Secrets

Chapter 4

 I awoke on a bed with the entire team staring at me, as well as Batman, Black Canary, and Martian Manhunter. I sat up.

"How?" I started when Batman broke in.

"Martian Manhunter will explain." He said. I looked around. The entire Team was there, alive. A smile broke over my face as I saw Robin and Nightwing alive and watching me with concern.

"We put the entire team in a mental exercise, when Batman requested we also add you. Most of them knew it was not real when you went in, but again, Batman had me cause Nightwing, Robin and you to forget. The exercise was designed to only get worse. Eventually ending in your death, there was only one chance at life, but that was at the cost of the world. The exercise was a test for you, Batgirl and a training for the rest of the Team. A test to see how dedicated you are and to see if you would betray if things went wrong. You passed. Well done." Martian Manhunter said, putting his hand on my shoulder. I shuddered, trying to process what I had been through. Black Canary helped me off the bed.

"Come, I'll take you to your room. I imagine you want to process what you've been through. "She said. Nightwing put his hand on my shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. He followed us and when we got to the room Black Canary had Nightwing leave.

"You should know, Batgirl. We could see the reasoning behind your every decision. It's hard to tell, but I know Batman appreciated what you said, thinking he was dead. He cares for you, you know. Even if he never shows it." She said, giving me a hug. She was the mother figure for the entire Team.

"Thank you." I said. I was tired and just wanted to see Nightwing. As if she had read my mind she called Nightwing back and left. I sat on my bed, still slightly in shock.

"Are you okay? I'm shaken as well. "He said. "But this isn't my first training exercise like that. In the last one I ended up sending all by best friends to their deaths." He said, "I ended up dying as well." He admitted, putting his arm around me as a brotherly gesture.

"I saw you die." I said, reaching up and feeling his hand, I needed to know he wasn't dead. I don't know why he was the one I cared the most about, but he was. He tightened his grip around me.

"I know. Sorry about that." He said. "I saw Robin die, I wasn't prepared for that." He admitted.

"Oh, I'd forgotten, if you need to go talk with someone or something go ahead. Don't worry about me." I said, hoping he wouldn't leave, but not about to make him stay.

"I'm good. You know, when the aliens attacked, the last person I thought about was you." He said, very quickly.

"Funny, you were the last person I thought about. I wanted the aliens to pay for your death." I said then added very quickly. "And the rest of the teams of course." He smiled.

"You'd better get some sleep, it's been a long day."

"I'm gonna read a bit first, I need to calm down." I grabbed my book off a table near

"You like Inkdeath?" he asked, glancing at the book.

"Yes. Is that a problem?" I answered, ready to defend the book if I needed to.

"Nope, actually, I love that book! Who's your favorite character?" He said, smiling. As I looked into his face I realized that in the last seven months, I had never once seen his eyes. He always wore a mask, and when he wasn't, he was wearing dark glasses. Thinking back, I realized I had been doing the same thing. Batman had us hide our identity as much as possible. I don't think he had ever seen my eyes or face without the mask or glasses. I came out of this train of thought when I realized he had asked me a question.