gaze at the water intensified. Her death had been in the water, she remembered it just like it was yesterday, before she had seen what he was holding she just thought it was a cruel prank, but no, it was just cruelty, she also remembered when she froze, after daring to go near the water, stare at it, she froze and then Harm attacked her friends as some sort of hellish thing that forgot to die…

 

At this point though, she wasn't scared of the water, no right now if she were honest with herself it was hard to not throw herself in to see what would happen, maybe, just maybe she could have her powers again, that'd be so much more helpful than talking to people she didn't know how to read the emotions of, she had only ever learned how to pick up on her fathers and Billy's and even then right now she couldn't read this Billy's, he wasn't spiteful and angry, she could be so much more useful if she could be Secret again.

 

But she knew she'd regret it immediately, maybe her life was… Lonely ( hellish, isolating, triggers everyday, no one understood, it was the true suffering ) but at least she was alive! At least no one wanted to trap her…

 

She looked up, around at the forest that looked out of a picture book, and then back the water again.

 

At least she was alive, she was alive, she was alive, she was alive, she was alive, she was alive.

 

But was Slobo? For that matter, was Billy? It'd be great, amazing if somehow Slobo was Slobo but… It'd be alarming, disastrous if Billy was Harm .

 

Her phone buzzed from behind her, for a moment she didn't think to grab it, as it slowly went towards the edge, when she finally did grab it it was about to fall off, it's center hovering close to where the wood splintered off.

 

It was a text, from Billy.

 

Billy ☠️: Cissie broke into my room. I had a shit ton of occultism books in my room and they were already trying to get me to tell her what's going on. I think we have a problem.

 

After a minute, she replied.

 

Greta: I'll deal with it when I get back.

 

And she turned off her text alerts, restarting the song.

Notes:

Okay tbh my life is very unstable rn, so I have not been able to write more of act 2. Don't worry I still have a fair bit of act 1 to post but... Don't be surprised if the hiatus between the two acts is semi long.

Anyways ty for reading and feel free check out my blogs greta-hayes or Kitty-does-stuff for updates on my life along with being able to send one shot requests

Chapter 13: Frights Of Saturday Night

Summary:

Greta's absence is very much felt, so is Bart's.

🎵-Begin my night not expecting the fright of my life

She was perfect from what I could tell

How could I not see the danger right in front of me

 

My favorite food is fish (baby, that's my favorite too)

I love cartoon dogs (baby, I love Scooby Doo)

Hey girl, what's your favorite film?

She said the best movie of all, a masterpiece of art called-🎵

 

Cissie very quickly turned off the song, sure she was wearing earbuds but right now was hardly the time, she'd put on a different song in a few minutes but first they needed to follow up on what she had promised Thad.

 

Cissie: Hey Bart, how's it going?

 

With that sent, they kept walking from the parking lot at campus, to their dorm, the sun set lazily flooding the surroundings in a golden light. Honestly it made it hard to see her surroundings since the light kept getting in her eyes, she wasn't sure though why it bothered her so much.

 

So she brushed it off, trying to not focus on the uneasy feeling.

 

Somewhere else, with a borrowing issue that started long before a few hours ago, but that was the start of the newest complex

 

Thad: Hey I'm feeling kinda of weird, like dazy. Can you come over? Bart isn't replying.

 

Billy: Yeah. I'll be over.

 

Billy looked at his motel room, alit by the mid day sun. He had been trying to clean up after he had threw a blanket over all the books he had taken out so Cissie won't assume he was trying to use 'witchcraft' to cure Greta's 'ailments', he'd rather not have that conversation. Either way he was a little worried about Thad, and hell maybe it was related? After all on the outside it just seemed like Greta had suffered from something medical.

 

So he let the blanket fall to the floor and placed a piece of tape on the top frame of the door, it'd stick when he closed it and reassure him with its noise that nothing happened while he was gone and stepped outside to the sound of cars, motorcycles off in the distance and some small vilcale pulling into a different part of the parking lot.

 

Billy got into his truck and started it up, the ratio started blasting at him

 

🎵-Take the pain, make it billboard

Big and swallow it for me

Time capsule for the future

Trust me, that's what I will be

Oh, the things that you do in the

Name of what you love

You are doomed but just enough

You are doomed but just enough-🎵

 

But he shut it off, he didn't need flashy music distracting him from what was going on, Thad was enough of a distraction on his own.

 

His truck drove over to the campus and a bit past it where there were places for students to rent, Thad had rented what was basically a shack that could pass a fire inspection barely due to his… Habits. 

 

The school didn't really like having robots or inventions blowing up in dorm rooms, Billy wasn't sure how Matt put up with it either.

 

Billy knocked on Thad's door, he heard some movement from inside and then Thad opened up the door, he looked… Like he hadn’t slept in days, hadn't been eating enough and like he had drank ten 5-hour energies, so about the same as always.

 

"Are you feeling alright?" Billy asked in a tone that was his attempt at caring but sounded a little annoyed, this was the second interruption today.

 

Thad avoided eye contact and gestured for Billy to come inside, as Billy did so Thad replied "Well the dizziness has eased but my head hurts, I think I will be okay but in case I'm not, could you stay for a little bit? You can watch something or whatever while I do some easy stuff."

 

Billy turned and looked down at Thad, he was honestly irritated by this, why couldn't he have bothered Matt with this or one of his other friends like Deb or Duela? Still social standards sort of required him to least having to explain to himself.

 

So he sat there, doing nothing of value in his opinion for two hours, then finally Thad's chit chat drifted to:

 

"Hey, I'm feeling better now. Thanks for keeping me company."

 

Billy got up, it was hard, sitting there doing nothing and not yelling at Thad over telling Cissie where he had been staying, that'd have to wait until Thad hadn't been in pain so he could focus on what Billy was saying.

 

"You're welcome, I'm going to go now."

 

Thad waved bye as Billy left. His drive back to his motel room was rather uneventful, annoyingly nothing.

 

But then he was back, walking into his motel room, it took him a moment to realize something wasn't right, he wasn't sure what at first but it suddenly had him very alert of his surroundings.

 

The tape hadn't ripped when he came in, he looked up at the doorframe and saw it had ripped though.

 

Someone had came into his room, it wasn't the staff the place was still a mess and he had a do not descrub sign on the door.

 

Searching though the room it didn't seem like anything was taken, simply looked at, investigated.

 

He pulled out his phone as it became clear what had happened.

 

Billy: Cissie broke into my room. I had a shit ton of occultism books in my room and they were already trying to get me to tell her what's going on. I think we have a problem.

 

After a minute, she replied.

 

Greta 👻: I'll deal with it when I get back.

 

Billy: Greta what does that even mean in this context? She fucking broke into my room, what: are you gonna tell her off? 

 

Billy: If it wasn't for all of the shit going on right now I'd

 

Billy: Well I mean I won't go to the cops but I'd do something, I don't know if this is related to what's going on but everyone is acting a little crazy right now, normally your friends are pranksters not b&e'ers.

 

After a few minutes of staring down waiting for a reaction there was still nothing.

 

Billy: Greta?

 

Billy: You there?

 

Billy: Gretel?

 

She always would complain when he called her that, but there was still nothing.

 

Oh great, she wasn't reading any of this and wasn't planning to until after the weekend, shouldn't they be working as a team?

 

He stared at his phone, frustration felt like hellfire under his skin, staring down at the comtacts he realized something.

 

Thad had helped Cissie every step of the way that day, given how much danger there probably was given some badass super villain was probably behind this, it couldn't stand, Thad was a liability right now.

 

Meanwhile, later, same issue.

 

🎵-Evil is a relay sport

When the one who's burned

Turns to pass the torch

 

I resent you for being raised right

I resent you for being tall

I resent you for never getting any opposition at all

I resent you for having each other

I resent you for being so sure

I resent you presenting your life like a fucking propaganda brochure-🎵

 

Thad had music coming out of laptop as he worked on his latest robotics project, it helped him avoid the nagging guilt of going behind Billy's back or the anxiety he had as it seemed like Bart was pushing him away, his own twin didn't want to see him.

 

It hurt. In a raw way that road burn might, theu had gone through a lot to be able to be brothers. To share a home and a last name and right now… It felt like Bart hated him.

 

Which made it honestly very starttling to hear his voice at the front door.

 

"Thad? S-" The voice was hard to make out the inflection of, but it didn't sound mad so that was a relief to Thad, he shouted to the door "I'm coming! One second!" And carefully set down his tools and parts, only then getting up, his was only a quarter away from the door when-

 

"Thad? S-"

 

Same unreadable inflection, louder now but not like how a person would rise their voice but… Like someone turning up the volume on a computer.

 

Thad's hand hesitantly went to open the door, he couldn't help but say "Bart?" As though a question, for their identity.

 

The door opened.

 

And there was Billy glaring down at Thad, holding his beat up phone at Thad's eye level and hit play on a video.

 

The video showed Bart vlogging at a fair, smiling and he grabbed Thad who had been talking to someone "Thad, smile for the camera!" He said with a smile Thad hadn't seen all week, Billy stopped the video.

 

For a moment neither spoke, Billy glared down at Thad and Thad sheepishly looked at him, it felt like Billy was glaring past Thad's outter shell, like he was looking at Thad's insides, his guts and bones and blood veins and past that yet, honestly Thad hadn't had someone look at him in such anger since he had escaped Thaddeus I.

 

"I'm so-"

 

Billy grabbed Thad by the collar, making him choke on his words for a moment as he stumbled back and Billy slowly came in, shutting the door behind him, Thad normally didn't let himself pay attention to such things but right now it was so painfully clear how much physically bigger and stronger Billy was, he towered over Thad, having to pull him up just to get them closer to eye to eye.

 

"The hell is wrong with you?! Who the fuck helps someone break into a 'friends' room?! That sorta of shit gets people hurt! Killed!" Billy barked at Thad.

 

"I- Cissie wasn't gonna do-"

 

"YOU DON'T FUCKING KNOW THAT! ANYONE CAN BE A THREAT! HOW FUCKING NAVIE IS EVERYONE?!" Billy yelled at Thad's face, the 'everyone' had Thad honestly a little confused, Billy most have already been dealing with some weird shit as far as Thad could tell.

 

"I- I think I could read if Cissie was a threat, I can read people." Thad tried to reassure.

 

"Oh?" Billy let out a small chuckle "Then, am I a threat?" He said in a cold voice.

 

Thad normally would say no, that while he was rough around the egdes like a lot of the people Thad spent time with but… Right now, with the tight grip oh so close to his neck, with Billy glaring down at him with a furry he hadn't seen Billy let out before…

 

"...Yes. I think that you are." Thad's voice was almost a whisper as he let his body go semi limp and looked down at the ground.

 

"Okay, well good you can read the room at least-" Billy commented to himself in his normal tone "-And do you wanna know how we can advoid that being a issue for you? So you can pretend I'm not dangerous, that I don't have to choose to not be violent?" Billy said, once again in that cold tone that made Thad feel alone in the room.

 

"Yes si- Yes I do." Thad said, he could see in his profinal Billy's expression soften and almost look horrified by what he was doing for a moment, when Thad nearly called him sir.

 

"Do not tell anyone, not even your fucking brother anything about me or Greta they don't already know, got it?" Billy demanded.

 

Thad nodded his head fast "Got it."

 

Billy dropped him, Thad did skillfully land on his feet which even surprised him, as he landed Billy backed up to the door, looking down at Thad.

 

"Bye." Billy simply said as he turned and walked out the door.

 

🎵-I used to go to the Ferris wheel every morning

Just to throw my anger out the door.🎵

 

"Sign up now, to get parament benefits."

 

The music app on Thad's laptop stopped, it gliched and stopped while he stared at the door.

 

Meanwhile, issues still brewing elsewhere, and here.

 

Billy's heart felt it was pounding outside of his chest as he walked down the street where he had parked his car.

 

Holy fuck what the fuck did he do? He had planned on yelling at Thad and trying to get it though to him that what he had done was fucked up but… Holy shit he really went overboard, that was…

 

It felt good, to have that control, that made him feel a little sick with himself, what the fuck was wrong with himself? He- He was better than that! He had worked to be better than that! He- He couldn't let stress and fear and- and- and possibly losing Greta…

 

He was standing in front of the driver door of his truck, staring at his reflection, he felt like he was staring at some uncontrollable… Thing, while he did, it felt like the world slowed down while he felt the pangs of guilt and fear in his gut.

 

He opend the door and basically threw himself in his seat, slamming the door loud enough that Thad's neighbors probably heard as he sped off into the space between evening and night.

 

Meanwhile, with a issue that's about to blow

 

She arrived to her dorm room, she got settled and started doing homework, it took her a hour and a half to realize something, something that made her feel uneasy in a way they didn't have context for…

 

Bart hadn't replied.

 

Now for most people Cissie would easily strug that off, but Bart was different, he almost had his phone and was using it a lot of the time, he would answer messages sent to him in the middle of the night, he was not someone to leave people on read.

 

But there it was, a little mark saying Bart had read it but hadn't replied.

 

If the last week hadn't been nuts, had Thad not expressed concern over Bart they'd easily brush this off, maybe he opened it by accident and hadn't realized so didn't know to reply, but…

 

Cissie: Hey, Cassie, is Bart okay? I sent him something a bit ago and he didn't reply, I have a weird feeling in my gut about it.

 

Cassie: He seemed fine, he was doing homework and said he needed to head to the lab for something.

 

Cissie: Huh, okay. Can you check for me if he left his phone behind? It'd ease these weird nerves I got.

 

Cassie: Sure.

 

…

 

.. 

 

Cassie: Seems like he took it with him.

 

Cissie: Right, okay. Ty 😚

 

Cissie looked out their window to the campus, now alit by the bright, almost clinical white flourlest lampposts, they could see the building where the science labs were.

 

There was not a single light on.

 

Cissie felt in their bones something was very wrong.

 

They got up and out of their seat with a start and found that they had ran over to their door, slipping on her tennis shoes and quickly grabbing her bookbag with things like her student i.d and a few miscellaneous things she never took out, they also threw her phone in with it.

 

They weren't conously sure why their heart was pounding as so did their feet on the hallway floor as she changed down and towards the stairs, they opened the door and rushed out into the stairwell with such force that they found they ran into the guard rail and had her head jerked forward, staring down at the drop.

 

The logical part of her brain, whose adrenaline wasn't ridden itself of thought in favor felt embarrassment, confusion as to why her paranoia was so bad, why every instinct in her body told her someone was in danger and needed to be saved.

 

They felt some sweat on their brow and for a moment considered what to do before more adrenaline kicked in and they found themselves grabbing the guardrail and pulling themself over it with enough speed and force that it allowed them to jump from it down onto another guardrail, and repeat until they got to the ground floor.

 

They rushed to the exit door and as they got though the ground's hallways they found themselves nearly tripping over classmates, some swore at her and some looked a little alarmed at the situation.

 

As she got out the front doors two things hit her, first was the cool air like a fridge on a summer day, perfectly cool but not cold, never cold and secondly was that she had no idea where exactly she was running.

 

She guessed she was going to the building with the labs, Bart would have the codes to get in after hours and it was probably, outside of competitive combat sports, had the most dangerous stuff, like chemicals, lots of mechanical devices, some of those things required special containment that meant the building had its own back up generator. So if she was going to go running around looking for Bart it was a good place to start.

 

As their feet hit the ground with a force she hadn't expected, she almost regretted not grabbing better shoes but the idea of wasting time with that made their skin crawl.

 

It was just over a minute for them to arive at the locked doors of the lab building, panting a bit as they caught their breath. 

 

,,,,,

 

How were they getting in?

 

...Idea!

 

Cissie pulled out their student i.d from their bag, and taking a closer look at the door handle, which normally would require a code they found the screws that kept it in place. Using the hard thin plastic she undid them, showing the circuitry and wires.

 

Honestly they didn't know what they were looking at, not even in daylight would they, so they just tried putting the red and black wire together.

 

They felt a shock, a tingle in this fingers and immediately let go but saw a green light on the outside pannal go off so they grabbed the door handle and pulled the door open.

 

They halls they ran into were dark, it almost looked like no one here, but from the moonlight flooded out from the windows she could see something reflecting it on the floor, water.

 

They weren't sure what to make of that but they quickly followed the trail, jogging alongside it so they wouldn't slip or destroy the trail, it has been further up the hallway and they found the trail split, there was water on a staircase and water on the ground of the hallway leading deeper into the school, to Cissie it'd make more sense for someone to go down stairs to clean up than up, though she didn't understand why they'd not go towards the frontdoor and the bathrooms near the entrance all that was further in was empty classrooms, storerooms and the stairway to the basement, where the… Generator was.

 

They followed the ground floors path, at this point she wasn't even sure if it was related to Bart but the situation was blaring red alarms like crazy to her.

 

And she was right to listen to those alarms, the water led to the open door leading into the basement.

 

"Hello? Is anyone down there, are you okay?" Cissie called down the stairs, it was so dark down there that it looked like the abyss.

 

No one replied, but Cissie sound faintly hear someone breathing small breaths, like they were trying to hide and the roar of a generator.

 

Cissie pulled their phone out of her pocket and and readied it to turn on it's light, she then slowly and debility crept down the stairs.

 

At the bottom she could see the outline of a person trying to hide behind the generator, alit by the green light that showed it was on, she could also see something that looked like large cables on the floor.

 

She reluctantly turned on her phone light, given the posture, the total silence from them like they hoped that she'd leave, she had an idea of who to expect.

 

But it was nonetheless unnerving to see him staring back at her, like the cat that ate the cannery, soaked in something that looked like water, with a car jumper cable at his feet, one end close to the generator, like it was going to be attached if she hadn't came when she did.

 

"Bart?"

Notes:

I do really recommend watching the animated music video for the song the chapter started with, tw for gross out horror, body horror and mentions of gore, none of it is in detail but thought a heads up would be wise.
https://youtu.be/GFokXnCCMf8?si=msQDczl_IboY7ff1

(Next chapters notes will explain where I have been and why I ended up posting the late chapter today and not when I was planning to)

Chapter 14: The Wednesday That Wasn't Wednesday

Summary:

What if Bart Allen, current superhero, Impulse, woke up in a dorm room that wasn't his?

🎵Tallulah knows that she's not the only one I'm holding close

On the low, I get vertigo from body overdose-🎵

 

Bart's hands felt like they were moving though molasses as within a second he grabbed his phone and turned off his alarm. His eyes were still adjusting to actually being open, sand and gunk in them but… A few things shock him as odd so he summoned the energy to sit up.

 

When he did he was met by a room that looked like it could belong to him, but very much didn't, it lacked all his superheroe merch for one and for second the layout was wrong. This wasn't his room or his house.

 

And… Why was everything so slow? He hadn't been able to get up fast, his arms moved slow and where he should have felt movement deep inside of him was only a light buzzing feeling.

 

He got up and looked for some clothes, not being able to find his Wondergirl t-shirt he settled for a magical girl themed t-shirt and checked his phone, it was supposed to be Wednesday, he knew that but… It wasn't…

 

He Google'd things, Flash Superman, Batman, Wonderwoman, Young Justice, Teen Titans, Superheroes but found nothing, worse yet all writing about Superheroes treated them like works of fiction.

 

Bart let out a large groan, not a-fucking-gain, hadn't he just dealt with one of the these fake world things just a little bit ago with Tim and Kon? He was getting pretty sick of this whole thing at this point, no helped by it also happening in the real world, everything changing overnight and he was expected to go along with it.

 

Well at least he started off knowing, which honestly was odd, he was normally quick with these things but normally it took him a little bit to catch on, but… Not this time, honestly that made him uneasy, why wasn't it bothering to trick him?

 

Still he had to figure out getting out, a good place to start was his contacts, who did he know in this world? Didn't matter if they were fake or real it'd be bad if he acted like he didn't know them.

 

He started reading the list.

 

• Connie 😍 (Bart normally had Kon as Konnie in his contacts, must have been him)
• Timster 🦝
• Gretalla 😶‍🌫️
• Cassandra The Great 👸
• Cis 🏳️‍⚧️
• Carol'ling 💖
• Press-a-ton 🎥
• Slow-Bro 🦮-

 

Slobo? Oh god, Bart was really hoping this wasn't a Interdimensional fanboy again with above god-like powers. 

 

• I Anita Hero 👑
• Clone 🤓-

 

Bart really wasn't sure who that could be, he decided he'd check who was who once he had checked the whole list.

 

• Helen 💜
• Max 💙-

 

Damn, this place had just about everyone, It left a pang in his chest to see Max and Helen here.

 

• Kir-Ran ☀️
• Amyfist 💎
• K-Lee 🖥
• Jinny Hex 'Em Hold 'Em 🤠
• Naomi-Bar 📰
• Rainbow-Ray 🏳️‍🌈

 

After that were people he either didn't know as well or other people who had been in the Teen Titans at the same time as him or after he had to leave due to his aging such as Rose or Eddie.

 

Okay, with almost everyone he should be aware of right away he went to the contact 'Clone 🤓' and first read a bit of the previous convo, it seemed like they had been reminding Bart of homework that was due and he was teasing them for being a nerd.

 

Bart: Hey, someone messed with my contact names as a prank, who is this?

 

Clone 🤓: It's Thad, lol.

 

Bart felt a chill on his neck, he already knew the answer but…

 

Bart: Which Thad? I met a new one the other day and added him to my contacts.

 

Clone 🤓: Your brother Thad, Bart.

 

Bart tossed his phone away from himself and onto his bed so he wouldn't impulsively blow his cover by cussing out Inertia, how the hell did it seem like each time this shit happened it got worse? Everything from Max being in danger, some of his friends living totally messed up lives, suddenly everything was different and then Tim and Kon's daninial.

 

Now, to add to the pile of shit fake worlds gave him was his murderous clone as a brother. Fan-fucking-tasic.

 

So great, his powers were missing, there wasn't any heroes in this world, none of his friends would know what he was talking about, he was probably in some new different timeline or someone stuck him in vr again .

 

He walked over to the bed and picked up the phone again, pacing as he got it on again, changed Inertia's name to something more fitting and looked at his group chats

 

• Family Chatroom
• The greater Metropolitan area polycule
• House dorks💖💖-

 

And selected house dorks.

 

Bart: Hey is there any plans for breakfast or would it be cool if I just hang out in my room doing very Important things.

 

Cassie: Why did you capitalize important?

 

Conner: Yeah why? Also nope, I haven't seen anyone in the kitchen, so I don't think we've got anything going on.

 

Bart: Okay, cool and it's to show how extra Important it is! 

 

Cassie: 🤣

 

Bart closed the chat, okay well at least he brought himself some time to freak the fuck out and then come up with some sorta loose game plan.

 

Bart flopped onto the bed and grabbed a pillow, screaming into it for a solid minute like a caged animal, how many times could he do this stupid game of mouse and mousetrap? 

 

Soon enough he stopped screaming and decided to read though some of his past convos so he could at least fly under the radar for a bit.

 

He first checked his convos with Kon, Cassie & Tim, he wasn't going to read the whole chat history, just random parts and from those it seemed like their dynamic was close to how it was supposed to be, just with less awkward avoidance about their teen years.

 

He moved onto Carol and Preston when he heard something from downstairs.

 

"Hey! Tim! It's me and Greta, she needs to see you!" It was Cissie's voice, calling out from downstairs, probably the front door.

 

"I'm in the living room!" Tim called back, apparently from the living room.

 

Okay that was weird, wasn't his situation the oddity within this 'world'? Why was Greta needing to see Tim? Perhaps it was simply like how the world kept moving in that world without Young Justice, maybe this was a clue?

 

He went out into the hallway outside his room to get a better chance of over hearing what was going on, he could see near the stairs was a door that clearly belonged to Cassie as it was decked out in greek myth posters and that it was ajar, he could also see that Kon had exited his own room and looked embarrassed that Bart saw him.

 

"Hey, do you know what's going on?" Bart whispered to Kon as he turned to face him.

 

"No clue, that's why I came out. I'm guessing you're clueless too, yeah?" Kon replied.

 

"Duh, I asked first what was going on!" Bart struggled to keep to a whisper.

 

Kon made a vague shrugging gesture to show his confusion, they stepped closer to the staircase but didn't dare pass by Cassie's door so they wouldn't have to explain what they were doing, honestly they couldn't hear shit, the building was surprisingly sound proof, but then.

 

They could see at the bottom of the staircase was a pair of legs wearing blank skinny jeans, obviously Tim.

 

"Cassie!" Tim yelled up at where her room was.

 

There was a light thud as Cassie put something down and poked her head out facing the staircase thusly failing to notice Bart and Kon.

 

"Yeah?" She yelled back.

"I'm taking my car, Greta needs to see a doctor, I'll explain later!" He called, Bart knew that voice pretty well, it was how Tim sounded when he lost control and someone was hurt.

 

"Okay! Good luck, I'll tell the others!" She called back, meanwhile right behind her Bart and Conner shared a intense look with each other roughly translating to the question if they should sneak back to their rooms.

 

Everyone up stairs could hear Tim, Cissie and Greta stumble out, Bart could see Greta tripping over Cissie and Tim's legs as it appeared they were trying to lead her out.

 

When the front door spamed shut it was then that Cassie finally turned around and spotted them.

 

She turned her body to face them and put a hand on her hip, she was wearing work out gear, was muscle and had short hair. Oh thank goodness that at least he wouldn't have to deal with a weirdly… Well the nightmare that was that fake Wondergirl from a little bit ago.

 

"So I'm guessing I don't have to explain what just happened?" She said.

 

"Not unless you have some previous context we missed." Bart bluntly repiled.

 

Cassie shrugged "I don't, I'm gonna go downstairs so when Tim gets back I can get the scoop, you guys get back to what you were doing, alright?" She turned not waiting for a reply and walked to the stairs.

 

"Okay!" Both Bart and Kon called after.

 

She left down the stairs.

 

Bart and Kon shared a look, Kon looked earnestly a little stressed meanwhile Bart was trying to hide his utter confusion, Kon then walked off without a word back to his room, Bart followed suit and went into the place someone else would refer to as his bedroom.

 

Once he closed the door he let out a breath, okay whatever the 'plot' of this 'world' was it was weird, for a moment his mind drifted to the start of many zombie stories where suddenly a loved one had to be rushed off to the hospital, he really really hoped it wasn't that, zombies would be fun to fight with his powers, not without, like right now.

 

But for now there wasn't anything he could do about Greta possibly turning into a zombie, other than really hope she wasn't. What he could do was get back to what he was doing before.

 

So for the next hour and a bit he looked over convos, most of his relationships seemed about the same though with Anita & Greta it was clear they never lost touch and with cases like Slobo it seemed like a more refined, stronger friendship that they hadn't had before his death.

 

Bart couldn’t gather the will to look at the convos with Max or Helen, he didn’t want to be confronted by what could have been. But he could summon the will to check out more of the chats with Inertia.

 

They were friendly, without context of knowing what Thad had done someone could say they were loving, like brothers who cared about each other and liked to make fun of each other.

 

Bart couldn’t stop reading them, despite how fast it made his heart beat, maybe that was why, the panic made him think faster, move faster, like how he was supposed to be, he felt like he might throw up after awhile.

 

But this spiraling was interrupted by the front door opening, Bart looked away from the phone and at the door to the room, he put the phone aside and got up, walked towards the door and then stopped.

 

He should probably let Cassie and Tim speak uninterrupted, he still wasn't sure how this 'world' operated but given this was ealry into the situation letting them talk properly probably would lead to them explaining to him and Kon what was going on with a game plan, which would help Bart figure out how stuff worked and the 'intended' path, making it easier to avoid.

 

So he sat back down on the bed, still staring at the door, it felt like torture but he didn't want to do something stupid that would get him fucked over.

 

And for now being a little careful was rewarded when Cassie called up the stairs "Guys! Come down we gotta have a meeting!"

 

Bart basically sprinted to his door and only saw Kon once he was heading down the stairs, seeing Kon close behind and joining him on the ground floor as they walked into the living room.

 

Tim was sitting on the floor in front of the couch writing something on his phone while making a serious face meanwhile Cassie was sitting on the coffee table and facing the entrance to the room Bart & Kon came in though.

 

"You guys should probably sit down." Cassie gestured to the love seat, which both of them went and sat on.

 

"So in short Greta has something wrong, the doctors aren't sure what yet but its in line with a stroke, she seems to not remember much and is confused. Tim and Cissie took her to the hospital, Cissie is gonna let her teachers know and Tim is messaging the rest of our friends right now." Cassie explained.

 

Kon looked pretty surprised and worried, meanwhile Bart had to wonder if Greta's symptoms were actually her also being aware like he was, after all if it weren’t for cyber stalking what his 'role' in this world was he probably would have acted like a confused amnesiac too.

 

"She… Didn't remember stuff?" Bart hesitantly asked.

 

"She didn't even know where in the country we are." Tim grimly replied from behind the coffee table at his sitting spot.

 

Bart nodded like that was worrying and that he also had no clue where they were now that he mentioned it. This was a point in favor of Greta being aware like him, but he couldn't really get his hopes high yet, there was no reason to believe that she'd be able to be aware, he knew for himself at least he had dealt with sort of thing before but unless he really missed something he was pretty sure she hadn't.

 

"Is there anything we can do?" Kon asked.

 

"Not for now, she's supposed to be out tomorrow but well that's not accounting for if they find something, yeah?" Cassie explained.

 

"Yes." Tim confirmed.

 

"Well, damn. Does anyone know why this happened?" Kon asked.

 

"Not really, apparently she woke up like this, not even knowing Cissie was her roommate." Tim explained grimly.

 

Kon looked even more worried and put a hand over his mouth while that processed.

 

Okay, Bart decided he'd need to try carefully to find out what was going on with Greta, he'd have to be careful and probably shouldn't reveal anything until he was sure about her but still this was… Something.

 

There was silence between them all for a few moments, it felt as tense as any Teen Titan meeting. Tim finally broke it.

 

"I've let everyone know. I'm heading to my room." Tim got up without looking at the others and left the room with a heaviness just about everyone could feel.

 

After a few more moments where everyone lacked the right words Kon got up "I'm gonna go check on Tim, alright?" And left.

 

Cassie and Bart shared a look for a little bit before she sighed a little "I'm gonna go let my teachers know I'm not going to class today and tomorrow, so I can be there if Cissie or Greta need anything. I'd say maybe do the same." 

 

Bart nodded "Yeah… I'll go do that." And took that as a chance to get back to the bedroom he awoke in.

Notes:

Hey guys apologies for the late update, on update day a lack of spoons kicked my ass and then health issues (nothing serious but very disorienting) have been kicking my ass so I ended up deciding to post the late chapter at the same time as today's chapter, luckily they work as a double feature.

Now some other updates about the fanfic, I will admit that I have not been working om Act 2 much, I do have rough plans and I am still planing on doing so but if there is a large hitus then that would be why.

I have also been finding myself to coming around to new thoughts on things such as Cissie's relationship with Bonnie so expect some dipping into new ideas when we enter Act 2, either way ty fot reading and supporting this fanfic, it means alot.

Chapter 15: Code Amber

Summary:

There are a lot of people trying to help. Bart is alone.

🎵May I have your attention please?

May I have your attention please?

Will the real Slim Shady please stand up?

I repeat, will the real Slim Shady please stand up?

We're gonna have a problem here-🎵

 

Bart quickly grabbed his phone, turned off the alarm and turned off it's song feature, right now was not the time to get distracted with catchy ear worms and lose focus, so no music!

 

His morning was quick, he grabbed some food and then left, taking his phone so he could stay posted about the Greta situation while he did something that felt important.

 

He was going to explore the town, his surroundings and see what there was too see.

 

So he started walking to the town center, he would have considered driving if he actually had a license, but as it stood he'd likely break several laws of the road which he'd rather not risk the punishment for.

 

This would've been a hell of a lot easier if he had his speed, everything took so much time that it was ridiculous hell he had spent the rest of yesterday simply searching all the knots and kanries of the place and checking old convos so he could blend in easier.

 

The walk was nice, context not considered, the weather was nice, the surroundings were nice, intresting but not distracting people going about things. It seemed to Bart like the type of place someone would make, there was a lot of careful choices made, the world all meshed together unlike the real world and the majority of people Bart saw looked like people he had seen before, be it former teammates, other superheroes or… Well a few people looked like people he went to school with back in the days of the first Young Justice.

 

That to him at least made it seem pretty clear this world was totally fake, when the world changed he'd at least see civilians who looked like Bart hadn't see them before. 

 

Now his thoughts brought him to the questions of if the people were real in the slightest and how his connection to the speed force was being kept from him and his feet had brought him to the town center.

 

It was a pretty small town, there were all kinds of shops open, basically everything someone would really need to live a life without nasty or hard jobs, it reminded Bart of the fancy sreets that were put in big cities that faked character. The downtown lacked things like competing businesses, there were not even rival banks despite the developed feeling the town was aiming for.

 

As he walked and obversed the inside of the buildings though the windows, with its tv show espse sets inside he also noticed most shops were blaring mindless pop music at high volumes, honestly with the music and the painfully garnaric surroundings it reminded him of a montage in a Disney Channel movie.

 

He spent awhile doing this, exstaming how little there was in preparation in shops for disaster unlike his world, nothing for sicknesses or if someone came crashing though the roof.

 

As he did this he felt his phone vibrate from a text alert, he went into a side street so he wouldn't have people bumping into him.

 

He pulled up his phone and froze seeing it was Inertia who had messaged him, but he did get the will to open the chat.

 

Evil Clone 💩: Hey I heard about Greta, I'm sorry to hear your friend isn't doing well. Can I ask what happened?

 

Bart: idk & where did u hear that from?

 

Evil Clone 💩: Well honestly I'm surprised you didn't mention it, so it ended up being Billy, her brother. 

 

Bart: 👍

 

Evil Clone 💩: Yeah apparently he is coming to town to make sure she'll be okay, anyways how are y-

 

Bart closed the messaging app, shit, shit shit-

 

Shit.

 

Welp, seemed like he wasn't the only one with their murderer being called their brother, Bart wanted to rush over to the hospital to intercept this, even if due to the fakeness of this world she wasn't in any real danger.

 

But he had no idea where the hospital was, he supposed he could look it up but he also wasn't sure how get the nurses to listen to him when he said Billy was dangerous, eh he guessed he'd figure that out when he got there.

 

So using a mapping app he made his way over to the hospital, the outside had oldish brick walls, the front was welcoming with some potted plants posted outside the door, the waiting room was busy but there was no gore, no blood, nothing truly messy…

 

A receptionist asked what brought him there and he told them visting Greta, he was told she wasn't ready for vists yet, so he got to go sit and wait, again .

 

If he were to rate this fake world so far he'd give it about a 4.5 out of ten, sure it was creative to include Inertia as a surprise and points for all his oldest friends being present but really the setting wasn't doing it for him, everything was so boring and edgeless and slow, where was the action? Where was the force of the world gaslighting him or reuniting him with someone who actually could be living in a fake world? 

 

He was musing on that when a large young man with dark long hair entered, it took Bart a moment to recognize him outside of the Harm costume, but there was no mistaking that was Billy Hayes.

 

Bart considered for a moment just fist fighting him here and now, then pulling him aside and threatening him into behaving and then- 

 

Damn slow thoughts.

 

Billy had came over to Bart.

 

"Hey, I wasn't expecting to see just one of Greta's friends here. I thought you all are pack animals." He chuckled a little at his own joke, meanwhile Bart couldn’t help but frown at it.

 

Billy sat down next to Bart, Bart's head followed the movements.

 

"So yeah really what does bring you here alone?" Bart felt like a bug under a microscope with Billy looking at him.

 

"Heh, well I had some free time so I thought I'd pop by. Honestly I'm surprised you're here, being from out of town and all that." Bart manged to remember from his back reading 'Greta' mentioning going to a family thing in some city, hopefully she was referring to Billy.

 

Billy moved his hand to the back of his neck, for a moment Bart flinched thinking he was grabbing his sword, but no… There was no sword.

 

"She's my sister, of course I came. Besides, after… After mom, we've taken anything that could get either of us interduilized really seriously, I know dad loves her but… If the doctors are gonna ask about her prior mental state I want to be the one they talk to." Billy explained.

 

That… Honesty threw Bart for a bit of a loop, he hadn't ever really asked or been told anything about Greta's family outside of the obvious so… The references to their mother and father were a little lost on him, though he was glad, he guessed, that Greta's father hadn't killed himself in this world.

 

"...Has Greta not mentioned anything about our mom?" Billy's question broke Bart's deep thinking.

 

"...No?"

 

Billy face palmed and looked at Bart with exasperation "I… Okay well, maybe another time I can explain, I have enough stress I don't need to go into that right now."

 

Bart made a… Honesty the closest emotion was bewilderment, he- how- how the actual fuck was he having a conversation like this with some filed down version of a guy who's morals were in line with a starday morning cartoon villain in terms of complexity.

 

He really wasn't sure what to make of this, sure on the outside he was acting harmless and Greta… Well he still wasn't sure what her deal was, if she was real or not, but either way it'd feel wrong to leave her with her killer.

 

"...Bart? You seem sorta zoney, are you alright?" Billy asked.

 

Bart gave a awkward smile "Heh I guess this is affecting me more than I thought it would, I'm just thinking about Greta." Techaily that was true.

 

Billy… Of all things looked endeared "Aw, I see that's sweet, caring for my sister that much." If it weren’t for the tone Bart would’ve read the words mockingly but… Somehow this was worse, mentally.

 

From there Bart tried to keep up this small talk, until after a hour he made a excuse to leave. He didn’t actually leave the building but honestly using stealth and just watching from afar was good enough for him, he really couldn't scumtgh talking to the declawed Harm.

 

He waited off in the hallway by the first floor washrooms, close to the speaker, since he won't be able to keep an eye on Harm when he was in Greta's room without losing the element of surprise he'd just have to stick close to speakers and follow him there she he'd be close to the room.

 

And soon enough Bart could see a nurse speak with Harm and lead him off to a elevator, Bart quickly followed, having to take the stairs by the elevator, watching the lights over the doors to see if he had reached the right floor, when he saw he had he ducked into the opening hallway to washrooms.

 

From there he saw Harm and a nurse step out, he could see one of Billy's hands hovering over a pocket but he couldn't make out what was inside.

 

It was harder now, following as the hallways didn't exactly have good sight lines with each other, honestly they felt like a maze which while he was luckily keeping up with Harm did make the distances he saw Harm thorugh points where hallways met farther and farther.

 

Until at one of these points he could see in the far distance, maybe… A mile away? Was a nurse letting Harm into a room, a room Bart could swear he saw Greta looking back out the crack of the door from.

 

Once Harm had disappeared behind the door, two things happened, one was that the nurse walked out of Bart's sight without puase and the second was Bart's racing heart leading him forward though the hallways, down the line that lead to Greta's room, speakers hung over his head like lamp posts at every crossroads.

 

While the distance was far, ridiculously far Bart's steps, hastily and clumsy as they were took him closer and closer, until he felt his heart nearly stop after less than a minute of this small process.

 

"Alert, send guard to room 410."

 

The pervious white medical lighting died around him, replaced by a flood of red flashing lights, which spread throughout the floor, say for in front of that damn door which had its perfectly normal white lighting hanging over it like a noose.

 

After his heart recovered from the shock, it raced again and he attempted to enter a whole on sprint, as he did so he felt something, distently, a second heart beat. The speed force.

 

But something stopped him, his body jerked as a force grabed him from behind from his shirt collar, the front of his collar hit his throat and he nearly choked for a moment as he was pulled back.

 

Bart couldn’t make out the person's face from the angle but he could see that they were wearing a guard uniform and that their free hand hovered over a teaser.

 

"You should stop, what you're doing is dangerous, let's take you outside, that's ssfe." Bart's two ears heard two wholly different tones, one heard the guard calmly and almost pityingly speak and the other heard harsh anger.

 

"Hey-! Lemme go! Greta needs me!" Bart tried to struggle but the guard's hold was firmer than what Bart was ready for.

 

"She doesn't."

 

The guard started dragging Bart away to his protests, forcing him on a surprisely short walk back to the elevator which apparently, despite the prior walk that felt like it had been minutes at least: was right around a corner this whole time.

 

The ride down on the other hand felt like it was taking hours, every verbal protest he made was ignored and no physical protest made headway, leaving all there was that would remotely move forward was the painfully bland elevator music.

 

Finally he heard the ding that they had arrived somewhere and the doors opened to the lobby, which he was dragged though and thrown out the door, his ears slightly ringing.

 

He took a moment, catching his breath and then turned back around to the hospital, it… It looked pretty different to him now, there were now two guards Bart hadn't seen before posted at the front door, the brick outside walling replaced by soothe white tiles preventing any climbing.

 

Bart frantically searched outside the building for a second way in but even the ports for ambulances to quickly rush someone inside had guards. 

 

Bart had to stop, his heart felt like it was going to break it's way out of his chest and he was out of breath, he had stopped in the parking lot, sitting down on one of the  guard barriers 

 

As he was trying to stop himself from passing out from the pain in his chest or from how light headed he felt his gaze wondered to the cars parked in the lot.

 

So many cars lacked character, including within this fake world, Bart really didn't get the appeal of a shiny white car with nothing going on, the most character being an air freshener on the window or maybe a bumper sticker, it gave him a momentary laugh until something caught his eye.

 

There was a old beat up truck parked as close to the building as the parking lot zoning would allow, Bart could see a few things hanging from the back mirror: a putch of some kind, a pentagram charm, and some herb hung outside down like in a kitchen. 

 

Before he knew it he had walked over to it and was looking it over, noticing on the back was a 666 bumper sticker and that it most have been pretty cheap given it's age and lack of space on the inside.

 

It took Bart a moment to really process what he was looking at, but then it clicked

 

it wasn't as… Batmobile-like as the car Bart had seen Harm drive before but it did look totally like what he'd expect a declawed Harm to drive.

 

With that distraction off his mind Bart started to head back toward the hospital so he could continue looking for a way in his phone buzzed, he quickly stepped out of sight between some of the boring cars and checked.

 

Old Messages 

Evil Clone 💩: Yeah apparently he is coming to town to make sure she'll be okay, anyways how are you holding up?

 

New Messages 

Evil Clone 💩: Hey it's been a few hours, something come up I'm guessing?

 

Bart thought for a moment if he should reply, given that Inertia would be able to see that he had read it he decided to.

 

Bart: Oh yeah something did, I'm okay I guess just worried about Greta.

 

Evil Clone 💩: Fair enough, the situation sounds pretty scary, I've read a lot about things with some of the same symptoms and yeah 😰 I'm not gonna get into the many things it could be.

 

Bart: Right 👍

 

Bart closed the app before Inertia could reply again. Once he had his footing he really needed to confront him, after all Inertia was one of the people he knew to have the tech to do this.

 

But for now he needed to focus-

 

He was getting called now, for a moment he considered not checking it but the curiosity got the better of him.

 

It was Max.

 

Fucking shitballs served on asshole crackers-

 

Bart froze a little, it was one thing to deal with his killer being portrayed by the world him to have been his 'loving' (as if Inertia could, Bart used to like the idea that maybe love could help Inertia but… Not after being killed.) 'Brother', or hearing about probably running into now alive dead friends who Bart saw die at the tender age of 14.

 

But having to deal with, talk to and face what his life could have been like, with Max always being there without the universe itself keeping him away.

 

It was a lot to confront, honestly maybe too much especially given that Bart was right now trying to make sure Harm didn't murder Greta, even with his speed Harm had been a multi person threat and even then they had only gotten him to retreat or needed Greta to beat him.

 

But… Dammit it would probably be suspicious to not answer especially if Inertia had told Max about Greta being in the hospital, honestly given how this had all been going that'd be exactly what the call was about.

 

He answered.

 

"Hello?"

 

"Ah Bart good to hear you, are you alright? I heard your friend Greta was in the hospital. How are you holding up?" Max asked with a kindness that was… Hard to hear, of course he was still close with Max but… Nothing was ever quite the same after he came back.

 

"Oh! Well- Yeah she was having some- uh… Memory issues!- Like uh the other day, she woke up and poof! Y'know?" Bart stammered.

 

"Hmm, and how are you handling that? I know she's a good friend of yours."

 

Bart unintentionally took a sharp breath, Greta was indeed a friend of his, and back in the day they were quite good friends but recently? Well admittedly he hadn't kept in touch…

 

"I'm- Well ya know, I'm just trying to keep my mind off it." Bart started pacing, looking back on the last minute of his life he was regretting his choices, he should have thrown in phone in the trash.

 

Max made a noise, it sounded unconvinced but Bart wasn't sure of what, everything he was saying was about what he'd say if this was all real.

 

"Well, I see. If you do end up thinking about it though, you're welcome to come 'n talk to me about it, I know it isn't the same as being there physically Bart but I'm always here , alright? And if you need someone there, physically remember your friends are there for you." Max said sagely.

 

Bart couldn’t stop himself from groaning. Stopping in front of a wall of the hospital and resting his forehead there.

 

"I'm good! I don't need to do that!- but um, thanks Max, it does mean a lot, I just…" have a lot that'd be selfish, perhaps hurtful, things to say… To the real you "I don't wanna talk about it, okay?"

 

Max let a small hum "Right, well you're welcome and if you change your mind, reach out Bart, I'll be there."

 

"...Righto, thanks." Bart got out, whoever was behind this must have been having a good laugh at him, making Max say all these things, things Bart… Really wanted, needed, when Max was gone.

 

"Now with that out of the way, mind if I tell you about how Helen and I are doing?"

 

"...Uhhhh." Before Bart could say no, and explain that he was actually really busy Max started sharing.

 

And oh boy, did Max share a lot… a lot of stuff that normally would be endearing with it's mundaneness but right now was boring Bart to death, he kept trying to find a way to exit the conversation, especially as it was starting to become hard to focus on anything other than Max's boring stories, it was like the elevator music again.

 

But a truck starting up, sounding like it was on it's last legs caught Bart's attention and his heart started racing again.

 

It was Greta.

 

She was in the truck, and so was Harm, and he was driving her off.

 

"So then-"

 

"Max so sorry to cut you off but I gotta go!-" Bart pressed the hang up button faster than he thought he could and started following on foot, staying back to avoid being noticed.

 

Somrwhere else, a little later

 

Old

 

Thad: Fair enough, the situation sounds pretty scary, I've read a lot about things with some of the same symptoms and yeah 😰 I'm not gonna get into the many things it could be.

 

Bart ❤️: Right 👍

 

New

 

Thad: Lmk if you need anything Bart, I wanna help, y'know.

 

Thad was staring at his phone, that last message had been well past a half hour ago, which for Bart was odd… Or maybe Thad was overthinking, being clingy, like what Helen told him he needed to work on.

 

It was probably just him worrying over Greta, that was it.

 

Thad turned his gaze to his room, it was messy, projects all over the place and stuff he hadn't had the energy to clean, 'Mat always gave him a little trouble for that.

 

He looked back at his phone, exiting the convo with Bart and going over to his convo with Billy, back reading a bit.

 

9pm, yesterday

 

Billy 💀: Did you know my sister is in the hospital?

 

Thad: No??? What the fuck happened?

 

Billy 💀: Well apparently she was taken in to be checked for head trauma or something, idk all the details the doctors weren't all that good, honestly I wonder if all the doctors in that town actually graduated past middle school.

 

Thad: Oh damn, okay that's a lot. Weird I didn't hear about this from Bart, do her friends know?

 

Billy 💀: Well I'd sure hope since Timothy and Cissie were the ones to drive her to the hospital.

 

Thad: Huh, okay, well I'll have to check on Bart. Do you want me or Mat to go check on Greta? Like bring her a card or something.

 

Billy 💀: Not needed, I am on my way rn.

 

Thad: Billy it's the middle of the night it'd be safer to drive in the morning, since it's a few hours drive you're gonna be on the road when no else is.

 

Billy 💀: Which means I can speed 🏃‍♀️

 

Thad: No!

 

Billy 💀: Yeah no, I'm not going to, it's a joke Thad. 

 

Billy 💀: I got off work just a hour ago and found missed calls from the 'doctor', I wanna get there early so if anything happens I'm close. I already called a motel before you offer you and Mat's couch, I don't want to be there for another of your moral or adoption debates.

 

Thad: They're not that bad are they?

 

Billy 💀: Thad I have heard you victim blame the fictional guys in the trolley scenario to excuse saving just Bart and I have heard too much shit about the weird ass family tree of the Kent family for one lifetime, I have enough adoption stuff, I don't want his.

 

Thad: Okay, fair enough but if money gets tight we'll make room and keep the debates to our rooms.

 

Billy 💀: ???

 

Thad: What?

 

Billy 💀: Your rooms?

 

Thad; Yes, our rooms. Mine is even sound proof.

 

Billy 💀: Thad please don't be this obvious while I'm on the road, the robot dude reading it is only making this worse. I'm gonna crash while laughing.

 

Thad: Oh

 

Thad: I think I understand now.

 

Billy 💀: Good, because if you didn't I didn't have any nice way to explain it

 

Thad: anyways I'm not gonna keep typing, you should focus on the road.

 

Billy 💀: Okay

 

Thad typed up something new, now that he had caught up.

 

New

 

Thad: Hey how are things? Have you gotten to see Greta?

 

Billy 💀: Yes, she's out now, am busy.

 

Thad: Oh good, we'll talk later.

 

Thad could see that Billy hadn't read his reply. Fair enough, Thad supposed he should do something else with his time now, instead of waiting for Bart.

 

Somrwhere else, roughly at the same time

 

Bart was behind the corner wall of some old, charming and totally not describle with any other words small bunessiess, given the layout of the streets the front shouldn't have been on the small side road, pointed at the truck Bart had followed, it should have been pointed at the road behind him, but… Whatever.

 

What mattered was that Bart could see Greta was moving, not injured and Harm wasn't in the car. Bart couldn’t tell exactly what Greta was doing but so far so good. 

 

Part of him wanted to approach but knew now wasn't the time, Harm would be back in no time so he'd better wait so at least he could get the drop on him.

 

Still oh boy did it take will to not go punch Harm when he saw him- Oddly carrying shopping bags?

 

He then saw Harm get in, and share snacks and drinks with Greta, Bart swiquited really hard, trying to read their lips but alas he didn't have a good angle to.

 

His gut felt like it was tying itself in knots, watching this, she seemed… Fine, she didn't look scared of Harm, she seemed to just be talking to him without issue.

 

She didn't need him.

 

He was probably alone, again , back in the day this would have probably hit harder Bart mused, but really what is another cut of isolation to a wound already at bone? Well non-metaphorically it'd actually really hurt, there were nerves in some bones but he wasn't being literal.

 

Still weather or not it was actually her, Bart felt like it was his responsibility to make sure she was safe, so when he heard and saw the car get going again he followed.

 

Soon enough his feet ached, as he arrived down the hallway, in time to see Greta head into her dorm room with Cissie and for Harm to turn around walking unknowingly towards Bart.

 

Bart groaned a bit at his timing and tried to duck into dorm room, forgetting that he didn't have speed so couldn't try them all, this did not work, at all, all it did was cuase a start from whoever was inside, but he was gone before the door opened.

 

Bart just started speed walking away, down one of the other hallways near the stairwell.

 

He wasn't sure if Harm noticed him, but if he had he hadn't came close to Bart or made a noise.

 

Finally pretty sure 'Greta' was safely with 'Cissie' Bart looked around for somewhere, anywhere that was quiet and felt remotely real, not like the stage of some commercial.

 

He couldn't find anywhere like that, he settled for the back of one of the buildings that held classrooms, the back had a large dirt patch that looked like a garden that hadn't grown yet.

 

Bart sat down against this back wall, legs stretched out on the slightly warm concrete to try to help with the foot pain.

 

He had wasted most of the day hadn't he? Got caught up in a hope he wasn't alone, that it wasn't just him trying to get free again . 

 

He squeezed his eyes shut tight, grimacing and trying to not let a single one of his bitter tears come out out of spite, whoever was behind this wouldn't get that out of him, no, no one would.

 

He had been pretty foolish, Greta had been bait, probably to test if he was really tricked or not, if he had gone to her and asked then… Whatever would have tried to correct the world or whatever would have probably happened. This wasn't like what Inertia did so long ago where one of Bart's real friends were… Kind of there, not controlled by him or the trap, there were a.i's or robots not just fleshy puppets.

 

At least that was the only safe assumption, he… He'd do this alone.

 

Nothing new.

 

Notes:

I hope you all enjoyed the fic today! Don't really have something to plug rn, just remember I have a general blog @kitty-does-stuff and a dc blog @greta-hayes

Chapter 16: Wasted Time

Summary:

Bart runs from his problems.

🎵-I need time to get up, and get off the floor

I need time to realize that I can't be yours

I need time to give up just like before

I love it how you know I'll only come right back for more-🎵

 

"Can you plug in your ear buds, 'Mat?"

 

Mat looked across the room at Thad, who was laying across their love seat like a Victorian woman in need of time by the sea.

 

He stopped the music.

 

"Huh? Oh, sorry. Quick question though, what's got you this freaked?" Mat calmly asked.

 

Thad let out a small and missable noise that Mat thought akin to a sick kitten.

 

"...Bart hasn't replied since early yesterday…"

 

"And that's triggered your uh…"

 

"I will repeat again 'Mat, I do not have attachment issues." Thad lied.

 

Mat nodded in an unconvinced manner "Right, sure, whatever you say, boss. All I was going to say was this has triggered a feeling of rejection, yeah?"

 

Thad hesitantly nodded and grabbed one of the seat pillows.

 

"Maybe you should try and talk to him? I mean with everything going on with Greta he's probably a little out of it, I know Conner has been." Mat said sympathetically 

 

Thad looked at the ground with a look of guilt, maybe fear?

 

"...What if he doesn't want to see me right now? I- I really don't get what's going on in his head right now, hell even mine is pretty… I dunno, all over the place with anxiety, I… Yeah." Thad looked up at him, Mat wasn't sure what sort of expression was on Thad's face.

 

"...Well, Bart loves you, like Con loves me, he's not going to… I don't know, what I'm saying is it should go fine." He reassured  for them both.

 

"Right, I guess I'll try."

 

Somewhere else, with someone with no brother.

 

Bart had managed to send a single heart before he hit the hay for the wasted day. But today was a fresh day, a day he wouldn't waste by trying to deal with people.

 

No today he'd spend his time trying to figure out some limits of this 'world', and his own body. Starting with his body, after all… When he had ran, he had felt it, like it was reaching out to him with open arms.

 

He was on the track field, he had called in he needed more days to the 'school' so while everyone else wasted time on classes he could run in circles.

 

Now that he thought of it like that, it felt a little silly, but really he needed to try as hard as he could to see if he could replicate what had happened in the hospital when he had ran.

 

He did some stretching under the warm morning sun, he was pretty sure things had been just as warm all of yesterday until the sun had set, it was a comfortable warmth, or well it should have been, but really all it inspired in Bart was the feeling of a climate controlled lab.

 

Once he was done he stepped off the perfectly manicured grass, not a weed in sight and onto the paved running course.

 

And he ran.

 

His feet hit the ground with force, a force that should have been harder, it felt like running in water. 

 

His arms felt like that too, like they were trying to pull though the air resistance to move him forward, normally his speed meant not dealing with this feeling.

 

Each foot forward felt wrong, awkward, like he was running for the first time in his life, he kept misjudging where he'd be, nearly tripping, but managing to keep running faster.

 

To a outside observer, they'd say Bart was running fast, faster than the average person could, his form was good and he seemed like a natural.

 

But for him, he felt like he was trying to catch a car, again , he could vaguely… Well the only word that he could use to explain it to someone else was that he could see it, the Speed Force, faintly, though the smallest of things he'd deam 'cracks', it was like when you looked at something in a old video game at a odd angle and could see where the meshes met.

 

But it was so far, the closer Bart tried to get, the farther it was from him, like someone was pulling it away like a carrot on a stick.

 

Bart's heart was racing, it felt like it kept banging into his rib cage trying to persuade him to stop before it gave out. The sweat on his brows nearly getting in his eyes as it pooled down his face. 

 

He knew he wasn't getting anywhere, both literally and figtively he knew now he was really just running in circles, again , and that was… Well it made him want to be stubborn out of spite, sure he couldn't press on his 'friends' to see if they might help, they were fake, but he could keep pressing himself and The Speed Force, it was real, just… Stubborn.

 

He probably would've done it all day out of spite, if were not for how he had lost total track of where his feet were as he was deep in thought. His legs crossed over each other, getting in each other's ways, causing his foot to veer and twist to its side, Bart felt a sharp pain from it along with the dull ache that hadn't stopped since yesterday, with his footing failing his body still moved forward, but past the little balance and support that the foot that hadn't veered off course could offer, sending Bart falling forward, instinctively Bart braced his arms in front of his face and shifted his weight more forward, enough to have momentum to roll, as he hit the ground there was a small dull pain from the force of hitting the ground but as he rolled into the momentum it spread, like a bed of nails since the force was spread to all his body so it won't hurt.

 

The roll landed him on his back, which is also when he realized he had closed his eyes, only seeing the faint red of his eyelids alit by the sun overhead, he decided to keep them closed for now. It offered some relief from his surroundings. Honestly with the pounding of his heart, the soreness that covered his actual sense of touch and how nothing smelled out there, it felt like a sensory deprivation tank, which honestly welcomed right now.

 

That wasn't exactly what he had hoped for but it was something, the speed force was present just… Distantly, he'd need to close the distance and then logically he'd have his powers back. It also seemed like trying to physically grab it wasn't going to work, maybe if he was faster, like having access to a race car or rocket or something but as far as he knew those wouldn't be accessible, so trying a different approach would probably work out better as far as experimenting went.

 

Probably either a more 'spiritual' or scientific approach, like what Max or Wally would try would work out, he'd rather start with what Max would do since as it stood must things Bart could think of and remember as scientific ways of accessing the speed force could also be deadly, so a few hours of trying to sit still sounded better.

 

Before he could keep the thought train going he finally heard footsteps as they closed in on him, and before he could look-

 

"Bart? Are you okay?" 

 

It was Inertia's voice.

 

Bart's eyes shoot open and darted to him, Inertia was wearing civilian clothes, oddly his hair was styled in a different direction, being the same direction Bart's hair grew now, he was looking at Bart, with a expression that could trick someone to think Thad meant him no harm.

 

Bart recoiled away, quickly turning over so he could spring up into a standing position.

 

Bart's posture very much was the opposite of Inertia, if someone wasn't fooled by this world's fake story then it'd be very easy to tell this was a fighting stance.

 

Inertia stepped back, a hand raised in a disarming way and some surely fake concern on his face.

 

"Bart? I- sorry to startle you?"

 

For a moment all Bart could could do was glare at him, waiting for a sign of attack.

 

But he managed to remember what was going on before he had gone for Inertia's throat, and immediately switched his body language into that of amused embarrassment.

 

"Oh!- Hey, sorry, yeah you startled me, I was sorta in my own world. Why are you here?"

 

Inertia frowned and looked down at the ground, weakly lying as Bart took it "I just wanted to check up on you, a lot is going on."

 

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm handling it fine, I'm all good."

 

"...Bart, you just tripped over your legs after running for ten minutes straight, I… that's not normal."

 

Bart faked a laugh "Pffft, when have I ever matched everyone else's weird idea of 'normal'? I just wanted to see how fast I could run."

 

Inertia looked very puzzled and still 'concerned'.

 

"...Okay?"

 

"Anyways. I gotta go!" Bart turned away, Inertia still in his side view and jogged away as Inertia didn't move an inch.

 

He jogged for awhile, and then walked for a little longer, until he had found himself on the edge of the campus, close to the area with the frat house he was meant to live in here.

 

Admittedly he could have probably handled that with more tact and practice but really he was either dealing with a clueless version of someone who hurt him or the person behind this, either way any time near him made Bart's guts flip in ways he couldn't handle on top of everything else.

 

So short, blunt, non-emotive interaction with Inertia is what he could handle for now.

 

He decided he needed a little rest, so slowly made his way back to his temporary 'home' and to the room provided.

 

He wasn't sure how to spend this time of 'rest', it felt wrong, morally and practically to engage in the world around him, but so did engaging in anything that was the same like comics or video games, rest felt like a waste of time but repeating in his head was the stuff Max used to say, that Bart overheard and had said to his friends.

 

But there was no rest here, the real life was fake and the fake worlds felt faker, if he was free he might've ran off to some forest without much human life in it but he couldn't, there was no grounding and no distraction, just the issue swimming around in his head like a swarm of flies.

 

So all he found himself doing was staring at a wall, a wall with fake photos of he and his friends living a shiny happy life. One that wasn't theirs.

 

His body was able to recharge as he laid there, bitterly staring off trying to think of something better to do but his mind didn't until he had drifted off into a nap.

 

He slept for a few hours, outside of the window the world shifted from late afternoon, to evening, to night.

 

And then Bart was awake again, feeling a rumble in his gut led him to the kitchen, to heat up some pizza pops.

 

…

 

He turned away, looking at the doorway and the stairway back up to 'his room'.

 

He left the food behind, forgotten within the microwave and went back to the room that he had to pretend was his.

 

He got back into the darkened room and got onto the bed and crossed his legs, closed his eyes and tried to focus hard.

Notes:

Hey so sorry for the late post my life has been chaos last few days, check my blog kitty-does-stuff for details.

Chapter 17: Prisoners Betrayal

Summary:

The prisoner's dilemma presents a situation where two parties, separated and unable to communicate, must each choose between cooperating with the other or not.

…

…

…

…

 

"Hey Bart, wanna come grab some milkshakes with me and Cassie?" Kon called though the door.

 

"Still busy! Sorry!" Bart called back, his eyes tightening as he tried to remained focused.

 

"Dude you can't keep spending all your time in your room, if I don't see you get some sun soon I'm gonna have to assume you became a vampire or something." Kon joked though the door, slight hint of concern on his voice.

 

"Pfft, as if, if anyone is a vampire it's Tim! I'm all good, okay?"

 

"Right…" Bart could hear Kon walk away.

 

Now he could try to focus on the mediating option for regaining his speed, which he had been doing since his run didn't work, so far… It hadn't done anything, he couldn't even feel it in the distance like he could when he ran.

 

Before he could try and continue though he got a text.

 

Gretalla 😶‍🌫️: Hey, would you like to hang out after class tomorrow?

 

He stared down at it for a moment, slight frown before answering.

 

Bart: Yeah, sure. My place or somewhere else?

 

Gretalla 😶‍🌫️: Your place would be fine, can I get a ride there though? My legs are still tired from when I walked over the other day.

 

Bart: Yeah I'll just run you over to my place-

 

Bart looked down at what he typed, cringed and deleted it as fast as he could.

 

Bart: I'm so sorry but I can't, I could get Tim or Kon to give you a ride.

 

Gretalla 😶‍🌫️: Oh that'd be fine, thanks. Tho mind if I ask why you can't?"

 

Bart: Classes kinda just line up weird, if I did then I'd have to grab you before actually getting back from classes and that'd kinda break my flow, yknow?"

 

Gretalla 😶‍🌫️: Oh, I see. Well I'm fine with either of them doing it.

 

Bart: Awesome. See u tomorrow ❤

 

Bart reread the convo a few times before sighing in some slight frustration, why did he have to wait a whole day? 

 

And… What was this for? Maybe he had been being paranoid and she was her but then again, she won't work with Harm, this easily could be a trap.

 

…

 

Greta was always hard to read, even when they were kids Bart… Never really knew what was going on in her head, he guessed that it was like how people talked about not knowing what he was thinking, it sometimes like she was speaking a different language than him, which… Was fine, normally it was fine he didn't understand but right now? It was adding a lot of stress that would otherwise be avoided.

 

He tried to return to his meditation but his mind couldn't stop wondering back to what could Greta need to talk to him in person for? It kept popping up over and over and over until he found himself living in the next day, after class, the waiting finally over.

He was waiting at the desk, since he hadn't been able to focus enough for meditation he had shifted his focus to research, seeing if any experiments close to what had unlocked the speed force had been done before so he wouldn't waste his time with them.

 

"Bart, it's me! It's Greta!" He heard from behind the door

 

"Oh-! Come on in!" Bart's attention snapped away from the computer and to the door, he got up and threw himself over onto a bean bag chair so maybe he'd seem a little more relaxed.

 

A smile creeped onto Bart's face upon seeing Greta as she opened the door, even though… This was probably fake, it was a nice reminder, perhaps when this was over he'd go visit her, for real .

 

She seemed to be carefully looking over the room, her face didn't look cheerful but Bart couldn’t place the emotion on it, maybe it was her trying to figure out if he wasn't tricked or maybe it was the same thing but for different reasons.

 

Either way as she closed the door it really settled in, that in some way or another this was the first time in awhile he had seen Greta, and that its good to be friendly, no matter what was going on.

 

So he followed his instincts, and those told him to pull himself up and leap into a hug for Greta, a tight one. 

 

He missed her.

 

Greta stumbled back a little bit was was able to keep her footing and wrapped her arms around him tightly too.

 

"It's sooo good to see you Greta." Bart said into her shoulder, hiding his face as he wasn't sure he was rehearsing the words for when he got out or if they were for now .

 

"It's good to see you too, Bart. I- I must have really worried you, yeah?" Greta's voice was unstudy

 

Bart pulled away, trying to think of how to answer that or if he could ask a question or even the question that was on his mind, he… Yeah he was worried, about her.

 

"...Yeah, I- I don't like the idea you, or any of the others could suddenly forget so much, it's… Yeah a little scary. How are you feeling anyways? Any problems with your brother or anything?" Bart stammered out, doing his best to toe the line, get close to what was on his mind.

 

Greta pulled away and remained silent, walking away from him and sitting on an available bean bag chair, Bart followed her and sat on one too.

 

"I'm doing pretty okay, and Billy was fine, just a… A little more protective than I was expecting, but… I donno, yeah, I'm doing well. My memories are recovering well." She said with a forced smile.

 

…Okay there could be a few meanings to that, some good and some bad. He'd play it safe.

 

 "Oh… Good, I'm glad you're doing so good." Bart's smile was forced too, as his mind tried to race to find answers he didn't have.

 

Greta's eyes darted around as her 'smile' grew, her arms in front of her resting on her legs and put between her and Bart.

 

"So… How have you been? I haven't really- Well I don't really know what you've been up to lately." She asked.

 

Bart rolled his head back as he thought for a moment, deciding what to tell her.

 

"Honesty, stuff has been pretty boring lately, I've mostly just been doing homework and hanging out, ya know?" Bart vaguely answered.

 

Greta nodded, excitement in her eyes as her fake smile was replaced with a real grin.

 

"You know, I think I know just the cure for that. The doctors told me it'd be good to relax and have fun… So I was sorta thinking of going on some sort of small mini road trip over the weekend, simultane my senses but… Well I can't drive right now, and I thought it might be fun to do with someone, I'm not ready for a big friend hangout but… Yeah, would that be something you'd be interested in?" She said.

 

…

 

Well shit, that put him in a bad spot, not only was his time still wholly devoted to regaining his connection to the speed force this could be the perfect opportunity for… Something to be done to him, nothing in this conversation made it much clearer if Greta was safe to confide in let alone if she might be a fake copy, a agent of the villain.

 

"I- I'm really really sorry Greta but I can't, I- I have stuff planned with Max I can't put off- I'm really sorry, I'm sure one of the others would be up for for it. I mean, Cissie comes to mind, she's like- basically your family yeah? Oh! Ororor Tim , he's got nothing going on." Bart lied, deflected, tried to hide the worries plaguing his mind.

 

He could see briefly on Greta's face anger before a light bulb seemed to go off "Oh? Is Max feeling okay?"

 

He wasn't sure how to answer, if it was a trick question.

 

"Oh! He's… He's okay, I just- I don't wanna bail on him, ya know? Since I've been in school I haven't seen him as much so I can't really dip on him." Bart quickly added to the lie.

 

Bart proceeded to try to keep the conversation away from their lives, he couldn't think of a safe way to ask if she was in the same situation as him so it was better to avoid revealing he was clueless about the world around them, he became even more defective when she brought up parts of his family.

 

He was burned out by the time he was waving goodbye as she left the room.

 

He flopped onto the bed, face down in his pillow. He didn't know how much of this he could take.

 

He hated lying to his friends, he hated pretending, he hated trying to be smart and trying to dodge detection and he hated feeling so powerless.

 

He let out a growl, a scream, into his pillow and held onto it tightly.

 

He was tired of trying to be patient, this needed to be done soon, because at this rate he was probably going to fuck himself over by acting out.

 

And he was fucking tried of dealing with this alone , always alone! Always with copies and people who he missed and couldn't say goodbye to.

 

He was powerless, he was tired, he was alone, again and again and again and again and again- AND IT WAS ALWAYS ALONE, he- He didn't ever mean to end up a independent person, who mostly kept his problems to himself, dealt with them alone but… It wasn't like he had another option.

 

He raised himself up and off the pillow, took a few deep breathes in, then out, and then in again.

 

Onto plan three for getting his powers back, experiments and science.

 

Notes:

Okay so my math was poor when I first posted thie fic and I forgot to account for edits that combained chapters. Either way the next chapter is the last part of Act 1, at which point this fic is going on hiatus until I get Act 2 done, I don't know how long it will be but my plan is for Act 2 to cover a lot more ground so will be likely longer.

Chapter 18: Saturday, Again.

Summary:

It's Saturday again, Greta is at a lake, Anita & Slobo coming to gripes with their reality, Billy & Thad both reeling from the distance of their siblings.

And Cissie finds Bart, alone, covered in water next to a generator.

Notes:

STRONG TW: themes of suicide, body horror

The smell of tea in the room was overwhelming, it was a spiced tea and honestly reminded Tim of a pumpkin pie.

 

"...Zach, two things." 

 

Zach looked up from his phone and pulled out a ear bud "Yes?"

 

"When I said I wanted to 'hang out' with you I didn't mean that we'd be distracting ourselves with our phones together and two, why is Klarion here?" Tim pointed across the open concept living room into the kitchen where Klarion Bleak was making tea, his pet cat Teekl sitting and staring over at Tim and Zach from the counter.

 

"Oh yeah, sorry you know how easy it is to get roped into what's going on online. And Tim, Klarion is one of my roommates." Zach looked over at Klarion who did a small wave before going back to what he was doing.

 

Tim blinked a few times, he had known that, of course he had, he knew Zach, he knew Eddie, his older brother knew Raven and talked about how she acted as a den mother to a few different students including Klarion, hell Tim knew Klarion.

 

Why was he remotely surprised? It was… just another momentary thing that didn't line up or odd feeling that couldn't belong to him.

 

"...Right. Now, um can I get your thoughts on something? It has to do with some of my friends and well y'know how interconnected we are, it's hard to find someone uninvolved to get a non-biased point of view." Tim explained.

 

Zach snorted out a small laugh he tried to hold in, meanwhile Klarion who was clearly to Tim listening in bursted out laughing for a minute before regaining his compurose, allowing Zach a chance to reply.

 

"Right, it's pretty famous how attached you all are. So what's up?" Zach asked, relaxing in his seat from across the small coffee table.

 

Tim looked down his hands resting on his knees, taking a breath.

 

"I'm really worried about my friends, everything started when one morning Greta woke up with… I don't know her memories were gone and since then she's been acting… off, apparently there was nothing physically wrong so it was something mental… And around the same time Bart's been acting kind of weird too, like sorta distant and spacy, to like a alarmingly degree, Con found food left in the microwave and it seems like he's been skipping all of his classes." Tim took a breath.

 

"I'm also worried about Cissie, I don't think they're handling what happened to Greta well, they've been on pretty edge. So have Anita and…" there was something that made him hesitate, like he didn't know he was using the right name but… Nono, he had the name "...Slobo, they've sorta dropped off the face of the earth only to pop up to head off to the woods with Greta, which honestly I don't really know if it's a good idea for her to be in the middle of no where in her state, even with friends."

 

Zach blinked a few times before letting out a small cough "Wow, thats a lot-" before he could say more he was interrupted from the kitchen.

 

"Sounds like you, Conner and Cassandra are the only ones really holding it together, yes?" Klarion asked in a odd tone.

 

Tim turned and looked bewildered as he looked at Klarion trying to figure out what might have inspired him to say that, but really all he could notice as Klarion's always present imp smile offered nothing was that Teekl had gone somewhere out of sight.

 

"...I guess? I don't know." Tim admitted, Klarion meanwhile poured himself his tea and walked over, taking a seat next to Zach without invitation.

 

Zach looked over at Klarion with some offense and looked over at Tim for a cue to ask Klarion to leave, which Tim didn't offer, so he simply sighed and went to ask the question Tim's answer raised.

 

"What do you mean you don't know?"

 

Tim looked up at the two, he'd hesitate to call them a pair, mainly because of how Zach's lips pressed to make a annoyed frown.

 

"Well… Admittedly my heads been all over the place, feelings of deja vu and a feeling I can only describe as the exact opposite, like living things I shouldn't be able to… It's a little unnerving, and well I know Con and Cassie are really stressed about the others. Now Klarion why did you mention that in the first place?" 

 

Klarion took a sip out of the brewing pot shaped mug he had used before taking a breath and answering "I was just sharing my read on your situation, based off what'd you said, that isn't rude is it?" 

 

Tim, nor Zach, it seemed could tell if that last part was a joke or an actual question, there was an unspoken agreement to not touch that, for now at least.

 

"Oh, well I guess I didn't need to explain all that, did I?" Tim's arm moved to rub the back of his neck.

 

"I mean Zachary can probably give slightly better advice now, since he knows your state too." Klarion took another sip meanwhile Zach shoot a bewildered glare.

 

"I guess I can? Are you gonna just, be here now?" Zach asked, to which Klarion simply nodded.

 

"Right…. Well um, Tim-" Zach fully turned his attention back to Tim "That really sounds like a lot, like a weird amount of a lot, you guys didn't go though something bad recently, did you? Or could the dorms or your house have something like mold or a gas leak?"

 

"I already checked all our shared living spaces, and spaces we all hang out and they were all clear for both and I don't recall anything bad or even intresting happening recently, there's no reason our mental healths should be going haywire like this. If it was just Greta and stress related things I wouldn't be so worried, I would worry over Greta but… It feels like a lot of us are… Not doing good." Tim sounded a little frustrated at how there wasn't a easy logical answer.

 

Zach seemed to mull that over for a second "Okay, maybe if you guys went though something long time ago, it might just be popping up now?"

 

Tim shook his head, and hesitantly spoke "We don't have any shared truma's and most of us haven't gone through anything traumatizing."

 

"You don't sound so sure about that Timothy." Klarion nonchalantly commented.

 

Tim held back his immediate reaction of defensive anger, and as he let that pass. Klarion had a point, he didn't feel sure, hell that prior sentence felt like a lie.

 

"...Okay, maybe I am not sure. I don't remember anything though."

 

"Greta doesn't remember anything yes? I feel like that should be a good reminder memory is fillable, there's many tales of people who died and didn't even remember that." Klarion interjected.

 

Zach rolled his eyes a little "I mean I guess there's a little reason to not trust lack of memory, but was right now the time to mention a trope in those ghost stories you read? Tim's par- worried enough."

 

Tim let out a small laugh "I'm not going to be offended by being called paranoid Zach, and I get what Klarion means, besides the ghost bit I'm like ninety percent sure none of us are dead."

 

Two people walked though the room, minding themselves and their own conversation, it was the brown haired Eddie and one of roomates didn't talk to but knew the name of Skye.

 

Zach had a odd frown on his face for a moment before his face returned to its resting state.

 

Klarion also frowned a little, and looked over at Skye, his frown remained.

 

"Timothy, I don't think you and your friends are the only ones having some odd experiences lately. There's a reason I brought up ghost stories, sorta feels like I'm living in one. But I really won't know whom to point to as the ghosts." Klarion took another sip of tea.

 

Zach looked away from the kitchen, from Eddie and Skye and rolled his eyes again "Well speak for yourself, I'm totally fine ." He said with a little more force than he meant to.

 

Tim shifted a little in his seat and looked between the two, okay odd. Why would they also be experiencing this?

 

"I was, Zachary." Klarion corrected.

 

"Okay well either way it really is helpful to know it isn't just contained to one circle of friends. Though I really don't know what could be going on." Tim said.

 

Meanwhile, with another fallen Titan.

 

Tanya had been a little surprised that Bart had came to her for school advice, after all he wasn't really the getting tutor or anything like that type. But it was welcomed, she was glad he knew she'd help.

 

"So, if I'm understanding your problem right, it's that you've been missing some classes and have a pile up of projects?"

 

Bart nodded "Yup, I'm thinking of seeing if I can independently do some of the stuff but I'd have to have access to the labs when they were empty."

 

Tanya thought that over for a moment before replying "I mean that's a option, you could also see if they'd give you a test or something to make up credits and I'm sure asking for a extension would be an option."

 

Bart frowned a little and his head moved to look at her in a new angle, it sort of reminded Tanya of a bird "I like my plan, I'd rather just speed run getting everything done at once, and I don't wanna write any long papers."

 

Tanya nodded, she wasn't sure that'd be the most effective way of getting this done but she could respect he knew what he wanted to do.

 

"Right, I see. The labs are available for students to use them after hours, you just have to get a code so you don't trip the silent alarm-"

 

"Why the hell does this school have silent alarms?"

 

"Well I mean they have a lot of expensive equipment and for the labs it also has a generator so it'd be bad if someone got in and hurt themselves."

 

Bart nodded sagely "I see, I se ee . Well that makes me feel better about talking to the teach, thanks!"

 

With that Bart walked off, waving behind him. She was tempted to call after him and let him know that she had more advice but, really Bart wasn't a guy who was easy to pulled from his ideas and plans.

 

So she let him walk off, this was the last time she'd see him, at least for awhile.

 

Somewhere else, somewhen else, with a Titan killer.

 

Thad had gathered up ice from the freezer, put it in a plastic bag and covered it with a towel. He sat on the couch moving it other areas that were sore from being held up by his shirt and from his landing, he felt like this might be a little dramatic but it was what he could default to when confronted by unexpected violence.

 

The front door opened and 'Mat entered, it took him a moment to notice Thad while he put a book bag aside and his jacket.

 

Then he noticed and alarm crossed his face.

 

"Thad? Are you okay? What happened?" He came over to Thad.

 

"...I think I fucked up and pissed off Billy." Thad bluntly answered.

 

Mat rised a eyebrow "That doesn't explain anything."

 

"..I might have helped Cissie break into Billy's motel room, and he… Well he came here and threatened me." He explained.

 

Mat looked rather taken it back "I- why- Why would either of you do either of those? I-" he stammered out.

 

"I was worried about Bart, he's been pushing me away this week and Cissie promised to look out for him for me. And I- I guess I misjudged what Billy could do." Thad's words came out fast and shaky.

 

Mat looked slightly horrified, Thad looked away; he didn't want to know what was so unnerving to him.

 

"I… Just, shit. Okay. Well, I'm here now, no one else is threatening you, we can talk more in the morning but do you want to have some junk food and watch a mov-"

 

*buzzz buzzz*

 

🎵Bill nye the science guy BILL BILL BILL-🎵

 

Both of them pulled out their phones and looked at why they were both being called at the same time, it was a group call started by Conner, it seemingly had everyone he knew or at least shared as contacts with the rest of the core four and… Oddly Carol and Preston too.

 

Mat picked up the call, while Thad couldn't bring himself to answer it.

 

Mat's face quickly went from some concern to absolute horror, any flush in his face evacuating as his gaze turned to Thad.

 

Mat nodded once, failing to remember that this was a phone call "Right got it, I'm with Thad right now, we'll be there as soon as possible- I'll tell him." Mat hung up.

 

"Get in the car, we've got to go. I'll explain on the drive." Mat gentley grabbed Thad's arm and basically picked him up and guided him outside to their shared car.

 

Somewhere else, shortly before .

 

The labs building was dark, and quiet, which was great for Bart, he had a plan. 

 

Since he could feel the speed force, just distantly he gelt pretty safe in his plan, he had felt safe when picking up the jumper cables and as he made way into where liquids were stored.

 

Bart grabbed several bottles labeled hard water, and poured them over himself insintly relazing thay it probably would have been a better idea to head to the generator first before soaking himself in water. Well no use crying over spilled hard water.

 

Either way the bottles were tossed aside, clattering to the ground with a hallow thud as he walked back to the stair case.

 

He wondered the ground floor halls until he found a door with a sign reading 'danger', figuring to try the easiest thing first he tried the door knob, which worked, which struck him as odd but he had came this far.

 

So down into the dark basement he went, it took his eyes a few moments to adjust, green light next to the generators switch faintly lighting the room.

 

He was now actually seeing what he'd be using as an attempt at a speedster boost to get going again did give him some pause, room for thoughts of what if it didn't work to creep in, but desire to move forward overtook them and he moved to get the cables set up.

 

Which is when he heard movement above followed by

 

"Hello? Is anyone down there, are you okay?" The was from the top of the stairs and belonged to a worried Cissie.

 

Bart didn't reply, he ducked behind the generator leaving the cables on the ground as he tried to find somewhere Cissie won't see him.

 

Then he could see Cissie's shadowy figure coming down the stairs. He tried hard to hold his breath and to not just let his eyes squeeze shut.

 

She reached the button and he could see she was looking righr at him, for a minute that felt like years before turning on her phone light, shining it onto him like a spot light.

 

"Bart?"

 

Bart gave a very awkward wave and laugh out of nerves.

 

"Hey y Cissie I know this looks sorta weird, but I promise everything is totally fine-"

 

"HOW IS THIS FINE? YOU'RE SOAKED AND NEXT TO A FUCKING ELECTRIC SYSTEM!" Cissie looked terrorfied, one hand reached forword towards him but her fear of being electrocuted kept her from crossing the room to him.

 

Bart tried to move but realized he had put himself in a pretty bad spot, he couldn't move without likely getting shocked, which would be fine if there wasn't a witness who very well was the real (but controlled) Cissie who might get themselves electrocuted trying to 'save' him.

 

"I- To make a very long story short its a science thing, I'm not in any danger just- Don't come closer the same won't be true of you ." He tried to calmly explain.

 

"A science thing? Bart what are you doing?" She retracted her arm as she shined her light and saw the tangle of wires Bart had jumped to try to hide.

 

"Uhh ever read a comic? It's like- Wait how did you get into the building?" Please please please-

 

"I broke the door's lock? And what do comics have to do with-"

 

They both could hear heavy booted feet above, storming their ways though the halls, towards them.

 

Bart's heart was racing now, his eyes darting around for a way to get out, Cissie also looked alarmed through it was more her picking up on Bart's feelings.

 

"Cissie I don't know how this is going to go, but don't trust them, please don't trust them. I- If anything about this , the world around us seems off then- I- I- guess Greta is your best bet and- I guess if everything other than this is fine then…" he shrugged "...I guess live happy ?"

 

Cissie looked like they were about to say something, probably ask what the fuck he was talking about and why it sounded like a goodbye.

 

But more light flooded into the room from the door above and down came several men, more generic than a video game npc in uniforms came down.

 

"CAMPUS POLICE FREEZE!" They had something out, pointed at he and Cissie but he couldn't tell with the lightning if they were tasers or guns .

 

Cissie turned to them, hands up "I- I just found him like this, neither of us are thre-"

 

"WE'LL DECIDE THAT LITTLE LADY. BOY, YOU OVER THERE STAY WERE YOU ARE, WE'LL TURN OFF THE GENERATOR." One of the men kept a close eye on Cissie who looked like a mix of fury and fear would be making them dizzy.

 

One of the other men came closer, seemingly with no fear or hesitantion, or really any emotion that wasn't simple empty hostility, it grabbed onto the lever to turn the generator on and off.

 

Actually how come the backup generator was on before he-

 

Hook, line and sinker .

 

Bart's hands darted to the wires hoping that something would be exposed it was better to risk it all than simply allow the trap to tighten around him.

 

But the heavy swish of the lever being pulled to it's off position killed the electioncy and his hopes.

 

The campus cop slammed it's hand down next to one of Bart's and the shine of the stainless steel handcuffs made Bart sure what'd they would be trying to do now.

 

"Hey-!" Bart uttered.

 

"What are you doing to him?!" Cissie tried to move over, to Bart's side but was grabbed by the campus police.

 

"He is going into our custody for his safety , Bart Allen you're under arrest." Before Bart could move, pull his arm back to at least hit back his other hand was grabbed and cuffed.

 

Before he could move.

 

"Hey- He needs help not to get fucking arrested, what the fuck??" Cissie broke free from the hold and regained their footing as one of the men dragged Bart away from the generator.

 

"Back off and let us do our jobs." The guard said as they dragged Bart over to the stairs, the other campus police were close at hand.

 

"For the record this is like- super duper illegal, like not the stuff with the generator but like-" Bart started to explain.

 

"SHUT UP." The officer demanded as they started up the stairs, Cissie close behind.

 

"Please- Let's just call the hospital or something this is nuts-" Cissie tried to reason.

 

"We are following protocol, it's not in our hands." 

 

Cissie looked at them, then at Bart who was trying very hard to put on a brave face and failing, Bart could see something snap in her.

 

Cissie ran up to them within the hallway, taking a leap at her last step and grabbing the back of the one holding onto to Bart, smiling with a sense of relief that one. He wasn't alone, there was Cissie and two. He might get out of this he at the same time he thought this he brought his head back fast for a backwards headbutt.

 

There was a wet crunch noise as the officer was impacted, like wet sand or something. Cissie wrapped her arms around the officer's neck and was pulling, tightening a grip around it but the grip didn't loosen a bit, in fact it felt tighter Bart's hands tingled as blood flow was cut off.

 

He stumped hard onto it's foot only to hear and feel that wet crush again, the officer was now jerking around to try to knock Cissie off.

 

Bart could see one of the other officers pull out the mystery gun-taser and was aiming at Cissie.

 

"CISSIE WAT-"

 

*ZAP*  

 

Bart could feel electioncy coarse from Cissie, though the officer at a rate that could only mean it should have been affected too or wasn't made of flesh. Cissie let out a blood curdling scream as her body jerked and twitched, Bart himself could feel small twitches in himself but he was lucky compared to Cissie, though alarmingly he didn't feel any speed, the speedforce was somewhere, close and watching but… Out of his grasp still.

 

Cissie lost her grip, falling onto the ground with a unpleasant thud gasping for air as her body twitched on the ground.

 

Bart tried, straining every muscle to break out of the officer's grasp, jerking his body around and back kicking but nothing stopped the officer as it pulled him along with the others, leaving Cissie on the ground like a piece of litter.

 

He was forced out the front door, greeted by the cold night air hitting his wet skin like road rash, he could see pulled up on the road beside the courtyard was a unmarked car, built like a police car, and above was the moon, it was a crescent moon… On it's side.

 

Like a grin.

 

Somewhere, he couldn't discern the source; he heard laughter from an unknown but familiar voice.

 

He had finally figured out why the villain, the world hadn't bothered to trick him.

 

It was so he could be laughed at.

Notes:

That's all folks! For now at least, I,have a few chapters of act two done but I wanna rewrite them and get the rest of Act 2 done before I begin posting again.

If you have questions about the fic, want behind the scenes or want to wtay updated on my life follow me on tumblr @greta-hayes

Notes:

Hello! I hope you all enjoyed chapter 1 of this fic, I feel like I should give some info

1., I will be posting chapters (at least for this act) every sunday, with two exceptions: this first chapter which is being posted Saturday night and two chapters are bundled together due to a gimmick

2., This fic has what I am calling acts (insert Homestuck joke here), this is the start of act 1 which is in total 20 chapters, I have already written all of act 1 and edited it. But I have only started writing act 2, which is going to be likely longer than this, so if after chapter 20 there is a large puase in updates that is why.

3., The tags are for everything planned, I will add & remove tags as the story evolves

4., I am rn homeless & writting on a phone, so writing errors and lack of updates are in part due to this.

5., I am using the schedule so posting these doesn't mean I'm online, but I'll add end notes in real time with posting them.

6., If you would like to send me anything related to this, be it questions or art or anything else go to https://greta-hayes.tumblr.com/?source=share which is my dc fandom blog