Thunderstruck (Young Justice)

7. Hellhounds Make For Awkward Conversations

A/N: Why hello there! Long time to see. I started writing this forever ago but life happened and I grew up, which is crazy to think about. I miss writing and the community of readers here so hopefully it hasn't changed so much. So, if you're back again to finding this for the first time: welcome!

~.~.~

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The blank page stared mockingly back up to me and all I could manage was tapping my pen on the wooden desk. There was so much to write before that it was easy to let the pen glide across the letter in messy cursive but now it all felt like too much.

Demons.

The thought of them alone froze me to my core. Was he even reading the letters? Would he care, even now as the foot soldiers of the Underworld leaked into the mortal realm. Maybe he would, he only ever cared about his human children when his brothers were involved. Or demi human. Whatever.

I closed the notebook. I could handle this by myself. I wasn't alone. I had Diana and the team. Oh Gods, the team. What would they think of me? They're mostly nonjudgmental, it'll all be okay and if it's not then I'll just fly until the wind chokes me. Not actually, but I'll want to.

A knock at the door made me fly out from my chair with my heart pounding in my chest. Calm down, you're being crazy. The image of a snarling black hound with sizzling drool that charred the ground made it impossible to move to the door. What if they were in the other side? But dogs can't knock. Even the hellhound ones.

I laugh at the absurdity of it. Of course dogs can't knock. I float to the door and settle my hands before opening it.

"Lana?" It's Robin on the other side. Within the week, I had moved into The Cave when Mom was moved to the hospital for full-time care. For the most part, I was adjusting. I could sit and eat dinner and joke and laugh but when it was late like this I could hide myself away. Or at least you would think so.

"Hey," I open the door with a smile plastered on my face. My heart was still thudding in my chest and the ghost of the hound's image still lingered in my mind. "What's up?"

Robin was dressed in his uniform, his glasses replaced with his usual black mask, "The Batman called us, it's a night mission."

"I must've not heard," I said. He raised an eyebrow because how could I have not heard the blaring announcement but I must've been so deep inside my head that I missed it.

"Oookaaay," he said. "Well, they sent me to come get you. Come on, they're waiting." I nodded before closing the door and throwing on my uniform and strapping the armor into place. A night mission was good. I could keep my mind off of things until I can control what I'm feeling.

In the main room, most of the team was already gathered before the holographic TV and The Batman.

"Nice of you to join us," The Batman said and without missing beat, continued on his briefing. "These beasts, or 'demons' as some have described have been found terrorizing citizens in the night. The attacks are inconsistent with no clear motive other than chaos."

Great. Juuuuust great. Of course, because this is my life and nothing can go the way I want it to.

"Could they be a result of Klarion, the witch boy?" Kaldur asked but The Batman shook his head.

The image behind him looked exactly like how I remembered them. Large hounds with jaws like a Rottweiler and drool that steamed in the night air.

"That's what we originally thought but after his capture the attacks continued. The League would like this contained before this attacks become a real problem," Bats continued.

"Like they're not already," muttered Wally which earned him a glare. Even without superhearing it's hard to miss his little comments.

"Find and capture these demons and bring them back here. We need to find the source before making any further actions." With those closing words, The Batman dismissed us.

"What are we, dog catchers?" Robin grumbled once we were settled in the Bio-Ship. "A week with no missions and this is what we get?"

"A much needed break," Kaldur interjected.

"I agree with Wonder Boy," Artemis said as she leaned back in her chair, "I'm over this waiting around stuff."

"Im just glad we finally have something to do," Superboy gruffed.

Everyone else muttered in agreement but I couldn't help but be silent. I wanted a mission yes, but I was trying to avoid my life not go punch it in the face.

"T.S.?" Artemis, who was sat to my right, cut through my thoughts.

"Yeah, hey sorry," I stammered.

"Are you okay?" She asked and now everyone's eyes were on me and I hated it. I wanted to pull my cape over my head to hid the red that was creeping onto my face.

"Fine, yeah sorry. Just thinking is all."

"About?" Wally asked, his joking tone gone. "You can talk to us, we know you have a lot on your plate. Wonder Woman mentioned your mom—"

My heart dropped even lower. I didn't, couldn't, think about her right now. "I'm going to stop you right there."

The air in the Bio-Ship became tense. Like even the ship could feel the cold that rolled off me in waves.

"Lana-"

"Let's just focus on the task at hand. Okay? I'd hate for us to do a bad job and then we don't have any missions. Again." That made everyone quiet.

I felt guilty to lashing out as soon as it left my mouth but before I could apologize, Miss. Martian pointed, "Down there!"

Down below, in a shopping center parking lot, a hellhound lifted its nose to the air. Its head whipped towards us, like it could see the invisible ship. Maybe it couldn't see us, but he could smell us.

"Oh sh—" Kid's words were cut off by the sound of the roaring wind as I leapt into the night air. The wind whooshed around me and crashed into my ears but the familiar feeling was welcomed. My fingers tingled and the sound of thunder rolled and I couldn't tell if it was him or me who made it.

"Watch this, Dad," I said to the sky. A flash of lightening across the sky was Zeus answer.

A mocking prove it.