You laid in the makeshift bed with Cassandra after God knows how long since the virus started. Things were getting easier. It was also like a sense of normalcy was returning. While Cassandra slept with her head on your chest, you slept peacefully.

That peace died with scream of one of the children. Within a matter of seconds, everyone was wearing their costumes and rushing out into the hall where the child was crying. There, you found a surpsied that set you on guard.

Standing there was Creeper, Lady Shiva, Bane, Cheetah, Solomon Grundy, Deadshot, Deathstroke, and Ravenger.

Cassandra: Mom? You came back?

Lady Shiva: Yes.

Y/N: With company.

Jim, Jason, and Debra had their guns aimed at the criminals you even had a batarang in your hand just in case.

Jim: You brought murders, psychopaths, and monsters.

Creeper: Some are all three in one convenient package!

Ravenger stepped forward and put her sword away. Jason slowly lowered his gun when he saw her.

Jason: Rose? What are you doing here?

Y/N: Rose? As in Slade's daughter?

Rose: That's a story. Probably not one for young ears. Let's talk privately. We're just waiting for two more.

The villains all looked at the mirror, but nothing happened. Slade sighed as he began to walk away.

Slade: They aren't coming.
------------
You all stood in the kitchen area where no kid would hear what was going on. The "Unkillables" told their story to you as you and the other heroes listened.

Rose: Were were hundreds of miles from the main land. An undead Wonder Woman hit us.

Y/N: How'd she find you?

Rose: My theory? She's flying around spreading death. The Anti-Life equation can somehow sense life.

Jason: That would explain the unhealthy buildup of Blighted Ones surrounding the walls outside.

Slade: We could encounter her again. Or other powered undead. We need to get ready for when they hit us.

Wait a second.

Y/N: You're planning on staying here?

That was an issue you needed to deal with if that was the case.

Bane: That has yet to be discussed.

Rose: It's as good a place as any, and we have a better chance at surviving together.

She had a point. Things have changed now. There wasn't good or bad anymore. Plus, these people had skill. Lots of it.

Jim: I'm not confident in that.

He pointed at Bane.

Jim: You killed a lot of my men.

Bane: You gonna arrest me, Gordan?

Slade completely ignored the two men and crossed his arms.

Slade: How many kids are here?

Cassandra: 43.

Deadshot: That's a hell of a liability.

Slade: That's one way to think about it.

Debra: How else would you think about it?

Slade: I'm thinking it's not quite an army, but it's something we can work with.

Jason: An army?!

Hel: They're innocent children!

Bane: No one gets to be innocent now.

Jim: They're not an army.

Slade: You can't protect them from us, Gordon.

Your hand suddenly slammed on the counter causing everyone to look at you.

Y/N: I fucking can!

You looked at Slade with a dangerous look in your eye.

Y/N: These kids aren't your soldiers.

Slade stared at you before he nodded.

Slade: Give Wayne and me the room for a few minutes, people.

The villains filed out without question, but your allies hesitated. Eventually, they walked out to. Cassandra gave you a soft smile before she walked out.

You and Slade stood there, in silence, as you calmed down.

Slade: You lose someone?

Y/N: I'm not discussing this with you.

Slade: I lost my boys.

You slowly looked up at the old man as he stared off.

Slade: I heal. There's no healing from that. Hurts worse than anything.

You just stood there. You scratched your chin which was now starting to resemble a beard due to you not shaving since you got here.

Slade: We're not going to protect these kids ourselves by pretending the monsters aren't out there. We need to prepare them. This isn't an ideal situation but I'm a practical man. I know Batman was too. I don't want to lead this group. And if you don't step up, Bane will.

You leaned against the counter and thought. There were horrors out there. Real horrors that you couldn't stop with a punch to the face or using your skills as a detective. Has much as you hated it, Slade was right.

This entire time you had been hiding these kids away. The promise of safety in the orphanage made everyone relax too much. If Wonder Woman found this place, if any infected superhero found this place, then you were done for. Everyone is.

Y/N: Everyone, listen up. I don't like this situation, but we make the best of it.

Everyone looked at you as you spoke, now beside Slade.

Y/N: Despite your crimes, you're welcomed here. But abuse this hospitality and you will be sent out to fend for yourself outside of these walls.

Your eyes landed on Hel and Cassandra. Your family. Yes, that included Jason and Debra as well. Maybe even Jim.

Y/N: Tonight we get you set up. Beds. Food. Tomorrow you meet the kids, and we start to prepare.

Deadshot: Prepare for what?

You sighed.

Y/N: Prepare to survive the undead. And each other.

Rose: Sure. I have one question, though.

She then pointed at the bloody doors that led to the gym.

Rose: What the hell is in there?

Jim: Those who didn't make it.

Cheetah: We have an entire room of infected?

Jim: Some of them are children.

Bane stepped forward and looked at the door.

Bane: None of them are children. They're a virus.

Lady Shiva: It would be negligent and stupid to allow this disease to exist in this building with us.

Jim: If you're proposing...

Slade placed a hand on his chest to stop him.

Slade: Go to the kids. Make up some excuse for the noise. You don't have the stomach for what has to happen. Let us do this for you.

Cassandra placed a hand on Jim's shoulder.

Cassandra: Jim, come.

Jim nodded and began to leave the room with Hel while you and the other stayed back.

Jim: Y/N?

Y/N: Walk away, Jim. There's work to be done.

Everyone pulled out their guns while you stood behind them. You had to see them. You had to look into their eyes and see the faces of the people you had failed. It was your responsibility.

Slade: Grundy. Open the doors.

Grundy grunted and grabbed a hold of the doors. He then tore them off of their hinges. Inside the room, there were dozens of Blighted Ones shuffling around aimlessly.

Your eyes scanned the room before you froze up. Debra and Jason did the same when they saw what you did.

Rose: This isn't the time to freeze up.

Jason: It's just....I know that kid. His name is...Billy Batson.

Indeed. Young Billy Batson stood among the undead. The boy who was chosen as the champion of Shazam. How odd that it didn't even matter who he was anymore. Just another Blighted One.

Y/N: It doesn't matter.

Slade nodded and aimed his gun at one of the zombies.

Slade: Open fire!

So, they did.
--------------
And the next day, the kids met their new roommates.

Creeper: I know. Pretty intimidating, huh?

He flexed his non existent muscles while the other baddies stood there with uninterested looks.

Rather they liked the kids or not, what followed was something that stuck with you. In a world that was broken and hopeless, you all were able to join together and make something out of this mess.

Hand to Hand combat lessons were held by Cassandra and Shiva. Together, mother and daughter created tiny lethal hands.

Don punched Cassandra's hand and she smiled.

Cassandra: Good.

Shiva: Adequate.

Shiva was still trying to warm up to the idea of actually caring for people. Despite their rough relationship, Shiva had started to warm up to Cassandra. When she learned the situation with you, Cassandra, and Hel, she had pulled you aside for a chat. Said chat ended in you both shaking hands and coming to a mutal understanding.

You both cared for Cassandra, and you both wanted to see her make it out of this alive. That was enough for the two of you to form an uneasy alliance.

Hel even started to warm up to her. Funny how she had that affect on people.

Marksmanship was taught by Deadshot. It often took place outside in the playground.

Zaid: Why don't we get guns?

Deadshot: Because you're just as likely to accidently shoot each other.

Zaid: Nawww!

Deadshot chuckled and handed the boy a slingshot.

Deadshot: How about I show you how to cave in a skull with a pebble instead?

Zaid: Yeah!

Debra would help out sometimes.

Jim and Jason worked with rations and trained them in being more physical education like warm ups and techniques. Hel and Debra played den mother(s) and made sure the kids eat well and slept enough.

Of course there were more, unconventional classes. Such as Creeper's "Witty Things To Say When Beheading a Zombie" class. And Cheetah's "Fuck Wonder Woman" class.

Cheetah: Wonder Woman was never wonderous to begin. I'm very grateful that I get to teach you how to hurt her.

Then there was Bane's.....everything class.

Bane: And that, children, is why humankind brought the fall of civilization on themselves.

Chris: Huh?

The confused boy was met with a pair of dangerous eyes.

Bane: Are you not listening? I'm explaining how our excesses and complacency....

Chris: Nope. Sorry. I can't understand you with that mask on. You're all muted.

After that, you started seeing Bane without his mask more often.

It was a weird thing to see, but you couldn't complain. The way the baddies treated the kids, the way they grew on them, it opened your eyes. These people weren't monsters. They were people with no options left. Now, they had this new chance.

Grundy: Solomon Grundy. Born on a Monday. Chastened on Tuesday. Married on Wednesday. Took ill on Thursday. Grew worse on Friday. Died on Saturday.

Grundy them smiled as the kids all jumped on him.

Grundy: Happy on Sunday.

Over the next three months, something unlikely happened. You all grew closer.

Matilda: Miss Cheetah?

Cheetah looked up from her workspace at the little six year old.

Cheetah: What?

Matilda: I just wanted to say thank you. I learned a lot. You're a good teacher.

The little girl then reached out and petted Cheetah which caught the woman off guard.

Matilda: And a good kitty.

The exteriors of some of the hardest villains on the planet cracked a little. The worst of the worst were now these kids' heroes.

Y/N: Matilda's a cute kid.

Cheetah turned around and found you standing there with Cassandra. Both of you had smug smiles on your faces.

Cheetah: Did you see that?

Y/N: Um....

Cheetah marched over to you and pointed her claw at your eye which made you flinch with a nervous smile.

Cheetah: If you did see that, I'll have to claw your eyes out.

Y/N: I didn't see anything.

Cheetah: How fortunate.

The two of you stood there, before you both broke out in grins. You both started to laugh as Cassandra watched with a smile of her own.

Yes. You were Batman. Yes. She was a villain. No. It didn't matter.

You and Cassandra chatted with Cheetah for a moment before you headed out. You only had so much free time now. You both liked to make the best of it when you could.

Y/N: I have to admit, this is going better than I...

Slade: Get up! Move!

You and Cassandra stopped walking and peeked into the Gym where Slade was running his class. Kids with heavy backpacks were running around the gym while Slade watched. It seems that one of the kids had fallen.

Slade: You think the undead are going to help you up if you fall, Gareth?!

Gareth: No, Mr. Wilson!

Cassandra watched you frown as you marched forward.

Y/N: Hey!

Slade: You want to outrun death?

Gareth: Yes, Mr. Wilson.

Slade: On your feet.

Gareth pushed himself back up and picked up with his lap as you reached Slade.

Y/N: You don't have to be so hard on them.

Slade: Of course you'd say that.

He looked at you and narrowed his one eye.

Slade: Batman was too soft.

You clenched your fists as Cassandra started to make her way over to you both.

Y/N: Batman was...you watch what you say, old man! Batman was a damn hero!

Slade: Way I hear it, he left you to do his job while he was off doing god knows what. And what did that result in? Broken bones and scars that won't heal.

Cassandra: Slade!

Slade looked at the two of you as Cassandra grabbed your arm to calm you down. Even after all this time, she was your rock.

Slade: The two of you married?

You and Cassandra suddenly had wide eyes as you looked at the old man.

Y/N: What?

Slade: You should be. Not a lot of happy out there. Find it where you can. We're all probably going to die screaming.

That was, comforting?

Slade: I'm actually able to do that stuff. Not that the legal side of it really matters anymore. Find her a ring, and I'll get you two married.

He then walked off. That was it. Just like that, you and Cassandra were looking at each other with questioning looks.

And just like that, you had found a ring in one of the teacher's desk. That ring managed to fit Cassandra's finger.

You were both in your shared room when you showed her the ring. The next day, Slade kept his word. There wasn't a nice dress or flowers. There was villains and anti heroes. There wasn't a best man. You had your brother. The maid of honor, was Cassandra's daughter. Cassandra's father didn't walk down the aisle. Jim Gordan did.

It was a sprinkle of hope, a small crack in the harsh reality, during a rough time during a never ending apocalypse.

But in the end, the two of you were married. You were husband and wife.

You all had these unexpected moments of happiness in a world going to hell. It wasn't ever going to last.

That night proved that fact.

Bane was walking around, doing his patrol, when he heard something in the hall. He smiled as he walked toward it.

Bane: Is someone there? If that's a child, you're supposed to be in bed. But I won't tell Batman if you run back to...

He was cut off by growling nesr his leg. Bane flinched and quickly turned around to find Ace there, growling at something in the dark. Bane kneeled down and petted the dog.

Bane: Easy, dog. I won't hurt you. There's nothing to be afraid of.

While Bane was distracted with Ace, the mirror behind him shifted.

Bane: What's wrong with you? You want to wake up the whole building?

Bane would never get his answer. He instead was met with a sharp pain in his back when Mirror Master slashed his back. Gun shots echoed soon after which sent everyone on high alert.

You and Cassandra reached the hall where Jim and Deadshot were keeping the kids safe.

Jim: He's in the mirrors!

Y/N: Where?!

Mirror Master had the power to get through anything with a reflection. That meant mirrors and windows.

Y/N: Everyone get away from the windows and mirrors!

Suddenly, Zaid was grabbed by a hand reaching through the mirror. Zaid cried out which got Deadshot's attention. He rushed forward as everyone watched.

Deadshot: Zaid!

Jim: Floyd! Stop! You can't do anything! You...

Deadshot grabbed the child and pulled him away before shoving Mirror Master back into the reflection. He pushed Zaid away as Mirror Master grabbed a hold of him. You all watched as Mirror Master dug his fingers into Floyd's head and skull before pulling him through the mirror.

Jim reacted as quickly as he could and fired at the mirror which shattered. The only thing left of Deadshot was his two feet which dropped to the ground.

You all circled the kids and kept your weapons aimed at the windows and mirror.

Jim: Y/N, Cassandra. Cover the kids. We need to get to a room with no windows or mirrors.

Debra rushed into the hall with her guns in her hand and Hel right behind her as the sound of someone going on a rampage echoes in the hall.

Debra: Bane's turned!

Hel: He ran right through us. Didn't even stop.

Y/N: Where was he going?

Debra: Outside.

Y/N: Outside? Why....oh no.

You all rushed to the front of the orphanage as Hel and Debra led the children to safety. As you looked out in the pouring rain, you watched as Bane tore open the gates that were keeping the undead out.

Bane ran outside for one reason. He was controlled by an equation. And the Anti-Life equation, improved it's odds.