... I'm really sorry for the wait guys... not gonna bother listing of reasons why I didn't update okay all I'm going to say it sorry it was so long

Disclaimer~ Young Justoce belongs to someone else

Replaced by a Stranger

Artemis's POV

"Dick wait you're in no con..." I say putting my hand on his shoulder to try and stop my raven haired friend. He stops and suddenly I'm on the ground, my legs swept out from under me. Wally's at my side in an instant helping me up as Dick turns away.

"I'm fine Artemis" he growls coldly and I cringe at the ice in his voice. I had never heard him use such a voice with us, rarely using it even with villains. He storms away towards the training room and Wally pulls me to my feet.

"Are you alright?" Wally asks me, his green eyes staring into mine. I nod, not trusting my voice, I couldn't believe Dick, someone who was practically my little brother, would use such a voice with me. I rub the back of my head and follow Barbra as she leads the way towards the training room, Wally holding my hand. We step in to see Nightwing calling Garfield into the center ring with him, without warning the bird themed hero attacks the changling, who barely manages to dodge at the last second. But Dick doesn't let up, instead he kicks out a leg with an unnecessary amount of force as Garfield tries to dodge, knocking the changling back and into Megan. The assembled team members look at their leader in shock.

"Lagoon Boy your try" Nightwing says shortly. The Atlantean makes his way to the training area, with a nervous glance in Gar's direction. "Go!" Nightwing barks. La'gaan charges the leader, not wanting to make the same mistake as Garfield. Dick waits for the Atlantean to be nearly on top of him before flipping up over La'gaan's head and landing behind the Atlantean. La'gaan growls and turns charging again and Dick steps to the side this time, La'gaan charging past him,but Dick uses this moment to plant a hard punch to the center of the boy's back, sending him toppling forward. The Atlantean stood no chance and fell forward, his face connecting painfully with the ground. Nightwing doesn't move to help him up as he used to and instead Wally moved forward to help up the gilled teen whose hand was over his bloody nose.

"Come on let's get you to the infirmary" Wally says leading La'gaan away but not before the Atlantean sent his leader a dirty look. The others on the Team looked shocked, no one had ever seen this side of Nightwing, of Dick even, and truthfully it frightened me. I felt as even if we removed his mask his eyes would mirror his cold exterior, Dick unreachable.

"Wondergirl you're turn" A cold, emotionless voice spoke from Nightwing's body. The blonde looks up he blue eye wide in shock, I knew she always looked up to Nightwing and he had always treated her as a younger sister. She was always looking for his approval. She slowly goes to step forward but I step forward, throwing a hand out to stop Cassie planing to face to Dick myself but Barbara beats me to it, giving me a quick look before stepping into the training circle, her eyes filled with an icy blue anger as she glared at Dick.

"Nightwing this isn't you, I understand you suffered over the loss of Robin but so is this Team and you aren't being fair to them." She growls lowly, her eyes betraying the fact she just wanted to understand why.

"Life isn't fair Batgirl, you should know that by now. I am leader of this Team and I will lead it as I see fit!" Dick replies, eyes narrowing into a glare, normally reserved for the worst criminals. I can plainly see the hurt written all over Barbara's face.

"Fine then lead that way if you want too, clearly I was wrong about you. I thought you could be more than Batman but its clear now I was wrong!" Barbara replies angrily, gasps sounding from around the Team, all of us looking to see Dick's reaction.

"Say what you want Batgirl I'm only doing my job, Wondergirl let's go" He replies, voice not raising in the slightest, the deathly calm all the more scary. Cassie wastes no time in stepping up to the training ring as Barbara turns, fleeing down the halls of the Cave. I follow after her, soon having to increase my pace to a run as she picks up her own. I finally catch up to her thanks to my long legs and I grab her arm, pulling her to a stop and turning her to face me, tears in her eyes.

"Barbara are you alright?" I ask gently, knowing Dick's words and actions cu her deeper then the rest of us. She shakes her head.

"No, I can't believe it Dick's gone" She says in a whisper, despair weighing heavily on her words.

"He's not gone, we just saw him" I try to say but she rips her arm away and fixes her eyes onto mine.

"That wasn't Dick, that was someone else. The Dick I knew would never behave that way, never become Batman. The real Dick is gone Artemis..."She says, voice cracking with emotion that Bats rarely showed while in costume. I was stunned, she was so sure the Dick we knew was gone and she had always known him best... if she believed that then maybe it was true the Dick we knew and cared for was gone, replaced by a stranger in his body.

Kay new chapter is up so I hope that you guys liked it! PLease leave me a

Review

~Lakeshine