Disclaimer: I do not own the existing characters that we know and love of Young Justice, although I do take ownership over the new characters i.e. The majority of the Team's children (Wow, that was long-winded!)

Big thank you to any writers who have given me criticism on my characters, and also a bigger thank you to LynnnSmith – my amazing beta who has been with me from the very beginning of the story!

Chapter 01 - Rosemary Grayson

I saw the skies turn a black as bleak as death. Louisiana was not turning into a happy vacation destination that I thought it would be. I was unable to do anything but watch as the heroes of the Justice Team (my father's generation of superheroes) were throwing themselves into the battle.

The Justice Team had become the current team of superheroes ever since the members of the Justice League were brutally attacked and overthrown by this 'ultimate supervillain', who left them in states where they could no longer fight as members of the Justice League of America. Some had lost their superpowers, others had lost their memories, or even their motor skills in order to function, one or two died… Zatanna was the only one to protect herself – but she had been knocked out early on in the battle and was unable to protect her friends. The devastation of the event left in America in a downwards spiral, so my father's generation of superheroes stepped up and became the Justice Team of America.

But something was about to test their strengths and abilities in Louisiana, and mine too. Looking out the window, the clouds outside the building began to drift in circles, signalling a brewing maelstrom.

"Wait! Don't go!" I called out, grabbing hold of the sleeve of my den mother's jacket when I saw that she too was going to leave. Just like the others.

My den mother was called Olivia Queen – or as she was more commonly known as to everyone else, Green Canary. It was all in homage to her parentage. Green Arrow and Black Canary. Olivia had cropped dirty blonde hair that suited her more mature age. She was kind and appreciative of her position as den mother to Max, Finn, my father's new protégé, Ryan, and me, but it was clear that part of her longed to be on the battle field, fighting alongside the members of the Justice Team in her parents' place.

"Mar- Rosemary, let go of me," Olivia pleaded in a low tone, trying to pull away from me.

"But what about me? And Max?" I desperately searched my brain for a reason to make my den mother stay.

Olivia pulled away, straightening out her jacket and turning towards the doors. "Do not leave this building Rosemary, I mean it."

I opened my mouth to protest, but it was hopeless – Green Canary had already gone.

Turning my attention to what was going on outside the window to my left, I could see a large circle of clouds concentrated above the penitentiary. This wasn't any old penitentiary – this was the Belle Reve Penitentiary.

I had once overheard Dad discussing some of the inhabitants of it, but all conversations ceased when he and the other members of the Justice Team realised that I was hiding behind the ajar door. They wouldn't have known if it hadn't have been for Miss Martian using her telepathy to read thoughts.

Just as it had done back then, my mind was now racing with thoughts about what would happen if all the inhabitants were to escape… At the sheer imagination of my thoughts, my heart raced ahead of me, causing me to back away into a corner, dropping to the cold marble floor and cradling my knees. The fear and panic was so real and fresh in my mind that I forced my eyes shut in an attempt to block it out.

"It won't happen again, it's not happening and it's not going to happen…" I repeated again and again, chanting to myself. The past, present and future phrases.

"Mar'i?"

At the sound of my real name, I opened my eyes slowly – it was my Tamaranean name and not many people knew it. As my eyes began to focus, I found my younger brother by two years looking down at me.

Today, Max had his dark brown hair styled in a crazy spiked mess that matched his energetic and crazy personality.

Max and I were the children of two superheroes and had grown up in a large house called Grayson Manor that was located just outside of Gotham City. There, we lived with our father, Richard Grayson – or as everyone else knew him as, Nightwing. But it was just the three of us, and it had been that way for nearly a decade now.

Ever since our mother, Koriand'r, who went by the hero name of Starfire – left for Tamaran to help calm some political issues that were going on. She never returned… According to the Tamarans, she never made it to the planet. To me, something didn't add up, but Dad didn't want me investigating or upsetting the Tamarans as they apparently had enough going on.

"Mar'i – what's going on out there?" Max walked slowly towards the window and peered out at the Penitentiary where he could make out some of the superheroes clashing with the cloud circle up in the sky.

"No!" he shouted out unexpectedly.

"What is it, Max?" I pushed off the wall and leapt up onto my feet to stand beside my brother. "It looks really bad out there…"

"We should help them," Max replied, smiling at me with a look on his face that said I would have to break the rules.

And I couldn't resist that opportunity- the opportunity to rebel.

Max continued to fight his case. "You know, even though Dad and the others don't think we should show everyone, we still have abilities that can help us to fight alongside them. We can be just like him, and Aqualad, and the old Kid Flash by starting our own team. I have my fireballs, and you have both flight and the starbolts- so with my knowledge and your powers, we could make a great team if we work together."

"Oh, but, Max… I wouldn't want to get you into trouble- I don't mind getting into trouble, but it would be dangerous. Firstly, Dad doesn't want the public to know about the abilities of the Justice Team's children. Let alone the fact that the superheroes have children. Secondly, Dad said we should stay here, and third – even though it's the same as the second, so did Green Canary. So…" I began to trail off, wondering whether I should just ignore Dad and Olivia, or to stay with Max and keep him safe.

Max raised one eyebrow. "I thought you were supposed to be the rebellious one, Mar'i?"

"Well, I am! But not when it concerns you! I'd rather observe this battle with you than…" As I continued to defend myself over how different the circumstances were between this and sneaking out after curfews, I didn't actually notice that he had left the building. "Max! Come back here right now!"

With my boots clicking rapidly on the floor in a near double time, I sprinted out the door. With every step I took I readied myself for the eventuality of killing my brother if we survived the next few hours – that's if Dad's lectures didn't do that first.

-o-

Outside, the temperature had dropped a fair amount. I shivered as the wind swept the freshly fallen leaves across the ground and up into the darkened skies. They whirled around me like a tornado, making me break out in a run again.

The baddies that were breaking out the residents of the penitentiary must be using the electricity formed from the maelstrom to cause a power outage in the Penitentiary, thus breaking out the prisoners… but surely they'll have a backup generator at the Belle Reve that would kick in, right?

It was obvious that I was thinking three steps behind my brother as I tried to figure out the link between The Light and the Penitentiary. Max was nowhere to be seen; he had certainly inherited our father's agility and quick speed meaning he was probably much further ahead than I could have imagined.

Generally speaking, my father and the other members of the Justice Team had decided to try and keep their children out of the limelight in the case that the Light would find out about us and our abilities. I think it was really in case they tried to kill us. In a way, it was really for our own safety. The children weren't supposed to know anything about the Light, so when I asked, I was told not to worry and not to ask again. Though I knew it was bad.

"Max!" I called out when I didn't see him anywhere. "Where are you?"

Even though our dad had told us never to show our powers in public, I felt responsible for my brother- ever since our mother disappeared. So I had to find him. Instigating the floating feeling in my chest, I lifted myself up into the air.

Yeah, I can fly… and shoot violet coloured starbolts from my hands. Just your normal teen.

Rising just above the tree line in the hope that I would not to draw too much attention to myself, I tried to find my brother. Admittedly, flying was the most effective method I could think of to find my brother. Whilst I might say that with all the other superheroes flying around town, what difference would one more flying person make? It was just typical of him to run off with very little thought over the consequences.

As I was gliding through the air, something shot out and nicked my arm, tearing through the material of my long sleeved purple top. Completely caught off guard, I fell through the air and struggled to make a safe landing. Someone caught a hold of my arm just because I fell to the ground.

"Nice to see you, Rosie…"

I turned to look at who it was.

"Ryan? What are you doing here?" I asked my father's new protégé in the most fluttered manner, frowning at the playing card shaped piece of metal that had a spec or two of my blood on it. "What did you do that for?"

"Because you know that your father would not want for you to go flying around like it was nothing… Let alone hear that you did not listen to him when he told you not to leave. There is a reason he chooses not to let you train with anyone as their protégé." Ryan frowned back at me and then slowly turned it into a cute smirk. "Please tell me that you were not going to try and help the Justice League and Team, were you?"

I nodded.

"That is a stupid idea, but I think I should join you – it will certainly be a laugh to watch Nightwing lecture you afterwards…"

Even though he annoyed me, Ryan was one of those people that was attractive, well I thought he was cute, but he had an arrogance to him that I didn't like. He had this swishy blonde hair that looked like it took hours to perfect – I, on the other hand, didn't do much with my hair most mornings. His hazel eyes were like the leaves on an oak tree in summer.

"So, are we going, or are you just going to stand there and admire my appearance even more?" Ryan asked, laughing at me.

Flustered, I gently punched him in the arm before running towards the penitentiary, where I knew Max was heading. A flash of lightning made me flinch and stop, only for Ryan to run into me.

"Not scared of a little lightning, are you?" he asked, stifling a little laughter.

"I- I am not!" I snapped slowly, carrying on down the pathway out of the park that we had been running through.

To the left, was the road that led up to the Belle Reve Penitentiary, where the criminals were apparently kept. Blocking our way was a row of police cars and armoured vehicles. A SWAT team was facing the Penitentiary with their guns at the ready – not that they would stand a chance if a magnetically endowed villain was being harboured in the penitentiary.

"Now kids, I think you better go back home right away…" an older man called out to us with his hand stretched out in front of him, but when we didn't move, he frowned at us. "I may not be Police Commissioner of Louisiana, but I know you two kids… This is no place for children."

"Wait! You're Police Commissioner Gordon?" I asked in awe and confusion, walking closer to the blockage, eager to still get to the penitentiary. I knew that it must have been a serious situation if a commissioner from Gotham City was being brought in. Which to me, meant the Police Commissioner of Gotham City had very little authority in Louisiana.

"Stay there kid-" Police Commissioner Gordon stopped in his tracks when a huge tremor rippled across the ground.

"What, is that?" I murmured, looking over the cars at something that was breaking up the ground and heading straight towards us.

"Ready!" Commissioner Gordon stammered. "On my mark!"

"Wait – that's a superhero!" I squealed, frozen to the spot as the hero's lifeless body came to a stop. "Superboy!"

The superhero was now lying at the end of the large crevasse that he had been dug out of the road – like someone who had an infinite amount of strength had thrown Superboy along the road.

Whilst no one else moved, I squeezed myself past the police cars and rushed to Superboy's side.

"Superboy?" I asked, shaking the unconscious man's body. "Wake up!"

His mouth quivered and his eyes slowly opened. At first, he flinched as he found me looking down at him.

"You shouldn't be here," he whispered slowly. "Go back to the Headquarters now…" Superboy got up to his feet, but his legs trembled a little with exhaustion from such a long and hard battle. "Let's get back to business." He took one step and dropped to the floor.

"You can't!" I tried to help him up, but he didn't seem to want my help. "What's going on in there?"

One giant leap and Superboy was gone, before he had even given me an answer.

Urgh- why can't people tell me what's going on and stop leaving me in the dark? I wish they would stop treating me like a baby.

"Okay missy, that's enough now. Officer Reeves, take this child to safety now!" the Police Commissioner yelled, struggling to get around the cars that were supposed to be a blockade.

Before the police officer named Reeves could lay one finger on me, I flew up into the air and soared towards the Penitentiary in the hope of finding answers and leaving Ryan behind.

I reached the main door and hammered my fist against it. "Open up!"

Nothing. Instead of staying by the door, I started to walk around the large stone building in an attempt to find a way in. I did find a hidden electrical panel, but I was not like my brother – computers and technology were not my strong point. Rather than risk making everyone worse or giving myself an electric shock, I closed the lid of the electrical panel,

As I searched for a way in, I could hear screams, sonic screeches, and the rumble of thunder. Part of me was scared of what I might discover, but the other was keen to learn the truth and be at the centre of the action.

The only option was to try and get in from above. Kick off from the floor and rose into the air, turning my head to look in all directions for an entrance.

"Oh – a flying child – just the perfect accompaniment to the acrobatic boy!" a woman squealed from the roof that I was floating above. "Breaking out the others has been just too easy! Arkham could never hold me! Now to free the Injustice League!"

As I turned to look at the woman, I was grabbed by a thick vine that was being controlled by the woman. It knotted itself around my waist and constricted my hands to my sides.

"Mar'i!" I heard Max call out.

The woman who had captured me had pale skin with a green tint and dark green veins all over her body. She grinned maniacally as she drew me closer. "Oh- is this your big sister?" she asked, lifting an entrapped Max nearer.

"Max – what are you doing? I'm supposed to be looking out for you!" I squealed, writhing in the vine snare.

He too struggled in the vine that was around him. "Just the same as you! Trying to get some answers… but Poison Ivy caught me, and now she's- now she's got you too."

Putting it bluntly there, little bro.

Poison Ivy swung the vines around and around. "Come on heroes- come and claim your friends!" It was like she wanted to be caught, but the nearby superheroes were already locked in battles with other villains.

With all the spinning, I was beginning to feel sick to the stomach. In amongst all of the commotion, I screamed out in agitation. "Nightwing!" An echo of my scream rippled around us.

"What's this?" Poison Ivy asked. "Why call out to Nightwing, sweet child?" Her hand cupped my chin and I could feel her sharpened nails digging into my cheeks. "Oh- could it be? No… Of all the heroes to ask for help from, and you choose Nightwing…" My captor continued to ramble about my choice, and I regretted it already. "Nightwing!" she called out again and again, like she was enticing him. "Nightwing, Nightwing, Nightwing!"

Max and I screamed after being thrown about from side to side like a white flag signalling a surrender.

"Nightwing – the roof!" my dad's friend, Zatanna shouted out to him. "Tuc eht eniv!" Her white gloved hands moved swiftly towards me and Max.

The vine around my brother was sliced by a magic spell and he dropped to the floor with a thump.

"Max – run!" I screamed, pulling my arm in the hope of freeing it from the vine. "Run!"

"No fair…" Poison Ivy murmured, reaching out for my brother, but he lunged aside.

Max's foot slipped and he missed the edge of the roof. He fell back over the roof with his arms flailing in concentric circles. His scream was short and stopped instantly. Up leapt Ryan back onto the roof wearing a black and white ensemble with Max safely in his hold.

At that moment, my right hand just about managed to squeeze itself from the vine. With a quick sweep of my hand, I threw a starbolt at Poison Ivy, but it narrowly missed her. The accuracy of my starbolts was not the best it could be. She fell back, pulling me along with her.

"Let her go, Poison Ivy!" Nightwing was standing on the roof in a fighting stance as he prepared himself to attack Poison Ivy. He threw something through the air so quickly that I didn't even have time to register what it was.

Slash!

The vine snapped and I dropped to the roof with a hard thud, but I wasn't free yet. Poison Ivy grabbed my shoulder and dragged me away from Nightwing. Her sharp nails dug into my shoulder, making me wince in pain.

"Nuh-uh-uh…" she said, waggling her finger at my father. "Me and girly here have a lot of catching up to do."

"Not if I can help it!" I flicked my hand back and shot a violet coloured starbolt directly into her face.

Poison Ivy screamed out in pain and clutching her face as the energy of my starbolt burnt her face.

I staggered forwards, away from Poison Ivy and towards my father. "Da-"

"Mar'i – you need to get out of here now. Go back to the headquarters and wait for me there. Take your brother with you." He gently pushed me away, but over his shoulder, I saw a tall and skinny man throw an ice shard towards us.

A masked woman carrying a sleek bow knocked into him, and then pulled him away.

"Look out!" I shouted, firing another starbolt at the ice, melting it in its tracks.

A large explosion suddenly occurred and I was thrown from the rooftop. As I was trying to fly out of the way of the flying stones and debris, my eyes began to sting from the burning embers. Without even thinking, I rubbed my eyes and flew about aimlessly.

There was a loud crash as a large stone brick struck me in the back, trapping me both physically and unconsciously.

-o-

When I came around, I was in the infirmary of the Justice Headquarters. Lying on a small bed with a needle embedded in my arm. The sound of dripping liquid and the machines was somewhat peaceful to hear. My back ached and I felt a gentle pounding in my head.

"Mar'i?" Max stood up beside me, before rushing over to the door. "Dad- Dad, she's awake!" he called out, hovering in the doorway.

Our father, Dick Grayson, strode into the room and closed the door, leaving Max outside. He looked at in my direction from behind the dark shades he was always wearing. "I'm glad you're awake…" There was an excruciatingly long silence, where he looked deep in thought as his gaze was focused on the machines to the side of the room. "You've certainly grown up a lot over the last ten years…"

Oh no, pep talk time. Pep talks always started this way.

"And I know you only want answers for yourself- and that's just the curiosity you inherit from me… That I know. But what happened at the penitentiary was dangerous. You were badly hurt, Mar'i, and you didn't listen to what I said. For all we know, you could have died… I told you to stay here in the headquarters – as did Green Canary, and when-"

"But I was going out after Max! He left the headquarters and I went to stop him!" I moaned, sitting up slowly with an elbow propping myself up. "And you always used to say that we had to keep each other safe, and that when you were our age, you were so desperate to prove yourself to Batman, and that-"

I felt bad mentioning Batman after the supervillain Dad refused to name left Batman unable to continue the hero life, but it was to help my father see my side.

Dad grabbed hold of my hand. "Mar'i – it's not the same… I had-"

"But it is!" I protested.

"Don't argue with me, Mar'i!" Dad shouted. "I'm your father, and that means that I have to keep yours and Max's wellbeing at the heart of all of my decisions… What do you expect me to do when I know that danger looms?"

"Let us help!" I said aggressively. "You, and Aqualad, and the original Kid Flash all wanted to prove that you were capable of defeating the bad guys and saving the city, so why can't you give me, and Max, that opportunity?"

"You share your mother's passion in an argument." Dad smiled as if he was remembering times with Mum. "Maybe you have a point. I'm sure that Fin'abarra would like to join you… I even think Ryan might be ready to lead a team of his own too."

"Yes! Please? I mean, we've already got a den mother, and maybe we could get someone to train us, or someone to co-ordinate the missions that we could handle… It's the least we can do when it's my fault that all the criminals escaped…"

Dad shook his head. "It's not your fault, but it wasn't your smartest idea either. Them breaking out was nothing to do with that. There was a group of villains who banded together to break them out… Just give me some time to think about it, and talk to the Justice Team about it. I'm sure Miss Martian, Aqualad and the others will surely have something to say about it. You have to promise me that you will honour their decisions. I'm sure that they'll be able to help give me a definitive answer."

"Promise, and if they agree, we can get a whole alphabet of designations- just like you and Superboy, and Zatanna, right?" I smiled weakly, feeling a twinge in my side, but trying not to let it show.

"Don't get too excited, nothing's been decided. Just let me talk to the others first, okay? Now get some rest- I'll check in on you later, as will Olivia."

"Okay, and Dad?" I waited for him to turn around and utter an acknowledgement. "Don't forget that you owe me."

"Owe you? Mar'i- what do I owe you for now?"

I looked down at my hands. "On the rooftop, I stopped you from being speared by ice. You know, with my starbolts."

"Yeah, I know." Dad came back to my side and kissed my forehead. "Thanks Mar'i… But don't think that that means the possibility of a new Team is definitely going to form – a decision will be made though, don't worry. You'll be the first to know…"

As Dad opened the door, he was met with an enthusiastic Max who had clearly been listening in exclaimed, "But Dad- it can't be called the Team, because you are the Justice Team- instead, we, we- we can be the Justice Squad! That sounds so cool!"

The Justice Squad – I like the sound of that…

Thoughts from AspiringWriterGirl = It's a whole new storyline going on here and I cannot wait to see what you think of this opening chapter!