Quin pressed her face into the window of what she could only describe as a futuristic Chuck E Cheese. "What is this place?" Her large smile was audible even while it was muffled against the glass.

"You look like a psycho." Terry stood behind her, gritting his teeth like he wanted to be anywhere else. People walked by and stared at Quin like she was a crazy person, "c'mon, that's not where we're going."

"Aw... Why not?" She pouted, "do you really expect me not to play video games from the future? My time's version of virtual reality is so cheesy, I can't even imagine—"

"We're not going!" Terry cut her off loudly and Quin jumped away from the building like it burned her, her eyes large like saucers.

"Right, sorry... I am getting a bit distracted aren't I?" She gestured toward him and looked down at the boots she'd borrowed that were obviously too big, "why don't you lead the way?" She smiled up at him.

Terry looked guilty and like he wanted to say something else but he just sighed and raked his fingers through his hair instead.

They walked in silence for most of the way. Quin observed the city around her, noting the different streets and interesting graffiti. One piece in particular made the air around her shimmer with a heavy red mist. She froze and stared at the strange black letters. It didn't seem to be in any language she recognized. She stepped closer, a strange heat burned through her like a flash of lightning.

Someone grabbed her elbow suddenly and she tried to pull away, her eyes locked with a pair of pale almost white eyes. A light angelic voice filled her skull, I've been waiting for you Darkholm.

Her eyes fluttered as if put into a trance, "who are you...?" Her voice wavered.

Come to me.

Terry was next to her in seconds, he grabbed the strangers wrist and squeezed, "let. her. go." he spoke venomously, pure threat laced into his tone.

The man's face twisted with confusion. He looked between them with dark brown eyes, released her, and stumbled away.

Terry wrapped his arm around her shoulders and moved her away quickly. Quin felt dread fill her stomach, she half turned to stare at the man while he walked away, mumbling to himself. Terry half dragged her into an empty stairwell further from the street.

"Hey..." Terry murmured softly and pulled her attention back to him with a gentle grip on her chin, his eyes stared directly into her's. "Did he hurt you?" His eyes darted down to her arm and frowned at the dark bruise forming around her elbow.

"I'm fine." She whispered like she was out of breath, a headache began to form behind her eyes.

He grit his teeth, "did he say something to you?"

"No... he just... surprised me." she lied softly and looked away. Quin didn't want to involve him anymore than he needed to be and she wasn't exactly sure what had just happened. What if it was just her magic misfiring again?

He frowned like he knew she was lying, "fine, come on... its not far" He led her to a small building that only had four tables and a bar with 3 stools. Quin smiled at the simple decor, immediately in love with the hole-in-the wall style restaurant. The old woman at the register waved and Terry gave a nod as he took a seat at the table closest to the door.

"Do you come here a lot?"

"When I have time."

Quin smiled but Terry looked away and stared down at the menu in his hands. Quin frowned and looked down at her own menu, she quietly reminded herself he didn't volunteer to babysit her, Bruce told him to. Already he had to protect her from someone who would normally not even seem like a threat but, she had just froze up... all because of that voice...

She bit her lip.

"Nox..." Terry's voice breaks through her thoughts. She looks up from her menu, surprised to find him watching her. "Do you know what you want?"

Their meal went by quickly and he paid with a quick tap of his slick silver card before they headed back out into the city.

"That graffiti..." Quin paused at the same one that caught her attention before.

Terry looked up at the tagged bricks across the street, he lifted a brow, "what about it?"

She noticed the magic that had been around it before had calmed and the air didn't feel so thick anymore, "nothing, forget about it." She quickly walked away.

Terry stared up at the old artwork, shook his head and looked back over to see she was already at the next light.

—

Quin glared down at her broken pocket watch, magic swelled in her palms, almost painfully. It felt like a magnet was pulling it toward the watch and she had to keep reigning it back only to feel the burn of it on her nerve endings.

She didn't exactly know how her magic worked; her cousin's was mostly verbal, her mom's had used charms and symbols, and her father, well he was an embodiment of order from the cosmos... Her's seemed to just run rampant and do whatever it wanted.

There was no reason for Grayson's door to become flowers, she hadn't been thinking about them or anything she could think of that would influence her magic.

She let out a heavy breath and rubbed at the ache in her temple that had only grown from the strange interaction that morning.

Could she even fix the watch? What if she broke it more?

Terry had been gone for hours, not giving her more detail than a firm 'stay here'.

His stupid apartment was too quiet. Without him, the silence was a big change from her own paper thin walls in New York. Her neighbors were constantly loud, the couple down the hall that always argued, the kids that played tag up and down the stairs, or soccer on the roof even though they weren't supposed to... she missed home.

Quin moved away from the coffee table and tightened the string on the sweats she had borrowed from Terry, they still hung low on her hips regardless.

Whoever's clothes he'd given her to try on had been a few sizes smaller than her. Not to mention not her style at all. Black miniskirts, skinny jeans... no she always preferred more baggy comfortable clothes.

Quin paced in the space between the kitchen and front door, her nerves and mind buzzed with restless energy. The heat of her magic scorched her skin, seared into her joints, and pooled in her stomach.

The door opened suddenly and her pacing led her straight into Terry. His left arm immediately caught her against his chest, the boxes and bags in his right hand stayed carefully balanced without a second thought.

"Woah" he laughed into her hair, "miss me or something?"

Quin deflated against him, his presence brought a distraction that cooled the bubbling pot within her, "don't flatter yourself." Quin had never felt comforted by touch before...

Terry hooked his arm around her waist and spun them so he could kick the door closed behind him, "any luck with your watch?"

He kept her close as he lead her backward to his kitchen and lifted her onto the counter before letting go.

Quin pouted and shook her head, "I don't have a clue where to begin with actually using my magic, let alone how to fix that stupid thing..."

"Well... maybe some greasy pizza will help." She perked up immediately and leaned over to watch him open the box. The smell of meat and cheese filled the space between them and her mouth watered.

She laughed, "oh, I think it might actually" She snatched the biggest slice before he could and winked at his indignant scoff.

He smiled and shook his head with a laugh as he looked away, "oh!" He set down his food quickly and grabbed the collections of other boxes and bags he had brought in, "gotcha somethings." He held out a small box for her to take first.

Her eyes widened then scowled, "is this a trap?"

"A trap?"

Her eyes narrowed to slits, "you know like, I open the box and little fake snakes launch out at me..."

Terry laughed, "what? No, it's a phone you twip."

"What the hell is a twip?"

He rolled his eyes and shoved the box into her hands, "idiot, dork, weirdo, moron—"

"Okay okay I get it" she smiled and playfully pushed his shoulder, but he didn't even pretend to budge. Instead he just smirked and watched her open the box while that soft pink and yellow glow outlined his form. She ignored it and instead frowned at the box like it was bomb. Quin let out an impressed whistle as she finally pulled a thin piece of metal and glass out, "the future can be amazing sometimes..." her smile was wide when she looked back at Terry.

The colors around him had disappeared but he smiled back, "careful, if you stay here too long, I'll have to start charging you rent." She laughed and bit her lip from the flutter in her chest.

His front door flew open and a woman with dark skin and hot pink dreads barged in loudly, "Terry McGinnis!"

Quin jumped and almost fell backward off the countertop, Terry gently grabbed her arm to steady her, "it's ok, it's just Max."

"Just Max!?" The woman snapped, the door shut loudly behind her, "you should be nicer to your only friend."

"Hey, I have other friends!"

"Name one."

"Equinox." He pointed at the blonde on his counter top.

Quin scoffed, "we are not friends." Terry rolled his eyes.

"Ha!" The woman laughed, "I like her— wait a minute— you started eating without me?"

"I wasn't told you existed."

"McGinnis!"

Terry groaned, "I'm sorry okay? Everything has been kind of— everywhere."

Quin nodded an agreement before lifting the box toward the new comer, "Max right? I'm Quin, please don't call me Equinox unless you want me to embarrass myself trying to fight you." Terry snorted and choked on the soda he was drinking so she laughed at him, "ha, serves you right."

Max looked between them and grinned mischievously, "so you're the time traveler?"

The blonde looked nervous for a second and Terry nudged her with his elbow, "hey, Max is a real friend, she's helped me out a lot, especially with Batman."

Quin smiled at him, "alright Terrence, I'll trust you this time." He rolled his eyes and went back to eating.