Going Blue

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"This past Fourth of July five ice villains staged, simultaneous attacks. Mr. Freeze, Icicle Sr., and Jr., Killer Frost, and Captain Cold were all easily apprehended. Perhaps, too easily," Batman said, his voice dripping with suspicion.

Looking at the image of Killer Frost I flinched as old, buried memories resurfaced. Grabbing my arm, I could still feel the icy chill of her touch even though several years had passed since it had healed.

Thankfully I was brought back to the present as Batman continued. "Cold, Icicle Sr., and Frost were immediately sent to Belle Reve Penitentiary, a federal prison designed to house super criminals. The 17 year old Icicle Jr. was sent to a juvenile facility. Mr. Freeze to his usual cell in Arkham Asylum. But Freeze petitioned the court to be declared legally sane, and Jr. sued to be tried as an adult. As a result, both await transport to Belle Reve; which seems to have been the goal all along. I'm sending the two of you in to find out why," he finished, walking over to M'gann and Conner.

"Who inside the prison will know their true identities?" Aqualad questioned.

"No one," he replied, shocking me, though I didn't let it show. "We can't be certain the prison staff isn't compromised."

I couldn't handle hearing more so I left, wishing my friends luck as I did so.

Almost two hours later Dick found me lying under my bed in the Manor, clutching an old teddy bear from a time long since lost. "What's wrong?" He asked as he leaned against the bed, waiting for me.

My answer, though only a single word, spoke volumes, "Frost."

"You're worried about Conner and M'gann," he said with a sigh. I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Weren't you routinely going to see Dinah for this exact reason?"

"508 visits Dick. 508 sessions in four and a half years, and that's just with her. Now I feel like all the progress I've made has gone down the drain just by seeing her face." I hesitated before saying, "I'm starting to lose hope that I'll ever beat this trauma."

"Hey, don't talk like that. Don't act like that, don't even think like that," he instantly replied. I turned to look at him and saw him staring at me with a stern look in his eyes. "You will beat this, just like I did."

"I've been fighting this for almost seven years Dick. I'm tired of fighting. I'm tired of being so scared of the cold all that it takes everything I have just to stay standing, but also needing a specially designed suit just to walk around in 100+ degree weather." I was almost yelling at this point, and as the next words left my mouth the dam broke. "I'm scared of cold but susceptible to heat; what kind of sick joke is that?!"

Dick just stared at me for a moment before asking, "can I join you?" Not sure what he was up to I hesitantly nodded, and watched him slide under the bed-frame and scoot over to me. Wrapping me in his arms he held me and whispered, "you are the strongest person I know, Batman included. If there's anyone who can beat this it's you." And we just stayed like that, for several hours we just laid there under my bed as my best friend hugged me and whispered in my ear over and over just how much faith he had that I could beat my demons. When he ran out of things to say we remained there in comfortable silence for a while longer, and for the first time in a long time I was just a girl; a girl getting help from someone who truly cared for me.

I must have fallen asleep at some point because the next thing I knew Alfred was kneeling down at the side of my bed looking at us. "Dinner is ready Master Dick, Miss Eve. And considering that you both skipped lunch I would suggest that you come and get some food." And with that he got up and left, though his tone let us know he would be back if we didn't comply.

I opened my mouth to ask Dick to let me go, but was silenced by my stomach's loud protest of my skipping lunch. I blushed in embarrassment as Dick laughed, only to break out laughing as his stomach protested too. We stared at each other for a moment and burst out laughing before crawling our way out from under the bed. As he stood up Dick turned and offered me his hand to help me up, and if I'm being frank I needed it; the floor might be carpet but my leg still fell asleep after so many hours of lying on it.