A/N: :)

Freya's POV:

Paula

coming home a little late tonight. having dinner with Courtney and the rest of her family. call me if you guys need backup after all
[9:45 PM]

actually might be crashing at court's tonight but I checked in on artie about an hour ago and brought her dinner. im gonna assume you guys are getting info and might be coming later than usual.  see u tomorrow
[12:00 AM]

hey just checking in if you came back last night and left early in the morning with Larry? not sure if you saw my texts. still new to this thing
[7:00 AM]

I feel a nudge against my foot and glance down, seeing the concern in Yolanda's eyes. "You okay?" She whispered and I reassure her with a nod.

"The Ultra-Humanite killed The Gambler." Courtney stated, breaking my attention away as we all watch her pace back and forth in the living room. "He tore into his trailer and stabbed him in the heart with a claw."

"Didn't see any claws. More likely with his teeth." Mike corrected, taking a seat on the coffee table.

"They were big and sharp." Jakeem added from the couch with a slight shiver in discomfort.

"However he was killed, this is exactly why I've been asking us to work together. Whether you belong to the JSA or the ISA," Courtney emphasized, using her left hand to name one team and her right hand to name the other. "our town needs us again. Now, I know putting the past behind us has been challenging for everybody."

I look over to Sylvester knowingly and he sheepishly takes a sip of his coffee. "Yeah--uh, me especially."

"But you're working at it, Sylvester. And uh...that's what matters." Pat awkwardly cleared his throat.

I roll my eyes but feel a light smack on my leg and glance down at the chair I stood next to, meeting Yolanda's stern expression.

"And we've made progress. The Crocks are with us, right Freya?" Courtney asked and I quickly nod in agreement. "Nice. I think we can get Cindy back on board."

"Why are we bothering with Cindy again?" Yolanda dryly chuckled. This time, I nudged her foot which causes her to kick my foot back in retaliation.

"Because she's already on the hunt for Ultra Humanite so she might know what he's up to." She shrugged.

"Cindy seemed pretty firm about working solo." Jakeem hesitantly reminded.

"Whatever grand plan the Ultra-Humanite might have if history has taught us anything it's that it'll involve hurting a lot of people." Pat points out, looking each of us in the eye. "Including us. Cause guys, this ain't no donkey kong."

"Yeah, if we don't stop him it'll be...game over" Sylvester mimics a video game tone, causing Jakeem and Mike to chuckle at his joke. "1981 guys."

"You know, you don't have to do a joke on top of every joke that I do." Pat muttered.

"It's called banter, Pat. All superheroes use it during stressful situations to defuse tension."

"I know, it just seems like you feel like you always got to get the last word in on me--just, you know--"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"See, right there. You're doing it."

Barbara loudly clears her throat which causes the two men to slowly turn to everyone else, realization settling in their expression once they saw the rest of us watching them bicker back and forth.

"Oh, is this what you want? No banter? Just an overly serious conversation, that scared the hell out of everyone--"

"I fail to recognize the purpose of your headache-inducing conversation." I sternly interrupt with a glare.

"Seriously guys." Barbara added. "Stop."

"Sorry Bar--"

"Sorry, Barb." Pat slowly turned to Sylvester in annoyance.

"Okay...banter aside," Courtney paused, taking a moment to glance at the two men before she turned back to the rest of us. "we need the Mahkent's too. And we need Cameron."

"You mean you do." Mike emphasized with a smirk.

"He's as powerful as his father was."

"I'll agree to that, but I'd rather not risk my life again with that psycho and her semi-psychotic husband." I remark and Courtney pleadingly looks at me. "Court, that old hag stabbed me for just turning against Jordan!"

"And if we all team up and then the Mahkent's put me on ice because they figured out that I ran their son over--"

"They won't." Courtney interrupted Mike, causing his brows to furrow in confusion.

"How do you know that?"

"Because they think I killed Jordan."

My eyes widen in disbelief. "What?"

"Why do they think that?" Barbara worriedly asked.

"It's not important. I--" Harsh knocks pound against the front door, cutting Courtney off from her sentence which caused the rest of us to jump at the sudden sound.

Courtney looks back at the rest of us, her expression clearly showing hesitance about whether or not she should open the door.

"Careful." Pat warned.

She nodded and walked up to the door, twisting the lock to loosen it before pulling open the door. Once she opened the door, her discomfort shifted into confusion.

"Hey...Whitmore," I hear Artemis awkwardly greet, causing my eyes to widen. "is Freya here?"

I quickly lean off of the wall and walk over to the door in concern, seeing as Artemis nervously fiddled with her fingers. "Hey, everything okay?"

"I just...Have you seen my parents?"

I slowly shake my head. "Not since our video call last night. Did they not come back after I brought you dinner?"

"I tried to stay up to make sure they came back but I fell asleep. I assumed they left early on their jog or at least to open Ripped City."

"And they're not there?" Courtney questioned.

She shook her head. "I passed by a couple of our regulars that stop by and they seemed confused about why it isn't open yet. I even went to where my mom goes to her Rotary Club meetings but they haven't seen her."

My eyes widen in realization. Oh my god, they never came back. "Dammit." I curse under my breath and quickly walk back to the living room then snatch my bag from the floor next to Yolanda's chair.

"Hey, hey, hey. Wait a sec!" Courtney steps in front of me, making sure I wouldn't leave the house. "Talk to me. Do you know where they are?"

I glance at Artemis, meeting her saddened gaze. "I have an idea where they might be."

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

"I'm not sure what happened exactly," I say, leading the four girls downtown Blue Valley of when I last talked to Larry and Paula. "But it threw them off. I think this is the place."

"It is. I've picked up a signal from Sportsmaster's mask." Beth explained, taking the lead this time, and walked past the mural to continue down the street. "It's coming from under Blue Valley, and I think I've found an access point...there." She pointed to the sewer pothole.

"Why didn't you go with them if you knew something was up?" Artemis questioned.

"They insisted that it would be something small that they could handle. And they wanted me close by the house just in case someone went after you."

Once we reached the sewer pothole, I gesture for Artemis to help me and we both crouch down to pull the sewer cover off. She goes down the ladder first, not bothering to go down step by step.

"Hold up, Artemis—!" Beth called as we watch Artemis step away from the ladder. I copy her movement by sliding down the ladder next, landing on my feet at ease. "Oh okay, we're going down now."

As Artemis and I waited for the others to come down the ladder, I look around the darkened hall in confusion, recognizing that it almost looked similar to the tunnels.

"Have you been down here before?" Artemis warily asked.

I shake my head, tightening the straps to my backpack. "This is new to me." I glance behind us, seeing as Courtney finally climbed down the ladder last, using her flashlight to aim it around the hall.

"Where's Rick?" Yolanda asked Beth.

Beth adjusted the goggles over her eyes as they brightly shine green. "He didn't return my calls, but I left him a text to meet us here just in case."

"Well, we can't wait for him." Courtney explained before gesturing for us to start walking.

"Do you think the Mahkents did anything to The Crocks?" Yolanda hesitantly asked and my heart clenched at their name. "Or maybe that animal did?"

"If that white ape hurt my parents," Artemis spoke up before I could and see her hardened expression. "I'm gonna skin it alive."

"The signal's getting stronger, we're on the right path." Beth informed us as we continued down the hall and made a left. Not too far away, another entrance led to the right which caused us to stop moving. "There it is. Behind that door."

"Maybe we should suit up." Yolanda suggested.

"Where's the staff?" Beth worriedly asked, noticing that Courtney didn't have the weapon with her.

"Sylvester has it." Courtney answered and I narrow my eyes in disbelief.

"He couldn't have picked a better time?" I remark.

"He's trying to get on Ultra-Humanite's trail."

Artemis nudges my arm and I turn. "You with me?"

I nod. "I'm with you." She sprints ahead first and I follow close behind.

"Artemis!"

"Freya wait!"

I harshly kick down the door and Artemis rushes inside, skidding to a stop soon after once the hall ended. "Mom? Dad?" She worriedly called and stepped inside the other entrance that led to the room.

My eyes widen at the various small televisions wired to the wall, showing nothing but static feeds except for one destroyed in a way someone punched their fist in.

Yolanda, Beth, and Courtney skid to a stop behind us "This is command central for our peeping Tom." Yolanda muttered as she, Beth, and Courtney glanced around the room with their flashlights.

"Who was it?" Beth questioned.

"Ultra-Humanite?"

"No." Courtney shook her head in disagreement. "This room is too small for a giant mutant gorilla."

I take a step forward to get a better look at the televisions but something crunches underneath my foot and I quickly take a step back, aiming my flashlight at the ground.

From what I could decipher, underneath the white crystallized flooring is a torn track sweater and something else. The way it shined under my flashlight...is that snow? "Beth." I call and point down to the pile.

She crouches down to the pile along with Courtney. "What is that?"

Beth taps the side of her goggles and I catch a quick glimpse of horror etched in her features until she looked off to the side. "Oh, my god."

"What?" Courtney worriedly asked but Beth seemed hesitant to answer. "What, Beth?"

Beth reluctantly looks up to meet my eyes until she shuts them, turning to face Courtney. "Courtney...these are human remains."

My heart immediately stops and I shakily take a step back but Artemis moves around me, pulling the item from the pile, revealing split pieces of Larry's hockey mask.

I'm gonna be sick.

A sniffle escapes from Artemis, immediately snapping out of my thoughts. I crouch down to her level and pull her into my embrace, forcing her to turn away from the remains as she sobbed into my shoulders, muttering 'no' a few times under her breath.

"Let it out, Artie." I whisper, knowing well enough that she's at her breaking point but didn't want anyone else to see it. "Go ahead."

She lets out an agony-filled scream as she pounds her fists against my back in frustration but I continued to hold her, withstanding each punch she slammed against my back. I held back my groans as I forced myself not to look at anyone else but the remains of Paula and Larry.

I clenched my fist at the sight, feeling the anger bubble up at the sound of Artemis's screams and only one thought ran through my mind.

I'm killing whoever did this to them. For Artemis.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

For the rest of the day, Artemis wanted to be left alone and since I didn't want to be away from her side, we went home. Yolanda offered to stay with me but I wanted to be away from everyone else.

I didn't want her to see me like this.

If I thought hearing the sounds--and well, enduring the hits from Artemis's punches after hearing what happened to Larry and Paula hurt enough, imagine the news we found out that miraculously, the infamous Jordan Mahkent survived.

The same man that killed Larry and Paula and the person behind the cameras.

From what Barbara explained, he showed up to her job and pleaded to her that he's become a changed man and only wanted to protect himself which led him to murder The Crocks. Not only that, he wants to help the JSA stop the Ultra-Humanite.

My first thought? Bullshit.

From my room's window, I saw Cameron making his way to Courtney's house and I immediately knew either he wanted to plead his father's case or at least make amends.

Just the sight of him reminded me of Jordan and it filled my thoughts with rage. I never wanted more than anything to punch his face in. Oh god.

I need to get out of here. I have to get out of here before I do something.

"That doesn't look like a history book." I look up from my journal, meeting my mom's warm smile as she entered my room. "Sorry. Artemis let me in and said I'd find you here. You doing okay?"

I weakly shrug. "Managing."

She takes a seat at the end of my bed with a solemn look. "I'm so sorry for your loss. You might not have gotten along with them in the beginning but...they still raised you."

I dryly chuckle. "They may have made my childhood a living hell and I wanted them to rot but...they didn't deserve this." I mumble before I close the journal. "They finally stopped becoming Sportsmaster and Tigress. They a—they were supposed to be Larry and Paula. I promised to protect them, I-I..."

I pause, inhaling a breath through my nose to steady my heartbeat.

But I didn't get to finish my sentence as I feel her hand place on my shoulder and give it a gentle squeeze. "You know, your father shared a similar struggle as you. Always feeling that you have to save everyone to prove yourself to Nabu."

"Is that so bad?"

"If you want to drive yourself to insanity? Yes. Freya, you're a teenager. The only worries that should be your concern are school, relationships, and making sure you're up to date with the latest internet trends." She playfully emphasized as she reached over and held the helmet of fate for me to see. "Not this. I've always wanted you to live a normal life."

I nervously grab onto my amulet, seeing as it brightly glowed. "You think Dad would tell me to put Doctor Fate down for good?"

"I've had conversations with Barbara and she's said that the recent battle with Eclipso is one that she'd never forget. You went unconscious from blood loss from the stab wounds Eclipso gave you. They weren't even the only scars!" She pointed out, causing my stomach to churn in discomfort. "Your father would have never given you the helmet if it made you suffer this much. All we've ever wanted was for you to do what's best for your future."

"Of course."

"Yolanda means a lot to you, right?"

"So much." I immediately answer.

"Then don't put her through that. No matter how much your father tried, he couldn't stay away from that helmet. He could rarely be a father without always having to look over his shoulder in fear that his enemies finally found out about his family. You have to think about it this way. Is it the best idea to be in a relationship while as Doctor Fate? You're perfect as Doctor Fate but...we lost your father because of him. I don't know how I could cope with losing you too. Yolanda doesn't deserve that."

"I never thought of it that way." I guiltily look down at my hands for a moment until I scoot closer to her. "Dad left this for me just in case there was no one else who could teach me his spells if he ever passed away. It makes me feel closer to him."

Her eyes light up as I flip through dozens of pages filled with spells. "Oh wow! There must be hundreds in there."

"Yeah. You even added this in here too." I chuckle, flipping to the first page of her song. "I think you might have snuck it in without him knowing. When I thought you were gone, this felt like I still had a piece of you."

She doesn't say a word which causes me to turn, noticing her puzzled expression but she quickly recovers it in recognition. "Right! Yeah. It's been a while since I've heard it." She explained with a shy smile. "My memories are still a bit scrambled if you couldn't tell. But it's sweet that you have something from your father."

Now that I think about it...I don't think she's had any sort of memento of my father besides the old photo.

I reach behind my neck and unclip my necklace, placing it in her hands. "Keep it."

Her eyes widen in surprise. "No, Freya--"

"It's o--"

"I couldn't possibly take this. It's practically sacred!"

"It's okay!" I interrupt a bit louder with a laugh. "This thing has been keeping me safe whenever I have a serious injury. Thanks to your advice," I turn around and roll up my shirt, revealing the previous scars I've kept hidden are now completely gone. "I tried some of Dad's healing spells and now it's like they were never even there. Even my hands! I haven't told Yolanda yet but I can feel them again."

"That's amazing Freya but I shouldn't--"

I put down my shirt and turn to face her again. "But besides that, it makes you feel like Dad's always there. You've been looking for him for years and you deserve to feel like he's with you. You deserve to have something that belonged to him, Mom."

She glances between the amulet and I for a moment until she reluctantly nodded with a smile. "Stubborn like your father."

I casually shrug before I stand up from my bed, placing the journal on my desk. "You think you could stay and watch Artemis for me? I've been in my room almost the entire day and I think I need to go on a walk. Clear my head a bit."

"Oh...well okay. I can make dinner if you guys haven't eaten yet."

"That'd be great. I'll be back in an hour." I say, grabbing Yolanda's sweater I borrowed from her on the chair before I exited the room, feeling Inza's words sink in.

Maybe this is the reality check I needed.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。. *✭˚
A/n:

Sorry for the delay!

It's been a rough couple of weeks since my last update bc of some personal stuff but I'm doing okay! We're nearing the end of this series and it's truly been my favorite one. I miss stargirl more everyday ;__;

I hope you all have/had a great day! Bye!

~Cimbello