DISCLAIMER/WARNING : This is a Robin/OC fanfiction. (slow burn) - It's rated T for language, and possible sensitive/triggering topics in the future. Please give this story and my OC time to develop, nothing come in a blink of an eye. I don't own anything except my OC. (sadly) - Enjoy!

Do you feel safe?

Out in the light

Or is this the place

Where monsters hide?

• SVRCINA - Who Are You? •

Moon Child

Chapter 1

Full Moon

WARNING: There's French in this chapter as it's the mother tongue (and mine, you guessed it) of Roxanne, so the translation follows directly next - in bold!

GOTHAM CITY

June 26, 2010

15:10 EDT

The little girl pressed her palms against the mangled flesh, having once heard that you were supposed to stop the bleeding by putting pressure on wounds. But, oh, there was so much blood - dark crimson, with a discreet, metallic scent. It cascaded across the woman's skin, right through the child's fingertips. Her stomach felt sick.

Still hot.

Her vision becomes blurrier as her own moans echoed through the void. She was on the verge of hysteria, her chest rising and falling at a furious pace.

A bloody, pale hand came slipping through the mass of ebony hair, desperate to get the dawn of an answer. Her gaze, tinged with tears, froze in confusion as the feminine traits slowly faded, replaced by other ruder ones... those of a man.

Luis?

Silver-blue eyes open suddenly, staring at the ceiling as her heartbeat still resounded harshly in her ears. A trembling hand slipped over the fluffy duvet, looking for a support to straighten up.

She let out a strangled grunt as she sat down, aching all over her body... gosh, she felt as if she had been hit by a truck.

Thin fingers came slipping into the few rebel strands obstructing her vision, glued to her forehead by sweat.

Blinking twice, Roxanne pushes the tears away while taking the time to look around her.

A fluffy carpet enthroned on the floor next to the bed, some pillows surely fell during the night scattered around it. A white, wooden desk pushed against one of the pale blue walls, covered by a multitude of objects such as candles, books or sheets of scribbled papers. The clothes piled up carelessly on the sofa in the corner, including Artemis's favorite jacket on the top. A slight smell of jasmine floating in the air as the sun's rays were seeping through the half-open window.

She let out a fragile breath as her breathing slowly began to return to normal. That's okay, she was home... she was, safe.

She froze feeling the bed move, a huge mass of black fur bounding on it to join her without being invited. She let out a huff as the animal comes to literally lie on her, his wet nose leaning against her belly.

She relaxed as she looked into the wide, curious eyes staring at her, gently petting his head while feeling somewhat silly of her own reaction.

"Je vais bien..." "I'm good..." Her voice was weak but soft, not sure if she was trying to reassure the dog or her own self.

She let herself fall back against the pillow, allowing herself to close her eyes for a few moments.

It seemed so real... well, just like each time.

It was months since she hadn't done this dream, in the end she began to know it by heart... always the same scenario, playing again and again in her head, her subconscious mind decided to torture her with images of the past. But this time the end was different, the deceased Mexican's face taking the place of the usual one.

Nothing surprising considering the events of last night... she was certain that the death of this poor man would return to haunt her, and it was done.

Trying not to think too much about it, she comes touching the feathers of the dream catcher that her aunt had offered her for her birthday, hanging over her head. For a moment she really thought it was starting to work...

She felt a slight wave of nausea invade her as the memories came back to the surface. It was time to get up, or else she would lie there thinking until she became sick.

She came to extend her arm, trying to catch her cell phone on the bedside table. A mission proving more complicated than expected when you have a beast of twenty kilos lying on you.

"Carbone, s'il te plaît..." "Carbone, please..." Sometimes Carbone tended to forget that she was no longer a puppy. The huge mass of black fur rolled on her side, releasing her, the tongue hanging in the air.

Roxanne smiled tenderly before scratching her belly, using her free hand to retrieve the coveted object.

15:16... 15:16?

She had really slept over thirteen hours, wow...

Well, once again, not a real surprise. In addition to making her sick as if she had caught flu, too much-absorbed emotions always drained her of all energy. Especially since it had been more than a year now that she had not used her powers... her powers.

She pushed back the fluffy duvet with an annoyed backhand, wanting at all costs to avoid delving into her thoughts for the moment. One foot after another, she grimaced before repelling the transparent veil surrounding her bed, taking a few steps towards the dresser. She took some clean clothes in one of the drawers, momentarily crossing her reflection in the mirror.

Gosh... she knew she was going to look horrible, but she didn't think she would look that bad.

Roxanne didn't remember the last time her skin looked so pale... and not a pretty pale like porcelain, no, but a sick kind of pale. Dark circles around her eyes, the piercing blue of usual way too dull for her taste. Not to mention the slight film of sweat covering her face and her neck, reward of her nightmare.

She felt disgusting, both inside and out.

She needed a shower.

GOTHAM CITY

June 26, 2010

16:09 EDT

The soft creamy carpet absorbed the sounds of her footsteps until she reached the kitchen, then the sound echoed off pale ceramic tiles. Four loud paws were hopping in her back, not releasing her since she came out of the shower.

Roxanne stopped in the middle of the room, her gaze sweeping around the place as the quivering kettle was the only sound in the very quiet house.

Strange...

Standing on tiptoe, she came to grab a cup in one of the cupboards before opening the clear glass jar containing the capsules, digging to find the ones she was looking for.

Caramel Latte.

She knew she should avoid caffeine, "especially at her age" but she couldn't resist. She had become hooked since her aunt had offered this devilish machine... once again, blame her and her useless addictive gifts.

And for her defense, there was mostly a lot of milk inside.

She also took out a small box in the closet under the sink, picking some bone-shaped cookies in one of her hands. A slight laugh came through the silence as Carbone was already starting to shake, the head slipped between the petite girl legs to have a better view of the treats.

"D'accord, d'accord," "Right, right," the animal closed its eyes of satisfaction by feeling the hand of his mistress caressing him behind the ears. "regardez qui est plus que contente de m'avoir suivi maintenant." "look who's more than happy to have followed me now."

Posing her steaming mug on the coffee table, she winced a little, letting herself fall back onto the couch.

She covered herself with the fluffy plaid folded over the armrest, suppressing a thrill. She was looking for the remote control as Carbone came to nest against her thigh, chewing the treat Roxanne had offered in her open palm.

This silence was going to drive her crazy.

Usually she was not against a bit of calm, quite the contrary... especially considering the fact that it was only very rarely silent in her head. But when she was alone she found herself managing her own emotions, and now it was the worst that could happen.

For a moment she almost wanted to have some company, a presence in the room to not focus on herself... of course, Carbone was there, but even the excitement of her loyal companion was not enough to distract her this time.

"La voilà." Here it is.

Pressing the power button, she leaned comfortably against the pillows while petting the black dog's neck.

The pale fingers froze in the thick fur, her eyes focused on the screen.

Bloody hell.

Her finger clicked almost frantically, scrolling through the chains, most of them focusing only on one subject. The arrest of Dragos Ibanescu. This bastard had become the local star, his decrepit face showing up everywhere as Cat Grant, the gold-haired presenter was telling how one of Gotham's famous crime lords had finally gained his place behind the locks.

Oh, no... that was bad.

"Même encore pire que tu ne peux l'imaginer, jeune fille." "Even worse than you can imagine, young lady."

Careful what you wish for.

Roxanne closed her eyes for a second, lips pursed in a thin line before turning away from the television.

The woman with a severe look stood in her back with a cup of steaming tea in the hands, all in her body language announcing trouble. No need to be an empath to understand that.

"Bonjour à toi aussi..." "Hello to you, too..." An ounce of sarcasm was perceptible in her voice, almost stifled by her sigh. She should have known she would not have left without turning off the kettle, obviously.

She received no answer, not even a little remonstrance about her tone. Wow, really bad.

The teenage girl continued to feed Carbone with treats while the new presence just sat in the sofa sitting at her right, the animal more focused on the snacks than on the tension suddenly filling the room.

"Tu n'as pas quelque chose à me dire?" "Don't you have something to tell me?"

Her voice was calm, and the youngest girl knew she was only asking this question to see what she had to answer. She gave her a chance to explain herself, to tell her everything. And this even if she already knew the truth... hard to hide things from a clairvoyant, after all.

Yes, she wasn't the only strange phenomenon in this family.

"Que veux tu que je te dise? Une arrestation parmi tant d'autres à Gotham, rien de bien nouveau." "What do you want me to say? One arrest among so many others in Gotham, nothing new." Chance missed. Roxanne remained elusive, her eyes crossing that of the older woman without adding anything, hoping deep inside that it would be enough and that it would not go further than that. She didn't want to talk about it.

As if she had the choice.

Silver-blue eyes came back to the television as, oh coincidence, additional information on the arrest was revealed. And for once, we didn't flatter the prowess of the most famous duo in town.

"You heard right. For the first time in a while, someone came before the Dark Knight. Dragos Ibanescu remained, according to the police officers, in a hysterical state several hours after his arrest… describing his attacker, as a demon come straight from hell."

A strange feeling crept into her, the words resonating in her mind like a vicious melody. So, it was the way she was perceived... a demon.

The perception we had of ourselves was one thing, but to hear it from someone else was… something.

"Roxanne."

The teenager came out of her thoughts, looking away at the voice. She swallowed the ball beginning to form in her throat, scratching the dog now lying on her lap behind the ears. Carbone had easily felt her mood change, as always.

Before she could even think of an answer to give, the front door burst open.

"Can you believe that?! Oh my god, it's all on the news girl! You know what? Batman and Robin can take some vacancies 'cause the new Gotham duo here KILLS every—"

Artemis burst into the living room - more excited than ever - stopping abruptly as she slowed down, her eyes drifting from Roxanne to the older woman who was taking a sip of her tea.

"—thing."

The petite girl turned slightly to meet her partner's gaze, a single brilliant expression in her irises. Busted.

Bad timing, Arty.

The expression on the blonde's face was priceless, and if she was in a different situation Roxanne would probably have taken a picture. But that was not the right time for that, oh no...

"I mean... did you see that? A new vigilante in Gotham, wow... that's so, exciting. Right."

The older woman kept a placid face while the blue-eyed girl not far from her restrained herself from rolling her eyes. Artemis was such a bad liar, gosh...

The archer bit the inside of her jaw as a slight smile came to light her face, feeling the storm coming in the air. "Agnès."

"Artemis," Agnès put her cup on the coffee table next to the other, coming to cross her hands on her belly while watching the newcomer nervously playing with her fingers. "you forgot something, maybe?"

The blonde's face lit up as you could almost see a light bulb emerge above her head as in cartoons, her gaze returning from time to time to her ally who was almost begging her with her eyes for a little help.

"Yeah! My, jacket. I forgot my Jacket, last night... can I go pick it?" Okay, not the help she was hoping for.

"Of course, make yourself at home."

Roxanne glared at her as she glanced in her direction before disappearing upstairs, climbing the stairs two by two. Wow...

Batman would never have left Robin.

Tragic.

Roxanne sighed once again, the head resting against the back of the sofa, ready to face her judgment. "Je suis seule dans cette galère maintenant..." "I'm alone in this now..."

"Oh oui, tu l'es." "Oh yes, you are."

The amusing side of the situation had disappeared with Artemis as the teenager straightened up, burying her hands in the thick fur of the animal still lying on her.

"Écoutes, je sais que tu es en colère contre moi parce que j'ai utilisé mes pouvoirs... mais ne sois pas en colère contre Arty, s'il te plaît, j'ai décidé toute seule comme une grande fille et—" "Listen, I know you're mad at me because I've used my powers... but don't be mad at Arty, please, I've decided on my own like a big girl and—"

"Je ne suis pas en colère parce que tu as utilisé tes pouvoirs, ma chérie." "I'm not angry because you used your powers, sweetheart," the empath frowned a little, listening without cutting her although the urge was strong. She should be. "Je suis en colère parce que tu t'es mise en danger, et ce sans même m'en parler." "I'm angry because you put yourself in danger, without even telling me about it."

Agnès stared at her granddaughter lounging on the couch in a dramatic way, an exaggerated sigh escaping her lips this time as Carbone straightened to not slide, her mistress's thighs now hanging in the air. "S'te plaît, mamie... comme si tu ne l'avais pas vu venir." "Please, grandma... as if you hadn't seen it coming."

"Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça?!" "What is that?!"

Roxanne lifted her chin to follow her gaze, her grandmother coming to grab her leg to examine the ugly reddish wound on her knee.

"Juste une égratinure…" "Just a scratch..."

She looked at the wound a few more moments before disappearing, coming back to sit next to her while stalling her leg on hers. The petite girl winced a little at the sensation of the disinfectant, the cotton brushing her skin removing the blood newly formed after her shower.

Agnès finally put a band-aid on it, and this time it was her turn to sigh. "Tu sais mieux que personne que ça n'est pas une science exacte." "You know better than anyone that this is not an exact science."

"Donc... tu ne savais pas?" "So... you didn't know?"

The older woman consciously presses her fingers against the band-aid, a loud "aïe" echoing in the living room.

"Bien sûr que je savais," "Of course I knew," Roxanne made an exaggerated pout while her faithful companion curiously sniffed the bandage, watching her grandmother gently petting his head. "ce n'est pas à un vieux singe qu'on apprend à faire la grimace, ma chère, et surtout... dis à Artemis de ne pas claquer la fenêtre la prochaine fois. Tu sais pourtant que j'ai le sommeil léger." "can't teach an old dog new tricks, my dear, and above all... tell Artemis not to slam the window next time. You know, though, that I'm a light sleeper."

Obviously.

"Ne t'en fais pas, ça ne risque pas de se reproduire..." "Don't worry, it won't happen again..."

This time it was the turn of Agnès wanting to interrupt, but she didn't give her the time, pursuing without delay to clarify things. "C'était un cas unique, Arty avait besoin de mon aide et comme tu as pu voir c'était nécessaire... ça s'arrête là, Dragos va se retrouver derrière les barreaux pour un bon moment. Mission accomplie, tout revient à la normale." "That was a unique case, Arty needed my help and as you could see it was necessary... it stops there, Dragos will be behind bars for a good while. Mission accomplished, everything returns to normal."

Agnès looked at her granddaughter in silence, not missing her much paler look than usual. Logic would like her to continue to reprimand her, to teach her the lesson of how irresponsible she was to go out like this, with Artemis, to tackle one of the most dangerous crime lords in the city.

But in the end, it was useless.

Roxanne might have been only fifteen, she was unusually mature for her age... and she already knew all that. After more than a year without actually using her powers, she hadn't hesitated to jump into the lion's den.

She didn't doubt that it was for a good reason, and not just to please her ally. Artemis had already suggested her a thousand times this kind of "trips" in the streets of Gotham, but she had always refused... this time was a rare exception, she supposed. And in a sense, she was proud of her granddaughter. Of what the two girls had accomplished. It was not anything…

A decision with serious consequences judging not only the appearance but the state of mind of the teenager.

A decision that would surely catch the attention of some people... she had already seen it.

She also knew it was not the best time for questions. The blue-eyed girl was stubborn, and way more secretive since... well. But in the end, she always ended up coming back to her. And Agnès hoped that this time wouldn't be an exception.

"Bien," "Fine," the wise woman got up from the couch after resting the teenager's leg carefully on the edge of the coffee table. "Mais plus de secrets... ou tu sera privée de sortie." "But no more secrets... or you will be grounded."

Roxanne chuckled slightly at that.

Grounded someone who never goes out, how funny.

She doesn't laugh long when she sees her grandmother picking up her cup, gazing in her direction one last time before heading to the kitchen. "Pas de caféine pour toi, tu as déjà l'air d'un zombie." "No caffeine for you, you already look like a zombie."

She dropped back against the cushions again, pouting childishly without giving any answer as her hand was smoothing the dense fur of the big dog now asleep against her.

"I hope you at least got your jacket back."

A few seconds passed before the blonde came to sit by her side, silent, a strange expression breathing guilt stretching her features.

"... I did."

GOTHAM CITY

July 13, 2010

23:37 EDT

Roxanne raised her chin to the sky, the sound of lightning growling dangerously over her head. Taking a deep breath, she smiles a little, burying her hands in the pockets of her waistcoat.

She liked the storm. She liked to feel the wind rising, flattering her face and stroking her hair. She liked to hear the lightning roar, sparks of light through the dark clouds, almost as a sign of anger from the Gods. The wild and uncontrollable power of mother nature.

When she was a child, her mother used to tell her that when the thunder was resounding, it was because the angels were playing bowling.

It was a lovely way to reassure a little girl who was supposed to be scared, but she wasn't. She had never been. Neither thunder, nor dark. Not as other children usually were. A memory comes back to her mind, the one of a child asking her mother why the monsters were hiding in the shadows... were they scared?

What irony.

When you're a child, you're made to believe that monsters are hidden in the darkness... when in reality, once grown, you discover that they live close to you, in the full light.

She has always been like that... special. Or a freak, like the other children used to say.

But this difference had never bothered her before, quite the contrary... until infantile naivety vanishes, and she discovers the true side of what she truly was, inside. The danger she could represent. The little girl had a different view of this world, where everything was only light, dream and magic. The teenager knew it was something else... something dark, nightmarish and very real.

"Carbone!" The huge black dog sniffing the grass revealed his head to his mistress, not long to run in her direction, still excited about his usual night walk. "Allez viens, on rentre... avant qu'on se fasse attaquer par un loup-garou." "Come on, let's go... before we get attacked by a werewolf."

It was the full moon tonight.

All the phenomena were outside... as it says.

The sound of her black boots was treading the earth as she headed for the exit of the park, her faithful companion on the heels.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't even notice the silhouette appearing at full speed in the turn of the alley, stiffening when she came and hit her hard, causing her to lose her balance.

Large hands reached out and took a hold of her arms, catching her before she hit the concrete floor.

"Wow, I'm sorry! Are you okay?! I didn't pay attention to where I was going, totally my fault. I should be more careful, really sorry."

Roxanne unconsciously held her breath at the sudden proximity, raising her eyes to her aggressor-savior.

A young man, not much older than her, which sported a sincere glimmer of worry in his hazel eyes. And who was close, way too close. She didn't like hands on her to begin with, unless they had the same blood as her own running through their veins - or if these hands belonged to Artemis. The blonde girl was the only exception here. To feel this stranger... this man, so close to her, his hands clinging to the thin fabric of her waistcoat, gave her a furious desire to grin.

At least he didn't touch her skin, thank god.

With all the courtesy that was left in reserve, she disengaged from his embrace, a contrite smile stretching her pursed lips.

"No harm was done."

"No, really. I... I'm a fool. I was in a hurry, I turned without even looking and—"

"Yes, really," she cut him off before he could finish what promised to be endless excuses, tugging on her sleeves to cover her hands after carefully slipping the few strands of hair slipped out of her hood, to the away from prying eyes. "I'm okay, you're okay. That's it, it was just an accident."

She just wanted this altercation to end, so she could peacefully come back home. But she was obviously the only one.

The stranger in question reopen his mouth as to argue again but visibly changed his mind, giving a false joy to the teenage girl who thought quickly get rid of him when he chose instead to extend his hand, a charming smile on the lips.

It was getting worse and worse.

"Andrew. My last, and very sincere apologies."

She saw him slightly frowning as she pulled the hood over the top of her head, cover herself a little more though his smile didn't fade. He must have been wondering what kind of person wore a thick waistcoat in the middle of July with a temperature exceeding eighty-six degrees... yeah, definitely a freak.

Before she could even think of an excuse to avoid having to shake his hand, she felt a thick mass of fur curl protective against her thigh. Carbone began to grunt dangerously towards the alleged Andrew, the guy apparently too close to his mistress to his taste.

Roxanne silently thanked the animal as she ran her fingers through his neckline, the young man facing them holding his hands up in self-defense. "Wow, my bad! Hi buddy, I hadn't seen you there."

The teenager relaxed a little to the sensation of soft fur stroking her fingers, a little surprised by feeling the grunts of the dog redoubling intensity tickle her leg.

Carbone has always been very protective with her, but she could feel it at the way her neck muscles contracted under her touch, the animal's eyes always pointing towards Andrew. Something was wrong. And just like this, his voice came ringing again, almost as if he knew what went through her mind.

"I have cats. Like, a lot of cats. I can bet that he can smell them on me."

The petite girl frowned a little while focusing, inspecting him for a few seconds. No particular color surrounding his body. Well, this was not really suspicious. It had already happened to her before, to not be able to read an aura. Or even that some people practice channeling it and thus to hide it more easily. Consciously, by witchcraft, or unconsciously, by simple meditation. Without even knowing it.

A perfect control of emotions.

A symbiosis.

Or maybe the problem came from her? She had virtually any confidence in her abilities... and rightly so. And yet, despite all that, her paranoia was dangerously coming back to the surface as her hand was massaging the head of the angry black dog.

"Hurry."

"I beg your pardon?" The young man looked at her, or at least the profile of her face left visible by her hood, confused by her words.

"You said, you were in a hurry."

The blue of her irises was piercing, trying to pass through the invisible barrier that prevented her from confirming - as to deny - her interrogations, not even flinching when he started backing up.

"Right! True. I must go, I... see you soon, maybe? Have a good night, you two!" The words followed one another with haste as he walked away trotting along, making one last sign of the hand before disappearing into the shadows.

Okay, it was definitely strange... and she knew what she was talking about.

Before she can become even more paranoid about this sudden encounter, her ears began to buzz, almost to the point of becoming deaf.

Her gaze drifted down to her hands, her trembling palms now pointing to the sky as a feeling of imminent panic overwhelmed her. It felt as if things were idling. She looked around, expecting to find someone nearby, but there was nobody.

It didn't make sense.

The sensations were too strong. And she could tell it wasn't coming from her, she knew how to make the difference now - between her own emotions and those of someone else. So... how?

Her attention immediately returned to Carbone when the dog began to bark, waving on the spot as if he was ready to launch, gaze pointed towards one of the paths of the park.

A second passed before the words came out of the teenager's mouth almost unconsciously, the animal not waiting any longer to start running as the sound of thunder began to reason more clearly over their heads. "Guide moi." "Guide me."

Roxanne's heart was pounding sharply in her chest, going up the earthy paths behind her loyal companion, trying her best to hold the pace. The wind was pushing harder than before on her back as she tried to find her bearings, the sense of urgency getting stronger as she crossed the park exit, now finding herself running down the dark alleys of Gotham.

The petite girl came to a sudden stop in her race as she saw the dog freeze a few steps away, stumbling almost because of her speed.

Forgetting that she was now standing in a narrow, dark alley in the middle of nowhere when it was almost midnight, she concentrated on finding what she was looking for, eventually hearing stifled sobs mixed with obscure laughter.

She didn't even need to see what was happening, she already knew it. She had already felt it herself, this particular feeling of fear and helplessness... praying to the sky, or god knows what that it was nothing but a bad dream of which we would end up waking up. But it wasn't.

The scene in front of her was perfectly real, taking place only a few feet away as she slipped as silently as possible against the cold bricks.

A woman in her twenties was trapped against a wall, surrounded by three men standing there like predators surrounding their prey, almost like wolves ready to devour an innocent doe. Although Roxanne would have thought it shameful to call these "men" wolves... these animals were way too noble.

One of them held a knife in his hand, slipped under his victim's throat while the other pulled dangerously on the thin fabric of her white shirt. He was stripping her shoulder little by little, having fun playing with the distress of the redhead.

An unhealthy smirk stretched his lips as one of his acolytes searched carelessly in what she quickly guessed to be the young woman's handbag, totally insensitive to the tears that flowed uncontrollably on her cheeks, fear paralyzing her to the point of no longer being able to scream.

Her nails came crashing into the soft flesh of her palms, almost to the blood as she tried to ignore her own thoughts mingling with the external feelings already impregnated through her skin. Pushing even deeper those she couldn't avoid now, a sickening lust smell floating in the air, she opened her eyes to look at Carbone snuggled against her thigh, the big eyes of the animal already immersed in hers.

As a silent talk.

"Well, well, well... look what we have here, thirty dollars and some girly shit. What a disappointment," the man who didn't even bother to hide his face exchanged a look with the one on his right, throwing the handbag on the floor like a common waste. "How do you plan to arrange that sweetheart, hm? I'm sure you don't want to let my buddies and I disappointed… right?"

Roxanne fought against the urge to roll her eyes, gradually calming her breathing instead. Stupid pork.

The three bastards giggled at the same time while the one holding the knife fired savagely at the tissue still trapped in his grip, physically clarifying the insinuations of his accomplice while a tearing sound followed by a sob echoed in the void.

The silence was agony as the red-haired woman felt the fresh night air burning the pale skin of her breast, in the same way as the sobs stuck in her throat was on the verge to suffocate her. Her eyes were closed almost as fast as her bra was exposed, waiting to suffer the cruel fate that awaited her for taking such a bad decision. The wrong decision to be stupid enough to believe that she could go home without any trouble, at this time of night, while passing by one of the sleaziest corners of this city. We always think that it only happens to others...

Before she can continue to punish herself unfairly for the actions of others, a kind of murmur - or more like a slight sizzle caught her attention, breaking the agonizing silence and reminding her of what a meat that would have just started to cook could sounds. A strange sequel to the waitress profession. The unexpected sound was quickly followed by a low roar which made her startle, her body already trembling uncontrollably against the cold bricks, not even noticing the blade one who hits the floor at the same time.

Curiosity came to mingle with fear, but she refused to open her eyes. She couldn't.

Her eyelids closed more painfully when animal growls reached his ears, vibrating dangerously as lightning thundered among the gray clouds. Holding one's breath for too long, she let out a febrile breath as soon as she felt the body of her assailant coming off of hers.

Time seemed to be running horribly slowly, and yet. A few seconds were enough to completely reverse the situation. She began to realize when she heard the scare in his voice... the same voice that seemed so dominant, cold and full of power a few seconds ago.

There was a change in the air, and not just because of the storm that seemed to be rising.

Still leaning against the wall behind her back, her legs flailing, she gathered all her courage to finally open her eyes, first staying focused on the blade enthroned at her feet.

Oh gosh...

Once she realized that the blade, just as its owner was no longer able to touch her, everything went extremely fast.

She turned her head abruptly, slightly scratching her head against the hard brick, her fists turning white under pressure as the thought of wondering if she was actually dead going through her mind. It was hell.

Lost in her thoughts she hadn't noticed the thick haze that had now invaded the alley, threatening to swallow and make disappear the three guys which had, in the meantime, become closer to each other.

She froze when a strong roar staggered one of them back, his ass hitting the ground heavily.

But that was nothing compared to what was hidden in the shadows...

A. Freaking. Beast.

It was the only adjective that came when she saw the huge figure that could be guessed through the dark mass creeping around, the only thing very distinct from her place being the black fur and... an imposing mouth with unusually long, large fangs. From her memory, she had never seen such an animal before. Even in the wildlife documentaries she sometimes watched on TV, the weekend on her couch, while dozing comfortably.

This... thing, was at least three times bigger than her. It was impossible.

And the vision seemed even worse for them, while stupefaction gave way to pure fright.

Pathetic complaints came to join the rumblings and the thunder who let out its anger, the guy already on the ground crawled miserably to try to get up, clutching the leg of his tetanized accomplice. But the real torture was directed at the knife-man, who was frozen on the spot, motionless, wide-eyed as stuck in the middle of a nightmare. His chest was rising and coming down at a quick pace, his breath coming out of his half-opened lips as the head of the beast was getting closer to him.

He stumbled backward when the jaw who was now a few inches from his face snapped shut, cold sweat running down his neck. His skull hit the ground, hard, making his vision blurry long enough for him to avoid noticing that his so-called buddies were already away. Running like rabbits without a single look back.

Instinct took over as his whole body stiffened, paws as big as his head coming to rest on each side of his shoulders. His vision was still murky when he closed his eyes, scratchy fur brushing his cheek while undergoing the same fate he had inflicted a few minutes ago on the redhead, trembling under the living, flesh cage.

"Tell me..." No higher than a whisper, and yet the voice buzzed so loud in his ears. "How it feels, to become the prey?"

He could feel the heavy breath of the animal caressing his skin, the grunts so close to him at this moment that they echoed deep in his knotted stomach. "Do you know, now... how it feels like." Stars danced behind his eyelids as the flood of emotions that invaded him kept his being paralyzed, at the mercy of the animal - and the person who seemed to control him.

A single, pitiful sob crosses his lips when a drop of drool comes down on his forehead.

Pathetic, she thought.

Roxanne was now the one bending over the terrified man, focusing on his closed eyes behind her hood. And just like that, he had no other choice. His gaze opened on the black figure now leaning over him.

It felt like drowning. Too much to feel. Too much to think. Not enough air to breathe. All starting to darken, little by little... one word: agony.

"I'm in your head now... no chance to escape," her tone was low. A chilling whisper solemnly pronounced as a promise, the petite girl as reassured as surprised by the fact that her voice wasn't trembling under the oppression of feelings that burned inside of her. "If you or any of your friends ever try to do something like that again... believe me, I'll know. And we will come for you. Got it?"

The coward just nodded frantically after the beast began to growl again, way too close to his ear. Fear was the strongest emotion of all, a proven fact when he didn't waste time to fly off - and this after a few miserable attempts rushed to get up.

Her blood was still boiling as she watched him disappear from her field of vision. A small voice inside her head whispering to her that she should have just let Carbone eat him alive... but damn, she wouldn't let her faithful companion eat such a piece of shit.

Taking a deep breath, she silenced all the words that kept saying that she had made the wrong choice and reasoned herself to bring things back as they were. Opening her eyes an umpteenth time tonight after a few seconds of meditation, the fog had dissipated, and she looked down at Carbone before petting her head gently.

It wasn't over...

She swallowed hard, taking a few steps towards the young woman still dumbfounded and shocked by what were surely the most traumatic minutes of her life. She stopped a few feet from her, wanting to keep a safe distance to frighten her more than she already was.

"Can you stand up?" The redhead who was now sitting on the ground didn't respond, staring vacantly into space.

Despite her soft voice, her question could seem incredibly rough. But it wasn't.

Roxanne wasn't going to ask her the usual, and so cliché "Are you okay?" which was unavoidable in such situations, because she already knew the answer. Obviously, she wasn't okay.

Leaving her a moment, the teenager knelt in front of her, Carbone in her back. She took a deep breath before lowering the closure of her waistcoat, lowering her head when the strands of white hair came tumbling down her cheeks.

"You should put that." The woman jumped as she finally seemed to be aware of the new presence, her eyes passing between the petite girl and the garment tended in her direction.

She hesitated unsurprisingly, but eventually put it on as quickly as her trembling fingers allowed her, not sure how to react in front of her… savior?

Her mind was clearly going in all directions as the white head consciously reached out for her, don't give a damn of the inconvenience it could cause her if she would actually accept her hand.

The brown eyes stooped to look at the pale, small hand stretched over her knee. She took time to detail each of the many rings adorning the delicate fingers, noticing the crescent red marks squeezed into each of the two palms; and then, the dark blue nail polish on the mid-long nails who had certainly caused them. "It's gonna be okay, trust me."

Roxanne wasn't sure if it was just the adrenaline rush, or if she had enough confidence to believe in her words, but she held her breath when she let out a single sob - frail fingers catching hers with a deadly grip.

The flow of energy was stifling. But she accepted it without complaint.

Her own shaking fingers gently squeezed her bare hand, refusing to look up for a while but slowly resigned herself, knowing that she couldn't escape it.

She wasn't prepared for the wave that came crashing down on her when their eyes met, the face of the stranger getting scrambled under the tears threatening to spill. It was her turn to struggle to stay on the surface, dealing with a gratitude almost as stifling as the relief hidden underneath.

Her mind cried out to fight, to protect herself from any external energy, that it was already difficult enough to do with her own to absorb more of it... but, for once in a long time, she let her guard down to the feeling of heat slowly seeping into her chest.

It was... magical.

As if she could finally get her head out of the water, finding the air she desperately needed.

She couldn't remember the last time she felt so calm, even for a few seconds. The last time she hadn't been afraid to touch someone, even a bit. It was like pressing a magic break button, the heat radiating through her body.

She blinked a little as the softly whispered words echoed the feelings already invading her, a tiny, but sincere smile coming to her lips as a silent answer. "Thank you..."

Roxanne helped her up, watching the redhead caress Carbone's head after a brief hesitation, the animal coiled around her leg in support.

Well, this has been one hell of a night.

Or rather the beginning of it.

She felt him before hearing him.

The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up, still facing the young woman who now had her eyes fixed on the dark and intimidating figure standing a few meters away.

The hand still clutching her own tightened its grip, an unconscious gesture as the slightest trace of serenity had now left the teenager, swept suddenly like a leaf swept by the wind to be replaced by a growing sense of panic.

"Seems like it's time for us to officially met," his voice was neutral, intimidating without even trying to be. In the image of the man to whom she belonged, and who was now staring at the back of the white head behind his mask, the sound of his cape, frightened by the storm, joining those of lightning roared in the sky.

It was her turn to face a nightmare.

Wow, sorry for the wait guys! This chapter focuses a little more on Roxanne and her family, I wanted you to see a little more about her! Hope you enjoyed it, and that you're not too angry 'cause of this little cliffhanger... *wink*

For both guests, first of all - thanks for your reviews! It's always a pleasure to know the thoughts and theories of the readers. ;)

About Artemis, I'm sorry to hear that you found her kinda OCC in this first chapter. Everyone has their own vision of the characters and I try as best as I can to respect their personality, and what they are by trusting my own feelings. I see Artemis as a burnt head with a golden heart, which is very strong but can also be vulnerable when she wants to. Hope you'll like her better in the next chapters!

About Roxanne relations, I don't want to say too much for the moment. But we'll see more about it very soon, especially with the team... can't wait to read what you'll think of it, haha!

Then, about the OC/Robin pairing... it's very important for me to clarify the situation here.

This story isn't going to be "Robin & Roxanne's love story" but "Roxanne's story" - it's NOT going to turn around a potential romance between these two, it's going to talk about my character's story. Her past, her future, her relationships with the characters (the team, her family and way more) and how she will evolve in this universe, aka the season 1 of Young Justice.

I know that Robin/OC stories are very popular, that there are many already, but I really hope that, with the next chapters, you will not think that it's gonna "taking away some uniqueness" from my story, as you say. And if it deters you from reading my story, I'm really sorry.

And obviously, a huge thanks to all the "favs" and "follows" - reviews are love! :)

- Loré.