A/N: Okay, so my previous attempt at making another character failed horribly, so I'm just gonna have another go at it. Hope this attempt is better than the previous one, since I had to create a darker back story. (See what I did there?)

Okay, so in this AU, 3 years after the Reach invasion, Cassie has a falling out with Diana and refuses to use the name "Wonder Girl" anymore, so the mantle is taken up by my OC. Wally was trapped in the speed force instead of being dead like in my previous stories, and in this particular story, they've already got him back and he's now the new Flash with Bart as Kid Flash. If you guys want me to, I can make a short side story about how exactly they got Wally back.

And yeah I have to update my other stories too, but I'm on a writing spree. To keep this idea from floating away, I had to write it down. And this was the outcome.

I hope you guys like this story in general.

Chapter 1

Darkness.

That's all he can see, hear or feel. He's a bat, so normally he's accustomed to it. He leans into the shadows, but this time, the shadows don't envelop him and protect him like they usually do. Instead, they just seem to scare him. He gets the feeling that these shadows aren't friendly and if he goes into them, they won't let him go.

He steps out of them as the fear clouds his mind and he acts on impulse. He doesn't know why, but he feels really cold right now.

He looks up and is stunned by what he sees. There is a huge ring with a stage built around it. He instinctively knows that he's backstage. Blank banners hang from the ceiling and a spotlight shines on a small platform in the center of the stage. But the entire place is empty and there's not a soul around. He also has no doubts about where he is. He doesn't need a sign to tell him that he's at Haly's Circus; the circus where he grew up. It was also the circus where he lost his parents.

But his parents weren't all that Dick Grayson lost that day.

His eyes snap open at once. He looks around to see himself in his bed, safe. He heaves a deep breath and gets out of bed and walks to the kitchen, intent on getting himself a glass of water. It isn't much, he knows that, but it at least offers him a bit of relief. Still, he knows inside that no drink, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, is gonna stop the guilt from pricking at his heart, just as it is doing now. And to make things worse, he has no idea why he's feeling guilty. The whole issue with faking Artemis's death was put behind everybody two years ago when they managed to bring Wally back from the Speed Force. Everybody forgave him when they saw how much he was doing to bring the redheaded speedster back and no one's even mentioned that incident since.

That's not why you're feeling guilty.

He hates the voice in his head for saying so because it is absolutely true. He had convinced himself over the years that it wasn't his fault at all when he knew all the time that it was. He managed to escape it for a few years, but then the nightmares started again, reminding him that he should have done something.

"Up late again?" A feminine voice says from behind him.

Dick turns around to see a raven-haired woman standing by the door. She's wearing nothing but his shirt that is too big for her, but still makes her look beautiful. Her blue eyes are trained on his. For one second, he thinks that he can see concern in her eyes, because this wouldn't be the first time that he's woken up at 2 AM for a glass of water. It wouldn't also be the first time he's had that nightmare. But it was never this intense that he's been waking up every night for the past two weeks.

He swallows a gulp. "I was thirsty." He says.

"Yeah, you're also up at 2 AM, sweating as if you've been through hell and back." She walks up to him and lifts her head to meet his eyes. He doesn't know why, but it makes him smirk.

"I kind of have." He points out.

"Joker doesn't count." She says, snaking her arms around his neck. He places his glass of water on the kitchen island and has his hands on her hips in no time. "Now, Richard Grayson, talk to me."

He considers how to tell her about his nightmares. He knows that she's worried about him, so he almost lies to her by telling her that he's been restless lately. Okay, that's not entirely a lie. He has been very restless. But if he tells her about his dreams, he wonders if she'll understand him at all. Sure she knows about his past, but he never told anyone about the ultimate treasure that he lost. Except, maybe Bruce. But Bruce didn't count as he already knew. He decided to lie to her, but the look in her eyes makes him reconsider. "Dick, you need to talk to me." she tells him, looking into his blue eyes, trying to get him to trust her. "You can trust me, you know that, right?"

He heaves a breath. "I trust you, Zee." He says softly.

"Then talk to me."

He knows that there's no use hiding it. "I've been having nightmares." As expected, he can see worry increase in her eyes. "About what?" Zatanna asks. "About my past life. In the circus." He replies. She sighs. "You still feel guilty about that?" he nods. "Dick, it wasn't your fault. You were too young to know anything." She comforts him, pressing a small kiss to his cheek. "Anyway, that was a long time ago. Look how you turned out now. I'd say you have a really great life." He nods in agreement. "You're right, Zee. My life did turn out okay." He goes through all the great events in his life; meeting Bruce, becoming Robin, meeting Wally, Kaldur and Roy, forming the Team, meeting Zatanna and starting a relationship with her, leading the expanded Team, getting reunited with Wally; his life was pretty great now that he thought about it.

Except nothing would ever make up for the mistake he made.

Fighting alongside Wonder Woman has always been a dream of hers for as long as she can remember. The various criminals she fights, the rush of the adventure; well she's always wanted that.

She's now in her home, waiting for Diana to come back. It's only been two months since she left Themyscira after completing her training. Normally the Amazons didn't complete their training till they were much, much older, but apparently a fast learner. She was told a lot of things about man's world, but it wasn't as bad as she thought. It definitely wasn't bad once she met Diana's protégé, Cassie. Cassie became like a big sister to her, even after her falling out with Diana. Now all she's waiting for is to get out there and see what the world really is like.

"Skylar? Are you home?" Diana closes the door and walks to her room.

Skylar puts her book down and comes out of her room just as Diana drops her handbag on the bed. "Hey, Diana." She greets the older woman. "Nice to see you too." The Amazonian princess says. "But tonight I am exhausted, so I'd prefer if you'd leave all the talking for tomorrow."

"Actually, there…" the young girl says.

"Is it urgent?" Diana asks.

"Kinda." Skylar shyly answers. "I was wondering that since I, you know…turned fourteen a month ago and I'm ready, if you'll let me go to high school?"

Diana looks at the young girl. "High school?" she asks. "Don't you think that's a bit overboard?"

"I know I've been homeschooled all my life, but I wanna know what a school really feels like." She admits.

The older woman sighs and stands in front of the raven-haired girl. "I'm trying to do all I can for you, little one. It took me a while to convince my mother to let you come here." She then notices the disappointed expression on the girl's face. "How much does this actually mean to you?"

"A lot." Skylar says.

Diana nods. "Let me see what I can do."

The girl sighs in happiness. "Thanks a lot, Diana." She hugs the princess and then goes into her room. For a second, Diana thinks about how full of energy young Skylar is. Just like Cassie…A surge of anger bursts through her mind at the thought of her former protégé.

She still can't believe what happened. The princess and the Demigod had a huge fight only three days ago. Of course she'd still be fuming over it. But what she still finds unbelievable is that Cassie quit being Wonder Girl. Now even on the Team she prefers being called just "Cassie". She doesn't know when, but ever since Donna decided to be her protégé, Diana always feels empty when she doesn't have a young girl fighting beside her, bearing the two Ws. She wonders if this is what Bruce was feeling when he took Tim in four years ago.

She wonders why she can't get another sidekick. And mess up this time too.

Her mind goes to Skylar at once, but then she tells herself that Skylar wouldn't want anything to do with crime fighting. She can't also. Bringing her here took a lot of convincing, and now she'll be going to high school as well.

But when is the right time to tell her that this was her birthplace?

A/N: Hope you guys liked it. Any suggestions on why Cassie and Diana had a falling out will be greatly appreciated (since I have no idea either).

Read and review^^